Archive: April 2011 (341-350 of 473)

Apr 10 2011 10:13 AM ET

'Arthur' is a disappointing remake. But does it rank among the worst of all time?

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The new Russell Brand-fronted Arthur is, in my humble opinion, a mediocre update of a wonderfully funny time capsule of ’80s hedonism starring Dudley Moore. I can’t say I was all that into it. (Nor was EW critic Owen Gleiberman.) There are plenty of things wrong with the movie (like the ghastly lack of chemistry between Brand and his love interest Greta Gerwig) and I don’t think I’ll be encouraging any friends to rush out and spend their hard-earned money on it. But does it rank among the worst remakes of all time? This was the question I asked myself as I watched a graffiti-covered billboard for it whiz by me on my subway ride home Friday night. (Some expressive New Yorker with a Sharpie thinks Mr. Katy Perry is a “TOOL.”)

My answer? No, Arthur does not rank among the worst. READ FULL STORY »

Apr 9 2011 04:09 PM ET

Paul Giamatti officially set for 'Rock of Ages.' Who are you looking forward to hearing sing most?

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Filed under: Movies, News and tagged: ,

Paul Giamatti is ready for Nothin’ But a Good Time: New Line Cinema has officially confirmed to EW that the American Splendor star has boarded Adam Shankman’s big screen adaptation of the Broadway hit Rock of Ages, playing a sleazy band manager. Said Shankman in a statement to EW: “I have been a huge fan of Paul Giamatti’s work since I became aware of him. He is one of the great character interpreters of our time, and I knew that he sang. He knows how important delight is with villains, and knows how to balance arch with genuinely funny. His character has become the symbol of the corporatization of the music industry, and he is basically a fancy used car salesman in Armani. He simply raises the bar for everyone he works with.” Another tidbit from Shankman: We can expect Giamatti to sing a version of Journey’s “Anyway You Want It” in the movie.

What’s that you say? Giamatti can sing? Well, as anyone who saw the 2000 film Duets would know, yes, he can. Quite well actually. Just click here to check out his version of Otis Redding’s “Try a Little Tenderness,” which he sang with Andre Braugher in the film. READ FULL STORY »

Apr 9 2011 03:09 PM ET

Sidney Lumet: Celebrities tweet their tributes for the Oscar-nominated filmmaker

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Serpico and The Verdict director Sidney Lumet — who boasts a 50-plus-year career in Hollywood — passed away Saturday at the age of 86. Here’s what some of his celebrity fans are Tweeting about his prolific career:

Roger Ebert: “Sidney Lumet: In Memory. My obituary and tribute. http://bit.ly/fAf2NV” READ FULL STORY »

Apr 9 2011 01:24 PM ET

Tina Fey talks Alec Baldwin, pregnancy, and Snooki to packed bookstore on 'Bossypants' tour

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Filed under: Books, Television, TV and tagged: , , , , ,
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Image Credit: im Spellman/Getty Images

We love Tina Fey, as you can tell by a quick search of EW’s Fey-packed archives, but even we were shocked by the filled-to-capacity, standing-room-only, people-have-been-waiting-here-since-morning crowd that gathered to pay homage to the goddess of wit at the Barnes & Noble in New York’s Union Square Friday. About 500 fans (including her 30 Rock costar, the 6-foot-5 Grizz), all clutching copies of her new essay collection Bossypants (purchase was required just to get in), laughed, cheered, and hung on her every word as The New Yorker‘s David Remnick conducted a lively Q&A with the writer/actress. She talked about choosing to write her first book (“I was having lunch with Snooki, and she was like, ‘Just do it. You have a voice.’”), making the upcoming 100th episode of 30 Rock (“It’s a weird one — get ready!”), and hating to re-watch her pilot (“It’s like looking at a sonogram instead of a picture of your kid, like a pile of goo”).

Here, a few other highlights. READ FULL STORY »

Apr 9 2011 12:00 PM ET

Who is this creepy doll supposed to be?

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If only Our Gang was confronted with this doll, they’d never have briefly given up ownership of dear ol’ Petey. What? You say it’s not 1934? Okay, fine, then in modern terms, let’s just say this doll is extremely petrifying. But who is it? Michele Bachmann? Lynne from Real Housewives of Orange County? Someone who should get that purple growth checked out by a doctor? Answer after the jump! READ FULL STORY »

Apr 9 2011 10:51 AM ET

'The King's Speech': Harvey Weinstein defends PG-13 version

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Filed under: Movies and tagged: , ,
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Image Credit: The Weinstein Company/Everett Collection

Shortly after receiving the highest of accolades — an Oscar — for its historical drama The King’s Speech, The Weinstein Co. received the harshest of words from fans and critics for opting to release a family-friendly PG-13 version in theaters. Many felt re-cutting the film about the stuttering King George VI not only was an insult to the artistry of the highly praised film, but also a lame attempt to cash in on the award winner. But just one week after the tamed-down version of the film — which only removed some f-bombs from a notable scene — hit theaters, The Weinstein Co.’s co-chairman Harvey Weinstein has written an article for The Daily Beast detailing the company’s decision. So why did The Weinstein Co. release a PG-13 version? Quite simply, because he was thinking of the children.

