160 Greatest Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes

Pajiba.com has assembled 160 of his greatest movie quotes from the finest actor of our generation!

Among my favorite non-movie quotes:

I was always interested in proportion and perfection. When I was 15 I took off my clothes and looked in the mirror. When I stared at myself naked, I realized that to be perfectly proportioned I would need 20-inch arms to match the rest of me.

I know that if you leave dishes in the sink, they get sticky and hard to wash the next day.

[on his decision to run for governor of California] It was the most difficult decision in my life - except the one in 1978 when I decided to get a bikini wax.

Money doesn't make you happy. I now have $50 million but I was just as happy when I had $48 million.


Check out the awesome video after the jump!

Look Who Regenerated....First Moments of the New DOCTOR WHO!

We're just a few weeks away from the premiere of the new Doctor Who series on BBC America, and are lucky enough to have the first few minutes as a preview!

Also, be sure to check out the second preview with the cast and creators where Matt Smith, Karen Gillan, Steven Moffat, and Piers Wenger discuss the importance and meaning of Doctor Who, and all the adventure, excitement, and magic the show embodies.

Watch both videos after the jump.

New EXPENDABLES Trailer Brings Back The Eighties!

The trailer leaves no cameo unturned! Check it out after the jump.

Check Out The THOR Cameo in IRON MAN 2!

Marvel Studios has been working pretty diligently to integrate their films into a single cohesive universe. With several projects currently filming or in development, it's been no secret that since the releases of Iron Man and The Incredible Hulk, it's been a priority to develop the upcoming Avengers feature.

Now, with Iron Man 2 just several weeks away from release, it's been reported by Gregory Littley, a Branding Consultant and Creative director that a Thor cameo can be seen in a French featurette for the film (via Comic Book Movie)

Check out the featurette and another pic after the jump and share your thoughts.

Is this legit?

Ada Lovelace : Geek Tech Pioneer

Last week, the worldwide Geek Tech community celebrated Ada Lovelace Day.

Ada Lovelace was a pioneering 19th century computer programmer who not only helped to kickstart the computer revolution on this planet, but also blazed a trail for women in technology.

Ada Lovelace, the only child of the famous Lord Byron, was the first person to write computer programs for Charles Babbage's Analytical Machine, a mechanical computer - in the 1800's!

Icing on the Monster Cake

"I wanted to buy a candle holder, but the store didn't have one. So I got a cake."

Mitch Hedberg

Easter is a time of rebirth.

For Christians, it's a solemn celebration of the re-animation of the sacred zombie.

That's what I got from four years of Catholic High School, I could be wrong. I'm just riffing here...

For the majority of people who preceded them, it was a literal celebration of the end of winter and the return of warmer weather, renewed crop growth which spawned (no pun intended) the mating season.

This weekend at La Luz de Jesus Gallery, you get to celebrate both.

Aside from the fact that the gallery has the Easter star's name in the title, it is the grand re-opening / rebirth for the place that launched Kozik, Coop, Baseman, Shag, and established the fine art careers of Robert Williams, Gary Panter, Joe Coleman and hundreds of others.

And what better way to pay tribute to re-jiggled right-of-spring holidays than to sink your teeth (figuratively) into Scott Hove's monster cakes?

Happy 20th Anniversary to TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES The Movie

Twenty years ago today, the Turtle phenomenon went into overdrive with the release of the live action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie directed by Steve Barron.

Based on the cult comic by Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, the TMNT movie grossed an impressive $133 million domestic box office, making it in 1990, the highest-grossing independent film of all time.

Two sequels and a CGI animated film released in 2007 have secured the Turtles as cinematic pop culture icons.

Check out the classic film after the jump!

CONTEST! BBC America's DOCTOR WHO Wired Magazine Special Edition Giveaway!

On April 17, 2010, a new era of the BAFTA-winning series, Doctor Who, premieres at 9pm/8c on BBC AMERICA.

In anticipation of the premiere, we’re giving away a Special Edition of the April 2010 issue of Wired Magazine, featuring a Doctor Who themed 4-panel cover wrap, which highlights The Sonic Screwdriver as “Gadget of the Year.”

This Special Edition is not available to Wired Magazine subscribers, or on newsstands, but you can win it here!

Follow the Doctor to the following media destinations:

• Official BBC America Doctor Who website
• Official BBC America Facebook page
• Official BBC America twitter

Details on how to enter can be found after the jump!

LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT Returns Tonight!

SAG nominee Saffron Burrows and Academy Award nominee Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio join Academy Award nominee Jeff Goldblum for Season Nine Two-part season opener to feature departure of long time cast members Emmy Award nominee Vincent D’Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe and Eric Bogosian. Guest stars include Tracy Pollan, Dan Lauria, Ralph Macchio, Dan Butler and William Mapother

LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT, USA Network’s hit original scripted series, will return with 16 all new episodes on its new night, Tuesday, March 30 at 10/9c. LAW &ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT, produced by Wolf Films and Universal Cable Productions, created and executive produced by Emmy Award-winning producer Dick Wolf, was developed by René Balcer. Shot entirely in and around New York City, the third installment of the “Law & Order” franchise takes viewers deep into the minds of its criminals while following the intense psychological approaches the Major Case Squad uses to solve its crimes.

