Cross game Anime review

Type: TV

Episodes: 50

Status: Finished Airing

Aired: Apr 5, 2009 to Mar 28, 2010

Producers: SynergySP

Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance, School, Sports

Duration: 23 min. per episode

Rating: G - All Ages

Yes, if you’re like me – a huge fan of classic shows in this genre like Maison Ikkoku which took a slow and steady approach to character development and plot, Cross Game is really an exceptional treat.  They just don’t make a lot of anime anime of this sort anymore – it seems most longer shows are reserved for popular shonen franchises like Naruto and not for character-oriented “slice of life” shows like this one.  

To begin with, as most will immediately assume based on what they may see about the show before viewing it, Cross Game appears to be a baseball anime. However, that presumption is a mistake – it is a show that involves baseball, but it isn’t about baseball. Baseball is the lowest common denominator that ties almost every character to each other, and it is the driving force that provides the challenges and rivals that keeps the characters aiming higher. This drive and determination is a theme that is played out in a very classic shonen way, but Cross Game plays its cards just right by keeping the work, successes, and failures relatable to anyone. This is achieved by keeping the focus not on the baseball itself but on the characters and how they react to and deal with the significant baseball-related events as they occur, allowing the story to stay easily understandable and interesting to even non-sports fans.

That isn’t to say that there is no baseball in the series, quite the opposite in fact. However, the games that are focused on are limited to the most important, intense ones that keep the viewer on their toes while being easy to follow for the non-sports fan. The baseball fans in the audience need not be turned away by the comparatively sparse amount of actual playing, though. Since the viewers who aren’t into baseball won’t need to be entertained by antics or extravagant special moves, Cross Game‘s take on the game of baseball is realistic and fun for purists who just want a good game of baseball. Both sets of viewers will easily be able to understand how the game keeps the world of Cross Game turning.

Cross Game also knows where to put its attention when it comes to the characters. The cast is kept decently small and focused, allowing for as much growth and screen time as possible for the most important characters. The people who will be mainstays are made clear early on, allowing for introductions to take as little time as possible to give way for optimal development. Of the main cast, there are no flat characters, and with the diversity of the roster it is a rare moment to become tired of what the series has to offer. On top of their contributions to the story, each character also provides a unique atmosphere and sense of humor to the scenes they are involved in, keeping the show fresh and on its toes at all times. The cast deals with basic themes of life, death, and love, but each in their own different stride, bringing an interesting dynamic of how long it takes individual characters to cope with certain situations while also interacting with each other on a daily basis. This all leads to a small, well-developed lineup of characters that are all memorable, and that cast itself is quite possibly the strongest asset Cross Game has to offer.

As the saying goes, the real beauty is in the journey, not the destination, and Cross Game recognizes and relishes in this fact. In terms of plot twists or surprise advancements in the relationships, there are very few if any. The turns and twists the story takes are, for the most part, what many would describe as unsurprising or cliché. In the case of Cross Game, though, this is definitely not a negative. From the results of games to the status of relationships, Cross Game takes the most natural progression without attempting to insert unnecessary drama or convoluted twists, and it works perfectly without either of those because the story simply doesn’t need them to stay both entertaining and lovely.

The music, animation, and even art are all simple and to the point. The retro-feel of the art with the more modern animation style gives a sort of “remastered” feeling to the viewer, complimenting the traditional standards and themes Cross Game makes a point to keep intact. The opening never changes and, while never exactly fitting the state the story is in at any given point in time, is just ambiguous enough to keep a certain relaxed mood in mind for each episode. The endings are never terrible but simply not memorable. The single exception is the first ending, which incorporates itself into the first episode in a beautiful and melancholy way that successfully set the tone for the entire next forty-nine episodes to come. If nothing else, that moment is one that will stick around in many viewers’ memories as possibly the most emotionally powerful scene of the entire series, and that in itself is worth something significant.

Cross Game is not the most intellectually compelling anime you will ever watch. It doesn’t delve deeply into subjects, and it never leaves a certain comfort zone when discussing more tender subjects. It doesn’t have groundbreaking characters or a surprising story with exciting cliffhangers. It is fully aware, however, that those things don’t matter if the execution isn’t just right, and that shows bright as day. Thus, Cross Game‘s simplicity is also its beauty, standing as an instant classic and a coming-of-age story that will be looked upon as one of the greats someday by the power of its small successes and incredibly human characters.

