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what i love (this week)

the song

jamie-lynn spears' daughter, maddie, covering britney spears' "up 'n down." um.

the show

revisiting this. so many forgotten gems. also, heidi was horrible from the beginning.

the movie

i just couldn't look away- nothing was good about this movie, but i still devoted two hours of my life to it.

the look

i want your life, andy cohen.

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eddie murphy and ben stiller plan a tower heist

i can't decide if i want to see this movie or not. loosely based on the whole bernie madoff situation, ben stiller enlists eddie murphy to help him get back the money he rightly deserves. the cast? stellar- matthew broderick and the girl who played precious in the same movie? unreal. but the plot? seems a little stale, and i imagine the writing's about the same. check out the trailer (above) to see for yourself.

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movie review: crazy stupid love

crazy stupid love is the movie your mother will love. but, don't worry- you'll love it, too- crazy stupid love offers something for everyone. steve carrell stars as cal weaver, a man who's thrown one of life's curve balls when his wife of 20+ years, emily (the always great julianne moore), decides she needs a divorce. cal then tries to re-enter the dating scene- well, social scene really- to no avail. shocker: no one wants to be your friend when all you talk about it how bad your life is. luckily, for cal, ladies' man jacob (a surprisingly charismatic ryan gosling) takes him under his wing, offering advice in style, romance and sex. but what happens when their roles reverse and jacob falls in love? well, i'm not going to spoil it for you. crazy stupid love balances that fine line between drama and comedy that reads as real on screen. with a great cast, including emma stone, kevin bacon and marissa tomei, you won't want to miss it. plus, the flick offers one of the best plot twists you'll never see coming. perfect end-of-summer entertainment.

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ashton takes on two and a half men

it's official. cbs released the first image of ashton on set with his co-stars. so they're not making him shave? he's really going to look that, er, unkempt? ok.

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they're back!

thank god. the richest bitches of bravo return for a second season of outrageous spending, dinner parties from hell and plenty of fighting. all six original ladies are back, joined by two new side players: eddie cibrian ex brandi glanville and entrepreneur dana wilkey. glanville brings insanity, drama and lisa's former houseguest cedric to the small screen. check out her intro video, in which she describes herself as a "full-time part-time mom," below. um, what?

if you need me september 5, you'll know where to find me. parked in front of a tv.

the hunger games boys make their debut

two dye jobs and lots of costuming later, i'm actually thinking liam hemsworth and josh hutcherson might actually pull this thing off. you?

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new year's eve, starring everyone

garry marshall's valentine's day follow-up, new year's eve, doesn't hit theaters until this christmas. but, you can take a first look at the trailer now. some of the stars of valentine's day- like jessica biel and ashton kutcher- return to the screen for this project, but as different characters. they're joined by the likes of michelle pfeiffer, lea michele, katherine heigl, halle berry and more. i just have one casting choice question- why hilary swank? that woman was not meant for romantic comedies. send swank and jennifer connelly back to the drama section, please and thanks.

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insane

this reminds me of that whole ice cream cart strip-tease thing that happened on trl.

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what i love (this week)

the song

i don't even like this song that much, but i can't stop listening to it. i mean i've even listened to the spanish version. and watched countless covers on youtube. sorry i'm not sorry.

the show

any show in which danielle staub yells at any person, animal or thing is worth watching.

the movie

who knew abc family was in the lifetime movie-making business? the family friendly net sporadically puts out tv movies, including its latest effort, cyberbully. the emily osment-starring film is laughably overdramatic and predictable- just the kind of guilty pleasure tv movie everybody needs.

the look

kristen stewart, who? relativity media released the first image of lily collins as snow white in the company's as-yet-untitled fantasy project. collins will go head-to-head with kristen stewart, who's set to headline another big screen adaptation. but, by the looks of this pic, i'm definitely seeing the lily collins version.

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justin timberlake and amanda seyfriend are in time

um, yes please. justin timberlake continues his acting tour de force with in time, a futuristic thriller co-starring amanda seyfriend. previously known as im.mortal and now, in time takes place in a time when time has overtaken money as the main form of currency. people stop aging at 25, given one year to live unless they start raking up more years. the flick looks like a modern (well, futuristically modern) take on robin hood. check out the trailer- which appeared at comic con above. in time hits theaters october 28.

first look at bella and baby

here's something else that premiered at comic con- your first look at bella and edward's baby, renesme. oh, and vampire bella, too. the twilight saga: breaking dawn, part 1 hits theaters november 18. you can also take a look at film's much anticipated honeymoon scene, below.

