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30.07.10: 'Dinner for Schmucks,' 'Charlie St. Cloud,' 'Cats and Dogs 2': Movie Review Roundup
by Claudine Zap
This weekend, you can choose movies about men acting like frat boys, or pets acting like people. Or just feast your eyes on a teen heartthrob acting serious. The critics are less than thrilled with this trio of summer stinkers. Maybe the best advice is to see "Inception" again. Here's a roundup of critical — highly critical — reviews …
Charlie St. Cloud
This
drama starring hearththrob Zac Efron ("High School Musical") and
directed by Burr Steers ("17 Again") is about a college-age sailing
champ dealing with the death of his younger brother.
The Boston Globe's Wesley Morris gives the movie a scant 1½-star rating and writes that the movie is "very much dead already." Although that may not bother the teen fans of Efron, Morris is unmoved by the young actor: "The camera watches him and appears to nod off. That's understandable. Every medium close-up of him squinting in a snug T-shirt at dusk is a Jockey ad."
Sean O'Connell from Filmcritic.com gave the movie just 1 star and calls it "a melodramatic and hopelessly disorganized feature-length episode of CBS's 'The Ghost Whisperer' that trots out an exhausted 'Sixth Sense' escape clause after painting itself into one too many narrative corners."
Entertainment Weekly's Owen Gleiberman grades the film a weak C- and says its young star "demonstrates that looks will get you only so far."
Kirk Honeycutt from The Hollywood Reports puts the nail in this movie's coffin: "The film doesn't just fail, it actually gets sillier by the minute."
Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore
The
sequel of domesticated animals turned super-spies stars Diggs (James
Marsden) as a German shepherd owned by Chris O'Donnell (played by the
actual Chris O'Donnell). He is recruited to team up with special agent
Butch (voiced by, yes, Nick Nolte) to stop the big, bad Kitty Galore
(voiced by Bette Midler). Christina Applegate voices a feline super-spy.
Ty Burr from the Boston Globe finds something to like with his 2-star rating: the 3D "Road Runner" cartoon that precedes the movie. He calls the "Cats & Dogs'' main feature "the Lolcats of movies and I'm afraid it's the future."
Bill Gibron from Filmcritic.com affixes 1½ stars to the flick, dismissing it as "irritating as a case of fleas" for a sequel "nobody asked for."
Adam Markovitz of Entertainment Weekly gives the movie a D, and complains that no movie "has the right to be as tiresome and unoriginal as this action-comedy mutt."
Dinner for Schmucks
Directed by Jay Roach ("Meet the Parents"), the comedy stars Paul Rudd, an eager-to-please employee whose boss invites him over to a dinner where each person is tasked with finding a bizarre guest for the amusement of the host. Enter Steve Carell and Zach Galifianakis as invited twits.
Ty Burr from the Boston Globe gave the comedy a modest 2½ stars and notes that the trailers sell the movie on the dopiest jokes: "Far from a classic of precision farce, but it's funnier than the trailers make it seem."
Roger Ebert awarded the movie 3 out of 4 stars and called out Steve Carell's performance as a "transcendent idiot."
Rolling Stone's Peter Travers agrees, calling Carell "a comic wonder as the film's No. 1 schmuck." In this movie, that's a compliment.
Filmcritic.com's Bill Gibron gives the film it's best review yet, 4 out of 5 stars. Steve Carrell wins again, as he is credited with "single-handedly saving the movie from its many failings — and there are indeed quite a few."
30.07.10: All About Marc Mezvinsky
by Mike Krumboltz
On July 31, Chelsea Clinton will marry longtime sweetheart Marc Mezvinksy. As the nuptials draw nearer and the wedding bells grow louder, the interest in Bill and Hillary's future son-in-law grows larger.
Over the past week, online lookups for "marc mezvinksy" soared nearly 80%. Those who don't know his name (but are aware of the impending event) pushed Web searches for "chelsea clinton fiancé" up 132%.
