High intensity workouts are the ‘in thing’ these days and I consider them to be one of the best and the fastest fat burning technique that boosts your muscle building ability. High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) are a type of cardio workouts that burn maximum fat and build muscles with a minimum time spend in the iron jungle.

One of my favorite HIIT is the Wahlberg workout, which is quite popular in the muscle building fraternity when it comes to selecting a workout plan. The workout is named after the famous Hollywood actor Mark Wahlberg, who has one of the most enviable bodies in the town, which he attained following this workout schedule.

What attracts people most is not just the result that stands out when any one sees Mark. But, the straightforward and easy to follow workout plan. These are a type of high intensity-low time-consuming workouts that enhance muscle building and boosts metabolism.

What’s more, these workouts are a very well organized and planned set of exercises that can give you a fabulous body without spending hours in the gym. In HIIT workout, you spend 30 minutes a week in the gym concentrating on not more than three body parts a day. The trick here is an increased focus on weight lifts and high intensity presses and lifts, with lesser rest time between different sets of exercises. Wahlberg workouts not only make you push up your physical limits, but also lead to improvements in your metabolism.

I recommend Cindy crossfit workouts if you are looking for a whole body workout that not only builds muscles, but also makes you lose weight, and have an attractively toned body. Cindy crossfit is a high-power inclusive workout focusing more on functional exercises such as squats, pull-ups, and chin-ups. These exercises are most effective as they force you to use your own body weight for muscle building and weight loss instead of any fancy gym equipments. This 20-minute workout requires you to do a set of about fifteen squats, ten press ups, and five chin ups that can fit into almost every individual’s routine. You can increase your sets as you get more comfortable with crossfit workouts.
Enjoy doing these HIITs. Let them work on the fat accumulated in your body parts and the muscle mass buildup process and experience the lingering feeling of the effect, even after you leave the gym.

Muscle Gaining Secrets

1. “Date Night” is a comedy featuring Tina Fey (“30 Rock”) and Steve Carell (“The Office”). They try to revive their marriage by going out on a date. Hilarity ensues after they are mistaken for another married couple who owe people money. If, like me, the comedic veterans aren’t enough to convince you to watch the movie, “Date Night” also stars rapper Common, Mila Kunis (“That ‘7os Show”), Mark Wahlberg (“Four Brothers”) and James Franco (“Pineapple Express”).

2. “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” also centers on a marriage on the rocks and a married couple on the run. This time around, though, Hugh Grant (“Notting Hill”) and Sarah Jessica Parker (“Sex and City”)  are placed in the witness protection program after seeing a murder. I’ve seen this trailer in theaters several times and every time, someone reacts to the last part of the trailer. Indeed, the laughs start once they relocate to Wyoming …

3. “Kick Ass” follows newcomer Aaron Johnson as he decides to become a superhero even though he has no powers. The tone of the film is similar to the humor in several Owen Wilson movies, such as “The Darjeeling Limited.” Christopher Mintz-Plasse, of “Superbad” fame, also stars. Johnson can also be seen in the John Lennon-film, “Nowhere Boy.” Its trailer is over here.

4. Acclaimed actor James McAvoy can next be seen in “The Last Station,” which focuses on the life of famed author Leo Tolstoy (Christopher Plummer). The trailer doesn’t reveal much else, but the film does have a 7.3 star rating on IMDb.com. The film’s early release is supposedly a ploy to secure Plummer an Oscar nomination in next year’s weak Best Actor race. McAvoy’s real-life wife, Anne Marie Duff, as well as Oscar favorites Helen Mirren and Paul Giamatti co-star.

5. Focus Features is set to release “Babies,” a documentary which chronicles one year in the lives of different newborns around the world, namely Tokyo, San Francisco, Mongolia and Namibia.

Edward Norton, Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Robert Pattinson, Vanessa Hudgens, “Toy Story 3,” romantic comedies (Amy Adams! Nicholas Sparks!), potential Oscar nominees (George Clooney! Emily Blunt!) and more after the jump.

6. Hollywood takes another stab at “Beauty and the Beast” with the adaptation of Alex Flinn’s novel, “Beastly.” The teaser trailer is so abrupt that I’m not excited to see it in theaters. Relative unknown Alex Pettyfer and Vanessa Hudgens (“High School Musical”) star.

7. “Season of the Witch” reteams Nicolas Cage with “Gone in 60 Seconds” director, Dominic Sena. This heart-pounding action movie takes us with a band of knights who are tasked with moving a powerful witch to a monastery. Ron Perlman from “Hellboy” co-stars.

8. Amanda Seyfried (“Mamma Mia”) sure knows how to pick movies — at least, chick flicks that I want to see. First, there was Nicholas Sparks’s “Dear John.” Now, there’s “Letters to Juliet.” Seyfried stars as a girl who’s engaged to Gael Garcia Bernal (“Science of Sleep”) but goes on an adventure with Christopher Egan (“Eragon”) and Vanessa Redgrave after she finds Redgrave’s letter to a long lost love.

IMDb.com states that Hugh Dancy was originally cast in Bernal’s role but dropped out, which is a shame. Anyone who’s seen him in “The Jane Austen Book Club” knows that Dancy would have been perfect in this movie albeit in Egan’s role. Oh, well. Cue Taylor Swift’s “Love Story.”

9. Noah Baumbach (“The Squid and the Whale”) once again gifts us with his zing-damn-oh snap (!) dialogue in “Greenberg.” Ben Stiller tries his hand at drama as a man in a mid-life crisis. Jennifer Jason Leigh (“Single White Female”) and Rhys Ifans (to be seen in “Harry Potter 7″) round out the cast.

10. “Crazy Heart” is another film with an earlier-than-scheduled release date. Again, the movie studio is trying to nab its star, Jeff Bridges, a Best Actor nod. Bridges (“Iron Man”) stars as a country music star who’s down on his luck until his path crosses with a journalist (Maggie Gyllenhaal).

11. According to IMDb.com, “Remember Me” is up by 658 percent in popularity this week. The most probable reason? Robert Pattinson (“Twilight”) is the star. He is joined by Pierce Brosnan (“James Bond”), Chris Cooper (“The Kingdom”) and Emilie de Ravin (“Lost”).

12. In “Leaves of Grass,” Edward Norton plays twin brothers who plot to kill their small town’s drug lord. The supporting cast includes Susan Sarandon (“Stepmom”) and Keri Russell (“August Rush”).

13. “Extraordinary Measures” is based on the true story of John and Aileen Crowley who race to find a cure for their dying child. Brendan Fraser (“The Mummy”), Russell (“Felicity”) and Harrison Ford (“Indiana Jones”) star.

