African American Movies and DVD's

African American movies have often focused on the troubling history of blacks in America. As most people know, Africans were taken from their homeland and transported to the United States where they were forced to work as unpaid laborers and were frequently abused and subjected to inhumane treatment. It was not until Abraham Lincoln composed his famous Emancipation Proclamation in 1863 that slaves were officially set free.

Although African Americans were considered free under the law, many US states (most of them in the south) continued to discriminate against black people and treated them as second-class citizens. In fact, Jim Crow laws were established in many southern states with the tacit intention of keeping whites separate from blacks.

This meant that whites and blacks were forced to attend separate schools, drink from different water fountains and even had to eat in different restaurants. This unequal treatment was not seriously challenged until Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat to a white person on a bus in Montgomery, Alabama in 1955. This single seminal event put in motion the civil rights movement, which was spearheaded by exceptional human beings like the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.

Many African American movies have chronicled the experiences of blacks in American and have attempted to make sense of the discrimination that they have suffered. One of the most popular African American movies was called Roots. The movie was actually one of the first miniseries to appear on network television and it remains one of the highest-rated programs in network history. The program would go on to win nine Emmy awards as well as a number of Golden Globes and Peabody Wards.

The movie tells the story of an African warrior named Kunta Kinte who is taken from his home and forced to work on an American plantation. The series follows the protagonist for several generations until his great grandchildren finally gain their independence after the Civil War.

To this day Roots ranks as one of the most respected African American DVDs. Perhaps that is because it centers on an oppressed group of people fighting for their freedom, which is clearly a universal theme. The miniseries was based on a book by renowned author and journalist Alex Haley

Nowadays, however, most African American movies no longer focus on slavery or even on the civil rights movement. Rather, they concern themselves with the plight of blacks in urban environments. These movies tend to portray characters that are surrounded by drugs and crimes and are desperately trying to fight their way out of the ghetto.

One of the most powerful African American DVDs of the past twenty years was the film "Boyz n the Hood". This movie tells the story of a young man who is trying to survive on the violent streets of South Central, Los Angeles. The film is set in the early Nineteen Nineties when violent gangs roamed the streets of the city and young men frequently turned up dead for no other reason than that they were wearing the wrong color clothes. The movie remains a powerful example of the seemingly intractable problems in the African American community.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Frank_Mar

He is the Sexiest Male Alive in the World

He has superb body, great style, unique life style, very innocent face, big black eyes, awesome talking and dressing style, above all very kind heart. The Dream Man of every women, he is the sexiest male alive in the world. He has the art of seducing most beautiful women of the world therefore most beautiful women like Sangeeta Bijlani, Somy Ali, Aishwarya Rai, Katrina Kaif have been his girlfriends. He gives others millions without knowing them. Oh! What a man he is.

Still there are millions of women in the world who are ready to marry to him though he is 44 years old now. Many women have sent him love letters written with their blood. From the whole world people come to see his glimpse in front of his home and many wait for many days to get his glimpse. His fans are ready to die for him. He is also running very famous charitable trusts "Being Human" for the poor and needy people. I'm talking about the great "Salman Khan" a very famous bollywood actor.

He was born on December 27th 1965 at Indore, Madhya Pradash (India). He is the super star of bollywod. He has worked in many films and given many blockbusters movies. Salman Khan has helped many people restart their film carrier like: Somy Ali, Aishwarya Rai, Govinda, Himesh Reshammiya, Katrina Kaif, Jackie Shroff, Satish Kaushik and many more. He has also given financial help to many people. Last year in "Dus Ka Dum" one contestant started crying for being disqualified then Salman Khan gave him 1 lakh rupees from his account for his poor family. There are so many examples of Salman's greatness like this.

He is not only on screen Hero but off screen Hero also and the most handsome superstar.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rocky_Saggoo

Movie-Script Transcription Services

How technicians use movie transcripts for different processes?

Time was when movie makers used hand-written scripts for movies, but times have changed and screen writing has become an organized profession, it is a creative process. The movie screenplays need formatting, so that actors are able to read the script and play their part assigned to them.

Many talented people, the technicians, artists, production executive's work as a team for making a movie, all of them require a properly formatted script, a screenplay cannot be used for movie making unless a formatted script is not available. The process of converting a screenplay into a formatted script begins with first breaking down the screenplay into a time schedule that includes the number of days and nights of filming required.

The film may have different sequences, a formula that experts use is one film script page will require one minute of film, and this calculation helps them to schedule the filming accordingly. The movies have a rhythm of story telling that have a blend of action, camera techniques, music and sound effects and dialogue. The formatted movie script allows the professionals involved in the production to foresee the direction the movie will follow.

The screenplays consist of 110 to 130 pages when formatted, and after filming the script, the running time of the movie is close to two hours, this is where formatted scripts play an important role in movie making. The standardized script formatting allows movie makers to handle multiple projects simultaneously.

