March 2006 Archives

It took almost a full seven seasons of "The West Wing" for writers to finally address what I think is the most romantic storyline in this show's entire run: Will Josh and Donna EVER get together? I mean, for real this time? As "The West Wing" draws to a close for good (sniff, sniff), I am anxiously waiting to see how the relationship between these two "friends" and colleagues resolves (or doesn't).

Viewers have watched as the tension between these two characters has been building for years, with flirtation, stolen glances, sighs, clever banter, and even long hours of intense devotion at hospital bed sides. I've heard of Christian couples waiting until they reach the altar for a first kiss (but then again, they tend not to date that long beforehand) and boyfriends and girlfriends waiting a full year before they lock lips, but SEVEN years? I have always felt that Donna and Josh have taken their chastity thing a bit too far.

The answer to my question was at least partially addressed and sealed with a kiss during the episode "The Cold" when--hooray, hooray--as Donna knocked on Josh's door to deliver fantastic news about the polls for Matt Santos, and in Josh's happiness he grabbed her and finally gave her the on-screen kiss we'd all been waiting for (well some of us at least, since I know many out there are still rooting for a return of Mary-Louise Parker's women's rights character, Amy, not only to the show but a place at Josh's side.)

And (most) viewers rejoiced! The question burning my brain now is, where to from there for Josh and Donna?

Unfortunately, and in typical "West Wing" fashion, post lip-lock viewers so far have only seen Josh and Donna briefly hem and haw about the meaning of this new drama in their long-term relationship. Is their long time relationship destined to end with only a kiss and confusion? I wondered sadly, as the credits rolled after last week's episode. Yet, evidently it will not, since scenes for this Sunday's upcoming episode, "Election Day," included a glimpse of Josh and Donna in bed together.

Hooray? Personally, I think they deserve a little more romance than a one-night stand, but I'll just have to wait and see. I think I'll set my expectations high and hold out for a marriage proposal by season's end and just hope for the best (and that, as much as I love Mary Louise Parker, that pesky Amy won't return to ruin it all....).

As if it isn't enough to be badgered by paparazzi and crazed fans, now David and Victoria Beckham, Britain's celebrity royals, are reportedly being fought over by Tom Cruise and Madonna. Does Tom want the soccer phenom to star in his next movie? Nope. Does Madonna want the former Spice Girl to do a duet? Nope. According to MSNBC.com's The Scoop, Madge and Tom are waging a battle to win the super couple over to Kabbalah and Scientology, respectively.

Pictures of Posh with Cruise's fiance, Katie Holmes, have been splashed all over the celebrity gossip magazines for the past few months. But it seems that Jewish mysticism is winning out: Those same tabloids are now carrying pictures with Mrs. Beckham sporting the red string bracelet popular among Kabbalah enthusiasts.

"Perhaps Madonna and her husband Guy Ritchie have the edge," Rick Ross of Cultnews.com tells Scoop, "since Ritchie after all is a Brit and his wife keeps a house in the English countryside."

Perhaps Madonna and Cruise should just get together and form a religion called Sciencabbalism. Maybe then they'd finally land America's celebrity royal, Oprah--who according to reports, has so far been able to resist the efforts of both the couch jumper and the Material Girl.

The category “Christian rockers whose band is not Christian”—think Scott Stapp, or P.O.D.--is getting less exclusive every day. But at least one band is willing to sue to get on it. Mute Math, a Louisiana prog-rock group, is suing Warner Brothers for labeling them a Christian band. Headed by Paul Meany, formerly of the out-Christian act Earthsuit, Mute Math played to raves at Christian festivals over the summer and opened for Mae, a Christian band, last fall. But when Warner released their EP on its Christian subsidiary, Word Records instead of one of their mainstream labels, the band balked, first putting their full album out on a label co-owned by Meany called Teleprompt, then filing suit.

