Get ready for the Google Glass and camera revolution. We’re entering a new phase of the mobile technology revolution where everything around us or everything we observe can be recorded. We’ve seen how powerful video can be with people pulling out their smart phones when something happens, but with Google Glass and other devices that can constantly record what’s around you we’ve reached a new level.

Not surprisingly, casinos, hotels and other establishments in places like Las Vegas aren’t really thrilled about this prospect and are looking to ban the use of Google Glass. When you consider how this can impact casino gambling and help cheaters you immediately understand their concern. The casino gaming culture has changed somewhat over the years as casinos have proliferated outside of Las Vegas to America’s heartland and with all of the easy online options like www.ladbrokes.com, but certain things like security never change when there’s so much money at stake. Google Glass and similar devices like sunglasses with tiny cameras change all that.

But in Las Vegas it goes even further. Remember the adage that “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas?” Well that whole idea is threatened as well as more and more aspects of life in Sin City can be recorded by visitors. In some ways this protects the patrons from themselves. Think about it – do you really want a video out there documenting your drunken weekend with the guys if you’re married or have a girlfriend? You can cause a lot of trouble by breaking out Google Glass during a bachelor or bachelorette party.

This of course extends beyond Las Vegas as well, as these cameras threaten privacy everywhere. Tools like Google Glass will open up huge possibilities for productivity and fun, but like with every great technological leap will also raise tons of questions as society adapts. Expect this to be a huge issue in the coming years.

Viva Las Vegas! Home to a veritable circus of attractions, shows, glitz and glamour, Vegas describes itself as the ‘entertainments capital of the world’. And you would be hard pressed to find a place that encompasses as much fun and frivolity as this world-famous city situated in the middle of the Mojave Desert.

Once described as “Sin City” due to its tolerance for gambling and other adult fancies, Vegas has now become a popular place for Americans to raise their family and even retire to. However, with over 30 million visitors a year, this place is also a huge tourist attraction. One thing is for sure, there is always something to do in Vegas, as it truly is a city that never goes to sleep!

Home to several museums, including botanical gardens and zoo, with over 150 species of both plants and animals, plus a school of performing arts that regularly hosts Broadway shows and a variety of performances from ballets to famous orchestras, Vegas is not without culture. However, it is on the renowned Las Vegas Strip where the vast and grandiose hotel and casinos are to be found.

The MGM Grand

Just about everything in this hotel is larger than life, grander than grand, bounteously bountiful! Lavish and bold, from the moment you step into the foyer and face the huge golden MGM trademark lion, you know that you could be nowhere else in the world other than Vegas!

The hotel has featured in many a Hollywood movie, and was once the largest hotel in the world. This does mean that getting around the building involves a fair bit of walking, but who cares when there is so much to admire along the way.

As for the casino, Texas Hold‘em is the game that the MGM Grand poker room is most famous for. With 22 tables and a relaxed non-smoking atmosphere, the MGM even offers tableside massages for those who wish to indulge completely in this relaxing environment. On the floor of the casino, there are slots galore, paying out over 750,000 dollars a day on the progressive games.

There is also a sports book area where punters can bet on whichever race or game is being shown on the huge plasma screens on the walls. There are 53 channels available, so no tournament, game or race need be missed!

The Bellagio

Perhaps the most sumptuous yet elegantly decorated casino hotel on the Las Vegas Strip, The Bellagio has the AAA 5 Diamond award for hospitality and service. With stunning views from the guest rooms and designer suites, this hotel is classy and sophisticated.
A strong supporter of the World Poker Tour, the casino is a host to the event when it makes its way to Vegas. There are 39 tables for plenty of poker action, and also ‘Bobby’s Room’ where the stakes are high at a $20,000 minimal buy-in to play.

Caesars Palace

With a reputation for being one of the most famous Casino resort in Vegas, Caesars style is Roman Empire-tastic! A seated Colosseum, Roman statues, sparkling fountains, and opulent ornateness are abundant in this stunning hotel and casino. Spas, Roman baths and delectable gardens – what more could a palace need? Well, there is the casino to explore of course! There are 62 poker tables offering 24-hour gaming and a full tournament schedule in the tournament room. It is also home to the NBC Heads-Up Poker Championship.

There is also a huge variety of slot machines offering massive jackpots. Players can play with a single dollar right up to 5,000 dollars.

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but one thing is certain, you will never forget your time spent visiting this remarkable, unique city.

The pool scene in Vegas is always a great spot for beautiful women, particularly celebrities.

Singer and reality TV hottie Nicole Scherzinger continued her birthday celebration on Saturday at LAVO and TAO Beach in Las Vegas, spicing up the weekend pool scene. The current “X Factor UK” judge hung out with friends overlooking the entire pool scene as they took over TAO Beach’s Grand Cabana. “Thank you for coming out to celebrate my birthday with me,” Nicole stated. “This is my dedication to you.” Throughout the day, Nicole was spotted playing with dangling mustache glasses, taking photos with fans and later jumping on the mic once again to surprise the crowd with a performance of “Don’t Cha” and a medley of her other hits. All eyes were on Nicole as she let loose and grooved to the sounds of DJ Lema, who dropped the world premier of Nicole’s newest record “One More Shot.”

I’ve had some memorable times in Las Vegas over the years, as Sin City has always been about creating over-the-top experiences with all the gambling and wild nightlife. But on this last trip I tried something new and exhilarating that I’ll remember for years!

I was invited to check out the all-new Machine Guns Vegas (MGV), a unique attraction that will soon be on most to-do lists for guys visiting Vegas. MGV combines a VIP ultra lounge setting with the ultimate firearms experience. The selection of guns you can shoot will blow your mind, so it’s perfect for gun enthusiasts along with first-timers who want to feel the thrill of firing these powerful weapons.

I’m the latter. I’d never shot a gun before even though I’d always wanted to try it. Now I’d get my chance, but it wouldn’t be with a simple handgun. I was going to shoot three badass, fully-automatic machine guns, and I couldn’t wait to try it.

