CRUSHWORTHY: Johnny Pacar from "Make It or Break It"

Age: 27

Known For: Disney's "Now You See It..." and "Flight 29 Down: Hotel Tango"

Crush Component: When I first started watching ABC Family's "Make It or Break It," I was slightly interested in the gymnastics competition at the core of the series. But then the character Damon was introduced and I became intrigued. He's a smart-mouth musician who works at the pizza shop alongside underdog gymnast Emily. He's supposed to be the resident bad boy, complete with snark and mischievous behavior. He pretty much had me hooked once he called her bluff and stole a kiss. Then he clinched it when he bought her "outfit" at the fashion auction, which I'm pretty sure put a hole in his wallet...unless of course, he's secretly rich, which would be a nice twist.

Up Next: In the comedy Love Hurts, he'll play a guy who helps his newly separated father (Richard E. Grant from Penelope) learn how to date again, while trying to score the girl of his own dreams. And he also has a role in the war drama Fort McCoy.

FILM: Cage Villain for Green Hornet?, Galifianakis & Downey Jr., Bardem Bails on Labeouf, and more

• Nicholas Cage might play the gangster villain in Seth Rogen's Green Hornet, while Cameron Diaz is rumored to be cast as a reporter slash love interest. I think if Seth wants anyone to take his film seriously, he's going to have to pick someone a little more terrifying than a balding, over-the-hill, action star on the verge of Steven Seagal status. They're also in search of someone to play the sidekick role of Kato. Would it be racist to suggest John Cho? I mean, he did kick some ass in Star Trek.

• I thought Denzel Washington dropped out of Tony Scott's runaway train drama Unstoppable because it was too similar to his recent box office bomb Taking of Pelham 1 2 3, but it turns out "the project hit a speed bump when the studio insisted the budget be cut back to $90 million, with Washington to cut $4 million from his salary." But after more negotiations, which basically means they caved and gave him his salary, he agreed to play the role of a veteran engineer who jumps into a locomotive with a young conductor (Star Trek's Chris Pine) to stop an unmanned runaway train loaded with toxic cargo. So then it seems repetition really isn't a problem for him.

• I guess Javier Bardem isn't going to go toe-to-toe with Shia Labeouf in Oliver Stone's Wall Street sequel. Because of scheduling conflicts, he dropped out. I hope that's not code for "the plot sucks." At first, I thought it was weird for Bardem to play a hedge fund manager, but now I can't picture anyone better for the role—anyone more terrifying as a villain. However, Josh Brolin is now attached. Hmm, we'll see how that works out.

• Pirates of the Caribbean will start a new trilogy with the fourth film in the saga. Johnny Depp is on board for as many as they want to do, but Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom have opted out of the saga. I can't wait to see what they come up with, because I was under the impression that they were going to find a way to free Will from the ship that brings the dead to hell. That would've been awesome, but I guess not. The other plot they could pursue is Jack's search for the Fountain of Youth, which was marked on the map they showed at the end of the last film. Oooh, if he finds it, he can stay young enough to encounter the grown-up child of Will and Elizabeth, which could have been easily conceived on the night of their impromptu, mid-brawl wedding. That would be pretty cool...especially if it was a girl. If Amy Adams or Ginnifer Goodwin (He's Just Not That Into You) did it, they could be like a lady turned pirate, just like their mom. They could even go younger with Emma Roberts (Nancy Drew). Just don't go tooo sexy like with Megan Fox. There's no way Keira could pop her out. lol They could even make it that Elizabeth had fraternal twins, so that there could be a male Turner, played by the likes of Ben Barnes (Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian) or Christopher Egan ("Kings"). The possibilites are endless.

• Zach Galifianakis is riding his Hangover-high. He scored a co-starring role in the road trip comedy Due Date. Robert Downey Jr. will take a break from explosions and combat to play "an expectant father who finds himself on a road trip with a mismatched partner, as he races to get there before the birth of the child." Wild and disturbing things are sure to happen with Zach around.

• Jenna Dewan has been cast in the the comic adaptation Magdalena, the story of the descendant of Mary Magdalene, a protector of the Catholic Church. Finally, Dewan gets a job post-Step Up. For a second there I thought she resigned herself to being Mrs. Channing Tatum.

• I think Josh Gad (The Rocker) is really funny. In fact, I think he was the funniest character on Kelsey Grammer's short-lived comedy "Back to You." However, I don't quite understand how he can play Jake Gyllenhaal's little brother in the drama Love and Other Drugs. I just...don't see the resemblance.

• Check out this insanely awesome plot: In Vivian Schilling's thriller novel Sacred Prey, "a loan shark kills a man he believes duped him, only to wake up and find himself in the body of that man three days before the murder. He then must undertake a furious effort to prevent the murder he committed." Woa! When it's adapted, it'll be under a new title, so keep a look out.

TV RECAP: NBC's "Kings" Series Finale

Many adoring fans have been praying that this series will get picked up by a cable network like HBO or Showtime, and I think even though this weekend's episode was the series finale, there is still more story to tell.

King Silas
After being shot during a Gath-peace conference, everyone was led to believe that he was dead. But a visit from the rightful heir to the throne, David, inspired him to reclaim his crown. With his help, he was able to lead tanks to the castle and demand entry. After a tense standoff and a barely memorable speech from David, the soldiers allowed Silas to pass. David expected him to immediately call a truce with Gath and be the merciful king he was supposed to be, but instead he asked that his wife help him draw up a list of people who did not stay loyal to him so that he could seek revenge. He then took to the roof to have words with God, and get his official "ok" to continue his rule. He had promised David earlier that the next time God spoke to him, he would listen and heed his orders. Unfortunately, the thunderous sounds that emitted from the sky translated into "Let David be king!," and Silas was none too pleased, but he had Thomasina retrieve David to inform him of God's will. At first it seemed like he was going to yield to him and hand over the crown, even though David wasn't really that interested, but then he lost his mind temper and started accusing David of plotting against him with God as his traitorous accomplice. Too much wine? Who knows? It seemed abrupt and slightly psychotic, especially once he started beating David savagely. His final scene was with the Reverend, who at this point served as a ghostly messenger of God. Despite the Reverend's adamant warnings, Silas continued to declare war against God, and the Reverend responded by stating that the day Silas lays a hand on David is the day he'll die. I'm assuming he meant a different day or a fatal hand, since he had already laid his hand on him several times that day. (lol)
Potential Plot: King Silas seems to be going down the path of a king gone mad, driven to solitude not only by the Reverend's spirit but by Death itself (portrayed by Saffron Burrows of "My Own Worst Enemy"). According to Thomasina, he wants to raise Jack's future heir as his own and restart the royal family. If the series continued or even jumped ahead 10-20 years, and if his illegitimate son should survive by God's will, the new heir and he could battle it out, and create a struggle for the throne that never truly occurred between David and Jack. I would also have liked to have seen Silas put in the same position that he put the former king in, locked away and forced to give council when needed. It would've provided a nice juxtaposition—the rise of a new king and the fall of the old.

