Whether you're in the mood for a comedy, romance, fairy tale or thriller, it's probably playing at a theater near you. Need help narrowing the choices? Just click on the movie titles below for critics' reviews and trailers.** (If you're stuck deciding between Junior Mints and Raisinettes, however, we're afraid you're on your own.)
**Check local listings for theater locations and showtimes
'Defiance' Director: Edward Zwick Cast: Daniel Craig, Liev Schreiber, Jamie Bell, Alexa Davalos R
'Doubt' Director: John Patrick Shanley Cast: Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, Viola Davis PG-13
'Fired Up!' Director: Will Gluck Cast: Eric Christian Olsen, Sarah Roemer, Nicholas D'Agosto, Molly Simms PG-13
'Friday the 13th' Director: Marcus Nispel Cast: Derek Mears, Danielle Panabaker, Jared Padalecki, Julianna Guill R
Frost/Nixon' Director: Ron Howard Cast: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell R
'He's Just Not That Into You' Director: Ken Kwapis Cast: Jennifer Aniston, Ginnifer Goodwin, Drew Barrymore, Scarlett Johansson, Justin Long, Kevin Conolly, Ben Affleck PG-13
'Hotel for Dogs' Director: Thor Freudenthal Cast: Emma Roberts, Jake T. Austin, Don Cheadle, Lisa Kudrow PG
'The International' Director: Tom Tykwer Cast: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Michel Voletti, Armin Mueller-Stahl R
'Madea Goes to Jail' Director: Tyler Perry Cast: Tyler Perry, Keshia Knight Pulliam, Derek Luke, Vanessa Ferlito PG-13
'Milk' Director: Gus Van Sant Cast: Sean Penn, Emile Hirsch, Josh Brolin, James Franco R
'New in Town' Director: Jonas Elmer Cast: Renee Zellweger, Harry Connick Jr., Siobhan Fallon, J.K. Simmons PG-13
'Paul Blart: Mall Cop' Director: Steve Carr Cast: Kevin James, Keir O'Donnell, Jayma Mays, Raini Rodriguez PG
'The Pink Panther 2' Director: Harald Zwart Cast: Steve Martin, Jean Reno, John Cleese, Emily Mortimer PG
'Push' Director: Paul McGuigan Cast: Djimon Hounsou, Dakota Fanning, Camilla Belle, Chris Evans R
'The Reader' Director: Stephen Daldry Cast: Kate Winslet, Ralph Fiennes, Matthias Habich, David Kross R
'Slumdog Millionaire' Director: Danny Boyle Cast: Dev Patel, Freida Pinto, Madhur Mittal, Anil Kapoor R
The NFL combine has
become crucial for college prospects trying to prove their worth at the next
level.It's where a tenth of a second in
a 40-yard dash could be the difference in millions of dollars. A poor
performance can erase years of productivity at the college level, while a
strong showing can turn a relatively unknown college prospect into a budding
star. As the 2009 NFL combine comes to an end, here is a breakdown of this
year's winners and losers.
Combine Standouts:
Aaron Curry -
OLB/Wake Forest: Curry was probably the most impressive player at the combine
this year and may have established himself as the best overall player in the
2009 draft. He finished first in almost every drill among linebackers,
including a forty time of 4.56. With this performance, there's a good chance
that he could be the first overall pick by the Detroit Lions.
Darius Heyward-Bey -
WR/Maryland: Although Heyward-Bey was inconsistent in college, he was known for
his game-breaking speed that he displayed this weekend. He ran a 4.30 forty,
which was the fastest amongst the combine's 300+ attendees. It was expected
that fellow WR prospects Jeremy Maclin and Percy Harvin would give him a run
for his money, but they weren't even close. While he may have not climbed above
them in the draft boards, his performance may have earned him a spot in the
first round.
