On Gear Live: Samsung S95C: The OLED TV You Can’t Afford (to Ignore!)

Owen WilsonSeveral sites have reported tonight that (Wedding Crashers) has been transported to the hospital for medical care.  Now the National Enquirer and Star magazine are exclusively claiming that the actor was found after an apparent suicide attempt.  Santa Monica Police and Fire responded to Wilson’s house around noon Sunday after receiving a 911 call.  According to the Enquirer, the actor may have cut his wrists and ingested an unknown number of pills.

It’s doubtful due to patient privacy laws that we may ever know the full story.  Regardless, we sincerely wish the best for Owen’s recovery.

NOTE: Click here to read the update on Owen’s condition.  You can also see a copy of the recently obtained police log here.

Read More | Perez Hilton via National Enquirer


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Veronica Santiago and Neil Estep are back with another episode of FilmCrunch - this time we review Michael Moore’s SiCKO, Live Free or Die Hard, Ocean’s Thirteen (in under a minute), and the DVD release of Black Snake Moan.

Now we want to hear from you - hit the forums and let us know what you think, what you want us to watch next, and any other recommendations you have for the show.


LindsayAs reported earlier, lucked out when prosecutors decided not to pursue felony charges against the actress.  We now know that Lohan, 21, will likely face around 24 hours in jail after reaching a plea deal.  Although the two DUI counts were dropped, she did plead guilty to being under the influence of cocaine.  She also plead no contest to the reckless driving and driving with a BAC of .08 or higher charge.

Officials took into account her previous stay in jail and are allowing her to do community service in lieu of more time.  Lindsay will need to serve her sentence by the end of this year.


Evil Cowardly Lion

I don’t know if anyone could’ve predicted this.

Yesterday, it was announced that a dark re-imagining of the classic 1939 film The Wizard of Oz, resting ostensibly in the dark hands of Todd McFarlane, is in the early stages of production.  The new film will be decidedly more morose and epic than its predecessor, apparently attempting to attract die-hard fans and new-comers alike with grandiose effect and adult themes.

McFarlane, famous most notably for his dark take on the Spiderman character and creation of the Spawn franchise, has stated that he wants to give the story a 2007 wow factorCreepy action figures have already begun to appear on retail shelves depicting a deformed Scarecrow, an alien-like Wizard, and a scantily-clad Dorothy, though it is unclear whether these creatures will be indicative of those to appear on-screen.

But one wonders, while mulling over the concept, whether this remake isn’t ill-advised, especially considering similar attempts already made.  Setting aside 1978’s The Wiz as harmless fluff, the story went through a re-imagining in 1985 with Return to Oz, starring Fairuza Balk as a Dorothy called back to save Oz from a new threat.  While the dark sequel was unique and imaginative, it never emerged from its predecessor’s shadow.  And what about the Tim Burton remake of Willy Wonka?  Many movie-goers—myself included—reviled the film as unnecessary, even abhorrent—a classic case of style over substance.  So, will this new version adequately bring The Wizard of Oz into the 21st century, or will we all long for the giant floating bubble, flying monkeys, and the presence of a good song?  We won’t know until the credits roll.

Whatever the case, it’s clear that the classic fantasy about a girl and her dog, lost in a strange land and armed only with some hapless friends, naiveté, and a strong singing voice, will never be viewed in quite the same way.

Read More | Guardian Unlimited

Lindsay LohanOriginally faced with a possibly lengthy stay in prison, Miss now may see a -esque jail term for her run-ins with the law.  Prosecutors with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office have decided not to file felony charges against the actress due to the ‘insufficient’ amount of cocaine that was in her possession.  (I’ve never really understood what that term really meant).

This does not mean that Lohan gets off easily though.  She still faces seven misdemeanor counts including charges for reckless driving, DUI and being under the influence of cocaine (See!  That’s why there was an ‘insufficient’ amount!  She snorted it all!).  Conviction on these counts could get Lindsay a several day stay in the joint.  In the end, that’s probably a great deal for her.  Given her reputation for hospital stays due to ‘exhaustion’ (another term I can’t understand), this should give her ample opportunity to rest up.  And let’s not forget all the money she’d save staying in a facility funded by tax payers…

Read More | People

Red DawnVanessa Williams giving up her Miss America Crown….the Summer Olympics in LA….The Cars stealing MTV’s Best Video Award from Michael Jackson….and Tommy Howell drinking deer blood on Red Dawn.  These were things I distinctly remember from 1984.