Prince Jack
I think the most heartbreaking scene of the entire series was when his mother carelessly informed him that his blackmailer/lover had committed suicide, and he had to pretend he didn't care. This is why I often pardoned him for all of his actions and rebellious behavior, and never really pitied Silas or Queen Rose for the things he did to them. However, when he spontaneously ordered the barbaric execution of a subordinate who questioned him in front of a room full of people, I started to waver on the "All Hail King Jack!" campaign. However, I was truly impressed when he didn't run from his father like his Uncle William did, and instead faced him like a man. It might've been the only thing that saved him. I love the way Thomasina stated his punishment for treason: "Your father wants for you a living death—to brick you into a wall with someone who loves you, who you can't stand the sight of, until you produce an heir." It was like she was his executioner. Plus, the fact that Jack felt the need to beg for a pardon, as though his punishment was equal to death, was pretty amusing. I mean, all he has to do is have sex. But I guess that's what they mean by, "There are some fates worst than death."
Potential Plot: He can never be king. I hope he's resolved himself to that after 1) the Reverend told him and 2) he couldn't even get the real crown for his impromptu coronation, which is a bad omen. I hope this only because I see David and Jack as a good team. David could rule the nation, while Jack ruled the army. Plus, I'm pretty sure David doesn't give a crap who he falls in love with, so Jack wouldn't have to hide his sexual orientation anymore. Of course, with this new regime there would be a little tension between him and Thomasina. And while I do like her, I'm sure there's a place for her in the king's dungeon if she should question it.

Captain David Shepherd
After the unconvincing theatrics he put on in the courtroom, trying to prove his innocence, he thought he had finally found a way to free himself when Michelle promised to be his alibi. But when she didn't show up, he felt betrayed and rejected her apologies and her heartfelt goodbye. I believe the Reverend's soldiers saved him when he was about to be executed. But instead of running away and never looking back, he went in search of Silas to help him reclaim the throne. However, he swore that once he was done, he would leave and never return. After he succeeded in infiltrating the castle and getting an unspoken pardon from the king, which oddly no one acknowledged, Michelle went to his apartment to apologize and suggest they run away together. I guess Silas summoned him before they could. From what I gathered, David was hesitant to believe his destiny because he's always seen himself as an instrument of the king and not of God directly. But after Silas pummeled him, he started to fight back and boldly declared "Maybe I should be king! Maybe I should!" Together, he and Michelle sought refuge in the Reverend's church and the Reverend appeared to them to offer council. He advised David to go to Gath for it would be the only place that Silas wouldn't search for him. Although, I'm not sure why. They never mention any other city besides Gath, so why wouldn't he go there? (lol) His last scene ends with a butterfly—the only source of color besides the sun in the dark gray woods that separate the two cities—following him on his pilgrimage.
Potential Plot: Well obviously we would've loved to see him, albeit nervously, take the throne. Silas always insinuated that he was a good man in the past, even though William, the queen's brother, implied that he used to be pro-war, so that would suggest that David would eventually transform into a hardened man. I definitely would've liked to have seen that character's metamorphosis. That's why the symbol of the butterfly is so important. The crown may turn you into a man, but there's no guarantee that that man will be just. That decision is his, and I wanted to see if David would make the right one. I don't like that they dropped the storyline of his mother patiently waiting for him in the lobby. I guess after the coup it was unsafe for anyone to be loitering around the lobby, but did he ever call her to tell her he was leaving? His entire large-family situation was neglected, and I think if he was the youngest brother he would've sought more council from them than he did.

Princess Michelle
She's never been a character I've cared for. At first she was feisty and standoffish, then she became this lovesick, indecisive, powerless princess. Her mother radiates power and I hoped she'd learn from her. While she did manage to spend a good minute being courageous enough to stand up to her brother (and the soldier who pointed a gun at her head), she couldn't muster the same courage to determine her own future. Her mother claimed that if Silas knew she was pregnant with David's child, he would kill the child—and probably even more so now that he knows God favors him. So her mother's master plan is to sentence her to a year of solitude for "her acts of treason in support of her brother," giving her enough time to give birth. I can't remember if they're going to give the child away or claim it's someone else's, but I just wish she would've told David during their conversation about running away together.
Potential Plot: I think we would've been shone an even more reserved version of Michelle over time as she slowly morphed into her mother, or she would've become eternally bitter and indifferent to the world. I would have liked to have seen David learn of his child and for that to inspire him to take his place at the throne. But most importantly, I would've liked to have seen her grow a pair. God gave her a second chance at life and she's totally wasting it.

Queen Rose
Throughout the series she was mostly used as a catalyst to nudge certain plots along, but she never really felt like one. She truly was her own character, and a vicious one at that. However, I could never nail down where her loyalties lied. Was everything she did for her kids, her king, or herself? I think in the end, they made it seem like it was for her kids, because she negotiated non-fatal punishments for both of her children. But I think most mothers would've tried harder to make their kids happy, to change the rules so that they didn't have to conform—well, that's what I'd do as a mom.
Potential Plot: I think, since Silas is prime to reassert himself as the king, she would've become extremely busy in trying to regain favor among all the important people of the city. However, I would've liked to have seen her lose some of her power. If Silas completely lost it, he might've invited his mistress and ill son to stay in the castle, and I would have liked to see what that would've done to her emotionally.

