Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Review. Show all posts

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Rise of the Planet of the Apes – New Movie Trailer and Review – Video

Every now and then a movie sequel comes along that was just meant to be made.

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is one of those movies.

James Franco plays scientist Will Rodman, who is trying to create some of the most effective medical treatments for humans ever seen.

He develops a new drug therapy he calls “The Cure” that allows the human brain to repair itself from traumatic injuries and disease like Alzheimer's and strokes - and it’s almost ready for clinical testing.

Bust first, they test the medication on a baby chimp that quickly begins to develop amazing cognitive powers.

Soon, the young chimp name “Caesar” has grown – and possesses intelligence far greater than any human could ever imagine.

Caesar starts reading books, doing complex math, and growing bored with his simple surroundings. The staff decides to let him co-mingle with the other chimps in the facility – and things go terribly wrong.


Caesar finds a large stash of “The Cure” in a medical freezer and promptly gives it to all the apes in the facility causing “The Rise of the Apes”.

Think “Jurassic Park” on steroids and smart pills.

Apes” was directed by Rupert Wyatt and stars James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo,and  Andy Serkis.

The special effects are amazing and created by the Oscar-winning visual effects team that brought to life the worlds of "Avatar" and "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

IMDB describes “Rise of the Apes” as,

“An origin story in the truest sense of the term. Set in present day San Francisco, the film is a reality-based cautionary tale, a science fiction/science fact blend, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.”

We call it Apes getting pissed and seeking revenge.



The film is due in theaters this August.

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Friday, July 15, 2011

Shirley Logan – A Fantastic Nashville Musician and a Mother Who Inspires – Video

Sometimes musicians get lucky.

They crank out one song and it takes over the world and then the world takes over them – effortlessly.

Not so with Indie song writer and musician Shirley Logan.

Logan has put in her time, and has worked hard to not only incorporate great music into her life – but also be a mother to her four children ages 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Shirley Logan is a very unique artist, and the kind you don’t find around much anymore today. For her it’s all about the music – not the fame, paparazzi, world tours, bling and fortunes.

After listening to her music you can picture her sitting around the campfire with her friends and children picking up her guitar and starting to tell a story.

And every song has a story.

“I love music…GOOD music. I have been influenced by many different styles and don’t exactly fit into one box. My desire is to write excellent music that will be appreciated by many, crossing over the lines that separate style… songs that are an expression of myself, my experiences, my struggles and issues that are universal to the human soul.

I want to write music that identifies with people at their core…honestly… I want to be known, and I want to know you… I would love to hear your feedback… thoughts…memories… revelations… revelations! Perhaps they will become a song...”

Logan, 37, admits that she had to stop listening to advice from people because everybody told her to be mysterious about her age and to not let people know about her children or divorce.

She talks about her experience of packing up and moving to Nashville and realizing she was in for a big challenge,

“I moved to Nashville on October 11, 1993. It only took a few weeks before I was discouraged and felt like I wasn’t good enough to be here…so many writers…so much talent. I had no idea what I was doing! I was twenty years old, didn’t know one soul and lived by myself on South Street just off music row. I got a job working for a management company through a new friend of a friend. One day the owner asked to hear some of my songs, so I gave her a tape (yes, a tape). She was a very confident no-nonsense kind of woman and didn’t skip a beat in telling me that I needed to work on my writing…I had a beautiful voice, but I would never make it in this town. I had only been playing the guitar for a few years and never considered myself a writer, I just wanted to sing….but it deflated me none the less. It would be years before I would share my music again. Three years to be exact.”

You can hear the influence of pop, indie, folk, country and Christian styles in her music and lyrics, and you can tell there is a deep story to every song she writes.

Take the song “Remember Who You Are” for example.

Logan says she wrote it in a moment when she was shocked at her own desire to forgive again after being betrayed so many times by the same person. Her thoughts led her to a deep belief that if it weren't for forgiveness and grace, we would destroy ourselves.



One of our favorites is the song “Who am I”.

She wrote it with Rivers Rutherford after struggling to define her style and realizing she was very shy about performing. She didn’t want to write about how many times her heart had been broken because she didn’t want to relive the pain.

Out of that journey came “Who I Am”.



Logan also penned a song after the devastating floods hit Nashville last year called “Don’t Stop When it Rains” and is an uplifting song for all those who were affected by the devastation.



Shirley is one of those singer songwriters that you can tell has gone through a lot of pain and disappointment. Yet, she has brushed herself off and has come to terms with who she is and what is important to her.

And after listening to her music and getting to know her a little more I can tell you those important things are friends, family and God.

Logan can be contacted from her Facebook page and her albums and CD’s are available from her website ShirleyLogan.com

God speed Shirley Logan.

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Wednesday, July 13, 2011

American Idol Live Tour 2011 Update – Scotty Rules, Durbin Rocks “Guns and Roses” – Video

For all you American Idol fans who thought this year’s shows ended too soon you still have a chance to see your favorite idol live in concert in one of their 47 concert shows that run through September.

The 2011 Summer American Idol Live Tour kicked off last week in West Valley City Utah and all indications are that producers have put together one heck of a show.

The show rundown seems pretty well mixed between individual numbers and lots of duets, and crescendos with a group performance at the end.

Hard rocker James Durbin gets the crowd warmed up with Guns and Roses “Sweet Child of Mine before the entire ensemble bounces in and out doing individual and small group numbers.

