New Lovers Blake and Gwen Are Getting Creative

NBC

Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, recent divorcées, are dating.  While this piece of news about the pair of The Voice judges is not new, Entertainment Tonight is reporting that their relationship might go beyond the romantic, and start turning professional.  

Apparently Shelton and Stefani had an impromptu meeting at the Los Angeles studio where The Voice coach training happens.  Shelton arrived first, and was joined later by a rushed Gwen.  Entertainment Tonight also confirms that the couple have written a song together, so this meeting might have been the recording of the song.  The other theory might just be that they wanted a private place to their own for a while.  

What exactly the new song might sound like, it’s unclear.  Blake did take Gwen to his ranch in Oklahoma recently, so maybe she’s taking a liking to country life and country music.  Should we expect the “Hollaback Girl” artist to start adding a bit more banjo to her songs?  Or Maybe Blake is trying to find the perfect mix of pop and country that turned Taylor Swift into the queen of the charts.  

Why We Really Need to Stop Calling it ISIS

AP

Following the attacks on Paris on November 13, the self-proclaimed Islamic State has dominated the news.  However, the way media in France are covering the news severely differs from the way media back in America has in one specific and essential way.  Ever since President Hollande’s speech on the day of the attacks, the French have been using the word “Daesh” instead of ISIS to talk about the terrorists.  

It’s important to remember that the term ISIS means the Islamic State of Iraq and greater Syria.  President Obama and his cabinet have preferred to use the term ISIL, which stands for Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (the Levant being a historical term to describe much of the Middle East).  All these terms are problematic as they give legitimacy to Daesh’s claims of being an Islamic organization despite its actions being rejected by the majority of Muslims and by Muslim leaders around the world.  Furthermore, translating their ambitions of dominating Iraq, Syria, and the Levant region (which can comprise Palestine, Israel and even Cyprus depending on the ambiguous usage of the term) legitimizes their claim to power.
 

This is where “Daesh” comes in.  The French media and government have consistently used the word after the attacks.  While the word is actually another acronym (like ISIS or ISIL) it is the Arabic acronym of the terrorist organization’s full name: al-Dawla al-Islamiya fi al-Iraq wa al-Sham.  It literally translates to Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, which may explain why the Obama administration has insisted in using ISIL over ISIS.  

The beauty of using the term Daesh resides in two very important points: translation and meaning.  By using the Arabic term instead of translating it, we remove any recognition to their claims.  It is important to let Daesh know that while we care deeply about those they have affected, the West does not recognize them as neither a State or as an Islamic organization.  Because it is important to highlight they are neither.  Their aims are terror and division, and that is clear for the civilians forced to live under their barbaric rule.  Much like calling Al Qaeda for its Arabic name and not “The Foundation” (its literal translation), by calling Daesh by its Arabic name we are denying them their lofty and unfounded ambitions.  

The meaning of “Daesh” also allows a more innocent and perhaps even more powerful reason as to why we should all use it.  According to Zeba Kahn’s definition for The Boston Globe, depending on its conjugation in Arabic, “Daesh” can mean “anything from ‘to trample down and crush’ to ‘a bigot who imposes his view on others.’”  If we have the opportunity to call these terrorists for exactly what they are, why not do it?  Daesh has realized the problem their self-proclaimed title has brought them and are allegedly cutting off the tongues of the people who use it under their reign.  But in the West, where the threat is not as immediate, perhaps we should try to call Daesh out on its contradictions.  

Charlie Sheen Admits He’s HIV Positive

(Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Charlie Sheen admitted this morning to Matt Lauer on the Today Show that he has been receiving anti-viral treatment for HIV.  According to Sheen, he has had HIV for the past four years and has been very cautious about it.  The news is obviously devastating for Sheen and his family but, there is another reason Sheen decided to “come out.”  Sheen says he is finally making his condition public because he’s sick of the way the media is managing his life story:

"I have to put a stop to this onslaught, this barrage of attacks and of sub-truths and very harmful and mercurial stories that are about me, that threaten the health of so many others that couldn't be further from the truth."

Perhaps the saddest part of Sheen’s interview was when he admitted he had only shared his diagnosis with people he considered close to him.  Sadly, one of these people whom he did not identify, threatened to blackmail him by selling photos of his anti-viral medication to the tabloids.  Then, he estimated he has paid millions of dollars to keep his diagnosis a secret.

