Archive: December 2010 (271-280 of 304)

Dec 3 2010 10:41 AM ET

Weekend Box Office Poll: Will you see 'Tangled'? 'Harry Potter'? Or maybe 'The Warrior's Way'?

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Filed under: Movies and tagged: ,

If a boy wizard and a girl with freakishly long hair starred in a fantasy-western martial arts action movie, you’d probably want to see it, right? Well, that will never happen. But if you went to see Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows — Part 1, Tangled, and The Warrior’s Way this weekend, your brain just might scramble them together into one beautiful, terrifying six-hour film. According to EW’s John Young, the weekend will be dominated by returning favorites like Tangled, Harry Potter, Megamind, and Unstoppable. The Warrior’s Way is the only major new release (Natalie Portman’s Black Swan and Jim Carrey’s I Love You Phillip Morris both start limited releases today.) Since it was filmed in New Zealand almost three years ago, starring a South Korean actor mostly unknown in the States (and also, wow, Geoffrey Rush), all signs point to Warrior’s Way sinking quickly.

But what do we know? PopWatchers, will you be catching up on movies you missed during Thanksgiving? Has all the buzz and counter-buzz on Burlesque intrigued you or scared you away? Tell us what you’ll be seeing in the poll, and if you feel like it, tell us why in the comments!

Dec 3 2010 09:45 AM ET

What fictional characters would you most like to visit this holiday season?

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Filed under: Books, Movies, Television, TV and tagged: , , , ,

ned-flanders-30-rock-kennethImage Credit: Fox; Mary Ellen Matthews/NBCA survey conducted for HomeGoods stores revealed that Ellen DeGeneres is Americans’ ideal guest at a holiday cocktail party, a December vacation with George Clooney at his Italian residence would be bellissimo, and Michelle Obama is the top choice to decorate a Christmas tree. Well, I hate to be a Cold Miser, but Ellen, George, and Michelle just checked their calendars, and they already have plans on the day of your event/trip. Whenever that is. They’re booked. But thanks for asking.

Since there’s no chance that an actual celebrity will drop in on you over the holidays, let’s make this more interesting and open up the conversation to fictional characters. (You never know!) Personally speaking, I’d be thrilled if David Brent of Wernham-Hogg swung by for my holiday bash. I’d plant him next to my wife’s single friends and just observe the magic. Plus, he’s a cinch to dance. I also wouldn’t mind taking a holiday to ‘America’s Playground,’ Atlantic City 1929. Gamble a bit, catch-up with Nucky Thompson, shoot someone. And if someone’s going to help decorate my Christmas tree, I insist that Ned Flanders and 30 Rock‘s Kenneth Parcell are involved.

What fictional characters would you most like to see this holiday season?

Dec 3 2010 12:43 AM ET

TV Insiders podcast: EW experts chat with 'Survivor' villain NaOnka about jury controversy, talk Christmas movie cliches, and preview the 'Walking Dead' finale

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Filed under: Reality TV, Television, TV and tagged: , , , , , , , ,

Image Credit: Scott Garfield/AMC; Disney Enterprises; Monty Brinton/CBS

If you thought Survivor: Nicaragua villain-turned-quitter NaOnka Mixon regrets the way she tackled a one-legged woman, berated a nice little surfer boy, stole the tribe’s food or turned on best buddy Brenda…think again! “I don’t regret s—” she announces on this week’s edition of the TV Insiders podcast. NaOnka called in to discuss her impressive lack of remorse as well as whether she thought Jeff Probst would allow her on the jury after quitting (“He gave me the easy way out”) and how some parents of the kids she teaches gym to want her fired after seeing how she acted on the show. (Shocking, I know.) A clearly dumbfounded Michael Slezak and Annie Barrett also chime in about this week’s controversial episode. But that’s not all! On Sunday night The Walking Dead will finish its all too brief run of cable television dominance. We’ve seen the season finale, and will tell you what to expect not only this Sunday, but beyond for season 2 as well. Zombie guru Clark Collis joins us to break down the season so far, and reveal why you’re going to be glued to your set on Sunday. On a lighter note, ’tis the season for really horrible TV Christmas movies. There are 16 new ones heading to the small screen this month, and our man Dan Snierson watched every single one of them for our annual Holiday Movie Cliché Checklist. Dan will tell us which categories came up big winners this year (Dramatic Plug-in of Lights, Poignant Stare at Old Photo, Elf High Jinks) and which ones simply didn’t make the cut (Concern About Santa’s Diet, Orphan/Dog Given New Home). You’ll never look at holiday movies the same way again. Come to think of it, you may never look at holiday movies again—period. To join in all the fun, just click on the audio player below. And in the best news of all, we’re now on iTunes! You can subscribe for free right here and take the TV Insiders with you on the go. Where you go exactly is completely up to you. And to send a question to the TV Insiders, follow us on Twitter @TVInsiders. Enjoy!

