Tom Sizemore was born to a mother who was a member of an urban ombudsman staff and a lawyer/psychology professor father, Thomas Edward Sizemore, Sr. Tom Sizemore has a younger brother, Paul, who is also an actor and a niece Beverly who is a songwriter and former Pussycat Doll. Tom Sizemore attended Michigan State University for 1 year, as well as Wayne State University, and earned a Master's Degree in theater from Temple University in 1986. Tom Sizemore subsequently moved to New York City to pursue an acting career.

One of Tom Sizemore's early film roles was in Oliver Stone's Born on the 4th of July in 1989. Tom Sizemore has appeared in films such as Lock Up (1989), Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man (1991), True Romance (1993), Natural Born Killers (1994) and Strange Days (1995). A succession of well-received supporting parts followed, perhaps the most well known being his portrayal of Michael Cheritto in Heat (1995). Tom Sizemore's major leading role was as Vincent D'Agosta in 1997's The Relic.

Tom Sizemore had a recurring role on the television series China Beach (1988 to 1991)as an enlisted man named Charlie who was in love with Dana Delaney's character.

Tom Sizemore continued to play leading and character parts in many films, notably Bringing out the Dead, Saving Private Ryan, HBO's Witness Protection, Red Planet, Pearl Harbour, Devil in a Blue Dress, and Black Hawk Down. Tom Sizemore had a voice part as Sonny Forelli in the video game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. Tom Sizemore had a supporting role in Kevin Costner's Wyatt Earp as Bat Masterson. In 2001, Tom Sizemore starred in Ticker, an action film directed by Albert Pyun, with Steven Seagal and Dennis Hopper . In 2002, Tom Sizemore starred in the well-reviewed but short-lived television drama series Robbery Homicide Division. It was cancelled mid-way through its 1st season. Tom Sizemore also played an undercover cop in the film Swindle opposite Sherilyn Fenn.

Tom Sizemore fronted the Hollywood rock band Day 8. Formed in 2002, the band recorded a 4-song EP produced and recorded by former Snot/Soulfly guitarist Mikey Doling. The group included Rod Castro, Tyrone Tomke and Michael Taylor.

In 2004, he starred in the movie Paparazzi and in the 2006 film, The Genius Club, playing a terrorist who taunts 7 geniuses into solving the world's problems in 1 night.

In 2007, the television network VH1 aired a 6 episode reality TV series called Shooting Sizemore, which depicted the life of the actor as he struggled to regain his career in the midst of a continuing battle with addiction. The series also covered an ongoing legal appeal on his conviction for an assault of former Hollywood madam Heidi Fleiss. In 2008, Tom Sizemore appeared in The Last Lullaby, playing a killer, and in the thriller film Red with Brian Cox.

Tom Sizemore, who had long battled drug addiction, was convicted in 2003 of assault and battery against his girlfriend, the former "Hollywood Madam" Heidi Fleiss. Tom Sizemore was then sentenced to 17 months in jail and 4 months in drug treatment for repeatedly failing drug tests while on probation on 25 March, 2005. On 3 June, 2005, Tom Sizemore filed a writ of habeas corpus to appeal his conviction of domestic violence against Heidi Fleiss, accusing Heidi Fleiss of faking a picture of her bruises submitted as evidence during the April 2003 trial. Heidi Fleiss testified the photo was taken by a friend named Tara Dabrizzi who left the next day to visit her ailing mother in another country. Tara Dabrizzi never took the stand and Tom Sizemore's attorneys say they were unable to locate anyone with that name. Heidi Fleiss allegedly contradicted herself in a civil trial by saying she didn't know who took the photo, according to the Superior Court petition.

On 18 August, 2005, approximately 8 hours of celebrity sex tape starring Tom Sizemore was published on the internet. The material has since become available on DVD.

On 8 May, 2007, while still on probation for a previous drug conviction, Tom Sizemore was again arrested outside the 4 Points Sheraton hotel in Bakersfield, California. Police found what appeared to be 2 bags of methamphetamine and 3 meth pipes in his 2004 Ford Mustang. Police were called after paroled dealer Jason Salcido challenged a hotel employee to a fight after being refused check-in. Police found a meth pipe on Salcido and found Tom Sizemore waiting in his car outside the hotel. On 25 June, Tom Sizemore was sentenced to 16 months, but the sentence was reduced to 9 months because he had already served 213 days behind bars.

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Martin Scorsese

Taxi Driver is a 1976 film directed by Martin Scorsese and written by Paul Schrader. The movie is set in early post–Vietnam Era New York City and stars Robert De Niro and features Jodie Foster, Albert Brooks, Harvey Keitel, Leonard Harris, Peter Boyle and Cybill Shepherd.

Travis Bickle (De Niro), is a lonely and depressed young man of 26. His origins are unknown, although it is likely that he is from the Midwest. He sends his parents cards, lying about his life and saying he works with the Secret Service. He settles in Manhattan where he becomes a night time taxi driver due to chronic insomnia. Bickle spends his restless days in seedy porn theaters and works 12 or 14 hour shifts during the evening and night time hours carrying passengers among all five boroughs of New York City.

