After getting out of the house to run a few errands, I decided to hit the ArcLight to see G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra one more time cuz, to be honest, I had such a great time seeing it the first time. G.I. Joe is showing in the Dome at the ArcLight and the theater has set up two big display cases full of props that were used in the movie:

You know, I honestly loved the movie just as much the second time around. Haters who claim the FX are “cheap” are flat out wrong. I paid careful attention to see if I could find faults with the CGI to see what people are talking about … I found none. The movie is just so fun … it doesn’t go more than 10-15 mins. without a big action sequence exploding on the scene … what more could you ask for from a Summer blockbuster? The idea of an underwater lair is SO G.I. Joe … it’s deffo the kind of thing you’d see in the cartoon. The worst parts of the film are when it tries to be “serious”. I say, jettison all the drama dialog and get back to the lasers and explosions ;) I prolly won’t see it again in theaters but this is a movie that I’ll be picking up on DVD.

No big plans for today … I got a lot of reading to get back to so that’s prolly what I’ll do.

So … last night David and I were invited to attend the Hollywood premiere screening of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra and we HAPPILY made our way to Grauman’s Chinese Theater on Hollywood Blvd. for the event. Ever since it was first announced last year that G.I. Joe was headed for the big screen I was ANXIOUSLY awaiting its release. I’ve been a HUGE G.I. Joe fan since I was a young child. My best friend in Elementary and Junior High School, Jeff Fuhrman, and I used to pay G.I. Joes together and would pretend to be characters from the cartoon all the time (particularly when we were learning how to swim in 6th grade, we were both very scared of the huge diving platform but pretended to be brave Joes when we had to take the plunge). I loved collecting the G.I. Joes from the 80’s (ie. the small action figures) rather than the larger, Barbie-sized dolls from the 60’s and 70’s (tho I do have an anniversary edition Cobra Commander action figure that is on the larger size) … but I’m digressing. I’ll admit, the first commercial for the movie that we saw on SuperBowl Sunday earlier this year had me worried … then there was all that bad buzz … but I can ASSURE you — the movie is really freakin’ fun!

From the first peek at Joseph Gordon-Levitt as The Doctor/Cobra Commander, I had hope that the final product would be as cool as the cartoon was and I am SO RELIVED that the movie turned out so well. Let me be clear here, G.I. Joe is LIGHT YEARS better than Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen. I’m convinced that fans of the cartoon will love the movie version … which is basically a cartoon come to life. The colors are vibrant and bold and really make it feel like a real-life cartoon. The FX are STUNNING. This movie was made by Paramount, the same studio who did the Star Trek movie … they know FX. I believe it cost $175 million to make this film and it shows … they did not skimp on the CGI, I just loved all of the battle/action scenes. Let me address the “robot suits” used in the film that everyone seems to hate. To be honest, the suits are just G.I. Joe versions of the Iron Man suit … it worked in that movie and it works in this movie, too. Plus they are only used in one action sequence … but really, all of the action sequences are amazing! Three key sayings from the original cartoon are used in the movie and very adeptly, I might add. Be on the listen out for the classic G.I. Joe phrases — A real American hero, Knowing is half the battle and “life-like hair and Kung-Fu grip” (which was the way the action figures were described on the packaging). There are a few G.I. Joe cameos which I don’t want to spoil … but wait ’til you see who plays Gung Ho ;) I also loved how multicultural and gender friendly the film is … the Joes and Cobras are made up of many races and the women are not treated as weak characters. Sienna Miller’s Baroness is BAD ASS! In all honesty, she was my fave character (tho Storm Shadow comes in a close second). Channing Tatum has a shirtless scene … people, what more could you want?

There are a few things that I didn’t like but they are so marginal, they don’t really detract from the movie overall. Marlon Wayans (Ripcord) is the weakest character in the film. He does the comedy relief but mostly, I just wished he’d shut up. I REALLY didn’t like what they did to Cover Girl … you’ll know what I mean when you see it but I was all WTF??? That part didn’t make any sense to me at all. I didn’t really like the connection between Duke and The Baroness (but I did like the connection between The Doctor and The Baroness). She is a purely evil character and should stay that way. Snake Eyes never speaks, we all know this, so why does his costume have lips? It’s freaky … I could do without the lips.