And the Mezvinsky-mania doesn't stop there. Related lookups on "marc mezvinsky photos" and "marc mezvinsky job" are also popular. (By the way, he's an investment banker and does very well for himself, thank you very much.)
Usually, the pre-wedding searches are all about the bride. However, in this case, searchers are most interested in learning about the groom's mom and dad. Indeed, theirs is an interesting story.
Edward Mezvinksy
We don't know much about Chelsea and Marc's relationship — what they like to do, whether they engage in baby-talk, etc. But we do know they have at least one thing in common: Politically connected parents.
Marc's father, Edward Mezvinsky, was a congressman from Iowa for two terms during the 1970s. That's the good part of his resumé. The bad part: He's also a convicted felon. In 2002, he pleaded guilty to defrauding investors out of $10 million, and served several years in prison.
What exactly did he do? You know those Nigerian email schemes that clog your spam folder? Well, Ed Mezvinksy got caught up in one. He didn't start it, but he did attempt to scam people into giving him money. The ruse did not end well.
People magazine reports that he is "remorseful for what happened," adding, "It was a terrible time, and I was punished for that. And I respect that and accept responsibility for what happened."
Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinksy
Like Marc's father, Marc's mom served as a United States representative. From 1993–1995, she was a congressperson from the great state of Pennsylvania.
Ironically, she lost her footing after she changed her stance and began supporting then President Clinton's budget, "after months of publicly voicing her opposition to the bill because it did not contain enough spending cuts." That last-minute change was "political suicide" (her words).
According to Politics Daily, she attempted a comeback with a run for the Senate, but her husband's legal problems forced her to drop the bid. Prior to her stint in Congress, Ms. Margolies-Mezvinksy was a television reporter for NBC.
The siblings
Chelsea Clinton isn't just getting a husband. She's getting a whole bunch of brothers and sisters in the bargain. Marc Mezvinsky has 10 siblings, several of whom are adopted.
An article from House.gov explains that while a reporter in 1970, Ms. Margolies-Mezvinksy was covering a story on Korean orphans. She was apparently "so moved by the experience that she became the first single woman in the United States to adopt a foreign child, a Korean girl."
Again, according to House.gov, the family consists of "Margolies’s two children, Mezvinsky’s four children from a previous marriage, two sons born to them, and three Vietnamese boys whom they adopted together."
29.07.10: Vivid Photos from Space
by Mike Krumboltz
The universe is an unceasingly beautiful place. Photographer Michael Benson's exhibit, "Beyond: Visions of our Solar System," now at the National Air and Space Museum, captures that beauty in ways never before seen. In a series of 148 photographs, Benson shows off Earth, the moon, and our neighboring planets in ways humankind might see them, if only we were close enough.
The images, though taken by unmanned space probes and satellites, were, in various ways, manipulated by Mr. Benson. For example, some of the photos were originally taken in black and white. Others had to be patched together from fragments. Regardless of any tinkering, viewers can rest assured that the images weren't altered to the point of making them artificial. According to Mr. Benson, "The solar system is already spectacular enough without pumping artificial colors into it."
29.07.10: Obama's How-To Video, Brittany Murphy's Death, Jessica Simpson Job Rumors: What's the Buzz
by Claudine Zap
Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.
- Brittany Murphy (Searches increased by 2,666%). A Los Angeles County coroner ruled that the actress and her husband died of the same cause, even though their deaths came months apart.
- Homemade ice cream recipes (+1,582%). Work up a sweat with a really sweet payoff.
- Healthcare.gov (+370%). The government site, which offers help choosing a helath care provider, now has a website tutorial, starring President Obama.
- Jessica Simpson (+225%). The pop star is being mentioned as a replacement for Simon Cowell on "American Idol."
- Winn Dixie stores (+147%). The Florida grocer will close 30 stores and lay off 120 people.
29.07.10: President of Iran Picks on Paul the Octopus
by Claudine Zap
Paul the Octopus may have predicted the World Cup winner. But he never could have seen this coming: Being denounced by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. The president of Iran blasted the cephalopod for spreading "western propaganda and superstition."
