My Critical Life

Britney Spears. It's a boy... again!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 16:40:00 +0000

So, Britney Spears has apparently given birth to her second child, a boy. The story is popping up all over the net right about now on sites like this. Bearing in mind the source is The National Enquirer there is every chance that it's not true, but I thought I'd post it here just in case.

I feel for Britney. All those tantrums, the whining, someone constantly demanding attention, being totally dependent on you, not being able to take your eyes off them for a second in case they do something stupid... and that's just K-Fed!

In other news, I caught up with Will Ferrell today ahead of the premiere of Talladega Nights: The Ballad Of Ricky Bobby in London tonight. I saw it last night and it was absolutely superb. Really really hilarious. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time. anyway, there will be a few stories popping on the net in and elsewhere over the next few days. I got to have a nice chat with him after the junket too and he was a very sincere guy. I got all starstruck - which doesn't happen often - as I am a huge fan of his from back in the SNL days but he was really friendly. Now, I like the guy even more! I love Lamp!

Following on from last week's interview with Brent Spiner, one of my stories has been doing the rounds on the net. Check it out here and here and here and here aaaaaand here. It's in a few other places too but I don't want to bore you.

Okay, gotta run. I have some stories to write up and a cold beer waiting in the fridge with my name on it...

Happy 40th Star Trek Anniversary!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Fri, 08 Sep 2006 17:45:00 +0000

Okay, couldn't not mention it - it's the most influential sci-fi programme of all time! It's funny how the majority of people I spoke to today mentioned the anniversary in some shape or form. Anyway, here are a few clips to keep you entertained over the weekend.

1. Big Spock - A great comedy song about everyone's favourite Vulcan, Mr Spock
2. Crawling TNG - Clips of Jean Luc Picard being turned into a Borg set to Link Park's 'Crawling'
3. Brokeback Trek - Feel free to make an un-PC joke about Uranus here
4. Shatner Raps - It's Shakespeare y'all
5. Common People - William Shatner and Ben Folds covering Pulp's 'Common People'
6. Star Trekkin' - Tragic but classic. This got to number in the UK charts
7. TNG on Family Guy - Superb
8. Tenacious Trek - Kirk and Spock do Tenacious D. Be warned, this contains rude words

And on that note, don't just have a great weekend... Make It So!

Star Trekkin', car wreckin' and The D!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Thu, 07 Sep 2006 17:24:00 +0000

So, I met up with Brent Spiner today. I say this often but he was a really genuine person. I have to admit I got a little excited about meeting him because Star Trek: TNG is one of my few guilty pleasures. If I'm ever having a crappy day or I'm looking to just zone out for a bit I flick around the TV channels and see if I can catch an episode. I don't consider myself a hardcore fan of the franchise but it's great entertainment... although my better half would disagree. It's not really her cup of tea.

Anyway, what with Friday (08.09.06) being the 40th anniversary of Star Trek first hitting the airwaves it was the perfect time to do the interview. I'll post my stories and features that I get out of the interview up here as soon as I can... within reason.

In other news, I see Paris Hilton got busted for an alleged DUI. I wonder if the recording industry will also try and get her charged with crimes against music following the release of her awful album! It made HER cry when she listened to it? How do you think the rest of the world felt when we were subjected to it?

Steve Irwin - I freakin' loved that guy - might have accidentally killed himself when he pulled the stingray barb out of his chest. Ouch! And in case you weren't aware, one of my favourite movie makers, Tim Burton, is to direct the video for The Killers' next single. That is a great idea.

Finally for today, on a personal note, I got my tickets for the December tour of Jack Black's band Tenacious D on presale today. I can't wait! I saw them a few years ago before The D got huge and it was one of the most hilarious nights of my life. If you want to join me (and about 4,996 other people) then they go on sale to Joe Public at 9AM on Saturday morning... or you can click here!

Don't say I never do anything for you...

Embrace the geek, Love the geek.

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Wed, 06 Sep 2006 17:31:00 +0000

Where does time the go? Man, I sound old... It's been a crazy few weeks. Loads of interviews, loads of parties and loads of work. Now the summer is well and truly over here in the UK, all the PR companies are getting all jacked up on plugging for the fall and holiday seasons. So what have I been up to?

Well, last time I posted anything here I was about to catch up with Owen Wilson who was in town promoting his news movie (although it was out in the US ages ago) You, Me & Dupree. The whole thing kind of got overshadowed by the break-up of his co-star Kate Hudson's marriage. Regardless, I got a few good stories out of it. You can read them here and here and here. He seemed like a nice guy. A bit more intense then I expected but seemed genuine enough.

Later on that week I hooked up with Meatloaf to talk about his upcoming album Bat Out Of Hell III. This is the first story I have pulled out of the interview so far but there will be many more in the run up to the release of the album in a few weeks time. It was awesome to meet someone who I have been a fan of since I was a twinkle in my parents' eyes. The guy is a legend. As you can see from the s**t-eating grin on my face, I was on Cloud 9 that day... he even signed some of my BOOH and Rocky Horror stuff too which was cool. However, as much as I love the guy, I don't know if I can get over the fact that the first single of the new album is It's All Coming Back To Me Now... yes, the song Celine Dion did...

After that I headed on over to Ronnie 'Rolling Stone' Wood's art gallery in Central London, Scream to check out a few of his new paintings, have a chat and a few drinks. It was a great evening. Got a nice story out of it too.

Even though it came out in the US in April, ovie bosses are only just getting around to releasing The Sentinel in the UK. It opened here last Friday. Michael Douglas was in town to sell that movie. It was an interview that I was a bit nervous about to be quite honest beacsue he comes across as such a straight guy and I was wondering if he'd be up for a few lighter questions, some more personal stuff. It turned out he was and again, I came away with some sweet lines. Check them out here and here.

So, what's next on my agenda? Tomorrow I'm meeting up with Brent Spiner aka Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation. It's a real chance for me to flex the inner geek so I'm pretty stoked about that. The rest of the week looks like it'll be pretty quiet. Next week will be a different
story though.

Already I've got time booked with Kevin Smith (fingers crossed as the PR people have already let me down once) - because he's going to be in the UK talking about Clerks II - and the mighty David Hasselhoff so it's shaping up nicely. I also have a screening to go to for The History Boys and two parties... but more on those next time.

However, the most exciting thing this fall will be me becoming an uncle. I can't wait. Nothing can touch THAT as far as coolness goes.

Hey fellow journos! Quit ripping off my stories!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Tue, 22 Aug 2006 17:21:00 +0000

I got a great little scoop yesterday - Kate Hudson has pulled out of the UK premiere of You, Me & Dupree in London tonight (Tuesday) because of her marriage split. Lo and behold everybody is ripping my story off and crediting the tabloids and websites I gave the story to!

