Pop Wenches

Admin Note: We'll Be Right Back

2009-10-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

Greetings gentle readers! We apologize for this place being dead for the last week or so. Pop Wench Radhika has been swamped with her new grad school endeavors and I was avalanched (in a good way) with a whole bunch of family time. But I've got a concert review that's been burning a hole in my pocket--so to speak--and three more concerts coming up in the next two weeks, so expect Pop Wenches to return to fine form this week!

Live Blogging "Stargate Universe"

2009-10-02T21:00:00.000-07:00

And after all these months of waiting to see what the new Stargate series is going to be like, we're live blogging commentary as the the Stargate Universe premiere airs! The standard warning about spoilers (lots and lots of spoilers) applies . . .

9:02PM - Kinda liking the new theme song. And did they just list Lou Diamond Phillips as a guest star?

9:04PM - Note to self: never chuck things through or jump through a stargate. You never know who you might be conking on the head on the other side. Robert Carlyle's character seems far too satisfied and calm with this outcome (ie: them ending up on the ship Destiny).

9:05PM - Another note to self: never be the commanding military officer when coming through the gate. According to what just happened to the head military guy here and what happened to the guy in the same position during the Stargate: Atlantis premiere, it's a total red shirt position.

9:08PM - Yay! Richard Dean Anderson. As sarcastic as ever, I see.

9:10PM - *sniff* They're aboard the Hammond -- the ship they named in tribute to General George Hammond and the late Don S. Davis. And I'm not sure if it's funny they beamed up David Blue's character the same way they did Jeannie (McKay's sister) in SGA or if it's cliche.

9:12PM - Michael Shanks better not only be appearing in an orientation video in this ep!

9:20PM - Epileptic colonel perhaps? Have the feeling that he's not going to last long in these circumstances. Twenty minutes into the show and I'm not hooked yet . . .

9:24PM - E.T. not phoning home just this second . . . And Dr. Nicolas Rush is creeping me out. I'm trying to decide if I'm going to like having such a morally ambiguous character as the lead.

9:30PM - And now the senator is sick too? Is anyone on this ship not broken?

9:32PM - Rush is wearing a wedding ring. They wouldn't do the "scientist who lost his wife and has gone off the deep end trying to find an alt universe version/turn back time" storyline, would they?? Oh, please tell me they wouldn't.

9:35PM - Oh, they did. Weepy, desperate Rush with a picture of his wife. Immediately followed by the "accident" that propels them all through the stargate. Not crazy about this storyline. At all.

9:40PM - Love seeing Sam Carter commanding the Hammond. And so Ronald Greer's (Jamil Walker Smith) character sounds like he's the Tom Paris character on this ship. Yes, I'm busting out with a Star Trek: Voyager reference.

9:44PM - Okay, so I guess Rush isn't responsible for a bombardment from outer space.

9:46PM - Wow. That's a new Stargate record for killing off a head doctor.

9:53PM - Matthew Scott (first guy through the gate) has bigger cojones than just about anyone. Anyone who's been part of the stargate program knows that anything could be on the other side of that wormhole. On another note, what female military officer spends time doing up her hair in a fancy coif like Tamara Johansen? Wouldn't that be a great way to not get respect from all the guys?

9:56PM - So Rush gave intel to the enemy to get them to bombard Icarus base and force them to dial the ninth chevron. Peachy.

10:04PM - "Really? Do we really?" At least one guy on this ship has watched his Star Trek and his horror movies. Good on him for knowing better!

10:10PM - Okay, I know this is a motley crew assembled on this ship, but there seems to have been a heck of quick breakdown in the chain of command and in military discipline. This just isn't feeling like the Stargate I've watched and liked. Am trying to give it the benefit of the doubt still. Maybe I'm not picking up on enough details or getting engaged enough because I'm blogging while watching?

10:15PM - Mysterious Ancient crates that can be tapped for future storylines. Got it. Seeds so they can set up a hydroponics farming system to provide them with a sustainable food source (that I'm sure will also be tapped for future storylines).

10:17PM - Does anyone else feel like someone's going to whip out a lightsaber and start training when that kino flying camera starts floating around?

10:27PM - Now the show has started to get interesting. I think everyone yelling at each other and trying to establish their relative bad-ass-ness was turning me off. Now that they're working on the ship problems, I'm more intrigued.

10;39PM - Well, I guess we jus found out which character was committing suicide in the first episode. The producers had said that would be happening. I'd guessed it was the paralyzed colonel, with the senator as the second choice.

10:44PM - I still don't believe a word Rush says when he says he wasn't responsible for creating the situation that brought them to the ship. And I found it rather satisfying when Chloe was wailng on him in anger.

10:48PM - I'm liking this scene between Chloe Armstrong and Matthew Scott right now. I think they're the characters I'm connecting with the most so far. Anyone feel differently? Scott seems like a truly good guy doing the best he can in a mindboggling situation. And Chloe . . . it seems like she has a strength and intelligence that could make her an fascinating character to watch as she grows into her own.

10:55PM - Kinos = the SGU MALPs. Saw that one coming.

10:58PM - Hmmm . . . still not sure what I think of this series. I'm going to give it one more ep next week to see if it really hooks me in. Am definitely looking forward to next week's premiere of Sanctuary though!

For "X-Files" Fans Interested in a Good Cause

2009-10-02T06:05:00.000-07:00

Actor Mitch Pileggi ("Walter Skinner" from The X-Files) has reached out to his fans to request for help for a family member. His sister, Judi Ward, has been diagnosed with a very rare, aggressive form of cancer called leiomyosarcoma. Since she won't accept direct financial help from her brother, Pileggi is offering up memorabilia for sale at a fundraiser in Southern California this Saturday and will be appearing in person at the event. Additional "big ticket" memorabilia items will be sold on eBay and a website has been established for direct monetary donations.

In an email to the webmistress of one of the actor's longtime fansites, Pileggi wrote: "As you’ll see in the attachment my sister has become ill and is financially in pretty dire straits. She refuses to accept money from me directly and I’m trying to figure out ways to help her. I will be at the fundraiser mentioned in the flyer and they will be raffling off some memorabilia that I am providing them. I’m also going to have my sister-in-law sell some of my more valuable “stuff” on eBay and give the proceeds to my sis."

The attachment mentioned is the flyer below, which explains that Ward's financial difficulties began when she was laid off last year and subsequently lost her health insurance. The fundraiser at which Pileggi will be appearing will be held this Saturday, October 3 at 2 PM at the following location:

PC's Bar & Grill

4250 Los Angeles Ave.

Simi Valley, CA

805-579-9079

Mitch Pileggi's acting credits encompasses a range of sci-fi and fantasy shows including The X-Files, The Lone Gunmen, Stargate: Atlantis and Supernatural. Most recently, he's been seen on the small screen in the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy reprising his role as Larry Jennings, head of the board of directors for Seattle Grace, and in the second season premiere of FX's Sons of Anarchy in the recurring role of Ernest Darby, head of a rival gang.

(I know this is an unusual post to find on Pop Wenches, but I've lost two family members to cancer in the past 18 months and another family member is currently losing her battle against the same disease, so this hits close to home. I can also say from personal experience that Mitch Pileggi has always been very kind to and appreciative of his fans, which earns him an extra gold star in the karma department.)

Concert Review: Kylie! (at Fox Theater in Oakland)

2009-10-02T00:23:00.000-07:00

I've always been a bit baffled by why Australian pop star Kylie Minogue isn't bigger in the US. She's HUGE in Europe. She's basically the Madonna of the Commonwealth countries. Wednesday at the Fox Theater in Oakland was not just the opening night of her North American tour, it was her first North American tour ever! And she's been making singing for over twenty years! I guess these things all come down to marketing. Maybe with this tour she'll get more exposure state-side?

Photo by eatflan on Flickr

Experiencing the show, though, you would never guess that this is someone most Americans have never heard of. This was a stadium-sized show packed into a theater-sized venue. I counted no less than 7 giant, brilliantly-lit screens, most of them moving on rails between songs. I won't spoil her grand entrance, but she was constantly surrounded by dancers in outlandish outfits, wearing riot gear masks or wings. Her own costumes seemed crazy elaborate, too. I was surprised to find via the production video diary that the costumer was still stitching them together the day before the show! I liked her unusual boots in the leather fetish segment of the show.

I'm actually only familiar with a few of her bigger hits. I must admit some of her songs sound like generic dance pop, but the best ones are great dance pop. The amazing Michel Gondry-directed video for "Come into My World" made me a fan, and "Can't Get You out of My Head" is quite self-descriptive, especially the mash-up with "Blue Monday". Perhaps my favorite performance of the night, though, was her latest rendition of her first hit single way back in 1987: a cover of "Loco-Motion". Rather than singing it in the original upbeat bubblegum pop tone, she chose a sexy, jazzy style that reminded me of "Minnie the Moocher".[bxA]

Gentle Readers, this is a good time for your Pop Lecher-at-Large to point out his other favorite moment of the evening: While the brass section played, Kylie said that their music made her "want to SHAKE!" And she proceeded to vibrate her booty. Yowza. (This, in turn, might be a good time to point out her Agent Provocateur commercial [possibly nsfw] from several years ago.) Kylie doesn't dance as much as other pop stars, but when she does move, she sure knows what she's doing!

And yet, these talents were perhaps fully appreciated by only a minority of the attendees. You see, some of the greatest applause came when the visuals featured men in Speedos taking a shower. This from an audience that was over 90% male.

It must be said that Kylie knows her audience! And she pandered to it in multiple ways: I really enjoyed how the background showed the Golden Gate Bridge during one of the more down-tempo segments.

Gotta love that gaudy fainting couch, too. (It tops the one in last week's "Mad Men"!) I wonder if the background will change for each stop in her tour?

This show certainly featured the most enthusiastic audience I've seen. The roar of the crowd deafened me each time Kylie appeared in a new outfit. The audience wasn't quite as dancy as I expected, but I wonder how much of that was due to the sound quality? The audio at the Fox thist time was better than it was during the Yeah Yeah Yeahs show, but it still could have used more dynamic range. Perhaps I was just standing too close to the stage?

Kylie ended her encore with an ebullient performance of "Love at First Sight". Perhaps some Americans will feel that way about her after this tour.

P.S.: And if you're not familiar with it, check out the "Come into My World" video, and be sure to watch at least till the 1'10" mark.

In Preparation for the "Stargate Universe" Premiere

2009-10-01T21:48:00.001-07:00

The new installment in the Stargate franchise, Stargate Universe, premieres tomorrow on SyFy. We've written plenty about it here on Pop Wenches over the past year, but if you need a fun way to while away the ime between now and the premiere, enjoy some of the video clips we shot at the SGU panel at San Diego Comic-Con. Two clips below and plenty more over at the Pop Wenches You Tube channel: www.youtube.com/popwenches.

And for a little more fun as we head into Friday, here's a clip of the first four minutes of the SGU pilot ep:

DJ AM's Cause of Death Released

2009-09-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

The New York medical examiner has ruled that DJ AM's (celebrity DJ Adam Goldstein) death was caused by accidental drug overdose.

Eight separate drugs—cocaine, Levarmisole (used to cut cocaine), OxyContin, Hydrocodone or Vicodin, Xanax, Ativan, Klonopin and Benadryl—were listed in the toxicology report. The fatal drug cocktail led to DJ AM's death on August 28 when he was found in his New York City apartment.

Seriously people, stop effing around with drugs already. We've had more than enough celebrity proof that they will kill you eventually.

TV Pilot Review: "Trauma"

2009-09-28T22:50:00.000-07:00

Back in March, NBC closed down the King St. off-ramp from Interstate 280 in San Francisco for several days to film the pilot for their new series "Trauma". They sent out a notice about the closure, promising "a fireball and billowing smoke" on one of the days, and many folks around the city found vantage points to watch the filming. The filming fell behind schedule, but we did eventually get to see the above fireball (and billowing smoke) a few hours later. Maybe LA folks are used to this sort of thing, but it was a pretty big deal 'round these parts! The show even became part of the never-ending bickering of San Francisco politics, with the Mayor supporting the show, and the Board of Supervisors canceling tax breaks that encouraged local filming.

So tonight the pilot featuring the aforementioned fireball finally aired. And I think all that hoopla might be moot, because I don't really see this show lasting very long. For all the explosions, the show feels a bit lifeless. Most of the episode circles around a couple of incidents where paramedics swarm to the scene and try to save people. It seems like they're going for a realism vibe, but neither the dialogue nor the actions feel realistic. They try to save people, but they make it all perfunctory. You don't know who any of these victims are, so you don't really care. I guess it's supposed to about the paramedics doing their jobs? So okay, let's say the character development is the focus. But the show doesn't quite deliver there, either.[bxA]

Cliff Curtis plays "Rabbit", a brash, cowboy type who's always breaking the rules. I really like Curtis, but here he's given no subtlely. He's entirely over-the-top, and every scene he's in immediately takes you out of any suspension of disbelief you may have attained. He's a cartoon.

Meanwhile, Anastasia Griffith plays the female lead, "Nancy". She's a paramedic, and she breaks down and cries as she tries to help a victim. I have no idea why. She has an enigmatic relationship with Rabbit. Okay. I guess maybe there's supposed some depth to her, but we're given so few clues that we just don't care.

The most interesting character thread is Derek Luke's "Cameron". He hits on an accident victim, and when he reveals the reason for it, it actually seems kind of interesting. But the show gives him very little time to develop it, and it violates the "show, don't tell" principle. Still, his character has the most promise, and I'm actually curious where they take him.

Well, for all my ragging, this is just a pilot, and maybe this show will be better when they can properly focus on the characters, and they no longer feel the need (or have the budget) to have stuff blow up every five minutes. I still have faith in Cliff Curtis, despite his overly broad start!

As for the fireball? That's disappointing, too. They show it mostly in the background as characters run away in the foreground. They might as well have filmed it on a lot. Where are the wide, establishing overhead shots that give us a clear sense of the scale of the fireball?

I leave you with a link to a flickr group pool for The Filming of NBC's Trauma. Us Bay Area folks get pretty excited when Hollywood drops by for a visit!

Live Blogging "Dollhouse"

2009-09-25T21:08:00.000-07:00

Back with live blogging commentary as the second season premiere of Dollhouse airs on Fox! The standard warning about spoilers (lots and lots of spoilers) applies . . .

9:01PM - Topher just called (former) Agent Ballard "frenemy." LOL!

9:03PM - Alexis Denisof's name just popped up in the credits. So glad to see him on TV again! Especially opposite Eliza Dushku.

9:05PM - They did not just make a Jonas Brothers joke. Oh my. And Amy Acker is deliciously twisted so far.

9:13PM - Grrrreat. Rich dude's crazy wedding fantasy. And wedding night fantasy. Hope he doesn't have a thing for crossbows and hunting like one of last year's Dollhouse clients did.

9:15PM - So it's a job within a job for Echo, eh? She's an undercover FBI agent playing her new groom for a fool because he's an arms dealer. And Ballard's the client?!! Did he not quit the FBI?

