Wanted Review

The action genre gets a kick in the pants with Russian director Timur Bekmambetov's "Wanted" starring James McAvoy, Angelina Jolie, and Morgan Freeman. McAvoy stars as Wesley Gibson, an unhappy cubicle dweller whose girlfriend is cheating on him with his best friend among other things. One day while getting his prescription for his panic attacks this weird starts staring at him, and Angelina Jolie shows up and says "this guy's gonna kill you". She then proceeds to kick a massive amount of butt. After saving his life a crazy insane car chase ensues. My mouth was literally open the whole time. She takes him to a textile factory where a group of assains, called the Fraternity, led by Morgan Freeman rid the world of evil. The people they are supposed to kill is told to them by a loom (all belief is suspended by this point). Apparently, Wesley's father was killed by some evil person, and they need Wesley to avenge his death. Now Wesley's father left when he was 7 days old so there's some hesitation. Then brutual scenes of training follow which are basically people beating up James McAvoy. There is a lot of curving bullets (which is very cool) and healing baths which the assains use for their wounds. There are good twists at the end, but the training part is very good and well done. The whole film is very entertaining and goes by quickly. McAvoy really steps up to the plate here. Where I thought he was good in his past films, he has a believable freaked out energy here that you feel anyone in his situation would have. Jolie, playing a character named Fox (yes, subtle i know), doesn't even need to speak. She is such a presence on screen, but would it have killed them to give her more lines. She kicks major ass though. The stylized action is very cool and watching bullets travel from the gun to the person is a gory and thrilling effect. The car chases are awesome, but the plot is ridiculous. I would have liked more development of Wesley's power to slow time down. They mention it, and it happens a few times, but that's it. The movie is also darkly funny at points. A good summer blockbuster.

Ben Barnes!

Ben Barnes and William Moseley promote Prince Caspian in Madrid. I like Moseley better. Also here's Barnes in London. Caspian has opened a lot of doors for Barnes. He has three upcoming films. Easy Virtue with Jessica Biel and Colin Firth, The Voyage of the Dawn Treader where he will play King Caspian, and The Picture of Dorian Gray where he will play Dorian Gray.

Hello Lover

Dominic Cooper One of my favorite Brits is on the cover of July's Attitude UK. He will be in Mamma Mia! with Meryl Streep (AHHHH my idol) opening July 18

New Miley

Here's the video for Miley Cyrus' super sassy punky song 7 Things. Wow she's so edgy and grrl power. not at all. The video is kinda painful to watch because the girls singing along look about 10. Miley looks pretty though.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr0Wv5DJhuk&feature=user

New Bond Trailer

Bond 22 Quantum of Solace (whatever that means) will be released this fall. Here's the first trailer. Looks intense. I love Daniel Craig. I would watch him eat steak for an entire movie.
http://www.traileraddict.com/trailer/quantum-of-solace/pilot

Get Smart

"Get Smart" starring Steve Carrell as Maxwell Smart, the accident prone agent, is an entertaining summer comedy. When Smart becomes an agent he's sent to Russia with Agent 99 (Anne Hathaway) to prevent evildoers from lauching nuclear missiles. Alan Arkin costars as the Chief of CONTROL, the agency Smart works for. I'm glad Arkin is getting a career resurgence after Little Miss Sunshine. He's a terrific actor, and he has comedic gifts. Amusing misshaps and pratfalls ensue after the arrival in Russia. Things blow up, car chases happen, and everything is concluded nicely. Steve Carrell gives a great performance as Smart. His serious expression as he does the silliest things makes him even funnier. His deadpan tone of voice and line delivery is perfect. A scene in an airplane bathroom is very funny as is a dance sequence at a bad guy's party. Hathaway is decent seeming sometimes awkward saying her hot female action hero lines yet I still see Mia Thermopolis in the Princess Diaries in her. She is looking gorgeous though. The banter she has with Carrell is amusing. The whole cast is good, and the movie is very funny and just the right length. A good summer blockbuster comedy.

Rihanna Mania!!

Rihanna has been all over the place lately.

Here she is going grocery shopping, looking cute with some fierce shoes.

