Movie Review and Interview: "The Kite Runner"

Based on the acclaimed novel by Khaled Hosseini, "The Kite Runner" is a powerful, moving story about friendship, redemption and second chances.

Read my full review by clicking here.

Read my interview with actor Homayoun Ershadi, who plays Baba, by clicking here.

Movie Review: "The Perfect Holiday"

Gabrielle Union and Morris Chestnut look cute together in "The Perfect Holiday," a new family friendly holiday comedy. Terrence Howard also gets to deliver some classic one-liners as a grumpy holiday spirit.

Read the full review by clicking here.

Movie Review: "The Golden Compass"

It took me two viewings to get all the plot details straight, but I can say "The Golden Compass" is a complex but visually stunning movie.

Read my full review by clicking here.

Steve

Pearl Harbor: An Interview with Survivor Richard Fiske

In memory of all the men and women who died on December 7, 1941, I updated a 2001 interview I did with Richard Fiske, a Pearl Harbor Survivor. His vivid memories of the events can be haunting.

Read the Richard Fiske interview by clicking here.


And a big thanks to all military personnel, past and present, for what you do.

Steve

Survivor:China Update: James Clement Digs His Own Grave

On the November 29th edition of "Survivor: China," gravedigger James Clement was voted out of the tribe, which is ironic since Clement was in possession of two hidden immunity idols. It looked like he was going to play one of them last night, but he kept silent and was blindsided by Todd's alliance.

Read more about "Survivor: China" by clicking here.


Thanks,
Steve

The Poo-lar Bear

Looking for an unusual stocking stuffer? How about a polar bear that leaves a little, uh, love note in the Christmas stocking?

Read more about the Poo-lar Bear by clicking here.

San Diego Comic Con 2007: A Look Back

Last summer, I attended my first Comic Con in San Diego, which, for a comic book nerd like me, is just like docking with the Mother Ship. Here's some footage I shot during the four days I was there and hopefully it will give you an idea of what Comic Con is really like:


San Diego Comic Video Part 1

San Diego Comic Video Part 2

Enjoy!

Steve

Movie Review: "Enchanted"

A good all-around family film, "Enchanted" pokes fun at the whole Walt Disney/Fairy Tale category of movies. Amy Adams is a charmer and Susan Sarandon is, well, wicked good.

Read my full review by clicking here.

Enjoy!

Steve

Movie Review: "This Christmas": Loretta Devine and Delroy Lindo

One of the nicest surprises of the holiday season, "This Christmas" is at times funny, outrageous and downright bizarre, but it's worth taking a look.

Read my full review by clicking here.

Enjoy!

Steve

Movie Review: "August Rush": Freddie Highmore and Robin Williams

Freddie Highmore, the breakout star of "Finding Neverland," plays a young musical prodigy looking for his parents in what I think is the first magical holiday film of the season.

Read my full review by clicking here.

Thanks,
Steve

"Beowulf": Review Plus Some Background Information

"Beowulf," the computer-animated adventure based on an epic poem, opens today across the country. It's visually stunning, extremely violent with some "Austin Powers" brand nudity in portions of the story.

My review is available by clicking here.

I also interview Dr. Tom Shippey, who gave me some great background information on the epic poem that inspired the film.

Read the "Beowulf" guide by clicking here.

Enjoy!

Movie Review: Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium

Dustin Hoffman plays the eccentric, shoe-wearing owner of a magical toy store in "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium." I really wanted to like this one, but it has an unfinished feel to it, making it less magical than I hoped.

Read my full review by clicking here.

Todd Herzog: Winner of "Survivor: China"?

After 9 episodes of "Survivor: China," it looks as if flight attendant Todd Herzog, who has emerged as this season's puppet master, will walk away with a million dollars.

Read my reasons for saying so by clicking here.

Take a Ride with Mr. Magorium

Through Monday, November 12, a magical trolley will take Chicago residents back and forth between Museum Campus and Water Tower Place. This is a free service in honor of "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," the new Dustin Hoffman movie opening on Friday, November 16.

In an attempt to break the record for the largest toy drive, the trolley also will serve as a mobile collection point for the annual Toys for Tots campaign. 20th Century Fox and Walden Media have set a goal of 12,000 pounds of toys.

"The Bachelor" Update: DeAnna Pappas: The New Mrs. Brad Womack

The latest edition of "The Bachelor" has come down to one bachelor and two hopeful women: Jenni Croft and DeAnna Pappas. Jenni seemed to have the advantage in the early episodes, but DeAnna has made a surrising turnaround, especially in the last two episodes.

