A Striped KITT

The new Knight Rider will have stripes on it basically since it’s going to be a Ford Mustang specifically a Ford Mustang Shelby GT500KR that will portray the role of Knight Industries Three Thousand.

This will surely disappoint purists that are hoping to see a rebuilt Trans Am or another GM-made car such as the new Camaro or a Z06 Corvette. And also earlier pictures of the new KITT circulated on the web shows a Koenigsegg CCX which quite fits the role.

For the show, three versions of the car will be used the everyday KITT Hero, KITT Attack, and the driverless KITT Remote. The nanotechnology allows the KITT to shape shift and change color. The KITT’s super computer can hack into any computer and electrical system.

The voice of KITT will also be change instead of using the voice of William Daniels comic actor Will Arnett will become the new voice of KITT. However some feels that Arnett is somewhat miscast in the role.

Anyway that is no longer our concern (LOL). David Hasselhoff will remain as Michael Knight only older this time. He will be the personal trainer of All My Children star Justin Bruening who will play as an ex-Army Ranger Mike Tracer who will help in tracking down the original KITT creator, Charles. The other characters on the show include Deanna Russo as Sarah Graiman, Bruce Davison as Charles, and Sydney Tamiia Poitier as an FBI agent.

The Knight Rider to be shown at the NBC network on February 17 at 9pm ET will be a two-hour movie that will serve as a sneak peek of the coming new Knight Rider series and if the show is successful new episodes of the Knight Rider may be ready by the next fall season.

Hollywood Is Going To The Geeks

There was once a time when the nerds were the ultimate losers: fashionably-challenged weirdoes with bad acne infested complexions, terrible eyesight, teeth with braces and zero testosterone who normally got their heads flushed in the toilet by the school jock.

The nerds lived with their parents, drove uncool cars, had terrible taste in music and they never, ever got the girl. Mainly because they very much preferred to indulge in some light reading with the Biology textbook or arranging their exercise books according to subject and difficulty and collecting stamps instead of engaging with girls.

However for a brief moment in 1984, nerds got their chance to get even in the popular sitcom Revenge of the Nerds. But pretty soon, they were back at the bottom rung of society, to be laughed at and ridiculed for our viewing pleasure. Until now....

It's official! Geek is the new cool. Well at least on the screen. It seems the nerds and geeks are enjoying some sort of a renaissance in mainstream Hollywood be it cartoon shows, TV sitcoms or summer blockbusters. The nerds are taking the entertainment world by storm and people are loving it.

Don't believe me? Take a look at the popular Harry Potter trilogy based on J.K Rowling's novels which centers around Daniel Radcliffe playing the geeky boy wizard Harry Potter.

Featuring an adorable looking nerd as their front man, the trilogy alone is fetching a huge paycheck eclipsing the success of the Star Wars trilogy and the Bond trilogy. Not to mention making the girls going all weak in the knees.

Potter is not the only one enjoying the break, the nerds have moved on to conquering the blockbuster spectacle. First we had Sam Raimi's Spider-Man 1,2 and 3 where Tobey Maguire’s Peter Parker is quite possibly the coolest nerd in film, a hapless, science-infatuated no-hoper who becomes an all-action, charismatic guardian of all things good in a super-cool costume

Then there was Bryan Singer's Superman Return featuring Brandon Routh who plays Clark Kent as nerdy to a T just as the character should be. Both movies as we all know received thumbs up from the critics and the box office

In the CGI-laden summer blockbuster Transformers, Shia LaBeouf’s wisecracking Sam Witwicky is a smart teenager and eBay nerd who can’t get dates and never gets invited to the cool parties but ends up saving the world and going out with the hottest girl in town

In Superbad, which is about two college-bound kids with the grand plan to get booze for a party in order to score with the girls of their dreams, Hill lights up the movie with his mischievous personality and crazy, hedonistic tendencies

Heder’s show-stealing performance in Jared Hess’ 2004 sleeper hit Napoleon Dynamite as a listless and alienated teenager who helps his new friend Pedro Sanchez (Efren Ramirez) win the class presidency in their high school made him a star overnight – despite the fact that Hess had him wearing thick glasses, naff clothes and a horrible curly wig

In the hit Knocked Up directed by Judd Apatow, Seth Rogen is hilarious as the lead character Ben Stone. A of lead character slacker who is bent on cracking up get-rich-quick Internet schemes with his not so cool housemates, who ends up with the beautiful Katherine Heigl

From the silver screen to the TV screen, hit shows like Heroes has it's fair share of geeks like Japanese Masi Oka who plays the lovable Hiro Nakamura, the chubby time-traveling office boy who reads comic books and dreams of saving the world all day long. Oka's performance in Heroes had earn him a Golden Globe nomination in 2006.

Remember this dude?

Who could forget Jaleel White's portrayal of super geek Steve Urkel in the 90's indie sitcom, Family Matters. White's character spawn a business empire from clothing lines to doll collections all under Urkel's name. The show itself fetched a Daytime Emmy nomination.

Cartoons are also beginning to open up to the nerds. Shows like the Fairly Odd Parents have geeky Timmy Turner as the loser in society but has a set of fairy god parents to turn his luck around. The show won an Emmy in 2006.

Lisa Simpson in cartoons reigning heavyweight, The Simpsons is the intellectual, fast talking, eco-friendly daughter of America's most dysfunctional family. The show has lasted 19 seasons long and counting and has won 92 Emmy awards and a Golden Globe nominated movie under it's belt.

Lastly who could forget Spongebob Squarepants. The naive, slightly retarded sponge in an underwater city leads the 5 time Emmy winning show with a TV rating overshadowing established series like CSI and Desperate Housewives.

Well, there you have it. The geeks of showbiz. So why are geeks and nerds so popular at the moment when they are traditionally objects of scorn in movies? Well, with their intelligence and wit, it’s hard not to be seduced by their charms. And their rise to prominence can also be attributed to the audiences’ increasing apathy with the macho self-aggrandizement of the classic ladies’ man type. As trends go now, funny and clever – never mind weird – gets the attention. And the girl.

Blogs

Finally after months of having Arinah pestering me to make one I would like to present to you my blog: Am I Right. Really, I did this out of boredom..I don't know why people like blogging details of their life on a computer generated diary. Neither do I understand why some people +yp3 L1k3 +h1$ ^^. Now after SPM I have been browsing through random blogs to see how does one manage a blog..I came across some good ones, Eg. Kenny Sia and some bad ones, Eg. Kenny Lim and I've found out that most bloggers can be classified into 3 categories.

1. The Oh My God I hate that person so much and every syllable she utters and everything she does is an unforgivable insult to me so I am writing on this blog to express my feelings of hate to the public category.

This is how their blogs will sound like:
I mean I HATE MAY ZHEE. I hate her so much! hate hate hate!!!!

I knew she just loved me for my money. *sob...loved me...she loved me before...AHEM* She knew my father owned the biggest roti factory in Malaysia so she thought that by being with me, I will buy her lots and lots of stuff! She is WRONG!

I only bought her a Lamborghini, swimming pool, torch light, hippotamus, a piece of area on the moon, Cartier jewellery, around 10 LV bags and that's all.

Oh yeah, still got that time Christmas...and Valentine's....and Deepavali...

Never mind. As long as I don't exceed the million dollar mark, it's little. But what did she do?? SHE DUMPED ME. And this is her stupid excuse:

'I can't be with you because you have an ugly name. WHY DID SHE DO THAT TO ME????????? Oh no my brother is coming again.

I know she didn't leave me because of my name, which is beautiful by the way, it's because of that STUPID PRAWN FACTORY OWNER'S SON! He must have courted her!! Stupid prawn son. My bread is so much better than your chao prawn.

See for yourself: I Hate May Zhee

2. The Oh God I love her so much and I can't go on for another agonizing hour if I can't see her. She is the very air I breathe and I miss her so much so I am typing emo stuff on this blog highlighting her name every chance i get hoping that she would come across it and realize she loves me to while cleverly not revealing my name because I am such a coward category

This is how their blogs will sound like:
Entry 1:
I've been living that routine lifestyle for about 2-3 weeks, the reason is cause I stopped SMSing Kay Lee and I blocked her on MSN. I'm not sure why I did it but I find myself missing her even more and feeling awfully empty. And I'm just finding the right time to unblock her and SMS her again.

Entry 2:
When I'm dead and gone, you'll find out the secret, crazy things I've done. It's another Saturday, tonight I'll see Kay Lee and she won't see me, I won't even see her, it'll be me catching a glimpse of her. And then it's back to another hectic week.

Entry 3:
Sometimes I look in the mirror and see a stranger, sometimes I look at her picture and see another stranger. As I slowly start to lose sense of who I am, my life is no longer my own.

