She loves the new Transformers movies, and she also has a thing for Bumblebee style Camaro’s.

The funny thing is she’s never seen the original Transformers movie or the TV series.  Mr. HIH decided it was time for her to see where the Autobot action originated. Tonight, he’s giving her a Transformers history 101 class while they’re watching the movie.

My brother is 32 and he doesn’t like the new Transformers movies. He remains faithful to the original robots in disguise. How about you? Did you like the new Transformers movies or are you old school? Maybe both?

Check out this blast from the past, be sure to notice the awesome voice over cast:

Please don’t throw tomatoes after I say this but I’m not in the Twilight zone. It’s not that I dislike The Twilight Saga but I never picked up the novels and when I did see the first movie I just wasn’t feeling it.

First off there’s something about Bella that makes me cringe. All that blubbering she does. I’m all for a good love story but her dilemma is so… well…high school.

The other problem I have with The Twilight Saga is I can’t decide on a team. I don’t find either of the love interests that appealing. I like to joke with friends that are in the Twilightzone by saying, “I’m for Team Edward, Team Edward Scissorhands.”

Like I said before, please don’t throw tomatoes. Being the pop culture lover that I am, how could I not appreciate what’s popular? Appreciating and liking are two different things, much like Edward and Jacob.

Because I haven’t read the novels, I am intrigued by the latest movie. It looks like all the high school drama is out and all the going to the chapel action is in.

Have you read the Twilight novels? Did you camp out to get your Twilight: Breaking Dawn Part 1 premiere ticket this week?

In honor of the latest Twilight premiere let’s step back into the “Twilight Zone” with this retro tune from 1982 by Golden Earring.

For everything Twilight, including ringtones, mobile games, wallpapers and movie info, visit the official site by clicking here.
Keep up to date with Golden Earring’s latest news and upcoming gigs, click here.

For some reason, I always snack while I watch these two shows. Reminds me of Home Alone when Kevin McAllister says “Guys, I’m eating junk and watching rubbish! You better come out and stop me!”

Funny, both of these shows have the word “wives” in them. I am a housewife, but I don’t have a sister, or a sister wife and thank goodness I’m not living in Beverly Hills. This leads me to the Down and Out title of my post.

The 80’s movie, Down and Out in Beverly Hills popped into my pop culture drenched brain the last time I watched The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
Bette Midler plays a wealthy Beverly Hills housewife, bored and depressed. Richard Dreyfuss plays her disgruntled, work-obsessed husband. Enter Nick Nolte, as a down and out homeless man trying to drown himself in their sparkling pool. That cool Talking Heads song “Once in a Lifetime” plays, chaos ensues, the husband fools around with the housekeeper, the wife falls for the homeless dude, they fire walk in the backyard, Little Richard makes a scene on the front lawn,  the rich couple rekindles their marriage, and they all live happily ever after. I think. Maybe it’s time to watch this retro flick again.

Watch Bette Midler videos and read her “Words of Wisdom”: http://www.bettemidler.com
Check out articles, photos and a 3D representation of Nick Nolte’s heart? Um…sure… why not? http://nicknolte.com
Watch a bunch of cool Talking Heads videos, click here.

After watching the movie I went home and read as many reviews that I could until I realized most movie critics were saying the same things. Some say On Stranger Tides doesn’t work because Captain Jack has taken on more of a lead role in this movie and his quirkiness is old news on screen. As a Captain Jack Sparrow fan, I say I’m not savvy with that idea. I think Pirates of the Caribbean fans will watch and enjoy this movie because it’s another chance to take a ride with Captain Jack Sparrow.

I’m not a movie critic, I’m a blogging housewife. Most importantly for this review I need to remind you that I’m also a mom. The main reason I like this movie is because of the kiddo. She jumped at the movie’s surprise moments and together we laughed at Captain Jack’s antics. Depp’s familiar Captain Jack expressions, his rolling eyes, funny faces and familiar remarks are like that pair of comfy shoes you’d never think of getting rid of. Alright that’s corny but true. One word… housewife!

The kiddo loved the mermaids for being less like Ariel and more like the ones she’s read about in her mythology books. Much like the skeletons from The Curse of the Black Pearl, or the undersea mutant crew in Dead Man’s Chest, I thought the mermaids were intriguing.

Many critics say the plot isn’t well defined, the sword fights aren’t authentic enough and there is no spark between Depp and Cruz. I can understand these ideas but honestly I never thought of them while watching the movie. It was only after reading a few bad reviews that I looked back and thought, ehh I can sort of see what they’re saying.