I can’t even tell you how many times I watched Red Dawn around that time….nor do I really remember why.  Could it have been because my best friend loved Darren Dalton?  Was it because I was fascinated seeing Ponyboy Curtis from The Outsiders (Howell) turn into a cold-hearted Wolverine?  Was it the newly introduced PG-13 rating?  Maybe it was because young women (Jennifer Grey, Lea Thompson) got to help take down the Russians?  (This was the era of the Cold War after all).  So when I heard that they were coming out with a collector’s edition of Red Dawn, I was all over it.

For those who can’t remember the 23-year-old film, here’s a quick refresher:  The movie begins with Soviet paratroopers landing behind a high school.  They immediately start shooting at the students gawking through their classroom window.  It seems the Soviets and Cubans have invaded the US and have basically started WWIII.  A group of teens drives into the woods with the weapons they have stockpiled.  Although they struggle being away from their families, they eventually create their own insurgency and do their best to wreak havoc on the foreign troops.

Click to continue reading DVD REVIEW:  Red Dawn: Collector’s Edition


Star WarsChemistry, schmemistry.  If you know people are going to be watching your movie anyway—does it really matter?  Whaddya say, ?

Film advertising company Pearl & Dean polled 3,000 British moviegoers to see which couples they felt had the worst on-screen chemistry.  Based on the results, it’s hard to say whether or not those opinions had any affect on the eventual box office receipts.  While I completely agree that Natalie Portman and Hayden Christensen fizzled as secret-lovers, I don’t know that the movie’s storyline (or final numbers) could have improved with a different twosome.

Take a look at the poll results and see what you think.  Which couples would you add to this list?  Three pairings that come to my mind:  / Nick Nolte (I Love Trouble), Julia Roberts/ Brad Pitt (The Mexican) and Julia Roberts/ John Cusack (America’s Sweethearts).

  1. Natalie Portman & Hayden Christensen - Stars Wars: Episode II
  2. Jennifer Lopez & Ben Affleck - Gigli
  3. Keira Knightley & Orlando Bloom -
  4. Madonna & Adriano Giannini - Swept Away
  5. Catherine Zeta-Jones & Sean Connery - Entrapment
  6. Andie MacDowell & Hugh Grant - Four Weddings and a Funeral
  7. Kate Beckinsale & Ben Affleck - Pearl Harbor
  8. & - Eyes Wide Shut
  9. & -
  10. & - Titanic

ParamountAlthough Blockbuster recently announced they were leaning toward Blu-ray rentals (citing customer preferences), owners finally have a win in their corner.

had been noted for having a wider movie catalogue due to their exclusive partnerships with several movie studios.  Now Studios (with Animation) has decided that they will go strictly HD DVD from this point forward.  This announcement may finally help ignite an actual competition between the two formats.

The August 28th release of Blades of Glory will signal the first movie under the new Paramount/HD DVD partnership.

Read More | Variety

J.K. RowlingThe famous Harry Potter author has been spotted in Scottish cafes working on a new novel. This time, Rowling is writing crime fiction – a detective novel. J. K. Rowling wrote Harry Potter in similar cafes, back when she was still struggling to make ends meet and get the bills paid. Today, she’s richer than Queen Elizabeth. Harry Potter books have sold more than 335 million copies worldwide and spawned a slew of successful movies. Last month, Rowling re-affirmed her plans to leave the Harry Potter saga as is, and continue with new, different stories. Rowling’s literary agent has yet to confirm plans for her newest book.

Read More | Yahoo News

Superbad

The Judd Apatow train is bound to hit a roadblock at some point—but for the time being, it’s full steam ahead.  Superbad opened impressively with over $30 million this weekend making it the third Apatow-related project in a row to accomplish this feat (the others being Talledega Nights and Knocked Up).  This is, of course, not taking into consideration the uber-sleeper hit The 40-Year-Old Virgin.

Meanwhile, there was nothing super about Nicole Kidman’s latest outing.  The Invasion, the latest version The Body Snatchers, scared up a dismal $5.9 million (and that’s despite Daniel Craig’s hunky presence).  But I predict a much stronger outing for these two later this year with The Golden Compass.

Click to continue reading Box Office Breakdown:  It’s Super To Be Bad


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