Tuned in to Pop Culture

I have a new favorite book title

2012-02-14T11:01:00.003-05:00

This greeted me in my mailbox at work today.

The folks at Andrews McMeel Publishing are good about sending me the newest compilations of reviews by veteran movie critic Roger Ebert.

Usually, these are just a bunch of reviews from a certain time frame. This book -- "A Horrible Experience of Unbearable Length: More Movies That Suck" -- has a pretty obvious slant to it. More specifically, these are reviews of movies Ebert gave ratings of two stars or less since 2006.

Bad movies? Doesn't appeal to you? Hey, you know what's better to read (and write) than a good review? A bad one. A scathing, man-I-detested-every-second-of-this-piece-of-garbage thrashing of a flick. And Ebert, with his many, many years in the biz, knows how to do that.

The book, with a list price of $16.99, is set to be released March 2.

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to read Ebert's take on "The Human Centipede." Ooooh, this should be bad.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

People who know how to use the Internet don't know who Paul McCartney is

2012-02-13T15:36:00.002-05:00

(Editor's note: A lot of the links below link to Internet comments, which tend to contain foul language and poor grammar. Click at your own risk.)

I was going to blog about all of the people who took to social media to ask who is Bonnie Bear, after Bon Iver won Best New Artist at last night's Grammy Awards, spurring the same outrage as Arcade Fire (Who is Arcade Fire??!!?) after the group won Album of the Year at last year's Grammy Awards. But then I came across something much, much worse than fans of pop music complaining because they don't know the talented indie act that beat their favorite rapper for the gold gramophone.

Who is Paul McCartney?!

Associated Press

Yes, people who were watching the Grammy Awards last night -- and therefore are presumably fans of music -- complained about the old guy rocking on stage. They wondered if he was Jesse McCartney's father. They said the song he played sucks.

So many people were asking about him on Twitter that Who is Paul McCartney is a trending topic.

This is your future, America. Please teach your children about The Beatles.

That's probably not the worst thing that's been said on social media. The tweet below pretty well sums up my feelings:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Pre-Valentine's Day weekend's No. 1 movie is 'The Vow'

2012-02-12T18:13:00.000-05:00

It shouldn't be too surprising that a love story easily finished in first place at the weekend box office. I just feel sorry for all the guys who were dragged along to it.

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

'Amazing Spider-man' trailer amazing

2012-02-08T11:57:00.002-05:00

Some are saying the reboot of the Spider-Man movie franchise is too soon.

The last Spidey film was Spider-Man 3, starring Toby Maguire. That 2007 superhero flick was awful, and taking the franchise in a different direction was needed. Enter Andrew Garfield, best known for his starring role in "The Social Network," who will don the web-slinger's mask and tights. The movie's release date is July 3.

No one knows where "The Amazing Spider-Man" will rank with the previous franchise, spearheaded by director Sam Raimi and Maguire. If the film's second trailer is any indication, this film will be a box-office smash. However, competition for spring and summer movie dollars will be fierce with the upcoming releases of "The Avengers," in May and "The Dark Knight Rises," set for a July 20th release.

Check out the latest trailer for "The Amazing Spider-Man," released this week, below:

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

Rocking like it's 1986 ... sorta

2012-02-07T17:20:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that today I listened to a new Van Halen album.

Even harder to believe is that the album -- "A Different Kind of Truth" -- features the unmistakeable David Lee Roth on lead vocals.

Sure, VH hadn't put out a new studio album since 1998's "Van Halen III," the band's lone outing with then former Extreme frontman Gary Cherone. So a new album with anyone -- Cherone, former frontman Sammy Hagar or once-asked-to-sing-for-the-group Scandal siren Patty Smyth -- would have been a serious event for rock fans.

But Diamond Dave back? That is BIG.

Of course, if you're a fan and you've been following the VH news, you've already heard lead single "Tattoo" and seen this video:

"A Different Kind of Truth" dropped today. While I write this, I'm on my second spin through the disc. (No, I didn't run out and buy it. Instead, I've chosen to spend some time with it via streaming service MOG before plunking down the coin for it.)

While not one of my favorite groups anymore, Van Halen was my first. I fell in love with the band sometime around the beginning of the '90s. When 1991's "For Unlawful Carnal Knowledge," came out, I lived and breathed it. My first concert was seeing Van Halen (and opener Alice in Chains, whom I then despised but would come to dig) at the beginning of the "Carnal" tour (notice how I'm not using the acronym?). Seeing your favorite band playing the songs you love right in front of you for the first time is really something. What a memory.

Truth be told, I've always been more of a Sammy guy than a Dave guy, which is about as cool as saying you prefer Windows to Mac or going to bed early to sleeping in late. (Guilty on all accounts.). But, hey, Roth-led Halen had some righteous tunes -- "Jump," "Panama," "Little Guitars," "Girl Gone Bad" and "Ain't Talkin' 'Bout Love," to name just a few of my faves. And I spent the dough to see the Roth reunion tour a few years ago ag Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland.

The last VH album with Roth was "1984," released early that year. So the album that should have gotten in 1986 (we got the Hagar-powered "5150" instead) we get now. Only Roth is covering up his male pattern baldness and longtime bassist Michael Anthony has been replaced by guitarist Eddie Van Halen's son, Wolfgang. (Eddie's talented brother, Alex, is still around beating the hell out of his drum kit, as always.)

My initial reactions to the album are what I expected them to be. These aren't terrifically written tunes; they don't feel like they came together easily and organically. And Roth still leaves a lot to be desired as a pure singer. (His value is, of course, as an attention-grabbing frontman.) But it's great to here Eddie on the guitar and Alex on the drums. Through it all -- the good, bad, ugly and mediocre -- the two of them and that sound have been there.

So the 2012 version of Van Halen may indeed be a different kind of truth and, ultimately, a less compelling one. But it's still the truth.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

Will Ferrell's Old Milwaukee Super Bowl commercial

2012-02-06T13:46:00.000-05:00

You might think you saw all the commercials during last night's Super Bowl, but you likely missed one: Will Ferrell's Old Milwaukee Super Bowl ad that only aired in North Platte, Neb. Check it out below:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Super Bowl ads are fun.

2012-02-05T20:42:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl is more than halfway over, and I've already got a favorite ad. I'm a big fan of fun. The band and the concept in general. Their song, "We Are Young," is a particular favorite of mine.

It's an anthem and the Super Bowl commercial featuring it is appropriately enough being called "Chevrolet: Anthem" on Hulu's AdZone. It's a commercial for the Chevrolet Sonic, a car that jumps out of planes, does kickflips, holds OK Go (another band I love), and goes bungee jumping.

And  ia<br>

Though there's some other great ones.

M&M's anyone?

Or you can't go wrong with a cute dog and "Star Wars."

-- Nicole Franz | NiFranz@News-Herald.com | @franzorfoe

'Chronicle' debuts at No. 1

2012-02-05T20:28:00.001-05:00

"Chronicle" didn't get as much love in the review (linked below) as I would have thought, but it still did well at the box office, edging out Daniel Radcliffe's new film by a mere $1 million. Did anyone see "Chronicle"? Is it worth the theater price, or should I wait for Netflix/Redbox?

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

HBO on the GO? Yes, thank you

2012-02-03T10:47:00.001-05:00

When I first heard about HBO GO -- the premium cable network's mobile service -- I was very interested to try it out. Although it debuted in February 2010, I wasn't aware of it until an iPad app offering the service was released last year.

I eagerly downloaded it, only to find that I could not use it. Why? Because I am a Time Warner Cable customer.

Sure, it must seem shocking that a cable provider that couldn't come to a financial agreement with the NFL to carry the NFL Network (not that that still makes me so angry that I want to hurl a football through a window or anything) also couldn't come to an arrangement with HBO to allow its paying customers to use the service, but that was in fact the deal. So when I launched the app, I learned that, as a TWC customer, I was out of luck.

Actually, it didn't bother me much at first. Really, I figured, how much was I going to watch HBO content away from home? And at home, HBO's on-demand offerings on TWC are fairly robust, so it wasn't like I was starving for more HBO content. Lastly, I guessed, HBO GO would offer the same content found on demand through my cable box, little more.

Wrong. Wrong. And drop-dead, Tony Soprano-in-a-sundress wrong.

Not long ago, TWC and HBO finally got together, and I have been happily GO-ing ever since.

HBO GO is simply packed with content. Yes, there's a selection of movies showing on the network. More importantly, though, there's a ton of HBO's original content -- documentary films, comedy and sports specials, drama and comedy series and more.

It's the availability of the series that thrills me, because, as far as I can tell, you can watch every episode of all the series made available through the service. (Using HBO On Demand through your cable box, you might get the most recent season of a show or, say, six old episodes of "The Sopranos," but not everything.)

Every episode of "The Sopranos"? Check. Of "Six Feet Under"? check.

"Entourage"? "Deadwood"? "The Wire"? Check. Check. Check.

Me? I'm waaaaay, deeeeeep back into "The Wire," arguably -- and I will argue it -- one of the greatest shows of all time. The engrossing drama examining various facets of urban life, all against the backdrop of the drug trade in Baltimore, is proving just as and maybe even more engrossing the second time through.

These are screenshots from the HBO GO app on the iPad.

And while I use HBO GO on my iPad, primarily at a desk next to a computer, you can also use the service within a web browser or on an iPhone or Android device. It is also on its way to your big screen via Xbox Live and Roku devices, if it isn't already there.

HBO has always been that service you think about canceling when you look at your obscene cable bill. But then you think of all the content the network provides, and you decide you can find those 15 bucks or so by turning your heat further down. And now, with HBO GO, it will be nearly impossible to go away from HBO.

Thank heavens it's been a warmer winter here in Northeast Ohio.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

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How social media ranks fall TV's hit shows

2012-02-02T13:31:00.001-05:00

I don't quite understand how Nielson is the standard for TV ratings, especially now that there are SO many channels and SO many options and devices that allow us to catch up on shows whenever we want to watch them. So I like this infographic I found on visual.ly about How social media ranks fall TV's hit shows. The three different measurements displayed give a more clear picture about what people are watching, why they are watching, and how they are reacting to it.

(I haven't seen a single episode listed in this graph. Then again, nothing in that graphic is about "Jeopardy!" or something on Bravo.)

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

'The Grey' finishes at No. 1 in weekend box office

2012-01-29T18:44:00.001-05:00

Nothing too exciting out of this weekend's box office, which is fine because it's Oscar season! Entertainment Editor Mark Meszoros has made it a little easier to get in all the important films, listing where the best picture nominees are playing. (If you've seen all the nominees and just know who's going to win, how about entering our Academy Awards contest?)

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Start getting the (best) picture

2012-01-27T10:17:00.003-05:00

You've seen the list of Oscar nominations for best picture.

There are nine of them.

Gulp. You have a lot of work to do between now and Feb. 26.

No time like this weekend to get started, right? Let's dig into where -- or how -- you can see each of the nine films.

"The Artist." After being a tough-to-find delicacy for a couple of weeks in Northeast Ohio, the wonderful ode to the silent-film era is everywhere. See it at Regal Willoughby Commons Stadium 16, Atlas Cinemas Great Lakes Stadium 16 in Mentor, Regal Richmond Towns Square Stadium 20 in Richmond Heights, Regal Severance Town Center Stadium 14 in Cleveland Heights and Cedar Lee Theatre, also in Cleveland Heights, where it's been playing.

"The Descendants." George Clooney''s Hawaii-set dramedy is still tearing up theaters. Catch it at the aforementioned Great Lakes, Regal Willoughby and Richmond Town Square, as well as Phoenix Theatres Eastgate 10 in Mayfield Heights and Atlas Cinemas Diamond Center 16 in Mentor.

"Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close." Grab your tissues and check out the post-9/11 family drama at Atlas Great Lakes and Diamond Center, Regal Willoughby and Richmond and Phoenix Eastgate.

"The Help." The powerful drama about black servants in 1960s Mississippi is already out on DVD and Blu-ray and available through Netflix,but you can also see it on the big screen and on the cheap at Phoenix Theatres Willoughby Hills Movies 10.

"Hugo." Apparently (and much to my surprise), it's not too late to see Martin Scorsese's family-friendly drama and homage to filmmaking pioneer George Melies in 3-D. Put on some glasses at Regal Willoughby and Severance and Chagrin Cinemas, or see it in a mere two dimensions at Regal Richmond.

"Midnight in Paris." The best work by writer-director Woody Allen in some time is out on DVD, so you can be whisked away to France via your couch quite easily.