Read my prediction about the eventual winner by clicking here.

Feel free to post your opinions as well.

A Honey of a Recipe From "Bee Movie"

In honor of "Bee Movie," here's a recipe for Beehive Cookies that calls for honey:

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (6 oz.) butter, lightly chilled, cut in bits
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup whipped honey or crème honey
1 Tablespoon (about 2 lemons) lemon zest
1 egg
Coarse sugar, optional, as needed

Directions:

Cream butter, brown sugar, honey and lemon zest until smooth; beat in egg. Add dry ingredients in thirds, mixing well with each addition. Scrape dough onto plastic wrap; shape it into a log about 12 inches long.

Chill an hour or so until firm, or up to 24 hours. Heat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly
mix dry ingredients. Cut log into 1/4-inch slices; place 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired, lightly pressing sugar into dough. Bake until edges are lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Cool 5 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to a rack. Cool completely.

Makes 4 dozen.

For more recipes, healthy hints and useful
information, go to www.Honey.com

Bee Movie ™ & © 2007 DreamWorks Animation L.L.C.
Beehive Cookies

Bee More Like Jerry Seinfeld

Everybody knows that Jerry Seinfeld is funny, but he's a trend setter, too. His upcoming "Bee Movie" has made black and yellow the new colors for Fall:



"Bee Movie" opens on Friday, November 2.

Carve up "Alvin" for Halloween

For all you "Alvin and the Chipmunks" fans out there, here's a stencil you can use to carve up an "Alvin" pumpkin--just click on the image above and it will expand so you can print it out and use it. I can't play with sharp objects, so send me some photos of your pumpkins and I'll post them.

The new "Alvin and the Chipmunks" movie also opens on December 14. Jason Lee takes over the David Seville role.

Mira Sorvino Co-Stars in "Reservation Road"

Oscar-winning actress Mira Sorvino talked with me over the phone about her new movie "Reservation Road. In that film, she plays a music teacher to a student who dies in a tragic road accident.

Read the interview by clicking here...

Does Mr. Magorium Take Visa?

One of the new "Life Takes Visa" commercials takes place in a toy store that looks a lot like the shop in "Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium," which opens nationwide on November 16. Click here to go to the Visa page and scroll down to the ad that says "Juggling."

"Jumper" Opens February 15, 2008

Here's a sneak peek at a new adventure called "Jumper"--from this trailer, it looks a lot like a hi-tech version of "Highlander."

Two films of note, "The Final Season" and "We Own the Night," open today

Based on real events, "The Final Season" is one of those rare sports dramas that gets the details right without getting too "Hollywood." In 1991, after winning 19 state championships in 24 years, the high school baseball team in Norway, Iowa is forced to have a final season due to budget cuts.

Powers Booth plays a legendary coach forced out of his job and Sean Astin is his replacement. It's a good solid film and one that's worth a look.



Anyone needing another fix of last year's hit "The Departed" should check out "We Own the Night," a new drama that bears a striking resemblance to Martin Scorsese's film. Mark Wahlberg and Joaquin Phoenix play two brothers who choose very different paths in life. It has twists and turns and is entertaining.

The Geico "Cavemen" Now Are on ABC

Anyone remember Clara Peller, the tiny grandmother who became an incredibly popular spokesperson for Wendy's hamburgers? Ms. Peller made "Where's the beef?" a national catchphrase, but the advertising agency in charge of the campaign took the ads off the air for a while to avoid overexposure.

Geico ran into the same problem with a long-running series of commercials featuring cavemen in the modern world. The ads themselves, when taken in small doses, are quite clever, with Talia Shire ("Rocky") appearing as a therapist in a few of them. Geico also uses a talking gecko and other ad campaigns to sell insurance, which kept the cavemen ads from becoming too obnoxious over time.

Unfortunately, someone decided to turn the commercials into a weekly half-hour sitcom, which, based on the low quality of the premiere episode, is doomed to become extinct. "Cavemen" sets sitcoms back at least a million years.

Read my full review by clicking here...

"The Seeker": More Clues and Trip to Vegas

With just over a week to go, I've only found three correct sequences out of 11 for "The Seeker," the new adventure from Fox Walden. After going to the official movie website, enter the following sequence:

Bronze Wood Fire Stone Iron Water

When entered correctly, you will be able to register for a trip to Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

"The Seeker" opens on Friday, October 5. Keep Seeking!

