If At First You Don't Succeed

Oliver Stone is taking another whack at his 2004 flick "Alexander." The three hour version didn't work. The two hour and 48 minute version -- with the modest gay bits toned down or eliminated -- didn't work. Now, Stone is reediting a new version that runs 3 hours and 40 minutes. Interestingly, he may also do another film on 9-11 -- and this one would be the political muckraker people expected of Stone the first time around.

"I think [9-11] was used to promote a radical agenda by a political party in America," he said. "Five years on the world is in far worse shape, more terror, more fear, more war," he added.

Now THAT'S the Oliver Stone we know and love.

Ugandan Paper Prints List of Gays

Just the first names, the areas they live and their occupations -- but no one can be identified, insists the editor. Oh, and Uganda is "very, very tolerant." The kicker? "[The editor] said the paper was considering publishing the names of lesbians, but a decision had not yet been taken."

Australia Decked Out In Khaki Today

A clever, sweet tribute to Steve Irwin.

Ellen Degeneres To Host The Oscars

I've been saying Ellen Degeners is the obvious, inevitable, perfect choice to host the Academy Awards for years. Now, Oscar has finally agreed.

British Film Institute Offers Films and Shorts For Downloading

Obscure shorts by Schlesinger, Frears and the Scott brothers are among the offerings. But not, sadly, if your computer is in the US.

Amazon.com Begins Selling Video Downloads of Movies and TV

Mind you, they're only three years late and of course none of it is compatible with Apple --- even though Apple dominates sales even on Amazon. And of course they don't sell music downloads the iTunes does. I saw the same thing with Blockbuster -- which resisted selling DVDs like fools, instead of becoming the dominant seller the way they should have. How could both companies miss the obvious changes in the industry?

It Was The Heat Of The Moment

Hey, I bought the first Asia album...and I liked it. Catchy pop with three or four really good songs? Not a bad track record. Then the muddled second album disappointed and they disappeared. It wasn't until years later that my friend Tom Russo appeared at Premiere, where he evinced an appreciation of Asia devoid of irony. We enjoyed Asia's reappearance via shout outs on "South Park" and "The 40 Year Old Virgin" and -- like the good freelancers we are -- he finally managed to get someone to say yes to a story on Asia and their new concert tour. What's the point of being an entertainment writer if you can't interview your favorites and bring attention to your odd obsessions? Can't wait for the concert review.

ABC's Lame Defense Over 9/11 Miniseries Controversy

Let me just weigh in on one comment by ABC. They sent out a statement just a day or two ago that was reported in the New York Times on Wednesday. It said, in part, “The events that lead to 9/11 originally sparked great debate, so it’s not surprising that a movie surrounding those events has revived the debate.”

Nice try. In fact, there have been a NUMBER of TV documentaries, TV docudramas, two feature films (Oliver Stone's "World Trade Center" and "United 93"), the 9-11 Commission Report itself, a number of nonfiction books and even a graphic novel rendering of the 9-11 Commission report and on and on and on. By and large, they have been praised for sticking to the facts. NONE OF THEM have even remotely been the center of controversy like this miniseries. All of them strove to be as accurate as possible. NONE OF THEM have even been accused of wholesale fabrications and lies, which the ABC miniseries has all but confessed to. All of them strove to reflect -- where appropriate -- the bipartisan tone of the 9/11 Commission report. NONE OF THEM focused on partisan political attacks or gave favored treatment to one political party either in the making of their projects and certainly not in the promoting of them. All of them -- including leftie Oliver Stone -- strove for and achieved a non-partisan look at the events of the day. Heck, Spike Lee did a four hour documentary on the devastation of Katrina and received nothing but praise and admiration for the balanced, accurate but impassioned work he did. OLIVER STONE AND SPIKE LEE -- it doesn't get more leftie than that, but they managed to tackle 9-11 and Katrina without pandering to one party or lying and distorting the facts. Why can't ABC? Because they didn't try.

ABC's miniseries is not in hot water because 9-11 is a controversial topic. We can name literally dozens of releases in all sorts of formats that tackled it successfully and with a respect for the facts. ABC's miniseries is in hot water because it is an unbalanced, partisan attack that attempts to rewrite history, it was promoted by reaching out only to the far right and it is a bald attempt to influence an upcoming election by dividing the country and spreading lies and falsehoods.

"Queer Eye" Maybe Isn't Cancelled? But Probably Is

"Queer Eye" cast members basically said the show would end after the new batch of shows they just filmed air in 2007. But then Bravo said, "Hey, don't say the show is cancelled. We're airing a new batch of shows in 2007." We know that, but afterwards it's over, right? Now, again, it seems likely that the makeovers will come to an end.

A Remake Of "Sleuth?"