"Moneyball." The adaptation of the book about Oakland Athletics General Manager Billy Beane (Brad Pitt) is out of theaters and available on disc at stores and through rental services. In my opinion it's not worth a best picture nod, but as far as entertainment goes, it's a home run.

"The Tree of Life." Look, we all should of seen writer-director Terrence Malick's dreamy and visually stunning meditation on the origins and connectivity of life in theaters and away from distractions at home. But at this point, you'll have to watch it at home. I can't promise you'll get anything more out of the visually arresting film the first time through than I did, but maybe, like me, you'll want to watch it again.

"War Horse." Too sappy for many critics, Steven Spielberg's equine-powered World War I drama hit me just right in my typically blackened heart, and I think back on it fondly. I encourage you to see it on a big screen Atlas Diamond Center, Regal Willoughby, Richmond or Severance or Chagrin Cinemas.

If you need me, you'll find me working on the best actress category by catching "My Week With Marilyn" (Michelle Williams) at Chagrin Cinemas or "Albert Nobbs" (Glenn Close) at Cedar Lee.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

The Royal Rumble game

2012-01-26T20:15:00.000-05:00

The WWE Royal Rumble is one of the few pro wrestling events you can have a pool for without worrying because the results are rigged.

The main event of Sunday's pay-per-view show is an over-the-top-rope battle royal, with participants entering every 90 seconds. The last man standing gets a world title shot at WrestleMania.

Putting a pool together makes the match, which can last more than an hour, much more fun to follow. The options include awarding points based on how long a participant stays in and how many others he throws out.

Pools that draft participants in advance are almost obsolete because the list of entrants is almost never fully revealed. Sometimes the list changes based on matches earlier in the card, too.

The more popular pools involve drawing numbers. Whoever comes out at that number is who you get.

The pools that award points based on how many others one throws out are for the die-hard fans. When there's a scrum near the ropes, you need a spotter to call out who's doing what and someone else to write it down.

Our group from the office does a pool, but we we're not as labor-intensive. Here's how ours works:

(Based on five people)
Draw Nos. 1 through 20, four each
Draw Nos. 21 through 30, two each - guaranteeing everyone two of the final 10 evens it out and keeps everyone happy.

First wrestler out - 1 point
Second wrestler out - 2 points
29th wrestler out - 29th points, etc.

The player whose six wrestlers' points add up to the most wins. You just have to root for your guys to stay in the match.

- Howard Primer

A stab in the relative dark at predicting the Oscar nods

2012-01-23T10:57:00.002-05:00

I’m going tostart by making an excuse.

It’s goingto be really tough to correctly predict the exact nominees for the best pictureAcademy Award this year – nominations for the Oscars are to be announced early Tuesday morning in Los Angeles –because we don’t even know how many there will be.

For manyyears, there were five. The last two years, there were 10 – and I correctly predicted nine of them last year.

This year, Ilike the idea of picking seven nominees. I doubt Oscar voters will stick tojust five, but this was, in my estimation, a weaker year in film, so 10 seems abit much. (That said, having 10 nominees is better for the overall business, soI think it’s more likely there will be 10 than five.)

As everyoneknows, the Golden Globes are the best predictor of the Oscars, so my choiceslargely will be picked from winners and nominees of the Globes’ two filmcategories – best drama and best comedy or musical.

I’m going totake four of the five nominees from the best drama category: “The Help,” “Hugo,”“The Ides of March,” “War Horse” and the winner, “The Descendants.” From thecomedy or musical pool, I will take only “50/50” and the winner, “The Artist.”

For myseventh pick – my wild card, if you will – I’ll go with “J. Edgar,” if onlybecause Oscar voters love director Clint Eastwood.

Howconfident am I in these picks? To be honest, not very. Truthfully, the only twoI would put money on are “The Descendants” and “The Artist.” The latter – a wonderfulhomage to the silent film era – is likely to win the big prize, and that wouldbe just fine with me.

The Weinstein Co.

Jean Dujardin stars in the sure-to-be-nominated film "The Artist."

These picksmight be a bit of wishful thinking. I have “50/50” in the mix because I lovedit and would like to see it get nominated. There’s a good shot it won’t. Thesame goes for “War Horse,” a Steven Spielberg-directed film that tugs at theheartstrings. I simply didn’t find the movie as sappy as many critics did.

And I wouldn’tbe shocked if another film from the musical or comedy category – Woody Allen’s “Midnightin Paris” – gets nominated, but I’ve yet to see it. (I hope to wrong thatright, tonight, in fact.)

Find out howclose to the mark I hit by checking www.News-Herald.comTuesday morning for a rundown of all the nominees.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

'Underworld' tops weekend box office

2012-01-22T18:35:00.001-05:00

Kate Beckinsale, vampires and lycans easily took the No. 1 spot at the weekend box office. I'm surprised "Haywire" didn't finish higher, after getting such a positive review from The Associated Press. I saw the weekend's No. 4 finisher, which was a pretty emotional experience for me (I previously read the book and enjoyed the movie more).

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Red carpet looks from the Golden Globes and People's Choice Awards

2012-01-18T15:55:00.000-05:00

I love checking out photos from the red carpet at awards shows. I'm not a fashion person, but I get pretty interested in the choices celebrities make before strutting their stuff in front of paparazzi.

In the past week I put together two slideshows -- one of images from the 2012 People's Choice Awards, and one of images from the 69th annual Golden Globes. I think overall, the quality of looks was better at the Golden Globes (and that's probably the way it should be).

I'm still trying to decide my favorite look from both red carpets. Jessica Alba looked incredible at the Golden Globes, but there is something about Sarah Michelle Gellar's dress that I love more every time I see it.

Watch the People's Choice and Golden Globes slideshows to see the looks for yourself:

What did you think were the best and worst looks of both shows?

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

George Lucas says he's done with "Star Wars"

2012-01-18T15:39:00.001-05:00

Star Wars creator George Lucas told The New York Times Magazine he's done making "Star Wars" movies.

Lucas has made six "Star Wars" films, beginning in 1977 with Episode IV: A New Hope (aka Star Wars), and then the first three films of the mega-hit series in the late 1990s and into the 2000s.

However, fans of the films have criticized Lucas for adding to the original films on DVD releases, and other nitpicking. Lucas apparently has had enough.

“Why would I make any more,” Lucas said in the story, “when everybody yells at you all the time and says what a terrible person you are?”

To read the entire story, click here:

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

Alcatraz -- good enough to keep watching

2012-01-17T16:38:00.003-05:00

Fox's new drama "Alcatraz" debuted Monday night with a two-hour episode (though, it was more like two episodes played back-to-back). I have had a "Lost"-sized hole in my heart since the night of May 23, 2010, and am hoping this will fill it.

"Alcatraz" has a lot of similarities to "Lost" -- an island, a mystery, some supernatural happenings, and Jorge Garcia playing a very Hurley-like character.

Other first impressions of the show:

Interesting concept. Alcatraz closed in 1963, but this show supposes the prisoners weren't transferred elsewhere, and now they're showing up in present day, having not aged a bit.
The lead lady is kind of annoying. Sorry, Sarah Jones, but I don't buy you as a cop/detective/FBI special agent. I wish dramas wouldn't cast for looks because it makes the leading ladies seem generally helpless instead of strong.
How long can this go on? In the two hours so far, we've had two criminals appear and the lead characters have worked to track them down. The show will get boring if that's all that happens.
Can the mystery be revealed without the show jumping the shark? Maybe it's preemptive of me to say that. I'm just worried the build-up is going to be too much and the reveal too weird/incomprehensible/ridiculous. We probably won't find out until the end of the season, but it's going to have to be enough to keep viewers interested in watching a second season.

Are you watching "Alcatraz"?

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

'Contraband' tops weekend box office, but 'Beauty and the Beast' is No. 2

2012-01-15T19:32:00.000-05:00

I made it to the movie theater this weekend and almost wished I had contributed to "Beauty and the Beast" taking second place at this weekend's box office. (I saw "The Artist", which was beautiful and which you all should see.)

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Grammy performers announced

2012-01-12T16:57:00.000-05:00

People seem to have problems with the Grammy awards for whatever reason, but at least this year it looks like the show will be entertaining.

From The Associated Press:

I'm looking forward to some of those performances, though not so much the awards part of the show.

Those of us in the office during the show usually predict winners (for bragging rights only). I get teased for being the most enthusiastic about making picks but generally picking the fewest winners. It seems the Grammy tends to go to musicians I've never heard of or know little about. (Though I did love when Arcade Fire won Album of the Year last year, because I do really like that album.)

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Napoleon Dynamite -- the television series

2012-01-10T13:00:00.020-05:00

This is a terrible idea. I'm having trouble finding the words to explain how much I think this idea is a miserable failure.

"Napoleon Dynamite" the animated television series premieres at 8:30 p.m. Jan. 15. It's based on the 2004 film "Napoleon Dynamite," and for some reason, the execs over at Fox thought that nearly EIGHT YEARS LATER it could be turned into a cartoon. (And for some reason, the original actors are back and all lending their voices [because they have nothing better to do?])

I love me some Napoleon Dynamite. I still quote it. I saw it in the theater a few times. I own it on DVD. I have a button that says Vote for Pedro. I'm training to be a cage fighter, and I've been chatting online with babes all day. But I will not watch this show.

The Wikipedia page for the show lists six episodes. I hope it doesn't make it past one.

Please, Fox, don't ruin this cult favorite.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

What is at the top of the weekend box office?

2012-01-08T18:32:00.000-05:00

The first time I heard of this weekend's first-place movie, "The Devil Inside," was when I was looking at this weekend's box office numbers. I don't do a very good job at getting to the movie theater ...

Also, "New Year's Eve"? What are you still doing in the top 10????

From The Associated Press;

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Watch What Happens Live -- 5 nights a week!

2012-01-06T15:55:00.000-05:00

I've blogged a few times before (here, here, here, here, here, here and here) about my love for all things Bravo, but I don't think I've ever mentioned how much I love the live late-night show after the weekly drama with the Housewives.

"Watch What Happens Live" features the cable network's executive vice president of original programming and development, Andy Cohen, chatting with stars from Bravo's reality shows and beyond (the guests from the final show of 2011 were Lea Michele and Chris Colfer of "Glee"). The show includes recaps of what's aired that night, as well as what's happening around the world. Each episode features a drinking game (for those 21 and older, Andy stresses) as well as a game for the guests to play. Andy takes questions and comments from callers, emailers and Twitterers, and guests are often put on the spot (especially if they're involved in controversy on their reality shows). Essentially, it's a half hour of fun television after some often too dramatic drama of reality television. And beginning Sunday, the show will air FIVE NIGHTS A WEEK!

OK, maybe this won't be of interest to you at all if you don't watch anything on Bravo, and if you tune in without watching the shows, you might not understand a lot of the jokes or references. But (maybe I should be ashamed to admit) I am pretty excited about this news.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Don't find yourself trailing the crowd

2012-01-03T14:15:00.000-05:00

We're barely into 2012, but I'm worried you're already behind.

Hey, I get it. The end of the year is a stressful and busy time. You'd have loved to spend your free time glued to a computer. Unfortunately, you didn't have any free time.

Well, now you do, and it's time to see the hot new movie trailers you've missed. There are some cool movies coming out in 2012, and we're starting to get our first official looks at them.

Let's dive in:

"Prometheus" (June 8) is the maybe, sort-of, at-one-time-was-meant-to-be prequel to "Alien," directed by Ridley Scott.

"The Dark Knight Rises" (July 20), the conclusion of brilliant director Christopher Nolan's trilogy of fantastic Batman films. (If you can't tell, I'm very excited about this one.)

"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (Dec. 14), which brings Peter Jackson, "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy back to Middle-Earth for the first half of a prequel story based on "The Hobbit" by "Rings" author J.R.R. Tolkien.

"Brave" (June 22) is a new adventure from Disney-Pixar. Really, that's all you need to know.

"The Avengers" (May 4) trailer has been out some time, but part of the superhero blockbuster was shot in Cleveland, so you should probably watch it again. Just to be safe.

"The Amazing Spider-Man" (July 3) is a reboot of the superhero story, which, like "The Avengers," stems from the world of Marvel Comics. (OK, I know you've seen this, too.)

"The Hunger Games" (March 23) is the adaptation of a book you or a young person in your life has read. It takes place in a bleak future. Enjoy!

"Snow White and the Huntsman" (June 1) has Snow White, an evil queen and a mirror on the wall, but no sign of drawfs.

