Tag: Misc. (61-70 of 413)

Jan 30 2010 02:05 PM ET

'Jersey Shore': Where should they go for season 2?

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Tags: , , , , Jersey Shore, Reality TV, Television

Just as we were getting ready to return to an untanned, GTL-free life where “situation” is just another noun, MTV announced that Snooki, the Situation, JWoww, and the rest of the gang will back for another season of Jersey Shore this summer. The catch? The cast will ditch Jersey and “find themselves in a new destination.”

Rational reaction: Obviously, the northeast was out of the question if MTV wants to shoot during the winter for a summer premiere.

Actual reaction: Are you kidding me with this?! Jersey was practically the show’s 10th castmember! (note: count includes Angelina and the duck phone) Where else could they go? READ FULL STORY »

Jan 23 2010 05:03 PM ET

Eddie Izzard names five of his strangest stand-up tangents

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Tags: , , Television

Eddie Izzard, actor, comedian and “executive transvestite,” has never been at loss for material. Meandering hilariously through topics as wide-ranging as The Battle of Hastings, Medusa’s hairdresser, and cavemen inventing fire so they can eat something other than salad, the desultory stand-up comic uses all of history as his playground. “It’s fantastic,” he says. “I’ve discovered that history was this amazingly unkept place. It makes you sound so clever to know that Alexander the Great’s dad was called Phil.” Now, with his latest special, Eddie Izzard: Live From Wembley, and the documentary Believe: The Eddie Izzard Story airing back-to-back tonight (EPIX, 9:30 p.m. EDT), Izzard talked with EW about his loose, often ad-libbed style of comedy, and told us five of the strangest tangents and detours it’s gotten him into. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 18 2010 12:00 PM ET

'Lost': Let's do the time warp again!

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uwu_logoIn honor of the premiere of the final season of Lost, Prof. Doc Jensen looks at competing theories of time-travel in popular sci-fi franchises. Warning: this course may cause a migraine. Students are advised to take an aspirin before reading. (Getting stoned may also help, though this cannot be condoned by the faculty.) For more crash courses in pop culture, enroll in EW University.

Lost-Sawyer-shirtless_l“Listen: Billy Pilgrim has come unstuck in time.”

With those famous words in Slaughterhouse Five (1969), author Kurt Vonnegut introduced one of the most memorable time travelers and depictions of time travel that literature has ever given us. The premise: Billy Pilgrim has gone crazy from failing to grapple with the horror he experienced during World War II many, many years before. Unmoored from sanity, the haunted optometrist convinces himself he’s been abducted by aliens who believe that time is eternally present, that past and future are happening in the now: Cubism made real. Pilgrim — his mind desperately flailing to save itself from its own existential crisis — adopts this conspiratorial perspective, as well as the sanguine philosophy that comes with it: that we are prisoners to predestined, already-written fate. And it is not a pleasant experience. “Billy is spastic in time, has no control over where he is going next, and the trips aren’t necessarily fun. He is in a constant state of stage fright, he says, because he never knows what part of his life he is going to have to act in next.”

Vonnegut’s powerful masterpiece may or may not be what you would call a hardcore sci-fi novel, although it does provide a provocative dramatization of new ideas about time described by quantum physics (and, it must be added, a perspective of reality familiar to followers of Buddhism and other mystic religions). You see the same stuff brought to life in the dark superhero epic Watchmen (Alan Moore/Dave Gibbons; 1986) in the form of all-powerful yet impotently omniscient Dr. Manhattan, a literal manifestation of topsy-turvy Relativity and the embodiment of a weapon that changed the course of history and filled the world with profound insecurity. READ FULL STORY »

Jan 16 2010 09:00 AM ET

This Week on Stage: 'Circle Mirror Transformation' is a gem

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We finally caught up with the Off Broadway hit Circle Mirror Transformation (pictured at left) and boy are we glad that we did. Ditto for the reinvention of the David Lean movie Brief Encounter that wraps up this weekend at Brooklyn’s St. Ann’s Warehouse. These little shows are both stunners…and will certainly tide us over until the coming wave of big openings. (We’re particularly excited about The Pee-Wee Herman Show in L.A. — you can read more about the plans for the production in the profile of Paul Reubens in this week’s issue of Entertainment Weekly.)