As soon as you arrive at MGV you enter into a spacious and comfortable lounge area where you can relax and get ready. The staff is very professional and you can pick all sorts of packages for your experience. Guests are matched with a shooting host who uses interactive multimedia displays on an iPad to showcase each of the shooting experiences offered. Long lines are not an issue here as you can relax in the lounge while you pick your experience and wait your turn. My experience would consist of three machine guns – the M4 5.56 (US), the MK-47 (Russian) and the HK MP5 9MM (German).

After talking to my instructor, we decided to go with the biggest gun first, the M4 5.56 carbine fully automatic machine gun. The M4 is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16A2 assault rifle, sharing 80% of the parts, but it’s still a beast. It’s used by the U.S. military and is slated to replace the M16 for many combat units in the army. The instructor explained the proper way to shoot the gun. The stance is critical, as you don’t want this thing to knock you back when you fire. Balance and leverage is important as you keep your right foot back and prepare yourself to lean forward as you press the trigger. The instructor then sent out the target and I was ready to go.

It’s hard to describe the rush I felt the first time I pulled the trigger and let loose a blaze of bullets. My form was good but the gun pushes you back and the front end naturally rises up and to the right as you shoot. But the more I practiced, the more I got the hang of it, and each round I unleashed got easier to handle. I don’t think I’ll win any awards for accuracy but you hardly need to be a sharpshooter to do serious damage with the M4!

Next we turned to the infamous AK-47. The original AK-47 was one of the first assault rifles to be manufactured six decades ago and it’s still the most commonly used assault rifle in the world. It’s been manufactured countries all over the world and has been used by various armies, revolutionaries and terrorist organizations. More AK-type rifles have been created than all other assault rifles combined. I was shooting a fully automatic Russian version. While it wasn’t didn’t feel as big or powerful as the M4, it still had some serious kick to it. But after the M4 I was able to control this one much more quickly while still experiencing the awesome power of shooting a badass machine gun. I was having a blast!

The last gun was the HK MP5 9MM submachine gun. After the first two guns I almost felt like a pro shooting this one. It was much lighter and easier to handle, and from the beginning I was very accurate with this model. I felt like I could keep shooting it all day. I had brought along one of our Bullz-Eye models, the beautiful Brittany Myers, and she wanted to give it a try as well, so I had her shoot some rounds with this last gun. She didn’t have the advantage of starting with the heavier guns, but she did great as she tore into the target with a flurry of bullets.

As we walked out of the shooting area, we both left with huge smiles on our faces. The experience is truly exhilarating, and regardless of your experience level you can’t help but have a great time.

Our hosts then showed us the VIP areas, which were even more luxurious as you can see from some of the photos above. It’s a great option for corporate events or bachelor parties as you can have total privacy.

Whether you get the VIP package or not, the overall experience is a great option for anyone coming to Vegas. The ambiance of the MGV is great either way, but it all comes down to the amazing shooting experiences, and there are so many more I want to try on future visits. You can shoot popular firearms like Rambo’s M60 machine gun or Bullet Tooth Tony’s .50 Caliber Desert Eagle Handgun from “Snatch.”

There’s a WWII experience that includes the 1911 pistol, a MP 40 submachine gun and the M3 submachine “Grease Gun.” The Mafia package includes the .22 Suppressor, the infamous Thompson submachine gun from the Prohibition era along with shotguns. There’s also a SEAL Team VI package that includes the firearms they used in the covert operation that took out Osama bin Laden. Guests are issued 20 rounds with a .22 Suppressor, the HK MR556 rifle and the choice of a squad automatic weapon (SAW) or a M60 machine gun.

You can imagine how much fun you can have here, whether you’re with a large group, a couple of buddies or even a date. Set up an appointment and they’ll pick you up in a shuttle at your hotel for the short ride from the Strip. MGV is the perfect addition to Las Vegas, as it’s extreme and luxurious at the same time. Check out their website or follow them on Facebook and Twitter. Book some time there and it will likely be the highlight of your trip.

I’ve been going to Las Vegas for over 25 years, so I’ve stayed in every type of casino Sin City has to offer, from the high end resorts to the $25 per night temporary motel rooms behind the old Stardust when they were renovating it years ago. No matter where you’re staying, Vegas has so much to offer that you’ll always have a blast. But my recent weekend in Vegas staying at the amazing Aria Resort & Casino was a very pleasant reminder that a first class weekend in a luxurious hotel makes all the debauchery Vegas has to offer that much more enjoyable. It’s also so much easier to nurse a hangover in a comfortable bed in a beautiful room where you can shut the curtains and get total darkness with the press of a button from your bed!

Bullz-Eye was invited by Aria to cover the Michael Jordan Celebrity Invitational that was being held at Shadow Creek. Naturally I jumped at the opportunity to cover MJ and his celebrity pals while experiencing a weekend at Aria with everything it had to offer. I was lucky to have a fun and beautiful companion with me so everything was teed up for a great weekend.

The first thing I noticed about Aria was the amazing architecture and design. Everything about this place has been meticulously designed with a modern and original look. Of course Vegas has always featured upscale resorts and hotels, but they always had that gaudy Vegas feel. Instead of going with a themed hotel, the style of Aria is much more like a trendy, luxury hotel. The amount and different types of glass used at Aria is just stunning. The Jean Philippe Pâtisserie is just one of many things that stand out, with the artistically packages chocolates and gourmet pastries in an ultra modern corner of the casino. If you’re with a date the visual stimulation alone will set the mood for a memorable trip.

Like many of the large resorts in Vegas, Aria has practically everything you could need from an entertainment point of view. The pool is amazing and the attached shopping mall offers the best shopping in Vegas. The spa also offers a perfect getaway for couples, with the “Ganbanyoku” heated-stone bed and “Shio” salt room, outdoor therapy pool, Las Vegas’ only co-ed balcony with a stunning view of our beautiful pools. Your wife or girlfriend will love it!

The casino is also laid out nicely and I like the vibe on the casino floor. The beautiful venue definitely attracts the beautiful crowd! Having a nightclub like Haze at Aria also helps as gorgeous women in tight skirts and heels invade the casino around the midnight hour. Of course we also ventured out and indulged in the debauchery that Sin City has to offer, from a strip club to a cheesy after-hours lounge for late night food and more alcohol. But we always came back to this fantastic casino and resort where we could party some more or relax in the luxury rooms.

