Pop Culture Buzz

If you have seen the trailer on this blog for the upcoming comedy “Knocked Up” then you know we are about to see a movie of “40 Year Old Virgin”, “Theres Something About Mary” and “American Pie” proportions (thanks Stephanie for the scoop!). I love those little un-known sneaky comedies that come out of nowhere and surprise us all. “Knockd Up” is this years comedy that will rake in the biggest dough, just watch.

Below is a deleted scene that director & screenwriter Judd Apatow decided to cut out of the final print of the movie. Why he did this I am not sure, because this scene is hilarious! This is still one of my most anticipated movies to see of this summer, and I have a feeling it will end up on one of top ten lists at the end of the year. Katherine Hiegel is going to become a huge star. She is perfect for this role and looks so gorgeous. Check out the clip below.

I envy the Europeans, they get the best cheesy pop, dance and rock bands that no one here in America will bother with. I love to look at the Euro-charts and see what is big over there. These two artists below are making their way up the U.K. charts this week. Enjoy the new talent folks, we may never get to see or buy their stuff here!

JAMIE T - “SHEILA”

SUNBLOCK - “BABY, BABY”

DADA - “LOLLIPOP”

Here is Pink’s latest music video from her under appreciated recent album “I’m Not Dead”. The video is made up from clips from her recent world tour. I love the Madonna influences of her stage show, and the hard rock edge. Pink is a massive talent, and America is missing out. Even though her latest c.d. was not a big seller here in the U.S., it has sold tons of copie sover sea’s.

GRADE: D

I am not sure why I let myself believe that this film could be fun. When I read that Luc Besson was directing a CGI cartoon family film with Madonna I knew it wasn’t going to work. Action themed cartoon features never make much money (”Titan A.E.”, “Balto” anyone?) and I can see why, based on this film. Action movies themselves are pretty brain dead, the formula is always the same, and it never transcends well to animation. “Arthur & The Invisibles” is a prime example of style or substance, it misses the mark by miles.

Luc Besson tries to inject his French action film touch to the cartoon, but it always falls flat and ends up boring. I think the movie was off to a bad start when the first part of the movie started out as a live action film. The movie tries to be clever and fails every step of the way. Glossy, state of the art computer animation can’t make up for the lack of under developed characters and gaps in plot. I loved the realistic look and details in the animation, but the voice talent made you cringe. Madonna can now say she has mad a crappy movie in almost every genre of film. Any movie Madonna is a part of is sure to be a mega-flop, cartoon or not.

I loathed this film because it could have been much better (maybe). You can tell that this film cost a lot of money and took a while to film. But there is no substance to the film, which makes it feel like a missed opportunity. Besides being too long and silly (not in a good way), “Arthur & The Invisible’s” is insulting. How is it that Pixar knows what formula works, and films like these always seem not to care as long as parents bring their mindless drones to watch them? I am glad that this movie was such a big flop because it just plain sucks, don’t believe the hype!

I used to get real excited to watch the Miss Universe pageant years ago. It was a campy, over the top production made for gay people, Texans and other countries. It has no redeeming social or pop culture value in the grand scheme of things. I wish I would have watched the show that aired last week because things got wacky for Miss U.S.A.

This years pageant was held in Mexico City, Mexico. If you are familiar with these pageants then you know that the Latin American countries take their pageants really serious. The footage below shows Miss U.S.A. taking a nasty spill during the evening wear portion of the show. No one could have predicted that Miss U.S.A. would get booed when she walked on stage to answer the judges questions moments later. Check out the footage below:

CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE AUDIENCE BOO MISS USA AT THE MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT:

CLICK BELOW TO WATCH MISS U.S.A. SLIP AND FALL AT THIS YEARS MISS UNIVERSE PAGEANT:

TOTAL THIS WEEKEND / TOTAL SO FAR

1.) Pirates of the Caribbean 3 $142,055,000 / $156,055,000

2.) Shrek the Third $69,085,000 / $219,424,000

3.) Spider-Man 3 $18,000,000 / $307,642,000

4.) Bug $4,200,000 / $4,200,000

5.) Waitress $4,000,000 / $6,517,000

6.) 28 Weeks Later $3,300,000 / $24,421,000

7.) Disturbia $2,404,000 / $74,914,000

8.) Georgia Rule $2,380,000 / $16,805,000

9.) Fracture $1,600,000 / $37,124,000

10.) Wild Hogs $1,440,000 / $163,263,000

The U.K. band “Travis” released their new c.d. this month, and though I have not heard it, I am sure it will be better than their last outing “12 Memories”. That album most likely didn’t do well due to the overwealming anit-Bush sentiment they expressed on it when the Iraq war had just begun.