Reverend Ephram Samuels
He felt guilty for aiding in the wrongful deaths of many people in the city and for usually serving his ego instead of God. I thought he was doing a pretty good job though, considering who he kept company with. So on the day of Jack's coronation, he refused to attend, knowing that a refusal was punishable by death. He prayed at the altar, begging for forgiveness, and awaited his inevitable demise. However, as I've noted previously, he reappears later on as a spirit to guide David and warn Silas.
Potential Plot: I think that means that God forgave him and that he would now be used as a medium for God to deliver his messages to both the rightful king and the damned one. So it would've been nice to have him continue as a messenger.

Andrew Cross
Macaulay Culkin hasn't really been front-and-center since 2004's religious comedy Saved!, so it was a nice surprise when he showed up on the series as the queen's shunned nephew. However, I never really understood what he did to merit being banished from the city for what seemed like an unbearable amount of time. Nonetheless, I liked that he was an outsider, always watching on the sidelines and examining every situation—it seems now—in an unbiased manner. I don't know about you guys but I was totally shocked when he told Silas that he wanted to replace his son Jack. They didn't pursue that scene further so we don't know if Silas agreed or even entertained the idea, but that was totally out of left field. Here we were led to believe that Andrew was completely loyal to his father and would do anything for him. But the truth is that he has some odd fixation on the royal family, and is hellbent on becoming an important part of it. He'd even go so far as to renounce his own father.
Potential Plot: Or did he? It doesn't seem like William knew where his son had gone, since he was frantically searching for him during his escape, and Andrew even told the king where he could find his father, but what if this was all just a plot to eventually punish the king for banishing him? What if he really just wants to get in his good graces so that he can destroy him? What if he's a lot more like his father than he lets on? I guess we'll never know for sure, but I think I would've preferred the plot going in that direction rather than him becoming the king's lap dog. He could've even become the new enemy against the new younger regime. And we all know that while Sebastian Stan (Jack) isn't half bad at playing evil, nobody does evil like Macaulay (see The Good Son if you don't believe me).

Lastly, who else felt like they were left hanging after Thomasina kissed Security Guard Klotz? lol

For die-hard fans, TVByTheNumbers.com noted that the series has potential to be saved by DirectTV. Get to Tweeting!!!

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: Cast Members of 2009's Canceled Shows

"Cupid" (ABC)
Bobby Cannavale: I first noticed him in "Will & Grace," and I thought he'd finally got his big break with his very own series, but alas "Cupid" was a no-go for the second time in a row.
Up Next: He just wrapped the father-son dramedy Apples with Victor Rasuk (Lords of Dogtown), and a supporting role in the dramedy Weakness. But he's about to start filming the adaptation of Down and Dirty Pictures, a satirical look at the rise of independent film in the 1990s, with Matthew Perry and Hugh Dancy.







"Everybody Hates Chris" (CW)
Tyler James Williams: The 16-year-old was lucky to get his own series at 13, so it must suck that he has to start auditioning all over again. He was genuinely funny in 2006's Unaccompanied Minors, but unfortunately there aren't that many kid-friendly shows.
Up Next: I think he should shoot for a series like ABC Family Channel's "10 Things I Hate About You" or FOX's "Glee," unless he's interested in a little drama, then he should be a student in the new format that "Scrubs" is trying out—like a black Doogie Howser.

"In the Motherhood" (ABC)
Cheryl Hines: The very funny lady may not have her own series anymore...
Up Next: ...but she is in Katherine Heigl and Gerard Butler's The Ugly Truth, and she'll voice a character on Cartoon Network's new animated series, "The Super Hero Squad Show," which sports a hefty amount of famous heroic characters and voices: Valkyrie (Gossip Girl's Michelle Trachtenberg), Mr. Fantastic (Buffy, the Vampire Slayer's James Marsters), Black Widow (Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles' Lena Headey), Iceman (X-Men's Shawn Ashmore), Hawkeye (Heroes' Adrian Pasdar), Ant-Man (Heroes' Greg Grunberg), Galactus (Star Trek's George Takei), Ka-Zar (Hercules' Kevin Sorbo), Black Cat/Sif (Battlestar Galactica's Tricia Helfer), and many more.

Megan Mullally: Ten years ago, she created an unforgettable character on "Will & Grace," and now three years after its finale, she's having a little trouble getting settled in a new series.
Up Next: She'll appear in this year's Fame revival, and join the cast of Starz's "Party Down" as a small town divorcee who moves to Hollywood so her 13-year-old daughter Escapade can become an actress. When she gets tired of that, she should try for "Glee" or "Cougar Town."

Horatio Sanz: After the series was cancelled, he appeared in the briefly popular comedy Year One.
Up Next: He just wrapped the TV movie Bad Mother's Handbook, starring Alicia Silverstone and Megan Mullally. Then he'll appear in Chris Kattan's comedy Hollywood & Wine.

"Kath & Kim" (NBC)
Selma Blair: In doing this series, she was returning to TV for the first time since her official debut in 1999's "Zoe, Duncan, Jack & Jane." Unfortunately, the quirky Australian import didn't mesh well with American humor and it was canned.
Up Next: She does "conservative dork" best, like in The Sweetest Thing, which is why I think she should join the cast of "The Big Bang Theory" as a potential love interest for either of the boys (except Leonard, of course). In the mean time, she'll have a role in the oddball family comedy Happy Together and the thriller Columbus Circle with Giovanni Ribisi.







"Kings" (NBC)
Sebastian Stan: He's really come into his own in this series. His reoccurring role on "Gossip Girl" doesn't do him justice, so I hope he finds his place eventually.
Up Next: Aside from reprising his role on "GG" this fall to woo Serena, he'll appear in the star-studded comedy Hot Tub Time Machine with a slew of comedians, but I think his talents could be well served on shows where he can display more of his dark side, since it's awesome. So how about auditioning for the new mystical series "The Vampire Diaires" or the vanity-filled "The Beautiful Life."

"Life" (NBC)
Damian Lewis: I never liked him, especially after watching Dreamcatcher, but Cruz was a really entertaining character to watch, and he grew on me.
Up Next: If you're feeling nostalgic for Lewis' charm, then I'd suggest hunting down his direct-to-DVD hitman comedy The Baker, which is like a more cheerful version of In Bruges, or catching the British prison-break thriller The Escapist. On the horizon, he has the Danny McBride fantasy comedy Your Highness, acting alongside James Franco, Natalie Portman, and Zooey Deschanel.

