(Terence) Stamp of Approval

I was today years old when I found out that Terence Stamp was in the 1st Superman film.

Yup, he's General Zod. And if not for this video that crossed my feed, I wouldn't have known.

Imagine, he went from General Zod to Bernadette Bassenger in "Priscilla Queen of the Desert."

Now that's super!

WATN: That boy, Barret

Back in the 80s, Barret Oliver was the quintessential boy-next-door in Hollywood movies.

His career really kicked-off when he appeared in "The Neverending Story." This was such a fantastic fantasy film which became one of my faves. 

Then, his next big role was in "D.A.R.Y.L." This was another film that captured my imagination and briefly made me consider wanting to be an android. 

Then, there was "Cocoon" and "Cocoon: The Return." These films solidified his character as the curious, precocious boy who always gets into these great adventures.

After the 80s, he disappeared from the Hollywood scene. Which necessitates the question: "Where is Barret Oliver now?"

Searching for him on the net, it seems like his last Hollwood appearance was at the end of the 80s. After that, there weren't any movies or TV shows that had him. 

And with that, he'll always remain that precocious, adventurous, boy-next-door in my mind.

WATN: Can't get a (Strong)Hold of him

I'm a superhero nut.

I've always been into superheroes ever since I was a kid. From the mainstream heroes like "Superfriends," to the more obscure ones like "Super 6," to the ones that are a bit on the campy side like "Mighty Isis," "Electra Woman and Dyna Girl," and "The Greatest American Superhero."

I'm a superhero nut.

It's something I never really outgrew. That's why even now, I'd line up for films from mainstream heroes like the ones from the Marvel and DC Cinematic Universe. And even more obscure ones like "Kick Ass," "Paper Man," and "TMNT."

In 2005, there was a superhero comedy film which I really, really liked. It was a Disney film called "Sky High," and it was one of those hybrid films that brought together a coming-of-age story with a family-story with a friendship-story and a superhero-story.

Needless to say, I was sold.

SO SOLD.

So Sold that I think I watched it more than 10 times in 3 different countries. (I kid you not!)

This film had a powerhouse cast which included Kurt Russel, Kelly Preston, Cloris Leachman and - gasp! - Lynda Carter! Yes, the original Wonder Woman.

But the titular role of Will Stronghold went to this rising teen star named Michael Angarano.

Back in the early 2000s, he was one of those teens who had the chops to make it as "the next big thing in Hollywood." Heck, he was up there with Josh Hutcherson! (That's another WATN story, though.)

But as the 2010s rolled in, we started seeing less and less of him until - well - we didn't see him in Hollywood films at all. Which is a waste because he's a good actor with good comedic timing. He was even on "Will and Grace."

Maybe Disney should do a reboot of "Sky High" and have him as one of the professors this time. I'd definitely watch that movie again.

Alien Attraction

Certain Hollywood actors are typecast into certain roles. For the longest time, Meg Ryan was the "nice woman looking for love" and Bill Pullman was the "best friend who never gets the girl." 

Recently, I found another actor who can be added to the list. She's Zoe Saldana, and she's recently been typecast as "the girl who should play an alien."

First, there's her turn in "Avatar."

Now, she's in "Guardians of the Galaxy."

I was also tempted to add in her turn as Lt. Uhura in "Star Trek." But she looked very human there, so it doesn't count.

Now I'm wondering what makes her so attractive to producers as an alien.

More celebrity confusion

Here's another addition to the "Hollywood-celebrities-who-look-so-alike-it's-confusing" list.

May I present Viggo Mortensen and Aaron Eckhart!

It came to a point when I'd have conversations like:

ME: "I didn't know Aaron Eckhart played Aragorn in 'Lord of the Rings.'"
SHE: "He didn't. That was Viggo Mortensen."

Then there's the:

ME: "Viggo Mortensen was great in 'Erin Brockovich.'"
SHE: "That was Aaron Eckhart."

Maybe they should be cast in one film as twins, like a male version of "The Parent Trap." At least they can put the confusion to good use.

Where are the Wilsons?

There was a time when both Luke and Owen Wilson were in multiple movies each year. Luke would often be cast as the rom-com leading man, while Owen was the quirky comedy guy.

Both had memorable performances in hit movies. Luke was in the Charlie's Angels series, "The Royal Tenenbaums," "Legally Blonde," and "My Super Ex-Girlfriend." Owen was often the hilarious sidekick or antagonist in his roles in "Zoolander," the "Meet the Parents" series, "Night at the Museum," and "You, Me and Dupree."

Recently, though, I don't see any of the Owen brother's on screen. Which is a waste since they're both very talented.

Where's "Zoolander 2" or a new Charlie's Angels movie when you need it.