Charlie Brooker - How To Report The News

Kathryn Bigelow wins DGA award!! On to the Oscars!

I am doing my happy dance this morning!  I woke to the news that Kathryn Bigelow had won the Directors Guild award, the first woman in history to do so, for The Hurt Locker.  The winner of the DGA almost always goes on to win Best Director at the Oscars, so we have our front runner after The Hurt Locker also won the PGA award.  Bigelow won over the expected winner, her ex-husband James Cameron, director of Avatar.

Bigelow said she was honored to be "in the same conversation with all of you," referring to the four men she beat out.

 Finishing her brief acceptance speech, she said:

"This is the most incredible moment of my life," Bigelow said.

"This is amazing. I'm so deeply stunned, honored and awed."

 Kathryn Bigelow filmed the low budget Hurt Locker in the summer in Jordan.  It earned only $12 million at the box office (while Avatar breaks every box office record in history), but is one of the top DVD rentals and sales.  That is sure to increase when the Oscar nominations are announced on Tuesday morning.

I am thrilled beyond words.  She won in spite of being a woman, and it is an acknowledgment of a long career of excellence.

I talked to my husband this morning about how he dragged me to see The Hurt Locker.  I didn't want to see a movie about Iraq, but he had heard about how great this little movie was.  I spent the entire film clenching my seat rests, riveted.  It is an amazing film, and an fantastic achievement.  You go girl!!

Read Awards Daily's comments on what this means for the Oscar race here.  I couldn't agree more!

Watch the first 10 minutes of the film.

Pee-Wee gets an iPad

Pee-wee Gets An iPad! from Pee-wee Herman

Conan OBrien and Former Secretary of Labor Robert Reich

Robert Reich posted this on TPM today. I had never seen it, and I was on the floor laughing!!

New Moon Sweethearts Candy

So, I was at my local grocery store yesterday, and I spotted these New Moon candies.  Yep, there's one that says, "Bite Me"

Twilight Sweethearts follow in the rich tradition of the Sweethearts Conversation Hearts you know and love from past Valentine’s Days – with a few new twists! Rather than traditional phrases like “True Love” or “Be Mine,” Twilight Sweethearts are emblazoned with 20 movie-themed expressions like “Bite Me,” “Live 4 Ever,” “Forks” and “I ? EC.”Additionally, every box contains special dazzled hearts that shimmer in the sun, just like Edward Cullen himself. Each delicious Forbidden Fruits flavor is inspired by Twilight – there’s Passion Fruit, Tempting Apple, Orange Obsession and Secret Strawberry.

Funny or Die on HBO!

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Oh, man. I just heard about this. This is awesome!

Sean Faris by Tyler Shields

Gasaaaaaaaaah.....

Sean Faris is currently in Vampire Diaries, airing tonight.

And there's a couple more shots not to be missed on Tyler Shields' site.  Yowza.

Happy Birthday Elijah Wood!

Happy 29th birthday to Elijah Wood!  I was curious what he's been up to, as we haven't seen him in a movie since Everything is Illuminated.  He had a voice part in the animated film 9, and is signed on to do Happy Feet 2.  His latest project to be released actually premiered last night at Sundance.  The Romantics is about several friends from Yale who gather at a wedding 10 years later.  Katie Holmes, Anna Paquin and Josh Duhamel also star.  I found this clip of Katie Holmes and Elijah talking about the film:

I hope Elijah finds some more interesting projects.  It feels like too long since we've seen him in a leading role, and dancing penguins don't count.

Wall Street 2 Trailer

Is greed still good? Oliver Stone's Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps has Gordon Gecko coming out of jail, and I had to laugh out loud when the guard hands him the brick size mobile phone. Carey Mulligan (of An Education) plays Gecko's daughter, and Shia LeBeouf is her fiance. Josh Brolin also stars, and Charlie Sheen has a cameo. Looks interesting!

RIP Zelda Rubenstein

RIP Zelda Rubenstein, who died yesterday at age 76.  She was most famous for playing the psychic in Poltergeist, but she also had character roles in many movies, like the organist in Sixteen Candles, and on TV in series like Picket Fences.

She was one little dynamo, and always unforgettable.

