stars, sex and nudity buzz : 06/06/2012

Beyond Sexposition: Five Cable Sex Scenes That Work

This season of Game of Thrones is over, and with it, our annual discussion of whether the use of the nudity in the show is gratuitous or not. But it does seem like there’s an emerging consensus that cable television shows are having characters strip down simply because they can get away with it, that we’re approaching some kind of flesh fatigue. So as a pushback against burnout, and in defense of something better, here are five cable sex scenes that worked because they advanced plots or characterization, were visually or politically daring, or were hot beyond a “Durr, here’s a naked lady” level:
1. The Wire, Pearlman and Daniels and Greggs and an unknown woman, Season 3: I’ve always thought there was something radical about the framing of a single night in Baltimore, when ADA Rhonda Pearlman and Lt. Cedric Daniels sleep together for the first time, and Det. Kima Greggs finally steps over the line and cheats on her partner, Cheryl. These two sex scenes are intercut, showing us not just an interracial couple but a gay one. The only thing missing? A straight white man as either giver or receiver of pleasure. A little showy? Sure. Character-advancing and genuinely alluring? Absolutely.
2. Sons of Anarchy, Jax and Tara, Season 2: There’s no show-runner in television who like offering up his leading man’s body for consumption than Kurt Sutter, the creator of FX’s motorcycle gang melodrama Sons of Anarchy. “Fix” is no exception: after Jax Teller (Charlie Hunnam) sleeps with a porn actress, his girlfriend Tara (Maggie Siff) is understandably upset. They talk through the terms of their relationship, but just to make things clear to anyone who thinks she can make inroads on her man, Tara seduces Jax in a public bathroom. When the porn star walks in, Tara’s smile over Jax’s shoulder—we see none of her naked body and much more of his—is wickedly triumphant.
3. Breaking Bad, Walter and Skyler, Season 1: There’s nothing sexy about watching Walter White, cancer victim and high school chemistry teacher turned meth dealer, try to bring…something back to his marriage by forcefully attempting to initiate sex with his wife Skyler. But it’s a fantastic, upsetting manifestation of what will become Walter’s core character arc: a fetishization of control, even at the expense of, and maybe for the express purpose of dominating others.
4. Deadwood, Sol Star and Trixie, Season 1: “Mister Star.” “Miss Trixie.” “Would you want a free fuck?” Why would you say that?” “To know the answer.”… “Seth, you remember Trixie?”… “Kiss my neck or tits if you have to kiss something.” “Let me kiss you.” “Well, you’re a goddamn Jew fool.” The formality of the negotiation between Jewish shop owner Sol Star and prostitute Trixie, giving way to first names, then Trixie’s granting permission to Sol to kiss her is a microcosm of a relationship in a single scene. Never has a a bare knee in a torn high sock, the unchoreographed awkwardness of two people’s bodies figuring out how to fit together, been so alluring.
5. Damages, Arthur Frobisher and unknown prostitutes, multiple seasons: There is something profoundly weird about seeing Sam Malone high on cocaine having spastic, unpleasant sex with a prostitute in the backseat of an SVU. But that’s what Ted Danson did, repeatedly, as billionaire Arthur Frobisher during his run on Damages. Frobisher could be self-righteous in his defense against Patty Hewes, a charmer cracking jokes with his children, desperate and controlling smashing in his soon-to-be ex-wife’s windshield with his golf clubs. But in those sex scenes, he looked as lost as he ever did. And the scenes were a reminder that sometimes sex is just about friction and tension, and that it can be a windup more than a release.

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Jo Yeo-Jung – GQ Magazine June Issue ’12

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Maggie Grace at Global Green Awards
(talks about her role in Californication. Sound tired and bit coy. Just couple of weeks into filming. Probably the nude scenes took a lot out of her)


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18+ from Alexei Zinin on Vimeo.
Zinin Alexei : 18+

:: Model : Алёна Катой
:: Editing/Grading : Premiere
:: Camera : Lumix GF2
:: Lenses : Lomo 25mm 1.4 CCTV
:: Music : edIT - Ants



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The Conclusion? Porn Has Had It. Fan Loyalty is Out the Window

Louis Theroux writes on www.guardian.co.uk - In a grand suburban house on a quiet cul-de-sac in California's San Fernando Valley an actor is having a problem with her moans.

Alexa Nicole (her professional name) is playing the role of a Latin beauty in A Love Story, a pornographic film about an author of romance novels suffering from writer's block.

They are shooting a fantasy sequence in which Alexa wanders the darkened corridors of the house in a white nightie, carrying a large candlestick. She stumbles into the arms of her forbidden lover, Miguel, played by rising star Xander Corvus, clad in leather trousers, frilly blouse and waistcoat. Helpless in the heat of passion, they make love on the chaise longue.

But there is a small issue. Alexa's rapid high-pitched squeals of pleasure aren't up to the exacting standards of the film's director.

"Less porno," he says. By way of illustration he offers a different read – less urgent, more ladylike. "Yes, yes, yes!" Then he announces his keyword for the day: "Romantico!"

A Love Story is a new title by the high-end adult movie studio Wicked Picture. And for the world of "adult", the emphasis on the moans is a giveaway that it is not a typical sex film.

For years the porn industry was dominated by an anarchic anything-goes attitude to sex. Directors competed to see who could stage the more outrageous stunts, pushing the performers to the limit of what their bodies could take. The scenes could be hard to watch, as I discovered for myself when I visited sets for a book I was writing in 2004. The sex acts seemed to owe more to reality shows where people eat live worms and pig vomit than anything conventionally erotic.

But some time around 2007, the "business of X" started going into a commercial tailspin. The arrival of free YouTube-style porn sites meant that consumers could download pirated scenes from the vast backlog of old content for free.

The phenomenon of DIY amateur sex – part-timers uploading their videos on sites such as clips4sale – also put a dent in the professionals' pay cheques.

Suddenly an industry that was a byword for easy money, raking in billions by exploiting the anonymity of point-and-click purchasing, was fighting for its life.

Making the problems of "adult" even worse was that where consumers might feel enough loyalty to, say, Radiohead to buy their latest release rather than download it illegally, porn users don't have the same feelings about the Dirty Debutantes series.

In essence, as with every other media evolution of the last 30 years, from VHS to DVDs to the birth of the internet, porn was once again leading the way, only this time into obsolescence.

And as goes the industry, so go the performers. It's well known that many of them come into porn looking for validation, fleeing lives of damage and abuse. They then sign up to a lifestyle that inflicts stress and illness, not to mention embarrassment, on its young foot soldiers, while offering nothing in the way of pensions and health insurance.

Now they find themselves out of work, looking for a Plan B, when the only experience on their resumé is having sex for cash.

On the business side, the porn industry has been desperately trying to adapt. Partly this has been a simple case of cutting back massively. In the early 2000s, a typical issue of the industry bible, the monthly Adult Video News, might have contained hundreds of reviews of new releases.

One recent example had just 14. Numerous companies have gone out of business.

Those movie companies that remain are focusing increasingly on high-end product, trying to beat the illegal sites by providing something like a cinematic experience. There is a flight into "quality".

In an uncanny echo of a recent BBC slogan, they are embracing the idea of "Fewer, Bigger, Better". For some, this means more female-orientated scenes with less angry sex. Hence A Love Story. For others, it means parodies – of popular TV shows and recent blockbusters.

One of the unlikeliest figures in the new reinvented industry – and a one-man indicator of how much it has changed – is Rob Zicari, better known as Rob Black. In the 90s, Black was one of the most notorious provocateurs in porn. He specialised in tastelessness; his films were more like grotesque exercises in taboo-breaking than anything anyone might conceivably watch for sexual pleasure.

In 1997 I interviewed him in his office in LA and visited him on the set of a production entitled Forced Entry, a film about rape. He was only 23 at the time and I was struck by the strange contrast of his being a friendly, intelligent guy – albeit in an over-caffeinated way – while making porn films that specialised in degrading women.

Six years later, Black's provocations caught up with him during George Bush's "war on obscenity" (the war's two other casualties were Justin Timberlake and Janet Jackson, when she exposed her nipple in a dance routine during the Superbowl).

Black and his wife and business partner Janet Romano (better know as Lizzie Borden) did a year each in federal jail for obscenity. Post-prison, a chastened Black has put his Sadean grotesqueries behind him.

Now he directs superhero parodies for a mainstream porn company called Vivid – Captain America XXX, Iron Man XXX – in glossy two-disc sets, some of them in 3D.

