LATEST NEWS…SHARON VS DANNII ROUND TWO: Outspoken former X-Factor judge Sharon Osbourne has launched another scathing attack on her X-Factor co-star, the untalented Minogue sister (no need to elaborate). Mrs Osbourne previously said Dannii was only chosen as a judge because the show's creator Simon Cowell wanted to sleep with her. This time Sharon called Danni "f*cking useless." "She wasn't so much a dim bulb as a bulb in a power cut," Shaz added." You have to hand it to Sharon - she calls a spade a spade….NAOMI STRIKES AGAIN: Our favourite supermodel with anger management issues, Naomi Campbell, allegedly punched out a taxi driver in New York late last month. The driver claims the out-of-control model flew into a rage and began hitting him from the back seat leaving him with a black eye. He alleged that Naomi jumped from the vehicle and ran from the scene after he stopped the car to contact police. Taxi drivers all over New York now have a fear much greater than late-night knife muggings - God help them…WINO BACK WITH EX: Amy Winehouse has reunited with her druggie ex Blake Fielder-Civil. The pair were spotted pashing outside a London restaurant. The couple decided to reconcile their train-wreck relationship after Blake left her for another woman last year. Despite Blake making K-Fed look like the catch of the century, Wino probably hasn't been sober since she met him anyway. Well someone needs to fill Whitney and Bobby's shoes….TIGER'S GOT BALLS: Golf balls that is. Tiger Woods has resumed training and sources close to the family say the disgraced golfer will return to golf at the Tavistock Cup tournament on March 22. Meanwhile there has been no sign of the player's wronged wife Elin, although reports say she visited the man-whore - err sorry, her husband - in sex rehab. He probably should return to work since buying his wife's silence obviously comes at a very high price…LIFE IMITATES ART FOR TV STAR: 'Two and a Half Men' star John Cryer, who plays Charlie's super annoying brother Allen, isn't just hated by his onscreen ex wife. The whiny actor allegedly had a hit taken out on him by his actual ex wife (the aptly named) Sarah Trigger. A US court alleged that Trigger wanted to have the actor bumped off because he no longer agreed pay his $10 000-a-month child support for their two kids. Meanwhile his onscreen brother Charlie Sheen is in rehab after threatening his wife with a pocket knife. On the plus-side, there's enough drama in their lives to inspire a whole new series of 'Men'…UNDERBELLY - ANOTHER CONTROVERSY: It just wouldn't be Underbelly without controversy. The new series 'Underbelly: The Golden Years' about the Kings Cross underworld is again embroiled in controversy as a former Kings Cross police officer depicted in the show sues for defamation. The former officer, Wendy Gaye Hatfield, has demanded that the Supreme Court allow her to preview episodes before they go to air to ensure she has not been defamed. Hatfield believes that the plot suggests she had a sexual relationship with a notorious Kings Cross nightclub owner and was promoted in the NSW police force by providing sexual favours. While it all sounds juicy, Hatfield will try to stop parts of the show that paint her in a bad light from going to air. She probably doesn't realise she can cash in on the controversy just like Roberta Williams….MR HEIDI MONTAG IN HOSPITAL: Mrs plastic fantastic Heidi Montag's less famous other half, Spencer Pratt, was recently hospitalised needing stitches in his tongue. The injury to his tongue occurred in a bizarre incident where he implicated his new pet dog after he bit his own tongue leaving him unable to talk for several days. Unable to accept responsibility for being a clumsy fool, he blamed his poor (more intelligent) Pomeranian for his stupidity. Given the mindless rubbish that comes out of The Hills star's mouth, here's hoping he bites his tongue more often….JOHN HELPS JESS GET GUYS: John Mayer's recent comments about Jessica Simpson's talents as a lover are helping the blonde singer pull men. In an Oprah interview early this month, Jess said her phone had been ringing off the hook since John described her as "sexual napalm" to US Playboy. Meanwhile, no females will touch John Mayer with a ten foot pole after he described his junk as a 'white supremacist' and basically bagged all of his former girlfriends in the highest selling men's magazine in the world. Perhaps John also needs to have a freak accident involving Spencer Pratt's dog?...CHERYL COLE DUMPS HUSBAND: Another day, another sports star cheats on his wife. This time it's British soccer player Ashley Cole who has cheated on UK glamour girl and former Girls Aloud singer Cheryl Cole. The 26-year-old glamour found Shane Warne-style text messages on her husband's phone and after countless other infidelities on his part, finally decided to leave his ass. Cheryl is busy promoting her solo album '3 Words' which has been given rave reviews, so she probably isn't wasting much time crying over it. For the last time girls, do not date rockers, sports men or actors - unless you are totally against monogamy….
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AVATAR (REVIEW)

This all out action, science fiction adventure may not be the best film I have ever seen as touted by certain critics, but it certainly exceeded my expectations. Also, for this reviewer, the jury was still out on the necessity concerning the recent explosion of mostly mediocre 3D releases. 'Avatar' has changed my mind.

Thanks to the brilliance of James Cameron, he has used the 3D format to draw the viewer in rather than calling attention to itself. Having not directed since he made a little film that featured a boat and an iceberg ('Titanic'), Cameron once again has harnessed technology with good old fashioned storytelling.

The year is 2154, the Earth as we know it is withering, almost on the verge of dying. One of the main ways to survive is to acquire a mineral which has been nicknamed Unobtanium. To get it, travel is required to a faraway alien moon, Pandora. Quite understandably, the natives on this planet actually do get restless when an array of soldiers arrive upsetting their usually gentle natured outlook.

Pandora's indigenous race, the Na'vi, are all 10 feet tall, blue skinned, yellow eyed and not fond of human intrusion. This is when Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) comes in - a crippled ex marine who is subjected to experimentation by Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver). She is delighted to mix human DNA with that of the Na'vi to create avatars. As his actual body lays in a tank in the lab, Jake is all mind, body and spirit in the form of a Na'vi avatar infiltrating their species. His three week mission on Pandora changes his outlook of life. Love also blooms with the rather beautiful, Neytiri (Zoe Saldana). Looking at him as just an interloper, she eventually falls for his humanly charms.

When it's time to leave, Jake refuses, and so becomes unofficial resistance leader for his new blue friends to fight against the very system he originated from. The planet is a wonderful experience in itself. Futuristic helicopters give way to exotic insects, oversized reptiles and birds, with a few fearsome creatures lurking around too. The flora and fauna is almost like an undersea world at times, only on land.

Australian actor Worthington is top notch as the gruff but understanding Sully. Sigourney Weaver, while not only getting the best lines and looking spectacular in a white t-shirt, her stern character even gets away with smoking in an intergalactic spaceship. Michelle Rodriguez (Lost), Giovanni Ribisi (Heaven) and especially Stephen Lang, provide good strong support characters.

Raising the technical bar up a few notches, James Cameron has spent his estimated 300 million budget wisely, manicuring every minute detail to perfection. The three act structure is a simple one. However, it becomes understated that with messages of peace being preached throughout, the film really hits its stride with the final battle scene of mass destruction. Nothing like I have ever seen before.

'Avatar' is not only breathtaking visually, but an equally exciting narrative that stayed with me long after the end credits. I want to see it again.

Shane A. Bassett

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