This kind of pressure speaks volumes of the way we treat HIV+ people in our society.  

Sheen says he doesn’t know how he contracted the virus but, it is clear he was concerned about the way the media would cover the story.  

The fact that Sheen made his confession just to get ahead of tabloid exposure and the threat of extortion serves to prove that HIV is a stigma in our society.  A stigma that is surrounded in ignorance.  Not all cases of HIV are AIDS, sexual relations are not the only way to contract HIV but, it is clear Sheen was terrified that headlines suggesting these things might have surfaced had he not come out.  In fact, if Sheen suffered any other disease, he would not have suffered from blackmail or intense tabloid interest.  Hopefully Sheen will take the time to educate and help raise funds to fight against the disease.

Cate Blanchett Comes Out

Reuters

Cate Blanchett has come out to explain a certain interview where she claimed to have had many relationships with women.

During the promotion of the film Carol, which recently had its premiere at the Hamptons International Film Festival, Blanchett was asked if she had ever had any relationships with women.  To this, she replied: “yes, many.”  In the film, Blanchett plays a woman who seduces a younger woman played by Rooney Mara.

Blanchett feels the reporter misconstrued what she said.  She claims the interview omitted the part where she said she had not had sexual relationships with women, but rather had answered a coy question with an answer that she knew the reporter wanted, even if they didn't get it.

Now, in an interview with The Guardian, Blanchett was asked about the issue once again and she was not having it.  She defused the non-story by speaking of her role in the movie Truth:

"I also just played Mary Mapes, who's a journalist.  No one asked me how long I'd been to journalism school.  If I played someone who has an affair, I think a reporter would probably think twice before asking, 'Ooh, how many affairs have you had?'  It would be a slightly delicate area."

Essentially, Blanchett felt the media tried to sexualize her comments.

"But there are no holds barred about asking me whether I've had relationships with women.  And so I facetiously said, 'Oh yes, I've had many relationships with women' – because frankly, who hasn't?  Of course I said it in inverted commas.  But the inverted commas didn't make the page."

Undeniably, sex sells, and it's understandable that journalists might want to ask an actress about their sexuality if they're playing homosexual characters.  You could say Cate Blanchett might be regretting having answered sarcastically, but the truth is that women have a hard enough time in Hollywood without having to be faced with questions that perhaps don't really add anything to the movies they're presenting.

Spectre Proves Daniel Craig's Bond Finally Embraces Death

Sony Pictures

"The dead are alive." These are the opening lines of Spectre, the latest James Bond movie. It's true, too. James Bond, the lead in the one franchise that conventional wisdom tells us should have died a long time ago, isalive and thriving. Spectre is the culmination off a journey that began in Casino Royale: Daniel Craig is James Bond and he finally has fun while at it.

The main theme in Spectre is death. A realistic fear of death is what has made Daniel Craig's Bond so good. Compared to other interpretations of 007, Craig's Bond has always been described as "more human". What makes Spectre so special within the very respectable slate of films since Craig took over the role is that in Spectre Bond is not fazed by death. In fact, he actually opens the movie dressed up as a dead man in a majestic opening scene set on Día de los Muertos in Mexico City.

It's not that Bond is back to his playboy mannequin days. What finally clicks in Spectre is that Bond is aware of his status as asuper spy. For the first time since the ridiculous Die Another Day, Bond knows being a super spy is fun! Sure, there's time for brooding and self-awareness about super-spydom being an obsolete concept. But there's also time for fantastic car chases and a few solid jokes. While Skyfall was a stunning film, it betrayed some of the core concepts of who Bond was. Do we really need an origin story for every character? Did we need one for Bond? Skyfall is a wonderful, dark spy movie, but perhaps not a great James Bond movie. 

Spectre is the Bond franchise once again evading the laser guns and living to entertain another generation. It marks a return to a more enjoyable Bond. Butit also embraces the changes in Bond introduced since Casino Royale. It's Craig's Bond coming full circle. In the opening of Casino Royale we see an agent becoming 007.  The two movies in between feel like Bond trying to be a spy in a world where he's not needed. In Spectre, he has defeated his demons and is finally ready to call himself "Bond, James Bond". 