"Where the business is going now is it's acceptable to sit down with your wife and girlfriend and introduce her to pornography," he tells me during a visit to his new offices.

"But the stuff you're going to introduce them to is the stuff I'm making."

He shows me the suit he had used for his Iron Man parody. I remark that in porn terms, it is an impressive prop.

"Dude, the suit cost like four grand!" he says. Then, picking up one of his CD cases, in mock-awe at its resemblance to a "real movie", he says: "Look at that! That's a porno!"

Black is adept at putting a positive spin on the retrenchment that porn had undergone. But he appears somewhat ravaged and looks older than his 38 years. He has the air of someone who has been through something that hasn't killed him, but which hasn't made him stronger either.

If times are hard for the Rob Blacks of porn, they're worse still for the men on screen. Even with the superhero parodies and the couples films, and the lower-paid work doing scenes for pay-sites, there is still nowhere near enough employment for the hordes of performers who hope to make a living getting paid to have sex on camera.

At one of the top LA agencies for performers, LA Direct, the accountant Francine Amidor laments the "devastating" impact of piracy.

"There's less work, and there's an abundance – because of the economy – of performers. There aren't enough people shooting to give everybody a day's work."

I put it to Amidor that she owes it to the young aspirants who still make their way to the LA Direct offices to explain the consequences of their decision. She demurs.

"Because then I would talk three quarters of the girls out of the business and then we wouldn't be in business."

Fees for scenes, not surprisingly, have taken a hit. "Some girls get $600 [£390] for a scene now," the retired performer JJ Michaels tells me. "It might be $900-$1,000 for a big-name girl. It used to get up to $3,000." For guys, rates can be $150 or lower.

Women supplement their income by stripping and doing live shows over the internet, shot from home on their webcams. One evening I visit one of LA Direct's top performers, Kagney Linn Karter – star of Racktastic and Pound Round – at her house as she prepares for her bi-monthly live show.

Her boyfriend and full-time assistant Monte is hanging up her dresses while Kagney bathes and puts on her makeup. Monte and I then retreat to the kitchen where he tidies and wipes down surfaces while Kagney strips on her bed and masturbates in front of the strangers viewing her through her laptop. Forty-five minutes later, she emerges. "Well, I made a hundred dollars," she says brightly.

It's an open secret in the porn world that many female performers are supplementing their income by "hooking on the side". It's also called "doing privates", as in private bookings.

The official industry line is that it's dangerous (because clients aren't tested the way performers are) and irresponsible (because the women could then infect the closed community of professional performers).

But the women can make far more money having sex behind closed doors than doing it on film and, in fact, the practice is widespread. For many female performers nowadays, the movies are merely a sideline, a kind of advertising for their real business of prostitution.

Male performers do not have the same options. For a tiny subsection of top talent, there is still a regular pay cheque, albeit a shrinking one. But work has dried up for many of the journeyman-performers in the lower ranks and there is a great deal of anxiety across the board.

In the 90s one of the best-known male performers was Jon Dough – birth name Chet Anuszak. He was on contract with Vivid – the only man in the business to be exclusive to a company at that time.

He had a reputation for being a dependable "woodsman" and was well liked in adult circles. I interviewed him in 1996 on the set of a remake of Debbie Does Dallas. But when he killed himself in 2006 at the age of 43 it was widely assumed that the woes of the industry – and specifically declining DVD sales – played a role.

Jon Dough's widow is a fellow performer whose stage name is Monique DeMoan. They met on the set of Dr Butts 3: The Anal Asylum and eventually had a daughter together. No one in the world of porn knows Monique's whereabouts but I tracked her down to a conservative state many hundreds of miles – physically, culturally – from Los Angeles.

Standing in the low-ceilinged basement flat in an insalubrious area, she says that her husband killed himself over his cocaine addiction, and the instability and sense of failure that went with it, not because of the pressures of the industry.

Still, the perception among Dough's peers that DVD sales were a factor reflects an emotional truth: people in the world of porn were all too ready to believe that a top performer might have killed himself over the decline of a media format.

Still they arrive, the cohorts of aspiring performers, looking for new lives of wealth and stardom in a world that can no longer offer either. If Paris Hilton and Kim Kardashian can make sex tapes, they ask, then why shouldn't they?

They tour the production companies for meet-and-greets with casting agents and directors, tick boxes on questionnaires about what they are willing to do on camera. They make one or two low-end scenes for the internet, before being chucked back into anonymity.

On a rainy day, back on the same spacious suburban house on the quiet street in the valley where A Love Story was filmed, another production is under way. This time, it is a more modest affair – a few scenes made for an internet site.

One of the male performers is a young man on his second shoot, performing under the name Tony Prince.

His partner for the scene is called Stefania. It is her third shoot and she seems excited to have press around. "I'm trying to become one of the big porn stars," she says. She asks to take a picture with me, which she later tweets.

The scene is supposed to look like a real-life boyfriend and girlfriend sex tape. One advantage of this is that there is no need for a cameraman. The performers shoot the action themselves. While they got down to business, to alleviate any possible performance anxiety on Tony's part, the director and I make ourselves scarce in the kitchen.

He has been in the business since 1998, and he too is pessimistic about its future. "It's like I tell guys all the time, you better make this your side gig," he says.

A few hours later, the two performers are laughing and showering together, both happy with how the shoot had gone. In a reversal of the usual order of things, they are flirting and becoming friends after sex.

Where the industry will end up is hard to predict. Clearly there is still a market for softcore movies made by companies such as Penthouse and Hustler, available on subscription channels.

The parodies may continue for a while, too. But it is difficult to see how a business selling hardcore movies and even internet clips is sustainable when most people simply don't want to pay if they don't have to.

To many people, when it comes to porn, not paying for content seems the more moral thing to do.

"The way it is now, within five years I don't see how there could be a professional porn actor," Michaels tells me.

It's not easy to sympathise with the porn companies, which made so much money for so long by embracing a tawdry business and a dysfunctional work-pool. But it is worth sparing a thought for the legions of performers, qualified for nothing much more than having sex on camera, who have no money saved, and no future.

And there is also the wider question: do those who use porn not, perhaps, owe it a little something? Should those who download it not be ready to pass on a little cash incentive to the business? And if not, why not?

Does the stigma attached to porn make it OK to steal it? These questions underpin a much bigger dilemma being faced by all media: how do you sustain an industry that provides a certain standard of product – be it journalism, music, or mainstream movies, or X-rated movies – when more and more consumers are in the habit of downloading content for free?

In the world of porn, the answer is: you can't.

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How To Tell Your Family That Your Cousin Is A Porn Star

If you are seriously convinced you may have spotted a female relative (cousin) on a porn site in an amateur video, who can you tell? This is driving me crazy.

Oof. That's a checkmate position right there. Your moves within the family are essentially nonexistent. Obviously, you can't tell your mom or dad, because then it would result in this conversation:
MOM: You're looking at porn?
ME: No, mom, that's not the point.
MOM: Why are you looking at porn? Of your cousin, no less? THAT'S SICK!
ME: No, mom. I didn't INTEND to see to her...
MOM: I think you should see someone. My friend Sonny Lawson knows a man who deals with this kind of thing...
ME: No. Look, could you just stab me with a syringe full of AIDS right now so that I can get out of this forever?
So your parents are a no-go. Ditto your aunt and uncle. I was gonna say maybe your brother if you have one, but then I wondered if I would tell my own brother in a similar situation and there's no fucking way I ever would. And I have no clue how you'd be able to broach the subject directly with your cousin, unless you were best friends and you were both hammered at some point and in one of those "we can talk about ANYTHING" moments.
The only person you could really tell is a good friend outside of your family who also happens to know your cousin well. If you don't have that, I'm afraid you're just gonna have to resort to talking about it with strangers on the Internet. That's the only comfortable place to air out that kind of laundry.

Do you think men of our generation have seen more beautiful women and more naked women than any other generation if you count women seen in person and women seen in photo/video? With the internet, this has to be true, right? How lucky are we?
Think about it. Back in the old days, if you wanted to see a beautiful woman, you had to live near her (super near her before men had trains, ships, etc. and even fairly near even when cars were first invented); if you lived in a religious place or a place not near a city, you probably saw only one woman naked - the woman who became your wife. In cities and in less religious times, people were probably still fairly conservative - I wouldn't imagine anyone but someone who was, or was connected to, royalty would see more than 5-10 naked women.