With all the amenities at the Aria, the restaurants stood out as some of the most impressive spots. We had the opportunity to try out many of them throughout the weekend as we indulged in a wide variety of incredible dishes. We started out the first night at Sirio Ristorante for some Tuscan-style Italian food created by chef Sirio Maccioni. We were tempted to go with one of the incredible veal or beef dishes on the menu, but we knew we had a big weekend ahead and we didn’t want to start off with serious food coma. So we ordered some delicious appetizers of jumbo prawns and seasonal oysters along with seafood entrees, including a pan-fried breaded Maine lobster that was incredible. If you’re a wine lover you’ll appreciate the selection of Italian vintages.

Sirio gave us the perfect start to the weekend and we were ready for our first night of heavy drinking. By lunch the next day we were ready for our first recovery meal, and lunch at Lemongrass was the perfect remedy. This modern Thai restaurant was incredibly comfortable and offered a variety of dishes. After some great appetizers including delicious pot stickers, we stuck with our seafood strategy and order several lobster dishes, including a special prepared by the chef. I can never get enough lobster so I was more than happy with this light lunch, and the specialty cocktails helped get us back in fighting form.

On Saturday night, after shooting machine guns (more on that in a later post) and getting a much-needed nap, we had dinner at American Fish by Micheal Mina as we geared up for Viva ELVIS and another night on the town. Our seafood diet was treating us well, and now wasn’t the time to change things given the name of the restaurant. We started out with succulent Tuna Tartare and I went with the Daily Shellfish entrée. Throw in some fun sides like Truffled Mac & Cheese and specialty cocktails and the entire meal was perfect.

We were full and buzzed and ready for our Elvis experience. Cirque du Soleil has had a string of hits in Vegas, and Viva ELVIS is their latest show. If you’re into Elvis’s music then I highly recommend it, as they covered his entire career from his early years, to his military service, to the movie years to the later years with the jumpsuits and the lamb chop sideburns. The show was visually impressive as we’ve come to expect from Cirque du Soleil with incredible acrobatics, and it’s in its final season so Elvis fans should be planning their trip! After the show we stopped for a cocktail and 80s music at The GOLD Lounge as we geared up for another late night. The lounge features a concept and décor that pays homage to the celebrated life of Elvis Presley. You can’t miss it with all the gold monkey imagery (Elvis was a fan) and it’s just another of the visually stunning venues in the Aria.

By our last night in Vegas we were completely spent, but we rallied to make it to dinner at Sage, which was one of our favorite places from the weekend. I knew I was probably going to pass out soon after dinner, so I went with the Snake River Farms New York Strip as switched from seafood. We also ordered the Wagyu Beef Tartare as one of our appetizers, which may have been my favorite dish of the trip! You’ll love the New American menu of Chef Shawn McClain’s first Las Vegas restaurant, which spotlights seasonal ingredients from neighboring California, just-picked produce, artisanal meats and sustainable seafood. The décor in Sage is also stunning and it’s located near the entrance of the resort.

You should check out the Aria whether you want a high-end place to party with your friends or a weekend that your wife or girlfriend will never forget. Located in the heart of the Strip, everything you could want is either in the resort or close by. You’ll definitely be able to party in style!

Well, this seems like a pretty good fit!

Mötley Crüe is one of the few bands that can actually add to the decadence of Sin City, so kudos to The Joint at the Hard Rock for landing the gang for an extended run in 2012. I can’t imagine a better venue for Tommy Lee, Vince Neil, Nikki Sixx and Mick Mars and the fans should love it. Now they can go from a wild concert to a wild party just by walking a few steps out of The Joint and into the Hard Rock casino.

Here’s a list of the scheduled dates:

Friday, February 3
Saturday, February 4
Sunday, February 5
Wednesday, February 8
Friday, February 10
Saturday, February 11
Sunday, February 12
Tuesday, February 14
Wednesday, February 15
Friday, February 17
Saturday, February 18
Sunday, February 19

The highlight has to be Super Bowl Sunday, and then they’re playing on Valentine’s Day and President’s Day as well. can you imagine partying all day for the Super Bowl in Vegas and then topping it off with a Mötley Crüe concert?

Tickets, starting at $45 (plus applicable service fees) will be available Saturday at 10am at the Hard Rock Box Office, Motley.com, TheJointLasVegas.com, Ticketmaster.com. Hard Rock Hotel & Casino is also offering ticket and room bundles via Hardrockhotel.com.

Also, check out our recent interview with Nikki Sixx where he discusses his recent book. He also talks about the band:

I love being in Mötley Crüe. I love Mötley Crüe. I’m so grateful to Mötley Crüe. There’s something magic that happens when the four of us get together. You know, we have had such highs and we’ve had lows. It’s, like, I get to live and breathe every fantasy I’ve ever had because of those other three men being with me, and all of us foraging the fucking road together and creating all of this amazing music. And being a creative person, when I’m not doing Mötley Crüe, I’m doing something else creative. You know, I’m in this other band, Sixx:A.M. James (Michael) and DJ (Ashba) are two of my best friends, and we create all of this amazing music. And I do the radio show. And I’ve got a great partner with Kelly Gray and our clothing line, Royal Underground. That’s doing fantastic. And it’s all positive energy. I mean, I feel like I can infect everybody around me with positive energy. And I do. ‘Cause I want everybody to be successful.

These guys should put on some incredible shows so head to Vegas and check them out.

However, there are times when movie stars have forsaken the lion’s share of the spotlight in order to deliver something special, and so we salute the great guy movie ensembles of years past. In the interest of full disclosure, once we discovered that the list was going to consist almost entirely of war movies, westerns and sequels, we decided to play around a little bit with the definition of “action movie.” To the point where it included Tim Burton and Steven Soderbergh. Don’t judge.