9:16PM - I guess arms dealing means this guy packs weapons a lot worse than a bow and arrow. Potentially big ouch!

9:21PM - Well, that implied kiss just made all sorts of fanboys in the Whedonverse happy.

9:23PM - Weiiiiird hearing former "Watcher Wesley" speaking with a flat Yankee accent instead of a British accent. And how does the Dollhouse keep sucking in these good guys like Langton and Ballard?

9:28PM - Jamie Barber is looking awfully good in that button down shirt. Wouldn't have minded a multi-episode arc for him. And either Eliza is wearing really high heels, or Jamie Barber is kinda short . . .

9:32PM - This glimpse into Topher's psyche is exactly the kind of development this show needed to hook audiences in. And more kudos to Amy Acker for her acting in this ep. Wonderful depth and emotion.

9:37PM - The "you're human" and the "Roomba" quip make me wonder if wemight be seeing some robotics later this season? Just a possibility.

9:42PM - Eek. Bad time for a glitch. Bad, bad time for a glitch. I'm liking the new energy in this premiere. The tension has been ratcheted up a few notches. The stakes feel higher (if I may continue with the chain of cliches).

9:47PM - "Special Agent in Charge of Bugger All." Sounds like a job title far too many people have at their respective companies.

9:49PM - Looking forward to the moment when . . . oh, there it goes. The moment when Echo recalls one of her kung-fu fightin' imprints.

9;51PM - Considering the nature of so many of the jobs that they send the Actives on, Echo's not going to be of much use to the Dollhouse if pain makes her glitch.

9:59PM - The biggest problem that I'm spotting with the premiere is that right now I'm more curious about what's going on with the characters of Whiskey and Topher than I am about Echo and Paul Ballard.

Live Blogging "Grey's Anatomy"

2009-09-24T21:03:00.000-07:00

And now for some live blogging commentary on the sixth season premiere of Grey's Anatomy! Be warned, there will be tons of spoilers. . .

9:00PM - Saw these opening minutes through the online clip I posted last week, but I still love what Sara Ramirez does with her character's grief in these scenes. And Chandra Wilson just said so much with just her eyes.

9:04PM - Argh. After seeing this clip, I'm dying to know if the patient who just died on the table is George . . . or if George is actually still out in the world but about to die off-camera in some other way. How much of a kick in the gut would it be (for the audience and the characters) to think George had died, then think he was okay, then find out they'd lost him anyway?

9:11PM - Loved that moment of quiet comfort between Owen and Cristina in the chaos and pain. Also love the callback to the theme of "my person" in this new context between Arizona and the mom and the mom referring to her son (calling back a "my person" thing between Cristina and Meredith in an earlier season).

9:14PM - MITCH PILEGGI! In a suit! In the hallway with Patrick Dempsey! TOO MUCH HOTNESS FOR ONE TELEVISION SCREEN TO TAKE. Sorry. I just shouted, didn't I?

9:19PM - "George would give everything."

9:20PM - I know this is a universal given, but I love Miranda Bailey. If I ever have to be hospitalized, she's the only one from Seattle Grace that I want to have as my doctor. And on another note, I'm so happy they finally let Mer and Der grow up last year. That Mer will say to Derek that she just needs him to be there for her right now and not talk instead of flouncing off in a huff, getting drunk and sleeping with a random guy from the bar across the street.

9:24PM - "I bought you some time, but you need to plan." In all my shouty-ness, I forgot that Mitch Pileggi was at Seattle Grace for a reason.

9:30PM - Oh, Cristina. Repress and deny doesn't work for long. Especially when you've just lost your fellow member of the Dead Dad's Club. Although I can see why she'd be tempted with Kevin McKidd around.

9:32PM - Good job by the director of photography and the cameraman for shooting around Ellen Pompeo and Chryler Leigh's pregnancies without making it ridiculously obvious that that's what they're doing. RIP George O'Malley. *sigh*

9:46PM - This show does grief like no other show does grief. Between people's reactions to George's death and Denny Duquette's death and Ellis Grey's death, they've delved into just about every emotional reaction you can go through and put it right there on the screen to see. It hurts to see Bailey's fire gone and that dead look in her eyes (no pun intended).

9:49PM - Wow. I hope Arizona didn't need her head . . . seeing as the Chief just handed it to her.

9:54PM - Did Derek just unceremoniously kick the newlywed cancer patient out of the house and into his trailer? I would so have problems with that.

9:55PM - Oh no. This scene is not going to end well for Owen, is it? George's mother is going to kill him.

9:56PM - I thought George's mother was going to realize that Owen gave George the idea to join the army and was going to lose it on him. The accident survivor brings up another thought-provoking question that's so often debated though -- can medicine go far? At what point does the quality of life drop so low that it's more of a curse to keep a person alive than it is to let them go? Talk about a weighty issue.
[bxA]
10:04PM - *sniff* Don't want Callie to go to Mercy West. Am coveting that black dress she's wearing though. Holy cow. Did anyone else just have a heart attack when they saw that car coming at the Chief's car? No one else is allowed to die in this ep, dangit!

10:10PM - Oh, the irony of the Chief having to go to Mercy West after his accident.

10:13PM - Cristina is so the last person to try to work through PTSD issues with Owen. Hmmm . . . this season is going to be interesting if we're going to get much more of a peek at what goes on at Seattle Grace's rival, Mercy West.

10:20PM - Pop Wench Joia and I used to joke that, on Star Trek: Voyager, you could tell the state of the ship by the state of Capt. Janeway's hair. If the 'do was dishevelled, then the ship was damaged and in trouble. Bailey serves as the same kind of barometer for Seattle Grace. If Bailey isn't happy or at least okay, then the hospital is in trouble and someone needs to figure out what the problem is!

10:22PM - It's fun seeing McDreamy and McSteamy bantering like the old friends they are, but I just can't quite seem to buy that they'd be able to go back to being best friends after Mark slept with Addison. Friends, eventually, but best friends? I don't know . . . trust is kinda important.

10:31PM - Hello McSteamy in the shower!

10:34PM - "Girls talk. You might want to consider that the next time you criticize my Post It." Burn Karev! And go be nice to Izzie already. You knew she and George had a connection before you married her.

10:41PM - And that little speech, folks, is why he's McDreamy.

10:44PM - I wonder how Katherine Heigl felt giving this speech about George being gone when she is such good friends with T.R. Knight. I always like Izzie a little bit better when the edge from her (literal) trailer park upbringing comes out like it did just now when she was confronting the woman George saved.

10:50PM - Kevin McKidd just gets better and better on this show. Owen's not always my favorite character, but McKidd makes him so multidimensional and dark and good-hearted that you can't help but root for him.

10:52PM - Loving the voiceovers from each of the characters as the show draws to a close. Love getting the little peeks into each of their heads and where they all are now. And I'm glad that someone (Derek, in this case) saw that Bailey needed someone and listened to her. Just listened to her.

10:57PM - I seem to vaguely remember hearing a spoiler about the hospital merger but evidently I wasn't paying much attention to it because I totally forgot that until the Chief said the words. It'll be very interesting to see where Derek's character goes this year, especially since he'll probably have to carry more of the storyline due to Ellen Pompeo's maternity leave (congrats to her and her husband on the birth of their baby girl, by the way) and Katherine Heigl's five-week-leave from from filming.

So Pop Wenches readers, what did you think of the Grey's Anatomy season premiere?

Live Blogging "Flash Forward"

2009-09-24T20:01:00.000-07:00

With all the new shows and new seasons of returning shows starting up, the Pop Wenches thought we'd try something new (for this blog anyway) and do a little live blogging commentary on a few shows. First up, the new ABC show FlashForward! Spoilers up the ying-yang, needless to say . . .

8:00PM - Clearly Joseph Fiennes and a whole lotta ppeople are having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I think Dude Smushed in his Car and Flambeed Dude get to claim the top of that list.

8:02PM - Is anyone else thinking that it's weird hearing Joseph Fiennes speak without a British accent? Oh look! It's Brannon Braga's name in the credits. Hope this show is better than the last incarnation of Star Trek television series he worked on was. And what kind of jobs do JF and wife do to have a gorgeous house with a backyard with that view??!

8:05PM - More Star Trek adjacent goodness in the form of John Cho. And "Islands in the Stream" for a first dance at a wedding? Oh hell no! Love the Lost callout in the form of the Oceanic Airlines billboard in the background.

8:08PM - Here comes our glimpses of the flashbacks!

8:09PM - My theory after seeing JF's flashback? An enemy country figured out how to aerosolize LSD and everyone just had an acid trip for the ages. Ouch. It sooooo sucks to be Flambeed Dude. And that view of the 101 freeway in Downtown LA? Trust me, that's not much different from how it looks in real life during peak commute hours . . . or Friday nights as everyone heads out to the Hollywood clubs. Not liking the helicopter crashing into the building and shades of 9/11.

8:15PM - Wow. They just had an Asian male character be assertive on television without him being a martial arts master or or an Asian mobster. Don't see that happen very often. Kudos to the writers already! And a kangaroo in the street?? Talk about a Quantas WTF?

8:20PM - Desperate Housewives ad on the wrecked bus in the background. Real subtle cross-promotion ABC. *eyeroll* And if Olivia (Sonya Walger) is a surgeon, I guess that explains the beautiful house. And where's her surgeon's mask if she's operating? Heck, none of them are wearing one. Does blacking out make one forget about the danger of infectious diseases?

8:24PM - April 29, 2010. So I wonder what kind of FlashForward promo stunts will be held on that date. Heck, ABC did candy bar giveaways a few years ago in cities around the country for a summertime Lost ARG . . .

8:29PM - The Walt Disney Concert Hall smoking in the background outside the window. Not a Gehry-designed building! Don't mess up one with acoustics that amazing!

8:32PM - LOL at the poor FBI director(?) with the vision of himself on the crapper. Will there be a new class sytem because of these visions? Those who had cool visions and those who had lame ones?

8:38PM - And now we're getting into the whole issue of whether the future is already set in stone or whether following these visions is going to make that exact future a reality. Always an interesting dilemma and one I'm sure they'll revisit many times during this show. They've already put out just enough of a tease through Mark's (Joseph Fiennes) vision that I'm curious to see where this story goes. Way to go with getting me hooked on another show! Wonder how many Pop Wenches readers are feeling the same way?

8:41PM - And now the religious angle . . . from the character who was having decidedly premarital sex when the blackout hit. Interesting writer's choice/juxtaposition. And from the character who was literally ready to commit suicide. Very, very interesting.

8:48PM - V promo! I still remember being totally creeped out by a very famous scene in the original V television mini-series. *shudder* Not crazy about Morena Bacarin with short hair. She's a gorgeous woman, but much more so with long hair (see her as Adria in the last two seasons of SG1).

8:50PM - Etta James' "At Last" for Mark and Olivia's wedding song? Either it's bad music or predictable music for weddings? Oh, Olivia! This would have been an excellent time to lie, lie, LIE about your flash forward! She just confirmed (of course) Mark's worst nightmare. Again, the question of self-fulfilling prophecies raises it's ugly head.

8:53PM - Well hello Jack Davenport! You look much better here than you did in the last Pirates of the Caribbean movie. And why do you get to keep your British accent when none of your fellow FlashForward cast members do?

8:54PM - Okay, I'm getting creepy, not-a-normal-kid vibes from Mark and Olivia's daughter. Anyone else feel the same way?

8:56PM - Seeing the one person who didn't pass out gave me the creeps too. Why isn't he(?) freaking out that everyone around him has passed out for 2:17 seconds? I'd be running around doing Freaked Out Jazz Hands!

8:59PM - Dominic Monaghan! Dominic Monaghan in a suit looking quite good. Knew he was joining the show thanks to spoilers and his TCA appearance, of course, but still can't wait to see him. I'll be tuning in to FlashForward again next week -- will you?

TV News: Whedon Spills "Dollhouse" Spoilers, View 18 Mins of "FlashForward"

2009-09-18T12:38:00.000-07:00

- SCI FI Wire has posted a list of nine spoilers for season two of Dollhouse as revealed by Joss Whedon himself. If you want to find out juicy tidbits like when Ray Wise's character is joining the show and what role the lovely Summer Glau will be play, click here! [SCI FI Wire]

- ABC has posted some wicked video clips online in anticipation of the series premiere of FlashForward and the season premiere of Grey's Anatomy on September 24.

Check out the 18 minute clip from FlashForward, which boasts an impressive cast including Joseph Fiennes, John Cho, Dominic Monaghan, Sonya Walger and Jack Davenport.

This six minute clip from Grey's took my breath away, even though it's well known that T.R. Knight has left the show. Afterall, Shonda Rimes is more than capable of giving the audience the ending they expect, while still turning everything we were assumed about the path to that ending on its head. The video caption on ABC's site however, gives away a bit too much considering the shock value of the clip. And how fantastic is Sara Ramirez ("Callie Torres") in the clip and on the show?

RIP Mary Travers

2009-09-16T20:51:00.000-07:00

Mary Travers, of Peter, Paul and Mary fame died tonight in Connecticut. According to spokeswoman Heather Lylis, Travers' died from complications that were the result of a bone marrow transplant she received after developing leukemia a few years ago.

Travers was 72-years-old.

Peter, Paul and Mary were an award-winning trio. The group received five Grammy Awards for recordings of "Leavin' on a Jet Plane," "Puff (The Magic Dragon)" and "Blowin' in the Wind." The group broke up in 1971, and Travers eventually went on to release five solo albums. The group did go on to hold several reunions.

Travers is survived by her husband and daughters. [NY Times, Associated Press via Yahoo! News]

Concert Review: The Killers at Shoreline Amphitheatre (9/12/2009)

2009-09-15T09:13:00.000-07:00

On Saturday I attended a concert that I'd been anticipating since Coachella in April. Immediately after Coachella I was struck down by what I strongly suspect was a case of the swine flu, so I never had a chance to sing the praises of the bands I saw there. That was a shame since I was dead center and only eight people back from the stage when The Killers played the festival. It was the most incredible experience I've ever had at Coachella, and The Killers were so amazing that I jumped at the chance to see them again this past weekend.

One of the opening bands was The New York Dolls. Let's just say that I arrived at the venue a full hour before The Killers took the stage but heard nothing that made me want to take my seat and watch the NY Dolls.

Moving on to the fun part of the evening, The Killers promptly took the stage at 9:30PM and opened strong with "Human." Frontman Brandon Flowers missed a couple of notes during this first song, but after that he was in full voice for the rest of the night as the band dived into "Spaceman," "For Reasons Unknown," "Bones" and (one of my personal favorites) "Joy Ride."

The audience was on its feet from the moment band walked onto the stage and The Killers didn't disappoint. The stage design and lighting weren't garish, but the palm trees, giant flower arrangement in an giant vase and neon lights—right down to the lit-up "K" in the middle of the stage—definitely reflected the band's Las Vegas roots.