Bickle becomes interested in "Betsy" (Cybill Shepherd), a campaign volunteer for New York Senator "Charles Palantine," who is running for the presidential nomination and is promising dramatic social change. On one of their dates, Bickle took her to see an adult film and this offended her. She ended up leaving him alone.

Rejected and depressed, Bickle's thoughts begin to turn violent. Disgusted by the petty street crime (especially prostitution) that he witnesses while driving through the city, he now finds a focus for his frustration and begins a program of intense physical training. He buys a number of pistols from an illegal dealer (Steven Prince) and practices a menacing speech in the mirror, while pulling out a pistol that he attached to a home-made sliding action holster on his right arm ("You talkin' to me?").

In the scene, Bickle is looking into a mirror at himself, imagining a confrontation which would give him a chance to draw his gun. He says the following line:

"You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? You talkin' to me? Then who the hell else are you talkin' to? You talkin' to me? Well I'm the only one here. Who the fuck do you think you're talking to?"

Bickle is revolted by what he considers the moral decay around him. One night while on shift, "Iris" (Jodie Foster), a 12-year-old child prostitute, gets in his cab, attempting to escape her pimp. Shocked by the occurrence Bickle fails to drive off and the pimp, "Sport" (Harvey Keitel), reaches the cab. Sport gives Bickle a crumpled twenty dollar bill, which haunts Travis with the memory of his failure to help. Later seeing Iris on the street he pays for her time, although he does not have sex with her and instead tries to convince her to leave this way of life behind. The next day, they meet for breakfast and Bickle becomes obsessed with saving this naive child-woman who thinks hanging out with hookers, pimps and drug dealers is more "hip" than dating young boys and going to school.

Any lingering doubt in the viewer's mind about Bickle's insanity is obliterated when he is suddenly and shockingly shown to be sporting a crude Mohawk haircut at a public rally in which he actually attempts to assassinate Senator Palantine. He is spotted by Secret Service men and flees. Bickle returns to his apartment, then drives to Alphabet City where he shoots Sport, before storming into the brothel and killing the bouncer, Sport (who has followed Bickle), and Iris' mafioso customer. He then calmly tries repeatedly to fire a bullet into his own head from under his chin but all the weapons are empty so he resigns himself to resting on a convenient sofa until police arrive on the scene of mayhem and carnage.

Taxi Driver was a financial success earning $28,262,574 in the United States. This film is one of Scorsese's benchmarks in film and listed as one of 100 best films of all time featured by Time Magazine.Travis Bickle's character has also become some sort of pop culture icon for youth and made De Niro famous.

Travis Bickle as youth Culture Icon

Wins

Cannes Film Festival – Palme d'Or

New York Film Critics Circle Award for Best Actor – (Robert De Niro)

BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role – (Jodie Foster)

BAFTA Award for Best Newcomer – (Jodie Foster)

BAFTA Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music – (Bernard Herrmann)

Nominations

Academy Award for Best Picture

Academy Award for Best Actor – (Robert De Niro)

Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress – (Jodie Foster)

Academy Award for Original Music Score – (Bernard Herrmann)

BAFTA Award for Best Film

BAFTA Award for Direction – (Martin Scorsese)

DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures – (Martin Scorsese)

Golden Globe Award for Best Actor - Motion Picture Drama - (Robert De Niro)

Grammy Award for Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture – (Bernard Herrmann)

BAFTA Award for Best Editing – (Marcia Lucas, Tom Rolf, Melvin Shapiro)

Golden Globe Award for Best Screenplay - Motion Picture – (Paul Schrader)

WGA Award for Best Drama Written Directly for the Screen – (Paul Schrader)

*Freely adapted from Wikipedia, pictures are courtesy of my DVD :)

TopGun released in 1986, which also marked as the highest collection making film of that year. Tom Cruise played the role of Lt. Pete Maverick Mitchell.

Born On the 4th of July was the movie that showed the tom Cruise has the metal of a real box office breaking actor. The movie won him his first Golden Globe Award as a Best Drama Actor and also won him a Academy Award nomination for Best Actor.

A Few Good Men- got him his another nomination at the Golden Globe Award for Best Actor. This movie made the fans and critics to smile and praise Tom Cruise for his work.

Later on his movie The Firm received a Favorite dramatic motion picture award at People's Choice Award.

Mission Impossible, the movie that made Cruise to appear on the screen as a smart action doing guy Ethan Hunts. Mission Impossible was gladly accepted by the fans and critics and marked as the third high collection doing movie of the year 1996.

Jerry Maguire was the movie, which won him his second Golden Globe for the Best Actor Comedy.

In the year 1999, Tom Cruise was again nominated at Golden Globe Award and Academy Award for his performance in Magnolia. In the two nominations Cruise Won the Golden Globe.

