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James Franco Proves His Pretentiousness in 'Man of Steel' Review and 'Amazing Spider-Man' Bashing
June 19, 2013 6:07pm ESTWhen it comes to James Franco, we tend to find ourselves feeling quite torn about our opinion. On the one hand, he's Daniel from Freaks and Geeks, Saul from Pineapple Express, and many of the other lovable screw-ups who have a special place in our hearts. He's the actor who captivated us with his gut-wrenching performance in 127 Hours. He's the obvious choice to star in a biopic about the enigmatic Jeff Buckley (seriously, folks, when is that one actually going to happen?). Still, on the other hand, James Franco seems to have mastered the art of coming off as a pretentious tool. His latest display of douchebaggery comes in the form of this review of Man of Steel. In the article, Franco writes about his experience attending the London premiere for the new Superman movie but quickly digresses into a critique of Marc Webb's Amazing Spider-Man franchise, and the blockbuster film industry in general. You may not have the patience to wade through the 1200+ word article laden with slightly awkward turns of phrase ("latest filmic take on the superhero") in Franco's attempt to maintain his contrived facade of intellectualism. But fear not, we've picked out the highlights: "I don’t think Henry Cavill would have wanted to see me [at the Man of Steel premiere]. Not that we’re enemies. Years ago we worked on a film together called Tristan and Isolde. I played Tristan and he played my backstabbing sidekick. My hunch is that he didn’t like me very much. I don't know this for certain, but I know that I wouldn't have liked myself back then because I was a difficult young actor who took himself too seriously." Back then, you say? "I too have been in comic-book films—the Spider-Man trilogy directed by Sam Raimi. I mention the director because this distinction is now necessary in the wake of the new Spider-Man series that arose even before there was time to bury the corpse of the old one and enshroud it in the haze of nostalgia." It may be true that the Spider-Man reboot came rather soon after the original trilogy ended, but we don't quite understand what exactly is wrong with that. Also, nice figurative death imagery. Are you trying to be some sort of poet, James Franco? "We are in the film business, and the studios are owned by large corporations who want to make money. And in this art form, where so much is spent and so much profit can be made, one criterion for success is inevitably the financial." It's not a James Franco piece without the mention of "art." Franco ultimately praises Man of Steel, but the review is largely overshadowed by his Spider-Man rant. There may indeed be some good points buried in his diatribe against the new franchise, but it has mostly just pissed people off. Still, never underestimate the power of James Edward Franco. After all, this is a guy who sold someone air for $10,000 (Sorry, it was "imaginary art"). This is a guy who moved to New York to simultaneously attend Columbia, NYU, and Brooklyn College (while also somehow studying at Warren Wilson College in North Carolina) and then enrolled in both Yale and RISD. This is a guy who called members of the blogosphere "idiots" after they expressed their confusion over his dildo-filled contemporary art installation. Did we mention that he convinced someone to pay $10,000 for air? At least James Franco must be somewhat self-aware. He did a pretty good job of making fun of his pretentiousness in This Is the End. More:James Franco's New Linkedin Proves He Has Had Every Job Ever Which Starlet Did James Franco Smack Talk?James Franco Jumps on Crowndfunding Bandwagon, Rewards Donaters With Acting Roles and Sushi Rolls From Our PartnersStars Pose Naked for 'Allure' (Celebuzz)20 Grisliest TV Deaths of 2012-2013 (Vulture)
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Judges on 'The Voice' Don't Know How to Sit in Chairs
June 18, 2013 5:31pm ESTOh, how The Voice has changed over the course of four seasons. We’ve watched as Adam Levine somehow got hotter, Blake Shelton's drinking increased to worrisome proportions, Cee Lo Green and Christina Aguilera (temporarily) got the boot, Usher stripped down, and Shakira made a comeback (man, this show has too many judges!). But through it all, one thing has remaind the same: we continue to be fascinated with the judges and their every move. Moves which often gloriously, awkwardly involve those giant red chairs. For whatever reason — be it lack of deportment lessons as children or adult-onset ADHD — The Voice judges can't seem to sit still in their chairs. They're always squirming and shifting, fidgeting and posing. Do you think putting your foot on the chair and casually leaning on your elbow makes you look cool, Usher? Oh wait, you totally do. Let's examine