Jason Smith -
OT/Baylor: The former college TE proved that he was the most athletic prospect
in the elite class of offensive tackles. He also put up 33 reps in the bench
press and showed that he has the strength to match his athleticism. NFL scouts
are drooling over Smith, who has drawn comparisons to the likes of perrenial
Pro-Bowler Jonathon Ogden.
Virginia Tech defensive back Victor Harris jumps before running a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Tuesday, Feb. 24, 2009. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Whose Stock Rose?
Jared Cook - TE/South
Carolina: It was originally thought that Brandon Pettigrew was the top TE in
the 2009 class, but Cook’s mind-boggling performance changed the minds of many.
At 6'4'' and 246, Cook is a big target who also proved he can stretch the field
after running a 4.50 forty, the best time for his position. He also posted a
41-inch vertical, which makes him valuable in the red zone.
Pat White QB/West
Virginia: Nobody doubted the athletic ability of White, but coming into the
combine virtually every scout felt that White didn't grade out as a QB prospect
at the NFL level and had a better future as a wideout. White, however, opted
not to work out as a WR at the combine and took his chances at QB. It paid off
big time. White displayed a great arm in passing drills and many feel that
someone will take a chance on him in the 3rd round as a QB. White could be an
ideal fit for the rapidly-growing "Wildcat" set.
Clay Matthews
OLB/USC: The former Trojan walk-on most likely solidified himself as a
first-round pick after great performances in virtually every drill. Matthews
has the size (240lbs) and the speed (4.59) to be a versatile playmaker at the
next level and when all is said and done, he could end up having the best
career out of the three dynamic Trojan linebacker prospects.
Whose Stock Fell?
Andre Smith
OT/Alabama: Things have gone downhill in a hurry for the 2009 Outland Award
Recipient.The combine was a disaster
for Smith. He didn't interview well, and didn't look as if he was prepared at
all for the weekend. His immaturity was ultimately on display when he left the
combine unannounced to work out with his trainer. Smith went from potentially
being the first overall pick in the draft to possibly sliding toward the
middle-to-end of the first round.
Rey Maualuga ILB/USC:
Maualuga tweaked his hamstring during the forty-yard dash, resulting in a final
time of 4.84.He will have a chance to
get healthy and run a better time during the USC Pro Day, but for the time
being, he's sliding down a lot of boards.Personally, I think passing on Maualuga because of his forty time would
be a huge mistake. He's as dominant of a defensive player on film as I've seen
in a long time.
Brandon Pettigrew
TE/Oklahoma State: During interviews, Pettigrew stressed his best strength,
which is his blocking ability. However, he reaffirmed a lot of scouts' concerns
about his ability to stretch the field after posting a 4.85 forty time. With Cook’s
strong performance, there is a chance that Pettigrew could be the second TE
taken and slip out of the first round.
Positions with the
strongest depth:
OT: There are about
three elite OT prospects in this draft and plenty of great prospects after that.
I think we'll see about nine OT's taken in the first two rounds of this year’s
draft.
OLB: This is an athletic
group headlined by Curry. The depth of this class is especially strong when you
factor in the elite DE's who will convert to OLB in the NFL.
WR: This was an
especially fast group at the combine and it's possible that there could also be
about nine taken in the first two rounds. This is a huge contrast to last year
when none were taken in the first round.
QB: A lot of people,
myself included, believe this is the worst crop of senior quarterbacks the
draft has ever seen. While some of the under-classmen show potential, most of
them look like they needed another year of college.
RB: Like the DB's, I
don't think there will be a running back taken in the first 15 picks in this
year's draft.Last year's RB's were very
fast as a group, which was definitely not the case this year. While I still
think that some of the RB's in this class will be great NFL players, as a group
they greatly underachieved at this year's combine.
Potential Sleepers:
Brandon Gibson -
WR/Washington State: Many people forget, Gibson led the Pac-10 in receiving his
junior year. He almost entered the 2008 draft, but instead opted to return to
Wazzu for his senior season to improve his stock. Unfortunately for him, he
returned to one of the worst teams in college football and his production took
a huge hit. Gibson is a great route-runner and could be a very productive slot
receiver in the NFL. I see him eventually going in the 4th round.
