Saturday, April 9, 2011

Video: Sofia Vergara Teaches Elmo Spanish on 'Sesame Street'

Lucky Elmo gets to learn some Spanish from a beautiful teacher. Sofia Vergara became the latest "Modern Family" star to appear on "Sesame Street" to teach the kids how to pronounce some words. In a funny twist, Elmo critiques the star's appearance on his show and tries to break into primetime.

In the past, Vergara's co-stars such as Ty Burrell, Julie Bowen and Jesse Tyler Ferguson have all assisted the show to educate children. Vergara, who was born in Colombia, shot her cameo on Friday, April 8 but there is still no clue when the full version will air.

On another "Sesame" news, the United States is donating $20 million to Pakistan in order to fund a local version of the show. Set to air later this year, the Pakistan version would switch the original New York set with a Pakistani village and feature Rani, a six-year-old female Muppet with pigtails and a blue-and-white school uniform, who will speak in Urdu.

Lady GaGa to Play Mary Magdalene in 'Judas' Music Video

 Details about what to expect from the upcoming music video of Lady GaGa's second single have been revealed. In an interview with MTV, her creative director Laurieann Gibson spilled the beans that the Monster ringleader will portray Mary Magdalene in the video.

Playing opposite GaGa will be "Hawaii Five-0" actor Norman Reedus. The 42-year-old star is going to be the "Judas", and Laurieann has nothing but good words for him. "He was so prolific," she said before promising Little Monsters that the video will be "badass."

"I think that most people are already thinking that Gaga and the blasphemy and they're premeditating the approach and I think they'll be very shocked to find out how huge and really groundbreaking the message is and how freeing the message is for all the right reasons," she said. "And it's really going to shock the world."

Lifted from GaGa's May 23 studio release "Born This Way", "Judas" will be released on April 19. Its accompanying music video is expected to follow soon. GaGa filmed it over the weekend, and shared it with her Twitter followers, "Directing Judas video with my sister @boomkack is the most exciting artistic moment of my career. It's the greatest work we've done. Day 2."

Lady GaGa's Mary Magdalene Role Is Irrelevant, Catholic League Says

 Catholic league has reacted to recent news that Lady GaGa would play Mary Magdalene in her upcoming "Judas" music video. Talking to Hollywood Life, Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, said, "This is a stunt."

He added, "I find GaGa to be increasingly irrelevant. She thinks she is going to be groundbreaking. She is trying to ripoff Christian idolatry to shore up her talentless, mundane and boring performances. Another ex-Catholic whose head is turned around."

"She is falling short. She wants to shock, does she actually believe her own BS?" Bill went on. "People have real talent, and then there is Lady GaGa. Is this the only way to jet up her performance? This isn't random, we are getting closer to Holy Week and Easter."

GaGa herself hasn't commented on that matter, but earlier this week in her "Gagavision No. 41" video message, she is seen confronting a fundamentalist male protester outside her concert. On her way to the concert venue, she stopped her car in front of the male, rolled down her window, and said, "Hi, I'm Lady GaGa."

When the man answered her coldly with "So?", she quickly countered him back, "I was thinking to myself, you obviously do care a little because you chose my concert." He then handed her a "Get out of hell free" card and added, "That's going to happen one day darling." Shrugging it off, she responded, "Well they better open up the gate."

Later, GaGa admitted that she felt disturbed by the encounter, saying "What I'm trying to understand is, there's 3000 people standing in my line, and nobody standing in your line. Who's goin' to hell?" She moreover said, "It just makes me sad that my fans have to see that. But I know it's just part of what I'm supposed to do."

Lifted from GaGa's May 23 studio release "Born This Way", "Judas" will be released on April 19. Its accompanying music video is expected to follow soon. Playing opposite GaGa in the video will be "Hawaii Five-0" actor Norman Reedus who is hired to tackle the role as Judas.

Kelly Clarkson and Rihanna to Perform on 'American Idol'

 After having the likes of Adam Lambert and Jennifer Hudson, "American Idol" might welcome another alum next week. Recent report claimed Kelly Clarkson is going to return to the "Idol" stage and sing "Don't You Wanna Stay", a duet with country crooner Jason Aldean.

