Sandra Bullock has been one of America’s favorite Rom Com actresses since she stole our hearts in “While You Were Sleeping,” kept Keanu Reeves balanced in “Speed,” and then managed to make us hate her in “Crash.” She’s dated hot guys as young as Ryan Gosling and still managed to stay one of Hollywood’s box office queens. Though there is drama on the homefront with her husband Jesse James’s ex, Sandra Bullock is still on top with critical acclaim for her recent role in “The Blind Side.” Thus, our pick for one of Hollywood’s Top Cougars.

Demi Moore has fallen in love with a “Ghost,” buffed up in “G.I. Jane,” and hung out with Charlie and his Angels, and the woman is still looking better than her 20-something counterparts. In a recent W magazine interview, Demi notes, “I’d prefer to be called a puma,” as well as stating that, “I’m certainly not the first person to be in a relationship with a younger man, but somehow I was plucked out as a bit of a poster girl.” Take it as a compliment, Demi.

Her face is unrecognizably disfigured due to losing her nose, eyelid and lips in the attack. Her eyes later had to be removed due to infection, which she only recently found out about. It was reported that one of the things she had been looking forward to in the earlier stages of her recovery was getting her site back. Now she knows that will never happen. Thankfully, she is able to speak and it seems she has her wits about her. Apparently, she is able to take walks around the hospital where she is currently still recovering, nearly nine months after the attack, but wears a veil to cover her face.

I’m not sure what we gain by seeing this woman’s mangled face other than satisfying a morbid curiosity for the freakish and horrifying. According to news reports, the chimp’s owner, who was also the victims’ employer, is trying to sidestep the $50 million lawsuit that has been filed against her by Nash. Will the exposure prove beneficial for Nash in her civil suit? Or will it lead to stricter laws about owning wild animals as pets?

I’m not sure. What is obvious is that this woman was brutally and abruptly attacked without provocation. It’s scary to fathom that in an instant life can change so horrifically.

Hot men or Funny men. I don’t know about you, but this is not as cut and dry as it seems. Hot guys are very fun to look at, but funny guys seem to be the ones you can actually have conversations/relationships with, that aren’t only physical. Why? Humor requires intelligence and wit, which are assets that aren’t created at the gym. So, without further ado, check out my picks for Twirlit’s Top 5 Hot Funny men, including Jimmy Fallon, Dane Cook, Demetri Martin, Shaun Majumder, and my personal favorite, Andy Samberg of “Di#k in a Box,” fame.

But, chicas, for every freakout, there is an equal and opposite counter-freakout. There are plenty of hip old ladies who are making getting older look very cool and not scary at all.  And while I’ve seen plenty of print about “hot women over 50″ that focus solely on looks and lack of wrinkles, I factored in creative longevity and something I call “general awesomeness” to create this list.

Every time you think about your sagging rack, think about these rocking chicks (everyone over the age of 50) who are defying the passage of time by continuing to be smoking hot, extremely talented, and inspirational.

1) Yoko Ono

Now before you start screaming at me that she broke up the Beatles, you need to stop and check yo’ self. Any self-respecting true Beatles fan knows a number of factors contributed to their breakup, and it wasn’t just the machinations of this diminutive Japanese artist (plus, why doesn’t anyone blame Linda?). Before Yoko even met John, she was a successful artist in her own right, working loosely within the Fluxus movement, but always maintaining creative independence from them through her performance art and conceptual installations. Many people like to focus on her caterwauling musical performances in John Lennon’s post-Beatles work, but I like to focus on the fact that she’s in her 70s and can still rock a spiky short haircut, short shorts, and big black sunglasses — all while being a constant advocate for peace and understanding. Plus, how many 76-year-old women are performing songs with Basement Jaxx? Go on, tell me.

2) Helen Mirren

Well duh. Did you see her rocking a bikini recently? Did you see her hyper-focused performance in “The Queen”? How about that same razor-sharp acting talent throughout seven seasons of “Prime Suspect”? Again, did you see her in a bikini recently? This lady is making us all look terrible. And she truly makes me feel better about getting older.

3) Martha Stewart

Well, you see a lady who went to prison for insider trading, I see a lady who helped me win a cupcake contest at work recently (muahahaha)! Say what evil things you will about Martha, she has built her own media empire while managing to live a gracious life and while trying to make ours a little nicer around the edges too. She’s still looking good, still churning away at her TV shows, supporting her daughter at her own (”Whatever, Martha!” is an excellent show, BTW), and can still put the ganache icing on a cake with her trademark panache. Don’t mess with her either. I think she’d cut you.

4) Sophia Loren

How could I make a list like this and not throw this name into the hat? Every year you see pictures of her at Cannes, at the Oscars, and every year she still manages to look like a sultry Italian goddess.  In 1963, in Vittorio De Sica’s anthology film “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow“, she performed one of cinema’s most memorable strip teases for an always-devilishly good looking Marcello Mastroianni. In 1994, the now much older couple came together to nearly stage the same scene in Robert Altman’s fashion world satire, “Pret a Porter”. In one fail swoop, *both* these giants of cinema proved that getting older doesn’t mean you get less sexy (although the 1994 Marchello couldn’t keep up with 1994 Loren!). Sophia Loren is still working too, you will be able to see her in the much anticipated Fellini-esque musical from Rob Marshall, “Nine”.

5) Jane Fonda

Very few people on this planet can go from being the offspring of a famous but emotionally detached father, to floating in space in a sexy costume, to being a hated and controversial critic of American foreign policy, to making 80s workout videos, to being married to one of the richest men in America, all the way to making a movie with Lindsay Lohan, and surviving that somehow. For that last one alone, we salute you.  I’m sure we will get the standard “you must hate America” comments for adding this lady to the list, but I’m gonna give it up for J-Fon for evolving from Barbarella to Klute in only 3 years.

