by Ugur Akinci
A visually satisfying thriller jam packed with action sequences, explosions, and fight scenes. It does not live up to my standards of a perfect "Bond movie" but it is good entertainment nevertheless. A 7 out of 10.
Another serious error concerns the portrayal of the (supposedly) main antagonist “Le Chiffre.”
After making us believe for the whole movie that Le Chieffre is as genuine and authentic an evil nemesis as “Dr. No”, the director suddenly reveals in the third act that the dreaded bad-guy is nothing more than just an intermediary, a hired hand for the “corporation” which is pulling the REAL strings behind the scenes.
Ugh! What a let down... It not only belittles our initial take on the stakes involved, but it diminishes the scope of Bond’s accomplishment as well.
Thus, despite the involvement of Paul Haggis who is one of those script writers in Hollywood who really know what they are doing, the script has some serious issues for a 007 movie.
Having said all that, let’s praise all the skill and vision that went into shooting the chase-machine that “Casino Royale” is…
The opening long chase shot is easily one of the most breathtaking foot chase sequence I’ve ever watched in my life! Just when you think “okay, it’s now coming to an end” another mini-sequence develops, hurtling James from one impossible precipice to another… Very well done.
If you have not watched a whole historic building in Venice imploding on itself and sinking like the Titanic while its inhabitants are busy killing each other off, you’ll “enjoy” that in Casino Royale as well…
A visually satisfying thriller jam packed with action sequences, explosions, and fight scenes. It does not live up to my standards of a perfect “Bond movie” but it is good entertainment nevertheless. A 7 out of 10.
And should you want to see one movie in which Daniel Craig really shines, please see the Irish crime thriller “Layered Cake.”
Saturday, April 28, 2007
Bollywood Movie Review - Dhoom 2
by Thanaseelan Vengadasalam
Dhoom 2, which came out in November 24, 2006, was such a big hit that it had a very successful opening in India and overseas. In the US alone, it had earned US$2,642,290 by early 2007. Dhoom 2 is a hugely commercialised film which does not have a proper story line, if it has any. Rather, the movie has spent much time and effort on all aspects of commercialisms in terms of the cast, entertainment, glamour, songs etc.
Dhoom 2, which came out in November 24, 2006, was such a big hit that it had a very successful opening in India and overseas. In the US alone, it had earned US$2,642,290 by early 2007. Dhoom 2 is a hugely commercialised film which does not have a proper story line, if it has any. Rather, the movie has spent much time and effort on all aspects of commercialisms in terms of the cast, entertainment, glamour, songs etc.
To some, having a good story or plot might be the most important thing to look out for in a film. Perhaps not too much of it should be expected, since the purpose of a movie is meant to entertain in various ways (acting, glamour, music, cinematography, video editing etc) apart from a good storyline. If people were to keep expecting just good stories from movies, they might as well read a good novel instead.
Then again, the director should not have neglected the story so much to the extent that critics come up with endless lists to highlight all the flaws which are so apparent throughout the movie.
Story:
As mentioned before, the story is not really paid attention to. A mysterious their, who calls himself Mr. A (Hrithik Roshan), goes literally around the world stealing priceless items in highly sophisticated ways. The purpose of his behaviour is not explained. A hot pursuit by an ACP, Assistant Commissioner of Police (played by Abhishek Bachan), then follows and along the way, Mr. A finds himself a voluntary partner Sunehri (Aishwarya Rai) whom he later finds out that she is sent to spy on him. She finds out later that she has fallen for him in a typical Bollywood fashion and joins hands with him after that.
The star appeal of each actor has been highlighted through their respective introductory scenes which may seem unnecessary to most viewers. In fact, most of the scenes are unnecessary but that is because story is not the focus of this movie at all.
Screenplay:
Fun and entertainment are primarily the main attention in this movie. This movie is taken in a rather commercially appealing way right from the start till the very end. Probably this is where its success is attributed to.
Eye candy supplied by Aishwarya Rai and Bipasha Basu are part of the fun factor which is simply meant to divert the audience’s attention from wondering what the story is about.
Uday Chopra is the main entertainment factor as he does his comic antics to keep a smile on the audience’s faces.
Cinematography:
Cinematography is awesome. Every robbery scene is well taken care by the camera angles and shots.
Video Editing:
Video editing is quite well done, even though more of it could be implemented since the movie is done purely for entertainment.
Dhoom 2, which came out in November 24, 2006, was such a big hit that it had a very successful opening in India and overseas. In the US alone, it had earned US$2,642,290 by early 2007. Dhoom 2 is a hugely commercialised film which does not have a proper story line, if it has any. Rather, the movie has spent much time and effort on all aspects of commercialisms in terms of the cast, entertainment, glamour, songs etc.
Dhoom 2, which came out in November 24, 2006, was such a big hit that it had a very successful opening in India and overseas. In the US alone, it had earned US$2,642,290 by early 2007. Dhoom 2 is a hugely commercialised film which does not have a proper story line, if it has any. Rather, the movie has spent much time and effort on all aspects of commercialisms in terms of the cast, entertainment, glamour, songs etc.
To some, having a good story or plot might be the most important thing to look out for in a film. Perhaps not too much of it should be expected, since the purpose of a movie is meant to entertain in various ways (acting, glamour, music, cinematography, video editing etc) apart from a good storyline. If people were to keep expecting just good stories from movies, they might as well read a good novel instead.
Then again, the director should not have neglected the story so much to the extent that critics come up with endless lists to highlight all the flaws which are so apparent throughout the movie.
Story:
As mentioned before, the story is not really paid attention to. A mysterious their, who calls himself Mr. A (Hrithik Roshan), goes literally around the world stealing priceless items in highly sophisticated ways. The purpose of his behaviour is not explained. A hot pursuit by an ACP, Assistant Commissioner of Police (played by Abhishek Bachan), then follows and along the way, Mr. A finds himself a voluntary partner Sunehri (Aishwarya Rai) whom he later finds out that she is sent to spy on him. She finds out later that she has fallen for him in a typical Bollywood fashion and joins hands with him after that.
The star appeal of each actor has been highlighted through their respective introductory scenes which may seem unnecessary to most viewers. In fact, most of the scenes are unnecessary but that is because story is not the focus of this movie at all.
Screenplay:
Fun and entertainment are primarily the main attention in this movie. This movie is taken in a rather commercially appealing way right from the start till the very end. Probably this is where its success is attributed to.
Eye candy supplied by Aishwarya Rai and Bipasha Basu are part of the fun factor which is simply meant to divert the audience’s attention from wondering what the story is about.
Uday Chopra is the main entertainment factor as he does his comic antics to keep a smile on the audience’s faces.
Cinematography:
Cinematography is awesome. Every robbery scene is well taken care by the camera angles and shots.
Video Editing:
Video editing is quite well done, even though more of it could be implemented since the movie is done purely for entertainment.
Collectors Go Wild For The Vintage Poster
by Sharon Price
Movie posters have been around since the time when films were first made however at that time nobody had any idea that the posters that were advertising the films would be worth a lot of money. The original plan was to sell projectors and film prints as a home movie entertainment system. The general public did not know what film was arriving at the local theatre and this was a way of doing it.
The vintage posters that first used the concept of poster advertisements for films turned out to be wildly successful and set the stage for the way business would be conducted for the next 100 years. These such posters are now worth lots of money.
The Classic Vintage Poster For The Classic Vintage Film
If there were any vintage posters from films released during the last thirty years that were considered rare, they would have been snapped up by collectors a long time ago. A vintage poster is not any poster advertising a film but the actual poster used at the cinemas. These vintage posters that are sent to the cinemas by the film companies are the ones that are worth the money and sort after by the collectors and are considered a prized possession.
Of the classic film vintage posters, among the most prized vintage posters that collectors desire include King Kong, Frankenstein, Casablanca, and Gone with the Wind. These films’ posters are in high demand because these vintage posters are the posters of four of the most famous, most successful and most influential films of all time. Classic vintage poster of the last few years include such films as Star Wars, Batman, Spiderman and ET.
All of these films have vintage posters that collectors prize with a passion. When offered up for auction, they can fetch prices that are quite high drawing several thousands of dollars in bids. When purchased they are usually properly stored away or, at minimum, placed in an expensive and durable frame.
While most of us can not afford these vintage posters in their original form, they all look kind of cool in reproductions. Avid film fans will probably keep the reproductions of these films in circulation for years and collectors of vintage posters will also keep the auction prices very high. If you get the chance in years to come, go to your local cinema and ask them if you can have or buy the posters as one day, you never know the poster you have been given, may just become a vintage poster in years to come.
Movie posters have been around since the time when films were first made however at that time nobody had any idea that the posters that were advertising the films would be worth a lot of money. The original plan was to sell projectors and film prints as a home movie entertainment system. The general public did not know what film was arriving at the local theatre and this was a way of doing it.
The vintage posters that first used the concept of poster advertisements for films turned out to be wildly successful and set the stage for the way business would be conducted for the next 100 years. These such posters are now worth lots of money.
The Classic Vintage Poster For The Classic Vintage Film
If there were any vintage posters from films released during the last thirty years that were considered rare, they would have been snapped up by collectors a long time ago. A vintage poster is not any poster advertising a film but the actual poster used at the cinemas. These vintage posters that are sent to the cinemas by the film companies are the ones that are worth the money and sort after by the collectors and are considered a prized possession.
Of the classic film vintage posters, among the most prized vintage posters that collectors desire include King Kong, Frankenstein, Casablanca, and Gone with the Wind. These films’ posters are in high demand because these vintage posters are the posters of four of the most famous, most successful and most influential films of all time. Classic vintage poster of the last few years include such films as Star Wars, Batman, Spiderman and ET.
All of these films have vintage posters that collectors prize with a passion. When offered up for auction, they can fetch prices that are quite high drawing several thousands of dollars in bids. When purchased they are usually properly stored away or, at minimum, placed in an expensive and durable frame.
While most of us can not afford these vintage posters in their original form, they all look kind of cool in reproductions. Avid film fans will probably keep the reproductions of these films in circulation for years and collectors of vintage posters will also keep the auction prices very high. If you get the chance in years to come, go to your local cinema and ask them if you can have or buy the posters as one day, you never know the poster you have been given, may just become a vintage poster in years to come.
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Big Brother - Bollywood Movie Review
by Seo Mumbai
By now, one knows what to expect from a Sunny Deol film - a lot of goons getting a lot of thrashing. Guddo Dhanoa's Big Brother copies the formula faithfully. The character one really feels sorry for is the hero's sister. So that he can play the macho avenger, she gets acid thrown in her face, is molested in the street and finally blown up with a bomb.
By now, one knows what to expect from a Sunny Deol film — a lot of goons getting a lot of thrashing. Guddo Dhanoa’s Big Brother copies the formula faithfully. The character one really feels sorry for is the hero’s sister. So that he can play the macho avenger, she gets acid thrown in her face, is molested in the street and finally blown up with a bomb. The treatment of women in the capital enrages Deodhar Gandhi (which was the original title of the film) into forming a vigilante squad that punishes men who get away with legal loopholes. The public and the media turns him into a hero; strange then, that he moves to Mumbai and drives an auto without anyone recognising him.
In Mumbai he wants to live peacefully with his family, but there are hoodlums to be fought here too. Plus a chawl don, a corrupt cop and an evil minister. As stuntmen fly into the air or get buried in the earth when Deodhar hits out, he becomes a mass hero again. The finale is played out with a camera recording the killings live — how ridiculous can it get? For a break from the violence are a few songs (which is why Priyanka Chopra is in the cast) and an item number or two.
By now, one knows what to expect from a Sunny Deol film - a lot of goons getting a lot of thrashing. Guddo Dhanoa's Big Brother copies the formula faithfully. The character one really feels sorry for is the hero's sister. So that he can play the macho avenger, she gets acid thrown in her face, is molested in the street and finally blown up with a bomb.
By now, one knows what to expect from a Sunny Deol film — a lot of goons getting a lot of thrashing. Guddo Dhanoa’s Big Brother copies the formula faithfully. The character one really feels sorry for is the hero’s sister. So that he can play the macho avenger, she gets acid thrown in her face, is molested in the street and finally blown up with a bomb. The treatment of women in the capital enrages Deodhar Gandhi (which was the original title of the film) into forming a vigilante squad that punishes men who get away with legal loopholes. The public and the media turns him into a hero; strange then, that he moves to Mumbai and drives an auto without anyone recognising him.
In Mumbai he wants to live peacefully with his family, but there are hoodlums to be fought here too. Plus a chawl don, a corrupt cop and an evil minister. As stuntmen fly into the air or get buried in the earth when Deodhar hits out, he becomes a mass hero again. The finale is played out with a camera recording the killings live — how ridiculous can it get? For a break from the violence are a few songs (which is why Priyanka Chopra is in the cast) and an item number or two.
11 Jobs That Can Help You Stay Focused On Your Acting Career
by Anthony Lee Smith
While there are not many things that you could do to make money that compare to the possibilities that the internet offers for example, if you do have to work more in the traditional sense, then at least try to do something that will be of benefit to you as an actor while you’re working. Here are some possibilities:
1. Try to get work in a casting director or an agent’s office. Sometimes in the industry trade papers agents and casting directors advertise for assistants and people to work a few hours a week opening mail and doing office chores. It’s a great way to learn what goes on in their offices. You get to see the kinds of mail other actors send in, overhear telephone conversations, and just basically see what it’s like first hand.
2. The Actors Connection is an organization in New York that provides a great service to actors by giving them the opportunity to meet and audition for agents, casting directors and other industry professionals who are not always the easiest people to be able to meet. They do this in the form of seminars every evening and often even on Saturdays. During the seminars there are what I call “gate keepers” who keep the time and ensure that all the participants get an equal share of the industry professional’s time who is conducting the individual session.
At times AC is looking for people to work, usually flexible hours as one of the “gate keepers”. That is also a great way to meet first hand casting directors and agents, listen in on the question and answer sessions before the individual, one on one sessions take place. A great way to learn!
3. In addition, there are other acting schools around the city that look for assistants.
4. Theater companies looking for stage personel and production assistants often with no experience necessary. Prerequisite is to be responsible and a fast learner.
5. There are also a host of casting websites and organizations, such as Actors Access, Breakdown Services, NYCastings as well. If you do a Google search, you will find a slew of others. Why not see if they need help or could use your services?
6. There are also showcases and industry events that are organized to help actors promote their careers. It's a great way to meet casting directors and agents. The organization of those events is a big to do and they need hosts and hostesses to help the event go smoothly. You can find information about such events by simply keeping abreast of what’s going on in the industry. Read the trade papers regularly and check the top acting/casting websites.
7. Why not see if the local union offices of SAG, AFTRA and EQUITY could use some help? Find out where their offices are. See if you can find out what they might be looking for. Find out who the person is you need to contact and if your approach is to send a cover letter, then address the person by his name as opposed to “To whom it may concern.”
8. Do you have skills that one of the trade papers could be interested in, maybe to work in one of their offices? Could be an idea to contact Backstage, Ross Reports, probably the most read of the industry papers. Have a look on the internet or in the Drama Book Shop in New York to see some of the other possibilities that exist.
9. There are many production companies who are looking for good people with skills.
10. Do you have the skills to form a production company? I know someone, a fellow actor, who has done just that. It’s a great way to make industry contacts with people who could also help you further your career as an actor.
11. Do you have the skills to start and run your own small business, form your own company? What do you love to do? Could you turn your hobby into a business? If so, do you know other responsible and reliable people who share your same passion and who have good business skills? If so, maybe you could form your own company together with those people. Why not? As time goes on, you could gradually distance yourself from the daily business of running your small company and dedicate more and more time to acting and promote your acting career.
The whole point of this article is to help you think. If you don't have a steady stream of residual income that will permit you to focus 100% of your time on your acting career and you have to work in the traditional sense to make ends meet, then at least do something that will keep you connected to the industry and at the same time help you grow in some way as an actor.
While there are not many things that you could do to make money that compare to the possibilities that the internet offers for example, if you do have to work more in the traditional sense, then at least try to do something that will be of benefit to you as an actor while you’re working. Here are some possibilities:
1. Try to get work in a casting director or an agent’s office. Sometimes in the industry trade papers agents and casting directors advertise for assistants and people to work a few hours a week opening mail and doing office chores. It’s a great way to learn what goes on in their offices. You get to see the kinds of mail other actors send in, overhear telephone conversations, and just basically see what it’s like first hand.
2. The Actors Connection is an organization in New York that provides a great service to actors by giving them the opportunity to meet and audition for agents, casting directors and other industry professionals who are not always the easiest people to be able to meet. They do this in the form of seminars every evening and often even on Saturdays. During the seminars there are what I call “gate keepers” who keep the time and ensure that all the participants get an equal share of the industry professional’s time who is conducting the individual session.
At times AC is looking for people to work, usually flexible hours as one of the “gate keepers”. That is also a great way to meet first hand casting directors and agents, listen in on the question and answer sessions before the individual, one on one sessions take place. A great way to learn!
3. In addition, there are other acting schools around the city that look for assistants.
4. Theater companies looking for stage personel and production assistants often with no experience necessary. Prerequisite is to be responsible and a fast learner.
5. There are also a host of casting websites and organizations, such as Actors Access, Breakdown Services, NYCastings as well. If you do a Google search, you will find a slew of others. Why not see if they need help or could use your services?
6. There are also showcases and industry events that are organized to help actors promote their careers. It's a great way to meet casting directors and agents. The organization of those events is a big to do and they need hosts and hostesses to help the event go smoothly. You can find information about such events by simply keeping abreast of what’s going on in the industry. Read the trade papers regularly and check the top acting/casting websites.
7. Why not see if the local union offices of SAG, AFTRA and EQUITY could use some help? Find out where their offices are. See if you can find out what they might be looking for. Find out who the person is you need to contact and if your approach is to send a cover letter, then address the person by his name as opposed to “To whom it may concern.”
8. Do you have skills that one of the trade papers could be interested in, maybe to work in one of their offices? Could be an idea to contact Backstage, Ross Reports, probably the most read of the industry papers. Have a look on the internet or in the Drama Book Shop in New York to see some of the other possibilities that exist.
9. There are many production companies who are looking for good people with skills.
10. Do you have the skills to form a production company? I know someone, a fellow actor, who has done just that. It’s a great way to make industry contacts with people who could also help you further your career as an actor.
11. Do you have the skills to start and run your own small business, form your own company? What do you love to do? Could you turn your hobby into a business? If so, do you know other responsible and reliable people who share your same passion and who have good business skills? If so, maybe you could form your own company together with those people. Why not? As time goes on, you could gradually distance yourself from the daily business of running your small company and dedicate more and more time to acting and promote your acting career.
The whole point of this article is to help you think. If you don't have a steady stream of residual income that will permit you to focus 100% of your time on your acting career and you have to work in the traditional sense to make ends meet, then at least do something that will keep you connected to the industry and at the same time help you grow in some way as an actor.
