NEXT WEEK ON THE VIEW (3/21-25, 2011)

KEIFER SUTHERLAND, JENNIFER HUDSON, DONALD TRUMP AND KATE WINSLET
ARE AMONG THE FEATURED GUESTS ON “THE VIEW,” MARCH 21-25

Keifer Sutherland (“24,” “The Lost Boys”), now on Broadway in “The Championship Season,” joined by another of the show’s stars, comic Jim Gaffigan, Academy Award(tm) winners Jennifer Hudson (“I Remember Me”) and Kate Winslet (“Mildred Pierce”), former TV talk show host Dick Cavett (author, Talk Show), Donald Trump (“Celebrity Apprentice”), Chef Rocco DiSpirito, Clinton Kelly (host, TLC’s “What Not to Wear”), comic Richard Lewis (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”), Sarah Brokaw, daughter of newsman Tom Brokaw and author of Fortytude, are featured MARCH 21-25 on “The View” (11:00 a.m.-12:00 noon, ET) on the ABC Television Network.

On Friday, March 25, Brooks Douglass (“Heaven’s Rain”) and his sister, Leslie, recount the horrific events of 1979 when their Okarche, Oklahoma home became the target of a random burglary, destroying an innocent family, their parents tragically murdered, while they themselves were shot and left to die but miraculously survived.

Scheduled guests the week of MARCH 21-25 are as follows (subject to change):

MONDAY, MARCH 21 – First appearance on “The View” from acclaimed actor Keifer Sutherland, joined by one of his stage co-stars, comedic actor Jim Gaffigan (Broadway’s “The Championship Season”); former television talk show host Dick Cavett (author, Talk Show).

TUESDAY, MARCH 22 – Academy Award(tm) winner Jennifer Hudson (“I Remember Me”); seven principles of fat burning.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23 – Donald Trump (“Celebrity Apprentice”); new installment of “Ladies Who Lunch” with guest, Chef Rocco DiSpirito; Macy’s fashions with guest Clinton Kelly (host, TLC’s “What Not to Wear”).

THURSDAY, MARCH 24 – Comic Richard Lewis (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”); Sarah Brokaw, daughter of newsman Tom Brokaw and author of Fortytude.

FRIDAY, MARCH 25 – Academy Award(tm) winner Kate Winslet (“Mildred Pierce”); Brooks Douglass (“Heaven’s Rain”) and sister Leslie recount the horrific events of 1979 when their Okarche, Oklahoma home became the target of a random burglary destroying an innocent family, their parents tragically murdered, and they themselves shot and left to die; prom fashions; grand finale of “‘The View’: Where’s My Car?”

“The View” features Daytime Emmy Award-winning hosts Barbara Walters, Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Elisabeth Hasselbeck and Sherri Shepherd. It’s the original forum in which real women discuss everyday issues, share their opinions and engage in colorful conversations. “The View,” broadcast in HDTV and produced in 2-channel stereo sound, is now available to watch online daily at 4:00 p.m., ET/1:00 p.m., PT on the ABC Digital Full Episode Player at ABC.com. “The View” is produced by ABC Daytime and Ms. Walters’ Barwall Productions, with Ms. Walters serving as executive producer along with Bill Geddie, who also serves as executive producer for “The Barbara Walters Specials.” “The View” is directed by Mark Gentile.

For breaking news and updated videos follow “The View” (@theviewtv) and hosts Barbara Walters (@BarbaraJWalters), Joy Behar (@JoyVBehar), Elisabeth Hasselbeck (@ehasselbeck) and Sherri Shepherd (@SherriEShepherd) on Twitter.(tm)

Kate Winslet dating British model Louis Dowler

Five months after divorcing director/husband Sam Mendes, Kate Winslet has found a new love as she was seen with her new boyfriend, British model Louis Dowler as they were leaving the Groucho Club and leaving to go to the Mahiki Nightclub last Friday.

Winslet’s divorce was made public back in March, she was previously married to director Jim Threapleton which ended in 2001.

Director Sam Mendes and Kate Winslet are divorcing

After seven years of marriage, director Sam Mendes and actress Kate Winslet have decided to end their union.

The lawyers for both have issued a statement:

“Kate and Sam are saddened to announce that they separated earlier this year. The split is entirely amicable and is by mutual agreement. Both parties are fully committed to the future joint parenting of their children.”

Kate Winslet arriving at the Bambi Awards 2009 in Germany

Actress Kate Winslet arrives to the Bambi Awards 2009 at the Metropolis Hall at the Filmpark Babelsberg on November 26, 2009 in Potsdam, Germany. (Photo by Andreas Rentz/Getty Images). Content © 2009 Getty Images All rights reserved.