The formatted screenplay printed copies are on white paper with black ink. The fonts used are 12 point Draft Courier or 12 Point Courier New. The rewritten parts of the printed script are on colored paper, and every time new content added to the scripts is on a different colored paper, the transcripts start with white followed by blue, pink, green, yellow, goldenrod, and salmon. There are transcription companies that specialize in preparing formatted movie scripts.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Angelina_Merkel

Movie Clips Can Leave You Wanting For More

The price of movie tickets is so exorbitant these days. That is why I always make sure that the money I spend will not go to waste by watching a bland movie. I usually base this from the movie clips and from the ratings and feedback of the movie from those who have already watched it.

Although, there are some movies that get me all excited just from watching the movie clips. This is probably the reason why producers make sure that they release great movie clips. One that will be able to build the interest of moviegoers and at the same time it will keep them all hanging for more. They should be able to do it in less than 5 minutes. If the director of the movie will be able to do just that, then it somehow already ensures the success of the movie itself. Movie clips or movie trailers are the best form of advertisement for the movie. It is like giving a taste test without the food.

Movie clips are usually shown in between movies that are already showing in movie theaters. They are also shown during commercial breaks. Some are uploaded in YouTube where people get to watch them over and over again. One of the great medium for medium clips is the World Wide Web. It can reach millions of people without having to spend much which is the opposite of paying for airtime on TV or having a billboard which will not only cost the movie producer hundreds of dollars but thousands of it.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Cheryl_Forbes

Famous Dynamics and Famous Duos

Laurel and Hardy

If you're naming famous duos in comedy, who could supplant Laurel and Hardy? By the time Stanley Laurel and Oliver Hardy produced their first real Laurel and Hardy film, Ollie was thirty-five years old, and Stan was thirty-seven. Here are some interesting tidbits of information that even the most avid fan might not know:

Stan's daughter Lois was once under consideration for the orphan girl role in "Pack up Your Troubles". When they began filming, it was decided that she looked too old for the part. Lois disliked Hardy when she was young, since he was a bully to her dad in their films.

Jerry Lewis wanted Laurel to write for him part time. Stan was too busy with his own work with one of the comedy world's most famous duos to accept the offer.

Ollie's favorite sport was golf. He often golfed with such celebrities as Chico Marx, Babe Ruth, W.C. Fields and Bing Crosby. Stan loved fishing, particularly salmon fishing. Stan also enjoyed gardening, and raising ducks.

Laurel was married a total of four times. He had only the one daughter, Lois, whose mother was actress Lois Neilson. Stan's first wife occasionally served as his business manager. His most embattled wife was Illiana Shuvalova, who was a Russian opera star. That marriage only lasted one year.

Hardy was married three times, himself. His last marriage was to a script girl that he met when he was filming The Flying Deuces. That marriage lasted 17 years, until he passed away in 1957.

A monkey played the role of Mickey Mouse in the Laurel and Hardy film "Babes in Toyland". This is one of the very few times that any Disney® character was seen in a film not produced by Disney®. Walt Disney loved watching Laurel and Hardy.

Laurel was an integral part of the career of Marcel Marceau. He saw Marceau perform in Paris, and he thought he was an unsung genius, so he helped him get attention from the French press of the time.

Hardy played the role of the Tin Man in a 1925 silent-film version of "The Wizard of Oz".

Stan and Ollie first appeared together in a film entitled "The Lucky Dog", but were not teamed together permanently until they met Hal Roach. Their first film together that was similar to the work they are famous for was "Duck Soup".

The movie "The Music Box", in 1932, brought Laurel and Hardy an Oscar award. If you include guest appearances, the duo made 106 movies together. This is not including films in which one directed the other, or newsreels, TV or home movies.

Laurel and Hardy appeared together on TV as well. As one of TV's most famous duos, they were guests on a show presented by the BBC and hosted by Henry Hall, in 1953. They also did an insert for "The Music Hall", another BBC show, in 1955 - in what would be their last work as a team.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Peter_J_Lee

Michael Scofield of Prison Break

I was really fascinated and amazed by the character of Michael Scofield. Michael Scofield was a structural engineer and graduated as a magna cum laude. Actually in the series, he was considered as a genius. Michael and his brother Lincoln were abandoned by their father when they were both very young. And soon after that, their mother died. That's why Lincoln became Michael's guardian at a very young age. But Michael amd Lincoln tackled different path as they grow up.

While Michael finished his studies and got a decent job, Lincoln on the other hand often gets into trouble until he was imprisoned at the fox river state penitentiary and sentenced to death in the electric chair for killing the US vice president's brother (which discovered later in the series that everything was just a set up).Michael eventually discovered his brother's sacrifice so that he would have a better future. That's why Michael decided to help his brother break out of prison because he believes that his brother was innocent. He was ready to do everything it takes to break his brother Lincoln out of prison that he even had himself imprisoned in the same penitentiary.

In the process, Michael gained himself trusted friends including Fernando Sucre played by Amaury Nolasco, his cellmate and whom he could consider as his most trusted friend. And his love interest in the character of Sara Tancredi the jail doctor played by Sarah Wayne Callies. But he also gained his worst enemies, including the meanest and most villainous character in the series, Theodore Bagwell or also known as T-Bag which was played by Robert Knepper.

