HOW DARE THEY REMAKE ARTHUR!!

That was my reaction when rumors started to circulate that the drunken millionaire with a heart of gold may return to theatres. In my opinion, not that it should be a surprise because you know I love me some Bits, Dudly Moore is simply irreplaceable. I was livid! BEDAZZLED was bad enough; replacing Moore and Peter Cook, but ARTHUR (and its sequal) rank high on my favorite movies list. Whoever it was they tried to make Arthur, I refused to let myself get caught between the moon and NYC with him.

Serendipitiously, ARTHUR just happened to be filming around the city right after I saw its star, Rustle Brand in GET HIM TO THE GREEK and, though not Moore, he did almost get me to pee myself laughing so I thought, "whatever, it will suck but if it is free I guess I will go."

Having read reviews in which people complained how different the remake was from the original, I began to get excited and when I saw it, I was pleasantly surprised with how good it was. The key is to look at it the way I believe the filmmakers intended it, as a reimaging not a remake. Liza was amazing as Linda and nobody could top her which is why the lead character, who I like to think of as a completely different millionaire with the same name by chance, falls for a completely different girl named Naomi (Greta Gerwig.) The leads, both brilliant, are joined by Helen Miran as Hobson, a female nanny not male butler, and Jennifer Gardner as Susan Johnson, Arthur's mentally unstable (in a way that is only funny in film not life) exgirlfriend/ fiance (the original Susan role was dry and boring, but never psychotic.)

So if you are looking for the same ARTHUR with new actors, don't go see this film, you will be disappointed and angry. However, if you are in the mood for something new and funny, go for it. Either way, see the original too.

A New View

I thought I'd spruce up the blog
thoughts?

For those who miss the old pic here it is


And lastly, I hope the Easter Bunny treated everyone well!

Let’s talk Candy; it is Easter weekend after all

I’m not actually talking about the sweet, delicious, run around screaming in people’s faces from sugar kind; I am actually referring to the little seen 2006 (at least in America) movie starring Abbie Cornish and Heath Ledger.

The film (based on the Neil Armstrong novel of the same name) centers around a young couple, Dan and Candy, who dream of a perfect, utopian life. They are young and they are in love, with both each other and heroin and the longer the love affairs go on, the more devastating they become. The story is broken up into three parts- Heaven, Earth, and Hell- in which viewers experience the downward spiral of addiction and watch as the two beautiful people slowly turn darker; doing anything and giving up everything for that one more hit. If you have ever seen The Basketball Dairies (1995, starring Leonardo DiCaprio,) the depiction is even more real. When I was a tween (though that phrase had yet to exist) most of my friends were in love with Leo and therefore I was exposed to many viewings of that movie and let me tell you watching that was a better Anti-drug message than anything, anyone could ever tell me. Candy is more intense, more real, and I think it should be shown to ever middle school and high school child. That will never happen unfortunately, but I’m not getting into PTA type practices at this time.

Back to Candy. The reason the movie is so good, writing aside, is the talented cast, which along with Ledger and Cornish, also stars Geoffrey Rush (this year’s Best Supporting Actor for THE KING’S SPEECH) as Casper, a college professor who acts as a surrogate father to Dan as well as mixes his own heroine from the chemistry labs. It is fun, if also heartbreaking, to watch Rush try and balance between being caring while still maintaining the “cool uncle” status. The truth, we know, is that an addict can never really control their own life let alone help others but somehow you want to believe Casper will save all three characters.

As for the role of Dan, Ledger does some of his finest work as the poet who really never meant to do any harm to Candy. The character also acts as the narrator so he gets to explain himself, “I wasn't trying to wreck Candy's life. I was trying to make mine better,” as well as show how easily it is for someone to slip into a life of excess, “We'd found the secret glue that held all things together. In a perfect place, where the noise did not intrude, our world was so very complete.” This performance got overlooked because the movie had the unfortunate timing to be released almost immediately after Brokeback Mountain, for which Ledger received his first Oscar Nomination. It didn’t get the press, or the wide release, of its predecessor because it is easier to see the art movie about the ranch hand with complicated feelings than the one that might make you sympathize with a junkie. However, if you thought Ennis Del Mar lived a tragic love story; you need to see how he brings to life Dan.