The Wanna Talks to Super Producer Butch Walker

The Wanna Team goes one on on with the singer/songwriter, producer, and CMA winner behind some of the greatest hits by Taylor Swift, Fall Out Boy, Katy Perry, and Pink!

24 Hour Impact Project Is Changing Lives in Cambodia

22 year old photographer Malu Veltze is the latest protagonist of CrowdRise's 24.Hour Impact Project.   A project that aims to help people and communities who need immediate action in 24 hours or less. Veltze is currently in Cambodia trying to get students in 12 rural villages in Koh Bei Riel to get eye care. Malu is attempting to raise $20,000 to improve the lives of the children of these towns.

This entire campaign was inspired by a girl called Channa.  Channa's poor eyesight caused her to drop out of school in the sixth grade.  Now, at 19, she is practically blind in her right eye.  Channa's problems could have been prevented with basic eye treatment: a pair of eyeglasses.  Unfortunately, she could not afford the $40 dollars to get them.  A local optometrist told Malu that getting Channa glasses today would still improve her eyesight in about 40%.

As a photographer, Bolivian-born Malu believes strongly in the power of eyesight.  For her, getting eyesore for these kids is essential for them to survive. "Proper vision enables kids to learn, adults to work, and can help lift people out of poverty."

CrowdRise was founded by Edward Norton, and it's the world's largest and fastest growing online platform dedicated exclusively to charitable fundraising. CrowdRise is used by millions of individuals, tens of thousands of charities, hundreds of companies and many of the most famous artists and athletes in the world to creatively leverage their resources and networks to unlock the power of the crowd and raise hundred of millions of dollars to support positive social missions. 

You can watch Malu's video right here

Tune in to Movies You Wanna Watch this Weekend! Starring Olivia Wilde, Reed Morano and Jacob Tremblay!

Cinedigm

This Saturday, don't miss MOVIES YOU WANNA WATCH's exclusive coverage of the hit indie films, MEADOWLAND and ROOM!

ROOM is a harrowing film about Jack, a five year old boy who has been trapped in a room with his mother for his entire life.  In the movie, JACOB TREMBLAY plays Jack, who escapes the Room and finds a way to rescue his mom!  The MYWW team interviewed Jacob at the Hamptons International Film Festival, and he told us all about his role in the movie, which is getting some SERIOUS Oscar buzz.

MEADOWLAND is a gripping drama starring Olivia Wilde and Luke Wilson.  In MEADOWLAND, Sarah (Olivia Wilde) and Phil (Luke Wilson) try to cope with life and keep their marriage together one year after the disappearance of their only child.  Wilde's performance in the film has been universally acclaimed and there's some definite Oscar buzz surrounding her.

We also interview the director of MEADOWLAND, Reed Morano, a super talented cinematographer turned director, and her new professional relationship with Olivia Wilde! 

Plus, check out our interviews with the rest of the cast of MEADOWLAND: Mark Feuerstein, Giovanni Ribisi, and Ty Simpkins!

Be sure to tune into MOVIES YOU WANNA WATCH, Saturday, 11/7/15 @ 11a.m. & 11p.m. EST. on VVH- TV (Fios Ch. 14 and Cablevision Ch. 78) to catch our exclusive coverage of the 2015 HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Starring;  Olivia Wilde, Reed Morano, Jacob Tremblay and more!

If you don’t live in the NYC TRI-STATE area, then tune in ANYWHERE in the world and watch our show streaming live HERE on APPLE TV!

Some exciting news for MYWW fans…  MYWW which premiered as a segment on the syndicated award winning series, IN THE MIXX, has become an “indie” hit that inspired our team to expand programming to a new series which includes numerous entertainment genres including:  Movies You Wanna Watch, TV You Wanna Watch, Music You Wanna Hear, Books You Wanna Read, Fashion You Wanna Wear,  Food You Wanna Eat,  Life You Wanna Experience...It’s the best of the best in everything entertainment.

For more programming details on our new series and the latest updates, log onto our new website, THEWANNA.COM!

“Ya know you wanna!”

Will Jimmy Fallon Make It To 2021?

Instagram/Jimmy Fallon

Jimmy Fallon is undoubtedly the king of late night television.  His ratings and  popularity on the Internet are normally higher than those of the still very apt and funny Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel.  However, it seems there might be a darker side to Fallon’s popularity.  The New York Post is reporting NBC, the network that airs The Tonight Show, is worried about Fallon’s drunk antics.

