What To Look For In 2012

Just a few things to look for in 2012:

TV: Howard Stern begins as a judge on America's Got Talent in the summer. The "King of All Media" will finally return to Television, this time judging people. The Parents Television Council objected to this, but I say screw 'em. Stern will bring a new life to this show, and he doesn't need to be raunchy to be funny. If the PTC doesn't like it, change the channel. Smash, premiering in February on NBC and executive produced by Steven Spielberg, is supposedly one of the strongest new shows of the year. Can NBC make a comeback with this and The Voice?

Film: 2012 should be a big year for films. The Dark Knight Rises leads the pack, along with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Avengers, and The Amazing Spider-Man as the big action/adventure films. Titanic & Finding Nemo will be re-released in 3D. Classic novel The Great Gatsby gets a modern film version. Finally, look for a possible dark horse film of 2012 in November - Gravity by Alfonso Cuaron and starring Sandra Bullock & George Clooney who are astronauts that survive damage to a space station and need to figure out a way back to earth.

Sports: The London 2012 Olympics of course! Michael Phelps returns for his final Olympic games, and be on the look out for the women's soccer matches on the heels of the successful 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup.  Maybe a rematch between Brazil-USA and/or Japan-USA? And in the NFL...what will the Colts do with Peyton Manning if they get the #1 pick and draft Andrew Luck?

Music: Madonna will perform at the halftime of the Super Bowl, and release a new album following that. Nicki Minaj is rumored to join her on stage for a song, and will also be releasing new music. Aerosmith returns as well following Steven Tyler's return to American Idol, with an album that will be reminiscent of 1970s Aerosmith. There is about a 50/50 chance of a new album from U2, and No Doubt will supposedly be releasing their first new album since 2001's Rock Steady. Also expect new albums from Cher, Taylor Swift, Paul McCartney, Green Day, Wu-tang Clan, Christina Aguilera, Paramore, Willow Smith, Bruce Springsteen and the reformed Black Sabbath (with Ozzy Osbourne) and Van Halen.

Lindsay Lohan: Will she make a comeback in 2012? Besides an appearance in the 2010 film Machete, she hasn't been on the big screen since 2007. She was rumored to be in the Gotti movie, but who knows. Will she make it to 2013? Will she get any new outstanding mugshots? And how many clubs will she frequent with her mom Dina?

Sophia Grace & Rosie at the Grammy Museum

Sophia Grace and Rosie, everyones favorite energetic children from Essex, England are back! For those who have been living under a rock, they are the latest and youngest members of the British Invasion, following in the footsteps of The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Spice Girls and David Beckham. They performed a spot-on version of "Super Bass" by Nicki Minaj on YouTube, and quickly caught the attention of Ellen DeGeneres. Well, Sophia Grace performed it, with Rosie acting as her "hype girl." They appeared on the Ellen Show and since then, captured the attention of people all over. Here's the first Ellen Show appearance and when they met Nicki Minaj: 

Now they have their own YouTube channel and recently visited the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles for their "Sophia Grace and Rosie Show." Admit it, you want to see them running around the Grammy Museum. Sophia Grace makes her own rap song, and does a great job, as well as spontaneously bursting out into performances of "Thriller" by Michael Jackson, "All My Loving" by The Beatles and "Firework" by Katy Perry. Oh, and she tells Slash to eat his heart out! Dear Ellen, please bring them back on your show in 2012!

Watch The Dark Knight Rises Trailer!

The official trailer for The Dark Knight Rises starring Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy, Marion Cotillard, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine and Juno Temple (great cast!) has been released online. So watch Batman, Bane and Catwoman here in glorious HD!

I posted a preview before it hit theaters here, but now with the HD version it is even better. Notice the pearls Catwoman/Selina Kyle (Anne Hathaway) is wearing in the mirror. They look like the exact same ones Bruce's mom was wearing in Batman Begins. Did she steal them from Wayne Manor? Did Bruce give them to her symbolically? Or just a coincidence and the costume department didn't notice? Guess we'll find out on July 20, 2012.

I'm most looking forward to finding out more about Catwoman/Selina Kyle. She seems to be the most complex and well written character of the film. And with such a rich comic history, plus Christopher Nolan's great job adapting these legendary characters, I'm sure we will all be pleased with the end result. Anne Hathaway nails it in this epic trailer.

Preview of The Dark Knight Rises Trailer!

It's almost here! The first full trailer for The Dark Knight Rises will be released before Sherlock Holmes on Friday December 16th. It probably won't be officially released online until Monday the 19th, but will most certainly pop up around the internet. Don't read if you want to wait until Friday to watch it.

Well, I caught some of the trailer early...and it's epic! They manage to not give away any major plot points and show tons of action. There is one scene that takes place in a packed football stadium, during a football game...let's just say you've never seen anything like it before. (Okay, explosions trigger off and the field collapses behind into the ground as a player is running with the ball.) Bane (Tom Hardy) is the culprit of course.

We get a scene at what looks like some ball/party/masquerade with Selina Kyle/Catwoman (Anne Hathaway) and Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale). She tells him: "you think this will last? There is a storm coming, Mr Wayne. You and your friends better batten down the hatches." She then whispers in his ear, "cause when it hits, you're all gonna wonder how you could live so large and leave so little for the rest of us." So it seems as if Catwoman/Selina isn't too fond of Bruce in the beginning. I think she ends up helping him though. But it also makes it sound like Catwoman will in fact start out as a thief, or cat burglar. And maybe she will even agree with Bane until she sees how insane he is, thus joining Batman. Her line also makes it seem like a little "Occupy Wall Street" vibe in the story. (As well as Bane getting the criminals and poor of Gotham to rise against the rich.) This script was written years ago though, but still manages to be very timely. Christopher Nolan must see the future!

I also felt this scene of Selina and Bruce dancing at a masquerade/ball with some tension seems similar to the masquerade scene with the two in 1992's Batman Returns. Maybe they did that as a little callback to that great film.

One final thing, we get a brief glimpse of Marion Cotillard as Miranda Tate and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as John Blake. I really believe they will actually be playing two League of Shadows members. Marion as Talia al Ghul and Joseph maybe as Black Mask? I can't see those two great actors just playing random Gotham people. I have a feeling Catwoman will take one of these two out while Batman battles with Bane for an epic finale. Just some speculation!

