Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
There are a few stereotypes which neither sex seems to mind perpetuating. Men are deathly afraid of marriage. A bachelor party isn’t complete without strippers. It’s better to take chances than settle for a middle-class life. Each of these elements plays a component in the plot developments (such as they are) of the comedy “A Guy Thing,” but none of them are fleshed out in a manner that’s even vaguely interesting, much less plausible.
If you want to get philosophical about “National Security,” you could ask yourself this: Would you be able to forgive and perhaps even befriend the man who wrongly accused you of a crime that got you sent to prison? No? How about if that man was Martin Lawrence? ‘Cause that’s what this action-comedy buddy pic is asking of the viewer.
You know Jeremy Piven. Or at least you think you do. Chances are you attended Evanston Township High School with him, or were in acting classes with him at his parents’ Piven Theatre Workshop, or knew someone who knew someone who did.
Before she helped Mary Tyler Moore turn the world on with her smile, Valerie Harper was a pretty New York dancer trying her hand at comedy at Chicago’s Second City. “Making a crowd laugh is one of the most difficult things to do, but it’s also one of the most enjoyable,” says Harper. “I learned early on that you can only force a laugh so much. You have to really mean it.”
Everyone has a favorite shoe designer, be it lowbrow (Keds) or haute couture (Jimmy Choo). Though Sarah Jessica Parker steps into Choo and Manolo Blahnik shoes on “Sex and the City,” the diminutive actress has been known to scour Soho boutiques for a great pair of Robert Clergerie boots. And Chicago-based actress Shane Williams has a love affair with Ferragamo.
In the 1950s, sophisticated fashionistas traded in their chunky 1940s shoes for sexy Italian stilettos. But for the bobby-socks set, penny loafers were still the rage.
There’s a scene in “Bull Durham” that encapsulates why women enjoy getting pedicures so much. Kevin Costner is cradling Susan Sarandon’s foot in his hand while he carefully paints her toenails red. The scene is sensual, but also surprisingly relaxing and comforting.
Robby Takac isn’t the type of guy to be late for an interview. But on this day, his road manager calls to say he’ll be delayed. It’s not that he’s sleeping off a hangover or is out wandering somewhere and can’t be found. Rather, he’s out shopping. For luggage.
The first film ever released on DVD was the Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night.” When it came out in the mid-1990s, it was an anomaly. Gadget geeks were attracted to the shiny new format that promised to replace bulky videocassettes, but the public wasn’t so sure. They remembered the fate of laser discs, Beta tapes and 8-track cartridges.
It’s not just toys, books, CD box sets and collector’s edition DVDs this holiday season; video games are also a good bet to show up under Christmas trees. While the sluggish economy has dampened many retailers’ spirits, the video game industry is actually celebrating. U.S. sales of game consoles, software and accessories increased by 25 percent from last year and will exceed the $6 billion mark before the year is out.
When you think of George Winston, you don’t necessarily think of the Doors as a major influence. But the band was such an inspiration to the Grammy Award-winning pianist that he recorded “Night Divides the Day–The Music of the Doors.”
Craig Nicholls, the diminutive frontman of the Vines, set the stage for Q101’s annual Twisted 9 megaconcert Sunday at the Allstate Arena when he lost his footing and fell into the photo pit early in the Vines’ half-hour set. Crawling back onstage, Nicholls threw his guitar around enough to show that while he was p.o.’d and embarrassed, he wasn’t hurt.
Unlike most radio stations’ holiday extravaganzas, WTMX-FM (101.9) takes a less-is-more approach. Instead of glomming eight or 10 bands to play a marathon show in an enormodome, the station known as the Mix selects a couple mainstream acts to headline each year. The result rarely is cutting edge, but almost always a pleasant experience.
“Blast!” represents every band geek’s revenge. Though the show evolved from the routines of the Star of Indiana drums corps, make no mistake about it. This is no school production and there are no nerds in “Blast!,” which just opened at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre.
It is nearing lunchtime on the set of “The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers”–which opens Wednesday–but there still are a few more shots to complete before they will be dismissed. A beam of light radiates above the actors, making them appear even more angelic than they will be on screen. With their flaxen, waist-length hair, these elves are the gorgeous supermodels of the movie. Even the horses know it.
For decades, the joke around Wellington was that Americans only knew of New Zealand as “that place by Australia.” But thanks to “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy, which was filmed in Wellington–New Zealand’s capital–the country is stepping out of Australia’s shadow.
Winter break is upon us and the kids already are complaining, “I’m bored.” After you’ve run the gamut of reading together, baking cookies and playing board games, how about treating them to a kid-friendly DVD or video? Need suggestions? Read on for some of our holiday-favorite picks.
Step aside, divas. Mariah Carey is back. Big time. The figures are still being tallied, but it’s a strong bet that her new disc, “Charmbracelet,” will be the top debut on the next Billboard album chart. Estimates of first-week sales range from 200,000 to 270,000–about double what Carey managed with last year’s much-maligned soundtrack to her movie flop “Glitter.”
Gina Oswald is a fictional character, but you’ll recognize her immediately when you see her cheesy schtick in the Noble Fool Theater’s revival of the holiday revue “Roasting Chestnuts: Oy! It’s Christmas.” She is the performer whose insincerity rings through with every verse. She is the entertainer who doesn’t realize her moment has long since passed. And to her whipped co-stars, she is the lipsticked tyrant who rules her brood with an iron fist.
Are you ready for some football? TV isn’t the only place you’ll find some good games, especially if you’re into interactive sports where there’s little chance you’ll get hurt (outside of a little carpal tunnel, perhaps). Here we try out the slew of new video games on the market, telling you which score touchdowns and which fumble near the goal line.