Posts Tagged ‘Hollywood’

As another beautiful Southern California summer begins, people throughout the country flock to the Los Angeles area to enjoy all that one of the top tourist destinations in the world has to offer.

From Disneyland to Hollywood to the Malibu coast, SoCal is known for fun in the sun! One of most underrated hotspots that the golden coast offers is a tiny speck of land sitting in the Pacific Ocean: Catalina.

Just 20 miles off the coast is a picturesque little island named Catalina, where over 500 Hollywood features, commercials and more have been filmed.

With it’s beautiful bay, soft beaches, cozy streets and open land visible from the moment you pull into Avalon Harbor, it is easy to see why Catalina captured the heart of Tinseltown over 100 years ago, and why even today, Hollywood’s biggest stars escape to the amazing sliver of paradise.

Since the early 1900s, the island has been a favorite place for Hollywood, and has stood in for Italy, Africa, Tahiti and many, many more locales. Along with being a stunning backdrop, Catalina has also been the playground for many of the Hollywood elite throughout the years, as a variety of stars ranging from Charlie Chaplain to Christopher Walken to Nicolas Cage have vacationed, and even former President Ronald Reagan was given his first ever acting gig while on the island covering the Chicago Cubs (who held their spring training there).

With its idyllic beaches, beautiful harbor, cute little curio shops and more, Avalon (the city that lies on Catalina Island) has much to offer for any visitor, be they an A-lister or a family of five.

Some of the world’s best snorkeling, deep sea fishing and hiking can be done on Catalina, even all on the same day should one want to. Surfing, and shopping are also excellent excursions, and checking out the history of the island at the Catalina Island Museum is a definite must for all those coming in to explore.

Catalina is accessible via cruise ship, helicopter or boat (via great little ferries leaving out of Long Beach, Marina del Rey or San Pedro harbors). Highly recommended things to do on the island are grabbing breakfast at Sally’s (the Spanish omelette is amazing!), renting a golf cart to explore and see the wild buffalo, zip-lining, snorkeling, taking a nice ride on a glass bottom submarine and (of course) some beach time!

With so much to offer, one day might not be enough, but planning ahead you can find reasonable rates at one of the many hotels or inns on Avalon.

All of us here at Positively Celebrity implore you to make a little detour on your next visit to the Los Angeles area and spend a day or two on the beautiful island of Catalina to see the sights!

And, as always, be sure to check back for all things celebrity from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

Do you find that no matter how hard you try, you’re still not drinking enough water? I do! In an attempt to stay healthy and be kinder to the earth, many positive celebrities are choosing to hydrate in style with a reusable water container. My fondness for cool canteens started with a Sigg. The original and famous Swiss bottles are made from a single piece of pure aluminum. Gisele is often seen carrying her Sigg around New York!

They’re slick, seamless and durable…and now Sigg has launched an iPhone app that monitors your water intake. You can download the “SIGG – Stay Hydrated’ iPhone App here for free.

Then Mr H. lent me his Lifefactory glass bottle from Whole Foods and like Jessica Alba, I was hooked. It’s clear to see why!

Lifefactory fuses modern sensibility, eco-friendly composition and exceptional utility to produce safe glass baby and beverage bottles. Each bottle is wrapped in a brightly colored silicone sleeve and comes with a handy clip so you can attach it to your bag.

These clever glass bottles are chemical free and keep water tasting cleaner. I am gutted to have misplaced the blue one (identical to Reese Witherspoon’s) that I bought at Whole Foods in the U.S. as I am yet to find a stockist in the U.K.

Had I known about their baby bottles, I would have definitely invested…but I’m more than happy with Born Free glass baby bottles. Mr H. and I prefer the taste of glass and we knew our baby would too. The bottles and cups come with a special venting system that helps reduce colic and ear infections and are favoured by Matthew Mcconaughey and son Levi, as well as Nicole Richie and daughter Sparrow.

Jessica Biel has been spotted with a large mouth Klean Kanteen.