Then there is Candy herself, Cronish. She more than holds her own on the screen with the two Oscar winners. Her performance is so real, as she plays strong and fragile at the same time she (along with Ledger) makes you root for the junkie, feel for the junkie, and think to yourself, “maybe that could be me.”

If you like fluff movies, this is not a film for you but if you want to think and watch a truly good film, go rent Candy.

My first Train Concert

For the last few years, Skin Care chain ORIGINS has been putting on a free Earth Day concert called EARTH ROCKS. Last year, the opener was Ryan Star and I left after him but this year (Wednesday) the headliner was Train, whom I have never seen live, though I do like a few of their songs. Having actually seen the far superior live versions (including MARRY ME, the sweetest song ever) I really thankful that Origins had them because next time I might even pay to see them.

Useless information about Train (but really just more proof I am not all there.)

When I was in High school, and first became a kinda fan of the band, thanks to whatever their hit was at that moment, I said to my mother (I think we were watching them perform on TV but am not sure) “Hey do you know how train got their name?”

She, needless to say, had not (nor did I mind you) so I continued, “The lead singer of the band [Pat Monahan for the record] was born on a Train and his mother thought it would be a nice name.” My mother, to her credit, knew that NSYNC was named by Justin Timberlake’s mother and told me that the story was really interesting before I got hysterical laughing and said, “Yeah, I’m lying.”

I don’t know why I did this or how the Grammy Award winning band actually did get there name, maybe one day I will.

Happy Quarter Century to My Sister from another Mister

David Cook's New Single THE LAST GOODBYE

Race For Hope 2011

Did you know that Brain Cancer is the number one disease killer of children?
Can you imagine a doctor looking into your hopeful eyes and saying your baby’s life expectancy is, “A few months, maybe a year,” and that, “one day she’ll just not wake up.”

That was the odds when my Aunt Eileen was diagnosed with Brain Cancer in March of 2008, and indeed she passed away the following November. I understand that children’s bodies may fight longer but would 1-5 years be any less of a punch to the gut? Does the thought of never seeing them graduate, get married, and start a family not still make you physically ache inside?


I pray that if this brutal killer has never come into your life, that it never does but if it ever should, wouldn’t you want the world to fight with you? That is why the Race for Hope is so important.


The Race for Hope benefits Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure (http://abc2.org/our-approach) which is trying to find a cure and that their research has led to innovations in treatment.
Did you know that less than 5% of people diagnosed with Brain Tumors survive 10 years? ABC squared is trying to change this and with donations they will.


The Race for Hope – DC has raised over $11 million in its twelve year existence. In the last ten years more knowledge about brain tumors has been gained than in the past hundred years, and I do not think this is a coincidence. In 2009, nearly 10,000 people came out in the rain to help the Race break the $2 million mark for the first time and last year even more people, me included, watched as they rose even more.


WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?
This year I am running and I would like your support.
If you go to http://www.braintumorcommunity.org/site/TR/Events/RFH-DC?px=1829662&pg=personal&fr_id=1651 you can see my whole story of why I have chosen to do this as well as donate.


I understand this is a recession, I know you may not have a lot to give but even a little makes a difference, if 10 people can only spare 10 dollars that's 100 more dollars than they’d have than if you sit around thinking that you don't have enough to make a difference.

The Press Release I've been waiting for

DAVID COOK

SOPHOMORE ALBUM, THIS LOUD MORNING, TO BE RELEASED ON JUNE 28TH - AVAILABLE FOR PRE-SALE BEGINNING APRIL 19TH

RETURNS TO THE AMERICAN IDOL STAGE ON APRIL 21ST TO PERFORM FIRST SINGLE “THE LAST GOODBYE”

“THE LAST GOODBYE” WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SALE AT ITUNES AND ALL OTHER DIGITAL PROVIDERS ON APRIL 19TH



(New York – NY) - Season 7 American Idol winner David Cook will be releasing his sophomore album, This Loud Morning (19 Recordings/RCA Records), on June 28th. This Loud Morning will be made available for pre-sale at DavidCookOfficial.com beginning on April 19th.

