Our Favor!te Things: Jen Schuster
It’s that time of the year….RECAPS. We asked many of authors, friends, families, coworkers, and some random people on the street what a few of their favorites have been. And we’re posting them here! Starting off with our very own It Books Editor, Jennifer Schuster!
Favor!te Film: Bridesmaids
Favor!te Album: Adele – 21; Jack’s Mannequin – People and Things
Favor!te Book: Just Kids by Patti Smith; Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? By Mindy Kaling
Favor!te Designer: DVF, Tory Burch
Favor!te TV sho
w: Homeland, It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Up All Night, New Girl
Favor!te Twitterer: Mindy Kaling; Sophia Rossi, Khloe Kardashian
Who do you most want to smooch on New Year’s Eve? My husband, this is our first New Year’s Eve as husband and wife!
What do you want the most as a holiday gift? Garmin Forerunner GPS watch for running, so I can track my pace and distance accurately. I could have used one in the NYC marathon this year, so hopefully it will inspire me to run some big races in 2012.
Perfect gifts for everyone on your list…
Your It List presents our top picks for gifts this holiday season for everyone on your list.
Harry Potter Page to Screen by Bob McCabe
Coming in at over 500 amazing pages, Harry Potter: Page to Screen opens the doors to Hogwarts castle and the wizarding world of Harry Potter to reveal the complete behind-the-scenes secrets, techniques, and over-the-top artistry that brought J.K. Rowling’s acclaimed novels to cinematic life.
Buy Harry Potter Page to Screen or watch a video.
How I Got This Way by Regis Philbin
In this entertaining memoir, the irrepressible Reege—consummate talk-show host, man-about-town, loving husband, father, and yes, obsessive sports fan—looks back at his years in show business and is filled with stories of lessons learned—and elbows rubbed—with extraordinary, and often unsuspecting, teachers.
Buy How I Got This Way or read an excerpt.
Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis by David Wills
In Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis, David Wills has gathered spectacular, museum-quality work from Marilyn’s key photographers to create this dazzling portfolio of images from every period of Marilyn Monroe’s adult life, from her wedding day in 1942 till just weeks before her death two decades later, this stunning collection pays homage to her continually evolving style and extraordinary beauty.
Buy Marilyn Monroe: Metamorphosis or read an excerpt.
100 Unforgettable Dresses by Hal Rubenstein
100 Unforgettable Dresses is filled with the stories, secrets, intrigue, and insights behind the most indelible dresses in our collective memories. This book celebrates the staying power of these gorgeous, sleek, sultry, and outrageous creations as well as the lasting impact they’ve had in fashion, popular culture, and our own lives.
Buy 100 Unforgettable Dresses or read an excerpt.
Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon
With unparalleled honesty, Dyan Cannon shares the heartwarming and heartbreaking story of her magical romance and stormy marriage to screen legend Cary Grant. He was the ultimate star, defining Hollywood glamour as well as cinematic achievement. She was a bright new actress, beautiful and funny. What could possibly go wrong?
Buy Dear Cary or read an excerpt.
The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories by hitRECord and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
To create The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1, Joseph Gordon-Levitt directed thousands of collaborators to tell tiny stories through words and art. Reminiscent of the 6-Word Memoir series, The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories: Volume 1 brings together art and voices from around the world to unite and tell stories that defy size.
Buy The Tiny Book of Tiny Stories, read an excerpt or watch a video.
Manolo Blahnik and The Tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker by Camilla Morton, illustrated by Manolo Blahnik
International bestselling author Camilla Morton reimagines the classic “Elves and the Shoemaker” fairytale, blending elements of famed shoe designer Manolo Blahnik’s life story into the fabric of the immortal “Once Upon a Time” favorite, complete with original illustrations from Blahnik himself.
Buy Manolo Blahnik and The Tale of the Elves and the Shoemaker or read an excerpt.
The History of the World According to Facebook by Wylie Overstreet
Now, for the first time, a full-length history of the world, from its creation up through present day, as if Facebook had existed all along and Abraham Lincoln had written a status update about “taking the missus to the theater” and Ben Franklin had done the same alerting his network that he’d signed the Declaration of Independence. Filled with hundreds of real-life historical figures and thousands of not-at-all-real Facebook statuses, this is the definitive humor book for a new generation of scholars.
Buy The History of the World According to Facebook or read an excerpt.
The Art of The Adventures of Tintin by Weta Workshop
Go behind the scenes and explore the movie-making magic that comes alive on screen in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film The Adventures of Tintin, shown through text, photos and illustrations from Weta Worskshop, the ground-breaking and Academy Award-winning visual effects team.
Buy The Art of The Adventures of Tintin or read an excerpt.
Menagerie by Sharon Montrose
Celebrated author and photographer Sharon Montrose presents a compendium of wild and domestic animal portraits displayed in unusual and innovative ways-the perfect gift for the legions of fans of cute animals everywhere.
Buy Menagerie or read an excerpt.
The History of American Graffiti by Roger Gastman and Caleb Neelon
Unprecedented in scope, The History of American Graffiti is the definitive story behind the most influential art form of the last one hundred years. With more than one thousand photographs from more than two hundred photographers, The History of American Graffiti captures the look and feel of a genuine American art form with exceptional clarity and detail.
Buy The History of American Graffiti or read an excerpt.
Tebowing
Forget planking.
Forget owling.
Now there’s Tebowing.
It’s an homage to former Heisman trophy winner quarterback at the University of Florida and starting QB at the Denver Broncos, Tim Tebow.
According the the website, Tebowing.com, the act is defined as: to get down on a knee and start praying, even if everyone around you is doing something completely different. You can see more user-submitted photos on their site.