Hope you enjoyed the show.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

Mission: (Top the box office again not) Impossible

2012-01-02T18:14:00.002-05:00

Not a bad weekend at the box office -- unless you are behind a movie that is named for the holiday weekend and you ended up at No. 8 in the weekend box office.

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Compilation of 2011's viral videos

2011-12-29T12:07:00.008-05:00

I'm clearly not so good at keeping up with the popular things on the Internetz because I didn't recognize most of the videos in Videogum's compilation of the best viral videos of 2011.

Check it out below (or watch it here):

My favorite is the first one.

Wondering about the viral videos you missed? Check out the list of all the videos included.

Also, sorry I got "Friday" in your head (because it's only Thursday - so just come back and watch this again tomorrow).

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Learning to count, Star Wars style

2011-12-29T00:20:00.003-05:00

4, 5, 6 ... 1, 2, 3?

Thank you, George Lucas.

As my 3-year-old boy Samson gets to the stage of his life when he's learning to count, before I know it, the time will come when I'll introduce him to one of the greatest movie franchises in history: The Stars Wars trilogy, times 2.

Here's the difficult decision: Do we start with Episode IV: A New Hope (aka, Star Wars), then onto Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back and Episode VI: The Return of the Jedie? Or do we start with Episode I: The Phantom Menace, then Episode II: The Attack of the Clones and Episode III: Revenge of the Sith?

Easy as 1, 2, 3, right? Not so fast.

How could I deny my boy the excitement of where it all began in 1977, when I, as a 7-year-old, could hardly contain myself in anticipation for the original? How I could I deny my boy the moment when Darth Vader reveals to Luke he is his father in Empire?

(Note: I brought this up to my wife a while back. She just shook her head, and had to be thinking, "Who is this dork I married?)

Numerically, it makes sense to start with The Phantom Menace, but Samson's venture into the Star Wars saga will begin with A New Hope. The numbers will be jumbled, but he'll figure it out, and enjoy it all the more.

- Mark Podolski

DJ Earworm's "United State of Pop 2011"

2011-12-28T12:41:00.004-05:00

DJ Earworm has made a compilation of some of the year's biggest hits to create "United State of Pop 2011 (World Go Boom)". Check out a video of the compilation below:

If you liked that, you can download an MP3 of the mix.

(Truthfully, I like this compilation better than most of these songs on their own.)

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

'Mission: Impossible' cruises to No. 1 at weekend box office

2011-12-26T18:28:00.004-05:00

Looks like the holiday weekend was pretty good at the box office. I might have forgotten to post the estimated totals yesterday, so instead today you get the actual totals, and lots of numbers, and the top 20 instead of the top 10.

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

My favorite 100 movies ... again

2011-12-22T16:08:00.000-05:00

Since we spent the last four days ranking one man's 100 favorite movies, 25 at a time, here's a final recap:

1. Jaws (1975)

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)

3. Rocky (1976)

4. Star Wars (1977)

5. The Dark Knight (2008)

6. All The President's Men (1976)

7. King Kong (1933)

8. Die Hard (1988)

9. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

10. Glengarry Glenn Ross (1992)

11. Midnight Run (1988)

12. The Natural (1984)

13. The Godfather (1972)

14. A Few Good Men (1992)

15. Halloween (1978)

16. Goodfellas (1990)

17. Raging Bull (1980)

18. Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989)

19. Rocky III (1982)

20. Silver Streak (1976)

21. Batman Begins (2005)

22. Predator (1987)

23. The Karate Kid (1984)

24. My Cousin Vinny (1992)

25. The Paper (1994)

26. Major League (1989)

27. The King's Speech (2010)

28. The Breakfast Club (1985)

29. Breaking Away (1979)

30. Citizen Kane (1941)

31. Back To The Future (1985)

32. Hoosiers (1986)

33. Aliens (1986)

34. First Blood (1982)

35. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935)

36. Wall Street (1987)

37. Rudy (1993)

38. Planet of the Apes (1968)

39. The Poseidon Adventure (1972)

40. Rain Man (1988)

41. The Untouchables (1987)

42. The Graduate (1967)

43. Casino (1995)

44. The Godfather II (1974)

45. The Empire Strikes Back (1980)

46. Heat (1995)

47. The Game (1997)

48. Total Recall (1990)

49. Used Cars (1980)

50. Bull Durham (1988)

51. American Beauty (1999)

52. Groundhog Day (1993)

53. Ferris Beuller's Day Off (1986)

54. Dazed and Confused (1994)

55. Rocky II (1979)

56. 48 Hrs. (1982)

57. The Right Stuff (1983)

58. The Usual Suspects (1995)

59. Caddyshack (1980)

60. Forrest Gump (1994)

61. Frost/Nixon (2008)

62. The Social Network (2010)

63. Eight Men Out (1988)

64. The Seven-Year Itch (1955)

65. Scarface (1983)

66. V for Vendetta (2006)

67. Minority Report (2002)

68. Superman: The Movie (1978)

69. Cast Away (2000)

70. Sea Biscuit (2003)

71. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)

72. Letahl Weapon (1987)

73. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971)

74. Three Kings (1999)

75. Coming to America (1988)

76. Jurassic Park (1993)

77. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

78. Victory (1981)

79. Foul Play (1978)

80. Funny Farm (1988)

81. The Rock (1996)

82. Escape From New York (1981)

83. Field of Dreams (1989)

84. Miracle (2004)

85. Tin Cup (1996)

86. Rocky IV (1985)

87. Casino Royale (2006)

88. Night Shift (1982)

89. Spider-Man 2 (2004)

90. Mr. Baseball (1992)

91. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)

92. City Slickers (1991)

93. The Rookie (2002)

94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)

95. JFK (1991)

96. When Harry Met Sally (1989)

97. Fatal Attraction (1987)

98. Pumping Iron (1977)

99. The Goonies (1985)

100. The Full Monty (1997)

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

Michael Buble's "Christmas Duets" on SNL

2011-12-22T12:55:00.006-05:00

After blogging last week about Michael Buble's Christmas album, I was tipped off by my colleague Matt Skrajner about his scheduled appearance on "Saturday Night Live" with guest host Jimmy Fallon, whom I also enjoy. So I set the DVR and finally caught up with it a few days later. The episode was pretty good and included several appearances by former castmembers. If you didn't catch it, head on over to Hulu to watch the full episode.

The highlight for me was a sketch on Michael Buble's Christmas duets, featuring appearances by Sting, Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Kesha and more. Subsequent viewings are making me laugh just as hard as I did when I initially watched it.

Click the play button below to watch:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Favorite movies: 25 to 1

2011-12-21T18:51:00.008-05:00

Let's continue with one man's 100 favorite movies. Sunday through Tuesday, 100 to 26 were ranked. Wednesday, it's 25 to 1. Here we go:

25. The Paper (1994): Michael Keaton wants the big scoop in this highly entertaining film about the inner workings of a New York newspaper.

24. My Cousin Vinny (1992): Marisa Tomei won the Oscar for best supporting actress, but Joe Pesci was just as good, and hilarious to boot.

23. The Karate Kid (1984): "We do not train to be merciful here. Mercy is for the weak. Here, in the streets, in competition a man confronts you, he is the enemy. An enemy deserves no mercy!"

22. Predator (1987): This is the ultimate man's film. Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, a kick-butt alien, awesome action ... A guy could not ask for more.

21. Batman Begins (2005): Thank you Christopher Nolan for this wonderful reboot. Caped crusader fans are forever in your debt.

20. Silver Streak (1976): Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor in the bathroom scene is one of the funniest scenes you will ever watch.

19. Rocky III (1982): "Prediction? Pain." Best smack talk ever. Clubber Lang, Thunderlips, Apollo Creed, The Italian Stallion. Sure, the film is a bit cheesy, but it's highly entertaining, and I pity the fool who says otherwise.

18. Indiana Jones and The Last Crusade (1989): Sean Connery knocks it out of the park as Indy's father, and who doesn't love watching the Jones' kick Nazi butt?

17. Raging Bull (1980): This is not a film with a happy ending, but it is a great one. Robert DeNiro as boxer Jake LaMatta is at times scary good.

16. Goodfellas (1990): An addictive look at the mob in New York City. An A+ effort by Martin Scorsese.

15. Halloween (1978): That music and that mask. One guess the time of year this is required viewing for me.

14. A Few Good Men (1992) Tom Cruise's and Jack Nicholson's court room scene is a top 10 all-timer.

13. The Godfather (1972): It's The Godfather. It has to be up here.

12. The Natural (1984): One of the most beautifully shot movies of all-time. Kudos to cinematographer Caleb Deschanel. And kudos to Robert Redford's equally beautiful baseball swing as Roy Hobbs.

11. MIdnight Run (1988): Another Robert DeNiro classic, this buddy-buddy film has a touching ending. This is rare to find on the likes of TNT, AMC and TBS, so if you haven't seen it, it's worth the buy or rent.

10. Glengarry Glenn Ross (1992): "Put. That. Coffee. Down! ... Coffee's for closers only."

9. The Shawshank Redemption (1994): Doesn't Shawshank seem to get better every time you watch it? You just can't turn off this film.

8. Die Hard (1988): This is Bruce Willis at his witty, wise-cracking finest. Die Hard has some of the best action sequences you'll ever witness on the big screen - without the computer graphics.

7. King Kong (1933): Some movies stay with you forever, and this is one of them for me. Final scenes don't get much more iconic than that of Kong on top of the Empire State Building.

6. All The President's Men (1976): As a newspaper man, this film, starring Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman, resonates. It's a fascinating tale of journalism.

5. The Dark Knight (2008): Heath Ledger as the Joker. Enough said.

4. Star Wars (1977): I will never forget Darth Vader's grand entrance on the big screen. I was 7, and my father took me - just me - to my first ever screening of George Lucas' classic. As one of six children, that was a big moment in my life, my dad and I at the cinema as I was blown away, not really sure what I just watched. I just knew I would forever love Star Wars.

3. Rocky (1976): The film is so raw, and so good. It's not a boxing movie, it's a movie about a relationship, but in the end it does teach us the old sports axiom: it's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game.

2. Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981): The first 15 minutes of this film hits you over the head with everything it's got, and leaves you waiting and wanting for the next joyride.

1. Jaws (1975): This movie is not just about the shark. It's about the characters. Brody (Roy Scheider), Quint (Robert Shaw) and Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) work so well together. The shark is a bonus. And there's always the great line: "You're gonna need a bigger boat."

To read 50 to 26, click here

To read 75 to 51, click here

To read 100 to 76, click here

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

My favorite movies: 50 to 26

2011-12-20T19:07:00.003-05:00

Let's continue with one man's 100 favorite movies. On Monday, 75 to 51 were ranked. On Tuesday, it's 50 to 26. Wednesday, it's 25 to 1. Here we go:

50. Bull Durham (1988): The tagline says it all: A major-league love story in a minor-league town.

49. Used Cars (1980): A young Kurt Russell is the best used car salesman of them all.

48. Total Recall (1990): Arnold Schwarzenegger on Mars? It's perfect.

47. The Game (1997): David Fincher's thriller starring Michael Douglas takes you places you would never expect.

46. Heat (1995): We finally see Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino together on the big screen.

45. The Empire Strikes Back (1980): I beg to differ when critics say Empire is the best of George Lucas' franchise, but Darth Vader's big reveal at the end of the film can't be topped.

44. The Godfather II (1974): Not as good as the original, but it's close.

43. Casino (1995): It's Goodfellas in Las Vegas, and almost as good.

42. The Graduate (1967): A young Dustin Hoffman pulls you in.

41. The Untouchables (1987): Kevin Costner and Sean Connery are perfect together taking on Al Capone (Robert DeNiro) during the prohibition era.

40. Rain Man (1988): Dustin Hoffman is amazing as an autistic man reunited with his brother played by Tom Cruise.

39. The Poseidon Adventure (1972): Gene Hackman is great in this visually-stunning film about a capsized cruise ship and a small group of passengers trying to survive.

38. Planet of the Apes (1968): "Take your stinking paws off me you damn, dirty ape!"

37. Rudy (1993): Before Sean Astin made his mark in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, he was that little dude trying to make it as a tackling dummy for the Notre Dame football team. All joking aside, this is an inspirational true story.

36. Walll Street (1987): Greed is good, and so is Michael Douglas in this Oliver Stone classic.

35. The Bride of Frankenstein (1935): Treat yourself to this classic Universal horror film next Halloween. Or next week.

34. First Blood (1982): Before Sylvester Stallone's John Rambo became an over-the-top character, the original kept it relatively real.