This movie is going to be one of the best of 2012 already.

HBO: Please Renew Enlightened

Enlightened, the HBO dramedy Starring Laura Dern, Luke Wilson, Diane Ladd and Mike White, just had it's first season finale. And it's one of the best shows you're probably not watching. Dern (Jurassic Park, Little Fockers, Recount)  plays Amy Jellicoe, who has a complete and crazy breakdown at her office. She had an affair with her former boss Damon (Charles Esten) which crashes and leads to the meltdown. Amy is then sent on a spiritual retreat and comes back with a new outlook on life...though not everyone can accept it. Old habits die hard. Dern does a fantastic job in the role and makes it all believable, and you really want to pull for Amy, who has been beaten down and doesn't seem to have anything go right for her in the beginning.

The finale changed that. Damon and Amy's former co-workers up top (she now works in the basement of the office) allow her to present some information to them about company practices. They only do it to have a laugh at her expense though, and she hears them making fun of her on her way out. Amy gets the last laugh though when she storms in and reminds Damon she knows all about how they receive kick backs and double dip at the expense of other workers. She then gets back downstairs and manages to get a hacked password from her co-worker Tyler (Mike White), so she can now have all their e-mails. Will Amy take down those at the top and transform their company, Abbadon? That is one of the cliffhangers, along with if her drug addicted ex-husband Levi (Luke Wilson) will get the same help that she did.

Enlightened didn't bring in huge ratings, but there is a chance it will get renewed. Reviews have been solid, HBO seemingly likes the show, and since HBO is premium and not ad-supported, ratings don't matter quite as much (though still important). But please HBO, let this show have more episodes. A great show like this deserves the chance to increase it's audience. It has happened before.

And people, go watch it however you can! When the DVD comes out, On Demand, reruns, however. You won't regret it. Enlightened is one of the most satisfying new shows of the season. And speaking of Laura Dern, I wonder if she will be in Jurassic Park 4?

Universal Orlando closing JAWS; Harry Potter expansion

It was announced that the attraction JAWS, built in 1990 for the opening of Universal Orlando, will be closing January 2, 2012. The ride has had some technical difficulties over the years due to the use of water obviously for the mechanical sharks. With everything being underwater, it takes a lot of work to maintain all the equipment, so cost may be a factor as well. It's probably sad to see an original ride go, however ET is still around and should be for a long time.

The good news is that they may be replacing this with the expansion of The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. The area has been a huge success, and Universal confirmed the expansion plans. Since it's located in Islands of Adventure and the JAWS spot is in Universal Studios, one rumor is they may connect the two parks with a Hogwarts Express train ride. Obviously this means you might need a ticket for both parks, which may be how you get on the train. Everyone goes to both anyway.

Genius idea in my book. As of now it seems like this new area will be London with King's Cross & Platform 9 3/4 as well as Diagon Alley. Another rumor is that the big new state of the art ride will be an indoor coaster that takes place inside Gringott's bank. In Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2 we saw quite the wild ride inside Gringott's...so maybe that is where the inspiration comes from? There may also be yet another ride. We'll have to wait and see.

Barbara Gordon & Dark Knight Rises

Recently a rumor has been going around that Ellen Page is in The Dark Knight Rises and would be playing Barbara Gordon, Commissioner Jim Gordon's (Gary Oldman) daughter, who in the comic books eventually becomes Batgirl. However, this rumor is apparently a fake.

However, the film takes place 8 years after The Dark Knight. We see Barbara Gordon in The Dark Knight at the end with the showdown between Batman, Harvey Dent and Gordon. She looks to be around 10 or 11 years old, so in this film she would probably be around 18/19. So it's somewhat likely she will be in the film and who knows, maybe becomes Batgirl at some point.

It hasn't been confirmed if Barbara Gordon is in the film or not, but Juno Temple is playing a "Street-smart Gotham girl." We don't have a name for her character though...which leads me to believe that she is Barbara Gordon and they are keeping it under wraps, considering the film takes place 8 years after the previous film and she would now be in her late teens. Maybe she has something to do with being trained and taken under the wing by Catwoman while Batman is gone? It's all speculation, but it sure is fun to try and figure out.

Speaking of Catwoman, Anne Hathaway is engaged to Adam Shulman. Congrats! As for Christian Bale, he confirmed that Dark Knight Rises will be the last time he plays Batman.

Survive Black Friday?

Looks like Black Friday got a little heated this year. I blame the admittedly funny "Crazy Target Lady." She is portrayed by the very funny stand up comic Maria Bamford. Maybe they should hire her for Valentine's Day? I look forward to those ads more than I do the actual day, since I would rather sit on my ass and order the deals online. Yes, you can get most of the same deals online and you don't have to worry about being sprayed with pepper spray or being punched in the face! Go figure...

Pepper Spray incidents, a shooting, fights, a drunk guy getting tasered, and a mob over 2 dollar Waffle Irons. Most of these happened at Wal-Mart...does Wal-Mart bring out the crazy in people on an already crazy day?

Well, I hope everyone enjoys their 3 dollar copies of The Dark Knight or the cheap toaster or Taylor Swift CD or whatever it is you got. Happy Holidays!

Memorable Thanksgiving Episodes

It seems every television show tackles Christmas, though plenty have gone with Thanksgiving episodes as well. Friends is notable for having one every year and were by far the masters of creating funny, memorable Thanksgiving moments on TV. We'll soon see how some of this seasons shows stack up with their Holiday themed episodes. Modern Family tackles Thanksgiving this week for the first time, and it's sure to be a favorite. For now, here are some of TV's best Thanksgiving episodes.

Friends - The One With The Football (1996). Pretty much every Friends Thanksgiving episode is great, but this one stands out the most. The gang decides to pay a game of touch football, with Monica and Ross bringing out their old sibling rivalry and the hilarious "Geller Cup" prize, which is a troll nailed to a piece of wood.

The Simpsons - Bart vs. Thanksgiving (1990). One of the best Simpsons episodes, we see some great dysfunctional family moments when they all gather up, which I'm sure many can relate to. Bart ends up going to a soup kitchen after fighting with Lisa, but eventually the family reunite for a feel-good end and some leftovers with the in-laws gone.

