Peter Jackson has released a seventh video blog from the set of The Hobbit. This one takes you behind the scenes of the various production departments and all the sound stages. As you can see, Orlando Bloom happens to be on the set filming that day too.
I can't wait to see Part 1 of this movie in December!
Peter Jackson was at Comic-Con this year and shared some clips and footage from the upcoming Hobbit movie. So, he added all of that and more to his latest video blog, which covers the final days of shooting the film and lots of cool behind-the-scenes stuff and cast appearances.
Peter Jackson posted a new video blog from the set of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug today. Just like the others, it's very entertaining and enjoyable to watch how much fun they all seem to be having making these movies.
Embiggen the screen to get the full visual effect.
Peter Jackson has released another video blog from the set of The Hobbit. This one focuses on the challenges of remote location shooting.
I'm glad that they are going to keep the facades and plants up in Hobbiton when they're done. I may have to go visit it again and compare the difference from my first trip there.
Peter Jackson has released a third video blog from the set of the new Hobbit movie being filmed in New Zealand. Much of it focuses on the new Hobbits in the film (above).
If you enjoyed Peter Jackson's first video blog from the set of The Hobbit, you'll definitely enjoy the new one he just released. Especially the gorgeous location scouting they do throughout New Zealand.
I highly recommend enlarging the video screen while watching.
The mountain vistas and landscapes are breathtaking.
Well, it's finally here. The first of the three Hobbit movies opens today. I am planning to see it on Sunday.
Peter Jackson posted a really fun new video blog today that covers final production on the movie and some of the hijinx at the World Premiere in New Zealand.
Also, here is a great behind-the-scenes video on the making of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey and all the prep that has gone into it over the past year and leading up to the premiere.
Peter Jackson has released another great video blog from the set of The Hobbit. This one focuses on filming the movie and drawing the concept art in 3D.
I'm glad this one is being shot in 3D (like Avatar was) rather than "converted" afterwards, which always seems to suck.
JoeMyGod had written about this great site, CakeWrecks, that highlights weird cakes that people have created for various events. Some of them are hilarious, like the one above of a wedding cake made in the exact image (wedding dress and all) and size of the bride.
Wouldn't it be kind of creepy to actually cut into it at the ceremony? I wonder if they saved the head and put it in the freezer to eat at a later date?
Uggghhh....
While trolling through YouTube yesterday for Estelle Getty clips, I randomly did a search for a music video that I was cast in YEARS ago, when I was a young struggling actor. And, as is the norm with YouTube....I found it.
Unfortunately, the quality of their video isn't very good, so here is a link to a clearer version on MTV.com.
You'll just have to hit your back button to come back to the blog (for some reason, they supply the embed code, but once you add the code and the player is embeded in your site, it says "Only available on MTV.com", then makes you go to their site to view it. Doesn't make any sense...).
I haven't seen it in a long time and, after watching it again, it reminds me how quickly time flies. I was probably all of 22 or 23 at the time and it was one of my first "acting" jobs, so I was excited.
I mean, all the kids were watching MTV videos at the time.
It was for Don Felder (a former member of The Eagles) and, I suppose, it was a solo album of his at the time. I play the innocent milkman (which is odd, since I don't think there were any actual men delivering milk in the 80's) who picks up the two "bad girls" towards the end of the video and then drives them back to their hotel.
Of course, Cheech Marin is in it...so you just KNEW it was gonna be a hit.
When I woke up, that was the view from the balcony.
It was also sprinkling a little, which usually means "Thar's a storm a' brewin'!". So, I decided it was a good day to just take my laptop into town and do some research, hopefully for free. See, almost every hotel in Queenstown (and most other New Zealand cities) charges to use the internet (my hotel charges $20/3 hours) and the internet cafes charge anywhere from $4-$7 hour...it's maddening. I was so spoiled at the Hotel SO with its free internet and mood lighting.
I immediately went to the local Starbucks, remembering that they seemed to have kids using the interbots all the time and, as I recalled, it was free. It turns out that, at least here, they charge $10/hour to use the internet. Greedy corporate bastards with great tasting Dulce de Leche frappacinos! I immediately left, frapp-free (well, no coffee anyway) and wandered around town looking for free internet access. I found one private coffee house that gave you an hour of free internet if you bought something/anything. So, I had a sandwich and their carmel frappacino (2 free hours!) and worked online there, then wandered around the wee city for a bit.
Can you believe that a hotel named "Amity" has vacancies? I didn't see blood dripping down the walls or Margot Kidder looking for her "teefs" in the bushes , but I did pick up my pace a bit.
This place wasn't far from Amity, but I opted not to try the "Satan Lovers" combo (comes with raw meat, meal worms and is slathered in "Eternal Hellfire" hot sauce). They should work with Amity and relocate to a dark Hellmouth near the outskirts of town, don't you think?
After passing those two places, I figured it wouldn't hurt me to spend a few minutes on hallowed ground, just to keep any lingering demons at bay. Speaking of bay...