If anyone should get the blame for spreading the word to the world about the sea creature's mad skills, it should be Paul's PR team from the German Oberhausen Sea Life Center, where Paul resides. Paul simply predicted the winner of the German games correctly.
The octopus did this by pointing to the flag of the winning country when both teams were presented to him. He became the beloved mascot for Spain when one of his arms accurately predicted that country as the winner of the World Cup.
Paul made a splash with football fans and the Web. A wave of Yahoo! searches for "paul the octopus" surged over 60,000% in the month of June. Still, all the cheers for the soccer-loving sea creature seem to have left the head of Iran cold.
We're not sure what led the Iranian leader to finger the 8-armed mollusk as enemy number one, but the sea animal better not have plans to travel to Iran anytime soon. According to the Telegraph, Ahmadinejad mentioned Paul "on various occasions during a speech in Tehran" over the weekend. He called the soccer soothsayer a symbol of "decadence and decay."
The octopus oracle has yet to comment — or predict the future of the Iranian president. Outlook: Not so good.
28.07.10: Zedonk Is Redonk
by Mike Krumboltz
Napoleon Dynamite made ligers famous. Your yuppie neighbors helped turn labradoodles into the gotta have dog breed. But a zedonk? That's a new one.
ABC News reports that an animal preserve in Georgia is home to a newly born (and very rare) zebra-donkey hybrid. The zedonk's legs are striped like a zebra's, but its body resembles a brown-furred donkey. So far, it doesn't have a name, but officials have reported that "Pippi," after Pippi Longstocking, who loved to wear stripped socks, is a frontrunner.
Following news of the zedonk's existence, Web searches on "zedonk" and "zedonk pictures" both roared. We were a bit surprised to see a 1,300% search surge on "zedonk for sale." For some, pictures just ain't enough.
28.07.10: Gwyneth Paltrow's Country Song, Dennis Hopper's House, Snooki's Facebook Game: What's the Buzz
by Claudine Zap
Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.
- Gwyneth Paltrow (Searches increased by 7,166%). The Oscar-winning actress has gone country for her upcoming movie — and sings the title song to prove it.
- Dennis Hopper (+5,292%). The late actor left behind a Venice compound going for $6 million.
- Guns N' Roses (+1,945%). Steven Adler, the band's former drummer, has a memoir called, what else: "Sex & Drugs & Guns N' Roses."
- Rachel Zoe (+325%). Gearing up for her reality show's upcoming season 3, stylist Zoe admitted to wanting to style "Mad Men."
- Snooki (+304%). Here's "the Situation": The TV show "Jersey Shore" lets you enjoy Snooki and friends with a new online game.
28.07.10: Kissing Sailor Identified?
by Claudine Zap
Everyone knows the image: Celebrating V-J Day in Times Square back in 1945, a sailor dips a nurse into a passionate kiss and is snapped into icon status by Life Magazine. But the identity of the sailor has remained a mystery.
Over the years, several men have claimed the mantle of the man in question. Now, there's one more who says he's the one.
The vet is one Glenn McDuffie. The 88-year-old has photos of himself in his sailor suit, can ID the other people in the famed photo, and has even submitted to multiple lie-detector tests. One woman who believes him told his story to CNN.
Whether he's the real deal or not, he sure is one adorable guy. Check out pictures of him here.
28.07.10: A Journey in Jeans
by Mike Krumboltz
Walk a mile in these jeans, baby. Actually, make that around 3,000 miles. A viral video of a guy "walking" across America has become the Web's latest must-see clip.
The video, which was sponsored by Levi's and combines stop-motion with time-lapse photography, features a man (wearing denim, natch) walking from New York to San Francisco. ABC News explains that "the video is not conventional moving pictures. It pieces together still photos taken on an actual, 14-day cross country trip — no green screens involved." When all was said and done, it took over 2,700 images to complete.
