Salma Hayek

This Mexican actress with her beautiful, dusky looks has surely established herself as a prominent Hollywood movie star. Salma Hayek (2nd September, 1966) is also known as the first Mexican national who was nominated for the category of the Best Actress for the Oscars. Her role in the movie, ‘Teresa’ catapulted her to fame as an actress in Mexico. She got her much-needed break with ‘Desperado’ in 1995. She also achieved success due to films such as ‘Wild Wild West’, ‘Fools Rush In’, ‘Frida’ etc.

Cameron Diaz

She began her career at the age of 16 in the fashion industry. She bagged assignments with fashion designers such as Calvin Klein and Levi’s. It was at the age of 21 when Cameron Diaz (30th August, 1972) landed with the lead role in ‘The Mask’. From there on, Cameron bagged more films like ‘The Last Supper’, ‘Feeling Minnesota’, ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’, ‘There’s Something About Mary’ etc. She also became popular due to ‘Charlie’s Angels’. This actress is also one of the highest paid female stars in Hollywood. She has won the Golden Globe Award, Best Actress for ‘There’s ‘Something About Mary’ apart from many other awards and nominations for all her hit movies.

Meryl Streep

This award-winning actress is one such person who can essay any sort of role. Mary Streep, better known as Meryl Streep (22nd June, 1949) had her film debut in the year 1977 in ‘Julia’. Her second film bagged her the Academy Award nomination for the movie, ‘The Deer Hunter’. Since then, this talented Hollywood star has a wide range of roles to her credit. More recently, she is known for the perfect representation of the rather obnoxious fashion magazine editor in ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. This vivacious personality has won the Academy Awards twice, along with BAFTA awards, Emmy Awards and the Golden Globe Awards.

Keira Knightley

Talented and beautiful, this actress sure has a range of roles that have helped her to establish a strong foothold in this industry. Keira Knightley (26th March 1985) was associated with acting since her childhood days. Better known as Elizabeth Bennet in the movie, ‘Pride and Prejudice’, she also joined the list of the highest paid actresses and was also the only non-American female. Keira’s most noticeable performance happened with the release of ‘Bend it Like Beckham’. From there on, she gave the biggest hits starring in trilogies of the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’. She also starred in a role in ‘Love Actually’. Apart from this, she is also known for her role in ‘Atonement’, which also fetched her the Empire Award for Best Actress and several nominations. Her role as Elizabeth Bennet also fetched her several nominations.

Uma Thurman

Uma Thurman (29th April, 1970) is known for a range of roles that ranges from romance, comedy, science fiction and even drama. Uma Thurman was associated with modeling since the time she was 15. Her debut in the movie industry happened in the year 1988. ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ brought Uma the much-needed attention. Apart from this movie, she also became popular with films such as ‘Pulp Fiction’, ‘Gattaca’ and the ‘Kill Bill’ series. This pretty lady also bagged the contract for endorsing the brand, ‘Louis Vuitton’.

Hillary Swank

This American actress was involved in acting from an early age and was also good at sports. Hillary Swank (30th July, 1974) started with her career in Hollywood with a very teeny role in the movie, ‘Buffy the Vampire Slayer’. ‘Boy’s Don’t Cry’ fetched her much fame and adulation. She also achieved stupendous success with the award winning film, ‘Million Dollar Baby’. The Academy Award winning actress has surely made her mark in Hollywood!

Susan Sarandon

This Oscar winning actress is famous for her acting as well as her contribution towards social causes. Susan (4th October, 1946) began her career with several movies that went unnoticed until she was catapulted to fame when she starred in the movie, ‘Bill Durham’. She went on to establish herself as a fine actress with movies such as, ‘Atlantic City’, ‘Thelma & Louise’, ‘The Client’, ‘Dead Man Walking’, ‘Stepmom’, ‘Shall We Dance’ etc. She won an Oscar award for the movie ‘Dead Man Walking’.

Meg Ryan

Margaret, popularly known as Meg Ryan, began her career with a television commercial. Meg (19th November, 1961) then appeared in several television roles. She first achieved success when she played the role of Sally in ‘When Harry Met Sally’ with Tom Hanks. From there on, Meg achieved superstardom with movies such as ‘Sleepless in Seattle’, ‘When a Man Loves a Woman’, ‘You’ve Got Mail’, ‘Proof of Life’, ‘Kate & Leopold’ etc.

Gwyneth Paltrow

This American actress had her debut in 1990 on stage. Gwyneth (27th September, 1972) was noticed in the film, ‘Se7en’ which fetched her commercial success. She also appeared in many other films such as, ‘Shakespeare in Love’, ‘A Perfect Murder’, ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’, ‘Iron Man’ etc.

Julia Roberts

This pretty woman has always floored everybody with her performances and stunning looks! Julia Roberts (28th October, 1967) achieved international fame when she starred opposite Richard Gere in ‘Pretty Woman’. One of the highest paid actresses in the world; Julia was also one of the first actresses to appear on the cover page of the very glamorous magazine, ‘Vogue’. Following ‘Pretty Woman’, Julia had many hits to her credit. She demonstrated her acting skills in ‘Sleeping with the Enemy’, ‘Hook’, ‘The Pelican Brief’, ‘My Best Friends Wedding’, ‘Notting Hill’, ‘Runaway Bride’, ‘Erin Brockovich’ etc. She has received several awards and nominations for her outstanding work in her journey through Hollywood as an actress of great acting prowess.

Jennifer Garner

This lovely lady began her career with small odd jobs in television. In 2002, Jennifer Garner (17th April, 1972) finally tasted success when she won an award for ‘Best Actress in a Television Series’ for the spy drama, ‘Alias’. The commercial success of the romantic comedy, ‘13 Going on 30’ further established her as an actress in Hollywood. She is also known for her roles in movies such as ‘Dude, Where’s My Car?’, ‘Catch Me If You Can’, ‘Juno’, ‘Elektra’, ‘The Kingdom’ etc.

