Author Archive
Skip the Reruns! Living Out the Dog Days of Summer with Smart People on DVD!!
August 21, 2008 | 
Author If you loved Sideways and As Good As it Gets, you might like Smart People, a witty comedy about a smart, yet lovable dysfunctional family with lots to learn. (Oh and that’s an understatement!)
Miramax’s Smart People is available on DVD and Blu-ray TM disc and features a well-rounded cast featuring Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Ellen Page, and Thomas Haden Church including interviews, outakes and deleted scenes.
Directed by first-time feature filmmaker Noam Murro and scripted by novelist Mark Poirier, Smart People features Dennis Quaid as Professor Lawrence Wetherhold, Sarah Jessica Parker as Wetherhold’s and former student — and doctor. Ellen Page plays Quaid’s acidic disposition teenage daughter and Thomas Haden Church as his quirkily amusing under-achieving brother.
The movie revolves around Wetherhold who has lost his wife and his passion for teaching and life and buried himself in his book-leaving his daughter on her own — who has developed quite an attitude and wit. A head injury deposits the professor in the ER where he suddenly has to depend on others including his nearly out of control brother for transportation. , Wetherhold is surprised to find himself attracted to his ER doctor and former ex-student (SJP) and begins to emerge isolation–with surprising reactions and consequences for the entire ensemble.
Review: As long as you don’t expect too much from this film, it will be fine. It’s not rocket science, this is light (emphasis on the light) comedy and there are no seriously great performances here (some appear to be phoned in), However for summer fare, it’s ideal and perfect for the family if you have the quirky taste in films.
When I was offered this movie to review, the pitch included some films for Sarah Jessica Parker ( Failure to Launch) , Dennis Quaid (Vantage Point) and Ellen Page ( Juno and X-Men. Did you know she was in X-Men? I saw the movie. Never realized she was in it. ) What that does for me as a reviewer is set off warning bells that this might not be such a great movie– particularly when they only referenced one Quaid movie that never made it past opening weekend, and Parker’s Failure to Launch) that failed miserably to launch at the box office.
Short version: The plot was thin, the characters too stock, and the performances weren’t all that hot. It’s ok when you are looking at “repeat tv” or this– because this is at least something new, but don’t expect amazing performances from 4 great actors- because they are not there.
DVD & Blu-ray Bonus Features:
The Smartest People – interviews with the producers, cast and crew
Audio Commentary – view the film with commentary by director Noam Murro and writer Mark Jude Poirier
Not So Smart – a collection of outtakes from the film
Deleted Scenes – nine deleted scenes
Smart People At Sundance – watch exclusive footage from the premiere of Smart People at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival
Available at Bestbuy.com
Suggested Retail Price: DVD: $29.99 US, $35.99 CAN
Blu-ray: $34.99 US, $44.99 CAN
Stevie Wilson
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Well Above Average's Stella Gives " Fly Me to the Moon" Well Above Average Marks!
When Stella is on a film tear, she is really on a roll. We have been talking about movies now for a couple of weeks. I got the screeners for Smart People (read that later this week) and a couple other movies that we paid to see (albeit not together).
Indiana Jones IV, The Mummy 3: Dragon Emperor, Wall -E, Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (I think we both want to see that), Dark Knight (I have yet to see it) and more. There’s a lot out there where we diverge but a lot where we sync up. Here’s one that I passed on seeing but Stella saw and she’s was surprisingly impressed with this film: Fly Me to the Moon.
Here’s one where even the LA Times Newspaper agreed with Stella’s assessment of Fly Me to the Moon. Funny, witty 3_D adventure about a trio of flies hitchhiking on the Apollo Mission to the moon.
Created by Summit Entertainment, the “David” to the double “Goliaths ” of Pixar and Disney in animated films, this is a company to be on the look-out for because with this little film about flies, it’s definitely going to be able to bring on some serious fire power against Disney and Pixar.
According to Stella: Read the rest of this entry »
Cutting an Edge: Emerging Indie Musicians & Videos– Mike Vitale & Mike Barnet/nü americas tv
One of the really cool things that I get to do is meet, learn and listen to new music and new people. It’s just the curiousity in me about what makes a person do what they do in the creative professions.
H&M Snags Comme des Garçons for Nov. Launch!
