'Passengers' Hits Theatres December 21

Jennifer Lawrence and Chris Pratt are two passengers onboard a spaceship transporting them to a new life on another planet.  The trip takes a deadly turn when their hibernation pods mysteriously wake them 90 years before they reach their destination.  As Jim and Aurora try to unravel the mystery behind the malfunction, they begin to fall for each other, unable to deny their intense attraction... only to be threatened by the imminent collapse of the ship and the discovery of the truth behind why they woke up.

'Bad Santa 2' Is Coming To Town November 23

 
BAD SANTA 2 returns Academy Award®-winner BILLY BOB THORNTON to the screen as America's favorite anti-hero, Willie Soke. Fueled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, Willie teams up once again with his angry little sidekick, Marcus (TONY COX), to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve. Along for the ride is 'the kid' - chubby and cheery Thurman Merman (BRETT KELLY), a 250-pound ray of sunshine who brings out Willie's sliver of humanity. 

Mommy issues arise when the pair are joined by Academy Award®, Golden Globe and Emmy-winner KATHY BATES, as Willie's horror story of a mother, Sunny Soke. A super butch super bitch, Sunny raises the bar for the gang's ambitions, while somehow lowering the standards of criminal behavior. Willie is further burdened by lusting after the curvaceous and prim Diane, played by Emmy Award-nominee CHRISTINA HENDRICKS, the charity director with a heart of gold and libido of steel.

You better watch out: BAD SANTA 2 is coming to town. 

MARK WATERS directs BAD SANTA 2 from a screenplay by Johnny Rosenthal and Shauna Cross, based on characters by Glenn Ficarra & John Requa. GEYER KOSINSKI and ANDREW GUNN produce. Executive producers are Zanne Devine, David Thwaites, Gabriel Hammond, Daniel Hammond, Mark Waters, Jessica Tuchinsky, Adam Fields, and Doug Ellin. The film is a BROAD GREEN PICTURES and MIRAMAX® release. In theaters November 23, 2016.
 
Director: Mark Waters
Cast: Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates, Christina Hendricks, Tony Cox, Brett Kelly, Ryan Hansen, Jenny Zigrino, Jeff Skowron
Writers: Johnny Rosenthal, Doug Ellin and Shauna Cross
Producers: Geyer Kosinski, Andrew Gunn
Executive Producers: Zanne Devine, David Thwaites, Gabriel Hammond, Daniel Hammond, Mark Waters, Jessica Tuchinsky, Adam Fields, Doug Ellin

Denzel Plays It Cool In 'The Magnificent Seven'

The Magnificent Seven

Denzel Washington has long been considered a badass actor.  Whether he’s playing Malcolm X, The Hurricane, a rogue police officer (Training Day) or an alcoholic airline pilot (Flight), Washington has mastered losing himself in his roles.

It continues with his latest celluloid endeavor, The Magnificent Seven, a remake of the classic 60’s western, set for nationwide release September 23, 2016.

In the film, Washington plays Sam Chisolm, a no-nonsense bounty hunter.

As the film opens, Chisolm is in the process of capturing a white, wanted man. The way he goes about it is hella cool.

Yes, there’s a new sheriff in town and his name is Denzel Washington, aka Sam Chisolm.

He’s riding in on a black horse wearing a black shirt, black pants, a black hat, and that Denzel stroll he’s come to be known for. You know, the one that says he means business.

Washington makes a formidable and unfathomable man in black. In some scenes, he even manages a Clint Eastwood squint and scowl.

Here’s the story - Bartholomew Bogue (Peter Sarsgaard) is a mean, greedy industrialist looking to mine gold in Rose Creek. So, he rides into town with his band of bad guys to seize the town. With their lives in jeopardy, Emma Cullen, whose husband is killed by Bogue, and other desperate residents turn to Chisolm for help.

Chisolm recruits a bunch of henchmen to take on Bogue. With a deadly showdown on the horizon, the seven mercenaries soon find themselves fighting for more than just money once the bullets start to fly.

