Saturday, December 31, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
The Most Anticipated Movies of 2012
By Jonathan Crow | Movie Talk
2012 is right around the corner, and while it may or may not be the year of the apocalypse, it will most certainly be a banner year for blockbusters. Not only will Batman and Spider-Man return to America's megaplexes, but so will James Bond, a Hobbit, and, of course, everyone's favorite moony-eyed sparkly vampire.
"Skyfall" (November 9th)
It's been three years since James Bond graced the silver screen, due in part to the bankruptcy of MGM. Precious little information has been released about this latest 007 action spectacular except that Daniel Craig is returning as the leaner, meaner Bond and he is facing off against a yet-to-be-named villain played by Anton Chigurh himself: Javier Bardem. There are even rumors that Bond's most famous nemesis, Ernst Blofeld, might make an appearance.
"The Dark Knight Rises" (July 20th)
The giddy anticipation around this movie is hard to overstate. Fans ardently praised "The Dark Knight" for director Christopher Nolan's somber, respectful take on the Caped Crusader and Heath Ledger's mesmerizing performance as the Joker; the movie is, in certain circles, considered the "Citizen Kane" of superhero movies. "The Dark Knight Rises" will be the final Batman movie for both Nolan and lead actor Christian Bale, so expect this one to be bigger, badder, and bleaker than the last. But will it have the same impact without Ledger's Joker?
The giddy anticipation around this movie is hard to overstate. Fans ardently praised "The Dark Knight" for director Christopher Nolan's somber, respectful take on the Caped Crusader and Heath Ledger's mesmerizing performance as the Joker; the movie is, in certain circles, considered the "Citizen Kane" of superhero movies. "The Dark Knight Rises" will be the final Batman movie for both Nolan and lead actor Christian Bale, so expect this one to be bigger, badder, and bleaker than the last. But will it have the same impact without Ledger's Joker?
"The Amazing Spider-Man" (July 3rd)
As great as Sam Raimi's first two "Spider-Man" movies were, the third felt tired. Marc Webb, director of the emo indie hit "(500) Days of Summer," gives Spidey and the gang a much needed reboot, featuring Andrew Garfield as a skinnier, nervier Peter Parker.
As great as Sam Raimi's first two "Spider-Man" movies were, the third felt tired. Marc Webb, director of the emo indie hit "(500) Days of Summer," gives Spidey and the gang a much needed reboot, featuring Andrew Garfield as a skinnier, nervier Peter Parker.
"The Avengers" (May 4th)
And just in case you didn't think there were enough movies out there for superhero enthusiasts, there's "The Avengers." That's right, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk are all joining forces to battle the bad guys. It's a veritable sampler menu of costumed crime fighters. Add to that the fact that Joss Whedon of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is directing the epic, and you have something close to a perfect storm of fanboy-dom.
And just in case you didn't think there were enough movies out there for superhero enthusiasts, there's "The Avengers." That's right, Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and the Hulk are all joining forces to battle the bad guys. It's a veritable sampler menu of costumed crime fighters. Add to that the fact that Joss Whedon of "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" is directing the epic, and you have something close to a perfect storm of fanboy-dom.
"The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2" (November 16th)
The "Twilight" series has enthralled millions while leaving millions more befuddled over the appeal of shirtless werewolves and glittering members of the undead. "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" saw Bella, in very short order, get married to Edward, have a picture-perfect honeymoon at a vampire resort in Brazil, and give birth to a baby with supernatural powers. And that's just part one. Part two promises more drama with the evil Volturi and more vampire-on-werewolf tension. Expect Twi-hards to flock to this flick, the last of the series.
The "Twilight" series has enthralled millions while leaving millions more befuddled over the appeal of shirtless werewolves and glittering members of the undead. "Breaking Dawn - Part 1" saw Bella, in very short order, get married to Edward, have a picture-perfect honeymoon at a vampire resort in Brazil, and give birth to a baby with supernatural powers. And that's just part one. Part two promises more drama with the evil Volturi and more vampire-on-werewolf tension. Expect Twi-hards to flock to this flick, the last of the series.
"The Hunger Games" (March 23rd)
With "Twilight" coming to an end and with "Harry Potter" wrapping up in '11, Hollywood is casting about for the next big franchise. There are high hopes that "The Hunger Games," based on the novel by Suzanne Collins, will be just that. Jennifer Lawrence stars as a 16-year-old living in a dystopic future who volunteers to participate in the most messed-up reality TV show around: teens battling to the death before live video cameras. Collins has two followup books, too, so if this flick's a hit, expect sequels.
With "Twilight" coming to an end and with "Harry Potter" wrapping up in '11, Hollywood is casting about for the next big franchise. There are high hopes that "The Hunger Games," based on the novel by Suzanne Collins, will be just that. Jennifer Lawrence stars as a 16-year-old living in a dystopic future who volunteers to participate in the most messed-up reality TV show around: teens battling to the death before live video cameras. Collins has two followup books, too, so if this flick's a hit, expect sequels.
