Jump to November 2011 archive page: 1 2 3 4 5
  • Woman with cancer asks '50/50' star on date

    Fresh off a weekend that saw Justin Timberlake "bringing sexy back"to a Marine Corps ball (thanks to a YouTube invite from Cpl. Kelsey De Santis), another star is the subject of the Internet video date-request trend.

    Lindsey Miller is a 26-year-old graduate student living in Los Angeles. She was diagnosed with pancreatic neuroendocrine cancer in October 2010, according to her blog, i am a liver. On Monday, Miller posted the above video asking actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt out for coffee. Levitt is the star of the recent dramatic comedy "50/50" (trailer below), in which he plays a 27-year-old dealing with a cancer diagnosis.

    "Even though I look healthy, dating has been a little difficult because I'm not sure how to explain what I've been going through," Miller says on the video aimed at Gordon-Levitt. "But, after a year of living with this I've decided to get back on the dating scene and I'd like my first date to be with you."

    On her blog, in a post about the video, Miller writes: "I admit: It’s ridiculous. And it feels like i’m making a big leap from being an anonymous cancer "liver" a few months ago to now starring in my own video. But, life is short. So, why not?"

    Cpl. De Santis made the same leap in her video asking Timberlake to be her date. A wave of Internet pressure made the actor/singer's decision rather easy. (Actress Mila Kunis also famously received a YouTube invite to a Marine dance and accepted; her dance is this coming weekend.)

    We'll keep you posted on whether Gordon-Levitt responds.

    Related content:

    Show more
  • Scariest scene in movies is 25 years old

    Lionsgate

    The scariest scene in movies is 25 years old.

    Yes, it may not be the scariest scene to you. I know a lot of people can make good arguments for scenes in "The Exorcist" (head-spinning, pea-soup spitting, etc.) or "The Shining" (REDRUM, corpse in bathtub, creepy twins, you name it).  The "Psycho" shower scene or that moment when Alex rises out of the tub in "Fatal Attraction" (what IS it with horror movies and bathing?) are nominees, too.

    But my pick goes to a scene from 1987's "Evil Dead 2: Dead By Dawn."

    It's been a quarter of a century since I saw the movie, but as I remember it, our hero Ash is in a lonely cabin and discovers that a professor buried his wife in the root cellar after words from the "Necronomicon" possessed her. He knew he should really dismember her, but well, it's his once-beloved wife, anyone who's seen a zombie movie can understand his hesitation. Good intentions, bad idea. Ash and pals eventually discover that they need to go into the cellar to get pages from the book and read an incantation in order to set things right.

    They need to GO INTO THE CELLAR. Where the possessed and now very much reincarnated and horrific professor's wife, Henrietta, is moaning and shrieking and threatening to swallow everyone's souls. She's even singing a lullaby she once sang to her daughter to try and coax her down there to be devoured. (You'll never hear "Hush, Little Baby" quite the same way again.)

    I've been in a few root cellars in my life. They're without exception dark, dank, creepy and have very few exits. Assuming they have a staircase and not a ladder, said staircase is the kind with gaps between the steps, where anything lurking underneath can grab your ankle and chomp it like it was a Buffalo wing. I don't like going down in them at the crack of dawn, on the sunniest day in August, in Arizona, even if they're filled with balloons and kittens. Just the thought of having to either go down there and face that monstrous undead woman filled my veins with ice water.

    I won't spoil the ending for you, but let's just say that Ash is a lot braver than me, and gets in a zinger of a line ("SWALLOW THIS!") while he's at it.

    If you want to see the scene for yourself, the 25th anniversary of "Dead By Dawn" hit Blu-ray today, with plenty of extras on the disc.

    What movie scene scared you the most? Tell us in the comments.

    Related content:

  • Pitt's 'Happy Feet' character gets in dig about too many kids

    Warner Bros.

    Brad Pitt and Matt Damon voice Will and Bill the krills in "Happy Feet Two."

    There's a hidden inside joke for followers of Brad Pitt's life and career in the new movie "Happy Feet Two," opening Friday.

    Pitt and Matt Damon provide voices for two krill (named Will and Bill, rhymingly). The tiny shrimp-like crustaceans bounce all around the edges of the animated penguin movie, never really interacting with the fuzzy birds, but often sliding down their backs or clinging to their fur. For me, their desperate and entertaining struggle to find the meaning of life at the bottom of the food chain was one of the best parts of the movie.

    In one scene, Damon's krill, Bill, tells Pitt's Will how much he longs for a large family.

    Will's response could only have been written by a savvy screenwriter who's familiar with Pitt and Angelina Jolie's much-talked-about six-children-and-counting family: "I for one don't have the means to bring up so many kids."

    From the disdainful tone Pitt gives the krill's voice, he's obviously in on the joke.

    Look for our full "Happy Feet" review Wednesday.

    Will you see "Happy Feet Two"? Tell us in the comments.

     

     

    Related content:

  • Does Streep have an 'Iron'-clad lock on an Oscar?

    Jonathan Short / AP

    Meryl Streep attends a photocall for "The Iron Lady" in central London on Monday, Nov. 14.