Tebow is well-known for his Christian beliefs. His book THROUGH MY EYES was a New York Times bestseller.
Don’t Knock the Hustle
HBO’s hip series How to Make It in America is in the middle of its long-awaited and very strong second season. The show is a snapshot of young ambition and energy in NYC – it follows Ben and Cam, aspiring clothing designers as they try to launch their line, and their network of friends. (HBO Sunday nights, from executive producer Mark Wahlberg)
Here are 5 reasons to tune in…
1. Kappo
Eddie Kaye Thomas plays David “Kappo” Kaplan, a nerdy high school classmate of Ben’s who’s hit it big in hedge funds. He’s at once desperate for Ben’s friendship and also trying to be as cool as he perceives Ben and Cam to be. You know Thomas best from his role as Finch in the American Pie franchise.
2. Music
From the opening credits, which features the song “I Need A Dollar” by Aloe Blacc, music supervisor Scott Vener (aka Broke Mogul, also behind the sounds of Entourage) establishes the soundtrack as a pitch perfect balance between the gritty streets of the Lower East Side, and Cam and Ben’s big time dreams of making it.
3. Victor Rasuk as Cam Calderon
He started as Ben’s sidekick but as season two unfolds, he’s evolved, partly inspired by his crush on friend and shop-owner Lulu. As he gets out from underneath the reign of his neighborhood kingpin coustin Rene (played by Luis Guzman), he gets his own place (see #5) and he proves his metal as a hustler worthy of Ben’s artistic talents.
4. Lake Bell
Her character Rachel Chapman started as the typical recent ex-girlfriend of Ben, but this season has evolved into a more complicated woman, hooking up with their mutual friend, dogwalker/pot pusher Domingo (played by Scott Mescudi, aka Kid Cudi).
5. New York City
Not since Sex And the City has New York been such a powerful character in an HBO show. The city comes alive in all the ways that SATC, especially when Cam finally scores his own apartment, a vast improvement from his childhood bedroom that had a view of the dumpster-lined alley. His new pad has a terrace and views of the East River, a gem in the Harlem projects.
Why do you watch How To Make It in America?
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS ACQUIRES NEWMARKET PRESS NAME AND CATALOG
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HARPERCOLLINS PUBLISHERS ACQUIRES NEWMARKET PRESS NAME AND CATALOG
Esther Margolis to Join the It Books Imprint
New York, NY (October 24, 2011) HarperCollins Publishers today announced that it has acquired the rights to the majority of titles published by Newmarket Press. As part of the agreement, Esther Margolis, Founder, President, and Publisher of Newmarket Press, will join the HarperCollins It Books imprint as an Executive Editor, where she will continue to acquire entertainment-related books to be published under the imprint Newmarket Press for It Books. The move is part of HarperCollins’s continuing expansion in the areas of pop-culture and entertainment publishing. The changes are effective immediately.
“For years, Newmarket Press has been the industry’s leading publisher of film-related books. Its list of screenplays, making-of books, tie-ins, and other titles on cinema is second to none. Esther Margolis is a highly respected veteran of both the publishing and the film industries, with unparalleled relationships with countless studios and filmmakers. Her wealth of knowledge and experience in publishing to this audience will be an invaluable asset to the growing It Books list,” said Cal Morgan, Senior Vice President and Publisher, It Books.
“HarperCollins Publishers makes a great home for the Newmarket list,” said Margolis. “The resources of HarperCollins and the It Books team will allow the Newmarket backlist to flourish in all channels and formats while enabling me to add to the list going forward.”
Newmarket Press was founded by Margolis in 1981. During its 29 years, the imprint has published more than 200 books in the areas of film, theater, and performing arts, including official tie-in books for films that have garnered more than 300 Oscar nominations and nearly 100 wins. Newmarket Press is especially noted for its illustrated books on such films as Milk; The Matrix; Gladiator; Moulin Rouge; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon; Chicago; Sense and Sensibility; Saving Private Ryan; and Dances with Wolvesand for its acclaimed Newmarket Shooting Script® Series, including screenplays for King’s Speech, The Hurt Locker, Slumdog Millionaire, Milk, Juno, Little Miss Sunshine; Sideways; Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind; American Beauty; and Shawshank Redemption, among others. Other notable Newmarket titles about moviemaking include The Jaws Log, Final Cut, and Making Tootsie.
In addition, the Newmarket Press list has included more than 100 titles in the fields of parenting, psychology, health, biography, history, business, and fiction, including such popular and acclaimed books as the two-million-copy bestselling What’s Happening to My Body? series of puberty education books by Lynda Madaras; Daphne Oz’s national bestseller The Dorm Room Diet; Suze Orman’s national bestseller You’ve Earned It, Don’t Lose It; Dr. Georgia Witkin’s The Female Stress Syndrome; Gene Hackman & Daniel Lenihan’s first novel, Wake of the Perdido Star; Stuart Avery Gold’s international bestseller Ping: A Frog in Search of a New Pond; Shalom, Friend: The Life and Legacy of Yitzhak Rabin, winner of the National Jewish Book Award in nonfiction; The Words of Gandhi and The Words of Martin Luther King, Jr.; and six works by William Wharton. All non-film-and-entertainment-related Newmarket Press titles acquired by HarperCollins will be published as trade paperbacks under the William Morrow Trade Paperbacks imprint.
