X-Men, Volume 1 (Marvel DVD Comic Book Collection)

In a world that hates and fears them, several mutants (humans who are born with unique powers and abilities) have banded together to fight the hatred, and eventually fight for their very lives. Under the tutelage of Professor Xavier, the most powerful telepath on the planet, they learn to master their powers. Cyclops, the team leader, can shoot laser beams from his eyes. The rebellious and feral Wolverine can heal himself and has metal claws. Jean Grey is a telekinetic and telepath. Rogue has super-strength and the ability to fly, but can never touch another human being. The eloquent Storm can control the weather. The Cajun thief Gambit can charge any object with kinetic energy... making the smallest objects powerful bombs. The Beast has superhuman intelligence, agility, and has a body covered with blue fur. Jubilee is the new girl, a confused teenager with the ability to shoot plasma from her fingertips. Together they form the X-Men, fighting mutants like Magneto and Mystique, as well as stopping hate-mongers like Graydon Creed, Henry Guyrich, and Senator Kelley.

The Concerts (2009)

Barbra Streisand is world renowned for thrilling audiences with her magical performances, her supreme vocal talent and setting box office records. Now fans can get front row seats to the best of Barbra Streisand captured in THE CONCERTS, a new 3-disc DVD showcasing some of her most memorable concerts, special exclusives including 17 songs never-before released on DVD and behind-the-scenes moments with one of the most beloved artists of all time.

The 3-Disc DVD set offers fans an all access pass to two of her most memorable concerts in their entirety. DISC ONE captures the record-breaking, 2006 North American tour from the sold-out Ft. Lauderdale show, with special guest multi-platinum recording artist, IL DIVO. Fans will get a chance to experience 10 songs never-before-seen on DVD, including "Unusual Way," "A Cockeyed Optimist" and "My Shining Hour," all of which are the first time Streisand has ever performed them either in the studio or live. Bonus features include five additional songs as well as interviews with the behind-the-scenes team who create and execute this musical and visually explosive experience.

DISC TWO allows fans to experience the unforgettable 1994 concert Live at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, CA that documents the magic of her first concert tour in 27 years. For the first time on DVD, this special concert includes the first-ever live performance of "Lazy Afternoon" and the "Yentl Medley."

DISC THREE presents "Putting It Together: The Making of the Broadway Album." With video and vintage performance footage from the `60s and `70s never before seen on DVD as Bonus Features, the disc includes video performances from Streisand's Emmy award winning television specials including "People" from My Name Is Barbra 1965 , "Yesterdays" from Color Me Barbra 1966, "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" from The Belle of 14th Street 1967, "Silent Night (Sleep In Heavenly Peace) from A Happening In Central Park 1968 and "Cryin' Time (with Ray Charles)" from Barbra Streisand...And Other Musical Instruments 1973. Disc #3 is jam-packed with exclusive, behind-the-scenes footage including the making of the award winning, number #1 album The Broadway Album and video clips from her childhood, extensive one-on-one interviews and a montage of the numerous awards she's received throughout the years. Streisand The Concerts is an extraordinary collection of the very best moments and highlights from Barbra Streisand's legendary career and includes more than 60 songs spanning classics such as "Funny Girl," "The Way We Were," and "People," as well as never before performed "The Music of the Night," and "Somewhere" with Il Divo.

Barbra Streisand is the music industry's #1 best-selling female artist with 50 Gold, 30 Platinum and 13 Multi-Platinum albums to her credit. She is second in the all-time charts, ahead of The Beatles and The Rolling Stones, exceeded only by Elvis. She continues to be the highest-selling female recording artist ever. Streisand remains the only artist to receive Oscar, Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Golden Globe, Cable Ace, and Peabody Awards, and the American Film Institute's Life Achievement Award.

Star Trek: The Original Series - Season 1

Space. The Final Frontier. The U.S.S. Enterprise embarks on a five year mission to explore the galaxy. The Enterprise is under the command of Captain James T. Kirk. The First Officer is Mr. Spock, from the planet Vulcan. The Chief Medical Officer is Dr. Leonard 'Bones' McCoy. With a determined crew, the Enterprise encounters Klingons, Romulans, time paradoxes, tribbles and genetic supermen lead by Khan Noonian Singh. Their mission is to explore strange new worlds, to seek new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before.

