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Special Blessings to our beloved Dollie Banner and Sir Robert Bald for the latest paparazzi photo of Mighty Ganesha.  Roses and chocolate kisses to Jane O'Donnell for her peerless vision and to Eric Neuner for inspiration and patience.  And Super Luv to the late, beloved Scott Hoffman of Movie Picture Film for stating the obvious.   

Luvvums, Always!

 

 

 

2015

Site Update -March 1st 2015

What a lazy lima bean your Ever-Lovin' LMD has been. Nearly two years and this is all we have to show. Feh, I'm just not good at updates. But I do have this pretty gem of New York Fun in our Happenings page.

Once a year when the cockles of the city's heart are in deep freeze, the Toy Industry Association holds a fete for the kid inside all of us. The annual Toy Fair took place at the Javits Center this past February and I've got some goodies to show you.  

Let the banner take you to Toyland.

 

Enjoy,

 L.M.D.

March 1st, 2015

 

 

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2013

Glorious Things -

2012 Edition

A-yo, chimpmunks, here we are taking a brief look back at the highlights and low tides of a very strange year.

 

Movies

 

The Avengers – Leave to the king of pop culture geekdom, Buffy the Vampire Slayer’s dad, Joss Whedon, to take one of the biggest properties in the Marvel pantheon - one that combines a gallery of famous heroes with very different and disparate stories, powers and motivations -  and brings it all together brilliantly with fantastic action and hilarious comedy. I predict “Puny god” and/or “Clench up, Legolas” will turn up on the AFI Top 100 Movie Quotes any minute now.

 

Django Unchained – Making the all too real life horror of our country’s shame into a rousing bracing superhero story, director Quentin Tarantino provides us with modern American mythology that not only entertains fabulously but forces us to look at ourselves and our history.

 

 

 

 

Cabin in the Woods – An audacious and fun new approach to horror films, rookie director Drew Goddard takes the clever meta theories of Scream one step beyond.

 

 

 

 

Skyfall – A back-to-basics exercise in a lot of ways, it employs the macho capability of our favourite MI6 operative against an old-school, larger-than-life villain who’s like the love child of Goldfinger and Rosa Klebb, while throwing on some homages to the franchise’s beloved history.  Throw in two of the most fabulous Bond girls of the series, as well as the most impressive casting (Hell-lo, Javier! - Even in that bad hairdo) and have Oscar-winner Sam Mendes direct it and you see why Skyfall is by far the best of the trio starring Daniel Craig, as well as one of the best Bond films made.

 

Amour – Director Michael Haneke’s exploration of a marriage is emotional, sombre and unforgettable. The older couple faced with critical illness, will make its audience wonder how far they’d go for the one they love.

 

 

 

Happenings

 

Big Bang at the Prudential Center, Newark NJ - Last year’s Glorious Things prediction about the rise of KPop in the West turned out to be so, but not quite in the way we’d reckoned. The viral video for one Korean dance ditty became a worldwide smash and turned longtime KPop star, Psy, into an overnight sensation. Pleased as we are for his success, it’s been nearly a year since Gangnam Style’s initial release and there’s nothing resembling a second single on the horizon. Our hope is that his constant presence at every pop music envelope opening will at least acclimate non-Asian audiences to the Boogie-Down proficiencies of South Korean artists. For us, the true sallies in the West began with Girls Generation’s groundbreaking appearances on the Late Show with David Letterman and Live with Kelly.  Our brightest hope was in watching the packed crowd at New Jersey’s Prudential Center (Sold out in 20 minutes) be held in complete thrall by five handsome Korean pop princes. Big Bang’s show was both fabulous and tight, with the fellows insisting on an actual live band to shore up their actual singing and effortlessly charming the pants off their mostly female multi-generational, multi-racial audience for one of the best, most entertaining parties one could hope to enjoy.

 

Girls Generation at Live with Kelly – We started off the year with a wondrous sight. We were thrilled and honoured to be the guest of the morning show as the biggest girl group in Asia made its US morning TV debut. We got to watch the run-through before shooting and were inspired at how hard those nine gorgeous girls work it even when the cameras aren’t on.


New York Asian Film Festival/Japan Cuts 2012 - Where else in the world could I swoon over long-adored movie star heartthrobs like Kôji Yakusho, feel the awesome kung fu power of wuxia superstar, Donnie Yen and be astounded at the ridiculous coolness of Oldboy's Choi Min-sik? Magical things happen at the best film festival in NYC.