After a triumphant eight-season run, Emmy nominee Vincent D’Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe and Eric Bogosian say goodbye to LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT. The two part season opener will showcase the brilliant partnership between Detectives Goren & Eames as they, along with Detectives Nichols and Stevens, unravel a case with devastating consequences for Captain Ross.

Check out my thoughts on the two part season premiere (with very minor spoilers) after the jump.

Tor Books Announces EVE Online Universe Novel

EVE Online, the critically-acclaimed, science fiction-based massively multiplayer online game is finally expanding their universe in the form of a new novel coming from Tor Books.

Read the entire press release after the jump.

Dancing with the Eighties

I'm trying something a little different this month, Dancing with the Stars.

Monday is not normally my night on the CRT, since it's a men-in-tights night, but I saw that it was a 2-hour live DWTS, and managed to talk my way into a little couch time.

Luckily for me, there are a couple of Celebrity Fit Club reruns on at the same time, so I can still check in on my chubby B-listers.

SHERLOCK HOLMES Stunt School

Sherlock Holmes is available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD and for Download TOMORROW!

Also, be sure to check out the pretty impressive videos after the jump where a fanboy gets taught Wing Chun and then re-enacts the first fight scene from the new Sherlock Holmes movie with Robert Downey Jr.

MY TOP 10 FAVORITE TIME MACHINES

Time travel is something that has fascinated, charmed and bewildered humans for centuries.

Who among us has not pondered the thought of traveling back and forth via "the continuum of experience in which events pass from the future through the present to the past"?

To celebrate the latest film offering which features a uniquely entertaining method of time travel, I decided to list my Top 10 fave Time Machines.

I have decided to only list those films and television shows where an actual device that you must either get into, sit on, or otherwise operate as a big machine, is used for the time travel. So no funky wristwatches, drug induced methods, or mind manipulation will be mentioned this time around...

THE WALKING DEAD Gets Six Episode Order

Robert Kirkman's The Walking Dead is alive at AMC.

It was announced today that the network has ordered a six episode commitment to the property based on the Image Comic.

GODZILLA Remake is Happening!

He's back and the United States might be the target!

The Future of Publishing

Originally meant solely for a Dorling Kindersley Books sales conference, the video was such a hit internally that it is now being shared externally. An interview with the creators of the video can be found here.

Watch the entire video after the jump, as it's pretty damned impressive.

via

5 Questions With Jesse Redniss (vp USA Network Digital)

Jesse Redniss is changing entertainment into a destination.

As the vice president of digital for USA Network, Jesse oversees all digital efforts for the various USA Network properties including usanetwork.com and characterarcade.com. He has played a pinnacle role in the digital restructuring and growth of the usanetwork.com properties, which has driven a major shift in the industry and competitor’s online efforts. Redniss’s first initiative was the complete revamping of the online destination usanetwork.com, turning it into a revenue generating entertainment destination. Beyond that he has been instrumental in the development of completely new USA backed interactive properties, which allow for advertiser branded content, engaging activities and customer-friendly interactions.

Jesse took time out of his ridiculously busy schedule to talk to Forces of Geek!




DICK GIORDANO (1932-2010)

Apparently, following a battle with leukemia, comic book legend Dick Giordano has passed away.

Giordano, both an artist and editor, oversaw both the introduction of Charlton Comics' stable of superheroes of then industry-leader DC Comics as executive editor during the Eighties.

As an inker, he frequently worked with Neal Adams, George Pérez and John Byrne and has been considered an influence and mentor to dozens of embellishers.

I personally, remember Dick fondly from his Meanwhile column found in every DC comic book for several years. Chances are even if you aren't a comic book fan, you've seen Dick's work from may of the licensed pieces he did.

Check out a gallery of some examples of his solo work after the jump.

Thank you and good afternoon.

It's Jack Bauer's Last Day on the Job: 24 CANCELLED!

After protecting 9 Presidents, fighting countless terrorists and extremists, surviving a Chinese prison and battling several moles withing our own government, CTU Agent Jack Bauer will not have a ninth day at work.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox has cancelled 24, the result of a swelling budget, creative fatigue and low ratings.

The series, which premiered after September 11th, broke all conventions of serialized television at the time, by having an entire season represent a single day, with each hour long episode occurring in "real time".

Rumors of a 24 movie have been circulating for some time, and recently screenwriter Billy Raybecame attached after pitching his take to the studio.

No word yet if the film is still in development or whether Jack will survive long enough to have a happy ending.

FOG! Asks Jeff Goldblum of LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT One Question...

FOG!: The two part Criminal Intent premiere is pretty unique because it feels like a setup for a spin-off series. And the spin-off, is actually the series itself. Does the atmosphere on the set feel like a new show or does it just feel like a continuation of the series that you’d previously guest starred on?

Jeff Goldblum: Well, let’s see. I mean, I know I did eight of them last year and you’re right, it was different. It was all different cast members that year. But the stories and the quality of the writing and the high quality of the production and the crew is still the same. So it feels familiar but—and I miss the cast members who are gone. I adored them.

But it does feel like a new show in a lot of ways. And I’m crazy about Saffron Burrows and the character. They wrote it for her and the way she’s doing it. And Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio is spectacular and I love her and her character, too. So yes, it feels kind of new to me.

The season premiere of Law and Order Criminal Intent airs this coming Tuesday, March 30 at 10:00/9:00 central on USA Network.

FOG!'s second question with Jeff where he answers a question regarding The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou and The Adventures of Buckaroo Banzai: Across The 8th Dimension can be found after the jump!