In just four months, the beloved comedian has suffered three injuries, and although just one of them is known to be alcohol related, there seems to be something rotten in the house of Fallon.  Fallon’s reputation as a drinker is not a new thing. He has been captured on camera many times at late night dive bars, highly inebriated and partying until early morning hours.  In fact, it seems Fallon’s drinking goes back to his SNL days.  Horatio Sanz, a former SNL cast member with Fallon, admitted in an interview with New York Magazine that at one point during their successful SNL tenure they “were super functioning alcoholics, definitely . . . They say that kind of goes hand in hand with ‘SNL,’ some kind of substance-abuse issues, because it’s so stressful, you easily find yourself blowing off steam a lot.”

Now Fallon’s responsibilities have increased five-fold.  While SNL implied making one show per week, Fallon’s Tonight Show runs daily during the week.  That means five shows a week.  Five shows in which he has to perform stunts, sing, play games, and interview a slew of guests.  If the show wasn’t enough, Fallon is a recent father of two daughters.  While this is no secret to Tonight Show fans, it does beg the question of when Fallon finds time to spend with his wife and kids.

NBC officials are happy with Fallon.  They recently renewed his contract to run until 2021.  However, the bumpy and accident-ridden past couple of months (and perhaps the arrival of a more mature Stephen Colbert to CBS) are making the questions about Jimmy’s relation with alcohol a little more relevant.

Fallon will stay at the show, that's for sure, but whether he can turn the ship around and find a new way to blow off steam is a question he might need to answer soon.  After two injured hands and a chipped tooth in three months, his body might run out before his contract.

The Celebrities Who Won Halloween This Weekend

The Wanna team hopes you don’t have much of a Halloween hangover.  To celebrate the spookiest holiday of the year, we’ve compiled a list of celebs who took Halloween very seriously!

Heidi Klum as Jessica Rabbit

Heidi Klum transformed herself into a cartoon character. Under amazing prosthetics, Heidi ended up looking exactly like Roger Rabbit’s femme fatale wife!

WireImage

Gigi Hadid as Sandy from Grease

Gigi was invited to Heidi’s Halloween party at LAVO nightclub in New York City.  While she didn’t go to Heidi’s extremes, she did manage to look just like “the one that we want.” She’s electrifyin’

Getty

Emily Ratajkowski as Marge Simpson

The “Blurred Lines” and “Gone Girl” star ditched her traditional sexy looks to transform herself into America’s favorite animated mom.

Getty

Taylor Swift as Olaf and Idina Menzel as Elsa

Taylor Swift brought Broadway superstar Idina Menzel onstage on her concert in Tampa, FL. Taylor bringin up friends to perform with her is common, but having them come out in costume and actually perform with them?  Idina, who voiced Elsa in the movie “Frozen” came out and sang the hit song from the movie “Let It Go”

Beyonce, Jay Z, and Blue Ivy as Coming To America

Queen Bey and her family celebrated Eddie Murphy’s hit movie by dressing up like the African royalty that makes their trip to the US!

Neil Patrick Harris and his family as the cast of Star Wars

Neil Patrick Harris has always had a knack for awesome family costumes, and this year was no exception.  The family decided to have a day with costumes pulled out straight from a galaxy far, far away…

Viola Davis’ Daughter as… Viola Davis!

Viola Davis’ daughter has a hell of a role model to follow in her extremely talented mother.  Maybe that’s why this Halloween she chose to go exactly as her.  Beats any costume, and maybe this means this might be Viola’s year to get her Oscar.

Regal Cinemas Halloween Treat!

Columbia Pictures

Regal Cinemas is offering families a super treat this Halloween!  The new special deal is a “buy one get one” free offer for their spooky family-oriented films: “Goosebumps” starring Jack Black or “Hotel Transylvania 2” starring Adam Sandler!  Customers who purchase an adult ticket will get a free kids’ ticket for the same movie!

Ya know you wanna

Columbia Pictures

The Best Celebrity Baby Halloween Costumes

Halloween is probably the most fun of all holidays.  For kids it means candy and staying up late, and for parents it doesn’t just mean getting to dress up but also getting your kids to dress up!  If you’re looking for some last minute ideas, we’ve made a list of the best celebrity baby costumes so you can be inspired!