Top DVD Releases in May/June 2007

Top DVD Releases in May/June

1. Pan's Labyrinth (New Line Platinum Series) DVD ~ Ariadna Gil
2. Scrubs - The Complete Fifth Season DVD ~ Zach Braff
3. Dreamgirls (Two-Disc Showstopper Edition) DVD ~ Jamie Foxx
4. Deadwood - The Complete Third Season DVD ~ Michael Almereyda
5. Seinfeld - Season 8 DVD ~ Tom Cherones
6. Apocalypto (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Rudy Youngblood
7. Letters from Iwo Jima (Two-Disc Special Edition) DVD ~ Ken Watanabe
8. The 4400 - The Complete Third Season DVD ~ John Behring
9. Will & Grace - Season Six DVD ~ James Burrows (II)
10. Little Children DVD ~ Kate Winslet
11. Beauty and the Beast - The Second Season DVD ~ Roy Dotrice
12. The Fountain (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Hugh Jackman
13. The O.C. - The Complete Fourth Season DVD ~ Peter Gallagher
14. Melrose Place - The Second Season DVD ~ Gabrielle Beaumont
15. Beverly Hills, 90210 - The Second Season DVD ~ Jason Priestley
16. Roots (Four-Disc Collector's Edition) DVD ~ Maya Angelou
17. Becket DVD ~ Richard Burton
18. Catch & Release DVD ~ Jennifer Garn
19. The Painted Veil DVD ~ Naomi Watts
20. The Rockford Files: Season Four DVD ~ Noah Beery Jr.
21. The King of Queens - The Complete Eighth Season DVD ~ King of Queens
22. Because I Said So (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Diane Keaton
23. Venus DVD ~ Peter O'Toole
24. Rescue Me - The Complete Third Season DVD ~ Rescue Me
25. Ghost Rider - Extended Cut (Two-Disc Special Edition) DVD ~ Matt Long (II)
26. The Good German DVD ~ Jack Thompson
27. Alpha Dog (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Bruce Willis
28. Norbit (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Eddie Murphy
29. Bridge to Terabithia (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Josh Hutcherson
30. Breach DVD ~ Gary Cole
31. Seraphim Falls DVD ~ Liam Neeson
32. Shirley Valentine DVD ~ Pauline Collins
33. Happily N'ever After (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ George Carlin
34. Fur - An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus DVD ~ Nicole Kidman
35. Epic Movie (Unrated Edition) DVD ~ Tony Cox
36. The Number 23 (Infinifilm Edition) DVD ~ Jim Carrey
37. Primeval DVD ~ Dominic Purcell
38. Music and Lyrics (Widescreen Edition) DVD ~ Hugh Grant

Technorati Tags: dvd released, dvd, new dvd, dvd, new movies,

DVD Releases on May 2007

May 1, 2007

May 8, 2007

May 15, 2007 & Beyond

Technorati Tags: dvd released, dreamgirls dvd , little children dvd , shirley valentine dvd , the 4400 dvd , painted veil dvd

No stars, no ‘Spider-Man 4’ says Dunst

Making the fourth film without Raimi, Maguire would be ‘disrespectful’

Sam Raimi, center, chats with Tobey Maguire, right, as actress Kirsten Dunst, left, smiles upon their arrival at the world premiere of "Spider-Man 3" in Tokyo Monday, April 16.

LOS ANGELES - Although a “Spider-Man 4” movie is not yet on Hollywood’s drawing board, series star Kirsten Dunst says a sequel without her, co-star Tobey Maguire and director Sam Raimi would be a box office flop.

Entertainment Weekly magazine on Monday cited Raimi as confirming a long-held Hollywood rumors that he might take the directing reins on a movie version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Hobbit” if Peter Jackson is not eventually hired.

Separately Dunst told Entertainment Weekly that if that happens, a “Spider-Man 4” without Raimi, her and Maguire — who plays the comic book superhero — would be “disrespectful to the whole team.”

“Audiences aren’t stupid. It’d be a big flop without me, Tobey or Sam,” Dunst said in a story posted on the celebrity magazine’s Web site, ew.com.

The interviews come as “Spider-Man 3,” which is distributed by Columbia Pictures, began a series of premieres starting in Tokyo on Monday and continuing around the world until the film’s global debut in theaters on May 4.

