“17 Again” directed by Burr Steers is a fantasy tale which begins in the year 1989 when high school basketball sensation Mike O Donnell (Zac Erfon) who is about to play a match that could change his life forever with a scholarship that is waiting to be offered basis his performance in the match. Minutes before the start of the match Mike’s girl friend Scarlett (Allison Miller) meets him and informs that she is pregnant. Mike then decides that Scarlett is important does not play the match but decides to give up the lucrative scholarship to get married to Scarlett. Read More

Big Show en la cinta "Knucklehead" / Photo by Molera Hardin

Si bien se pensó que la película Big Show “Knucklehead” trataba sobre un luchador, ahora parece que la película ha sido cambiada por un pelador de combate de “MMA”.

“Escrita por Tom Sullivan & Bear Aderhold y Adam Rifkin,” Knucklehead “sigue el camino y aventuras de un trío de inadaptados – un gigante ingenuo huérfano de la iglesia convertido en un peleador  aficionado, Walter Krunk (Big Show), Un ex campeón de artes marciales mixtas convertido en manager, Eddie Sullivan (Mark Feuerstein), y una asitente de la iglesia convertida en chaperona, Mary O’Connor (Melora Hardin) – peleando para logar un lugar dentro del torneo Pro-Am de artes marciales mixtas en Nueva Orleans. “

Fuente: CineCineCine.com

Loving Disclaimer:  Tried to get photos of everyone, but did not have sources for all and always try to give credit where credit is due…Send me your photos UBER FABS and for those who did I will add them ASAP just wanted to go live before it was OVER!

Source: Late Night With Jimmy Fallon

As the countdown to Halloween begins, I must admit my not so secret desire to know seemingly random factoids about the celebs we love to love is nearly overwhelming…Who would dare to tell me what secret sugary devils and demons they will ingest and who will wake up bloated and sugar toxic (like me) the MORNING AFTER?  Wow this was one topic where my BFF’s came out of the woodwork and did me proud!

I have said it before and I will say it again….I have the best job in the world… Thank you to all who helped me get the truth behind the truth as we uncovered and unwrapped the secrets behind tricks, treats and more treats…Admit it folks, I am NOT the only one who buys MY favorite candy and turns off the front porch light early to eat myself into a delicious sugar coma!

Happy Halloween! Boowahhahahaha I love you all!

P.S.  Who were your candy cousins or your munchie matches???  Post now and tell the world!!!

The Chocolates:

Lauren Maher – Scarlett – Pirates of Carribean 1,2 AND 3 – Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Jessica Simpson -M&Ms

Kevin Sorbo -Butter finger – (Kev! We need another feature outta you!!!)

Susan Lucci -Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds

Luis Perez – Celebrity Trainer the Stars – Butterfinger (Thank God he eats crap too!)

Fan page and exercise tips  http://tinyurl.com/StayFitWithLuisP

The Lady Chablis – Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil -Dark Chocolate with Nuts (How appropriate)  www.planetchablis.com

Melora Hardin (The Office, Hannah Montana: The Movie, 17 Again, YOU):

Reeses peanut butter cups

Kelly Osbourne — Cadbury Milk Chocolate – Loving you on Dancing With The Stars !

Jimmy Fallon — Clark Bars – (Dude you Rock!)

Wayne Brady — Peanut M&Ms

Byron  Nease-Phatom of the Opera - M&M fan – plain, not peanut.

www.ByronNease.com

The Gummies:

Nick Carter — Sour Gummy Cola Bottles

Kelly Ripa — Swedish Fish

Jennifer Love Hewitt — Peachie O’s ( Jen I adore you!!! Thank you!)

Alan Alda — Black Licorice Bites ( You are a TV G-d)

Katie Couric — Gummy Bears

Serena Williams — Laffy Taffy (Are  you the one with the serve or the backhand??? Kidding)

“The Traditionalists”:

Jessica Hall – E!/Playboy Radio – The Morning After – Pumpkin Candy Corn

Paul Ben-Victor (The Wire, Entourage, In Plain Sight) – Candy Corn

Ashley Palmer (“Paranormal Activity”) – Candy Corn

Anton Kasabov (Tekken) Candy Corn

Kathy Kinnly – Mrs. P – Mimi – The Drew Carey Show – Caramel Apples

www.mrsp.com

“The Randoms”: I love you too…

Bill Clinton — Payday

(This is a Bi-Partisan Blog BUT the Republicans did not choose to respond)

Jerry Seinfeld — Bit o’ Honey

Mary J. Blige — Skittles
Tom Hanks — Boston Baked Beans

Greg Louganis – Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Mini Snickers, Dots, and Cinnamon Gummy Bears (Greg I love you to the moon and back but make up your  damn mind LOL) NOTE:  I Think we “mights” be seeing you on Dancing With The Stars next season????  YOU HEARD IT HERE

