First 'Hunger Games' Trailer

I don't know much about the Hunger Games series. I head

Get More: 2011 VMA, Music

Honestly, I don't know much about The Hunger Games series. I hear the books are excellent. However, this trailer left something to be desired. It reminded me a little too much of the nondescript Twilight trailers — running through the woods, background narration and a severe lack of interesting elements. What do you guys think? Interested?

'Glee 3D Concert Movie' Review

I'm a big fan of guilty pleasures. I own From Justin to Kelly and every season of Desperate Housewives and I blast Justin Bieber like it's my job. So when I saw that there would be a Glee Concert movie I was pumped. Mostly I was glad that I wouldn't have to spend lots of money on a concert ticket (like I did for the High School Musical concert...yeah I was there).

And fortunately, I was only slightly disappointed from what I saw in the theater. The song selection was excellent (the best song was definitely Amy Winehouse's "Valerie" sung by my favorite character, Santana) and the dancing was great. What I wasn't crazy about was the lack of backstory. Instead of having the actors talk about the show and how it has grown, each person stayed in character even in the backstage shots. So Rachel Berry was always Rachel Berry...never Lea Michele.

I wanted to know more about the actors and their journey thus far. What I got instead was an exposé on three major Glee fans who each had something that set them apart. Their stories were endearing and it was clear that Glee had made a big impact on their lives, but I would have liked to see them meet the characters they claimed to connect to.

The best part of the film had to be the mini Warbler...but I could have just seen that on YouTube.

Overall it was a fun, feel good movie. But I have to admit that Justin Bieber's Never Say Never movie was much more in-depth and interesting (yeah, I went to that too).

Kourtney Kardashian Vs Julianne Hough

Kourtney Kardashian Vs Julianne Hough

Kourtney Kardashian

Sorry, ladies, but only one woman can survive this fashion battle! Both "Kourtney and Kim Take New York" diva Kourtney Kardashian and "Footloose" femme Julianne Hough strutted their stuff in the same champagne sequined Rachel Roy minidress less than two months apart. It's time to answer the big question: Who wore it best?

Julianne Hough

Kourtney, 32, donned the dress from one of her favorite designers for boyfriend Scott Disick's birthday celebration in Las Vegas on May 27. She accessorized with a sparkly Raven Kauffman clutch and black Christian Louboutin pumps.

Julianne, 23, stepped out in the style for the Odyssey Ball in Beverly Hills back on April 9. The former "Dancing With the Stars" professional added matching heels and a clutch to her look.

This is one gorgeous dress for gals who have the figure to pull it off -- and actually both Kourtney and Julianne do. But it only hugs one of the ladies' curves precisely the way it should —- Julianne's. While I do prefer Kourtney's coloring with the shade of the dress, it's not enough to overcome the less-than-perfect fit. Because of that, I declare Julianne the winner. Do you agree?

Celebrity Trainer Tips

Celebrity Trainer Tips

The pleasures of the holiday season are many but the pain can be equally powerful come January when we realize the damage we’ve done. This year wouldn’t it be nice to not have regrets for a change? We asked celebrity fitness and nutrition experts-- the pros who keep Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Jennifer Aniston in line--to give us their tips for getting through the holidays without those extra 10 pounds. Are you in?

HARLEY PASTERNAK, host of ABC’s “The Revolution” who has trained Lady Gaga, Megan Fox, Katy Perry and Rihanna

"When you go to a holiday party, I want you to park your car three blocks away. And walk those three blocks each direction. If you end up at a buffet, don’t make one trip and pile everything on your plate. Go up and take one thing. I always start with vegetables. Then go back for meats. Satiety lags behind ingestion so if you eat slower, you’ll feel fuller and then by the time you go back, you’ll choose less. After the meal, go on what the Italians call a passeggiata-- a walk around the neighborhood."

BOBBY STROM, celebrity trainer who has worked with Jessica Biel and Britney Spears and whipped Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively into shape for “Green Lantern”

"Give yourself one meal a week. Christmas dinner is only one meal, not a three day long event. For that one meal, say, 'I’m going to have some candied yams and pumpkin pie and potatoes.' That’s it. Doesn’t mean you eat like crap for the whole day. Before you eat something think, 'If it’s not worth it, don’t waste it.' If someone says, 'You have to try this cake it’s awesome!' Ok, maybe it’s worth the calories. But picking at a bowl of pretzels—that’s not worth the work you’ll have to do to take it off."

