Q&A Interview with Grey’s Anatomy actor Kevin McKidd (J!-ENT Interviews and Articles)

With the DVD release of “Grey’s Anatomy – The Complete Seventh Season”, J!-ENT’s latest “Grey’s Anatomy” Q&A is with actor Kevin McKidd who plays the character of Dr. Owen Hunt.  And for regulars of “Grey’s Anatomy”, so much has changed with Owen since he first appeared on the show, as well as for Kevin McKidd (as seen in our last Q&A with the actor back in 2009).

Kevin has appeared in films such as “Kingdom of Heaven”, “Made of Honor” and “Trainspotting” and also on television for series such as “Rome” as Lucius Vorenus and “Journeyman” as Dan Vasser.

With the eighth season of “Grey’s Anatomy” having premiered on Sept. 22nd, to promote the release of “Grey’s Anatomy – The Complete Seventh Season”DVD box set, here is a media Q&A featuring Kevin reflecting on season seven of “Grey’s Anatomy”.

What can you tell us about Season Seven of Grey’s Anatomy?

Kevin: Season Seven has been a lot of fun to work on, especially as I got the opportunity to direct an episode this year. Directing was a very interesting learning curve for me and it’s something I’d love to do again on Grey’s Anatomy. It was a little overwhelming at the start and I spent a lot of time holding my hair and thinking, ‘I’m going to lose it.’ However, I really enjoyed it.

 

What did you love the most about directing?

Kevin: I especially loved the preparation, which involved me walking around the sound stages and sets by myself. I’d wander around the place playing all of the different parts in my head, and it was fascinating. I had a blast.

 

How difficult was it to direct your peers and co-workers?

Kevin: I was incredibly nervous in the beginning. I kept thinking to myself, ‘How is everyone going to react to my direction? How are they going to feel about it?’ I shouldn’t have worried because everyone was fantastic. I felt really touched and moved at how kind everyone was. They all went to bat for me because they knew it meant a lot and they knew I didn’t want to screw up. Let’s face it; failure was not an option.

 

Would you ever consider a career change into directing?

Kevin:  Acting is still the thing that I love the most. Perhaps I could see myself directing an independent movie in England or Scotland at some point, but I don’t see myself having a career as a TV director. That’s not for me.

 

As a child growing up in Scotland, did you ever imagine you would go onto become the star of a huge American TV series like Grey’s Anatomy?

Kevin:  Absolutely not. I always knew I wanted to be an actor, but I didn’t expect to get this far. To be honest, I was destined to become a plumber like my father, and as a child I remember thinking, ‘If I get as far as London, I will be lucky.’ I never left Scotland until I was 20 years old. That’s how sheltered I was, so to be here is pretty remarkable.

 

Does Los Angeles feel like home to you now?

Kevin:  It does actually. I’m very happy here. I think we might go back to England or Scotland at some point, but there’s not much to hate about where I live. I’ve got a great job and the weather is pretty special here in Southern California. I’m not in any rush to go anywhere else.

When you joined the show, were you nervous of your competition with McDreamy and McSteamy?

Kevin: I wasn’t because I knew I was coming onto the show to be Cristina Yang’s love interest for a while. I knew I had a specific job to do, so I didn’t feel like I was coming in to be thrown into the mosh pit.

 

What else can you tell us about Season Seven?

Kevin:  There’s a musical episode in Season Seven, which was great fun to work on. It’s meant to act as a love letter to the long-term fans of the show, and there’s a gripping storyline in the episode. What else happens? Well, my character has an interesting love life in Season Seven, too.

 

Is that because he has feelings for two women: Teddy Altman and Cristina Yang?

Kevin:  A lot of viewers think differently about this, but Teddy and Owen never actually hooked up. They never did it. They almost made out, but it was just breathy talking. I’m not exactly a purist, but Owen has only slept with one woman on the show.

 

Will Cristina and Owen’s relationship survive Season Seven?

Kevin: You’re going to have to watch and see. They get married at the start of Season Seven, but then it gets pretty quiet for the pair of them. He helps her through her Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder issues, so that book has closed – but there are going to be problems again for them in the future.

 

What problems will they face?

Kevin:  They are two very complex people, so I think they’re always going to have a rocky road. Their relationship exists in angst, but there is a big disagreement on a fundamental subject in their marriage that they have to deal with in Season Seven. They have very opposed views on a certain issue and because they rushed into this marriage they didn’t ask certain important questions to each other before they put the rings on their fingers.