The Magnificent Seven (1960)

Cast: Yul Brynner, Eli Wallach, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, Robert Vaughn, James Coburn, Brad Dexter
The Plot: A village of farmers, frequently raided by a group of bandits, recruits a group of gunslingers to defend their town.
The Back Story: In the 1950s, it wasn’t exactly the easiest task to get the average American to go see a Japanese film, no matter how great it may have been. Fortunately, director John Sturges was up to the task of seeing Akira Kurosawa’s “The Seven Samurai,” and upon doing so, he saw elements in the story and characters which would translate well to the Western genre. Boy, was he right…and if his instinct for hot properties was good, then his gift for casting was downright remarkable, given that the only truly top-shelf actor in the cast at the time was Brynner, who was riding high on the Academy Award winning success of “The King and I.” Combining these upstanding gentlemen, the inspiration of the original source material, and the classic score by Elmer Bernstein, and you’ve got yourself one of the greatest Westerns of all time.
The Money Shot: There are a lot of great small moments leading up to the big showdown between the Magnificent Seven and the despicable Calvera (Wallach), including the classic knife-throwing sequence that introduces Coburn’s character, and, indeed, the grand finale offers several immortal death sequences. None, however, match the power of Calvera’s final seconds onscreen, specifically his stunned reaction to the fact that Chris (Brynner), despite his earlier retreat, has not only returned but, indeed, successfully taken him down.

The Great Escape (1963)

Cast: Steve McQueen, James Garner, Richard Attenborough, Charles Bronson, Donald Pleasance, James Coburn, James Donald
The Plot: A group of Allied prisoners plan a daring escape from a supposedly escape-proof German prison.
The Back Story: Remember what we said about Sturges’s gift for casting? It wasn’t a one-off, as this ensemble clearly demonstrates. Based on a true story, utilizing Paul Brickhill’s book of the same title as its inspiration, “The Great Escape” was adapted somewhat from its source material, pumping up the importance of the Americans in the story and adding a bit more motorcycle action. The latter was reportedly done at McQueen’s request, but whoever came up with the idea deserves a round of applause, as it makes for some of the film’s most exciting moments. Ironically, “The Great Escape” got more shrugs than kudos upon its original release, but it has since gone on to become recognized as a classic.
The Money Shot: When Hilts’s mad motorcycle ride through Germany ends abruptly when he attempts to jump the fence into Switzerland, only to get caught in the barbed wire. That’s got to hurt…

The Dirty Dozen (1967)

Cast: Lee Marvin, Ernest Borgnine, Charles Bronson, Jim Brown, John Cassavetes, George Kennedy, Telly Savalas, Donald Sutherland, Robert Ryan
The Plot: A group of military personnel and various thugs serving hard time or awaiting execution are recruited to do a covert ops assignment involving the assassination of German intelligence officers.
The Back Story: Despite Vietnam, the ’60s public still loved a good war picture. So, jovial movie nihilist Robert Aldrich (“Kiss Me, Deadly” “Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?”) took on an inherently brutal and cynical premise and assembled a first-rate cast of rising actors and unknowns. Nevertheless, it turned out to be of a tough sell to established stars. Jack Palance often played heavies, he just didn’t want to be a racist sadistic psychopath like Archer Maggott. Non-veteran John Wayne disliked a bit of adulterous behavior, turning over the part of Major Reisman to Purple Heart recipient Lee Marvin. Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown however, was entirely on board. Faced with fines and an ultimatum from the Browns’ owner, who didn’t want him making a movie, the legendary athlete announced his retirement from football rather than give up the part. The rest is movie history.
The Money Shot: Though hugely entertaining throughout, the lengthy and controversially violent final attack on the chateau remains one of the most gripping and disturbing prolonged action sequences ever. If we have to isolate a particular moment, it would be Jim Brown’s famed desperately heroic and cruel final run, throwing grenades into ventilators to incinerate gasoline drenched Nazi generals as well as a number of unfortunate civilian sex workers.

The Wild Bunch (1969)

Cast: William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O’Brien, Warren Oates, Ben Johnson, Jaime Sanchez, Emilio Fernandez
The Plot: A pack of aging outlaws looking for one last big score make a deal with a corrupt Mexican general while dodging a recently deputized former partner.
The Back Story: Before embarking on his best known film, half-insane maverick director Sam Peckinpah’s career was thought nearly over — and he hadn’t even really become “Peckinpah” yet. Indeed, there are few logical reasons the movie was even made, but somehow one of the greatest casts of any western ever made was assembled for this ultra-masculine phantasmagoria of early 20th century corruption, violence, and twisted honor. It was strange time in movie history, also a great time.
The Money Shot: Peckinpah’s ground-breaking masterpiece introduced audiences to the concept of “ultraviolence.” It was so intense, bloody, and beautiful many simply couldn’t take it its magnificent, terrifying opening. However, while we could argue for the ultimately pointless final gun battle as its greatest sequence, we’ll take its lyrical prelude, known as “the Walk,” in which four of the baddest dudes (and four of the best western actors) to ever be portrayed on celluloid decide that, really, death in battle is just as good as life for guys like them. There’s not much rationality in their thinking, but it is kind of beautiful. Not that it should be.

Kelly’s Heroes (1970)

Cast: Clint Eastwood, Telly Savalas, Don Rickles, Carroll O’Connor, Donald Sutherland, Gavin MacLeod, Stuart Margolin, Harry Dean Stanton
The Plot: An wrongly disgraced World War II llieutenant recruits a group of oddballs – one of whom is literally nicknamed “Oddball” – to go AWOL and steal $16 million in gold bars from a nearby French bank.
The Back Story: Notable for being Eastwood’s last film done with an outside production company (everything he’s done since has been through his own Malpaso Productions), the majority of “Kelly’s Heroes” was filmed in Yugoslavia. Part of the reason for the location was due to the financial benefits, but it probably didn’t hurt that the Yugoslav army happened to be in possession of some Sherman tanks which could be used in the film. Helmed by Brian G. Hutton, who also directed Eastwood in his previous WWII film, “Where Eagles Dare,” you can tell by the soldiers’ consistent anti-war stance that this was made during the height of the Vietnam War, but the mixture of action and humor makes for a highly enjoyable romp…one where the odd guys win.
The Money Shot: Eastwood, Savalas, and Sutherland, armed and ready, stroll into their confrontation with the Tiger tank, as Lalo Schifrin’s score offers an unabashed wink at the theme to “The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.”