14. “In Ireland, women can propose to men on the 29th of February.” This is the premise of “Leap Year,” in which Amy Adams (“Enchanted”) takes it upon herself to propose to her longtime boyfriend. Fate intervenes when she lands in Wales instead and runs into Matthew Goode (“Chasing Liberty”).

15. In “Grown Ups,” five childhood friends reunite after 30 years. The movie’s cast is a who’s who of comedy, namely David Spade (“The Benchwarmers”), Chris Rock (“Down to Earth”), Adam Sandler (“Spanglish”), Kevin James (“Hitch”), Rob Schneider (“Hot Chick”), Maya Rudolph (“Away We Go”), Salma Hayek (“Frida”) and Maria Bello (“Coyote Ugly”).

16. After failing to impress the girl of his dreams, Michael Cera (“Superbad”) decides to rebel in the comedy, “Youth in Revolt.” Justin Long (“Accepted”) and Zach Galifianakis (“The Hangover”) also star in the movie. Trailer no.1 and trailer no. 2 follow:

17. Soon there won’t be another Sparks’s novel to film, and the world as we know it will come to an end. “The Last Song” is Hollywood’s latest try at the author’s romantic novels. Miley Cyrus (“Hannah Montana”) stars as a rebellious teenager who, along with her younger brother, is sent to spend the summer with her estranged dad. Cyrus, also a musical prodigy, falls in love and makes amends with her father.

I guess that means two things. 1) We can look forward to Cyrus-filled soundtrack. 2) Supposedly, the studio thought Mandy Moore in two Sparks’s adaptations would have been too much. Nonetheless, Greg Kinnear (“Little Miss Sunshine”) and Kelly Preston (“Jerry Maguire”) lend the movie some credibility.

18. Maybe you’ve heard of James Cameron’s (“Titanic”) latest venture, “Avatar.” An adventure in another world and another time pits  human soldiers against an entirely new species. Sam Worthington (“Terminator: Salvation”), Sigourney Weaver (“Alien”), Zoe Saldana (“Star Trek”) and Michelle Rodriguez (“Girl Fight”) star.

19. It’s just a teaser trailer, but “Clash of the Titans” looks pretty amazing. Whoever created the score is some kind of genius. Liam Neeson (Batman Begins”), Ralph Fiennes (“Harry Potter”) and Worthington  are all part of the remake.

20. Catch the “Toy Story 3″ teaser and full trailers below:

21. Emily Blunt is “The Young Victoria.” From the looks of the trailer, Blunt (“The Devil Wears Prada”) will give another powerhouse performance as Queen Victoria. She is paired with Rupert Friend (“Pride and Prejudice”) as her Prince Albert. The ensemble cast includes Paul Bettany (“The Da Vinci Code”) and Jim Broadbent (“The Chronicles of Narnia”).

22. Clooney may have cinched another Oscar nomination with his performance in “Up in the Air.” In fact, director Jason Reitman (“Juno”), actresses Anna Kendrick (“Twilight”) and Vera Farmiga (“The Departed”) all have Oscar buzz surrounding them. Clooney is the guy that companies hire to travel all over the globe and fire people for them.

The film was originally meant to be a satire like Reitman’s “Thank You for Not Smoking,” but the recession called for a revamping of the movie. The first trailer below tells you more about the story, but the second trailer is by far the better one. Fasten your seatbelts …

Personally, I’m looking forward to “Up in the Air,” “The Young Victoria,” “Leap Year” and “Letters to Juliet” although I’d probably watch some, such as “Avatar” and “Did You Hear About the Morgans?” if my friends want to see them. What about you? Sound off in the comments!

//

HOY VAMOS A REVISAR ALGUNAS NOVEDADES QUE HAN APARECIDO EN LOS ULTIMOS DIAS EN AFICHES.

COMENZAMOS CON EL NUEVO TRABAJO DE DENZEL WASHINGTON GARY OLDMAN, ”THE BOOK OF ELI”

SE NOS VIENEN MUY BUENOS ESTRENOS PROXIMAMENTE. UNO DE ELLOS ES ”SOLOMON KANE”

Y OTRA DE LAS BUENAS PRODUCCIONES QUE MUY PRONTO SE ESTRENARAN,ES ”THE LOVELY BONES”,DE PETER JACKSON. TIENE COMO PROTAGONISTAS A MARK WAHLBERG,RACHEL WEISZ,Y SUSAN SARANDON ,ENTRE OTROS ACTORES.

Y FINALIZAMOS POR HOY,CON UNO DE LOS NUEVOS AFICHES DE ”AVATAR”,LA GRAN PRODUCCION DE JAMES CAMERON,QUE NOS LLEGARA A LA GRAN PANTALLA EN DICIEMBRE PROXIMO…

Shooter: ex-sniper with a vanishing pony-tail (stupidly) gets caught up on the wrong end of a presidential assassination attempt. The politics and explanations in this were so clichéd and had so many twists / conspiracies that Michael Moore could have written it. Wahlberg’s not exactly on form, and pretty much mumbles his way through the majority of the script, which is heavy on the sniper talk – giving the film (and Swagger) authenticity. The best thing about this film was the action, and although there’s not loads, it’s was about quality over quantity – especially the cottage shoot-out and counter-sniping scenes. The ending feels totally rushed, with everything being cleared up in about two minutes flat. It’s an OK flick, but ends up way off target.

Score: 4/10

After the bad taste The Village left, and not forgetting I thought Signs was a piece of crap, I reluctantly  attacked Shyamalan’s latest work, and have to admit, it wasn’t as bad as I thought.

The director  again deals with something shocking able to make people feel weak and scared, looking for an explanation for the chain of events they are witnessing involving death on massive scale.

Any given day, starting in Central Park, what  first declared as a terrorist chemical attack strikes population causing them to self-inflict pain up to death. Extreme scenes occur one after another, and bulletins advise people to move westwards as mostly east coast largest cities have been the targets.

After explaining  theories on  the bees mysterious disappearance in science class , high school teacher  Elliot Moore (Mark Wahlberg), together with his wife Alma (Zooey Deschanel), his colleague Julian (John Leguizamo) and little Jess catch a train to get away from Philadelphia. After a while, people start receiving news via cell phones also confirming mayhem in Philadelphia. To make things worse, trains stops for communications have been interrupted, leaving passengers at their own fate in the middle of nowhere.

News broadcast  attacks have spread to minor populated towns, disclaiming terrorist attacks as the explanation for such horror.

At a certain point, Julian decides to divert towards Princeton leaving the others, in order to find his wife, who is no longer available on the phone, thus, Elliot and Alma will have to take care of Jess, and find a way out from this mess, however  the menace is fast surrounding, same as desperation and hysteria in the small crowds trying to hide.

The first scenes in this film are outstanding and really shocking, immediately catching audience attention, and making you wonder an explanation for those extreme and chaotic moments. It reminds me so much to Stephen King’s Cell, released in 2006 as to think of some kind of “inspiration”. Then the getaway starts, seems like an Arcade videogame, passing through different obstacles, and getting harder gradually.

