The Treatment

<p>Actor <strong>Isiah Whitlock, Jr. </strong>has worked with talents from David Mamet to Spike Lee to Dave Chappelle. On HBO's <em>The Wire</em>, his portrayal of Senator Clay Davis was a study in compromise. He now stars in <em>Farragut North</em> at the Geffen Playhouse.</p>

<p>From Anthrax to Poison, Guns and Roses to Metalica, these are just a few groups inspired by Anvil, the most influencial band you've never heard of. Its story's in <strong>Sacha Gervasi</strong>'s film, <em>Anvil: The Story of Anvil.</em></p>

<p>As a musician, Youssou N'Dour has always been about faith. In the documentary <em>I Bring What I Love</em>, director <strong>Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi </strong>(<em>A Normal Life</em>) follows him on the journey committed to that goal.<br /><br /></p>

<p>From Utah farm boy, to pioneering film editor, to director of some of the 70's and 80's greatest films -- such as <em>Shampoo </em>and <em>Being There</em>, it's all part of <em>Being Hal Ashby</em>, the life chronicle by <strong>Nick Dawson</strong>.</p>

<p>After years as a choreographer, <strong>Anne Fletcher</strong> moved into directing with <em>Step Up</em> and <em>27 Dresses</em>. Her newest, <em>The Proposal</em>, is a comedy about dancing around the truth.</p>

<p>Director <strong>Todd Phillips</strong> (<em>Starsky & Hutch, School for Scoundrels, All The King's Men</em>) has a gift for finding guys who have to show the worst side of themselves. He’s revealed them both in documentaries and fiction films, like his newest <em>The Hangover</em>.</p> <p> </p>

<p>For television fans, the phrase "not a routine expedition" ranks up there with "a three-hour tour." Director <strong>Brad Silberling</strong> (<em>Casper, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events</em>) brings TV fans the classic <em>Land of the Lost</em> to the big screen -- with extra cheese.</p>

<p>Elvis hosts writer-director <strong>Pete Docter</strong> (<em>Monsters, Inc, Toy Story, Wall-e</em>) to talk about his latest film, <em>Up</em>, the first Pixar movie to be projected in 3-D  as well as being the first ever animated feature film to be screened as the opening night film at this year's Cannes Film Festival.</p>

<p>Troma Studios co-founder <strong>Lloyd Kaufman</strong> (<em>The Toxic Avenger</em>, <em>Poultrygeist: Night of the Chicken Dead) </em>has been about do-it-yourself. His new book, <em>Direct Your Own Damn Movie</em>, is the same thing.</p>

<p><strong>Russell Brand</strong> (<em>Forgetting Sarah Marshall</em>) has established his own separate wing to the garden of earthly delights...<br /><br /></p>

<p>Elvis hosts writer-director <strong>Rian Johnson</strong> (<em>Brick</em>) whose new film is <em>The Brothers Bloom</em>, starring Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo.</p>

After a tenure at Vanity Fair, <strong>Matt Tyrnauer</strong> has turned to making documentaries. The subject is the couturier, Valentino, at the end of his career but not his powers...

<p>From the scripts for <em>The Gambler</em> and <em>Bugsy</em> to his own films as a director, <strong>James Toback</strong> has made intensely personal work. His documentary, <em>Tyson</em>, is his own take on the boxer...</p>

<p>The past twelve months have seen slew of films on perversions of justice. <em>American Violet</em> brings that material to a smaller, more intimate scale. Director <strong>Tim Disney</strong> (<em>Blessed Art Thou</em>)  uses real life details to give his drama bite.</p>

<p>Turner Award-winner Steve McQueen’s directorial debut, "Hunger," is based on the 1981 IRA hunger strike in Northern Ireland's infamous Maze prison.</p> <p> </p>

<p>Comedy about shifting definitions of masculinity is where writer-director <strong>John Hamburg</strong> (<em>Zoolander, Safe Men, Meet the Fockers</em>)  finds laughs. His newest film is <em>I Love You, Man</em>, starring Paul Rudd and Jason Segel.</p>

<p>A world where the protagonist and the viewer doesn't know where he stands. From the <em>Bourne</em> films, to <em>Michael Clayton</em> and the new film, <em>Duplicity</em>. It's what writer-director <strong>Tony Gilro</strong>y does. More duplicity from the horse's mouth.</p>

<p>Cinematographer turned filmmaker, <strong>Ellen Kuras</strong> (<em>Summer of Sam, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, No Direction Home: Bob Dylan</em>)  dedicated years of her life to making the documentary, <em>The Betrayal</em>, a look at a family devastated by abandonment...</p>