Of course, the man isn't really walking the entire way. Such feats are best left to Forrest Gump. Instead, the crew, which consisted of director, producer, photographer, and actor, traveled via RV for two weeks. Every so often, they'd hop out and capture some footage.
In the video, the camera follows actor Michael Johnson as he passes through different American landmarks like Washington, D.C., Chicago, Mt. Rushmore, and Las Vegas. The camera had to always remain the same distance from Mr. Johnson in order to give the video its seamless feel. You can watch the crew discuss the creative process on this video from ABC.
Though uploaded to the Web just a few days ago, the clip has already generated hundreds of thousands of views. And it's not hard to see why. The video is amazingly polished, the result of hard work and careful planning on the part of the filmmakers. Take a look at some behind the scene footage here.
By the way, that catchy tune that plays over the video is called "Home," by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros.
27.07.10: Defending New Jersey
by Vera H-C Chan
Hey, youse louses — New Jersey's not your punching bag. And this website will prove the dignity of the Garden State: JerseyDoesntStink.com.
Okay, maybe a negative isn't the best way to prove a positive, and there's no room for correct punctuation in the URL. Aside from that, the Jersey Doesn't Stink campaign — started by an auto-insurance company — does lend itself to catchy slogans like, "We Smell Better Than You Think" than, say, maybe a name like JerseyIsJustFineThankYou.com could.
Defending the honor of New Jersey is serious stuff, in that tongue-in-cheek, hold-your-nose kind of way: For residents "sick of defending your home state against wisecracks," the website provides a "digital fight kit" that includes stickers, iron-ons, flyers, social media badges, even iPhone backgrounds—all to declare Jersey is "the polar opposite of a bad stereotype."
Another download: Form letters that people can send to outlets like MTV protesting reality shows that are giving Jersey a bad name. (We're smelling you, Snookie.) And, if you happen to be driving around Jersey, watch out for all those bad drivers and the billboards touting the state's in-your-face defense.
Besides the site, there's the requisite Facebook page (with more than 6,000 Likes) and YouTube clips starring a (New York) comedian named Anthony DeVito dressed as a pine freshener, like this one:
Dumping on Jersey, though, has been a grand colonial tradition that goes back to its own governor in 1747, as the Philadelphia Inquirer reports: "It is the best country I have seen for middling fortunes and for those who have to live by the sweat of their brow," the quote from Jonathan Belcher goes.)
At least Belcher had an opinion: The paper couldn't the current governor Chris Christie to say anything on record, leaving his press secretary to opine, "I found it very amusing, but I'm not sure if I'm happy that someone has a website defending New Jersey or sad that he thought it was necessary."
But really, the state has been looking pretty good compared to last year, when the Nets' had a record bad start, plus that corruption case (you know, the one about the three mayors, two state assemblymen, and five rabbis?). This year, The Economist just gave high-profile props to governor Christie and the state legislature for closing down an $11 billion budget gap. The maligned and abominably buzzy "Jersey Shore" guidos even got a triple raise, and magazines like Forbes argue how the reality show "put MTV back on the map" and Newsweek explain its international reach (more than 30 countries).
Then again, a recent poll showed not only are Jerseyans split on the people in power, they're not that keen on their own state either: About 75% are "somewhat dissatisfied" or "very dissatisfied" about how things are going. JerseyDoesntStink may be good timing after all. Or at least, faint praise.
27.07.10: China Floods Lead to Massive Landslides
by Mike Krumboltz
The Shuanghe village in China is suffering after an overwhelming rainstorm led to massive landslides, demolishing homes and causing more than 20 people to go missing. Photos of the aftermath paint a stark picture of lives destroyed, as do the heartbreaking images of the grieving villagers. This is only the most recent flood and landslide to strike China. So far this year, floods have killed at least 823 people and inflicted tens of billions of dollars in property damage.
27.07.10: Amelia Earhart's Show, Ivanka Trump's Fashion Line, Fat Joe's Album: What's the Buzz
by Claudine Zap
Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.
