MovieZen Blog

Going Green at 'The Hulk' Premiere

This week, despite the recent fires at Universal Studios, The Incredible Hulk premiered at Gibson Amphitheater in Universal City, CA. Liv Tyler and Edward Norton were photographed looking stunning as the main stars, and like every other film launch, fans crowded the walkway with the hopes of scoring an autograph. One thing was a little bit different about this particular day, however, and that was the amount of noticeable green seen at the event. The typical red carpet was replaced by a green one, and green dresses were worn by many of the ladies as a salute to the comic character. Director Louis Leterrier and Marvel Studios executives David Maisel and Kevin Feige even showed up wearing matching green-lined sneakers!

OK, thinking of a green theme for 'The Hulk' premiere was clever, but I think that Hollywood maybe went a bit overboard by breaking the mold. The green carpet looked a bit like cheap AstroTurf, no?  I felt like everyone should have been miniature golfing. I would have much rather seen some glam with a red carpet instead. The green dresses and sneakers I can forgive, but let's hope that Hollywood doesn't take the "going green" slogan too far again in the future. Take note studios: going green should be kept for the environment, not our favorite action heroes.

Christina Morgan
UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate

**Read more articles by Christina Morgan**

 

Support Your Local Drive-In

Summertime is finally here, and now that the weather has shaped up, movies are being shown in great outdoor locations across America. The box office still brings in the big bucks, but you can also find favorite films playing at Bryant Park in Manhattan, the Hermosa Beach pier in LA, and of course (my favorite) at drive-ins across the county. For me, this is my favorite time of year...I'd choose a picnic blanket, lawn chair and homemade snacks any day over the commercial trend of the movie megaplex.

I'll never forget my first trip to the drive-in, to see Back to the Future. I played frisbee with my cousins during the previews and intermission, and yelled and screamed with nearby viewers when Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd fought to escape the Libyans. I'd never experienced cinema like this before, and I was instantly hooked.

There are still some drive-in theaters that remain today, despite their trend to fade over the last few decades. You can check out DriveInMovie.com to find one close to your home. Be sure to visit your nearby drive-in this upcoming summer to support the mom and pop businesses, and relish in the glory of a great American movie tradition. The drive-in is an economical (2 or 3 movies for the price of 1) adventure, and a fun place to take your kids for a night of summer bonding.

Christina Morgan
UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate

**Read more articles by Christina Morgan**

Ten Reasons Why Jason Segel is 'Legendary'

10. Like so many other people out there right now, I Love You, Man.

9. Singing about Dracula while looking good is typically a contradiction, unless of course you're Jason Segel.

8. Matt, the guy carrying the watermelon in Can't Hardly Wait, was a crucial breakout role. That was one hell of a party, and everyone knows that a watermelon is key to the success of any great high school gig.

7. Freaks and Geeks and Undeclared… I don’t need to say anything else here.

6. Full-frontal male nudity all of a sudden does not seem like a big deal. In fact, it’s hilarious.

5. Regardless of what Barney Stinson says, Marshall Eriksen is the archetype of the best fiancé ever.

4. Judd Apatow + Seth Rogen + Jason Segel + Paul Rudd = Instant Hit.

3. Slapsgiving will forever be known as one of the great American holidays.

2. Writing real life experiences into Forgetting Sarah Marshall is clever…but the fact that Segel was actually broken up with while naked in real life makes it even more genius and laughable.

1. Did you know? He was chosen to write and direct the next Muppets film.

Christina Morgan
UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate

**Read more articles by Christina Morgan**

Christina Ricci Breaks the Mold in Penelope

It’s clear to anyone that follows her career that Christina Ricci has chosen some odd film roles. From Wednesday in The Adams Family, to Lucy in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, to Rae in Black Snake Moan, no one can pinpoint a stereotypical role that Ricci tends to play. She is all over the map, and as an actress, it sure does make her intriguing.

One of her recent film projects, a release by Reese Witherspoon's Type A Productions, is no exception. Starring as Penelope Wilhern in Penelope, Ricci showed Hollywood that she’s capable of starring in a modern day fairytale with a surprising flair.

The film, which is Director Mark Palansky's break out debut, is about a young girl born with a pig nose as a result of a curse cast on her family. Along with producers Scott Steindorff, Jennifer Simpson, and Dylan Russell, Palansky wanted Ricci for the role of Penelope because “she brings cool to a project,” and “brought in integrity into it and grounded it.”

Ricci stated, “I loved this film from the beginning. For me, the most important message is to not allow insecurities and criticism that other people put on you to cripple you in your life.” She explains that the movie is about self-acceptance and learning to love yourself. Even though it is set in a fairytale-like setting, she thinks that the overall message applies very much to daily life. “It’s a great thing to teach your children.”