Go for an icon like Blue Ivy who dressed to thrill.

Janet and MJ

"Janet and MJ"

Or Disney princesses are always a hit.  North West and her cousin Penelope Disick are both going “Frozen” this year

Elsa & Anna in the house! #HalloweenVibes

"Elsa & Anna in the house! #HalloweenVibes"

But if you don’t want to be so mainstream you can go the Neil Patrick Harris route and let the kids dress up as what they want.

The kids had their Halloween concert today they wanted to go as the Queen of Mermaids and Captin Color Pants! pic.twitter.com/75VA1oExsY

— David Burtka (@Davidburtka) October 29, 2015

Last year North West got some inspiration from nature and went for a skunk costume!

⚫️⚪️◾️◽️🎃👻

"⚫️⚪️◾️◽️🎃👻"

Something JWoww from Jersey Shore also did when she dressed her baby Melainia as a bumblebee

Instagram

nd of course superheroes are always in vogue.  They were the choice of Mariah Carey’s kids Moroccan and Monroe Cannon last year.

Have a super happy Halloween!!! 

"Have a super happy Halloween!!! "

Trump Says He Won’t Drop Out of Race, But He Might Not Win It

Scott Olson/Getty

Donald Trump has come out and stated he will remain in the race for the Republican nomination until the very end.  While these comments might have seemed unnecessary even a few weeks ago, support for Trump is quickly waning.  Just this week, Trump has lost his lead in an Iowa poll, and perhaps more worryingly to him, in a national poll.  In both, neurosurgeon Ben Carson leads Trump.

Adding to Trump’s headaches are the bad word of mouth surrounding his campaign.  After disastrous debate performances, voters may be even more dissuaded in voting for Trump when they see the general response to Trump seems to be more serious.  When his campaign was considered a bit of a joke, the media responded accordingly.  Now, there are protests in Congress about his appearance on SNL and it’s almost every day that we hear some Hollywood celeb show their disdain against the Donald.

Most recently, Olivia Wilde, whose indie hit Meadowland hit theatres earlier this month, spoke against Trump’s campaign at an event promoting the short film Ellis.  Wilde declared

"It made me think of the current refugee crisis," in an interview with Page Six. "[America] was a beacon of hope for so many ... yet some in this country have developed this xenophobia that totally conflicts with what we’re based on."

"The fact that we can have someone running for president who openly projects that xenophobia is really sickening," she added, "particularly when you look at a film like this and remember our roots."

Support for Trump seems to be waning, and he doesn’t have the bravado and confidence he displayed a few months back.  He’s even started talking about “the possibility” of not winning the nomination.  The presidential game is getting harder to play, and Trump may soon find himself on the side of his often quoted “losers.”

Tune in to a Movie You Wanna Watch: Being Canadian!

(Candy Factory Films)

If you missed MOVIES YOU WANNA WATCH exclusive coverage of the hit indie doc, BEING CANADIAN have no fear.... NOW, you can relax and watch the episode on your own time at this link, HERE.  

BEING CANADIAN is a humorous indie film that stars several famous comedians including:  Mike Myers, Ben Stiller, Kathy Griffin, Seth Rogen, Martin Short, Michael J. Fox, Will Arnett, William Shatner and many more!   According to the director, Emmy award winning comedy writer, Rob Cohen, BEING CANADIAN “took eight years” to create.  

In the film, Rob takes viewers on a cross Canada roadtrip to discover what it really means to be Canadian.  BEING CANADIAN is Cohen’s acting and directorial debut.  

Cohen explains why he needed to make this movie and why so many people were on board with it: “I love Canada and being a Canadian who lives in the States now, when I would speak to other Canadians they’d have the same comedic complaints. That people didn’t know or care about us. Or have these crazy misconceptions.”

BEING CANADIAN is a movie you wanna watch and is currently available on VOD, On-Demand, iTunes, Amazon, Vimeo, Google Play and Vudu.

Be sure to tune into MOVIES YOU WANNA WATCH, Saturday, 10/31/15 @ 11a.m. & 11p.m. EST. on VVH- TV (Fios Ch. 14 and Cablevision Ch. 78) to catch our exclusive coverage of the 2015 HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL Starring;  Olivia Wilde, Alec Baldwin, Jacob Tremblay and more!   

