Archive : February 2007
February 28, 2007
March Madness: The Biggest Movies of the Month
Opens: March 9
Starring: Kal Penn
Directed by: Mira Nair
The story: American-born Gogol (Penn), the son of Indian immigrants, wants to fit in among his fellow New Yorkers, despite his family's unwillingness to let go of their traditional ways.
Critical mass: "Though the condensing of Lahiri's episodic, decades-spanning narrative into two compact hours of screen-time makes for a pic occasionally overstuffed with incident, 'The Namesake' remains a richly compelling story of family and self-discovery." -Variety.com
Opens: March 9
Starring: Gerard Butler (formerly known as The Phantom of the Opera) and Lena Headey
Directed by: Zack Snyder
The story: "300" is based on Frank Miller's graphic novel and concerns the 480 B.C. Battle of Thermopylae, where the King of Sparta (Butler) led his army against the advancing Persians.
Critical mass: "Zack Snyder's decadent, hyper-violent and -stylized take on Frank Miller's graphic novel is shaping up to be some sort of new Fanboy Masterpiece, as the man who dared to update "Dawn of the Dead" is turning the battle of Thermopylae into one of the most anticipated movies of the year." -imdb.com
Opens: March 16
Starring: Sandra Bullock, Julian McMahon
Directed by: Mennan Yapo
The story: A housewife (Bullock) is shocked after her husband (McMahon) dies in a car crash -- and then reappears the next day, alive and well. Realizing it was a premonition, she looks for ways to avoid the tragedy.
The buzz: Not good. "Sandra Bullock either has absolutely no idea how to pick movies, or she simply doesn’t care about how she earns her paycheck," says cinemablend.com.
Opens: March 23
Starring: Adam Sandler, Don Cheadle
Directed by: Mike Binder
The story: A man (Sandler) who lost his family in the September 11 attack on New York City runs into his old college roommate (Cheadle), and their rekindled friendship helps him recover from his grief.
The buzz: Sandler proved his dramatic chops in "Punch-Drunk Love"; looks like "Reign Over Me" could pack a one-two emotional punch. "The general consensus seems to be the film doesn't manipulate 9/11 for an extra emotional response; instead, Bender is putting forth his take on how people bury their pain and eventually come to deal with it." -imdb.com
Opens: March 23
Starring: Sarah Michelle Gellar, Chris Evans (voices)
Directed by: Kevin Munroe
The story: Does it even matter? The Turtles are back! For real!
The buzz: No reviews yet, but the new "Turtles" movie is a first-of-its-kind CGI feature, which means expect exceptional visuals at the very least.
Opens: March 23
Starring: Terrence Howard
Directed by: Sunu Gonera
The story: At the Philadelphia Department of Recreation, coach Jim Ellis (Howard) turns a group of troubled teens into one of the best swim teams in the country.
The buzz: Everyone loves a good inspirational sports movie. Word has it, this one could fit the bill.
Opens: March 30
Starring: Daniel Hansen, Wesley Singerman
Directed by: Stephen J. Anderson
The story: A boy genius named Lewis (Fry) has his latest invention stolen by the Bowler Hat Guy. He meets Wilbur Robinson (Fox), a curious young fellow from the future, who invites him to travel forward in time to meet his eccentric extended family and hunt down Bowler Hat Guy.
The buzz: "Disney's in-house animation studio was stoked when 'Chicken Little' proved they could succeed without Pixar. So for their next number, they will turn William Joyce's best-seller into one of the potentially best-looking animated films of the year." -imdb.com
Opens: March 30
Starring: Will Ferrell, Jon Heder
Directed by: Josh Gordon, Will Speck
The story: In 2002, two rival Olympic ice skaters (Ferrell and Heder) were stripped of their gold medals and permanently banned from men's single competition. Presently, however, they've found a loophole that will allow them to qualify as a pairs team.
The buzz: The film I've been looking forward to all year. With a cast that also includes real-life couple Will Arnett and Amy Poehler as figure skaters, this could be one of the highest-grossing comedies of the year.
- Erin Steele
- February 28, 2007 5:24 PM
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Leave YouTube Alone
I was distracted by our live-blogging extravaganza during the Oscars when Forest Whitaker took to the stage to accept his Best Actor award, so I missed what many are calling the best speech of the night. I figured I'd catch it on YouTube, but I figured wrong: According to Variety, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has requested YouTube take down all videos of the 18-hour awards show.
Want to see the amusing bit by Will Ferrell, Jack Black and John C. Reilly about how comedies are generally overlooked by Oscar? Too bad. You can watch a few clips on Oscar.com, which don't have sketches in their entirety, but those will soon be pulled to" whet people's appetite for next year's show."
Considering an average of 39.9 million viewers tuned in this year, making it the third time in the past six years the show hasn't broken the 40 million mark, isn't having clips from the show available to all a good thing? Wouldn't that whet your appetite? This isn't as annoying Viacom's refusals to allow YouTube users to post clips from shows on stations it owns (including Comedy Central), but it does make me wonder what these media companies are thinking.
Now what are we supposed to watch when we're bored at work? What do you like to watch on YouTube?