Sarah Shahi: She scored her first steady gig in "The L Word," then became more popular as Cruz's sidekick.
Up Next: At the moment, she's expecting her first child, but afterwards she'll star opposite Jeffrey Dean Morgan ("Grey's Anatomy") in an untitled crime comedy. Since it's not really a major role, I think she should return to TV in something that'll let her play up her sexuality, as well as her sense of humor, like "True Blood." However, I love her as a cop, so I think she'd be awesome on "Dexter" as Deb's competition, "Lie to Me" as Mekhi Phifer's love interest, or on "The Mentalist" as Cho's.

Donal Logue: He's had trouble finding a place on television ever since his family comedy "Grounded For Life" ended in 2005, so it was nice to see him as a slightly more serious character.
Up Next: He'll have roles in the horror thriller The Lodger, Zac Efron's drama The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud, and the AIDs drama Jericho's Walls Are Falling. He'll also co-star in a new FX comedy series called "Terriers," where he'll open a P.I. business with his friend.

"Prison Break" (FOX)
Wentworth Miller: His career skyrocketed when the series premiered, but after the second season, it seemed doomed.
Up Next: It's rumored that Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) tapped him to play a plane-crash survivor in an underwater utopia of the horror action film Bioshock. He's also going to be in the season premiere of "Law & Order: SVU" as a visiting detective, but if he wants a permanent TV job, maybe he could be a doctor on one of the many new medical dramas debuting in the fall season, like NBC's high-intensity "Trauma." He has that concerned-caring look down.






Amaury Nolasco: He also benefited from his role in the series, managing to score a few film jobs (Transformers, Street Kings, and Max Payne) because of it.
Up Next: He has the adventure drama The Rum Diary with Johnny Depp and the thriller Armored with Laurence Fishburne, but I think he might be good as a cop on "Dexter"—maybe repair Lt. Laguerta's broken heart, since I hear they're looking to give her love interest.










"Privileged" (CW)
Joanna Garcia: She first got her feet wet on "Reba," confirming the idiocy of all blondes, so I was shocked that she could feign intelligence and hold her own as a lead in her own series. Unfortunately, the content wasn't really worth tuning in for week-after-week.
Up Next: You can see her as a Southern vixen on "Gossip Girl" this season, but she deserves some substantial material. Heck, I even think she could pass for Haylie's sister on "One Tree Hill." Unfortunately that role was already cast...then again, she has a lot of siblings. Or she can come out of left field and become a love interest slash partner on USA's new action comedy "White Collar" opposite Matthew Bomer ("Chuck"). I'd love to see her kick some ass.




Lucy Hale: She had her start in the NBC remake of "Bionic Woman," but really broke through with her role in this series.
Up Next: She'll be in the horror flick Deep Cove and the dramatic TV film The Sorority Wars.

"Reaper" (CW)
Bret Harrison: After getting his big break in "Grounded for Life," he had a brief stint on "That's 70 Show" and "The Loop" before scoring his own series. Unfortunately, it seems failing to be as hot as Supernatural's Jared Padalecki and Jensen Ackles caused the CW's mostly female audience to give it the ax.
Up Next: You can see him in the New Orleans-set comedy Mardi Gras getting his frat boy on.

Tyler Labine: I first noticed his goofy antics in the short-lived sci-fi series "Invasion," but he managed to effortlessly steal several of the series' scenes with his immature behavior.
Up Next: He was actually the first to secure a new gig after the cancellation was announced as the lead in FOX's family comedy "Sons of Tucson." He will aslo star in the comedies A Good Old Fashioned Orgy and Tucker & Dale vs. Evil.

Rick Gonzalez: Trying to score roles that aren't specifically Latino are kind of hard in Hollywood, but Gonzalez managed to make his character hilarious just for being a nerdy and overly sensitive guy without a heavy Latino slant. With sporadic roles in films like Biker Boyz, Coach Carter, Roll Bounce, and Illegal Tender, he's slowly breaking out of the stereotypes.
Up Next: He has a part in the female-driven, indie drama Flying Lessons with Maggie Grace ("Lost") and Christine Lahti ("Jack & Bobby").

"Samantha, Who?" (ABC)
Christina Applegate: She's been in this business for more than twenty years and ever since she epitomized white trash in the 80s family comedy "Married with Children," she's deserved a little front row stardom. She had her first shot in the 90s series "Jesse," so I had no doubts that she'd be as funny as she was in this series. But having a gimmick at the core really caused it to go stale quickly.
Up Next: She has some voiceover work in the upcoming sequel Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, a supporting role in Drew Barrymore's rom-com Going the Distance, and possibly a small role in the indie dramedy Everything is Going to Be Just Fine.

Jennifer Esposito: I didn't realize it, but I first saw her in I Still Know What You Did Last Summer. During her rise, she had a steady role in "Spin City." She later appeared in the Oscar-winning drama Crash and the ill-fated WB series "Related." I feel like her sassy Andrea stole many scenes and really planted her solidly in the position of a comedic actress. Them Apatow boys should take notice.
Up Next: You can see her in the Italian family comedy Four Single Fathers, and she's rumored to have been cast in the musical drama Since I Don't Have You. But I'd like to see her get saucy in a series that doesn't already have an alpha female-type like "Cougar Town" or the new quirky dramedy "Eastwick."

Melissa McCarthy: I was a little worried that she wouldn't be able to find another role after her hilariously adorable portrayal of hyper-active Sookie on "Gilmore Girls," but she has a knack for playing the dorky sidekick.
Up Next: So far, she has a role in the upcoming rom-com The Back-Up Plan. But I have high hopes for her. I think she'd fit nicely into the quirky "Glee."

"Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" (FOX)
Lena Headey: She's been around for a while, but her 2006 portrayal of the ballsy Queen in 300 was where I first saw her backbone. I had no doubts she could play the mother of the leader of the resistance. Unfortunately, uber fans weren't too keen on the series' timeline or content so it was sort of doomed from the start.
Up next: She'll star opposite Josh Lucas in the horror thriller Tell-Tale. But I'd suggest sticking to feature films where she can promote some more girl power.