I recommend it to every one out there both boys and girls, sports fan or not. You must give it a try ^_^

Anime Opening:

Paranorman Movie review

Coraline was good, but Laika’s new stop-motion animation marvel ParaNorman takes it to another level. Their first zombie animation knows how to add warmth to the proceedings and make its moral lessons stronger by helping the viewers arrive at their own conclusions rather than pushing clichéd values down their throats.

Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee), the cutest antihero ever, speaks to dead people and pets (to great comic effect, at times). His caring Grandma (wonderful Elaine Stritch), who’s been dead for a while, is his only true friend – she knows very well she has to keep an undead eye on him since he is treated as a ‘freak’ by everybody else around him.

His parents (Jeff Garlin and Leslie Mann) constantly fight over his embarrassing paranormal skills while the town is about to get infested with zombies because of an ancient curse. Norman has to stop the witch who promised to wake the walkers but she turns out to be a little girl who was brutally murdered for being a kid different from the crowd – some 300 years before. Norman has to learn to break his way through her rage and save the townspeople, who aren’t much help at all.

Childhood the best of times?

ParaNorman paints the world of childhood as a dark kingdom of horror and ugliness. Every living creature (except the dead ones) is the vision of spastic, useless cruelty. His sister is a mindless phony. The kids at school are stupid bullies who misspell hateful nicknames. The neighbours look like they’d burn him at the pole – gladly. His parents are of no help: at one point Norman is talking to a belly and a bottom (his mother and father, as seen to us from his perspective).

His dad is the biggest bully of all. The abuse he inflicts is the kind of abuse that may leave scars for life. At least those are complete strangers in his school and in the street – they don’t have to love Norman; seeing his own father reject the very essence of him (his supernatural gift) is heart-breaking. No one coming out of ParaNorman will say sweetly that childhood as one’s ‘best years’ – and I would like to especially thank writer/director Chris Butler and director Sam Fell for shooting that idiotic cliché right through its dead head.

ParaNorman gets subversive quickly. We are not afraid of the zombies eating the children, we are afraid of the parents burning the children alive. Surviving in the midst of ugly (in and out) adults like the monstrous Teacher (with her green mask, she is almost indistinguishable from zombies) and the angry, blood-thirsty mob is no easy feat. Norman is the last boy standing – and it’s not the best way to learn about the world when you are a kid.

On the fun side, ParaNorman is a crazy fiesta of vibrant colours and amazing imagery. Norman looks like a child top model with his huge asymmetric eyes, crooked nostrils and Will Smith ears, which light up like overweight fireflies when the sun shines through them. His room is a haven of zombie paraphernalia – from wallpaper and bedcover to nightlight and slippers, all in the most eye-popping, juicy hues.

The whole idea of the zombie apocalypse hasn’t been so reinvented and turned upside down since Danny Boyle’s 28 Days Later as it is in ParaNorman. The zombies (slow again) possess intelligence (and sometimes make more sense than humans), communicate with each other and are basically ‘good’ despite smelling terribly and groaning all the time. The focus here is on psychological horror and the intertextual fright potential of the zombie metaphor (we know they might be a threat, so we are scared – just in case).

Verdict: A movie about a bullying epidemic that is like a zombie one (once bitten the virus begins to spread, where former victims become aggressors) couldn’t be timelier. It’s beautiful. It’s very funny. It startles and scares. And it teaches us not to fear. What’s not to love?

Movie trailer:

Idol shopping Manga review

Type: Manhwa

Volumes: 12

Chapters: 48

Status: Finished

Published: Not available

Genres: Comedy, Romance, Drama, shoujo, school life

Authors: Hwang, Mi Ri (Story & Art)

Serialization: None

Ugh, Idol Shopping... i dont really know where to begin with this. This series seemed really interessting in the beggining because you were wondering, what happened, that everybody hates song's brother aul. But then when the mistery was solved it went downhill. In another half of the manhwa, the plot twist are just ridiculous as well as how they were solving the problems in the situation and you didn't really care like in the first half of the series. In the second half of the series the main focus is only romance. Also the story felt like mixed up different stories into one manhwa. 