What was so interesting about Michael's character was how his mind works. All the tactics and techniques that he used in the series were really amazing. Maybe it's because of the fact that Michael's character was a genius. Michael seems to be able to read people's mind based on their personalities that he even knows how these people would think and act. And this ability of his has helped him a lot because he was able to make and plan a counteractions ahead that worked and were proven effective most of the time. Michael's intelligence was really amazing that he even got a commentary from one of the villains in season four that his brain was one in a million.

Although Michael was very intelligent, he has one characteristic that I can consider as neither strength or a weakness. And this characteristic of his was always an advantage to his enemies. And that is Michael is incapable of killing even if it's his own life that is at stake. He couldn't even kill the person that was about to kill him.

But the series for me was really great, not just because of Michael's character but also because of the whole cast and its interesting story.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ginny_Mulan

Advertising Abandons TV Host's Show

Diageo, the drinks giant, became the latest major UK company last night, to pull its advertising from the controversial Fox News commentator Glenn Beck's show. Diageo, who makes Guinness and Johnnie Walker, followed a similar move by Waitrose, a major grocer, who stopped advertising on in the time slot of the outspoken television show's host, which airs on the Sky TV platform in Britain. This removal of advertising by both companies has put pressure on Tesco who as of last night still refuses to cancel involvement in the show. Kellogg's, the famous cereal maker also still promotes its brands during that television show's time slot; however, this may not last as they have stated they are going to be coming to a decision regarding their advertising in the near future. Advertisers pulled their advertising in a show of anger over statements made by Mr. Beck during the course of his television show. This statement was that Barack Obama was a racist and that the U.S. President has a "deep-seated hatred for white people". His comments to that effect incensed the pressure group called 'Color of Change', who in turn, called for advertisers to "exercise corporate responsibility" and to boycott his show in Britain as well as the United States. Since Mr. Beck's attack on President Obama, more that 60 major US companies which includes Wal-Mart, Campbell's Soups, Capital One and Bank of America have stopped advertising during Mr. Beck's time slot in response to the call.

Waitrose, which is owned by John Lewis Partnership, said yesterday that it had taken action after having received complaints from their customers; though the company declined to state how many complaints they had received. A Waitrose spokeswoman said "This is not a politically motivated act, it was simply listening to customers' views and responding to them" Waitrose has withdrawn all of its advertising from the Fox News Channel effective immediately and for all future television advertising campaigns.

Tesco took its stance saying that their advertising is not a statement of support for or against any content on the channel. As with many other businesses, Tesco buys its advertising space as a package that includes many different channels and time slots. Kellogg's is currently in discussions concerning its advertising and will probably be coming up with a decision in the next few days. They have already said they are aware of the issue and that they are looking at it closely. Time will tell if they decide to pull their advertising as a statement of support for those that oppose the comments made by Mr. Beck. Advertisers have much to consider when it comes to the question of removing advertising. They have contracts to consider as well as popularity of time slots. It's a foregone conclusion that these companies will take a good look at their advertising dollar and how it is spent, before making a move to cancel any commercial advertising contracts containing time slots within the period Mr. Beck's show airs.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_Sangers

Why MMA Fights Are So Exciting For Men and Women Alike

Most men have been involved in some form of bar fight. Most men have either wrestled or played football in high school. Most of us have watched any or all of these things take place and gotten some kind of rush out of it. It's the nature of humanity to be easily engulfed in a dangerous and aggressive spectacle where anything can happen in a moments notice. This is the nature of MMA fights. Men love MMA fights because it helps them connect with something they view as inspirational. Most men dream of being a championship fighter of some kind. It used to be that men dreamed of being a prize fighter. To imagine the crafty skills of the oh, so sweet science flowing through them as they shadow box in the ring. What it felt like to day dream of that one punch knock out to win a world title. Today, MMA fights attract a wider audience and they continue to decrease the popularity of boxing. Women love the sport too, because no other sport on Earth contains more well defined and in shape men than MMA.

Looking back to MMA fights of the past when there were no to few rules, giant 400lb men would fight skinny little men and would actually lose. Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belts would win multi fight tournaments against much larger opponents because of skills never before seen by the mainstream public. Now, BJJ is as common in MMA fights as air is to the global population. Combining the arts of boxing, muai thai, wrestling and BJJ has created what we today know and love as mixed martial arts.

On the internet you can find an endless number of MMA fights ending in horrible knock outs. We watch them and can't get enough of them. It's like watching a train wreck. We feel bad but wow, what a rush. We are intrigued by that which we can't control. A quick jab sending someone to their slumber is something one cannot control. It's also devastating though exciting.

Another reason women love MMA fights is because they get the best of both worlds in men. Most MMA fighters though devastating in the cage are often very bright and sensitive outside of the cage. Many are highly motivated self starters and even entrepreneurs, and they are in chiseled shape ta boot! Now, women get the bad boy with a sensitive side able to keep them safe from harm and have the stamina...well, you get the idea.

