J. Lo & Marc's Reps Finally Speak Out

As you've heard by now, everyone is talking about the reportedly rocky state of the marriage between Jennifer Lopez and Marc Anthony.

Reports keep surfacing that the two are heading for divorce soon. Like real soon!

The NY Daily News even reported that J. Lo and Skeletor will be divorcing right after Valentine's Day.

Well, J. Lo and Marc's reps are speaking out.

Their publicist, Leslie Sloane Zelnik, spoke out about the Valentine's divorce piece and said "There is no merit to the article."

And Marc's rep is also speaking out, saying "none of the rumors are true."

[Image via WENN.]

Palin’s daughter gives birth to son named Tripp

The Associated Press

Monday, December 29, 2008

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The daughter of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin has given birth to a son, a magazine reported Monday.

Bristol Palin, 18, gave birth to Tripp Easton Mitchell Johnston on Sunday, People magazine reported online. He weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces. Colleen Jones, the sister of Bristol’s grandmother, told the magazine that “the baby is fine and Bristol is doing well.”

Celebrities and their kids

Katy Perry Has Dinner With Robert Pattinson & Friends

Katy Perry had a late night dinner with vampire Robert Pattinson and friends at Il Sole restaurant last night! Katy was an hour late but was all cozy with her fury hat
while Robert wore a simple beanie to keep warm!

Brandy Steps Out With A New Guy!

Singer Brandy Norwood stepped out with a new guy at club Winston’s Saturday night! Brandy is currently promoting her new album “Human” featuring “Long Distance.”

Caroline Kennedy

"Many people remember that spirit that President Kennedy summoned forth. Many people look to me as somebody who embodies that sense of possibility. I'm not saying that I am anything like him, I'm just saying there's a spirit that I think I've grown up with that is something that means a tremendous amount to me. I think my mother … made it clear that you have to live life by your own terms and you have to not worry about what other people think and you have to have the courage to do the unexpected. Going into politics is something people have asked me about forever. When this opportunity came along, which was sort of unexpected, I thought, `Well, maybe now. How about now?' We're starting to see there are many ways into public life and public service."

- Caroline Kennedy, in her first interview, granted Friday, since expressing interest in replacing Hillary Clinton as Senator of the state of New York.

[Image via WENN.]

Mariah and Nick's Winter Escape

Simpson and Wentz Debut Baby

10 Questions for Viggo Mortensen

Brad Pitt

"I'll trade wisdom for youth any day. … It's a tragedy in the sense that any love involves loss, and that's the risk you take. And the greater the love, the greater the loss. I certainly feel that now with the woman I'm with, and the children that I have. But whatever the course may be, this time together is extraordinary."

- Brad Pitt tells the L.A. Times

Prince William

Prince William shows off his thinning hair and new beard as he attends the Christmas Day church service at St. Mary's Church in Sandringham, England.

What do you think of the scruff????

Late Show - Oh, Tootsie!

2008 in Review: Global Headlines of 2008

NEWS - CELEBRITY -IN- CHIEF - PRESIDENT ELECT OBAMA GETTING POP STAR TREATMENT

Craig Ferguson's Celebrity News Update

'Sopranos' actor 'Johnny Cakes' dead in apparent suicide

NEW YORK (AP) — A 47-year-old actor who starred as the gay firefighter-lover of a closeted mobster on the hit show The Sopranos was found dead of an apparent suicide after family members were unable to reach him.

John Costelloe, who played the hunky short-order cook Johnny Cakes on four episodes of the HBO show, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside his Brooklyn home on Dec. 18, said police spokesman Lt. John Grimpel.

Costelloe gained a measure of fame in 2006 when he was cast as Jim "Johnny Cakes" Witowski opposite his longtime friend, actor Joseph Gannascoli, who played gay mob capo Vito Spatafore.

See 'Benjamin Button,' just don't try to guess his age

By Claudia Puig, USA TODAY
Who would have thought Brad Pitt, even aged artificially, could bear a resemblance to Yoda?

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (* * * out of four) is worth seeing just for the superb prosthetic makeup and seamless computer-generated effects in which Pitt's head is digitally imposed onto older bodies. The film, ambitious if flawed, also is lyrical and melancholy as it tells the story of a man aging backward.

But the tale, though laudably imaginative, is overlong and not as emotionally involving as it could be. David Fincher, one of the best contemporary directors, has made a notable departure from such darker fare as Zodiac and Fight Club.

