September, 2008

The Smashing Pumpkins will release a double disc DVD on November 11 called “If All Goes Wrong.” The DVD features a documentary of the Pumpkins reunion and live residencies last year through interviews with band members, fans, journalists, and other musicians. The second disc features a collection of live performances from the band’s residency in San Francisco.

Say what you want to about the Smashing Pumpkins, love ‘em or hate ‘em (there is no in between), the Pumpkins love their fans and this DVD is a prime example. Also on the first disc is a featurette about Pumpkins fans called Voices of the Ghost Children (featuring an interview with the Who’s Pete Townshend). The live DVD also contains seven different exclusive new tracks.

Billy Corgan remains one of the most intriguing musicians of modern times and this special DVD serves as a testament to that fact. To those who’ve been fortunate enough to see the band perform live, most can attest to the fact that they are one of the greatest in rock. For the die hard fan this DVD is long overdue.

As of Saturday evening Scarlett Johansson and Ryan Reynolds are officially man and wife. The nuptials took place outside Vancouver in the groom’s native Canada, reports E! News.  With few details being released yet, it was no doubt an intimate affair. 

This was the first wedding for both Johansson, 23, and Reynolds, 31, who had been engaged since May and dating since spring 2007.  Reynolds had, however, been previously engaged to singer Alanis Morissette.

Johansson announced their engagement on May 5 at the Met Costume Ball Gala by showcasing her three-carat diamond ring (estimated to be worth about $30,000) US Magazine reports.

What did Dunder Mifflin do over the summer and what are they up to now? Everyone’s got one new major goal – losing the most weight for extra vacation days.  While some are taking it seriously (i.e. swallowing a tapeworm), some aren’t too concerned (i.e. celebrating a one pound weight loss by rewarding everyone with a cake).

Michael – Attempting to play daddy to Jan’s unborn baby, he tries to be supportive and help with her candle business. He’s also attempting to win over newcomer Holly who is, according to Jim “kind of a dork” – just like Michael.  In an effort to motivate his team, he tries scaring them into losing weight by telling them that if they don’t shed some poundage they will all die of obesity.  In the end, Michael puts on a half inflated fat suite and lectures the Dunder Mifflin team on body image and discrimination against fat people, which leads to a Michael rarity, sharing a clear moment of actual realization, in this case that losing weight is part of living a healthy life so that everyone can live forever (well it was good until the “live forever” thing).

Angela – Semi-planning her wedding to Andy, she’s also having an affair with ex Dwight. She’s been replaced as the head of the party planning committee by rival Phyllis due to what Phyllis witnessed during last season’s finale.

Jim – Volunteers to lose 65 pounds just to mess with Michael.  He visits Pam at her new school. And, after not seeing Pam for 10 days, he finally proposes.

Pam – She’s at college! Her first day she ends up in the wrong class. She makes some new friends (you might recognize one of them, he’s the TV department head from “Mad Men” whose making a guest appearance). She’s also an RA. And, when Jim asks her to marry him, she says, “Yes!”

Dwight makes Phyllis walk five miles in an effort to add to the weight loss cause.  Kelly swallows a tapeworm to lose weight.  And Ryan’s back as the new “Pam” taking over her secretarial tasks while she’s at college.

By the end, Scranton needs to lose eight pounds to win the extra vacation days, but they do not.  However, Stanley, on a weight loss mission of his own, loses a terrific seven pounds for himself!  Go Stanley! And let’s not forget poor Toby, who, on day three in Costa Rica, broke his neck in a zip-lining incident. He’s been in the hospital for five weeks. He likes visitors, so please feel free to pass that along should you run into Michael Scott and the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch.

Until Next Week…

Apparently the rumors were true. After wondering ‘is he or isn’t he’ suffering from cancer, as a friend told reporters months ago, the legendary Paul Newman succumbed to the disease on Friday at his home in Westport, CT.

Paul Newman was bigger than anything I could possibly write here. Before I go on about his award-winning roles, his popcorn empire, his race car career, and more, I’d be remiss if I didn’t begin with his love for his beautiful and equally-talented wife, Joanne Woodward.