Josh Duhamel reveals his inner nerd

I have seen a whole new side to Josh Duhamel.  Josh was a guest on Live with Regis and Kelly yesterday, and Martin Short was substituting for Regis.  Josh totally surprised Martin Short by telling him what a huge fan he is of Short's Ed Grimley character.  He produced hair gel and spray from his jacket, made his hair pointed just like Ed, telling a stunned Kelly and Short that he was once Ed Grimley for Halloween.  He then got up and did the Ed Grimley dance, asking Martin Short to join him.

"That's fantastic. That was my dream come true right there," Duhamel said.

 You MUST watch the video at Huffington Post!

Howl -- Sundance 2010

The movie "Howl" opening the Sundance Film Festival, and USA TODAY's Anthony Breznican persuaded festival-goers Ben Affleck, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Rosemarie DeWitt, Michael Moore, Josh Radnor and others to read a selection from Allen Ginsberg's most famous poem.

Chris Pine Film Fest

Last night I watched the film Bottle Shock on Netflix on my computer.  Imagine Alan Rickman, Bill Pullman and Chris Pine in the same movie, and no, it's not in space.  It takes place in Napa Valley in 1976, and Rickman is the wine snob who showed that California wines were just as good as French in a blind contest he held in Paris.  Chris Pine plays the hippie, and I do mean hippie with long stringy hair, son of a winery owner (Pullman).  It's a mildly amusing film, and fun in that's it's a true story.  Besides wearing tight 70's jeans and t-shirts, there's not a lot to Pine's slacker character, Bo.

Today, I'm doing a sort of mini-Chris Pine film festival.  I'm watching my Star Trek DVD as I type this, and watched clips on Youtube of Just My Luck and Princess Diaries 2 to see what he was like in some romantic roles. 

My conclusion is that Chris Pine must have had one hell of an audition for Star Trek, as previous to that he basically had mostly Ken doll leading man roles.  He's so amazing and full of personality in Star Trek, and before that, meh.  Maybe there's some small gem or guest star part I haven't seen yet.

Thank you J. J. Abrams, for finding this rough cut diamond, and giving it a little polish!  Because he was certainly rough. 

Although you've got to hand it to the Chris.  You do have to be quite an actor to fake attraction to Lindsay Lohan!

LOST: Flight 815 Crash in Real Time

The crash of Flight 815 from Lost in real time in the style of 24.

LOST returns Feb. 2!

Epic Save the Date

Save the Date cards are so last year.

It's Complicated - Mini-review

I saw It's Complicated last night with two girlfriends, and it had us roaring with laughter.  Nancy Meyers has done it again with this adult comedy starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin.   Meryl Streep and Alec Baldwin play ex-spouses who have  been divorced for 10 years, and he has remarried a much younger woman.  During the weekend when their son graduates, they rekindle their relationship.  Meryl also has a burgeoning romance with her architect played by Steve Martin.  As the movie title says, It's Complicated.

There were several scenes in the movie that has us nearly on the floor with laughter, especially the scene you've seen a bit of in the trailer, where Meryl and Steve are stoned on pot at a party.  Hilarious!!

All three actors are excellent, the writing sparkles (Leap Year writers, take notes), and it is just a great movie to see with friends.  Meryl Streep's California house will have you drooling with envy.  That's what there is to drool over -- certainly not Alec Baldwin's hairy paunch!!  John Krasinski of The Office plays Meryl Streep's son-in-law, and he was also great.

I'm not sure younger audiences would find this movie quite as hilarious.  A group of young people left our showing in the middle. 

It was just a joy to see these three fantastic actors working together in a smart funny film.  Three and a half stars!

Alessandra Torresani Matt Dallas Tyler Shields

Yowza! Tyler Shields puts himself in this amazing video about desire and jealousy. He blogged:

If you don’t want art made about you don’t date an artist! When something crazy happens use it embrace it don’t get mad at it make something out of it! This was an amazing video to make Matt and Alessandra are insanely talented, while we were filming this there was a very intense choking scene that I may or may not have choked Mr. Dallas unconscious while filming! Make sure you check out Alessandra on Caprica...