the evidence that has led us to believe that The Voice judges simply don't understand how chairs work.Exhibit A: The Promo PhotosAdam chose to adopt the ever-popular casual lounge pose. Leg up, leaning back, staring off into the distance, probably thinking about what part of his body he's going to tattoo next — doesn't he just look so cool? No. He looks uncomfortable. Usher smizes to spice things up. Too bad this look is starting to border on creepy. Shoulders back, young lady! Someone should tell Shakira that slouching is bad for her spine. Here, Blake gives us his best creepy-drunk-uncle-with-a-dash-of-loveable-country-Santa impression while he props himself up with his right arm. This photo says "I pulled a hamstring," not "I'm a rock star." Exhibit B: The Broadcast Shakira copies Usher's cool leg pose. Double fail. Adam wins the award for best slouching with this one. With that devilish, excited smile and no neck or torso in sight, he could easily be mistaken for a runaway kindergartener (who probably knows more about chair etiquette than he does). At one point, Adam just gives up entirely. We put our heads down in a show of shame solidarity, hoping that the judges will one day figure out how to properly sit in a chair. While we love the judges for all their quips and quirks, the above evidence proves that they all try a bit too hard to look cool — and more often than not, the result is an awkward disaster. To all The Voice judges: during tonight's finale, stop trying so hard! Remember your grandmother's advice and just sit up straight. Tune in to The Voice tonight at 8/7c on NBC to watch the judges endearingly make fools of themselves. Follow Hollywood.com on Twitter @Hollywood_com More: Christina Aguilera is Returning to 'The Voice' 'The Voice' Addresses Voting 'Inconsistencies' Did Usher And Shakira Spell Ratings Success For 'The Voice'? From Our Partners:What Happened to 33 Child Stars (Celebuzz)40 Most Revealing See-Through Red Carpet Looks (Vh1)
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'Mad Men' Recap: R.I.P. Bob Benson's Smile and Ken Cosgrove's Eye (Season 6 Episode 12)
June 17, 2013 9:48am ESTLong before his affair with a shock therapy patient, his plight with driving school, and his various half-hearted expressions of emotional unrest with his country's civil state of being, Pete Campbell was a man of singular purpose: to out Don Draper. To out him for whatever bloody, mangled secret he was keeping locked up in his desk drawer. Imbued with hubris and that upper class New Yorker entitlement, Pete understood it to be his very right, and destiny, to see to it that Don fell from his plateau, and that he himself would scoop up the remnants of this shattered crown. It was how we met Pete — the story that, among his earlier forays (like getting Peggy pregnant), established him as a unique entity among the sleaze balls at Sterling Cooper. He wasn't just another wrinkled suit jacket strewn upon the office decor, catching as much loose change and bodily fluids as could be hoped for. He was another animal entirely. A snake among weasels. Pete's story comes full circle with Bob Benson, the antithesis of Don Draper in just about every way other than nomenclatural rhythm. The all-smiles Bob has pervaded the SC&P office with an attitude remarkably ambitious and subservient alike: eager to do anything for anyone, happy to take on whatever tasks are placed before him, terrifically wary of stepping beyond his bounds. The perfect employee. The perfect cover. And he would have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for that meddling libido. See, while Pete had plenty of reasons to bring upon Don's comeuppance — with motivations landing in the realms of both personal and professional — he might have happily left Bob to his cagey devices were not for last week's fleeting lapse in self control on the part of the chipper young buck. A knee nudge alone was enough of a trigger to launch Pete back into his early series turn as an ad hoc private eye (this time with Duck Phillips seated sternly at the other end of the phone, gathering files for the vigilant sleuth). This week, Pete uncovers only a few bits and pieces of Bob's nebulous past, with the truly startling reveal being just how much of it remains a mystery. Having lied straight through his résumé, interview, and every conversation he's had while at the firm, Bob has masked a past steeped in shame (he worked as a servant or some such otherwise seemingly innocuous thing... but again, it's how much we realize we don't know that's all the more jarring) with a can-do, people-pleasing attitude (the exact opposite approach that Don took in masking his shame-steeped past), blowing the whole thing when he finally succumbed to trying to please himself. A tragic unraveling: the one undermining folly of this hard-working, generous, kind-hearted go-getter turns out to