Saturday, December 6, 2008

This Week in Pictures

My, what a whirlwind week for Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, eh?

Paris, Madrid and Rome. The private jet-setting couple were seen when they wanted to be seen. Red carpets, premieres, fine dining, museums... what a life! Movie stars are a breed all their own... and hangers-on can enjoy the high life as long as they have signed on the dotted line; even humble little country music singers. Said country music singers can announce their upcoming tour while flying all over Europe (but that's another blog).

Let's take a peek at what we have seen this week...

Gay Paree! From Keith's heels to taking Baby Sunday to a Picasso exhibit at a museum...

On to Madrid... out to dinner and another red carpet...and a photocall for NK to show off her undergarments...





Leaving Madrid.. no car seat for baby Sunday is necessary!


But a car seat for Nicole's bag is! Must be the bag that is holding Keith's balls...


On to Rome... out to dinner, no premiere... Sunday must be at the hotel with the nanny... oh, wait! She doesn't have a nanny... she must be with her bodyguard. Lucky babe!


Let us see what next week brings... London... Berlin...

35 comments:

hoosierlady said...

Does she have actual fans abroad? Other than paparazzi and branches of NKU, and local press?

Imahick said...

I think she has more fans over there than in North America. Most of us have seen through her charade.

There are still fans who will justify her mothering skills, however. Some will say it was just fine to not have the baby properly dressed for the cool weather and it's OK to be in a moving vehicle with a baby in your arms. Everyone knows that is wrong...but some will actually defend her. It boggles my mind.

maclen said...

Yeah, it was the totally expected "PR baby shilling for kidman's failed career tour". Who could'a foreseen or predicted that kidman was going to unveal the PR baby, in the flesh... and through the reviled and detested papparatz, right smack dabb in the middle of promoing her latest film, to a very very "suspecting" world? Surely not the dimwits who believed when she said in magazine interviews that she dreaded giving the hated paps a shot of her baby...but then, that was before her film flopped in the US and isnt even the most successful earner in OZ..or that as she pays lip service in interviews to how she has not just "bonded" with her baby, but that she in fact has "overbonded" with her baby...to the much "concern" of her relatives...(kidman apparently cannot just be "dramatic"...she must always be "overly dramatic" as to appear to be utterly phoney")... yet idiotically be photographed holding her baby in her arms... and not in a baby chair.. or seat belted apparently, in a car...because it would just be so inconcieviable to the "overly paranoid and overly concerned" kidman that the dreaded and dangerous paps she continually whines on about may not ever possibly give chase to get that extra exclusive pic of her baby she is now blatantly displaying to them...

banbotox said...

Gee, I wonder how the babbee enjoyed the Picasso exhibit?
Just how transparent can kidman be?

Karma is a bitch isn't it honey?

hoosierlady said...

We knew this would happen, discussed this actually, remember? I remember the discussion of them not having a car seat on the initial OZ trip, something about Australia being ahead of the US regarding safety of infants, something called a bubble.

The fact that she waited until she got to Europe to start using the baby as PR surprised however, I never thought she'd wait that long. I guess she didn't believe the film was really tanking until she got there? I do not know. However, this doesn't shock or surprise me at all. What does surprise me is that, and I hate to beat a dead horse, but that she gets away with this, and no one, says a **** thing about it. Lainey's comment re: Brittney was so right, she was crucified for this, but kidman just goes on her merry way.
I agree with the overly dramatic comment, she's just completely over the top with everything. Nothing is done as a regular person, either it's nothing or just blown completely out of the ballpark. Giant zucchini, marvelous, sexiest, most wonderful husband, baby never cries, (she needs to see a doctor), overbonded, it's just ridiculous, but, I guess it has it's desired effect, I keep coming back for more of the idiocy, don't I?
(BTW-Does anyone remember playing jacks when they were little? I think it was the ball from a jacks set in urban's pocket the other night, I do not think you can tape quarter rolls together and get them to stay for any length of time.)

Choice said...

Hi Hoosierlady, nice to see you back. I thought you were leaving us for good. The tempation of these blogs can be strong, I know!

Who else was happy to see that Cate Blanchett got her star on Hollywood Boulevarde. Long time coming.

