Apparently Miley Cyrus showed up to LA Fashion Week Wednesday to catch her 20-year-old boyfriend, Justin Gaston, walking in the Christian Audigier show - and eyebrows rose at the pair’s behavior.
According to an eyewitness, Gaston and Cyrus - who was there with her mother, Leticia, and her manager - “were all over each other backstage.” The heat extended to the runway where, every time Gaston walked, he would blow a kiss and wink at his teenage girlfriend, who in turn, “licked her lips seductively as he passed her.”
The source also overheard a conversation in which Cyrus told a friend that “she was probably staying at Justin’s tonight and that they were going to skip the after-party and have a party of their own.”
A rep for Cyrus said, “Miley had a great time at the show, but the whole sleeping-over thing never happened. Miley went home with her mom and manager. Leticia is very strict with her.”
Cyrus - who posed semi-nude for Vanity Fair and posted a photo on the Web of herself pulling her shirt down to reveal a bra - was surrounded at all times by five bodyguards who “banned anyone from getting near her and formed a barrier so she wouldn’t be touched or bothered by anyone. With all the chaos she generated, other celebrities such as Heidi Klum and Billy Zane went virtually unnoticed and were completely ignored by the press,” our source said.
But those who broke through, including West Coast socialites Alan McCune and Darren Bettencourt, were treated very well. When Bettencourt told Cyrus his niece was a fan, the “Hannah Montana” star offered to call the girl, our spy said.
“It’s so funny,” said our source. “Everyone in LA knows that if you want Miley to show up at your event, all you have to do is hire her boyfriend as a model.”
I’m not even going to comment on heir relationship, but if that is her definition of being sexy then I give up.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed today that it has asked the International Gymnastics Federation to investigate the Chinese gymnastics underage fiasco, following new evidence that at least two gymnasts competed under the legal age in the Olympics.
A hacker by the handle of “stryde.hax” (every time I read that I think to myself “Does he use Stridex?”) tracked down some evidence of the real birth dates of He Kexin and Yang Yilin that shows that they are actually 14 years old.
Basically, the Chinese government had any traces of their actual birth dates deleted from everywhere — even Google’s cache — but this hacker tracked it down in the document translation cache of Chinese search giant Baidu. Which isn’t really hacking so much as it is, ya know, good old-fashioned American ingenuity. You can check out the documents here and here, but they’re in Chinese so good luck with that. You can also check out stryde.hax’s blog on the issue here.
Emmanuelle Moreau, IOC’s Media Relations Manager in Beijing, said in an email that, “the IOC has therefore asked the International Gymnastics Federation to endeavor to find out more. We understand they are doing so immediately.”
Although I commend the Chinese and their efforts in the Olympics — those young gals are tremendously good, they should follow the rules like everyone else. If the rules say, “you must be 16 years of age”, then they need to be 16 years of age.
source: Investigating the Chinese Gymnasts — FINALLY! [evil beet gossip]
We all knew it was just a matter of time, before Hulk Hogan had something to say about Linda Hogan’s new boytoy.
Aside from dating a boy who is younger than her own daughter, Linda’s allowing the teen to drive uninsured vehicles and ransack Nick’s room.
Hogan told radio host Bubba the Love Sponge that Linda Hogan’s younger-than-Brooke boyfriend, Charley Hill, is causing him all sorts of trouble — driving Hulk’s uninsured motorcycle, going through Nick’s stuff and being the cause for Linda to call the cops on him.
Alex Phillips, a a 17 year-old Wisconsin teenager, has been arrested on felony charges of child pornography. He also faces charges of defamation and sexual exploitation of a child.
Phillips posted naked photos of his ex-girlfriend on his MySpace account. When contacted by by police about the two cell phone camera images of his 16 year-old ex, Phillips refused to take them down.
When he was threatened with facing jail time for displaying naked photos of an underage girl, he responded with, “F#ck that, I am keeping them up.”
Phillips told cops that he posted the photos last week “because he was venting.” The cell phone camera photos had been taken by the girl, who provided them to Phillips.
Along with posting the photos, Phillips added explicit captions like, “Yo, U see how big her hole is! Its from me!”
While claiming that his goal was not to harm the girl, Phillips acknowledged that, “he probably should not have done this,” according to the May 20 court filing.
Along with the child porn count, Phillips was charged with defamation and sexual exploitation of a child.
Joe Francis was “very surprised and in fact amazed” when he was told about the suit filed by Ashley Dupre, ex-New York Governor Eliot Spitzer’s former call girl.
Joe Francis said,
“It is incomprehensible that Ms. Dupré could claim she did not give her consent to be filmed by Girls Gone Wild, when in fact we have videotape of her giving consent, while showing her identification”
Dupre, 22, filed suit Monday seeking $10 million from Francis and his company, Girls Gone Wild, for misuse of her name and image for profit.
Francis had publicly offered Dupre a $1 million deal for a Girls Gone Wild photo shoot and tour but while he was haggling with her lawyers, the GGW tapes of Dupre from 2003 surfaced and the deal was called off.
