Friday, October 31, 2008

Republican Video Tops Entertainment Search

So it would appear that the Republican party are gluttons for punishment. Am I using that gluttons word properly there?

Anyway, they can't seem to get enough of making the wrong decisions. After Sarah Palin's disastrous pr decision to appear on SNL, it looks like John McCain is about to do the same thing. Rumour has it, the presidential hopeful is going to appear on Saturday Night Live.

I can't help but start to think that the Republicans have given up on the possibility of winning. It really seems as though they don't learn from past mistakes. When you are a public figure, and you choose to appear on SNL, you have to be prepared to be mocked. It is going to be a satirical look at your life. If you are already established and loved by the public, such as athletes and other entertainers, the sketches are seen as fun and self deprecating. If you are trying to win the support of a nation to be leader of the free world for the next four years, SNL is not a great place to start.

After Palin made her appearance, polls showed support for the Republican party to be slipping. More and more the people feel less confident in her ability to lead and it is becoming more obvious that she is not prepared. It is turning into a joke and it's a joke on McCain.

I really don't know what he is thinking but appearing on the show at this stage in the game will not make him appear to be a better choice than Obama. It is just one more step in a series of bad decisions made by that party during this campaign.

One thing is for sure, it will make for some entertaining highlights. It will be great when McCain looks back on the episode when it is rerun for the hundredth time and he thinks, "Wow! I must have been out of my mind!" Now that's comedy.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Joaquin Phoenix To Stop Acting

Here is another sign of the times. It isn't bad enough that horrible displays of so-called "entertainment" continue to dominate the airwaves, but now quality entertainers are deciding to call it quits.

Joaquin Phoenix, one of the best actors working today in my opinion, had decided to give up acting all together. There isn't much news yet as to why, only that he is going to pursue a career in music.

You might recall, Phoenix was nominate for oscars in both "Walk the Line" where he portrayed the late and great Johnny Cash, and "Gladiator" for his supporting role as a psychotic dictator. He was great in both films. He is also a remarkable performer in smaller supporting roles, particularly when he gets to be a little twisted. You might recall a Nicholas Cage film called "8mm", about a detective who has to find out if a snuff film he was shown is genuine. Check out Phoenix's performance, he will freak you out.

I only hope this isn't going to be some kind of trend. I don't want to see more of Lindsay Lohan or anybody else for that matter who get to be in film because the papparazzi love them. Phoenix is a genuine performer. He and his late brother River, were born with talent. You can't manufacture that. You can't fake it. You just give a guy like that the role and you know something amazing is going to happen.

I know something else amazing that should happen. Phoenix should change his mind. Wait until he sees what his choices are going to be the next time he wants to go to the movies.

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Marvel Comic Book Hero Movies Coming Again

When I was a kid I wasn't a big comic book nut. However, I did have my share of them and was taught early on how to take care of them. I have absolutely no idea what they are worth or if somebody interested in collecting them would be honest with me about them.

What I can tell you is that I was a huge fan of the X Men. That includes all members and variations going back to early incarnations. I just thought they were cool and Wolverine would have made a good dad. Imagine having him show for up for show and tell. This is how he makes shish ka bobs. You guys may want to step back a bit.

Anyway, when the movies for the X Men were announced, I was worried they were going to be crap and end up ruining my childhood perspective on what these characters were all about. I had imagined epic battles and the coolest kinds of friendships between all of these characters. I thought about where they had come from and who they had become. I had their entire biographies in my head. Granted these were all constructed in the mind of a ten year old kid or so. I was pretty young.

The movies came out and I have to say for the most part, I thought they were great. There were elements of the characters that kind of disappeared. Wolverine wasn't quite as dirty or animalistic as I remembered and a couple of the characters who were major in the comics were very peripheral in the films. That was all OK. For what they chose to work with, the films were good. The actors were great.

So fast forward now to the Ironman series and other subsequent films. I saw Ironman and I'll be honest, I thought it was OK. I didn't think it was great. It was more interesting to watch moments of it than anything else. Otherwise, there were some plot aspects that were ridiculous and there was probably a lot more that they could have done. I will assume they are saving things for the sequel.

Robert Downey Jr. and Jon Favreau have signed with Marvel Studios to do The Avengers now. This will be another comic book super hero type film. Downey is great, maybe one of the best actors of our generation and were it not for his legal problems, would have been huge probably. He has also signed with Marvel to do not only part 2 of Ironman but also part 3. I am hoping that this glut of superhero films going into production will actually end up produce something worth watching. I always assume it is Hollywood looking to capitalize on a trend.

We'll have to wait and see if Marvel and Downey and Favreau can delivers and don't just fall back on the historic following these comic books have. Everybody remembers what happened with the Batman sequels.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Bono And Girls Just Hanging Out..That's Entertainment

So here it is. You happen to be a super huge rock star. You have one of the most commercially successful bands in the history of modern music. You travel the world as an ambassador of peace and goodwill amongst nations. You hobnob with some of the most important people of the twenty-first century. You have been married to the same woman for twenty-six years. Just to relax, you decide to hang out with a buddy of yours and two nineteen year-old girls in St. Tropez. So what's the big deal?

Apparently it is news worthy. It is amazing how quickly all of somebody's accomplishments go flooding out the window, the moment there is the possibility of some kind of impropriety. There isn't even a single individual who is willing to say anything unseemly happened.

Bono took a break this past weekend from whatever his rock star music making life required of him, to relax with some friends. There happened to be two teen-aged girls who were part of that group. Probably the daughters of an extremely wealthy individual who Bono is friends with. There is nothing deviant being alleged and there are no sinister photographs. However, the Daily Mail can't wait to publish what pictures they do have and leave the insinuations up to the readers.

This isn't the first time the Mail has tried to embarrass Bono. They did have shots of him and Penelope Cruz on a beach in 2007. Nothing like trying to bring down a music icon. Really, who cares?! Most human beings, married or not, female or male, would love to take a stroll with Penelope on the beach. Most people are not perfect. This guy lives a very different life than most of us. It's amazing that this even makes news.

They should focus more on when Bono is speaking about ending world hunger or dropping the debt held against some third world nation. That stuff at least has some significance. The rest of this sneaky photography and innuendo is garbage. The guy is a superstar. Leave him be. If there is something there, it's for him and his wife to deal with. Nobody else really cares. If you think anybody really gives a flyer if Bono is stealing time with some bikini babe, try and get a ticket the next time U2 is having a concert in your town.

Monday, October 27, 2008

Fall Out Boy Team Up With Elvis Costello and Debbie Harry

Imagine you had your own rock and roll band and you had a chance to team up with Elvis. No, not that one, the other rock legend. Don't know who I am talking about? Well, you should.

That is exactly what happened recently for pop group Fall Out Boy on their most recent album. Their fifth record, Folie a Deux, will be littered with collaborations although the band admits it did not start out that way but rather just came together. Apparently, it came together very nicely.

Blondie's Debbie Harry shares a track with the band. Lead singer Patrick Stump said that Debbie Harry's song came together very naturally. He claims she is amazing and added so much authority to the song. To say Debbie Harry is amazing is just the tip of the iceberg. She is one of the most revolutionary figures in the pop music business. Surprisingly, it is argued that she may have been the first to rap on a pop single.

Stump went on to say that he is hugely influenced by Elvis Costello and that having him on the album was an honour. Costello, it is safe to say, has become a living legend in the music business. He too has an exceptional ear for unique sound and melody craftsmanship. To say having Costello participate on the album with them is honour would be a tremendous understatement. I hope they offered to clean his house for the next year in conjunction with whatever they are paying him because whatever they are paying him, it isn't enough.

The band was originally planning on releasing the album in time for the November 4th elections but have decided to push the date back. They claim that Americans have more important things to be thinking about at that time. They also are hoping that young people will take the time to think seriously about the future of the country. Interesting that they think the release of their album could interfere with the way the people of the country will be thinking about the election. I think the reality is they were worried the album would get lost in the fervor that is the electoral process in the U.S. and end up taking a huge hit.

Smart move to push it back. In the end, the album will be released in December while the American people are doing their Christmas shopping and hoping they didn't make a huge mistake on election day.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Entertainment Rag Mags Have Remarkable Function

Not too long ago I wrote an entry into this blog about how I feel about pseudo celebrity. In particular, it had to with people like Nicole Richie who don't have any actual talent but get to be celebrities because the garbage business of tabloid journalism believes that common folk like us want to read boring clips about them.

Well, the reason I knock them so much is because my wife does love those magazines. She must bring home one a week because they are cheap and quick reading. In a lot of ways they are junk food for the mind. I get it.

So I asked her the other day, why not just get one once a month or even once every few months since she really doesn't need them. She gave me a great answer and I didn't realize until recently the true function that these garbage magazines served. She said they are fun and they make for great reading on the toilet.

That was it! The actual purpose of these pseudo entertainment magazines were right in front of me and I was missing it all along. This kind of entertainment she be dubbed toilet entertainment. The reason for that is because it is entertaining while you are sitting on the toilet. Then I realized that wasn't completely accurate.