Naturally, the band's move has bred resentment in the evangelical ranks that calling any entity Christian is a litigatable offense. But think of the upside: the case may yield a court-approved definition of the term “Christian band.” A Mute Math spokesperson sketched out a sort of negative definition in saying what Mute Math is not: "Mute Math is not a worship artist. They don't preach from (the) stage. They don't preach in their interviews." That’s a start. But Meany himself intimates there’s more to the distinction when he told Billboard, “I had no desire to be the Christian version of a real band."

Tangos and foxtrots are hot, hot, hot once again, thanks to shows like “Dancing with the Stars” and movies like “Mad Hot Ballroom.” And now you can take a spin around the dance floor with a new movie that celebrates life, death, and a mean quick-step. “Marilyn Hotchkiss’ Ballroom Dancing and Charm School” was the big crowd pleaser last summer when I saw it at the Waterfront Film Festival, and the film is finally releasing in theaters nationwide this weekend--only 15 years after producer Randall Miller originally shot the story as a short film with the same name.

“Marilyn Hotchkiss” tells the story of Frank Keane, a recently widowed breadmaker (played by indie film favorite Robert Carlyle), who is making a delivery run one day when he comes across a terrible car accident. He stops to help the man in the wrecked car (John Goodman) but then recklessly promises the dying stranger that he will honor the man’s final wish by keeping an appointment the man had with a childhood sweetheart at a place called the Marilyn Hotchkiss Ballroom Dancing and Charm School.

Though the childhood sweetheart never shows up, Keane is drawn to the slightly eccentric atmosphere of the school as well as the oddball characters he meets there. He begins to take dance lessons and becomes an immediate hit with the ladies there--though the other men in the class have a different take on Keane’s sudden appearance on the scene. From there, he begins a slow process of healing, as he begins to fall in love with a woman, Meredith (Marisa Tomei), he meets in class.

“Marilyn Hotchkiss” might be too sweet or sentimental for some and a few of the plot points are a little implausible, but what I liked best about this movie--in addition to the phenomenal supporting performances from such unlikely actors as Donnie Wahlberg---is the way it represents the process of grieving. All of the characters in this movie are grieving the loss of something--a spouse, a reputation, a leg--and in the process of wallowing in that grief, they have become disconnected from the world around them. “Hotchkiss” celebrates the uneven, uncomfortable growth each character experiences as he or she takes a leap of faith by once again daring to accept the unconditional love of another--a risk that in Mariyln Hotchkiss' world is only slightly greater than the risk of embarrassing yourself by trying to learn that quick-step.

A study published recently in the Journal for Adolescent Health concluded that media—TV, movies, music, and magazines—operate in teenagers’ lives like a “super peer,” a beyond-cool kid whom the whole class models its behavior on. And sex is what this cool kid is recommending.

By comparing a group of U.S. teens’ answers about what they watch, read, and listen to with their sexual activity, researchers determined that the teens got much of their input about sexual behavior from media sources. This could be a problem because, the report says, “media programming rarely depicts negative consequences from sexual behaviour, and depictions of condom and contraception use are extremely rare.”

The good news is that parents, religion, and school came in a strong second in kids’ sexual decision-making.

ABC’s "Boston Legal" regularly raises ethical and moral questions, and this week’s topic was polygamy. Two sharp and attractive clients babysit each other’s kids and share groceries, lawn equipment... and Ray Anderson. “We’ve done nothing wrong, there is no victim...

Whether you’re pro-choice or pro-life, you have to wonder if holding those horrible posters and lingering outside clinics is the best way to protest abortion. Daniel Edwards, a sculptor based in Connecticut, has come up with a better way. Edwards...

"This song goes out to everybody that wants to be free. Your addiction, lifestyle, or situation may be big, but God is bigger," proclaimed "American Idol" contestant Mandisa as she strutted onto the stage last night to sing the 2000...