Kya Love Story Hai
by Seo Mumbai
The much-publicised Kareena Kapoor item number is dispensed with right at the start. it has no connection with the rest of the film. Giving up on Kya Love Story Hai at this point would make perfect sense,because even in a crowd of bad films, this yawn-inducer could compete for many razzies.
The much-publicised Kareena Kapoor item number is dispensed with right at the start. it has no connection with the rest of the film. Giving up on Kya Love Story Hai at this point would make perfect sense,because even in a crowd of bad films, this yawn-inducer could compete for many razzies.
It definitely has the worst comedy track ever-in which two desperate blokes, who call themselves "hunters" hit on anything that moves and get slapped. One gag or two would have been enough, these two (unidentified actors) and an accompanying black dwarf (the film is set in South Africa , hence the black and blonde population!) get almost a film-within-the-film to themselves. The way blacks are portrayed would have invited law suits anywhere else!
Arjun (Tusshar) falls in love with Kajal and cannot tell her. If this sounds like Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai, it’s because director Lovely Singh was an assistant for that one. Didn’t Tusshar see any similarities in the script (if there was one!) before he signed up? Anyway, he wears this hang dog look all the time, but Kajal never guesses, girls in films are so imperceptive! She thinks the love letter she has peeked at is for someone else, and tells him girls would only fall for a man with ambition and an identity and not a rich slacker like him.
Arjun flies off to Mumbai immediately in search of fame and fortune, but by the time he returns with both (mercifully, earned off screen), Kajal is engaged to Ranveer (Karan Hukku), who wants to marry her because mummy-said so. otherwise he prefers his cell phone to her any day!
While attending a friend’s wedding, Kajal hangs out with both guys and eventually the cell phone dude realises that there is more to the Kajal-Arjun friendship than platonic hugs.
Tusshar does the song-and-dance numbers well, there’s not much else in the role. Ayesha Takia is overweight and it shows glaringly in close-ups. she catches one ‘cute’ wide smile expression and repeats it ad nauseum; while Karan Hukku looks as if his granite jaw would crack if he even attempted something like an expression!
The much-publicised Kareena Kapoor item number is dispensed with right at the start. it has no connection with the rest of the film. Giving up on Kya Love Story Hai at this point would make perfect sense,because even in a crowd of bad films, this yawn-inducer could compete for many razzies.
The much-publicised Kareena Kapoor item number is dispensed with right at the start. it has no connection with the rest of the film. Giving up on Kya Love Story Hai at this point would make perfect sense,because even in a crowd of bad films, this yawn-inducer could compete for many razzies.
It definitely has the worst comedy track ever-in which two desperate blokes, who call themselves "hunters" hit on anything that moves and get slapped. One gag or two would have been enough, these two (unidentified actors) and an accompanying black dwarf (the film is set in South Africa , hence the black and blonde population!) get almost a film-within-the-film to themselves. The way blacks are portrayed would have invited law suits anywhere else!
Arjun (Tusshar) falls in love with Kajal and cannot tell her. If this sounds like Mujhe Kuch Kehna Hai, it’s because director Lovely Singh was an assistant for that one. Didn’t Tusshar see any similarities in the script (if there was one!) before he signed up? Anyway, he wears this hang dog look all the time, but Kajal never guesses, girls in films are so imperceptive! She thinks the love letter she has peeked at is for someone else, and tells him girls would only fall for a man with ambition and an identity and not a rich slacker like him.
Arjun flies off to Mumbai immediately in search of fame and fortune, but by the time he returns with both (mercifully, earned off screen), Kajal is engaged to Ranveer (Karan Hukku), who wants to marry her because mummy-said so. otherwise he prefers his cell phone to her any day!
While attending a friend’s wedding, Kajal hangs out with both guys and eventually the cell phone dude realises that there is more to the Kajal-Arjun friendship than platonic hugs.
Tusshar does the song-and-dance numbers well, there’s not much else in the role. Ayesha Takia is overweight and it shows glaringly in close-ups. she catches one ‘cute’ wide smile expression and repeats it ad nauseum; while Karan Hukku looks as if his granite jaw would crack if he even attempted something like an expression!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
The Departed (2006)
by Chad Stroh
'The Departed' won four Academy Awards including Best Picture. The academy award for Best Director was given to Martin Scorsese after being nominated for several films earlier in his career.
Spoiler Warning 'The Departed' won four Academy Awards including Best Picture. The academy award for Best Director was given to Martin Scorsese after being nominated for several films earlier in his career.
Boston Irish mob boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholoson) sends an undercover informant (Matt Damon) to work in the Massachusetts State Police. At the same time the police send Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) undercover acting as a convicting wanting to join Costello's crew.
As both the police department and Costello's crew realize they both have unwanted members, the two informants are assigned to find the identity of each other. The only two people who know Billy Costigan's real identity, Captain Oliver Queenen (Martin Sheen) and Staff Sargeant Bryce Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) soon find themselves caught in the middle of a deadly game of cat and mouse.
The Captain of the police department George Ellerby (Alec Baldwin) promotes Sullivan and he find himself in a relationship with psychiatrist Madolyn Madden (Vera Farmiga). As they grow closer, she meets Billy Costigan after he his assigned to her for therapy. They form a relationship unknown to Sullivan.
Sullivan reports back to Costello that their is a rat in his crew (Costigan). Costello makes each of his crew members fill out a fake form where they must include their social security number in an attempt to find the intruder. Costigan knows that Costello will take these forms to his insider in the police. He discreetly follows Costello to a porn theater where Sullivan is waiting. Costigan is unable to make out Sullivan's face in the dark theater. Costigan follows Sullivan into the streets but loses track of him.
Newly promoted Sullivan is assigned to find the mole in the police who is actually himself. While Queenan searches for Costello on the rooftop of a building, he is trailed by members of the police department. Sullivan tells Costello the snitch is in the same building and Costello's men go to capture him. Caught in the middle Queenen is caught by Costello's men and thrown off the building to his death.
After Queenen's death, Dignam begins to suspect Sullivan is the mole. Sullivan's demands to know who the mole is in Costello's crew. Sullivan eventually finds Queenen's cell phone and calls Costigan. He disguises himself as Costigan's new boss.
Day's later the police trail Costello to a warehouse where is crew plans to pick up drugs. The police ambush and kill Costello's crew. Sullivan finds Costello and Costello tells him that he is also an informant. Sullivan shoots and kills Costello.
Costigan meets Sullivan at the police station where Costigan finds evidence of Sullivan's connections. Costigan leaves and later sends Sullivan recordings of Costello and Sullivan talking. Madolyn leaves Sullivan after realizing the truth him. Sullivan calls Costigan and Costigan reveals incriminating evidence about Costello. The two of them arrange to meet on the roof where Queenen was killed.
While on the rooftop, Costigan handcuffs Sullivan. Another trooper shows up and Costigan takes Sullivan hostage. Costigan tells the trooper that Sullivan is the mole. While Sullivan tells the office he is lying Costigan flees with Sullivan
Costigan takes Sullivan to an elevator. When it reaches the bottom floor, the door opens and immediatly Costigan is shot in the head. The shooter turns out to be Trooper Barrigan. The officer who confronted the two on roof arrives and is also shot and killed. Barrigan tells Sullivan that there were two moles and he was one of them. Barrigan tells Sullivan that they should work together to hide their true identity. Sullivan shoots and kills Barrigan. Later Sullivan would blame Barrigan for the shootings.
After Sullivan attends Costigan's funeral he returns home to find Dignam pointing a loaded gun at him. Dignam shoots Costigan in the head.
'The Departed' won four Academy Awards including Best Picture. The academy award for Best Director was given to Martin Scorsese after being nominated for several films earlier in his career.
Spoiler Warning 'The Departed' won four Academy Awards including Best Picture. The academy award for Best Director was given to Martin Scorsese after being nominated for several films earlier in his career.
Boston Irish mob boss Frank Costello (Jack Nicholoson) sends an undercover informant (Matt Damon) to work in the Massachusetts State Police. At the same time the police send Billy Costigan (Leonardo DiCaprio) undercover acting as a convicting wanting to join Costello's crew.
As both the police department and Costello's crew realize they both have unwanted members, the two informants are assigned to find the identity of each other. The only two people who know Billy Costigan's real identity, Captain Oliver Queenen (Martin Sheen) and Staff Sargeant Bryce Dignam (Mark Wahlberg) soon find themselves caught in the middle of a deadly game of cat and mouse.
The Captain of the police department George Ellerby (Alec Baldwin) promotes Sullivan and he find himself in a relationship with psychiatrist Madolyn Madden (Vera Farmiga). As they grow closer, she meets Billy Costigan after he his assigned to her for therapy. They form a relationship unknown to Sullivan.
Sullivan reports back to Costello that their is a rat in his crew (Costigan). Costello makes each of his crew members fill out a fake form where they must include their social security number in an attempt to find the intruder. Costigan knows that Costello will take these forms to his insider in the police. He discreetly follows Costello to a porn theater where Sullivan is waiting. Costigan is unable to make out Sullivan's face in the dark theater. Costigan follows Sullivan into the streets but loses track of him.
Newly promoted Sullivan is assigned to find the mole in the police who is actually himself. While Queenan searches for Costello on the rooftop of a building, he is trailed by members of the police department. Sullivan tells Costello the snitch is in the same building and Costello's men go to capture him. Caught in the middle Queenen is caught by Costello's men and thrown off the building to his death.
After Queenen's death, Dignam begins to suspect Sullivan is the mole. Sullivan's demands to know who the mole is in Costello's crew. Sullivan eventually finds Queenen's cell phone and calls Costigan. He disguises himself as Costigan's new boss.
Day's later the police trail Costello to a warehouse where is crew plans to pick up drugs. The police ambush and kill Costello's crew. Sullivan finds Costello and Costello tells him that he is also an informant. Sullivan shoots and kills Costello.
Costigan meets Sullivan at the police station where Costigan finds evidence of Sullivan's connections. Costigan leaves and later sends Sullivan recordings of Costello and Sullivan talking. Madolyn leaves Sullivan after realizing the truth him. Sullivan calls Costigan and Costigan reveals incriminating evidence about Costello. The two of them arrange to meet on the roof where Queenen was killed.
While on the rooftop, Costigan handcuffs Sullivan. Another trooper shows up and Costigan takes Sullivan hostage. Costigan tells the trooper that Sullivan is the mole. While Sullivan tells the office he is lying Costigan flees with Sullivan
Costigan takes Sullivan to an elevator. When it reaches the bottom floor, the door opens and immediatly Costigan is shot in the head. The shooter turns out to be Trooper Barrigan. The officer who confronted the two on roof arrives and is also shot and killed. Barrigan tells Sullivan that there were two moles and he was one of them. Barrigan tells Sullivan that they should work together to hide their true identity. Sullivan shoots and kills Barrigan. Later Sullivan would blame Barrigan for the shootings.
After Sullivan attends Costigan's funeral he returns home to find Dignam pointing a loaded gun at him. Dignam shoots Costigan in the head.
"Little Manhattan" Is Not Cute or Well Done, It Misses the Mark with Really Corny Dialogue
by Ed Bagley
Little Manhattan is a comedy about a couple of fifth graders in New York who explore their budding emotions in a personal relationship at the attraction stage. Gabe, the young boy, finds his parents going through a rough time in their marriage as his dad and mom are still together, but his mother is dating other men. His parents are all but separated in the truest sense of the word, and on the verge of divorce, when Gabe, who thinks girls are gross, suddenly falls in love with Rosemary. Therein lies the undoing of this movie that you want to like more than it is likeable.
Little Manhattan – 1 Star (Terrible)
Little Manhattan is a comedy about a couple of fifth graders in New York who explore their budding emotions in a personal relationship at the attraction stage.
Gabe (Josh Hutcherson), the young boy, finds his parents going through a rough time in their marriage as his dad and mom are still together, but his mother is dating other men. His parents are all but separated in the truest sense of the word, and on the verge of divorce, when Gabe, who thinks girls are gross, suddenly falls in love with Rosemary (Charlie Ray).
Therein lies the undoing of this movie that you want to like more than it is likeable.
Gabe's parents, Leslie (Cynthia Nixon) and Adam (Bradley Whitford) add little to this movie. They make parents seem pretty silly, immature and unable to express themselves in any meaningful way.
Little Manhattan is written by Jennifer Flackett, who has not a clue how kids this age really talk and what they really say. Here are some "memorable quotes" from the film:
Gabe: "See, life is about so much more than Rosemary. I had my family, my health, my kicking career. I really had no room for a woman in my life."
Gabe: "I couldn't escape them, all the little things I left unsaid, I was drowning in them."
Gabe: "See, this is just like I told you. Same thing I knew getting into this whole mess – love ends."
Gabe: "Love is an ugly, terrible business practiced by fools. It'll trample your heart and leave you bleeding on the floor. And what does it really get you in the end? Nothing but a few incredible memories that you can't ever shake. The truth is there's gonna be other girls out there. I mean, I hope, but I'm never gonna get another first love. That one's always gonna be her."
Gabe: "Is there anything worse than dress shopping? I would rather have my toenails peeled off one by one with pliers than spend five minutes in the dress store."
This is supposed to be an 11-year-old boy talking about falling in love the first time.
In the end, Gabe’s relationship with Rosemary ends, and his parents get back together.
It sounds as if Jennifer Flackett has had a lot of bad encounters in her romantic life.
Little Manhattan is the only film I have ever reviewed that did not get a single sniff at an award nomination for anything, and it is clear why.
On the trivia side, Charlie Ray's aunt saw a casting call for the role of Rosemary in a newspaper. She took her niece who had never auditioned before, and Charlie Ray got the part and her film debut.
Gabe and Rosemary's on-screen "first kiss" was actually the first kiss for actors Josh Hutcherson and Charlie Ray in real life.
Little Manhattan is worth seeing once to remind yourself that, despite our children growing up "too quickly" in today’s sex-saturated, youth-driven society of false values, thankfully, fifth graders still do not think the way these fifth graders think, and they do not do the things these fifth graders do.
The premise of the movie is good, but there is a huge difference in what Flackett thinks fifth graders say and do, and what they actually say and do.
When you want to see a movie about how children really think and act, go directly to "A Christmas Story", in which a Red Ryder BB gun gets a young boy’s attention, rather than a girl.
Little Manhattan is a comedy about a couple of fifth graders in New York who explore their budding emotions in a personal relationship at the attraction stage. Gabe, the young boy, finds his parents going through a rough time in their marriage as his dad and mom are still together, but his mother is dating other men. His parents are all but separated in the truest sense of the word, and on the verge of divorce, when Gabe, who thinks girls are gross, suddenly falls in love with Rosemary. Therein lies the undoing of this movie that you want to like more than it is likeable.
Little Manhattan – 1 Star (Terrible)
Little Manhattan is a comedy about a couple of fifth graders in New York who explore their budding emotions in a personal relationship at the attraction stage.
Gabe (Josh Hutcherson), the young boy, finds his parents going through a rough time in their marriage as his dad and mom are still together, but his mother is dating other men. His parents are all but separated in the truest sense of the word, and on the verge of divorce, when Gabe, who thinks girls are gross, suddenly falls in love with Rosemary (Charlie Ray).
Therein lies the undoing of this movie that you want to like more than it is likeable.
Gabe's parents, Leslie (Cynthia Nixon) and Adam (Bradley Whitford) add little to this movie. They make parents seem pretty silly, immature and unable to express themselves in any meaningful way.
Little Manhattan is written by Jennifer Flackett, who has not a clue how kids this age really talk and what they really say. Here are some "memorable quotes" from the film:
Gabe: "See, life is about so much more than Rosemary. I had my family, my health, my kicking career. I really had no room for a woman in my life."
Gabe: "I couldn't escape them, all the little things I left unsaid, I was drowning in them."
Gabe: "See, this is just like I told you. Same thing I knew getting into this whole mess – love ends."
Gabe: "Love is an ugly, terrible business practiced by fools. It'll trample your heart and leave you bleeding on the floor. And what does it really get you in the end? Nothing but a few incredible memories that you can't ever shake. The truth is there's gonna be other girls out there. I mean, I hope, but I'm never gonna get another first love. That one's always gonna be her."
Gabe: "Is there anything worse than dress shopping? I would rather have my toenails peeled off one by one with pliers than spend five minutes in the dress store."
This is supposed to be an 11-year-old boy talking about falling in love the first time.
In the end, Gabe’s relationship with Rosemary ends, and his parents get back together.
It sounds as if Jennifer Flackett has had a lot of bad encounters in her romantic life.
Little Manhattan is the only film I have ever reviewed that did not get a single sniff at an award nomination for anything, and it is clear why.
On the trivia side, Charlie Ray's aunt saw a casting call for the role of Rosemary in a newspaper. She took her niece who had never auditioned before, and Charlie Ray got the part and her film debut.
Gabe and Rosemary's on-screen "first kiss" was actually the first kiss for actors Josh Hutcherson and Charlie Ray in real life.
Little Manhattan is worth seeing once to remind yourself that, despite our children growing up "too quickly" in today’s sex-saturated, youth-driven society of false values, thankfully, fifth graders still do not think the way these fifth graders think, and they do not do the things these fifth graders do.
The premise of the movie is good, but there is a huge difference in what Flackett thinks fifth graders say and do, and what they actually say and do.
When you want to see a movie about how children really think and act, go directly to "A Christmas Story", in which a Red Ryder BB gun gets a young boy’s attention, rather than a girl.
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Riya Sen- The Hottest Bollywood Actress And Model!
By Rajesh Srivastava
All about the hottest Bollywood actress and model Riya Sen. This 5"1 Bollywood actress was born on January 24, 1981 in Kolkata, India.
This 5”1 Bollywood actress was born on January 24, 1981 in Kolkata, India. She belongs to a famous family clan of West Bengal. She is the grand daughter of Suchitra Sen, a legend in Bengali cinema, and daughter of Moonmoon Sen, a former actress. Before moving to Mumbai, she lived with her parents and sister Raima Sen, also an actress, in Kolkata. Her father Bharat Dev Varma belongs to the illustrious royal family of Tripura. Her paternal grandmother Ila Devi, was the princess of Cooch Behar, whose younger sister Gayatri Devi is the Maharani of Jaipur.
This gorgeous lady first stepped under the arc lamps at the tender age of 15 when she faced the camera for the famous Tamil flick “Taj Mahal”, directed by Bharati Raja. And this is how her acting career started blooming.
Her Bollywood film debut was supposed to have been in Love You Hamesha, opposite Akshaye Khanna. Soon after that it was her comedy movie Style that took her to the success.
Well, most of her other films have not done well on the box office. An exception is Jhankaar Beats, another comedy in which she co-starred with Shayan Munshi, Juhi Chawla, Rahul Bose, Rinke Khanna and Sanjay Suri. Most of her appearances have been item numbers and cameos. Her few leading roles have been in low-budget films.