GUNNAR PETERSON, celebrity trainer who keeps Kim Kardashian and Sofia Vergara in good form, and helped Jennifer Lopez train for a triathlon after having twins

"Get a training partner for these six weeks who will help motivate you to get up and out of bed. And get it done early. Set your alarm for an hour earlier—or even 30 minutes. You’ll make better choices for the rest of the day. And at night, you’ll be less likely to stay out too late because you’ll have to get up early. Mindset is also incredibly important. You have to mentally set the table. You will not gain weight. You’ve got to know it to make better choices. Draw a line in the sand."

MANDY INGBER, LA-based yoga instructor who leads Jennifer Aniston and Helen Hunt through their poses

"My indulgence trick is to eat treats that are only homemade. That eliminates a lot of the holiday sweets that are packaged. Also, speak to yourself in a positive way and reinforce what you are doing well. Don't focus on the cookie you ate last night. Focus on the fact that you did 30 minutes of cardio today. Write a list of what you are doing well like visiting relatives or leaving the party early so you could wake up and meditate."

BERNARDO COPPOLA, LA-based trainer and former pro rugby player who works with Matthew Morrison and the cast of “Glee”

"Enjoy yourself, but the next day get back on track with your nutrition. It’s all psychological. You’ve got to put boundaries in your head. You can’t do leftovers. You can’t say, 'It’s been four days and I’m still eating it' if you want to not add pounds. Add more cardio than usual to your workout so you burn more calories. When you’re weight lifting, after you do three sets of an exercise, before you move on to the next one, add 30 seconds to a minute of jumping jacks or mountain climbers."

ANDREA ORBECK, fitness and wellness guru who works with Heidi Klum and many Victoria’s Secret angels

"Learn to modify menus. Instead of cream cheese or sour cream, use plain yogurt and Stevia instead of sugar because it doesn’t create the same insulin response. When a recipe calls for butter, cut 1/3 of butter with applesauce instead. Stay away from canned options and instead of white flour use whole wheat sources so at least you’re getting fiber. Multi-task. While you’re standing at the sink doing dishes, use the counter to do a set of squats. Do 50 crunches every morning before you start your crazy day."

DAVID KIRSCH, NYC-based wellness guru who works Anne Hathaway and Liv Tyler out

"During this time people often start to starve themselves, which is actually the worst thing you can do. Make sure to eat five small meals a day. One can be a protein shake. Leave a few hard-boiled eggs on your kitchen counter to snack on. You want to keep the engine going. You don’t want your metabolism to slow down so you store calories. Also, you’re not going to be as smart about your choices when you’re ravenously hungry. Staying optimally fueled through out the day is key. If you overindulge, make sure you hydrate the next day and hit the gym regardless of how you feel."

NICHELLE HINES, the CRO “chief ride officer” at LA spinning gym Cycle House where Alexa Chung, Nicole Kidman and Charlize Theron like to break a sweat

"I tell clients, put post-its on your bathroom mirror or on your front door or on the mirror on the visor in the car, that say, 'If you’re not hungry don’t eat' and 'respect your temple.' It’s a constant reminder to breathe and make a conscious decision about what you put in your mouth. So many of these things happen without even thinking. Also, so often you think you’re hungry but you’re not—you’re just thirsty. It’s incredibly important to hydrate."

SUE MOLNAR, Soul Cycle Master Instructor where Kelly Ripa, Jessica Alba, and Chelsea Clinton ride

"Think preventatively. Instead of chowing down and then trying to go to the gym to work it off, go to the gym before you eat so you’ve already raised your metabolism. If you exercise for an hour it’s not just about that hour, you’re still burning more calories throughout the day. If you can get to the point where you're doing a really vigorous hour of exercise in the morning during the holidays, your reward is that you just get to eat what you want and not feel guilty."