A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (1973). This is an obvious inclusion. Not as memorable as A Charlie Brown Christmas or The Great Pumpkin, but you can't go wrong with this one either. The group has their own Thanksgiving and Charlie Brown scrambles to find food, so they get toast, pretzels and some popcorn. And of course, that evil bitch Lucy pulls the football when Charlie Brown tries to kick it.

Married... With Children - A Bundy Thanksgiving (1996). The Bundy's are known for their Christmas episodes, though Thanksgiving gets one in as well. A stray turkey follows Kelly Bundy home, and she does her best to try and protect it. So she tries to let it fly by tossing it out the window...

Everybody Loves Raymond - No Fat (1998). Marie is trying to be healthier, so she buys a Tofu Turkey instead of a regular one and everyone is forced to try and eat it. Their reactions are perfect, and eventually a real turkey makes it's way to the table.

South Park - Hellen Keller! The Musical (2000) - In classic South Park fashion, they take Thanksgiving and turn out a raunchy and hilarious episode from it. The kids are putting on a Thanksgiving Extravaganza at school, so they go over the top with their version of The Miracle Worker in order to out-do the kindergartners, which Butters says have an amazing performance. Turns out the kindergarten performance is short and simple, with a little confetti. It's safe to say they all get pissed at Butters.

The Office - WUPHF.com (2010) - Dwight hosts a Thanksgiving hay festival in the Dunder Mifflin parking lot. He tells about how his family did this when he was a child, and he was never appointed "Hay King." So instead of letting the kids at the festival be King, he makes himself the King. And Kevin of course gets lost in the maze.

What are your favorite Thanksgiving episodes?

Mirror Mirror Trailer

After the trailer for Snow White & The Huntsman was released, we now have the trailer for the competing Mirror Mirror. Comparing the two movies, it's clear Mirror Mirror is going for a more comedy route thrown in with the action. It still has a dark feel to it, but not nearly as much as Snow White & The Huntsman. The two films are being released very close to each other, makes me wonder if it could hurt the box office of one.

Based on the current movie climate, I think The Huntsman will be more popular. The Dark Knight popularized the serious, darker take on a fantasy film by getting universal critical acclaim and a ton of cash. There is room for both films though, and it seems both Charlize Theron and Julia Roberts play the Evil Queen well in their own way.

Now, we wait for the trailer for the highly anticipated The Dark Knight Rises, which will be attached to Sherlock Holmes when that hits theaters. We better see some Anne Hathaway as Catwoman kicking some ass in this one!

Snow White & The Huntsman Trailer!

The trailer for the upcoming film Snow White & The Huntsman is out now and can be seen below! This is not your childhood Snow White. It's a much darker version, and the trailer conveys that well so parents won't take young kids to see it. It looks like a cross between Alice in Wonderland (2010), The Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows. They are planning to turn this into a trilogy, and from the looks of it the movie will be a success. The film stars Kristen Stewart, Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, Ian McShane and Eddie Izzard and will be out on June 1, 2012. See the trailer below, courtesy of joblo & Apple.

Another Snow White film comes out in March 2012, titled Mirror Mirror. This one stars Julia Roberts, Lily Collins, Armie Hammer, Sean Bean and Nathan Lane. There is no footage, but as you can see to the right, the film is more colorful than Snow White & The Huntsman and looks a bit more whimsical. Maybe it will be similar in style to the Narnia films? We will see soon enough.

Are you looking forward to both films, or just one?

U2's Achtung Baby Re-Released

Today, U2 has released multiple versions of their perfect 1991 album Achtung Baby. Most people should probably opt for the cheaper 2-Disc edition which can also be downloaded on iTunes & Amazon. It has the original album plus B-Sides and Unreleased tracks. For the people who want everything though, there is a Super Deluxe Edition with 6 CD's including the 1993 followup album Zooropa, as well as 4 DVD's including the great From The Sky Down documentary and the Zoo TV: Live from Sydney concert as well as a bunch of other goodies. Then there's the Uber Deluxe Edition, including sunglasses styled from the Zoo TV tour that Bono wore, as well as vinyl albums.

For those that haven't heard this album, what are you waiting for? It's one of the most creative albums of all time, and every song is a must-listen. One of the new, unreleased tracks on the 2-Disc edition is "Blow Your House Down", which could easily have been a single-worthy song, yet was left off the album. Shows how many great songs came from this. All the B-sides and remixes are interesting songs, and the 2-disc version does not cost too much more than the single disc. Definitely a worthy purchase for both long time fans and new listeners. I'm pretty sure everyone has heard the classic singles "One" and "Mysterious Ways" though.

For those who want the Super Deluxe, there are four extra unreleased songs. The best of which is "Oh Berlin", a haunting track that easily could have been on the main album as well. "Heaven and Hell" & "Everybody Loves a Winner" are fine tracks as well but not as memorable as "Oh Berlin" or "Blow Your House Down". Another is "Down All The Days", an early version of the track "Numb" from Zooropa with Bono on vocals instead of Edge.

It would be difficult to even rank the songs, because they are all so good. I'd have to say "The Fly" is probably my favorite song off the album. It was the first single and at the time it was very different from what people were used to from the band. I like to say it has some nice crunching guitar throughout. Anyone have a favorite track from Achtung Baby?

Halloween Classic: Hocus Pocus

ABC Family's 13 Night of Halloween is back, and it kicked off with the 1993 Disney cult classic, Hocus Pocus! The movie stars Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy as the Sanderson Sisters, the witches who have come back from being dead for 300 years thanks to a virgin lighting the black flame candle.

However, this is not to talk about the film itself. This is a plea to Disney to release a Special Edition Hocus Pocus on DVD. Currently the DVD is bare bones. No deleted scenes or special features like documentaries and such. The film is a cult classic and every Halloween people buy up the DVD and anticipate it being on TV. I'm surprised it hasn't been released with additional content. We know there are scenes that were in the trailer but not in the film. One such shows the sisters in a supermarket.

Maybe there will be something going on for 2013, which will be the 20th Anniversary. Yes, that will make everyone feel old. There have also been rumors of a sequel. Hopefully if there is one, it has the original cast. I don't think people would be excited about one of those direct-to-DVD films with new people playing the characters.

