This column is provided as a public service by the Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell, is a science writer at the institute.
In the name of science, Kyle Manger and Joel Cladouhos sat down in front of Kyle's Labrador retriever, Yogi, and started to eat dinner. Almost instantly, gelatinous icicles of drool began dripping from the dog's jowls.
Instead of being grossed out, the two sophomores at Juneau-Douglas High School held a sterile glass tube under the stream and collected Yogi's saliva for use in their science fair experiment, titled "Dog Saliva: The Next Wonder Drug?"
Seven-hundred miles north, in Fairbanks, West Valley High School senior Patryce McKinney was busy reaching inside the mouths of 102 dogs to complete her award-winning science project, titled "Antibiotics and Dog Saliva."
Each of the students, who hadn't heard of one another's projects, became interested in the rumored ability of dog saliva to kill bacteria. Joel said his father works at a health clinic where a nurse said that wounds inflicted by human bites get infected more often than dog bite wounds. Patryce had heard that a wound will heal faster if you let a dog lick it.
They went about their experiments a bit differently. Kyle and Joel, both 15 and students of John Norton's introductory biology course, used sterile cotton swabs to collect samples containing bacteria found at their school. They swabbed a hand, nose, ear, mouth, and a table, and placed their samples in a petri dish on a bed of agar, a seaweed-derived substance that acts as bacteria food.
After the bacteria had flourished a few days, they made a broth of each type. They then simultaneously placed the bacteria broth and dog saliva in new agar dishes, and let them react for two days.
Patryce, 18, a student of Don Peterson's biotechnology class, obtained millions of Escherichia coli, a disease-causing bacteria commonly found in human and dog feces, from a biological supply company. She made an E.-coli broth, from which she grew a "lawn" of the one-celled organisms on a petri dish.
On her saliva quest, Patryce advertised in the West Valley teacher's lounge for volunteer dogs, and she also went to the animal shelter. Including her border collie, Oreo, she sampled 102 dogs. She chose dogs of different breeds and ages so no particular breed trait would skew her results.
Patryce went straight to the source; wearing latex gloves, she touched a tiny circle of sterile filter paper directly to the rear upper gum of the dogs, back by the molars.
Two of a dog's four saliva ducts, the zygomatic and parotid, empty saliva from glands of the same name at the points from where Patryce sampled. She said she wanted "fresh stuff" as opposed to saliva off the tongue.
After gathering three samples from each dog, Patryce placed the saliva-drenched paper on the E. coli lawns, and, as Kyle and Joel did, looked for "rings of inhibition," where the saliva slowed or stopped the growth of bacteria.
Their findings: Kyle and Joel found that dog saliva did inhibit growth, especially on nose mucous bacteria, but they also found many types of bacteria in the dog saliva itself. They concluded perhaps dog saliva is not the next wonder drug.
Patryce found that in 16 percent of her samples, E. coli growth was inhibited by the dog saliva, which to her was significant enough to show that the antibiotic properties of dog saliva merit further study.
"But it wasn't enough for me to start mass production of dog spit and marketing it," she said.
In a 1990 study done at the University of California, Davis, researchers found dog saliva killed E. coli and Streptococcus canis, another harmful bacteria. The scientists concluded that when mother dogs licked their nipples it helped keep puppies free from disease, and that dogs licking their own wounds accomplished the same goal.