Steven Speilberg — Mike and Ike

Michael J. Fox — Circus Peanuts – Lovvvvvvvvvvvve these too “Mike”

Max Ryan – (Sex And The City II) Doughnuts??? (Ok you are a hottie and from another country so we will let it slide J )

David Hasselhoff — Jelly Belly Jelly Beans

Elizabeth Berkley — Starburst

Al Roker – Smarties

Harry PaganCoss  Celebrity Chef – Candy Corn and Mary Janes – harry@harrybakes.com

Mary Kate Olsen — Tootsie Rolls (see below)

Diva Janet Hopkins of the New York Metropolitan Opera – A Tootsie Roll fan.

www.JanetEHopkins.com (No backtalk Tootsie Rolls are “Chocolate Flavored” not chocolate SO HUSH all you proof readers J )

17 Again

17 Again.
DVD mit Zac Efron

Was würden Sie tun, wenn Sie im Leben einen zweite Chance bekämen? 1989: Mike O’Donnell ist der Star des Basketballteams seiner High School.

Einer glänzenden Zukunft scheint nichts im Wege zu stehen. Doch dann beschließt er auf seine große Karriere zu verzichten, denn kurz vor dem alles entscheidenden Spiel erfährt er, dass seine Freundin Scarlet schwanger ist. Er will nun das richtige tun und entscheidet sich für Freundin und Baby.

Rund zwanzig Jahre später: Mikes glorreiche Zeiten sind vorbei. Die Ehe mit Scarlet ist zerbrochen, im Job wird er bei der Beförderung übergangen und seine Teenagerkids halten ihn für einen Versager. Doch er bekommt wie durch ein Wunder eine zweite Chance und wird plötzlich wieder 17 Jahre alt.

Darsteller: Matthew Perry, Brian Doyle-Murray, Thomas Lennon, Lorna Scott, Leslie Mann, Gregory Sporleder, Zac Efron, Michelle Trachtenberg, Vanessa Lee Chester, Hunter Parrish, Larry Poindexter, Melora Hardin, Loren Lester, Christopher Scott, Margaret Cho, Jim Gaffigan, Rachele Brooke Smith, Nicole Sullivan, Ellis Williams, Danielle E. Hawkins, Keith Oney, Will Schaub, Allison Miller, Lindsay Taylor, Diana-Maria Riva, Tommy Dewey, Tiya Sircar, Adam Gregory, Katrina Norman, Jeanine Jackson, Bubba Lewis, Angee Hughes, Collette Wolfe, David M. Tran, Linda Eve Miller, Michael Bretten, Leonard Wu, Antonio Lewis Todd, Sagine, Darin Maddox, Daniel Bateman, Renee Krieg, Mihran Kirakosian, Chanel Malvar, Rhapsody, G. Lane Hillman, Jeff Snyder, Melissa Ordway, Martin Pierron, Cody Kennedy, Justin C. Todd, Megan Galiber, Kiara Nicole Ely, Amber Estrada, Tiana Brown, Chris Valenti, Ed Ackerman, Josie Lopez, Tyler Steelman, Jobeth Wagner, Jonathan Newkerk, Jason Castle, Jaclyn Matfus, Raymond Chacon, Terrance Harrison, Tyne Stecklein, Liana Blackburn, Alexander Goschin, Katerina Graham, Jordan Schatz, Eric McCoy, Dres Reid, Galen Hooks, Tasha Monique Clark, Shelby Rabara, Hope Riley, Kodi Kitchen, Randy Gordon, Mario Cassem, Sterling Knight.  Filmperlen Bewertung ****

Olivia Wilde - achei audacia! brilho e cinturinha. pra quem pode!

Drewzinha – finalmente acertou! Linda que apostou no nude princesa! e prendeu o cabelo pra salvar o look!

Jessica Lowndes – penteado e vestido, amey! (não faço noção de quem ela seja!)

Jennifer Love Hewitt e Melora Hardin – Amigas do ‘Yellow is a new black’. Verão total!

Inspiração: Zero Hora

*i’ve watching the emmys and here are my best dressed ladies:

!!!

When it comes to Hannah Montana: The Movie, it’s easy to sit back and let the cynic take over. Forgetting who the movie was made for or for what purpose this Disney vehicle was designed would be a mistake and taking a minute of this stuff seriously would be equally erroneous. While it’s easy to discard the Hannah Montana madness as pre-teens gone wild over another commercially-designed concept, it’s just as easy to dismiss the movie on those grounds.

