This week on Review the panel take in Robert de Niro's latest film, and the new album by The Killers. For more details on the full line-up please see below.
FILM | What Just Happened?THEATRE | August: Osage CountyMUSIC | The Killers - Day & AgeTELEVISION | Wallander
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FILM - What Just Happened?
Joining the line of satires on the Hollywood film industry that includes Robert Altman's The Player, Ben Stiller's Tropic Thunder and HBO's Entourage is Barry Levinson's What Just Happened?, a showbiz insider comedy starring Robert de Niro.
Based on veteran producer Art Linson's real-life memoirs (The Untouchables, Fight Club), de Niro stars as Ben, a top movie producer alternating between ex-wives, agents, stars and studio bosses.
His latest film, a pretentious art-house flick starring Sean Penn (playing himself), is set to lose millions if he cannot get the director to change the ending. And he faces a law suit for his next feature, when movie star Bruce Willis (also playing himself) arrives on set overweight and sporting a "Grizzly Adams" beard.
To add to his problems he is failing to resolve the end of his second marriage to Robin Wright Penn who is now dating a screenwriter (Stanley Tucci).
We are very familiar with the all the absurdities of Tinseltown, so will this film bring us a fresh perspective on the genre? And is it an "uncensored exposé?" as the publicity notes claim?
What Just Happened, certificate 15 is on general release.
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THEATRE - August: Osage County
Steppenwolf, Chicago's internationally renowned acting troupe, returns to the National to perform August: Osage County.
Tracy Letts' new play won this year's Tony Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama.
The production, which ran in Chicago and on Broadway, is directed by Anna D Shapiro.
Members of the Weston family unexpectedly reunite in Oklahoma, after their father disappears. The play follows a series of explosive events presided over by the eagle-eyed, pill-popping matriarch.
Unfolding over three hours and twenty minutes, in a three-story house and with a 13 characters, will it please those looking for a big theatrical experience?
The Steppenwolf Theatre Company was formed in 1976 and is dedicated to the principle of ensemble performance through the collaboration of a company of actors, directors and playwrights.
They last performed at the National Theatre in 1989 with The Grapes of Wrath.
August: Osage County continues at the Lyttelton, National Theatre, London until 21 January, 2009.
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MUSIC - The Killers - Day & Age
Day & Age is the third album of new material from The Killers.
After the huge success of their debut Hot Fuss with its memorable singles, Mr Brightside and Somebody Told Me, came their second album Sam's Town, which The Killers front man, Brandon Flowers, said was "one of the best released in the last 20 years."
Now Flowers has surpassed himself by declaring Day & Age even better.
The band have collaborated with star producer Stuart Price, who was responsible for the Thin White Duke remix of Mr Brightside and has brought his talents to new tracks including Spaceman, Joy Ride, I Can't Stay and the album's first single, Human.
The Las Vegas quartet have already sold 12 million albums in their short career. Will the panel think Day & Age can add considerably to that impressive figure?
Day & Age is out now on the Mercury label.
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TV - Wallander
Inspector Kurt Wallander is well known to the millions of fans around the world who have read the many books in which he appears, written by Swedish author Henning Mankell.
Set in the small town of Ystad in southern Sweden, the stories have been brought to life in a new BBC ONE drama starring Kenneth Branagh as the diabetic, morose detective whose dedication to the job has caused a trial separation from this wife, and problems in his relationships with his daughter, Linda (Jeany Spark), and father, Povel (David Warner).
Sidetracked, the first in a series of three dramas which have been adapted by Rick Cottan, begins with Wallander witnessing a girl setting fire to herself before trying to find the connection to three vicious murders where the victims have been scalped.
Branagh describes the books as "rip-roaring tales and great whodunnits". Will Wallander prove to be a great addition to the revered list of TV detectives?
Wallander: Sidetracked begins on BBC ONE on Sunday 30 November, 2008 at 9pm.
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