hollywood q&a
By Adam Thomlison
TV Media
Q: There are two dif-
ferent films entitled “The
Island” — one is an action
film with Michael Caine
that came out in 1980,
while the other is a more
recent sci-fi one that came
out in 2005. But it’s always
the sci-fi one I see in the
television listings. Why is
the Caine film seemingly
never on TV anymore?
A: There are a couple of
harsh realities that figure
into your question. One is the
harsh-for-filmmakers reality
that you can’t copyright a title,
and the other is the harsh-
for-Michael Caine reality that
he isn’t the bankable star he
used to be.
Don’t get me wrong, Caine
is still a huge name, but the
popular idea of him today
is not as a leading man. In
some ways he’s a victim of his
recent success — his role as
Alfred in Christopher Nolan’s
Batman movies, and similar
supporting gigs in hits like
“Inception” (2010) and “Now
You See Me” (2013), mean
he’s better known today as
a wise guide than a death-
defying charmer.
Meanwhile, the drawing
power of the 2005 version’s
stars has only grown since it
was made. Scarlett Johansson
in particular has become one
of the biggest names in cin-
ema today, and co-star Ewan
McGregor isn’t far behind.
There’s also what we can
call a contextual problem
to deal with. Yes, the new
“Island” is a dystopian-future
sci-fi thing, but its plot seems
almost plausible compared
to Caine’s movie about pirate
conspiracies and brainwash-
ing set in the Bermuda Trian-
gle. That sort of story fit nicely
into turn-of-the-’80s cinema,
but today it sounds a bit off
the wall — they just don’t
make ‘em like that anymore.
Confusing matters further
(though not much), another
film called “The Island” was
released in 2006, though this
was a Russian one that didn’t
get a lot of global traction.
The real issue here, as I said
at the start, is that titles can’t
12 | Screentime
be copyrighted. This makes
sense to some degree — titles
need to be short and pithy,
and there are only so many
words to go around. “The
Piece of Land Surrounded on
All Sides by Water” just isn’t
as catchy.
Q: Can you tell me why
the actress who played
Dawson left “Chicago
Fire”?
A: Gabby Dawson, a lead
character since the beginning
in the NBC drama “Chicago
Fire,” exited the series in
dramatic fashion — leaving
her job, her home and her hus-
band in order to do hurricane-
recovery work in Puerto Rico.
The actress, on the other hand,
left the show for a pretty mun-
dane reason.
“It’s time for me to move
on to the next chapter in my
life,” Monica Raymund said
in an official statement on her
Twitter feed. Translation: she
wants bigger roles.
It’s a mundane reason
from the perspective of view-
ers, who see this fairly often
with long-running ensemble
shows, but it’s anything but
mundane for Raymund, be-
cause she’s already landed
just such a role.
She’ll play the lead in a
prestige drama series on
premium cable — the real big
league for actors nowadays.
She is booked to play a lesbian
(that’s important to the plot, I
promise) fisheries officer who
stumbles on a murder tied
to the opioid epidemic in her
city in the Starz drama “High-
town.”
It has a lot of quirky details
that make it perfect for pay
cable — such as the fact that
she’s a fisheries officer instead
of a cop (or a firefighter), and
the fact that it’s set in “the
gay mecca of Provincetown,
Massachusetts.”
All this adds up to a pretty
good reason for leaving even
a hit show like “Chicago Fire”
— from the actress’s perspec-
tive, at least.
Have a question? Email us
at questions@tvtabloid.com.
Please include your name and
town. Personal replies will not
be provided.
February 13, 2019 | East Oregonian and Hermiston Herald
STREAMING THIS WEEK
By Shona Dustan
TV Media
NEW ON NETFLIX:
”Rebellion” Season 2
When the second season of
this historical drama aired in
the U.K. last month, it was mar-
keted as a followup miniseries
called “Resistance.” To ensure
American audiences know it’s
a continuation of 2016’s “Re-
bellion,” Netflix has rebranded
it as simply Season 2 of the
original miniseries. Season 1
was the thrilling and tragic tale
of the 1916 Easter Rising, an
Irish attempt to throw off op-
pressive British rule and gain
the autonomy for which they’d
been fighting for generations.
The rising failed, but the hope
for freedom and the seed of
violent rebellion had been
planted. Season 2 kicks off in 1920, right in the middle of the Irish
War of Independence, which would ultimately result in both victory
and partition — Irish history is rife with complexities, excitement
and tragedy, and this series delivers all of the above. Brian Gleeson
(“Taken Down”) returns for a second season as World War I veteran-
turned-IRA affiliate Jimmy Mahon, a man with strong convictions
who finds himself caught up in all the action. You can stream the first
season now, and season 2 arrives Friday, Feb. 22.