I noticed a giant sailboat near the beach and watched as the kids on board were furiously spinning the steering wheel of their craft, causing it to lean dangerously close to one side. I was certain that I'd have to get ready to jump into the water and start pulling bodies out, but they righted themselves a bit later and continued on their way. It's just as well, it's not like I'd really just leave my backpack with computer on the beach, as well as having to empty my "purse pants" (something in every pocket) to dive into the cold water just to save a few rich kids who can't steer a boat. But, I would take graphic pictures and video of the accident and try to make some money from their tragedy....THAT'S the American way!
Besides, I'm sure that this gentleman and his trusty horned animal-friend would suddenly come to life, he'd say a few words like "Get thy wollen buttucks and curly horns into the water and save those children, Pinkerton!" and then a dramatic rescue would occur (which I'd also get on video and try to make money from). It happens in the movies all the time...so I have to believe that it is possible.
I'm also trying to figure out whether to go to Fiji (of "Blue Lagoon" fame) or Rarotonga (part of the Cook Islands) before I head into LA. Each have their pluses and minuses, but it's only about $130 for me to change my flight and stop at one of them on the way back. So, I spent a couple hours in the Air New Zealand local office to discuss my flight options (and getting their first-hand reviews of each, which was helpful) and will likely decide what I'm gonna do in the next few days.
So, I left there and have now spent the last 3 hours or so at one of the cheaper internet cafes ($3/hour) doing more island research and, of course, this blog.
I'm hungry too.
Hmmm...maybe I'll just download some snacks, upload my blog, then unload my ass from this chair and get out of this virtual island of misfit geeks...
Towleroad posted this beautiful time-lapse video that Eirik Solheim created of the view from his house over the course of one year, which he then condensed into 40 seconds of visual splendor. He also recorded the background sounds in the same place.
The Artist really racked up the Oscars (literally in this poster) on the Academy Awards show last night. I haven't seen it yet, but most folks I have spoken to who have said that it was kinda boring and, although good, just not that great. However, I do enjoy watching Jean Dujardin, so we'll see what I think when I finally catch it OnDemand one day soon.
I don't care what anyone says, I'm really happy that Meryl Streep finally won for Best Actress! She constantly gives great performances and should have won several other times over the years. I liked Billy Crystal's line about how she deserved an award just for having to sit through the other 14 nominations in the past and acting like she didn't care that she lost again.
Here is a great article on the Art of the Meryl Streep Acceptance Speech from The New Yorker (thanks for posting Kerry!). I think many people assume Meryl wins Oscars all the time, but she doesn't...
What you may not realize is that Streep has not won an Academy Award since 1982, for “Sophie’s Choice,” and before that she had won only for “Kramer vs. Kramer.” Yes, she’s been nominated a record-breaking seventeen times, but that means she’s lost fourteen times, which puts her firmly in Susan Lucci territory.
I'm glad The Descendants won for best adapted screenplay. It was one of my favorite movies of last year.
My Week With Marilyn didn't win anything, but I've heard it's good and my friend Joel did such a good job with this poster that I didn't even realize that it's my friend Andrew. Hilarious!
Hugo won five awards and, again, most people I know thought the movie looked good, but was too long.
I haven't seen this...
or this...
or this (nor did I recognize my friend John in this poster)....
It seems I will be using OnDemand a lot over the next few months.
I did see The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and really enjoyed it. I also enjoy that my friend Chris (featured here in the poster) will be moving to Atlanta very soon!
Overall, I thought Billy Crystal was a fine host and, although he seemed a bit off than in years past, it was nice to see his opening movie montage again. I always enjoyed those in previous years.
I also enjoyed Ellen's new JCPenney commercials. Here are some fun outtakes:
Jimmy Kimmel also had his Oscar follow-up show and presented his Movie: The Movie that "packs everything moviegoers love into one spectacular motion picture event" and includes all of these actors: Ryan Phillippe, Jessica Alba, Taylor Lautner, Antonio Banderas, Josh Brolin, Colin Farrell, Jeff Goldblum, Bryan Cranston, Gary Oldman, Samuel L. Jackson, Cameron Diaz, JJ Abrams, Martin Scorsese, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Jessica Biel, Chewbacca, Helen Mirren, Steven Tyler, George Clooney, Charlize Theron, Tom Hanks, Ed Norton, Meryl Streep, Matt Damon as a bunch of grapes, and Gabourey Sidibe.
Chewbacca and Helen Mirren in one movie!
Here is a Behind-The-Scenes video of the making of Movie: The Movie:
As always, thanks to my friend Joel's hilarious Oscar Party posters for this post. They always make me laugh and remind me how much I miss attending that party and seeing all of my friends at his house each year. He started making these posters a few years ago and they quickly became the anticipated highlight each year to see which friend would be featured and how.
Click on these links to see the fun posters from 2011, 2010, and 2009.
