AND THE SHOW MUST GO ON…
Well, the months-long red carpet waltz is over, and now the A-listers can get back to their day jobs. Oscar nominee George Clooney hit the Wilshire Ebell Theatre for a benefit reading of “8.” He joined local legend Martin Sheen for a powerhouse performance about California’s controversial same-sex ballot initiative, Proposition 8.
George, who picked up several prestigious prizes (but no Oscar) for “The Descendants,” returns to movieland in “Gravity.” He has been working with “Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close” star Sandra Bullock on the film, which tells the tale of the lone survivor of a space mission to repair the Hubble telescope who makes a desperate attempt to return to Earth to be reunited with his daughter.
“Moneyball” nominee Brad Pitt has a slew of flicks on the board. With a wife, six kids and nonstop travels around the world, it’s hard to imagine how he makes time. Yet he does, and Brad has been working away on “World War Z,” “Cogan’s Trade” and “Voyage of Time.”
“World War Z” is quite a departure from his baseball role as the Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane in “Moneyball.” This one is action all the way. Brad plays the part of Gerry Land, and if you liked The King of Pop’s “Thriller,” this one should be right up your alley. It’s the story of a United Nations employee racing against time and fate. He, too, travels around the world, but instead of doing movies and toting tots, he’s trying to stop the outbreak of a deadly Zombie pandemic.
Also on tap for this Hollywood hearthrob is “Cogan’s Trade.” Like “World War Z,” this crime thriller is action packed. Brad portrays Jackie Cogan in a great gangsta tale. Cogan is a professional enforcer investigating a heist that went down during a mob-protected poker game.
If big bad Brad isn’t enough of a draw, nothing says mafia like Soprano James Gandolfini and goodfella Ray Liotta, who will add some extra heft to the pic.
After her big Oscar win for Best Actress as Margaret Thatcher in “The Iron Lady,” look for legendary Meryl Streep to return to the screen. Marvelous Meryl shows her versatility once again in a comedy called “Great Hope Springs.” This one’s about a middle-aged couple seeking a weekend of intense counseling to repair their 30-year marriage. Meryl plays Maeve Soames, Tommy Lee Jones stars as her husband Arnold and the one and only Steve Carell checks in as Dr. Bernie Field.
They’ve been waltzing the red carpet for months looking picture perfect for every event and honor. Some win, but even if they lose, these unstoppable stars take a licking and keep on ticking.
TSUNAMI TALES ON TLC
It’s hard to believe a year has gone by since Japan’s massive earthquake and tsunami. But you don’t need to go to the movies to see footage that would make you gasp. At 9 p.m. on Thurs., March 8, you can see the real thing. It’s a one-hour show recorded by real life survivors who tell their amazing tales of living through the disaster.
The show was produced for Discovery Studios by (yours truly) longtime Malibu Times contributor and television producer Kim Devore.
Much of the footage was gathered from the survivors themselves. It’s an eye-opener that speak volumes about our fragile world and the triumph of the human spirit.
“Japan Tsunami: Tales of Terror” airs tonight at 9 p.m. on TLC.