Show your support, E-Mail Disney and ask them to release a Special Edition of Hocus Pocus on DVD and Blu Ray! Hurry, go now, I put a spell on you.

Also, this site has pictures of the filming locations in Salem, Massachusetts as they look now. Some of them look the same!

Funny Videos

Everyone loves funny videos from YouTube. You have to check this one out, of a Turkey chasing an ABC News Producer. Her commentary is pure comedy gold. "He's out there waiting for me..." "I would not want to be the people living here, thank you very much."

Next is a great comedian who spoofs various famous people. Her name is Amy Phillips, and her impressions are spot on. Some of her spoofs include Casey Anthony, the Mob Wives, Ramona from the Real Housewives, Kat Von D (with Jesse James), Sarah Jessica Parker, Rachel Zoe, Glee and others. Check her funny videos out!

Miami Marlins Funny Home Run Feature

Okay, even non-Baseball fans will get a kick out of this. The Florida Marlins are changing their name to the Miami Marlins and moving into a new stadium. They're moving from the Dolphins football stadium, Sun Life Stadium in Miami Gardens, to a new baseball stadium in the little Havana section of Miami starting in 2012.

So, their new stadium will have an over-the-top Home Run feature. It looks like if the Circus Circus or Mardi Gras resort in Las Vegas had a baby with Ocean Drive on South Beach. See here:

Yes, it looks like an Acid Trip. Maybe that's the point? Might bring in some new fans...they can't really have a "first 15,000 fans get a free hit of ecstasy" night, since it's illegal and all, so this was the next best thing. The thing will flash and those things will move around and make marlin noises and apparently splash water whenever the Marlins hit a home run. I think the Marlins are going to become the favorite team of all potheads. Anyone that is High would love to stare at that. Increased attendance for sure!

Recovering drug addicts may want to be kept out of the park though. This thing screams Relapse! Or who knows...maybe it will make them think they're on drugs, thus keeping them off? One can only wonder.

Where Might the Next NASA Satellite Land?

If you haven't heard by now, that falling NASA Satellite landed in the Pacific Ocean a few weeks ago. It got me thinking...where might the next falling satellite land? I have some theories. Maybe Las Vegas will start taking bets.

1. The Kardashian House. I actually think they may arrange for this to happen. Think of the publicity they will get! Reports all around the house, NASA coming to collect it. It won't be for a while though. This will come after the inevitable highly publicized divorce between Kim Kardashian and NBA star Kris Humphries. (Oh you know it's bound to happen.)

2. Onto the body of Osama Bin Laden at the bottom of the ocean. The ocean is always the most likely place for it to land, since it's so big. So, when it sinks to the bottom, maybe it will land on top of Bin Laden's body. Or possibly a shipwreck. Hopefully not the Titanic. If it's between Bin Laden and the Titanic, it lands on Bin Laden. Nobody would be upset with that. Oh, and speaking of the Titanic, will Titanic 3D be the last 3D re-release that actually makes good money? The Lion King 3D has made a ton at the Box Office, but people will eventually get tired of all these expensive 3D re-releases. Back to falling satellites...

3. Oprah's backyard. She OWNs (see what I did there?!?) everything else, why not an old satellite?

4. Onto a Glacier. Glacier's seem to be taking a beating lately.

5. Into Cowboys Stadium in Dallas. That's what you get for building such an over-the-top stadium! (Though it does look cool.)

6. On top of Casey Anthony. I'm not sure people would care about this one. We know Nancy Grace wouldn't! She would throw the biggest party known to mankind.

More New Fall TV

I previously posted about Sarah Michelle Gellar's new show on The CW, Ringer. (The second episode was solid, by the way) There are a few other shows that I enjoyed and a few I will check out.

First, Up All Night, the new NBC sitcom starring Christina Applegate, Will Arnett, Maya Rudolph & Nick Cannon. I liked the pilot, but didn't love it, though that is usually the case with sitcoms when you're first introduced to characters you've never seen. However, the second episode this week was much better and featured plenty of laugh out loud moments. Particularly the scenes with Applegate & Arnett trying to impress their new hipster neighbors. Sitcom fans will want to check it out.

Revenge is a new ABC drama about, you guessed it, revenge. I enjoyed the pilot, and it's over the top premise of how a daughter is getting revenge on the people who framed and destroyed her father when she was younger in the backdrop of the Hamptons. The show begins right off the bat with a murder, but then moves to five months earlier. The whole pilot does a fine job setting up the rest of the season, leaving you win many questions on how Emily VanCamp's character will evolve and if she'll succeed.

Simon Cowell and Paula Abdul are back with The X Factor on FOX. Not much to say about this, you know how these singing shows go. You either like it or you don't. I missed Simon telling it like it is and his witty remarks about the performers who suck, so I'll watch early on. This is  a little different from American Idol in that there is no age limit, a group of people can perform together, and there is a 5 Million Dollar prize. Also, the judges have Pepsi cups instead of Coke ones in front of them. Clever!

Two shows I'm looking forward too, and you should be as well, are Terra Nova and Pan Am. I'm looking forward to Terra Nova, which starts Monday September 26 on FOX, because it's like Jurassic Park for the small screen. Dinosaurs and Action! That is reason enough. Now when will we get Jurassic Park 4, Spielberg? As for Pan Am, early reviews have been stellar for the historical drama and it could be the breakout new series of the Fall. And it's set in the 1960s. Who doesn't love the 60s? There's also some espionage thrown in, which could be interesting.

Hot New Show: Ringer

Fall TV is back! Ringer starring Sarah Michelle Gellar debuted tonight on The CW. It's the first show I've really watched on The CW, but from reviews and my own personal enjoyment of the show it doesn't seem like any other show on the network can compare.

The plot is interesting and throws in enough twists and turns that the viewer will always be on the edge of their seat, wanting to pay attention and see what happens next. It's Sarah Michelle Gellar's return to TV after doing Buffy The Vampire Slayer from 1997-2003. She does her dual role perfectly and believably, playing twin sisters who haven't spoken to each other in six years. Both characters, Bridget & Siobhan, have interesting backgrounds filled with drama & crime. I don't want to give any plot away, but if you're into drama and suspense mixed with some mystery then you'll enjoy this. Ioan Gruffudd & Nestor Carbonell also star.

