News Muse - America: two steps forward, three steps back

Daniel Craig as James Bond

Quantum of Solace smashed UK box office records on its opening night last Friday, taking £4.9million in ticket sales and knocking Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire off the top spot with its £4million in 2005. Quantum even beat Casino Royale’s takings last year, proving that people are really warming to the new James Bond – rock on Daniel Craig!

Following on this news, The Telegraph reported on Monday that this summer has shown the best UK cinema attendance in 40 years. I guess it makes sense that everyone is going to the movies in these times of financial doom and gloom. It’s relatively cheap entertainment (if you don’t buy the popcorn) and will at least temporarily take your mind off the financial apocalypse out there.

Otherwise, all eyes have been on America this week leading up to their election. The whole world seems inspired and hopeful now that a black man has finally made it to the White House (hmm, maybe they should consider changing the name).

Check out Barack Obama’s speech:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrXkBuWNx88&fs=1

Daniel Craig, a fan of Barack, recently said he reckons the world is now ready for a black 007. Well, why not?!

But just as you start believing that Americans are becoming a little bit more modern, a little bit more liberal, you realise that they still have such a long way to go when the legalisation of same-sex marriages in California was recently overturned by vote. Ellen DeGeneres, who got married to Portia de Rossi after the initial ruling in May, is reportedly "saddened beyond belief"…

…which is why I’m so pleased to hear that Sacha Baron Cohen is back in the States making fun of those backwards-thinking Americans.

Brüno - the gay Austrian reporter

The funny-man is shooting his latest movie [deep breath]: Brüno: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Male Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt, and recently gate-crashed an LA anti-gay marriage rally wearing a blond wig. Apparently he was embodying a new character, Straight Dave, a gay man trying to deny his sexuality by acting overly straight. No doubt another box-office hit in the making.

Now to some really REALLY exciting news:

Sex and the City – the sequel!!!

Carrie and Mr Big

Bring out the marching band and the pompoms cos SJP, Cynthia Nixon, Kim Cattrall and Kristin Davis have all said yes to another movie and they should be shooting as soon as summer 2009. Let’s hope the storyline doesn’t disappoint.

Someone who never disappoints me is Jason Statham http://youtube.com/v/Pbh3CDBNIQA