Watch James Durbin Sing Sweet Child of Mine Live


Our spy’s on the inside say that Pia Toscano and Stefano Langone do a duet of Rihanna’s "California King Bed”, and Casey Abrams hits it out of the park with a version of Santana's "Smooth" while playing his signature stand-up bass.

All the girls join together for a tribute to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”, and of course runner up Lauren Elaina gets the stage to herself for “Like my Mother Does.”

Related: Lauren Elaina sings “Like My Mother Does” - Video

Hailey Reinhart also gets a moment alone on stage for Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets”, and Pia Toscano blows away the crowd with “Empire State of Mind.”

Watch Idol Live Show Compilation Concert Video


Leading off for the guys is veteran singer Paul McDonald with his version of Rod Stewarts “Maggie Mae” followed by heart-throb Stefano Langone playing the piano while performing Bruno Mars “Grenade.”

Watch Paul McDonald Sing Maggie Mae Live


After a few mare solos, all the guys join on stage for a group rendition of “Animal” by Neon Trees. This was probably the worst and most awkward performance of the night.

But one of the best performances, and the one wanted by the crowd, was by odd man Casey Abrams who brought out his standup bass to croon to Santana’s “Smooth.”

Watch Casey Abrams sing Santana's "Smooth" Live


Once Casey hit the stage you could definitely hear a change in the tone of the crowd – they started to really get into the groove and as you know, Casey has that unusual groove that plays out well in front of an arena crowd.

After a short intermission Thia Megia belted out “Who Says” by Selena Gomez and Stefano brings out the rest of the girls for Usher’s “DJ Got Us Falling in Love.”

James Durbin gets the crowd wound up again with “Uprising” by Muse before Jacob Lusk performs “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross, and then is joined by Pia, Naima and Stefano for “You’re All I Need To Get By” by Marvin Gaye.

Related: American Idol Jacob Lusk Arrested

And then it happens.

Scotty McCreery comes on stage for a group number and the crowed explodes. Scotty then starts his own private little musical set and gets the crowd on their feet with Josh Turner's "Your Man.”

Watch Scotty McCreery sing "Your Man"


McCreery follows with “Are You Going to Kiss Me or Not” by Thompson Square before launching into his hot single “I Love You This Big.”

Watch Scotty sing "I Love You This Big"


The crowd goes wild.

Scotty then joins with Lauren for a duet of “When You Say Nothing At All” by Alison Krause before the entire ensemble comes back on stage for the huge finale.

Watch American Idol Live Tour 2011 Group Finale


The American Idol Live Tour 2011 has only just started and tickets are still available for Los Angeles, Ontario, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Grand Prairie, Houston, New Orleans, Orlando, Duluth, Raleigh, Charlotte, Nashville, St. Louis, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Rosemont, Detroit, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Atlantic City, Newark, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.

As for next season, the American Idol producers have already hit the road for Idol season 11 auditions in Pittsburg, Detroit, Denver, St. Louis, Portland, and San Diego.

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Saturday, June 25, 2011

Video – Meet Jackie Evancho – She Will Melt Your Heart and Make you Cry!

Move over Lady Gaga – there’s a new kid in town.

And we mean move over, as in get out of the way.

If you haven’t heard of Jackie Evancho you will soon.

Why?

Because Jackie just released her first feature length CD, “Dream With Me”, and it’s outselling every major artist on the pop music scene today.

Young Ms. Evancho is only 11-years-old and was born is Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. She has several brothers and sisters and says she fell in love with music after seeing “The Phantom of the Opera” on television.

After hearing her sing, her mother, Lisa, entered her into a local talent contest where she came in second place – Jackie was only eight years old.

After narrowly missing out on winning several more talent contests, her parents allowed the ten-year-old prodigy to audition for the television show “America’s Got Talent.”

Jackie seemed to blow away the competition and seemed to be on track to win, but unfortunately came in second place.

Her performances were so flawless that there were accusations that she had lip synced her songs and it was all a scam by producers.

But the cat was out of the bag and America had heard, and seen, what was to become one of the youngest artists to skyrocket to Platinum sales status in over thirty years.

After “America’s Got Talent”, Jackie immediately released her first single “O Holy Night.” This was her first national exposure and won her a spot singing for President Barak Obama in Washington D.C. during the annual Christmas tree lighting.

Watch Jackie Evancho sing O Holy Night in Washington D.C.


The reaction to her “O Holy Night” single was amazing, and immediately shot to the top of the Billboard music charts and became a best seller on Amazon. It was certified as Platinum in 2010.

She also setup her own web site at JackieEvancho.com, and created her own YouTube Channel and Facebook page.

Jackie had hit it big and people wanted more.

After doing the rounds on the daytime and late night talk shows, she was approached by producer David Foster who worked with Jackie in the development of her first full length album “Dream With Me”.

Together, the two fashioned a collection of tracks, one which Jackie wrote herself, that combined both opera and crossover songs like “The Lord’s Prayer”, “When you Wish Upon a Star”, and “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan.

Watch Jackie Evancho and David Foster Interview


Jackie says,

“The title of my new album is ‘Dream With Me’ because it means I’m basically living the dream and there’s more to come.”

Jackie also plays violin and piano and has said she would like to collaborate with Josh Groban, Charlotte Church, and Andrea Bocelli.

Evancho's Sarasota Florida concert is currently being featured on most national PBS stations and showcases some of her best music and features several songs off her new album.