6) Isabelle Huppert

This woman was in her prime in Michael Cimino’s mega-beautiful mega-flop “Heaven’s Gate”, and then she shows up in another misunderstood movie in 2004, David O. Russell’s  “I Heart Huckabees” — again, as a beautiful siren that leads men off their paths. That’s 24 years of being beautiful, poised and talented. She’s on the other side of 50 now, and still playing the sexy one, most recently in “Ma Mere“.  Huppert is one of many Frenchwomen (see also: Catherine Deneuve, Jeanne Moreau) that have us on our knees praying to the gods that we too will be as alluring into our later years.

7) Patti Smith

Long long before there was Karen O, there was Patti Smith, The Godmother of Punk, who wove spoken word into her songs and was admitted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.  Her iconic 70s albums – Horses, Radio Ethiopia, Easter and Wave continue to inspire musicians – fellow rock behemoths Morrissey and Michael Stipe claim her as a primary influence.  And like some of the other women on this list, she is an visual artist as well. An exhibition of her art was shown at the Andy Warhol Museum in 2002 and in 2008, the Fondation Cartier pour l’Art Contemporain hosted a major retrospective of her visual works, spanning from 1967 to 2007.  And like Yoko Ono, Patti Smith remains an political advocate for peace and human rights.  At 63, Smith remains as ineffably cool and strong as she looked on that Mapplethorpe cover for Horses in 1975.

8 ) Cloris Leachman

Yes yes reality TV show junkies, I am aware of the fact that she was 82 years old when she was on season 7 of Dancing with the Stars, and that she was subjected to some mildly traumatic dance moves during her pairing with Corky Ballas.  But did you know Cloris Leachman was an OG cinema cougar? Think back to The Last Picture Show, in which she plays a lonely Texas housewife who takes up with a much younger man played by Timothy Bottoms – her performance in that plaintive black and white film was heartbreaking and sincere.  Since then, she’s been nominated for Emmys more than 20 times (some of those noms for her work on Mary Tyler Moore), has starred in 3 classic Mel Brooks movies, and played the crazy grandma on Malcolm in the Middle.  Leachman proves to us that a life full of good work and lots of epic laughs can keep you forever fabulous.

9) Pam Grier

No woman, and I mean it, no woman, is cooler than Pam Grier was in Tarantino’s Jackie Brown.  Sure, the iconic Grier of the blacksploitation classics Coffy and Foxy Brown managed to be both kick ass and sexy – but there was something even more captivating about Grier at 48, playing Jackie, a smart-cookie airline stewardess caught up with some bad characters.  Tarantino knew it too, every moment that Grier is on screen in that film is electric, and there was something wonderful in watching Max Cherry (another 70s movie vet, Robert Forrester) be completely lost in her charms.  Grier was most recently seen amongst the hotties of The L Word…but I also loved her as the don’t-mess-with-me mom in Mars Attacks.

10) Joni Mitchell

Here is a woman just as powerful and creative today as she was during her earliest “Ladies of the Canyon” days.  Mitchell made it through the 60s, a decade that was kinder to female groupies instead of female musicians (read Michael Walker’s Laurel Canyon: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll’s Legendary Neighborhood for more details).  She is one of the few female musician’s whose Wikipedia page does *NOT* go into any details about her boyfriends, marriages, etc. for truly her body of work usurps such tabloid details.  She has made the artwork for her albums, and in recent years has preferred the paintbrush to her guitar.  Her songs have been covered by, seriously, nearly everybody, from Judy Collins to Mandy Moore, from Prince to A Perfect Circle.  And hell, she’s been sampled by Kanye West and Janet Jackson!  When I begin the sentence, “When I grow old, I want to be like – ” the end of it always is “Joni Mitchell.”

I think I could go on even longer. So many other women totally qualify for this list – these were just my favorites. But here a few other rather obvious nominees: Meryl Streep, Buffy Sainte-Marie, Exene Cervenka, Sally Field, Kim Cattrall, Angela Bassett, Susan Sarandon, Ruby Dee, Ellen Barkin, Jennifer Saunders, hell – Madonna even qualifies nowadays.  Wow, that just made me feel old.  Time to reread this blog post, I guess!

Finish this sentence for us in the comments, Twirl-ers: “When I grow old, I want to be like:”

It’s only fitting we start on the cute side of the spectrum. Here’s Brad Pitt dressed up as DJ Lance from the hipster baby staple Yo Gabba Gabba. Yo Gabba Gabba is the TV show for parents who find the Wiggles repulsive and Barney unlistenable. Pitt wins major cool-dad points for this moment. Angelina gets less points for her generic walking dead costume, but still, this is one fecking adorable family.

Source JustJared

Coming in close on Pitt-Jolie’s tails is Jon Stewart’s clan: Snow White, a spaceman, a princess and a dad in just a pirate hat. Something about Stewart’s almost-completely-no-effort costume is charming, in my book. Not all of us want to go out into the world covered in fake blood and strange wigs. Plus, Jon Stewart might be king of the DILFs, even over Brad Pitt.  (You may yell at me in the comments.)

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The Stefani-Rossdales will not be outdone! Momma Gwen is Jessie from Toy Story 2! Dad Gavin takes off his costume and is just plain old awesome dad again. Did Gavin put his foot down at dressing up as Woody? I always do secretly feel sorry for those couples you see out dressed up as Raggedy Ann and Andy. That’s verging on the lame, people!

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Unless you’re Heidi Klum and Seal. They went to the dark side to come up with their crow costumes.  Better than actually dressing up as *the Crow* from the Brandon Lee movies? You decide.

Source Pop Sugar

Moving quickly from cute to zany, here’s Kelly Clarkson dressed up as the Family Guy’s Stewie Griffin at a performance on Halloween in St. Charles, Missouri. I always applaud ladies who go silly instead of slutty on Halloween night. You know, it’s pretty cold in that tiny harem dancer costume anyhow.