Overall, a night of MMA fights at someones house or the local pub bring people together and is always entertaining. I've been a fight promoter for 3 years and have seen just about everything you can imagine happen inside the cage. I've paid attention to my audiences and how they respond to whats going on during an event and ultimately find that men and women both are just addicted to good MMA fights and they are all willing to pay to see them happen right before their eyes.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jason_M_Appleton

The Controversy About Julia and Julie

I don't think many of the comments I read on the web about the Julia/Julie controversy slice through clean. They usually swing off-tangent as highly biased praise or near-defamatory critique, depending on whether it is about their favorite or not.

I usually choose to fault circumstances rather than persons. And in my opinion, the words "protocol" (as applied to our actions) and "ADD/ADHA" (which I distinctly heard in the movie), together, cut to the marrow. When the need for protocol meets up with ADHA, there is certainly going to be a problem.

These are my insights after seeing the movie.

Ms Julia Child is a public icon, a star in her own right, an institution. She personified feminine goal-setting and achievement, points which scored zero stars for Ms Powell who was intensely aware of her being a habitual "half-way-through." The movie suggests the cause to be ADHA, a neurosis associated with attention deficiency, hyperactivity and possibly emotional fits. Julie's first cubicle scene is not just humorous local color. Distracted, fidgety and emotional is the picture we get of her, barely listening to client after client and finally settling on one whose complaints meant enough to make her teary-eyed. This shows just this peculiarity of hers. She couldn't focus on things with her mind unless her heart helped out. But when she did focus, it was with all her heart.

On the other hand, it would probably have seemed to Ms Child, as it would have to most celebrities, that her life and fame were being involved by Julie in an unprofessional, inelegant and unflattering setting. The more so because the Julie/Julia project was really a log meant to monitor and self-comment on Julie's personal progress rather than a practical methodology for bringing out the excellence of the Julia Child recipes. To someone unaware of Julie's real intentions, the project would have seemed like a clumsy caricature on the art of cooking. No wonder Ms Child thought the business "rude"; her initial impression is summed up by "She isn't even a cook!" And all this without her explicit approval. And we do need the permission of people, famous or not, to use them or anything they own for purposes other than plain citation, and even then, some people like to know "content and context" before they endorse.

Given her condition, Ms Powell could not be motivated to accomplishment by strangers and hence couldn't have just picked up and cooked from any cook book. She chose Ms Child, the patron saint of French cooking in America and a virtual member of every American household, as the angel to help her focus and resist her neurosis, by "completing something" within a schedule. The need for protocol is mentally imposed and her heart was unaware of it. She instead gave in to literary outbursts of familiar fondness and admiration which to the nervous is an expression of supreme good will...sadly, Ms Child felt differently.

Underlying this tension between the two, the basic goodness in both persons prevented anything more harmful than media gossip from making the scene. The fact that Ms Child didn't pursue deeper into her rights regarding her publicity in Ms Powell's literary efforts(which she might have done...and then this entire controversy: book, movie and all would never have been), just goes to show that she had understood the situation. Might she not have read up on Ms Powell and fallen into a maternal silence when she discovered that besides not being a cook, Ms Powell was working to overcome a handicap? Ms Powell, on the other hand, never lost faith in her "angel" and interpreting Ms Child's disdain as simple disinterestedness, reveals that she is a child at heart, neither giving nor taking malice, believing everything to be obtainable or excusable by loving fondness.

Needless to say, the acting is finely nuanced, with such a fineness that I didn't realize what I had just seen until later, after research and reflection. As for the intrigues which have grown around this topic, including my own premature opinions, I found them generally reactive, tangential but stimulating!

Strange how we are moved by circumstances. Julie Powell's handicap leads us to focus on a life and career which peaked a generation ago. Perhaps life is telling us to slow down and look back a bit. Maybe it's time for someone to make a movie on Julia Child alone and what she has to tell this generation?

Conclusion: The famous blog isn't really about cooking at all, strictly speaking it isn't even just about blogging your experiences either. It is a brave young girl's effort to overcome her handicap, an effort that has been rewarded but not fully so. Here's to the eventual complete transformation of handicap to talent. Bonne Chance!!
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rulens_Satin

The Problems of a King Kong Vs Godzilla Remake

King Kong vs Godzilla remake updates are met with various reactions from monster cinema fans. The possibility of a King Kong vs Godzilla remake is a dream match and sounds too good to be true. Some sci-fi fans are skeptical of a sequel or remade version because Toho Company practices the tradition of using live actors in rubber costumes stomping on miniatures, as opposed to modern day CGI. Of course there are movie fans who do not want to see another version of this movie because the original 1963 movie featuring these two icons was so poorly received in the West.

All of that being said this movie would do well in the box office depending on which special effects method Toho and Universal agreed upon, and how the production's marketing campaign would be handled. With the success of the big gorilla in 2005 and Cloverfield in 2008, audiences are open-minded about a modern take of giant monsters. Monster forums and streaming video websites show that there is an underground push for a rematch between these two behemoths.