In other words, the entire Hannah Montana exercise is one about pleasing the fans. Any additional benefit, one that perhaps engages the parents of pre-teens or other potential demographics, is something else altogether. That’s what makes Hannah Montana: The Movie actually work, as Disney’s given us a film that is ultimately formulaic, predictable, safe, and, yes, entertaining.

Miley Stewart (Miley Cyrus) is at an interesting point in her career as her Hannah Montana persona is beginning to take over and interfere with her personal life. Of course, she’s letting it happen and it’s safe to say that the fame has gone to her head. Miley is neglecting her friends and family, eventually nearly missing Lilly’s (Emily Osment) birthday party. When she eventually does arrive as Hannah, it’s clear that something is going on.

In an attempt to ground Miley in her roots, her dad (Billy Ray Cyrus) takes her to her hometown of Crowley Corners in Tennessee. Miley, Jackson (Jason Earles), and her dad stay at grandma’s farm and Miley gets some thinking done. She also rekindles a spark with childhood friend Travis (Lucas Till) and winds up confronted with Hannah Montana and the consequences of keeping secrets (sort of).

It’s a cop-out to toss lemons at Hannah Montana: The Movie while at the same time forgetting our own versions of childhood. There’s tremendous, hilarious irony in reading movie “reviews” from individuals bashing the hell out of Hannah Montana: The Movie while at the same time applauding the loud, clunky brashness of Transformers and G.I. Joe. The fact is that this Disney Generation stuff has an appeal and its wholesomeness and lack of reliance on flashy, obnoxious effects is somewhat refreshing.

That’s not to say that director Peter Chelsom has cooked up some sort of kid movie masterpiece or that Hannah Montana: The Movie is even really that good, but it should suffice to eliminate the more spurious criticism.

Where Hannah Montana works is with its introduction of some classic slapstick sequences to an audience that may not have seen them before. Take, for instance, the classic “two-places-at-once-with-minor-wardrobe-change” effect that takes place between Miley/Hannah and Travis. If one ignores the fact that one wardrobe change should certainly not have left a lobster bib on Miley, it’s actually a pretty funny attempt at a classic sketch.

While Hannah Montana: The Movie deserves applause for bringing in some slapstick and good wholesome humour, it certainly deserves criticism for its ending. The entire premise of the movie is set up on the idea that Miley has to make a decision, that she can’t have the best of both worlds, and that secrets and honesty don’t make for good bedfellows. Yet Disney feeds the audience a “have-it-all” conclusion based on a turn even more ridiculous than the idea that Miley would never be recognized as Hannah by even the most judicious observers.

Disney doesn’t really want us to think about all that, after all, because this and their entire enterprise consist of happy endings. Much in the same way Disney tore out the guts of most fairy tales to create family-friendly princess archetypes, Hannah Montana: The Movie operates in the same way. It’s generally harmless fun with a few generous laughs and the usual Hannah/Miley music that drives all the kids crazy. Plus, “The Climb” is actually a damn good tune.

5.1/10

Trailer:

Connect with Me and Each Other

Something Inside Me Will Die Tonight, from Secret Other Confessions in the world&s largest anonymous secrets confessional.

Something Inside Me Will Die Tonight, from Secret Other Confessions in the world&s largest anonymous secrets confessional.

This is a dream my mother had about me her 33 yea… Find out your dreams meaning with free dream interpretation, and online dream dictionary.

You can connect with me and each other, via social media sites at Facebook – The Survival and Preparedness / Discussion Group – Twitter and at the official Survivalist Blog Forum. Sign up, get informed and stay connected. …

This is a dream my mother had about me her 33 yea… Find out your dreams meaning with free dream interpretation, and online dream dictionary.

I’m not a big fan of Zac Efron, but I’m a big fan of -very- ikemen (good looking) guys. Which girl would not be? >_<

After I-can’t-remember-how-long-I-didn’t-go-for-a-movie, yesterday me and my friend went to Summit USJ. I actually have Hannah Montana in mind (yeah I want to watch Hannah Montana the movie, so what?) but the timing is kinda, not suitable for us so that left us with this movie. Anyway we’re a very flexible person so as long as its not a ghost story, it’ll be just fine. Did I ever tell minna-san (you guys) that once I went to watch Don alone? Its a hindustan film by Shah Rukh Khan, just so you know >_<

We went in late around 10 minutes or so but I don’t think we missed a lot since right after we have our seat, Zac Efron appears! *melt*

The story is about Michael O’Donnell (Matthew Perry) who lost everything he has; his wife is filing the divorce, both his son and daughter doesn’t want to have anything to do with him, he got no job and he have to live with his geeky millionaire bestfriend, Ned Gold (Thomas Lennon). One day he met a myserious janitor at his old high school and transforms to his old 17 years old self magically on the way home. With his second chance, he needs to make things right. Now possessing as Mark Gold, he re-enroll to the high school where both his kids were studying to get to know the kids more and trying to fix things.