The Towering Inferno (1974)

Cast: Steve McQueen, Paul Newman, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain, Robert Vaughn, Robert Wagner, O.J. Simpson, Jennifer Jones
The Plot: The dedication for a 138-story skyscraper in San Francisco goes horribly awry when faulty wiring ignites a fire that threatens to burn the entire building to the ground.
The Back Story: With all due respect to “Airport” and “The Poseidon Adventure,” it wasn’t until “Inferno” that a disaster movie supplied an equal amount of box office clout to go with the spectacle, landing alpha dogs Newman and McQueen for the lead roles as the architect and fire chief, respectively. And alpha dogs they were, with each negotiating heavily over which actor received top billing while McQueen complained that his role should be beefed up once he discovered that Newman had more speaking lines than he did.
The Money Shot: Fire may have been the movie’s hook, but the exploding of the water tanks in the film’s finale is the scene that brought the goods. Actors, schmactors.

Apocalypse Now (1979)

Cast: Marlon Brando, Martin Sheen, Robert Duvall, Frederic Forrest, Laurence Fishburne, Harrison Ford, Dennis Hopper, Scott Glenn
The Plot: A highly decorated officer in the Vietnam War (Sheen) is assigned to find and kill another decorarted soldier (Brando) who has gone rogue.
The Back Story: The making of this immensely ambitious, flawed masterpiece fueled George Hickenlooper’s great documentary, “Hearts of Darkness: A Filmmaker’s Apocalypse,” and could easily fill an epic-length novel. Long story short: director Francis Coppola nearly lost his sanity and star Martin Sheen nearly his lost his life. On the other hand, the movie also managed to revitalize the sagging fortunes of Dennis Hopper, gave a boost to then-rising stars Frederic Forrest and Sam Bottoms, and introduced millions to teenager “Larry” Fishburne and an almost unknown Harrison Ford. It also provided Robert Duvall with his most quoted lines of dialogue and, much to the shock of poor Mr. Coppola, introduced the world for the first time to the idea of a very overweight Marlon Brando.
The Money Shot: We’d argue that devastating attack on a civilian sampan is one of the most honestly cruel cinematic depictions of the insanity of war, but since this is called the money shot, we have to go with a scene that is, for lack of a better word, a lot more fun. We speak, of course, of the ironic and indescribable “Ride of the Valkyries” sequence in which Duvall’s half-crazed Colonel Kilgore treats Sheen’s Captain Willard and crew to a view of a large battle intended to clear a beach of Vietcong. Why risk your men’s lives and probably kill several civilians for that? Simple: “Charlie don’t surf!”

Silverado (1985)

Cast: Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, John Cleese, Jeff Goldblum, Brian Dennehy, Rosanna Arquette, Jeff Fahey
The Plot: Four men with something to prove find their redemption in Silverado, where a crooked rancher has the sheriff on his payroll.
The Back Story: Having written some of the biggest movies of the early ’80s (“Raiders of the Lost Ark,” “The Empire Strikes Back”) and just coming off the well-received ensemble dramedy “The Big Chill,” writer/director Lawrence Kasdan traded in all his favors around Hollywood to attempt a revival of the western. The film marked the reunion of some of his “Big Chill” cast, including Kevin Kline, Jeff Goldblum, and Kevin Costner, who was offered the role of Jake to make up for the fact that his scenes were cut from the last movie.
The Money Shot: Though you’d expect there would be at least one memorable action sequence containing all four leads (the only thing that comes close is a subplot involving the posse helping a caravan of travelers get their money back from a gang of robbers), the film’s best moment takes place during Kline’s introduction to Linda Hunt’s charming bartender. But just as the pair are starting to hit it off, her boss (and his former riding partner, played by Dennehy) strolls into the saloon to interrupt their little meet-and-greet. His arrival also sets the stage for the movie’s big reveal: that Dennehy’s cheerful outlaw is now the town sheriff – a moment that is only enriched by his giddy delivery and Kline’s worried reaction.

True Romance (1993)

Cast: Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Michael Rapaport, Gary Oldman, Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken, Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini, Samuel L. Jackson, Val Kilmer, Chris Penn, Tom Sizemore, Bronson Pinchot
The Plot: Comic book store employee (Slater) and newbie call girl (Arquette) meet and fall in love. When he goes to get her belongings from her pimp, he accidentally takes a suitcase full of uncut coke instead, prompting a chase by both police and thieves.
The Back Story: After wowing all walks of Hollywood life with his 1992 indie “Reservoir Dogs,” everyone wanted in when Quentin Tarantino’s latest script was scooped up by Warner Bros. the following year, even if it meant taking a part with a handful of lines (Jackson’s two-bit pusher) or, in the case of Kilmer, never actually appearing directly on screen.
The Money Shot: For a movie stuffed with young – or at least relatively unknown – talent, it’s the old timers who steal the show. Christopher Walken grills Dennis Hopper over the whereabouts of Slater and the coke, and once Hopper realizes that he’s not leaving the room alive, he goes down determined to protect his son while insulting Walken in the worst way he can think of – by exposing his racist nature. The only time in movie history a character has responded to an insult with, “You’re a cantaloupe.”

Tombstone (1993)

Cast: Kurt Russell, Val Kilmer, Sam Elliott, Bill Paxton, Powers Poothe, Michael Biehn, Dana Delany, Charlton Heston, Thomas Haden Church
The Plot: Wyatt Earp (Russell) and his brothers attempt to live a quiet life in Tombstone, Arizona, only to be brought back into the ring by a gang of ruthless thugs called the Cowboys.
The Back Story: The timing of “Tombstone’s” release may look curious coming hot on the heels of the Oscar-winning “Unforgiven,” but Kevin Jarre’s script had been banging around for a while, and at one point even had Kevin Costner slated to play Earp before disagreements about the direction of the story led Costner to leave the project in favor of his own Wyatt Earp movie with Lawrence Kasdan at the helm. “Tombstone” would go on to make $56 million, while Costner’s 1994 “Wyatt Earp,” well, didn’t – it fizzled out at $25 million.
The Money Shot: When a very ill Doc Holliday (Kilmer at his best) utters the immortal line “I’m your huckleberry” and takes down the nut case Johnny Ringo (Biehn) in a duel, after which Wyatt and the remainder of his gang go on a county-wide ass-kicking spree, killing every last remaining Cowboy. Well, except for the one who tore off his red sash so he wouldn’t have to take a dirt nap.

