Matt Damon's rugby doubts - Boston.com

Matt Damon's rugby doubts - Boston.com

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Pudding

A Cambridge tradition of honoring talent has a Boston Movie star for it's Woman of the Year. I'm speaking of course about Anne Hathaway from the hit chick flick Bride Wars, filmed in town! The Hasty Pudding people at Harvard University have chosen to honor Hathaway today, in true pudding fashion... a drag parade!

I went to school in Vermont, and have seen my share of off-beat parades, and this is the closest to one I've been since I left. The drag parade kicks off the celebration this afternoon up in Cambridge where Hathaway will be given her Pudding Pot and then roasted. Ha! Should be a great time!

Of course the Hasty's Man of the Year has been announced as Justin Timberlake, and his celebration will be held next week.

Mark Wahlberg's Newest Effort

The Lovely Bones... yeah, really looks like a story I've seen/heard a hundred times by now. There's a young girl who's part dead, doing a haunting thing... who green-lighted this??

It is a Peter Jackson film. Too much time with hobbits buddy. This story has been told again and again, like since the fall of Mordor here! Mark Wahlberg must have gotten some quick cash for this movie, one which critics are exercising the "if you don't have anything nice to say" rule.

But hey, to each their own. If this sounds like your kinda movie, enjoy. I suspect you should hurry though because I doubt it will be in theaters long.

Say it Aint So. Boston Lifts Moritorium on Sightseeing Licenses

Usually, I don't like getting surprise calls from the Boston Police Department. But this time, it was a little bit different. Somehow, I missed the news article in the fall but I just got a call from the Hackney division. Boston Sightseeing licenses are opening up.

This is unbelievably good news for Boston Movie Tours as it ends the sightseeing oligopoly that existed in Boston. So what the heck does that mean? It means Boston Movie Tours can potentially grow its business beyond the private tour and reservation-based business. The end result: more movie buffs can enjoy Boston's movie magic.

I will keep you updated as we go through the application process.We may need your support during this time.

The Announcement

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Police Commissioner Edward F. Davis announce lifting of Sight-seeing License Moratorium.

Mayor Thomas M. Menino and Police Commissioner Edward Davis announce effective today that a moratorium on the issuance of any new sight-seeing automobile licenses, which was put in place in 1998, is hereby rescinded.

The moratorium on the issuance of licenses for Sight-seeing vehicles was put in place in June of 1998 in response to concerns about the impact of such vehicles on traffic in the downtown area during the construction of the new Central Artery and Ted Williams Tunnel. With the conclusion of surface construction, and time to evaluate the new traffic patterns, a moratorium is no longer necessary.

The Boston Police Department Hackney Carriage Unit will begin accepting applications immediately for the 2010 season which begins March 1, 2010. Additionally, since 2007 the BPD, in consultation with the Trolley industry, has been developing an improved Rule regarding the licensing process and ongoing regulation of Sight-seeing vehicles operating in Boston. Applications will be reviewed in accordance with the new rule.

New Boston Movie on DVD

Well it seems like just yesterday I was at an advanced screening, but it was actually yesterday that this movie came out for sale on DVD. I am talking about Surrogates with Bruce Willis. I liked the movie for what it was, Bruce in a futuristic role as a cop. Hey, it's what he does best right?! Anyway, I'm sure you can find it in stores near you or Amazon or the like. Enjoy!

Shutter Island Coming Soon!

Well the commercials have been popping up everywhere for what will be the 2nd major Boston movie released this year. Leonardo DiCaprio holds down the lead in yet another Boston flick put together by Martin Scorsese (just earned the Cecille B. DeMille Award).

The two obviously collaborated on one of the biggest movies ever to be filmed in the Bay State, The Departed, and this February you can check out this effort, Shutter Island. The movie is based on a novel by Dennis Lehane who holds much prestige in these parts. Lehane is also credited with penning Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone.

The movie is a throwback in time to the 1950's (kinda Catch Me if you Can like), and DiCaprio goes on a search for a missing person thought to be hiding out on Shutter Island. It looks intense, it very well could be the next Departed, and it hits theaters 2/19.

To watch a trailer for this upcoming thrill-ride, check it out here courtesy of Paramount Pictures!

Edge of Darkness - Coming Soon!

Some secrets take us to the edge... and hopefully the movie will. Mel Gibson returns to a leading role in the upcoming action flick Edge of Darkness. Where's he been for so long? It's as if he was under the entire darkness blanket for the past few years, or as if the aliens actually "got him" in Signs!

Well truth be told, he's actually been working on this film right here in Massachusetts! Many surrounding towns were used for the filming as were a number of locations in Boston itself! I'm actually looking forward to seeing my South Station train stop on the big screen in this movie.

