Jeffrey Katzenberg and M. Night Shyamalan Featured at 3D Movie Summit

Jeffrey Katzenberg

On September 15th and 16th at The Hilton Los Angeles Universal City, Ca, many of the Movie and Entertainment Industry's key players will meet for something called the 3D Entertainment Summit. But since this is really a story of the emergence of the 3D movie, it's more appropriate and searchable to call it the 3D Movie Summit.

The 2010 event is the third one in this annual meeting. Produced by Unicomm and The Bob Dowling Group, the idea is to have a forum to discuss and share ideas on the current and future state of the 3D art as applied to entertainment. It features DreamWorks CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg as keynote speaker and M. Night Shyamalan (Devil) as a featured participant.

3D Movies Are More Plentiful, But Drawing Crowds?

The 2010 3D Entertainment Summit comes amid a lot of excitement and a lot of concern about the expanded use of 3D. Avatar Producer and Director James Cameron recently spoke out against the conversion of 2D movies to 3D and called for a kind of committee to review and use of 3D in movies. Cameron even went so far as to slam Clash Of The Titans as an example of bad 3D.

About Clash, Cameron said "They worked against themselves with that film. I've heard people say that they couldn't watch (Clash of the Titans) in 3D and thought it looked better in 2D and they enjoyed the film more." Then Cameron added "Let's not do stupid stuff that's going to hurt this burgeoning marketplace."

Cameron attended the 2009 3D Entertainment Summit and reportedly "wowed" everyone as he was set to open Avatar; as of this writing, he's not listed as participating in the 2010 summit.

But Cameron's comment about "stupid stuff" could be leading to the reason why a number of 3D movie efforts don't pay for themselves at the box office.

On top of that, panning 3D has become sport of late. Jon Favreau, producer and director of the Iron Man movie series and the up-coming Cowboys & Aliens, gave an impromptu speech at Comic Con 2010 that's been the talk of the Entertainment Industry.

Favreau said that he wanted to make Cowboys & Aliens in 3D but didn't want to use video. The only option, making it in 2D and then converting it to 3D was one that was so disliked, the Comic Con audience said "NO." Here's the video:



Where 3D goes and is going in the wake of this developing "backlash" will be the talk of the 3D Entertainment Summit.

Stay tuned.

Walking and Talking With Mom On A Georgia Summer Evening

Regular readers of this space know this blogger travels to Atlanta, Georgia to help Mom and just keep her company almost every month. My mother lost her husband and my stepfather in 2005 and to prostate cancer. (In fact, my Mom had breast cancer, and my father and stepfather passed away from prostate cancer in 2005, so that was a hard year.) Fortunately between good friends nearby and my aunts and uncles just four hours by drive in Tennessee, and then me, she's not without company.

Even though it's hard on me as an only child, and I'll explain why later in this post, I do enjoy my company with my Mother and for several reasons. First, she knows who I am as a person. Second, I don't know how much life I have to share with her, she's a breast cancer survivor, so things she may said or done that have bothered me in the past, don't impact me anymore. Third, she's my only family member. And finally, my stress goes away when I'm here. We're out in the country where you need a good car to get to, and the wide open space (which is evident in the video) is incredible.

I find Oakland to be a stressful place to live. If it's not the noise and the constant sirens, it's the fact that at times it seems people are everywhere and you can't escape them. Then there's the occasionally neurotic person who's screwed up for some reason. Then there's the city's constant need for money such that it tries to get it from high parking rates and fees for this and that. And finally it's the large number of people who seem unhappy because they're out of work or for some other reason.

Now, all of that's offset by the fact that I know a lot of people and I am very much part of the fabric of the Oakland community. I have a good set of Godparents in Oakland, and friends I love very much. Plus, there are a lot of small "life fabric" improvements to celebrate in Oakland. But the overall mood of the city has been more negative than positive for most of the time I've lived in it. Oaklanders always talk about potential; I'm tired of hearing about that. After a while that gets to be a bit much.