Entertainment Weekly asked Raimi if he might direct “The Hobbit” instead of Jackson, who won Oscars and scored huge box office hits with the trilogy of movies based on Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” fantasy novels.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen next for me right now,” Raimi said. “First and foremost, those are Peter Jackson and Bob Shaye’s films. If Peter didn’t want to do it, and Bob wanted me to do it — and they were both okay with me picking up the reins — that would be great.”

Shaye is co-chief executive of New Line Cinema, the studio that distributed the “Lord of the Rings” movies and owns rights to make a film based on fantasy “The Hobbit.”

Late in 2006, Jackson said New Line might make “The Hobbit” without him. He and his producing partners have refused to work on a “Hobbit” movie until the parties settle a lawsuit over 2001’s “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.”

Entertainment Weekly said if Raimi took “The Hobbit,” then a possible “Spider-Man 4” could be left without a director. The speculation prompted Dunst’s comments.

The actress, who portrays Spider-Man’s love interest in the movies, said she did not think Columbia would pursue “Spider-Man 4” without Raimi.

“That would really not be the smartest move. But they already know that. Amy Pascal would never do that,” Dunst said, referring to Sony Pictures Entertainment’s chairman.

Columbia Pictures is a division of Sony Pictures Entertainment, which is the film and television studio owned by Japanese electronics giant Sony Corp. New Line is part of Time Warner Inc.

----------------------------News from MSNBC



Technorati Tags: spider man3, spider-man3, spider-man4, spider man4

5 Tops Best Bond Girls

Halle Berry as Jinx in “Die Another Day” (2002)
Bond women aren’t usually appreciated for their acting assets, but Halle Berry brings something to the role that no other Bond girl ever has — Oscar, acting Oscar. Like Michelle Yeoh in “Tomorrow Never Dies,” Jinx is Bond’s equal. Bond first glimpses Jinx, who is an agent for the NSA, emerging from the ocean, skimpy bathing suit and all. It’s an obvious homage to Ursula Andress in “Dr.No” that works. To whatever effect, Berry rises above what may be one of the worst Bond films ever made. C’mon, it has an invisible car. Fortunately, Berry is anything but invisible.



Famke Janssen as Xenia Onatopp in “Goldeneye” (1995)Perhaps her name should have been Xenia Overdatopp? What else can one say about a woman who gets aroused by murder, especially squeezing men to death between her vice-like thighs? Still, given Bond’s skill at seduction, driving a wedge in Xenia’s evil plan requires great care. They first meet on a mountain road with dueling cars, then in a casino with dueling wit, then in a sauna, with dueling libido. If anyone could get the best of James, it’s Xenia. With her, his manhood is at stake in more ways than one.




Michelle Yeoh as Wai Lin in “Tomorrow Never Dies (1997)
A member of the Chinese People’s External Security Force, Wai Lin matches Bond tit for tat. Who else, faced with likely death would not only jump off a building with Bond, but suggest it? When the two make their escape on a motorcycle handcuffed together, each holds one handlebar and they steer as if one. When safe, they shower together after which Wai Lin locks Bond to a pipe and runs off because she works alone. She then beats up an entire gang before deciding to work with him. Wai Lin practically makes Bond look wimpy.

Diana Rigg as Tracy Di Vincenzo in “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service” (1969)
It’s not exactly clear what first attracts Bond to the headstrong Di Vincenzo, yet somehow their love, yes love, makes sense by the end of the film. Tracy captures Bond’s heart, which is something no other Bond girl has ever done. The audience doesn’t get a sense of what Bond truly sees in Tracy until the end of the film when she rescues him from Blofeld’s mountain lab. She can drive, she can ski, and she can fight. Sadly, Blofeld gets his revenge on Bond in what is easily the most tragic ending of the series, leaving the audience to wonder “what if?”



Ursula Andress as Honey Rider in “Dr. No” (1962)
Like George Washington is the first president by which all other presidents are measured, so Ursula Andress sets the standard for all other Bond girls. Honey Rider emerges as if literally out of a dream. Bond wakes up on the beach and sees her, rising up out of the water, shells in hand. He’s somewhat dumbstruck, but not for long. “What are you doing here? Looking for shells?” she asks. “No,” Bond tells her. “I’m just looking.” So was everyone else, who like Bond, was both shaken and stirred by Andress.