This isn't like any other show on The CW, so if you think of that network being geared towards a certain audience, you can change your perceptions and give Ringer a chance. It airs on Tuesdays at 9PM.

Beatles 1 Compilation on iTunes

The best selling album of the 2000s with over 31 million worldwide and close to 12 million in the US, The Beatles' 1, is now on iTunes. It will also be re-released in a digipak CD with the remastered audio from the 2009 remasters on September 13th.

The set is on sale at iTunes for only $9.99 for a limited time. For anyone who has yet to own any Beatles music, what are you waiting for? The album contains all 27 US & UK Number One songs by the group. You really can't beat 27 amazing songs for just $10. No wonder the set has fittingly shot to Number 1 on iTunes in most countries around the world. For those yet to really listen to The Beatles, it's the perfect time to meet John, Paul, George and Ringo.

Like the other digital Beatles albums, this is also in the iTunes LP format with a digital booklet. The CD version which is packaged like the 2009 Remastered CD's is available for pre-order as well. When the album was first released in November 2000, it was Beatlemania all over again. It became the fastest selling album in history, and shot to Number 1 around the world. In the US, it spent Eight weeks on top of the Billboard 200 at #1 from 2000 into 2001. The Beatles are always getting new fans with their timeless music, so it's no surprise. Even though the Beatles are the biggest music act of all time, it still has to be impressive that a band that broke up in 1970 can have the best selling album of the 2000s.

Aaliyah Remembered

It's been 10 years since Aaliyah's plane crashed on August 25, 2001 soon after taking off from the Bahamas. Aaliyah was a rare talent, and was about to become a big movie star as well as an even bigger singer. She had begun filming for the Matrix sequels, but her scenes were not completed and they had to recast the role. She was also going to be collaborating with Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails, which would've expanded her music. Her last album includes some rock with her normal Soul/R&B sound. We can only imagine what she would have done since then.

My favorite songs of hers:
1. Try Again (2000) - Her biggest hit and for good reasons. Great beats to go along with her voice.
2. One in a Million (1996) - Her voice is on full display, and you could tell she was going to be a big star.
3. Miss You (2002) - Released after her death, the song is a nice ballad and her voice sounds great laid back like it is here.
4. We Need a Resolution (2001) - The video for this song is probably her best, and the song made a good first single for her final album.
5. What If (2001) - Not a single, a track on her final album. It's an industrial rock leaning song, a preview of what she may have done with Trent Reznor. She knew how to change her voice to fit a different type of song.
6. Are You That Somebody? (1998) - The song from Dr. Dolittle, another addictive song with a beat and chorus you won't forget.
7. I Refuse (2001) - A piano dominated song from her last album, really showcases her voice.
8. Age Ain't Nothing but a Number (1994) - One of her first songs, sounds like it could fit on a TLC album and shows that even at a young age, she had a big voice.
9. Come Over (2003) - Released from the posthumous album I Care 4 U.
10. Journey to the Past (1997) - Another single from a soundtrack, she gave a great performance at the Academy Awards in 1998 of the song. More of a pop song, her voice translates well just as it did in her Hip Hop and Rock songs.

For those who have never listened to Aaliyah, do yourselves a favor and download the albums or some tracks. (For some reason the CD's are out of print, so you can only download them on iTunes and Amazon.) Hope they someday release deluxe versions with extra material.

Anne Hathaway Raps on Conan

If you missed it, Anne Hathaway, who is currently playing Catwoman, made a rap on Conan O'Brien about the paparazzi who have been around the set of The Dark Knight Rises. I can say she is already better than Soulja Boy ever was. As she comically stated, the song is in the style of Lil Wayne. Check it out:

First Look at Catwoman in The Dark Knight Rises

Warner Bros. was forced to release the anticipated first official photograph of Anne Hathaway as Selina Kyle aka Catwoman from the upcoming film The Dark Knight Rises. They had to because there were leaked shots from the set.

I like this costume, it's pretty tactical and I like the goggles. It's missing the trademark cat ears however, but I'm speculating that they will come later. I'm not sure what's happening in the photo, if Batman gave her the Batpod, or if Catwoman is stealing it. Apparently the photo does take place during the fight between Bane and Batman that was released earlier. I'll assume this is earlier in the film and she is stealing the Batpod. I think she'll eventually join up with Batman and that may be when she gets a "Cat" mask that the goggles will go over, perhaps from Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman). The image is listed under Selina Kyle, so this may be an outfit she uses as Selina. We will surely find out more in the coming months.

Take a look at some previous versions of Catwoman in TV & Film:

Michelle Pfeiffer (1992) -The Best Catwoman, from the film Batman Returns

Lee Meriweather (1966)

Eartha Kitt (1967)

Julie Newmar (1966)

Halle Berry (2004)

Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2 Review; Extended DVDs?

Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows Part 2 is now here, and concludes the film series based on the books by J.K Rowling. As many of you may know, it has been getting the best reviews of the eight films, and even generating some much deserved Oscar buzz. I, of course, think it should at least be nominated for Best Picture, as well as other categories like effects, score, possibly even a supporting actor nomination for Alan Rickman. This is without a doubt the most action packed of the films, and really moves by quickly, at a little over 2 hours. I would give the film about a 95 out of 100, knocking a few points off because of some things I'll put below the cut. And it's been announced that the film has surpassed The Dark Knight to have the biggest opening weekend ever in the US, with around $168 million. It also crushed the Twilight record for biggest midnight opening, as well as biggest single day ever, grossing $92 million on Friday alone. The Harry Potter finale has cast a big spell, with records that should stand for a very long time.

Now, possible Spoilers beyond here, click "read more" for the rest, and thoughts on possible extended edition DVDs/Blu Rays.

FIFA Women's World Cup: Miracle on Grass

If anyone missed the United States take on Brazil in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Quarterfinals, you missed out on one of the most exciting, thrilling and hard fought sports matches of all time. It's almost hard to explain in words to get that same thrill of seeing it unfold live.