It’s fun for the first time I checked the time, there were only 25 minutes remaining, and although getaway could have been extended more without boring, my doubts started regarding the conclusion of the story, and the explanation for this horror. Unfortunately  the explanation, more or less identical to Elliot’s beliefs, is solved with the extract of a tv interview, even with moral message about the way we’re messing with the planet we inhabit. That’s it. Ok, I can buy it, but what turns this into a cheap tale is so much love involved, as if true love could save anyone. What the hell is that? A Christian lecture about salvation?  Because I’ve had plenty of them in my early years! How is that the movie starts with a scientific explanation of the bees extinguishing and then love is so highlighted?

Nowhere to Hide or the power of love

Shyamalan’s definitely are not my cup of tea,  he provides potential ideas, but sooner or later, they end up stinking. This is a clear example about how to life by one major blockbuster, such as the Sixth Sense was, and then despite the unability to deliver good product, survive in Hollywood highly supported by the industry, with amazing  promotion and marketing  keeping him well acclaimed.

Shooter – Action-Thriller mit Mark Wahlberg

Der Kinofilm “Shooter” (2007) basiert auf dem Roman “Point of Impact” des Schriftstellers Stephan Hunt. Der Hauptdarsteller Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) ist einer der besten Scharfschützen der Welt. Ein actionreicher Thriller beginnt.

Die Geschichte

In dem Film Shooter stirbt am Anfang bei einem Einsatz der Kollege von Bob Lee Swagger. Daraufhin zieht sich Swagger zurück und möchte nicht mehr gefunden werden. Bis eines Tages Regierungstypen bei ihm “anklopfen” und dazu überreden, einen Mord an dem US-Präsidenten zu planen. Er glaubt, er würde der Regierung damit helfen. Doch es handelt sich um eine Verschwörung und Swagger wird zur Zielscheibe, da jegliche Indizien darauf hinweisen, dass er den Mord begangen hat. Auf der Suche nach der Wahrheit tötet er viele Menschen und wird nur von wenigen unterstützt. Ein FBI-Agent kam der Verschwörung ebenfalls auf die Schliche und unterstützt ihn später.

Mein Fazit

Der ehemalige Kinofilm “Shooter” ist eine leichte Kost, welche jedoch gut umgesetzt und mit vielen Actionszenen gedreht wurde. Der Film daher meinem Erachten nach sehenswert, darum empfehle ich diesen auch jedem . Vorallem, wenn man auf Action steht ist der Film sehr gut.

Grande elenco e roteiro agitado são os pontos fortes do filme de Scorsese

Por Paulo do Valle

“Um bom filme começa pelo seu elenco”. Se Levarmos em conta essa frase, Os Infiltrados pode ser considerado um excelente filme só pelo seu time de atores: Jack Nicholson, Leo DiCaprio, Matt Damon e a frieza de Mark Wahlberg fazem desse filme uma sangrenta obra de arte do Século XXI. Tudo isso somado à genialidade do diretor Martin Scorsese, o ex- injustiçado do Oscar, que graças a essa obra teve sua redenção e levou a estatueta de melhor filme para sua estante.

Frank Costello (Nicholson), é um típico mafioso dos tempos atuais. Irlandês vivendo em Boston (USA), Costello praticamente comanda o crime organizado da cidade. Com isso se torna inimigo número um da policia estadual. É ai que começa o jogo de gato e rato.

Querendo estar sempre um passo à frente da lei, o mafioso infiltra seu pupilo Colin Sullivan (Damon) dentro da policia. Por ter um ótimo desempenho e ser acima de qualquer suspeita, o rapaz sobe rápido de cargo e logo se encontra dentro da unidade de investigações especiais, que é justamente onde se encontra o caso de Frank Costello. Mas o que eles não contavam é que existe o outro lado da moeda (aí sim, fomos surpreendidos novamente), é quando entra o desacreditado Billy Costigan (DiCaprio), sem muito destaque na polícia e uma família com o nome sujo na praça, o rapaz é submetido a ser o infiltrado do lado policial no mundo do crime. Para que isso ocorra de uma forma perfeita, Costigan é dado como expulso da polícia e preso. O segredo é mantido a sete chaves  pelos policiais Digman (Wahlberg) e seu superior Capitão Queenan (Martin Sheen), que são os líderes da operação para prender Costello. Não demora muito para que o rapaz consiga entrar no mundo do crime. Graças ao seu primo, um traficante pequeno, Costigan é introduzido ao submundo e rapidamente chega a Costello (em uma sequência  que dói até em quem está assistindo, o mafioso, tenta pela dor física, descobrir se  Costigan é um infiltrado da polícia). Assim, ambos os lados percebem a existência de informantes agindo por ali. Com isso, o filme torna-se eletrizante, chegando muitas vezes beirar o imprevisível.

A vida dos dois rapazes é cheia de coincidências  e cruzamentos. Uma delas (inútil aos olhos do filme) , Sullivan e Costigan são apaixonados pela mesma mulher, a psicóloga da policia Madolyn (Vera Farmiga). O chifre no caso fica por conta do personagem de Damon. Em uma sequência  de tirar o fôlego, Billy consegue descobrir onde Costello vai encontrar-se com o seu informante. Chegando ao local (pasmem, um cinema pornô), Costigan  consegue encontrar os dois, mas não consegue ver a cara do outro infiltrado que, ao perceber que está sendo seguido, foge dando sequência a uma ótima cena do filme. Até o seu final o filme reserva boas emoções e surpresas para quem o assiste.

Com um desfecho surpreendente, é um ótimo exemplo do ditado ‘’ Jogar merda no ventilador’’. Scorsese apostou principalmente na força de seus protagonistas. Em mais uma atuação típica de Nicholson, beirando o sinistro e o cômico (assim como em Batman e O Iluminado) . E principalmente em DiCaprio, seu queridinho. Vale ressaltar também a excelente atuação de Mark Wahlberg, que mesmo não sendo um dos protagonistas, da vida à um corrosivo policial de mal com a vida.

Inspirado em Conflitos Internos, um filme policial de Hong Kong. Os Infiltrados pode ser considerado um clássico gangster do Séc XXI que deu a Scorsese (mesmo em meio a protestos a favor de A Pequena Miss Sunshine), um lugar ao sol entre os diretores que já levaram o tão cobiçado Oscar. Além de melhor diretor, levou para casa também como melhor filme, melhor montagem e melhor roteiro adaptado.

Com uma trilha sonora tão violenta quanto o filme ( De Stones passando por Beach boys até chegar na pesada gaita de foles do Dropkick Murphys) Os Infiltrados marca seu nome no cinema gângster mundial.