Their love transcended far above how we recognize lovers today, particularly in Hollywood where newfound love is as common as a pair of worn socks, and discarded just as quickly. In regards to Newman’s devotion to his wife he stated, “I have steak at home. Why go out for hamburger?” Something tells me he meant just that.

Not that I am privy to all details of the Newmans lifestyle (or any details of theirs for that matter), but in all the years of the paparazzi hounding the Hollywood elite, very little, if any, trash has ever surfaced about this couple. And in Hollywood, that’s saying a lot. The fact that they’ve been married since 1958 says something much, much more. Theirs is a love of integrity.

Paul Newman was also a man of deep conviction. Years ago I watched him in an interview with Barbara Walters, who asked about the death of his son. This man, who seemed always to be more than gracious and open, simply stated that the interview was contingent upon not discussing the death of his son. He tactfully told Walters that he would not continue if she persisted. Naturally, she relented. Even then I understood that Paul Newman was no show-boater. He stood for what he believed and the rest be darned.

I remember the first time I saw “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” My favorite part was Butch (Newman) laughing at Sundance (Redford) when Sundance hesitated to jump off the cliff into raging waters to escape a posse because ‘he couldn’t swim.’ Butch (as only Newman could play him) threw his head back and gave a hearty laugh before saying, “The fall will probably kill ya’!” Classic.

Newman’s Michael Gallagher, the role he played opposite Sally Field in “Absence of Malice” was one of my all-time favorites. As the unaffiliated son of a mob boss, Newman plays a quiet yet proud man who turns the tide on an overbearing federal agent bent on destroying him. Bad move.

In “The Verdict” he played Frank Galvin, an extremely down-and-out attorney who goes head-to-head with a large law firm, when he takes on a client in an effort to sue a large hospital. As usual, Newman gives a stunning performance throughout, but the best part of the movie is the absolute last 30 seconds of the film. In that defining moment you see a man who has redeemed himself, albeit through pain and anguish. And as only the best actors can, he does so without a word.

I was only a child when I saw “Cool Hand Luke” for the first time. Even then I knew there was something too cool about this blue-eyed soul brother and his penchant for right and dignity. I didn’t really get the whole meaning behind the film at that time, but Luke wasn’t completely lost on me. The last time I saw it, I was so affected I swore I’d never see it again. It was just too good to repeat.

Newman and Redford reunited to make “The Sting,” the first movie ever to make me wish I had learned how to be a con-artist. Seriously. While watching “The Towering Inferno” I wondered how bad could it be—you got Paul Newman there! What a way to go. Okay, totally kidding, but as soon as he was onscreen (alongside Steve McQueen) my anxieties disappeared. His role with Kevin Costner in “Message in a Bottle” showed a kinder, gentler but stern father who helps his son heal from years of grief.

There’s much more to say, but time and space alludes me. The cinematic world has lost an enduring, endearing, phenomenal legend. More than that, the world lost a man of redeeming quality. A rarity for certain but particularly in the land of glitz and glamour…in Hollywood…where film will never be the same.

In loving memory. JBB

Turns out Shia LaBeouf won’t be charged in the July drunk driving incident, which ended in him sustaining injuries.

Sheriff officials cited “insufficient evidence” with the reason for not charging the Transformers star though there’s a chance two other people who were involved might be charged.

Up next for LaBeouf: a traffic hearing to determine whether or not his license will be suspended—for up to nine months. Ouch. Maybe it’s just me, but why don’t those Hollywood types just pay someone else to drive? It’s really a no-brainer…plus someone out there could use the job. Share the wealth, people…and save yourselves from traffic court in the process.

Thursday premiered the first two episodes of “Survivor: Gabon – Earth’s Last Eden.” This season is the first in HD, showing off the lush, green and untouched landscapes of Gabon (which is in Africa).

The 17th season of “Survivor” features contestants ages 22 to 61 with occupations like Professional Gamer, Physics Teacher (complete with bow tie), Wedding Videographer to Pin Up Model.

Gabon opens with the 18 contestants hiking up and down hills through tall green grass, led by natives to Jeff Probst.  They introduce themselves and state their supposed occupation. The two eldest members begin picking their tribes – Kota and Fang (pronounced Fong). 