I did like many of the changes to the story that have been added for the movie … the familial connections between characters, the revelation that the Baroness’s last name is de Cobray and the explanation on how Zartan is able to be a true master of disguise. Seriously, I could go on and on. I had A BLAST last night … I cannot wait to see the movie again. I’m just so happy that one of my fave childhood cartoons was turned into a very entertaining movie. GO SEE IT. I’m pretty sure you’ll love it. I loved it a lot. The ending was BRILLS!!!!!! See it and then lemme know what you think.

Here are some of the pics that I snapped at the premiere on our way in:

After the jump, check out the pics I snapped at the after party — you have to see who I got to meet …

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Last night Channing Tatum (Duke), Sienna Miller (The Baroness), Rachel Nichols (Scarlett), Byung-hun Lee (Storm Shadow) and others (including Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt who where proudly showing off her new issue of Playboy magazine) were on hand at Grauman’s Chinese Theater here in Hollywood, CA for the LA premiere of their new Summer blockbuster G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra. The promo machine for the film got started last month in Sydney, Australia before making it’s way to Tokyo, Japan and then arriving on our shores in NYC earlier this week. Last night the Joes invaded SoCal and threw a big party in celebration. Here are a few photos from the red carpet Cobra Black Carpet arrivals last night:

I, too, was in attendance at the Hollywood premiere of G.I. Joe and, while my full review is on the way, it is with great pleasure that I tell y’all that THE MOVIE RULES!! I enjoyed G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra 10,000 times more than the moronic Transformers 2 … and, to be honest (as far as blockbuster films go), I enjoyed it about as much as I enjoyed Star Trek earlier this year. Again, I’ll get to all of that later on … but gettin’ back to the premiere, I have to tell you … the Joes clean up pretty nice. Of course Channing was too hot for words (and yes, I did get to inadvertently run into him at the after party) but I was stunned by both Sienna Miller and Rachel Nichols last night. Sienna was really workin’ that Hollywood glamor. The premiere was really fun and I can’t wait for all y’all to see the film and judge it for yourselves. It’s big, fun, outrageously over-the-top and will really serve the fans well, I think.

[Photo credit: Splash News]

After publicly complaining that the G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra action figure The Baroness based on her likeness is “cross-eyed and has the biggest chin you have ever seen”, Sienna Miller happy played with her toy alongside her castmates Channing Tatum (with his action figure based on his G.I. Joe character Conrad Duke Hauser) and Marlon Wayans at the Fuse studios in NYC yesterday for an appearance on No. 1 Countdown to promote their new movie (opening in theaters this Friday). Additionally, Sienna Miller confesses in a new interview with GQ magazine that her extramarital affair with the very married Balthazar Getty last year made her look “really awful” … and on that account, she is correct … but the fact that she realizes the err of her ways might show some maturity from Ms. Miller after all:

Her reputation went from glamorous free spirit to home wrecker when she fell for a married father of four. And in the aftermath of her affair with millionaire actor Balthazar Getty, Sienna Miller has admitted it ‘probably looked awful’. ‘I probably seem like not a particularly nice person, not a girl’s girl,’ the 27-year-old actress confided. And yet this acknowledgment of questionable behaviour came with the excuse that it was all just part of her rebellious character. ‘I think if you put a camera in anyone’s life and document it daily for six years, from the age of 21 to 27, there are going to be things that aren’t always pretty,’ she declared. ‘Those are the rebellious years, the years of self discovery. I’ve never been someone who has conformed, and I think my response to that level of attention was to pretend it didn’t exist.’ While Getty’s wife Rosetta went into hiding to look after their four children, Miss Miller’s rebellious streak saw her pictured topless with her lover on holiday. But as she explained to GQ magazine, she was not perfect and could not live her life trying to please other people. ‘I do think sometimes people get morally superior without understanding situations,’ she said. ‘And the situation I got into [with Getty] was not ideal but it happened and if I could go back and be more responsible, I would. Well, I probably would be less naive about ignoring the fact that people care. I’ve always kind of done exactly what my instincts said. I have a good brain on me but I’ve never really used it when it came to making decisions about love, which has been a blessing and a curse.’ She added: ‘I definitely have been foolish. I’ve made apologies to people I needed to, but I can’t apologise to people I don’t know for things they don’t understand.’ Miss Miller, who claims Getty is now just a friend, is probably better known for her love life than her movie roles. Before Getty, she had well-documented romances with actors Jude Law and Rhys Ifans. She has also been linked to James Bond star Daniel Craig, musician Jamie Burke and Star Wars actor Hayden Christensen. The actress, whose new film GI Joe: The Rise Of Cobra opens this week, said she knew she was regarded as ’sexually manipulative’, but insisted this was not the case. ‘I’m supposed to be this complete slapper, that’s my reputation,’ she said. ‘But actually I was in a relationship from 19 to 21 with (the fashion designer) Dave [Neville], 21 to 24 with Jude, then 25 to 26 with Rhys, and then Balthazar. And then a few dalliances, three months here and there, but I’ve never been like a shitter. I’ve actually been kind of single for the past year. I’ve had somebody on the end of the phone maybe, but I haven’t been living with anyone or been in a proper relationship, and it’s been really great. And now I’m completely on my own. I think I’ve grown up a lot.’