Let's also remember the award she received recently, thanks to us:

http://nicole-kidman-journey.blogspot.com/2008/11/cate-blanchett-voted-best-australian.html

Well guys. We got free tickets to 'Australia' the other night and decided to take the plunge. I mean, free tickets and all. Maclen, can you guess what I rated it out of 10?

don't believe the lies said...

I can't get over the no carseat thing and I'm not even a mother. How irresponsible both of them are. Especially in this kind of situation where no doubt they were probably trying to maneuver around the paps and speeding to get away and that kid is just in her arms. Plus she doesn't have a seatbelt on either. I just don't get it. But she's the greatest thing to those who worship her and they'll find some explanation as to why it's ok. Rediculous!

Oh and don't even get me started on Keith's high heels. WTF?

rememberwhen said...

I bet Keith is glad Berlin is coming up. I wonder if he will go for one of his famous massages;).

stillhopefull said...

This whole charade is very confusing for regular people to comprehend. Most, as a matter of fact, no one that I have ever met has ever concoctued such an extravigant false appearance. It saddens me that such a little innocent little human being is at the center of this. Apaulling even more, is that her 'father' is apparently going along with all of this. It certainly does not appear that he is trying curtail any of this outlandish behavior on a dying actress' carrer. I can only assume that if it were not for him, there would have been many more attempts at pimping out the wee one. (as i said, it is an assumpution, more like a very extreme hope that a father would do all he could to not pimp out his child) The more this goes on, the less I feel he or any one else for that matter has much of a say in poor little Sunday's existance. For it is not hers to hold one to, it seems it is her mothers! Truley sad indeed!

maclen said...

Choice said...
"Well guys. We got free tickets to 'Australia' the other night and decided to take the plunge. I mean, free tickets and all. Maclen, can you guess what I rated it out of 10?"

Yes, I can guess, choice...just yesterday, I caught jackman interview on something on E!...and caught a few seconds of the film...it's was early in the film, after jackman's character brings kidman's character to her estate, and she seems to be trying to rustle the cattle...boy, kidman looks very stiff and cartoonish...so choice, how about a review and run through of this big mess of a film? Well, as for kidman's shameless... and boneheaded... PR baby international tour..here is the reason she is reduced to it...

http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/

"20th Century Fox keeps hoping its Nicole Kidman-Hugh Jackman epic directed by Baz Luhrmann, Australia, will keep benefitting from word of mouth; it placed 4th with $2.2M Friday, which is -61% from a week ago. ("Moulin Rouge fell 46% and Romeo And Juliet fell 22%, so no Baz magic this time," a rival studio exec told me. It added $2.8M Saturday for a $6.6M weekend and new cume of $30.5M."

...so the hoped for..."long legs" and "word of mouth" all the defenders were hoping and praying for is expectedly not in the cards...it will not be "just like Moulin rouge or Romeo and Juliet...

ShutUpAndSing said...

Do tell Choice!!!

At least you had Hugh to look at!

Choice said...

Okay I will give you a short review soon of AUSTRALIA. I will try to be as fair as possible.

In the meantime, I am very happy Cate got her star on the walk of fame. But can someone please tell me how Granny got one years before her. Makes no sense to me:

http://nicole-kidman-journey.blogspot.com/2008/12/walk-of-fame-congratulations-cate.html

realitycheck said...

Sorry to burst your bubble choice, but a star on the Walk of Fame is not about talent. Most of the American public, or international movie fans for that matter, don't know that what you need to get a star, more than anything else, is money. I belive the going rate is somewhere between $25 and $30,000. If you are a big enough star a studio might pay for it and justify it as a publicity expense. If you don't have that backing you can raise funds but many never get to the goal amount. Search the internet and you'll find fans of former stars trying to raise money. Cate is a great actress but getting the award now, as when Nicole got it, is not the esteemed honor many believe it to be.

maclen said...

