HOTTER IN HOLLYWOOD: Hiko Mitsuzuka

The Lonely Island Delivers Some Viral Video Awesomeness This Week

Our favorite digital comedic trio is at it again, celebrating the very American rite of passage that is Spring Break...and same-sex marriage. Just in time for swimsuit season!

Posted on May 08, 2013 in Hiko Mitsuzuka, HOT & OUT, HOT BABES, HOT NET, HOT TUNES | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Is Oprah Aiming For Her Second Oscar Nomination With 'The Butler'?

The trailer for The Butler, Lee Daniels's follow-up to The Paperboy, looks like a giant, ripe piece of Oscar bait, and we had to watch it TWICE to make sure we caught all of the names attached to this sprawling production that is "inspired by true events." Oprah. Forrest Whittaker. Jane Fonda. John Cusack. Liev Schrieber. Robin Wiliams. Cuba Gooding Jr. Vanessa Redgrave. Alan Rickman. The list goes on...

And no, it's not about Wadsworth from Clue (although that would be pretty awesome). Take a peek at the historical drama that's bound to draw up some buzz later this year:

Posted on May 07, 2013 in Hiko Mitsuzuka, HOT FLIX | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Brit Week L.A. 2013: Partying at OPARTFASH in WeHo

by Hiko Mitsuzuka

Here in Los Angeles we are in the midst of Brit Week, that time of year when UK-born artists of all types living in Southern California (and Anglophiles like myself) gather together to mingle and celebrate each other's achievements and overall fabulousness.

I was honored to be invited to attend a Brit Week party in the hills above Sunset Boulevard celebrating opera, fashion, and art (OPARTASH, get it?). Thrown at the private home of Genlux fashion editor Amanda Eliasch (pictured, below), the guest-list-only "soiree" held about 150 guests including actress Lisa Zane from -- yep -- Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (I'll let that sink in for you 90s horror junkies out there). And who knew she could sing? Early in the night, the raven-haired artist slinked up next to a pink piano and performed an Italian number with opera singer Charles Eliasch.

My plus-one for the evening was a filmmaker friend of mine who wished to remain nameless here because of his following description of the house: "It's as if Betsy Johnson and Ed Hardy had sex in 1987 and exploded." Indeed: white walls, onyx tables, pink velvet chaise lounges, baroque sculptures, and neon artwork made for a decor that would've done Andy Warhol proud.

Since we arrived shortly after 6pm, the actual start time, we expected to enjoy some gourmet nibblers as our dinner, but lo and behold, a dining table strewn with cheese plates and hummus wasn't enough to satiate our appetites.

After stuffing my face with brie and grapes, I searched the rest of the party for anything that would quell my stomach. No such luck. Instead, I gulped down two glasses of Veuve Clicquot and a vodka cocktail at the open bar. I then peeked my head into the kitchen where two catering staff members asked if I needed anything. I politely asked them if anything else was being served since I, like some of the guests I knew, didn't prefer to graze on pita chips and berries like farm animals.

That's when we snuck into the dressing room where some half-naked models were getting ready for the pending Pam Hogg fashion show. One smiling waif offered us some pizza that some of the models had eaten for dinner (yes, you read that correctly: models eat pizza before walking the runway).

I scarfed down a slice of barbecue chicken pizza as if I were a vagabond who had just traveled across a post-apocalyptic Earth after weeks without sustenance.

Somewhat satisfied, we made our way outside to the pool deck to grab a good seat for the pending fashion show. A runway had been constructed over the pool and a spotlight had been situated next to the DJ. A hush came over the Euro-centric crowd.

Amanda Eliasch came out and tapped on a microphone, thanking everyone for coming, especially designer Pam Hogg who had flown in from London to showcase her new line of out-of-this-world outfits. Hogg, one of Gaga's fashion femme fatales, isn't known for making public appearances, so tonight's occasion was quite special.

The models strutted and did their thing. I caught Smiling Waif making her way towards our seats. In a moment of recognition I smiled, nodded my head, and on behalf of my stomach, mouthed the words, "Thank you."

Without missing a beat, before she walked off the pool deck, she turned and said, "It was soooo good, right?"

My kind of supermodel.

@TheFirstEcho

Posted on April 30, 2013 in Hiko Mitsuzuka, HOT & OUT, HOT BABES, HOT COUTURE, HOT CULTURE | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Music Video of the Month: Empire of the Sun's "Alive"

We're digging the laid-back, early summer vibe of EOTS's new single from their forthcoming sophomoric album, Ice On The Dune (out in June), and once again, we're trippin' out over the out-of-this-world costumes and visuals in the vid. Check them out:

Posted on April 30, 2013 in Hiko Mitsuzuka, HOT TUNES | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

We're Excited For Summer...and Here's Why (TEASER)

Our lips are sealed at the moment, but stay tuned for some exciting developments here at HIH.