Sure you can read them while you are on the toilet but let's face it, they are not very entertaining. A lot of the stuff in there is actually pretty boring because it is about boring people. Then something remarkable happened. My wife brought one of these things home and showed me an article about somebody else I never heard of while I was sitting on our couch in the den. Immediately upon looking at the article I felt like I had to go to the bathroom. That's it!

Not only are these magazine toilet entertainment, they help you to go to the toilet! These magazines are more effective than ex lax. It was an amazing thing to realize that my body had so associated the looking at these magazines with the toilet, that the mere appearance of one would make me feel like I had to go. There it is. The true purpose of these publications. Since realizing this, I have been able to ease back on the amount of fibre I have in my diet. You should try it.

Nicole Richie Can Go Away

It isn't fair to single out Nicole Richie for this kind of comment. To be perfectly honest, any number of people who have grown to become part of our cultural social consciousness could head up this article. The truth is Nicole Richie could be a very good person. She may have impeccable manners and be a vigorous supporter of worthy causes. If she is, I don't know about it.

I don't know about a lot of things about Nicole Richie because I am guessing there isn't much to tell. Her father is incredibly talented. He is one of the better recording artists of past generations and he was a true entertainer. He had talent.

Nicole Richie doesn't have any real talent. She appeared on reality television for a short while. I would say she appeared on TV only because of who her father happened to be. It became interesting and I would dare say it still is interesting for many people to see "things" about other people who happened to be related to famous people. It is an opportunity for them to become celebrities for no other reason other than the fact that they are related to a famous person.

To this day I still don't understand how Nicole Richie makes news. She is followed around by paparazzi and photographed doing the most mundane things. When that happens to somebody like Alicia Keys it is much easier to understand. Alicia Keys is an attractive woman who happens to be incredibly talented. Alicia Keys plays instruments, writes and performs her own music. That is amazing and documenting the life of an incredibly amazing and talented individual like Keys is understandable given the elevated status of celebrity in our culture.

So why the attention for Richie? I think I figured it out. She can't sing, she can't dance, she can't act, she can't do anything that would be considered contemporary entertainment. However, she can sell magazines. She sells magazines for no other reason than the fact that she appears in magazines. How do you like that! There are people all around the world practicing an instrument daily, taking classes, honing skills to one day hopefully become a great performer. Some of those people are remarkably gifted and have the opportunity to become great in the arts. However, we will never hear about most of them because people like Nicole Richie sell magazines. That my friends, is sad.

Think about it. The next time you see a picture or hear a news blip about Nicole Richie or some other pseudo-celebrity, ask yourself if you could do that. Then ask yourself if any number of people you know could do that. If the answer is yes, don't pay attention to the story. Change the channel, turn off the volume or just leave the room. If you see a magazine featuring stories about these people doing things that you do every day or that people you know do every day, don't buy that magazine. You see, these people are famous for no other reason than the fact that everyday people like us buy garbage magazines with stories about them. The paparazzi business of rag mags has become an entertainment forum onto itself.

Haven't you noticed that less and less stories are printed in these garbage publications about talented people? That happens because talented people have careers of showcasing their talent. They don't need stories about their trip to the grocery store to maintain their careers. When that starts to happen, you should know what is going on.

So now you know how to make a contribution to the arts. Support talented people. Stay away from the garbage because if you stop demonstrating a demand to see these people whom you could easily replace, the sooner they will go away and the sooner we could be reading cool things about you.

Borat Movie Business Too Slick for Villagers

So imagine you lived in a small eastern European village and a film crew from Hollywood came and said they wanted to make a movie and feature your home in it. Now imagine that your village is kind of backwards in comparison to the industrial world. There is cable TV to be found but there is no running water. These people who are shooting the movie offer you three dollars to appear in the film. All sounds pretty fantastic doesn't it? Not really.

Apparently there is a dispute going on between the makers of Sacha Baron Cohen's hit comedy Borat and the residents of a small village that was used to represent the main character's home of Kazakhstan.

According to the production company, they showed up in the town of Glod which lies about 85 miles north west of Bucharest to shoot the film. It is a small town where the women are still encouraged to abandon education, get married, have babies and maybe work in the family business, if there is one. It is a poor village where the quality of life, as you can imagine isn't the greatest. The producers of the film loved the location and though it would do well to depict the backwards fictional village.

For those of you who have seen the film, Borat split opinions of many who watched it. Many people thought it was hysterical, others either didn't like it or thought it was offensive. It definitely upset the people who actually lived in Glod because of how they were depicted. The movie's producers insist that they were always clear with everyone as to what the film was going to be about and that they all signed waivers and agreements regarding their three dollar payments. Regardless of what you thought about the film, it ended up grossing nearly one hundred and fifty million dollars.

The people in the village claim that they were told Borat was going to be a documentary and that some of them were even interviewed and filmed showing what they do and discussing aspects of the village. Instead, they claim they were depicted as primitive and criminals. The production company disputes this of course and claim it was always made clear to them what Borat was about and everybody who participated was clear that it was a fictional movie, signed releases and received their three dollars.

The people of the town have since been convinced by two lawyers, one from Germany and one from the U.S., to sue Hollywood for the making of Borat and how things unfolded. They have been made to believe that they could earn as much as thirty million dollars from the suit.

I don't know what people think one way or the other on this issue. What seems obvious is that there was definitely some kind of misunderstanding. Or, what seems obvious, is that somebody has once again found a way to make some money at the expense of somebody else. It is obvious in a case like this, that somebody on one side of the equation is taking advantage of somebody else. I'm not going to say who it is. Eventually, with most cases like this, the story will disappear, an undisclosed settlement will be reached and the movie will remain for all time to be enjoyed by generations to come. It's unfortunate that for the making of a little comedy, there has to be so much greed.

Anyway, in my humble opinion the film had it's funny moments but overall it was just OK. I would understand the villagers being upset if they had spent their hard earned money to go see the film and were disappointed. In such a case, the lawsuit would actually make sense.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

SNL and Ferrell Finally Get Funny

Saturday Night Live has historically been disappointing to me. The show that I used to love has changed in so many ways. The most significant change over the years is the recruitment of cast members that just were not that talented and writing that was cheap and predictable.

Over the years there have been some great comedic performers to come off of the show even though the show itself has been horrible. There are several memorable characters that were created despite the fact that the sketch was weak or the rest of the show was really bad. A couple great characters that come to mind were Chris Farley's motivational speaker that lived down by the river and Will Ferrel's impersonation of a dead Harry Carey.

Usually you could count on one or two funny sketches but most of the time even the strong ones were weak and they went way too long. This weekend was a nice exception to the rule.

Will Ferrell revisited his old stomping grounds to reprise his impersonation of President Bush. He was hysterical. He gave a bumbling and severely flawed address to the nation and joked about how he didn't really care what happened anymore.

Ferrell was joined in the sketch by Tina Fey doing her spot on characterization of Sarah Palin. Ferrell as Bush explained how the office of the Vice President was most important and that all the big decisions are made by him and the President must do what the Vice President says because that's what Cheney explained to him when he first took office. It was a great joke and he had a few more.

The most memorable bit was when they chose to play on McCain's campaign promise to be completely different from Bush and to take the country in a whole new direction. Darrel Hammond came on as John McCain, Hammond is amazing by the way, appearing as though he really didn't want to be there. On several occasions he tried to break away from the shot, only to be dragged back in by Farrell. It was very funny. Farrell as Bush made statements reminding the country that a vote for McCain is a vote for George Bush and when they are voting to specifically think of Bush's face when they vote for McCain.

I have to say Farrell stole the show. It was the funniest sketch I had seen on SNL in ages. It was sharp, to the point and didn't go on too long. It was great to be reminded that with the right performer in there, the show can still do great things.

Hopefully they will realize what they did on Saturday and choose to do more of it more often.

Friday, October 24, 2008

Gerri Halliwell Wants Pitt and Clooney To Join Kid Story

It is incredible how many celebrities decide at some point in their career to explore the children's book market. There are many who have gone at. The most notable of late is former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.

The book that Halliwell has put out is actually a series of stories based upon a fictional character named Ugenia Lavender. The series was produced by Halliwell during the course of this year at a rate of one new book per month. The title character is a nine year old girl who is described as sassy and street smart and tackles the "injustices" of the world every day. At the end of every story, their is a message of inspiration for the reader from Ugenia.

Apparently, the book has been a significant success. It has generated mass appeal and who knows where it will go from here. What is amazing, is that somebody with very average talents but who was fortunate enough to achieve a certain degree of success, has been able to parlay that into something decent.

Let's face it, the Spice Girls were a phenomenon for little girls around the world. Yet, it was Halliwell's own ego that eventually led to the group's downfall. They probably could have continued to put out bubble gum albums that would hit the charts for several more years. However, that old familiar tale crept in. Geri had to have the spotlight all to herself. With the band going out without her, they were able to keep the flame alive for a little while, but it didn't last. Fans had come to accept the spicy ones as being a group of five. If you know anything about young kids, you know that when something looks off, they ask a lot of questions. Eventually, the kids just got tired of the questions and of the spices.

So how did Halliwell do on her own? Her solo attempt flopped. I wonder why? Clearly she was marketable as part of that classic girl band dynamic created by the Spice Girls but alone she would have had to demonstrate some talent and mass fan appeal. She didn't have either.