Thomas Dekker: I really had high hopes for his role as bff to the cheerleader in "Heroes," but I guess it was going nowhere so he had every right to jump ship for his own series. Unfortunately, Terminator fans couldn't take his brooding seriously.
Up Next: You can see him now as a cancer-stricken teen in the heart-breaking drama My Sister's Keeper. In the future, there's the comedic horror All About Evil, a revival of the famous horror flick A Nightmare on Elm Street, and yet another horror film called Slaughter's Road. I'm seeing a trend here. Apparently, he's found something to do with his smoky stare.

Brian Austin Green: It's been a long, hard road for the "Beverly Hills, 90210" graduate. I think the turning point was when he played a hyper-realized version of his Hollywood personality in the hitman action comedy Domino and then co-starred and officially laid claim to some serious comedic chops in the criminally short-lived "Freddie." Then he wowed us again by giving this series the boost that it needed with his badass no-prisoners act.
Up Next: We'll see him go up against Clark this season on "Smallville," and in the sports drama The Sandy Creek Girls.

Summer Glau: The professional ballerina first impressed us with her intimidating combat skills when she played the mysterious killing machine in "Firefly" and the film adaptation of that series, Serenity. After a stint on TNT sci-fi series "The 4400," she amped up her all-boy fan club by playing the first nice female Terminator.
Up Next: Unfortunately, aside from a guest starring role as herself on "Big Bang Theory," she doesn't have much on the horizon. I'd suggest playing a non-robotic character on "Dollhouse."

"The Unusuals" (ABC)
Amber Tamblyn: Technically appearing in anything after starring in CBS's "Joan of Arcadia" is slumming it, but she managed to stay in the spotlight with the Sisterhood of the Travelling Pants films. She almost revived her TV career with the quirky cop dramedy "The Unusuals," but as a mid-season replacement, it bombed majorly even though it was hilarious.
Up Next: She'll star opposite Michael Douglas in the mystery thriller Beyond a Reasonable Doubt this fall and the incredibly well-cast drama Main Street, alongside Colin Firth, Orlando Bloom, Patricia Clarkson, and Ellen Burstyn. She should try out for "Fringe." She could be the young, female version of the ever-eccentric Walter.

Jeremy Renner: After his small role in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford, he scored himself a starring role in the recently cancelled dramedy "The Unusuals" and the war dramedy The Hurt Locker.
Up Next: While he didn't do too bad in a series, he didn't really seem to fit so snuggly on the small tube. I think he should stick to gritty roles on the big screen. Maybe find a friend in Guy Ritchie, Michael Mann, or even Michael Bay. In the mean time, he's joined Ben Affleck's second directorial effort, an adaptation of Chuck Hogan's bank heist thriller The Town, where he'll act alongside Affleck, Jon Hamm ("Mad Men"), Rebecca Hall (Vicky Cristina Barcelona), and Blake Lively ("Gossip Girl").

Harold Perrineau: He's worn many hats, whether it's in the critically acclaimed "Oz," the eternally worshipped Matrix saga, or the cult-favorite "Lost." He's really good at morphing into other characters and managed to make what could've been a caricature into a lovable putz in this series.
Up Next: He'll appear in the tense dramas The Killing Jar and Case 219.

Monique Gabriela Curnen: She's been around for a while, including a small double-crossing role in The Dark Knight, but I believe she first broke through in this series as a tough-as-nails sexy detective.
Up Next: She'll appear in the dramatic indies The Truth About Angels and Spoken Word, and the thriller Legacy.












Adam Goldberg: His odball humor has always irked me, but he finally won me over with his vulnerable act in both this series and the indie rom-com 2 Days in Paris.
Up Next: He'll be in the female-led comedy Miss Nobody, the teen dramedy Norman, and the drama The Prince of Providence with Robin Williams.

















"Worst Week" (CBS)
Kyle Bornheimer: I really can't believe this series was cancelled. Week after week I expected the series' concept to get stale, but the physical comedy was just too funny to ignore. He's been bopping around TV for a while now, and with any luck he'll find a home.
Up Next: He'll appear in the rom-com She's Out of My League, the comedies For Christ's Sake and You Again, and the TV series "Romantically Challenged," playing backseat to Eric Christian Olsen (Fired Up). But seriously he's too funny to be on the backburner.

BUZZ: Half-Blood Prince at #1, Wolfman Reshoots, Ghost Rider Restarted, and more

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince opened at #1 with $160 mil, while Bruno free-fell to #4 with close to $50 mil. Public Enemies also stumbled a bit, dropping from #4 to #7 with $79 mil, and I Love You Beth Cooper was shoved to #10 with $10 mil. Meanwhile, the Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 retired from the top 10 with $63 mil, and the romantic indie 500 Days of Summer, which received rave reviews after opening in 27 theaters, came in at #12 with $838,000.

• Natalie Portman will play Chris Hemsworth's (Star Trek) love interest in Thor. You know you've made it when your leading lady is uber famous.

• Only Hugh Jackman could make me laugh in his latest role in the comedy Avon Man. He'll be playing a car salesman who gets sacked and has to resort to selling beauty products and becoming an Avon man. While at first he feels emasculated, eventually he becomes the top seller and convinces his friends to join so they can win a regional contest. Sounds like a riot.

• The third Bridget Jones film will be about her struggle to get pregnant now that she's in her 40s.

• Nicholas Cage wants to remodel the Ghost Rider film and make it less of a Western and more of an international thriller. I'm pretty sure the "Western" portion of the film wasn't the problem. It was the lame bad guys and the cheesy lines...oh and you.

• The remake of the 1971 thriller Straw Dogs will star James Marsden (27 Dresses and Enchanted) in Dustin Hoffman's role, Kate Bosworth as his wife, and Alexander Skarsgard ("True Blood") as her high school boyfriend.

• I'm really hyped about this action-thriller Pursuit. It's about a photographer who falls in love with a mysterious woman while on assignment in Colombia, later discovering she's an assassin. Can't wait till it's cast. Taken director Pierre Morel is on board, which is even more reason to be excited.

