Comedian David Koechner is starring in "The Comebacks," which opens Friday at the Eagle. This Saturday Night Live veteran plays the lead of role of Coach Lambeau Fields (ouch!) in this parody of sports films. In addition to being a regular ("TBones") in Comedy Central's "The Naked Trucker and T-Bones Show," Koechner has an extensive filmography that includes "Anchorman" (Champ Kind), "Talladega Night" (Herschell) and "Barnyard" (Dag the Coyote).
If you want to win this week's trivia question, you need to know ANOTHER movie that featured Koechner. To enter, put your answer in a subject line and send an email to trivia@eagletheater.net. We are looking for the 15th correct entry.
In which popular 2005 Eagle Theater movie did Koechner play the part of Cooter? It was a small, but funny part, and most people were watching Jessica Simpson instead of Koechner...
Josh is talking about 30 Days of Night, a vampire/zombie horror thriller that opens Friday at the Eagle. We are taking his warning seriously, and we will be offering a limited supply of "Depends" for sale with the purchase of a ticket to this movie. We want you to enjoy the movie, but we want you (and our floors) to stay dry as well.
The movie has a great gimmick--it is set in northern Alaska, where for 30 days in the dead of winter, the sun does not rise. That is pretty convenient for vampires, who don't have to head off to their nearby coffins before dawn breaks. Day never breaks for a month, so let the gore begin. But what about that gore (not the Nobel Gore, the film gore...)? Here is what Tyler has to say about that:
***** And now for something completely different...
We present The Comebacks, which is to sports movies as "Date Movie" is to romantic comedies. The producers of "Wedding Crashers" are bringing you this film under the Fox Atomic label. Fox is targeting young adults and plans to produce eight films a year, mostly in the horror and action genres.
Despite our diaper promotion, my guess is that The Comebackswill out-do 30 Days of Night, because comedy has wider appeal than horror. I could be wrong, and I definitely want you to stay dry this weekend.
*****
Debbie Henry won last week’s trivia contest. If you want to play, go to our blog.
***** Our condolences go out to the family of Ron Welsh. Ron died about 1 a.m. Thursday at his home in Oblong following a battle with cancer. One of his sons, Tom, has been the manager of the theater since it opened. All of the cast at the Eagle grieves with Tom this week.
Ron is best known for his years as a coach at OHS, and he was honored in August when the athletic field was named for him. I knew him, and his late wife Dot, more as the parents of five children, all of whom are interesting, capable adults. The family he raised is the outstanding legacy that I will remember him by. As I write this, funeral services are pending, and if you check the Daily News or go to robdailynews.com, I’m sure you can find the latest information.
Last week, Julie Rutan continued her lucky ways and won the trivia event. Kudos. Now, it is YOUR turn.
Sean Astin is a well regarded young actor who stars in this week's release, "The Final Season." Your challenge is to tell us who Astin's PARENTS were, and if you are the 14th person to do so, you win a free pass. Send your answer in the subject line of an email to trivia@eagletheater.net. One entry per email address. Put a "*" by your answer if you want us to find the great thoughts you may have embedded INSIDE your email.
Here is a hint to help you with the parent question. Dad played Gomez in the "Addams Family" and mom first came to public attention with a starring role in the play (and then movie), "The Miracle Worker." Mom had a television show named after her. Need another hint, o' desperate one? Her first and last name have the same initials as the first and middle name of a noted British author who not only penned the Adam Dalgliesh mysteries, but was the 1992 author of the book "Children of Men," which was a popular movie at the Eagle this year.
Whew. Just to keep you straight--we are looking for the parents of Sean Astin--not the British author.
"Oyez! Oyez! The Court of Movie Review is now in session. The mildly dishonorable Eric Gubelman is presiding. All movie fans, lend the honorable court your ear--or ears if you have them--and draw near."
Er...Thank you bailiff, for that unusual introduction. This court has examined the evidence of what is available this weekend, and we hereby rule on behalf of a potential sleeper of the year--The Final Season. This film is about a town the size of Hutsonville that faces its last year as a separate school district and fields its last baseball team--a team with an outstanding winning tradition.