Now Gerri is back with her ego intact and it looks like she is making good. The children's book is doing well is she is gaining some credibility at something she apparently does well. That must feel good for a change. In consideration of the success of the book, she is now entering discussions about the possibility of animated features. She has mentioned that she would love Brad Pitt and George Clooney to voice characters in the series. Hey, if the books are doing well, anything is possible. Go girl power. We can only hope she doesn't decide to start singing and dancing again.

If she does start singing and dancing again, I hope it isn't like before. I would really prefer to see Gerri in more of a ballroom setting or maybe even ballet. I guess now with the books doing well, we might see her on Saturday morning television. Wait, she would probably have to wake up early in the morning for that. Scratch that idea. Stick to the books.

Movie Star's Son Busted For Marijuana

This is the kind of story that irks me because again, as I have noted before, there is no point in printing it. It is actually kind of funny.

The son of a movie star got busted for having a couple duffel bags full of marijuana in his car. Well whoop dee doo. Do you know how many people get busted for marijuana possession in this country every day? Tons. Do you know how many people are doing marijuana right now while you are reading this? Even more. Consequently, there are probably many more interesting and possibly even more important stories to be told there.

Perhaps a story could be written about how many people are busted for possession of marijuana. I'm sure the public would love to know how many of their tax dollars go into arresting, prosecuting and processing people for possession of marijuana. That would probably be an interesting story. It might even provoke some response. How about a story demonstrating how many people in the world are using marijuana at this very moment. I think that would freak people out. It would especially freak out people who were smoking marijuana while watching the report.

Nope. Instead the news blip is about a movie star's son who got busted with drugs. Of course, somebody thinks it is news worthy because the person busted is related to a movie star. That to me is hysterical. The busted person is related to a movie star, so it is worthy of telling the story. I'm sure if we all go back far enough in our family trees you would discover that we are all related to some movie star somewhere. As such, we should be seeing a lot more bust stories in the news.

It gets better. This person is related to a movie star who is dead. Now that just opens up the flood gates as far as the rest of us doesn't it? Throughout history you must be related to somebody who was in show business at some time. Therefor, if you are related to a dead movie star and get busted with drugs, you can make the news. This movie star died in 1994. I guess in the grand scheme of history that is still pretty recent. The relative can't even escape public scrutiny after death. To me, that is really funny. This guy doesn't have anything to do with entertainment at all, but makes entertainment news because his long since dead relative was in the business. I'm not even going to tell you who the story was about because it isn't even worth a moment of your time.

Think of all the resources that went into producing that story. Think of how better spent those resources could have been. Think about all the different things you could have been doing instead of hearing about it. Think about all the different things you could have been learning at that moment. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe nobody cares to think anymore.

Star Trek The Movie... Again

Enough already with the Star Trek movies. I get it. People like Star Trek. They enjoyed Star Trek when it was a television show and they enjoyed Star Trek when it was made into a movie that last six or seven times. Can't anybody come up with a new idea anymore? Hey, look at the success of the Harry Potter franchise. There is a great children's book series that was turned into a successful film. That was original. Apparently it can be done. Remember the Scream movies? A little modern horror film series with a new spin on a classic idea. Those pictures did pretty well.

Is it too much to ask for somebody to sit down and just write something original anymore? There are endless ideas available. Not to mention, new ideas or concepts are born every day. Remember a little film called Forrest Gump? Sure you do. His friends called him Forrest Gump. I don't mind if the movie is based on a book if it hasn't been done before, those usually make great movies. That is, if the book was good. Sometimes they make good movies even when the book isn't that good. At least it's the first time it was made into a movie. Why does the same movie have to be remade five, six, seven or eight times? Do you know what that is? That's a television series. That's where Star Trek belongs. It was a great original idea at the time.

The director of the film was recently interviewed and said that one of the reasons he was drawn to the project is that it sends a good message to show people from all different backgrounds working together hundreds of years in the future. Yeah, sure. Like people working together with blobs and things with antennae and green folks sends a good message. It is science fiction. The film isn't getting made to improve cultural relationships amongst the masses. The film is getting made because the studio figures it will make a lot of money off of it. That is all.

You want to hear a really cool story connected to the original Star Trek that does have cultural significance? While the original series was shooting, Nichelle Nichols who played Lt. Uhura, I think that was the character's name, wanted to quit. She was approached by Martin Luther King who asked her not to quit because it was important for black people at the time to see a black woman playing a role on television that was not stereotypical for the times. Her character was a strong, authoritative, independent woman and her color was secondary. However, she was cast as a black woman in the part. That is an amazing story! That was something that affected people at the time. King saw the importance of it and Nichols made the decision to stay on the show. Another Star Trek movie will not do anything to bring people closer together.

If they really wanted to make a film that would show people coming together, make one about a multi-cultural community in New York and how they rebuilt together after 911. How about a movie about a company that creates opportunities for people based on skill and ability which results in a multi-cultural assortment of individuals and show them flourishing by working together. Maybe even just a movie about a family who adopts a few kids from around the world how similar people are no matter where they come from.

Enough with the garbage remakes. If they are so desperate to keep reintroducing old ideas to film, just bring it back as a horrible television show and beat the idea into the ground. You know, just like the new piece of garbage remake of 90210 that shows all the best characteristics of human beings.

Pornstars Go Mainstream

There is no denying that we are living in a visual age. As such, the various technological mediums have capitalized on our need for entertainment. There are more movies made today than ever before. That is not to say they are any good. These movies are studio quality, back lot quality, back yard generated and Internet uploads. They come in all shapes and sizes. Most of them are terrible.

Even Hollywood seems to be quick now to go low budget, low calibre and sometimes no talent whatsoever, if they believe there is a quick buck to be made. So what's new? Sure it seems like an old strategy with new things but come on. A lot of the stuff coming out now is pure garbage. Most of it goes straight to video or into the recycling bins. It is no wonder that a really good movie can stand to make a king's ransom today. My uncle who used to sell watches would bring them all out in a display case and purposely litter the case who junk watches to the good ones stood out. Today, Hollywood's junk case runneth over.

That being said, it would appear that any avenue of performance art stands as a good audition piece nowadays. Just recently another porn actress has been chosen for a mainstream film. Sasha Grey has been chosen by Steven Soderbergh to appear in his upcoming film The Girlfriend Experience.

It is far from the first time a porn actress has crossed over. You may have noticed I am calling them porn actresses not porn star. I don't understand how you can appear in a porn film and immediately be referred to as a star. You should have to appear in a certain number of films at least before you are a star. Mainstream actors are not immediately referred to as stars. They are actors. It should be the same for porn.

Anyways, Traci Lords is probably one of the most famous porn actresses who crossed over. She received a considerable amount of attention considering the controversy surrounding her porn career. Most of her time in adult film was while she was under age. Now Ms. Grey, I'm sure that's not her name, will have a shot. No pun intended. It is interesting that girls going into porn can honestly believe now that they could have a shot at becoming a legitimate actress if this crossover tendency continues. It doesn't seem as though acting ability seems to matter. This seems to be the new mantra of Hollywood. Who cares if somebody can act as long as they look the part on film.

This is unfortunate for so many reasons. For one, the quality of film drops tremendously. If anybody can do it now, I might as well just go over to family members' homes and watch them wash dishes. It really isn't that much different. The other concern is that it may encourage more people, specifically women, to enter porn as a stepping stone to what they think will be legitimate acting careers. I'm not much of a pornologist, but I do believe most girls who enter the field disappear quickly into anonymity. The same could be said about the "legitimate" film world but what you leave behind is just a little different.

This isn't to say that a film can't be good just because a porn actress is cast in it. It just means the doors seem to be opening wider to different calibres of film and the likelihood of it being good is probably a little smaller. I suppose this will make watching a really good movie, with really good actors that much more enjoyable. Especially since not to many really good movies seem to come around much anymore.

Hollywood's Sheen, Jolie and Pitt Having More Kids... Who Cares?

So over the past week or so there have been some interesting family announcements from Hollywood. Charlie Sheen has announced that he is having twins with his current girlfriend. I won't even mention her name because he probably won't be with her in a few years. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt have announced they are planning on having a sixth child. Or is it seventh?

What is the fascination with celebrities having kids? Everybody has kids. It doesn't take much talent to have kids. It is not news that somebody, even if they are a little famous, is having a child. Many of these so called "celebrities" have kids that they don't even know about. They have tons of kids with many different people and it makes the news. Nobody seems to care about the kids.

Some celebrities become celebrities just because they had kids with someone who was already a celebrity. That's ridiculous. That Kevin guy had kids with Britney Spears and then he became famous. He doesn't do anything else, but now he is a celebrity. I think he had kids with some other girl, and now she is famous for having had his kids because he had kids with Spears.

Nobody ever stops to think about the culture this is creating. Sheen is about to have five kids from three different women. Pit and Jolie are thinking about seven kids from five or six different countries and expect to maintain their whirlwind schedules as international superstars. Spears currently, doesn't even have the authority to have custody of her kids. Do you have any idea how in today's day and age a woman is denied custody of her children? It is almost unheard of. Look at the father figure in that case who got to have the kids instead! Those children are going to be a disaster. The best thing that could happen there is some family member who really cares about them will intervene and raise them.

