Why Are There So Many Letters...

Why Are There So Many Letters in the English Alphabet Rhyming with Eee?

B, C, D, E, G, P, T, V, and Z are the 9 letters, that’s basically 1/3 of the alphabet!

There are only two letters rhyming with you (Q & U which, with the exception of 14 words in the entire dictionary, are always together) and seven rhyming with me.  That sounds like the people who created the alphabet were pretty selfish.  Plus, there are two more letters rhyming with I (Y & I)… so conceited.  Maybe they were upset with “you” letters because those two were hanging out by themselves all the time.  They must have also liked “me” more than “I” because all of the former letters can be found with one another quite frequently in our vocabulary but not the latter letters, unless you are writing in French, but we’re not.  It’s also known that all of “me” must like initiating a bundle of pairings when initializing.  B.C.-Buoyancy Control or British Columbia; C.D. –Compact Disc or Certificate of Deposit; D.E. –Defensive End; E.G.(e.g.) –used when saying “for the sake of example”; G.P. –Game Plan or Gross Profit; P.T. –Playing Time or PT Cruiser; T.V. –Television or terminal velocity, and V.Z. –Volumous Zs (A long sleep).  I realize we cannot create a fully understanding alphabet but if I was to rearrange the alphabet, and this may sound cheesy, I would love to put U and I together.  But why not create a completely understanding alphabet?  One that’s filled with love and peaceful lettering, that’s what I want.  You may laugh, but as Elvis Costello asks, “What’s so funny about peace love and understanding?”  I see a unitized alphabet in our near future…

 

 

A Change in Posts

I have decided to switch from my usual lists to interesting stories and thoughts of the moment.  I'm being a bit ambiguous because I'm not even sure what I'm talking about.

If you're interested in checking out my lists, I'm still making them at this site:

http://stephenhkoontz.listal.com/lists

...and welcome to the world, Noah Benjamin Pitsch!

2009: The Year of Nine

In the last year of the first decade of the new millennium, several movie producers have decided to release movies with the title including the number nine. There have been several movies dedicated to the largest single-digit number, but this year they might actually be enjoyable. I could have sent out this posting earlier; but then I wouldn't have been able to send it out on last day of the third month of the year, 3 x 3 x 1 = 9. All right, I'm not going to give absurd reasons that will conjure up unfavorable images from the film, "The Number 23". Because then I would include, in the following list, The Taking of Pellham 123 (1 + 2 = 3; 3 x 3 = 9) oh no!! I think Denzel Washington has been in 3 Tony Scott movies, and since there have been 3 movies of the same title, we multiply them again and get 9, crazy!! Enough, here are the 3 movies with 9 in the title:

Nine (November)

Rob Marshall (Chicago, Memoirs of a Geisha) directs an all-star cast, mostly made up of women and the great Daniel Day-Lewis.

Trailer
The 9 in the title represents the 9 women of Fellini's life. Fellini directed the masterpiece 8 1/2 back in 1963, it was then transported to the stage, where it became 9 and a musical, and now it's Nine, back on film and still a musical.

Here are seven of the women Daniel Day-Lewis will be acting with:

Penelope Cruz

Nicole Kidman

Marion Cotillard

Kate Hudson

Sophia Loren

Stacy "Fergie" Ferguson

Judi Dench

9 (September)

This directing debut for Shane Acker looks visually stunning in its animation and intriguing in its story.

See the trailer here:

www.9themovie.com

The 9 in the title represents the main character, who appears to be created by one of the last remaining human beings, along with other characters like, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8.

Here are the all-star list of actors voicing these characters:

9 - Elijah Wood

8 - Fred Tatasciore

7 - Jennifer Connelly

6 - Crispin Glover

5 - John C. Reilly

4 - ?? ??

3 - ?? ??

2 - Martin Landau

1 - Christopher Plummer

District 9 (August)

With Neil Blomkamp (Halo Games) directing and Peter Jackson producing, this very secretive film could be one of the best kept secrets of all time. We are only four months away and no one has seen or heard anything about the film. The only images that can be found are like the one below, found on a Web site that only suggests what the movie could be about.

Web site:

www.d-9.com

I always appreciate when film sites give you more than the trailer and some images. I recommend checking this out, make sure you follow the directions and have your volume on.

The 9 in the title represents the area where "non-humans" are living, somewhere in South Africa. Can we coexist? I guess we'll find out in August.

The Most Anticipated Films of 2009

Jan - April = Green

May - August = Blue

Sept - Dec = Red

1. Shutter Island

– Leo DiCaprio, Ben Kingsley, Mark Ruffalo

- Directed by Marty Scorsese
– Another stylistic thriller/masterpiece from Scorsese and his/my favorite actor, DiCaprio.



2. Public Enemies

– Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard

- Directed by Mike Mann
– About the crime wave in the 1930s led by gangsters like John Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd & Baby Face Nelson.



3. Sherlock Holmes

– Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, & Mark Strong
- Directed by Guy Ritchie
– An unbelievably interesting combination of characters, actors and director. This movie has everything going for it.



4. Funny People

– Seth Rogen, Adam Sandler, Jonah Hill, Eric Bana, Leslie Mann, and several cameos
- Directed by Jud Apatow
– Uninteresting title, but great cast and story. About a stand-up comedian who finds out he’s terminally ill and takes an amateur comedian under his wing as a PA and friend.



5. A Serious Man

– Directed by The Coen Brothers
– Another (most likely) successful well-written, directed, edited, acted comedic film by the Coens; but without the big-name cast, albeit a talented cast.



6. Up

– Ed Asner, Produced by Pixar
– Pixar’s next triumph about an old man who wants to travel the world alone, by a bundle of balloons attached to his house. Hopefully Pixar’s decision to release two films a year doesn’t mean Up is their last great film.



7. I Love You, Man

– Paul Rudd, Jason Segal & Rashida Jones
– Another “Freaks & Geeks” alumni film that looks damn funny and has potential to be one of the better comedies of the year.



8. Avatar

– Sigourney Weaver, Giovanni Ribisi, & Michelle Rodriguez

- Directed by James Cameron
– Cameron’s first directing gig since Titanic! It’s also the first film to use the revolutionary technology of photorealism, making it impossible to tell the difference between a computer rendering and a live person.



9. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassis

– Johnny Depp, Heath Ledger, Colin Ferrell, & Jude Law
– Ledger’s final role in a film that looks wildly weird, original and potentially amazing. The above actors all play the same character.



10. Adventureland

– Jesse Eisenberg, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Reynolds, & Kristen Stewart
- Directed by Greg Mottola
– This might actually be “this year’s ‘Superbad’” because it will actually be funny and is helmed by said movie’s director.



11. Nine

– Daniel Day-Lewis, Penelope Cruz, Nicole Kidman, Marion Cotillard, Sophia Loren, Kate Hudson, Fergie, & Judi Dench
- Directed by Rob Marshall
– Clearly an intriguing cast. A musical based on the Broadway musical of the same title, which was adapted from Fellini’s classic film, 8½.



12. Green Zone

– Matt Damon, Greg Kinnear, & Jason Isaacs

- Directed by Paul Greengrass
– A great cast and director can’t produce a bad picture about the CIA.



13. The Road

– Viggo Mortenson, Charlize Theron, Robert Duvall & Guy Pearce
– Adapted from Cormac McCarthy’s (No Country for Old Men) post-apocalyptic novel recommended by both Oprah Winfrey and Benjamin Sauer. The recs for the book and the film’s cast make this a must-see.



14. The Tree of Life

– Brad Pitt & Sean Penn
– A film about a boy who sees the beauty in life until something bad happens and his life becomes dark until he grows into a man and finds the beauty in life again. I’m in.



15. Year One

– Jack Black, Michael Cera & Paul Rudd
- Directed by Harold Ramis
– A buddy comedy set in the year 1 A.D.



16. A Christmas Carol

– Jim Carrey & Gary Oldman
- Directed by Robert Zemeckis
– Carrey and Oldman play several voices in this animated remake of the many-times-produced story from Dickens.



17. Couples Retreat

– Vince Vaugh, Malin Akerman, Jason Bateman, Kristen Bell, Jon Favreau, Faison Love & Jean Reno
– A script written by Favreau and hopefully played out by an awesome cast. This looks like the comedy to see next winter.



18. The Informant

– Matt Damon, Directed by Steven Soderbergh
– An action comedy that looks similar to many films of the genre; but immensely entertaining nonetheless.



19. Watchmen

– JD Morgan, Malin Ankerman, Billy Crudup, Pat Wilson, & Jackie Earle Haley
– A group of vigilante superheroes exact revenge on the slaying of a superhero. Adapted from a very popular graphic novel. The visual effects look like they may be enough reason to see this movie



20. Bruno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner wearing a Mesh T-Shirt

– Sacha Baron Cohen
– I think the title says it all.



21. Boone’s Lick

– Tom Hanks & Julianne Moore
- Directed by Barry Levinson
– I love Hanks but can’t really stand Moore. Then again, I said the same thing about Julia Roberts before Charlie Wilson’s War and she managed to change my mind, a little.



22. X-Men Origins: Wolverine

- Hugh Jackman & Ryan Reynolds
- I’ll admit, I surprisingly enjoyed the X-Men trilogy; and this prequel looks enticing.



23. High T

– Steve Carell
– Just announced, so I don’t know if they’ll really get this movie out in time. It’s about a guy who takes high doses of testosterone shots. I think Carell can pull this off.



24. The Brothers Bloom

– Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi & Rachel Weiss
– This was on my list last year, and I’m still interested seeing what looks like a unique mix of mystery, comedy, and action.



25. The Chicago Seven

– Will Smith?, Colin Hanks?, Sacha Baron Cohen? Brad Pitt? Directed by Ben Stiller?
– Everyone seems to be a question mark because in the year since hearing about the project so many names have gone through, including Spielberg as the director. One thing staying the same is the story and Aaron Sorkin writing. Since he’s my favorite screenwriter the movie has great potential, let’s hope it actually comes out in 2009.



26. The Lovely Bones
– Rachel Weisz, Susan Surrandon, Stanley Tucci, & Mark Wahlberg, Directed by Peter Jackson
– Jackson’s first movie since King Kong should be worth the wait. A solid cast (with the exception of Mark Wahlberg) and screenplay should transform the best-selling novel into a great film.



27. Angels and Demons
– Tom Hanks & Ewan McGreggor
- Directed by Ron Howard
– Book was better than The Da Vinci Code, we’ll see if the movie is the same. I can’t imagine it being much better without Audrey Tautou.



28. New York, I Love You
– Several well-known actors/actresses
– Several vignettes about love set in The Big Apple



29. Fanboys
– Jay Baruchel, Dan Fogler, Kristen Bell, Seth Rogen & several cameos.
– Set in 1998, a group of Star Wars nerds take a trip to Hollywood to get a sneak peak of Episode I, six months before it’s released.



30. Terminator Salvation
– Christian Bale & Anton Yelchin
– I think it will be like Quantum of Solace, a great movie but nothing like the previous movies.



31. Where the Wild Things Are
– Catherine Keener, Mark Ruffalo, James Gandolfini, Dir. – Spike Jonze
– This could be a very cool adaptation of the short children’s book, with Spike Jonze directing, Dave Eggers writing the screenplay and Acord doing the cinematography.



32. State of Play
– Russell Crowe, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren & Ben Affleck
– A conspiracy thriller that doesn’t look original enough to make this a must see, but I’m sure it will still be entertaining.



33. Extract
– Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Ben Affleck, & Mila Kunis, Dir. – Mike Judge
– Judge is directing a writing, he promises to make up for Idiocracy and come back to the comedy of Office Space. Let’s hope he’s right.



34. Taking Woodstock
– Emile Hirsch, JD Morgan, Paul Dano, & Live Schreiber, Directed by Ang Lee
– About the beginnings of the famous concert. Great cast, great concert, hopefully great movie.

35. The Soloist
– Robert Downey Jr. & Jamie Foxx
– This was supposed to come out last fall, so it’s hightened my anticipation a little more. Looks like a great story about music and friendship.