A non-nonsense man, Chisolm doesn’t speak much, but when he does everybody listens.

“Every man got the right to choose the way he dies.”---Chisolm

Director Antoine Fugua brings this story to life. He holds true to the western genre, however he does interject his own flavor into the film. With gratuitous, almost nonstop killing, incorporating humor into the proceedings takes the edge off.

Including Chisolm, all seven of those magnificent men bring their genuine personalities and their own brand of mayhem.  It’s interesting to watch how this band of vigilantes comes together for the greater good.

Fuqua’s film is a slick interpretation of the west. Fuqua and the cast deliver good work, but there is nothing new to report in this straight-forward story.

John Sturges’ remake of Akira Kurosawa’s 1954, The Seven Samurai, said it all.

Still, Fuqua’s version has some merits. First, he has Washington. Second, he has Chris Pratt. Third, he has Ethan Hawke. Fourth, he has Vincent D’Onofrio. Fifth, he has the rest of the cast.  Sixth, it’s vibrantly shot. Seven, we get to see Washington play a badass cowboy! (Yes, I know he was first).

On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likeable), O (oh, yeah) and E (excellent), The Magnificent Seven gets an O (oh, yeah).

The Magnificient Seven, directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by John Lee Hancock and Nick Pizzolatto, stars Denzel Washington, Christ Pratt, Ethan Hawke, Lee Byung-hun, Vincent D’Onofrio, Peter Sarsgaard, Cam Gigandet, Luke Grimes, Manual Garcia-Rulfo, Jonathan Joss, Martin Sensmeier, Haley Bennett, Matt Bomer, Jody Mullins, Mark Ashworth and Emil Beheshti.

The Magnificent Seven is RATED: PG-13; Running Time: 2h 13m

#Mag7

Celebs Attend Seventh Annual Style Lounge & Party

Doris Bergman

By Darlene Donloe

When Doris Bergman throws a party, she always pulls out all the stops.  Her Seventh Annual Style Lounge & Party sponsored by EinDrink and held recently at Fig & Olive in West Hollywood, was no different.

The highly coveted, invitation-only party, which includes current and former Emmy nominees, Oscar nominees/winners, as well as other celebrities from television and film, celebrates the Emmy season.

Presented by dioo Audio, the swanky event offered attendees an array of fashion for him and her including couture gowns, bespoke tuxedos & suits, beauty, skin & hair care, jewelry collections, accessories, sexy lingerie, fragrances, gourmet cuisine, unique spirits and sweets.

Actress Jamie Brewer and Debra Mitchell of Twisted Silver

Celebs on hand included Darius McCrary, Kimberly Elise, Jane Lynch, Deidre Hall, Jamie Brewer, Jason Ritter, John Savage, Patrika Darbo, Ariel D. King, Jeffrey Bower Chapman, Marsai Martin, Tye White, Damien Whitewood, Edyta Sliwinska, Alan Bersten, Naomi Grossman, Dot Marie Jones, Lydia Cornell, Areva Martin, Tony Denison, Tasha Smith, Stephen Kramer Glickman, Michael Campion, Soni Bragas, Charlie Koontz, Kelsey Scott, Eric Millegan and Lucy Butler.

A number of vendors were on hand – some for the first time, others making a return.  All of the vendors showered attendees with a number of high-end items.

Gifts and services for the event were provided by: Ein Drink, dioo Audio, The Coffee Chef, Twisted Silver, Fibrum Virtual Reality Headsets, Couture & Fragrance by Sue Wong, Pretty Places, Arbonne, Art Lewin Bespoke, Andrea Guitierrez Jewelry, Single Dress, Single Underwear for Men, Shear Wear, Culture for Health, Spongelle, Single, Footmate System by Gordon Brush, True Love Skincare (Scatter Joy), My Saint My Hero, Skintech Studios/Venus Legacy, Executive Clothiers, MD Sun Skin Care, FulHum Water, kaya di koko, Samiah Fine Clothing, Rhonda Shear, My New Secrets, Royal Elite Vodka, Shahnaz Husain Ayurvedic Beauty Products, Lance Lanza, Rejuvenation in Motion, Madame Fleur, hint, Pirad’or, or Hair Care,  Josh Cellars Wine,, Debbi Di Maggio and Adam Betta Realtors To The Stars, Rekorderlig Cider, Personal Touch Lingerie and Nu Bra.

