day 2.53

no
time.

day 2.52

montana says sayonara to disney

hannah montana is officially over. well, technically. the fourth, and final, season is set to enter production this month, ending lensing sometime this summer when. while the third season hasn't even finished airing, disney stockpiles episodes out of convenience and to keep the look of their series as consistent as possible - they want the kids to look and stay young. this 4 year run is quite the feat for disney and may make hannah montana the longest running show in the network's history. before that's so raven, all disney series were limited to 65 episodes - which in the normal tv world is the equivalent to 3 seasons. while hannah is sure to stay on the net through 2012, both through new episodes and reruns, miley cyrus is officially done with the series. the final season will focus on character miley stewart getting older and trying to figure out if she can really be hannah forever or if she'll just have to be herself. um, isn't that the plot of the entire series? the show's final season will reportedly also include miley and co moving out of their plush malibu pad, but no word on where they're going. let's hope miley sticks with the mouse house (and they're many production imprints) as to avoid the less-than-stellar careers of the disney stars before her, like hilary duff and raven symone. the star already has the last song and the wings series - a fantasy about fairies based on the book of the same name- lined up for disney, so i'm pretty sure she's on the right path.

just in time for the demise of hannah montana, disney has released the first trailer for their the series' replacement, good luck charlie. the series stars two disney vets - cory in the house's jason dolley and wizards of waverly place's bridget mendler. the series looks network sitcom worthy, a bit of a departure for the net. as the traditional sitcom dies off on network television, the writers and creators of past mainstream hits are turning to children's networks where the format is still favored. hence, the shows become more sophisticated and adult-friendly. check out the trailer for the series above. i don't think the show will do anywhere near the success of hannah montana, but it's sure to be more popular than recent additions to the disney lineup like jonas. maybe i'm finally becoming too old for the disney channel, because i'm less and less interested in what they're offering to the public. this show looks promising, but the fact that the sprouse twins haven't aged in about 5 years creeps me out.

day 2.51

the ginger always loses

it looks like conan o'brien may be looking for a new job starting next month. the red-headed funnyman is reportedly on his way off the peacock airwaves. and jay leno would be in. it hasn't even been a year since conan took over hosting duties for nbc's the tonight show from leno, but nbc is feeling the loss. ratings are down for the net all around, with cbs's letterman-hosted late show beating nbc for the first time since leno was host. and the primetime numbers are weak, weak, weak with leno's new format taking 5 hours of programming time away from the network. according to tmz, leno's current show will go on indefinite hiatus starting february 1 and the veteran comic will return to 11:30/10:30c after the network's airing of the olympics winds down later this year. sources say there was a long staff meeting at leno's nbc studio today to figure out what exactly will happen when the star returns to the airways, with one option cutting leno's program down to a half hour which would then be followed by an hour of conan, pushing the jimmy fallon hosted late night to directly compete with abc's ratings winner jimmy kimmel show. the second option would be for the network to completely buy mr. o'brien out of his contract and give jay back the show that made him a household name. this was one of the plans being tossed around before jay was offered his primetime showcase, but was tossed to the curb because it would be a major million dollar payout. looks like the audience and ad sale lost is more costly for the net than conan's severance. hopefully the network will release some sort of statement in the next couple of days once they've figured out what exactly will happen, but either way leno will get back his after hours comedy slot. looks like the peacock may finally be getting its mojo back. my question is, what the hell are they going to be putting in those 5 hours a week at 10/9c??

ka ka ka ke$ha

here's a mini-music review for you. the other night i decided to grab ke$ha's debut, animal, on itunes while it was still specially priced for under $7. i've been listening to the she-rap/singer since september - long before "tik tok" fell on anyone else's radar. animal lives up to the build up of "tok" and then some. my one critique is that the way the tracks play, the disc progressively goes from high energy pop to slower songs. but, with the help of itunes shuffle, that little complaint is nbd. there are plenty of radio-friendly songs, including my favorite from the cd, "dinosaur." check it out above and consider downloading the disc while it's still cheap.

day 2.50

oh, mariah

last night, mariah carey made quite the appearance at the palm springs international film festival. after being named breakthrough actress for her work in precious, the known diva took to the stage looking similar to post-glitter breakdown mimi. while the video above cuts out some of her speech, most of the crazy is there. luckily (i guess) mariah wasn't having a mental breakdown. she was just plastered beyond belief - and even admitted to it. watch the clip above as carey shares some bizarre - and uncomfortable - inside joke, pay reference to the woman who was supposed to play her part in the film, but had to drop out (helen mirren) and just make a complete ass of herself.

two belated movie reviews

over the past couple of days, i've seen two movies that have been at the theater for a little while but still deserve reviews. first up, the princess and the frog.