Another musical guest who is rumored to take the stage of next week's result show is Rihanna. Fresh from wowing country music fans at the CMA Awards with her "California King Bed" performance which featured Jennifer Nettles, the Bajan songstress is reportedly expected to sing the song again for the Fox singing contest.

Last Thursday, "American Idol" sent home Pia Toscano, leaving eight remaining contestants to battle for the top 7 next week. The elimination of the 22-year-old aspiring singer shocked some of the celebrities and the judges. Snooki of the "Jersey Shore", for one, tweeted, "Pia should have won the whole thing! I'm not watchin Idol anuymore. I'm with JLO on this one..."

Megan Fox in First 'Passion Play' Trailer

First "Passion Play" trailer has been released. The preview, debuted via ET, features Megan Fox as a woman who has real wings on her. The video also sees Mickey Rourke and Bill Murray getting physical.

The drama film shares a story about love triangle between Fox's Lily, Rourke's Nate Granzini, and Murray's Happy Shannon. Lily is a cold woman who falls in love with Nate, a down-on-his-luck jazz trumpeter who takes her out of circus show. However, menacing Shannon wants to have Lily for himself.

Other actors supporting the film include Kelly Lynch, Rhys Ifans, Rory Cochrane, and Bud Cort. Mitch Glazer serves behind the lens, and provides the script as well. The drama film will get limited theatrical run on May 6.

ARTHUR Review


Just as surely as rain makes things wet, Arthur will make you laugh. Yet the film never justifies its existence—remake or not. Hollywood is determined to make Russell Brand a comedic lead, but simply placing his acquired comedic sensibilities in the star role doesn’t equal success. Throw in a bloated run time and a cute, but unromantic chemistry between Brand and Greta Gerwig, and we have the makings of a generic romantic comedy that is further burdened by being a remake. The real shame is that on paper, the film has enough comedic ingredients to make something worthwhile instead of simply unoffensive. Hit the jump for my full review.
Arthur Bach (Brand) is a drunken billionaire looking for any excuse to have fun. Luckily for him, the lack of a job and responsibilities (or consequences) means he is free to lovingly torment his nanny Hobson (Helen Mirren) and driver Bitterman (Luis Guzman). That is, until his mother finally tires of his childish ways and threatens to cut him off if he doesn’t shack up with Susan Johnson (Jennifer Garner), a feisty heiress that is interested in uniting the wealth of the two families and pleasing the valued investors. Arthur reluctantly accepts the proposal until he meets Naomi (Gerwig), who turns his world upside down. While Arthur struggles to find it in himself to part with his inheritance and earn something of his own, his immaturity puts the blossoming relationship he so desperately needs in peril.
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With Peter Baynham (Borat) writing and Jason Winer (Modern Family) making his feature film debut behind the camera, one should expect a certain immature humor that aligns with Brand’s playful crassness. While toned down to secure the PG-13 rating, Brand seems just as happy to make humorous observations about the world around him. A recurring gag is for Arthur to point out a passerby’s similarity to a famous person with a stereotype twist. If you’ve ever wanted to see a lesbian version of Hall and Oates, you’re in luck.
However, if you’re looking for some true chemistry in this romantic comedy, you might want to look elsewhere. Gerwig’s Naomi is a pleasure to watch on screen, and there is even a fun connection you can feel between Arthur and her. But that hardly qualifies as romance. Instead we get the type of innocent fireworks that seem fit for grade school, not grown adults. The tone seems to be at fault, but Winer’s polish from television should have helped avoid that obstacle. Unfortunately,Arthur continually smashes head-long into it.
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Then there is the attempt at genuine heart. Mirren’s Hobson has an endless supply of patience and while Mirren hardly shows it on screen, there is a sense of ease with Brand. Her stern hand constantly clashes with his wild nature in humorous ways, but when things take a turn for the worse, Brand is incapable of carrying the emotional arc more than a few scenes. Additionally, there is darkness surrounding an alcoholic billionaire, but it never receives more than a few cursory references. Arthur could have just as easily been a free-spirited billionaire high on life, but the adherence to the original’s boozing theme rings hollow here.
If one were to look for remakes that carve their own identity equal or greater than their forebears,Arthur wouldn’t likely make the cut. The problem isn’t that the film lacks humor; Brand and Baynham have made sure that you’ll laugh. Instead, there is a void where there should be emotion, and the tonal shift from comedy to romantic comedy never feels complete. While this may be a minor hiccup for most involved, it’s an unfortunate start for Winer’s film career. Hopefully someone learned a lesson that sometimes it’s better to earn something for yourself than work off of other people’s plots.
Score: C-
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HANNA Review