Roger Corman's Cult Classics Are Coming...With Rock 'n' Roll High School on Blu-Ray!

Less than a month ago, Roger Corman received an Honorary Oscar.

Corman has produced over 350 low-budget films, many of which have become cult classics and started the careers of such directors and stars as Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, Ron Howard, Peter Bogdanovich, Jonathan Demme, Alan Arkush, Gale Anne Hurd, Joe Dante, James Cameron, John Sayles, Monte Hellman, Paul Bartel, George Armitage, Jonathan Kaplan, George Hickenlooper, David Carradine, Curtis Hanson, Jack Hill, Timur Bekmambetov, Nicolas Roeg, Jack Nicholson, Peter Fonda, Bruce Dern, Dennis Hopper and Robert De Niro.

Now, two of Corman's most beloved films, Rock 'N' Roll High School and Suburbia are being released through Shout! Factory as the premiere titles of their Roger Corman's Cult Classics line. Both releases are loaded to the gills with special features, and Rock 'N' Roll High School is being released on Blu-Ray for the first time.

Both of these films should be in any cinephile's collection.

Read the full press release after the jump!

On My List

Back in October, my little brother and I visited the Philadelphia Spectrum for the last time. The venerable arena had been home to the Philadelphia Flyers and 76ers from the sixties on into the nineties, but also played host to countless music acts. Having been largely supplanted by the adjacent Wachovia Center, the Spectrum had become obsolete, and plans called to tear the structure down to build a new entertainment and shopping complex.

The entire year of 2009 saw a blockbuster series of concerts to close out the venue, featuring Spectrum legends such as Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel, and capped off with a week-long closer by Pearl Jam. But for my brother and I, the Spectrum's true closing was the Friday night before the Pearl Jam shows, when native sons Hall and Oates headlined its "Last Call" concert.

Old Fogey

In two weeks I will be thirty-six. Dear God, even saying it out loud feels like a mistake somehow. Perhaps this life is just a dream, and I will wake up tomorrow and be sixteen again, only this time around I will be aware of all the mistakes I will make and all the paths I should follow.

It would be just like that episode in Star Trek: The Next Generation when Picard lives an entire life on another planet in like five minutes and can now play the flute. That would be great. Not the flute part though, I would rather learn to play the electric guitar. I would still like to be somewhat cool.

International SORCERER'S APPRENTICE Trailer Is Magical

But, no marching broomsticks.

Gip.



Watch the original Sorcerer's Apprentice after the jump.

HOT TUB TIME MACHINE (review)

MGM/United Artists
Rated R, 98 minutes
Produced by John Cusack, Grace Loh,
Matt Moore, Michael Nelson
Written by Josh Heald and Sean Anders
& John Morris
Based on a story by Josh Heald
Directed by Steve Pink
Starring John Cusack, Rob Corddry,
Craig Robinson, Clark Duke, Crispin Glover,
Lizzy Caplan, Sebastian Stan, Chevy Chase, Collette Wolfe




For a movie with one of the more ridiculous titles in recent memory, Hot Tub Time Machine is a sentimental, raunchy nostalgia trip for both the characters and the audience.

The plot of the film is in the title itself.

Three friends have drifted apart and have settled into their lives with disappointment and apathy. Adam (Cusack) is a bitter, relationship challenged insurance salesman. Nick (Robinson) gave up his musical dreams and has taken his unfaithful wife's last name and works at a pet salon.

And then there's Lou (Corddry in a breakout performance), a complete failure who's possible suicide attempt has reunited the trio. Attempting to brighten his spirits, Nick and Adam decide to take Lou back to the ski resort of their youth, the location of their happiest memories. Joining them despite Lou's inherent hatred is Adam's nephew, Jacob (Duke), an underachiever who lives in Adam's basement as a virtual shut-in, spending his days serving hard time as a prisoner in Second-Life.

Upon their arrival the quartet discover that the resort town has transformed into a decrepit, bankrupt shell of it's former self.

Cue the movie magic.

A night of hard drinking and partying (and a spilled Chernobyly, the Russian Red Bull) transports the group to 1986, when the resort is thriving and their lives had momentum. With a knowledge of the space time continuum from pop culture, they decide to relive their past to avoid the butterfly effect, altering their timeline. It doesn't take long for them to start making attempts to prevent their miserable futures. Along the way they encounter past loves, a friendly bellhop (Glover) who is doomed to lose an arm in the future, and a mysterious hot tub repairman (Chase).

Hot Tub Time Machine is a testament to the immortality of youth, the power of friendship and the chance of redemption. It also is a love letter to the Eighties. With nods to everything from Red Dawn to Back to the Future to Sixteen Candles to Revenge of the Nerds to Better Off Dead. And although it has it's fair share of vulgarity, drugs, sex, and sometimes tasteless humor, the film succeeds because at it's core it has heart.

And Billy Zabka.

What Are You Doing Next Thursday? Want To Hang With Robert Downey Jr.?

Elementary, my dear Geek.

Watch the mystery unfold live with Robert Downey, Jr. during a Live Community Screening of Sherlock Holmes on April 1st at 9pm EST exclusively on the Sherlock Holmes Blu-ray disc. For event details and to sign up, go to www.SherlockHolmesBlurayEvent.com



Full press release after the jump.

Go Behind The Scenes With Matt Smith as DOCTOR WHO

Our friends at BBC America were kind enough to provide two pretty neat looks behind the scenes of the upcoming Doctor Who Season Five.