Although Toho's mutated dinosaur is a Japanese cultural icon, the big G's United States film translations have always been less than spectacular; from bad dubbing and poor special effects to cultural differences between the United States. and Japan, mainstream movie going audiences in America just don't get the cult phenomena. Much of that has to do with the costumes and mini cities. If Universal and Toho are going to invest money in a King Kong vs Godzilla remake, this must be addressed. The big question is: should both monsters be rendered in CGI?

The box office success of TriStar's 1998 version of the radioactive green lizard was because of two things: a very expensive marketing campaign and the fact that Big G was CGI instead of a man in a suit. Although this success may lead us to believe that it is a no-brainer to use CGI in the future, this is not the case. The TriStar monster had none of the unique features of the Japanese dinosaur, and long time fans disliked that version. The Japanese protested the movie, and this stopped talk about a King Kong vs Godzilla remake using CGI.

Toho is very well aware of the market for a King Kong vs Godzilla remake, and if they do join together with Universal there will pressure to appeal to broad audiences to create a blockbuster mega event. Toho did a test run with another movie and a CGI version of their beast and it went over well with test audiences. Toho does not want to offend their loyal Japanese fan base who respect the hard work the production crews perform to create the miniaturized sets and monster choreography, so they will do the market research before giving their blessing for CGI. Universal would not accept rubber costumes, so this will be a major debate for both parties.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Damian_Conrad

Film Review - My Best Friend's Girl (2008)

BOTTOM LINE: Vulgar, disgusting, offensive and occasionally funny, "My Best Friend's Girl" does not actually fall down on these points but rather its inconsistent, stupid and implausible plotting and execution.

THE GOOD: Tank (Dane Cook) has a talent for being the ultimate bad boy, so much so that men hire him to take their ex-girlfiends out on dates that are so terrible that when Tank is finished, the ex-girlfriend goes running back in to their ex-boyfriend's arms. Things go pear-shaped when Tank's cousin Dustin (Jason Biggs) hires him to take his would-be love Alexis (Kate Hudson) on a lousy date. However, Tank gets more than he bargained for as Alexis is in the mood for 'experimenting' and 'living life', making it almost impossible for him to succeed. The scenario in this film leads to some funny sequences, least of all being the date Tank has with a conservative religious girl, or the scene where Tank picks up Alexis for the first time and his first bad-boy moment does not work. The cast are quite likeable, leading with Dane Cook and Kate Hudson who do their best with the material. The most enjoyable aspect to the film would have to belong to Alec Baldwin's supporting role as Tank's pig of a father Professor Turner who is so self-obsessed and clinically funny in his appraisal and treatment of women that it is very funny to watch in its extremity (his A-Z ranking system is hilarious).

THE BAD: The film falls down in that it is inconsistently plotted and completely implausible. Tank's character is the worst guy you could come across, which makes the obligatory happy ending where he ends up together with Alexis all the more unbelievable. His behaviour at Alexis' sister's wedding is so detestable (complete with propositioning her mother for oral sex), despite it being funny on its own, that one cannot find any sort of justification for how Alexis would in the end decide to be with him. The film also gravitates back and forth between Tank being the bad boy and Tank learning how to be the good guy again which never really comes off as both are executed from such extremely radical positions that he is almost playing two different characters. "My Best Friend's Girl" would have been better served if it stayed completely in the vulgar and offensive camps rather than trying to toe the line between that and a traditional romantic comedy.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Todd_Murphy

Hip Hop DVD Reviews - The Best Hip Hop DVDs

A hip hop DVD can take many forms: a mixtape collection, freestyle battles, abdominal workouts, etc. Here, we're taking a look at the best movies based on hip hop; from gritty street dramas to stories of making it in the music business, here's the best hip hop DVD releases ever:

Wild Style - A great reflection of hip hop when it was still growing up and a must see for any aspiring rapper. You get to see what freestyles in the park were like and how rappers used to perform (e.g. more call and response, crowd rocking, etc.).

Breakin' - This movie did for breakdancing what 8 Mile did for freestyle battles; it really brought dancing into the mainstream, resulting in countless new kids trying to learn breaking, popping and locking.

Beat Street - The best all around hip movie, period. Unlike other DVD releases in this list, Beat Street successfully displayed the four elements: Rappers, DJs, B-Boys and Graffiti. This is the Holy Grail of movies, and one of my favorites.

Boyz In The Hood - OK, so technically this isn't a true hip hop DVD release, but with Ice CUbe as a leading man, it counts. Cuba Gooding Jr's role is dead on, and director John Singleton turned in his best effort with this hard edge, gritty urban drama about getting out of a bad situation with the gifts you were given. While not my favorite on this list, it is perhaps the best film overall, in terms of writing, acting and directing.

8 Mile - Freestyle battles used to draw dozens of people in most places. After this movie came out, those same battles drew hundreds and brought a new level of respect for freestyle MCs. The story of B. Rabbit (Eminem) fighting for his dream of rap success is a lot better than most critics give it credit for. Sure, the final battle scene seemed a bit contrived, but overall, you cannot deny the positive impact this had on hip hop in general.

