(Moon) A diva in the mating. ;-) LOL. We all commented on how it seemed odd without Cassandra, too. The other gods didn't bother me so much.

(Dorine)Re: Troy....I liked it overall and it was well made, but not work-skipping good, IMO. Pfft . . . must say I didn't like it at all, rather disappointed . . . found the writing/dialogue contrived, melodramatic . . . and the acting pushed to the point of being rather ridiculous . . And I wonder was it the script, the direction or the actors who were at fault . . . There were nice moments ( like Dorine had mentioned before - the one on one battle btwn hector and achilles; the scene when priam goes to beg for his son's body back . .heck, if your a BP fan . .I gotta admit, the man looks AFG . .and you have quite a few moments when you just say to yourself"wow if that camera shot went any lower" you'd see him in ALL his glory . .;) . .but overall as a cohesive film I found it very lacking . . . the sets and battles scenes didn't impress me . .saw better in LOTR films . . . Ehh . .wouldn't miss work over it . . . Missed the lack of Cassandra too . .now at least there would have been a female character in that movie I would have been interested in . .even Breseis got on my nerves after awhile . . Personally . .my fave actor in the whole film was Sean Bean as Odysseus . . Must give slight spoiler and funny part for me for Troy . . sorry . .during the end of the film . .the last battle in Troy . . . the minute I saw Orlando Bloom whip out that bow and arrow . .and there saw intercut scenes of Sean Bean running around wielding a sword and fighting. .I couldn't help but laugh and have a LOTR flashback and was wondering when Frodo would amble onto the screen;P

Thanks, Kimberly. I had a feeling it would be bad. I did love Van Helsing and highly recommend it. TROY / ** (R) BY ROGER EBERT "Troy" is based on the epic poem The Iliad by Homer, according to the credits. Homer's estate should sue. The movie sidesteps the existence of the Greek gods, turns its heroes into action movie cliches and demonstrates that we're getting tired of computer-generated armies. Better a couple of hundred sweaty warriors than two masses of 50,000 men marching toward one another across a sea of special effects. The movie recounts the legend of the Trojan War, as the fortress city is attacked by a Greek army led by Menelaus of Sparta and Agamemnon of Mycenae. The war has become necessary because of the lust of the young Trojan prince named Paris (Orlando Bloom), who while during a peace mission to Sparta, seduces the city-state's queen, Helen (Diane Kruger). This action understandably annoys Helen's husband, Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson), not to mention Paris' brother Hector (Eric Bana), who points out, quite correctly, that when you visit a king on a peace mission, it is counterproductive to leave with his wife. What the movie doesn't explain is why Helen would leave with Paris after an acquaintanceship of a few nights. Is it because her loins throb with passion for a hero? No, because she tells him: "I don't want a hero. I want a man I can grow old with." Not in Greek myth, you don't. If you believe Helen of Troy could actually tell Paris anything remotely like that, you will probably also agree that the second night he slipped into her boudoir, she told him, "Last night was a mistake." The seduction of Helen is the curtain-raiser for the main story, which involves vast Greek armies laying siege to the impenetrable city. Chief among their leaders is Achilles, said to be the greatest warrior of all time, but played by Brad Pitt as if he doesn't believe it. If Achilles was anything, he was a man who believed his own press releases. Heroes are not introspective in Greek drama, they do not have second thoughts, and they are not conflicted. Achilles is all of these things. He mopes on the flanks of the Greek army with his own independent band of fighters, carrying out a separate diplomatic policy, kind of like Ollie North. He thinks Agamemnon is a poor leader with bad strategy and doesn't really get worked up until his beloved cousin Patroclus (Garrett Hedlund) is killed in battle. Patroclus, who looks a little like Achilles, wears his helmet and armor to fool the enemy, and until the helmet is removed everyone thinks that Achilles has been slain. So dramatic is that development that the movie shows perhaps 100,000 men in hand-to-hand combat, and then completely forgets them in order to focus on the Patroclus battle scene, with everybody standing around like during a fight on the playground. Pitt is a good actor and a handsome man, and he worked out for six months to get buff for the role, but Achilles is not a character he inhabits comfortably. Say what you will about Charlton Heston and Victor Mature, but one good way to carry off a sword-and-sandal epic is to be filmed by a camera down around your knees, while you intone quasi-formal prose in a heroic baritone. Pitt is modern, nuanced, introspective; he brings complexity to a role where it is not required. By treating Achilles and the other characters as if they were human, instead of the larger-than-life creations of Greek myth, director Wolfgang Petersen miscalculates. What happens in Greek myth cannot happen between psychologically plausible characters. That's the whole point of myth. Great films like Michael Cacoyannis' "Elektra," about the murder of Agamemnon after the Trojan War, know that and use a stark dramatic approach that is deliberately stylized. Of course, "Elektra" wouldn't work for a multiplex audience, but then maybe it shouldn't. The best scene in the movie has Peter O'Toole creating an island of drama and emotion in the middle of all that plodding dialogue. He plays old King Priam of Troy, who at night ventures outside his walls and into the enemy camp, surprising Achilles in his tent. Achilles has defeated Priam's son Hector in hand-to-hand combat before the walls of Troy, and dragged his body back to camp behind his chariot. Now Priam asks that the body be returned for proper preparation and burial. This scene is given the time and attention it needs to build its mood, and we believe it when Achilles tells Priam, "You're a far better king than the one who leads this army." O'Toole's presence is a reminder of "Lawrence of Arabia" (1962), which I saw again two weeks ago, and which proved that patience with dialogue and character is more important than action in making war movies work. As for the Greek cities themselves, a cliche from the old Hollywood epics has remained intact. This is the convention that whenever a battle of great drama takes place, all the important characters have box seats for it. When Achilles battles Hector before the walls of Troy, for example, Priam and his family have a sort of viewing stand right at the front of the palace, and we get the usual crowd reaction shots, some of them awkward closeups of actresses told to look grieved. In a way, "Troy" resembles "The Alamo." Both are about fortresses under siege. Both are defeated because of faulty night watchmen. The Mexicans sneak up on the Alamo undetected, and absolutely nobody is awake to see the Greeks climbing out of the Trojan Horse. One difference between the two movies is that Billy Bob Thornton and the other "Alamo" actors are given evocative dialogue, and deliver it well, while "Troy" provides dialogue that probably cannot be delivered well because it would sound even sillier that way.

I was all set to see Van Helsing, but the reviews have been so abysmal. Troy's reviews seem more mixed, running the gamut from great to poor and everything in between. I guess I'll try to fit them both in and see for myself. Anyway. . . Apple? Poor kid. Almost 10 pounds . . . poor Gwynnie! Gwyneth Paltrow Gives Birth to Daughter Apple LONDON (Reuters) - Hollywood actress Gwyneth Paltrow (news) has given birth to her first child, a daughter called Apple, a spokesman said on Saturday. Paltrow, 31, and her British husband Chris Martin, 27, lead singer of the band Coldplay, said they were "ecstatic" after the baby was delivered on Friday following a long labor at a London hospital. "We are 900 miles over the moon," the couple said in a statement released by Martin's spokesman Murray Chalmers. "We would like to thank everyone at the hospital who have looked after us amazingly." The couple named their first child Apple Blythe Alison Martin. She weighed 9lb 11oz (4.39 kg). "Both mother and baby are very well," the statement added. Paltrow, who was once engaged to Brad Pitt (news) and dated actor Ben Affleck (news), met Martin backstage at a Coldplay concert in 2002. The couple married in a secret ceremony in southern California last December. Friends say Martin proved a huge support for Paltrow after the sudden death in October 2002 of her father, film director Bruce Paltrow (news). Martin and the quartet Coldplay have enjoyed huge global success since their acclaimed debut album "Parachutes" in 2000. They won a coveted Grammy Award for "Clocks" in February. Paltrow won a best actress Oscar for the 1998 film "Shakespeare in Love" and recently played the late poet Sylvia Plath.

Thanks, Moon for Ebert's Troy review. I think it's the best and most accurate I've seen yet, for what he touched on. There were several other things/people I would've liked his comments on. I'm glad he mentioned the King Priam and Achilles scene. I was just thinking yesterday that IMO, it's the best performance that I've seen from P O'T in over 20 years, since My Favorite Year in '82. I, too was psyched to see Van Helsing, but will see it anyway despite the reviews. Oddly enough, I wasn't encouraged by the trailer either, esp with the SFX, but I'll overlook that, too. Apple...*shaking head*

(Mari)Apple? Poor kid. So when will Peach and Pear be born? ;-)

Can Peach, Pear, and Parsnip be far behind?