Hey, schmucks! If you're going to rip off my work, at least get your sources right!

*Tsk*

Me On A Motherf***kin' Plane! Everybody's doing it!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Mon, 21 Aug 2006 18:07:00 +0000

It’s been a mad month. Okay, first off, I didn’t mention it before because I didn’t want to risk the flat getting burgled again, but I’ve been on vacation/out of the country quite a bit recently – literally hours after my last entry actually. It’s been a rollercoaster of emotions and also a bit of a screwy time for my body clock too with all the time zones I’ve been crossing and crazy hours I’ve been doing… so to be honest I’ve been a back a week and have quite enjoyed getting back into the daily grind (okay, not so much of a grind as I have it good but you know what I mean) and when I’m not doing that, pretty much sitting on my ass and enjoying the company of my better half and our dog, Junior.

To cut a long story short, we started 8 days in Croatia, sailing along the cost from Split to Dubrovnik seeing some of the most beautiful stuff I’ve ever seen and drinking some sweet-ass wine… also passed Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas doing the exact same thing but in the opposite direction (and on a bigger much boat with a helicopter on the back!). That was an awesome vacation! You have to go to Croatia!

We came back and sadly found out that my girlfriend’s grandmother – who both my partner and I loved dearly - had sadly passed so we had packed our bags again and headed off to New York to say our last goodbyes. She was a hell of a woman and inspired me. I feel privileged to have been able to meet, talk and spent time with her and to have her accept me. I respected her immensely. If I can be half the person she was then I might turn out to be one heck of a person!

After that it was off to Las Vegas. The City of Sin. Naturally I can’t talk about that because as they say: ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’…

Okay, I’ll tell you. I gambled some money ($20 – big shot, I know), I saw Jerry Seinfeld at Caeser’s Palace (doing a stand-up show, I wasn’t stalking him… okay, maybe a little), did the Star Trek Experience at the Hilton (embracing my inner geek), ate breakfast at the awesomely kitsch Peppermill, saw the Fremont Experience (which was a let down, full of trashy people, bums and people trying to put people off gambling and drinking as it was Satan’s whatever… blah blah blah), then spent a few days at a rather lavish hotel called the Hyatt Regency Lake where I chilled out with a friend of mine (who won the holiday in the first place!) and took in sights like the Hoover Dam (Man, that thing is BIG!) and Lake Mead.

Okay, you don’t want to know about me, you want to know about showbiz!

Here we go…

Right, Superman Returns – the interviews went well although Kate Bosworth was quiet. Kevin Spacey was funny while Brandon Routh was low-key and Bryan Singer was talking about stuff that no-one (apart from comic book geeks like me) would care about. Still, it was great to just be there.

What about Kate Hudson’s marriage splitting up? That sucks! She is so pleasant and they seemed like a great couple but I guess it wasn’t working out. I was hoping to speak to her when she was in London this week but she's sadly cancelled her trip because of the break up.

The upside of being on vacation (or planes) a lot recently is that I got to catch up on a few movies I have missed this year, so here we go.

Lady In The Water – Sucked.
Mission: Impossible III – Good fun. Did what it said on the tin. Good summer hokum.
16 Blocks – Not bad. Not Oscar winning stuff but entertaining.
Inside Man – Again, very enjoyable. Nicely done.
Brick – Thinks it’s smarted than it is. I didn’t like it.
Thank You For Smoking – A sharp piece of movie-making. Memorable and recommended.
The Hills Have Eyes – Scared the crap out of me and wasn’t the best thing to watch before vacationing in the desert in the middle of nowhere.
The Ringer – Like a car crash, I couldn’t not look. Felt bad afterwards but I did laugh twice.

After a quiet week interview-wise last week I have a busy next few weeks. Tomorrow I have interviews with Owen Wilson ahead of the UK premiere of You, Me & Dupree followed by a chat with MeatLoaf ahead of the launch of Bat Out Of Hell III. Later this week I’m off to an invite-only private performance from Dashboard Confessional before I interview the lead singer (DC only used to be one guy, but he has a whole band now… can’t decide if that’s a good thing or not, but hey). I’m also attending the opening night party for FrightFest aka The London Horror Film Festival.

Next week, I’m going to catch up with Michael Douglas ahead of the UK release of The Sentinel.

I’m not going to go on about Snakes On A Plane but I will point out a few links you should be aware of. Firstly check out this parody rap – very funny - and the video for the anthemic theme tune to the movie called Snakes On A Plane (‘Bring It’) by Cobra Starship. You can also download it for your iPod or whatever here.There’s also this thing called Cats On A Plane. Enjoy!
I swear, I’m so bad at updating this blog/staying in touch with the world, that if you were a girlfriend you would have dumped my ass my now for sure.

Have a great week and I’ll be back soon. I swear!

P.S. If you haven’t seen this already then check out this Geico Insurance advert starring Little Richard. It cracks me up!

Superman (low) Returns! That's can't be right?

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Tue, 11 Jul 2006 16:45:00 +0000

I'll be honest, I am amazed that Superman Returns has not exactly set the box office tills on fire. In fact, I'm not just azaed, I am stunned. It's a superb film and (pretty much) everything that you could want from a summer blockbuster... so what's the deal people? Anyway, that's the question I'm going to be asking Bryan Singer, Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth and Kevin Spacey tomorrow. I'm going to talking to them ahead of the film's London premiere on Thursday. I just don't get it... that film kicks ass! Anyhow, according to this article, there might not be a sequel if box office takings don't pick up.

Regardless, as a tribute to the film and Kevin Spacey's baldheaded Lex Luthor - and due to the fact that I've been slowly losing my hair since the day I was born... DAMN YOU FOLLICLES, DAMN YOU ALL TO HELL! - I have finally take the plunge and shaved almost all my hair off. Not quite a chromedome, but two grades away from it. To be honest, it works for me... to be even more honest, I don't have much choice , so even if it didn't I'd just have to suck it up.

Meanwhile, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest had a crazy insane opening weekend at the box office. There's just no justice in the world! It's not a terrivbel film - some parts were hugely enjoyable - but I just thought that Superman Returns was the better movie. Anyway, that's just my opinion...

In other news, here's a link to the trailer for Rocky Balboa... I can't yet decide whether or not it's a good idea, but to be honest I'm not going to tell Sly that because even at almost 60 he could still royaly kick my ass. Other trailers you should check out include Borat and Clerks 2.

I had another exclusive on comingsoon.net - this time it's to do with Narnia... or rather the sequel, Prince Caspian. Sweet deal either way...

