Journalist, Author & Syndicated Columnist
Ted Davis is the ultimate player. He’s cute, but not too good-looking. He’s charming without being overly smooth. As he notes early in “BachelorMan,” Ted knows he’s not God’s gift to women, but is just optimistic enough to think they’re God’s gift to him.
“If our gods and our hopes are nothing but scientific phenomena, then it must be said that our love is scientific as well.” With that quote from Auguste Villiers de L’Isle-Adam’s novel L’Eve Future, so begins the beautifully animated but excessively philosophical “Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence.” The sequel to 1995’s “Ghost in the Shell” — which was one of the most successful anime films of all time — “Innocence” is ambitious and gorgeous to look at, but is so lacking in humanity that at times it is almost painful to watch.
Kim Possible is kind of a mix between Sabrina the teenage witch and Buffy the vampire slayer. Cute, perky and very athletic, this cartoon character is a popular high school cheerleader by day and a crime fighter at night.
“Doom 3” is not for the faint of heart. Nor is it particularly subtle. But if you like films such as “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” “Nightmare on Elm Street” or even those “Alien” flicks, you’ll probably get a kick from this well-worn franchise.
“I’ve been playing this game called ‘Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles’ a lot with my GameCube these past days. It’s actually the first game that lets you use the Game Boy Advance as a controller. It’s very nifty — you can use it to see maps, status, lists, and stuff like that while you play with other people. ” — Sebastien Lefebvre of Simple Plan, part of Saturday’s Warped Tour show at the Tweeter Center
There were moments in Jessica Simpson’s concert that seemed to come straight out of a teen pop version of “This Is Spinal Tap.” Some, like the opening vignette where she pretended to lose her way from the dressing room to the stage, were intentional. But there were other moments, probably heartfelt ones, that instead came across as parody.
The No Doubt and Blink-182 rock show had it all: great music, good cartwheels and a pair of shirtless and mohawked drummers. Playing to a near-capacity crowd on Sunday at the Tweeter Center, neither band seemed bothered by the heat and humidity as the musicians ripped through sets that have been played before, but still managed to come across as fresh, brash and vibrant.
“We got out of control playing [PlayStation 2] games on our last tour. We haven’t played that many on this tour, but ‘Grand Theft Auto: Vice City’ is sooooo much fun. But we can’t play it anymore because we lost it somewhere.” –Sharin Foo, lead singer of the Raveonettes
Over the past decade, “Friends” has had its share of ups and downs. Some seasons — especially the last two — have been less than stellar, but the shows have been entertaining more often than not. Here’s hoping Thursday’s finale will give us something truly worth remembering. In the meantime, here are one viewer’s 10 favorite “Friends” episodes.
With the amount of time they spend together, you wouldn’t think the characters on “Friends” would have a spare moment to even think about hooking up with anyone else. While they couldn’t compete with, say, Samantha Jones, when it comes to the sheer number of romantic conquests, these six friendly New Yorkers have had their share of relationships.
Just as “I know you are, but what am I?” became equated with Pee-wee Herman, and “Yeah, that’s the ticket,” is instantly associated with Jon Lovitz’s “Liar” character on “Saturday Night Live,” “How you doin?” has become the cheesy pickup line everyone can laugh at, thanks to a clueless but lovable Joey Tribbiani.
Even if you don’t know much about “Friends,” chances are you remember “The Rachel.” Jennifer Aniston’s hair took on a life of its own a few episodes into the show’s debut season, when her character showed up with a striking new hairstyle: Gone were her long, semicurly locks. In their place was a fluffy, layered ‘do — a modified shag.
For a show that’s not really about fashion, “Friends” has had its share of, um, eye-catching looks. From Chandler’s hair (yes, Chandler’s — not Rachel’s) to Joey’s eyebrows to Ross’s armadillo suit, the $1 million-an-episode stars have been willing to appear in getups that are unconventional, unflattering and sometimes just plain goofy
By Jae-Ha Kim Chicago Sun-Times April 26, 2004 It’s a cold, cruel world out there when you’re not getting paid $1 million per episode anymore. As our favorite “Friends” prepare for their final episode this […]
The Kelly Clarkson/Clay Aiken concert Monday night at the United Center was exactly what you would expect from a pair of winners — well, one winner and a runner-up — from “American Idol.” It was sweet, earnest and well rehearsed, but not particularly memorable. While it’s clear that each performer has a strong set of pipes, neither has toured enough to put on a truly exhilarating live show. You can sit home and listen to their CDs and pretty much get the same experience.
“You’ll laugh because it’s an older game on an older platform, but one of my favorite games is F-Zero X for Nintendo 64. I am the reigning household champ at that game.” –Grammy award winning singer-songwriter Richard Marx
Let’s face it. We’re not a society that recognizes No. 2 — except when it comes to Clay Aiken. The runner up in last year’s “American Idol” contest has proved to be the little Southern boy who could. His debut album, “Measure of a Man,” easily outsold first-place winner Ruben Studdard’s effort. And Aiken’s the one headlining a tour with Kelly Clarkson, the first “American Idol” winner.
It’s not often an actor buys his co-star. But then again, Viggo Mortensen isn’t your average actor. And come to think of it, the co-star isn’t some hot young filly — it’s a real horse. “I just fell in love with him [on the set of ‘Hidalgo’],” Mortensen says. “He doesn’t live with me [in Venice, Calif.]. He stays at a friend’s house, and I go over to ride him as much as I can.”
How do you successfully take a motion picture event and encapsulate it into a game for a GBA? Well, you really don’t. “Peter Pan” works on some levels; the storytelling is adorable — from Peter’s first meeting with Wendy through his final battle with Captain Hook.
Oprah Winfrey’s impact extends to the nation and the world, but here at home, we claim her as a Chicagoan — a Garrett-popcorn-eating, lakefront-jogging, North Michigan-Avenue-shopping one.