If you’re looking for some live theater, check out the EW.com Stage hub for up-to-date news and reviews; or consult this handy guide below, which includes links to all of our stage reviews of current shows. (Note: The reviews are typically of the show’s original casts.)

BROADWAY

The Addams Family — Musical; opens 4/8/2010

All About Me — Musical Revue starring Dame Edna and Michael Feinstein; opens 3/18/10

American Idiot — Musical; opens 4/20/2010

A Behanding in Spokane — Comedy starring Christopher Walken; opens 3/4/10

Billy Elliot — Musical; opened 11/13/08; EW grade: B+

Bye Bye Birdie — Musical Revival starring John Stamos; opened 10/15/2009 – 1/24/2010; EW grade: C+ READ FULL STORY »

Jan 15 2010 11:35 AM ET

'A-Team' art features explosions, Bradley Cooper's abs

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Since Fox launched its trailer last week, the new A-Team, in contrast to their fictional counterparts, have been very easy to find. JoBlo.com has six new photographs from the film, ranging from Hannibal’s iconic cigar to Face’s rippled abs.

a-team-movie

Cool enough, but how can they not show us more of B.A’s van? What else are you eager to see, and what are your hopes for this movie?

Jan 12 2010 01:03 AM ET

Chris Harrison blogs 'The Bachelor': season 14, episode 2

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It’s been a wild week in Bachelor-ville and we have a lot to discuss, but first let me thank you for making our premiere episode such a huge success.  I would love to talk to you about other stuff this week like Ali’s cool ”Chicago” date or the games Elizabeth’s starting to play but the whole time all you’re doing is staring at the ten-ton pink elephant standing in the middle of the room so let’s just deal with it shall we?  I hope you all had a chance to see for yourself just what happened involving… READ FULL STORY »

Jan 11 2010 03:00 PM ET

What is the ultimate 'Glee' audition song?

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Tags: , , , Glee, Television

Fox announced today that it will launch an open casting call for its season two of Glee, which is how producers discovered much of the the series’ amazing rookie cast. It all made me think about what song would be the ultimate tune for a Glee audition? Would it be a pop tune like “No Air?” A new version of a classic like “Don’t Stop Believin’?” Or a Broadway monster like “Defying Gravity?” It’s totally a tough decision. Personally, I think I would lean towards “Defying Gravity.” I would in no way actually be able to pull of that song but, if I were a Glee-caliber talent (and I often dream that I am), then the Wicked tune would be my choice. It’s not only a song that forces a performer to prove their skills but it also has an amazing built-in Glee moment.

What do you think PopWatchers? What would be your choice for a Glee audition song?

Jan 9 2010 11:34 AM ET

Amy Adams' 'Leap Year': What Hollywood gets wrong about women and marriage

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The new Amy Adams-tumbles-down-an-Irish-hillside romantic comedy has racked up a slew of groaning reviews. The New York Times went so far as to call it the worst movie of our barely week-old year. (Our Owen Gleiberman gave it a B-). I went to the movie last night, and must confess that I found it rather endearing. Amy Adams, after playing such a churlish character (bloggers, right?!) in Julie & Julia, is the requisite role of uptight control freak who wants her stiff boyfriend to propose already after four years of dating. When he leaves on a business trip to Ireland, she chases after him to take advantage of an olde country tradition whereby a lass is granted the right to pop the question to her man on the titular day of leap year. I know, awful. (The thing is the movie itself, when approached with dangerously low expectations, is kind of winning. Adams’ character quickly finds herself sidelined with a surly yet stand-up bartender played by Matthew Goode and despite myself I was charmed by their predictable series of misadventures on the road to Dublin. I blame the cough syrup, and Goode’s fisherman’s sweater.)

