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I recently read a review for the Lady Gaga themed Glee episode. It mentioned the singer as being still too outre and avant-garde to the get the treatment Glee did on Madonna. I beg to disagree. Lady Gaga is actually pretty mainstream. The 224 million views “Bad Romance” has on Youtube suggest it. The thing is, musically, we’re in a post decadence, shock value, indie, alternative, everything period. There is no “new”, or “shocking”, or “original”. Well, there’s still originality, but it’s not reinventing the wheel. What Lady Gaga is doing today, Madonna had done it before her, and it had a way bigger impact back then.
Let’s just have a look at the Billboard Hot 100. You’ve got Katy Perry there, Rihanna, Ke$ha, Pink, Nikki Minaj in some small part on a Ludacris song and, of course, Lady Gaga. These are all female singers who put a lot of thought (or they don’t, they’re just a product of years of pushing boundaries) in what they act like and look like. They’ve got unique styles (which are not set in stone), and from a certain point that’s good. 
Katy Perry’s retro, Ke$ha’s party glam, Pink is rebel couture and Lady Gaga is somehow all of the above and more. What’s so avant-garde and outre about incorporating haute couture in music? They’re not the first (not thinking too far back, we’ve got “Vogue” and George Michael’s “Freedom” – that had supermodels in it, it was more than a blatant mix of fashion and music). Also, shocking, outrageous, atypical? I can think of at least two performers who did it before Lady Gaga and not too long ago: Kelis and Christina Aguilera.
All in all, we’re in the haute couture era of music (every rapper has a designer clothing line – think P. Diddy). And that’s not either a bad thing, or something out of the ordinary. Just as with every art form, the direction is toward synergy and syncretism.
Posted on June 12th, 2010 by MrWiseguy
Filed under: Music | No Comments »
Maybe not the best way to start the list considering Batman&Robin is full on camp and quite nauseating. But Alicia Silverstone was hot stuff at the time, she was exactly what you’d call a vixen. Sadly, there’s little of that in the movie as she’s relegated to being a minor underdeveloped character, and the suit doesn’t help at all. The comic book version doesn’t need rubber suits with nipples to fight crime.
The first Batman movie presented us with Michelle Pfeiffer as Catwoman. Michelle was (I would say she still is, despite the age) sultry, attractive and yet a departure from previous portrayals on TV (Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt). As far as the comic book goes, this was a lot closer(both in aspect and in style) than Halle Berry’s Catwoman.
One of the earliest comic book inspired renditions of a tight clothed character, Barb Wire wasn’t too true to it’s source. Betting on an extremely popular Pamela Anderson and her cleavage, the film was not a huge success (to put it kindly). Pamela had the look, but had little of the attitude that defined comic book character (let’s say she wasn’t chosen for her acting skills).
Wanted’s Fox was half action heroine, half object of desire. Angelina was far from the original portrayal of the character(no costume with fox ears, also white), but she put on her smooth persona, and displayed some cool. The original was more Halle Berry than Angelina (and a Bond style Berry might have handled the character better), but then again who would bet on Halle after the next item on the list happened?
The one question on my mind after seeing this ridiculous attempt at a spin-off was “How can you go from Monster’s Ball to this?”. The costume was sexy, yet Halle seemed less attractive than in better movies when she had more clothes on. Not content with changing the aspect they went on to turning this classic villain to a do-gooder.
To be honest, Elektra is a minor Marvel character. The fact that, after Daredevil bombed, the spin-off came together is all thanks to the charms of Jennifer Garner. Coming hot off the heels of Alias, and a romance with Ben Affleck,
Well, when it comes to honoring the original, no one does it better than Zack Snyder, and Malin Ackerman is as close to the character in looks and mannerisms as you can get (though she is a bit, just a bit, younger). An she looks gorgeous in the black/yellow suit. Notable mention: Silk Spectre I – Carla Gugino (I always like when Carla shows how sexy she is).
As portrayed by Scarlett Johansson in Iron Man 2. Though the character has seen two incarnations, the movie went with the original redhead, Natasha Romanoff while at the same time acknowledging the existence of the second, by having the blonde Scarlett (predestined name?) play her. As with all minor Marvel characters, she might make more appearances as the franchises grow.