So...the second box office weekend for Australia has come and gone...was it able to, as I had wondered in the previous thread, in its to date 11 day release surpass Four Christmas' initial 3 day box office gross? Well, according to Box Office Mojo numbers, the answer is no....big surprise... FC's grossed $31.mil in it's first 3 days...Australia, in it's entire 11 day release has just grossed $30.8mi. The online google news searches highlighted her atrocious PR blunder of appearing to trump her baby's seeming auto safety for a gaudy and tactless photo op...and now today, a news search is positively brutal for kidman...but what do you expect when kidman has the PR savvy of whacko jacko....

http://carpetbagger.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/12/08/the-kangaroo-in-the-room/

The Kangaroo in the Room

"Over at Variety, Anne Thompson, a very fair-minded, careful entertainment journalist, tears the arms and legs off of “Australia.” ...This one, in Ms. Thompson’s opinion, most definitely does not. She goes on to deconstruct Nicole Kidman’s lack of star power..."

http://www.smh.com.au/news/entertainment/stay-in-touch/kidman-slides-down-hollywood-pay-list/2008/12/08/1228584742087.html

Nic slides down the money pole

"NICOLE KIDMAN has really hit the skids, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Last year Kidman topped the film industry magazine's annual list of highest paid actresses - with the $US 17 million she earned for The Invasion. This year, she dropped off all together, losing her crown to another working mother, Angelina Jolie..."

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24770399-2902,00.html

Angelina Jolie cashes in as Nicole Kidman's fortune falls

"ANGELINA Jolie is Hollywood's highest-paid actress, while Australian Oscar winner Nicole Kidman has dropped off the big screen's top earners list"

http://blogs.orlandosentinel.com/entertainment_movies_blog/2008/12/nicole-kidman-.html

Nicole Kidman--"Not a movie star" ---discuss

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/filmblog/2008/dec/08/nicole-kidman-angelina-jolie

Nicole Kidman is queen of the flops

"All of which tends to sustain one of the more remarkable trends in recent movie history: the way in which Nicole Kidman has become hard to sell."

...and as kidman proclaims...

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a137667/kidman-unafraid-of-film-flops.html

Kidman 'unafraid of film flops'

" Nicole Kidman has said she is unafraid of 'falling flat on her face' by making riskier film choices."

..although it's pretty hard to make that argument about her "riskier" film choices...when her big budget summer blockbusters...satirical or light comedy versions.... winter fantasy extravaganzas..not to mention now a couple of historical epics.... also fall flat on their faces... but the truth is, falling flat on her face IS her career now...

wastedemotion said...

RC-
You are the queen of spin.
You dont "buy" a star as you suggest, IF you are selected as an honoree you are then required to pay the fee which covers the creation and installation, as well as the upkeep. It's 25,000.

realitycheck said...

We all know it doesn't cost $25,000 to install and upkeep a square on a sidewalk.

realitycheck said...

Also, how convenient Cate receives this award right before she's got a movie coming out. Sorry but there's PR strategy for every star, not just Nicole.

Today was interesting. Listening to the radio a DJ said "Four Christmases" was, and this is an exact quote, "total crap". After Thanksgiving another said she almost walked out and that the two leads were completely unlikeable. Number One at the box office proves nothing of the quality of the film. "Twilight"...teen pablum. "Four Christmases"...90 minutes of "Is this supposed to be funny???" Baz never said they were going to open at number one. In fact he said he knew they weren't. "Australia" was number 4 this weekend. I saw it again and enjoyed it even more.

Choice said...

MY REVIEW OF AUSTRALIA:
After getting free tickets, decided to take the plunge and see why the film is not doing as well as some expected:

We went to a late night session, and the cinema was quite full (admittingly it was one of those smaller cinemas).

After the murder of a Lady's Sarah's husband, the movie then swings into a comedy feel with the usual Baz flair. The use of maps for example to present the journey that Lady Sarah travelled to Australia, with a voice over which reminded me of Moulin Rouge. It wasn't long before the film moved back into dark tones. At this point, it was difficult to determine whether the film was trying to be a comedy or drama.

This film is essentially in two films. The first 90 mins covering the cattle drive to Darwin, the second covering the war. The first 90 mins was enjoyable, and Nicole was at times very funny BUT it became blazingly obvious that her over-botoxed face was going to get annoying as the film went on.