 

Glorious Stuf

BESFREN Chaps – The gorgeous sweetness of these perfect little gluten-free treats is officially an addiction. Sold only in a very few restaurants across NYC, this baby company (Established in 2012, by creators Min Ree and Paul Park) which combines the Korean favourite, chapssalddeok (or chaps), rice cakes with cream filling, with cool, gourmet flavours. One sumptuous bite made me a camp follower for life. Heaven is swimming in a lake filled with chocolate chip caramel and cheesecake Oreo BESFREN chaps!

 

 

 Fail and fail and fail

 

The Dark Knight Rises – Yeah this was a drag to have to put here especially in light of our adoration for the previous chapter. But rarely has a series with such momentum lost its way as stunningly as this one did. A droning tiresome drudge of a film that never once makes you care for the fate of anyone in it, I would have said it’s more style than substance, but it’s not even nice to look at.

 

 

The Hobbit – This one makes me sad to add to the list. Mostly because it’s not as plainly bad as The Dark Knight Rises, but like it’s series colleague, serves as a stern warning about going to the well once too often. The puzzling need to stretch what was a relatively zippy single book into a nearly three-hour slog with two more films on the horizon just seemed excessive and terribly over-padded.

 

 

Dark Shadows – A true test of my adoration for Tim Burton. A mess beyond even Burton’s offhand looseness, it’s just boring and completely uninspired. Only the fabulous Frankenweenie could make me forgive it.

 

 

 

Mirror Mirror – As heartbreaking for what could’ve been; the combination of Tarsem’s aesthetic brilliance and the beloved fairy tale turned into a shapeless dumb muddle, as well as being a very unfitting farewell to the brilliant designer, Eiko Ishioka.

 

 

 

Last Licks

Here's our remaining 2012 Movie Reviews.

 

 

And our brilliant SKYFALL interviews to close out the year.

 

Chitlins, I can’t say how I’ve never looked forward to kicking a year out the door, down the stairs and to the curb as 2012, and how very much I’m looking forward to 2013 and better days for everyone.

Happy New Year!

 

Make it your New Year's Resolution to follow our Twitter page

Follow TheDivaReview on Twitter

 

 and YouTube Channel

 

and keep tabs on our comings and goings on Facebook, so drop in and give us some “Like.”

 

 ~ L.M.D.

Jan. 12th, 2013 

 

 

 

2012

 

Site Update - Oct. 17. 12

Oh Dear Babies, I cannot believe what an awful thing I’ve been letting a whole season and some go by without news. Well, dolls, we have returned and already have good stuff on deck for you.

Most important, I couldn’t let this time go by without some kind of goodie. We have a Fabulous new contest featuring the Fab Four. Just in time to celebrate John Lennon’s birthday comes the first Blu-Ray release of The Beatles’ MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR. Fully remastered and bursting with gorgeous colour and sound, this slice of 1967 psychedelia is packed with unseen footage, exclusive interviews with Ringo Starr and Paul McCartney, as well as director’s commentary by Sir Paul. There’s also the amazing soundtrack which includes songs like I Am the Walrus, The Fool on the Hill, Hello, Goodbye, Flying, Your Mother Should Know as well as the title track. And because LMD’s been such a delinquent, we’re going to make it up with a little contest for one lucky winner.



Here’s how you can win a MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR Blu-Ray of your very own.

First, if you have not gone to The Diva Review’s Facebook page, do so immediately and “like” us. If you have already liked us, you’re good, move on to the 2nd part. Click here to go to The Diva Review on Facebook.

Second, if you can correctly answer these 3 questions in the comments of the contest post, we may randomly choose you to win.

1. Name the supporting actor who not only appeared in MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR, but also starred in both Help! and A Hard Day’s Night?

2. What Shakespeare play is heard in the background at the end of the song, I Am the Walrus?

3. On which British holiday was MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR first shown in 1967?

Lastly, if we notify you on Monday, October 29th. 2012 that you have won and you can correctly send your mailing address, you’ll be the proud owner of MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR on Blu-Ray.

(Contest open only to those with addresses in the continental United States. We are not responsible for the condition of the prize, delay/loss in shipping, nor will we exchange for another or remuneration of any kind. The prize is given for personal enjoyment only and implies no rights given. All rights to do with the Blu-Ray/MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR/The Beatles are wholly owned by EMI/Apple Corp.)