[AUDIO http://www.ew.com/ew/static/podcast/2010/12/EW_TV_Insiders_12_3_10.mp3]

Dec 3 2010 12:01 AM ET

Under-appreciated Entertainer of the Year is...Thomas Gibson of 'Criminal Minds'!

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Filed under: Television, TV and tagged: , ,

Thomas-GibsonImage Credit: CBS/LandovQuick! What do American Idol graduate Allison Iraheta, So You Think You Can Dance host Cat Deeley, Sons of Anarchy star Katey Sagal, The Vampire Diaries hottie Paul Wesley, Fringe scene-stealer John Noble, and House sidekick Robert Sean Leonard have in common? Aside from the fact that their copious talents don’t get as much recognition as they should, the sextet of entertainers all share the distinction of having been steamrolled by Thomas Gibson, star of CBS’ chilling procedural Criminal Minds, in EW.com’s Under-appreciated Entertainer of the Year bracket tournament.

Yes, folks, after a month of intense voting, fanbase lobbying, and crushed dreams, Gibson stands alone at the end of a competition that began with 64 players under-appreciated by the world, but beloved among EW readers. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 2 2010 08:34 PM ET

What is YOUR favorite Christmas movie? Vote in our poll!

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Filed under: Movies and tagged: ,

christmas-movies

Yesterday, while talking about Christmas movies, I noted that there are just about as many different kinds of Christmas movies as there are secret compartments in an advent calendar. Then I asked you, PopWatchers, for your favorite Christmas films, and you immediately proved my point. I learned there’s a Muppet TV film called Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. I was reminded that the 1999 ensemble comedy thriller Go was set during Christmas Eve. I caught at least one commenter who watches The Empire Strikes Back at Christmas, even though “it has themes better suited to Lent.”

And out of everyone’s comments, nine films emerged as the most steady contenders as your favorite Christmas movie ever: READ FULL STORY »

Dec 2 2010 07:14 PM ET

'The Three Stooges' is a-go with a (likely) new cast. Who should play the knuckleheads?

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Filed under: Movies, News and tagged: ,

Three-Stooges-HanksImage Credit: Everett Collection; Benjamin: Frederick M. Brown/Getty Image; Azaria: Glenn Harris/PR Photos; Hanks: Chris Hatcher/PR PhotosWhoop-whoop-whoop-whoop-whoop! Time to perform a celebratory Curly Shuffle: The Farrelly Brothers’ Three Stooges project will indeed see the light of day after being pushed to the back-burner in light of MGM’s financial problems. As first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Fox has confirmed to EW it is indeed in talks with MGM to pass the movie on the left hand side to their studio.

Only one problem: Though Sean Penn and Jim Carrey were previously attached to play Larry and Curly, respectively, both actors have dropped out while the film was gestating at MGM. (It’s not clear whether or not Benicio del Toro is still signed on to play Moe; the actor’s reps have yet to respond to EW’s calls for confirmation, while Fox confirms that casting has not yet been determined.) So that means it’s time to play Cast the Movie! Let’s put on our thinking bowl cuts now, PopWatchers: Who should play Larry, Curly, and Moe?  READ FULL STORY »

Dec 2 2010 07:12 PM ET

Quentin Tarantino gets insulted by a gang of bad motherf--ers at the Friars Club Roast

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Quentin-Tarantino-Uma-Sam_320.jpg Image Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage.comMuch like the theater full of Nazis at the end of Inglourious Basterds, Quentin Tarantino was roasted thoroughly Wednesday afternoon at the annual Friars Club event held in the ballroom of the Hilton New York. The director stood against the verbal slings and arrows of his friends and colleagues as they lovingly lambasted him for, among many other things, his love of Uma Thurman, foot fetishism, and reliance on “homage,” cramming in more profanity than, well, one of his movies. For those wondering, they did not serve Royales with Cheese at the luncheon, just the standard chicken.

Presiding over the occasion was roastmaster was Samuel L. Jackson, who did a decent job moving things along and dropping in a few zingers now and again. The first real surprisingly hilarious roaster was fellow director Eli Roth, who, in his own homage to Tarantino, switched up the chronology to get medieval on his ass: “It’s only fitting, like Pulp Fiction, that I begin my speech with the ending,” Roth said, flipping to the end of his speech and reading, “’However, to Uma, it was just considered foot-rape.’” Another director, Brett Ratner, didn’t fare quite as well, with most of his jokes falling flat.