The reason why audiences like the movie more than critics is because they are taking the ride without analyzing it. If you like mythological mermaids, Blackbeard the pirate, and Captain Jack antics, if you can take a movie less seriously, I say take the ride and decide for yourself. Savvy?

Take a look at the coolness that is actor Ian McShane as Blackbeard.

Movie reviews of On Stranger Tides are circling the cyberwaters but I dare not read one yet. See you at the movie theater May 20th!

Watch the official movie trailer and buy tickets online, visit http://disney.go.com/pirates

Thanks to my friend, writer Lizzy Cline, I found out about an online tribute project called Scissorhands 20th,  created by artist & blogger Seb Mesnard.

Visit http://scissorhands20th.blogspot.com to see the diverse & wonderful artwork inspired by Edward Scissorhands.

Starting this weekend you can see the original works at Gallery Nucleus in Alhambra, CA, April 16, 2011 – May 9, 2011.

“In collaboration with Sebastien Mesnard, Gallery Nucleus will be showcasing a selection of original works from the Scissorhands 20th blog. The exhibit will highlight the works of over 40 artists, including paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, etc. and unite enthusiasts and fans in celebrating the 20th anniversary of Tim Burton’s classic love story and its unforgettable characters; Edward, Kim, Peg and a band of colorful suburbanites.”—gallerynucleus.com

Click here for Gallery Nucleus exhibition info.

The now “retro trailer” for Edward Scissorhands via traileraddict.com:

Visit these links to read some of writer Lizzy Cline’s work:

http://johnny-depp.org

http://www.ek-one.co.uk

This is exactly the concept Catfish explores. So the fact that they too, they meaning those behind the movie, could be elaborating on the truth makes perfect sense to me.
I’m sure you’ve heard the term Fakebook. I like to call it Two-Facebook because what people post is what they want the world to see or at least what they want those in cyberspace to believe about them. Most people don’t show their piles of dirty laundry unless that’s also to make a statement. I think we have all become a bit two-faced when it comes to our online identity.

It takes a lot for me to keep those bad tagged photos from 6th grade up, but by doing so it’s like saying, “Yes, these are horrible photos, I agree. But I’m cool like that. I can take it.”

“People are strange when you’re a stranger.”—The Doors

Jim Morrison sang, “People are strange when you’re a stranger.” Maybe that’s why we love social media so much. It takes the strangeness away, makes us feel closer to people we might otherwise not be close to. The reality is most people probably know more about 10 of their Facebook friends they haven’t met or those they haven’t seen for years than they do 10 people they’ve seen in “real life”. Some may find this sad. Some might argue it’s just social evolution.

Once upon a time we made statements about who we are by the way we dress, the way we walk, talk, who we associate with, the kind of car we drive, the way we interact in real life situations. These days we have much more to think about. What is this profile pic saying about me? What will people read from this post? Constant stream of thoughts and ideas are typed, tweeted, updated and commented on.
Some people complicate their situations and even alter their identities in real life. Cyberlife can be magnified and become tangled with the rest of what the World Wide Web has to offer. The movie Catfish takes these ideas to the next level.

Catfish is labeled a reality thriller by Fios On Demand. I didn’t get too thrilled but faux or not, the movie Catfish got me thinking about my life in cyberspace.
What’s your take on Catfish?

According to IMDb.com, Smurfs is in production now. The site lists actors Quentin Tarantino as Brainy Smurf, and Jonathan Winters as Papa Smurf.  Neil Patrick Harris and Jayma Mays play a couple set to have their first child when things get smurfy after they meet the little blue characters in Central Park.

George Lopez, and Katy Perry are rumored to have roles in the film. All together now, “I kissed a Smurf and I liked it.”

The role of Gargamel goes to Hank Azaria. He cracked me up as Kahmunrah in Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian.

Did you know that The Smurfs originated in 1958 as a comic strip by Belgian comic artist Pierre Culliford, also known as Peyo?

I have to admit I thought The Smurfs were born in the early 80’s just like Pac Man but it’s nice to know they have a cultured history.

From comics to animated series to Smurf toys in Target and now a movie in production. The collective conscious is smurfing blue. Enough of the Smurf language I know.

Let’s take a trip back to Smurf Village circa 1981. Poor Smurfette, she’s only three apples tall, blond and the only Smurfette in the whole village. Spring, or shall we say Smurfette Fever:

Visit the Official Smurfs site appropriately called smurf.com

“Curiouser and curiouser!” Cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English).

So far this “Follow the White Rabbit” idea has served me quite well. Of course I’m not literally chasing a white rabbit. That would be nonsense now wouldn’t it? I am following any idea that I find interesting even if it turns out different than I hoped for.