Whoa.
/BONG HIT
I do think this has probably spoiled our generation, perhaps beyond salvation. If Marisa Miller went strolling into a saloon in 1845, every man's head would have exploded. But since kids today have access to billions of photos and videos or naked women online at a moment's notice, they begin to take the female form for granted. This is how you end up with some fuckhead in the comments being like, "Marisa Miller? Meh." We really did have someone at KSK once who said she wasn't all that in the comments. And I wanted to reach through my computer and stab that commenter in both eyes. YOU DO NOT DESERVE THE GIFT OF SIGHT. DO YOU NOT FUCKING REALIZE HOW SPECIAL SCANTILY CLAD WOMEN ARE?!
By the way, I do wonder what the total number of naked people online is. Are there a million people who have appeared naked on the Internet (the exposed internet, private emails and sexts don't count)? Is the percentage of Americans appearing naked online increasing every year? I bet it is. I bet there will come a time when we're ALL naked online. We'll all be out there for each other to see and if you see someone walking down the street who looks attractive to you, you'll be able to hold up your phone and have an app take you to that nude photo immediately. That can't happen fast enough.

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Japanese Paralympian bares all to raise funds for London 2012 campaign

Japanese Paralympic sprinter Maya Nakanishi has published a nude calendar to raise funds to help her compete at London 2012 and buy a new artificial limb.

A 27-year-old lost her right leg below the knee six years ago when she was hit by a steel beam, and it was only after that she took up sprinting, having previously played tennis.
 

Just two years later she competed at the Beijing Paralympics, finishing fourth in the 200m and sixth in the 100m, but a lack of funding prevented her running at last year's world championships.

She also competes as a long jumper and trains under 1984 Olympic triple jump champion Al Joiner, the former husband of the late triple Olympic gold medal winning sprinter Florence Griffith-Joyner.

'I don't regret having become nude. I'm very happy that I was able to show Maya Nakanishi as I am,' she said in her blog.

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You have read this article Jo Yeo-jung / Maggie Grace with the title Jo Yeo-jung. You can bookmark this page URL http://renelyons.blogspot.com/2012/06/stars-sex-and-nudity-buzz-06062012.html. Thanks!

stars, sex and nudity buzz : 05/29/2012

Zuleikha Robinson To Recur On ‘Homeland’

EXCLUSIVE: Rome and Lost alumna Zuleikha Robinson has booked a major recurring role on the upcoming second season of Showtime’s thriller drama Homeland. She will play Middle Eastern woman Roya Hammad, a field journalist with a special relationship to Abu Nazir (Navid Negahban) who delivers an ultimatum to Brody (Damian Lewis). Robinson is with Gersh and Dan Spilo of Industry.

* Damian did mentioned there will be a graphic sex scene in Ep.3(S2). Zuleikha have gone nudie before so the chances are good her casting will involve nudity of some kind. The burning for me (and many of the show fans) centers solely on Claire Danes. Will she finally give it up on nudity department? Give us a peek at her 'securities' and 'assets'.

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First Image from David Fincher’s Netflix Series HOUSE OF CARDS Starring Kevin Spacey

The first image from director David Fincher’s upcoming Netflix series House of Cards is now online. The show is based on the British miniseries of the same name and stars Kevin Spacey as a “wily, murderous politician worming his way to the White House” in Washington D.C. Fincher is directing the pilot, and Netflix has committed to producing and airing two seasons of 13 episodes each that will stream through the subscription service. Fincher seems a perfect fit to tackle the dirty game of politics, and the series reteams him the director with Spacey and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo star Robin Wright. A specific airdate has yet to be announced, but the series is set to be unveiled sometime in 2013.
The first image of Spacey and Wright in what the former calls, “[not] your daddy’s West Wing.”
Image via EW.

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HEMLOCK GROVE EP Eli Roth On Streaming: Bad Plot? That Never Happened

Hemlock Grove executive producer Eli Roth believes that online streaming could soon allow storytellers to tweak aspects of show’s that are not working, “instantaneously”.

Roth’s comments are particularly interesting as gothic horror adaptation Hemlock Grove — directed and exec. produced by Roth — is braving relatively uncharted territory as one of Netflix’s first original series:

“Here’s what I realized is so great about online streaming content. Let’s say in Episode 3, there was one story segment that we were certain would work, but the fans went crazy. Why the hell couldn’t we just pull it, re-edit it, and put it back up? If there’s an editorial change we want to make, and we have data to show that people are turning off at this point, we just recut it.

Roth continued:

“There’s no reason you couldn’t do it. Think about that. There’s no physical DVD to reproduce; there’s—nothing! It’s right there instantaneously. You want to tweak something later, you just do it. Who cares?”

While viewer subjectivity will always play a part, it’s an interesting premise. I definitely see the pros and cons of doing this, but it’s certainly an intriguing idea. How many bad plot points have you wished could be changed or buried within the palimpsest of your favorite serial?
I think this notion would work better for some shows than others, but it’s an interesting  concept that illustrates the opportunities that online streaming will undoubtedly create for long-form stories with invested audiences, as well as the potential impact this may have on the way these stories are digested.
Hemlock Grove is slated for 2013 on Netlfix. All 13 episodes will be released at the same time.

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Five Sex Scenes You Wish You Could Unsee 

by Shawna Laing

Anthony Hopkins in Titus

Avert your eyes! These following explicit movie moments are either severe, perverse or completely unwatchable. (Which probably means you are going to Netflix later out of sheer curiosity... ya' scamp.)

1. Titus - The Torture of Lavinia
From orgies to The Lion King -- Julie Taymor is known for her visuals. We are shown the taunting of rape victim, Lavinia - tongue cut out, hands severed. Twigs are bandaged to replace her extremities, all very graphic. The cinematic take on Shakespeare's classic is both jolting and uncomfortably memorable.

Side note: The brilliant and androgynous Alan Cumming gives good screen time. (Cumming, The Fragrance)

2. Mulholland Drive - Naomi Watts Rubs One Out
Let's all take a moment to appreciate the masterful David Lynch. Okay.
Lynch succeeds in creating tension through a series of nipple shots and tears. During this masturbation sequence, the audience feels something completely private and desperate. For any straight woman, gay man or small child -- this scene lasts about AN HOUR too long. You can almost smell it.

Still from Antichrist

3. Antichrist - Who What When Where Why How

I must unsee, WHY CAN'T I UNSEE?? Here we have a grisly, no holds barred camera angle of a woman (Serge Gainsbourg's daughter, COOL!) ...CUTTING OFF HER CLIT. Willem Dafoe's DING DONG squirting blood.  Other things. I refuse to give any more time, thought or word to this movie.  I shall direct you to Seth MacFarlane for further comment.

4. Eyes Wide Shut - The Orgy That Would Never Actually Happen
People tend to be very polarized when it comes to this controversial Kubrick film -- love it or hate it. The Sexy! Orgy! Party! is mechanical (which I suppose is the point?). Pan left to slow motion titty rubs. Tom Cruise adventures! Sex cults rule!

Still from The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

5. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo - The Swedish Douchewad
This crime drama contains images of mutilated women, dildos, bisexuality and reference to incest -- the entire gamut. The forceful sex is integral in propelling the story forward, sure. But let's all agree -- rape is NO BUENO. The Swedish title literally translates Men Who Hate Women. Violent throws, pubic areas exposed -- brutal and disturbing. No thank you.


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Breakout Kings last day

* The bad news BK is off the air for good. The good news both Canadian sexy babes Brooke Nevin and Serinda Swan are out of regular work. Both have swore off on-screen nudity at the moment. So the bet is on who is going to take the top off first. Brooke will be 30 at year end in pretty much undistinguished career. Will she be desperate enough to accept racy roles before the hot bod goes south? Like Maggie Grace, financial consideration will play a major part in the decision. A possible candidate for cable TV shows.

Follow Brooke. Fan Facebook.

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Actress Maggie Grace Biography

Actress Maggie Grace Biography:

Profile:
Famous as: Actress
Birth Name: Margaret Grace Denig
Birth Date: September 21, 1983
Birth Place: Columbus, Ohio, USA
Claim to fame: As Martha Moxley in TV Movie “Murder in Greenwich” (2002)

Biography:
Few performers experience a meteoric rise to fame on par with that of actress Maggie Grace. An Ohio native whose parents co-ran a jewelry business, Grace left her Columbus home amid complete obscurity, nurturing dreams of becoming an A-list actress, and within five years made that dream a reality, given her ability to test out of high school and graduate years ahead of time. With the blessing of her parents, Grace promptly moved to Los Angeles at age 16 and snagged an agent. Roles in low-medium-budgeted features and short-lived television series (FOX’s Septuplets and Oliver Beene) followed, but it was her breakout turn in the blockbuster series Lost — as the pampered, spoiled and bratty Shannon Rutherford — that made her a superstar.

