Catherine Zeta-Jones and Justin Bartha continued to film Rebound on Riverside Drive and 113th Street. Catherine was happy to see a friend on the set as she arrived in her truck. The two continued to chat as they went into two seperate trailors and walked through a grassy park area. Justin hung out on a park bench and chatted on his
phone before heading to his trailor which was locked. Crew members had to pop the lock to get him in. C’mon people that dude was in National Treasure. OK, OK let him in anyway. Read the rest of this entry »

This Beast is a Beauty
By Gary Chattman

“Tale as old as time; true as it can be; barely even friends, then somebody bends, unexpectedly…certain as the sun, rising in the east; tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, Beauty and the Beast.”

The latest performance at Westchester Broadway Theatre, with the lyrics by Howard Ashman, Tim Rice and the music by Alan Menken is a fairy tale come to life. Belle (portrayed by Rena Strober) goes to find her lost father Maurice in the forest (David Titus), and, instead finds him imprisoned in an old castle by this horrible Beast (Joseph Mahowald). As usual in fairy tales, this beast really is a handsome prince, changed because of his incapability to love. Because of this curse, his servants have been turned into: a candelabra (Lumiere, played by Rick Hilsabeck); a clock (Cogsworth, played by William Hartery); an armoire (Marguerite Willbanks); a French feather duster (Talana Deshaies) and a teapot whose name is Mrs. Potts, played by Stacia Fernandez. In this town, where Belle is a “misfit” because she is happy and likes to read, there is this bully named Gaston (played by Jonathan Burgard) and his dumb friend, Le Fou (Adolpho Blaire). Gaston wants Belle to marry him, and she can’t stand him! So, you ask, what happens? What do you think? Read the rest of this entry »

We snapped Gwenyth Paltrow leaving her appearance on Good Morning America, where she promoted her new megaflick Iron Man. That movie kicks ass - great script, awesome performance by Robert Downey, Jr. in the lead, and the effects are mad cool. Paltrow’s excellent in the Girl Friday role as well. With that all said, it’s clear Iron Man is the best superhero movie since Blankman - easy.

Photo/Mike DiScuillo

By Gary Chattman

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying is the performance currently ending this first, joyful season at the White Plains Performing Arts Center of White Plains. The show, which ran on Broadway as a revival with Matthew Broderick a few years back, tells the story of a window washer (played by Broderick-clone Matt Wilson, as J. Pierrepont Finch, who lights up the stage with his verve and joie-de-vivre) who climbs the corporate ladder of the World Wide Wicket Company to try and reach the top. With joyful songs by Frank Loesser; with wonderful, spirited dancing by choreographer Lorin Latarro; with excellent direction by Eleanor Reissa, we see the pitfalls and successes that mirror the business world of our time. And we are thoroughly and happily entertained. Read the rest of this entry »

Photos/Paramount
I can’t wait to see The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull . I hope they come out with a kickass videogame to it like Temple of Doom back in the day. I used to play that videogame after school and during my lunch breaks in the third grade like it was going out of style… and, um, it did. But it was still cool. Read the rest of this entry »

A cool, refreshing slice of (water)Meloni.
By Andrew Plotkin

He’s been packing heat on Law & Order: SVU for almost a decade. He’s also shown audiences what he’s packing in his pants, thanks to the many shower scenes in HBO’s Oz. Plain and simple: Christopher Meloni has proven himself to be one of the greatest dramatic TV actors of the 1990s and today.