I'll never turn my head from my dog's kiss again.
| Telemarketer Repellant | |||
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| Drunk Driver | ||||
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| | A policeman pulls over a driver for swerving in and out of lanes on the highway. He tells the guy to blow a breath into a breathalyzer. ''I can't do that, officer.'' ''Why not?'' ''Because I'm an asthmatic. I could get an asthma attack if I blow into that tube.'' ''Okay, we'll just get a urine sample down at the station.'' ''Can't do that either, officer.'' ''Why not?'' ''Because I'm a diabetic. I could get low blood sugar if I pee in a cup.'' ''Alright, we could get a blood sample.'' ''Can't do that either, officer.'' ''Why not?'' ''Because I'm a hemophiliac. If I give blood I could die.'' ''Fine then, just walk this white line.'' ''Can't do that either, officer.'' ''Why not?'' ''Because I'm drunk.'' | |||
| Fun Things to Do at a Drive-Thru | ||
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| | 1. Drive through the drive-thru in reverse and let your passenger order. 2. Ask the price of almost everything on the menu and then order something that you didn't ask the price for. 3. Tell the employee that your window is broken. Order and then pay with your door open. When the food comes, roll down the window and snatch your order from their hands. 4. Go to McDonald's and demand a big breakfast at 11:30 at night. Put up a fight. 5. Pay for a large order in pennies and nickels. 6. Order in another language. Be careful what neighborhood you're in. 7. When asked if they can take your order, tell them you are just window-shopping and drive on. 8. Laugh sadistically when asked if you would like ketchup. 9. Ask the cashier how they fit into that little box. 10. If they make you wait, make them wait when they come back on. 11. Demand to speak to the manager. When they come on, complain that you did not like the way the employee said, "May I take your order?" 12. When asked if they can take your order say, "Why, can I take yours?" 13. If they ask you to wait, order anyway and keep doing it till they yell at you. 14. Pretend your car has broken down. Ask for assistance moving it. When they come out, drive away. 15. Tell them you have to use the bathroom. 16. Order a cup of water and two napkins. That's it. 17. Don't order when they come on. Just sit there. If a line forms behind you, get out of the car and cause a scene. 18. When they hand you your food, hand them a bag with all the trash from your car in it. 19. Just stare at them when you pay and get your food. Don't break your stare. 20. Honk your horn the whole way through the line. | |
| Turtles and Picnics and a Minor Tragedy | ||
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| | Three turtles, Joe, Steve, and Poncho, decide to go on a picnic. Joe packs the picnic basket with cookies, bottled sodas, and sandwiches. The trouble is, the picnic site is 10 miles away, so the turtles take 10 whole days to get there. By the time they do arrive, everyone's whipped and hungry. Joe takes the stuff out of the basket, one by one. He takes out the sodas and realizes that they forgot to bring a bottle opener. Joe & Steve beg Poncho to turn back home and retrieve it, but Poncho flatly refuses, knowing that they'll eat everything by the time he gets back. Somehow, after about two hours, the turtles manage to convince Poncho to go, swearing on their great-grand turtles' graves that they won't touch the food. So, Poncho sets off down the road, slow and steady. Twenty days pass, but no Poncho. Joe and Steve are hungry and puzzled, but a promise is a promise. Another day passes, and still no Poncho, but a promise is a promise. After three more days pass without Poncho in sight, Steve starts getting restless. "I NEED FOOD!" he says with a hint of dementia in his voice. "NO!" Joe retorts. "We promised." Five more days pass. Joe realizes that Poncho probably skipped out to the Burger King down the road, so the two turtles weakly lift the lid, get a sandwich, and open their mouths to eat. But then, right at that instant, Poncho pops out behind a rock. "Just for that, I'm not going." | |
| Zambian Roulette | ||
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| | As usual, things were not going well at the United Nations. Thus, many visiting ambassadors had to room together. It just so happend that Vladimir, the Russian Ambassador, and Umballa, the Zambian Ambassador, were sharing a suite. To pass the time, Vladimir introduced his fellow dignitary to the Russian game of roulette. He produced an antique Soviet revolver, and a single bullet. It took a while, but he was finally able to explain the gist of the game to Umballa. Intrigued and excited, Umballa loved the game. By the time the U.N. meeting was over, the two had become fast friends. As they parted company at the airport, Umballa told Vladimir, ''One day, you must visit my country, and try our version of your roulette.'' A year later, Vladimir was in Zambia, and looked up his old friend. Umballa remembered him, and welcomed him with open arms. ''I have come, my comrade, to try your game.'' ''Very well. Come with me.'' Umballa took his friend before six, buck-naked bush women. ''Pick one. Any one. And she will give you a blowjob.'' ''But my friend, where is the danger in this?'' Umballa replied with a toothy smile, ''One of them is a cannibal.'' | |