 

What did you think of the dramatic final to Season Six?

Kevin: I think the finale to Season Six rebooted the show in a really healthy way. It was a genius storyline, although it was a little shocking to discover Owen was going to be shot. Often, we don’t find out about storylines until we sit down for the table read, so I had no idea that Owen was going to be in trouble.

 

You had no idea that your character was going to be shot?

Kevin: I knew nothing about it until I opened the script at the table read. The shooting was described at the end of a page in the script. Boom! Owen is shot, and then Cristina says to Meredith, “Is Owen dead? Is Owen dead?” Then it was a page turn of the script, and it was the longest page turn ever. The whole world slowed down for a second – and then I turned the page to discover I could keep paying my kids’ school fees. Owen survives! Phew. What a relief. I was over the moon.

Grey’s Anatomy the Complete Seventh Season is now available on DVD.

Photo credit: ABC/BOB D’AMICO

 

NEXT WEEK ON ABC’S THE CHEW (10/3-7, 2011)

ADAM RICHMAN (“MAN V. FOOD”), “GOOD MORNING AMERICA” WEATHER ANCHOR SAM CHAMPION AND CHEF AARON McCARGO, JR. (“BIG DADDY’S HOUSE”) ON “THE CHEW,” OCTOBER 3-7

Chew Crew Correspondent Danny Boome Brings Report on The Seafood Industry in the Mississippi Gulf Coast

From dishing about the latest in food news , sharing tips for easy entertaining, to making meals on a budget, “The Chew” invites viewers into their kitchen weekday afternoons to celebrate and explore life through food. Signature series that are a staple of “The Chew” include: “The Daily Chew” – A segment that kicks off each show in which the five co-hosts “dish” and demonstrate a favorite recipe. “Mario’s Simple Italian” – Chef Mario Batali shares his secrets of Italian cooking and easy and affordable recipes the entire family will love. “Carla’s Gon Be Moments” – Chef Carla Hall helps resuscitate recipes gone wrong and gives useful information and tips on transforming common kitchen disasters into kitchen success stories. As Carla says, “It’s Gon Be OK!” “Michael’s Five in Five” – Chef Michael Symon creates delicious meals with five ingredients in five minutes for $5 (or less) per serving. “Clinton’s Pimp My Plate” – Clinton Kelly makes bland exciting again when he shares simple ways to spruce up recipes, turning them from ordinary to extraordinary. “Daphne’s Things My Dad Taught Me” – As the daughter of Dr. Mehmet Oz, Daphne grew up in one of the most medically-minded households. She now brings her dad’s wisdom by sharing healthy recipes, tips and life lessons from the Oz household. Chef Danny Boome is a correspondent of ABC’s “The Chew.” The lifestyle series features “Iron Chef America” stars Mario Batali and Michael Symon, “Top Chef” alum Carla Hall, entertaining expert Clinton Kelly and health and wellness enthusiast Daphne Oz. “The Chew” serves up everything food – from cooking and home entertaining – to food trends, restaurants, holidays and more, all aimed at making life better, fuller and more fun each and every day. As a resident Chew Crew correspondent, Boome is a roving reporter bringing viewers the latest news from around the country, from covering events and dishing on new and exciting food trends to sharing new ways of using ordinary household items. Next week will mark his first appearance on the show. He will report from the Mississipi Gulf Coast and join the panel of co-hosts in-studio. Scheduled guests for the week of OCTOBER 3-7 are as follows (subject to change): MONDAY, OCTOBER 3 – Adam Richman (“Man v. Food”); cocktail recipes; a new installment of “Five in Five.” TUESDAY, OCTOBER 4 – Sam Champion (“Good Morning America”); budget friendly kitchen makeover ideas; simple Italian cooking with Mario Batali. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 5 – Stress busting foods; easy and affordable family meal recipes; an out of this world apple pie recipe. THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6 – Chef Danny Boome shares a report on the seafood industry in the Mississippi Gulf Coast; fall grilling. FRIDAY, OCTOBER 7 – Aaron McCargo, Jr. (“Big Daddy’s House”); healthy recipe ideas that are under 150 calories; after school snack ideas. About “The Chew”: Celebrating and exploring life through food, “The Chew” is an innovative and groundbreaking daytime series co-hosted by a dynamic group of engaging, fun, relatable experts in food, lifestyle and entertaining. Produced by Gordon Elliott’s Chew Productions for the ABC Television Network, “The Chew” serves up everything food — from cooking and home entertaining to food trends, restaurants, holidays and more, all aimed at making life better, fuller and more fun. Featuring celebrity chefs Mario Batali, Michael Symon and Carla Hall, entertaining expert Clinton Kelly and health and wellness enthusiast Daphne Oz, “The Chew” is a leap forward into a delicious new kind of lifestyle series.