Once the teams are picked it is on to the first challenge, running across the field of tall grass and up a steep hill to claim individual immunity and an extra bag of food (both teams receive initial supplies as well).  Kota, by a huge margin, becomes the winner of the first challenge. Afterwards, both teams are off their new homes complete with half built huts. The first night is an interesting one, with an elephant impeding on Fang’s camp and the first injury this season, and gash to the head (the medical team is called, they stitch up the contestant and send him back to camp). 

The next day brings a reward/immunity challenge.  Six team members are belted together to complete an obstacle coarse then dig through a sand pit to find three bags of puzzle pieces. The remaining three team members assemble the puzzle. Again, it’s no contest, Kota is the winner receiving immunity and flint.

Tribal Council for Fang is productive because the team elects a leader and votes off the first Survivor to leave Gabon – 24-year-old Michelle who was viewed as “being miserable” by her tribe mates.

Tribal Council brings fire to the Fang camp and newly elected leader GC starts up the flames.  The team begins their next day with GC delegating the work load, which makes team members question his judgment. Kota on the other hand is hard at work creating alliances, working to get 5 members in one alliance and therefore hold the majority. Fang eventually has a fall out with their leader GC and he resigns his position.

The next challenge is an immunity/reward challenge that has each tribe pushing large boulders through a series of gates and collecting keys along the way. They retrieve six keys to open three locks then push the boulders onto a pedestal to win tribal immunity and fishing gear.  Finally, in a close race, Kota wins immunity, fishing gear and the task of sending a Fang member to Exile Island.

Back at camp Kota takes advantage of their new gear while the resourceful Fang group makes their own fishing gear using vines and parts from glasses.  Both tribes catch enough fish for a good dinner, but Fang still has Tribal Council to look forward to.

At tribal council it’s revealed that the contestant sent to Exile Island did not find the idol and the team voted 61-year-old Gillian out.

Call it “CSI: Lite” – CBS’s new drama, “The Mentalist,” gives you the familiar Who Done It? crime formula but delivers it with suave, breezy style.

That suave style is delivered by none other than eternally suave actor Simon Baker with his uber-self-assuredness and Cheshire cat grin that he brought to such roles as “Devil Wears Prada’s” dashing writer who swept away Anne Hathaway.

“The Mentalist” is the perfect vehicle for Baker who is given free reign to strut around and show off his breezy all-knowingness as a former phony TV psychic who has now joined the California Bureau of Investigation helping to solve murders.

Patrick Jane admits he’s not a psychic – he’s “just paying attention.” He simply sees what’s in plain sight staring us all right in the face.

Sitting slouched at a desk with his hand holding up his smashed cheek like a bored student in math class, Jane watches the mannerisms of a suspect being interviewed through a one-way mirror and coolly predicts “He and Allison were lovers.” Sure enough two seconds later the suspect admits, “Allison and I were lovers.”

Yet, Baker’s magic is preventing Jane from coming off as annoying or cocky. Jane is a breath of fresh air amongst his stiff and skeptical colleagues, and he wins them and the audience over with his dead-on assumptions – although the colleagues are less likely to admit it.

Jane wins the audience over because he’s super smart and has the resourcefulness of Jack Nicholson’s wily detective in “Chinatown.” Jane knows to tell the killer who draws a gun on him that he already took out the bullets and when the killer looks away to check the gun, Jane runs like hell downstairs to the awaiting investigators. Or when a psychiatrist asks him what’s keeping him up at night, Jane avoids his personal angst and instead passes off Johnny Cash’s personal story of his brother getting killed as his own.

But, “The Mentalist” isn’t all fun and games. The pilot is centered around a murder similar to those committed by notorious serial killer “Red John” who’s known for leaving smiley faces dripped in blood on the wall above the crime scene, and we learn that Jane has a personal connection to Red John.

In the final haunting scene, we see Jane return to a quiet house and curl up on an air mattress underneath a murderous red smiley face and we know that “The Mentalist” is going to give us one complex and interesting protagonist.

CBS Tuesdays at 9 p.m. Eastern

Jack White, the front half of the duo The White Stripes, and Alicia Keys, the R&B songstress, have crossed format lines.  The two recently teamed up to record the White-penned theme song to the next James Bond film, due out in November. 