| Speed Trap | ||
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| | A state trooper spied a car puttering along at 22 MPH. So he turned on his lights and pulled the driver over. Approaching the car, he noticed that five old guys were inside, and they looked wide-eyed and terribly pale. The driver pleaded with him, "Officer, I don't understand, I was doing exactly the speed limit! What seems to be the problem?" "Sir," the officer replies, "You weren't speeding, but driving slower than the speed limit can also be dangerous." "I beg to differ, Officer, I was doing the speed limit exactly: twenty-two miles an hour!" the old man said. The trooper, chuckling, explained to him that "22" was the route number, not the speed limit. A bit embarrassed, the man grinned and thanked the officer for pointing out his error. "But before I let you go, Sir, I have to ask... Is everyone in this car ok? These guys seem awfully shaken." "Oh, they'll be all right in a minute," the old man said. "We just got off Route 119." | |
| Last Request | ||
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| | The inmate on death row was scheduled to be put to death by firing squad the follow morning. Throughout the day, the prison guards were being very nice to him. But when they asked him if he wanted something specific for his last meal, he said he didn''''t want anything special. When they asked if there was something special he wanted to do, he said nothing. It went on like this all day. Finally, when he was put before the firing squad, the guard asked if he wanted a cigarette and a blindfold. "No," the inmate said, "just get it over with." "Well, is there anything that I can do for you before you go?" said the guard. "You didn''''t even want a special last meal!" The inmate thought. "Actually," he said, "Music is my life. One thing I would really like would be to sing my favorite song, one whole time through, with no interruptions." The guard nodded and told him to go ahead. The inmate started, "One billion bottles of beer on the wall..." | |
| Man Pisses in a Shot Glass | ||
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| | A guy is in a bar with a bunch of his friends. After a while of shooting pool and drinking, he whispers something to his friends. A few minutes later he walks over to the bartender and asks for a shot of tequila. After he takes the shot he says to the bartender,'' I'd like to make a bet with you.'' The bartender replies, ''Sure I'm in a betting mood.'' So the man bets the bartender $1,000 that he can piss in the shot glass placed all the way across the room and fill it up and not spill a drop. The bartender says, ''I'll take that bet.'' So the man walks to the other side of the room and places the shot glass down. He goes back to the bartender and starts pissing. He doesn't even get a drop in. He pisses all over the place. In the bartender's face, all over the barstools and everything. After he was done pissing, the bartender laughed and said, ''You owe me $1,000.'' The man paid the money with a big smile on his face. The bartender asked, ''How come you're so happy?'' The man replied, ''You see those five guys over there by the pool table? I bet them $300 each that I could piss all over your bar and you'd laugh about it.'' | |
Alpha Dog
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Stars: Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Anton Yelchin (Full Cast)
Studio: Universal Pictures
The Plot: A hypothetical re-creation of the crime that made a Californian pot dealer (Hirsch) one of the youngest men to end up on the FBI's most-wanted list.
THE BUZZ: Early reviews pretty much agree that Alpha Dog will succeed in bringing a horrific crime perpetrated by a dispicable sleaze to a young, naive audience. Jesse James Hollywood, here played by Emilie Hirsch as "Johnny Truelove," was captured by police early last year, though he was still at-large when Nick Cassavetes began production on this film. In a move that must violate some legal precedent, the writer-director was granted access to the case files while he was crafting his screenplay. Universal picked up the film after New Line Cinema and producer Sidney Kimmel reportedly disagreed on how the film should me marketed, as whether it should be a limited or wide release. The teaser trailer (second version) is available here.
