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The 84th Academy Awards

The 84th Academy Awards is over and it was record setting. For the first time since 1929 (when Wings won), a silent film, The Artist has taken the Best Picture statue. It was also the first movie filmed in the 4:3 aspect ratio to win Best Picture since 1955. It was the first non R-rated film to get Best Picture since 2004 (when Million Dollar Baby won). Jean Dujardin because the first Frenchman to win a Best Actor award. Was his acceptance speech charming or what? Michel Hazanavicius becomes only the second Frenchman to win Best Director (Roman Polanski, who … Continue reading →

Movie Misquotes – Part 2

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I threw out a few movie misquotes in one of my last blogs, so here are a few more. Are you guilty of any misquoting? “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore, Toto.” Yes, it is true that as Dorothy, Judy Garland never uttered these words in The Wizard of Oz. What she actually said was “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas any more.” “I want to suck your blood.” While many of us associate the quote “I want to suck your blood” with Dracula, Bela Lugosi never said that in the 1931 version of Dracula. However, Tim … Continue reading →

Star Updates: Jennifer Hudson Offers $100 Grand to Find Nephew and Amy Poehler Gives Birth

Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson wants to find her missing 7-year-old nephew now. The singer turned actress is hoping a $100,000 reward for his safe return will encourage someone with information on his whereabouts to come forward. According to police, the former “American Idol” contestant put up the reward money early Sunday along with a posting on her MySpace blog pleading with fans to help in the search for her beloved young nephew Julian King. The boy has been missing since Friday, the day his 57-year-old grandmother, Darnell Donerson and his 29-year-old uncle, Jason Hudson (Hudson’s mother and brother), were found … Continue reading →

Oscar Winner’s Mother and Brother Shot to Death

Imagine being in Academy Award-winning actress Jennifer Hudson’s shoes today. The former “American Idol” contestant just reached a new career high–her song “Spotlight” is No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot R&B/Hip-Hop charts; she is currently promoting her hit film “The Secret Life of Bees,” in which she stars with Alicia Keys, Queen Latifah and Dakota Fanning; and she just got engaged. Then, late yesterday she gets word (from a member of the paparazzi no less) that her mother and brother have been brutally shot to death in her hometown of Chicago. From the highest highs to the lowest lows, in the … Continue reading →

Stewart And Oscar—Will The Second Time Be The Charm?

Jon Stewart sealed the deal. America’s favorite faux newscaster is going to give hosting the Academy Awards another try. His first stab at the prestigious gig came in 2006 when he got mixed reviews for his performance. In 2007 the show was hosted by Ellen DeGeneres and drew 40.1 million viewers—-about 2 million more than when Stewart hosted. But, producers insist that the show’s lackluster ratings in 2006 weren’t due to Stewart’s performance. “He did a great job two years ago,” Oscar telecast producer Gil Cates told reporters. “You need a host who is not afraid of the unexpected, who … Continue reading →

New Gigs For Jennifer and Jessica

JENNIFER HUDSON How do you follow up an Oscar-winning performance that made you the talk of Hollywood? If you are Jennifer Hudson you hook up with Sarah Jessica Parker and sign on to appear in “Sex and the City: The Movie.” The “Dreamgirls” stand out has just signed on to play the assistant to Parker’s designer clad, shoe-obsessed character Carrie Bradshaw. According to Variety, the 25-year-old singer-actress is currently in final negotiations with movie producers, but should be on set when filming gets underway in New York next week. In addition to Parker and Hudson, Kim Cattrall, Kristin Davis, Cynthia … Continue reading →

The Power of Movies

If you ever doubted the power of major motion films then this blog may have you second-guessing yourself. According to news reports, Japan has decided to change the name of the Pacific island of Iwo Jima, site of the famous World War II battle, to its original name of Iwo To. Not because it would lend authenticity to the island, but because Japanese residents were prodded into action by two recent Clint Eastwood movies. According to the Japanese Geographical Survey Institute, the new name in Japanese looks and means the same as Iwo Jima – or Sulfur Island – but … Continue reading →

Eddie Murphy—“Sore Loser?”

If you caught Barbara Walters’ Oscar night television special on Sunday then you likely saw actor Eddie Murphy address rumors that he was a “recluse.” The Academy Award nominee vehemently denied (both seriously and in a highly animated fashion) that he was simply a misunderstood “introvert” and “certainly not a recluse.” Walters broached the subject and referenced a litany of entertainment publications, which accused the actor of being “anti-social.” Murphy responded by saying that people expect him to be as outlandish in person as he is on screen. By the end of the interview I felt sorry for the man. … Continue reading →

Celebrity’s “Top Secret” Pregnancy

Let’s face it; if actress Naomi Watts didn’t want people to know she was pregnant she should have worn Jennifer Lopez’s dress to the Oscars. Mrs. Marc Anthony’s Oscar gown looked a lot more maternity-like than Watts’s did. Just to set the record straight–Lopez is not pregnant, but Watts is. But, that’s only half the story. According to Watts’s boyfriend, actor Liev Schreiber, the couple is expecting a child. Schreiber made the announcement on Conan O’Brien’s show last night. “Yes, I’m going to be a dad,” Schreiber told the Late Night host. “Very exciting.” This all evolved roughly 24 hours … Continue reading →

The Academy Awards—I Want In

So, you want to hobnob with the stars during Hollywood’s biggest party? Dreams are great to have aren’t they? (Pardon the sarcasm.) Seriously, though, who hasn’t dreamed of walking down Oscar’s red carpet while flashbulbs explode in every direction and rubbing elbows with Tom Hanks, Nicole Kidman or Steven Spielberg? Unfortunately, the granddaddy of all award shows is an invite-only affair and unless you somehow, someway become the next Jennifer Hudson, date the next Ryan Gosling or parent the next Abigail Breslin you’ll likely have to settle for a front row seat… in front of your TV. Then again, maybe … Continue reading →