Monster-in-Law (2005)

Your enjoyment of “Monster-in-Law” will be in direct proportion to your ability to tolerate some language.

Charlotte, known as Charlie to her friends (Jennifer Lopez) is a free-spirited, genuinely kind girl who keeps herself busy with several different odd jobs, including walking dogs. She isn’t living her dreams, but she’s content with what she has and makes the most of every day, joyfully.

When she meets handsome doctor Kevin (Michael Vartan) he’s attracted to this sense of peace she exudes. It’s something he’s never known, growing up with the emotionally-charged Viola Fields (Jane Fonda) talk-show host, activist, woman on the go.

When Viola learns that she’s to be replaced on her show, she has a nervous breakdown and spends a couple of months in a hospital. Upon her release, she’s greeted by the news that her darling Kevin is going to get married. To a dogwalker!

She immediately puts into gear her plan to break the two of them up. She can’t imagine her son being happy with a woman who has so few prospects, but her plans all fall through when she discovers that their love is stronger than she is. Well, she’ll just bring it up a notch. Meanwhile, Charlie discovers what she’s up to and starts giving it back as good as she’s getting it. The plot goes back and forth in a tug-of-war of power until the end, when the two decide to call a truce and create a real family.

I liked this movie for the comedy it provided, yet I did think the language could have been toned down a bit. Ms. Fonda did have a little bit of a mouth on her, as did the actress playing her assistant, and there were a few hand gestures toward the beginning of the film as well. If language is a concern for you, you might want to pass this one by. However, if you’re willing to put up with a few things, I do think this film had enough good points to recommend it. There were no bed scenes in the whole thing-unless you count the one between Fonda and Lopez, which consisted of Fonda pretending to have a nightmare so Lopez will stay to comfort her, after which she spends the night pummeling Lopez to bits in her “sleep.” That was pretty funny.

So, you be the judge and decide whether or not to add this PG-13 rated film to your list.

The Dark Knight (R: 2008)

The saga continues and getting better all the time - the costumes, the special effects, the artistry, the acting … all top notch. Especially the Joker. Dark and violent, definitely not for young children. Christian Bale does a great job as batman, but Heath Ledger blows everyone’s acting potential out of the sky with his role as “The Joker” - he had the insane madman down to a “t” and even un-nerved me throughout the movie. One of the best psycho roles I’ve seen. The rest of the cast are excellent as well. Is it time for Batman to retire? I won’t spoil that one for you. This story has some twists and turns leaving you unexpectedly pleased with the outcomes. The tale is about Batman out to eliminate crime in Gotham city and very much being mistaken for a havoc-causing vigilante; but on the side of chief commissioner Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent. However just as they are about to smash out organized crime, the Joker appears as a madman extroadinaire, throwing both the good and the bad into chaos in an attempt to kill Batman, Gordon, and Dent. Rating: 5 stars out of 5. Viewed 7/18/08.

Hancock (2008: PG-13)

Hancock * Rated PG-13 * http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0448157/ *
Director:Peter Berg; Starring: Will Smith … John Hancock, Charlize Theron … Mary Embrey, Jason Bateman … Ray Embrey, Jae Head … Aaron Embrey, Eddie Marsan … Red, David Mattey … Man Mountain.
A washed up superheroe with amnesia clumsily and drunkenly fights crime while trying to figure out who he is and why he has superpowers and through an act of kindness, gets linked up with a Public Relations specialist who becomes dedicated to clean up his act. Little does he know, secrets to his past become revealed and its a strong curious struggle to doing what’s right. High action, good laughs. Rating: 4 stars out of 5.

This Summer’s Best Five Family Flicks

Summer vacation just started and already Shine Parenting is feverishly offering ideas to keep the kids busy. We think a movie or two (or three?) is a great way to kick off the season—and have picked five winners that your kids will find irresistible.

1. WALL-E

WALL-E from Disney/Pixar may be the most eagerly awaited family film of the year. It’s certainly one of the most popular on Yahoo! Kids, where its trailers and clips are immensely popular. Surprisingly endearing WALL-E is a robot left alone on the future vacated Earth. When a sleek female robot visits, smitten WALL-E launches into swashbuckling space adventures where he finds his destiny. Rated G.

2. Kung Fu Panda

Kung Fu Panda is the early summer box office favorite and for good reason. This creative treat from DreamWorks Animation features Po, an oh-so-huggable panda destined to save ancient China from the evil snow leopard, Tai Lung. Trouble is, Po isn’t the perfect picture of a kung fu warrior—so it’s up to master Shifu and a menagerie of assistants to whip him into shape. There’s lots of fast action along with a feel-good message about believing in oneself. Rated G.

3. Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

If there are girls in your family, you already know about Kit Kittredge: An American Girl, based on the American Girl brand of dolls, books, DVDs and destination stores. The surprising news is that this sweet tale is not over-commercialized and features a fine performance from media darling Abigail Breslin in the title role. Set in the Great Depression, the story follows Kit (an aspiring reporter) as she investigates a citywide crime spree that touches close to home. True to the American Girl sensibility, there’s even an educational streak in this film-just don’t tell the kids. Rated G. In limited release June 27 and wide release July 2.

4. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

For boys, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull is a slam-bang feast of special effects, heart-pumping action scenes and Saturday afternoon serial heroics. Indy is back in classic form, older and slower to be sure, but still battling the forces of evil for the fate of the world. While the story drags between the adventure scenes-and the final act seems a bit too “out there” even for Indy—this is excellent escapist fare appropriate for aspiring tween Indies. Rated PG-13 for adventure violence and scary images.

5. Space Chimps

Space Chimps (coming July 18) looks to be an ideal, easy-going movie for whiling away a hot summer day. This animated adventure follows three latter-day chimp-o-nauts as they pursue a lost NASA probe—only to find themselves the only hope for a peaceful planet under attack by the evil Zartog. Along the way, hero Ham III discovers his hidden destiny. (Stop us if you’ve already heard this.) With producer John H. Black (Shrek) and director Barry Sonnenfeld (Men in Black) at the helm, we have hopes Space Chimps will transcend potential monkeyshines. Rated G.

Of course, the summer’s still young and there are plenty of films still to come. We’ll feature five more family-friendly flicks later in the season.

The above article was originally posted here.

‘Dark Knight’ credits pay tribute to Ledger

LOS ANGELES (AP) Heath Ledger is getting a fond tribute from his collaborators on “The Dark Knight” The end credits of the “Batman Begins” sequel include a farewell note to Ledger, who died in January from an accidental overdose of prescription drugs; and to special-effects technician Conway Wickliffe, who was killed last September in a stunt-car accident.

“In memory of our friends Heath Ledger & Conway Wickliffe,” reads the tribute included in the credits, which went up Thursday on the Warner Bros. publicity Web site.

Ledger plays the villainous Joker in “The Dark Knight,” who begins a reign of terror on Gotham City that pits him against conflicted hero Batman (Christian Bale).

Arriving in theaters July 18, the movie reteams Bale with director Christopher Nolan and returning co-stars Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman. Joining the cast are Aaron Eckhart and Maggie Gyllenhaal.

Beginning months before Ledger’s death, his frenetic performance and demented-clown makeup have been a cornerstone of the marketing campaign for the film.

“I needed a phenomenal actor, but he also had to be someone unafraid of taking on such an iconic role,” Nolan says in the production notes for “The Dark Knight.” “Heath created something entirely original. It’s stunning, it’s captivating. … It’s going to blow people away.”

The above article was originally posted here.

Legendary Comedian George Carlin Dies

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (June 23) - George Carlin, the dean of counterculture comedians whose biting insights on life and language were immortalized in his “Seven Words You Can Never Say On TV” routine, died of heart failure Sunday. He was 71.

Carlin, who had a history of heart trouble, went into St. John’s Medical Center in Santa Monica on Sunday afternoon complaining of chest pain and died later that evening, said his publicist, Jeff Abraham. He had performed as recently as last weekend at the Orleans Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas.

Carlin constantly pushed the envelope with his jokes, particularly with the “Seven Words” routine. When he uttered all seven at a show in Milwaukee in 1972, he was arrested for disturbing the peace.

When the words were played on a New York radio station, they resulted in a Supreme Court ruling in 1978 upholding the government’s authority to sanction stations for broadcasting offensive language.

“So my name is a footnote in American legal history, which I’m perversely kind of proud of,” he told The Associated Press earlier this year.

The above article was originally posted here.

Christian Bale Is Robin Hood?

Here’s a very interesting casting rumor. The Daily Mail reports that Ridley Scott is keen to cast Christian Bale as Robin Hood in his upcoming reinvention of the legend “Nottingham”.

The new version pains the Sheriff of Nottingham (Russell Crowe) as a more noble character forced to work for a tyrant, whilst Hood himself will be portrayed as a much darker and dangerous personality than previous incarnations.

Sienna Miller was cast earlier this week to play Maid Marion who becomes the center of a love triangle with Hood & the Sheriff.

Vanessa Redgrave, William Hurt and young “Atonement” actress Saoirse Ronan will also apparently appear in the project which begins costume fittings next week.

The above article was originally posted here.

Stars, relatives honor special-effects wiz Winston

Friends, relatives and show-business colleagues gathered Sunday to remember Oscar-winning special-effects maestro Stan Winston, the man responsible for bringing the dinosaurs of “Jurassic Park” and other iconic movie creatures to life.

Winston died at his home in Malibu surrounded by family June 15 after a seven-year struggle with multiple myeloma. He was 62.

Winston’s son Matt recounted his father’s last day as being filled with laughter, hugs, kisses, tears and music from the Beatles. At the end of the private memorial service at the Hillside Memorial Park and Mortuary, Matt played the last song Winston heard before he died: the Beatles’ “All My Loving.”