 The song on the video is by Benji Hughes the name is jubilee
Ever been cheated on?
Ever cheated on someone?

They Might Be Giants - Put It to the Test

Producers Guild Chooses The Hurt Locker!!!

We officially have an Oscar Best Picture race!!  Tonight, although every Critics group had picked The Hurt Locker for the top film of the year, it was expected that Avatar would win the Producers Guild, just as it did at the Golden Globes.  Instead, in a shocker, The Hurt Locker won the Producers Guild!!

Why is this important?  Over the last 20 years, 13 of the films the PGA has picked have gone on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards.

Inglourious Basterds won Best Ensemble at the Screen Actors Guild this weekend, putting another wrinkle in the race.

Watching the Globes and the SAGs, it was apparent how the actors races, for the most part have solidified.  Watching Jeff Bridges get that standing ovation at the Globes, you just felt that this was his year.  He's been nominated multiple times, and never won, so this will be a career award.  Mo'nique is a lock for supporting actress for her work as the horrible mother of Precious.  Christoph Waltz gave a breakout performance in Inglourious Basterds and has been a lock from the very beginning for Supporting Actor.

The one toss up is the Actress race.  Meryl Streep won for Julie and Julia at the Globes, while Sandra Bullock came home with the SAG award.  We'll have to see how that one develops.

I'm VERY excited, though, especially for Kathryn Bigelow and The Hurt Locker.  I love that film, and it is my best of the year.  I've read that it is one of the top films for rental and purchase of DVD's.  People missed it in theaters, but the word is getting out.

Let's see what happens at the Directors Guild next!

Simon Pegg as Renesmee?

Simon Pegg is hilarious in the movies, and also very funny in his twitter posts! Here's what he tweeted this week:

• Yes!!!! I've been accepted into Hogwarts to do a post grad in technical drawing. Second choice after Bristol Uni but hey, cute witches.
• Oh great they don't allow dogs. It's either cats or toads. That's fucking disgraceful. I'm making a formal complaint to UCCA. Magic that!
• They've made an acception because Minnie can speak German. Yay!!
• They've revoked the offer due to my inability to distinguish between 'exception' and 'acception'. I'm doing a B-tech at Cheltenham Ladies.
• Dear news vultures picking thru my banal tweets for scraps of relevance, I am NOT in Harry Potter but I am the new Q in James Bond. (FALSE).
• And I'm playing Renesmee in Breaking Dawn. Using MoCap to turn me into a creepy, psychic baby. It's tough on Kristen, she has to carry me.
• I actually got the part because I am an exact cross between Rpattz and Kstew. Who knew such beauty could in combination produce this face?
• Me and Taylor had coffee last week. We had a couple of croissants then he imprinted. Haven't been able to get rid of him since. So method!

ROFLMAO!!!

Diary of a Wimpy Kid - Trailer

If you don't have kids, you may not realize what a huge phenomenon the Diary of a Wimpy Kids books are. My 9 year old son is absolutely obsessed with the books. We own them all in hard back and he's read them over and over again countless times.

This trailer gives me some hope that this movie will be a half-way decent adaptation. Steve Zahn is the dad!! The cute little sister from 500 Days of Summer is in it!

It looks like Freaks and Geeks, the early years.

Water For Elephants rumored to have Robert Pattinson, Sean Penna and Reese Witherspoon to star

Director Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend) is set to direct an adaptation of the best selling novel Water for Elephants.  Sara Gruen's book will be adapted for the screen by Richard LaGravenese (PS I Love You).  Yesterday, word came out that Water for Elephants may be Robert Pattinson's next project, to film in June before Breaking Dawn.  Reese Witherspoon has already been attached to the film, and Sean Penn is rumored to play Reese's husband in the film, the other part of the love triangle.

When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, grifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her.

Sean Penn as a paranoid schizophrenic animal trainer?  Yeah, I can totally see that.  This looks like it would be a good role to break into more "serious" films for Robert, who would obviously play Jacob.  Deadline Hollywood reports:

Deals still have to be made, and putting three pricey stars in a period adult drama is a challenging proposition. Pattinson, who between Twilight segments starred for Summit in Remember Me, has been cautious about choosing his next job, but the prospect of starring in another well-known literary adaptation, potentially alongside two Oscar winners, seems a strong move.

