Rise of the Planet of the Apes – New Movie Trailer and Review – Video

Every now and then a movie sequel comes along that was just meant to be made.

“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” is one of those movies.

James Franco plays scientist Will Rodman, who is trying to create some of the most effective medical treatments for humans ever seen.

He develops a new drug therapy he calls “The Cure” that allows the human brain to repair itself from traumatic injuries and disease like Alzheimer's and strokes - and it’s almost ready for clinical testing.

Bust first, they test the medication on a baby chimp that quickly begins to develop amazing cognitive powers.

Soon, the young chimp name “Caesar” has grown – and possesses intelligence far greater than any human could ever imagine.

Caesar starts reading books, doing complex math, and growing bored with his simple surroundings. The staff decides to let him co-mingle with the other chimps in the facility – and things go terribly wrong.

Caesar finds a large stash of “The Cure” in a medical freezer and promptly gives it to all the apes in the facility causing “The Rise of the Apes”.

Think “Jurassic Park” on steroids and smart pills.

“Apes” was directed by Rupert Wyatt and stars James Franco, Freida Pinto, John Lithgow, Brian Cox, Tom Felton, David Oyelowo,and  Andy Serkis.

The special effects are amazing and created by the Oscar-winning visual effects team that brought to life the worlds of "Avatar" and "Lord of the Rings" trilogy.

IMDB describes “Rise of the Apes” as,

“An origin story in the truest sense of the term. Set in present day San Francisco, the film is a reality-based cautionary tale, a science fiction/science fact blend, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.”

We call it Apes getting pissed and seeking revenge.



The film is due in theaters this August.

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Shirley Logan – A Fantastic Nashville Musician and a Mother Who Inspires – Video

Sometimes musicians get lucky.

They crank out one song and it takes over the world and then the world takes over them – effortlessly.

Not so with Indie song writer and musician Shirley Logan.

Logan has put in her time, and has worked hard to not only incorporate great music into her life – but also be a mother to her four children ages 4, 5, 6 and 7.

Shirley Logan is a very unique artist, and the kind you don’t find around much anymore today. For her it’s all about the music – not the fame, paparazzi, world tours, bling and fortunes.

After listening to her music you can picture her sitting around the campfire with her friends and children picking up her guitar and starting to tell a story.

And every song has a story.

“I love music…GOOD music. I have been influenced by many different styles and don’t exactly fit into one box. My desire is to write excellent music that will be appreciated by many, crossing over the lines that separate style… songs that are an expression of myself, my experiences, my struggles and issues that are universal to the human soul.

I want to write music that identifies with people at their core…honestly… I want to be known, and I want to know you… I would love to hear your feedback… thoughts…memories… revelations… revelations! Perhaps they will become a song...”

Logan, 37, admits that she had to stop listening to advice from people because everybody told her to be mysterious about her age and to not let people know about her children or divorce.

She talks about her experience of packing up and moving to Nashville and realizing she was in for a big challenge,

“I moved to Nashville on October 11, 1993. It only took a few weeks before I was discouraged and felt like I wasn’t good enough to be here…so many writers…so much talent. I had no idea what I was doing! I was twenty years old, didn’t know one soul and lived by myself on South Street just off music row. I got a job working for a management company through a new friend of a friend. One day the owner asked to hear some of my songs, so I gave her a tape (yes, a tape). She was a very confident no-nonsense kind of woman and didn’t skip a beat in telling me that I needed to work on my writing…I had a beautiful voice, but I would never make it in this town. I had only been playing the guitar for a few years and never considered myself a writer, I just wanted to sing….but it deflated me none the less. It would be years before I would share my music again. Three years to be exact.”

You can hear the influence of pop, indie, folk, country and Christian styles in her music and lyrics, and you can tell there is a deep story to every song she writes.

Take the song “Remember Who You Are” for example.

Logan says she wrote it in a moment when she was shocked at her own desire to forgive again after being betrayed so many times by the same person. Her thoughts led her to a deep belief that if it weren't for forgiveness and grace, we would destroy ourselves.



One of our favorites is the song “Who am I”.

She wrote it with Rivers Rutherford after struggling to define her style and realizing she was very shy about performing. She didn’t want to write about how many times her heart had been broken because she didn’t want to relive the pain.

Out of that journey came “Who I Am”.



Logan also penned a song after the devastating floods hit Nashville last year called “Don’t Stop When it Rains” and is an uplifting song for all those who were affected by the devastation.



Shirley is one of those singer songwriters that you can tell has gone through a lot of pain and disappointment. Yet, she has brushed herself off and has come to terms with who she is and what is important to her.

