inception

It’s no secret that awards shows have a tendency to drag. And it can be hard to stay interested if you’re not sure who or what the nominees are. Then you’ve got the speeches that go on that extra six minutes too long (no matter how rude it seems, sometimes we appreciate the “time-to-wrap-it-up” music). What helps lift such a long, formal show is an injection of humour from the pros. Yes, most of Hollywood has probably crossed Ricky Gervais off their Christmas card list after his opening, though there’s no denying the laughs we got from it. Another set of funny people? Tina Fey and Steve Carell. The Date Night co-stars and sitcom leads (of 30 Rock and The Office respectively) presented the Golden Globe for best screenplay, and their banter with each other as well as their funny, playful introduction of the nominees was a much-welcomed sight. Watch their presentation in the video, and if you’re unsure of the nominees from their descriptions I’ll tell you after the jump. (Extra laughs: Steve’s reaction to Ricky’s introduction.)

Keep reading to find out the nominees matched with their description.

Welcome to a special Inception edition of PopSugar Flashback with double the actors, double the vintage video fun! Leonardo DiCaprio and Joseph Gordon-Levitt may star in today's big movie release, but they had something else in common way back when: they were both child actors on two of TV's biggest sitcoms. First up, DiCaprio played Luke, a homeless kid who gets taken in by the Seavers, on Growing Pains. Here's a clip from one of his final episodes as he says his goodbyes, complete with the obligatory montage and an excess of man hugs (get a hold of yourself, Mike).

If you thought DiCaprio looked young, then wait till you see this next video of Joseph Gordon-Levitt as George, D.J.'s long-winded neighborhood friend on Roseanne. JGL must've only been 12 or 13; I can't get over how baby-faced he is! Watch the clip when you read more.

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Ladies and gentleman, your ultimate blockbuster has arrived. Inception has been shrouded in mystery virtually since its onset and the hype surrounding Christopher Nolan's mind-bending thriller has only intensified over time. The film lives up to expectations, delivering a solid, action-packed ride that provides as much food for thought as eye-popping special effects. Leonardo DiCaprio is our leading man, Dom Cobb, who has the ability to infiltrate the dreams of others with intention to extract information from the subject's subconscious. But extraction can't be done alone; it's an involved process that necessitates extensive research, a well-organised plan and a team of players. Once inside, Cobb has mastered the art of manipulating his artificial surroundings to obtain the information or idea he needs—but his own inner demons are beginning to muck up the process. As far as I'm concerned, the less you know about the film, the more exhilarating the experience will be—but for more on why I liked the film, just keep reading.
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The Melbourne International Film Festival kicked off last night with a screening of The Wedding Party starring Isabel Lucas and the actress was keen to catch-up with her ex-boyfriend, Entourage star Adrian Grenier. He was there promoting his film Teenage Paparazzo and decided to dress down for the occasion. When asked about the lack of celebs on the red carpet he said, “It’s a cute effort.” Ouch. Ashton Kutcher is also in Melbourne, but he passed up an invitation for the opening festivities because he wanted to see Inception instead. Double ouch. Among the celebs that actually did show up for the event were Laura Csortan, Jodi Gordon and Imogen Bailey.

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The Batman rumours continue to circle. The latest: The Riddler may appear in the follow-up to The Dark Knight and Joseph Gordon-Levitt's name is currently attached as "interested." We've heard rumblings of this before, but now that director Christopher Nolan is coming off a successful partnership with JGL in Inception, the gossip seems more probable than ever. I think Gordon-Levitt could be great for the part but the script reportedly calls for an actor between the ages of 35 to 45. If Nolan decides to stick with someone older, previously rumoured Johnny Depp could fit the bill, although he's a little over the cap at age 47. Anthony Michael Hall's name was also attached a while back, but that sounds unlikely. So riddle me this: who would you put in the villainous role? For me, the first guys that come to mind in that age range are Jude Law or Ewan McGregor. Perhaps one of them could step in, but do you have any casting suggestions?

Leonardo DiCaprio joined actor Ken Watanabe and director Christopher Nolan this morning in Tokyo for a press conference for their blockbuster Inception. The guys are busy showing off their film in Asia after Leo arrived in Japan on Monday in time for a big premiere. Leo's worked hard to promote their project between screenings in Europe and a revealing interview in the new issue of US Rolling Stone, in which he opened up about his experiences with fame when he was younger.

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Leonardo DiCaprio struck a pensive pose for the cover of the upcoming issue of US Rolling Stone. The actor is still giving interviews about his new movie Inception, which he's currently promoting in Japan. Leo spoke to the magazine about what life was like for him growing up in Hollywood, dating while famous and how he managed to stay out of trouble despite his loud mouth. He said:

• On growing up famous: "I was essentially a dwarf with the biggest mouth in the world. I would talk back to anyone and be up for any fight, and when you tell a kid that's three years older than you to shove it, you're going to get your ass beat . . . I was a real punk, there's no question about it."
• On partying before there was less privacy: "I got to be wild and nuts, and I didn't suffer as much as people do now, where they have to play it so safe that they ruin their credibility. I didn't care what anyone thought . . . It was also about avoiding the tornado of chaos, of potential downfall. It was, 'Wow, how lucky are we to not have hung out with that crowd or done those things?' My two main competitors in the beginning, the blond-haired kids I went to audition with, one hung himself and the other died of a heroin overdose . . . I was never into drugs at all. There aren't stories of me in a pool of my own vomit in a hotel room on the Hollywood Strip."
• On dating: "I had better success meeting girls before Titanic. My interactions with them didn't have all the stigma behind it, not to mention there wasn’t a perception of her talking to me for only one reason."