Stephen McGee -
QB/Texas A&M: McGee had an up-and-down career at Texas A&M, but a lot
of NFL scouts are very high on his potential to eventually develop into a good
NFL quarterback. He was one of the more athletic QB's in the combine and showed
he could make all the throws in the NFL. I see him eventually going in the 5th
round.
Jarron Gilbert -
DT/San Jose State: It's pretty hard to call Gilbert a sleeper at this point. In
recent weeks, he's become a YouTube sensation after a video of him jumping out
of a 3 foot pool became wildly popular. Gilbert enjoyed a great season at San
Jose State after switching to DT from DE his senior year.He's a little undersized at 288 lbs, but he's
a freak athletically and has the frame to add more bulk. I see him eventually
going in the 3rd round.
ClearWire Blogger --
Tommy Simmons
Photo Credit: Rey Maualuga - (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Evan and Gareth go to extreme lengths to convince people
they run an elite, yet potentially deadly, survival training outfit in the backwoods of Montana.
In this episode R.S.T. stands for "Real Survival
Training"
Whether you spent Oscars night surrounded by Champagne-swilling friends-of-friends in home-sewn 'Doubt' costumes, or on your living-room couch with a bottle of Two Buck Chuck and a can of Pringles, we figure you're thoroughly exhausted from all the drama. (We certainly are.) To make everything just a little bit easier, though, here's a rundown of this year's biggest winners; click on award-category titles and links for additional information. (By the way: If you did spend the evening with cheap wine and chips, good for you. You see what dressing up as a nun got Meryl Streep.)
81st Annual Academy Awards: And the Oscars Went to ...
BEST DIRECTOR **Danny Boyle - 'Slumdog Millionaire' So the win may not have come as much of a surprise. But who knew Danny Boyle had a decades-old Tigger complex?
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE **Sean Penn - 'Milk' We know, we know: You were pulling for Mickey Rourke, if only because he just lost his beloved Chihuahua, Loki -- and because he swapped his "everyday" silver tooth for a snazzy gold piece in honor of Oscars night. But Sean Penn accepted his (well deserved) trophy like a gentleman -- and that may have been the evening's biggest surprise. (Mickey did take home Saturday's Independent Spirit trophy for Best Male Lead -- and gave an acceptance speech absolutely worthy of of its own award: Take a look.)
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE **Kate Winslet - 'The Reader' Kate Winslet's Nazi lover may have beaten Meryl Streep's stoney sister at the awards, but we can all guess who won the after-Oscars ABBA karaoke showdown. (It wasn't pretty.) Speaking of "pretty," is Sophia Loren (and maybe Dolly Parton) the only woman alive who can get away looking like, well, the way Sophia Loren looked Sunday night?
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE **Heath Ledger - 'The Dark Knight' The entire audience looked as if they were going to cry -- and then, they did. (FYI: Winning a posthumous acting Oscar has only been done once before, and it took some getting 'mad as hell') PLUS: Watch 'Today' show's coverage (and Al Roker on the Red Carpet)
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE **Penelope Cruz - 'Vicky Christina Barcelona' Even though Viola Davis didn't take home the statuette for her outstanding performance in 'Doubt,' it'll be interesting to see if Whole Foods' sees a boost in its "homeopathetic stress tab" sales after she mentioned them on the Red Carpet.
BEST COSTUME DESIGN **'The Duchess' While we're on the topic of things you might not have seen: Where was Jack Nicholson? And no Clint Eastwood?
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE **'Man on Wire' That Philippe Petit is a cutie. A little crazy, maybe, but a cutie, nevertheless.
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM **'Departures' (Japan) The night's biggest upset! Everyone was so certain Israel's 'Waltz with Bashir' had this one in the bag ... What happened?
