In baseball terms, Pierre Morel’s [Transporter 3, District B13] best pitch is the high, hard heater – the shoulder high fastball. His movies tend to start off with a bit of scene-setting and then shift into high gear for the rest of the ride. So it is with From Paris With Love – a movie filled with shootings, stabbings and stuff getting blowed up real good. If Joe Bob Briggs was still doing regular reviews, he’d give this three explosions out of five.

Read the rest of this entry »

The name Neil Gaiman is synonymous with great storytelling – from his iconic Sandman comics to children’s tales with an edge [Coraline] and expansive fantasy worlds like those of American Gods and Anansi Boys. Now SFX Weekly is reporting that he has confirmed that an episode of Doctor Who will be only his third television credit [he wrote Day of the Dead for Babylon 5 and co-wrote the BBC mini-series, Neverwhere].

Gaiman’s Doctor Who ep will appear in Matt Smith’s second season as The Doctor. On the subject of his Whovian script, Gaiman said, “As anyone who’s read my blog knows, I’m a big fan of a certain long-running British SF TV series. One that started watching — from behind the sofa — when I was three. And while I know it’s cruel to make you wait for things, in about 14 months from now, which is to say, NOT in the upcoming season but early in the one after that, it’s quite possible that I might have written an episode. And if I had, it would originally have been called “The House of Nothing”. But it definitely isn’t called that any more.

Countdown. You’ve got about 14 months.”

Google’s Android is getting better and better with each new T-Mobile phone. I really enjoyed using the G1 early last year; over the summer T-Mobile released the MyTouch 3G phone. I finally had a chance to play around with it for a few weeks and to take it with me to CES; I’ve come away from the experience liking Android and this particular phone a lot.

Network

A lot of people complain about the T-Mobile network, but frankly I’ve never experienced any major issues with it during my travels and testing.  T-Mobile needs to improve it’s network speeds – their 3G isn’t noticeably faster than their Edge network which I found myself connected to at least 60 percent of the time. This happened when I tested out their Blackberry Curve (which was an Edge only phone) in Orlando, the G1 in NY and now the MyTouch in Vegas.  Here’s the thing, Edge is slow but at least it’s reliable.

I used both the MyTouch and my iPhone while at CES.  My iPhone was an epic failure – dropped every single call and 90% of the time I couldn’t connect at all to the network, there were moments I was screaming at the phone at the convention center and wanted to literally throw it at the wall. People were looking at me like I was a crazy woman. What’s the point of having an iPhone if the thing doesn’t work in environments where there are more than 10 people around using the same network? Meanwhile the MyTouch was the little engine that could. It never gave me any issues other than taking "awhile" to download my email.

Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s sing – It’s beginning to look like something (not Christmas.) The Snowpocalypse (I’m Trademarking “Snowpocalypse Now”) is upon us in DC. I will say originally I was disappointed, it started at noon yesterday and by 8 pm it had stopped and all we had were a couple of inches, then I checked at 4am and still nadda. But by the light of the day, wow, and another round just started here at Casa Eclipse a few hours ago, we probably have a good 20 inches on the ground. Personally, I’m hoping we break the record. I’ve spent the last two days obsessing over this dumb Darksiders game – it’s driving me nuts, listening to  Michael Jackson, Kenny Logins and Glee and eating a 2 foot long White House Italian sub (from Atlantic City), this evening I’ll probably finally watch all 9 eps of this season’s Smallville, life’s pretty good. What’s everyone else up to?

The Hollywood Reporter reports that Taylor Lautner has snagged the lead in Universal’s projected tentpole, Stretch Armstrong – based on the Hasbro action figure.

The plot revolves around a spy who happens upon a stretching formula and takes it. Now he has to learn how to deal with the consequences of this rash action. The film is being developed by Universal and Imagine, for shooting in 3D. As a result, the film’s release date has been pushed back from May 15, 2011 to some time in 2012.

Universal co-chairman Donna Langley was quoted as saying, ““In the past two years, Taylor has emerged as a real star at the global box office. He brings the perfect balance of energy and athleticism to the role of an unlikely super hero with a fantastic super power.”