The 2nd half of the movie dragged big time. I noticed we looked at our watches alot. I noticed two sets of people walking out too (maybe that was because it was getting late?) Finally, I saw one scene where Nic's forehead moved a little and a few wrinkles appeared (was that Baz's CGI?). The 2nd half needed 30 mins to be cut off the film at least. Nicole's acting in this half was overdone and quite poor IMO, and it didnt help that her new large lips became more prominent in this half. I almost cried as I tried to remember how beautiful she once was.

The little boy was fantastic, Hugh was capable as the drover, and David Wenham perfect as the evil one. But note, there is very little character development throughout the movie.

I feel if they stopped after the first 90 minutes they would have had a good movie. It seemed satisfying at that point. Even Nicole's lack of expression was bearable til then, but asking anyone to sit through 2hr 45mins of that is a bit much to ask.

There are several good moments in the film's first half, but I don't think I could sit through the film again. Unfortunately, Nicole's face was a big problem to the movie and I can understand what the Scottish reviewer means.

MY RATING: 6/10.
If you have any questions, just sing out!

Imahick said...

RC...whether someone liked or didn't like Four Christmas's is not the point. It's been #1 for two weeks in a row and grossed more than Australia in the same time frame, in spite of being shown in fewer theatres & the budget that was likely 1/4 or less that of the epic's.

So...whether you can find a few negative reviews or not, the public has spoken.

I saw Four Christmas's and thought it was OK...it didn't make me laugh outloud very often...but it was cute. I think it's done well because it's a comedy and people need that right now. Plus people like Reese very much. Kidman, not so much.

wastedemotion said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
wastedemotion said...

RC-
Oh seeing as that your DJ said it sucked that must be the gospel...........puhfreakinlease. So you're trying to tell me I should take your DJ's word over the results from the box office?!
Australia sucks, and more people than not would rather see something else, move on and get over yourself.
As for the $25,000 my point was it isnt to buy the star for yourself as you were trying to claim, once you've been nominated and selected then you are asked to pay, the payment doesnt come first as you were trying to insinuate.
Since I know you're reading and responding to posts, respond to this. You mentioned you continue to read here because you're waiting for the truth........the truth has been told you choose not to believe it. Your problem not ours.

realitycheck said...

So...whether you can find a few negative reviews or not, the public has spoken.

LMAO Tell me where are the good reviews? Since some of you think RT is gospel, FC has a horrible rating of 20-something percent. And the public doesn't always know its head from its arse...like when it was reported many in certain states thought Obama was a Muslim, even up to election day.

Aparently UMyths and maclen with their twisted research are gospel here. Well my friend and her husband went and saw FC yesterday. She happened to be at the mall where the first show of the day was only $4 so they went. She told me after a scene near the beginning where they went on and on about why they weren't getting married they walked out and left. She said she couldn't take 90 minutes of those two characters. And for the record I like Reese and Vince. I do think this film however is a big joke. The trailer proved there was no real script or real humor.


choice, very little character development? Hugh and Nicole's characters evolved through the whole film. You could also argue Nullah went through a transformation and was about to go through another one as the film ended.

And Nicole? You can see the lines and wrinkles on her face in the film. If I had a screen shot of the film I could prove it! She isn't botoxed and you can tell she is a beautiful woman in her 40's.

maclen said...

Very insightful review, choice, again the movie was so so as far as reviews went...far from impressive for a supposedly instant classic and awards bait its was overly overhyped for being...yes that small scene I saw on the E! channel was definately an early scene in that attempted "comedic" flavor, where kidman really seemed to be channeling daffy duck in look and voice...

Imahick said...
"RC...whether someone liked or didn't like Four Christmas's is not the point. It's been #1 for two weeks in a row and grossed more than Australia in the same time frame..."