Also, we have interviews galore from our busy summer at our beloved annual Asian movie fests, the New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts, including exclusives with the biggest star in kung fu cinema today, Donnie Yen and an exclusive with one of our favourite actors, the brilliant Choi Min-sik of Oldboy and I Saw the Devil.

Here are the rest of our fun and fabulous Interviews:

Exclusive Interview with Korean superstar, Choi Min-sik

Exclusive Interview with Five Fingers of Death of Death director, martial arts film innovator, Chung Chang-wha

Exclusive Interview with the Director of Vulgaria, Pang Ho-Cheung

Exclusive Interview with You Are the Apple of My Eye director, Giddens Ko & star Michelle Chen

Exclusive Interviews with stars Penelope Wilton, Tena Desae & Director John Madden

The Amazing Spider-Man in NYC. Exclusive Interview with Denis Leary. Interviews with Andrew Garfield, Rhys Ifans, Marc Webb & Sally Field, plus Exclusive Photos



And yes, we have Movie Reviews.

 


Coming soon, dolls, our coverage of the 2012 New York Comic Con, and our day with 007 at the SKYFALL New York press junket featuring exclusives with the new Bond Girls, Naomie Harris and Bérénice Marlohe.


Enjoy,

 L.M.D.

February 3rd, 2012

 

 

 

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Site Update - Feb. 3. 12

 

Happy February, chitlins, here’s what’s been doing round the site since we blinded you with Year End Gloriosity. Let's jump in it.

 

We had a front-row seat for the morning show debut of Korean Pop Princesses, Girls’ Generation (SNSD) on Live! With Kelly.  I had the rare opportunity to view their rehearsal and marveled at how very hard the girls worked even in practise. The die-hard fans (called SONES), some of whom had slept outside the studio from 9PM, made the girls welcome with much hooting, hollering and fanchants. We have some exclusive photos for ya at our Happenings page. Click here to go there.

 

We started our 2012 interviews with some fun folk behind some amazing animation. 

Peter Lord, co-founder of our beloved Aardman Animation Studios, gave us a preview of his latest project, The Pirates! Band of Misfits. His first directing effort since 2000’s Chicken Run. He brought some friends along to give us a heads-up on the hilarity. Click here for the fun.

 

 

We also had exclusive interviews with the men behind Fullmetal Alchemist: The Sacred Star of Milos, the latest feature film based on Fullmetal Alchemist, one of the most popular manga and anime of all time.  Masahiko Minami, President of the acclaimed BONES Studio and director, Kazuya Murata, talked about the movie and its Red Carpet premiere in Hollywood. Click here to read all about it.

 

 

And yes, we have Movie Reviews!

 

More on the way, y’all!

Enjoy,

 L.M.D.

February 3rd, 2012

 

 

 

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Glorious Things -

2011 Edition

 

Stand and Deliver, darlings, it’s that time once again.  As the baby new year has waddled its way towards us at lightning speed, it’s past time to do our annual rundown of the things we adored this annum past.

 

Movies

 

I Saw the Devil:  Director Kim Ji-woon’s cat and mouse tale of a psychotic serial killer who chose the wrong man’s woman is sick, twisted, scary and really funny in a darkly campy way that’ll make you feel bad for laughing.  In other words, all the reasons why we adore Korean cinema.

 

 

Shame:  Employing the minimalism that made his debut, Hunger, such a smash, director Steve McQueen spares the dialog and exposition, but somehow spins a mesmerising tale of a sexually addicted man for whom too much is never enough.

 

 

 

13 Assassins:  Prolific Japanese director Takashi Miike exhibits an atypical amount of restraint as he revitalises the samurai genre with this story of a handful of ronin who plot to assassinate a psychotic overlord. The flaming cows alone are worth the price of admission.

 

 

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2:  This is the end, my beautiful friends.  Grim, looming and gothic as the towers of Hogwarts, the final chapter of the adaptations of J.K. Rowling’s masterworks is suitably monumental.  Director David Yates combines some of the cast’s greatest performances, breathtaking cinematography heartbreaking heroism and enough bombastic action to leave fans with a satisfying farewell to this beloved series.

 

Gantz: Perfect Answer:  Sadly this movie - one of the best summer flicks of the year - was seen by only a very few lucky people during New York’s Japan Cuts film festival. Ironically, this sequel’s predecessor was released earlier in the year and got no love from yours truly (as you can read here). Perfect Answer was the flip side of the coin; entertaining, exciting, full of comic book fun and really deserving a proper US release - but only as a subtitled version, please!