36. Land of the Lost
– Will Ferrell & Danny McBride
– This looks like another funny, but stupid movie with Ferrell. Hopefully better than Semi-Pro; but I can’t see it nearing Step Brothers level



37. The Fantastic Mr. Fox
– George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Meryl Streep & Jason Schwartzman
- Directed by Wes Anderson
– Another weird Anderson flick, but this time it’s animated. His movies already have an animated feel, so I think the results will be interesting.



38. The Wolf Man
– Benecio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt & Hugo Weaving
– Benecio becomes a werewolf… sold.



39. Inglorious Basterds
– Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger & Eli Roth
- Directed by Quentin Tarantino
– That is spelled correctly, and it’s a Tarantino film about World War II. Let’s hope he makes up for his try at the grind-house features.



40. The Goods: The Don Ready Story
- Jeremy Piven
- About a sleazy car salesman. Piven can play that. Hopefully with a good script and supporting cast this will be a good one.


41. Pinkville
– Bruce Willis, Woody Harrelson, & Tobey Jones

- Directed by Oliver Stone
– A film put on the back burner because of the WGA strike and then Stone’s rush to make W. The Vietnam story is intriguing and we all know how good his first Vietnam War film was. Hopefully we’ll see this actually get made in 2009.


42. Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince
– The usual actors/actresses
– I finally saw a Harry Potter movie last year, and then watched the rest since; so now that I’m caught up I’m actually looking forward to a Harry Potter movie. Weird.


43. Duplicity
– Clive Owen, Julia Roberts, Paul Giamatti, & Tom Wilkinson
– Looks like a fun movie with lots of twists and good lines, like “You’re gaming me!”


44. The Taking of Pelham 123
– Denzel Washington & John Travolta
– I don’t know much about this remake, but the cast and story seem interesting enough.


45. Amelia
– Hilary Swank, Ewan McGreggor, Richard Gere & Virginia Madsen
– Biopic on Amelia Earhart and another possible award-worthy role for Swank.


46. 9
– Elijah Woods, John C. Reilly & Jen Connolly

- Directed by Tim Burton & Shane Acker
– An animated film opening on 09.09.09, that takes place in an apocalyptic world run by machines.


47. Shorts
– Kat Dennings, William H. Macy & Leslie Mann

- Directed by Robert Rodriguez
– About a kid who finds a colorful rock and the how his friends and family react to it.


48. The Proposal
– Ryan Reynolds & Sandra Bullock
– I end up liking at least one “chick flick” every year, and with Reynolds being in the one I picked last year, I will take my chance on this one, too.


49. The Great Buck Howard
– John Malkovich, Tom Hanks, Colin Hanks, & Emily Blunt
– This has a great cast and the story seems ‘great’ but I recently saw the trailer and after waiting over a year already it doesn’t look so ‘great’.


50. Everybody’s Fine
– Robert De Niro, Kate Beckinsale, Drew Barrymore & Melissa Leo
– About a man who takes a road trip to see each one of his kids after he becomes widowed.


51. District 9
- Another movie with the number nine in it. This time we’re talking about extraterrestrials who have become refugees in South Africa.


52. GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra
– Dennis Quaid, Sienna Miller, & Rachel Nichols
– This movie would be cool if it looked anything like the original cartoon and the action figures.


53. Star Trek XI
- Directed by JJ Abrams

- I’m not a Star Trek fan by any means, but when Abrams is at the helm I pay attention.


54. The International
– Clive Owen & Naomi Watts
– Doesn’t look too terribly original; but Owen always seems to take a potentially okay into the “good movie” range.


55. Sunshine Cleaning
– Amy Adams, Emily Blunt, Alan Arkin, & Eric Christian Olsen
– A quarky movie about cleaning up dead people’s messes.


56. A Night at the Museum 2
– Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson, Amy Adams, Jonah Hill & Ricky Gervais
– I wasn’t a big fan of the first one. This one looks like it could be funnier, but still not great.


57. Mary and Max
– Philip Seymour Hoffman, Toni Collette, & Eric Bana
– It’s weird to hear these actors are in an animated feature, they don’t seem like the actors who would, so it could produce interesting results.


56. Tokyo Sonata
- Japanese movie about an ever-changing family’s struggles. Foreign films are gambles, but this one looks like a good bet.


57. The Open Road
– Justin Timberlake, Jeff Bridges & Kate Mara

– A son who tries to make amends with his father as they take a road trip to the son’s ill mother.


60. Taken
– Liam Neeson & Famke Janssen
– About a former spy who’s kids get kidnapped. I like everything Neeson does and I like Janssen.


61. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
– Bill Hader, Anna Faris, Andy Samburg, & Tracy Morgan
– Animated feature about food falling from the sky, literally.


62. Shanghai
– John Cusack, JD Morgan & Ken Watanabe
– Pre-Pearl Harbor, an American ex-patriot takes a trip to Shanghai. Great cast and the film stills look amazing.


63. Notorious
- He was one of my favorite rappers and rapped my favorite rap song, “Juicy”, so hopefully they’ll do him at least an ounce of justice.


64. Vanilla Gorilla
– Pierce Brosnan
– Brosnan and an albino gorilla who signs; an unstoppable combination.


65. Earth
- Documentary about the earth and shit.


66. Three Stories About Joan
– Camilla Belle, Owen Wilson, & Bruce Willis
– Centered around a woman at three points in her life and the life-changing issues she faces.


67. Powder Blue
- Jessica Biel, Patrick Swayze, & Ray Liotta
- Four dynamic stories come together on Christmas Eve.


68. Killshot
– Diane Lane, Mickey Rourke, Rosario Dawson, Directed by John Madden
– An interesting looking thriller about the mafia. Let’s see if Rourke can do it again.


69. Twilight: New Moon
– Kristen Stewart & Robert Pattinson
– The first one wasn’t half bad. Now, with a bigger budget and a beefed-up plot the second has potential of being better.



70. Julie & Julia
– Amy Adams & Meryl Streep
– About the chef, Julia Childs and her biggest fan.


Virtual JFK: Vietnam if Had Kennedy Lived
- A documentary about, well Vietnam, if Kennedy had lived and where we’d be today.


72. Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen
– Shiah LaBeouf & Megan Fox
– I fell asleep the first time I saw the film and then picked it apart the second time. I really hope they can make improvements on this sequel. Michael Bay is still directing, so that’s a bad start


73. The Box
– James Marsden, Cameron Diaz & Frank Langella
– A horror film I might actually be interested in seeing. It’s directed by the guy who did Donnie Darko and the cast might make this a viable horror film. I guess I’ll believe it when I see it.


74. Surrogates
– Bruce Willis
– Set in a future world run by robots. Willis has to save people, blah blah. Blah, you know the rest.


75. Fired Up!
– Eric Christian Olsen & Sarah Roemer
– It’s like Bring it On, but possibly funny. Olsen is 31 and playing a high school student; but I guess we’ll let that slide.



THE NOT-SURES (Among many others)

Friday the 13th
- The first six were great, but now that studios annually put shit out trying to be like like those, I fear this will just be another slasher flick. The trailer doesn’t make it look like anything special.

Two Lovers
– Joaquin Phoenix, Gweneth Paltrow, & Vanessa Shaw
– I don’t think I can stand Phoenix in a lead role, but it looks like an interesting love triangle with an ok script.

Crossing Over
– Harrison Ford, Ray Liotta, Sean Penn, Ashley Judd & Jim Sturgess
– Three stories of people trying to get into the US, all illegally. A good cast could make this entertaining.

All About Steve
– Sandra Bullock, Brad Cooper & Thomas H. Church
– Not actually a male remake of All About Eve. I guess Cooper decided to be in every average-looking romantic comedy this year.

Away We Go
– John Krasinski, Maya Rudolph & Maggie Gyllenhaal
– Film about parents-to-be. Let’s hope it’s nowhere near the less-than-remotely-good stylings of Krasinski’s last movie about parents-to-be, License to Wed.

Old Dogs
– Robin Williams, John Travolta & Bernie Mac.
– A buddy movie with comedic possibilities. It’s been a while since Williams has been funny. Let’s hope Mac’s last movie is a good one.


THE NOT-INTERESTEDS (Among many others)

Dance Flick
– Wayans Brothers

Astroboy

Knowing

- Nicholas Cage

G-Force
– Nicholas Cage again…

2012
– Antigovernment example of the end of the world. Race to Witch Mountain
- One Name: The Rock

Ice Age: Age of the Dinosaurs

The Ugly Truth
– Gerard Butler & Katherine Heigl
– I like these actors, but this looks bad

Street Fighter: The Legend of Chun Li

I Love You, Philip Morris
– Jim Carrey, Ewan McGreggor and Leslie Mann
– The trailer is horrible. Carrey playing a flamboyant gay man is funny, then he gets weird.

Stephen H. Koontz's Entertainers of 2008

Pictured Clockwise (Ranking): Robert Downey Jr (2), Jon Favreau (43), The Raconteurs – Consolers of the Lonely (20), John Stewart (Hon.Men.), Conan O’Brien (23), Stephen Colbert (11), Cate Blanchett (16), and Brad Pitt (22)



The list was compiled by me and my courageous pandura band. It lists our favorite entertainers for the year 2008. Some have been annual list-makers (Will Ferrell), some are new (Danny McBride), and some are finally back (Robert Downey Jr.). There are also a few of whom I’m not necessarily a big fan, but I still admire their impact on entertainment (Stephenie Meyer).
I also looked at these entertainers upcoming projects. If they’re only good for a one-year stint then they’re not worth putting on the list (Ben Foster for 2007).
Notice how every entertainer on the list got dressed up for you, too (Even the #1 pick). It’s the classiest list around.
Enjoy!






1. Seth Rogen



Rogen is not the “Entertainer of Year” type and I’m sure he wouldn’t care if he was given the title. You can’t deny however, his dominance and influence this year. His stardom has grown steep in the past two years and doesn’t look like it’s slowing down. You could call last year his break-out year and this year a proven talent. He was involved with seven movies by acting, producing, and writing.


Credits
- Spiderwick Chronicles – Voice Talent
- Horton Hears a Who! – Voice Talent/Soundtrack
- Kung-Fu Panda – Voice Talent
- Step Brothers – Film Cameo
- Pineapple Express – Actor/Writer/Producer
- Zack & Miri Make a Porno – Actor
- Drillbit Taylor – Writer

Upcoming Projects
- Funny People (2009) – Actor/Producer
- Monsters Vs. Aliens (2009) – Actor
- Observe & Report (2009) – Actor
- The Green Hornet (2010) – Actor/Screenwriter/Producer




2. Robert Downey Jr.



People called this Downey’s comeback year as if he’s been gone for a long time. Well, he’s never had any big years in his career. He’s always done one or two projects a year, even in the mid-nineties before his little problem got in the way. He was able to show his unique talents he’s showed his whole career; but now to a much broader audience.

Credits
- Charlie Bartlett - Actor
- Iron Man - Actor
- Tropic Thunder - Actor
- Rain of Madness - Actor
- Iron Man Videogame – Voice Talent
- American Idol – Actor/Appearance

Upcoming Projects
- Sherlock Holmes (2009) – Actor
- The Soloist (2009) – Actor
- Iron Man 2 (2010) – Actor
- Master Mind (2010) – Voice Talent



3. Steve Carell



I don’t know how anyone could not like Steve Carell. He entertains with a perfect blend of comedy, endearment, and an idiocy. He continues to carry The Office with brilliance in its fourth and fifth seasons, losing no steam after the writer’s strike. He starred in two successful movies and showed off his improv skills on SNL and The Daily Show. We have much more Carell to see in the upcoming years with some hilarious-looking films and more of The Office.

Credits
- The Office – TV Actor, Producer, Soundtrack, Writer
- Horton Hears a Who! – Voice Talent
- Get Smart – Actor/Exec Producer
- The Daily Show – Appearance
- Saturday Night Live – Host (1 Episode)

Upcoming Projects
- The Office - Seasons 5 & 6
- High T (2009)
- Despicable Me (2010)



4. Elizabeth Banks



I liked every previous role of Banks’ career; but they were all small and spread out. Several projects seemed to finish around the same time and she finally held a lead role. Okay, a co-lead role. All were quality projects with the embarrassing exception of Meet Dave. I hope people have taken notice and will check her out in these movies and her anticipated upcoming projects, including a try at producing for the film, Surrogates.