    Meryl Streep has portrayed real-life people on the big screen in her celebrated career -- Julia Child, Karen Silkwood, Isak Dinesen. She was nominated for an Academy Award for all three portrayals, but collected no gold for those roles. However, that could change in 2012 with her portrayal of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in "The Iron Lady." While few have seen the film, there is already huge buzz about Streep's performance, and she is quickly becoming the frontrunner to claim the Oscar for best actress.

    The 16-time nominee was in London on Monday to begin promoting the film, which opens in limited release in the U.S. on Dec. 16 (in time for Oscar consideration) and in the U.K. on Jan. 6. In the film, she plays an aging Thatcher, who reflects back on her career and the tumult that surrounded her.

    The 62-year-old actress told the Daily Mail, "It took a lot out of me, but it was a privilege to play her, it really was.

    "It was one of those rare, rare films where I was grateful to be an actor and grateful for the privilege of being able to look at a life deeply with empathy," and went on to say it was the biggest role of her career.

    You can watch the UK trailer, which was released Monday, below.

    The official UK trailer for "The Iron Lady," starring Meryl Streep as Margaret Thatcher.

     

  • 'Toy Story,' 'Tangled' characters return in shorts

    Disney

    "Toy Story" and "Tangled" may not be in theaters these days, but their characters are making brief big-screen comebacks.

    A new seven-minute  "Toy Story" short will run before showings of "The Muppets," which opens Nov. 23, and it sounds awesome. You know those display cases in fast-food joints showing all the toys available in their kids' meals? (Uh, not that I would know since I only feed my kid vegan gluten-free granola that I mine from my backyard quarry by hand and -- oh, never mind.)

    This short focuses on those tiny toys, USA Today reports, and a Happy Meal-size version of Buzz Lightyear who kidnaps the real Buzz and tries to take over his life.

    Apparently the real Buzz ends up at a support group for fast-food toys, which sounds hilarious. Of course they're going to have issues, what with some characters being more popular than others, and some toy groups having longer runs in the restaurants than others. Naturally, the short features the voices of Tim Allen as Buzz, Tom Hanks as Woody, John Ratzenberger as Hamm the piggy bank, and Joan Cusack as cowgirl Jessie.

    Buzz Lightyear is left behind at a fast food restaurant when a kids' meal toy version of Buzz takes his place.

    The awesome Yahoo! Projector blog reminds us that another "Toy Story" short, in which Ken and Barbie think they're going on a Hawaiian vacation, ran before "Cars 2."

    And just today, Disney announced that when "Beauty and the Beast 3D" hits theaters in January, it will come with a short called "Tangled Ever After," featuring preparations for Rapunzel and Flynn's wedding. And it includes one of my favorite characters -- Maximus, the personality-filled horse from the Palace Guard.

    The press release says "when Pascal and Maximus, as flower chameleon and ring bearer, respectively, lose the gold bands, a frenzied search and recovery mission gets underway.  As the desperate duo tries to find the rings before anyone discovers that they’re missing, they leave behind a trail of comical chaos that includes flying lanterns, a flock of doves, a wine barrel barricade and a very sticky finale. Will Maximus and Pascal save the day and make it to the church in time?  And will they ever get Flynn’s nose right?"

    Is it wrong that I'm considering going to "Beauty and the Beast 3D" just for the short?

    Most of us who are parents today didn't grow up with movies that featured shorts, newsreels and all the other goodies that generations before us often saw along with their films. I can remember a few shorts popping up in the 1970s -- I have a strong recollection of some live-action skiing short before a "Cinderella" re-release -- but they certainly weren't regular happenings. I welcome this trend, and perhaps it's a little bit of a trade-off for all the commercials we now have to sit through at the theaters.

    What do you think about some movies running animated shorts with popular characters before new films? Tell us in the comments.

    Related content:

  • Watch 'Hunger Games' trailer

    The movie version of Suzanne Collins' bestselling book "The Hunger Games" won't hit theaters until March, but fans are already excited about it. Even since before Jennifer Lawrence was cast in the role of Katniss Everdeen, fans have been sharing opinions online, and photos and sneak peeks all are avidly covered when they're released.

    Here's the biggest bone tossed to fans so far: The full trailer, showing Katniss and her fellow tributes prepping for and beginning their battle to the death.

    Not everyone was nuts about Lawrence's casting, but if you saw her in "Winter's Bone," you know she is absolutely believable as a young Appalachian woman who's built backwoods survival skills out of necessity, and will do anything for her family. Those are qualities Katniss needs too, and she's thoroughly believable in the short clip.

    The scene from the trailer that most affects me is when her young sister, delicate Prim, is actually the one chosen to fight in the games, and Katniss volunteers her own life to save the girl. That works, but some other bits of the trailer remind me of corny 1970s sci-fi. ("Mystery Science" fans, do you see hints of "Parts: The Clonus Horror"?) Still, there's plenty of time for the film to be edited and fine-tuned before March.

    "Hunger Games" seems set to become the next "Twilight" as far as uber-popular book franchise leaping to silver screen. Remember, the book's only the first in a trilogy, so we could be hungry for years to come.

    Are you eagerly awaiting "Hunger Games"? What do you think of the trailer? Tell us in the comments.

     

    Related content:

  • Occupy 'Twilight' Street! Fans rough it ahead of premiere

    Valerie Macon / Getty Images

    The fan camp at Nokia Theatre L.A. Live in Los Angeles on Sunday.