<p>Elvis hosts writer-director <strong>Jody Hill</strong> (<em>The Foot Fist Way</em>) whose latest work is the HBO TV series <em>Eastbound & Down</em>.</p>

<p>From the blogosphere to an Oscar (<em>Juno</em>) to Showtime. It’s quite a career for screenwriter <strong>Diablo Cody</strong>. Her series, <em>The United States of Tara</em>, looks at multiple personalities. She just might know something about that.</p>

<p>Elvis hosts writer-director <strong>James Gray</strong> (<em>The Yards, We Own the Night, Little Odessa </em>) whose latest film is <em>Two Lovers</em>, starring Joaquin Phoenix, Gwyneth Paltrow and Isabella Rossellini.</p>

<p>As America's only black-and-white comedy team, <strong>Tim Reid</strong> and <strong>Tom Dreesen</strong> wrote the book on comedy. Now they've written a book<span style="font-style: italic;">...</span><em></em></p>

<p><em>Medicine for Melancholy</em>, the debut film from writer-director <strong>Barry Jenkins</strong>, takes a dreamy contemplative look at a young African American couple in San Francisco. It's a black art film when art films are in trouble.</p>

<p>Director <strong>Danny Boyle </strong>(<em>Shallow Grave, Trainspotting, 28 Days Later, Millions</em>) has moved from suspense film to post-punk despair, to zombies, to the center of the sun. He combines all that for <em>Slumdog Millionaire</em> and adds a musical number to the mix. It's a Bollywood happy ending.</p> <p> </p>

<p>In just six films, director <strong>David Fincher</strong> (<em>Seven, Panic Room, Fight Club</em>) has established themes and textures. So much so that his latest, <em>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button</em>, both conforms and contradicts that work.</p> <p><strong>Note: </strong>This show first aired January 7 and is being repeated in recognition of it's having received thirteen Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director.</p>

Actress <strong>Sally Hawkins</strong> has had quite a year, stemming from her third collaboration with writer-director Mike Leigh. <em>Happy-Go-Lucky</em> is bright-eyed comedy-drama that's won her audiences and accolades.

<p>Director <strong>Edward Zwick</strong> has made films (<em>The Siege, Glory, Blood Diamond</em>) about social causes, but also about social responsibility. His newest,<em> Defiance</em>, examines that as deeply as any of his others.</p>

<p>In the 20 years since <em>Sex, Lies and Videotape</em>, director <strong>Steven Soderbergh</strong> (<em>Out of Sight, Erin Brockovich, Oceans Eleven/Twelve/Thirteen</em>) has made 20 films. His newest, the epic <em>Che</em>, is both formalist and intimate.</p> <p><br /></p>

<p>In just six films, director <strong>David Fincher</strong> (<em>Seven, Panic Room, Fight Club</em>) has established themes and textures. So much so that his latest, <em>The Curious Case of Benjamin Button</em>, both conforms and contradicts that work.</p>

<p>Elvis Mitchell hosts actress-teacher-writer <strong>Jenny Lumet</strong>, whose screenplay <em>Rachel Getting Married</em> has been made into a critically acclaimed film, starring Anne Hathaway and directed by Jonathan Demme.</p>

<p>Director <strong>Darren Aronofsky</strong> is know for portraying anguish in his films (<em>Pi, Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain</em>) with dazzling stylistic flourish. With <strong>The Wrestler</strong>, the tale unfolds with a stark minimalism.</p>

<p><em><strong>Frost/Nixon</strong></em>, from director <strong>Ron Howard</strong> (<em>Happy Days, Arrested Development, Apollo 13, A Dangerous Mind</em>) is the the interview as blood sport, with a fallen president and a desperate talk-show host going toe to toe...</p>

<p>You may know actor <strong>Richard Jenkins</strong> in his role as the dead father in <em>Six Feet Under</em>, or his films with the Coen Brothers, Mike Nichols of the Farley Brothers. Now the cosmic character actor stars in <em><strong>The Visitor</strong></em>.</p>

<p>There's probably no director working who's made films focusing on a characters with a compact with loneliness the way that <strong>Marc Forster</strong> has. (<em>Finding Neverland, Monster's Ball, The Kite Runner</em>) He's brought James Bond into that world in which Bond has to figure out his own compact with loneliness. The new bond film is <strong><em>Quantum of Solace</em></strong>.</p>

