Category: Trivia

Rodriguez, Underworld & More

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* I’m really really looking forward to Robert Rodriguez’s “Once Upon a Time in Mexico.” It’s the third in his trilogy. Denmark MSN has posted up some cool shots from it. Check ’em out! [Thanks to Dark Horizons for the link]
* The official site for “Underworld” has opened. Watch the trailer and then mark your calendar for the premiere!
* 33.7 million people tuned in to watch Ruben Studdard win the title of “American Idol” last night. That’s more than the number of people who watch the Academy Awards which is traditionally the most-watched entertainment event of the year!
* Scott Bairstow who appeared in last year’s Disney flick “Tuck Everlasting” as well as in several TV series [“Lonesome Dove,” :Wolf Lake,” “Harsh Realm,” and “Party of Five”] has been charged with having sex with a 12-year-old girl. What’s worse is that she’s a relative by marriage… and the evidence looks like it’s true.

You’ve Got to Be Kidding!

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  • Residents from West Virginia and Kentucky have taken their protest of the planned reality show “The Real Beverly Hillbillies” to CBS. The new show, a takeoff of “The Beverly Hillbillies,” would pay an Appalachian family up to $500,000 to live for a year in a Hollywood mansion. If they want to avoid the publicity, they can come to Florida and choose my family. We’ll even do it for a lot less.
  • A German ambulanceman has been arrested for robbing patients as they lay helpless en route to hospital, police say. Police in the Bavarian capital of Munich became suspicious after several patients reported thefts. And I thought insurance companies were a rip-off.
  • A federal appeals court has tossed out the armed bank robbery conviction of a Los Angeles man after finding that — while he admitted being armed and robbing the bank — he did not mean to show his gun to a teller while demanding money. That is insane. He was carrying a weapon while he robbed the bank, but it wasn’t armed robbery?
  • If you’re going to sell marijuana, you probably shouldn’t try to sell it to the sheriff. Mahnomen County Sheriff Brad Athman said Tuesday he was motorcycling while off-duty over the weekend when a youth tried to sell him marijuana — not once, but twice — on the main street. Maybe the kid can get off by saying he didn’t mean for the Sheriff to see the pot!

Ridley, Morrell & More

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John Ridley’s Those Who Walk in Darkness has been described as a sci fi mystery, thriller in the noir tradition. Regular ZONE readers know I’m a big fan of Ridley’s work. This may be his best yet. I’ve ordered it and will let you know.
I’ve also ordered David Morrell’s latest, The Protector. Morrell [First Blood] has created a novel about super-bodyguard hunting down a rogue client who controls a new and powerful weapon. You just know this book is gonna rock!
  • Stone Temple Pilots lead singer Scott Weiland was released on $10,000 bail after police arrested him for investigation of drug possession. Maybe that should be “Stoned Temple Pilots?”
  • After intensive research, British scientists have concluded that politicians lie. In a study described in Britain’s Observer newspaper, Glen Newey, a political scientist at Britain’s University of Strathclyde, concluded that lying is an important part of politics in the modern democracy. In a related study it was discovered that a lot of money is being wasted with frivolous studies.
  • Workers at a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant discovered the cremated ashes of a man who died last December — in the drive-through takeout lane. My only question… extra crispy or original?
  • A man suspected of robbing a bank was arrested after he told the son of the bank manager he had to get out of town quickly and asked him for directions to the bus station, police said. Another criminal mastermind brought down.

Must See TV?

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  • “The Matrix Reloaded” set one box office record by raking in over $42 million on it’s first day. I“The Matrix Reloaded” should also set a new record for a “R” rated movie’s weekend gross [“Hannibal” holds the record with the $58 million it made during its opening weekend].
  • Rob Lowe’s returning to in a new tv series called “The Lyon’s Den.” I enjoyed him in “West Wing” and would have been more interested if his character there spun off into his own series. Although I may give it a try since there’s nothing else I watch on Sundays at 10PM.
  • “Tarzan and Jane” is a modern day look at Tarzan, but with a twist. He’s been brought back to “the glass and steel canyons of another jungle – New York City. From his rooftop perch, Tarzan protects the city with the primal morality that proclaimed him king of the jungle.” Throw in a love triangle with Jane and you’re on to something… something I would watch except that it’ll be on the same time as “Alias.”
  • James Caan stars in “Las Vegas” as Big Ed Deline, a former CIA agent who runs the best surveillance company in Vegas. “You can bet on high stakes and high-speed action in this adrenaline-fueled drama from the writer of “The Fast and the Furious.” You can bet that I’ll give it a shot.
  • “Jake 2.0” is about computer technician who through an accident can shrink to an atomic level, possesses superhuman strength, lightning-fast speed, heightened hearing, magnified vision and the ability to communicate telepathically with computers. Now if he only has the power to bring in an audience! [I’ll be watching “West Wing.”]
  • Based on the character portrayed by Jennifer Lopez in Elmore Leonard’s Out of Sight, “Karen Sisco” could benefit from the curiosity factor and a weak competition. It might be worth a look.
  • “Threat Matrix” follows “a highly specialized, elite task force trained and equipped to counter anyone or anything that threatens our nation. The head of this super-secret team is Special Agent John Kilmer. He reports only to the President and has authority to call upon the technical skills, firepower, and specialist agents of the FBI, CIA and NSA. ” Man, this sounds like fun… the question is can it survive “Survivor”?
  • Joe Pantoliano, [“The Matrix”] is “The Handler,” an FBI agent who trains street operatives and prepares them to go undercover. Maybe.
  • So what looks good to you?