    For several weeks, we've all seen images from lower Manhattan and across the country of protesters taking up camp in Occupy Wall Street protests. Now, braving the chill of the Los Angeles night, fans of the "Twilight Saga" are camping out ahead of the "Breaking Dawn Part 1" premiere. The film opens this week.

    There's no tear gas or pepper spray or threat of arrest (yet). No apparent marching or drum circles. But we'll bet there are some strained wrists from coloring "I love you Robert!" signs with markers. Perhaps Team Edward and Team Jacob members have had words. Wouldn't it be scary to sleep on the street surrounded by teen girls (and their moms) who worship vampires?

    Much like Occupy Wall Street, we're sure Occupy 'Twilight' Street will spread to cities and towns across America in the coming days as theater marquees light up with show times for the film. So be patient in your multiplex parking lot. The girl in the Taylor Lautner T-shirt could be your neighbor, and after Thursday she'll be off the sidewalk and back beneath the posters in her bedroom.

    Valerie Macon / Getty Images

    Forget that 99 percent stuff. These fan signs have serious messages.

    Valerie Macon / Getty Images

    Team Jacob, no doubt. Werewolves come at night, young lady.

    Valerie Macon / Getty Images

    Isn't it too late? A fan in a wedding dress, perhaps hoping to catch Edward's eye.

    Related content:

  • Will LEGO movie click with viewers?

    Here's more from the "anything can be turned into a movie" files (remember there's a "Where's Waldo?" film on the way). The latest toy-that-doesn't seem-like-a-movie? LEGO.

    You know it, the little clicky blocks that are permanently embedded in every parent's foot. Warner Bros. is reportedly making a movie about them, using a mix of animation and live-action. (Live action LEGOS! Imagine being an actor and your first IMDB credit is "yellow LEGO piece." This really is like an Onion article.)

    "LEGO" will reportedly be written by the guys behind "Cloudy With a Chance Of Meatballs," which bodes well for the blocky offering.

    The best comment from the movie blogs comes from George Wales at TotalFilm, who writes: The film’s production team are clearly striving for authenticity, as witnessed by their frequent trip to Lego’s Denmark HQ. Presumably they’re there to find out how a Lego man would really react in a given situation."

    "LEGO" is scheduled for a 2014 release. Until then, here's my favorite live-action LEGO offering.

    Michael Jackson's "Thriller" music video remade with Legos, shot for shot.

     

    Is a LEGO movie a sign of the apocalypse, or a fun idea? Tell us in the comments.

    Related content: 

  • Best Bets: Bella weds Edward in 'Breaking Dawn'

    The week ahead in entertainment is a busy one. Here are some of the highlights.

    Movies
    "Twilight" fans have been anticipating "Breaking Dawn Part 1" for years. Ever since Stephenie Meyer published the book in 2008, readers have wondered how the wedding and honeymoon of Bella to vampire Edward, and her dangerous pregnancy and delivery of their daughter Renesmee, would play onscreen. After all, there's a scene where Edward uses his fangs to bite into Bella's delivering belly to help with her emergency C-section. The drama will begin this week, but there's more to come. In "Part 2," due out in November 2012, the vampires and wolves of Forks, Wash., must protect Bella and her fast-growing baby from the tumult unleashed by the birth. (In theaters Nov. 18)

    The dancing and singing penguins of "Happy Feet" won the best animated film Oscar back in 2006. Now, Mumble and the next generation of feathered friends are back in "Happy Feet Two," dodging seals and kicking it penguin-style. Sadly, Brittany Murphy, who provided the voice of Mumble's mate Gloria in the first film, passed away from pneumonia in 2009. Singer Pink takes over Gloria's voice. (In theaters Nov. 18.)

     George Clooney's "Ides of March" is still playing in some theaters, but now his "The Descendants" will open in New York and L.A. this week, and all over the country the week after. Clooney plays a Hawaiian land owner who learns a devastating secret about his wife after she falls into a coma.  Clooney as a family man is a different role for him -- we like him best as a single loner -- but this movie has plenty of Oscar buzz. (Opens in select cities Nov. 16, nationwide Nov. 23.)

     TV
    No, not "Big Pimpin'." The new History Channel docuseries is called "Big Shrimpin,'" and it follows captains and crews out to catch shrimp in Bayou La Batre, Ala. Like "Deadliest Catch," it sounds messy and dangerous to those of us not in the commercial fishing trade. (Premieres Nov. 17, 10 p.m., History Channel.)

    DVD
    Blu-ray owners, "something's coming, something good." The classic musical "West Side Story" will make its Blu-ray debut this week, in a special 50th anniversary edition. The 1961 film won a record-breaking 10 Oscars, including best picture, best directing, and best original score. If you once met a girl named Maria, think you might have a social disease, or just like to be in America, you may want to pick this up. After all, when you're a Jet, you're a Jet in Blu-ray. What, those aren't the lyrics? (Out on Blu-ray Nov. 15.)

    West Side Story-Jet Song

    No one knows Ozzy Osbourne as well as his own family, and the rocker's son, Jack, produced a documentary about his famous father. "God Bless Ozzy Osbourne" features plenty of concert footage as well as personal anecdotes. In the clip below, Ozzy and Sharon discuss the infamous dove-decapitation (not the bat, another one). (Out on DVD and Blu-ray Nov. 15.)

