Two new actors have been added to the cast of Quentin Tarantino's forthcoming World War 2 movie Inglorious Bastards, and since both are German, you can bet your millions they'll be playing Germans. The lucky thespians are Diane Kruger (the National Treasure films) and Til Schweiger (King Arthur).

Diane Kruger, who mainly alternates between French and American films, isn't one of the biggest names in entertainment yet, but chalk that up to the fact her acting career only started six years ago. I personally think she's a wonderful actress and physically stunning to boot. In the fim, she'll play a German actress who help the the heroes infiltrate a movie premiere.

As for Til Schweiger, international audiences may not be overly familiar with him, but he's one of Germany's biggest stars, where he is dubbed the "German Brad Pitt", and you'll soon be able to seem him in director Uwe Boll's next "masterpiece", the Far Cry video game adaptation.

Inglorious Bastards, which has been a pet project of Quentin Tarantino's for years, will be a remake of an Italian film from 1978 that is also known as G.I. Bro, Deadly Mission, Hell's Heroes and Counterfeit Commandos. Described as in the vein of The Dirty Dozen, the film will tell the story of a group of Jewish-American soldiers behind enemy lines (France, specifically) who spend their time scalping Nazis.

In addition to Kruger and Schweiger, the cast includes Brad Pitt (the American one), Mike Myers (The Love Guru), Eli Roth (director of the Hostel films) and Samm Levine (Sydney White). Inglorious Bastards will start filming next month in Berlin and is expected to premiere at next year's Cannes Film Festival.

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Just like Die Hard with Under Siege, Speed and countless other action movies, Indiana Jones inspired its own slew of adventure flicks from Michael Douglas' Jack Colton movies to today's Mummy and National Treasure franchises.

1985 saw the release of King Solomon's Mines, an adaptation of H. Rider Haggard's classic novel, directed by J. Lee Thompson (The Guns Of Navarone) and released by the now defunct Cannon Group. It stars Richard Chamberlain (Richard Lester's Musketeers trilogy) as Allan Quatermain, horrible acting from Sharon Stone as the love interest, as well as Herbert Lom (the original Pink Panther films) and Indy's own Sallah (John Rhys-Davies) as the villains. Review after the jump.

Let me say it straight, you do not want to see this movie. It's bad, and not in a good way. Special effects that would have felt at home in the mid 50s, terribly unexciting filming and the aforementioned horrible acting by Sharon Stone (how did she manage a high profile career after this?). Loosely adapting Haggard's book, J. Lee Thompson doesn't care too much about plot and instead seems intent on lining up insipid action piece after insipid action piece and making sure Chamberlain has plenty of jokes to crack. Yes, jokes, and painfully unfunny ones at that. Some people claim the movie is an Indiana Jones spoof, but I don't buy that. To me, it seems like Thompson and his writers were trying to emulate Indy's balance of humor and excitement, but miserably failed. At any rate, even if it was meant as a spoof, it doesn't work either.

You may be wondering how a movie with a treasure hunt, lava pits, German bad guys, death traps, lions, giant spiders, cackling African voodoo dudes and a weird papier maché giant monster thing can be so lame, but trust me, you don't want to know. Steven Spielberg could have done wonders with this, alas Thompson, though he does get a few scenes right, apparently isn't competent enough. King Solomon's Mines was followed by a supposedly even more awful sequel a year later, Allan Quatermain And The Lost City Of Gold, directed by Gary Nelson (the original Freaky Friday). Yeah, go rewatch any of the Indiana Jones movies instead. If you have to see an adaptation of King Solomon's Mines, I'd recommend the 2004 Hallmark produced version starring Patrick Swayze . Even Robert Stevenson's 1937 version, though extremely dated is more entertaining than this. Hell, The Asylum's undoubtedly crappy 2008 version is probably better (and funnily enough, it was also made to capitalize on Indy).

Verdict: Watch this at your own risk. King Solomon's Mines currently holds a 4.5/10 on IMDB and a 13% on Rotten Tomatoes.