Reese Witherspoon

This pretty lady happened to attend a casting call and instead bagged the lead role in an audition in 1990. From there on, Reese Witherspoon (22nd March, 1976) soon received many offers. In the year 1996, she was offered a role in two major films. Reese tasted success with movies such as ‘Overnight Delivery’, ‘Pleasantville’, ‘Walk the Line’, ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ and of course, the box office hit, ‘Legally Blonde’ and ‘Legally Blonde 2’. One of the highest paid female Hollywood movie stars, she has stolen the hearts of many with her pretty looks and acting talent.

Sandra Bullock

Known for her acting talent, this Hollywood movie star is an award-winning performer known for her hits ‘Speed’, ‘Miss Congeniality’, ‘While You Were Sleeping’ etc. Sandra (26th July, 1964) has shown her acting talent by opting for a variety of roles that displayed her skill in various departments. Her first movie appearance was seen in the sci-fi movie, ‘Demolition Man’. Her roles have always fetched her critical acclaim.

Angelina Jolie

Angelina Jolie (4th June, 1975) is one of the top female Hollywood Movie Stars who is also known world over as the most beautiful woman in the world. With many awards to her credit, such as the Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild Awards and the Academy Awards, she was more in the news due to her relationship with Brad Pitt. With Brad Pitt by her side, Angelina has adopted three children apart from her three biological children. She is known for her performance in THmovies such as, ‘George Wallace’, ‘Gia’, ‘Girl Interrupted’, ‘Lara Croft: Tomb Raider’ and ‘Mr. & Mrs. Smith’.

Halle Berry

This dusky American actress is not only an award winning performer but also a former fashion model and beauty queen. Halle Berry (14th August, 1966) is renowned as the first Afro-American lady to have bagged the award for the Best Actress. She starred in movies such as ‘Monster’s Ball’, ‘Jungle Fever’, ‘The Flintstones’, ‘Die Another Day’ etc. One of the highest paid actresses of Hollywood, this lovely lady continues to woo audiences with her talent and sex appeal.

Jessica Alba

Jessica Alba (28th April 1981) is rated as one of the hottest and sexiest film and television actresses in the recent times. Known for her performances in films like ‘Honey’, ‘Fantastic Four’, ‘Sin City’, ‘Good Luck Chuck’ and also a television series, ‘Dark Angel’, this lovely lady has bagged many awards not only for her acting prowess, but also for her stunning looks! It’s not a wonder men have rated her as the number one on the list of Most Desirable Women.

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston (11th February, 1969) is one of the hottest and most popular Hollywood actresses popularly known as Rachel Green – the character in the US television sitcom ‘Friends’. This talented Hollywood actress began her career with television. She is known for her performances in movies such as ‘Bruce Almighty’, ‘Rumor Has It’, ‘Along Came Polly’, ‘Office Space’, ‘Derailed’ etc. She was also in the news for her divorce with Brad Pitt.

Offers pouring in for Sneha Ullal

In the direction of 'Tholi Prema' fame Karunakaran, casting Yashosagar in the lead and debuting Sneha Ullal as heroine, producers BP Somu and GS Ranganath have made 'Ullasamga Uthsahamga' on Amrith Amarnath Arts banner earlier.

Followed by the success of this film, offers started pouring in for the riveting actress. Her impressive performance in the recent film 'Nenu Meeku Thelusa' beside Manoj, and the success of the film has gained stardom for Sneha Ullal. The anticipated movie made it big in the box office and Sneha Ullal is now flooded with proposals from the makers.

This new found talent in Tollywood has her hands full with films both in Telugu and Hindi as well. She has already signed a film besides Santhosh to play the female lead; she even has offers queued up to work beside Gopichand and Allu Arjun. 

It is learnt that she is signing the films only after considering the subject and her role in the film. The actress is being looked upon by lady luck and it’s one great opportunity for her to make it big among the cream of heroines in Tollywood.

Charmme needs a big hit

After duds like Michael Madana Kamaraju and Sundarakanda, Charmme would be banking on her next Kausalya Supraja Rama to revive her winning touch.

I am portraying an interesting role,” informs the glam girl who will be sharing screen space with actors Srikanth, Sivaji and Gauri Munjal in this family entertainer.

Full credit should go to Ramanaidu sir as he was totally involved in all aspects of the film since he was determined to dish out a big hit,” reveals the pretty actress.

Guest star Venkatesh released the audio and wished the team all success. Noted maker Ramanaidu is pinning big hopes on this big entertainer to regain his midas touch.

"I need to revert back to my glory days to churn out more films," says the famed veteran. Can writer-director Surya Prasad deliver the much-needed hit? Well, that remains to be seen

Shilpa requests public to pray for Goody

Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty is very much concerned about cancer-stricken British Television star Jade Goody's deteriorating health. Doctors have informed that she has only a few weeks to live but Shilpa has not lost all hope. She wrote in her blog shilpashettylive.com/blog/ that she is still hoping for some miracle to happen.

Shilpa wrote in her blog that Goody had invited her to her wedding with fiance Jack Tweed on Sunday but she couldn't make it to the event due to her film commitments. She said that she would surely attend her wedding to show her solidarity if she were in Britain. She requested the public to forget the controversy between them during her stint at Celebrity Big Brothers and pray for Goody's speedy recovery. She added that they had turned friends long before Goody was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

In fact, it was during the reality show Bigg Boss 2, hosted by Shilpa, that Goody was informed of the cancer, forcing her to leave the show midway.

Tags: shilpa shetty, jade goody, jack tweed, raymond ronamai.

