USHER GETTING INTO THE MOVIE MIX by Brad Balfour For Usher Raymond IV, making the move from R&B superstar / singer / composer (his most recent album Confessions sold nine million copies) to actor had to present some risks – if not to his pocketbook, then to his ego. But Usher decided to take that risk when he was offered the role … Continue reading
JACI VELASQUEZ AMAZING GRACE by Abraham Kuranga Jaci Velasquez has been a bonafide superstar in Contemporary Christian Music for quite some time now. She has accumulated numerous awards and accolades including a Dove Award, the CCM genre’s equivalent of the Grammy Award. All the success in such a short time has not taken away from whom Jaci Velasquez truly … Continue reading
RICHARD GERE THE SEASON FOR GETTING SPIRITUAL by Brad Balfour Because Richard Gere has spent years alternating between being a cinematic sex symbol (Chicago, Pretty Woman) and Tibetan Buddhist devotee, he had a unique experience to enhance his role as Saul Naumann, the college professor who encourages his young daughter Eliza to both become a spelling bee … Continue reading
James Mangold A Director Walks the Fine Line Towards the Oscars by Brad Balfour Throughout his career, New York-born director James Mangold has offered an uncanny look at relationships since his first film Heavy, whether it be with cops (Cop Land), women (Girl, Interrupted), or a couple (Kate and Leopold). Now, with his latest, Walk the Line, he again examines a couple … Continue reading
Tristan Prettyman Rides the Crest by Jay S. Jacobs Tristan Prettyman would rather be surfing. Not that she doesn’t love her current career as a singer/songwriter, but she might just be talked into chucking it all for a guaranteed endless supply of great waves. She has been on the beach since she was a little … Continue reading
Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina Checkin’ In by Jay S. Jacobs The band came to be in the early 70s and was made up of two distinctly talented parts. Jim Messina was a respected producer and former member of the acclaimed groups Poco and the Buffalo Springfield. Kenny Loggins was a new kid on the … Continue reading
Rainn Wilson Trying Harder in The Office by Ken Sharp Whoever said it doesn’t rain in Southern California is an idiot. It’s an atypically dismal day in Los Angeles; overcast, chilly and raining just enough to make driving a miserable experience. But it all makes perfect sense, because today I’m driving to the set of The … Continue reading
Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint On Fire About Harry Potter by Brad Balfour Obviously, the best place to start investigating the fourth Harry Potter film, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, is to begin with talking to the series’ youthful stars – Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Emma Watson (Hermione), and Rupert Grint (Ron) – … Continue reading
liz phair exile from indieville by jay s. jacobs Okay, indie snobs, lay off of Liz Phair already, would ya? Yes, I know she was your poster girl back in 1993 when she released the rightfully celebrated alt-rock album Exile in Guyville, a lo-fi celebration of classic riffs and low life. Here was a cute alt chick that … Continue reading
hope partlow who she is… by abraham kuranga With a cute southern accent and an even more sincere demeanor, Hope Partlow has snuck onto the music scene and is ready to make a lot of noise. From her humble beginnings in Drummonds, Tennessee, Hope has had her eyes set on this moment for a long time. “I … Continue reading