Down 2-1 in Extra Time, the United States ended up tying it on an Abby Wambach header in the final minute of the match. This came after a player on Brazil pretended to be hurt to waste time, which the ref added on since she clearly faked after jumping up and running back on the field. If not for the fake injury, the USA might not have tied it. Karma? Maybe. The game then went to penalty kicks, 12 years to the exact day after the USA beat China on Penalty Kicks to win the 1999 Women's World Cup at the Rose Bowl in front of over 90,000 people and 40 million watching on TV in the US alone. That 1999 team captivated the country, and the buzz surrounding the 2011 team has catapulted up to the top of every news outlet, just like in 1999. The USA beat Brazil this time on Penalty Kicks, in the same way Brandi Chastain did 12 years earlier. USA goalie Hope Solo came through big as well, blocking Brazil's 3rd penalty kick in the shootout which helped.

Germany has embraced the tournament as well, with over 20 million people watching Germany matches on TV. On Saturday though, Japan shocked Germany by eliminating them, playing more physical than anyone thought possible. Japan passes the ball with more accuracy than any team I've ever seen, and play tough. They've become a sentimental favorite following the March Tsunami and Earthquake, and will take on Sweden. Do yourselves a favor and watch the rest of the matches! The semifinals are on Wednesday. In the USA, they'll be on ESPN starting with France vs. United States at 11:30AM Eastern Time (Game starts at 12), followed by Japan vs. Sweden at 2:45 PM Eastern. My pick: USA and Japan moving to the final. France vs Sweden for 3rd place.

As for soccer in the US, the World Cup and Olympics are very popular, as well as other big international matches. The attendance record for the Men's World Cup is the 1994 World Cup held in the USA, and the record for the Women's World Cup is 1999 in USA. The MLS (and WPS) can't have that same excitement, so it's seen as second rate to the World Cup and Women's World Cup. Finally, watch the big Wambach goal below:

What is J.K. Rowling planning? Return of Harry Potter franchise?

If you haven't heard yet, J.K. Rowling has opened up two teaser sites. The first is a YouTube with owls and a countdown clock located here. The second is a website, http://www.pottermore.com/. This is obviously directly related to the Harry Potter universe, so what is it that she will be announcing in six days? The YouTube simply says, "The owls are gathering... Find out why soon."

What exactly is Pottermore? Your guess is as good as mine. I and many others have some theories on it, but we will find out the truth in six days.

Will it be a prequel to the Harry Potter franchise featuring his young parents leading up to the night Harry got his scar? Could it be some books featuring stories during their time at Hogwarts that we never read, or some side stories with their classmates such as Luna Lovegood and Neville? It could be Harry Potter e-books, but I don't see why all this fuss would be made over e-books. Maybe the original books would be released as e-books with new bonus chapters?

Or it might not even be a new book, and it's probably not. Maybe it is going to be some sort of video game, like an MMO similar to the Marvel Universe Online which was eventually cancelled? I would think it would be more than just any old MMO game if JK Rowling is planning this big announcement. Anyone have any other guesses? Speculation is all over the place, but we'll find out what Pottermore is soon.

2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Preview

I love these international tournaments, and the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup begins on June 26, 2011. The first time I watched soccer was during the memorable 1999 Women's World Cup held in the USA, so I still enjoy it to this day. Most people remember how big that was, with the team selling out football stadiums across the country, culminating with the United States beating China in penalty kick overtime for the championship in front of over a record 90,000 people at the Rose Bowl. Mia Hamm became a household name and Brandi Chastain scored the game winning penalty kick then pulled her jersey off to reveal the infamous sports bra. The game is still the most watched soccer match in US history.

Those players have retired, but the tournament lives on. The big difference between the men's game and women's game is the women don't slop around and fake injury as much, which is refreshing. It can get annoying watching Cristiano Ronaldo pretending to be hurt every 5 minutes, which I why I slightly prefer the Women's WC, but both are great fun to watch.

The 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup comes from Germany, and will be another great spectacle, and every single game will be broadcast live on ESPN. The time zone difference is a bit better for US fans than it was in China in 2007, when they played early in the morning US time. All of the United States matches will be at 12 pm ET. Be sure to watch the first match between Germany and Canada on Sunday June 26th, which will be at Berlin's Olympic Stadium in front of 75,000 people. Sure to be an exciting match.

I'll give some predictions for who will move on.
Group A: 1. Germany, 2. Canada, 3. Nigeria, 4. France - Germany should win at home and the second spot should be up for grabs by all three. I'll give Canada the edge.
Group B: 1. Japan, 2. England, 3. Mexico, 4. New Zealand - Japan vs. England should decide who wins the group. Mexico could be the spoiler, but Japan and England should come through.
Group C: 1. United States, 2. Sweden, 3. North Korea, 4. Colombia - The US is ranked #1 in the world, so not winning their group would be a disappointment. The second spot is up for grabs between North Korea and Sweden, I'll pick Sweden to beat them.
Group D: 1. Brazil, 2. Australia, 3. Norway, 4. Equatorial Guinea - Brazil is the favorite here along with Norway, but I will pick Australia to surprise and take out Norway.

Quarterfinals: Germany over England, United States over Australia, Japan over Canada, Brazil over Sweden. I'm tempted to pick Sweden over Brazil as an upset, but it's always tough to pick against Brazil. The USA has won the cup twice and never finished below 3rd place. Germany has won the cup twice in a row.

Semi-finals: United States over Germany - Germany knocked the USA out in this round in the States in 2003, so why not the other way around? Japan over Brazil. Am I nuts? Maybe, but Japan is ranked 4th in the world. It may be a sentimental pick, but they have the talent.

3rd Place: Germany over Brazil. Championship: Japan over United States. I'm going with the underdogs, even though most think Brazil, Germany, USA or Norway will win it all. Who do you think the top 3 teams will be?

After this, the 2015 Women's World Cup will be held in Canada and the number of teams will be increased from 16 to 24. Enjoy!

Paying with Pennies; MTV Movie Awards

I saw this story and had to laugh! A man named Jason West in Salt Lake City, Utah was in a dispute with a Medical Clinic about a $25 charge he didn't think he owed. So his way of handling it was by going to the clinic to pay-with 2,500 pennies that he dumped on the counter! Definitely badass! Sadly they called the cops and he was arrested for "a protest that served no legitimate purpose." I have no idea how someone can be arrested for trying to pay with legal money.