The Quick and the Dead (1995)

Cast: Sharon Stone, Gene Hackman, Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crowe, Gary Sinise, Tobin Bell, Lance Henriksen, Keith David
The Plot: A female gunslinger (Stone) enters a quick-draw contest run by the corrupt Marshal (Hackman) who was responsible for the death of her father.
The Back Story: After making three “Evil Dead” movies, Sam Raimi was eager to try something else, and in the early ’90s, no one said no to Sharon Stone. In casting the two biggest stars of the next decade in supporting roles (Stone paid DiCaprio’s salary after the studio balked), Raimi had an embarrassment of riches in terms of talent…but perhaps just a bit too soon; “Quick” made only $18 million at the box office, though that was through no fault of the on-screen talent. Crowe, in particular, was electric.
The Money Shot: The view of Hackman through the hole in Keith David’s head, and Crowe’s quick disassembling of Hackman’s henchmen.

Heat (1995)

Cast: Robert DeNiro, Al Pacino, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Danny Trejo, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, William Fichtner, Dennis Haysbert, Jeremy Piven
The Plot: A career criminal (De Niro) lands on the radar of a veteran detective (Pacino) as the thief plots the Big Retirement Score. Cop and thief have odd mutual respect, though neither would hesitate to kill the other if necessary.
The Back Story: De Niro and Pacino had never been in a scene together – the only time they had appeared in the same movie before this was “The Godfather Part II,” when De Niro played Pacino’s father in flashback – so the scene in the diner between the two was a pretty big deal. (It surely caused problems for Italian audiences though, considering that both actors are dubbed by the same man.) Even with the long-awaited screen duel out of the way, it would be another 13 years before they worked together again, and considering the results (ahem, “Righteous Kill”), perhaps they should have waited a little longer.
The Money Shot: Please – the shootout at the bank, which more than one group of degenerates used as a playbook to launch near-identical robberies after the movie’s release.

Mars Attacks! (1996)

Cast: Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan, Annette Bening, Michael J. Fox, Sarah Jessica Parker, Glenn Close, Martin Short, Natalie Portman, Jim Brown, Pam Grier, Lukas Haas, Jack Black, Joe Don Baker, Paul Winfield, Christina Applegate, Tom Jones
The Plot: Um, Martians attack.
The Back Story: Burton had just finished “Ed Wood,” and decided that making a movie about Ed Wood is nice, but making an Ed Wood-style movie is better, using the trading card series as his source material. The movie began behind the 8-ball however, as shooting began roughly a month after the Super Bowl, where 20th Century Fox had just unveiled a teaser trailer for the similarly themed “Independence Day.” Released in December, critics were mixed – and to be honest, we can’t say we blame them – but we have a soft spot for both this ridiculously large cast its unabashed love of bad ‘50s sci-fi. Plus, it has Tom Jones flying an airplane. Is there anything that man can’t do?
The Money Shot: Hippie releases dove. Martian vaporizes dove.

Con Air (1997)

Cast: Nicolas Cage, John Cusack, John Malkovich, Ving Rhames, Steve Buscemi, Dave Chappelle, Danny Trejo, Mykelti Williamson, Rachel Ticotin, Monica Potter
The Plot: An Army Ranger (Cage), serving an unreasonably stiff sentence, is paroled and placed on a freighter plane with a group of vicious career criminals who are on their way to a new “Supermax” prison. The cons commandeer the plane and plan a getaway. Army Ranger works with a U.S. Marshal (Cusack) to bring the plane down.
The Back Story: It’s amusing to think that the three movies responsible for Jerry Bruckheimer’s mid-‘90s resurrection were “Bad Boys,” “The Rock,” and “Con Air.” “Bad Boys” rested on the shoulders of a then-untested Will Smith and Martin Lawrence (!), while “The Rock” asked quirky romantic lead Nicolas Cage to be an action hero and Ed Harris the bad guy. This time, Cage is back in “Raising Arizona” mode (!!) with ‘80s icon Cusack and indie superstars Malkovich, Buscemi, and Robert Rodriguez regular Danny Trejo. And while it mostly worked (the chase in Vegas is a silly mess), that is one strange group, even by post-Tarantino action movie standards. Still, it contained a nice in-joke when Malkovich’s Cyrus Grissom says to Buscemi’s Hannibal-esque Garland Green, “Love your work.”
The Money Shot: A dead Pinball (Dave Chappelle) hurtling through the sky at terminal velocity towards downtown Carson City, though we’re equally fond of Cage, having just killed Billy Bedlam, asking him, “Why couldn’t you put the bunny back in the box?”

Saving Private Ryan (1998)

Cast: Tom Hanks, Matt Damon, Ed Burns, Tom Sizemore, Vin Diesel, Barry Pepper, Adam Goldberg, Giovanni Ribisi, Jeremy Davies, Ted Danson, Paul Giamatti, Dennis Farina, Bryan Cranston
The Plot: When a paratrooper’s brothers are killed in World War II, the Army commissions a group of soldiers to find their surviving brother (Damon) and bring him home safely.
The Back Story: While Spielberg was no stranger to World War II, “Ryan” was the first time he had tackled the subject from American front lines, and he had no shortage of actors ready to sign up for duty. Curiously, Terrence Malick decided to come out of hiding at the same time with a World War II story of his own, “The Thin Red Line,” and between them the two movies employed every name actor and It Boy in Hollywood.
The Money Shot: The spectacular opening at Omaha Beach is still the big moment, but the most harrowing has to be when interpreter Upham (Davies) lets a German soldier slip past him and kill an American sniper one floor up. The German then casually walks by Upham as he cowers in shame.