Not exactly my first choice for playing a blonde older sister to a hot headed Johnny Storm, but Jessica Alba is always a treat for the eyes. We’ll refrain from commenting on her acting skills, her dyed hair, or any suppositions about how a Sue Storm – Reed Richards night in bed might go about. Honorable mention: Jessica Alba’s character in Sin City – less acting required, more sultry dancing.
Frank Miller’s The Spirit might not be a great movie, but it has two good things going for it: Eva Mendes and Scarlett Johansson in fantasy role-playing attire. Eva Mendes is Sand Saref as far as femme fatales go, even if the original wasn’t a latina.
Sorry for resorting to such an old reference but Glee has a lot of Saved by the Bell‘s charm: 
Yes, Heroes, that show that was once great, now is canceled and won’t be remembered fondly due to 3 seasons of wrecking a good thing. The similarity comes from their respective season 1 popularity, but also in the form of the large cast, and the inability to handle all of them successfully. Because, even though the second half of the season took big strides to accommodate all the characters, most of the episodes so far have thrust only a few of the characters into the spotlight, much to the disadvantage of the others. Which is sad because all the cast is talented. Hopefully, they can fix that.
In that it’s a show about characters, which people often mistake for a gimmicky something else. 
You could see this a mile away. Their both about musically talented people showcasing their gifts through showmanship. And, only occasionally on Glee, there’s competition – sectionals and the much awaited regionals which will end the first season. The difference is that Idol is all about real people and a reality show feel. Glee is a fictional show, which can’t rely on real people but must make it’s characters feel real enough for the viewers to care.
You’ve got your classic rock (Journey, Kiss), your somewhat derided one hit wonders (Ice, Ice, Baby , The Safety Dance), your currently in heavy rotation songs (Lady Gaga) and most of all, the show tunes. Most performances look and feel like a standalone music video, the trick is to weave them into the storyline. Problem is, people won’t tune in just to see another version of (insert song) for very long. So, we come back to getting the viewers invested in the characters and storyline.
Iron Man 2 gets released, does well with crowds, Marvel execs probably have dollar signs for eyes right now. Robert Downey Jr. does his thing, Scarlett Johansson is 
Lost is wrapping things up, adopting the “We actually won’t give out any answers” technique, which personally I don’t mind, though I predict riots on the streets when the finale airs. Chuck, Human Target, V get renewed, demonstrate TV execs aren’t as heartless as believed (just a little less though). Flash Forward is officially not the new Lost , leaving a host of good actors (I’m not counting Joseph Fiennes) in search of different projects.
Vampires have been depicted in many ways for the big screen along the years. By far the biggest influence on the genre has been none other than Bram Stoker’s Dracula. If I had to guess, I’d say movies about Dracula, or that derive from Stoker’s story make up about two thirds of all vampire movies. So you could split vampire movies in two: Dracula vampire movies and non Dracula vampire movies. But a more accurate categorization would be before, and after, the ’90s.
Vampire movies have been around from the very beginning of cinema. There are silent movies dating back to 1909. Probably the most well known of these is Nosferatu (where Max Schreck gives you the willies). Bela Lugosi (complete with cape) left his mark on the character and the way everyone pictures him in the early ’30s. Humphrey Bogart starred in a vampire movie (The Return of Doctor X) though we all like him better in noir. Then there were the Hammer horrors, with Christopher Lee as Dracula. Vampires always were cursed, blood thirsty creatures of the night. The emphasis was on the savage, cruel (even evil) nature of their being, despite sometimes being alluring sex-symbols – it was just a means to an end(we’re all suckers for sex aren’t we?).
When did the change come? I’d say a major change occurred with The Lost Boys. It was among the first big films to make the vampires younger and cooler. Francis Ford Coppola’s vampire movie also romanticized the character more than the book ever did(putting Keanu next to Gary Oldman is really really unfair for both of them). Then the Anne Rice factor came into account. It was just a matter of time before her homoerotic vampires took to the big screen. And they did, with Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise in the leading roles(also, latino vampire Antonio Banderas). Prior to that a little movie called Buffy the Vampire Slayer came out. It wasn’t the movie itself, but the series that followed that would again change the way the public viewed vampires. 
