July 2010 Archives

Zac Efron is so pretty even dead people want to be his friend.  

Efron stars as Charlie - a troubled young man who stopped living life when he got into a fatal car accident that killed his younger brother, Sam (Charlie Tahan).

Since that horrible night, Charlie passed on an amazing college scholarship to one of the best schools around, and started working as the caretaker at the cemetery where his brother is buried.  Instead of chasing co-eds, Charlie is chasing geese out of the graveyard.  

However, he's not just trying to stay physically close to the tyke.  Each night, Charlie keeps a promise to his younger brother by meeting with his ghost to play catch and talk about life (I know that sounds creepy, but it's more heartbreaking than spine tingling.  Trust me.)

If there ever was an unnecessary sequel, this would be it.  The first Cats & Dogs came out in 2001!  Did you remember it starred Jeff Goldblum and Elizabeth Perkins?  Are they even working actors anymore?  Worse yet, this is a sequel aimed at kids who weren't even born when the first one came out.

I'm kind of ashamed that I laughed as much as I did.

James Marsden provides the voice of Diggs - a German Shepherd police dog who plays by his own rules (he's a rebel, a loner, he's nothing but trouble).  Of course, this leads to all sorts of trouble and Diggs gets booted off the force, and sent back to the dreaded, soul sucking kennel.  

Dinner for Schmucks is one good scene in search of an entire movie.

Paul Rudd stars as Tim - an analyst at a private equity firm looking to move up the ladder after one of his co-workers is fired.  After a great deal of hard work and brilliant strategy, he has found a potential new client that could mean big bucks, so the boss, Lance Fender (Bruce Greenwood), invites Tim to a special dinner where each invitee brings a different eccentric personality they can all mock. 

The more outrageous the guest Tim brings, the better his chances for a promotion, so he ends up bringing a guy he almost runs over with his car, Barry (Steve Carell) - a lonely IRS agent who enjoys making artistic scenes with stuffed and decorated dead mice.

It's every man, woman and child for themselves. 

Forget about locusts, floods, tornadoes, and earthquakes. 

The true sign of the apocalypse being upon us is the trailer for Yogi Bear in 3D.  Dan Aykroyd, Anna Faris and the guy from Ed all in the same movie.  Pray to your God, and pray often.      


Check it out ... If You DARE!!!!!

I don't know about you, but I am getting sick and tired of American Idol's search for Simon Cowell's replacement.

Justin Timberlake might be the one!

Jessica Simpson has been taking meetings with the producers!

Chris Isaak has the inside track!

Bret Michaels is a lock for a seat at the table!

The only people who haven't been mentioned as replacements are Larry King and William Hung.  I knew it finally got out of hand when Donald Trump's name was tossed into the mix.  

Just like her sudden retirement announcement, Amanda Bynes announced via Twitter she has unretired and returned to acting. 

Brett Favre was retired longer than she was.

Over the last ten years, DC movie theaters have undergone a massive transformation as long time favorites like The Avalon, The Outer Circle, The Inner Circle, 4000 Wisconsin Avenue and more closed, while new cineplexes opened in Chinatown, Georgetown and more. 

However, another one of those classics might be making a comeback.

Just when you think it can't get any more ludicrous, the Mel Gibson/Oksana Grigorieva drama takes a new turn into the absurd.  While we already are convinced about Mel's troubles, Oksana is starting to look less and less innocent in this whole mess. 

Earlier this week, Steve Jaffe, on behalf of Oksana, reached out to TMZ chief Harry Levin to let him know Mel wanted to kill him!  According to Jaffe, and proven to be false by the TMZ team, Mel had hired some tough guys to follow Levin, kidnap the cheery gossipmonger, drive him into the desert, strip him naked, break his knee caps and leave him to die.  It sounds like something that would happen in The Godfather!

Why is Oksana getting desperate enough to spread false stories?

Salt is a good movie for the first hour.  After that ...

Angelina Jolie stars as Evelyn Salt - a tough as nails CIA Agent who has been pushed to the brink in ways not many have, or could withstand. 