I haven't read the book yet, but I've got it on order!

The 100 Cheesiest Movie Quotes of All Time

NSFW - with some swearing.

LOL!!! Some real cheezy classics!

Ryan Reynolds in Buried

First Trailer for Buried, which will premiere at Sundance:

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

and a Clip:

Movie Trailers - Movies Blog

I'm going to be seasick if they do that rotating thing a lot in the movie. What else can you do with a camera in a coffin, I guess.

Japanese Glee commercial with Akebono sumo champion

Adorable!

Akebono, the Sumo Champion, is from Hawaii.

Leap Year - Mini Review

Let me just say that Matthew Goode in a Fisherman's Sweater, even with a scruffy beard, is no hardship to watch for an hour and a half.  I'm a sucker for a romantic comedy, and went out to see Leap Year to cheer myself up one night recently.  It's a decent enough Rom Com, even if it didn't have all the sparkle and cleverness I might have liked.  Really, after the excellence and newness of the writing in (500) Days of Summer, the standard formulaic romantic comedies come off a bit creaky.

You've seen the many commercials, so you know the set up.  Amy Adams sets off to Dublin to propose to her boyfriend of four years on Leap Year Day, a long Irish tradition.  Her plane is forced to land nowhere near Dublin due to a storm, and she hires Declan, played by Matthew Goode, to drive her across scenic Ireland to rejoin her fiance to be.  Madcap adventures ensue, and shock upon shock, she ends up with dishy Declan in the end.

I liked the movie well enough, and it's difficult to say if my sour mood going in shifted my perspective on the movie.  The one great kiss between Goode and Adams, when of course they are forced to pretend to be married to stay the night at the only B&B around for miles, was pretty darn hot.

But that was about it, not much sparks flying otherwise.  Amy Adams is beginning to wear on me a bit, too.  I adored her in Enchanted, where her perkiness was perfect.  After her turn in Julie & Julia, meh, not so much anymore.

Matthew Goode I have been praying would be in a romantic movie since way back when I first discovered him in Chasing Liberty with Mandy Moore. Yes, I actually own that DVD just because I fell in love with him in this scene, and it's more the talking than the kissing.

Please, Gods of Moviedom, get Matthew Goode a better romantic script, soon!  I haven't seen him in A Single Man yet, but although he looks dreamy in the trailer, that's not exactly what I have in mind.  Oh, I don't know, how about something crazy like chemistry with his co-star and a love scene, not a chaste kiss scene?   What about sharing a bed with a girl not just because he's forced to pretend to be married?  I know, I ask for the moon and the stars...

Leap Year I have to give only two and a half stars.  See it at a matinee with your gal pals, or just wait to rent.  Besides gorgeous Matthew, the Irish countryside scenery is pretty nice to look at, too.  Watch the trailer here.

Director Kathryn Bigelow talks about The Hurt Locker

When James Cameron walked up to the podium Sunday night at the Golden Globes, he said what I was thinking, "I thought Kathryn would be up here."

I realized as he gave his very pompous speech, and again for Best Picture, how much I really want Kathryn Bigelow to be the first woman to win Best Director for The Hurt Locker.

The Golden Globes are not necessarily a bell weather for the Oscars (Robert Downey Jr. for Sherlock Holmes?! - good speech though).

I do think judging from the reactions of the audience that Jeff Bridges is a lock for Best Actor, Mo'nique for Supporting, and Christoph Waltz for supporting actor. Anything can happen in the 6 weeks we have left, and I still have high hopes for Kathryn, and The Hurt Locker. Here's a video of Kathryn talking about her movie on the site Making Of.

Actor Gabriel Byrne abused as a child

I have always adored actor Gabriel Byrne, and I especially love his tortured character as a therapist on the HBO series In Treatment.

Gabriel recently did a lengthy interview on Irish television, and discussed his religious childhood, and unfortunately, his abuse at the hands of priests.  You can watch the whole interview here .