Mystery Men (1999)

Cast: Ben Stiller, William H. Macy, Hank Azaria, Greg Kinnear, Geoffrey Rush, Janeane Garafalo, Paul Reubens, Eddie Izzard, Wed Studi, Lena Olin, Tom Waits
The Plot: A group of fourth-tier crime fighters with questionable talents try to spring Champion City’s real crime fighter Captain Amazing (Kinnear) after he’s captured by longtime nemesis Casanova Frankenstein (Rush).
The Back Story: We never miss a chance to profess our love for this delightfully silly superhero movie, and one of the most bone-dry comedic emsembles ever assembled. Ben Stiller readily admits on the DVD that there was no script, so much of what you see on the screen was ad-libbed by the actors themselves. The movie also has a couple blink-and-you’ll-miss-’em moments, namely Michael Bay asking Casanova if they can bring brewskis, and Dane Cook auditioning for the Mystery Men as the Waffler.
The Money Shot: Any time Waits’ non-lethal weapons are deployed, particularly the Blamethrower. That, and the accidental death of Captain Amazing.

Ocean’s Eleven (2001)

Cast: George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Julia Roberts, Matt Damon, Andy Garcia, Elliott Gould, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Scott Caan, Casey Affleck, Topher Grace, Joshua Jackson
The Plot: A recently sprung thief (Clooney) rounds up a group of specialists to rob three Vegas casinos at once, which are run by the current beau of his ex-wife (Roberts).
The Back Story: There were cries of ‘Blasphemy’ when Soderbergh and Clooney proposed the idea of remaking the ultimate Rat Pack movie, even though the general consensus is that the 1960 original wasn’t that great of a movie. (It currently boasts a 6.4 rating on IMDb.) But with Soderbergh coming off the one-two punch of “Erin Brockovich” and “Traffic,” and having the bulletproof Clooney as Danny Ocean, it was no longer a question of ‘Why?,’ but ‘Why not make the movie with us?’ Admittedly not an action movie, but too good of a group to overlook.
The Money Shot: This might be cheating, but every scene with Clooney and Pitt together. Their chemistry is as good as it gets in the movies.

X2: X-Men United (2003)

Cast: Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Halle Berry, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Anna Paquin, Rebecca Romijn, Alan Cumming, Brian Cox
The Plot: A colonel and military scientist has thoughts of exterminating all mutants, so Professor X (Stewart) and Magneto (McKellen) must join forces in a fight to survive.
The Back Story: We’re breaking our ‘no sequels’ rule here because “X2″ stands so far above and beyond the other two “X-Men” movies that it deserves the nod. After proving himself as a bankable Event Movie director with the first “X-Men,” Bryan Singer finally gets his big-budget swerve on here using, of all things, two separate scripts mashed into one. Unfortunately, Singer has yet to make another movie like it, though we must admit that we’re intrugued by the IMDb entry claiming that he’s directing a remake of “Excalibur,” a movie that very nearly made this list. Seriously, look at that before-they-were-stars cast. Gabriel Byrne, Llam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, and a 35-year-old Helen Mirren? Wowzers.
The Money Shot: Nightcrawler bamfing (that is the technical term for what he does, right?) out of, and back in, the damaged jet to save a falling Rogue. That, and Magneto’s escape from his plastic prison using the iron in a security guard’s blood. Pulling the grenade pins later was a nice touch, too.

Sin City (2005)

Cast: Bruce Willis, Clive Owen, Benicio Del Toro, Mickey Rourke, Powers Boothe, Jessica Alba, Brittany Murphy, Nick Stahl, Michael Madsen, Josh Hartnett, Michael Clarke Duncan, Elijah Wood, Rosario Dawson, Carla Gugino
The Plot: A multi-angle view of Basin City, a former mining town that has more dirty cops, killers and hookers than actual honest citizens.
The Back Story: Robert Rodriguez enjoyed the kind of relationship with Dimension that directors can only dream about these days. They pretty much let him do whatever he wanted, so when he wanted to make a nearly all-digital translation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel series, they said yes, despite the fact that only two of his movies at the time have grossed more than $100 million…and they were both “Spy Kids” movies. Smart move: “Sin City” nearly doubled its money at the box office (triple if you count the overseas gross), while setting the new standard for neo-noir.
The Money Shot: We’d like to highlight one of the flashy black & white set pieces Rodriguez assembled, but who are we kidding: it’s Jessica Alba dancing.

Inception (2010)

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Cillian Murphy, Ken Watanabe, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard, Tom Berenger, Tom Hardy
The Plot: A group of high-tech corporate thieves need to pull the impossible and plant an idea into a subject’s head.
The Back Story: Director Christopher Nolan first, um, dreamt up the idea of “Inception” when he was working on “Memento,” but studios were naturally reluctant to pony up that kind of dough for such a high-concept idea. But after “The Dark Knight” racked up over $1 billion worldwide, Warner Bros. decided that it was in their best interest to keep Nolan happy, and to return the favor, Nolan is already at work on another Batman script while assisting in the relaunch of the Superman series as well. All of Nolan’s movies have had boatloads of all-star talent (“Insomnia” had three Oscar winners), but the cast for “Inception” is just ridiculous.
The Money Shot: Too many to count, but if forced to name two, we’ll go with the zero gravity hallway fight, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt wrapping everyone up and getting them into the elevator to prepare to the kick.

Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)

Cast: Jack Lemmon, Al Pacino, Alan Arkin, Kevin Spacey, Ed Harris, Alec Baldwin, Jonathan Pryce
Plot: A brutally honest look at the high-pressure life of selling real estate, and the things that people will do for the sake of self-preservation.
The Back Story: David Mamet had been an It Boy screenwriter since his adaptation of “The Postman Always Rings Twice” in 1981, but he was wise to mix studio jobs with passion projects along the way, notably his directorial debut “House of Games.” In retrospect, it seems almost cosmic that “Glengarry” would come out the same year as “Reservoir Dogs,” another indie film about an altogether different group of rogues trying to do a job without getting stabbed in the back.
The Money Shot: Alec Baldwin’s monologue. His finest performance to date, though we still love when he hosts “Saturday Night Live.”