  • Kardashian's ex-publicist says wedding was staged

    Lisa Maree Williams / Getty Images

    It will come as no surprise to those who have been watching the Kim Kardashian divorce fallout, but numerous people think her 72-day marriage to NBA player Kris Humphries was done for the cameras, not for love. But it's a little surprising that one of those people is Kardashian's own ex-publicist.

    Jonathon Jaxson told the New York Post that the reality star "knew weeks before getting married she didn't want to do it," and added "She's never gotten over [ex Reggie Bush]."

    Jaxson also said he and Kardashian staged a scene in which she went to a jewelry store and tried to make it look as if Bush was proposing marriage. "It was calculated to a T and then it was leaked to a magazine," he told the Post. Jaxson claims that Bush wasn't in on the staging and that such events convinced the football star to break up with Kardashian.

    The Post also quotes Jaxson as saying fame was always Kardashian's goal, and saying that while she herself did not leak her infamous sex tape, she "wasn't devastated" when it did happen.

    He hints that he's speaking out now because he wasn't paid, the Post reports, so factor that into his comments however you like.

    Update: And now Kardashian has hired a lawyer to sue Jaxson, and says he wasn't really her publicist, just worked with her on a blog.

    Do you think Kim ever loved Kris? Tell us on Facebook.

    Related content:

  • Devil horns up! Black Sabbath's back!

    Chris Walter / WireImage

    Black Sabbath, from left, Geezer Butler, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Ozzy Osbourne.

    All you kids who only know Ozzy Osbourne as a doddering potty-mouthed dad on reality TV, your world is about to get rocked.

    The original line-up of veteran British rock band Black Sabbath -- guitarist Tony Iommi, bassist Terence "Geezer" Butler, drummer Bill Ward and iconic vocalist Ozzy Osbourne -– has just announced a resumption of duties. The metal blogosphere has been excitedly stoking the rumor mill about this for some time, but the band put its official stamp on it this morning.

    For the devout hard rock and heavy metal communities, this is somewhat akin to the announcement of the second coming.

    Rivaled only by their fellow countrymen Led Zeppelin as the primary architects of heavy metal, Black Sabbath's doomy aesthetic, working class roots and relentlessly weighty sonic arsenal made all other contenders sound like dilettantes. Sabbath set the heavy metal template and forged a formula that has thrilled teens and panicked parents ever since.

    The past wasn't problem-free, of course. After years of diminishing sales and increasingly reckless behavior by Ozzy, Sabbath ditched their frontman in 1979, replacing him with Ronnie James Dio. With Dio, Sabbath found their second wind and enjoyed a further wave of success. Ozzy, meanwhile, with the aid of his ferociously tenacious wife Sharon, pursued an unlikely solo career that vaulted him to superstardom.

    This isn't the first time the boys have reconvened. They reunited for a frenetic appearance at Live Aid in 1985 and again in the late 90's for a reunion tour that yielded a live album (aptly titled "Reunion") that even included two new studio tracks. Further touring ensued into the next decade, but plans to record a new album ended up falling through, prompting Ozzy to resume his solo career and find his fortune on reality TV. 

    Iommi and Butler, meanwhile, hooked back up with Ronnie James Dio to tour and record under the name Heaven and Hell (after Sharon unleashed her lawyers over the rights to the name Black Sabbath). Shortly after Dio passed away from stomach cancer in May of 2010 at the age of 67, rumors began of a possible reunion of the original line-up.

    What makes this reunion of the original four members more significant is the promise of a full new album of material from the band produced by Rick Rubin. The band will headline the Download Festival in Donington Park in Castle Donington, England and a worldwide tour will follow.  

    But these many years after their heady, hedonistic and heresy-happy heyday, will the reunited Black Sabbath be capable of recapturing the original hellfire? Hang on to your horns.

    Are you excited about the Black Sabbath reunion? Tell us in the comments.

     Related content:

     

  • George Clooney contemplated suicide after injury

    Earlier this week in a separate excerpt from his new Rolling Stone interview, we heard about when George Clooney lost his virginity and what he thinks of his current girlfriend's tweeting.

    Sidney Baldwin / Reuters file

    George Clooney in a scene from "Syriana."

    E! digs a little deeper today with a more sobering excerpt from the mag in which the Hollywood icon talks about how he actually contemplated suicide after sustaining a spinal injury during a stunt mishap while filming "Syriana" in 2005.

    "I was at a point where I thought, 'I can't exist like this. I can't actually live,' " the actor said.

    Read the story here.

  • 'Breaking Dawn' wedding almost 'too real,' says Stewart

    In the upcoming “Breaking Dawn Pt. 1,” “Twilight” fans will see Bella Swan and the brooding Edward Cullen finally swap vows. While that's an expected part of the story, according to leading lady Kristen Stewart, the made-for-the-big-screen ceremony felt anything but fictional.

    “It felt, like, too real almost," Stewart explained during a Thursday night interview on "Jimmy Kimmel Live." "It was coming to the end of the whole series, and it sort of felt like — maybe it feels like this at normal weddings; I don’t know — but it wasn’t just about me and (co-star Robert Pattison). It was like, ‘God, you guys! Awesome — good job!’ You know what I mean? It was like, ‘We made it!’ So, it felt great. It felt like a real ceremony.”