Early life:
Grace was born Margaret Grace Denig in Worthington, Ohio, the second of three children to parents Valinn and Rick Denig, who ran a family jewelry business. Her family lived in a 200-year-old house, the first saltbox house in central Ohio. She attended Worthington Christian Schools from kindergarten through ninth grade and briefly attended Thomas Worthington High School, where she began acting in school plays and community theater, including a Jewish Community Center’s Gallery Players’ 2000 production of The Crucible. Her parents divorced “amicably” when she was 16 years old, and her mother sought a “fresh start”. Grace dropped out of high school to move to Los Angeles, California with her mother, while her younger siblings Ian and Marissa continued to live with their father. In Los Angeles, Grace and her mother moved around often as they struggled financially, taking out short-term rents rather than paying for permanent residence while eating a basic diet, as it was all they could afford.

Career:
Grace acquired an agent within a week of relocating to Los Angeles and enrolled in acting classes. She landed her first role in Rachel’s Room, a 2001 web-based video series about the affairs inside a teenage girl’s bedroom that was created by Dawson’s Creek executive producer Paul Stupin. Her next role was on the 2002 television series Septuplets, which was cancelled before the first episode had aired. Her breakout role was on 2002′s television movie Murder in Greenwich, based on the true story of 15-year-old Martha Moxley’s murder. She was nominated for a Young Artist Award forher portrayal of Moxley in the Best Performance in a TV Movie, Miniseries or Special – Leading Young Actress category, but lost to Clara Bryant for Tru Confessions. She went on to feature in minor roles on the television series CSI: Miami, The Lyon’s Den, Miracles, Like Family, Cold Case and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit, and the films Twelve Mile Road and Creature Unknown, before appearing in 2011′s semi hit Zookeeper with Kevin James.

In mid-2004, Grace’s agent sent her the script for the pilot episode of Lost; she was given the role of Shannon Rutherford after a successful audition. She was nominated in 2005 for a Teen Choice Award for Choice TV Breakout Performance Female for her role on Lost, but lost to Desperate Housewives’ Eva Longoria. She lived in Hawaii during the filming of the show’s first season, and signed on to star opposite Tom Welling in The Fog, a 2005 remake of the 1980 horror film of the same name, as a character originally played by Jamie Lee Curtis. Though the filming of Lost was supposed to have ended before The Fog began, the productions coincided due to Lost’s extended season finale and Grace flew between the two sets, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu and on Bowen Island in British Columbia, Canada. After ranking at #27 on Maxim’s Hot 100 list of 2005, she returned for Lost’s second season. Her character was killed off the series in the season’s eighth episode, “Collision” when the series’ writers began to feel that the character’s “story avenues [were] limited”. Executive producer Carlton Cuse said that Grace’s departure from the show was “sort of a win-win” as she was eager to enter a full-time career in film. After leaving the series, she nevertheless joined the other principal Lost cast members of season 2 onstage at the 12th Screen Actors Guild Awards where Lost won the award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series.

In 2007, she starred in The Jane Austen Book Club, based on Karen Joy Fowler’s novel of the same name. She is a fan of Jane Austen and had read Fowler’s novel when it was released in 2004. When she was given the film’s script, she met with the director Robin Swicord, with whom she says she “geeked out”, and was given the role of Allegra, an openly lesbian 20-year-old. After the filming of The Jane Austen Book Club was completed, Grace briefly returned to Hawaii to shoot a guest spot on the Lost season 3 episode “Exposé”. She starred in the 2008 thriller film Taken with Liam Neeson, who was at the top of a list of male actors Grace wished to work with that she had written just two months before she was cast. She recently played the lead in Simon Fellows’ Malice in Wonderland, a modern adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. In 2010, Grace starred in the drama Flying Lessons, and appeared opposite Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz in James Mangold’s film Knight and Day, as well as in Faster, with Dwayne Johnson. Grace’s busy schedule prevented her from returning as Shannon in “LA X”, the season premiere for Lost’s sixth and final season, but she eventually returned for the series finale “The End”. On September 2010, it was revealed that Grace was chosen to play Irina in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn.

Personal life:
Grace lived in Honolulu, Hawaii while working on Lost, saying “I love it here, but it’s not a place you can really pursue acting.” She claimed that, while living in Hawaii, her Lost co-stars would introduce her to men and that some “would probably have me with a different guy every night.” She said that her male co-stars were “mostly very protective” and “very opinionated” when deciding whether she should date certain men; actor Josh Holloway once offered to help her select dates from a portfolio of male models with whom he previously worked. Grace and Ian Somerhalder, her onscreen stepbrother, were rumored to be dating in April 2006 after both had left Lost. When asked about Somerhalder in August, she stated, “Ian’s great, I adore him, although I’m only 22 – far too young to even think about having a serious relationship.” While still working on Lost, Grace and Somerhalder adopted a feral cat named Roo which they found “literally dying” in the jungle on the set. She said that the cat is now her “travel buddy.” In 2008 and 2009, she dated Blake Mycoskie, a contestant on the second season of The Amazing Race and founder of TOMS Shoes.

Grace says that the person she is most inspired by is her mother. When asked about her closest friend, she said that she and her mother were more like sisters and that she is “lucky to have an exceptionally cool mum.” She is a self proclaimed anglophile, having written to a pen pal in the Lake District from the age of eight, having first visited England at 13 years old, and admiring a number of British poets as well as William Shakespeare. She calls herself very clumsy, claiming to “trip over my legs all the time,” and was jokingly nicknamed “Maggie Graceless” by one of her former castmates. She plays in a Los Angeles kickball league with her friends.

Filmography:
Relative Insanity (2013)
Decoding Annie Parker (2012)
Taken 2 InfoTaken 2 (2012)
Lockout InfoLockout (2012)
The Twilight Saga’s Breaking Dawn Part I (2011)
The Experiment InfoThe Experiment (2010)
Knight and Day Info Knight and Day (2010)
Faster InfoFaster (2010)
Flying Lessons InfoFlying Lessons (2010)
Malice in Wonderland InfoMalice in Wonderland (2009)
Taken InfoTaken (2008)
The Jane Austen Book Club InfoThe Jane Austen Book Club (2007)
Suburban Girl InfoSuburban Girl (2007)
The Fog InfoThe Fog (2005) aka Brouillard, Le
Creature Unknown (2004) aka The Forest
Oliver Beene (2004) – TV
Lost InfoLost (2004) – TV
Twelve Mile Road (2003) – TM aka 12 Mile Road
Septuplets (2002) – TV
Murder in Greenwich (2002) – TM aka Dominick Dunne Presents: Murder in Greenwich
Shop Club (2002)
Rachel’s Room (2001)

Maggie Grace awards

Awards:
Screen Actors Guild Awards
2006
Won Actor Award
category Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series for Lost (2004) (TV)
shared with Naveen Andrews; Emilie de Ravin; Matthew Fox

Teen Choice Awards
2005
Got nomination for Teen Choice Award
category Choice TV Breakout Performance – Female for Lost (2004) (TV)
Young Artist Awards
2003
Got nomination for Young Artist Award
category Best Performance in a TV Movie, Mini-Series or Special – Leading Young Actress for Murder in Greenwich (2002) (TV Movie)

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Jo Yeo Jung ‘Sexy + Pure’, multi-faceted charm shakes men at the core

Actress Jo Yeo Jung is sending the hearts of men racing with her multi-faceted charm that encompasses all from sensuality to innocence.

Jo Yeo Jung recently participated in a photoshoot for a pictorial together with the actors and director Kim Tae Seung of the movie ‘The Emperor’s Concubine’ showing off her sensuality.

In the movie, Jo Yeo Jung plays the role of Hwa Yeon, a woman who had to change to survive. Jo Yeo Jung wore a black outfit in the pictorial revealed with her sexiness showcased front and forward.

In a pictorial with another fashion magazine, Jo Yeo Jung showed off her pure and innocent looks with her beautiful smile and almost the dreamy feel of a young woman truly showing off her versatility.

Some of the netizens commented: “Jo Yeo Jung is so attractive in so many different ways”, “Totally sexy”, and “So pretty. I envy Jo Yeo Jung.”