Christine Rich

Andrea Guitierrez Jewelry

Dioo Audio chose this event to launch its product.

Mike Kahn of dioo Audio

“We just went live on Amazon,” said Mike Kahn, who represented the company. “This product is manufactured in China. It was designed in Japan and its sales and marketing staff is out of the U.S.   It’s the best parts of the world working together.” 

Kahn said the company was sensitive to the needs of the female consumer.

“Of the 135 million headphones and earphones shipping each year, the companies have not identified 53% of the market – women.  That’s where we come in. We asked women what they wanted. They were looking for quality.”

Fibrum is a gaming content company with a branded VR headset.  The system is completely wireless.

Danielle Nicole, owner of Skintech Studios of Beverly Hills touted the company’s non-surgical procedures.  Dr. Sal, who is also with the company, represented Rejuvenation in Motion, a mobile concierge med spa.  The company highlighted its 24K gold facials and mink eyelash extensions. The studio also features the Venus Legacy, which does body contouring, skin tightening and fat reduction.

Meghan Kendall

Pretty Places makes candles out of soy essential oil, according to the owner Meghan Kendall, who founded the company in February of this year.

Jennifer Suiter

Jennifer Suiter, who owns True Love Skincare (Scatter Joy), recently launched her Utah-based company. The products, which are in about 70 stores throughout the U.S., according to Suiter, are all natural and “work wonders” on skin tags, warts, cold sores and more.

Darius McCrary

Darius McCrary (Transformers, Family Matters) said he comes to Bergman’s events because he likes to socialize.

“I also like to hangout and see if some of my friends are here,” he said. “Plus, I can impress my lady. Most of the stuff here is female oriented. I can get some, give it to her and look like I’m super cool and thoughtful.”

Kimberly Elise

Kimberly Elise (Hit the Floor) joined the party.

“It’s wonderful to come see people and support the cause,” she said, referring to Wednesday’s Child.

Kelsey Scott

Kelsey Scott (12 Years A Slave) has attended the entertainment soiree on numerous occasions.

“I’m a repeat offender,” said Scott, who explained why she enjoys attending each year. “I always love to step out the box. I love new things. One of my favorites is Twisted Silver.

(l-r) Jennifer Jessen, Cristine Garside and Debra Mitchell of Twisted Silver 

Debra Mitchell, who owns Twisted Silver, said she loves participating in the event year after year because she gets to meet new people.

“Well, first it’s because Doris throws the best parties in town,” said Mitchell. “I always make so many new friends. I meet incredible people every year.”

John Savage and Art Lewin

Art Lewin of Art Lewin Bespoke has been participating in the event for years.

“I come every year because I get to meet really neat people,” said Lewin, who opened his Art Lewin Bespoke company in Beverly Hills four years ago. He’s been in existence for 27 years.

Maureen Rakusin represented her husband’s five- year-old company, Footmate System by Gordon Brush.

“We brush our hair, but we forget about our feet,” said Rakusin. “This comes with a gel. It has Tee Tree oil and olive oil that’s good for callouses. “This product is good for people in wheelchairs, athletes, diabetics and even children.”

Emmy Winner Patrika Darbo

In the spirit of giving back, attendees donated unwrapped gifts – clothing accessories, electronics, sporting equipment and money - to teens (13-18) in foster care, for a pre-holiday gift drive for Wednesday’s Child, an organization that highlights ‘harder to place’ children in the LA County foster care system who are in need of adoptive families.

“In Los Angeles County, alone, there are over 35,000 children receiving child welfare services,” said social worker, Professor William Wong.

