Vol. 6  No. 52

Pick Hits

Off The Record
Renegades - Rage Against the Machine
From the opening wah-wah guitar that kicks Eric B. and Rakim's Microphone Fiend wide open, Rage make clear that this won't be a canned karaoke cakewalk. The groove enters at a bloodthirsty pitch, and vocalist Zach de la Rocha drops verses with the most agility and syncopated precision he's ever displayed. Throughout the album, the rhythm section matches de la Rocha's intensity. Rage Against the Machine may be the pioneers of this genre, but they are hardly showing any sign of aging. Perhaps the imitators could still learn a new trick or two from an old dog. This is an album full of roaring, fearless spirit.

At The Movies
Vertical Limit
Forget the mountain, forget the snow, forget the conditions, Vertical Limit is a drama that could be played out on flat land, and it would still be a fantastic movie about love, family and courage. Chris O'Donnell plays Peter Garrett, a man whose life was devastated years before by a terrible mountain climbing tragedy. While on the slope with his father and his sister Annie, an accident caused Peter to make a split-second decision, save his father or save himself and Annie. Expect nothing less than a snow-covered Speed, with lots of fast-paced action-adventure with a little romance on the side.

On Video
The Art Of War
This film is about a secret United Nations task force that carries out covert ops against its member nations in order to keep world peace. Here, against the background of a trade treaty that will open China to world markets, the U.N. force's chief operative (Wesley Snipes) is framed for the assassination of the Chinese U.N. ambassador and must go on the run with the aid of a U.N. translator to clear himself and discover the real killer. Fast-paced, exciting action flick with great stunts and a James Bond story line.
 
The Buzz...

A wild and crazy guy will host next year's Oscar awards. Steve Martin will succeed Billy Crystal at the 73rd Academy Awards on March 25.

Partrick Stewart will join Martin Short in the voice cast of Nickelodeon Movie's upcoming CGI-animated movie Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius.

Aerosmith and 'N Sync, two of music's biggest acts, will headline the Super Bowl halftime show Jan. 28 in Tampa, Fla. If that isn't enough, rumors are starting to fly that the Backstreet Boys may make an appearance as well.

Jon Voight has expressed concern about his daughter Angelina Jolie's stuntwork for the Tomb Raider feature film. During one action sequence, Jolie tore ligaments in her ankle.

Former Brat Packer Judd Nelson has agreed to appear in Kevin Smith's upcoming comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

Once again, William H. Macy has been talking about the upcoming Jurassic Park III. Macy spoke of how hard it is working on the film, saying, "I am running from dinosaurs. Action, action. It's very intense."

Kirsten Dunst has signed on to play Spider-Man's girlfriend MJ in the Sam Raimi-directed feature film based on the webslinger's comic book adventures.

Fresh off the box office success of Rugrats in Paris: The Movie, Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon Movies have announced plans to make a third Rugrats animated feature.

Licensing and Merchandising has signed a deal with USAopoly to create a Monopoly game based on The Simpsons.

Zakk Wylde will write and record on the next Ozzy Osbourne record. Ozzy will begin recording in January 2001 featuring Zakk on guitars, Geezer Butler on bass, and Tommy Lee on drums. The record is anticipated to be released in time for Ozzfest 2001 with this same lineup participating in the tour.

Helen Hunt, who's currently on-screen as Mel Gibson's romantic interest in What Women Want, filed a Los Angeles Superior Court divorce petition, citing irreconcilable differences.  The two have been separated about six months. They dated for years before tying the knot in July 1999.

An Arizona man was sentenced to prison for extorting money from comedian and Family Feud host Louie Anderson by threatening to tell tabloids that the comic asked him for sex.

Kid Rock has recorded a cover of the '50s rockabilly song Drinkin' Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee for an upcoming all-star celebration of seminal rock label Sun Records' 50th anniversary.

Spitfire Records is releasing two remastered David Coverdale albums recorded by between Deep Purple and Whitesnake but never released in the U.S., 1977's White Snake and 1978's Northwinds.

Rock star Bob Geldof has been given custody of the orphaned daughter of his former wife, Paula Yates, and INXS singer Michael Hutchence.