And after listening to her music and getting to know her a little more I can tell you those important things are friends, family and God.

Logan can be contacted from her Facebook page and her albums and CD’s are available from her website ShirleyLogan.com

God speed Shirley Logan.

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American Idol Live Tour 2011 Update – Scotty Rules, Durbin Rocks “Guns and Roses” – Video

For all you American Idol fans who thought this year’s shows ended too soon you still have a chance to see your favorite idol live in concert in one of their 47 concert shows that run through September.

The 2011 Summer American Idol Live Tour kicked off last week in West Valley City Utah and all indications are that producers have put together one heck of a show.

The show rundown seems pretty well mixed between individual numbers and lots of duets, and crescendos with a group performance at the end.

Hard rocker James Durbin gets the crowd warmed up with Guns and Roses “Sweet Child of Mine before the entire ensemble bounces in and out doing individual and small group numbers.

Watch James Durbin Sing Sweet Child of Mine Live


Our spy’s on the inside say that Pia Toscano and Stefano Langone do a duet of Rihanna’s "California King Bed”, and Casey Abrams hits it out of the park with a version of Santana's "Smooth" while playing his signature stand-up bass.

All the girls join together for a tribute to Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way”, and of course runner up Lauren Elaina gets the stage to herself for “Like my Mother Does.”

Related: Lauren Elaina sings “Like My Mother Does” - Video

Hailey Reinhart also gets a moment alone on stage for Elton John’s “Benny and the Jets”, and Pia Toscano blows away the crowd with “Empire State of Mind.”

Watch Idol Live Show Compilation Concert Video


Leading off for the guys is veteran singer Paul McDonald with his version of Rod Stewarts “Maggie Mae” followed by heart-throb Stefano Langone playing the piano while performing Bruno Mars “Grenade.”

Watch Paul McDonald Sing Maggie Mae Live


After a few mare solos, all the guys join on stage for a group rendition of “Animal” by Neon Trees. This was probably the worst and most awkward performance of the night.

But one of the best performances, and the one wanted by the crowd, was by odd man Casey Abrams who brought out his standup bass to croon to Santana’s “Smooth.”

Watch Casey Abrams sing Santana's "Smooth" Live


Once Casey hit the stage you could definitely hear a change in the tone of the crowd – they started to really get into the groove and as you know, Casey has that unusual groove that plays out well in front of an arena crowd.

After a short intermission Thia Megia belted out “Who Says” by Selena Gomez and Stefano brings out the rest of the girls for Usher’s “DJ Got Us Falling in Love.”

James Durbin gets the crowd wound up again with “Uprising” by Muse before Jacob Lusk performs “Never Too Much” by Luther Vandross, and then is joined by Pia, Naima and Stefano for “You’re All I Need To Get By” by Marvin Gaye.

Related: American Idol Jacob Lusk Arrested

And then it happens.

Scotty McCreery comes on stage for a group number and the crowed explodes. Scotty then starts his own private little musical set and gets the crowd on their feet with Josh Turner's "Your Man.”

Watch Scotty McCreery sing "Your Man"


McCreery follows with “Are You Going to Kiss Me or Not” by Thompson Square before launching into his hot single “I Love You This Big.”

Watch Scotty sing "I Love You This Big"


The crowd goes wild.

Scotty then joins with Lauren for a duet of “When You Say Nothing At All” by Alison Krause before the entire ensemble comes back on stage for the huge finale.

Watch American Idol Live Tour 2011 Group Finale


The American Idol Live Tour 2011 has only just started and tickets are still available for Los Angeles, Ontario, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Grand Prairie, Houston, New Orleans, Orlando, Duluth, Raleigh, Charlotte, Nashville, St. Louis, Kansas City, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Rosemont, Detroit, Columbus, Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Atlantic City, Newark, Philadelphia, and Washington DC.

As for next season, the American Idol producers have already hit the road for Idol season 11 auditions in Pittsburg, Detroit, Denver, St. Louis, Portland, and San Diego.

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Video – Meet Jackie Evancho – She Will Melt Your Heart and Make you Cry!

Move over Lady Gaga – there’s a new kid in town.

And we mean move over, as in get out of the way.

If you haven’t heard of Jackie Evancho you will soon.

Why?

Because Jackie just released her first feature length CD, “Dream With Me”, and it’s outselling every major artist on the pop music scene today.

Young Ms. Evancho is only 11-years-old and was born is Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. She has several brothers and sisters and says she fell in love with music after seeing “The Phantom of the Opera” on television.