Theses PBS shows are the first time many viewers have seen Jackie and have caused quite an interest in the young singer.

She says she understands that in order to remain popular she has to do more than just sing opera songs, and realizes she will have to be a crossover singer in order to stay relevant.

On “Dream With Me” you will find her favorite opera pieces like “Nella Fantasia”, “Nessun Dorma”, “O Mio Babbino Caro”, and “Ombra Mai Fu”, along with incredible duets like “A Mother’s Prayer” with Susan Boyle and “Somewhere” featuring Barbra Streisand.

Watch Jackie Evancho sing Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” on PBS


Now you see why Jackie is going to be a star.

In fact, InfoStar has not really been able to find a bad review or other critical comment about her anywhere – and that says a lot in the world of the internet.

Composer Tim Janis says,

"Jackie's voice is so pure and natural, there's no flaw in it. People say 'I can hear her potential coming,' but no, it's here, it's now. She is truly an Angel and I can’t wait for the World to hear it and see it."

We agree.

And Jackie says the only thing she does to prepare for a big show is to “Say a prayer that God will be there on the stage with her and that He will sing along with her.”

Wow. Sniffle sniffle. Goose bumps…

So we set out to find the one performance piece that often separates the good from the bad in critical operatic singing – “Ave Marie”.

We figured if Evancho can pull off that tune with its massive complexity, then she really must be a true angel sent from Heaven.

Well - we found it. And it will make you cry.

So ladies and gentlemen, here is Jackie’s version of “Ave Maria” by Schubert accompanied by The Houston Chamber Choir and The Treble Choir of Houston.

Watch Jackie Evancho Sing Schubert’s “Ave Maria”


See. I told you.

I’ll say it again. Move over Lady Gaga - because I would love for my kids to learn, respect and look up to an artist like Jackie.

I know it won’t happen but I can dream can’t I?

If you only buy one CD this year... buy "Dream With Me."

You can sample each song and purchase Jackie’s new CD here at Amazon.

Follow InfoStar on Twitter – no crying allowed...

Friday, June 17, 2011

Video – Lady Gaga “Edge of Glory” Released – She Sounds More Like Madonna Everyday - Review

Her sales of “Born This Way” are down 80% over the last two weeks.

She is being compared to Madonna at every turn.

Her “over the top” persona seems to be getting old.

So what do you do to turn things around?

Release another video of course!

Today, Madonna Lady Gaga released her “Edge of Glory” video off her “Born this Way” album – and reviews are not good.

“It looks like she shot it on a Universal Studio back lot street scene. There is nothing new or exciting about this video and it looks and sounds like another Madonna rip-off.”

Indeed, other than her dancing around on a fake looking set billowing with stage fog there is nothing new here.



We’re not really sure what her message is except she thinks she looks sexy and acts like this is the best new song ever to grace the planet.

It really just falls flat and looks like every other video that artists are putting out these days.

“They crank them out like they are commodities – they all look the same and all sound the same. Her Judas video had 100 times more personality”

Related: Watch Lady Gaga “Judas” Music Video

True. And with album sales of “Born This Way” crashing down, some say Ms. Gaga’s days may be coming to an end if she can’t come up with something new and original.

“How does she top what she’s already done? The meat dress? The egg? The outfits? She may have rolled all those things out too fast and too early.”

InfoStar agrees. Do you?

See also:
> Who has more money - Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga?
> 11-year-old jams Lady gaga Born This Way – Video
> Gaga and Modonna mashup – Plagiarism? - Video

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Tuesday, June 7, 2011

The UK Bans “The Human Centipede II” – Is the US Next? Plot Review and Trailer - Video

Okay, every now and then a movie comes along that we can’t exactly categorize – or understand.

In fact, we’re shocked that a movie like this could actually be released - much less filmed and edited with a straight face.

“The Human Centipede II – Full Sequence”, written and direct by Tom Six, is the follow-up to the original “Human Centipede” released in 2009.

For those of you who have never heard of it – consider yourself lucky. Most movie goers had not heard of it until Matt Stone and Trey Parker did a spoof about it on South Park last month.

The concept is simple, yet repulsive.

A demented surgeon finds three unwilling victims and surgically attaches them end to end – mouth to anus, turning them into a Siamese Trio – the human centipede.

Seriously. We’re not making this up.

The trailer below is from the first film and will go a long way in helping you understand the basic concept. We’ll wait…. Go ahead… watch it..



Were we right?

Now that you understand the rudimentary premise of the first movie we can move on to the troubles Mr. Six is facing in Britain with regards to his sequel.

“The Human Centipede II – Full Sequence” supposedly follows another demented surgeon who became sexually obsessed with the original movie.

He proceeds to replicate the Siamese trio just as in the original movie but with twelve people instead of three – and he adds one special demented twist.

His goal is to exploit his new creation sexually, and explore the concepts of sex, fantasy, pain, pleasure, and release with his new creation(s).

It’s really hard to wrap your head around isn't it?

Below is the movie trailer Six released last year promoting Centipede II. While not graphic in detail it doesn’t really reveal any plot, but the message seems to be clear - it will be “the sickest movie of all time.”



But Mr. Six has run into a big problem.

It seems the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has ruled no amount of cuts, redaction, or editing would allow them to give the new film a certificate of release and said it may violate the Obscene Publications Act.