Juice - Tupac's best acting performance, hands down. His character Bishop was scarier than any guy in Boyz In The Hood (which is saying a lot). Many would argue that Poetic Justice was his best film, but Juice really hit home with me as a solid, well crafted story of growing up in the ghetto.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Tucker

The "Doctor Who" Exhibition

The "Doctor Who" Exhibition at the Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay, Wales, United Kingdom (near Cardiff Studios) is a great holiday getaway for fans of the United Kingdom's favourite Time Lord. Cardiff Studios is working with BBC in broadcasting the rejuvenated "Doctor Who" series, as well as spinoffs like "Torchwood". This is a great destination full of great Doctor Who memories.

From 1963 to 1989, the BBC ran the ground-breaking Doctor Who series; it was cancelled and then relaunched in 2005. If you have ever wondered how producers of the show succeeded in providing such "before-their-time" special effects - like making an invading UFO (that vaguely resembled an old tea cup) - find out at the "Doctor Who" Exhibition. Discover the secrets by examining the props, costumes, special effects and other memorabilia.

View the most dangerous enemies of the Doctor, like the hated Daleks. Remember K9, how could you forget? Test your friends: "What is written on the front of the TARDIS?" Answer: Police Box - Public Call. See Cassandra's brain, Absorbaloff and the sonic screw driver. Search for your favourite episode; maybe you can get it on a DVD for your own personal collection. Find Halloween costumes so you can dress up as your favourite "Doctor Who" character. Gather these classic items together, grab your friends together in one of the hotels in Cardiff and restage episodes.

Who is your favourite actor who played "Doctor Who" - William Hartnell, Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy, Paul McGann, Christopher Eccleston or David Tennant? Listen to the intense "space-travelling" music. Laugh at all of the interesting creatures the Doctor came across. Hotels in Cardiff are filled with Doctor Who fans - make sure you get a room before they are taken.

The Doctor Who series has always been a bit "dated"; early episodes resemble dated home decorating styles. Just look at Doctor Who's clothing to discover the latest fashions of Oxford professors. This "dated" element led to its cancellation in 1989. In 2005, the series was modernised and added such spinoffs as "Torchwood" and the "Sarah Jane Adventures". "Torchwood" follows Captain Jack Harkness on adventures which begin from the nearby Cardiff Bay - Roald Dahl Pass - which happens to be a rift in space. Cardiff hotels have a rich history, from the nineteenth century coal industry to these modern entertainment stages. The Torchwood set resembles Stonehenge with its half-circle arrangement. Nearby stone quarries offer numerous options for the terrain of distant planets.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Max_Brockbank

Hand Signed Autographs

These days, autographs and signed photos are becoming more and more popular, for the young and old alike. But why has it become so popular? The truth is, celeb memorabilia has always been popular, because everybody out there would love a genuine piece of fame in the form of a signed photograph, especially from their favourite celebs or sports legend.

Recently, there has been a rise in genuine memorabilia being purchased. One of the main reasons for this is because in the past year, we unfortunately lost some of our most adored celebs, including Heath Ledger, Michael Jackson, Patrick Swayze and most recently Stephen Gately. Due to the loss of these stars, there has been a rush to snap up the last remaining autographs still in circulation by avid fans, so as to have a lasting tribute to them of their own, which means prices are soaring!

But it's also today's living legends that are being idolised. Top A-Lister's like Angelina Jolie, Daniel Craig and George Clooney have a band of fans and followers the size of their bank balance, and those who aren't lucky enough to meet their idols can now own their own hand signed signature thanks to sites that offer genuine hand-signed autographs and photographs.

And how do sites get hold of these pictures? Well most sites have a dedicated team, who go out there and track down celebrities for you, or obtained by trusted and reliable sources, to save you the trouble! It's revolutionized the way we stalk celebs, literally by having somebody else do it for us! And at the end of it we get a piece of genuine memorabilia.

There's such a large range of memorabilia out there nowadays, it's hard to know where to stat. From Actors, to Musicians, to TV Personalities to Sports Legends, so you're bound to find a genuine article of memorabilia from your favourite celebrity nowadays, and why stop at one? There's so much choice out there, you could create an amazing collection without even leaving the house, and that's the appeal! Because lets face it, in today's economic climate, it's becoming harder and harder to even go on holiday, let alone commit some time off to track down your favourite celebrity, and now you can get hold of something amazing without needing to spend the earth.

So I know now you're sitting there now wondering where you can get a piece of the action and get your own hand signed, genuine piece of celebrity memorabilia. Well it's always important to use a trusted site, some sites nowadays are taking advantage of soaring memorabilia sales and selling fakes. But you needn't get scammed.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Greenfield

The Tao of the Easy Rider

The very title Easy Rider (1969) suggests a Taoist theme, for the movie wasnt titled, Struggling Rider, but Easy Rider. Rather than struggling against Nature and the world, the motorcyclists were flowing with the Tao, the Way of Nature. This concept of ease and effortless action by going with the flow of Nature was called by Taoists, wu-wei. Certainly Easy Rider was a post-modern critique of commercialized, commoditized, sloganized America. Yes, it was a road-trip film, a buddy film, a motorcycle film, a gang film, as Roger Ebert points out in his review. It was all of those. But all true Journey myths --- from Homers Odyssey to Tolkiens Lord of the Rings Trilogy --- achieve a timeless quality by making the journey not merely a journey across space but a journey into Self. The motorcycles of Billy (Dennis Hopper) and Captain America (Peter Fonda) were not merely taking them on a journey to discover America, as is suggested by our textbook, but were taking them on the journey from the level of the ego to the level of the id and ultimately the collective unconscious.