Director Joe Wright has finally proved he’s a force to be reckoned with.  Atonement was undercut by a poor script and his direction on The Soloist overpowered the story and the performances, but with his latest film Hanna, he finally strikes an impressive balance and transforms a standard revenge flick into an effective and surreal dark fairy tale that punches the landscape almost as hard as its protagonist punches her foes.  Hanna is a film that defiantly and confidently plays by its own rules and the result is an action flick that is as thoughtful as it is exhilarating.
16-year-old Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) has been brought up in the forest by her former black-ops father Erik (Eric Bana) and trained to accomplish one purpose: assassinate Erik’s former handler and his wife’s killer, Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett).  Hanna can speak a variety of language and kill you eight times with her bare hands before you hit the ground in a crumpled heap, but she’s never heard music or even met another human being other than her father.  It’s with this limited but distinct set of skills that Hanna is sent out into the world to kill Marissa.  However, Hanna comes to discover that her upbringing isn’t the only thing about her that’s abnormal.
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On the page, Hanna could have been a fairly forgettable action-revenge flick, but Wright imbues the entire film with a dreamlike sensibility that adds weight to the proceedings.  Everything in the picture is slightly askew and provides immediacy to Hanna’s offbeat coming-of-age tale.  There’s no reason why Ronan and Bana should talk in German accents or why Blanchett should put on such an overbearing Southern drawl, but these slight affectations add up to a film that refuses to exist solely in the realm of reality or fairy tale.  Wright understands that if he’s going to have Hanna running through an endless series of tunnels in an underground prison that apparently only houses her, then “gritty” realism simply isn’t worthy of the story he’s trying to tell.
However, Wright never forgets that his picture should also entertain and he devises some truly remarkable fight scenes.  Wright lets the physicality of the fisticuffs be perfunctory and efficient (as a father-daughter assassins would be), but lets the cinematography, editing, and the score deliver the intensity of the battles.  I rarely advocate for more violence in movies, but Hanna could have used a boost from some added brutality, which would better highlight the juxtaposition of Hanna’s off-kilter innocence and the ruthlessness of her actions.  But even confined by a PG-13 rating, Wright manages to convey the essential dichotomy of her move from innocence to experience and still ask the important question of what qualifies as “innocence”.
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While the camerawork is incredible (especially a scene involving Erik taking down a group of Marissa’s henchmen), special attention is due to the music provided by the Chemical Brothers.  Every year, there are five or six scores that you rush out to buy after seeing the movie and this is one of them.  The score dances between the pulse-pounding action to almost mocking Hanna’s unconventional childhood with a playful and melodic theme.
Also worthy of credit is Ronan.  Bana and Blanchett provide strong support, but the movie truly belongs to the young actress and she does a tremendous job of balancing her character’s murderous ways with a heartfelt wonder and naivety about the larger world.  She completely understands Hanna’s strengths and vulnerabilities and the sympathy she engenders prevents the audience from writing off the character as simply “good”, “evil”, “hero”, or “anti-hero”.
Hanna reminds me of Wayne Kramer’s 2006 action-thriller Running Scared, and I mean that as high praise.  Both films successfully take a fairy-tale like narrative and transplant it into a hard-boiled, unrelenting action flick.  While Hanna doesn’t deliver the same level of brutality and violence as the R-rated Running Scared, Wright demonstrates that he’s can direct crowd-pleasing action flicks with the same level of thoughtfulness and skill that he’s brought to higher-brow fare.
Rating: A-
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Salman Khan agrees to kiss Asin

  After innumerable denials, it is surprising to note that finally the great actor Salman Khan has come to terms to gracefully kiss the beautiful Indian actress Asin in the upcoming movie `Ready’, directed by talented Anees Bazmee. Though initially Salman Khan was not ready at any price to kiss this ravishing actress of Bollywood, Asin, but when the eminent director of this highly awaited film, Anees Bazmee grandly explicated the requirement of script to Salman Khan, he eventually agreed.
Even the hot actress, Asin tried to persuade Salman Khan that the scene of kissing is rightfully demand by the film script and thus he should perform the required act. However, this kiss is not an amazing lip-lock but a peck on the soft cheeks of Asin. If Salman is not ready for a lip lock then it is inevitable that the director has to be satisfied with Salman kissing Asin on her cheek. No doubt, the favourite action hero of Bollywood, Salman Khan has played in many films over the last years and has acted with innumerable beautiful actresses but he has never offered a lip-lock kiss to any of his glamorous actresses in an incredible tenure of his variable and outstanding performances.