With 2010 just beginning, I hope to continue this rabbit chase whenever possible. Meanwhile I’ve been researching all things Alice, partly because of my white rabbit notion and also the fun film trailers that are out starring my favorite actor Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter.

Tim Burton directs the film Alice in Wonderland coming out in March, 2010. As usual many of his own favorite actors are involved such as Helena Bonham Carter, Christopher Lee, Timothy Spall, and Alan Rickman. To see who else is on the cast list and get more info, click here for the official site of Disney’s Alice in Wonderland in 3D.

I’ve always loved Walt Disney’s animated version of Alice in Wonderland (1951). According to Burton this one will be quite different. Alice Kingsley is now 19 and finds herself chasing the rabbit once again back to Wonderland even though she has no recollection of being there before. It’s obvious from the trailer that he’ll be working his gothic magic on this film and Hot Topic has already gone merchandise crazy with everything from T-shirts to key rings. I know because I have one already myself. Thanks Aunt Diane!

All this Alice talk has me thinking of the song from Jefferson Airplane called “White Rabbit”:

Speaking of Grace Slick did you know she’s an accomplished artist? Check out her work by touring this link: http://www.areaarts.com/wonderland/tour.html

Remember what the door mouse said, “Feed your Head.”

It’s time for a Friday Flashback. Let’s go back in time to 1970-1975. I was too young to appreciate The Odd Couple when it first aired on TV but I did enjoy reruns several years later. The Odd Couple starred Tony Randall as Felix Unger and Jack Klugman as Oscar Madison.

The Odd Couple started out as a play by Neil Simon and in 1968 the film  was made starring Jack Lemmon as Felix and Walter Matthau as Oscar.

Spending much of my childhood a few feet away from a TV, I tend to remember the TV series better. Quick synopsis: Felix Unger’s wife kicks him out and he has no one to turn to except his childhood friend Oscar Madison. Oscar takes him in and while their lifestyles are constantly at odds the storyline creates great conflict and laughs for a sitcom.

Not only was the storyline great but the characters are memorable and the laughs stand the test of decades. The question still remains, “Can two divorced men share an apartment without driving each other crazy?”

Taste of Trivia: Did you know that in 1973 Tony Randall and Jack Klugman recorded an album called “The Odd Couple Sings” for London Records? Roland Shaw and The London Festival Orchestra and Chorus provided the music and additional vocals. It didn’t hit the Billboard Charts but the fans must have got a kick out of it.

Listen to the songs on the album by clicking here.

I went to the hair salon last weekend wanting a drastic change. I’m a natural blond that needs artificial help going from Dishwater to Dazzling Blond. Every few years I get the urge to do something different. I’ve had long hair, short hair, brown hair, and during my Tori Amos phase in the mid 90’s I tried out being a redhead.

With my drastic change attitude the stylist suggested adding black to my blond color for a two-toned fun effect.
Why not?

After seeing my hair a few friends mentioned others that share similar Two-Toned Do’s. Let’s look at 5 in pop culture.

Deborah Harry

Deborah Harry, the lead singer of the pop rock group Blondie expressed her unique style with two-toned locks more than a few times.

Check out the cover of Parallel Lines from Blondie. You can purchase this CD via Amazon, click here.

http://www.deborahharry.com

Cruella de Vil

Cruella De Vil, Cruella De Vil, if she doesn’t scare you no evil thing will. This villain has a nasty obsession with the spots of 101 Dalmatians. She also has radical black and white hair.

Terri Nunn

http://www.terrinunn.com/

It would be easy to spot the lead singer from Berlin while “Riding on a Metro”. She’d be the one with the cute hat and Two-Toned do.

Artwork by Krayel Art Studio http://krayel.com/

Click here for the video of “You Don’t Know” by Berlin.

Rogue

Comic book fans and X-Men enthusiasts will know this character. Rogue is a young woman that can’t touch another without sucking out their life force. Speaking of sucking, the actress that played Rogue in the movie X-Men has a cute boyfriend that’s been sucking blood for decades. Anna Paquin played Rogue and now she plays Sookie Stackhouse in one of my favorite TV shows True Blood. Sookie’s hair is one nice shade of blond.

Speaking of True Blood how about a video by Depeche Mode:

Drew Barrymore

This month, Drew Barrymore made her feature directorial debut with the film Whip It at the Toronto International Film Festival. The debut of her Two-Toned hairstyle on the red carpet had the internet a buzz with Hate it or Love it polls.

Check out this footage from Red Carpet Diary:

Opening October 2nd, this film will be a must see. Based on the novel Derby Girl by Shauna Cross, Whip It stars Drew Barrymore, Juliette Lewis, Andrew Wilson and Ellen Page, sounds good doesn’t it?