“She refused this offer and in fact if she’d like to reconsider, we’d be happy to discuss. She should keep in mind, it’s considerably more than the Governor of New York paid her, and our activities aren’t illegal.”
Asked in March about reports Dupre was underage during the GGW shoot, Francis said, “It doesn’t matter.”
Well… obviously it did matter… that will be the ace in her pocket in court.
source: Joe Francis “Amazed” That Ashley Dupre’s Suing Him [us weekly]
What is it with Donald Trumpattracting sluts who are always eager to show off their naughty bits? I guess that is just part of being a ho. At an event that was pimping Trump’s vodka, one his models was topless while representing his booze. At the time the aforementioned model was only 17.
“MARC LOTENBERG’S 944 MAGAZINE HELD AN EVENT AT THE 944 SUPER VILLAGE WHERE THEY PROMOTED TRUMP VODKA AS WELL AS PROMOTING IT ALL OVER THE MAGAZINE. FOR THE EVENT 944 MAGAZINE HIRED AND BODY PAINTED A FEW MODELS. AS YOU CAN SEE ABOVE ONE OF THE MODELS WAS ONLY WAS ONLY 17 YEARS OLD (CHANELL). SHE WAS WALKING AROUND NAKED , PASSING OUT DRINKS AND DRINKING DURING THE WHOLE EVENT AND PROMOTING TRUMP’S VODKA!”
Judging by the photos I can see where they didn’t question her age. She looks like she is about 38. I am guessing all the time put in at her local tanning bed combined with being a bit of a crotch jockey is taking its toll.
“GIRLS Gone Wild” creator Joe Francis is a free man after 11 months behind bars.
Unlike previous years, where he spent time overseeing spring break filming, Francis retreated to his office to prepare for the launch of his new “Girls Gone Wild” magazine, set to hit newsstands on April 15th.
Francis headed straight to his office yesterday to get back to work. “We’re filming at every spring break location, 14 cities right now. We’ve got 50 or 60 camera guys out there,” Francis told Page Six from Florida, where he pleaded no contest to charges of videotaping underage girls and was released for time served.
His lawyer, Roy Black, said, “It’s a big victory for Joe. He’s such a high-energy guy. He couldn’t stand being in jail.” Francis planned to fly back to LA immediately.
Unlike past years, when he’d hit beach resorts in Florida, Texas and Mexico to oversee the spring break filming, he’ll be in his office. “I’ve got a magazine to put out,” he explained.
The first Girls Gone Wild magazine is due to hit newsstands April 15 at $9.99 a copy, poly-bagged with a full-length CD featuring drunken exhibitionist co-eds. Francis said Curtis Circulation had already lined up 50,000 retail outlets.
Let’s just hope that Francis has learned and is making sure that all those girls being filmed are over the age of 18.
Vanessa Hudgens maybe spreading nude photos of herself around the net, but she isn’t in the clink as reported by CosmoGirl. The site had gotten their info another site called Back Seat Cuddler, who got the story from WHYfame, who had apparently was misinformed of the supposed arrest.
It might be hard to believe, but Vanessa Hudgens was arrested for underage drinking, according to Back Seat Cuddler. The Disney starlet was hanging out at a Hollywood club when an undercover cop entered and began a random search for minors who were drinking. Even Vanessa’s mom called her daughter’s actions “stupid.” I just hope Vanessa doesn’t end up going down the same road as some other Hollywood starlets. Get it together, girl!
The mythical arrest for under age drinking took place on Sunday. Hudgens was actually Texas while she supposedly out drinking and being hauled to jail. She is filming a new flick called “Will” in the lone star state.
Eh, that is why it is called gossip. While most of the reported celebrity shenanigans are indeed true, one or two false reports slip in. Really it is only a matter of time. It isn’t so much a false report as jumping the gun on the story.
Source: CosmoGIRL Yanks ‘Vanessa Hudgens Arrested’ Story [Portable Planet]
Rumer Willis arrives at LA’s trendy Villa Lounge on Monday night, only to be kicked out minutes later when the manager realized she was only 19-years-old!
The minor child of Bruce Willis and Demi Moore walked back to her car whilst trying to cover her face. The walk of shame is never pretty.
Victoria Schattauer, a 19-year old cheerleading coach, has been fired after some nude photos of her and an underaged cheerleader were posted on the Internet.
A small town is rocked by scandal. This after a racy picture of a Goshen [Ohio] cheerleader and her coach turns up. Both young ladies are topless, and they have some explaining to do.
The school says one of their cheerleading coaches took the nude picture at a recent party. It circulated through e-mail, and that’s when the school asked police to get involved.
It’s playoff night at Goshen High School, but both the football team and cheerleaders are each without assistant coaches tonight. “They have to be the right role models, and that is exactly what we expect from our employees,” Goshen Superintendent Charlene Thomas said.
Thomas says the school board today fired 19-year-old assistant coach Andrew Emerson for hosting a party and 19-year-old freshman cheerleader coach Victoria Schattauer for allegedly providing alcohol to a freshman at the party.