"Knocked Up": Judd Apatow's Pregnancy Comedy Now is Available on DVD

This past summer, Judd Apatow, the director of "The 40-Year-Old Virgin," followed up his Steve Carrell comedy with "Knocked Up." Katherine Heigl and Seth Rogen played two twenty-somethings who, after a one night stand, must deal with the reality of becoming parents.

Funny and touching, "Knocked Up" now is available on DVD. Read my review of the film by clicking here.

"In the Valley of Elah": Paul Haggis Investigates the Death of a American Soldier

Director/screenwriter Paul Haggis, who created the incredible "Crash," returns with this story of a father (Tommy Lee Jones) looking for his missing soldier son. This one hits close to home for me because Haggis based his screenplay on a real-life family from St. Charles, MO.

Read the full review by clicking here...

"The Seeker: The Dark is Rising" update

Last night, while leaving a local theater, I passed a poster for "The Seeker: The Dark is Rising," a movie that features a quest for six signs of power. As I reported back in August, Fox Walden, the studio releasing the film, has been promoting it with an unusual quest that involves going to their website and entering the six signs in different sequences to get bonus content from the site.

If you look to the right of this entry, you'll see how well I've done. Up until last night I only had entered one correct sequence, but the poster I saw last night revealed another sequence if you looked at it from the correct angle--it was created with lenticular artwork that changes as you walk by it. To help you out, here's the sequence I saw:

Fire Iron Water Stone Wood Bronze

Keep Seeking!

"The Big Bang Theory" makes science a laughing matter

Of the five pilots that I've watched for the new television season, the best by far has been "The Big Bang Theory" a new CBS comedy about two geniuses and a cute neighbor. Johnny Galecki from "Roseanne" shines in a role that really lets him show his comic timing.

Read my review by clicking here..

New "Indiana Jones" sequel has a title

It's been 18 years since the last "Indiana Jones" movie so it's nice to be able to report that "Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull" will be released on May 22, 2008. Read more about it by clicking here...

3:10 to Yuma: Taking the Train

Remakes can be hit or miss, but "3:10 to Yuma," James Mangold's version of the Glenn Ford classic, is dead on target. Read my review by clicking here.

Fall Movies are Coming

Fall is here and with it comes a new crop of movies. Read my Fall preview by clicking here and going to page 17:

"Balls of Fury" Doesn't Serve Up Comedy

Maybe it's me: For the last month, I wrote about this film and attended a special presentation at the San Diego Comic-Con, so my expectations for "Balls of Fury" was quite high. Unfortunately, director Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon just didn't deliver the goods.

You can read my full review by clicking here.

Thomas Lennon has "Balls of Fury"

Best known as the shorts-wearing Lt. Jim Dangle from Comedy Central's "Reno 911!", Thomas Lennon plays a foreign ping-pong champion in "Balls of Fury." Christopher Walken plays a foreign arms dealer who hosts a win-or-die ping-pong competition.

Lennon and director Ben Garant hosted a panel discussion at the San Diego Comic-Con in July. Find out more about "Balls of Fury" and a secret about Christopher Walken by clicking here

Justin Timberlake Reunites With Mike Myers

Yesterday, Paramount Pictures announced that Justin Timberlake would play a professional hockey player in "The Love Guru," a new film co-written by Mike Myers. Timberlake plays a professional hockey player who is spending time with the wife of another hockey player.

Robbie Rist Talks About His Career

One of the hardest-working child actors of the 1970's, Robbie Rist and I spent two hours talking on the phone about his career, music and why Ted Knight was a comic genius.

Read the whole story by clicking here.

Open Auditions For "Notorious"

Fox Searchlight Pictures announced Friday that anyone, meaning actors and non-actors, are welcome to submit audition videos for "Notorious," the upcoming biopic of late rapper Biggie Smalls.

Read more about it by clicking here.

I'm seeking the signs....are you?

I have to admit that marketing campaigns are getting more and more inventive, especially the one that Coca-Cola did a few years ago where they distributed cans containing GPS tracking systems and built-in cell phones in 12-paks of their product. If you found one of these cans and pushed the button, you were connected directly to Coke Headquarters and, if you opted to turn on the GPS, they would deliver your prize right to you.

Fox Walden currently has a pretty inventive promotion for "The Seeker." In order to unlock special content on the website, visitors have to enter six symbols of power in the correct sequence. The sequences will be appearing in the movie trailer, on posters and other place; Fox has said they might even put them on mobile billboards.

If I've done the math correctly (6 * 5 * 4 * 3 * 2 * 1), there are 720 possible combinations of the 6 symbols, but only 7 of those unlock special content.

I've included a widget at right that will show you the trailer and also direct you to the official website. The photo on this post is from the official movie poster and also contains the special 6 symbols. Check back here for more updates and clues.