Can this be the British influence? I recently heard of a new baby in UK named Fennel.

And here's a Troy review from the guy in AICN-Australia....I'm in total agreement with his "What I like" part TROY CHECK IT OUT! I'M AN EPIC! EPIC EPIC EPIC EPIC! LOOK! BIG! WOW! Yes, TROY, you are an epic. You are epic in scale and scope and general big-ness. But you suffer from the same affliction as GLADIATOR; you try to rush your story through like it's being told in real-time. Leave real-time for "24" or TIMECODE. It took a decade to wage war against Troy, yet thanks to Brad Pitt, the whole thing is over in a couple of days. Just one of the perplexing changes made to a great story. But I'm not going to focus on that. Because you NEED to change things to make an adaptation. What works on the page will not work on screen, and I'm not going to berate the filmmakers for making different choices to ones that, say, I would make. No, my complaints about TROY focus only on what falls between the opening and closing credits. I will admit, though, that I have softened on the film a lot since I saw it Wednesday night. I came out of it saying 'That was really dumb', and now as I think back on it I'm remembering things I liked. Things that worked. So, as I write this, I'm fifty-fifty on the film. It was a solid five out of ten. What did I have a problem with? - The clich�d dialogue. How stilted it sounds. Historical epics try so hard to write dialogue that could have been spoken thousands of years ago they inevitably lapse into Laurence Olivier doing HAMLET -'Sometimes you have to serve in order to lead. I hope you can understand that one day.' I hope I understand it some day too, Odysseus. I didn't like watching characters who are so aware of their place in history; it was one notch below Paris turning to Hector and saying, 'Isn't it great living thousands of years in the past?'. - I didn't like James Horner's score; when Horner is good, he's fucking good, but when he's bad, he's incredibly average... and here he was just re-treading Hans Zimmer's Lisa Gerrard stuff. [Ed note- Kimberly, when I asked if you knew who the group Dead Can Dance is and that the singer in the movie music sounds like the lead singer for that group, this is who I was speaking of, Lisa Gerrard.] - I'm sick of hearing the rousing speech to the troops, for all we ever get is a carbon copy of every other one that has come before. - Nearly everything that happened in the film has been done better in other films (we could have made TROY simply by editing a highlight package of LAWRENCE OF ARABIA, BEN HUR, LORD OF THE RINGS, GLADIATOR, and others). - The effects shots that looked like effects shots. - The running time, given so much of the film felt like padding (seriously, you could chop at least forty-five minutes out of the bastard). [Ed note- my thought exactly] - How desperate they were to hide Achilles's homosexuality (look! He likes women! And Patroclus is his... er... cousin! Yeah, that Achilles had to raise! How's that?). - Briseis is conveniently un-touched by Agamemnon or the troops, despite the fact that she's been in their hands for twenty-four hours; this may sound like a minor nitpick, but she is the typical Hollywood damsel-in-distress who will remain unsullied until our hero can have his way with her. - How anglo-saxon all the main characters look (especially given that the background extras actually look Greek, or Turkish). - Wolfgang's direction. I've come to the conclusion that DAS BOOT (cannot wait for the complete four-hour DVD, by the way) was a happy accident. Wolfgang has made some absolute shite lately, and though I wouldn't class TROY as absolute shite, I think the direction isn't completely up to scratch. Sure, there are some moments when he excels (more on that later), but when you consider Ridley Scott's work on GLADIATOR... Both TROY and GLADIATOR suffer, in my opinion, from pretty nothing scripts, but GLADIATOR at least had kick arse direction. Ridley may not be adept at choosing his projects, but his direction is always spot-on. The same cannot be said for Peterson. What did I like? - The Great Balls of Fire. - The fight between Hector and Achilles (the standout scene in the film, as it is thoroughly flawless). - Eric Bana, who comes off better than anyone in the film. - Seeing Peter O'Toole on screen again... in fact, in the scene between Priam and Achilles, there was a moment where I honestly thought Pitt was going to look down the lens and proclaim, 'Fuck, he's good'. - Achilles's fighting style; I honestly believed that he was the greatest warrior in the world. I liked Rose Byrne, despite her not having much to work with (Byrne played the lead role in what I consider the best Australian film ever made, THE GODDESS OF 1967). - Sean Bean's Odysseus; I could stand watching the sequel (although they'd probably change it so he takes five days to sail home). - And I liked some of the locations. TROY's biggest problem is its self-consciousness. How aware it is of the fact that it is an epic. And because of that, we're not given anything new. We're given scenes that have worked in past epics. What is frequently forgotten is the idea that all great films have done something new. Look at (you're going to hate me for this, but you know it's coming) LORD OF THE RINGS. Films that always started with story, and built from that, adding what was needed regardless of whether it fit into the cookie-cutter ideal of what an EPIC should contain. TROY feels like it was written top-down. Starting with a checklist of things that are needed to make an EPIC: a rousing speech to the troops; a fight between two great warriors; big battle scenes; the redemption; etc... I don't think that these elements are necessarily bad, but they weren't organic. It was by-the-numbers, and for all the changes they made, didn't have anything new to say. It's not a bad film, just not a particularly good one. (evelyn) I recently heard of a new baby in UK named Fennel. He or she joins Saffron, Sage, and Rosemary. ;-)

Ebert got some great lines in this one: - Homer's estate should sue. - when you visit a king on a peace mission, it is counterproductive to leave with his wife. - Heroes are not introspective in Greek drama, they do not have second thoughts, and they are not conflicted. - Pitt is modern, nuanced, introspective; he brings complexity to a role where it is not required. Hmmm, sounds like I should give this one a miss. The couple named their first child Apple Blythe Alison Martin. You really have to wonder why. :-(

In keeping with Gwynnie's dietary quirks, I hope she names the next one Ricecake.

This is probably the worst review I've read, really ripping the cast apart. Poor Orlando. Between this and some of the British reviews, I'd be hiding inside a horse right now if I were him.;-) TROJAN BORE By JONATHAN FOREMAN New York Post Clunky epic. IT'S perhaps unfair to expect contemporary Hollywood moviemakers to do justice to Homer's "Iliad" or the legends of the Trojan War that have inspired artists and writers through the centuries. And it is definitely unfair to expect Hollywood moviemakers to be comfortable with any notion of honor, even though the behavior of classical heroes like Achilles and Hector is inexplicable without it. But what really wrecks Wolfgang Petersen's "Troy" is some of the worst casting in recent Hollywood history: The lackluster ensemble hired by the director is overwhelmed by the generally impressive sets and crowd scenes (aided by computer-generated images), by the task of playing epic heroes and by David Benioff's rambling, tone-deaf screenplay "inspired by Homer's 'Iliad.'" In particular, Eric Bana in the key role of Hector, Achilles' fearsome but sympathetic Trojan antagonist, lacks the necessary looks and screen presence. And while Diane Kruger's Helen is pretty, you really need an actress to project great beauty of the kind that would make a prince violate the hospitality of his hosts and provoke the Bronze Age equivalent of a world war. There are a couple of affecting scenes in "Troy," including one between Peter O'Toole's Priam and Brad Pitt's Achilles, as well as some superbly choreographed combat sequences. But, in general, "Troy" fails to arouse strong emotion of any kind. Instead, this is the kind of movie in which the director feels driven to spaghetti western-style sudden close-ups to evoke emotions that his actors fail to project, in which declarations of love and hatred provoke laughter from the audience - and in which the sun rises and sets in the same place. Even more than you might expect, "Troy" takes major liberties with the traditional mythology: In this version of the story, the war to rescue stolen Helen takes a few days rather than 10 years, Menelaus is killed at the beginning of the war, Achilles lives to hide in the Trojan horse, and Paris and Andromache survive the fall of Troy. The screenplay also leaves out the Gods - an understandable decision for any filmmaker anxious to avoid the laughable excesses of "Clash of the Titans" or extremely elaborate computer imaging. But "Troy" goes to the other extreme: Belief in the Gods is shown to be absurd, and whenever a character invokes them, he is making a ludicrous mistake. As a result, the film lacks any sense of fate, destiny or even why this war's heroes should be memorable. It's OK to create a political explanation for the Greek expedition, making punishment for Helen's abduction a convenient cover story for Agamemnon's imperial ambitions. But without honor as a primary concern, Achilles' fury at Agamemnon for taking away his lawful prize, the priestess Briseis, doesn't really make any sense. Brian Cox goes so far over the top as a thoroughly evil Agamemnon that you wonder if he isn't deliberately sabotaging the movie. His performance raises an interesting question: Which is harder to watch, a talented actor giving a performance way below his game, or a really dreadful actor demonstrating for all time his utter lack of talent? If "Troy" doesn't put an end to the movie career of Orlando Bloom, there is no justice in movieland. Yes, in his girlish way, Bloom bears a vague resemblance to Errol Flynn, but at a recent screening, the audience burst out laughing again and again as he arranged his eyebrows to express surprise. As for Pitt's Achilles, he does look the part of a hero in the Homeric sense, with his impressive musculature and flowing blond locks. But, more Steve Reeves than Russell Crowe, he cannot convey enough sense of an inner life to make corny or leaden lines sound believable. Like "Gladiator," "Troy" puritanically abstains from dressing female characters in revealing tunics. Indeed, the abundance of bare, muscular male chests and the absence of naked female flesh make it clear the filmmakers are anxious not to alienate their core audience of violence-loving 9-year-old boys.