How to lose a movie contract or How not to get a job in Las Vegas

We can assure you that there are no narcotic addicts or alcoholics working in major Las Vegas hotels; some may have acquired these habits after the initial employment but the habit whatever it is remains low key for fear of discovery and immediate dismissal. 

What does this have to do with losing a movie contract? 

Not only movie, but also recording and top management booking agent contracts as well. People in these hiring brackets are not all that clever but it would be your luck to run into one of the real pros. 

In the studio controlled area (approximately 1930 to 1955-65) seldom did you hear of a major film star being identified by the news media as a drug addict or an alcoholic. These revelations began with the introduction of the tabloids such as, The National Inquirer in the late fifties and the slow demise of studio power. Before this time the major studios did their own undercover discoveries to insure no stars were made of tin. 

To the female star, Your hair needs restyling for your next photo session.For the male stars, Your hair needs to be a little shorter to make you look younger These movie management suggestions leads us back to present day Las Vegas. 

Employment in all major hotels requires giving a sample of your hair for testing. Before hiring. In spite of hair coloring, grooming products and anything else including shampoos and conditioners, your hair when analysed will tell on you in a big way. Alcohol, drugs, medicines, and a bevy of other items show up in hair analysis. When the motion picture studios sent your hair out for testing it was secret, when the hotels in Las Vegas do it is in the open and if your report comes back that your hair is contaminated with undesirable products and chemicals you are not hired and not told why and a notation is made on your application to discourage future attempts to obtain employment. The studios would find a reason and fire you; and no one else would hire you and you would never know why. 

Todays testing methods for hair and DNA are far superior to those of the past but even in the olden days they could spot a problem hair sample as possible drug or alcohol hair samples and pass the word to the studio heads for your demise. An invitation to spend the night at the home of the studio boss must have been flattering, however the maids were instructed to harvest any samples of hair left behind in your bed or bathroom, etc, and they always had a guest hair brush wrapped in cellophane for your exclusive use and later the hairs left behind, if contaminated, could have been a death sentence if you were planning to become a major player in your particular studios directorship. 

Motion picture studio, Independent film producers, Recording companies and booking agents as well as major hotels all have a stake in their reputation being either improved or diminished by your actions. Hotels do not have to invest money in their employees bu they do need the good will they create. On the other hand the major entertainment leaders are not about to invest a million dollars in someone to make them a star without some underhanded snooping into your past and present. Although the entertainers may not know it any negative that comes up in a background check, hair analysis or verbal reports can ruin your career. 

Success in show business brings on overwhelming financial resources and contact power it can also fuel your appetite for drugs or alcohol or medical prescrip tions from a friendly doctor. These habit increases can become a dragon in your bedroom and devour you. 

Todays television stars have no controlling studio to guide, protect and threaten them. Money and advertising are the driving forces behind the industry, and as long as you are not too outrageous in your actions in public, no one cares. A short jail sentence can even improve your ratings to a degree. 

Independent film makers have no control over their stars contracted for one film in a year, if that often, as they are too busy raising money for their next film, so the actors are left to fend for themselves and many do a poor job. As times change you the entertainer or actor must also change with the times, but losing control of yourself is pressing the self destruct button on your career controls. 

Don't think that by abstaining from drugs or alcohol for a few week before testing will make a difference; it will not. Your hair holds records for months.Your best bet is to steer free of drugs and alcohol to eliminate this sometimes secretive method used by a lot of professionals to discard possible trouble makers before signing them to a million dollar contract. Protect yourself from these demons you will be exposed to in show business or you although very talented may end up as many we know condemned to a life of playing second class clubs and theaters because a habit was exposed by a hair sample tested without your knowledge, but still giving a powerful shot in the head to your career.Good Luck.

Action Acting Laughter Crying

In our article "Action Acting," we showed you how to have a more resonant and pleasant voice naturally by starting to yawn before you speak. As an actor your tools are your body and your voice. To protect your voice and well being take this test: Using a spoon, and keeping your head down, scrape your tongue three or four times the first thing in the morning, before brushing or drinking. If the matter collected on the spoon after three or four light scrapes, is thick and yellow, this is a warning sign that your system is polluted. If the matter is white or very light and thin, your condition is good. To correct the serious part of this problem read our article at dlvmagazine.com entitled: "Adios Constipation". Since acting jobs are often few and far between your good health is imperative. Acting is also very stressful. Laughter First you must learn to laugh artificially, this will start your laughter.To do this say, Hah! Expel the breath as if you had eaten garlic and were blowing your breath into the face of someone you dislike. Now repeat this Hah! in a chain of five or six repetitions. Now vary the tonal level of your voice making it go up and down, Hah! (High evel)Hah! (lower level) now two Hah! Hah!'s together medium level then three times Hah! at a medium level. Now string them all together and you have an almost believable laugh, however the ears of producers and directors are very sharp and they can detect false laughter. Now we will reinforce this artificial laughter and make it real. Start out with the false laughter then immediately switch to a funny situation in your life that really made you laugh out loud. This will attach itself to your laughter and make it genuine. If you have no funny events to draw upon then get a class A joke and use it, this will also work. You cannot use a class B or C joke, they will not carry you through in the stress of a professional interview. You must also have a series of four or five jokes or sense memories to draw upon because hearing a joke many times stops the laughter. In our comedy article we go into detail concerning jokes but for a quick overview this is a class "A" Joke: 

An elderly couple went to the doctor complaining about short term memory loss. The doctor told them to make notes to themselves and it would solve the problem. 

That evening, watching Television, the husband got up to go to the kitchen. His wife said: "Bring me some ice cream, please. And make a note so you won't forget it.The husband said: "I'm not going to forget it and I don't need a note. 

His wife replied: "While you're there put some whipped cream on it and a few cherries. And you better make a note to yourself" The husband became irritated. "You want ice cream with whipped cream and cherries, I'm not stupid and I don't need a note!" 

