American Idol Getting Close To Saying Goodbye To Simon Cowell
We know a few things about next week's American Idol finale. For starters, we know the two finalists are Lee Dewyze and Crystal Bowersox who will be vying for the title of the next American idol. We also know that super-mega-star Christina Aguilera will be performing, as will Kris Allen. However, the single biggest thing we know about the finale is that it will be Simon Cowell's very last show ever.
American Idol Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood will also be a big part of the two-day event. It's rumored she'll be performing her smash hit "Undo It" on Wednesday night's two-hour blowout. This will be the third time she has appeared this season.
Dewyze and Bowersox will make their final performances Tuesday night. Bowersox won the coin toss and opted to perform second. Personally, I would choose to go first to set the bar, but that's just me. Regardless, the show promises to be a huge hit, and with Cowell's departure it could turn in to one of the most viewed shows in television history. Certainly it will be the most viewed Idol ever.
Speaking of Cowell, his departure is, of course, the biggest news in all of this. As the creator of the show, he's been the man everyone has loved to hate, but in the final analysis is seldom wrong and seldom disrespected. There's no question he's got a handle on the zeitgeist of popular music culture like few ever have or will.
Cowell, who will be leaving American Idol to start up the American television version of The X Factor has said repeatedly that the time has simply come for him to say goodbye to Idol. Cowell has pretty much cited burnout as the reason, tell the press that he can't hide it when he's bored, and sometimes finds himself sitting there on automatic pilot. Still, in the end Cowell said he loved the experience, and loved the buzz the show created. He said he loved being associated with something that everyone was talking about.
The finale, which airs on Tuesday the 25th and Wednesday the 26th on Fox TV and DISH Network, will be filled with individual performances, duets, appearances from the top 12 Idol contestants this season, and, of course, no shortage of tears and tributes to the most well liked bad man on satellite tv, Simon Cowell.
Robin Hood Opens Nationwide Today!
Ridley Scott is nothing if not creative and inventive as an auteur filmmaker. His blockbuster films over the years have included Alien from 1979, Blade Runner from 1982, Legend from 1985, Thelma & Louise from 1992, Gladiator from 2000, and American Gangster from 2007.
Those films alone would be considered a stellar career for any filmmaker, and they're only a fraction of the more than 50 films that Scott has produced and/or directed. Any one of those films above are motivation enough for me to go see Robin Hood this weekend, and if it's at all possible I'm going to catch the first showing of the day.
This is the fifth collaboration between director Ridley Scott and Robin Hood star Russell Crowe. The two worked together on the Oscar-winning Gladiator. In this version of the timeless tale, it's 1192 and Robin Longstride (Crowe) is an archer in King Richard the Lionheart's army.
Robin assumes the identity of a dead soldier to flee to Nottingham, and shortly after meets Lady Marian Loxley (Oscar-winner Cate Blanchett), the widow of that dead soldier. What film of this nature wouldn't add a bit of romance? Meanwhile, intrigue is on the rise at the king's castle, where Richard the Lionheart is killed, and his younger and evil-minded brother John assumes the throne.
Scott had the great honor of having his latest film open the 63rd annual Cannes Film Festival this week in Cannes, France. Along with Scott, Crowe and Blanchett were part of the star-studded, gala crowd gathered for the world premier and opening ceremonies for the most famous film festival in the world.
This particular installment of the Sherwood Forest gang has Robin in the familiar role of stealing from the rich, but he doesn't do a lot of giving to the poor. In fact, he and his gang of forest bandits pretty much keep the goods for themselves. From all early reports, Crowe delivers a solid turn as Robin, relying on his ability to play the strong, silent noble type we've seen from him in the past.
When successful directors like Scott release a new film to theater audiences, they're frequently benefited by renewed interest in their previous work. Premium movie channels on DISH Network, including HBO, Starz, Showtime, and Cinemax know that viewers love to revisit previous favorite films, so they're quick to show as many favorites from yester-year as possible.
