Thursday, June 4, 2009

'They're Playing Our Song'


As the Tony Awards draw near it is time to remember one of Tony's major snubs.
Lucie Arnaz not only deserved to win that year,1979, but damn she at least deserved a bloody nomination!!!

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

'I Know Him So Well'

My buddy John Barrowman and Brit singer Daniel Boys sing the beautiful duet from 'Chess'.
John is OUT and about and Proud and unashamedly sings a song originally written as a duet for two women about men.
BRAVO JOHN!!!

Fergie's 'Be Italian' from 'NINE'



...and from the original award winning broadway show:

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

On a LIGHTER Note and Since It Is June



'June is bustin' out all over' from the 1956 Rodgers and Hammerstein film:

The Importance of Keith Olbermann

Yes the right hates the right of choice.
Yet so many of them call for murder ironic is it not.
And when the murder occurs they have no regrets, no shame, no remorse.
Many of them like the morons on fox news applaud themselves. They have gotten rid of a baby terrorist. Stopping what they consider murder by murder. Shame on you all.

THANK GOD FOR MSNBC





Today on DVD: 'Revolutionary Road' A-




Often bleak. Sometimes dreary. Generally rough and tough to watch. Yet brilliant. A marriage is made in "heaven". A marriage erupts. A marriage implodes. Then explodes. A marriage goes to hell. Lives are torn asunder. A slice of many lives hidden behind closed doors and picket fences. The american dream as nightmare. It happens every day.
Sam Mendes brilliantly captures it on film.

Also see it for three brilliant performances:
Leo DiCaprio who should have been Oscar nominated.
Michael Shannon who was nominated for his supporting role.
Kate Winslet who WOULD have been nominated if 'The Reader' had been held off until 2009. And she still would have won. Probably two years in a row. An embarrassment of riches well deserved.

And once and for all she did win her Oscar for the better performance in the better role for 2009. Kate's loss in 'Revolutionary Road' was to herself in 'The Reader'. She is obviously too good for her own good. Not too great a cross to bear or problem to have. And yes she should have won for better roles. By that I mean also won for better roles than either of these period. 'Little Children' to be exact. It didn't happen. But this does not diminish her Oscar this year.
Kate Winslet Oscar Winner.
There. Period. Amen!!!
Stop the battle of which was her better role in 2008 once and for all. It's a done deal. Only I'm still allowed. HA!!!
Now Kate let's get number 2!



Monday, June 1, 2009

'Angels and Demons': A-




The First really good film of 2009. Commercial? Yes. Smart? Yes.

Ron Howard has redeemed himself after the boring boring 'Frost/Nixon' and the mostly dreary and confusing 'Da Vinci Codes'. Granted the brilliant 'Da Vinci' book was a challenge to film and i guess he did the best he or anyone could have. Trust me it was not the premise of the novel nor the film I objected to.. I've been a proponent of the 'holy blood, holy grail' theory years before Dan Brown 'fictionalized' it. but enough...

'Angels and Demons', the lesser of the Dan Brown novels, makes for the better film. It's a summer romp worth taking. Despite the absurd accusations against Howard and Brown this is NOT an attack on the catholic church or papacy. In fact one starts to root for the church. Even I wanted the church to win. Anti-papist that I am.

The casting is quite well done Mr. Howard. Unlike your horrific choice of female lead in 'Da Vinci' your pick of Ayelet Zurer in this one was a brilliant choice. As the physicist working along with Tom Hank's character she was more than convincing, charming and quite stunning. I can only hope we see her again soon on the big screen.

Therefore, highly recommended. This is based on the fact that it's a repeat type of movie and just works in every way a film of this nature should work. Acted well, great to look at, a score that works frame by frame, great editing and gorgeous cinematography. Some of the best scoring and cinematography since David Lean's epics. The art direction simply amazed me. The Vatican and Sistine Chapel reproductions were flawless. I've seen the original and this set design replication is remarkable.


Congratulations Mr. Howard. I know I have not always been kind to your films in the recent past but you have re-won me over.I actually see Oscar noms in your future for this one.








'True Blood' Season 2 Starts in 12 Bloody Nights



sneak preview:



Saturday, May 30, 2009

Julie Christie turned 67 This Past April. How the HELL Did This Happen!

the ravishing julie christie





Julie Christie is simply amazing - and she always has been. From her early roles in 'Billy Liar', 'Darling',' Doctor Zhivago', 'Fahrenheit 451' and 'McCabe & Mrs. Miller' to her most recent performance in 'Away from Her', she captivates her audience and so clearly relays the truth of her characters.