Hallelujah! Sienna Miller is too pretty a woman to be chasing married men when there is a world of single men that would kill to be with her. I can’t say that I endorse her cheating ways on the “rebellious years” of “self discovery”, that kind of behavior is more an act of immature selfishness, but she seems to finally see the error of her ways … which is great news for everyone. Here’s hoping she can move forward with this new knowledge and carry on in a more respectable manner. I don’t think anyone expects sainthood from the young actress but if she wants to earn people’s respect, she’s going to have to start acting in a respectful manner. She appears to be on the right track … here’s hoping she sticks to the semi-straight and narrow.

[Photo credit: Wireimage; Source]

The cast of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, which opens in theaters this coming Friday August 7, are in NYC this week to do some promo for the film’s release. Here are a few pics of Joes Channing Tatum, Rachel Nichols and Marlon Wayans meetin’ and greetin’ some fans on the streets of NYC to promote their film:

Aww, it’s cute that Rachel Nichols likes what her action figure for her character Scarlett looks like. Unlike Sienna Miller, Rachel seems pleased with the way her doll turned out. I’m trying really hard not to think about the fact that Marlon Wayans is in the film … but focusing on Channing Tatum and his … er, assets … are a great distraction. I am very much looking forward to the release of this film. I’m hoping with all my might that it will be fun!!! This is the week, y’all!! Very soon we’ll know if the G.I. Joes will save the world!!

[Photo credit: Splash News]

In a new interview with accomplished actress Sienna Miller, the young ingenue is bemoaning the fact that the action figure based on her G.I Joe: The Rise of Cobra character The Baroness looks nothing like her. Miller claims that her action figure is “cross-eyed and has the biggest chin you have ever seen” and bears no resemblance to her whatsoever:

Sienna Miller is more than a bit miffed that a new doll of her looks ’sort of posessed’. While most actresses might consider it an honour to have an action figure made in their image, Sienna moaned that the brunette GI Joe was cross-eyed, and had a big chin. The figurine has been made for her new action movie GI Joe: The Rise Of The Cobra. The 27-year-old stars as a femme fatale in a sexy black leather catsuit as The Baroness opposite Channing Tatum. But an annoyed Sienna moaned: ‘My doll is cross-eyed and has the biggest chin you have ever seen. “Action figures are always a bit off, aren’t they? Oddly enough from side on it is definitely me but front on she looks sort of possessed.” But she added: “I’ve got very happy nieces and nephews when they get my doll for Christmas.”

HMMM … perhaps if the toy-makers wanted her action figure to be more recognizable as Sienna Miller it should’ve been packaged with a married man. I mean … ‘cuz then there’d be no doubt. Cue laughter. And we move on. After the jump, check out what some of the action figures created for the movie G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra look like — including Cobra Commander (played by Joseph Gordon Levitt) — whose doll-version gives some clue as to what he will look like in the film …

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The principal stars of G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra made their way to the Land of the Rising Sun for the world premiere of their new movie today. Here are a few pics of Channing Tatum (with new wife Jenna Dewan), Sienna Miller, Rachel Nichols and Marlon Wayans (among others) at the first premiere of G.I. Joe in Tokyo, Japan today:

While the Joes have done some promo work for the film previously in Australia, this is the first proper movie premiere for the film. I still have high hopes that the movie will be good but there is a lot of buzz going around about just how not good it really is. Nonetheless, as a huge G.I. Joe fan I deffo plan to see the film for myself and will make my own determination. The Joes have a lot of bad press to battle in the coming weeks … let’s hope they’re as successful battling bad reviews as they are battling the villainous organization Cobra.

[Photo credit: Wireimage]