Pop Culture Checklist

The following is a list of upcoming movies and movie roles recently announced:  

 –Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will star in a comedy called “The Tooth Fairy.” He will play an ordinary man who’s brought in to try and save the tooth fairy kingdom. Shooting begins in August.

–”Terminator Salvation: The Future Begins” will be released on May 22, 2009. It stars Christian Bale as John Connor and Sam Worthington as an unnamed character. Shooting begins May 5 in New Mexico.

–Chris Carter, creator of the “X-Files” told SCI FI Wire that the upcoming movie will be a stand-alone story that represents the best of the series. The plotline is still being kept a secret. The sequel is still in production in Vancouver, Canada. It arrives in theaters July 25.  

–Walt Disney Pictures will do the third “Step Up” film in 3-D, tentatively called “Step Up 3-D.”

–Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood) will star in a romantic comedy “Gigantic” with Zoey Deschanel. Production is tentatively scheduled for early March in New York.

–Jonathan Mostow (Terminator 3) will develop a feature film adaptation of his Sci-Fi comic book series “The Megas.” It’s set in a futuristic society in which the American Revolution produced a monarchy, not a democracy. The story tells of agent James Madison and the investigation of the murder-suicide of a princely member of the Mega aristocracy and three prostitutes.

 –Yahoo has the trailer for “Step Brothers” starring Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly. The comedy is about two spoiled guys who become competitive step-brothers after their single parents get married. It arrives in theaters July 25.

Go here to see the trailer. It looks really good!!

Happy Thursday! Here’s another edition of the Weekly Buzz. It appears every Thursday and includes the latest news in television, music, DVDs, movies and more!

LEAP DAY

What are you going to do with the extra day? Here are some ideas:

–”1964 The Tribute” - The Beatles Tribute Band will perform at 8 p.m. Friday at Maumee Indoor Theatre, 601 Conant St., Maumee, Ohio. For more information, call (419) 897-8902.

–Year of the Frog Leap Off is a kids and family event being held at the Toledo Zoo, 2700 Broadway Ave., Toledo. It’s from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday.

–A Monte Carlo night will be held Friday at Grosse Ile Golf and Country Club, 9339 Bellevue Rd., Grosse Ile. Refreshments at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 7:30 p.m. Cost is $65 each, $120 a couple and $1,200 for a table of 10. For details, visit www.detroitriverdu.com.

–The theater production of “Let’s Murder Marcia” will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday at The Village Players Theatre, 2740 Upton Ave., Toledo.

TV PREMIERES

Sunday — Oprah’s Big Give (ABC); Unhitched (Fox); Dirt (FX); Here Come the Newlyweds (ABC); That’s Amore (MTV)

Monday — Litle People, Big World (TLC)

Tuesday — New Amsterdam (Fox); Real Housewives of New York City (Bravo)

Wednesday — Ghost Hunters (Sci Fi); Destination Truth (Sci Fi); High School Reunion (TV Land)

TV FINALES

Friday — Country Fried Home Videos (CMT); My Big Redneck Wedding (CMT); Fight Quest (Discovery)

Sunday — The Girls Next Door (E!)

Monday — Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles (Fox)

Tuesday — Millionaire Matchmaker (Bravo)

Wednesday — Project Runway (Bravo); Reno 911 (Comedy Central)

MOVIES…arriving in theaters Friday, Feb. 29

-Semi-Pro

-Penelope

-The Other Boleyn Girl

-Bonneville, Chicago 10 and City of Men (all limited releases)

DVDs…hitting stores Tuesday, March 4

-Into the Wild

-Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium

-Awake

-Army of the Dead

-Automotion Transfusion

-Backyardigans: Tale of the Mighty Knights

-Ben 10: Season 3

-The Kill Point

-Saturday Night Live: Lost & Found - SNL in the ’80s

-Things We Lost in the Fire

-Magnum P.I.: Eighth Season

CONCERT NEWS

Tickets go on sale Friday for two big shows at the Royal Oak Music Theatre. An Oscar-winning duo will perform. The Swell Season, aka Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, will play May 10. Tickets go on sale at 5 p.m. Friday. They won Best Original Song for “Falling Slowly” from “Once” Sunday at the Oscars.   

Also, The BoDeans will perform April 14 at the theater. Tickets also go on sale at 5 p.m. Friday.

Royal Oak Music Theatre is located at 318 W. Fourth St., Royal Oak. For tickets, either call (248) 399-2980 or visit www.royaloakmusictheatre.com.