The influence of screenwriter Eric Roth is perhaps even stronger than Fincher's capable direction. Roth wrote 1994's Forrest Gump, and Button has notable similarities.

Benjamin is a passive and reactive character, and Pitt is appropriately understated. The long romance between Button and Daisy is less convincing; we never get a full sense of who she is.

Singer, Actress Eartha Kitt Dies By POLLY ANDERSON , PopEater / Wire Services

NEW YORK (Dec. 25) - Eartha Kitt, the sultry-voiced songstress, actress and dancer who went from the South Carolina cotton fields to international award-winning stardom, has died at the age of 81.Kitt died on Thursday of colon cancer, according to family spokesman Andrew Freedman.
Known to the world as a self-proclaimed "sex kitten" famous for her catlike purr, Kitt was one of America's most versatile performers, winning two Emmys and nabbing a third nomination. She also was nominated for several Tonys and two Grammys.
Her career spanned six decades, from her start as a dancer with the famed Katherine Dunham troupe to cabarets and acting and singing on stage, in movies and on television. She persevered through an unhappy childhood as a mixed-race daughter of the South and made headlines in the 1960s for denouncing the Vietnam War during a visit to the White House.
Through the years, Kitt remained a picture of vitality and attracted fans less than half her age even as she neared 80.

Jennifer Aniston Didn’t Always Want to Be Friends

"I'd be doing Chekhov and they'd be chuckling. I'd be like 'What the hell are you laughing at?'" —Jennifer Aniston got into comedy because people wouldn't stop laughing at her [Reuters via Yahoo]

Clive Owen to Save World From Drugs

Drug Problems: Clive Owen has signed on to star in Mark Cuban's Cartagena. Turistas writer Michael Ross is attached to write the screenplay about an undercover agent living among Colombian drug cartels. Owen's character is discovered as an agent and must evade drug dealers if he hopes to live. But in the end they see how dashingly handsome he is and they let him go. [HR]

Is Will Smith Really an Outlier?

If someone were to ask you how Will Smith, out of all the world's working and aspiring actors, became one of Hollywood's top-grossing movie stars, you'd probably answer, "total luck." And, of course, you'd be completely correct — but don't let him hear you say that! Smith is among the growing number of film-industry rainmakers (including Dustin Hoffman and director Sam Mendes) using an argument from Malcolm Gladwell's new best seller Outliers to explain their massive success, reports today's L.A. Times. In the book, Gladwell posits that any skill can be "mastered" if one spends 10,000 hours practicing, attributing the accomplishments of Bill Gates and the Beatles to all the time they spent programming computers and playing eight-hour sets in dingy German rock clubs (respectively).

Smith recently spoke to the L.A. Times about a small film he saw, describing its cast thusly: "I could tell that none of the actors in the film were world-class actors with 10,000 hours of experience." (Both Hoffman and Mendes have made similar-ish statements in interviews, says the paper.)

There are lots of plausible reasons for Will Smith's super-fame — charm, likability, the endless durability of this song, etc. — but would anyone ever credit his success to the countless hours he spent mastering his craft? And has he really even put in the requisite 10,000 hours? Just because Seven Pounds seems to go on forever doesn't mean he spent that long acting in it!

'10,000 Hours' book a hit with Hollywood [LAT]
By: Lane Brown

Seth Rogen Seduces a Jell-O Mold in New Monsters vs. Aliens Trailer

Whereas the first trailer for Dreamworks' Monsters vs. Aliens played like Hellboy rejiggered for preteen boys, the film's just-released second preview actively courts the young female quadrant by focusing heavily on Reese Witherspoon's Attack of the 50-Foot Woman–type character. But while we are treated to a few more details about her character's arc — she gets hit by a stray meteor on her wedding day, causing her to swell to ginormous proportions, at which point the U.S. government forcibly enlists her to assist with national security issues — we still don't get the sense that this movie will be as awesome to watch in 3-D as the upcoming My Bloody Valentine remake (MBV3D for short). Also, we would be remiss if we didn't inform you that Seth Rogen's amorphously blobby character does appear to find himself a love interest at some point in the film. Specifically, a Jell-O mold.




By: Mark Graham

The Curious Case of Julia Ormond

The actress returns, ten years after her brief fling as film’s Next Big Thing.



