Rumer has it all

She has Bruce Willis and Demi Moore as parents, Ashton Kutcher as a stepdad, loads of famous friends and her first major movie role. Read all about Hollywood’s hot rising star Rumer Willis.

MOM AND DAD’S HELPING HAND
When she was seven Rumer (now 20) made her film debut alongside mom Demi Moore in the 1995 comedy Now and Then. The following year Demi got her a role playing her daughter in Striptease. Rumer later starred opposite dad Bruce Willis in The Whole Nine Yards and again in 2005’s thriller Hostage.

Rumer insists she’s making it on her own even though her parents helped her get a foot in the door. ‘The interesting thing about Hollywood is that everyone has different ways of getting their foot in the door. Some of the opportunities I’ve had because of how I’ve grown up I wouldn’t have had otherwise,’ she says. ‘And some things I’ve had to work harder for than someone else might have had to.’

RUMER AS A HOUSE BUNNY
‘There is a shift in your mindset when you go from being the accessory to being the one who’s actually in front of the camera so it has been a different kind of journey,’ she says of her role in the comedy The House Bunny, which also stars Anna Faris and Colin Hanks (Tom Hanks’ son). ‘It was really cool. I feel grateful to be a part of it.’

Rumer says she can easily relate to her role as the outsider. ‘I was a dork, a computer nerd with braces and glasses. I wasn’t active in getting into the social crowd so I definitely understand not fitting in but I think everyone has their own version of feeling out of place. One of the great things we’re able to do is show that it’s all right.’

ABOUT HER LOOKS
She may not be the ultimate glamour girl but we love her for it. Rumer says she has been compared to talk-show host Jay Leno because of her chin but it doesn’t worry her. ‘Hopefully young girls will watch me and feel confident about themselves.’

David’s Cookin’

He took over the American Idol crown from Jordin Sparks and bagged the Teen Choice Award for Male Reality TV star. Hey YOU! brings you more on David Cook.

* David can play the violin. ‘I tried the violin first because there was a girl in the school orchestra I thought was pretty!’

* His dad bought him his first guitar on his 12th birthday.

* He formed a rock band called Axium in high school, which he left in 2006 to focus on his solo career.

* He didn’t plan to audition for Idols. He accompanied his brother. ‘Andrew and I were in the same group of four for the first audition and he didn’t make it but I did. It was very awkward. I turned to him and said, “Is this something you want me to do? Because if you don’t I won’t.” And his response was, “If you don’t I’ll beat your ass”. ’

* Before becoming an Idol David had released an alternative rock album called Analog Heart in 2006.

* After his studies he had to choose between working as a graphic designer or moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma, to play rhythm guitar and sing backing vocals for a band called the Midwest Kings. ‘Of course I moved to Tulsa,’ he says. He still lives there.

* He has learnt a lot from being on Idol. ‘I’m more sure of who I am now than I ever was before. When you’re trying to be a career musician and you have 200 dollars in the bank and your car’s breaking down and you’re lonely you tend to think about whether or not you have what it takes to do this, you know? So to be here now is awe-inspiring.’

* He received his best advice at the Idol competition: ‘Whether you’re pleasing someone or pissing everybody off you’re doing something wrong. I have no idea who said that to me but I’ve had it for a while. It means you got to take the good and the bad. Everybody’s going to have an opinion and not everyone’s going to like you, but as long as somebody likes you.’

Music must-haves

Get your hands on the latest internet gadget and a few new CD releases.

INTERNET RADIO
Radio has never been this cool. With Tivoli Audio’s NetWorks internet radio you can access AM and FM stations via wi-fi and connect to radio stations around the world. And if you have more than one PC at home you can access all the songs stored on each machine through a wireless connection and play them on the radio. It’s compatible with most music formats and comes with a USB port, alarm and remote control. Call 011-253-9970 for more info.