Hollywood has become a literal breeding ground for the purposes of popularity. I don't even know how many celebrities make entertainment news now because they have kids, or are having kids or are thinking about kids. In the meantime, these people are not even entertaining us. Better yet, they don't have any talent to speak of. That's not entirely true. They are able to reproduce and pass along those talented genes to some poor unsuspecting innocent child who didn't have any say in the matter.

What would be news is if these people who just have kids for the sake of being famous, were to then give the kids up to caring parents who are unable to have children of their own. That would be fantastic and a story worth hearing. Imagine, some nobody who only exists in the popular consciousness because of tabloid journalism, decides they are going to have a child so Mrs. Jones who can't conceive, can have a child of her own. That would be brilliant. Now you have a no-talent wannabe making headlines because they are giving a remarkable gift to someone. I could handle that. Then you are setting a much better example than somebody who has five kids with four different partners that were mostly accidents and they hardly ever get to see any of them. Welcome to the new Hollywood!

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

When Louis CK Comes to Town Buy a Ticket

When it comes to live entertainment there are few things that I really enjoy. The top of that list is great stand-up comedy. I'm not talking about stand-up comedy. I'm talking about great stand-up comedy. I say this because it is important to understand the difference.

In the early days of television people who were around then got to see the beginnings of great stand-up comedy. There were people like Bill Cosby, George Carlin, Mort Sahl, Nichols and May and more. These were masterful entertainers who were figuring out something amazing. They were able to convey humor through nothing more than their voices and paint hysterical pictures in the minds of their audiences. They were so good at it that people would fall over in hysterics from how great these individuals were.

The evolution of stand-up continued as time went by and eventually more and more people began to try it out. What ended up happening was that eventually everyone who ever told a joke or made a friend or family member laugh thought they were a comedian and they began to hit stages in clubs all across the English speaking world.

Born out of this rush to the stage by the masses who were hungry for attention, was the cable television era. It was there that we found countless shows like Caroline's and A&E's Evening at The Improv. were everyone and their mother were getting up and trying to be funny. Eventually, many of these cable shows disappeared. I like to believe it happened because most of the people showcased on those television programs were not comedians.

What has continued to happen to present day is the rush to the stage. Clubs exist all over the English speaking world and elsewhere, where people can jump up and try to make the masses laugh. Unfortunately, it makes it easier for those watching to not take stand-up too seriously. It becomes seen as a second class form of entertainment. It even seems to encourage disruption from the audiences a lot of the time.

Because there is so much garbage available today in the world of entertainment and stand-up comedy is no different, it is a real treat when a great performer comes around. Louis CK is one of those greats. He has had several television specials, he has appeared at numerous comedy festivals and he has written for many TV shows. Amongst his writing credits are some of the more unique television projects that have come along over the years including, The Chris Rock Show, The Late Late show with Conan O'Brien and his own Lucky Louis which aired for a short time.

CK has a no rules, no holds barred type of comedy. He explores all kinds of language and use of words. He attacks aspects of our culture that he considers ridiculous and leaves no stone unturned. In fact, there are times that he crawls down under that stone and rubs his face against it. I'm not completely sure what that means but his act is something to see.

Louis Ck is on tour now and if you have a chance, grab a ticket and go see him because he shouldn't be missed.

Regis and Kelly in The Morning are Half Way There

Howard Moscowitz was a guru to the food service industry. He may still be. Moscowitz realized that people don't really know what they like because most of the time their choices don't include their favorites. Their choices may not even include something they would like a little. However, they still accept what they can because that is all that is available.

I believe that daytime entertainment, specifically Regis and Kelly play into Moscowitz's theory. Regis Philbin has been involved with the business for a long time. I believed he started out in radio years ago and made his way through the ranks in television to become the popular iconic figure that he is today. Philbin is funny and entertaining. It is safe to say that his viewing audience really enjoys him.

However, Kelly Ripa is not entertaining at all. She definitely tries. I give her top marks for effort. She does not have the talent to pull it off. Yet, this does not seem to matter. She has recently received a tremendous multi-million dollar contract from the show. She appears in several ads endorsing an assortment of products. Her being featured by corporate America has everything to do with her position on the show she shares with Philbin. She has been extremely fortunate that she came along when she did. This is because of the state of entertainment today. There are way too many people on television and in the business who profit based upon nothing more than celebrity.

Since celebrity is more important than talent, Kelly Ripa prospers. She is painful to watch. I was not a fan of Regis and Kathie Lee when Gifford was the co-host and I still had no inclination to watch when Ripa took over. Recently, I took a few moments to sit down and watch with my wife. It was ridiculous. I don't know how many times Ripa tried to make a joke but she virtually never received a laugh. What always makes it worse, is that she sits there laughing at herself while the rest of the studio is silent. As I mentioned already, it is painful.

When Gifford left the show the ratings did not suffer significantly. Although there was a bit of a dip while they were adjusting. I believe that plays to what I was mentioning earlier. Philbin is entertaining and in all honesty, could probably carry the show on his own now. He probably doesn't want to. What is entertaining is watching Regis's reactions every time one of Ripa's attempts at humor hits the toilet.

I did see a video of a guest host appearance on the show that demonstrated everything that I am talking about. Howie Mandel took over for a few shows while Regis took a break. He was great in the clips that I watched. Howie is hysterically entertaining and captivating. He makes watching everything that he does fun. While he was on, Ripa hardly ever said anything and when she did, it sure didn't come off as funny. She seemed out of place and uncomfortable. This just went to show, she has no business in the business. She is just the wrong person for the job.

However, she does well and people will say they like her because they don't know any better. She is where she is because some executive liked her for the job. If the viewing audience got to watch tape of several other possible hosts, she would never be selected. She gets the work because the viewing audience has no clue about what it is they really enjoy. They only get to experience glimpses of what they really like when a guest like Howie Mandel drops by.

I am certain that if Ripa were to leave the show, the ratings would hardly be affected. A new co-host would slip in there and Ripa would disappear into oblivion. It wouldn't matter because she has made a lot of money for doing very little and having no talent. That is one of the amazing things about the business of show. Even when your public doesn't realize that you are not what they would really enjoy, you get them as fans anyways. Lucky for Ripa, at least one or two of the right people liked her.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

The Worst Kind of Movies Ever

There are so many different kinds of movies made today. If you like action or adventure, you are in luck because every major studios sees that as a necessity with every season. If you like romantic comedies, they are almost as frequently made. There is a little something however that pops up in movie making every no and again that drives me crazy.

It isn't something that happens a lot of the time but in the spirit of the epic story telling type films that blew off box office doors for the past five to ten years, it is becoming a little more frequent in movie making and to be honest, I would really love it if it would disappear.

Most of you know what I am talking about. Let's say you are watching a film and it feels like it has been going for a considerable length of time. I'm not saying it is a bad movie necessarily but you just start to get the feeling that it has been on for a long time. So you check your watch. Upon discovering the time, you realize that you have been watching the movie for over two hours. What is perplexing, is that it doesn't even seem like it is close to resolving the central plot line. In fact, it would appear as though the central characters are still trying to put together a plan. You know what is coming... TO BE CONTINUED!!

I'm not saying that those words pop up on the screen the way they did at the end of television series in the 1970s. I'm referring to those multi chapter type productions that suck you in so you have to spend more money to come back and see what happens in the next installment. I hate it. Not too long ago I went to see The Golden Compass with my little girl. She loved it. I thought it was a pretty good movie. Except, I had no idea it was going to have one of these you-know-what kind of endings. Sorry to anyone who is reading this who hasn't seen the film.

Many years back I saw a great little action film called Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins. I really thought it was great. It was fun and comical and had a great cast of characters. If you are looking for a great weekend rental by the way, go check it out. Anyway, as the movie closed out, most of what went on in the film got resolved but it did leave you with the sense that there was more coming in subsequent movies. One thing though, those movies never happened! I was waiting for the next chapter and it never arrived. That drove me crazy.

I have been having the same creepy feeling about The Golden Compass. If somebody can confirm the next installment is on the way it would be greatly appreciated. To be honest, I would prefer that a movie begin and end in a single sitting. I don't see any reason why a story has to go beyond two or two and half hours. Sure there have been great series like Lord of The Rings and Harry Potter but they don't come along very often. Usually the subsequent films don't match the original. I usually feel like when a studio feels the need to create a continuing story line, they are just figuring out other ways to get us to spend money to see sequels or ridiculous prequels.

Regardless, it may just be me, but I prefer the story begin and end in a single sitting. I'd prefer they show some originality and come up with new and great films instead of sucking us is for epic journeys to movie theatres for films that may or may not be as good as the first.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Daniel Craig Has Done Even Better

Come this November the next in a long string of James Bond films are due to be released. The Quantum of Solace promises to be full of the same kind of wit and action that has made the franchise famous. I have no idea what is up with the name. It's ridiculous. However, the title aside, I have seen the previews and it looks great.