    But even though the wedding seemed like the real deal to Stewart, she can’t say the same about the subsequent sex scene. She wanted the long-awaited honeymoon romance with Pattinson’s character, or “the thruster” as she described him to Kimmel, to be hot and heavy. In the interest in keeping things PG-13, she didn’t get her way.

    So what’s the difference between a PG-13 sex scene and an R-rated one?

    “Noises,” Stewart said.

    “The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Pt. 1” hits theaters Nov. 18.

    Are you looking forward to the film? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

     

    Related content:

  • Don't be a drag, give Spanx for Sandler's cross-dressing

    You'd think Adam Sandler would know all the ins and outs about dressing up as a woman -- after all, he donned drag for roles like the Gap Girl on "Saturday Night Live" -- but it turns out that for his new film "Jack and Jill," where he plays both male and female twins, he learned about the joys of Spanx.

    "I didn't know about Spanx until this movie," he told TODAY's Ann Curry on Friday morning about wearing the slenderizing undergarments to flatten him out as Jill. "Then a lot of women said, 'Spanx!' Rock and roll. It was fun. I enjoyed being a lady for a bit. No, I didn't enjoy it, I just say I enjoyed it. I didn't like it at all."

    He's fairly harsh on his female aspect, Spanx or no: Sandler said he wondered about one particular scene in the movie that generated such laughs, and realized people were giggling at his "pretty big soccer thighs." Not terribly traditionally feminine, admittedly.

    But dressing up aside, he added that one of the biggest highlights of the movie came when he got to work opposite Al Pacino, who plays himself in the film ... and who romances Jill.

    "We never go too far for many reasons," Sandler said. "He didn't like smelling my cologne."

    And here's a bit of a surprise, unless you're a longtime Pacino fan: According to Sandler, Pacino (who is "one of the funniest guys," he says) started out in the business as a stand-up comedian. "I didn't know that until I started hanging out with the man!"

    "Jack and Jill" opens in theaters today, Nov. 11.

    Related content:

  • Justin Bambi, er, Bieber, honored in Germany

    Frank Rumpenhorst / EPA

    Canadian teen pop star and perfume salesman Justin Bieber added to his impressive trophy case with a Bambi award on Thursday in Wiesbaden, Germany.

    The Bambis are the main German media awards honoring those "with vision and creativity who affected and inspired the German public that year." They started in 1948 because of ... awwwwww.

    It's hard to imagine Biebs up there -- with his crafted, ever-changing hairdo and soft, white Stormtrooper loungewear -- holding anything other than a little golden fawn.

    Makes one wonder what the dudes look like who win THESE!

    Related content:

  • Mike Tyson (as Herman Cain) for president!

    Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson takes on Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain -- not with his fists, but with his impersonation skills -- in a hilarious new clip from the good folks at Funny or Die.

    Billed as "Herman Cain's Campaign Promises with Mike Tyson," the above video is worth a look if you're already in search of some comic relief (other than this) in the long run-up to the 2012 election.

    "Hello. I'm Herman Cain, the man who's been shouting the number nine in your TV," Tyson says. "I used to be the CEO of Godfather's, a restaurant so gross it made my children hate pizza. Now, I'm running for president."

    Funny or Die has hit the mark before with its political impersonations. Will Ferrell as George W. Bush anyone? Or this classic.

    If you thought Tyson's acting chops were a fluke when he showed up in "The Hangover," think again.

  • Five great Adam Sandler songs

    New Line Cinema

    Sandler shone in 1998's "The Wedding Singer."

    "Jack and Jill," Adam Sandler's new film in which he plays both a man and his twin sister, is getting ravaged by critics.  "Even by sloppy Sandler movie standards, this one’s a wreck — fart jokes, potty zingers and pit-stain gags," writes Roger Moore in the Orlando Sentinel. The Hollywood Reporter review calls it "witless and sloppily constructed."

    Yeah. So I won't be seeing that one. But I still think Sandler's a smart, likable and funny comic, in the right sketch or movie. So I'm going to put "Jack and Jill" out of my mind and think of Adam Sandler the singer instead.

    1. "Lunch Lady Land"
    Here's the thing about Sandler's comic songs. They're both hilarious and sweet, and musically well-written. Sandler's song about the day that cafeteria food takes revenge on a hairnetted, mole-bedecked lunch lady (Chris Farley, of course) is just perfect.  And it switches tempos amazingly well, from a rat-a-tat-tat humor piece to an almost sweet ballad, and switches right back. Hoagies and grinders, hoagies and grinders...

     

    2. "The Lonesome Kicker"
    This might be the best sports song ever. In "The Lonesome Kicker," like in Peter, Paul and Mary's "Right Field," Sandler takes up for the most-derided position on a sports team. Even his coach doesn't know who the heck he is: "But I kick that ball, and I pray it goes straight, and if it does, the coach says 'Good job, number 8." And there's an amazing amount of football knowledge crammed in here too. "Another blocked kick! And everybody blames me! But it was the left guard, who didn't pick up his man!" Listen to this just once, and you'll find yourself humming it the next time your favorite team's kicker shanks one. Oh, good job, number 8.
     