Imagine getting the family together for some nice evening TV and watching a music video showing:• A girl pulling a string on her sweater to immediately enhance her breast size;• A girl in a tanning booth looking gross, then begging...

If you’ve ever wanted to witness a crucifixion with your own eyes, well, now you can, thanks to the online computer game Roma-Victor. The multiplayer game is designed to be an authentic recreation of the British Empire in Roman times,...

The metaphysical motif of the final “Sopranos” season rolled on last night, as a comatose Tony, shot by his Uncle Junior, chose not to “walk into the light,” even as he was driven toward it by Paulie Walnuts’s yammering at...

The editors of the design magazine I.D. have no beef with intelligent design as a concept. Their annoyance with the debate is based purely on the confusion they felt on hearing their magazine’s title so frequently out of context. Their...

Easily the best media moment for the Mormon Church in the past year is “New York Doll,” a documentary about the last days of rock bassist Arthur “Killer” Kane. The movie, released theatrically last fall and on DVD April 6th,...

The creators of "South Park" promised a war against Scientology, and they made good on their pledge last night, with the opening episode of the always-irreverent series' 10th season.The brouhaha started when, as you probably know, Isaac Hayes, the voice...

In "National Lampoon’s European Vacation," Rusty Griswold discovers, much to his dismay, that every English television station airs the exact same show on cheese-making. So, when I saw that my local PBS station was airing a documentary called “The Cheese...

Did somebody say “Passion Effect”? A recent CNN piece claims the greatest boon of Mel’s “The Passion of the Christ” fell not to Christian filmmakers but to two Christian P.R. firms that help Hollywood navigate church basements to market their...

Well, not the Methodist Church, but the "Inside Man" star is said to have bought an apartment in a historic Methodist church near Washington Square Park in Manhattan’s Greenwich Village. A realty company is converting it into a luxury condiminium...

A critic for Canada’s National Post examines the new field of Seinfeld Studies, as it is represented in “Seinfeld, Master of Its Domain,” a recently published collection of academic writings on the cultural significance of the long-running sitcom. Among the...

When I saw the title of the film "On a Clear Day," my first impulse was to complete the old phrase--"you can see forever." But this movie isn't about seeing forever; it's a small, intimate look at ordinary people who...

Who says there's no "Passion" effect, no rush to mimic Mel Gibson's phenomenal success? Details magazine reports in its April cover story featuring Vin Diesel--whose recent filmography includes "The Chronicles of Riddick" and "The Pacifier"--that he is preparing to star...

Blowing up a national landmark to make a statement about terrorism. Unleashing a dangerous virus for political gain. No, I am not describing the latest news headlines. It's the plot of “V for Vendetta,” the latest blockbuster action flick from...

Dover, Penn.--the town made famous last year because of a court decision to overturn a school board requirement to teach intelligent design in the classroom--is about to get the Hollywood treatment. Variety reports that Paramount Studios is developing a film...

The April issue of GQ, the magazine for dudes with elegantly mussed hair, baits us with the cover line, “The New Christian Sex Craze.” This continues a series of articles on conservative Christians, most of which have peddled fringey crackpots...

Before he was the 40-year-old virgin, Steve Carell had a hilarious cameo role as the competition news anchor to Jim Carey's Bruce in "Bruce Almighty." Now, Universal Pictures plans to release a Summer 2007 follow-up called "Evan Almighty," with Carell...

Dedicated "Sopranos" fans were shocked last week by the end of episode, the surprise shooting of Tony Soprano by his Uncle Junior (who's gone a bit senile in recent years). Last night's follow-up show focused--of course--on the aftermath of the...

Within seconds after the opening credits of "Thank You For Smoking"--the new film directed by Jason Reitman, based on the novel by Christopher Buckley, with an all-star cast including Robert Duvall and William H. Macey--the film's central character, Nick Naylor...

"The West Wing’s" great run is on its last leg, but producers are making a run to the finish, which will include special guest appearances (Jon Bon Jovi’s on next week) and cameos from the show’s former stars. I was...