Byrne, 59, went to seminary at age 11 to begin studying to be a priest, and he lasted 4 1/2 years.
"Unfortunately, I experienced some sexual abuse," he said. "It was a known and admitted fact of life amongst us that there was this particular man, and you didn't want to be left in the dressing room with him. There were certain boundaries, sexual boundaries, that were crossed... I didn't feel that i suffered at the time.. It took many years to come to terms with it and to forgive those incidents that I felt had deeply hurt me."

"Again, I didn't think it severely impacted me at the time. But I suppose when I think about my later life, and how I had difficulties with certain issues, there is the real possibility they could have been attributable to that."  He later talked about his own battle with alcoholism.

He also said while, "I was beaten very regularly," he has never laid a hand on his two children, whom he had with ex-wife Ellen Barkin.

He left the seminary when he discovered women and felt more excitement for the female form than he ever had for the priesthood.

Watch the whole interview here.

Finches and Electric Guitars

New commission for The Curve
http://www.barbican.org.uk/artgallery... French artist Céleste Boursier-Mougenot creates works by drawing on the rhythms of daily life to produce sound in unexpected ways.
For his installation in The Curve, Boursier-Mougenot creates a walk-though aviary for a flock of zebra finches, furnished with electric guitars and other musical instruments. As the birds go about their routine activities, perching on or feeding from the various pieces of equipment, they create a captivating, live soundscape.

Lost Fans to Become even more annoying

Final Season Of 'Lost' Promises To Make Fans More Annoying Than Ever

Count me in!

Neil Patrick Harris Tweets from the Golden Globes

Sitting directly in front of this guy: Worried that he might try to fight me. What should I do?!?

Denzel Washington Venn Diagram

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass

OK Go - This Too Shall Pass from OK Go on Vimeo.

Featuring the Notre Dame Marching Band!

Adidas Originals - Star Wars Collection

Beckham, Daft Punk, Snoop Dog and DJ Neil Armstrong!

Imperial March Remix, indeed

The Golden Globes - January 17th on NBC

Tonight we all find out what Ricky Gervais is going to say. I'm sure he'll skewer Jeff Zucker and NBC, since he's Team Conan.

Should be a riot!

New Stills from The A-Team

The shirtless one of Bradley Cooper as Faceman was all I really needed, but there are three more at /Film.

Thanks 20th Century Fox for releasing one for the ladies!

The director of Downfall reacts to all those comedy Hitler videos on Youtube

The Conan/Leno video is only the latest in what is now nearly 150 versions of the Downfall Hitler tirade with new comedic subtitles.  Whenever a new controversy comes up, you can count on the Hitler video appearing soon after.  But what does the German director of Downfall think of all of this?  Vulture got Oliver Hirschbiegel on the phone to get his reaction on the internet meme created from his famous bunker scene.

"Someone sends me the links every time there's a new one," says the director, on the phone from Vienna. "I think I've seen about 145 of them! Of course, I have to put the sound down when I watch. Many times the lines are so funny, I laugh out loud, and I’m laughing about the scene that I staged myself! You couldn't get a better compliment as a director." Some of Hirschbiegel's favorites are the one where Hitler hears of Michael Jackson's death, and one in which the Fuhrer can't get Billy Elliot tickets.

As for the idea of such a serious scene being used for laughs, Hirschbiegel thinks it actually fits with the theme of the movie. "The point of the film was to kick these terrible people off the throne that made them demons, making them real and their actions into reality," he says. "I think it's only fair if now it's taken as part of our history, and used for whatever purposes people like." He adds, "If only I got royalties for it, then I'd be even happier."

Leaked Jeff Zucker voicemails for Conan

Leaked! NBC CEO Jeff Zucker's Vociemails for Conan O'Brien - watch more funny videos

LOL! I can't get enough of this whole Conan story. The comedy is flying fast and furious!

Hitler Learns Leno Is Moving Back To Late Night

Wes Anderson 's speech for National Board of Review award

Adorable! He then came out in person to accept the award.

Woman Married To Fat, Emotionally Distant Vampire Escapes Into 'Twilight' Novels

Read all about it at the Onion! This poor housewife is stuck with a 834-year-old overweight vampire husband and finds solace in the novels of Stephenie Meyer.