Click here for the official Whip It site.

Find your heading and mark your calendars for September 11, 2011! Pirates of the Caribbean-On Stranger Tides will wash ashore for our viewing pleasure.

There’s also the release of “The Beatles: Rock Band” video game and The Beatles digitally remastered CD. Visit the official site for details about both: http://www.thebeatles.com/

Besides the 9-9-9 special releases today the first thing that comes into my mind is 99 Luftballoons. Okay so that’s missing 900 balloons, I know!

Do you remember this 80′s song by Nena? Some of you might remember the English version. Here’s a retro clip in German:

 Here’s the more modern version:

So what’s on your 999 agenda? Do you follow numerology or do you hear the tune from Oingo Boingo in your head…”Just Another Day”?

I’m off on vacation this week celebrating Father’s Day with my dad in his hometown of Richmond, Illinois. Richmond is a little over an hour away from Chicago so we’ll be doing some sightseeing Ferris Bueller style.

Ferris Bueller’s Day Off is a John Hughes film from 1986. It became an 80′s cult classic full of fun quotes and memorable scenes. People of all ages have been spotted wearing their Save Ferris shirts.

How many times have you used the, “Anyone? Anyone?” line in the last few years? Or is that just me?

Many of the scenes were shot in Chicago so I think it would be fun to do a Ferris Bueller’s Day Off tour by frequenting some of the same places they went in the movie. Click here to view the trailer.

Matthew Broderick has grown up quite a bit since the 80’s. Here he is talking with David Letterman about going to the dentist, and expecting twins with his wife Sarah Jessica Parker.

Speaking of Father’s Day, Matthew Broderick guest stars as the voice of Max in a special Father’s Day episode of CYBERCHASE premiering June 19, 2009 on PBS Kids.

I’ll be back soon. Meanwhile you can always peruse the archives for HIH retro reruns.
Happy Father’s Day to all you Cyber Dads of the Year! You know who you are. Anyone? Anyone?

Just reading that word, the biggest word you’ve ever heard, makes me want to jump up and sing with my best British accent. Once I start singing songs from Mary Poppins, I can’t stop at “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”. I catch my breath and start back up with “Chim Chim Cheree”.

Since I was doing so much Mary Poppins singing, I put up a url to the song “Feed the Birds” on Facebook and twitter. It’s a beautiful song that can bring listeners to tears in a good way with its ethereal feel and compassionate message. I remembered reading that “Feed the Birds”  was Walt Disney’s favorite song but I couldn’t remember all the information surrounding the story.

Thanks to my social media friends, I quickly found out that the Sherman Brothers were responsible for Mary Poppins music and they’d often play the song “Feed the Birds” for Disney. His favorite song was performed at the dedication of a Disneyland plaque on what would have been Walt’s 100th birthday.

Another favorite of mine is “Spoonful of Sugar”. I like to sing this while I’m cleaning the house. It’s true that a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down, even if that medicine is a big pile of dirty pots and pans in the sink.

The story of origin for “Spoonful of Sugar” is that Bob Sherman’s son came home from school after a day of getting vaccinated, also known as getting shots. When Mr. Sherman asked his son if it hurt, the boy replied that they put a sugar cube on a spoon and fed it to each student after they got their shot. The next day Bob Sherman told his brother the now very famous lyric.

A movie is out in theaters now called “The Boys – The Sherman Brothers Story”. The brothers are responsible for more than Mary Poppins music. Music for Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Jungle Book, Parent Trap, and The Aristocats came from the Sherman brothers. Find more information about the movie here.

I’m excited about this film because like the trailer says they are responsible for many of the songs that children have grown up with. What Sherman Brothers tune will you sing today?

Thanks to Scott Brody, Lisa Butterworth and Richard Molden on Facebook/twitter, for their Mary Poppins and Sherman Brothers information.

Another story was brought to my attention called Beth’s Story. Founded by Participant Media – the company behind such films as Good Night, and Good Luck, An Inconvenient Truth, The Soloist and The Visitor, among many others, TakePart.com  believes that a powerful story can make a difference.

“Beth’s Story was created to shine a light on the millions of people living on the street who are often times overlooked. She is a composite of their many complicated, often heartbreaking realities and of the issues and challenges that can lead to homelessness.”

To get involved, visit Participant Media’s social action campaign for The Soloist at www.takepart.com/thesoloist or text BETH to ACTION (228466).