Quite unnecessary, I'd say, since the original film with Michael Caine and Laurence Olivier worked quite well. (Though it's been many years since I've seen it.) Still, since plays are often revived, why not film remakes of plays? And while Kenneth Branagh directing doesn't inspire confidence (he's seemed lost for years now), I can't help but be intrigued by the casting: Michael Caine takes over the role played by Olivier and Jude Law (who also starred in the hapless remake of Caine's "Alfie")takes over the role originally played by Caine. If nothing else, it will make for a great trivia question.

Emilio Estevez: Filmmaker

The reviews of "Bobby" are in from the trades and they range from the positive words of The Hollywood Reporter to the raves of Variety.

Geneology The Hot New Reality Format

What hath Alex Haley wrought? The hot new reality show in the UK is Who Do You Think You Are?, which just moved to premiere channel BBC1 and debuted to a very strong 6 million viewers. They take a celebrity and explore their roots. It's only a matter of time before some US channel is working its way up the family tree of Jessica Simpson or Charlie Sheen.

Anderson Cooper To Take Over CBS's Morning Show?

That's the rumor per Roger Friedman of Fox News. Cooper's amiable personality makes sense for a morning show and sure CBS and CNN share anchors a lot. (Cooper is already reporting for "60 Minutes.") But Cooper would have to give up his 10 p.m. show on CNN, one of the few bright spots for the news channel. Would they let that happen? And would Cooper walk away for the perennial third-place CBS broadcast? I don't think so. I think Cooper prefers the gravitas of primetime. But it is intriguing. Also, Friedman compares Kelly Clarkson to Linda Ronstadt, which makes sense when you think of their booming, clear voices. Here's hoping Clarkson shows one-tenth of the ingenuity and curiosity and versatility of Ronstadt, who I think is the most under-appreciated pop singer around.

Boy George About To Release New Single

From sweeping the streets of New York to a showcase in London with the hottest songwriter around Amanda Ghost (James Blunt's "Beautiful," work with Beyonce and Janet Jackson and so on) -- yes, it's a good time to be Boy George. His new song is "Time Machine" and it's billed as his first commercial single in eight years. Technically true, but during that time George has of course written the songs for a musical that ran successfuly in the West End and (less successfully) on Broadway. It contained some of his best songs in his career, so George has hardly been invisible. Plus, as you may remember, I had a bet with my sister back in 1984 who claimed Culture Club was a flash in the pan when I insisted George actually had talent and would be around in some form or another for many years. Our bet was for 1994, which I won of course, but I've enjoyed reminding her of how right I was every time he does something new. When this song debuts at #1 in the UK, I'll get to make another gloating phone call. Go Boy!

Chinese Director Defies Gov't

Lou Ye, director of the promising drama "Summer Palace," says he will continue making movies despite being "banned" from filmmaking for five years. Like so many disputes in China today, Lou argues that the ban is "illegal," saying the body that insists he can't make movies doesn't have that authority. Lawyers who fight for people against the gov't are sometimes victorious and sometimes jailed in China. It just depends on how much media attention you get and the mood of the people in power. But the fascinating fact is that China does have a constitution detailing certain rights for people, even if it is often ignored in practice. And more and more people like Lou are insisting on the rule of law. Two steps forward; one step back for China.

Arctic Monkeys Win Mercury Prize

Though they were the favorites, I'd call it a surprise since during its short life the Mercury Prize has delighted in doing the unexpected. Very good album, however, so well deserved.

Rave Reviews For "The Wire" Continue

You have no excuses. Rent the DVDs, get it on HBO On-Demand or whatever, but do watch this slow-burning, slow-building terrific series. From the beginning.

The Body Of Ray Charles Is Exhumed; Will Appear On "The Tonight Show Starring Jay Leno"

More info on that obscene, unnecessary "album" that combines vocals from a Ray Charles concert in the mid-70s with all-new recorded backing from the Count Basie Orchestra. Because with only several HUNDRED releases to his credit, we're desperate for a new Ray Charles CD. It's bad enough when artists "duet" with dead people -- now they're creating entire albums out of odds and ends. Hey, maybe I should just see this as another example of a mash-up a la Danger Mouse. But frankly, this is just a cynical exploitation of a dead artist, not an attempt to create some new work of art by creatively combining some existing work with something new. This is evil. Why the hell doesn't Starbucks just play "Modern Sounds In Country & Western" in their stores and sell THOSE classic albums? People would love it; they'd move a lot of CDs and it would be a FITTING tribute to a legend.