• Benicio Del Toro's The Wolfman is being reshot to make the werewolf more realistic and to make it move around on four paws rather than just two legs. It never bodes well when the graphics of a film look shotty enough to reshoot. Just ask Twilight viewers.

TV NEWS: "Beautiful Life" Delayed, "The Listener" Canceled, and New Ben Stiller Spy Series

• Mischa Barton's recent hospital visit is causing delays in further production of her model series, "Beautiful Life." I wonder if Ashton Kutcher, who's producing, is kicking himself for involving an actress that's been on the verge of becoming the next Lindsay Lohan slash Amy Winehouse...and not in a good way. The ironic thing is that Barton is playing a once-famous model who returns to the fashion business after a scandalous absence and is struggling to regain her stardom and maintain her sanity. Life imitating art much?
P.S. Wouldn't it be awesome if "Gossip Girl" crossed over with "Beautiful Life" and Blair chewed Barton's character up and spit her out?

• NBC's "The Listener" was cancelled, and it'll be replaced with "Law & Order" repeats starting July 30. I wouldn't say I'm surprised. Lacking a solid love story and failing to touch-base with the mystery of his past in every episode, which would be a major draw depending on how juicy it is, the series was bound to be canned. I really loved the cinematography though, and I think the standout actor was Oz, the subtly funny, 30-year-old, Turkish actor Ennis Esmer. Die-hard fans will be happy to know that the rest of the series will continue in Canadian markets.

• Ben Stiller is teaming up with FOX to produce a John Goodman spy comedy called "The Station." Justin Bartha (National Treasure and The Hangover) seems to be capitalizing off his recent popularity to score a steady gig. He'll play a CIA operative who's on a mission in Central America to install a new dictator, and Goodman will play his mentor. Could be good for a couple of laughs. But the more action scenes (and therefore money) it employs, the less time the network will give it to garner a massive fanbase, whcih was the inevitable downfall of "Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles." If this is FOX's attempt at creating a "Chuck" carbon copy, it better learn from the flailing series's mistakes: start small and bring the funny.

TRAILER: Drew Barrymore & Ellen Page's "Whip It"

First off, Ellen Page has sort of been MIA from commercially acceptable films ever since her astounding debut in 2007's Juno. After being nominated for an Oscar, she needed to make sure that when she returned, it was with a character that wasn't a carbon copy of what will forever be an iconic, teen caricature. Bliss Cavendar is no Juno. She's like an insecure baby chick trying to find her way in the world, despite her mother's (Marcia Gay Harden) constant attempts at brainwashing her into being a debutante. She finds her calling when she discovers the unbelievably badass roller derby girls who are comically violent and rebellious. Among them are Kristen Wiig (Adventureland), Ari Graynor (Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist), rapper Eve (UPN's "Eve" and Barbershop), Juliette Lewis (Catch and Release), and newcomer Zoe Bell. With the criminally overlooked Alia Shawkat ("Arrested Development") as her bff, this makes for a stellar female cast. I have high hopes for Drew Barrymore's directorial debut, as well as Shauna Cross's novel becoming a favorite for females everywhere.



I love Barrymore. I love that she got some of the funniest and coolest chicks in the television and film industry to star in this flick. My favorite part of the trailer is when they cheer "We're number two!" and their coach scolds them for "celebrating mediocrity." Hey, isn't that the basis for 99% of all comedies? lol Love it!

P.S. Try to spot Jimmy Fallon.

Release Date: October 9th

TRAILER: "Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief"

Woa! This is going to be epically awesome. It looks like they spared no expense with the special effects. It's almost Harry Potter-like, which is probably because Chris Columbus, who did Sorcerer's Stone and Chamber of Secrets, is directing. The only thing I'm concerned about is the writing. Newcomer Rick Riordan is adapting and he could piss off a lot of fans. I, personally, only read as far as Percy's arrival to the camp, but I don't recall there being a magical elevator.

Take a sneak peek at what appears to be Mount Olympus:



Release Date: Feb. 10, 2010

MUSIC: Mary J. Blige's "The One" feat. Drake

I like Mary J. Blige, but I love this song. I played it like 6 times straight. My favorite part is when Drake says he'll fill in for Lil Wayne while he goes through his rock phase:

"While my brother Wayne / rocking out like a White Stripe / I'm a kill the game / I'm a young money / white knight"

The beat it is guaranteed to get the kids jumping in the clubs. Listen to the rest:

ALBUM REVIEW: Jonas Brothers' "Lines, Vines, and Trying Times"

I feel pretty strongly that if we can consider Pink's latest a break-up album, then these boys wrote a revenge album. They go from trying not to have a "World War III"-level relationship argument and wondering "What Did I Do to Your Heart," to boasting that they've found someone "Much Better" because their ex was "Poison Ivy." Yet somehow it doesn't come off sounding vindictive or petty. They skirt the line between being whiny and just being honest.

"World War III"
I generally enjoy any track where Joe tries to get his scratchy-voiced rocker on. The song is about trying to avoid a girl (*cough*Taylor Swift*cough) who's intent on starting an argument. It's true that Nick was the one who wrote this on his own, but it seems truer to Joe's public romantic history.


"Paranoid": The first single off the album is a little addictive. I don't love it (maybe because it wasn't written by them), but it wouldn't get out of my head when I first heard it. It's definitely the melody that has me hooked.

"Fly With Me"
It's one of those "we'll be together forever" kind of songs that the Backstreet Boys used to sing, so it's perfect for a little summer pick-me-up.


"Poison Ivy"
This is probably everyone's favorite track, especially because of the part when Joe sings, "Everybody needs a little poison ivy / Everyone gets the itch / Everyone hates that..." Yeah, that's right. We're in the Twilight Zone and a Jonas brother just implied the word "bitch." (Hmm, I wonder who he was referring to. lol) That's probably not a very good message to send young boys who'll grow up to refer to women as bitches, but I guess as long as they don't say it, they're in the clear. Also, I guess it's important to note that they didn't even write this song, so it technically isn't their fault.


"Hey Baby"
I've always liked songs where it sounds like the singer is passionately begging for love and forgiveness, and Joe doesn't do a bad job of playing desperately in love.

