I missed this documentary at Sundance this year, so I'm thrilled that it's coming out this Friday in limited release. The trailer alone for Young @ Heart brings tears to my eyes — but not sad tears. The film follows the Young@Heart Chorus of Northampton, Massachusetts which consists of about two dozen senior citizens who sing covers of rock, punk and R&B classics with the help of their choir director Bob Cilman. They perform for everyone from inmates at a nearby prison to sold-out crowds at the local concert hall.

I'll post my review of the movie later this week, but just the trailer is totally inspiring so read more

Ordinarily, I wouldn't care quite so much about all the casting news for one movie, but Oliver Stone's project about George W. Bush is different. These are political figures that everyone is familiar with, and the project is about a president who's still currently in power. I have to admit, I'm intrigued. I wish I'd thought to do a recast challenge for this film, though so far I think the casting decisions have been interesting.

The most recent news has to do with National Security Advisor-turned-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and British prime minister Tony Blair, who will be played by Thandie Newton and Ioan Gruffudd, respectively. Newton is the first non-American cast member in this project to portray a US political figure.

In regard to the script itself, Hollywood Reporter remarks:

As one of the few cabinet members to serve during both Bush terms, Rice's role in the Bush White House is seen as pivotal. According to those who've read the W script, Rice is said to be in a key first scene as well as a number of scenes connected to the Iraq War. Blair also appears in Iraq-related scenes.

Still yet to cast: Vice President Dick Cheney, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, and advisor Karl Rove. Any ideas about who should play these parts?

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I've already admitted Greek is a guilty pleasure of mine, and many of you also came out and admitted that you too love this show. That got me thinking: What is it about this ABC Family series that is so addicting?

After all, Greek has some cheesy and predictable plot lines, is asking me to care about beautiful young people whose biggest concerns include smuggling beer into parties, and concludes most episodes with some tidy lessons about friendship, life, and college. Why are grown-ups like me drawn to a khaki-filled, cutesy show clearly aimed at the young'ns?

The folks behind the show must know they have some older fans, because they slip in some great little references designed to appeal to those of us who can drink legally. It's like making Spencer Grammer's character, Casey, a big fan of Frasier, or quick little lines like when a sorority girl told the Dean (played by Alan Ruck) that she thought Ferris Bueller's Day Off was like the Great Gatsby for a new generation — a joke that works best when you know Ruck played Bueller's best friend. But there's more to it than just its pop-culture cred. While the kids of Greek look like college students and concern themselves with sorority sister problems, they're acting out scenarios familiar to the adult world. To see why I think some primetime adult shows could stand to take notice, just read more

For the second weekend in a row, Jim Sturgess and gang were No. 1 at the box office — though the overall March slump continued. 21 was down a bit from the weekend before but held on to the top spot with a weekend take of $15 million.

As for the No. 2 spot, Variety is calling it a "virtual tie" between George Clooney's Leatherheads (with an estimated $13.5 million) and the Jodie Foster-Abigail Breslin family flick Nim's Island, which brought in $13.3 million.

Horton Hears a Who came in fourth place followed by the big horror film opening of the weekend, The Ruins, which took in $7.8 million. The Rolling Stones documentary by Martin Scorsese, Shine a Light, opened in limited release and brought in $1.5 million.

What did you see at the theaters this weekend? Did you give George and Renee a chance despite so-so reviews?

Photos courtesy of Sony Pictures

You know, though it goes against reason, I somehow thought Charlton Heston would outlive us all. Sadly, the Oscar winner died on Saturday at the age of 84.

Well-known for his award-winning turn in the 1959 epic tale Ben Hur and his role as Moses in The Ten Commandments, Heston was a part of many other great Hollywood films as well, particularly films of historical — and cinematic — significance. Some of these include Planet of the Apes, The Omega Man, Soylent Green, El Cid, The Greatest Story Ever Told, and Julius Caesar.

Heston was also increasingly active politically in his later years and was elected president of the National Rifle Association in 1998. Variety reminds us that he "was famously quoted as saying the only way his gun would be taken away 'is from my cold, dead hands.'" A younger generation might be most familiar with Heston as the aging actor who became incensed by an interview Michael Moore conducted with him in which they discussed America's issues with gun control in Bowling for Columbine.

Heston may not have outlived all of us, but his legacy as an actor who could epitomize, as Variety puts it, "the righteous, virile man" will live on.

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