James Frey Will Give You Back Your Money

Anyone who felt cheated after they discovered James Frey had lied about many (if not most) of the exploits in his "memoir"/novel "A Million Little Pieces" can get a refund. You don't even need a receipt. Depending on the version you bought, you simply ahve to turn in a page (in the hardcover it's page 163), the cover itself (if you bought the paperback) and so on, along with a sworn statement that you would not have bought the book if you'd known that certain facts had been embroidered or changed.

I like that: james Frey lies to millions of people, claiming over and over again that everything that happened in his little work of fantasy was true. He lies to the millions of people in recovery (whose first step includes being HONEST about their problems) by telling them he was just like them (but worse). He lies to Oprah, for God's sake. And then when he admits his lies, instead of just offering a refund to anyone who felt gyped and would take the time to go through the process of getting in, he DEMANDS a SWORN STATEMENT. Because of course, you can't trust people, can you?

The Curse Of The Album Cover Designers!

They're dropping like flies, including Burt Goldblatt, who did a lot of jazz covers, especially for Bethlehem. Here's the obit and here are just a few of his works and a nice appreciation with some more cover art. I do like the Dizzy and the Johnny Hartman.

Bob Dylan Hits #1

I take a day off and what happens? Bob Dylan debuts at #1 with his new album "Modern Times." Thank GOD he beat Jessica Simpson, who debuts at #5 -- some things would just be unbearable. On the singles chart, Justin Timberlake remains at #1 and Gnarls Barkley's absurdly catchy tune "Crazy" jumps back up a notch to #3. The Top 10 albums:

1. Bob Dylan -- Modern Times
2. Danity kane -- Danity Kane
3. Young Dro -- Best Thang Smokin'
4. Christina Aguilera -- Back To Basics
5. Jessica Simpson -- A Public Affair
6. Soundtrack -- The Cheetah Girls 2
7. Outkast -- Idlewild
8. Method Man -- 4:21...The Day After
9. The Roots -- Game Theory
10. Nickelback -- All The Right Reasons

The Bold Predictions Of Tom O'Neil

I hate Oscar handicap stories that come out in the spring or summer or fall, long before many of the possible contenders have even been finished, much less seen by anyone. But at least if you're gonna do it, you should show a little gumption. Tom O'Neil of The LA Times makes bold predictions for what movies will contend, And what does he do? He names THIRTY movies that are likely or possible contenders for Best Picture and then names almost as many for Best Actor and Actress. Thirty. That's like me "singling out" 30 or so people running for President and then tentatively guessing that one of them (Hilary Clinton, John McCain, Al Gore, Condoleeza Rice, John Edwards, Mike Huckabee, Mitt Romney, Evan Bayh, Wesley Clark, Bill Frist, Joe Biden, Tom Ridge, George Pataki, Newt Gingrich, Mark Warner, Mark Sanford, John Kerry, Russ Feingold, General Zod, Jeb Bush, Chuck Hegal, Barack Obama, Rudy Guiliani, Tom Daschle, Christopher Dodd, Mike Gravel, Bill Richardson, Tom Vilsack, George Allen, Sam Frost, John Cox, Michael Charles Smith, Tom Tancredo, Howard Dean or whomever). Okay, maybe one of them WON'T be President but I sure wouldn't bet on it. And what have I proven? That I can list a bunch of names.

In the same way, O'Neil lists 30 movies he "thinks" are contenders for Best Picture. If one of the five nominees ISN'T on this list, he truly looks the fool.

BEST PICTURE
"All the King's Men"
"Babel"
"Blood Diamond"
"Bobby"
"Dreamgirls"
"Flags of Our Fathers"
"The Good German"
"The Good Shepherd"
"The History Boys"
"The Holiday"
"Little Children"
"Little Miss Sunshine"
"The Prestige"
"The Pursuit of Happyness"
"The Queen"

POSSIBLE
"Catch a Fire"
"Children of Men"
"The Departed"
"A Good Year"
"The Hoax"
"Home of the Brave"
"Last King of Scotland"
"The Last Kiss"
"Margaret"
"Nativity Story"
"Notes on a Scandal"
"The Painted Veil"
"Stranger Than Fiction"
"United 93"
"Volver"
"World Trade Center"

My out-on-a-ledge pick of the five nominees:

Bobby
Dreamgirls
Flags Of Our Fathers
Little Miss Sunshine
Volver

Sonny Rollins Turns 76

I missed the Saxophone Collossus' annual free concert in Central Park. But check out his website and you can watch nine different videos of live performances spanning his entire career from 1957 to 2006. Great stuff.

No More Surfing Today

I'm way behind. I gotta file a story on Tony Goldwyn, conduct some interviews and then head out to the US Open. See you tomorrow.

ABC's 9-11 TV Movie Will Be On iTunes

ABC is REALLY proud of Americablog's least favorite TV movie. They're going to run it without commercials and the entire film will be available free for downloading on iTunes. Its reach will be tremendous and they're leaving no stone unturned to make certain.