- Ivanka Trump (Searches increased by 24,162%). The daughter of Donald Trump wants to accessorize you with her new line of bags and shoes.
- Amelia Earhart (+7,720%). This might be a show you'll want to see in person: Rare photos of the pioneering aviator are on view at Hawaii's Waikiki Hotel.
- Fat Joe (+2,717%). The singer says his new album, "The Darkside Vol. 1," coming out today, makes him "one of the greats."
- Sona of Noynoy Aquino (+1,360%). The president of the Philippines gave his state of the nation speech to mixed reviews.
- Rod Blagojevich (+621%). The corruption trial of the former Illinois governor comes to a close.
27.07.10: Continental Airlines Tries Self-Boarding
by Claudine Zap
First, you could check in online. Then you could print out your own boarding pass. Now, Continental Airlines is testing a self-board option. Some travelers at Houston Intercontinental Airport can now come to the gate, swipe a bar-coded ticket, and walk themselves onto the plane.
A story on USA Today described it as similar to riding a New York City subway (we hope, the only way): Once the ticket is swiped, a turnstile door will open to allow the passenger entry to the airplane. While automated boarding does not require the human touch, an attendant will be on hand to deal with the usual customer service problems.
And we can imagine plenty of problems. Does anarchy rule in this experiment? No longer will passengers be called by row or color coded boarding pass, but expected to instead make a dash through a turnstile. Actually, this is sounding more and more like the subway. Let's hope there isn't too much pushing and shoving.
Amazingly, the TSA is on board, as it were, with self-boarding. The practice is already in place at many international airlines, like Air France and Air New Zealand. Humans are still required to fly the plane. For now.
26.07.10: Photo Feed Latest Unexpected Move from British Monarch
by Mike Krumboltz
Queen Elizabeth II may be 84 years old, but she isn't done trying new things. Not by a long shot. She has a Twitter feed and a YouTube channel, according to CNN. She already has an iPod, a gift from President Obama. Now her Royal Highness launched her own feed on photo-sharing site Flickr (owned by Yahoo!), just the latest first for the monarch.
The Flickr feed, which has been picked up by bloggers and news outlets after being launched on Monday, includes photos from the entire British monarchy. However, the Queen appears to have scored a starring role. The photos are public, offering us commoners a look into the lives of the royal family.
Posted photos include everything from baby pictures of the Queen to her coronation ceremony with Prince Philip. There are photos of princes Charles, William, and Harry, and candid snapshots of royalty mucking around with celebs like Robin Williams and David Beckham. Check out a select gallery here.
Among our favorites: the Queen looking pleased at the Duke of Edinburgh's choice of headgear at the Trooping the Colour Parade; a posed photo of the 2-year-old Elizabeth looking both regal and adorable (love the curls); and Prince William practicing archery while blindfolded. No word on whose head was used to prop up the apple.
A visit to Ground Zero
Earlier this month, the Queen experienced another first, when she visited Ground Zero in New York for the first time. Elizabeth placed a wreath in remembrance of the victims, while braving temperatures that hit 102 degrees in the city. Earlier, while addressing the United Nations, the Queen challenged the group to fight terrorism by "waging peace."
The star at Wimbledon
2010 has been a big year for the Queen. Earlier this summer, she unintentionally upstaged the players at Wimbledon when she made her first appearance at the tennis tournament in 33 years. Her appearance, in which she watched countryman Andy Murray at Center Court, inspired mad searches, especially on her smashing hat. Web lookups on "queen elizabeth wimbledon" and "queen elizabeth hat wimbledon" both scorched the Search box. Still inspiring fashion searches at 84? Not too shabby.
A Great-Grandmother-to-Be
While we imagine the Queen is excited about sharing her photos and her recent visit to Wimbledon, she is no doubt the most pleased at the prospect of becoming a great-grandmother. Earlier this year, her grandson, Peter Phillips, announced that he and his wife, Autumn, were expecting their first child. Once that baby boy or girl enters the world, the Queen will become a great-grandmother for the first time. The news sparked immense interest on the proud parents-to-be, but also on the Queen, who is said to be "delighted with the news."