See for yourself: The Trials and Tribulations of Being Irrecoverably Jaded

3. The plain weird category

This is how their blogs will sound like:
. . . stream flow pour discharge unload
lighten relieve ease release free
redeem compensate atone pay clear
rid lose sacrifice consecrate devote
dedicate surrender relinquish abandon
forsake leave go proceed advance
further generate create compose
constitute enact establish set place
know fathom sound seem appear emerge
originate introduce enter penetrate invade
trespass transgress violate breach open
reveal uncover expose show display
manifest embody represent interpret explain
clarify illuminate enlighten inform fire provoke
incite instigate activate awaken stir
arouse alert excite energize vitalize
animate encourage embolden impel move
affect inspire stimulate dynamize enliven
quicken vivify refresh renew restore
revive resurrect raise grow breed father
procreate bear mother hatch contrive plot devise
plan design invent imagine think conceive
understand apprehend grasp perceive see
behold discern divine foresee anticipate expect
hope await abide stay arrest interrupt defer
delay detain hold keep obey comply conform
adapt accommodate harmonize agree acknowledge
avow assert affirm certify attest confirm prove
testify demonstrate verify determine settle fix
stabilize balance compensate offset counteract
neutralize cancel annul erase delete eliminate
exclude bar limit confine constrain force compel
inflict impose give present confer provide
offer extend advance . . .

See for yourself: triggerdreams

Something tells me I'll be making a lot of enemies with this blog.

Aston Martin DBS to Star in New James Bond Movie

The British manufacturer of luxury performance cars and favorite car brand of James Bond, Aston Martin has recently announced that the DBS which is the brand’s new flagship model will once again co-star with Daniel Craig in another James Bond movie to be produced by Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli for EON Productions and directed by March Forster.

The DBS has made its first appearance in Casino Royale where it was able to smash its way into the Guinness World Record books for “The Most Cannon Rolls in a Car”. The record-breaking stunt was accomplished by stuntman Adam Kirley and has become as one of the most spectacular in movie history when the DBS rolled seven times.

Dr. Ulrich Bez, Aston Martin Chief Executive Officer said, “Aston Martin is proud of our long association with James Bond. The DBS has its own unique character which equals that of James Bond. It is explosive power in a black tie. It is the perfect car for James Bond as it delivers the complete driving experience and bridges the gap between our road and track cars – the DB9 and DBR9. It is equally at home on a twisting mountain circuit as on the open road and we are all very excited at the prospect of seeing it on the big screen again.”

The working title of the new James Bond movie is Bond 22 and is scheduled for international theatrical release in November 2008.

2007 Shelby Mustang GT500 Cast in I Am Legend Movie Starring Will Smith

A year after the all-new version Ford Mondeo has grace the James Bond film Casino Royale another Ford vehicle will get its share of the limelight in a holiday blockbuster entitled I Am Legend starring Will Smith.

The movie will cast the 2007 Shelby Mustang GT500 in red with signature white stripes. Brian Daly of Ford Global Brand Entertainment (FGBE) which places Ford vehicles in movies, TV, and other media said, "There is no doubt that the Shelby Mustang GT500 is the costar of the first part of this story. Smith plays the sole survivor of an apocalypse who races around the deserted, gray, empty streets in this fantastic bright red Mustang. The sequences are incredible. The producers knew they wanted an American-made vehicle and the Shelby Mustang was perfect casting. But I also knew Chrysler and GM were making pitches. I kept imagining the folks at Camaro piecing together all kinds of prototypes to get those scenes."

It was in the spring of 2006 when Daly has started talking with Warner Bros. on the possible casting of Ford vehicles on the movie and thanks to his long working relationship with several studio executives he was given the chance to take a peak at the script.

I Am Legend is a movie adapted on the 1954 Richard Matheson science fiction novel that features a red Ford vehicle. The First adaptation of this novel is the movie The Omega Man which was released in the year 1971 and has featured Charlton Heston behind the wheel of a bright red 1970 Ford LTD.

For the I Am Legend, Smith will not only be seen driving a Ford convertible but will also be sharing scenes with a Ford Expedition and a Ford Escape Hybrid.

For this year, Ford vehicles have starred in some of the most exciting movies ever released including The Kingdom that featured a Range Rover and starred Jamie Foxx; Dan in Real Life wherein Ford starred with Volvo and Steve Carell; Rush Hour 3 that showcase a Jaguar XK and starred Jackie Chan; and Nancy Drew that featured a Ford Escape and Land Rover LR3 and starred Emma Roberts.

And next year, 2008, it’s still going to be a busy year for Ford vehicles on the screen as it joins the casts of the movie Nights in Rodante starring Richard Gere driving behind a 2008 Jaguar XK. Hopefully there would still be some more announcement after.

Top 40 Vintage movies featuring the greatest movie cars

Can’t get enough of movie cars? And top tens gets you craving for more? Let me quench your thirst. Hotrod.com listed the top 40 greatest car movies of all time. Check them out and reminisce how each motion picture satisfied your gearhead appetite.

1> American Graffiti (1973)

Director: George Lucas
Stars: '32 Ford five-window, '55 Chevy, '58 Chevy
People: Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Charles Martin Smith,Harrison Ford, Cindy Williams, Mackenzie Phillips, Candy Clark, and PaulLeMat

2> Two-Lane Blacktop (1971)

Director: Monte Hellman
Stars: '55 Chevy, '70 GTO
People: James Taylor, Dennis Wilson, Warren Oates

3> Vanishing Point (1971)

Director: Richard C. Sarafian
Star: '70 Challenger R/T
People: Barry Newman, Cleavon Little, Dean Jagger

4> Bullitt (1968)

Director: Peter Yates
Stars: '68 Mustang GT 390, '68 Charger
People: Steve McQueen, Jacqueline Bisset

5> The Gumball Rally (1976)

Director: Charles Bail
Stars: '65 Shelby Cobra 427, '70 Camaro, '71 Ferrari DaytonaSpyder
People: Michael Sarrazin, Raul Julia, Gary Busey

6> Thunder Road (1958)

Director: Arthur Ripley
Stars: '50 Ford, '57 Chevy, '57 Ford
People: Robert Mitchum, Gene Barry

7> Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974)

Director: John Hough
Stars: '66 Impala, '69 Charger
People: Peter Fonda, Adam Roarke, Susan George, Vic Morrow

8> Smokey and The Bandit (1977)

Director: Hal Needham
Stars: '77 Trans Am
People: Burt Reynolds, Sally Field, Jackie Gleason

9> The Blues Brothers (1980)
Director: John Landis
Star: '74 Monaco Police Package
People: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd

10> Hollywood Knights (1980)

Director: Floyd Mutrux
Stars: '57 Chevy, '66 Cobra 427, and numerous street rods
People: Robert Wuhl, Tony Danza, Michelle Pfeiffer

11> Mad Max (1979)

Director: George Miller
Stars: '73 Ford Falcon Coupe
People: Mel Gibson

12> The Road Warrior (1981)

Director: George Miller
Star: '73 Ford Falcon Coupe
People: Mel Gibson

13> Le Mans (1971)

Director: Lee H. Katzin
Stars: Porsche 917, Ferrari 512S
People: Steve McQueen

14> Gone In 60 Seconds (1974)

Director: H.B. Halicki
Star: '73 Ford Mustang Mach 1
People: H.B. Halicki

15> Corvette Summer (1978)

Director: Matthew Robbins
Star: '73 Ford Falcon Coupe
People: Mark Hamill, Annie Potts

16> More American Graffiti (1979)

Director: Bill L. Norton
Stars: '32 Ford, fleets of vintage drag machines
People: Ron Howard, Paul LeMat

17> Funny Car Summer (1974)

Director: Ron Phillips
Star: Jim Dunn's rear-engine '73 'Cuda Funny Car
People: Jim Dunn and family

18> Cannonball (1976)

Director: Paul Bartel
Stars: '69 Mustang, '70 Trans Am, '71 Pantera, '68 Charger
People: David Carradine, Veronica Hamel

19> White Lightning (1973)

Director: Joseph Sargent
Star: '71 Ford LTD
People: Burt Reynolds, Ned Beatty

20> Death Race 2000 (1975)

Director: Paul Bartel
Stars: Scads of kit cars
People: David Carradine, Sylvester Stallone

21> Eat My Dust! (1976)

Director: Charles B. Griffith
Star: '68 Camaro
People: Ron Howard, Christopher Norris

22> The Lively Set (1964)

Director: Jack Arnold
Stars: Chrysler Turbine, Top Fuelers, streamliners
People: James Darren, Pamela Tiffin, Doug McClure

23> The French Connection (1971)

Director: William Friedkin
Star: '71 Pontiac LeMans
People: Gene Hackman, Roy Schieder

24> To Live And Die In L.A. (1985)

Director: William Friedkin
Star: Early '80s Impala sedan
People: William L. Petersen, Willem Dafoe

25> Viva Las Vegas (1964)

Director: George Sidney
Stars: Cobras, Corvettes, and more
People: Elvis Presley, Ann-Margret

