I should probably preface this entry by saying I was pretty indecisive on whether or not to go see this screening. I had just caught Step Up 2 on TV last week and even though that one was pretty painful, I figured why not! At the very least I’ll see some great dancing. Okay, so all that to say… that is two hours of my life I’ll never get back! lol Within the first few moments it was obvious the story was gonna be super cheesy and very forced. The film tries way too hard to be “cool” and to me it comes off very silly. I don’t know if it’s just me getting “old” or being out of it…but the dance battles I remember were never like the ones in the movie and I doubt they’re like that now. So, maybe this film would be better off in a fantasy or sci-fi category! I’m not sure it needed to be 3D, but I guess they needed a gimmick to sell it. I’m sure there was lots of GREAT choreography going on, but again, just too much was happening where you couldn’t even see the full choreo to focus or the camera angles just kept changing up so it was hard to follow. I’m probably old school when watching dance, but I love to see the formations and technique too. Yes, this is a “teenie booper” type flick and I probably should’ve just skipped it altogether… It’s SUPER cheesy with the contrived storyline and lack of chemistry with the actors. And, in addition to the 3D gimmick, the effects came off funny to me too. It was just too “silly” for me!
Inception…where do I begin!?!? This film is a complex, fantasmic (yes, I’m making up this word because ‘fantasy’ is not enough), mind-blowing ride that put my brain to the test. I went into this screening without really knowing anything about it, so instead of sitting back to relax and simply “watch” the film…I was sucked into a layered story where the lines between reality, fantasy and dream are blurred form the jump! It’s tough to answer the question “Is it good?” I mean, it’s a crazy wild ride that will have your wheels turning from start to end. Leonardo DiCaprio did a GREAT job in the leading role, paying this expert (mind) “extractor” who is battling his own issues within his mind and subconscious. There is action and a sense of adventure, fantasy and suspense…weaved in with a love story and action-filled scenes. There are some very cool special effects too, but I think it’s the unthinkable, yet believable story line that makes it so great! It’s an uber crazy concept about our dreams and the power of the mind while we sleep… I do have a few dream books that I’ll look at from time to time to maybe help me understand what last night’s dream was all about, but Inception introduces ideas and takes imagination to a whole ‘nother level. It feels like any dream you’ve had on any given night that felt so real, but when you wake up you realize it never even happened! Joseph Gordon-Levitt co-stars in this film as DiCaprio’s right hand, he’s come a long way from 10 Things I Hate About You! I also enjoyed the beautifully sweet Marion Cotilliard from Public Enemies, who is also in the film as DiCaprio’s wife who’s sort of caught in the “matrix.” Overall it is a wonderful film, so original and thought-provoking, compared to what’s been out as of late. My best advice is to literally go into it with a clear head, cuz this movie had my head (and thoughts) spinning for hours after exiting the theater!
I checked out Disney’s Sorcerer’s Apprentice last week…it opens today in theaters. First of all I really Enjoy Nicholas Cage movies from Con Air to Face Off, the National Treasure series and When Peggy Sue Got Married, etc…. he’s a great actor! This film does not disappoint, it’s another great Disney film, fun and full of magic and fantasy. The only part I had trouble with was the shift from a medieval time frame with Merlin to modern day NYC where magic seems so much more commercialized…and the film poked fun at that too. Jay Baruchel from “She’s Out of My League” does a great job of playing the nerdy, geeky apprentice…who comes into his sorcery and eventually “mans up!” So all in all, I liked it. It was fun.
WOW! Dwyane Wade is staying, Chris Bosh has arrived and LeBron James is on his way! Who would’ve ever predicted a year ago that these 3 All-Stars would be playing for the Miami HEAT!?
While Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade had made their Miami announcement yesterday…I wasn’t convinced LBJ would be joining them. I guess in my heart (and being an NBA fan,) I couldn’t help but think LeBron in NYC was best for the game…plus I like the Knicks coaching staff (PHX alums) – BUT I am happy he’s in Miami and going to play for the HEAT!