Other popular stories on Yahoo!:
• '80s popstars weigh in on Miley's risqué image
• Unlikely 'House' star signs a record deal
• Amanda Bynes, 24, updates retirement status
26.07.10: Michelle Obama Headed to Spain, "Inception" Stays on Top, Wikileaks Opens Up: What's the Buzz
by Claudine Zap
Our top picks from the day's hottest searches.
- Wikileaks (Searches increased by 4,336%). The founder of the whistle-blower organization released 91,000 pages of secret documents on the Afghanistan war, and says there are more to come.
- "Avengers" (+1,148%). The cast for the movie includes Samuel L. Jackson and Scarlett Johansson.
- Michelle Obama (+732%). The First Lady and daughter Sasha will head for a Spain getaway.
- Weekend box office (+340%). "Inception" is "Salt'"s worst nightmare for box office numbers.
- Germany love parade (+144%). A crush of people at the techno dance festival led to 19 deaths.
30.07.10: Jill Biden Making Cameo on 'Army Wives'
30.07.10: Secrets From the New Season of 'Survivor: Nicaragua'
30.07.10: Source: J-Lo close to deal for `American Idol'
Source: Jennifer Lopez close to deal for `American Idol' seat vacated by Ellen DeGeneres
30.07.10: Source: J-Lo close to deal for `American Idol'
Source: Jennifer Lopez close to deal for `American Idol' seat vacated by Ellen DeGeneres
30.07.10: Source: J-Lo close to deal for `American Idol'
Source: Jennifer Lopez close to deal for `American Idol' seat vacated by Ellen DeGeneres
30.07.10: Source: J-Lo close to deal for `American Idol'
Source: Jennifer Lopez close to deal for `American Idol' seat vacated by Ellen DeGeneres
30.07.10: Source: J-Lo close to deal for `American Idol'
Source: Jennifer Lopez close to deal for `American Idol' seat vacated by Ellen DeGeneres
30.07.10: Source: J-Lo close to deal for `American Idol'
Source: Jennifer Lopez close to deal for `American Idol' seat vacated by Ellen DeGeneres
30.07.10: Family feud could silence beloved singer Fairouz
Family dispute over royalties threatens to silence beloved Arab singer Fairouz
30.07.10: Source: J-Lo close to deal for `American Idol'
Source: Jennifer Lopez close to deal for `American Idol' seat vacated by Ellen DeGeneres
30.07.10: Sandra Bullock
Giving new meaning to the term America's Sweetheart, "Sandra Bullock" won over scores of filmgoers and critics with her wholesome, exuberant portrayals of ordinary women in extraordinary circumstances. Since her breakthrough role as "Speed"'s unwitting heroine, Bullock has enjoyed the type of popularity that was in the past reserved for actresses along the lines of "Mary Pickford" or "Shirley Temple".
Born in Washington, D.C., on July 26, 1964, Bullock was the elder daughter of a vocal coach dad and an... [more]
30.07.10: Jennifer Aniston
Jennifer Aniston makes a good case for proving that acting talent can be absorbed by osmosis. From her father John Aniston's stardom on Days of Our Lives to her godfather Telly Savalas, the actress was surrounded by plenty of inspiration from an early age. As Aniston attended the Rudolph Steiner School as a child, she was interested in many forms of art and proved to be a talented painter, eventually having one of her pieces displayed at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. Acting also appealed to her, and... [more]30.07.10: Miley Cyrus
The daughter of country-music superstar Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus got her start in the entertainment industry on an episode of her father's PAX TV medical series Doc before appearing in Tim Burton's fantastical 2003 adventure Big Fish. A fateful appearance as the character Hannah Montana in the Disney Channel series The Suite Life of Zack and Cody followed in 2006, and her character proved so popular that a spin-off series called Hannah Montana was launched shortly thereafter. In the series, Cyrus portrayed... [more]30.07.10: Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian, the wealthy daughter of the high-powered defense attorney Robert Kardashian and Kris Kardashian (and the stepdaughter of Olympic athlete Bruce Jenner), grew up in Beverly Hills, CA, and attended an exclusive all-girls Catholic high school in the City of Angels. As a young woman, Kardashian worked at her father's music marketing firm, Movie Tunes, then parlayed her entrepreneurial instincts into a successful career as a wardrobe stylist for television programs, magazine photo layouts, and... [more]30.07.10: Jennifer Love Hewitt
Personifying the type of teen spirit most commonly found in Noxzema ads and pep-squad meets, actress "Jennifer Love Hewitt" has brought new meaning to the word "effervescent." The '90s saw Hewitt go from relative obscurity to a bona fide teen queen, to say nothing of one of the most frequently enshrined actresses on the internet.
