Mutants, it seems, are only as good as the creators assembling their chromosomes. And the mad scientists behind "X-Men: First Class" are real artists in the laboratory.
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Director Bryan Singer's first two installments of the "X-Men" trilogy were superior adventures, about as smart and provocative as comic-book adaptations are likely to get.
After Singer left, the trilogy wrapped up with a dud, followed by a limp spinoff chronicling the origins of fan-favorite mutant Wolverine.
Now Singer's back as a producer and idea man for "First Class," a prequel that presents a clever, cohesive, exhilarating big-screen take on how those Marvel Comics mutants came together on opposing sides in the evolutionary battle.
Matthew Vaughn, another filmmaker adept at blending smarts and action ("Stardust," "Kick-Ass"), was wisely recruited as director and co-writer.
The result is one of the best Marvel adaptations, packed with action, humor, retro 1960s style that's both campy and sexy and a revisionist history lesson that puts the X-Men at the center of the Cuban missile crisis.
The young cast led by James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender is no match for Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen and the rest of the grand ensemble Singer enlisted for the first "X-Men" flick in 2000.
Yet McAvoy has playful energy and unshakable nobility, while Fassbender captures slow-burning wrath and unflinching pragmatism, which nicely prefigure Stewart's august Professor X and McKellen's dogmatic Magneto.
Despite a jumble of screenwriters that includes Vaughn, writing partner Jane Goldman and "Thor" scribes Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz, "First Class" is a focused, coherent story.
That's all the more admirable given the large cast, whose stories are woven together with enough immediacy and clarity that even Marvel newcomers can follow along without a playbill.
We're introduced to McAvoy's telepath Charles Xavier and Fassbender's Erik Lehnsherr, who can manipulate magnetic fields, as boys in the 1940s. Their vastly different upbringings underscore the differences that eventually will turn them from best friends to bitter rivals.
Charles grows up in a rich, privileged home, believing he's a freak of nature, the only one of his kind, until he meets shape-shifting mutant Raven (Jennifer Lawrence), the future Mystique character originated by Rebecca Romijn in the "X-Men" trilogy.
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Raven and Charles forge a foster-sibling relationship, while Erik, a Polish Jew, suffers unspeakable tragedy during the Holocaust as the Nazis try to unleash the boy's power to control metal.
Charles and Erik team up in the early 1960s as part of a CIA operation against Sebastian Shaw (Kevin Bacon), a mutant who can absorb explosive energy and aims to set off a nuclear war to wipe out humanity so his kind can inherit the Earth. Bacon's a lot of fun, clearly having a blast playing the U.S. against the Soviets as puppetmaster of Armageddon.
Shaw is aided by bad girl telepath Emma Frost (January Jones, who's stunning in her skin-tight Bond girl-style outfits and adopts a suitably icy demeanor).
Among those initially fighting for the good guys are intrepid CIA agent Moira MacTaggert (Rose Byrne), her nameless team leader (a sadly under-used Oliver Platt), and mutants Beast (Nicholas Hoult), Banshee (Caleb Landry Jones), Havok (Lucas Till) and Angel (Zoe Kravitz).
But allegiances change, and the point of the prequel is to spell out who switched sides and why. At the heart is the break between Charles and Erik, and the filmmakers, clearly plotting a prequel trilogy, leave plenty of loose ends to tie up and a lot of room to introduce more X-Men mutants down the line.
The story also leaves off around the time the civil-rights movement starts to pick up steam, so the franchise's parallels between human racism and bigotry against mutants are bound to gain new resonance.
Many key questions about the mutants — Magneto's helmet, Professor X's wheelchair and his telepathic-amplifying machine — are explained. The film also features a couple of amusing cameos by stars from the "X-Men" trilogy.
The visual effects are solid, though nothing spectacular. Where the film really shines is in the design, taking the cheesy aesthetic of early James Bond films and doing the '60s up right with all the glam today's big studio bucks can buy.
If the studio can keep Singer, Vaughn and the rest of the "First Class" team together, there's a chance that this "X-Men" trilogy could evolve into a better one than the original.
Source : http://www.gopensacola.com
Lady Gaga, glitter light up fashion's Oscars
By Donna Freydkin and Andrea Mandell, USA TODAY
NEW YORK — Gorgeous garb — and Lady Gaga— rocked Lincoln Center Monday night.