It's her anniversary and she's trying to hightail it out of the office for a romantic evening with the hubby, when a mysterious Russian shows up looking to defect and spill the beans on a top secret plot to assassinate the Russian President at the American Vice President's funeral in New York. 

Salt and her partner, Ted Winter (Liev Schreiber), think the guy has had one too many vodkas, until he announces the assassin is Evelyn Salt!
  

Considering the absurdity we have seen so far, today's booking and cuffing of Lindsay Lohan was relatively tame, but still had some intrigue and circus elements to it.

Lohan, wearing a weird black corset thing and some cool jeans, showed up 10 minutes late for the hearing today, after facing a throng of supporters, detractors, paparazzi and one guy who threw confetti on her as she made her way into the Beverly Hills court room.

She was accompanied by her former/current/get me out of here lawyer, Shawn Chapman Holley, who was called back into service after Robert Shapiro dropped Lohan earlier in the week.  According to several news sources, Shapiro and Lohan had signed the proper paperwork to relieve Holley of her responsibility, but Holley had never signed it, so she was required to represent Lohan today. 

Yep, world famous attorney Robert Shapiro has dumped Lindsay, becoming the second attorney to refuse her business since she was sentenced to jail time for violating her probation.

After taking her case, and getting her admitted to the sober living house he sponsors in LA, Shapiro has removed himself from the case.  As noted by TMZ.com, he said he would only represent her if she followed his advice and counsel.  It worked for O.J., so Lindsay should have listened closer.

Lohan is scheduled to turn herself in Tuesday, so let's she what kind of circus that will entail.

Hollywood has been looking a whole lot like Law & Order these days with so many big stars facing legal troubles.  This weekend, we hit the trifecta.

WESLEY SNIPES LOSES APPEAL

Wesley Snipes is the only human being I have ever known to be free on his own recognizance after being found guilty of a crime and filing an appeal, but it looks like his days of freedom are coming to a shocking conclusion.

In 2008, he was found guilty of willful failure to pay his taxes and sentenced to three years in jail, but he appealed claiming the punishment was too harsh and special circumstances should be considered. 

On Friday, the judge hearing the appeal disagreed.

Leonardo DiCaprio plays a guy who shows up in your dreams, which has happened to about 90% of the people reading right now.

DiCaprio stars as Cobb - a man who specializes in breaking into the dreams of corporate titans, stealing important information and selling it to their rivals.  It's corporate espionage that goes beyond rifling through the garbage dumpster out behind the factory.   However, he has gotten into a bit of a bind.

While two well known actresses portraying a same sex couple will draw a great deal of attention to The Kids Are All Right, those who check it out will find a funny and touching film about family and people trying to figure out who they are and where they are going in life.  All of the Julianne Moore nudity is just a bonus!  

Julianne Moore stars as Jules, and Annette Bening is Nic - a lesbian couple raising two children, Laser (Josh Hutcherson) and Joni (Mia Wasikowska).  The entire family is going through major changes as Joni prepares to start college, the Moms are trying to figure out Laser's deal (he has been acting strangely lately), and Jules is starting yet another business venture no one really believes will succeed.

After The Last Airbender, The Village, Lady in the Water, and The Happening, they still let M. Night Shyamalan make movies?  Shouldn't there be some sort of mercy rule for filmgoers?

Oh, he just came up with the idea for this one.  Maybe there is hope yet.

Director Gore Verbinski had Johnny Depp to bring Captain Jack Sparrow to life.

In The Sorcerer's Apprentice, director Jon Turteltaub has Jay Baruchel to bring Mickey Mouse to life.  

Sorry, Jay.  We love Mickey more.  Maybe you need bigger ears?

If you didn't believe it before, Mel Gibson comes off as a crazy man in the latest audio tape to surface. 

This time, while girlfriend Oksana Grigorieva fights with him, she brings up a past incident where she claims Mel struck her while she was holding their baby.  Gibson responds by claiming she, "deserved it." 

Even without such a shocking statement, this latest audio of Gibson screaming and belittling the mother of his child is one of the most shocking and offensive tirades you will EVER hear in your life.  After this, one has to wonder if Gibson has any control over himself, his temper or his negative thoughts.  I don't think I can ever watch Lethal Weapon again.

Listen to the audio at RadarOnline.com.  Be warned, it is full of horrible language. 

Screen on the Green has been one of DC's most popular summer traditions, and, after almost losing its sponsor, the festival returns to The Mall, but it's not the only place you can see outdoor movies in the DC area.

The cops are investigating, his agency has had enough and we are hearing a side of Mel Gibson we thought was in his past. 

The entertainment world has been buzzing for the past week or two about allegations Gibson physically and verbally abused Oksana Grigorieva (his girlfriend and mother of his newest child) and the existence of an audio tape featuring him ranting and raving while using all sorts of racial slurs. 

The tape hit the internet today.

Some actors do a great Russian accent that fills the character with mystery, sexiness and intimidation. 

Others sound like Ivan Drago promising that he "must break you." 

Sign Steve Carell up for a Rocky sequel.

The team making this movie is so dedicated to blowing stuff up, the audience gets a fiery explosion before the film even starts!

Adrien Brody stars as Royce - one of several trained killers mysteriously snatched up out of nowhere and dumped into the middle of the jungle.  Of course, this group is like a United Nations of Mercenaries as we have the nasty Russian dude, the muscle bound African tough guy, some sort of Japanese mafia hit man and a redneck from death row.  Oh, and let's not forget the HOT South American babe (Really?  Some guys can't go 2 hours without ogling some hot babe?) .

You know her better as Bella's buddy Angela, but you didn't know she was making a top secret appearance in Tysons Corner to thank the fans and dedicated Twi-hards. 

Check out my interview with Christian Serratos and see the fan reaction when she showed up unannounced at the AMC Tysons Corner.

In our darkest hour, with our backs up against the wall and hope slipping away, we find out who we are and discover strength from a source so deep inside, even we aren't sure where it came from. 

Now, Lindsay Lohan has a chance to save herself as she stands at the crossroads of success and self-destruction.

Does Fergie sing better in 3D?  Will the whole band be rendered in Avatar Smurf Blue?

Believe it or not, James Cameron won't wait 15 years to make his next movie.  will.i.am says the Oscar winning director is making a 3D concert movie featuring The Black Eyed Peas and, "a dope storyline."  I'll leave the jokes about Cameron's screenwriting skills and the Avatar storyline jokes to you.

At first glance, it sounds like Cameron wants to do a modern day Beatles-type movie following the band throughout South America.  Will crazy antics ensue?  If I have learned anything it is to NEVER doubt James Cameron.  Plus, they might not be George, Paul, John and Ringo, but The Black Eyed Peas have personality and showmanship. We'll find out in 2011.

You might be feeling a bit of deja vu as you read yet another story about the box office records being broken by The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, but a closer look at the details reveals how significant its performance has been.

It's midnight showings set the record with a $30 Million haul.

It set the record for midnight showings in IMAX theaters with about $1 Million, surpassing Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.

It set the record for a Wednesday opening with $65 million.  

However, it did not surpass the record for biggest opening day.   Why? 

Paranormal Activity was the biggest surprise of the year in 2009, but will it shock and awe as much now that we see it coming? 

Much like with The Sixth Sense, people who saw it early were entertained and surprised by the twist, but, once the word got out, moviegoers started heading to the theater looking for the twist and not getting as much of a thrill. 

How scared will you be this time?  Can the new director find a new way to surprise us?

We'll find out this Halloween.

The Last Airbender could be The Last M. Night Shyamalan Movie. Yep, it's that bad.

Noah Ringer stars as Aang - a mysterious and powerful young boy saved from the ice by Katara (Nicola Peltz) and Sokka (Jackson Rathbone).  They are part of the Water Nation in a world broken up into the Water Nation, Fire Nation, Air Nation and Earth Nation. 

Prince Zuko (Dev Patel) of the Fire Nation has been expelled by his evil father, and hopes to find the legendary and missing Avatar to get back in his good graces.  

The Avatar is a superior being who can control all four elements, and it looks like Aang is that figure (except, he's not one of the Smurf Blue avatars James Cameron introduced us to.  Those computer generated figures were more lifelike).