Shopping Idol tells the story about protector of the weak and the enforcer of justice, Song Ih Kang a.k.a "Bully Take-Carer S".  Her "peaceful" life gets shaken by her brother's suicide attempt. Wanting to know why his brother tried to take his own life, she asks him about it, but he refuses to tell her why. The only thing he cares about is not going back to that school. Song wants to find out why the school treated her brother so badly and comes up with a plan - to impersonate him at his all boys private school.  Her parents, worried that he will get kicked out of his private school and lose his scholarship is he doesn't attend classes, encourage Song Ih's idea to pretend to be him while he recovers. Leaving her "job" as the" bully take-carer S", she goes to school for him to find out the truth and to beat up whoever did it. However, the school is filled with dark secrets...

The Characters: 

They all add something to the story, though some of them I wish didn't. There are some bad characters, by this I don't mean evil, even though they are. I liked the secondary characters more than 

the main ones. Keep in mind that this is all I could share without much spoilers.

But there are also nice/sweet though sometimes dumb-as-rock characters. Who can't figure out she's a girl. I'm sorry but I find it ridiculous that even after finding out she was a girl (it's not a spoiler because it's bound to happen in any manga) they don't notice when she's herself or her brother.

-Song Ih was a strong female at first. She beat up "bad guys" for money but still. Then she changed, but the roller coaster that she is she picked back up. She could have been better portrayed. her decisions were sloppy and sometimes it felt like the author came up with this stuff on a whim. She had this back and forth between guys that could give anyone whiplash. 

-A Ul's character lacked emotions. He was either in one side or the other. I get it he was in pain, but come on. Without spoiling all I have to say is that being her twin, he would have acted better. It wasn't believable, but then again this is a manga.

-Ga Yun, the male lead in this story is a little on the boring side and he is perfect, not because he's so great but because he really is perfect. He gets the best grades and is top of his class, best fighter, loved by his parents and girls and is even the male lead here. See, "perfect". The second half of the manga is better than the first because his character's metaphorical mask comes off and he finally shows a backbone. his best friend is the most interesting though.

-Hoan Se Ryun was in my opinion the best though a little annoying. He fell in love with the wrong person and fought to keep her (wonder who he fell for?). Though even at the end I felt bad for him because I don't think he realized that he kissed a guy. How did he not figure that out? And what does it say about the rest of the characters if this one is the best?

The art was not very impressive. The fighting scenes were sloppy and were all over the place. They were weak and failed to leave a lasting impact. Ga Yun's character artwork was slip-shod. In one panel, he's wearing glasses but in the next panel of the same page, he isn't. There was also this one scene where they even made him blond. And mostly the characters looked same to me or may be it was me who is confusing a lot. In the end I should stop reading Manhwa? Overall, a very average job indeed.

Even after finishing the entire manga, I still couldn't figure out why it's called Idol Shopping. There's only one idol (as in show biz), but he never took her shopping.

All in all, Idol Shopping is a manga that has a pretty good story, but fails to deliver due to extraordinarily dumb characters, a predictable plot and mediocre artwork.

Robert Pattinson Jokes About What It’s Like To Be “Homeless”

Robert Pattinson is a bit of a Craigslist fanatic. In fact, the “Cosmopolis” star revealed to Jimmy Kimmel that he’s currently selling a 2001 Silverado he bought on the site three months ago. “I buy everything off Craigslist,” he said on Kimmel’s show on Wednesday night. “My friends; that’s what I was initially looking on it for. I mean every single car I bought [was off Craigslist].”

He also joked that he is still “homeless” since his last visit to the show, when he disclosed he had no permanent roof over his head in the City of Angels. “I rented this archway and I just live behind it. In one of those trash cans,” he laughed.

While he scours the Internet for bargains and archways to live near, he shared that he accidentally used to ride his bike to an “infamous dogging spot” in L.A.”It’s like cruising,” he explained after sharing, “I used to turn up at this parking lot looking at everyone like, ‘Why are all these guys sitting around in their cars all the time?’ And I’m going there every day kinda thinking nothing of it, coming out in my little Lycra pants, and one day there was a big raid as I was there.”

Soon the conversation turned to his latest flick, “Cosmopolis,” which features him showing off a much edgier side as a young billionaire who finds his life in shambles. “I mean there’s a couple sex scenes,” he said about the David Cronenberg-directed film, later opening up the scene of him getting a prostate exam in his limo. “Someone was telling me about this vein that comes out of my forehead that only ever happens when very good things happen or very, very bad things.”

“Cosmopolis” is currently in theaters. His next film, “Breaking Dawn – Part 2,” opens in November.

