225BatonRouge.com - Blogs

Out on DVD this week are Winter Passing and The Producers. I could take or leave The Producers. Having seen the Broadway version in its heyday, it was pretty appalling to watch the trailer with the cast using the same overly anxious bombastic tone that works well on stage in a large theatre, but comes off extremely cheesy on film. It just looks over-the-top to me.

Winter Passing centers on the actress daughter of a legendary, but reclusive author (think J.D. Salinger), who is offered lots of cash by a publishing company to acquire the love-letters her father sent to her mother. When the daughter, played by the aptly named Zooey Deschanel, reunites with her father after so many years she learns one of her father’s ex-grad students played by Amelia Warner, and a would-be musician played by Will Ferrell are living with him. The film looks confident and quirky and heartfelt, like snow melting on a lawn. I always enjoy Deschanel’s work—if you haven’t yet seen All The Real Girls, do yourself a favor and rent it soon—and I’m curious to see what Ferrell can do with a more serious role.

Ah hah. Just as I thought. Donnie Darko is a terrorist. Okay, maybe not, but Donnie Darko director (and Domino writer) Richard Kelly was detained by Homeland Security last week. All the dude wanted to do was attend Cannes.

Everybody knows The Da Vinci Code opens this weekend. See you guys there. But you should also check out animated comedy Over The Hedge. It’s essentially a family movie, but it also has some bighting commentary on the emptiness of suburban ideals and consumer culture. It was co-written by two Baton Rouge High graduates, Karey Kirkpatrick (who also directs), and Chris Poche. Steve Carrell and Wanda Sykes, two comedic actors at the apex of their powers, also star alongside Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling and others. Look for an interview with Kirkpatrick and Poche about Over The Hedge in the June issue of 225.

But if you do need a Da Vinci Code fix, here’s a headline that looks like something from The Onion: Priest already tired of questions about The Da Vinci Code…but, no, its an actual priest making actual comments, in, wait for it…an actual article. Check it out here. I guess priests are fielding more questions about Opus Dei, the Priory of Sion and the Catholic Church in general in the last few months than in recent years combined. What does that say about the film, or about the Catholic Church for that matter? Leave some feedback below, and let me know what you think.

And the shy, cute-as-a-little-French-button Audrey Tautou talks about her role in the film, here. Turns out director Ron Howard first wanted Julie Delpy, Sophie Marceau or Juliette Binoche for the role. Congratulations ladies, you’re officially insane for turning down the part. Fire your agents. Fire your agents’ agents. Spell curses on each of their houses. Personally, I’m glad to see Tautou in the Da Vinci Code. The Amelie star should do more English language projects. Imagine what she could do in a Wes Anderson or P.T. Anderson movie…