Okay, I gotta run. Loads of stuff to do...

What a week! I've had exclusives coming out the wazoo!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Tue, 04 Jul 2006 16:19:00 +0000

First off, to my US readers, Happy Independence Day! ... and to any Canadian readers, Happy Canada Day! ... and to any British readers, Sweaty enough yet? Man, the UK is having a heatwave right now... well, in most places...

Okay, so last night I was at the London premiere of 'Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest'. A long, hot evening but I got some great lines. Keira gave me a few nice lines and I got this scoop for a favourite site of mine - comingsoon.net. Thanks for the credit guys! Also at the premiere, I caught up with Anna Popplewell from the Narnia movie, Jerry Bruckheimer and the cast of Lost including the extremely sweet Maggie Grace. Worth the wait! Oh, and the so-called "exclusive" that everyone seems to be hammering now about Keith Richards being confirmed for a cameo in the third Pirates movie - wake the hell up! I had that last night!

Also, a few days back I mentioned my Hasselhoff exclusive. Well, here it is . I had the story last Thursday and by Sunday it was freakin' everywhere! On a side note, thanks to everyone who carried it and sourced me and my company... you can guess what I think about everyone who nicked the story and didn't credit us... shame on you! By the way, The Hoff has a new single out in Australia. You can check out the video by clicking here now.

I saw Superman Returns on Sunday. Very impressive - you might have heard me talking about it with S & J on WGN on Monday morning. I thought Brandon Routh was superb as Superman and there was just the right mix of action, light relief, romance and back story to make it all gel. Spacey was great as Lex Luthor - that man makes a great villian. If you haven't seen it already then make time to go and catch it at the movie theatre. And to all those doom merchants that say it's a "flop" because it only made $50M plus on it's first three days - that is far from a flop in anyones books. Less than expected, but not a flop.

Here are a few more of my stories from the recent past - Micha Barton likes dirty jokes apparently; Superman star Brandon Routh is proud to be a nerd and the guys from Angels And Airwaves have drawn up a celebrity sex list. How could I forget these two? Here is the pilot for Buffy The Vampire Slayer that was never aired - take a look! Just in case you haven't seen it, check out the new teaser trailer for the new Transformers movie.

Also, keep your eyes out for another exclusive I'm working on to do with a huge music star - it'll be hitting the wires on Friday hopefully.

I'm starting to make a few waves but I need to up my international game a bit more. Spread the word...

Okay, I'm done, have a great day - Independence, Canada or any other kind... and if you have any comments please feel free!

Pirates, a Monster House, Spider-Man and the Hoff. It's been a busy week!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Thu, 29 Jun 2006 18:00:00 +0000

Oh Boy! My feet have hardly touched the ground this week, I swear it's been crazy! Screenings and loads of great stories, so let's get stuck in...

Okay, first off, let's talk about Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest. I know this film is going to be huge, but at two and half hours it is way too long. I really could have done with being about 30 to 45 minutes shorter. The whole thing feels like it's filling a rather big gap between the first and third films and leaves you with one of those annoying cliffhanger-style "To Be Continued" endings. Having said that, there fight scenes are impressive, the effects are very impressive and the funny bits are really funny (mostly). Depp does the camp/drunk/cad pirate captain thing very well but Bloom and Knightley kind of let the side down in comparison. Disappointing but not with redeeming features.

Okay, next I want to talk about Monster House. In a word, awesome. Perfectly cast, superbly written, excellently staged and it looks fantastic. It's got something for adults as well as kids and deserves to be the sleeper hit of the summer. A frighteningly good movie. You have to see it!

Next, I got this story on one of my favourite film sites the other day. I spoke to Jeffrey Katzenberg the other day when he was in London and we talked about the possibility of him doing an Over the Hedge sequel. This is what he told me.

And perhaps the event of the week for me has to be the release of the Spider-Man 3 trailer. As you may or not know I am a huge Spider-Man fan so have been waiting for this to hit the net pretty much ever since the film was announced. It looks like it's going to be a real doozy and I swear, if I could, I'd start queueing for my ticket right now. If you haven't seen it click here and enjoy!

In other news, my David Hasselhoff exclusive will be hittting the net in the next 12 hours so keep googling for that one. I'll post links when I can. Also, my tickets for the preview of Superman Returns arrived this morning so I am really looking forward to that. for those of you who live in Chicago, I'll be on Steve & Johnnie's show on WGN Radio Monday morning around 9.10AM GMT to talk about what I thought. They're watching it in the US this weekend so we can compare notes.

Okay, I'm spent and I have to go get dinner on, so have a great day/evening/long weekend and I'll be back with updates real soon.

South Park and the Mormon Musical - Oh my God! They ran my story!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Sun, 25 Jun 2006 17:00:00 +0000

I have to say I'm pretty psyched at the moment because I story I got - an exclusive story I might add - has been burning it's way across the internet over the past few days. It's the one about Trey Parker and Matt Stone working with Avenue Q's Jeff Marx to create a musical about Mormons.

I got the story the other night while I was talking with Jeff after watching Q with my other half and some friends. We were just in the bar talking and he told me about it. I knew it was a great story and so when I got into work the next day I wrote it up and sent it out. BOOM! It's all over the place... ABC in Salt Lake City, Utah have even done a video story about it! as Cartman would say, 'Sweeeeet!' Here's a picture of me with one of the 'cast' - Rod!

Anyway, in other news, I got to talk with Bruce Wilis this week at the UK Premiere of Over the Hedge. So polite and so enigmatic. I have to admit that I was extremely nervous about talking with him as his presence is very strong so he puts you at ease but you know that he's in control. An awesome man! Also, this story of mine has also been popping up all over the internet too - Bruce Willis lived with a family of racoons to train for the role of RJ. Clearly he's just joking but it gave me a great lead story for Friday. Also, If you haven't already seen the film, make time and go! It's really excellent.

I almost forgot, the Vince Vaughan and Jennifer Aniston interview went well. It'll be popping up online soon. I post a link when it goes live. Also, The Break Up is not as bad as I expected it to be. I actually quite enjoyed it although at points it did make me feel a bit uncomfortable and make me want to escape from the screening room... a bit like when a real couple are having a row andf you have to stand by all embarassed and watch. So I guess they did their jobs because it's realistic at least. Also, Jennifer, if you're reading this... nice ass!

I have loads of cool movies to see this week - I'll be watching Monster House and Superman Returns. Very excited about both of those. I've also got the offer of seeing a new shocker called Adrift, so I'll see if I can squeeze that in.

Got to dash, loads of stuff to do, but I'l be back real soon.

It's been a month already?