The school says Schattauer took the partially nude picture with the freshman. “This is a little bit early in the investigation, but whatever measures are taken that is appropriate with eligiblity, discipline, that will be taken with our administration,” Thomas said.
The cheerleader coach’s stepfather tells me he did not know about the incident, but tells me he’s very disappointed with his daughter’s actions. The mother of the freshman in the picture told me she had no comment tonight.
Meanwhile, parents with kids in the school are shocked. “I would hope that parents would talk to their kids; it’s not something that should be going around and not something that should be happening at a high school at all,” parent Sarah Clift said.
That party apparently happened in Blanchester, so police there would determine whether to pursue any criminal charges. As far as the school goes, again, both assistant coaches were fired today. That freshman could also be disciplined.
The uncensored photos are available elsewhere but GHW is a PG-13 site, so we won’t post them here since the cheerleader is under-age. We’ll gladly post non-nude photos of Victoria Schattauer here, though, since she’s 19 and legal.
The custody battle between Denise Richards and Charlie Sheen is heating up after Denise asked a judge yesterday to protect their children from Charlie.
“She believes that Charlie has significant personal issues which he has failed to address and which require her to take action to protect her children,” says lawyer Neal Raymond Hersh. “This is not a vindictive action. Any responsible parent in Denise’s shoes would go to the ends of the Earth to protect her children.”
Denise accuses Charlie of “inappropriate behavior … and conduct,” including “his attraction to underage women and his sexual explicitness on the Internet, including revealing his private parts.” Because of this behavior, Denise is asking the court to suspend Charlie’s overnight visits with their daughters.
Charlie fought back, saying:
“Clearly the mother of my children has no interest in responsible co-parenting when it comes to my relationship with our girls. She behaves as though she OWNS our children. She does not. A day of legal reckoning for her is fast approaching. The truth will prevail. It always does.”
This new battle comes only a month after Charlie went to court requesting that he be allowed to select his own child care providers and that Denise cease her “unnecessary phone calls.”
This one is going to get ugly.
What others are saying:
TMZ says, “It just keeps getting uglier in the Sheen-Richards custody tussle.”
Star says, “Charlie Sheen isn’t keeping quiet about his anger toward ex Denise Richards.”
dlisted says, “They need to learn a thing or two from Brit and KFed about how to put together a truly theatrical and dramatic custody battle. This shit is boring.”
Celebrity Dirty Laundry says, “Richards also alleges her children don’t enjoy their time with their father and don’t want to spend the night at his house.”
celebitchy says, “Sheen is happily engaged to a new woman, and that’s got to get under Richards’ skin. She has yet to be tied a new man after Richie Sambora and there was a rumor that she was using an incredibly expensive dating service to try and land a rich guy. I’m not saying a woman needs a man to be happy or to behave cordially, just that someone who is already a super bitch is probably much worse when she doesn’t have a man doting on her.”
Source: “Charlie & Denise Custody Battle Over Daughters Heats Up” [People]
Image courtesy of Picture Perfect, for use on Gone Hollywood
I’m not a fan of chick flicks but flick chicks are often quite hot. Here are the 10 hottest chicks starring in this summer’s movies, as presented by Fat Guys at the Movies.
10. Mary Elizabeth Winstead in “Live Free or Die Hard”
For those of us who have the teenage boy heterosexual crush on John McClane, this summer’s latest “Die Hard” film gave us a chance to focus our hormones on something a little more appropriate. Winstead plays McClane’s daughter who is not only hot, but could probably kick the snot out of both Fat Guys at once. I’ll buy that for a dollar!
9. Imogen Poots in “28 Weeks Later”
Okay, so we left Emma Watson off the list for decency’s sake, but we couldn’t help but give a nod to the other underage Brit Imogen Poots from the horror sequel “28 Weeks Later.” Give her a few years, and she’ll be on the Maxim list too. Those eyes, those eyes!
8.Ellen Barkin in “Oceans 13”
If we’re gonna give the nod to teenagers like Imogen Poots and Emma Watson, we also can’t leave out the mature ladies who are still sizzling on screen. Ellen Barkin has obviously had some work done, but after seeing her in “Oceans 13,” we wanted to do some work on her as well. We so envy Matt Damon… and his huge prosthetic nose.
7. Bryce Dallas Howard in “Spider-Man 3”
While neither Fat Guy wanted Kirsten Dunst on the list, we both wholeheartedly agreed on Bryce Dallas Howard as Gwen Staci in the latest Spidey tale. Who thought the pale, skinny waif from “Lady in the Water” would steal the show in the first big film of the summer?
6. Michelle Pfeiffer in “Hairspray” and “Stardust”
Beating out Ellen Barkin as the mature lady we’d love some quality time with, Michelle Pfeiffer proves to us this summer that she’s still got it. She’s sexy as heck in “Hairspray,” and her appearance in the trailers for “Stardust” already got our motor running. Now, if she could just slip into that vinyl Catwoman outfit again…
5. Rachael Taylor in “Transformers”
Who thought there’d be someone in “Transformers” that could distract us from Megan Fox? Well, uber-hot Aussie Rachael Taylor had what it took. When the Defense Department was recruiting hackers, they went for the guys that looked like us, and the one smokin’ hot blonde who looks like she stepped out of a beer commercial. All hail the Michael Bay casting director!