FRED DEVITO, executive vice president of mind body fitness programs at Exhale, a favorite spot of Cameron Diaz and Brooke Burke

"Never arrive to the holiday meal famished. Nobody can make good choices when they are starved. Have a small protein-rich snack before you go, such as an apple with nut butter or hummus and crudité. During the meal, pick one or two of your favorite splurge items and enjoy them in moderation. Fill up the rest of your plate with lean protein and veggies. Skip liquid calories. Liquids don't fill us up the way solid foods do so the calories add up, but don't offer satiety. Stick to water, herbal tea or make a holiday spritzer, adding a splash of cranberry juice to seltzer."

HILARIA THOMAS, instructor at NYC studio Yoga Vida (and girlfriend of Alec Baldwin)

"Every single day do a little bit of yoga. Sun salutations, boat pose, forward bend, back bend, twists to each side to stretch out your belly, then finish in shavasana. You’ll be more in touch with your body and your senses so that when you put something in your mouth you'll have less of a chance of over-eating because you’re listening to your body and respecting your body. Your body does not want to be stuffed. It’s traumatizing. The connection will help you avoid 'mindless eating' while you’re sitting with people who emotionally stress you out." 

'Texas Killing Fields' Trailer

Well it seems new trailers are all the rage this morning. This one starring Sam Worthington (Avatar, Clash of the Titans) tells the story of an area in Texas where dozens of dead bodies were turning up. Worthington's character, Jake Sounder sets off to find the killer and end the community's fear. This role will hopefully test Worthington's acting, as I have never seen much that's been impressive from him. Also starring in this film are Jessica Chastain (The Help) and Chloe Moretz (Kick Ass, Let Me In).



I think it has promise, though the last movie I saw about Texas was The Killer Inside Me, so I don't have the highest of hopes for this one. It's set to come out October 7. Will you go see it?

'Machine Gun Preacher' Trailer

Now, here's a movie I'm interested in seeing. It's not a remake. It's not a film adaptation. It's based off a true story. These factors are rare in the current industry. Unfortunately, I'm sure some will consider it just another movie about a white man helping poor, helpless blacks, but I really think it's more than that (just like I felt The Help was more than that). I'm also excited to see Gerard Butler back in a serious role after The Bounty Hunter.

The film is directed by Marc Foster who directed Monster's Ball so hopefully this will be more than a simple story of redemption. It is set to come out this September. Will you go see it?

'The Woman in Black' Trailer

I admire Daniel Radcliffe for not simply retiring post-Harry Potter to live off the millions he's accumulated. He's trying drastically different forms of acting and I have a great respect for that. However, this film isn't high on my viewing list. First there's the fact that horror films are never on my viewing list (with the exception of a few psychological thrillers) and second, this trailer gives us no real indication of what the plot actually is — hoping that the weirdness of it will spark our curiosity.

IMDB tells us:

"A young lawyer travels to a remote village to organize a recently deceased client's papers, where he discovers the ghost of a scorned woman set on vengeance."

It's set to come out February 3, 2012 in the US. Will you go see it?

'Twilight: Breaking Dawn' Review

What can I say? Breaking Dawn was everything a cynical, snarky reviewer could want in a comedy. There was a one-month pregnancy, a not-so-sexy-slash-more-abusive sex scene, topless Taylor Lautner and a three-minute conversation between a CGI wolf pack — bliss.

First off let's discuss the array of bad parenting. 1) Bella's parents agree to her marriage at age 18 to a boy they haven't even figured out is a vampire. 2) They don't force Edward to tell them where he's taken her on their honeymoon. 3) When Bella says she's sick and staying on her honeymoon, they don't attempt to find her medical care. 4) When Bella says she's going to a specialty hospital in Switzerland, her father Charlie does not insist on coming to see her.

Second, the accelerated pregnancy. Bella has been on her honeymoon exactly two weeks when she misses her period, gets morning sickness and feels a "creature" moving inside her stomach. Within another two weeks, Jacob comes over for a visit to find her looking at least seven months pregnant and anorexic. It's every Pro-Lifer's dream, there's no such thing as a first trimester.