 

UPCOMING GUESTS ON “THE TALK” ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK (October 1-7, 2011)

Monday through Friday (2:00-3:00 PM, ET; 1:00-2:00 PM, PT)
(*Denotes changes and/or additions to previous schedule, (n) Denotes new)
*Monday, October 3 Actress and guest star on CBS’s “NCIS” Lily Tomlin; actress Ellie Kemper; Carnie Wilson, Molly Shannon and Sheryl Underwood guest co-host (n)
*Tuesday, October 4        Actress Andie MacDowell; chef and author Rocco Dispirito gives healthy eating tips; Carnie Wilson, Molly Shannon and Sheryl Underwood guest co-host (n)
*Wednesday, October 5 Actress Emily Procter (CBS’s “CSI: Miami”); actress Eliza Coupe; Carnie Wilson, Molly Shannon and Sheryl Underwood guest co-host (n)
Thursday, October 6 Actor John Lithgow; singer/actress Brandy, Molly Shannon and Sheryl Underwood guest co-host (n)
Friday, October 7 Actress Florence Henderson discusses her new book; interview and performance with singer Richard Marx; Molly Shannon and Sheryl Underwood guest co-host (n)
THE TALK, CBS’s daytime talk show features a panel of well-known news and entertainment personalities having The Talk about current events, pop culture, contemporary issues, family, celebrity and the trending topics of the day. The daily one-hour series airs weekdays (2:00-3:00 PM, ET; 1:00-2:00 PM, PT) and is co-hosted by Julie Chen, Sara Gilbert and Sharon Osbourne along with celebrity guest co-hosts. The hosts swap stories, challenge each other on issues and engage the studio audience and viewers at home about events in the headlines and their own homes. Show segments include guest interviews with entertainers and newsmakers, musical performances, how-to demos and appearances from extraordinary people with stories that engage and inform. John Redmann and Gilbert, who developed the show, are executive producers.

RATING:  TV14-DL (Rating may change on day of broadcast due to specific subject matter.)

Photos available at: http://www.cbspressexpress.com/

Official CBS Web site:  http://www.cbs.com/daytime/the_talk/

Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/TheTalkCBS

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/#!/TheTalk_CBS  or @TheTalk_CBS

CBS Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/CBSTweet or @CBSTweet

 

 

UPCOMING GUESTS ON THE “LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN” ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK (Sept. 30-October 11, 2011)

Monday through Friday, 11:35 PM-12:37 AM, ET/PT

 

(*Denotes changes and/or additions to previous schedule

(n) Denotes new broadcast)

 

Friday, Sept. 30                       Actor Samuel L. Jackson; comedian Karen Rontowski; musical guest Anne-Sophie Mutter (n)

 

*Monday, Oct. 3                    News anchor Brian Williams; musical guest Sting (n)

 

Tuesday, Oct. 4                        Actor Hugh Jackman; musical guest Feist (n)

 

Wednesday, Oct. 5                  Actor George Clooney; musical guests Mastodon (n)

 

Thursday, Oct. 6                      Author Caroline Kennedy; dock diving dogs demonstration on 53^rd Street; musical guests The Joy Formidable (n)

 

Friday, Oct. 7                           Actor Bryan Cranston; comedian Jeff Altman; musical guest Garland Jeffreys (n)

 

Monday, Oct. 10                      Actor Tracy Morgan (n)

 

Tuesday, Oct. 11                      Actor Matthew Broderick; musical guest Hunter Hayes (n)

 

RATING: TV-PG (Rating may change on day of broadcast due to specific subject matter.)