Me? I think of none other than legendary gymnastics coach, Béla Károlyi (below, Bela would have never worn that jacket if Sen. McCarthy were still alive).
Mark Stehle (AP)

Béla's effusive personality was one of the highlights of the Games back when he was coaching the U.S. team. The image of him carrying an injured Kerri Strug is forever burned in the minds of American fans.The crushing bear hugs he delivered to his pixies as they came off their exercises were a sight.

But not as much of a sight as his act on NBC's gymnastics coverage of the 2008 Beijing games. His rants, in which he uses words like "rip off", against the seemingly biased judging (giving an unfair edge to the Chinese) have been classic.

NBC's gracious peeks into Béla's reaction as he watches U.S. gymnasts has been highly entertaining. The guy is flailing his arms, kicking his legs up in the air, all the while, I'm sure, analyzing the nuances of the sport he has dedicated his life to. Tell me of another analyst in any other sport who shows this much passion (John Madden's man love for Brett Favre does not count).

Then on the last night of gymnastics, he's sitting on the couch with balance beam gold medalist Shawn Johnson and her coach Liang Chow while they're being interviewed by Costas.

During a characteristic (not to mention a very Eastern European) fit of laughter, Béla puts the cherry on top to his act in Beijing by delivering a hearty and joyous patella-cracking slap to Chow's knee. The look on Chow's face betrayed some pain.

Thanks Béla for all the memories, you're the best.

Pentru astazi m-am gandit sa va monopolizez atentia cu un review pentru cateva filme. Va spun de la inceput ca nu o sa va dezvalui prea multe detalii pentru a nu va strica placerea de a le urmari. Click pe fiecare titlu pentru linkul IMDB.
Week-endul ce tocmai a trecut, am prins un film bun pe TVR (culmea !): National Treasure. Din filmul asta mai vazusem o parte cu ceva timp in urma. Acum l-am prins aproape de inceput asa ca m-am asezat confortabil sa il urmaresc. L-am ales din doua motive : e un gen care imi place si anume "action - adventure" si are in rol principal de Nicolas Cage. Filmul e pe stilul "Indiana Jones", adica se bat cu baietii rai, gasesc indicii care ii duc la alte indicii si in final ajung la o mare comoara. NOTA : 9.

Buuun. Vazut. Placut. Mai vrem !
Asa ca am cautat si am vazut ca a aparut si o continuare (stiam eu :P). L-am luat si m-am pus sa il urmaresc si pe asta: National Treasure: Book of Secrets . Cam acelasi model, dar parca nu acelasi feeling. Prea usor se legau toate, prea repede ii bateau pe aia rai. Inca un film care vine sa confirme ideea ca o continuare e de cele mai multe ori mai slaba decat originalul. Well, a fost ok si asta. NOTA : 7. Merita vazute unul dupa altul.

Acum deja mi se deschisese pofta de filme. Asa ca pune-te pe cautat prin topuri dupa filme bune. Uite ce am mai vazut si mi-a placut:

• Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer

Asta e cam ca orice film insiprat din benzi desenate. Personaje cu puteri supranaturale. Unii responsabili, altii care le folosesc la glume si la agatat gagici :P. Cei patru se bat cu un nene venit din alta galaxie pe o placa de surf (alta metoda de locomotie n-o fi gasit si asta ? :) ) ca sa distruga pamantul. Multe momente de cumpana, dar in final totul se termina cu bine. Film ok, destul de antrenant. NOTA: 7.

• Hellboy

Pe asta l-am vazut pt ca stiam ca o sa apara deja continuarea si eu nu vazusem originalul. Tot un film inspirat din benzi desenate, dar cu ceva in plus. Personajul principal este un demon adus din lumea cealalta de ... Rasputin (asa e ca nu v-ati fi gandit ? :) ). Dar demonul asta ajunge sa faca bine si pana la urma salveaza intreaga omenire. Good job ! NOTA : 8.

Se poate spune ca am avut un week-end fantastic, stiintifico-fantastic ! :)

Cam atat cu recomandarile din partea mea. Sper sa va starnesc interesul si sa imi lasati si voi cateva recomandari. See ya !