Esther Margolis received the 2008 Poor Richard Award from The New York Center for Independent Publishing, given to a publisher who has made an outstanding contribution to the field of independent publishing. A member of the Women’s Forum, the Women’s Media Group, and Writers Guild of America, Margolis serves on the Trade Executive Committee of the Association of American Publishers, and the American Advisory Committee of the Jerusalem International Book Fair. She originated Bantam Books’ publicity operation in the 1960’s, later becoming Bantam’s first division head for marketing, publicity and communications worldwide, and worked closely with such authors as Jacqueline Susann, Maya Angelou, Louis L’Amour, Gail Sheehy, and E.L. Doctorow.
About It Books
Launched in September 2009, It Books is dedicated to publishing exceptional books in entertainment, music, fashion, design, art, celebrity, pop culture and sports. It Books has published numerous New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestsellers including the # 1 New York Times bestsellers Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern and Red by Sammy Hagar as well as Getting the Pretty Back by MollyRingwald, Booky Wook 2 by Russell Brand, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss, All My Life by Susan Lucci and The EveryGirl’s Guide to Life by Maria Menounos. Upcoming publications include Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon and Beauty, Disrupted by Carré Otis. It Books is an imprint HarperCollins Publishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). It Books can be found online at www.YourItList.com, www.Facebook.com/YourItList, www.Twitter.com/YourItList and www.Twitter.com/ItBooks.
About HarperCollins Publishers
HarperCollins, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world, is a subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). Headquartered in New York, HarperCollins has publishing groups around the world including the HarperCollins General Books Group, HarperCollins Children’s Books Group, Zondervan, HarperCollins UK, HarperCollins Canada, HarperCollins Australia/New Zealand and HarperCollins India. HarperCollins is a broad-based publisher with strengths in literary and commercial fiction, business books, children’s books, cookbooks, mystery, romance, reference, religious and spiritual books. With nearly 200 years of history HarperCollins has published some of the world’s foremost authors and has won numerous awards including the Nobel Prize, the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award, the Newbery Medal and the Caldecott. Consistently at the forefront of innovation and technological advancement HarperCollins is the first publisher to digitize its content and create a global digital warehouse to protect the rights of its authors, meet consumer demand and generate additional business opportunities. You can visit HarperCollins Publishers on the Internet at http://www.harpercollins.com.
Exclusive Offer if You Pre-order Harry Potter Page to Screen!
Attention Harry Potter fans! You already know that we’ll be publishing a brand new book Harry Potter Page to Screen, which tells the complete story of how all eight films were made. It goes on sale October 25, but right now we have a special perk for anyone who’s already pre-ordered the book: through the link below, enter your proof of purchase from the store, and you’ll get exclusive access to never-before-seen 20 pages from the book. In addition, once you’re on the entry site, there’s one more bonus for you (maybe this?), so get going, already!
Click here to get access to the brand-new set of 20 pages:
I pre-ordered Harry Potter Page to Screen, now show me the exclusive excerpt!
And we don’t want to leave out anyone who may be waiting to get Page to Screen as a gift, so feast your eyes on and enjoy these additional 2 excerpts:
The Making of Harry Potter & The Goblet of Fire
The Art of Harry Potter
Enjoy these sneak peeks, and we promise you, the full book is worth the wait!
It Books author Carré Otis Discusses her new book, BEAUTY, DISRUPTED
Throughout her career, supermodel and actress Carré Otis has been celebrated for her striking physical beauty—but in this brazenly honest memoir she revisits the ugliest parts of her past to reveal the events that ultimately brought her to strive for, and champion, the kind of beauty that can only be found within. In Beauty, Disrupted, Carré details the triumphs and challenges of her career in modeling, her rise to fame on the covers of Elle, Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, and Marie Claire, her battle against eating disorders and drug addiction, and her infamous marriage to Mickey Rourke. Beauty, Disrupted is her inspiring and personal memoir, a story of difficult lessons learned and inner beauty rediscovered, by a woman famous the world over—not only for her face but, now, for her fighter’s spirit.
See her here, as she gives a few thoughts on her book:
It Books Acquires Rights to Amy: My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse
It Books Acquires Rights to
Amy: My Daughter by Mitch Winehouse
NEW YORK, NY (October 10, 2011) – It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced today that it has acquired Amy: My Daughter, a heartfelt and revelatory memoir by Mitch Winehouse, Amy’s father. Amy will be published worldwide in summer 2012.
Lisa Sharkey, Senior Vice President and Director of Creative Development at HarperCollins, acquired North American rights for It Books. The deal was negotiated with Robin Straus of the Robin Straus Agency acting in conjunction with the Hanbury Agency in London. The book will be edited by Senior Editor Matt Harper.
The now-legendary life of Amy Winehouse needs no introduction. A multiple Grammy-winning recording artist, Amy touched millions with her music during her short but extraordinary life. Following her tragic death in July, Mitch Winehouse is now ready to tell the incredible story of the Amy the public never got to know and understand. From her mischievous early years, through her rise to stardom, to her much-publicized struggles with addiction, Mitch will bring the many layers of her life together—the personal, the private and the public—to create a fitting tribute to his beloved daughter and best friend.
All proceeds from the book will be donated to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, the charity that Mitch has founded in Amy’s name to help children and young adults, especially those who are in need by reason of ill health, disability, financial disadvantage or addiction.
“Amy Winehouse could have been anyone’s daughter,” said Lisa Sharkey. “She was Mitch’s pride and joy and he did everything he could to save her life. Now he celebrates her extraordinary talent by giving us insight into the woman that he and the world lost way too soon. This will surely be the definitive book about Amy. Nobody else could write it.”