<p>For writer-producer <strong>Tim Kring</strong> (<em>Chicago Hope, Crossing Jordan</em>), his series <em>Heroes</em> was a way to bring a full meal to audiences...</p>

<p>Though <em>Seinfeld</em> and <em>The New Adventures of Old Christine</em> are different shows, both took times to catch on. <strong>Julia Jouis-Dreyfus</strong> talks about the move from cult hit to the mainstream.</p>

<p>Low-key photorealism, well-chosen non-actors and an achingly heart-felt drama played out in the Mississippi Delta. That's <strong><em>Ballast</em></strong>, the feature film directing debut of Lance Hammer.</p> <p>Elvis Mitchell hosts writer/director/producer/editor <strong>Lance Hammer</strong>, whose directorial feature debut, <em>Ballast</em>, has been the recipient of several film festival awards, including the Directing Award and Cinematography Award at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.</p>

<p><strong>WEB EXCLUSIVE!</strong> Actor <strong>John Malkovich</strong> (<em>The Killing Fields, Dangerous Liaisons, Being John Malkovich, The Sheltering Sky</em>)<br />John MalKovich has to be engaged, and when he is, it shows. Whether it’s in films by Spielberg, Bertolucci, Eastwood (<strong><em>Changling</em></strong>), or <em><strong>Burn after Reading</strong></em> by the Coen Brothers. He talks about being turned on – and off.</p> <p> </p>

<p>Before the Swift Boat Veterans and the dirty tricks of Karl Rove, Lee Atwater treated political ads as trailers for horror films. Director <strong>Stefan Forbes</strong>' new documentary, <em>Boogie Man</em>, examines Atwater and the wages of fear.</p>

<p>No living writer/director has influenced TV in the way that <strong>Steven Bochco</strong> has.</p>

<p>Actor and writer <strong>Simon Pegg</strong> (<em>Spaced, Shaun of The Dead, Hot Fuzz</em>) has found a way to integrate his pop-culture obsessions into movie and  TV projects. His latest feature film is <em>How to Lose Friends and Alienate People</em>...</p>

<p>You probably know <strong>Clark Gregg</strong> as an actor from <em>The New Adventures of Old Christine</em> or <em>Iron Man</em>. You should also know him as a writer-director...</p>

<p>Elvis Mitchell hosts actor-director-writer-producer <strong>Ed Harris</strong> (<em>The Right Stuff, The Truman Show, Pollock</em>) whose latest film as screenwriter, director, actor and producer is <em>Appaloosa</em>, starring Viggo Mortensen, Jeremy Irons and Renée Zellweger.</p>

<p><strong>Stuart Townsend</strong> is best known as an actor. For his writing and directing debut, <em>Battle in Seattle</em>, he chose the 1999 WTO conference as his source.</p>

<p><strong>ONLINE EXCLUSIVE:</strong> Director <strong>Wayne Wang</strong> (<em>Joy Luck Club</em>) not only moves from studio films such as <em>Maid in Manhattan</em> to indies such as <em>Smoke</em>, but also blurs the line between truth and fiction. That's the heart of his new film, <em>A Thousand Years of Good Prayers</em>.</p>

<p><em>Six Feet Under</em> and his Oscar-winning screenplay for <em>American Beauty</em> established <strong>Alan Ball</strong>'s interest in the underside of American life. His feature directorial debut, <em>Towelhead</em>, and the HBO series <em>True Blood</em> furthered his interest in the outsiders under the same roof.</p> <p> </p>

<p>You know director <strong>Edgar Wright</strong> from his films <em>Hot Fuzz</em> and <em>Shawn of the Dead</em>, but his partnership with actor Simon Pegg precedes them. They also worked together on the smart, action-packed and emotional British comedy series, <em>Spaced</em>...</p>

<p>Elvis Mitchell hosts actor <strong>Don Cheadle</strong> (<em>Oceans Eleven, Oceans Twelve, Oceans Thirteen, Crash, Hotel Rwanda</em>) whose latest starring role is in the film <em>Traitor</em>.</p>

<p>Paranoia, hostility and patience -- not exactly the stuff of war dramas. The seven-part mini-series, <em>Generation Kill</em>, focuses on just that. <strong>Susanna White</strong> (<em>Bleak House, Jane Eyre</em>)  directed four of seven episodes and talks about getting her "ground attack" together.</p>

<p><strong>Ben Stiller</strong> (<em>Zoolander, Meet the Fockers, The Cable Guy, Reality Bites</em>) is a director, producer and writer. But he's first and foremost an actor who's done comedy and drama on the stage and on the screen.</p>