I say paying with pennies is badass. I have no idea how someone can get 2,500 pennies, but the next time you go buy something cheap for like a dollar, try and gather up 100 pennies to pay for it! I'm sure the look on the person's face would be priceless. That would make a good Senior Prank for you teenagers, have everyone pay for lunch with small change. It's been done before probably, but it's funny every time.

Oh, and in other news Robert Pattinson dropped the F-Bomb live on the Mtv Movie Awards and it didn't get censored. This is the second time this year at a live awards show, the first was when Melissa Leo did it at the more prestigious Oscars. I love it both times! Live TV F-bombs are the best. In the trailer for Super 8, it sounded like a dinosaur! Jurassic Park prequel? No, but whatever the monster/alien is in the movie will be cool. And of course the clip for Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 presented by the always great Emma Watson gave fans just a taste of the action packed finale for the epic franchise. Oh, and those monkeys in the James Franco starring Rise of the Planet of the Apes are creepy. I prefer the cheesy 60s costumes/makeup from the first one.

The Beatles Anthology Gets Remastered

The Beatles Anthology was originally released in 1995 and 1996. There are three of these double albums, with a number of outtakes and unreleased material, plus the two good new songs "Free as a Bird" and "Real Love." Paul, George and Ringo recorded around John Lennon's demo versions to create those songs. They are being re-released in remastered form on June 14th along with "Anthology Highlights", which takes the best of all three onto one release.

The only problem is it is only being released onto iTunes. Surely Amazon will put the original CDs on sale to capitalize, but I wonder if they will eventually release physical CD versions in remastered form along with the Highlights disc. Personally I rarely use iTunes. I prefer CDs, and when I do download it's using Amazon MP3, which is easier and they always have great deals. I was also hoping they would release the other Lennon demo song they worked on in 1995, Now and Then. It was unfinished, but rumors have persisted that McCartney and Starr would finish it and include whatever Harrison did for it during the 90s session. The Highlights album would have been perfect for that, but it looks like "Now & Then" won't ever be finished. (They also apparently worked on a song called "All For Love" which was entirely new and not a Lennon demo.)

The Anthology albums are great and should definitely checked out by anyone who likes The Beatles. It gives an insight into the recording process, and has some great songs and alternate versions of songs you love. There is also the amazing Anthology DVD set, which is a documentary that chronicles their entire career in depth.

See the official press release for more information Here. And Check out my Beatles Album Rankings, and comment your own!

Bono & The Edge Join Reeve Carney on American Idol

In case you missed it, you can watch the exciting performance by Reeve Carney with Bono and The Edge from U2 on the American Idol finale above. Spider-man: Turn Off The Dark has received notoriety for being both the most expensive Broadway production ever, and the accidents that were happening. They performed the song "Rise Above 1" in front of a glowing web on stage. 

However, the show has been changed around and the reviews of the new version have been positive. Judging by what was seen on American Idol, then it surely looks like it will live up to the original hype. They may have produced the most exciting performance in American Idol history, with the Spider-man stunt guy flying down from the rafters into the aisles on a cord, then coming down from the ceiling upside down to re-create a scene from the first movie. Jennifer Lopez didn't kiss him obviously, but it made for a fun moment. Oh, Scotty McCreery won American Idol over Lauren Alaina. I was mainly watching for this performance though. By the way, it was a nice surprise to see the two surviving members of TLC perform! And Steven Tyler can still rock out with the best of them, even without Aerosmith, giving a good rendition of Dream On.

The "Rise Above 1" track from Spider-man is now available for download on Amazon, you can click the box to the left and it will take you there.

Ranking The Beatles Albums: Part Three

Ranking The Beatles albums is always a difficult task. How can you choose one as a top album when so many could fit there? Everyone has their favorite Beatles album, and I will try to make my list of them. It's always tough when you get into the Top 5 especially. Abbey Road seems to be their most popular in the general public, but will it top my list? I will be including the Past Masters with the original 12 studio albums. All albums can be bought in digitally remastered form on CD, or downloaded on iTunes. I prefer CD's. (Album cover images belong to Apple/EMI.) These albums are so hard to rank because they all seem so equal. How would you rank them?
Click Here for Part One & Here for Part Two

5. The Beatles (The White Album) (1968) - Their self titled double album obviously has the most material on it, and is quite the collection of outstanding songs. Probably the best double album of all time. Tensions may have been high between them during recording, but they were still able to create amazing music during a time when they were wanting to do solo material. They reach such a wide variety of styles on this album, and make it all sound great together. Even the avant-garde "Revolution 9" is interesting, for being unique. There really is something on this The White Album for everyone.

4. Abbey Road (1969) - This is their most popular album with today's audience and for good reason. It's full of hits like "Something," "Come Together," "Here Comes the Sun" and the flawless Abbey Road Medley. The Medley helps separate the album from the others and always leaves you wanting more. George Harrison really stands out on this album, and makes a good preview of his first solo album. The iconic album cover is so simple but was pure genius and will be replicated forever, with fans going there to recreate it. The street even has it's own live webcam just for that.

3. Revolver (1966) - Psychedelic. Revolver launched the psychedelic era into the mainstream with songs like "Tomorrow Never Knows," "I'm Only Sleeping" and "She Said, She Said." It's not all about psychedelic music though, but the rest of the songs still manage to sound so much different than any of the others that came before them. "Eleanor Rigby" and "Yellow Submarine" still seem like songs that don't fit any category, they're just great. All the tape loops, backwards vocals, Indian influenced sounds and feedback make this album special, and groundbreaking when it was released.

2. Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967) - The groundbreaking production from Revolver was expanded even further on Sgt. Pepper's, and listening to this album through some good headphones really make you appreciate all of the details in the songs. The colorful cover is just as detailed. No singles were released from the album, it didn't need any to sell millions like it has. It was all about the album from one song to the next. It's an album to get lost in, very visual like a kaleidoscope. A personal favorite is "Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite." I just love the carnival sounds that bring the song together and make it so unique.