be his sexuality. Cruel, Mad Men. Didn't you slam Sal with the same fate way back when? And although Pete drops his weapons, agreeing that Bob's takedown is a futile toil at best, we can't imagine that the ostensibly sweet natured liar will be let to rest alone with his secret after this grin-waiving affair. Pete can't be trusted, nor this industry (hell, the entire world of Mad Men is sinister). If Bob Benson does indeed return for Season 7, we should expect him in a different form altogether. But while secrets are kept deep beneath the surface in one corner of the SC&P office, they're brimming at sea level in another: Don and Megan, still operating "smoothly" despite last week's slip-up, catch Peggy and Ted on a movie date. The office festers in discomfort and account relationships suffer as the two of them flirt childishly, Ted backing Peggy's pitches with inflated support. Earning the scorn-turned-condescending sympathy of Don, the relationship risks dissolving into enmity next week: Ted, by nature, falls victim to Don's judgment, turning in on himself and becoming a proverbial amoeba by the end of the episode. Peggy, on the other hand, is invigorated. She's livid with Don for not only tampering but for destroying the "good man" she considers Ted to be, landing Don once again (didn't this exact same scene happen once before this season? Sure feels like things are getting a bit monotonous here...) in the trenches of his war with Ted for Peggy's idolatry. And all this after he's just won the orange juice blitzkrieg. Don, for a veteran, you don't really have the best battle strategies. And now that we've waded through the meat of the episode, we can sink our teeth into the dessert: Ken Cosgrove getting his f**king eye shot out by two gun-waving clients. Is there any more to say on the matter? It acts primarily as a catalyst for the Pete/Bob story, forcing the two men to take on the account in Ken's leave. Otherwise, it's just pretty gosh darn bonkers. Like that time they drove a zamboni in the office and chopped up somebody's foot bonkers. Remember that? The good old days? Also, Glenn. Follow Michael Arbeiter on Twitter @MichaelArbeiter | Follow hollywood.com on Twitter @hollywood_com More:'Mad Men' Recap: Favors'Mad Men' Recap: A Tale of Two Cities'Mad Men' Recap: Don and Peggy Go to Camp From Our Partners:Zoe Saldana Strips Down For Magazine (Celebuzz)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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Kanye West Rants Again, But Is He On to Something This Time?
June 11, 2013 11:40am ESTKanye West is no gold digger. In the midst of his 21-song set at Governor's Ball in New York City on Sunday night, the rapper declared that he could care less about how much cash he rolls in with the upcoming release of his album Yeezus. Kanye West on a rant? Now that's unusual… (Said no one ever). Kanye, you keep us young. In another one of Kanye's famous rants, he made it clear that Yeezus isn't about reeling in big bucks or nailing a lot of radio play. But before you call the rapper crazy, hear him out. 'Ye wants to go back to the days when there was less emphasis on having a vast audience tune in to his tracks. West is in the rap game for the sake of pure art, not for making bank. If the tracks he puts out are enough for his fans to jam out to, then the "New Slaves" performer is satiated. Or so he claims. Just as he once asserted that he "ain't no motherf**king celebrity" (when he clearly is), we're skeptical now that money really means nothing to Mr. West. According to Billboard, West said to Governor's Ball concert-goers: "With this album we ain't drop no single to radio. We ain't got no NBA campaign, nothing like that. S**t, we ain't even got no cover. We just made some real music. Like, back when I used to make albums and s**t, a couple years ago, we'd go away and work on the album for months or something. We'd always have to hold the album to like August, or September or 'til the perfect moment and s**t. Because it mean that 'I think would sell more if it get more audience and shit.' But honestly, at this point when I listen to radio, that ain't where I want to be no more. Honestly at this point, I could give a f**k about selling a million records as long as I put out an album for the summer that y'all can rock to for all f**kin' summer... At this point I don't really give a f**k about outside opinion." Dear Kanye, as long as there is no Taylor Swift harmed in the making of this album, we're all ears for Yeezus when it drops June 18th. Follow Cori on Twitter @gimmegimmeCORFollow Hollywood.com on Twitter @Hollywood_com More: It's Official: Kim Kardashian and Kanye West Are Havng A GirlKanye West Debuts Song 'New Slaves' With Giant Projections Of His Face - VIDEOKanye West Rants Angrily About 'SNL,' Insists He's Not a Celebrity From Our PartnersStars Pose Naked for 'Allure' (Celebuzz)Which Game of Thrones Actor Looks Least Like His Character? (Vulture)