Daniel Craig as reinvented the character, making Bond a little more off balance and unpredictable. He is definitely a little more flawed and "human" than the depictions cast by say Connery and Moore. The character remains intriguing and as always, smooth as silk with the ladies.

I was recently introduced to some of Daniel Craig's earlier work. I have to be honest, those films are even better than Bond. Craig is great as the agent who is licensed to kill, don't get me wrong, but his earlier work is really good. I would imagine largely due to better scripts and a more comprehensive character.

One film that I just say was Layer Cake. Craig plays the title role of a drug dealer in the UK who has been very successful with a tight circle of compatriots and is preparing to retire from the life. As his plans begin to unfold so does his world. He realizes that his primary business associate is planning to give him up to the authorities and he has to work fast to save his own skin from the police and rival drug factions. He is great in the film and his supporting cast is amazing. There are too many great names to mention but trust me it is a diamond in the rough and you got to check it out.

Another film that you may not even recognize Craig in right away is Road to Perdition. This is possibly one of the best mob movies ever made where Craig plays the heir to a crime empire but puts it all in jeopardy when he decides to kill the family of one of his own hitmen. I don't think I have to tell you much more about the plot but Craig plays the role of the spoiled American born underling to perfection. The supporting cast is like something out of a who's who of the best of Hollywood. Let's just say Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, Stanley Tucci and I don't think you need to know anymore. It is an incredibly underrated film and you owe it to Newman's memory to check it out.

If you are a James Bond fan I am sure you are going to go check out Quantum of Solace in November even if the name is ridiculous. If you are looking for other reasons to become a fan of Daniel Craig's work don't forget to pick up Layer Cake and Road to Perdition. Trust me, you will thank me for it.

Hogans Disappearing Would Be Heavyweight Happiness

So there is some buzz going around as a result of words from Hulk Hogan's daughter that she is excited about her brother Nick getting released from prison. He was sentenced to 166 days back in 2007 for a reckless driving charge that nearly killed his good friend but instead left him in a vegetative state.

Sound bites were released from a visit that Hogan had with his son in jail several months back. During that meeting, Nick was telling his father that he hoped he would help him line up a reality show for when he was released. The basis of which would be a "celebrity" hits rock bottom and upon release from jail works on getting his life back together. The Hulk told him he would do all he could to line it up and he thought it was a good idea.

What was not discussed during that visit was how he was going to apologize to his friend's family. What was not discussed was how he was going to take responsibility for what he had done. What was never mentioned was how remorseful Nick was feeling. What was not discussed was how Nick Hogan was going to demonstrate to other young people how wrong he was and how to avoid making the same mistakes again. None of these things were discussed because Nick Hogan doesn't seem to care.

Nick Hogan doesn't care that he has destroyed the life of another human being completely. Nick Hogan doesn't care about anything except Nick Hogan. The fact that Hulk Hogan was only interested in making his son's reality show dreams come true goes to show that this non-remorseful attitude seems to run in the family. What is worse is that as a parent there doesn't seem to be any guidance or inclination to push his son towards making things right. Not that they ever could be made right.

It would seem that instead of doing right by his friend who is virtually brain dead, he is looking to capitalize on the situation. This stupid kid is looking to profit off of his actions that took the "life" of a friend. What kind of person would even think of doing such a thing? Definitely not a friend. Definitely not a human being. That is the kind of behavior you would expect to see from garbage because garbage doesn't know any better.

When Nick gets out of jail next week, I hope he and his whole family disappear. They are a train wreck and kids across the country should not be subjected to their example. None of them have any discernible talent and they make for the worst possible role models. If the Hogans are what entertainment has become, than best to start smashing all televisions, radios, computers and any other form of multimedia receiver because it is over.

Anybody who is thinking about working with the Hogans should be thrown out right along side of them. These are the worst kinds of people that there are. Here is hoping that the Hogans just up and disappear and we don't have to be subjected to having any more time wasted by their wannabe lives.

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Palin Parody is not as Funny as the Real Thing

As promised, Sarah Palin made an appearance on SNL this past weekend and I'm sure the ratings were higher than the show has seen in a long time.

Here's the thing. I believe Sarah Palin is way funnier than Tina Fey has ever been. Palin is hysterical and she doesn't even mean to be. By coming out and trying to do a parody of her, you actually take away from what makes her so attractive. Most of the stuff Fey has done on the show over the years has been boring and predictable. As expected, the jokes about Palin were the same and there wasn't even the smallest sign of anything new being tried.

What was great about the show were the appearances of other people who are really pretty funny. Mark Wahlberg, formerly Marky Mark showed up to do a mock confrontation with Andy Samberg, regarding a sketch Samberg did about Wahlberg in a previous week. It was pretty funny, with Wahlberg acting like the parody portrayed by Samberg. Wahlberg should continue to pursue comedy. He was great in Boogie Nights and Entourage is amazing. I don't know why he feels the need to keep hitting the dramas but I'm sure his people see him becoming a big star.

The funniest moments on the show had be with Alec Baldwin. There is a moment that appears to be backstage where Lorne Michaels is talking with the real Sarah Palin, getting ready to do a walk on when he mistakes her for Tina Fey. He talks to them, thinking Palin is Fey and starts to belittle Palin. When he realizes it is actually the Governor, he covers with "I must say you are way hotter in person."

Baldwin has to be one of the funniest guests the show has ever had on. I would rank him up there with Steve Martin and Christopher Walken as far as the funniest visitors they have ever had. Baldwin is definitely great at comedy and I would say he is a huge reason that 30 Rock is where it is. I just don't find Fey that funny. She definitely has her moments but I never thought she really had it.

Without question, this weekend's episode demonstrated what has been the case with SNL now for a long time. The show is way better with funny guest stars and visitors. The show's sketches still go way to long and the jokes just are not that good most of the time. It usually take the appearance of a Baldwin or a Martin to make it worth watching again. I'm sure once the election is over, it will go back to boring old SNL groan comedy once again.

New Jersey Nets' Devin Harris Gets Schooled by Amateur

This is the kind of story that is really all about entertainment. Imagine you are hanging out in a public park somewhere, just having a relaxing good time. Over to your left a bunch of kids are playing hide and seek. Off to your right you can see some guy playing frisbee with his dog. You notice a bunch of people hanging out at a baseball diamond or soccer pitch or basketball court and out of nowhere a superstar athlete shows up.

You would have to get up a little closer to see if your were seeing things or not. Upon closer examination you realize that it really is a superstar player. Maybe he has decided to come out to practice or perhaps just enjoy a nice day outside. Whatever the reason, there he is.

This is exactly what happened in Stockwell, South London recently when New Jersey Nets superstar Devin Harris showed at a basketball court to give a few lessons. He was in town for a pre-season exhibition game. He was approached by amateur, Stuart Tanner and challenged to a friendly one on one match. Harris accepted.

It has already been already all over YouTube but Tanner apparently got the better of Harris. Harris took the first shot hitting the rim and Tanner picked up the rebound. He head faked Tanner for his first basket and followed it up with another move putting the ball between the guard's legs to score another basket. It isn't clear how much longer they played after that but it has managed to make news around the world.

It is interesting that a pro would agree to a pick up game with a stranger like that. Harris is a superstar player that the Nets have millions of dollars invested in. I am sure that if he were to review his contract, he probably is not supposed to be playing in street games with strangers. I wouldn't be surprised if when he got back to his team, that if once they found out about what happened, that he got lectured.

That is pretty irresponsible playing like he did considering accidents do happen and he could have gotten injured. That of course would have been the real news. Sure, Tanner got the better of him. However, watching the clip it is clear that Tanner has some chops but who knows how hard Harris was trying. He certainly must have some sense of responsibility and wasn't going to go all out against the guy.

More interestingly was the fact that it was being video taped and as a result, made the news. I'm sure Harris is going to take a little ribbing for it but the challenge appeared to be taken in good fun. There is a lot more to becoming a superstar calibre player than just a couple moves in a street game. Apparently Tanner has a pretty good reputation in that part of London as a player but it will remain to be seen whether he gets a call to take a shots at the big leagues.

It is great to think that a nobody could have a shot at something incredible like a professional sporting contract because a pro was willing to give him a little time in the lime light. Who knows, this could lead to challenges nation wide.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Mark Wahlberg is Calling Out Andy Samberg

Whether it is intended to be a great little piece of publicity or not, it is definitely entertaining. Andy Samberg, one of the regular cast members on Saturday Night Live, recently did a sketch where he pretends to be Mark Wahlberg talking to farm animals. In the sketch he is seen approaching a chicken, it was a real chicken by the way, and he asks the chicken if it would like to do a movie with him. Of course he doesn't get an answer from the chicken and ends the discussion by saying "say hello to your mother for me."

Recently, Wahlberg appeared on the Jimmy Kimmel show. Kimmel showed a clip from the sketch to Wahlberg and asked him what he thought about it. Wahlberg said he wants to go find Samberg and punch him in his big f*&#% nose.

It was hysterical to watch for so many reasons. First of all, there are not a lot of people watching Saturday Night Live anymore. It's unfortunate that the show isn't nearly as good as it used to be, but that's the plain honest truth. Anybody who saw the sketch may or may not think anything of it and definitely will not affect Wahlberg's career.

