Archive: December 2011 (101-110 of 380)

Dec 20 2011 12:00 PM ET

PopWatch Confessional: Do you read the book before you see the movie? Or after?

by
Filed under: Books, Movies and tagged: , , ,
Dragon-Tattoo

Image Credit: Merrick Morton

I must admit, PopWatchers, I broke one of the cardinal sins of the great moviegoing experiences. (And no, I don’t mean passing up on getting Sno Caps at the concession stand, because I definitely did that.) Nay, I saw the movie before reading the book. In fact, I intentionally skipped out on reading said book (for the record, it’s The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo) as I wanted to go into the movie without having unreasonably high expectations that could be shattered. (Case in point: I’m going into Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close with the knowledge that I’ll be let down in one way or another thanks to my admiration of Jonathan Safran Foer’s near-perfect 2005 novel. You’d think I’d have learned my lesson with The Lovely Bones debacle of 2009.) READ FULL STORY »

Dec 20 2011 11:07 AM ET

Showdown at LAX: Maria Conchita Alonso slams Sean Penn, he calls her a 'pig'

by
Filed under: News and tagged: ,
Maria-Conchita-Alonso_240.jpg

Image Credit: Brian To/FilmMagic.com

Maria Conchita Alonso called in to D.C.-based radio station WMAL 105.9 yesterday to recount a run-in she had with Sean Penn at LAX Airport. Though the two were costars in 1998′s Colors, there’s been no love lost between them in recent years since Alonso wrote an 2010 open letter to the Oscar winner criticizing his friendship with Venezuelan president Hugo Chávez. Alonso — who was born in Cuba just before Fidel Castro took power and raised in Venezuela –  said Sunday was the first time she had seen Penn since writing the letter and could not resist setting him straight on his friendships and the “propaganda” he has been spreading around Hollywood. Stop me if you know where this is going… READ FULL STORY »

Dec 20 2011 10:21 AM ET

Mindy Kaling and Bill Clinton weigh in on their must-reads on 'Today.' These two need a book club -- VIDEO

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

If you’re still stumped on what to get the fashionable-yet-wildly-intelligent-politico in your life, Today offered up a wonderfully strange pairing this morning to help you with your dilemma when they sat Bill Clinton next to The Office‘s Mindy Kaling for a segment on gift recommendations for book lovers.

Kaling found herself embarrassed when Bubba rec’d books from the likes of Marcus Aurelius, David Fromkin, and Seamus Heaney. “I didn’t know his list when I made my list,” she defended. “I would have made it more Ph.D.-friendly.” Kaling’s picks included Stephen King’s 11/22/63, Tina Fey’s Bossypants, and Lady Gaga and Terry Richardson’s new photography book, Lady Gaga X Terry Richardson.

Frankly, I know many people who would find value in both sets of picks. (See their full lists here.) In fact, I really wish Clinton and Kaling made book recommendations more often. Talk about a well-rounded education. I’d join that book club. Watch below and see for yourself. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 20 2011 10:00 AM ET

Worst of 2011: Worst hair in movies and TV?

by
Filed under: Emma Stone, Movies, The X Factor, Two and a Half Men and tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Limitless-Bradley-Cooper

Image Credit: ‘Limitless’/YouTube

Ugh, hair. Sometimes you have luscious, deep-conditioned, well-highlighted tresses like Sarah Braverman and the male and female stars of Twilight, and sometimes you look like Bradley Cooper at the beginning of Limitless. We all have our bad days, but sometimes actors must endure entire bad hair seasons. It’s hard out there for a star! Below, our scraggly shortlists for 2011′s Worst Movie and TV Hair. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 20 2011 09:00 AM ET

'Carnage' joins the pantheon of big-screen vomit scenes: Where does it rank amongst the most rank?

by
Filed under: Movies and tagged: , , , ,
CARNAGE-WINSLET

Image Credit: Sony Pictures Classic

The biggest laugh in Carnage, Roman Polanski’s chaotic ensemble comedy, doesn’t come from one of the verbal barbs spewed between the group of ill-mannered New Yorkers. Rather it’s a gut-busting scene (quite literally) that involves, well, spew. And it’s from Kate Winslet, no less. In fact, the actress is so believable in the moment that if the Golden Globes were to vote on a vomit curve, she’d have this thing in the bag. (Bridesmaids‘ Kristen Wiig‘s near-puke in the bridal shop would be a close second.)