‘It’s wonderful to not get stuck with the ingénue roles. Not being the love interest frees you up to do a lot of other things,” says Julia Ormond, who has been inconspicuous for some years after one of the most conspicuous careers of the nineties. For a moment there, she was Hollywood’s Next Big Thing, primo alpha-male bait, fought over by Brad Pitt and Aidan Quinn in 1994’s Legends of the Fall, Richard Gere and Sean Connery in 1995’s First Knight, and Harrison Ford and Greg Kinnear in Sydney Pollack’s remake of Sabrina. “You think they’re different—one’s a Western, one’s a fairy tale, one’s a romantic comedy,” she says of those roles. “Then you step back and realize it’s the same thing.”

And now, here she is again, at 43, appearing in small yet key parts in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button andChe. In the first, it’s her reading of Benjamin Button’s journal that propels the film’s flashback structure (though she is never reunited onscreen with Pitt, who plays Button). In the second, she is American journalist Lisa Howard, whose interview with Benicio Del Toro’s Che provides the film’s structure. “Julia put on a blonde wig and sent us a tape of herself as Howard,” says director Steven Soderbergh of casting her. “It was pretty spectacular, and that’s all it took.”

By Bilge Ebiri

John Travolta Butches It Up in From Paris With Love Teaser

The last time we saw John Travolta on the silver screen, he was wearing a fat suit and dressed in drag. Wondering how he could possibly follow that up? By shaving his head, spirit-gumming on a goatee and playing a cop with loose morals in an international espionage thriller, natch! The first teaser trailer for From Paris With Love, which also stars Hugo Boss pitchman Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, is about as ludicrous as one would expect for a film produced and co-written by the endearingly schlocky Luc Besson. Unfortunately for fans of the action genre, it looks as if Besson used up most of his interesting ideas about how best to blow up cars in the Transporter series. But fans of camp will likely take great delight in seeing Travolta attempt to butch it up a bit, all the while looking like an unholy cross between Mr. Clean and Marsellus Wallace. And whatever you do, be sure to stick around for the end of the video when Travolta spouts the trailer-friendly catchphrase "Welcome to Paris, baby!" in his finest Sweathoggian accent.

By: Mark Graham

$5,300 for Scarlett Johansson’s Hanky? 'Snot a Joke

Today 10:06 AM PST by Breanne L. Heldman
Scarlett Johansson,
Apparently $5,300 is the going rate for what is presumably the most expensive used tissue in the world.

Last week Scarlett Johansson got into the spirit of the holiday sniffles on the Tonight Show With Jay Leno. She claimed she caught the cold from costar Samuel L. Jackson. After Leno handed her a tissue and the starlet gave a good blow, she joked that the used hanky had some value.

To test her hypothesis, the tissue was placed on the auction block on eBay, with proceeds benefiting USA Harvest.

Seems an anonymous, recession-proof fan dug deep into his or her pockets and anted up the big bucks for ScarJo's snot rag during a last-minute bidding war.

The winner of the golden mucus will be confirmed and announced on tonight’s Tonight Show.

Jessica & Cash Hold Commitment Ceremony

Posted by ExtraTV Staff on December 22, 2008 12:00 PM

Actress Jessica Alba and Cash Warren tied the knot in a private ceremony this past summer -- and now the couple held a commitment ceremony to celebrate their union with family and friends.

INFPhoto

"There were no tears -- just lots of happiness and love," a party guest revealed to Us Weekly. "It felt extremely special for everyone."

The "Love Guru" actress and Warren decided to host the reception to "celebrate their love and commitment to each other," added the guest.

Alba, 27, and Warren, 29, both opened up about their relationship before handing the floor over to their fathers -- who both spoke about their happiness about the couple's union and 6-month-old daughter, Honor.

The ceremony took place at the couple's Beverly Hills home, and baby Honor wore a gray dress that matched Jessica's, along with fairy wings.

The couple met on the set of "Fantastic Four" in 2004, where Cash was an assistant to the film's director.

Reports: Jacko Sicko?

Posted by ExtraTV Staff on December 22, 2008 11:42 AM

Getty Images

Rumors have been flying that Michael Jackson is suffering from a potentially fatal lung disease -- and with each report, the ailments worsened.

Ian Halperin, author of a book about Michael Jackson, told In Touch Weekly that the King of Pop is suffering from Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency -- and that needs a lung transplant. "He needs a lung transplant but may be too weak to go through with it," said Halperin, "but it's the gastrointestinal bleeding that is the most problematic part. It could kill him."

