God I miss Bob Barker. When I was a kid, before we moved to this country, my family and I would vacation in the US. I didn’t speak any English, but that didn’t stop me from watching The Price is Right every chance I got during our brief stays. I was simply mesmerized by Bob’s persona back then and the fact that people in this country won prizes for no good reason.
The NFL and EA sure know how to throw a party! And they sure know whom to invite!
In celebration of the upcoming August 10, 2010 launch of EA’s Madden NFL 11, the NFL and EA teamed up last week for their annual Pigskin Pro-Am Event in Malibu, CA which consisted of a flag football game played by favorite past and present NFL players along with an interesting mix of Hollywood celebs. Continue reading →
I loved playing Battleship as a kid but I never saw it as a blueprint for a feature film. I still don’t but others in Hollywood seem to have that vision in mind.
They’re actually making a movie about the classic Hasbro board game and E! News reports that Rihanna, the 22-year-old pop-R&B singer will be making her feature-film debut in the action flick.
Rihanna is slated to be joined by Friday Night Lights’ Taylor Kitsch and True Blood’s Alexander Skarsgård as brothers who fight for their planet’s survival against an otherworldly forces.
Imagine having a really bad day. And imagine wanting nothing more than hiding from the world.
Well, now, imagine being one of the most famous actors in the world, having a bad day.
Apparently, that is what Robert Pattinson was dealing with – a bad day – and a pack of Paparazzi which would not leave him alone even after Pattinson asked cops for help.
I ask you: Is fame worth the price of losing your privacy?
The role will be a huge departure for Ruffalo, who is mostly known for his work in dramas such as Shutter Island and his breakout role in the 2000 Oscar-nominated indie You Can Count on Me.
The Avengers, which is expected to hit theaters on May 4, 2012, will be directed by Joss Whedon, and will star a number of superheros played by Robert Downey, Jr., Don Cheadle, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans and Samuel L. Jackson.
Do not walk, or worse, stop to read reviews, but run instead to the nearest movie theater and watchSalt.
I say don’t read the reviews because a lot of what the movie critics say may deter you from seeing what is truly not only an exciting summer movie but a movie which will surely pave the way for other female actresses to play similar lead action hero roles in the future.
The critics may be right in saying that the plot (like a thousand other action movies before it) has plenty of holes and is filled with one unrealistic chase scene after another. And, they may raise a valid point that a movie about post-cold war Russian villains may be decades too stale.
But, what these critics fail to do is give credit where credit is due. And that is: Angelina Joliedelivers an Oscar-worthy portrayal of CIA Agent, Salt, who may or may not be a Russian spy. You never really know until the end as Jolie keeps you guessing with every twist, turn, kick, shot, explosion, jump, chase, injury, and ass whooping, regardless of whether she is the one giving or receiving the whooping.
Yep, I used the “O” word. I don’t particularly care much for Ms. Jolie generally speaking which makes me even more certain that she deserves the award. I loved Salt because Jolie made me believe that a 110 pound woman can whip the crap out of 100 men, each two to three times her weight. Actually, she did better than that. She made me forget she is female. I just saw Jolie as a tough-as-nails ass-kicker.
Jolie as Salt had me on the edge-of-my seat nervous. She sent my heart racing the entire time. She made me laugh; she made me cheer; she made me angry. She had me confused as hell as to who she really is. But, best of all, by the end of the movie, she made me find myself holding in my breath for a few seconds and crying a bit because I realized what Jolie has really accomplished with this role.
Jolie has undeniably pulled off a first in history: She more than capably held her own as an action hero lead, a character which was originally written with a man in mind (Tom Cruise). I dare to even say that Salt with Jolie as the lead may fare better at the Box Office than Salt with Cruise would have fared. Why? Without Jolie, Salt would be just another ordinary action-packed movie. Fun, but ordinary. But Jolie adds a few extra layers to the character which Tom may or may not have been able to deliver as well.
At pertinent times, Jolie certainly possesses the requisite coldness and bravado that Tom would have brought to the character. But, when necessary, Jolie also infuses heart, a sense of alluring mystery, charming vulnerability, and woman-scorned vengeance into Salt which makes us fall helplessly in love with that character yet tremendously fear her at the same time. I am not sure Tom or most men could pull that alluring mystery and vulnerability off as well. And what do they say? “Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.” Jolie surely proves that theory correct with her portrayal of Agent Salt.
Call me sexist. Maybe I am. But I loved this movie mostly because a woman was the lead; and because a woman filled the theater to full capacity and had the audience cheering at times and gasping for air at others just like or possibly even better than the Tom Cuises, Matt Damons and Brad Pitts of the world have in the past. Jolie made me a believer. And I know she will make a believer out of movie executives when Salt brings in the ticket sales. And all future female action leads owe Jolie a big thank you for being such a mysterious, vulnerable, charming, money-making, ass-kicking machine.
Best and most exciting news out of Comic-Con 2010 so far: Jack Sparrow will be back May 20, 2011 on the next installment of Pirates of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.
Katelyn Epperly was just ever-so-slightly edged out of American Idol‘s Top 12 last season by some much less talented singers. Oh, what could have possibly been had she not been shockingly ousted some four months ago on March 11.
We will never know how far she could have eventually gone had she secured one of the all-important Top 12 spots for herself. Perhaps her voice could have helped avoid some of the dull drab associated with Season 9 after her and other notable early ousters.
I recently caught up with the extremely poised and beautiful 20-year old singer, songwriter and pianist when she performed at The Grove; Katelyn’s first show in Los Angeles since her run on Idol ended.
Ironically, The Grove is adjacent to the studios from where Idol is broadcast. That proximity did not seem to phase Katelyn as she gave one moving vocal performance after another, to an audience which continued to grow in size as Katelyn sang on.
I will let Katelyn herself tell you what she has been up to since her Idol days in this video interview:
You can keep track of her shows by following her on Twitter: @iamK_Epperly. Meanwhile, enjoy these videos; they are the songs she performed at The Grove July 18, 2010.
Second stop on the American Idol auditions, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Simon Cowell’s empty judge’s seat has not yet been filled, though rumors narrow the search down to Chris Isaak, Harry Connick, Jr., and Donald Trump. Yes, The Donald. Sadly, Bret Michaels no longer seems to be in the running, though, one just never knows when it comes to Hollywood.
This makes me wonder how they can start the auditions when they don’t yet have all the judges in place. But, I guess the show must go on.
In the video below, Ryan Seacrest runs us through some of the behind the scenes of what the auditions in Milwaukee look like. I admit, I am getting a bit excited again for Idol’sreturn. I didn’t think that could ever happen with the lackluster talent of last season and with Cowell’s departure since. But I think I forgot how much of an Idol nerd I really am. I am sure I will be the last one left standing in the fan pit as they one day turn out the lights on my favorite show.
The remaining American Idol auditions will be held as follows:
