Ilana Donna: New Yorkers Take On “A Mighty Heart”

For your weekend viewing pleasure.

Amy Winehouse Doesn’t Fancy Her Belly Much

Amy Winehouse’s latest public display of daddy-didn’t-love-me enough f*cked up starlet on coke is all the news in Britain. In the U.S., we have Paris Hilton to fill this role, but ok, ok, that designation doesn’t do justice to Amy’s talent or level of genuine self-destructive behavior.

So what’s the 23-year-old’s latest controversy that’s got everyone talking both her and abroad?

In a photo shoot for Spin magazine this past week, Amy took to picking up a piece of broken mirror and carving her stomach with the words “I Love You Blake” on her belly. Blake Fielder-Civil would be Amy’s husband of one month who was filming the shoot and caught the glass-cutting episode (sure to be sold to the highest British tabloid buyer when marriage goes sour). Amy later scoffed at her behavior likening her cutting episode with “chicken scratch.”

Still, in Amy’s defense glass cutting can’t be all the much of a departure from tattoo sleeves. What’s one sterile form of self-mutilation among body art aficionados?

For more Amy, be sure to check her out here.

The Song Remains The Same

After all the excitement and the high hopes of a Led Zeppelin Reunion, many sources all over the Internet are quoting band singer Robert Plant as denying the talkes about a reunion and saying: “If there was one , then there wouldn’t be enough doctors to support it!” Plant allegedly spoke about Led Zeppelin on a press conference for Rockwave Festival in Greece. It’s not the first time fans hearts are broken after false rumors about the band coming back together. Come on Robert, there is a whole generation that was too young to go to a concert back in the 70’s, and besides… even the Spice Girls are making a comeback.

Like A Stone That Doesn’t Move

The Rolling Stones are having some bad luck when it comes to random fatal accidents while on their Bigger Band world tour. Two workers in Madrid were killed yesterday while taking apart a stage post-concert and two other stage hands were injured during the incident. The BBC reports that three of the workers fell 10M from a metal beam and landed on the fourth guy.

Tragic spotlight aside, walking ticking time bomb Keith Richards haul is ass back on-stage night after night after going a few hits with coke might be enough to jar anyone’s sensibilities. Let’s hope this image wasn’t their last.

Copa America 2007

It’s funny, but one of the biggest sports events in the continent is going almost unnoticed here in the US. The 2007 Copa America in Venezuela is on it’s way. It is the American soccer championship for national teams. By the way, the US is also participating in the tournament, although it was defeated last night 4-1 by the team I root for, Argentina. If you are even just a little soccer fan, you can catch the games on Goltv. Argentina is favorite to win, especially after the Brazilian team lost 0-2 to Mexico.

But I’m One Of The Good Guys, I Tell Ya!

Tom Cruise is coming under attack in Germany where he is filming the Bryan Singer movie “Valkyrie” about Nazi resistance fighter and German aristocrat Claus Schenk Graf von Stauffenberg who plotted a coup against Hitler in 1944 and was assassinated not long after. The film’s German producers have been granted permission to use the actual headquarters in Berlin where Stauffenberg worked and was executed to give the most accurate historical account possible.

Tom Cruise’s Nazi movie aside (Who is this guy’s publicity agent? Oh wait, his SISTER!), his Scientology affiliations aren’t going over too well with the Germans - specifically German lobbyists. Social Democrat Klaus Uwe Benneter said on his website:

Stauffenberg “is to be played by an actor whose sect, through dubious methods, attempts to lure people and make them pliable. This is a slap in the face to all upstanding democrats, all resistance fighters during the Third Reich, and all victims of the Scientology sect.”

Still studio execs defend the film and their choice of star:

This is not a Scientology film, it is a Bryan Singer film, and Bryan Singer is Jewish … and they want to make this film to show that during the Nazi regime there was heroic resistance. The personal beliefs of Tom Cruise have to be separated from his skills as an actor. He is one of the best, if not the best, actors in the world for heroic roles and that is why Bryan Singer approached him.

And even good old UA (United Artists) released this statement in response to Tom Cruise’s public whooping:

“Mr. Cruise’s personal beliefs have absolutely no bearing on the movie’s plot, themes or content.”

Them sounds like pure fighting words. We wouldn’t have it any other way. Not with Tom Cruise or when the prospect of Trey Parker and Matt Stone parodying this is particular incident is involved.