Comedy, 'Bridget Jones's Baby,' Makes Delivery

By Darlene Donloe

Whether you’ve seen the first two Bridget Jones movies or not, you’ll have a helluva good time watching Bridget Jones’s Baby, the third installment of the franchise that includes Bridget Jones’ Diary (2001) and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004).  The latest raucous, sometimes raunchy comedy is in theaters nationwide on Friday, Sept. 16.

The last time we saw Bridget she was 32, still a bit pudgy, a bit insecure, a smoker, a singleton and childless.

That was 11 years ago. Today, Bridget is 43, she has found herself, has a great job as a news producer, is confident and happy with a slimmer version of herself.

But she is still a singleton and childless – well, at least for the first 15 minutes of the movie.

For her birthday, at the behest of Miranda (Sarah Solemani), one of her colleagues, Bridget goes to a music festival and sows some wild oats. She has sex with the first guy she meets. Jack (Patrick Dempsey) just happens to be a rich, gorgeous, single, American billionaire who founded a romance website.

It was just a fling.   Fast-forward to the christening of her friend’s baby where Bridget is the godmother. Low and behold, who is the godfather? Yep, you guessed it, the love of her life, Mark Darcy (Colin Firth).  Things get a bit sentimental and Mark, who is in the midst of divorcing, professes his desires for Bridget. What woman could resist?

In both cases Bridget uses eco-friendly, biodegradable, but longtime expired condoms.  Oblivious to her blunder she asks a friend – “sell-by dates don’t mean anything ... do they?”

Uh, apparently they do.

Bridget has had sex with two men within a week with damaged condoms.

As luck would have it, she gets pregnant, but has no idea if the father is Jack or Mark.

To her surprise, both Jack and Mark are happy about her pregnancy and are even looking forward to being fathers. In fact, they find themselves competing to see who can make Bridget happy.

So the story begins.

The good thing about this third installment is that it proves the franchise can hold up. Bridget is back. Zellweger picks up exactly where she left off. She’s still appealing, ditzy, adorable and naïve.  We still care about her. We still care about what happens. We still want the best for her.

Bridget is still living in London in the same apartment, or flat as its called in England. She still works at the same place and has even been promoted to producer.

There are lots of natural, unforced laughs in this comedy. There is also a lot of tenderness, caring and real emotions.

To be fair, you could pretty much figure out how the movie was going to end. But, that’s ok. The way Director Sharon McGuire gets the audience there is acceptable. McGuire delivers a solid story.

Good performances from all of the principal actors. Actually, Emma Thompson, one of the writers, who also plays Bridget’s doctor in the film – nearly steals the film. She is HIGH-LARIOUS with some fabulous dialogue zingers.

Other standouts include Solemani, who plays Miranda, a high-spirited news anchor who is Bridget’s partner in crime. Not to be outdone is Kate O’Flynn, who is frighteningly funny as Alice, the new news director who wants to take the show in a more young and hip direction - making Bridget wrestles with her relevance in the workplace. Both Solemani and O’Flynn give hysterical performances.

Gemma Jones and Jim Broadbent are back as Bridget’s parents. Both give steady showings.

The only one missing from this romp is Daniel Cleaver, played with just the right amount of cad by Hugh Grant.

There are numerous hilarious scenes in the film, including one that has Miranda and Bridget not recognizing Ed Sheeran at the music festival.  They ask him to take a picture. He thinks they want a picture with him, but instead they just want him to take a picture of them.  Bridget thinks he looks familiar. She thinks he may just work at the local Starbucks. But no scene is as funny as the gut-busting one that has Jack and Mark trying to carry an about-to-give-birth Bridget through the hospital’s revolving door.  Golden!

Kudos to the music department. The soundtrack is fantastic and on point. It’s as if it’s actually another character in the film.

Bridget Jones’s Baby is directed by Sharon Maguire, written by Helen Fielding, Emma Thompson and Dan Mazer and stars Zellweger, Colin Firth, Patrick Dempsey and Thompson.

On the DONLOE SCALE: D (don’t bother), O (oh, no), N (needs work), L (likeable), O (oh, yeah) an E (excellent), Bridget Jones’s Baby gets an O (oh, yeah).