33. Aliens (1986): "Game over, man! Game over!"

32. Hoosiers (1986): Gene Hackman as Coach Norman Dale is magical. Favorite quote: Jimmy Chitwood, "I'll make it."

31. Back To The Future (1985): A joyride from start to finish.

30. Citizen Kane (1941): For years, many have insisted Orson Welles' Charles Foster Kane is media mogul William Randolph Hearst. That's up for debate, but this film is a fascinating tale of one man's rise and fall.

29. Breaking Away (1979): Four teen-agers come of age in Bloomington, Ind., in this underrated sports film. A high recommend.

28. The Breakfast Club (1985): There's an argument for this as THE teen film of the 1980s. Since I was a teen-ager in the 80s, you will get no argument from me.

27. The King's Speech (2010): Colin Firth's portrayal of a stuttering King George VI of Britain is an all-time performance.

26. Major League (1989): How great would it have been had Roger Dorn actually played third base for the Indians in the late 1980s?

To read movies 100 to 76, click here

To read movies 75 to 51, click here

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

The Maccabeats sing for Hanukkah

2011-12-20T13:51:00.000-05:00

Last year I found this gem of a video: An a cappella parody of Taio Cruz's "Dynamite" performed by The Maccabeats called "Candlelight." It's too good not to share again in celebration of the season (Hanukkah begins at sundown today).

But wait! There's more!

The Maccabeats have a new song: Matisyahu's "Miracle":

Yes, that's an entirely a cappella version of Matisyahu's song. I love these guys.

AND even more reason to love them: The group is encouraging its fans to donate to donate to the Miracle Match Campaign to raise money for Gift of Life, a bone marrow registry to link people with bone marrow transplants. According to the Maccabeats website, the group is "partnering with Gift of Life to raise $80,000 – $10,000 for each night of Chanukah – to make sure that as many swabs as possible can be processed and added to the registry." (The swab is a cheek swab to test if someone is a bone marrow match.) If you're feeling the need to be charitable and like what you heard in the above videos, maybe the Miracle Match Campaign is where you'll make a donation this holiday season.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

The Dark Knight Rises trailer is out

2011-12-19T21:55:00.001-05:00

Get ready, Batman fans. The final chapter of director Christopher Nolan's reboot of the caped crusader franchise will hit theaters this summer.

Until then, treat yourself to the trailer for "The Dark Knight Rises." It's quite interesting, but I am a bit confused why a football field collapses in the upcoming film. As a fan of Batman, the villain Bane isn't up there with the likes of the Joker and Two-Face, but he looks menacing nonetheless.

Check it out below:

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

My favorite movies: 75 to 51

2011-12-19T14:13:00.007-05:00

Let's continue with one man's top 100 favorite movies. On Sunday, 100 to 76 were ranked. Monday, it's 75 to 51. Here we go:

75. Coming to America (1988): Some movies never get old. This Eddie Murphy classic is one of them.

74. Three Kings (1999): This film starring George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg and Ice Cube as U.S. soldiers at the end of the Gulf War attempting to steal gold from Kuwait is a hidden gem.

73. Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1971): Sorry Johnny Depp. One man was born to play Willy Wonka and it's not you. It's Gene Wilder.

72. Lethal Weapon (1987): Had someone said in 1986 Mel Gibson and Danny Glover would make a great pair as L.A. cops, I would have said no way. They do.

71. Beverly Hills Cop (1984): How cool is Eddie Murphy as Axel Foley? Very cool. How funny? Very funny.

70. Sea Biscuit (2003): Most know the story of Secretaritat, but if you haven't watched the story of Sea Biscuit, it's well worth your time.

69. Cast Away (2000): This film was a one-man cast for most of it, and the great Tom Hanks pulled it off superbly.

68. Superman: The Movie (1978): Music can make a movie and John Williams does not disappoint with this score.

67. Minority Report (2002): This thriller starring Tom Cruise is one of Steven Spielberg's most underrated films.

66. V for Vendetta (2006): "Remember, remember the fifth of November."

65. Scarface (1983): This tale of an up-and-coming drug lord played by Al Pacino is not for the faint of heart, but will forever remain a classic.

64. The Seven-Year Itch (1955): Two words: Marilyn Monroe.

63. Eight Men Out (1988): Director John Sales' film is a riveting tale of the 1919 Black Sox and the corruption of the World Series. It stars Charlie Sheen, Christopher Lloyd and and John Cusack.

62. The Social Network (2010): The story about Facebook provides questions about who deserves the credit for its creation, but the answers are up to you.

61. Frost/Nixon (2008): Frank Langella (Richard Nixon) was nominated for an Oscar, but didn't win. He should have.

60. Forrest Gump (1994): It seems almost un-American not to have good 'ole Forrest on this list.

59. Caddyshack (1980): This might be the most quoted sports film of all time. Bill Murray, Rodney Dangerfield and Chevy Chase grab most of the headlines, but Ted Knight is right there too.

58. The Usual Suspects (1995): The fun part of this suspense thriller is predicting the ending. Good luck trying.

57. The Right Stuff (1983): This film about America's first venture into space won four Oscars. It's can't miss.

56. 48 Hrs. (1982): The on-screen chemistry between opposites Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy is perfect.

55. Rocky II (1979): If you can stomach the first 90 minutes, the epic rematch between Rocky and Apollo make it worth it.

54. Dazed and Confused (1994): Ben Afleck, Renee Zellweger and Matthew McConaughey are barely recognizable in this hilarious 1970s high school comedy.

53. Ferris Beuller's Day Off (1986): Eveyone loves this film - the sportos, the motorheads, geeks, sluts, bloods, wasteoids and dweebies.

52. Groundhog Day (1993): Bill Murray is stuck in the same day over and over again, and each day is funnier and funnier.

51. American Beauty (1999): Kevin Spacey's Lester Burnham is a true classic movie character.

Coming Tuesday: 50 to 26

To read movies 100 to 76, click here:

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

'Sherlock Holmes' No. 1 at weekend box office

2011-12-18T19:21:00.000-05:00

The latest Sherlock Holmes flick easily beat out the latest Chipmunks movie for first place at the weekend box office - thank goodness. And don't worry that you didn't see "Mission: Impossible" at your local theater this weekend; it will begin playing here this week.

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

My favorite movies: 100 to 76

2011-12-18T17:18:00.012-05:00

As sports editor of The News-Herald, sports is obviously one of my passions. Another is movies. The movie-going experience is awesome. When talking about or writing about my favorite movies, three factors come into play: 1. Rewatchability, 2. Entertainment value and 3. the PUMAAP (picking up a movie at any point) factor.

With that in mind, I've ranked my 100 favorite movies of all-time. Remember, these are my favorite movies of all-time. Some might think a few movies here stink, but this is only one man's list. We'll run 25 at a time Sunday through Wednesday, then the complete list on Thursday. Here we go in descending order:

100. The Full Monty (1997): The premise - a group of unemployed men who secretly put on a striptease show to earn money - seems ridiculous but it works here.

99. The Goonies (1985): This movies brings back great memories of when I was 15 and saw this classic adventure about a group of kids searching for a mysterious treasure at the theater.

98. Pumping Iron (1977): This documentary about the weight-lifting craze put Arnold Schwarzenegger on the map.

97. Fatal Attraction (1987): One word for this thriller starring Michael Douglas and Glenn Close: Intense.

96. When Harry Met Sally (1989): Can a man and a woman just be friends? Check out this comedy with Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan to find out.

95. JFK (1991): Oliver Stone's film about the mysteries surrounding the death of John F. Kennedy makes you think.

94. Full Metal Jacket (1987): A disturbing look at the affects war can have on a soldier's mind. Stanley Kubrick's classic is must-see.

93. The Rookie (2002): Dennis Quaid has been in a lot of sports movies, but this one is right at the top.

92. City Slickers (1991): Jack Palance is so good as a grizzled, bitter cowboy he won the Oscar for best supporting actor.

91. Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992): Gary Oldman as the prince of darkness is breathtaking and horrifying at the same time.

90. Mr. Baseball (1992): This is a hidden gem starring Tom Selleck as a past-his-prime baseball player who is shipped from the Yankees to play in Japan.

89. Spider-Man 2 (2004): It's rare when a sequel outdoes the original, and as big of a fan I am of the original, I'll take Dr. Octopus over the Green Goblin.

88. Night Shift (1982): Henry Winkler proved he's more than just the Fonz from Happy Days as the timid Chuck. This is one of Ron Howard's earliest films. Michael Keaton is great as Winkler's co-star, and there's even a tiny part by Kevin Costner as Frat Boy #1.

87. Casino Royale (2006): Daniel Craig as 007 is fantastic in this reboot of the spy franchise that doesn't have the camp of Roger Moore and is much edgier than Pierce Brosnan's James Bond.

86. Rocky IV (1985): This is an 80s cheesefest at its finest, but I dare you to turn the channel when the Drago-Balboa 15-round slugfest begins.

85. Tin Cup (1996): Roy McAvoy is exhibit A why you always go for the green when you're hacking away on Sundays.

84. Miracle (2004): The great sports moment in U.S. history deserves a spot somewhere in my top 100.

83. Field of Dreams (1989): If you've lost your dad, then you can't make it through the end of this Kevin Costner classic with dry eyes.

82. Escape from New York (1981): Snake Plissken (played by Kurt Russell): The toughest guy in action movie history.

81. The Rock (1996): Nicolas Cage and Sean Connery have great chemistry in this action flick about a group of marines that take hostages at Alcatraz and threaten San Francisco with bio weapons.

80. Funny Farm (1988): Trouble awaits at every corner when sports writer Andy Farmer (Chevy Chase) and his wife move to the country.

79. Foul Play (1978): There once was a time when Goldie Hawn and Chevy Chase were a smash hit on the big screen. This was their funniest film.

78. Victory (1981): If you can get past Sylvester Stallone as an elite soccer goalie and Michael Caine as a world-class midfieler without a chuckle, you will love this tale of prisoners of war trying to escape a Nazi camp during World War II.

77. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968): This epic sci-fi film's ending stills confusing me after countless viewings, but it's mesmerizing to watch nonetheless.

76. Jurassic Park (1993): In the movie dictionary next to Juarassic Park, it should read, "A true moviegoing experience."

Coming Monday: 75 through 51.

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

Michael Buble's "Christmas"

2011-12-16T14:24:00.001-05:00

I love Christmas music, and I love Michael Buble. So it should go without saying that I love Michael Buble's Christmas album, aptly titled "Christmas." If you -- or someone who still needs a gift -- enjoys both of those things, you can't go wrong with this album.

I love the entire album (and have been listening to it pretty continuously). But my favorite track might be his cover of Mariah Carey's "All I Want For Christmas is You," a song that has been seemingly untouchable since it was released in 1994. Buble really transforms it into his own song. It's similar to Carey' version, but Buble's voice with it sounds natural, not like a cover.

Get a sample of the album with the medley clip below (then go out and buy it [or download it], and curl up with some hot chocolate to enjoy the entire thing):

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

BuzzFeed's 12 Extremely Disappointing Facts About Popular Music

2011-12-14T13:41:00.001-05:00

If you like what has traditionally been considered good music and aren't much of a fan of today's popular music, you'll be thoroughly depressed by BuzzFeed's 12 Extremely Disappointing Facts About Popular Music.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

This weekend's box office was baaaad

2011-12-11T17:46:00.000-05:00

What's keeping people from going to the movies? Nothing good out?

According to The Associated Press:

What are people doing instead of going to the movies?

More from The AP:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Book about "Alien" film a good buy

2011-12-08T17:58:00.001-05:00

Ridley Scott's science fiction horror film "Alien" is a classic.

Sequels have kept the franchise alive, but much like "Jaws" the first is almost always the best. Some prefer James Cameron's "Aliens" but there is no mistaking when fans saw "Alien" for the first time, they had not seen anything like it. Most notable is the chest-bursting scene. If you don't know what I'm talking about, see the movie, or read "Alien Vault: The Definitive Story of the Making of the Film."

Fans of the original, which hit theaters in 1979, are steadfast, and cling to it, and for good reason. "Alien" is riveting tale of a mining ship crew that discovers a strange creature has inhabited its vessel. In the book, Scott says, "Alien is just a haunted house movie ... Fundamentally, it's a B-movie, but a pretty good one."

It's suspense, without much gore, at its finest, and the book details all the behind-the-scenes nuggets that helped bring the idea to the big screen.

