Friday, July 24, 2009

So You Think You Can Suck?


So You Think You Can Dance stands as my favorite reality show on television, so I get really upset when anyone comes on and tries to sabotage it. Case-in-point: Katie Holmes.

As Tom Cruise’s wife one of the founding members of the Dizzy Feet Foundation (an amazing foundation that brings arts to underprivileged children – read more and feel free to donate here) producers of Dance asked Holmes to perform on the show’s 100th Episode celebration Thursday night. And I assume that means Tom Cruise told producers to ask her or she wouldn’t be donating any of his money to the foundation. But anyway, Holmes’ big number a rendition of Judy Garland’s 1950 performance of “Get Happy.” I’m still deciding whether or not it was a coincidence that a piece was picked in which Holmes would do a whopping none of the dancing.

Anycrap – Holmes took the stage … weeks ago … to pre-record her performance. And all they got out of it was lazy lip-syncing to weak vocals. That’s right: lip-syncing to her own voice in a pre-recorded performance.

Despite all that, though, judge Mary Murphy told the crowd, “I bet Judy Garland’s giving Katie a standing ovation in heaven.” If by “standing ovation” Mary means “the finger,” then yes, that’s probably what Garland was doing. And Dance’s producer Nigel told Garland’s son, who was sitting in the audience, that he must have been thrilled to see that. We’re betting her son was looking for an apology instead.

If I was a child watching that performance last night, the only way I’d be interested in Dizzy Feet Foundation would be if they could guarantee I wouldn’t be as bad as Katie Holmes. I’d rather emulate someone in the arts who can, you know, actually act, dance and/or sing.

The video of Holmes’ performance is below, but fair warning: it’s not something you’ll be able to unsee.


Monday, July 13, 2009

Quick Quips for July 13th

"Comedy always works best when it is mean-spirited."
- John Cleese

Friday, July 10, 2009

Young Old Hollywood!

We apologize for the lack of regular posts lately. Kristine and I have been keeping busy with you’re average tasks – movie premiere red carpets (::cough::HarryPotter::cough::), interviewing celebs...you know, the usual. But just because we’ve been cavorting with young Hollywood (and I use the word "cavorting" loosely), doesn’t mean we’ve forgotten about the past! And how appropriate that Vanity Fair just did a photoshoot featuring young actors and actresses recreating films from the 1930s. Usually we get a little picky with photos like these, but these are actually done quite well. Check 'em out!


James Marsden and Rose Byrne recreate It Happened One Night


Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried do My Man Godfrey


A whole bunch of people recreating 42nd Street

Click here for more!

Quick Quips for July 10th

"Drama is life with the dull bits cut out."
- Alfred Hitchcock

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Quick Quips for July 8th

"I hate a man who always says yes to me. When I say no I like a man who also says no."
- Samuel Goldwyn

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Pecking Order!



Did you know Gregory Peck’s got a grandson in the biz? His name’s Ethan Peck, he’s 22, and he’s on that new ABC Family show (that no one will watch), 10 Things I Hate About You. He’s playing the role Heath Ledger originated in the movie version. The show’s premiering tonight, actually, so if you wanna check out Gregory Peck’s lineage in action, now would be the time! You might have also seen Ethan in the Mary Kate & Ashley Olsen flick Passport to Paris, and he appeared in a movie called Tennessee, co-starring Mariah Carey. Hey, we never said he had his grandfather’s good taste. Fortunately, he did inherit the looks.

Quick Quips for July 7th

"My only regret in the theatre is that I could never sit out front and watch me."
-John Barrymore

Monday, July 6, 2009

Public Enemies Starring Johnny Depp and...Clark Gable?



The new Johnny Depp gangster flick Public Enemies opened in theaters last week - not to be confused with James Cagney’s 1931 film The Public Enemy (although Cagney does manage to get a shoutout). J. Depp and Co. explore the true story of notorious bank robber John Dillinger’s downfall. The movie, which co-stars Christian Bale (sans Batman voice) as an FBI agent hot on Dillinger’s trail, fell just short of my expectations – and fell short of topping the box office (but was that any surprise considering Transformers and Ice Age: 3D?). At times a bit slow moving, Public Enemies just didn’t pack the punch I thought I would. What saves it from being a complete disappointment, though, is a clean-shaven Depp (I swear that man does not age), Marion Cotillard’s performance…and a very special little cameo by Clark Gable.

[Spoiler Alert!] It’s towards the end of the movie, Dillinger’s about to get caught, and what is he doing? Sitting in a movie theater watching Manhattan Melodrama, the 1934 flick starring Gable, William Powell and Myrna Loy. Gable plays a morally-challenged racketeer and Powell plays his friend on the opposite side of the law - a district attorney. In Public Enemies, Gable’s character resonates with Dillinger, and seeing footage from the old film certainly resonated with me. Don't you love when the past and present collide? In real life, Dillinger was gunned down outside Chicago’s Biograph Theater after seeing the movie. He got his own cinematic ending right there on the pavement. But hey, I guess there are worse ways to go. Just ask Clark Gable and his good pal Old Sparky.

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Quick Quips for July 2nd

"They've got great respect for the dead in Hollywood, but none for the living."
- Errol Flynn