With charming actors playing vampires(Hello, Angel and Spike!) that ended up love interests for the heroine, and spawning a vampire male lead spin-off, Buffy managed to cement the change that was happening. But maybe the biggest game changer was Underworld. It was all about vampires vs. werewolves. Whole clans or guilds(clique?) or whatever of vampires or werewolves. Humans were too uninteresting. Vampires were cool, sexy and dressed in leather(honestly, Kate Beckinsale in tight leather outfits, are you surprised it was a hit?).
Well, we’re seeing the effect of the whole attitude change right now. Twilight is a movie saga. The Vampire Diaries and True Blood are on TV. All of these glorify vampires rather than present them as evil or diabolical creatures. It’s much more soap opera than horror. Vampires are getting to reach cult status to the level of Star Trek, with people dressing up and role playing. And Hollywood is fine with it – after all teenage girls pining for the hot male leads are a lot more bankable than teenage boys who like horror movies.
With Marvel Studios self-financing, and getting a couple of big hits (looking at you, Iron Man), DC trying to join the bandwagon and get more of their characters out, as well as any number of 
Start acting. Take any role that comes your way. Both Evans and Reynolds started out by mostly taking recurring roles or guest spots on TV shows (most notably Opposite Sex for Chris Evans and The Odyssey for Ryan Reynolds). Any part, even non-speaking ones still count as acting, and you’ll probably want to pay your bills too.
Make ‘Em Laugh.Make your big screen breakthrough with the leading role in a comedy revolving around teens or college students, the more outrageous, the better. Chris Evans starred in Not Another Teen Movie long before he tried on action in Cellular. Ryan Reynolds became Van Wilder long before channeling action-star in Blade:Trinity. It shows you come with a smile on your face and can easily handle the quips that come with most superhero movies.
Start diversifying. Reynolds starred in 
Fight for your superhero role. Both Hal Jordan and Steve Rogers went through several candidates before settling on the two actors. And I’m sure neither Evans, nor Reynolds stood by without campaigning to get their respective parts.
The 16 year old redhead currently plays Nathan Fillion’s daughter on the Crime/Drama/Comedy/Mystery show Castle. Though not exactly an Emmy part, she plays her part with such enthusiasm it’s a joy to watch her. Also, a teenager playing her age, that’s not very common. If she doesn’t get lost in some mediocre teen movies (as, for instance, Alexis Bledel of Gilmore Girls) she could do well on the big screen. Given her likability, she would fit very well in anything involving romance, comedy or not (though she’s shown she can handle that).
At only 11, the Texas born Rodriguez, can hold his own against Ed O’Neill and manages to steal the spotlight in almost every scene of Modern Family he’s in. From gross out humor to the more subtle he has managed to create a lovable character that bring a lot of laughs to the table. With a few right choices, Rico Rodriguez can become one of the most popular funny guys on TV. Once he’s older, I’d like to see him in some action buddy comedies.
She plays David Duchovny’s daughter on Californication. That’s enough credit to buy you credibility, especially at 16, considering the adult nature of the show. Not only that, but once in a while she manages to upstage both Duchovny and Natasha Henstridge, while also being the rational one amidst all the sex crazed, drug induced, booze consuming chaos that is that show. A quick look at her character’s nihilistic sarcasm would make her an obvious choice for any indie movie out there, while also being eligible for a comedy role.
The soon to be 20 year old plays a gay teenager with every cliche in the book without making look old. He’s Kurt Hummel on Glee, the little (though I don’t know if little is the correct description of it anymore) show that could. To be honest, the whole cast is talented, but among the ones under 20 I’d chose this guy to make it big. Considering what we’se seen so far, he can do comedy, drama, dance and sing. If Hollywood were to make music halls the way they used to, this would be their go to guy. He’d do well in dramas, as long as they’re not TV dramas.