Photos of Kim Hyun Joong COLORED FOR AUTUMNby HANGTEN

Selena Gomez 'Wants To Dump Arrogant Justin Bieber'

A few months ago there were rumours that Selena Gomez and Justin Bieber were on the rocks and in spite of their public show of love, insiders close to Selena believe she is ready to give her boyfriend the push.

It seems the 18 year-old's transformation from teen idol to bad boy Bieber over the last few months, hasn't gone down well with his girlfriend of over a year and now she reportedly wants out.

"Selena's seen a change in The Biebs," an insider told the National Enquirer, "he's less kind to others, and to her, and gotten more full of himself.”

The once squeaky clean star has repeatedly got into trouble over the last few months and even got himself in trouble with the law after a paparazzo accused JB of attacking him while on a date with Selena.

The insider went on: “His escalating, wild-card behaviour worries her,”

“He isn't the Justin she fell in love with, the 'dreamy' boyfriend she could have fun with and tell all her secrets to.”

But it seems she won't be breaking up with him anytime soon, as the star is said to fear what this 'new' Biebs will do if she breaks his heart.

The source revealed, "she won't kick him to the curb hard and cold for the fear he'll get vindictive. Selena's searching for a way to break it off, remain friends - and even continue working together on projects, as they've done with tracks for her upcoming CD."

They added: “He knows things about her family life so she's worried about what he'll spill if they split.”

We've certainly noticed a change in Justin over the last year, once he was talking about cute teenage thing the next thing he is revealing he loves Nikki Minaj's bum.

We aren't surprised that Sel is having a re-thinking. But could their break up really get that ugly? What exactly could she be hiding?

While speculation continues about the state of their romance, to us, the couple look as loved up and cute as ever!

Avril Lavigne Engagement Ring 'Worth $350,000'

Avril Lavigne's engagement ring is reportedly worth a cool $350,000.

Following the shock announcement that Lavigne had accepted Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger's marriage proposal, it has now emerged that the rocker splashed a lot of cash on the ring.

Speaking of the sparkler, jewellery expert Michael O'Connor told US Weekly: "A pear shape diamond set in platinum is a nod to vintage glamour and individuality - perfect for a rocker like Avril.

"The half-moon diamonds are also rare since they would have to be specially cut to fit on either side of the centre diamond. The centre diamond is approximately 10 carats, with an additional four carats of total side diamonds."

The couple have since been spotted celebrating their engagement in Las Vegas, with reports claiming they knocked back bottles of champagne and vodka at the 1OAK nightclub.

An onlooker told Life & Style magazine: "They went to 1 Oak Nightclub in Las Vegas on Aug. 21 to celebrate their engagement.

"Avril arrived first with a bunch of male friends and bodyguards, then Chad showed up later and met them inside. Avril was so excited to see her man.

"They were super cuddly and affectionate. They drank Dom Pérignon and Grey Goose.'She can pound the vodka."

Despite the initial surprise that the 27-year old had become engaged to Kroeger, pals have since told People that they are the perfect match.

The insider said: "They have the same values and really understand each other. They complement each other and are so happy."

Avril and Chad have since spoken of their engagement in an interview with HELLO! Canada, where Kroeger revealed: "I knew I was falling for her. It was incredibly powerful and something I'll never forget."

Lavigne - who was previously married to Sum 41 star Deryck Whibley - added: "He makes me laugh every day. He takes care of me in every way and is extremely attentive."

Emma Watson afraid to go out alone

Emma Watson says she is too famous to go out in public.

The actress struggles to go anywhere unrecognised since finding fame with the hit Harry Potter film franchise. Emma can no longer enjoy outings to exhibitions or galleries as she is likely to be swamped by fans.

The 22-year-old says it just takes one eagle eyed member of the public to spot her and chaos erupts.

"If I went somewhere busy, I wouldn't last very long. I can't go to a museum, I'll last ten or 15 minutes in a museum," Watson revealed to The New York Times Style magazine.

"The problem is that when one person asks for a photograph, then someone sees a flash goes off, then everyone else sort of... it's sort of like a domino effect."

The notoriously shy star cannot handle being mobbed by the public. She finds this prospect particularly scary when she is alone. As a result Watson avoids putting herself in situations where this could happen.

"Then very quickly the situation starts to get out of control to a point where I can't manage it on my own," Emma nervously continued to explain.

Selena Gomez goes grunge for CPK

Selena Gomez rocked her rebel side in L.A. yesterday afternoon. She sported her smoking skull tank top and black leather boots. The former Disney princess was snapped exiting California Pizza Kitchen with a friend in Tarzana, Los Angeles, reports Daily Mail. 