So, get out and see Robin Hood this weekend and then settle down with DISH Network and catch up on some of your favorite Hollywood blockbusters the way they were meant to be seen: uncut, and unedited without commercial interruptions!
Iron Man 2 Grips US Audiences Friday
This is the weekend that summer movie buffs have circled in their calendars. This is the weekend I have circled in my calendar. It is the official kickoff of the Summer Blockbuster season at theaters around the country, and this year it's about to start with a huge, clanking, metallic bang!
Iron Man 2, the highly anticipated sequel to 2008's Iron Man, starring Robert Downey Jr., and Gwyneth Paltrow, is poised to take America by storm starting this Friday. Many theater chains across the country are preparing for an invasion of movie fans late Thursday night, and will host midnight parties and gala events – complete with the first showings of this season's must-see mega-hit.
The film opened this weekend around the world, and early indications are super positive. The film showed for the first time in 53 international territories where it's already made $100.2 million, including $12.2 million in England and $10.8 million in South Korea. The first Iron Man opened in the United States in 2008 to a weekend box office of $96 million, and went on to make $585 million worldwide.
While Iron Man 2 is expected to be extremely popular with moviegoers, not every Comic Book/Super Hero film has done as well. In fact, some have been huge disappointments. Elektra, which was a Daredevil spinoff starring Jennifer Garner was a box office failure after the success of Daredevil starring Garner and hubby Ben Affleck. Ang Lee's The Hulk was so bad in theaters it was practically forgotten by moviegoers the following week. Remember Catwoman with Halle Berry? You'd be in short company if you do. Even the highly touted Watchmen wound up a dry, dull disappointment that left many fans of the graphic novel series scratching their heads.
However, comic book super heroes as a film format is, by and large, a ticket to box office success. Superman, Spiderman, and Batman have enjoyed unprecedented success, as has Iron Man, the X-Men, and the Fantastic Four. So, what makes one particular super hero a fan favorite and another a dud? Longevity and familiarity. These particular comic book heroes have been around for decades and as a result have fan bases that transcend any one generation or demographic. I remember Superman, Spiderman, Batman, and Iron Man as a kid, and now young kids love them just as much as I did. When generations of families go to super hero movies together there can be no question of their popularity.
So, I've got an aggressive plan scheduled for this weekend, because there's no way I'm going to miss this movie, and there's no way I'm only seeing it once. After all, I've been waiting since about the day after the first one came out in 2008 for this sequel. First, I'm going to a midnight showing. There's a theater just a couple blocks from me and I'm going, with or without anyone else. Then I'm going to see it again on Friday afternoon with some friends. Had this planned for a while, and our tickets are already bought and paid for.
My weekend won't stop there, however, because DISH Network is showing the first Iron Man in HD this weekend on EPIX HD. So, after I get back on Friday night from watching Iron Man 2 on the big screen I'll check out the original in High Definition, and then I'm going back to the theater to catch the sequel again, just so I have it all straight!
I don't know about you but this is the best movie weekend of the year, and I can't wait to watch Iron Man 2 on the big screen, surrounded by state-of-the-art sound and a few hundred of my closest friends! Hope I've recovered from this action packed weekend by Monday!
Some Of The Best Dystopian Films Of All Time
Consider something Dystopian the opposite of Utopian; a dystopia the opposite of a utopia. Often characterized by authoritarian or totalitarian forms of government, in movies the setting is often that of a repressive social control systems, a lack or total absence of individual freedoms and expressions, or a state of constant warfare or violence.
True fans of the film genre will have seen most of the more popular titles, particularly if you have a premium movie package from DISH Network. These include A Clockwork Orange, Mad Max, Blade Runner, Logan's Run, and of course the granddaddy of them all, 1984.
You can see, by this list alone, the appeal of the genre. There are, however, many more great films in the genre, some of which you may not recognize. Discovering something new is always fun, especially if you love movies like I do. Here are a few lesser known films that offer some of the best stories, and in some instances are the very best the Dystopian genre has to offer.