Whoah the way he plays with the ball was sugoi!! (awesome). I mean, he’s been playing with basketball since forever right? Other than that I guess this is just a simple plain movie and I don’t thing I get any message out of it >_< For the ratings, I’ll give a 2.5/5.

For those Zac’s fan, this is a must watch because man, no one can deny how hot he is >_<

The recently held 17 Again premier at Los Angeles was high on the glamour quotient. Young Hollywood babes dressed their best to impress their ever growing fans. The new comedy starring teenage sensation Zac Efron is being highly appreciated by the youth, adults and movie goers all round. The special screening was held at Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California and saw the attendance of many stylish celebrities. So read on to learn about what current trends hit the red carpet premier and who wore what shoes at the 17 Again premier at Los Angeles.

Vanessa Hudgens

Vanessa Hudgens opted for the feminine, pretty, girly-girl look when she made an entrance to the LA premier of the film to support her boyfriend Zac Efron. Vanessa played Zac’s real girlfriend in the popular High School Musical movies and series. At the premier, Vanessa looked every inch a teenage heartthrob and gave enchanting smiles for the benefit of cameramen and fans.

The beautiful Vanessa chose a scintillating peach colored Zac Posen chiffon dress for her beau’s big day and teamed it with a thick empire belt with a small buckle. She enhanced the beauty of her cute dress with stylish Camilla Skovgaard gladiator-style, black ankle buckled shoes with high heels. Her matching nail further attracted attention towards her buckled shoes and her shapely legs. An orange clutch from Nany Gonzalez further completed her glamorous but funky look.

Leslie Mann

Zac’s co-star in the movie, Leslie Mann (as Scarlett O’Donell) also chose a sexy outfit by Zac Posen. She wore a cream-colored chiffon dress, with a ruffled neckline and a slim sash tied around the waist. Covering her thighs and ending a few inches above her knees, the length of Leslie’s dress showed off her gorgeously shapely legs. Her matching high heel peep-toe pump shoes were well coordinated with her dress. At 37, Leslie looked as sex, if not more than her younger co-stars.

Michelle Trachtenberg

Sophisticated television and film actress Michelle Trachtenberg knocked down her fans at the 17 Again LA premiers. Michelle plays Matthew Perry’s daughter Maggie in the movie 17 Again. Making a startling appearance, the Gossip Girl Michelle Trachtenberg wore a gorgeous Marchesa strapless gown with a playful ribbon pattern embellishment. A child star that has made a perfect transition to elegant young actress, Michelle tied her hair into a neat ponytail and held a clutch in her hand. Unfortunately, her long flowing dress hardly offered a view of her Jimmy Choo shoes, which it is assumed were as exciting as her ensemble.

Brittany Snow

Zac Efron’s ‘Hairspray’ costar Brittany Snow also graced the LA premier for 17 Again. The rising starlet wore a little lime green body-hugger dress by Erin Fetherston with a cropped gray tuxedo jacket. She accessorized her dress with her famous blue eyes and a small black clutch. The pretty actress appropriately matched her outfit with strappy high heel Jimmy Choo’s “Seattle” sandals and Swarovski’s “Dolce” gold-plated crystal drop earrings. Her black nail paint went well-with her black shoes.

Melora Hardin

The seductive young actress Melora Hardin plays Principal Jane Masterson in the comedy 17 Again. At the LA premier of the movie Melora chose a little black dress with uneven layers. Hung on her shapely body with thin straps, Melora showed a bit too much cleavage. She accessorized her dress with diamond earrings, a ring and a glittering bracelet. Her silver handbag and silver high heel pump shoes beautifully complemented her dress. Following the contemporary celebrity trend Melora too painted her nails black; the perfect color to go with her dress.

Allison Miller

Allison Miller who plays the young Scarlet in the movie opted for a sweet, yet chic Brian Reyes Resort 2009 dress. Her look was teamed with a Kara Ross clutch, Sergio Rossi metallic T-bar high heel shoes, and Ikat jewelry.

Olesya Rulin

The ever smiling Zac’s costar from High School Musical, Olesya Rulin got a hug from Zac when she made an appearance at the 17 Again premier. Perhaps Zac was too impressed with Olesya’s interesting strapless dress that looked even more beautiful on the actress’s petite frame. The printed dress had blue rose set against a darker blue lay and looked stunning. Olesya added a bit of fun to her ensemble by wearing violet peep toe pump shoes with a bow in front. The actress did not wear any other accessories and instead made up for it by giving her hair a funky teenage look.