Mitch Winehouse said, “I feel that I need to write this book to tell the true story of Amy and to help with my personal recovery. I also want to raise as much money as possible for Amy’s foundation, so all proceeds from the book will go directly to help children who are disadvantaged through illness and substance addiction. I believe that, through Amy’s music, her foundation, and this book, her name will live forever.”
In the United Kingdom, Nick Canham, Editorial Director, Harper Non-Fiction bought UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) from Maggie Hanbury at The Hanbury Agency.
About It Books: Launched in September 2009, It Books is dedicated to publishing exceptional books in entertainment, music, fashion, design, art, celebrity, pop culture and sports. It Books has published numerous New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestsellers including the # 1 New York Times bestsellers Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern and Red by Sammy Hagar as well as Getting the Pretty Back by Molly Ringwald, Booky Wook 2 by Russell Brand, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss, All My Life by Susan Lucci, The EveryGirl’s Guide to Life by Maria Menounos, and current bestsellers Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon and Being Kendra by Kendra Wilkinson. It Books is an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). It Books can be found online at www.YourItList.com, www.Facebook.com/YourItList, www.Twitter.com/YourItList and www.Twitter.com/ItBooks.
(photo from Associated Press)
Grab The Remote – It’s Fall!
Fall is my favorite time of year… the leaves start fading into beautiful autumnal hues, day trips for apple and pumpkin picking, and — most importantly – a new crop of TV shows are ready to delight audiences. Here’s a roundup of what I’ll be watching this fall.
Ringer – CW, Tuesdays at 9pm starting 9/13
Sarah Michelle Gellar makes her triumphant return to the small screen in this drama about a woman who, after witnessing a murder, goes on the run, hiding out by assuming the life of her wealthy identical twin sister after she disappears – only to learn that her sister’s seemingly perfect life is more complicated and dangerous than meets the eye. If that doesn’t sound like the perfect vehicle for SMG, I don’t know what you all are waiting for.
2 Broke Girls – CBS, Mondays at 8:30pm starting 9/19 (series premiere is at 9:30pm, before returning to regular slot on 9/26)
Kat Dennings finally gets her own show. You may know Dennings from her roles as brooding, sexed up teens in The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist. The show’s about two down-and-out waitresses – one from humble background (Dennings) and the other cut off from her wealthy family (relative newcomer Beth Behrs) – who work at a Brooklyn restaurant in hopes of saving up to open their own cupcake shop. Let’s hope the creators Michael Patrick King (Sex and the City creator) and comedian Whitney Cummings can deliver.
New Girl – Fox, Tuesdays at 9pm starting 9/ 20
Zooey Deschanel is invading our living rooms weekly! After a surprise breakup with her model boyfriend, she eventually finds a new place to stay when she moves in with three single guys, who try to teach her a thing or two about men and love.
Whitney – NBC, Thursdays at 9:30 starting 9/22
Chelsea Handler-regular Whitney Cummings stars in this eponymous comedy about a happy, committed relationship that’s not on the fast track to marriage. As Whitney takes stock of the relationship, she tries some unusual ways of spicing it and seeks help from friends around her.
Pan Am — ABC, Sundays at 10p starting 9/25
A stylized, sexy show about flight attendants and pilots in the ‘60s, starring Christina Ricci. The women are newly empowered in the feminist movement sweeping the country and they’re looking for the opportunity to see the world and grab it by the balls.
Hart of Dixie – CW, Mondays at 9pm starting 9/26
A medical drama about a NYC doc (Rachel Bilson) who lands in backcountry Alabama when she can’t find a job. Exec producer is Josh Schwartz, the man behind the O.C., Gossip Girl, and Chuck.
Terra Nova – Fox, Mondays at 8pm starting Sep. 26 (first episode is 2 hours)
This is more of a TV event than another Fall show. From Spielberg and Peter Chernin comes an epic story taking place in the year 2149. Life on Earth is near extinction and, in an effort to save the human race, scientists develop a time machine that takes settlers 85 million years back in time to prehistoric Earth. Terra Nova is the first human colony on the other side of the temporal doorway and it is in the middle of a group of carnivorous dinosaurs.
How to Be a Gentleman — CBS, Thursdays at 8:30p starting 9/29
An etiquette columnist is told to put a modern, sexy twist on his conservative column or be fired. He enlists the help of an old friend, reformed “bad boy” played by Kevin Dillon, who shows him how to loosen up. This should provide your fill of bro humor between reruns of How I Met Your Mother.
What will you be watching?
Countdown to Uniqlo in midtown!
In a short 24 hours, New York Fashion Week (excuse me, Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week) will begin and Lincoln Center will be abuzz with fashion editors, designers, models, and other artists. However, I believe the less couture-oriented among us will appreciate this other fashion tidbit: Uniqlo’s coming to midtown!
Uniqlo flagship store to come, 5th Ave at 53rd St.
Opening on Friday, October 14, the Fifth Avenue location (at the southwest corner of 53rd St.) will be the Japanese retailer’s largest global flagship store. Yes, Fifth Avenue has plenty of flagship stores, but Uniqlo will be a great addition to It Books’s little stretch of the avenue, saving us from Hollister/Gap/H&M fatigue. Come the holidays, tourists will no doubt choke up the sidewalks even more, but I for one am happy to have another mid-market shop. And it’s always nice to see an empty store front find a new store to call it “home”!
Win a Signed copy of Tabatha Coffey’s It’s Not Really About the Hair
Enter for Your Chance to Win a Signed Copy of:
Tabatha Coffey, the star of popular reality show Tabatha’s Salon Takeover on Bravo, shares her compelling life story with fans, revealing not only the events that have made her so outspoken, driven and admired today, but the personal tenets that keep her centered and thriving.