Twenty minutes later the husband returned from the kitchen and placed a tray on his wifes lap with a plate of bacon and eggs. 

His wife looked down at the plate and said: "Where's my toast?" 

Notice the space between the two punch lines, that is to give your listener time to digest what has happened and put it in order in their minds. This joke usually brings audible laughter and is considered Class an "A" class joke. 

Class "B" Joke 

An elderly man said to his friend: "I'm full of aches and pains, old age is rough. How are you making out?" His friend answered: "I feel like a new born baby." His friend was shocked: "You do?" The other replied: "Yes, I have no hair, no teeth, and I think I just wet my pants." ( The response to this is a chuckle) 

A class "C" Joke would be: One elderly man to another: "I just bought a hearing aid, and it cost two thousand dollars." His friend was amazed at the expense: "Two thousand dollars! What kind is it?" His friend replied: "10:30". (This joke will only get a smile.) 

Keeping jokes in categories allows the laughter to continue once you have the listeners attention and get a laugh. Now add several funny happenings in your life or several jokes to your artificial laughter and your laughter becomes genuine. 

Often when you walk into a producers office he will say: "Let me hear your laughter." You are in desperate need of a job and under extreme stress without the artificial laughter to get you started your apologizing for not being able to laugh because of personal problems will not work. You have lost a badly needed job. CRYING 

This emotion, or sense memory as they are called in the industry can only be genuine. The secret is that when you think of a tragedy in your life or in the life of a loved one the thought shades your conversation without your realizing it. So to say a line unrelated to your life in any way and still make it sad all you have to do is go in depth to your personal tragedy and you should be in tears within a short period of time. You have to practice this as all other emotions to be prepared for the producer or director who says: "Let me see you cry or at least approach it with your eyes watering or some outward emotion." If you are not prepared forget the job. 

In some instances a kind person will have you merely read a scrip t, but since twenty or thirty people will do the same reading , you had better have a better version than the others. You can easily do this by reading the scrip t with laughter or crying in your mind, not expressing it, just thinking it will bring a unusual shading to what you are reading. You can ask the director or producer, what type of reading do you want? However this may be considered stalling and they will usually say: "Give it your best shot." Or something that will not give you a clue, they are waiting for a good reading with some emotion. 

For practice, read the obituary column out loud while laughing; Read the comics while holding a crying sense memory in your mind. With practice you will be able to do both. Practice in front of a mirror whenever possible to learn your facial response to these emotions. 

We will have more detailed lessons in our January, "Opening the Million Dollar Doors of Show Business" blog found at: dlvmagazine.com

Action Acting

"OPENING THE MILLION DOLLAR DOORS OF SHOW BUSINESS" "ACTION ACTING" 

January 2008, dlvmagazine.com, (A division of Sitare, Ltd.) will devote our entire issue, Usually alternative Medicine, Self Help and Anti-Crime, to the wonderful world of show business, this is, "Action Acting a preview for Blogskinny visitors. Other Blog information in January will include:'Relaxed Singing;" "Instant Comedy;" "Action Acting;"A to Z Tap;" "Rules of the Road," etc. 

ACTION ACTING 

No matter what your circumstances are, rich or poor, you can learn the basics of acting in a short time and compete with the professionals, if you practice. First you must understand what is taking place when someone acts, from that point forward things become a lot easier.You see a male actor on stage or on film talking to a lovely or average young lady and he says: "I love you so very much, Darling;" and you say, "how nice, he loves her". 

In reality some actors and actresses have only met minutes before being required to play a love scene. Often the chemistry is such that they do not particularly like each other for reasons such as, bad breath, body odor, hair odors, etc. but the scene goes on and you believe every word of what is being spoken, if the actors are professionals. How did they trick you? It's very simple they were talking to each other in person, but in their minds they were talking to someone they loved and blotting out the undesirable person they were acting with. Basically it's saying one thing and thinking another. To do this you must almost go into a trance to blot out the individual you are working with. When this is accomplished, usually instantly by professionals, the scene plays out on the stage or film as pure love. 

To demonstrate the effect of this principal, stand in front of a mirror, think of someone you hate and say, "I love you very much darling." Don't say a name at this juncture, a name that you know, love or hate will carry you in another direction from past experiences. We want you to watch your face, it will slightly distort. Repeat the process over and over until you have to stop because of your loathing for the person in your mind. Your tone will go into your throat and you will change from a nice person to one of hatred. If you continue this experiment you may have to stop because of intense emotion, crying, depression, etc. Wait for at least thirty minutes to allow the hatred to remove itself from your mind. 

Now we will change gears. We are back in front of the mirror only this time we will think of someone we really love, or would care to love if possible. Say the same words, "I love you very much,Darling;" repeat this sentence slowly, over and over at least twenty times. Watch your voice become warm and your thoughts relax and you will feel very good all over. Then after repeating this love message, immediately change and say, "I hate you very much!" You will find this difficult to say and you will become uncomfortableand may not even be able to continue saying, "I hate you very much;" when previously it was no problem to speak this phrase with venom. 

Now back to our actors; the actor speaking says, " I love you very much; Darling," while the other actor responds, thinking of someone they love, with love in her or his voice. Add a few kisses and embraces and nature takes over and by the time the director says: "Cut!" The two actors, formerly strangers have a difficult time tearing themselves apart. If not careful theY could easily fall in love and even marry before they realize the fact that they did not love the person they married but became involved in a fantasy romance that was destined to failure before it started. 

Before we continue with your basics, let us tell you how to have a wonderful resonant voice, something people often pay a great deal of money to learn. It is not the way Disk Jockeys are taught to speak, in their throats and they, as singers often have severe throat problems. The natural way, and of course you have to practice, is to start to yawn before you speak. Now don't yawn, just start, this will open your throat, lower your voice and make you a sensation on the telephone. Remember you have to practice; however it doesn't take long and you will own a great voice for the rest of your life, for free,courtesy of dlvmagazine.com and Sitare, Ltd. "We're here to help you help yourself". 