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I wanted to change gears so fast on you that you’d get whiplash. Here’s Ice-T’s ever elegant wife Coco posing with pop queen Rihanna. Rihanna is the sluttiest Tigger you’ll ever, whilst Coco keeps it classy as a dirty dominatrix. This picture just hurts my face. Someone needs to tell Rihanna to not stand so close to the sluttiest person in the room.

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So Twirlitites — Who looked the best on Halloween night? What or who did you go as?

1. Luke McFarlane

Many of you may know McFarlane as Scotty Wandell on ABC’s “Brothers and Sisters,” on which he plays an openly gay man married to one of the “brothers” of the show, played by Matthew Rhys. McFarlane came out to the media in 2008 and then promptly said this wonderful thing:

“…in portraying gay people, the more we realize it’s just like portraying anybody else and, gay marriage, it’s not about two people being gay, it’s about two people who love each other and who have decided to commit to each other for the exact same reasons any other couple would get married.”

2. Robert Gant

Gant is mostly famous for being on the American version of Queer as Folk for Showtime, as HIV-positive Ben Bruckner who crusades against “Prop 14″ inside the show, a TV equivalent of many controversial anti-gay marriage bills. His advocacy goes beyond the fictional world though. Gant was recognized and honored by The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) in 2003, and was given the National Equality Award by the Human Rights Commission in 2006. And, of course, Google him and you’ll get pages and pages of crazy tight abs photos. But remember the advocacy, ladies!

Amazing quote: “For me, the litmus test to know whether or not I’m doing the right thing is to examine whether my decisions are love-based or fear-based. I think outing people is fear based, the fear that if we don’t out them, it will make things harder for all of us. It’s important to treat people with love.”

3. Neil Patrick Harris

Well. Doy. Doogie grew up and he’s cute and outspoken now. If you haven’t seen Dr. Horrible’s Sing a Long Blog then you’re missing out. If you haven’t seen that poster of NPH for Harold and Kumar 2, where have you been? And I don’t like CBS comedies, but the idea of a gay man playing a straight dude p*#syhound is priceless.

On shaking the whole Doogie thing: “All I have to do is hope that more chapters go by where I’m playing other roles, and Doogie will become an arrow in a quiver, as opposed to some albatross that I worry about.”

4. John Barrowman

Sci-fi nerd girls know who this bloke is! He plays Captain Jack (not Sparrow) on the newest incarnation of Doctor Who, and its subsequent spin-off show, Torchwood. Torchwood is kind of the X-Files of the UK, but with waaaaaay more hot gay grappling and sex with aliens (hey, stuff happens). Barrowman bears a strong resemblance to Tom Cruise…except Barrowman hops up and down on sofas about his gay lover of many years, whom he married in 2006. When Captain Jack taught Gwen how to shoot a guy in Season 1 of Torchwood, I had a TV-related orgasm.

Best Barrowman quote: “It’s about time we had a gay man playing a hero. What I do in my bedroom is just the same as what everybody else does; I just do it with a man.”

5. Darryl Stephens

I’m ashamed at myself that it took five entries before I broke the color barrier in this post, especially since Darryl Stephens of Noah’s Arc definitely belongs on this list. You can also see more of Stephens’ excellent *body* of work in Q. Allan Brocka’s indie drama Boy Culture. Hopefully LOGO will pick up more episodes of Noah’s Arc, so that gay actors of color can get some attention and respect too.

Darryl’s best quote: “Hopefully when more shows start to represent characters from the black, gay population, hopefully they won’t count on this show to represent so much of themselves and they’ll just appreciate the show for what it is.”

6. Russell Tovey

When consulting my gay bros for their favorite open actors, and this man (former star of the History Boys – both on stage and screen) popped up a few times. And this is how he was described: “Oh he’s the cute werewolf in Being Human, so he turns into a wolf and his clothes always come off!” Well, well. Besides THAT – Tovey has ears that adorably stick out like tea cup handles and he’s been on the aforementioned awesome Doctor Who, once again proving that being a gay actor on TV in the UK seems like less of a detriment.

Good gravy! alert: “I have a nice bum, so I’ve been told. It’s very smooth and pert. Would I do full-frontal? Yeah, if it was right.”

7. Cheyenne Jackson

I left one of the pretties for last! He has a pretty name and is quite, quite pretty himself. Especially in his underpants. Jackson has sang backup for Vanessa Williams and Liza Minnelli and has appeared up and down Broadway in many stage productions (Xanadu, All Shook Up, Damn Yankees). And to finish this off in an entirely professional fashion, he looks damn good in his underpants.

You tell ‘em, Cheyenne: “Chris Sieber and I were talking about this. Every time they mention either of us in the press, it’s always “openly gay Christopher Sieber” and “openly gay Cheyenne Jackson.” It’s a little reductive and, after a while, it’s like, ‘Yawn.’

Who did we leave out? Sound off in the comments…

Yes, I feel like a jerk for criticizing a child’s Halloween costume. But, it wasn’t me who let her walk out of the house looking like that. And, it wasn’t me who allowed her to go to a flashy Hollywood event and be photographed by the paparazzi. So, in my book, it’s fair game.

What on earth were her parents thinking allowing their daughter to dress like that?

I am shocked. I get that things operate a little differently in Hollywood and kids grow up fast and have access to anything they want with less rules. But I can’t believe this little girl is wearing such a vulgar costume.

And apparently, this isn’t the only costume controversy surrounding Noah Cyrus. The next day the young girl was photographed wearing another questionable outfit. I don’t find her Minnie mouse-inspired outfit as appalling as the witch costume, but it’s the re-appearance of thigh-high boots that troubles me. Why? Why is it necessary for her to pair each of her costumes with slutty stripper boots.  It is so wrong for such a young girl to be wearing boots like those. What is so wrong with just dressing up as Minnie Mouse and not “slutty Minnie.” Or as a witch, and not ”slutty witch.”