I have to wonder if this guy saw the same movie; a real rave. I'm done, you can read more at metacritic.com. By Michael Wilmington Chicago Tribune Movie Critic 4 stars (out of 4) "Troy"--Wolfgang Petersen's spectacular, literate saga of the Trojan War -may have been preposterously expensive ($175 million or so), but it's also in a league with Hollywood's top historical epics, ancient or otherwise. It's stunningly handsome film, with an equally stunning cast and engrossing story-and a movie like this almost has to reach the top ranks in its class to succeed. With its outsize budget and dense, rich literary-historical source (Homer's "Iliad"), it's a huge gamble in today's youth-dominated blockbuster movie market. But like Stanley Kubrick's "Spartacus" or David Lean's 1960s epics "Lawrence of Arabia" and "Dr. Zhivago," this is a prodigal-spending movie with prodigious rewards: a battle epic that laces spectacle with psychology, bloody warfare with eroticism, grand adventure with back-stabbing politics. Petersen follows the classic epic formula; he gives us a charismatic cast, headed by a quartet of talented hunks--Brad Pitt as Achilles, Eric ("The Hulk") Bana as Hector, Sean Bean as Odysseus (Ulysses) and Orlando Bloom as Paris. At the center of "Troy" is the conflict between the story's two great heroes: noble, self-sacrificing Hector and rebellious, egotistic Achilles, two great warriors who are caught in a political trap, subject to the whims and moral flaws of their leaders and peers. Hector is the brother of the impulsive, randy Paris, who steals away Helen (Diane Kruger), the beautiful wife of surly Menelaus (Brendan Gleeson)--thereby giving the Mycenaeans' wily king Agamemnon (Brian Cox) the excuse he needs to unite a huge army, crush Troy and give him dominion over the Aegean region. Achilles is Agamemnon's top warrior, seemingly invincible on the battlefield (save for his legendary "heel"), but unruly and disrespectful to his despised superiors Agamemnon and Menelaus. Seeing both for what they really are, he saves his loyalties for his faithful legions, the Myrmidons, his cousin-buddy Patroclus (Garrett Hedlund), his mother Thetis (Julie Christie) and Briseis (Rose Byrne), a lovely slave girl he steals from the Trojan Apollonian temple. Homer's Gods are absent here; amorality and power politics hold sway. (Writer David Benioff of "The 25th Hour" does borrow the Trojan Horse from Virgil's "Aeneid.") But Pitt's Achilles may be writer Benioff's most interesting conception. Whereas generations ago Achilles was damned as selfish, then, more recently, psychoanalyzed as a gay man in love with Patroclus, Pitt plays him as a rebel samurai. He's right to defy the liar-tyrant Agamemnon and save his truest respect for Hector, the man he must kill, and Priam, Hector's brave father. There is depth to the characters: Achilles' revolt, Hector's tormented loyalty, Paris and Helen's impetuous lust, Odysseus's cunning pragmatism, Agamemnon's evil bullying, Menelaus' cloddish jealousy. The single best-acted scene--Priam's moving appeal to Achilles after the battle with Hector--lays bare most of the emotions churning under the whole movie. Most of the acting, though, has a stark simplicity. And if Pitt tends to dominate the screen, it's because he's deified by Petersen and Roger Pratt's camera eye. Pitt's acting is often underrated because he's so photogenic; here his looks are integral to the role, the movie's whole sense of heroic beauty. Movie epics, from Cecil B. DeMille's on, often awe us with their logistic feats and battles and make us groan at their corniness. "Troy" is a movie that uses today's vast technological resources--digitized crowds and battles, computerized scenery--to stunning effect. Petersen and his technicians create the walled city of Troy, the oceanside beach front, the complex massed battles of thousands and the fierce individual fights with amazing effectiveness. But epics like this, especially DeMille's, were usually susceptible to the charges of historical travesty and "Troy" isn't immune. Benioff condenses the 10-year Trojan war into a few weeks and Petersen presents his armies of hunks with a near-homoerotic intensity that reminds you of both his World War II masterpiece "Das Boot" and his gay drama "The Consequence." Pitt's Achilles is also handed some improbable romantic melodrama at the end. In a way, this nearly three-hour movie is a huge, all-star sword-and-sandals epic, but it has all kinds of compensating rewards: flair and sweep, raging excitement, intriguing characters, visual grandeur--and a scenic force and dramatic intelligence. Benioff's screenplay may not be up to its Homeric source, but what movie on this book could be? "Troy" pays dues to the great epic poem while generating some real cinematic martial poetry of its own--and never forgetting, as it does, that war is truly hell.

Excerpts from an article about Vermeer and GWAPE: "The book and movie about the 17th-century masterpiece, [...], has boosted the gallery�s visitors by some 40 percent." "The actors Scarlett Johansson and Colin Firth studied the painting and listened to Duparc�s explanation of Vermeer�s genius with light and mood." "Historians say 80 percent of the prosperous town of Vermeer�s time still exists, its Gothic cathedrals and gabled houses set among narrow canals traversed by stone bridges. " "Visitors often seek out the canal-side spot where Vermeer sketched his ��View of Delft,�� [...]The skyline is still recognizable, but the two gates and the city wall prominently portrayed in the painting have disappeared. The canal has since been broadened. Today, massive barges churn past bearing garbage to a seaside incinerator in Rotterdam." "The first record of [GWAPE's] existence is in 1882, when the collector Arnoldus Andries des Tombes bought it for 2.30 guilders, then a few days� wages for an average laborer. Twenty years later, when des Tombes bequeathed it to the Mauritshuis, it was valued at 40,000 guilders. Now, it has no price. The museum refuses to disclose its insured value." Full article here: http://www.iht.com/articles/520092.html

Thanks for the articles ladies! - Seeing Peter O'Toole on screen again... in fact, in the scene between Priam and Achilles, there was a moment where I honestly thought Pitt was going to look down the lens and proclaim, 'Fuck, he's good'. ROTF! In the Chicago Tribune's rave 4 star review, Peter is not even mentioned. How odd is that?

I don't know why everyone's all that upset about the film Troy deviating from Homer. As so many have said before with other adaptations, a film has to stand on its own. ;-)

And stand it does. If only the camera would just lower. ;-)

(Evelyn)Can this be the British influence? I recently heard of a new baby in UK named Fennel. Well . .in the Phillipines it's been like that for quite some time . .I have a cousin Apple . .she must be about 16 years old now or so . . ;) . .my aunt is named Adoracion . .that's really more spanish, but not your usual Love the WAGW references . . . Many thanks for the articles . . (NY Post)His performance raises an interesting question: Which is harder to watch, a talented actor giving a performance way below his game, or a really dreadful actor demonstrating for all time his utter lack of talent? Ouch! . .but rather fitting . . . Poor OB . .i really did like him in the LOTR, POTC . .but this film didn't do anything for him (AICN - Australia)- I'm sick of hearing the rousing speech to the troops, for all we ever get is a carbon copy of every other one that has come before. Hmm, will agree . .was getting Braveheart flashbacks with that scene of Hector rallying his troops (AICN - Australia)- How desperate they were to hide Achilles's homosexuality Risa was discussing this with us at the screening . .

I keep wondering about that, Moon. In a number of articles, it talks about how you see BP's naked butt in some shot. OK, fine. Then, I saw someone write that if it had gone a little lower, we'd have a full frontal. Has he had surgery, moving his butt to the front? Am I going to have to go see this movie to know what they're referring to? Anatomically speaking, it makes no sense to me.