 

Official CBS Web site:  http://www.cbs.com/late_night/late_show/

 

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/Letterman

 

Twitter:  http://twitter/#!/Late_Show

 

CBS Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/CBSTweet

 

“ACCESS HOLLYWOOD LIVE” – WEEKLY LISTINGS FOR OCTOBER 3-7, 2011

Monday, October 3–guests include Gloria Estefan, ‘Charlie’s Angel’s’ Ramon Rodriguez, fall TV report card with The Hollywood Reporter’s Lacey Rose , how to throw the ultimate tailgate this football season, Biggest Loser “Last Chance workout”

Tuesday, October 4–guests include John Leguizamo, MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell, ‘Happy Days” Don Most, Dipping and Decorating- Crafty ideas for apples

Wednesday, October 5–guests include ‘Footloose’ stars Julianne Hough and Kenny Wormald, ‘Dancing with the Stars’’ Hope Solo, sex expert Dr. Laura Berman, Chef Rocco DiSpirito

Thursday, October 6–guests include ‘Dancing with the Stars’’ Carson Kressley, ‘Private Practice’s’ Benjamin Bratt, TLC’s ‘Long Island Medium’, fall foods as your favorite beauty products with dermatologist Megan O’Brien

Friday, October 7-guests include country sweetheart Kellie Pickler, BET’s ‘Reed Between the Lines’ stars Tracee Ellis Ross and Malcolm-Jamal Warner, Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster, Elmo and Grover, men’s fall fashion show

About “Access Hollywood Live”:
A new spin-off of the hit entertainment newsmagazine, “Access Hollywood,” “Access Hollywood Live,” debuted in September 2010, and was featured in Entertainment Weekly’s coveted ‘Must List’ as the magazine called hosts Billy Bush and Kit Hoover a “refreshingly hilarious duo.” The daily show, broadcast live in HD, premiered on September 13, 2010 in select markets (syndicated, check local listings).

“Access Hollywood Live” focuses on the latest celebrity dish, pop-culture, opinions, Hollywood happenings and all the day’s big news. It features in-studio celebrity guests, and a cast of regular contributors to keep viewers up-to-date with female-friendly segments on the most current styles, fashion, design trends and more.

“Access Hollywood Live” is distributed by NBC Universal Domestic Television
Distribution. Rob K. Silverstein is the executive producer.

 

Spooky Buddies: Blu-ray + DVD (a J!-ENT Children’s Blu-ray Disc Review)

The buddies are back in this darker, fun and enjoyable Halloween family film for the kids.  “Spooky Buddies” is Halloween-themed, so it may not be for the younger children but for the children who have grown up with the Buddies and are slightly older, they will most likely enjoy it.

Images courtesy of © Disney. All Rights Reserved.

TITLE: Spooky Buddies: Blu-ray + DVD

FILM RELEASE: 2011

DURATION: 88 minutes

BLU-RAY DISC INFORMATION: 1080p High Definition (1:78:1), English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio (48 kHz/24-bit), French and Spanish 5.1 Dolby Digital, Subtitles: English sDH, French, Spanish

COMPANY: Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment

RATED: G

Release Date: September 20, 2011

Directed by Robert Vince

Written by Robert Vince and Anna McRoberts

Produced by Anna McRoberts, Robert Vince

Music by Brahm Wenger

Cinematography by Mike Southon

Edited by Kelly Herron

Casting by Lorna Johnson

Production Design by Michael S. Bolton

Set Decoration by Shirley Inget

Costume Design by Stephanie Nolin

Starring:

Tucker Albrizzi as Bartleby

Jennifer Elise Cox as Mrs. Carroll

Elisa Donovan as Janice

Jake Johnson as Sam

Rance Howard as Mr. Johnson

Mitchell Duffield as Devil Kidd

Pat Finn as Frankendude

Hardy Gatlin as Skip

Max Charles as Joseph

Nels Lennarson as Joseph’s Dad

Sierra McCormick as Alice

Michael Teigen as Sheriff Dan

Frank C. Turner as Sheriff Jim

Harland Williams as Warwick

Diedrich Bader as the voice of Hound

Ameko Eks Mass Carroll as Ghost Boy

Frankie Jonas as Pip (voice)

Tim Conway as the voice of Deputy Sniffer (Voice)

Nico Ghisi as Budderball (Voice)

Ty PAnitz as Mudbud (Voice)

Debra Jo Rupp as Zelda (Voice)

Ryan Stiles as Hoot (Voice)

Charles Henry Wyson as Buddha (Voice)

Skyler Gisondo as Billy/B-Dawg (voice)

G. Hannelius as Rosebud (voice)

In Spooky Buddies, the lovable ―Buddies‖ — talking pups B-Dawg, Budderball, Buddha, Mudbud, and Rosebud — embark on a spine-tingling journey across town to a shadowy mansion shrouded in legendary secrets. In a race against the mysterious Howlloween Hound, the Buddies and some new friends — Pip, Zelda, Rodney and Skip — must stop Warwick the Warlock to save the world from his dastardly deeds. Their brave exploits in this trick-or-treat adventure highlight the importance of friendship, courage and teamwork.