I wish the innocence of childhood lasted just a little bit longer. At least until age 10.

So for those whom we loved and were taken too soon, who do we think will top the list?

5. Michael Jackson

For better or for worse, MJ was the undeniable king of pop.

Costume features: One glove, sparkly clothes, hat, moonwalk.

4. Farrah Fawcett

One of the most indelible images of beauty in all of American culture.

Costume features: Feathered Farrah wig, fun ’70s clothes and/or a bathing suit if you are very brave.

3. Patrick Swayze

Will any of us ever get over sexy Johnny Castle? No, no we won’t.

Costume features: Tight black pants, no shirt, cut abs, dreamy eyes, a love that knows no bounds, and some serious classical dance moves.

2. Bea Arthur

Oh Dorothy, your wry-one liners will be missed.

Costume features: Gray wig, shoulder pads, big earrings, a deep voice, and a cavalcade of snappy come backs.

1. Billy Mays

Was there ever a salesman better known and more revered?

Costume features: Button-down shirt, black beard, big smile.

When shirts come off, things get controversial. At least if you’re Mormon. In that case, the 2010 installment of the Men on a Mission calendar is sure to get some magic underwear in a bunch.

And you thought from Mark’s post about the Hot Mormon Muffins calendar, that the ladies get to have all the fun.

According to the calendar’s web site, this year’s cover is inspired by artist Arnold Friberg and his rendition of the Book of Mormon story “Captain Moroni and the Title of Liberty”. I admittedly am not the world’s expert on Mormonism, but Captain Moroni sounds like he would fit nicely into Scientology’s cast of characters, like Xenu, the dictator of the Galactic Confederacy.

Should you care to learn about where these beefcakes have been proselytizing the word of Joseph Smith and the golden plates in his magical hat, you can check out the Meet the Missionaries page and learn all about Mr. January through December.

This will be the third installment of the “controversial” calendar, brought to the world by excommunicated Mormon Chad Hardy, who claims he was thrown out of the church as an attempt to silence him.

I’m still trying to wrap my brain around this. Somehow the Mormons can mobilize to help get Prop 8 passed in California, but can’t keep one member of the church from putting this shirtless calendar out members from ripping off their shirts for this annual calendar?

(By: J. Cagle)

(Shane O’Neal Photography courtesy of Mormons Exposed)

The CW’s “Gossip Girl”, has all the backstabbing, snarkiness, and drama that rich, hot, Upper East Side teenagers can drum up, whether its Blair Waldorf planning her latest scheme to become the Queen of NYU or Serena van der Woodsen capturing her latest male prey. But we have to also give props to the hot guys of this show including Dan Humphrey, (Penn Badgeley) who really is the archetypal NYU student, with his intellectual curiosity and self-importance, Nate Archibald (Chace Crawford) who adds sensitive vulnerability to the spoiled rich kid whose father’s financial woes caused him to re-think his own path, and of course Chuck Bass (Ed Westwick), who manages to make evil manipulation so fun to watch.

Oh wait, one more. Rufus Humphrey (Matthew Settle) who has a distinguished laid-back nature and is the father figure that all of us wish we had. I mean, he’s corny with his conversations with his kids, but he can still pull off a zingy one-liner. Nice.

According to People magazine, Ivanka wore a custom Vera Wang gown with a lace overlay covering her shoulders and kept her blond hair down and wavy. She also wore diamonds from her own fine jewelry collection. She and Jared, 28, were married in a private Jewish ceremony at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, in front of 500 of their friends and family members. Celeb guests included Russell Crowe, Natalie Portman, Barbara Walters, Regis Philbin, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and the current New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

The Donald offered up a simple toast to the lovebirds: “Be happy and enjoy your life.” That shouldn’t be too hard for Ivanka, who’s smart, hot, rich, and a member of American royalty.

The newlyweds, who will spend their honeymoon in Africa, danced the night away. “It was a great wedding,” Donald said. “I’m very happy. They’re really a beautiful, smart couple. I think you’ll hear a lot of great things from them in the years to come.”

I wanted to pick movies where the WOMEN weren’t simply being chased around by a knife wielding psychopath. There’s much more to life than screaming and falling.

Sometimes, you can stab back.

Dawn of the Dead (2004)

Zach Synder has been much maligned, with 300 and the Watchmen being highly-anticipated and then consequently highly-panned. But before he made those big budget stinkeroos he embarked upon this remake of the beloved George Romero zombie movie, starring Sarah Polley.  And just that casting decision alone seems to elevate the material beyond just a splatter-fest with anti-materialism overtones. Polley remains fairly collected as the planet quickly disintegrates around her and those big, calm eyes of hers serve as our anchors in what could have been a plain old remake.

The Ginger Snaps

series (1-3)

Long before this twitarded wave of Twilight washed over us like some kind of…wussy wave with its battling vampires and werewolves, we had the Ginger Snaps lycanthropic horror series.  They’ve made 3 of them thus far, the first two featuring the same set of sisters, and a third movie that was a horror period piece.  These are atmospheric and low budget Canadian features, and pretty damn good if you’re sick of slick Hollywood gorefests.

The Descent

This movie is effed up. It will make you never want to think about doing any kind of spelunking ever again.  A group of women, some of which have secrets to hide from each other, decide the best way to bond would be via doing some light cave exploration, which quickly turns into a gory massacre when they come across blood-thirsty creatures living deep beneath the surface.  There are some pick-ax accidents.  It is worth noting that an all-female cast is extremely rare in the horror world, so sisters, represent!  Rent this and close your eyes during the freaky parts.

The Entire Aliens Franchise

(1-4) (except the Alien Vs. Predator ones!)

This scared the living crap out of me as a child, but the sight of Sigourney Weaver kicking so much ass has lingered with me ever since.  I guess if you can’t sit through this, at least watch the parody segment inside of Spaceballs. Man, don’t be so chicken (even though Spaceballs mildly holds up in this day and age).

