August 2010 Archives

Is it just me, or is Morning Glory attempting to be this generation's Broadcast News?

Rachel McAdams seems to have the Holly Hunter role down cold, but I am worried about Harrison Ford. Is he overdoing it early on, but delivering the dramatic goods late? Will he get an Oscar for Best Hair?

What do we think? Oscar material? Date night material? Not-even-on-DVD material?

No, we're not talking about the refreshing caffeinated drink in that oh so sexy curvy bottle. 

We're talking about the nose candy.  Blow.  Snow.  The Powder.

In a scene straight out of a Cheech and Chong movie, Hilton and her boyfriend, Cy Waits, were driving down the Vegas strip Friday night in a black Escalade, when a police officer noticed smoke "wafting" out of the windows.

The office pulled them over, noticed the distinct smell of marijuana, and conducted a standard check for driving while intoxicated as well as searching both Waits and Hilton.

According to TMZ.com, Hilton and Waits were taken into the Wynn Hotel at Paris's request, since so many people and paparazzi were gathering around.  When she reached into a purse to remove lip balm, a packet of cocaine fell out in front of the officers. 

Waits was arrested on a DUI charge.  Hilton was arrested for possession of a controlled substance. 

Here's where it gets interesting.  Hilton may be claiming the purse wasn't hers! (Paris, if it wasn't your purse, why were you looking through it for your lip balm?)

You might remember, that was the same defense she used when arrested in South Africa during the World Cup for pot possession. 

Then, shortly afterwards, she was allegedly arrested in France with pot.  

And, let's not forget.  Paris Hilton is an ex-con who spent time in jail in 2007 for violating her probation for a DUI charge. 

Anybody else starting to get the feeling Paris needs to start taking the law a bit more seriously?  Seriously, how many times do you have to be arrested before you realize your life is going down the wrong path?  It's time for a judge to throw the book at Paris.  Prosecute her to the fullest extent of the law.  She had her mistake back in 2007.  Now, it's time to realize she has no concern for the law. 

If you watch the commercials for The Last Exorcism, you'd think it was just another, run of the mill, B-level horror movie destined for the discount DVD bin at Wal-Mart.   

You might even think it is a sequel to The Exorcist.

However, The Last Exorcism is the kind of brilliant movie that doesn't come along every day.  It's fun scary that lets us laugh at the brilliance, the set ups and the payoffs.

My favorite part of watching Takers was the moment before the film started, when the Cineplex decided to lower and raise the lights as if we were at the opera.  Takers isn't the worst movie ever, but it's not like we were getting ready to see La Traviata.  

Jesse (Chris Brown), Jake (Mike Ealy), A.J. (Hayden Christensen) , Gordon (Idris Elba) and John (Paul Walker) are the baddest, most efficient, smartest and best bank robbers the world has ever seen, except, no one has ever seen them because they are so good they have never been caught. 

They walk the streets of the Los Angeles like successful businessmen, investing their ill-gotten booty, driving fancy cars, living in the ritziest of homes, spending time with beautiful women and hanging out at the coolest lounges (Who said crime doesn't pay?).

Cinematical broke my heart this morning when I read The Academy is considering a move back to Monday nights for the first time since 1999. 

As you already know, the Oscar ceremony is likely to come earlier in 2012 as The Academy tries to stop all of these other awards like the SAGs and The Globes from stealing their thunder.  However, the group now is trying to figure out what to do about competition from the NFL.

Moving to January, as The Academy is considering, possibly puts their typical Sunday night broadcast up against the NFL's Sunday Night Football, which could be big competition in 2013 if the NFL extends the season to 18 games, as has been reported over the past few days. 

I know The Academy is worried about competition from other TV programs and wants to maximize the ratings, but Sunday night is the perfect night for the ceremony.  Oscar-philes like myself get the entire day to celebrate, watch the arrivals, grouse about the red carpet appearances and party with friends.  Monday doesn't give us the same opportunities as work and life get in the way too easily.