I recently picked up a 18oz Classic stainless steel Klean Kanteen with a sports cap at Jivamukti Yoga in London. It cleverly has their logo on the front and makes me think positive thoughts whenever I see it. Masaru Emoto would approve!

This is a celebrity trend that is not only easy to follow and eco-friendly, it’s also good for you! Disposable plastic bottles are derived from a potentially hormone-disrupting chemical BPA, which has been linked to increased fat formation and disrupted reproductive cycles — among other things.

Don’t miss out on more Positively Celebrity style tips from International contributor Coralie Rose!  Please come back again soon or buy the app here today!

Morgan Spurlock is famous for putting corporations to task, as he did to McDonalds in the documentary Supersize Me and in his television series, 30 days (currently available on DVD).

The Beckley, West Virginia native has shifted gears in his new documentary, going from asking the hard questions of companies to asking for a handout. The change in attitudes serves Spurlock well, as POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, which is one of the most entertaining documentaries that I have ever seen.

Morgan Spurlock’s latest documentary is a highly entertaining look at the business side of Hollywood, and the writer/producer sets his sights on the practice of product placement in television and film. Product placement is when a company pays big time bucks to get their products screen time and/or interaction with the characters on screen.

In making the documentary on product placement, Spurlock decided to USE product placement to fund all aspects of his latest work. It’s an ingenious idea that pays off big time, as Morgan takes us along for the ride while he meets with marketing companies, heads of corporations, Hollywood film makers and even the rock band OK Go (who made a wicked awesome song for the film called “The Greatest Song I Ever Heard”).

The result is POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, the first movie fully funded by sponsors paying for product placement within the movie itself, and one great documentary.

Morgan takes the cameras from the very beginning of his attempts to finance the film with cold calls to large companies like Coca Cola and (the audacity!!!) McDonalds. After many very amusing and very telling interviews, Spurlock gets his first client, and the ball really starts rolling.

There are a total of twenty companies that end up signing off on the movie sponsorship, showing a wide variety of categories. From Ban Deodorant to Mane N’ Tail (a shampoo that both you AND your horse can use!) to Hyatt hotels, Spurlock found those willing to take a chance on the filmmaker in order to get their name and product more visible to consumers.

Along the way, Spurlock speaks with a variety of people, including Ralph Nader, Brett Ratner and Peter Berg, to gather their input on product placement and advertising.

Though it must have been extremely scary to not have any say on how they would be portrayed or spoken of, it seems the company sponsorships have paid off. Morgan is currently all over the talk show and news circuit, happily wearing a suit plastered with the logos of all that sponsored him. He even helped change the name of the city of Altoona, Pennsylvania, to POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold (seriously!) to get publicity.

As a movie goer I found myself very entertained with the whole process, and as a consumer, the movie really worked wonders on me with two companies in particular standing out: Amy’s Kitchen and POM Wonderful.

Amy’s Kitchen is an organic food company that offers a multitude of edible goods which Morgan happily munches on throughout the movie. Their pizza making an appearance in the film are really what sold me, and had me googling the company on my iPhone as soon as I was walking out of their theater.

I was not disappointed, as their margherita pizza tasted even better than it looked on the big screen at the Hollywood Arclight Theatre. I had never previously heard of the brand, and thanks to the company’s risk and Morgan’s ingenuity, a fan has been born.

As far as POM Wonderful goes, I have to say that I am completely and happily sold on the tasty beverage, which will be incorporated into my daily diet! Packed with antioxidants, POM Wonderful 100% pomegranate juice definitely seems to be a healthy alternative to the sugar packed orange juice and apple juice that are normally sitting around my breakfast table, and I never would have bothered to try it or learn more about it if I had not seen the movie.

The company has a pretty big part in the film, as their team agrees to fund Morgan’s documentary a sum of $1,000,000 for above the title naming rights. It’s pretty clear that the move was a shrewd one, as every single person I know who has seen the documentary has purchased and drank at least one bottle of POM Wonderful, and all have raved about it too!