The song is called “Another Way To Die” and, although that sounds like the title of a Bond adventure, the movie is actually saddled with the cumbersome but unique title “Quantum Of Solace.”

The song starts with the trademark Jack White fuzzy rock guitar, but then comes a twist on the familiar Bond theme horns.  Indeed the song could be a heavy White Stripes song filtered through the Hollywood soundtrack machine, with strings, horns and eerie tinkling piano.  But Keys holds her own; she brings her soulful style into a harder arena and makes the track much richer for it.

White and Keys trade verses dealing with the spy life.   The verses were written after White read the script for the new film and was inspired to write lyrics dealing with mistrust and paranoia.

The reigning queen of daytime talk is set to contribute to Disney’s upcoming animated film as the voice of a new princess’s mother.

Announced Wednesday at the Walt Disney Studios Showcase for upcoming projects, Oprah Winfrey will lend her voice to the character of Eudora in The Princess and the Frog. 

The film will showcase an element of nostalgia in the return to hand-drawn animation, the first since Home on the Range in 2004.

Set in New Orleans, the story features Anika Noni Rose as Princess Tiana who experiences an unforgettable tale of love, enchantment and discovery according to the film’s website.

Oprah’s character, Eudora, is the mother to the lead character, Princess Tiana, who will notably be the first African American Disney princess.

This isn’t the first time Oprah’s voice has been featured in animation, some of her other voice-over work includes characters in Bee Movie and Charlotte’s Web.

The Princess and the Frog is co-directed by Ron Clements and John Musker, who previously worked together to bring the Disney classics Aladdin, Hercules, and Treasure Planet to the big screen according to firstshowing.net.

The film is set for release on Christmas Day, December 25, 2009.

Mark Paul Gosselaar Now: “Raising the Bar” on TNT Where You Know Him From: Welcome back Zach Morris! Gosselaar last played the Bayside High School heartbreaker in 1994.  It’s been a few years and Gosselaar is all grown up and has appeared on reputable shows like “NYPD Blue” and “Commander and Chief” – giving his “high school” image a makeover.

Jennie Garth Now: “90210” on CW Where You Know Her From: Jennie Garth portrayed Valerie Tyler on “What I Like About You” until 2006, but it was when she portrayed Kelly Taylor on 90’s young adult drama “Beverly Hills 90210” that brought her fame. The original show closed up shop eight years ago, but the CW and a new, young cast is bringing Kelly Taylor back to Beverly Hills and back to TV.

Joshua Jackson Now: “Fringe” on Fox Where You Know Him From: “Dawson’s Creek” was Pacey’s, I mean Joshua’s, launch into TV prominence. Anyone in high school from 1998-2003 watched the “Creek,” which was the last time Jackson’s occupation was as a main character on a TV series. During the time that the “Creek” ended but before “Fringe” began Jackson remained busy debuting a play in London and creating about nine films.

Laurence Fishburne Now: “CSI” on CBS Where You Know Him From: The last time this Emmy winning actor had a reccurring role on a television series was in 1987 as … ready for this… Cowboy Curtis on “Pee-wee’s Playhouse.”  Now he joins the cast of CSI adding another member to the team once character Gil Grissom leaves. Maybe he’ll wear a cowboy hat just for fun on investigations.

Molly Shannon Now: “Kath & Kim” on NBC Where You Know Her From: She’s one of the most talented comedic women in show business- she’s performed a one-woman show, showcased an uncountable amount of characters on SNL, and starred in a ton of comedies, but now, along with Selma Blair, she’s making the American adaptation of the Australian “Kath and Kim.”

Lisa Bonet Now: “Life on Mars” on ABC Where You Know Her From: Yes, it’s Denise Huxtable! “The Cosby Show” and “A Different World” ended over 15 years ago, but the Huxtable daughter is coming back to TV stardom with “Life on Mars.”

Christine Helen Lakin Now: “Valentine” on CW Where You Know Her From: Formerly a star of a TGIF series, Lakin hits the small screen again with “Valentine.”  Al Lambert, the tomboy daughter on “Step by Step,” which aired for 7 years, is grown up and now the actress is conquering more grown-up themes such as playing a Cupid-like god that helps singles fall in love.