Also, when did Oscar have to be afraid of football?  I love football, but this is The Oscars!  This is Hollywood's Super Bowl.  If you don't think that is enough to compel your fans to tune in, maybe you have bigger problems than you want to admit.  Put on a great show, back up the Brinks truck to Jerry Seinfeld's house to convince him to host, and anyone who isn't a fan of the two football teams playing that night will be watching those gold statues being handed out.    

In 1955, a University of Maryland freshman with a love and skill for puppetry created a 5-minute program for WRC-TV 4 here in Washington, DC. 

Sam & Friends from Jim Henson was featured in an afternoon kids programming block hosted by Willard Scott, but the program's biggest attractions were these new foam rubber and fabric covered "muppets"  Henson created, including Kermit The Frog, who was fashioned from a coat Henson's mother had tossed in the trash, and two ping pong balls. 

In Henson's hands, he became one of the most beloved characters in TV and Movie history.  

We all know The Muppets went on to be stars on Sesame Street, The Muppet Show and all of the Muppet movies, but those early, unknown muppets from Sam & Friends, including the original Kermit The Frog, will go on display at The Smithsonian Wednesday, August 25 after a special ceremony featuring Willard Scott himself.  Visitors will be able to see the first 10 muppets, as well as the longest surviving Henson creation, Pierre The French Rat, who was created for Henson's high school yearbook.     
 

Get ready for your Shia LaBeouf and Michael Bay sightings. 

Maybe even a flash of Josh Duhamel and Tyrese for the ladies?

The week of September 27 is shaping up as the week Transformers 3 will take over the streets around the Mall, and I couldn't be more excited.  Multiple sources are reporting some of the filming will take place at The Lincoln Memorial, and the production will be in town for about 3 days. 

Could my dreams be coming true?  Will Honest Abe turn out to be an Autobot?  Only Michael Bay would dare do something that outrageous, but I still want to see it (even if I vaguely recall The Simpsons doing something very similar?).   

I have to admit, I am feeling plenty of mixed emotions about this one. 

On the one hand, it's from Darren Aronofsky who makes good movies like The Wrestler, and weird movies like The Fountain.

On the other hand, what was the last Natalie Portman movie we loved?

On yet another hand, is that Natalie Portman getting hot and heavy with Mila Kunis? 

I am curious about The Black Swan, but not ready to go all nutsy for it. 

What do you think?

Jennifer Aniston is the star who lights up the screen in stinker after stinker, and captivates the attention of moviegoers and cultural critics who want to get some attention for themselves (What were you thinking Bill O'Reilly?  Didn't you learn anything from Dan Quayle?)  

Yet, here's the dirty little secret about her new movie, The Switch.  It's really a Jason Bateman movie, so that makes it only half-atrocious.

I think you will find the first part of The Switch very familiar territory.  Wally (Jason Bateman) and Kassie (Jennifer Aniston) have been pals forever since dating for a very short period of time years ago.  However, Wally wants to break out of the Friend Zone and into Hubba Hubba You're So Cute and Sexy Land, so the poor dude spends his life quietly, painfully yearning away for his best gal pal.

Then, we get to the part that is a bit more unique.

Bow Wow stars as Kevin - a hard working teen who dreams of designing sneakers for a living, but has to settle for working at Foot Locker while trying to take care of his Grandmother (Loretta Devine).  Grandma loves playing the lottery every week, and the entire city is captivated with the chance to win $370 million.  Of course, Kevin is not a big believer, but promises Grandma he will buy her normal tickets on his way home.  Once there, Kevin decides to take a chance, and wins.

However, instead of getting that big check and going on a trip around the world, it's Fourth of July weekend, and Kevin must survive until Tuesday to cash in the ticket, but he's being pursued by everyone who wants a loan, has a business idea, and decides to befriend him after previously treating him like dirt.  One guy even thinks he can steal the ticket and claim the winnings for himself.

