When The Curious Case of Benjamin Button was nominated for several awards a few weeks ago, it made me curious. The film hadn’t been released yet, and it wouldn’t be until Christmas Day. How can a movie that isn’t even out yet receive such critical acclaim and praise. Brad Pitt and the movie itself have been nominated for a Golden Globe and several other awards. An Oscar nomination is also not out of the question.
After seeing the movie for myself, I can see why the film is getting all of this good praise. The movie may not have topped the box office this weekend, but it is the best movie I have seen released into theaters in quite some time. I don’t say those words easily. I’m a picky movie watcher, but Brad Pitt’s performance in this movie really stood out. He is in the movie almost completely throughout.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button tells the story of a man that is born with the body of an eighty year old man. As he grows up, he ages backwards. We see him go through life, learning about the world with the outlook of a child in a body of a much older man. Everyone that doesn’t know him for what he is sees an old man, and that is how he is treated. He meets the love of his life at the age of ten, and the movie chronicles their journey in life.
Cate Blanchett plays his lover, and we see her life throughout the movie as well. It is because of her we learn his story and hers as she has their daughter read to her from Benjamin’s journal in her final hours. The setting for most of the film is the city of New Orleans. The present day setting is those days when Hurricane Katrina hits the city in 2005. We see Daisy take her final breaths just as the news of levees breaking in the Lower Ninth Ward is heard.
In some small way, Brad Pitt was paying respect to this city and the events that occurred in 2005. So much of his work since has been in putting this city back together with his Make It Right organization. I do believe Brad Pitt might very well win for this movie. It is one of his best performances, and the movie is memorable. With the length of nearly three hours, one might be ready to be bored to death. This one kept me involved from beginning to end. An excellent movie deserving of every praise.
Here we are. Two days left in the year, and things in the celebrity and entertainment world have come to a stand still. News is at a minimum. People are all spending time with friends and family, as they should be at this time of year. Earlier this week, I saw this little video from Jib Jab, an interactive video site. The company made a video looking back at the year that was. In just around two minutes, we get a quick refresher course on the stories that made news in 2008 before baby new year gets dragged back in for 2009. Great funny video. Check it out below.
Here it is. The end of the year. The last weekend of 2008 has come and gone. Now we can look ahead to 2009. However, we can’t do that before we look back at this weekend’s numbers. We had a number of new movies come out for the Christmas day movie rush, and that charge was pushed along by the help of two of the biggest movies of the year - Marley & Me and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Some labeled it the battle of the exes with Jennifer Aniston starring in one and Brad Pitt starring in the other.
It appears this weekend, the movie rush went to go to see Jennifer and a cute dog. Marley & Me earned $37 million at the box office. Bedtime Stories came in second place for the weekend with Brad Pitt and his movie coming third. Tom Cruise’s new one, Valkyrie, came in fourth place. The other major release this weekend, The Spirit, was the bomb of the weekend with it coming in 9th place.
With the end of the year upon us, this is light week for releases. Nothing is being released in wide release to theaters this week, and there are only a few other releases to speak of. Check out the short list of new releases below.
This is one you really don’t see every day. In a surprise move this week, Jay Mohr has petitioned to have his name legally changed. He is going to add his wife’s name to his own. The actor, most recently seen on CBS’s Ghost Whisperer, has been married to actress Nikki Cox for two years. Nikki appeared on that series last season in a guest role, but is probably best known for her role on Las Vegas.
He has asked that his name be changed to Jon Ferguson Cox Mohr. The order of the names really should be the other way around, but he asked for it the other way. This is a jump though. Never heard of a man taking on the name of his wife. There is a first time for everything I suppose!
Harry Potter & The Half Blood Prince isn’t even out yet, and we already have a poster ready for the next Harry Potter movie set to hit in November, 2010. Check out the poster released this week for Harry Potter & The Deathly Hallows below.
Well, Tom Brady has finally done it. On Christmas Eve, he proposed to long time girlfriend Gisele Bundchen. He did it in style to from what I can tell, and he had her parents there with him when he finally popped the big question. He proposed on a jet with four dozen white roses and champagne on board as they headed from New Jersey to Boston. Gisele said yes, and now the planning of the wedding can begin. Rumors about these two getting married have been going around for months, and now it looks like the rumors can be put to rest. Congratulations to the happy couple!
While everyone that celebrated the holiday on Thursday, we had news of a sad event. Earth Kitt passed away at the age of 81 in New York City. She was suffering from colon cancer. News of her passing spread on the afternoon of Christmas Day. Kitt is probably best known for her sultry rendition of Santa Baby and as the sexy Cat-woman in the Batman series with Adam West.
Cat-woman has been a role played by several since then including Michelle Pfeiffer and Halle Berry . Will Angelina Jolie end up being the next cat-woman if Christopher Nolan moves forward with the project. My condolences to the Kitt family.
It has been quite a year here in 2008. This blog has become my pride and joy since May. I put a lot of work into making this blog a source for celebrity and entertainment news. In the year to come, there will be changes made. A possible new direction for this site with more of a focus on news than reviews.
Those won’t disappear entirely, but I will change things around a bit. Some series won’t be returning or are heading towards the direction of cancellation. I want my focus to be on series everyone watches. In January, we will see the return of Lost and American Idol. Both will be covered on Celebrity Today. Things may be slow now, but this is only due to the time of year. Today.com is also in the middle of changes behind the scenes as well. Those will come in the weeks ahead.
Today I will be spending time with my family, and I wish all of you that do celebrate Christmas a very happy day spent with family and friends. To those that celebrate other December holidays, my best wishes go out to you as well.
Simon Cowell is enjoying a last bit of his time off this holiday season before American Idol returns to Fox on January 13th. On Monday he was seen soaking up the sun and going shirtless as he skied in Barbados with one of his exes. The ex in question is trying to find the forty-nine year old American Idol judge the woman of his dreams.
That might be a tough task. Simon is one tough cookie, but even the biggest jerks need a little love in their lives, even if he is one of the busiest men around. American Idol is about ready to kick off its new season, and something tells me this season is going to be huge.
Check out the pictures of Simon shirtless and skiing this week in Barbados below. He looks pretty good for a jerk.
That is what we now know. They had a quickie marriage in November that isn’t legal, so they planned another quickie marriage at the courthouse to air on the season finale of The Hills. However, the wedding didn’t take place. Heidi said her vows, and then Spencer didn’t. They will have Heidi’s big dream wedding just like her family wants.
I just want to give you the wedding of your dreams that you have been talking about for three years. I’ll deal with it It’s worth it to be with you the rest of my life. We’ll do it the way you want, I’m sorry, I love you so much.
This means next season of The Hills will involve the wedding more than likely. The planning of it and the having it. What a way for MTV to have a new Newlyweds. Wait, they have to get married first, and then I can see it now - The New Newlyweds. If it worked for Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey … wait the two of them divorced. Well, we’ll have to see what the future holds for Spencer and Heidi. For now, they are not married and the saga continues on!