Our next lesson will be, "Laughter," and, "Crying". With Blogskinny's approval of course. Good Luck, 

Milton Bowser Art Director dlvmagazine.com Milton is a former Hollywood Drama Coach and featured actor in plays and shows in: Hollywood, Paris, Germany, Canada, Switzerland. Hong Kong, Broadway, etc. performances and Choreography Assistant to Herbie Harper, NYC, Television and club performances America and Europe; assistant to Film Producer, Lawrence Merrick, Hollywood producer; voice training by; Gertrude Steffen, Wiesbaden Conservatory, Wiesbaden, Germany. Milton it the only American Modern Composer contracted and recorded by; Breitkopf and Hartel, Weisbaden, Germany, Beethoven's original Music Publishers. We are telling you this to make you feel comfortable and make it easier to follow our instructions, normally we say very little about ourselves. Also remember all of our information is free and we hope helpful.

'This Christmas' Review

'This Christmas' from the previews looks like some typical black Christmas film right?(mostly) Wrong. I mean, yes, the movie is geared towards the black community, and yes, there may or may not be some things you won't understand if you are not black, but unlike most black films, that won't really stop you from enjoying it. But if you're intending on seeing this movie just because its "Christmas Oriented" you're really not gonna get what you want. Christmas is just used as a reason to explain why so many people are in one little house at once, but beyond that and a few Santa mentions that's all your gonna get for Christmas Spirit in this movie. 

This movie has great (new) conflict in it. It does have the occasional typical things in it (coughcheatingmancough) but we get around to a much deeper story line then it seems to be (believe me, the previews do not do justice to this movie). And as you move from each characters problems to the next, you'll find that you can have some actual feeling for them and sympathize for them, which is rare in this superhero movie lovin' age we live in. 

The one thing that this film managed to pull of flawlessly, was the cast. We got some older greats like Loretta Devine and upcoming actors like Columbus Short. Yes, Chris Brown is in it, but its really just an advertising gimmick. I wont necessarily bash his acting, but I don't really think that's what they were truly thinking of when they casted him if you know what I mean. And of course they had to make him sing, and that's what his character was about. I would have really given him some props if he could have broken away from that for the minor part he had (so if you plan on seeing this movie to fufill your CB binge, don't you wont see him that much). 

Overall, yes, this is a good movie. Great? No. Worth seeing, yeah...but theres a lot of other truly good movies out right now (American Gangster, wait a week for I Am Legend). But if you're desperate for some movie popcorn and 2 hours of entertainment (as I was) then go check it out I guess, but I'd truly advise ya save the 10 dollars for the movie I just cant wait to see 'I Am Legend.'

Superhero-rama!: Is This the end of Sam Raimi?

First: Looking back, you've worked on Spider-Man in some way for nearly eight years. Has the excitement stayed with you? 

RAIMI: I'm just as excited about the character, and so in that sense, yes. Although the physical energy level between how I felt before I started shooting versus what was left of me on the last day of photography, I was so exhausted at the end of "Spider-Man 3" I can't tell you. My love for the characters and my passion for the stories are the same, but I was just a shell of the person that I was after all of those movies. 

Oh that's real reassuring. But it gets better! 

Second: If you had to take a break and pick a director to replace you on the franchise, is there anyone at the top of your list? 

RAIMI: Because I love Spider-Man I would just say—I don't want to pick someone. I don't know if I’ll be directing the picture or not, but I'd like to say that it would be somebody that was the best gift I could give to Spider-Man—someone who understands him and loves him and could bring his passion and love to the character. A character director probably; no one else. 

Wow. Can't you tell that he really loves this series? Honestly, I think he was about 90% of the reason that SP3 was (barely) bearable to watch (cause yes, it was BEARABLE, not horrible like all you people made it out to be). I really don't know if I could possibly think of anyone worthy of taking his spot, and then with a lot of the main actors not even sure if they're coming back yet, I'm not sure if SP4 is getting off to a great start :(. Spidey fans, we are in dark times... 

Well anyway FINALLY! 'The Dark Knight' is finally in Post-Production! Maybe I wont be able to rant about it for a couple of months. They've finished up they're filming in Chicago, and disrupting the poor Hong Kong peoples peace and finally it's being edited by Lee Smith of the Gersh Agency. And Christopher Nolan came out (no not like that sickos) a few days ago to settle the rumors that he didnt dump Bale in the waters of Hong Kong because of pollution (mhm...sure) and instead Batty will be jumping off a 90 foot building (and that's SO much better?)... 

"That was my decision, nothing to do with pollution. It was simply a scrip t decision," said Nolan, "Once you see the finished film, you will understand why. As far as the pollution question goes, I honestly have no problem dumping movie stars in it." 

Heh, I liked that reply actually. And of course, its now time for the most famous thing on this blog 

TRANSFORMERS WATCH Bringing you all the over publicized Transformers news since...a while ago 

I am really starting to question some peoples intelligence (coughMICAELBAYcough). Apparently because everyone got so many spoilers of 'Transformers' he told Rotten Tomatoes that he's going to be leaking a lot of false info...Are you serious? Did that really make sense to tell them? So then they're not going to believe it right? Then save yourself the trouble and just do your job of not letting crap leak out. I really think Bay drinks before most (if not all) of his interviews...Just for that, I'm going to bug you all with the probably false info of 'Transformers 2'. And you can blame Michael Bay's special effects loving dumb self... 

And Variety reported on T2's possible problems if the famous WGA writers strike continues for much longer. 