Movies Of The Week, And A Sneak Peak

Ratatouille: Remy the rat, wants to become a chef, and finds himself under a French restaurant, where he can watch his hero, the famous chef Auguste Gusteau. Animationmovie, by Pixar.

Live Free or Die Hard: He’s back, almost 20 years after the first Die Heard movie came out, John McClane is back. I don’t think there is a reason to write what this movie is about, if you have seen any Die Hard movie before you know what it’s about, and if you haven’t, I’m sure one of them is playing on one of the movie channels on your TV right now. Let’s just say that Bruce Willis stars, and we can also see Justin Long, who is known to most as Hi, I’m a Mac…

Sicko: John McClane is not alone, Michael Moore is also back, this time he goes against the American health-care system. Don’t worry, as always he is loud, vulgar and in your face.

Today’s peak is from the Transformers movie

Introducing Amaldo.com’s Newest Vlogger: Ilana Donna

We’re very excited to have our very own “princess from the slums of Queens” on board, NYC-based Associated Press online video guru extraordinaire Ilana Donna doing some vlogging for our mother site, Amaldo.com.

Ilana’s refreshing down-to-earth style and SJPisms on NYC life are well-appreciated and add just the right element to her first installment for our site, aptly titled “New Yorkers Take On A Mighty Heart.”

How Much Would You Pay For A Piece Of Steve Jobs?

Apple’s new iPhone is set to be released on Friday, June 29th, but that hasn’t stopped people from starting to stake out their place in line outside Apple stores. Or at the very least get their business and financial matters out of the way in time to reserve a person for an all-day wait on Friday. In NYC, people are getting paid on average $250 for an all-day wait (from 8 AM). In California, human resource commodity prices are as high as $300-400. Even considering that iPhones will be the next XBox/Playstation craze in eBay sales going forward, $250 is a hefty price tag to add to a $600 phone with a $60-100/mo. Cingular plan.

Whole Lotta Love

I spent a big part of my youth fantasizing about going to a Led Zeppelin concert. I spent hours listening to a 24 minutes Dazed And Confused on my old record player, and thinking to myself, how much I would give to see Jimmy Page doing his psychedelic guitar thing live. Not understanding how the fuck does John Bonham does what he does, especially in Moby Dick. Watching John Paul Johns reading a bedtime story to the kids when he is called to duty- a tour. And as I grew older the dream faded and faded and was almost gone until a couple of days ago, I found out that there is a good chance that the greatest rock band in history will reunite for a world tour!!!! Yes, they are doing a tribute show for Atlantic Records, and then, with Jason Bonham (son of the late drummer) on drums they are on their way!!! I don’t have any details on when and where, but I have a world map and a calendar…

Prison Agrees With Paris Hilton

Paris Hilton disproves the theory that she’s all high-maintainance plastic. Or maybe she is. She just looks better post-prison stay with a “natural” glow, less time with the hair extensions, and an ounce of fat on her. Either way, I’m happy for her.

The Conchords Take Flight

When I first saw the preview for HBO’s new slew of shows in their post-”Sopranos” vortex era of shows that have no chance of living up to the hype of their predecessor, I immediately was drawn to this imported Brooklyn hipster duo/ Alt-folk band of New Zealand brothers (in the namaste sense of the word) Bret & Jemaine, who are trying to make a go of their musical aspirations in New York.

The 12-episode series is performed in the same deadpan, sardonic parody-style of a Ricky Gervais production (”The Office,” “Extras”) with moments of awkward tension and bone-dry humor that are comedically so subtlly timed and well-executed that they are probably lost on the general American public. Nonetheless, these moments are filled with silly musical tunes that play of the situational irony of a scene. As Bret and Jemaine are musicians (both on and off-screen) this set-up works. Read More…

Come Fly The Iranian Safe Skys

Last night I saw Maz Jobrany on Jay Leno. I’ve actually heard some of his material before, on the XM comedy station. An Iranian comedian brings a refreshing and interesting perspective. He jokes about the Americans, but does not spare the other side- the enemy side. He will throw a punch at George Bush while kicking Ahmadinejahd’s ass. When I saw Jobrany last night, I realized I’ve seen him before, in TV shows like The Knights Of Prosperity, and in movies like The Interpreter. There are two things that concern me about the dude:

The Italian

Every couple of days my wife and I are going into the local Blockbuster in a search, sometimes desperate, for something refreshing, something we haven’t seen before. So naturally, from time to time we check the foreign film section. We saw some great French movies, wonderful Spanish movies, and even an exiting Argentinean movie. For the last month or so, on the right corner of the store, under New Releases, there was always an empty shelf, with a cardboard carrying a picture of a little child running, and the title of the movie The Italian. And it was always empty. I knew nothing about this movie, so when we finally got it the other day, I was surprised to find out that it’s a Russian movie. It was worth waiting for so long. If you don’t know yet, The Italian is about a six year old boy who lives in a tough Russian orphanage, and is up for adoption by an Italian couple. Everybody is very happy for the boy’s good fortune, except the boy himself who decide to find his biological mother, and to find out if she wants him back. The thing I like the most about Russian movies (except the language) is the realistic approach. It’s all right there in your face, the poverty, the cold weather, prostitution, adoption, it’s all business, and people use people, plain and simple.
This is a movie worth watching, even more then once.

Reg’s Musical Musings: City Stages & Bonnaroo 2008

How was Bonarroo? You went didn’t you? Oh, if I had a dime for every time I have been asked that question I would be adding on to my house next week. But alas, I did not go this year. As a matter of fact, I didn’t go last year. Don’t get me wrong, I love The Roo and I miss it dearly but since they moved their dates to the same weekend as my beloved hometown festival City Stages (www.citystages.org).

City Stages is no Bonarroo, it doesn’t pretend to be. At the same time, City Stages is something Bonarroo isn’t, it is a celebration of civic pride and a way for a town plagued by it’s ghosts and the sins of our fathers, to show the world that this isn’t the city some in our country think it is. While I missed seeing the incredible music at The Roo (Except for The Police. I have talked to a few dozen folks who attended and inevitably the first thing out of their mouth’s is “The Police sucked!” That’s a shame. I will just keep my memories of the Ghost In The Machine tour and avoid their latest incarnation.). I did get to see a city rally to show how much it cares about a festival that in its 19 year history has had its ups and downs but continues to prove its relevance to Birmingham. Read More…

Amaldo.Com Film Review: “Evan Almighty” Reads More Like Evan Alrighty

I really adore Steve Carell. As egomaniac boss of a small paper company Michael Scott in NBC’s “The Office” or the shy, affable 40-year-old virgin in Judd Apatow’s delightful comedy, Carell always manages to bring a bit of humanity, class, and humor to his roles. His understated pithy witticisms and his intuitive sense of timing make him inarguably one of the best comedic talents out there today. And I’m sorry to say, well above Will Ferrell in my opinion, although I’m also fond of Ferrell’s shtick.

However, when it comes to the Summer box office and discerning what will become the next Blockbuster hit, it’s usually over-the-top that wins out over adjectives like unassuming and understated. Read More…

I Started A Joke, And Started A Whole World Crying

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The Spice is Back(ham)

By ariel in Uncategorized, News, British, Music, band reunions, Pop Music, soccer on June 22 2007

The biggest announcement in the history known to man will be given next week. The Spice Girls are coming back! Yes, Sporty, Posh, Baby, Ginger and Scary will reunite to make a new album and a tour. Now that David Beckham is coming to Los Angeles to play Soccer for the Galaxy, his wife Victoria was a bit concerned whether people would recognize her or not. Now she doesn’t need to worry about it any more, she will be Posh again. I always find these showbiz coincidences somewhat odd… Any way, if Gery Halliwell who was the first to leave the band in 98′, decides she doesn’t want to join the party, fear not, Katie Holmes would kill for a chance to be in the band, and to sing and perform alongside her idols.

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Movies Of The Week, And A Sneak Peak

By ariel in Uncategorized, Entertainment, Movies, film, Steve Carell, Sneak Peak on June 21 2007

We waited and waited for so long and finally it’s here!!!

Even Almighty: Steve Carell is Even Baxter, a congressman who meets his maker, but not in order to die but to build an Ark so he can prepare for the flood. Morgan Freeman plays God in this movie, as he did in the wonderful Bruce Almighty.

A Mighty Heart: Based on a true story. Angelina Jolie plays the wife of Daniel Pearl, a reporter who was kidnapped and then murdered in Pakistan.

1408: A horror novelist (John Cusack) checks into a hunted hotel room, and that’s when the fun starts. Based on a Stephen King short story.

You Kill Me: A drunk Hit-man (Ben Kingsley) finds himself in AA. Things get more complicated when he meets a woman who is related to his next hit.

This week’s peak is Live Free Or Die Hard trailer, enjoy and have a great weekend.