Yes imahick... certainly not the point despite the twisted and finagling the apologist such as the NKUsers attempt to rearrange the only tangible and concrete results of the movies performance. Unlike the reviews...the opinion of your librarian, or your cabdriver...which can be far more "spinnable"...the numbers are the numbers... and the asinine nonsense of the NKUsers in the vein of..."You cant compare a movie like Australia to Four Christmas', which was comedy and Australia was...(well, actually its pretty indescribable what Australia wanted to be!)...." wishful wide open panoramic "dramedy"...wartime western??? or that Australia's "lesser" gross was explained in the fact it was shown in fewer theaters is being spewed by ignorant or openly mealy mouthed sycophants... how they measure a head to head competion of films with differing theater counts is also as basic as daily gross counts...and can be checked again at Box Office mojos extensive data. And that is by theater average... and again, in the first two weekends, FC beats Australia both times...for the weekend of nov 28-30, FC averaged $9,387 per screen, as opposed to Austalia's $5,602... this past weekend, dec 5-7, FC averaged $5,024 per screen as opposed to Australia's $2,591. By every indicator Australia is trailing in every subject...including the most important... the box office gross.

maclen said...

HA! Definately the most humorous and favorite bit of the night...

http://hollywood-elsewhere.com/2008/12/queen_of_the_fl.php

Queen of the Flops

"Earlier today the Guardian's David Thomson, a longtime admirer and recent biographer of Nicole Kidman, asked if Ms. Frozen Forehead is "becoming box-office poison." Becoming?"

...my favorite comment....

"Also, the problem with Kidman isn't her frozen forehead (lots of actresses and actors have those). It's her pontoon lips."

...when even her sycophantic idoliters start to question her relevence, her people no doubt are having bad days...

...ps...also forgot to mention, choice, nice to read in your review..."Nicole's acting in this half was overdone and quite poor IMO, and it didnt help that her new large lips became more prominent in this half."

..as I mentioned months ago, her ballooning lips would be the star of this film!

Choice said...

Thanks Maclen - I tried to be as honest as possible with my review but I seriously found her immobile face and those freaky lips a hindrance to the movie. Completely natural, absolutely LOL.

REALITY CHECK- Did we see different movie to you? There were NO wrinkles except from Hugh's face. As I stated, there was only ONE minor scene where there was a tiny crease in Nicole's forehead. This is in the 2nd half where she is in her army uniform(?) and is working at the telephony service. She puts her headphones on and voila, the creases appear. This is possibly the CGI that Baz is rumoured to have done. If he did, why didn't he do it to other scenes with her in? A lost porcelain doll remember?

As for FOUR CHRISTMASES, I assume it did better because Reese is in it and it has the theme people go for at this time of year. For some reason, it is called FOUR HOLIDAYS in Australia (go figure). It will possibly do well here, it starts this week. I'm not a fan of Vince Vaughn so will be waiting for the DVD on this one.

hoosierlady said...

Thanks Choice

You can gather from my name where I live. It is very rural, and a lot of the time we only get the movies that sell.

Guess what isn't being offered at our local theater.

These decisions are made solely on ticket prices, not on anyone's opinion of the movies, they show what is sent to them.

notachance said...

Australia was released at the wrong time of the year. This movie should've been pushed back to a spring release. People don't have time to sit through a 3 hr movie at this time of the year, not to mention the subject matter just isn't a good mix for the holiday season. When Bond beat them to the punch with its' release the writing was on the wall. Not sayin' it's not a decent flick, but timing is everything.

Shame all Baz & the rest were really concerned with was getting this out this year to qualify for Oscar. Of course, had they pushed back to a 2009 spring release (which would've given Baz more time in post production), the movie would've been out of sight & mind for next Oscar go-round.

wastedemotion said...

RC-
Again your dj and your friend tell me nothing other than they have no taste.
Australia sucks when it comes to box office figures,even if Four Christmas and Twilight arent good movies, people are seeing both of them in HUGE numbers over Australia. Why cant you admit Australis is sucking it up at the box office. You are the only one not willing to practice what you preach, we're telling you the truth but you dont want to hear it. You also cant seem to live up to your name, REALITY CHECK the people who surround you dont determine what is reality. Reality is as of last weekend Australia had made close to 31 million, while FC had made over 69 million, DOUBLE do you hear me DOUBLE what Aus made in the same amount of time, and add one week to Twilight and it's made 138 million over TRIPLE what Aus made, that is reality and no matter what your friend and dj say there is no denying the box office results.
I just want to add as well Madagascar (out for 3 more weeks than Aus)has made almost 167 million and Quantum out for two more weeks has made almost 152 million. Even Bolt out for one more week than Aus has made more, almost 80 million to be exact.
So again your dj and your friend dont tell me anything, facts and numbers do.