Mallika Sherawat turns a sizzling avatar for the FHM

 The daring actress of Indian cinema, Mallika Sherawat has graciously featured on the cover of prestigious Indian edition magazine of FHM, effectively for April 2011. Mallika Sherawat who is truly known in Bollywood for her avatar that is quite bold is rightfully finding it hard to perfectly balance her marvellous career. She very much tried to woo the magnificent directors of Hollywood but it all went in vein. In true sense, she unfortunately even lost her presence in Bollywood because of this reason.
Mallika Sherawat tried very hard to win back, her crowned postion in the tinsel town so far, only time will be able to tell whether she will succeed in her endeavour or not. Anyway, it is impossible to guess what was going on in the mind of the actress when she agreed to do the photo shoot for the FHM magazine.
She has acted in many roles, in the Indian cinema throughout her career. Most of the characters she played were audacious. Let us wait for the reaction of the viewers in India, about the bold photos of her in the magazine. She has once again proven that she is the most dare to bare actress of the Indian movie industry.

'Dark Knight Rises' Casts Josh Pence in Villainous Role

 "The Social Network" star Josh Pence lands pivotal role in "The Dark Knight Rises". Pence may not be recognizable in the Facebook movie for his face was superimposed by Armie Hammer who portrays the Winklevoss twins.

In the new Batman movie, Pence is to play a young Ra's al Ghul which was Liam Neeson's starring vehicle in "Batman Begins". The 2005 film saw the villain approaching death when the train he board crashed. The casting of Pence has led to speculation that the supposedly dead character escaped the crash somehow.

In addition, Marion Cotillard's role is not yet announced but rumor has it, she would be Thalia al Ghul aka Ra's daughter. THR's sources said Pence will appear in scenes that take place 30 years prior to the present story.

Writer David S. Goyer previously claimed that Ra's is the most complex of all the Batman villains, saying "He's not crazy in the way that all the other Batman villains are. He's not bent on revenge; he's actually trying to heal the world. He's just doing it by very draconian means."

The film is scheduled for U.S. theatrical release on July 20, 2012, featuring Christian Bale as the superhero again.

Selena Gomez's 'Monte Carlo' Debuts Full Trailer

 First full trailer for "Monte Carlo" is finally revealed. After it was teased in an approximately one-minute video, the trailer finally goes online via Teen. The two-and-a-half minute trailer offers more details from Selena Gomez's hilarious moments during her trip to Paris, including the ones where Gomez's Grace sits on a bed that folds, and is running to chase a bus.

"Monte Carlo" follows three young girls, Grace, Meg, and Emma, who travel to the French capital. Things were normal before one of the girls is mistaken for a spoiled British heiress. As a result, they are caught up in a whirlwind of attention and find themselves going on a dream vacation to Monte Carlo.

Beside Gomez, Leighton Meester takes another lead role as Meg, while Katie Cassidy stars as Emma. Serving as the supporting actors are the likes of Cory Monteith, Andie MacDowell and Luke Bracey.

Thomas Bezucha serves behind the lens, while April Blair and Maria Maggenti team up to provide the script. Nicole Kidman, Denise Di Novi and Alison Greenspan are the producers for the film, which is slated to make its way out nationwide on July 1.

Lindsay Lohan Responds to Betty White's 'Ungrateful' Comment

 Lindsay Lohan is more surprise than angry upon learning she has been slammed by Betty White. Speaking out her thought over the veteran actress' recent rant, the 24-year-old told E! News, "Wow. I've always been a fan of hers. It's just a bit strange when people feel they must speak publicly about others. Especially a grown woman."

On Thursday, April 7, Daily Mail published an article about Betty. In it, the "Hot in Cleveland" star expressed her opinion about today's celebrities. "I cannot stand the people who get wonderful starts in show business, and who abuse it. Lindsay Lohan and Charlie Sheen, for example, although there are plenty of others, too."