Credits
- Zack and Miri Make a Porno - Actress
- W. - Actress
- Definitely, Maybe – Actress
- Role Models – Actress
- Comanche Moon – TV Actress (Mini-Series)
- American Dad! – TV Voice Talent
- Meet Dave - Actress

Upcoming Projects
- Lovely, Still (2009) – Actress
- The Uninvited (2009) – Actress
- Surrogates (2009) – Exec. Producer
- Popcorn Porn (2009) – Herself
- The H-Man Cometh (2010) – Actress



5. Leonardo DiCaprio



DiCaprio has yet to make a bad movie. He’s one of the smartest actors around, with how he picks his movies, directors and his disciplined acting. Like in 2006, he should be nominated for two movies at every award ceremony. He also produced a few celebrity-fueled pro-voting campaigns that were blatantly geared towards potential Obama voters – one of many things that helped. I am very excited about his next two films, both Scorsese-directed and one is a movie I’ve been waiting two years for already & I’ll have to wait two more, about one of my favorite people in American history.

Credits
- Body of Lies – Actor
- Revolutionary Road – Actor
- Greensburg – TV Series Producer/Writer
- 5 Friends – Web Video Producer/Appearance

Upcoming Projects
- Shutter Island (2009) – Actor
- Atari (2009) – Producer
- The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt (2010) – Actor/Producer
- The Chancellor Manuscript (2010) – Actor/Producer
- Farragut North (2010)- Actor



6. Jack Johnson



Johnson’s tunes in his newest edition to his collection of perfect mellow melodies were the brightest among a sea of droll musical offerings this year. He continued to highlight his best asset with touring around the country and his philanthropic All at Once website gained popularity in online world. His Brushfire Records continued to produce solid songwriters like Donovan Frankenreiter and Matt Costa. There is no news yet of an upcoming album; but I hope to see one by 2010.

Credits
- Sleep Through the Static (Music Album) – Creator
- Brushfire Records – Owner
- All At Once – Creator
- Touring/Performing
- Fields of Fuel – Video Appearance/Soundtrack Performer/Soundtrack Writer
- Gavin & Stacey – Soundtrack Performer/Soundtrack Writer

Upcoming Projects
- Touring/Performing
- Producing for Brushfire Records
- All At Once – Creator (continued work)



7. Justin Timberlake



Before you give me shit, think about my list: Entertainers of the Year. Timberlake is an entertainer and one of the best around. He’s so far past his boy-band days with several successful runs at solo records, acting, touring, hosting shows, and producing. We also found out this year he is a Packer fan and likes to shot-gun beers.

Credits
- Saturday Night Live – Host/Appearances/Soundtrack Performer/Soundtrack Writer
- ESPY Awards – Host/Soundtrack Performer
- The Love Guru – Actor
- The X Factor – TV Soundtrack Writer
- Get Smart – Soundtrack Writer
- Total Finale Live – TV Appearance
- Fashion Rocks – Appearance

Upcoming Projects
- The Open Road – Actor
- The Phone – TV Exec. Producer



8. JJ Abrams



His involvement in two of the best television dramas makes him one of the most creative and smartest producers. His ability to hire and surround himself with several other brilliant people makes him the smartest producer in the business. He and his Bad Robot crew’s effective promotions build up perfectly to their equally effective programming on the big and small screen.

Credits
- LOST – TV Exec. Producer/Writer
- Fringe – TV Producer/Writer/Theme Composer
- Cloverfield – Producer
- Bad Robert Production Company – Owner

Upcoming Projects
- Star Trek (2009) – Producer/Director
- Anatomy of Hope (2009) – TV Exec. Producer/Director
- Morning Glory (2009) – Producer
- LOST – TV Exec. Producer/Writer
- Fringe – TV Producer/Writer
- Cloverfield 2 – Producer



9. Will Ferrell



Ferrell gave us another hilarious year of comic genius and humor ingenuity. He continued to coordinate hilarious skits on Funnyordie.com and created a series of commercials for deodorant that were better than the movie he was promoting. Step Brothers was the funniest movie of the year and his sole SNL performance was so obviously pro-Obama it added another layer of hilarity Ferrell has been known to do so well. Hopefully his pilot for East Bound and Down will be picked up and then we can have three funny sitcoms on television.

Credit
- Step Brothers – Actor/Writer/Producer
- Semi-Pro – Actor/Soundtrack Performer
- FunnyorDie.com – Owner/Producer/Skit Actor
- East Bound and Down (Pilot) – TV Exec. Producer
- Old Spice Commercials – Actor
- Saturday Night Live – Guest Appearance
- Rome is Burning – Guest Correspondent

Upcoming Projects
- Land of the Lost (2009) – Actor
- East Bound and Down: Season 1 (2009) – TV Exec. Producer
- The Goods: The Don Ready Story (2009)
- Make ‘Em Laugh: The Funny Business of America (2009) - Appearance
- Anchorman 2 (2010) – Actor/Producer/Writer
- Two-Face (2010) – Actor/Producer
- Bouncers (2010) - Producer



10. Tina Fey



I feel like there has been an overwhelming amount of talk about Fey; but you can’t deny her dominance in entertainment this year. She succeeded in television, film, and brought much-needed life into SNL with her guest appearances as Sarah Palin. Maybe they’ll start to regain the attention they’ve deserved (there are more cast members farther down the list). She seems to have held her jump in fame pretty well with poise and a hell of a work ethic.

Credits
- 30 Rock (Season 3) – TV Actress/Writer/Producer
- Saturday Night Live – Guest Cast Member
- Baby Mama – Actress
- Conan O’Brien – Appearances

Upcoming Projects
- Curly Oxide and Vic Thrill (2009) – Writer
- 30 Rock (Season 4) – TV Actress/Writer/Producer
- This Side of the Truth (2009) – Actress
- Master Mind (2009) – Voice Talent



11. Stephen Colbert


Colbert continued to show his perfection in the talk-show interview and his uncanny accordance with political banter and timely topics. He made the presidential campaign interesting and gave an overly-hokey new look at what Christmas is all about.