Pan's Labyrinth [limited]
Director: Guillermo del Toro
Stars: Ivana Baquero, Doug Jones, Sergi López (Full Cast)
Studio: Picturehouse
The Plot: Relocated in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War, young Ofelia (Baquero) discovers a stone labyrinth near her new home. Inside the structure, she encounters a mythical creature who tells her she's the princess who belongs to this underground world, but in order to return home, she must complete three dangerous tasks.
THE BUZZ: That's the basic outline of Guillermo del Toro's Spanish-language fairy tale, which has floored nearly every critic and fanboy who has seen it. (I'd say the big guy's profanity laden Comic-Con panel was as popular as QT/RR's Grind House spectacle.) If the film sounds like all of the director's past works rolled into one, I believe you're about halfway there. The fusion of Franco-era politics and fairy tale imagery might normally prove too high concept for general audiences, but del Toro's built up more than a cult with films such as Blade II and Hellboy (two movies that transcended the comic-geek genre to become certifiable hits). And from what we hear, recent creature/effect-heavy movies such as Silent Hill can literally only dream of visions such as the ones del Toro and his team have rendered here. Prepare for the Pale Man, that's all we're saying ...
Director: McG
Stars: Matthew McConaughey, David Strathairn, Matthew Fox (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
The Plot: When a plane crash claims the lives of the Marshall University football team athletes and some of its fans, the team's new coach (McConaughey), his surviving players, and the school's dean (Strathairn) try to keep the program alive.
THE BUZZ: Perhaps more personal than any inspirational sports picture that has come before it, Marshall is being closely watched by people who don't want it to be turned into anything different than what it was: a tragic event that brought a community together. That means no technical flash, and no trumped up romantic angle. Our interest was already piqued when the film was announced and fast-tracked for release in 2006; having Oscar nominee David Strathairn makes it a must-see for us. And so you know, the film's titled is derived from the school's primary cheer at athletic events. And if you care, it's not like director McG is looking to go legit with this film; looks like his next project will be Hot Wheels. Wah-wah.
Night at the Museum
Director: Shawn Levy
Stars: Ben Stiller, Carla Gugino, Ricky Gervais (Full Cast)
Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation
The Plot: A dim-witted guy (Stiller) gains employment at the Museum of Natural History as the nighttime security guard. Tipped off by a pair of day shift old-timers (Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney), his first night on the job is full of danger and surprises, as the humans and other animals on display come to life, looking for trouble.
THE BUZZ: Star Stiller caused controversy by having production moved to Vancouver from Montreal, where pre-production had already begun on the $100+ project. It would have been the biggest film to ever shoot in the city, and the Québécois are miffed. Rumor has it Stiller wanted to work with a particular special effects company who are located in British Columbia. Director Shawn Levy was an obvious choice for the family picture, but can Stiller connect with kids? Years ago, this project would have had Robin Williams written all over it; no wonder he has a small role. Watch him and the rest of the cast over at AOL.
Rocky Balboa
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Tarver, Milo Ventimiglia (Full Cast)
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
The Plot: After considering a low-profile return to the ring, Rocky Balboa (Stallone) is granted a shot at the title held by heavyweight champ Mason "The Line" Dixon (Tarver).
THE BUZZ: After promoting his lackluster boxing reality show, "The Contender", we thought Stallone's dealings with the squared circle were kaput. But then one week, toward the end of 2005, it was as if a flashpot went off and the announcement was made that Stallone would resuscitate the Rocky franchise, and call John Rambo back in action. Unlike Balboa's slow return to the ring (he starts off fighting unknowns), the movie is opening wide; against nearly all conventional wisdom, the first trailer holds promise.
Director: Stefen Fangmeier
Stars: Edward Speleers, Sienna Guillory, Jeremy Irons (Full Cast)
Studio: Fox 2000 Pictures
The Plot: In his homeland of Alagaesia, a farm boy happens upon a dragon's egg -- a discovery that leads him on a predestined journey where he realized he's the one person who can defend his home against an evil king.