AS A PRODUCER

Cruise Wagner Production is the company that Tom Cruise runs with the partnership of Paula Wagner(director of Mission Impossible)

This handsome hunk also tried his luck as a producer in the Mission Impossible, he played the role of David Aames in it. Later on he again did this dual Job of acting and producing in the movie Vanilla Sky

Later on, he striked the silver screen with a number of movies which includes

Tom Cruise is starring in the movie Valkyrie that is going to be released in the December month of 2008. So get ready guys for your actor to be back with a Bang!!!!

TOM CRUISE'S SPOUSES

I know a lot of girls want to date this cool looking actor knowing the fact that he is married to Katie Holmes since 2006.

Cruise has been in relationship with Mimi Rogers (1987-1990), however as you can see the relationship lasted for only three years.

Later on Tom Cruise dated Nicole Kidman on the sets of Days of Thunder. Cruise Married Kidman on 24th December 1990, they remained in relationship for 10 years. In this marriage both Cruise and Kidman adopted two kids namely Isabella and Connor Antony. Both got divorced on 8th August 2001.

Well Guys if you like this post do reply to encourage me to do all this for the sake of my readers....... :)

Does anyone even remember pre-Grey's Patrick Dempsey? Well, here are 5 fun facts about Patrick that you never knew... or at least forgot all about when Dr. Derek Shepherd entered the scene!

1. He was an 80's teen heartthrob! Starring in films like Loverboy and Can't Buy Me Love, Patrick was the go-to guy for romantic comedies. He's come full circle with Enchanted and Made of Honor.

2. When he was 21, he married a 48-year old woman! Patrick's first wife is actress and acting coach Rocky Parker - who had a 22-year-old son at the time. It was no surprise when they divorced a year later.

3. Before Grey's, he auditioned for the role of Dr. Gregory House! No offense, Patrick, but we're glad the part went to Hugh Laurie instead.

But of course, Grey's Anatomy has been treating Patrick Dempsey well: He's been nominated for a Golden Globe, has landed a major modeling contract with Versace, and has become one the 21st century's hottest Hollywood stars!

By Alisha, InstantCast staff writer

The actor's career spanned six decades, including roles in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Cool Hand Luke (1967), and Fort Apache: the Bronx (1981). Newman retired from acting in 2007, saying he was no longer able to perform as well as he would like. His most recent work includes his supporting actor Oscar-nominated role in 2002's Road to Perdition, a Tony-winning turn in 2002's Broadway production of Our Town, an Emmy- and Golden Globe-earning performance in the 2005 miniseries Empire Falls, and voicing a character in 2006's Pixar animation feature Cars.

He leaves behind his wife, Oscar-winning actress Joanne Woodward, five children, two grandsons, and his older brother, Arthur.

-www.ew.com-

Die Begründung, warum nun mein Blog so preisverdächtig ist, gefällt mir in ihrer selbstreferentiellen Art sehr gut: „Mein Bruder im Geiste, wenn es beim Bloggen um das Thema Arbeit, Bekleidung und Massakrieren geht. Und ums Ficken natürlich.”

Wobei ich übers Ficken ja nun schon seit einiger Zeit nichts mehr geschrieben habe. Naja, immerhin sollte in diesem Artikel das Wort oft genug vorkommen, um mein Blog für Suchmaschinenbenutzer (das ist so eine Art Nachfolger der Warmduscher) interessant zu machen.

Unangenehm bei dieser Nominierung ist natürlich der Fakt, daß ich nun weitere Blogs für dieses Kettenbriefspiel vorschlagen muß. Und zwar sieben Stück. Mit ein wenig mathematischen Grundkenntnissen kommt man also sehr schnell zu der Erkenntnis, daß innerhalb weniger Wochen die gesamte Blogosphäre zu den Top-Blogs gehören müßte, und in dieser fast schon sozialistischen Gleichmacherei liegt natürlich ein extremer Charme verborgen: Irgendwann trifft es eben jeden.

Das sage ich mir zur Beruhigung auch. Und möchte das Pour-Le-Merite der Blogs weitergeben an:

Matt, der von seinem Preis allerdings nicht viel mitbekommen wird, weil er die Nordsee vollkübelt.

Ad, weil ich ihn auf diese Weise ermuntern will, wieder mehr mit Worten und weniger mit Bildern zu machen.

Ramses, weil Werbung immer ein tolles Thema ist, vor allem, wenn es so eloquent durch den Kakao gezogen wird.

Die Heldin, weil ich Selbstsabotage nachvollziehbar und saukomisch finde.

Opa, weil ich mich mit ihm und seinen Jüngern immer so schön streiten kann.

Die Weltregierung, weil es das erste Blog war, das ich damals verlinkte (und umgekehrt).

Die Netzklempnerin, weil Verschwörungstheorien und Antisemitismus sonst nirgends so schön an den Pranger gestellt werden.