Glena Jess writes article on High Heel Shoes, Platform Boots, Strappy Shoes and Stilettos.

Some details 

Also Known As: 17
Seventeen
Seventeen Again
 
Production Status: Released
 
Logline: A middle-aged father wakes up to find he’s seventeen again. So, he enrolls in the same high school as his children to be close to them.
 
Genres: Comedy, Science Fiction/Fantasy and Teen
 
Running Time: 1 hr. 42 min.
 
Release Date: April 17th, 2009 (wide)
 
MPAA Rating: PG-13 for language, some sexual material and teen partying.
 
Distributors: Warner Bros. Pictures Distribution
 
Production Co.: Offspring Entertainment
 
Studios: New Line Cinema
 
U.S. Box Office: $39,823,333
 
Filming Locations: Los Angeles, California USA
 
Produced in: United States

Casts ( not all cast listed )

Zac Efron …  Mike O’Donnell (Teen)
Leslie Mann …  Scarlett O’Donnell (Adult)
Thomas Lennon …  Ned Gold
Matthew Perry …  Mike O’Donnell (Adult)
Tyler Steelman …  Ned Gold (Teen)
Allison Miller …  Scarlett (Teen)
Sterling Knight …  Alex O’Donnell
Michelle Trachtenberg …  Maggie O’Donnell
Melora Hardin …  Principal Jane Masterson
Brian Doyle-Murray …  Janitor
Jim Gaffigan …  Coach Murphy

Synopsis

Twenty years later, an adult Mike (played by Matthew Perry) finds his life is not exactly what he expected. He is separated from his wife, Scarlett (Leslie Mann) and living with his wealthy software genius nerd and best friend Ned Freedman (Thomas Lennon), his career at a pharmaceutical company is at a stand still, and his relationships with his teenage children are nonexistent. After getting passed up for yet another promotion at work, he returns to his high school to reminisce over his basketball awards and the life he could have had. While he is reliving his glory days, he is approached by a janitor and shares with him how things were so much better when he was 17.

As Mike is driving home from the high school, he sees the mysterious janitor standing on the ledge preparing to jump into the Los Angeles River. Mike rushes out of his car to rescue him, but when he gets there, the janitor has vanished. What Mike doesn’t realize is that he is about to fall into the river and turn into his 17 year old self.

Young Mike (Zac Efron) returns to Ned’s house, where he has the difficult task of convincing Ned that he is in fact Mike. At a loss of what to do, Ned pretends to be Mike’s father and they register Mike back in high school to finish the life he never had the chance to live.

High school presents a lot of new challenges for Mike, such as dressing cool, keeping up with the latest gadgets and making new friends. But nothing compares to being in high school with his own children. He discovers that his daughter, Maggie (Michelle Trachtenberg), is not nearly as innocent as he thought she was and his son, Alex (Sterling Knight), is the brunt of the star athlete’s jokes.

But Mike’s most difficult realization is that he hasn’t been a very good father or husband. Mike befriends Alex and tries to instill him with enough confidence to join the basketball team. He gets close to Maggie’s obnoxious boyfriend and does everything in his power to break them up. Most importantly, he visits an unsuspecting Scarlet and rediscovers all the things that initially made him fall in love with her. You don’t know what you have until you lose it.

Through his experiences, Mike realizes that he had chosen the perfect life he just never appreciated it. Now, he must figure out a way to transform back into his older self and win back his wife and kids.

Gallery ( Some photo of the cast and also the movie )

Reviews

Its no doubt that the main attraction of this movie is Zac Efron. Forget about how predictable it can be. Sit back and prepare for a good laugh! It is very comedy but then at the same time touching. The movie also injects basic values that a person should have. The storyline was wonderful and catch this movie before it’s too late!! Btw, i just simply love the part where Ned and Principal Jane are at the restaurant.

Rating

7/10

Out Of Topic (video clip of zac in High School Musical)

The first twenty minutes of 17 Again are excruciating. One can feel the studio machinations chugging the film forward, with no concern for character, story, or good sense. The proceedings are preposterous, even for a fantasy comedy such as this. However, around the time when the film settles down and allows Zac Efron to beginning acting like a 40-year-old… the cringeworthy elements no longer became glaring. Director Burr Steers seems to think if you simply point the camera at your hot young star, you have a movie. However, Efron saves the movie by doing something Steers doesn’t seem to be concerned with– acting. Between Efron and the astounding comedic sidekick work of Thomas Lennon, the movie gets its share of laughs and turns out to be somewhat worth the admission, especially for its target audience.