Easy Rider tapped into an Aquarian Age zeitgeist that revolted against the artificiality and rampant commercialism of modern society. As Laurence Boldt explains in The Tao of Abundance, the Wests concept of nature as being separate from Man keeps him constantly in the mode of ego consciousness. Because we view ourselves as engaged in a willful struggle against nature --- which we view as separate from ourselves --- we therefore create an artificial society as a means to insulate ourselves from contact with nature. Mass production, advertising, and mass consumption conspire to keep modern man in a constant lack consciousness which Taoists and Buddhists would call ego-attachments. Taoists, however, had a concept of being in harmony with nature because they considered themselves as part of the same cosmic river, the Tao. Whereas the western concept of wealth centered on hoarding things, the eastern or Taoist concept of wealth centers on having an abundance of leisure time time to enjoy nature. By throwing off his wristwatch at the start of his journey, Captain America symbolizes his attunement with the Taoist concept of abundance --- free time.

The Hippie movement was in large part a back-to-nature zeitgeist --- fueled by a Taoist spirit. Captain America had definitely tapped into that zeitgeist when he said to the rancher: Its not every man who can live off the land, you know. You should be proud. It was also why he admired the Hippie commune. Easy Rider essentially makes the argument that when we lost our connection with the land we lost Thomas Jeffersons concept of the American Dream. This is reflected in the ACLU-attorney (Nicholson) George Hansons fireside critique of superficial people whose very lives are nothing more than a commodity bought and sold in the marketplace. To be freed from the metallic breast-milk of an artificial society is to return to the life-giving bosom of Mother Nature. The theme song of Steppenwolfs Born to Be Wild echoes this: Like a true natures child, we were born, born to be wild. The highway that returns the traveler to Nature is the same highway that leads to Natures most primal drives, buried within our unconsciousness.

Lacking any guru (for Yogi Bhajan would only arrive in L.A. in 1969), the bikers turned to drugs as their psychopomp to guide their souls into the underworld of the psyche. The progression of their choice of drugs represents the layers of the psyche. Cocaine, with its wiry energy, merely amplified their ego-consciousness, tying them to the physical world, the basis of the ego and its obligations of money and the endless rat-race. Marijuana, their favorite drug, however, opened them up to some of the layers of the id, the unconscious. It freed their minds from the limitations of the left-brained, rational, separative ego-consciousness and brought them to the right-brained, non-rational, whole-istic shores of the id. As a result of reminding them of their personal unconscious, the bikers were reawakened to their forgotten drives, the primal instincts of the libido, the sexual/creative life force. The unconscious material surfacing also allowed them to transcend the Herd Instinct and sublimate the fears associated with conformity. In The Psychedelic Experience, Dr. Timothy Leary advocated using LSD according to the method outlined in the Tibetan Book of the Dead as a means of exploring and mapping the far reaches of the inner world. In Easy Rider, the graveyard LSD trip opened up the other two primal instincts of the unconscious: the Survival Instinct and the Religious Instinct, along with the previously awakened Sexual Instinct.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Corey_Wicks

How to Avoid Buying Fake Autographs

Autograph Collecting is a fantastic hobby, as your collection grows, it accumulates value, until you have a fantastic collection of genuine autographs which you can one day either sell, or even pass it down your family for future generations to continue! But fake autographs are becoming a serious problem on the internet, so it's important you know how to spot them, and avoid purchasing. The leading autograph authenticator in the Celebrity Signed Memorabilia Industry, PSA-DAN, states that only 33% of Tiger Woods autographs it put under scrutiny were actually a genuine piece of memorabilia. The rest were forged by scam artists in order to sell to avid fans to make money.

eBay is one of the main places fake memorabilia is found, mainly as people go looking to buy cheap autographs, but little do they know, they're paying for fake. And why pay for fake when you want genuine? Typically the seller on the site provides an image and a description of the product, and to the buyer, it looks real, and no questions get asked.
Some seller even provide a phony Certificate of Authenticity, and a 100% satisfaction guarantee, but the certificates provided are often from their own company! Which should really set alarm bells ringing straight away. And the guarantee? Most people don't want to send their product back because they don't feel completely sure if their product is actually fake, so tend to just keep quiet. This is wrong, and you have any suspicions whatsoever, you should always contact the seller right away, and if you bought the item on eBay, contact them and they will try to resolve the matter for you. You can also report suspicious memorabilia to the UACC (Universal Autograph Collectors Club).