Und den Einheitskanzler, weil aus dem Archiv von Forenkommentaren mittlerweile ein sehr spannendes und lustiges Politikblog geworden ist, dessen Meinung sogar ab und an mit meiner übereinstimmt.

Und dann gibt es auch noch das Kleingedruckte, das ich aber zu ignorieren gedenke, einfach, weil es mir zu anstrengend ist.
Die Regeln für die Verleihung des Preises an weitere Blogger sind recht einfach und müssen in dem Beitrag erwähnt werden.

1) Die- oder derjenige, der/m das Stöckchen an die Birne knallt, hat das bescheuerte Logo als Zeichen der freudigen Annahme des Awards im Blog einzubinden. (das ging gerade noch)

2) Verlinke den Blog, der Dir diesen wundervollen Preis verliehen hat. (Ja, das gebietet die Höflichkeit)

3) Nominiere mindestens sieben weitere Blogs. (Damit in zwei Wochen das ganze Internet einen Preis erhält)

4) Die Nominierten sind unbedingt in Deinem Beitrag und Superblog zu verlinken. (Das war schon ganz schön anstrengend)

5) Hinterlasse eine Nachricht auf den Blogs der Preisträger, damit auch der letzte Ignorant von Statistiken mitbekommt, dass er den Scheiss hier mitzumachen hat. (Nix gibts. Die sollen sich das mal schön hier abholen!)

I have begun watching Mad Men recently. It is the new AMC answer to HBO’s very successful line of high-end dramatic television series. It is now in its second season and bringing in barrels of Golden Globes and Emmys. The show swirls around Don Drapper, creative director for a top add agency on Madison Avenue in the year 1960. Just seeing this era recreated is a thrill. Every character smokes in every scene, every character drinks in every other scene, everyone wears a suit all the time, and nobody’s wife knows what goes on at the office. The set design, costumes, lighting, ambiance, and overall tone are killer. And obviously this environment is rich with themes that are still touchy and provocative now – even when we think we are on the other side of them – things like, the Nixon/Kennedy presidential race, the role of women in the workplace, the role of women in the home, all the sexual tensions that come with both of those situations, technological advances, new scientific discoveries, corporate hierarchies, consumer psychology, racism, and drinking. It was a time of great and profound change in the American mind, where one era and way of life caved in under its own pressures.

In the first episode Reader’s Digest has just published an article on the dangers of smoking and the government has passed a law that no longer allows cigarette manufacturers to say the dangers are a myth. This creates an advertising crisis. But here is the interesting thing: In the very first scene of the very first episode the camera pans a jazzy, smoke-filled restaurant, zooming in slowly on Don Drapper sitting at a table, having a drink, and working on this advertising problem. The problem is presented through the eyes of the character wrestling with it. Something about this coolheaded opening brought home to me what a great TV series has over film. It can take its time, in fact it has to take its time, developing characters. While the show has style and wrestles with issues, this opening scene tells us that it is about this man – sitting in a booth with a puzzled expression, drinking rye, and trying to come up with an add slogan. Where did he come from? What is he here for? Where is he going?

You see, if you are going to do 13, 1-hour episodes for even just one season of a show, let alone 4 or 5, you realize how much time you have to spend with your main characters. It forces you to think through them as real people not simply as mouth pieces for your agenda or agents to drive the action. Too often in films the ridiculous premise, thematic agenda, comedy device, or twisty plot is the driving force and you just happen to have to have people in there. For example, it would be really cool to witness a political assassination from a bunch of different angles – it could be really confusing and there could be a ton of action and stuff…

So when I say Mad Men is better than most movies because of the characters I do not mean that the creators simply thought of more compelling characters than most films, although I think they have, rather I am referring to the importance placed on characters in the show. Plot serves character development and not the other way around. Each episode seems to begin wherever we happen to find the characters and end some time latter after a few things have happened. There is no pressure to cut the whole thing down to a 90 or 100 minute run time that will keep the audience from getting bored, no pressure to wrap up all the loose ends and dispense of those scenes that do not directly contribute to the plot development. We see so many little nothings that simply let us get to know the characters. We live their lives with them. We get to see Don Drapper, angry and confused, bail on his daughter’s birthday party to spite his wife – taking the cake with him. Then we get a shot of him sitting in an empty parking lot, the cake riding shotgun, as he tries to understand why he is doing what he is doing - no words, no action, we just sit there with Don.

Roger Ebert has repeatedly said in many different ways, “Movies help us to empathize with other people so that we can see things from more than just our own point of view. I think that's the most valuable thing a movie can do.” Empathy is a carefully chosen word in a statement like this. In order for us to empathize with people we have to feel their struggles, maybe even bear a little of their burden ourselves. This is what separates it from basic sympathy, a more detached emotion we can casually feel for any stranger’s misfortune. For empathy to develop the characters cannot serve the plot, it has to be the other way around.

