In a mind-boggling spectacle of sound and vision, U2 elevates the art of the concert film.
If you’ve ever experienced U2 in concert, you’re well aware that Bono can seem larger than life even when he’s physically in front of you. Beholding a three-dimensional projection of him on a massive IMAX screen quite literally solidifies that illusion. In a mind-boggling spectacle of sound and vision, U2 elevates the art of the…
Movie Review: U23D
January 24th, 2008Amy Winehouse enters rehab (For real this time)
January 24th, 2008
Amy Winehouse checked into rehab today, according to a statement issued by her record label Universal Music Group:
"Amy decided to enter the facility today after talks with her record label, management, family and doctors. She has come to understand that she requires specialist treatment to continue her ongoing recovery from drug addiction."Meanwhile, her cat is still nowhere to be found. A representative for London Taxi Co. refused to comment.
Travelzoo Reveals the Top 5 Most Romantic Ways to Pop the Question
January 24th, 2008
NEW YORK, Jan. 24, 2008 (PRIME NEWSWIRE) -- Travelzoo (Nasdaq:TZOO), a global Internet media company, today revealed the top 5 most romantic ways to pop the question this Valentine's Day.
Britney Spears terrorizes elementary schools
January 24th, 2008
Britney Spears caused an incident at a Beverly Hills elementary school when she was spotted outside smoking and talking to herself, according to Us Magazine:
“She was just rambling and confused,” says the witness, who approached Spears to ask if she was OK. “She said, ‘I’m here to pick up my kids.’ But then she changed her story and said, ‘They aren’t my kids; I have a new attorney, and I came to pick them up for her.’”At this point the kids were being let out and the sight of Britney Spears naturally terrified the little tykes:
“It became the talk of the school. Some of the kids were freaked out,” says a school source. She was directed to a more secure entrance around back.Either Britney Spears is now trying to kidnap random children or her lawyer is stupendously fucking retarded. Who the hell sends Britney to pick up their children? You’d be better off finding a pack of stray dogs and letting them sniff your kid’s hat. Of course, my lazy dad didn’t have much luck with this method. I was always biting the neighbors on account of the rabies, and they never did find my brother Jeffy.... But then again, Britney Spears, I dunno. Can't you just buy the kids guns?
But before getting into her car and driving off (without any children), she chatted up the female witness: “She said, ‘You’re so nice. You should give me your number. I don’t have very many friends.’"
Photos: Splash News
Strike, day 81
January 24th, 2008Despite the cold and rain, we had a sizable turnout at the Van Ness gate this morning, with four newcomers joining the stalwart crew. The Seattle folks brought coffee (purchased locally; they didn’t bring it with them), while feature scribes Amy and Liz enthusiastically pitched the plotline of Miracle Mile, an LA disaster movie they claim seriously smokes Volcano.
To me, it’s the lack of an urban core which seriously weakens LA’s viability for disaster movies. What is a giant monster supposed to attack? The Hollywood sign? A landmark made of white-painted wood isn’t particularly smash-worthy. If recollection serves, The Day After Tomorrow took it out with twisters, but that was hardly a key plot point.
No, the Cloverfield equivalent of LA would find the monster smashing the Santa Monica Pier, then walking 20 minutes to take out the Getty Center, and subsequently getting lost in the Valley while trying to find the Griffith Park observatory. Our most iconic feature is our vast freeway system, which doesn’t lend itself to cinematic destruction.
What LA needs is an ostentatious, provocative and destroyable landmark. Yes, it would be catnip for terrorists. But think of the movies.
Back at Paramount, we had more traffic than we’d seen in weeks, with many cars and trucks backed up. Completely not our doing — it was the security gate checking IDs. After the 10th truck with barking dogs in back, we started to realize that something other than Star Trek must be shooting on the lot. A friendly teamster gave us the answer: Hotel for Dogs.
Thursday is our Friday, so no picketing until Monday. Over the weekend, I’ll update with any special information.
Sundance Day 8: They Wanna Be Sedated
January 24th, 2008Finally saw one that blew my doors off last night: "Young@Heart," British filmmaker Stephen Walker traveled to Northampton, Mass., to film the Young@Heart Chorus, a vocal choir whose average age is 80 and whose choice of material includes songs by The Clash, James Brown, Sonic Youth, and a lot of Talking Heads.
Watching two very old-timers give The Godfather of Soul?s ?I Feel Good? their all is a very special experience indeed, and the movie works like a charm at the cutesy-grandpa level. As ?Young@Heart? progresses, though, and some of the choir members fall by the wayside, the real toughness and clarity of the subjects renders the film immensely moving. These geriatrics have no illusions about where they are and where they?re going ? soon ? and their response is to find new meaning in Coldplay?s ?Fix Me? and bellow the Clash?s ?Should I Stay or Should I Go? against the dying of the light. It?s a lesson not lost on everyone at this festival.
Here's some video of choir director Bob Cilman addressing the audience after the screening. (If I'd had my finger on the trigger faster I would have captured 85-year-old Dora Morrow doing her best James Brown impression. What can I say -- I'm a critic, not a cameraman.)
Sundance Day 8: Local boy makes good short
January 24th, 2008Rob Meyer is a Newton boy who lives in New York now, but his short film, "Aquarium," is shot partly at the New England Aquarium and it definitely captures the surreal, blandly dysfunctional vibe of the western suburbs. The opens with a scene that had the audience dead set against the film and then slowly works its way back into our good graces, with funny, dead-on performances by a handful of adolescent leads.
"Aquarium" screened last night as part of the "Shorts Program I" compilation, which also included a very strong post-Hurricane Katrina short story called "Second Line" -- it played like black Flannery O'Connor from where I sat -- and an eerie Dutch short called "Dennis," featuring an amazing man-mountain body-builder in the title role.
Anyway, the filmmakers were all at the screening and answered questions at the end, Here's a video of Meyer telling the audience that, no, he did not kill his dog.
Making the Rounds at General Hospital – Cooper’s Guilty?
January 24th, 2008It was Cooper’s DNA under Georgie’s fingernails, but does that make him the text-message killer?
Wednesdays are typically slower plotline days and yesterday’s episode didn’t really hold my interest at all. The only “big reveal” is certain to be a misdirection given to throw us off the track of the real text-message killer….
Tony Romo Hail Mary’s Jessica Simpson
January 24th, 2008
Tony Romo apparently believes the rumors that Jessica Simpson distracted him and decided the two should “just be friends,” according to NY Daily News:
A few days after the Giants bounced the Cowboys from the playoffs, Romo called the "Dukes of Hazzard" star to tell her their romance was over.Poor Jessica Simpson. I guess she’s on the rebound and is probably through with professional athletes. Well, she’s in luck. I’m also single and don’t professionally play any sports. Though I am a champion at Nude Photo Hunt at the bar. And by champion I mean I drunkenly make out with the machine until the bouncer hits me with a cue stick. It’s sort of my calling in life and, as long as Jessica respects that, I can see a future for us.
"He said he thought it was better if they went back to being friends," a pal of hers said.
Ben Stiller defends Tom Cruise
January 24th, 2008"Imagine having a baby and people talking about it the way they did," says Stiller. "People lose sight of the fact that Tom Cruise is actually a person. I feel for him."Ben Stiller has a point. I mean, Tom Cruise is a person. Who’s really an alien - trapped inside a person. That can talk to other aliens inside other persons. It all makes sense when you think about it and are really, really high. NOTE: I reposted the FunnyOrDie spoof because, well, it’s freaking hilarious. I still can't get over it’s Jerry O’Connell. I thought he was just a myth.