Who is your favorite Bond girl?
Vote at MSNBC





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Spider-Man 3 Picture

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Jackie Chan and Jet Li to star together

Two martial arts stars have never done a film together

HONG KONG - The first film pairing of kung fu stars Jackie Chan and Jet Li will tell the tale of an American teenager’s fantasy journey to ancient China to rescue a mythological monkey king, the film’s U.S. distributor said Wednesday.

“The Forbidden Kingdom” will start shooting May 2 in movie studios in Hengdian, located southwest of Shanghai, and neighboring locations, the movie’s producer, Casey Silver, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press.

The project has drawn attention because of the teaming of the two stars but plot details have been scarce.

The story line originates from the classic Chinese novel “Journey to the West,” in which a monkey king helps guard a Buddhist monk who searches for religious texts.

In this new version, the teenager, a fan of kung fu movies, travels back in time after discovering the monkey king’s stick weapon in a Chinatown pawn shop, film distributor Lionsgate said in a news release.

While Chan’s and Li’s roles are still under wraps, the film could offer a sharp contrast of fighting styles. Chan is known for his improvisational, defensive moves while Li tends to dominate his on-screen opponents.

Famed kung fu choreographer Yuen Woo-ping, known for his work on the “Matrix” trilogy, will design the action sequences in “Forbidden Kingdom,” and Rob Minkoff, who made “Stuart Little” and “The Lion King,” will direct the movie. Cinematographer Peter Pau, who won an Oscar for his work on “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” will shoot the movie.

Both Chan and Li made their names in Hong Kong cinema before moving on to Hollywood.

Chan was recently filming the third installment of the “Rush Hour” series with Chris Tucker. Li’s recent Hollywood credits include “Cradle 2 the Grave” and “Kiss of the Dragon.”

Technorati Tags: Jackie Chan, Jet Li, kungfu movies

‘Spider-Man’ star unsure about fourth film

But Tobey Maguire says third film offered ‘fresh story’ for character

NEW YORK - Tobey Maguire, star of “Spider-Man 3,” isn’t sure he’d play the superhero a fourth time.

“I appreciate movies from a standpoint of entertainment and distraction, and I also love when people make movies that help raise awareness,” says the 31-year-old actor, whose films also include “The Cider House Rules” and “Seabiscuit.”

“I don’t really have a lot of formed ideas. It’s more just thoughts,” he tells Men’s Journal in its May issue, on newsstands Tuesday. “I might do another ‘Spider-Man’ movie — I don’t know.”

Maguire says “Spider-Man 3” has a “fresh story” for his character.

“The public is adoring him, and it goes to his head. He’s behaving arrogantly and is self-involved, which changes the feeling of the character for me. And it just gets darker from there,” he says.

Maguire says he talks to the media to publicize his movies — “I don’t feel compelled to share anything.”

“I used to prepare to go to battle with journalists,” he tells the magazine. “Now I don’t have my feet planted. I won’t talk about what I won’t talk about, but I’m more relaxed about it.”
Maguire says he began attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings at 19 because his life had become oddly predictable.

“I have an addictive nature,” he says, “an obsessive-compulsive nature — well, I don’t know that’s what it is clinically. But I go to addictive extremes, and before I got sober, that became routine.”

Maguire is engaged to Jennifer Meyer, a 29-year-old jewelry designer. They have a 5-month-old daughter, Ruby Sweetheart.

“When she smiles, it’s the most fantastic thing ever,” he says. “But it’s not like I didn’t expect that. I expected to fall completely in love with my child.”

Columbia Pictures’ “Spider-Man 3” opens May 4.


Technorati Tags: spider man, tobey maguire, movie news

“Grindhouse”

“Grindhouse”

Starring: Kurt Russell, Zoe Bell, Rosario Dawson, Rose McGowan, Freddy Rodriguez, Jeff Fahey, Michael Parks, Josh Brolin, Michael Biehn, Marley Shelton, Jordan Ladd, Sydney Tamiia Poitier, Vanessa Ferlito, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

Directors: Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez

Story: Rodriguez and Tarantino bring back the golden age of exploitation flicks with this pair of films. Rodriguez directs “Planet Terror,” which stars Brolin and Shelton as a pair of doctors who treat people with some fairly strange infections and sores. It’s up to a go-go dancer (McGowan), who has a machine gun for an artificial leg, and her martial arts wiz boyfriend (Rodriguez) to defeat the zombie army. Tarantino directs “Death Proof,” which tells the story of a group of women on a movie set (Dawson, Winstead, Bell) who are being stalked by a stunt man (Russell), who uses his “death proof” cars as the ultimate weapon.