She has also made her career in modeling, where she appeared in numerous music videos for songs by popular singers, including Asha Bhonsle, Falguni Pathak, Jagjit Singh and Sonu Nigam. She was one of many Bollywood stars who appeared in Haath Se Haath Mila an anti-HIV/AIDS music video.
She is also a successful advertising model. The high point of her modeling career was started when she replaced Lisa Ray as the Lakmé Girl. Her other notable assignments include Colgate, Limca, Vatika, Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate, and Margarita King.
After doing her last movie “Apna Sapna Money Money" this young and charming lady has lost again… there is no other fourth coming movies in the row that shows her…Might be she will come back with a new style and passion again.
REPRINT RIGHTS statement: This article is free for republishing by visitors provided the Author Bio box is retained as usual so that all links are Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.
All about the hottest Bollywood actress and model Riya Sen. This 5"1 Bollywood actress was born on January 24, 1981 in Kolkata, India.
This 5”1 Bollywood actress was born on January 24, 1981 in Kolkata, India. She belongs to a famous family clan of West Bengal. She is the grand daughter of Suchitra Sen, a legend in Bengali cinema, and daughter of Moonmoon Sen, a former actress. Before moving to Mumbai, she lived with her parents and sister Raima Sen, also an actress, in Kolkata. Her father Bharat Dev Varma belongs to the illustrious royal family of Tripura. Her paternal grandmother Ila Devi, was the princess of Cooch Behar, whose younger sister Gayatri Devi is the Maharani of Jaipur.
This gorgeous lady first stepped under the arc lamps at the tender age of 15 when she faced the camera for the famous Tamil flick “Taj Mahal”, directed by Bharati Raja. And this is how her acting career started blooming.
Her Bollywood film debut was supposed to have been in Love You Hamesha, opposite Akshaye Khanna. Soon after that it was her comedy movie Style that took her to the success.
Well, most of her other films have not done well on the box office. An exception is Jhankaar Beats, another comedy in which she co-starred with Shayan Munshi, Juhi Chawla, Rahul Bose, Rinke Khanna and Sanjay Suri. Most of her appearances have been item numbers and cameos. Her few leading roles have been in low-budget films.
She has also made her career in modeling, where she appeared in numerous music videos for songs by popular singers, including Asha Bhonsle, Falguni Pathak, Jagjit Singh and Sonu Nigam. She was one of many Bollywood stars who appeared in Haath Se Haath Mila an anti-HIV/AIDS music video.
She is also a successful advertising model. The high point of her modeling career was started when she replaced Lisa Ray as the Lakmé Girl. Her other notable assignments include Colgate, Limca, Vatika, Cadbury Dairy Milk Chocolate, and Margarita King.
After doing her last movie “Apna Sapna Money Money" this young and charming lady has lost again… there is no other fourth coming movies in the row that shows her…Might be she will come back with a new style and passion again.
REPRINT RIGHTS statement: This article is free for republishing by visitors provided the Author Bio box is retained as usual so that all links are Active/Linkable with no syntax changes.
TV Shows With the Best Soundtracks
by Jennifer Jordan
There are a lot of TV shows that have great soundtracks, these are just our favorites. Each of these shows are enriched, and made more appealing and endearing, by the songs they feature, leaving us to vow to continue watching even if our television screens suddenly stop working.
The other day, our staff put together a list of the television shows with the best soundtracks. Now, it was certainly hard to omit the dun-dunn-dudun-dun-dun from the 400 episodes of Law and Order that air daily, and it was hard not to include the show Friends: some of us wanted it listed for no other reason that Ross's magical keyboard performances (Intergalactic Love Room, anyone?). But, when it came down to it, these series' just didn't fit the bill. The following five shows, however, are the ones we are not only happily watching, but also happily hearing.
Grey's Anatomy: Is there anything this show doesn’t have? Great writers, check. Great cast, check. Great story line, check. Great catch phrases, double check…..seriously. A show watched by seemingly everyone, Grey's Anatomy takes time to not only focus on the plot, but to focus on the songs playing in the background. This show never forgets about the McMusic.
Grey's succeeds in matching up scenes with songs that make moments that much more memorable, and it also gives chances to a lot of undiscovered musicians. Known for featuring songs and artists that aren't yet famous, their soundtrack is a virtual "Who's Who" of performers no one knows. With music from Alamo Race Track, Adam Merrin, and Let's Go Sailing, this concept of untapped talent works wonderfully. Grey's is great at bringing fresh tunes to the operating table.
Scrubs: It's silly, it's funny, it's downright ridiculous at times, but Scrubs, when it comes to the foundation, is all about heart: the music featured allows this to show. Whether viewers are learning through J.D.'s internal monologue or from a patient with an incurable disease, the music that is coupled with lessons of morality and mortality are always a perfect fit. When lyrics echo in the background of each scene, it's hard to think of a song that would be better suited.
Like Grey's, this show is also well apt at including unique songs and staying away from the mainstream madness of other television shows. Recent music featured on Scrubs have included songs by The Mavericks, G Tom Mac, Rhett Miller, and the Cary Brothers. When it comes to this series, the music doctors are in.
The Hills and Laguna Beach: So, these are technically two separate shows, but, because they really share similar casts, soundtracks, and "plots," they get placed under one entry: sorry Lauren and Kristin, you two are just going to have to learn to skip and hold hands.
What these shows lack in, well just about everything, they make up in music. It should be no surprise that both these series, created by the folks at MTV, feature more song sequences than a record collection. But this abundance works well (and helps to keep the reality stars from "acting"). In fact, a ton of songs on my Ipod are songs I was introduced to through The Hills and Laguna Beach, and not songs that I was introduced to through Meet the Press and The O'reilly Factor like I keep telling everyone.
Recent artists featured on these shows include Avril Lavigne, The Weepies, and Katharine McPhee. With a good mix of songs by performers you know and performers you don't, MTV makes sure the hills (and the beaches) are alive with the sound of music.
House: I know what you guys are thinking, "Could there be any more medical related shows on this list?" Sorry about that, but it's not our fault that the folks who put medical shows together are also great song picker-outers (if you want to go with the technical term). House is just another example of a show filled with the devastations of illness and death, but the sprinklings of humor and, say it with me, great music.
The music picked for House does two things: it reminds people of the humanity involved in any medical setting, fictional or otherwise, and it makes Hugh Laurie's lead character seem a little less callous. The songs picked teeter between filling our hearts with hope and filling our eyes with tears.
Recent music featured includes songs from KC and the Sunshine Band, Ben Harper, and Ella Fitzgerald. With an eclectic range of tunes and artists, this series makes sure that good music is in the, well, house (sorry, that tagline was begging to be used).
Friday Night Lights: In a world where so much of the sports industry seems to be quickly becoming less and less about heart, it's nice to see a sports-themed TV show that is still beating. Friday Night Lights tells us the tale of a high school football team in Dillon, Texas. Not only does this show showcase the pressures placed on high school football players (particularly in Texas) but it also portrays the support offered by a small town who lives and dies with each first down.
Omitting the hard, fist pumping songs of many sports-related features - Eye of the Tiger, mind you - the songs featured on Friday Night Lights are subtle, welcoming, and often instrumental. Still, when the moment calls for it, gears are switched over to songs that are lively enough to make anyone viewing get up to go running, or at least get up to get another beer.
Explosions in the Sky, an Indie Rock group based in Texas, provides a lot of the music for the soundtrack Recent other artists featured include Ryan Adams, Pink, Outkast, and Pearl Jam. With a soundtrack like this, you'll never want the Friday night lights to go out (again, so sorry, it's almost over).
There are a lot of TV shows that have great soundtracks, these are just our favorites. Each of these shows are enriched, and made more appealing and endearing, by the songs they feature, leaving us to vow to continue watching even if our television screens suddenly stop working.
There are a lot of TV shows that have great soundtracks, these are just our favorites. Each of these shows are enriched, and made more appealing and endearing, by the songs they feature, leaving us to vow to continue watching even if our television screens suddenly stop working.
The other day, our staff put together a list of the television shows with the best soundtracks. Now, it was certainly hard to omit the dun-dunn-dudun-dun-dun from the 400 episodes of Law and Order that air daily, and it was hard not to include the show Friends: some of us wanted it listed for no other reason that Ross's magical keyboard performances (Intergalactic Love Room, anyone?). But, when it came down to it, these series' just didn't fit the bill. The following five shows, however, are the ones we are not only happily watching, but also happily hearing.
Grey's Anatomy: Is there anything this show doesn’t have? Great writers, check. Great cast, check. Great story line, check. Great catch phrases, double check…..seriously. A show watched by seemingly everyone, Grey's Anatomy takes time to not only focus on the plot, but to focus on the songs playing in the background. This show never forgets about the McMusic.
Grey's succeeds in matching up scenes with songs that make moments that much more memorable, and it also gives chances to a lot of undiscovered musicians. Known for featuring songs and artists that aren't yet famous, their soundtrack is a virtual "Who's Who" of performers no one knows. With music from Alamo Race Track, Adam Merrin, and Let's Go Sailing, this concept of untapped talent works wonderfully. Grey's is great at bringing fresh tunes to the operating table.
Scrubs: It's silly, it's funny, it's downright ridiculous at times, but Scrubs, when it comes to the foundation, is all about heart: the music featured allows this to show. Whether viewers are learning through J.D.'s internal monologue or from a patient with an incurable disease, the music that is coupled with lessons of morality and mortality are always a perfect fit. When lyrics echo in the background of each scene, it's hard to think of a song that would be better suited.
Like Grey's, this show is also well apt at including unique songs and staying away from the mainstream madness of other television shows. Recent music featured on Scrubs have included songs by The Mavericks, G Tom Mac, Rhett Miller, and the Cary Brothers. When it comes to this series, the music doctors are in.
The Hills and Laguna Beach: So, these are technically two separate shows, but, because they really share similar casts, soundtracks, and "plots," they get placed under one entry: sorry Lauren and Kristin, you two are just going to have to learn to skip and hold hands.
What these shows lack in, well just about everything, they make up in music. It should be no surprise that both these series, created by the folks at MTV, feature more song sequences than a record collection. But this abundance works well (and helps to keep the reality stars from "acting"). In fact, a ton of songs on my Ipod are songs I was introduced to through The Hills and Laguna Beach, and not songs that I was introduced to through Meet the Press and The O'reilly Factor like I keep telling everyone.
Recent artists featured on these shows include Avril Lavigne, The Weepies, and Katharine McPhee. With a good mix of songs by performers you know and performers you don't, MTV makes sure the hills (and the beaches) are alive with the sound of music.
House: I know what you guys are thinking, "Could there be any more medical related shows on this list?" Sorry about that, but it's not our fault that the folks who put medical shows together are also great song picker-outers (if you want to go with the technical term). House is just another example of a show filled with the devastations of illness and death, but the sprinklings of humor and, say it with me, great music.
The music picked for House does two things: it reminds people of the humanity involved in any medical setting, fictional or otherwise, and it makes Hugh Laurie's lead character seem a little less callous. The songs picked teeter between filling our hearts with hope and filling our eyes with tears.
Recent music featured includes songs from KC and the Sunshine Band, Ben Harper, and Ella Fitzgerald. With an eclectic range of tunes and artists, this series makes sure that good music is in the, well, house (sorry, that tagline was begging to be used).
Friday Night Lights: In a world where so much of the sports industry seems to be quickly becoming less and less about heart, it's nice to see a sports-themed TV show that is still beating. Friday Night Lights tells us the tale of a high school football team in Dillon, Texas. Not only does this show showcase the pressures placed on high school football players (particularly in Texas) but it also portrays the support offered by a small town who lives and dies with each first down.
Omitting the hard, fist pumping songs of many sports-related features - Eye of the Tiger, mind you - the songs featured on Friday Night Lights are subtle, welcoming, and often instrumental. Still, when the moment calls for it, gears are switched over to songs that are lively enough to make anyone viewing get up to go running, or at least get up to get another beer.
Explosions in the Sky, an Indie Rock group based in Texas, provides a lot of the music for the soundtrack Recent other artists featured include Ryan Adams, Pink, Outkast, and Pearl Jam. With a soundtrack like this, you'll never want the Friday night lights to go out (again, so sorry, it's almost over).
There are a lot of TV shows that have great soundtracks, these are just our favorites. Each of these shows are enriched, and made more appealing and endearing, by the songs they feature, leaving us to vow to continue watching even if our television screens suddenly stop working.
10 Tips And More For Making Your Own Classic Movie Poster
by Carmel Baird
This sounds great for getting some of your own 'original' classic movie posters on your walls. You may not feel you are artistic enough and you don't want your classic film poster to look like you have had it from your kindergarten days. So here are a few tips to help you make your poster
This sounds great for getting some of your own 'original' classic movie posters on your walls. You may not feel you are artistic enough and you don't want your classic film poster to look like you have had it from your kindergarten days. So here are a few tips to help you make your poster
Start with a theme. Your theme can be:
1. Color scheme, to go with decor in your room
2. Use only black and white and just a touch of a bold color
3. Feature a classic film star
4. Use an era, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s
5. Try using star couples like, Bogart and Bacall, Fred and Ginger, Martin and Lewis
6. Disney
7. Sequels
8. Superman
9 Spiderman
10 Musicals
Make Your Own Classic Movie Poster For Your Media/TV Room
Redecorating can lead to wonderful and inspiring features in your home or apartment. Take the latest in home decorating, a media room and what better way to decorate your media room than with classic movie posters. Not just any classic movie posters but your very own, the movies you consider to be your classics and make your own movie posters. It is easier than you think and unless you are collecting the original posters from the classic films, then it is really up to your imagination. Let your creativity lose, even if you don't have a media room, then your family room or where you watch TV can be decorated this way. Add a little movie nostalgia.
Making a Classic Movie Poster, Get Creative.
Browse your local charity shops for record album covers, there are always vinyl records there and you never know what you will find, you could even use the record in the frame also. Once again, it's your imagination, set the poster out, leave it a few days to see if it appeals and if it looks right then make it permanent. This type of poster need not be the big size poster, often times a set of smaller posters with the same classic actor can look great. Using the record album covers can be an inexpensive way to go about making your own classic poster from your favorite classic films.
You can also use the collage technique to make your film poster. You only need to get a poster board or an artist canvas. Paint your canvas for the background and then apply your clippings in a pattern or all over, it is your choice. You can find clippings in magazines or newspapers or look for covers from VHS tapes, CDs or DVDs, your local video hire store may be able to help you out with this. You never know what treasures you will find your local video store, they could even help you out with posters, even a little damaged at the edge wouldn't matter if you are going to re-model them with your collage.
As you are decorating your walls with your own posters, then make sure you theme them, maybe a large and three smaller ones or the three long narrow ones that will make up the one normal poster if put exactly side by side, but with a slight separation they will take on an abstract look.
As you are making your own classic film poster, then it should reflect what you feel is a classic film. So it need not be just the ones perceived today as classic, remember when these classic films were made they were just movies.
This could be a really fun project and you may even find a fantastic creative side to yourself you didn't know was there. So get to it, browse the thrift stores, your local video hire store and don't forget the game stores, there are treasures in these stores for making your own classic movie posters
This sounds great for getting some of your own 'original' classic movie posters on your walls. You may not feel you are artistic enough and you don't want your classic film poster to look like you have had it from your kindergarten days. So here are a few tips to help you make your poster
This sounds great for getting some of your own 'original' classic movie posters on your walls. You may not feel you are artistic enough and you don't want your classic film poster to look like you have had it from your kindergarten days. So here are a few tips to help you make your poster
Start with a theme. Your theme can be:
1. Color scheme, to go with decor in your room
2. Use only black and white and just a touch of a bold color
3. Feature a classic film star
4. Use an era, 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s
5. Try using star couples like, Bogart and Bacall, Fred and Ginger, Martin and Lewis
6. Disney
7. Sequels
8. Superman
9 Spiderman
10 Musicals
Make Your Own Classic Movie Poster For Your Media/TV Room
Redecorating can lead to wonderful and inspiring features in your home or apartment. Take the latest in home decorating, a media room and what better way to decorate your media room than with classic movie posters. Not just any classic movie posters but your very own, the movies you consider to be your classics and make your own movie posters. It is easier than you think and unless you are collecting the original posters from the classic films, then it is really up to your imagination. Let your creativity lose, even if you don't have a media room, then your family room or where you watch TV can be decorated this way. Add a little movie nostalgia.
Making a Classic Movie Poster, Get Creative.
Browse your local charity shops for record album covers, there are always vinyl records there and you never know what you will find, you could even use the record in the frame also. Once again, it's your imagination, set the poster out, leave it a few days to see if it appeals and if it looks right then make it permanent. This type of poster need not be the big size poster, often times a set of smaller posters with the same classic actor can look great. Using the record album covers can be an inexpensive way to go about making your own classic poster from your favorite classic films.
You can also use the collage technique to make your film poster. You only need to get a poster board or an artist canvas. Paint your canvas for the background and then apply your clippings in a pattern or all over, it is your choice. You can find clippings in magazines or newspapers or look for covers from VHS tapes, CDs or DVDs, your local video hire store may be able to help you out with this. You never know what treasures you will find your local video store, they could even help you out with posters, even a little damaged at the edge wouldn't matter if you are going to re-model them with your collage.
As you are decorating your walls with your own posters, then make sure you theme them, maybe a large and three smaller ones or the three long narrow ones that will make up the one normal poster if put exactly side by side, but with a slight separation they will take on an abstract look.
As you are making your own classic film poster, then it should reflect what you feel is a classic film. So it need not be just the ones perceived today as classic, remember when these classic films were made they were just movies.
This could be a really fun project and you may even find a fantastic creative side to yourself you didn't know was there. So get to it, browse the thrift stores, your local video hire store and don't forget the game stores, there are treasures in these stores for making your own classic movie posters
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Movie Trailers - The Great Hollywood Lie
by Michael Bannon
How to avoid being fooled into watching bad movies by great 30 second trailers.
How sad is it that week after week people from all over the globe get tricked out of money by Hollywood? Let’s face it, the highest paid people in the business shouldn’t be the Actors, and it shouldn’t be the Directors, it should simply be the men and women who most of us have never heard of. They are the ones who edit the movie trailers together. They are the ones that give us a glimpse into what their new film has to offer, and they are the ones that trick us the most. This holds true for any genre but especially when it comes to horror/suspense and comedy. They trick you by often showing you the funniest or scariest scenes in the movie and make you believe that the whole film will be filled with the same thing.
How many times have you seen a movie trailer and thought to yourself “wow that movie looks fantastic, I can’t wait to see it”. Then you go see the movie, and it is nothing like what the trailer made it appear to be? Months before the movie is released you get bombarded with PR for the film, from posters, trailers and even pop up ads on the internet, and you get so filled with hope for these high budget, and often times low talent films that you can’t help but expect them to be great. So now you’ve wasted nearly $10 dollars for the movie ticket, and while I try and avoid the over priced, under-satisfying snack line, most people will go and spend at least another $10 there. Now you have spent nearly $20 for a very boring, sometimes upsetting 2 hours of your life that you will never get back again. That would be bad enough, but the worst part about it is that you will probably go and do it again next weekend as well.
So how can one avoid being tricked by the studios and how can you avoid wasting money after seeing these mini movies called trailers? Well the truth is there is no way to 100% to be sure that the movie you see is going to be good. But here are a few things that you can do to raise the chances of wasting less money by seeing the better movies out there.
1. Watch the trailers - Even though Trailers often trick us, they are still necessary to get some idea of what the movie might be about.
2. Read many reviews – The key to reading reviews is to not just read one and then go on what the author had to say. Read many and most important, try and find reviews from people who seem to have similar tastes as yourself. Most of us go see movies with certain friends because they usually have similar tastes as us and will enjoy the same things. Same goes for movie reviews. Find reviewers who seem to have similar tastes as you, and that will help you in picking your next movie.
3. Actors/Directors – If the main actor is someone that you do not normally like, then it’s a good chance that you will not like this film either. The same goes for the director. A lot of times the average person doesn’t even know who is directing the film before they go see it. If they would only check this beforehand they might find out that this person has been involved in many films that they did or did not like. Film in this sense is much like reading a book. Would you go buy a book that was written by an author that you hate? Try using the same thought process with film directors.
4. How many times have you seen the movie trailer? I’ve recently come to the conclusion that if I see the movie trailer on TV more than 5 times the week before the movie is being released, then I have no desire to see that movie anymore or at least on opening weekend. This is more a general rule for myself as I do not always hold true to it. For example, I could see the trailer for Spider-Man 3 100 times the week before it comes out, and I will still see it opening day. They have done enough for me over the first two films to convince me that the third will be just as good. This has caused me some disappointment in the past (The Matrix films) but generally when seeing sequels and trilogies it is ok to see the 2nd or 3rd if you liked the first.
5. Wait until opening weekend is over. There are so many movie websites out there now to find out what the general public has thought about a film. If you don’t trust the professional movie reviews, then wait a week or two after the movie has been released and find out what others think about it. This again will help you to filter out some of the bad movies out there.
How to avoid being fooled into watching bad movies by great 30 second trailers.
How sad is it that week after week people from all over the globe get tricked out of money by Hollywood? Let’s face it, the highest paid people in the business shouldn’t be the Actors, and it shouldn’t be the Directors, it should simply be the men and women who most of us have never heard of. They are the ones who edit the movie trailers together. They are the ones that give us a glimpse into what their new film has to offer, and they are the ones that trick us the most. This holds true for any genre but especially when it comes to horror/suspense and comedy. They trick you by often showing you the funniest or scariest scenes in the movie and make you believe that the whole film will be filled with the same thing.
How many times have you seen a movie trailer and thought to yourself “wow that movie looks fantastic, I can’t wait to see it”. Then you go see the movie, and it is nothing like what the trailer made it appear to be? Months before the movie is released you get bombarded with PR for the film, from posters, trailers and even pop up ads on the internet, and you get so filled with hope for these high budget, and often times low talent films that you can’t help but expect them to be great. So now you’ve wasted nearly $10 dollars for the movie ticket, and while I try and avoid the over priced, under-satisfying snack line, most people will go and spend at least another $10 there. Now you have spent nearly $20 for a very boring, sometimes upsetting 2 hours of your life that you will never get back again. That would be bad enough, but the worst part about it is that you will probably go and do it again next weekend as well.
So how can one avoid being tricked by the studios and how can you avoid wasting money after seeing these mini movies called trailers? Well the truth is there is no way to 100% to be sure that the movie you see is going to be good. But here are a few things that you can do to raise the chances of wasting less money by seeing the better movies out there.
1. Watch the trailers - Even though Trailers often trick us, they are still necessary to get some idea of what the movie might be about.
2. Read many reviews – The key to reading reviews is to not just read one and then go on what the author had to say. Read many and most important, try and find reviews from people who seem to have similar tastes as yourself. Most of us go see movies with certain friends because they usually have similar tastes as us and will enjoy the same things. Same goes for movie reviews. Find reviewers who seem to have similar tastes as you, and that will help you in picking your next movie.
3. Actors/Directors – If the main actor is someone that you do not normally like, then it’s a good chance that you will not like this film either. The same goes for the director. A lot of times the average person doesn’t even know who is directing the film before they go see it. If they would only check this beforehand they might find out that this person has been involved in many films that they did or did not like. Film in this sense is much like reading a book. Would you go buy a book that was written by an author that you hate? Try using the same thought process with film directors.
4. How many times have you seen the movie trailer? I’ve recently come to the conclusion that if I see the movie trailer on TV more than 5 times the week before the movie is being released, then I have no desire to see that movie anymore or at least on opening weekend. This is more a general rule for myself as I do not always hold true to it. For example, I could see the trailer for Spider-Man 3 100 times the week before it comes out, and I will still see it opening day. They have done enough for me over the first two films to convince me that the third will be just as good. This has caused me some disappointment in the past (The Matrix films) but generally when seeing sequels and trilogies it is ok to see the 2nd or 3rd if you liked the first.
5. Wait until opening weekend is over. There are so many movie websites out there now to find out what the general public has thought about a film. If you don’t trust the professional movie reviews, then wait a week or two after the movie has been released and find out what others think about it. This again will help you to filter out some of the bad movies out there.
Hawaii Goes Hollywood
by Issac Soren
With the many different climates and landscapes in such a small geographical area it is no wonder that Large Film production companies seek the Hawaiian islands as a back drop in their films.
Having recently taken a tour of Oahu with my friend visiting from Oregon, I had to say that the Hawaiian islands have a lot in store for visitor and resident.
I grew up in the center of the island of Oahu, the same Island that features Honolulu (State Capital city) and touristy city Waikiki. Admittingly having not ventured to far from my home town while growing up my version of Hawaii was a tropical humid climate with lush green vegetation where ever you looked and just as much rain as you got sun.
Little did I know that even just a ten minute drive in either direction away from my town you would experience slight change in weather conditions. The degrees would rise especially because I live in the hills and so going away meant dropping to sea level with flat plains that provide no protection from the hot sun, no mountains for the clouds to gather to bring in the morning showers.
With the many different climates and landscapes in such a small geographical area it is no wonder that Large Film production companies seek the islands as a back drop in their films.
With such films like Hawaii-five-0, Magnum P.I., MTV's Real World and currently ABC's Lost under the belt many producers attribute the islands vast array of looks to the luring of a movie set.
If you didn’t know maybe I should tell you that Hawaii has provided such backdrops to movies portraying places like Korea, Iraq, China, Japan, London, any tropical island and even New York city.
With the many different climates and landscapes in such a small geographical area it is no wonder that Large Film production companies seek the Hawaiian islands as a back drop in their films.
Having recently taken a tour of Oahu with my friend visiting from Oregon, I had to say that the Hawaiian islands have a lot in store for visitor and resident.
I grew up in the center of the island of Oahu, the same Island that features Honolulu (State Capital city) and touristy city Waikiki. Admittingly having not ventured to far from my home town while growing up my version of Hawaii was a tropical humid climate with lush green vegetation where ever you looked and just as much rain as you got sun.
Little did I know that even just a ten minute drive in either direction away from my town you would experience slight change in weather conditions. The degrees would rise especially because I live in the hills and so going away meant dropping to sea level with flat plains that provide no protection from the hot sun, no mountains for the clouds to gather to bring in the morning showers.
With the many different climates and landscapes in such a small geographical area it is no wonder that Large Film production companies seek the islands as a back drop in their films.
With such films like Hawaii-five-0, Magnum P.I., MTV's Real World and currently ABC's Lost under the belt many producers attribute the islands vast array of looks to the luring of a movie set.
If you didn’t know maybe I should tell you that Hawaii has provided such backdrops to movies portraying places like Korea, Iraq, China, Japan, London, any tropical island and even New York city.
Spider-Man 3 (2007) - Who is Venom
by Jesse Miller
Peter Parker has finally found the balance he's longed for between his love for Mary Jane Watson and his responsibilities as Spider-Man. Venom will take...
Peter Parker has finally found the balance he's longed for between his love for Mary Jane Watson and his responsibilities as Spider-Man.
The city of New York and it's citizens are at last coming around and appreciating everything he has done as his crime-fighting alter ego, and Peter is in the running for a staff job at the Daily Bugle.
However, everything Peter has worked for is about to unravel. Flint Marko, while fleeing prison, is caught in an accident that displaces molecules and is transformed into the Sandman, a new super villain who is able to change his body into any shape of sand he sees fit.
When Peter learns of a connection between The Sandman and the murder of his Uncle Ben, he will stop at nothing as Spider-Man to capture him. But before Peter can do so he discovers a mysterious black substance has turned his suit black, and has brought forth a darker side of Parker and Spidey nobody has seen before.
Peter begins to give into this new dark personality, starts to abandon the ones he loves the most and in turn his best friend Harry Osborn takes up his late father's mantle as The New Goblin. Quickly Parker begins a new romance with his lab partner, the beautiful Gwen Stacy but in doing so Peter sets off a rival Bugle photographer, a troubled young man by the name of Eddie Brock who is obsessed with Stacy. Little does Peter know the black substance has its sights set on Eddie else as well. Turning Brock into Venom, a foe that mirrors everything Spider-Man can do. Forcing Peter to become the strong-willed hero he has forgotten about if he hopes to defeat his greatest threat yet.
Peter Parker has finally managed to piece together the once-broken parts of his life, maintaining a balance between his relationship with Mary-Jane and his responsibility as Spider-Man. But more challenges arise for our young hero.
Peter's old friend Harry Obsourne has set out for revenge against Peter; taking up the mantle of his late father's persona as The New Goblin, and Peter must also capture Uncle Ben's real killer, Flint Marko, who has been transformed into his toughest foe yet, the Sandman. All hope seems lost when suddenly Peter's suit turns jet-black and greatly amplifies his powers. But it also begins to greatly amplify the much darker qualities of Peter's personality that he begins to lose himself to. Peter has to reach deep inside himself to free the compassionate hero he used to be if he is to ever conquer the darkness within and face not only his greatest enemies, but also...himself.
Peter Parker has finally found the balance he's longed for between his love for Mary Jane Watson and his responsibilities as Spider-Man. Venom will take...
Peter Parker has finally found the balance he's longed for between his love for Mary Jane Watson and his responsibilities as Spider-Man.
The city of New York and it's citizens are at last coming around and appreciating everything he has done as his crime-fighting alter ego, and Peter is in the running for a staff job at the Daily Bugle.
However, everything Peter has worked for is about to unravel. Flint Marko, while fleeing prison, is caught in an accident that displaces molecules and is transformed into the Sandman, a new super villain who is able to change his body into any shape of sand he sees fit.
When Peter learns of a connection between The Sandman and the murder of his Uncle Ben, he will stop at nothing as Spider-Man to capture him. But before Peter can do so he discovers a mysterious black substance has turned his suit black, and has brought forth a darker side of Parker and Spidey nobody has seen before.
Peter begins to give into this new dark personality, starts to abandon the ones he loves the most and in turn his best friend Harry Osborn takes up his late father's mantle as The New Goblin. Quickly Parker begins a new romance with his lab partner, the beautiful Gwen Stacy but in doing so Peter sets off a rival Bugle photographer, a troubled young man by the name of Eddie Brock who is obsessed with Stacy. Little does Peter know the black substance has its sights set on Eddie else as well. Turning Brock into Venom, a foe that mirrors everything Spider-Man can do. Forcing Peter to become the strong-willed hero he has forgotten about if he hopes to defeat his greatest threat yet.
Peter Parker has finally managed to piece together the once-broken parts of his life, maintaining a balance between his relationship with Mary-Jane and his responsibility as Spider-Man. But more challenges arise for our young hero.
Peter's old friend Harry Obsourne has set out for revenge against Peter; taking up the mantle of his late father's persona as The New Goblin, and Peter must also capture Uncle Ben's real killer, Flint Marko, who has been transformed into his toughest foe yet, the Sandman. All hope seems lost when suddenly Peter's suit turns jet-black and greatly amplifies his powers. But it also begins to greatly amplify the much darker qualities of Peter's personality that he begins to lose himself to. Peter has to reach deep inside himself to free the compassionate hero he used to be if he is to ever conquer the darkness within and face not only his greatest enemies, but also...himself.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Comcast On Demand Movies? Here are Tips On How To Get Comcast On Demand Movies
by Larry Brooks
Many people have a problem when they have a new cable system. There are so many menus and different icons and buttons. This article tries to help in that area.
If you are having trouble finding a Comcast on demand movie, maybe this article will help. All pay per view movies are in the on demand section. I will try to give you the information in a step by step order.
To find a Comcast on demand movie, press the ON DEMAND button on your remote for the on demand menu. If you don't have an on demand button, press the MENU button and pick on demand from the quick menu.
Now pick the category that you want and drill down thru a few more menus until you get to the last one. There as you click on an item it will tell you if it is available. If a program is marked new, it was added in the last 7 days.
When changing channel or by pressing the INFO button, the flip or info bar will come up on the bottom of the screen. If on demand is available on that network there will be a small icon on the right. To view what is available press the RIGHT ARROW button to highlight the icon. Now press the ON DEMAND or MENU to get to the on demand menu to see what on demand is available from that network.
If a Comcast on demand movie or event is a pay per view, you may watch a free preview by selecting the preview icon on the program screen.
When you select a movie the program information will show either a watch icon or buy and preview icons. Pick the watch icon to watch the movie. Or select the buy icon and a conformation screen will appear asking you if you want to buy or cancel.
You can REWIND, FAST FORWARD, PAUSE and STOP by using the video keys located under the ON DEMAND button on your remote.
And if you have premium programming like HBO, STARZ or CINEMAX, you can watch unlimited shows free.
If you would like to limit what can be ordered from Comcast on demand movies. Then you can use the Parental Control codes. Code is a four digit number and if you forget it, customer service can always reset it for you.
Hint: When using on demand, if you happen to see the message “Unable to Process Request” wait a couple of minutes and try again. If it still appears, turn the cable box off and the back on. If it’s still there call customer service.
I hope this article has been a help to someone. It is really a simple process, but a little confusing with all the menus, icons and buttons. Remember, the icons are always on the program information screen.
Many people have a problem when they have a new cable system. There are so many menus and different icons and buttons. This article tries to help in that area.
If you are having trouble finding a Comcast on demand movie, maybe this article will help. All pay per view movies are in the on demand section. I will try to give you the information in a step by step order.
To find a Comcast on demand movie, press the ON DEMAND button on your remote for the on demand menu. If you don't have an on demand button, press the MENU button and pick on demand from the quick menu.
Now pick the category that you want and drill down thru a few more menus until you get to the last one. There as you click on an item it will tell you if it is available. If a program is marked new, it was added in the last 7 days.
When changing channel or by pressing the INFO button, the flip or info bar will come up on the bottom of the screen. If on demand is available on that network there will be a small icon on the right. To view what is available press the RIGHT ARROW button to highlight the icon. Now press the ON DEMAND or MENU to get to the on demand menu to see what on demand is available from that network.
If a Comcast on demand movie or event is a pay per view, you may watch a free preview by selecting the preview icon on the program screen.
When you select a movie the program information will show either a watch icon or buy and preview icons. Pick the watch icon to watch the movie. Or select the buy icon and a conformation screen will appear asking you if you want to buy or cancel.
You can REWIND, FAST FORWARD, PAUSE and STOP by using the video keys located under the ON DEMAND button on your remote.
And if you have premium programming like HBO, STARZ or CINEMAX, you can watch unlimited shows free.
If you would like to limit what can be ordered from Comcast on demand movies. Then you can use the Parental Control codes. Code is a four digit number and if you forget it, customer service can always reset it for you.
Hint: When using on demand, if you happen to see the message “Unable to Process Request” wait a couple of minutes and try again. If it still appears, turn the cable box off and the back on. If it’s still there call customer service.
I hope this article has been a help to someone. It is really a simple process, but a little confusing with all the menus, icons and buttons. Remember, the icons are always on the program information screen.
The Plasma Set Television- How it Works and Why It's a Good Reason to Buy a New TV
by Nathalie Fiset
Plasma televisions are the newest improvement in television viewing.
Long before plasma set televisions made their appearance, people bought TVs for their size. The bulkier, the better and whoever got the biggest, meanest television screen won the game of one-upmanship with his neighbors.
And then picture quality came along. The game quickly shifted into whose TV made the grass look greener and Halle Berry better looking than she already is. These days, the gold medal probably belongs to plasma television sets.
Why plasma television set looks so good
If you have your old CRT (cathode ray tube) TV, you've probably been amazed at the technology that made pictures come alive through the screen. CRTs also use pixels or dots that when grouped together, form a bigger image. CRTs basically use a vacuum tube that fires electrons against phosphors. Three phosphors make up one pixel, which is made of red, blue and green colors.
The CRT technology has a measure of control on which phosphor group to hit and depending on the strength and length of the hit, the picture tube shows us an image with color and light contrast.
Now CRTs perform well and are in fact still popular in many parts of the world. The only drawback is that they are heavier, fragile and eat up a lot of living room space. You've probably noticed the same issues with your older computer monitors.
With a plasma television set, the technology is different. Gas inside a fluorescent light is excited to a degree and transforms into a plasma state. Pixels are still made with the same three basic colors, but since plasma can be aimed more precisely, more pixels can be hit to form an image. The result? A clearer, prettier picture on the television screen.
Not only is high resolution a feature that plasma television sets boast of, there are also the colors – all 16 million and more of them. Imagine watching the TV and knowing there are millions of different colors dancing right in front of your eyes even if you can only name a few. There's dragon red, leaf green, ocean blue or maybe canary yellow and egg white, but that's just a drop in the bucket of all the color possibilities that plasma television sets can offer.
The view from the other side
Another reason why plasma television sets win a lot of admirers is that it gives the concept of 'sitting in front of the television' a whole new meaning. Remember when kids used to fight for the 'best seats' right smack in the middle for TV viewing? This is no longer true with plasma TV.
With rear projection TVs, the viewing angle is about 45 degrees to the sides. A plasma television set can give you perfect images even at 160 degrees! You can walk from one side of the room to the other and you will still have the same picture quality, so don't worry too much about Aunt or Grandma sitting to the sides of the plasma television set. They are enjoying themselves just fine.
The flatness is also there for a reason other than giving the excellent viewing angles; it also reduces glare. With a plasma television set, you don't even have to dim the lights for better viewing. It works just as well even with ambient light turned to the max.
Issues and myths
No, you cannot refill your plasma television set's plasma content or that it's too radiation-heavy. Those are urban legends that are too silly to be even given a second look. Plasma television sets are a product of the latest technology and as such, still have a few issues here and there.
One of the most common is the burn-in issue, where a plasma television set develops a burned-in image when it's tuned in for too long to a static picture. There is also the half-life expectancy where plasma televisions are expected to burn a little dimmer after a few thousand hours.
These issues are quite true, but the real threat to the life and quality of a plasma television set is really a matter of wise and careful use. If you keep it on hours and hours on one channel with a static image, then a burn-in issue might emerge, but this will only happen after hours of day-in and day-out use. The half-life has also improved from the 30,000 hours (allowing you 9 years of plasma TV use for 8 hours of viewing a day) to 60,000 hours.
The Holy Grail of television sets?
For now, plasma television sets offer a lot to drool about but many would-be fans are put off by its price. Imagine paying about $2,500 for a 42-inch plasma TV. However, plasma televisions are priced that way for good reason – they offer tops in picture quality and contrast and even with the monstrous size some models are available in, you won't want a lot in the resolution department.
Getting a plasma television set instead of an LCD or some other high-def TV is really a matter of personal choice and budget. Shop for the unit that's perfect for you and enjoy all the other benefits you won't otherwise get had you made a different choice.
Plasma televisions are the newest improvement in television viewing.
Long before plasma set televisions made their appearance, people bought TVs for their size. The bulkier, the better and whoever got the biggest, meanest television screen won the game of one-upmanship with his neighbors.
And then picture quality came along. The game quickly shifted into whose TV made the grass look greener and Halle Berry better looking than she already is. These days, the gold medal probably belongs to plasma television sets.
Why plasma television set looks so good
If you have your old CRT (cathode ray tube) TV, you've probably been amazed at the technology that made pictures come alive through the screen. CRTs also use pixels or dots that when grouped together, form a bigger image. CRTs basically use a vacuum tube that fires electrons against phosphors. Three phosphors make up one pixel, which is made of red, blue and green colors.
The CRT technology has a measure of control on which phosphor group to hit and depending on the strength and length of the hit, the picture tube shows us an image with color and light contrast.
Now CRTs perform well and are in fact still popular in many parts of the world. The only drawback is that they are heavier, fragile and eat up a lot of living room space. You've probably noticed the same issues with your older computer monitors.
With a plasma television set, the technology is different. Gas inside a fluorescent light is excited to a degree and transforms into a plasma state. Pixels are still made with the same three basic colors, but since plasma can be aimed more precisely, more pixels can be hit to form an image. The result? A clearer, prettier picture on the television screen.
Not only is high resolution a feature that plasma television sets boast of, there are also the colors – all 16 million and more of them. Imagine watching the TV and knowing there are millions of different colors dancing right in front of your eyes even if you can only name a few. There's dragon red, leaf green, ocean blue or maybe canary yellow and egg white, but that's just a drop in the bucket of all the color possibilities that plasma television sets can offer.
The view from the other side
Another reason why plasma television sets win a lot of admirers is that it gives the concept of 'sitting in front of the television' a whole new meaning. Remember when kids used to fight for the 'best seats' right smack in the middle for TV viewing? This is no longer true with plasma TV.
With rear projection TVs, the viewing angle is about 45 degrees to the sides. A plasma television set can give you perfect images even at 160 degrees! You can walk from one side of the room to the other and you will still have the same picture quality, so don't worry too much about Aunt or Grandma sitting to the sides of the plasma television set. They are enjoying themselves just fine.
The flatness is also there for a reason other than giving the excellent viewing angles; it also reduces glare. With a plasma television set, you don't even have to dim the lights for better viewing. It works just as well even with ambient light turned to the max.
Issues and myths
No, you cannot refill your plasma television set's plasma content or that it's too radiation-heavy. Those are urban legends that are too silly to be even given a second look. Plasma television sets are a product of the latest technology and as such, still have a few issues here and there.
One of the most common is the burn-in issue, where a plasma television set develops a burned-in image when it's tuned in for too long to a static picture. There is also the half-life expectancy where plasma televisions are expected to burn a little dimmer after a few thousand hours.
These issues are quite true, but the real threat to the life and quality of a plasma television set is really a matter of wise and careful use. If you keep it on hours and hours on one channel with a static image, then a burn-in issue might emerge, but this will only happen after hours of day-in and day-out use. The half-life has also improved from the 30,000 hours (allowing you 9 years of plasma TV use for 8 hours of viewing a day) to 60,000 hours.
The Holy Grail of television sets?
For now, plasma television sets offer a lot to drool about but many would-be fans are put off by its price. Imagine paying about $2,500 for a 42-inch plasma TV. However, plasma televisions are priced that way for good reason – they offer tops in picture quality and contrast and even with the monstrous size some models are available in, you won't want a lot in the resolution department.
Getting a plasma television set instead of an LCD or some other high-def TV is really a matter of personal choice and budget. Shop for the unit that's perfect for you and enjoy all the other benefits you won't otherwise get had you made a different choice.
Pamela Anderson - Movie Star and Animal Rights Activist
by Sheryl Letzgus McGinnis
Pamela Anderson!. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name Pamela Anderson? Bimbo? Party Girl? Bombshell? Well two out of three ain't bad! I don't think she's a bimbo...not by any stretch of the imagination. For all of her partying image and all things blonde, she is nonetheless a devoted humanitarian.
Sure, people know that Pam is closely associated with the organization, PETA and does not wear fur. But surprise, surprise. Pam wears UGGS, those horrible, big, floppy furry boots which are indeed made from animal fur . To Pam’s credit, once she realized this, she made a plea to her fans, and everyone, to stop wearing them. No problem for me. I think they’re hideous in addition to supporting animal cruelty.
What a lot of people may not know about Pam Anderson, in addition to her marriages to Tommy Lee, and Kid Rock and her numerous affairs, is just how passionate she truly is about the welfare of animals. This is not a new passion for her either. This is not phony Hollywood hype. Apparently Pam has been a devoted animal lover and protector of animals since early childhood.
Among Pam’s other causes are the inhumane ways that chickens are slaughtered by Kentucky Fried Chicken’s suppliers. Pam recently faxed a letter to the US Postal Service imploring them not to issue a proposed new stamp in honor of Colonel Sanders. Pam’s fax exposes the rampant abuse taking place in slaughterhouses today and her impassioned plea for kindness to these animals is one that should be echoed by all citizens. Allegedly KFC refuses to take animal welfare seriously. Pam is trying to change this.
Pam has also been instrumental in getting the juice maker POM to call of its horribly inhumane testing practices. It was Pam vs. POM and fortunately for the animals, Pam and PETA won.
Why bother to care about mice or other rodents you might ask. Read the words of these noble humans and then ask yourself the question again.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Gandhi
“The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But can they suffer? Jeremy Bentham
“He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” Immanuel Kant
“Every year tens of thousands of animals suffer and die in laboratory tests of cosmetics and household products…despite the fact that the test results do not help prevent or treat accidental or purposeful misuse of the products. Please join me in using your voice for those whose cries are forever sealed behind the laboratory doors.” Woody Harrelson
Pamela Anderson deserves her place in history. Not as a blonde bombshell, or the woman with the most Playboy covers, or possibly the most downloaded beauty on the internet or for her failed marriages. She deserves her place in history for her humanitarian efforts, for speaking for those who have no voice, for her caring and compassion and for being proactive in her beliefs.
Pamela Anderson!. What is the first thing that comes to mind when you hear the name Pamela Anderson? Bimbo? Party Girl? Bombshell? Well two out of three ain't bad! I don't think she's a bimbo...not by any stretch of the imagination. For all of her partying image and all things blonde, she is nonetheless a devoted humanitarian.
Sure, people know that Pam is closely associated with the organization, PETA and does not wear fur. But surprise, surprise. Pam wears UGGS, those horrible, big, floppy furry boots which are indeed made from animal fur . To Pam’s credit, once she realized this, she made a plea to her fans, and everyone, to stop wearing them. No problem for me. I think they’re hideous in addition to supporting animal cruelty.
What a lot of people may not know about Pam Anderson, in addition to her marriages to Tommy Lee, and Kid Rock and her numerous affairs, is just how passionate she truly is about the welfare of animals. This is not a new passion for her either. This is not phony Hollywood hype. Apparently Pam has been a devoted animal lover and protector of animals since early childhood.
Among Pam’s other causes are the inhumane ways that chickens are slaughtered by Kentucky Fried Chicken’s suppliers. Pam recently faxed a letter to the US Postal Service imploring them not to issue a proposed new stamp in honor of Colonel Sanders. Pam’s fax exposes the rampant abuse taking place in slaughterhouses today and her impassioned plea for kindness to these animals is one that should be echoed by all citizens. Allegedly KFC refuses to take animal welfare seriously. Pam is trying to change this.
Pam has also been instrumental in getting the juice maker POM to call of its horribly inhumane testing practices. It was Pam vs. POM and fortunately for the animals, Pam and PETA won.
Why bother to care about mice or other rodents you might ask. Read the words of these noble humans and then ask yourself the question again.
“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.” Gandhi
“The question is not, can they reason? Nor, can they talk? But can they suffer? Jeremy Bentham
“He who is cruel to animals becomes hard also in his dealings with men. We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals.” Immanuel Kant
“Every year tens of thousands of animals suffer and die in laboratory tests of cosmetics and household products…despite the fact that the test results do not help prevent or treat accidental or purposeful misuse of the products. Please join me in using your voice for those whose cries are forever sealed behind the laboratory doors.” Woody Harrelson
Pamela Anderson deserves her place in history. Not as a blonde bombshell, or the woman with the most Playboy covers, or possibly the most downloaded beauty on the internet or for her failed marriages. She deserves her place in history for her humanitarian efforts, for speaking for those who have no voice, for her caring and compassion and for being proactive in her beliefs.
Monday, April 16, 2007
'Halloween' Producers Say Rob Zombie Didn't Want 'Paris Hilton-Type' Star
Malek Akkad, Andy Gould say movie tells 'Batman Begins'-style back story.
By Larry Carroll
PASADENA, California — How do you reinvent a classic?
It's a question producers Andy Gould and Malek Akkad have been pondering since they began work on Rob Zombie's "Halloween," the buzzed-about reimagining that opens in theaters August 31 (see "Rob Zombie Talks 'Halloween': 'A Bloodbath Doesn't Interest Me' "). The director's righthand man, Gould, has collaborated with Zombie since his music days. Akkad is the new keeper of the flame: His influential father, Moustapha Akkad, was an executive producer of the 1978 original and died in a 2005 terrorist bombing.
Standing on the front lawn of Laurie Strode's "house," Gould and Akkad talked about remaking a classic — while also offering thoughts on the original flick, hiring the new blood and where Michael Myers' killing spree goes from here.
MTV: Malek, your father turned "Halloween" into the highest-grossing independent movie ever made. Talk about what Michael Myers means to your family.
Malek Akkad: Well, the first film obviously is John Carpenter's masterpiece. My father was involved with him and developed and greenlit it basically, and [my dad] was involved with all of them. This is the fifth "Halloween" film I've worked on. It's a family tradition — our family legacy.
MTV: And clearly, this experience is very different from the last four.
Akkad: Very different from any of them, really. We are taking the core elements from the original and filtering them through Rob Zombie. The first one is a classic, and it will always be a classic — but this is a very different movie.
MTV: Andy, you've produced all of Rob's movies. How did you guys decide that this was the proper next step for him?
Andy Gould: We all had a collective sit-down about it, and we've had great success with "House of 1,000 Corpses" and "The Devil's Rejects," and we saw a lot of things being remade. A couple of them, I thought, were OK, but many seemed like people were doing these note-for-note remakes. ... [Our remake] is more like "Batman Begins," in the way they really told you the back story.
MTV: Malek, was your father aware of Rob Zombie's hiring before his passing?
Akkad: No, he wasn't aware even that we were going to take this angle. We had decided that we were going to do another sequel; for various reasons the timing just felt right. That was one consideration at his passing. ... I know he would be really excited and thrilled to see it. This was his baby, and he loved it.
MTV: As the new keeper of the franchise, when you hired Rob Zombie and knew he wanted to reimagine things, what were the hallmarks that had you saying, "Just don't go messing with this stuff"?
Akkad: Well Rob is great. He knew it all on his own. But, of course, Dr. Loomis, who is the eternal protagonist chasing Michael, he is our hero (see "Exclusive: Malcolm McDowell, The New Dr. Loomis, Talks 'Halloween' "). And then you have the Laurie Strode character (see " 'Halloween' Star Scout Taylor-Compton Calls Michael Myers 'Cute,' Talks Sequel"), who was made famous by Jamie Lee Curtis. Then there's Michael — you can't have one of these without Michael. He really is our star (see "Tyler Mane Hopes To Be 'Scariest Michael Ever' In Rob Zombie's 'Halloween' ").
MTV: Andy, give us a peek at what exactly Rob is reimagining.
Gould: It's a peek into the mind of a serial killer. That's the thing — sometimes if you read books about real serial killers, their stories are more extraordinary than anything you've ever seen in the movies. It's what they have been through that leads them to become a Michael Myers.
MTV: So is he going to be one of these kids who was beaten up by his parents or molested or something like that?
Gould: Well, some of that stuff you'll have to look at the movie for. ... People will be really happy with what they are seeing because it keeps the mystery, but it gives you some clues.
MTV: Malek, you can remember Donald Pleasance creating the Loomis character, then playing him right up until he died during "Halloween 6." How do you feel watching another legendary actor slip into the trench coat?
Akkad: Malcolm McDowell, every line he says is amazing. His interaction with all the other actors is wonderful, because he really has fun with the part. I don't want to say he improvs, but he ad libs a bit here and there, so he keeps the other actors on edge, and that makes for an exciting scene every time. Donald really took it so seriously — which I loved about the guy, God bless him. He loved that character, and he used to say that he would keep going until we got to sequel number 22. He took it so seriously. He was the word-for-word guy — every word was so heavy — whereas Malcolm has a little more fun with it.
MTV: Scout Taylor-Compton had to audition for you guys several times — and obviously, finding a person to step into Curtis' shoes is difficult. What did you see in her?
Gould: We talked to Rob on a daily basis, along with Malek, and we looked at some people. There is a thing in Hollywood of casting the new, young, hot actress — Paris Hilton-type people. That thing is prominent right now. ... But Rob wanted to have people that looked like they were real people — that's something all the three principal girls have. You look at them and you think, "These are actually people." ... If you play it too glamorous, the audience doesn't care if they live or die. In fact, they may be rooting for them to die.
Akkad: Scout is such a trooper. She reminds me of Jamie Lee when we started working with her because [Curtis] was about the same age, and we put her through the wringer. She ended up bruised and battered. With Scout, we're pulling her through windows and throwing her down into pools. She wants to do all her own stunts! She's really got something. I see a huge future for her.
MTV: How many movies are you hoping to get out of "Halloween"?
Gould: [Rob and I] just want to make one good one. So come along for the ride — it's going to be great.
Akkad: We'll have to wait and see what happens with this one. The fans love it so much that, as long as there is that fan interest, we want to give them what they like. We want to give them the ride that they enjoy. We will see what the reaction is to this one, and hopefully there will be more.
Check out everything we've got on "Halloween."
Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, reviews, interviews and more.
By Larry Carroll
PASADENA, California — How do you reinvent a classic?
It's a question producers Andy Gould and Malek Akkad have been pondering since they began work on Rob Zombie's "Halloween," the buzzed-about reimagining that opens in theaters August 31 (see "Rob Zombie Talks 'Halloween': 'A Bloodbath Doesn't Interest Me' "). The director's righthand man, Gould, has collaborated with Zombie since his music days. Akkad is the new keeper of the flame: His influential father, Moustapha Akkad, was an executive producer of the 1978 original and died in a 2005 terrorist bombing.
Standing on the front lawn of Laurie Strode's "house," Gould and Akkad talked about remaking a classic — while also offering thoughts on the original flick, hiring the new blood and where Michael Myers' killing spree goes from here.
MTV: Malek, your father turned "Halloween" into the highest-grossing independent movie ever made. Talk about what Michael Myers means to your family.
Malek Akkad: Well, the first film obviously is John Carpenter's masterpiece. My father was involved with him and developed and greenlit it basically, and [my dad] was involved with all of them. This is the fifth "Halloween" film I've worked on. It's a family tradition — our family legacy.
MTV: And clearly, this experience is very different from the last four.
Akkad: Very different from any of them, really. We are taking the core elements from the original and filtering them through Rob Zombie. The first one is a classic, and it will always be a classic — but this is a very different movie.
MTV: Andy, you've produced all of Rob's movies. How did you guys decide that this was the proper next step for him?
Andy Gould: We all had a collective sit-down about it, and we've had great success with "House of 1,000 Corpses" and "The Devil's Rejects," and we saw a lot of things being remade. A couple of them, I thought, were OK, but many seemed like people were doing these note-for-note remakes. ... [Our remake] is more like "Batman Begins," in the way they really told you the back story.
MTV: Malek, was your father aware of Rob Zombie's hiring before his passing?
Akkad: No, he wasn't aware even that we were going to take this angle. We had decided that we were going to do another sequel; for various reasons the timing just felt right. That was one consideration at his passing. ... I know he would be really excited and thrilled to see it. This was his baby, and he loved it.
MTV: As the new keeper of the franchise, when you hired Rob Zombie and knew he wanted to reimagine things, what were the hallmarks that had you saying, "Just don't go messing with this stuff"?
Akkad: Well Rob is great. He knew it all on his own. But, of course, Dr. Loomis, who is the eternal protagonist chasing Michael, he is our hero (see "Exclusive: Malcolm McDowell, The New Dr. Loomis, Talks 'Halloween' "). And then you have the Laurie Strode character (see " 'Halloween' Star Scout Taylor-Compton Calls Michael Myers 'Cute,' Talks Sequel"), who was made famous by Jamie Lee Curtis. Then there's Michael — you can't have one of these without Michael. He really is our star (see "Tyler Mane Hopes To Be 'Scariest Michael Ever' In Rob Zombie's 'Halloween' ").
MTV: Andy, give us a peek at what exactly Rob is reimagining.
Gould: It's a peek into the mind of a serial killer. That's the thing — sometimes if you read books about real serial killers, their stories are more extraordinary than anything you've ever seen in the movies. It's what they have been through that leads them to become a Michael Myers.
MTV: So is he going to be one of these kids who was beaten up by his parents or molested or something like that?
Gould: Well, some of that stuff you'll have to look at the movie for. ... People will be really happy with what they are seeing because it keeps the mystery, but it gives you some clues.
MTV: Malek, you can remember Donald Pleasance creating the Loomis character, then playing him right up until he died during "Halloween 6." How do you feel watching another legendary actor slip into the trench coat?
Akkad: Malcolm McDowell, every line he says is amazing. His interaction with all the other actors is wonderful, because he really has fun with the part. I don't want to say he improvs, but he ad libs a bit here and there, so he keeps the other actors on edge, and that makes for an exciting scene every time. Donald really took it so seriously — which I loved about the guy, God bless him. He loved that character, and he used to say that he would keep going until we got to sequel number 22. He took it so seriously. He was the word-for-word guy — every word was so heavy — whereas Malcolm has a little more fun with it.