They went on to say,

“The potentially obscene Human Centipede sequel poses risk of harm to viewers. There is little attempt to portray any of the victims in the film as anything other than objects to be brutalized, degraded and mutilated for the amusement and arousal of the central character, as well as for the pleasure of the audience.”

This may well prevent the film from ever seeing the light of day in Europe.

But what about the United States?

The U.S. has a habit of following along with the BBFC in its development of the United States MPAA rating. (Motion Picture Association of America)

The original film was given a MPAA rating of “R” which allowed it to be shown in American theaters. But if the MPAA can’t, or won’t rate the sequel, then it cannot be shown in the U.S.

We think that is a good thing. This is not really the kind of movie we want playing at the Mall on Saturday afternoon anyway. Our kids have enough to deal with already and we don’t need to plant any more bizarre ideas in their tiny little heads.

InfoStar says – Keep Centipede II away from the U.S.

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Thursday, June 2, 2011

“Super 8” Movie Trailer and Review – Amazing Summer Movie – Bring it!

The hot days of summer are upon us.

Memorial Day is behind us.

And we all know what that means……

The summer blockbusters are coming!

And to start things off this month is the great looking flick “Super 8” and a new movie trailer.

Think “Cloverfield” meets area 51.

In fact, the original screenplay was developed to be the sequel to “Cloverfield”, so you can do the math on what to expect - serious science fiction and inhuman things.

Usually we can tell by the movie trailer if we think a film is going to be any good, and all we can say about the “Super 8” trailer is this film is going to rock.

Not really a kid’s movie, but definitely a predominately teen kid cast – but with very adult adventures.

The production values of this flick are undeniable because it was written and directed by J. J. Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg.

It stars the young Elle Fanning, AJ Michalka, and Kyle Chandler, and has Spielberg’s trademark all over it.

The story goes like this – a group of kids are playing around with their super 8 movie camera when they witness a train derailment.

It turns out to be a deliberate derailment of a United States Air Force train named "Groom Lake One", which was transporting undisclosed materials from Area 51 to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

After the wreck, some unknown entity escapes from one of the cargo cars and begins to cause havoc on the small town of Lillian, Ohio.

Suddenly, the military and other spooky looking Government suits start showing up and taking over.

All the dogs in town run away and strange things start happening all over.

There are disappearances, unexplained events, and eight missing people. The local sheriff investigates the cause of the events which leads to the discovery of something inhuman.

And the kids have it all on Super 8 video….



The budget for "Super 8" was a modest $45 million and is due in theaters and IMAX June 11th.

Welcome to the blockbuster movie season!

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Saturday, May 14, 2011

Steven Tyler’s New Book, “I Blew $20 Million on Cocaine and Heroin”

Steven Tyler has lived a hard life.

He is the front man for the band Aerosmith, and has a new job as judge on American Idol.

But dig deep into his past and you will see some of the shocking events that got him to where he is today.

In his new book, “Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?” Tyler talks about his youth and how he was just a normal kid spending most of his days outside,

“I was a mountain boy, barefoot and wild. I’d come back after an afternoon of killing with my slingshot and Red Ryder BB gun with a string of blue jays tied to my belt.”

During his teen years he met fellow band mates Joe Perry and Tom Hamilton and after attending Woodstock decided they should start a band – and the rest is history.

The one constant in the book is Tyler’s outrageous drug use, rehab, drug use, rehab pattern. At age 63 he says drugs are still a struggle and looks back at the years of use and the money spent saying,

“I kept drugs in the drum kits on stage so they would always be near me. I’ve blown $20 million on cocaine, heroin, and prescription drugs. I snorted my plane, I snorted my house. I just couldn’t stop.”

Tyler says he has been in and out of a dozen different rehabs but it always ended the same way – doing more drugs.

He writes that in Aerosmith’s heyday he was buying pounds of coke for $20,000 and snorting massive quantities off the top of bass amps in the studio and on stage. Once the cocaine didn’t satisfy his urges he started buying heroin and injecting it directly into his butt.

After finally getting away from the cocaine and heroin, he says he became addicted to prescription medication which was just as bad, if not worse, then using illegal drugs.

“Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?” is a great read for anybody who likes Aerosmith and the 1970-1980’s rock band lifestyle. But for those American Idol fans new to Steven Tyler you may be a little disappointed since he only talks briefly about the show.

But what a walk down memory lane it is for me. As a teenager I attended an Aerosmith concert at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis on July 4th, 1980. To this day I remember it. I was still in high school and Aerosmith was at their pinnacle of success.

It was classic, unlike anything bands do today. “Walk this way”, “Sweet Emotion”, “Walk the Dog”, “Toys in the Attic”. And that funny smell in the arena was so thick that we all felt the love.

No Steven - the noise in your head does not bother me. In fact as I write this post, a little voice in my head is singing the words to “Sweet Emotion”.

Man, I feel old now…

Watch Aerosmith Perform ‘Sweet Emotion’ Live


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Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Charlie Sheen Boston Live Show Review – BAD

The “Violent Torpedo of Truth” live show with Charlie Sheen is back in motion after a well-deserved day off.

Sheen and company blew into Boston Tuesday night for a stop at Boston University's Agganis Arena.

Nobody knew what to expect since Sheen has consistently “changed up” his act from town to town.

As usual, the show starts late. As usual, Sheen launches immediately into questions from the audience. As usual, the crowd grows impatient and starts to boo.

Sheen used all of his catchphrases, including “tiger blood” and “winning,” within the first few minutes. Some fans were thoroughly entertained, while others said they had “Sheen enough.”