The new season of Doctor Who premieres on Saturday, April 17th at 9PM/8C on BBC America.

Check out the clips after the jump.

IRON MAN Gets Animated!

On April 16, the groundbreaking story Warren Ellis & Adi Granov gets the animated treatment by Marvel Knights Animation.



Full press release after the jump!

TRUE BLOOD Season 3 Teaser Poster

It sure as hell beats those "sparkley" vampires.

SCOTT PILGRIM Teaser Trailer Arrives!

And looks magnificent!

BUCK ROGERS Heads Back To The 25th Century. In 3D.

According to Deadline, Buck Rogers is coming back soon, in three dimensions.

Paul WS Anderson has signed to direct the newest version of the soldier who awakens centuries later in the future and acclimates himself in time to help save the planet from intergalactic threats.

The screenplay will be written by Iron Man scribes Art Marcum and Matt Holloway.

It had been previously announced that Frank Miller would helm the project, prior to the disastrous reception of his directorial debut, The Spirit.

A web-series is currently in production, directed by James Cawley. More details can be found at the official site.

But can any reimagining recapture this magic?

Angela Bassett Becomes The Lynchpin of The DC Movie Universe?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Angela Bassett has joined the cast of Martin Campbell's upcoming film Green Lantern as government agent, Amanda Waller.

In the comics, Waller has served as the government liaison of The Suicide Squad, a team of super-villains who are enlisted as government operatives to perform missions that were almost certainly suicide runs in exchange for eventual freedom.

Waller also later served as the head of Checkmate, a covert operations agency.

Pure speculation on my part, but I'm betting that Waller's presence will serve the same function as Samuel L. Jackson's Nick Fury in the Marvel Studios releases, becoming the common thread to unite the upcoming DC Entertainment films in a single cohesive universe.

Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame RANT – Wednesday March 24th, 2010

Hey guys!

I would have written to you last Monday night but I didn’t get home until around 1:00 am. And because of that I was a wreck for the remainder of the week.

Why I was up so late?

Because I was watching the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame induction ceremony…at the Warldorf Astoria.

Maybe you watched it on the FUSE network, but I WAS THERE LIVE BECAUSE I SNEAKED IN!

Oh yeah, and this isn’t the first time either. The first time I crashed that party, THIS happened:





I’m sure you’re thinking, “But Crystal, security is so tight, how do you do it?”

Well, I do kinda look like a rock star, or so I’ve been told.

And mentally I told myself all day that I was getting in, no matter what happened or who was gonna try and stop me. So when I got there I walked over to a group of publicists and started talking to them about why only half of ABBA showed up, and how much Phish was gonna suck. One of them noticed my purse (it looks like a big, black and silver Fender bass) and started asking me if I was a singer, and then I just walked in with the group when they told people the show was about to start.

I immediately ran back stage and met Iggy Pop! I talked with him about his Dina Shore Show appearance he did when David Bowie introduced him to the world. That's right. You heard me. David and Iggy on THE DINAH SHORE SHOW!



He didn't believe that I was old enough to watch and remember it. I told him that I was 44 years old, and he asked for my driver's license. I showed it to him. He smiled and payed me a dirty but nice compliment. He was nice, despite looking a bit like a leather handbag.

Who was the class of 2010?

Genesis, ABBA, Iggy Pop And The Stooges, Jimmy Cliff, The Hollies, David Geffen, and the amazing Brill Building songwriters - Otis Blackwell Jesse Stone, Mort Shuman, and the teams of Barry Mann and Cynthia Weil and Ellie Greenwich and Jeff Barry.

I must admit, this time around the show wasn’t that hot, due to the inductees this year because they didn’t exactly lend themselves to the usual “all star jam” that happens at the end of the show.

Here are the highlights (and many lowlights)

Phish opened the show by singing a Genesis song that only Peter Gabriel’s Mum and I would know (“Watcher of the Skies”).

They SUCKED!

Why is this band so damn popular?

Oh yeah, all the weed smoking and acid dropping.

I mean really, they STUNK.

And Phil Atanatanassio’s induction speech was impassioned, but clunky. Gabriel didn’t show because he’s in rehearsals with an orchestra for his upcoming tour. Phil Collins looks awfully skinny, sallow, and sunken. More than usual for an old British guy. And Mike needs some mechanics to tune up his face – yikes! And as usual, the electrified corpse of Tony Banks said nothing. I think his mouth is sewn shut.

The Hollies were good.

Very old, but good. Little Steven began his induction speech and was very cranky and went off on a tangent about how horrid the music business is by saying that it is “Artistically, financially, and spiritually bankrupt.”

I think he’s got a grudge because he’s been voting for a zillion garage bands from the 50’s and 60’s that only HE knows about and will probably never get in.

Hey, there’s Graham Nash, who was inducted already with Crosby and Stills. Apparently he was miffed because just after he left The Hollies, they had their biggest hits. I can now die a happy woman because I saw them perform “Bus Stop,” which is one of my all time favorites EVER! Since some of the guys are dead, Adam Levine and Pat Monahan filled in for them on "Hey Carrie Ann," and "Tall Cool Woman."