4. Jessica Biel in “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry”
We know that “Chuck and Larry” hasn’t been released yet, but Jessica Biel makes the list based on her appearance in the trailer alone. We’d gladly fake gay at a chance to hang with her in her underwear and grab her breasts.
3. Megan Fox in “Transformers”
And the Fat Guy short-list smackdown began. The top three ladies, starting with “Transformers” hottie Megan Fox, caused the most sleepless nights in the Fat Guys’ households. It’s a good thing the MPAA R-rated cigarette ban hadn’t gone into effect yet, ‘cause this film would have lost its PG-13 rating since Fox was smoking on screen through the whole film.
2. Jessica Alba in “Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer”
Another Jessica on the list, and Fat Guy Kevin Carr fought over this one for the top spot. However, as hot as she was (proved by the fact she actually caught fire in the film), she lost some points for the bleach blonde look and freaky blue eyes. But we still wouldn’t kick her out of the bed for eating crackers.
1. Katherine Heigl in “Knocked Up”
We’re not just jumping on the Katherine Heigl bandwagon here. There are some solid reasons why she topped the list, even though she has some Kirsten Dunst teeth going on. Not only did Heigl give fat guys worldwide hope by banging Seth Rogan, we couldn’t stop thinking about the raw, sordid way she talked during sex. It made us want to move to L.A. to stalk the clubs for drunk reporters from E! celebrating a promotion.
There are some more pics and “honorable mention” choices at the link.
Not tonsil hockey, real hockey. I know, I’m having trouble believing it too, but there it is in black and white.
SportsbyBrooks reveals
“Paris Hilton’s short-lived hockey career at rural Connecticut boarding school Canterbury Academy. Case you’re curious, the Whoretel heiress was inevitably ejected from the academy halfway through her first year at the school, for underage drinking and hailing limos to New York and New Jersey parties.”
Hilton: “I would always move around, I wasn’t just one position.” That’s what he said Paris, that’s what he said.
Spoiler alert… here’s the Top 50 Movie Endings of All Time.
50. The Blair Witch Project (1999) - The movie isn’t particularly scary… at least until the last two minutes, which take the tension level from 10 to 100 at an exponential pace. The final seconds — wherein a member of the cast is spotted, back turned and facing a corner, as an unseen spirit does away with the remaining member of the crew, who’s been filming all of this in a panic-stricken run through an abandoned house — rank as some of the most terrifying moments ever put to film. It gives me chills just to write about it. -CN
49. A History of Violence (2005) - David Cronenberg’s sly, brilliant merger of a revenge fantasy and an essay on the American Dream has an appropriately messy, provocative ending. Tom Stall (Viggo Mortensen) has exposed a terrible truth about himself that’s left his wife, Edie (Maria Bello), in despair. They gaze at each other in silence across the dinner table, and the looks in their eyes lets you know it’s impossible, yet painfully necessary, to pretend nothing has changed. -MA
48. Batman Begins (2005) - As the title suggests, the Dark Knight’s mission to cleanse Gotham has just begin. Commissioner Gordon (Gary Oldman) hands Batman (Christian Bale) a playing card left at the scene of a recent crime. He flips it over, and fanboy hearts race in unison as we contemplate director Christopher Nolan’s next move. -SO
7. All That Jazz (1979) - A film especially priceless in its rendering of death in big, Broadway musical number style. Extremely well collaged as the self-defeating choreographer ties up all his loose ends in fantastical choreographic zeal, Roy Scheider’s Joe Gideon simply walks into a flirtatious angel’s embrace. -RG
46. Dead Again (1991) - The second film Kenneth Branagh directed before his ego became too inflated from his Shakespeare renown, is also still the best helming he has managed to date. Beautifully combining intelligent romanticism with reincarnation between he and his then wife/co-star Emma Thompson, the film gracefully culminates with a death scene, love re-established, and the past resolving itself, without losing an emotional beat. Even those who don’t believe in filmic romance melt as the modern day Branagh holds his partner and exhaustedly says “The door is closed.” -RG
45. Pulp Fiction (1994) - It’s hard to pick this over Reservoir Dogs, since Quentin Tarantino plagiarized himself here, but Pulp is more refined and more funny in its treatment of a Mexican standoff, this time with a “happy” ending to it. Of course, we know the buffoonish Vincent Vega’s going to get shot coming out of the toilet on another job, but he and his Bible-spewing pal get to walk away this time, even if they do look like idiots. -CN
44. Fargo (1996) - Cinema, especially recent cinema, isn’t known for its portrayals of happy marriages — especially not in crime movies. But the last scene in this Coen brothers masterpiece doesn’t involve any blood, bullets, or double-crosses. It just shows the Gundersons, Marge (Frances McDormand) and Norm (John Carroll Lynch), sitting in bed. He tells her that his painting is going to put on a three-cent stamp, she tells him how great that is, and the emotional core that has been developing throughout the film is suddenly sitting right in front of us. No wood chipper needed. -JH
Had enough… or are you thirsty for more? After the jump!