Other reports suggest that the "Thriller" singer can barely speak, and is going blind in his left eye. These reports of Jackson's health remain unconfirmed, but brother Jermaine recently told FOX News, "He is not well."

UPDATE: Michael Jackson's official and sole spokesperson, Dr. Tohme Tohme, in response to recent rumors regarding Michael's alleged medical condition, has issued the following statement:

"... We would hope in the future that legitimate media will not continue to be exploited by such an obvious attempt to promote this unauthorized 'biography.' The wild allegations concerning Mr. Jackson's health are a total fabrication. Mr. Jackson is in fine health, and finalizing negotiations with a major entertainment company & television network for both a world tour and a series of specials and appearances."

TMZ TV Tonite -- Stocking Stuffers Posted Dec 22nd 2008 2:20PM by TMZ Staff On TMZ TV tonight -- Michael Jackson has a new place to hang his Christm

President-elect Barack Obama is still humble enough to do laundry -- ON HIS ABS!


Check out B.O. in Hawaii this weekend. Somehow, the folks over at Bauer Griffin got the pic, despite the 1,400 motorcycles blocking the view.

Zac Efron Gifts Mattel Children's Hospital

Deliberations resume in NYC "Sopranos" trial

6 mins ago

• Photo: Actor Lillo Brancato, Jr. is shown in this Feb. 2005, file photo in New York. AP

NEW YORK – Deliberations have resumed in the trial of a former "Sopranos" actor accused in the shooting death of an off-duty New York City police officer.

The Bronx jury on Monday began weighing murder charges against Lillo Brancato, who played a wannabe mobster on "The Sopranos."

The jury last deliberated on Friday, a day after announcing it was deadlocked 11-1.

Prosecutors say Brancato and an accomplice broke into a Bronx apartment next to the home of Officer Daniel Enchautegui (En-chow-TAY'-gee) in December 2005. When the officer came to investigate, the accomplice shot him in the heart.

Brancato has pleaded not guilty. He got his big break playing opposite Robert De Niro in the 1993 film "A Bronx Tale."

Associated Press Release

Michael Jackson -- Alpha Male?

Posted Dec 21st 2008 3:26PM by TMZ Staff

Michael may be in desperate need of a lung transplant, according to Ian Halperin, author of a new M.J. bio.

Halperin claims Jacko suffers from a rare genetic disorder known as Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, which has led to emphysema and gastrointestinal bleeding.

Halperin told In Touch Michael can barely speak and is nearly blind in his left eye.

We called MJ's reps -- nothing.

Prince William Gossip * Bio * Gossip * Pictures Kate Middleton Nude, Intimate Photos Stolen

We'd love to see Kate Middleton nude.

Evidently, we're not alone.

A man has been arrested in Great Britain after stolen pictures of Prince William and girlfriend Middleton were offered for sale to a newspaper.

According to Great Britan's The Sun, an individual reported that a camera had been stolen in London late last week. Within an hour, two men using false names contacted the newspaper offering to sell photos of the prince. Geniuses, these were not.

The images in question reportedly included numerous shots of Prince William and Kate Middleton on their recent vacation in the Caribbean last month. The publication – which described a few as "sexy snaps" – delivered the photos and a dossier of information to London's Metropolitan Police.

"A 25-year-old man was arrested ... on suspicion of theft from a motor vehicle and handling stolen goods," a police rep confirmed to People Magazine.

Permalink | 0 Comme

The Jolie-Pitt family’s original gifts

Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s family has an original way to exchange gift during Christmas time; Instead of spending hundred of thousands in stores, each of them actually makes a gift to someone else in the family.

How cute and thoughtful… But I’d still rather have a Bentley instead of some family scrapbook.

Paula Abdul commits career suicide

The View: Barbara Walters Talks About Paula Abdul
by TheDlisted

Will Jennifer Lopez make Marc Anthony Ex-Husband ?

Jennifer Lopez blames hubby Marc Anthony for her career "going down the tubes," says a new report in Us Weekly. The mag has observed the two have attended events separately this month, and that JLo has been photographed without her wedding ring on.

"If the ring's not on, there's a reason for it," said Us Weekly's Jill Martin. "She doesn't just accidentally forget to wear the ring."

According to the mag, J Lo is complaining of LOTS of things: that she's morphed into a Long Island housewife, that Marc is controlling, and that her film career has faded.

J.Lo., who once claimed she "loved getting Marc's opinions," has become less interested in her husband and his approval since the birth of their twins, Max and Emme, 10 months ago.

"He's very, very controlling of her," a close pal tells Us about Anthony choosing her clothes for her. "The skirts aren't as short. You don't see so much of that booty anymore."

J-Lo also blames Marc for destroying her career: "Jennifer looked around and said, 'This is my life now? I'm a Long Island housewife?'" a pal says. "She hates that everything she worked for went down the tubes."

If the rumors are true, this will be Jen's third divorce. She was previously married to Ojani Noa and Cris Judd. And she was engaged to Ben Affleck just a few years ago before he settled down with Jennifer Garner. What is it about J.Lo that she has problems in her relationships?

The rep for Lopez issued the standard denial: "They are doing great. Any comments implying that they are having problems and that Marc behaved in a questionable manner while out with friends last week are absolutely false," Anthony spokeswoman Blanca Lasalle told Newsday.

Eddie Murphy is Gotham's Next Villian, Riddler?

Eddie Murphy is Gotham's Next Villian, Riddler?

Can you see an older Axel Foley as the Riddler? The Sun is stating that Eddie Murphy has signed on to be in the next Batman movie, 'Gotham.' The Beverly Hills Cop star, 47, has allegedly been tapped by director Christopher Nolan to reprise the role played by Jim Carrey in 'Batman Forever.'

More details by the gossip rag reveal that the studio wants 'Transformers' star Shia LaBeouf, 22, to play Robin. Which will be interesting because Christian Bale, the best Batman EVER!, says he will quite the role if they ever write the Robin character into the script...

'Gotham', a 2010 release, will see Bale return as Bruce Wayne, and Michael Caine reprise his role as Bruce’s assistant Alfred.

The Sun is also claiming that we will see Rachel Weisz as Catwoman.

I'd call BS on the Eddie rumor, unless the studio is just "testing the waters" to see how fans react to such news. As for Nolan, who helmed "The Dark Knight" which brought in $500 million, he has gone on record as saying there’s been no movement on the upcoming film, and no script is ready.

The only part of these rumors which may be true - is Rachel Weisz being cast as Catwoman. Now, I could see THAT happening...

George W. Bush Greeted Warmly in Iraq

Tom Cruise on the Today Show

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Britney Spears and Ellen Go Caroling

Jennifer Aniston: Just Living, Loving Life

Has anyone been in the news more than Jennifer Aniston this month - and could she be any cooler? The former Friends star seems to be getting better with age. Today on CBS' The Early Show, the actress opened up on just that.

"It's my time," Aniston, 39, said. "I just feel like, you know, every woman that's ever said - or man - that's said it just gets better. I just agree."

She added, "You don't know as much as you know in your 20s as you do in your 30s as you do when you are... I'm startin' to live. And it's really good!"

That GQ cover of Jennifer Aniston nude could certainly be described as such. When asked about her naked turn in the magazine's January issue, Aniston said:

"It's funny. I mean, I honestly see it as a different person. It's just - well, because the headlines are outrageous, you usually get a kick out of that. But you just kind of go - you try to walk past it as fast as you possibly can, honestly."

Well, okay then.

Although she recently complained that her personal life is "none of people's "(expletive) business," Jennifer Aniston said she doesn't mind people ogling her.

Said the star, "It's amazing how you can sort of start to tune them out."

As for her new movie Marley & Me (out December 25), Jennifer said that it was "so nice not starring in your normal romantic comedy, where it's all about getting the guy or getting the girl... we get to actually tell the story."

As for that douchebag she dates, they're still going strong, apparently.

'Yes Man' tops slow boxoffice 'Seven Pounds' takes second as weather affects sales

Reuters

"Yes Man"

Jim Carrey got an affirmative result at the weekend boxoffice in North America with his comedy "Yes Man," which triumphed over another new entry, Will Smith's drama "Seven Pounds," according to studio estimates issued on Sunday.

"Yes Man" earned $18.2 million during the three days beginning on Friday, while "Seven Pounds" followed with $16 million. All movies, however, took a hit from the brutal weather on the East Coast and parts of the Midwest and Pacific Northwest.

The mouse cartoon "The Tale of Despereaux" opened at No. 3 with $10.5 million. Last weekend's champion, the sci-fi remake "The Day the Earth Stood Still," fell to No. 4 with $10.2 million.

Ticket sales in key markets such as New York, Boston and Detroit dwindled as a winter storm blanketed the areas with snow and ice.

"It was horrific," said Dan Fellman, president of distribution at Time Warner Inc-owned Warner Bros., which released "Yes Man."