‘The Emperor’s Concubine’ is scheduled to premier on June 6th.

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Zhang Ziyi under investigation for prostitution 

Actress Zhang Ziyi has allegedly been barred from leaving China after it was determined that she had sex with former top government official Bo Xilai more than 10 times. She is said to be under investigation by the Bo Xilai government and police investigation team, according to the US registered Chinese-language website Boxun. The news has been carried by Apple Daily and other papers in Taiwan, but not in the Chinese mainland.

The pair’s sexual relationship was arranged by Bo’s associate, the 41-year-old billionaire Xu Ming, who is founder and chairman of Dalian Shide Group. According to various sources, Xu confessed that he paid Zhang 6 million yuan ($946,000) in 2007, after sleeping with her for the first time. The two then had several other “bedroom deals” before Xu arranged for Zhang to offer special services to Bo in the same year, for 10 million yuan. Between 2007 and 2011, Bo and actress Zhang had sex at least 10 times – all in Beijing, including at Xu’s guesthouse in the capital’s Xishan.

Billionaire Xu also arranged for Zhang to meet another two high-level officials for sex and Xu would pay Zhang each time. Sources said Zhang is famed in entertainment circles for obtaining money, jewelry and real estate from sleeping with the rich. She has had up to five or six billionaire boyfriends at the same time, but only has one “formal boyfriend” in public.

It is estimated that Zhang has pocketed at least 700 million yuan ($110 million) from sexual transactions over the past 10 years, including 180 million yuan in cash from Xu. Her vast wealth from prostituting herself was not taxed due to intervention from Xu and other government officials.

This shocking news might explain why Zhang was absent from the Cannes Film Festival this year even though her film, Dangerous Liaisons, premiered at the festival’s Directors’ Fortnight section. Zhang was also invited to present the Palme d’Or awards. But she turned down the invitations, giving the reason that she had to finish shooting on The Grandmasters. The real reason could be that she is being investigated for her connection to Bo Xilai, Xu and her work as a prostitute.

Previously, Ziyi has been accused of witholding charity funds for the Sichuan earthquake and has often been connected with rich and powerful men, with whom she is supposed to have prostituted herself. 

* In Asia an actress is equated to being an high-end prostitute. She is at mercy of pimps masquerading as agents. If the movie offers drys up at some point and she is used to living in luxury - becoming an escort is only option. It's rampant in India where out-of-work female artists entertains clients at 'five-star' hotels. It's well publicised in South Korea. The girls are groomed early on to be sex puppets of the powerful. Nearly all actress in smaller Asian countries like Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and Malaysia have dabbled in prostitution. I was in Malaysia few months ago and Eurasian artists are popular and much in demand. Here the hook is pretty clever and subtle. One of my friend (from Britain) have shot plenty of local models-cum-actresses and he have two portfolios - one the normal version (non-nude) and another quite explicit shots of the models. To say I was surprised will be an overstatement because you expect these type of shenanigans in self-proclaimed socially conservative countries. I was shocked though when he said the girls are available for 'encounters' for the right price. I was not interested in the women for photo-shoot but for a poke....hell yeah. I picked a very multi-ethnic looking chick in her mid-20's. The dude claimed she was Miss Malaysia contestant in 20** and placed third. She is of Chinese-East Indian parentage and still lives with her parents! To make a long story short the sex was shitty (did her at my friend guest bedroom - the safest spot). Only mish and doggy. BJ sucked in a big way. The chick refused to be sexually dominated. Paid for facial but she directed my cock on to her tits (admittedly perfect in my eyes). She agreed to anal but I had to stopped mid-way because she was squirming a lot and I was afraid she will leak you-know-what. Is it worth it? To a certain point. I was sucking on her tits much longer than I was fucking her! Word of advise: always use protection. Always.

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Actress Rainey Qualley on Her Debut Role in Mighty Fine
The 23-year-old daughter of Andie MacDowell opens up about acting opposite her mother and meeting her boyfriend on set.

"I've always wanted to act. I grew up dancing, so I've been interested in the performing arts. I moved to New York when I was 19, and I lived on my friend's couch for a couple of months until I found place to live. I trained at the Maggie Flanigan Studio and studied the Meisner acting technique, and I studied for a summer at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. I also sing, and a song that I wrote and sang plays during the credits of the movie. It's called 'Silver Lining.'"

"Mighty Fine is about a dysfunctional Jewish family that suddenly moves from Brooklyn to New Orleans. It's a great first role because there's a lot to work with. I filmed this with my mother, and at first, I was a little apprehensive. Like all mothers, my mother has a tendency to be a bit overbearing and always give her two cents—but she gave me my space and allowed me to figure things out for myself."
"I just moved out to L.A. with my boyfriend, Richard Kohnke, who actually plays my boyfriend in the movie. We met filming and hit it off! My mom was very weary of Richard at first because she thought he was too good looking to be nice. He's a great guy."

"My mother was attached to Mighty Fine before me. We went to a play one night, and the casting director who cast my mother was there. She still hadn't found someone to play my character, Maddie. She saw me, we spoke briefly, and then, apparently, she called the director and said that she wanted me to audition. The next morning, I went in and read for the part. I booked this movie right as I wrapped up school, so it was awesome timing."
"In a lot of ways, it can be an extra challenge for the children of actors to want to go into acting because there's a tendency to hold us to a different standard. People also think that whenever you get something, it's just because you're so-and-so's daughter. But it can also be useful because of all the connections that I have."

"My mom grew up as a model, so she has an amazing closet for me to enjoy. My personal style is boho and feminine. Ninety percent of the time I'm wearing dresses—or I'm at home wearing sweatpants. I love pretty, feminine fabrics. I wish that my feet were just one size bigger because she has amazing shoes, but I don't fit into them. When I went to prom, I borrowed one of her dresses. I don't spend an enormous amount of clothes because I'm only 23; I can't really afford to wear high-end clothes all the time. I love Free People, LF, and Urban Outfitters—stores that have cute clothes, but aren't outrageously priced."

"A dream role of mine would be to act in a movie-musical because I love to sing and dance. My ultimate dream would be to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. I hope that somebody remakes it!"

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So Men In Black 3 domestic projections of $55M three-day weekend and $70M four-day Memorial Holiday may stand. Although rival studios say the numbers are $54.5M/$68M. That’s not anywhere close to the $90M where Hollywood thought this popular franchise could open its threequel, or the $80M which Sony expected. Even not adjusted for the 3D premium, or higher ticket pricesm or inflation, MIB3 couldn’t beat Will Smith’s I Am Legend ($77M in 2007) or Hancock ($62M in 2008). Problem is that MIB3 was very expensive to make. (see below)
SUNDAY AM, 4TH UPDATE: A lot was riding on this weekend’s worldwide totals for Will Smith (back at cineplexes after a 4-year hiatus) and Sony (reviving a costly Columbia Pictures franchise that was dormant for a decade). But Memorial Weekend newcomer Men In Black 3 is now the 5th major studio release that has underperformed domestically at the start of Summer 2012. Plus, demonstrating more trouble for Hollywood, overall moviegoing of $190M is down a huge -32% from last year’s record. Overseas, MIB3 was off to a better start, and Sony is projecting it to take in an estimated $202M worldwide total during its first few days of release in 106 territories. Of that, IMAX sales contributed approximately $12M to the global cume, which is 20% higher than the previous record for a worldwide Memorial Day release because of aggressive IMAX building overseas. Sony said MIB3 was #1 in 104 countries. In this country, yes, MIB3 finally vanquished three-time #1  Marvel’s The Avengers which was starting its 4th week in domestic release. Even so there’s continuing good news for Disney’s 3D superhero assembly: it crossed $500M on Saturday, reaching the mark in just 23 days which is setting a new speed record (better than Avatarwhich took 32 days). In 3,918 theaters, it’s a solid #2 with about a $36.9M three-day weekend and a $48.5M Memorial Holiday. It is currently the #4 film of all time globally and domestically and is currently the #5 film of all time internationally, passing Transformers: Dark of the Moon ($771M) this weekend. Even if Avengers weren’t sucking the air out of North American box office, trust me when I say the movie moguls are worried what lies ahead for their films in June after a dismal domestic May…

* Much of the blame will eventually be put on piracy and not the sub-standard shitty product Hollywood churn out on regular basis. It also seems to me that it have completely slipped Hollywood mind we are in recession. Moviegoers tends to be choosier. Even more so with the hefty ticket prices. If you have a young family pretty much rules out many of PG-13 movies. I've got a bad feeling about this. With Chris Dodd the Bozo on the rampage to 'save' the movie industry - 2013 could be a rough year for netizens.