the princess and the frog is probably the lamest disney princess flick i've seen. maybe it's because the last time i saw a disney animation film in the theater i was 9. or because i'm almost 20 now (though that's kind of the same reason). this latest offering from the mouse house has just done ok at the box office - it would be making good returns if it weren't a disney cartoon. if the film had been released over the summer, taking care of an entire 3 months in which children need entertainment, i think it would have done better. and may have looked better. tpatf's animation quality is pretty low for disney. it's not just because it isn't computer generated, but because it just appears simplistic. maybe that's what they were going for, but other disney classics - like cinderella and beauty and the beast - have awe inspiring animation. i think disney built this flick up too much and didn't take into account that the thing that makes all their past movies great is that they are fantasy based. while the film takes advantage of magic, it takes place in the real world - something people are attempting to escape when they make the trek to the movies. watching princess tiana and her prince as frogs for the majority of the movie is trying. i would much rather see them as people and everyone else in the film as a frog. the honor of being disney's first black princess is almost discredited by the fact that tiana is slimy (i'm sorry, mucus-y - you'll get it if and when you see the movie) for the flick. the villian is some weird blend of aladin's jafar and cruella de vil, which isn't a good thing. the best character of the movie - tiana's friend lottie - is barely in the film and doesn't get a musical number, even though broadway star jennifer cody voices her. on that note, the music of the film isn't memorable or timeless - you won't be singing anyone of it's tunes when you leave the theater because you won't be able to recall any! bottom line is, if you're a disney fan, check out the princess and the frog - but don't hold you breath for it to live up to the ad campaign's hype that it's "the best disney film since the lion king," because it definitely isn't.

i read a review of did you hear about the morgans? brushed the film off as just a tbs-rerun worthy flick. well, is that bad? i don't know about you, but the movies that get played over and over again on channel like tbs always entertain me - and the morgans doesn't disappoint. while the film can feel slow (my watch check - a sign that i'm bored - total was 3 or 4), the storyline is entertaining. the film is a bit predictable, but that's expected in any out-of-town-ers romcom, right? hugh grant gets a belly laugh one-liner pretty much every scene, though they're often tossed in at the end of the scene and can become later-laughs (meaning you laugh after the fact and it's just awkward in the theater). my biggest problem with the flick - which follows a separated couple having to be relocated in the witness protection program after witnessing a mob-like crime - is sarah jessica parker's wig. the hairpiece itself deserves a razzie award for worst acting by a wig in a comedy. i don't understand why someone insists (maybe it's sjp herself) that the actress wear this banged mess in her romcoms - i'm pretty sure it's the same look from failure to launch a few years back. why doesn't someone go "hey, people want to see carrie bradshaw - not carrie's unfortunate looking cousin." while the film won't - and isn't - getting any award show buzz, it does its job: it entertains (and in under 2 hours, no less).

day 2.49

the celebrity apprentice returns

donald trump revealed the new crop of "celebrities" that will be taking on the boardroom (yes, this show is still on) starting march 14. the cast list looks like the reject list from dancing with the stars, with the biggest name belonging to sharon osbourne. though the donald said that "everyone wants to be on the show" and that they had to turn away former dwts competitors, i don't buy it. this guy still thinks this is the number 1 show on television. like usual, the cast has been split into male versus female (why they do this i don't know - they always end up combining at some point). here's the break down.

men's team

• darryl strawberry - apparently a former baseball player
• bret michaels - i guess he's given up on his hunt for america's next top stripper
• bill goldberg - alleged wrestler (this show and wwe aren't the same demo, don)
• michael johnson - olympic track star
• rod blagojevich - nbc couldn't get him for i'm a celebrity, so they settled for this
• sinbad - he's still alive!
• curtis stone - a chef from tlc...

women's team

• cyndi lauper - because girl's just want to have fun
• sharon osbourne - i'm hoping she'll give us a joan rivers-style outburst this season
• holly robinson peete - she hasn't acted since hangin' with mr. cooper
• selita ebanks - former victoria's secret model and nick cannon fiance
• maria kanellis - female wrestler (wwe stars do not equal celebrities)
• carol leifer - alleged comedian
• summer sanders - from figure it out!

will you be watching when the show returns in march? i'll probably watch the first couple of episodes and tehn see what happens.

day 2.48

come back

manana

day 2.47

yes, they made a second one

disney's second fiddle to the high school musical series, camp rock, is set to premiere a sequel this summer and a teaser for the flick was released this week. check it out above. it looks like the all jobros will have a little more to do with this one, instead of joe taking the spotlight. but, i find it hard to believe there was much material for a sequel. we shall see.