But in addition to being able to display the necessary gravitas required by a cop who’s just discovered a murder/castration victim, Merloni has, with his turn as a puppet-toting pediatrician in an episode of Scrubs and his smaller roles in films like Runaway Bride and this Friday’s Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay, shown himself to possess incredibly gifted comedic timing. After his scene-stealing turn as a profoundly disturbed summer camp cook in Wet Hot American Summer, reports of sweater fondling and the general molestation of garments in the U.S went up 83%. (Statistics for refrigerator humping were not available.) Read the rest of this entry »

Woody Allen was on location in Chelsea, where he was munching on some yogurt and chatting prior to filming interior shots of Patricia Clarkson, Ed Begley Jr. who proclaimed that using
his Metro Card was “number one,” Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood. Larry David + Woody Allen = Jewish Comedy Gold! Gold I tell you!
Photos/Mike DiScuillo

Whether it’s people eating poop or stuffing chickens up their butts, John Waters has provided many remarkable contributions to the world of cinema. Ironically, his best moment has come off screen - dead center on his face to be exact. Like the director himself, Waters’ mustache is pencil-thin, unique and stylish. Unlike the artist himself, however, the Waters’ ’stache is actually quite straight. As the cult auteur celebrates his 62nd birthday today, we salute that infamous ’stache. In a word: it’s Divine.

Harold & Kumar give the pop a shotty (Oh yes. There will be puns. Sweet sweet puns.)
Stay tuned for interviews with Kal Penn, Neil Patrick Harris, and other members of the cast of Harold & Kumar Escape From Guantanamo Bay, which exhales itself in the face of theaters everywhere this Friday, as well as the film’s writers/directors.

You’ll also find out the pop’s thoughts on the film itself (a few high points that will definitely sate your movie munchies: Harold’s college hairstyle, the orthodontist, and Chris Meloni’s rockin handlebar ‘stache). We’ll pack up a lil’ something about the movie throughout the week.

By Gary Chattman

There is a new one-man dynamo appearing on Broadway daily., and his name is Lin-Manuel Miranda. He conceived In the Heights, he wrote the music and lyrics, and also has the lead role. The energy he shows is amazing, and so is the show. Read the rest of this entry »

Iron Man Trailer

I know. I’m going out on a limb. Stay tuned for our review of the most anticipated movie of the summer/year/both.

Rock on, old people
By Mike Johnson

Our country makes certain generalizations about old people. They drive slow, they eat early, they watch PBS, they don’t have sex, they can’t see or hear, they’re clothes smell funny, and they’re often the culprits of the untimely passing of gas… just to name a few. The idea that a group of 80 year olds could go on tour and belt out rock song after rock song for sold out crowds is novel if not ludicrous, but that’s what makes Young@Heart so great.

It reconfigures the audience’s take on the elderly, what they’re capable of and what they’re passionate about, and you leave the theater almost as entertained as one of their loyal and lively crowds. Bob Cilman has been the director of the Young@Heart chorus for 25 years, and it’s his job to pick the chorus members, choose the songs, and to round the wrinkled rockers into shape for their tour. The documentary, directed and narrated by Steven Walker, follows the members in and out of the practice room during the few weeks leading up to a sold out live show where they plan to unveil some new songs. Read the rest of this entry »

Ethan Hawke chats with set members on his first day of filming New York, I Love You in SoHo. On a related note, I will soon film New York, I Like You a Whole Bunch But I’ll Probably Never Live There.

Photo/Mike DiScuillo

Vanessa Hudgens stays warm and munches on pizza while working on the movie Will at Christopher Park in the West Village on March 20.

Photo/Mike DiScuillo

Isla Fisher and Hugh Dancy were filming Confessions of a Shopaholic  on Madison Avenue yesterday. The set had live mannequins, and Isla was found  sipping on coffee and clowning around with set members and Dancy  before the two shared a kissing scene. On an unrelated note, I’m pretty sure this is the only movie my wife will agree to see with me this year. I’m still paying the price for taking her to see Atonement.

Photos/Mike DiScuillo Read the rest of this entry »

Hilary Duff and boyfriend Mike Comrie of the NY Islanders strolled through SoHo yesterday. We’ll post pics of the duo later, but for now, enjoy this close-up. To quote whoever your favorite rapper is - she’s mad pretty, yo.

Photo/Mike DiScuillo