Second Skin takes an intimate look at computer gamers whose lives have been transformed by the emerging genre of Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs). World of Warcraft, Second Life, and Everquest allow millions of users to simultaneously interact in virtual spaces. Second Skin introduces us to couples who have fallen in love without meeting, disabled players who have found new purpose, addicts, Chinese gold-farming sweatshop workers, wealthy online entrepreneurs and legendary guild leaders - all living in a world that doesn’t quite exist. (Official Second Skin movie website)
Although people have always sought to escape from reality through books, theater, movies, and other media, the new crop of MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games) seem to take this sort of escape from real life to new levels. Previously on Talk we discussed how Second Life literally allows you to create a new persona and live out your virtual life online, claiming its goal is to make Second Life "better than real life".
What is your opinion of the MMORPG phenomenon? And why do you think so many people (World of Warcraft alone has over 10 million subscribers) find such games so appealing?
As part of the 27th edition of The Barbara Walters Special, which aired following the Oscars on Sunday, Walters sat down with Disney star Miley Cyrus.
Cyrus is the daughter of country singer Billy Ray Cyrus and star of the hit Disney show, Hannah Montana. This year along she had a No.1 movie, a top-selling tour and a hit album (abc.com).
When Walters asked the young starlet what makes her think she won’t go down the same destructive road as so many former Disney stars that came before, Miley’s answer was simple: her family and her faith.
"I think a lot of these people, you know, do have Christian families and they’re just not seeing that they’re so much greater than the materialistic things that are there right now," said Cyrus, "the people that are the ones you wanna hold onto are the people that tell you the truth."
Miley Cyrus believes she has something different in her life that will keep her away from the lifestyle that has claimed so many young people in that fast-paced world of fame and fortune. Do you think she’ll end up like the others before her? Is the "Christian faith" she’s talking about different than what many famous people leave behind on their rise to fame?
It’s been 80 years since the first Oscar was given out, and over the years, the Academy Awards have become the red carpet event of the year. Anyone who is anyone in the film industry dresses up in their finest to sit through hours of acceptance speeches. In case you did not have the patience to sit through the 3 hours of this year’s show, here is a condensed version. The Oscars in 60 seconds - courtesy of Mahalo.com
This past weekend I went to see 27 Dresses and I took my husband (a feat in itself). I had dreams of my husband and I reliving our wedding with fond memories (I am laughing as I write this).
In this funny but romantic tale, Jane, a bridesmaid junkie has to plan her sisters wedding. All of her ideas of romance and marriage are thrown out the window and she has to reexamine why she loves weddings so much.
In this movie a lot of emphasis is put on the wedding as the fairy tale dream come true. Never is there any mention of the work afterwards that it takes to make the marriage work. The message is that the wedding day is the beginning of your fairytale and that life is about getting the perfect linens and the right casserole dishes to make your house a home. There is no talk about marriage counseling, finances or the new in-laws you can’t avoid.
Does Hollywood like to put more emphasis on the wedding day than the marriage? Is your lovelife not living up to your standards? Have you recently gotten married and life doesn’t seem like you thought it would be? If you need to talk to someone, Let us help
Ben Stein, lawyer, law professor, author, and speechwriter for multiple US presidents, is probably better known as an actor (for his role as a boring teacher in both Ferris Buller’s Day Off and The Wonder Years) as well as hosting the terrific gameshow Win Ben Stein’s Money. In the summer of 2008, Stein’s latest project will be released in theaters: A documentary titled "EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed":
In a scientific world gone mad, EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed is the controversial documentary that will chronicle Ben Stein’s confrontation with the Neo-Darwinian machine, exposing widespread suppression and entrenched discrimination in his heroic quest to bring back freedom in our institutions, laboratories and most importantly, in our classrooms, with the help of the world’s top scientists, educators and thinkers. [Official EXPELLED website]
There are several video trailers of the movie available on the website. Stein’s aim is not to argue that Intelligent Design is a superior theory to naturalistic evolution, but instead to question why supporters of ID or those who are even sympathetic to certain ideas are having their freedoms squelched as they are being systematically silenced within academia.
What should the response be of the scientific community to ideas that are outside of current orthodoxy? Perhaps more ultimately significant, what practical difference does it make whether evolution or ID is a more accurate representation of how human beings came to exist?
It’s that time of year again when romance is in the air, whether you have someone to be your valentine or not. Valentine’s day cards, chocolates in heart shapes boxes, heart shaped candies and balloons, red roses and the like abound. Whether you’re planning a romantic evening with your loved one or wishing this day would just be over, watching a great romantic movie is never amiss. Here is a list of just a few of my favorites…purely subjective of course, so feel free to add yours.
When Harry Met Sally – One of the best romantic comedies ever made, this film sparked the debate over whether men and women can be just friends. Witty dialogue and likeable characters played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan makes this one of my all time favorites.
The Sound of Music – This musical always tops my list, in just about any category. This classic story of a seemingly impossible love between a nun-to-be and a naval commander is set in the beautiful hills of Salzburg, Austria during the turbulent times of the rise of Hitler and the Nazis. Based on a true story, the exceedingly singable music is an added bonus and guaranteed to keep you humming along. Titanic – Leonardo DiCaprio and his declaration of “I’m the king of the world!” is one of the most unforgettable movie lines ever. Just as unforgettable is the haunting Academy Award winning song “My Heart Will Go On” sung by Celine Dion. A huge blockbuster movie directed by James Cameron (The Terminator, Aliens), this 3¼ hour long movie will alternately keep you on the edge of your seat and in tears. The Notebook – Based on a novel by Nicholas Sparks, this film has to be one of the most touching romantic dramas in recent years. A young couple falls in love, only to be separated by her upper class parents who are opposed to their daughter dating a working class boy. Seven years later their paths cross once again, and…well…I won’t spoil the ending for you, but there is an interesting twist. The careers of lead actors Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling skyrocketed as a result of this movie, and they ended up becoming a real life couple as well. Very sweet.
Whether you’re curling up with a loved one, or just in your favorite PJs, a romantic movie makes a perfect Valentine. What is your must-see romantic movie?
Sylvester Stallone, who revived the Rocky series for one last sequel in "Rocky Balboa", attempts to do the same for his Rambo series in the recently released "John Rambo". Here Stallone is the lead actor, screenwriter, director and producer. Stallone talks about his rationale for the setting & plot of his new film:
"I thought the Burmese setting would be ideal because it’s a story that’s not just about Rambo. It’s actually happening. It’s true,” continues Stallone. “From the time I heard about it and began researching it, I thought, ‘If I could just combine the two – raising awareness of the Karen-Burmese civil war and giving the audience a good adventure story – that would be perfect." [Source: MoviesOnline]
Reviewers are mixed about the movie, one critic concluding that "Rambo ranks as the overall series’ second-best entry." while another says the movie is "Hollow, hopeless, horridly written and wholly unpleasant."Is Stallone’s latest movie a wry commentary on human rights abuses, or just another excuse for big-screen violence? Have you, or will you, see the new Rambo movie, and why or why not?
Meet the Spartans, the latest movie from the writers of Date Movie and Epic Movie, has been universally panned by critics: It’s acheived an amazingly low overall rating of 3% on RottenTomatoes.com, meaning only 3% of all critics gave it a positive review. Here’s some of the negative reactions to the film:
"Lazy, lame and painfully unfunny."
"Witlessly crude and vulgar"
"sickening, derivative, shallow, condescending, utterly worthless"
"What’s the point of making a parody that’s dumber than the stuff it parodies?"
The only positive comment so far regarding the movie? "Don’t expect anything of depth and you won’t be disappointed by this predigested pabulum."
Have movies gotten dumber over the past couple decades, or are there just as many dumb movies as there have always been? What’s the worst movie you’ve seen lately and why?
Over Christmas break, my husband and I watched Hollywoodland. It was a quiet but haunting tale of the life and suicide of George Reeves, the actor that played TV’s first Superman.
Through the movie different theories about his death are raised, some people believed it to be murder and some people believed it to be suicide. We won’t spoil the ending for you, you can draw your own conclusions. Still, the statement comes up " Superman wasn’t faster than a speeding bullet."
This movie begs the question, "are Hollywood stars infallible to real life troubles?" Why are we so horrified when one of them falls from grace? Do they deserve to be judged differently?
Actor Heath Ledger, whose acting credits include such films as 10 Things I Hate About You, The Brothers Grimm and Brokeback Mountain, was found dead today in a downtown Manhattan apartment:
NYPD spokesman Paul Browne said Ledger had an appointment for a massage at the Manhattan apartment believed to be his home. The housekeeper who went to let him know the masseuse had arrived found him dead at 3:26 p.m. … Ledger was to appear as the Joker this year in "The Dark Night," a sequel to 2005’s "Batman Begins. [Source: LA Times]
Police report that drugs may have been a factor in his death, however that is not officially confirmed at this time. If this is the case, Ledger will be following other famous actors whose death involved drugs, such as the tragic deaths of Chris Farley, Elvis Presley, Judy Garland and River Phoenix. Ledger is survived by his two year old daughter Matilda Rose.
Second Skin takes an intimate look at computer gamers whose lives have been transformed by the emerging genre of Massively Multiplayer Online games (MMOs). World of Warcraft, Second Life, and Everquest allow millions of users to simultaneously interact in virtual spaces. Second Skin introduces us to couples who have fallen in love without meeting, disabled players who have found new purpose, addicts, Chinese gold-farming sweatshop workers, wealthy online entrepreneurs and legendary guild leaders - all living in a world that doesn’t quite exist. (Official Second Skin movie website)
As part of the 27th edition of The Barbara Walters Special, which aired following the Oscars on Sunday, Walters sat down with Disney star Miley Cyrus.
This past weekend I went to see 27 Dresses and I took my husband (a feat in itself). I had dreams of my husband and I reliving our wedding with fond memories (I am laughing as I write this).
Ben Stein, lawyer, law professor, author, and speechwriter for multiple US presidents, is probably better known as an actor (for his role as a boring teacher in both Ferris Buller’s Day Off and The Wonder Years) as well as hosting the terrific gameshow Win Ben Stein’s Money. In the summer of 2008, Stein’s latest project will be released in theaters: A documentary titled "EXPELLED: No Intelligence Allowed":
When Harry Met Sally – One of the best romantic comedies ever made, this film sparked the debate over whether men and women can be just friends. Witty dialogue and likeable characters played by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan makes this one of my all time favorites.
The Sound of Music – This musical always tops my list, in just about any category. This classic story of a seemingly impossible love between a nun-to-be and a naval commander is set in the beautiful hills of Salzburg, Austria during the turbulent times of the rise of Hitler and the Nazis. Based on a true story, the exceedingly singable music is an added bonus and guaranteed to keep you humming along..jpg)
Meet the Spartans, the latest movie from the writers of Date Movie and Epic Movie, has been universally panned by critics: It’s acheived an amazingly low overall rating of 3% on RottenTomatoes.com, meaning only 3% of all critics gave it a positive review. Here’s some of the negative reactions to the film:
Actor Heath Ledger, whose acting credits include such films as 10 Things I Hate About You, The Brothers Grimm and Brokeback Mountain, was found dead today in a downtown Manhattan apartment:
Is the Bible the Word of God?
Was Jesus married, and also a father?
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