Off The Record...

The Simpsons Yellow Album

Various Artists

The Yellow Album is only the second Simpsons album from Geffen, but it is one of a long line of CDs sung by the cast of the show. Notable tunes include Apu performing 24 Hours A Day, and She's Comin' Out Swingin' funked up by George Clinton and the P-Funk All Stars.  An album for real Simpsons die-hards, the CD may be worth buying just for its cover art, a parody of the Sgt. Pepper's cover, whose cast of characters reminds us of the richness of Springfield.

At The Movies...

The Thin Red Line

Marking the return of legendary director Terrence Malick, The Thin Red Line is a complex, impressionistic piece on the nature of war, fear and the sacrifices made by men in battle that brings an altogether new level of depth to the war movie genre. Sean Penn, Nick Nolte, John Cusack, Woody Harrelson, John Travolta and George Clooney turned out in force to play small roles, just to be part of Malick's ensemble. The acting in The Thin Red Line is excellent across the board, and more than worth a wait in line at your local multiplex.

On Video...

Why Do Fools Fall In Love

Based on the remarkable life of teen singing sensation Frankie Lymon whom refused to take his own musical advice and fell in love and married three times.  The courtroom battle between the widows for his fortune is interplayed with flashbacks to chapters of Lymon's amazing rise and early demise.  The backdrop of doo-wop music, changing hairstyles and retro-clothing are overlaid by strong performances by the lead actors.  Not just a movie for parents or musical historians, this film has broad appeal.

The Buzz...

Haven't figured out what you're doing this New Years Eve?  Better book this one and next year at the same time, since reservations for the Millenium are filling up fast.  At least six steamship lines are offering cruises to the international dateline, including one $32,195 cruise on Silver Seas' Silver Wind, which includes airfare and a pre-cruise performance by Tony Bennett.

Also filling up are waiting lists and bookings at hotels in Times Square. Some have implemented lottery systems to handle the huge waiting lists they have amassed. Many won't start taking reservations for New Year's 1999 until the first of Jan. 1, 1999, but don't mind keeping a waiting list.  Rooms in Disney World resorts have been booked for about two years, even though the Magic Kingdom has yet to release specifics of its New Year's Eve plans.   Internationally, crowds will swarm to international landmarks, including India's Taj Mahal, the foot of Mt. Everest and Greenwich, England, home of the Prime Meridian.

Among other plans booked solid is a New Year's Eve bash at Old Faithful, which includes a special New Year's Eve dinner and a chance to witness the geyser's first blasts of 2000. Also filling quickly are seats on several Concorde jets, which will fly adventure-seekers across the 24 time zones for a cool $75,000.

Todd McFarlane recently confirmed that he has acquired the license to produce Austin Powers action figures. According to McFarlane, the majority of the figures will be based on characters from the upcoming sequel, Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me, with a couple of figures based on characters from the original movie.

The Fox Network announced its next prime time animated series, The PJ's, will get a sneak preview on Sunday, January 10 before being slated to follow King of the Hill on Tuesday nights starting January 12.

Sony Filmed Entertainment is in talks with Sean Connery to play the arch-villain Ernst Blofeld in its planned remake of Thunderball, in which Connery originally starred as James Bond in 1965

NBC and Turner Broadcasting, which have been in talks about starting up a new professional football league together, may also sign a deal that would return professional wrestling to broadcast TV.

The owner of an Internet website is being ordered to pay a hefty amount to actress Alyssa Milano. According to court documents, a federal judge in Los Angeles has awarded the 26-year-old actress $230,000 because the website posted nude photos of her without her permission.

An undisclosed seven-figure sum is what toymaker Hasbro has paid Warner Bros., the studio behind Gremlins and Gremlins 2: The New Batch in response to Furby fever. The talking plush doll that has become this holiday season's runaway hit will reportedly get a redesign as part of the same agreement, which promises to turn the already-hard-to-find toy into an instant collectible.

The tribute to blues guitarist Jimmy Rogers is slated for release Jan. 19. The Jimmy Rogers Allstars features cuts by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Stephen Stills and Eric Clapton

Rumors that Rod Stewart's marriage is collapsing are being crushed by construction. Stewart and wife, model Rachel Hunter, are continuing with a 4,000-square-foot addition to their Beverly Hills house. Also, the couple reportedly spent Christmas with their two children in their recently-acquired $4 million mansion outside of London.

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