The occasion: the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards, honoring today's style stars with the fashion version of the Oscars.
It's a glittery night when designers and their arm candy —Kanye West, Kirsten Dunst, Kerry Washington and Liv Tyler, to name a few — converge to toast one another.
Lady Gaga, in a teal pageboy wig and Mugler ensemble, took a break from her whirlwind tour promoting her new album to drop by and collect the Fashion Icon award.
PHOTOS: Hot shots from the CFDA Awards MORE: Follow the evening on Twitter @USAToday_style
"I can't believe I'm allowed in here," Gaga said in a heartfelt acceptance speech. "My sister is here with me tonight. I told her I was very nervous."
She continued: "I used to save up my money to buy Mugler vintage archive. I used to save up all my money. I had to have it. That's really what fashion is all about for me. I already felt like I had made it before I had made it. All of you made me feel like a star before I was. Thank you for believing in me."
The star, known for outrageous outfits such as the raw-meat dress she wore at the MTV Video Music Awards in September, said she tried to bring a rat with her to the awards "as a tribute to New York City" but wasn't allowed.
Designer Vera Wang described Gaga's style as "eclectic, original and fearless. I think she's her own person in terms of her style. She marches to her own drum."
Celebrity favorite Marc Jacobs picked up the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award.
CNN's Anderson Cooper hosted Seventh Avenue's bold-faced names, including CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg, Derek Lam, Francisco Costa, Oscar de la Renta and Zac Posen.
"I'm not sure I'm qualified," Cooper, in Ralph Lauren Black Label, said before the event. "I'm completely unfashionable."
Designer Prabal Gurung, who won the Swarovski Award for women's wear, was amazed at his win backstage.
"It's been a great start, but to quote my favorite poet, Robert Frost, I have miles to go before I sleep."
The young designer said he likes to decompress between collections with his family — "long hours of Skype conversations with my brother and sister, who live in India and Nepal."
Dunst, who accompanied nominated designer Patrik Ervell, sported a trendy tuxedo, the lapels trimmed in an aqua that matched her eyes.
How big is the fashionista's closet? "A decent size for New York," she said. And her biggest fashion splurge if money were no object? "I'd buy myself lots of antique jewelry."
Washington, in a swingy Calvin Klein number, joked about her awards-show preparation routine, saying it takes her "just a second or two" to get ready: "I do a countdown with hair and makeup. I do have a cutoff."
Washington's fashion mantra? "I believe in no regrets."
Model Miranda Kerr, who accompanied designer Michael Kors, said the awards were "easy" compared with childbirth. (She welcomed a son with actor Orlando Bloom in January.)
"I didn't weigh myself, but I know (I gained) over 30 pounds," she said. "He was almost 10 pounds. I was in labor 27 hours. No drugs."
Brad Goreski, the former right-hand man of star stylist Rachel Zoe and upcoming star of Bravo's It's a Brad Brad World, said fans can expect to see "everything" on his new show — even his love life.
His biggest fashion faux pas? "Most of my teen years."
Von Furstenberg, elegant in a glittery silver sheath dress, had some simple style advice: "Accept your age."
NEW YORK — Gorgeous garb — and Lady Gaga— rocked Lincoln Center Monday night.
The occasion: the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA) awards, honoring today's style stars with the fashion version of the Oscars.
It's a glittery night when designers and their arm candy —Kanye West, Kirsten Dunst, Kerry Washington and Liv Tyler, to name a few — converge to toast one another.
Lady Gaga, in a teal pageboy wig and Mugler ensemble, took a break from her whirlwind tour promoting her new album to drop by and collect the Fashion Icon award.
PHOTOS: Hot shots from the CFDA Awards MORE: Follow the evening on Twitter @USAToday_style
"I can't believe I'm allowed in here," Gaga said in a heartfelt acceptance speech. "My sister is here with me tonight. I told her I was very nervous."
She continued: "I used to save up my money to buy Mugler vintage archive. I used to save up all my money. I had to have it. That's really what fashion is all about for me. I already felt like I had made it before I had made it. All of you made me feel like a star before I was. Thank you for believing in me."