Buzz: Remember those old movies that used to play after midnight on TV in the pre-cable days? Well, this is a throwback to that kind of fun. The directors have packaged the two films together and have even included some fake trailers for movies called, “They Call Him Machete,” “Werewolf Women of the S.S” (this trailer is directed by Rob Zombie), “Thanksgiving” (trailer by Eli Roth) and a yet unnamed trailer by “Shaun of the Dead” director Edgar Wright. These movies are popcorn films through and through — just two filmmakers who love movies having a great old time.



Technorati Tags: movies, grindhouse

Review: Exciting 'Grindhouse' a wild ride

By Tom Charity

Special to CNN

(CNN) -- When filmmakers talk about how great the movies were back in the 1970s, they're usually thinking about "The Godfather," "Chinatown," or "Dog Day Afternoon."

But when Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez wax lyrical about that period, they have something else in mind: Filipino shoot-'em-ups, Italian slasher films, Mexican vigilante movies and Roger Corman girls-behind-bars flicks. This kind of exploitation cheapie would play on the drive-in circuit or in seedy inner-city theaters, promising sleazy thrills and no refunds.

Those days are gone, and "Grindhouse" -- the directors' supercharged attempt to resurrect the illicit B-movie double feature -- will have to play sterile, sanitary multiplexes alongside such respectable mainstream fare as "Wild Hogs," "TMNT" and "300," all of which wear the imprint of exploitation cinema with pride (the biker movie, kung fu picture and gorefest, respectively).

The truth is, the trash movies Tarantino champions have long since gone mainstream, albeit with bigger budgets and watered down for MPAA approval. That goes for "Grindhouse" too, which cost a reported $50 million to produce, and which anyone under the age of 17 can enjoy with an enabling adult in tow.

Still, the dynamic duo do their utmost to transport us back to the good old bad old days: the package includes irresistible faux trailers for Rob Zombie's "Werewolf Women of the SS" and Eli Roth's seasonal slasher movie "Thanksgiving," among others.

In the first feature, Rodriguez's "Planet Terror" -- a campy contribution to the zombie genre -- the director (who shot on digital) has gone to the trouble of defacing his print, adding the scratches, warp and weave you would expect from beaten-up second-run celluloid. (Tarantino very pointedly shot on film, but has a harder time replicating the effect.) At one key point he even cuts to a "Reel Missing" slide, making for one of the best jokes of the film.

Adolescents of all ages will get a kick out of Rose McGowan's voluptuous one-legged go-go dancer, Cherry, stomping around with a submachine gun stuck into her stump. Apparently she can fire at will, without the bother of manually pulling the trigger. (It's that kind of picture.)

She's the linchpin in an unlikely band of survivors battling it out with rampaging flesh-eating mutants in a Tex-Mex border town.

"Planet Terror" certainly gives the audience its money's worth. Unlike most genuine exploitation films, which couldn't afford to muster more than a couple of set-pieces amid wooden acting and long, dull expository stretches, "Planet Terror" is so jam-packed with lurid mayhem it scarcely leaves any breathing room. When the cast does get a chance to sit down and talk, the patter is always parody.

It's fun, for sure. But after 80-some minutes of nonstop carnage, cleavage and cool, the riff begins to ring a little hollow.

To say Tarantino's "Death Proof" represents a change of pace is like saying summer is hotter than winter. For 40 minutes four girls sit and gab: in a car, in a bar, and in another bar. Then something really terrible happens and the movie starts over again: four girls in a car.

If Tarantino wanted to concoct one of the more audacious false starts in the movies -- and we can be sure that he did -- he has succeeded in spades. Whether it had to be quite such an arid dry run is another question entirely -- and coming on the bottom half of the bill probably hasn't done "Death Proof" any favors in this regard.

But Tarantino is playing the long game. Yes, the director's distinctive pop talk frequently veers into self-parody, and a couple of wobbly performances (including the second egregious cameo of the night from the man himself) only make things worse.