"Before the Storm" featuring Miley Cyrus
I have no problem with the brothers collaborating with Disney stars, but I felt like the sudden romantic reunion of Nick and Miley has everything to do with the promotion of this single, which is rather...eh. She has better tracks on her own album. They should've spent more time on the composition and the lyrics, and a little less time in the tabloids. Maybe if they did a video, I could better visualize the emotion they're trying to verbalize.

"What Did I Do to Your Heart"
I really liked this song, because it felt like they were reflecting on their past transgressions and sincerely wondering what caused all of the strife in their relationship. It's pretty country (for them), complete with a chorus two-clap, but generally pop-driven.


"Much Better"
It's a song to serenade your new girlfriend with to reassure her that the last girl doesn't compare in the least. I mean, ugh, if whoever these songs are geared towards doesn't get the hint after this song, I don't think she ever will. lol


"Black Keys": Nick makes a solid effort at not only writing but singing his own solo, but it doesn't compare to the last album's "A Little Bit Longer."

"Don't Charge Me for the Crime" featuring rapper Common is so unbelievably bad that I won't even link to it. When rappers do bad collaborations for the money, it reflects just as badly on them as well.

"Turn Right"
It's the best ballad on the album. The high-pitched chorus is a little grating, but the sentiment resonates.


"Don't Speak": This track is really only recognizable for its musical composition.

All in all, I'd say they have another great album on their hands.

ALBUM REVIEW: Hannah Montana's Vol. 3 "He Could Be The One"

I don't normally listen to Hannah Montana's albums (Miley yes, Hannah no), since I don't watch the Disney series. But after sampling the third album, I discovered two tracks that weren't too hard to bear:

"Mixed Up"
It has a subdued country drawl to it with the right amount of pop to keep kids happy. But I like it because of how deep she digs for the emotion behind the song.


"He Could Be The One"
I actually can't stop playing this one. lol It reminds me of Faith Hill and Shania Twain when they get poppy, i.e. Twain's "That Don't Impress Me Much" (1997). It's a nice summer song, and Cyrus did well to base an entire episode around it. (I didn't watch it, but I just found it on youtube in case you'd like to.)


"Don't Want to Be Torn"
The only other song I'd really recommend off the album is this emotional ballad about having to make a difficult decision, and wishing the choice she wants to make was the one her father, I believe, agreed on.

FILM: Meet the New Characters of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

There are some new and more prominent faces in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and I thought this list would be a nice precursor to the film for all you Pott-heads:

22-year-old Jessie Cave will play Lavender Brown, Ron's new love interest, and Hermione's competition.

22-year-old Freddie Stroma will play Cormac McLaggen, an obnoxious member of the Slug Club, Professor Slughorn's elite club, who competes against Ron for the position of Keeper and later takes Hermione to the Christmas party, so she can make Ron jealous.


17-year-old Anna Shaffer will play Romilda Vane, the girl who crushes on Harry so hard she spikes chocolates with a love potion to seduce him, but ends up seducing Ron instead, which ultimately leads to his near-death experience.


Alfie Enoch will reprise his role as Dean Thomas and become a thorn in Harry's side as Ginny starts to date him.

18-year-old Scarlett Byrne will play Pansy Parkinson, Malfoy's devoted love interest.


19-year-old Georgina Leonidas will play Katie Bell, who is almost killed by Malfoy as he performs the Dark Lord's orders.


10-year-old Hero Fiennes-Tiffin, Ralph Fiennes' (Lord Voldemort) nephew, will play young Tom Riddle...very convincingly. lol

FILM REVIEW: Hugh Dancy's "Adam"

Hugh Dancy (Confessions of a Shopaholic and Evening) plays an astronomy-lover with Asperger's syndrome. He's lived a relatively stable existence until his father dies, which seems to be just the first of many changes. Asperger is said to be a mild form of autism. And if you're unfamiliar with that syndrome too, then just think of it as if an alien came to Earth, unable to figure out how to assimilate, unable to understand emotions and euphemisms, or to fully function in socially festive situations. I like to think it's why Adam loves the solar system so much. At one point, he explains how quickly the Big Bang occurred, and how all of the pieces are still "exploding" through space, causing the system to grow over time. Adam was in need of that one moment in time that would cause him to grow—a moment which was made possible by Rose Byrne's ("Damages" and Knowing) character Beth.

Their relationship was about how love can transform you and make you better than you thought you could be. It's a message that's been used before in romantic dramas, but it's more obvious here because the audience knows there's room for improvement. We're not introduced to two perfect people who are going to make a perfect life together. They go on a journey to accept each other's imperfections, in order to help each other correct them.

Asperger's is a never-ending learning experience, just like love. It isn't as romantic, but it does wear on you. That's why I feel the film was good. You can relate to Adam, despite his social inadequacies, because you know what it feels like to be frustrated when you can't figure out what someone else is thinking, or how awkward and unnerving it feels to go to a party or to meet your girlfriend's friends or parents, or when you don't know when to stop ranting, or even worse, when you don't know what to say to comfort someone. It's like he represents your id. He's the nervous voice in your head that's masked by the years of training you received on how to pretend to be normal.

But the film isn't as heavy as I'm making it seem. There's a definite amount of humor in it. Awkwardness always caters to that, especially with a guy who has to ask if a woman is sexually aroused, because he can never be sure. However, Dancy did a truly impressive job of not making Adam seem like a caricature of the syndrome. And while there is romance—and a suspected desire for a grand love story from the audience—the film is called Adam for a reason. It isn't about the romance, it's about the evolution—as all great scientific legends are.

Release Date: July 29th
Watch the trailer!

FILM: Bruno at #1, Green Lantern Chosen, Fox vs. Seyfried, and more

• Wowwwwww! Bruno actually opened at #1 with $30 mil this weekend, proving that despite this world's ever-present homophobic climate, we can all still gather as a nation and openly mock a fame-whoring lunatic. It beat Borat by five million more dollars and will probably go on to outdo its $261 mil worldwide gross. Probably. Unfortunately, I Love You, Beth Cooper didn't profit from Hayden Panettiere's attempt to spread the news of her nudity in the film, opening at #7 with a meager $5 mil.