Selena Gomez’s Urban Outfitters, white tank top sported a skull smoking a cigarette from a ‘20s style cigarette holder. Definitely a more edgy look from the young starlet. The shirt carries a message in Russian Cyrillic writing, and the words "Russian Vodka" in English. She wore the same garment last month – must be a favorite. 

This time instead of skinny jeans, Selena teamed the top with an oversized scarf, frayed denim shorts and black leather boots. She wore her hair in a loose, messy ponytail with face-framing pieces. She later ditched the studded boots for flip-flops. They may have been too much for the California heat, or she might have been protecting a fresh pedicure. 

The rebel outfit stands out from the adorable candy-striper uniform Selena Gomez recently wore while sharing a kiss with co-star Nat Wolff during filming of her new movie Parental Guidance Suggested. Of course, the dolled up look was created for her role in the film. When Selena is away from the camera, she chooses a more edgy, casual style. Her rocker attire might be a hint she’s ready to break free from the girly teen pop queen look. 

Whatever the case, Selena Gomez always looks fabulous. She’s busy filming and putting together a new album, but she still manages to step out in style. She not only rocks the red carpet look, she now rocks the street look.

Selena Gomez: Baylor is all grown up!

Selena Gomez’s dog, Baylor, is definitely not a puppy anymore. The “Hit the Lights” singer adopted Baylor, a husky mix, back in October after she had been missing her five dogs back home. She was on tour at the time and stopped by an animal shelter with boyfriend Justin Bieber in Winnipeg. There, she fell in love. 

This week, Selena, 20, showed just how much Baylor has grown since she first laid eyes on him. "My little [boy] is all growed(sic) up lol" she wrote on Facebook, sharing a side-by-side photo of Baylor as a puppy and a recent photo of her and Baylor, who is now fully grown. Selena has definitely given Baylor a happy home, but he is not the only puppy she has watched grow up in front of her eyes. She has five other dogs. Her dogs were all rescue puppies. 

“I have five dogs and they’re all rescue dogs. We found two in a parking lot and then we found one our neighbor moved away and left him in the backyard… I shot a movie Wizards of Waverly Place: The Movie as we saw a dog in Puerto Rico, he got hit by a car and we took him to the vet and took him home,” she had explained. “So they’re all really nice. They’re very spoiled now.”

Credits: Facebook

Avril Lavigne engaged to Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger

It's a match made in Canadian music heaven as Avril Lavigne and Nickelback frontman Chad Kroeger announce their engagement. The Canadian musicians have been quietly dating for six months. Initially the pair were work colleagues, as Chad and Avril began collaborating on a track for the songstress's upcoming fifth album in February. 

The couple's relationship quickly escalated from friendship to love. "A romantic relationship blossomed as they spent time writing together," a source told People magazine. Chad, 37, apparently presented Avril, 27, with a 14-carat diamond ring when he proposed. According to insiders, the couple couldn't be more thrilled. "He makes her so happy," a source close to the family revealed. "Both of their families could not be more excited."

Chad has never been married before but this will be the second time Avril has walked down the aisle. Avril and her husband of three years - Sum 41 musician Deryck Whibley - divorced in 2009. Avril has most recently dated Brody Jenner but their relationship ended earlier this year. 

'Vampire Diaries' season 4 spoilers: More on Elena and casting news

"The Vampire Diaries" is preparing for its return to Channel 6 in Tempe this fall, and now fans are being given more inside scoop on the upcoming season. On Saturday, August 18, Spoilers Guide shared more recent comments made by Paul Wesley. There is also new casting news for the fourth season. 

Paul Wesley has been very talkative about the series and his character lately. He made some other recent comments about Stefan and Elena's relationship recently, and now he is revealing who he thinks Elena should be with by the end of season four. He said the following in a recent interview:

"Actually, I don’t want anyone to end up with Elena - it would be far more interesting and profound if she basically said goodbye to the two brothers, and vanished in to thin air, and then maybe got a nice boyfriend, like Matt Donovan, the human.. the only human on the cast. "

Matt is the one that lived instead of her when she told Stefan to pull him out of the car first in the season finale. The pair does have a prior relationship as well. They had just broken up when the series started. As for the series, the professor that will have a connection with Bonnie has been cast. According to TV Guide, David Alpay will play Professor Shane. The character will has a history with Bonnie's family.