It's loaded with concept drawings, storyboard art and behind-the-scenes photos. Some of the best photos are that of 6-foot-10 actor Bolaji Badejo, who donned the alien suit.

That's just the start. "Alien Vault" tells the story of how the film was made and much more.

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

Oops or How I Learned to Stop Worrying About the Mistake and Just See 'The Descendants'

2011-12-06T11:52:00.002-05:00

I made a mistake.

(I’ll wait while you collect yourselves following this shocking news.)

OK, truth be told, I, like most humans, make mistakes all the time. Of course, we all try to limit our mistakes professionally. And here in the newspaper world, we have wonderful people called copy editors who spend a good bit of their eight-plus-hour shifts catching and fixing mistakes by the rest of us. (Know that when they have the AUDACITY to cause mistakes themselves, we lose our minds and give them heck. We are nothing if not unfair.)

But a copy editor wouldn’t catch this mistake, and, to be fair to me, it wasn’t a big one. On Wednesday, Nov. 23 – the day before Thanksgiving – four movies were set for wide release, aka they’d be playing in most theaters across the country.

Or so I thought.

Turns out that one of the four, the very promising-looking “The Descendants,” starring George Clooney, was being released in only a few theaters here or there. Not noticing it wasn’t listed when I scanned the advanced advertisements of the theaters in Lake County, I ran the Associated Press’ review of “The Descendants.”

Turns out the movie was – and still is – playing only at Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights and the big Cinemark theater in Valley View, both about a 35-minute jaunt from Willoughby.

I have no doubt that “The Descendants” will go wider. And when there’s a movie that isn’t being released initially in Lake County, I sometimes hold the review until it’s playing closer to home. Other times I do run it, listing the Northeast Ohio theaters where the film can be seen, as the movie will not show up in the movie ads in TGIF.

So that’s, as they say, a look at how the sausage is made and a long way of saying I’m sorry about causing confusion for anyone who read the review and wanted to see the movie.

It’s also a long way of introducing the fact that I did in fact hit the aforementioned Valley View theater, on the way back from Columbus, over the weekend to see “The Descendants.”

Clooney plays Matt King, a Hawaii-based real estate lawyer and head of a family trust that must decide to do with prime chunk of Hawaiian land before their right to it expires. More importantly, Matt’s wife, Elizabeth (Patricia Hastie), is in a coma, leaving Matt to deal with his two minor daughters, the younger Scottie (Amara Miller) and the older Alexandra (Shailene Woodley), both rebellious and generally problematic. And if all that wasn’t enough, Alexandra drops a bomb on her father: Mom was cheating on him.

Matt decides he must confront the other man (played by Matthew Lillard, an interesting casting choice), so he takes his daughters, along with Alexandra’s seemingly dimwitted boyfriend, Sid (Nick Krause), from one of Hawaii’s islands to another for an unusual adventure and a bit of family bonding.

Fox Searchlight

Shailene Woodley, left, George Clooney, Amara Miller and Nick Krause share a scene from "The Descendants."

“The Descendants,” directed by Alexander Payne (“Sideways”), isn’t the best movie you’ll see all year, but it is worth seeing.

Here’s hoping it’s at a theater nearer to you really soon.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

'Twilight' No. 1 again, but 'Muppets' not so far behind.

2011-12-04T17:29:00.000-05:00

I think this is the first week since I started posting the weekend box office about a year ago that the top 10 movies are the same top 10 movies from the previous week, though in a different order. I'd like to see a handful of these. What are your movie recommendations?

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Vampires over Muppets over penguins at weekend box office

2011-11-27T17:58:00.000-05:00

Too bad for our favorite felt-covered friends that the vampire-werewolf movie came out the same weekend. I'm not sure if "The Muppets" will be able to beat "Breaking Dawn" for the No. 1 spot - though the former will likely have more staying power in the coming weeks.

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

'Dark Knight Rises' 8 years after Joker

2011-11-21T23:47:00.000-05:00

For the diehard Batman fans, like myself, wondering what Director Christopher Nolan would do in his next installment of the Dark Knight to write off the Joker character, it appears fans have an answer.

The gap between "The Dark Knight" and the sequel "The Dark Knight Rises," out next summer, is eight years. Nolan revealed that in an interview with Empire.

"Perhaps surprisingly for some people, our story picks up quite a bit later, eight years after The Dark Knight," Nolan said. "So he's an older Bruce Wayne; he's not in a great state."

The Joker, played by the late Heath Ledger, was not killed in "The Dark Knight," but Ledger obviously could not return for the next Batman film. Christian Bale will reprise his role as Batman in "The Dark Knight Rises."

One of the most famous Batman stories is Frank Miller's "The Dark Knight Returns," as a middle-aged Bruce Wayne comes out of retirement for one last adventure. Whether or not Nolan is using the '80s graphic novel as inspiration for his next film is anyone's guess.

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

#TeamEdward? #TeamJacob? #TeamWeekendBoxOffice

2011-11-20T18:03:00.001-05:00

I don't think an introduction to this weekend's box office is even necessary. If you know what movies came out this weekend, you know what movie killed at the box office, and what would have taken a solid second place.

(P.S.: You like movies, right? Check out Entertainment Editor Mark Meszoros' holiday film preview.)

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Hudson's 'Against The Grain' stop-motion music video

2011-11-18T14:08:00.019-05:00

I came across this neat music video on the blog LikeCool and had to share it here. I've blogged before about how I love stop-motion videos, and this is no exception.

The Australian band Hudson's video for the song "Against The Grain" uses pencils and colored pencils moving up and down and in waves, shrinking, and making rainbows and patterns. Check it out below or click here to watch it on vimeo.

Hudson - Against The Grain from Dropbear on Vimeo.

If you like what you hear, check out the player below for more of Hudson's music:
<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://hudsonmusic.com.au/album/open-up-slowly-ep"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Open Up Slowly - EP by Hudson&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

I don't know if I'm going to be a fan of the band, but "Against The Grain" is a pretty catchy tune, and I tend to be a sucker for that acoustic-y guitar type of stuff.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

I cooked with the iCookbook

2011-11-17T06:30:00.003-05:00

I took a brief spin with the iCookbook app ($4.99 in the ITunes app store) last weekend, installing it on both my iPhone 4 and iPad 2 -- its one of those apps you buy once and can put on multiple devices linked to the same Apple iTunes account.

I really liked the app, which sets itself apart by offering voice commands. The idea is the cook, while preparing a dish, can speak instructions such as "next," to move to the next step in the process, and "back," to move to the previous one. While this is a neat trick, it's not enough reason alone to recommend the app. I do recommend it, however, because it's very user-friendly and offers a ton of recipes, along with easy ways to store them for access later. I also liked that you can write and save notes within a recipe.

Check out a couple of screenshots from the Mama's Beer Chili recipe -- I used Great Lakes Christmas Ale as the beer, giving me an excuse to have a few sips of the brilliant concoction before noon -- along with a couple of photos of the finished product. After that you'll see my video review. Please not that I refer to the app as "iCooking" in the video, which is incorrect.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

My boy loves green, and not just Kermit the Frog

2011-11-16T23:23:00.000-05:00

My son, Sam, just turned 3, and he's at the stage of his life when he's green.

No, I'm not talking about an individual who's inexperienced, although a 3-year-old would qualify. For Sam, it's all about the color green.

He excited to see "The Muppets," which hits the big screen next week, and mom and dad will gladly oblige. We remember watching Kermit the Frog and Co. when we were kids, and now that it's making a comeback, a new generation can enjoy Jim Henson's creation.

Sam also loves another shade of green. Cartoon Network debuted its newest superhero show, "Green Lantern: The Animated Series," and the boy - and his dad - love it.

In reality, the show is way above a 3-year-old's head, but it doesn't matter. The action, CGI graphics and cool green lights are enough to grab any toddler's attention. Any type of action too violent can be fast forwarded thanks to DVRs.

The series follows test fighter pilot Hal Jordan, who has been chosen to join the Green Lantern Corps and wear a special ring that provides him unbelievable super powers. The one-hour premiere was just a taste of what Cartoon Network is touting as part of its "DC Nation" for 2012.

The Network has confirmed a handful a episodes have been green-light (pardon the pun), so if you missed the first episode, get ready for more after New Year's.

As Sam can attest, Green Lantern is a hit. Up next, though, is Kermit and his friends. Sam, and even his dad, are excited.

- Mark Podolski | @mpodo

Can a local artist go from virtual obscurity to career musician? Jeff Kinder says yes

2011-11-15T16:59:00.000-05:00

So I’ve been receiving information at work lately about two apparently very talented local artists and I wasn’t sure what to do with them. They both sounded like they might make decent feature stories, but how do you single them out and ignore the many others who likely would contact the paper seeking similar exposure?

That’s one good thing about blogging: I can shamelessly promote whomever I choose :)

Take Jeff Kinder, for instance — a longtime Painesville Township resident, who happens to play on the church worship team on which I sing. He recently released his first CD, “Moments,” which is a compilation of his own compositions that he performs on piano, joined by various first-rate musicians.

Did I mention that Jeff and his family also happen to live across the street from me? And that he’s helped me with everything from mouse trapping to Mac computer conundrums? (At least they were for me)

In fact, I guess I live on a pretty talented street. I’m told that the Life Brand Cowboy Church down the way has a pastor with an extremely gifted country singer for a daughter. Her name is Abbey Gregory. I have not heard her, personally, but I’m told this teen has raw natural talent and a beautiful voice, at least a couple of albums under her belt, and has partnered with Natural High ministry to promote drug and alcohol awareness in middle schools. For more, visit www.abbeygregory.com.

Back to Jeff. He would like to make a career of being a musician and says it’s possible in this technology-enhanced day and age. The 30-year-old plans to do so with an Internet marketing campaign heavily focused on social media and advertising.

“It takes awhile as an independent artist,” Jeff says. “When somebody’s searching for what you’re doing — in my case solo piano music — you have to be very focused in a campaign to attract customers to your website. Facebook is good, Twitter is great, but they don’t necessarily earn you revenue. They draw potential customers to your site. Just by having your songs on iTunes, you’re not going to make a lot of money.
“You can’t do it with one album. Unless you are a recording artist that has a contract with a company that will be promoting that album. If you’re doing it by yourself, it’s going to take a few albums and a few years.”

“Moments” was released Nov. 1 and has already sold 70 copies (68 not purchased by me). I have to say it’s gorgeous stuff that I’m told falls into the New Age music genre. “It has nothing to do with anyone’s philosophical beliefs,” he notes. “It’s really a style of music.”

If you get my tweet in time, you can stop by Joughin Hardware in Painesville from 5-9 tonight and get a CD signed. If not, check him out online: www.jeffkinder.com.

Good luck Jeff & Abbey!

-- Betsy Scott, BScott@News-Herald.com, Twitter: @ReporterBetsy.com

'Immortals,' 'Jack and Jill' top the box office

2011-11-13T17:58:00.000-05:00

I can't believe that "Jack and Jill" made it all the way to second place at the weekend box office. But that won't matter too much by this time next week, when all of the Twi-hards will have been to the theater two or three times to see The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 1", which hits theaters at midnight Thursday night. Do you have your tickets yet????????!!!?!?

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

'Puss in Boots' rules box office again

2011-11-06T18:22:00.000-05:00

I've heard good things about "Tower Heist," but I've heard great things about "Puss in Boots." Also, as I say regularly in this space, family-friendly movies rule the weekend box office.

(Also: Is it weird that a Christmas movie is out already? Or is it OK because it's just Harold and Kumar?)

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

A working man gets a Rush from the mail

2011-11-03T10:55:00.000-04:00

I used to get all kinds of good mail here at The News-Herald. As "the entertainment guy," I'd get my fair share of CDs, a DVD now and then and lots of little promotional trinkets. But, in this digital age, most of that stuff has stopped coming, replaced by links for album downloads and the like.

Sure, I still get plenty of mail, but most of it isn't too exciting -- a press kit here, a pay-to-publish book there. So last week when I opened up a large envelope I had no high expectations. When out fell the DVD for Rush's "Time Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland" I was excited. I'm a longtime fan of the Canadian prog-rock trio, sure, but, no doubt like a few of you, I was at this show. I was one of the 20,000 or so fans that packed Quicken Loans Arena for an evening with Rush in April.