(AICN - Australia)- I'm sick of hearing the rousing speech to the troops, for all we ever get is a carbon copy of every other one that has come before. Why is this considered a cliche, when it is something that has always gone in battles of all kinds, including sports. Let's do this one for the Gipper! ;-)

(Karen) In a number of articles, it talks about how you see BP's naked butt in some shot. OK, fine. Then, I saw someone write that if it had gone a little lower, we'd have a full frontal. Has he had surgery, moving his butt to the front? Am I going to have to go see this movie to know what they're referring to? Anatomically speaking, it makes no sense to me. I don't see a winkie so..... Surely you don't think they shot him in or from one position. The first butt shot, his first shot of the movie period, was of him laying on his stomach naked...butt out there for all to see. There was one or two other shots of him from a side/back angle. Others were of him facing whoever he was talking to, hence the almost-full frontal. As far as going to see it, while I'm not a particular fan of BP that I feel compelled to see him sans clothing, for my particular tastes, I do have to say he was really easy on the eyes. ;-) For my personal taste, he has a perfect body.....of what I could see. ;-) Kudos to him and his personal trainer.

(Emma) Sounds like it was a FP moment in Highbury today... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/teams/a/arsenal/3718795.stm Wonder if Colin was participating in the "carnival atmosphere?" Good for them.

(Dorine) I don't see a winkie so..... No, I meant it in all seriousness. From the account I had read, I got the impression she was only referring to that opening shot, where he's lying down, butt exposed, and it made no sense. So there's another, huh, where he's standing but nothing is seen? Ah, got it. BTW, I saw the movie that got Roeper aroused. ;-) It was an interesting movie; it held my interest.

Which one? From this week's show? I was thinking earlier today that Roeper seems to be a movie "misanthrope." He seems to almost always dislike movies that Ebert likes that any kind of element of fun or action in them. Sometimes I get the impression he always wants a movie to be arthouse or arthouse quality or sensibility. Sometimes he seems to have seen and interpreted a movie very different than Ebert, too. The review today for A Slipping Down Life with Guy Pearce and Lily Taylor was a good example of that. Should I go to Sundance next year and see him again, maybe I'll get bold and ask him about that. But then again, nothing wrong with people having differences of opinion. ;-)

Apple Blythe Alison Martin The baby was probably named after Gwynnie's grandfather. In the Jewish tradition, you name your children after a dead, close relative. Nowadays, they usually just go with the same initial. In Gwynnie's case, she had two people: her grandfather and father, but the grandfather had died first and, if there weren't any other children born into the family, she'd have been reminded that he needed to be honored. The grandfather was called "Buddy" but his real first name was Arnold. (Didn't take much Googling to find that.) Seeing "Blythe" in the mix is fairly strange, unless if refers to someone other than her mother. (You don't name after living people.) She could also be using the "B" in Blythe for her father Bruce. Still, she could've picked a better "A" name. But most interesting are the three initials: ABA, which in Hebrew is father. Can you tell I've been reading two of Dan Brown's books? ;-))))))))

(Dorine) Which one? From this week's show? Secret Things, reviewed last week or two weeks ago. He seems to almost always dislike movies that Ebert likes that any kind of element of fun or action in them. But, by the same token, Roeper has liked a number of inane movies, clearly aimed at the 13-year-old boy crowd, and he seems to always state that you can't take them for anything more than they aspire to be, which is brainless fun. I'm not sure if there's any rhyme or reason to Roeper's views, any more than you can now expect from Ebert. No consistency at all.

I saw Troy last night, and I thought it very entertaining and well worth my 8 bucks. I'll be very shallow here, and say that Brad Pitt and Eric Bana are absolutely a pleasure to look at. Oh my. Lots of naked torso shots, especially of Brad, and we get the bare butt and almost full-frontal of Brad and also Orlando. I am getting this one on DVD as soon as it comes out.:-) Not a "great" film, but sitting there in the cool darkened theater, with my bag of popcorn and watching these sweeping vistas, casts of thousands, and great looking men scantily clad. . . what more could I want from a summer blockbuster. More later.

I saw TROY this aft and also found it v. entertaining. Yeah, yeah, the dialogue is wanting...gods are missing...but who needs them when you have Brad Pitt. But , of course, you know I belong to the "Every- Film -doesn't- have- to- be- an- Oscar- nom- to- be- entertaining- Club";

(Karen) I don't know why everyone's all that upset about the film Troy deviating from Homer. As so many have said before with other adaptations, a film has to stand on its own. ;-) (Moon) And stand it does. If only the camera would just lower. ;-) I kept thinking the same thing.....didn't see the big deal though in all the nudity talk (had the camera been a few inches lower I would have understood the fuss). If it had been women naked, it wouldn't have gotten a mention. Get Brad to show you the side of his butt (if I don't see crack, it's not a butt shot IMO) and it's front page news (okay, not front page, but really!). He does have a lovely upper body though....that was more thrilling than the side of his cheek for me. And the leather mini skirts Louisa (lovely gams)! GAH! Very nice. I thought it was okay (not great, not gawd-awful). The CGI was amazing. The 'first kill' by Achilles was intense and beyond brutal (but showed off some good leg work by BP). The script wasn't the best. The Troy boys looked great (Love the hair ornaments! Where can a girl get those?? ;-D). The blue and white tie dyed outfits were pretty amusing. Wondered where Hector and wife (Saffron) got the blue eyed, blonde baby...??? Enjoyed the fight between Hector and Achilles. Well done. Still, entertaining (this one was pure eye candy)....but could have been about a half hour shorter (trim a few burial burnings and some sand marching....and does one make that much noise marching on a beach?? It sounded like they were wearing ill fitting wooden clogs on a dance floor....)

(Tress) Wondered where Hector and wife (Saffron) got the blue eyed, blonde baby... *snort* I thought the same...but as a matter of fact why didn't the leads look Greek. Only the slaves did. Helen of Troy looked more like Helen of Heidelberg.

Rest assured that there are lots of Greek blonds, and Italians too. ;-D

From Empire, which strangely enough didn't mention Anthony Andrews, but is spot on with the Dickie Greenleaf suggestion. Fop Idols Connelly and Bettany revisiting Brideshead 17 May 2004 More quintessentially English than strawberries and cream, tennis and bulldogs put together (a messy combination, that), Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited is one of the classics of the last century. Little wonder then that it is finally getting the big screen treatment. We reported last year that work on the book was underway, but now star couple Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connelly have signed on for lead roles. Brideshead Revisited was previously made into a TV series in 1981, starring Jeremy Irons and featuring such giants of stage and screen as Laurence Olivier and John Gielgud. The book has remained untouched since, presumably because you need some considerable cojones to take on a cast like that � but obviously Mr and Mrs Bettany-Connelly are the people for the job, along with "State of Play" director David Yates. The book flits between the height of wartime in 1944 and the balmy summer of 1923. The narrator is Charles Ryder (Bettany), who studied at Oxford in the roarings twenties and befriended the aristocratic Flyte family of Brideshead. Originally forming a passionate friendship with the startlingly handsome Sebastian Flyte, Charles later falls for his equally attractive sister Julia (Connelly). The other lead part of Sebastian Flyte has yet to be cast, but they're going to need someone who can look as drop-dead gorgeous as Dickie Greenlaw (Jude Law) in The Talented Mr Ripley - while clutching a teddybear all the while. Until they find the right man for the job, let's all lay back and think of an England full of the dreaming spires of Oxford and cuddly toys named Aloysius.

Helen of Troy looked more like Helen of Heidelberg. ROTF Ev! (Moon)Rest assured that there are lots of Greek blonds, and Italians too. ;-D True, but I still love Ev's line;-))

(Evelyn)gods are missing...but who needs them when you have Brad Pitt. I didn't miss 'em.;-) (Tress)if I don't see crack, it's not a butt shot IMO) LMAO!! I guess I wasn't that plugged into the advance word on this one, and therefore didn't realize there was promised nudity, so was grateful for small favors.;-) Wondered where Hector and wife (Saffron) got the blue eyed, blonde baby... Wasn't he adorable? I assumed he took after grandpa, Peter O'Toole (who I thought was vg; I could almost hear him thinking "*this* is how it's done, children.") Did the Paris--Helen romance work for anybody? I thought Bloom and Kruger had zero heat.

Jimmy Fallon Signs Off from SNL For Good I liked JF...even though I haven't become a SNL regular since, well since you know;-) Monday May 17, 2004 By Stephen M. Silverman SURPRISED: During this weekend's Saturday Night Live season finale (hosted by Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen), Jimmy Fallon, 29, signed off from his Weekend Update anchor chair with a surprise announcement: "This is my last show. Good night and have a pleasant tomorrow." Fallon, who had been with the series since 1998, had a contract that expired, say reports. He will next be seen in the movie Taxi, costarring Queen Latifah and due later this year. (Karen)but is spot on with the Dickie Greenleaf suggestion. Yes, I thought that was a perfect suggestion. Although Paul Bettany could probably have done the DG role, as well. I'm not sure about him as Charles Ryder. I guess I have Jeremy Irons stuck in my mind more than Anthony Andrews.