I love the last two albums that Travis have made; “The Man Who” and “The Invisible Band”. Both c.d.’s are great rock albums chock full of catchy tunes like “Side”, “Sing”, “Why Does It Always Rain On Me?” and “Turn”. I will give their latest effort “The Boy With No Name” a chance based on their track record, and the nice video for their new single “Closer” which I have posted below.

I hated the first “National Treasure” movie which starred Nicolas Cage and a very bad hair weave. I know the first movie was a huge hit, but do we really need a franchise created from the original? “National Treasure” was an “Indiana Jones” meets “The Da Vinci Code” rip off, so I could care less on what the plot is about in this tired sequel. Nicolas Cage has really got to let his hair issues go, it’s all gone dude, get over it.

GRADE: A

I made a point to not pay for this movie and support Mel Gibson when it was released in theaters last fall. I felt that Mel Gibson didn’t deserve the success or a financial hit after he made racist comments to the L.A. police last year. I waited until I could add “Apocalypto” to my Netflix account so I wasn’t directly paying to benefit his career. That whole incident with Gibson is even more of a tragedy in hindsight because “Apocalypto” is a soaring human drama and an intense action movie worth seeing.

“Apocalyto” is an intriguing never before seen look at a rich history and culture that many people do not know about. As the Mayan kingdom faces its decline, the rulers insist the key to prosperity is to build more temples and offer human sacrifices. Within the first few minutes of “Apocalyto” we meet Jaguar Paw and his tribe. Jaguar Paw is a young man who is coming into the prime of adulthood and his status in his village. The brutal scene in which Jaguar’s village is raided is very intense and not for the faint of heart. The invaders kill at will, and round up all of the healthy adults to use as slaves. They leave the orphan Indian children scattered amongst the jungle to fend for themselves.

Jaguar Paw and his village are rounded up like cattle and made to travel through dense jungles tied up together to reach the Mayan city where they will all meet their fate. Through a twist of fate and spurred by the power of his love for his woman Jaguar Paw tries to make a desperate break to return home and to ultimately save his way of life. But not until he witnesses all of the horror and brutality of an “advanced” society which sacrifices people on a regular basis.

It’s hard not to read into the parallels that exist between this specific time in history and the events of today’s society. “Apocalypto” does a great job of depicting the choices that humans make that can ultimately cause the down fall of their society. Using great actors, terrific costumes and make up, spot on location shoots and gorgeous cinematography Gibson has made a haunting and action packed masterpiece.

We all know that Mel Gibson is not a good person, that he is a racist and a Jesus freak. But he has a gift of making sweeping epics with a strong emotional under current, keeping the subject matter real to life and as accurate as possible. This movie is a great achievement in story telling and film making. It just sucks that the director is lost in his own bigotry and ignorance which hurts the credibility of his work and the art he creates.

Rosie O’Donnell has fought her last fight with Elizabeth on ABC’s daytime chat-fest “The View”. ABC said Friday she won’t be back on the show following her angry confrontation with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck on Wednesday. O’Donnell asked for, and received, an early exit from her contract. She was due to leave “The View” in mid-June.

“Rosie contributed to one of our most exciting and successful years at `The View,’” show creator Barbara Walters said. “I am most appreciative. Our close and affectionate relationship will not change”. In a statement, O’Donnell said she was grateful. “It’s been an amazing year and I love all three women”. I am guessing that includes Hasselbeck.

O’Donell and Hasselbeck had a heated discussion throwing evil stares and catty barbs (Elizabeth bringing up Trump?) on Wednesday over O’Donnell’s opposition to the war in Iraq. It became very awkward and the producers resorted to a split screen as the two fought. O’Donnell released a statement expressing her anger over that decision. They’ve frequently had bitchy political exchanges during O’Donnell’s year on the daytime chat-fest, but never as long and loud as the one posted below:

We are getting closer and closer to my most anticipated movie of this summer, screw that, of this year….”The Transformers” movie. I am constantly searching the internet for new images and news, I have posted some of the most recent ones below. Every trailer, picture or clip I have seen has left me in awe, this could have some serious potential as a cool franchise.