Cook will be returning to the American Idol stage on April 21st to perform the first single, “The Last Goodbye.” “The Last Goodbye” will be available for sale at DavidCookOfficial.com, iTunes and all other digital providers, as well as be serviced to radio on April 19th.

“The Last Goodbye” will also be made available as a free instant grat on April 19th for those who pre-order (or have already pre-ordered) This Loud Morning on DavidCookOfficial.com. The site also features new premium album configurations, which include exclusive music, merchandise and signed memorabilia.

Executive produced by Matt Serletic (Rob Thomas, Matchbox Twenty, Collective Soul), This Loud Morning features tracks written and co-written by Cook along with many acclaimed songwriters including, David Hodges, Ryan Tedder, Kevin Griffin and Marti Frederiksen.

Says Cook, "This album is the culmination of one of the loftiest endeavors I've ever undertaken. The end result is an album that I cannot wait to share with everyone."

Earlier this year Cook recorded the farewell song for the 10th season of American Idol, which can be heard every week this season. The song, chosen by American Idol creator and Executive Producer Simon Fuller, is a remake of Simple Minds 1985 smash “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”.

After winning the Idol crown in season 7, Cook went on to sell over 1 million copies of his self-titled debut album and set out on a year long nationwide tour in support of his multiple hit singles. Released on November 18th, 2008, David Cook (19 Recordings / RCA Records) entered the Billboard charts at #3 and the digital album charts at #1, marking the best debut from an American Idol winner since 2006. Collectively the songs from David Cook have sold over 2 million tracks and ringtones combined. Cook’s coronation single, “The Time of My Life” was certified platinum and is not only the biggest single debut but the highest selling coronation single in the show’s history.

look who is 1

Happy Birthday Graham David

Can Gwyneth Paltrow Go Away Now?

Don’t get me wrong, Gwyneth is a good actress.

I can totally understand why she won the Oscar for SHAKESPEARE IN LOVE because she did deserve one. She a vital part of THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, which is a movie that I really do love but can only watch every other year because of how amazingly creepy Matt Damon was and she co-star with Ben Affleck in the (probably bomb) Rom-Com BOUNCE, which has a refreshing and heartbreaking spin on the often over played formula “Guy and girl fall, loose each other over a lie or failure of truth telling” get each other back.” Similarly, even though I don’t care for SHALLOW HAL, I appreciated the fact that she could be funny, unfortunately, that is when the problems with her started for me.


She started to complain about the fat suit she had to wear to play the overweight character and over the years her whinny voice continued to bother me. There was always something for her to complain about or be pompous over. The she married COLDPLAY front man Chris Martin and started acting British. I don’t really know how to explain this but it’s that same thing Madonna does, and it just really irks me. Still, I liked her as an actress and was looking forward to her new movie COUNTRY STRONG.

Much like her movie about a decade ago, DUETS, the role required her to sing, unlike that film it led to promotional stuff that she performed on. First it was a role on Musical Comedy TV show GLEE, which made sense because it requires actors who can sing, which is what Paltrow is. However, as the awards season got underway, her performances continued and, as she pranced around on the GRAMMY’S, performing a duet with Ce Lo it occurred to me that she actually believes that being a singer’s wife makes her a singer too. I guess this follows the logic that being with Heath Ledger and Brad Pitt helped Michelle Williams and Angelina Jole become A-list actors but they were actors to begin with. Terry Gilliam’s makeup artist wife doesn’t try to direct his films and Marilyn Monroe never tried to play for the Yankees.

So I’ve made peace with the idea that sooner than later Mrs. Martin is going to embarrass herself by releasing an album. Who knows, it might even sell well, people buy auto tuned crap all the time, but now she’s released a cookbook and they think she wants to be the next Martha Stewart. Now, it might be good because I’m not saying that she can’t cook, I’m just saying I really don’t care if she can. My mother is a great cook but it doesn’t mean she has to make money off of it and we don’t have Power Couple money, trust me.