"Edward is so romantic," said Pastor, referring to Edward Cullen, Twilight's vampire hero. "He loves [17-year-old protagonist] Bella so much that he runs away from her to protect her. My husband, on the other hand, hasn't posed any kind of danger to me in years."

"When we were first married, Andrei was so dark and mysterious," Pastor said wistfully. "These days, pretty much all he does is sit around swilling blood and watching ESPN."

Added Pastor, "Edward would never do that to Bella."

*snort*!

Skynet Symphonic

I think this is one of Pogo's very best ones. (Same guy who did the Willy Wonka and Mary Poppins remix videos.) This one has a bit more narrative structure. Love his work!!!

How to Make a Michael Cera Movie

 

Bradley Cooper in A-Team Trailer

Ask and ye shall receive.  I was hoping someone would freeze frame those shirtless shots of Bradley Cooper from the new A-Team trailer, and My New Plaid Pants posted the screen shots. 

Watch the full trailer here.

The Hurt Locker out on DVD today

I got my copy of the DVD of The Hurt Locker from Amazon today.  Put it on your Netflix queue if you haven't seen it yet.  It is a truly amazing film, and is racking up the award nominations.  Hope Kathryn Bigelow wins Best Director.

Read my review here.

Watch the first 10 minutes of the film, to get a sense of what a tense thriller this movie is -

Suits the Musical!

From Monday's 100th episode of How I Met Your Mother. Love Neil Patrick Harris!

Channing Tatum in Details Magazine

 

 

 

More pictures from Details here. 

You're welcome.

Team Conan

Read Conan's press statement today here. Conan says Hell No, I won't go, and I don't blame him.

Desperate House CAT "Move - Get Out The Way!" Roomba Driver Bitch Slaps a Dog pit bull Sharky

What are people in your Zip Code renting on Netflix?

The NY Times features several city maps showing the top 10 films rented at Netflix by zip code. It's really fascinating.  Check it out here.  It doesn't show my zip code in the Chicago burbs, but cool nonetheless.

Oscars' Outrages! What Are the WORST?

HIlarious banter!

Robert Pattinson in Remember Me Poster

He sure looks all happy and smiling in the poster, but the trailer makes it seem like a much darker film.

The A-Team Trailer arrives

Totally cheesy, and on purpose for the true blue A-Team fans. I'll be there! Yes, that's Sharlto Copley from District 9 as Murdock. Can I just freeze frame that shirtless shot of Bradley Cooper as Faceman?

Happy Birthday David Bowie!

Happy 63rd Birthday, David Bowie!

Dr. Horrible Sing-along Blog Sequel in the works!

Joss Whedon had a very interesting interview with the Chicago Tribune about the end of his Dollhouse series on Fox.  He also talked about a sequel for the very successful internet sensation, Dr. Horrible's Sing-along Blog:

Once he's done making "Dollhouse," he'll continue to work with Maurissa Tancharoen and Jed Whedon on a "Dr. Horrible" sequel, the title of which Whedon declined to reveal. He will say that he expects to corral star Neil Patrick Harris and "the rest of the gang" from the first "Dr. Horrible" for the second installment of the Internet musical.

"What we need to do is get enough time to really solidify what we’ve got, really get the [script] in shape and then it all becomes about Neil and his availability. We’ve been basically telling him, 'Do whatever you want,' which he clearly took to mean, "Do everything there is," Whedon said with a laugh. "But we were like, until we have a script, we can’t really think of a schedule or a venue or how we’re going to do this and what size it will be, if we’re going to get any kind of any kind of backing from a studio or an independent."

 I never got into Dollhouse, but Joss Whedon fans hope he tries cable so he has more freedom to make what he wants.  He seems to be keeping his options open, including doing more straight to the internet, like Dr. Horrible.  Read the whole interview here.

Nicolas Cage as Everyone

This awesome blog called Nic Cage as Everyone has been making the rounds lately.  It is just a riot.  Here are a few photoshopped examples, among the hundreds posted.

Nic Cage as Buzz Lightyear

Nic Cage as Zac Efron

 

Nic Cage as Mary from Precious

Nic Cage as Obi Wan Kenobi