The Buddies are back for another family film for 2011 titled “Spooky Buddies”.

For those who have watched the previous “Buddies” films (Note: buddies are the children of Buddy the Golden Retriever, the star of the “Air Bud” films of the ’90s), the good news for fans who enjoyed the more involving storyline with the  last year’s film “The Search for Santa Paws”, co-writer and director Robert Vince and co-writer Anna McRoberts continue with the same formula where the film is not all about the buddies but bringing back the “Air Bud” style of featuring the story around the human characters.

“Spooky Buddies” is a film that begins in the 1930′s as the evil warlock, Warwick (played by Harland Williams) is needing five dogs of the same bloodline as a sacrifice to open a portal to unleash evil spirits.  So, Warwick has gathered five beagles, including a dog named Pip to sacrifice.

But the Deputy and the people families of those who lost their dogs descend to the home of Warwick where he is in the process of feeding the energy to the evil Halloween Hound.  As Pip’s young owner, Joseph, tries to rescue his dog…it’s too late.  He has been turned into ghost, while it’s actual body has been turned to stone.

But because the police and the families interfered with Warwick’s plans right before he was to become successful, Warwick escapes into the evil mirror along with the Halloween Hound.  Unfortunately, for the owners of the dogs, especially young Joseph…his beagle Pip is lost and is thought as dead.  But what they don’t see is the ghost of Pip floating around, calling after them.

Fast forward over 80-years later and a teacher is taking the children on a field trip of various Halloween haunts in the city.  One of the areas where she takes the kids is where the “Halloween Hound” incident took place. Despite it being a true story, many now disregard as just a scary tale.

But one day, the Buddies sneak into the house and the five dogs hear Pip’s voice and are scared by it that they think the house is haunted.

Meanwhile, Billy, the owner of B-Dawg is asked by the teacher of what his next school assignment will be and he tells them that it will be about if the “Halloween Hound” incident was real or fake.

So, as Billy and friends do research on the incident, they visit the police station and are taken to the evidence box where Billy is given a few things for his research.  One is Warwick’s magical staff and the book of spells.  But what Billy doesn’t know is that by having that staff, he has now awakened both Warwick and the Halloween Hound and also brought them to the present-time, during Halloween night.

And for Warwick, his plans of unleashing the portal continues but first, he must get his staff and spell book from Billy.  Meanwhile, the Halloween Hound looks for five new dogs of the same blood to unleash the portal and this time, his targets are the Buddies.

Can Billy and friends stop Warwick from accomplishing his evil plans?

 

VIDEO:

“Spooky Buddies” is presented in 1080p High Definition (1:78:1) and I have to say that the film looks awesome on Blu-ray.  A lot of outdoor shots with sunlight and many costumes of various colors, it definitely lends to the vibrant colors of the film.  But also during Halloween night, the black levels are nice and deep but for the most part, detail of the costumes and the closeup of the dogs look great!

So, there is a good amount of detail this time around and I didn’t detect any artifacts, combing, banding or any significant problems while watching the film. Another quality Disney presentation on Blu-ray.

AUDIO & SUBTITLES:

“Spooky Buddies” is a dialogue-driven film and the dialogue is crystal clear as its coming through the center and front channels.  But one will notice with this latest film is how much of the music plays a big part, especially as it is utilized in the surround channels.  A pretty solid soundtrack for this film courtesy of Brahm Wenger and also you get a pretty groovy cover of “Monster Mash” during the Halloween party segment of the film.

Subtitles are presented in English SDH, Spanish and French.