- Sarah Carlson
- February 28, 2007 1:50 PM
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Right Wing Conspiracy or Simple Twist of Ironic Fate
According to this article, the Tennessee Center for Policy Research has issued a statement saying Al Gore (who won an Academy Award on Sunday for his documentary "An Inconvenient Truth") is not doing enough to reduce electricity consumption in his Tennessee mansion. Of course, this is coming from a group that doesn't believe global warming is a serious problem (who needs ice caps, you guys?!) So that might put it in perspective.
- Erin Steele
- February 28, 2007 10:17 AM
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Fashion Fiasco: We Weren't the Only Ones Who Hated JHud's Dress
I present Exhibit A
- Erin Steele
- February 28, 2007 10:13 AM
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Abilene art: Kids paint the darndest things
In the March 1 edition of the Abilene Reporter-News, two new youth exhibits are highlighted: the Youth Art Month exhibit at the Grace Museum, located on 102 Cypress St., and the Visual Arts Scholastic Event at the Center for Contemporary Arts, located at 220 Cypress St.
The exhibits celebrate the creativity and vision of children, whose spirits have not yet been crushed by the demands of corporate America. Sure, in a few years they'll be soaking canvasses in black paint and calling them "My Soul." But for now, they use a spectrum of colors to create actual portraits. It's beautiful. So check it out.
- Erin Steele
- February 28, 2007 9:55 AM
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February 27, 2007
"The Black Donnellys"
Friday night I watched “The Departed” again -- an entertaining look at the world of Irish organized crime in Boston, brought to you by Martin Scorsese. Sunday night, I celebrated its win for Best Picture and proclaimed my love for all things Mark Wahlberg.
But last night, I watched “The Black Donnellys,” a one-hour drama brought to you by Paul Haggis, writer of “Crash” and “The Last Kiss,” and NBC's latest attempt at a comeback from its perpetual ratings slump. Perhaps this sequence of events wasn’t wise; how can you go from Scorsese to Haggis? Well, you can’t -- at least not easily. Sure, “Donnellys” and “Departed” are from different mediums, one with much stricter decency guidelines to follow, but if our culture already has so many tales of organized crime done so right, why do we need a watered-down version? With Dignam on my mind, and as a firm hater of “Crash,” me not being one who enjoys cliché-riddled melodramas, I approached “Donnellys” with skepticism.
In the pilot, we’re introduced to four Irish brothers carving out a living on the streets of New York’s Hell’s Kitchen: Tommy, Jimmy, Kevin and Sean Donnelly. Tommy is the good, artistic one; Jimmy (played by Smalls, from “The Sandlot”) is the troublemaker, stealing trucks and doing drugs; Kevin gambles too much; and Sean makes out with girls whenever the opportunity arises. In a flashback, told by narrator Joey Ice Cream, we learn that when he was a kid, Jimmy’s leg was accidentally run over during a sort-of hit and run, an event that caused him to walk with a limp, stunted his growth and changed all of their lives.
I nearly passed out from boredom several times while attempting to write this recap, so I’m going to be brief. Jimmy steals a truckload of shirts to sell to pay back Kevin’s gambling debt. Plan backfires, someone steals the shirts, Jimmy kidnaps Louie Downtown for revenge. Uh oh! Louie is the nephew of local Italian mob boss Sal Minetta, which I always heard as ‘Salmonella.’ Jimmy wants ransom money, Salmonella agrees, but on of the boss’s men, Nicky Cottero, goes hunting for a Donnelly.
Cottero finds Sean, beats the crap out of him and leaves him on the side of the road. Jimmy finds out, goes back to the family bar where they’re hiding Louie and kills him. An important Italian crime person makes a deal with Salmonella, agreeing to let him kill Jimmy instead of all of the brothers. Italian boss tells Tommy that Jimmy needs to apologize to Salmonella and go alone, but smart Tommy figures it out, calls in a favor to his cop friend and Jimmy is arrested for the truck heist, which takes him out of harm’s way. Tommy and Kevin then go to the meeting instead, where Tommy leaves his crimeless life as an art student and kills a guard, Salmonella and Italian boss to the wistful tunes of Snow Patrol. Hell’s Kitchen is so emo.
Whew! That pretty much covers it, except for the scenes where Tommy gazed longingly at childhood friend Jenny (Olivia Wilde, Marissa’s girlfriend during her lesbian phase on “The O.C.”). Jenny’s husband is dead, but no one has the heart to tell her. So, Tommy just gazes. And sketches her face on a placemat at the diner she works at. And gazes.
Now Tommy is technically the head of the neighborhood, his actions setting up an obvious feud between the Irish and Italians. But what made him kill? He was the good brother, the one who always tried to keep the others in line. Wait a minute -- another flashback just revealed that Tommy was the reckless driver in the hit-and-run that shattered Jimmy’s leg. He’s the reason Smalls is small! After that day, he left his life of crime for a brighter future, only to return to save his brother’s life.
Despite being billed as a “gritty new crime drama,” I’ve seen more suspense on “Law & Order.” When you have a show about crime families that doesn’t have language or violence, you end up with a basic cable-man’s “Sopranos.” Those characters, or those from “The Departed,” or “Goodfellas,” or “The Godfather” or you name it would eat the Donnelly brothers alive. Now that I’d pay to see.