Morgan’s interactions with the POM team are my favorite in the film, because though they are business people first and foremost, the POM team seems as genuinely interested in Morgan’s project as they are in pushing visibility of their product.

This documentary really breaks down the relationship of Hollywood and big business, and does it in a light-hearted and watchable way that left me neither upset with the movie industry, nor with the companies using product placement as a marketing force (except for Mac and Me, which I will never forgive McDonalds for).

Spurlock shows, as he has in previous efforts, that he can put together an informative, fun documentary that you can both enjoy as well as will make you think. I highly recommend POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold as one of the best movies of 2011.

All of us here at Positively Celebrity would like to laud Morgan Spurlock on his interesting documentary, and thank him for showing us a side of Hollywood that few ever know about, as well as for turning us on to a few great companies that we were unaware of! We can’t wait to see what the filmmaker has on tap for us next, and wish him all the success with his film!

For more information on Morgan Spurlock and POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold please visit www.MorganSpurlock.com.

For more information on Amy’s Kitchen’s delicious margherita pizza and to check out the full menu of all their products, please visit www.Amys.com, and to learn more about POM Wonderful and their full line of juice drinks, teas and more, please visit www.POMWonderful.com. Try their Pomegranate Blueberry, it’s delicious!

You can download OKGo’s track for the movie, “The Greatest Song I Ever Heard” on iTunes today! To learn more about the band, please visit http://www.okgo.net.

And as always, be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

The fifth entry in the The Fast & the Furious movie series opened recently to record numbers!

Fast Five, starring Paul Walker, Vin Diesel and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, set the all time record for an April movie opening day, with a reported $33.2 million for its Friday release, and also set the highest opening weekend totals for a movie in April ever by absolutely crushing its competition, pulling in an $83.6 million haul in the first three days!

Fast Five is the latest installment of the popular movie franchise with fast cars and incredible stunts that will blow the audience away. From the opening scenes, the film is a non-stop adrenaline rush, taking the characters from all over the world to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, when the group finds themselves on the US Most Wanted list seeking refuge in South America.

Joining the series mainstays (Paul Walker and Vin Diesel) in this incarnation are recurring characters played by Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges (aka rapper Ludacris), the absolutely stunning Jordana Brewster and more. Having the familiar faces from previous films in the series was a very interesting touch, as characters whose paths have not crossed in the past all come together for one big score at the behest of Dominic Toretto (Diesel).

New to the series are Dwayne “The Rock Johnson” and the gorgeous Spanish actress Elsa Pataky, both of whom are working together to capture Toretto and his crew so they can be extradited to the United States. Also looking to make life difficult for the good guys is Brazilian crime lord Hernan Reyes, played by Joaquim de Almeida, and his henchmen, who will stop at nothing to ensure Toretto’s group fails in their mission.

Director Justin Lin, whose previous work includes the very underrated Better Luck Tomorrow as well as two of the previous movies in the series, does an incredible job at using the favelas of Brazil as a backdrop to tell the latest tale in the franchise.

From a jaw dropping opening action sequence to the final incredible chase scene, Lin takes audiences on a wild ride that keeps their heart pumping from beginning to end. The movie isn’t all just chase scenes and explosions though, and the film has more than a few scenes that give it a surprising amount of heart.

Lin, Diesel and the cast have to be lauded for their effort, as it shows on the big screen; Fast Five is easily the best of franchise, and might be the best movie of the year so far.

All of us here at Positively Celebrity were thoroughly entertained by Fast Five, and want you to check out Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and the rest of the cast in what is clearly one of the most fun movies of 2011! Catch it in IMAX for an even faster and more furious movie experience!

Be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity.

Throughout the world, the Red Cross is a symbol for hope in times of struggle. Whether it be during war, national disasters or epidemics, the organization is quick to give aid to those who need it most, and even in the most dangerous locales does not hesitate to offer support.

The amount of good that the Red Cross does everyday is not lost on those in the entertainment industry, and celebrities from all over the country have joined together to help the Red Cross in any way that they can.

