On Demand Weekly

Parenthood - Why Aren’t More People Watching (VOD Hidden Gem)October 14, 2011

NBC

Media savant T Tara Turk goes deep inside cable TV to reveal Video On Demand's Hidden Gems so even the busiest of our readers can get the most out of On Demand TV. Tell Tara what VOD shows you think deserves her attention.

PARENTHOOD (VOD Hidden Gem)

By T. Tara Turk

I have a thing for ensemble movies about life. THe BIG CHILL. THE BEST MAN (eagerly awaiting THE BEST MAN 2just announced!).THE BREAKFAST CLUB (I know all of the lines - ask my mom). Some of you youngins have no idea what movies I’m talking about but you must know "Parenthood" if only for the simple fact that it has been made into an entertaining television now on NBC.

PARENTHOOD (NBC)

I admit I’m kind of late in the game because, well, I was vehemently against remaking something that was so great before (I mean who couldn’t love a movie with a toddler named Kool, a half head shaved couple played by Keanu Reeves and the great Martha Plimpton, an overachieving mom who stashes candy in her closet and announces her divorce to her crazy husband via cue cards, and...okay the list could go on and I’d be telling you the movie and you’d be mad at me).

So I waited but then I realized Brian Grazer and Ron Howard are the executive producers and they had a little something to do with the movie. At the same time I realized that, there was that opening of time when all the new shows had been viewed and I was wishing some would be cancelled (goodbye, "Playboy Club," we hardly knew ye) and some would hurry up and make more pronto (Zooey Deschanel, what ARE you doing?). So "Parenthood" called out to me.

PARENTHOOD (NBC)

At first glance, it could be considered a Gilmore Girls continuation with Lauren Graham (Sarah Braverman) as mom having trouble letting her teenage daughter (Mae Whitman who rocked in WHEN A MAN LOVES A WOMAN) go. But then there are the siblings - Peter Krause as Adam Braverman (the Steve Martin character), Erika Christensen as Julia Braverman Graham (not nearly neurotic as shoving stored candy down her throat but her baby issues make up for it) and Dax Shepard as Crosby Braverman. With them come a slew of other family members including Craig T. Nelson as the patriarch of the clan and Bonnie Bedelia is the matriarch.

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Movies On Demand - August 2012 Preview - The IndiesJuly 30, 2012

On Demand Weekly helps you browse through the New Movies On Demand (MOD) this month with our August preview!

By Britt Bensen

MOD viewers also have access to a wealth of indie titles, a number of which premiere either the same day or before their theatrical release. These titles may not be widely available in local theaters. Highlights of this month’s indie movies include the comedy THE BABYMAKERS, the horror title [REC] 3: GENESIS, AND GOATS with David Duchovny and Vera Farmiga. They’ll also be able to catch Kirsten Dunst in the dark comedy BACHELORETTE, Blair Underwood in WOMAN THOU ART LOOSED: ON THE 7TH DAY, THE RAID: REDEMPTION which received wide critical acclaim and the Australian hit RED DOG. Also playing is this year’s Best Foreign film Academy Award winner A SEPARATION and the comedy BERNIE starring Jack Black. SIDE BY SIDE is a documentary produced and narrated by Keanu Reeves about movie-making’s transition to digital, featuring some of Hollywood’s greatest directors. The month winds down with DARLING COMPANION starring Diane Keaton and Kevin Kline.

And our Independent Movie On Demand (IMOD) Pick of the Month is SLEEPWALK WITH ME from the producers of NPR’s This American Life which won the Best of NEXT Audience award at Sundance 2012.

Enjoy On Demanding this month!

THE BABYMAKERS – Premieres August 3
R, Comedy
Paul Schneider, Olivia Munn

Same day as theatrical release

[REC] 3: GENESIS – Premieres August 3
R, Horror
Leticia Dolera, Diego Martín

Before theatrical release

SOLDIERS OF FORTUNE – Premieres August 3
R, Action
Christian Slater, Sean Bean

Same day as theatrical release

BLUE LIKE JAZZ – Premieres August 7
PG-13, Drama
Marshall Allman, Claire Holt

Same day as DVD

ABOUT CHERRY – Premieres August 9
TV-MA, Drama
James Franco, Heather Graham

Before theatrical release

BACHELORETTE – Premieres August 10
R, Comedy
Kirsten Dunst, Isla Fisher

Before theatrical release

Fleet and instructive, with a solid contribution from an engaged and respectful Keanu Reeves, it’s a can’t-miss film for anyone who’s ever said “let’s watch a movie.” A celebration of film’s past and anticipation of its future, SIDE BY SIDE is one of the finest movies of the year. - Chris Claro, On Demand Weekly.

Exclusive Clip: Barry Levinson Discusses Digital Revolution In SIDE BY SIDE

SIDE BY SIDE (Tribeca Film) can be found on demand.

See Chris' Other Reviews & Interviews...

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VOD Spotlight: Chris Kenneally (SIDE BY SIDE)November 04, 2012

Chris Kenneally / SIDE BY SIDE

Kate Asche Wilson (@KateDoesLife) interviews filmmaker Chris Kenneally of the documentary SIDE BY SIDE (narrated by Keanu Reeves).

Kate Asche Wilson (KAW): Tribeca Films’ SIDE BY SIDE is currently on demand. I’m Kate Asche Wilson of On Demand Weekly and I’m interviewing the documentary’s director Christopher Kenneally at the Palo Alto International Film Festival. So first off, Chris, what interested you in screening the film for Silicon Valley audiences in Palo Alto, California?
Christopher Kenneally (CK): Well It just seemed like a natural fit since our movie has a lot of technology in it. The subject matter is about how digital technology is changing how films are being made. So it was kind of perfect. I saw some of the names of the people that were attending PAIFF and I was like wow that’s great I’m really honored to be here.

KAW: What are the origins of SIDE BY SIDE?
CK: The idea for the movie really came from Keanu Reeves. Keanu and I were working on a movie called HENRY’S CRIME together that he was the producer of and was also starring in. A lot of the conversations and the topics that we cover in SIDE BY SIDE were things that he and I were talking about during filming. One day he said to me you’re a documentary filmmaker, why don’t we make a movie about this topic, and I said of course.

KAW: And he was down to narrate it and everything?
CK: Yeah he and I had a bunch of meetings and tried to figure out what the movie was really going to be about. We made a hit list of the people that we wanted to interview, and really set out to document this moment in time when the industry is really changing.

KAW: How did you get financing for it?

CK: Keanu Reeves!

SIDE BY SIDE (Tribeca Film)

KAW: Keanu Reeves! My god he’s amazing that man.

CK: Yeah he’s had some success in the past.

KAW: Oh just a little.

CK: But even though it was Keanu Reeves, and we have a lot of famous directors and people like that in the movie, it really was low budget. We had probably a crew of three or four people. One of which was Keanu who was dragging lights around, jumping in vans, and flying all over. It was down and dirty. Which is a fun way to make movies.

KAW: You had such illustrious filmmakers that you got interviews with? How did you do that? How did you go about that?
CK: Keanu Reeves!

KAW: Keanu Reeves! No!