Os Infiltrados ( The Departed): 2006, USA. Direção: Martin Scorsese. Elenco: Jack Nicholson, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, Mark Wahlberg, Martin Sheen, Vera Farmiga. Roteiro: Siu Fai Mak e Felix Chong. Duração: 149 min.

Notas:

Paulo do Valle [7.5] Ronnie Romanini [7.5]

Média parcial: [7.5]

The Lovely Bones se está haciendo de rogar, logrando ser una de esas tapadas que, pese a su reparto y director, llegan al final de la temporada sin hacer ruido para luego acaparar súbitamente toda la atención. La película a priori lo tiene todo para arrasar en los grandes premios, pero por lo que se empieza a escuchar, le sobrará competencia. Peter Jackson se pasa al drama (con toques sobrenaturales, y muchos efectos especiales, eso sí) con esta historia sobre una niña asesinada que se debate en el cielo entre ayudar a paliar el dolor de su familia o pararle los pies a su asesino. Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli y Saoirse Ronan forman el interesantísimo reparto principal de la cinta, que debuta el 11 de Diciembre.

VERDICT:
7/10 Cahs Pahked in Hahvahd Yahd

I’m well aware of the heat I might be catching for this one, but this was not the best movie of ‘06. Letters From Iwo Jima got robbed.

The Departed is about two moles: one’s a Boston cop who finds himself deep undercover as the right-hand man to a kingpin in the Irish mob, the other’s a member of the said Irish mob who finds himself deep undercover in the upper-ranks of the Boston police force. One is trying to take down the mob from the inside out, the other is trying to protect the mob from the outside in, and both are trying to get each other killed so they can do their damn job.

Pretty crazy stuff.

It’s all based pretty closely off a Chinese movie called Infernal Affairs that came out in ‘02, only this time there’s cell phones and text messaging instead of lame-ass morse code – Neat! But if you haven’t seen it, give it a whirl. The plot is better in a lot of ways even if the script isn’t as strong in others.

Anyway, let’s start with the good then move our way down.

If there’s one Oscar this movie did deserve – and one painfully patient individual who deserved it even more – it was for directing. It might not be his best movie (I smell a weekly poll…) but if there’s anyone out there who knows how to make crime thrillers look good to both movie geeks and Joe the plumber, it’s Martin Scorsese. There’s a lot going on in this movie and Scorsese does one hell of a job of keeping his audience’s attention from start to finish all the while infusing it with his signature style that you can’t take your eyes off of. This is one of those movies that’s good to go back and watch a second time around just to pick up on the directorial flair and subtleties that helped win this guy the Oscar. It had been a while since he’d done something I liked, but come on, it’s Martin Scorsese. Dude’s a legend.

And does anyone remember those scenes where there’d be this long shot of Matt Damon or Leo and the whole screen would zoom in black until it just looked like you were seeing them through a peephole? Still trying to figure out the meaning behind that, but hey, still dug it.

Unfortunately, everything else kinda has a double-edged sword it.

The acting here is pretty damn good for the most part, but there were still some performances that I’m not too big on. You know what, Jack Nicholson was one mean bastard as Irish mob boss Frank Costello. It’s too bad he had to make that damn rat face and start ad-libbing all over the place (you know what scene I’m talking about), because if it weren’t for that, he would have gotten a lot more praise. All the same, it’s no skin off his back. Jack Nicholson’s the man, what else is there to say?

Matt Damon’s actually pretty solid as Costello’s mole; well, he’s been pretty solid ever since he took on Jason Bourne. So way to go, Matt. But I’m sorry, folks, Leo still isn’t doing it for me. Yeah, he’s all serious and shit now, but he could afford to tone it down a bit. I already went off on about this in my Revolutionary Road review, so I’m gonna try not to dwell on this. It’s not that he’s a bad actor by any means, I just think he’s getting a lot more credit than he’s due right now. Yes, he’s come a long way since Jack, but the guy is still overacting like a mofo and he can’t pull off a Boston accent for his life. I couldn’t believe it when I heard him talking like that again in the Shutter Island trailer (which actually looks pretty good). I don’t know, maybe it’s me.

And am I just crazy or is there anyone else out there who thinks that the two best performances here were from Mark Wahlberg and Alec Baldwin? Not only did these guys have the best lines but they were arguably the coolest characters in the movie, too. These were the two actors I found myself talking about every time this movie came up in conversation, and while Marky Mark didn’t deserve the Oscar either, I’m glad he got a nod at least.

Martin Sheen’s also good, but Martin Sheen’s always good.

The other pro and con here is the script. For the most part, the script kicks ass. It’s a really impressive adaptation with lots of great, sharp dialogue, it keeps the suspense up for the entire duration, and it’s jam-packed with very well-written characters. There’s really not much you can knock it for…except for one thing: the last 15 minutes of the movie.

Honestly, what the fuck was that about?

Up until the point where the shit hits the fan at 100 mph, I was really digging this movie. Man, I about laughed out loud in the theater by the time the final scene was over. Without giving it away (at least I hope I’m not), I just couldn’t believe that all the time this movie spent building up these characters and their circumstances was essentially just tossed to the wind in one fell swoop. Just a bad way to end a movie, dare I say it was a cop-out.

But flaws aside, The Departed is still a good movie. It does a lot of things right, it’s a wild story, it’s a great return to form for Scorsese, and since the guy’s got one swell taste in music, there’s a fantastic soundtrack here to boot (even if everyone is sick and tired of that “…AND I LOST MY LEG!” song by the Dropkick Murphys). Might not have been my #1 pick for ‘06, might not have even been in my top five, but I can see why I might be in the minority here.

And the discussion board is now open…

TNA wrestler Kip James enjoys some NBA action. Obstructing his view of the game are Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Rosie Perez, Brooke Shields and Tracy Morgan.

How did the former hip-hop breakdancer/Calvin Klein underwear model-turned actor Mark Wahlberg go from this….

to THIS…

*WireImage*

and this….

Por Antonio Golmar

Pocos actores cuentan con un currículum como el de Mark Wahlberg, quien hace unos meses contaba en un programa de la televisión británica que su primer coche le salió gratis porque lo había robado, aunque luego, desde la cárcel, lamentaba no haber seguido los pasos de sus hermanos, los New Kids on the Block.

Nadie que viese a Mark Walhberg por primera vez ahora, con su raya a un lado engominada, su cara de no haber roto un plato en su vida y sus maneras tranquilas y educadas, sólo perturbadas por alguna palabra malsonante, podría imaginar ese pasado propio de alguna canción de Lou Reed.