A good TV show or mini-series has that beautiful ability to stroll. Mad Men is so good because it takes us deep into so many characters lives. If you have ever finished an 800-page book and been sorry it was over so soon, you know what I mean. Good characters become like friends you enjoy spending time with – old friends you will remember all your life. 

Questo è il caso di Hugh Laurie, il nome probabilmente per molti non dice niente, stiamo parlando del cinico Dr. House che da 5 anni tiene incollati agli schermi milioni di appassionati in tutto il mondo. Non gli è bastato sbancare gli ascolti con quell'espressione scocciata e all'apparenza indifferente delle sofferenze altrui. Adesso Hugh Laurie sta anche per entrare nell'Olimpo delle star televisive più pagate. Attraverso un nuovo contratto con l'emittente televisiva Fox che porterà nelle tasche all'attore inglese ben 400 mila dollari a episodio, che equivalgono a 9 milioni di dollari all'anno.

L'accordo con la Fox lega l'attore almeno fino alla stagione 2011-2012 alla serie tv che gli ha fatto vincere due Golden Globe e tre nomination agli Emmy. Dr. House, che registra 16,7 milioni di spettatori ogni puntata, è la serie più seguita negli Usa, dopo Casalinghe Disperate. Per il momento la star di telefilm più pagata rimane William Petersen, protagonista di Csi con 600 mila dollari a puntata, seguito Kiefer Sutherland con 500 mila dollari.

Title       : Lolita

Author   : Vladimir Nabokov

Above is the cover of the first edition published by Olympia Press Paris in 1955. It's been years i've been wanting to read this masterpiece, for it's been titled as one of the three most influenting novel in 20th century and TIME 100 Best English-languange Novels from 1923-2005.

So last week was the time, and i must say, there's a part of me changed after reading this book, the same feeling i had when i read "The History of Love" by Nicole Krauss.

The center of the story is Prof. Humbert whose obsessed to a 12 years old girl, Dolores Haze. His obsession with young girls is a result of his lost of his childhood sweetheart, Annabel Leigh whose died from Typhus. Annabel Leigh, i believe, is named after "Annabel Lee" a famous poem by Edgar Allan Poe which is happens to be one of my fav poem. that's why i instantly recognized the similarity. Part of their young love seems to borrowed from the poem.

Humbert rent a room in Dolores house (later refer as, Lolita) to get close to his muse and later marry her mother to fulfil his wild fantasy to the teenager.

after Charlotte Haze died in an accident, Humbert takes Lolita moves from state to state and bribes her for his sexual needs. Lolita, alone and frightened has no choice but to accept HUmbert into her life on his terms.

We read the story from Humbert point of view, as if it is his personal journal. altho what happen in it is an obsession of a pedophile, you won't find explicit description about the sexual activities.

HUmbert, who is supposedly disgusting sumhow i found his character as sad, loner, and in eternal pain which makes me love him for some reason. as always, i love a villain with a lot of side that writer share with reader. It makes bad person a human, and we found ourself in some of their minors. well, not the pedophile of course.....

Where can i find the Movie? please, really want to see it. desperately.... The novel was filmed twice, on 1962 and on 1997. Based on my browsing, the 1962 version is more to it. it Granted Sue Lyon Golden Globe Award (as Lolita)  as the Most Promising New Comer and Vladimir Nabokov nominated for Oscar on best screenplay adaptation.

Lane was an American actor best known for his role as Perry White in the American television series Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman and as Richard Nixon in The Final Days, for which he received a Golden Globe award nomination.

Lane graduated from The Leelanau School, a boarding school in Glen Arbor, Michigan where he is enshrined in the school's Hall of Fame, and spent 1 year boarding at The Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania before going off to study at the Actors Studio in the late 1950s and early 1960s along with Dustin Hoffman and Al Pacino.

After his graduation, he found steady work in New York theater before making his film debut in Maidstone in 1970. During the 1970s, he regularly made appearances in small film roles including Rooster Cogburn in 1975 and Network in 1976. Lane also acted on television, notably playing a U.S. Marine in Vietnam in the made for television miniseries A Rumor of War.

Lane made a major breakthrough in 1984 with significant roles in Red Dawn, Places in the Heart and the television series V. In 1989, Lane Smith gained great recognition for his portrayal of former President Richard Nixon in the docudrama The Final Days. Newsweek praised Lane Smith's role by stating, "is such a good Nixon that his despair and sorrow at his predicament become simply overwhelming." Lane Smith later earned a Golden Globe nomination for his performance. Lane Smith also appeared in the original Broadway stage production of David Mamet's Glengarry Glen Ross as James Lingk. For his role, he received a Drama Desk Award.

In 1990, he appeared in Air America playing a U.S. Senator. 2 years later, he played a small-town district attorney opposite Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny, followed by a role as Coach Jack Reilly in The Mighty Ducks. However, it was not until 1993 that Lane Smith landed his 1st major television role as Perry White in Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman. The show last for 4 seasons before ending in 1997. Lane Smith's final film appearance was in The Legend of Bagger Vance in 2000.