DreamWorks/Par's "Transformers 2" is far enough along to proceed with pre-production, location scouting and advance VFX work, but will face serious issues if the strike continues for several months. Michael Bay's megabudget sequel isn't set to start filming until June. Di Bonaventura's "Edwin A. Salt" will likely be pushed back, too. 

And other major superhero projects like "X-Men Origins: Wolverine", "Justice League of America" and "G.I. Joe" may have some troubles too. 

Major tentpoles are the most vulnerable should the strike drag on. Warner Bros. execs are nervous about how to proceed with "Justice League of America," which is still uncast and is a crucial potential franchise boasting popular DC Comics characters. While WB expects to move ahead on most of its projects, if the strike extends past February, the studio will have some reevaluating to do. 

Paramount, on the other hand, threw four pricey A-list scribes at would-be $100-million franchise "G.I. Joe," which is scheduled to start shooting in February, and swears that the move paid off. Stuart Beattie ("3:10 to Yuma"), John Lee Hancock ("A Perfect World") and Brian Koppleman and David Levien ("Ocean's Thirteen") teamed up in an intense collaboration that yielded, according to di Bonaventura, a shootable scrip t. But will the studio be willing to take a chance on shooting such an important, costly tentpole? The studio insists it will, partly because it isn't chasing big-name stars. 

"We have to make sure the actors are not only good but perfectly suited to their roles," says di Bonaventura. 

Fox is moving full speed ahead with its "X-Men" spinoff "Wolverine," even though many roles are still uncast. Unlike "X-Men," "Wolverine" rests solidly on Hugh Jackman's shoulders. 

On "X-Men" pics, Parker admits, writers Simon Kinberg and Zak Penn were making adjustments throughout production. "Wolverine" will have no such luxury. Most action sequences will be handled in f/x animation. 

Jeez. Go WGA for shaking up the world. Drock OUT.

The Web Series Sanctuary

The first time I watch the Web Series Sacntaury I got hook at it and curious about the series and I got suprise to what i know about it. 

The Sanctuary is the first Sci-Fi Web Series created which premier on May 14, 2007. Sanctuary was created by Sci-fi writer/producer Damian Kindler (Stargate SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis).The Web Sries has a running time of approx. two hours and devided to eight webisodes. The Sanctuary is a film that almost entirely using the green screen techniques. It is created using CGI (Computer Generated Imaginary) Technology and it is only develop specifically for the internet use only. 

Once you pruchase an webisodes in the website Sanctuaryforall.com it also gives you several unedited scene with each webisode that allows the viewers to create their own enviroment in the scene and encourage them to share their creation via sites. 

Sanctuary recently was awarded a Guinness World Record for "Highest Budget Television Production Direct to the Web". The Sanctuary got an award for Best Visual Effects at this years Vancouver International Digital festival in Vancouver and named Best Original Web Drama at TV Guide’s first annual Online awards. 

The Story of the Sanctuary tells about the expoit of the women name Dr. Helen Magnus (AMANDA TAPPING, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis) who aged 150 years old but look like 35 years old. She is a hero in the series which protect some creatures from harming the public and sometime she needs to protect public from them. Through the help of her new reluctant protégé Will Zimmerman (ROBIN DUNNE, Dawson’s Creek, The Big Hit, Species 3) and her reckless daughter Ashley (EMILIE ULLERUP, Battlestar Galactica) she got through all the tricky and dangerous path of her quest.

Ben Stein: Expelled The Movie

Investigating the predjudice against any form of creation aside from Darwinism, Ben Stein is Expelled. An upcoming movie due out in Spring 2008 by Premise Media Corporation delves into a world made hostile by scientific entities that oppose any possibilities contrary to evolutionism. A five minute intro-snippet is available HERE. For those who require it, here is the text link; http://www.expelledthemovie.com/playgroundvideo3.swf . 

HERE is the homepage for the upcoming movie with both a flash and non-flash intro. Here is the text link; http://www.expelledthemovie.com/ . 

I like Ben Stein. I admire his intelligence and reasoning abilities. And he raises some very good points in the intro vid. Like why is there such blatant hostile opposition to any doctrine other than Darwinism? At best, it should be an arena open to intelligent debate, rather than the outright "flaming" of anyone who ponders a different origin. Pay a visit to practically any forum article regarding God, or intelligent design, and you'll SEE the hostility. And what is being hid that would necessitate such aggression? 

As for more than just scientists being against other forms of creation, that's not hard to believe. Judging by the chosen side of the media since the 60's, that's an easily accepted statement. As is the tenured leadership of the educational institutions siding against anything in opposition to evolutionary theories. Somehow, I doubt the tens of millions of dollars being poured into them by the Saudi's is the primary cause for this anger. 

It's true, what the comment made in the intro says. You'll probably loose some friends, jobs, etc, for continuing to question the "authorities" on the matter. But hey, weren't our own founding fathers "Rebels" of their time?

The Hollywood of the South: Shreveport, Louisiana

The sleepy southern state of Louisiana is now ranked as the third most prolific film producing region in the USA, with only California and New York pumping out a greater volume of films; so it's perhaps not surprising that it has earned the name 'Hollywood South', sometimes abbreviated to 'HoSo'. 

The film studio Millennium Films recently set up base in Shreveport, further strengthening the industry. Recent films to be made at the studio include: 'The Cleaner' starring Samuel L. Jackson, Ed Harris and Eva Mendes, which follows a crime scene cleaner who gets caught up in a murder cover-up, and then joins the widow of the victim to attempt to catch the killers. 'The Mist', a horror film based on Stephen King's 1980 novella of the same name was another major film to be made in Shreveport. The plot follows a small-town community that comes under attack from a variety of strange creatures after un-naturally thick fog envelopes the town. 