1. Magical Mystery Tour (1967) - It usually isn't #1 in Beatles rankings, but love the whole package of it. The songs are great and the album comes with it's own comic in the booklet. The title track as well as "I Am The Walrus," "Strawberry Fields Forever," "Penny Lane," "Baby, You're a Rich Man" and "All You Need is Love" are some of the most well known songs and can all be found here. "Blue Jay Way" is one of the more hypnotic songs you can find. I think the album is underrated since it was originally just an EP in Europe, excluding some of the popular singles that were added to it in the American release, which is now the standard version around the world. John Lennon also stated that this was his favorite Beatles album, "because it's so weird." Weird and amazing.

The Office, Parks and Recreation Season Finales

First, The Office. I knew we wouldn't be finding out who the next manager is until next season. I would have to say the most likely person seems to be Catherine Tate. She played Nellie Bertram and is known to be Jo's friend. So they did manage a little back story with her. Her interview was also the funniest of the bunch. If not her then I think Ricky Gervais is fairly possible to bring his character from the original British version, David Brent, as the manager. Gervais also helped with the script for this episode. Still, Tate seems like the front runner if it's not one of the current cast members. I was hoping we'd see a return from Jan for an interview, but we didn't. We did find out that Erin is not Phyllis' daughter that she gave up as a teen, but Phyllis isn't telling her that yet. And Angela got engaged to her secretly gay senator boyfriend! That is obviously going to be a big theme during next season. Angela is one of the better characters, so her having more screen time is a good thing.

Parks and Recreation dealt with the funeral of Li'l Sebastian, everyone's favorite mini horse. Megan Mullally was back as Tammy Swanson, or Tammy Two. We find out from Donna that Ron's first wife, Tammy One is also there, but we didn't see her, thus leaving a good cliffhanger for next season. It does cause Tammy Two to run away in fear though. At the memorial for Li'l Sebastian, Andy's band Mouse Rat is given the task to create a song five thousand times better than Elton John's "Candle in the Wind." The result: "Five Thousand Candles in the Wind." The great Jean-Ralphio was back as well, and should definitely become a regular character next season.

New Fall Lineup Preview for ABC

I was invited to view exclusive trailers for the new version of Charlie's Angels and Once Upon A Time, which are both new shows slated to debut on ABC in the fall. I got a quick take on them and where they may be headed.

Charlie's Angels needs no introduction. This new version is being Executive Produced by Drew Barrymore, so I'm feeling pretty good about it not going the way of the failed Wonder Woman show. This version is set in Miami, which seems to fit the style perfectly. This time the Angels are Abby (Rachael Taylor), Kate (Annie Ilonzeh) and Eve (Minka Kelly). It's obvious from the preview that Rachael Taylor will be the Farrah Fawcett/Cameron Diaz of the group. 

It looks to be more mature than the original version. While it doesn't seem like an award winner of a show, the action is definitely worthy of checking out when the show premieres in the fall. There seems to be a lack of shows with good action on TV right now. It would be nice if Barrymore or one of the originals made an appearance to tie it into the franchise, as well as giving fans something to talk about.

The next show is Once Upon A Time from the writers of Lost. They are obviously going to try and tap into that audience a bit. It's a fantasy show based on fairy tales that exist for real in an alternate universe. It's an interesting concept, and while it can be hard to judge from a preview, the trailer showed some promise. It seems to be geared towards adults, with a darker style similar to the recent Alice in Wonderland. 

The main character is Anna Swan, who was abandoned as a baby. She comes from the alternate world which was frozen by the Evil Queen's curse. Anna is really the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. It seems this Fall is the season for more theatrical television shows. We'll see if they work out.

Ranking The Beatles Albums: Part Two

Ranking The Beatles albums is always a difficult task. How can you choose one as a top album when so many could fit there? Everyone has their favorite Beatles album, and I will try to make my list of them. It's always tough when you get into the Top 5 especially. Abbey Road seems to be their most popular in the general public, but will it top my list? I will be including the Past Masters with the original 12 studio albums. All albums can be bought in digitally remastered form on CD, or downloaded on iTunes. I prefer CD's. (Album cover images belong to Apple/EMI.) Click Here for Part One. Here is part two:

9. Past Masters (1988) - During their career they released many singles that were not on any original studio album, feeling it was better value for people as opposed to having a bunch of singles people already owned on the albums. This was released in 1988 to collect all those singles and B-Sides. Classic songs like "She Loves You", "I Feel Fine", "Rain", "Hey Jude", "Revolution", and "Don't Let Me Down." However, I didn't want to rank it any higher than this because it's not an original studio album, more of a compilation. But still, those classic songs aren't on any of the studio albums, so this fits in perfectly with the standardized catalog. 

8. Help! (1965) - This album features some influence by Bob Dylan ("You've Got To Hide Your Love Away). This was a preview of things to come with the group, while still retaining the fun rock-n-roll of previous albums. The songs here all fit together nicely, with a bunch of stand outs, "Ticket to Ride", "Help!", and "You're Going to Lose That Girl." This accompanies their film of the same name.

7. Let It Be (1970) - Their final album released has perhaps one of their top 10 songs of all time on it, the title track. The album is interesting, and while the Phil Spector wall of sound is sometimes criticized, I don't think it is too bad. It sounds especially good on "I Me Mine." Also worth giving a shout out to Let It Be... Naked (2003) which was released without any of Spector's overdubs, and includes "Don't Let Me Down", which the 1970 original version left off. Paul McCartney prefers the Naked version, but both are solid. The songs on the naked version sound more like the ones played on the famous Apple rooftop concert.

6. Rubber Soul (1965) - This is The Beatles album that completely moved them to a more mature place. It also featured completely original material, no covers as with most previous albums. The sitar made its first appearance here as well on "Norwegian Wood", and would be used further on their next few psychedelic albums.  This is where it becomes difficult to rank the albums, because they are all excellent masterpieces. They began their experimentation with music here, and would expand it on further albums. 

*Special Shout-out* - Love (2006) - While not part of the list, the Love mash-up album which accompanies the Vegas show is definitely worth owning. The songs sound fresh and give you a whole new perspective. They did a great job mixing different tracks together, and they give you interesting info in the album (or iTunes LP) on how they did it. It's like listening to The Beatles all over again for the first time.