The Blog is on the move, folks!: Hey guys... I know this may upset some of you (HA! Hardly), but I have decided to post my blog over at Blogger.com, since it's much easier for me to work with and update more frequently during the day. The new link is http://anthonycovino.blogspot.com/ or you can access it by clicking right here. All the same information will be up there, from TV Watch to Box Office Previews to your weekly Box Office roundup. And it's going to have a lot of inside Oscar stuff, too. So I hope you guys will keep reading over there. Thanks for all the support you have showed me here. I appreciate it! :) It goes without saying that i will keep my account here and read up on all my friends I have made here. Love ya guys! Anth
TV Watch "Lost: Season Premiere":When the producers and all the ABC promos tell you to not miss the first 5 minutes of the Season Premiere of Lost, it's wise to shut up and listen to them. The openeing sequence once again featured an old tune, this time "Downtown" as a woman baked and set up for a monthy book meeting. It all seems so idyllically perfect -- until athe ground starts shaking and what appears to be a Earthquake rattles everything .. but, wait. It's not an earthquake at all. Oh, and it's not a tornado, either. Look up in the sky, it's a bird, it's a plane...it's...well, a plane. Oceanic Flight 815 to be specific. You see, this is where the Others live. Hey, who ever said these guys live in squalor? (Love the props to Stephen King, too, since he's a huge fan of the show.) The entire episode features a Jack-centric flashback, which focused on his divroce from Sarah, whom Jack was aware was cheating on him with some guy. Turns out the secret meetings that Christian was having was with AA, not Sarah, and Jack probably never forgave himself for that. On-the-island adventures picked up with Jack, Sawyer and Kate all being held in impossible situations, all thanks to the Others. Who was doing the torturing? Ben. (You may know him as Henry Gale, but the Others all refer to him as Ben; now whether this is a pseudoname is anyone's guess, but let's call him Ben for now.) I tend to think the Others are trying to wear each of the captives down in different ways, all using different tactics. They tried to make Kate cozy by giving her a pretty new dress and letting her shower; Having the persistent but soft-spoken Juliet wear Jack down and break his spirit; and dealing with Sawyer like he's a caged animal. Now speaking of Juliet, how great is Elizabeth Mitchell? I love her in this role and she has some great chemistry with Matthew Fox. Too bad she tasers people like it's going out of style. That's what happened when poor Sawyer tried to heed fellow captive Karl's advice and make a run for it. (Oh, let's not forget that Karl is played by newcomer Rodrigo Santoro.) Loved it when Sawyer refered to Karl as Chachi; gotta love that Sawyer and his knack for coming up with great nicknames. Also loved the fact that it took Sawyer so long to figure out that weird food challenge gizmo in his cell, while some bears "figured it out in two hours." Would these be the Polar bears? That would explain why they were roaming loose in the jungle and why the big cages were empty. Polar bears do like fish, which was the treat that Sawyer earned himself, so it would make sense. Meanwhile, poor Kate was dragged to a shower by the formerly-fake-bearded guy, who I'm pretty sure is gay. I thought his comment that Kate wasn't his type was a pretty good signal. That's probably the clearest thing in the entire episode. Kate was later led to a canopy on the shore for a surprise breakfast with fake Henry Gale (okay, Ben), where handcuffs were also on the menu. When she asked about the dress and the fine dining, Ben told her, “I did all those things so you’d have something nice to hold on to.” But it wasn’t as warm and fuzzy as it seemed when he added, “The next two weeks are going to be very unpleasant.” Great- and here I thought we were already having fun! Jack "the repo man" was held captive under a bunker by Juliet and her grilled cheese sandwich, which it turns out is actually the Hydra station of the Dharma hatches. (That would explain the flood of water that flooded the station when Jack tried to escape.) It used to house sharks and dolphins, Juliet told Jack. Hey, wait: Sharks? Like the one that bore the Dharma logo a few seasons back? I'm guess yes, folks. The real shocker was finding out that Juliet had a whole file on Jack's persoanl life. “We know exactly who you are, Jack Shephard,” Juliet stated. “You don’t know anything about me," Jack yelled. But she proved him wrong as she recited the abridged version of his entire life. And, just in case Jack didn’t take her seriously, she went on to add that she even had his father’s autopsy report. A stunned Jack only wanted to know one thing, if Sarah was happy. “Yes, Jack. She’s very happy,” Juliet assured him. Walking out of the chamber, Juliet met Henry who told her that she did a good job in there. “Thanks, Ben.” With that, Ben prepared to confront Jack and give him hell for all the torture he inflicted. So what do you think? Was this season premiere worth the wait? Is Jack, Kate and Sawyer destined to die? Are the Others really the remaining workers of the Dharma Initiative? (That's the course the writers want us to believe in.) And what happened to the rest of the island dwellers? Post it, folks!