Always ask the seller if you are not 100% confident in buying the item. Remember that the seller should be proving the authenticity, not you, and should be more than happy to help you. If they avoid questions or can't state where and when it was signed, then you should know right there and then that this is a fake, and it's not worth your investment, at all. Some sellers may say that they purchased the autograph from a registered UACC dealer. If this is the case then ask them to produce a name and a membership number. This can be checked on the UACC website.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Laura_Greenfield

Lindsay Lohan - A Short Biography

When you think of Lindsay Lohan, do you think of her role in The Parent Trap, or who can forget her portrayal of teen angst in Mean Girls. If you are a fan of Lindsay Lohan, let me give you a quick biography of her life.

She started off her successful career as a child model at the age of 3. She started modeling for popular companies like Toys R Us, Calvin Klein Kids, and Abercrombie Kids. In 1996, she starred in Another World, a popular day time soap opera. Lindsay Lohan became famous when she took on her first movie role, The Parent Trap. She played the role of twins who are trying to reunite their divorced parents.

She starred in Freaky Friday with Jamie Lee Curtis, and this film was a smashing success around the world earning over 160 million dollars worldwide. She did a few more films with Disney after this, but she really became a star and followed by the paparazzi when she starred in Mean Girls.

Afterwards, she starred in Herbie: Fully Loaded and several other roles. Lindsay Lohan took a hiatus due to personal issues, but she recently has gone back to acting full force. She also appeared in several episodes of Ugly Betty to everyone's surprise. She is considered one of the most talented actresses in all of Hollywood, and she is going to star in the Robert Rodriguez film Machete in April 2010. She will play the role of a savvy arm's dealer.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ron_Holden

Iconic Beach Girl Number 2 - Jennifer O'Neill

Ah, the summer of '42.

No matter what year of your birth, who hasn't fallen head over dunes in love with that film, that haunting score by Michel Legrand, and that tousled haired brunette bride, Jennifer O'Neill?

The film was made in 1971 and follows the typical 'coming of age' genre of a young man facing adult experiences that transform him. Autobiographical in nature, the story tells of a summer spent on Nantucket island during WWII (re-named Patchett island for the film), when the author Herman Raucher was 14. The central character 'Hermie' embarks on an unrequited infatuation with an older recently-married woman Dorothy whose new husband has gone off to war.

Hermie and his teen-aged pals see the newly-weds as the groom carries his lovely new Mrs. into their honeymoon cottage. Hermie is love-struck, and despite unsuccessful fumbling and bumbling along with other teen-aged girls on the island, at the cinema and on the beach, Hermie develops deep romantic feelings for Dorothy. She befriends him and he does odd-jobs for her, moving boxes up into her attic, when he learns her husband has been deployed.

Hermie ignores his friends, and visits Dorothy one night, finding her home dark and quiet, a telegram on the downstairs table stating Dorothy's husband has been shot down and killed over France an hour earlier. Dorothy appears, turns on the film's theme score on her phonograph and they dance, slowly and embracing and begin to kiss. You can guess the rest...

Hermie dresses afterwards, while Dorothy, now in her bathrobe smokes a cigarette out on her porch, staring out into the night sky--all she can say is 'good night' and Hermie leaves, never to see her again. He wanders all night in shock. When he returns the next day the cottage is empty, Dorothy is gone and has left him a hand-written note on the door expressing her regrets and hoping that Hermie can forgive her.

Hermie is depleted and sorrowful but has made the journey from teenhood to adulthood all in the space of one night.

The real Herman Raucher wrote this story some 30 years later after that apotheosis, and after its rousing success at the box-office, a book soon followed with equal clamor.

After an appearance on television, no less than 12 women claiming to be the 'real' Dorothy wrote in. Raucher recognized the handwriting from Dorothy who again exressed her apologies, mentioning details only she could have known, hoping that the event had not traumatised him, and asked him to leave the matter in the past with no further contact.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kiki_Farmer

How I Met Your Mother - Marshall Erikson

How I Met Your Mother is a great sitcom on CBS about a group of five young adults and their escapades through their social and work lives. Ted Mosby is the featured character while Barney Stinson steals the show with his antics and crazy theories. But the remaining male character, Marshall Erikson is a favorite among female fans of the show.

Marshall is the husband of Lily and he is essentially whipped by her and pretty much any female who tells him what to do. He is a big guy, but more like a teddy bar and is kind of lovable. He went to Law School, got a great job at a top law firm, then quit and got fired at the same time. He didn't seem cut out to work at a big law firm and was very happy to be out of that office. Nevertheless, he now works at Barney's firm, Goliath National Bank, which happens to ironically be a big firm.

Marshall seems like the perfect husband, always trying to please Lily. At times, he can become a lot more emotional than even Lily and he feels deeply about a lot of things. When he had to get rid of his barrel that he used as a nightstand in college, he looked like he was about to cry. Marshall is one of those characters on television that you laugh at as much as you laugh with him. He is an integral part of the show and complements the rest of the group nicely. You can check out How I Met Your Mother on Monday nights.
Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Adam_Masterson