Maybe next week’s installment will be grittier, now that the brothers have gone from petty thieves to crime bosses overnight. But just as the brothers wouldn't last long if a Tony Soprano showed up looking to barbecue some Irishmen for lunch, "The Black Donnellys" might not make it, either.
- Sarah Carlson
- February 27, 2007 7:45 AM
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February 26, 2007
Oscar: The Best and Worst of the Night
It was mostly boring and very, very long, but the ceremony still boasted some memorable moments (in a good way). Here are our picks for the top five moments at this year's Oscars.
1. Martin Scorsese FINALLY wins.
No longer the Susan Lucci of the Academy Awards, Marty took home the top prize after years of losing to faux directors like Kevin Costner and Robert Redford. Greeted by a standing ovation, a humble Scorsese shrugged off the applause (but wasn't so dismissive of the little gold statue).
2. Alan Arkin wins best supporting actor.
Though we were pulling for Mark Wahlberg (though you already know that ... WE LOVE YOU, DIGNAM), it was a pleasant surprise to see the Academy award Arkin's hilarious turn as a heroin-addicted grandfather over Eddie Murphy's slight soul singer caricature in "Dreamgirls."
3. Al Gore DOESN'T announce his bid for the presidency.
There will always be a very fine line between entertainment and politics, but we like our awards shows election-free. Thank goodness Gore accepted his award for "An Inconvenient Truth" without using the Oscar stage as a platform for anything other than global warming.
4. We are the World
The Oscars were indeed an international affair this year, as filmmakers from Mexico, France, Germany, England and China all took home awards. It just goes to show film really is the universal language.
5. Shorter speeches
In order to make the ceremony shorter this year (which tragically failed), speeches were required to fall within a briefer time limit. This abbreviated time share meant no blubbering stars or overblown political statements, which -- though entertaining -- are almost always excruciating to sit through.
But let's not kid ourselves ... there were plenty of bad moments, too (don't even get me started on Celine Dion). Here's our look at the top five worst moments ...
1. The many takes of O'Ghoul
Could they have shown more reaction shots of Peter O'Toole, who long ago passed the age of facial mobility? He's an amazing actor, but painful to look at. Next time, let's have more shots of Wahlberg (Dignam!), s'il vous plait.
2. Jennifer Hudson wins.
We're not saying she doesn't deserve fame; she just doesn't deserve an Academy Award. Hudson took home a statue for a role that consisted of loud singing, dramatic hand gestures and little else, while more deserving nominees Kikuchi and Barraza were forced to look on as she was awarded the Oscar and stumbled through her acceptance speech.
3. Michael Mann's montage.
Too many montages! What was the point of this one? If there was a point, it could have been made more clear in a better-executed piece. All I remember were scenes of KKK members running around and Tom Hanks looking contemplative on the beaches of Normandy. Touching. Start cutting montages when the show starts running too long, and just cut Mann a check. -- SC
4. Ellen's shtick.
Some of her bits worked, but when she started vacuuming the carpet beneath the Hollywood elite -- at a time when the show was already running long -- she became more of a nuisance than an entertaining host. She was a little too sweet and goofy; if you're not going to do anything entertaining, then why are you interrupting the show? Bits from last year's host, Jon Stewart, were more memorable, such as the smear campaign ads accusing Charlize Theron of "hagging it up" to gain a win. We still love you, Ellen, but hire a better writing staff next time. -- SC
5. Celebrity introductions
When Hugh Jackman was announced as being "Volverine" (coming in with Penelope Cruz), the night officially hit a low point. The bits presenters are introduced with and have to say are always bad, but this year Oscar turned into bad repeats on the Biography Channel. As winners made their ways to the stage, not-so-interesting tidbits about their lives and careers were announced. The same useless trivia appeared on the bottom of the screen at the red carpet show. Did all the nominees have to fill out questionnaire detailing their favorite colors and worst jobs? Was this the Oscars or a middle school talent show? -- SC
- Erin Steele
- February 26, 2007 9:51 AM
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February 25, 2007
The Main Event
11:20: SC: Thanks for reading, Insiders. Mom: You let me down by not commenting. Special shout-out to Arthur for posting a comment -- the only person who posted a comment that we don't know. I am now kicking Erin out of my apartment, rejoicing in "The Departed" winning, crying over JHud winning, and looking forward to sleep. We'll be back tomorrow.
11:15: ES: Thanks to everyone who read along. I'm kind of sad my mom didn't post anything, but, hey, that's the way it goes. Check out our picks for the best and worst Oscar moments tomorrow.
11:15: International Tally: East Texas (who knew?): 1. England: 1. Argentina: 1. Italy: 1. Earth: 1. Asia: 1. Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 7.
11:14: ES: Awesome. We got it right! Sarah's doing a celebratory dance and randomly yelling "Dignam!"
11:14: "The Departed."
11: 13: Best picture goes to ...
11:13: ES: Jack Nicholson looks like Lex Luthor tonight. And Diane Keaton looks scary. Meaning she looks like Diane Keaton.
11:10: International Tally: East Texas (who knew?): 1. England: 1. Argentina: 1. Italy: 1. Earth: 1. Asia: 1. Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 6.
11:08: ES: And he does. It's about time. The standing ovation was well-deserved.
11:07: ES: Best director ... better go to Scorsese.
11:05: International Tally: East Texas (who knew?): 1. England: 1. Argentina: 1. Italy: 1. Earth: 1. Asia: 1. Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 5.