Lane Smith was married twice. Lane's 1st marriage was to writer Sydne MacCall. The couple had 1 son together: Robby Smith born on 24 January, 1987. In 2000, he remarried to Ruth Benedict who had 1 son from a previous marriage.

Lane Smith was previously in a relationship with actress Mariette Hartley before the 2 split.

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Californication handelt also vom ehemals sehr erfolgreichen Autor Hank Moody, der nach der Trennung von seiner Frau Karen (Natascha McElhone) nur noch ein Lotterleben führt und seine Krisen mit Alkohol ertränkt bzw. mit Sexspielchen und Affären verdrängt. Meistens mit von der Partie ist Hanks Manager und Freund Charlie Runkle (Evan Handler), dessen Ehe wegen unerfüllter erotischer Fantasien kriselt. Hank zieht es aber eigentlich zu seiner Ex-Frau Karen und der Tochter Becca (Madeleine Martin) zurück. Dummerweise hat sich Karen aber mit dem konservativen Bill Lewis (Damian Young) verlobt und will sich nicht zurückerobern lassen. Hinzu kommen noch einige brisante Verstrickungen, die hier aber unerklärt bleiben sollen.

Trotz ihrer teils recht expliziten Darstellung von Sex ist die Serie weit komplexer und auch warmherziger, als der unvertraute Zapper vermuten mag. Nicht ohne Grund wurde Californication beispielsweise für den Golden Globe als beste Comedy-Serie nominiert. Ein Globe 2008 ging dann auch an Duchovny als besten Hauptdarsteller in einer Comedy-Serie. Diese Einstufung als Comedy-Serie wird Californication nicht ganz gerecht. Natürlich ist die Serie sehr amüsant geschrieben, die Scherze wunderbar zynisch und derb, doch gerade auch in den ruhigen und ernsten Momenten liegen die Stärken von Californication. Die Mischung macht es mal wieder. Das Timing ist meist perfekt, was die Serie zu einem durchgängig sehr unterhaltsamen Zeitvertreib macht.

Verantwortlich für Californication zeigt sich wiederum der US-Pay-TV-Sender Showtime, der auch schon mit der provokanten Crime-Serie Dexter auffiel. Die zweite Staffel beginnt Ende September. In Deutschland lief die erste Staffel ebenfalls im Pay-TV (AXN). Nicht nur Duchovny scheint momentan ein Problem für die Fortsetzung der Dreharbeiten zur aktuellen zweiten Staffel zu sein. Anfang Ende Mai starb völlig unerwartet der 42-jährige Ehemann von McElhone, was zu einer Unterbrechung der Arbeit führte. An mangelndem Erfolg dürfte Californication momentan nicht scheitern.

Die Serie kam bisher insgesamt sehr gut an (siehe Nominierungen), dennoch gab es gerade im konservativen Amerika genügend Kritik. Schon die Eröffnungsszene (man sehe selbst) dürfte der katholischen Kirche übel aufgestoßen sein. Nicht nur die sexuelle Freizügigkeit brachte einige Aufregung, auch der laxe Umgang mit dem Thema Drogenkonsum stieß auf Gegenwehr. Zudem beschwerten sich noch die Red Hot Chili Peppers, die sich ihres Albumnamens „Californication“ beraubt fühlten. Der passt allerdings ziemlich gut zur Serie, ist er doch eine Zusammenfassung der Wörter California (Schauplatz) und Fornication (für Unzucht). Der einigermaßen gebildete erwachsene Zuschauer sollte sich von der Serie nicht gestört oder gar gefährdet sehen, sondern lieber eine sehr unterhaltsame Serie genießen, die das Leben in Hollywood ordentlich durch den Kakao zieht.

Achja, da ich sie nicht extra erwähnt habe: Zu Madeline Zima bitte bei der hirngabel vorsprechen, ich segne dann alles ab! ;o)

 There is something about grief that affects people in many different ways.  Grace is Gone ( 2007) is about a father who just found out his soldier wife has been killed in Iraq. It follows the effect of that traumatic news on him, especially has tries to tell his young daughters about their mother’s death. 

John Cusack plays the role of the dad. He turns in one of the best dramatic performances of his career as a man who obviously loves his wife and is patriotic to the core about the war. His struggle and guilt over not meeting the criteria to serve his country, while his wife ends up making the ultimate sacrifice, is palpable throughout the movie.

 Also, the story shows how this father tries to give his daughters a perfect day by taking them on a spontaneous road trip to a big amusement park as he struggles to tell them about their mother’s death.  He is always at the verge of an emotional breakdown but pulls himself together for his girls. The daughters played by  Shélan O'Keefe  and by Gracie Bednarczyk are perfectly matched to Cusack and believable as a family.

A moving scene that is actually repeated in the movie is how Cusack’s character calls back into his home answering machine just to simulate conversations with his wife when he needs helps with how to deal with his children.