26> Ronin (1998)

Director: John Frankenheimer
Stars: BMW M5, Mercedes 6.9, Audi S8
People: Robert DeNiro, Jean Reno

27> Against All Odds (1984)

Director: Taylor Hackford
Stars: Porsche 911, Ferrari 308 GTSi
People: Jeff Bridges, James Woods, Rachel Ward

28> Christine (1983)

Director: John Carpenter
Stars: '58 Fury, '68 Charger, '67 Camaro
People: Keith Gordon, John Stockwell

29> Cobra (1986)

Director: George P. Cosmatos
Star: '50 Mercury
People: Sylvester Stallone, Brigitte Neilsen

30> Hot Rod (1950)
Director: Lewis D. Collins
Star: '32 Ford
People: Jimmy Lydon, Gil Stratton

31> Hot Rod Girl (1956)

Director: Leslie H. Martinson
Stars: Various rods, '56 Thunderbird
People: Lori Nelson, Frank Gorshin, Chuck Connors

32> The Cannonball Run (1981)

Director: Hal Needham
Stars: Dodge van, Ferrari 308 GTS, Lamborghini Countach
People: Burt Reynolds, Farrah Fawcett, Dom Deluise

33> The Driver (1978)

Director: Walter Hill
Stars: Chevy pickup, '76 Trans Am
People: Ryan O'Neal, Bruce Dern, Isabelle Adjani

34> Used Cars (1980)

Director: Robert Zemeckis
Stars: '57 Chevy, junk
People: Kurt Russell, Jack Warden, Deborah Harmon

35> Gone In Sixty Seconds (2000)

Director: Dominic Sena
Star: '67 Mustang
People: Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie

36> Hot Rods To Hell (1967)

Director: John Brahm/James Curtis Havens
Stars: '58 Corvette, '56 Chevy, '61 Belvedere
People: Dana Andrews, Jeanne Crain

37> Tucker: The Man And His Dream (1985)

Director: Francis Ford Coppola
Star: Tucker Torpedo
People: Jeff Bridges, Joan Allen, Martin Landau

38> Goldfinger (1964)

Director: Guy Hamilton
Star: Aston Martin DB5
People: Sean Connery

39> The Italian Job (1969)

Director: Peter Collinson
Stars: Mini Coopers, Lamborghini Miura
People: Michael Cain, Noel Coward, Benny Hill

40> The Fast And The Furious (2001)
Director: Rob Cohen
Stars: '70 Charger, '01 Ford Lightning, and a whole bunch ofreally hideous, overly done import cars with huge graphics.
People: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel

Looking back, what was the first ever Batmobile?

In May of 1939, the #27 of Detective Comics introduced the superhero of Gotham City, Batman. For two years, Batman’s mode of transportation when catching the bad guys is not known, however, to make Batman’s job easier, the Batmobile came. The super car debuted in Batman #5 and became the comic cover of the Batman #20. That was in sketch.

In 1955, the real life Batmobile was made by Ford. During that time, Ford’s Lincoln division was able to create the futuristic concept car named Lincoln Futura. The Lincoln Futura was Italian handmade in Turin with a price tag of $250,000. That was the time when such amount seems like the price of the Bugatti Veyron. Like most of Concept cars, the Lincoln Futura was not put in production. Some time in the 1960’s George Barris of Barris Kustom City with his tactics bought the car from Ford Motor Co. for only $1.

To further see how Batman becomes Gotham’s super guy, the comic series was made a TV show. Of course, as Batman chases criminals he must be in his Batmobile. The problem was, is there a Bat-like car to fit our superhero?

To solve this problem, the producers of the “Batman” TV show asked the help of George Barris. Barris will be the one to build the Batmobile for the upcoming Batman show. Another problem was, the car is due by three weeks. With his new bought Futura having bat-like features his problem was cracked. For George Barris, there is no other car to be the Batmobile but his Lincoln Futura.



"Batman has two primary modes of transportation: swinging from gothic clock towers on his Batline, and cruising around Gotham in the Batmobile. Sure, he¹s got a Batwing and a Batjet and a Batcopter and even a Bat-Segway, but mostly Batman relies on his ride to get from point A to point B.” said David Campbell in his Batmobile essay.

The Bullitt Come back

Way back in the 1960’s, the Mustang Bullitt hit the Hollywood screen with exhilarating car scenes. And now Ford’s racing pony comes back jam packed with the latest Ford Racing Technology features for its 2008 model year come back.

The special chassis and suspension tweaks make the Mustang Bullitt a versatile race icon. The new 4.6 liter V-8 engine built under its hood turns out a roaring 315 horsepower and 325 pound-feet of torque.

“The 2008 Mustang Bullitt embodies the true spirit of the 1968 movie car,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. “Like the original Bullitt, this car dials the driving dynamics up a notch for Mustang enthusiasts who love the performance, handling and the sweet sound of Ford power that only Mustang can deliver.”

Early next year, you can expect the Mustang Bullitt to gallop in showrooms and dealership with a tag price of $31,075 which already include the destination charges. Ford limited the production of the Mustang Bullitt to only 7,700 units for the U.S and Canada.

“The 2008 Mustang Bullitt delivers balanced performance,” said Paul Randle, chief engineer. “Comfort is not compromised for performance. Performance is on demand. You can easily take Bullitt from the track to the street and back onto the track with confidence.”

The movie that gave the Mustang Bullitt its name celebrates its 40th year of release by Warner Bros. Pictures and the launching of this all-new vehicle is nothing but a great time. In the movie, legendary actor Steve McQueen drove a Dark Highland Green 1968 Mustang GT that gained cult status among Mustang enthusiasts, thanks to a seven-minute scene that film and car buffs believe defined the modern movie car chase.

“The machined appliqué differentiates the Bullitt from any other Mustang in the line-up,” said Gaffka. “It’s also perfect for the Bullitt. The graphic presentation pings back the feel of the ‘60s while still staying true to the Mustang’s modern interior design.”

The Rogue Assassin

The hit movie “Rogue Assassin” stars “the One” hero Jet Li and the Transporter star Jason Statham. Directed by Philip G. Atwell, the inch-to-inch action film floods not just with the two world certified hit actors but with scenes that can make you eat all your popcorn until the last pop. Li plays as “Rogue” the international assassin that et off a bloody crime war between two Asian mobs: the Chinese Triad led by Chang (John Lone) and Japan's Yakuza headed by Shiro (Ryo Ishibashi). Car chases are also not deprived of this movie and perhaps is one of its highlights, as Jet Li rides his $257,000 silver Spyker C8 Spyder.

The magnificent Spyker has the following specs that brought it to the blockbuster action hit:

MSRP: $257,000 - $257,000
Length 165.0”
Body width 74.0”
Height 42.0”
Wheelbase 101.0”
Curb 2,750 lbs.

Interior
Maximum seating 2

Performance
Base engine size 4.2 liters
Base engine type V-8
Horsepower 400hp
Horsepower rpm 7,500
Torque 354 lb-ft.
Torque rpm 4,000
Drive type rear-wheel
Fuel tank capacity 1 9.8 gal.
EPA mileage estimates 14 / 19 (city/highway)

Not just the spyker, in the fictional Yamagawa Motors, which is Shiro’s car dealership, their showrooms are filled with high-end cars like Ferraris and Lamborghinis that at one scene became bits and pieces. Although fans of Statham's "Transporter" movies will be excited that he's once again in a film with flashy modes of transportation, he's not the one driving the fancy cars but the One star.

"Rogue loves it. Jet Li doesn't," says Li dryly. "Jet Li when he was 20-years-old would have loved it."

"Rogue" is the possible beginning of an action trilogy by writers Greg Bradley and Lee Anthony Smith. Famed fight choreographer Corey Yuen designs the martial arts action, while Devon Aoki, Luiz Guzman and Nadine Velazquez co-star.

These movies are Great but the cars are really the Stars

David Cronenberg's film, A History of Violence was a story of an ordinary man living peaceful in a rural area of America who developed a fiercer version of himself after the robbery of his café. The movie’s got a lot of twist but without the mighty presence of the Chrysler 300C, it would not fit your criteria to be a great movie. Specially made for the movie to play the sinister vehicle, the jet black Chrysler 300C has chrome trim, darkened slit windows, gaping, barking-shark grille and low-rider stance. The evil Chrysler 300C was featured in the scene where the goons lead by Ed Harris went to the house of Viggo Mortensen to threaten his family.

Our second collection is the movie Swordfish starring John Travolta and the absurd looking TVR still carrying UK plates. According to screenwriter and film expert William Goldman, for a movie to be a sure hit, there should be seven people best in their leagues of being a director, director of photography, set designer, casting director, etc. But I want to add that choosing the car is as important as it is to choose the actor and Swordfish met my added criterion. The movie was crappy and ill-conceived mess that it became a blockbuster.