43. Shane (1953) - When the kid yells, “Shane, come back!” at the departing hero, it’s one of the rare tear-jerker scenes that just feels right. -DB
42. The Terminator (1984) - One of the first major science fiction trilogies to be a true inspiration to an entire new generation of filmmaking, the initial installment is brutal, bright, and brilliantly executed. From Ah-nold’s one-liners to Sarah Connor learning to want to be great female hero, it was also one of the first films to create a spellbinding circle in its narrative, to have the end reflect where it all began. He’ll be back. -RG
41. Say Anything… (1989) - Lots of romantic comedies end with the boy getting the girl; Say Anything makes him, her, and us all earn it. We leave Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) and Diane Court (Ione Skye) not in passionate embrace, but sitting on an airplane, holding hands, looking upward, waiting for the “ding” that will tell them everything is okay. This final shot is everything that’s great about Say Anything: sweet, a little bit funny, and completely believable. -JH
40. The Thing (1982) - Easily the most chilling ending in horror, Carpenter purposefully never lets the audience in on exactly how the contagion is spread and allows us to stew in absolute terror as to which man will split apart and become the alien host. The last thumps of the moody score are enough to make anyone shiver with fear. -CC
39. The Silence of the Lambs (1991) - Find me a better last line uttered by any villain than “I’m having an old friend for dinner.” With wit, charm, and unyielding bravado, Hopkins caps off his career performance with an exit (forgetting Ridley Scott’s forgivable Hannibal) that oozes menace and wild provocation. Fava beans, anyone? -CC
38. 8 1/2 (1963) - As the crazy director finally embraces the joy and absurdity of life, a group of freaks, friends, loonies and journalists begin to dance in a huge circle, with the great circus behind it; it’s so good that Woody Allen would outright copy it in Stardust Memories. Has any ending, or any film for that matter, better encapsulated what it’s like to understand life as the great, crazy joke it is? -CC
37. Rocky (1976) - As Bill Conte’s score soars in the background, a bloodied Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) and a hatless Adrian (Talia Shire) finally proclaim their love for one another. And in the distant background, a ring announcer tells a frenzied crowd that our hero has actually lost the fight that held us captive for an entire final act. In one dramatic move, two shy nobodies find their hearts and nothing else matters. -NS
36. Jacob’s Ladder (1990) - It was all a dream, freak-out style. This time at least it’s with good reason: We find out that Jacob (Tim Robbins) was on his deathbed, having been shot during the Vietnam War, and everything that has preceded has been a sort of cruel flash-back-forward because Jacob hasn’t been willing to let go. Suddenly it all makes sense. -CN
35. Back to the Future (1985) - The most brazen call for a sequel imaginable. What if the movie had flopped? Not a chance. All seems right with Marty’s world, until Doc Brown returns from the future to alert him of a troubling family issue. The stage is set for an eventual trilogy that continues to entertain to this day. -SO
34. King of New York (1990) - After facing the last (and oldest) cop of the four that stalked him, crime lord Christopher Walken sits in a cab, letting the bullet in his gut take its final resting place. Abel Ferrara’s crime sonata ends the idea of the great overblown gangster ending, seeing Scarface as an aging villain who can’t say anything else, feeling the only thing left for him to do is silently drift off to death amongst the dazzle of the city he loves. -CC
33. A Clockwork Orange (1971) - Stanley Kubrick excised the last chapter of the book in order to give Clockwork a nihilistic ending that has Alex (Malcolm McDowell in the role of a lifetime) learning absolutely nothing from the last two hours of screen time, dreaming of a pseudo-orgy while trapped in a hospital bed. It’s a controversial choice that has had cineastes debating for decades, but it still packs a wallop. The book’s ending, suffice it to say, would have hardly been cinematic. -CN
32. Being There (1979) - Peter Sellers’ crowning achievement ends with a little bit of mysticism, which is at once completely out of character for this very grounded movie while also being totally apropos. You have to smile when you see it. -CN
31. Magnolia (1999) - Everyone remembers a certain cataclysmic plot turn in the final act, and while I love P.T. Anderson’s audacious willingness to simply let frogs fall from the sky, the real ending to Magnolia is much simpler. In an extended close-up, we see troubled Claudia (Melora Walters) listen to sweet cop Jim (John C. Reilly) talk. His words are barely audible; instead, we focus on Claudia’s face, which finally breaks into a slight smile, a split second before the movie cuts to black. Desperation turns to hope in an instant, and Aimee Mann’s “Save Me” ices the cake perfectly. -JH
30. Pickpocket (1959) - Copied and re-rendered by hundreds of films (most recently: L’Enfant and Art School Confidential), French master Robert Bresson ends his tale of spiritual bartering with the pickpocket and the girl who loves him, pressing against each other in a prison visitor room. Emotionally penetrating and gorgeously shot, the ending brings up all the yearning and transcendental themes into complete concentration, using Bresson’s patented flat acting style. -CC