It was a really solid show, the band picking and choosing cuts from their entire, nearly four-decades-long career. And while I was most thrilled to hear middle/late-career songs "Presto" (one of my absolute Rush faves) and "Marathon," the draw for most was hearing "Moving Pictures" in its entirety. That album, released 30 years ago and probably the band's most popular work, boasts "Tom Sawyer," "Red Barchetta" and "YYZ."

Of course, if you're a true Rush fan, you know that one of the evening's top highlights will come fairly late in the night -- and that it will be well worth the wait. And drumming great Neil Peart's solo that night was well worth the wait, confirmed by watching the track, titled "Moto Perpetuo (featuring Love for Sale)," on the DVD. Peart is a joy to watch and hear, as are his counterparts, bassist-vocalist Geddy Lee (OK, he used to sound better, but he still gets it done) and guitarist Alex Lifeson. Spending time with the DVD over the last few days has given me a new appreciation for Lifeson. Yes, he still falls behind Peart and Lee in the talent department, but the man is no slouch.

Here's a sampling from the DVD, a nice combination of early numbers "Presto" and "Faithless":

"Tiem Machine 2011: Live in Cleveland" comes out Tuesday on DVD and Blu-ray. If you're a fan of the band -- if you keep them closer to the heart -- and especially if you saw the show, I recommend picking it up.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

Mario's portrait made of Rubik's cubes

2011-11-01T10:15:00.001-04:00

If you like old-school Mario and Rubik's cubes, there's no way you won't like this video of someone making Mario's portrait out of Rubik's cubes. I can't imagine solving a Rubik's cube, much less manipulating it to look like something else, so I'm pretty impressed with this:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Will you be waiting in a most sincere pumpkin patch tonight?

2011-10-31T11:01:00.007-04:00

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" is easily my favorite Halloween special (because I'm soooo not a fan of any of that spooky, scary stuff).

The annual airing was Thursday on WEWS-TV 5, but don't worry if you missed it: The entire special is available on Hulu. You can check out the "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" page on Hulu, or watch the Peanuts gang celebrate Halloween in the video below:

What's your favorite part? I'm torn between Charlie Brown's proclamation of "I got a rock," and when he makes his Halloween costume: "I had a little trouble with the scissors."

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Shrek spin-off cruises to first-place finish

2011-10-30T18:36:00.001-04:00

Looks like the suave cat from the Shrek franchise can hold his own. He easily fended off the latest in the thriller "Paranormal Activity" series of movies and the super handsome Justin Timberlake in "In Time." I hadn't heard much about the animated feline's solo flick, but now I might have to hit theaters to catch it.

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Hey Rock Hall? How about a smooch?

2011-10-28T13:10:00.001-04:00

A band is eligible for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 25 years after its first album.

KISS debuted in 1974, which means Gene Simmons, Paul Stanley and Co. should have been inducted in 1999 with no questions asked. It wasn't until 2009 that Kiss was even nominated.

Instead, KISS continues to be the odd band out. It's a fact that continues to question to legitimacy of the Rock Hall in Cleveland.

Sorry to highlight a few bands that are already inducted, but it must be noted that if the likes of ABBA (is ABBA even a rock band?), the Bee Gees, Aerosmith, AC/DC, ZZ Top, Genesis and Van Halen are in, KISS surely deserves a spot right next to them.

So what's the deal? It's laughable to think KISS isn't Rock Hall worthy because the band's history, popularity and stats don't lie. Consider:

- According to Wikipiedia.com, KISS has been awarded 24 gold albums, the most of any rock band in history.

- The band has sold over 40 millions albums in the United States. Worldwide, it's more than 100 million.

- KISS was voted No. 1 on Hit Parader' "Top 100 live bands."

Maybe KISS isn't in because the band promotes itself too much. Maybe there is too much KISS merchandise on the market. Maybe voters can't forget the campy KISS Army promotion from the 1970s or the comic books, action figures, posters, T-shirts ... you name it.

Whatever the reason, the Rock Hall continues to be and will remain a shell of what it truly should be until one of the greatest rock bands in history is enshrined.

Love KISS or hate it, there is no denying the bands place in history, and that's in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

- Mark Podolski

Taking the 'Rocky Mounty Way'

2011-10-27T11:57:00.000-04:00

I wouldn't exactly say it was on my concert bucket list, but getting to check out Joe Walsh Wednesday night at PlayhouseSquare's State Theater was undeniably cool.

Here was one of Cleveland's own -- a member of the Eagles -- playing before an incredibly enthusiastic crowd full of decades-long fans. Walsh ripped through a fan-friendly set that included "Rocky Mountain Way," the James Gang tune "Walk Away," fellow Cleveland rocker Michael Stanley's "Rosewood Bitters" the Eagles' "Life in the Fast Lane" and the tune I knew I'd enjoy the most, "In the City."

Here's the beginning of "In the City." (I didn't notice any signs at the venue strictly prohibiting recording ... but I didn't look for them either. Hey, this kinda thing is all over YouTube, right?)

In case I've left you hanging, but concert bucket list includes The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and, to some degree, Walsh's Eagles.

Hmmm, that's a pretty short list. I feel pretty good about the progress I'm making.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | @nhfeatures

Treat Yo Self

2011-10-25T12:03:00.001-04:00

If you enjoyed it when Tom and Donna treated themselves on "Parks and Recreation", check out some deleted scenes of more Treat Yo Self (embedded below).

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

The robots are still winning

2011-10-16T17:33:00.000-04:00

I guess "Real Steel" didn't have much competition this weekend. After all, I'm not sure I'll be rushing out to the theater to see "Footloose." So I guess the fact that it's made it to the top of the box office two weekends in a row will be blamed on little competition (even though "Ides of March" is really good!). I am shocked "The Big Year" debuted so low. It looks like it's supposed to be awful, but it's probably actually halfway decent.

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Work of Art includes one of Cleveland's own

2011-10-12T17:37:00.000-04:00

When I blogged about "Work of Art" yesterday, I neglected to mention that one of our area's own is on the show.

Sarah Kabot, a professor at the Cleveland Institute of Art and a Cleveland Heights resident, is one of 14 competing to be the next great artist. Cleveland Heights Patch interviewed Sarah Kabot and got some insight on the artist, the casting process for the show and taping the first episode.

"Work of Art" airs at 9 tonight on Bravo.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Work of Art - and other creativity-based reality shows

2011-10-11T11:40:00.064-04:00

On Wednesday, Bravo TV premieres the second season of "Work of Art" (I somehow completely missed the first season). I previewed the first episode earlier this week to see what to expect from the cable network to which I devote most of my TV-watching time.

I was pleased and intrigued by the show. A lot of interesting work is going to come out of it, and I've gotten so used to the reality competition format that I'm not so annoyed by the excessive production, interviews, background music, commercial breaks, etc. that go along with it. The first challenge is pretty neat too: The artists have to take kitschy art and make it world class.

The host and cast of Bravo's "Work of Art" season 2.

I enjoy looking at art, but I am not an art person. So while I might be able to tell you if something is good or bad, I'd never be able to tell you why something is good or bad. This particular challenge highlighted that so well, and the comments from the judges and others viewing the art help to explain WHY the art succeeds or fails. (The results of the first episode: I liked the pick for winner but not so much for the person going home. I didn't think that artist's piece was the worst, and I wish that artist would get to stick around longer for more than one reason, though I don't want to spoil the results.)

The cast of Lifetime's "Project Runway" season 9.

When I was considering what I enjoyed about the show, I was reminded of what I liked so much about another Bravo show, "Platinum Hit" and what I'm loving about "Project Runway" (which I'm tuning in to for the first time this season because of contestant Joshua McKinley, a Willoughby native). These shows take some incredibly talented people and push them to do their best work every week. The contestants are creative in ways I can only dream about, and the competitions give us talentless folks a front-row seats to their creative processes every week.

During commercial breaks of "Project Runway" in recent weeks, Lifetime has been promoting its new show, "Project Accessory," and I'm now really looking forward to another show and several more episodes of peeking inside some creative minds to learn how they do what they do.

Related links:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Robots over Gosling and Clooney? Ugh.

2011-10-09T17:57:00.000-04:00

I'm disappointed at how the top two movies at this weekend's box office finished. I saw "The Ides of March" last week and loved it. I read the review for "Real Steel" and thought it sounded terrible. What is the movie-going public thinking????

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

G4 airing Steve Jobs special

2011-10-05T22:14:00.000-04:00

Just got a news release from G4, which will be airing "G4 Special Report: Steve Jobs" several times tonight and tomorrow.

From G4:

More on Steve Jobs:
Apple Founder Steve Jobs Dies (from G4)
Steve Jobs dies (with video, timeline)

Videos:
Attack of the Show reacts to Steve Jobs' death

Video Game - E3 2012 - AOTS Exclusive

G4 remembers Apple founder Steve Jobs

Video Games - E3 2012 - The Loop

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Stuck in My Head: "Bye Bye Bye"

2011-10-02T12:07:00.000-04:00

This, folks, is my final "Stuck in My Head" post. I hope a few of you out there weren't terribly annoyed by my silly song suggestions.

As a parting gift, I'd like to leave you with this delightful ditty I'm sure some of my colleagues here will appreciate.

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com

Don Draper: TV's most interesting man

2011-09-30T19:33:00.003-04:00

Don Draper is so cool, you almost expect Sean Connery's James Bond to hop off a plane in New York unannounced hoping for a chance to party with the star of "Mad Men."

Draper is so messed up in the head, he makes Gene Wilder's Willy Wonka and his chocolate factory seem like commonplace.

Such is the beauty of AMC's smash-hit series, arguably the best TV has to offer these days. I'm late to the Mad Men world, but thanks to friends and the library, I am caught up with the show's first four seasons. What a wonderful ride.

When I write about the Mad Men world, I mean just that. Time-period projects are difficult to pull off, especially on TV, but Mad Men is so good, so authentic, it seems odd to look at John Hamm and not think of his character, the mysterious and troubled uber ad man Don Draper.

Of course, it all starts with Draper but there's a host of clever characters such as Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss), Joan Harris-Holloway (Christina Hendricks), Pete Campbell (Vincent Kartheiser), Betty Francis-Draper (January Jones) and the great Roger Sterling (John Slattery). Take your pick. Each's story arc is given their due thanks to work of show creator Matt Weiner.

The costume design is fantastic and tie-ins to events during the 60s (Cuban missile crisis, JFK's assassination, the second Cassius Clay-Sonny Liston fight and the Vietnam War) aren't forced into scripts.

It is a bit shocking to revisit the 60s, which I missed since I was born in 1970. The amount of smoking (Draper would never stand for today's smoking laws), drinking and sexual harassment in the workplace was apparently normal back then.

The tiniest bit of research shows working in advertising was one of the glamour jobs of the 60s, and Mad Men hammers home that point with style, nostalgia and humor. Still, it wouldn't work without the Draper character, and his mysterious storyline.

Why does he act the Draper way? If you don't watch the show, I won't spoil it, and will only say the man has flaws. Many of them. Only Draper knows, and maybe that's the way Weiner and the show's writers like it.

Two news network shows, "The Playboy Club" and "Pan Am," jumped on the 60s genre bandwagon, but even NBC's and ABC's clout can't come close to duplicating the edge of "Mad Men." That's because neither has a character so cleverly developed as Hamm's Draper.

Or as cool.

Or as messed up in the head.

Will we ever know what Don Draper's really thinking?

- Mark Podolski

Happy birthday, Google!

2011-09-27T14:28:00.000-04:00

Who doesn't love a good Google Doodle?

Today's celebrates Google's 13th birthday, complete with party hats and cake.

If you want to check out previous Google doodles, visit Google.com/Logos. From browsing through a few of the pages, I see I've missed some pretty neat ones, like the one for Lucille Ball's 100th birthday. How did I miss that one?

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Stuck in My Head: Sesame Street spoofs Glee

2011-09-26T22:07:00.000-04:00

This isn't a real "Stuck in My Head" post. But this video has been on my mind all day. I've even been singing "Don't Stop G-G-in'" as a result of this.

Sesame Street apparently spoofed popular Fox show Glee in a segment to teach viewers about the letter G. It's hilarious. Check it out:

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com

Still the king of the box office

2011-09-25T18:13:00.000-04:00

Even Brad Pitt can't stave off "The Lion King."

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Facebook is ever-evolving

2011-09-22T08:20:00.016-04:00

If you have a Facebook account that you log into regularly, then surely you've seen the changes that have rolled out. If you're like the vocal people in my news feed, you hate every single one of them.

These changes seem to be more drastic than those in recent memory, and so far I've had a bit of trouble adapting to them, too. But what I find amusing is comments like this one, which was posted on Facebook's f8 page by user Gariné Koujaian:

Oh, Facebook's original ways.