As I was talking about sinister vehicle earlier, if there would be the best sinister vehicle ever, the P5B Coupe in the Mick Jagger/James Fox Sixties acid gangster movie Performance would be the first to come to my mind.

I also doubt whether the folk in the next apartment to Keanu Reeves' character Neo in The Matrix would appreciate him smashing through their wall pursued by replicants. And as for that huge chase scene in the third Matrix film, where Neo and Laurence Fishburne are smashing up all those Cadillac CTSs, you will find yourself worrying about the other drivers' no claims bonuses. I mean, even if all those people are actually submerged in amniotic fluid while being fed nutritious mush through a tube while their minds are controlled by an evil computer, you can expect they'd still want a good credit-rating and clean driving license.

James Bond’s Greatest Gadgets

We have treated the James Bond movie series as a worldwide epic, not just featured the exotic escapades of the mighty spy but also gawked our fill of its out of the ordinary gadgets. The popsci.com collected the ever famous Bond gadgets of all time so we’ll know which of them we can also have to feel some Bond action.

15. Car Magnet
You Only Live Twice features a number of over-the-top gadgets—trapdoors that lead to sliding chutes, exploding cufflinks, cigarette guns, bogus bridges that pass over a shark-infested tank—but the best gadget of the bunch would have to be the oversize, helicopter-carried car magnet.

14. Water Exhaust
To foil the bad guys in the beginning of Thunderball, Bond raises a bulletproof shield over his car’s rear window and converts his two exhaust pipes into fire hoses. A huge blast of water knocks over Bond’s pursuers, leaving them looking wet and silly.

13. Walther PPK
The first Bond gadget ever used was the Walther PPK automatic pistol used in Dr. No. In the first-ever onscreen meeting between Bond, M and Q, Bond is told to relinquish his Beretta in exchange for the Walther PPK.

12. Vital-Sign-Reading Cellphone
007's new mobile phone in Casino Royale acts as a personal media hub and on-call M.D. This modification of the latest Sony Ericsson has an MP3 player, Bluetooth, an RSS newsreader and a 3.2-megapixel camera with image stabilization. It’s one of only a few Bond gadgets that you and I can actually buy, although the sale model may not include the injectable sensor that monitors vital signs and transmits them back to HQ for emergency diagnostic testing.

11. Deadly Briefcase
In From Russia with Love, Bond is presented with “an ordinary black leather case,” according to the Q branch equipment officer—except, of course, for the 40 rounds of ammunition stored in containers that pop out from the bottom, a throwing knife that projects from the side, 50 gold sovereigns hidden in the lining and a bottle of tear gas disguised as talcum powder, magnetized to cling to the exterior. It will also explode if not opened properly. “A smart-looking piece of luggage,” remarks M.

10. Full-Scale Remote-Control Car
Q shows up in Tomorrow Never Dies as a worker at a car-rental agency, ready to present Bond with his new and improved ride. It’s a BMW 750iL with “the usual refinements” and one not-so-usual customization: Not only can it be turned on by a cellphone, it’s controlled by a touch-sensor directional pad.

9. Camera Gun
In a crucial scene in the 1989 License to Kill, Bond (played by Timothy Dalton) has a plastic explosive that looks like a pack of cigarette but actually is a camera but is converted into a long-range sniper rifle and is customized, through a sensor on the grip, to fire for only one person: James Bond.

8. Robot Dog
In A View to a Kill, walking in for his customary briefing in M’s office, Bond, played this time by Roger Moore, finds Q steering a “prototype for a highly sophisticated surveillance machine.” By the looks of the bulky, ’80s remote control, we have a different definition for “sophisticated” technology nowadays, but this robotic dog is still a Bond-gadget classic.

7. Alligator Conveyance
Bond has the unenviable task of sneaking onto the secret all-female island run by a woman known only as Octopussy, in the eponymous film. His method of getting there, it turns out, is by hiding inside an underwater mechanical alligator, which is successful in getting him both there and back.

6. Aston Martin DBS
In Goldfinger, Q reveals the Aston Martin DBS, “with modifications.” Its windows are bulletproof, and the number plates, as they’re known in England, are revolving. Then there are the controls within the armrest that can produce a smokescreen and an oil slick and raise a bulletproof shield (over the already bulletproof window). There are also front-wing machine guns and a rotating flower of blades that extend from the hubcaps. Finally, the top of the gear shifter flips to reveal a button, which Q tells Bond never to press as it is connected to the ejector seat.

5. Little Nellie
Little Nellie, Bond tells Tiger Tanaka in You Only Live Twice, is “a wonderful girl, very small, quite fast, can do anything—just your type.” Tiger is not impressed. After seeing it constructed, he asks, “A toy helicopter? This can only be used for children.” But Q explains the features: two fixed machine guns, two rocket launchers, two heat-seeking missiles and, in the back, two flame guns and two smoke ejectors; also some mines that can be dropped from the air.

4. Venom Boot
A favored gadget in From Russia with Love is the shoe with a spontaneously revealed venom-injector jutting out from the toe.

3. Laser Watch
In Goldeneye, things don’t look good for Bond (Pierce Brosnan) and Natalya Fyodorovna Simonova when they find themselves locked in a room on a train that’s set to explode imminently, but fortunately Bond has on his Omega Seamaster Pro, customized with lasers that cut through metal and detonate bombs remotely. He cuts a hole in the floor, and the two climb out, run, and jump from the explosion, much to the chagrin of 006.

2. Jetpack
After an extended brawl with (and the subsequent murder of) Col. Duvall in the opening sequence of the 1965 Thunderball, Bond escapes Duvall’s henchmen on a balcony by taking off in a jetpack.

1. Lotus Esprit
In The Spy Who Loved Me, Bond faces off with Karl Stromberg, a self-described recluse who lives in an underwater lair. Naturally, this means Bond needs a submarine car—a vehicle so worthy of envy that we’ve deemed it our favorite Bond gadget of all time. The Lotus Esprit features wheels that turn inward to reveal four lateral fins and a periscope from the roof.

Bentley for Bond

James Bond being a Bentley guy was not really known to us, who have just seen the world-renowned spy in his movies. The first novel about James bond was written by Ian Fleming. In this initial narrative, James Bond first had driven a Bentley. The Aston Martin DBS which most regard as the ultimate Bond vehicle appeared a little later as an improved Bentley. Bond’s real personal car, now we know to be the Bentley is the spy’s only real “hobby” as said in the block buster movie series.

Being a certified Bond historian, Sebastian Faulks authored the Bond book as a tribute for the mind that gave the world James Bond, Ian Fleming. Fleming is celebrating his centennial birthday.

In contrast to the Bond movies set in the present times, we will be riding a time machine because the setting is sometime in 1967. Definitely, in this era, Bond wouldn’t be riding a Continental GT to fit his image and station.

In 1967, all Bentleys were a single letter, the model “T” as a sedan or a two-door coupe with coachwork by the in-house custom body builders of Rolls Royce, James Young and Mulliner Park Ward. To exclude the radiator shell, the T is almost a Rolls-Royce Silver shadow.

With Bond driving BMWs in the recent motion pictures, it may be considered dishonoring the automotive beginnings of the epic. With Bond having a Bentley again as his best buddy, it is but a proof that the two are undeniably a perfect tandem.

James Bond had driven three Bentleys of different models in the novels. He got his first Bentley in Casino Royale, it was a 1930 supercharged 4.5 liter model, the legendary “blower Bentley” one of the 55 manufactured in “battleship grey” which the spy bought in 1933 and he kept during the World War II. The production limited car was destroyed by a load of fourteen tons of newsprint dropped from a truck in Moonraker.

Bond’s next Bentley was a 1953 Bentley Mark VI, it was also a “battleship grey”.

The Thunderball featured the third of Bond’s Bentley. It was a Continental Mark II with an R-Type chassis, the vehicle reflects Bond’s taste in vehicles.

Was the 'Transformers' a GM ad in disguise?

In July, almost all movie houses were posted by huge tarpaulins of the most awaited car film of the year, the ‘Transformers’ starring Jon Voight, Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel and Megan Fox. But the movie not just starred these famous Hollywood celebs, the Chevrolet Camaro, Pontiac Solstice, GMC Topkick and Hummer H2, all General Motors produced vehicles are also on the lead.

“You’re going to see these cars as the heroes. You’re not going to see the other actors,” said Dino Bernacchi, GM’s associate director of branded entertainment.

“These cars are the stars, literally, in the movie.” he added.

With the film, toys, and video games featuring the robotic cars, GM is said to be targeting the youth demographics aging from 18-34. The automaker is luring them to their showrooms as its vehicles had oversized presence in the film.America’s top automaker is spending millions of dollars in marketing the vehicles starred in the movie but the company refused to give the figures. Thanks to the movie, GM is converting exposure to sales.

