Thursday, February 3, 2011

Ringing in the New Year!

Ringing in the 2011 movie season is always fun, especially with all the movies to look forward to in the year ahead. But before we get into that, let’s review “Little Fockers.” The cast of the film was packed with A-listers, and with salaries, according the the New York Post, quite astounding. The major chunk went to Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro racking in $20 million. Owen Wilson took in $15 million and Barbra Streisand $7 million. While Dustin Hoffman negotiated $7.5 million, and Jessica Alba was paid $3 million.


While I just love Robert De Niro (he is an amazing and talented actor), it’s certainly not his fault that the writers didn’t deliver. “Little Fockers,” was as funny as having a root canal. I mean it. In the 97 minutes that I watched the movie, I didn’t laugh once. The movie made no sense at all; since when do in-laws come to visit two weeks prior to the grandkids' birthday party? Perhaps if they live in a third world country, and getting there would be full of travel mishaps. A perfect example would be the original “The Out of Towners,” starring Jack Lemmon. I just didn’t get it. Even the title had little to do with the Focker kids. The third film in the Ben Stiller-Robert De Niro series went absolutely nowhere, and I suppose the only reason it made so much money New Year’s weekend, was that it had an A-list cast and the audience was curious. A decade ago, “Meet the Parents” was funny, and then the 2004 sequel “Meet the Fockers,” with Barbra Streisand and Dustin Hoffman added to the cast, was hilarious; however, “Little Fockers” was lost in translation.

Anything is subject to change, so while many dates are tentative, here is what is scheduled for the first three months. In January we have the film “Country Strong,” starring Gwyneth Paltrow; “The Green Hornet,” starring Seth Rogan; and the much-anticipated “No Strings attached,” starring Ashton Kutcher and Natalie Portman.

In February, we have a concert documentary about the boy, the legend, the fever, “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never.” So if you’re a parent of a tween, get ready for the much-anticipated movie. In March, we are graced with “Jane Eyre,” with Mia Wasikowska as Charlotte Bronte’s timid governess and Michael Fassbender as Rochester. For the kids, there is the voice of Johnny Depp in the Wild West cartoon, “Rango.”

So what’s ahead for 2011, besides these movies? We will see many more inspired ballet books, due to the phenomenal turn in “Black Swan” starring Natalie Portman. We’ll also see many celebrities steeping out with their fashion label. Recently, Justin Timberlake's collection William Rast will be featured at Target. Avril Lavigne, who two years ago launched her line to Kohl’s, currently relaunched her line on her e-commerce site, AbbeyDawn.com. Her collection includes handbags, shoes, dresses, denim, active wear and even a few men’s pieces.

Valentine's Day and more!

February is always a special month. It’s the month of the Super Bowl, Grammys and the Oscars. It’s that time of year where romance is in the air. Godiva chocolates, red roses and romantic getaways mean only one thing: Valentine’s Day!


Last year we had the movie “Valentine’s Day,” which was full of love and celebrities. It was a star-packed movie which starred Julia Roberts, Jamie Foxx, Anne Hathaway, George Lopez, Queen Latifah , Ashton Kutcher and Taylor Swift just to name a few. This year we have “Blue Valentine” starring Ryan Gosling and Michelle Williams. The film centers around a couple who go through the test of time. Michele Williams is brilliant in her role and has been nominated for an Oscar in the Best Actress category.

Valentine’s Day can seem very blue for single people. It is extremely hard when you think you found someone to love, but then you become disappointed. Once you open up your heart you are subjected to being hurt. Later you realize that love never fails, people do. It is a painful day for those who have loved and lost. The heartbreak of being tossed around like a salad, thrown in the trash and replaced perhaps by someone who has the IQ of 50, can leave anyone speechless. Single women certainly know how it feels to be dumped, especially before Valentine’s Day. Don’t take it personally. Usually it’s because they don’t want to break the bank account.