Will Kevin make it through the weekend?

Without question, this is the worst movie I have seen all year long.

Paul Dano stars as Louis Ives - a college professor who gets fired, so he decides to head off to Manhattan to become a working writer.  Of course, it's not easy being a writer (nor very profitable for people who are not named Stephen King), and Louis must move into an apartment with Henry Harrison (Kevin Kline) - an older gentleman with no discernable source of income who escorts rich widows to fancy parties and society events to help balance out the male to female ratios.  

Will Louis find inspiration and employment?

One of the great voices in Hollywood history could be silenced as legendary actor Michael Douglas battles a tumor found in his throat.

According to PopEater, Douglas has been instructed to undergo an aggressive treatment featuring radiation and chemotherapy for 8 weeks to combat the tumor, which normally is indicative of a cancerous growth.  

You might remember when Reese Witherspoon, Paul Rudd and Owen Wilson were in DC last summer making this movie, and, now, we get our first glimpse.

I saw this the other night with a crowd that was not blown away, and I'm a little worried this might be every romantic comedy cliche we have seen a million times before.

But, it does have Jack Nicholson and Rudd, so there's some hope. Be ready for How Do You Know this Christmas.  

If you value your hearing, stay away from movie theaters Valentine's Day Weekend 2011 because tween girls across the nation will be buying tickets to see Justin Bieber's movie (I hope it's not in 3D). 

Screaming in ecstasy will ensue.

After losing director Davis Guggenheim, who is off promoting his new project Waiting for Superman (a documentary about the education system that features DC Chancellor Michelle Rhee), Paramount Pictures and the team have bounced back by hiring director Jon Chu, the man behind Step 2 The Streets and Step Up 3D. 

Usher will serve as a producer and the movie, partly a documentary, will tell Bieber's life story, highlight his rise to superstardom, and show some concert footage.

We have many outdoor film festivals in the DC area, but this one could be the coolest.

On August 28 and 29, Comcast, The National Park Service and The DC Film Office will host the Comcast Outdoor Film Festival at Carter Barron Amphitheater. 

Best of all, it's free!

On August 28, you can check out one of my favorite animated films of the past few years, Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs.

On August 29, the Morgan Freeman/Matt Damon film Invictus will take center stage.

Find out how to get tickets here.

You might know Eat Pray Love as the bestselling novel from Elizabeth Gilbert, but in the hands of those geniuses out in Hollywood, it becomes the most luscious movie in all of the land.

Julia Roberts stars as Liz - a writer who is trying to figure out her life.  She's not happy being married to Stephen (Billy Crudup) anymore.  She's not happy dating the 28-year old bohemian actor David (James Franco).  She can't even figure out what her next book will be about (Oh, the angst of the upper middle class intelligentsia of Manhattan).  

Without any reason to stick around Manhattan, Liz decides she wants to spend a year finding herself in Italy, India and Bali (which is better than my year finding myself in Dupont Circle, Pentagon City and Chevy Chase).  

It's like Sylvester Stallone saw Tropic Thunder and said, "I can make a SERIOUS version of that!"  Then, co-writer Dave Callaham went through Sly's first draft of the script and inserted a bunch of campy moments to save us from the atrociousness.

Stallone stars as Barney Ross - leader of a group of mercenaries who call themselves The Expendables.  

Need a group of Somali pirates extinguished?  Call The Expendables!  

Need a third world dictator blown to pieces?  Call The Expendables!  

Need to find some work for the buddies you worked with in the 80's?  Call The Expendables!

Get ready for the most thrilling and visually explosive movie of the summer.  And, you only had to wait until August for it.  Even those who are sick and tired of Michael Cera will be believers again (or be believers for the first time if you hated Superbad).  