“This is hopefully a discovery point for maybe some of those who didn’t know the great design, the great-looking vehicles that we have out today,” Bernacchi said.

“I find it really difficult to believe that a global blockbuster movie like this that has so many merchandising components to it that we’re not going to get incremental exposure.” he added.

The ‘Camaro’, which is eventually the name of one of the vehicles, had been mentioned for a number of times by different characters. The Chevy, Pontiac, GMC and Hummer had close-ups for enough screen time.

“Product placement has never been so blatant, and the potential for a global platform to build brand awareness could not have come at a better time for GM,” said David Koehler, a clinical marketing professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

“The younger demographic most likely to flock to the theaters is exactly what GM needs,” he said.

On the other hand, according to Erich Merkle, the vice-president of forecasting for Grand Rapids-based auto consulting company IRN Inc., although the movie caught the youngsters impressed with the rides GM vehicles can give, it doesn’t mean that they will be directing themselves to GM’s showrooms to buy them.

“Keep in mind that some of the vehicles they’re showing are vehicles the youth market won’t be able to afford,” he said.

“But they do have a tremendous influence over what people who can afford those vehicles go to buy. You shouldn’t underestimate the influence of the youth. I don’t know a Baby Boomer out there who doesn’t want to be cool.” Merkle added.

Quentin Tarantino, ran out of Gas in Death Proof

Quentin Tarantino, famous for his films including Reservoir Dogs, Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown and the Two-volume Kill Bill has proven that he is the main man, the bee’s knees and the charismatic director in one. His sixth film, Death Proof does not have the same zest as his previous films, says many movie experts.

According to a consensus, in this new film, Tarantino lost his ear for dialogue, gift for quirky characterization that made his previous movies on the box office.

The movie’s plot is that of the cheap seedy 1970s films featuring fast cars, guns and women. When shown in America, it flopped badly as it evoked the “grindhouse” era of American cinema. In Britain, it is being shown on its own with scratches on the print, bad color and the typical lost frame.

Although not very promising in the eyes of movie critics, Death Proof also has good shots including two high-speed car chases ending in crashes proving his talent for producing action movies. Stuntwoman Zoe Bell straddled the bonnet of her car on a second chase, and the film's funniest moment, when Russell, about to commit mayhem, stares at the camera and smiles and gleefully making the audience complicit with Mike's evil deeds.

The other 100 minutes of the film featured dull, repetitive and incessant dialogues from different women. Once, Tarantino had been known for his snappy and smart dialogues.

Tarantino said he hung out with these women, and insisted that “this is how girls talk”. QT said “this is how actresses talk when they know there's a writer-director in the room, eagerly taking notes”.

Their yakking is as tiresome as Tarantino's habit of ramming his taste down audiences' throats: the movie posters on every interior wall, the Joe Tex single lovingly framed on a jukebox – and the mention of "the white 1970 Dodge Challenger with the 440 engine in Vanishing Point", repeated three times.

Top 10 Best Car Movies

Typically, a movie stars an actor and his leading lady. But with amazing cars around the corner, they have proven that they can also take the lead role with the lead actor or actress.

Let me give share this list I got from Edmunds.com where some extraordinaire vehicles shared the lead role of Hollywood stars that they eventually became Hollywood Star Cars:

1. American Graffiti (1973)
Stars: Ron Howard, Richard Dreyfuss, Harrison Ford
Star cars: 1932 Ford coupe, 1955 Chevy, 1958 Chevy Impala, 1951 Mercury coupe, 1956 Ford Thunderbird
Quote: "I'll love and protect this car until death do us part."

2. The Blues Brothers (1980)
Stars: John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd
Star car: The Bluesmobile — 1974 Dodge Monaco
Quote: "It's got a cop motor, a 440-cubic-inch plant; it's got cop tires, cop suspension, cop shocks. It's a model made before catalytic converters so it'll run good on regular gas. What do you say — is it the new Bluesmobile or what?"

3. Cars (2006)
Stars: Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Richard Petty
Star cars: Porsche Carrera, Hudson Hornet, Willys MB, Ford Model T, Volkswagen microbus.
Quote: "Turn right to go left! Guess what? I tried it, and you know what, this crazy thing happened. I went right!"

4. The Fast and the Furious (2001)
Stars: Paul Walker, Vin Diesel
Star cars: Mitsubishi Eclipse, Toyota Supra, Honda Civic, Mazda RX-7, Dodge Charger R/T, Volkswagen Jetta
Quote: "I live my life a quarter-mile at a time."

5. Gone in 60 Seconds (1974)
Stars: H.B. (Toby) Halicki
Star cars: Many, including a certain Ford Mustang Fastback named Eleanor.
Quote: "I bet five more cars have been stolen in just the time I've been here."

6. Grand Prix (1966)
Stars: James Garner, Eva Marie Saint
Star cars: 1960s Formula 1 racecars
Quote: "There is no terrible way to win. There is only winning."

7. The Gumball Rally (1976)
Stars: Michael Sarrazin, Gary Busey, Raul Julia
Star cars: Shelby 427 Cobra, Ferrari 365 GTS/4 Daytona, Porsche 911 Targa, Camaro Z/28, Dodge Polara
Quote: "And now my friend, the first rule of Italian driving: What's behind me is not important."

8. Mad Max (1979)
Star: Mel Gibson
Star car: Australian Ford Falcon
Quote: "Look, any longer out on that road and I'm one of them, a terminal psychotic — except that I've got this bronze badge that says that I'm one of the good guys."

9. Thunder Road (1958)
Stars: Robert Mitchum, Gene Barry
Star cars: 1950 Ford coupe, 1957 Ford Fairlane
Quote: "That hard-headed hillbilly has caused us enough trouble already. Now tonight we're going to take him out. And I mean really out."

10. Vanishing Point (1971)
Stars: Barry Newman, Cleavon Little
Star car: 1970 Dodge Challenger R/T
Quote: "And there goes the Challenger, being chased by the blue, blue meanies on wheels."

Top 15 most Iconic Cars in Movies

Don't we all love lists? From theforrester.wordpress.com, I found this list of hot vehicles featured in equally steaming motion pictures:

1. DMC-12 from Back to the Future.

The DeLorean DMC – 12 in the 1985 science fiction-comedy movie made it to the top.Directed by top-grossing, Steven Spielberg, then teenager Michael J. Fox was sent thirty years back in time on the De Lorean time machine. The movie grossed $210 million at the U.S. box office.

2. Herbie from The Lovebug

Herbie is "played" by an L87 pearl white 1963 Model 117 Volkswagen Type 1 Deluxe Sunroof with yellow-on-black California license plates OFP 857.

3. The Batmobile from Batman

The batmobile provides batman with additional crime-busting features like carrying the highly intelligent computer that is remotely linked to the Batcave’s main computer, a remote control function, a field forensic kit and a personal small helicopter held in the trunk called a whirlybat.

4. Bandit 1 from Smokey and The Bandit

Smokey and the Bandit is a 1977 movie primarily starred Burt Reynolds and Sally Field. The film made use of five modified 1977 Pontiac Trans Ams that were each built according to the required stuntwork.

5. The General Lee from The Dukes of Hazzard

The TV series, The Dukes of Hazzard, is an adventure story of two good old boys, Bond Like Duke, living in an unincorporated area of the fictional Hazzard County, Georgia, racing around in their modified 1969 the Gerneral Lee, a Dodge Charger.

6. Ford Gran Tourino from Starsky & Hutch

Two streetwise undercover cops played by Ben Stiller and Owen wilson in 1975, driving in a red 1974 Ford Gran Torino, chased drug criminals with the help of underworld player, Huggy Bear.

7. Christine from Christine

A movie based from Stephen King’s horror novel, Christine used a 1958 red Plymouth Fury was a story of a teenager and his evil car.

8. Ecto 1 from The Ghostbusters movies

The Ectomobile in the Ghostbuster movies is a 1959 Cadillac Miller-Meteor limo-style endloader combination car of hearse and ambulance.

9. Blues Brothers Police Car from The Blues Brothers

The musical comedy movie starred John Landis and John Belushi featured musical numbers by R&B and soul legends James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles, and epic car chase scenes.

10. Lightening McQueen from Cars

Lightning McQueen #95, typically referred to by his surname McQueen, and occasionally called "Stickers" by Sally, is the main character and is voiced by actor Owen Wilson. He is no real-world car in particular, but his overall profile was inspired by the Ford GT40.

11. Bumble Bee from The Transformers Movie

The Autonomous Robotic Life form or "Autobot" for short, Bumblebee is also on Earth, disguised as a 1976 Chevrolet Camaro.

12.”Black Moon” from Black Moon Rising

Black Moon, is a 300-MPH prototype vehicle where CIA agents kept the cassette containing vital information chased Sam Quint (Jones) and Marvin Ringer (Lee Ving).

13. Eleanor from Gone in Sixty Seconds

Codenamed "Eleanor", was played by a 1967 Shelby Ford Mustang GT 500.

