Day 1 of the 1st Annual GI Film Festival

If you're in Washington, DC this weekend, stop by the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center and check out the 1st Annual GI Film Festival. Read my highlights of Day 1, which include a performance by Pat Boone and the group Valor (above), by following this link:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/260191/the_first_annual_gi_film_festival_highlights.html


Many thanks,
Steve

Hey buddy...can you spare a quarter?

While you're out and about over the holiday weekend, make sure and check your change for a special, limited edition "Silver Surfer" quarter. Only 40,000 have been minted and anyone who finds one can register to win a trip to the world premiere of "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer."


In the "Fantastic Four" comic book, the surfer made his debut in the 1960's. A resident of the world called Zenn-La, Norrin Radd made a deal with Galactus, a cosmic entity who survives by consuming planets. To save Zenn-La from being consumed, Norrin volunteered to become the herald of Galactus, scouring the universe for planets suitable for his new master.


Galactus endowed his new servant with great cosmic powers and the ability to surf through the cosmos. Eventually, the Silver Surfer found the Earth and had to do battle with the Fantastic Four.

Even if you don't find a quarter, check out www.riseofthesilversurfer for more chances to win cool stuff. The movie, by the way, opens on June 15.


Many thanks,
Steve

The only way to travel....

The director and stars of "Once," a film that can best be described as an Irish musical, stopped in St. Louis on May 9 to talk about their film and introduce it at a special screening that evening. John Carney, the director, doesn't care for airplane travel, so the group is traveling from city-to-city by bus.
After the screening, Glen Hansard, lead singer of the Frames, and Marketa Irglova, his leading lady and real-life collaborator, answered questions and sang for the audience. Normally, at Q&A sessions, people start to leave right away and, by the end, the auditorium is pretty empty, but the crowd at the "Once" screening couldn't get enough.


I had a chance to sit down with John, Marketa and Glen and chat about the movie and how their real-life realtionships influenced the movie. The interview is available by following this link:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/244025/art_imitates_life_in_once.html



Many thanks,
Steve

Put me in, Coach...I'm ready to play

Former "Lizzie McGuire" cast member Carly Schroeder stopped in St. Louis this month to talk about "Gracie," her new sports drama based on events in the lives of Elisabeth and Andrew Shue.


Read about her preparations for the role and her "worst nightmare" here:

http://film-stars.suite101.com/article.cfm/carly_schroeder_scores_as_gracie



Steve

I wanna "bee" like Jerry

Thanks to his groundbreaking sitcom, Jerry Seinfeld has been a high-flyer for years and he proved it at Cannes yesterday by dressing in a bee suit and descending by wire from the roof of the Carlton Hotel. Seinfeld was promoting "Bee Movie," which opens nationwide on November 2.

Shhh...there's a big black spider on the wall...

"Spider-Man 3" has ruled the worldwide box office for two weeks, but his first challenger steps up to the plate this week. "Shrek the Third" is clever, funny and contains plenty of sly jokes for the adults in the audience.

Read my review here:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/246718/shrek_the_third_makes_being_green_look.html

"Once" is not enough...

Glen Hansard, lead singer of the Irish band called the Frames, signs autographs for fans at a recent screening of "Once" at the Tivoli Theater in University City, MO. Hansard stars as a street musician who meets his inspiration in the form of a young immigrant (Marketa Irglova).


Read my thoughts about the film by following this link:

http://foreignfilms.suite101.com/article.cfm/once_is_not_enough

Zombies shouldn't play with their food...

Robert Carlyle stars in "28 Weeks Later," the sequel to the popular "28 Days Later." It looks like he's the main course for the zombies today.

Read my thoughts on the film by following this link:

http://horrorscififilms.suite101.com/article.cfm/28_weeks_later_is_worth_the_wait

"Waitress" is sweet, juicy and piping-hot

Keri Russell stars as a small-town pie maker who tries to find a way out of her loveless marriage in this sweet, sometimes heartbreaking romantic comedy. Read my review by following this link:

http://romantic-comedy-films.suite101.com/article.cfm/waitress_is_sweet_and_pipinghot

"Once" around the country please....

John Carney, director of the Sundance Award-winning "Once" doesn't like to fly, so he and his leading man and woman, Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, are doing the promotional tour by bus.

Carney, Hansard and Irglova made a stop in St. Louis tonight to host a special screening of the film.

(More to come...)

Take Mom out for a movie and some pie...

Looking for something different to do on Mother's Day? Fox Searchlight Pictures is sponsoring an "Easy as Pie" Mother's Day event at 100 theaters nationwide. Anyone attending a special screening of the sweet and spicy new romantic comedy "Waitress" will get a special gift bag and complimentary pie.

For a participating theater, click on this link:

http://www.MOVIEwithMOM.com

To read a review of the film, click this link

http://romantic-comedy-films.suite101.com/article.cfm/waitress_is_sweet_and_pipinghot

Wally Schirra: An astronaut's astronaut

Back in the late 1950's and throughout the 1960's, astronauts were treated like we treat sports heroes today. They were larger-than-life figures who defied the odds to get into space and Wally Schirra always ranked among the best of the best.

We lost Wally two days ago and I immediately regretted that I never got a chance to hear him lecture in person. I always intended to send him an email or a letter thanking him for his work during the first three space programs (Mercury, Gemini and Apollo). He will be missed and I felt better after I posted a tribute to him on this website (follow the link):

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/233089/wally_schirra_the_gold_standard_for.html

If you don't go see my movie, I'll web you...

I looked forward to seeing the latest "Spider-Man" movie for months, even taking a vacation day from work to attend a special screening last week, but this one falls way short of the mark set by "Spider-Man 2."

Read my full review here:

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/229423/spiderman_3_doesnt_make_my_spider_sense.html

"Gracie" visits St. Louis

Carly Schroeder, star of the upcoming sports drama "Gracie," stopped in St. Louis as part of a 17-city tour. The film, which is co-produced by Andrew Shue (who is touring with Carly), recounts some events in the lives of the Shue family and Andrew's sister Elisabeth.

"Gracie" opens June 1.

"Dreamgirls" Charity Auction

Variety, the charity for children, is auctioning off the three peach-colored dresses worn by Jennifer Hudson, Beyonce Knowles and Anika Noni Rose during the first musical number in "Dreamgirls." Eddie Murphy's tuxedo also is up for grabs.

If you want to make a bid, follow this link:

http://stores.ebay.com/Variety-The-Childrens-Charity