day 2.46

i give nine a 1

if you're interested in seeing nine, i don't advise it (unless you're trying to knock out entertainment weekly's 25 movies to see before the oscars list). a movie adaptation of the broadway musical of the same name, somehow gets lost in translation - in more ways than one. the musical itself was adapted from the italian film 8 1/2. in an attempt to recreate what is presumably the feel of the italian film, director rob marshall (who succeeded in bringing chicago to the big screen) get too bogged down in the intricacies of the film work that the movie itself lacks plot or character development. focused around 1960s italian director guido contini, played by daniel day lewis, the film is almost two hours of mess. lewis - along with costars judi dench, nicole kidman and penelope cruz - seems to be too focused on creating a character that has no depth than actually playing the part. the same four actors also have issues picking accents. dench's character, supposedly a parisian costumer, starts out with an italian accent, then a french one and ends the film with her normal british accent. in movies where fantasy is an integral part of the film itself, i don't understand why actors are forced (or choose) to try on a heavy accent on top of the one they already possess. just speak normally and we'll play along like you're all italian. ironically, sophia loren - the only real italian in the movie - speaks english the best out of those amongst her fellow actors doing an affectation of an accent. the acting in the film, aside from this picky bit, is exceptional. it's the lack of story or character development that leave you scratching your head and asking, "did i just see an art film?" the best moment in the film - kate hudson's performance of "cinema italiana," previewed in the trailer above - is the shortest musical performance and was written exclusively for the film. knowing "cinema italiana" doesn't appear in the original stage musical makes me even more weary of seeing it should it appear at a theater near me anytime soon. aside from the other show-stopping number - fergie as a hooker singing "be italian" - the music is relatively bland and does nothing to move the film along. mostly, the songs are extensions of random lines of dialogue that you wouldn't expect to have importance. dench's number is all about a certain costume that may or may not be used in guido's latest movie. marion cotillard, as guido's jaded wife, does the best acting job but gets saddled with two of the most head-ache inducing songs. penelope cruz's (guido's mistress) "a call from the vatican" is pretty much a burlesque performance. the one thing i found amazing was that cruz had virtually no accent while singing. i'd say someone puts on her spanish accent a little thick if she can sing in perfect english. kidman's song - which i can barely recall - is fine, but her part is so small. you'd expect the main character's muse to have a big role, but kidman doesn't speak a word of dialogue until the film's last 45 minutes. it's amazing she even got paid for the role as it was little more than a glorified extra position. all in all, skip nine and just listen to the soundtrack if you want a feel for the flick - it's (sadly) the best part.

day 2.45

happy new year!

day 2.44

10 things i don't want to see in 2010

here are some rumors (or actual events) that have come about recently that i'd like to not happen in the new year.

1. a kate gosselin reality show - totally unnecessary. i don't want to see a soccer mom mullet picking guys. unless it's on a conveyer belt (abc has a new show called conveyer belt of love). i'm fine with kate on tv in another capacity, though it looks like her proposed talk show with paula deen is going to move on without the mom of eight - she's been dropped from any episodes past the pilot.
2. jon gosselin on tv - period.
3. britney spears as a brunette - the pop star recently died her weave black. that means trouble. the last time she was this dark, she went to the hospital for a psychiatric hold. luckily, her dad's conservatorship over her has been extended into the new year. now go record some new music (and stop turning down songs penned by lady gaga).
4. the tyra show go off the air - even though it's inevitable, how is tyra going to force herself onto the american public? come on, wendy williams can't fill all 30 minutes of the soup!
5. the jonas brothers break up - mainly because i'd rather they keep making music together and fade off into pop culture oblivious then attempt to make 3 separate solo records. please be the next hanson. please.
6. celebs dying - while old people are bound to cross over, let's avoid losing the young ones like brittany murphy and even michael jackson. i'd rather see more come backs in 2010.
7. shows get canceled - there are so many good new shows this season, that i know at least one or two will bite the dust to make room for some new concepts that are sure to be flops. i still miss pushing daisies and samantha who? please, fox, don't kill glee. don't do it. i'd much rather see american idol retire to the tv graveyard. there hasn't been a watchable winner since carrie underwood, right?
8. a new paris hilton movie or cd - while i know she's probably working on them, reality shows are her only entertaining outlets. the simple life and my new bff are good. the hottie and the nottie is not. really i'd be ok with her going away with flavor flave, tila tequila and every other std factory mtv and vh1 have found in the past decade.
9. see ryan seacrest host another show - come on. leave a job for me in 2.5 years, will ya?
10. say goodbye to nbc - unless the peacock net picks up their programming, this is a strong possibility. the network is in 4th place and not going anywhere with jay leno on every night at 10. please get some quality programming back! i miss friends and will and grace. give up on the single camera, grainy sitcom format and return to the multicamera style (hey, it's cheaper!) and don't tell me the sitcom is dead - cbs rules mondays and abc wednesdays with their comedy line-ups.

what are your don'ts for the new year?

day 2.43

everyone

is apparently being good today. nothing to talk about.