14. BMW Z3 from Golden eye

The BMW Z3 is nothing but another car by the British crime-buster, James Bond.

15. Lamborghini Countach from Canonball Run

Jill, played by Adrienne Barbeau and Marcie, two attractive women drove the Lamborghini Countach.

Who wants that James Bond Car?

The Aston Martin DBS first seen on wide screen driven by James Bond (played by Daniel Craig in the 2005 movie Casino Royale) is now a production car. Anyone can own it soon! Scheduled to go hit the car market early next year, the launching was held last weekend on the extravagant Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California.

Famous scene starring this blockbuster car where James Bond breathtakingly jumped and spin the car in mid-air, writing it off upon eventual impact on the ground despite no obstacles, bumps or cars to cause the mishap.

These Aston Martin DBS Specifications from digiads.com made it a Hollywood Car:

Body

• Two-door coupe body style with 2+0 seating
• Bonded aluminium VH structure
• Aluminium, magnesium alloy and carbon-fibre composite body
• Extruded aluminium door side-impact beams
• High Intensity Discharge (HID) headlamps (main beam)
• LED rear lamps and side repeaters

Engine

• All-alloy, quad overhead camshaft, 48-valve, 5935cc V12.
• Compression ratio 10.9:1
• Front-mid mounted engine, rear-wheel drive
• Fully catalysed stainless steel exhaust system with active bypass valves
• Max power: 380kW (510bhp/517 PS) at 6500rpm
• Max torque: 570Nm (420 lb.ft) at 5750rpm
• Acceleration: 0-100 km/h (0-62mph) in 4.3 seconds
• Max speed: 302 km/h (191mph)

Transmission

• Rear-mid mounted, six-speed manual gearbox
• Alloy torque tube with carbon fibre propeller shaft
• Limited-slip differential
• Final-drive ratio 3.71:1

Wheels and Tires

• Front: 8.5'' x 20'' Pirelli P Zero 245/35
• Rear: 11'' x 20'' Pirelli P Zero 295/30

Steering

• Rack and pinion, Servotronic speed-sensitive power-assisted steering, 3.0 turns lock-to-lock. Column tilt and reach adjustment

Suspension

• Front: Independent double wishbone incorporating anti-dive geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bare and monotube adaptive dampers
• Rear: Independent double wishbones with anti-squat and anti-lift geometry, coil springs, anti-roll bar and monotube adaptive dampers
• Adaptive Damping System (ADS) with Track mode

Brakes

• Front: Ventilated carbon ceramic discs, 398mm diameter with six-piston calipers
• Rear: Ventilated carbon ceramic discs, 360mm diameter with four-piston calipers
• Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) with Track mode
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS)
• Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD)
• Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)
• Traction control

Dimensions

• Length: 4721mm (185.9'')
• Wheelbase: 2740mm (107.9'')
• Width: 1905mm (75'') (exc. Mirrors) 2060mm (81.1'') (inc. Mirrors)
• Fuel tank capacity: 78 litres (17.2 Imp.galls, 20.5 US galls)
• Height: 1280mm (50.4'') Weight: 1695kg (3737lb)

The Bourne Ultimatum, also starring 2 Volkswagens

The last chapter of the Bourne Trilogy, the “Bourne Ultimatum” will hit theater screens soon. Aside from the trained assassin, Jason Bourne (played by the actor Matt Damon), and his love interest Nicky Parsons (Julia Stiles), Director Paul Greengrass also starred two Volkswagens to make the action thriller oozing with suspense.

The Volkswagen Touareg and Golf GT were showcased in scenes of amazing stunts and cat and mouse chase of Jason Bourne and Nicky Parsons while they flee from their enemies in different metropolitans around the world.

The movie features scenes like the retuned 2008 Touareg with Matt Damon in the steering wheel being chased by a NYPD car in the busy streets of New York. The scene features a lot of slamming and crashing and speed driving that definitely has the Touareg live up to the car it was built to be.

Bearing an image of an SUV, the Touareg 2 is redesigned with aerodynamic and sporty rear. Included in its three engine variations are the newly upgraded VR6 FSI and V8 FSI. Its 3.6 liter VR6 FSI can release up to 280 horsepower. The newly advanced 4.2 liter V8 FSI is Volkswagen’s first eight-cylinder engine with unleaded fuel direct injection that generates a remarkable 350 horsepower and 325 lbs. ft. of torque. The 5.0 liter TDI twin turbo delivers 310 horsepower and a striking 553 lbs. ft. of torque. The Touareg 2, with these three engines offers a maximum towing capacity of 7,716 pounds.

“This car is indestructible. We filmed crash scenes for three weeks, and the car kept going. This is one of the most incredible cars that I have ever driven,” exclaimed Graham Kelly, Action Vehicle Supervisor of “the Bourne Ultimatum”.

Another Volkswagen that continued its strong Hollywood presence in the film is the Golf GT sport. The Golf GT is built with the world’s first twin charged, direct air injection petrol engine. A new addition to its engine is the 1.4 TSI 140 PS engine that makes it achieve a 0-62mph in just 7.9 seconds. The performance this engine brings is matched with refined sporty good looks that’s more than eye candy for moviegoers.

“The involvement of these two Volkswagens in this elaborate and action packed production provides us ample opportunities to create innovative global marketing concepts,” says Jochen Sengpiehl, head of global marketing at Volkswagen.

Nicole Richie Gets Ready For Jail Life

I remember Paris Hilton singing, “Jealousy” that goes like “You sold your self with your own fur, still never walk a day in my shoe.”

Well, Nicole is following her footsteps as she goes to jail too. She recently expressed an interest over submitting herself to the Los Angeles Country Jail.

The 25-year old Hollywood celebrity was caught driving under the influence of alcohol and prohibited drugs last December 2006 when she took the wrong way heading the freeway in Burbank. She also admitted recently that she is pregnant.

Last week, after the interrogation done by the prosecutors, the daughter of the balladeer Lionel Richie pleaded guilty on the charges given to her because of the misdemeanor she committed. She admitted what she has violated to avoid her from a potential stay on the jail for one year. She already had an alcohol-related conviction way back in 2003.

The “Simple Life” diva was ordered to stay in jail for 90 hours to pay for the DUI she committed. She will be imprisoned in any city jail that would accept here as released early this morning on news.yahoo.com.com. She communicated with her lawyer to tell the Sheriff's Department this week about her interest on giving a four-day service in jail. The new was announced last Thursday by Steve Whitmore, the sheriff's spokesman.

The sheriff did not mention any details about Richie’s prosecution but he said she should surrender herself to begin the sentence which must be completed on September 28. However, most inmates can only offer a few of their time serving the jail because of behavioral problems and overcrowding.

The call coming from her attorney was not replied immediately.

Paris Hilton spent 23 days in jail. She was imprisoned at an all women exclusive facility in Lynwood. Richie will also be staying in the said facility.

Now, Paris can never say, she’ll never walk a day in her shoes.

Transformers Sequel Soon?

With the success of the recently launch Transformers live action film Paramount and Dreamworks, there is a possibility that the producers will make a sequel for the film. This is according to Hasbro, the owner of Transformers franchise and other toy lines. Another reason to make a sequel for the movie is that the sales of Transformers merchandise based on the film significantly boosted.

During Hasbro's announcement of its July sales, Alfred Verrecchia, CEO of Hasbro Inc., said:
"Transformers has been a unique box office success. Our U.S. retail sales of the new Transformers toys have exceeded our expectations with 3 million units sold since the said. We had a great first-half of the year and we do expect to grow business in the second-half but not at the levels that we did in the first and second quarters."

"It's too soon to say if there's a Transformers 2. No date has been set as yet, but a second movie is possible."

The Transformers movie can be considered as one of the most successful films of all time. In 28 hours, it sold $38 million and gathered 150 million on its first week. The film is extended in other theaters around the world so the producers are expecting for more money.

Meanwhile, the film's director, Michael Bay said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly (EW) that it is really possible to have a Transformers 2.

“I’ve got a lot of ideas for the next one. There’s a lot of really cool, big robot stuff that I had in my head that we didn’t do. I just want to see how this works. You might not grow as much as a director to do a sequel. But it’s kind of like you have your baby and you don’t want someone else to take it.” said Michael Bay.

EW asked Bay if "Will Transformers 2 be the directors next film?", he said:
“I don’t know if it would be ready. It just takes so long to do a script. A couple things are on the horizon, but [maybe] I’ll do my little movie that I can knock out, because we all think we’re going to have a strike.”

I think the Transformers 2 will also hit the box office sales if ever. Just like the Spiderman movie series.

Negative ‘Transformers’?

I have been hearing from my officemates and seeing in the news that “Transformers” really rocks!

I am not fond of watching noisy movies, so I think I am left behind with the whereabouts in the movie scenes. Probably if there is no other choice, I would watch it in a DVD. Nevertheless, I saw the trailer, but still never caught my attention.