The star, known for outrageous outfits such as the raw-meat dress she wore at the MTV Video Music Awards in September, said she tried to bring a rat with her to the awards "as a tribute to New York City" but wasn't allowed.
Designer Vera Wang described Gaga's style as "eclectic, original and fearless. I think she's her own person in terms of her style. She marches to her own drum."
Celebrity favorite Marc Jacobs picked up the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award.
CNN's Anderson Cooper hosted Seventh Avenue's bold-faced names, including CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg, Derek Lam, Francisco Costa, Oscar de la Renta and Zac Posen.
"I'm not sure I'm qualified," Cooper, in Ralph Lauren Black Label, said before the event. "I'm completely unfashionable."
Designer Prabal Gurung, who won the Swarovski Award for women's wear, was amazed at his win backstage.
"It's been a great start, but to quote my favorite poet, Robert Frost, I have miles to go before I sleep."
The young designer said he likes to decompress between collections with his family — "long hours of Skype conversations with my brother and sister, who live in India and Nepal."
Dunst, who accompanied nominated designer Patrik Ervell, sported a trendy tuxedo, the lapels trimmed in an aqua that matched her eyes.
How big is the fashionista's closet? "A decent size for New York," she said. And her biggest fashion splurge if money were no object? "I'd buy myself lots of antique jewelry."
Washington, in a swingy Calvin Klein number, joked about her awards-show preparation routine, saying it takes her "just a second or two" to get ready: "I do a countdown with hair and makeup. I do have a cutoff."
Washington's fashion mantra? "I believe in no regrets."
Model Miranda Kerr, who accompanied designer Michael Kors, said the awards were "easy" compared with childbirth. (She welcomed a son with actor Orlando Bloom in January.)
"I didn't weigh myself, but I know (I gained) over 30 pounds," she said. "He was almost 10 pounds. I was in labor 27 hours. No drugs."
Brad Goreski, the former right-hand man of star stylist Rachel Zoe and upcoming star of Bravo's It's a Brad Brad World, said fans can expect to see "everything" on his new show — even his love life.
His biggest fashion faux pas? "Most of my teen years."
Von Furstenberg, elegant in a glittery silver sheath dress, had some simple style advice: "Accept your age."
Bob Seger closes tour in Grand Rapids with rock 'n' roll flourish, Silver Bullet-style
After Bob Seger launched his tour in late March, I heard from fans across the country – unsolicited e-mails raving about the on-stage vigor exhibited by this Michigan singer in his mid-60s.
“His voice was 'like a rock' for better than two hours on stage,” gushed James Cooley, who drove more than 160 miles from Austin to Houston to see Seger & the Silver Bullet Band. “He had the energy of someone 30 years younger … and the crowd was on their feet for most of the show.”
Plainly, it's not just a Michigan thing.
Even if the years manifest clearly in his raspy voice and weathered appearance, Seger's celebratory demeanor and enduring, rootsy rock songs have captivated audiences everywhere, so much so that he's laying plans for more far-flung concerts in the fall.
Still, there's something about a “hometown” crowd on the final stop on a lengthy tour, especially when the governor of the state has officially proclaimed it “Bob Seger Day” in Michigan.
So, Seger and his bandmates – brandishing the sort of tight musicianship, polish and intensity that comes from playing several times a week – made sure on Saturday night at Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena that his Michigan fan base went home deliriously happy.
Those adoring fans even included a former high school classmate of Seger who lovingly unfurled a gigantic placard that read, “Ann Arbor High School, 1963.”
Shaking up the set slightly from the band's first tour visit in early April, Seger and his Silver Bullet camrades also upped the verve quotient on songs such as “Old Time Rock and Roll,” “Horizontal Bop” and “Her Strut,” which sizzled with more zip than they did early on in the two-month tour.
Seger told me last week “it took a long time” practicing and playing “Her Strut” and other songs the band hadn't tackled in years to “get it right.”
Well, they got most of it plenty right Saturday night.
Saxophonist Alto Reed likens it to winning the Super Bowl, World Series and Stanley Cup every night on tour. “We take 'em home every night and that's an extraordinary place to be. It's the major leagues.”
More impressively, a Silver Bullet Band show is as straight-up as it gets: There are no fireworks, no lasers, no giant video screens to distract from the music itself.