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Tue, 13 Jun 2006 15:31:00 +0000

A month. One whole month. That's how long it's been since I updated this blog. I should be - and am - ashamed of myself. But this entry is worth waiting for... Let's go back in time a few weeks...

X-Men: The Last Stand - So you've read my review and it turns out I was right! It has been one of the biggest films of the season... of the year in fact. I managed to grab some time with Hugh Jackman and Halle Berry (who I swear gets more attractive everytime I see her!).

Dave Matthews - So after the gig - that I went to with my friend Mike O'Dell (son of Spike) and when we got the show (which was awesome by the way) it turned out we also had passes for the after show party! So, when the gig was over we scooted upstairs to the balcony area at the Hammersmith Apollo here in London and hung out with the great and the good of the industry. A sweet way to end a truly fantastic night.

Over The Hedge - I've been to a preview screening of this movie (last night in fact) and it was the most fun I've had at the movies all month! Yes, it's more of a kids film than one aimed at adults but it is so funny! Steve Carell is hilarious as Hammy, a true marvel. Plus, with a soundtrack peppered with Ben Folds songs, what's not to love? It's out in the US and Canada and comes out in Europe at the end of the month. It's well worth watching.

Angels And Airwaves - Got to hang out with the band today and do an interview. Having been a Blink 182 fan for about a decade (yes, since the early days) it was get to catch up with Tom DeLonge and the boys was something that I've wanted to do ever since I found out that he was forming a new band... and whata band it is. If you haven't heard their debut album, We Don't Need To Whisper (buy it or download it... legally!). They gave me some seriously funny stories which I will be putting out there over the next few days so keep your eye on the 'net!

Okay, so what have I got coming up:

Avenue Q - I'm going to see Avenue Q in the near future and I cannot wait. I've had the soundtrack for about a year and love it so my outstanding girlfriend will be taking me. It's just opened in London and previewing at the moment so we've got a sweet deal that includes a meet and greet with the stars of the show. Yes, I love musical theatre and Yes, I have a girlfriend. I know....

Jennifer Aniston & Vince Vaughn - So The Break Up turned out not to be total crap like rumours had suggested (and may nasty people had hoped!) and became a bit of a box office smash! Well, I get to see it myself on Thursday and then get to talk with Jennifer and Vince afterwards. The last time I saw her was when she promoting Along Came Polly. It's weird when you're talking to a star and can't work out whether the star thinks the movie that they're promotiong isn't exactly Oscar winning stuff too... Still, she's always a very pleasant and profession woman so I'm willing to give her my
support. Plus, she's been through enough already, she could do with being cut some slack... Anyway, I'm interested to see The Break Up because I like her, I like Vince, I love Chicago so there's got to be plenty of things good with the movie..

Here's a tit bit for you - While I was in the hotel today (no, I'm not going to tell you which one... you stalker!) catching up with Angels And Airwaves I walked past Jon Bon Jovi coming back from a workout in the gym AND then rode in the lift with two members of The Eagles. Also, I found out this week that Keisha White - a UK soul singer- is good friends with Halle Berry. they met while filming Catwoman and have been friends ever since. Welcome to London!

And if takes me a month to up date this blog again... kick me ass by email!

X Men: The Last Stand - Phenomenal Fun!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Sat, 13 May 2006 09:34:00 +0000

I was lucky enough to get to see X Men: The Last Stand at a special screening in London last night and all I can say is, 'WOW!'. What a rush! I woke up this morning and I was still buzzing.

I can't say too much but what I can say is that Brett Ratner has done a fine job picking up the franchise for the final (don't be so sure...) 'episode'. The best thing about the movie is that unlike the first two films you don't know who to back in the final battle - do you back the X men who are out to protect the victim or do you back Magneto for their fight to protect the rights of mutants? It's a dilemma (well, an analogy about being 'different' ie gay, black, any minority, and being able to be 'cured' ie becoming straight, white, part of a majority) but it really draws you in and makes you think.

Okay, best things about the film: It looks great; the set pieces are really impressive; Magneto really gets to flex his campy muscles in this one and the whole thing is paced perfectly. Kelsey Grammer as The Beast was an inspired choice.

The things that bugged me: Some of the scriptting is a bit weak in places; some of the mutants are under used as they were in previous films; and Vinnie Jones as Juggernaut.

If you haven't already, then you need to see the first two films before you see this one. There are certain things that you might not understand about characters, their relationships and their motives. However, if you go into it totally blind to the heritage of the characters you will still probably have a great time.

X Men: The Last Stand is a great film (of its genre.. don't expect any Oscar nods) and a more than worthy addition to the franchise. What all summer blockbusters and superhero action movies should be like. The best of the (Mutant) blockbuster breed.

And if you can't wait for it's release in 2 weeks time... click here for a 7 minute preview of what's in store.

X Men: the Last Stand - Superb edge-of-the-seat stuff. Outstanding fun. Do not miss it!

So the conversation goes something like this....

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Thu, 11 May 2006 16:20:00 +0000

Okay, picture this. So, it's a lovely warm day, the sun is out, I've got home after my day at work - a good and productive day - so I think to myself, 'Hey! Have a beer, go out into the garden and take a load off.' So I take my own advice and I do that. So there I am basking in the late afternoon sun, with a cold beer and my dog at my feet when the home phone goes...
So I run into the apartment and there's this guy on the other end and the conversation goes something like this:

ME: Hello?
MAN: Is that Simon?
ME: Yes. Who is this?
MAN: It's Dave Matthews. I'm in London. How's it going?
ME: *Silence*

The world seems to stop for just a second and it hits me.... WOW! Dave Matthews - one of my favourite artists of all time - is calling me, at home, on my home phone, to chat and do an interview. Dave Matthews doesn't do many interviews but he's doing one with me. It was one of those moments where you just think, 'I have a cool job and I am a lucky, lucky man'.

Anyway, he was lovely - very funny, very friendly and one of the most grounded people I have spoken to. Out 10 minute interview went on for about 30 minutes. We could have talked for longer but he'd just got off a plane and I was on the verge of going all spazzy and telling him how much I loved his work. Anyway, I'm going to see him LIVE for the first time on Monday night and it's going to kick ass! What a day!

Another thing that's made my week really excellent is getting two tickets to go to a press screening for X Men: The Last Stand tomorrow night in London. I can't wait. I'll let you know what it's like as soon as the movie studio says I can.

In other news, I've been having a bit of an 80s thing going on for a few weeks now - music and movie wise - and found these sites that you might like. Firstly, this is a great 80s music resource called New Wave Outpost. The people on the forums there are really nice and really helpful in helping you track down hard to find stuff. Also, try out this radio station that I stumbled across called Club977. Click here for their site. This is a bookmark must for fans of 80s movies, an essay on the 'teen-sex comedies' of the time called They Want Us To Look. Have a read. Also, for fans of The Karate Kid, check out this site and this site. Bonsai!