Director Sam Mendes and wife actress Kate Winslet at the NY screening of “Away We Go”

Director Sam Mendes and wife actress Kate Winslet attend a special New York screening of ‘Away We Go’ at Landmark’s Sunshine Cinema on June 1, 2009 in New York City. (Photo by Stephen Lovekin/Getty Images). Content © 2009 Getty Images . All rights reserved.

Revolutionary Road (a J!-ENT Blu-ray Disc Review)

“Based on one of the top novels ever written in the US, Richard Yates’s ‘Revolutionary Road’ was thought provoking then and even now.  Featuring outstanding performances by Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, ‘Revolutionary Road’ is a film about the death of the American Dream and the family who bought into that dream and thought that life would be happily ever after.  Powerful, emotional, heartbreaking and so real!”

Images courtesy of © 2008 DW Studios LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Revolutionary Road

DURATION: 118 Minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition, English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD, French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Subtitles – English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese

RATED: R (For Language and Some Sexual Content/Nudity)

COMPANY: Paramount Home Entertainment/BBC Films

RELEASE DATE: June 2, 2009

Directed by Sam Mendes

Based on the novel by Richard Yates

Written by Justin Haythe

Executive Producer: Henry Fernaine, Marion Rosenberg, David M. Thompson

Co-Executive Producer: Pippa Harris, Peter Kalmbach, Nina Wolarsky

Produced by Bobby Cohen, John Hart, Sam Mendes, Scott Rudin

Music by Thomas Newman

Director of Photography: Roger Deakins

Edited by Tariq Anwar

Casting by Ellen Lewis and Debra Azane

Production Design by Kristi Zea

Art Direction by Teresa Carriker-Thayer, John Kasarda, Nicholas Lundy

Set Decoration by Debra Schutt

Costume Design by Albert Wolsky

Starring:

Leonardo DiCaprio as Frank Wheeler

Kate Winslet as April Wheeler

Michael Shannon as John Givings

Ryan Simpkins as Jennifer Wheeler

Ty Simpkins as Michael Wheeler

Kathy Bates as Mrs. Helen Givings

Richard Easton as Mr. Howard Givings

David Harbour as Shep Campbell

Kathryn Hahn as Milly Campbell

Zoe Kazan as Maureen Grube

Dylan Baker as Jack Ordway

Keith Reddin as Ted Bandy

Academy Award® nominee Leonardo DiCaprio* and Academy Award® winner Kate Winslet** reunite for two powerful, groundbreaking performances in Revolutionary Road. Based on the bestseller by Richard Yates, this mesmerizing and moving story follows the lives of a passionate young couple living in suburban Connecticut who decide to risk everything to pursue their dreams. They’re willing to break away from the ordinary – but can they do it without breaking apart? Acclaimed by critics, Revolutionary Road is hailed as “…a masterpiece.” (Mick LaSalle, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE)

In 1962, author Richard Yates wrote his first novel titled “Revolutionary Road”.  The book would receive critical acclaim and Time has it listed as one of the top 100 best English-language novels written from 1923 to the present.

Many people consider it one of the best books they have ever read, as it was one of the few books that deconstructs the 1950′s nuclear family of living the American dream.  Where everything looks so right about a family who moves to the suburbs, gets the nice house and lives happily ever after.  Yates wanted to show that these families were not perfect, that behind-the-scenes, not everything was perfect. “Revolutionary Road” is what author Richard Yates has explained as “the tattered remnants of the American Dream”.

It took 46 years for this book to be adapted to film and with a screenplay written by Justin Haythe (“The Clearing”), Director Sam Mendes (“American Beauty”, “Road to Perdition”, “Jarhead”, etc.) and his wife, actress Kate Winslett (“Titanic”, “Finding Neverland”, “All the Kings Men”, “Little Children”) who loved the book, eventually got her dear friend, actor Leonardo DiCaprio (“Titanic”, “Gangs of New York”, “The Departed”, “Body of Lies”, etc.) to read the script and become part of the film.

“Revolutionary Road” would also include world renown cinematographer Roger Deakins (“A Beautiful Mind”, “Fargo”, “The Big Lebowski”, “A Beautiful Mind”, “No Country for Old Men” to name a few) and composer Thomas Newman (“Road to Perdition”, “Finding Nemo”, “Cinderella Man”, “Jarhead”, “Wall-E”, etc.) to be major key members to the crew.  The film was received well by critics and earned Kate Winslet a Golden Globe Award for “Best Actress”.