 

The Descendents:  Only the intelligent, acerbic wit of Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways) directing an excellent ensemble could perfectly capture this unusual story of a family dealing with the coma and ensuing demise of a philandering wife and mother with real humour and heart.

 

 

 

Milocrorze:  How does this brilliantly psychedelic, kaleidoscopic mind trip not have a distributor?  Premiering at last summer’s New York Asian Film Festival, director Yoshimasa Ishibashi’s fabulously stylish anthology of the male condition (With all three main characters played by Takayuki Yamada) is one of the most refreshingly original, aesthetically stunning movies of the year.  Come on, Japan, hand it over!

 

War Horse:  While not exactly what one might consider a film full of holiday cheer to have been released at Christmas, War Horse is nevertheless a cinematic glory.  This World War I epic, with its sweeping cinematography, excellent performances from experienced actors, newcomers and talented four-legged thespians alike and unrepentant sentimentality, is amongst Spielberg’s most stunning, heartfelt works.

 

 

 

Great Performances

 

Alan Rickman as Severus Snape:  I specifically mean Rickman as Snape.  Yes, I know I’ve said in my review of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2 that Rickman deserves an Oscar for his heart-ripping final bow as the boarding school teacher who is not what he seems.  But for Rickman, that performance is the cherry on the cake of seven films’ worth of flawless turns as the oily poisons professor with a double doctorate in sarcasm and Harry-hating.  Had Rickman not invested so much in Snape from the first movie, long before the character’s path was clear, our viewing of these films and our farewell to them - and him - wouldn’t have meant nearly as much.

 

Saoirse Ronan in Hanna:  From the first time I clapped eyes on her in Atonement, I knew there was something preternatural about Ronan’s talent; something quite out of this world for a girl of barely thirteen.  Four years later, she is playing a spectacularly otherworldly creature; teaming up again with Atonement’s director, Joe Wright to portray a teenager raised in a frozen fortress of solitude to become the perfect assassin.  Selling every part of Hanna as the alien amongst the “civilised” herd, to the pubescent girl feeling the stirrings of young womanhood, to the determined, lethal ninja on a mission who discovers what exactly it means to take a life, Sersh killed it.

 

Choi Min-sik in I Saw the Devil:  After years away from the camera, the star who hammered Korean cinema into the mainstream with his performance as Oh Dae-su in Park Chan-wook’s Oldboy, returned to the screen in grand style with his performance as a serial killer in I Saw the Devil.  According to director Kim Ji-woon, the idea to make the film came from Choi, who chomps into the role of the insane ladykiller hunted by a vengeful secret service agent, playing all sides of the character; scary, pathetic and bitterly hilarious, like a lion released from a cage.

 

Michael Fassbender in Shame:  Yeah, he’s naked in it.  A lot.  And no, it’s not a strain on the eyes, either.  But prurient thoughts aside, Fassbender’s portrayal of a man in the grips of sexual addiction requires a curious out-of-body experience to enable the viewer to separate what a handsome fella he is from the depths of degradation Fassbender must reach in this role.  This character lives in a swamp; in the muck of nameless, emotionless, mechanical rutting that will never ease his soul.  It’s a world where nothing is pretty.  His attractiveness only seems a perversion, enabling him to get his fix that much easier.  Fassbender shows us a man who thinks he’s in control and like every addict, is only fooling himself.

 

George Clooney in The Descendants:  Oh Mr. Clooney, my adoration is well documented.  Watching him play dashing heroes, caddish roués and romantic men on the make over the years couldn’t have prepared me for George as a middle-aged dad who discovers his wife’s affair as she lies in a coma.  In ill-fitting island wear, Clooney’s workaholic schlub must manage sudden single-parenthood to two precocious girls, the responsibility of a family inheritance and how to say goodbye to an erring wife.  Clooney makes the unlikely role his, putting the emotion and unexpected humor of the film across perfectly.