No es que sienta simpatía por los rufianes. Gracias a dios, dos meses en chirona bastaron para que Mark diera un giro de 180 grados a su vida y aprendiera a ganarse la vida sin fastidiar a los demás. Tras su paso por la música y la publicidad (junto a Kate Moss, muñeca rota de la moda internacional, fue la imagen de la ropa interior de Calvin Klein) Wahlberg comenzó a hacer cine. Un poeta entre reclutas, Diario de un rebelde y sobre todo Boogie Nights, esa descarnada visión de la noche neoyorquina de los años 70, lo consagraron como actor.

En 2007 fue nominado al Oscar como mejor actor secundario por su papel en Infiltrados y acaba de terminar The Lovely Bones, un thriller dirigido por Peter Jackson (El señor de los anillos, District 9) que promete. Además, ha producido varias series de televisión, entre ellas Entourage, y actualmente rueda The Other Guys junto a un reparto variopinto en el que figuran Will Ferrell, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Keaton y la mismísima Paris Hilton. Sin embargo, Mark no parece un hombre frívolo: el más joven de nueve hermanos, está casado, es padre de tres niños y es católico practicante.

A sus 38 años, Wahlberg  puede mirar a su pasado con una sensación de vértigo, pero seguro que también de satisfacción por lo conseguido. Y los aficionados al buen cine y a los papeles de verdad sólo podemos desear que siga proporcionándonos buenos ratos, y que el ángel de la guarda que lo salvó de morir en los atentados del 11-S (tenía reserva en el vuelo 93 de United Airlines, pero en el último momento cambió de planes y voló a Toronto) no le pierda de vista.

What’s the best part of going out to the movies – besides watching the movie -with popcorn and candy in hand?

The Previews!

As I sat waiting to watch New Moon this past weekend – I got a glimpse of three new movies that I’m excited to see.  Two of which include my favorite: Amanda Seyfried (from Mamma Mia!).

The first movie, Letters to Juliet caught me off guard- emotionally.  The film centers around the city of Verona, Italy – Juliet’s statue/balcony – and the letters of love addressed to Juliet.  I have once visited the city and saw Juliet’s statue a couple years ago, and the preview  reminded me of Verona’s beauty. I only wish I could go visit again!

The movie is due on in May 2010 – a perfect time of year to make a trip to Italy. . .

The other Seyfried movie, Dear John, is with Channing Tatum and is based on a Nicholas Sparks novel- so automatically we all know it will be a sob-fest.  Naturally, this movie is due out in February 2010 – near Valentine’s Day  – how fitting.

Be prepared to bring tissues to the theater.

Lastly, the novel The Lovely Bones written by Alice Sebold, is coming to the big screen – and I’m excited yet terrified to watch it.  The cast includes Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz and Saoirse Ronan (Atonement). The Lovely Bones has been one of those books that has both haunted and intrigued me.  Aspects of the book have stayed with me – in the corner of my mind – and that to me is what makes the book.  Having the ability to shock and remain with the reader demonstrates how powerful a well-written book can be.

The preview gives me goosebumps . . . its due out January 2010.

2010 looks like a promising year for the box office!

-jo

The Others – Columbia Pictures Film

Mark Fisher NYC1 Photographer

Will Ferrell And Mark Wahlberg image - The Others - Columbia Pictures © Mark Fisher 2009

This scene begins with Mark Wahlberg

in front of doorway waits for The Will Ferrell Character .

Then an exchange occurs between the two.
Image © Mark Fisher 2009

To Contact  Mark Fisher

E-Mail to; firststampmultimedia@yahoo.com

Website; http://web.me.com/markfishernyc1

Nope this is not about my personal fear but a movie.

I don’t know when it was shown but its cast were Reese Witherspoon (Legally Blonde), Alyssa Milano (Phoebe of Charmed), and Mark Wahlberg (The Happening).

Actually I anticipated that its about obsession and dealing with a psychopath but i was really scared. Wahlber’s character was really so creepy, especially in the scene that he forced Margo (alyssa) to sex with him and warned her to explain things to Nicole (Reese), which unfortunately saw the whole scene.

wahhh please i don’t want to have boyfriend like him! btw, reese was very young here.

I’m not really a Mark Wahlberg fan. As a matter of  fact, I think he is one of the worst actors for hire today. He has one style…and that is intense. If he’s not intense, he’s not good. So when he is in a movie like “Shooter” or “Three Kings”, where he can be in fighting mode, he’s not bad. But you put him in a drama? Boooring. Except for maybe “Boogie Nights”, but that was more of an ensemble film and he IS kinda boring in that movie also.

So Wahlberg has very little to offer and I see that he is playing the father role in the upcoming Peter Jackson film, “The Lovely Bones.” So now I need something…ANYTHING…to show me that he CAN actually act. Because after seeing “The Happening” last summer, I have my serious doubts that he can possibly be the best choice for the father in such a serious film based on a very serious book. So, on someone’s recommendation, I decided to check out “Rock Star.” And now I am pretty sure that his role in “The Lovely Bones” is gonna be a disaster.

But we’ll have to wait to see about that. What I can say about “Rock Star” is that it’s not bad. And it’s a truly great role for Wahlberg! He IS the star in this movie and he plays the role well enough. The only problem is…it’s not a really deep role. It’s a single note role about a guy who has a dream to be the lead singer of a band and eventually he becomes the lead singer. There is much drama between he and his girlfriend (Jennifer Aniston), he and his tribute bandmates and he and the band he joins called “Steel Dragon.” Eventually it all gets worked out and the movie ends in a tight little package where everyone gets what they want and all is well in “Rock Star” land. It’s not a bad film at all (I actually really enjoyed it!) and, as you can imagine, it has a really great soundtrack. But there is not a lot more to it than that.

So “Rock Star” is good date movie fare, but I would hardly call it a “drama”. So now I’m concerned for “The Lovely Bones”. I love the book and there is so much talent in the film with Jackson directing and stars such as Stanley Tucci, Susan Sarandon & Racehl Weisz, that I worry that he might drag the whole thing down to mediocrity. Which would be sad.

Overall Rating: B
Wahlberg’s Performance: B
Odds that Wahlberg will drag down “The Lovely Bones”: More than likely

Max Payne è un film del 2008 vagamente basato sul gioco del 2001 con lo stesso nome della Remedy Entertainment. E’ stato scritto da Beau Thorne ed è stato diretto da John Moore.

Leggi altre notizie su: | John Moore | Mark Wahlberg | Beau Bridges | Mila Kunis |

- por Bernardo Brum

Começando com uma cena de sexo (repare: a deusa Eva Mendes desnuda nos primeiros cinco segundos) e terminando numa maré de incerteza e frustração, bastaram duas horas de projeção – e nenhum complemento extra, talvez, apenas assistir Amantes – para ter uma desconfiança – James Gray é, definitivamente, um nome promissor.