Casting !t: Just Kids
It was announced yesterday via MediaBistro that rock goddess and National Book Award winning author Patti Smith with be helping adapt her amazing memoir Just Kids (my Favor!te book of 2010) for the screen alongside screenwriter and Tony Award winning playwright John Logan.
If you haven’t heard (I can’t see how you haven’t), Just Kids is Smith’s memoir of arriving in New York in 1967 and the then 20 year old’s chance encounter with Robert Mapplethorpe, another 20 year old aspiring artist. It’s her story of their love, their friendship, their art and a New York few would recognize today.
So the question goes out… who would you cast as Smith and Mapplethorpe?
Kristen Stewart (age: 21) and Robert Pattison (age: 25)
Surely these two will be at the top of studio exec’s wish list. Stewart, proved that she could rock in her transformation into Joan Jett in the film biopic The Runaways and the resemblance between the two [rumored] real-life couple to the originals is uncanny. But the fit and the two megastars’ ties to the mega-Twilight-franchise may not hit audiences (or Ms. Smith) the right way.
Frances Bean Cobain (age: 19) and Ezra Miller (age: 18)
The Princess of Grunge as the Godmother of Punk? Can Miss Cobain act? Who knows? But if she can – and would want to step up into the Hollywood world, the photos by Hedi Slimane that recently were released prove she has the look – and the balls – to play Smith. I’d cast the currently almost famous Ezra Miller as Mapplethorpe against Cobain’s Smith. He has the East Village circa 1967 thing down already – and if his performance in the upcoming We Need to Talk About Kevin is as amazing as is being predicted, this could be the massive follow-up he will be looking for.
Emma Watson (age: 21) and Nicholas Hout (age: 21)
Former Harry Potter student Emma Watson seems poised for an image-crashing turn in to catapult her out of Hogwarts. I’d pair her with fellow Brit Nicholas Hout, who came to fame years ago in About a Boy and crashed his own child-star image in the amazing British take on Gossip Girl (but dirtier and better) Skins. His follow-up to that, playing the lovelorn college boy pining for a night with professor Colin Firth in Tom Ford’s A Single Man.
Jennifer Damiano (age: 20) and Eddie Redmayne (age: 29)
Perhaps the modern day Smith and Mapplethorpe might be found forty blocks north of The Village and on Broadway. Jennifer Damiano got amazing attention for her originating role in Spring Awakening. Followed by her Tony-nominated role in Next to Normal. Currently she’s starring in Spider Man. So she should be looking for a new job soon. The Mapplethorpe to Damiano’s Smith? Eddie Redmayne, the Tony award-winning star of Red and the upcoming film My Week with Marilyn.
So who do you think should be cast as Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe in Just Kids?
Hillary Duff is Pregnant!
Not sure where and when Hillary Duff (aka Lizzie McGuire aka Wendy from Casper Meets Wendy) grew up, but it looks like she has. Duff, 23, announced yesterday that she and her hockey-playing husband of one year, Mike Comrie, are expecting their first child. OH EM GEE.
Is it just me or does it seem like she was just feuding over Aaron Carter with Lindsay Lohan? I guess that was all “So Yesterday“ since apparently now the two girls are totes over it. Ah, young love.
But enough of Hillz’s dark past. She is an icon and Lizzie McGuire was an inspiration. I mean, don’t even tell me that the Lizzie McGuire Movie didn’t win an Oscar; It did in my heart. Mistaken for half an Italian pop duo Paolo & Isabella, Lizzie galavants around Rome posing as Isabella and eventually uncovers the not-so-nice truth about Paolo, and of course, falls in love.
Her cartoon inner-psyche would bounce around the screen telling us all what Lizzie was REALLY thinking, usually something profound like, “Nooooo” or “Ethan Craft just said ‘hi’ to me!!!” But more important than her profound declarations in cartoon form is the fact that Lizzie is and was a trendsetter. Perhaps Lizzie’s unmatching clothes weren’t understood at the time, but today, most likely due to Lizzie McGuire’s forward thinking fashion, mixing patterns are a fashion do.
Lizzie tackled the tough issues of the day like, eating disorders, hanging out with the wrong crowd, sneaking into R-rated movies, family issues, and growing up.
Now that Nick has brought back its 90’s classics – All That, Kenan & Kel, Clarissa Explains It All, and Doug – what about Disney? Bring back Lizzie McGuire!!! Oh, and maybe even throw in a little Even Stevens, The Famous Jett Jackson, So Weird, and Kim Possible.
I miss you, Lizzie. I really do. XOXO
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
I’m a fan of the revenge movies such as V for Vendetta (all time favorite), Count of Monte Cristo, Memento, and Man on Fire; just to name a few. However, after reading The Millennium trilogy and watching the 2009 The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo starring Noomi Rapace as the epic Lisbeth Salander and Michael Nyqvist as Mikael Blomkvist, I was hooked on this series and finished with The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest.
Mind you these movies were written and produced in Swedish, but when I heard that they were bringing it to America to re-make, I didn’t know if I should rejoice or be scared out of my mind.
The 2011 Girl with the Dragon Tattoo teaser trailer…was nothing less than epic. Can’t get over the Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song” reproduced by Trent Reznor (NIN) and Karen O (Yeah, Yeah, Yeah’s). I am still nervous about Rooney Mara portraying the damaged Lisbeth Salander and I hope Daniel Craig can do Mikael Blomkvist justice as well. Very happy to see Christopher Plummer in the cast list though. The teaser trailer gives me hope for the movies and I am very excited and a little impatient for December to roll around.