THE BUZZ: Comic-Con Update: From what we saw in San Diego, the world will soon be yawning the name of Edward Speleers ... No offense to the young man, but this is what a worldwide casting search yields? We just didn't see it when he was standing in front of us, or as Eragon quested on screen in the special footage previewed at the convention. And we swear Jeremy Irons would have learned a lesson or two about lame fantasies after Dungeons & Dragons.
As a 15-year-old boy, Christopher Paolini started working on a novel, fueled by his love of all things Tolkein. Eragon was published when Paolini was 17, and was a worldwide best-seller (Eldest, the second volume of his Inheritance Triology, was published in 2005, and as far as we know it has yet to be optioned). The novel was adapted by Lawrence Konner (Mighty Joe Young) and Peter Buchman (Jurassic Park III) and Stefen Fangmeier makes his directorial debut after serving as visual effects supervisor on such films as Saving Private Ryan, Twister, and Lemony Snicket.
Director: Catherine Hardwicke
Stars: Keisha Castle-Hughes, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Alexander Siddig (Full Cast)
Studio: New Line Cinema
The Plot: Mary and Joseph's love, faith and beliefs are tested before the birth of their son.
THE BUZZ: I guess we're supposed to be shocked that the director of Thirteen is handling this take on Mary's life up until Jesus Christ's birth. Or that the talented, young Keisha Castle-Hughes was cast in the role. Inititally none of this was any big deal, but now that Hughes is pregnant (and not yet 17), this is one marketing campaign we're going to keep tabs on.
Van Wilder: The Rise of Taj
Director: Mort Nathan
Stars: Kal Penn (Full Cast)
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
The Plot: Taj Mahal Badalandabad (Penn) leaves Coolidge College behind for the halls of Oxford University, where he looks to continue his education, and teach an uptight student how to make the most out of his academic career.
THE BUZZ: A cheapie, filmed-in-Bucharest sequel (?) to the hit-on-DVD original, The Rise of Taj is missing both Ryan Reynolds and Tara Reid (though we hear he makes a cameo, and she thinks Romania is noodles). We say good riddance to them both, and hopefully the filmmakers will allow Taj to be a bit more than a racial stereotype with a thousand different names for oral sex. Seeing as how this is from the director of Boat Trip, however, our expectations are at their lowest. Dashed, even.
Director: Emilio Estevez
Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Demi Moore, Sharon Stone (Full Cast)
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)
The Plot: Part fact and part fiction, the story of U.S. Senator Robert F. Kennedy's assassination is told via the intertwining lives of people who were present at Los Angeles' Ambassador Hotel in the hours leading up to the event.
THE BUZZ: Trying swishing this phrase around in your mouth: "Academy Award nominated director Emilio Estevez." We're just kidding; this is actually just Emilio's politically aware home movie, starring his famous friends.
Director: Darren Aronofsky
Stars: Hugh Jackman, Rachel Weisz, Sean Patrick Thomas (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
The Plot: As a 16th-century conquistador, Tom (Jackman) discovers the Tree of Life. He spends the next 1,000 years searching for a way to save his love, Izzi (Weisz), as he begins to develop an understanding of the mysteries that have plagued him for centuries.
THE BUZZ: This production rose and crashed around writer-director Darren Aronofsky so many times, we still feel as though we'll never be sitting in a theater, moments from the flicker of the first reel. After months with only a teaser poster, a couple stills, and an information-less official site, Venice announced they'd host the world premiere (Aronfsky turned down a non-competition slot at Cannes, saying it was full-on Palme d'Or eligibility or nothing). And then came the boos ... Or the reports of people booing the film, which bloated into prognostications of criticial and commercial failure. So much pressure on the man we've been calling the next Kubrick since ... the year 2000, come to think of it.