Today it was reported that the movie will have a brief appearance by a Dino-bot. Thse familiar with the Transformers cartoon and toys from the 80’s will remember the robot dinosaurs that were created by the Deceptacons. I think this is great news, some think this has sucked the realism right out of the movie. I say, who gives a crap? This thing will be out of this world!

GRADE: A+

I remember watching the documentaries “Bowling For Columbine”, “Paradise Lost”, “Jonestown” and “Capturing The Friedmans” for the first time and thinking that all of these movies are perfect examples of fine documentary film making. Each one of those films in it’s own way has more social importance than any other film Hollywood has released in the past 50 years. Now that I have watched “Deliver Us From Evil” the brilliant 2006 Oscar nominated film I can say this movie is the best documentary ever filmed, and it is the most important for our society at the moment.

The true story of a pedophile priest, his victims, their families, and the passive attitude of the American Catholic church this movie is based on the controversy that has been rocking the Catholic church over the past 15 years. “Deliver Us From Evil” gives us first hand accounts from the victims and from Father O’Grady a convicted priest. The film chronicles O’Grady’s years as a priest in Northern California, where he committed his crimes.

After being convicted and serving seven years in prison, O’Grady was deported to Ireland, where Amy Berg interviewed him in 2005. O’Grady speaks candidly about his crimes. Additionally, the film presents trial documents, video taped depositions, and interviews with activists, theologians, psychologists and lawyers which suggest that not only were church officials aware of O’Grady’s crimes, they actively took steps to conceal them. This movie blows all of your beliefs in organized religion (if you still have them) and religion in general. It is moving and powerful, I suggest any person who has struggled with faith to watch this film as soon as possible.

It was recently reported that the “Grey Gardens” movie has finally been cast, and it’s good news. Drew Barrymore will play “Little Edie” and Jessica Lange will play “Big Edie”. Edith “Big Edie” Ewing Bouvier Beale and her daughter Edith “Little Edie” Bouvier Beale, were the aunt and first cousin of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Onassis. The two women lived together at Grey Gardens in squalor and almost total isolation.

In 1972, their living conditions were exposed as the result of an article in the National Enquirer and a series of raids by the Suffolk County Health Department. The documentary film “Grey Gardens” that was created in 1975 based on that article, has become a huge under gorund cult hit since it’s release.

The movie has created so much buzz over the years that the documentary film has even become a hit Broadway musical that is still raking in the big bucks and is sure to sweep the Tony Awards this year. Rufus Wainwright has even written a song about the pair on his sophomore album “Poses”. I love the pairing of Lange and Barrymore in the lead roles. If you haven’t seen this riveting 1975 documentary check out the footage from “Grey Gardens” below:

Remember the first time you watched the first “Harry Potter” movie trailer? Or when you saw the “Lord of the Rings” trailer for the first time? Well then prepare to feel the same child like enthusiasm for “The Golden Compass” which is out this winter. I think the casting of Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman is great and it adds that extra touch of adult class these “kids movies” sometimes need.

Based on the “His Dark Materials” book series which are getting the trilogy treatment, “The Golden Compass” is sure to be a huge hit. Who can resist the talking animals ala’ “The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe” with the mix of “Harry Potter” and “Rings”? Not this fantasy movie junky, bring it on! Check out the trailer below.

GRADE: B+

Let me start off by saying that I loathe romantic comedies. I detest them with a passion. So I go into them with trepidation and unease, and seldom am I wrong. The genre is ripe with over sentimentality and preposterous “Three’s Company” like misunderstandings. It gets irritating watching either Kate Hudson, Sandra Bullock or Meg Ryan stumble through scenes that just bring woman back into the dark ages. But I digress, “Music & Lyrics” actually charmed me and won me over.

Drew Barrymore is the queen of the “rom-com” genre. Her awkward, clumsy and cute mannerisms have been winning hearts over for 2 decades now. With “The Wedding Singer”, “Ever After”, “Fever Pitch”, “50 First Dates” and “Never Been Kissed” have all been hits and some of my favorites of the genre. In “Music & Lyrics” she keeps the crown and steals more hearts with co-star Hugh Grant. Grant himself adds a level of charm and class that many of these kinds of movies lack.

I found myself giggling and rooting for their characters to get together in the end. The plot is believable enough to enjoy and the chemistry between Grant and Barrymore is spot on. “Music & Lyrics” is just plain cute, chicks will love this film more than their boyfriends, but the guys might be able to get sucked into it’s fun plot and cutesy vibe. Check this film out if you like the genre or are a fan of Barrymore’s, you will get a kick out of it.