Tag: James Franco

True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa

- Rachel Leave a comment
True Story starring James Franco and Jonah Hill
True Story starring James Franco and Jonah Hill

December 19, 2001.  Waldport, Oregon.  The body of a young boy was discovered floating in a pond.  No one knew who the boy was and there were no missing persons reports for a child.  Three days later, divers searched the pond, looking for clues on the boy’s identity.  There was a highway bridge over the pond, and it was suspected that a car with the child’s family may be in the pond.  Divers found the body of a girl with a rock tied around her ankle.  The media ran the story asking for help finding the children’s parents.  A babysitter stepped forward and identified the children.  From there, the authorities searched the children’s residence.  It was evident that someone had packed up the personal belongings.  But the father, mother, and younger sister of the children were missing.  Divers searched the water nearby and found two suitcases.  Inside were the bodies of the mother and the baby girl.  Four out of the five members of the Longo family were dead.  Mary-Jane and her children Zachary, Sadie and Madison had been murdered.  Christian Longo was no where to be found.

The story of the Longo family is truly horrific.  Stories such as these remind us all that there are dangerous people in the world.  Even a person that you love and trust could be the person that ends that your life.  But True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa is not just about the murdered Longo family.

Michael Finkel lives in Montana and is a writer for the New York Times.  He had recently written a story that was not entirely true and was terminated for it.  So when he gets a call from a journalist at The Oregonian, Finkel expects the call to be about his disgrace.  Instead, the newspaper writer asks him about his reaction to Christian Longo being arrested after claiming to be Michael Finkel from the New York Times.

And so begins the bizarre relationship between the accused murderer and the disgraced journalist.  Longo calls Finkel from prison on a weekly basis.  They exchange letters.  Finkel even drives to Oregon to visit him a few times.  And Michael Finkel is in the court room during Longo’s trial.

True Crime: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa by Michael Finkel
True Crime: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa by Michael Finkel

An interesting story of murder, deceit and redemption.  True Story: Murder, Memoir, Mea Culpa is a must read for true crime fans and for those interested in human behavior.  It is available in print and in audiobook.

There is also a movie based off of the book.  True Story was released in 2015.  It stars James Franco as Christian Longo and Jonah Hill as Michael Finkel.  True Story is available on DVD from the library.

DVDs for June

- Ann Leave a comment

June 4

mamaMama  – Jessica Chastian, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

A supernatural thriller that tells the haunting tale of two little girls who disappeared into the woods the day that their parents were killed. When they are rescued years later and begin a new life, they find that someone or something still wants to come tuck them in at night. Rated PG-13

planet earthEscape from Planet Earth – Brendan Fraser, Jessica Alba -Animated

Admired astronaut Scorch Supernova is a national hero to the blue alien population of planet Baab. A master of daring rescues, Scorch pulls off astonishing feats with the quiet aid of his nerdy brother, Gary, head of mission control at BASA. Rated PG

good dayA Good Day to Die Hard – Bruce Willis, Cole Hauser

John McClane, the heroic New York cop with a knack for being in the wrong place at the right time, is back, and his latest predicament takes him all the way to Russia to track down his estranged son, Jack, who has been imprisoned in Moscow. But the mission takes a deadly turn as father and son must join forces to thwart a nuclear weapons heist that could trigger World War III. Rated R

warm bodiesWarm Bodies – Nicholas Hoult, Teresa Palmer

After a zombie epidemic, R (a zombie) rescues Julie (a human survivor) from a zombie attack. The two form a special relationship in their struggle for survival, R becomes increasingly more human, setting off a chain of events that begins to transform the other zombies and maybe even the whole lifeless world. Rated PG-13