 

Kenichi Matsuyama in Norwegian Wood: (Yeah, I know Norwegian Wood is our first review of 2012, but this performance is worthy of time-travel.)  Matsuyama has been in our sights since his turn as a likestruck student with a crush in our beloved Linda Linda Linda, to his star-making turn as “L” in the Death Note live action films, to his “immortal” turn in the Gantz sci-fi films.  What a departure Norwegian Wood is for Matsuyama.  It’s like watching the actor grow up onscreen as he plays the college student whose world is turned upside-down by a friend’s suicide and his subsequent entanglement with his pal’s unstable guilt-ridden girlfriend.  It takes a steady hand to manage the romantic storms abounding in this adaptation of Haruki Murakami’s masterpiece, but Matsuyama achieves it.

 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt in 50/50:  How can a 27-year-old man discovering he has cancer be remotely funny?  In 50/50’s whipsmart script, the absurdity of the very diagnosis and the ridiculousness of the well-meaning actions of those around the afflicted make for some serious comedy.  In this fictionalised account of a true story, Gordon-Levitt adds to his ever-expanding CV of amazing performances by conveying every aspect of his character’s rage, hopelessness and surrealistic humour to create one of the most life-affirming movies about cancer in recent memory.

 

Arthur from Beginners, Uggie from The Artist and Joey from War Horse

Three delightful reasons why there should be a new category at the Oscars for Best (four-legged) Animal Performer.  Considering Arthur (played by Cosmo) as the Greek chorus to Ewan McGregor’s journey through loss, Uggie as Jack, a down-and-out silent film star’s partner and only friend, and Joey, who helplessly witnesses and suffers the pointless destruction of war (Actually, there were fourteen Joeys, would one get the statue while the others got extra oats?); I don’t think I could choose from the three scene-stealers.

 

Stuf

 

Interviewing Tsui Hark:  The king of Wuxia has spoken! -- And he spoke to me!!! The director who created a genre and launched the careers of so many names in Hong Kong films into superstardom (Like that Jet Li fella and the excellent Brigitte Lin) generously chatted with this acolyte about his incredible cinematic history and Wuxia’s stereoscopic future.

 

 

 

Going live with X Japan’s Yoshiki on Sirius XM:  Our first, but certainly not last video report featured the Asia’s biggest rock star, bar none.  We got to meet and chat with the fabulous Yoshiki of X Japan on the occasion of the launch of his monthly radio show on Sirius XM and were dazzled by his charm, honesty and pure Visual Kei glamour. See?

 

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter:  We covered the release of the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt. 2 DVD in Universal Studios, Orlando and were absolutely confunded by its fabulosity.  Hogwarts motion simulators, the discovery of Butterbeer and the entire Harry Potter trip -- what well-mannered frivolity.  Click here to go our Happenings page to see tons more pics.  Click here to read our press conference and exclusive interviews with folks like Rupert Grint, Jason Isaacs, David Yates, Warwick Davis, the Phelps Twins and more.

 

The Rise of KPop:  Nothing has taken the American music scene quite as unawares as the previously-inconceivable reality of a revue of Korean pop music acts selling out the first show in the newly refurbished Madison Square Garden in a mere twenty minutes.  This with ticket prices ranging from $204.50 to $44.50 – in this economy!  The SMTown Live tour brought out the big guns in their roster, including Super Junior (above), Girls’ Generation (below), SHINee, TVXQ! and longtime star, BoA, who sang, danced, looked fabulous and packed the place to the rafters with screaming fans of all races and ages.  Mind you, at the time, only one of these acts had ever released an album in English. 

Finally validated by Billboard’s inclusion of a new chart specifically for KPop, the western world is finally catching on to what Asians (and some ahead of the curve Westerners) have known for years.  With their inescapably groovacious rhythms, perfectly tuned vocals (hem-hem), picture-perfect faces and flawless production, there’ll be more to come from Korea from the likes of groups like Big Bang, 2NE1, T-ARA and others -- maybe someone should warn Stephen Colbert?  When the going gets tough, sometimes the tough just want to dance.

 

tokidoki x Barbie:  With her pearly pink page boy, proto-punk off-the-shoulder top, miniskirt, walking the canine Cactus Friend, Bastardino, on a leash, the collaboration between the toy world’s most glamourous gal and the Euro-Anime mash-up style of Tokidoki’s artist Simone Legno seemed a cool and timely match.  Tokidoki’s spins on the Hello Kitty empire, a Sephora makeup line, Onitsuka Tiger sneakers and Metro PCS phones have launched the brand into the mainstream.  However, thanks to some fake, knee-jerk outrage by incredibly dull parents with nothing better to do, the gorgeous Tokidoki body art that adorns Barbie’s shapely frame became a target for controversy and instantly the doll disappeared off the shelves and landed on Ebay. Thank you uncultured, reactionary parents of America for wrapping your precious offspring in cotton wool up to their eyeballs and making it impossible for LMD to get her hands on a Tokidoki Barbie for Christmas!  The last half of this entry should go under…