You can always rent my favorite movie “Legally Blonde” eat Godiva chocolates and throw the $30 box at the TV when he dumps Elle during that infamous scene when they are having dinner in the restaurant.
As Valentine’s Day nears, most lovebirds want to celebrate love with a dream wedding. Soon thereafter, once the question has been popped and someone has said "Yes," the happy couple will find themselves ensconced in the myriad details of planning a joyous occasion. One of the best ways to make sure your wedding is a magical experience is to attend a bridal show. We bumped into Doria Pagnotta of “Jerseylicious,” who does hair and makeup at the Gatsby. Doria is one of the sweetest and personable people I’ve ever met. Unlike her character in the reality show, she is a genuine, kind-hearted soul. Doria told us she will be on the third season of the show portraying the back-stabbing, conniving diva. Sometimes, Doria’s fondness for melodrama will give you the riveting, dazzling, emotional episode you don‘t want to miss.

Whitney Port and the Paparazzi!

Valentine's Day Giveaway!

Brides & jerseylicious!!

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Ringing in the New Year!

3...2...1... Happy New Year 2011, everyone! So once again we ask ourselves, “What will 2011 bring?” It’s that time of year when we make the same resolutions each year: quit smoking, lose weight, drink less, find a job, get organized, travel, save money and, most importantly, spend more time with family and friends. Well, these are some of our resolutions for 2011. In the spirit of the New Year, these resolutions are made in good faith; however, only a handful of us will actually succeed.


Speaking of succeeding, Hollywood ended 2010 on a high note with “Little Fockers,” the third installment of the comedy series starring Ben Stiller and Robert De Niro. The movie topped the Christmas holiday box office with $30.8 million over the weekend, according to Hollywood.com.


So let’s look back at 2010 and see who dominated the year: Betty White, the 88-year-old actress, comedian and author reigned in 2010. White was seen in a “Snickers” commercial during the 2010 Super Bowl, which led to a massive campaign on “Facebook” called “Betty White to Host SNL (Please).” When the group reached 500,000 members, NBC confirmed that White would host “Saturday Night Live” on May 8. Miss White will turn 89 years old on January 17.


Is New Jersey the new entertainment capital of the world? “Jersey Shore” is the highest rated show in MTV history. Go figure! Snooki, Mike “The Situation” and “Pauly D” are the most popular. The first season was filmed in Seaside Heights, N.J. The second season was filmed at Miami Beach and on July 2010, MTV announced the entire cast, with the exception of Angelina, would return for the third season to be shot back in Seaside Heights, N.J.


I‘m still trying to figure out why the Kardashians are famous. One thing is for sure, Kim Kardashian sells magazines. If she is gracing the cover of any magazine, rest assured the magazine will sell. The reality star is quite the businesswoman; she has even launched her own perfume “Kim Kardashian.”

The hills are alive with the sound of Sarah in TLC’s new reality show “Sarah Palin’s Alaska.” Wasn’t Sarah Palin the one who complained on a regular basis about the media’s intrusion into her family life when she was John McCain’s running mate back in 2008? Moreover, you might even recall her daughter Bristol Palin who was a finalist on “Dancing with the Stars.” It must have paid off somehow since Bristol is now a new homeowner in Maricopa, Ariz. She paid in cash $172,000.





It doesn’t look like Lindsay Lohan will make a comeback in Hollywood. It seems that producers don’t want to take a chance on her because she is too much of a risk. Rumors began swirling that her mother, Dina Lohan, would be selected for “Dancing with the Stars.” All I can say is “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree,” according to a friend of mine, whose son dated Dina. A much better choice would be Ruta Lee for “Dancing with the Stars.” Her classy, glamorous looks would bring the ratings to a higher level.





How can we forget “Glee”? The musical-comedy drama has been a success on Fox. The show’s musical performances have also been a commercial success, with over 13 million copies of single releases purchased digitally and over five million albums purchased worldwide, according to published reports.





The year 2010, was full of celebrity breakups and of all the Hollywood breakups, we empathized more with Sandra Bullock. Bullock married motorcycle builder Jesse James back in 2005. Shortly after Bullock won an Oscar in 2010, a scandal arose when several women claimed to have had affairs with James during his marriage to Bullock. Their divorce was finalized on June 28, 2010.





So what’s in store for Hollywood in 2011? Let me look into my crystal ball. Justin Beiber continues to reign. Taylor Swift continues to make news amid huge record sales. Finally, millions will tune in to watch the wedding of Kate Middleton and Prince William on April 29, 2011.

Hanging out with Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi