Once, an established author told us that there will always come a time in the history of every civilization when the next great leap forward can only be solidified through an alien invasion. Oh, if you don’t believe it, just ask the blue-elf people in James Cameron’s Avatar. and here comes The Darkest Hour 2011. 

 

The United States has long been the go-to nation for visiting and/or invading extraterrestrials, but globalization has started to change that. The Thing (1982) brought aliens to Antarctica, albeit to a U.S. research base. In 2009 South Africa became the unlikely location of a landing (hovering, actually) in Neill Blomkamp’s District 9. And this year, South London was overrun by nasty off-world creatures in Attack the Block.

Now it’s Russia’s turn. As if the political turmoil in the former Communist republic wasn’t bad enough, Christmas Day sees the release of The Darkest Hour. In 3D! Because nothing says happy holidays like an alien assault.

Trailers for The Darkest Hour show a number of Russian cops getting disintegrated by the invisible invaders. (You have to wonder about the advisability of poking a potentially belligerent otherworldly force with a nightstick.)

Fortunately, a quartet of American college kids (or the world’s oldest teenagers), played by Emile Hirsch, Max Minghella, Olivia Thirlby and Rachel Taylor, are vacationing in the Russian capital and can sort things out. It’s OK, officers; these kids have seen both the Men in Black films, and the trailer for Men in Black 3.

They’re clearly a bright bunch. “They came here with a plan,” says Hirsch, and the trailer helpfully spells it out on the screen for us

Phase one: Seize the planet. Phase two: Devour all energy. Phase three: Destroy all life. I’d argue that phase three is actually a (ital) waste (unital) of energy, but what do I know? Hostile movie aliens always seem to enjoy blowing off a little steam by razing buildings, and Moscow has some fine old architecture that’s just begging to be leveled.)

“We’re gonna fight the hell back,” Hirsch says, which is their cue to put together some nifty-looking energy weapons, complete with matching power-pack backpacks. I dare say these youngsters have also seen Ghostbusters.

 

You marveled over how Garry Marshall did Valentine’s Day almost two years ago, which is this sort of celebrity-plagued romantic comedy that’s crammed with cute little plots and some really heartfelt and winsome A-list actors who are trying their best to charm us from the fact that this gumbo soup of a film is merely water. And we’ll have the kettle boiling again this time with New Year’s Eve, and the newest film is tepid and a little bit bland if you ask me.  It’s a myriad of charmingly attired yet carefree characters, never armed with an ounce of wit perhaps, or smarts, who race all over Time Square in time for New Year’s Eve chasing love, will they ever find it? Watch new Year’s eve online and you’ll see!

Like its predecessor, New Year’s Eve has got a number of subplots and peppermint twisted story lines some of which are even coyly intertwined.

Of course you may have read a host of reviews already and you’ll get tired of it, and you’ll agree with me if I say the show’s a lot of story to remember, and screenwriter Katherine Fugate dealt with the challenge of stuffing all the subplots into two hours of cheesy drama. 

No one really cares about any of these persons and their problems, because they’re not even real, or interesting, or amusing as well. What’s our consolation for the film anyways? Well, I personally noted that they’ve got gorgeous locks as usual, how De Niro reads screenplays blindfolded, or Abigail Breslin seems like a budding beautiful rose.  Something like that, so anyway, don’t forget to watch New Year’s Eve even if premiere night’s way over!

 

 

She’s still in good shape after she broke up with her insipid little guy pal in her new show. So it’s no surprise if you see her looking as beautiful as ever after her very recent divorce. Zooey Deschanel does nothing but insist that she is still in good terms with her ex-husband, ‘Death Cab for Cutie’ hunk Ben Gibbard. And to prove to you how bright-eyed she’d always be, see her this time around on New Girl Season 1 Episode 10: Christmas and we’ll be sharing a toast and some cheer when the next episode of the show airs on December 20, 2011.

Compare them from most of the Hollywood couples who turn into cut-throats so soon after their heart-breaking split, but for the bright-eyed Zooey Deschanel, she claims that this one’s not the case for them just after the announcement of their unexpected split last month, ending the two years of marriage.  She even reverts to People magazine: “We’re friendly. It’s all fine.” You may recall that their last public engagement had been this September, and there was never any sign of a problem by then. A source even told the renowned magazine that that “They appeared happy and he seemed very supportive as she did interviews in order to promote her newest Fox show.

Albeit all the controversies, the New Girl star is a bit coy about a rumored reconciliation with her ex-husband, and is now concentrating on her new nephew instead. Her sister, Bones star Emily Deschanel herself gave birth to her first son, Henry, back in September and Zooey admits that she’s nuts over the little guy. She even revealed “I’m a little clueless around little babies. But I’, obsessed with my nephew. He’s so cute.”  The brunette beauty does not have that much time to spend with the youngster though, as she then juggles both a successful movie career and performing with her band, ‘She & Him’. Well there’s no bad blood between the ex-couple so better see the lady who brightens up your day on New Girl Season 1 Episode 10: Christmas. 

Whenever we think of Bella Swan in The Twilight Saga, we have this cut-out picture of a young lady who’s got deep-set eyes who almost never smiles, who’s got the palest sheet color like she’s drained of blood just because she’s one with a vampire, and her aura comes and in and with the gloomy, cold weather that is Forks. But did anyone know that aside from KStew, there’s one more actress who was considered for the role of Bella Swan. You’ll see her when you check out Gossip Gil Season 5 Episode 12.

 

We’re talking about Ice Princess sensation Michelle Trachtenberg. The wide-eyed charming beauty who has charmed millions by the mere fact that she’s talented. She may have played Buffy’s little sister before, but she was considered for the role of the girl who fell in love with one of the creatures of the night.

 

The 26-year-old actress told US Weekly Wednesday at the opening of LOLA in NYC that she was indeed considered for a role in the Twilight films. "There was definitely interest here and there because there's only so few pale girls in Hollywood," she explained.

 

"I've known Catherine Hardwicke since the movie Thirteen," she said. "I was actually supposed to star in that, but I was on Buffy at the time." (Hardwicke, who went on to directed the very first Twilight film in 2009, directed the saga's star Nikki Reed in the 2003 drama and Evan Rachel Wood played the film's primary character. Reed cowrote the gritty screenplay.)

So why did Reed, Kristen Stewart and Ashley Greene end up as Breaking Dawn's leading ladies instead of Trachtenberg? "I guess schedules never worked out," she explained.

"I already have Buffy," she added. "I've already done the vampire thing."

But the Gossip Girl star doesn't want to speculate how her life would be different if she'd starred opposite Robert Pattinson in the blockbuster films. "[Hypothetical answers mean] you're not living in the moment and you're looking negatively at what you're doing now," she mused. Don’t get used to it and see her next time on Gossip girl Season 5 Episode 12.

 

She’s just amazing! And that smile only Lea Michele could pull off has got enough charm to smitten the hunky eyes of the famed Twitter sensation and now newly single Ashton Kutcher. Well, I mean, for a night, at an event. Exactly, it’s in the premiere night of their newest and upcoming film New Year’s Eve. See her this time around and her extraordinary voice and toothy smile on Glee Season 3 Episode 9: Extraordinary Merry Christmas which will air this December 13, 2011.

 Ok, let’s cut to the chase. Yes, Ashton Kutcher and Lea Michele looked very comfortable and cozy as they tried to look like they’re flirting up a storm at the premiere night.

As you could recall, they play a couple in the all-star cast ensemble film, which of course stars a host of other Hollywood favorites, including the charm and dapper appeal of Robert DeNiro and Halle Berry.

Their loved-up tailored act also appeared to have translated off-screen as they giggled and flirted and posed like a true couple in the red carpet. Michele obviously seemed to have enjoyed the night, and even took to Twitter later on in order to relive and be enchant the tingly magic once again.

 "I'm the happiest girl in the world tonight!!! Having the best time ever at the New Year's Eve premiere!" she enthused. Don’t miss her next time on Glee Season 3 Episode 9: Extraordinary Merry Christmas. 

Dubai holds cheers and joy for the rare and once in a lifetime opportunity of greeting and meeting their favorite film stars from some of the most dedicated and biggest fan gathering at the red carpet of the Eighth Dubai International Film Festival. Not to forget the A-list stars all form Hollywood, Indie, Bollywood, and the Arav world who all arrive dressed to the nines for the nightly gala screenings of the film festival, which was not at all possible with the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid al Maktoum, the Vice President and the Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, all of the fans of the stars will then be occupying a place of pride and joy in the red carpet for some up close and personal encounters. Not to mention the fact that people of all ages will get to have their autographs signed and potentially pose for pictures with screen legends. And of course, let us not forget Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol!

 And for those of you who have been wondering, the fan meetups will be open in order to allow fans to meet and greet the legendary Tom cruise and the other stars in the film opening of Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol on December 7! That’s just three days away so pack your bags and head over to Dubai for some dose of nuts yet glamorous Mission Impossible.

Chivani Pandya, who is the Managing Director of DIFF once said, “ With some of the world’s leading celebs coming over to Dubai for this edition of the festival, we wanted to share the fun and excitement with their fans.”

 And to quote, among the many celebrities who will grace the red carpet for the galas are from Europe and US, including Tom Cruisem Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Anil Kapoor, Lea Seydouxm director and producer Brad Bird and Bryan Burk, Alexander Payne and Shailene Woodley, James Bobin, Helena Christensen, Peter Weir, Volker Schlondorff. Not to forget the stars from India Shah Rukh Khan, Priyanka Chopra, Farhan Akhtar, producer Ritesh Sidhwani, Ranveer Singh, Anushka Sharma, and director Rahul Bose, among others.

 If you have been a little too dizzy thinking what composes the opening night, well here you go. Mission Impossible: Ghost Potocol on December 7, which is a special invite-only premiere, Ladies vs Ricky Bahl on December 8, The Muppets, Terraferma on December 9, Arabian Nights on December 11, Three Quarter Moon on Dec 12, and My week with marilyn on the 13^th.. wouldn’t that be just as exciting? I say pack your bags, we’ll all fly to Dubai for this amazing opportunity of shaking hands with showbiz royalty!

 

Starz will be as explosive as a firework again this 2012, because we will be on for Spartacus: Vengeance Season 1 Episode 1 which will definitely hit your small screens on January 27, 2012. Get it hot and get it right. But for some reason, let’s sit down, have a little cuppa’joe and talk about something else, that’s quite related to the television series. This is supposed to be one of the strangest decisions for the show this year, because the network Starz has renewed the ever graphic Spartacus for another season of blood, gore, love, virility, machismo, and the true power of gladiators. The glitch is that they must have really loved what they’ve seen to so most fans hungrily asked for more long before there was any chance to prove the next season is worth the risk.

 

We’ll introduce you to the new tyke who’ll replace the late Andy Whitfield and who’ll play the massively virile and hot warrior Spartacus, this time, it would be Liam McIntyre who will fill the shoes of the late Spartacus standard bearer.

 

No one can deny the impact of Spartacus it had in the market, garnering so many fans from around the world who all are crying for another continuation of the epic television series. That’s according to Carmi Zlotnik, the managing director of the network.

 

 “Vengeance brings unparalleled action and drama to Starz viewers in January. We are thrilled to come to an early agreement that allows the writers and talent to get right back to work in preparing for season three.”

 

Everyone knows that it takes more than a great deal of faith and effort in order to do business this way. But we can’t limit to the fact that for a series to be renewed after only about one to a couple of episodes, this one has concocted more potential for a complete disaster!

 

Having to recast the title character  is the biggest concern, although judging by the various promotional material put out McIntyre is for up to the challenge of playing Spartacus. Andy Whitefield would be proud of his successor I’m sure. The issues would likely have to be with the story. The worst-case scenario is Vengeance tells a bad story causing its audience to lose interest and then numbers plummet. If that were to happen, I’m sure people like Zlotnik would be kicking themselves. However, that’s a very unlikely scenario. The creative minds in charge would have do literally everything wrong in order to suffer a blow that large. I’m sure Spartacus will more than earn this early renewal. Don’t forget, this time around, we’ll all go nuts once again for Spartacus: Vengeance Season 1 Episode 1.