“This is a real rock 'n' roll show,” Reed insisted. “No smoke bombs, no video screen. It's all about the songs.”
So while Seger's voice may have sounded even more hoarse than usual at times, those songs ruled the day and he ruled the roost with his gleeful attitude.
And with early-tour glitches mostly in the rearview mirror, the 13-piece (on some songs, even 14-piece) band – driven by some impeccable, full-throttle drumming by Don Brewer – seemed to define the term “in stride.”
To add some spice, Seger and crew played three songs they didn't perform on their last Grand Rapids visit, unleashing a powerful, sort-of-nasty “The Fire Down Below,” along with rousing, muscular renditions of “Katmandu” and “Long Twin Silver Line.”
Another change from April: The night began with a set by The Rockets, who whisked fans back to the '70s with their Detroit-styled, old-school classic rock, led by talented guitarist Jim McCarty and drummer Johnny “Bee” Badanjek – a fine segue into the Silver Bullet Band.
While Seger's show may have missed the electricity that Kid Rock provided in April when he made a guest appearance on “Real Mean Bottle,” it boasted the same ultra-affectionate audience response from the near-capacity crowd on Seger classics such as “Travelin' Man,” “Turn the Page” and “Hollywood Nights.”
And it boasted some of the same memorable moments: couples dancing, with cellphones and lighters waving, on “We've Got Tonight”; Seger grinning broadly at Reed after a dynamite solo on “Shining Brightly.”
(Here's another example of Seger's enduring quality: Thursday's arena concert by two of history's most popular boy bands –- New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys – drew about 7,000 fans. Seger's Saturday show attracted 11,000-plus, less than two months after a 12,000-plus sellout at the same venue. Take that, NKOTBSB.)
Certainly, Brewer, of Grand Funk Railroad fame, has supplied much of the tour's tenacity, giving the likes of Reed, guitarist Mark Chatfield and keyboard player Craig Frost the foundation from which they've shined on riffs and solos.
As always, the trio of backing vocalists and four-piece Motor City Horns were in top form Saturday (uncorking those scintillating, descending horn riffs on “Katmandu”).
For eons, that veteran Silver Bullet Band has been Seger's perfect partner, providing the rock 'n' roll wallop, soulfulness and vocal support his 66-year-old vocal cords need.
So, that Texas fan who e-mailed me a couple weeks ago may have hit the nail on the drumhead when he claimed Seger may have “the best touring band in rock. If he hits Texas again, I'm going.”
Judging by Saturday night's tour-ending, feel-good spectacle, there's little doubt plenty of Seger fans will follow suit, wherever – and whenever – he chooses to play again.
source : http://www.mlive.com/
Film and TV
Three of Hollywood's hottest stars will show you a good time in this uninhibited comic gem. Christina Walters (Cameron Diaz) and her party-hopping pals Courtney (Christina Applegate) and Jane (Selma Blair) are three sexy singles who love the night life. At the city's most exclusive dance club, Christina unexpectedly meets Peter (Thomas Jane), her perfect match. Discovering the next morning that he's left town, she and Courtney set out on a wild road trip to find him. But the road to Mr. Right is paved with seductive surprises and hilarious misadventures. "The Sweetest Thing" puts a totally fresh twist on the search for true love. Runtime 84 minutes.
Harrison Ford and Brad Pitt star in this harrowing thriller about an IRA gunman who draws an American family into the crossfire of terrorism. Frankie McGuire (Pitt) is one of the IRA's deadliest assassins. But when he is sent to the US to buy weapons Frankie is housed with the family of Tom O'Meara (Ford) a New York cop who knows nothing about Frankie's real identity. Their surprising friendship and Tom's growing suspicions forces Frankie to choose between the promise of peace or a lifetime of murder.
Hailed by critics as a masterpiece CASUALTIES OF WAR is based on the true story of a squad of soldiers caught in the moral quagmire of wartime Vietnam. Witness to a vile crime Private Eriksson (Michael J. Fox TV's Spin City) is forced to stand alone against his fellow soldiers and commanding officer Sergeant Meserve (Sean Penn Dead Man Walking) a powerful and charismatic man pushed over theedge of barbarism by the terror and brutality of combat. With sweeping scope action and raw powermaster filmmaker Brian DePalma (The Untouchables) creates a devastating and unforgettable tale of one man's quest for sanity and justice amidst the chaos of war. Running Time: 114 minutes. Rated R.