11:04: ES: Forest Whitaker wins! Although I always find it sad when an actor has to read from note cards. Oh well.
11:02: ES: If O'Ghoul wins, I will never stop laughing.
10:57: SC: Mirren's "Ladies and gentlemen, the queen!" comment sounded a little too similar to James Cameron's "I'm the king of the world!" comment.
10:57: SC: Foreign man I'm in love with alert: Clive Owen (sitting next to Mirren's happy husband, oh he of the "purely physical" comment).
10:55: International Tally: England: 1. Argentina: 1. Italy: 1. Earth: 1. Asia: 1. Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 5.
10:52: ES: The arrival of Philip Seymour Hoffman means time for the best actress Oscar. As if everyone doesn't know who will win. They should change the Oscars to the Mirrens. Even Hoffman sounded more bored than usual when he announced it.
10:47: Inappropriate things Erin has said: "Look at the In Memorium reel, O'Toole; this will be your spot in the ceremony next year."
10:46: SC: You'd think they would cut the montages and memorials when the show runs this long. I mean, I guess I'm sad these people died and all, but ...
10:43: ES: Apparently Scorsese cares who wins for best editing since he's crying. Either that, or he did as badly on his predictions as Sarah and I have.
10:42: International Tally: Argentina: 1. Italy: 1. Earth: 1. Asia: 1. Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 5.
10:41: ES: Best film editing goes to .... does anyone even care?
10:39: ES: My love for the montage has offically ended. Thanks!
10:36: ES: This is the longest ceremony EVER. It's almost as long as this date I went on a couple years ago with a male nurse who spent the whole day pitching his idea for a screenplay called "Murses." For real. It's not as entertaining as it sounds.
10:30: International Tally: Argentina: 1. Italy: 1. Earth: 1. Asia: 1. Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 4.
10:29: ES: And the Oscar for best song goes to ... Melissa Etheridge. Wow. And she just thanked Al Gore. He's gotten more shout-outs tonight than God. Impressive.
10:28: ES: Oh, John Travolta. Remember when you attended the Oscars as a nominee instead of Queen Latifah's arm candy? Maybe you should renounce films like "Wild Hogs." Tarantino won't resurrect you twice.
10:22: SC: I'm on my third coke and am in a sort of pizza coma. JHud and Beyonce are fighting it out Diva-style, seeing who can outsing the other with the most overly dramatic hand motions. Is that Jamie Foxx in between them? Who is the man "in the shadows"? These songs suck ...
10:16: ES: Satan decides to do an interpretive dance. You know, just to liven things up.
10:15: International tally: Argentina: 1. Italy: 1. Earth: 1. Asia: 1. Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 3.
10:14: "Little Miss Sunshine" wins for best original screenplay.
10:09: International tally: Argentina: 1. Italy: 1. Earth: 1. Asia: 1. Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 2.
10:08: "Babel" wins for best score.
10:07: SC: Hugh Jackman should sing. And take off his shirt.
10:06: International tally: Italy: 1. Earth: 1. Asia: 1. Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 2.
10:03: ES: The bad news: I will be nearly as old as Eastwood by the time this ceremony is finished. We still have six major categories to go.
10:00: ES: I know Clint Eastwood starred in spaghetti westerns, but I didn't know he could speak Italian. If movies can be subtitled, why can't this guy be? P.S. He's like the Italian Peter O'Ghoul. Still, a hearty congratulations. You're much, much more deserving than Jennifer Hudson.
9:57: ES: Aaagh ... Celine Dion. I'd rather pour gasoline in my ears and light it than listen to her OVERsinging. The only thing gaudier than her is that giant gold statue in the background.
9:50: Lesbians, Al Gore, diversity: This is what I call the Democratic National Convention. Now I remember why I love Hollywood. Shameless Colbert Shout-Out of the Night: "Good evening, Godless Sodomites ..."
9:49: International tally: Earth: 1. Asia: 1. Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 2.
9:48: ES: "An Inconvient Truth" wins. Finally, Al Gore gets to make a victory speech.
9:46: ES: When did the Oscars turn into the Laugh Factory? Thanks, Jerry Seinfeld. What an appropriate intro for the best documentary category.
9:43: International tally: Asia: 1. Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 2.
9:42: S.C.: Foreign man I'm in love with alert: Gael Garcia Bernal.
9:35: SC: Jennifer Hudson won. There are no words. Overrated doesn't quite sum it up. Beyonce looks like she's going to fire her manager (Daddy). At least they played JHud off the stage with cheesy music.
9:32: International tally: Germany: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 2.
9:31: ES: "The Lives of Others" just won best foreign language film. We still love you, "Pan's Labyrinth." Look, we're not saying all Germans are Nazis ... but history is on our side.
9:28: SC: What I said was that some of these look weird. Wait, I need a comeback.
9:27: ES: Sadly, I have just discovered Sarah has no love for the foreign film. Bigot.
9:25: ES: And another girl crush ... CATHERINE DENEUVE!!! She is awesome. If you haven't already, see "Belle de Jour."
9:23: International tally: Caribbean: 1. France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 2.
9:21: And the award for best visual effects goes to ... Pirates of the Caribbean. Way to class up the ceremony, Academy.