You can also track my progress on the widget, which I'll keep on my site until the films opens on October 5. Feel free to make fun of me if you unlock more sequences than I do.

Good luck.

"Balls of Fury" Moves Up

The San Diego Comic-Con has become the place where studios bring their best products in order to get feedback from the attendees. Based on the positive reaction to "Balls of Fury," Rogue Pictures is changing the release date from Friday, August 31 to Wednesday, August 29 to maximize its opening weekend.

Read more about it by clicking here...

"Bratz" looks kinda familiar

Bratz is based on a popular line of children's toys, but it looks and feels a lot like another popular teenage film. Read more about it by clicking here...

I docked with the Mother Ship...

I'm just finishing up 5 days in San Diego, where I joined 125,000 of my fellow nerds for Comic-Con...a huge for sci-fi and comic fans ever conceived.

More to come, but here's a taste:

More of the same...

One of the most highly anticipated films of the summer, "The Simpsons Movie" doesn't really break any new ground or take full advantage of the PG-13 rating. Read more about it here...

I love you, Nikki Blonsky

Newcomer Nikki Blonksy, who reportedly was scooping ice cream at a Cold Stone Creamery about a year of so ago, is FABULOUS in "Hairspray," the adaptation of the stage play which was based on the 1988 film by John Waters. John Travolta steps into the dress vacated by the late, great cross-dressing Divine.

Read my full review by clicking here

I have no reservations about telling you this...

On Saturday, July 21, there will be special "sneak previews" of the new Catherine Zeta-Jones/Abigail Breslin comedy "No Reservations." If you're in or around the St. Louis area, the screenings will be held at the following theaters:

Wehrenberg Ronnies, Wehrenberg St. Charles 18, Wehrenberg Galaxy, AMC West Olive and Edwardsville Showplace 12.


Zeta-Jones plays a high strung chef who, after the death of her sister, is now taking care of her niece, played by Academy Award nominee Breslin. Wehrenberg and AMC allow you to purchase advance tickets online, so reservations are recommended.

Steve

Have You Heard the One About the Polish Hitman?

Ben Kingsley, one of the most talented actors on the planet, is wickedly funny in "You Kill Me," the story of an alcoholic hitman for the East Coast Polish Mafia who heads to San Francisco to dry out. This simple, yet hilarious comedy may get overrun by "Transformers" and "Harry Potter," so be sure to see it soon.

Read my full review by clicking here

Are you one of the Bratz?

You have until 11:59 EST to prove you're one of the Bratz...just text BRATZ and your zip code to 43KIX, but you have to hurry because time is running out.

Cedric the Entertainer Talks to Us

Cedric the Entertainer came back home to St. Louis for his celebirty bowling tournament and also hosted a special advance screening of "Talk to Me," a powerful new drama about legendary radio personality Petey Green. The film opens nationwide on July 27.

Welcome back, Mr. Potter...

"Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" is the first of two big events for Potter fans this summer. First and foremost, David Yates stays about as faithful to J.K. Rowling's original text as a director can without going way overbudget.

Read the rest of my review by clicking here:

Many thanks,
Steve

Vote for the "real" Springfield...

Do you live in Springfield or does your state have a Springfield? In honor of the upcoming "Simpsons" movie, 20th Century Fox is sponsoring a contest in which one of 14 Springfields across the country will be declared the "real" one.

Click here to read more and cast your vote...

Can you find the secret ingredients?

"Ratatouille," Pixar's new animated adventure about a rat who wants to be a chef, contains lots of visual gags, inside jokes and other "Easter Eggs". Can you find them all?

Click here for some clues....

"Transformers" Not Quite More Than Meets the Eye

Michael Bay's live action treatment of the "Transformers" is everything one might expect from him: loud, explosive and a bit on the mature side. Otherwise, there's not much more to it than that.

Read more about it by clicking here:

There's not much rat in it...

Pixar needed to add little more spice to this story of a rat who wants to be a chef....read more about it by clicking here:

Many thanks,
Steve

NEADS meeting needs

Since 1976, NEADS has been training service dogs for deaf and disabled Americans. I had the opportunity to chat with the executive director and she had one of her team send me this video...

Follow the Hollywood Walk of Fame...

It's taken a while, but the Munchkins from "The Wizard of Oz" finally will be getting their own star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame. St. Louis is especially proud of our own Mickey Carroll, who played the Fiddler in the movie.

The date for the ceremony has not been set, but more details to come. In the meantime, check out Mr. Carroll's official website by clicking here.