Sorry, this link should have been in above post: http://people.aol.com/people/articles/0,19736,638549,00.html

Linda), I guess I have Jeremy Irons stuck in my mind more than Anthony Andrews. Anthony was so good as the Scarlet Pimpernel. :-) Is BV available for rental? I never saw that one. (Evelyn)gods are missing...but who needs them when you have Brad Pitt. (Mari), I didn't miss 'em.;-) I don't know about you but my gods are to die for. ;-D

This is really off-topic, but somehow qualifies as O&E in my head. It's somewhat CF related ;-) Technical question about DVD players in PCs: Somewhere here in the last few weeks (discussion of GWAPE region 1 :-(, I got the impression that the player in my PC would be multi-region. Is that true? Don't have any non US DVDs to try in it, but was curious if I should pursue this. Begs the question, why are they bothering with "regions" if we can play them anywhere any time via multi-region players. Doesn't that whole release date/marketing thing go out the window? I don't understand the movie biz, can you tell ;-)

DVD-ROM drives installed in your computer are supposed to be region specific. For mine, when I installed it, I had a choice of what region I wanted to set it to. It allowed me to change my mind 5 times, I think, before it locked down to one region. However, there are plenty of cracks available for download that will make your drive region free.

OHHHH, Grazie, Thank You, and Merci beaucoup! The "Last 50 Responses" page is back!

From THR, this should start the whining... 'Office' out of Emmy contention By Ray Richmond "The Office," the critically lauded British-produced comedy/mockumentary series imported for U.S. TV audiences by BBC America, has rendered itself ineligible for Primetime Emmy Awards consideration this year because of a shortfall of qualified episodes during the show's second season. The show, which has been universally praised by the TV press on both sides of the Atlantic, has already won a Peabody Award and a pair of Golden Globes this year. The Globes wins came as something of an upset, with "The Office" taking the top TV series/musical or comedy statuette over "Sex and the City," "Monk," "Arrested Development" and "Will & Grace." The show's creator and star, Ricky Gervais, also carted off the comedy acting trophy over the likes of Matt LeBlanc, Bernie Mac, Eric McCormack and Tony Shalhoub. Even with heavy competition this year in the outstanding comedy category from such perennial nominees as "Friends," "Sex and the City" and "Everybody Loves Raymond," it was thought that "The Office" stood a better-than-average chance of landing a series Emmy nom as well as one for Gervais among lead comedy actors. Essentially, "The Office" took itself out of the running by making a critical decision that seemed benign enough at the time: It entered its first episode of Season Two for International Emmy Awards consideration, thereby removing that segment from consideration for Primetime Emmy honors. Then, according to Jo Petherbridge, BBC America's acting chief operating officer, Gervais decided to use two specials that were produced following the second season and repurpose them into a single "Office" movie, which is now expected to air later this year. "But it was really the fact that we used that one episode for the International Emmys that removed us from the Primetime Emmys," Petherbridge said. "We didn't think there was much awards risk at the time, because that brought us down from six episodes for the second season to five -- and you needed eight episodes to qualify for the Emmys anyway." However, this year, quite coincidentally, it happens that the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences lowered the episodic requirement for Emmy series eligibility from eight down to six. And so "The Office" wound up missing by just the one. "We were victims of timing, really, but there was no way around it," Petherbridge said. "But we totally accept the situation, and it's actually been fantastic going back and forth trying to find a solution to this with the TV academy. It's disappointing. But quite frankly, we're all pretty thrilled to have won a Peabody, two Golden Globes and a massive number of BAFTAs lately." ATAS vp awards John Leverence stressed that "The Office" wasn't caught in any sort of qualifications or semantics snafu of the academy's creation. "The last thing the TV academy wants is for the press, or the world, to think that once again we have some dumb Emmy rule keeping a great show like 'The Office' from getting in," Leverence said. "In fact, that's not true. BBC America and Ricky Gervais made a choice that they knew might take them out of consideration and decided to make that particular move." NBC announced this week that it has ordered a U.S. adaptation of "The Office" for the network's 2004-05 midseason schedule (HR 5/18).

Since the most likely candidate Richard Branson isn't available because he'll be doing an American TV series ... BBC to mogul Sugar: You're hired! By Steve Brennan Self-made London millionaire Alan Sugar will step into the Donald's shoes for a British version of "The Apprentice," it was announced Tuesday in London. Produced by Talkback, the U.K. production arm of FremantleMedia, the series will air this year on BBC Two. Sugar is described as an "East End boy made good." He is chairman of consumer electronics giant Amstrad Plc. and has long been a major champion of promoting enterprise in the United Kingdom. The series for BBC Two will be based on the format that was created by reality British TV producer Mark Burnett and produced for NBC by Mark Burnett Prods. "The Apprentice" became a major hit for NBC, with developer Donald Trump overseeing teams of "apprentices" who must survive various business-related challenges as they compete for a top job with the Trump organization. The show has become most famous for Trump's dictate at the conclusion of each episode, "You're fired!" Sugar will take on the same role in the British version. "My philosophy has always been to work hard, be honest, be frank, be credible and always learn from your mistakes," Sugar said. "My good news/bad news approach to business has earned me a reputation for being blunt, but you've got to have what it takes to make it in business. I was delighted to be approached for this role. It sits perfectly with my long-held belief in the importance of promoting enterprise."

While I'm doing homework for Professor Shosh's class on Darcy Drool, I ran across this pic of Alexandra Kerry, John Kerry's daughter. It was taken at Cannes: US film director Alexandra Kerry, daughter of US presidential candidate John Kerry, arrives for the official projection of the film 'Kill Bill 2' during 57th Cannes Film Festival in the French Riviera town(AFP/Pascal Guyot)

Perky little thangs! At least she could have worn black bikinis.

Putain! ;-) Kerry Heinz son was at the Troy premiere in NY. Democrats and glizt. ;-D

( US film director Alexandra Kerry, daughter of US presidential candidate John Kerry, arrives for the official projection of the film 'Kill Bill 2' during 57th Cannes Film Festival in the French Riviera town(AFP/Pascal Guyot) This dress looks as though it could be like the skirts popular in Japan just a short while back- they looked like they were sheer and showing the body but were actully silkscreens...it if were really this sheer, wouldn't I see her arm in silhouette under the drape on her left shoulder ?

I hope she wears that on the campaign trail this summer; will ensure big crowds.;-) Apparently she was done in by the flashbulbs; *always* check your dress undrer bright lights, ladies.:-) And at least she was there with her film, not just to party. From a wire service account: Alexandra Kerry, a 30-year-old filmmaker and actress, on Sunday walked on the Cannes Film Festival's red carpet for the premiere of Quentin Tarantino (news)'s "Kill Bill 2" wearing a black dress revealing her right shoulder. But photographers with powerful flashes ended up capturing more: her bra-less chest. Kerry was in Cannes to present her short film, "The Last Full Measure," in the Short Film Corner section of the festival. The film describes the ravage wreaked on a US family by the Vietnam war. Her father is a Vietnam war veteran, but she said her movie's characters are fictional. John Kerry, a Massachusetts senator, will face President George W. Bush (news - web sites), a Republican, in the November 2 election.

(Bonnie) This dress looks as though it could be like the skirts popular in Japan just a short while back- they looked like they were sheer and showing the body but were actully silkscreens That's one of those urban myths. I looked it up not too long ago for someone and it's a hoax. No such skirts ever existed in Japan. The pics were doctored.

Papers Play 'Naked' Kerry Photo Differently By E&P Staff Published: May 19, 2004 NEW YORK It had to be the first time The Washington Post ever published a photo of the daughter of a possible future president with black bars covering her breasts. It was much ado about nothing, of course, but still "revealing" of how the press now handles risque photos in print vs. online. It all began on Monday, when Sen. John Kerry's daughter Alexandra, a film-maker, walked up the red carpet at the Cannes film festival. She was wearing a black dress, off the shoulder on one side, and apparently not much underneath. When the flash bulbs inevitably popped, her bare-naked upper torso was clearly visible through the fabric, if only for a second. Of course, photographers captured that second, perfectly. The highly revealing photo was published all over news sites on the Web, but newspapers in print have taken a varying approach. The New York Post published the shot with the headline "Kerry's Daughter is in Top Form." The Washington Post, on the other hand, went the retro "black-bars-across-breasts" route, while the Boston Herald showed her only from the neck up. "She seems to be doing her best Janet Jackson imitation," the wife a local pol told the Herald. Washington Times Editorial Page Editor Tony Blankley told Lloyd Grove of New York's Daily News, "It was a lovely photograph," but doubted it would sway votes. Former Al Gore campaign manager Donna Brazile commented: "Too much information! Whatever happened to earth tones?"