    3. "The Hanukkah Song"
    Sandler's "Hanukkah Song," listing famous Jews who celebrate the holiday, is a seasonal classic. "Guess who eats together at the Carnegie Deli? Bowser from 'Sha-Na-Na' and Arthur Fonzarelli!" Also, who knew so many words rhymed with "Hanukkah," even "marijuanica"? His "Thanksgiving Song" is also an awesome tune for a holiday that isn't often musically remembered. "A turkey for me, a turkey for you! Let's eat turkey in a big brown shoe!"

     

    4. Anything from "The Wedding Singer"
    It's no news to anyone that I'm a 1980s freak. Sandler's 1998 movie "The Wedding Singer" got the era's details right and managed to weave a touching and funny story about wedding singer Robbie (Sandler) and his love for sweet waitress Julia (Drew Barrymore).  Hey, somebody get some pants on that kid!

    5. "A Song about Elmo" 
    "Sesame Streeters" may not be Sandler's regular audience, but why not? He's just a big kid himself. So his visit to the street's little red monster teaches kids about rhyming with Sandler's own childlike charm. Best line: "At night he takes a bubble bath, just so he won't Smellmo."

    What's Sandler's best song? Tell us in the comments.

    Related content:

  • CMA stars sing ode to Kardashian divorce

    Hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood were joined by Eric Stonestreet at the 45th Annual CMA Awards.

    Wednesday night’s “45th Annual CMA Awards” packed plenty of treats for country music fans, but for the night’s opening performance, hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood went Hollywood.

    After Paisley and Underwood shared some buzz-about stage time with Hank Williams Jr., “Modern Family” star Eric Stonestreet joined the pair on stage to make sure they sang a tribute to the topic that’s been weighing on everyone’s minds — “the divorce of Kim Kardashian and what’s-his-name.”

    To the tune of Randy Travis’ hit, “Forever and Ever, Amen,” Stonestreet joined in for an ode to the short-lived Kardashian union, with bonus swipes at Justin Bieber and the night’s big winner, Taylor Swift.

    “I’m going to love you forever — for 72 days, amen,” the trio began. “As long as Justin Bieber is not a conceiver, as long as Taylor Swift is with her current boyfriend.”

    Watch the full opening skit below or jump ahead to the 5:30 mark to hear the Kardashian tribute:

    What did you think of the show and the night’s musical gags? Share your thoughts in the comments section.

     

    Related content:

  • That cute 'Jerry Maguire' kid can probably kill you with his hands now

    TriStar/PacificCoastNews

    Jonathan Lipnicki in "Jerry Maguire" in 1996, left, and now at 21, pumping iron in Los Angeles.

    Tired of child stars beaten down by the pressures of Hollywood and young fame? Looking for a kid who made it big and then got ... bigger? Well, check out the transformation of Jonathan Lipnicki, best known as the cute kid with glasses in the 1996 Tom Cruise film "Jerry Maguire."

    Someone has been spending a lot of time at the gym and the photos of him working out have been making the rounds online. The "Stuart Little" star sports a Star of David tattoo on the side of his ripped torso and according to his website, "competes to a high standard in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu."

    Props to Lipnicki for finding something he's passionate about and making headlines for something other than being stupid and reckless in Hollywood.

    Now, do us a favor and just relax ... a little ... before this happens.

  • Robert Pattinson just a 'prop' in 'Twilight' wedding

    Robert Pattinson has a lot in common with his legion of fans.

    “I don’t know what’s happened to me recently,” he joked with TODAY’s Ann Curry on Thursday. “I can’t look in a mirror without crying.”

    Of course, Pattinson’s fans are doing their crying, wailing and general keening over the actor himself, thanks to his role as vampire Edward Cullen in “The Twilight Saga.” The series’ second-to-last film, “Breaking Dawn Part 1” debuts in theaters on Nov. 18, and Pattinson dropped by the TODAY set for a quick chat ... and a leading-around on the Plaza by Curry to meet some of the ladies who had spent hours waiting for him.

    He told Curry that while he’d seen co-star (and girlfriend) Kristen Stewart in her “Breaking Dawn” wedding dress prior to filming, his castmates hadn’t. “There was so much secrecy about it,” he said. “I don’t know why ... it’s a white dress.”

    He did learn a few things, though, while making the film. “You suddenly realize the role of the groom in the wedding is that of a prop.”

    And, how to position yourself in a love scene with your co-star/girlfriend so that you can hide your less-than-perfect assets: “Here’s (co-star) Taylor Lautner and he has a six-pack,” he grinned. “It’s pure vanity. You’re thinking of sexual positions which don’t involve showing off (much).”

    And out on the Plaza, the ladies screamed away.

    Related content:

  • Kutcher's Penn State tweet angers fans

    Kevin Winter / Getty Images

    Ashton Kutcher's tweet about Coach Joe Paterno's firing was not well-received by the Twitter community.

    The Penn State scandal has been all over the news, and so to many, the firing last night of longtime coach Joe Paterno came as no surprise.

    Ashton Kutcher apparently hasn't been paying attention. And when you have nearly 8 and a half million followers, you need to know what's going on. Wednesday night, Kutcher tweeted "How do you fire Jo Pa?  #insult #noclass as a hawkeye fan I find it in poor taste."