One of the reasons why Louisiana is so attractive to film makers is the price; by offering generous tax incentives, the state has managed to lure production teams away from more well known film-making locations. Previously, New Orleans overshadowed other cities in the region as a hub for movie making, but the devastating effect of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 forced producers to look for alternatives close by, and Shreveport became the new hub. The ubiquitous nature of Shreveport has been the key to its success: its beautiful old homes and generic streets mean that it can double as almost any city in the USA - a valuable asset in the world of movie making. 

Actors and actresses working in Shreveport have also praised the Southern hospitality they have been show by the locals, and the fact that the paparazzi seem to be less of a problem in 'HoSo'. Movie fans are overjoyed to be seeing big names walking their streets, and can sometimes be seen waiting outside hotels in Shreveport, hoping for a glimpse of their favourite movie star - they are usually not disappointed. 

Even five years ago, to hear names like Samuel L. Jackson or Meg Ryan mentioned in the same sentence as Shreveport would have been unheard of. Few believed that the city would ever be more than a sleepy southern settlement. But now, everybody, from the New York Post to the LA Times are talking about Shreveport, with major film makers and Hollywood stars continuing to head south to 'HoSo'.

Find dvd film online!

Who does not love to watch movies? Ever since we are little, we envy grown-ups for having the liberty to sit up late, enjoying dvd film productions. The Internet has brought a new perspective for the movie industry, introducing the most diverse categories online. Today, for anyone interested in purchasing movies there are many choices and new ones are being added on a daily basis. 

If you enter online searching for dvd film, then you can choose between those over 18 and regular movies. There are erotic films for the naughty, action movies for those looking for an adrenaline rush and comedies for your funny side. You can also check out the offers for blu-ray and high definition discs. Browse by section and discover the time when the auction starts or ends. See the remaining time for the auction, read delivery-related information, quantity and location of the films. 

For all those looking to purchase newly-released films any detail matters. We are talking about the additional information introduced, meaning the director of the film, uncut scenes, cover and age release. You can easily bid on the films you are interested in and find out essential information about shipping or insurance. What are the types of motion pictures you can find online? How about adventure films, horror dvds or various documentaries? All these options are available for you to bid on them. 

After seeing a great movie at the cinema, a lot of people show their interest for purchasing that exact film on dvd. They prefer to use the Internet and its specialized resources, knowing for sure that they will find the movies they want and take advantage of truly great prices. Some of these dvd film offers come with free shipping if you purchase them on the spot. Others are horror dvds, gold edition, made especially for authentic collectors. At any moment, you can check out the horror dvds available within top auctions but also other films. Choose featured applications and search for three dvds at once. Find out the latest info by using the many linktips offered (dvd database) and be sure to visit the forum. Hot auctions are probably the best way to decide which dvd film you want most. 

One of the very first reasons why we use the Internet today is to search for the movies we are interested in. Passionate on horror dvds or any type of films for that matter, we discover that technology has brought us a step closer to such products. We do not have to spend important time going from store to store when it comes to buying movies. The Internet allows us to choose dvd film from the comfort of our own homes, special prices being offered within auctions. Excellent viewing quality is offered for each dvd and superior customer service guaranteed. 

If you are interested in a specific movie or dvd, you can always check out existing bids. Provide a few keywords, choose a section for the film and select sorting method. In a few moments, you will be provided with the results of the search you generated. After you register yourself as an active member, you can also sell dvd film. Are these services great of what? We leave you to discover that answer on your own!  

Licence To Drive: The Cars Of James Bond

The personification of suave and sophisticated, James Bond is perhaps as well known for his love of cars as he is for his love of women. In fact, many of his cars live on in the memory of fans long after those of the Bond girls have faded away. 

The cars most associated with James Bond have never been your average family run around; after all it would be hard to imagine the super-spy driving a Ford Escort equipped with machine guns and rocket launchers! However, while James Bond did make use of more mundane vehicles when the need arose throughout his adventures, he is perhaps better known though for his use of those gadget-laden cars which featured heavily in the movies. 

Nevertheless, the first of the James Bond cars was an altogether more modest vehicle - a mustard coloured Sunbeam Alpine, which featured in the first James Bond film, 'Dr. No' and sadly was not equipped with machine guns or oil sprays. It was also a far cry from Bond's preferred choice of vehicle, the British-made Bentley. 

The cars in 'From Russia With Love' were slightly more upmarket, although Bond drove neither. Instead he was chauffeured around in a Rolls Royce Silver Wraith and a Ford Fairlane station wagon. Again, there were no gadgets; in 'Goldfinger', however, they appeared with a vengeance and ignited the imagination of car enthusiasts everywhere. In 'Goldfinger', Bond drove a quintessential British car - the Aston Martin DB5, which featured machine guns, revolving number plates, rocket launchers and even an ejector seat! The same style of car also appeared briefly in 'Thunderball'. 

For the next film, 'You Only Live Twice', Bond went Japanese with his choice of car with a Toyota 2000GT. At the time, the 2000GT was an extremely rare and expensive car, even in Japan. Bond's version had none of the gadgets seen in 'Goldfinger' save for a TV monitor built into the dashboard. Bond's other method of transport in the film - a gyrocopter named 'Little Nellie' - more than made up for the lack of gadgets, however, with machine guns, rocket launchers, flamethrower and even air-mines attached to parachutes! 

A new Bond signalled a new car, and George Lazenby's portrayal of James Bond featured a return to British-made vehicles and a new Aston Martin; this time the DBS car, although glimpses of the car were confined mainly to the early sequences of the film, with Bond often being seen in cars of other characters, rather than his own. 

One of the greatest car chases in modern cinema history also features one of Bond's best known cars - the Mustang Mach 1. Mustangs appeared frequently in the Bond movies, and in the chase sequence in which Bond is pursued through the streets of Las Vegas by the police, also features one of the most well-known movie gaffes; when Bond's car enters an alley on one pair of wheels to elude the police, the car emerges on the opposite side on the opposite set of wheels! Impressive, even by James Bond's standards! 