MTV: Scout Taylor-Compton had to audition for you guys several times — and obviously, finding a person to step into Curtis' shoes is difficult. What did you see in her?
Gould: We talked to Rob on a daily basis, along with Malek, and we looked at some people. There is a thing in Hollywood of casting the new, young, hot actress — Paris Hilton-type people. That thing is prominent right now. ... But Rob wanted to have people that looked like they were real people — that's something all the three principal girls have. You look at them and you think, "These are actually people." ... If you play it too glamorous, the audience doesn't care if they live or die. In fact, they may be rooting for them to die.
Akkad: Scout is such a trooper. She reminds me of Jamie Lee when we started working with her because [Curtis] was about the same age, and we put her through the wringer. She ended up bruised and battered. With Scout, we're pulling her through windows and throwing her down into pools. She wants to do all her own stunts! She's really got something. I see a huge future for her.
MTV: How many movies are you hoping to get out of "Halloween"?
Gould: [Rob and I] just want to make one good one. So come along for the ride — it's going to be great.
Akkad: We'll have to wait and see what happens with this one. The fans love it so much that, as long as there is that fan interest, we want to give them what they like. We want to give them the ride that they enjoy. We will see what the reaction is to this one, and hopefully there will be more.
Check out everything we've got on "Halloween."
Visit Movies on MTV.com for more from Hollywood, including news, reviews, interviews and more.
Giovanni Ribisi: Better Known Than Another 'Perfect Stranger,' Balki Bartokomous?
Thriller with Halle Berry could finally make Ribisi better known than '80s character from similarly named TV show.
By Larry Carroll
If an actor gives an amazing performance but nobody is in the theater to see it, does it still make a sound?
That's the question prompted by the unusual career path of 32-year-old Giovanni Ribisi. For the recent film "The Dead Girl," he transformed himself into a hulking, tattooed, sexually adventurous grocery clerk; in "Heaven," he shaved his head and delivered his lines in Italian; in "Basic," he was a gay soldier with a tic; and in the 2004 remake of "Flight of the Phoenix," he channeled Peter Lorre to masterfully craft a timid, nasally voiced architect with a secret.
This is a man who even changes the way he walks from movie to movie. But for all his efforts, chances are you've never seen most of those performances.
"I looked on IMDb recently, and there's, like, 40 movies that I've done," he said. "I thought, 'Holy sh--!' "
The actor's back catalog includes other "watch-them-for-him" flicks, such as "SubUrbia" and "The Gift"; it is only intermittently broken up by an actual hit like "Saving Private Ryan." Now, with a part in the Halle Berry/ Bruce Willis thriller "Perfect Stranger," the question isn't whether Ribisi will bring something unique to the flick, but whether anybody will actually see this one.
"[Every role] is whatever I am at that given moment," he said of his script-selecting tendencies, which place little importance on the commercial prospects of a project. "I do what I'm attracted to, as far as the people I work with and the characters I play."
In "Stranger," that character is a reimagining of an overused stereotype. "My character was written as this guy who was grumpy and overweight — the classic cliché computer-geek guy," Ribisi said. "But the first conversation with the director, James Foley, was going in a completely opposite direction, making him witty and charming and attractive and having a crush on Halle's character. [That creates] more of a turn when you find out how dark he is."
The twisty flick, about a journalist (Berry) who suspects an influential businessman (Willis) of murder, is also notable for casting the proudly chameleonlike Ribisi next to a megastar with a very different cross to bear. "Some people would say [the same things] about Marlon Brando," Ribisi reasoned, addressing the perception that Willis simply plays himself in one movie after another. "My experience with [Willis] was that we had a two-week rehearsal before the movie started, and he was so f---ing committed to the movie. There's a reason for his success."
Ribisi took on his "Perfect" role largely so he could work with "Glengarry Glen Ross" director Foley. "That film, as a whole, is just great," marveled the actor, whose "Boiler Room" in 2000 was largely seen as a "Young Guns"-like reworking of the 1992 classic. Ribisi added that his dream gig would have been "Alec Baldwin's ['Glengarry'] character, or maybe even the Jack Lemmon role."
If he could do his career all over again, Ribisi insists, he would change little else. "I have no regrets about the movies I've done. With DVD and cable, films are a lot more successful than people believe. [Ultimately], it's difficult for me to be objective, because I'm in the fabric, and I'm aware of what was being manipulated for an audience to have an experience."
Still, it is remarkable that Ribisi takes even the most commonplace roles so seriously. "I once built a whole car from scratch for a movie," he said when asked about the most extreme preparation he'd ever undergone.
That movie? The forgettable Nicolas Cage clunker "Gone in 60 Seconds."
"It was a movie that was all about cars, and I just wanted to get my hands deep into it," an unapologetic Ribisi said. "[I needed to] get into that world."
So whether he's playing a mentally disabled man in love ("The Other Sister"), a drummer in a struggling pop band ("That Thing You Do!") or an overeager sci-fi sidekick ("Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow"), one guarantee remains: You'll never see Ribisi, perhaps the best under-the-radar actor of his generation, play the same role twice. But if you're like most people, you may also never actually see the movies.
"I just consider myself a committed actor," he said. "If a movie is a success, that's great; I'm happy for that. But I've learned just to concentrate on my job and do the best that I can.
"I'm really proud of ['Perfect Stranger']," he concluded, perhaps crossing his fingers a bit this time around. "This is a movie that might have some success."
By Larry Carroll
If an actor gives an amazing performance but nobody is in the theater to see it, does it still make a sound?
That's the question prompted by the unusual career path of 32-year-old Giovanni Ribisi. For the recent film "The Dead Girl," he transformed himself into a hulking, tattooed, sexually adventurous grocery clerk; in "Heaven," he shaved his head and delivered his lines in Italian; in "Basic," he was a gay soldier with a tic; and in the 2004 remake of "Flight of the Phoenix," he channeled Peter Lorre to masterfully craft a timid, nasally voiced architect with a secret.
This is a man who even changes the way he walks from movie to movie. But for all his efforts, chances are you've never seen most of those performances.
"I looked on IMDb recently, and there's, like, 40 movies that I've done," he said. "I thought, 'Holy sh--!' "
The actor's back catalog includes other "watch-them-for-him" flicks, such as "SubUrbia" and "The Gift"; it is only intermittently broken up by an actual hit like "Saving Private Ryan." Now, with a part in the Halle Berry/ Bruce Willis thriller "Perfect Stranger," the question isn't whether Ribisi will bring something unique to the flick, but whether anybody will actually see this one.
"[Every role] is whatever I am at that given moment," he said of his script-selecting tendencies, which place little importance on the commercial prospects of a project. "I do what I'm attracted to, as far as the people I work with and the characters I play."
In "Stranger," that character is a reimagining of an overused stereotype. "My character was written as this guy who was grumpy and overweight — the classic cliché computer-geek guy," Ribisi said. "But the first conversation with the director, James Foley, was going in a completely opposite direction, making him witty and charming and attractive and having a crush on Halle's character. [That creates] more of a turn when you find out how dark he is."
The twisty flick, about a journalist (Berry) who suspects an influential businessman (Willis) of murder, is also notable for casting the proudly chameleonlike Ribisi next to a megastar with a very different cross to bear. "Some people would say [the same things] about Marlon Brando," Ribisi reasoned, addressing the perception that Willis simply plays himself in one movie after another. "My experience with [Willis] was that we had a two-week rehearsal before the movie started, and he was so f---ing committed to the movie. There's a reason for his success."
Ribisi took on his "Perfect" role largely so he could work with "Glengarry Glen Ross" director Foley. "That film, as a whole, is just great," marveled the actor, whose "Boiler Room" in 2000 was largely seen as a "Young Guns"-like reworking of the 1992 classic. Ribisi added that his dream gig would have been "Alec Baldwin's ['Glengarry'] character, or maybe even the Jack Lemmon role."
If he could do his career all over again, Ribisi insists, he would change little else. "I have no regrets about the movies I've done. With DVD and cable, films are a lot more successful than people believe. [Ultimately], it's difficult for me to be objective, because I'm in the fabric, and I'm aware of what was being manipulated for an audience to have an experience."
Still, it is remarkable that Ribisi takes even the most commonplace roles so seriously. "I once built a whole car from scratch for a movie," he said when asked about the most extreme preparation he'd ever undergone.
That movie? The forgettable Nicolas Cage clunker "Gone in 60 Seconds."
"It was a movie that was all about cars, and I just wanted to get my hands deep into it," an unapologetic Ribisi said. "[I needed to] get into that world."
So whether he's playing a mentally disabled man in love ("The Other Sister"), a drummer in a struggling pop band ("That Thing You Do!") or an overeager sci-fi sidekick ("Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow"), one guarantee remains: You'll never see Ribisi, perhaps the best under-the-radar actor of his generation, play the same role twice. But if you're like most people, you may also never actually see the movies.
"I just consider myself a committed actor," he said. "If a movie is a success, that's great; I'm happy for that. But I've learned just to concentrate on my job and do the best that I can.
"I'm really proud of ['Perfect Stranger']," he concluded, perhaps crossing his fingers a bit this time around. "This is a movie that might have some success."
'Jurassic Park IV' To Hit Theaters In 2008
Star Laura Dern tells MTV News she's confident film is '[just] around the corner.'
By Shawn Adler
BEVERLY HILLS, California — "Hold on to your butts": The long-in-development "Jurassic Park IV" is finally heading to the big screen, actress Laura Dern told MTV News.
"It is happening. Rumor has it [my character] Ellie Sattler may be back in the woods, back on the island," Dern announced, saying the movie will hit theaters in 2008. She added with a coy smile, "You know, there is a guy I know who told me he wants me to have something to do with it. [So] I have a date with a dinosaur again. My 5-year-old will be thrilled."
A fourth installment of the popular adventure franchise has been in the works since "Jurassic Park III" opened to mixed reviews but high box-office receipts in 2001. Screenwriters as diverse as John Sayles and recent Oscar winner William Monahan ("The Departed") have been attached to write "IV."
While rumored to be dissatisfied with various scripts, director and producer Steven Spielberg has continued to staunchly support "Jurassic Park III" helmer Joe Johnston, whom he called in a 2006 interview with SpielbergFilms.com the "go-to 'Jurassic' guy" and the "right guy to do the fourth one."
But apparently Johnston isn't "the right guy" to direct the sequel. When reached for comment, representatives for the director were adamant that Johnston is "definitely not directing ['Jurassic Park IV']."
So who will direct the fiercely awaited sequel? Laughing, Dern suggested a candidate some might consider a little outside the box.
"I don't know if he is in talks with them or not, [but] maybe David Lynch [should direct] it just to kind of shake things up a little bit. That would make it kind of interesting and unique," the 40-year-old actress said of her longtime collaborator. "I don't know [who] — I just hope it's as irreverent as Steven has always wanted them to be."
According to Dern, those tones of irreverence and humor are of paramount importance to the success of any "Jurassic Park" film. "I think the more irreverent and hilarious that they can be would be good," Dern said. "Hopefully [there are] very funny writers working on it, because whenever it got funny and irreverent, I thought that was really good news."
While Dern was confident the film was "[just] around the corner," the "Jurassic Park" veteran paleobotanist hasn't actually seen a completed script, nor does she know where the story might be headed. "I know nothing else except that it is happening," she insisted.
So what would Dern like to see? Why, dinosaurs that were less fierce, of course.
"I've never really liked them very much. They were never really nice to me — it's not like it was a party on that island!" Dern joked. "But the [sick] triceratops [from the first film] was sweet. So maybe a nice herd of triceratops that I could ride or something. Riding a dinosaur would be [a lot of] fun."
Calls to reps for series stars Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill were not returned by press time.
By Shawn Adler
BEVERLY HILLS, California — "Hold on to your butts": The long-in-development "Jurassic Park IV" is finally heading to the big screen, actress Laura Dern told MTV News.
"It is happening. Rumor has it [my character] Ellie Sattler may be back in the woods, back on the island," Dern announced, saying the movie will hit theaters in 2008. She added with a coy smile, "You know, there is a guy I know who told me he wants me to have something to do with it. [So] I have a date with a dinosaur again. My 5-year-old will be thrilled."
A fourth installment of the popular adventure franchise has been in the works since "Jurassic Park III" opened to mixed reviews but high box-office receipts in 2001. Screenwriters as diverse as John Sayles and recent Oscar winner William Monahan ("The Departed") have been attached to write "IV."
While rumored to be dissatisfied with various scripts, director and producer Steven Spielberg has continued to staunchly support "Jurassic Park III" helmer Joe Johnston, whom he called in a 2006 interview with SpielbergFilms.com the "go-to 'Jurassic' guy" and the "right guy to do the fourth one."
But apparently Johnston isn't "the right guy" to direct the sequel. When reached for comment, representatives for the director were adamant that Johnston is "definitely not directing ['Jurassic Park IV']."
So who will direct the fiercely awaited sequel? Laughing, Dern suggested a candidate some might consider a little outside the box.
"I don't know if he is in talks with them or not, [but] maybe David Lynch [should direct] it just to kind of shake things up a little bit. That would make it kind of interesting and unique," the 40-year-old actress said of her longtime collaborator. "I don't know [who] — I just hope it's as irreverent as Steven has always wanted them to be."
According to Dern, those tones of irreverence and humor are of paramount importance to the success of any "Jurassic Park" film. "I think the more irreverent and hilarious that they can be would be good," Dern said. "Hopefully [there are] very funny writers working on it, because whenever it got funny and irreverent, I thought that was really good news."
While Dern was confident the film was "[just] around the corner," the "Jurassic Park" veteran paleobotanist hasn't actually seen a completed script, nor does she know where the story might be headed. "I know nothing else except that it is happening," she insisted.
So what would Dern like to see? Why, dinosaurs that were less fierce, of course.
"I've never really liked them very much. They were never really nice to me — it's not like it was a party on that island!" Dern joked. "But the [sick] triceratops [from the first film] was sweet. So maybe a nice herd of triceratops that I could ride or something. Riding a dinosaur would be [a lot of] fun."
Calls to reps for series stars Jeff Goldblum and Sam Neill were not returned by press time.
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Pirates Of The Caribbean
by Yeaf Zw
Pirates of the Caribbean opened at Disneyland in 1967 and became an instant classic. But it's a picture memory from sometime early in 1966, inside a basic warehouse building at WED Enterprises, that still resonates most strongly with me.
Dead men tell no tales...until now, that is. For almost forty years the pirates have stuck to their script, but after appearing in E-Ticket attractions at four Disney Theme Parks around the world and starring in a blockbuster hit film, the wildest crew that ever sacked the Spanish Main is ready for their own unique brand of Hollywood tell all.
Few shows have had the “leg” that Pirates does, sea or otherwise. Only a small number of films and theatrical shows are as beloved and as relevant forty years after their initial release. A pirate of the Caribbean is the quintessential Disney themed show. It is a triumph for both the group and the process of Walt Disney Imagineering, seamlessly melding story telling and technology to immerse the audience in an elaborate virtual reality decades before either the concept or the term was in vogue. It is a lavish showcase for the art of Audio-Animatronics, bringing the starts of the show to three dimensional life in that reality as never before. It’s “narrated” by one of the most memorable and hum worthy songs in Disney history.
One of the hallmarks of Disney storytelling has always been a starting attention to detail, and Pirates of the Caribbean is the premier example of that Imagineering design principle. The experience is sumptuous and simply too vast and complex to take in one voyage. The audience sees, hears, smells or feels something new every time they ride on the attraction and that keeps them coming back again and again.
Walt Disney Imagineering, both the practice and the practitioners, was born of the film industry, and Pirates of the Caribbean itself was inspired in part by such legendary Hollywood epics as Captain Blood and Disney’s own Treasure Island. So it should come as no surprise that this timeless theme park adventure would prove just as worthy of cinematic adaptation as any classic novel, Broadway musical, TV show, or even comic book.
Pirates of the Caribbean opened at Disneyland in 1967 and became an instant classic. But it's a picture memory from sometime early in 1966, inside a basic warehouse building at WED Enterprises, that still resonates most strongly with me.
Dead men tell no tales...until now, that is. For almost forty years the pirates have stuck to their script, but after appearing in E-Ticket attractions at four Disney Theme Parks around the world and starring in a blockbuster hit film, the wildest crew that ever sacked the Spanish Main is ready for their own unique brand of Hollywood tell all.
Few shows have had the “leg” that Pirates does, sea or otherwise. Only a small number of films and theatrical shows are as beloved and as relevant forty years after their initial release. A pirate of the Caribbean is the quintessential Disney themed show. It is a triumph for both the group and the process of Walt Disney Imagineering, seamlessly melding story telling and technology to immerse the audience in an elaborate virtual reality decades before either the concept or the term was in vogue. It is a lavish showcase for the art of Audio-Animatronics, bringing the starts of the show to three dimensional life in that reality as never before. It’s “narrated” by one of the most memorable and hum worthy songs in Disney history.
One of the hallmarks of Disney storytelling has always been a starting attention to detail, and Pirates of the Caribbean is the premier example of that Imagineering design principle. The experience is sumptuous and simply too vast and complex to take in one voyage. The audience sees, hears, smells or feels something new every time they ride on the attraction and that keeps them coming back again and again.
Walt Disney Imagineering, both the practice and the practitioners, was born of the film industry, and Pirates of the Caribbean itself was inspired in part by such legendary Hollywood epics as Captain Blood and Disney’s own Treasure Island. So it should come as no surprise that this timeless theme park adventure would prove just as worthy of cinematic adaptation as any classic novel, Broadway musical, TV show, or even comic book.
24p Digital Technology - Now Anyone Can Have A Cinematic Film Look Shooting On Mini DV
by J. Edwards
The advances of digital filmmaking gives the independent filmmaker the right tools to completely produce and distribute an independant film.
1. Who uses 24p?
Anyone who wishes to capture a sequence of images with a “cinematic” look or feel can use 24p to accomplish that effect. Independent film producers, film school students, and others may utilize 24p digital technology. The AF-DVX100 also has the option of being applied as a B Roll camera, which complements the HD video camera or 35 mm camera. This is also a smart way to shoot multiple camera coverage in 24p.
2. If I don’t plan on distributing my film, why should I shoot 24p?
Actually, a large audience equates the 24p look with high production values, as most prime time television programs are shot in 24p through HD video or 35mm film. It is therefore to your advantage to shoot 24p.
3. Do I need the Non Linear Editing process to shoot 24p with the AG-DVX100?
No. The AG-DV camera has been designed to work in an NTSC DV editing environment to minimize your investment to 24p. Your IEEEE-1394 based NLE should be compatible with the live camera IEEEE-1394 and tapes recorded through AG-DVX.