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Anja Rubik’s Erotica Mag 25 Advises Readers to ‘Let Him Watch You Masturbate’

Better hold on to your knickers! Anja Rubik‘s erotica magazine, 25 has officially re-launched–and if the sneak peek that Oyster magazine just posted is any indication, the project is shaping up to be even better–and of course, sexier–than expected.
As we previously reported, the debut issue will feature lots and lots of nude photos–some featuring the likes of Abbie Lee Kershaw, Arizona Muse and Liya Kebede. Of course these will be a far cry from the spread eagled fare you might see in Playboy. 25‘s photos explore a subtler and more sensual side of sexuality, and are lensed by some of fashion’s leading female photographers like Inez van Lamsweerde, Annie Leibovitz, and Ellen von Unwerth–a deliberate decision on Rubik‘s part.
“I wanted the magazine to be about very ambitious, very strong women and so I started looking at people in my field — especially the photographers who are so incredible — but I started thinking that there are so few female photographers; so I worked with many female photographers,” she told Oyster.
But 25 isn’t just a visual treat–there will be written work for which Rubik’s tongue-in-cheek Editor’s Letter sets the tone, saying, “We aren’t trying to reinvent the wheel, just make it more lubricated for an easier ride.” Among some of the sex tips offered in the new issue are “Let him watch you masturbate,” and “Stop reading Cosmo.” Well at least we know who they’ve pegged as their competition.

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by Le Tag Parfait 

Summer's here. At least we hope it is, and so does Lola Viande, who's taming the sun with her Hula Hoop. Standing on the rooftops of Paris, she works hard to let love flow and overwhelm us with softness.

* say anything you will about the strong body odor, aversion to daily shower, the rude attitude and hairy disposition but nobody and I mean nobody does sexy like a Gallic woman. It comes to them effortlessly.

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You have read this article Brooke Nevin / Hemlock Grove / House Of Cards / Jo Yeo-jung / Maggie Grace / Rainey Qualley with the title Jo Yeo-jung. You can bookmark this page URL http://renelyons.blogspot.com/2012/05/stars-sex-and-nudity-buzz-05292012.html. Thanks!

stars, sex and nudity buzz : 05/22/2012

Sarah Wynter Joins Showtime’s ‘Californication’ As Recurring

EXCLUSIVE: Sarah Wynter (24) has been tapped for a recurring role on the next season of Showtime’s dark comedy series Californication. The Australian actress will play the wife of rock star Atticus Fetch, played by another Aussie, Tim Minchin. Described as Bowie, Bono and Lennon rolled up into one, Fetch has been drafted to write the music for the Broadway musical A Crazy Little Thing Called Love, which is based on the hit romantic comedy of the same name adapted from Hank Moody’s (David Duchovny) breakthrough novel. Wynter, repped by Paradigm and Mosaic, is set to appear in at least six episodes. After scaling back work over the past four years to give birth to three boys, she is returning to acting full-time.

* 38-years old Sarah will likely join Maggie Grace on nudity band-wagon. The Aussie pretty much okay with stripping on-cam so it's going to be an interesting season.

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Selena Gomez Reading 'Fifty Shades of Grey'! What Will Justin Bieber Think?

Selena Gomez is slowly working on shedding her squeaky-clean Disney girl image with more daring film roles, but she is still basically a good girl. Her untarnished image has earned her the respect of her fans, young and old. But, that could soon change. Selena tweeted a picture of herself that will certainly have prudish moms saying, "tsk, tsk."

On Monday morning, May 21, Selena tweeted a picture of herself settling in with a copy of Fifty Shades of Grey. Yep, Selena was digging into the erotic fiction book that has taken the world by storm and become the talk of Hollywood. Everybody wants to know who will get to play the roles of Christian and Anastasia. Selena's name has been mentioned for the role, but nobody actually believes she would ever do something quite that risqué. Maybe they were wrong!

The caption, "Catching up on some reading with Funny or Die," could mean anything. Of course, the second half of her caption is a little more revealing, "Can't wait to show you the video we made tomorrow!" Selena Gomez may soon be blowing her good girl image right out of the water.

The book, which dabbles in the world of S-and-M, is not something anybody would imagine Selena reading. At least not in public, that is. Can you imagine Justin Bieber's reaction to the idea of his girlfriend reading one of the hottest adult books right now? He is a healthy teenage boy, so the reaction is probably pretty predictable.

Most likely, Selena is ready to put a funny spin on rumors she may star in a film based on the erotic novel. You will have to wait until tomorrow to see just what Selena has cooked up!

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11 Things About 50 Shades

Mary McCarthy

"The sex is great, and the writing sucks. Make your choice."

By now everyone is sick to death of hearing about the Fifty Shades of Grey trilogy by E. L. James. Well, too bad. Look, it took me awhile to get through all 1664 pages total-in-trilogy of this…. um… literaryyy… work?

When I updated my Goodreads page, the review I gave Fifty Shades of Grey was short and to the point:

“The sex is great, and the writing sucks. Make your choice.”

Eleven words to summarize 1664 pages. I stand by that initial review, but in case you haven’t had the time in your life to read the three books, I’ll enlighten you on what you’ve been missing.

Spoiler alert: if you haven’t read the books, and are legitimately worried about “finding out what happens” in this review, stop reading here, I guess. But dude, trust me, I’m probably doing you a favor by sparing you around 1663 pages worth of reading time. For the love of God, read something else. Anything else.

Here are 11 Things You Didn’t Miss If You Didn’t Read Fifty Shades of Grey:
 1.     Suspense. Besides the weakly crafted “cliffhangers” between books (ooh! Someone’s out to get one of the main characters!), any reader with an eighth grade diploma could see nothing particularly interesting is ever really going to happen in the ‘plot.’ (No. Eighth graders shouldn’t read it. Duh.)

2.     Plot. There isn’t one. If you’re a fan of books where nothing really happens except repeated, poorly written sex scenes, this trilogy is for you.

3.     Feminism. Though it’s so tempting, I am not going to launch a bra-burning 70s feminist rant here, but the issue of feminism with regards to the books is best summarized in the article “Anti Feminist Ideals in Fifty Shades of Grey” by Marina DelVecchio in which she observes the perpetuation of the following feminine myths: The Virgin vs. the Deviant, A Woman’s Love Can Change Men, and The Female Submissive.

Let’s just put it this way, folks. Gloria Steinem is probably tired of rolling her eyes every time she hears about this trilogy.

4.     Theme. Other than the alleged BDSM nature of the book, there is no real thread that ties the story together other than sex.

5.     Reality. Helicopters, real estate, luxury cars, endless wardrobes… these books are a playground for the rich. You won’t find any pesky grocery budgeting or checkbook balancing herein.

6.     Self respect.  Between sex scenes, both characters, Christian and Anastasia, are horrifically insecure and spend all three books being paranoid they are not good enough for one another.

7.     Dialogue. It’s awful. The characters say the same things to each other over and over and over again.

8.     Role Models. Do you really want your daughter to see you reading this book or hear you chatting it up with your friends? In a Huffington Post article by Dani Klein Modisett on the topic, she asks,

“How do you teach young American females to love themselves enough not to confuse yearning for some unattainable, controlling, inconsistent man/boy with a shaggy mane of hair he's constantly running his hands through, who makes you bite your lip and the "deepest, darkest part" of you "clench in the most delicious fashion" every time you see him, with real, meaningful, and yes, sometimes boring, love?”

9.     Narration. Anastasia Steele, the 24-year-old virgin heroine of the book, is a one-dimensional character who overuses phrases like “Oh my” so many times it makes your teeth hurt. Her “inner Goddess” and “subconscious” become “characters” you wish would come to life so you could punch them in the babymaker. Really? She needs a hobby that doesn’t involve obsessing over how to be the perfect woman for “her man.”

10.  Editing. What should have happened here is that the three books should’ve been edited down to one. With good editing, one book would have been enough and could potentially have been a perfectly fine read. The story being dragged out unnecessarily over the course of three books? Had everything to do with selling three books instead of one (see also: Twilight, Hunger Games).