Urban Myths said...

Critic's Choice Nominations are announced:

http://tinyurl.com/5pkayz

The only nod given to Oztralia was for Brandon Walters. Hee.

BEST PICTURE
Changeling
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Dark Knight
Doubt
Frost/Nixon
Milk
The Reader
Slumdog Millionaire
Wall-E
The Wrestler

BEST ACTRESS
Kate Beckinsale - Nothing But the Truth
Cate Blanchett - The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Anne Hathaway - Rachel Getting Married
Angelina Jolie - Changeling
Melissa Leo - Frozen River
Meryl Streep - Doubt

notachance said...

AJ in The Changeling wasn't all that. It was a good movie, but all I see is lips when they do closeups on her, and there were a lot of them in this movie. I guess they were trying to show she can emote with her face.

maclen said...

Urban Myths said...
"Critic's Choice Nominations are announced:
The only nod given to Oztralia was for Brandon Walters. Hee."

Yes, Urban Myths...I pretty much expect the rest of the awards season to be basically the same...another bad side effect to the "rotten tomatoes" effect... a 53% positive rating, which it is at RT, may get you elected president of united states...but will not end up getting you a much hoped for Oscar award...let alone just a nomination! 75 negative reviews is just not going to do it...yeah, the NKUsers can console themselves with the 83 positive reviews...but it wont get her a nom or a BO hit, or for that matter, either the Baz...who in this article does in fact further prove that, in kidman's own word, IS her "cinematic soulmate"...

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/movies/a137949/luhrmann-australia-nearly-killed-me.html

Luhrmann: 'Australia' nearly killed me

" Baz Luhrmann has confessed that making his new movie Australia "nearly killed" him.
"
Luhrmann, who began work on the film four years ago, said he was a "fool" to have publicly stated that it was the first in a trilogy of romantic epics."...""It's not finished yet. It's so crazy," he said. "The truth is films are never finished they just get taken away from you."
"But that's the way it is with me. I will just keep working. None of the films are really finished in my eyes, but they've crossed a line, they sort of live. It's different."

Yes, the baz is precisely as addle minded and as wishy washy as kidman, and also has the tragic tendency at that over dramatic gobbledigook that always spews from kidman's swollen lips...and as we all know how the baz's film has done...this also cant be good news for the baz, as it seems the baz has also flunked at his true job in this whole debacle of unending failures and disappointments....

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/3688828/Advertising-campaign-based-on-Nicole-Kidman-film-fails-to-lift-Australian-tourism.html

Advertising campaign based on Nicole Kidman film fails to lift Australian tourism

A $40m (£17m) advertising campaign linked to the Nicole Kidman blockbuster Australia has so far failed to entice tourists back to the country.

..when it rains, it pours, and when it pours on kidman......it's a "fraken tsunami"...

maclen said...

...ps...

..I should also point out and highlight while I'm at it....this quote from the baz...

" ...he was a "fool" to have publicly stated that it was the first in a trilogy of romantic epics."

...when will the fools finally realize...kidman and sequels just dont mix!
Examples?...the "AMERICA - LAND OF OPPORTUNITIES" trilogy of films by danish director Lars von Trier starring that "darling of the Indie pics" kidman... who had promised von trier before she began the first film, dogville, she would remain and star in the rest of the series...the star of the next film "manderlay" starred Bryce Dallas Howard...(Opie's daughter!)..Then that fantasy movie series based on English novelist Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy book series planned to be a trilogy of films...NewLine studios went bye bye, with no follow up....well, followed up! Then we get to the baz's "trilogy of romantic epics"..good luck getting the bucks for that one baz....I dont know, maybe "Austria" may be willing to pony up the mullah for another film? Kidman was willing to play a german...well, a nazi, but still...

Choice said...

BAZ: please do not continue with a trilogy of romantic epics. And do not make any more 2hr:45min films. If you must, go for a 'completely natural' actress.

hoosierlady said...

http://international.ibox.bg/news/id_284059110




What movie will be coming out when this happens?

Urban Myths said...

Shut out at the LA Film Critics awards as well...

http://www.lafca.net/years/2008.html