Samberg does an OK impression but of course, the sketch is not funny. He is obviously trying to take a shot at Wahlberg but it really doesn't make a difference. As I mentioned, nobody cares that much about SNL anymore because of how far it has fallen. That being said, this weekend's episode is rumored to have an appearance by Vice Presidential hopeful Sarah Palin. Tina Fey has been doing a great impersonation of Palin for the past few weeks and is getting lots of press off of it. Again, a fun impression but really not that funny. That being said, Palin's appearance on SNL this weekend promises to bring the best ratings the show has seen in years. To be honest, I think it will be great because I find Palin much funnier than Fey.

As for Wahlberg, he created a great show, Entourage, if you haven't seen it yet, go get it. It is a great show with more great comedy in five minutes than SNL has had in five years. He has nothing to worry about with Samberg and hey, it would be hilarious if he really did find him and slap him around a little bit. It would be great if he said, " I'm gonna give you a beating now but not because you took a shot at me, I'm doing it because you're not funny. If it was funny, I wouldn't lay a finger on you. Now get over here and take your beating."

That would be great and if it were taped, it would be one of the most watched clips in television and internet history. Everybody loves a good scrap between entertainers. Hey, they way I see it, they wanted to get into the entertainment business, then step out into the street and entertain us.

Beyonce's New Single May Not Be Her Own

There was a time when a great new group had burst onto the scene. The group was called Destiny's Child. Beyonce was the centre piece of this three piece all female singing group. In the spirit of the times there was no sign of any musicians when they would perform. As has become common with many performers in the music business today, there is no need for musicians or even a band. Typically, what will be done is a group of attractive girls or guys will be put together and they will sing songs collectively. As a group, it is usually difficult to tell how horrible each one is as a singer individually. It is a great marketing ploy.

However, Destiny's Child wasn't like that. These three young girls could really sing. I had the pleasure of hearing them do some accapella renditions of a couple songs that were fantastic. So, here in an ocean of low-grade performers were three incredibly talented young girls. It tends to happen once in a while in the business.

The girls were all pretty young and their egos must have been large because for whatever reason they couldn't hold the group together for very long. It started with them having to replace the third girl a couple of times and then eventually Beyonce decided she wanted to go solo. Unfortunate, but at the same time, they were talented and with the right marketing, could each have relatively successful careers.

As most people know, Beyonce went on to international success as a solo act and has even had a few turns in film. She is attractive, talented, young and has the drive and support to continue her run. Her family happens to manage her career.

One time I was watching an award ceremony. It must have been around January or February, I can't tell you exactly which one it was but what transpired was interesting. Beyonce won an award for something related to her singing. When she went up to accept the award she said "I am really happy to accept this as my first award for this year." I was wondering if I heard her correctly but apparently I did. She did say "my first award for this year." I couldn't help but think that this kid sure is arrogant. As if having a music career should guarantee her a certain number of awards every year. I'm sure all the musicians out there struggling to gain some kind of recognition for their art really appreciated her remarks.

Then I started thinking that perhaps it was something even more diabolical. Perhaps there isn't anything legitimate about the awards shows that we see. In reality, these are all predetermined and are simply part of the PR that these artists put together to boost themselves. It would be understandable. It wouldn't be the first time that I had heard of these kinds of things being more political than anything else. If so, I could forgive Beyonce for giving away the plans for that year. Perhaps she just wasn't thinking. Perhaps she truly believed that going to and accepting awards each year was indeed a part of what you do when your music is selling period.

Then the latest news hits. Beyonce is releasing her newest single 'If I were a boy.' It looks like the song is not even hers. This is disturbing. The song was supposedly recorded by a lesser known artist who is getting ready for her break with RCA. I know that it has been a long time practice for musicians to rip off other acts. There is an entire category of music that exists now based on ripping off, oh sorry I mean 'sampling' other musicians work. What I don't understand is how an artist like Beyonce feels the need to take an entire song from another artist without paying due consideration or worse, make her fans believe it was her own. Funny how in the movie Dreamgirls, she plays a character who exposes her manager/husband for ripping off a song from her friend and former band mate. Life imitates art once again.

Beyonce is a hugely successful recording artist. There is no need to be stealing songs from other recording artists trying to make a name for themselves. Hopefully, it isn't something she has been doing for a while. Hopefully, it isn't something that will continue. Hopefully it isn't something that she believes she is entitled to do as part of being a successful artist. Hopefully, we will get to see her and others like her, perform great original works in the future without the need to steal from other talented people.

Friday, October 17, 2008

Life on Mars is Worth The Ride

A great new show that you should definitely check out is Life on Mars. It seems to be an incredibly original idea with the theme of the supernatural lurking in the background. The basic plot line is pretty straight forward. The lead character is a police detective. I know what you are going to say. "Oh, another police show, another crime drama, how original!" Hang on, don't get carried away. Yes, it is based around the expoits of a police officer however, here is the twist. He gets hit by a car while he is one the job and when he wakes up he is in 1973. Yup, it sounds crazy and I guess it kind of is. So far it looks great but I think it may end up being one of those kinds of shows that you will have to be following from the beginning.

When the police detective wakes up, he walks around realizing he is in 1973. He doesn't believe that it is real but everyone around him thinks he is insane when he tells them that he is actually from the future. The show takes place in New York so the back drop of characters and scenery is great to watch. The lead is played by Jason O'Mara who I am not that familiar with but he does a great job so far. The supporting cast is amazing. His Police Captain in 1973 is played by Harvey Keitel who takes the 'I do things my own way to get it done' philosophy to new heights. His character, often caught taking a shot of booze, is also hysterical. Gretchen Mol plays the department lady cop who tends mostly to issues of the psychological nature so of course the cop from the future is a major concern of hers. He is also joined in the precinct by Michael Imperioli who most people will remember from The Sopranos and who also happens to be one of the best actors of our generation in my opinion.

Another great part of the show is how it is left uncertain as to what kind of condition this cop is really in. Is he dead? Is he lying in a hospital bed in a coma? What exactly is going on? There is great interaction with him and the world he appears to have temporarily left behind. His girlfriend from the future is played by Lisa Bonet, who has't really taken a run at television since the Cosby Show and she looks and acts great. Looking at her today, she has definitely grown into a beautiful and talented woman. It will be interesting to see how her character and the 'other life' plays into each episode.

Life on Mars looks different and fun. With the kind of cast it has and the origianl story line, there is a good chance this show will hang around for a decent run. Keep your eyes open and check it out. It is worth it.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Dexter Third Season Off To A Killer Start

The third season of Dexter is under way and I couldn't be happier. To be honest there really isn't much television out there worth watching right now and Dexter is a welcome change of pace.

For those of you who are not familiar with the show, let me get you up to speed. The idea of the show is simple. You have a Miami police unit. They are more like detectives. They are a different division of police officers from the uniformed type. In that way they are kind of like CSI. Only they are the cops. They are not the scene investigators. The one thing that makes them considerably different from the rest of the police units is Dexter Morgan. He is the central character of the show. He is their blood expert. He also happens to be a serial killer.

He isn't like your garden variety serial killer however, he is one of the good guys. Or is he? He sticks to a code of conduct. Although, he is haunted by the need to kill other human beings, he actually craves it, he tries to only kill bad guys. This draws you in. You will actually find yourself cheering for him most of the time. You also don't want him to get caught. This season has already taken on a couple great new twists and I can't wait to see how they turn our. I'm not going to get into too much detail as to what goes on because I don't want to spoil it for anyone just discovering the series or if you happen to be reading this in the future, I won't ruin the DVD experience. Let's just say, it should get very interesting.

All the episodes so far have been extremely interesting. The cast is great. They have David Zeyas and Lauren Velez, both of whom were on Oz and they were both great. I became even more interested in the show when I realized they were in the cast. The lead is played by Michael C. Hall. He is Dexter. He plays the role to perfection. The most interesting aspect of his character is how he is able to convey very little feeling whatsoever about anything. This is a significant part of his character that he struggles with throughout the series. You might remember Hall from Six Feet Under, another great series from HBO.

If you have the chance, get on board the Dexter band wagon. His family is outrageous, his sister is another foul-mouthed cop on the force who works along side of him and she is hysterical. His girlfriend is crazy hot. It is worth it to watch just for her. And his father, taught him everything he knows about being a killer and how to get away with it. By the way, his father was a cop too.

Don't miss the show. You'll be glad you watched Dexter. It is a million times better than most of the garbage on the tube these days.

Five Greatest Working Actors Today

The Best Working Actors Today
This is definitely another one that is going to be subject to a tremendous amount of interpretation. It is a topic that is regularly debated in homes, offices and critics’ chairs the world over. It is without question a difficult call to make. There are so many things to take into consideration. I have often believed that many great actors go without the recognition that they deserve because they have yet to find the right vehicle to showcase their talents. There are many great actors who didn’t even receive consideration for that reason alone. Perhaps a tragic flaw but one that could be corrected over time.

For now, here are the top five greatest movie actors working today in no particular order.