I remember Facebook's original ways - or at least their ways from seven(!) years ago when I signed up for a Facebook account. My oh my, how things have changed since then.

In fall 2004, it wasn't Facebook. It was Thefacebook. And this is what the login screen looked like:

And here is what your profile looked like:

You could only have an account if you had a .edu email address.

You could only post one picture, and it was your profile picture. There were no albums of profile pictures, so if you changed your profile picture, the other one disappeared. It wasn't until Halloween weekend 2004 that you could post photo albums, which I remember well because I attend Ohio University at the time, and surely you've heard about the annual Halloween party in Athens.

The wall used to be a small box in the lower right corner of your profile that anyone could type in. You had to hover your mouse over the text on the wall to see who wrote what.

There was no "Like" button, no sharing, no chat. (But as long as I have been a member, there has been poking.)

I remember one major update to the profile layout that involved being able to drag and drop boxes wherever you wanted them. Each of the boxes were apps created by outside developers. I had one in my profile that included a random bunny picture. It was adorable.

Facebook has been evolving a lot into what it is today, and it will continue to evolve as long as it exists. In fact, more changes will be announced today, when the annual f8 conference for developers opens in San Francisco. You can tune in to the live stream - beginning at 12:30 p.m. Eastern time - below:

A possible change to Facebook that was leaked: "Listen with your friend". A post on Tech Crunch last night summarized that you can listen to what your friends are listening to at the same time. Neat concept, though I'm very curious about the execution.

Like every change with Facebook, it will take some time to get used to. But I plan to keep my account. Remember, if you don't want Facebook to change how they're showing your information, don't give them information to show. (That's why I keep ignoring their request for my phone number - if I want my Facebook friends to have my phone number, I can give it to them without Facebook facilitating that.) Facebook can't do anything with your data if you don't post it, and you're kind of giving them full access to your stuff when you upload it to the public website, no matter how strict your privacy settings are.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Fall TV thoughts (so far)

2011-09-20T20:23:00.004-04:00

It's early, very early, as the fall TV season gets underway, but a few thoughts:

- The season 2 premiere of "Hawaii Five-O" (Mondays, 10 p.m., WOIO) was awesome. When we last saw the Five-O team, McGarrett (Alex O'Loughlin) was heading to prison for the murder of the governor of Hawaii, while the rest of the gang was dealing with their assortment of problems. I won't spoil the premiere, but trust me when I say you won't be disappointed, especially the ending. Other bonuses: the underrated villainous Wo Fat is great and we begin the story arch with McGarrett's former Army boss, played by Terry O'Quinn (Lost). Monday's premiere was explosive, action-packed and had a great cliffhanger. It makes for a promising season 2.

Onto the less promising new TV shows:

- I could take about 30 minutes of "Ringer" (Tuesdays, 9 p.m., CW) starring Sarah Michelle Gellar as twins before turning it off. The "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" star's return to TV just didn't pull me in. "Ringer" is touted as a suspense. It wasn't horrible, but it wasn't my kind of show. My viewing time is precious, and "Ringer" doesn't seem worth it.

- I was looking forward to NBC's "The Playboy Club" (Mondays, 10 p.m.), but vowed to never watch another episode after the pilot. "Playboy" is an obvious rip-off of the 60s genre craze started by "Mad Men" and it's a huge letdown. The storylines are ridiculous, the acting over the top and there's even a cheesy voiceover for Playboy founder Hugh Hefner that just doesn't work. Worst of all, it fails to deliver that sense of the 1960s. I would be surprised if this show lasted the entire season.

- Other new fall shows I'm interested in (and hoping I won't be disappointed in): ABC's "PanAm" and "Charlie's Angels," Fox's "Terra Nova," CBS' "Person of Interest" and FX's "American Horror Story."

- Mark Podolski | mpodolski@news-herald.com | Twitter: @mpodo

Netflix and Qwikster

2011-09-20T18:00:00.000-04:00

Subscribers of Netflix, past and present, received a lengthy email from Netflix CEO and co-founder Reed Hastings.

(If you don't want to read the entire email I've pasted below, the quick summary is that the company is keeping Netflix for streaming and introducing Qwikster for DVDs by mail - and adding video games. Basically, subscribers will have two accounts with two services and two separate charges on their credit cards, instead of just Netflix.)

I canceled my Netflix account the last week of August. I live with someone who also has a Netflix account, and when the company announced the price increase, we decided to just share an account. After all, we watch several movies together, anyway, and keeping separate queues for our own TV shows and movies just didn't seem worth the price we would both be paying.

I initially didn't think much of the Netflix/Qwikster change, but now that I'm mulling it over (and writing about it), I'm getting more and more annoyed. I'm indifferent to the fact that there will be two charges on the credit card instead of just one; if it's the same amount, it doesn't really matter. However, the lack of an integrated website shows a complete disregard for the user. The company is making it more difficult for its subscribers to find the movies and TV shows they want. Sure, with the streaming service, it's easy to scroll through genres or your instant queue to find something to watch. But if something isn't available for streaming, you're going to make me look it up on another website? That's backwards. Search for something in any other service - Google, Bing, CLEVNET - and you'll see that it gives you the information you're looking for in a variety of formats - websites, blogs, videos, books, ebooks, movies, etc. One company forcing a user to search two different sites to get the same information? Get ready to say goodbye to a whole lot more of your subscribers.

One thing I do like about the change: video games by mail! I don't play enough video games to warrant a GameFly account, but there have been several occasions where I've wanted to play something before deciding whether to buy it. I'm glad this service is finally integrated into something I'm already subscribed to.

So will I keep my account? If I was subscribing by myself, probably not. But since I'm sharing a subscription, it's probably still worth it for now, even with the clunkiness involved. One thing is for sure: Changes in technology mean us current-and-recently-former Netflix subscribers won't have to wait long for an improvement to this service or an even better option. Companies like Hulu and Redbox have a great opportunity to grab Netflix defectors. I'm sure they and other current companies or start-ups are considering ways to sweeten the deal. Will Netflix go the way of Blockbuster?

If you have a Netflix account, what will your plans be when Qwikster arrives? If you're not a subscriber, do the new options entice you?

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Stuck in My Head: "Keep Your Head Up"

2011-09-20T11:49:00.000-04:00

I don't know why this song keeps popping up in my head, but it's catchy and kind of fun.

"Keep Your Head Up" by Andy Grammer

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com

Footnote: Tomorrow I will have many, many Foo Fighters songs stuck in my head after their concert tonight at the Q.

Looks like you did well, Emmys

2011-09-19T10:15:00.001-04:00

Wow.

I think the Emmys got it mostly right.

Honestly, maybe the Emmys usually get it right. It's hard to remember.

I usually don't watch most of the ceremony, and last night was no exception. (Eagles-Falcons, with Michael Vick returning to Atlanta, and a new episode of AMC's stellar "Breaking Bad" won out rather easily.)

I know that the Oscars usually manage to frustrate me with an award or two every year. And the Grammys? They're a joke. The year's best music at least much of it is NOT showcased on that annual dog-and-pony show.

But the Emmys and I are cool. And we're going to stay that way for another year, now that I've skimmed the list of winners.

The best dram going to AMC's "Mad Men"? Yes, sign me up. Sure, by far my favorite show on that list is HBO's fantasy epic "Game of Thrones" -- it's that where-have-you-been-all-my-life show -- but "Mad Men" arguably is the better show.
And best comedy going to ABC's "Modern Family" is fair. NBC's "Parks and Recreation" may have given it a run for its money last season, but none of the other comedies is as consistently funny as "Family."

Other wins making me happy include Jim Parsons winning for best actor in a comedy series for the second year in a row for CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" -- "Bang" would be half the show without him as Sheldon -- and Ty Burrell, Phil on "Modern Family," winning for best supporting actor in a comedy. In a show full of talented, funny people, Burrell really stands out. Last but not least, the very talented Peter Dinklage was very deserving of going home with the award for best supporting actor in a drama series for his work as Tyrion Lannister on "Game of Thrones." Glad the series got a win.

Associated Press

Peter Dinklage of HBO's "Game of Thrones" gives his acceptance speech.

Last night's Emmy's also reiterated the fact that I've made some poor choices by skipping certain series altogether. "The Good Wife," with star Julianna Margulies winning best series dramatic actress? Never seen it. Ditto for "Mike and Molly," for which Melissa McCarthy won best actress in a comedy. And, with star Kyle Chandler winning best actor in a drama series, I can't put off the great "Friday Night Lights" project much longer.

I did catch a few minutes of the Emmys here and there. The saddest moment was watching Mr. Tiger Blood, himself, Charlie Sheen, playing politics and wishing his old show, "Two and a Half Men," all the best. You know he doesn't mean a word of it.

The best was either all the nominees for best supporting actress in a comedy series going on stage before the winner was announced, following "Parks" star Amy Poehler's lead, or the acceptance speech by one of the head writers for "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" when the show won best writing for a variety, music or comedy series. Hilarious.

Well, the Emmys closes the book on another TV season, and a new one is already underway. Happy viewing, everyone.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | www.Twitter.com/NHFeatures

How to win your awards show office pool

2011-09-19T00:44:00.000-04:00

For the second year in a row, I was the office pool champion for the Emmys. Some of my co-workers claim I cheated.

Don’t listen to them. Instead, listen to me, because I have the key to winning awards show office pools.

When the pool sheets are passed out, the first thing I do is search the Internet for awards that have already been announced. Getting all of those correct gives me a nice cushion while everyone else is guessing if “iCarly” was better than “Sesame Street” in children’s programming.

Then, I look for blogs that handicap the other categories in hopes getting an idea of who will win. This is important because I watch few television series. I’ve barely heard of the actors and shows, let alone know enough to analyze who will get the statues.

This year, I had 16 correct picks. The runner-up had six. My co-workers call it cheating. I call it research.

If there was a prize involved, I’d be laughing all the way to the bank.

- - Howard Primer

It's the circle of life

2011-09-18T18:17:00.000-04:00

Seventeen years later, the king of the jungle is back and at the top of the box office. Has anyone seen the latest 3D movie to hit the box office?

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Stuck in My Head: "Last Friday Night"

2011-09-13T21:15:00.000-04:00

On a recent trip to the gym, I noticed this gem of a music video playing on the screens in front of the cardio equipment. While I had my headphones blasting Foo Fighters while I jogged, the video intrigued me because I couldn't quite figure out what was happening at first. As one song on my iPod faded to another, I recognized the perky notes of a Katy Perry song.

Needless to say, the video was amusing and "Last Friday Night" has been stuck in my head ever since.

Enjoy:

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com

'Contagion' knocks off 'The Help'

2011-09-12T00:17:00.001-04:00

Since I'm a bit of a germaphobe, I'm guessing I shouldn't see this weekend's No. 1 movie.

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Stuck in My Head: "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish"

2011-09-06T17:18:00.000-04:00

This, my friends, is the reason the word "earworm" was created.

I'm a big fan of Douglas Adams and "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy." Naturally I saw the movie when it came out in 2005. The movie's intro featured a delightful little ditty sung, presumably, by dolphins. A friend mentioned it on Twitter, and I've been singing it in my head ever since.

Enjoy "So Long and Thanks for All the Fish":

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com

Get your hands on individual PlayhouseSquare tickets starting Friday

2011-09-06T09:44:00.001-04:00

Sure, the weather's turning cold, and the daylight fades sooner. But the fall brings football, better movies and, last but not least, a new season at PlayhouseSquare in Cleveland.

Tickets for the entire 2011-12 PlayhouseSquare season, including Broadway, dance, concerts comedy and family shows, will go on sale beginning at 11 a.m. Friday, according to a news release. Tickets can be scored by hitting the ticket office at 1519 Euclid Ave., by calling 216-241-6000 or by visiting www.playhousesquare.org.

Those buying on Friday can take advantage of these promotions:
11 a.m. to noon: no ticketing fees on orders
noon to 4 p.m. get one $25 PlayhouseSquare gift card per order
4 to 5 p.m.: get one free parking pass per order
5 to 6 p.m. no ticketing fees.

If you need a refresher on what the upcoming Broadway Series has in store, please check out my preview from March.

-- Mark Meszoros | Entertainment@News-Herald.com | Twitter.com/NHFeatures

Summer movie season ends with 'The Help' at No. 1

2011-09-05T18:29:00.001-04:00

This is it for summer movies. It's interesting to see that "The Help" has stayed at No. 1 for three weekends in a row, now. Must be a pretty good movie.