I drove by the American Airlines Arena shortly after the announcement where fans were honking and celebrating in the streets…they also had the ESPN special airing on the gigantic mesh screen on the front of the arena… The news vans were stacked up along Biscayne BLVD and there is a vibe of new life in the Magic City air!
So, it seems South Beach will now be HOTTER than ever..and maybe I gotta figure out a way to stay…honestly I had felt like I had outgrown Miami, but this is incentive to try and grow my role with the HEAT and HEAT TV. Regardless, expect to see me and my boy Burnie in the stands come game time!
Recently I’ve been looking over my work from past years, and I decided that I’m going to start posting “throwback” clips every Friday, of some of my favorite stories and memorable interviews! To kick off this “series” I’ve decided to go back to August 2007 for the Rush Hour 3 (Miami Beach) Red Carpet Premiere, when I interviewed Brett Ratner LIVE on Deco Drive! He invited me to the after party, the after after party and earlier in the day he had said he’d put me in Rush Hour 4….I’m still waiting to be cast – if the 4th installment ever comes to fruition – but at least I have him on tape committing to me! ha
I did attend the “after” party at Forge, but not the after, AFTER party! Here’s a couple shots from the red carpet!
Loved rockin’ the Just Cavalli (by Roebrto Cavalli) dress, compliments of Neiman Marcus Bal Harbour
Photo credits goes to ImageMastersPhotography.net and ASPN.com
LIKED IT…a lot! Walt Disney’s Prince of Persia is an action-packed adventure that’s SO MUCH fun to watch. I definitely expected it to be good, and it surpassed my expectations. The film had great pictures, cinematography and special effects, while Jake Gyllenhaal did a fantastic job as the bronzed hero figure! I will say the story was nothing too new…it had that epic feel of “once up on a time, in a land far, far away” and at times it felt reminiscent of Gladiator, where only one man can save the day. During the film I found myself clenching down on my jaw and all tensed up as just when you thought it was going to be okay….something had to go wrong! Ha!! Nonetheless, it kept me on the edge of my seat and was interesting enough to keep me guessing which direction it’d turn to next. Not only is there action and adventure, but there’s quick wit and romance too (between a prince and a princess), all the ingredients of an epic fairytale. I tend to enjoy period pieces and films that fall in line with 300, Gladiator, Braveheart, etc… so now I can add another one to that list!
Sex and the City 2 opens this Friday and I was lucky enough to watch it ahead of time!! The movie is everything you expect it to be… The fashion, the shoes, the wit and of course its four leading ladies. This time around, they get a little bit of international adventure in there as well! When it comes to fashion, the film pulls out all the stops, and in watching it I couldn’t help but think I would never be bold enough to rock some of that stuff in my everyday life. First of all, the stiletto’s are to die for…some of the best footwear out, but these days, I can barely last a few hours in heels…much less walk the streets of NYC in them! And – while I love each character’s style, it’s just outrageous – BUT that’s the fun of it all. Anyway, I don’t want to say too much, or give specifics since it’s not out yet, but it IS fun. Grab your girlfriends and enjoy!
While I was in NYC last week, I took the opportunity to use Central Park as my backdrop for a new episode of On The Flipside! I’ve taken a 2 month break from producing new episodes, but I finally managed to crank one out…#22! And in the midst of losing my hard drive, I had to re-edit 2 of these segments which were already done, and re-upload all the graphics, etc.. to get this show done..BUT MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!
This episode features Common who’s the leading man in new movie “Just Wright,” which opens up today. There are a bunch of NBA cameo’s in the film, including Dwyane Wade, Dwight Howard, Rashard Lewis, Jalen Rose and ESPN personality Stuart Scott…so of course I had to post the interviews! Then I included a feature segment on the Orlando Magic’s Matt Barnes, another on the Buffalo Bills Aaron Maybin and this show’s sideline distraction is Tamae Ishii! Take 10 minutes to tune in!! http://ontheflipsidetv.com