After hearing her sing, her mother, Lisa, entered her into a local talent contest where she came in second place – Jackie was only eight years old.

After narrowly missing out on winning several more talent contests, her parents allowed the ten-year-old prodigy to audition for the television show “America’s Got Talent.”

Jackie seemed to blow away the competition and seemed to be on track to win, but unfortunately came in second place.

Her performances were so flawless that there were accusations that she had lip synced her songs and it was all a scam by producers.

But the cat was out of the bag and America had heard, and seen, what was to become one of the youngest artists to skyrocket to Platinum sales status in over thirty years.

After “America’s Got Talent”, Jackie immediately released her first single “O Holy Night.” This was her first national exposure and won her a spot singing for President Barak Obama in Washington D.C. during the annual Christmas tree lighting.

Watch Jackie Evancho sing O Holy Night in Washington D.C.


The reaction to her “O Holy Night” single was amazing, and immediately shot to the top of the Billboard music charts and became a best seller on Amazon. It was certified as Platinum in 2010.

She also setup her own web site at JackieEvancho.com, and created her own YouTube Channel and Facebook page.

Jackie had hit it big and people wanted more.

After doing the rounds on the daytime and late night talk shows, she was approached by producer David Foster who worked with Jackie in the development of her first full length album “Dream With Me”.

Together, the two fashioned a collection of tracks, one which Jackie wrote herself, that combined both opera and crossover songs like “The Lord’s Prayer”, “When you Wish Upon a Star”, and “Angel” by Sarah McLachlan.

Watch Jackie Evancho and David Foster Interview


Jackie says,

“The title of my new album is ‘Dream With Me’ because it means I’m basically living the dream and there’s more to come.”

Jackie also plays violin and piano and has said she would like to collaborate with Josh Groban, Charlotte Church, and Andrea Bocelli.

Evancho's Sarasota Florida concert is currently being featured on most national PBS stations and showcases some of her best music and features several songs off her new album.

Theses PBS shows are the first time many viewers have seen Jackie and have caused quite an interest in the young singer.

She says she understands that in order to remain popular she has to do more than just sing opera songs, and realizes she will have to be a crossover singer in order to stay relevant.

On “Dream With Me” you will find her favorite opera pieces like “Nella Fantasia”, “Nessun Dorma”, “O Mio Babbino Caro”, and “Ombra Mai Fu”, along with incredible duets like “A Mother’s Prayer” with Susan Boyle and “Somewhere” featuring Barbra Streisand.

Watch Jackie Evancho sing Sarah McLachlan’s “Angel” on PBS


Now you see why Jackie is going to be a star.

In fact, InfoStar has not really been able to find a bad review or other critical comment about her anywhere – and that says a lot in the world of the internet.

Composer Tim Janis says,

"Jackie's voice is so pure and natural, there's no flaw in it. People say 'I can hear her potential coming,' but no, it's here, it's now. She is truly an Angel and I can’t wait for the World to hear it and see it."

We agree.

And Jackie says the only thing she does to prepare for a big show is to “Say a prayer that God will be there on the stage with her and that He will sing along with her.”

Wow. Sniffle sniffle. Goose bumps…

So we set out to find the one performance piece that often separates the good from the bad in critical operatic singing – “Ave Marie”.

We figured if Evancho can pull off that tune with its massive complexity, then she really must be a true angel sent from Heaven.

Well - we found it. And it will make you cry.

So ladies and gentlemen, here is Jackie’s version of “Ave Maria” by Schubert accompanied by The Houston Chamber Choir and The Treble Choir of Houston.

Watch Jackie Evancho Sing Schubert’s “Ave Maria”


See. I told you.

I’ll say it again. Move over Lady Gaga - because I would love for my kids to learn, respect and look up to an artist like Jackie.

I know it won’t happen but I can dream can’t I?

If you only buy one CD this year... buy "Dream With Me."

You can sample each song and purchase Jackie’s new CD here at Amazon.

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Video – Lady Gaga “Edge of Glory” Released – She Sounds More Like Madonna Everyday - Review

Her sales of “Born This Way” are down 80% over the last two weeks.

She is being compared to Madonna at every turn.

Her “over the top” persona seems to be getting old.

So what do you do to turn things around?

Release another video of course!

Today, Madonna Lady Gaga released her “Edge of Glory” video off her “Born this Way” album – and reviews are not good.

“It looks like she shot it on a Universal Studio back lot street scene. There is nothing new or exciting about this video and it looks and sounds like another Madonna rip-off.”