She won her Best Actress Oscar for 'Darling' and has been nominated for an Oscar 4 times.

And it just doesn't get any better than Al Pacino calling you “the most poetic of all actresses.”

some career highlights:























Friday, May 29, 2009

'Nine': The Musical Film

The big screen adaptation of 'NINE' The Musical starring Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench and Marion Cotillard is set to hit cinemas November 25, 2009.





My Favorite musical 'Nine' has been filmed.
I've been pretty skeptical about how it would translate to the screen. The preview, below, has made me less so. We can only hope!
But it is based on the Fellini masterpiece '8 1/2' which was originally a film. So the cinematic potential was built in. If only they had filmed it on location in Venice on The Grand Canal. So much for dreaming.

My main concern was the casting. My fears seem to be abating here a bit. With the exception of Nicole Kidman as Claudia Nardi. On stage the role was played by the erotic, exotic, sensual and beautiful Shelley Burch. Four qualities I never think of when Kidman's name is mentioned.

Marion Cotillard as Luisa seems a brilliant stroke.

Sophia Loren as Momma seemed a given.

Judi Dench as Liliane La Fleur? Hey Judi Dench in any role is a gift. She will be brilliant. I can't wait for her 'Follies Bergere'.

Penelope Cruz as Carla. Yes Yes Yes!

Stacy Ferguson, Fergie, is just someone I know nothing of. The trailer below tells me she will be remarkable as Saraghina the town prostitute.


Now about the only male role in 'Nine':
Daniel Day Lewis as Guido portraying a director, an italian, going through mid-life crisis? He is an amazing actor so maybe he can 'be italian'.
He does possess a certain needed sexuality.

I now have semi-high hopes. I really do want this to be brilliant and amazing. We'll see!!! In fact it seems to have 'Oscar' written all over it. Done correctly it could win them as the play did with the Tony Awards on Broadway. It may just mean that every supporting actress nominee next year could be from this film.



OH YES INDEED!!! Mothers, lovers, wives, frustrated producers, frustrated husband, ex-lovers and whores. A true mid-life crisis comes to a cinema near you on Nov. 25th, 2009.










The Cast:

Daniel Day-Lewis ... Guido Contini
Marion Cotillard ... Luisa Contini
Penélope Cruz ... Carla Albanese
Judi Dench ... Liliane La Fleur
Nicole Kidman ... Claudia Nardi
Kate Hudson ... Stephanie Necrophuros
Sophia Loren ... Mamma
Stacy Ferguson ... Saraghina



Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Audrey Hepburn stamp fetches $93,800 in Germany









German auctioneer Elisabeth Schlegel shows a poster of a rare Audrey Hepburn stamp back on March 27. The stamp was auctioned Tuesday for $93,800.



BERLIN (AP) — A rare stamp portraying movie star Audrey Hepburn smoking sold for euro67,000 ($93,800) at an auction in Germany on Tuesday.
The Schlegel auction house declined to identify the buyer, who was represented by an agent.

A minimum bid of euro30,000 was set for the stamp, of which only five copies are known to exist.

Auctioneer Elisabeth Schlegel announced that the stamp — which escaped being incinerated by the German government — had sold for euro53,500. After adding commission and sales tax, the total came to euro67,000.

The government in 2001 printed 14 million Audrey Hepburn stamps as part of a series featuring movie stars including Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe and Greta Garbo.


The print run was destroyed after Hepburn's son, Sean Ferrer, objected to the cigarette holder dangling from the actress' mouth and refused to grant copyright.

However, the Finance Ministry had already delivered advance copies of the Hepburn stamps to Deutsche Post for approval. Thirty of those proof copies escaped destruction when an unknown employee pocketed them and used them to send letters postmarked from Berlin.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Melanie C: 'I Turn to You'

i just like this song













Italian version not by melanie c but her picture???
anyway i like the version.

Friday, May 22, 2009

Special Comment: Keith on the WAR CRIMINAL, fascist, impotent bitter old man and dickWAD Supreme!

Lara Fabian: The Voice!!!

'I've Cried Enough': Two versions and it deserves as many versions as may exist.




Starting Today I Am Going to Share DVD Recommendations along with in theater recommendations


Some will be movies I missed.
Some will be movies I choose to wait for DVD release.
A number of films will movies I did not know existed because the studios did not trust them enough and gave them limited runs if any run at all.
One of the few reasons I miss New York. Everything opens there even if for a short time.