There’s a smart commentary on Apollo 13 and the theme of geeks as heroes over at The Flick Philosopher. Don’t miss it!

This doesn’t apply to most of us yet (including me) but here’s a review of something we can hopefully look foward to — Apollo 13 on HD-DVD.

The AFI show was interesting — some of it was great — Sidney Poitier, Steven Spielberg, and of course Gary! Not only talking about his own films, but classics like Lawrence of Arabia. Awesome.

Some of it, though — seriously, does anyone really have a burning desire to know why Jessica Alba finds The Sound of Music inspiring? But even with some quibbles about the broadcast and what was chosen and left out, it’s a pretty impressive list overall, and it gave me some ideas for my Netflix queue.

In case you didn’t make it through all three hours, Gary had two films on the list — Apollo 13 at no. 12 and Forrest Gump at no. 37. You can find the complete list at the AFI site.

The IMAX version of Apollo 13 will be released in large-screen theaters around the US and Canada on September 20:

Atlanta, Georgia - Regal IMAX Theatre
Chicago, Illinois - Navy Pier IMAX Theatre
Dallas, Texas - Cinemark IMAX Theatre
Dearborn, Michigan - Henry Ford Museum IMAX Theatre
Dublin, California - Regal IMAX Theatre
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada - Famous Players IMAX Theatre Silver City
Hampton, Virginia - IMAX Theatre at the Virginia Air & Space Center
Kennedy Space Center, Florida - IMAX Theatre at Kennedy Space Center
Los Angeles, California - IMAX Theatre at the Bridge
Los Angeles, California - Universal Studios IMAX Theatre
Natick, Massachusetts - AT&T Broadband IMAX 3D Theatre
New Orleans, Louisiana - Entergy IMAX Theatre
New York, New York - Loews IMAX Theatre Lincoln Square
Providence, Rhode Island - Feinstein IMAX Theatre
Sacramento, California - Esquire IMAX Theatre
San Antonio, Texas - San Antonio IMAX Theatre Rivercenter
San Francisco, California - Loews IMAX Theatre at Metreon
Seattle, Washington - Pacific Science Center Boeing IMAX Theatre
Tempe, Arizona - IMAX Theatre at Arizona Mills
Toronto, Ontario, Canada - Famous Players Paramount IMAX Theatre
Washington, D.C. - Smithsonian-Lockheed Martin IMAX Theatre (opening October)
West Nyack, New York - IMAX Theatre at Palisades Centre

We have no information about whether other IMAX theaters will eventually show the film. Apollo 13 is the first theatrical movie to be digitally remastered just for IMAX release.

* Gary Sinise will be performing with Kimo Williams in Los Angeles in July. For more details, visit the Kimotion web site.* This site has undergone major surgery! Let us know what you think by sending feedback.

* Exciting DVD news! At long last, A Midnight Clear will be released on DVD on June 4, 2002. We will post the pre-order link as soon as the title hits Amazon’s computers. On July 9, a director’s cut of Impostor will be released. Click here to pre-order.

* Gary will be filiming The Human Stain with Nicole Kidman and Anthony Hopkins this spring. Visit the IMDB to learn more about the film. We will post more information when it becomes available.

* More cool news! Apollo 13 will be returning to an IMAX theater near you late this summer. Unlike previous screenings of theatrical films on IMAX screens, which simply blew up images projected from a conventional 35 mm negative, a new process has been developed that is said to yield much better results by converting the film’s negative to a 70 mm IMAX format. Those who have seen the results are reportedly quite impressed! The prospect of enjoying this wonderful movie in the theater again, much less in the fabulous widescreen format, is really something to look forward to.

* National Public Radio’s Fresh Air featured the 25th anniversary of Steppenwolf on September 20. To listen to the interview via Real Audio, go to Fresh Air’s search page and enter September 20, 2000 in the search box. Happy listening!

* We have extra copies of the Breakfast with Gary videotape. These can be ordered from the GWI page.

* The new book Steppenwolf at 25 is now available at Amazon.com.

* Buy Gary’s projects and support his fan club: Through an affiliate program with AMAZON.COM, you can purchase videos, laserdiscs and DVD’s of Gary’s projects and support Gary’s Web International at the same time.

* SAG Awards Photo: Susan Daley of the gsinise listserv has done a lovely page with screen captures from the Screen Actors’ Guild awards, at which Gary was honored for his work in George Wallace. You can find Susan’s page here; and please be sure to convey your appreciation to Susan for her hard work.