Gael García Bernal eyes the "Bourne" franchise:Paul Greengrass and Matt Damon have started filming The Bourne Ultimatum in Tangier, but they’re missing one small element. Which one? Bourne currently has no bad guy to fight. (What would a "Bourne" franchise be with no baddie?) But they could be closing in one – while no one’s yet sat down at the negotiating table, The Science Of Sleep star Gael García Bernal has been offered the role. It remains to be seen if he’ll join the cast. But, if I may throw my two cents in, I think he would be great in the role. He has the cunning and the acting chops to make it big, as if he hasn't already. What do you think? Good casting choice or not? Post it after the jump!
Check out Madonna's new "Jump" Video!: Check this out, folks! It's right above, so you'll be able to check it out without even leaving the page. (Technology is oh-so-cool, huh? If it's not working, check it out here.) It's only a portion of Madonna's full video of "Jump" which is supposed to be premiered later today in the U.K. The vid was shot over in japan while Madge toured and she is rocking the blonde wig quite well if i do say so myself (the one everyone was knocking her for). I like it..oh, and the video ain't that bad, either. Post your thoughts after the jump link.
Maggie Gyllenhaal and Peter Sarsgaard Have a Girl:Maggie Gyllenhaal and her fiancé, Peter Sarsgaard, have welcomed their first child, according to a rep for the actors. The baby girl, who was born Tuesday afternoon in a New York City hospital, is named Ramona. "Everyone is healthy and happy," Gyllenhaal's rep said in a statement. The couple have been together for more than four years. I wish them the best!
TV Watch 'Prison Break': What's that? The show is off for 3 weeks for Baseball's World Series? Nooo! This can't be. I need to know what happens next and I need to know now! Wow, what a great episode this week on Prison Break -- it probably had the most abundant twists I've ever seen in one single episode, and by twists I mean things you think are going to happen, but then something entirely different occurs. Case in point, the first 2 minutes of the episode when an officer arrived at the home where Michael, C-Note, Sucre and T-Bag were digging for Westmoreland's loot. So, Tweener did in fact give up their location to Agent Mahone, huh? Incorrect! It's just the owner's daughter coming home to check up on her mother. Ha! Cruel Twist #1. (It isn't long before the cons overtake her and tie both the officer and her mother up with tape and rope.) So, while all this is going on, we see Sara starting to become very defensive where Lance/Kellerman is concerned, since her dad tried warning her that he isn't who he claims to be. Oh, and the govenor must have been snooping way to close to Madame President's line of lies, since he was dropped from her tricket to run in the next election. (Never a good sign people; it hints of something bad to come...very bad.) And that something bad happened at episode's end, when Sara went to her dad's retreat house and found him hanging by a rope. Did dear old (dead) dad kill himself or was he a victim of the conspiracy, like Michael and Lincoln are? (Call me a pessimist, but I'm going with the latter.) And was that a shadow coming up behind Sara, hinting that perhaps she may be the next to die? (Hardly, folks; it's probably another "Cruel Twist" the show is saving for October 23. Haven't you guys learned anything yet?) Speaking of Lincoln, he finds out via a TV Report that his son, L.J., is being released on lack of evidence from a jail cell in Arizona. Without a second to lose, he took the car and was on his way. Hey Linc, you may have wanted to think that move out -- you're most likely stepping into a trap to lure you out of hiding. My favorite stuff in this episode involved the situation with Mahone and Tweener. Poor Tweener, we hardly knew ya. He agreed to Mahone's deal to lead him to the cons under the condition that he would not have to serve any extra jail time. He walked up to the door and rang the bell ....but it wasn't the house with the loot, it was the house of the girl he was driving cross country with! Ha! Cruel Twist #2. C'mon, you folks should be catching onto these by now. It was no trick, though, when Michael and the boys hit paydirt (no pun intended) and found the