    And then the fans pushed back. Reaction was immediate and angry.

    "How do you bang skanks on your wedding anniversary?" Texan Jenny Johnson retorted, referring of course to the tabloid reports of Kutcher's supposed extramarital activities.

    Some had fun mocking the actor by mimicking the tweet. A user named Uncle Dynamite tweeted "Charles Manson didn't make parole AGAIN??!! And he was informed by REGISTERED MAIL??!! #insult @noclass."

    Justin Stangel, head writer and executive producer for the "Late Show with David Letterman,"addressed Kutcher's work with the Demi and Ashton Foundation, which seeks to help end child sex slavery. "Tell me if I'm right," Stangel tweeted at Kutcher. "You're against child trafficking unless it's with college football staff."

    Kutcher removed the tweet about a half-hour after he sent it, but of course the damage was done. He's apologized, however, posting that "As an advocate in the fight against child sexual exploitation, I could not be more remorseful for all involved in the Penn St. case."

    He also wrote, "As of immediately I will stop tweeting until I find a way to properly manage this feed. I feel awful about this error. Won't happen again."

    Some fans urged forgiveness for the actor's remark. Said one fan, the colorfully named Spazzberry103, "Everyone puts their foot in their mouth once in a while. Just have to pull it out and start walking forward again. Still luv ya!!"

    Update: Kutcher issued an even longer apology on Thursday, saying Twitter had changed from when he first began using it, turning from a real-time conversation to a mass-publishing platform. He also elaborated on his Paterno tweet, saying he sent his comment based solely on a headline he saw on TV, writing "I assumed that the universiry had let him go due to football-related issues."

    It's unclear how Kutcher was able to completely miss coverage of the headline-dominating scandal until then, or why, upon seeing a headline, leapt to an assumption and decided to tweet about it without any additional information, but he's obviously regretting it now.

    Kutcher writes that an hour after he sent the tweet, he found out about the scandal via ESPN and then went back and saw all the angry responses to his message. "A collection of over 8 million followers is not to be taken for granted,
     he writes.  "I feel responsible for delivering an informed opinion and not spreading gossip or rumors through my twitter feed."

    So now the unvarnished Kutcherisms that have both landed him in some hot water and entertained many will be neutered, as the actor is turning the feed over to his representatives to apparently censor and spin.

    "While I will continue to express myself through @Aplusk I'm going to turn the management of the feed over to my team at Katalyst Media to ensure the quality of its content," he writes.  My sincere apologies to anyone who I offended."

    Related content:

  • Sandler visits 'X Factor,' singers go to the movies for inspiration

    Fox

    Drew Ryniewicz's self-designed dress brought on a rare sartorial comment from Paula.

    It was movie night on Wednesday’s “X Factor,” and if it did nothing else, it showed that the judges have some eclectic selections in their DVD collections.

    The final 11 all had to take songs off of movie soundtracks, again taking a page from the “American Idol” handbook. But perhaps inspired by their visit to the “Jack and Jill” premiere, and their subsequent banter with Adam Sandler, few went with a conventional choice. Sandler may have looked like he was auditioning for the role of the autopilot in an “Airplane!” remake, but the contestants showed a lot more life in singing songs from the forgotten files of American cinema.

    Remember “You, Me and Dupree?” Probably not. L.A. Reid certainly hadn’t. But that forgotten comedy with Kate Hudson, Owen Wilson and Matt Dillon had “Fix You” by Coldplay, which got the single-named Drew a positive response. The bad news for her is that Paula Abdul criticized her wardrobe, the first time in recorded history she’s done so for any contestant, and it turned out that the teenager designed the dress herself. Awkward!

    Interestingly, Simon called that film “one of my favorite movies of all time.” I always figured him to be more of a “Local Hero” or “Gregory’s Girl” fan. But it was a good day for Kate Hudson in general, who also had her “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days” serve as the inspiration for Lakoda Rayne.

    Meanwhile, Rachel Crow went for something from the legendary “Cadillac Records.” The Stereo Hogzz picked Cristina Aguilera’s “Ain’t No Other Man” from “Get Smart.”  And “Car Wash” provided the tune for Marcus Canty and his silver jacket that had anyone watching the show in HD seeing spots for hours afterwards. I’m not sure where the judges get their DVDs from, but The Dollar Store is a strong candidate.

    Stacy Francis went with something from “The Bodyguard,” but not the songs everyone had heard of. Instead of “I Will Always Love You” or “I Have Nothing,” she sang “Queen of the Night,” which L.A. Reid didn’t like even though he wrote it. Melanie Amaro chose “Man in the Mirror” and persevered despite a sore throat. Those were the two most powerful female vocals of the night

    L.A. gave two of his men conventional choices that they did in unconventional ways. Astro’s “Lose Yourself” by Eminem featured shoutouts to the late Heavy D and Joe Fraizer, while Chris Rene put his own lyrics to Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise.”

    And Nicole played it safe with the rest of her over-30s. Leroy Bell got “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For,” perhaps singing about his attempts to connect with the audience, while Josh Krajcik told us all that he gets by with a little help from his friends. He’s hoping those friends voted early and often to keep him from joining inTENsity in getting sent home and deleted from the opening credits.