I am amazed with how modern individuals think. The movie “Transformers” is one manifestation how imaginative people are.

But just when I thought I was the only one not fond of the movie, I read an online article describing the movie as “assault noise and nonsense”. Well, as for me, it does have sense; it is just that I hate noisy films.

Let me share to you what the “negative” write up says.

According to it, the movie resulted to a partly car commercial and partly military recruitment ad.

Since I have not watched it, I heavy rely on the information I got through research (as it is forms part almost 99 percent of my job).

In the movie, the Autobots turn into American cars and truck - GM products if I am not mistaken. It takes flight with a harsh, confusing attack on an American military base in Qatar. In the country’s desert, muscled and sweaty military types (Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson) clash with an apocalyptic helicopter that transforms into an angry critter with an eloquent tail like that of a scorpion. Back in the US, the secretary of defence played by Jon Voight barks orders at other military types while Sam deals with his weird ride and his mounting fears.

From the trailer, I saw that there were many “running” moments. The robots which transform into cars somewhat always run and chase something or something I do not know. In this case, I wonder which could have been a more fitted car part; a honda timing belt or the GM one.

40 James Bond Vehicles and More to Come

James Bond Movies has a total of 40 vehicles featured starting with the 1964 Aston Martin DB5 up to the 2008 Aston Martin DBS that was used for the Casino Royale.

And here is the list of the 40 high-performance vehicles featured in James Bond’s movies:

1. DB5: Goldfinger
2. Aston Martin Vanquish: Die Another Day
3. Lotus Esprit: The Spy Who Loved Me
4. BMW Z8: The World Is Not Enough
5. Citroen 2CV: For Your Eyes Only
6. Jag XKR: Die Another Day
7. Toyota 2000: You Only Live Twice
8. Lotus Esprit Turbo: For Your Eyes Only
9. BMW Z3: GoldenEye
10. Ferrari 355: GoldenEye
11. DB5: Thunderball
12. Aston Martin DBS: On Her Majesty's Secret Service
13. Mustang Mach 1: Diamonds Are Forever
14. Aston Martin V8: The Living Daylights
15. BMW 750i: Tomorrow Never Dies
16. Lotus Esprit: The Spy Who Loved Me
17. Sunbeam Alpine: Dr No
18. Triumph Stag: Diamonds Are Forever
19. MGB: The Man With The Golden Gun
20. Aston Martin DBS: Casino Royale
21. Cadillac Eldorado: Live And Let Die
22. Cougar: On Her Majesty's Secret Service
23. AMC Hornet: The Man With The Golden Gun
24. Bentley IV convertible: From Russia With Love
25. Tuk Tuk taxi: Octopussy
26. Mini Moke: Live And Let Die
27. Aston Martin DB5: Casino Royale
28. Moon Buggy: Diamonds Are Forever
29. Lada 1500 police car: The Living Daylights
30. Mercedes 250SE: Octopussy
31. Hispano Suiza: Moonraker
32. Ford Mustang convertible: Thunderball
33. Mercedes Benz 600: On Her Majesty's Secret Service
34. Daimler limo: Tomorrow Never Dies
35. Chevrolet Corvette: A View To A Kill
36. Willy's jeep: Octopussy
37. Range Rover convertible: Casino Royale
38. Ford Thunderbird: Die Another Day
39. Maserati Biturbo: Licence To Kill
40. Aston Martin DB5: Goldfinger

By the way I have gotten this list from www.mi6.co.uk where you can get loads of news and articles on James Bond.

List of vices require fancy cars

One of summer’s hottest movies, Miami Vice, has an opening scene wherein a twitchy informant arranges a swift meeting with undercover cops Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs. As the informant arrives, a Bentley car is revealed. And in a Ferrari car, the cops roll up.

Since Don Johnson first donned a white linen jacket over a pink T-shirt, automotive style has been a part of Miami Vice, where cars definitely haven't taken a back seat. Johnson's Sonny Crockett drove a black Ferrari Daytona, a car that is at par today as it did in 1984. Paul Ferriss of the National Post writes that the sense of timelessness is roughly repaying “by Crockett's use of a portable phone the size of his forearm and by the fact that, on the way to the climactic meeting with a drug lord, he pulls his Ferrari up at a phone booth to call his ex-wife.”

According to the Internet Movie Database, the Daytona was not a Ferrari at all but a modified Corvette. This was a fact verified by a Ferrari North America spokesman who affirms that the disguised car has taken on near-legend status among both movie and car eccentrics. Ferrari executives were so angered by this - they offered the use of a new Testarossa to replace what they considered to be a hate. Complete with its camper van-sized driver's mirror, the white Testarossa resides at the Swap Shop Flea Market in Sunrise, Fla. But calls to the swap shop weren't returned.

The Ferrari F430 that appeared in the movie version of Miami Vice is the result of a product placement deal designed to enhance Ferrari's image in North America.

Marco Mattiacci, vice-president of marketing for Ferrari North America, said their company believes it never hurts to show its cars in a positive light, driven as only God and Enzo intended aggressively by Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx. He added Ferrari has used product placement in movies (Charlie's Angels 2) and TV shows (Desperate Housewives, The Sopranos) to help indorse its products for the past three to four years. He further said Ferrari has an important relationship with the entertainment industry; proofs are company's previous relationship with the TV show and Michael Mann, the series' executive producer and the movie's co-writer and director, is a Ferrari owner and duff.

But Ferrari was not the only automaker that was exhibited in the movie. SUVs are the vehicles of the drug runners and neo-Nazis that battle against Crockett and Tubbs. As the film opens, two white Range Rovers dropped off some bad guys at a disco. Later, to do some showdown with the cops, some villains drive their GMC Yukons and Cadillac Escalades, while the cops roll up in a white BMW 6 Series and a black Dodge Charger.

Robert Thompson, director of The Center for the Study of Popular Television at Syracuse University in Syracuse, N.Y., said that cool cars can make an impression but have a limited amount of screen time in movies, whereas, on TV, they can develop over time.

GM Wants to "Transform Your Ride"

General Motors Corp., in conjunction with the upcoming Transformers live action film has announced their pleasant offer for customers. Starting June 26 up to July 9, 2007, GM will offer the "Transform Your Ride Sale" promo that will enable qualified buyers to obtain 0% ARP for 36 months and $1,000 gift cash on some selected GM models.

"People who have recently switched to a GM vehicle tell us we’ve really changed their previous perceptions about our products. They love their new car or truck.” said Jim Campbell, GM’s director of Customer Relationship Management.

“We’ve enhanced the value of our cars and trucks with features like OnStar, XM Radio, superior quality and the best coverage in the business with a 5 year / 100,000 mile powertrain warranty plus roadside assistance and courtesy transportation. Just look at the award-winning Chevrolet Silverado or hot HHR. The “Transform Your Ride Sale” gives everyone the opportunity to buy a new car or truck with outstanding style, great fuel economy, performance and value.” he added.
GM vehicle models eligible for the "Transform Your Ride Sale" include:

Chevrolet: 2006 and 2007 Cobalt, Monte Carlo, Impala, HHR, TrailBlazer, Tahoe, Suburban, Avalanche and 2007 900-series Silverado.
Buick: 2006 and 2007 Lacrosse, Lucerne and Rainier
Pontiac : 2006 and 2007 G5, G6, Grand Prix and Torrent
GMC: Envoy, Yukon, Yukon Denali, Yukon XL, Yukon XL Denali and 2007 900-series Sierra

Go to your nearest GM dealerships to avail this promo. Meanwhile, the Transformers movie, released by DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures is scheduled to arrive in theaters this coming July 3rd. The film stars four GM vehicles including:

* Bumblebee (1974/2008 Chevrolet Camaro): Rendered mute in battle, Bumblebee is an honest and friendly soldier who befriends humanity, namely Sam, in his efforts to find the Allspark.

* Jazz (Pontiac Solstice): The smallest and feistiest of the Autobots, Jazz is one of Optimus' best warriors, talented at learning new cultures.

* Ironhide (GMC Topkick pick-up truck): A tough, weathered soldier, Ironhide is one of Optimus' oldest friends, and is always the first in battle.

* Ratchet (Search & Rescue Hummer H2): The medic and scientist, Ratchet has a strong sense of duty to protect life.

Some Cars Trivia

Remember the post I made last June 8th featuring the characters of the 2006 animated film Cars? Well, here is something to add up to that.

While browsing the web about the recent cars featured in movies, I bumped into this section in Internet Movie Database (IMDb) where it features some trivia about the movie Cars. There are really lots of interesting facts that I have read and I decided to share it with you guys.

Check them out!