1. Don Cheadle. The first time I took notice of this man’s ability was in the now classic Boogie Nights. He was completely believable whenever he spoke and he was clearly a disgruntled porno star who wanted to do something better with his life. The man has an uncanny ability to take on tremendously challenging roles that are not unique to his appearance or background. He can step inside the skin of his character and somehow convey to the audience not just who he is but exactly how he is feeling. I only hope he stays away from English accents in the future. I was never clear on why his Oceans’ character had to be a Brit.

2. Brad Pitt. It is easy for most men to look at Pitt and conclude that he is only successful in Hollywood because of the way he looks. It would be simple to conclude that he has box office prowess in due large part to how the women will flock to any project that he engages. However, to say that he is successful strictly due to his appearance would be a grave underestimation. One need only observe his performance in Kalifornia to see a remarkable talent. To put it simply, Brad Pitt disappeared in that role and all that remained was a deranged serial killer. It wasn’t a one-time thing either. This guy pulls it off time and time again.

3. Sean Penn. From Fast Times to Dead Man Walking there isn’t much this Hollywood veteran can’t do. He can deliver a performance so great that if the rest of the film isn’t up to standard, he will leave it behind. The film can suffer but he rarely does. This Academy award winner can undertake any emotion or personality at a drop of a hat and he makes it seem effortless. He is a classic performer who was deserving of recognition many years prior to when it finally arrived. If he doesn’t decide to start spending more time behind the camera, he will have more projects to choose from that he will ever know what to do with.

4. Daniel Day Lewis. After witnessing him in the film In The Name of The Father, I was convinced I was watching greatness. Lewis’s performances exemplify what it is to be an actor. It is difficult to discuss him and his accomplishments considering the fact that so much has already been written. He has won virtually every award that exists for entertainers. He is invited to participate in projects developed by individuals coming from every corner of the globe. He is a master. If his name is associated with the project, you need never worry if you will enjoy the film. You will.

5. Gary Oldman. Perhaps the greatest and most overlooked actor in the business. Simply put, in every film he does, he becomes a different person. With most actors, the casting director decides if the character can be that actor. With Oldman, he always becomes his character. Very few in the business can do it. He is a magical performer. The Professional, True Romance, Hannibal, Batman Begins, Dracula, JFK, Harry Potter, Air Force One, Murder in the First,.... Enough said.

That is the list of the five greatest movie actors working today and many others are deserving. I’m sure names like Philip Seymour Hoffman, Edward Norton, Anthony Hopkins, Ralph Fiennes and so on come to mind but there just isn’t enough space and time. If you have better ideas I’d be happy to hear them.

The Five Greatest Rock Vocalists of All Time

GREATEST ROCK VOCALISTS EVER
Without question this topic will provoke debate. It is highly subjective. However, there are certain characteristics of great rock vocalists that are undeniable. They tend to have unyielding longevity. It is not uncommon for them to be tremendously successful in a group as well as with various solo projects. Their talent seems to transcend time with continuing appeal to successive generations. They are idolized during their prime and continue to influence new artists long after their exit from the limelight. This list could have been comprised of other individuals. However, this group will always hold a special place in music history and I believe the future will be hard pressed to produce a more innately talented collection of rock superstars.

These selections are in no particular order.

1. Robert Plant. He was and some may argue still is, the lead singer of one of the most successful bands in rock history, Led Zeppelin. He has a powerful style with tremendous range accented by heavy folk and blues influences. After the death of the band's drummer, he pursued a successful solo career. Despite numerous personal tragedies in his life, he continued to thrive musically. To this day he has enjoyed several successful joint projects with former band member, Jimmy Page. The band is enjoying a recent resurgence and tickets are rumoured to be selling for small fortunes.

2. Brian Johnson. He is the front man for one of rock's most legendary incarnations, AC/DC. Johnson enjoyed the success of a few hit singles with his band Geordie but longed for more. Superstardom visited him when he was chosen to replace the spectacular Bon Scott as lead singer for AC/DC. Immediately thereafter the band enjoyed their most successful album ever with Back In Black. Some may argue that Johnson isn't a vocalist but rather some kind of masochist. Screaming instead of singing. He screamed on key and co-wrote most of those hit singles. He can still do it today. He's a little dirtier and that's what rock and roll is all about.

3. Annie Lennox. A woman? Damn Straight! Not only is she one of the best rock vocalists of all time, she is vocally one of the most talented people ever. She has been praised by and performed with the likes of Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder. Both of whom are legends in their own rights. Her live performances blow most male singers out of the water. She possesses an incredible vocal range with influences ranging from classical to rhythm and blues. A request to sing a ballad for a film resulted in an Oscar nominated performance...and oh yeah, she won. Annie can do it all and she adds a great accent to the list.

4. Freddy Mercury. Vocally speaking, arguably the greatest. Performed with a crazy little band called Queen. He wrote and sang Bohemian Rhapsody which may arguably be one of the most popular rock songs of all time. He could play to a stadium of hundreds of thousands of screaming fans unlike anyone before him or since. He was influenced by all manner of music and live performance and a huge fan of Jimi Hendrix. Even near the end of his career while his health was rapidly failing him, he could still belt out classics better than most accomplished singers could do during their prime. Anyone who doesn't agree that he belongs on the list was either born without ears or lives under water.

5. Steven Tyler. Women love him. Men wish they could be with the women who love him. One of the most recognizable voices in rock music. Aerosmith continues to be a mega-selling touring sensation today because of their lead singer, Mr. Tyler. His range is exceptional and his vocal power is overwhelming. Anyone who can consume the volume of unique substances that this man has managed to do over the course of his career and still sound great live, deserves to be on the list. Arguably only a select few are capable of doing what Tyler can do with his voice. He is definitely one for the ages.

That's the list. I'm sure there will be a difference of opinion for some of the top spots and I would welcome the input. A few honourable mentions: Sammy Hagar, Joe Cocker, Roger Daltrey and Chris Cornell. All great and there are others. While music will introduce us to many performers, most of whom will come and go. This group of uniquely talented individuals will stand the test of time and be remembered for many years to come.

Halle Berry Is The Sexiest

JENNIFER LOPEZ AND HALLE BERRY ALWAYS WORTH THE WEIGHT
Esquire has named the stunning 42 year-old actress the sexiest woman alive. That is pretty impressive. Considering that industry has such a morbid fascination with youth I would say this is one of Halle Berry’s greatest achievements. We won’t even mention Catwoman. It is good to see she is still being recognized as a looker. Halle was becoming a popular choice for chocolate lab dog names. Not that it was ever intended as a negative connotation. I am sure the owners would tell you their pooches are beautiful.

It is interesting that Esquire is able to nail down their selection to a single person. I have always believed that the selection of one person on the entire planet is incredibly presumptuous. I’m sure the title will carry with it tremendous endorsement opportunities. Her face will appear on the next high tech sports ankle braces. Wherever she lives will probably become the most visited city in world history. Old Barney Miller cast members will show up in the latest beauty ads gawking at Ms. Berry as she goes strolling by. Her face will show up on a list of monthly moon signs somewhere instructing other women how to conduct themselves and what astrological signs they are most likely to marry.

I would imagine the promotional opportunities behind the title are tremendous. It’s interesting to think how other big name starlets feel about it. Jennifer Lopez is a paparazzi favourite and probably fancies herself deserving of the title. Now she may not be able to tell you how many baseball teams are in the American league but I can assure you many a man wished he could have gotten to first base with her. Jennifer is sexy but not like Halle. Jennifer is lucky she has a career. She has a rump like she has enjoyed many big apple donuts and coffee. I say that not because it matters, only because the fascination with looks has gotten way out of hand.

Most of the young Hollywood starlets today are starving themselves and have ridiculous body images. The emphasis should be on talent. There is no denying that the industry thrives on looks. The beauty conglomerates have turned it into a billion dollar business. However, those girls should know there’s nothing wrong with dropping the celery stick and grilling beef tenderloin. Jennifer aint all that skinny and she really isn’t all that talented either. Doesn’t seem to matter. That’s why it’s nice that Halle grabbed the honour this year. Ms. Berry is more than just good looks. Truth be told I personally know at least fifty other women who are sexier. There’s something more important going on.

For anyone interested in looking closer, the award might actually mean something different this time. It means that people might find it sexy to be a good actress and not just good looking. It means that people should pay closer attention to afro American actresses and afro American dancers and afro American comedians. It means that although there are still a lot of problems when it comes to tolerance of all things that make us human, we have managed to move forward a little bit. It means the top 100 baby girl names will include Halle.

I’m not saying that the title carries with it nothing but a bed of roses. She is famous, she lives in Los Angeles and she may have her own Stacy Elizabeth Beshear to deal with in the future. Hopefully that experience isn’t in her view. By the way this Stacy Elizabeth Beshear person is not to be mistaken with the Elizabeth from The View. Granted they both have problems, but they are two very different people. That’s another story.

A good choice and hopefully one that means a little something extra because after the lights go out and the make-up comes off, Ms. Berry is still sexy ... for all the right reasons.

Forbes Lists Hottest Selling Celebrity Faces

Hottest Selling Celebrity Faces...For Now
It isn’t a decision to take lightly for any magazine editor. Which famous face will grace the cover of their publication on any given week. It has to be a piece of meat so well tenderized and so remarkably groomed, that a person viewing an entire rack of magazines will be drawn to it almost immediately.