SPECIAL FEATURES

“Spooky Buddies” comes with the following special features:

• DIGS: Rosebud Edition – (4:01) Hosted by Leo Howard (of “Kickin’ It”, “Leo Little’s Big Show”, “G.I. Joe: Rise of the Cobra”), canine Rosebud gives viewers a tour of where she lives, her garments and more.
• Monster Mash Music Video – (3:05) The guys of Disney show “Shake It Up” (Davis Cleveland, Adam Irigoyen and Kenton Duty) sing a new version of “Monster Mash”.
• Treasure Buddies: Sneak Peek – (4:24) A sneak preview of the next Buddies film, “Treasure Buddies”.

EXTRAS:

“Spooky Buddies: Blu-ray + DVD” comes with a slip cover case and also comes with a DVD presented in Widescreen (1:78:1 – enhanced for 16×9 televisions), English, French and Spanish Dolby Digital and subtitles in English SDH, French and Spanish.

For those who love the adventures of B-Dawg, Budderball, Bhudda, Mudbud and Rosebud….the Buddies are back!  This time to save the world from an evil warlock who wants to open the portal and bringing in bad spirits to the real world.

Having reviewed the “Air Bud” films and also the “Buddies” films in the past, I like the fact that Robert Vince and Anna McRoberts are continuing on the focus on the human characters and not entirely on the Buddies.  While the previous earlier films had focused entirely on the “Buddies” and was targeted towards a more younger audience, with last year’s “The Search for Santa Paws”, there is more production value, a much more deeper screenplay that incorporates the characters much more, also including the Buddies as expected  and also including more music.

The same can be said about the latest film “Spooky Buddies”. Like previous “Buddies” films that showcased the importance of friendship, courage and teamwork.  Those elements are still incorporated into this latest “Buddies” film but this time around, it’s a Halloween-themed film and it’s a bit darker than any of the previous “Buddies” films.

And it’s important to note that although rated “G” for a general audience, for parents who are wondering if this is a film they can show to their young 3-6 year-olds, I don’t know if it would be appropriate because there are some darker themes that may spook younger children.

For example, seeing a warlock sacrificing young puppies and turning them to stone, an evil warlock going after kids who are trying to runaway from him, or the warlock turning a adult friend into a zombie to the warlock scaring trick or treaters.  Especially the brooding Halloween Hound.  The dog with its green eyes and it’s evil intention, that may spook some children.  For those who are used to the wholesomeness of the series, this latest film does have its darker moments that probably is more appropriate for children.

There is also a very short religious segment of the film that features the Bible and the children seeking safety in a church.  I know some people may be bothered by this.

But overall, because you expect a Halloween theme for “Spooky Buddies”, it’s what you get.   A slightly scary but fun story for the older kids, may not for the younger children.  My eight-year-old watched it with no problems.  And because he has grown up with the Buddies films, he knew it wasn’t going too be scary, especially in the context of comparing it to other children’s scary movies or shows like “Goosebumps”. “Spooky Buddies” is rather tame.

“Spooky Buddies” comes with a Blu-ray & DVD. Both picture quality and audio quality is well-done in HD and although there are not many special features included in this release, there is the “Buddies” tie-in with the kids of the hit Disney show “Shake It Up” and also the tie-in with Disney’s “Kickin’ It” star Leo Howard which fans may be interested in.

And similar to “The Search for Santa Paws”, you have a few stars such as Harland Williams (“The Whole Nine Yards”, “Dumb and Dumber”), Rance Howard (“Night Club, “The Dilemma”), Jennifer Elise Cox (“Pretty the Series”, “The Brady Bunch Movie”), Pat Finn (“I Love You, Beth Cooper”) and Elisa Donovan (“Clueless”).  Also, doing the voices for the film such as Diedrich Bader and Ryan Stiles (both from “The Drew Carey Show”), Debra Jo Rupp (“That 70′s Show”), Tom Conway (“SpongeBob SquarePants”), Frankie Jonas (“Jonas”) and more.

Also, enjoyed the CG for Pip the Dog and the visual effects for this Buddies film is definitely much better than the CG that was used in previous films, so I’m glad that the “Buddies” films have better production and continuing the character-driven storyline.

Overall, “Spooky Buddies” is another family fun “Buddies” film.  Darker and a little creepier that previous Buddies films but I did enjoy Robert Vince and Anna McRoberts experimenting with the film, especially a more darker themed film involving the Buddies but I think that (older) children who grew up with the Buddies may find this one to be a bit fun, silly, dark but enjoyable.  But for parents who have younger children, you may want to pass on this one as this film may be a bit too scary for them.