Flowers, of course, is well known for his flamboyant costumes and stage presence. Evidently blazers with feathered shoulders are the statement this year since he wore variations on this look at both Coachella and Saturday's show.

With his outsized, theatrical voice and stage presence, Flowers is the consumate frontman, but thankfully he doesn't cross the line and make concerts feel like a solo performance with a backing band. And for a band that has raised some eyebrows with Kayne West-like declarations of rock greatness, The Killers performed several songs that acknowledged their forebears. Covers included Joy Divison's "Shadowplay" (from The Killer's Sawdust album) and The Animals' "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood," a clip of which you can watch here:
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They also performed a couple of verses from Elvis' "Can't Help Falling in Love" on the heels of a rousing performance of "A Dustland Fairytale."

The propulsive tempo of the show barreled to a climax with a trio of fan favorites—"Read My Mind," "Mr. Brightside," and the always incredible "All These Things That I Have Done." There's nothing quite like hearing thousands of people singing/chanting, "I've got soul, but I'm not a soldier" over and over again during this song.

The two song encore started off with the deceptively cheerful-sounding "Jenny Was a Friend of Mine" and closed out with a song Flowers promised he and the band would perform "as hard as they could"—"When You Were Young." Judging from the volume of the crowd singing with Flowers and the racous cheers that followed the band off-stage, The Killers 1 hour and 45 minute set did not disappoint.

The Killers setlist:
"Human"
"Spaceman"
"For Reasons Unknown"
"Bones"
"Joy Ride"
"Change Your Mind"
"Bling (Confession of a King)"
"Shadowplay"
"Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood"
"Somebody Told Me"
"Smile Like You Mean It"
"Losing Touch"
"Believe Me Natalie"
"A Dustland Fairytale"/"Can't Help Falling in Love"
"Read My Mind"
"Mr. Brightside"
"All These Things I've Done"

Encore
"Jenny Was A Friend Of Mine"
"When You Were Young"

New on DVD and Blu-Ray (September 15, 2009)

2009-09-14T19:35:00.000-07:00

Check out a selection of the new DVD and Blu-Ray releases available tomorrow. This past summer's first blockbuster hit, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, will be out on DVD and Blu-Ray and a two-disc special edition version is available. The DVD of Doctor Who: The Next Doctor, the 2008 Christmas special starring David Tennant, is a must-have for sci-fi fans. Lots and lots of TV box sets are coming out this week, including the fifth season of Grey's Anatomy, the second season of Private Practice and the debut season of Sanctuary starring Amanda Tapping.

Movies:
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds)
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Two-Disc Special Edition + Digital Copy) (Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds)

TV:
- The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Second Season (Johnny Galecki, Kaley Cuoco, et al.)
- CSI Miami: The Complete Seventh Season (David Caruso, Adam Rodriguez, et al.)
- Doctor Who: The Next Doctor (2008 Christmas Special) (David Tennant, David Morrissey, et al.)
- Grey's Anatomy: The Complete Fifth Season (Ellen Pompeo, Patrick Dempsey, Sandra Oh, et al.)
- Its Always Sunny In Philadelphia: Season 4 (Danny DeVito, Charlie day, Glenn Howerton, et al.)
- My Name Is Earl: Season Four (Jason lee, Jaime Pressly, et al.)
- Private Practice: The Complete Second Season (Kate Walsh, Tim Daly, et al.)
- Primeval, Vol. 2 (Series 3) (Douglas Henshall, Jason Flemyng, et al.)
- Sanctuary: The Complete First Season (Amanda Tapping, Robin Dunne, Christopher Heyerdahl, et al.)

Blu-Ray:
- Deep Impact [Blu-ray] (Morgan Freeman, Tea Leoni, Elijah Wood, et al.)
- The Hannibal Lecter Anthology [Blu-ray] (William Petersen, Brian Cox, Anthony Hopkins, Jodie Foster, et al.)
- Hero [Blu-ray] (Jet Li, Maggie Cheung, et al.)
- Van Helsing [Blu-ray] (Hugh Jackman, Kate Beckinsale, David Wenham, et al.)
- X-Men Origins: Wolverine (Two-Disc Edition + Digital Copy) [Blu-ray] (Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber, Ryan Reynolds)
- Wrong Turn [Blu-ray] (Eliza Dushku, Jeremy Sisto)

RIP Patrick Swayze

2009-09-14T17:41:00.000-07:00

Patrick Swayze has died at the age of 57 after a 20-month-long public battle with pancreatic cancer. The news was announced this evening in a statement by his publicist, Annett Wolf.

Swayze became a big screen heartthrob in the late '80s with his role as sexy dancer and dance instructor Johnny Castle in Dirty Dancing. He followed up that success with an iconic role in Ghost, in which he costarred with Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg. Most recently, Swazye starred in the critically acclaimed A&E cable series The Beast. [Associated Press via Yahoo! News]

Watch MJ "This Is It" and Extended "Twilight: New Moon" Trailers

2009-09-14T11:11:00.000-07:00

Since Kelly Clarkson said in her blog entry just about everything that needs to be said about Kanye West's behavior at last night's VMA Awards and my eyes are going to get stuck in the back of my head if I roll them anymore while wasting a thought on Lady Gaga's antics (Madonna did it all first and did it much, much better, says this child of the '80s), we're not going to go there. Instead take a look at the new trailer for the upcoming This Is It Michael Jackson documentary and the extended trailer for The Twilight Saga: New Moon, both of which debuted on last night's show. There's a short commercial that runs ahead of both clips -- sorry about that!

Concert Review: Yeah Yeah Yeahs

2009-09-12T15:48:00.000-07:00

I went to the gorgeous new Fox Theater in Oakland for the first time on Wednesday night to see the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. There sure seems to be some sort of giant eyeball theme going on in the music scene, because Depeche Mode's show featured a giant eyeball as well.

Karen O made her grand entrance wearing a spirally single-ram-horn hat (not seen here) that looked straight out of a movie like the Cell or something, and she soon began to drink water and spit it all over the place, as is her wont. Sadly, the acoustics were not the best. The music felt too loud, and the vocals were a bit drowned out, which I think hurt my enjoyment of the show. Her slow songs actually sounded better.

It was neat how the eyeball rolled, and the projected light turned it into what looks like Mars. I also really liked her quasi-wardrobe changes, where she would put on a shawl or a jacket for different songs, to go with the songs. Quite clever! It helped you to get in the right mindset for a song without too much trouble. And to further get people excited, there was a lot of random confetti explosions!

Oops. This has become more of a set design review than a music review. :P I did enjoy the music despite the sound issues, though I was pretty exhausted from work and probably didn't get into it as much as I could have. The rest of the crowd was crazy for her, often applauding so continuously and loudly that she'd have to wait for them to calm down before starting the next song! My favorite tune was probably Phenomena, though of course the audience went the wildest when she finally played Maps during the encore.

Karen O definitely embodies the energy and attitude of a true "rock star". I kinda had mixed feelings about this show, but none of the negatives were the fault of the band. I look forward to seeing them again some time. I'll be back at the Fox in three weeks to see Kylie. Hopefully the sound will be better then!

Concert Review: John Williams at the Hollywood Bowl (9/5/2009)

2009-09-09T16:28:00.000-07:00

As ToastyKen said in his Depeche Mode concert review, the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles is a wonderful venue that provides great acoustics in a beautiful setting. One of the eagerly anticipated annual concerts at the Bowl is "John Williams and the Music of the Movies," two nights when the legendary film composer himself conducts the LA Philharmonic Orchestra.

If John Williams' name doesn't ring a bell, think about the theme song to Jaws. Yup, that's his. Indiana Jones? That's his music too. All six Star Wars films? You betcha. Unless you've been living under a rock (without wifi access and a laptop, mind you) for more than 30 years, Williams' music is part of the soundtrack of your life.

With a vast number of instantly recognizable pieces of music at his fingertips, the composer could easily coast along and lead the LA Phil through the same "greatest hits" performance of his work every year. The delight—and potential frustration—of his Hollywood Bowl concerts is that Williams never opts for this easy route. Audience members know they'll get to enjoy some of these "greatest hits" and that at least one of them will be a selection from Star Wars. They also know that part of the evening will be a salute to at least one other notable movie composer. Other than that, what they'll hear that night is up for grabs until they arrive at the venue and receive the concert program.
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This year's "Music of the Movies" concerts were unique in that the entire first hour was devoted to Williams' music from a single franchise—Harry Potter. Since I was attending with a group of family and friends (a situation akin to herding lots and lots and lots of cats), we arrived just in time to catch the last two pieces, "The Chamber of Secrets" and one of my favorite Williams' compositions "Harry's Wondrous World." As a Potter fan, I wasn't happy to have missed so much of the performance, but what I did get to hear was excellent and well-paired with the movie clips they show on the large screens for the audience. An additional treat came in the form of special guest Vanessa Redgrave, who served as the narrator between clips, tying the different Potter compositions togeher.

After intermission came a tribute to Williams' fellow film composers through an arrangement of well-known movie themes. While I've usually seen Williams' educate the audience on a single composer during his Bowl concerts (his tribute to Alfred Hitchcock composer Bernard Herrmann a couple of years ago was especially memorable), this year's approach made evident the power music has to evoke memories and emotions. The orchestra played only 10 to 15 seconds of the well-known theme songs to films like The Magnificent Seven, Gone with the Wind, Cinema Paradiso and Titanic, but even those short snippets of music would evoke audible reactions from the audience.

Instead of delving into some of his well-known music, Williams then talked for a bit about his 36-year working relationship with Steven Spielberg and the music he did for an atypical Spielberg film, Catch Me If You Can. The jazz stylings from the film score featured the vibraphone, sax and upright bass and were very enjoyable, but you could also feel that the audience was getting restless.

Personally, I couldn't complain about the next selection, an orchestral version of "As Time Goes By" from Casablanca featuring the LA Phil's lead violinist and concert mistress. It was another tasteful nod to the composers who came before Williams and simply a treat to hear this lovely piece of music performed live.

The evening's official program finished strong with pieces from The Witches of Eastwick, the original Dracula and the main theme to the original Christopher Reeve Superman movies. The Superman theme is always uplifting, but this year the Superman movie clips were mixed with Batman movie snippets as part of a superheroes tribute, which considerably weakened the visual component. The feel of both the older Batman movies and the Christian Bale reboot films is so different from the optimistic, inspiring Superman music that the mixed clips were a distraction from the excellent music.

As is often the case, many of the biggest crowd-pleasing pieces were saved for the two encores. One of my favorite and fantastically geeky parts of these annual concerts is the fan reaction as soon as a Star Wars theme starts to play. As soon as Williams announced the start of "Yoda's Theme," Warsies in the audience whipped out hundreds of lightsabers of every color, waving them enthusiastically. The start of the unmistakable main theme from Star Wars only made them happier, although the fans were more subdued this year. Usually, some fans leap up and have lightsaber duels up and down the aisles but I didn't see any of that happen this time around.

The second encore started with the theme to E.T., which was a nice flashback to some of Williams' earlier work. Williams and the orchestra played right into the fans' hands, closing out the night with nothing less than the "Imperial March" from Star Wars. While some audience members were heard to voice their disappointment that nothing from Indiana Jones, Jurassic Park or Schindler's List had been played, not knowing what favorites you'll hear or not hear is actually part of the draw of these concerts. It's also a testament to the skill and immense talent of John Williams that he has created such a successful body of work that he can pick and chose which of his famous pieces he wants to share each year.

"John Williams and the Music of the Movies" 2009 setlist:
Harry Potter—"Hedwig's Theme," "Aunt Marge's Waltz," "Diagon Alley and The Gringotts Vault," "The Knight Bus," "The Quidditch Match," "Fawkes The Phoenix," "A Window to the Past," "The Chamber of Secrets" and "Harry's Wondrous World"

Intermission

A Tribute to Film Composers (including music from The Bridge on the River Kwai, Patton, The Godfather, Cinema Paradiso, The Magnificent Seven, Titanic, Gone with the Wind, E..T.: The Extra-Terrestrial and Star Wars)
Suite from Catch Me If You Can
"As Time Goes By" from Casablanca
"Devil's Dance" from The Witches of Eastwick
"End Titles" from Dracula
"Superman - Main Theme" from Superman

First Encore
Star Wars—"Yoda's Theme" and "Star Wars - Main Titles"

Second Encore
Suite from E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial
"Imperial March" from Star Wars

Don't forget to visit our Pop Wenches YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/popwenches to see additional clips from this concert!

This Week's Music (September 8, 2009)

2009-09-08T23:11:00.000-07:00

This week sees the release of Jay-Z' The Blueprint 3 and new music from Raekwon, Rodrigo y Gabriela and Sondre Lerche. The True Blood soundtrack also debuted today. Check it out below:

Albums, Singles, EPs:

Box Sets, Reissues:

Soundtracks:

New on DVD and Blu-Ray (September 8, 2009)

2009-09-08T22:39:00.000-07:00

Check out a selection of the new DVD and Blu-Ray releases available today. Season 5 of The Office was released on both DVD and Blu-Ray. The box set of the first season of J.J. Abram's Fringe is available just in time to catch up before the new season starts. And, for a shot of childhood nostalgia, you can pick up Disney's Bedknobs & Broomsticks starring the illustrious Angela Lansbury.

Movies:

Television:

Blu-Ray:

Learn More About the Movie "9" from the Creators & Actors

2009-09-08T12:05:00.000-07:00

With Shane Acker's 9 debuting in theaters tomorrow, we thought you'd enjoy gearing up with high-def video clips of the 9 Q&A session that was held at San Diego Comic-Con. The panel included director Shane Acker, Tim Burton, Timur Bekmambetov, Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly.

Enjoy the clips and don't forget to visit our Pop Wenches YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/popwenches for all of our latest videos!

Theater Review: American Idiot at Berkeley Repertory Theatre (9/6/2009)

2009-09-07T18:43:00.000-07:00

With a five-year gap between the 2004 release of Green Day's multiplatinum American Idiot album and the 2009 debut of the rock opera stage production of the same name, the question of relevance is, well, highly relevant.

Now that the US is eight months into a Democratic administration helmed by the country's first African-American president, do the Jesus of Suburbia, St. Jimmy, Whatsername and The Extraordinary Girl still resonate as powerfully as they did in the midst of the Bush administration? On a less esoteric note, do Green Day's songs still pack the same punch without Billie Joe Armstrong's distinctive voice and Mike Dirnt and Tré Cool's driving bass and drums?

At last night's preview night performance of American Idiot, both of these questions were answered with a resounding, fist-pumping "YES!"

The lean 85-minute performance (no intermission), which is premiering at the wonderfully intimate Berkeley Repertory Theatre, brings Green Day's music back to the city that gave the band their punk rock start. A few moments after the curtain rises and a cacaphony of mass media sound bytes sets the tone, the cast—trapped in the misery of their lives in fictional (and yet not-so-fictional) Jingletown, USA—launches into the title song, shouting that they "don't want to be an American idiot" for the heavens to hear.