We meet Mike O’Donnell when he’s 17, and played by a shirtless Zac Efron, making every basket on an empty court. Then, the big game happens, the Syracuse recruiting agent is there, and he’s dancing the entire routine with the cheerleaders (a particularly odd moment in a film full of them)– he’s the king of the school. But oops! He knocked up his girlfriend, and so in the middle of the big game, he leaves the game and proposes to her. What do we think Disney thought when they heard their golden boy is playing a hero who has pre-marital sex and doesn’t go to college? But I digress. Now it’s twenty years later, and he looks like Matthew Perry (even more odd than the dancing with cheerleaders). He’s upset with the choices he made in life, and it’s affected his livelihood– his wife (Leslie Mann) is divorcing him, his kids despise him, and his boss passes him up for a promotion and fires him. He visits his old school and encounters a mystical janitor (is there any other kind?) played by Brian Doyle-Murray, making this the first film in which the mystic who helps the unhappy white person is not played by some minority. He turns back into Zac Efron, re-enrolls in school to help his kids, save his marriage, and find happiness. Can he do it?

Of course he will. But you’re not watching this film for its major plot twists and deeply written characters. You’re here for Zac Efron. So how is he? He handles the comedy well, and even has some fun at the expense of his own image (when a character thinks he’s gay because of his perfectly coiffed hair and tight jeans, for example). He also seems like someone who’s balancing well the desire to break out of his mold while still keeping his core audience (and the parents who buy his core audiences’ tickets) happy. When he calls his wife’s new date a douche, it doesn’t reek of “Disney star saying a naughty word.” Everything he does seems natural. There’s a hilarious moment where he’s in health class with his daughter, and he tries to convince everyone that sex is something you share with someone you love. The punchline is unexpected, and it’s this type of moment that keeps his Disney image but also gently parodies it, and this is when his performance really takes off.

Finally, there’s Thomas Lennon (Lt. Dangle from TV’s Reno 911) as his best friend Ned and Melora Hardin (Jan Levenson from TV’s The Office) as his principal… and Ned’s love interest. Lennon walks away with this movie every time he’s on screen. Too often he’s put in movies where everyone is acting goofy and weird, so his particular brand of humor just doesn’t come across. Here, he is the king geek, putting the “relief” in comic relief, especially during the rough first twenty minutes, where all you want is more Thomas Lennon. Anyone who’s seen The Office knows that casting Melora Hardin in the role of “business-oriented woman who’s deflecting the romantic gestures of an idiot” was inspired.

My main question leaving: how did Burr Steers, of the witty and melancholic “Igby Goes Down,” end up as the man at the helm of this project? It’s clear that someone walked into an office and said, “A man wishes he could be 17 again, and he turns into Zac Efron,” and was handed millions of dollars to make it happen. Steers phones it in, and the tone is often jarring in its transitions. He was not interested in making a film personal to him (or at least it didn’t come across that way on the screen) but was instead interested in helping the Efron Star shine and collecting a paycheck. There’s nothing wrong with that, as this could help him get funding for future films. However, one wishes that instead of merely placing the camera and saying “Action!”, he’d cultivated the story and performances more. The materials for a good Hollywood body switch movie are all there. It’s like he began a puzzle and quit 2/3rds of the way through– the pieces that are put together are very good, and we see what the final image should look like… but you can’t ignore the glaring holes and the spare parts still remaining in the box. Note to future directors: Efron will give you a good performance, star-quality charm, and boyish good looks. He has the potential to soar. Just don’t break his back by making him carry too many underdeveloped films.

so, i hit up the movies yesterday with my friends for the first time in a while. and even though there are about 5 other movies that are still on my “to-see” list, i had to check out zac efron in 17 again. i’ve never seen high school musical, but even i like to stare at that gorgeous face.

anyway, the movie came in number 1 at the box office and i’m not surprised. with efron cast as lead, you can’t go wrong in the wake of his disney fame (see: hannah montana). despite my previous notions that he might not be able to act beyond the musical genre (i liked him in hairspray!), i was admittedly wrong. the guy can act.

now i can go on and on about how much of a rip-off the story is, but nowadays not much is original. i mean, most of the best movies out there were books first. but anyway, back to this movie. it started out slow. in fact, i didn’t laugh for a good 15 minutes. i love matthew perry, i do. who doesn’t love chandler?!? but his comedic quips weren’t utilized as they should have been. he had a few clever lines that made me chuckle, but nothing even close to what perry is capable of. for that, i was a little disappointed.