 

Oricon Music Charts (Top 10 CD Single and Album Daily Charts in Japan): SID takes the #1 spot on the Singles Charts, Tohoshinki takes the #1 spot on the Album Charts (09.28.11)

It’s new release Wednesday! Which artist or band took the #1 spot for Japan’s Oricon CD Single Daily Charts and Oricon Album Daily Charts?

Buy the #1 CD Single & Album from CDJAPAN or YesAsia.com:

 

ACADEMY EXPLORES COLORFUL WORLD OF DISNEY ARTIST MARY BLAIR

Beverly Hills, CA – The lasting influence of Disney artist Mary Blair will be celebrated through an examination of her concept artwork for “Cinderella,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “Peter Pan” in the 1950s during “Mary Blair’s World of Color: A Centennial Tribute,” the latest installment of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ Marc Davis Celebration of Animation, on Thursday, October 20, at 7:30 p.m. at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. Several of today’s top animation talents will discuss Blair’s work as an artist and stylist and will also demonstrate how her work has influenced their own. The panel will be moderated by animation critic and film historian Charles Solomon.

Blair’s unmistakably bold and colorful designs continue to inspire artists in all areas of animation today. Her unique and lasting impact on animation continues to this day, though Blair is best known for her design of Disneyland’s “it’s a small world” attraction, which she worked on with legendary animator Marc Davis, for whom the lecture series is named, and his wife Disney Imagineer Alice Davis.

Panelists for the evening include:

Pete Docter, whose Oscar nominations include Original Screenplay for “Toy Story,” “WALL-E” and “Up,” Animated Feature film for “Monsters, Inc.” and Animated Short Film for “Mike’s New Car,” received the 2009 Oscar for Animated Feature Film for “Up.”

Mike Giaimo, who served as a character designer on “The Brave Little Toaster” and “FernGully: The Last Rainforest,” was the art director on “Pocahontas” and a visual development artist on “Home on the Range.”

Eric Goldberg, who served as the supervising animator for the Genie in “Aladdin,” Phil in “Hercules” and Rabbit in “Winnie the Pooh,” was the co-director of “Pocahontas” as well as the director of the “Rhapsody in Blue” and “Carnival of the Animals” segments of “Fantasia/2000.”

Susan Goldberg, who served as an assistant animator on “Pocahontas,” “The Hunchback of Notre Dame” and “Hercules,” was the art director on the “Rhapsody in Blue” and “Carnival of the Animals” sequences in “Fantasia/2000.”

Daisuke “Dice” Tsutsumi, the lead color key artist on “Robots” and the lead color designer on “Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears a Who!” was the art director on “Toy Story 3.”

Following the program, attendees will be able to view a selection of original works by Blair.

The Marc Davis Lecture on Animation was established in 1994 to provide a forum for established film animators and other experts in the craft to share their experiences as well as explore with their colleagues the challenges of creating animation for the screen. The lecture is named in honor of the man who gave life to characters as diverse as Brer Rabbit, the beautiful Cinderella, Alice (of Wonderland fame), Tinkerbell, and the delightfully wicked Maleficent and Cruella De Vil.

Tickets for “Mary Blair’s World of Color: A Centennial Tribute” will go on sale Monday, October 3. Tickets are $5 for the general public and $3 for Academy members and students with a valid ID. They may be purchased online at www.oscars.org, by mail, in person at the Academy during regular business hours or, depending on availability, on the night of the program when the doors open at 6:30 p.m. The Samuel Goldwyn Theater is located at 8949 Wilshire Boulevard in Beverly Hills. For more information, call (310) 247-3600 or visit www.oscars.org.

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ABOUT THE ACADEMY
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards – in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners – the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

FOLLOW THE ACADEMY
www.oscars.org
www.facebook.com/TheAcademy
www.youtube.com/Oscars
www.twitter.com/TheAcademy

 

ARIA Music Charts (Top 10 Singles & Albums in Australia): Gotye feat. Kimbra continues to take the #1 spot on the single charts, Adele takes #1 on the album charts (September 26, 2011)

The following are the top 10 songs in Australia from the Aria Top 50 Singles Charts:

NOTE: Gotye feat. Kimbra takes #1, Maroon 5 at #2 and Cobra Starship takes the #3 spot.