Hewitt was born on February 21, 1979, in Waco, TX. She made her first appearance on television in 1984 in the show Kids Incorporated (which, coincidentally, once guest-starred... [more]
30.07.10: Angelina Jolie
Next to "Liv Tyler", "Angelina Jolie" is the only actress of her generation who can thank her famous father for the lips that have become her trademark. The actress was born Angelina Jolie Voight to the pillow-lipped "Jon Voight" and actress Marcheline Bertrand on June 4, 1975, in Los Angeles.
Raised mostly by her mother after her parents divorced while she was still a baby, Jolie moved around a lot with her mother and brother. She also did a fair amount of traveling as a professional model, living in such... [more]
30.07.10: Robert Pattinson
London-born Robert Pattinson found his acting niche almost instantly, kicking off his career with a string of fantasy roles. After catching the acting bug through amateur theater, the young thespian made his first film appearance at the age of 18, appearing in 2004's Dark Kingdom: The Dragon King, based on a Nordic legend. He followed this up by joining the Harry Potter franchise the following year, playing Cedric Diggory in Goblet of Fire, as well as the subsequent movies. Having captured the hearts of many... [more]30.07.10: George Clooney
"George Clooney" embodies one of Hollywood's most formidable renaissance men. As a remarkably intelligent and capable actor, and a director of surprising skill and intuition, Clooney has almost completely exempted himself from criticism. In light of these qualities, the thespian's formidable charm and devastating physical appeal seem, astonishingly, to be almost incidental.
As the son of broadcast journalist Nick Clooney and the nephew of chanteuse "Rosemary Clooney", "George Clooney" entered the... [more]
30.07.10: Jay Leno
A popular comedian during the 1970s, "Jay Leno" is best known as the man who replaced "Johnny Carson" at the helm of The Tonight Show in 1992. Leno was born James Douglas Muir Leno to parents of Italian and Scottish heritage (Leno is particularly fond of discussing the Italian part) in New Rochelle, NY, but was raised in Andover, MA. During the year in which he was establishing his standup career, Leno was performing 300 nights throughout North America. He made his television debut on the "Merv Griffin Show"... [more]30.07.10: Kristen Stewart
A fervent surfer who bears a striking resemblance to the young "Jodie Foster", "Kristen Stewart" was poised to become a preteen star with her role opposite Foster in "David Fincher"'s atmospheric thriller "Panic Room" (2002). A resident of Los Angeles, Stewart's nascent acting career got off to a promising start when she was cast in two vastly different films. Eschewing fluffy kids' movies, Stewart played troubled single mother "Patricia Clarkson"'s tomboy daughter in independent film darling "Rose Troche"'s... [more]
30.07.10: Living Dead Girl
'Living Dead Girl' by Rob Zombie
30.07.10: Alejandro
'Alejandro' by Lady Gaga
30.07.10: Summer Day
'Summer Day' by Sheryl Crow
30.07.10: Bad Romance
'Bad Romance' by Lady Gaga
30.07.10: Lights
'Lights' by Interpol
30.07.10: Fats & Friends
'Fats & Friends' by Fats Domino
30.07.10: Never Gonna Stop (The Red Red Kroovy)
'Never Gonna Stop (The Red Red Kroovy)' by Rob Zombie
30.07.10: Stars Are Blind
'Stars Are Blind' by Paris Hilton
30.07.10: Gypsy
'Gypsy' by Shakira