MUSIC: ORIGINAL SCORE **'Slumdog Millionaire' - A.R. Rahman (aka "the Mozart of Madras")
MUSIC: ORIGINAL SONG **'Jai Ho' - A.R. Rahman and Gulzar (from 'Slumdog Millionaire') Apparently, Peter Gabriel wasn't needed after all. (He was nominated for 'WALL-E''s 'Down to Earth,' but boycotted this year's Oscars ceremony.) It was nice to have so much A.R. Rahman screen time, anyway, especially considering he was the only award nominee wearing a Nehru jacket.
JEAN HERSHOLT HUMANITARIAN AWARD **Jerry Lewis As presented by Eddie Murphy, "from one Nutty Professor to another." That about says it.
After a roller-coaster week of rumors and speculation, it's finally official.The best athlete in the history of Seattle sports is returning to the place where his Hall of Fame career began.Ken Griffey Jr. is a Mariner once again.Much to my surprise, however, the move has been met with a flurry of criticism leveled at the Seattle Mariners. Let's be clear, bringing "The Kid" back to Seattle was a great move for all parties involved, with the exception of the Atlanta Braves, of course.
One gripe has been that the Mariners are in rebuilding mode and signing Griffey will only slow the rebuilding process and delay the development of some of the younger players on the team. I couldn't disagree more with this argument.Since the retirement of Edgar Martinez, the Mariner's clubhouse has completely deteriorated, which was largely to blame for their 2008 collapse.Some veteran leadership is probably exactly what this clubhouse needs to develop its younger players into winners.
The Mariners also have been in the market for for a designated hitter and left fielder throughout the off-season. They looked long and hard at Garrett Anderson, Bobby Abreu, and Adam Dunn and finally landed Griffey, with a one-year deal worth about $2 million in base salary plus incentives.Yes, he is 39 and long past his prime, but this was still a bargain for a future first-ballot Hall of Fame player.
Griffey also is still capable of putting up good numbers if healthy, which is why playing for an American League team makes plenty of sense.He will still spend some time in left field. Given his recent injuries, it's more than likely he'll also spend some time on the disabled list, but serving the majority of time at DH could definitely extend his season and at-bats.If he's healthy, there's no doubt that Junior is still capable of putting up 25-30 home runs in 2009, especially when you consider that Safeco Field is forgiving to left-handed batters.With the departure of Raul Ibanez to the Phillies, Griffey's bat will add some much needed pop to the Mariners lineup.
Perhaps the biggest knock from the critics is that this was strictly a business move for the Mariners just to boost attendance.I'm not going to deny that business had something to do with it, because if it was in fact a business move, at least it was a good one. If his return to Safeco as a Cincinatti Red in June of 2007 serves as any indication of what he can do for ticket sales, then the Mariner's should reap the benefits of having him on the roster for at least one more year.The news hasn't even been official for 24 hours, but Seattle fans are already looking at ticket packages for the opportunity to see their "prodigal son" back in a Mariners uniform.Once the nostalgia wears off, ticket sales will probably decline, but I'm not about to criticize an organization for making a smart move that will increase revenue in this shaky economy.
In 2008, Seattle suffered through a horrible sports year with the beloved Sonics moving their NBA franchise to Oklahoma City, the Mariners becoming the first team in MLB history to lose 100 games with a $100 million payroll, the Seahawks finishing with a dismal 4-12 record, and the Washington Huskies failing to win a single college football game. Seattle sports fans needed this.Griffey may not make the Mariners any better of a baseball team, but it gives the fans something to look forward to in 2009.They fully understand that it's not 1995, and that the M's are likely to finish in the bottom half of the American League, but they don't care.This is a chance to see the greatest player, of any sport, their city has ever seen come back to his roots and finish his Hall of Fame career as a Mariner.Whether Griffey completely flops or regains his form this season, he will be loved now and forever in the Great Northwest. This just seals his legacy.