In addition, and not at all film related, check out this site that my friend Martin aka Chewie sent me this week. It's brilliant. Hilarious and work safe too!

Hey, wanna see where I work? Click here!

This is sad. the guy who owned house at the centre of The Amityville Horror has died, George Lutz. That film still scares the living crap out of me now. The remake was quite scary too actually - although the sequels to the original movie - especially the one with the lamp in it, A LAMP????!!! - was terrible.

Also, everyone seems to be rallying around Tom Cruise at the moment after what's been a tough week for him. It seems like he's not as popular with audiences as he used to be, certainly in the US and with women especially. It hit the opening weekend box office of M:I III - although to be honest, at $48 million dollar weekend is not to be sniffed at.

I'm going to be talking to AFI in a week or so. I've had a listen to their new album - which isn't out for a few weeks - and I have to say it's superb. Expect them to be summer 2006's Blink 182/Good Charlotte/Bowling For Soup.

Stan Lee is looking for new breed of superhero in this new US TV show- Who Wants To Be A Superhero? Also, did you know that Sam 'Jurassic Park' Neill owns a vineyard?

Okay, it's sunny and warm so I am going to go outside now... maybe Dave Matthews will call again? Or maybe it will be one of They Might Be Giants? Or Adam Ant? Now THAT would be cool...

Entertainment Journalist: Will Work For Food!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Thu, 27 Apr 2006 16:35:00 +0000

I've had a great day today. Besides getting a lot done in the office and in general, I've had the pleasure of meeting one of the most normal people in the industry - Jamie Cullum. Now a lot of
people give him crap for just doing what he does and I think that sucks. He has a new single out soon called Photograph and it's a great way to be introduced to his work - just in case, somehow, his work has passed you by. I know Steve and Johnnie over at WGN Radio in Chicago are fans and they read my blog (P.S. Guys, I have some hot Jamie news if you want to give me a call..). Anyway, I turned at the rather swanky members club, The Electric, in Notting Hill this afternoon to speak to Jamie and, bless him, because I was hungry, he let me have some of his lunch - he had Whitebait in breadcrumbs and Cheese-On-Toast... if you're interested. We talked for ages and to be honest, I could have sat there all chatting all afternoon, but hey... what can you do. Also, he's doing a US tour really soon - in fact he's going to be playing one of my favourite on May 10, Hard Rock Live in Orlando - so please do go along and see him if you can. Also, check out his myspace page and this too - just discovered it but it's cool - radio blog club.

In other news, Snoop Dogg was arrested at Heathrow Airport in London; critics seem to have nailed a stake through the heart of Elton John's latest Broadway show, Lestat; J.J. Abrams is really p*ssed about somebody leaking the news that he'd going to be making a new Star trek movie; and what in the sweet name of all that is good is going on in the Charlie Sheen-Denise Richards divorce? For God's sake, think of the kids?!
Seriously, come on people.

And finally, this is my story of the day - David Hasselhoff is to star in a pantomime in South London this winter. The last time I went to see a panto was to see Sir Ian McKellen as Widow Twanky at The Old Vic - (it was Kevin Spacey's idea... his best one in years). Anyway, expect tickets to be like gold dust. It will be a riot. I am so there! And for those of you wondering who Bobby Davro is... well, that's showbiz!

Anyway, I'm spent... have a good one.

The biggest let down EVER!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Mon, 24 Apr 2006 17:57:00 +0000

So for the last few months over here in the UK we've been bombarded with adverts - on buses, on billboards, on banner ads on the net, on the TV - telling us that Ricky Gervais was going to be on The Simpsons. 2.2 MILLION of us tuned in last night to see what was effectively being billed as the best episode ever... and it sucked! And it seems I'm not alone in thinking that way either... read this. Disappointing.

One thing that wasn't a disappointment was the new British movie, Confetti. You can watch the trailer here. I comes out in the UK at the beginning of may and in the US at the end of the same month. The whole thing is improvised. It stars Martin (The Office, Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy) Freeman and a host of other excellent British comedy stars but the show is stolen (big time) by the two gay wedding organisers. They are hilarious. It met the main cast of the film last week, so when I've got my interviews up I'll post links. It's really really funny.

Other things you might like to know about that have come up in the last few days include: Will Smith crashes a Bar Mitzvah (Getting Yiddish With It?); Comedies are dominating this years MTV Movie Awards; Samuel L Jackson has had bits of his new movie, Snakes On A Plane (no prizes for guessing what it's about), reshot so that he could swear more; and Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes had a baby - a girl. I won't link to that story because if you aren't aware of that story then you're either dead or really don't care one bit. anyway, congrats Tom. He's been in Rome today ahead of the premiere of MI3 there tonight but no word yet on if he'll be in London for the premiere here tomorrow.

And now a plug for a friend... every Monday through Thursday, a longstanding friend of mine has a show on a radio station in Brighton, England called Juice. He runs a music school by day - and has a co-host, Ace from the excellent 90's rock band, Skunk Anansie. It's on between 8 and 10pm GMT and you can listen in by going to the website here. Tell him Simon sent you...

And I think that's it... til next time... er... bye.

Everybody's blogging for the (four day) weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Thu, 13 Apr 2006 16:19:00 +0000

Yay! As much as I love it, work is over for another week - and it's only Thursday! That can't be a bad thing. Here in the UK we're about to embark on a four day weekend because it's Easter so we get Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday off. A truly sweet deal.

Anyhow, what a crazy few days it's been in the world of entertainment. You might have read or heard about Britney's latest slice of parenting drama with her son fracturing his skull. If not, click here. She's in the clear - and I'm not saying she's a bad parent because kids can be a
handful and accidents do happen - but I would put money on her having some sort of breakdown/crisis in the next 18 months. She aint sexy anymore apparently, she sure as heck aint exactly been tearing up the charts with hot new material and she appears to spend all her time holidaying in Hawaii, being entertained by dwarves and just behaving a bit erratically. My solution to the problem? I hate to see families split up but I say get rid of K-Fed! From where I'm standing, it all appears to have been going downhill since they hooked up.

On a more positive note, great to hear this week that Mel Brooks is going to turn another of his movies - Young Frankenstein - into a musical. This is great news as I love The Producers... yes, even the movie remake of the stage show of the film. I haven't watched the movie in years but I have fond memories of it. Maybe we can expect to see Blazing Saddles on Broadway by 2010? That would be excellent. But hey, I'm still excited that Wicked, Avenue Q and Spamalot are heading my way later this year.