I recommend the film.  It touches on the subject of death and the impact  on a family. It is especially poignant because it also focuses on the casualties of the Iraq war without being preachy. It is more about the personal side of the story that we do not see portrayed as often in the general media.

So I think this woman is hot as hell. Every since I saw her on Married with Children I have had sort of a "thing" for her, not that we would ever have time for one another with both of us being so busy and what not. Haha. Anyway, this is serious though. When I heard she had breast cancer it struck me in an odd way, it was almost like I kinda dismissed it or something. Like I didn't believe it was gonna be a "big deal", but then I realized that she had a double mastectomy, which for a woman I guess is like the CHOICE. For those of you that may not know, a double mastectomy is the removal of both breasts. Christina only had the cancer in one breast but elected to have them both removed because "[she] just wanted to kind of be rid of it", it being cancer. This was a smart decision because it is pretty hard to know if there are cancer cells looming in the good breast so I'm thinking this was a great decision on her part. I'm sure she will be just delightful with the "cute boobs [she'll have] 'til [she's] 90,"guaranteed. I hope things go a lot more smoothly for the actress, because well she's awesome and also a fighter.

For more info on this story click here.

Later nerds,
antwan.

"Mademoiselle, mi piacerebbe aiutarla, ma ho poche cucitrici e sto lavorando ad una collezione, non posso farle dei vestiti."

"Mi mostri quel che ha creato per la collezione."

"È esattamente ciò di cui ho bisogno!"

GSG is a Consortium Management company.  We wanted to have the "global and worldwide" look and feel so I designed their logo out of a globe in Illustrator made of "gold" since they hold The Gold Standard in their practice.

For those who don’t know, Denzel Washington is an Academy Award and Golden Globe winning American Hollywood actor and director. Critical and popular acclaim has been lauded on Denzel over the years for his successful work in film since the early 1990s. Washington’s work in entertainment includes portrayals of historic figures, such as Malcolm X, Steve Biko, Rubin ’Hurricane’ Carter, Frank Lucas, Melvin B. Tolson and Herman Boone.

So far, Denzel Washington has two Academy Awards and three Golden Globe awards and for his work in movies.

Anne Bancroft was an American Academy Award-,Golden Globe-,Tony-,and Emmy-winning method actress.

Anne Bancroft was born Anna Maria Louisa Italiano,the daughter of Mildred (née DiNapoli), a telephone operator, and Michael Italiano, a dress pattern maker. Anne Bancroft's parents were both children of Italian immigrants.

Anne Bancroft graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in the Bronx in 1948, and attended the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, the Actors Studio, and the American Film Institute's Directing Workshop for Women at UCLA. After appearing in a number of live television dramas under the name Anne Marno, she was told to change her surname for her film debut in Don't Bother to Knock in 1952.

Anne Bancroft was a contract player in the early days of her career just as the studio contract system was ending. Anne Bancroft left Hollywood and returned to New York due to the quality of roles she was being offered.

In 1958 she appeared opposite Henry Fonda in the Broadway production of Two for the Seesaw, for which she won a Tony Award, and another in 1962 for The Miracle Worker. Anne Bancroft took the latter role back to Hollywood, and won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1962.

A highly acclaimed television special, "Annie: the Women in the Life of a Man" won her an Emmy award for her singing and acting. Anne Bancroft is one of a very select few entertainers to win an Oscar, an Emmy and a Tony award.

Anne Bancroft as Mother Miriam Ruth in Agnes of God Other major film roles were in The Pumpkin Eater, 7 Women, and what is unquestionably her best-known role, Mrs. Robinson, opposite Dustin Hoffman in the film The Graduate. Ironically, Anne Bancroft, then only 36 years old, played opposite a 30-year-old Hoffman. Although Anne Bancroft is now iconically identified as Mrs. Robinson, she was not the first choice for the role; Patricia Neal(who had recently suffered a stroke), Doris Day and Jeanne Moreau turned it down. Anne Bancroft was ambivalent about her appearance in The Graduate; she stated in several interviews that the role overshadowed all of her other work.

In 1980, she made her debut as a screenwriter and director in Fatso, in which she starred along with Dom DeLuise. Anne Bancroft was also the original choice to play Joan Crawford in the 1981 movie Mommie Dearest, but backed out at the 11th hour, and was replaced by Faye Dunaway. Anne Bancroft was also a front-runner for the role of Aurora Greenway in Terms of Endearment, but declined in order to act in the remake of To Be or Not to Be (1983).

From 1 July, 1953, to 13 February, 1957, she was married to Martin May. The marriage produced no children.

In 1961, Anne Bancroft met Mel Brooks in a rehearsal for the Perry Como variety show. Mel Brooks bribed a studio employee to find out where she was having dinner so he could meet her again. Once Anne Bancroft met Mel Brooks, she went to her therapist and told him they had to conclude the therapy as fast as possible because she had met the man she was going to marry.