9:20: ES: Nothing like jokes about drug abuse. Especially when they're true. Hats off to ya, Robert Downey Jr,
9:17: International tally: France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 3. U.S.: 2.
9:14: ES: Then you should feel bad he's married to that block of ice.
9:13: SC: Back off. She's married to Chris Martin, another foreign man I am in love with.
9:12: ES: Hello. I'm Gwyneth Paltrow. I invented macrobiotics and Pilates. I shall now announce the award for best cinematography in one of the 18 languages in which I am fluent.
9:10: ES: Another resident of O'Toole land: Clint Eastwood. I think he's wearing blush. So Un-Dirty Harryish.
9:07: ES: I wonder if Katie enjoys watching the awards from her cage.
9:05: SC: Erin, don't be glib.
9:05: ES: The only thing scarier than O'Ghoul: Tom Cruise.
9:04 p.m.: International tally: France: 1. Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 2. U.S.: 2.
9:03: SC: Erin is talking loudly on the phone and eating the rest of my pizza. I am distracted by the pretty costumes. That's about all that's happening.
8:55: ES: 99 statues of gold on the wall ... 99 statues of gold. Take one down, pass it around ... just make sure one finds its way to Scorsese.
8:54: International tally: Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 2. U.S.: 2.
8:50: ES: Hey, we finally got one right. Victory! WAHLBERG! We love you, even if you didn't win. Wow, and Monaghan just gave O'Ghoul a shout-out. No O'Ghoul. More Wahlberg.
8:49: ES: Best Adapted Screenplay category. Maybe Bruce Vilanch (aka Satan) should take a page from some decent writers. Then celebrities wouldn't look so embarrassed when they read the teleprompter.
8:46: International tally: Antarctica: 1. O’Toole land: 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 2. U.S.: 1
8:44: ES: Best animated film ... “Happy Feet.” Boo.
8:37: SC: Ahhhhhh .... O'Toole!
8:36: ES: What will Al Gore announce tonight? Perhaps that, much like global warming, the constant bloating of his body cannot be stopped. His head looks like a balloon with a face painted on it.
8:24. International tally: Old guy (a nation I like to call “O’Toole land”): 1. Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 2. U.S.: 1
8:23: Erin is crying over Mark Wahlberg losing, so I'll take this one. Alan Arkin just grabbed the Best Supporting Actor statue for "Little Miss Sunshine," the first award of the night anyone cares about and the first upset. Dignam should have won, but Eddie Murphy still lost, so really, we've all won.
8:21: ES: Rachel Weisz doesn’t make it sound very fun to be a supporting actor. Fingers crossed: Give it to Wahlberg.
8:17. International tally: Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 2. U.S.: 1
8:16: ES: Best achievement in sound mixing. COME ON. Throw us a bone. At least announce best supporting actress.
8:17: SC: Foreign man I'm in love with alert: James McAvoy.
8:14: International tally: Iwo Jima: 1. West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 2. U.S.: 0
8:13: SC: "Apocalypto," all the way.
8:12: ES: Best sound editing. I'm totally rooting for "Blood Diamond." Who are you rooting for, Sarah?
8:10: ES: A musical demonstration of sound effects. Which is much better than hearing a song from "Dreamgirls." Thank you, Academy.
8:02: International tally: West Bank: 1. Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 2. U.S.: 0
8:00: ES: Best short film, including a nominee for an Arab version of West Side Story, which looks way cooler than the original one.
7:59: International tally: Danish Poet: 1. Mexico: 2. U.S.: 0
7:58: ES: Best animated short film. Has anyone other than Oscar voters even seen these?
7:56: SC: At the sight of Mexico flags being waved, Lou Dobbs turned off his TV with the rest of the "Independent Populists."
7:55: ES: International tally: Mexico: 2. U.S.: 0.
7:54: ES: Best makeup award. Probably not going to Helen Mirren in "The Queen." Let's be honest: The Queen is fugly.
7:50: ES: Look -- Will Ferrell is playing Justin Guarini. And Jack Black ... is playing a giant spaz. Meaning he's playing Jack Black.
7:47: ES: Girl crush alert. MAGGIE GYLLENHAAL!!! If you haven't seen "Secretary," see it immediately. As long as you are over 17.
7:46: International tally thus far: Mexico: 1. U.S.: 0
7:44: ES: Set decoration? Boo. Boring. Wait -- I forgot. This ceremony is 18 hours long. There will be a lot of boring.
7:42: SC: At least JHud took off the Coneheads-inspired gilded bicep warmer.
7:40: ES: Please, someone, give O'Toole a statue before he really does die.
7:38: SC: I miss Jon Stewart.
7:35: ES: I think every Republican just turned their TVs off after a lesbian gave a shout-out to Mexico.
7:34: SC: Velvet suit! Ellen, no. But you do have the hottest girlfriend here, so I guess you can pull it off.
7:32: ES: Did you see O'Toole clap? I think Andrew McCarthy was holding his elbow.
7:30: ES: Did Peter O'Toole die before this? That was like a corpse popping out of a casket. Are we watching the Oscars or "Weeked at Bernie's"?
7:30: SC: AHHHHH! Peter O'Toole just scared the crap out of me.