Carrie

I hope to Jeebus you’ve seen this by now, because if not, you’re missing out on the millions of references Carrie generates that appear in so many spoofs, satires, sketch shows, etc.  Carrie is kind of the reason I’ve never been into a lot of other teen dramas. Carrie quite accurately depicts how terrible and bitchy girls can be in the high school years, and yet, no other teen dramas depict telekinetic payback as being so…satisfying.  Rent this one, so you can start referring to things as a being as “terrible as a bucket of blood on prom night”.

Resident Evil

(1-3)

Come on. Do I have to sell you on this?  Milla Jovovich killing zombies caused by a virus. Rent them all!  Another horror trilogy featuring a strong female lead.  Lots of zombie death kills.  Good stuff.

Suspiria

I’m guessing most of you non-horror people *maybe* remember that moment in Juno when she’s bonding with the man who will become the adopted father of her unborn child. “Dario Argento is the master of horror,” Juno intones authoritatively. She most definitely was talking about Suspiria, an Italian horror film set in a dance school, populated a coven of seriously evil witches.  It’s one of the few horror films that you can actually call “beautiful”; it’s got a scary, modernist score, and some seriously messed up stuff happens in this movie, pre-dating the entire torture porn genre. If you are going to watch one movie off this list, make it this one.

Rosemary’s Baby

Not gory, not a lot of startling or big scares…just an impending sense of doom coming through the walls of a New York loft, inhabited by a good-looking young newlywed couple (Mia Farrow and John Cassavetes).  They move in and get to know the neighbors, seemingly harmless old folks (lead by the great Ruth Gordon of Harold & Maude fame). I don’t want to give too much away, especially since this movie is a bit of a slow burn (meaning it will get to you in the end). It definitely has one of the most bone-chilling childbirth nightmare scenes of all time. I’m not saying you see placenta or anything, but…the father of THIS BABY is a bit more demanding than most.

The Bad Seed

Chances are you’ve seen Children of the Corn - maybe you even saw one of the next 6 sequels to it (yeesh), but have you seen the horror classic The Bad Seed? It has the *original* scary little girl in it, Rhoda, whose sociopath tendencies leave bodies in her wake should she not get something she wants. This one has no gore, but lots of unintentional campy laughs. You can certainly make it through this. It might teach you something about dealing with crazy little murderous kids too (like to just stay the bleep away from them).

Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?

Not technically a horror movie, but this flick is definitely a classic of psychological horror AND grand diva acting. Bette Davis plays Baby Jane Hudson, a former child vaudeville star who eventually becomes overshadowed by her sister Blanche, also an actress, played by Joan Crawford. Crawford and Davis famously never got along in real life, so this movie also serves as a rich palette of freaky hilarious bitchery. It’s also a supremo mindf***, as you keep hoping and hoping that Baby Jane doesn’t go full tilt nutso on her wheelchair-ridden sister. A great horror movie for sisters to watch together (along with De Palma’s Sisters) – especially if you loathe each other!  Maybe save a viewing for when the family’s all together at Christmas?

5. Mary-Kate Olsen

She’s a quintessential front-row fashionistas who’s recently gotten a bad rap for her hobo-chic wardrobe. Personally, I love her style. Sure, it can get a little grungy from time to time, but she’s always daring. For the Burberry show in London the eccentric half of the Olsen empire really turned up the class in all black with porcelain skin.

4. Rachel Bilson

Another regular on the fashion show circut, this O.C. alum has come a long way from her California-girl wardrobe. Wether it’s summer or fall, she’s always stylish, but she looked particularly ladylike in a navy suit at the Salvatore Ferragamo show in Milan.

3. January Jones

The Mad Men star solidified her place among the fashion elite at this year’s Emmy Awards. Recently, she was in Washington, D.C., lobbying on behalf of sharks and looking very chic in a camel color skirt suit, what I imagine Betty Draper would wear if she had a career.

2. Marion Cotillard

She’s French and the face (and muse) of Dior. There really isn’t much more to say. I cannot wait until she hits the promo tour for her new movie Nine which comes out this fall. I bet she’ll be dressed in head-to-toe Dior and nothing but elegant.

1. Penelope Cruz

She’s been on-trend so far this season with the boyfriend look, but with two movies set to come out this fall (one of them being Nine with Marion Cotillard), I have no doubt that Penelope will be setting more trends than she follows.

15. Dracula

(Dracula: Dead and Loving It)

Leslie Nielsen as Mel Brooks’s idea of Dracula? Yes.

14. Eric Northman

(True Blood)

Perez Hilton thinks the vampire sheriff portrayal by Alexander Skarsgard is the hottest Swede around, so do we too!

13. Dracula (again)

(Dracula, 1992)

Bram Stoker was the original vampire story-writer — oh, the sexually repressed Gothic novel!) — most recently brought to the silver screen in the incarnation of Gary Oldman in 1992s Dracula.

12. Count Orlok

(Nosferatu)

German expressionist horror film rip off of Dracula! Hooray! The vampire is actually Count Orlok (who was played by Max Shreck, in case you care); ‘Nosferatu’ is what they call vampires. But whatevs.

11. Count Chocula

Chocolaty vampire cereal? What’s not to like?

10. Lestat

(Interview With a Vampire)

Tom Cruise in lacy sleeves is almost as much fun as Tom Cruise jumping on couches. Almost.

9. Stefan Salvatore

(The Vampire Diaries)

What the hell is this? I am old enough to menstruate, so I don’t watch this crap. But I guess some people do, and he’s hot. So there you go.

8. David

(The Lost Boys)

Keifer Sutherland is the scariest coastal California vampire of them all. This is how we kicked it in my day, yo.

7. Selene

(Underworld)

Go women! Kate Beckinsale looks pretty bad ass in that leather.

6. Count von Count

(Sesame Street)

Puppets are vampires, too. Plus, you got to start the kids young on their bloodsucking mythology these days.

