Bad day for the pizza guy
Opening Friday, Aug. 12, “30 Minutes or Less” is a black comedy inspired by a true-life horrific event. In 2003, a pizza delivery guy, Brian Wells, was caught robbing a Pennsylvania bank. He told police that criminals had kidnapped him, put an explosive device around his neck, and told him he had to rob the bank within a certain time period before the device went off.
The film stars Oscar nominee Jesse Eisenberg, 27 (“The Social Network,” “Zombieland”), as Nick, a pizza deliverer. Nick isn’t in on any scheme. Unlike the Wells case, his kidnapping by a couple of goofball criminals is genuine. These two guys force Nick to rob a bank while wearing a bomb vest attached to a 10-hour timer. One of the goofballs is played by Danny McBride, 34 (“Eastbound and Down”); McBride’s mother is Jewish. Ruben Fleischer, 36, directed the movie; he is best known for deftly helming “Zombieland,” a hit send-up of zombie films that was both hilarious and touching.
Big-screen ‘Glee’ in 3-D
In the words of the film’s publicity release: “The smash television sensation ‘Glee’ became a record-breaking summer concert phenomenon, selling out instantly. Beginning Friday, Aug. 12 — and for two weeks only — Gleeks everywhere will be able to experience the unique concert experience in the immersive magic of a 3-D theatrical movie event.” Most of the TV show cast will appear in the film, including actresses Dianna Agron, 25 (Quinn Fabray), and Lea Michele, 24 (Rachel Berry). Also appearing is recurring guest star Gwyneth Paltrow, 38.
Carlton tries a comeback
Remember singer-songwriter Vanessa Carlton? Back in 2002, she had a huge hit with the song “A Thousand Miles” from her CD “Be Not Nobody.” The song and CD were nominated for a slew of Grammies and the song sold more than 2 million copies. Since then, Carlton’s career has been on a slow decline as she has not been able to produce a CD that has really clicked with the public. On July 26, she released a new CD, “Rabbits on the Run,” that has received good reviews. Whether it will sell remains to be seen.
Carlton, 30, is the daughter of a non-Jewish father and a Jewish mother. While secular, Carlton does have ties to the organized Jewish community. Last January, famous Russian Jewish singer-songwriter Regina Spektor, 31, fell ill just before she was supposed to perform for a benefit for the S.F.-based Jewish Family and Children’s Services. Carlton stepped in at the last minute for Spektor and saved the day.
Mazel tov
Actress Marla Sokoloff, 30, and her husband, Alec Puro, 36, have announced that they are expecting their first child. The couple married in a Jewish wedding in 2009, with Jake Paltrow acting as Puro’s best man. (Puro is Jewish; notwithstanding his odd last name). Sokoloff, who was born in San Francisco and partially raised in Danville, has been acting since she was a child, with a big role on “Full House” when she was 12. This busy schedule prevented her, she says, from having a bat mitzvah. But she says she wants to raise her children Jewish and hopes to have a bat mitzvah some day (her mother had her bat mitzvah at age 40).
Sokoloff has starred in the TV shows “The Practice” and “Big Day” and has kept busy with TV guest shots (such as a nanny on “Desperate Housewives”). She is also an accomplished musician. Her husband is the drummer for the well-known artsy rock band “Deadsy,” and in the last five years he has been very busy scoring films and documentaries.
Columnist Nate Bloom , an Oaklander, can be reached at [email protected].