CDs…being released Tuesday, March 4

-Alan Jackson, “Good Time”

-The Black Crowes, “Warpaint”

-Flogging Molly, “Float”

-Bodeans, “Still”

-Jackson Browne, “Solo Acoustic, Vol. 2″

-Michael McDonald, “Soul Speak”

-Kathleen Edwards, “Asking For Flowers”

LOCAL EVENTS

–The 2008 Home and Lifestyle Show will be held Friday through Sunday at Monroe Bank & Trust Expo Building at the Monroe County Fairgrounds, 3775 S. Custer Rd. It’s from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundday. Parking is free, and admission is $3.

–A series called “Did You Know” will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Bedford Branch Library, 8575 Jackman Rd., Temperance. The 4-part series will offer information on the Mackinac Bridge, the Foreign Service, Presidential Libraries and the Toledo Lighthouse and Western Basin.

–The Irish Rovers will perform at 3 p.m. Sunday at the River Raisin Centre for the Arts, 114 S. Monroe St.

–Monroe High School Vocal Music Department will hold its annual festival concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at Monroe High School, 901 Herr Rd.

–Erie United Methodist Church is holding its 9th annual craft show and vendors and quilt show. It will be from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the church, 1100 E. Samaria Rd.

–Germanfest will be Saturday at the Old Mill Museum, 242 Toledo St., Dundee. Music by Encore. Doors open at 6 p.m. with German food being served from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Dancing at 8 p.m. Tickets are $20 each. For more information or to make reservations, call 529-7114.

REGIONAL EVENTS

–A spring festival of crafts will be held this weekend. It will be from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday at Lucas County Recreation Center, 2901 Key St., Maumee, Ohio.

–Comedian Mark Sweeney will perform tonight through Saturday at Ann Arbor Comedy Showcase, 314 East Liberty, Ann Arbor. For tickets or more details, call (734) 996-9080.

–The Quiet Water Symposium is a one-day annual event that celebrates non-motorized outdoor recreation and a shared concern for the Great Lakes environment. A ton of activities will be held, including the Outdoor Michigan’s Favorite Indoor Show that features handcrafted canoes and kayaks, paddle making, wooden snowshoes, and much more. It will be held Saturday in East Lansing. For more details, call (517) 663-3882.

Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly are teaming up again in the comedy “Step Brothers.”

The film is about two spoiled guys who become competitive step-brothers after their single parents get married. It arrives in theaters on July 25.

It looks hilarious!! Don’t believe me? Then check out the trailer HERE.  

Okay, so we all know no one watched the Oscars Sunday because no one cared for the films nominated in the Best Picture category. Don’t worry — I think next year is going to be a much different story. That’s because 2008 has a lot of potential blockbusters that include A-list actors.

It’s time to look ahead and check out the heavy favorites for next year’s Oscars:

“Valkyrie”

Tom Cruise plays a Nazi in this film. It’s based on a plot of German army officers to assassinate Adolf Hitler during the height of World War II. Cruise portrays the leader of the plot.

Release date: October 3

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”

Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett star in this film about a man who ages backwards with bizarre consequences. It is adapted from a short story by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It is directed by David Fincher, who also directed Fight Club.

Release date: December 19

“The Changeling”

Angelina Jolie stars in this film directed by Clint Eastwood. Jolie plays a woman whose son is abducted, and found, but the returned child is not her kid. She must then confront corruption in the LAPD. The story is based on true events in 1920s Los Angeles.

Release date: November 7

“Revolutionary Road”

Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet are reunited for the first time since Titanic. The movie is set in 1950s Connecticut and is directed by Winslet’s hubby, Sam Mendes, who won an Oscar for “American Beauty.” The film is about a young couple who struggle to come to terms with their personal problems while trying to raise two children. It’s based on a Richard Yates novel.

Release date: December 19

“Doubt”

Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Adams star in the adaptation of the Broadway hit “Doubt.” Streep plays a nun and principal of a New York Catholic school who accuses a priest (Hoffman) of sexually abusing a student, leading to a debate over his guilt or innocence. It’s set in 1964.

Release date: December 5

“Australia”

This film is an epic World War II romance starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. It centers around Kidman’s character, who inherits a cattle station the size of Maryland. She joins forces with a stock-man (Jackman) when English cattle barons plot to take her land. They drive 2,000 head of cattle hundreds of miles of rough land, only to still face the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by the Japanese forces that had attacked Pearl Harbor months earlier.