Conocida en Hispañoamérica como "La leyenda del tesoro perdido" narra una aventura en la búsqueda de un tesoro milenario, cuya única pista (un mapa) esta escondido detrás de la declaración de la independencia estadounidense, la cual esta expuesta en un museo altamente custodiada. Inevitablamente, durante el intento de robo del documento, se desata un tiroteo que hace alertar al FBI.

Una aventura que puede resultar interesante y divertida.

El archivo es de calidad DVDrip con audio inglés original y subtítulos en Español y del tamaño acostumbrado de 700Mb aproximadamente.

Torrent: National Treasure

Subtítulos: National Treasure

Join Nicolas Cage on a heart-pounding adventure that will have you on the edge of your seat in a race to find the Lost City of Gold. Grounded in history imbued with myth and mystery Disney's NATIONAL TREASURE 2: BOOK OF SECRETS takes you on a globe-trotting quest full of adrenaline-pumping twists and turns -- all leading to the final clue in a mysterious and highly guarded book containing centuries of secrets. But there's only one way to find it -- Ben Gates must kidnap the President. Packed with fast-paced action and crackling humor NATIONAL TREASURE 2: BOOK OF SECRETS is a movie your entire family will want to rediscover again and again.

National Treasure 2 - Book of Secrets (Widescreen) is available at Amazon for $14.99. To Order click here
Amazon Product Pages contain a lot of other details on this product as Customer Reviews, Sales Ranking, Special Offers, Alternate products that customers are going for and much more.Want to read these details? click here

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Other Products of Interest

• The Spiderwick Chronicles (Widescreen Edition)
• Jumper
• The Golden Compass (New Line Platinum Series Two-Disc Widescreen Edition)
• Vantage Point (Single-Disc Edition)
• The Water Horse - Legend of the Deep (Two-Disc Special Edition)

Disc 1: TRAPPED IN PARADISE Disc 2: RAISING ARIZONA Disc 3: KISS OF DEATH

The Nicholas Cage Celebrity Pack (Raising Arizona / Kiss of Death / Trapped in Paradise) is available at Amazon for $26.99. To Order click here
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Other Products of Interest

• It Could Happen to You
• The Family Man
• City of Angels
• Snake Eyes
• The Michael Douglas Celebrity Pack (Wall Street / The War of the Roses / Don't Say a Word)

This collection begins with items written by Franklin during his early years in Boston and London (1722- 1726), including the complete "Silence Dogood" essay series. The volume also includes the famous "Busy-Body" essays (1728-1729); many of the news articles and essays he penned after he purchased the failing Pennsylvania Gazette (which eventually became the most widely read newspaper in the colonies); and various political satires, pamphlets, and personal correspondence written while he lived in Philadelphia from 1726 to 1757. The book concludes with material he published while a diplomat in London from 1757 to 1775 (including letters to the press, satires, and pamphlets).

Controversial in his own time, and the subject of vigorous debate ever since-to Matthew Arnold he exemplified "victorious good sense," while to D. H. Lawrence he was "the first dummy American"-Franklin emerges in this collection as a figure of extraordinary complexity for readers to discover, consider, and appreciate anew.

A companion volume includes Poor Richard's Almanack, Franklin's classic Autobiography, and his later writings.

Benjamin Franklin: Silence Dogood, Busy-Body: Silence Dogood, The Busy-Body, and Early Writings (Library of America) is available at Amazon for $19.80. To Order click here
Amazon Product Pages contain a lot of other details on this product as Customer Reviews, Sales Ranking, Special Offers, Alternate products that customers are going for and much more.Want to read these details? click here

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Other Products of Interest

• Benjamin Franklin: Autobiography, Poor Richard: Autobiography, Poor Richard, and Later Writings (Library of America)
• Thomas Paine : Collected Writings : Common Sense / The Crisis / Rights of Man / The Age of Reason / Pamphlets, Articles, and Letters (Library of America)
• Thomas Jefferson : Writings : Autobiography / Notes on the State of Virginia / Public and Private Papers / Addresses / Letters (Library of America)
• Alexander Hamilton: Writings (Library of America)
• George Washington : Writings (Library of America)

I would like to give credit to the gentleman who created the button.  A large round of applause is due.  I assume the gentleman is some type of programmer.  I have very little programming knowledge, but let's say it took him a week to write this button.  I would like to give him credit for creating it in about 3 hours, but let's make it even longer for the sake of the argument.  Assuming a 40-hour workweek and assuming he only sells one button, he will make almost $25 per hour.  Talk about capitalism at its best.  A gentleman plays off the human desire to display wealth at any cost.  He spends a few days designing the program and voila, he's making more than a lot of us. 