But all this downtime finally pays off in an old-school car chase that will have you clinging on to whoever's sitting next to you for dear life -- not just because the stunt work is breathtaking (which it is) but because after hanging out with the protagonist, stuntwoman Zoe Bell, we actually care whether or not she breaks her neck. (And kudos to Kurt Russell for his reprisal of a classic B-movie wacko ... with a deliberate nod to "Escape from New York's" Snake Plissken.)

Caring about consequences make all the difference between empty pastiche and what we might call, for old time's sake, "a real movie." Rodriguez never stops with the action, but Tarantino delivers the goods. And so, finally, does "Grindhouse."

Technorati Tags: movie news, movie reviews, grindhouse

Man pleads not guilty in director crash

LOS ANGELES - A driver arrested after the crash that killed "A Christmas Story" director Bob Clark and his son pleaded not guilty Friday to two counts of gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated.

Prosecutors say Hector Velazquez-Nava, a 24-year-old Mexican national, was drunk when he steered his sport utility vehicle into the wrong lane of Pacific Coast Highway early Wednesday, and struck Clark's sedan. Clark, 67 and his son, Ariel Hanrath-Clark, 22, died at the scene.

Velazquez-Nava had a blood-alcohol level of 0.24 percent, three times the legal limit, authorities said. Both he and his passenger were treated for minor injuries.

"The family of Velazquez-Nava ... are very much hurt and they want to offer their deepest condolences to the family, to the Clark family," said defense attorney John Borges.

Velazquez-Nava was being held on $200,000 bail, although a federal immigration hold prevents him from posting bail. Immigration officials have said he is in the country illegally.

If convicted, he could face at least 10 years in state prison, prosecutors said.


Technorati Tags: movie news, director crash, Christmas Story, bob clark

EW review: 'Reaping' a bad movie

By Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly

(Entertainment Weekly) -- Katherine Winter, played by Hilary Swank in her dutiful-yuppie-good-listener mode, is a former minister, and now a professor, who travels the world defusing the lustrous credibility of miracles. Swank must know the feeling: She has won two Academy Awards, and she's still doing movies like "The Reaping."

Katherine is summoned to the sleepy Bible Belt backwater of Haven, Louisiana, and the first thing she confronts is a river of blood -- a pretty cool image, to be sure, though Katherine is certain there's a rational explanation for it.
To her, science can explain everything, and she hews to that belief (which is really a lack of Belief, you see), at one point delineating how the 10 biblical plagues were all natural phenomena. This woman could witness the parting of the Red Sea and think, without hesitation, that it should be reported to the Weather Channel.

In "The Reaping," every one of those biblical plagues appears, but they can't be accounted for by science, only by studio executives who theorize that an apocalyptic "religious" horror movie is the perfect way to tap into the evangelical market. (It sure beats the PG-rated piffle released by FoxFaith films.)

Having seen the error of her ways (science = bad!), our heroine finds the reverence to battle frogs, dead cows, locusts, and -- just to hedge the movie's bets -- a spooky blond girl who could be Satan's messenger. But no belief on earth can rescue Swank from a film that's a chain of disaster chintz masquerading as a sermon.

--------------------------

News crom CNN.com

--------------------------

Technorati Tags: the reaping, bad movie, movie reviews, Hilary Swank

Hefner recalls Anna Nicole Playboy days

Hefner recalls Anna Nicole Playboy days

By SANDY COHEN, AP Entertainment Writer

LOS ANGELES - Take Hugh Hefner out of the running.

"I can make clear at this time," he says, "that I am not the father of the child."

The Playboy magnate enjoys his laugh about the paternity uncertainties still swirling around Anna Nicole Smith but his feelings about the former Playmate turned pop icon are no joke. In serious fashion, his bunny empire will offer three upcoming Smith tributes: a 10-page pictorial in the magazine's May issue, an hourlong retrospective on Playboy TV and an online memorial on Playboy.com.

Smith, who first appeared on the magazine's cover in March 1992 and was named Playmate of the Year in 1993, was 39 when she died of an accidental drug overdose in February.

So what was it about the buxom blonde Texan that Hefner found so alluring?