Release date: November 14

“Guerilla” and “The Argentine”

Benicio Del Toro portrays Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara in one or possibly two films. “Guerilla” is set in 1964 New York City, where Guevara travels to address the United Nations. ”The Argentine” is a companion piece set in 1956 Cuba which also stars Del Toro as Guevara.

Release dates: TBD but both films are in post-production      

“Mamma Mia!”

This musical romance comedy stars Meryl Streep. As most of you know, the story is of a bride-to-be trying to find her real father while singing songs by the 1970s group ABBA.

Release date: July 18

Rapper Eminem is reportedly writing a book detailing certain aspects of his personal and professional life.

Specific details about the book’s content have not been released. According to Britain’s New Musical Express, the title will be “Eminem: The Way I Am” and will include hand-drawn sketches, lyrics, journal notes and rare photos of the rapper.

It’s been reported it will be released later this year, but Eminem’s reps said it’s still in the process of being written and edited. No firm release date has been set.

Even though there has been no recent sightings of Eminem, he has been in the headlines lately. First, he was rushed to the hospital over the holidays in 2007 for complications stemming from pneumonia. Tabloids also claimed that he ballooned to more than 200 pounds. Doctored photos of him appeared online, and his reps said that he gained some weight, but nothing like the reports are claiming.

The RedEye at the Chicago Tribune is looking for the BEST cast member of Saturday Night Live through an online tournament.

It’s now down to the Sweet Sixteen and there are some good match-ups. Phil Hartman and Dan Aykroyd, for example, are in a dead heat as well as Gilda Radner vs. Adam Sandler.

The Sweet Sixteen round ends at noon Friday. After that, it’s on to the Elite Eight.

Go HERE to vote.

“Vantage Point” easily took the top spot at the weekend box office, earning $24 million.

It knocked off last week’s number one, “Jumper,” to the second place slot. It earned $12.7, which raises its domestic total to $56.2 million in two weeks.

Vantage Point is about a presidential assassination seen from the viewpoints of different characters. The cast includes Dennis Quaid and Matthew Fox.

Box office top 10:

1. Vantage Point, $24 million

2. Jumper, $12.7 million

3. Spiderwick Chronicles, $12.6 million

4. Step Up 2 the Streets, $9.8 million

5. Fool’s Gold, $6.3 million

6. Definitely, Maybe, $5.2 million

7. Juno, $4.1 million

7. Be Kind Rewind, $4.1 million

9. Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins, $4 million

10. There Will Be Blood, $2.6 million  

With the preliminary numbers in, it looks like the Oscars will have the lowest ratings on record in over 20 years.

Final ratings will be out Tuesday, however. But the preliminary numbers are grim. It averaged a 21.9 rating — down 21 percent from last year.

However, ABC still dominated the night over other networks. It beat the combined total of Fox, CW, NBC and CBS.

Analysts said the low ratings are probably because most of the nominated films were not crowd pleasers.  

IF YOU’RE WONDERING…The highest-rated Oscar show over the past 5 years was in 2004, when “Lord of the Rings: Return of the King” won best picture. About 43.5 million people watched the show.  

The Chicago Tribune’s RedEye has set up brackets to determine the best Saturday Night Live cast member of all time.

The first round of voting ends at 2 p.m. Tuesday. After, it’s on to the Sweet 16. There’s some good match-ups in the first round, such as Dan Aykroyd vs. Tina Fey and Will Ferrell vs. Tracy Morgan.

Personally, it’s hard to find the best one since there’s so many good ones. How can you choose between Eddie Murphy, Bill Murray, Will Ferrell, Chevy Chase and so many more? I guess we’ll soon find out!

Go HERE to vote. Remember, the first round ends at 2 p.m. Tuesday.

Wow, I needed an interpreter to understand the acceptance speeches last night at the Oscars! As expected, there were no upsets in the major categories.

Here is a short list of the winners:

Best Picture

No Country for Old Men

Best Actor

Daniel Day-Lewis, “There Will Be Blood”

Best Actress

Marion Cotillard, “LaVie en Rose”

Best Supporting Actor

Javier Bardem, “No Country for Old Men”

Best Supporting Actress

Tilda Swinton, “Michael Clayton”

Best Director

Joel and Ethan Coen, “No Country for Old Men”  

Original Screenplay

Diablo Cody, “Juno”

Animated Feature Film

Ratatouille

Original Song

“Falling Slowly” from “Once”