It has already been determined that most people make their decision about buying a particular magazine within three seconds or less of seeing that magazine’s cover. Therefore, if it is a celebrity face being used to sell that magazine, that face has to rank high on the meat cut chart or it is all over. There are many people I am sure you could imagine gracing the covers of some of the world’s most popular magazines that would make you buy them instantly. There are only a few this year however, that resulted in record sales for this multi-million dollar industry.

And so, without any unwanted hesitation, here are the top selling celebrity faces for this year.

Angelina Jolie. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to too many people. She is still young, beautiful and commands one of the highest salaries in Hollywood. She has an international brood which rivals both the volume and diversity of the United Nations themselves. When she isn’t being dazzling and daring on the big screen, she is traveling around the world to help those less fortunate in an attempt to help make the world a better place. Not to mention, she has people lining up in hopes that they will be the next to be adopted into the Jolie-Pitt clan. It is no wonder people can’t get enough of that face.

Jennifer Aniston. She is cuter than cute. She dates a bunch of people who also happen to be talented actors and musicians. Although, it is interesting how often a story breaks about somebody she is supposedly seeing but the two are not ever really seen together for any extended period of time except maybe for a photo op. Peculiar. Then again, that’s Hollywood baby. She was a vital part of one of the most memorable situation comedies of all time and probably ranks up there amongst one of the most likeable female celebrities ever. Granted she really hasn’t done much of anything in a long time and hasn’t really made a movie worth remembering, she is still a sweet face that scoops in the big bucks.

Heath Ledger. This is a rare occurrence indeed. Most of the top faces on magazine covers are usually women. This due in large part to the fact that women buy most of the magazines that are sold and a male subject on the cover generally does not hold the same relatability factor. Is relatability even a word? Regardless, his unfortunate passing brought out tremendous sympathy from around the world and women love a sad story. What is worse is that Ledger was coming into a time in his career where he had begun to do some of his best work. A young star at only 27 who appeared to have wisdom well beyond his years. He was a rare talent whose images are now all that remain.

Jamie Lynn Spears. As noted, women of all ages are the primary buyers of magazines and the sweet, almost innocent face of the junior Spears remains irresistible to most. She is a phenomenon that is born of a time that treasures celebrity for celebrity sake. She had a television show and a part that could have been performed by any girl her age. She hasn’t really done anything else of significance. Wait! I almost forgot. She got pregnant before her eighteenth birthday. In fact, she might have done it twice if the rumour mills are accurate. So for whatever reason be it her celebrity lineage or brief time on screen, little Jamie Lynn is a face that means big returns for the magazine machine.

Bigfoot. He is hairy. He is a beast. No, he is a man. No, he is part beast and part man. His bushy brow graces the cover of any magazine or newspaper and people go crazy. He has been around longer than most celebrities today and he attracts attention from around the world. However, nobody has ever really photographed, filmed, seen or hung out with him for any reasonable period of time. For such an elusive subject, he is one hot and smelly commodity in the world of photojournalism.

Beatles' Ringo Star Will Sign No More Autographs

The Beatles' Ringo Says No
Ringo Starr, the former drummer of the Beatles has announced that he is done with signing his autograph on paper, rocks, scissors or anything for that matter. He is done. He is 68 and he has simply had enough.

It is hard to believe that the drummer of one of the greatest rock bands that ever existed has put a cap on his public relations. Most celebrities these days can’t get enough attention. The great thing about Ringo Starr is that you know exactly who he is and what he has done. Ringo Starr is a rock and roll musician. He is a drummer. He helped the Beatles become one of the greatest musical icons in history. All you have to do is see a picture of him and you immediately know who he is and what he has done. That is how in tuned your brain is to the popular culture surrounding Ringo Starr’s existence.

The same can not be said about most celebrities today. Take for example Nick Lachey. Who? Exactly. Here is a guy who was part of a boy band a long while ago. He had a reality show with an ex-wife of his who also has questionable talents. He has not done anything of any real significance to contribute to the popular culture tapestry except that he maintains celebrity status for the sake of celebrity. He gets photographed and quick stories are reported about him that have no meaning or consequence. Since he has no discernible talent, that is all that can be said. Yet, his mutated star shines on. For some reason people still want his autograph. Hardly comparable to the accomplishments of Ringo Starr.

The Beatles’ drummer helped create an elaborate musical catalogue that will be worshipped by legions of fans from countless generations for many years, probably decades, to come. Lachey did not. Ringo Starr is a notable talent who has contributed to other incredible work recognized for its quality and resilience. Lachey is not. In fact, I believe it is safe to say that Lachey will never again contribute anything meaningful to society. He will not be remembered for anything of significance as the years go by. As far as the arts are concerned, there will be nothing noted in the history books about him. However, the requests for appearances and autographs continue.

Now, Ringo Starr has declared that he will no longer sign anything. He has had and continues to have a remarkable existence. There is the chance that he could lose a few fans or upset various groups of people as a result of this recent decision. It reminds me a little bit of a Seinfeld episode where everybody in Jerry’s building had tacitly agreed to greet one another by kissing. Jerry decides that he doesn’t like the kissing and is put on the stinker list by his neighbours in the building. Ringo will likely be considered a bit of a stinker by a few admirers but for the most part it will pose minimal consequences to his daily life. Lachey could never make the same decision. He needs the attention. He needs people to believe that he is somebody. Were he to decide to stop with the autographs, by the next day he would be forgotten...forever.

Celebrity is a unique and magical thing. It is that mechanism that defies logic in that the more you hear or see somebody, the more you want to hear and see them. The answer to why that happens is the million dollar question. One thing is for certain, although Ringo is saying no, his Starr will shine for a long time to come.

Best Stand Up Comedy Clubs In The World

BEST STAND UP COMEDY
There are so many places to choose from when it comes to quality entertainment that the choices can become overwhelming. You can go to the movies or you can catch a sporting event but for my money there is nothing like an outstanding evening of stand-up comedy. I would argue it is probably one of the toughest things in the world to do, let alone do well. Regardless of the calibre of entertainer, it will almost always be a memorable night.

If you are interested in an evening of stand-up comedy, these are without question some of the best rooms in the world. In the future I will be focusing on the best clubs in particular cities. For my money, these rooms are the best.

1. The Comedy Store in London, England. This place is without question the greatest place in the world to catch stand-up comedy. The room has been around for years and boasts some of the greatest names in stand-up appearing on its stage. They have been visited by Robin Williams, Dave Chappelle and Mike Myers as well as some of the biggest stars on the other side of the pond including Jimmy Carr, Ricky Gervais and Eddie Izzard. You get four headline performers every show. The room is set up with tiered theatre style seating that holds almost 500 with a club atmosphere. You have not experienced anything like it. Great staff, great experience and it is packed almost every night.

2. The Glee Club in Birmingham, England. This is another fantastic spot. Don't get me wrong, I'm not partial to the U.K., it is just that these venues really figured out how to put together a great show. The seating is packed in tight with enough room to maintain your personal space while simultaneously creating great energy. The mood is festive with some of the best theatrical lighting and music to welcome you upon your arrival. Once again the staff are great with fantastic service. They give you the feeling that they are really genuinely thrilled that you have chosen to spend the night with them. It has one of the most awe inspiring bars I've ever seen and if you have any energy after the show, the room converts to a disco. Everything you need in one stop.

3. Absolute Comedy in Ottawa, Canada. This is a great little room. The space has been open for a few years but already it has attracted a solid audience. The room holds just around 200 people and it sells out almost every night. The acts tend to be exclusively from Canada, the country which spawns some of the greatest comedic talent in the world, and they are super. You will usually be welcomed by a host for the evening who sets up how the show is going to go. After, you get a middle act followed by the headliner who tends to be the best act of the evening. A great show from beginning to end with staff who really know how to run a space to guarantee you a great night out.

4. The Improv in Los Angeles, California. I mention the improv but could have just as easily included The Laugh Factory and The Comedy Store. These rooms are all similar in that on any given night you are bound to see some of the best acts perform. Most evenings will include several performers doing short spots with the headliners closing out the show with a more substantial set. The weekends have fewer spots. The acts will range from amateurs to seasoned pros with the weekends being predominantly pro acts. One of the main reasons these clubs make the list is that you never know who is going to drop in. You are almost always likely to be entertained with a surprise visit from a comedy legend or present-day sit com superstar. They are all great venues to catch stand up comedy.

5. Gotham Comedy Club in New York City, NY. Again, there a few other clubs in the big apple that could be mentioned alongside Gotham but as far as great, unique and diversified stand-up comedy is concerned, Gotham is great. The club is well maintained, the staff are great and fun all at the same time and every night you are guaranteed to get something different both inside and out in front on the street. A great experience with a good mix, again super solid stand up pros mixed with a healthy serving of up and coming talent. For a great night out in the big city and for a stand-up comedy experience you won't soon forget, hit Gotham.

That is the list for now. Certainly there are many others that I could name but for now this is what you get. Check back soon and I'll give you the rundown of many more clubs when I do reviews city by city.
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