1. Gotye feat. Kimbra – Somebody that I used to Know
2. Maroon 5 feat. Christina Aguilera – Moves Like Jagger
3. Cobra Starship feat. Sabi – You Make Me Feel
4. Jason Derulo – It Girl
5. David Guetta feat. Sia – Titanium
6. Rihanna – Cheers (Drink to That)
7. Hot Chelie Rae – Tonight Tonight
8. Jessie J – Domino
9. Gym Class HEroes Feat. Adam Levine – Stereo Hearts
10. David Guetta feat. Usher – Without You

The following are the top 10 albums in Australia from the Aria Top 50 Albums Chart:

NOTE: Adele takes #1, The Jezabels takes #2 and Gotye takes #3

1. Adele – 21
2. The Jezabels – Prisoner
3. Gotye – Making Mirrors
4. David Guetta – Nothing But the Beat
5. Lady Antebellum – Own the Night
6. Red Hot Chili Peppers – I’m With You
7. Adele – 19
8. Kimbra – Vows
9. Pete Murray – Blue Sky Blue
10. LMFAO – Sorry for Party Rocking

 

NINTENDO DOWNLOAD HIGHLIGHTS NEW DIGITAL CONTENT FOR NINTENDO SYSTEMS

Sept. 29, 2011

This week’s Nintendo Download includes the following featured content:

Nintendo eShop and Nintendo DSiWare™
The Legend of Zelda™: Four Swords Anniversary Edition – Nintendo 3DS™ and Nintendo DSi™ owners can download this multiplayer anniversary edition free of charge for a limited time. (For Nintendo 3DS / Nintendo DSi)

Nintendo eShop
Super Mario Land™ 2: 6 Golden Coins™- In his greatest Game Boy™ adventure, Mario™ faces off against his evil rival Wario™, who has captured Mario Land and turned it into his private playground.Help Mario search new worlds for the six golden coins that unlock the gate to Mario’s castle. (For Nintendo 3DS)

WiiWare™
escapeVektor™: Chapter 1 – Vektor has been locked inside your Central Processing Unit. He is not sure how he got there or how long he has been there. Work with Vektor to help him escape the evil clutches of the CPU. (For Wii™)

Nintendo eShop
Nintendo has some exciting games coming to the Nintendo 3DS system in the coming months. To whet your appetite, we’ll soon be adding downloadable 3D trailers for Super Mario™ 3D Land, Kid Icarus™: Uprising, Mario Kart™ 7, Luigi’s Mansion™ 2, Animal Crossing™, Paper Mario™ and Mario Tennis™ to the Nintendo. (For Nintendo 3DS)

Also new this week:
• Crystal Caverns of Amon-Ra (Nintendo eShop / Nintendo DSiWare)
• Bugs ‘N’ Balls (Nintendo eShop / Nintendo DSiWare)
• Blue Man Group Sports (Nintendo Video™) (available today at 3 p.m. Pacific time)

To view this week’s Nintendo Download in its full graphical version, please visit:http://www.news2know.net/nintendo/downloadSt98PwT3q.php

In addition to video games available at retail stores, Nintendo also offers a variety of content that people can download directly to their systems. Nintendo adds new titles to the Nintendo eShop for the Nintendo 3DS™ system, to the Nintendo DSi™ Shop for the Nintendo DSi system and to the Wii™ Shop Channel for the Wii console at 9 a.m. Pacific time on Thursdays.

The Nintendo eShop is a cash-based service and features games, applications and videos in both 2D and 3D. Users can add money to their virtual wallets using a credit card or by purchasing a Nintendo 3DS Prepaid Card at a retail store and entering the code from the card.

The Wii Shop Channel offers games and applications and uses Wii Points™, which can be purchased via the Wii Shop Channel. The Nintendo DSi Shop offers games and applications and uses Nintendo DSi Points™, which can be purchased in the Nintendo DSi Shop. A Wii Points Card™ and Nintendo DSi Points Card™ can be purchased at retail locations. All points from one card must be redeemed in either the Wii Shop Channel or the Nintendo DSi Shop, respectively. They are not transferable and cannot be divided between the two systems.

Remember that Wii, Nintendo 3DS and Nintendo DSi feature parental controls that let adults manage some of the content their children can access. For more information about this and other features, visit http://www.nintendo.com/wii, http://www.nintendo.com/3ds or http://www.nintendo.com/ds/systems/dsi.

 

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