On working with James McAvoy, Ricci explains, “when you work with really good actors you have this feeling it’s sort of being like partners in crime.” She also said that McAvoy is great as a person, that they formed a sense of trust on set, and yes – he is a good kisser.

And what was it like working with Witherspoon as a producer? Ricci said that Witherspoon, who also plays Annie in the film, was hands-on and very involved. The film has been in can for almost two years (the release date was pushed off because of a switch in distribution). It was a lot of fun working with Witherspoon at this time because she had actually just won the Oscar for Walk The Line during the filming of Penelope. Ricci talked about how entertaining it was riding through the streets of London with her on a Vespa, people screaming congratulations to them everywhere they went.

Penelope is another unusual film choice for Ricci, but she nails the role brilliantly. It’s just one more example of how she continues to shock us as an actress and keep everyone on edge for the anticipation of her next role. The great thing that you have to love about the girl is that she always keeps us guessing.

Christina Morgan
UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate

**Read more articles by Christina Morgan**

John Leguizamo in The Take

If you ask John Leguizamo why he chose his role in The Take, he'll tell you that he's "doing it for the love, not for the cash." With a budget of around $800,000, The Take, which releases to DVD on May 27th, is about a man caught up in an East LA heist. After being shot, he wrestles with rehabilitation and furiously tries to find the man that committed the crime.

Leguizamo admits that it's been one of the hardest films he's ever made in his life. Because the film was shot in Boyle Heights, many of the hair and makeup crew wouldn't even come back to the set after a few days of seeing the Los Angeles neighborhood first hand. Leguizamo, on the other hand, enjoyed filming in this location unlike the others because it captured the true essence of the story being told (and hey, the extras all got to wear their own clothes)!

As one of the great working actors today, it's great to see Leguizamo get a lead role. When asked what makes him a huge success, he revealed that it's fifteen years of hard work along with a lot of meditation. "I can yoga myself to death," he laughs.

The Take, which has a 1970's cult film feel to it, also stars Rosie Perez, Tyrese Gibson and Bobby Cannavale. It was directed by Brad Furman and will be released by Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.

Christina Morgan
UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate

**Read more articles by Christina Morgan**

MTV Announces Movie Award Nominees

MTV just announced the nominees for this year’s 17^th Annual Movie Awards special, scheduled to air June 1^st. The good news for film fans: You choose the winners.

Log onto http://www.mtv.com/ontv/movieawards/2008/ and cast your votes. Categories for awards include Best Comedic Performance, Best Female Performance, Best Fight, Best Kiss, Best Male Performance, Best Movie, Best Summer Movie So Far, Best Villain, and Breakthrough Performance.

Up for Best Movie this year is I Am Legend, Juno, National Treasure: Book of Secrets, Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End, Superbad, and TRANSFORMERS. Superbad in fact takes the prize for the most nominations overall.

The ceremony this year will be hosted by comedic genius Mike Myers, and viewers can tune in on either television or via their computers. MTV is also having a Spoof Contest for young American’s to take a shot at winning their own award on stage in LA (check out the website for more details).

Some actors dream of winning a golden Oscar, but others remain happy with a golden tub of popcorn. Be sure to vote for your favorites this year, and tune in on June 1^st to see what happens during this year’s show. With MTV, you never know what’s going to happen. Anything goes.

Christina Morgan

UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate

**Read more articles by Christina Morgan**

Sex and the City: The Movie WILL be a Success

Michael Dance, I am here to disagree. You named Sex and the City: The Movie one of the top five box office failures of summer ’08 on our blog last week. Tisk, tisk.

Alright, we all know that it’s not going to win an Oscar. But to say that it’s going to be a failure is a false prediction if I ever saw one. If you really knew what sort of cult following the show actually has among women worldwide, you’d take that statement back in a heartbeat.

Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Catrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, and Chris Noth all appeared on The Oprah Show this week to jump start their national publicity tour. The chemistry of the cast together sizzled and audience members went wild when they all appeared together for the first time since 2004. Oprah, who’s even seen a sneak peek of the film, assured viewers back and forth that they wouldn’t be disappointed. Now I don’t know if you follow Oprah’s book club at all, but when she says something is good, commodities go flying off the shelves in the masses.

Going to see Sex and the City: The Movie will be an experience, not just a $9.50 ticket at the show. Girlfriends around the world will unite for a ladies night: the evening will start in the theaters, but later continue over cosmopolitans, stories and many laughs. While many high-fiving men will never really ’get it,’ it surely does not make the movie a bust.

All I can say is this… if I had a dime for every girlfriend I know that owns the Sex and the City Box Set, I’d be fairly rich. Since I’m pretty sure that almost all of those women will be heading to the theaters on May 30th, New Line Cinema isn’t going to be disappointed at all.