Betty continued to voice her opinion, "They are the most blessed people in the world and they don't appreciate it." The Rose Nylund on "The Golden Girls" additionally was quoted as commenting, "They party too much, don't learn their lines, are unprofessional and they grumble about everything. I think they are terribly ungrateful."

Speaking of the celebrities back in her days, the Emmy Awards winner recalled, "We considered ourselves lucky to be on the box, never complained if a critic didn't like us, dressed modestly and were always on our best behavior in public."

Pia Toscano Kind of Expecting to Be Eliminated From 'American Idol'

 Fallen favorite Pia Toscano has spoken out about her shocking elimination from "American Idol". During a conference call with reporters on Friday, April 8, the 22-year-old aspiring singer revealed that she has had a feeling that she might at least land on the bottom three after her Wednesday night performance.

"It's funny because the night before I had a weird feeling in my stomach," she recalled. "And I said to my parents, 'You know, I kind of feel like I'm going to be in the bottom three tomorrow. And they said, 'No, no, be confident. You're going to be fine. You're going to be fine.' And then when it happened, it was kind of like I expected it. It was weird."

Although she was not completely surprised, the five-time "Idol" auditioner admitted she was still a little overwhelmed by the cut. In fact, she needed an escort by the medic to get off the "Idol" stage on Thursday night. Asked about the medical assistance, she explained, "I wasn't feeling too good then. It was a tough moment for me."

"While I was singing it was very, very hard for me to get through that song," she continued to share. "I was trying to take deep breathes and it wasn't working out too well. I was getting a little light-headed. Being in the position I was it was a little much for me."

On the outpouring supports she got from the celebrities, the New York makeup artist said, "It's amazing. Like last night, it wasn't that I was shocked that was leaving the contestants. I was upset that next week I wouldn't be able to perform again."

"I was just trying to stay positive and know that everything happens for a reason. But to have the support of a lot of celebrities right now and my fans is amazing and it's the best feeling in the world."

Speaking off Stefano Langone, Pia stated that her fellow contestant, who shared the bottom two with her on Thursday, deserves his spot in the top eight. "Stephano's a very good friend of mine. He's a good person."

"I mean the whole time was sitting down with him in the Bottom 3 he was like telling me, 'You aren't going anywhere. I'm the one that's goin.' And I'm telling him, 'No, you're not goin.' He deserved to be the top eight right now and he's an incredible talent."

Excited about what the future holds for her, Pia said she is "really looking forward" to the upcoming "Idol" tour. Reasoning "it's a much more laid-back situation," she further explained, "You just go out there and perform. I'm gonna do my up-tempos and I'm gonna do my ballads It'll be a nice mix."

Nicole Richie Denies Pregnancy Reports

 Nicole Richie doesn't have a bun in the oven. The TV personality has been forced to shoot down recent speculation suggesting she is pregnant. In a released statement, she insisted, "Contrary to recent speculation, I am not pregnant. This irresponsible reporting continues to feed an atmosphere of self-doubt and insecurity."

The 29-year-old continued to blast the media for spreading the pregnancy rumors. "To publicly point out a change in anyone's body is mean-spirited and cruel," she said. "People's bodies change and change again. This is not newsworthy and is a waste of valuable media space that should be used for more important issues."

Nicole was hit with reports she might be expecting her third child after being photographed hiding her figure under some oversized clothing on several different occasions. On Thursday, April 7, she was spotted wearing a loose, flowing blouse as she walked back to her car following a lunch at Sushi Nozawa in Studio City. The day before, she was snapped leaving a gym in a large T-shirt.

Nicole has had two children with her Good Charlotte rocker husband Joel Madden. She gave birth to daughter Harlow in January 2008, and welcomed son Sparrow in September 2009. More than a year after Sparrow was born, she and Joel tied the knot at her father Lionel Richie's Los Angeles estate.

Paris Hilton's Rep: Jewelery Lawsuit Is 'Not Based on Fact'

 A representative for Paris Hilton has taken aim at a new lawsuit which alleges the socialite has failed to return a haul of borrowed jewelery, insisting the claims are "not based on fact". Pieces by Italian company Damiani, worth $60,000, were loaned to the socialite back in 2007 but were later stolen in a break-in at her Los Angeles home.