Em Os Donos da Noite, Gray mostra um domínio pra lá de eficiente do modelo clássico, para assim, contar a história de uma dolorosa e indesejada – porém, também necessária redenção – fica claro desde o primeiro momento que Bobby Green não quer seguir a carreira policial do pai e do irmão, quer apenas seu clube e sua namorada, e tudo isso desmorona simplesmente porque não pode mais andar na corda bamba de se inteirar com o submundo que seu estilo de vida e sua boate/casa de jogos representa e ao mesmo tempo ter a vista grossa da lei simplesmente pela questão da família.

Família esta que está presente a cada frame da obra. A todo momento, ela clama por ajuda, entra em discussão, explode, se desintegra e tenta, a todo momento, agarrar-se aos unicos laços, garantidos no período de sua formação, que talvez, e apenas talvez, consiga mantê-la de pé contra um mundo de crimes que não respeita nenhuma convenção.

Utilizando a jornada clássica do herói de forma totalmente anti-glamourizada, e que só parece existir, de fato, para que haja uma desconstrução de um protagonista que em momento algum quer embarcar nisso, mesmo depois de ver-se obrigado por alguma moral restante dentro de seu espírito “livre” a passar-se por traficante ou fazer parte de uma corporação, James Gray traça um curioso paradigma. Aqui, a corrupção da essência, a falência moral do personagem de Joaquin Phoenix se forma a partir do momento que ele têm de cooperar com um sistema que não acredita, não quer, não apóia. Só o sangue que o mantém preso a esse sistema, e implacavelmente, acaba tragando-o sem cerimônia. Tudo é dolorosamente pessoal – a perda do progenitor, por exemplo, não é vista de fora. O diretor e a câmera nunca saem do carro. Assim como Bobby, assistimos o mundo desmoronar de fora para dentro – e minar nossas esperanças. Esse tom extremamente pessoal guia o filme inteiro, por mais impiedoso e por mais que a alma, em algum momento, grite por algum distanciamento de toda aquela maluquice.

É curioso ver que, mesmo impregnando-se desse modelo antigo, assim como faz Clint Eastwood (certamente, uma das grandes influências do diretor), James Gray se utiliza disso apenas para jogar a todo momento com as expectativas do espectador em relação ao personagem e as expectativas do próprio protagonista, para assim, fazer uma história clássica, sim – mas sutilmente invertida e frustrante. O rei das festas, drogas e jogatinas agora está enfiado num uniforme de protetor da lei. Está de volta para casa, de volta para a família. Não resta dúvida que ele ainda ama o lugar de onde ele saiu. Então, por que tanto desconforto estampado no rosto?

4/5

Ficha técnica: Os Donos Da Noite (We Own The Night) – 2007, EUA. Dir.: James Gray. Elenco: Joaquin Phoenix, Eva Mendes, Robert Duvall, Mark Wahlberg

E venne il giorno (The Happening) è un film del 2008, scritto, diretto e prodotto da M. Night Shyamalan.

Leggi altre notizie su: | M. Night Shyamalan | Mark Wahlberg | Zooey Deschanel | John Leguizamo

Amennyire vártam, annyira lapos lett..:(

Martin Marcantonio Luciano Scorsese (born November 17, 1942) is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, actor, and film historian. He is the founder of the World Cinema Foundation, a recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to the cinema and has won awards from the Oscars, Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Directors Guild of America. Scorsese is president of the Film Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to film preservation and the prevention of the decaying of motion picture film stock.

Scorsese’s body of work addresses such themes as Italian American identity, Roman Catholic concepts of guilt and redemption, machismo, and violence. Scorsese is widely considered to be one of the most significant and influential American filmmakers of his era, directing landmark films such as Taxi Driver, Raging Bull and Goodfellas; all of which he collaborated on with actor Robert De Niro. He won the Academy Award for Best Director for The Departed and earned an MFA in film directing from the New York University Tisch School of the Arts.

Trivia:

Listed as one of 50 people barred from entering Tibet. Disney clashed with Chinese officials over the film Kundun (1997), which Scorsese directed. [19 December 1996]

Awarded third annual John Huston Award for Artists Rights by the Artists Rights Foundation. [1995]

Presented with a special tribute at the 1976 Telluride Film Festival. It was presented by Michael Powell. [1976]

He is a longtime friend and was once a housemate of The Band’s Robbie Robertson. He directed The Last Waltz (1978), the documentary of their supposedly last gig which Robertson produced. Robertson later produced the soundtrack for Scorsese’s The Color of Money (1986).

Good friends with editor Thelma Schoonmaker & cinematographer Michael Ballhaus. Scorsese introduced Thelma to her husband Michael Powell and he often quotes Powell as an influence.

His name is pronounced “Scor-sez-see”.

He directed Michael Jackson’s Bad (1987) (V) music video. The full length video runs 16 minutes and is in both black & white and color. It is usually shortened down to just the color segment for television.

He appears as attached to his pet white Bichon Frise Zoe as he was to his beloved parents – except Zoe is right beside Marty every day in the office.

Daughter Francesca Scorsese born. [16 November 1999]

John Woo dedicated his action film Dip huet seung hung (1989) (“The Killer”) to Scorsese on a commentary he did for the movie’s DVD.

Daughter Domenica Cameron-Scorsese with Julia Cameron.

Taught both Oliver Stone and Spike Lee at NYU.

Was at one point going to make a movie about the life of comedian Richard Pryor.

He was an altar boy at Old St. Patrick’s Cathedral, which was used in his early films I Call First (1967) and Mean Streets (1973). Old St. Patrick’s is also where the baptism scene in The Godfather (1972) took place.

Was at one point slated to direct Clockers (1995), but for reasons that are not entirely clear, handed the directing chores to his onetime NYU student Spike Lee, while staying on as producer. He was also at one point going to direct Little Shop of Horrors (1986) for David Geffen, with Steven Spielberg as the executive producer. He was ultimately uninvolved, but claims that he wanted to shoot the movie in 3-D. It no doubt would have been a loving homage to Roger Corman, for whom he directed Boxcar Bertha (1972).

He took a cameo in his film Taxi Driver (1976) (as a man about to kill his wife) only because the actor who was supposed to play the role was sick on the day the scene was to be shot. Says he is generally uncomfortable in front of the camera.

Has a dog named Silas.

Is the subject of the song “Martin Scorsese” by alternative band King Missile.

Father of actress Cathy Scorsese from his first marriage.

Is of Italian-Sicilian descent.

Has asthma.

Of the three films he’s been trying to make since the mid-1970s, he has done two: The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and Gangs of New York (2002). The third film, a biopic of Dean Martin called “Dino”, has been on hiatus at Warner Brothers since the late 1990s. Scorsese has a very specific all A-list cast in mind, probably why it has yet to be produced. He wants Tom Hanks to star as Martin, Jim Carrey to play Jerry Lewis, John Travolta to play Frank Sinatra, Hugh Grant to play Peter Lawford, and Adam Sandler to play Joey Bishop.