And on a side note, National Treasure is on the television right now.  I love the movie and really enjoy some of the quotes.  Perhaps my favorite is after Nicolas Cage reads part of the Declaration.  He responds to himself by saying people do not speak like that anymore.  He's quite true.  This quote reminds us where this great country was started.  We need to make sure never to forget that and to remember to speak as our forefathers did in our pursuit and defense of freedom.

And to finish this random post in style, a note about Brett Farve.  I used to like the guy.  I even pulled for him to win it all last year.  He has now destroyed his reputation.  I hope he and his ego will have a nice life together.  Let's go Aaron Rodgers!

You wonder somehow with all the thinking, how one middle aged guy mustered, not knowing from whence he came, to save every decrypted clue from  the savages (or should we say natives) from exploiting their own countrys hidden wealth. Not to mention, that amidst all the chaos, how could have the Knights Templars and heroic beings of that time could have the honorous abillity to have encrypted each clue and lain  them inconspicuously in far different locations. The tour resembled much of Indiana Jones in the Temple of Doom attached with a warning of an attempt that they will lead you into a hopeful labyrinth of excitement.  After all the intelligent minds that have walked on the same ground only in different periods of the past, none of them have gathered any interest in figuring it out. Amazing how these clues  remained undiscovered. I suspect that in every aspect of history,  there was -atleast- one who would have had the same interest even to a fault. 

Of course you perpetuate in every movie the suspension of disbelief. Unless if what's showing is somewhat spiritual in nature like the Peaceful Warrior,  this one keeps you reeling for surrender as you go  through the movie's didactic relevance of what is respectably historic.  So let' just leave it at that, this simply extends total insignificance.

Fresh Voices Showcase
@ The DC Improv Mainstage
Thursday, August 7 at 10:30
Admission: $15

Chicago Comedy
@ The DC Improv Caberet
Friday, August 8 at 8:00
Admission: $10

Remember These Names
@ The Comedy Spot
Friday, August 8 at 10:00
Admission: $15

So that's that. Three shows in two days. That's like five shows a day or something. Get ready to party, George Washington!

According to the BBC News website a 51 year old man, claiming to be an international business man (don't we all) walked into the Folger Library in Washington D.C. and asked them to value the book.  Even more amazingly he left the book with them when they asked!  Additional information from The Times Online reveals that the man claimed to have aquired the book in Cuba, but was arrested at an address in an a totally different Washington, Washington, Tyne & Wear, in the north east of England.

Hmmmm, seeing as the Washington of his arrest is in County Durham which is the same county as Durham University resides in are you a little suspicious as to the honesty of his 'international businessman' "I purchased it in Cuba" alibi???

All's Well That Ends Well :)

According to DNA testing and forensic anthropology, the artifact is definitely pre-Columbian. Or maybe pre-Ecuadorian. Or it could even possibly be pre-Panamanian. Upon further investigation, the pathologists came to a consensus: the object was Thulian, circa 1983 BCE (give or take a few millennia). The site where it was buried had been a popular Thulian beverage bar. 

In the days before the eruption of Mount Vesuvius, Thulian artisans and scholars would gather in the local village central square and drink a thick dark beverage and read books. The beverage was a proprietary mixture of gum arabic, crushed hemlock, and powdered eggplant. It was not particularly appetizing but it did quench the thirst on a hot summer evening or a cold winter day.

Fortunately I got to take a photograph of my prize before the SVU hierarchy declared it an Historical Treasure and confiscated it. Who knows, it may show up on eBay one of these days.