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'Mad Men': Everyone Tries to Have Sex with Everyone (Season 6 Episode 11)
June 10, 2013 10:54am ESTOn this week's episode of Three's Company, one character leaves the room just in time for another character to reveal something provocative to a third character, which eventuates in a wacky, sexually-themed misunderstanding. Later on, somebody walks in on two people making love, and a really gregarious dude uncomfortably hits on his heterosexual coworker. Hilarity ensues. Oh, no, that was all on Mad Men, but you coulda fooled me. Even more off the wall than this season's recent drug-addled ep is the sexually pervasive "Favors," which has just about everyone trying to sleep with just about everyone. Peggy tries to sleep with Stan. Ted, subtly, tries to sleep with Peggy. Ted's wife tries to sleep with Ted. Sally Draper's problematic friend Julie tries to convince Sally to sleep with Arnold and Sylvia Rosen's son Mitchell, who, in turn, looks pretty keen on sleeping with either of them (despite the fact that he's a good five years their senior). Pete's mother, who thinks that Pete is sleeping with Peggy, tries in her own right to sleep with her burly Latin nurse. And of course, the kicker of the lot: Bob Benson tries to sleep with Pete. Let's back the hell up. First, the Don / Sylvia / Sally / Mitchell / Julie (that gal's trouble) Debacle: When Don walks in on Megan tending to the sunken eyes of a long-haired, free-wheelin' hippie type, he learns that this young man is actually the son of Arnold and Sylvia Rosen, and that he's been assigned 1A (which, for the lot of us who have very fortunately grown up in an era past the draft, is apparently quite bad) for the Vietnam War. So Don, claiming to be channeling the father inside of him (that same father who admitted just a few weeks back to never feeling any love for his children), calls in a few favors to get Mitchell absolved from service. He attempts this with a client during a big pitch meeting, much to everyone's chagrin, but eventually lands the help of the noble Ted, who enlists the help of an Air National Guard buddy to ensure that Mitchell will never see combat. And of course, it's all so that he can sleep with Sylvia again. And he does. And a visiting Sally, prompted into the Rosen's apartment to retrieve a compromising note left there by her nuisance of a pal Julie (seriously, Sally, just go hang out with Glenn again), walks in on the romantic union of her father and the lady from Freaks and Geeks. If Sally's image of Don hasn't yet deteriorated beyond repair, it does here. The young lass is shattered. And Don's malfeasances have finally stepped beyond his containment. The only issue with the dramatism of this twist is just how little Don does indeed value Sally or her image of him. I can't imagine that Sally losing her sense of her father as a god should mean all that much to Don. Thinking of another AMC drama about crumbling father figures, Breaking Bad, we find a corrupt and criminal man who still needs his son to love and admire him. But has Don ever really needed that from Sally, or do his cold sweats here just come from the threat of her revealing the incident to Megan? Now, the far more interesting Pete / Pete's Mom / Pete's Mom's Nurse / Bob / Peggy / Ted / Ted's wife / Stan / Whoever that Girl in Stan's Bed Was Calamity: If you'll recall, a few weeks back, the ever generous Bon Benson took it upon himself to suggest to Pete the services of a military nurse named Manolo for his dementia-stricken mother. When Manolo and Mrs. Campbell pay a visit to SC&P this week, we learn a few things, via a covert conversation between the delusional woman and whom she believes to be Trudy (but is actually Peggy): the two are sleeping together. Okay, we don't know if they're actually sleeping together. But we know that Mrs. Campbell thinks they're sleeping together. And that's enough to rile Pete up to give Manolo the axe, after he finds out during a liquor-fueled dinner with Peggy and Ted. A dinner with sexual tensions flying every which way: Ted still likes Peggy, right? Even though he has a loving wife and family, suffering from his lack of attention at home? And now there are hints that Pete harbors some affection Peggy's way, too? And maybe not entirely unrequited? Except for the fact that she's also totally willing to sleep with Stan, as she offers to "make it worth his while" if he high tails it over to her apartment in the middle of the night to kill a rat? But he can't, because he's actually in the middle of sleeping with someone else? And all this is made all the more complicated by the fact that Peggy shared kisses with both Stan and Ted a few weeks back? And, oh yeah, she had a baby with Pete? Remember that?! Because until Pete's mom, all out of