- Sarah Carlson
- February 25, 2007 7:28 PM
- Comments (6)
The Red Carpet : The Bold, The Old, The Beauties and the Beasts (We're looking at those gold bicep warmers, Jennifer Hudson)
7:21: SC: Girl crush alert: Sarah loves Kate Winslet (no phone call necessary).
7:20: ES: MARK WAHLBERG!!! If you're reading this blog, marry me. Actually, I don't need a commitment. Just call.
7:16: ES and SC: Eddie Murphy's girlfriend's dress has a mirror embroidered in it. Is this so Eddie can look at himself at all times?
7:12: SC: What is this trivia scroll appearing on the screen? Why did it leave out 'Spanish' as one of the languages Penelope Cruz is fluent in, considering she's nominated for her role in a Spanish-language movie? Why were the Smiths (Will and Jada) called the First Family of Hollywood? Why is Cameron Diaz here?
7:05: SC: Our pizza just arrived, so we're preoccupied.
And, so far our vote for the biggest fashion fiasco goes to JHud, who looks like she thought the Oscars were going to be held in space.
- Erin Steele
- February 25, 2007 7:01 PM
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Live-blogging Bawa Wawa
6:52: ES: Only when he's wearing a red or purple pleather jumpsuit.
6:51: SC: Is he really a comedian?
6:50: ES: See -- he is making voices. Just not funny ones.
6:48: ES: Look -- Barbara can barely laugh because of her Botox. Ouch.
6:47: ES: I have the sudden urge to watch a Charlie Murphy True Hollywood Story right now.
6:38: SC: Switching over to the E! red carpet horror, we learn that Ryan Seacrest hasn't even seen most of the films nominated for Best Picture. Case and point: Earlier, he asked Gael Garcia Bernal if he enjoyed working with Brad Pitt in "Babel." "Wait -- you weren't in any scenes with him? Well, what did you think of him anyways?" That's cool you were in a movie with one of America's biggest stars ..." I hate him.
6:32: ES: Eddie Murphy's up next. Let's see how many funny voices Barbara can convince him to do. Tears and funny voices -- they're like currency to Barbara. It's how she pays for the foamy glow that covers her cameras.
6:30: ES: When did Helen Mirren become Traci Lords? Could Barbara use the word “sexual” more often? The special has taken a turn from depressing to creepy. It’s starting to feel more like a first date than an Oscar interview.
6:30: SC: "Our relationship in the beginning was physical." -- Taylor Hackford, Helen Mirren's husband. To the point.
6:29: ES: Note to self: According to Barbara, nudity puts actresses on the map. I guess "map" means "Internet."
6:24: ES: So far, we’ve learned about Ellen’s sexual abuse and unemployment troubles. How neither American Idol nor Jennifer Hudson's boyfriend wanted to commit to her. Why are these things always so depressing? I’d rather be watching "Schindler’s List."
6:19 p.m.: ES: Sorry -- technical difficulties. Mostly due to the fact that my eyes were bleeding from the sight of Barbara’s dress. But we’re back.
All right, Insiders -- it's time to blog Barbara Walter's Oscar Special.
- Sarah Carlson
- February 25, 2007 6:17 PM
- Comments (0)
February 23, 2007
Too many questions. Too many questions.
In honor of Jim Carrey's latest, "The Number 23," opening today, here's a Tremendosaur spoof on the film's trailer, called "The Number 24." Considering the film is at an 8% approval rating on rottentomatoes.com, skip the actual conspiracy flick and enjoy this:
- Sarah Carlson
- February 23, 2007 1:50 PM
- Comments (1)
"Grey's Anatomy": Are You There, God? It's Me, Meredith.
Viewers who trudged through the three-part "Grey's Anatomy" ferry disaster/suicide case study should get a prize. After all, we not only endured Izzie's forced optimism about life and death and her cruel behavior toward George, but we had to watch a dead Meredith come to terms with her "lack of kicking and fighting" in the ocean that led to her demise. Oh, and our departed Denny had to talk her through it while the girl who was impaled kept bleeding out and the guy from "Early Edition" stood by and watched. Awesome.
To recap: After being accidentally knocked into the ocean while helping a wounded civilian from the ferry fiasco, Meredith, already dark and twisty and still smarting from being called 'ordinary' by mom, gave up on kicking and chose to head toward the light. She spent the better part of the second installment drifting gracefully through the water until the Demon-Possessed Child, whom she had been helping, lead a worried McDreamy to the water, pointing out to sea and implying that Meredith was swimming with the fishes. Derek goes in and gets her, but she's pretty much dead. While her fellow surgeons are trying to revive her in part three, Meredith is hanging out with Denny, Bomb Squad guy and two other deceased patients. They are there to help her come to terms with the fact that yes, she did give up, asking herself after a few moments in the water, "What's the point?"
Good question.
What is the point in dying, in creator Shonda Rhimes' world, if when we die we're doomed to watch those we love at a distance, reliving our pain of not being with them and watching them try to muddle along without us? Denny apparently haunts the halls of Seattle Grace, sometimes feeling Izzie's presence when they're in the same spot at the same time. Izzie can feel him, too, and while this might have been intended to be touching, I couldn't help but be depressed. We live in pain, die in pain, spend our afterlife in pain. Dark and twisty, indeed.
