So it was my favorite talk show host’s birthday over the weekend. Oprah turned 57 on Saturday. Though I, unfortunately, don’t know Oprah well enough to be in her inner circle, I love spending my evenings watching her show.
If you watched on Friday, you probably saw the Most Memorable Couples Return episode. Read More
Ellen DeGeneres turned 53 yesterday, and if you watch her show, you probably already knew that. I watched because I knew there’d be a few celebrity guests rolling through, and Ellen did not disappoint.
First on stage was Julia Roberts. Set to star opposite Tom Hanks in Larry Crowne, Roberts spoke more about her chickens and dogs than anything movie-related. And I’m OK with that. Having recently watched Eat Pray Love, and realizing that I’ve actually seen a lot more Julia Roberts movies than previously thought, I think it’s safe to say that I’m a fan. So it was cool to learn that Roberts watches The Real Housewives in her free time. It’s funny because I do, too! We’d be instant friends. Read More
Yes, it happened on Monday: Jim Carrey turned 49. He’s been a stable fixture in both television and movies for the past 20-plus years, and he doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. I remember watching him on In Living Color in the early 90s. He was hilarious then and still is, though nowadays I also appreciate his more serious roles. Read More
Today marks Kirstie Alley’s 60th birthday. Wait, what? She’s 60?! I find that hard to believe even as I type it. It’s true, though. And you know, now that I think about it, it’s actually not that unbelievable. Her movie career started at the age of 31 or 32 when she was cast as Lt. JG Saavik in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. She’s played some notable roles throughout the years, and to this day she continues to be relevant. So join me in chronicling Kirstie’s finest hours from way back when to the present. Read More
If my calculations are correct, J. R. R. Tolkien would have turned 119 this past Monday. And while that would have been pretty impressive, even more impressive is his impact on modern literature. An entire (huge) literary genre exists pretty much because of him.
He also had a major impact on me in my formative years. His books, especially his Lord of the Rings opus, helped to nurture my burgeoning nerdery. I have since read many fantasy novels, but few, if any, approach the scale and depth of his word-building. So today I salute M. Tolkien by sharing some of my favorite 80s fantasy movies. Read More
Jan. 1, 2011 would have marked J.D. Salinger’s 92nd birthday. Best known for his classic, The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger rarely took time for public appearances. In fact, he was much of a recluse. So to celebrate his birthday, I bet he spent the week watching all of his favorite movies. Apparently, he liked movies a lot. Wikipedia, citing his daughter Margaret Salinger and longtime friend Lillian Ross, lists his favorites as: Read More