5. Peter Loew

(Vampire’s Kiss)

Nicolas Cage, back when he was weird in a good way, playing a publishing exec who is sure he’s turning into a vamp. Kitsch x 1000.

4. Count Dracula

(Dracula, 1931)

Is there any more quintessential vampire than Bela Lugosi? I mean, seriously.

3. Blade

(Blade)

Oh Wesley Snipes, if vampires (or half-vampires) can be color blind, why can’t we?

2. Mark Kendall

(Once Bitten)

Early Jim Carrey as a teenage virgin being mined for blood by a sexy Lauren Hutton. Well, this one is just really fun.

1. Edward Cullen

(Twilight)

Oh, like there was ever a doubt Robert Pattinson would be number one. Go team Edward!

Raven-haired Courteney Cox is best known for her roles as the neurotic Monica Geller from the 90’s hit sitcom, “Friends,” and Lucy Spiller, the scariest Gossip editor in Hollywood in FX’s “Dirt.” Now, she’s battling the notion that a 40-something woman can’t be hot and attract a younger man in ABC’s Cougar Town.

So what do you think? Do you like the Jules character that Cox portrays in this new comedy or does the term “Cougar” still give off a whiff of desperation?

10. The Beatles

Namely, Paul McCartney (aka ‘the cute one’). For some reason, back in the ’50s and ’60s, it seems the girls were more apt to swoon over musicians than movie stars, although that’s probably just splitting hairs. (See also Elvis and Ricky Nelson).

9. Kirk Cameron

Oh Kirk, you were the dreamiest as Mike Seaver on Growing Pains. Until you found Jesus and went completely off the reservation. Shame.

8. Scott Baio

Joanie may have loved Chachi, but I was way more into him as Charles in Charge. I really did wish he was in charge of me. So did every actress in Hollywood and an assortment of Playboy playmates, evidently, but still the point stands.

7. Johnny Depp

Oh, sweet Johnny, you were so hunky in those early 21 Jump Street days, with your part-Cherokee ancestry and your bad boy ways. It’s nice that you hung around to become a pretty fearsome character actor, too. (See also Leonardo DiCaprio).

6. The Coreys

Was there a single movie in the ’80s that didn’t have either Corey Feldman or Corey Haim in it? If not both? Sadly, these guys were the classic case of early fame sending them nutballs, but it was fun while it lasted. Stay off the juice, boys.

5. Christian Slater

With his young Jack Nicholson impression and his sexy sneer, Mr. Slater was one for the alterna-chicks before they were a type. And this isn’t just because Heathers was named after me. Okay, maybe a little.

4. Tom Cruise

Back in the day, Mr. Scientology was just a young slab of beefcake turning heads in Risky Business and Top Gun. I would argue he was a little bit of a manly crush for the teen heartthrob set, but what can you do? The heart wants what it wants. (See also John Stamos, aka the oh so sexy uncle Jesse on Full House).

3. David Cassidy and Leif Garrett
(tie)

Did you have red hair, sing disco, and wear bell bottoms in the ’70s? Then I guess you were HOT. These guys were just a bit before my time, but still, there may be no two people more synonymous with teen heartthrob status than the great Cassidy and Garrett.

2. Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Mario Lopez (tie)

Ah, Zack Morris and A.C. Slater, the veritable pinnacle of squeaky clean teen lust. Those Saved by the Bell days were the best.

1. Jason Priestley and Luke Perry (tie)

You can’t honestly expect me to choose between Brandon and Dylan, can you? No I don’t think you can. Beverly Hills, 90210, you were the best.

My favorites were the women’s maxi-dresses and sweaters along with the men’s zippered shirts and sweaters. The easy breezy vibe of the entire fashion show, along with the quality pieces, made me want to chill out at the beach. (Even though it’s October!)

Check out the slideshow of the images below! And stay tuned for our video interview with Lani Lupton, one of Sjobeck’s designers, who spoke with us about the importance of quality, especially in these Recessionary times and … why you shouldn’t be a starving artist.

Much like the awards show itself, the fashion at the 2009 Emmy Awards was a snooze. Sure there were some daring color choices and some interesting silhouettes, but no one really took a risk. Everyone played it safe.  And safe is boring!

I’ll start with the good looks from the night, I guess, even though none of them were particularly exciting. They just happened to do a little better than the stars who fell flat on their faces. Leighton Meester, Chloë Sevigny and January Jones looked white hot in their white gowns. Each lady put a different spin on white, which was nice. Not revolutionary, but nice. Leighton did so in her Bottega Veneta gown with knots on the shoulders. Chloë wore a one-shoulder sheer white gown with teeny black polka dots. And January, who I think was probably the best-dressed of the night, wore a long strapless gown with a cut-out bodice.

Other ladies who turned it out were Sandra Oh in a gold strapless Marchesa number, Ginnifer Goodwin in a bright purple Yves Saint Laurent dress and new short hairdo and Guys’ Choice Olivia Wilde in an ethereal silvery Marchesa gown. The ladies of Grey Gardens (my all-time favorite Drew Barrymore and the saucy Jessica Lang) also looked gorgeous. I think Drew might actually be aging backwards as she looked more fresh and young in her blush-color tulle gown than she did when she was a teen. And Jessica Lang looked confident and sexy in her teal Zac Posen dress.

Host Neil Patrick Harris looked pretty foxy in his white satin tux jacket and black pants. And, Breaking Bad star Aaron Paul pulled a Ryan Gosling by showing up in a three-piece gray suit. But it looked sexy, so rock on!