June 11

masquardeMasquerade (Korean) -Byung-Hun Lee, Seung-Yong Ryoo

Amid national chaos and fear for his life, tyrannical King Gwanghae orders his trusted counselor to find a royal body double. He recruits a crude, working-class peasant, Ha-seon, a village performer who bears a startling resemblance to the ruler. When the king falls into a coma from poisoning, he is secreted away to recover and Ha-seon reluctantly assumes the throne, forced to pull off history’s biggest masquerade. Rated PG-13

hanstelHansel & Gretel : Witch Hunters – Jeremy Renner, Gemma Arterton

Get ready for a twisted take on the classic tale as Hansel and Gretel have turned pro, coping with the trauma of their childhood captivity by slaying witches for hire. But when the seemingly unstoppable bounty hunters meet their match in an enemy so evil, it’ll take all their training, weapons and courage to survive. Revenge is sweeter than candy. Rated R

ozOz the Great and Powerful – James Franco, Mila Kunis

A small-time magician is whisked away to an enchanted land and is forced into a power struggle between three witches. Rated PG

 

 

snitchSnitch – Dwayne Johnson, Susan Sarandon

A father’s teenage son is wrongly accused of a drug distribution crime and is looking at a mandatory minimum prison sentence of ten years. Desperate and determined to rescue his son at all costs, he makes a deal with the U.S. attorney to work as an undercover informant and infiltrate a drug cartel on a dangerous mission, risking everything, including his family and his own life. Rated PG-13

June 18

side effectsSide Effects– Rooney Mara, Channing Tatum

A young woman’s world unravels when a drug prescribed by her psychiatrist has unexpected side effects. Rated R

 

quartetQuartet – Maggie Smith, Billy Connolly

The rumor circling the halls is that Beecham House (the home for retired musicians) is soon to play host to a new resident. Word is, it’s a star. Reginald, Wilfred and Cecily are in for a special shock when the new arrival turns out to be none other than their former singing partner, Jean. Her subsequent career as a star soloist, and the ego that accompanied it, split up their long friendship and ended her marriage to Reggie, who takes the news of her arrival particularly hard. Rated PG

jackJack the Giant Slayer – Nicholas Hoult, Ewan MacGregor

An ancient war is reignited when a young farmhand unwittingly opens a gateway between our world and a fearsome race of giants. Unleashed on the Earth, the giants strive to reclaim the land they once lost, forcing Jack into the battle of his life to stop them. Fighting for a kingdom, its people, and the love of a brave princess, he comes face to face with the unstoppable warriors he thought only existed in legend, and gets a chance to become a legend.  Rated PG-13

June 26

callThe Call – Hallie Berry, Abigial Breslin
When a veteran 911 operator takes a life-altering call from a teenage girl who has just been abducted, she realizes that she must confront a killer from her past in order to save the girl’s life. Rated R

 

burtThe Incredible Burt Wonderstone – Steve Carell, Jim Carrey

When a street magician’s stunts begin to make their show look stale, superstar magicians Burt Wonderstone and Anton Marvelton look to salvage their act, and their friendship, by staging their own daring stunt. Rated PG-13

 


 

DVDs for December

- Ann Leave a comment

December 2

Friends with Benefits – Justin Timberlake, Mila Kunis

While trying to avoid the cliches of Hollywood romantic comedies, Dylan and Jamie soon discover that adding the act of sex to their friendship does lead to complications.

 

 

The Smurfs – Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris

When the evil wizard Gargamel chases the tiny blue Smurfs out of their village, they’re forced through a portal, out of their world and into ours, landing in the middle of New York’s Central Park.

 

December 6

The Help – Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard

Mississippi during the 1960s: Skeeter, a southern society girl, returns from college determined to become a writer, but turns her friends’ lives, and a small Mississippi town, upside down when she decides to interview the black women who have spent their lives taking care of prominent southern families. Aibileen, Skeeter’s best friend’s housekeeper, is the first to open up, to the dismay of her friends in the tight-knit black community.

 

Cowboys and Aliens – Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford

The Old West.. where a lone cowboy leads an uprising against a terror from beyond our world. 1873. Arizona Territory. A stranger with no memory of his past stumbles into the hard desert town of Absolution. The only hint to his history is a mysterious shackle that encircles one wrist. What he discovers is that the people of Absolution don’t welcome strangers, and nobody makes a move on its streets unless ordered to do so by the iron-fisted Colonel Dolarhyde. It’s a town that lives in fear.