The American Red Cross National Celebrity Cabinet is a special “on-call” group of celebrities that help the organization by donating their time, skills, passion and energy for a one-year term. The current Cabinet consists of a whopping 40 celebrities who have agreed to be available for anything the Red Cross asks of them, and we here at Positively Celebrity are blown away by all of those who are giving back!

The current cabinet members include quite an amalgam of celebrities, including Josh Duhamel, Alyssa Milano, Greg Biffle, Pierce Brosnan, Jim Cantore, Jackie Chan, Chayanne, Jamie Lee Curtis, Miley Cyrus, Sara Evans, George Foreman, Leeza Gibbons, Amy Grant, Pat Green, Marcia Gay Harden, Patricia Heaton, Julianne Hough, Dwayne Johnson, Heidi Klum, Patti LaBelle, Demi Lovato, Eli and Peyton Manning, Marlee Matlin, Dr. Phil McGraw, Nate Berkus, Kristin Chenowith, Darius Rucker, Michael W. Smith, Nancy O’Dell, Masi Oka, Rascal Flatts, Amanda Peet, Sally Pressman, Elisabeth Rohm, Anika Noni Rose, Jane Seymour, Jimmy Smits, Raven Symone and Daddy Yankee.

These celebrities join the estimated 700,000 current Red Cross volunteers, and will bring countless smiles and support to those whose lives they touch while being a part of the National Celebrity Cabinet. All of us here at Positively Celebrity want to laud the members, both past and present, who have given back by joining forces with the Red Cross!

To learn more about the Red Cross, please visit www.RedCross.org

Be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

The gang of the raunchy teen comedy American Pie are teaming up once again for a new installment of the series!

The cast of the first three American Pie films (Chris Klein, Mena Suvari, Eugene Levy, Jason Biggs, Tara Reid, Allison Hannigan, Thomas Ian Nicholas and the hilarious Sean William Scott as Stifler) are reuniting for the fourth theatrical installment of the lucrative franchise, tentatively entitled American Reunion.

The franchise, which has grossed over $750 million worldwide for Universal from the first three movies alone, will be written and directed by Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg, who collaborated previously on Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay.

American Reunion will catch up with Jim and the gang at their 10 year high school reunion. Lots has happened to the group in the decade since their graduation from East Great Falls High School, including one character becoming a reality television show star, another an international world traveler and one a YouTube celebrity!

American Reunion will undoubtedly be full of scenes that will make us laugh, cringe and maybe even tear up a bit. The movie is estimated to be released for 2012, and will surely be one of the biggest hits of next summer!

All of us here at Positively Celebrity can’t wait to be updated on how Jim, Oz, Stifler and the gang have been spending the last decade, and couldn’t be more excited on the news of American Reunion!

And be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

Hollywood actor and director Ben Affleck recently traveled to Washington, D.C. with former presidential candidate John McCain’s wife, Cindy McCain, to speak in front of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa about the country of Congo. The country is located in central Africa, and though its land is rich in valuable minerals, corruption, long running civil war and lawlessness has caused Congo to become one of the worst places in the world — rife with rape, murder and human trafficking.

The star of such movies as Chasing Amy, Paycheck, Daredevil and most recently, The Town, has been involved with Congo since 2005. Said Affleck to CNN on the region, “The more I traveled, the more I was struck about , the more I fell in love with the people, the more I was horrified by what was happening. And the more I did, I started to develop this idea of partnering with the Congolese people and wanting to empower community-based organizations there that were doing extraordinary work.”

In 2010 Affleck founded the Eastern Congo Initiative, a US-based advocacy organization for the people of Eastern Congo, and dedicated himself to bring awareness and change for the Congolese people.

On Tuesday, March 8, Affleck and McCain testified in front of Congress about all that he had learned and seen about Congo. The actor, who is married to Jennifer Garner and is a father of two, lobbied Congress to help protect the Congolese people and help to ensure that the November elections to be held within the country will be free of voter fraud and violence.

“This is an ambitious agenda, but it can be accomplished,” Affleck said. “The federal budget may be seen as a zero sum game but our morality, our sense of decency, our compassion for our fellow human beings, is not.”

