"Family Guy" Gets Spin-Off

That's right, folks. "Family Guy's" popularity is through the roof and apparently fans can't get enough of Cleveland Brown. Cleveland is Peter Griffin's chubby, slow talking neighbor who is about to star in his own T.V. show entitled... you guessed it... “Cleveland.”

Don't get me wrong. I'm a fan of "Family Guy." But how far can this show be pushed? At home and on TV we are hounded by advertisements featuring the Griffins & Co. And it seems that we can barely leave our houses without running into them. Action figures, DVD's, key-chains, pencil-toppers, underwear, Subway value meals! This franchise has erupted. Does America really need more "Family Guy?"

And will this new series be up to par with "Family Guy?" Or will it fall flat like the unwatchable "American Dad?"

What do you think?

We've Stepped Into Another Dimension

Hollywood is beginning to get a little carried away with their 3-D film releases.

I understood the IMAX 3-D version of films such as "Superman Returns" and "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix."

I won't criticize the 3-D concerts that have begun popping up in theaters across America: "Hannah Montana" or "U2 3-D."

Even the third "Toy Story" is slated to be a three-dimensional flick.

But the line has to be drawn somewhere. And I think it should happen before production begins on "Step Up 3-D."

That's right, folks. Offspring Entertainment's Adam Shankman and Jennifer Gibgot, who produced the first two "Step Up" films, are developing a third, three-dimensional movie as we speak.

Sorry.

And the Oscar goes to...

The 80th Academy Awards were held last night. Below are the winners and my two cents about them. Do you agree with the Academy's decisions? Do you agree or disagree with me? Let me know.

BEST PICTURE

"No Country for Old Men"

My opinion: I’d have loved to see “Juno” win Best
Picture, but this was my second choice. Honestly
anything other than “Michael Clayton” could have won
and I wouldn’t have been disappointed.

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Daniel Day-Lewis for "There Will Be Blood"

My opinion: Daniel Day, all the way.

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Marion Cotillard for "La Vie En Rose"

My opinion: None. Yet to see this one.

DIRECTING

Ethan Coen & Joel Coen for "No Country For Old Men"

My opinion: There’s nothing like a Coen Brothers
acceptance speech.

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Javier Bardem for "No Country For Old Men"

My opinion: My favorite scene from a movie this year
has to be the “No Country” coin toss in the gas station.

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Tilda Swinton for "Michael Clayton"

My opinion: BULL! This is ridiculous. Her part in
“Michael Clayton” was ridiculously typical. The
Academy may as well have awarded Laura Linney for her
role in “Breach.” It’s the same thing.

I was rooting for Saoirse Ronan who played Briony in
“Atonement.”

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

"Ratatouille"

My opinion: Of course “Ratatouille” was going to win
Best Animated Feature. It’s a Brad Bird/Pixar film.
But was the Academy really so desperate for other
nominees that they settled for “Surf’s Up?”

How about “The Simpsons Movie” or “Bee Movie?” Both
were light-years better than that dull, second-rate
penguin flick.

SCREENPLAY (Adapted)

Ethan Coen & Joel Coen for "No Country For Old Men"

My opinion: You can’t go wrong with Cormac McCarthy
and the Coens.

SCREENPLAY (Original)

Diablo Cody for "Juno"

My Opinion: Absolutely wonderful! Even though the
Academy never awards the quirky comedies with Best
Picture they at least have the courtesy of throwing
the Best Original Screenplay Oscar their way.

ART DIRECTION

"Sweeney Todd"

My opinion: Sweeney Todd didn’t look very different from every other Tim Burton film, but what the hell... Congrats, Sweeney.

MUSIC (SONG)

Falling Slowly from "Once"

My opinion: “Once” is a supremely over-rated movie, but this is a great song none-the-less.

CATEGORIES I’M NOT QUALIFIED TO CRITIQUE

CINEMATOGRAPHY

"There Will Be Blood"

COSTUME DESIGN

"Elizabeth: The Golden Age"

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE

"Taxi to the Dark Side"

DOCUMENTARY SHORT SUBJECT

"Freeheld"

FILM EDITING

"The Bourne Ultimatum"

FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM

"The Counterfeiters"

MAKEUP

"La Vie En Rose"

MUSIC (SCORE)

Dario Marianelli for "Atonement"

SHORT FILM (ANIMATED)

"Peter and the Wolf"

SHORT FILM (LIVE ACTION)

"The Mozart of Pickpockets"

SOUND EDITING

"The Bourne Ultimatum"

SOUND MIXING

"The Bourne Ultimatum"

VISUAL EFFECTS

"The Golden Compass"

PODCAST 3 - ALL ABOUT "THE CLASH"

Mike Robida, Steve Talbot, and Ariel Todd explore the confusing world of Punk Rock when they review "Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten."

HOST & CO.

The Indiana Jones trailer is HERE!

INDIANA JONES: KINGDOM OF THE CRYSTAL SKULL

WHAT DO YOU THINK, "INDY" FANS? HOW DOES IT LOOK?
_

PODCAST 2: Behind the Scenes of "The Great Debaters"

Host Mike Robida and “Great Debaters” co-star Tommy Russell talk about their experience as extras in Denzel Washington’s latest film.

"The Great Debaters" plays Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday at 7:00 PM at The Music Hall in Portsmouth, NH and all week at Narrow Gauge Cinemas in Falmouth, ME.

IN COSTUME (PRE HAIR & MAKE-UP)

POST HAIR & MAKE-UP

TOMMY IN COSTUME

THE COSTUME TENT

DENZEL’S SET

The Newest Super-heroes

This year, alongside the release of “Iron Man,” “The Dark Knight,” and “The Incredible Hulk” two super-hero spoofs will hit theaters.

“Super-Hero Movie” is the latest in the “Scary Movie”/”Naked Gun” franchise. It stars Drake Bell (Nickelodeon’s “Drake & Josh”) and Leslie Nielsen (“The Naked Gun,” “Scary Movie 3 & 4”).

Note: This farce is in no way connected to the abominable “Date Movie”, “Epic Movie”, “Meet the Spartans” spin-off franchise.

“Hancock” is Will Smith’s upcoming super-hero flick that shows that great power doesn’t always fall into the hands of the responsible.

The trailers are posted below.

SUPER-HERO MOVIE

HANCOCK

Ledger Lives On!

This summers “The Dark Knight” will not be Heath Ledgers last film.

When he died Ledger was in the middle of shooting the Terry Gilliam directed “Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.” And according to Darkhorizons.com Gilliam has found a way to save the film and keep Ledger as the singular star.

Gilliam has decided to hire a stand-in actor to play out Heath’s movements and then later, during editing, Gilliam will superimpose Ledger’s face onto the actors body.

Some folks think that this is unethical. Gilliam claims that his film will stand as a memorial to Heath Ledger.

Your thoughts?