Ryan Gosling in 'The Place Beyond the Pines' - Photo Credit: Atsushi Nishijima/Focus Features
Ryan Gosling was – unfortunately – missing from the big screen in 2012, however, 2013 will be a much better year for Gosling fans. He’ll be seen in Gangster Squad in early January and then he reunites with his Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance for The Place Beyond the Pines. The cast also includes Bradley Cooper, Eva Mendes, Rose Byrne, Dane DeHaan, Gabe Fazio, Bruce Greenwood, and Ray Liotta.
The Plot:
The highly anticipated new drama from director Derek Cianfrance powerfully explores the consequences of motorcycle rider Luke’s (Gosling) fateful decision to commit a crime to support his child. The incident renders him targeted by policeman Avery (Cooper), and the two men become locked on a tense collision course which will have a devastating impact on both of their families in the years following.
Dogs, cats, and a rubber ducky all made CNN’s best ‘distractions’ of 2012 compilation video. My personal favorite? The momma cat hugging her kitty. Second favorite? The dental patient who has no clue where she is or what’s going on.
It’s Paranormal Activity that gets poked fun of in this first trailer from the comedy movie, Scary Movie 5. Anna Faris passed on returning to the franchise so this time around we have a new leading lady in the form of Ashley Tisdale. The cast also includes Simon Rex, Molly Shannon, Erica Ash, Lindsay Lohan, and Charlie Sheen.
The Plot:
In the film, snooty, aloof, imperious, and oversexed French dance company director Pierre is putting on a new production. Jody (Tisdale), a Caucasian late-20s mother of two and her late-20s African American friend Kendra (Ash) are both vying for the lead in the production. Jody’s extremely controlling former dancer mother is determined that Jody will have the brilliant career that eluded her. The highly skilled mid-30s Diva veteran dancer with the company, Heather Daltry (Shannon), gets cut from the production and goes berserk.
Although it’s bleeped, this video is probably not safe for work as Jimmy Kimmel creates bleeps where no bleeps actually existed to make innocent clips into R-rated naughty ones. Everyone from President Obama and VP Joe Biden to the blue team on Hell’s Kitchen winds up looking like they’re up to no good in this funny video from Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Navy SEALs fight through a dust storm in the quest for bin Laden. (Photo: Jonathan Olley)Acting CIA Director Michael Morell made the rare move of addressing the controversy surrounding Zero Dark Thirty in a letter posted on the CIA’s official website.
The letter reads:
“December 21, 2012
I would not normally comment on a Hollywood film, but I think it important to put Zero Dark Thirty, which deals with one of the most significant achievements in our history, into some context. The film, which premiered this week, addresses the successful hunt for Usama Bin Ladin that was the focus of incredibly dedicated men and women across our Agency, Intelligence Community, and military partners for many years. But in doing so, the film takes significant artistic license, while portraying itself as being historically accurate.
What I want you to know is that Zero Dark Thirty is a dramatization, not a realistic portrayal of the facts. CIA interacted with the filmmakers through our Office of Public Affairs but, as is true with any entertainment project with which we interact, we do not control the final product.
It would not be practical for me to walk through all the fiction in the film, but let me highlight a few aspects that particularly underscore the extent to which the film departs from reality.
– First, the hunt for Usama Bin Ladin was a decade-long effort that depended on the selfless commitment of hundreds of officers. The filmmakers attributed the actions of our entire Agency—and the broader Intelligence Community—to just a few individuals. This may make for more compelling entertainment, but it does not reflect the facts. The success of the May 1st 2011 operation was a team effort—and a very large team at that.
– Second, the film creates the strong impression that the enhanced interrogation techniques that were part of our former detention and interrogation program were the key to finding Bin Ladin. That impression is false. As we have said before, the truth is that multiple streams of intelligence led CIA analysts to conclude that Bin Ladin was hiding in Abbottabad. Some came from detainees subjected to enhanced techniques, but there were many other sources as well. And, importantly, whether enhanced interrogation techniques were the only timely and effective way to obtain information from those detainees, as the film suggests, is a matter of debate that cannot and never will be definitively resolved.
– Third, the film takes considerable liberties in its depiction of CIA personnel and their actions, including some who died while serving our country. We cannot allow a Hollywood film to cloud our memory of them.
Commentators will have much to say about this film in the weeks ahead. Through it all, I want you to remember that Zero Dark Thirty is not a documentary. What you should also remember is that the Bin Ladin operation was a landmark achievement by our country, by our military, by our Intelligence Community, and by our Agency.
Singer Heather Brave and her guitar are all that’s needed as she covers Rihanna’s hit “Diamonds” in this music video from director Carl Timpone. SRP Music Group, the company “responsible for finding and developing Rihanna,” just signed the singer-songwriter who plays guitar and piano – and also acts.
“When an artist sings for us, we know almost immediately if they have that ‘wow factor’. Heather definitely has it and a great look/personality to go with it, which is a rare combination! We are happy to welcome her to the SRP family!” stated SRP’s Evan Rogers.
SRP Music discovered Rihanna on a trip to Barbados and brought her to Jay-Z and L.A. Reid at Def Jam Records where she was signed to a contract almost immediately. Recently, Rihanna posted a picture of herself at 15 on instagram with her thanks to SRP: “#throwbackRiRi the day I met and sang for Evan Rogers of SRP after school, my life has never been the same since I took this pic at 15.”
Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona Glenanne, Bruce Campbell as Sam Axe, Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen, and Lochlyn Munro as Dr. Valdecastro in ‘Burn Notice’ (Photo by Glenn Watson/USA Network)
“Mike, you made me a promise. Now you look me in the eyes and swear to me you’re going to make this right,” says a dying Sam Ax (Bruce Campbell). “I swear I’m going to make it right Sam, Sam, SAM!” yells Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) to his unconscious best friend in the sixth season finale of the action/drama series Burn Notice.
Since executing his ex-mentor and friend Card after discovering he had been involved in originally getting him burned and tried to kill Mike and his friends while he was on a mission in Panama, Michael, Sam, Fiona, and Jesse have been relentlessly pursued by an obsessed CIA operative determined to bring in Westen dead or alive.
Just when the gang’s almost ready to leave the country, they get betrayed by the man who was supposed to aid their escape. While trying to get away, Jesse (Coby Bell) gets captured by CIA agents and Sam gets shot. Michael manages to make it back to the safe house with Sam and the CIA operative who shot him. After failing to extract any information from their prisoner, Michael and Fi let him get a hold of a phone and call special agent Riley (Sonja Sohn) so they can trace the call to find where Jesse is being held captive.
After rescuing Jesse from Riley and her goons with a gas attack, Michael and Fi return back to the safe house to find Sam in even worse shape. Realizing Sam had been underplaying how serious his wound was, he told them the bullet only grazed him, Fi calls an old surgeon friend of hers and tells him to expect them. As Fi speeds across Florida’s roads to get to the surgeon’s house, Michael holds a now dying Sam in his arms in the back seat. As Sam makes Michael swear to him that he will “make it right,” he passes out and seems to be on the brink of death. Michael, realizing he’s about to lose his best friend forever, uncharacteristically yells at Fiona, “Go Fi Go!”
Action-packed and riveting, the Burn Notice Season Six Finale closes what has been one of the best seasons in the series’ run. Jeffrey Donovan gives his strongest and most emotional performance as Michael Weston, the wronged ex-spy whose fight and struggle to clear his name has robbed him of his little brother Nate and now threatens to end the life of his best friend Sam. Donovan has moments of grief and fear his character rarely ever shows. It’s a performance worthy of an Emmy nomination. Gabrielle Anwar is tougher, sexier, and lovelier than ever as the loyal and loving girlfriend, Fiona. The concern and panic she conveys driving the car while her best friend Sam lies in the back bleeding out is perfect. Bruce Campbell is pitch-perfect as Sam, the retired Navy Seal who’s always willing to put himself in harm’s way for Michael, Fi, Jesse, and Mike’s mom. He’s the moral center of the group and in this episode the one who is facing the possibility of death.
The spy drama known for its top-notch action scenes and explosions ends this season with a two-hour finale with a high-speed race on the road, an obsessive CIA operative who just might be corrupt, two shoot-outs – including a drug cartel, a motorcycle chase around and through a hospital, and a chase and showdown on the ocean with the Coast Guard. Once again there is more action in this two-hour television series than in most big-screen action films, and it’s far more original than most.
With such high-caliber performances, excellent action scenes, wonderful writing, and a cast that has perfect chemistry, it’s going to be extremely difficult to wait until June for the brand new seventh season of Burn Notice.
Rebel Wilson hosts the MTV Movie Awards - Photo Credit: John ShearerScene-stealer Rebel Wilson (Bridesmaids, Pitch Perfect) has been tapped to host the MTV Movie Awards set for April 14, 2013. According to the MTV announcement, Wilson will “redefine the MTV Movie Awards with her top secret plans.”
Gael Garcia Bernal in 'No'The race has narrowed and just nine foreign films remain standing. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences says that of the 71 films in consideration, nine will advance to the next round of voting.
Austria, Amour, Michael Haneke, director;
Canada, War Witch, Kim Nguyen, director;
Chile, No, Pablo Larraín, director;
Denmark, A Royal Affair, Nikolaj Arcel, director;
France, The Intouchables, Olivier Nakache and Eric Toledano, directors;
Iceland, The Deep, Baltasar Kormákur, director;
Norway, Kon-Tiki, Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, directors;
Romania, Beyond the Hills, Cristian Mungiu, director;
Switzerland, Sister, Ursula Meier, director.
The Academy offers this explanation as to what happens to the nine remaining contenders:
– The Phase I committee, consisting of several hundred Los Angeles-based members, screened the 71 eligible films between mid-October and December 17. The group’s top six choices, augmented by three additional selections voted by the Academy’s Foreign Language Film Award Executive Committee, constitute the shortlist.
– The shortlist will be winnowed down to the five nominees by specially invited committees in New York and Los Angeles. They will spend Friday, January 4, through Sunday, January 6, viewing three films each day and then casting their ballots.
The nominees for the 85th Academy Awards will be announced on January 10, 2013. The 2013 Oscars will be presented on February 24, 2013.
Source: Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
Jimmy Fallon revives the old Abbott and Costello “Who’s on first?” skit with the help of Billy Crystal and surprise guest Jerry Seinfeld. Fallon, Crystal and Seinfeld were joined by two members of Fallon’s staff in bringing the classic comedy bit to a new generation of audiences.
Singer Heather Brave and her guitar are all that’s needed as she covers Rihanna’s hit “Diamonds” in this music video from director Carl Timpone. SRP Music Group, the company “responsible for finding and developing Rihanna,” just signed the singer-songwriter who plays guitar and piano – and also acts.