Credits
- The Colbert Report – Host/Writer/Producer
- A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All – Actor/Writer/Soundtrack
- Indecision 2008 Election Night: America’s Choice – Host/Producer
- The Love Guru – Actor
- CSNY Déjà vu – Appearance
- Larry King Live, The O’Reilly Factor, The Daily Show - Appearances



12. Will Smith


Smith loves to entertain an audience. He’s proven this with his music, television, and film. 2008 brought us yet another year of solid performances by him. Hancock was a fun, different type of action-hero movie and he gives one of the best, surprisingly underrated, performances of the year in Seven Pounds.

Credits
- Seven Pounds – Actor/Producer
- Hancock – Actor/Producer
- The Secret Life of Bees – Producer
- Lakeview Terrace – Producer



13. Danny McBride


This is a huge break-through year for McBride. You may have seen him in The Heartbreak Kid last year; but now you have the opportunity to see him in five more films from 2008. He’s made some good friends, like Will Ferrell & Ben Stiller, who are involved in more upcoming projects with him.

Credits
- Pineapple Express - Actor
- Tropic Thunder - Actor
- The Footfist Way – Actor/Writer
- Drillbit Taylor – Actor
- Rain of Darkness - Actor
- East Bound and Down (Pilot) – Actor/Writer/Producer

14. Andy Samberg


Samberg would make the list if all he did was make his SNL Digital Shorts. I encourage you to go to the show’s Web site and spend an hour checking out the comic slices of bliss packed into 2-3 minute shorts. He lent his voice to Space Chimps (future cult classic?) and made a memorable cameo in Infinite Playlist.

Credits
- Saturday Night Live – Cast Member, Writer (2 Episodes), Director (1 Episode)
- SNL Digital Shorts – Creator, Writer, Soundtrack, Actor
- Space Chimps – Actor
- Nick and Nora’s Infinite Playlist – Cameo
- Extreme Movie – Writer
- Human Giant – TV Actor (2 Episodes)



15. Jack Black


It’s been another solid year for Black, and perhaps his most versatile. His best movie was his least attended (Be Kind, Rewind), and he had the perfect voice for a pudgy panda (Kung-Fu Panda)

Credits
- Tropic Thunder – Actor
- Kung-Fu Panda – Voice Talent
- Be Kind, Rewind – Actor/Soundtrack Performer
- Rain of Madness – Actor
- Stand Up To Cancer & VH1 Rock Honors: The Who – Appearance
- Sesame Street – Appearance
- FunnyorDie.com – Skit Actor
- American Idol – Appearance



16. Cate Blanchett


Blanchett is still my favorite living actress with an exquisite performance in Benjamin Button and she did her best with a poorly written script in the rekindling of the Indiana Jones adventures.

Credits
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Actress
- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - Actress
- Monarchy: The Royal Family at Work – TV Narrator



17. Creators of Wall-E


Pixar was triumphant again this year adding to their perfect record. I never had a doubt this film wouldn’t impress, like in Ratatouille they gave an likely unlikable character… character. Like its predecessors, Wall-E will bring lots of expectations to their next film, Up.

Creators
- Andrew Stanton: Director/Writer
- Ben Burtt: Character Voice Designer/Sound Designer/Sound Editor & Mixer/Voice of Wall-E
- Jim Reardon: Screenplay
- John Lasseter: Producer
- Thomas Newman: Music
- Stephen Schaffer: Film Editing
- Mark Cordell Holmes: Graphic Arts Director
- Stacy Bissell: Visual Effects Production Coordinator
- Angus MacLane: Director of Animation
- Pixar Animation Studios & Walt Disney Pictures: Production Company



18. Jason Segel


Segel continued to make me laugh with “Your Mother” but showed off more talents in Sarah Marshall. Like his friends, Rogen and Carell, he proved he could portray reality perfectly, even with a Hollywood storyline. I can’t imagine any guy not being able to relate to his dialogue and vignettes of human nature.

Credits
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Actor/Writer/Soundtrack Performer/Soundtrack Writer
- How I Met Your Mother – TV Actor



19. Philip Seymour Hoffman


Hoffman is still ugly; but dammit, he can act the hell out of a movie. Meryl Streep is getting most of the attention for her role in Doubt, like she always does; but I think it’s because she’s working with one of the best. Synecdoche, New Nork is one of the year’s best films and is another movie gone and unappreciated.

Credits
- Synecdoche, New York – Actor
- Doubt – Actor



20. Jack White/The Raconteurs


White is one of the most talented musicians of the decade and he proved this with an addicting new album with The Raconteurs. The band’s music compliments White’s vocals so brilliantly and beautifully, a combination we haven’t seen since Pavarotti and Puccini hooked up… okay, maybe not; but they are the best band of the year.

Credits
- Consolers of the Lonely -
- Quantum of Solace – Soundtrack Writer/Soundtrack Performer
- Shine a Light – Performer
- Life/90210 – Soundtrack
- Late Night with Conan O’Brien – Performers


21. John C. Reilly


I keep thinking Reilly is going to get back into some serious roles, especially after his performance at the Oscars last year (mixin’ it up). I can’t complain too much because he did co-star in the funniest movie of the year and co-starred in a very missed-by-audiences comedy, The Promotion.

Credits
- Step Brothers – Actor/Writer
- The Promotion - Actor
- Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job! – TV Actor
- The Simpsons – Voice Appearance
- FunnyorDie.com – Skit Actor


22. Brad Pitt


Pitt keeps coming out with great movies and never disappoints in his roles. Benjamin Button might be the best role of his career and he showed his comedic side in Burn After Reading. It turns out he also has an affective narration ability in the documentary, E2.

