Entertainment news 7/24

7/24/04 The Bourne Supremacy! You must see it--too good not to see! I believe this one might even be better than the first (The Bourne Identity.) My husband saw Anchorman and thought it was really funny. So I may see it this week.

In other entertainment news today was the birthday party for our niece! She turned 4 and it was a Mermaid Princess party, complete with "pin the fin on the mermaid", as well as "decorate your own crown," "fish for prizes," and a paint your face table! Although our girl is just 16 mos. old it was lots of fun for her, and I'm sure her cousin wound up having a fabulous birthday!

7/16/04 Wow, it has been a while since I've posted anything here. Guess there isnt much going on entertainment wise in my neck of the woods. Britney's engaged, big surprise. Julia's pregnant with twins. woo-hoo.

What I have really gotten into are the Olympic trials! They are on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on NBC, but the rest of the week you can catch them on USA network at odd times of the evening. I really dont watch sports much any other time of the year (except March Madness and maybe the NBA championships, Superbowl, etc.) but I am enjoying the trials! Swimming and Track and Field are the sports they've been showing lately, and there have been some very exciting events. Marion Jones almost missed out on making the Olympic team after coming in 5th in her race (the 100?) But came back to win the long jump competition and now she's on her way! And Michael Phelps has dominated the swimming events, racing in I think eight or nine races and winning almost every one of them. It just gets me all pumped up (hee) about the coming Olympic Games. Woooo-hoooo!

7/5/04 Because I just don't want to comment on sweet little Mary Kate Olsen's troubles, I decided to list a few movies that aren't on my Top 5 list that I think are definitely worth seeing if you are a film buff. The sequel to "The Bourne Identity" is coming out this week, I think, and should be real good if it is even close to the first. It is called "The Bourne Supremacy" and stars Matt Damon.

I saw "The Terminal" this past week and although I'm not a big fan of Catherine Zeta-Jones I really enjoyed it. Tom Hanks, Stanley Tucci, and the rest of the cast do a wonderful job of pulling you in and making you believe this poor man's situation. It is funny, heartwarming, touching, and just one of those good films.

And I know Will Ferrell can be quite controversial, but I find him so funny. I don't know how I will ever get out to see the movie, but "Anchorman" looks like another hit for him. I still haven't seen "Elf" but I sure hope to. I can always use a good laugh.

6/29/04 So Jesse and Jessica broke up. Never saw it coming. Another "Bachelor" couple bites the dust. And I thought they were destined for a lifetime of happiness. It is interesting to me, however, that the "Bachelorette" couples have both stayed together--one married, but the "Bachelor" couples haven't lasted.

And so we hit the summertime blues of television. This summer is all reality tv--I havent seen a show advertised that isn't reality! I will admit there are a few reality shows I watch but I'm not as hard core as some friends of mine. I guess some of it is so ridiculous to me. My "Top 5 most ridiculous reality shows that I've never watched simply because the ads are so ridiculous" are listed in my Top 5's section this week. A little shout out to my friend Melissa, though, who appeared on "The Next Action Hero" last week. Woohoo!

6/24/04 "ProPain" the sophmore release from Mars ILL on Gotee Records is due for release October 17th. Right now the group is working on song order and album artwork, as well as touring on their 2003 release "Backbreakanomics." Their first single from the album "Breathe Slow" went to #4 on the CMJ charts last fall and stayed in the top 20 for over 2 months. Their video for the song was nominated for a Dove Award this past spring.
If you haven't heard much from this hip-hop group, check out their previous releases:
Raw Material 2000
their crew Deepspace 5 release of The Night We Called It A Day 2001
Blue Collar Sessions 2002
Backbreakanomics 2003

6/20/04 It's been a little bit since I've seen it but I had to mention to everyone how amazing the film "The Whale Rider" is to see. Not sure if you remember but the young girl, Keisha Castle-Hughes was nominated for an Academy Award for her role, and when you see the film there is no question why. It is appropriate for all ages although the accents are pretty strong and there may be some confusion for youngsters trying to understand the tribal positions and her decision at the end of the film. I really enjoyed it.