hidden $5 million stash. But, even this could go to hell in a handbasket thanks to Sucre being swayed by that Officer to turn on his friends and turn himself in. I guess we need to wait 3 weeks to find out if Sucre has lost his mind or not. Tweener didn't lose his mind, but he did lose his life. In a shocking twist, Mahone went all psycho on him and shot him full of lead when he found out that he deceived him and added even more stress to Mahone's already stressful situation. It's all explained, though...sorta. It seems that his past escapee caused him so much grief that when he was finalyl captured he went off and shot him full of lead. Hmmm...are we sensing a trend here? Are all the cons destined to die? Probably, especially if Mahone has anything to say about it. So, Tweener is dead, the boys are in serious trouble, and Sara might bite the dust next. What do you think will happen? Was Tweener a savior for not turning the cons in? And will Lincoln really find L.J.? Post it after the jump.
Dane Cook makes YouTube go crazy: If you're as big a fan as I am, you must have seen the season premiere of Saturday Night Live, which Dane Cook hosted. He went on a tear about YouTube and all of its rapturously useless content, claiming that you could type in “A:F6” and find, say, a fat shirtless 10-year-old singing “A colon f six!” over and over again. Cook then did a little dance. Then, these crazy inventive went online and made Dane Cook’s half-funny joke into an unfunny reality. You created (and continue to create) stupid Internet videos showing just how stupid and video-y and shirtless the Internet has become. is this all really smart or untterly annoying? Check out the videos there and post it.
Trailer Blazer: 'Death of a President': This one is sure to rattle your soul, no matter what your political stance is. Death of a President (Oct. 27) took home the international critics' prize at the recent Toronto Film Festival, and it's been the talk of the industry for weeks now. There's a combo of news footage and actors all gathered as they witness a national tragedy in the making. Is it hard to watch or grossly moving? I guess it all depends, but I think it could make for a great film. Now, as for art imitating life...
Jennie Garth, and Peter Facinelli welcome a baby girl:Jennie Garth and husband actor Peter Facinelli have welcomed their third child, a baby girl, according to an insider. Fiona Eve Facinelli was born Saturday at 6:30 a.m. and weighed in at 7 lbs. 8 oz. The girl, who measured 19 inches long, joins sisters Luca Bella, 9, and Lola Ray, 3. Congrats to the happy couple!
Box Office Report: "Open Season" comes out on top: Everything fell nicely into place at this weekend's box office. (Granted the final result isn't what I would call quality entertainment, but still...I did get the top 5 right, so Kudos to me!) Open Season had enough kiddie interest to grab the top spot, earning an estimated $23.0 million according to early estimates. In second place, The Guardian debuted to $17.7 million, proving once again that no matter how hard he tries, Kevin Costner can't open a film like he used to. (If he ever used to...it's not like his name is Tom Cruise, which nowadays isn't what it once was.) Jackass Number Two dropped 52% in its second week, adding $14.0 million to its total haul of $51.5 million. School for Scoundrels landed in fourth place with $9.0 million, while Jet Li's Fearless rounded out the top 5 with $4.7 million. The full list of the Top 10 appears below.
Rumor Mill: Are Eva Longoria and Tony Parker done?: It seems so: Eva Longoria and her sports star boyfriend Tony Parker have ended their 18-month romance, according to insiders. The couple's split comes at an awkward time -- they've just bought a house together in Los Angeles and they've spent much of 2006 renovating a dream homein Texas. A friend close to the couple says: "Eva decided in the end that Tony was not the right one for her." The insider concludes that one reason Eva decided to call off the relationship was their seven-year age difference: "She just decided he's too young." My other source confirms all this, saying: "They did break up. It's amicable. They are talking and trying to figure the best course of action for their future. They are trying to work things out." Hey, Eva, there's always the gardener, right?