Indeed, other than her dancing around on a fake looking set billowing with stage fog there is nothing new here.



We’re not really sure what her message is except she thinks she looks sexy and acts like this is the best new song ever to grace the planet.

It really just falls flat and looks like every other video that artists are putting out these days.

“They crank them out like they are commodities – they all look the same and all sound the same. Her Judas video had 100 times more personality”

Related: Watch Lady Gaga “Judas” Music Video

True. And with album sales of “Born This Way” crashing down, some say Ms. Gaga’s days may be coming to an end if she can’t come up with something new and original.

“How does she top what she’s already done? The meat dress? The egg? The outfits? She may have rolled all those things out too fast and too early.”

InfoStar agrees. Do you?

See also:
> Who has more money - Justin Bieber or Lady Gaga?
> 11-year-old jams Lady gaga Born This Way – Video
> Gaga and Modonna mashup – Plagiarism? - Video

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The UK Bans “The Human Centipede II” – Is the US Next? Plot Review and Trailer - Video

Okay, every now and then a movie comes along that we can’t exactly categorize – or understand.

In fact, we’re shocked that a movie like this could actually be released - much less filmed and edited with a straight face.

“The Human Centipede II – Full Sequence”, written and direct by Tom Six, is the follow-up to the original “Human Centipede” released in 2009.

For those of you who have never heard of it – consider yourself lucky. Most movie goers had not heard of it until Matt Stone and Trey Parker did a spoof about it on South Park last month.

The concept is simple, yet repulsive.

A demented surgeon finds three unwilling victims and surgically attaches them end to end – mouth to anus, turning them into a Siamese Trio – the human centipede.

Seriously. We’re not making this up.

The trailer below is from the first film and will go a long way in helping you understand the basic concept. We’ll wait…. Go ahead… watch it..



Were we right?

Now that you understand the rudimentary premise of the first movie we can move on to the troubles Mr. Six is facing in Britain with regards to his sequel.

“The Human Centipede II – Full Sequence” supposedly follows another demented surgeon who became sexually obsessed with the original movie.

He proceeds to replicate the Siamese trio just as in the original movie but with twelve people instead of three – and he adds one special demented twist.

His goal is to exploit his new creation sexually, and explore the concepts of sex, fantasy, pain, pleasure, and release with his new creation(s).

It’s really hard to wrap your head around isn't it?

Below is the movie trailer Six released last year promoting Centipede II. While not graphic in detail it doesn’t really reveal any plot, but the message seems to be clear - it will be “the sickest movie of all time.”



But Mr. Six has run into a big problem.

It seems the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has ruled no amount of cuts, redaction, or editing would allow them to give the new film a certificate of release and said it may violate the Obscene Publications Act.

They went on to say,

“The potentially obscene Human Centipede sequel poses risk of harm to viewers. There is little attempt to portray any of the victims in the film as anything other than objects to be brutalized, degraded and mutilated for the amusement and arousal of the central character, as well as for the pleasure of the audience.”

This may well prevent the film from ever seeing the light of day in Europe.

But what about the United States?

The U.S. has a habit of following along with the BBFC in its development of the United States MPAA rating. (Motion Picture Association of America)

The original film was given a MPAA rating of “R” which allowed it to be shown in American theaters. But if the MPAA can’t, or won’t rate the sequel, then it cannot be shown in the U.S.

We think that is a good thing. This is not really the kind of movie we want playing at the Mall on Saturday afternoon anyway. Our kids have enough to deal with already and we don’t need to plant any more bizarre ideas in their tiny little heads.

InfoStar says – Keep Centipede II away from the U.S.

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“Super 8” Movie Trailer and Review – Amazing Summer Movie – Bring it!

The hot days of summer are upon us.

Memorial Day is behind us.

And we all know what that means……

The summer blockbusters are coming!

And to start things off this month is the great looking flick “Super 8” and a new movie trailer.

Think “Cloverfield” meets area 51.

In fact, the original screenplay was developed to be the sequel to “Cloverfield”, so you can do the math on what to expect - serious science fiction and inhuman things.

Usually we can tell by the movie trailer if we think a film is going to be any good, and all we can say about the “Super 8” trailer is this film is going to rock.

Not really a kid’s movie, but definitely a predominately teen kid cast – but with very adult adventures.

The production values of this flick are undeniable because it was written and directed by J. J. Abrams and produced by Steven Spielberg.

It stars the young Elle Fanning, AJ Michalka, and Kyle Chandler, and has Spielberg’s trademark all over it.

The story goes like this – a group of kids are playing around with their super 8 movie camera when they witness a train derailment.