Lots of movie music is little more than an inoffensive -- if forgettable -- audio backdrop, the sort of easy-to-zone-out white noise filmmakers rely on to fuel audience enthusiasm during too-long car chases and generic dance-club scenes. There are some songs, though, that stick in your head long after you've left the theater; songs that not only serve as background music, they practically steal the show.
What songs top your list of certified scene-stealers? Here are some that we like:
WHAT: 81st Annual Academy Awards WHEN: Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009 8pm ET / 5pm PT WHERE: The fabulous Kodak Theater at Hollywood & Highland (or your TV, on ABC)
Though you've probably seen an official-looking "leaked Oscars winners list" making the Internet rounds, you can bet it's as authentic as Robert Downey Jr.'s 'Tropic Thunder' tan: According to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences, awards ballot tabulation -- handled by accounting firm PriceWaterhouseCoopers -- usually isn't finished until the very end of the week prior to Oscars night; from the time counting's completed until the awards envelopes are unsealed onstage, only two firm partners are privy to the results. Winners aren't even revealed to the Academy's biggest wigs.
Beside the fact that this puts the security level for Academy Awards results in roughly the same off-the-charts range as the Colonel's 11 herbs-and-spices recipe, it also means you still have a chance to (fairly) win your extended family's annual Oscars pool. There are a couple things you might do, though, to give yourself an extra edge ...
BEST DIRECTOR Danny Boyle - 'Slumdog Millionaire' David Fincher - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' Gus Van Sant - 'Milk' Ron Howard - 'Frost/Nixon' Stephen Daldry - 'The Reader'
ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE Brad Pitt - 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' Frank Langella - 'Frost/Nixon' Mickey Rourke - 'The Wrestler' Richard Jenkins - 'The Visitor' Sean Penn - 'Milk'
ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE Angelina Jolie - 'Changeling' Anne Hathaway - 'Rachel Getting Married' Kate Winslet - 'The Reader' Melissa Leo - 'Frozen River' Meryl Streep - 'Doubt'
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Heath Ledger - 'The Dark Knight' Josh Brolin - 'Milk' Michael Shannon - 'Revolutionary Road' Phillip Seymour Hoffman - 'Doubt' Robert Downey Jr. - 'Tropic Thunder'
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE Amy Adams - 'Doubt' Marisa Tomei - 'The Wrestler' Penelope Cruz - 'Vicky Christina Barcelona' Taraji Henson - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' Viola Davis - 'Doubt'
ANIMATED FEATURE FILM 'Bolt' 'Kung Fu Panda' 'WALL-E'
ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY 'Frozen River' 'Happy-Go-Lucky' 'In Bruges' 'Milk' 'WALL-E'
ADAPTED SCREENPLAY 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' 'Doubt' 'The Reader' 'Slumdog Millionaire' 'Frost/Nixon'
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY 'Changeling' 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' 'The Dark Knight' 'The Reader' 'Slumdog Millionaire'
BEST VISUAL EFFECTS 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' 'The Dark Knight' 'Iron Man'
BEST COSTUME DESIGN 'Australia' 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' 'The Duchess' 'Milk' 'Revolutionary Road'
BEST MAKEUP 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' 'The Dark Knight' 'Hellboy II: The Golden Army'
DOCUMENTARY FEATURE 'The Betrayal' 'Encounters at the End of the World' 'The Garden' 'Man on Wire' 'Trouble the Water'
FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM 'The Baader Meinhof Complex' (Germany) 'The Class' (France) 'Departures' (Japan) 'Revanche' (Austria) 'Waltz with Bashir' (Israel)
MUSIC: ORIGINAL SCORE 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' - Alexandre Desplat 'Defiance' - James Newton Howard 'Milk' - Danny Elfman 'Slumdog Millionaire' - A.R. Rahman 'WALL-E' - Thomas Newman
MUSIC: ORIGINAL SONG 'Down to Earth' - Peter Gabriel and Thomas Newton (from 'WALL-E') 'Jai Ho' - A.R. Rahman and Gulzar (from 'Slumdog Millionaire') 'O Saya' - A.R. Rahman and Maya Arulpragasam (from 'Slumdog Millionaire')
A talented crop of rookies overmatched the sophomores in the NBA's Rookie Challenge Game played over the NBA's All-Star weekend, yet the first-year players still lost after being outdone by the single most impressive performance in the matchup's 10-year history. The rookies had the best team, but the sophomores had the best player. With his 46-point domination, Oklahoma City's Kevin Durant earned the matchup's MVP award and showed that he was playing in the wrong game this past All-Star weekend.