Hmm….and then there were the fashion failures. Oh, Christina Applegate! I love you, but what was with that heavy blue satin dress with that sequin cumber bun? It made her look twenty years older. It was awful. And, John Cryer, who won for his role on Two and a Half Men, if you are nominated for an award, consider putting on a tuxedo and not a stripped sweater under a suit jacket. Hayden Panettiere looked like a CIT (Cougar in Training). Her dress, hair and makeup all made her look like an older desperate cougar on the prowl. But the worst is yet to come…

Victoria Rowell, some soap opera actress I’ve never heard of, showed up in what looked like a homemade strapless dress with President Obama’s face all over it. It seriously looked like she went down to Micheal’s, got a couple yards of Obama fabric and pinned it on herself two minutes before she showed up on the red carpet. Honey, he already won the election. You’re about a year late with your big political statement.

Seth Rogan

Seth, famous for his hilarity in movies like Knocked Up and Zack and Miri Make a Porno, has slimmed down this past year for his role as a newspaper-publisher-turned-vigilante in the upcoming The Green Hornet.  When asked how he did it, Seth replied “The lamest answer ever.  I exercised and I dieted.”  Imagine that.

Seth has also admitted he hated every second of it, and never cared how he looked.  His actual weight loss is unknown, as he hasn’t ever weighed himself which is probably the biggest inspirational lesson we can learn from his slim down.

Kirstie Alley

Love her or hate her, you can’t deny Kirstie Alley had one of the biggest weight loss transformations of all time.  While using the Jenny Craig food system of proportioned meals, and converting one of her main rooms of her house into a personal gym, Kristie dropped 75 pounds and revealed her bikini bod on the Oprah show.  Unfortunately, Kirstie gained back all of her weight and then some (83 pounds), but admitted, again, on national TV, it was because she stopped watching her food and moved the exercise equipment into the garage. Kirstie has recently vowed to lose the weight again for good- although that remains to be seen.

Carson Daly

Any one remember Carson Daly? Anyone?

Most well known for being an MTV VJ on TRL and host of Last Call with Carson Daly, Daly decided that when he entered his 30’s he was going to get healthy.  He bought a bike, started eating better, and made an effort to get plenty of sleep.  He set on his healthy quest in 2005 and has kept the weight off ever since- proving when you do it right, you only have to do it once.

Jack Osborne

Jack Osborne, son of the Prince of darkness, Ozzy Osbourne, and star of the reality show The Osbournes, was originally known  as the chubby, drug addicted potty mouth of the family.  Wait, that’s Kelly Osbourne, too.  Anyway, Jack turned his unhealthy habits into motivation to turn his life around and traded drugs and partying for extreme sports and healthy foods.  At his heaviest, Osbourne, who is 5-foot-8, says, he tipped the scales at 231 pounds. He’s now down to 161.  Jack even had his own British reality adventure show, Jack Osbourne Adrenaline Junkie, where he tests out the world’s most extreme fitness regimens.

Sherri Shepherd

The View co-host Sherri Shepherd’s transformation is most recent, having unveiled her bathing suit clad slimmed bod on the show a few weeks ago- and then again on the front of OK! Magazine. Sherri lost 41 pounds and dropped 10 dress sizes by hiring a fitness trainer and nutrition coach, who kept her in line every step of the way; which she admits, she didn’t make easy for them.  Sherri made her public vow to appear in a bathing suit on The View to keep her on track, but says she soon found support in the fact many fans were doing it along with her.

It’s a shame that celebrities get praise for losing weight, or being thin in general, with no regard for how they actually got to be that way.  Anyone with enough money can go get liposuction or drink nothing but water and lemon juice for a week, but it takes a special kind of person to put in the work.

You can’t always believe what you read when it comes to the private lives of celebs: some that get a bad wrap may live very healthy lifestyles or have lost weight in a safe proper manner, but the above celebrities are the ones that admit that it took hard work, regular old healthy eating and exercise and perhaps most importantly, no dangerous gimmicks.

First up: Too cute! Second: Way too cute! Third … Okay, okay, I’ll slow down on my gushing for a moment or two and get to the story. So, not so long ago (read: last week) Katherine Heigl announced on The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she and her handsome singer-songwriter husband, Josh Kelley, would be adopting a baby girl from South Korea. Fast-forward to today and not only is the adoption complete, but there are now super-cute baby pictures too! (Sorry, I get a little excited about babies).

Anyway, here are the details. The young baby girl is 10-months-old and is named Nancy Leigh, although – according to a post by Mrs. Heigl on her Jason Heigl Foundation website – Nancy’s “official” nickname will be Naleigh. Which is pretty fun to say. Okay, I think that about covers it at this point. Now back to the gushing over the family’s oh-so-adorable semi-matching outfits (i.e. the fun left-to-right solid color sweater blend!).

Click On Image to Launch Gallery

Patrick Swayze, the beloved heart throb from Dirty Dancing and Ghost, has died of cancer at the age of 57. 

ABC News reports that the actor had been battling pancreatic cancer since March of last year. ”Patrick Swayze passed away peacefully today with family at his side after facing the challenges of his illness for the last 20 months,” Swayze’s publicist Annett Wolf said a statement. No other details were given.

Despite his fatal diagnosis, Swayze had remained hard at work. He put together a memoir with his wife and also shot an A&E drama series called The Beast, for which he had already made the pilot. Swayze said he opted not to use painkilling drugs while making The Beast because they would have taken the edge off his performance. Ultimately, A&E decided not to renew the show for a second season.

When the media first learned of Swayze’s disease, some reports gave him only weeks to live. However, his doctor said his situation was “considerably more optimistic” than that. Regardless, fans of the actor were devastated by the news.

Swayze was optimistic, but also realistic: ”I’d say five years is pretty wishful thinking,” In an interview with Barbara Walters earliert his year, Swayze said, ”Two years seems likely if you’re going to believe statistics. I want to last until they find a cure, which means I’d better get a fire under it.”

Check out more Patrick Swayze news!

We’ll miss you, Patrick.

Caster Semenya, an incredibly fast runner from South Africa, made headlines last August when she beat the world record in the 800 meter dash at the World Championships in Berlin. But the headlines weren’t just for her record run, they were also in regards to questions about her eligibility. Since Semenya not only had an irregularly deep voice, but also a surprisingly muscular build as well as a testosterone level three times greater than a normal woman, some officials had questioned her sex. That is, they weren’t sure if she was female or not.