In the space of that one song, any doubts about the quality of the production and the power of the songs are put to rest. The leads never make the mistake of trying to imitate Armstrong, instead letting their powerful voices send the songs rocking through the theater while advancing the storyline.
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The songs of the American Idiot stage production center on the tracks from the original album plus "two B sides from the European release and four from the new album [21st Century Breakdown]," including "Know Your Enemy" and a moving performance of "21 Guns." Idiot director and Tony Award-winner Michael Mayer (Spring Awakening) has skillfully woven togther the songs to create a coherent storyline that is more complete than the one present in Green Day's album. He also wisely pulls bits and pieces from songs and inserts them as refrains or asides where appropriate instead of slavishly trying to force lyrics and whole songs where they don't fit.

The stories of three friends from Jingletown—Johnny (John Gallagher Jr.), Tunny (Matt Caplan) and Will (Michael Esper)—are told with a minimum of dialogue as these angry young men struggle to find meaning and intellectual outlets in a world that demands cookie-cutter conformity and obedience. It could be easy to dismiss the main characters as stereotypical "slacker losers," but showrunners Armstrong and Mayer don't make things that simple. The entire production and particularly the lead actors intentionally bristle with an energy that is the antithesis of a "slacker loser" mentality.

That sense of unchanneled energy and frustration fuels the entire production. The intensity and emotion that the music requires means that no one will ever be able to phone in their performance; American Idiot demands that both the leads and the ensemble players leave everything they have on the stage.

The performers' efforts are repaid by the positive audience response. While there were a large number of younger audience members, at least half of the preview performance audience on Sunday night was made up of traditional-age theatergoers and arts patrons. I wasn't sure how older audience members would react to a punk rock opera that includes a sex scene, drug use, drug paraphernalia and quite a few curse words, but the volume of the applause and the cheers after key songs and during the curtain call made it clear that the production's message had hit home. The standing ovation for the cast must have been rewarding for Armstrong, who had ducked into his audience seat, disguised in a dark hoodie, just before the house lights went down.

American Idiot is in previews from now through September 13. The production's regular run at the Berkeley Repertory Theatre lasts through October 11. Ticket prices range from $25 to $78. http://berkeleyrep.org/

All images © Berkeley Repertory Theatre. All rights reserved.

Music Notes: Jay-Z announces tour dates, Nine Inch Nails announce rescheduled dates

2009-09-04T14:28:00.001-07:00

- Jay-Z has announced some fall tour dates. He'll be playing some gigs in the UK with Coldplay. [Pitchfork]

- Nine Inch Nails have rescheduled some canceled Los Angeles tour dates. [Pitchfork]

- Michael Jackson was finally buried last night. The King of Pop was entombed in a mausoleum at Glendale, California's Forest Lawn Cemetery. Celebrities in attendance included Macaulay Culkin, Lisa Marie Presley, Elizabeth Taylor, Berry Gordy, and Quincy Jones. [Rolling Stone]

- Here's SPIN's take on Jay-Z's Blueprint 3. The leaked album will officially get released next Friday. [SPIN]

SF Outside Lands: Jason Mraz and Bat for Lashes

2009-09-02T09:02:00.000-07:00

Hosted on the beautiful grounds of San Francisco's Golden Gate Park, last weekend's Outside Lands festival brought great music to the Bay Area for the second year in a row. While Friday's temperatures were sweltering and Sunday saw a cold fog roll into the city, Saturday--the day I attended-- was picture perfect. The same could be said about the performances I enjoyed.

I arrived just in time to catch the last of Raphael Saadiq's set, which ended with a joyous round of gospel music that made me wish I'd seen the full performance.

Next up was the irrepressibly cheerful Jason Mraz, who enjoyed a large audience for his set. Mraz's radio-friendly folk-pop was flavored at times with everything from reggae to a "Copacabana-esque" vibe, which worked well with his entertaining, easy-going stage presence.

I must confess that I've never been a Jason Mraz fan. I don't mind his music, but his radio singles have always been such light, fluffy lyrical confections that I've never felt the need to delve deeper. Seeing him in concert didn't change my mind.

There's no doubt that Mraz is fun during live performances. He's also put together a band of skilled musicians and made a point of putting original twists on his most familiar hits so fans got to enjoy a unique listening experience. Despite this, there just isn't enough substance in his music for me to connect with it emotionally and nor is there enough of a driving beat for me to connect with it on a visceral level.

While Mraz' set was pleasant, I had no regrets about ducking out halfway through and heading to one of the side stages to check out Bat for Lashes. My only previous exposure to Bat for Lashes was watching a couple of her music videos online a few months ago. Since I'd liked what I heard, Outside Lands seemed like an excellent opportunity to find out if I liked enough of her music to shell out for her albums.

Performing on an intimate, sun-dappled side stage (that was completely powered by solar panels, by the way), Bat for Lashes vocals were exquisite. I tend to have a limit to the amount of time I can listen to female singers who have ethereal, breathy voices, but Bat for Lashes vocal quality never became an affectation. The dreamy quality surrounding her music is also grounded with solid instrumentals that bring it back down to earth.

Did I like Bath for Lashes' music enough to shell out for her albums? Absolutely. I had to leave halfway through her set, and if it had been for anyone less than the Black Eyed Peas, I probably couldn't have torn myself away. Considering the way the audience grew exponentially from the time her set started until the time I left, it's safe to say that Bat for Lashes won herself quite a few new fans at Outside Lands.

Head over to our Pop Wenches You Tube channel at www.youtube.com/popwenches to check out 3 more Jason Mraz clips and 2 additional Bat for Lashes clips, all in high-def!

New on DVD and Blu-Ray (September 1, 2009)

2009-08-31T23:14:00.000-07:00

Check out a selection of the new DVD and Blu-Ray releases available tomorrow. With the new fall television season right around the corner, there continues to be a ton of excellent DVD sets including season 4 of Supernatural, season 3 of Heroes and the ninth season of CSI. Also, check out the excellent new classic movie box sets from TMC!

Movies:

Television:

Blu-Ray:

Music Notes: Jay-Z shows support for Grizzly Bear, download new Bad LIeutenant track

2009-08-31T21:49:00.001-07:00

- Jay-Z showed some love for Grizzly Bear by attending their free Brooklyn show yesterday, along with Beyonce and Solange Knowles. Here's some of what Jay had to say: "[Grizzly Bear is] an incredible band. The thing I want to say to everyone-- I hope this happens because it will push rap, it will push hip-hop to go even further-- what the indie rock movement is doing right now is very inspiring. It felt like us in the beginning. These concerts, they're not on the radio, no one hears about them, and there's 12,000 people in attendance." [Pitchfork]

- Download Bad Lieutenant's "Sink Or Swim" now. In case you need a refresher, the band is basically New Order minus Peter Hook. [SPIN]

- Julian Casablancas made his solo live debut in Tokyo over the weekend. Check out some video footage here. [Pitchfork]

- Radiohead actually opened a show with "Creep," a song that is usually just used at the end of performances and actually doesn't have much of a reputation for being on their set lists much anymore. [NME]

This Week's Music (September 1, 2009)

2009-08-31T14:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to the weekly new music roundup, where I will try highlighting some of tomorrow's interesting/major music releases.

This is not the most exciting week for new music releases (though if I missed anything truly notable, please let me know). So I won't even bother summarizing anything for the moment. Check out what's coming out below:

Albums, Singles, EPs:
- Sam Baker - Cotton
- Black Crowes - The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion (Vinyl)
- Emerson, Lake & Palmer - The Essential 3.0 Emerson, Lake & Palmer
- Juliette Lewis - Terra Incognita
- Richard Lloyd - The Jamie Neverts Story
- Ozzy Osbourne - The Essential 3.0 Ozzy Osbourne
- Street Sweeper Social Club - Street Sweeper Social Club; Vinyl
- These United States - Everything Touches Everything
- They Might Be Giants - Here Comes Science (Amazon.com CD/DVD)
- Andrew W.K. - 55 Cadillac

Box Sets, Reissues:
- Brian Jonestown Massacre - Methodrone (Vinyl)
- Alice Cooper - Killer (Gold CD)
- Miles Davis - Ascenseur Pour L'Echafaud (Vinyl, Import)
- The Pretenders - Pretenders (Gold CD)

Admin Note from Callie

2009-08-31T11:37:00.000-07:00

So sorry for the lack of daytime posts during the past week. The "real" job that pays me for things like writing has been positively insane lately, but that will ease up soon and we'll get back to a more regular posting schedule here at Pop Wenches. We've got good stuff coming down the pipeline though -- I've got a whole slew of new video clips from Saturday's Outside Lands uploading as you read this!

Music Notes: More on DJ AM, Noel Gallagher quits Oasis

2009-08-28T22:37:00.000-07:00

Quick Note: Retrovideo Friday posts will return in September. Let's pretend I'm on "vacation" right now, and by vacation, I mean adjusting to grad school.

- More on the DJ AM death/his life here. Sad news all around. [SPIN]

- Noel Gallagher posted the following message on OasisNet: "It's with some sadness and great relief to tell you that I quit Oasis tonight. People will write and say what they like, but I simply could not go on working with Liam a day longer. Apologies to all the people who bought tickets for the shows in Paris, Konstanz and Milan." Yes, it looks like Noel quit Oasis and his brother has everything to do with it. [OasisNet]

- Death Cab for Cutie will be on the New Moon soundtrack. [SPIN]

- The Foo Fighers will include two new tracks, "Wheels" and "Word Forward" on their upcoming greatest-hits release, which is due to hit stores on Nov. 3. [Rolling Stone]

- Check out a sneak peek of Kurt Cobain's Guitar Hero character here. [SPIN]

DJ AM Found Dead in NYC Apartment

2009-08-28T17:09:00.000-07:00

The Associated Press is reporting that DJ AM (Adam Goldstein) was found dead in a Manhattan apartment this Friday evening. AP cites a New York City law enforcement official as their source. Rumors are circulating that drug paraphenalia was also found in the apartment.

Last year, DJ AM and drummer Travis Barker were the only surviors of a plane crash in South Carolina that killed four other people. Goldstein was a popular deejay who often spun at high-profile celebrity events and regularly worked the club and music festival circuit. He received mainstream media attention during his engagement to socialite Nicole Richie and relationship with singer Mandy Moore.

DJ AM was 36 years old.

[Associated Press via Yahoo! News]

Music Notes: Details of Madonna's 'Celebration,' Ellie Greenwich dies

2009-08-26T20:50:00.001-07:00

- The tracklisting for Madonna's Celebration has been announced. What can we expect? Thirty-six remastered songs on two CDs, alongside two new songs. The Celebration two-disc DVD package will include 47 music videos, including 18 never-before-seen clips. [SPIN]

- Ellie Greenwich, the girl group songwriter, died today of a heart attack. Greenwich brought us hits like "River Deep, Mountain High" and "(Today I Met) the Boy I'm Going to Marry." [Jezebel]

- Outside Lands, the Golden Gate Park music festival, will be the first-ever music festival webcast on YouTube this coming weekend. The site will stream all three days of the festival (Aug. 28-30). [Paste Magazine]

- Bob Dylan will release Christmas in the Heart, a Christmas album, on Oct. 13. [Rolling Stone]

- Peter Murphy of Bauhaus (yes, Bela Lugosi's dead) joined Nine Inch Nails during their third stop in NYC. This tour is supposed to mark the end of NIN's live shows. [SPIN]

- Them Crooked Vultures made their live UK debut with the Arctic Monkeys, surprising those in attendance. [NME]

- Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump got arrested in California late last night as a result of driving without a valid license. Stump told MTV News the following: "All I really have to say is ignorance of the law isn't innocence. I didn't want to give up my Illinois driver's license and was unaware that was a crime. It is, by the way, in the state of California. Lesson learned. I technically broke a law, so technically I deserve whatever I get. But man, is my mom gonna be pissed." [MTV News]

- Brooklyn-based World's Fair Label Group, a record label administration and PR company, folded yesterday. The group once did promotional work for artists like British Sea Power and Jarvis Cocker. [Pitchfork]

Ian McKellen Confirms Return as Gandalf, Says Bilbo Cast

2009-08-25T16:18:00.000-07:00

SlashFilm.com reports that Sir Ian McKellen caused some waves this weekend when he appeared in London to introduce a marathon screening of all three extended editions of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. While speaking to the audience, McKellen announced that he will indeed be reprising his role as Gandalf for The Hobbit films. Even more surprisingly, McKellen said that the pivotal role of Bilbo Baggins has been cast, that he knows who has been chosen and "he's sure that the fans will be very, very pleased."

Considering that exactly one month ago at Comic-Con Peter Jackson himself was saying that they weren't yet far along enough in the process to offer roles to anyone, it will be interesting to see if this news will soon be confirmed with a formal announcement.

Click here to watch a video clip of Peter Jackson's Hobbit update at Comic-Con in July. [/film]

Zachary Quinto Talks Trek, Heroes and Production Company

2009-08-25T09:08:00.000-07:00

Just found a nice little interview with Zachary Quinto over at SCI FI Wire in which he talks about everything from the next Star Trek movie to upcoming projects through his new production company (Before the Door Pictures) to the new season of Heroes and Sylar's fate.

One of the interesting things he says in the interview is about the possibilities for the next Trek movie. After saying that the creative team behind this summer's blockbuster film aren't in a rush to produce the follow-up film, Quinto said, "I think it's going to be much better served by taking time and being clear about the story that they want to tell. Whether or not that involves Khan or Mr. Shatner remains to be seen" (emphasis mine). He could just be responding to swirling rumors and fan speculation, but it's interesting that he mentioned Khan and William Shatner specifically. [SCI FI Wire]

This Week's Music (August 25, 2009)

2009-08-24T23:46:00.000-07:00

Hello readers! Here's a quick round-up of some of this week's notable new music releases. I'm just pinch-hitting for Radhika as she settles into her new schedule, so she'll be back to posting the good stuff soon. This week's new albums include the Arctic Monkeys' third album Humbug; special collectors editions of Radiohead's Amnesiac, Hail To the Thief and Kid A; Matisyahu's Light; Imogen Heap's Ellipse; and the soundtrack to the new Fame movie.

New on DVD and Blu-Ray (August 25, 2009)

2009-08-24T23:12:00.000-07:00

Check out a selection of the new DVD and Blu-Ray releases available tomorrow. Movie releases include Sunshine Cleaning starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt. Click here to read Pop Wench Joia's review of this film. On the TV front, we have the release of season two of Californication, season five of House and the last season of Scubs with the original cast. Enjoy!

