Tag: Under the Radar (1-10 of 33)

Jun 8 2011 02:15 PM ET

Patrick Wilson: An appreciation for one of Hollywood's most versatile stars

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Image Credit: Janet Mayer/PR Photos

Noticed Patrick Wilson lately? You may not have — he’s been flying relatively, and tragically, under-the-radar since 2009′s Watchmen. And that’s even considering the guy starred in three films last year! But after seeing him as a homicidal evangelist in the trailer for The Ledge, it occurred to me that he could be poised for some big-screen attention, similar to what he garnered during Little Children‘s 2006 run. And he certainly would deserve such recognition: When I first noticed him in 2005′s Hard Candy, as the creepy object of Ellen Page’s sadistic yet completely valid vigilante justice, I discovered one of the few actors who seems to seamlessly float between genres with enviable ease.

Let’s look at this. Before Hard Candy, he was nominated for both a Golden Globe and an Emmy for playing Joe Pitt in the critically lauded miniseries Angels in America. That was his first TV role ever. And he was a double-nominee. Breakout awards show favorite: Check! READ FULL STORY »

May 4 2011 06:05 PM ET

The un-amateur contestants of 'The Voice': Where have you seen them before?

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Raquel-Castro

Does the moppet to your left look familiar? If so, you might be one of the world’s rarest creatures — a fan of The Voice who’s also seen Kevin Smith’s 2003 flop Jersey Girl. Raquel Castro, the girl who starred in that film as the plucky daughter of Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez’s characters, resurfaced on the second episode of NBC’s singing sensation last night and ended up getting chosen to join Christina Aguilera’s team. As it turns out, Raquel is far from the only Voice contestant who had significant experience in show business before snagging a spot on the series.

We’ve already discussed Frenchie Davis and Javier Colon, who are probably The Voice‘s best-known contestants when judged solely by their pre-show careers. But did you know that a VH1-anointed diva, two successful songwriters, and three more former child stars — among other semi-famous singers — also made the Top 32? Here’s a list detailing other Voice hopefuls’ brushes with fame: READ FULL STORY »

Feb 9 2011 02:30 AM ET

'My Life as Liz' season premiere: Return of the half-nerd half-ginger goddess

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My-Life-as-LizImage Credit: MTVThere has been a lot of speculation about what, precisely, MTV’s My Life as Liz is. Scripted reality? An episode of Liz has more narrative structure than, say, an episode of The City, but it’s also less grounded in reality than Teen Mom. Is it some kind of Laguna Beach-meets-My So-Called Life hybrid? The real people! The unrequited love! The angst! My God, the red hair! MTV maintains the show is “real.” This season, like last season, is about her “real” life with her “real” friends and her “real” school (the Pratt Insitute). According to the network, Liz’s involvement is solely in front of the camera, not as a writer. She lives her life, and MTV tries to capture it the best they can. That makes total sense. I regularly stand in white rooms and have dodge balls hurled at me by unseen hands. READ FULL STORY »

Nov 16 2010 06:50 PM ET

'No Ordinary Family' teaser: Jimmy Bennett talks about J.J.'s love life, the family super powers

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no-ordinary-familyImage Credit: Michael Desmond/ABCNow that Jimmy Bennett’s character has lost his football privileges on ABC’s No Ordinary Family, something – or rather, someone - will help to put a smile back on his face. He’s gettin’ a girl! Katelyn Tarver (Big Time Rush) will recur in the next few episodes as the new galpal in J.J.’s life.

The powerful son of Jim (Michael Chiklis) and Stephanie (Julie Benz) may even get to play football again, Bennett teases. So what’s next? Will the Powell Family – which also includes Kay Panabaker as Daphne – ever fight crime together? “I hope [we don't] ever have to wear tights,” Bennett told EW while attending a red carpet event recently. “I have heard the rumors and read some things that they are going to keep that as something my parents do together and me and my sister are going to deal with more of the teenage and school problems.

“Sometimes I think my superbrain would help here or why wouldn’t sis just read their minds but I think these are parents who are acting like real parents and they want to protect their kids,” Bennett continued. “They are not jazzed about the powers and it is based in realism. They never use the word superhero on the show. We are just a regular family with problems who also happens to have powers. But if it goes a lot of the season, I’m sure they might go in that direction but as of right now I don’t think they have any plans for that.” – With reporting from Carrie Bell

Oct 11 2010 03:55 PM ET

Lady Gaga fans discover her pre-fame 'Sopranos' cameo

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Tags: , , , , , Music, Television, TV

lady-gaga-sopranosMeadow had better watch out! Lest you think the Internet ever forgets, check out this clip Little Monsters discovered over the weekend of a 15-year-old Lady Gaga on The Sopranos. Gaga, then merely Stefani Germanotta, high school student at New York City’s Convent of the Sacred Heart, had a blink-and-miss-it part in the episode “The Telltale Moozadell” from the third season of HBO’s hit series in 2001. She’s one of a pack of giggly schoolgirls smoking and throwing back sodas while watching Tony Soprano’s son, A.J., swim laps at the school pool. READ FULL STORY »