The film takes place in 1955 and focuses on the Wheeler family, primarily husband Frank (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his wife April (Kate Winslet).  A couple who live in a suburb of Connecticut and see themselves so cutting edge and not the typical suburban couple.

For April Wheeler, she is starting to have enough of this suburban lifestyle.  As an actress, having to perform plays at the local school, she feels that living in this home while taking care of the children and her husband working a 10 hour job that he hates is hurting their marriage.  She yearns for the years when they first met.  When Frank was full of energy and talked about going to Paris while in the military and when the two were very much in love.

She dreams about when she and her husband met their local Realtor Helen Givings (Kathy Bates) and how they moved into their new home and just keeps reminiscing of the past.

But so much has changed since they moved into the home on Revolutionary Road.  Now with children, their lives are no different from anyone else living on the block.  She despises the life of living this so-called “American Dream” which she clearly never has bought into.

As for Frank, he works the same job where his father had worked.  Similar position at Knox Business Machines and absolutely hates it.  His relationship with his wife is deteriorating and so, he finds solace by seducing his secretary on his 30th birthday.  (Note: It’s important to note that in the 1950′s, married couples did not divorce, many couples lived together despite their problems.  Tthe American Dream of how married couples should be, was happy married couples and typically many couples kept their troubles in their home and not in public.)

When Frank arrives home, his wife April and his two children wish him a happy birthday but his wife also has come up with a plan.  Since they have saved up, they will live a new life. Move to Paris where she can get a job working as a secretary at a Government office and take care of the family and just enjoy life.  The two are so enthusiastic about doing this and their relationship seems to be positive again.

Both have their mindset now on Paris which they plan to move in a few months.  When they tell their friends and neighbors, Shep Campbell (David Harbour) and Milly Campbell (Kathryn Hahn), both appear surprised and shocked by the announcement.  Both have fun seeing how people react that they are moving to Paris and Frank is just happy that he can quit his job and his family will have this good life.  Their friends think they are being immature and not smart about their decision but both Frank and April feel they are back to their cutting edge lifestyle.

That is until Frank’s talent at work gets notied by the higher ups and is offered a promotion and higher pay and April reveals that she is pregnant.  April hears about an abortion kit and wants to use it, so they can pursue their lives in Paris but Frank is against it and decides to stay put.  April’s dreams of leaving the suburban life has been destroyed and the life of the Wheeler family will never be the same again.

“Revolutionary Road” was a tour de force when released back in 1962.  The family lifestyle of achieving that “American Dream” was a facade that many families bought into.  About how life should be.  Author Richard Yates wrote about the so-called perfect family life that no one wanted to talk about at the time and to give a voice to those who were too scared to come out and say their family life was not perfect.  Yates who had his own problems with life as a child and also having failed marriages wrote about the new American tragedy and let’s people know, that “American Dream” is over.

The book which was brilliantly written and so real, that many felt the impact of what Yates had to write.  And longtime overdue, over 45 years later, finally a film based on the book has been created.

VIDEO & AUDIO:

“Revolutionary Road” is featured in 1080p High Definition.  It’s also a film that was not shot in a studio lot and filmed entirely outdoors and indoors in actual homes with natural lighting.  And what better to capture the destruction of marriage but most importantly, young love in the 1950′s none other than popular cinematographer Roger Deakins.

Colors are vibrant, warm and they really come out strong.  Blacks are nice and deep but greens, blues and earth tones really do come out in the film.  Picture quality is clear, detailed and warm when it needs to be and dark when it needs to be.  There are no dust and white specks, nor are their any compression artifacts.  Overall, beautiful cinematography from Roger Deakins equates to wonderful picture quality.  I have not been disappointed by any of his films that he shot on camera and were released on Blu-ray.  Wonderful work!

As for the audio, “Revolutionary Road” is featured in English 5.1 Dolby TrueHD (and also French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital).  The film is primarily front channel driven.  Dialogue is crystal clear and everything is understandable.  So, arguments and anger (typically seen and heard when Frank takes his anger out on his car or objects) is heard quite clearly.

There is very good directional use of audio panning through your two front speakers but overall, this is not a film to expect low frequency bass or utilization of the rear surrounds.    I will say that the music by composer Thomas Newman really does come alive throughout the film.  The music showcases the loving couple and heightens to their instability and that life can have its highs but its lows.  The music really does enhance such scenes and overall, audio quality is quite satisfactory for a film like this.

Subtitles are featured in English, English SDH, French, Spanish and Portuguese.