Cops subsequently recovered a haul of Hilton's belongings, which were returned to her. Bosses at the jewelery company's insurer Allianz Global filed suit against the star on Wednesday, April 6, alleging the Damiani pieces were among the items given back to Hilton by police and claiming she has since ignored requests for their return.

But a spokesperson for Hilton is adamant the lawsuit is without merit as the heiress never recovered the missing Damiani pieces. The rep tells the New York Post, "We only just received the complaint but it is clear that it is not based on fact."

"Among other things nobody from the Hilton team ever told the insurance company that the Damiani items that were stolen were returned. We are not aware of any of the Damiani items being recovered by the police, only costume jewelry was recovered."

Five people are facing charges in connection with the burglary.

Tyra Banks Tries to Have Baby With Boyfriend

 TV supermodel Tyra Banks has hinted she is trying for a baby with her boyfriend. The catwalk beauty, who was last rumored to be romancing businessman John Utendahl, has confirmed she is in a relationship and the 37-year-old has suggested she is planning to start a family very soon, telling TV presenter Piers Morgan, "I definitely want babies."

When the British host asked whether it will happen soon, she replied, "Yeah" and Morgan then pressed her on the subject, asking, "Are you trying to have a baby?" with Banks responding, "Yeah, maybe." The "America's Next Top Model" star also dismissed a suggestion she would get married before having children, adding, "I don't think it's necessarily necessary."

During the interview for "Piers Morgan Tonight", Tyra also confessed she is up to having a little "nip and tuck". Still, she insisted she hasn't had breast implants as what has been rumored. She said, "It was a very big rumor that I had breast implants and I don't blame you. On the cover of these magazines, I was very young, I was 23, 24, 25, and they were up there, like, 'Bam!' They pretty much looked fake."

The model-turned-media personality continued to say, "I'll admit that they did look fake, but they weren't. And my mom was like, 'They have no idea that you're just [busty],' but cut to years later, they're still thinking that because I'm wearing these gorgeous push up bras."

Vanessa Hudgens More Embarrassed Facing Lawyers About Nude Pics Than Parents

 Vanessa Hudgens was deeply "embarrassed" when she had to face a group of attorneys to talk about her naked picture scandal. The "High School Musical 4: East Meets West" actress has been the victim of a number of nude picture leaks over the last few years and the latest set of shameful snaps, which appeared to show the star completely naked, emerged on the Internet on March 11.

Hudgens' team has been working with police in a bid to track down the culprit who leaked the images, and she admits she was horrified at having to explain the photos to her legal team. In an interview with Capital Radio, Hudgens was asked if she was scared about her parents seeing the pictures, and she replied, "The more embarrassing thing is talking to the lawyers and attorneys about it but, whatever, you deal (with it)."

This isn't the first time Vanessa was dealing with the leak of her nude pictures. Back in 2007, she was forced to apologize to fans after a racy image of her surfaced. In a statement, she said at the time, "I want to apologize to my fans, whose support and trust means the world to me. I am embarrassed over this situation and regret having ever taken these photos. I am thankful for the support of my family and friends."

Kristen Stewart's Ex Gets Funnier After Mention of Robert Pattinson

 Michael Angarano seems to harbor no hard feeling toward Robert Pattinson. The actor, who dated Kristen Stewart before she was rumored dating Rob, sat down with NextMovie.com to talk about his latest project "Ceremony", and interviewer Breanne Heldman claimed he got funnier after the "Twilight Saga" heartthrob's name popped out.

Speaking of the 23-year-old's reaction, Breanne shared with E! Online, "He showed zero surprise at the question, smiled and maybe raised an eyebrow when he answered." The interviewer further noted, "He was completely unfazed and, if anything, he got funnier and possibly even more relaxed from that point in the interview."

Michael was actually joking that his "Ceremony" co-star Uma Thurman might like younger men before Robert was mentioned. When Breanne replied, "With 'Prime', 'Ceremony' and 'Bel Ami' with Robert Pattinson, you have to wonder", he said, "Oh, 'Bel Ami,' that's right. Can't wait to see that."