Edge of Darkness is set to be released January 29th, which is soon! It must be because the number of commercials I'm seeing for the movie are growing daily. Gibson plays a "bad-ass" investigating his daughter's death and of course, there are twists and turns that follow. It looks intense! It also looks like there is a car chase scene in some Big Dig tunnels below Boston... that the best idea? Anyway, the movie is rated R and there is a trailer here from Warner Bros. This is the first real Boston movie of 2010, I really hope it's good!

New Boston to DVD

That's right there's new Boston out on DVD! In case you missed this one in the theaters last summer, (many did) The Invention of Lying is just about in stores. The DVD is scheduled for release Tuesday, January 19th and looks to be even funnier than when in theaters! Obviously I'm lying but the movie has Ricky Gervais with his usual quirky manners and it was filmed in and around Boston. Funny how a Boston movie about lying is being released the same day as a special political election here in town!

Tonight Show Shake-up

What were they thinking? Jay Leno and Conan O'Brien are easily two of the most recognizable faces and comedians that Massachusetts has produced. And now there's... I don't even know what you call this.

Before I even begin, I would like to invite you all to share your opinions on the matter...

This is how I see it: The moment they said we're moving Jay to primetime, he was done. I mean, we've seen him host, talk to thousands of guests, the same ones again and again... how about something different? I mean, I can't recall ever seeing him have an acting role, why not write him into one of your successful comedies? I mean, throw him in The Office, Community, 30 Rock... actually those are the only ones that come to mind as being successful! Seriously though, when he started hosting the Tonight Show, he had it like once a week I think, (am I that old?) and then took it on full time... NBC could have weened us off him in that time slot in that manner as they could then better track the migration of the Conan faithful.

Did anybody really miss Leno when he went on hiatus those months? I mean, it would have been one thing if Conan had left the network and Jimmy Fallon was just thrown into the 11:35 time-slot, but there were too many awkward goodbyes and hellos. I mean guests were saying goodbye to Jay as if they would never appear on either of the new shows.

Truth be told, I am actually a Craig Ferguson guy. First of all he's fantastic, but simply the format of the show really has me. Quick introduction, commercial, monologuing, commercial, do we have time for emails, commercial, then one or two guests that are really more there to have fun then to do what seems like plugging something I don't really care about, commercial and then we remember what was learned on the show. Perfect. I mean, I'm a 24 year old male... aren't I like THE demographic that late night tv is geared to? I just don't know why NBC hasn't significantly changed the format of their late night shows for as long as I can actually remember.

I'm going to wrap this up with just a few more observations. Late night talk-show hosting seems like a tough business. I've seen Craig Kilborn start perhaps television's most relevant show of my generation, The Daily Show, on Comedy Central and then really get forgotten hosting CBS's Late Late Show, (credit Jon Stewart's awesome appeal factor to some of that, and some to Conan O'Brien as his competition). Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect did it's thing for awhile, having a great, fresh format that was semi-unsuccessfully recreated by Colin Quinn's Tough Crowd, and having a similar format uber-successfully revamped by Chelsea Handler on E! If NBC is trying to make comedy its prime-time forte, try something new! Please! Maybe Leno can make a half-hour work at his proposed new 11:35 slot, maybe everyone else on the network will go along with it, but I just don't see it. I don't think they'll have anything resembling Must See T V short of getting George Clooney back in scrubs and Jerry Seinfeld sitting around an apartment again.

Word has it that Conan's stint on the Tonight Show is going to end Friday, like tomorrow people! He's been joking almost entirely on the topic this past week, and his ratings have soared.

Like I said before, let me hear what you think. We might end up saving a network!

Boston Movies, Award Season, Red Carpets!

Why are there no award shows highlighting the best award shows of the past year? Well while I get on top of that, you may have noticed that is actually award season! The Proposal actually fetched a People's Choice Award for favorite comedy of 2009. The flick was actually pitted against another Boston movie, Bride Wars in the same category. Bride Wars seemed to pop up on a number of Worst Movie of 2009 lists I saw floating around the net.

The next installment of awards on the schedule are the Golden Globes coming up this weekend. And though there are not really any Boston movies nominated, maybe Matt Damon can find some mantle space for new hardware. He is up for his comedic performance in The Informant and dramatic performance for Invictus, (as is co-star Morgan Freeman). The Departed's director Martin Scorcese will also be honored at the ceremony which will be hosted by Britain's own Ricky Gervais.

And if you Golden Globes just aren't enough, the award season will come to an unofficial end when the Oscars are handed out by the Acadamy March 7th. I'm sure the E! network will be in a tizzy for the next few Red Carpet weeks!