You can also friend www.myspace.com/takepart

WAKE starring Bijou Phillips

I went to the Newport Beach Film Festival on Friday, April 24th specifically to see the indie film WAKE. I read that Danny Masterson was in the film and being a fan of That 70’s Show I thought it might be fun to see him on the big screen.

While waiting outside before the doors opened I met WAKE director Ellie Kanner, producer Hal Schwartz, actors Danny Masterson, Bijou Phillips and Bijou’s mother Genevieve Waite.

For those of you that love fun music finds check this one out from Genevieve’s 1973 album, Romance Is on the Rise.

Before the screening I asked Danny Masterson a couple questions and took some video of Danny, Bijou Phillips, and director Ellie Kanner talking with the press.

Housewife in Hollywood at WAKE Film Screening from SuzanneHIH on Vimeo.

The film WAKE is a dark comedy about Carys, played by Bijou Phillips, desperate to experience emotion she attends funerals of strangers. She meets Tyler, played by Ian Somerhalder, who is mourning his fiancée. Meeting him is the catalyst that sparks her emotions again but she discovers she might not be the only one hiding dark secrets.

Danny Masterson plays her best friend Shane, a mortician, a perfect fit for someone like Carys who values local funeral information. Jayne Seymour plays the role of her estranged mother who thinks Carys is better off eating cookies rather than digging up the past. Lila, played by Marguerite Moreau, adds to the comic relief being the roommate Carys finds annoying and at times helpful.

Sometimes dark comedy can be so abstract I can’t relate to it but this film was funny and well done. Even though Carys is an offbeat character with a strange interest in funerals, watching her journey is comical and poignant. This housewife gives WAKE the movie 4 out of 4 waffles.

“The idea for WAKE came to me when I was in school. I loved the notion that sometimes it’s only in extreme circumstances that we engage and really recognize what’s important to us. A woman who goes to funerals to experience life made a certain sense to me. I wrote a draft of the script then, but wasn’t happy with it and moved on to other projects. It wasn’t until a couple of years ago that I realized I still loved the idea at the heart of the movie and decided to give it another shot.” —writer and one of the producers of WAKE, Lennox Wisely.

Find out more about WAKE by visiting http://www.wakemovie.com

Tell them Housewife in Hollywood sent you.

The World Premiere of his latest movie, Knuckle Draggers, was on Sunday at the Newport Beach Film Festival. I was fortunate enough to get one of the last vacant seats for this sold out show.

“Knuckle Draggers takes a realistic, but comic look at how the behaviors of men and women have evolved very little since the caveman times.” -director Alex Ranarivelo

First let me be honest in saying that after seeing the trailer I thought I might be just a bit too old or too married for a movie about dating and the evolution of man when it comes to relationships. I was more than pleasantly surprised to find out after watching the film that I was wrong. I loved this movie.

With a stellar cast including Ross McCall, Paul J. Alessi, Amie Barsky, Danielle Nicolet, Justin Baldoni, Jennifer Alden, and Omar Gooding this movie wins in the acting department.

The script was comical and heartfelt. I heard laughter from female and male voices from the audience, and although parts of the movie are spent comparing women’s ideas of mates to studies done on monkeys, women enjoyed the film giving kudos to Paul as they left the theater.

The music choices by composer Austin Wintory complimented the scenes and were never overpowering. I liked the way he mixed music with a primitive element and Spanish guitar to make it “ultra romantic”.

Actor & musician Omar Gooding played the role of Russell. Two of his songs, My Shine and Ghetto Star from the album, Tradin’ War Stories, were featured in the movie.

Paul’s passion for this film was evident not only by his on screen performance but the way he worked with the press, cast and crew, also mingling with movie-goers at the World Premiere.

This housewife gives Knuckle Draggers the movie 4 out of 4 waffles.

Housewife in Hollywood Talks with Cast of Knuckle Draggers from SuzanneHIH on Vimeo.

Housewife in Hollywood Talks with Cast of Knuckle Draggers from SuzanneHIH on Vimeo.

You can see Knuckle Draggers at another screening Thursday April 30th. Click here for schedule & ticket information at the Newport Beach Film Festival.

This year we’ll be visiting the movie theater for Disneynatures’s latest film Earth. Click here for the trailer.
If you buy a ticket for opening week, Disney will plant a tree in your honor.

For those of you with kiddos of your own, explore the educator materials available on the Disneynature site.

Keeping in line with keeping the planet clean, I found a great video by ThreadBanger.com showing us how to “upcycle old items into a rad new pendant lamp”. Plus, learn some easy ways to contribute to our own neighborhood.

Remember, every day should be Earth Day! Be a Nature Saver, don’t litter!
Join the Clean World Movement by visiting www.cleanworldmovement.org