Here she is with the lead singer of Maroon 5 after performing their duet "If I Never See Your Face Again" on MTV.

Here at the BET awards in some hot dresses.

Movies!!

Caramel-A wonderful Lebanese film about women who work at a hair salon. It's sad, sweet and funny. The cast is wonderful especially Asiza Semaan as the crazy woman who lives across the street and Gisèle Aouad as an aging actress trying to get work. The director is Nadine Labaki and she's also one of the stars. See this!

4 months, 3 weeks, and 2 days-A bleak, wrenching Romanian drama about illegal abortion under a Communist regime in 1987. The film spans a day as Otilia helps her friend Gabita get an illegal abortion. The way the movie is done makes you feel like you are right next to these people. Anamaria Marinca is superb as Otilia, the friend who cares for Gabita no matter how much she lies or how stupid she is. The film looks cold and industrial, but it really gets to you.

Like a Train Wreck You Can't look away from

Vanessa Hudgens cringeworthy new song Sneakernight is so bad it's good. The lyrics are ridiculously hilarious: "Basically what we're gonna do is dance" said about 50 times. She just spoils the fun: "So are you ready? Did you eat? Do you have the energy? Are you reloaded? Are you able to stay on your feet?" Gosh Vanessa just let us have fun. You are so uptight about everything. But no Vanessa wants to be prepared to dance all night long. If you stop she's gonna eff you up. The video is so bad. Just watch.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRqOjhNN4hQ

New Artist!!

The free download this week on Itunes was Sam Sparro, Black and Gold, a hypnotic dance track. He's a wonderful new artist and his debut album was released this week too. He is very hipster chic and he has a song called Hot Mess! which makes me love him all the more.
here's the Black and Gold video. Very sleek and cool.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eHuebHTD-lY

New Jonas Brothers!!

the Jonas Brothers have a new song and video: Burnin Up. I have mixed feelings. The video is amusing and Nick looks very dapper, but they tend to oversing. The song isn't bad, pretty catchy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScXLHgPcZuc

Britain Rules!!

Another girl group, The Saturdays, emerges from England with their debut single, the poptastic If This is Love. A great pop song filled with wonderful harmonies. The chorus just soars ecstatically and is out of this world. They also have their group strut down pact. It's superb. They opened for my favorite girl group Girls Aloud on their tour. England knows how to make them. Dance Pop heaven!

If This is Love video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3ShWgUSpl0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3ShWgUSpl0

Fierce Women

Charlize Theron rocks it out of the park at the premiere of her new movie.
There she is below in some divalicous pumps



Rihanna looking fierce this past week. Hats off!!

Music Update!!!

Here is an influx of pop amazingness!!

One of my favorite new artists the sassy and fierce Katy Perry. This is a song from her debut album, One of the Boys, and it's called Hot N' Cold. It's catchy as hell, and the lyrics are very funny. Better than I Kissed a Girl.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfNm8_CXTKI

Here are a few songs from the Australian duo, The Veronicas, who are also twin sisters.

Untouched-There are so many elements to this song: the classical music, the synths, the amazing beat, the 80's, and they all work so well. Pop perfection!! CATCHY!!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykW4rtW2eu0

This Love-A really nice pop song. It builds to the great chorus where they just belt it. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0sJamWkMPE

Hook Me Up-A total 80's throwback!! Love it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgl0wsJgqZ8&NR=1

Nicole Atkins-Maybe Tonight
Love her. I love everything about this song. Her voice is superb.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VoCcnpbco58

Song

here is a great song from Legally Blonde the musical called So Much Better

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIT2mGuYO7E

Fashion

Dominic Cooper of History Boys fame is profiled in Out magazine as part of the hot list. Here are the pictures. He'll be in Mamma Mia this summer and The Duchess with Keira Knightley this fall.

The Jonas Brothers rocked it this week. The cover of Billboard magazine, the premiere of their Disney film Camp Rock, and in New York. They are looking fierce in every outfit. Nick and Joe look best at the premiere with the pink shirt and Nick with his new hairdo. Loving Joe's shirt on the cover of Billboard.