So all of that brings me here to Georgia. Yes, Mom would love it if I has a family with kids, and that will happen one day. But my priority is to make sure my Mom's doing fine.

That's what my friends - some of them - don't seem to get. I'm an only child - no brothers or sisters to help out with Mom. My mindset is different such that I have to make my schedule with my Mother in mind. Thankfully my work makes that possible.

But all of that's mostly my guilt, which I've learned is common in only children to have. Whatever the reason, I've never felt better about me than over these last few years of my life. And that's because I'm right with my Mom.

Raiders Darrius Heyward-Bey Called "Turd" By KNBR / 49ers Gary Plummer

Darrius Heyward-Bey 

According to a tweet issued by Ann Killion just one minute ago as per this writing, KNBR Color Announcer and Former San Francisco 49ers Linebacker Gary Plummer issued an unfortunate description of Oakland Raiders Wide Receiver Darrius Heyward-Bey just before the Raiders Preseason game against the 49ers.

Killion tweets that Plummer called Heyward-Bey (or DHB), a "turd."

Here's her tweet:

annkillion - On my way to the game tonight in Oakland I heard #49ers broadcaster Gary Plummer call #Raiders DHB a "turd" on the radio. Really.
1 minute ago via TweetDeck

Gary Plummer, who's not a bad guy from personal experience, could have picked a better term to use in talking about Darrius Heyward-Bey. While it's true the Raiders should not have selected DHB as high as they did in the 2009 NFL Draft, they have him and in the middle of a dramatic coaching staff and system change. Give DHB a chance this year; he will surprise observers.

True Blood newlyweds pre-Emmy Bash party by Suzannah B. Troy

Hey all you True Blood fans, first the newlyweds Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer showed up for a pre-Emmy bash and the most adorable photo and dish on the hot couple and other celebs is covered by Pop Watch on EW.com

I am looking forward to tomorrow night!!!  How about you?  Here is a clip from HBO.  It is superb, fantastic, beyond thrilling and very, very  short so here is the link!   It is Eric confronting Russell!!!!!!

The back drop is a painting I wish I could get a closer look at and in a very unusual quiet why the clip made me think of Westerns I used to watch as a little girl when I had a crush on John Wayne.  Eric reminds me of a very slender John Wayne but this scene has an odd elegance and beauty packed to the brim with tension!  Is tomorrow night going to get very bloody?

I watched several times already in anticipation.   I even check TV guide listings to make sure True Blood is on tomorrow.  You might want to check out that link if you haven't.  The page has all kind of fun True  Blood references including an update on the actress Lois Smith who played Sookie and Jason's Granny. Check it out.  Enjoy.  I will meet you back here tomorrow night after True Blood.
Fangs away!
best,

Suzannah B. Troy

Ed Schultz loud and proud in DC

Ed Schultz spoke loud and proud at Al Sharpton’s ‘Reclaiming the Dream’ Rally in DC, today, speaking as a proud, successful product of middle class integrated education. With all the unseemly divisiveness and unexpectedly blatant racist rhetoric today in America, it was refreshing to see American leaders speak up for the dream of peace and social justice Martin Luther King Jr. always preached so eloquently.

Thousands gathered at Dunbar High School in Washington DC today, to commemorate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream Speech" at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., 47 years ago today. The Rev. Al Sharpton and other civil rights leaders in attendance gave moving speeches in tribute to MLK and the work still unfinished in America, to make King’s dream a reality.

Sharpton directly addressed states’ rights as incongruous with Dr. King’s teachings and instead focused on education, poverty, jobs and immigration reform. Sharpton told his rally it was important to keep King's dream alive and that despite progress more needs to be done. "Don't mistake progress for arrival," he said.

You may ask, what do I know about racism and bigotry in this country, not being a victim of racial discrimination myself. Well I know the difference between right and wrong and anyone who hates another simply because they may be different from themselves, is truly a sad excuse for a human being, let alone an American.

I voted for Obama, campaigning feverishly for the ‘Change’ America so desperately needs and took a lot of guff from those who told me I had no place in supporting a black candidate for president. I supported the best man for the job period, and personally did not care about anything else.