29. Wait Until Dark (1967) - In this suspenseful period thriller, Audrey Hepburn plays a blind woman targeted by a hit man (Alan Arkin). At the end of the film, she is trapped in her flat and he’s stalking her. She knocks out all the lights so that they will be equal… but she forgets one light! This one is exciting right up to the last minute. During its first run, theaters turned out all the lights for the last few minutes to enhance the effect. -DB
28. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986): For sheer pleasure, you can’t beat the sweetness of watching reformed drug addict/punk-rock chick Dianne Weist and comedy writer/religiously-confused Woody Allen cuddle in a dim hallway as she breaks the good news to him. Call it artful sentimentalism. -CC
27. The Searchers (1956) - John Wayne, a symbol of the male ego, dominance, and everything right with the Wild West, stands alone in a doorway, isolated by feelings and ideologies that simply won’t be accepted anymore. Deconstruction of the cowboy myth began here and John Ford, haunted by his own racist past, gives the shot a haunting, sobering feel of loneliness and change. -CC
26. Rushmore (1998) - The Salinger of the screen ends his best film in his lovable faux-theatrical and pastel style without a hint of irony. Max and the woman of his obsession stand prepared to dance as The Faces’ “Ooh la-la” plays, easily ranking in the top 10 best ending songs of all time, as the other characters dance around them. It sure beats the hell out of a gate closing on a headstone. -CC
25. Real Genius (1985) - The entire film builds and builds to this exquisite ending, where Chris Knight (Val Kilmer) and his brainiac pals finally revel in their revenge plot against the evil Jerry Hathaway (William Atherton). How they pulled off the stunt to make an entire house look like it was filled with popcorn I still can’t figure out. The effect is, ahem, genius. Growing up, my little sister called this film “the popcorn movie.” -CN
24. The Bank Dick (1940) - This great W.C. Fields film comedy ends with a parody of a car chase, which was already a film cliché in 1940. Then, in a case of art imitating life, Fields heads to his favorite bar for another drink. -DB
23. House of Games (1987) - David Mamet’s finest movie and a personal favorite: After demure psychiatrist Margaret Ford (Lindsay Crouse) murders the ringleader of the gang of con men that cost her thousands of dollars, she takes a vacation. After a little misdirection, she steals a gold lighter from a woman dining one table over. She’s got the con game bug, now. So satisfying, but so creepy. -CN
22. Brazil (1985) - Harry Tuttle (Robert De Niro) swoops in to save the day, but it’s not to be: Our hero Sam Lowry (Jonathan Pryce) is revealed to be wallowing in a torture chamber and, alas, “He’s gone.” The ending was so controversial that the studio basically stole the film from director Terry Gilliam and edited together a happy ending, known as the “Love Conquers All” ending. Comparing the two versions is a film geek’s wet dream. -CN
21. The Usual Suspects (1995) - For two hours, Kevin Spacey’s spineless Verbal plays helpless lamb being lured to Chazz Palminteri’s slaughter. But with the drop of a coffee cup, and the shaking off of a limp, the true identity of a criminal mastermind is revealed. -SO
20. Before Sunset (2004) - Cooler than pre-Scientology Isaac Hayes in Antarctica eating popsicles and drinking iced coffee, Julie Delpy dances and sings Nina Simone in front of Ethan Hawke and croons, sexy as they come, “Baby, you’re gonna miss that plane.” Delpy has never been given enough time on screen to fully capture audience appeal, but in this moment, she has it over any hip chick this side of Santa Monica. -CC
19. Memento (2001) - Our sympathetic hero commits an abrupt, cold-blooded, and vengeful murder, entirely to serve his own purposes. He’s not the Leonard Shelby we thought we knew. And major bonus points for it coming at both the very beginning and the end of the movie, which are actually the ending and the beginning. Got that? -AG
18. The Wizard of Oz (1939) - The first “it was all a dream” ending ever? I’m not sure, but it’s certainly one of the most memorable. The revelation that nearly all the characters we’ve seen in Dorothy’s fantasy world were drawn from her friends (and enemies) is magical. -CN
17. Planet of the Apes (1968) - Charlton Heston (as a lost astronaut) spends most of this modern classic convincing a dominant ape race that man can indeed communicate and reason. And while there’s plenty of irony and social commentary there, co-writer Rod Serling’s trademark storytelling really surfaces in the final scene. As a cowboy of sorts, a half-naked Heston grabs his woman and rides his horse into unknown territory… but quickly finds that many have been there before him. In an ending worthy of the greatest Twilight Zone zingers, Lady Liberty’s head and torch emerge from the sand. And Heston drops to his knees and damns us all to hell. We got it coming. -NS
16. The Empire Strikes Back (1980) - Lethal fight scenes, great dialogue (”I love you.” “I know.”), a traitorous Billy Dee Williams, and the biggest paternal twist in sci-fi history. And then the final shocker: Han Solo is still frozen, and he’s not getting out ’til the next movie! What!? Empire turned George Lucas’ universe on its ear, raising his franchise’s bar to a height no Star Wars sequel or prequel managed to touch. -SO
15. The Godfather (1972) - Derelicts will argue the second one is better, but the ending of the Godfather is everything it should be, foreshadowing all the dark, murky secrets that would be dragged from the depths in Part 2. Kay finally asks about Michael’s business and he lies, outright, as the door closes on a good kid who turned into the ultimate family man, and a brooding, calculating monster. -CC