From The Associated Press:

Want more movie coverage? Check out Entertainment Editor Mark Meszoros' fall film preview. You should click that link and check it out, because someone who is writing this blog post might have taken the time to find movie trailers to add throughout.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Stuck in My Head: "Pinball Wizard"

2011-08-31T22:53:00.000-04:00

I heard the word "pinball" at some point today, and have been humming this ditty ever since.

"Pinball Wizard" by The Who:

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com

Bravo rundown

2011-08-31T11:38:00.099-04:00

If Housewives, wealthy singles and competition shows aren't your thing, you can probably tune out of this blog entry right now.

I watch a lot of Bravo - well, almost exclusively Bravo, so I'm in kind of a Bravo bubble. The network has premiered several shows over the summer, and I have a lot of thoughts to share about the happenings.

(I know I don't watch many quality TV shows, so no need to lecture me about how I should be watching "Mad Men" or something.)

Real Housewives of New Jersey

The Real Housewives of New Jersey

This might be my favorite season yet of any of the Housewives series. If you're thinking about getting into the series (though you probably shouldn't waste your time), a marathon of this season's Jersey ladies would be the way to go. The dynamic of the current cast of characters is much better than in past seasons, showing the good and bad of everyone (but mostly the good of Caroline, whom I think everyone wants as their second mom [and not just because her son is gorgeous]). Teresa, who in past seasons seemed fun and sane, now seems like she is trying to put on a show to keep everything together. Maybe it was a bad idea for her to agree to this season, with the legal issues that have been going on with her family. Add to that the family feud with sister-in-law Melissa and cousin Kathy, and she's poised for a complete breakdown on national television. God, this show sounds so trashy. Did I really call it my favorite in the franchise?

Millionaire Matchmaker

I blogged a few weeks ago about how I was looking forward to the return of Patti Stanger and crew, and their matchmaking hijinks. So far this season, I'm disappointed. The matchmaking crew spent season four in New York City, and upon their return to L.A. this year, Patti spent plenty of time trashing NYC and the people there. From that point forward, season five has seem scripted. The first season or two of the show seemed much more staged, while the third and fourth were a little more natural. This season, though, has regressed a bit to the set-up situations. Patti's comments seem more unnatural, instead of her usual off-the-cuff wit. This week's episode - the third this season - has been my favorite so far, because it involved a charming prince and an awkward guy who works with my friend. But if more of the episodes are like the first two than the third, I'm not sure how much longer I will be reserving space on my DVR for this show. (But I am really looking forward to the episode that will include Madison from "Million Dollar Listing.")

Flipping Out

I'll try to avoid gushing about this show and just say that I love Jeff, Jenni and Zoila. I don't think I'm learning anything about interior design or remodeling homes, but I am laughing pretty hard when I'm watching it.

Most Eligible Dallas

I hope this show doesn't come back for a second season. I might tune out at some point, and it will be much easier to do that if it's not going to be back again. I don't know how it will be back again, anyway, because shouldn't these people be finding love? And that would make them less than most eligible. They should have just done a Real Housewives of Dallas.

Top Chef: Just Desserts

A group of pastry chefs competing to make the best desserts? The worst part about this show is that you can't taste what they're making.

Real Housewives of Beverly Hills

Taylor and Russell in happier times.

Oh, the elephant in the room. After the husband of one of the Housewives killed himself earlier this month, Bravo announced it would re-edit the footage from this season, which premieres Monday. What a tough situation. Taylor's storyline this season involved her troubles with husband Russell, so it will be interesting to see how the network incorporates or omits his presence. Prior to Russell's suicide, I had been looking forward to this season to see what was happening with the ladies. Sisters Kim and Kyle ended last season with a bit of exposure of some major problems between them, so I'm curious how their relationship has changed since then. And Camille is newly divorced from Kelsey Grammer, so I wonder if she'll be as much of a mean girl as she was last season.

So much bad TV to watch, so little time.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Stuck in My Head: "Dog Days Are Over"

2011-08-29T17:28:00.000-04:00

I heard this song while at the gym today, and I've been singing it to myself ever since. I'm a fan of Florence + The Machine, and maybe you are too.

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com

'Help' stays on top during weak weekend

2011-08-28T18:29:00.000-04:00

Does the summer always end with such weak movies? The past few weekends at the box office have been less-than impressive, but surely that's because movie-goers are done with summer vacation and heading back to their real lives, and the big-budget movies with big-budget marketing came to theaters two months ago.

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Stuck in My Head: "Pardon Me"/The Incubus concert rocked my face off

2011-08-27T21:16:00.000-04:00

Remember when I said I was going to the Incubus concert?

Oh yes. It was awesome.

It was my first time seeing the band live, and for a long-time fan like myself, it was a real treat. Friday night was a gorgeous night in the flats for the concert, and it was a great way to end the summer.

Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine opened. He played some of his solo pieces, and also did a pretty kickin' rendition of "The Ghost of Tom Joad." Also, he played his guitar with his mouth. Pretty unimpressive stuff. (KIDDING)

Incubus sounded awesome live, almost CD-quality. It was a great show. The crowd loved it, especially when they played "Wish You Were Here," "Nice to Know You," "Drive," and "Megalomaniac."

They opened with "Pardon Me," one of my favorites. It has been playing in my head quite a bit since the show, which is why it's my current "Stuck in My Head." Enjoy:

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com

Hawaii Five-O: Terry O'Quinn to the rescue

2011-08-27T17:31:00.001-04:00

Followers of CBS' fun reboot of Hawaii Five-O know the Five-O team has been broken up and is in serious trouble.

Terry O'Quinn (aka Locke from "Lost") is coming to the rescue. The second season starts Sept. 19. Check out the video below:

Stuck in My Head: "Promises, Promises"

2011-08-26T12:00:00.000-04:00

Because I'm going to the Incubus concert tonight, I've been listening a lot to one of my favorite bands.

Here's a taste of what they will likely perform at the concert, "Promises, Promises," off their new album, "If Not Now, When?"

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com

A look at Steve Jobs

2011-08-24T22:33:00.000-04:00

I've always been a fan of Apple. From my very first iPod to my beloved Macbook, I have enjoyed incorporating Apple products into my everyday life. As news came out today that Steve Jobs was leaving Apple, I started thinking about the man behind the company that has undoubtedly changed the way we all view and use technology.

If you're looking for more information on the tech giant, here is a quick storify of some interesting Steve Jobs/Apple-related news:

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com | @DCapriato

The Muppet Show Theme Song as done by OK Go

2011-08-23T21:34:00.001-04:00

Cheryl has blogged several times about her love for OK Go 's music videos. However, a friend of mine posted this one on Facebook today and I just had to share it. It's not quite the next "Stuck in My Head" blog, but it's definitely worth a look.

In this video, OK Go partners with the Muppets for a rendition of the ever-popular theme song from the beloved Jim Henson show.

I love it. And it reminds me that I can't wait to see the new Muppets movie in November.

If you don't remember the original theme song, here's a fun video:

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com | @DCapriato

The Kardashian wedding

2011-08-23T10:22:00.003-04:00

If your invitation to Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries' wedding got lost in the mail, don't worry!

Storify user eldu put together a Storify on the wedding, including videos, photos, tweets from the family and well wishes from the public. Check it out below, you know, if you're into that kind of stuff. (If you're not, that's your fault for reading this blog post, right?)

If you can't get enough of the Kim-Kris wedding, don't worry! You only have to wait until 8 p.m. Oct. 9 and 9 p.m. Oct 10 when the two-part special will air on E!.

Let's just say for example that someone got up at 4:30 a.m. to watch the Royal Wedding ... does that person have a right to roll her eyes and blog sarcastically about the over-the-top-ness of the Kardashian wedding? I sure hope so, because she just did.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Stuck in My Head: "Can't Hug Every Cat"

2011-08-22T22:10:00.001-04:00

Ever have a song, or part of a song, play on loop in your head for days on end?

Of course you have.

It happens to me all the time. So much, in fact, that I've decided I would share my misery with the world on this blog. Maybe these songs will get stuck in your heads, too. Maybe you'll discover new music to enjoy. Or maybe not.

In any event, the song stuck in my head this week is not a song you will probably ever hear on the radio, something for which you might be thankful. "Can't Hug Every Cat" is actually a songify; a fake dating video was turned into a hilariously catchy musical number featuring an overly dramatic cat lover and some of her favorite animals friends playing backup.

See the original, un-songify-ed video here:

Danielle Capriato | DCapriato@News-Herald.com

'Help' overtakes 'Apes'

2011-08-21T17:39:00.001-04:00

A bit of a weird weekend at the box office. Three blockbusters - "Harry Potter," "Captain America" and "Cowboys & Aliens" - lost spots in the top 10. "The Help" surpassed "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" for the No. 1 spot. "The Help" must be quite a good movie to overtake a summer action film in the second week for both. I know one News-Herald movie reviewer who saw it this weekend and said he got a bit misty-eyed.

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

'Jaws' at Playhouse Square: What a night

2011-08-19T00:33:00.000-04:00

As my wife and I drove to Playhouse Square to watch a screening of the 1975 classic "Jaws," I told her I thought maybe 100 would be at the venue that holds over 2,500.

Was I wrong, and this movie-going night could have not been more right.

A special thank you to Playhouse Square, which showed "Jaws" on Thursday night as part of its 14th annual Cinema at the Square! series.

At least 1,000 were there to watch the movie about a killer shark that terrorizes a small beach town. The crowd, myself included, wasn't simply into the film. We were all really, really into the film.

When it was time to laugh, scream and clap, the crowd did so with energy. It felt like opening night for "Jaws" in 1975. A huge reaction occurred when actor Roy Scheider uttered his famous line, "You're gonna need a bigger boat."

When the film's credits began to roll, it was time for the final ovation of the night. Plenty in attendance were of the older variety, but many were teen-agers, some even younger, proving why "Jaws" has and will always stand the test of time.

Isn't that what any great film does?

- Mark Podolski

Mourning Elvis 34 years later

2011-08-15T22:47:00.000-04:00

Maybe things like this shouldn't surprise me anymore.

Those people are holding vigil at Graceland for Elvis Presley - who died 34 years ago Tuesday.

Maybe it's because he died seven years before I was born, but I'm having trouble understanding why people would flock to mourn him so many years later.

Read more from The Associated Press here.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

First week of The Avengers in downtown Cleveland

2011-08-15T17:10:00.000-04:00

A week ago, "The Avengers" set up shop in downtown Cleveland to film the movie, which is due in theaters next year. View the Storify below to see what Cleveland area residents shared from the set.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Patti Stanger and the matchmaking crew are back.

2011-08-15T12:06:00.001-04:00

One of my favorite shows, "The Millionaire Matchmaker," comes back for a fifth season at 9 p.m. today on Bravo TV.

The show stars Patti Stanger, the millionaire matchmaker and CEO of an exclusive dating service, the Millionaire's Club. In advance of the season five premiere, I read Stanger's book "Become Your Own Matchmaker: 8 Easy Steps for Attracting Your Perfect Mate". I was kind of bored and underwhelmed with it. Check out my review, and come back later this week to see my initial thoughts on the fifth season.

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

'Apes' on top again

2011-08-14T18:17:00.000-04:00

Shouldn't be much of a surprise that a big summer blockbuster has stayed at the top of the box office for a second straight weekend. What might be surprising is how awful "The Change-Up" must be if in its second week, it's already barely hanging on to Top 10 status.

From The Associated Press:

-- Cheryl Sadler | CSadler@News-Herald.com | @nhcheryl

Finally, 'Jaws' on the big screen

2011-08-11T01:43:00.001-04:00

To me, there's nothing like a great movie on the big screen.

To me, there isn't a movie better than "Jaws," the movie that started the summer blockbuster genre.

I've watched the movies countless times, but I've never seen it on the big screen. Until now, or least next week. The countdown has started and I can't wait.

On Thursday, Aug. 18, Playhouse Square is showing "Jaws" as part of its Cinema at the Square series. My wife and I will be there. It should be a moviegoing experience unlike any other. The 1975 film starring Richard Dreyfuss, Robert Shaw and Roy Scheider is one of a kind, and the ultimate summer flick.

If you've never seen "Jaws," and are heading the Aug. 18 showing, I am jealous. I wish I could see the film that made Steven Spielberg a star for the first time all over again. Let the countdown begin, but remember:

Don't go in the water.

- Mark Podolski