My family upbringing exposed me to bigotry, but I made my decision to embrace tolerance as a lifestyle when, within a matter of weeks, assassins’ bullets robbed America of two great humanitarian leaders: Martin Luther King Jr. and Bobby Kennedy in 1968. I was only 8 at the time, but felt both losses very deeply.

What I cannot understand is how America in the year 2010 could revert to such rampant racism, not seen so openly manifested in this country for decades. 47 years ago, MLK spoke of the Fierce Urgency of Now. In 2008 President Obama used those same words but in a different context, to describe what needs to be fixed in this country. Have we learned so little in nearly 50 years time that race should still divide Americans?

With Beck’s “I have a scheme” rally in DC not far from Sharpton’s gathering, it was widely speculated that there could be some disruptive or violent outbursts, should the Reclaiming the Dream attendees mingle with the Back Head crowd. Sharpton and the several thousand marching with him did cross paths with some of the crowds leaving Beck's rally. People wearing "Restoring Honor" and tea party T-shirts looked on as Sharpton's group chanted "reclaim the dream" and "MLK, MLK." Both sides were generally restrained, although there was some mutual taunting.

Sharpton’s crowd honored the great words of Martin Luther King Jr., when in his 1963 speech he said:

"In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force."

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Jimena (Ximena) Navarrete Miss Universe Reads David Letterman Top 10 List

Fresh from her win as 2010 Miss Universe, the now-Former Miss Mexico Ximena Navarrete (who's name has been misspelled as "Jimena Navarrete") appeared on The Late Show With David Letterman and to read the David Letterman Top 10 List as only she can do.

Here's the video of Jimena (Ximena) Navarrete reading the list, followed by the test of what she said:



And here's the text courtesy of Babble.com:

10: "Inspire peace and unity by looking hot."

9: "During this bedbug crisis, go door-to-door scratching the itchy."

8. “Bring your car to my house, and I’ll change the oil.”

7. "I'll find a new wack-job to take over as American Idol judge."

6: “I’ll offer Osama Bin Laden a meet-and-greet. When he shows up, BAM, we grab him.”

5: “Teach men to pull over and ask for directions. Am I right, ladies?”

4: "Give world what it really needs, a new celebrity perfume."

3: "Bring peace and stability to Jennifer Aniston’s love life."

2. "Gonna go around the globe, kicking butt like The Expendables."

1. "Support equal rights for less attractive people, like Dave."

Judging by the search rankings, Ximena Navarrete's still an Internet hit in Mexico. Google Insight For Search reports that overall search intensity for her name spelled with a "j" - a common error - is 26, where as it was 100 last Tuesday. But in Mexico, it's at 100. But when her name's spelled with an "X" the search intensity increases to 31 Worldwide, and 100 in Mexico.

Paris Hilton Arrested Drug Bust? by Suzannah B. Troy

According to CNN News, Paris Hilton was arrested Friday night Nevada  on cocaine charges.  She was pulled over by the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas.  The police detected the smell of marijuana and she was arrested for suspicion of carrying cocaine.  I guess you could say the arresting officer won the drug lottery arresting the Hilton Hotel heiress who not so long ago wiggled out of an alleged marijuana arrest in South Africa.

Paris Hilton sure gets around in trouble, and the police always seem to be close by.   TMZ of course has the mug shot for Paris Hilton fans!

Paris Hilton's lawyer is already quoted in People Magazine saying, "Don't Judge Paris Hilton on drug bet yet."  He is quoted in People as also saying,  "This matter will be dealt with in the courts, not in the media, and I encourage people not to rush to judgment until all of the facts have been dealt with in a court of law," attorney David Chesnoff said in a statement. "


I am not a Paris Hilton fan, although I did watch part of the sex tape, and I felt sorry for her.  She did not appear to like the sex at all, and as I recall she found part of it painful.  She just wanted to go out and party.   I am glad the police are not giving her special treatment.  Paris, if you want to party and be above the law, come to NYC.