Urban Cowboy

I have something to say to Nicolas Winding Refn: You owe me my next manicure.

Drive, the Ryan Gosling-starring simmer of an almost-dialogueless thriller that earned the Danish filmmaker the best-director prize at the Cannes Film Festival earlier this year, is a beyond-intense ride that marches to the beat of its own throwback-y, stylish drum.

And I likey.

My nails, which I bit throughout the film? Not that much.

Gosling plays a Hollywood stuntman by day/getaway-car drive by night that goes simply by...Driver. Unlike in real life, the actor plays an antihero of the first rate – I mean, obviously, anyone who moonlights as a serviceman for armed thieves to supplement his income has some morality issues, but the guy has a code: he doesn’t get involved or carry a gun or get into the business of hurting people (Bryan Cranston plays his legit and not-so-legit business manager and father figure, someone who, I guess, keeps him in line).

He doesn’t say much; keeps to himself; and, much like the film, marches to the beat of his own drum. But much to his surprise, he meets his neighbor Irene (Carey Mulligan) cute, and then his entire life changes, and so does Drive, for that matter.

It transcends its own genre-busting to almost create its own. I can’t explain it – you must see for yourself how it combines perverse romanticism with lyricism with look-away-from-the-screen doings.

But I digress.

In a way, both Driver and Irene in need of some saving. He needs to be rescued from a downward spiral bound to catch up with him; she needs to have someone in her life she and her young son can depend on, since her main man, Standard (Oscar Isaac), is in the big house.

When Standard gets sprung, he soon clashes with Driver. The ex-con knows very well the cool guy with the retro-looking jacket with the scorpion on the back has been coming around lately, so there’s tension between the two right off the bat. It’s not long before both their paths start running parallel to each other instead of crisscross to each other, though, because Standard has a protection-while-in debt he needs to pay to a West Coast mobster (Ron Perlman) ASAP, lest he wants his family to pay the piper for him. (Playing against type, Albert Brooks plays another mobster of the most ruthless order.)

When Driver catches wise to this, he decides to help. He’ll drive Standard to a...uh...mandated job, which goes terribly awry and spins out of control double-fast and super-violently before turning deadly. Like a cowboy, he’s driven by love to give up all the bull, ride in his hot wheels, and save his damsel.

Drive has been the love-it-or-hate-it proposition of the fall, but I loved it. I found it to be quite original, and while I can see how it would not be everybody’s cup of tea, there is something that can’t, shan’t be denied, and that is that Gosling is Hollywood’s coolest cat, and he makes every bad thing his director has him do disturbingly attractive.

And that, you gotta admit, is quite the feat when it comes to a film like this one.

My Rating ****

Photo: FilmDistrict.

That Cheating Heart

Catherine Zeta-Jones’ return to her rightful place in the spotlight is picking up steam.

The Oscar winner, who will next be seen in Rock of Ages, has signed on to co-star opposite Russell Crowe and Mark Wahlberg in Broken City.

CZ-J will play the adulterous first lady of New York whose mayor-husband (Crowe) hires a Brooklyn detective (Wahlberg) to flush out the other man in the crime drama.

Juicy....

I love it.

Photo: LadiesInSatin.blogspot.com.

The Lobbyist

Alan Cumming’s going to have his hands full with women this season on TV’s The Good Wife.

And that’s a good thing because the ladies coming into his world are the best.

Not only is he getting closer and closer to Kalinda (Archie Panjabi), professionally speaking, he also has his played-by-Parker Posey coming up soon, and now it’s been reported that Amy Sedaris will be giving him a little competition.

The funny lady has booked a multi-ep arc on the hit drama as a new lobbyist who starts poaching Eli’s clients.

Uh oh.

This sounds like it’s going to be an absolute must to watch.

Photo: SuperiorPics.com.

Chord-ing Back Up

Well, the break-up didn’t last long.

Chord Overstreet, who unceremoniously was let go from TV’s Glee over the summer, is back on the show. He’s expected to return to McKinley High as early as December.

“We missed Chord and Chord missed us,” a source close to the show said. “It’s a win-win.”

Hope we get to see Overstreet’s Sam interact with Amber Riley’s Mercedes plenty since, y’ know, we didn’t after the summer, last spring’s finale hinted they had just started a secret relationship. It’d be nice to find out what went down between those two.

Photo: Zimbio.com.

Directing Damon

Matt Damon is ready for not his close-up.

The actor is stepping behind the camera to make his debut as a director on an untitled drama he co-wrote, no, not with Ben Affleck but with John Krasinski, from an idea the Office star thought up and developed with author Dave Eggers.

Damon will pull double-duty on the project, starring as a salesman who arrives in a small town only to have his entire life called into question.

Then, after that, he also may helm a second project titled Father Daughter Time: A Tale of Armed Robbery and Eskimo Kisses.

Photo: IBTimes.com.

The Next TV Comedy Star

Holy frak, I’m excited: Mandy Moore is gon’ star in her first sitcom for ABC.

M2 is set to headline the single-camera Us and Them, a family comedy told from the POV of newlyweds Annie (the Saved! scene-stealer) and Ben (who is yet to be cast).

Shawn Levy (Night at the Museum) will direct the pilot from a script co-written by Bob Fischer, one of the Wedding Crashers scribes.

While I think Moore has this Michelle Pfeiffer quality to her, which leads her to excel in wicked parts, I think she’s also beyond-adorable and the right material could catapult her to TV darling, if not America’s Sweetheart status, at last.