Was voted the 4th greatest director of all time by Entertainment Weekly, making him the only living person in the top 5 and the only working film director in the top 10 (Ingmar Bergman being retired as a filmmaker).

Appeared on “Curb Your Enthusiasm” (2000) as a shrill version of himself who comes to regret his decision to cast Larry David as a violent gangster in a movie after David repeatedly ruins the suit he needs to wear as the character.

Several characters in his films refer to the legendary (noir) actor John Garfield, star of the original The Postman Always Rings Twice (1946), which is also mentioned.

He was one of three major directors to have been offered the opportunity to direct Schindler’s List (1993) by producer Steven Spielberg, the other two being Roman Polanski and Billy Wilder. Scorsese thought a Jewish filmmaker should direct it; Polanski wasn’t yet ready to deal with the painful subject (having lost his mother in the Holocaust); and Wilder (who was retired and who lost his mother and grandmother in the Holocaust) finally told Spielberg that he should do it himself.

Because so many of his actors win or are nominated for awards, actors are dying to work with him. The film With Friends Like These… (1998) pokes fun at this very real desire.

Both The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) and Gangs of New York (2002) were personal passions of his that he had wanted to make since the 1970s. When he first starting considering them, Robert De Niro was in his mind to play the lead characters in both (Jesus Christ in “Temptation” and Bill Cutting in “Gangs”). De Niro ultimately turned down the part in “Temptation” and it was decided he was too old to play Cutting by the time that “Gangs” finally went into production.

He has famously collaborated with Robert De Niro in 8 films. Scorsese has said that his creative collaboration with De Niro is very deep and that they can often understand each other without even talking. Their collaboration has had many dry spells (including recently), but Scorsese says he shows almost every script he writes or considers directing to De Niro to see what the actor’s thoughts on them are even when De Niro ultimately has no involvement the film.

Appeared in an “American Express” ad where he goes to pick up photos of his nephew’s birthday party at a drug store, and then proceeds to nervously pick through what’s wrong with each picture while trying to get the clueless photo-lab clerk’s opinion on them. He proceeds to buy more film with an American Express card and calls the people on the pictures saying they need to reshoot. Scorsese says this funny ad is probably the closest he’s come to accurately “playing” himself.

Apart from his legendary work as a filmmaker, he has been a vocal supporter of film preservation for almost three decades. His efforts to create a strong public awareness for the work of film archives include The Film Foundation, a non-profit organisation which he started together with other filmmakers. The Film Foundation regularly partners with the American film archives on the restoration of “lost” or endangered films. With this background he has agreed to serve as Honorary President of the Austrian Film Museum in Vienna.

Personally spurns the notion of the “director’s cut” feeling that once a film has been completed, it should not be further altered in any way.

He lost three best director – and best picture – Oscars to leading-man actors turned directors: Robert Redford, Kevin Costner, and Clint Eastwood (Raging Bull (1980) lost to Redford’s Ordinary People (1980); Goodfellas (1990) to Costner’s Dances with Wolves (1990); The Aviator (2004) to Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby (2004)). On the only two occasions when he was Oscar-nominated as Best Director in years ending in zero, he was beaten by actors making their directorial debuts (Redford and Costner).

In 1975, he accepted the Oscar for “Best Actress in a Leading Role” on behalf of Ellen Burstyn, who wasn’t present at the awards ceremony. She won for her performance in Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974)

President of jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1998.

Has mentioned that he thought Robert De Niro’s best performance under his direction was as Rupert Pupkin in The King of Comedy (1982).

Ranked #3 in Empire (UK) magazine’s “The Greatest directors ever!” [2005]

His favorite films include: Citizen Kane (1941), The Red Shoes (1948) and Il gattopardo (1963) (“The Leopard”).

Was friend, protégé, and employee of actor-director John Cassavetes.

When asked where audiences would find the next Martin Scorsese, he said to look to Wes Anderson, the young director of Rushmore (1998).

Has directed, as of 2008, 6 biopics: Raging Bull (1980), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995), Kundun (1997) and The Aviator (2004).

He received a Degree ad honorem in “Cinema, TV and Multimedia Production” from the University of Bologna on 26 November 2005.

Served as mentor to Georgia Lee and invited her to apprentice for Gangs of New York (2002) in Europe.

The 1912 American Mutoscope & Biograph Company short The Musketeers of Pig Alley (1912) heavily influenced Scorsese in the making of his own gangster films Goodfellas (1990), and Gangs of New York (2002). The film was picked by Scorcese for his 2005 tribute at Beaubourg, centre d’art et de culture Georges Pompidou (1977) in Paris, France. Biograph is the oldest movie company in America and in existence today, headed by producer/director Thomas R. Bond II.

Scorsese and Taxi Driver (1976) are, among others, named as inspiration for the Massive Attack debut “Blue Lines”.

He signed a four-year, first-look deal to develop projects with studio executives of Paramount. [November 2006]

The Departed (2006) is the highest-grossing movie of his 40-year career ($132,373,442 (USA)).

The Aviator (2004) was his first movie to gross over $100 million in the U.S.

He has worked with big names of music business: Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, The Rolling Stones, ‘Michael Jackson (I)’ and David Bowie.

Directed 17 different actors in Oscar nominated performances: Jodie Foster, Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Leonardo DiCaprio, Daniel Day-Lewis , Cate Blanchett, Winona Ryder, Ellen Burstyn, Sharon Stone, Diane Ladd,Cathy Moriarty, Juliette Lewis, Lorraine Bracco, Paul Newman, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Alan Alda and Mark Wahlberg. (Burstyn, De Niro, Newman, Pesci and Blanchett won Oscars for their roles in one of Scorsese’s movies).

When he won his Best Director Oscar for The Departed (2006), he received the award from legendary directors, George Lucas, Francis Ford Coppola, and Steven Spielberg. The four were part of the “New Hollywood” movement of the 1970s and combined have 9 Academy Awards and 38 Nominations.

As a teenager in the Bronx, Scorsese frequently rented Michael Powell’s The Tales of Hoffmann (1951) from a store that only had one copy of the reels. When it wasn’t available the owner told him, “that Romero kid has it,” referring to George A. Romero who was also a big fan of the film. Today, both directors cite the film as a major influence.

Says he was happy with the fact that it took so long for him to win Best Director, because if he had won it earlier, it would have affected his directing and films.

Recipient of the 2007 Kennedy Center Honors. Other recipients that year were Leon Fleisher, Steve Martin, Diana Ross, and Brian Wilson.

Says the only thing he regrets in his career is that he was only able to make The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) on a small budget although he imagined it to be a grand version.