 

December 13

Kung Fu Panda 2 – Jack Black, Angelina Jolie

Po is now living his dream as the Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, the Furious Five. But Po’s new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. Po must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins in order to able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.

 

Rise of the Planet of the Apes – John Lithgow, James Franco, Frieda Pinto

During experiments to find a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, a genetically enhanced chimpanzee uses its greater intelligence to lead other apes to freedom.

 

 

 

 

DVDS FOR MARCH

- Ann Leave a comment

March 1

Burlesque – Cher, Christina Aquilara

Ali, a small-town girl with a big voice, escapes hardship to follow her dreams to L.A. After stumbling upon the Burlesque Lounge, a majestic but ailing theater that is home to an inspired musical revue, Ali lands a job from the club’s proprietor and headliner. After Ali finally makes her way from the bar to the stage, things take a dramatic turn when her larger-than-life voice causes a charismatic entrepreneur to make an enticing proposal.

127 hours – James Franco

The powerfully uplifting true story of one man’s struggle to survive against mountainous odds. Aron Ralston has a passion for all things outdoors. But when a falling boulder traps him in a remote Utah canyon, a thrill-seeker’s adventure becomes the challenge of a lifetime. Over the next five days, Ralston embarks on a remarkable personal journey in which he relies on the memories of family and friends as well as his own courage and ingenuity to turn adversity into triumph!

March 8

Morning Glory – Rachael McAdams, Harrison Ford

For Becky, running a TV show in New York City was the big break she dreamed of, until star co-anchors Mike and Colleen declare an all-out, on-air war. Making the show work with its cast of eccentric characters and outrageous story angles will take a major miracle, but Becky is ready to rise and outshine.

Next Three Days – Russell Crowe, Olivia Wilde

Life seems perfect for John Brennan until his wife, Lara, is arrested for a murder she says she didn’t commit. Three years into her sentence, John is struggling to hold his family together, raising their son and teaching at college while he pursues every means available to prove her innocence. With the rejection of their final appeal, Lara becomes suicidal and John decides there is only one possible solution: to break his wife out of prison.

March 15

The Fighter – Mark Wahlberg, Amy Adams

Micky Ward is a struggling boxer long overshadowed by his older brother and trainer, Dicky, a local legend battling his own demons. Their explosive relationship threatens to take them both down. However, the bond of blood may be their only chance to redeem their pasts and, at last, give their hard-luck town what it’s been waiting for: pride.

March 22

The Tourist – Johnny Depp, Angelina Jolie

During an impromptu trip to Europe to mend a broken heart, Frank unexpectedly finds himself in a flirtatious encounter with Elise, an extraordinary woman who deliberately crosses his path. Against the breathtaking backdrop of Paris and Venice, their whirlwind romance quickly evolves as they find themselves unwittingly thrust into a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Yogi Bear – Voices of Dan Aykroyd, Justin Timberlake

Everyone’s favorite pic-a-nic basket-stealing bear brings his meal-mooching ways to movies in this live-action/CG-animated adventure. Jellystone has been losing business, so conniving Mayor Brown has decided to shut it down and sell the land. Faced with the loss of his home, Yogi must prove he really is ‘smarter than the average bear’ as he and Boo Boo join forces with Ranger Smith to find a way to save the park from closing forever.

March 29

Tangled – Voices of Mandy Moore, Zachary Levi

When the kingdom’s most wanted bandit, Flynn Rider, hides in a mysterious tower, the last thing he expects to find is Rapunzel, a spirited teen with an unlikely superpower: 70 feet of magical golden hair! Together, the unlikely duo sets off on a fantastic journey filled with surprising heroes, laughter, and suspense.

Black Swan – Natalie Portman, Mila Kunis

A psychological thriller set in the world of New York City ballet. An insecure ballet dancer wins the lead in Swan Lake but slowly loses her grip on sanity when a seductive newcomer is out to steal her role.

Mad Men – Season 4 – John Hamm, Elisabeth Moss

Set in 1960s New York City, Mad Men explores the glamorous and ego-driven ‘Golden Age’ of advertising, where everyone is selling something and nothing is ever what it seems. Mad Men returns for a new year rife with possibilities.