In "Ceremony", Michael stars as Sam who tries to woo Uma's Zoe. Talking about his character, he said, "I just looked at him as a very flawed, manically insecure guy whose having an identity crisis of some kind, whose been bulls***ting himself for so long that he doesn't realize that he's bulls***ting other people too. He's fooling himself but not really anybody else."

Lady GaGa Kept Dancing Despite Bleeding Feet During Music Video Shoot

 Lady GaGa proved she is prepared to suffer for her art when she danced until her feet bled on the set of one of her music videos. The pop star wore a pair of sky-high Christian Louboutin shoes to film her "LoveGame" promo and considered stopping the shoot when she realized her strenuous routine was leaving her with deep cuts on her toes.

But after some words of encouragement from her creative director Laurieann Gibson, GaGa resolved to keep dancing despite her bleeding feet. Gibson tells E! Online, "There was one time during the LoveGame (sic) video, (GaGa) had on Louboutins for the first time and we're dancing on cement. Her toes were knocking against the shoes because my choreography is very challenging."

"But she kept dancing and her feet were bleeding. It was almost the last couple of shots, and she limps over to me and she says, 'Oh, my feet are hurting me,' and I said, 'You told me you wanted to a superstar... You dance till they say cut.' "

Friday, April 8, 2011

YOUR HIGHNESS Review


Your Highness plays like an adolescent’s adventure through every sword and sorcery staple possible, and for some, that’s exactly what they want. Rife with penis jokes, pot smoking, foul language, and other giggle-inducing gags, director David Gordon Green and his ensemble cast are comfortable with maintaining that course throughout the entire film. This is a hard-R adventure comedy that falters in its attempts at grand set pieces but succeeds at making you laugh. Of course, how much you laugh all depends on what you like in your comedies. If you feel like this might be the film for you, hit the jump for my full review.
Prince Thadeous (Danny McBride) has long wished to bask in the glory that his older brother Fabious (James Franco) enjoys, but instead has opted for a life of chasing maidens and other debauchery alongside his trusted squire Courtney (Rasmus Hardiker). However, all that changes when the evil sorcerer Leezar (Justin Theroux) steals Fabious’ beautiful bride-to-be, Belladonna (Zooey Deschanel). With Leezar threatening to fulfill a dangerous prophecy, Thadeous reluctantly joins his heroic brother for his first quest. Along the way they join forces with the mysterious and alluring Isabel (Natalie Portman), who has her own goals in mind. Minotaurs, labyrinths, perverted wizards, and other foul creatures await as they embark on a grand journey to save Belladonna, and their kingdom.
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What is clear from the outset is that there is a certain brand of childish humor at work, and you will either be on board or not. Green is happy to play along with the script by Ben Best and McBride, and it’s evident that the cast and crew must have had a riot making the film. That being said, the jokes can be lazy at times, with many getting laughter simply because of the use of foul language or a tweak on old English.
At other times, there are gags that downright work even amidst their sheer absurdity. After battling a Minotaur, Thadeous chooses a trophy and manages to string along a gag well beyond 10 minutes without it ever feeling tired. However, it’s during the action scenes that Your Highnesstruly shows some warts. Green’s last comedic effort, Pineapple Express, showed he can deftly blend comedy and action, or at least pull off one and then the other.
Unfortunately for Your Highness, something never clicked. A carriage chase through the forest is hampered by a mind-boggling amount of camera angles and quick cuts that defies the ability to focus on what is happening. Additionally, the villains our heroes must defeat never feel menacing and instead simply exist as hurdles between jokes. In particular is Leezar, who acts more like a Dungeons & Dragons player on a power trip than any worthy opponent. Perhaps the hope is that the endorphin-induced haze will help smooth out the bumpier aspects of the film, but I couldn’t help but feel this could have been a home run.
Credit is due to the cast and crew for picking a tone and sticking with it for the entirety of the 102 minute run time. For better or worse, Your Highness never sways from the vulgar humor it is selling. The shame is that with the collection of comedic talent on hand, one would imagine synergy to occur. McBride and Franco certainly provide enough to keep you laughing, but it isn’t likely to keep you satisfied.
Score: C+
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ALL GOOD THINGS Blu-ray Review