Photo: SweetLyrics.com.

There She Goes Again

Lindsay Lohan’s geting the book thrown at her again.

Which would explain her poor choices at this time – the girl obviously can’t form two good thoughts in a row anymore when it comes to staying out of trouble.

Today, L2 was cuffed and escorted out of court, until she can post $100,000 bail, after hearing in L.A. during which a judge revoked her probation. A follow-up hearing is set for Nov. 2.

Is anyone really surprised?

I mean, Lohan reportedly was let go from her community service job at the Downtown Women’s Center after failing to show up for scheduled appointments, and she supposedly also has been blowing her court-ordered weekly therapy sessions. Plus, in the last month, the actress (and I use the term loosely at this point) traveled to New York and Europe for inconsequential appearances and gigs.

Urgh...she’s so frustrating!

Come next month, though, we’ll find out whether Lohan has a return to jail in her future, just in time for the holiday season. She could spend up to 18 months in custody.

So much for that cinematic comeback she was attached to, huh.

Photo: EW.com.

The Sound of a Hopeless Place

Rihanna couldn’t hold it.

The video for her ebullient new single, “We Found Love,” that is, so she dropped it today instead of later this week.

The clip, which co-stars rumored RiRi beau, boxer/model Dudley O’Shaughnessy, tells a bit of a dark story (about a couple that’s clearly not all that great for each other...I mean, they’re smoking and partying and popping pills), which contrasts the lyrics of the song in a way.

“We’ve never done a video like this before,” said Rihanna (pictured here on set). “This is probably one of the deepest videos I’ve ever done. It’s all about love and love being like a drug. You definitely get that from this.”

Mmm...we all know girlfriend has some experience with that kind of relationship, alright, so she sings what she knows, I guess.

Photo: RihannaLyricsVideos.info.

Suiting Up for Vegas

Yesterday, I ran into Minka Kelly at a Miami Beach post office (girl is sooo lovely!), and then I read that her fellow Friday Night Lights alumnus, Matt Lauria, will be heading to the Vegas of CSI.

All in all, not a bad day for a fan.

Back to Lauria, though – the actor is set to play an arrogant FBI agent on the long-running hit. He’ll appear in at least three episodes this fall, so check him out (I won’t, really, since I don’t really watch CSI).

Photo: ScreenRush.co.uk.

The Machine Is Back

Florence Welch is a goddess.

The fiery Brit is back with the Machine, ready to continue dazzling us with their enthralling music as Florence + the Machine.

The band’s about to drop their sophomore effort, Ceremonials, on us, and I’ve just fallen for their lead single, “Shake It Out,” the video for which is looking awesome and stylish and super-watchable.

Imma gon’ jump around now.

Photo: Bandcrunch.com.

Big Drummer Man

If there is something I like...nah, love, it’s an abundance of Aaron Eckhart goodness.

The actor, who recently signed on to headline I, Frankenstein, will produce and star in a biopic of the late Beach Boys drummer Dennis Wilson titled The Drummer.

The guy is so keen to get the part right – the project will chronicle the last six years of Wilson’s life – that he’s already fully immersed in vocal, piano, and drums training.

Eckhart playing instruments.... Does it get any dreamier?

Photo: USAToday.com.

Busy Boy

Uhh...Jamie Bamber’s getting around (and not around me).

The Battlestar Galactica alumnus is filling up his schedule with multiple guesting turns between now and his gig on Perception, one of TNT’s shows for next summer.

First, the actor will appear on TV’s House as a patient with a big secret next month (mmm...a big secret, huh), and then, he will romance Dana Delany on Body of Proof. Bamber's three-episode arc, during which he will play a super-sexy blue-collar-type, will kick off next month as well.

The more Bamber the better, IMHO.

Photo: FanPop.com.

Singing to Royalty

Coldplay’s Mylo Xyloto is such a must, you guys.

The band’s new CD has this very understated buzz going on, I think. I mean, it’s obviously super-anticipated, but I’m not really hearing a lot of talk about it, which has me wondering if it’s just going to be embraced by the fans right away, while the rest of the world follows suit after a single truly breaks out.

Could that hit be Coldplay’s collaboration with Rihanna, the sounds-very-unColdplay-like “Princess of China”?

Maybe.

Not that it really matters to frontman Chris Martin.

“[This is] a song that I’d secretly kind of written to see if Rihanna would want to sing it,” he said. “At this point, we have nothing to lose, and so we’ve been trying some new things and trying to break down the perceived boundaries between different types of music.”

Well, I’m liking what I’m hearing so far, so I’d say you’re doing pretty great. Imma gon’ update my Amazon.com Wish List now.

Photo: NME.com.

In Need of a Lawyer

Ryan Phillippe is headed back to TV for the first since his One Life to Live days.

The actor will be appearing on the fifth and final season of DirecTV’s Damages next summer.

Phillippe will play a Julian Assange-type who turns to Ellen (Rose Byrne) for help.

This reminds me: I gotta catch up with my Damages...I need to know if Patty (Glenn Close) was playing Ellen on the latter’s first big case.

Photo: BlowoutsAndBikinis.com.

Out He Goes

Zachary Quinto, the Heroes and Star Trek star about whose sexuality we’ve speculated for quite a bit now, is officially out of the closet.

The actor said his decision to come out was fueled by his recent turn in Angels in America, and by gay teen Jamey Rodemeyer’s suicide.

Click here to read Quinto’s blog post about the whole thing, and welcome him to the neighborhood, OK.

Photo: FanPop.com.