 

Fail and Fail and Fail

 

I Don’t Know How She Does It:  What do you get for the young mother who has everything?  A beautiful townhouse in Boston.  A loving, supportive husband whose career is on the upswing.  Two cute kids who go to a great school.  Supportive in-laws who dote on their grandkids.  A nanny who adores her charges.  A great job that she’s going from strength to strength in, and a handsome new business partner who thinks she’s the bee’s knees.  Why you hand her a great big guilt complex, of course.  This misguided, insulting, dated fiasco explains why, even with all the advantages, women simply can’t have it all.

 

Battle L.A.:  A noisy, brainless attempt at jingoism that panders to the truly stupid.  An alien invasion movie where you can’t make out what the aliens look like and some of the worst production values this side of an Ed Wood movie. We declare this the Winner of the 2011 Cloverfield Award for pointless overdose of nausea-inducing shakycam.

 

 

Sanctum:  This collection of awful acting, dumb premise, laughably bad script and predictable, clichéd action should’ve been buried in a giant cavern.  Wanna see a good movie about a guy getting out of a hole in the ground?  Go rent 127 Hours.

 

 

Fast Forward

 

Here’s some trailers fresh off our YouTube Channel of some of the 2012 titles we’re looking forward to.

Steven Soderbergh's Haywire

 

Underworld Awakening

 

Zhang Yimou's The Flowers of War

 

Studio Ghibli's The Secret World of Arrietty

 

The Hunger Games

 

Wrath of the Titans

 

The Dictator with Sacha Baron Cohen

 

Men in Black 3

 

Ridley Scott's Prometheus

 

Disney/Pixar's Brave

 

The Dark Knight Rises

 

And way off into December, Peter Jackson's The Hobbit, Pt. 1

 

And for The New

 

Besides our Twitter page,

Follow TheDivaReview on Twitter

 and YouTube Channel,

 

You can now keep tabs on our comings and goings on Facebook, so drop in and give us some “Like.”

 

What a scanty little year it’s been.  Not one of our favourites, but we feel it in our fifth eye that 2012 will made of much more glamourous stuff and we’ll be here to report on all the ensuing Fabulosity.  Stay tuned, kiddos!

 

 

 ~ L.M.D.

Jan. 13th, 2012 

 

 

 

    2011

Site Update - Dec. 31. 11

 

Well, my bebes, break out the sparkly booze and noise markers, we’re waving goodbye to another year and holding our arms out for the new one. But before we jump into that champagne bottle, here’s our last update for 2011.

Interviews:

Exclusive Interview with Stellan Skarsgård for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

 

 

 

Exclusive coverage of the War Horse World Premiere Gala in NYC, featuring Steven Spielberg, Tom Hiddleston, Emily Watson and more

 

 

 

Exclusive Interview with The Muppets newest star, Walter

 

 

 

 

Exclusive Interview with Angels Crest director Gaby Dellal & star Lynn Collins

 

 

 

 

Exclusive Interview with Aardman's Arthur Christmas director Sarah Smith

 

 

 

 

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Pt 2 DVD Press Conference: Rupert Grint, Jason Isaacs, Evanna Lynch, James & Oliver Phelps, producer David Heyman & more. Plus Exclusive Interviews with star David Yates & star Warwick Davis.

 

Anonymous stars Rhys Ifans, Joely Richardson, director Roland Emmerich and writer John Orloff

 

 

 

Tom Hiddleston of Thor, War Horse & the upcoming Avengers movie at New York Comic Con

 

 

 

Exclusive NY Comic Con Interview with directors Mark Neveldine & Brian Taylor of the upcoming Ghost Rider reboot.

 

 

 

 

Our Roving Reporter, Melissa Castor caught up with the boys from the Japanese Visual Kei band, Matenrou Opera, and sent us this Exclusive Interview and concert report

 

 

Exclusive Interview with Writer/director Enrico Casarosa for Pixar's newest short, La Luna

 

 

 

 

Director Pedro Almodóvar and star Antonio Banderas of The Skin I Live In

 

 

 

 

Exclusive Interview with professional wrestler and Warrior star, Kurt Angle

 

 

 

 

Exclusive Interview with WWE champion and star of Inside Out, Paul "Triple H" Levesque

 

 

 

 

Exclusive Interview with Asian acting legend and star of Detective Dee & Shaolin, Andy Lau

 

 

 

 

Our final Movie Reviews of the year:

 

~

We’ll also have our best of the year picks, our annual Glorious Things awards will be up shortly.