If you don’t live in the NYC TRI-STATE area, then tune in ANYWHERE in the world and watch our show streaming live HERE on APPLE TV!

Some exciting news for MYWW fans…  MYWW which premiered as a segment on the syndicated award winning series, IN THE MIXX, has become an “indie” hit that inspired our team to expand programming to a new series which includes numerous entertainment genres including:  Movies You Wanna Watch, TV You Wanna Watch, Music You Wanna Hear, Books You Wanna Read, Fashion You Wanna Wear,  Food You Wanna Eat,  Life You Wanna Experience...It’s the best of the best in everything entertainment.

For more programming details on our new series and the latest updates, log onto our new website, THEWANNA.COM!

“Ya know you wanna!”

New York Police Union Calls for Boycott of Quentin Tarantino Films

Andy Katz/Pacific/Barcroft

A New York Police Union has called for a boycott of Quentin Tarantino’s movies after the acclaimed director participated in a protest against police brutality this weekend.  The protest came just days after the murder of police officer Randolph Holder in a bike theft investigation.  

The rally, organized by RiseUpOctober, was supposed to protest the violent deaths caused by police brutality across the US.  Namely, and specific to the NYPD, the recent deaths of Eric Garner and dozens of others unarmed black men.  However, the timing of the protest became unfortunate due to the regrettable death of officer Holder.

Tarantino rallied a speech where he called the deaths of people at the hands of the police murder:

“I’m a human being with a conscience,” said Tarantino. “And if you believe there’s murder going on, then you need to rise up and stand up against it. I’m here to say I’m on the side of the murdered. When I see murders, I do not stand by … I have to call a murder a murder and I have to call the murderers the murderers.”

Comments like these lead to harsh comments from the NYPD who consider Tarantino is the last person to speak out against violence due to the extreme violence depicted in his movies. In a statement Sunday, Police Benevolent Association president Patrick J. Lynch said, “It’s no surprise that someone who makes a living glorifying crime and violence is a cop-hater, too.”

“The police officers that Quentin Tarantino calls ‘murderers’ aren’t living in one of his depraved big screen fantasies — they’re risking and sometimes sacrificing their lives to protect communities from real crime and mayhem,” the statement continued. “New Yorkers need to send a message to this purveyor of degeneracy that he has no business coming to our city to peddle his slanderous ‘Cop Fiction.’ It’s time for a boycott of Quentin Tarantino’s films.”

Tarantino admitted that the timing of the protest was unfortunate, but that it was unmovable since they had flown in guests other than Tarantino into the city.  He also lamented the death of the police officer by saying: “It’s like this: it’s unfortunate timing, but we’ve flown in all these families to go and tell their stories … That cop that was killed; that’s a tragedy, too.”  Which does bear the question, had the protest come a few days after the death of Eric Garner, would a boycott of Tarantino films be called for?

Eleven people were arrested at the RiseUpOctober rally for charges ranging from disorderly conduct, obstructing vehicular traffic and resisting arrest, according to the New York Post

Tarantino’s next film, Hateful Eight, is set to premiere this Christmas.

"Being Canadian"

Movies You Wanna Watch hit the East Coast premiere of "Being Canadian" at the Crosby Hotel in SoHo, New York.  "Being Canadian" stars several comedians including: Mike Myers, Michael J. Fox, Martin Short, Will Arnett, and Dan Aykroyd. The film is comedy writer Rob Cohen's directing and acting debut!

Nike Gifted Michael J. Fox Self-Tying Shoes!

Nike

Yesterday was “Back to the Future” day, also known as October 21st, 2015.  The day Michael J. Fox’s Marty McFly and Doc Emmett Brown, played by Christopher Lloyd, traveled into the future on the hit movie “Back to the Future 2!”   The day was filled with celebrations all over, including a surprise appearance of Marty and Doc Brown on Jimmy Kimmel Live!  However, one of the most surprising events of the day was when Nike gifted Michael J. Fox a real pair of self-tying shoes like in the movie.

Nike designer and Vice President for Design and Special Projects Tinker Hatfield Jr. sent Michael J. Fox a note thanking him for his inspiration and saying these are the first pair of actually self-tying shoes ever called Nike Air Mags, just like in the classic film!  Hatfield and Michael J. Fox also assured us this gift is not a one off, and added the Nike Air Mags would come on sale on 2016!

