It’s political season once again and that means it’s time for the madness to commence!  It seems as though Hollywood’s ‘elite’ are parlaying their celebrity status into becoming ’politicial analysts’ every chance someone shoves a microphone in their face.  Nothing new, we saw this same ordeal during the last Presidential election.  Of course, it was to no avail.  Personally, I take their ‘endorsements’ about as seriously as I would take grooming advice from Michael Moore.  Don’t get me wrong, there are some actors that appear to have done their homework in the area of politics and can convey their viewpoints in a way that comes off as intelligent and well thought out.  To these individuals, I have no qualms -except for the ones who whine consistently and ‘threaten’ to move to another country if they don’t ‘get their way’…those guys should just take the next plane outta here because apparently their a bunch of ingrates who’ve forgotten exactly why their able to afford that plane ticket (or the ability to make such statements for that matter).  I’m not blasting their right to free speech.  My gripe is that Hollywood celebrities do NOT represent middle-America…

So Susan Sarandon and Gwenyth Paltrow are going to move to another country if McCain becomes our next president?  I think I speak for the majority when I say “so what?!!”  Quit whining and do something positive to support your ideology.  Mother Theresa had the right idea…she once said that she would never attend an anti-war rally but if there was a pro-peace rally, she’d be there.  Basically what these celebs fail to acknowledge or realize is that the only thing they are spreading is the flow of negative thoughts and ideas.  Instead of protesting the war, McCain and conservatives far and wide, do something positive.  Adopt babies.  Hold fundraisers for wounded soldiers rather than Presidential candidates.  Build schools and shelters.  Help the women of Darfur, but for God sakes…shut the hell up about your political rants because none of us really care! 

Plus, I always get the impression that it’s all monkey see, monkey do with these guys.  Okay, Oprah is backing Obama…well, that means every A-list celeb will be attending his fundraisers.  PEEE-UKE!

 

Say it isn’t so!  Another celebrity has put out an album and it’s…Scarlett Johansson???  Following in the footsteps of her predecessors (an impressive list to say the least -Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Lindsey Lohan, Jennifer –uh, I mean, J-Lo…etc.), Miss Johansson officially ‘dropped’ her album, Anywhere I Lay My Head in May 2008.  After listening to it for the first time, here’s what I have discovered… 

Either I just don’t ‘get-it’ or today’s music critics have gone soft.  I guess they feel obligated to give likable people favorable reviews.  Fortunately, I don’t have that problem.  And since I doubt we’ll ever be in the same room together, there’s no need for me to pucker up. 

Let’s face it, what separates Johansson from the heard (see aforementioned list) is the likability factor, which I am convinced is the reason why her debut album is being described as “the best-ever album by an actor” –according to the extremely credible New York Times.  Well, big whoop –again, see aforementioned list.  But the article goes on to compare her vocal styling to Nico from Velvet Underground??!!  I’m definitely going to have to call BS! http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/04/confirmed_scarlett_johansson_m.html

Another critic goes on to describe it as, “…a brilliant album that will no doubt top some ‘best of 2008’ lists.”

http://www.nme.com/reviews/scarlett-johansson/9660. 

Crap! Maybe I mistakenly listed to something else??!!

Overall, the music isn’t too bad, but it’s nothing special.  And, as painful as it is for me to say, I would have to give her vocal abilities a ‘c’ at best -and that’s based on the finished product (post-production).  So upon review I suppose the lesson learned here is how to master the perfect recipe for musical success: take one Hollywood ‘it’ girl, add a bunch of cover tunes and a dash of Bowie (he sings back-up on a couple of songs), mix heavily and enjoy (or not)!

I recently had the opportunity to watch Steven Okazaki’s powerful documentary entitled, “White Light, Black Rain: The Destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.”  This film features fourteen of the surviving victims who recount, in vivid detail, the events that occurred when atomic bombs leveled both cities and killed over 200,000 Japanese civilians.  Also interviewed are four Americans closely involved with the bombings and its aftermath. 