REBEL WOMAN by CHIWONISO
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Jared Orlin

She’s well known in Zimbabwe and now Chiwoniso has launched her first international album in 10 years. She embraces her African heritage with liberal use of the mbira and deeply personal songs about motherhood, violence against women and Zimbabwe’s economic meltdown. Only two of the 12 tracks are in English but don’t let that stop you from experiencing a true African talent.

LAX by THE GAME
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Kim van Reizig

The 19-track album includes the hit Game’s Pain with Keyshia Cole. Other collaborators include big names such as Lil Wayne, Ludacris, Ne-Yo, Common and Nas. Hip-hop lovers will enjoy the smooth beats and easy flow but the lyrics are cringeworthy - lots of shooting, hating and death. LAX comes with a much-needed parental advisory for explicit content.

WIN!
Tell us what you think of the Pressplay page in YOU and you could win one of 10 copies of Breakout by Miley Cyrus, courtesy of Universal Music. SMS MUSIC PANEL, your name, age, postal address and comments to 34923 before 13 November. Each SMS costs R2.

DVD reviews: The Incredible Hulk

Action. 2008. 114 min. With Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth and William Hurt. Director: Louis Leterrier. 13V.
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Kim van Reizig

This superhero movie is the back story rather than the sequel to the 2003 flick Hulk. A failed experiment by General Ross (William Hurt) turns Dr Bruce Banner (Edward Norton) into an enormous and powerful green creature, The Hulk. During his first transformation he injures an onlooker - and the love of his life - Betty Ross (Liv Tyler).

Five years later Bruce is hiding from the US military and living in the slums of Brazil where he works at a cooldrink bottling factory. One fateful day a drop of Bruce’s blood finds its way into a bottle of cooldrink. When someone drinks it and dies General Ross - along with his nasty sidekick, Emil Blonsky (Tim Roth) - manages to track Bruce down. Emil is injected with a serum that gives him super-strength and healing powers and eventually turns him into The Hulk’s nemesis of almost equal power - leading to a showdown of strength that’s worth watching more than once.

It’s pure blockbuster magic and leaves hope of a sequel. Special features: deleted scenes; making-of doccie.

WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS
Comedy. 2008. 99 min. With Cameron Diaz, Ashton Kutcher and Lake Bell. Director: Tom Vaughn. 13L.
Rating: 3/5
Reviewer: Lara Atson

Joy McNally (Cameron Diaz) is a career-driven woman who has everything going for her - until her fiancé dumps her. In a bid to forget her troubles she heads to Las Vegas with her best friend, Tipper (Lake Bell).

There she meets the charming Jack Fuller (Ashton Kutcher) whose father has just fired him from their family business. After a night of heavy partying Joy wakes up next to the newly unemployed Jack - whom she seems to have married after too many tequilas. The newlyweds immediately plan to annul their marriage but then Jack wins the jackpot with a coin belonging to his wife.

This feel-good comedy is a must-see especially if you enjoy movies such as Wedding Crashers. Most of the funny moments are between Joy and Jack’s best friends, Tipper and Hater (Rob Corddry), but the snappy dialogue throughout is sure to have you in stitches.

Review: awesome racing game

PLUS DOWNLOAD GAMES AND WALLPAPERS FOR YOUR PHONE
We review a new Xbox game release below. Or click here to visit YOU’s download site for cellphone games and wallpapers.

RACE DRIVER: GRID
Xbox 360. 2008. 7+
Rating: 4/5
Reviewer: Chris Naudé

Grid throws down the gauntlet to established racing franchises by mastering the basics and offering something new. The balance between accessibility and realism is spot-on, resulting in a challenging and awesome experience. Racing fans know the frustration of a fatal error but with Grid’s Flashback feature you can rewind a few seconds and try again. The number of cars and customised options is limited but when it comes to the core of racing speed, control and adrenaline this comes out tops.