For what it's worth, we do believe this won't be the most-discussed multi-layered story of the year; that honor will belong to Babel, whose stars, Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, were originally set to make this film together.
Déjà Vu [11/22]
Director: Tony Scott
Stars: Denzel Washington, Paula Patton, James Caviezel (Full Cast)
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures
The Plot: ATF agent Doug Carlin (Washington) is introduced to a secret government agency in order to prevent the crime he's working on - an explosion aboard a New Orleans ferry - from ever happening.
THE BUZZ: Like you, we're wondering if the titular condition is going to come into play here -- will Denzel feel as though he's stumbled into a remake of Timecop? And how does Val Kilmer have to do with it, anyway? Really, the film's romance angle might be just what the one-two combination of Denzel and director Tony Scott needs to achieve blockbuster status, something they haven't been able to do in their past two outings (yes, we know, Crimson Tide should count once you factor in inflation). The buzzworthy Paula Patton (she cozied up to Andre 3000 in Idlewild) plays Denzel's much-younger love interest, which must look great on paper, but when you consider the careers of his past on-screen loves ...
Director: Joey Lauren Adams
Stars: Ashley Judd, Jeffrey Donovan, Tim Blake Nelson (Full Cast)
Studio: Roadside Attractions
The Plot: Lucy (Judd), a hard-drinking, blue collar woman whose life has dissolved into a series of one-night stands, confronts her issues after meeting a newcomer to town (Donovan) who challenges her to consider a healthy relationship with him.
THE BUZZ: Kind notices of Judd's performance here still can't shake the feeling that Joey Lauren Adams's directorial debut is the stuff of indie film's past. Viewing the trailer proves this is no Norma Rae, despite Judd's best effort to comply with the paradigm for Southern girls trying to do right. Basically, you can't mess with Sally Field, Ashley. You'll recognize Judd's daughter as Donna from "That '70s Show" and her suitor from ... Blair Witch 2. Downmarket.
Director: Fabián Bielinsky
Stars: Ricardo Darín, Manuel Rodal, Dolores Fonzi (Full Cast)
Studio: IFC First Take
The Plot: A loner taxidermist (Darin) obsessed with the idea of committing the perfect crime seizes an opportunity after he accidentally kills a motel owner (Rodal) that may or may not have been on the level.
THE BUZZ: Writer-director Fabián Bielinsky follows up Nine Queens (one of my favorite films) with another well-reviewed crime/drama that offers more than you typically get from the genre. Reportedly stripped of excesses and beautifully composed, The Aura is said to be a two-man show; it's primary focus is to show what star Ricardo Darin can do in front of the camera while Bielinsky controls the mood and manipulates events behind the scenes. If you haven't heard how the title figures into the movie, Darin's Esteban has epileptic seizures, which are preceded by a moment of confusion and enlightenment where his past and future blur together. Awesomeness. Rest in peace, Mr. Bielinsky, and here's hoping your second film won't be poorly remade here in the U.S.
Director: Bob Odenkirk
Stars: Dax Shepard, Will Arnett, Chi McBride (Full Cast)
Studio: Universal Pictures
The Plot: A career criminal (Shepard) and a rich snob (Arnett) are brought together in a cell in a maximum-security prison.
THE BUZZ: Prison comedies are all the rage since The Longest Yard raked it in last summer. Here, the normally sublime Will Arnett gets his gay panic on for Universal. From the title to the poster and the trailer, this is shaping up to be the most culturally regressive movie since Boat Trip.
Director: George Miller
Stars: Elijah Wood, Brittany Murphy, Hugh Jackman (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures
The Plot: Into the world of the Emperor Penguins, who find their soul mates through song, a penguin named Mumble (Wood) is ashamed by the fact that he cannot sing. However, he can tap dance something fierce, but how does this fit into his society?
