Mario Lopez News

Hot off the presses...

For those of you missing Mario Lopez since his second place finish (he was robbed!) on Dancing with the Stars, he'll be hosting this year's Miss America Pageant on January 29.

I'd Return to Volver

The spanish word volver is an infinitive that means "to return" or "to come back." And after seeing Pedro Almodovar's newest film, I can easily say I'd retun to check it out again.

Almodovar's movies are always quirky and fun, but their overall effect can be hit or miss. Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and All About My Mother were dramatic and funny all at once. But when you examine Bad Education or Talk to Her, you realize that often his over-the-top mentality doesn't lend itself well to telling a compelling story. As much as I loved seeing Gael Garcia Bernal in dripping wet tighty whities, when I left Bad Education I wasn't sad it was over.

But Volver is a movie that sticks with you. It lulls you into its funny spell and by the time it takes darker turns, you're already hooked. Centering on what it means to be a family, the story is both familiar and surprising.

The biggest surprise for me is that Penelope Cruz can really act. She's not just a doe-eyed dark-haired vision, walking through the part. Forget that she once dated Tom Cruise. Don't let it bother you that Almodovar made her wear a prosthetic ass so that her butt seemed more dumpy. Cruz owns her character of Raimunda, and she'll certainly be nominated for an Oscar.

In fact, all the acting is sensational. I'm not sure what strange rock Almodovar looks under to find his let's say "off beat-looking" supporting actors, but they have acting chops as well. And when you take great acting and pair it with a story that feels fresh and new, you get a movie that only adds to Almodovar's already prestigious arsenal.

Courtney Cox's Dirt is the Worst Kind of Unclean

Dirt = vanity project.

It's Tuesday night and I'm in the middle of this new sho and all I can think is "poor Courtney Cox."

This is Courtney's first series post Friends and you have to give her credit because she did go for a new "gritty" show on the cable network F/X. Trouble is, it's horrible. It's about a Hollywood tabloid magazine. It should be hip, and funny, and smart. Like Melrose Place meets The OC with a dash of The Shield.

But instead it's like F/X is trying to remake Robert Altman's The Player for television and it just doesn't work. A show that could be fun and easy digestible is really only a self-important vehicle for Courtney Cox. She deserves better, and so do we.

Dreamgirls is More Like Dreamgirl

I caught Dreamgirls over the holidays and I wish there was some really keen observation I could make that hasn't already been said. But really there isn't.

The movie belongs to Jennifer Hudson. Heart. Soul. Voice. Emotion. All of it. She's nothing short of amazing, and I'm sure she'll be nominated for an Oscar. She may even win.

The movie overall? It's great. Full of heart, with tons of emotion. Who would have thought Eddie Murphy could give a great, dramatic performance? Beyonce is even okay. She starts off a bit too wide-eyed, but she finally nails it toward the end of them movie. Close your eyes and it's uncanny how much she begins to sound like Diana Ross.

The movie only has two real downfalls: 1) It seems to lack some energy. Maybe I'm being picky, but even during most of the showstopping numbers I wanted more. I'm not sure if the cinematography is too intimate, or maybe it is the lighting and staging. But I wanted more pizazz. And again...this is just a small flaw. 2) The only real downfall of the movie can be summed up in two words: Jamie Foxx. He's terrible. Really just awful. A truly wooden, one-note performance. He sleepwalks through the film.

But none of that really matters in the end. The movie belongs to Jennifer Hudson. Go and watch her shine. It's her music, her voice, her journey. It's even her movie (and her character Effie's)--we're just along for the ride.