Movies:

Television:

Blu-Ray:

Music Notes: NIN play final NYC shows, Radiohead debut latest track live

2009-08-24T20:55:00.000-07:00

- Some fun coverage of the final NYC Nine Inch Nails here. NIN played all of The Downward Spiral. And covered Joy Division! [Rolling Stone]

- Radiohead played their latest track "These Are My Twisted Words," live at Austria's Frequency 2009 Festival over the weekend. Watch video here. [Pitchfork]

- Listen to Karen O's "All Is Love" on the Where The Wild Things Are MySpace now. The single drops on iTunes tomorrow. [Where The Wild Things Are MySpace]

- Bat For Lashes' Two Suns, which only came out earlier this year, will see the special edition treatment this September. Lots of fun goodies are planned! [Pitchfork]

- Thom Yorke's contribution to the Mark Mulcahy tribute album Ciao My Shining Star, a cover of "All For The Best," will be released as a limited-edition 7-inch single. Mulcahy's Ciao My Shining Star will be the b-side. Only 2,000 copies of the single will be available worldwide. [Greenplastic]

- Them Crooked Vultures played Belgium's Pukkelpop festival this weekend. Watch/listen to them perform "Elephants" here. [Stereogum]

- Kiss announced their 35th anniversary tour, which will kick off Sept. 25 in Detroit. [SPIN]

- Maximo Park canceled their September North American tour, citing "personal reasons" in a scan of a written note posted on their MySpace. [Pitchfork]

- I know I've been awful with my posts, so here's a late one... Jay-Z's vid for "Run This Town" is here. [Rolling Stone]

Michael Jackson Cause of Death Revealed

2009-08-24T18:36:00.000-07:00

An affidavit that was filed last month in Houston as part of a search warrant application has been unsealed and reveals what has long been suspected—Michael Jackson's "cause of death was due to lethal levels of Propofol (Diprivan)."

The 32-page document includes details such as the amount of the anesthetic that was usually administered to the singer by Dr. Conrad Murray. It also details the seven doses of four different drugs that Murray has acknowledged administering to Jackson on the morning of his death, a series that began and ended with Propofol.

In addition, the affidavit says:

A search of the residence, specifically Jackson's bedside, revealed numerous bottles of medications prescribed by Dr. Murray to Jackson, including Diazepam (Valium), Tamsulosin (Flomax), Lorazepam (Ativan) and Temazepam (Restoril). Prescription pill bottles of Clonazepam (Klonopin) and Trazodone (Desyrl), prescribed to Jackson by Dr. Metzger and a prescription bottle of Tizanidine (Zanaflex), prescribed to Jackson by Dr. Klein were also found at Jackson's bedside. According to the Physician's Desk Reference (PDR), most of these drugs have an indicated or off label use in the treatment of insomnia.

[The Smoking Gun][Los Angeles Times]

"Twitterviews" with Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly by Focus Features

2009-08-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

Ramping up promotions for the September 9 release of Shane Acker's 9 movie, Focus Features is conducting live "Twitterviews" with film stars Elijah Wood and Jennifer Connelly today at www.twitter.com/FocusFeatures. The questions were submitted by fans through Twitter.

The interview with Wood was scheduled to start at 11:00AM PST, but didn't start until about 10 minutes ago. Jennifer Connelly's interview is scheduled to start at 12 noon PST.

TV News: "Lost" and "Scrubs" Casting News, Locklear Returns to "Melrose Place?"

2009-08-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

- Well that didn't take long! Hot on the heels of the leak of a character description for a new Lost character, it was announced today that actor John Hawkes will be joining the show as the recurring character Lennon. The casting side described the character as "the spokesman/translator for the president of a foreign corporation" who's "far more powerful than his lowly position would seem to indicate." Hawkes is a veteran of shows including Deadwood and Eastbound & Down. [TV Guide]

- The three new regulars who will play the next generation of Scrubs doctors have been cast. Dave Franco (yes, he's James Franco's younger brother and has also starred in Greek and Privileged), Michael Mosley (The Proposal) and Kerry Bishé (Virtuality) will be the new med students under the tutelage of series veterans Donald Faison and John C. McGinley. [Hollywood Reporter]

- Speaking of Scrubs, congrats to actress Sarah Chalke and her fiancé, who recently announced that they are expecting their first child! [People]

- Heather Locklear may return to Melrose Place. The erstwhile Amanda Woodward is now in talks to reprise her role on the rebooted series, which now stars Ashlee Simpson-Wentz. Several of Locklear's fellow cast members from the original series have also signed on, including Laura Leighton, Thomas Calabro, Josie Bissett and Daphne Zuniga. [TV Guide]

- Syfy has reupped their new original series Warehouse 13, ordering a 13-episode second season of of the show. Evidently Warehouse 13 is the most-watched show in the channel's history. [Variety]

- In some groan-worthy tv news, ABC is looking to turn both the '80s "Brat Pack" movie St. Elmo's Fire and the novel The Time Traveler's Wife into television series. A feature film version of The Time Traveler's Wife was, of course, was released into theaters last weekend. Click here to read Pop Wench Radhika's review of the movie. [TV Guide and MTV.com]

Release Date for Michael Jackson "This Is It" Film Announced

2009-08-20T16:31:00.000-07:00

Sony has announced that Michael Jackson: This Is It will be released into theaters on October 28 for a limited two-week worldwide engagement. The film is cut together from footage shot prior to Jackson's June 25 death as he rehearsed in Los Angeles for a series of 50 sold-out shows at London's O2 Arena. Tickets go on sale beginning September 27.

[Associated Press via Yahoo! News]

"Avatar" Trailer Released Online

2009-08-20T15:58:00.001-07:00

The first trailer for James Cameron's Avatar was released today and can be viewed at Apple.com. Most of the footage in the trailer is new, only about a quarter of it was previously screened at Comic-Con.

Visit Pop Wenches' write up of the Avatar clips that were shown in San Diego to see which footage was previously released. You can also visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/popwenches to watch several high-def video clips from the Avatar panel last month that included James Cameron, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver and Stephen Lang.

Jackson Brothers Get a Reality Series on A&E

2009-08-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

Well before Michael Jackson's death, A&E had shot a reality series pilot centering on the Jackson brothers and a reunion with Michael that never materialized. Now it's being reported that A&E has greenlit additional episodes showing the remaining brothers dealing with the aftermath of the superstar's death and the brother's personal lives. The pilot episode is expected to air this month. I'm not even going to add snarky commentary to this bit of news . . . [Hollywood Reporter: Showbiz 411]

Jon Hamm Joins Zach Snyder's "Sucker Punch"

2009-08-20T07:58:00.000-07:00

Jon Hamm of Mad Men will soon be busy with a new big screen endeavor. Hamm has joined the cast of Zach Snyder's (300, Watchmen) next project, the action fantasy flick Sucker Punch.

Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens, Jena Malone, Abbie Cornish and Carla Gugino and Jamie Chung will co-star with Hamm in "the 1950s-set tale of a girl (Browning) confined to a mental institution by her stepfather, who intends to have her lobotomized in five days." Browning's character and her friends are able enter an alternate reality where they can begin planning an escape.

Hamm's character name is "High Roller," but beyond that details are being kept under wraps. [Hollywood Reporter]

[Edited to correct the spelling of Jon Hamm's name because Pop Wench Callie was blinded by his hotness while looking for a photo to accompany this post. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!]

Watch "Legion" and "Alice" Movie Trailers

2009-08-19T22:45:00.000-07:00

Sony Pictures has just released the trailer for the feature film Legion, starring Paul Bettany. I had so many panel reports and videos from Comic-Con to get posted that I never got around to talking about Legion, but the trailer for this (especially seen on a big screen) impressed the heck out of me. There are angels. Angels with machine guns. Angels with machine guns trying to exterminate mankind.

Check out the trailer below! Legion is in theaters January 22, 2010.

And because I totally missed this trailer when it came out a month ago (since I was traveling for the convention), but it's too good to pass up, I'm posting the first trailer for Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland too.

Music Notes: Beatles Rock Band songs confirmed, Karen O helms film soundtrack

2009-08-19T20:58:00.000-07:00

- More songs have been announced for The Beatles Rock Band and you can see the game's tracklisting here. [NME]

- The soundtrack for Where The Wild Things Are will come out Sept. 29. It's credited to Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O and the Kids, the name she gave her collaborators. The movie itself hits theaters in October. [Pitchfork]

- Get a glimpse of supergroup Them Crooked Vultures at work in the studio here. [Rolling Stone]

- Kraftwerk will reissue eight of their albums in a box set called 12345678: The Catalogue due in the US on Oct. 6. [Pitchfork]

- Nineteen-year-old Mike Byrne has been chosen to replace Jimmy Chamberlain in the Smashing Pumpkins lineup. Frontman Billy Corgan said Byrne has "a stunning blend of power, speed, and grace." [Billboard]

- Pete Doherty said he plans to reform The Libertines in time for the band to play festivals in 2010. [NME]

- Reports indicate that Dr. Conrad Murray could be charged for manslaughter and arrested by next week as a result of the case surrounding Michael Jackson's death. [NME]

TV News: Gina Torres Gets "Gossip"-y, Lots of "Idol" Guest Judges, Marsters to Terrorize "Caprica"

2009-08-19T13:36:00.000-07:00

- Gina Torres (who has, of course, appeared in everything from The Matrix Revolutions to Firefly to Angel) is joining the cast of Gossip Girl next season. Torres will play Gabriela Abrams, whose daughter is the home-schooled Vanessa, in two eps next season but will have a recurring role throughout the series. [TV Guide]

- In the wake of Paula Abdul's departure, a whole slew of celebrities have been announced as guest judges on the upcoming season of American Idol. Confirmed guest judges to date include Victoria Beckham, Mary J. Blige, Joe Jonas, Katy Perry and Shania Twain. Why is it that only two of these judges have had respected music careers for more than a couple of years? [US Magazine]

- Oliver Stone and Showtime have announced that the controversial director will helm and narrate a 10-part documentary series titled Secret History of America. The series will revolve around events that "at the time went under-reported, but crucially shaped America's unique and complex history of the last 60 years"—events including the dropping of two atomic bombs on Japan, the Kennedy administration, the origins of the Cold War, the Vietnam War and America's changing role on the global scene since the fall of Communism. The series is set to debut on Showtime in 2010. [Hollywood Reporter]

[bxA]

- TNT has extended the summer leg of Leverage's second season by two episodes, one of which features Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Voyager, Shark) in a guest starring role. It has yet to be seen if TNT will order up additional eps of the Timothy Hutton-starring drama, since this announcement leaves only six episodes on order for the winter half of the show's season. [TV Guide]

- James Marsters of Buffy the Vampire Slayer fame (also Angel, Smallville and Torchwood) will join the Battlestar Galactica prequel, Caprica, during its freshman season on SyFy. According to EW's Michael Ausiello, Marsters will play Barnabus Greeley, "a dangerous terrorist leader . . . driven by desires both moralistic and carnal," for at least three episodes. [Entertainment Weekly]

- Michael Ausiello also shared another juicy bit of news— a casting side for a new, recurring Lost character. The search is on for a mid-30s to late-50s actor to play Lennon, who is described as:

Scruffy, edgy, charismatic, and slightly stir-crazy, Lennon can be deferential when it's called for. He's the spokesperson/ translator for the president of a foreign corporation. He's a wily negotiator, and far more powerful than his lowly position would seem to indicate.

I'm guessing Lennon is a translator for Sun's father, who is the head of Paik Heavy Industries. Do you agree or do you have another guess? [Entertainment Weekly]

Concert Review: Depeche Mode at the Hollywood Bowl, 8/16/09

2009-08-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

Along with 7 of my friends, I decided earlier this year to trek down from San Francisco to Los Angeles to see Depeche Mode at the Hollywood Bowl. Why? Because their SF stop was due to be at Shoreline Amphitheatre, and we don't like the acoustics there. We are picky folk! (Okay, so it was also an excuse for a weekend vacation!) Turns out we were lucky to decide on LA, because the band canceled the Shoreline show on doctor's orders at the last minute to rest David Gahan's voice. That was only a week before the LA show. And then, a couple of days before our show, they canceled their San Diego gig, too! Plane tickets in hand, we didn't know whether our LA trip would be in vain...

Luckily, not only did they show up to their Hollywood Bowl engagement on Sunday, no signs of vocal stress were in evidence. This was my first trip to the Bowl, and I was happy to find that its acoustics lived up to the Bowl's reputation, too. It was an all-around fun show, full of energy and creative visuals.[bxA]

The show was scheduled to start at 7pm, and I missed the opener, Peter Bjorn and John. Depeche Mode started earlier than I expected, coming on stage just after I arrived, around 8:20. They opened with their new song "In Chains". The audience stood up right away and kept its enthusiasm as the band played two more new songs, "Wrong" and "Hole to Feed", before launching into some of their many classics. David Gahan was full of energy. He seemed to especially enjoy grabbing the mic stand and twirling around and around until he got visibly dizzy, but he also wasn't above a little booty-shaking during "It's No Good". It wasn't until the slower Martin Gore-sung tune "Jezebel" that people finally took a rest and sat down. They didn't stay seated for long. After a couple more slow songs, the band launched into "Policy of Truth", and everyone was back on their feet, nodding and bopping for the rest of the night.

Visually, the key gimmick was a large hemispherical disco ball-like bulge on the main screen behind the performers. It sometimes just displayed a fish-eye view of the middle of the screen, but other times displayed something uniquely designed for it. One of the first memorable uses was when the screen showed a standing crow while the heimsphere became a giant eyeball, looking around and occasionally blinking. So creepy. Even for songs that didn't have pre-designed images, they didn't take the easy road with the displays. Every shot used carefully framed camera angles, black and white, high-contrast processing, and other live video effects, making for some arresting real-time art.

My favorite visual was for "Enjoy the Silence". On the screen were Gahan, Gore, and Andrew Fletcher in space suits. As each verse began, a different one of them would slowly walk to the center of the screen, where his head would be magnified by the ball. All three of them would then just stand there, staring wistfully off into the ether. I commented to my friend, "I supposed that in space... you can truly enjoy the silence."

They played for a good hour and a half before encore tease #1. Then Martin Gore came back on stage and began singing "Somebody" for the first time this tour. It's one of Depeche Mode's most unique yet ironically defining songs. (One of my cousins even used it for the first dance at his wedding!) You could hear the hush come over the audience.

This was followed up by "Stripped", and then "Strangelove", which featured the most.. lecherous visuals yet. One woman in a burlesque outfit lies on a couch while another woman in leather lingerie sucks on her feet. Strangelove indeed. It's more strange than pornographic, but the first woman does eventually take her top off. Quite edgy for a nearly 30-year-old synthpop band! On a related note, the visuals for "Personal Jesus" during encore #2 featured dancers in silhouette against primary color backgrounds; it was like a sleazier version of an iPod commercial. I wonder if that was intentional commentary about the apotheosis of Apple?

The band closed off their 2-hour set with a quiet duet, with Gahan and Gore singing "Waiting for the Night" together. It was nearly ruined for me by the guy next to me who insisted on singing along. I cupped my ears toward the stage and was able to mostly block him out.