Colleagues including “Iron Man” director Jon Favreau, Sigourney Weaver, Tom Arnold, Ernie Hudson and Robert Patrick joined Winston’s family and friends to reminisce and listen to personal stories from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rabbi Judith Halevy, brother Ronny Winston, uncle Mitchell Karlan, son-in-law Erich Litoff, and directors James Cameron and Steven Spielberg.

“What Stan did is that he took our dreams he took all of our dreams and he blended them with his own dreams,” Spielberg told mourners in attendance. “He then workshopped those dreams with pencil, clay and later years on the computer. He would basically give life to all of our ideas. He would make them come to life.”

In a career spanning four decades, Winston created some of the most memorable visual effects in cinematic history. He helped bring the dinosaurs from “Jurassic Park,” the extraterrestrials from “Aliens,” the robots from “Terminator” and even “Edward Scissorhands” to the big screen. He was a pioneer in merging real-world effects with computer-generated imagery.

Winston won visual effects Oscars for 1986’s “Aliens,” 1992’s “Terminator 2: Judgment Day” and 1993’s “Jurassic Park.” He also won a makeup Oscar for 1992’s “Batman Returns.” He was nominated for his work on “Heartbeeps,” “Predator,” “Edward Scissorhands,” “Batman Returns,” “The Lost World: Jurassic Park” and “A.I.”

Frequent collaborator Cameron told those gathered he spoke with Winston the day before he died. Cameron said Winston expressed something that he never had before: Winston told his colleague and friend that he loved him. Cameron also let “the fans speak for Stan” by reading several messages posted after Winston’s death by users of the movie news and gossip Web site Ain’t It Cool News.

“He inspired a generation of fans,” Cameron said. “I think that just maybe the words of a bunch of people who didn’t even know him personally may be his best tribute.”

Winston’s survivors include his wife, Karen; and his son, daughter, brother and four grandchildren.

The above article was originally posted here.

Hindus Furious About ‘Love Guru’ After Screening

HOLLYWOOD - Movie executives at Paramount Pictures have honored their promise to preview Mike Myers’ new film The Love Guru for concerned Hindu leaders in Los Angeles.

Hindus, led by Rajan Zed, campaigned to see the film before its release on Friday–in an attempt to make sure their fears about the movie were overblown.

But the screening has only served to bolster the religious opposition to the film, which Zed and his followers insist is disrespectful to Hindus and their beliefs.

Zed has now urged Hindus around the world to boycott the movie, claiming it “lampoons Hinduism and Hindu concepts and uses Hindu terms frivolously.”

After attending the screening on Thursday, Zed rages, “The Love Guru is even more denigrating than we earlier perceived from the information gathered from trailers, Web sites and other sources.

“Mike Myers’ guru instigates a bar fight, repeatedly narrates penis jokes, mocks yoga, one of the six orthodox schools of Hindu philosophy, wears female jewelry, mocks the concept of third eye, makes disciples drink tea passed through his nose, orders alligator soup, induces elephant copulation in front of the crowd, introduces himself as ‘His Holiness,’ lives in a lavish ashram staffed with scantily clad maids, and whose goal in life seems to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

And the Hindu leader has suggested other religious groups should give the film, in which Myers plays an oddball guru named Pitka, a pass.

He adds, “Today it is Hinduism; tomorrow Hollywood might attempt to denigrate another religions.

“Hinduism is often misunderstood and wrongly portrayed outside India. Movies like this bring more confusion and create stereotypes in the minds of audience.”

The above article was originally posted here.

Rare Monroe footage fetches $60,000 at auction

Candid footage of Marilyn Monroe on the set of her last completed film brought in $60,000 at an auction of movie memorabilia Saturday.

The two reels of silent, 8-millimeter color film shot on the set of “The Misfits” had been expected to draw starting bids of between $10,000 and $20,000.

The auction also included the original disco ball from “Saturday Night Fever” and an original script of “The Godfather” signed by Marlon Brando. The sale was held by Julien’s Auctions at Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino.

The 47-minute film, “On the Set with ‘The Misfits,’” was shot by film extra Stanley Floyd Kilarr. It features candid moments with Monroe and co-star Clark Gable, as well as Montgomery Clift, Thelma Ritter and director John Huston.

The film shows actors preparing for scenes, chatting with crew members and others on the set, and relaxing between takes.

“The Misfits” was the last completed film for both Monroe and Gable.

Gable had a fourth heart attack just after filming was finished and died Nov. 16, 1960, about two months before the movie’s U.S. release. Monroe died Aug. 5, 1962.

Cathy and Rod McCormick, of Sparks, Nev., obtained the film canister from her father, Frank Hasy, Kilarr’s uncle.

Items sold early Saturday included a suit worn by Elvis Presley in the film “Viva Las Vegas,” which drew a bid of $36,325. Alfred Hitchcock’s driver’s license sold for $8,000, and an original “King Kong” French film poster sold for $40,625, according to the auction officials.

Anna Nicole Smith’s former boyfriend Larry Birkhead attended the auction and spent nearly $3,000 on lingerie once worn by the late Playboy playmate. Birkhead said he was picking up mementos for the couple’s 1-year-old daughter, Dannielynn.

The above article was originally posted here.

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