But tonight we have a surprise!

“Jersey Shore” DJ Pauly D is in the house and gets on the stage to chat with Charlie. Pauly offers Sheen a job in has next reality show.

Sheen then tells the audience that “talks” are progressing with CBS about getting his old job back and returning to “Two and a Half Men”. This is NOT what we have been led to believe.

People start leaving.

Sheen continues with his 20/20 video parody and more jokes about hookers and cocaine. People start to get up and leave in much larger numbers - hissing as they leave the theater.

By ten o’clock the show is over and Charlie has left the stage. No standing ovation, in fact there were very few applause as he ends the show.

Looks like another bad night in Beantown for Charlie Sheen.

Uncle Charley’s next show is not until Saturday at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

I’ve heard about those people in New Jersey. Good luck Charlie.

Saturday, April 9, 2011

Charlie Sheen Bombs in Wallingford Connecticut – Review

Poor Charlie Sheen.

He just can’t seem to find his grove.

Coming off disastrous shows that started in Detroit last week and ended up at Radio City Music hall last night, the fine people of Wallingford Connecticut were hoping for something better.

However, it looks like the “Torpedo of Truth – Defeat is not an Option” weapon was a dud at The Oakdale Theater.

Once again, most audience members say they should have stayed home and saved their money.

Sheen was again late to the stage, a failing that seems to be almost a standard 30 minute late entrance.

He started off with no warm-up act and just came out on the stage with his moderator and started answering questions. He never formally introduced his partner and the questions were just yelled from the audience.

There seemed to be very little organization to anything. There was a lot of drinking, and drunk people yelling “winning” and “tiger blood” – it was a zoo. Security was everywhere and you got the feeling they were ready for anything.

Sheen ranted about tiger blood, Adonis DNA, Vatican assassins, and his love of sex and drugs.

After almost 40 minutes of talking about smoking crack and partying with some of the most famous people in the world, the crowd started to grow restless.

There was booing and hissing and the moderator had to quite the audience down on more than one occasion.

There were people “escorted” out of the theater and there were signs that read “Hecklers will be removed”. That’s a bad sign when you need that kind of warning posted everywhere.

Sheen skipped over the fifteen minute movie montage that has got him into trouble at other shows, but he did show his edited parody version of his now infamous 20/20 interview.

Related: Charlie Sheen Created Parody of 20/20 Video – Watch

When he returned to the stage he picked up right where he left off and started telling more stories. The crowed began to grow even more impatient and the booing intensified. Some people started to walk out.

Charlie would have to stop every now and then and try to pump up the audience by pandering to them – but that stopped working after a certain point.

More people walked out. More people booed.

Sheen made one last attempt to rally the crowd and then abruptly said “Good night everybody” to yells, boos, and hisses.

Really? That’s it? It’s over?

Last night at Radio City Music Hall Sheen was over 30 minutes late to the show and then ended 30 minutes early. Maybe word spread to Wallingford to not expect much.

I got to say, if this is what his act is going to look like for the remaining 15 or so shows, Charlie’s got a problem. By the time he gets to the end he is either going to have lost all of his fans, or be dead – or both?

Just talking to people as they left the theater it was clear that Sheen had a hard time satisfying the people at The Oakdale Theatre.

Sheen is back in New York at Radio City Music Hall Sunday night and then off to Boston on Tuesday.

One of these shows is going to end in a disaster that we will all hear about on the eleven-o’clock news.

Related: Charlie Sheen moves to trademark 22 of his catch phrases.

Charlie Sheen at New York’s Radio City Music Hall – BAD – Review

Charlie Sheen continued his “Violent Torpedo of Truth” road show tonight at Radio City Music Hall in beautiful New York City.

How can New York not like Uncle Charley, right?

Charlie tells everyone that he will be donating $1.00 from each ticket to the Japanese Earthquake Relief Fund. We do know that ticket prices dropped like a rock for this show with most selling for about $30 instead of the listed price of $125.

Again, the show started over a half hour late, and Sheen immediately started answering questions yelled out from the audience. It all seemed very unorganized.

His moderator, Joey Scoleri, who is never formally introduced, has to tell the liquored up crowd to be quite so Charlie can talk.

But after forty-five-minutes of crack, hooker, drugs, and partying stories the crowd started to grow impatient. Sheen then showed his edited version of the 20/20 interview that you can watch right here for free.

Related: Charlie Sheen Uploads Parody Video of His Infamous 20/20 Interview

When Sheen returned the audience really let him have it. They booed, the hissed, the heckled and they walked out. This seems to be the standard routine of his last four shows.

After a few final stale stories and references to warlocks, tiger blood, and Adonis DNA he walked off the stage. There was no standing ovation, but only an audience that seemed to sit in amazement that the show was over.

People started shuffling out with a look of confusion on their faces. It was clear that Charlie did not make a good impression with New Yorkers.

All you had to do was ask and they told you.

Unfortunately, Sheen still has 16 shows left. Next stop is Saturday Night in Wallingford, Connecticut.

Can it keep being this bad?

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Charlie Sheen in Columbus Show Review – Dull

Sometime funnyman Charlie Sheen rolled through Columbus Ohio last night, and it seems that the troubled troubadour has found his groove.

Kind of.

But that groove, according to fans, may be shallow and none too deep. His show in Columbus was better than his disastrous show in Detroit where he was booed off the stage, but there was very little actual comedy and a lot of angry Charlie ranting about tiger blood and Vatican assigns.

