Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

'On the Big Screen'

Aired October 03, 2003 - 09:49   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The weekend is upon us now, and that means new releases in the movie theaters. It was kind of a slow summer for films. So let's find out if the fall is going to be looking any better. Mr. Moviefone, Russ Leatherman, is back with us again from Los Angeles.
He's got this weekend's best bets.

Good to see you, Russ. What's the word?

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": What's happening partyman.

HARRIS: Nothing yet. I'll tell you in about an hour and 10 minutes.

LEATHERMAN: I heard the rumor, but I don't want to talk about it. I think I might cry.

HARRIS: Listen to you.

LEATHERMAN: We do have some good movies. The fall is full of great movies actually, and we have one of them that opens today. Should we talk about "School of Rock?"

HARRIS: Let's talk about that one. As a matter of fact, we had Jack Black on our show a couple of weeks ago.

LEATHERMAN: I got to tell you, this is one of my favorite movies I've seen in a long time. He's fantastic in this movie. He plays a guy who's been thrown out of his own rock band so he pretends to be his roommate, who happens to be a substitute teacher, so he goes to teach the kids the three r's, rock 'n' roll, rock 'n' roll, rock 'no' roll, and I got to tell you, he'll never again find a role this perfect for him. He has so much energy, it's unbelievable. He's really fantastic. I enjoyed this movie a lot. I really liked it.

HARRIS: I think you're right about that. This role is tailor- made for him. He's just a big kid himself.

LEATHERMAN: He is a big kid. That's exactly right. And even the kids in the movie were musicians, so it sort of feels real, and it's just a feel-good movie. You'll have a great time if you go see it.

HARRIS: Yes, It's a great story about these kids. I guess they had auditions all across the country to get real musicians, kids who were trained either classically or whatever to come in and play, and these kids actually are performing that music.

LEATHERMAN: Yes, and that's what really makes the movie cool. They're performing it. Jack Black is a good musician, and just a very, very funny guy. He's kind of an unlikely hero, but he's just terrific.

HARRIS: Let's talk about the next movie you have, "Out of Time."

LEATHERMAN: "Out of Time" with Denzel Washington. This is -- you know, Denzel is coming off an Academy Award. He is a fantastic actor, and I guess I felt this movie was sort of not a great movie for a great actor. I was hoping it would be a lot better. He plays a small town police chief who gets involved in this double homicide, and he sort of has to solve the crime before he gets accused of the murders. And again, a really great actor, not a really great movie. Denzel fans will probably be satisfied, because it's not a bad movie by any means, but I really saw the twist and turns coming. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. So it's a good movie, not a great movie.

HARRIS: Well, how do they make the pairing of Denzel and -- her name escapes me.

LEATHERMAN: Eva Mendes.

HARRIS: Eva Mendes, thank you very much. Sorry about that, Eva.

What about them as a pair?

LEATHERMAN: Well, you know, they were in the last movie together, they are in this movie together, the rumor mill is buzzing. I think they have good on-screen chemistry. She's a terrific actress. But they don't give her that much to do in this movie, either. So I think they were just playing it by rote, weren't stretching. But it's an OK movie, not a great movie, I say if you've got one movie to see this weekend, you got to rock, man.

HARRIS: Hey, good deal. All right, thanks, Russ. Have a good weekend, buddy. See you down the road, all right?

LEATHERMAN: You, too, and I understand that you're leaving, and I cannot stand it.

HARRIS: All right, man, we'll send you some tissue, OK?

LEATHERMAN: OK, see you later.

HARRIS: You are one of the nuts I am going to miss the most, I can tell you that. Get this guy out of here. See you, Russ.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired October 3, 2003 - 09:49   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: The weekend is upon us now, and that means new releases in the movie theaters. It was kind of a slow summer for films. So let's find out if the fall is going to be looking any better. Mr. Moviefone, Russ Leatherman, is back with us again from Los Angeles.
He's got this weekend's best bets.

Good to see you, Russ. What's the word?

RUSS LEATHERMAN, "MR. MOVIEFONE": What's happening partyman.

HARRIS: Nothing yet. I'll tell you in about an hour and 10 minutes.

LEATHERMAN: I heard the rumor, but I don't want to talk about it. I think I might cry.

HARRIS: Listen to you.

LEATHERMAN: We do have some good movies. The fall is full of great movies actually, and we have one of them that opens today. Should we talk about "School of Rock?"

HARRIS: Let's talk about that one. As a matter of fact, we had Jack Black on our show a couple of weeks ago.

LEATHERMAN: I got to tell you, this is one of my favorite movies I've seen in a long time. He's fantastic in this movie. He plays a guy who's been thrown out of his own rock band so he pretends to be his roommate, who happens to be a substitute teacher, so he goes to teach the kids the three r's, rock 'n' roll, rock 'n' roll, rock 'no' roll, and I got to tell you, he'll never again find a role this perfect for him. He has so much energy, it's unbelievable. He's really fantastic. I enjoyed this movie a lot. I really liked it.

HARRIS: I think you're right about that. This role is tailor- made for him. He's just a big kid himself.

LEATHERMAN: He is a big kid. That's exactly right. And even the kids in the movie were musicians, so it sort of feels real, and it's just a feel-good movie. You'll have a great time if you go see it.

HARRIS: Yes, It's a great story about these kids. I guess they had auditions all across the country to get real musicians, kids who were trained either classically or whatever to come in and play, and these kids actually are performing that music.

LEATHERMAN: Yes, and that's what really makes the movie cool. They're performing it. Jack Black is a good musician, and just a very, very funny guy. He's kind of an unlikely hero, but he's just terrific.

HARRIS: Let's talk about the next movie you have, "Out of Time."

LEATHERMAN: "Out of Time" with Denzel Washington. This is -- you know, Denzel is coming off an Academy Award. He is a fantastic actor, and I guess I felt this movie was sort of not a great movie for a great actor. I was hoping it would be a lot better. He plays a small town police chief who gets involved in this double homicide, and he sort of has to solve the crime before he gets accused of the murders. And again, a really great actor, not a really great movie. Denzel fans will probably be satisfied, because it's not a bad movie by any means, but I really saw the twist and turns coming. I just didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to. So it's a good movie, not a great movie.

HARRIS: Well, how do they make the pairing of Denzel and -- her name escapes me.

LEATHERMAN: Eva Mendes.

HARRIS: Eva Mendes, thank you very much. Sorry about that, Eva.

What about them as a pair?

LEATHERMAN: Well, you know, they were in the last movie together, they are in this movie together, the rumor mill is buzzing. I think they have good on-screen chemistry. She's a terrific actress. But they don't give her that much to do in this movie, either. So I think they were just playing it by rote, weren't stretching. But it's an OK movie, not a great movie, I say if you've got one movie to see this weekend, you got to rock, man.

HARRIS: Hey, good deal. All right, thanks, Russ. Have a good weekend, buddy. See you down the road, all right?

LEATHERMAN: You, too, and I understand that you're leaving, and I cannot stand it.

HARRIS: All right, man, we'll send you some tissue, OK?

LEATHERMAN: OK, see you later.

HARRIS: You are one of the nuts I am going to miss the most, I can tell you that. Get this guy out of here. See you, Russ.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com