The September issue of W shows a snippet of the Comme des Garçons collection for H&M for the November drop date. Given the cult following, people have been waiting with bated breath. According to New York Magazine who has some insider information, Rei Kawakubo’s collection is really heavy on the black and white and desconstructed look.
While this designer is known for eclectic presentations, baggy shorts, cropped pants, desconstructed jackets and small shots of limited color don’t make much of a statement for the disposable fashion that H&M is known for. While H&M is known to go stretch the limits, one has to wonder will this collection sell right before holiday?
Take a look at this photo (courtesy of New York Magazine and “W”) and tell me if anything here says “BUY ME”?
Stevie Wilson
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Bochic Makes the Pineapple Express Premiere on the Arm of Amber Heard
Bochic– fabulous jewelry line seen on so many celebrities– is seen here on Amber Heard.
Amber is wearing a Bochic black bakelite cuff with gold lace and diamonds to the Pineapple Express Premiere. Nifty little cuff– a real stunner of a piece.
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Stevie Wilson
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Redken Gets Fergie-licious for Teen Choice Awards!!
The Teen Choice Awards, televised on August 4, was a fun-filled event with a lot of laughs and screaming fans– but a huge part of the evening was the focus on the red carpet styles. Lots of color, casual chic looks and a bevy of hairstyles were donned for the show. Fergie, graced the red-carpet with a bohemian-inspired look fitting for the award show.
With her flaming fuchsia and red halter style long dress, colorful bracelets, and an edgy belt, Fergie rocked the red carpet. The fish tail braid complemented her overall look: fun, flirty, and youthful — a perfect style for the highly energized and fun-filled show.
“Since her dress was very bohemian, we wanted her hair to be a little edgier but still complement her look” , says
To create the look, Morales applied :
Redken Full Frame 07 protective Volumizing Mousse (SRP$15.95);
Redken Extreme Anti-Snap (SRP$14.95),
to the hair when damp to provide lots of body and volume but also smoothness and shine, for an easier time creating the fish tail.
Morales then rough-dried the hair to keep Fergie’s natural texture. She started the braid by creating a low ponytail at the nape of the neck with a center part, then proceeded to create her fish tail securing with elastic then wrapping Fergie’s own hair around it. Morales pulled pieces in the front to shape Fergie’s face and kept the braid to the side and over her shoulder.
Morales finished off with Redken workforce 09 flexible volumizing spray (SRP $14.95), for hold and added shine.
For more information on Redken, visit redken.com or call 1-800-REDKEN8.
Ferragamo Is Rocking Hot on Celebs These Days! Check Out Where Ferragamo's Been!
Salvatore Ferragamo is a great line. Typically fabulous leather goods and accessories that anyone would salivate over. It’s celebrity quotient is getting higher and glitzier courtesy of two more celebrity appearances– at two different events.
Check out Zac Efron at the Teen Choice Awards!!
Zac wore a pair of black calf ankle-boots with a strap, which wraps around the ankle and a gancini buckle, to the 2008 Teen Choice Awards in Los Angeles. He looks pretty slick and edgy!
Switch up to a slightly edgier and more adult event, and you have the “red carpet” for the Pineapple Express Movie Premiere!
Amanda Peet, hit the red carpet for Pineapple Express and carried a black resin leather clutch to the premiere!
Time to start scoping out accessories by Ferragamo!!
Stevie Wilson
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Gemini Division — & Rosario Dawson– Hit the ONLINE Screens!!
Check out this killer new series from NBC Universal Digital and it’s ONLINE!! This project is a collaboration with Rosario Dawson entitled Gemini Division!!
August 18th i s the premiere date of its first original online series “Gemini Division,” starring Rosario Dawson and Justin Hartley. Debuting on NBC.com, SCIFI.com, GeminiDivision.com and an unprecedented number of mobile, gaming and VOD platforms, the series is the first production from the recently created Studio.
Webisodes will also be available weekly on VOD via Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS and DISH Network, in addition to EST (Electronic Sell-Through) via Amazon Unbox, Microsoft’s Xbox LIVE and Zune, NBC Mobile and several online video portals.
Set in the not too distant future, “Gemini Division” follows NYPD vice cop Anna Diaz (Rosario Dawson) who, while searching for the truth behind her fiancée’s murder, is drawn into a secret war between a race of artificial life forms know as SIMs and the covert agency charged with hunting them down.