Please note, in between all of the singing (commercial breaks), I was working the room, walking backstage, in the nosebleed seats, at the tables front and center, and the press room. I actually met and talked with Carole King, Little Steven, Phil Collins, Graham Nash, Jimmy Cliff, ¼ of ABBA, Eric Burdon (who I didn’t recognize at first) Ronnie Spector, Peter Wolf, and the kids of Otis Blackwell.

Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day inducted IGGY AND THE STOOGES!

They were nominated seven times before they made it in, and Iggy was totally choked up during his speech, calling himself "The worlds forgotten boy." Iggy took off his shirt while James Williamson gave his speech and you could tell he was ready to tear it up.

Some people were howling with anticipation.

They hit the stage and KILLED!

Iggy was working so hard to get the people off their feet, but most just sat there like dead fish. I started jumping around with a few stage hands (I’m a woman of the people!) and screaming with glee. I was hoping that Iggy would flip a table or something, but sadly, he didn’t. But some folks rushed the stage during their finale (see photo above), and I almost did, but didn’t want to arouse suspicion and get kicked out so I held it together.

Oh look, It’s Barry and Robin from the Bee Gees!

They’re drunk I think, because they keep stumbling over each other while inducting ABBA.

I don’t know why they had such problems – the teleprompter was a big as an IMAX screen in Times Square.

Anyway, only Anni-Frid Lyngstad (the redhead) and Benny (the guy to her right in this photo) Andersson showed up.


They both gave weird speeches, and then Benny sat at a piano and let Faith Hill TOTALLY BUTCHER the song, “The Winner Takes It All.” I mean she really stank, seriously. I really made me appreciate Anni and the blonde chick.

The redhead reminded us at least 5 times that ABBA WILL NEVER REUNITE. EVER AGAIN. The end.

I’m sure they will be embroidered on the Swedish flag any day now. I'm kind of surprised they haven't been on it already.

I forget who inducted DAVID GEFFEN.

His speech was funny. He mostly talked about how untalented he is.

True, he can’t sing, write songs, or play an instrument.

But he did date Cher back in the day, and start two huge companies worth a zillion dollars, so I ain’t mad at him.





Wyclef Jean and his big, shiny head came out to induct JIMMY CLIFF and gave a rambling speech.

He is so damn annoying and I can’t quite put my finger on exactly what it is.

Jimmy came out and killed it with his three big hits, “You Can Get It If You Really Want,” “Many Rivers To Cross,” and “The Harder They Come,” which Wyclef joined in on, which was annoying.

Oh, NOW I know why I hate Wyclef - HE'S A HAM.



Carole King inducted the group of infamous Brill Building songwriters – OTIS BLACKWELL, JESSEE STONE, MORT SHUMAN, and the teams of BARRY MANN and CYNTHIA WEIL and ELLIE GREENWICH and JEFF BARRY.

If you DON’T know what songs they wrote off the top of your head, then shame on you!

Then Ronnie Spector, Eric Burdon, and Peter Wolf came out and sang one song each (they had hits with them). Ronnie now has better fitting dentures (thank goodness so now she can sing correctly again), Eric Burdon sounded good, and Peter Wolf looked like he weighed about 75 pounds and his skin was almost translucent.

What was Faye Dunaway thinking?

But he did work it out.

As I said before, the traditional jam at the end didn’t really happen. They all sang one song and I forget what it was. Then I dragged my ass home.

I hope you catch a repeat on FUSE, or some clips on YouTube. Can’t wait to sneak in next year!

I hope you watched the season premiere of "Dancing With The Stars!" Buzz Aldrin? Pamela Anderson? What's not to love?

Love,

Crystal

CONTEST!! LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT GIVEAWAY!!!

LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT returns with 16 all new episodes on its new night, Tuesday, March 30 at 10/9c. SAG nominee Saffron Burrows and Academy Award nominee Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio join Academy Award nominee Jeff Goldblum for the Season Nine two-part season opener featuring the departure of long time cast members Emmy Award nominee Vincent D’Onofrio, Kathryn Erbe and Eric Bogosian. Become a fan on Facebook, Follow on Twitter and visit the official website.

To celebrate the season premiere, we're giving away a prize package to one lucky reader!

It includes:

• Criminal Intent Nylon Cinch Sack
• Criminal Intent T-Shirt
• Criminal Intent Hat
• Criminal Intent Logo Pin
• Criminal Intent Season 3 DVD
• Criminal Intent Season 4 DVD

To enter, please send an email with the subject header "CRIMINAL INTENT" to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following question:

Jeff Goldblum played Dr. Sidney Zweibel aka New Jersey in which 1984 cult classic movie?

Please include your name and address (Open to U.S. Residents only)

Only one entry per person. Prize is valued at $160.00 and is provided courtesy of USA Network . You must be 18 years old. Winner will be chosen at random. Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on April 18, 2010.

WATCH THIS! Trailer for "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story"

Of course it's a parody trailer, showing Weird Al Yankovic as a hard living parody singer/songwriter. It's quite hysterical and goes through the usual moments in most stereotypical musician biopics.

Also, look for Patton Oswalt in this video. It shocked me when I found out who he was in it.

ROBERT CULP (1930-2010)

Robert Culp, actor of hundreds of episodes of episodic television died today after a fall near his home in California. He also appeared in dozens of films and wrote and directed for television.

Among his most beloved and memorable work was his role as Agent Bill Maxwell on The Greatest American Hero, Agent Kelly Robinson on I Spy and his memorable portrayal of Trent, the Demon With a Glass Hand on The Outer Limits.