'Diamond' Dave Lee Roth is having a bit of a career nightmare right now. He's got a morning radio show in the US and it seems to getting a lot of criticism. I haven't heard it but can it really be that bad? I'm going to try an tune in at some point over the next few days and find out for myself. Please Dave, say it aint so...

In other news, the very pregnant Angelina Jolie is being guarded by lions, a prison guard is in deep trouble after showing inmates Brokeback Mountain, another person has died after experiencing one of my favourite rides at Walt Disney World in Orlando and if you click here you can see a picture of Harry Potter actress Emma Watson enjoying a brew with friends... at the age of 15! Actually, Happy Birthday Emma, because she turns 16 on Saturday (15.04.06)... have a drink on me! Oh... you already have ... *hic*

And finally, here's a gag reel from Tom Cruise and JJ Abrams that's been pushed out to promote Mission: Impossible 3. You can watch it by clicking here. I would LOVE to get to interview the Cruise one day... I am dying to know what goes on in his head. He is so bizarre sometimes that I think half the stuff I hear (and... er... write myself) can't be true so I would just like to, for once, be able to report something that actually came out of his mouth, to me, personally, to my face, that wasn't speculation or PR spin! I think it would one of the most interesting people I would ever get to speak to. I've been a fan since I was a kid and would just love to be able to have a holds barred chat with him. I'd love to hear how he feels about all the stuff that's written about him too... it must suck being attacked and mocked all the time (even though he does kind of bring it upon himself sometimes). I could go on about this all day but I won't. All I'm saying is Tom. get your people to call me when you're in town at the end of the month and we can talk. Come on man, I even love Cocktail... and because of you I call the things at the end of my laces 'fluggle-binders'... I'm 32 for C*****s sake! Damn it Tom, let's boogie...

Anyway, have a great weekend... a great Easter... a great Pesach... and I'll catch you again real soon.

Gene Pitney (1941 - 2006)

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Wed, 05 Apr 2006 18:48:00 +0000

Really sorry to hear about Gene Pitney dying today. I have to admit, I wasn't his biggest fan (more of a Neil Sedaka man myself) but it's always a shame when an icon dies. The only positive thing about it is that he was found dead - fully clothed - almost as if he just laid down to rest and *puff* - that was it. We'd hope peacefully and after what, having read what some reviewers - at his last gig in Cardiff, Wales just a few hours earlier - said was one of his best. A sweet (as sweet as death can be) deal for someone who appears to have been very well thought of by fans and contemporaries. He did do some cool stuff like '24 Hours From Tulsa', ' Something's Gotten Hold Of My Heart' and 'A Town Without Pity'. Looks like he passed on while he was still on top. Kick ass!

In other showbiz death news, the former drummer with one of my favourite bands of the 90s, The Wonderstuff, has died. You can read about it here. Not a household name but any loss of life is saddening.

Laterz... hopefully with happier news!

A-ha! Morten and me chat about the good old days

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Tue, 04 Apr 2006 16:45:00 +0000

Boy oh boy! What a week! It's a been a really doozy. So let's work backwards. Today I met one of my all time musical favourites - Morten Harket, the lead singer with legendary Norwegian band, A-ha. I have been a fan of the band since 1985 and always wanted to interview them. Well, last night I got 'the call'... and by 1pm today I'd crossed another 'Would Like To Meet...' off my list. In 1986, my older brother took me to see them in Cardiff. Earlier this year I took my younger brother to seem them in London - almost 20 years to the day. It's like a bonding thing I guess. Needless to say, they were awesome. I have to say that meeting Morten - who is lovely and, being totally comfortable in my heterosexuality, he is also a very good looking man. I can totally see why generations of women have been obsessed with him. He is very smart, very polite, very handsome and very interesting to talk to. It was an absolute pleasure. Anyway the picture on the left is me, with Morten. I think perhaps I have the biggest sh*t-eating grin ever committed to camera, but I have to admit that I was pretty impressed with myself... P.S. This is a terrible picture of me and the jumper makes me look fat so apologies..

Anyway, A-ha have also been confirmed as one of the acts at this years Guilfest in Guildford, England, so it should be a classic year for the event. It usually sells out so don't waste any time! even if you just go to see A-ha you won't be disappointed. Trust me... And if you haven't already got hold of their new album - Analogue - then you have to. It's excellent. I swear!

So, Narnia is out on DVD. It was released on Monday here in the UK and in the US too I think. Brokeback Mountain got released on DVD too this week.. so I guess in US videostores this week you've got two cowboys coming out of the closet and four kids going in. Funny how things turn out... Anyway, last Wednesday there was a big launch event in County Hall on London's South Bank. It was a pretty sweet do. Loads of great drinks - LOVED the lycee cocktails! - and some very tasty food, although there could have been more of it. Anyway, a great night and met a few cool people. It was great to see the Narnia kids (some of the older ones) taking full advantage of the free bar... but I won't tell if you won't... Needless to say I (and a colleague) drank our fair share and then left with a rather generous goody bag. So, thank you Disney!

Okay, trailer time. Check this out! I stumbled across it by accident the other day and it looks pretty funny by all accounts. It's called Keeping Up With Steins. It's due out in the US on May 12th - no word yet on a UK release. And what sort of entertainment-journalist-and-blogger would I be if I didn't post a link to this - the teaser trailer for The Simpsons movie! And finally, for those of you who haven't seen the superb British comedy, Kinky Boots - which is due a US release later this month - here is a trailer for that too. It really is a superb little film with a great soundtrack. It's a limited release that really is worth hunting down. It was in my top three films of last year. I really say enough good things about it.

Also, I see a NY movie theatre has pulled the trailer for the new 9/11 movie United 93 because people got upset. I totally understand and sympathise but realistically, will there if be a good time for movies like this to be made and shown? Probably not, but I think now is as right a time as any... You can read more on that story here. It was a horrible horrible even that shocked me to the core - and still does today - but I think the sooner we face the demon the better it will be.

If you're interested, here is my rather damning feature on Basic Instinct 2. I clearly couldn't be too far off the mark as it only took $3.2 million dollars on it's opening weekend in the US. The original took the equivalent of $20 million plus when it opened in 1992. I don't know what that means, but it must mean something!

Okay. I'm done. I got a dog to feed and laundry to do. Isn't showbiz grand? Stay safe...

A sequel too far... and the YouTube revolution!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Tue, 28 Mar 2006 17:05:00 +0000

So first off, I discovered something really cool the other day. It turns out that George Michael - the former lead (okay, only) singer in Wham! now solo artist and occasionally indiscreet sexual adventurer - used to live in my neighbourhood. He grew up here. I was impressed. Okay, so maybe it's not that cool and about 20 years too late to go and knock on his door to ask for a cup of sugar but... you never know when that little gem of information might come in handy!