Credits
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - Actor
- Burn After Reading - Actor
- Jimmy Kimmel Live – Skit Appearance
- Pretty/Handsome – Exec. Producer
- E2: The Economies of Being Environmentally Conscious – Narrator
- Idol Gives Back – Appearance


23. Conan O’Brien


His final full year as “The Underdog” in late night was a memorable one. It started out with the strike beard, continued with an epic battle with Colbert and Jon Stewart, and ended with the cheap-but-funny political skits and jokes he and his writers are known for. I am very interested to see how his style and persona is transferred to “Primetime” next year.

Credits
- Late Night with Conan O’Brien – Host, Writer, Producer


24. Heath Ledger


His death at the beginning of the year was shocking and sad. His performance as a deadly villian later in the year was unprecedented and created a deserving worldwide billion-dollar box-office result. He costars in his final performance with Johnny Depp and Jude Law in next year’s, The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus.

Credits
- The Dark Knight – Actor


25. Kristen Wiig


Wiig is a natural comedian. She is slowly becoming noticed and will (hopefully) start earning more significant roles.

Credits
- Saturday Night Live – Cast Member/Soundtrack Performer
- SNL Digital Shorts – Actress
- Ghost Town – Actress
- Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Bit Part
- Semi-Pro – Actress
- Pretty Bird – Actress


26. George Clooney


Clooney has always been fashionable and has held that “Classic Hollywood” look Rosemary is so proud of (see above). His turn at directing comedy this year was forgettable; but he brought audiences back with a memorable role in Burn After Reading, with help from the ensemble cast.

Credits
- Burn After Reading – Actor
- Leatherheads – Director/Actor


27. Will.I.Am


.Am was able to make it on the list again without even releasing an album. His single after Obama’s election and, even more so, his web video were effective voices for a generation who was finally reached in an effective and intelligent way. His music produced in 2007 showed up a lot in TV, too.

Cast
- Yes We Can – Web Video Producer/Appearance
- “It’s a New Day” Single – Creator/Performer
- Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa – Voice Talent/Soundtrack
- Medium, American Dad, So You Think You Can Dance – TV Soundtrack
- American Idol Encore – Video Game Soundtrack
- 50th Grammy Awards – Performer


28. Clint Eastwood


Every two years Eastwood comes out with two excellent projects; so here we are in a year two years from his last. He wore several hats in Changeling and Gran Torino, two films that I’m sure will find themselves several nominations and wins during the upcoming award season.

Credits
- Gran Torino – Actor/Director/Producer
- Changeling – Director/Producer/Composer


29. Carrie Underwood


Another musician who didn’t come out with an album; but we saw her plenty of times on TV and on stage. Plus, look at her – she’s gorgeous.

Credit
- Saturday Night Live – Music Performer
- CMT Countdown – Music Performer
- 50th Grammy Awards - Performer
- 42nd CMA Awards – Co-Host/Performer
- Stand Up to Cancer – Appearance
- National Music Tour
- American Idol – Performance/Appearances
- Carrie Underwood: My Road to the Opry – Main Topic


30. Michael Phelps


Philips’ interviews were anything but compelling and he didn’t wow us with his acting talents; but winning every event he swam in for USA at the Beijing Olympics was the most fun and exciting thing to watch this year in sports. The Brewers had a chance for this title and messed it up.

- 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing – 8-Time World Record-Breaker
- Saturday Night Live – Guest Host


31. Owen Wilson


Even though his two films ranged from okay to fairly good, Wilson can do no wrong in my book and he proved it this year with less-stellar films.

Credits
- Marley & Me – Actor
- Drillbit Taylor – Actor


32. Sarah Palin


Palin brought wanted and unwanted attention to the otherwise unentertaining McCain campaign. Her characterization by Tina Fey and appearances on SNL were fun to watch and you couldn’t pass a news day in the months leading up to the campaign with hearing about the governor of Alaska.

Credits
- 12 talk shows – Appearances
- Entertainment Tonight – In 24 episodes
- Saturday Night Live - Multiple appearances and Characterized by Tina Fey


33. Neil Patrick Harris


The funniest character on one of my favorite television shows is Barney Stinson, played by Harris. He gets the best lines and he delivers them perfectly. We found out he actually does love magic in real life and his Web show is pretty fun to watch. And let’s not forget his brilliant reprisal cameo in the second Harold and Kumar movie.

Credits
- Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog – Web Actor
- Sesame Street – TV Actor Guest Appearance
- How I Met Your Mother – TV Actor
- Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay – Actor
- Justice League: The New Frontier – Video Voice Talent
- Saints Row 2 – Video Game Voice Talent
- World Magic Awards – Host


34. Zhang Yimou


Yimou is not a household name, but who wasn’t impressed with his direction and creation of the ceremonies at Beijing? The intricacy, perfection and immense numbers all contributed to what I think are the best Olympic Ceremonies I’ve seen. The several hundreds of millions of dollars put into it didn’t hurt.

Credits
- Opening and Closing Ceremonies of Beijing Olympics 2008 – Director


35. Vince Vaughn


2008 was not one of Vaughn’s better years: He came out with an okay movie and a pretty good movie; but still he proved he would be a riot to hang out with and he can still do his patented fast-taking rants.
Credits
- Four Christmases – Actor/Producer
- Vince Vaughn’s Wild West Comedy Show – Appearance/Producer/Soundtrack


36. Joel & Ethan Cohen


Their one project this year was a strong follow-up to the triumph of last year’s No Country for Old Men, making my top 10 list in films for the second straight year. Once again, they played many hats and did it all so well.
Credits
- Burn After Reading – Directors/Writers/Producers/Editors


37. Jim Carrey


Carrey showed us he transfers well into animation and he can still lead a comedy. Yes Man is has deserving criticism because of the similarity of Liar, Liar and it’s writing. I still like him, but clearly not as much as I used and this is why he is far down the list.
Credits
- Horton Hears a Who! – Voice Talent/Soundtrack Performer
- Yes Man – Actor/Producer
- American Idol – Appearance
- Super Bowl XLII – Appearance