Feel the burn

Their intensely personal lyrics and industrial sound are winning fans for alternative rockers CrashCarBurn. We catch up with (from left) Brendan “Bugsy” Barnes, Garth Barnes, Etienne van Rensburg and Ian Broekhuizen. PLUS click on Win to find out how you can enter the draw for a guitar signed by the band.

BACKSTAGE at the Blue Moon theatre in Nelspruit, Mpumalanga, calm prevails as the guys tweak their instruments and psyche themselves up for another sell-out performance. But on the other side of the door the scene is anything but peaceful. Thousands have packed the venue and they’re growing louder by the minute. “We want CrashCarBurn,” they chant.

This is just another day at the office for the hugely popular SA band. Everywhere they go they’re mobbed by adoring teens and tweens who can’t get enough of their funky music and edgy rock star looks.

What’s their secret? “Our songs are very personal,” says Garth Barnes (28), lead singer and songwriter, raising his voice above the din. “Fans find them easy to relate to. Sometimes it feels like I’m tearing pages out of my diary for the world to see.”

In a corner guitarist Ian (28), bass player Etienne (22) and drummer Brendan (23), Garth’s younger brother, are finalising the order of songs.

“I know fans are affected by the music they listen to,” Garth continues. “Kids come up to me after a show and want to talk about our lyrics. I’m glad my music touches people’s lives.

“But you have to be responsible. A band like Slipknot can’t put out lyrics like ‘I’m gonna kill anyone who steps in front of me’ and not expect to have an effect.”

Garth is talking about the recent horror slaying of a Krugersdorp boy, allegedly by a schoolmate brandishing a Samurai sword. The accused is a Slipknot fan.

“When a kid blames your music for his behaviour you can’t throw up your hands and say, ‘We are just musicians’.”

It’s time to get going. The guys run onto the stage to thunderous applause. Guitars twang, drums roll, Garth opens his mouth to sing - and the crowd roars its approval.

Electro’s golden boy, Sam Sparro

Black and Gold hit-maker Sam Sparro is a songwriter and producer whose funky music and weird fashion sense are making the world take note. Here’s more about him - PLUS click on Win for a chance to win his CD.

SPARRO FACTS
*He was born Sam Falson on 8 November 1982 in Sydney, Australia.
*He’s writing songs for Lindsay Lohan’s upcoming album, Spirit in the Dark.
*He started making music in his bedroom using a computer, a keyboard and a software program.

A MUSICAL FAMILY
His dad, Chris, is a gospel minister and recording artist and his grandfather Ron Falson is a well-known Australian jazz musician who once played with Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jnr. “I played piano as a child and sang in the church choir but when I was a teenager I started programming and making electronic records. I’ve kind of always been in music,” Sam says.

THE BIG MOVE
His family moved to LA when he was 10. “My dad was signed to a label in Los Angeles so one day we all packed up our stuff and moved. It was really hard but after a while I started to think, ‘This is where I’m going to be a big star!’ ” he says.

SAM ON BEING GAY
“I’ve always thought, ‘This is me, I’m happy with myself,’ and so that’s what I’m here to project. So that gay teenagers don’t have to get the crap kicked out of them in school and think that they’re a horrible person,” he says. “I was really worried that my parents were going to disown me. But I should have known that they’re better than that. I’m close to both my parents and they’re really supportive.”

SAM’S HITS
His first hit single, Cottonmouth, was released in 2007 and Black and Gold hit the airwaves earlier this year when his debut self-titled album was released. The song made it to No 2 in the UK Singles Chart.

THE FUTURE
He’s working on an album set for release next year. “It’s going to be a bit darker with an electro/new wave sound. There will be some really funny pop/hip-hop/electronica things too.”

Hey YOU! and Universal Music are giving away 10 copies of Sam Sparro’s self-titled debut album. To stand a chance of winning, SMS the word GOLD, followed by your name, surname and street address to 34923 before 9 November. Each SMS costs R2.