Other news, Draco Malfoy from the Harry Potter films (aka Tom Felton) is looking for friends on myspace. Everyone seems to be getting on the myspace bandwagon at the moment so the cool is quickly becoming uncool. The same will happen to Youtube in a few months I fear. However, there's a let to be said for that particular site - it's the place where I got to watch the controversial South Park episodes about Scientology, can see classic Family Guy clips on demand and even music videos. Check it out... if you haven't already.

By the way, here are two clips you have to check out. The first is Natalie Portman rapping on SNL - just superb - and the other is a fave comedy/music-guy-band-type-thing called Corn Mo doing a number called Busey Boy on the Jimmy Kimmel Show. I caught him live with They Might Be Giants about a year and half ago. He was amazingly entertaining! I had an album of his but it went with the rest of our stuff in burglary... anyhow... moving on...

Film stuff and, I have no idea why, but they are making another Oceans 11 sequel. amazingly enough it'll be called Oceans 13. So now the trilogy is complete... expect a generation's wait until George Lucas comes along and makes the prequels. Jah Jah Binks takes Vegas!

Despite awards season being pretty much dead and buried, I see Brokeback Mountain has managed to grab some more silverware. Looks like it came from behind to beat off stiff competition! Sorry... And Spiderman is relocating... to Cleveland?!?!

Staying with movies, here is my (rather damning) verdict on V For Vendetta and a rather charitable piece on The Pink Panther. Memo to Steve Martin: get a new agent! You can also read my interviews with Sarah Jessica Parker and Sharon Stone on the site too. They've also appeared (in various forms) in newspapers and magazines around the world but I know that site puts them up pretty much intact so that's why I've sent you there. The SJP piece even ended up in The Jewish Chronicle. Sweet!

Also, I suggest you avoid Basic Instinct 2. It sucks and is about as sexy as a swift jab to the Mummy-Daddy button! Just horrible! Still, Sharon was a very pleasant woman so, what more you ask for? Okay, a good film to watch would be nice but hey...

Anyway, tomorrow I'll be going to the launch of the Narnia DVD. Should be a good event - lots of free booze and lots of freebies plus a good chance to network and meet some celebs. Smashing! I should be interviewing Carmen Electra in a few weeks. She'll be in town promoting Scary Movie 4. I always get the tough jobs...

In other news, we now have a gorgeous pet called Junior - a 10-year-old greyhound (the animal, not the bus) and to be honest we're spoiling him rotten! But before you send me 'fat dog' hate mail, we do give him everything in moderation. Especially booze and crack. I'M JOKING!!

Also, I got an email the other day from a great great friend that I haven't seen or heard from in years that made me jump for joy. He's a guy that I used to work with a thought the world of, still do of course, so it made what was a very crappy week (events wise) into a very good one. Hooray for Martin aka Chewy!

Okay, I'm done. Hopefully I won't be so lame in updating this blog in the future... if I am, send me e-asskickings! Play safe... Si

Keeping Hollywood Kosher since 2006

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Tue, 14 Mar 2006 18:02:00 +0000

I know it's been a while since I updated my blog so HUGE apologies but to be honest, my heads been spinning very since the break-in and only now am I getting back to normal. Work's been mad too! Loads of developments there... and more to come so fingers crossed this could be a big year.

Anyhow, films. So, the Oscars have come and gone. Crash was the Best Film? I liked it. A lot. But Best Film? Some of the cast were superb but other (mentioning no names Sandra Bullock and Brendan Fraser) let the side down as far as impact performances go. But hey, what do I know?

I've had a busy day today. I went to two junkets at Claridges Hotel in London today. The first was for Failure To Launch - the new Sarah Jessica Parker rom-com that's doing big business in the US right now - and the other was for The Inside Man - Spike Lee's latest movie.

Firstly, I asked SJP what she'd be doing for Passover this year... and do you know what? I had to remind her when it was! She'd forgotten! She was grateful though and says that if she'd not travelling she'll be spending it with her sister's family (complete with newborn child.. her sister's not SJP's) because she's Orthodox. Like the title says, I'm keeping Hollywood kosher! My life already...

With regards to Inside Man... there are a few directors who I am in awe of because of the way they put the world on film. They don't always get it perfect but they always bring something new to the table. Spike Lee is one of those men. What an interesting character. It was a real pleasure to get the chance to talk with him.

In other news, I am sad to say that it looks like J Lo is being linked to the big screen Dallas remake. G-d help us all! Elsewhere, Isaac Hayes has ditched South Park because they started taking the p*ss out of Scientology. While a gay-themed coming-of-age drama about a large Catholic family has been doing some serious business at the Canadian Film Awards.

Here are a few trailers I think you should check out. Firstly, X Men 3 (kick ass!), Mission: Impossible 3 (kick ass!) and Kinky Boots (one of my favourite films of 2005... finally getting a US release).

Also, before I go, check out this band: Lorraine. They're Swedish and are absolutely superb! And another band I've been going on about for sometime now - Orson - have had the recognition they deserve with their first single - No Tomorrow - reaching No 2 in the UK charts. Check out my feature on them here!

And I'm spent.... back in a few days. Have fun. Play nice!

V For Very Boring!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Thu, 02 Mar 2006 14:57:00 +0000

I couldn't think of a sassier title. Sorry! Anyway, I'll back on the level after my series of unfortunate incidents. Some asshol did rip the wing mirror of our car the other day but hey, what can you do? It's annoying but... whatever. Also, we should have a PC again soon so updates should become more regular again too, which will be nice.

Anyway, entertainment news. So George Michael got arrested last weekend. I'm sure that guy should write a memo to himself and stick it on his head, or his PDS or something, just a little to remind him not to do stupid things in public. Maybe something like; "George, remember not to get high and fall asleep behind the wheel of a car when you have a boot stuffed full or sex toys, bondage gear and gay porn. Oh, and you need milk."

You might remember that I saw Lucky Number Slevin a few weeks back but couldn't tell you what I thought about it because of the review embargo? Well here's my review: Don't bother watching it. It's the perfect example of a great cast, a great idea, but everybody involved just walk through the film like they can't be bothered to act. Shame.

Also, I got to see the latest entry in the comic-book-(sorry... graphic novel)-turned-into-a-movie genre the other night, V For Vendetta. I'm sad to say it sucks. I looks great, but it's way too slow and seems to love itself. Again, shame, as it could have been excellent.

If you're interested, here a few of the article I've written recently that have appeared online (many more have appeared in traditional print around the world but I can't link to them). Here's my piece on Capote; Reese Witherspoon talking to me about Walk The Line; George Clooney promoting Syriana and Mr Spielberg on Munich.