Sep 27 2010 04:40 PM ET

Why you should be watching 'Lone Star' at 9 p.m. on Fox tonight

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Lone-Star-Palicki-WolkImage Credit: Bill Matlock/FoxJust one week into the new fall TV season, an impassioned Internet campaign is already afoot to save Fox’s standout drama Lone Star about Texas con man Bob Allen (James Wolk) and his complicated life, which involves two extremely hot wives in two different towns, a manipulative father who won’t let him quit grifting, and an overbearing father-in-law (played by Jon Voight!) who wants him to join his family oil business, and some Madoff-type deceptions. Last Monday, the show went from best-reviewed show of the new batch to likely-first-cancellation with only 4.1 million viewers tuning in (compared with Dancing With the Stars‘ 21.9 million in the same timeslot). Now there are petitions, Facebook pages, and online pleas from its creator, Kyle Killen, to watch its second episode (That’s tonight! 9/8 Central! On Fox!) and pull off a “stunning upset” the likes of which are rarely seen in network television.

Sure, you say, he’s the guy who made the thing — of course he thinks you should watch. But we’re telling you — it’s good. Very good. Like, cable good. (Incidentally, those ratings numbers would be perfectly good on cable. Sigh.) Need more proof? Here, five specific reasons you should watch tonight:

1. This paragraph in Killen’s blog post: “You may have heard about last Monday night when several heavily sequined, dancing celebrity, conspiracy laden, bowling shirted nuclear bombs landed directly on our heads. When everyone who watched your show is a paid critic or someone you went to high school with, that’s less of a premiere than a slideshow.” Don’t you want to watch a show written by the person who wrote that? READ FULL STORY »

Mar 17 2010 07:42 AM ET

'MacGruber' screens at SXSW Film Festival: Quite a spectacle

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The stars were out in Austin on Monday night, as enthusiastic cast members Will Forte, Kristen Wiig, Ryan Phillippe, and a black-clad, turquoise bootlace tie-wearing Val Kilmer, along with friends like SNL‘s Seth Meyers and comedian Paul Scheer, came out to celebrate the world premiere of MacGruber (in theaters May 21). The sketch-to-feature adaptation, SNL‘s first since the Ladies Man (2000), follows the exploits of a doofus soldier of fortune (played with terrific idiocy by Forte) as he tries to take down his arch enemy (Kilmer) who happens to be in possession of a nuclear warhead. Kilmer’s character, who fancies painting aged women in the nude when he’s not wreaking havoc on the world, is named Cunth. If imagining the possibility of riffs on such a name makes you snicker, as it did the genial Austin crowd, this is the movie for you.

READ FULL STORY »

Feb 11 2010 10:30 AM ET

Before 'Jersey Shore,' there was 'Real Cancun'

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Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Jersey Shore, Movies, Reality TV, Those Crazy Kids!

Before we got to know Snooki and The Situation, there was Casey and the Twins. I’m talking, of course, of the monumental film experiment The Real Cancun, which hit the big screen in 2003 and was billed as the “first reality feature film.” When I saw it, I was convinced that this was this was the trashy, fun future of filmed entertainment — but I was oh-so-wrong: it  kinda tanked at the box-office. Later that year, some friends and I kept the legacy alive by screening the film at a Real Cancun theme party (bad spring break T-shirts and lots of tequila were involved).

The high-concept premise from Bunim/Murray Productions (the film is otherwise unrelated to the later TV series The Real World: Cancun):  A bunch of college students (and one-non-college-age-aspiring model who never grew up) head to spring break to do body shots and hook up. A few goody-two-shoes are invited to be corrupted. READ FULL STORY »

Oct 30 2009 10:00 AM ET

This week in guerrilla filmmaking: 'Ikea Heights'

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Every once in a while, something comes along that is so brilliant and awesome that its glories can really only be diminished by additional words. In that spirit, PopWatchers, I am proud to introduce my favorite new web series, Ikea Heights, with nothing more than its tagline. Ahem:

Ikea Heights is a melodrama shot entirely in the Burbank California Ikea Store without the store knowing.

Aug 11 2009 05:26 PM ET

Working out with Wii's 'Daisy Fuentes Pilates'

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Tags: , , , , Videogames

daisy-fuentes-pilates_l

Last year, Nintendo convinced millions of people that a full-fledged fitness program was possible from the comfort of their living rooms with the release of Wii Fit and its packaged Wii Balance Board. Since then, the system has been inundated with exercise games simulating everything from dancing to boxing to snowboarding. But pilates — that favorite exercise of on-the-go modern men and women — has been noticeably unrepresented…until now.

Enter Daisy Fuentes Pilates, which promises to “tone, strengthen and transform your body” with its 10 core-strengthening exercises. Is it worth your time and sweat? PopWatch HQ tasked me, its resident fitness guru, with performing a thorough investigation of the game and determining both its playability and exercise value. Though as a 23-year-old male I am well outside Pilates‘ target demographic (I prefer games that let you, well, kill things), I nevertheless gave the title a full workout. READ FULL STORY »

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