Taylor Swift Caught Kissing Conor Kennedy

If you thought that perhaps Taylor Swift and Conor Kennedy were just pals and weren’t actually dating, think again. Photos have now surfaced of the two smooching up a storm.

The New York Daily News has the photos, which it says were taken in Hyannis Port, Mass., last Friday. Taylor is seen wearing red shorts, a black and white polka-dot top and a red polka-dot hair bow as she kisses Conor, in a grey T-shirt, on the mouth; he’s got his hands on her hips. In another photo, he’s nuzzling her and holding her hand. 

The couple was also seen holding hands while walking along the shore around Cape Cod. Swift showed off her figure in a retro red polka-dot bikini with high-waist bottoms and a halter bikini top. According to the Boston Herald, the pair also attended the weekend wedding of his cousin Kyle Kennedy, daughter of the late Michael Kennedy and Victoria Gifford Kennedy, in Boston. In addition to all the Kennedys in attendance, the bride’s grandfather, NFL star Frank Gifford, and his wife Kathie Lee Gifford were present. 

Taylor, who’s 22, and Conor, who’s 18, have been dating for only a few weeks, and they’ve been spotted together in and around Hyannis Port, as well as in Nashville. Their romance has heated up pretty quickly. Taylor is rumored to be buying a $4.9 million home across the street from Conor’s grandmother, Ethel, in Hyannis Port. Conor is the son of Robert Kennedy Jr. and the late Mary Kennedy. 

The two lovebirds will soon have to part, however: Conor is reported to be heading back to school in September, while Taylor’s gearing up for the October release of her new album, Red.

New Interview and Photos with Emma in New York Times

The New York Times has a new interview with Emma in their T-Magazine – Women’s Fall Fashion issue. Emma talks about working on her American accent for Perks, continuing her education and acting, and dealing with fame. The article includes a new photoshoot by Alasdair McLellan.

Kim Hyun Joong to focus on ‘City Conquest’ after concluding overseas activities

It was revealed that actor and singer Kim Hyun Joong will now be focusing on filming for his upcoming drama ‘City Conquest’ after concluding his overseas activities. Kim Hyun Joong had been invited to perform at the East Japan Charity Concert which was part of the 2012 Jingu Gaien Fireworks Festival in Tokyo on August 10th. 

He had the honour of closing the concert and it also marked the end of his 7 months of overseas activities. After releasing his ‘Kiss Kiss’ and ‘Lucky Guy’ singles earlier this year in Japan, Kim Hyun Joong concentrated his efforts on overseas activities and strived hard to interact with his overseas fans. Starting from last May, Kim Hyun Joong has simultaneously held his ‘Kim Hyun Joong Fan Meeting Tour 2012’ in countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China and Thailand, numbering 8 cities in five countries. 

His fan meeting was pretty special compared to usual ones as he would perform 15 years and have all sorts of interesting segments, to leave fans with unforgettable memories. In addition, his recent 2nd Japanese single album ‘HEAT’ which was released just last month, hit the top spot on the Oricon daily and monthly charts, and has now sold around 200,000 copies. He will be showing fans a more masculine and tough guy image through his upcoming drama ‘City Conquest’ which will air sometime in September through cable channel TV Joseon.

Miley Cyrus posts racy new self-pic, Liam Hemsworth thinks haircut 'looks great'

Daniel Radcliffe Makes His Co-Star Giggle The First Day Of Shooting The F Word

Daniel Radcliffe is venturing into romantic comedy territory for the first time in his career by starring alongside Zoe Kazan in The F Word. The flick is said to be "a story of a young man and woman who struggle to navigate their friendship, which has developed a deep romantic undercurrent." You that means? DanRad is stuck in the "friend zone"! How's a gurl gonna do that to Harry Potter!? Guess we'll figure out when the movie hits theaters sometime next year. The adorable pair just started filming in Toronto on Wednesday and he's already making Zoe smile with what looks like a cheesy, but charming joke of some kind.

New Emma Watson stills from Perks

New stills of Emma Watson, Logan Lerman and Ezra Miller from The Perks of Being a Wallflower have been released.

'How I Met Your Mother' Season 8 Premiere Spoilers: Robin's Wedding Day

How I Met Your Mother returns on September 24 with its eighth season, which will begin with three of the gang in relationships that won't last. What's coming up in the premiere?