Meredith wasn't the only Grey woman dying: Ellis, the acerbic, genius mother suffering from Alzheimer's, flat lined after Derek berated her for breaking Meredith's spirit by calling her ordinary and a disappointment back when she had a few cognitive hours before she relapsed. Ellis showed up in the eerie afterlife, telling Meredith that she isn't ordinary after all and that she should start running away from the light. Meredith does, and her surgeons (on the encouragement of Christina) revive her. Hours of being dead and no brain damage -- impressive.
The non-afterlife sequences of "Grey's" were back to normal, with the ferry disaster under control despite all of the surgeons focusing on Meredith, and Christina's and Derek's devotion to Meredith was the best part of the show. But the sweeps gimmick/depressing look at the hereafter? Not worth our time. Rhimes' world is one where she's believed her own sensational press, and with the show being on such shaky ground plot-wise, I'm not sure it can pull of a spin-off (not to mention lose one of its strongest characters, Addison).
I'll stick with the show -- breaking addictions isn't easy -- but this season has left me a tad numb, longing for the smart, non-soap-opery "Grey's" of season one. If the show is only going to become more ridiculous, and one of our favorite characters is leaving, what's there to stick around for?
What's the point?
- Sarah Carlson
- February 23, 2007 1:40 AM
- Comments (5)
February 22, 2007
Welcome to The Insider!
Welcome, Insiders, to the new blog brought to you by the Abilene Reporter-News. Here we'll cover everything entertainment, from film, TV, music, celebrity news, fashion fiascos and everything in between.
Join us Sunday when we, Sarah Carlson and Erin Steele, live-blog the 79th annual Academy Awards. We'll start at 6 p.m. with the Barbara Walters Oscar Special, crossing our fingers that one of the nominees will cry when discussing his/her tragic upbringing. Then, we'll muse over all the celebrities sucking in their guts and shooting Ryan Seacrest death looks on the red carpet at 7 p.m. before heading to the show itself at 7:30 p.m. Grab some food, get cozy and stay near your computer -- we'll be updating our site with commentary on the whole shebang as the night goes on.
Bookmark this page -- we'll be updating throughout each weekday. See you Sunday!
- Sarah Carlson
- February 22, 2007 8:05 PM
- Comments (0)
If We Picked the Winners 2007
They turned in some of the year's very best performances, but received none of the glory of the Oscar front runners. Hey Academy, here's our vote for ... Who should have made the Oscar spotlight.
CHILDREN OF MEN
The most haunting and memorable film of 2006 was also the most glaring omission from the academy's Best Picture scorecard: Alfonso Cauron's ''Children of Men.''
In ''Men,'' women are infertile, humans have lost hope and most have given up, succumbing to the chaos around them. But a former activist (Clive Owen, right) has a change of heart when he's entrusted to lead a miraculously pregnant girl to safety. Despite critical praise, a late release date kept it off the academy's radar.
That's a shame, because through ''Children'' we're reminded that it's the knowledge that there is a tomorrow -- even if we won't be there to see it -- that gives us a reason to keep going. The political thriller kept me on the edge of my seat, and 47 days after seeing ''Men,'' I still can't get it out of my head. -- Sarah Carlson
AKEELAH AND THE BEE
Very few films celebrate the importance of intelligence. Even fewer celebrate the power of words. ''Akeelah and the Bee'' -- released in April of last year -- celebrated both, creating a powerful story of determination and intellectual exploration as experienced by an 11-year-old spelling bee contender.
Starring Keke Palmer as the titular champion and Laurence Fishburne as her mentor, ''Akeelah'' was critically acclaimed, but inexplicably overlooked. It may not have been ''Little Miss Sunshine,'' but ''Akeelah'' shined brighter than almost any film last year. -- Erin Steele
LEONARDO DICAPRIO
Sure, he was nominated. Problem is, he was nominated for the wrong film.
Though Leo displayed his ample acting chops in his nominated role in ''Blood Diamond,'' it was in ''The Departed'' - as a hot-headed cop-turned-mafia-mole - that the King of the World did his best work.
As Boston-bred Billy Costigan, DiCaprio expertly metamorphoses from anxious to angry to resigned to revengeful. It's no wonder the film's Irish gang could never finger Costigan as the snitch: with DiCaprio slipping into Costigan's shoes, you never knew what to expect. -- Erin Steele
RINKO KIKUCHI
She doesn't say one word, but Kikuchi's bold, Oscar-nominated performance in ''Babel'' was worth a thousand Jennifer Hudsons. As Chieko, a deaf teenager, she draws us into her world - one in which she feels invisible to men, who only see her for her disability. Her desire to be desired consumes her as she takes drastic measures to feel one drop of acceptance, and it's that need to be loved that drives the characters of ''Babel.'' All are put to the test emotionally, but hers is the one you'll feel the most for and connect with. In a cast boasting well more than 100, that's saying something. -- Sarah Carlson
TONI COLLETTE
Though she's no stranger to the Oscar spotlight, Toni Collette's brilliant performance as the glue that holds the frazzled Hoover family together in ''Little Miss Sunshine'' was sadly overlooked this year. Collette's co-star - and title pageant contestant - Abigail Breslin received a
(well-deserved) nomination for best supporting actress, but it was Collette who turned in the more layered performance.