And finally, getting ready for Oscar fever this weekend? Don't forget to scan back through my postings and see what I think is going to win. I might be way off but..

Gotta go do some work. My lunch break is over... OVER!

As the used to say on Quantum Leap; "Oh Boy!"

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Mon, 20 Feb 2006 17:59:00 +0000

What a month! First we were burgled, then my bro and sis in-law's cat had to be put down because it was ill (and I loved cats, especially that one) and today I managed to totally erase my iPod by accident. That last one wouldn't suck so bad, apart from the fact that my backup is on the PC that the thieves stole. Curses! Anyhow, I'm trying to retrieve my date as I speak so we'll see how that goes. Anyhow, enough crying like a baby, what's going on in the world of showbiz?

Okay, first off, we went to see Orson play LIVE at London's 100 Club on Valentines Day and they were awesome. If you ever get a chance to see them live then do. They are so much better than they are on CD (and they're pretty good then too). I'll be interviewing them tomorrow, so that should be fun. I'm also going to interview Jason Mraz - someone I've been a fan of for a few years - so that's going to be cool.

I spoke to Teddy Thompson last week - he's the guy who teamed up with Rufus Wainwright for the Brokeback Mountain soundtrack. Nice guy. Check out his website and take time out to listen to his album.

We had the BAFTA Awards in London last night - they're the British Academy Of Film And Television Awards. Nice to see Brokeback getting more silverwear, but I was suprised that Pride And Prejudice didn't get more than one award. However that was balanced up by Wallace And Gromit getting Best British Film!!! I was amazed.. but pleasantly. I actually managed to get some time with Nick Park and Steve Box this morning to talk about their win as they unveiled a huge inflatable Gromit in Trafalgar Square. Okay, so it all tied in nicely with the launch of the DVD but hey... I'm not going to complain.

Before I forget, I'll also be talking to Eric Idle tomorrow at the press launch of Spamalot. As I mentioned before, the show will hit the West End later this year so they're doing a big launch to kick off the ticket sales. Cool. More on that - and where you can read the interview - at a later date.

And if you're looking for something to spice things up in the bedroom and rubber nipples are your thing then I have good news! George Clooney's Batman suit is being sold off at auction. It's just a shame I am unable to wipe the memory of the film from my fragile little mind though...

Anyhow, that's my lot for today. I'm off to try and save some more of my life from my iPod and then piece it all back together before we shut the office down for the night. So, a rather half-hearted, but still heart-felt, bye for now. Stay safe and damn the man!

Dude! Where's My Stuff?!

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Fri, 10 Feb 2006 18:02:00 +0000

Hey everybody! I'm sorry that I haven't posted anything on this blog for a few days but I was burgled this week and the sh*t sticks took pretty much everything they could carry. Among the haul was my DVD collection - including my signed Star Wars DVD boxset and a host of other cool personalised stuff. Natch the blighters took our PC as well.. with all my work on it! It could be worse I guess. At least we have our health. Anyhow, as I spend the weekend sorting out the insurance and licking my wounds, relax, kick back and I'll be posting all sorts of film stuff again real soon.

Brokeback To The Future

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Sat, 04 Feb 2006 18:02:00 +0000

It's been a busy week. Work has been crazy because after the festive lull everybody seems to have a new movie coming out! Sweet... but it means we're mad busy. Also, it seems that everyone wants to opush their band at the moment too so I have interviews lined up with US rockers Orson, UK jazz monkey Jamie Cullum and the astounding MC Lars in the next few weeks. I'm also going to hook up with Simple Plan too which will be superb fun. Not to mention a chat with Michael Jackson's personal photographer, Harrison Funk - what a name! You know with a name like that you'll never have any problem getting laid.

Also, this was emailed me the other day (I won't claim to have discovered it myself as that would be lame) but I knew that I had to share it. It is one of the funniest things I have ever seen - it's this sort of stuff that makes me love the net. It's called Brokeback To The Future and it is a piece of absolute genius. Check it out.

As we all head back into the office on Monday morning it'll be back to Hogwarts for Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint and Emma Watson. Filming starts on Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix on Monday. Another Brit is directing it - David Yates. If he does half as good as job as Mike Newell did with the last one it's all good... bearing in mind that's coming from someone who isn't a Potter franchise fan.

Before I forget, I saw A-ha on Thursday night and they were amazing, so if you get the chance to see them live at any point you should leap at the chance. Blew me away. It's been 20 years since I last saw them live and like a good wine, they've got better with age. One of the best gigs I have seen... period.

Anyway, this is odd. Sheryl Crow and Lance Armstrong have split up. Bearing in mind that this is just a few days after they did an article in a society magazine saying that they were due to tie the knot in late Spring. Go figure! Shame, because I though they were a lovely couple.

And I see that the guy who directed the last Bond film - Lee Tamahori - has been busted for prostitution. By that I mean he was trying to hiring one, and not that he has become one. Anyway, there's more on that here. Die Another Lay anyone?

Okay. I'm out of here. Have a great day!

The day I Walked The Line with Reese Witherspoon

noreply@blogger.com (They call me Simon) — Wed, 01 Feb 2006 15:44:00 +0000

So, Reese Witherspoon is probably one of the sweetest women in Hollywood. Fact. I had the pressure of asking her a few questions this morning (at the swanky Dorchester Hotel in London). She was so polite! I'm always impressed by people like her who have to deal with people like me asking her stuff she might not like so much but not being rude back. We're both just doing our job. Reese, thank you for being the consummate professional!

In case you've been living in a cave you will know that the Oscar nominations were announced yesterday. Okay, here are my predictions for the winners for the big ones.

Best Picture: Brokeback Mountain
Best Actor: Joaquin Phoenix, Walk the Line
Best Actress: Felicity Huffman, Transamerica
Best Supporting Actor: Jake Gyllenhaal, Brokeback Mountain
Best Supporting Actress: Rachel Weisz, The Constant Gardener
Best Director: Ang Lee, Brokeback Mountain
Best Original Screenplay: Crash
Best Adapted Screenplay: The Constant Gardener

On a less high brow note, the trailer for Scary Movie 4 has gone online. If you have nothing better to do with your time then you can watch it by clicking here. I have a funny feeling it won't be .. er .. funny.

For those of you who heard me on WGN last night and have got in touch asking what the name of the Daniel Craig (new James Bond actor) movie that I recommended here you go; It's called Enduring Love and also star Rhys Ifans - the Welsh guy from the Notting Hill movie. Let me know what you think.

Okay .. I'm done! Gotta run as we have a guest coming for dinner.