Nick looks best below with his leather jacket below

Cheyenne Jackson, star of the musical Xanadu and Mario Cantone of Sex and the City.

Movies!!

Sweeney Todd-
Tim Burton's insanely bloody adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's tragic musical is wonderful. Full of dark humor and creepy chills and thrills. London is presented as grimy and full of bad people. The songs are wonderful and Johnny Depp gives a good performance. Helena Bonham Carter provides satisfactory support as the delightful Mrs. Lovett even if her vocals are shaky. Tim Burton was the man to adapt this. See it! The boy who plays Toby has a wonderful voice.

Cassandra's Dream-
Woody Allen's latest is now on DVD. See this mostly for the acting. The whole cast is great, but Colin Farrell, Ewan MacGregor, and Sally Hawkins really stand out. Farrell gives the movie a frantic and frenetic energy. The performances really convey the tension and anxiety present in the two brothers minds. The film ends up being a disturbing and effective thriller. Another good Woody film.

The Visitor-
Tom McCarthy's moving film is a good story of a widowed professor , Walter, who returns to his rarely used New York apartment one night to find a Senegalese woman and Syrian man living in it. They live with him until the man, Tareck, is put into a detention center because he is an illegal immigrant. His mother shows up and a sweet relationship between the professor and her starts. Richard Jenkins is wonderful as the professor. His performance is subtle and realistic. Hiam Abbass' performance as Tareck's mother is moving and gentle. She is joy to watch. Haaz Sleiman gives Tareck a kind, likable soul, a friend anyone would like to have, a truly good man.
Danai Jekesai Gurira is tough at first but slowly opens up in a good performance. A great film that grabs you.

Fun, Flirty Summer Fun: Sex and the City Review

Seeing "Sex and the City", written and directed by Michael Patrick King, with an audience is quite a bit of fun. There is laughter and gasps. This movie has become an event. It's also a great way to kick off the summer movie season. Carrie Bradshaw (Sarah Jessica Parker) and her wonderful gal pals are back. They are somewhat settled into their "new" lives. Carrie has been with Mr. Big or John James Preston (Chris Noth) for the past four years, Samantha Jones (Kim Cattrall) is off in LA managing her much younger boyfriend (Jason Lewis) of five years, Charlotte (Kristin Davis) is happily married and loving life with her adopted daughter, and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) is stuck in her marriage with sweet husband Steve. We take a ride with these woman for the next 2 hours and a little bit, follow the trajectory of their stories, and it is a wonderful trip. Just seeing what Carrie wears next could keep you entertained. They give her some amazing outfits and also some extreme misses. All the ladies look fabulous throughout the movie. Carrie and Big decide to get married which results in a wedding dress photo shoot ( i heart montages!!!) for Carrie with gowns that just get more and more daring and divine. After a sad turn of events, Carrie gets an assistant played by the lovely Jennifer Hudson. They have a cute and meaningful relationship. Some have questioned the point of Hudson's character, but she helps Carrie get back on her feet. The four women go to Mexico and a fashion show and all over beautiful New York. When Carrie and Big find the perfect apartment, a funny montage of her modelling her closet for her friends, while deciding what to take and what to toss, ensues. The four ladies are wonderful together. Cattrall is saucy and hilarious as Samantha and her self-awareness makes her character much more believable and honest. Nixon is great as usual. Her story is pretty sad, but her clothes are gorgeous, and she remains true to herself. Davis gives a superbly comic performance. She is the hidden jewel, secret weapon of the movie, and also, after having watched some episodes, the show. She has wonderfully expressive eyes, and she made me laugh a lot. She has a great storyline in Mexico. Now we come to Parker. She gets a lot of flack for many different things, but she was simply grand here. She IS Carrie Bradshaw. I can see no one else playing this part. Her character arch is well done. She has a big heart. The conversation she has with Big, the night before the wedding, is a beautiful, honest dialogue. Her humor is also present which is evident in the first scene when she and Big look at the apartment. The movie is long, but it is so much fun. It is funny, honest, bursting with love, and like getting a hug from an old friend. These are wonderful female characters that have mirrored and affected many people's lives. Seeing them together again is a true pleasure.