rip amy winehouse

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movie review: friends with benefits

want to see no strings attached again? then i suggest you add it to your netflix cue. while friends with benefits may look like a knock-off of the ashton kutcher/natalie portman dramedy, the two flicks are very different. yes, dylan (justin timberlake) and jamie (mila kunis) are friends who casually hook up. but, unlike their no strings attached counterparts, this duo didn't know each other very long before their first hook-up. after headhunter jamie convinces l.a.-based dylan to accept an nyc job with gq, the two strike up a friendship. both single- and both horny- jamie and dylan decide to use each other for sexual healing. mix in family issues on both sides, long triangles and even flash mobs (yeah, they really pre-dated themselves with the use of those), and friends with benefits puts itself same category as going the distance- a chick flick for guys. plus, you won't hear patricia clarkson use the phrase "twat block" in that other movie. mixed in with the romance is raunchy humor and just enough nudity to peak your interest. while it's no where near as good a film as no strings attached, it is entertaining. quick paced and sharply written, friends with benefits is the summer date night comedy that you won't regret seeing.

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2011 video music awards: the nominations

my take on who will win big, who got snubbed and surprise nominations for this years video music awards.

best pop video

• adele, "rolling in the deep"
• britney spears, "till the world ends"
• bruno mars, "grenade"
• katy perry, "last friday night (t.g.i.f)"
• pitbull ft. ne-yo, nayer and afrojack, "give me everything"

i mean, it's the best video ever. like of all time. adele's all about the voice, so i can't see her winning for a video where she sits all by herself. britney's done better, and bruno/pitbull don't stand a chance. but- big oversight not putting rihanna or j.lo on this list.

best new artist

• big sean ft. chris brown, "my last"
• foster the people, "pumped up kicks"
• kreayshawn, "gucci gucci"
• tyler, the creator, "yonkers"
• wiz khalifa, "black and yellow"

this one will come down to who votes- the hipsters or the too-hip-to-be-a-hipster crowd. if the hipsters show up, expect foster the people to take the moonman home. if everyone else shows up? wiz khalifa. but where are ellie goulding and jesse j?

best female video

• adele, "rolling in the deep"
• beyonce, "run the world (girls)"
• katy perry, "firework"
• lady gaga, "born this way"
• nicki minaj, "super bass"

adele? again- she's sitting in a room. alone. beyonce? that song flopped. if her billboard music awards performance were nominated it would be a different story. and "born this way" is the weirdest effing video to come out in a decade. it comes down to katy vs. nicki here, and nicki's candy-colored rap fantasy's more likely to take the trophy than perry's inspirational firework-sparking boobs.

best male video

• bruno mars, "grenade"
• cee-lo green, "f*ck you"
• eminem ft. rihanna, "love the way you lie"
• justin bieber, "u smile"
• kanye west ft. kid cudi and rihanna, "all of the lights"

this is a "duh" to me- cee-lo all the way.

best collaboration

• chris brown ft. busta rhymes and lil' wayne, "look at me now"
• kanye west ft. kid cudi and rihanna, "all of the lights"
• katy perry ft. kanye west, "et"
• nicki minaj ft. drake, "moment for life"
• pitbull ft ne-yo, nayer and afrojack, "give me everything"

i would say eminem and rihanna were a lock for this category for "love the way you lie," but they weren't nominated! based on video, katy perry and kanye will win this title, but all the nominees are viable options.

video of the year

• adele, "rolling in the deep"
• beastie boys, "make some noise"
• bruno mars, "grenade"
• katy perry, "firework"
• tyler, the creator, "yonkers"

this category is much more about the song than the video, making it adele's to lose. adele's four fellow nominees seem completely random. the beastie boys? really? and "last friday night" is way better than "firework."

for a complete list of nominees and to cast your own vote, click here. the vma's air sunday, august 28 on mtv, 9/8c.

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the amazing spiderman?

um, didn't we watch this same movie not that long ago? when columbia announced it would reboot the spiderman franchise, i expected something completely new and original- not a rehashing of spidey's origin story. while the movie looks good, it's definitely too soon for a remake. we all know how spidey got his spidey senses. why not just skip to the action?

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wendi deng murdoch, pie queen

how long until this woman gets her own docu-series?

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she's back!

she really should've released this on a friday, because we all could have jammed to it while partyin', partyin', yeah! youtube phenomenon rebecca black hits the internet again with her true debut single, "my moment." the sugary-sweet pop tune showcases the "friday" singer's vocals a lot more than her original viral video and is fitting for a 13-year-old popstar wannabe. don't expect "my moment" to take over the airwaves, but i can definitely see the song catching on with the radio disney crowd. it will be interesting to see where ms. black takes her talents next- will a full blown record pop up? or should "my moment" be her final moment in the spotlight? judge for yourself.