i won’t get too much into the actual story for those of you who haven’t seen it yet, but let’s just say it gets a little weird when perry’s character turns into his 17-year-old self (efron). his romantic entanglements border on creepy, but i gotta say the chemistry between leslie mann (who i love despite her semi-annoying voice) and efron was great! were they supposed to have that much chemistry? i don’t know, but it was good. efron actually made me tear up in an emotional scene toward the end. yes, i just admitted that.

michelle trachtenberg didn’t over-impress me. her crying skills could use some work. to be honest, she should stick to bitchy characters. melora hardin in reality bugs the hell out of me, but i think she is a great actress. she didn’t have too much to work with here, but i think she did a decent job. especially considering she was playing opposite thomas lennon. what to say about him…funny, sure. but i definitely cringed more than i laughed at his scenes.

overall, the film was entertaining and had its charm. it’s one of those movies you know will be incredibly predicable, but like watching anyway. by no means should you go see this movie in hopes of discovering a masterpiece. but if you want to maybe change your opinion of efron’s acting skills or just go to get a good laugh, check it out. although lacking originality, it’s a tolerable feel-good comedy.

MELORA HARDIN

BY: Jim DeBlasi

Melora Hardin, perhaps best known for her portrayal of “Jan Levenson” on the NBC series, THE OFFICE, recently made her Broadway stage debut as “Roxie Hart” in the musical CHICAGO. Melora’s career spans a variety of mediums, including numerous TV series, films and live concerts. Ms. Hardin may also be recognized from her TV portrayal of Tony Shaloub’s dead wife in the USA Network Series MONK. This month she will star in two feature films, SEVENTEEN AGAIN opposite Zac Efron and HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE. Other screen credits include THANK YOU FOR SMOKING, 27 DRESSES, THE COMEBACKS and ABSOLUTE POWER. Ms. Hardin also directed her first feature film YOU, to be released in 2009 (www.youthefilm.com).

CUE: Melora, what is your background and how did you get started in the entertainment industry?

MH: I started acting professionally at the age of 6 – both my parents are actors and I tugged on their sleeve long enough so they finally agreed to let me get started. I think they had a plan to let me go on 10 things and if I didn’t get anything they would ease me out. But I got the first thing I went on.

CUE: Was there a particular event that led to your decision to pursue this professionally?

MH: As a child, if asked, I would probably have said I wanted to be a ballerina – I was a serious dancer all my life, acting was just for fun. Probably I was 17 or 18 when I thought acting was pretty great and that I would still be able to dance and do the things I loved. I decided that acting was a good career for the all encompassing creative desires I had – a singer, songwriter, actress and dancer. This just felt like the right place to do all those things.

CUE: What was it about CHICAGO that enticed you to finally do Broadway?

MH: “Roxie” is a fabulous role – she is sexy, funny, smart, idealistic, naïve, talented – she is a fascinating and likeable person. I just knew she would be a great character to play since it would allow me to sing and dance and I don’t think anyone knew I could dance. This was a good show to for me to show off all that.

CUE: How did you get involved with CHICAGO?

MH: My manager called and asked me about the show and I said that I thought it was a great idea. I went in and sang and danced for them and Barry Weissler stood up and offered it to me on the spot. I then had to wait and work out the show fitting into my schedule.

CUE: How does working in theatre compare to working on a network series?

MH: They both have their challenges and their ups and downs. Theatre obviously provides that instantaneous gratification and feeling the audiences’ feedback right at that moment. It also allows you to play out a story as it occurs in a linear fashion which is not the case in TV or film. In theatre there is also the challenge of getting your game on every single night and giving 150 percent – which means that the night that I had food poisoning, I still had to go on and give it my all. The audience seemed to still have a great time even if I didn’t.

CUE: Did you have a favorite moment in the show?

MH: I loved the Roxie Monologue – there is so much richness and so many levels to it. It is just such a wonderful piece to perform.

CUE: What was the rehearsal for the show like for you?

MH: I had two weeks to rehearse. I did get to learn my big dance numbers – Me And My Baby & Hot Honey Days / Nowadays – in LA. A few things were changed when we got to New York. I also learned all my songs in advance in LA. So the two weeks in New York before I went on were all for blocking and learning lines and filling out the dance stuff that I hadn’t learned.

CUE: Was there any aspect of this show that was more difficult than you anticipated?

MH: I think for me, how surprised I was at how Me & My Baby is just one of those things that you get winded with no matter how many times you do it. We would all come off huffing and puffing. I think that was the biggest surprise for me.

CUE: Now as a concert performer, how does that compare to live theatre?