"It was her presence in front of the camera," he told The Associated Press Thursday, chatting in the library of his famed Playboy Mansion. "She was one of those who loved being in front of the camera and came alive in front of the camera. There was very clearly a Marilyn Monroe quality about her and that aspiration was clear from the very beginning. She talked about Marilyn Monroe all the time."

Smith often posed like Monroe, he said. At a Halloween party in 2004, she came dressed in a "Marilyn Monroe-type outfit" accompanied by three men in tuxedos: her attorney Howard K. Stern, boyfriend Larry Birkhead and son Daniel.

"The irony in terms of Anna Nicole's fascination with Marilyn Monroe is how successful she was in building a similar kind of career, not through acting but simply through celebrity itself," said Hefner, in his usual silk pajamas and smoking jacket. "The tragedy is she lived large as Marilyn did and died in a very similar way."

She was still Vickie Smith' when she first caught the eye of Playboy editors, who argued over whether to include her in the magazine.

"She came here and she weighed about 160 pounds," Hefner recalled. "We like the voluptuous ladies but not that voluptuous. It was a wonderful statement for the simple fact that beauty has no limitation in terms of size. You can be a big lady and a beautiful lady, and she was."

With three tributes, might Playboy be opening itself to criticism for profiting from Smith's death? Not the case, Hefner quickly replied. "It's quite frankly celebrating her in a way that she would appreciate."

The publishing titan turns 81 on Monday, but makes little concession to the calendar. He just celebrated his birthday with a bash in Las Vegas, and recently started work on the third season of "The Girls Next Door," an E! reality show about life with his girlfriends Holly Madison, Bridget Marquardt and Kendra Wilkinson. Their upcoming adventures include an appearance at the Toyota Grand Prix, where Hefner will serve as grand marshal (and Wilkinson will drive a race car), and a trip to Monte Carlo at the invitation of Prince Albert, Hefner said.

And the chatter about Hef getting engaged? Just rumors, he said.

"I am in a very serious relationship with Holly," he explained. "I love all three of the girls, but the relationship with Holly will last, certainly, for the rest of my life. Whether it leads to marriage, we will see. I've tried marriage twice before without great success, and at this moment, I don't want to spoil the relationship."

Technorati Tags: Anna Nicole, Hefner, Playboy days, movie news

The Reaping (2007)

The Reaping (2007)

Theatrical Release: 4/5/2007

Cast: Hilary Swank, AnnaSophia Robb, David Morrissey, Idris Elba, Stephen Rea

Director: Stephen Hopkins

The Reaping (2007)

Katherine Winter doesn’t believe in miracles--she believes in facts. A former minister, Katherine turned her back on the cloth after losing her young daughter and husband while doing missionary work in the Sudan, and now seeks answers through scientific investigation rather than prayer. As a university professor, she has become the foremost debunker of supposed miracles, called to sites all over the world to investigate weeping statues, wall stains resembling saints and palms that bleed. And so far, there is no divine mystery she hasn’t solved. But when small-town schoolteacher Doug Blackwell seeks her help with a series of bizarre occurrences the townspeople believe to be sent by God, Katherine and her partner Ben come to learn that sometimes miracles can be treacherous, and the line between faith and superstition is dangerously thin. Hidden among the woods and swamplands of Louisiana, Haven is a town where the rules of reason seem to have been rewritten. A child has died and the river has turned to blood, which is only the beginning of what appears to be a revisiting of the Biblical ten plagues upon the town. For the first time in her professional career, Katherine can’t explain these phenomena with science. The townspeople believe an enigmatic child named Loren McConnell has brought God’s wrath to their doorstep, but what they see as a harbinger of evil, Katherine sees as a lost child needing her help. The more she is drawn into the dark heart of the mystery, the more Katherine discovers her own role in a conspiracy that threatens to shroud the world in darkness.

Technorati Tags: movies, new movies, the reaping

Kevin Costner sues music promoter

LOS ANGELES - Kevin Costner has sued a music promoter, claiming the company reneged on a contract to back the actor's fledgling music career.

Costner, 52, filed the lawsuit Tuesday in Superior Court. The suit accuses Mahee Worldwide Ventures Inc. of breach of contract and fraud. Costner is seeking damages in excess of $8.5 million.

Costner is the lead singer in the Kevin Costner Band, for which he also writes songs. He also has a company, Kevin's Music LLC, that manages his musical activities.