Collette's turn as the matriarch of an unhinged household was a hilarious melding of heartfelt meets headstrong. By the time her character cuts loose with the rest of her motley crew atop a beauty pageant stage, you can hardly blame her for such a manic release. After all, Collette kept audiences sympathetic to her every move throughout each step of the Hoovers' odyssey. -- Erin Steele
ALEC BALDWIN
The King of the Cameo, Alec Baldwin set the bar almost too high for brief cinematic appearances as suit-clad sales shark Blake in ''Glengarry Glen Ross.'' Fourteen years later, he nearly outdid himself in ''The Departed'' as sharp-tongued Capt. Ellerby, who is determined to catch Jack Nicholson's Frank Costello in the act.
As Ellerby, Baldwin doesn't just master the one-liner; he's a salty-diatribe-spewing savant, a genius of testosterone-fueled tirades. Apparently, his '90s-era Mamet crash course continues to pay off. -- Erin Steele
MARK WAHLBERG
It pains me to think that the odds are on Eddie Murphy to walk away with the Oscar on Sunday. Murphy, who brought us the gems ''Dr. Doolittle,'' ''Daddy Daycare'' and ''Norbit,'' is hogging the spotlight that should be shining on Mark Wahlberg, who made a fine run at stealing every scene he graced in ''The Departed.''
Wahlberg's take as a Boston police investigator was perfect; In a game of cat and mouse, he risked everything to discover the rat who was tearing his unit apart. He has to temporarily leave his job, but he gets the last line, and thankfully he's in talks to headline a ''Departed'' sequel. At least he's getting the recognition he deserves (and was denied when he was snubbed for ''Boogie Nights''): While he has been building a steady body of work, Murphy has been selling his soul.
Wahlberg's the real winner because we can continue to expect greatness from him. What can we expect from Murphy? With a $33 million opening for ''Norbit,'' I'm predicting a ''Norbit 2.'' -- Sarah Carlson
RYAN GOSLING
Ryan Gosling's portrayal of Dan, a young, drug-addicted history teacher in Brooklyn was one of the more understated performances in the Best Actor category. Dan slides further and further into a drug-addled depression, trying to come to grips with life while forming an interesting relationship with one of his students, 13-year-old Drey (Shareeka Epps), who finds Dan on the verge of passing out in a girls' bathroom stall. The moment when Dan realizes who it is that has discovered him is heartbreaking, and it is mirrored later on as Drey learns more about the world of drug dealing. ''Half Nelson'' is a small, unassuming film, but often it is the unassuming performances that are the toughest to pull off. -- Sarah Carlson
IVANA BAQUERO
Those who fell in love with ''Pan's Labyrinth'' couldn't escape the spell of Ivana Baquero, who simultaneously serves as the film's heroine and the audience's guide through the film's maze of magic and war.
The 12-year-old Baquero showed talent beyond her years as Ofelia, embodying a bull-headedness to rival even that of the film's titular Labyrinth dweller.
Baquero stands as our link to the magic and mayhem of childhood, and in doing so, created one of the year's most memorable performances. -- Erin Steele
A little too much spotlight? We think it's a sin to give this 'Devil' so much praise ...
Meryl Streep is amazing at her craft - that's indisputable. Her devout fan base is just as impressive as her resume, and I know this because a coworker of mine is threatening to end our friendship over what I'm about to say. To me, her 14th nomination for ''The Devil Wears Prada'' is puzzling: The movie isn't good, and Streep could deliver that performance in her sleep.
She was the saving grace of ''Prada,'' obviously having fun as a soft-spoken, fairly evil fashion editor, but what else was there? The role wasn't meaty; it was just fun to play. This isn't as bad as giving Johnny Depp his first nomination for ''Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl,'' but it's close.
Maybe I'm being too picky; after all, a performance is a performance, regardless of the film's genre. But at the very least, Streep should have been nominated in the supporting actress category, making room for other hopefuls such as Maggie Gyllenhaal for ''SherryBaby.'' -- Sarah Carlson
- February 22, 2007 7:26 PM
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February 15, 2007
About Us
Name: Erin “Amanda Woodward” Steele
Occupation: Blogger/Ad Executive/Apartment Manager/Vixen/Occasional Wife and/or Girlfriend and/or Mistress
Interests: Seducing co-workers and/or fellow apartment dwellers; Bad dye jobs; Short skirts; Antagonizing annoying blondes named “Allison”; Knitting
Favorite movie: “The Return of Swamp Thing”
Words to live by: “I just think sometimes I’m a little too blunt with people, and I should work on that.”
Name: Sarah "Sarah" Carlson
Occupation: Blogger/High Schooler/Theater Arts Enthusiast/Reluctant Babysitter/Heartbreaker
Interests: Acting out scenes from my favorite fantasy novel in the park near my house, with pretty ribbons in my hair; Yelling “It’s not fair!” every chance I get; Wondering whether if I kissed the Goblin King I’d be kissing Mick Jagger by association; Toying with the emotions of crater-faced, bushy-eyebrowed little people; Enjoying hallucinatory ballroom dances with older men in tights
Favorite Movie: “Seven Minutes in Heaven”
Words to live by: "You have no power over me. You have no power over me!"
Who we love: MARK WAHLBERG!!!
- Sarah Carlson
- February 15, 2007 3:37 PM
- Comments (3)