There is a software editing application compatible with IEEE-1394 for under $1,000. You might also add a specialized PCU bus hardware accelerator to provide real time video transitions and effects.
4. Will I need a new 24p capable DV studio VTR to playback an AG-DVX100 24p recorded tape?
No. The AG-DVX100 camera provides a "3:2 pull down" telecine process directly in the camera head, so that the 24p signal captured by the CCD based imager is converted to an NTSC compatible signal for mini-DV format recording and playback.
5. Can I use an existing NTSC monitor to view 24p camera output or tapes?
Yes! The AG-DVX100 offers a built-in process that converts the 24p video signal captured by the CCD based imager to an NTSC signal. This signal is compatible for editing and monitoring.
6. Do I need a separate DAT recording device for higher quality audio?
No—the audio quality of AG-DVX100 is similar to that of the film industry DAT recorder. The AG-DVX100 represents state of the art digital audio.
7. Can I create tight shots with my AG-DVX100?
Yes—the AG-DVX100 lens has a short focal length of 4.5mm. This is an approximate equivalent in 35mm photography to a 32.5 wide-angle lens. Wide angle lens provide a deep depth of field that helps with close-up shots.
8. Now that I’ve got the right equipment, how do I break into filmmaking?
If you are a beginner, try to take classes at film or video schools to get a handle on cinematic storytelling. The size and weight of the new technology helps to allow for a filmmaking style not available to 35mm filmmakers.
The advances of digital filmmaking gives the independent filmmaker the right tools to completely produce and distribute an independant film.
1. Who uses 24p?
Anyone who wishes to capture a sequence of images with a “cinematic” look or feel can use 24p to accomplish that effect. Independent film producers, film school students, and others may utilize 24p digital technology. The AF-DVX100 also has the option of being applied as a B Roll camera, which complements the HD video camera or 35 mm camera. This is also a smart way to shoot multiple camera coverage in 24p.
2. If I don’t plan on distributing my film, why should I shoot 24p?
Actually, a large audience equates the 24p look with high production values, as most prime time television programs are shot in 24p through HD video or 35mm film. It is therefore to your advantage to shoot 24p.
3. Do I need the Non Linear Editing process to shoot 24p with the AG-DVX100?
No. The AG-DV camera has been designed to work in an NTSC DV editing environment to minimize your investment to 24p. Your IEEEE-1394 based NLE should be compatible with the live camera IEEEE-1394 and tapes recorded through AG-DVX.
There is a software editing application compatible with IEEE-1394 for under $1,000. You might also add a specialized PCU bus hardware accelerator to provide real time video transitions and effects.
4. Will I need a new 24p capable DV studio VTR to playback an AG-DVX100 24p recorded tape?
No. The AG-DVX100 camera provides a "3:2 pull down" telecine process directly in the camera head, so that the 24p signal captured by the CCD based imager is converted to an NTSC compatible signal for mini-DV format recording and playback.
5. Can I use an existing NTSC monitor to view 24p camera output or tapes?
Yes! The AG-DVX100 offers a built-in process that converts the 24p video signal captured by the CCD based imager to an NTSC signal. This signal is compatible for editing and monitoring.
6. Do I need a separate DAT recording device for higher quality audio?
No—the audio quality of AG-DVX100 is similar to that of the film industry DAT recorder. The AG-DVX100 represents state of the art digital audio.
7. Can I create tight shots with my AG-DVX100?
Yes—the AG-DVX100 lens has a short focal length of 4.5mm. This is an approximate equivalent in 35mm photography to a 32.5 wide-angle lens. Wide angle lens provide a deep depth of field that helps with close-up shots.
8. Now that I’ve got the right equipment, how do I break into filmmaking?
If you are a beginner, try to take classes at film or video schools to get a handle on cinematic storytelling. The size and weight of the new technology helps to allow for a filmmaking style not available to 35mm filmmakers.
Death of a President - the Most Controversial Film
by Paul Davis
An ingenious, well-made political thriller! Winner of the International Critics' Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, Death of a President is a fictional 2008 TV documentary broadcast on the assassination of President George W. Bush on October 19th, 2007. As an American citizen...
An ingenious, well-made political thriller! Winner of the International Critics' Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, Death of a President is a fictional 2008 TV documentary broadcast on the assassination of President George W. Bush on October 19th, 2007.
As an American citizen, I would never endorse nor encourage the assassination of this or any President of the United States. Regardless of whether or not I agree or disagree with a President's policy and ideology, I firmly believe the integrity of the office should be upheld.
Freedom and truth are competing rights and interests of the protestors in the film, as they take to the streets to express their disapproval of President Bush and the war in Iraq. Chicago police and riot police were pushed over the edge by the protestors who seemingly got out of hand and crossed designated barricades for the President's personal safety.
Alternatively, many innocent protestors were harassed by police, who became physically abusive. Most interestingly about the movie was the way the U.S. government and media were quick to jump to conclusions and falsely accuse a Syrian man of the murder of the President. When a retired military man was later found to have committed the murder, the government and media were ready to exonerate the real murderer preferring to link the President's murder to al Qaeda.
Why would the government and media prefer to falsely accuse and imprison a Syrian for the President's murder? A couple reasons. It adds to the hysteria and fear factor enabling the warmongers to move forward throughout the Middle East. The media can sell more magazines and newspapers. And it is easier to disassociate the murder when the accused is an outsider from another distant country.
Thoughts of a Presidential murder coming from a retired U.S. military soldier doesn't give the country warm, patriotic, fuzzy feelings. Neither does it endear the military to the national politicians, who might begin to fear for their lives should they undertake an unpopular policy.
Innocent people, no matter their national origin, never deserve to be false accused and imprisoned. I've been to Pakistan twice since 9/11. Should I therefore also be accused and imprisoned for conspiring to kill the President? Such is absurd. On the contrary, I was doing ministry in churches in Faisalabad. I also eat with a Syrian man every month on American soil. Should that be thought to be suspicious? I think not. The Syrian man is more supportive of Pres. Bush than I am.
As Ghandi who revolutionized India taught, protests must be done peaceably if they are to be effective. Anything less and protests shall be fruitless causing more harm than good.
The intelligence community in America should be earnest and cautious when given hypotheses and conspiracy theories. Sadly a pattern has been occurring in America, whereby first a hypothesis of guilt is made, after which intelligence works backwards to gather sustainable evidence to connect the dots. This brought about the WMD debacle in Iraq, where there was no evidence whatsoever to sustain the allegations.
Let us beware and take every precaution not to injure the innocent and to vocalize our passions peaceably.
Paul Davis is a worldwide minister, peacemaker, mediator, and life purpose coach (relational & professional).
Paul is the author of several books including Breakthrough for a Broken Heart; Adultery: 101 Reasons Not to Cheat; Are You Ready for True Love; Stop Lusting & Start Living; Waves of God; Supernatural Fire; Poems that Propel the Planet; and God vs. Religion.
Paul's compassion for people & passion to travel has taken him to over 50 countries of the world where he has had a tremendous impact. Paul has served in many war-torn, impoverished and tsunami stricken regions of the earth. His Dream-Maker Inc. is building dreams, breaking limitations & reviving nations.
Paul's Breakthrough Seminars inspire, revive, awaken, impregnate with purpose, impart the fire of desire, catapult people into a new level of self-awareness, facilitate destiny discovery and dream fulfillment.
An ingenious, well-made political thriller! Winner of the International Critics' Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, Death of a President is a fictional 2008 TV documentary broadcast on the assassination of President George W. Bush on October 19th, 2007. As an American citizen...
An ingenious, well-made political thriller! Winner of the International Critics' Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, Death of a President is a fictional 2008 TV documentary broadcast on the assassination of President George W. Bush on October 19th, 2007.
As an American citizen, I would never endorse nor encourage the assassination of this or any President of the United States. Regardless of whether or not I agree or disagree with a President's policy and ideology, I firmly believe the integrity of the office should be upheld.
Freedom and truth are competing rights and interests of the protestors in the film, as they take to the streets to express their disapproval of President Bush and the war in Iraq. Chicago police and riot police were pushed over the edge by the protestors who seemingly got out of hand and crossed designated barricades for the President's personal safety.
Alternatively, many innocent protestors were harassed by police, who became physically abusive. Most interestingly about the movie was the way the U.S. government and media were quick to jump to conclusions and falsely accuse a Syrian man of the murder of the President. When a retired military man was later found to have committed the murder, the government and media were ready to exonerate the real murderer preferring to link the President's murder to al Qaeda.
Why would the government and media prefer to falsely accuse and imprison a Syrian for the President's murder? A couple reasons. It adds to the hysteria and fear factor enabling the warmongers to move forward throughout the Middle East. The media can sell more magazines and newspapers. And it is easier to disassociate the murder when the accused is an outsider from another distant country.
Thoughts of a Presidential murder coming from a retired U.S. military soldier doesn't give the country warm, patriotic, fuzzy feelings. Neither does it endear the military to the national politicians, who might begin to fear for their lives should they undertake an unpopular policy.
Innocent people, no matter their national origin, never deserve to be false accused and imprisoned. I've been to Pakistan twice since 9/11. Should I therefore also be accused and imprisoned for conspiring to kill the President? Such is absurd. On the contrary, I was doing ministry in churches in Faisalabad. I also eat with a Syrian man every month on American soil. Should that be thought to be suspicious? I think not. The Syrian man is more supportive of Pres. Bush than I am.
As Ghandi who revolutionized India taught, protests must be done peaceably if they are to be effective. Anything less and protests shall be fruitless causing more harm than good.
The intelligence community in America should be earnest and cautious when given hypotheses and conspiracy theories. Sadly a pattern has been occurring in America, whereby first a hypothesis of guilt is made, after which intelligence works backwards to gather sustainable evidence to connect the dots. This brought about the WMD debacle in Iraq, where there was no evidence whatsoever to sustain the allegations.
Let us beware and take every precaution not to injure the innocent and to vocalize our passions peaceably.
Paul Davis is a worldwide minister, peacemaker, mediator, and life purpose coach (relational & professional).
Paul is the author of several books including Breakthrough for a Broken Heart; Adultery: 101 Reasons Not to Cheat; Are You Ready for True Love; Stop Lusting & Start Living; Waves of God; Supernatural Fire; Poems that Propel the Planet; and God vs. Religion.
Paul's compassion for people & passion to travel has taken him to over 50 countries of the world where he has had a tremendous impact. Paul has served in many war-torn, impoverished and tsunami stricken regions of the earth. His Dream-Maker Inc. is building dreams, breaking limitations & reviving nations.
Paul's Breakthrough Seminars inspire, revive, awaken, impregnate with purpose, impart the fire of desire, catapult people into a new level of self-awareness, facilitate destiny discovery and dream fulfillment.
Thursday, April 12, 2007
James Bond - Casino Royale - Reviewed
by Alastair Harris
A look at the latest Jame Bond Film.
The latest installment in the popular James Bond series - Casino Royale - stars Daniel Craig as James Bond. Despite some initial criticism of a blonde Bond, Daniel Craig brings new intensity to the role. The opening sequence in particular is so full of energy and life that any worries of Daniel Craig living up to the Bond name is quickly dispelled. That along with his piecing blue eyes make him a perfect successor to the Bond Legacy.
The movie itself is based on Ian Flemings first Bond novel and one can feel that the story line was still yet to find the classic Bond feel. The storyline is a lot deeper than most Bond flicks with bad guys behind bad guys behind bad guys, giving greater depth to the villains and creating many levels in front of the true evil which lurks behind.
Whilst their is new depth to the storyline the problem is it is not what the average Bond fan expects with perhaps too many subplots. Also missing are the gadgets which makes the film seem less Bond.
In an interesting scene Bond comes out of the water (almost as a tribute back to previous Bond films with the ladies coming out of the water - perhaps a highlight on the fact that Men too can be attractive in their own right). There is of course plenty of eye candy for both male and female viewers.
The main scene revolves around Bond playing no limit hold em poker - gone is the classic game of baccarat that most people wouldn't have a clue how to play and in its place the hugely popular no limit poker game.
The cinematography is at a higher level than previous Bond films. My only criticism of the film is the plot is over complicated, perhaps that is to allow for a sequel to further develop the plot. The film seems to try to take in too many different locations, sub-plots and leaves unanswered questions.
The film also tries to develops Bonds character into a genius in regards to computer technology - almost making him a computer geek in fact, perhaps in acknowledgment to the importance of computer technology in the modern world. It doesn't make up for the missing gadgets.
In conclusion - a great Bond Film on the surface, but lacking the heart to make it perfect.
A look at the latest Jame Bond Film.
The latest installment in the popular James Bond series - Casino Royale - stars Daniel Craig as James Bond. Despite some initial criticism of a blonde Bond, Daniel Craig brings new intensity to the role. The opening sequence in particular is so full of energy and life that any worries of Daniel Craig living up to the Bond name is quickly dispelled. That along with his piecing blue eyes make him a perfect successor to the Bond Legacy.
The movie itself is based on Ian Flemings first Bond novel and one can feel that the story line was still yet to find the classic Bond feel. The storyline is a lot deeper than most Bond flicks with bad guys behind bad guys behind bad guys, giving greater depth to the villains and creating many levels in front of the true evil which lurks behind.
Whilst their is new depth to the storyline the problem is it is not what the average Bond fan expects with perhaps too many subplots. Also missing are the gadgets which makes the film seem less Bond.
In an interesting scene Bond comes out of the water (almost as a tribute back to previous Bond films with the ladies coming out of the water - perhaps a highlight on the fact that Men too can be attractive in their own right). There is of course plenty of eye candy for both male and female viewers.
The main scene revolves around Bond playing no limit hold em poker - gone is the classic game of baccarat that most people wouldn't have a clue how to play and in its place the hugely popular no limit poker game.
The cinematography is at a higher level than previous Bond films. My only criticism of the film is the plot is over complicated, perhaps that is to allow for a sequel to further develop the plot. The film seems to try to take in too many different locations, sub-plots and leaves unanswered questions.
The film also tries to develops Bonds character into a genius in regards to computer technology - almost making him a computer geek in fact, perhaps in acknowledgment to the importance of computer technology in the modern world. It doesn't make up for the missing gadgets.
In conclusion - a great Bond Film on the surface, but lacking the heart to make it perfect.
The Big Heart Of The "Reign Over Me"
by Toly Dotkam
As most of the previous work of Adam Sandler "Reign over me" has a big, kind and honest heart! There are certain people in our world who have this unique talent, and are able to see and feel "This Heart" - others just go to see comedy or call themselves "critics."
Movies that were coming from the other side of the planet (US) in late 80s beginning of 90s were not kind of movies that would flow together with your feelings, or open up your mind widely, they were rather: "Cobra", "Comando", "Bloodsport" etc.. - not that many Hollywood movies were translated to Russian and available for the general audience (USSR) to watch. So we were not too spoiled with Hollywood classics, so to speak..
Later on, in mid 90s, when I first saw "Billy Madison", "Happy Gilmore" and, then later on, "The Waterboy", they were translated so poorly, that seemed extremely dull and stupid - and that was my take on Adam Sandler, and that what I took with me to the 21st century...
Things have changed a lot when a flow of the movies from US was pretty much wide open, and, of course, when I got to know English a little better. I watched movie after movie, and little by little everything started to make sense - I learned to see and appreciate the beauty that was always there, that before I've never got a chance to see, or the language to understand. That was phenomenal! (well, for me it was).
And I did re-discovered Adam Sandler and his work, it finally got to me after a decade. "The Wedding Singer", "Big Daddy", "Mr. Deeds", "Spanglish" - they all "appeared naked" in front of me, and I could feel their kindness, sincerity, and a big and honest heart!
"Reign over me" shows Adam in slightly different angle. While his character (Charlie Fineman) is sort of a combination of "Punch-Drunk Love", "Big Daddy" and "Mr.Deeds", it reveals a new inner perception of the world around him. In the movie Charlie "pairs up" with a successful dentist, his former college roommate, Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle), which creates a bridge between Charlie's insularity and Alan's overall life unhappiness. During the movie Alan is trying to help Charlie get through an awful tragedy that lives inside Charlie's mind and soaked with his whole essence. By helping him, Alan comes to realize that Charlie, in spite of his problems has something that such successful dentist as himself does not have - Charlie is free!
Movie is wit, funny and very sad at the same time. It has this unbelievable power, when you're watching it, you know it is long, but every 5 minutes, closer to the end, you are alert and constantly worried that it is going to end, when you really want it to be "just a little longer".
As most of the previous work of Adam Sandler "Reign over me" has a big, kind and honest heart! There are certain people in our world who have this unique talent, and are able to see and feel "This Heart" - others just go to see comedy or call themselves "critics".
As most of the previous work of Adam Sandler "Reign over me" has a big, kind and honest heart! There are certain people in our world who have this unique talent, and are able to see and feel "This Heart" - others just go to see comedy or call themselves "critics."
Movies that were coming from the other side of the planet (US) in late 80s beginning of 90s were not kind of movies that would flow together with your feelings, or open up your mind widely, they were rather: "Cobra", "Comando", "Bloodsport" etc.. - not that many Hollywood movies were translated to Russian and available for the general audience (USSR) to watch. So we were not too spoiled with Hollywood classics, so to speak..
Later on, in mid 90s, when I first saw "Billy Madison", "Happy Gilmore" and, then later on, "The Waterboy", they were translated so poorly, that seemed extremely dull and stupid - and that was my take on Adam Sandler, and that what I took with me to the 21st century...
Things have changed a lot when a flow of the movies from US was pretty much wide open, and, of course, when I got to know English a little better. I watched movie after movie, and little by little everything started to make sense - I learned to see and appreciate the beauty that was always there, that before I've never got a chance to see, or the language to understand. That was phenomenal! (well, for me it was).
And I did re-discovered Adam Sandler and his work, it finally got to me after a decade. "The Wedding Singer", "Big Daddy", "Mr. Deeds", "Spanglish" - they all "appeared naked" in front of me, and I could feel their kindness, sincerity, and a big and honest heart!
"Reign over me" shows Adam in slightly different angle. While his character (Charlie Fineman) is sort of a combination of "Punch-Drunk Love", "Big Daddy" and "Mr.Deeds", it reveals a new inner perception of the world around him. In the movie Charlie "pairs up" with a successful dentist, his former college roommate, Alan Johnson (Don Cheadle), which creates a bridge between Charlie's insularity and Alan's overall life unhappiness. During the movie Alan is trying to help Charlie get through an awful tragedy that lives inside Charlie's mind and soaked with his whole essence. By helping him, Alan comes to realize that Charlie, in spite of his problems has something that such successful dentist as himself does not have - Charlie is free!
Movie is wit, funny and very sad at the same time. It has this unbelievable power, when you're watching it, you know it is long, but every 5 minutes, closer to the end, you are alert and constantly worried that it is going to end, when you really want it to be "just a little longer".