day 2.42

2009: the music (in 5 minutes or less)

every year, someone mashes up some of the biggest songs as a farewell to the year that was. this year, dj earworm took it one step further. putting together the top 25 songs of 2009 in a 5 minute mashup, earworm pretty much summed up the final year of the decade. featuring the black eyed peas, lady gaga, taylor swift, jay sean and miley cyrus to name a few, "blame it on the pop" is radio worthy on its own. little did i know that the word "down" was so popular in '09. check out the mega mix above and relive the time you've spent listening to the radio and playing on itunes before 2010 makes its arrival.

day 2.41

ttyl tyra

tyra banks really is trying to be the next oprah. the former model announced today that, like winfey, this would be the last year of her eponymous talk show. the thing i don't think tyra understands is that, to be the next oprah, you can't just copy her step-by-step. tyra's show will end its run this may after 5 years. oprah is ending her show in 2011 after 25. that's a bit of a discrepancy, tyra. banks is reportedly stepping away from her emmy award-winning program to begin work on bankable studios, a new film company the star has apparently been very eager to begin. tyra cites tyler perry's films (like the "madea" series) as inspiration for the female empowerment flicks she intends to make. my only question is, why can't tyra do both her talk show and run a production company? i mean, oprah is doing it. it seems rather fishy that banks would leave the airways the same year oprah announces she'll be leaving a gaping hole in the world of daytime. my guess is that banks may have struck a deal with oprah's new oprah winfrey network. the fact that she cites perry, one of oprah's bffs, as an inspiration only adds more fuel to the fire. but, don't worry. even if tyra isn't set to pop up on own, she will still be popping up on your tv screens as she sees no end to america's next top model anytime soon. i would have pulled the plug on that show before the talk show. i understand going out on top, but why with just a 5 year blip on the tv landscape?

day 2.40

no

blog today.

day 2.39

it's complicated, but not really

let's face it. i'm a sucker for comedies geared at the 50+ set. maybe it's because i'm really a retiree trapped in the body of a 19 year old. hollywood's latest offering for the over-the-hill set, it's complicated, filled my appetite for the genre. following the affair of a divorced couple, the movie is pretty much a non-stop laugh fest with heart. meryl streep, alec baldwin and steve martin all give quality performances, but the scene steeler is the office's john krasinski as meryl and alec's daughter's fiance. i don't know how much - if any - of his lines were adlibbed, but they come off effortlessly and hilariously. like most other nancy meyers flicks (i.e. the parent trap, what women want, something's gotta give and the holiday), it's complicated has something for everyone - so don't be fooled into thinking it's an old folks romcom. i expected the movie to have a few uncomfortable old people sex scenes, but all that was just alluded to (minus one alec baldwin semi-nude scene). if it's complicated pulls in a good showing at the box office (which i'm sure it will), meyers is set to pass nora ephron (when harry met sally, you've got mail, julie and julia) as the highest grossing female filmmaker ever. you go girl (shut up). the movie just opened yesterday, so there's plenty of time to check it out before it heads into that 3 month limbo between theater and dvd. hopefully, by that point, they will have greenlit a sequel. might i suggest it's still complicated as a title, nancy?

day 2.38

merry christmas!

day 2.37

gear up for the next holiday

taylor swift is an actress. well, maybe. we won't find out if she can actually act until february when the star-studded love actually-esque valentine's day hits theaters. but, in the meantime, check out the trailer (i know, i know so many trailers ... but there really hasn't been anything else to talk about) for the movie above. the cast also features taylor lautner (it's where taylor-squared met), julia roberts, bradley cooper, emma roberts, shirley mclaine, ashton kutcher, jessica beal, jennifer garner ... a whole lot of people. it looks like it should be good - and will most likely be a box office hit - but it could also be one confusing mess as it is a movie with interlocking storylines and not just one story.

merry christmas eve.

day 2.36

they're back

as a little christmas present to the world, the first trailer for the sex and the city sequel has hit the internets. while no plot details are given away, it doesn't look like the flick will disappoint. check it out above.

after the holidays the blogging will pick up from being more than just movie trailers. i promise.

day 2.35

jennifer lopez is back...

at least at the movies. while the singer's latest attempt at music, the single "loubitons," hasn't taken off, her film career might put her back on top. her first major film since 2005's monster-in-law, the back up plan follows a single woman who hears her biological clock tick-ticking away with no sign of love in her near future. but, as soon as lopez's character gets artificially inseminated, her world turns upside down as she finally meets mr. right. check out the trailer above and the film in theaters this april.

day 2.34

evolution

because it's the holidays, i'm only posting short blog posts this week. check out the latest from funny or die in which alyssa milano not only spoofs the dove "evolution of beauty" commercial, but everyone's latest guilty pleasure, jersey shore, which the actress has publicly denounced.

in other news, american idol carrie underwood announced her engagement to hockey start mike fisher today.