The end of the decade brought a flurry of movie-themed features about cinema in the new millennium. We here at Bullz-Eye even tossed our hat into the ring, and one of the lists I submitted was of my favorite movie posters from the last ten years. One particular selection (a teaser poster for “Good Luck Chuck” featuring Jessica Alba holding a melting ice cream cone) was commented on by just about everyone on staff, so in keeping with the spirit of the incredibly sexy one-sheet, I decided to put together a list of some of the sexiest movie posters of all-time. Censorship may have played a big role in movies since their inception, but that hasn’t stopped studios from using sex to sell, and we can all agree that there’s nothing particularly censored about this sultry collection of posters.

“The Sin of Nora Moran” (1933)

Movie studios used to rely on painted images of their feminine stars to promote a film (just about every Marilyn Monroe and Brigitte Bardot vehicle had one), but of the hundreds of sexy poses to choose from, this poster for “The Sin of Nora Moran” is the cream of the crop. You may not be too familiar with its star, Zita Johann (whose biggest claim to fame is co-starring alongside Boris Karloff in the 1932 version of “The Mummy”), but between the virtually see-thru dress that she’s wearing and the manner that her body is positioned, it’ll certainly make you wish you were.

“Lo*li*ta” (1962)

Putting aside the somewhat pedophilic nature of the story, Stanley Kubrick’s “Lo*li*ta” has one of the most alluring posters around. Though Sue Lyon was only 16 when she made the film (and playing a 14-year-old at that), the slightly blurred photo of her wearing those famous heart-shaped glasses while she innocently/playfully sucks on a red lollipop has remained one of the most iconic images of the last 50 years. Lyon never did look her age, but that doesn’t make you feel any less guilty for staring; something Kubrick no doubt intended with this beautifully composed shot.

“The Graduate” (1967)

An American classic. Anne Bancroft doesn’t even appear in the poster except for her outstretched leg, but then again, that’s the point. The mystery behind the image (which has been spiced up in this 30th anniversary version with Dustin Hoffman’s famous quote) is sexy exactly because you want to see more but can’t. Whoever was responsible for this poster is a genius, because it tells you everything you need to know about Mike Nichols’ cult classic without really saying anything at all.

“Dracula Has Risen From the Grave” (1968)

Apart from its hilariously candid title (I love the inclusion of the parenthesized “obviously” just below), this Hammer-produced Christopher Lee flick isn’t quite as tongue-in-cheek as its poster indicates. Still, you have to admire the mix of sex and humor in this photo. It looks absolutely gorgeous in black-and-white, and despite just barely featuring the woman’s open mouth and heaving breasts on the top and bottom borders (thus drawing even more attention to them), your eyes go straight to her neck. It’s all accomplished with a little splash of color in the form of two pink band-aids covering a vampire bite mark, and while it might not sound like much, it’s the highlight of what’s since become one of my favorite posters.

“American Beauty” (1999)

The poster for Sam Mendes’ award-winning film, “American Beauty,” is probably more sensual than sexual, but I’d be crazy to leave it off this list, if only because that image has become as classic as the one from “The Graduate.” Playfully hinting at one of the most memorable scenes in the movie, where Kevin Spacey dreams about Mena Suvari floating above his bed while bathing in a sea of rose petals, the poster is teeming with sexual innuendo without being tasteless.

“Almost Famous” (1998)

You may have never seen this poster for Cameron Crowe’s “Almost Famous” (in fact, I’m not even sure it ever appeared in the U.S. marketing campaign), but it’s definitely better than that boring close-up of Kate Hudson you’re used to seeing. Hudson’s performance as Penny Lane will likely remain the best work she’s ever done, and for good reason. Equal parts naïve schoolgirl and rebellious roadie, this image conveys everything we love about the character – from her innocent sexuality to her devil-may-care lifestyle. The cherry on top is the killer tagline (“Experience it. Enjoy it. Just don’t fall for it.”), though it’s probably too late to do you any good.

“Woman on Top” (2000)

Penelope Cruz already makes anything she’s in 300% hotter, but there’s plenty of heat behind this poster for “Woman on Top.” Not only does her teasing gaze melt you like chocolate, but she’s also playfully holding a red pepper to her lips. (The only way this could have been sexier is if it was strawberry instead.) And let’s not forget about the burning edges on the photo. So yeah, hot. What really sends this poster over the edge, however, is the title and tagline, which is not only one helluva double-entendre, but will undoubtedly raise your interest in the film.

“Secretary” (2002)

In keeping with the theme of the movie, this is probably the kinkiest poster you’ll ever see. I’m not sure if that’s really Maggie Gyllenhaal showing off her long stems and derriere, but I’d sure like to think so. Either way, it’s an instantly memorable shot that also happens to be pretty economical with its space. There were plenty of other places they could have put the title, but the fact that they slapped it right there on her ass pretty much ensures you’ll start there and work your way down. The man who designed this poster deserves a medal of some sort. Or at least a handshake and a pat on the back.

“Sin City” (2005)

Though the Jessica Alba version is no doubt the more popular of the two, Brittany Murphy’s “Sin City” character poster is just oozing sexuality. That’s bound to cause some controversy amongst those that think Alba is the sexiest woman alive, but Murphy is smoking hot in that black lingerie, and she pulls off the white button-down shirt look with confidence. It’s too bad we won’t get to see Murphy reprise the character in Robert Rodriguez’s long-delayed sequels, because it was easily one of her best roles to date. On a side note, Rosario Dawson’s poster ain’t so bad itself. That is, if you’re into that kind of stuff.

“Cashback” (2006)

This little-seen drama from director Sean Ellis doesn’t just use the half-naked shopper on its poster – she’s the centerpiece of a slick and stylish sequence in the film where the sleep-deprived protagonist imagines slowing down time so that he can better appreciate the beauty surrounding him. It’s a bit out of left field in terms of marketing, but who’s going to argue against using a partially nude runway model to sell a movie? It definitely worked on me, and chances are, it’ll work on you too.