The most haunting images are of the stock footage that was taken shortly after the nuclear attacks, which show actual charred remains of individuals reduced to sullen ash and children disfigured and severly burned from the explosion -a subtle reminder of the innocent victims of war.  The archival footage, some of which has never been shown before due to a 25 year ban following the war, includes recorded testing that was performed on victims by American scientists studying the effects of radiation exposure -all of these individuals were observed and not treated in any way.  Since 1946, 160,000 additional people have died from the delayed effects of radiation exposure caused by these events (this does not include the almost 200,000 victims of the initial attack).

The film does not debate whether or not the events that occurred on August 6 & 9, 1945 were necessary to end the war, but leaves final judgement up to its viewer.  I would reccomend everyone see this film at least once so that we as a society may better understand why it is imperative for us to END NUCLEAR WARFARE! 

The film closes with a chilling statistic that reads: There are enough nuclear weapons in the world today, to cause 400,000 Hiroshimas.  I can’t even imagine.

For a complete bio on the film, I encourage you to visit: http://www.farfilm.com/web/title_wlbr.htm.

an image of one of the many paintings created by survivors depicting the events that transpired

I just love, love, love Sarah Jessica Parker.  She has that ‘movie star’ quality that seems only to be reserved for the stars of yester-year, the Marylin Monroes and the Audrey Hepburns…You certainly don’t get that kind of style and grace (or anything reminiscent of either for that matter) with today’s Hollywood “it” girls like Lindsey Lohan or Tarah Reed (okay, so Tarah Reed isn’t exactly an “it” girl, but her trashy behavior helps illustrate my hypothesis). And you certainly don’t see it in those girls who are famous for being famous like Paris Hilton and her on-again/off-again sidekick Nicole Richie. Nor do you see it in those pop stars turned tabloid tragedies like Britney Spears or Amy Whinehouse…should I continue?? 

SJP, on the other hand, has both style, and most importantly, grace and I find it incredibly refreshing.  Okay, so the hat she wore at the London premiere was a little kookey, but does that mean she deserves all of the nasty publicity she’s received since then?  I think not.  It seems as though her garden-inspired accessory has served as a catalyst for name-calling and personal blows that are just down right mean.  Shame on these so-called journalists and movie critics for resorting to tabloid tactics by using hateful headlines in order to entice readers. 

Searching for the first reviews of the Sex and the City movie, I found more articles about the outfit that SJP wore to the premiere than I did on the actual premiere itself.  Have we become that shallow that movie reviews are now about what the actors are wearing rather than their acting ability or the content of their films? Apparently I’m not the only one who found this disenchanting.  Heather Muse from The Village Voice, retaliated to the mindless dribble by writing:

“First of all, the “SJP as horse” comment is thoroughly unoriginal, but it’s indicative of the superficiality of the SATC media blitz. (To be fair, the News did run two letters today by readers outraged by the comment, one of which noted Parker’s accomplishments as an actor, producer and fashion designer.) When coverage emphasizes so much of the surface and not any of the depth, then derisive comments about one’s looks are bound to appear…”

for full article: http://blogs.villagevoice.com/runninscared/archives/2008/05/a_horseface_is.php

And let’s be real, she still looked fabulous at the London premeiere dispite her choice in head wear.

The Queen of Pop is back and hotter than ever!  Madonna celebrated the release of her latest album, “Hard Candy,” by putting on a *free* (yes, that’s right, FREE) concert Wednesday night at the Roseland Ballroom in Manhattan.  The show, which was streamlined live on the web and on cell phones world wide, was nothing short of magical with state-of-the art special effects, kick-ass choreography and a ‘surprise’ appearance by Justin Timberlake…At almost 50 years of age, Madonna has once again proven that she is still THE pop superstar of our generation.  For nearly 3 decades, she’s managed to simultaneously shock and entertain fans of all ages, constantly reinventing herself and pushing boundaries with both her music and her explosive sexuality.