Arnie, ReLOADED & More

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  • Arnold Schwarzenegger said today that “Terminator 3” was the toughest movie he had ever made and that his days as an action hero were far from over. This could be really great news…
  • “The Matrix Reloaded” has already set one box office record by grossing $42.5 million on it’s first day! Whoa!
  • A Florida policeman has resigned after a teenager complained that he made her do jumping jacks while topless to avoid arrest. And just how do you explain THAT to the Captain?
  • Although I’m probably going to wait to rent it, Jim Carey’s “Bruce Almighty,” has some really funny ads.

Halle Berry & Robert Stack

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  • Halle Berry broke her arm while filming a scene for the supernatural thriller “Gothika” which is set for release in October. Now the director really has cast problems.
  • Robert Stack, best known as for TV’s “Untouchables,” has died at the age of 84. Our prayers go out to his family and friends.

Arnie, Lector and All Stars

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  • Arnold Schwarzenegger stars in an Atari video game based on “T3” that will be released this fall. It’s the first time Schwarzenegger has contributed his likeness and voice to a video game. What’s scary is the game version may be more life-like than the real Arnold! [Just kidding, you know I’m a fan!]
  • “The Lecter Variation: The Story of Young Hannibal Lecter” is now being mapped out by his creator Thomas Harris for a film which will track the cannibal killer from childhood to early adulthood. Hmmm… maybe I’ll have someone over for dinner… and a movie?
  • Richard Hatch, Rudy Boesch, Tina Wesson, Ethan Zohn and Jerri Manthey return next season for a “Survivor” all-star version. Let’s hope that no one tunes in and thinks they’re watching a rerun.

X2, Pop King and More

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  • “X2: X-Men United” held on to the top box-office spot for the second weekend in a row. It took in $40 million for a total of $147+ million!
  • “The King of Pop,” Michael Jackson has sued Universal Music Group for royalties for the re-release of songs he made in the 1970s.
  • CBS loves Ray Ramano, the star of “Everybody Loves Raymond” to the tune of about $1.8 million an episode next season.
  • Boxing’s return to network television has generated competitive ratings and led to talks for more weekly fights. Now that IS good news!
  • The finale of “Survivor: The Amazon” saw 21-year-old Jenna take the crown and the $1 million prize. Man, I was hoping Rob or Matt would win!
  • Whoopi Goldberg, James Caan, Rob Lowe and Alicia Silverstone will have tv shows on NBC in the fall.

Cruise, Yao & OZ

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  • Tom Cruise has completed nearly four months of filming in New Zealand for his next film, “The Last Samurai.” which is set for release this December.
  • NBA star Yao Ming took center stage at a telethon Sunday, which raised more than $300,000 to help researchers seeking a cure for SARS. The Houston Rockets center said this was his way of giving back to his homeland. If only more celebrities felt this way!
  • I rented season one of OZ. I’ve heard great things about the HBO series… and ya gotta love a good prison story.

Just Some Trivia

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  • Dark Horizons posted that The Hollywood Reporter says that Ving Rhames is in talks for the “Dawn of the Dead” remake. I like Ving and would love to see a well-done re-make!
  • Tom Sizemore [“Saving Private Ryan”] has been arrested for allegedly threatening former “Hollywood Madam” Heidi Fleiss to keep her from testifying in his domestic violence case. Sizemore’s another favorite actor but this doesn’t help him in any way…
  • Roger Moore was released from the hospital…
  • Aretha Franklin will hold a candlelight vigil / prayer service on May 19th for Luther Vandross, who remains in critical condition after suffering a stroke last month.

Moore, Al and Slim Shady

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  • Roger Moore, best known as secret agent James Bond collapsed on stage during a Broadway performance on Wednesday. He wasn’t my favorite Bond, but he was in the top 003!
  • Eminem has denied “Weird Al” Yankovic permission to do a video parody of his hit “Lose Yourself.” Eminem gave his permission to a ‘Lose Yourself’ parody song but drew the line at the video because “he felt that a Weird Al video would somehow detract from his legacy or make him seem like a less serious hip-hop artist,” according to a statement by Weird Al. Seems Slim Shady is taking himself a bit too seriously.
  • The cast of ‘The Matrix Reloaded’ got together for the film’s premiere in LA yesterday. It won’t be much longer…. WHOA!