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what i love (this week)

the song

world of color at disneyland is life changing. above is the theme song, which was stuck in my head all day today after seeing the show last night. you can see the full show here.

the show

haven't even seen an episode and i know i'm already hooked. style network's big rich texas is filmed in the dfw, and features a family i happen to know. weird, right? weird.

the movie

saw a preview screening of friends with benefits, the no strings attached rip starring mila kunis and justin timberlake this week- review to come closer to the film's release!

the look

melissa mccarthy is hilarious.

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i'm at...

disneyland. no blog today.

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funny or die brings the lol's

check out the latest fod videos below, featuring taylor lautner, tori spelling, sophia bush and drea de matteo. hilarious.

Mob Wives with Sophia Bush & Drea de Matteo from Sophia Bush

Field of Dreams 2: NFL Lockout with Taylor Lautner from Taylor Lautner

Hoarders: Untold sTori from Tori Spelling

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the emmys

welcome back, awards season! i've missed you. the 63rd primetime emmy awards announced this year's crop of nominees- here's my take on the surprises, who should win and who got snubbed.

outstanding comedy series

• the big bang theory
• glee
• modern family
• the office
• parks and recreation
• 30 rock

there's only one stand-out here: modern family. glee faced a sophomore slump, the big bang theory's all about the actors, not necessarily the show. the office? past it's prime. and parks and rec and 30 rock? critically acclaimed, but little watched. while modern family would win against anything it's put up against, it's sad the academy didn't recognize cougar town, one of the funniest shows on tv right now.

outstanding drama series

• boardwalk empire
• dexter
• friday night lights
• game of thrones
• the good wife
• mad men

cable is king- four of the six nominees are cable series. mad men will take the trophy following its most critically acclaimed season, with boardwalk empire's buzz building momentum for a win next year. and it's nice to see friday night lights finally get its kudos from the academy. the biggest snub here? true blood. it's hard to find a more creative series on the air right now, other than fellow passed over series the walking dead and the killing.

outstanding lead actor in a comedy series

• jim parsons (sheldon), the big bang theory
• johnny galecki (leonard), the big bang theory
• matt leblanc (matt leblanc), episodes
• louis c.k. (louie), louie
• steve carell (michael scott), the office
• alec baldwin (jack), 30 rock

arguably the toughest category of the night (well, except for supporting actor), this will be a tough category to call. do you award the outgoing mainstay carell? the critically acclaimed newcomer, louis c.k? the critically acclaimed favorite, alec baldwin? and how do you decide between the duo of sheldon and leonard. i'll just ignore the fact that matt leblanc received a nom. i'm guessing last year's winner, jim parsons, will win again. or so i hope.

outstanding lead actress in a comedy series

• laura linney (cathy), the big c
• melissa mccarthy (molly), mike & molly
• edie falco (jackie), nurse jackie
• amy poehler (leslie knope), parks and recreaction
• martha plimpton (virginia), raising hope
• tina fey (liz lemon), 30 rock

the battle of the critics' darlings. the movie star-to-small screen success story laura linney is bound to hear her name emmy night, with edie falco coming in a close second. the biggest surprise here? melissa mccarthy. i'd venture to say this is a nomination for her bridesmaids performance, not her work on the cbs laugher. as for surprises? courtney cox gets left behind once again- she was the only friends regular never to receive a nomination and her streak continues with cougar town. the academy also overlooked glee's lea michele.

outstanding lead actor in a drama series

• steve buscemi (nucky), boardwalk empire
• michael c. hall (dexter), dexter
• kyle chandler (coach taylor), friday night lights
• hugh laurie (house), house
• timothy olyphant (raylan), justified
• jon hamm (don draper), mad men

looks a lot like the drama series category, right? while jon hamm will probably win, it would be nice to see kyle chandler finally get recognition for his work on fnl. i think it will take another season or two for boardwalk empire to take off with the awards community, so don't expect buscemi to take home an award. timothy olyphant seems out of left field, but i cannot think of any huge snubs, so maybe he was a filler?

outstanding lead actress in a drama series

• connie britton (tami taylor), friday night lights
• julianna margulies (alicia), the good wife
• kathy bates (harriett), harry's law
• mirielle inos (sarah), the killing
• mariska hargitay (olivia), law and order: svu
• elisabeth moss (peggy), mad men

this is connie britton's year to take home a golden statue. the competition is not that stiff, with most nominees recognized for name recognition and not necessarily their work. kathy bates? it's the movie star-to-tv star token nom. but, again, no huge oversights here, though i am surprised the cast of desperate housewives made it into no acting or series categories.

outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series

• chris colfer (kurt), glee
• jesse tyler ferguson (mitchell), modern family
• ed o'neill (jay), modern family
• eric stonestreet (cameron), modern family
• ty burrell (phil), modern family
• jon cryer (alan), two and a half men

holy modern family. the downside to the whole cast getting nom'd? they'll probably cancel each other out. if any of them take home the trophy, it'll be ed o'neill after being the only cast member snubbed last year. expect chris colfer to win emmy night, though, after delivering a perfomance mixing both drama and comedy. and jon cryer? that's the academy's little joke on charlie sheen for sure.

outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series

• jane lynch (sue sylvester), glee
• betty white (elka), hot in cleveland
• julie bowen (claire), modern family
• sofia vergara (gloria), modern family
• kristen wiig, saturday night live
• jane krakowski (jenna), 30 rock

kristen wiig, please? while it probably won't happen, i'd love it if snl's mvp took home the title. the most likely winner? jane lynch- no one plays so-bad-it's-good quite like lynch. again, the two modern family nominations will cancel each other out, while white and krakowski are nominated for names, not performances. the biggest shocker here? no busy phillips! cougar town's scene stealer deserves some serious recognition, especially after winning at the critic's choice awards for her hilarious performance as lori.

outstanding supporting actor in a drama series

• peter dinklage (tyrion), boardwalk empire
• josh charles (will), the good wife
• alan cumming (eli), the good wife
• walton goggins (boyd), justified
• john slattery (roger), mad men
• andre braugher (owen), men of a certain age

this is the most, um, what? category, mainly because there aren't that many great roles for supporting players out there currently. i'd say john slattery takes the lead here, with the good wife duo of charles and cumming close behind.

outstanding supporting actress in a drama series

• kelly macdonald (margaret), boardwalk empire
• archie panjabi (kalinda), the good wife
• christine baranski (diane), the good wife
• margo martindale (margo), justified
• michelle fobes (mitch), the killing
• christina hendricks (joan), mad men

baranski all the way. the usually comedic actress shows off her drama skills on the good wife, a switch the academy is sure to reward. her only real competition is her good wife co-star archie panjabi, who took home the statue last year. the biggest surprise in this category is no grey's anatomy. an award show staple, the former top drama has obviously fallen pretty far.

for a complete list of nominees, click here. the 63rd primetime emmys air on fox sunday, sept. 18.

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demi's "skyscraper"

this is what a comeback looks like. adding her name to a long list of child stars-turned-adult phenoms, demi lovato transitions from disney to mainstream with "skyscraper." the release of "skyscraper" follows a tumultuous year, including a break-up from joe jonas, a rehab stay, publicly admitting her battle with depression, bipolar and eating disorders and leaving her disney channel sitcom. lovato proves she has the voice and experience to join the pop diva ranks alongside christina aguilera. while the song's nothing groundbreaking, lovato voice packs soul, power and punch. check out "skyscraper," above, to hear lovato's raw emotion pull through.

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rip sherwood

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pia toscano, "this time"

american idol's most shocking eliminee, pia toscano, beats her fellow competitors to the airwaves with "this time." the pop-infused ballad- mixed with a little r&b and synth- is the perfect debut for toscano. pia does what katherine mcphee couldn't, seamlessly transitioning from tv balladeer to pop star. like many idol-alums (i.e. daughtry) before her, not taking the title might prove to be better for toscano. check out "this time," a way better single than scottie mccreery and lauren alaina's efforts, above.

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what i love (this week)

the song

i'm really feeling ellie goulding and cover songs right now, so this is a perfect match.

the show

best summer show, hands down.

the movie

netflix suggested i watch working girl, so, natch, i did. and, natch, i loved it. it's pure 80s amazing and is a must-watch. no, really- get on netflix right now and enjoy it to the fullest.

the look

the british are coming! the british are coming! well, they came. and looked damn good.

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movie review: midnight in paris

woody allen brings fantasy back to the big screen. midnight in paris follows gil (owen wilson) and fiance inez (rachel mcadams) as they explore the city of lights just before their wedding, alongside inez's parents. inez is all about being a tourist, while gil wants to immerse himself in the city. while inez discovers museums and historical sites, something else discovers gil- the past. at midnight in paris, gil's transported back in time to the era of f. scott fitzgerald, ernest hemingway, pablo picasso and gertrude stein. an aspiring writer, gil returns to the past every night. couple his disappearing act with an unexpected romance with adriana, a woman from the 20s, and gil and inez's world is turned upside down. allen's mastered the mix between comedy and drama, infusing midnight in paris with plenty of heart, laughs and meaning- it's a love-letter to the city and to the audience. midnight is a must-see, with standout performances from an all-star cast, including kathy bates, marion cotillard and michael sheen. even if you've never seen a woody allen movie (check out annie hall asap, though), make sure to see midnight in paris.