Actor Michael Shanks is best known for his role as Dr. Daniel Jackson on the hit Syfy Channel series Stargate SG1, which ended it’s successful ten year run back in 2006. Shanks also reprised this role in two made for DVD Stargate SG1 movies and in guest-starring appearances in the two spin off series, Stargate: Atlantis and Stargate: Universe. Of course this talented and versatile actor has spent time in other roles as well since becoming a fan favorite on Stargate SG1 (so popular in fact that many loyal fans participated in a campaign to bring him back to SG1 after the actor departed the series at the end of season five). Shanks has appeared in guest starring roles on several top rated television series such as 24, CSI: Miami and a very popular recurring guest appearance on Burn Notice as the rogue agent, Victor.

Now Michael Shanks steps into the realm of the superhero as he dons winged armor to become The Hawkman in the upcoming Smallville telemovie, Absolute Justice.

Read the rest of this entry »

The infamous Larry Platt and "Pants On The Ground"

This is a new show but it spans all of the audition cities featuring great talent.  In the past, IDOL has been criticized for not doing enough to promote some of the folks who make it to Hollywood.  Therefore, this show is aptly titled ”The Best For Last.”  Here’s hoping.

MINI-RECAP

*Name to Remember: DIDI BENAMI, inspired by her friend who died 4 years ago, she proves she has the chops.

*The One You Hope To Forget: SHADDAII HARIS, gives new meaning to the term “tone deaf.”

*Most Heart Warming Story: HOPE JOHNSON, the poor girl with a heart of gold and a miracle voice.

*Quote of the Night:  Kara to 6’8” ADRIAN CHANDTCHI:  “Adrian it’s like there is a small school boy trapped in you.”  Simon:  “Either that or you’ve eaten one.”

The show starts off tonight with a tribute to “Pants on the Ground.”  I readily admit that I dropped the ball on this one.  I just don’t get the phenomenon it caused, but clearly I was in the wrong b/c everyone has been talking about “Pants…”  My apologies to all you “Pants” lovers.  Although it makes a nice segue b/c song choice is important and singing a song that is memorable, like “Pants on the Ground,” is just as important. 

JESSICA FURNEY, 20, Wamego, KS – Jessica knows the importance of song choice.  In Season 8, she sang a Janice Joplin tune that really didn’t work.  So this year she auditions with a song co-written by Simon Cowell called “Footprints in The Sand.”  Simon says “It’s a beautiful song, so good luck.”  He’s waiting for Jessica to bomb.  She doesn’t.  Her voice is soft and sweet and she knows how to carry a tune.  Four YES votes sends her to Hollywood.

FULL SHOW RECAP AFTER THE BREAK

Read the rest of this entry »

The folks at Harmonix, the makers of Rock Band is going to put The Who’s upcoming Superbowl Mashup on XBLA for 160 points ($1.99). The band recorded a special version of their upcoming half time show just for us Plastic Instrument players. Frankly it’s a pretty terrible release. It didn’t say if it’s coming to the PS3 or exactly when this song will be or exactly what the mashup is going to be – but you can pretty much guess it’ll be combination of “Pinball Wizard,” “Baba O’Riley,” “Behind Blue Eyes,” “Eminence Front,” “Going Mobile,” “Leaving Here,” “Magic Bus,” “My Generation,” and “Real Good Looking Boy.” The main takeaway is, you’ll be able to play The Who’s Super Bowl performance. How cool is that?

On Friday, Sarah Silverman talked to a number of television bloggers about the new season of The Sarah Silverman Program [Comedy Central, tonight, 10:30/9:30C]. Subjects ranged from the personal [her new boyfriend] to the sensitive [her ongoing battle with depression] as well as the way her show is written and why it gets so outrageous.

Read the rest of this entry »

Can someone please explain Sarah Silverman’s appeal? She’s never done anything that I found funny, granted I’ve only seen her in 30 second increments.  The 3rd Season Premiere of her Comedy Central Show, The Sarah Silverman Program debuts tonight at 10:30 pm (EST).