Opening in theaters on December 16th is a new documentary based on the life of legendary producer/director Roger Corman (The Wild Angels, Death Race 2000) called Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel. In addition to making over four-hundred movies as a producer and/or director, Corman is also responsible for introducing the world to some of the most influential actors and filmmakers of all-time. 

The documentary is directed by Alex Stapleton and features interviews with Academy Award-winners Robert De Niro (Raging Bull), Martin Scorsese (The Departed), Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind), Jonathan Demme (The Silence of the Lambs), and Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction), as well as William Shatner (Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan), Peter Fonda (Easy Rider), Bruce Dern (Black Sunday), Pam Grier (Jackie Brown), Joe Dante (Gremlins), Peter Bogdanovich (Paper Moon), the late Irvin Kershner (Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back), the late George Hickenlooper (Heart of Darkness: A Filmmaker's Apocalypse), the late David Carradine (Kill Bill: Vol. 2), and three-time Oscar-winner Jack Nicholson (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Terms of Endearment, As Good as it Gets). 

IAR's managing editor Jami Philbrick recently had an opportunity to sit down with Hollywood legend Roger Corman, as well as documentary filmmaker Alex Stapleton to discuss the making of Corman's World: Exploits of a Hollywood Rebel. The two filmmakers talked about the process of making the documentary, Corman's impressive career and the people he has influenced, how Stapleton obtained interviews with the A-list talent that appears in the film, Jack Nicholson's emotional breakdown, how filmmaking has changed since Corman began; and the secret to his amazing longevity. 

You may not recognize actor James Hong by name but trust me, if you were to take one look at his fifty-year long resume you would definitely know him from his over three hundred and fifty film and television appearances. In addition to appearing on some of the most popular TV programs of all-time including All in the Family, The A-Team, and Seinfeld, the Asian American actor has also performed in such classic films as Chinatown, Blade Runner, Big Trouble in Little China, Airplane!, and my personal favorite … The In-Laws starring Oscar-winner Alan Arkin and the late great Peter Falk. But modern audiences know Hong best from his voice over work on the animated series Super Robot Monkey Team Hyperforce Go!, as well as the feature films Mulan, and Kung Fu Panda. Last summer the actor returned to the big screen once again as Jack Black’s adopted father Mr. Ping in the extremely popular Kung Fu Panda 2, which is available on Blu-ray and DVD beginning December 13^th.

In Kung Fu Panda 2, Po (Black) must take on an archenemy that he didn’t even know he had when he meets the evil Lord Shen (Gary Oldman). Along with the Furious Five, our fearless Dragon Master fights off a pack of wolves working for the villainous peacock and soon realizes that Shen has a connection to his true past. Always aware that he was different from his goose father Mr. Ping (Hong), Po finally asks his dad to tell him the truth about where he came from. When Po learns that he was adopted, he sets off on a journey with his friends to confront Lord Shen and stop his plans for world domination. In the process, Po finds out the truth about where he comes from, who his birth parents were and what happened to them. In the end, Po returns to Mr. Ping realizing that is where he belongs, but the film concludes with a cliffhanger regarding Po’s birth father that could lead into the inevitable Kung Fu Panda 3.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with actor James Hong about his work on Kung Fu Panda 2. The veteran screen actor discussed the film, how he got his part, the role he was originally cast in, playing Jack Black’s father, the art of voice acting, working with director Jennifer Yuh Nelson, the movie’s theme of adoption, and a possible Kung Fu Panda 3.

Seven years after being diagnosed with breast cancer, producer Laura Ziskin died on Sunday at the age of 61.  She passed away at her home in Santa Monica with her husband, screenwriter Alvin Sargent, along with friends and family by her side.  She is remembered by all who knew her as a deeply humane, consistently sincere presence in an environment that is not always noted for fostering such qualities.  She will also be remembered as a founding member of the non profit organization Stand Up 2 Cancer.

The Three Stooges project from comedy directing duo Peter and Bobby Farrelly has long been in development, and has had a lot of potential stooges in actors such as Sean Penn, Benicio del Toro, Paul Giamatti, Jim Carrey, James Marsden, and Andy Samberg.  The cast is actually coming together now, though, as last week Mad TV veteran Will Sasso was cast as Curly.  Now, Variety has word that 2/3 of the slapstick trio is officially cast, with Sean Hayes joining up as Larry Fine. 

Netflix's streaming Watch Instantly service is fast becoming America's favorite way to watch movies.  The library of available titles is so vast and mutable that you, the avid instant watcher, could no doubt use a guide as you navigate the streaming frontier.  Luckily for you, I'm here every week to update you on the latest titles available for instant-watching, as well as bringing attention some gems out there in the instantly watchable wilds.

October 26, 2010:  The Shining

The Shining is a chilling horror film. Jack Nicholson is a perfect Jack Torrance. Jack is a writer looking for a little peace and quiet, and a place where the family can come along… as long as they don’t disturb him too much.

Yet all that isolation isn’t doing Jack all that much good. He sits in front of his typewriter and writes the phrase:

“All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy…”

Synopsis: A romantic comedy centered on the love triangle between professional softball player Lisa Jorgenson, a corporate executive, and a major-league pitcher.