If you have not already looked into this trilogy via movie or books (the books are ALWAYS better), you need to. I’m being very serious…you really need to step away from the computer or better yet hit up amazon that way you never have to leave your seat, and purchase the books.
Fair warning, these are very dark and twisted books with heavy rape, violence, and language; but we are all big kids here right?
You will enjoy it all the same because Lisbeth is just so badass.
It Books Acquires Brad Goreski’s Debut Title
Part style guide, part memoir, and full of inspiration!
NEW YORK, NY (August 4, 2011) – It Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers, announced today that it has acquired Born to Be Brad: Life and Style Lessons from the Front Lines of Fashion, by TV and fashion personality Brad Goreski. The publication of the book will coincide with Goreski’s premiere season on BRAVO’s “It’s a Brad, Brad World,” produced by Shed Media and Television 360, in 2012.
Lisa Sharkey, Senior Vice President and Director of Creative Development at HarperCollins, acquired North American rights for It Books from Farley Chase of the Waxman Literary Agency. Amy Bendell will edit the book. Collaborating with Goreski is writer Mickey Rapkin, former editor at GQ and author of Pitch Perfect (2008), now in development from Universal Pictures.
Fans know Brad Goreski as a top celebrity stylist, fashion trendsetter, and the fun-loving former assistant to Rachel Zoe, but few know the story of how he got there. The book will recount Goreski’s childhood in Port Perry, Ontario, where he escaped the taunts of bullies by reading fashion magazines, performing in the local children’s theater group and playing stylist to Barbie. Moving to Toronto and landing an internship, and later a job at Vogue, helped him break into the competitive fashion world and eventually capture the hearts of millions as the quirky and endearing assistant on BRAVO’s The Rachel Zoe Project. Along with the moving story of his road to success, he will offer a glimpse into his world now, filled with insider access to behind-the-scenes photo shoots and the countless red carpets and awards shows. And of course, the book will also feature his fashion advice and style tips and tricks, complete with color photos.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be working with the creative team at It Books and to tell my story to my fans. Sometimes the hardest thing to do is be true to yourself. I hope that Born to be Brad will inspire others to pursue their dreams, because to make dreams come true we have to listen to our hearts and not be afraid to fail,” said Brad Goreski.
“There’s no one out there like Brad, and this book will be as unique and creative as the style trendsetter Brad has become. Fans everywhere will be empowered by his moving life story, and entertained by his wit,” said Lisa Sharkey.
About It Books: Launched in September 2009, It Books is dedicated to publishing exceptional books in entertainment, music, fashion, design, art, celebrity, pop culture and sports. It Books has published numerous New York Times, Wall Street Journal and Los Angeles Times bestsellers including the # 1 New York Times bestsellers Sh*t My Dad Says by Justin Halpern and Red by Sammy Hagar as well as Getting the Pretty Back by MollyRingwald, Booky Wook 2 by Russell Brand, The Red Hot Chili Peppers by The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Everyone Loves You When You’re Dead by Neil Strauss, All My Life by Susan Lucci and The EveryGirl’s Guide to Life by Maria Menounos. Upcoming publications include Dear Cary by Dyan Cannon and Beauty, Disrupted by Carré Otis. It Books is an imprint HarperCollins Publishers, one of the largest English-language publishers in the world and a subsidiary of News Corporation (NASDAQ: NWS, NWSA; ASX: NWS, NWSLV). It Books can be found online at www.YourItList.com, www.Facebook.com/YourItList, www.Twitter.com/YourItList and www.Twitter.com/ItBooks.
Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. Coming Soon
From our guest blogger Leanne Miller from playittoday.org
One of the most eagerly anticipated film trailers of 2011 hit the web recently in the form of the fourth entry in Tom Cruise’s Mission Impossible franchise – and it seems there are plenty of new reasons to get excited about its release.
Five reasons to get excited about the Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol film trailer
Overall, it looks like Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol, to give its full title, promises the same high octane action we’ve come to expect from the series.
A brand new director – in more ways than one…
The film news websites and blogs went crazy with excitement last May when it was confirmed that Brad Bird had been selected to direct the fourth Mission Impossible movie. But questions were raised as to what fans could expect. Ghost Protocol won’t be Bird’s directorial debut, but with only animated features like The Iron Giant, The Incredibles and Ratatouille to his name, everyone is looking forward to seeing what he can do with a live action feature.
A brand new Tom Cruise?
In addition to starring as Hawkeye in Marvel’s upcoming superhero-athon The Avengers, Jeremy Renner has been added to the Mission Impossible 4 cast and many have suggested he could return as the replacement for Cruise as lead character Ethan Hawke if the series continues. Speaking to Collider.com, co-star Simon Pegg even commented: “[Mission Impossible 4] certainly sets up a new IMF agent who can return and who is an Ethan-level player.”
Two brand new – but familiar – faces
Fans of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and its two made-for-TV sequels will already know the face of Michael Nyqvist. As Mikael Blomkvist (the role being taken on by Daniel Craig in the upcoming remake), he was the investigative journalist who partnered with the trilogy’s eponymous female, but here he’s playing the bad guy. Another familiar name that has been added to the Mission Impossible cast is Lost star Josh Holloway. Although not too much is known about his part, it seems he’ll be on the side of the good guys.
A brand new love interest?
Special Agent Ethan Hawke hasn’t had much luck with his female co-stars in the previous films. But following in the footsteps of femmes fatales and love interests like Emmanuelle Beart, Thandie Newton and Michelle Monaghan, Paula Patton (Precious) and Lea Seydoux (Inglourious Basterds) will be the ladies we’ll be watching in Mission Impossible 4. Will there be romance? Will there be double-crossing? Well, only time will tell – but my guess is yes!