14. The Tenant (1976) - You simply can’t comprehend it: after plummeting through glass once, the titular tenant drags himself up the stairs again to finish the job, only to end up the crazed lunatic that kicked off Polanski’s most concentrated study of paranoia. It doesn’t have the acute horror of Rosemary’s Baby, but The Tenant sits in your stomach with sick discomfort, like remembering the most private, embarrassing ordeal you’ve ever been through. -CC
13. Citizen Kane (1941) - Well, we kind of have to put this one on the list, don’t we? One of the earliest examples of don’t-spill-the-secret endings and also I’ve-been-robbed anti-climax, that little wooden sled explains everything and explains nothing about Charles Foster Kane, but it’s the elusive piece of the jigsaw that drives one of the greatest movies ever made. -AG
12. The Birds (1963) - Our heroine and her strapping man might be making a stealthy escape from Bodega Bay, but the camera pulls further back and there are birds, birds, menacing birds as far as the eye can see. How safe are they really, in that soft-top convertible, with those lovebirds? -AG
11. The Graduate (1967) - Dustin Hoffman crashes Katherine Ross’ wedding, whish has just ended, and he steals her away on a bus. Her mother tells her “It’s too late” and she yells, “Not for us!” It’s unbelievable, it’s corny, but also (as the guy says in Barcelona) it’s real. It symbolizes the moment when the disenchanted ’60s generation started their lives. This isn’t how romances were supposed to end. -DB
10. Some Like It Hot (1959) - Jack Lemmon finally drops his drag and reveals his true gender to his horny suitor (the perfect Joe E. Brown), who couldn’t care less. “Nobody’s perfect!” he says, the final cherry on top of a whipped-cream and chocolate-covered sundae of a comedy. -DW
9. Don’t Look Now (1973) - Donald Sutherland chases the little child in the raincoat he’s seen for the whole film and then Roeg’s nightmare springs one last terror on you. That face under the red raincoat is no child, and it will stay in your nightmares for months… or else you’ll put it as your computer’s desktop picture like my roommate. -CC
8. Big Night (1996) - The old term “silence is golden” has never seemed so appropriate. After a grand night of arguments, fantastic food, and a no-show crooner, the two idealistic opposites (art vs. commerce) sit down to a simple omelet with their waiter, knowing their lives will go separate ways (and bankruptcy is a near certainty) but not needing to talk about it. Soulful, delicate, and bypassing tearjerk-o-rama, directors Stanley Tucci and Campbell Scott create a sincere goodbye to their lovely, little film. -CC
7. Night of the Living Dead (1968) - Without a hint of being self-conscious, Romero’s horror masterpiece raised the middle finger to all modern narrative constructions. The family dies, the young white couple dies and the black protagonist, surviving the gruesome night, is shot by the cops. It’s complete film rebellion, and you can’t help but savor it. -CC
6. Boogie Nights (1997) - One of the most unexpected endings in cinema history. Mark Wahlberg’s faded porn star stand in the mirror and yanks his penis out, saying with complete conviction, “You’re a fucking star.” The soul of the inept, underage star still resides in the aged, coke-snorting loser. Its pathetic grandeur (both the ending and the unit on display) is unmatched. -CC
5. Bonnie and Clyde (1967) - The constantly underrated Arthur Penn brings his great, gritty tale of the criminal lovebirds to an end with a scene of unyielding violence and shock. Think of it as the alternate ending for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, which ends exactly the same way but stops the film about 20 seconds earlier. -CC
4. Casablanca (1942) - “The beginning of a beautiful friendship” and one of the best movie endings – so good it was recycled as the ending of at least one great film, Woody Allen’s Play It Again, Sam. Like the rest of Casablanca, the last scene is now the stuff of cliché, but that’s because there are so many dang quotable lines. -DB
3. Chinatown (1974) - “Forget it, Jake, its Chinatown.” Chinatown has nothing to do with Chinatown, but it also has everything to do with Chinatown. Explaining its intricacies could fill a book, but it’s the very end that punches you in the gut: The bad guy gets away and Nicholson’s Jake Gittes, after solving the case, is told to forget the whole affair. Ow. -CN
2. Fight Club (1999) - No matter what you think of David Fincher’s translation of Chuck Palahniuk’s pre-iPod, post-post-punk nightmare, you have to admire an ending that foresaw things that are still being talked about today. The film predicts the emo-boy nation that we swim in these days, but the ending, with the Pixies’ raucous “Where is My Mind?” wailing in the background, sees self-terrorism and numb romance as the new, essential way of life. -CC
1. Dr. Strangelove (1964) - You may remember otherwise, but the climactic scene where Slim Pickens rides the bomb down is not actually the ending of Strangelove (though even if it were, it would still be #1 on our list). Rather, there is a strange scene afterwards in which the leaders of the free world wait for the end of the world while having a demented argument about how to survive the impending nuclear winter (”We must not have a mine shaft gap!”). Then, signaling apocalypse, Peter Sellers’ titular mad scientist, wheelchair-bound for the entire movie, stands up and begins to walk, before the War Room (and the rest of the world) explodes to the tune of “We’ll Meet Again.” It’s all weird but absurdly logical, like everything about Kubrick’s masterpiece. -DB
Filmmakers now might get an R rating as a thank you for smoking.