Is it the fact that you’re watching an Oscar-winner lose her lunch (in this case, a piece of fruit cobbler) all over another Oscar-winner’s prized art book that makes it so outrageous? Or simply the fact that vomiting, when played for laughs is always funny? Check out the wreckage in Carnage below. But, fair warning, unlike Ms. Winslet, it ain’t pretty.

READ FULL STORY »

Dec 20 2011 12:02 AM ET

'Godspell': Hunter Parrish records 'Beautiful City' -- VIDEO

by
Filed under: Music and tagged: , ,
godspell

Image Credit: Jeremy Daniel

The first Broadway adaptation of Godspell in 35 years opened last month at the Circle in the Square Theatre (read EW’s review here), re-introducing the heavenly music and lyrics of Tony-nominated Stephen Schwartz. Today, the new Broadway cast recording becomes available as a digital download (the CD will be released on Jan. 31), and Entertainment Weekly has an exclusive video clip of Hunter Parrish (Weeds), who plays Jesus, recording the song “Beautiful City.”

Fans can stream the song “Prepare Ye” on Facebook, and music can be purchased at iTunes or at www.godspell.com. Click below for the video and a complete track listing for the new CD. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 19 2011 07:59 PM ET

'Dexter' season finale: Did the final scene make up for a lackluster season? Vote!

by
Filed under: Television, TV and tagged: , ,
dexter-finale_320.jpg

Image Credit: Randy Tepper/Showtime

I’ve been rooting for Dexter all season. After every slightly disappointing-but-not-totally-bad episode, I reacted like a mother talking to her child after losing soccer game — with never-ending optimism. “You’ll get ‘em next time.” “You tried your best.” “That’s a shame. Pizza?”

Then I watched “Nebraska,” the seventh episode of this season, that found Dexter coming face to face with Trinity’s son, who, like his father, had started killing. Sounds like a juicy episode, right? Not so. It was, actually, the season’s worst episode. (Gun-wielding Dexter? More Brian Moser? Lord.) Possibly the series‘ worst episode. That’s when even my hope began to waver.  READ FULL STORY »

Dec 19 2011 07:25 PM ET

James Bond producer wants Daniel Craig for FIVE more movies. Good idea?

by
Tagged:
Daniel-Craig

Image Credit: Landmark/PR Photos

Daniel Craig has only starred in two James Bond movies so far. That’s one more than walking-Trivial-Pursuit-factoid George Lazenby ever managed, and the equal of proto-Craig Timothy Dalton. The currently-filming Skyfall will put Craig in striking distance of Pierce Brosnan, whose four films ran the gamut from good (Goldeneye) to funny-bad (Tomorrow Never Dies) to horrible (The World is Not Enough) to batcrap-crazy (Die Another Day.) Sean Connery made six “official” Bond movies, but if you throw in his off-brand Thunderball remake Never Say Never Again, then he’s tied with Roger Moore at seven 007 movies. READ FULL STORY »

Dec 19 2011 04:37 PM ET

Kim Jong-il: Dictator, loving husband, father of 813 children, badminton aficionado

by
Tagged: ,
KIM-JONG-IL

Image Credit: Korea News Service/AP Images

Kim Jong-il was a secretive man but his good friend General Aladeen gave us all a rare glimpse into the North Korean dictator’s private life today with a personal statement on the passing of his beloved badminton partner, released today via Huffington Post.

Well, it’s a fictitious glimpse.

The “statement” actually comes from Sacha Baron Cohen, who will portray Aladeen, a North African despot, in his upcoming comedy, The Dictator, out in May. And as fake as his words might be, you can’t help but (inappropriately?) chuckle.

Take a look at an excerpt below: READ FULL STORY »

Dec 19 2011 04:00 PM ET

Yup, the 'Calvin and Hobbes' snowmen are still as hilariously morbid as ever -- VIDEO

by
Filed under: Books and tagged: , , , ,

It is absolutely mind-boggling to me that Calvin and Hobbes – the great American comic strip by Bill Watterson — left our newspapers 16 years ago this month. It is a true testament to the enduring hold the strip has on our imaginations that this miniature re-creation of Calvin’s deliciously macabre snowmen still feels as funny and endearing now as Watterson’s strips of them did back in the ’80s and ’90s. Check it out below, and then tell me, PopWatchers, what are your favorite Calvin and Hobbes moments? READ FULL STORY »

Advertisement

TV Recaps

Powered by WordPress.com VIP