Was originally going to direct The Honeymoon Killers (1969), but was replaced after a week of shooting.

Served as a guest critic on “Siskel & Ebert & the Movies” (1986) following the death of ‘Gene Siskel’. The episode was “The Best Films of the 90s” in which Roger Ebert cited Scorsese’s Goodfellas (1990) as one of the best films of the 90s (#3). Scorsese’s full list of his favorite films of the 1990s: 10.) Tie: Malcolm X (1992) and Heat (1995), 9.) Fargo (1996), 8.) Crash (1996), 7.) Bottle Rocket (1994), 6.) Breaking the Waves (1996), 5.) Bad Lieutenant (1992), 4.) Eyes Wide Shut (1999), 3.) Duo sang (1994) (“A Borrowed Life”), 2.) The Thin Red Line (1998), 1.) Dao ma zei (1986) (“Horse Thief”).

He was made a Fellow of the British Film Institute in recognition of his outstanding contribution to film culture.

Resides in New York City. His production offices are located on W. 57th Street in Manhattan.

Attended Cardinal Hayes high school in the Bronx as a young man. Fellow alumni included George Carlin, George Dzundza, Regis Philbin and Jamal Mashburn.

Is a fan of the British Hammer Films series.

A huge fan of Fawlty Towers (1975). He describes the episode “The Germans” as “so tasteless, its hilarious.”.

In the 5th edition of 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die (edited by Steven Jay Schneider), 7 of Scorsese’s films are listed: Mean Streets (1973), Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), The King of Comedy (1982), Goodfellas (1990), Casino (1995) and The Departed (2006).

Haig Manoogian was Scorsese’s mentor at NYU. He eventually produced Scorsese’s first film (I Call First (1967)) and when he died in 1980, Scorsese dedicated Raging Bull (1980) to Manoogian.

Roger Ebert is a great admirer of Scorsese’s work. 14 of Scorsese’s films were given four stars by Ebert (Mean Streets (1973), Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), After Hours (1985), The Last Temptation of Christ (1988), Goodfellas (1990), The Age of Innocence (1993), Casino (1995), Kundun (1997), Bringing Out the Dead (1999), The Aviator (2004), The Departed (2006), Shine a Light (2008)), seven of his films are in Ebert’s Great Movies list (“Mean Streets”, “Taxi Driver”, “Raging Bull”, “After Hours”, “The Last Temptation Of Christ”, “Goodfellas”, and “The Age of Innocence”), and Ebert has written an entire book of his reviews, interviews and essays on Scorsese’s work simply titled “Scorsese By Ebert”.

As of November 10th 2009, five of his films are on the IMDb’s Top 250 Films list: Goodfellas (1990), Taxi Driver (1976), Raging Bull (1980), The Departed (2006), and Casino (1995).

Amazon Specials!

First, please pardon this 11-day hiatus. If you think to yourself  “Oh, the Yankees won the World Series only 11 days ago,” then I share my unending celebratory joy with you as if that ticker-tape parade hasn’t even made past Battery Park yet. Wow, I’m pathetic. Nonetheless, there’s no reason why this blog could not exhibit the same fecund week of releases. I arrest myself from the hustle and bustle of mainstream sports media and declare a true end to the “controlled chaos” of the baseball season. Right here, right now.

Secondly, I cannot promise a total end, but I’ll tell you what I will not talk about: Mariano Rivera adding his own share of meaningful drama to the postseason by stating he was fighting a rib-cage injury through it all. That one’s got to beat Curt Schilling’s donning of a cranberry juice-stained sock in 2004! Gosh, these drama kings! Alright, move on; Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter winning the Silver Sluggers, with Teixeira rationally more deserving of it with his whopping 39 homers. But Jeter broke Lou Gehrig and that’s enough of a reason for the world to love him way more than A-rod’s shortened yet way productive season; Tex and DJ winning Gold Gloves, where I’m just really debating the Jeter’s worthiness of the award; how pretty the Empire State Building looked in pinstripes; how I have a wonderful friend who’s a Phillies fan; Let’s end it here.

Thirdly, so it’s clear that the Yankees has been the center of post-season talk, as always. And their captain, being a broken record, as always. Can Derek Jeter ever shed a tear, wreck havoc, or admit something exclusive about himself, at least by the time he retires from an industry so embodied by him? I think he’s got it. You got to hand it to him that despite inhibitions, he is full of surprises. Surprising enough to make the first big splash of the off-season.

Derek Jeter, as a bum, filming a scene

Flabbergasted? So are Mark Walhberg and Will Ferrell in the background. Definitely stranger than fiction, but far more humorous than old school. This is Derek Jeter, the five-time WS champ, silver slugger, gold glover, all-star..etc; the same guy who wrote an inspirational autobiography, who plans to attend college in the future, who is near retirement age and..I guess.. the same guy who’s dated the best of gorgeous ladies, including Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel, Vanessa Minillo and Scarlett Johanssen. And yes, this is what he ends up doing in the off-season. He’s had a few acting experiences, but were they enough to garner him a role with renowned actors like Walhberg and Ferrell? Who cares. He’s Derek Jeter! He’s rich, good-looking, single, so he has every opportunity to have a role in a comedy film, let alone a role as a bum. Oh, eyes of the impoverished, feast on this honor your hero DJ has given with his role of address to your kind!

Oh this will be big. I am not very into comedies, but I do like Marky Markie and DJs. Directed and co-written by Adam McKay, starring in this upcoming 2010 action/comedy film, “The Other Guys,” are Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg,….and Derek Jeter! Jackson and Johnson will act as two highly experienced officers; whereas Wahlberg and Ferrell as silly detectives, I hear, puts a bullet to “aging” Jeter’s leg! FYI, this scene was filmed in Coney Island of all places. Let me tell you what I know of Coney Island. I hear it is like a haven for those who are “different” or “normal but wishes a time of difference” to be themselves. Heck, you even got Andrew Lloyd Webber convincing his Phantom to restart his life at the Coney!(Ladies and gentlemen, coming to Broadway in the near future, The Phantom of Coney Island.) And now you got Derek Jeter, dressed in scrapcloth and a butt-wiping mop. Everybody, including the Arts and Entertainment industry, has gone nuts! Now you know Coney Island’s full of facades, or weirdos.

But this one is still a darling. He doesn’t look like a champ here, but neither does he look “aging”. That wig just doesn’t wipe out his endearing blue eyes, perfect smile and photogeniculars. Need some wrinkles here and there, and yellowish, corroding teeth for that to work. But he is Derek Jeter and this is comedy. Acting experience is not required of him for a role. He doesn’t even need to hit homers to win Silver Sluggers and Hank Aarons. Perhaps, he’ll be the first comedian to even win an Oscar before Will Ferrell! Expected to be released August 6, 2010 in theaters near you, keep yourselves tuned in.