38. Coldplay


I have always sort of liked Coldplay; but wasn't until this year when finally got my attention with Viva La Vida, one of my favorite albums of the year.
Credits
- Cold Case, Grey’s Anatomy, One Tree Hill, 90210, CSI: Las Vegas – TV Soundtrack
- Guitar Hero: World Tour – Video Game Soundtrack
- Saturday Night Live, MTV Movie Awards – Performers
- Viva La Vida (Music Album) – Creators


39. Ben Kingsley


It blows my mind how little appreciation Kingsley gets. Several quality projects and a funny cameo should have earned him more.
Credits
- The Wackness – Actor
- Elegy – Actor
- War, Inc – Actor
- Transsiberian – Actor
- The Love Guru – Cameo


40. Shia Labeouf


Labeouf’s movies were solid follow-ups to a breakout year in 2007. He also showed his comic side on SNL & his bad-ass side at Walgreens.
Credits
- Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull – Actor
- Eagle Eye - Actor
- Saturday Night Live – Host
- The Smallest River in Almirante – Producer


41. Stephenie Meyer


Meyer entertained her faithful readers in her last Twilight segment and helped the first to adapt to the screen with giant returns.
Credits
- Twilight (Film) – Writer
- Breaking Dawn (Final Twilight Book) – Author
- The Host: A Novel – Author

42. Makers of Guitar Hero: Red Octane, Activision, & Neversoft


These brands had their biggest year, unleashing several games and influencing a nearly-as-popular competitor (Rock Band)
Credits:
- Guitar Hero: Aerosmith, Guitar Hero World Tour, guitar hero III: Backstage Tour, Guitar Hero: On Tour, Guitar Hero On Tour: Decades

43. Jon Favreau


Favreau was at the helm for the biggest film of his career and the 2nd biggest of this year. He’s also amazing at Taboo.
Credits
- Iron Man – Director/Producer/Actor
- Four Christmases - Actor

44. Anne Hathaway


Hathaway had a dynamic year starring in three films with different genres, showing off her dance moves, looks, acting, & singing abilities.
Credits
- Get Smart – Actress
- Rachel Getting Married – Actress
- Saturday Night Live – Host/Soundtrack Performer
- Passengers – Actress
- Get Smart: Bruce & Lloyd Out of Control – Video Actress

45. Tom Petty along with Mudcrutch & The Heartbreakers


Petty is still making it happen after all these years with a Super Bowl performance & the best Non-Heartbreaker album to date.
Credits
- Mudcrutch by Mudcrutch – Creator/Performer
- Super Bowl XLII – Halftime Performer (with The Heartbreakers)
- Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Greatest Hits – Creator/Performer
- King of the Hill – Voice Talent
- Recount – Soundtrack Writer/Soundtrack Performer
- The Wire (1 Episode) – Soundtrack Writer/Soundtrack Performer

46. Greg Kinnear


Kinnear gave us three good to excellent performances in three good to excellent films.
- Flash of Genius – Actor
- Baby Mama – Actor
- Ghost Town – Actor

47. Kate Beckinsale


Beckinsale still tops my list as the most beautiful woman in Hollywood, but hasn’t impressed me as an actress until this year.
Credits
- Nothing But the Truth – Actress
- Winged Creatures – Actress

48. Tom Cruise


Cruise made up for some disappointments from the last few years with a decent dramatic & comedic performance each.
Credits
- Valkyrie – Actor/Exec Producer
- Tropic Thunder – Actor

49. Kat Dennings


Dennings had a breakout year with realistic high school and college portrayals and went 3-for-3 in surprisingly good films.
Credits
- Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist - Actress
- Charlie Bartlett – Actress/Soundtrack Performer
- The House Bunny – Actress

50. Miley Cyrus


I still don’t know a single song of hers but she’s always in the news for something; so clearly she’s entertaining to many.
Credits
- Hannah Montana – TV Actress/Soundtrack Performer
- Bolt – Voice Talent/Soundtrack Writer/Soundtrack Performer
- Hannah Montana: One in a Million – Video Actress/Soundtrack Performer
- American Music Awards – Performer
- American Idol – Appearance
- CMT Music Awards – Host
- Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds Tour (3D Film) – Actress/Performer


Honorable Mentions –In No Particular Order - Accompanied by their best-known project

Yvonne Strahovski
Chuck- TV Actress

Michelle Monaghan
Eagle Eye – Actress

Amy Poehler
Saturday Night Live - Cast Member

Mark Strong
Body of Lies - Actor

Josh Brolin
W. – Actor

Bill Hader
Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Actor

Jon Hamm
Mad Men - Actor

Mary Louis Parker
Weeds - Actress

Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Lately - Host

Judd Apatow
Pineapple Express – Producer/Writer

The Rolling Stones
Shine a Light – Performers/Topic

Kate Winslet
Revolutionary Road – Actress

Penelope Cruz
Vicky Christina Barcelona – Actress

Russell Crowe
Body of Lies – Actor

Ben Stiller
Tropic Thunder – Director/Producer/Writer/Actor

Beck
Modern Guilt (Music Album) – Creator/Performer

James Franco
Pineapple Express – Actor

Javier Bardem
Vicky Christina Barcelona – Actor

Daniel Craig
Quantum of Solace – Actor

Paul Rudd
Role Models – Actor

John Stewart
The Daily Show – Host/Writer

David Cook
American Idol – Winner

Frank Caliendo
Frank TV – He is Frank

Steve Coogan
Hamlet 2 – Actor

Craig Robinson
The Office - Actor

Jennifer Aniston
Marley & Me – Actress

Adam Corolla
The Hammer – Producer/Writer/Actor

Meryl Streep
Doubt – Actress

John Legend
Evolver (Music Album) – Creator/Performer

Gerard Butler
RockNRolla – Actor

Vampire Weekend
Vampire Weekend (Self-Titled Music Album) – Creators/Performer

Kevin Spacey
21 – Actor/Producer

Brett Favre
Green Bay Packers/New York Jets – Quarterback

Ryan Secrest
Host/Producer to six projects

Richard Jenkins
The Visitor – Actor

Jonah Hill
Forgetting Sarah Marshall – Actor

Dennis Miller
The O’Reilly Factor – Correspondant

Robert Webb
The City of Santa Monica – Lush who unnecessarily takes his shirt off repeatedly