THE BUZZ: Warner Bros. bets that their formula of Madagascar meets March of the Penguins meets boy band choreography will yield one of the biggest animated hits of the year. We have to imagine that George Miller, who hasn't directed a film since Babe: Pig in the City isn't sleeping much these days. Meanwhile, Hugh Jackman transmogrifies from a rat to a penguin in the same month. He's so versatile! Okay, we're going to get back to puzzling over the title, as to its utter lameness or complete and total awesomeness; a reminder: your best friend can't prevent you from calling him/her "Happy Feet".
Director: Richard Linklater
Stars: Greg Kinnear, Bruce Willis, Catalina Sandino Moreno (Full Cast)
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures
The Plot: A marketing executive (Kinnear) for a fast food giant travels to the Colorado town that's home to feedlots and packing plant that fuels his business. His goal: to quietly investigate whether cow manure has found its way into his product.
THE BUZZ: Richard Linklater's much-anticipated take on Eric Schlosser's best-seller underwhelmed at Cannes, where audiences cited a lack of cohesion and emotional resonance. Well, half of that criticism could be applied to every Linklater film. So what gives? Maybe it's backlash ... maybe McDonald's wins after all ... oooh, is that Avril Lavigne?
Casino Royale
Director: Martin Campbell
Stars: Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Judi Dench (Full Cast)
Studio: 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
The Plot: After earning his license to kill, MI6 dispatches James Bond (Craig) to Madagascar to track a terrorist. The spy soon expands his search to include an entire terrorist cell, tipping off an adventure that leads him into a Montenegro casino, where his organization backs him in a marathon game against Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen), a banker to international terrorist organizations.
THE BUZZ: After an exhaustive, dramatic, bordering-on-annoying search for the new Bond, the announcement of Daniel Craig as the successor to Pierce Brosnan was rather ... anticlimactic. Craig of course made matters worse for himself by arriving for the movie's worldwide press day via military boat ... wearing a life preserver. However, his smoldering physicality seems to be winning over disgruntled fans one-by-one as opening day draws near, so maybe it's not solely up to director Martin Campbell to re-engage the franchise yet again. Regarding the casting of Royale's Bond girl, Vesper Lynd -- Eva Green wasn't on any fan's mind as the potential pick (Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie reportedly vied for the role), and that's just the kind of surprise we're hoping the movie itself offers.
Director: Michael Lembeck
Stars: Tim Allen, Martin Short (Full Cast)
Studio: Buena Vista Pictures
The Plot: Santa (Allen), aka Scott Calvin, is faced with double-duty: how to keep his new family happy, and how to stop Jack Frost (Short) from taking over Christmas.
User Rating: 
THE BUZZ: Apologies to Martin Short, Judge Reinhold, et al., but why is this franchise relying on the 80s for laughs? And if Bernard the Arch-Elf (David Krumholtz) isn't in this, what's the point, really? The only thing that holds our interest is knowing Little Miss Sunshine's Alan Arkin and Abigail Breslin have bit parts.
Flags of Our Fathers
Director: Clint Eastwood
Stars: Ryan Phillippe, Barry Pepper, Joseph Cross (Full Cast)
Studio: DreamWorks SKG
The Plot: A re-enactment of the Battle of Iwo Jima; a dramatization of the life stories of the six men who raised the U.S. flag on Mount Suribachi; an interpretation of how the iconic photograph of that event -- Joe Rosenthal's "Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima" -- turned soldiers into instant heroes, and how the U.S. government used it to adjust public opinion of WWII.
User Rating:
THE BUZZ: Clint Eastwood directs a war film written by Paul Haggis ... okay, so we know the winners of two Oscar categories. Perhaps three. We're most interested in how the film resonates with the public, and how it's tied to the events of today. (Most tellingly, we're awaiting red-state feedback.) Stephanie Zacharek, publish your opinion already! P.S. After months of wondering whether Paramount/DreamWorks would release Eastwood's Letters from Iwo Jima in December, the Japanese-language companion film will hit American shores on February 9, 2007.
