ENTER TO WIN A "THE MUPPETS" BLU-RAY COMBO PACK

The Muppets Wocka-Wocka Value Pack

One of my favourite films of 2011 can soon be owned and I want to give Readers a chance to win a copy of it, courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada! Join Walter, the world's biggest Muppet Fan, his Brother Gary (Jason Segel) and Gary's Girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams), from Smalltown, USA, on their vacation to Los Angeles. Together, they discover the nefarious plan of Oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze Muppet Studios and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets' former stomping grounds. To stage a Telethon and raise the $10 million needed to save the studio, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno Casino Tribute Band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size Fashion Editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for Anger Management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing Magnate.

Fresh off its win at the 84th Academy Awards in the category for Music (Original Song) with Man or a Muppet, The Muppets will be available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, Digital Download and On-Demand formats, March 20, 2012.

In addition to owning the $150-million-grossing Box Office Smash, those who purchase the 3-Disc Wocka-Wocka Value Pack, get all sorts of stellar goodies, including:

DISNEY'S "THE MUPPETS" PREVIEW

Muppets One-Sheet

... and here's your official Synopsis for the new upcoming The Muppets Movie due on U.S. Thanksgiving Day:

"On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theatre and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets' former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theatre, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called The Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate. With secret, signature, celebrity cameos, “The Muppets” hits the big screen Nov. 23, 2011.".

How completely absurd and ridiculous!  Just the way I like it.  Although the official Trailer hasn't surfaced online yet, I did see it during Previews for Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and it looks absolutely adorable.  Amy Adams!  Jason Segel!

Visit the official website for Disney's Muppets here. 

THE TEMPEST - FILM REVIEW

Still from The Tempest

Oh no Julie Taymor, what have you done? With consecutive sub-par efforts Across the Universe and now her adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest, the talented Director is hanging on a thread in terms of Critical pardon.

Taymor takes the Comedy/Drama of The Tempest, adapting the original character of Prospero and transforming him here into a Woman - Prospera (Helen Mirren), Duchess of Milan - who has the rare ability to perform Witchcraft.  Prospera is betrayed by her Brother Antonio (Chris Cooper) who tries to usurp her throne by forcing both her and daughter Miranda (Felicity Jones) onto a boat, leaving them to die. Trapped on an island, Mother and Daughter are left to their own devices in the name of survival, taking ownership of the land they stumble upon.  They enslave the island's only inhabitant - a creature named Caliban (Djimon Hounsou).

Alonzo (David Strathairn), King of Naples, is on a mission along with Antonio, Sebastian (Alan Cumming) and Gonzalo (Tom Conti) to find his missing Son, Ferdinand (Reeve Carney). Ferdinand however, finds his way onto the island and encounters beautiful Miranda and before long they take a liking to one another, under the watchful eye of a distrustful Prospera.

THE TOWN TIFF GALA WITH BEN AFFLECK, BLAKE LIVELY, JON HAMM (PHOTOS & REVIEW)

Ben Affleck at
The Town Gala

Ben Affleck's The Town is a movie for the guys and even he joked at tonight's Roy Thomson Hall TIFF Gala that since his last directorial effort Gone Baby Gone "failed to set Hollywood on fire", perhaps this film will.  He went on to thank the Cast and Crew for their hard work on the film, before thanking also his wife Jennifer Garner who was in attendance.

Set in Charlotte, Massachusetts, this story involves a team of bank robbers who orchestrate a series of heists. Their master mind Doug (Affleck) however, falls for the same Bank Manager Claire (Rebecca Hall) he holds hostage, even though she is not cognizant of this in having been blind-folded by his accomplices. What ensues is a tale of betrayal, redemption and a high octane Tom-and-Jerry chase as FBI Agent Frawley (Jon Hamm) is in hot pursuit of the dangerous criminals responsible for terrorizing the town.  Will Doug be able to end his Criminal ways before he is caught?

My only problem with The Town other than its over-the-top implausibility, is its questionable choices in casting as Affleck opts for buzz and star-power in his on-going quest for a validating commercial/critical hit. Gossip Girl's Blake Lively despite her best efforts just doesn't quite nail the depth and history required of Krista, an alcohol and drug-dependent single mother and lover to Doug. The talented Hall is under-utilized, not given much of an emotional range to work with in her seemingly important role which somehow disappears in the high speed car chases and rounds of shoot-outs. The same could be said of Hamm's character also perhaps.