Posted on April 30, 2013 in Hiko Mitsuzuka, HOT GEEKS | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

A 'Friends' Reunion Season in 2014? Keep Holding Your Breath

Just in time for the 20th anniversary of one of America's favorite sitcoms (yes, you're that old), rumors of NBC bringing the cast of Friends back for a "new" season have been swirling around. Even websites (like Star Media - really?) have come up with legit-sounding reports of the confirmation, but we at HIH would like to sit on this for a while and wait until we hear it straight from the mouths of our other friends -- at the peacock network itself. Specifically, someone with a snazzy-sounding title and sizable Hollywood cred.

And if it does turn out to be true, we will be sure to scream it from the rooftops. However, we do hear that fans should keep holding their breath...

Posted on April 16, 2013 in Hiko Mitsuzuka, HOT TUBE | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

'Trance' Was Danny Boyle's Escape From The 2012 Summer Olympics (INTERVIEW)

by Hiko Mitsuzuka

Directing the Opening Ceremony for the 2012 Summer Olympics was possibly one of the most time-consuming and stressful jobs Danny Boyle has ever done. It was a far cry from filmmaking and being on set with his cinematographer and troupe of actors.

That's why working on his latest thriller, Trance, was an escape for him. Shot in London during summer weekends -- in between his Olympic duties -- Boyle was able to do to what he loves to do.

The film centers around an auctioneer (James McAvoy) who loses his memory when he gets tangled up in an art heist that goes horribly awry. With the help of a hypnotherapist (Rosario Dawson), he attempts to resolves his involvement witht he criminal mastermind behind it all (Vincent Cassel).

These three characters soon become unreliable protagonists as none of them are who or what they might seem at first meeting. "The story's got three excellent parts in it and they battle for who's at the center of the film," says Boyle. "That triangle is a lovely dynamic to have in place as you can play with the question of which character the story belongs to."

Taking the role of Simon is McAvoy, who felt a magnetic attraction to the film. "I was completely blown away by this mind-bending, genre-bending, psychological heist movie," he comments. "When I auditioned for Danny, he was incredible. I've rarely been directed in an audition so interestingly. That made me desperate to get the part. Luckily for me he phoned up and said, 'Would you like to do it?'"

Boyle was surprised by McAvoy. "I thought he might be a bit young for it, but when we met, it was really interesting because the part makes him seem older. It was fantastic the way he grew into it."

As for the role of hypnotherapist Elizabeth Lamb, Rosario Dawson loved that her character played as an equal in this male-driven mind game. "I've never played anyone even remotely like her," she says. "Elizabeth is totally different because she's hiding everything. You only get hints of her emotion through her doing things with with her hair to show her restraint, but when she lets her hair down, she really lets her hair down."

One of the most intriguing aspects of Trance for Boyle was the chance to present a woman as equal player in a crime thriller. "You make all these films, and you have great women in them, but they're basically about the guys...So what I love about this film is there's a woman most definitely right in the thick of it, holding her own."

Trance is in theaters now.

@TheFirstEcho

Posted on April 15, 2013 in Hiko Mitsuzuka, HOT FLIX, HOT INTERVIEWS | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

We're Partying With Perez Hilton and Viva Diva in New York This Summer

HIH is thrilled to be invited to kick off summer with blogger extraordinaire and media dominatrix Perez Hilton in New York this June!

This year, Viva Diva Wines will be having its annual summer launch party poolside at NoMa Social in New Rochelle (Our hometown! What are the odds?), and it promises to be bigger and better than ever. On June 5th, the soiree will be hosted by the world famous blogger, and we can't even begin to imagine the photo opp potential.

General admission tickets are available in addition to limited VIP tickets, which include a photo with Perez. The event starts at 8pm, and we're looking forward to one memorable night.

For ticket information, visit the events page at Viva Brands USA.

And if you're bicoastal like us, come on down and (responsibly) join HIH and Bello Mag editor Hiko Mitsuzuka for a cocktail or two (or four).

@TheFirstEcho

Posted on April 11, 2013 in Hiko Mitsuzuka, HOT & OUT, HOT COCKTAILS, HOT GETAWAYS | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Joss Whedon's 'Much Ado About Nothing' Gets A Poster

And that's about it. After all, if you're not a Buffyverse follower -- or have no idea who those actors are listed above -- then you're not as rightfully pumped and geeked out over this black-and-white modern adaptation of Shakespeare's twisted comedy as we are.

@TheFirstEcho

Posted on April 11, 2013 in Hiko Mitsuzuka, HOT FLIX, HOT GEEKS | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Legendary Bingo Celebrates 15 Years At Hamburger Mary's In WeHo This Week

If you think bingo is for old ladies in church halls with tacky sweatsuits and even tackier nails, then you obviously haven't played the game in West Hollywood.

Hamburger Mary's, the place for a good burger and a killer martini, will be the place to be this week as Legendary Bingo (a.k.a. Drag Queen Bingo) celebrates its 15th Anniversary with a bevy of stars from shows like Suburgatory, Smash, and Golden Boy calling out numbers for a festive crowd of players. The three-night celebration continues tonight, and table reservations will be going as fast as the masacara running down a crying queen.

Founder Jeffrey Bowman (pictured above, center) will be on hand, emceeing the night, interacting with some of L.A.'s most famous drag performers, and making sure everyone is having a grand old time.

Join us, won't you? 8288 Santa Monica Boulevard in the 90046.