This movie is in limited release, with the independent Yari Film Group only putting out 1,000 prints. We snagged one BECAUSE we are a rural market, reversing the studio's habit of denying us a film for that reason. This is a sports drama, and only the lack of a big advertising budget will kill this film. It needs word of mouth, and it needs a good showing out of the gate to keep our street cred with the studios.
You are the judge--not me, but this movie review court urges you to take in this film on Friday or Saturday and then email your friends if you like it.
Here's a comment on a Florida-based review of the film:
I went to two screenings out here in So.Cal. and the regular people in attendance LOVED the movie. They applauded during and after the movie and laughed at the many humorous moments. If the people like it, they will come. (Sorry, I borrowed another cliche!)
"All rise! The judge will take a brief jelly bean break, stealing a Jelly Belly from the concession jar... The judge has returned with a handful of Tropical Sour beans. Draw near."
This court has reviewed the box office results for Good Luck Chuck, and it finds that with $29 million in domestic sales, it is worthy to play at the Eagle. However, it is only worthy enough to be shown at the show on Friday and Saturday nights. Because of previous commitments, this is the only time we can spare for this R-rated sex comedy. It is going after the same audience as Ben Stiller's The Heartbreak Kid, which is also playing at the Eagle.
If you prefer a different type of action, we recommend The Kingdom, a mideast thriller based on current headlines. The final reel of this Jamie Foxx film is non-stop action sequence. Enjoy.
A programming note for parents: If you are looking for a movie that both you and your kids would enjoy, then we suggest either Game Plan, The Seeker, or the previously discussed The Final Season.
See you at the movies!
"This court is adjourning for a frozen drink in the lobby. Go forth and do likewise. Amen."
We are shaking off the September doldrums as we enter the final quarter of
the year. It seems like yesterday that "Miracle" played at the Eagle, but it
was nearly five years ago. Time sure flies when you deeply in debt!
The Heartbreak
Kid opens Friday, and we always enjoy a good Ben Stiller comedy. In
the vernacular of
"Variety" magazine, he did boffo box office last Christmas with "Night at
the Museum." We would love to show another $250 million picture, but the "R"
rating is going to slow it down a bit. It's also a Farrelly Brothers movie,
which gives off its own distinctive vibe. My guess is that you are either
going to love this movie or hate it, but the popcorn will still taste good
either way.
**** The Seeker
might just as easily be called "The Sleeper," because this is a movie that
could do really, really well if word of mouth is good. It's based on a
Newberry award winning novel, and it is rated PG, so most of the family can
go see it. Why not be the first on your block to see it?
****
Resident Evil: Extinction is the third new movie that is making its
Eagle premiere this weekend. It is in its third week of national release,
and was number one its opening weekend. We're expecting good things from it,
but hope always springs eternally from the owner, doesn't it?
Go on out to the Heath festival or the Wabash Valley Wine and Arts fest, and
then stop in and watch a movie. There's a snap in the air and the movies are
getting better.
Kristen Holtkamp won last week's trivia question by being the 13th person who correctly knew that "Walking Tall" was the movie that The Rock starred in.
Ready to try your luck on the Ben Stiller question? Be the 17th correct entrant by sending your answer on the subject line of an email addressed to trivia@eagletheater.net. One entry per email address, and put a "*" by your answer if you want us to read the body of the email, where you have undoubtedly secreted away wisdom for the ages.
Ben Stiller stars in "The Heartbreak Kid," which can best be described as a sex comedy by the Farrelly brothers. He was with us last Christmas in "Night at the Museum," but for the purpose of this question, we are looking for an earlier Stiller movie, say 2004. The tagline for this comedy was "And you thought your parents were embarassing." Dustin Hoffman and Barbra Streisand played Stiller's parents in the film, so low brow that the title was designed to send most 12-year-olds into paralytic giggles. What WAS the name of this movie?