11. A Variety of Sex Scenes. If the book is going to be #1-2-AND-3 on The New York Times bestseller list with a reputation as a book about sex, the sex should be fabulous, yes? And some of it is. Especially the first few times we read the same exact sex scene. But Ana referring to her vagina (the word is never once used in three books) as her “sex” or, even more teenishly, as “down THERE!”? And saying “he found his release” after every single orgasm (another unpopular Fifty Shades word)? It really gets boring. Even for the actual real-world bondage fans, there are only a few mildly “tie-me-up” scenes. All in all, the sex is hot, but it’s more often repetitive and eventually even vanilla.

All of this is probably too much information, right? Chances are, what you’ve been hearing from your friends (and a really hilarious Saturday Night Live skit) is that the books are hot.

In summary, I’m sticking with my original eleven-word review: “The sex is great, and the writing sucks. Make your choice.”

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Paoli Dam's sex scene in 'Thana Theke Aschi'

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Sexual Perversion and Gruesomeness Galore for AnnaLynne McCord in new 'Excision' Trailer

Pauline (AnnaLynne McCord) is an awkward and unkempt teenager about to graduate high school. Her tangled mane of hair and out-of-control eyebrows places her in an unsavory light with her peers, except that Pauline is so wrapped up in her own world, she could care less what everyone else thinks of her. Obsessed with the idea that she would make an excellent surgeon, Pauline indiscriminately experiments on the corpses of dead animals. And from her rampantly sexual dreams, we’re able to see that Pauline is turned on by blood and sex with dead or maimed things. Meanwhile, her emotionally estranged parents (Roger Bart and Traci Lords) are undecided about what to do with their strange daughter, distracted as they are by their superstar younger daughter’s cystic fibrosis. Pauline’s mother isn’t able to accept Pauline as she is, forcing her to go to therapy sessions with the local reverend (John Waters) and join Cotillion even though she’s just a tad too old for such an occasion. Between deciding she needs to lose her virginity and exacting physical violence against female enemies at school, Pauline decides that she must take it upon herself to perform her sister’s lung transplant, as she’s the best qualified.

Bates Jr. somehow managed to assemble an astounding supporting cast of colorful film icons, including a delightful Lords, a hilarious Waters, Malcolm McDowell as a high school teacher, Marlee Matlin as the Cotillion instructor, and Ray Wise as the principal. But best of all, Excision has a delightfully depraved center with a knockout performance from AnnaLynne McCord as the disturbed Pauline. There’s not been this much use of menstrual blood in teenage horror since Carrie (1976) and Pauline’s dreams are surprisingly effective in the intention to shock, including an exploding baby fetus and plenty of blood drenched sexual acts. Nearly every ten minutes of the 80-minute feature contain graphically bright fantasies (or nightmares for us) of Pauline mounting corpses, performing surgery or giving birth to a doomed fetus that, no doubt, will serve as the lithmus point for making a break for the exit. Boasting a superbly written script by Bates,’ Excision is a hilarious, character driven flick, and one that manages to climax with an effective chilly final shot

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Leo DiCaprio has definitely figured out this whole fame thing

Become famous. Use fame to get hot chicks to take their clothes off. Rinse, repeat. Leonardo DiCaprio has definitely figured out this whole fame thing. From the National Enquirer:

Leonardo Dicaprio's not just starring the "The Wolf of Wall Street," he's one of the flick's producers - and he's insisted on sitting in during casting auditions for gorgeous babes in their mid-20's who'll appear stark-raving NAKED in the film. Said My Backstage Spy: "For the initial audition, the girls will have to come in wearing sexy clothes that show off their bodies - but anyone chosen to screen test with Leo will have to play the scene in the nude." (Print Edition - 5/21)

This, my friends, is why we all strive to be on top of the Hollywood heap -- the "A-list," so to speak. Leo is really starting to come into his own (sort of a Johnny Depp-type with less range). Come on, we all know that Leo is gonna lay pipe to whoever gets the role, but that's a given. For a desperate actress, there's no shame in that. Nope, the humiliation comes when you have to take it from Leo in front of the director, producers, your agents, key grips, and the catering crew. It's so degrading, I'm getting stiff just thinking about it I'm surprised Lindsay Lohan's not camped out in front of this casting call.

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MPAA Taps Marc Miller As Web Piracy Exec

The MPAA is ramping up its efforts to combat movie piracy, appointing attorney Marc Miller as SVP Content Protection, Internet. Miller joins from Nintendo of America, where he was Anti-Piracy Counsel for Americas and Asia/Pacific. He will be based in the MPAA’s Los Angeles office and report to Michael Robinson, the EVP Content Protection and Chief of Operations for the major studio’s lobbying organization and trade group. Miller will oversee worldwide Internet content protection and enforcement, and work with the MPAA’s legal team in defining as well as enforcing the group’s litigation strategy. Prior to joining Nintendo, he worked on IP Litigation at the U.S. Department of Justice’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section. The MPAA is active in anti-piracy efforts in 27 countries in Asia/Pacific, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

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'The Concubine' transcends hype over nudity

The king (Kim Dong-wook) courts his sister-in-law (Jo Yeo-jung), as she tries to resist, in a scene from the new film “The Concubine.” It opens in theaters nationwide on June 6. Kim Dai-seung's period drama among the finest commercial films of the year Nude scenes in Jung Ji-woo’s “Eungyo” and Im Sang-soo’s “The Taste of Money” recently generated an obscene amount of media frenzy. Added to this is the new release “The Concubine,” the promotion of which has revolved around its graphic portrayal of sex and the naked lead actress Jo Yeo-jung (“The Servant,” 2010). However, this singular focus seems misguided and demeaning to a film that offers much substance. Instead of a predictable tale recounting the various escapades and insatiable sexual appetite of a king, we get a perplexing film noir that explores obsessive-compulsive needs and their moral consequences. Its psychological depths demand multiple viewings. The principal fault notwithstanding — women are given less complex roles than men by director/screenwriter Kim Dai-seung — the “Cocubine” is one of the best commercial films this year. Weaker female roles in Korean movies remain a conspicuous problem in the male-dominated domestic industry. The film begins with the queen mother and former concubine (Park Ji-young, “The Show Must Go On,” 2006) in a precarious position of having no blood ties to the childless king (Jung Chan). She schemes to replace him with his stepbrother and her submissive young son on the throne (Kim Dong-wook, “Take Off,” 2009). Indifferent to his mother’s plans, the timid prince falls in love with Hwa-yeon (Jo), an aristocrat’s daughter, who has already found love with Gwon-yu (Kim Min-jun, “Love,” 2007), a commoner. When her father decides to send her to the royal palace as a concubine, the two lovers try to elope but are caught after their first night together. She only gives in to parental demands in quid pro quo for his life. In the next five years, she produces a male heir, infuriating the queen mother. The latter poisons the king and finally puts her son on the throne, giving the ruthless matriarch firm control over the royal court. Hwa-yeon is moved to a closely-watched humble residence, but to save her child, she is willing to do anything. When reunited with her castrated former lover, who now works as a eunuch for her biggest nemesis, the queen regent’s brother, she begs for help. The story is like a compendium of outrageous royal intrigue and love stories — and it feels overwhelming. Added to stunning cinematography, silky costumes and most of all, the excellent acting of the cast members, are a lot to take in all at once. But the “Concubine’s” intense, multi-textured journey is certainly worth the effort. In his portrayal of the meek son who becomes a powerless king, 29-year-old Kim Dong-wook displays finesse and nuance. His naturalism convinces audiences as he transforms from a youth with a crush into one manically obsessed. His pitiful king wears an ill-fitting crown and makes endless mistakes. Kim Min-jun is given a much less interesting role but manages to shine in certain scenes, like the one on his deathbed, for instance. His character’s journey from wild bad-boy heartthrob to repressed eunuch is a transformation he does not handle too well, especially given that he speaks in a consistently low-toned voice. But his performance is adequate. Jo’s evolution into a monster is less convincing, but this is a fault of the screenplay. She should have been given more time on screen as Hwa-yeon the innocent girl. More energy is concentrated in portraying her conniving ways. She always seems to be hiding something; she always looks guilty. Park’s charismatic turn as the queen mother is also undercut by the screenwriters’ one-dimensional conception of the evil queen. Hwang Gi-sung’s lush cinematography is a winner. The scenes in the secret underground prison are exemplary. However, with so many plots and subplots proceeding in parallel, the narrative flow is awkward at times. The most obvious breaks to the rhythm are the hyped-up nude scenes, which are given too much emphasis. “Here is a nude scene,” the editing seems to shout. The finale, a slow zoom-out on a scene that mirrors one of Christianity’s famous images, The Pieta, is another case in point. “Here is my message,” the movie screams. The director said that it is a reference to salvation — or the lack thereof — in all the characters’ quests. Everyone ends up in self-destruction after a lifelong struggle to save themselves, their children or in the king’s case, his love. Finally, it must be noted that other allusions, like an official’s bleak report about the construction along the Nakdong river — an obvious critique of the current administration’s Four Rivers Project — is misplaced. With countless psychological disturbances splattered on- and off-screen, why venture into yet another complex but unrelated issue? “The Concubine” opens in theaters nationwide on June 6. Runs 122 minutes. Rated 18 and over. Distributed by Lotte Entertainment.