Durant put up the numbers this year to make a strong case for an All-Star roster spot, but no matter how impressive he's been, he continues to be overlooked. He has been his whole career. At Texas, he became the first freshman ever to be chosen as national player of the year. Yet, he lived in the shadow of Greg Oden, the dominant Ohio State center who became the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft.
Fast forward to the next year, Durant was awarded Rookie of Year honors after averaging more than 20 points a game at age 19. His accomplishments, however, were overshadowed by the ugly relocation of the Seattle Sonics, the team that drafted him. With the Seattle divorce in the rear-view mirror, Durant and his teammates started the 2008-2009 campaign with a new home and a 3-29 record. Headed into the All-Star break, Durant had put up impressive numbers, ranking fifth in the NBA in scoring, but hardly a word was spoken about him making the All-Star team.
At 20, Durant is constantly improving and learning how to score in the NBA. In college, he could score from virtually anywhere on the court. Slowly but surely, those skills are starting to translate into the NBA. He's got the numbers to prove it. If you look at his 2008-09 statistics below, you can see the improvement month to month:
November
22.9 Points, 4.1 Rebounds, 1.7 Assists, .461 Field Goal %
December
25.1 Points, 7.7 Rebounds, 2.9 Assists, .472 Field Goal %
January
27.8 Points, 8.8 Rebounds, 3.7 Assists, .494 Field Goal %
February:
33.1 Points, 6.1 Rebounds, 3.6 Assists, .529 Field Goal %
Average:25.9 Points, 6.6 Rebounds, 2.8 Assists, .482 Field Goal %
He is steadily improving in almost every key statistical category since the beginning of his NBA career. This season, he has improved his point average every month by about 2-3 points per game. If he continues this pace, Durant could legitimately average 35 points for the month of April and could even possibly claim the NBA scoring title over the likes of LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. Although nobody doubts that he will be in the mix for future scoring titles, don't be at all shocked if he wins it this year.After his breakthrough month of February, includinga career-high 47 points last night against the Hornets, it's becoming more and more of a possibility.
Despite his accomplishments, Durant has failed to be seen for what he truly is: a once-in-a-generation superstar capable of putting up Jordan-esque numbers throughout his career. If there was any question of this, his performance in the rookie-sophomore challenge should erase all doubts. Considering that his Thunder team has the tools to become a future contender, the light radiating from Kevin Durant's future is starting to eliminate the numerous shadows he's lived under throughout his short career. Mark my words, this was the last time that Kevin Durant will not be playing on the Sunday of All-Star weekend.
- Tommy Simmons, Clear365 blogger
Photo Credit: The Associated Press/Ross D. Franklin
If you've been following the recent headlines surrounding actor (or should I say, ex-actor) Joaquin Phoenix, you'll probably agree that his career has taken a turn toward the utterly bizarre. For those who have been under a rock, let me fill you in:
After the shoot of his latest movie, 'Two Lovers' (which, by the way, hit theaters on Friday, Feb. 13, to decent reviews), Phoenix announced that it would officially be his last. Why? Apparently the two-time Academy Award-nominee has decided to retire from acting to focus on a new career -- as a hip-hop artist.
Since issuing this statement -- as if it was really necessary to issue a formal statement -- Phoenix's behavior has reportedly become increasingly odd. It became undeniably obvious to viewers across America, though, last Wednesday, during his appearance on CBS's 'Late Show' with David Letterman.