The Motion Picture Assn. of America (MPAA) said Thursday that its rating board will consider film depictions of smoking among the criteria for assigning movie ratings. Anti-tobacco activists have been pressing for an automatic R rating for films with smoking scenes, but MPAA chairman and CEO Dan Glickman rejected the proposal for a more nuanced approach.
“The MPAA film rating system has existed for nearly 40 years as an educational tool for parents to assist them in making decisions about what movies are appropriate for their children,” Glickman said. “It is a system that is designed to evolve alongside modern parental concerns.”
In line with that evolution, the MPAA ratings board “will now consider smoking as a factor among many other factors, including violence, sexual situations and language, in the rating of films,” he said.
“Clearly, smoking is increasingly an unacceptable behavior in our society,” Glickman said. “There is broad awareness of smoking as a unique public health concern due to nicotine’s highly addictive nature, and no parent wants their child to take up the habit. The appropriate response of the rating system is to give more information to parents on this issue.”
Glickman described the move as an extension of the MPAA’s practice of factoring underage smoking into the rating of films. The ratings board will ask three questions, he said:
- Is the smoking pervasive?
- Does the film glamorize smoking?
- Is there a historic or other mitigating context?
Also, when a film’s rating is affected by the depiction of smoking, the rating will include such phrases as “glamorized smoking” or “pervasive smoking.”
“Some have called for a mandatory R rating on all films that contain any smoking,” Glickman said. “We do not believe such a step would further the specific goal of providing information to parents on this issue. Unfortunately, the debate on this extreme proposal has become heavily politicized, and many inaccurate statements have been made. While those pushing this proposal are no doubt well-intentioned, it is important that there is an accurate understanding of the declining prevalence of smoking in non-R-rated films.”
From July 2004-July 2006, the percentage of films that included “even a fleeting glimpse of smoking” dropped from 60% to 52%, and 75% of those fetched an R rating for other factors, he said.
The Directors Guild of America was among several organizations issuing statements of support for the MPAA moves.
“The DGA supports the MPAA’s announced enhancements to the ratings system and applauds their effort to provide parents with increased information on the depiction of smoking in movies,” the guild said. “We appreciate that they, like us, are working to find the delicate balance between addressing important health concerns and safeguarding free expression.”
The Screen Actors Guild also gave a statement of support.
“As advocates for both creative rights and child-protection legislation, we believe this is a reasonable approach to deal with a serious health issue,” SAG deputy national executive director Pamm Fair said.
American Cancer Society CEO John Seffrin said he was pleased by the MPAA’s “substantive effort to eliminate tobacco use as a cause of death and disability.”
Seffrin cited “evidence that children and youth are particularly vulnerable to the images of tobacco use on movie screens.”
But not all the reaction was rosy.
American Legacy Foundation said the new MPAA ratings policy “falls short and fails to implement the meaningful recommendations set forth by numerous organizations.” Washington-based ALF states its mission as being “dedicated to a world where young people reject tobacco and anyone can quit.”
Hollywood has been under increasing pressure to take steps to ease the purported effect of entertainment content in several areas, from smoking to child obesity. Next week on Capitol Hill, the Senate Commerce Committee begins its examination of the effect violent content has on children.
Sen. Jay Rockefeller, D-W.Va., is expected to introduce legislation giving the FCC the power to regulate such content — much as it does indecent content on television. In April, the FCC approved a report on TV violence that asked lawmakers for the requisite enforcement powers.
A Senate-FCC industry task force has been convened to identify ways of forcing content producers to encourage children to eat healthy foods.
“It is incomprehensible that Ms. Dupré could claim she did not give her consent to be filmed by Girls Gone Wild, when in fact we have videotape of her giving consent, while showing her identification”
Francis headed straight to his office yesterday to get back to work. “We’re filming at every spring break location, 14 cities right now. We’ve got 50 or 60 camera guys out there,” Francis told Page Six from Florida, where he pleaded no contest to charges of videotaping underage girls and was released for time served. 
The Motion Picture Assn. of America (MPAA) said Thursday that its rating board will consider film depictions of smoking among the criteria for assigning movie ratings. Anti-tobacco activists have been pressing for an automatic R rating for films with smoking scenes, but MPAA chairman and CEO Dan Glickman rejected the proposal for a more nuanced approach. 