Watch some of his work after the jump.

MINI-aturize Me: My Love Affair With The Cooper

Some people would have you believe that one can live in a city like Boston without a car.

They would have you believe that fee-for-service outfits like Zipcar, and Grampa’s blue Buick Oldsmobile, are respectable enough for that hot date in the suburbs.

These people have either never had the opportunity to fall in love with the right car or the misfortune of taking ten bags of groceries on a trolley, then a train, then a bus.

(I know, I know, I sound like your geriatric aunt Mary who always complains about growing up wearing one-piece swimsuits with heavy underwire).


Seriously, though, a city like Boston isn’t as walkable, and public transportation not as convenient, as the foot soldiers like to trumpet.

It’s not so convenient being on a Red Line cattle car in a buttoned-up shirt and necktie, or a Green Line trolley traversing Boston College or Boston University territory during Happy Hour. And it sure as hell isn’t a very walkable city with all those mangy stray dogs and lack of sidewalks.

(Wait. Strike that last one. That was either Aruba, Spain, or Arizona).

Anyhow, I took my parents’ Chevy Caprice on a date once. I’d just gotten my license and was deathly afraid of highway driving. Previously, my rendezvous with this young lady had been local. Believe me, on this particular occasion, the stakes were higher.

I pulled up in the big boat of a car with a kind of swagger that had been lacking in our previous encounters, oblivious to the fact that at the time, a gold Chevy Caprice was equivalent to that Oldsmobile.

I scored my first open-mouth kiss that night, but not because of the car. I’d like to give that credit to my little bottle of Old Spice cologne.

Since then, I’ve owned or regularly driven at least ten cars and formed a relationship with each.

There was the Honda “Accordion” coupe, my first car. (“Accordion” because the front of the car folded like a paper version of the instrument when I got into a car accident). I discovered my driving style and preference for coupes with that Accord.

I’ll never forget the Toyota Celica, another coupe, which near the end of its life, frequently lost its traction control in wintry conditions. In its defense, the traction control worked perfectly when the car was parked.

Skip ahead a few years and I’m driving my live-in girlfriend’s PT Cruiser, a car that made me think of early retirement and prune juice. I just wasn’t old enough to drive it.

I convinced her to get rid of it to save our relationship. It was a very wise decision on her part. She is now my wife.

We traded Chrysler’s PT Cruiser (which nobody on Craigslist wanted even with our sob story that we needed the money to go abroad and start an orphanage) for BMW’s MINI Cooper and soon fell in love with it.

We drove that for a few years, and like all good things, it came to an end, drip by drip. The transmission fluid started leaking and cost us several Whole Foods buffet dinners to fix.

Our relationship with MINI One ended amicably when we traded it in for a 2010 model.
We bought MINI Two just two weeks ago and hardly put up a fight with the dealership.

I would have bought the car even if it required Private Mortgage Insurance.

Now that we’ve owned two MINIs, I refuse to drive anything else. The car’s bulldog stance and low center of gravity make me feel like a sprinter in a pack of slow-moving marathoners even though nearly every other car on the road has more horsepower.

The fun part of driving a MINI Cooper is driving it in the city. The car’s actually very well equipped for city living.

Its length and height are measured in mere inches, meaning that I can park it between the two trash cans that guy in South Boston is using as valet, or the space between your Grampa’s Oldsmobile and the crosswalk.

Whether it’s squeezing around an SUV with its turn signal on, weaving through a parking lot to get the last spot nearest the door, or being the last option for a last-minute family trip to Costco, driving the MINI in Boston is a gift that keeps on giving.

(Forget where you’ve heard that phrase before. Go test-drive a MINI).

What's Creepier? TURKISH DEXTER or TURKISH E.T.?

You make the call!!!

CONTEST! "FUGITIVE CHRONICLES" GIVEAWAY!!!

At the heart of each gripping real-life manhunt will be the cinematic reconstruction of the exhaustive efforts that take place, often in very dangerous conditions, to find and bring a fugitive to justice. Told from the perspective of the hunter and the hunted, these dramatic true-life stories are told through exclusive interviews with law enforcement officials closest to the case and the fugitive’s story based on real interrogation tapes, court transcripts and news footage. Officials will share exactly when they learned of the fugitive’s flight, what their first course of action was and how they went about executing their heart-pounding takedown.

Become a fan on Facebook !

On Thursday March 25th at 9/8c, a link will be posted on the official Facebook page where you will be able to watch a secret preview on AETV.com!

Visit the official fan page here: http://ww.facebook.com/FugitiveChronicles

To celebrate the premiere of the new series, we're giving away a prize package to one lucky reader!

It includes:

• Fugitive Chronicles portable grill/cooler
• Fugitive Chronicles compass/flashlight
• Fugitive Chronicles t-shirt

To enter, please send an email with the subject header "FUGITIVE" to geekcontest @ gmail dot com and answer the following question:

What is the name of the U.S. Marshall played by Tommy Lee Jones, who is in charge of apprehending Dr. Richard Kimble in the 1993 film, The Fugitive?

Please include your name and address (Open to U.S. Residents only)

Only one entry per person. Prize is valued at $55 and is provided courtesy of USA Network . You must be 18 years old. Winner will be chosen at random. Contest ends at 11:59 PM EST on April 18, 2010.

Fugitive Chronicles Premieres Thursday April 1st at 10/9c on A&E

Don't Give Up the Fight!

“Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan "press on" has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race”

Calvin Coolidge

I recently had the honor of jurying a selection of work from art school students for inclusion in a major exhibition.


These students, by the very nature of their chosen major -and inherently in their particular choice of college, have benefited from the financial support of parents and emotional encouragement of high school art teachers who made it possible for them to enroll in art school as a stepping stone to a career in the arts.

I was tremendously impressed by the quality of the art presented, and accepted twenty of those students as part of a show composed of 150 artists total. Suffice to say that this was the first exhibition for these students, and hazard a guess that it won't be the last for any of them. Twenty percent of them saw their paintings sell on the opening night of that show. There is no greater encouragement than a public purchase, and the exposure alone will likely be enough to validate the rest of them.

Regardless of medium, be it musical, visual, or otherwise, for every artist who receives encouragement or guidance, there must be a hundred or more who do not. And among those who succeed, there is one common thread:


Tenacity.

When I finally watched the Oscars a day after the live telecast, the moment that really hit home and triggered a truly emotional reaction was Michael Giacchino's acceptance speech for Best Original Score. The young composer of Pixar's Up did more to enrich the future of the film industry in forty-seven seconds than most film school professors can do in decades. He told an audience of millions that being creative is not a waste of time. For his entire, unexpurgated speech, you can skip to the bottom of this column. Read it and forward it to everyone you know. With a little luck it may find its way and strike a chord in a parent who doubts the unconventional aptitude of their "artsy" child. Perhaps it will even spark the light of understanding and remind them just how difficult it is to follow a dream, and how important it is to do so while still young.

I find it unconscionable that the expectations of middle age are cast with such accelerated frequency upon young people. Youth is a time of taking chances, making mistakes and learning from them. It's a time for accumulating experience to better shape goals, before those goals limit our experience. As we get older, the luxury of trial and error is denied, as marriages, children and house payments pile up around us in a blinding heap of disheveled desires and unfulfilled aspirations.

Lest this sound like the ethereal ravings of a festival-dancing delusional, I should stress that I am (for the most part) a realist; I am well grounded, responsible and professional, and encourage common sense over folly, but I have always measured my own merits against what was expected of me -and was by no means coddled.

When I decided to forgo my scholarship and drop out of college to move out to California, I'm sure my parents were disappointed, but I didn't let that deter my decision to follow my muse. I didn't have a singular, specific goal, but I knew at the age of seventeen that life at that point was no make-it-or-break-it affair. Failure was an option, and I tried not to burn bridges in the event that my atypical choice revealed itself to be ill-advised. Twenty years later, I'm still here. I think my father finally stopped thinking that I had been wasting my time when he spotted me in my second straight Superbowl commercial back in 2007, at the end of which (my mother later told me) he was still smiling even though his beloved Patriots lost to the Green Bay Packers. The fact that my hair was cut and not colored purple or green probably made him happy, too. Some kids never get that kind of parental approval, and I'm glad I got mine before my old man died.

I have certainly made my share of not-great decisions, and I've definitely paid my dues for them. Luckily none of them ever involved venereal disease or unplanned pregnancy, and there weren't any bright ideas involving felonies or confidence scams either. I once got Michael Eisner to pay my check at La Cachette just by waving to him, but for the most part, the path I've followed in taking the road less traveled has involved whole-heart dedication, and such determination is more abundant in the young-at-heart than in a seasoned veteran. I seriously doubt that I could do the things now that I did back then. That courage and fearlessness have made the younger me a hero for the older me, and when I see kids now-a-days adopting a D.I.Y. aesthetic for their own projects with honest-to-goodness motivation, I'm god damn proud of them. If that makes me sound magnanimous, then so be it. The youth are the future, and it would be intelligent to give them more resources rather than limit them.

Maybe because I'm in Hollywood, I get phone calls from relatives and have conversations with acquaintances while traveling about how so-and-so is writing a screenplay or a book. I tell them all the same thing: Whatever they're starting to write, finish it.

It is the toughest advice to take, apparently, because even when I offer to read these magnum opuses, they don't send them to me. For most people, it's all about talking about writing. If they could finish a first draft, they would be ahead of 98% of the other would-be writers. A word of advice to the perfectionists: the polish comes after the first draft. Way after the first draft. Finish the damn thing, and don't talk about it until you do. I'm not the first person to suggest this, and I'm pretty sure everyone from Sinclair Lewis to Stephen King would tell you the same thing. Unfinished works don't get published by unknown writers.

Regardless of your chosen profession, these rules remain true. If you are in a band, you need to play live. Practice is fine, but real world experience will make you better than playing only for yourselves, so send out demos to clubs. Gigs that bomb will make you better performers. This is true of musicians, comics, and performance artists, too. Painters and sculptors? You need to submit to galleries. Even if you suck, if you follow the submission policy of the gallery to which you submit, you will probably get feedback, and that feedback will make you better, or at least motivate you out of anger. Writers: when you've finished that spec script or book or movie review, submit it to a publisher, agent or website. Being pushy is a necessity in getting noticed, so don't be afraid to pester that promoter, director or whoever until they tell you to bugger off. This is a well guarded trade secret, and in revealing it, I fully expect professional scorn if not outright death threats. You're welcome.

Hang in there, but only if you really mean it, because there are a bunch of people out there with a genuine need to be creative, and a passive fancy is an insult to those who live and die for their art.