MH: That is different because you are bringing more of the intimate Melora experience rather than the intimate Melora through a character or through a story, which is being interpreted by me. Of course, the selections in a concert are things that I have collaborated on with the director in order to be able to make certain statements rather than being an interpretive artist which is what an actor is.

CUE: You have two new films coming out, can you tell us a little about them?

MH: In HANNAH MONTANA:THE MOVIE, I play Billy Ray Cyrus’ love interest – a soft county girl who doesn’t have any dark underbelly, she is just who she is, a very sweet movie. The second is Zac Efron’s first movie that he is carrying and is called SEVENTEEN AGAIN and I play the principal of the high school where Zac goes back to high school.

CUE: You also just had directorial debut – tell us a little about that project.

MH: Yes, the movie is called YOU and the website is youthefilm.com. This has been so exciting because it was my directorial debut and I produced it with my husband. My husband wrote the film and our kids, my parents and our close friends are all in it – this is truly a family affair. It is a real passion project for me and it is a beautiful story which we find has really been touching people’s heart. We set up this site and we are hoping to create a “YOU” community so people can see the trailer and hopefully by April 10 be able to buy the film or download it. This is an exciting and cutting edge way to release a film. It is a beautiful little film that will do well in people’s living rooms or on computers. We are also encouraging people to watch it with friends and family and to write in about their reactions.

CUE: What was directing like for you?

MH: I loved directing – making a film this way in a sort of guerilla film making technique. We shot the entire movie in 18 days, used our home as the production office and as one of the main locations. It was intense and I like that, I really thrive on that, which is why I think I loved doing CHICAGO and those two weeks of preparation. I just love being all used up – I just enjoy feeling that I given it everything I’ve got and then walk away feeling the satisfaction of knowing I am completely spent and that everything that I was required to give, I gave.

CUE: Are there certain types of roles that excite you or attract you?

MH: As a director I am finding myself attracted to themes and projects that have heart, love and hope to them. As an actor, I am attracted to anything that feels creative and turns my creative juices on and that can be anything from a traditional romantic lead to Jan in THE OFFICE. I also guess I am attracted to playing the flaws – of course, that is fun for any actor.

CUE: Prior to CHICAGO did you have any preconceived notions of Broadway?

MH: Not really. I knew it would be a lot of work but fun. I guess I hoped there would be a warmth and camaraderie and there was. I found that in CHICAGO – the cast, crew, behind the scenes people they were all amazing, wonderful people. It is a real community and quite exceptional. I think they really saw me as a true triple threat and someone really deserving to play this part.

CUE: What’s been the best career advice you’ve received?

MH: To be clear on what really moves you. Don’t just be someone who is an open-handed beggar standing at the door hoping for anything to come your way. Be focused as to what you want and how you are going to go about getting it.

17 Again
★★ / ★★★★

Even though I’m no fan of Zac Efron (he hasn’t yet proven to me that he can be a versatile actor), I have to admit that I somewhat enjoyed this movie. Granted, that enjoyment didn’t come from either lead actors, Efron or Matthew Perry; in fact, the supporting actors were the ones that stepped up to the plate and delivered the big laughs. Having been down on his luck, Perry gets a second chance to look like his seventeen-year-old high school self (played by Efron) after talking to a magical janitor/spirit guide. In that younger body, he’s able to find a relationship with his two kids (Michelle Trachtenberg, Sterling Knight) and fix his marriage problems with his wife (Leslie Mann). The only person that knows about the whole magical transformation was Perry’s best friend played by the hilarious Thomas Lennon. Lennon stole every scene he was in and I seriously couldn’t stop laughing because of the way he embraced his characters’ nerdy persona. (“Star Wars,” “The Lord of the Rings,” you name it, the geeky reference is there.) He was matched by Melora Hardin (“The Office”), the high school principal with a little secret that she expertly masks. What dragged this film down was its inability to stay away from syrupy scenes and lines, including the so-called dramatic slow motions during the basketball games. Its message was also very vague. I felt like the message it tried to convey was in order to stop feeling like outcast, one should join the basketball team because that’s where the opportunities are found. That would’ve been easily solved if Trachtenberg and Knight had friends who are astute, well-adjusted, and happy with where they are in life. Instead, the two of them are simply outcasts: Trachtenberg is dependent on her boyfriend (played by the lovely, though not-so-lovely in this film, Hunter Parrish) and Knight as a socially awkward loverboy. What this movie is trying to show is not real life and it’s a shame because I know for a fact that teenagers (especially teenage girls) will be drawn to this. “17 Again” has some funny material but I found it confusing in its core and very unrealistic in its portrayal of high school. Or maybe I just need to see Efron play a character who doesn’t know how to play basketball. Perhaps then the cheesiness will decrease exponentially.