I got into music pretty late. I only started really listening to popular music in late high school, and the first band I really got into in college was Depeche Mode. I'm not quite as obsessed with them as I used to be, but it was still great to have a chance to finally see them live for the first time, and in a venue with great sound that was clear and undistorted even though I was seated pretty far back.

Depeche Mode played the Hollywood Bowl again on Monday. They were in Anaheim last night and will be in Santa Barbara tonight before moving on to Vegas and further east. You can see their remaining tour dates and full set lists of past shows on their website. If you have a chance to see them, know that this here is a band from the 80s that's still relevant and interesting. They might not belt out quite as many hits as they used to, but there's no denying that they have at least one great song on their latest album. If you haven't seen it, take a look at the supremely disturbing yet supremely awesome video for "Wrong". Here's wishing David Gahan the best of health.

Imogen Heap's New Album "Ellipse" Streaming Online

2009-08-18T15:43:00.000-07:00

Imogen Heap fans who are looking forward to the artist's new album, Ellipse, can listen to the album in its entirety online through the music player below or by visiting the album website.

Ellipse will be released in the UK on August 24 and in North America on August 25.

RIP Robert Novak

2009-08-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

Longtime Chicago Sun-Times political columnist and co-host of CNN's Crossfire Robert Novak died early this morning at the age of 78 after a yearlong battle with brain cancer.

A controversial journalist who riled Americans on both sides of the aisle, Novak began his career with the Sun-Times in 1963 when he began assisting with the "Inside Report" political column that eventually was widely syndicated. When CNN was launched in 1980, Novak was tapped as a regular commentator for the channel, working with the innovative news network for the next 25 years. [Chicago Sun-Times][CNN.com]

Film News: Avatar Preview Rush Crashes Site; McAvoy Picks Next Role; Spidey 4, 5 & 6?

2009-08-18T08:03:00.000-07:00

- After crashing on Monday from the overwhelming number of people logging onto the site, AvatarMovie.com is back up for those looking to secure tickets to see advance footage from the upcoming James Cameron film. As we reported from San Diego Comic-Con last month, fans who secure the free tickets through the Avatar website will be able to see 15 minutes of the film in IMAX 3D on August 21. While many locations have already sold out of their allotment of tickets, some locations and showtimes are still available. [AvatarMovie.com]

- James McAvoy will star in a comedy co-produced by Seth Rogen and based on the real-life story of a screenwriter who was diagnosed with cancer in his mid-twenties and battled it successfully for the next several years. The untitled project will be McAvoy's first project since starring in the hit 2008 action movie Wanted with Angelina Jolie and Morgan Freeman. [Hollywood Reporter]

- With Spider-Man 4 in the pipeline for a May 2011 release, Sony Pictures Entertainment has begun prepping for two more installments in the Spider-Man story. Screenwriter James Vanderbilt has been hired to write Spider-Man 5 and Spider-Man 6. Director Sam Raimi and stars Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst are not currently signed beyond the fourth film, but that does not rule out any or all of their returns for future movies. [Variety]

- 20th Century Fox has brought scribe Christopher McQuarrie onboard to pen the sequel to this summer's Wolverine. The project marks a return to the franchise for McQuarrie, who did uncredited work on Bryan Singer's first X-Men film. [Variety]

New on DVD and Blu-Ray (August 18, 2009)

2009-08-17T22:59:00.000-07:00

Check out a selection of the new DVD and Blu-Ray releases available tomorrow. There's a ton of good stuff coming out this week, particularly on the TV front. Everything from the Patrick Swayze's The Beast to the third season of Dexter to the freshman season of Sons of Anarchy is available starting tomorrow. Enjoy!

Movies:

Television:

Blu-Ray:

Music Notes: Radiohead release free track, Aerosmith cancel tour

2009-08-17T18:51:00.000-07:00

So as I posted late last week, I'm planning on making Music Notes a three-times-a-week thing on this blog now that I have a nutty schedule. I'm hoping I'll be able to stick with it, and I'll keep you all posted.

- Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood confirmed that the band will debut new material at the Reading and Leeds Festivals later this month. He also linked to a free download of a new track, "These Are My Twisted Words." [NME]

- Aerosmith have canceled the remainder of their summer tour. [Brooklyn Vegan]

- Michael Jackson will be buried on Aug. 29, the date that would have marked his 51st birthday. [NME]

- Iggy Pop contributed vocals to a new version of "Oh My God," a track on Ida Maria's Fortress Round My Heart. This new version of the song hits radio this week, and will be available on iTunes starting Aug. 31. Listen to the collaboration here. [SPIN]

- Check out the premiere of Smokey Robinson's "Don't Know Why" here. [Billboard]

- Christina Aguilera is continuing to work with some very interesting collaborators for her next album: M.I.A., Santigold and Ladytron are on the list. [SPIN]

This Week's Music (August 18, 2009)

2009-08-17T14:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome back to the weekly new music roundup, where I will try highlighting some of tomorrow's interesting/major music releases.

Hello again readers, I'm back to posting the new music round-ups for now though I'll keep you posted if anything changes.

We've got some neat releases this week, especially when it comes to vinyl. Numerous Muse albums are being reissued this week in vinyl format (three of them are in 2-LP format), and The Flaming Lips' Soft Bulletin is also getting a special reissue treatment. Modest Mouse's latest EP (released earlier this month) comes out on vinyl this week.

There's some neat soundtracks too — Mad Men's Season 2 soundtrack and the one for Inglourious Basterds will be released this week.

Check out these and some more of this week's releases below:

Albums, Singles, EPs:
- 7 Worlds Collide - The Sun Came Out (Vinyl)
- The Antlers - Hospice; Vinyl
- Colin Hay - American Sunshine
- Ladyhawke - Ladyhawke (Vinyl, Special Edition)
- Ledisi - Turn Me Loose; CD/DVD Edition
- Modest Mouse - No One's First and You're Next (EP, Vinyl)
- Sean Paul - Imperial Blaze
- Jay Reatard - Watch Me Fall
- Sister Hazel - Release

Reissues, Box Sets:
- Michael Jackson - The Ultimate Collection
- The Flaming Lips - The Soft Bulletin (2 LP Vinyl with Bonus CD)
- Muse - Absolution (2 LP)
- Muse - Black Holes and Revelations (Vinyl)
- Muse - Origin of Symmetry (2 LP)
- Muse - Showbiz (2 LP)
- Richard Thompson - Walking on a Wire: Richard Thompson (1968-2009)

Soundtracks:
- Various Artists - Inglourious Basterds
- Various Artists - Mad Men: Music From The Series Vol. 2
- Various Artists - Season 2 - Music From The Showtime Series Californication

Alias/Heroes Star Joins Cast of 24

2009-08-17T12:28:00.000-07:00

The upcoming season of 24 is going to have a sizable cast, considering the amount of casting news that's been released over the past few months. The latest thesp to join is the cast is David Anders, who is best known for his memorable role as Sark in Alias and the crafty, immortal Adam Monroe from Heroes' third season.

No word yet on what kind of character Anders will be playing (though his previous roles would hint at him playing someone with a villianous streak), but his rep confirmed that the actor will be "in a handful of episodes."

Anders joins the ranks of Freddie Prinze Jr., Katee Sackhoff and Keith Rennie in the upcoming new season of the successful Fox real-time drama. [E! Online]

New Dancing with the Stars Celebs Announced This Morning

2009-08-17T09:00:00.000-07:00

The list of Dancing with the Stars competitors gets odder and odder every season. The official roster of 16 "celebrity" competitors was announced this morning, with some of the best-known names including Kelly Osbourne, Chuck Liddell (of Ultimate Fighting Championship fame), and Michael Irvin (former Dallas Cowboy WR and hall of fame inductee).

Full list as follows:

Aaron Carter - pop singer, fomer tween heartthrob, younger brother to Backstreet Boys' Nick Carter
Natalie Coughlin - gold medal-winning Olympic swimmer
Mark Dacascos - actor and martial artist, chairman of Kitchen Stadium on Iron Chef America
Tom DeLay - former Republican House Majority Leader who was indicted on campaign finance violations
Macy Gray - R&B singer
Ashley Hamilton - actor, son of George Hamilton and Alana Stewart
Melissa Joan Hart - actress, formerly starred on Sabrina the Teenage Witch
Kathy Ireland - former model and owner of a successful company
Michael Irvin
Joanna Krupa - sexiest swimsuit model in the world according to Maxim magazine
Chuck Liddell
Debi Mazar - actress on Entourage
Mya - R&B singer with a tap dance background
Kelly Osbourne
Donny Osmond - former teen heartthrob, singer, sister Marie competed on the show two seasons ago
Louie Vito - pro snowboarder

I'm a big fan of Iron Chef so I'd be cheering for Mark Dacascos anyway, but sci-fi fans will also recognize him from his memorable guest starring role as the Satedan Tyre in the Stargate: Atlantis episodes "Reunion" and "Broken Ties." With his martial arts background and natural elegance, I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that Dacascos is going to take folks by surprise and make it pretty far in the competition next season.

Who do you think is most likely to win next season's DWTS? Leave a comment below and let us know!

[US Magazine via Yahoo!]

Movie Review: The Time Traveler's Wife

2009-08-15T13:11:00.000-07:00

Warning: some minor spoilers ahead.

When I first saw the trailer for The Time Traveler's Wife a couple of months ago, I was nervous. The casting didn't bother me — I like Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams just fine. But the trailer had a slightly over-the-top, "schmoopy," quality to it that didn't seem to capture the spirit of the novel the movie is based on. While the novel — written by Audrey Niffenegger — focuses on the romance between its main characters, it's definitely more than just a romance.

Luckily, the film didn't turn out ridiculously lovey-dovey despite a few sappy moments here and there. But unfortunately, there was definitely some truth to my fears. [bxA]

The first half of the movie is odd, partially due to the filmmakers' attempts to condense aspects of the book. We meet our characters during a series of choppy episodes that take place in different parts of the story's timeline. While the jumping time settings make sense due to the nature of the storyline, we don't really get to know our characters all that well. We know their names and occupations thanks to some small scenes and bland dialogue, and we see Henry (Eric Bana) introduce himself as a time traveler to a few trustworthy people here and there.

But while Rachel McAdams (playing Henry's wife Clare) and Bana are likable enough, the audience isn't really given a reason to understand what makes them tick. The Henry and Clare of the novel are ardent music and art lovers — we don't really see this in the movie until an older Henry time travels outside a Pavement concert, or until we get to see some of their decorating choices in their future home together. This may sound like a silly thing to nitpick, but these kinds of details do tend to give characters some soul.

That being said, the latter half of the movie is much stronger than the first part. The characters go through some struggles in their marriage, and the events leading up to the film's tragic ending introduce some much-needed tension. And the story's ending (though slightly tweaked with the novel's final scene cut out of the film) definitely draws an emotional response out of its viewers. It's just a shame the film couldn't be consistently riveting throughout.

If you're looking to pass some time with a movie to take your mind off things, The Time Traveler's Wife might serve that purpose. But this is definitely one of those cases where the book is far, far better and more worthy of one's time.

Movie Review: District 9

2009-08-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

District 9 is the Robocop of the 21st Century. If you've seen the trailers, that might not be what you expect. The trailers make it seem very political, but it's actually 20% politics and 80% badass action. It combines allegory and satire about racism and xenophobia with Verhoeven-esque over-the-top, mouth-agape verging-on-comical violence. It even features an amoral privatized police force, just like Robocop!

The new things it brings to the table are its down-and-dirty style and its South African setting. This movie could have been made by an American, but the tension wouldn't have felt as real. In Robocop, they had to make up a fictional future where America was in total chaos. They don't need to make anything up to show chaos in South Africa, unfortunately. In fact, in an interview, Blomkamp said that the day they started filming was when a new round of xenophobic mob violence broke out... This setting is what makes the fantastical idea of aliens living among us feel real, and their problems feel immediate.[bxA]

Was it a spoiler for me that the movie isn't the same genre that its trailers make it out to be? I know I was surprised. A little history might be in order. Back in 2005, a South African visual effects artist named Neill Blomkamp directed a short film called "Alive in Joburg", a fake documentary about the aftermath of aliens landing in Johannesburg, eking out a living in slums, and the subsequent tension with the local government.

For its time, "Alive in Joburg" made impressive use of cutting-edge match-move techniques to place 3D rendered objects into grungy hand-held camera footage. That technology is all the rage now, and someone's even used it to put Star Destroyers over San Francisco. "Alive in Joburg" was more than that, though. It also used aliens as an allegory for apartheid. That might be obvious in retrospect, but no one had really done science fiction in South Africa before. It felt fresh and intriguing.

Like many, I suspect, I first heard about Neill Blomkamp when Peter Jackson picked him to direct the Halo movie (based on the popular video game franchise). That project fell through, though Blomkamp did end up making 3 short films to promote Halo 3, collectively titled, "Landfall". You can tell from the cheesy alien suits that it was truly low budget, but the action is very much in that gritty documentary shakycam special effects style.

Burnt out from the experience of big studio film politics, Blomkamp and Jackson decided to make a "low budget" ($30 million) movie instead, and they settled on expanding "Alive in Joburg" into a feature. Thus was District 9 born. I was excited that Blomkamp would be able to make something more unique and personal. (As much as I like the Halo games, its story is the very definition of derivative.) I was thus a bit disappointed that the plot in District 9 wasn't deeper on the political level, but I was delighted with the energy of the action. The balance just leaned more toward action than I had expected.

Someone else worth mentioning is Sharlto Copley. Who?! you ask. He's a writer and producer who co-produced "Alive in Joburg" and had a bit role in it. He ended up starring in District 9 as a doofus of an unexpected hero. He starts out just as amoral as the corporation he works for, but essentially gets humanity beaten into him. He did a great job, and it's his first feature role! I expect to see both Copley and Blomkamp finding much more work after this film.

Spotnitz Exploring New, Futuristic Worlds for HBO

2009-08-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Writer and executive producer Frank Spotnitz, best known for his work on The X-Files, is going to be a busy man in the near future. Spotnitz has been tapped by both HBO and FX to develop a total of three television series.

The writer will develop two futuristic drama series for HBO. The first, Humanitas, is a medical thriller "set in a time when major advances . . . have created dilemmas for doctors and fanned fears that a devastating pandemic is imminent." Spotnitz will co-executive produce the series.

He will also exec produce a series based on Robert Silverberg's sci-fi novel The World Inside, a dystopian novel "where overpopulation has run amok, and people live in carefully controlled urban centers where frustration and anger are eliminated, sex is rampant and fertility is the most prized human attribute." Yup, that sounds like it's right up HBO's alley.

Spotnitz told Variety that his pilot for FX, Arc, is "sort of about what would happen if Jason Bourne decided to leave the spy game and try to fit into normal life." The premise is taken from the life of a real person who is part of the covert operations world. Spotnitz describes the show as character-based, as opposed to action-based. [Variety]

Admin Note: Readjusting my schedule, posting responsibility

2009-08-14T11:44:00.001-07:00

So as my previous posts indicate, I've just moved to a new place to start grad school. I haven't even officially started classes yet, but I'll be honest — it's going to be a tough and insanely busy year. Because of this, I haven't fully worked out what I'll be able to do at Pop Wenches, though I do hope to continue working on this blog even if it is in a diminished capacity while I'm in school.