They married on 5 August, 1964, in New York City Hall and were together until her death. They had one son, Maximillian, in 1972. They were seen 3 times on the screen together: once dancing a tango in Brooks's 1976 Silent Movie, in Brooks's 1983 remake of To Be or Not to Be, and in the episode entitled "Opening Night" of the HBO show Curb Your Enthusiasm. Mel Brooks produced the 1980 film The Elephant Man, in which Anne Bancroft acted. Mel Brooks also executive-produced the 1987 film 84 Charing Cross Road in which she starred. Anne Bancroft is on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6368 Hollywood Boulevard.

Anne Bancroft was survived by Mel Brooks, their son, a grandson, her mother and 2 sisters. Anne Bancroft is interred at the Kensico Cemetery in Valhalla, New York, near her father, Michael Italiano. A white marble monument with a weeping angel adorns her grave.

Keep visiting: www.lifechums.com more Celebrities featuring Shortly .............

But we're interested in one in particular.

Our friend, Jilon Ghai, an actor in Los Angeles, has submitted an audition for a contest to appear on Mad Men! Mad Men is an Emmy award-winning original series on AMC. It was created by Matthew Weiner and it is one of the most clever commentaries on the "Golden Age" of advertising I've ever seen!

[brightcove vid=1672667207&exp=980289705&w=440&h=373]

Help him get to number 1!! VOTE HERE!!!

(FYI, He is the SECOND one down)

 The first movie I watched was “ I am David”. The story was of the life of a boy who left the concentration camp filled with brutal memories of war and death and how he learns to smile one day. While watching this movie it reminded me of the other day when me and my friend Akhilesh were walking down the Norwich street, we met up with an old lady, she appeared lost, not sure where her next destination would be, her eyes greeted us with curiosity and we could not help her much but exchange a casual “Good Morning, How are you?” in the most cheerful tone. It did cost us nothing, but she felt a bit more relaxed and shared a smiling glance at us. Anne Holm in his 1963 written novel has similarly portraited David’s life. David grew up in the concentration camps seeing deaths as the most obvious sights everyday, this made him have the most unsual eyes which any painter finds tough to depict and explain!

How many a times we come across such interesting expressions in our regular journey by tube ? I know , we live by our own worries and curse our destiny for  our miseries, only perhaps if we could know the more deeper sorrows hidden in the many Davids around us, the eyes we look at but could not comprehend what it means, it could be the eyes of agony or pain or of confusion and mistrust……there might a hidden language telling us a story !!!

The next movie I watched was  “Big Fish”. It depicts the picture of a story telling father Edward Bloom who tells the most simplest of stories of his life with unusual fantasies and creativity which his son , Will, never believes.The movie is a store-house of simple philosophies of life with the message of helping everyone and leaving your footprint in someone else’s life with sheer determination and honest effort. While watching this movie I could not help thinking of 3 years back when one my mentor Sir Aravind Srinivas, asked me , “What would you like to be ? A Big Fish in a small pond  or A small fish in a sea and growing up to a Big Fish one day” Well, I chose the later , It was not that the transition was a smooth one, I am spending lot of my times making mistakes , but every mistakes only teaches me one new secret which might help me becoming a Big Fish one day. Looking around me I find today lot of my friends are constantly lost in conflict whether they would stay in the Small Pond and live like a Big Fish, or get lost in the challenges of the sea and struggle everyday to become a Big Fish someday. I know there is nothing like a perfect answer to solve this dilemma, all I hope that we keep recognizing the effort the Big Fish has made in a small pond and helping all the small fishes, in whatever way we can, to become a Big Fish in the sea one day. Who knows!!! someday you may become a Big Fish in the sea in this process!!!

Ho comunque voglia di dedicarvi (e in particolare a Monte, oserei dire) una citazione di Al Pacino, tratta da "Scent of a woman", un rifacimento dell'italiano "Profumo di Donna" di Dino Risi (è uno dei miei idoli, ormai si sa) e con Vittorio Gassman che ha vinto un premio Oscar (miglior attore) e tre Golden Globe.
Al Pacino per interpretare il suo ruolo di non vedente ha imparato a muoversi come un cieco grazie ad alcune associazioni per non vedenti.

"Le donne... Sai cosa ti dico?
Chi le ha create... Dio deve essere proprio un genio.
I capelli, i capelli sono tutto, lo sai: hai mai affondato il naso in una montagna di capelli sognanti? Di addormentartici sopra?
O le labbra, quando toccano le tue come il primo sorso di vino dopo che hai attraversato il deserto...
Le tette, belle tettone, tettine, capezzoli, capezzoli che ti puntano addosso come baionette in estate...
E le gambe, non importa che siano colonne greche o gambe di pianoforte,
e quello che c'è in mezzo, il passaporto per il Paradiso...
[...]

Sì signor Simms,
ci sono solo due sillabe sulla faccia di questa Terra che sono degne di ascolto...
FI-CA"

(Frank Slade)