All Good Things falls into the tricky subgenre of unsolved crime drama. Whether handled expertly, as in the case of David Fincher’s Zodiac, or sloppily, as in Brian De Palma’s The Black Dahlia, there’s something inherently dissatisfying about these films. Perhaps it’s because, on a primal level, we prefer our monsters caught and killed. Ancient myths were certainly never built on ambiguity and irresolution. Then again, ancient listeners never had the chance to watch a Blu-ray like Magnolia’s All Good Things, which not only includes the speculative story of a possibly monstrous human being, but also a fascinatingly bizarre audio commentary from the possible monster himself, Robert Durst. My review after the jump.
all_good_things_movie_poster_01All Good Things stars Ryan Gosling (Blue ValentineHalf Nelson) as the Durst-esque David Marks, a young man born into a real estate dynasty presided over by bullying patriarch Sanford Marks, played by Frank Langella (Frost/NixonWall Street: Money Never Sleeps). Marks appears at the top of the film as a likably rebellious son who wants nothing to do with the family business and everything to do with the lovely Katie McCarthy, played by Kirsten Dunst (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind,The Virgin Suicides), whom he eventually marries.
For those aware that McCarthy’s real life counterpart Kathie Durst went missing in 1982, a haunting pall hangs over the film’s early scenes of newlywed bliss. Many have long suspected Durst of playing a role in his wife’s disappearance and his 2003 trial for killing and dismembering an acquaintance named Morris Black certainly did nothing to negate those suspicions. Although Durst was never tried for McCormack’s murder and was acquitted for Black’s, director Andrew Jarecki (Capturing the Friedmans) hardly depicts Durst as some kind of wrongly suspected innocent. In fact, as played by Gosling, he comes across as a socially awkward man with potentially serious mental health issues and a penchant for violent rage.
Building a film’s narrative around an unconfirmed murder suspect and unsolved missing person’s case is a risky creative endeavor but Jarecki does his best to fill in the blanks. He certainly provides a riveting tale of marriage in distress during the film’s first half. Although he’s stuck playing a bit of a human cipher, Gosling is never less than mesmerizing. Meanwhile Dunst anchors us with her more recognizably human portrayal of Katie. It’s the strongest work of her career and when her character disappears from the film, it loses its comforting human heart.
all_good_things_image_ryan_gosling_kirsten_dunst_02If All Good Things is ultimately a bit dissatisfying due to its inability to answer many of the questions it raises – the intrinsic weakness of the unsolved crime drama – it’s still a riveting piece of entertainment. This is due in large part to its stellar cast, excellent period detail and costuming and strong supporting turns from Lily Rabe as Marks’ confidant Deborah Lehrman (whose real life counterpart Susan Berman was mysteriously murdered in 2000) and Philip Baker Hall as the murdered Morris.
EXTRAS
After watching the film, viewers are encouraged to further explore Durst’s alleged crimes with hours of fascinating bonus features, including the making-of docs “All Good Things: Truth in Fiction,” “Back in Time: Researching the Original Story,” and “Beneath the Surface of All Good Things: Interview with Andrew Jarecki.” These comprehensive featurettes reveal the fascinating process by which the filmmakers crafted their story out of court transcripts and filmed interviews with Durst and McCarthy’s friends and family. Additional bonus features include deleted scenes, “Wrinkles in Time: Ryan Ages,” showcasing the film’s makeup effects, and commentary with director/producer Jarecki, co-writer and co-producer Marcus Hinchey and co-writer and co-producer Marc Smerling.
The disc’s insanely revolutionary special feature, however, is the audio track with Robert Durst. It’s certainly a modern touch to have someone comment on a film that more or less implicates him in an unsolved crime. It’s also especially eerie how amiable Durst sounds confirming some of the film’s more disturbing acts of violence, including a scene in which Gosling drags Dunst out of a party by her hair. In my opinion, Durst’s participation in the audio track is somewhat akin to O.J. writing that “If I Did It” book. In both cases, it’s hard to tell if the act suggests total innocence or total pathology.
PICTURE/SOUND
The 1080p high definition picture shows off the effectively moody work of director of photography Michael Seresin (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban). Audio options include English 5.1 DTS-HD MA. Subtitle options are English SDH and Spanish.
FINAL THOUGHTS
All Good Things is an intriguing, well-acted crime drama featuring the year’s most provocative piece of added value.
All Good Things was released by Magnolia Pictures. It is rated R for drug use, violence, language and some sexuality.