“He thinks he can just get up on a stage and repeat all the catch phrases he has created and people will laugh. Some did, but most of us were looking for something a little deeper.”

True. In fact, some fans leaving the theater said Sheen looked a bit run down, his voice was hoarse, and he seemed tired.

He was once again tossed easy questions from his moderator, and talked about smoking crack, spending money, hanging out with porn stars, and partying with all the famous people in Hollywood.

But is that what he plans to do every night for the remaining seventeen shows? If so, things are going to be really stale by the end of the tour.

There were a few empty seats and some audience members said they had paid $100 for their ticket, there was also the sense that this was like a big fraternity party and everybody was there to drink.

Time will tell, after a day off and a chance to refine things yet again, Sheen will make his grand appearance at “Radio City Music Hall” in New York on April 8.

One thing we know about New Yorker’s is, if they don’t like something – we’ll hear about it.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Charlie Sheen Show #3 in Cleveland – Review

Okay. Everybody update your Charlie Sheen scoreboard as follows:

Detroit – Disaster
Chicago – Better
Cleveland – Winning!

After again rewriting much of his flailing live show, and being booed off the stage in Detroit, Charlie Sheen gave his third live show a go in Cleveland Tuesday night.

His "Violent Torpedo of Truth Defeat Is Not an Option" show at the State Theater at Playhouse Square in Cleveland was met with an audience more accepting of his comedy.

Sheen kicked things of by taking questions from the audience through a moderator. People just yelled questions out to him.

But fans were actually laughing and not booing this time. He told jokes about the “weed” in Cleveland, he paraded his Goddesses, he talked about his dad Martin Sheen, and dealt with hecklers like a pro.

In the end, Sheen ended with a standing ovation – finally.

After bombing with his first two shows, it looks like what they say is true: “The third time is the charm”

Now, can he still finish a winner after the remaining 16 shows?

Sunday, April 3, 2011

Charlie Sheen’s Chicago Show Improves – Fans Don’t Boo and Walk Out – Review

Well, it looks like Charlie Sheen is batting zero these days.

His live “Torpedo of Truth Defeat is Not an Option” show in Chicago Sunday night was almost as bad as his debut show in Detroit on Saturday night.

Once again, fans listened to stories about smoking pot and partying with rock stars but tonight Sheen took questions from an onstage interviewer, and there was more structure then last night.

He talked about spending millions on prostitutes and smoked cigarettes profusely the entire show. He also said he could see a time when he returned to Two and a Half Men. Yea right.

All-in-all, it seemed to be a better show than last night. There was no booing, hissing, fighting, and yelling like in Detroit.

Related: Charlie Sheen’s First Live Show BOMBS Big Time – Crowd Boos Through Entire Show. Review

One unhappy fan related:

“It was not that funny. Chicago is known for some of the best comedy and Improv in the country and this was just an insult to our city”

The show appeared to have changed somewhat from last night in Detroit, and there were subtle attempts to remove things that enraged the audience the night before. Like no opening stand up comedy act.

But in the end, it was Charlie Sheen on stage in front of 3,600 booing audience members listening to him ramble on about tiger blood, winning, Adonis DNA, trolls, Vatican assigns, crack cocaine, whores, and partying.

After the show, Sheen took to his Twitter account saying:

"#TruthTorpedo hello windy city..!!! Thank you for the HERO's welcome!! I'll bring it... c"

This is actually a little eerie as things are progressing just as we suspected they would last week when we contemplated what Sheen might have up his sleeve.

Related: Critics Worry about Charlie Sheen's Upcoming 'My Violent Torpedo of Truth' Live Shows – Is He Ready?

What Is The End Game?

Unfortunately, we now have to ask “What’s next for Charlie?”

Does he finish his remaining 18 live shows?
Does he bail out and walk away from the whole mess?
Can he get out without being sued by a 1000 people?
Does he, can he, go back to Two and a Half Men?
Will he end up in the hospital?
Will he even make it out alive?

We don’t see ANY WAY he can complete his commitment for the remaining shows.

In fact, we suspect he will end up in the hospital fairly soon with a standard case of super-secret “Charlie-itis” that will prevent him (and give him an excuse) from going on.

If he falls off the wagon and starts smoking crack or doing meth again – this will just hasten his trip to the emergency room.

TicketMaster and LiveNation have made it clear however (in the fine print on tickets) that NO REFUNDS will be given unless Sheen is unable to reschedule another show within a year.

Good luck with that.

But what about the press?

Sheen absolutely must be gearing up for the barrage of press that is going to hit Monday during the prime-time news cycles. Every station in every city is going to be running “Sheen Bombs” stories – including CNN, Fox News, Good Morning America, The Today Show, and countless others.

And what about websites like TMZ? They are going to have a field day with all this and it will only ramp up as the week progresses.

At some point, Sheen himself will have to come forward and personally address how he thinks things are going.

It will be brutal to watch. A full-blown break down or melt down cannot be too far off in the distance. Then maybe he can get the help he really needs.

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Charlie Sheen’s First Live Show BOMBS Big Time – Crowd Boos Through Entire Show. Review

Well, we all new that Charlie Sheen was coming to a theater near us soon, but we had no idea of what he was going to do – or say.
Now we do - and it was bad. Really bad. Bad. Bad. Bad.