"Thank you, guys. When I was... I was nine and I asked my dad, "Can I have your movie camera? That old, wind-up 8 millimeter camera that was in your drawer?" And he goes, "Sure, take it." And I took it and I started making movies with it and I started being as creative as I could, and never once in my life did my parents ever say, "What you're doing is a waste of time." Never. And I grew up, I had teachers, I had colleagues, I had people that I worked with all through my life who always told me what you're doing is not a waste of time. So that was normal to me that it was OK to do that. I know there are kids out there that don't have that support system so if you're out there and you're listening, listen to me:
If you want to be creative, get out there and do it. It's not a waste of time. Do it. OK? Thank you. Thank you." - Michael Giacchino

IN DEFENSE OFDISNEY'S DARK SIDE

I used to think it was poetic that Tim Burton got to produce The Nightmare Before Christmas via Disney's Touchstone Pictures division.

Rumor has it, his concepts and creations as Disney staff animator kept him confined to a locked room. But it seems it's his hit Alice in Wonderland that's the true flash-forward feat.

Dividing the critics and audiences alike with its not-quite-a-remake/not-quite-a-sequel approach to the classic, it's arguably the darkest high-profile release since Disney scared the crap out of every child of the 80s with Return to Oz.

Still, audiences have always had a love affair with Disney's darker side, from vintage villains to theme park rides. Lower the lights, summon the demons from Bald Mountain, it's time to cherish the darker moments from the mouse house...


The Skeleton Dance (1929)
Sure it's the first ever non-post-sync sound cartoon, and also the first of many acclaimed Silly Symphonies, but this twisted little black and white treasure features undead corpses rising from their graves to play cats as musical instruments. You're probably more familiar with the films it went on to influence, but this should be required viewing for the kids just before heading out on Halloween night.

Pluto's Judgement Day (1940) This is one twisted little animated short. It starts with a fairly straight-forward intro between Mickey Mouse and his dog Pluto, but quickly drifts into a brilliantly animated nightmare of a hell ruled by cats. When Pluto is found guilty of his crimes against the feline race, he's convicted by a jury of them, shackled and chained then dragged to a firey punishment. It's all a dream, of course, but the segment is surreal and creepy. Darkest of all is the uncomfortably dated moment where Black kittens sing about their "Uncle Tom" being pushed in the river after Pluto drank their milk and stole their liver. It's often, and understandably, deleted from current runs of the short.

Fantasia (1940)
With its deep blue color scheme, the final segment of Fantasia, "Night on Bald Mountain," is often remembered for its massive demon Chernabog. But NOBM could be seen as the non-comedic version of Skeleton Dance, with an array of ghosts, skeletons, demons, witches, harpies, goblins, and zombies rising from a town cemetery. Progressing into an orgy of fire creatures and satyrs only the saintly tones of Ave Maria can come to save the day. But who are we kidding, it's the mayhem set to Mussorgsky we love.

The Haunted Mansion (1969)
From the original opening in Disneyland to the most recent Paris edition, Disney's theme park dark ride has delighted guests with a unique blend of humor and horror. Unlike the dismal big-screen feature film of the same name, this is an attraction that never fails to captivate repeat riders and first time fear seekers. Like all great Disney attractions, this one has a hell of a story and an even more impressive show.

Disney's Halloween Hall of Fame (1977)
What's scarier than a anthology of recycled "spooky clips" from your favorite Disney animated features? How about Jonathan Winters as a talking pumpkin? Luckily this bizarre interstitial wraps some outstanding shorts from the studio, like Donald Duck in "Trick or Treat" or the Sleepy Hollow segment from The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad . The special was a staple of Halloween programming even into the 80s when it was recut as Disney's Halloween Treat.

The Watcher in the Woods (1980)
A foray into darker, more sophisticated storytelling backfired in poor box office numbers and endless nightmares for the lucky few who saw it during its odd theatrical unleashing. Disney would visit the horror genre again for Something Wicked This Way Comes a few years later, but it's this Bette Davis vehicle that often strikes a minor chord of memories. Although the alternative ending can be seen on the DVD release, even more sought after are deleted scenes which Disney seems to have locked away after exorcising them.

The Black Cauldron (1985)
Either ahead of its time, or completely misguided, Disney's Fantasy feature got the animation studio a PG rating - scandalous at the time, but commonplace in today's broader appealing releases. Regardless of being a critical and commercial failure, The Black Cauldron has a very morbid overtone that sets it apart from pretty much all of the studio's output.

Mary Poppins (2004)
Make that SCARY POPPINS. This Broadway adaptation shares more with the original Poppins novels than the 60s musical you remember so fondly. It's darker, more serious and not suitable for children under the age of seven. In fact, during the initial London run, producers banned younger children from entering the theatre. Bizarre publicity stunt or not, the show does have a fair amount of shock to go with that spoonful of sugar. Most notably a sequence in which Michael and Jane's toys take on a life of their own to "teach the naughty children a lesson with a pretend trial."

Epic Mickey (2010)
Slated for a September release date, Disney Interactive's highly anticipated Wii game will feature Disney characters and locations in a steampunk environment. Disney has redefined their properties in recent years to new extremes, branching out to the emo and hipster crowd with clothing lines at Hot Topic and Lucky Jeans respectively. In an effort to keep classic characters alive, Disney knows you have to redefine them. From the looks of this stunningly surreal gamer's delight, it's the Frankenstein monster of reworkings.