Now we are beyond the second episode into the premier season of HBO's new family drama "Big Love"--and I am disgusted. I blogged earlier about my concerns for what looked to be "Big Love's" attempt to "normalize" a polygamous relationship--and...

We all loved “Walk the Line” and Reese Witherspoon’s Tennessee-belle acceptance speech at the li’l ol’ Oscuhs. And we hated to see Dolly Parton’s “Travelin’ Thru”—the only Best Song nominee to mention Jesus--get passed over in favor of some rant...

The Hasidic reggae singer Matisyahu is everywhere these days--Entertainment Weekly, Rolling Stone, record store displays, iTunes most-downloaded lists--but the phenomenal, and surprising, success he's found doesn't seem to be enough for him. The New York Times reports that, on the...

SciFi Channel is looking for a few good psychics.The cable channel is planning a reality show, slated to air this summer, that promises to delve "into the world of psychic phenomena in a way never seen before." "The Gift," as...

Why do evangelicals have such an affinity for Fox News, homeschooling, and church potlucks? Is there really a "Master List" of who's actually gong to hell--and wouldn't you like to take a tiny peek at it if there was? Author...

What’s that saying about getting out of the kitchen if you can’t stand the heat?Looks like Isaac Hayes, the voice of Jerome "Chef" McElroy, doesn’t like what those "South Park" boys--Matt Stone and Trey Parker--have been cooking. E! Online reports...

The long-awaited opener to the sixth season of "The Sopranos" started out more Beatnik than Bayonne. Viewers were treated to a surreal roundup of what’s happened since we last checked in the Sopranos, some 18 months ago, with William S....

You’re an up-and-coming pop star. You finally got an agent. You look fabulous. Then your uncle, who you don’t even talk to, totally masterminds a plan to fly jetliners into the World Trade Center! How uncool is that? Well, maybe...

Damian “Jr Gong” Marley (Bob’s youngest son) plans to keep on walking the “Road to Zion,” as one of his songs repeats. And with his latest album, “Welcome to JamRock,” released in September 2005, he has walked his way somewhere...

What if someone made a movie of your life? Would you want to watch? And if you did, what would be the highlights? What would you change? The independent film “Illusion,” currently in limited theatrical release, ponders these questions and...

Fans of HBO's "The Sopranos"--the award-winning mafia family-crime drama that many claim is the best show on television--will finally satisfy their long-awaited desire for a new season this Sunday, March 12th, at 9 p.m. It's been almost two years since...

The Wall Street Journal reports today on a former pastor who engaged a young atheist to attend a dozen church services in order to critique how Christianity was being offered. The pastor got the young atheist’s services by buying his...

John Travolta's decision to play Edna Turnblad in the upcoming musical film version of "Hairspray" --based on the stage musical, which was based on the original film--has "raised eyebrows of Scientology watchers," reports MSNBC.com's Scoop.Made famous by cross-dressing legend Divine...

It's been blamed for sparking aggression and contributing to American kids' obesity, but now the beleagured videogame is being given a higher purpose: Toppling dictatorships and spreading human rights through nonviolent struggle. No, "Doom" has not suddenly gone soft. This...

The most recent Paris Fashion Week has sparked controversy among fashion critics and feminists alike, not so much over what the models were wearing on their bodies, but instead, what they were wearing on--or over--their heads.The burqa (the most extreme...

Forget Enron exec Ken Lay's trial or the latest phone company merger, the biggest business scandal in the news this week has been the L.A. Times expose on Thomas Kinkade, the kitsch painter best known for selling warm and fuzzy...

Soon we will all be able to pray while we channel surf!Zemlyanoj Val ul, a man from Russia, has trademarked something called "Remobeads," a ring of beads you can hold, pray over, meditate on, and use to see what's on...