Cowboys & Aliens Sweepstakes
Enter for your chance to win:
Cowboys & Aliens Prize Pack
Set in The Old West: an era when all a man could depend on was his horse and his six-gun, and settlers and Indians fought it out for territory on the last American frontier. Invaders from another planet have crash-landed, and cowboys and Indians alike must put aside their differences to drive the aliens off the sovereign soil of planet Earth.
Russell Brand’s Tribute to Amy Winehouse
It’s been a few days since Amy Winehouse’s untimely passing, and the web is full of remembrances, well-wishes, and the like. One that has particularly stuck with this blogger is from comedian Russell Brand, who posted an honest, poignant, and compelling look back at his relationship with Amy through his eyes as a former addict. From his first meeting with her:
Carl Barrat told me that “Winehouse” (which I usually called her and got a kick out of cos it’s kind of funny to call a girl by her surname) was a jazz singer, which struck me as bizarrely anomalous in that crowd. To me with my limited musical knowledge this information placed Amy beyond an invisible boundary of relevance; “Jazz singer? She must be some kind of eccentric” I thought. I chatted to her anyway though, she was after all, a girl, and she was sweet and peculiar but most of all vulnerable.
To when he realized her musical genius:
Entering the space I saw Amy on stage with Weller and his band; and then the awe. The awe that envelops when witnessing a genius. From her oddly dainty presence that voice, a voice that seemed not to come from her but from somewhere beyond even Billie and Ella, from the font of all greatness. A voice that was filled with such power and pain that it was at once entirely human yet laced with the divine. My ears, my mouth, my heart and mind all instantly opened. Winehouse. Winehouse? Winehouse! That twerp, all eyeliner and lager dithering up Chalk Farm Road under a back-combed barnet, the lips that I’d only seen clenching a fishwife fag and dribbling curses now a portal for this holy sound. So now I knew. She wasn’t just some hapless wannabe, yet another pissed up nit who was never gonna make it, nor was she even a ten-a-penny-chanteuse enjoying her fifteen minutes. She was a f*cking genius.
I strongly recommend you read his post in full here. If you want to read more of Russell’s story through fame, addiction, and recovery in his own unique voice, check out his books My Booky Wook and My Booky Wook 2.
We’ll leave you with classic jazz-y Amy, in “Back to Black”:
Once More, With Feeling
It’s a question we’ve all asked ourselves at one point or another: if I were trapped on a desert island that magically had electricity and a television, but could only bring one TV series to watch, what would it be? I decided to take it a step further: what if I could only bring a single episode of a TV show?
In addition to being awesome, it would need to possess certain qualities:
- Satisfying to watch repeatedly
- Enough of a relationship to the rest of the show that hours of entertainment could be had by discussing (with yourself or your volleyball) the larger significance of the episode
- Not a cliffhanger. How evil would that be?
For me, the answer is, hands down, the Buffy musical episode, “Once More, With Feeling.”
For those of you who have seen it, I know that you know what I’m talking about. This is clearly the right choice.
For everyone else: First off, I can tell that you’re thinking, “A musical episode of a show about high school students who fight demons? How could that be good?”* Well, I’m not the only one who thinks so. It was nominated for an Emmy, and received rave reviews, like “‘Once More, with Feeling’ is rhapsodic, original, deeply affecting, and ultimately, transcendental. Quite simply, television at its best.” (The Toronto Star) Also, if you’re a fan of Glee, just think: wouldn’t Glee be even better with a few vampires and Joss Whedon’s writing?**
The basic premise is that a demon (a dancing demon…no, something isn’t right there) shows up in Sunnydale, and suddenly everyone is singing and dancing about anything and everything: dry cleaning, parking tickets, the difficulty of feeling connected to life when you’ve been brought back from the dead by your well-intentioned friends, secret plans for leaving town, bunny conspiracy theories. You know, the usual. It doesn’t sound too demonic until you realize that A) some people are dancing until they burst into flames and B) nobody has any control over what they’re singing, so they end up spilling their innermost secrets.
In terms of desert island appeal:
- Think of the weeks of entertainment that could be gained by learning all of the songs (if, um, one didn’t already know them) and the corresponding dance moves.
- The execution is brilliant; hours could be spent marveling over how well the songs move the action forward. The songs are a realistic (within the Buffyverse) way of having secrets come into the open all at once–how cool a premise is that?
- Because of that, there are many major plot points happening within this episode, so there’s tons of stuff to analyze. (To be fair, this would only be helpful if you had seen, at a minimum, the first part of the season.)
There are a number of jokes that are easy to miss the first time or five around, so it only gets better the more you watch.- Spike. (Swoon.)
- Perhaps most importantly, if you are stuck on an island watching a single episode of anything over and over again, you need an episode that will motivate you to get your butt in gear, build a raft and/or signal fire, and figure out how to get off the island already.*** Buffy’s struggle to reconnect with her own life should resonate with you and motivate you in your time of need.
So–if you had to pick only one hour of TV to bring to your island, what would it be?
*Technically, because this episode is in the 6th season, only Dawn is still a high school student. The others graduated in epic Sunnydale style at the end of Season 3. Speaking of which–Alyssa Rosenberg has an excellent post about graduation & after here.
**Yes.
***It seems like Lost or Survivor might also have episodes that would be good for this particular purpose. But do they have singing and dancing? No. No, they do not.
The 90′s are BACK!
The 90′s are back but in the best possible way!