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Analysts fear rising programming costs will hurt distributors

By Joe Flint

May 21, 2012

BOSTON -- Rising programming costs are the biggest headache facing the cable industry, a group of industry analysts said Monday.
"That is a very genuine and legitimate concern that imperils the entire ecosystem," said Craig Moffett, vice president and senior analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein Co. Moffett was speaking on a panel at the National Cable and Telecommunications Assn. convention in Boston.
Moffett said prices for programming have gotten so high that it is getting tougher for smaller distributors to cover their costs, and warned that further consolidation could be a result. Smaller cable operators, he explained, lack the scale of a Comcast Corp. or Time Warner Cable -- two of the industry's largest distributors -- to have any leverage in negotiations.
Although no specific channels were mentioned as being too expensive, sports in general was mentioned as the primary culprit.
"Sports is about half of all programming costs," Moffett said.
Moffett's concerns were echoed by Marcy Ryvicker of Wells Fargo and Douglas Mitchelson of Deutsche Bank.
Ryvicker went so far as to suggest that cable should just become a "dumb pipe" delivering broadband-based services to consumers but steering clear of programming. Even if customers can't afford the programming, she said, "people will still use the pipe."
The panelists also expressed doubt about Netflix's push into original programming and whether the company will become more of a competitor to cable. Referring to Netflix's new political drama"House of Cards," Moffett cracked, "at least they chose the right name."
Interestingly, the panel was moderated by Time Warner Cable Chief Financial Officer Irene Esteves. Normally, an analyst might interview cable executives about the challenges facing the industry, but in this case the executive was looking for answers from the analyst. Well, that's one way to make sure there are no tough questions.

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ContentMode live with Kate Mara
By Jaimie Kourt

Working over half her young life, Kate Mara is an accomplished veteran actress and among her generation’s most exciting faces to watch. Starring in critical and box office successes (127 Hours and Happythankyoumoreplease), she is a passionate and focused player in her craft. Audiences can look forward to seeing more of her spirited performances in the upcoming film Deadfall, out this spring, and House of Cards, an exciting television project directed by Academy Award-nominated filmmaker David Fincher (set to be released in 2013). When it comes to fashion, Kate has an almost fantasist nature, charging ahead with a big imagination and a playful sense of style.

You have such an ethereal and dreamlike nature in this shoot. How did you and the creative team work together to arrive at capturing such images?

The location was the perfect setting to keep up the natural, ethereal vibe that we were going for. It’s always so much more comfortable to shoot at a private house rather than a studio. I automatically felt at ease and calm. Kate and Mara (yes... my makeup and hair team has my name. I swear it wasn’t on purpose) both worked on making the look natural but still use pops of color and a little romance.

Can you talk a bit about the clothes you are modeling and how they helped you work?

Deborah and I spoke about what designers and looks I am attracted to, so we had a bunch of great options to choose from. I love the current trend of the high-waisted skirt with a bralette top, where just a small amount of skin is showing. It feels like it belongs in another era. There’s something so sweet and demure about it, but [it’s] also sensual.

You come from a pretty high-powered family. Was there ever, even at some level, a pressure to excel? Did your family encourage your choice to become an actress?

I was really lucky to grow up in the family that I did, because even though I was the first person that ever really expressed [an interest in] wanting to become an actor, they were always 100 percent supportive and encouraging. I used to leave notes on my mom’s pillow every night, from the time I was about 12 until I was 14, begging her to help me get an agent. I finally got one when I was 14, but before that she would drive me an hour into the city to buy Backstage magazine to see what Broadway shows were casting. It was all I thought about, so I really credit my mom and dad for always doing everything they could to help me fulfill my dreams. Not everyone is lucky enough to have that support system in their lives, and it certainly makes things a lot easier.

You recently attended Paris Fashion Week. Was that your first experience in PFW? What was it like?

I recently went to Paris to attend the Miu Miu fashion show, which felt like such a fairy tale. My friend KC and I roamed the streets shopping during the day (eating chocolate croissants and being totally cliché) and then had these delicious meals with the Prada team at night and it felt like such a dream. I am so grateful to have been invited to one of my absolutely favorite designer’s shows and to have been surrounded by such lovely people. 

Your fashion choices are very chic. Where do you think your sense of style comes from?

I am inspired by costumes in films and usually find most ideas [by] looking through magazines. I love the effortless style of Diane Kruger and Zoe Saldana. They can do no wrong.

Who do you like to shop for clothes with? Why?

I like to shop with my mom because she can spend just as long in a store as I can, so there’s no time pressure. But I do really well shopping on my own. It’s a good time to zone out.

What’s the most coveted item in your wardrobe?

I just bought this amazing vintage Louis Vuitton beaded jacket in NY. I was walking around Bowery and just wandered into this little shop. That’s always the most exciting way to buy something: when you’re not looking and find an amazing deal

If you were accidentally locked in Bergdorf’s for an hour to choose any fantasy head-to-toe look you wanted to, what would you come out wearing?

Something inspired by the Sex and the City Paris episode when SJP was walking the street of Paris and eating macaroons! A short Oscar de la Renta or Valentino dress with some high Louboutins and an amazing Chanel jacket. I love hair accessories as well, so I’d try to find an amazing brooch or something to put in my hair.

Being raised in Upstate New York, did you go to Manhattan often? How do you think your upbringing influenced your life today?

My mom used to take my sister and I to see Broadway shows all the time. I think it’s definitely where our passion for acting stems from. I still get so excited to take the train into the city from Bedford and see a show. Because of my upbringing, I have a desire to live both in the country and in the city. I go back and forth between the two, so in a perfect world I will do both. 

Does where you live inform your style?

My uniform definitely changes depending on what city I am in. I probably dress more girlie when I am in LA — sundresses and flats. But in NY I tend to wear more jeans and boots. I love wearing layers, hats, and have a slight jacket obsession, so I prefer to be in a city with a little weather.

Can you speak a bit on what it’s like to work with David Fincher and how your role in House of Cards came about?

I had heard that David Fincher was creating this show with Kevin Spacey and how fantastic the script was, so I read it back in June. David and Laray (the casting director) called me in for a meeting back in September. He told me that he wanted me to play the role of Zoe, which I could not have been more excited about. He is a director that can do no wrong in my eyes, and someone I have always respected so much. I’ve gotten to know what a great person he is through my sister, so it makes it that much more special to work with him now. It’s also such a wonderful challenge to work alongside Kevin Spacey and Robin Wright, who I can learn so much from.

House of Cards is a remake of a British television miniseries dealing with very intense political plots and players. Are you a political person? Did this project give you any insight into political culture that may have changed your views of elected representatives and/or the world of government?

I am not a political person but I have always loved films and shows that deal with politics. I’ve only read the first three episodes and didn’t want the scripts to end. I’m sure I will learn a lot about the world of reporting as well, which should be interesting.

Will audiences get to hear more of your singing in the future? Any ambition to further that aspect of your talents?

I would love to do a movie musical or play a role where I get to sing. It’s always been a dream of mine to do a show on Broadway, so hopefully I’m lucky enough to do that one day.

Your burgeoning career must be very rewarding, but I imagine certain aspects of what comes with it can make a person feel somewhat off balance from him or herself. What do you like to do when you are not working? What is calming or meditative to you? Where or what is your favorite getaway?

I have an incredible family that keeps me very grounded and stable in my life no matter what’s going on with my work. When I’m not working, I go on a lot of walks with my dogs and see tons of movies. I always feel calm after I’ve worked out and it’s very meditative to me, so I try and do that almost every day. I switch between working out with my trainer and going to bar method classes.

Do you have a strong sense of direction for your future endeavors — personally, professionally, creatively, intellectually, etc.? Or is life just good for you as it comes?

I’m happy going with the flow. I don’t tend to plan a lot for the future — I feel more at peace when I’m living in the moment.

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