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can we talk about this?

adele. covering bonnie raitt's "i can't make you love me." it's like my childhood and 20something-dom are coming together, and it's awesome. check out the video above, from adele's recent performance at the itunes music festival, and try not to replay it over, and over, and over again. really, try.

repost- movie review: horrible bosses

the boys are back. after bridesmaids aimed to takeover the raunchy buddy-com, horrible bosses sneaks in to reclaim the territory. jason bateman, jason sudeikis and charlie day star as three best friends fed up with their, well, horrible bosses. nick (bateman) can't stand uber-manipulator harken (kevin spacey), dale can't seem to doge the advances of nymphomaniac dentist julia (jennifer aniston) and kurt struggles to communicate with bobby (colin farrell), who fell into his job through nepotism. the three friends jokingly talk about killing their bosses, but hypothetical soon turns real. wouldn't their live be some much better if their bosses just disappeared? the guys think so, hiring motherfucker jones (jamie foxx) to do the dirty work. what unfolds is a hilarious series of unfortunate events, coincidences and accidents. this is charlie day, mostly known for his work on fx's it's always sunny in philadelphia, breakout role, ala zach galifianakis in the hangover. the movie is packed with laughs from start to finish. mix that with its unpredictable nature and horrible bosses is set to be the movie of the summer.

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beyonce's "best thing i never had"

um ... she's not really helping her case with this one. while the song, "best thing i never had," is one of the breakout tracks from 4, this video is more of a breakdown. beyonce, what are you doing rolling around on a grassy knoll in a wedding dress? and why are you being so theatrical? and what's with the bizarre fake home videos? someone explained to me that the video's autobiographical- beyonce was allegedly engaged at 19, but realizes now everything worked out for the best with her marriage to jay-z. but this song calls for a sex and the city-style break-up, female empowerment montage. right? right.

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kelly clarkson, "let me down" take a listen to the leaked lead single off kelly clarkson's upcoming album. "let me down" sounds a lot like the tracks from clarkson's lowest charting album, my december, but maybe radio's finally ready for this sound. it's got a very rocker edge, which is surprising after clarkson hinted that her fifth studio album would feature a country twang. either way, "let me down" blends a catchy hook with clarkson's powerful pipes- you'll probably have trouble getting it out of your head.

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movie review: monte carlo

selena gomez, movie star? the disney starlet makes a case for herself in monte carlo, a tween-centric rom-com. gomez plays grace, a texas high schooler who can't wait to escape her small-town life, even for a week. after graduation, grace, her best friend emma (katie cassidy) and step-sister meg (leighton meester) jet off to paris. the girls seek out adventure on a lack-luster tour, coming up empty. then, adventure finds them, when grace turns out to be a doppelganger for british socialite cordelia. when cordelia decides to blow off a trip to monte carlo, the three girls swoop in and jet off to play pretend. romance, mystery and chaos ensue. monte carlo's the perfect escape film- the movie itself is beautiful, the director's very own love letter to france. while the plot's been seen before, it's a story that holds up and holds interest. at just less than two hours, monte carlo met my watch test, mixing just the right amount of laughter and heart. while it might be targeted toward tweens, don't skip out on it- gomez's turn on the big screen is worth checking out.

movie review: larry crowne

tom hanks and julia roberts together? movie magic. tom hanks stars as, you guessed it, larry crowne, a big-box store clerk who loses his job when he doesn't have the college education to move up the corporate ladder. crowne decides to head back to school in order to regain his life. and who should his teacher be but julia roberts. while most of the movie's given away in the trailer (above), larry crowne is well written (co-scribed by hanks and my big fat greek wedding's nia vardalos) and well acted, with a supporting cast including gugu mbatha-raw and george takai. it's a rom-com with a lot of heart and a lot of smiles. while you might not laugh out loud from start to finish, you'll definitely leave the theater feeling like you just watched a movie from the 90s. at an hour and 40 minutes, larry crowne's the perfect summer comedy for every and anyone.

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happy 4th of july

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what i love (this week)

the song

if only for the lyric "at 14 they ask me what i want to be, i said baby, 21, so i get me a drink." sing it, b. sing it.

the show

i love me some nancy botwin. but i miss me some celia hodes. win some, lose some.

the movie

netflix recommended this. cheezy badness.

the look

she's blonde again!

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napa

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napa for the weekend

no blog today and tomorrow. sorry.