Comedienne Whitney Cummings was probably the least known of those taking the podium, but she got some of the biggest laughs. To Eli Roth, she quipped, “All your movies are about torture. If you’re so into people getting tortured on camera, you should make a movie about people watching your movies.” Quentin’s muse, Thurman, who sat to Tarantino’s left the whole night, occasionally blushing under the onslaught of jokes about his obsession with her and her feet, nevertheless concluded her own tribute by removing her high heel shoes, pouring champagne into each of them, and toasting with her director in what was simultaneously the sweetest and grossest moment of the night. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 2 2010 06:21 PM ET

Golden Globe nomination ballots are in the mail! But who should get a nod?

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Filed under: Golden Globe Awards, Movies, Television and tagged: , , , ,

katey-segalImage Credit: Prashant Gupta/FXToday is the deadline for Ernst & Young to mail out the Golden Globe nomination ballots to members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, who have until Dec. 10 to return them. (Nominations are announced live at 8 a.m. ET on Dec. 14.) Help them out, folks, and tell them who should be getting a nod this year. I’m pulling for Sons of Anarchy‘s Katey Sagal to break into the Best Actress in a Television Series, Drama category. I’d also love to see Timothy Olyphant get a Best Actor nod for FX’s Justified. On the movies side, I’m most curious about which films get nominated for Best Motion Picture, Comedy or Musical. Assuming Toy Story 3 and Despicable Me are just in the Best Animated Film category, that leaves you with, what, How Do You Know (let’s just assume they like Jack Nicholson) and Morning Glory? Due Date? Red? Love & Other Drugs? All enjoyable, but somehow not as strong as The Hangover, (500) Days of Summer, Julie & Julia, and It’s Complicated. Maybe we should be urging voters to take a look at Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Easy A?

Dec 2 2010 05:05 PM ET

Most popular baby names of 2010: 'Lost,' 'Twilight,' and more pop culture inspirations

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Filed under: Lost, Movies, Music, Television, Those Crazy Kids!, TV and tagged: , , , , , , , ,

swift-twilight-lostBaby Center has released their list of most popular baby names for 2010, compiled from the thousands of names eager parents shared over the last 12 months. For boys, Aiden tops the list for the sixth year in a row (which, according to Editor-in-chief Linda Murray, is due to the fact that you can “spell that name in 46 different ways.” Sure, just ask Phaedra). Jacob, as in the mysterious man we spent six years of our lives trying to figure out (not that I’m bitter or anything), or a certain hunky werewolf, and Jackson (comma Michael) round out the top three, while Sophia, Isabella, and Olivia (Wilde, Munn, Palermo?) topped the list for girls. Despite early reports, trendy names like Sookie and Castiel (also known as Anna Paquin’s character on True Blood and Misha Collins on Supernatural) lost some steam by year’s end, falling out of the Top 100. But the pop culture connections continue. Other notable names include Taylor (our Entertainer of the Year), Bella (long live the Twihards), Grayson (pass Big Joe; red wine all around!), and Levi (stop the madness).

Of course, these names could all be the result of the personal preferences of the children’s parents… but we don’t like to think of it that way here at PopWatch. There is always a higher power at hand, be it The Wire, Christopher Nolan, Kanye West, or Andy Cohen. Given my pop culture obsessions, sometimes I wish my name was referential, connected to a larger shared experience or feeling. My friend is named after Hall & Oates’ “Sara Smile” which makes me all warm and fuzzy inside, and Bill and Hill notably named daughter Chelsea after Judy Collins’ take on “Chelsea Morning.”

Would you name your child after a pop culture reference, or do you save those for your pets? And if you are the victim of your parents’ obsessive fandom, speak up!

Read more:
Parents naming their kids after fictional characters

Dec 2 2010 04:59 PM ET

Excess Hollywood: Ricky Gervais and Emily Blunt to play along with Muppets

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Filed under: Movies, News, Television, TV and tagged: , , , ,
  • Ricky Gervais and Emily Blunt will cameo alongside Jack Black, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Crystal, Alan Arkin, and Jean-Claude Van Damme in Disney’s Muppets movie, which is written by Jason Segel. Can Elmo come too? [THR]
  • Good news for people with good taste: IFC has acquired rights to The Larry Sanders Show, The Ben Stiller Show, Mr. Show with Bob and David, and Action. [Deadline]
  • Lyle Lovett is joining the Shakespeare Center of L.A.’s production of Much Ado About Nothing, which also stars Helen Hunt, Grace Gummer, and Stephen Root. The singer will play Balthazar. Oh wait, sorry, Balthasar. [L.A. Times]
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