HIMYM Season 8 Episode 1 "Farhampton" Spoilers

"Robin's anxiety on her wedding day to Barney prompts Ted to recount the time he insisted on leaving Victoria's jilted fiancé a note before they drove off into the sunset together."

It's not at all uncommon for someone to get nervous on their wedding day, and that's exactly what Robin is going to be dealing with. It's also how they're going to go into the story of Ted forcing Victoria to turn around to leave Klaus a note. The "Cheat Tweet" for the episode reads, "Will Barney & Robin actually go through with the wedding & is Victoria the 1 for Ted?" The answer to the second part of that question is obviously no; it's already been revealed that Ted doesn't end up with Victoria. Instead, this storyline will allow Ted to get closure and he will be on the path to finding his future bride.

Meanwhile, there's already been the tease that the How I Met Your Mother season 8 premiere future wedding will feature another surprise. The season will show how Barney and Robin get back together since that does come first before a wedding, and part of that will include relationships with other people—Barney's engagement with Quinn and Robin's new boyfriend played by Michael Trucco, whose character's name is Nick. Will there be some teases about Barney and Robin's relationship during her talk with Ted in the future?

Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev Mix Business and Pleasure

Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev are both back to work on The Vampire Diaries but they most certainly find time to relax now and then. While their schedules have them working long, hard hours, they make sure to use their spare time wisely. "Shark week mania!! Timing couldn't be better.. I'm going through Olympic withdrawals (sic)," Nina tweeted on Monday. "Settling down after long day/night of #tvd Good night beautiful world—stay cool (sic)," Ian tweeted on Wednesday. It sounds like Ian and Nina both like to just stay in and kick back when they have a late night—or an early morning.

Ian Somerhalder and Nina Dobrev are more than likely spending these nights in front of the television together. They have been dating for a couple of years now and while they are careful not to reveal too much about their private lives, fans believe that they spend a ton of time together—even if it's just at home hanging out.

'The Vampire Diaries' Season 4 casts David Alpay as Professor Shane

"The Vampire Diaries" continues to add to its cast of characters for Season 4. David Alpay, who is best known for his work on "The Borgais" and "The Tudors," is set to play a college professor who has a particular interest in the supernatural. As we shared last month, Professor Shane will share a particular connection with Bonnie when he first arrives in the fourth episode. TVGuide reveals that he knows her through her family, so we're hoping his introduction will open us up to a little more of Bonnie's background and family history.

No word yet on whether he'll be a love interest for any of the characters, but hey, look at that face. We'd be interested. Of course, Shane's not your usual college professor. In Season 2, when Damon, Alaric, and Elena visited Isobel's offices at Duke University, we learned that Isobel had been doing some serious research on vampires as part of her studies. Let's just say that Shane has a lot in common with Elena's departed bio-mom. Alpay will recur this season. His storyline will introduce us to the local university, which will help ease the show's transition into the post-high-school world after most of our favorites graduate in the spring.

It seems like he can make some interesting character..Cant wait for Season 4...

Taylor Swift new single on track for record downloads

(Reuters) - Country-pop singer Taylor Swift has shot to the top of iTunes in 25 countries with her new single "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," and is poised for a record digital sales debut on next week's Billboard chart. Billboard said on Wednesday that the infectiously catchy song was already among the 40 most-played tunes on U.S. radio just two days after being released.

The song went to the top of iTunes in the United States just an hour after it was released on Monday, and has since reached No. 1 in Australia, Canada, Brazil, Finland and 20 other nations. Citing music industry sources, Billboard said the track - the first single off Swift's fourth album, "Red," due in October - could sell 450,000 to 500,000 downloads by the end of the week.

That could make "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" the biggest debut for a digital song by a female artist if Swift surpasses the 448,000 download mark set by Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" single in February 2011. Swift, 22, has sold 17.8 million albums in the United States since bursting onto the country scene as a teenager in 2006. She went on to earn six Grammys, 10 American Music Awards and more than 13 other country music trophies for hit songs like "You Belong with Me," "Mean" and "Fifteen." 

 Swift is known for penning songs - some vicious and others dreamy - about past boyfriends, and the new single has sparked fevered speculation among fans and celebrity media over whom Swift is referring to in her new tune. The singer's past musical targets have included actor Taylor Lautner, and musicians Joe Jonas and John Mayer. "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together" has few obvious hints, but speculation has fallen on actor Jake Gyllenhaal, whom Swift briefly dated in 2011, and folk-pop singer Mayer, once again.