I still remeber vitage Madonna, trotting around in her black tutus and fingerless lace gloves, singing ’Holiday’ and ‘Material Girl’  à la Marylin Monroe.  This was around the time she kicked off her Like a Virgin tour with the Beastie Boys (another one of my favorites!).  No one could figure out why these two decided to tour together…they were polar opposites!  Yet today you can clearly see the similarities…both have managed to successfully develop a sound and style that not only transcends time, but appeals to the masses. 

All of that aside, the REAL reason why I’m all ga-ga over Madge is because she makes me feel optimistic about the female aging process and my desirability to men, post youth…plus, the fact that hot guys almost half her age (hot guys like Justin Timberlake) are still happily bumpin’ and grindin’ all over her, only sweetens the preverbial pot!  Fifty here I come!!! (later, of course…much, much later…especially since I’ve taken to lying about my age…)

So last weekend my friends and I decided to go see the movie, Forgetting Sarah Marshall.  It’s the latest comedic installment from director/producer Judd Apatow -who is also known for his hit movies: Anchorman, The 40-Year-Old Virgin, Talladega Nights, Knocked Up, Superbad, Walk Hard:The Dewey Cox Story…just to name a few…

What can I say about Forgetting Sarah Marshall that hasn’t been said already…I laughed, I cried -okay, I didn’t really cry- but I came close to it during one scene when I laughed so hard, I pee-ed myself a little.  I won’t attempt to summarize the movie as most of you already know the jest: guy gets dumped by hot actress girlfriend, goes to Hawaii in an attempt to mend his broken heart, guy bumps into ex with new rock star boyfriend…a string of mishaps ensue.  So much for NOT summarizing!     

I’m sure everyone has heard by now that there’s a lot of full frontal which was at first funny, then after a while uncomfortably strange… The real buzz, however, is all about British funny-man, Russell Brand, who during the film successfully manages to steal every scene he’s in, upstaging the rest of his cast mates-rather difficult considering he plays opposite the über talented, Kristen Bell a.k.a. Veronica Mars…hey!  Whatever happened to that show?  Oh yeah, it got cancelled because it was totally crappy. Any-who…I have to give the film an overall B+.  True to form, Apatow makes Forgetting Sarah Marshall a cringe-inducing good time!

I’ve been anxioulsy awaiting the Sex and the City movie premiere!  When the initial deal went kaput -shortly after the season finale, I was heart-broken.  There were so many questions left unanswered….the bigest one (no pun intended) being…what will become of Carrie and Big??? Will they break-up again???  Will they get married???  And what about that lovable tawdry slut, Samantha?  You can’t possibly tell me she’s decided to curtail her sexual deviancy in order to play house with Mr. ‘Smith’??!!  No, no, no!  It can’t be! 

These four girls can’t go on to live seemingly normal lives!  What hope does that leave for the rest of us middle-aged women (okay, so I’m not quite thirty yet, but I’m close…kinda)?  Now who will we reference when addressing those nay-sayers, poo-pooing our decision to live a life of adventure as a post-pubescent-mid-to-late-thirty-something single woman (yeah, yeah, yeah, I’m not even thirty, yet) who choose to date an array of eligible bachelors, engaging in meaning less sexcapades, with no immediate plans to ‘settle down.’ 

Sluts? Spinsters?  Whatever!  Carrie, Samantha, Miranda and Charlotte, you rule!  To you ladies, I tip my hat and say ‘thanks.’  And it is because of you, Carrie, I am not ashamed to spend my rent money on decorative footwear (my feet thank you, too)!  I may not have a roof over my head come next month, but at least I can say, “I’m fabulous!” BTW -it’s not called being irresponsible, it’s called being fashionable.  So a toast to my Cosmo-swigging gal pals!  I’ll see you again, soon…on the silver screen…that’s if I can get someone to pay my way in…I spent my movie money on some new earrings…anyone got ten bucks??