As most of the previous work of Adam Sandler "Reign over me" has a big, kind and honest heart! There are certain people in our world who have this unique talent, and are able to see and feel "This Heart" - others just go to see comedy or call themselves "critics".
BLU-RAY Is Superior to HD-DVD in Terms of Capacity
by Mikael Rieck
There has been much hype about the "war" between Sony's Blu-Ray technology and the HD-DVD technology of Toshiba. Both are high definition digital video disc formats but then factor that will reveal the outcome of the war is what format will be most appealing to the consumers.
Since the formats appeared in the market space (which the did almost simultaneously), both have been a though sell to consumers because so far it hasn't been clear which one will come out on top on the format war. Naturally both the Sony Company and that of Toshiba promotes their own standard heavily through both advertising and through partnerships.
Repeating the Beta-max vs. VHS war
However it is generally agreed that there can be only one format that will come out on top, and with memories of the format war between the VHS and Beta-max video tapes no more than a few decades ago, most consumers are waiting to see which standard will win the battle. They are afraid of getting burned by investing in technology that will soon be obsolete.
The funny part is that it is the customers that will determine the outcome but many await the outcome before investing. Luckily there are some people that will always invest and the major companies are spending millions and millions to add trust to their particular brand or technology.
How to evoke confidence
A central dilemma to both Sony and Toshiba is how to evoke enough confidence in their own formats in order to convince consumers that their format will be around in the long run and not end up like the Beta-max video did two decades ago. The format question is really only a matter of perception by the consumers on which technology that will win the war.
If consumers perceive one format to be more likely to be around five years from now, they will buy software titles and movie in that format and the machines to play that particular format. When the movie studios and software companies see that consumers like that format, be it Blu-ray or HD-DVD, they will publish more titles in that format. When consumers see more a lot more titles in one format than the other, they will gain even more confidence in that format and the “good spiral” has begun which will eventually determine who will win the format war.
Blu-ray backed by Twentieth Century Fox
Recently the major company Twentieth Century Fox has announced that it will release numerous movie titles in the Blu-ray format and that it thereby backs the format of Sony. Releasing between five to ten titles per month, this is a major show of confidence in Blu-ray's potential to be the winning format.
The steady stream of new titles should provide anyone who is thinking of buying a Blu-ray player or who already owns one with plenty of new movies to look forward to over the next year. The direction towards the Blu-ray technology is good news for TV and computer technology in general because of the technical advantages that Blu-ray has over the HD-DVD format.
Superior quality doesn’t always win
One of the main benefits comes from the fact that even though they rely on similar types of laser technology and are both about the same physical size, a HD-DVD discs can only store fifteen gigabytes on each side for a total of only thirty gigabytes while a Blu-ray disc can store up to twenty five gigabytes of data on each side for a total of fifty gigabytes. Unfortunately, the consumer’s decisions aren't always in favor of the superior technology.
There has been much hype about the "war" between Sony's Blu-Ray technology and the HD-DVD technology of Toshiba. Both are high definition digital video disc formats but then factor that will reveal the outcome of the war is what format will be most appealing to the consumers.
Since the formats appeared in the market space (which the did almost simultaneously), both have been a though sell to consumers because so far it hasn't been clear which one will come out on top on the format war. Naturally both the Sony Company and that of Toshiba promotes their own standard heavily through both advertising and through partnerships.
Repeating the Beta-max vs. VHS war
However it is generally agreed that there can be only one format that will come out on top, and with memories of the format war between the VHS and Beta-max video tapes no more than a few decades ago, most consumers are waiting to see which standard will win the battle. They are afraid of getting burned by investing in technology that will soon be obsolete.
The funny part is that it is the customers that will determine the outcome but many await the outcome before investing. Luckily there are some people that will always invest and the major companies are spending millions and millions to add trust to their particular brand or technology.
How to evoke confidence
A central dilemma to both Sony and Toshiba is how to evoke enough confidence in their own formats in order to convince consumers that their format will be around in the long run and not end up like the Beta-max video did two decades ago. The format question is really only a matter of perception by the consumers on which technology that will win the war.
If consumers perceive one format to be more likely to be around five years from now, they will buy software titles and movie in that format and the machines to play that particular format. When the movie studios and software companies see that consumers like that format, be it Blu-ray or HD-DVD, they will publish more titles in that format. When consumers see more a lot more titles in one format than the other, they will gain even more confidence in that format and the “good spiral” has begun which will eventually determine who will win the format war.
Blu-ray backed by Twentieth Century Fox
Recently the major company Twentieth Century Fox has announced that it will release numerous movie titles in the Blu-ray format and that it thereby backs the format of Sony. Releasing between five to ten titles per month, this is a major show of confidence in Blu-ray's potential to be the winning format.
The steady stream of new titles should provide anyone who is thinking of buying a Blu-ray player or who already owns one with plenty of new movies to look forward to over the next year. The direction towards the Blu-ray technology is good news for TV and computer technology in general because of the technical advantages that Blu-ray has over the HD-DVD format.
Superior quality doesn’t always win
One of the main benefits comes from the fact that even though they rely on similar types of laser technology and are both about the same physical size, a HD-DVD discs can only store fifteen gigabytes on each side for a total of only thirty gigabytes while a Blu-ray disc can store up to twenty five gigabytes of data on each side for a total of fifty gigabytes. Unfortunately, the consumer’s decisions aren't always in favor of the superior technology.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
The Greats of Classic Television - Introduce Them to Your Family Tonight
by Ben Anton
Are you a classic television fan? This article discusses the benefits of introducing your family to the Classic TV Greats.
"They don't make 'em like they used to." You hear this said about everything - cars, houses, toys, clothes… Well, they don't make TV shows like they used to, either. If you grew up watching classic TV, you probably have some very fond memories of sitting in front of the television with your family watching some of the classics at night. There are very few modern television shows that the whole family can sit down and watch together. Either they are geared towards kids and the grown ups aren't interested or they are geared for adults and are inappropriate for the kids.
There is good news for families who would like to share some time in front of the television together, though. Many of the classic TV shows are being released on DVD, usually a season at a time. Families can now enjoy TV classics from the 50's, 60's 70's, and 80's on DVD's that include lots of extras like interviews with the cast members and outtakes.
One of the biggest perks of watching the shows on DVD - no annoying commercials. Today, we're used to watching television on our terms. We fast forward through commercials on shows we've recorded on DVR's. When these classic shows first aired, there was no fast forwarding. Viewers had to sit through the commercials or flip the channel (sometimes manually!) often only to find more commercials.
Think about it. You can now introduce your kids to TV classics such as Happy Days, season by season and show them the first time a television show literally "jumped the shark." Retro is cool right now, and it doesn't get much more retro than Happy Days. It was retro from the day it debuted.
What's available on classic TV DVD? Just about anything you're interested in.
Variety Shows. Remember a few years back when Nick and Jessica attempted a Christmas special variety show? If your kids were interested in that, then they would probably be interested in The Sonny and Cher Show or The Donny and Marie Show. Sure these 70's shows were high on the cheese factor, but the performers had some real talent.
Another great variety show from the 70's that the family will love is The Carol Burnett Show. You'd be amazed at how much today's kids appreciate good, clean, funny comedy when they are actually exposed to it.
Some of the best episodes of variety shows were the Christmas specials. Sonny and Cher and Donny and Marie had their share of Christmas specials, but the master of the Christmas special was Bob Hope. Many of his classic Christmas variety shows are available on DVD.
Classic Sitcoms. I Love Lucy. The Honeymooners. The Dick Van Dyke Show. Leave it to Beaver. The Brady Bunch. The Beverly Hill Billies. The Cosby Show. Family Ties. The Jeffersons. Happy Days. Mash. The Monkees. Did you sit around watching these shows (or reruns of these shows) with your family when you were a kid? Chances are you did. All of these classic television sitcoms are available on DVD. Wouldn't it be great to sit back with your kids and a great big bowl of popcorn and watch The Cosby Show's Claire Huxtable tell her husband Cliff to please go upstairs and kill the children? Now that's classic tv.
Classic Drama/Adventure. Most dramas fall into the one hour crime show genre nowadays. They aren't always pleasant to watch and they certainly aren't appropriate for the kids. Adventure type shows like 24 or Prison Break aren't for the kids either. But McGyver. Now there's a show the whole family can watch together and learn a thing or two about how to make a bomb from a piece of chewing gum, a paperclip and a pencil.
Little House on the Prairie. Gunsmoke. Bonanza. The Waltons. Wonder Woman. Murder She Wrote. Columbo. Emergency. The A Team. Mission Impossible. The Lone Ranger. The list of classic drama/adventure tv shows on DVD goes on and on.
Talk Shows. It seems like anyone can get his or her own talk show these days, but they don't last long. The king of all talk show hosts is Johnny Carson and classic excerpts from his late night talk show The Tonight Show are DVD. Show the kids some real talent and real class by introducing them to Johnny.
Are you a classic television fan? This article discusses the benefits of introducing your family to the Classic TV Greats.
"They don't make 'em like they used to." You hear this said about everything - cars, houses, toys, clothes… Well, they don't make TV shows like they used to, either. If you grew up watching classic TV, you probably have some very fond memories of sitting in front of the television with your family watching some of the classics at night. There are very few modern television shows that the whole family can sit down and watch together. Either they are geared towards kids and the grown ups aren't interested or they are geared for adults and are inappropriate for the kids.
There is good news for families who would like to share some time in front of the television together, though. Many of the classic TV shows are being released on DVD, usually a season at a time. Families can now enjoy TV classics from the 50's, 60's 70's, and 80's on DVD's that include lots of extras like interviews with the cast members and outtakes.
One of the biggest perks of watching the shows on DVD - no annoying commercials. Today, we're used to watching television on our terms. We fast forward through commercials on shows we've recorded on DVR's. When these classic shows first aired, there was no fast forwarding. Viewers had to sit through the commercials or flip the channel (sometimes manually!) often only to find more commercials.
Think about it. You can now introduce your kids to TV classics such as Happy Days, season by season and show them the first time a television show literally "jumped the shark." Retro is cool right now, and it doesn't get much more retro than Happy Days. It was retro from the day it debuted.
What's available on classic TV DVD? Just about anything you're interested in.
Variety Shows. Remember a few years back when Nick and Jessica attempted a Christmas special variety show? If your kids were interested in that, then they would probably be interested in The Sonny and Cher Show or The Donny and Marie Show. Sure these 70's shows were high on the cheese factor, but the performers had some real talent.
Another great variety show from the 70's that the family will love is The Carol Burnett Show. You'd be amazed at how much today's kids appreciate good, clean, funny comedy when they are actually exposed to it.
Some of the best episodes of variety shows were the Christmas specials. Sonny and Cher and Donny and Marie had their share of Christmas specials, but the master of the Christmas special was Bob Hope. Many of his classic Christmas variety shows are available on DVD.
Classic Sitcoms. I Love Lucy. The Honeymooners. The Dick Van Dyke Show. Leave it to Beaver. The Brady Bunch. The Beverly Hill Billies. The Cosby Show. Family Ties. The Jeffersons. Happy Days. Mash. The Monkees. Did you sit around watching these shows (or reruns of these shows) with your family when you were a kid? Chances are you did. All of these classic television sitcoms are available on DVD. Wouldn't it be great to sit back with your kids and a great big bowl of popcorn and watch The Cosby Show's Claire Huxtable tell her husband Cliff to please go upstairs and kill the children? Now that's classic tv.
Classic Drama/Adventure. Most dramas fall into the one hour crime show genre nowadays. They aren't always pleasant to watch and they certainly aren't appropriate for the kids. Adventure type shows like 24 or Prison Break aren't for the kids either. But McGyver. Now there's a show the whole family can watch together and learn a thing or two about how to make a bomb from a piece of chewing gum, a paperclip and a pencil.
Little House on the Prairie. Gunsmoke. Bonanza. The Waltons. Wonder Woman. Murder She Wrote. Columbo. Emergency. The A Team. Mission Impossible. The Lone Ranger. The list of classic drama/adventure tv shows on DVD goes on and on.
Talk Shows. It seems like anyone can get his or her own talk show these days, but they don't last long. The king of all talk show hosts is Johnny Carson and classic excerpts from his late night talk show The Tonight Show are DVD. Show the kids some real talent and real class by introducing them to Johnny.
Fire destroys Johnny Cash house
The lakeside Tennessee home of late country music superstar Johnny Cash has been destroyed in a fire.
It burned down on Tuesday while renovations were being carried out for its new owner, Bee Gee Barry Gibb.
The interior of the house, in Hendersonville, Tennessee, was used in the video for Cash's final hit, his 2002 cover of Nine Inch Nails' Hurt.
Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, lived in the house from 1968 until their deaths, months apart, in 2003.
High Definition TV and the Makeup Artist
by Sandra Exelby
What will HDTV mean to the makeup artist? Even experienced artists will need to read this.
With the onset of High Definition television, many make-up artists are being confronted with pictures that are so clear and vivid.We recently held a workshop for make-up artists and hairdresser to come along and see their work through a High Definition Sony 750 camera, then view it on a HD monitor and also a home receiver Plasma screen TV.
This was most interesting; we had a mixture of very experienced professional make-up artists and some trainees. We all felt we learn a huge amount. Special training for HD is essential as clarity of picture is increased five fold. What you see to the eye is what you see on screen. Our school - the Hair and Make-Up Studio - has been training make-up artists and hairdressers for HD for just over a year. Our courses span 10 weeks and we take 6 students per course (next one starts in July) It is an intensive 5 day per week, 8 hours per day course with tutors that are all fully trained and are highly experienced in working on film and in television.
Their expertise will be passed on to new entrants on a one to one basis.We also run specialized courses for Air-brushing make-up, Special effects make-up as well as a period Hair Styling course with our Principal Hair Tutor.High Definition is the latest trend in television and film but one that we must all look forward to Some actors and actresses will be relying on their make-up artist more than ever before and we will be ready.
Sandra is the Senior Principle of the Hair and Makue-up Studio. This school aims to train makeup artists in the new methods required for the new technology. All the tutors are experienced in the industry and have a wealth of expertise to pass on to students - who get individual attention.
What will HDTV mean to the makeup artist? Even experienced artists will need to read this.
With the onset of High Definition television, many make-up artists are being confronted with pictures that are so clear and vivid.We recently held a workshop for make-up artists and hairdresser to come along and see their work through a High Definition Sony 750 camera, then view it on a HD monitor and also a home receiver Plasma screen TV.
This was most interesting; we had a mixture of very experienced professional make-up artists and some trainees. We all felt we learn a huge amount. Special training for HD is essential as clarity of picture is increased five fold. What you see to the eye is what you see on screen. Our school - the Hair and Make-Up Studio - has been training make-up artists and hairdressers for HD for just over a year. Our courses span 10 weeks and we take 6 students per course (next one starts in July) It is an intensive 5 day per week, 8 hours per day course with tutors that are all fully trained and are highly experienced in working on film and in television.
Their expertise will be passed on to new entrants on a one to one basis.We also run specialized courses for Air-brushing make-up, Special effects make-up as well as a period Hair Styling course with our Principal Hair Tutor.High Definition is the latest trend in television and film but one that we must all look forward to Some actors and actresses will be relying on their make-up artist more than ever before and we will be ready.
Sandra is the Senior Principle of the Hair and Makue-up Studio. This school aims to train makeup artists in the new methods required for the new technology. All the tutors are experienced in the industry and have a wealth of expertise to pass on to students - who get individual attention.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
All About American Idol
by Gail Leino
American Idol is a sensation across not only America but even in many countries across seas as well. There's just something people love about the idea of some unknown person coming out of nowhere and becoming world famous overnight.
American Idol is a sensation across not only America but even in many countries across seas as well. There’s just something people love about the idea of some unknown person coming out of nowhere and becoming world famous overnight. Actually American Idol was not the original; over in the U.K. a reality program called Pop Idol was what spawned the American Idol series. Of course this is a show run by a corporation after all, and as such the show was created to find new singing talent and advertise them through the shows viewers. Then the shows producers would gain exclusive rights to manage the idols and for merchandising. Even if the idol wanted to quit or go with someone else. Still, this show does keep up to its word and gives anyone with the guts to tryout a genuine chance at fame and fortune.
There are loads of great ideas you can use for this party theme. The most obvious is of course to have a marathon viewing session of the shows six seasons. You may just want to shorten it by showing the best episodes, or perhaps just the winning episodes or the patty could last for days. Another great choice would be karaoke. You could organize your own version of American Idol with your party goers playing the contestants and rating each other. Decorations can be a little vague for this theme, but if you want you could try to set up a mini stage, or at least a wall scroll of one. Stars, Streamers, confetti, and any other all purpose decorations would be a great idea.
You should make sure to purchase plenty of disposable paper plates, bowls, cups, and utensils. As well, as tablecloths and table covers, to make after party clean up loads easier. If you look around you can find American Idol themed party supplies.
Mrs. Party... Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for American Idol party supplies and fun free educational party games. She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Shop has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Party Themes to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or "just because" parties is at the Party Theme Shop. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.
American Idol is a sensation across not only America but even in many countries across seas as well. There's just something people love about the idea of some unknown person coming out of nowhere and becoming world famous overnight.
American Idol is a sensation across not only America but even in many countries across seas as well. There’s just something people love about the idea of some unknown person coming out of nowhere and becoming world famous overnight. Actually American Idol was not the original; over in the U.K. a reality program called Pop Idol was what spawned the American Idol series. Of course this is a show run by a corporation after all, and as such the show was created to find new singing talent and advertise them through the shows viewers. Then the shows producers would gain exclusive rights to manage the idols and for merchandising. Even if the idol wanted to quit or go with someone else. Still, this show does keep up to its word and gives anyone with the guts to tryout a genuine chance at fame and fortune.
There are loads of great ideas you can use for this party theme. The most obvious is of course to have a marathon viewing session of the shows six seasons. You may just want to shorten it by showing the best episodes, or perhaps just the winning episodes or the patty could last for days. Another great choice would be karaoke. You could organize your own version of American Idol with your party goers playing the contestants and rating each other. Decorations can be a little vague for this theme, but if you want you could try to set up a mini stage, or at least a wall scroll of one. Stars, Streamers, confetti, and any other all purpose decorations would be a great idea.
You should make sure to purchase plenty of disposable paper plates, bowls, cups, and utensils. As well, as tablecloths and table covers, to make after party clean up loads easier. If you look around you can find American Idol themed party supplies.
Mrs. Party... Gail Leino takes a common sense approach to planning and organizing events, celebrations and holiday parties with unique ideas for American Idol party supplies and fun free educational party games. She explains proper etiquette and living a healthy life while also teaching organizational skills and fun facts. The Party Supplies Shop has lots of party ideas with hundreds of free holiday printable games and free birthday party activities. Over 100 adorable Party Themes to fit your birthday celebration, holiday event, or "just because" parties is at the Party Theme Shop. Party themes include cartoon characters, sports, movie, TV shows, luau, western, holidays, and unique crazy fun theme ideas.
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