Looking to beat back the rumors, the 18-year-old runner recently posed for You Magazine, a popular magazine in South Africa, showing off her feminine side. Trading her pants for a dress, cornrows for a crimped wave and her normal spandex outfit for heals, makeup and jewelry, it was hard to deny, she looked much better. And she felt better too, saying, “I’d like to dress up more often and wear dresses, but I never get the chance.” She went on to say, “I’d also like to learn to do my own make-up.”

What do you think?

Tracy says the babies are “naturally very sleepy,” making them pretty easy to work with as subjects. “What we try to work towards is natural curly positions like they would be in the womb,” she said. “They will bend very easily, and when they’re sound asleep you can do just about anything to them.”

Still, she says the environment in the studio is very important for the babies’ comfort. “The babies have to be very very warm, so we crank it up to about 85 degrees,” she said. “And we ask the moms that they have their bellies nice and full before they leave so that the drive to the studio gets them nice and sleepy in the car.”

Tracy uses props like hats and slings, though she says she likes to do something different with each kid and doesn’t really plan it ahead of time. “We kind of just read the baby,” she said. “Little girls tend to be a little bit feistier, so we have to work a little bit harder with them.”

You can check out more of her work at her website, Tracyraver.com.

1- Uma Thurman in Pulp Fiction

No other female is more associated with Tarantino’s ouvre than Uma Thurman in her sleek black bob, crisp white collared shirt, bare feet and black pants – all of which are a tribute to Godard’s muse, Anna Karina – rent those movies too!  One might say that Mia Wallace is barely a character in this film, is talked about like a possession of her husband when she is off screen, and of course, she has a nose for heroin!  But after Mia survives her near-overdose, she has the pluck and audacity to tell John Travolta’s character a bad joke.  As she turns and walks away from her Travolta, and her harrowing evening that started with dancing and milkshakes and ended with a syringe, you can’t help but admire this mysterious woman.

2- Pam Grier in Jackie Brown

Casting Pam Grier as Leonard Elmore’s down-on-her-luck but ballsy airline stewardess was a stroke of genius on Tarantino’s behalf.  Tarantino wanted to show the world Pam still had it going on; this was the same woman who was Foxy Brown and Coffy, who defined an era of African American feminine power! Tarantino seems to shout at us, “Do you think a woman like this just fades away?”  Jackie Brown can shoot a gun, play two or three men against each other, and look great in a suit – total empowerment from head to toe.

3- The Various Ladies of Kill Bill, Vols. 1 & 2

There is no way you can *only* give props to just Uma/The Bride in this double feature, even though it was downright inspirational to see Thurman doing her best at crane style right next to martial arts cinema legend Chia Hui Lui.  But remember Vivica Fox as Vernita Green, the mom who has time to stop a knife fight to reassure her daughter?  How about Lucy Lui as the head decapitating yakuza boss who won’t take any sh*t from any man making her feel bad for being half Japanese, half Chinese?  Don’t forget Go-Go (Chiaki Kuriyama), the mace wielding Japanese schoolgirl who giggles behind her hand but is ready to disembowel you in less than a minute?  Uma’s nemesis during the series was indeed the laconic David Carradine (RIP), but the real person who gave her plenty of trouble was Elle Driver (Darryl Hannah).  Who else is a good match against a statuesque killer blonde – but another statuesque killer blonde?  Tarantino gave birth to a whole litter of strong women in this film, and its empowering messages of strength in the face of adversity are going to make it a chick classic for years to come…

4- Zoe Bell of Death Proof

This film is clearly the weakest in Tarantino’s filmography.  We spend a good chunk of the film just watching girls talk to each other, and he isn’t even that good in writing dialogue for women (for this, see Pedro Almodovar’s entire body of work).  Then, the deaths of several female characters are portrayed in an extremely graphic and violent fashion to the point where it almost feels misogynistic and pointlessly destructive.  But then Zoe Bell arrives to save us all!  Zoe Bell was Xena the Warrior Princess’ stunt double for many years, and Uma Thurman’s stunt double on Kill Bill.  Tarantino took her out from behind the scenes and plopped her down right in front of a camera, where she rides triumphantly on the hood of a white Dodge Challenger (in an open homage to the film Vanishing Point), and then later, gives the film’s murderous woman-hating villain played by Kurt Russell, something to really cry about.  A so-so movie is completely saved by Zoe Bell’s death-defying prowess as a true action heroine.

5- Diane Kruger & Melanie Laurent in Inglourious Bastards

Much has been said about how Tarantino’s latest spaghetti western WWII action-drama is one of the most satsifying revenge fantasies ever made (especially if you’re Jewish!).  In this film, it is Shosanna Dreyfus’ (Laurent) one desire to strike back at the Nazi colonel who massacred her family years ago, and it is her headstrong unquenchable lust for revenge that is probably the only “real” and “grounded” emotion in the film.  The other beauty to be reckoned with is the double-agent spy Bridget Von Hammersmark, who risks everything to assist the Bastards in their quest to destroy the highest ranking officers in the Third Reich.  She looks beautiful, carries a gun, can drink with men, and talk her way out of bad situations.  Two tough broads that hold their own ground in this film full of manly men, bludgeonings, and machine guns.

So, does it surprise you a bit that the fast-talking big-headed man of cinema has such respect for women?  What other working writer-director out there creates these kind of empowering roles for chicks besides him?  Shout back at us and give us some examples.  The only person I can think of right now off the top of my head is Nicole Holofcener but, her chicks certainly don’t kick as much ass.

Extra Films for Movie Comprehension
Faster Pussycat, Kill, Kill!
Come Drink with Me
Vanishing Point
Band of Outsiders

PS True Romance excluded because he did not direct it!