Boston, for example, is a top-10 market, but it plunged to the lower reaches of the top 25 on Friday, studio executives said.

Fellman said the bad weather knocked about $2.5 million off the total for "Yes Man," but he hoped to make the money back in subsequent weeks.

Film Review: Valkyrie

Film Reviews

By Kirk Honeycutt

"Valkyrie"

Rate This Film 57 4 User Reviews » See all » Write a Review 34 User Comments » See all » Leave a Comment

Cast and Crew

Unit Publicist: Joe Everett
Nina von Stauffenberg: Carice van Houten
Dr. Carl Goerdeler: Kevin McNally
Music: John Ottman
Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg: Tom Cruise
Colonel Heinz Brandt: Tom Hollander
General Friedrich Olbricht: Bill Nighy
Producer: Gilbert Adler, Bryan Singer, Christopher McQuarrie
Co-producer: Nathan Alexander, Jeffrey Wetzel, Charlie Woebcken, Henning Molfenter, Lee Cleary
Screen Writer: Christopher McQuarrie, Nathan Alexander
Executive Producer: Chris Lee, Tom Cruise, Paula Wagner
General Friedrich Fromm: Tom Wilkinson
Art Director: Patrick Lumb, Keith Pain, Ralf Schreck
Costume Designer: Joanna Johnston
Major-General Henning von Tresckow: Kenneth Branagh
Prod. Coordinator: Judy Britten, Tine Hoefke
Casting director: Roger Mussenden, Heta Mantscheff
Unit Prod. Manager: Chris Brock
Ludwig Beck: Terence Stamp
Director: Bryan Singer
Special Effects: Allen Hall
Set Decorator: Bernard Henrich
Sound mixer: Chris Munro
Major Otto Ernst Remer: Thomas Kretschmann
Line Producer: Chris Brock, Oliver Luer
General Erich Fellgiebel: Eddie Izzard
Editor: John Ottman
First Assistant Director: Jeffrey Wetzel
Colonel Mertz von Quirnheim: Christian Berkel
Director of Photography: Newton Thomas Sigel

Bottom Line: Well-crafted historical thriller boasts fine performances but fails to probe the motives behind the plot to kill Hitler.

After keeping "Valkyrie" under wraps for months and moving its release date four times, MGM has finally pulled back the curtains on its Tom Cruise historical thriller to reveal a coolly efficient, entertaining and straightforward tale about the last of 15 known assassination attempts against Adolf Hitler.

Working against the known outcome of this plot, director Bryan Singer -- reunited with his "The Usual Suspects" screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie and his writing partner Nathan Alexander -- manages to maintain suspense and involvement in the unfolding conspiracy. With such World War II movies as "Defiance" and "Good" also on tap this month, there is no doubt the Nazis continue to provide fodder for movie producers.

How great the fascination among moviegoers is another question. Curiosity about seeing Cruise sporting an eye patch might ensure initial crowds when the film opens Christmas Day. But whatever its superficial resemblance to Cruise's highly popular "Mission: Impossible" series, "Valkyrie" isn't a crowd-pleaser of that order. The release should enjoy modest success, but if Cruise's career is seen as momentarily stalled, "Valkyrie" is not the electric jolt he needs to jump-start it.

Cruise plays Col. Claus von Stauffenberg, a central figure in the shrewdly planned July 20, 1944, assassination and coup attempt against the Nazi leader. A considerable number of people were involved, and the film understandably whittles these down to a manageable cast. (About 200 people were hanged and about 700 were arrested in connection to the plot.)

The film opens with Stauffenberg forswearing his allegiance to the Fuhrer because of the murderous outrages the German leader has committed, forever staining the honor of his country and its army. This is a key point, yet the movie hurries off to chronicle an earlier assassination attempt that misfires, Stauffenberg's own severe injuries fighting in Tunisia, his recruitment by similar-minded officers and the bomb he plants at the Wolf's Lair that fails to kill Hitler.

The film needed to explore more fully the motives of these people who found themselves willing to eliminate their supreme commander. The audience knows why we'd like to see the bastard dead, but why do these Germans? Stauffenberg's explanation is fine as far as it goes, but does it apply to the other conspirators? It's unclear what other motivation might have driven Stauffenberg, not least whether he envisioned himself as a potential postwar German leader.