”Paddleton”
Comedy great Ray Romano (“Everybody Loves Raymond”) teams
up with indie darling Mark Duplass (“Togetherness”) for this funny
and poignant drama. The men star as neighbors Andy (Romano) and
Michael (Duplass), who develop an unlikely and very quirky friendship
that is tested when Michael is diagnosed with terminal cancer. Soon
after his diagnosis, Michael asks Andy to help him end his life before
the cancer takes too much from him, and the pair sets out on a road
trip to collect the pills they will need to fulfill Michael’s wishes. It may
sound like a grim premise, but the film expertly balances comedy and
tragedy to produce a heartwarming, life-affirming experience. This
gem is available for streaming starting Friday, Feb. 22.
”Chef’s Table”
The sixth installment of this unique food series features another batch
of chefs from around the world. Each episode follows one chef and il-
lustrates how their culinary and life experience is unique. This season,
we’ll get to see the lives and culinary creations of renowned Italian
butcher Dario Cecchini, London-based Indian chef Asma Khan, and
two stars of the food scene in the American South, Mashama Bailey
and Sean Brock. All of the international flavor drops Friday, Feb. 22.
WHAT’S NEW ON AMAZON PRIME:
”This Giant Beast That Is the
Global Economy”
Kal Penn (“Designated Survivor”)
takes viewers on a journey around
the world in this documentary
from Adam McKay, the director of
“The Big Short” (2015) and “Vice”
(2018). The eight-episode series is
available starting Friday, Feb. 22,
and follows Penn as he delves into
the machinations of the world’s
economy to explain and expose
many of the most surprising ways
money affects our everyday lives.
The docuseries features appear-
ances by stars such as Ted Danson
(“The Good Place”), Rashida Jones
(“Parks and Recreation”), Joel
McHale (“Community”) and Ed Helms (“The Office”), and strikes a
humorous tone that will keep you engaged if the fascinating money
stuff isn’t enough for you.
WHAT’S NEW ON HULU:
”Stan Against Evil” Season 3
John C. McGinley (“Scrubs”) stars
in this unique horror/comedy
series as Stan Miller, the former
sheriff of an extremely haunted
New Hampshire town. Stan teams
up with the current sheriff (Janet
Varney, “You’re the Worst”) to
take on some terrifying ghouls and
ghosts, while employing a sardon-
ic wit that will keep you in stitches.
Sadly for the show’s sizable and
dedicated fanbase, it has not been
picked up for a fourth season, so
when Season 3 begins streaming
on Friday, Feb. 22, you’ll have ac-
cess to the entire series.
”Death Wish” (2018)
If you’re looking for fast-paced action, look no further than this flick,
which you can stream starting Friday, Feb. 22. It’s a remake of the
1974 film of the same name, which starred Charles Bronson (“Once
Upon a Time in the West,” 1968), which in turn was based on Brian
Garfield’s 1972 novel. This iteration of the story stars Bruce Willis
(“Die Hard,” 1988) as trauma surgeon Paul Kersey, whose family is
violently attacked by masked intruders while Paul is at work one eve-
ning. With his wife dead, his daughter in a coma, and the police failing
to find the perpetrators, Paul goes off the rails and sets out on mission
of vengeance and vigilantism. It’s an action-packed and bloody romp
that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
”The Big Family Cooking Showdown”
Netflix is really cashing in on our love for cooking shows, and this
British series gets the whole family involved — 16 whole families,
actually. Each team is made up of a family that believes that they can
outcook the others. It’s not just their culinary skills that are tested,
but their ability to work together under pressure, which, for some
families, proves to be the real challenge. Every episode has three
main challenges: the £10 challenge, the home visit challenge and the
impress-the-neighbors challenge, and it’s up to the judges to deter-
mine who stays in the competition and who goes home. You can find
out who wins the ultimate prize when the show begins streaming
Friday, Feb. 22.
Last Chance:
“Rob Roy” (1995): This Scottish historical epic tells the true-ish tale
of Rob Roy MacGregor, a lowland chieftain whose life is torn apart by
a greedy and ruthless brute. Liam Neeson stars as Roy, who must go
on the run and hunt down the criminal responsible for his woes.
“Message in a Bottle” (1999): This was the first adaptation of a
Nicholas Sparks novel, and it’s just as romantic and mushy as the films
that followed. Robin Wright stars as a journalist who discovers a literal
message in a bottle — a love note that breaks her heart. So, of course,
she tracks down the man who wrote it and immediately falls in love.