Based on the best-selling novel by Richard Price, this explosive thriller stars Academy Award nominees Samuel L. Jackson (1994, Best Supporting Actor, Pulp Fiction) and Julianne Moore (2002, Best Actress, Far From Heaven) and Golden Globe winner Edie Falco ("The Sopranos"). When Brenda Martin (Moore) claims her car was stolen with her son in the backseat, the chilling accusation sparks an intense investigation led by Detective Lorenzo Council (Jackson). The frenzy to find her son escalates into an explosive nightmare of suspicion and accusation, and the search for the truth leads to riveting action, disturbing revelations, and a shocking ending. Runtime: 113 minutes. Rated R.
Renny Harlin (DIE HARD 2, DEEP BLUE SEA) directs this supernatural thriller about descendants of powerful New England families. The sons of Ipswich are legendary at Spenser Academy, the local boarding school. Handsome and popular, these four teenage friends can trace their roots to the founding families of the Ipswich Colony, settled in the late 1600s. For years these Massachusetts families have harbored the secret that they possess supernatural powers. Their descendants--Caleb (Steven Strait), Reid (Toby Hemingway), Tyler (Chace Crawford), and Pogue (Taylor Kitsch)--have inherited magical powers that first manifested themselves when the boys turned 13 years old. In a nutshell, they can do anything. As they approach their 18th birthdays, they are preparing to "ascend," which means their powers will grow stronger. The downside? The magic is seductive and addictive, and causes premature aging with each use. Runtime: 97 minutes.
Magic Tricks
The Revelation Effect - Mentalism and Mind Reading
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Master Mentalism - Magic Instruction.
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The Revelation Effect is the #1 Mentalism and Mind Reading Trick that you can do Anywhere, Anytime to Anyone. Click Here!
Master Mentalism - Magic Instruction.
Teaches Magic Tricks, Mentalism & Illussions. Reveals Tricks of Magic & Mentalism Masters like Criss Angel, David Blaine, Derren Brown, David Copperfield, etc. Also reveals card tricks, hypnosis, coin tricks and other forms of magic tricks and mentalism. Click Here!
Free Magic Live 3 Trick Special
3 Free Magic Live Products in One Package! Upsells Included. Click Here!
Theater
Acting Technique E-Book
A complete step-by-step system for preparing an acting role. This revolutionary new technique teaches you how to take your brand-new script and create a complex, interesting character in the shortest possible time. Click Here!
American Accent for Actors with Hollywood Professional
Wanting to learn the American accent so you can land the next big role coming your way. Well now, with this unique and easy to use technique, you can! Learn with this eBook, Video and Audio included taught by industry leader Troy Mackinder. Click Here!
The Actor's Tax Guide
A friendly and useful guide for actors as they prepare to do their income taxes. Zeroes in on the unique needs of actors & provides a simple, guided process to calculate & report business expenses. Three printable worksheets included. Click Here!
A complete step-by-step system for preparing an acting role. This revolutionary new technique teaches you how to take your brand-new script and create a complex, interesting character in the shortest possible time. Click Here!
American Accent for Actors with Hollywood Professional
Wanting to learn the American accent so you can land the next big role coming your way. Well now, with this unique and easy to use technique, you can! Learn with this eBook, Video and Audio included taught by industry leader Troy Mackinder. Click Here!
The Actor's Tax Guide
A friendly and useful guide for actors as they prepare to do their income taxes. Zeroes in on the unique needs of actors & provides a simple, guided process to calculate & report business expenses. Three printable worksheets included. Click Here!
General
R/c Electric Airplanes and E-books
Easy to understand R/c E-books. Simple to build and fly PDF plan based electric parkjets with professional support and community forums. Click Here!Novel Writing Academy Membership Site
Writers! It's time to get your novel published! Step-by-step tutorials show you proven methods for writing, publishing, and making money from your novel. Includes templates, resources, and one-on-one coaching. Click Here!The Ultimate Drums and Cymbals Guide Click Here!
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