Cruise doesn't actually star in this movie as he has in nearly all his previous films. He is the key player in an ensemble, but he -- how to put this? -- blends in. Frankly, the following offer up equal if not more compelling performances: Kenneth Branagh's Maj.-Gen. Tresckow, an even stronger zealot; such ambiguous figures as Tom Wilkinson's Gen. Fromm and Eddie Izzard's Gen. Fellgiebel; Terence Stamp's Gen. Beck, who resigns as early as 1938 to protest Hitler's military aggression; and Bill Nighy's Gen. Olbricht, who hesitates at a crucial moment.

The coup itself, following the assassination attempt that many believe has succeeded, makes for fascinating viewing and much what-if speculation that should continue long after the credits roll. All details are convincing and presumably well researched. The film has a documentary-like authenticity yet remains a sleek thriller filled with flawed heroes and catastrophic missteps.

Singer has crafted a fine film. One just wishes for greater details -- and a different ending.

Miley, Angelina, Brit, L.C.: The Year's Biggest Sellouts

by Gina Serpe

INFdaily.com, Fame Pictures

Everyone's a critic—including, it seems, PayPal-enabled web crawlers, who this year voted en masse with their dollar on who's who (congratulations, Michael Phelps) and who's over (sorry, Speidi) in pop culture.

Coming out tops in this year's celebrity maternity race, at least according to the highly scientific 2008 sales figures released today by eBay, was Gwen Stefani, whose desirability, bolstered either through Brangelina fatigue or her own new-mother charm, wiped the floor with Angelina Jolie, outselling her related merchandise by a margin of nearly 2-1.

Which means Stefani, among other credentials, now has the distinction of being the mom you'd most like to buck.

But it isn't all good news: Lindsay Lohan's fans, for instance, proved they were not nearly as buy-curious as the actress herself…

Among those joining Stefani in the hearts, or at least wallets, of the American public:

• Miley Cyrus came tops in the celeb-sellout derby, with her Hannah Montana ephemera selling more—at 223,139 items—than the Jonas Brothers and High School Musical cast combined. Of course, slightly scandalous, skin-revealing, underage magazine covers do tend to have ways of bringing out particularly deep-pocketed anonymous Internet users, but a win is a win all the same.
• Jessica Simpson outsold her would-be romantic rival Carrie Underwood, with Tony Romo's current arm candy selling 59,037 items to his former arm candy's 15,395.
• Try as Speidi might to dethrone her, Lauren Conrad is still queen of The Hills, outselling to an almost embarrassing degree her longtime frenemies turned pseudo wedding opportunists Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt. While 1,082 Conrad-related items sold on eBay this year, just 323 Montag-related ones did. As for Pratt, just 10 users felt compelled to own some Spencer paraphernalia.
• As for the past-their-prime comeback kids men, the Backstreet Boys sold fewer than 9,000 items, while the New Kids on the Block hung tough with a solid 30,075 items sold.
• The gifts that keep on giving—rehabbed starlets—were given in kind last year, with mess-no-more Britney Spears (at 32,966 items) outselling fellow "treated" celebs Amy Winehouse (6,665) and Kirsten Dunst (4,1456). Lohan's fans, meanwhile, shelled out for just 7,899-related items, but still managed to outdo Nicole Richie, whose buying power was only good enough for 842 items.
• As for those divas, Madonna, as she always tends to do, came out on top, with the Material Girl's fans proving just as material as her and buying 96,511 items. She easily trumped sometime rival and newlywed Mariah Carey, who sold just one-fifth of Madonna's total.

Angie Steps Out for Clint, Brad Steps Up for Jolie

Jason LaVeris/Getty Images

After escorting Brad Pitt to his big movie premiere Monday, Angelina Jolie stepped out to support another man last night: Clint Eastwood.

The actress, whom Clint directed in Changeling, made a surprise appearance at the premiere of Gran Torino sans Brad.

But Pitt's still making headlines today while defending Angie in a new interview with Rolling Stone as he shoots down claims that she manipulates media, instead calling her "savvy."

"I get defensive," he tells RS. "[They're] talking about not only the woman I love, but one of the people on this planet who I have the greatest respect for. I think she's as honorable as anyone I've ever met."

And that's not all...

Brad is now echoing Angie's comment that she and Brad fell in love on the set of Mr. & Mrs. Smith (while he was still married to Jen Aniston).

When asked to name his favorite Angelina movie, he chose Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Why?

""Because you know...six kids," he told R.S. "Because I fell in love."

One word, Brad: uncool.