Cera stars as Scott Pilgrim - a Canadian slacker who plays bass in a band that will not be challenging Rush for the title of Canada's Greatest Rock Group.  In between band rehearsals, the 22-year old Scott is romancing a high school girl, Knives Chau (Ellen Wong), but he has become mesmerized with a delivery woman with wild hair and intense eyes, Ramona Flowers (Mary Elizabeth Winstead).

He wants her, but, to win Ramona's heart, Scott learns he must defeat her 7 Evil Exes.

It looks like Showgirls and Glitter all rolled into one!!!!!

After a quiet summer, the DC film community is getting ramped up for the summer blockbuster to end all summer blockbusters, Transformers 3 is coming to DC, and they need extras to be blown up, run while screaming in terror, and looking shocked at really big Transformers duking it out and smashing each other with the Washington Monument as Abraham Lincoln rises out of his memorial to reveal he's an Autobot (we think, hope and pray!).

In reality, we have no idea what scenes will be shot in DC, but the DC Office of Motion Picture and Television Development has put out the call for extras.  Megan Fox already has been replaced, so you're out of luck if you were hoping to be the gal who smooches Shia LaBeouf, but you can show up on the big screen and impress all of your friends.  Maybe they'll even give you a T-shirt? 

No exact shooting dates or locations have been revealed, but word on the street has it that September will be the exciting time for all of us to be wowed and awed by the magic of Hollywood, and the National Mall is the place where these scenes will happen. 

Also, the casting call is asking if people have any experience with precision driving.  Does that mean you get to speed down Constitution Avenue without the fuzz breathing down your neck and ruining the fun?  Will Bumble Bee end up crashing into the reflecting pool? 

I feel like we have been waiting all summer long for a good comedy, and, no, the M. Night Shyamalan movie doesn't count.  Can you believe this could be Will Ferrell's comeback movie?

Ferrell and Mark "Don't Call Me Marky Mark" Wahlberg star as Allen Gamble and Terry Hoitz - two low level detectives partnered together in a squad where the big superstars, Highsmith (Samuel L. Jackson) and Danson (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson), get all of the glory as Allen does their paperwork, and everyone mocks Terry for an unfortunate incident that led to his ignominy. 

Allen is happy with the arrangement, but Terry pushes him to be a real cop when a case presents itself and could lead to them being the new heroes.   

One of this week's hottest topics is the quality (or, to be more truthful, the lack of quality) of this summer's movies (OK, maybe we mean the outright stinkiness of Summer 2010 movies).   Critics, commentators, fans and more have bemoaned the likes of Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore, Prince of Persia and Predators.  This week, we get a chance to go off the beaten track for something a little more exhilarating and different.

Combining archival footage, modern day re-creation and an attempt to make a journey that ended in mystery years ago, director Anthony Geffen, writer Mark Halliley and explorer Conrad Anker use this documentary to take us back to 1924, when legendary British explorer George Mallory, after becoming one of the biggest celebrities and inspirations in England, vanished just 800 feet from becoming the first person to reach the summit of Mount Everest.   However, while making a similar journey in 1999, Anker found Mallory's long lost body, and discovered he might have died while descending the summit.

It's like West Side Story and Singing in the Rain had a three way with the Devil, and this was the result.

Rick Malambri and his perfectly landscaped 3-day stubble star as Luke - a burgeoning filmmaker who runs a hip hop version of Andy Warhol's Factory he calls The Vault.  It's a halfway house for talented dancers Luke says were, "Born From A Boom Box" (which is not a nice way to refer to these urchins' mothers). 

Ben Affleck showed us he was a good director in Gone Baby Gone, but the trailer for his new movie, The Town, is taking things to the next level. 

Much like Clint Eastwood moved from acting to become one of the best directors in Hollywood history, Affleck is showing amazing potential.  I haven't been this excited about a new movie since seeing the trailer for The Departed. 

And, Blake Lively looks so yummy. 

Don't be afraid of black and white movies!

Embrace them. 

Learn from them, and realize no one will be showing Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore 70 years from now like these movies are being featured at the AFI Silver Spring throughout August and September.