Sheen kicked off his “Violent Torpedo of Truth – Defeat is Not an Option” live show Sunday night in Detroit, and even though he had said tickets had sold out in just minutes there were a lot of empty seats.

It seems half the tickets went to people wanting to see the live train wreck and the other half went to media outlets who wanted to cover the crash and resulting carnage.

The show started late, and with some unknown comedian telling very unfunny jokes. The crowd starts to boo. The jokes get worse until Sheen comes onstage to appease the audience. He says he will be back and the bad jokes continue. The booing gets louder and louder until the guy leaves the stage.

At one point he told some guy in the audience, "I already got your money dude"

This is bad, very very bad.

There was music by Snoop Dogg, there was a parade of Goddesses, there was smoke, there was music, and there was Charlie…. alone, in front of thousands of people who suddenly realized he had very little to say but waited for something to laugh at. Was this supposed to be a comedy?

He asked how many people had tried crack cocaine. Everybody started to boo.

Not only did the show start late, but there was absolutely no organization to anything. At one point he started playing an old Johnny Depp movie. The crowd started to boo even loader.

Nobody seemed to understand a word Sheen was saying. People were actually getting up and walking out.

Sheen seemed to just ramble on about, well, whatever he has been rambling on about the last two months; Warlocks, Vatican assassins, tiger blood, winning, trolls, and cocaine.

“Is anybody else as confused by this shit as I am? I wrote every word! They took my awesome children… They took my sometimes bitchin job… And when they thought there was nothing left, they tried to take my titanium heart and brain and spine. But they could not.”

It’s all gibberish. Once again the crowd starts to boo. This show was a train wreck.

One un-fan noted,

“Once the crowed realized there was not going to be anything to laugh at – they turned. People were booing and yelling and it was hard to actually hear what was going on”.

Even Ticketmaster was suspect of Sheen’s power to attract and hold a crowd by not offering refunds if future shows were cancelled.

This can’t go on like this in every city. This show is done if this is what his plans are.

Good night Charlie Sheen. We gave you a chance to redeem yourself and you blew it.

Friday, June 19, 2009

"Year One" - Review And Trailer - Jack Black And Michael Cera

Summer is here and school is out. That means the beginning of the summer movie blitz - starting with Apatow's "Year One."

Starring Jack Black and Michael Cera you can imagine the type of humor in store. Directed by "Ghost Buster's" Harold Ramis, this film explores what happens when two cavemen are kicked out of their tribe.

In year 1, Zed (Jack Black) and his caveman friend, Oh (Michael Cera), are two bungling cavemen just trying to survive. Zed is a bad hunter with no skills, and Oh is a plant gatherer. Zed is thrown out of his village after he eats the forbidden fruit, and Oh decides to travel with Zed on his heroic journey to the end of the earth.

They find a much different world outside of their prehistoric village. They find themselves wandering in Bible country meeting Cain, Able, Abraham, and other Bible people along the way, and are sold into slavery ending up in Sodom.

There is a definite "Monty Python" look and feel to the film, and the jokes seem to come at breakneck speed at times. Most are funny. Some take a minute to sink in. And others are downright sacrilegious.

You can imagine what happens when they encounter Adam and Eve (Harold Ramis and Rhoda Griffis), Cain and Abel (David Cross and Paul Rudd), and Abraham (Hank Azaria).

In an interview with MTV, Cera described it as a comedy set in Biblical times with Black's character, Zed, looking for some kind of meaning for his life.

Overall, Black and Cera pull it off, and seem to have a summer smash hit on their hands - and probably a cult following.

The movie is rated PG-13 for crude and sexual content throughout, brief strong language and comic violence. This is a last minute change as the original rating had been "R".

Watch "Year One" Movie Trailer


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Thursday, October 2, 2008

The Secret Life Of Bees - Early Review And Movie Trailer

"The Secret Life Of Bees" pairs the unusual combination of Dakota Fanning and Queen Latifah, in a truly deep and emotional film about learning what having a real family is all about.

Set in South Carolina during 1960's, the film tells the story Lily Owens (Dakota Fanning), a 14 year-old girl who is troubled by the memory of her mother's death. To escape her isolated surroundings and difficult relationship with her father, Lily runs away with Rosaleen (Jennifer Hudson), her caretaker and only friend, to a South Carolina town that Lily believes holds the secret to her mother's past.

Taken in by the intelligent and business-minded Boatwright sisters (Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and Sophie Okonedo), Lily finds comfort in their fascinating world of beekeeping, honey and the Black Madonna. Along the way, she learns what it means to be surrounded by people who love her - as family. But at the same time she gets to see first hand how segregation and racism, that was previously unknown to Lily, effects the lives of those she has learned to love.

It is a gripping movie that shows us adults that sometimes the pureness of a child's love can transcend hatred, racism and adversity, and how prejudices can exist for generations simply out of ignorance.

"The Secret Life Of Bees" is scheduled to open October 17, 2008 and is rated PG-13 for minor violence and adult themes. The film was written and directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood, and based on the novel by Sue Monk Kidd.

Watch "The Secret Life Of Bees" Movie Trailer With Dakota Fanning


Dakota Fanning can be seen again in February in the animated family film "Coraline", starring Fanning as the voice of Coraline, and Teri Hatcher as the voice of her mother. Adapted from the best-selling book, Coraline is the story of a curious girl (Fanning) who unlocks a mysterious door in her family's new home and enters into an adventure in a parallel reality.
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Friday, September 19, 2008

Ricky Gervais And Greg Kinnear Ready For "Ghost Town" - Review And Movie Trailer

You can always tell when summer is drawing to a close. The movies start to get a little better in anticipation of the Thanksgiving and Christmas blockbuster season.