SPECIAL FEATURES:

“Revolutionary Road” features the following special features:

• Commentary with Director Sam Mendes and Screenwriter Justin Haythe - The commentary by the two are well done and informative.  The two discuss everything from adapting the novel to film and the differences between the two.   Sam talks about working with his wife Kate in the film and working with the other talents in the film.
• Lies of Quiet Desperation: The Making of Revolutionary Road - (29:00) A featurette that goes into details of how Sam Mendes came to become the director of the film, how Kate Winslet was such a big fan of the film that she wanted to do this film but also work with her husband.  Mendes talks about preparing himself working with his wife and says that even if he was not married to her, she would be his first choice.  Winslet talks about how she got Leonardo DiCaprio to consider the script and interviews with the talents and crew.  This featurette is presented in High Definition.
• Richard Yates: The Wings of Truth - (26:04) A featurette celebrating the life of author Richard Yates in HD.  Interviews with the family and friends about Richard and the difficulties he had growing up, being picked on by kids who called him a sissy because he was a momma’s boy but changed his life and joined the military.  When he returned back home, he had to take care of his mother and his father was rarely there.  So, by working jobs and taking care of his mother, he had to forgo college (which was a big regret for him) and became a writer.  We learn how alcohol was important to writers and how Yates became an alcoholic and also we learn about his temper.  But we also learn about the positive sides of Yates through his various children and also really interesting tidbits of his personal life.
• Deleted Scenes with Optional Commentary by Director Sam Mendes and Screenwriter Justin Haythe – (25:14) A total of 14 deleted scenes with optional commentary.  There are a few scenes that the director wish he didn’t cut.  Also, a powerful ending for the character Frank Wheeler which was not used in the film.   These deleted scenes are featured in HD.
• Theatrical Trailer – (2:12) The original theatrical trailer in HD.

“Revolutionary Road” is an extremely powerful film and also a tragic love story.  The performances by Kate Winslet and Leonardo Di Caprio were outstanding and the emotions and the chemistry these two talents bring to each other is quite amazing.  Just watching the scenes of both DiCaprio and Winslet arguing and just seeing how their characters are truly suffering, is painful.

Winslet was absolutely fabulous and I think that working with DiCaprio on “Titanic”, these two talents know how to work together and make things happen on screen.   Most of all,  I think that working with her husband, Director Sam Mendes for the first time brought a certain carefulness and also a heightened elegance for the film.  It could of worked terribly but fortunately, it worked quite well.

With Yates original novel and to the screenplay adaption, this film storyline of a loving marriage slowly being destroyed is a theme that was very relevant then, is quite relevant  now.   I can see why the book shocked people then and why the movie shocked people now because it was so candid about the destruction of the “American Life” and it seemed so real.  For many young couples, marriage in the beginning seems so right.  The decisions made to have things work right, it’s almost the idea of how our parents or even grandparents have lived their lives and I see it passed down to today’s generation.  Marriage, children, big house, work late, and yet somehow trying to achieve that dream, for many… that love and that life that may have started so awesome in the beginning and then things quickly change.

Frank and April Wheeler thought they wouldn’t be like that.  Frank was a military man who experienced life and said to himself, he would not be like his father and work a dead end job that he hated.  April was an actress from the city who had dreams.  But somehow these two decided to leave the city and make it happen in the suburbs and tried to tell themselves they were better.  But when life becomes the same chore day in and day out, you’re no different from everyone else.  The way the film ended (which I won’t spoil for you) was sheer genius on Yates’s part and it works effectively in the film.

The Blu-ray gave us great clarity, detail and overall bringing out the beautiful cinematography by Roger Deakins in balance with the screenplay by Justin Haythe and music by Thomas Newman. Last, Director Sam Mendes who managed to catch our attention with his dark film “American Beauty” is able to give us another film that shows us the unflattering life of a married couple on the brink of disaster.

If I had any qualms about the film, there are deleted scenes that you will see on the Blu-ray.  Scenes that I felt were quite pivotal and wish they kept in the film.  Nevertheless,  “Revolutionary Road” is not an easy film to watch.  As some may want to watch a film about a positive family life and hoping that this family can meet the challenges and survive, this film doesn’t go that direction.  Especially if you’re in a relationship or are married, this film may be an eye opener for you.  It’s also a film that one may not want to watch twice, which may lead to your decision if it’s worth owning or not.

Despite how the film ends, there are those who can get a jolt by watching this film, especially if their own families have their own problems.  It’s literally an eye opener and as mentioned, as relevant as this film was in 1962, is relevant today.

Another wonderful film starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet!  “Revolutionary Road” is a film worth checking out.

Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio at the 66th Annual Golden Globes

picapp: Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio at the 66th Annual Golden Globes held at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. Photo by Zephyr/starmaxinc.com Photo via Newscom Photo via Newscom. Content © 2009 Newscom . All rights reserved.