sorts, made reference to the child that Peggy/Trudy and Pete/Pete have together, I had all but forgotten. Those two have a kid. But we can shelf that in favor of the Bob Benson reveal for which everyone has been waiting. Pete brings his outrage over the Manolo situation to the attention of Bob, who, in his sensitive, philosophical manner, identifies Mrs. Campbell's feelings as natural and understandable. Manolo cares for her, makes her his top priority, shows her nothing but kindness. As such, she can't help but fall for him. This message, delivered with a gentle nudging of Pete's knee with his own, cements a new bit of information about Bob Benson. At surface value, we could take this to mean that the rosey-cheeked do-gooder is simply gay. And maybe he is. But that's not a deep enough cut for the most bizarre character to grace Mad Men since Kinsey went all loony. Bob has tossed his unparalleled kindness toward just about everyone at SC&P: Pete, Joan, Ginsberg, Harry Hamlin. I don't think that homosexuality was meant to be the big reveal here, but a dark, pressing, all-consuming need to be loved. Really loved. By anyone. And so, as he is rejected by Mr. Campbell, Bob retreats back into the pitch black cavern of his psyche, extending his golden heart to everyone at his company until someone finally returns his affections. Or until something... bad happens. And since it's Mad Men, we're going to bet on the latter. Follow Michael Arbeiter on Twitter @MichaelArbeiter | Follow hollywood.com on Twitter @hollywood_com More:'Mad Men' Recap: A Tale of Two Cities'Mad Men' Recap: Don and Peggy Go to Camp'Mad Men' Recap: What Just Happened? From Our Partners:Zoe Saldana Strips Down For Magazine (Celebuzz)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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Channing Tatum Is Worried About Justin Bieber
June 05, 2013 6:05pm ESTChanning Tatum Is Worried About Justin Bieber. In an interview for Vanity Fair's July issue, the Magic Mike star and new dad talks about fatherhood, study drugs, and the effects of fame. Tatum referred to the downsides of becoming a celebrity at a young age, noting that "whatever age you become famous, you end up staying that age." He then specifically expressed his concerns about the world's most famous teen star, Justin Bieber: "I worry about Bieber, man. That kid's wildly talented. I hope he doesn’t fall down into the usual ways of young kids because it’s so hard for someone to be responsible when they're not asked to be. We're not asked to do things ourselves. You have someone there with a coffee. 'You want food? I'll get you food.' I put my bag in the trunk yesterday—I can't drive here—so my driver, great guy, Terry, amazing, I call him T-Bone, I drop my bag in and left the trunk open. And I get around to my door, and I'm like, 'What the fuck am I doing? That's not my behavior.' " Tatum is not the first celebrity to express concern for the Biebs. It seems like every actor, director, musician, and athlete has tried to offer advice to the young pop superstar: Miley Cyrus: “I noticed he was taking all these photos of people and doing a lot of s**t, and I just grabbed him and said, 'Just take a snapshot in your brain of this moment, so you don’t forget.'" (E!) Joey Fatone: "Don't be a douche. That's plain and simple. You get this bug from the celebrity thing, where you're very on top of the world and everyone's 'yes sing' you to death, so you're like "I can get away with this. I can do that." (Huffington Post) Nick Carter: "Stay healthy and just treat people good, you know what I mean?" (On Air with Ryan Seacrest) Mark Wahlberg: "I think it's best to put down the phone and Twitter and all that stuff, and just be a little more low-key right now. Because they're watching every move he makes, everything he says, and less is more. Go take a vacation." (Vulture) Judd Apatow: "You don't need a monkey. That's a good rule of thumb for show business: you don't need a monkey." (Buzzfeed) Alice Cooper: "Justin, just as a note of professional rock & roll, never turn your back when you throw up. Let the audience see you throw up…because that's a moment they're gonna remember. Make sure the lights are on when you throw up." (Rolling Stone) Olivia Wilde: "Bieber, put your f**king shirt on. (unless you lost all your shirts in a fire in which case my condolences and please purchase a new shirt.)" (Twitter) Former NFL running back and Bieber neighbor Eric Dickerson (on the young star's driving habits): "@justinbieber needs to slow his ass down" (Twitter) Bon Jovi (on Bieber's late arrival to a London concert): "You're an a**hole. Go to f**kin' work!" (London Evening Standard) Follow Caroline on Twitter @carolinesb | Follow Hollywood.com on Twitter @Hollywood_com More:Update: Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan Have First ChildJustin Bieber Announces New Single 'Heartbreaker': Who Has He Left Brokenhearted?We Need To Talk About Justin Bieber Abandoning His Pet Monkey in Germany From Our PartnersStars Pose Naked for 'Allure' (Celebuzz)Which Game of Thrones Actor Looks Least Like His Character? (Vulture)