~

We can’t send off 2011 without thanking all The Diva Review contributors, friends and angels of all types that make this site happen. But most of all, dear readers we can’t thank you enough for tuning in. Please stick around for another year of fun and adventure.

Stay healthy, Stay safe, and most of all ...

Stay Fabulous, babies.

~ Luv from The Lady Miz Diva and everyone at The Diva Review.

 

 

Enjoy,

 L.M.D.

December 31st, 2011

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Site Update - Aug. 7. 11

 

What a long, hot summer it's turning out to be, babies, so without further perspiration, let's show you what we've been up to.

The rising sun of Asia has seen fit to shine on our humble site and we are basking in the glow.  First, we have tons of reports from the annual cinematic celebrations known as the New York Asian Film Festival and Japan Cuts where The Lady Miz Diva was able to interview some of the hottest and rising stars of eastern cinema.

 

This year the centerpiece of our coverage centered around the truly legendary Hong Kong action director, Tsui Hark. We caught up with director Tsui for a chat so profound it had to be cut in two pieces.  Here’s part one spotlighting Tsui’s prolific history and the future of his films. Part two all about his upcoming US release, Detective Dee & the Phantom Flame, will be up in the next couple of weeks. Click here for that interview.

 

 

We spoke with one of the hottest leading men in Japan, Takayuki Yamada, who was featured six films at the combined festivals, including Milocrorze: A Love Story, The Seaside Motel and Gantz: Perfect Answer. Click here for that interview.

 

 

 

The director of the gorgeous, audacious, psychedelic feast for the eyes, Milocrorze: A Love Story, Yoshimasa Ishibashi gave us some insight into his singular style. Click here for that interview.

 

 

 

The Seaside Motel director Kentaro Moriya stopped by to chat about the power of women and comic books. Click here for that interview.

 

 

 

 

An homage to Western film noir, Korea’s The Unjust mesmerised its audience and director Ryoo Seung-wan told us all about it. Click here for that interview.

 

 

 

In a big scoop for us, firebrand director Lee Joon-ik, retracted his retirement claim after feeling NYC’s love for his Korean period dramedy, Battlefield Heroes. Click here for that interview.

 

 

 

 

Two rising talents in Japanese cinema, 19-year-old star, Shota Sometani, and director, Natsuki Seta, talked about their hypnotic film, A Liar and a Broken Girl. Click here for that interview.

 

 

 

 

We also got to welcome back one of our big heartthrobs, real-life action man, Tak Sakaguchi who showed off his Yakuza Weapon. Click here for that interview.

 

 

 

 

Tak’s good friend and Yakuza Weapon co-director, Yudai Yamaguchi also had some words that guaranteed Tak will never get on another plane unmolested by the TSA again. Click here for that interview.

 

 

 

 

What a lot of JRock we have for you, as well. Our excellent special correspondent, Melissa Castor took the show on the road and reported from the AM2 Convention in Anaheim CA.  All, of course packed with gorgeous Melissa’s amazing, exclusive photographs.

 

Melissa talked girl power with the ladies of SCANDAL. Click here to read all about it.

 

 

 

 

Melissa also had some special alone time with the boys from Sadie on the eve of their very first overseas concert, first with an exclusive interview and then her review of their show.  Click here to read it all

 

 

Then she had some exclusive face time with the fellows from heidi. and files a report on their first US concert. Click here for the details.

 

 

 

While all this magical eastern goodness was happening, a little closer to home we managed a lovely exclusive chat with the Oscar-nominated star of the upcoming 30 Minutes of Less, Jesse Eisenberg. Click here for that interview.

 

 

 

We got more exclusive movie scoop from the director of The Smurfs, Raja Gosnell who let us in on the secret plan to include Goth Smurfette in the sequel. (Yes, but will wee see Passive-Aggressive Smurf? Click here for that interview & exclusive pics of Katy Perry, Hank Azaria, Neil Patrick Harris & more during The Smurfs NYC week & Premiere.