Katie Couric: She Did It!

Yes, it was truly astonishing to see a woman host the evening news. Couric was fine. Nice to see a meaty three or four minute piece on how Afghanistan is falling apart and Couric even undercut her natural conservative tendencies by having Thomas Friedman comment on Bush's (in)actions in the war on terror. An entire section devoted to photos? Surely that won't be a nightly occurence. And freeSpeech was silly: thank God we can find room for the unheard voices of people like filmmaker Morgan Spurlock radio giant Rush Limbaugh. Really, the editorial comments from Bob Schieffer will be welcome. But it's impossible to condense the news of the day into 23 minutes. Do we really need filler from "regular folk" and celebrities mouthing off? They were wise to use Walter Cronkite's voice as the intro but even her lack of a signature goodbye was annoying when they turned it into an opportunity for some more "interactivity" with viewers by sending them (again) to the web. Her ratings of course were huge.

But the real (sad) news was spotlighted by Howard Kurtz who points out that NBC LED with the death of Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. Like there's not enough going on in the world that they had to LEAD with that.

The Best Books Of The Year -- Vote Now!

The Quill Awards will be given out in October, naming the best books of the year in every genre imaginable, including mystery, sci-fi, graphic novel and so on. The winners are down by popular vote, so do it now here. My ballot:

Book of the Year: Joan Didion for The Year of Magical Thinking
Debut Author of the Year: Debra Dean for The Madonnas of Leningrad
Audio Book: Frank McCourt for Teacher Man
Children's Illustrated Book: the wonderful Robert Sabuda for Winter's Tale: A Pop-Up
Children's Chapter Book: Kat DiCamillo for The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane
Young Adult/Teen: No vote. Didn't like the ones I've read.
General Fiction: Irene Nemirovsky for Suite Francaise
Graphic Novel: Jack Kirby and Stan Lee for Maximum Fantastic Four
Mystery/Suspense: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for The Annotated Sherlock Holmes
Poetry: Mary Oliver for New and Selected Poems Vol. Two
Romance: No vote; haven't read any of them.
Sci-fi/Fantasy: No vote; didn't like what I'd read.
Religion/Spirituality: Bart D Ehrman for Misquoting Jesus
Biography/Memoir: Joan Didion for The Year of Magical Thinking (sorry, Tender Bar)
Business: Charles Fisher for The Wal-Mart Effect
Cookbook: Phaidon Press Editors for Silver Spoon (sorry, Bill Buford)
Self-Help: No vote; I don't need any help
History/Current Events/Politics: James L. Swanson for Manhunt(sorry Doris, I still haven't forgiven you for that plagiarizing, I mean those mistakes)
Humor: Bill Waterson for The Complete Calvin & Hobbes (even though it's poorly produced -- the image on the box is a slapped on sticker and the binding ain't great; but the comics themselves are delightful)
Sports: No vote; haven't read any of them

A Sneak Peek At Robbie Williams' New CD

Robbie is one of the most entertaining pop stars of the UK -- and I don't just mean his music, since he's a funny and clever interview as well. Cheeky lad. He's been in a bit of a slump creatively and his new "everything but the kitchen sink" CD sounds like it could shake him out of his doldrums. Even if -- gulp --Robbie does have another go at rapping.

The Future Of Newspapers

A dry, but interesting essay calling for newspapers to unite in some sort of socialistic enterprise to let them compete on a worldwide scale with all the other Internet companies. There's good stuff here, but the proposal is absurd and the author is wrong to pinpoint the "failure" of newspapers to come up with Websites like Google and MySpace. That's not what newspapers do (create new businesses) and if they tried to do it they wouldn't do it well. Newspapers create content and they can indeed do a much better job of exploiting that content and being more user friendly (with comment sections, RSS feeds, links to related articles, blogs and so on). But trying to unite an entire industry in a business mode that would probably violate anti-trust laws? Trying to launch new web businesses? Uh-uh.

Phil Joanou Grows Up

Phil Joanou had a fun movie debut with the clever "Three O'Clock High." He followed that with the underappreciated U2 concert film "Rattle & Hum." He followed THAT with a whole lot of nothing. I know people who've worked on film sets with Joanou and they all agreed: what a jerk. Remarkably, now Joanou agrees too.

"When I was growing up, I wanted more than anything to be a movie director," he says. "But it's been seven years since I made my last movie. I had a very lucky beginning in film, but I blew it. I'd argue with people and act like a jerk and they decided that they didn't need to hire a guy who was such a pain ... and didn't make hit movies either."

His new movie "Gridiron Gangs" looks pretty formulaic, but anyone who can realize they've been an ass and convincingly say so deserves a second chance.