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'Mad Men' Recap: The Tragic Ballad of Joan Holloway Harris (Season 6, Episode 10)
June 03, 2013 11:57am ESTFor these past few months, Mad Men fans have been forced to get their Christina Hendricks fix (Christina Henfix, if you will) from AMC's ceaseless roulette of Johnnie Walker commercials. Hendricks' character Joan has been conspicuously absent from the bulk of Season 6, dropping in for seldom more than a scene or two per episode — albeit occasionally quite substantial ones). But this week's chapter, "A Tale of Two Cities," lends focus to the Sterling Cooper & Partners (oh yes, they condense Draper, Chaough, Campbell, Pryce, Harry Hamlin, etc. into the all-encompassing "Ampersand 'P'," as Don calls it) ladder climber, offering up new professional opportunity for Joan, while maintaining the stronghold on her consistently poor fortune. Joan Holloway was introduced as a villain of sorts, imposing the status quo over Peggy, an entity of the changes yet to befall the advertising company and the 1960s America in general. As the world around her ascends, represented by foil Peggy, Joan slips from a lonesome plateau to a desperate valley — their rivalry transformed to friendship as the playing field leveled, with Peggy empowered and Joan infused with a stirring humility. The later seasons have seen Joan near rock bottom, though not for lack of a rigidly dominant affect, for the crowd: her destitute marriage, her affair with Jaguar's Herb Rennick, her dwindling reverence among fellow Sterling Cooper partners. This week's episode allows Joan to grasp at a new beginning, mimicking the early climb of Peggy from secretarial to advertising departments. A would-be blind date organically turns to a professional relationship when Joan meets an Avon representative, bringing the new potential client to the attention of Peggy and hoping, despite "protocol," to take the lead on roping in the account. But as far as everyone is concerned, that's not the way it's done here. It's funny that the very mentality that identified Joan in the early days of Mad Men has become her adversary: Joan wants to advance. More than that, Joan wants to feel worthwhile. But standard practice entails that Pete Campbell head the next meeting... a standard practice that Joan shirks when she organizes a sit-down with the Avon rep, Peggy, herself, and nobody else. This enrages Pete, concerns Peggy (who goes to bat for Joan, but offers a holier-than-thou tongue lashing about her insolence), and rustles the feathers of, but otherwise doesn't inspire much consequence, from Ted Chaough. All this on top of the meeting having not gone particularly well sinks Joan to the bottom of a murky pit — her brave stab at initiative has landed her back in the poor graces and fleeting thoughts of the men who run her office. When is she going to get a win? On the other side of the country, Don, Roger, and Harry high-tail it through the high-on-acid high societies of Southern California. Again with the drugs, Don fulfills his lack of despair over the Democratic National Convention protests by indulging in mind-altering drugs, facing a hallucination of Megan as he struggles to unite with the semblances of humanity that he so very sporadically experiences (there was that one when he said he loved Bobby for the first time a few weeks back... and... uh... um...). And the Bob Benson mystery thickens when the rosey-cheeked young man halts an altercation between partner Hamlin and an agitated Michael Ginsberg, who identifies the advertising industry as "part of the problem," refusing to take on a new project. Appeasing both men, Bob allocates his reverence for the chain of command to Hamlin, and bucks up the passionate artist (and Jew! He makes sure to bring up the fact that he's a Jew!) in Ginsberg. Who the hell are you, Bob? Where do you come from? Follow Michael Arbeiter on Twitter @MichaelArbeiter | Follow hollywood.com on Twitter @hollywood_com More:'Mad Men' Recap: Don and Peggy Go to Camp'Mad Men' Recap: What Just Happened?Five Theories About Bob Benson From Our Partners:Zoe Saldana Strips Down For Magazine (Celebuzz)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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'After Earth' Review: Don't Blame Jaden, It's All Will Smith's Fault