Third, the weird relationship between Bella and Jacob. This has been acknowledged in other films, but my main complaint in this film is Edward's reaction. Instead of playing the jealous, overly protective beau of the past, he presents Bella to Jacob on her wedding day (to Edward) and walks away leaving them alone together to do God knows what. Edward also seems to be fine when Bella announces that nothing feels complete without Jacob there and seems pleased when she offers the boy name "Edward Jacob: E.J." for their first-born child. This isn't Brother Husbands, Bella. Seriously, pick one.

Fourth, the abusive sex. Come on Edward, chill. We get it, that pale-skinned goth look really gets your blood (or lack there of) pumping, but is destruction of private property really necessary? I know you tried to take some breaks and play some chess (a completely normal honeymoon activity) outside, while forgetting to sparkle, but clearly that only built the sexual tension.

Fifth, my favorite scene of the movie. For those of you who haven't seen it, watch the Beauty and the Beast clip below and imagine the villagers are anamorphed into CGI werewolves. It was about three minutes of human dialogue paired with digital snarls to create ultimate awesomeness.

Having a phobia of pregnancy and an uncanny obsession with this film's ending, my theater experience proved interesting. Edward is forced to bite Bella's stomach open in order to save their baby's life, and I was more than excited to see the fairly talent-less Kristen Stewart attempt to portray this on the big screen. Unfortunately, I forgot that pain and distress are the two emotions Stewart successfully conveys and the scene wasn't quite as comical as I had hoped.

The make up team (or Stewart's diet) did an excellent job of making her look emaciated as the vampire child swapped baby food for her host's vital organs. I'm pretty excited to see the fifth and final installment set to come out Nov. 16, 2012.

For more reasons why I love Twilight, CLICK HERE.

'Contagion' Review

It felt like this celebrity-filled flick slipped through theaters faster than its virus through people, but I personally enjoyed it. Though the movie was pretty good, I was surprised to see a host of stars including Kate Winslet, Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jude Law, Marion Cotillard and Laurence Fishburne. This turn out may be due in part to director Steven Soderbergh's (Traffic and Ocean's Eleven/Twelve) involvement in the film or its anti-government tendencies, either way including each star enhanced the film. It was never the "Matt Damon Show," in fact the show didn't belong to anyone except for the slew of innocent victims in the path of the disease.

It showed the destruction and chaos that ensues when an incurable infection begins to spread at a record pace. Contagion didn't rely on jumping-out-of-the-shadows fear, mainly because it didn't need to — the potential reality of this disease was scary enough. Jude Law provided a stand-out performance as Alan Krumwiede, a science blogger intent on informing the public of the government's alleged lies. Law opted to sport a gaggle of crooked teeth and a harsh accent, which was a nice contrast to his typically suave mystique.

The film did a good job of offering both the government and public side to this crisis with an overwhelming message of the power behind fear. It alternated between scenes of institutional panic and urgency and that of the public's.

I related most to Matt Damon's character Mitch Emhoff, who lost his wife Beth (Gwyneth Paltrow) and his stepson to the disease in the same day. Mitch, who was immune to the disease, spent his screen time protecting his daughter at all costs. Unlike the other, less intelligent members of the population, he spent the majority of his days indoors refusing to let her see her boyfriend and standing guard, shotgun in hand.

Lessons learned: Become vegan, always wear a face mask, don't touch anyone or anything and always carry a shotgun.

Alternative ending to 'The Help'

Here's a new clip from Entertainment Weekly from the Blu-ray disc for The Help. This clip shows Minnie's ending from the book, in which she runs away from her abusive husband Leroy. I wish it had been included in the original film because it shows the negative repercussions the women endure from the book. In the original film, apart from Abilene losing her job, it seems that the book was only gossip, not a dangerous instrument for their destruction.

What do you think of this new clip?

CLICK HERE TO WATCH IT

New 'Hunger Games' Photos

Here's some new cover art for The Hunger Games book, movie companion and tribute guide. Below is the Honest | Unmerciful tribute guide with all photos of the 24 tributes. Rue looks exactly like I imagined, but shouldn't Cato have some more meat on him? The only slightly well-known name in the bunch is Marvel from District 1. He is played by Jack Quaid, son of Dennis. Other than that it's a cast of newbies, but I like it that way. What about you guys?