It’s All About Timing…

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  • ‘Grease’ is still the word at Paramount where reports say that plans for “Grease 3” are well underway. The idea is to set the sequel in the late-’70s, feature plenty of disco music and bring back John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Didi Conn, who played Frenchie, is serving as an executive producer. I was never a fan of either of the “Grease” movies, but there’s no denying that it has a very strong, very loyal following. The time might be right for this one.
  • David Hyde Pierce, who plays Niles Crane, on “Frasier” believes next season will be the last. You know, “Frasier” used to be on my “must see tv” list, but the last couple of seasons I haven’t even tuned in. Seems to me the show “jumped the shark” when Niles married Daphne. It’s time has passed.
  • A lone protester stood outside a sold-out Dixie Chicks concert during the band’s first concert since a member criticized President Bush over the war with Iraq. Seems the protestor’s timing was off.
  • William Bennett [Republican Party activist, former Cabinet secretary, former US Drug Czar and Book of Virtues author] said in a statement today that he was giving up the high-stakes gambling that has cost him millions over the past decade. The timing is right on this one, but Mr. Bennett’s timing was obviously off on his bets.

“X2” – George Wyle – Jennifer Garner – Stephen King and James Brown!

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  • “X2: X-Men United” opened with a projected $85.85 million debut . This would make it the fourth highest opening ever and almost a sure thing to spawn an “X-Men 3.”
    With the popularity of some of the individual characters, such as Wolverine and Nightcrawler, it might be interesting to see them spring off into their own films separate from the other “X-Men.”     What do you think about that idea?

  • George Wyle, who wrote the theme song to “Gilligan’s Island” has died at the age of 87. I was going to say that even if that was the only song that he ever wrote that attained any level of popularity, he had accomplished more than most. The I discovered that he also wrote the Christmas classic “The Most Wonderful Time of the Year” and more than 400 other songs. Although most people probably don’t know his name, I’ll be they can sing the theme to “Gilligan’s Island”! Our thoughts and prayers go out to Mr. Wyle’s family and friends.

  • “Alias” star Jennifer Garner will replace Gwyneth Paltrow in “Happy Endings,” which is set to shoot this summer in Los Angeles. Lisa Kudrow will co-star in the comedy.It’s really amazing how popular Jennifer Garner has gotten. Seems she’s everywhere these days. Not that I’m complaining! ; )

  • Two new Stephen King stories have been discovered. “The 43rd Dream” and “Code Name: Mousetrap,” are believed to be among the earliest published works of best seller Stephen King. Believe it or not, they appeared in his high school newspaper… copies have been selling on e-Bay for several hundred dollars.

  • James Brown celebrated his 70th birthday Saturday! Ya gotta love it. “The Godfather of Soul” is still touring, has recently lost weight and… uh, he feels good! Ugh!

ZONE Logo & More

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  • Hey! What do you think about the new ZONE logo that Big John Beatty did for me? Pretty cool, huh? And have you checked out the new StalloneZone Message Board? It, too, is very cool… and easy to use! I’ve been spending a lot of time over there talking about things like…
  • Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton were geniuses but British scientists believe they may have suffered from Asperger syndrome — a form of autism.

  • Aaron Sorkin, creator of the Emmy-winning White House drama “The West Wing” is leaving the series after this season.

  • David Lee Roth used a shotgun to detain an unwanted visitor when a man being chased by police climbed over a fence and tried to hide in the rock star’s yard!

  • There’s also a lot of discussion about the new X-Men movie as well as other summer films!
    We’ve added polls and caption “contests” and more. If you haven’t dropped by, you really ought to     join us!

  • With a new logo and new message board… who knows what’s next? Stick around and you will!

Carpenter, Blade, Shade & More

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  • According to a post at Ain’t It Cool News, one of my favorite John Carpenter movies, “Assault on Precienct 13” is being remade. I’d love to see Sly Stallone play Napoleon Wilson in a low budget remake.
  • Ain’t It Cool also has a post about “Blade III” with writer David Goyer set to direct. I didn’t care for “Blade” but thought that “Blade II” was one of the best horror movies in years so I don’t know what to expect with “III.”
  • Dark Horizons reports that “Shade” “the Stallone film will recieve its world premiere at the Cinevegas Film Festival on June 21st.” Ah, life is good!
  • “Finding Nemo” earned $70.6 million this weekend which is the best ever weekend haul for an animated movie. Look for “Nemo: Reloaded” coming to a theater near you!
  • Mswati is Africa’s last absolute monarch and he says that women wearing pants are the reason the world is in such a sad state and that human rights are an “abomination before God.” And here I thought it was because of mimes.
  • A German wanted for theft has been arrested after he reported his wallet stolen. Can you say “poetic justice?”
  • Singapore plans to rate public toilets using a five-star system called “Happy Toilet” which is similar to that used to grade hotels. Although I think it’s a pretty good idea, I’m sure there are those who think it is a load of crap.