May 31, 2013 5:30pm ESTDon't blame little Jaden Smith. It really isn't his fault. It's easy to giddily accept this lamb of slaughter and and rip it apart. Especially when it's a rich lamb born to a superstar father who has effortlessly placed him in a career path many never achieve, despite their hard work or talent. All petty jealousy aside, children of nepotism are nothing new and often we come to embrace them graciously (e.g. Michael Douglas, Josh Brolin, Angelina Jolie). It's the way they're introduced that decides whether it's nobility taking their rightful place in royalty or sandpaper being crammed down our throats. Will Smith seems to have taken a "that's my boy and you'll love him no matter what" approach to bringing his son into the acting profession. Not that it couldn't work. It could even be endearing, but sometimes a quiet, humble intro can be more effective than one done with explosions and special effects. In a bit of heavy, front-loaded exposition we learn that 3000 years from now mankind has, you guessed it, abused and polluted mother earth to a point where it is uninhabitable for humans. We now survive on a planet called Nova Prime, where we speak in a dialect that's a cross between Southern hospitality and Jamaican. Will Smith is Cypher. Wait, don't roll those eyes yet! He's a special caliber of space ranger called a "ghost." They're named so due to their lack of fear when battling a vicious alien species that can only respond to a human's anxiety. In case you can't understand Jaden Smith's unintelligible narration this is all shown to you through an overblown opening sequence, including Cypher calmly walking in slow mo slicing an alien's throat while others around him panic. You can almost see this as Will saying to young Ja, "Yeah, boy, this might be your story, but I'm still the star." Cypher returns home and finds his son Kitai (Jaden) longing for his father's approval and love. He takes him on a mission to earth, hoping for a bonding session along the way. They hit an asteroid field causing them to crash land on Earth, killing everyone except the father and son duo. Their only hope of rescue is a far off beacon separated by acres of dangerous forests. Made immobile by a broken leg, Cypher slaps a wrist communicator on Kitai and lets him know it's time to man up. Or, metaphorically, it's Papa Smith telling Jaden it's time to earn his keep. At this point junior Smith must carry the rest of the film burdened by a simplistic obstacle-course plot. He gets attacked by baboons, a bug, a bird, and some mutated mountain lions, which all lead to a final boss battle with one of the big bad aliens daddy used to fight. Again, it's not Jaden's fault. He's off acting against nonexistent animals while Pop sits back and takes over the role of basically an emotionless, I-could-give-a-s**t narrator. Smith has made a big deal about acting with his son. That's fine - if you ACT WITH YOUR SON. Editing in scenes where you talk to him through a wrist phone doesn't count. It's frustrating. Especially considering that the idea to make this a big budget sic-fi epic was all Will Smith's. Smith Senior has fallen into the trap most actors and directors succumb to when their whole careers have been built on blockbusters, and this is the inability to scale back. This is a father and son coming of age story. This could have been a modest tale set against a camping trip gone wrong. Too modest? Okay, maybe a jungle or the Outback. Point is, the tenderness of seeing a stern father opening up to his rebellious child is lost against the egotistical need to throw spaceships and monsters our way. Not to say this isn't admirable in other ways. It's shallow, but some of the action scenes are fun for kids who can handle the intensity. The art direction, on the other hand, is beautiful, the technology taking on a more organic look, appearing almost alien itself. M. Night Shyamalan comes out the best here, if only for sneaking out the room while most of the criticism is hurled towards Will and Jaden. As usual, most people laughed at the promotions as they tried to guess what twist would await them at the final conclusion of the movie. Many sighed with relief after discovering his duties were only left to directing, even if at times it played to his trademark quiet drama, bordering on tedium. A nice lemon twist wouldn't be so bad now, huh? As for Will Smith, if a blockbuster is what you're seeking for your son, then skip the pretense. Slap a black suit on him, some shades, and let him play your cute sidekick. See you two in MIB 4. 2/5 Review courtesy of our friends at Spill.com. Listen to the full audio review here! More: New ‘After Earth’ Trailer Shows Jaden & Will Smith’s Apocalyptic World New ‘After Earth’ Trailer: We Still Can’t Figure Out Will Smith’s Accent ‘After Earth’ Poster: It’s the End of the World, But Will & Jaden Smith Feel Fine From Our PartnersStars Pose Naked for 'Allure' (Celebuzz)Let’s Translate Walter White, Taylor Swift and More into Dothraki (Vulture)
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Who's the Best Hillary Clinton: Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon, Amanda Seyfried, or Jessica Chastain?