Sporting a scruffy beard and dark sunglasses, Phoenix seemed stand-offish throughout the entire interview. No matter how hard he tried, Letterman could barely elicit more than a one-word response from him -- though at one point, Phoenix did curse out bandleader Paul Shaffer. The weirdness continued when Phoenix couldn't remember the name of his 'Two Lover''s co-star (Gwyneth Paltrow), and stuck his chewed wad of gum under Letterman's desk. Letterman couldn't have summed up the appearance better than when he quipped, "Joaquin, I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight."
You can watch (or re-watch) the interview here: (Believe me, it's worth your time!)
Was Phoenix on drugs during his Letterman interview? His bizarre behavior has sparked that speculation, and it is a possibility, considering his history of on-again/off-again substance-abuse struggles. In 2005, Phoenix checked himself into an alcohol-treatment center to get help for a drinking habit; sadly, Phoenix also lost his brother, River, to a drug overdose in 1993. But even if he was under the influence during his Letterman appearance, that doesn't fully explain the kind of behavior Phoenix has consistently exhibited since making his "I'm giving up acting" announcement.
And as for his supposed hip-hop career? So far, there's little evidence to support the actor's claims. To his credit, Phoenix was lauded by critics for his performance as Johnny Cash in 'Walk the Line,' a movie in which he legitimately sang and played the guitar. Hip-hop has been another story. Interestingly, 'Two Lovers' does feature a scene in which Phoenix's character just happens to bust out into some freestyle rapping. (Coincidence?) Aside from that, Phoenix has had one public hip-hop performance -- at a club called Lavo, in Las Vegas -- where he finished his set by literally falling off the stage. The theatrical ending was a nice touch, but the performance itself was largely unimpressive.
Watch part of Phoenix's Lavo set here:
What's the one thing that can reasonably explain the new persona Joaquin Phoenix has taken on? The documentary that his friend and brother-in-law (he's married to Phoenix's sis, Summer) Casey Affleck is shooting about Phoenix's "transition" from Hollywood to hip-hop. Many have speculated that the film is actually a mockumentary, and that this whole "retiring from acting" saga is nothing more than an elaborate hoax/publicity stunt. While Phoenix and Affleck have vehemently denied this rumor, it makes sense for a lot of reasons.
The main reason: In terms of becoming a new character, few are as talented as Phoenix -- and the actor's unusual behavior began right about the same time as Affleck started shooting. Plus, during his Letterman appearance, you almost got the sense that Phoenix was in fact acting, especially if you were watching his constant, deep breaths and twiddling thumbs. There were a few times, too, when he looked like he was really struggling to contain his laughter. That's difficult to do, even for a professional.
If I had to put money on it, I would say that we're all being played by a tremendous actor who has taken his act from the big screen to the public eye. If this is indeed a practical joke, we can only guess as to whether it will hurt or help Phoenix's acting career.
For the answer to that, though, we'll just have to wait and see.
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will make her first foreign trip abroad in her new job next week when she travels to Asia. Clinton departs Monday and will visit Japan, South Korea, China and Indonesia through Feb. 22.
Two of the Big Three automakers -- GM and Chrysler -- face a Tuesday deadline to present restructuring plans to the Obama administration. GM has received $9.4 billion in federal loans and is looking at another $4 billion, while Chrysler LLC has received $4 billion and is hoping for another $3 billion.
President Barack Obama will continue his roadshow promoting the nearly $800 billion economic stimulus package as he travels to Denver on Tuesday and then Phoenix on Wednesday. He also will make his first foreign trip as president Thursday when he travels to Canada.
Monday will mark the 20th anniversary of Red Army troops leaving Afghanistan after a war in which the Soviet Union lost some 15,000 soldiers. The last Soviet general to leave Afghanistan said the Soviet military failure is a bad omen for U.S. plans to increase troops in Afghanistan.