If you've never seen David Cronenberg's Videodrome from 1983, add it to your must-see list this instant. Max Renn, a sleazy cable TV operator discovers a snuff broadcast called "Videodrome". It's more than just a television show, it's an experiment that uses regular TV transmissions to permanently alter the viewer's perception by giving them brain damage. Catch this film as soon as you can.
I have loved the films of the French New Wave for about 20 years now, and the biggest among them, Jean-Luc Godard, gave us Alphaville back in 1965. Alphaville combines the genres of dystopian, science fiction, and film noir. Although set far in the future on another planet, there are no special effects or elaborate sets. Lemmy Caution, who is an agent from "Outland", poses as a journalist named Ivan Johnson, and claims to work for the Figaro-Pravda. He photographs everything he sees, particularly things that ordinarily would seem unimportant to a reporter.
Many years ago the author Kurt Vonnegut wrote a short story about a society in which everyone was made equal, because that was the primary duty of the federal government. This is the premise of Harrison Bergeron, the Showtime film, which millions of views saw on DISH Network, adapted from Vonnegut’s futuristic short story. The film centers around a young man, Harrison, who is smarter than his peers, and for some reason is unaffected by the usual "handicapping" used to train all Americans so everyone is of equal intelligence.
These, and many other great films, have been showing on DISH Network for years now, with millions of viewers tuning in to this awesome genre. For any true lover of films, these titles offer you something extraordinary into which you can totally immerse.The Best Football Movies of All Time
I was pretty fixated on the NFL draft last night, which got me in the mood for my next favorite thing after football: movies. And what better than a football movie on NFL draft day? I've seen them all, trust me, and feel like I have a pretty good handle on some of the greatest of all time. So, without further silliness, here are my favs, in no particular order.
Nick Nolte and Mac Davis brought us the seedier, steamier side of the NFL in North Dallas Forty. Derived from the book by the same name, written by former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Pete Gent, the movie is as good today as when it came out in 1979.
Brian's Song is one of those movies that had it all, including the ability to make tough men cry. I'm not so tough, so I get weepy just thinking about how good this movie really is. James Caan and Billy Dee Williams star in what are arguably the best roles of their careers in a made-for-TV movie of all things.
If you've never seen the original The Longest Yard with Burt Reynolds, do yourself a favor and get a copy of it ASAP. Reynolds is an incredibly believable quarterback-turned-convict. The movie is benefited from the use of real life NFL stars Joe Kapp and Ray Nitschke, and is one of the greatest guards-versus-inmate movies of any genre.
Two movies you might not immediately consider are from a different era. The 1925 silent film The Freshman is the father of all underdog-becomes-hero movie in which the water boy becomes the star of the big game. Also, the Marx Brothers' classic, Horse Feathers, from 1932, is a movie to be cherished by all. It's nonstop Groucho Marx as the president of Huxley College, bound and determined to implement a quick fix for the school's lousy football team. The two "ringers" Groucho winds up with are, of course, Harpo and Chico. Needless to say, hilarity by the bucketsful, ensues.
One of my favorite football movies of all time has got to be Jerry Maguire starring Tom Cruise, Renee Zellweger, and Cuba Gooding Jr., who won an Oscar for his role as "Show Me the Money" wide receiver, Rod Tidwell. While this movie didn't necessarily have me at hello, it did grow on me, particularly the Arizona locales. I've spent a lot of time at Sun Devil Stadium and it was great to see so many familiar locations. In a strange way it kind of made me feel a bit like an insider. I really loved the relationship between Cruise and Gooding Jr., and didn't at all feel like the love story between Cruise and Zellweger detracted at all. There's certainly nothing wrong with a movie that leaves you feeling good about things.
There's never a shortage of great football movies on DISH Network. In fact, between the premium channels, pay-per-view, and DISH ON Demand, there are more than 16,000 movies to choose from each month. Many of them, of course, are football movies so get in the game and score the winning touchdown with one of the great DISH Network packages!