 

 

 

Bad Teacher’s Lucy Punch spilled her never before told story of her teenage rendezvous with Leonardo DiCaprio.  Click here for that interview.

 

 

 

 

On top of all that we still managed some Movie Reviews:

And the summer ain't over yet, dolls. See ya soon.

 

Enjoy,

 L.M.D.

May 31st, 2011

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Site Update - May. 31. 11

 

Hey babies, caught in a stubborn time dimension that had me by the toe making me tardy for my updates to you. And when there’s been so much going on too!

First, I want to regale you with my most recent adventure meeting the King of Japanese rock himself, X Japan leader, Yoshiki.  We were graced by his gorgeousness and fabulosity as he made a rare NYC appearance to promote his new radio show, Yoshiki Radio on SiriusXM. Beyond gracious, Yoshiki treated all assembled to sushi from the world-famous Nobu restaurant, premium sake over a soundtrack of his own design while entertaining press and having real tête-à-têtes with fans.

Click here for our written account of all the fabulosity with over 70 exclusive photos.

 

 

And here is our exclusive Yoshiki Radio video report putting you at the scene.

We had the pleasure of running into our adored Bronx-import Saoirse Ronan again for Hanna promo. Enjoy our words with Sersh, director Joe Wright and Eric Bana. Click here to read.

 

 

We were thrilled to have a dismembered heart-to-heart with Kim Ji-woon the director of one of our fave films so far this year, the thrilling thriller, I Saw the Devil. Click here and be afraid.

 

We had a fab time with oodles of Harry Potter folks: Robbie Coltrane, Michael Gambon, David Thewlis, Warwick Davis, the Phelps Twins, Bonnie Wright, Natalia Tena, Evanna Lynch, Clémence Poesy, Domhnall Gleeson and “the Davids”- producers Heyman and Barron amongst others at the launch of the Harry Potter exhibit/DVD celebration at NY’s Discovery Center. Click here to read.

 

The director of the charming dramedy, A Barefoot Dream, Kim Tae-gyun chatted with us about this story based on an unusual and inspiring life.  Click here to read.

 

 

We also had the pleasure of a candid  exclusive chat with Kyle Reese-Hicks, himself, the excellent Michael Biehn for the film, Bereavement. Click here to read.

 

 

From television, we’ve reviewed HBO's Mildred Pierce miniseries starring Kate Winslet. Click here to read.

 

 

In our DVD section, Japanese anime's look at the Victorian era, the lush and decadent Black Butler. Click here to read.

 

 

 

And a ton of movie reviews:

 

 

Well, there we go, babies, with a ton more on deck. We’ll try harder to escape the hands of time next time!

 

Enjoy,

 L.M.D.

May. 31st, 2011

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Site Update - Jan. 17. 11

 

Hey babies, here’s our first update novo annum, and the year’s already popping.  We spoke with the excellent Asian superstar Jay Chou as he was about to take his place in Bruce Lee’s shoes as Kato in The Green Hornet.  

In addition we had some lovely face time with the super-svelte Seth Rogen at the GH press day. 

Click here for Jay & Seth

 

 

We also talked with an action movie legend whose most important work has been behind the scenes.  Fight choreographer and stuntman par excellence, Jeff Imada talked about working on The Green Hornet, his own career and how Bruce Lee changed martial arts forever. Click here for Jeff Imada.

 

 

We also finally posted an interview from last year with That Girl.  Ms. Marlo Thomas, as she sat with us exclusively to discuss her long-awaited memoir, Growing Up Laughing: My Story and the Story of Funny Feel Free to Be... clicking here to go to the Marlo Thomas interview.

 

 

Here’s some early pics from the upcoming Spider-Man, Thor,  Captain America, Green Lantern, Sherlock Holmes 2, Sucker Punch and Woo Hoo! The Muppet Movie.

 

And some trailers for Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides and one I'm really excited for, Hanna, straight off The Diva Review's YouTube channel:

 

 

In fun happenings, we’re so pleased to announce that Viz and Fathom Events are once again making life for Otaku a happier place with their January 20th world premiere across America of Gantz, the live-action adaptation of the super-popular manga/anime, starring Death Note’s own "L", Ken’ichi Matsuyama.

Check the widget below for theatres nearest you and tickets!

 

We also have the last of 2010’s movie reviews and the first of 2011.

Phew, all this and we're only two weeks in?  I'm tired!

 

Enjoy,

 L.M.D.

Jan. 17th, 2011

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