It turns out to be a deliberate derailment of a United States Air Force train named "Groom Lake One", which was transporting undisclosed materials from Area 51 to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

After the wreck, some unknown entity escapes from one of the cargo cars and begins to cause havoc on the small town of Lillian, Ohio.

Suddenly, the military and other spooky looking Government suits start showing up and taking over.

All the dogs in town run away and strange things start happening all over.

There are disappearances, unexplained events, and eight missing people. The local sheriff investigates the cause of the events which leads to the discovery of something inhuman.

And the kids have it all on Super 8 video….



The budget for "Super 8" was a modest $45 million and is due in theaters and IMAX June 11th.

Welcome to the blockbuster movie season!

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Steven Tyler’s New Book, “I Blew $20 Million on Cocaine and Heroin”

Steven Tyler has lived a hard life.

He is the front man for the band Aerosmith, and has a new job as judge on American Idol.

But dig deep into his past and you will see some of the shocking events that got him to where he is today.

In his new book, “Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?” Tyler talks about his youth and how he was just a normal kid spending most of his days outside,

“I was a mountain boy, barefoot and wild. I’d come back after an afternoon of killing with my slingshot and Red Ryder BB gun with a string of blue jays tied to my belt.”

During his teen years he met fellow band mates Joe Perry and Tom Hamilton and after attending Woodstock decided they should start a band – and the rest is history.

The one constant in the book is Tyler’s outrageous drug use, rehab, drug use, rehab pattern. At age 63 he says drugs are still a struggle and looks back at the years of use and the money spent saying,

“I kept drugs in the drum kits on stage so they would always be near me. I’ve blown $20 million on cocaine, heroin, and prescription drugs. I snorted my plane, I snorted my house. I just couldn’t stop.”

Tyler says he has been in and out of a dozen different rehabs but it always ended the same way – doing more drugs.

He writes that in Aerosmith’s heyday he was buying pounds of coke for $20,000 and snorting massive quantities off the top of bass amps in the studio and on stage. Once the cocaine didn’t satisfy his urges he started buying heroin and injecting it directly into his butt.

After finally getting away from the cocaine and heroin, he says he became addicted to prescription medication which was just as bad, if not worse, then using illegal drugs.

“Does the Noise in My Head Bother You?” is a great read for anybody who likes Aerosmith and the 1970-1980’s rock band lifestyle. But for those American Idol fans new to Steven Tyler you may be a little disappointed since he only talks briefly about the show.

But what a walk down memory lane it is for me. As a teenager I attended an Aerosmith concert at Market Square Arena in Indianapolis on July 4th, 1980. To this day I remember it. I was still in high school and Aerosmith was at their pinnacle of success.

It was classic, unlike anything bands do today. “Walk this way”, “Sweet Emotion”, “Walk the Dog”, “Toys in the Attic”. And that funny smell in the arena was so thick that we all felt the love.

No Steven - the noise in your head does not bother me. In fact as I write this post, a little voice in my head is singing the words to “Sweet Emotion”.

Man, I feel old now…

Watch Aerosmith Perform ‘Sweet Emotion’ Live


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Charlie Sheen Boston Live Show Review – BAD

The “Violent Torpedo of Truth” live show with Charlie Sheen is back in motion after a well-deserved day off.

Sheen and company blew into Boston Tuesday night for a stop at Boston University's Agganis Arena.

Nobody knew what to expect since Sheen has consistently “changed up” his act from town to town.

As usual, the show starts late. As usual, Sheen launches immediately into questions from the audience. As usual, the crowd grows impatient and starts to boo.

Sheen used all of his catchphrases, including “tiger blood” and “winning,” within the first few minutes. Some fans were thoroughly entertained, while others said they had “Sheen enough.”

But tonight we have a surprise!

“Jersey Shore” DJ Pauly D is in the house and gets on the stage to chat with Charlie. Pauly offers Sheen a job in has next reality show.

Sheen then tells the audience that “talks” are progressing with CBS about getting his old job back and returning to “Two and a Half Men”. This is NOT what we have been led to believe.

People start leaving.

Sheen continues with his 20/20 video parody and more jokes about hookers and cocaine. People start to get up and leave in much larger numbers - hissing as they leave the theater.

By ten o’clock the show is over and Charlie has left the stage. No standing ovation, in fact there were very few applause as he ends the show.

Looks like another bad night in Beantown for Charlie Sheen.

Uncle Charley’s next show is not until Saturday at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

I’ve heard about those people in New Jersey. Good luck Charlie.