The lawsuit claims Costner's company and the promoter entered into a two-year agreement in January that would allow the actor's band to perform in as many as five concerts each year. Mahee also would create and maintain a Web site marketing Costner's band, the lawsuit said.

But Mahee has failed to hold up its end of the deal, according to the lawsuit.

"Defendants made numerous promises regarding their capabilities to promote Mr. Costner's music and (their) willingness to pay for the right to do so," the lawsuit stated. "Instead of following through on their promises, defendants continued to make false promises and ultimately disappeared ..."

An e-mail message left for Mahee was not immediately returned Thursday.

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Director Clark, son killed in L.A. crash

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Bob Clark, best known as the director of the seasonal favorite "A Christmas Story," was killed along with his son Ariel early Wednesday, when their car was struck by a vehicle whose driver was suspected of being intoxicated.

In addition to his 1983 classic, Clark directed about two dozen movies, including the "Porky's" comedies.

The crash was reported at about 2:20 a.m. on southern California's Pacific Coast Highway in Pacific Palisades, authorities said. The road was closed for several hours afterward.

Clark, 67, lived in the Palisades, and his 22-year-old son resided in nearby Santa Monica. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Los Angeles police investigators said Clark was driving a 1997 Infiniti Q-30 sedan south on PCH when the driver of a GMC Yukon allegedly swerved and hit the Clark vehicle head-on.

The driver, Hector Velazquez-Nava, 24, of Los Angeles, remained hospitalized and will be booked for investigation of gross vehicular manslaughter after being treated, police Lt. Paul Vernon said. A female passenger in his car also was taken to the hospital with minor injuries, police said.

"Christmas Story" tells the tale of 9-year-old Ralphie Parker, who dreams of getting a Red Ryder air rifle from Santa Claus. He ignores, then nearly fulfills, warnings from a series of adults who tell him, "You'll shoot your eye out, kid." The sappily sweet comedy has become a Christmas staple on the order of "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Miracle on 34th Street."

Clark specialized in horror movies and thrillers early in his career, directing "Children Shouldn't Play With Dead Things," "Murder by Decree," "Breaking Point" and "Black Christmas" in the 1970s.

He enjoyed major success with 1981's "Porky's," which spawned the sequel "Porky's II: The Next Day" two years later.

In recent years, Clark made such family comedies as "Karate Dog," "Baby Geniuses" and its sequel, "Superbabies: Baby Geniuses 2."

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Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

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`Spider-Man 3' premieres at Tribeca fest

`Spider-Man 3' premieres at Tribeca fest

NEW YORK - "Spider-Man 3" will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival on April 30, the New York festival announced Wednesday.

The third installment of the Sam Raimi directed franchise will debut in the New York City borough of Queens, the hometown of Peter Parker, Spider-Man's alter ego. The premiere will kick off a planned "Spider-Man Week in NYC," which will include events and promotions throughout the city.

"Tribeca is thrilled to be premiering `Spider-Man 3' and to be a part of `Spider-Man Week in NYC,'" Tribeca co-founder Jane Rosenthal said in a statement. "Bringing exciting and new events to NYC and its community is one of the major goals of the festival."

The U.S. premiere of the much anticipated Columbia Pictures release will be the last stop on an eight-city world tour to begin April 16 in Tokyo.

The film, starring Tobey Maguire' and Kirsten Dunst' opens worldwide May 4. This installment introduces two new villains to the series: Sandman Thomas Haden Church and Venom Topher Grace'

The Tribeca Film Festival was founded in 2002 by Robert De Niro' and Rosenthal to help revitalize Lower Manhattan after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center.

The sixth annual festival will run from April 25 through May 6

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Columbia Pictures is owned by Sony Corp (NYSE:SNE - news).
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Black Book (2007)

Black Book (2007)

Theatrical Release: 4/4/2007

Cast: Carice van Houten ,Halina Reijn ,Thom Hoffman ,Peter Blok

Set in the fall of 1944, a thriller about the Dutch underground based on true events that span nearly a year around Rachel Stein, a young, pretty German Jewish woman who falls for a high-ranking Gestapo officer while seeking revenge for her family's murders. Everyone involved soon finds themselves embroiled in a spider's web of intrigue, treachery and betrayal--to the point where friend and enemy blur together into an indistinguishable line.

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