....wearing a black dress revealing her right shoulder. ROTFL...that's what they noticed? Looks like she has a belly piercing too.

But photographers with powerful flashes ended up capturing more: her bra-less chest. Yeah, blame it on the paparazzi;-)

(Bonnie) ...it if were really this sheer, wouldn't I see her arm in silhouette under the drape on her left shoulder ? Not necessarily. The light and camera angle was such that it caught that particular area "best." As you can see, the "sheerness" appears to decrease the further down you go. Just a different angle and amt of light on that area. Also, for the shoulder, there could be more than one layer so the light wouldn't penetrate as well, or a small chance it's a slightly different fabric or weight of same fabric. Remember that shirt Livia wore at the TIOBE premiere? At least she had on a (*white*) bra. ;-) Hollywood people wear those types of dress frequently knowing what will happen. Not saying Ms. Kerry did, though. Thanks for posting that Karen. Heard about it this morning on TV and was going to look it up, then forgot.

(Dorine) Hollywood people wear those types of dress frequently knowing what will happen. Not saying Ms. Kerry did, though. ..Yeah, yeah...;-) Methinks Ms.Kerry makes J.Lo look like a nun.

(Evelyn), Methinks Ms.Kerry makes J.Lo look like a nun. LOL! Yeah, but can she sing? ;-) The fun thing about having the democrats in office is that you never know what will happen here. With the republicans you never know what will happen there. ;-)

It's good to see hypocrisy is alive and well in other countries. ;-) (although you do have to wonder why it was included anyway) From BBC News: Britain axes nipple from EU film British censors required a nipple shot cut from a breastfeeding scene A film advert encouraging people to vote in the European elections has been censored in Britain to eliminate a glimpse of a bare nipple. The European Parliament film depicts various choices being made by a jury, school pupils and a breastfed baby. Brief shots of the mother's nipple were cut from the version to be shown in 2,200 British cinemas, on the orders of the Cinema Advertising Association. The advert will be shown unedited in up to 24 EU countries. Labour MP Julia Drown said the move highlighted "a real inconsistency" in attitudes towards breastfeeding in the UK. "There is a minority of people in the country who are somehow offended by breastfeeding in public, who somehow think it's a bit scary rude or unacceptable," she said "But it just forgets the fact that millions of bosoms are thrust into people's faces every single day in the tabloids." Two versions of the promotional film have been made by the European Parliament's audio-visual department, lasting 45 seconds and 30 seconds. Both feature the breast-feeding scene, and Britain was the only country which required the nipple to be cut from both versions. The advert ends with the voice-over message: "You've been voting since you were born: don't stop now - European Parliament elections, 10 June." Apart from the language of the final message, the advert was intended to be exactly the same for all European audiences. However, in addition to cuts demanded in Britain, French censors were uncomfortable about a brief shot of a stern-looking female judge receiving a jury's verdict. Ireland has reportedly decided not to screen the advert at all. The edited advert will be shown in British cinemas from 28 May. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/film/3735143.stm

I haven't paid much attention to Scott Turow's books after reading my third and last, but an excellent review for the upcoming miniseries "Reversible Errors" starting on Sunday from THR: Reversible Errors By Barry Garron Bottom line: A brilliant murder mystery filled with unforgettable characters. (9-11 p.m. Sunday and Tuesday, May 23 and 25, CBS) Finally, a murder mystery that is more than worth the four hours of time required to invest in it. It's not just that "Scott Turow's Reversible Errors" is an intriguing tale with more twists and turns than a Britney Spears video. What makes this mini so irresistible is that every single character is richly drawn, absolutely convincing and undeniably flawed. Although Turow uses the tale to raise questions about the death penalty, this is first and foremost a story of complex and basically decent individuals trying to find truth and justice but coming at it from different perspectives and with different motivations. It all begins with a triple homicide. A timely tip leads Detective Larry Starczek (Tom Selleck) to a mentally shortchanged petty thief, Rommy "Squirrel" Gandolph (Glenn Plummer), who quickly confesses and is sentenced to death. At the time, Starczek is having an affair with a novice in the District Attorney's Office, Muriel Wynn (Monica Potter). The case becomes the first step in her meteoric rise through the ranks. Of course, it's all too pat. Seven years later, Squirrel's last appeal is assigned to Arthur Raven (William H. Macy), a former lawyer in the D.A.'s office who could no longer stomach the work after his sister died of a drug overdose. Raven, with an assist from the judge who heard the case, Gillian Sullivan (Felicity Huffman), finds out enough to convince himself that Squirrel was wrongly convicted. Finding the truth and achieving justice turn out to be two separate journeys that converge only from time to time. Deliciously complicating things is the rekindling of romantic sparks between the detective and the prosecutor, now married and campaigning for the office of D.A. And then there's the smoldering attraction between Raven and the former judge, who has since served time for taking bribes and now sells perfume at a department store. Selleck gives perhaps his most nuanced performance, and Potter shows great dramatic range. Macy and Huffman always can be counted on for turns that dig far below the surface, and their work here as tormented souls struggling to reach out to each other is as solid as it gets. It's a story that demands attention but rewards those who give it. Alan Sharp, who adapted the teleplay from Turow's novel, made smart choices, finding the essence of the story and the relationships and recasting them for the miniseries. Mike Robe, who directed Turow's "Burden of Proof" for a previous CBS miniseries, is absolutely masterful here. He unfolds the story at a brisk and satisfying pace and deploys camera angles and lighting expertly enough to capture the angst and the conflicts that beset each of the richly textured characters. While HBO's "Angels in America" has a lock on the miniseries Emmy in September, it would be a shame if "Reversible Errors" was not among the nominees. Cast: Arthur Raven: William H. Macy Larry Starczek: Tom Selleck Muriel Wynn: Monica Potter Gillian Sullivan: Felicity Huffman Erno Erdai: James Rebhorn Collins Farwell: Shemar Moore Rommy Gandolph: Glenn Plummer Genevieve Carriere: Yanna McIntosh Talmadge Lorman: Nigel Bennett Judge Harlow: David Fox [BTW, if you close your eyes slightly when Monica Potter speaks--though might not even be necessary--you will hear Julia Roberts]

Looks like Julia Roberts too: I saw her in "Martha meet Frank, Daniel....." Scott Turow always comes through with a riveting story. I'll watch. This Sunday is the last episode of State of Play and next to last for Tony Soprano. Tony should say good night this season while he's ahead....IMO the story lines have been getting pretty thin. Who cares about Meadow's boyfriend's mother (Annette Benning!) Looks like all the episodes of Keen Eddie are re-runs. http://www.bravotv.com/Keen_Eddie/episodes_list.html

(Evelyn)Scott Turow always comes through with a riveting story. I'll watch. Ditto...and I can't wait for SoP's last episode. I almost lost the thread last week but was able to sort it out in the end. They are filming a second series. (Evelyn)Looks like all the episodes of Keen Eddie are re-runs I guess Bravo didn't order new episodes they only bought the existing series;-((

(Evelyn)Who cares about Meadow's boyfriend's mother (Annette Benning!) I may be in the minority here, but after being off the Sopranos the last year or so, I'm back on board. I thought this last episode was exceptionally well done. The whole dream-sequence - especially the part with Annette Benning as herself sitting at the family table with John Heard (whose character I think got whacked the first season)as the Dad and then with the line about "he'll never amount to anything," the interchanging the image of Meadow's boyfriend with that of AJ was particularly telling. (And AB running after Tony with the crowd ala "Frankenstein" screaming "Bugsy!" was hilarious.) I've only watched the episode once, but I intend to again. There were so many in-jokes and I'm at a disadvantage because I've had gaps in watching the series. For legal thrillers, I always liked him head and shoulders above Grisham. At least early on. I haven't read Reversible Errors, but I'm looking forward to watching it too.

Reversible Errors sounds good; thanks for the heads up or I'd have missed this one. Louise, I sort of agree with you about the "dream" episode of Sopranos. It was out there, but this series is never afraid to take chances and I thought it was a unique way to make its points, especially about Tony and his relationship with his father, which he's never been able to really address in a conscious way. The Frankenstein mob bit was too funny. I also think Tony Blundetto is not long for this world; too bad, I've really enjoyed Steve Buscemi's portrayal, but hey, if ya live by the sword . . .;-)

This Sunday's Breakfast with the Art on A&E will have a feature with Wolfgang Petersen: "WOLFGANG PETERSEN ON ?TROY? Josh Binswanger will speak to Oscar nominated director Wolfgang Petersen about ?Troy,? his highly-anticipated new film set in ancient Greece.