I didn't post much at all this week, and I won't be posting a Retrovideo Friday post today. However, here is my plan for now:

-try getting a movie review up this weekend
-hopefully post a new music post next week
-post Music Notes (my music round-up) on a three-times-a-week basis
- get Retrovideo Friday back on its regular schedule

I might have to do even less than this depending on how the upcoming week goes for me. But I'm going to do my best to do as much as I can. After that, my schedule may still change... however, I do hope that I'll have a final idea of what I'll be working on by the end of this month.

Until then, readers!

RIP Les Paul

2009-08-13T11:19:00.001-07:00

Guitar legend Les Paul passed away this morning at the age of 94 from complications from pneumonia.

Both a musician and inventor, Paul is best known for creating the wildly popular solid-body electric guitar that was used by performers including Pete Townsend of the Who, Steve Howe of Yes and Led Zepplin's Jimmy Page. [Variety]

New Feature on Peter Jackson and District 9

2009-08-13T10:59:00.000-07:00

The Wall Street Journal has published a really interesting feature story on Peter Jackson, his burgeoning "movie making empire" based in New Zealand and the upcoming sci-fi action movie District 9, which Jackson produced and financed.

I didn't have enough time to do a complete write-up on the District 9 footage that was screened at Comic-Con last month and the panel, but I'm finding a surprising disconnect between the trailers and what was shown at the con. If I was trying to decide to see the film strictly off of the trailers, I'd pass because it looks like a pretty standard alien invasion action flick with a lot of explosions. While I love movies in which lots of things blow up, District 9 didn't look like anything I hadn't seen before.

After seeing the footage at Comic-Con though, I was surprised to find out that the driving storyline is really that of a human (Sharlto Copley) who's a petty government bureaucrat/spokesman who's infected with a mysterious substance while rooting through an alien's home in District 9. As he begins to turn into one of the aliens and the government realizes that he's the key to them being able to use and eventually replicate the aliens' advanced weapons, the mutating human has to run for his life. Now that, combined with the idea of aliens who are refugees on our planet, is a movie I want to go see. The political and social parallels alone make the movie, which opens in theaters tomorrow, seem intriguing.

Check out one of our high-definition video clips from the District 9 panel at San Diego Comic-Con below. Visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/popwenches to view more two additional clips from the panel—one of them is more than 7.5 minutes long!

[Wall Street Journal]

Star Trek Convention Report - William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy

2009-08-13T08:13:00.000-07:00

The highlight of Sunday afternoon at the Star Trek convention in Las Vegas was having William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy in attendance.

William Shatner started off the afternoon with a solo appearance. The man is 78 years young and as energetic and bombastic onstage as he was in the original Star Trek TV series. While he did make a passing comment that made it clear he's still feuding with one of his former costars (*cough* George Takei *cough*—seriously, you two, it's time to call a truce already!) and that he hasn't gotten over not having role in this summer's movie, Shatner "got the joke" years ago. He embraces his role in the sci-fi pantheon and has no problem poking fun at himself for an audience's amusement.

He also knows how to share the stage, especially with Leonard Nimoy. Even with all of the Trek stars from all the television series and films, Shatner and Nimoy are still a huge draw at conventions because they both know how to work a crowd. Separately, they're entertaining and riveting, but seeing them onstage together is a special treat that doesn't get old.

The two men talk together onstage like the audience isn't there and most of the time it really does feel like you're enjoying the best eavesdropping session ever. In Vegas, Shatner and Nimoy swapped stories and harrassed each other in the way that only lifelong friends can, with Shatner starting off one part of their conversation saying, "During our forty-odd years of friendship—and they have been ODD!"

Nimoy gently chastised his friend for not embracing the new Trek movie, pointing out that he (Nimoy) watched the movie Shatner was in and he wasn't, in a reference to Star Trek: Generations. When they polled the audience with a show of hands, it turned out that the vast majority of audience members were attending their very first Trek convention, proving that the film did something right.

[bxA]The two had a long discussion on the death of Captain Kirk and their mutual feeling that the character's end wasn't handled correctly. Like Shatner, Nimoy is also 78 years old, and the subjects of age, death, "bucket" or "someday" lists were addressed very directly by both actors.

The conversation returned again and again to the new Trek movie. The most hilarious moment of their shared time onstage was when Shatner told the story of trying to find out what the new movie was about. After Shanter was no longer in talks with J.J. Abrams, he eventually called up his longtime friend Leonard, asked him what the movie was going to be about—and received the answer, "I can't tell you." Shatner told the audience that The Powers That Be on every show he's worked on have always asked him to get Nimoy to make an appearance. Shatner would call up his friend and make the pitch, but Nimoy almost always politely turned him down, saying he was busy or retired. "But," Shatner said in a voice dripping with (humorous) sarcasm, "when J.J. called . . ." And then the erstwhile Captain Kirk literally ran across the stage flailing his arms over his head squeaking "J.J.! Oh J.J., can I please be in your movie!!" before turning back to his friend and declaring, "Whore! Whore!"

Nimoy took it in stride, until the subject of J.J. Abrams and the movie came up again a few minutes later and Shatner repeated the performance, complete with flailing hands and "whore" declaration. Nimoy leaned back in his seat for quite awhile with an expression that was half-amused, half "do you see what I have to put up with?" Eventually he asked Shatner if he was quite done already and if they could move on. Shatner, in response, took his seat and stage-whispered "Prostitute!" into his mic. The audience couldn't stop laughing, and Nimoy got his own back by pointing out that the clip of Shatner's routine was sure to end up on YouTube (if only I'd gotten video of it!).

The former costars wrapped up their shared time onstage with Nimoy telling Shatner that he, Shatner, is one of his dearest friends and a heartfelt hug.

Leonard Nimoy has a different kind of energy onstage than Shatner does. While still entertaining with plenty of great stories to share, he's more thoughtful and mellow, less physical and bombastic than his friend. In response to audience questions, Nimoy talked about how happy and fulfilled he is with his life, that he's gotten to work in a field that he loves, has a wonderful family and even has a solo photography exhibit opening soon in a respected museum. He also said that he was not planning on returning to producing because of the time commitment that being a producer demands. Nimoy elaborated, explaining that he had been fortunate to have the opportunity to act as a producer and enjoy success as one, but that his true passion has always been acting.

Nimoy also told a fantastic story about sitting on an organization's board with screen legend Cary Grant. After working on a film with one of Grant's former costars, Grant walked up to Nimoy and said, "Well, you've been busy." Nimoy was so flabbergasted and starstruck that he has no idea what he said in response. It wasn't until later that he realized that Grant had been trying to strike up a conversation about their mutual costar. To this day, Nimoy said, he regrets not realizing that sooner so he could have spent more time talking with Grant, but he is still blown away by the fact that Cary Grant came up to him to talk.

Nimoy's time onstage ended with a wonderful surprise. Both Zachary Quinto and Jacob Kogan came onstage, uniting all three Spocks in public for the first time and causing the original Spock to exclaim to the audience, "Get your cameras out!" Kogan, who had earlier said that he had not met Nimoy during the filming of the movie, was greeted with an enthusiastic hug and a huge smile. The delighted audience ended the panel on their feet and enjoying one heck of a unique photo op.

Visit our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/popwenches to view more high-definition video clips from the Star Trek convention in Las Vegas. Subscribe to our channel to be notified every time we add new videos!

Star Trek Convention Report - Zachary Quinto and Jacob Kogan

2009-08-12T22:01:00.000-07:00

The big annual Star Trek convention in Las Vegas is always an entertaining weekend. This year Pop Wench Joia and I checked out Sunday's events, starting off the morning with Zachary Quinto and rounding off the day with the incomparable Leonard Nimoy.

Becoming part of any sci-fi franchise with a devoted following is a daunting prospect for anyone. Becoming part of the Star Trek franchise by successfully taking on the role of one of Trek's most iconic characters is a nearly unfathomable experience. Yet somehow Zachary Quinto—who, of course, played Spock in this summer's Star Trek reboot—has stepped into this new role with an easy grace and zen-like calmness that's truly remarkable.

Not long after taking the stage, the Heroes villian and Trek hero was faced with one of the most awkward of convention situations—a fan at the microphone was so overwhelmed that she burst into tears and literally couldn't get out a coherent sentence. If it phased the actor, he didn't show it, calmly asking if she was okay, giving her time to try to pull herself together without poking fun at her and eventually coming off the stage and giving her a big unsolicited hug, which actually helped the young fan pull herself together enough to ask him a question.

During his time onstage, Quinto fielded questions ranging from the regional vocabulary shared by Pittsburg natives (even slipping into a Pittsburg accent for those of us who haven't heard one before) to his earlier stint on the VH1 scripted series So noTORIous (he "enjoyed it while it lasted," but "wasn't sorry to see it go").

Quinto injected humor into his responses to the standard requests for stories from the filming of the Trek movie, jokingly claiming that the cast had all gotten tatoos and rings a la the Lord of the Rings actors and telling a fan who was wearing LOTR ears instead of proper Vulcan ears that she had to leave immediately. When asked if he'd watched any orignal Trek episodes to prepare for the fight scene with Chris Pine, Quinto smilingly responded that he "didn't need any guidance on how to kick [Pine's] ass," although he did watch eps of the tv show in his trailer. Pine and Quinto, as he pointed out, had been friends long before they were cast for the movie.

One of Quinto's most interesting and thoughtful answers was a response to a question about the differences between the characters of Spock and Sylar from Heroes. Quinto said that both characters are "struggling to maintain control" which results in a certain stillness in each of the character's bearings, but that is the only similarity between them because their struggles are "rooted in different places."

[bxA]He also gave a very thoughtful and sincere response when asked what it was like working with Lenoard Nimoy during the film. Although he's fielded this question before, Quinto explained that he and Nimoy hadn't discussed the details of playing Spock, and it was more about getting to spend time with the legendary actor and getting a feel for him and what he brought to the role. Quinto described Nimoy as a "good friend" now, someone with whom he still speaks and has dinner when possible and said that working with him was one of the highlights of making the Trek movie.

With his calm stage presence, gently humorous attitude, sincere answers and appreciation for fan support, it would be hard for anyone to have walked away from Zachary Quinto's appearance without liking him and feeling that the iconic role of Spock is in good hands.

Fourteen-year-old Jacob Kogan also won himself a slew of new fans during his time onstage. While fielding questions about his role of young Spock, his current schooling and his aspirations, Kogan showed himself to be unusually mature and well-spoken, while still retaining the irreverence that a teenager should have. Demonstrating a surprisingly strong stage presence, he joked about how exhausted he was going to be from running across the stage to field questions and about the reactions he got at school when he returned from filming with the "Spock" haircut and no eyebrows (he said he should have had the haircut modified before going back to school).

One of Kogan's best answers came when a fan asked which actors he admired. The teen's response was that he admired any actor making a living on the big or small screen or onstage who was doing it because they loved it and treated it as a craft instead of doing it for fame or money. He was also realistic about his chances of returning to the franchise. While Kogan was clearly enthusiastic about the idea of appearing in the next movie in another flashback or picking up the role when he's older and a young adult Spock is once again needed, he didn't hesitate to say that he was skeptical that another flashback scene would be needed.

After a short break, it was time for the original Captain Kirk and Spock to take the stage. That report to follow tomorrow . . .

This Week's Music (August 11, 2009)

2009-08-11T23:14:00.000-07:00

Pop Wench Callie here, subbing in for Radhika for this week's new music roundup with some of tomorrow's interesting music releases. Don't worry -- she'll be back soon!

Albums, Singles, EPs:

Reissues, Box Sets:

Soundtracks:

DVDs:

New on DVD and Blu-Ray (August 11, 2009)

2009-08-11T22:40:00.000-07:00

Check out a selection of the new DVD and Blu-Ray releases available tomorrow . . .

Movies:

Television:

Blu-Ray:

Admin Note + Music Notes: Them Crooked Vultures make live debut

2009-08-10T19:25:00.001-07:00

I apologize for the scheduling glitches with my posts — moving and going back to school in a span of a couple of weeks can be really daunting! I feel like I've been writing a lot of notes like these lately, and I hope that will end soon. I'm going to have to skip this week's new music post, but I'm hoping to get those back next week. And I may or may not make some decisions about how often/what I'll be posting here. But for now, here's some music news:

- The Foo Fighters/Queens of the Stone Age/Led Zeppelin supergroup first mentioned here made their live debut at midnight in Chicago. The group goes by Them Crooked Vultures. Pitchfork has photos here.[NME, Pitchfork]

- SPIN has some fun Lollapalooza pictures here. [SPIN]

- Aerosmith have officially postponed their tour of Western Canada, so that frontman Steven Tyler can recover from injuries he sustained in concert last week. [NME]

- Sufjan Stevens will be on tour this fall, playing intimate dates throughout the eastern part of North America. The tour kicks of Sept. 21 in Philadelphia. [Pitchfork]

Dollhouse Co-star Talks "Lost" Episode, Season 2

2009-08-07T16:51:00.000-07:00

SCI FI Wire has posted a very interesting interview they did with Fran Kranz (doll programmer Topher Brink) of Dollhouse at Comic-Con last month. In it there's much discussion and spoilers for one of the infamous unaired episodes of the Joss Whedon show. But unless you're buying season one on DVD or Blu-Ray set, you want to be spoiled for the unaired ep "Epitaph One."

"Epitaph One" serves as the jumping off point for the second season of Dollhouse and the post-apocalyptic world will not be a place that's kind to Topher Brinks, according to Kranz. Click here to read the interview and enjoy a clip from "Epitaph One" below.

[SCI FI Wire]

Music Notes: Jay-Z, Kanye and Rihanna to perform during Leno premiere

2009-08-07T13:24:00.000-07:00

- Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West will take the stage during the premiere of The Jay Leno Show on Sept. 14. The three will perform the newest single from Jay-Z's The Blueprint 3, "Run This Town." This also marks the first time Rihanna will perform onstage since the February incident with Chris Brown. [Rolling Stone]

- This may sound like a joke, but apparently it's not — Bob Dylan is recording a Christmas album. [Pitchfork]

- Marc Spitz of SPIN has written a nice piece on John Hughes and the music/characters in his films. [SPIN]

- The Sounds have announced a North American tour, which will kick off in Quebec on Sept. 11. Dates are here. [NME]

Retrovideo Friday: Remembering John Hughes

2009-08-07T12:00:00.000-07:00

As reported yesterday, director/writer John Hughes — famous for the "Brat Pack" movies of the 1980s — died while taking a walk in Manhattan. Since his movies were well-known for their music, I'm doing something a little different for this week's Retrovideo Friday by posting some videos for songs that played a prominent part in John Hughes' flicks. Some classic, poignant... and straight-up strange clips can be seen below.