On deck is "Ghost Town" starring Greg Kinnear and Ricky Gervais.

In real life, Ricky Gervais does not believe in ghosts, but put them on a movie screen and he's more than happy to see dead people.

Gervais, who stars in the supernatural romantic comedy "Ghost Town" told reporters at the Toronto Film Festival:

"I'm a skeptic across-the-board on ghosts and things like ESP and the afterlife. But it doesn't change the fact that the romance of Hollywood lets you take someone on a journey against their will, really, if it's done well."

"Ghost Town" casts Gervais as cynical New York dentist Bertram Pincus, who loves his job because people can't talk to him while he's working on them.

A near-death experience while under anesthesia for a Colonoscopy leaves Pincus with the ability to see ghosts - and they appear to him everywhere, in the park, at his office, in the bathroom, and in his bedroom. Pincus is the only person who can allow them to finally rest in peace, but only if he is willing to help them clear up unfinished business they have with the people they loved while still alive.

Greg Kinnear co-stars as Frank Herlihy, a manipulative adulterer in life who continues his devious ways after he's killed in a freak sidewalk accident. Frank promises Pincus that he can make the annoying ghosts go away forever if he will break up the approaching marriage of his widow, Gwen Herlihy (Tea Leoni).

"Ghost Town" runs 102 minutes, and is due in theaters September 19. The film is rated PG-13 for some strong language, sexual humor and drug references.

This movie may be a good way to usher out the dull summer sophomoric comedies, and get the ball rolling toward the upcoming fall blockbusters.

Watch Greg Kinnear And Ricky Gervais In "Ghost Town" Movie Trailer

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Friday, September 12, 2008

Brad Pitt And George Clooney In "Burn After Reading" - Early Review And Movie Trailer

Brad Pitt and George Clooney are in Venice Italy this week for the Venice Film Festival, but more importantly they are showing off their latest film project "Burn After Reading".

The comedy was directed by the infamous Coen brothers and is due in U.S. theaters in September.
The film, which premiered Wednesday at the Film Festival, is a story about dumb criminals and idiots - and what happens when their worlds intersect.

Brad Pitt and Frances McDormand play two unlucky gym employees who get into big trouble when the journal of an unsuccessful CIA agent, John Malkovich, falls into their hands, and they attempt to sell them as classified national intelligence secrets. George Clooney portrays an always-sick, big spender having a romantic fling with the CIA agent's unhappy wife, played by Tilda Swinton.

"Burn Without Reading" is set within a spy story for no other reason than "we hadn't done one before," Joel Coen told reporters at the festival.

If you have ever seen a Coen brother's movie you already have an idea of what to expect with "Burn After reading". It is sure to make you laugh, and may be the highlight of the late summer doldrums that plague us each year with sophomoric humor after the big epics like "Iron Man" and "Indiana Jones" are just a faded memory.

Watch The "Burn Before Reading Movie Trailer"


Brad Pitt will also be seen this Christmas in the fantasy mystery film "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button", also starring Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swanson, a film that tells the story of Benjamin Button, a man who starts aging backwards with bizarre consequences.

George Clooney is currently filming "The Fantastic Mr. Fox", due in November 2009, and also stars Cate Blanchett. The film is an animated family adventure comedy about angry farmers who get tired of sharing their chickens with a sly fox and look to get rid of their opponent and his family.
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Saturday, August 30, 2008

"Disaster Movie" Will Make You Laugh - Review And Movie Trailer

When the world is threatened… When our lives are at risk… Who can save us?

You can tell summer is drawing to a close when films like "Disaster Movie" start showing up in theaters. The big Spring epics are behind us, and movie studios are preparing for the Thanksgiving through Christmas release of the next wave of blockbusters.

In the meantime, we have to wade through the jungle of high school comedies that will be with us for another two months.

"Disaster Movie" is one of those flicks you will either love or hate, a throwback to the "Airplane" and "Scary Move" style of comedy. The plot is simple: Over the course of one evening, an unsuspecting group of twenty-somethings find themselves bombarded by a series of natural disasters and catastrophic events.

And the scenes are full of parody, sometimes razor sharp, with impersonated cameos from Hollywood's biggest celebrities, in a setting that says what you and I would like to say, but just can't muster the nerve.

It's all here in "Disaster Movie". You don't even have to try - it just comes at you over and over, with jokes and celebrity ribbing that will have you laughing just thinking about what went on during the filming of this movie.

There are appearances from Iron Man, Hanna Montana, Amy Winehouse, The Incredible Hulk, Will Smith as Hancock and a funny "Juno" meets "The Zohan" scene that is hilarious.

This is a movie for those people who have seen way too many movies this summer, and know way too much about them. You won't recognize any of the real actors, but you will recognize the actors they are spoofing.

Justin Timberlake, Hellboy, Kung Fu Panda, Enchanted, Desperate Housewives, Sex And The City, Indiana Jones - they're all here. You will recognize every joke, every jab and every impersonation.

"Disaster Movie" is the perfect way to say good-bye to summer and get ready for round two of the epic blockbuster movies hiding just around the corner.

Watch the "Disaster Movie" Movie Trailer

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