The advert ends with the voice-over message: "You've been voting since you were born: don't stop now - European Parliament elections, 10 June." Oh, yeah. Babies are voting on which breast is best? What kind of silly ad is that? They way it looks now it will be a big win for the left breast. ;-) Thanks for the Turow heads up, Karen.

We are getting loads of press here on Troy, interviews, reviews etc Am I the only Brit unmoved by Brad..... in a skirt, without a skirt... any which way. Shall be wearing my "I prefer Jennifer" tee shirt instead ;-)))

For anyone interested in light of the recent Troy discussions, the USA miniseries is being rerun this afternoon, starting at noon, on A&E.

(Lizza)Am I the only Brit unmoved by Brad I can only speak for myself, here in America, but he doesn't move me in the least;-)

on another note...doesn't Gael Garcia Bernal have the most gorgeous eyes? Okay, next to ODB;-)

Hey, do I remember correctly about a restriction of talking about HP on here? Went to the premiere this afternoon with Little Bee Risa and a couple of other friends, too. Won't say more if it's a no-no.

The restriction was mainly aimed at talking about HP in conjunction with Colin. You know, the moaning and groaning for him to be cast in any of those movies.

Oh right. Ok, I did have a quick comment about that, but it's unimportant. Anyway, I *loved* Prisoner of Azkaban. By far the best one IMO and my favorite of the 3. Not long and draggy like I felt the others were, though this one is about 2 1/4 hours. I wasn't bored once, like I was quite a bit after a while with the other 2. *Very* humorous, Hermione didn't annoy me at all this time...she's not snotty this time around. Doesn't act like she has to compete or show up the boys because she's the girl, she's just one of a group of friends, all helping each other out. Really loved the music in this one...I surprised myself saying I might buy the soundtrack. What a *hoot* Emma Thompson was! Sirius Black is in it less than I thought he would be. Talked about more than he's seen. Michael Gambon, an excellent choice for Dumbledore, though I sort of miss the kind of gravitas and even gentleness that RH brought to the role. MG is different, but I liked him. Risa pointed out something that was left out that would've been a great "*Ooooo*hhhh," epiphany-like moment regarding a map HP used. Am curious if they even filmed that. I might buy this one when it's out on DVD vs the other 2 I've never watched more than once. What a crowd of teenagers outside...and what lungs they have! Could hear them screaming *alllll* the way over to the next block where we stood in line to get in. Think they were practicing for the cameras for at least 30 mins before stars started to arrive and they were probably doing it before that before we got there. It was so hot outside, and they were doing a live feed in the theater (Radio City) of the arrivals, so we went in to watch. Got free popcorn, sodas or water, and goody bags with fun stuff at our seats. Stars from the film who came included....The 3 main kids of course....(I'll use their character names, it's easier)....HP looks so overwhelmed by the huge crowd, the noise, and activity, we really thought he looked on the verge of hyperventilating, at least when he first arrived. I think he relaxed as he made his way down the step and repeat line. Hermione...v. v. cute, but I didn't like her dress much. Was cute to watch her pull it up (it was sleeveless and maybe she felt it slipping? ;-)). I loved Ron dressed like a little rocker...long hair, sneakers, some kind of navy uniform looking coat (?). Not a great description of that coat, but.... They were all too cute, esp the boys. AR (Snape) was there looking same as LA, not bad at all. Robbie Coltrane....must've been miserable in the heat, wasn't looking tip top shape inside as he walked by. He's a big guy. Some of the other kids were there....no idea of their names. Director Alfonso Cuaron and producers David somebody and Chris Columbus there, too. Non-HP stars there...Tim Robbins with SS and kids, Christy Brinkley looking younger than ever with her very handsome hubby and their kids, LL Cool J and family...who were mobbed at their seats by his fans, poor things..., Gina Gershon, Leelee Sobieski, Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 and his wife who strongly resembled Angelina Jolie. We were seated all the way over to the left, so the stars ended up walking by us on the way to the stage for pre-screening intros. A lady made a comment like, "Love you, Alan" as he walked by on his way down to the stage *and* on his way back. He acknowledged her on the way back with a wave and forgot what he said. Risa and my other guest got a few good pics as they walked by. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=638&e=3&u=/nm/20040524/en_nm/leisure_potter_dc http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=529&ncid=529&e=2&u=/ap/20040524/ap_en_mo/harry_potter_premiere http://www.wireimage.com/default.asp Yahoo pics/slideshow is good, too. I give it 2 thumbs way up. :-) Well worth $10 bucks. Now to see Shrek 2.

Oooh I forgot, the kid who plays Malfoy was there. Poor thing, having an acne attack.

Thanks, Dorine. I'm waiting to see this with the little ones. Was the premiere at Radio City, or was there just a special screening there? Also, Alan Rickman...was he a bit more friendly than at the LA premiere?

LOL, he could hardly be *less* friendly.;-) I saw bits from the HP premiere on the news; I haven't heard so much screaming since Colin Firth was in town.;-)

(Mari) I haven't heard so much screaming since Colin Firth was in town.;-) LOL, that's what Risa and I were telling my other friends. I have to admit I was floored we could hear them rather well all the way on the other side of the building. AR at least turned and acknowledged the woman who said, "Love you, Alan" both verbally and with a wave -- and he was already past her a couple of rows at that point.

Thanks, Dorine. I look forward to it. I saw the closing ceremony of the Cannes FF on IFC. Tarantino says that Moore's film was the best in the festival and it's a documentary? Yeah, whatever. I am looking forward to seeing it and I'm glad it might get the distribution it needs, but frankly, the standing ovations he received at the many screenings were because Europeans are anti-Bush (that's how they hide their anti-Americanism now). But the fashion! The gowns were very beautiful. I liked them much better than the ones I saw at the Oscars.

But the fashion! The gowns were very beautiful. I liked them much better than the ones I saw at the Oscars. I saw the show, too, and that's exactly what I was thinking. Thought they were unique, classy, *and* attractive. I'd say many Oscar gowns lack one or more of those qualities.

Dorine - very jealous I wasn't able to make it . .my DH says hi . .he and I were wondering . .was there any sort of Q&A? . .or did any of the actors/director even speak a bit after or before the film? Saw Shrek 2 - thought it was adorable . .can't wait till HP;)

No Q&A. Just quick intros of about a dozen people before the film. I actually thought it was odd not more was said after they dragged all those people up there. I vaguely remember now maybe the director said literally a few words about hoping we enjoy the film. Wondered if they'd do one afterward, like they have at several smaller premieres I've been to (though granted a couple were during film fests, too), but they didn't. I think they were talked out by the time they got inside. ;-) We got to see them answer questions outside on the screen. They were all asked things like, "Why do you think this appeals to so many people?" (or similar).....blah, blah, blah. They basically all said the same thing.....the story.

Now that I think of it, I doubt the kids would've been able to sit still through a Q&A. And I have to say, I was beyond impressed at the children of all ages in that theater. Virtually no fidgeting, noise, or talking the *whole* time (at least anyone remotely near us). I am all astonishment.

Dorine , thanks so much for all the HP info, so glad it's got thumbs up. We literally just had a news clip on our childrens' BBC channel showing it (but not you and your guests;-) ) Premiere here Sunday night. Apparently according to article in Saturday Telegraph the director set the three leads an essay to write before filming, about their character. Harry produced a page, Hermione about 14 sides and Ron didn't bother! They all acknowledged that in reality they were a lot like the characters they played in the film after all.

Check it out , "Wizarding age" www.telegraph.co.uk

closing the bolds

Jude Law Joins Brideshead Revisited Adaptation The New York Social Dairy website reports that Jude Law will be joining Paul Bettany and Jennifer Connolly in the movie version of Evelyn Waugh's romantic novel Brideshead Revisited, from Warner Independent Pictures. The film will be directed by David Yates from a script by Andrew Davies. Set in the 1920s and '30s, it is the story of Charles Ryder (Bettany), an aspiring painter who gets mixed up with the aristocratic, beautiful, doomed Flyte family - sister Julia (Connolly) and gay brother Sebastian (Law). Law is expected to spend the summer in Derbyshire, England at the country seat of the Dukes of Devonshire, Chatsworth, filming the adaptation. The Sebastian Flyte role was made famous in the 1981 series by Anthony Andrews. The original series was filmed at Castle Howard in Yorkshire, starring Claire Bloom and Sir Laurence Olivier. The role of Charles Ryder, Sebastian's very romantic school chum who was infatuated but evidently straight was played by Jeremy Irons and made him a star.