But the premise itself of the movie should not be forgiven, or at least not its wretched trailer in which Adams practices her getting proposed face or screams on a turbulence-wracked airplane that “I am not going to die without getting engaged!” When will Hollywood drop this strangely clung-to cliche that a grown woman will always be reduced to needy brat when she gets a whiff of wedding cake? You want to know what was cute about Kimberly Williams in the movie Father of the Bride? Her character was a 22-year-old and she acted like one. Maybe young women her age still get silly and feverish about their fairy tale notions of weddings and marriage. Grown women don’t.

READ FULL STORY »

Jan 7 2010 06:00 AM ET

'Ugly Betty' Bites: 24 flair-filled lines from last night's episode, 'The Passion of the Betty'!

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Tags: , , , , , , , , About Last Night, Mini TV Watch, Television

Did you catch Ugly Betty in its new Wednesday-night timeslot last night? Well, if you didn’t, catch up on Hulu (but first, read my catch-up post from yesterday) because it was yet another fantastic episode, featuring Wilhelmina’s triumphant return to Mode, a bunch of weird Betty-themed artwork by her boyfriend Matt, and Marc’s delectable new “boyfriend” (played by Becki Newton’s real-life brother, no less—how perfect!). Slam dunk, in my mind.

Also a slam dunk (seriously, what’s with my uncharacteristically and very un-Ugly Betty-esque fratty vernacular today?) last night were the hilarious one-liners. No surprise! There were actually 24 fantastic quips, by my count, and I’ve got them all here for you. Enjoy!

“I’m a professional. I don’t get grossed out by food caught in braces.” —Betty’s dentist Dr. Farkas, during an appointment with Betty

“You see, it’s the little things that’ll get you. One day Matt is saying ‘Miss you much,’ and the next day it’s ‘Pop! Pop!’ Murder-suicide.” —Hilda, about Matt’s growing obsession with Betty

“She actually thinks Emporio Armani and Georgio Armani are brothers! Ha!” —Marc, about Mode’s clueless new creative director

“You can’t miss ‘Puck Night’! C’mon someone around here will want to go to a hockey game. OK, maybe not….” —Betty, to Matt, after looking around the Mode office quickly and realizing that every other man who works there is gay

“Spooky! You’re trans-Mexifying right before our eyes.” —Amanda, to Marc, after a photo of Betty during a slide show of Marc-only photos

READ FULL STORY »

Jan 6 2010 06:00 AM ET

'Ugly Betty' PSA: This show's worth a second chance in its new Wednesday timeslot -- starting tonight!

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Tags: , , , , , , , , , Television, To Care or Not to Care

After Ugly Betty languished on Friday nights from October through December—and dropped a couple million viewers along the way—ABC recently decided to give its one-time hit a better chance of surviving to its fifth season and moved it to the comedy-filled Wednesday nights. And, hark, fans! That night has finally arrived! Tonight, the fabulous gang from Mode makes its debut on Wednesday for the first time. And it’s the first time the show has appeared on a desirable night since last May. Hallelujah!

Now, I’m not judging you, believe me, but I’m more than certain lots of you out there have skipped out on Betty this season—or maybe even last season, too. (Or—gasp!—even season 2.) Well, there’s no time like the present to get back into the fray! Why? Because Betty is, without question, better than ever. The creative juices are flowing at the show’s writing headquarters and—this is a good thing!—the series seems to have recaptured that rather elusive juice that made it so delightful during back in season 1.

So, what I’m saying is: Get back on board, people! To help get you up to speed, I’m presenting the five essential things you must know about the show currently. Read up and then dive back at 10 p.m. on ABC tonight:

• Betty ain’t so ugly anymore. Didja hear? (Or, rather, just see America Fererra’s smiling face above.) Betty got a makeover—lost the bangs, got sleeker glasses, and her clothes are a tad less crazy. And—here’s the big shocker!—she’s losing the braces soon, too. Plus, in case you didn’t watch through last season, she got promoted to Associate Features Editor at Mode, so she’s no longer a lowly assistant. How’s that for injecting life into a storyline? (Also: Her new hot looks may have something to do with the fact that producers are mulling whether to hook her up with former boss, Daniel.) READ FULL STORY »

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