(Warning, spoiler if you havent seen the film) "The Stepford Wives" is a whole different ball of wax. It was OK, but there were too many loose ends (1, are they robots or humans with chips implanted in their brains? 2, where are the kids the whole time? 3, how does Matthew Broadrick suddenly know how to set everybody free from the system?) These and other questions left me frustrated by the film, as did the lack of interest in the characters. There were some funny moments, but I didn't care enough about the characters to become emotionally involved in the film. There's my two cents.

6/15/04 This weeks entertainment was the birth of my nephew Ezra. He arrived Friday via c-section after much drama and minor complications. He and his mom are doing well and are heading home today to be with dad and sister. This along with the arrival of my mom, mother-in-law, and lots of rain has been plenty of entertainment for a girl like me. (Also saw The Stepford Wives but will wait a bit to report on it in case you havent seen it.)

6/8/04 Just a little shout out to mom who celebrated her birthday yesterday! And also to Cat, who's probably not celebrating much today, but nevertheless it's her big day today. Happy Birthday!

Also, if you have a moment I recommend you view this link to the new Pixar animated film "The Incredibles!" It shows both the trailer and a teaser and it is well worth your time. Looks like they have another hit! http://www.apple.com/trailers/disney/the_incredibles/

6/6/04 I just learned that Ronald Reagan passed away this weekend. I dont know a whole lot about politics, but I remember he had a lot to do with the ending the Cold War. I also remember watching the news replay the assasination attempt over and over again, and poor Mr. Brady (?) taking the bullet. It is interesting to me how presidents are sometimes really disliked while in office (although I know President Reagan had a huge following) but then they become almost beloved years later when the changes in policies and decisions they made have had time to settle and you can see just what they have accomplished.

I guess my heart goes out to Nancy. I cant imagine spending so many years with someone only to slowly lose them to alzheimers, then see him pass away. On one hand you would be relieved that he is no longer suffering, but on the other hand the painful reality of the fact that he is gone must be beyond description.

Then on a completely different note I just heard that J.Lo married Mark Anthony secretly this weekend. Now, it's her life and I certainly think she has freedom to live it how she likes, but if I were her sister I think I'd sit her down and have a little heart to heart talk. There's something she is searching for and can't seem to find, and for some reason she thinks a man or marriage will fill that void. After so much media attention over her relationships these past few years you'd think she'd slow down a bit! Personally, I'd like to see her get back to acting, something she seems to be successful with. Maybe work with Steven Soderberg again.

6/4/04 So I have a few contacts in the entertainment industry that supply me with tidbits of information that I rejoice at receiving. After working in the industry myself I have found that there are three types of actors: 1) those that are very good at what they do 2) those that think they are very good at what they do 3) those that know they aren't very good at what they do but wish they were. Most of the great actors I've met are really nice people, as are the not so great actors I've met. It's the actors that THINK they are good at what they do that cause you the most trouble. They think the world owes them something for their mediocre talent and they often make ridiculous demands that the great actors wouldn't dream of requesting. It's those actors that make life in the business a drag. But my work was in the Southeast. My contacts are in the big time--LA.

One friend works for possibly the biggest star in the world, and although I only hear from him occasionally, it is always such an interesting conversation. The last time we spoke he weighed in on the Brad Pitt/ Angelina Jolie rumors that are flying. The official word (and he would know) is that there is absolutely no truth to stories. Brad and Jen are very happily married and life at the Pitt house is wonderful aside from his busy schedule right now. Whew! We can all breathe a little easier now.

On the music front I will spend most of my time promoting my favorite group on the planet, Mars ILL. Who, you ask, is Mars ILL? An up and coming hip-hop group from Atlanta GA that deserves national recognition but has yet to receive it. What I like about them is that they aren't radio pop rap that you hear on MTV and BET. They are a style all their own, deeper, spiritual, about life and living. Their music is based on the roots of hip-hop, what true hip-hop should be. Am I making any sense? Check em out for yourself and see if you like what you hear. marsill.com

In other news, one of my favorite shows, Alias, has postponed its fall premier until January---January! I definitely think it could be a good move since this past season was not nearly as strong as the first two. Aparently they want to close some open plots and really take things back to the original intent of the show. But January? Hope the fans remember to watch or it could spell disaster for this diamond in the rough.