Perhaps the favourite of schoolboys everywhere, the image of the white Lotus Esprit emerging from the sea onto a crowded beach in 'The Spy Who Loved Me' is many people's idea of the definitive Bond car. Equipped with gadgets aplenty, the Lotus Esprit wasn't just a car but a submarine. A similar version appeared in 'For Your Eyes Only' but this time around the supercar had to play second fiddle to a souped-up Citroen 2CV! 

The Aston Martin returned yet again, with the Aston Martin V8 taking centre stage in 'The Living Daylights' and featuring rocket launchers, spiked tyres and laser tyre-shredders among other gadgets, which even included a pair of skis! However, with another James Bond on the horizon, another change of car was inevitable and this time BMW provided the wheels: the BMW Z3 appeared in 'Goldeneye', even though it hadn't yet been released, while the Z8 model appeared in 'The World Is Not Enough'. 

'Die Another Day' saw another return to Aston Martin with the V12 Vanquish being the car of choice and was once again replete with gadgets while Bond drove the DBS V12 version in 'Casino Royale' and will do so again in the upcoming 'Quantum Of Solace' movie. 

But how do Bond's employers, MI6, manage to keep up with the replacement costs of vehicles for James Bond, given his knack of wrecking them!? After all, they're unlikely to require BMW car finance or a bank loan to finance their latest Aston Martin purchase, while most insurance companies would be unlikely to quote for a vehicle equipped with machine guns and which runs a very high risk of being destroyed! 

It's perhaps just as well for the super-spy then that his licence to drive hasn't yet been revoked, while if he had to foot the bill for replacing the vehicles himself, he might be more careful!? Otherwise he could be forced into driving that Ford Escort! 

Daniel Collins writes on a number of topics on behalf of a digital marketing agency and a variety of clients. As such, this article is to be considered a professional piece with business interests in mind.

Rivers Cuomo: Rock’s Quirkiest Frontman

Rivers Cuomo, born in 1970 in New York City, New York, rose to fame in 1994 when his band, Weezer, released their eponymous debut-album, also known as the Blue Album, spouting the hits “Buddy Holly”, “Undone – The Sweater Song” and “Say It Ain’t So”. Bridging the gap between power-pop, grunge and the burgeoning second coming of punk, Weezer were credited with fully bringing geek-cool to the forefront of rock music. 

Then, much unlike most rock artists, Cuomo decided to take a short break from music to enroll to Harvard University. Rivers was also born with one leg shorter than the other, and while attending university, he underwent surgery to rectify the condition, which required him to wear a steel brace on one leg and perform stretching exercises for months. The experiences came to flavor the recording of the difficult second album, named Pinkerton. The bitter and isolated lyrics, combined with a noisier soundscape made for a critical and commercial disappointment, but the album has since grown in reverie with the band’s fanbase. 

Following Pinkerton, Weezer again went on hiatus, this time for 5 years. Rivers initially wanted to go back to university, but decided he wanted to focus on songwriting. Due to creative differences band-members left and were replaced, sending Rivers into depression, painting the walls of his home black and putting fiberglass insulation over the windows so no light could get through. 

Luckily, Weezer snapped out of their lull, and returned in 2001 with their also-eponymous album, nicknamed The Green Album by fans. Sporting more radio-friendly fare than Pinkerton, the album brought the band back into the conscious awareness, and sported the hits “Hash Pipe” and “Island in the Sun”. Rivers continued to display his eccentricity by growing a considerable beard and would often end nights on tour by going out to rave clubs, walking the streets until it was time to go on to the next city. 

Weezer soon followed up the Green Album with Maladroit. Essentially a mix between all of the previous releases, the album cemented Weezer as a band that was here to stay, featuring a memorable video for “Keep Fishin’” involving The Muppets. Around this time, Rivers decided to commit to a vow of celibacy for two years or until he got married, whichever came first. 

No stranger to the delights of the road, Rivers decided to commit to the vow in order to become less distracted from writing songs, taking up meditation and getting rid of his house, adult entertainment collection and car – which no doubt pleased the recipients who wouldn’t then need to look for a mortgage, more adult material or used car finance – and decided to live in a small flat next to producer Rick Rubin’s house while creating the songs that would materialize on their Make Believe album, which was released exactly 11 years after the Blue Album, becoming their second-biggest album in the US to date. 

Following this, Cuomo decided to return to university to finally graduate and eventually married, stating that Weezer might never record another album, but luckily for the fans this was decided against, and in June 2008 Weezer’s third self-titled album, also known as The Red Album, was released - its lead-single “Pork and Beans” topping the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart for 11 weeks. 

Having been a successful musician for a decade and a half Rivers is likely to be remembered in equal measure for his music and quirky character by fans and critics alike.

Jennifer Grey nose jobs

It's a pretty big honor when a nose job is named after you. I guess Jennifer Grey nose jobs have reached that level of popularity. Since there has been SO much interest in just what she did to her nose.

History:

Born March 26, 1960 - American actress Jennifer Grey grew up among the sort of people who'd be her co-workers later in life. She was the granddaughter of comedian Mickey Katz and the daughter of Broadway star Joel Grey and actress Jo Wilder. Childhood dance lessons helped her get a start dancing in television commercials.

For sure, she looks very different than she did before the work was done. I don't have any Jennifer Grey nose jobs info for you that you probably don't already know

Movies

Welcome to the movie topic page. We talk about all things movies here. Actors, actresses, and pretty much anything related to Hollywood. We love movies and our writer are big movie buffs too. They keep up with the latest Hollywood happenings and report on all the movie news you need to have. If you enjoy watching movies, this is the place for you.