Who needs to see Bruce Willis play a down-on-his-luck, tough-but-tender cop... again? That was my thought when I allowed a friend to drag me to Willis’s latest action-adventure flick, “16 Blocks.” But while “16 Blocks” has all of the typical...

Apparently, early 20th century prostitutes are the inspiration for women's fashion this coming spring. The season's whiter-than-white baby-doll dresses making their way down runways in Europe and the U.S.--from houses like Chloe and Prada--are inspired by a book of photos,...

With homes in London, the British countryside, and Los Angeles, why would Madonna be interested in a "shack" by the Sea of Galilee? According to the The Times of London and other news organizations, the Material Girl's representatives have been...

I read with sadness about the death of Kirby Puckett, the charismatic former star of the Minnesota Twins baseball team. Dead after suffering a stroke Sunday, he was only 45. Hard working, charming, exhilarating, dedicated, Puckett was one of my...

After “Brokeback Mountain” lost out to “Crash” last night for Best Pic honors, “Brokeback” screenwriter Larry McMurtry was quoted as saying, "Perhaps the truth really is, Americans don't want cowboys to be gay." And he wasn’t the only one implying...

Those viewers who didn't turn off the televisions directly after the Best Picture acceptance speech last night were treated to a bit of tasteless self-promotion by ABC. Pumping the return of its regularly scheduled Sunday night lineup--"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,"...

As the cameras intrude further and further upon what used to be private Oscars night moments, we the audience get to witness fewer and fewer (truly) authentic moments. It’s an increasingly scripted evening, which is why some of my favorite...

Though I enjoy watching the Oscars every year, this time the event became more of an opportunity to watch Jon Stewart than to view an awards show. In fact, at one point yesterday I even asked a friend, "When does...

If most of you are anything like my roommates and me, you were too busy staring at Dolly Parton’s crazy outfit and impossible breast-to-waist ratio to pay attention to what she was singing at the Oscars last night. But Dolly...

I usually like what fellow blogger Kris Rasmussen has to say, but had to disagree with her praise of Robert Altman and pan of George Clooney when it came to Oscar speeches. She called Clooney’s “the worst, most self-aggrandizing speech...

Last night's Oscar ceremony showcased the best and the worst of Oscar's tradition of longwinded acceptance speeches. The one moment of last night’s Oscar ceremony that I was truly dreading was 81-year-old director Robert Altman’s acceptance speech for his honorary...

I can’t even remember the last time “Oscar” and I actually agreed on the winner for Best Picture. Last night, however, the Academy decided to listen to me, as well as many other critics, and they named “Crash” the best...

Actress Michelle Williams, who first shot to fame as beleaguered ex-bad-girl Jen Lindley on “Dawson’s Creek” and has since been Oscar-nominated for her turn as the beleaguered, heartbroken wife of gay cowboy Ennis Del Mar in “Brokeback Mountain,” won’t be...

Carrie Underwood, country singer and "American Idol" winner, returned to her roots last night, performing her hit single, "Jesus Take the Wheel," on the show that launched her career.Although I'm not a big fan of "Idol," Carrie Underwood, or country...

Now that the winners of the Beliefnet Film Awards have been announced (click here if you haven't seen them yet), we can finally turn our attention wholeheartedly those other awards, which are being given out Sunday night. Since there's not...

One benefit of Oscar season--besides finding out which gown designer is totally hot--is the rash of articles about worthy movies that didn’t get nominated. The films that make critics’ woulda-shoulda lists are jewels that are too small, too weird, or...

Watching the Oscars has always been one of my greatest guilty pleasures. I love everything about the evening, from chuckling with Joan and Melissa as they dish the dirt live on the red carpet to watching weepy celebrities--dressed in clothes...

One definition of mysticism is “a belief in the existence of realities beyond perceptual or intellectual apprehension.” That’s a pretty heady term to apply to a TV show--but “Lost” isn’t an ordinary show. The series begins with a plane crashing...