May 28, 2013 5:19pm ESTAs far as we're concerned, Amy Poehler is the only performer who can effectively don the garb of one Hillary Clinton. But somehow, the Saturday Night Live vet has not made the short list of actresses in consideration to play the former Secretary of State in a developing biopic Rodham... a project that earned attention not long ago when details from its absolutely bonkers script hit the Internet. As The Independent lists the potential Hillarys as Scarlett Johansson, Amanda Seyfried, Reese Witherspoon, and Jessica Chastain, we're wondering which of the lot would be the best pick for the 26-year-old politician... SCARLETT JOHANSSONPROS: She has a history of fighting tyranny (a la The Avengers).CONS: All those Woody Allen movies can't bode well for swaying the moderates. REESE WITHERSPOONPROS: She can handle the drawl needed to attract the Southern vote.CONS: Well, the recent escalation of her criminal activity isn't exactly the stuff presidential campaigns wish for... AMANDA SEYFRIEDPROS: She's actually right around 26, the age at which the biopic pinpoints Hillary.CONS: Call us crazy, but we think it'll be hard to accept the Secretary of State as the same lass who belted in Mamma Mia! JESSICA CHASTAINPROS: Wanna be president? It probably helps to have taken down the most wanted terrorist in the world.CONS: The hair, I guess (we'll be honest, she's our frontrunner). Follow Michael Arbeiter on Twitter @MichaelArbeiter | Follow Hollywood.Com On Twitter @Hollywood_Com More:10 Reasons Hillary Clinton Biopic Will Not Get MadeHillary Clinton Is Writing a BookHillary Clinton Supports Gay Marriage From Our Partners:What Happened to 33 Child Stars (Celebuzz)40 Most Revealing See-Through Red Carpet Looks (Vh1)
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'Mad Men' Recap: Don and Betty Go to Camp (Season 6 Episode 9)
May 27, 2013 10:14am ESTThe choice between two margarines: Between the conflicting appeals of dueling brand names. Between affordability and taste. Between the old cold-hearted mentor under whose wing you so misguidedly soared and the new all-smiles one who’s totally gaga over you. Peggy’s story this season has stung the most. That glowing scene last year that sent her out of Don’s reach, onto an elevator car, and up into the world of tomorrow is a painful memory now that she, effectively, has lost all of the control that turn of events afforded her. Peggy was on the rise. Then, she found herself steeped in a crime-riddled s**t-hole and back under the old roof she so proudly escaped. But through all these factors, she had the people in her life — the men, specifically — aching for her, in a variety of ways. She had control over Don, whose precious protégée should never belong elsewhere. Over Ted, smitten like a cockeyed yokel over his brimming star pupil. And over Abe, who really doesn’t seem to have much else going for him than his attachment to Peggy (that war against tyranny ain’t going so well, is it?). But though injected with enough preservatives to last forever, Peggy’s margarines seem to melt to liquid in this week’s “The Better Half.” And her butter… well, she accidentally stabs it in the stomach. And thus, having spread herself too thin (wait, so is she the margarine now?), banking on Don, Ted, and Abe to each maintain solidity while giving back to none of them, Peggy finds herself entirely without. She left Don a television year ago, only to face his territorial contempt on the regular once returning to Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, asserting an absence from his grasp once and for all (or for now… these people are chronically inclined to revisit their mistakes) by refusing to side with him over Ted. Ted reacts similarly, though more in regards to his and Peggy’s shared albeit complicated affection, deciding that her will to “forget about things” is a voluminous reminder that he sees her as primarily interested in the control over and the opportunity for anything between them — a notion that is shouted even louder by her addressing, behind closed doors, a recent breakup with Abe (a message that Ted, in all his boy scout glory, dutifully rejects). And that very breakup? Peggy accidentally stabs Abe when she thinks he’s somebody (of marginalized race) breaking into their apartment, so he tells her that she’s everything he opposes and that they are through. Hectic day. Upstate New York is a magical place — the countryside above the Big Apple brings Don and Betty together to visit young Bobby at sleep away camp. It brings out the song in Don, who joins in on Bobby’s playful “Father Abraham” ditty. It subdues the wrath between Don and Betty just long enough to have a pleasant diner lunch with their cheerful son — markedly less socially conscious than he was back in his Planet of the Apes days, as the mention of Bobby Kennedy stirs no sentiment of civil unrest within the chap. Maybe it’s the cool summer air, the clear country sky, the hormonal mosquitoes… or the fact that both Don and Betty are embedded in deeply unhappy marriages and are no longer able to hold one another responsible for their self-loathing, not to mention the fact that they, much like Peggy, are desperate to feel their hands fitting firmly around any course of action that might befall them. So, discarding (or shelving) that gleaming rage we know so well, one we witnessed only one episode back, Don and Betty sleep together, happy to decide that the evil whose access to their internalities has faded just enough is a much safer bet than the ones they must face by the day. And while Betty at least has the shell of a marriage to revert to the morning after, Don is all but alone, grabbing coffee at the corner table, fully aware that nothing awaits him back home. Also, Bob Benson. He goes to the beach with Joan and then recommends a highly qualified military nurse for Pete Campbell’s mother. The plot thickens. Follow Michael Arbeiter on Twitter @MichaelArbeiter | Follow Hollywood.Com On Twitter @Hollywood_Com More: Five Theories About Bob BensonChristina Hendricks Gets More Air Time in Ads Than on 'Mad Men''Mad Men' Recap: What the Hell Just Happened From Our Partners:Zoe Saldana Strips Down For Magazine (Celebuzz)33 Child Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