Jessica Alba Finally Gets Her Wedding Reception

S SANTIAGO BAEZ/ RAMEY PHOTO

First comes marriage, then comes baby, then comes...wedding reception?

Jessica Alba and her husband of seven months, Cash Warren, are resting today after throwing a long-overdue wedding reception last night at their Beverly Hills home, according to Usmagazine.com.

The newlyweds' families and friends arrived at their home before 7 p.m. to formally celebrate the superstealthy May 19 nuptials. One extraspecial party guest was the couple's 6-month-old daughter, Honor Marie, who was reportedly decked out in a gray dress with little angel wings attached.

Alba, 27, and Warren, 29, quietly exchanged vows in a Beverly Hills courthouse just a few weeks before Jessica gave birth. The couple met in 2004 on the set of Fantastic Four and announced their pregnancy and engagement in December 2007.

Forbes Top 100 Most Powerful Celebrities 2008

Here it is… the 2008 world’s most powerful celebrities list put together by none other than Forbes‘. This impressive list is compiled using several measures above and beyond the amount of green these stars are pulling in. Factored in with earnings are media metrics such as Google hits, press, television and radio mentions as well as the number of top consumer magazine covers the stars snag.

This Forbes list covers the time frame of June 2007 to June 2008. Some celebrities are likely earning more than is listed below but for this poll, all monies must be earned in the sports and entertainment arena.

Check out the top 20 celebrities below. Angelina Jolie’s third place spot on the list shows that her star power far exceeds her earnings over the past 12 months and she is more popular than her partner Brad Pitt.

1. Oprah Winfrey $275

2. Tiger Woods $115

3. Angelina Jolie $14

4. Beyonce Knowles $80

5. David Beckham $50

6. Johnny Depp $72

7. Jay-Z $82

8. The Police $115

9. J.K. Rowling $300

10. Brad Pitt $20

11. Will Smith $80

12. Justin Timberlake $44

13. Steven Spielberg $130

14. Cameron Diaz $50

15. David Letterman $45

16. LeBron James $38

17. Jennifer Aniston $27

18. Michael Jordan $45

19. Kobe Bryant $39

20. Phil Mickelson $45

To see the rest of the list check it out here at Forbes.

Photo Source: WENN

Best dressed celebrities 2008

Posted in FASHION by MelanieHick on Dec 19, 02:11PM
We love laughing at reams of photos of celebs getting it all shades of wrong in the style department. But what makes best-dressed? We've developed a tight list of people who this year have improved on their wardrobe from last year, have a sense of authenticity about what they’re wearing (so not just told what to wear by a stylist) and basically look like we want to if we get to stand on a red carpet one day.

In no particular order at all, our favourites for 2008 are:

Ebony Bones for being completely out-there without resorting to nu race fluoros.

Alice Dellal for staying true to her own style and rocking one consistently hot look in all circumstances including weddings and red carpets.

Charlize Theron for looking effortlessly edgy and stylish on and off the red carpet. Money, in this case, can buy taste.

Rhianna for inspiring pixie crops the world over. Her hair is amazing, her figure is amazing, she combines rock star edge with haute couture chic and looks completely natural doing it.

Agyness Deyn for dressing with such personality, not just like every other model off the runway.

Eva Mendes for being perfectly saucy and wearing gowns so well.

J Lo for using her power, that is, her money for good and constantly out-doing herself in classic gowns, the perfect amount of accessories and subtle make-up.

Kelly Osbourne for coming out of her chrysalis and turning into a beautiful butterfly who knows how to dress for her height and shape.

Lily Allen for growing out of her ball gown and trainer phase and looking like a properly stylish grown up, rather than a kid in a dress up box.

Lindsay Lohan for being healthy, happy and confident in a proper frock, as opposed to her old leggings, T-shirt and flanny routine.

Alexa Chung for wearing pieces from chainstores like Topshop and looking a million bucks. Extra points for quirky accessories like that tan case.


In the gentlemen’s arena we saw a distinct turn away from fluoro towards clever, even ironic tailoring.

Mark Ronson could dress like any other DJ, but he chooses bow ties; sharp, slim-cut suits and skinny ties.

Luke Worrall updates the skinny jeans and cardigan combination with excellent footwear.

Kanye West loves fashion hard. It shows. His Jeremy Scott for adidas sneakers are just one example of his excellent style.

Henry Holland wears his own clothes well and mixes spots, brights and layers like no-one’s business.