The films from last week suffered minor blows. The Ice Age sequel slipped down to #2 with $120 mil, and Public Enemies was nudged to #4 with $66 mil. Transformers 2 really isn't slowing down despite its new position at #3 with an alarming $672 mil worldwide. Retiring from the top 10 are Night at the Museum 2 with $378 mil worldwide and Year One with $43 mil. This Wednesday, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince hits theaters and Potter fans are going to go nuts! Adults, who aren't equally in love with the series, however, can take refuge in the romantic indie (500) Days of Summer with Joseph Gordon Levitt and Zooey Deschanel (Yes Man).

• When given the choice between the soulful singer Justin Timberlake, the smooth-talking, up-and-comer Bradley Cooper (The Hangover), the hasbeen Jared Leto, and the sexy comedian Ryan Reynolds to play the lead in Green Lantern, the studio has officially chosen Reynolds. I wasn't exactly rooting for Timberlake or Cooper, but isn't Reynolds already playing the comic book character Deadpool? This is almost (almost) as alarming as finding out Christian Bale would play John Connor, leader of the rebellion in Terminator Salvation. I mean, I know that it's hard to find an actor who can play heroic convincingly, but should they really be doubling-up?

• Speaking of green-suited heroes, now that Seth Rogen has scored the budget for his writing-and-starring project The Green Hornet, he's working on choosing his female lead. Rumor has it that he's looking at the blonde and leggy Cameron Diaz. Hmmm...

• While Brad Pitt may think that Steven Soderbergh, director of the Ocean's Eleven franchise, can do no wrong, the studio producing his baseball film Moneyball do not feel the same. They've opted to bring Aaron Sorkin ("The West Wing" and Charlie Wilson's War) in to rewrite the film adaptation.

• Okay wait a second. When I initially watched the trailer for Jennifer's Body, I was just amazed by how many lines Megan Fox could memorize (lol), and how creepy yet funny it was. But now I realize, after watching the second trailer, that what it really boils down to is an epic girl fight. Amanda Seyfried and Fox are going to throw down and THAT is something I'd pay to see.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: Jon Heder

Five years after he broke out onto the scene in Napoleon Dynamite, Jon Heder still hasn't managed to make a name for himself past the dorky, socially retarded character that he's accustomed to playing. In Hollywood, when you can't get a decent film job, you resort to a steady gig on TV. But with friends like Will Ferrell and b, resorting to television isn't that bad of a gig. The two are writing a Comedy Central sitcom with Heder about an unemployed IT specialist who moves back in with his family. If I'm not mistaken, the title is called "Woke Up Dead," which sounds pretty much how every unemployed person in America is feeling right now.

Heder, however, still has a few film projects lined up:

• There's one comedy adapted from a GQ article, where he'll play the lightest sumo wrestler in the sport.

• Then there's the adaptation of Three Men Seeking Monsters, which from the subtitle, "Six Weeks in Pursuit of Werewolves, Lake Monsters, Giant Cats, Ghostly Devil Dogs, and Ape-Men," sounds like it'll involve a lot of physical shennanigans. The characters of the book are described as being "a baldheaded punker...a goth herpetologist who dresses like a pirate and a 6-foot-6-inch, 400-pound behemoth who wears a Sherlock Holmes cap," so there's that. Plus, there's the added bonus of them being drunk during this entire trip and it taking place in the UK, which could possibly mean Russell Brand being cast.

• In the action hero comedy Loudermilk, Heder will gain odd superpowers after being contaminated. By the title, I can't imagine these powers will be kosher.

• And lastly, he'll be in the geekfest Mr. Machine, where he and his dorky friends will build a robot that wants to take over the world. Danny McBride (Tropic Thunder, Pineapple Express, and Land of the Lost), who co-wrote and starred in his own HBO series "Eastbound & Down," is co-writing so there's a plus.

Things are looking up for Heder.

FILM REVIEW: Mischa Barton's "Homecoming"

Mike (Matt Long from "Jack and Bobby") returns to his hometown to retire his high school football jersey. He intended on introducing his college girlfriend Elizabeth (Jessica Stroup from "90210") to his family, cementing their committed relationship, but he didn't expect his high school girlfriend Shelby (Mischa Barton from "The O.C.") to still be in love with him. So in love in fact that after accidentally hitting a drunk Elizabeth with her car, she kidnaps her and holds her hostage while she attempts to seduce an oblivious Mike with nostalgia and bathroom sex.

I'd say for teen audiences, it's pretty tame—hardly any gore or dark forest chases—and for adult audiences, it's juvenile and overly predictable. I'm unbelievably terrified of horror films, but I never jumped along with the audience. Every ax-wielding, gun-toting moment was completely expected. Where it excelled, however, were in the sadistic moments, where you were truly at Shelby's mercy, like the part when she resets Elizabeth's broken ankle, tugging at your gag reflex, and during the second escape attempt when she tells her, "I want you to start appreciating my hospitality," in her best psycho snarl. I, personally, would've appreciated a closer look at who she was, following her train of thought instead of everybody's. There was no solid point of view. One moment we were with Elizabeth and then we were with Mike and then we were with Shelby. If they centered the point of view around the sadist—in an American Psycho kind of way—we would've been far more terrified.


The writers said they were trying to do a cross between Misery and Swimfan to appeal to a younger and newer generation. But to maintain that Shelby was hot, they couldn't make her too crazy, and with the small budget there weren't too many locations where she could lose her mind.

The performances were on par with the material given to the actor. So, Barton was as convincingly scary as the content allowed her to be. After all, she does have experience being emotionally irrational from her days on "The O.C." Stroup teetered on the fine line of victim and heroine. But to be honest, it's always been hard to see her feign vulnerability ever since she stirred up trouble on the first season of "90210." Mike's cop cousin played by Michael Landes (Possession) was the comic relief and he was as funny as his lines, which were delivered effectively. And, of course, Long has mastered the art of playing every girl's dream from "Jack & Bobby" to Sydney White. He really needs to muck up his reputation before he gets eternally typecast.

Ultimately, as horror films go, it was better than the campy fair, but not as good as some of the worst, which includes Swimfan.

Release Date: July 17th
Watch the Trailer!