ITM covered the Team Fox event honoring the music of Billy Joel! Check that out here.

STAR WARS BROKE THE INTERNET!

Lucasfilm

The new Star Wars movie is quickly becoming the most important cinematic event of 2015.  Not only did Disney release a trailer last night that managed to get nerds to watch a football game (or football fans to be interested in Star Wars), it also released pre-sale tickets for the movie’s release on December 18th.  And then the internet crashed every movie ticket site in the country.

So what’s so special about Star Wars?  It seems like every single 80’s and 70’s movie franchise is revived or rebooted these days. We live in the era of nostalgia where everything five years or older needs to be brought back.  Just yesterday Netflix announced it’s reviving Gilmore Girls!

Star Wars is basically the “hero’s journey” retold in space.  A young boy has a destiny to fulfill, so he follows a wise old man, and thanks to his help defeats the forces of evil.  Luke, Obi Wan, and Darth Vader, right?  The thing is the hero’s journey is incredibly appealing when it’s done well.  It’s been done thousands of times in history (from Beowulf to The Lord of the Rings), but what makes it work is that there is a world that’s at stake.  The hero’s journey is about a youth who can save the world.  So we need to care about this world!

Star Wars blows away any child who has never seen a movie in space.  In fact, it blows away children used to Avengers-styled CGI.  The world and its characters are written and directed in a way that makes you think that this world wasn’t created for the audience, but rather that we’re getting a glimpse into that world.  So while the story might be familiar, the world feels so new and vast, that we are immediately drawn to it.  There’s something magical about the amazement of seeing the Millennium Falcon for the first time, and then hear Luke Skywalker say: “What a piece of junk!”

20th Century Fox

What makes the new Star Wars sequels so appealing is the way it seems to blend the old with the new.  The story isn’t too original.  In fact, from what we get from the trailers, I feel I’ve seen it before.  It’s about a youth living in a desert planet who finds an unexpected friend from outer space and immediately their adventures begin.

Disney

Along the way, they meet an old man who tells them about the Force.

Disney

And then they use it to fight a masked evil warrior.

Disney

This is a story we’ve heard before.  Like Luke’s.  In a world that seems old and new at the same time.  It’s all lining up like in that movie in 1977.  The similarities between the original Star Wars and this one?  Let’s call them echoes of the Force.

JOHN OLIVER AND MIKE MYERS TAKE THE CANADIAN ELECTION SERIOUSLY

Although the US is acting like the presidential election is next week (and will continue to do so for the next year), there are other important countries that are currently going more immediate elections.  Namely, Canada is about to make a decision to end conservative Stephen Harper’s role as Prime Minister.  The implications of Harper staying or not in office, which include everything from Canada’s amazing healthcare system to Syrian refugees, caught the attention of John Oliver, who managed to lambast Harper as only he can do. With cold hard facts, and a steady dose of self-deprecation.

However, to prove he really wanted Canada’s attention in his campaign to end Stephen Harper’s reign, Oliver rallied the “most Canadian” forces he could imagine: a beaver playing “Sweet Caroline” a moose getting a colonoscopy, and ITM’s and MYWW’s friend: MIKE MYERS!

Yes, Mr. Canada himself appeared on John Oliver’s “Last Week Tonight” dressed as a mounty and driving a snow plow to urge Canadians to vote against Harper’s reelection.  Myers recently appeared in an episode of “Movies You Wanna Watch” celebrating the film “Being Canadian,”  where comedy writer Rob Cohen goes on a cross-Canada trip and interviews Canadian celebrities to discover what it really means to be Canadian.

You can catch our interview with Mike Myers and exclusive coverage “Being Canadian” right here!

You can watch John Oliver’s coverage of the Canadian election here!

LAMAR ODOM WAKES UP FROM COMA!

According to E!, Lamar Odom has woken up from the coma he slipped into after he was hospitalized on Tuesday after a drug overdose.  Perhaps more importantly, it seems Lamar is able to communicate!

According to E!’s source,  Odom woke up on Friday and saw his ex-wife, Kourtney Kardashian. He allegedly greeted her “Hey, baby” before falling back asleep.

The doctors treating Odom had said that the longer he spent unconscious, the more likely he was to recover normal brain function once he woke up.

We’ll keep you posted in any more developments!