This Week's Picks:

1. "Don't You Forget About Me" by Simple Minds (Year: 1985, Movie: The Breakfast Club)

2. "If You Leave" by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (Year: 1986, Movie: Pretty in Pink) Embedding is disabled on this one, but you can watch the video/listen to the song here

3. "Oh Yeah" by Yello (Year: 1985, Movie: Ferris Bueller's Day Off)

And last but not least, here's a fun Brat Pack mashup someone put up on You Tube. The song is Phoenix's "Lizstomania," so it's not exactly retro. But it includes some classic scenes from John Hughes movies, so I thought I'd include it here:

Music Notes: Radiohead release new song, Adam Yauch health update

2009-08-06T21:05:00.000-07:00

I'm kind of back to posting in a "normal" fashion for now... here's some music news from yesterday and today.

- Radiohead have released a new song, "Harry Patch (In Memory Of)," a tribute to the last surviving World War I combat soldier Harry Patch. Patch died at the age of 111 on July 25. Thom Yorke posted a message on the band's website, saying that the song would be available for download for £1 with proceeds going to the British Legion. Yorke said, "It would be very easy for our generation to forget the true horror of war, without the likes of Harry to remind us. I hope we do not forget." Download the song here. [Dead Air Space]

- Beastie Boy Adam Yauch (MCA) sent out an update about his health yesterday, following surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his partoid gland. Read the full text of the email here. [SPIN]

- Slightly better news regarding Blur's recent reunion. Though band members recently said they didn't have anything planned for the future, guitarist Graham Coxon said the band could potentially stage more concerts — this time outside their native UK. "We're talking about doing some more shows abroad... I'm not sure how much I can say about that, but we're definitely talking about it," he said. Though Coxon also said the likelihood of new material surfacing anytime soon is very low, it looks like the band has at least considered writing new songs. Baby steps. [NME]

- Steven Tyler fell from the stage at an Aerosmith concert in South Dakota last night, suffering from head, neck and shoulder injuries. He was airlifted to the Rapid City Regional Hospital. The band's next concert, scheduled for Friday, has been postponed. [Associated Press via Yahoo! News]

- Former Shins drummer Jesse Sandoval said he was fired from the band. [Pitchfork]

- Here's a new video from Julian Plenti (aka Paul Banks of Interpol). His debut solo album, Julian Plenti Is... Skyscraper, came out this Tuesday. This particular clip also features Emily Haines of Metric. [Pitchfork]

RIP John Hughes

2009-08-06T14:31:00.000-07:00

John Hughes, the writer and director behind movies like The Breakfast Club, Pretty in Pink, Sixteen Candles, and Ferris Bueller's Day Off, died today in Manhattan.

His publicist said Hughes was taking a walk when he suffered a fatal heart attack. He was 59 years old. [E! Online]

SF Outside Lands Replaces Beastie Boys with . . . Tenacious D?

2009-08-06T13:29:00.000-07:00

SF Outside Lands organizers have announced that Tenacious D will take the headlining spot for the festival's Sunday line up. The Beastie Boys had originally been announced as Sunday's headliners, but the rappers were forced to cancel after Adam "MCA" Yauch was diagnosed with cancer last month.

Tenacious D isn't really my thing and they sure aren't the Beastie Boys, but I know they've got a lot of fans who are really into them and I'm sure they'll have a big crowd staying to see them on August 30 at Golden Gate Park. [SF Outside Lands]

First Trailer for Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones Released Today

2009-08-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

The first trailer for The Lovely Bones, the newest film from the team of Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens, can now be viewed online.

The big screen adaptation of the best-selling novel by Alice Sebold tells the story of a young teenage girl, Susie Salmon, who is brutally attacked and murdered. Salmon then watches from heaven as her family struggles to cope in the aftermath of her death and her killer continues to evade justice.

The Lovely Bones boasts an award-winning, star-studded cast including Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) as Susie Salmon, along with Rachel Weisz, Mark Wahlberg, Susan Sarandon and Stanley Tucci. The film opens in the US on December 11, 2009. A complete list of international release dates is available here.

Click here to view the new trailer for The Lovely Bones with a brief introduction from Peter Jackson.

New Vamp Added to the Twilight Cast

2009-08-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

More Twilight casting news today with the addition of Jodelle Ferland to the third movie, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse. The 14-year-old actress will play a newly turned vampire when filming starts later this month.

Despite being a young actress, Ferland has an impressive resume with roles in Silent Hill (2006), Stephen King's Kingdom Hospital (2004) and the upcoming drama Case 39 with Renee Zellweger and Ian McShane. Sci-fi fans will recognize Ferland from memorable guest roles as a young Adria in the Stargate SG1 episode "Flesh and Blood" and a haughty princess in the Stargate Atlantis episode "Harmony." [Variety]

Paula Abdul Leaving American Idol

2009-08-05T10:12:00.000-07:00

Guess she's not actually "forever your girl." American Idol judge Paula Abdul announced last night via Twitter that she is will not return to the show next seaon. Fox has confirmed this news, but clarified that she had notified the proper people of her departure prior to making her online announcement.

Entertainment Weekly reports that, according to their sources, Abdul quit despite the offer of "a 30 percent raise and an eight-figure deal."

None of Abdul's fellow judges have responded publicly to the news yet. [Entertainment Weekly]

Movie Review: Comedy in the service of story

2009-08-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

It's surprising to me that Funny People is only the third film Judd Apatow has directed. He's produced no less than 16 movies in the last five years, many of them carrying his trademark mixture of unusually honest emotions and vulgar humor. The 40-Year-Old Virgin set the tone for a whole new generation of comedies. (I wasn't as big a fan of Knocked Up.) Funny People is his most ambitious movie yet. Much as the special effects in a good action movie serves the story, here the comedy serves the drama. There's always another layer beneath the jokes.

It's also an unpredictable movie. I warn you right now: Do not watch the extended trailer on Apple.com; it more or less walks you through the entire plot! I had only seen a shorter trailer, and I was surprised at every turn. Funny People doesn't so much twist the plot as it twists entire genres. I didn't know how the movie was going to end because I couldn't even pigeon-hole it into a particular archetype![bxA]

Adam Sandler plays George Simmons, a man who seems based on Sandler himself: a famous comedian who has starred in goofy comedies with titles like Merman. George finds out in the opening minutes that he has leukemia, but the movie is not really about him overcoming his disease with a little determination and the love of friends. (Genre-twist!) Meanwhile, Seth Rogen is Ira, an aspiring stand-up comedian with "frienemies" Leo (Jonah Hill) and Mark (Jason Schwartzman) for roommates. George hires Ira as his assistant, and hijinks ensue.

George and Ira get to know each other, but it's not a typical buddy movie either; for one thing, they start out kind of liking each other, not hating each other. (Genre-twist!) There are romances involved as well; Ira meets fellow stand-up comic Daisy (the up-and-coming Aubrey Plaza, from "Parks and Recreation"), and George reconnects with his ex-wife Laura (Lesley Mann). Neither pair follows the typical romantic comedy plot outline. (Genre twist!) So, half-way through the movie, when a major event transpires unexpectedly, you have no idea what the plot structure of the movie is any more. You might have had some expectations, but they didn't pan out, and now you're not even sure what the movie is about!

After some pondering, I've decided that the structure of the film mirrors its characters, and therein lies the message. Both George and Ira get wrapped up in their expectations, but life is not always predictable, and sometimes you have to take a step back to understand it.

The casting was top-notch across the board, but the two leads made the movie. As with his role in Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch-Drunk Love, Adam Sandler shows that he's got quite a bit of depth with the right stories. He is at times sympathetic, despicable, hilarious, and pathetic. Seth Rogen plays a variation of his usual jovial character, but here, Ira is a bit less mature, a bit less lazy, and a bit more confused. He's never sure if he's doing the right thing, but his earnestness is infectious. Note the subtle expression on his face when he sees George's ex visit him at his show. That's a face you can relate to.

A couple of other scenes I feel a need to obliquely call out: Note the last thing Daisy says to Ira during their argument. That's the sort of brutal relatable honesty you see in few movies, let alone comedies. And my favorite genre-twist is the unusual variation on the Graduate toward the end. Even now, as I near the end of my review, there are still nuances of character motivations in that scene I have yet to unravel.

Funny People is not quite a masterpiece (mostly because it is a bit meandering and could have more clearly stated its theme), but it does cement Judd Apatow as one of the most important filmmakers of our generation. He already assured his place in history as a comedy producer, but here, as a director, he continues to push the frontiers of modern comedy.

Time-Traveler's Wife Gets New Ending

2009-08-04T12:54:00.000-07:00

Warning: spoilers for both the novel and upcoming film ahead.

According to SCI FI Wire, the big screen version of The Time Traveler's Wife (starring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams) will have a new ending that differs from the novel on which it is based.

Audiences at a test screening didn't like the original ending, which features McAdams as a much older version of her character, and found it confusing. In response, the second-to-last scene in the book between the married couple has become the movie's final scene. Wonder what the fan reaction to this change will be? [SCI FI Wire]

Film News: Pirates 4 Director Ahoy, Twilight Controversy, Theron & Worthington Are Tourists

2009-08-04T08:36:00.000-07:00

- Disney is in talks with director Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) for the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film. While producer Jerry Bruckheimer and Johnny Depp will return to the franchise, previous director Gore Verbinski has chosen to move on to new projects. If a director is confirmed soon, the new film would begin shooting in 2010. [Variety]

- Rachelle Lefevre is out as Victoria in the third Twilight film, Eclipse, and will be replaced by Bryce Dallas Howard. Evidently Rachelle and her castmates aren't happy about her dismissal, and Summit Entertainment isn't happy that people know Rachelle isn't happy . . . [E! Online]

- The projects keep rolling in for Hugh Jackman. The Wolverine actor has signed on to portray P.T. Barnum in The Greatest Showman on Earth, an original big screen musical. Jackman "will play the showman with a penchant for hoaxing a gullible public as he creates the three-ring circus that made him famous." Singer/songwriter Mika of "Grace Kelly" fame is in talks to write the music an lyrics. Anne Hathaway is being eyed for the female lead. [Variety]

- Charlize Theron and up-and-coming leading man Sam Worthington(Terminator Salvation, Avatar) will star in The Tourist, a remake of a 2005 French thriller. Theron will play a spy who chooses an "everyman" tourist and uses him as bait to lure a wanted criminal, who also happens to be her ex-lover. Worthington replaces Tom Cruise, who was strongly considering the project but eventually passed. [Hollywood Reporter]

- Steven Spielberg's next project will be . . . a remake? Spielberg has chosen to tackle a remake of the 1950 film Harvey, in which Jimmy Stewart memorably played a man whose best friend is a 6 1/2-foot-tall invisible rabbit. [Variety]

New on DVD and Blu-Ray (August 4, 2009)

2009-08-03T23:32:00.000-07:00

Check out a selection of the new DVD and Blu-Ray releases available tomorrow . . .

Movies:

TV:

Blu-Ray:

Music Notes: All Points West highlights, RHCP to end hiatus in October

2009-08-03T19:56:00.000-07:00

I have Internet off and on right now... so even though I didn't do a new music post, here's a round-up for the day:

- SPIN has this photo gallery capturing moments from this past weekend's All Points West festival, which was held for the second year in a row at New Jersey's Liberty State Park. [SPIN]

- Pitchfork also has a report here. [Pitchfork]

- The festival featured Coldplay covering the Beastie Boys' "Fight For Your Right." Check it out here.

- The Red Hot Chili Peppers plan on ending a two-year hiatus by getting started on new material this October. Drummer Chad Smith told Billboard, "It'll be two years in September, so now we're ready. You can't force people to play when they don't want to play or aren't ready to play or whatever – not in our band, anyway." [NME]

- Check out the cover of Jay-Z's Blueprint 3 here. [Pitchfork]

- Michael Jackson's mother Katherine Jackson received permanent custody of his children. [CNN]

- Modest Mouse will release their Heath Ledger-directed video for "King Rat" tomorrow. [SPIN]

Cast of Green Day's American Idiot Stage Production Announced

2009-08-03T16:02:00.000-07:00

The names of the seven performers who will star in the world premiere of American Idiot were announced today, with Tony Award winner John Gallagher Jr. (Spring Awakening) leading the cast as Johnny.

American Idiot is based on Green Day's multi-platinum album of the same name. The production will include a live band onstage performing all of the songs from the American Idiot album and select tracks from Green Day's latest album, 21st Century Breakdown, as the characters' stories unfold. According to the press release, the show "follows working-class characters from the suburbs to the city to the Middle East" as they "seek redemption in a world filled with frustration."

The six additional performers who are showcased in the production are Matt Caplan (Rent, South Pacific onstage, Across the Universe on film) as Tunny, Michael Esper (A Man for All Seasons) as Will, Tony Vincent (Jesus Christ Superstar, Rent) as St. Jimmy, Mary Faber (Avenue Q) as Heather, Rebecca Naomi Jones (Caroline, or Change, Little Shop of Horrors and Rent touring companies) as Whatsername and Christina Sajous (Rent national tour) as Extraordinary Girl.

Green Day's American Idiot will debut at the Berkeley Rep in their hometown, with previews beginning September 4. Tickets can be purchased now as part of a season subscription and regular tickets go on sale August 7. The production will run through October 11. [Berkeley Repertory Theatre]

Image © Berkeley Repertory Theatre. All rights reserved.

TV News: Tennant, Stewart "To Be" on PBS; Galactica Takes Home Top Award

2009-08-03T10:22:00.000-07:00

- David Tennant of Doctor Who fame will bring his critically acclaimed portrayal of Hamlet to American television as part of PBS' Great Performances series. Set to air in 2010, the cast will also include Patrick Stewart. I can't be the only one geeking out over this news . . . David Tennant, Patrick Stewart, Royal Shakespeare Company production of Hamlet. There's just no way to lose with this! [Associated Press via MSN]

- Fox has confirmed that Kara DioGuardi will return next year as a judge on the network's ratings juggernaut American Idol. [Associated Press via Yahoo! News]

- The Television Critics Association (TCA) Award winners were announced on Saturday and Battlestar Galactica took top honors as "Program of the Year." HBO's True Blood won three awards, the most of any show this year. For a full list of TCA Awards and winners, click here. [Hollywood Reporter]

- A remake of The Rockford Files is on tap for NBC, who has asked House creator David Shore to head up the project. The original series ran from 1974–80 and starred James Garner as "an ex-convict private eye who worked cases out of his trailer in Malibu." [TV Guide]

- USA Network has renewed three of its original series – Burn Notice, In Plain Sight and Royal Pains. [Hollywood Reporter]

- The voice cast of the resurrected cartoon comedy Futurama, including John DiMaggio, Billy West and Katey Sagal, have signed new contracts and will return to the show after a contentious negotiation process. [Variety]

- Congrats to Heroes' Ali Larter who tied the knot with fiancé Hayes MacArthur on Saturday! [E! Online]