Archive: November 2011 (251-260 of 361)

Nov 10 2011 02:00 AM ET

Hugh Acheson blogs second episode of 'Top Chef: Texas': Rough cuts

by
Filed under: Reality TV, Television, Top Chef, TV and tagged: , , , ,

top-chef

Image Credit: Virginia Sherwood/Bravo

As told to Nuzhat Naoreen

[As a contender on Top Chef Masters], I was on the other side for awhile, but you know judging is definitely a lot easier. It doesn’t have the stress of actually cooking. Time constraints aren’t my problem anymore. Before this, I guest judged on Top Chef: Just Desserts, so I was familiar with the format. There’s not much hazing on Top Chef. Tom runs you around naked through Hollywood, but that’s about it.

There are a lot of people, so figuring out who’s who and what’s about to come up has been a challenge. Also, sometimes there are pretty good dishes out there that you want to get through, but there are only 16 coats to give out. READ FULL STORY »

Nov 9 2011 06:45 PM ET

'Requiem for a Dream' director Darren Aronofsky makes drugs even more petrifying with new PSAs -- VIDEO

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

The anti-drug PSA has been an institution on television for decades now, but rarely have the well-meaning ads ever seemed to make an impact on TV-watching youth. Can you even recall one since Rachael Leigh Cook’s “this is your brain on drugs” spot? (And we mostly just remember that ad because Cook rose to stardom with She’s All That the next year.)

Well, embedded below is just one new anti-drug ad that you will remember. Why? Because it’s one of the most horrifying ads ever created. Not completely unexpected when you consider the source: The commercial — as well as several others from anti-meth group The Meth Project — is directed by Black Swan helmer Darren Aronofsky, also renowned for Requiem for a Dream. I’ve always felt Requiem should be required viewing for all high schoolers — I saw it in college and it petrified me so much, I was hesitant to even think about drugs, let alone take them. But good on Aronofsky for offering a more PG-13 option. See other ads from Aronofsky, advertising agency Organic, and The Meth Project here. Warning: The one embedded after the jump is graphic. [Gawker] READ FULL STORY »

Nov 9 2011 06:12 PM ET

Stan Lee will receive a Producers Guild award, despite the lawsuits and the controversies and the Jack Kirby thing...

by
Filed under: Books, Movies, News, Television and tagged: , ,
stan-lee

Image Credit: Rob Kim/FilmMagic.com

If you’re not a major comic book fan — if you only know about superheroes from the movies — then Stan Lee has probably always seemed kind of like a cool uncle-grampa, a gray-haired icon who blazed the trail for cheeky geek self-awareness by adopting a late-life career as a cameo superstar. If you are a comics fan, then Lee is a paradoxical figure. He was a walking, talking advertisement for the notion that comics could be cool long before Comic-Con conquered Hollywood; he gave Marvel its ’70s swagger. But he also left a trail of angry collaborators — big, important names like Jack Kirby and Steve Ditko — some of whom would go to their grave claiming that Lee’s actual contributions to iconic characters like Fantastic Four and Spider-Man were less than substantial. (Here’s Kirby in a landmark Comics Journal interview from the early ’90s: “Stan Lee and I never collaborated on anything! I’ve never seen Stan Lee write anything.”) READ FULL STORY »

Nov 9 2011 05:03 PM ET

Liam Gallagher says he's not opposed to an Oasis movie. Brilliant!

by
Filed under: Movies, Music and tagged: , , , ,
Oasis

Image Credit: Solarpix/PR Photos

Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher is currently producing a film about The Beatles, but the guy knows a thing or two about another band whose often tumultuous back story is just as memorable as the music itself. Why, Oasis, of course!

In an interview with UK publication The Independent, Gallagher, who has had a — for lack of a better word — strained relationship with his brother and former Oasis bandmate Noel Gallagher (he did, after all, sue him this year for remarks he made at a press conference), said he wouldn’t be opposed to sharing their rocky rock n’ roll tale with audiences at the movies. “Sometimes, when we’ve had a few drinks, we sit about telling stories and talk about putting them in an Oasis film. I’d be up for that … But I’d start it with Paris. I wouldn’t want it to end on such a bummer. I’d start at the end and work my way backwards,” the younger Gallagher brother revealed.

So who should play those lovable Gallagher brothers? READ FULL STORY »

Nov 9 2011 04:30 PM ET

Dakota Fanning's Marc Jacobs ad banned in the UK

by
Filed under: News, Those Crazy Kids!, To Care or Not to Care and tagged: , , , , ,

Oh, Dakota!

You made us feel like your protective older sibling when we watched you grow up right before our eyes and then somehow managed to make us feel even older when you graduated from high school in June, but now we have to cope with this: Your latest headline-grabbing controversy. (Youths! They grow up so fast!)