Another victim of remake ferver (or fever):-(: 2. WB ALTERS 'STATES' Scribe aboard for remake of '80 sci-fi pic Warner Bros. has set screenwriter Fernley Phillips to write a remake of "Altered States," the 1980 Ken Russell-directed psychedelic sci-fi thriller. Greg Shapiro will produce I

(Beedee) Another victim of remake ferver (or fever):-(: Fever indeed! That movie's considered a joke in my family. The new version can only be an improvement, imo.

For all you Tony Award fans, thought this was an interesting article about how they pick what numbers go on the show. http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=529&ncid=529&e=7&u=/ap/20040526/ap_en_ot/tonys_backstage_song_picks Am posting the bit about Hugh Jackman on his board.

I thought this was a trip. Hollywood Mystery Man 'Rance' Has Internet Abuzz Thu May 27, 2:52 PM ET By Dan Whitcomb LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - He skewers Hollywood and the cult of celebrity on an anonymous Web log that has spawned a cult following. He claims to be an A-list actor, writing under a pseudonym, but admits he may not be believed. Who, exactly, is "Rance?" Could he really be, as some believe, Owen Wilson, Ben Affleck, Jim Carrey or even George Clooney? The answer may perhaps be found somewhere in the entries on his Weblog -- or "blog" -- which applies a trenchant wit and jaundiced insider's eye in chronicling the life of a Hollywood celebrity. Then again, it could all be a hoax. Though Rance granted an interview with Reuters, he responded to questions only via email, using pseudonymous dead-end accounts for both himself and the reporter and never offering a glimpse into his real identity. Asked if he was, in fact, a well-known actor, he responded: "Or a well-known actress perhaps. Just not Donald Trump." In the blog's first-ever post last December, Rance introduced himself this way: "Suffice it to say I know what its like to see your picture on the magazine rack every now and again when you pay for groceries." Rance's blog has since spawned a furious guessing game on the Internet and beyond, becoming a regular topic at Hollywood parties. Xeni Jardin, a writer on the "Boing-Boing" blog, recently told her readers that Rance was rumored to be "Starsky and Hutch" star Owen Wilson, a claim that the actor's publicist has denied. BEN AFFLECK? GEORGE CLOONEY? JIM CARREY? The anonymous editor of Hollywood gossip site Defamer suggests it could be Ben Affleck -- a conjecture built around the supposed link between a cryptic quiz on Rance's blog and an Affleck tattoo. Others have surmised that Rance is Jim Carrey, George Clooney, Benicio Del Toro or Luke Wilson, Owen's brother. And one of Rance's readers recently sent him a comment that read simply: "You are, in fact, Matthew Perry. Game on?" Meanwhile, a Defamer reader tried to unmask Rance by researching the term "Captain Hoof," which appears in the Web address. She came to the conclusion that he was a San Francisco man who worked at an ad agency and once ran a Web site with a similar name -- possibly dedicated to an imaginary horse. The man, who no longer works for the agency, could not be contacted for this story. For his part, Rance offers the electronic equivalent of a shrug to the endless chatter about his identity, saying that it was never his intention to play hide-and-seek with the world. "The guessing game distracts from any message I might have," he told Reuters. "Then again, I'm not yet sure I have a message and in any case the amusement makes it all worth it. More than once I've seen items that upon first glance suggested the game might be up and I felt my stomach plummet." Rance said he set up the Web site on a whim with help from a computer-savvy friend, seeing it as a "really good way to bitch about my job" without suffering any career repercussions. He chose the name "Rance" as a pun on "rants." The diverse themes of the Web log revolve around pitch meetings and parties, the machinations of Hollywood at work and play and its fascination with sex and celebrity. Rance loves shrimp and logic puzzles. He's tolerant of paparazzi but tough on gossips. He's bored by Shakespeare and the summer blockbuster "Troy" but admires Joan Rivers. And through it all he's amused by life in Los Angeles -- the way a birthday party in the suburbs can turn into an unexpected meeting with a dominatrix and a late-night nude dip in the Chateau Marmont pool can be interrupted by an SUV crash on Sunset Boulevard. "It is tough in L.," Rance says of the city. "The good news is there are Fatburgers." Though he has received two "serious" proposals from people in publishing to turn his blog into a book, Rance said he has not yet pursued that idea, content for now to communicate to the outside world through the Internet. "With no disrespect intended, media in general seldom if ever permits a person, be he actor or President, to present himself the way he would like -- and certainly not to the degree a blog does," Rance said. "Still, there's a megabyte or two's worth of irony in my situation," he said. _________________________________ Here's the URL http://captainhoof.tripod.com/blog/ I've looked at a few going back (the first part of May 24 is pretty funny), but think I'll start from the beginning to get references in future posts. Some are funnier than others, possibly partly because I don't get references to previous posts.

Intersting. Thanks, Dorine. What are DVP's? Do you know?

"Suffice it to say I know what its like to see your picture on the magazine rack every now and again when you pay for groceries." Hoax! Since when do any of these people go to the grocery store? ;-) But that doesn't mean I don't intend to check out the blog. Thanks Dorine.

(Moon) What are DVP's? Do you know? Not sure what you're referring to. Won't be around much for the next few days to see what you mean. In case I'm not around much, have a nice holiday all who celebrate! And those who don't have a nice weekend! :-)

DVP's is used by J on his site. (Karen), Hoax! Since when do any of these people go to the grocery store? ;-) Not true! When I lived in LA, I've grocery shopped with Clint Eastwood, Goldie Hawn, etc, car shopped with Barbra Steissand, flown with lots of celebrities. No camera in phone back then.

And in Miami, Cameron Diaz was spotted at the supermarket, she's filming here.

And we know Colin was shopping for toilet paper once. ;-)

"Bog rolls" Dorine, it's an important distinction for a Brit bottom ;-)) !!

Hopefully, here's a link to an interview in today's paper with Helen Fielding about her new novel. Points to ponder: --Does it contain a role tailor-made for Mr. Darcy? --Do I have more than a snowball's chance that ODB will come to the booksigning to support her dear friend? http://www.abqjournal.com/venue/books/181122books05-30-04.html

http://www.abqjournal.com/venue/books/181122books05-30-04.htm Sorry, this one should work.

Does it contain a role tailor-made for Mr. Darcy? Not that I recall, certainly not either of the two male leads. Do I have more than a snowball's chance that ODB will come to the booksigning to support her dear friend? LOL! Keep wishing and hoping, m'dear. ;-)

Updating June birthdays before I forget;-) June 7 - Lizza June 14 - Moon June 17 - Beedee June 22 - Leslie June 23 - Shoshana June 30 - Leah Again, if I screwed up..let me know;-)

Moore Documentary Gets U.S. Distributor By GARY GENTILE, AP Business Writer Michael Moore's award-winning documentary "Fahrenheit 9/11" has picked up a U.S. distributor and will hit theaters June 25. The film will be released by a partnership of Lions Gate Films, IFC Films and the Fellowship Adventure Group, which was formed by Harvey and Bob Weinstein specifically to market Moore's film. Moore's film, which recently won the top prize at the Cannes Film Festival, criticizes President Bush (news - web sites)'s response to the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks and connects the Bush family with Osama bin Laden's. The Weinsteins, who run Miramax Films, bought the rights to the movie from The Walt Disney Co., which owns Miramax and refused to distribute "Fahrenheit 9/11." The Weinstein brothers will personally finance and control distribution and marketing, they said Tuesday. "I am grateful to them now that everyone who wants to see it will now have the chance to do so," Moore said in a statement. "On behalf of my stellar cast � GW, Dick, Rummy, Condi and Wolfie � we thank this incredible coalition of the willing for bringing 'Fahrenheit 9/11' to the people." Disney chief executive Michael Eisner said the company "did not want a film in the middle of the political process" because he believed that theme park and entertainment consumers "do not look for us to take sides." In a settlement reached last week, the Weinsteins repaid their parent company for all costs of the film to date, estimated at around $6 million. Any profits from the film's distribution that go to Miramax or Disney will be donated to charity. ~~~~~~~~~ Empty gesture. With Harvey, there are never any profits. ;-)

Article today in Backstage (NY issue) - Essie Davis talking about her role in Jumpers . .will try to type it up and post later;) article entitled: Tackling Singing and Nudity by Simi Horowitz