• This movie was originally titled "Route 66". The name was changed to "Cars" so as not to imply a connection with the TV show "Route 66" (1960).
• The music that opens the teaser trailer of this movie is the main theme to A Bug's Life (1998).
• The film's animators drew up over 43,000 sketches for designs of the cars.
• Mia and Tia are modeled after the first-generation Mazda MX-5 Miata.
• The rock formations in the distance beyond Radiator Springs resemble Cadillac Ranch, and is actually named Cadillac Range on the maps shown during montages. Cadillac Ranch is an art exhibit consisting of 10 Cadillacs half-buried in a line outside Amarillo, Texas, near where Route 66 once ran. Additionally, when seen from "above", the hills around Radiator Springs resemble the hoods and fenders (complete with ornaments) of classic cars.
• Instead of making the cars' headlights the eyes, as is done on most cartoons, the Pixar artists decided to put the eyes up on the windshield, because that made the characters more expressive. This idea was largely influenced by the Disney cartoon Susie the Little Blue Coupe (1952), one of director John Lasseter's favorite cartoons.
• Flo isn't based on any single car but shares elements of the 1951 Buick LeSabre, the 1951 Buick XP-300, and the 1957 Chrysler Dart--all actual show cars.
• One of the bumper stickers on Fillmore reads 'Save 2D Animation.'
• The neon lights on Flo's V8 Cafe in the movie flash in the proper firing order for a Ford flathead V8.
• The number on the train that Lightning out runs is A113, a reference to California Institute of the Arts, where many Pixar animators studied.
• Lightning McQueen's original number was to be 57, director John Lasseter's birth year. It was later changed to 95 to represent the year that Toy Story (1995) was released. The car in the final film who has the number 57 (who wins the race in the first teaser) vaguely resembles McQueen, and is probably an earlier production design for that character.
• The tires of Lightning McQueen are Buzzard models manufactured by Lightyear, a reference both to the real Goodyear "Eagle" tires used in NASCAR and character Buzz Lightyear from John Lasseter's previous 'Toy Story' films.
  

Meet the Fast and the Furious Cars

Since this particular site talks about cars used in movies, you will hate me if I will not include the 2001 action movie “The Fast and the Furious”.

Distributed by Universal pictures this movie stars Hollywood actors Paul Walker and Vin Diesel but on its sequel entitled 2 Fast and 2 Furious released by 2003, Vin Diesel was no longer included.

The movie features novelty at the same time series of visual effects and introduction of Japanese compacts into the American culture that made this movie as one of the most famous movies for 2001 and turned Vin Diesel as hunk Hollywood superstar.

For those who haven’t seen the movie the story is about a gang of hijackers that target trucks for their shipment of luxurious electronic equipment. The LAPD and the FBI discovered that those hijackers drove Sport Compact cars and used equipments for their mission. These government agencies sent Brian O’Conner (Walker) to be an undercover cop for them to find out the real culprit.

Actually there were 2 gangs in this movie- Toretto group and Johnny Tran’s team. O’Conner did everything to gain the trust of Toretto, he even saved the life of this leader in car racing raid and also in an incident with Tran’s group.

As much as I want to proceed with the narration but its much better if you watch the movie. You will understand it better, see the visual effects that I have mentioned and plus you will be able to see all the actions.

For those who have seen the movie did you ever wonder or even attempt to find out the series of upgraded and modified cars used in the movie, if not check this out.

Dodge Charger
Mitsubishi Eclipse GS
Honda Civic 2dr Coupe
Honda Civic 2dr Coupe
Honda Civic 2dr Coupe
Honda S2000 (AP1)
Honda Civic
Mazda RX-7 FD3S
Nissan Maxima
Nissan Skyline R33 GT-R
Toyota Supra
(JZA80)
Volkswagen Jetta
Acura Integra GS-R
Ferrari F355 F1 Spyder
Nissan 240SX (S14 Silvia) 2dr Coupe
Acura Integra
Chevrolet Chevelle SS

Cars Main Characters

Has anybody seen the film Cars? The 2006 animated film released by Walt Disney Pictures and produced by Pixar? Well, if you're a car enthusiasts, probably you have seen it. This animated movie actually take place in a world populated by talking cars and other vehicles. Kinda weird huh? Anyway, Cars features the voice of some popular actors Owen Wilson, Paul Newman, Tony Shalhoub, and comedian Larry the Cable Guy. The film also featured numerous real life car models. Want to know some of them? Then check out the main characters of the movie below.

Lightning McQueen
Vehicle Model: Le Mans endurance Auto racing
Voice Actor: Owen Wilson

Doc Hudson
Vehicle Model: 1951 Hudson Hornet
Voice Actor: Paul Newman

Mater
Vehicle Model: mid-1950s Chevrolet One-Ton Wrecker Tow Truck
Voice Actor: Larry the Cable Guy

Sally Carrera
Vehicle Model: 2002 Porsche 911 Carrera
Voice Actor: Bonnie Hunt

Chick Hicks
Vehicle Model: mid-1980s Buick Regal or Grand National
Voice Actor: Michael Keaton

The King
Vehicle Model: 1970 Plymouth Superbird
Voice Actor: Richard Petty

Ramone
Vehicle Model: 1959 Chevy Impala lowrider
Voice Actor: Cheech Marin

Fillmore
Vehicle Model: 1960 VW Bus
Voice Actor: George Carlin

Sarge
Vehicle Model: Willys US Military jeep model
Voice Actor: Paul Dooley

Flo
Vehicle Model: 1957 Motorama show car
Voice Actor: Jenifer Lewis

Luigi
Vehicle Model: 1959 Fiat 500
Voice Actor: Tony Shalhoub

Guido
Vehicle Model: Custom forklift, possibly an Isetta model
Voice Actor: Guido Quaroni

Sheriff
Vehicle Model: 1949 Mercury Club Coupe (police package)
Voice Actor: Michael Wallis

Mack
Vehicle Model: 1985 Mack Superliner
Voice Actor: John Ratzenberger

Lizzie
Vehicle Model: 1923 Ford Model T
Voice Actor: Katherine Helmond

Red
Vehicle Model: 1960s style fire truck
Voice Actor: Joe Ranft

Speed Racer to Hit the Big Screen in 2008

One of the best and well-known Japanese animation -- Speed Racer will be having its widescreen version thanks to writer/directors Larry and Andy Wachowski, the creators of the groundbreaking "The Matrix" trilogy, and producer Joel Silver who will together collaborate to film the live-action, high-octane family adventure.

Set to be released May 9, 2008, the story centers around Speed Racer (to be played by Emile Hirsch), a natural behind the wheel and his quest to win the “real competition’ -- the memory of the brother he idolized—the legendary Rex Racer—whose death in a race has left behind a legacy that Speed is driven to fulfill.

The story also touches on Speed’s love for his family and their racing business – led by his father, Pops Racer (John Goodman), the designer of Speed's thundering Mach 5. Things will get interesting with the movie’s various twists and turns, involving the film’s various characters including Speed’s girlfriend Trixie (Christina Ricci), Speed’s one-time rival—the mysterious Racer X (Matthew Fox), Speed’s mom (Oscar winner Susan Sarandon), Sparky (Kick Gurry), Sprittle (Paulie Litt), and villain Royalton (Roger Allam). The film also marks the major film debut of Asian music star Ji Hoon Jung (popularly known as Rain) as a rival driver.

"Speed Racer" is a Warner Bros. Pictures presentation, in association with Village Roadshow Pictures, of a Silver Pictures Production.

Daniel Randcliffe Goes for the Punto

The Mirror of Erised said to Harry, “I show not your face but what your heart’s desire- it’s your family.” But in real life what does Daniel desire for? Especially now that his birthday is near? No, it’s not some girl to make his teenage girl-fans jealous -- it’s a Fiat Grande Punto.

Yes guys, you read it right. The hero of the Harry Potter series by English author J.K. Rowling is set to purchase the little car produced by Italian carmaker Fiat. One would expect the Harry Potter star to go for a flashy ride (maybe a Rolls-Royce or a Lamborghini) after all, he is the richest kid in Britain right now and on his 18th birthday this coming July 23 he will have access to his £23 million fortune. The car, says one close to the boy, is the first thing that Daniel wants to buy himself to celebrate his birthday.

According the news, Daniel chose the Fiat Grande Punto because it is one of the top five most environmentally-friendly cars in the UK. Apparently our Harry Potter is an environmentalist too.

The Grande Punto is sure low-key, but if Daniel wanted to he could always pimp his ride and go for the Need For Speed kit -- which includes a rear spoiler, 17in alloy wheels, a leather steering wheel and chrome exhaust – available from the automaker.

Daniel however, is reportedly keen on keeping it low, liking the fact that he’ll be able to drive around London without being recognized, especially by the paparazzi.

Let’s just hope that Daniel’s new car won’t suffer the same fate as the Ford Angila, the flying car used in the Harry Potter films which was stolen in October 2005 from the South West Film Studios in St. Agnes, England.

Well Happy Birthday anyway Daniel!