As reported by People, an ad for Marc Jacobs’ Oh, Lola! perfume featuring 17-year-old Dakota Fanning has been deemed too racy and banned by the UK’s Advertising Standards Authority. According to BBC News, the ad in question, which features the actress holding the bottle of perfume with a giant flower on it in the middle of her lap (phew, it’s good thing flowers are in no way a euphemism for something else), the ASA said they received four complaints (though, to be fair, they could have just been leftover objections to Push) and ruled that the ad would not appear again. (EW reached out to reps for Fanning and Jacobs, who did not immediately respond to our requests.) READ FULL STORY »

Nov 9 2011 04:05 PM ET

Who's your favorite pop culture werewolf?

by
Filed under: TV and tagged: , , ,
eclipse-lautner

Image Credit: Kimberley French

Werewolves are the Rodney Dangerfield of the Monster world, by which I mean they gets no respect and they are completely insane. That’s the joy of the werewolf: Whereas vampires represent everything attractive and high-falutin’ about society — eternal youth, sex appeal, being vaguely European — werewolves are all about the loss of control. That can be played for drama (as in the original Wolf Man), or for comedy (see: Teen Wolf), or for terribleness (see: the remake of Wolf Man and Teen Wolf Too.) Next week sees the return to the big screen of your niece’s favorite werewolf, Taylor Lautner’s Jacob Black, in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn; Part 1. So what better time to ask the big question: Who’s your favorite pop culture werewolf? Seth Green in Buffy? Jack Nicholson in Wolf? Lady wolf Katharine Isabelle in Ginger Snaps? Take the poll below! Quick, before the full moon rises! READ FULL STORY »

Nov 9 2011 03:40 PM ET

Morgan Freeman to receive Golden Globe lifetime honor: Is 'Seven' his best non-God, president, civil-rights figure, narrator performance?

by
Filed under: Golden Globe Awards and tagged: , , , ,
Morgan-Freeman

Image Credit: Everett Collection

Though Dolphin Tale is a long shot for any serious awards, it’s still been another banner year for Morgan Freeman. This summer, the American Film Institute honored him with its Life Achievement Award, and today, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association announced that he’d receive the Cecil B. DeMille Award at this year’s Golden Globes. Freeman’s career has been extraordinary, and not just because of the extremely high quality of his work. Though we remember him from his early stint as Easy Reader on Electric Company, he didn’t receive his first Academy Award nomination — for 1987′s Street Smart — until he was 50 years old. That’s highly unusual for someone with five or more Oscar nominations. (Only Judi Dench waited longer for her first at age 64, and ultimately received more, six.) Since that time, though, Freeman’s became an iconic figure — and voice — playing mostly benevolent authority figures whose weary eyes convey both a gentleness and an understanding of man’s cruelty. READ FULL STORY »

Nov 9 2011 03:09 PM ET

Oscar host vacancy: With Eddie Murphy out, who should step in? Vote!

by
Tagged: , , , , , , ,
oscar

Image Credit: Oscar statuette: ©A.M.P.A.S.®

Just one day after Brett Ratner announced he would be stepping down as Oscars producer, the 84th Academy Awards now finds itself without a host, too, as Eddie Murphy released a statement confirming that he will no longer be emceeing the ceremony. (“I was truly looking forward to being a part of the show that our production team and writers were just starting to develop, but I’m sure that the new production team and host will do an equally great job,” said Murphy, who was recruited to host the event by Ratner, his Tower Heist director.)

So now what, PopWatchers? Or more specifically, who? As in, who should host the 2012 Oscars? READ FULL STORY »

Nov 9 2011 02:29 PM ET

'Once Upon a Time': Ask us your burning questions about Snow White, Regina, and the rest

by
Filed under: Television, TV and tagged: , ,
Ginnifer-Goodwin

Image Credit: Kharen Hill/ABC

Over the past few weeks I’ve found myself increasingly obsessed with the mythology behind Once Upon A Time, and from the looks of things, you probably have too. The show was No. 1 with EW.com readers last week, and 11.4 million viewers tuned in last Sunday to watch Mary Margaret (known in Fairy Tale land as Snow White) search for the John Doe that was actually her Prince Charming in disguise. But here’s the thing, viewers — each episode has left us with some seriously burning questions, and EW wants to do our best to get them answered. READ FULL STORY »

Nov 9 2011 01:00 PM ET

Emma Stone's 'Saturday Night Live' promos: She's the wizard of awesome

by
Filed under: Emma Stone, Television and tagged: , , , , , ,

She’s back! After turning out one of last season’s best installments of Saturday Night Live, Emma Stone is back to continue her reign as the wizard of awesome. From the looks of this SNL promo for this weekend’s episode, the actress is willing to commit to every bit, showing off her range from comic gem (“I’m hosting Emma Stone this week, with musical guest Coldplay”) to flat-out adorable leading lady. (Check out her hilarious meet-cute with Fred Armisen.) Hmm, maybe we should have waited an extra week to ask this. Watch the full clip below: READ FULL STORY »

Advertisement

TV Recaps

Powered by WordPress.com VIP