Christina Morgan
UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate

**Read more articles by Christina Morgan**

Gossip Girl Claims Title: Best Show. Ever.

My mother always told me that it’s never a good idea to gossip. Unfortunately for her, my entire Monday nights now revolve around the idea.

With the writer’s strike finally over, Gossip Girl is back. OMFG. Have you seen the commercials and ads with this slogan? Whew!!! They are hard to miss. Parents everywhere are trying to cover up their kids’ eyes. OMFG of course stands for Oh My (obscenity) God. The acronym is paired with juicy billboards and TV commercials that include steamy sex scenes. My first reaction to the campaign was, is that even legal?

New York Magazine this week showed off a racy cover of the cast, proclaiming “Best Show. Ever.” It’s quite a title, so the ads must have worked. Was the hiatus during the strike worth the wait? You bet.

As the cast's popularity soars, the new celebrities are finding that their dirty laundry and personal lives are being thrust into the public eye in true GG fashion. Rumors buzz throughout the internet asking the questions that we are all dying to know…Are Blake Lively and Leighton Meester really frenemies in real life? Did Blake get a secret nose job? What ever happened to Chase Crawford and Carrie Underwood, and is he really gay as some media outlets report? (Girls across America pray that the answer is no).

Well, it's becoming obvious that the television show has spawned a new era of guilty pleasure, and everyone’s dying to jump on the rumor brigade. Like many of the other viewers out there, I just can’t wait to see what scandals are uncovered next!

xoxo
Christina Morgan
UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate

**Read more articles by Christina Morgan**

America's New Sweetheart

Katherine Heigl (nicknamed “Katie") might just be America’s New Sweetheart. 2007 was by far the biggest in her career, even though she’s been in the industry since 1992.

Here are just a few fun facts about the rising starlet: Did you know that the actress actually starred in the lowest-earning movie in recorded history, Zyzzyx Rd.? It earned a whopping $30 at the box office. She also dated Blossom star Joey Lawrence for 3 weeks. WHOA! Heigl was also beat out for main roles on Felicity and Alias, which almost made her drop out of the entertainment industry altogether.

Well, we sure are happy that the actress showed up for her Grey's Anatomy audition and didn’t throw in the towel. Last year, she won an Emmy Award and earned a Golden Globe nomination for her role as Izzie Stevens on the ABC critically acclaimed drama. Not only was she a hit on television, but she also made a name for herself in the comedy world starring opposite Seth Rogan in Knocked Up. People magazine chose her as one of 2007’s Most Beautiful People, and Entertainment Weekly also named her one of the Top 25 Entertainers of 2007. Whew, I guess you could say that Heigl had a rock star year... especially when you consider that she actually married one too (singer/songwriter Josh Kelley)!

Now that 2008 is under way, we’ve watched Heigl dance in all 27 hideous bridesmaids' dresses, and hear that her movie career is expanding again as she signed on for a role in the upcoming film, The Ugly Truth. One thing is for sure, Heigl has become a household name, and the public seems to love her.

When asked about her recent jolt of success and popularity, the actress laughed, “It’s been a very grueling year of work, and it’s been very exciting. I’ve spent years doing nothing but napping a lot and watching ‘Survivor,’ so I’ve reserved energy for it!”

Move over Julia Roberts, it looks like Katie is here to stay.

Christina Morgan
UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate

**Read more articles by Christina Morgan**

Rudin Laughs at Haters with Oscar Win

Mrs. Soffel, Clueless, The Truman Show, Zoolander, The Hours, Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events, and The Other Boleyn Girl…this is just a sampling of films that have come from famed producer Scott Rudin. And although the guy is a cinematic genius, he’s also known as one of the worst bosses around. In 2007, the website Gawker proclaimed it in an online story: Scott Rudin is New York’s Worst Boss and promised to send him a pillow to sleep on at night embroidered with the title. It’s also rumored that the 1994 film Swimming With Sharks, starring Kevin Spacey, is based off of an assistant’s life working under the Hollywood powerhouse. 

One thing is for certain…amidst his long list of box office success stories lies a very nasty reputation.

This year, Rudin (finally) won his first Academy Award as a producer for No Country For Old Men. I had to wonder, was Hollywood actually happy for him, or were members of the industry running for the hills as his ego got a large injection of added vanity? Well, quite frankly, even if people wanted to run all the way to China, they’ll stay put. Let’s face it, every actor, director, grip boy and intern in town looking to build their own resume will line up to work with Rudin at record breaking speeds if they actually want to make it big. Even if the guy is an egotistical jerk, the bottom line is that he turns scripts into gold.

Well, it looks like Rudin finally got his revenge on all the haters around him in the industry. Nothing speaks triumph like a little gold friend named Oscar.

Christina Morgan
UPBEAT Entertainment News Syndicate

**Read more articles by Christina Morgan**