The king of Sitcomland is... Charlie Sheen?: When did this happen? It's hard to believe, but the inside rumor is that Charlie Sheen is about to sign a deal worth $350,000 per episode. That's not Friends money (or Frasier or Everybody Loves Raymond money), but then, Two and a Half Men isn't "Friends." I find this slightly hard to believe, but the real question is does Sheen really deserve to be the top-earning sitcom star? Yeah, his show is TV's most-watched comedy, but let's imagine for a moment that TV salaries were based on merit. Shouldn't it be someone worth laughing over? Who, then, would deserve top pay? Jason Lee? Julia Louis-Dreyfus? Steve Carell? Post it!
'Studio 60' actress Amanda Peet weds:Amanda Peet and screenwriter David Benioff were married in New York City on Saturday evening. The bride and groom exchanged vows in a ceremony held at the actress's alma mater, Friends Seminary, a Quaker school founded in 1786. Peet, who appears in the new NBC drama Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip, and Benioff, who wrote the screenplays for 25th Hour and Troy, are expecting a child together, according to their rep. Congrats to the lovely duo.
Box Office Preview: "Open Season" will open at the top: Yes, folks, it's another thrilling weekend at the box office, as a new slew of films hit theaters that will excite, titalize and awe moviegoers everywhere. (Yes, that is sarcasm that you're smelling.) As far as first place goes, I'm expecting Open Season will take the top spot, with around $23 million, just beating out The Guardian, featuring Kevin Costner and Ashton Kucther, which will probaby earn close to $21 million. (Blame it all on lack of buzz and generally little interest in the film.) Jackass Number Two will drop 52% to land in third place with around $14 million. Rounding out the Top 5 will be new release School for Scoundrels (with $11 million) and Jet Li's Fearless (with $6 million.) Look for the complete Top 10 on Sunday afternoon.
Robert Downey Jr. is Iron Man:Robert Downey, Jr. is suiting up to star in Iron Man, a superhero movie based on the Marvel Comics character. Jon Favreau is directing the Paramount Pictures release. Filming is slated to begin in February in Los Angeles. Never heard of this little bon mat? Well, here's the spiel according to a press release: "Downey will portray Tony Stark, a billionaire industrialist and genius inventor who is kidnapped and forced to build a devastating weapon. Using his intelligence and ingenuity, Stark instead builds a high-tech suit of armor and escapes captivity. Upon his return to the U.S., he uncovers a plot with global implications and must don his armor and protect the world." Ok, so this guy has had his share of public life, what with his turn toward drinking and drugging that has left his image tarnished; however, this could be a step in the right direction. Years after having cleaned himself up, Downey is still an astonishingly talented actor who could easily work for the rest of his life in quirky indie films, but his career in mainstream movies remains stalled, so he needs one big hit to put himself back on Hollywood's map. This could be that hit, right? Post what you think after the jump.
TomKat the Movie?: Oh, no! Just when you thought it couldn't get worse, comes this upsetting news: Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are desperate to show off their chemistry on screen, according to my insider. Despite keeping new baby Suri under wraps for months, the couple has no qualms about letting the world see their love for each other and are reportedly looking for a movie they can star in together. My source says, "Tom is looking for a movie that will make the most of their chemistry. He's devoting himself to putting together a project that will not only make Katie a bona fide star, but will put him back in the good graces of the movie-going public." I guess he can't do on his own. We'll see what happens...
'Desperate Housewives: The Rap': If you love those crazy Desperate Housewives (and let's be honest here, who doesn't?) check out this awesome Rap about this show made by fan (and friend of mine) Erin. Yeah, it may smell of a hint of self promotion, but this thing is actually that good. (Susan is a mess and we all know it and let's rap along with pure delight.) So, I'm not alone in thinking this is the bomb, right? Post it after the jump and check out Erin's blog here.