“The United States government can and should play an active role in ensuring this November’s elections are free and fair,” the actor stated. “The last time Congo collapsed, armies came in from across Africa…Five million people died…We must learn from history and do our part to make sure this never happens again.”

“This is an ambitious agenda, but it can be accomplished,” Affleck said. “Come November, we must be able to look ourselves in the eye and say we did what our principals demanded—we helped democracy emerge in a place where tragedy was the alternative.”

McCain, who has traveled with Affleck to see the ravaged country of Congo added, “We are going to lose a generation of women and children in Congo unless we do something now. I am only a humanitarian relief worker. That’s the only thing I’ve ever done and that’s the only thing I know with regards to this region, but I only know what’s right. We can’t leave behind these women and children.”

All of here are proud of Ben Affleck’s hard work lobbying for the end of human rights violations in Congo, and wish the movie star nothing but the best in seeking support for the war-torn country. To learn more about his organization the Eastern Congo Initiative, please visit www.easterncongo.org

And be sure to check back for more of the latest celebrity news and features from Richard Munassi right here at Positively Celebrity!

When it’s cold outside, the only thing I feel like doing is cuddling by the fire with a hot cup of tea in my PJ’s.  So why not be fashionable at the same time?

Some of the most fashion-forward and snuggle-proof PJ’s are made by P.J. Salvage.  These PJ sets are perfect for lounging around the house, taking with you on a winter vacay or to simply stay warm while sleeping during those cold winter nights.

P.J. Salvage jammie sets are comfy and warm with their boyfriend fit and 100% cotton flannel.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, P.J. Salvage offers long-sleeved, light weight night shirts that are cute and sexy.

P.J. Salvage is one of the leading manufacturers of chic PJ’s, loungewear and women’s intimates, and is known for using opulent fabrics and fashionable patterns.

Celebs like Felicity Huffman and Gwen Stefani are just two of the many P.J. Salvage fans in Hollywood who are also apt to pick up a pair of PJ’s for their tots too! P.J. Salvage offers robes and flannel sets for kids as well as men.

For more info on where to buy these adorable jammie sets, check out their website.  Be sure to pick up your P.J. Salvage this winter and stay warm!

Nominations for the 53rd Annual Grammy Awards were announced last week, and among those nominees are several well-known artists who’ve had great success in 2010.

Eminem, for example, could look at a recording booth and sell a million records, so we’re not surprised that Recovery garnered ten Grammy nominations.

During this year’s mid-term elections, there was an unprecedented, unanimous vote to continue over-obsessing about all things Katy Perry, so of course she received four Grammy nods.

And there can’t be an awards show without Lady Gaga (no, really, there can’t be), so no one’s shocked that she’s up for six of those little statuettes.

And I respect all those artists for their great music and for their hard work. Really, I do.

But let’s look at some less popular but equally talented artists who could win big at next year’s 53rd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony.

Michael Buble’

Nothing adds insult to a quarter-life crisis like realizing most of your favorite songs fall into the “Adult Contemporary” category. And though I tried really hard to not like this guy, I always find myself singing along to Michael Buble’ songs whenever they’re on the radio.

The Grammys have awarded Buble’ nominations in two “Pop” categories, but let’s face it  —  just because Buble’s borrowing jackets and jeans from Justin Timberlake doesn’t really make him ”pop.”

Some of my Michael Buble’ favorites are his cover of classic, “Crazy Love,” and his hit single, ”Hollywood.” In addition to being nominated for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album, Buble’ could also take home honors for ”Haven’t Met You Yet” in the Best Male Pop Vocal Performance category.

Ryan Leslie

A year ago, I went to Ryan Leslie’s private listening party in Los Angeles and was thrilled to witness his live performances of songs like “Diamond Girl” and “Addiction.”

Though his hit-making abilities are pretty awesome, I am more fascinated with the fact that he scored 1600 on his SATs and graduated from Harvard at 19. Hmph.  Smarty Pants.

Leslie’s 2009 release, Transitions, is nominated for Best Contemporary R&B Album along with Chris Brown’s, Graffiti, and R Kelly’s, Untitled (yes, R Kelly did have a release within the last 12 months). “You’re Not My Girl” is one the best tracks from Transitions, and how refreshing it will be if the multi-talented producer, musician, singer snags his first Grammy!

Pastor Marvin Sapp

With one of the most soothing, soulful, and perfect voices in Gospel music, Pastor Marvin Sapp’s Grammy nod for Best Traditional Gospel Album for Here I Am is a well-deserved nomination.

Though Sapp has been a fixture in the Gospel music scene for years, his single, “Never Would Have Made It,” went platinum and gained Sapp International recognition.

A couple of the industry’s beloved, old school songstresses, Vanessa Bell Armstrong and Shirley Caesar, are nominated in the category for The Experience and A City Called Heaven, respectively. But Sapp’s combination of inspirational music and cross over appeal give him an edge in this group. Here’s the Pastor’s video for “Best In Me” from Here I Am.

Arcade Fire

One of my projects for 2010 was to fully grasp all the nuances that make up the enigma that is Arcade Fire.  As musicians, they each excel at multiple instruments, so your favorite band member might be on the drums, rocking the mic, or even playing the accordion. Their wardrobe choices are more alternative than they are trendy, but they’re always individualistic.

With songs like, “The Suburbs,” and “Ready to Start,” they are quirky but relatable.

To say that Arcade Fire is multi-faceted is an understatement, and to say I’ve figured them out would be a lie.

Thankfully, though, the Grammy’s figured out enough to recognize Arcade Fire’s musical brilliance with 3 nominations.

I’m sure the indie rockers are over the moon about being nominated for Album of the Year along with Eminem’s Recovery and Lady Gaga’s The Fame Monster.  Will the ensemble top the Grammy alums and take the hardware back to Canada? Of course, we have to wait until February to find out, but with nominations for Best Alternative Album and Best Rock Performance by Duo or Group, hopefully, Arcade Fire goes home with at least one gramophone!

Who are some of your favorite Grammy nominees? Comment below, and be sure to check back for more of the latest music news and reviews from Erica Davis right here on Positively Celebrity!

Conan O’Brien has had a very interesting year. 10 months ago the gangly human cartoon was fired from his dream job as host of the Tonight Show, famously ousted after just 7 months on the job.  After securing an excellent severance package from NBC for himself as well as his staff, Conan embarked on a nationwide comedy tour entitled the “Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour”, which sold out almost immediately.

During the tour, Conan was courted heavily by Fox, Comedy Central and TBS to host a new late night talk show on their respective channels. Ultimately TBS won out, largely due to comedian George Lopez lobbying Conan to join him at the cable channel. “I said let’s take the party and make it bigger … everybody’s heard of ‘I’m with CoCo’ but now everybody can ‘Go LoCo’,” Lopez stated in April.

Even with the ups and downs of the last year, O’Brien has kept his head held high and stayed focused on the future, letting bygones be bygones with NBC. “I feel like I’ve come a long way in putting it behind me…I’m really proud of the work I did at that company for a long time,” O’Brien stated. With the start of his new show, entitled simply Conan, right around the corner, the Harvard graduate and former staff writer on The Simpsons as well as Saturday Night Live is ready to get back to work. “My goal is to seize this opportunity (and) make some interesting television. I do want to try new things.”

TBS has been heavily marketing the new show, building an entire website dedicated to Conan (www.teamcoco.com), flying an orange blimp around the country and placing billboards and advertisements in various publications. No one, however, seems to be looking forward to the start of the new show more than O’Brien himself. “Even just doing the test shows, I felt like a duck getting back in the water. I like being in front of audiences,” he stated. ”There’s nothing like getting your (butt) in gear. I’ve got a show to do.”

Positively Celebrity is rooting for Conan to succeed beyond anyone’s wildest expectations! Conan premieres Monday, November 8 on TBS. Check local listings for time.