As a child born in the late 80′s and raised in the 90′s I feel it is my duty, nay, my honor to share with you the joy that Nickelodeon gave to me in my childhood years (dramatic much?). This week Teen Nick launched “90′s Are All That” promoting the late night 90′s shows that are now back at Nickelodeon. These shows include: All That, Kenan & Kel, Clarissa Explains It All, and Doug (a personal favorite).
It is rumored that the executives over at Nick are open to suggestions for other 90′s favorites to be added to the late night list. Personally, I wouldn’t mind Rugrats, CatDog, Hey Arnold!, The Secret World of Alex Mack, or my favorite, Are You Afraid of the Dark?, to be added to the line-up.
Did I stay up late last night giggling like the child I was over the epic shorts from All That?
You bet your bottom dollar I did!
If you are like myself, and many other kids of the 90′s, then what are some of your favorite shows from way back when?
Don’t Dream It, Be It
When I was an aspiring punk kid in the 80s, regular pilgrimages to St. Mark’s Place were a must. This was the punk girl’s (and boy’s) Ladies’ Mile, where all the important stores were. I was never prouder than the day I acquired my pleather bustier from Trash and Vaudeville. And of course no proto punk was complete until you’d bleached your hair to a crisp and then MANIC PANICed the hell out of it. (My color of choice: Lagoon Blue.) The shop and its namesake hair-dye line were started by sisters Tish and Snooky (no, not that Snooki), members of Blondie’s earliest incarnation, and denizens of the East Village scene. The original St. Mark’s boutique is long gone—a victim of the upward mobility of the East Village in particular, and Manhattan in general, along with other alt.culture mainstays like, CBs, Unique, and Zoot—but now for a limited time only you can capture that retro 80s look in all its Liquid Sky glory with a new line of MANIC PANIC cosmetics: Creature of the Night. What better to wear to that Missing Persons reunion show?
Cowboys & Aliens: Read It Before You See It!
There are only a few days until the official US release of Cowboys & Aliens on July 29! The 2,000 lucky ducks who find Cowboys & Aliens gold bricks in San Diego this week for Comic-Con will have a first crack at the film’s world premiere on Saturday, but for the rest of us regular folk, here’s some pre-movie homework: check out the inspiration for the movie, the original Cowboys & Aliens graphic novel so you can compare how the project evolved from page to screen! [/end shameless plug]
The graphic novel was created by Scott Mitchell Rosenberg of Platinum Studios and published this year by us at It Books. Browse the first few pages here:
Then check out the movie trailer below, and showtimes in your local theater:
Bonus: director Jon Favreau conducted a bunch of interviews with his stars, posted on the CowboysAliensIntrvws YouTube channel. Here’s a clip with Harrison Ford talking about his character Colonel Dolarhyde’s cowboy hat, and how he vetoed the whip originally written in the script (no Indy redux!). Wow, he sounds like a cowboy even when he’s just chatting with his direction!
Cowboys & Aliens opens on Friday, July 29, 2011 from Universal Pictures. The graphic novel is in stores now; click below to buy, or stop by your favorite store. Also available as an e-book.
So You Wanna Be a Pop $tar
In major news this week, Rebecca Black’s new single “My Moment” came out. It actually, bizarrely, made me miss “Friday,” which had a charming level of innocence (and left me giving thanks to the digital gods that broadband did not exist when I was in high school). But although I think she looks gorgeous in the new video, upping the production level seems to have cheapened the effect. It’s just not as fun, fun, fun, fun as her breakout hit.
Still, quality aside, I have to give this fourteen year old props for continuing to cash in. “Friday” didn’t make as much as many people thought—Slate.com used their better-than-a-book-editor-with-a-calculator math skills to run the numbers and figured she netted $20K or less from the whole deal (full rundown here). I’m not sure what the minimum dollar value would be for me to agree to let professionals dress me up and teach me some dance moves, but I would probably do it for $20K. (Hear that, music pros? Call me.*) In fact…just how many downloads would I have to sell in order to make a living as an internet pop star?
Well. On InformationIsBeautiful.net, data visualization ninja (and author of The Visual Miscellaneum**) David McCandless decided to tackle the question of how much money musicians actually make online—and just how many downloads it would take them to make minimum wage. Check it out (full post here):
Conclusion: After a careful review of the numbers, I’ll leave the music career to Rebecca Black—but I’ll happily edit her memoir when the day comes! (Hear that, Rebecca? Call me.***)
*If anyone has a copy of my 8th grade play video, please do not share it with the music pros, or they will never attempt to teach me dance moves.
**Full disclosure: I’m the editor, and the book is mind-blowingly awesome, thanks entirely to David. You can view more of his visualizations here.
***Seriously.
The Hunger Games
If you don’t know what The Hunger Games is then you should know that this is definitely a bandwagon worth hopping on. Those dealing with “P.P.D.” (Post Potter Depression) can look forward to a new series that could be the next Harry Potter. Though these two series are vastly different, the underground fan following of Suzanne Collins’ book trilogy The Hunger Games is much larger than anyone has yet to see.
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen, who lives alone with her mother and younger sister, regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that will weigh survival against humanity and life against love.
Now that Lionsgate has announced the movie to be released March 23, 2012 it has sent the fans into a frenzy and thirsting for more. Jennifer Lawrence, who recently played Raven/Mystique on the big screens X-Men: First Class, has been announced as the beloved heroine, Katniss Everdeen, for the Hunger Games movie. Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth have also been added to the casting list as the fans favorites Peeta (Hutcherson) and Gale (Hemsworth).
Lawrence has my vote!
As we await the 200+ days until the movie arrives, check out the Official Hunger Games movie website to grab their HOT poster widget and movie countdown.
Things are going to start heating up really quick.