“We were asked by voices that deserve to be heard. We’ve had letters from kids, parents, and teachers, all asking the same thing — make the film accessible to a younger audience,” he writes. “Sometimes I make decisions as the head of a company, but in this case, I made the decision as a dad.” Noting that he himself had shown the R-rated version to his children because he believed “they can understand the context of the minor vulgarity,” Weinstein still claims that many families would be unwilling to allow those under 17 to see a film complete with a handful of expletives. So here’s a question for you, PopWatchers: Would the mere presence of the f-bomb keep you from taking your children to see a respectable, R-rated film? READ FULL STORY »

Apr 8 2011 06:20 PM ET

Happy birthday, Katee Sackhoff!

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Filed under: TV and tagged: , , ,
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Image Credit: Carole Segal/SyFy

There’s a great moment in a season 2 episode of Battlestar Galactica that sums up everything awesome about Katee Sackhoff. Kara Thrace — better known as “Starbuck” — has been recuperating from battle injuries in a mysterious hospital. She hasn’t left her bed in days. The only person she’s seen is Simon, an overly helpful doctor who keeps trying to convince her to donate her womb to the effort to repopulate humanity, since healthy ovaries are a rarity after the apocalypse. (All of humanity was recently nuked. You’ve heard of this show, right?) So Starbuck’s been going a little stir-crazy. And she’s suspicious — this Simon guy seriously won’t stop talking about her ovaries. Like, we get it, they aren’t irradiated! Yay for ovaries! READ FULL STORY »

Apr 8 2011 06:05 PM ET

Eva Longoria talks split from Tony Parker for first time: 'It was disappointing because I had such an identity in being Mrs. Parker.'

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Say what you will about Piers Morgan — that he’s rude, that he’s a camera-hungry reality star, that he’s British — the man certainly doesn’t softball his interview subjects. Especially considering he’s filled the kindly Larry King’s cushy shoes, it’s hard not to be taken aback hearing the Piers Morgan Tonight host ask this of Eva Longoria concerning her quite public divorce: “Do you feel humiliated?” Speaking about her split from NBA player Tony Parker for the first time on Thursday’s show, Longoria responded: “A bit. Yeah. Mostly … because it had to play out so publicly. He’s not a bad person. He just wanted something else. And I don’t hate him for it. I really don’t.”

Morgan introduced the topic by asking Longoria, “What was it like for you when it all exploded?” Which lead the Desperate Housewives star to shed a few tears discussing the divorce. (She wouldn’t, however, discuss why exactly she split from Parker after nearly four years of marriage.) “It was heartbreaking,” she said. “It was disappointing because I had such an identity in being Mrs. Parker, and being a wife. And so when that’s taken away from you, you go, ‘Who am I?’ And that was hard.” Watch the interview below:  READ FULL STORY »

Apr 8 2011 05:50 PM ET

Andrew Lloyd Webber sees Madonna as Norma Desmond. Who's going to tell her?

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Filed under: Movies, Music and tagged: , ,
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Image Credit: L-R: Everett Collection; Craig Barritt/Getty Image

In an interview scheduled to air tonight on Piers Morgan’s British ITV show, Andrew Lloyd Webber reveals that he’s eying another dream project with Madonna in mind. The two famously collaborated on Lloyd Webber’s cinematic adaptation of Evita, but this time around, he reportedly tells Morgan she’s yet to return his calls. Wonder why? The project is a remake of Sunset Boulevard, and the starring role is Norma Desmond. READ FULL STORY »

Apr 8 2011 05:30 PM ET

'Life Unexpected' DVD Giveaway

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Filed under: Television, TV and tagged: , ,

This past January, fans of WB-style soaps had to say goodbye to one of their favorite shows: Life Unexpected. The series followed a girl named Lux (Britt Robertson) as she got to know the biological parents who gave her up for adoption: brainy morning show DJ Cate (Shiri Appleby) and charming slacker Baze (Kristoffer Polaha). As time wore on, the show got more melodramatic — dark secrets! revelations of sexual abuse! affairs with teachers! — but it never lost the heart that won a small, dedicated number of viewers over in the first place.

Now every episode of Life Unexpected is available on one DVD set, which is curiously called “Life Unexpected: The Complete First & Second Seasons” rather than “The Complete Series.” While this alone doesn’t mean the show might be coming back from the dead, it’s enough to get us thinking about what might have been. And, as a bonus, if you think about it too, then tell EW what you would have liked to see in a potential third season of LUX, you could win one of 10 copies of the series on DVD.

Intrigued? Here’s how to enter the giveaway: READ FULL STORY »

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