    What did you think of the soundtrack choices from the artists? What song, from what movie, would you rather have heard? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

     

    Related content:

  • Taylor Swift wins entertainer of the year at CMAs

    Tami Chappell / Reuters

    Singer Taylor Swift let out an excited yell when she won the award for entertainer of the year at the 45th annual CMA Awards on Wednesday, Nov. 9.

    A giddy Taylor Swift won her second entertainer of the year award and rising sibling act The Band Perry was the night's top winner as The Country Music Association Awards celebrated the young women of country music on Wednesday night. 

    Swift was rewarded for an amazing year during which she brought country music to the Far East, scored hits all around the world and continued a run that's made her country's hottest young star for several years. She's just the second woman to win the award twice, joining Barbara Mandrell.

    Read the full story.

  • National Guard kept Lautner safe from girls

    Summit Entertainment

    It's become a punchline: "Call out the National Guard!" But in Taylor Lautner's crazy life as shape-shifting wolf Jacob in the "Twilight" series, it's reality.

    In an interview with Parade Magazine that will be published on Sunday, Lautner says the Brazilian National Guard protected him and co-star Kristen Stewart from an enormous crush of fans.

    "Kristen and I were doing interviews in a hotel in Brazil and all of a sudden our security barges in and locks the door," he tells the magazine. We’re like, ‘What’s going on?’ And they said, ‘Remain calm, but about 2,000 girls just broke through the hotel lobby and they’re on their way up the stairs to get to this room.' Then they went, ‘But it’s OK because we have the National Guard on their way.’ And the National Guard actually did show up and everything was fine."

    Lautner also discusses how he had to sacrifice to look ab-tastic in those shirtless scenes. ("They sort of had to force me" to eat, he says.) And he was shocked, he says, when he found out from the "Breaking Dawn" book that his character would end up, not with Bella, but with her half-vampire daughter, Renesmee.

    Watch the "Breaking Dawn" trailer

    "Stephanie Meyer sent it to me and I was turning the pages and I’m like, ‘Is Jacob going to end up with Bella or not?’ " he said. "I finally get to the chapter where he’s with Bella’s baby and that was a shocker for me. It kind of took a while to get used to that idea."

    And if you think Jacob and Bella's on-screen friendship seems real, you're right. "Sometimes on set, we’d catch ourselves just being Taylor and Kristen, laughing and being ourselves," he says. "And there just happens to be a camera rolling, and then that makes it in the movie and that becomes Jacob and Bella."

    "Breaking Dawn Part 1" hits theaters Nov. 18.

     

    Related content:

  • Eddie Murphy out as Oscars host

    Kevin Winter / Getty Images

    Eddie Murphy won't host the Oscars after all.

    Eddie Murphy has withdrawn as host of the Oscars, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said in a statement Wednesday.

    The decision had been predicted by movie industry observers, as Murphy is friends and creative partners with Brett Ratner, who stepped aside less than a day ago as producer of the show. Ratner left the position after he was heavily criticized for using a gay slur during a question-and-answer session for his new film, "Tower Heist," in which Murphy stars. He was also criticized for sexual and other statements he made about women on "The Howard Stern Show."

    "I appreciate how Eddie feels about losing his creative partner, Brett Ratner, and we all wish him well," said Tom Sherak, president of the Academy.

    Eddie Murphy has stepped down as host for the 84th annual Academy Awards ceremony, one day after the show's producer Brett Ratner resigned following an uproar over his use of a homophobic slur.

    The New York Times wrote that Murphy's decision "represented an embarrassing collapse of the Academy’s plans for the Oscar presentation and left it with just over three months to fill key roles for one of the most elaborately staged television shows of the year."

    At the time Murphy was chosen, Reuters wrote of Murphy and Ratner: "the pair bring a decidedly comic edge to the show that has tried to stay relevant among young and mainstream moviegoers as its major awards in recent years primarily have gone to dramas aimed mostly at older audiences."

    But some saw it as a "Tower Heist" publicity stunt from day one. Wrote Movieline: "The actor was pulled on board to host the Oscars by his 'Tower Heist' director as both a marketing ploy for the comedy — which premiered to lackluster box-office figures this past weekend — and as a means for what many fans hoped would be a Murphy comeback."

    Murphy's decision is, in publicity terms, much worse news for the Academy than the Ratner situation. Moviegoers and award-show watchers care about the show's host, not who's behind the scenes. In 2011, Anne Hathaway and James Franco hosted, and received some of the worst reviews in recent memory for an Oscar hosting job. The Hollywood Reporter called their hosting "spectacularly bad" and said the show "hit a new low."

    The show will not only have to hustle to find a new host and producer, but whoever is chosen will face the public image that they were a fill-in choice. And while plans for the show had been to rely heavily on comedy, thanks to Murphy's skills, that may be called into question with a new host.

    Names frequently tossed around for Oscar hosting duty include past hosts Ellen DeGeneres, Billy Crystal and Steve Martin. There's even a Twitter campaign to get The Muppets, who have a movie of their own coming out this month, to host.

    The Academy Awards are scheduled for Feb. 26, 2012.

    Who would you choose to host the Oscars? Tell us in the comments.

    Related content:

Jump to November 2011 archive page: 1 2 3 4 5