30.07.10: Love All Over Me
'Love All Over Me' by Monica
30.07.10: Not Afraid
'Not Afraid' by Eminem
30.07.10: Telephone
'Telephone' by Lady Gaga
30.07.10: The Little Things
'The Little Things' by Colbie Caillat
30.07.10: Bittersweet
'Bittersweet' by Fantasia
30.07.10: Superbeast
'Superbeast' by Rob Zombie
30.07.10: Woman
'Woman' by Toni Braxton
30.07.10: Got Money
'Got Money' by Lil Wayne
30.07.10: My Chick Bad
'My Chick Bad' by Ludacris
30.07.10: Club Can't Handle Me [Feat. David Guetta]
'Club Can't Handle Me [Feat. David Guetta]' by Flo Rida
30.07.10: Paparazzi
'Paparazzi' by Lady GaGa
30.07.10: You Asked, We Found: Star Looks
We found the looks you can’t stop talking about – J.Lo's movie star
shades! Julianne's glam necklace! Get the scoop on where to buy them and how
to get the looks for less
29.07.10: Orlando's In-and-Out Run
The newlywed makes a fast-food pit stop in Hollywood. Plus: Victoria & David, Heidi Klum, Gwyneth Paltrow and more
29.07.10: Angelina's Global Sex Appeal
Being on the run has never been this hot! While promoting the action thriller Salt, Angelina creates an international frenzy in one sultry look after another while promoting
29.07.10: Kendra's Body-After-Baby Workout Plan
The reality TV mom is back in pin-up shape, thanks to her sporty, try-everything exercise regimen
29.07.10: Chelsea Clinton's Grown-Up Life
As she prepares to wed, see how the former First Daughter has become her own woman
29.07.10: Vote Now on Star Hair!
See the stars' latest cuts and color changes – and then vote on which hairstyle suits Katie Holmes, Angelina Jolie and more
29.07.10: What's Her Best Hair?
See the stars' latest cuts and color changes – and then vote on which do suits them
28.07.10: Last Night's Look: Hit or Miss?
Vote on this week's styles including Heidi Klum, Nicole Kidman and more stars! You decide – are they fashionistas or flops?
28.07.10: First Daughters – and Their Dads!
From a preteen Chelsea snuggling with Bill to Tricia Nixon's wedding day, see some memorable Presidential daughters from Life.com!
27.07.10: The Wilkinson-Basketts
See how this fun-loving party of three – Kendra Wilkinson, husband Hank Baskett and baby Hank Jr. – is discovering life's little adventures
30.07.10: New Duck-Billed Dino Discovered in Mexico
New dino discovery sheds light on little-known period in dinosaur history.
30.07.10: Tiny Pterodactyl Fossil Found
Fossils reveal a toothless pterodactyl that lived in trees and ate insects.
30.07.10: Origin of Birds Debated
Scientists can't agree on when modern birds first appeared on Earth.
30.07.10: Dinos' Veggie Diets Packed Surprising Punch
Diets of evergreens and ferns were more nourishing than previously thought.
30.07.10: For Barnacles, Sex Is a Real Stretch
Barnacles stretch themselves to the limit to mate.
30.07.10: Scientists Create See-Through Fish, Watch Cancer Grow
Scientists breed zebrafish with see-through bodies so they can study diseases.
30.07.10: Crikey! How Crocs Digest Animals Whole
Crocodiles can eat 23 percent of their body weight at once.
30.07.10: Deal? No Deal, Chimps Say
Chimps don't like bartering things, even when they're trading up.
30.07.10: Species Success: Rhinos Recover
After nearly disappearing, African rhinos have made a healthy recovery.
30.07.10: Strange New Creature: Giant Shrew or Tiny Elephant?
A new furry mammal was caught on film in the forests of Tanzania.