"Snow White and the Huntsman" (June 1st)
Another sign that Hollywood is looking to cash in on the "Twilight"/ "Harry Potter" audience, there are not one but two movies based on Snow White coming out in 2012. "Snow White and the Huntsman," starring Kirsten Stewart, is more Joan d'Arc than Disney; she spends much of the movie in plate mail and, judging from the trailer, looks pretty handy with a sword. Charlize Theron also stars as the evil Queen.
Another sign that Hollywood is looking to cash in on the "Twilight"/ "Harry Potter" audience, there are not one but two movies based on Snow White coming out in 2012. "Snow White and the Huntsman," starring Kirsten Stewart, is more Joan d'Arc than Disney; she spends much of the movie in plate mail and, judging from the trailer, looks pretty handy with a sword. Charlize Theron also stars as the evil Queen.
"Django Unchained" (December 25th)
Quentin Tarantino killed Hitler along with much of the SS in his bizarro WWII thriller "Inglourious Basterds." For his next film, he's taking on an even touchier historical subject: slavery in the antebellum South. Dubbed "a Southern" by the director, the movie is a Spaghetti Western-style tale about an escaped slave and a German bounty hunter looking for vengeance against a Mississippi plantation-owner. The flick stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, and Christoph Waltz. Watch for some serious pundit bloviating about the flick this time next year.
Quentin Tarantino killed Hitler along with much of the SS in his bizarro WWII thriller "Inglourious Basterds." For his next film, he's taking on an even touchier historical subject: slavery in the antebellum South. Dubbed "a Southern" by the director, the movie is a Spaghetti Western-style tale about an escaped slave and a German bounty hunter looking for vengeance against a Mississippi plantation-owner. The flick stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, and Christoph Waltz. Watch for some serious pundit bloviating about the flick this time next year.
"Brave" (June 22nd)
Pixar's last movie, "Cars 2," left a lot of people underwhelmed. Thankfully, Pixar is leaving its mildly creepy world of talking cars behind in favor of the Highlands of Scotland. Merida (Kelly MacDonald), a fierce lass with a luxurious head of red hair, chafes against the obligations of being a princess when she makes an ill-fated wish. "Brave" is the first movie in Pixar's long oeuvre to have a girl as a protagonist. Between this movie, "The Hunger Games," and "Snow White," it looks like we'll be seeing a trend of female action heroes in 2012.
Pixar's last movie, "Cars 2," left a lot of people underwhelmed. Thankfully, Pixar is leaving its mildly creepy world of talking cars behind in favor of the Highlands of Scotland. Merida (Kelly MacDonald), a fierce lass with a luxurious head of red hair, chafes against the obligations of being a princess when she makes an ill-fated wish. "Brave" is the first movie in Pixar's long oeuvre to have a girl as a protagonist. Between this movie, "The Hunger Games," and "Snow White," it looks like we'll be seeing a trend of female action heroes in 2012.
"Skyfall" (November 9th)
It's been three years since James Bond graced the silver screen, due in part to the bankruptcy of MGM. Precious little information has been released about this latest 007 action spectacular except that Daniel Craig is returning as the leaner, meaner Bond and he is facing off against a yet-to-be-named villain played by Anton Chigurh himself: Javier Bardem. There are even rumors that Bond's most famous nemesis, Ernst Blofeld, might make an appearance.
"The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" (December 14th)
Ever since the premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King" back in 2003, fans have been asking when Tolkien's other great Middle Earth tome would get a big-screen, big-budget adaptation. A change of directors, lawsuits, and the aforementioned bankruptcy of MGM delayed things for a while, but the first half of Bilbo's saga will be in theaters next Christmas. The second half will be released the following year.
Ever since the premiere of "The Lord of the Rings: the Return of the King" back in 2003, fans have been asking when Tolkien's other great Middle Earth tome would get a big-screen, big-budget adaptation. A change of directors, lawsuits, and the aforementioned bankruptcy of MGM delayed things for a while, but the first half of Bilbo's saga will be in theaters next Christmas. The second half will be released the following year.
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
10 worst movies of 2011
By Glenn KennySpecial to MSN Movies After a shakier-than-usual out-of-the-gate period, 2011 turned out to be not such a bad year for movies after all, as you'll see from our annual best-of feature. But like they say about film noir anti-heroines, w
The 10 Worst TV Shows of 2011 By Dave Nemetz | Yahoo TV – Mon, Dec 19, 2011
As the holiday season approaches, we naturally want to celebrate all the great TV shows we've enjoyed this year. But we also can't let the year end without calling the networks to task for some truly awful programming. It's a dirty job, but we're rolling up our sleeves and digging up the ten very worst shows to trudge their way across our flat-screens this year.
First, some dishonorable mentions: "Man Up!" (beware of any show that tries to distract you with unnecessary punctuation); "Famous Food" (we don't want Heidi Montag touching our food, thank you very much); "Last Man Standing" (if they just re-ran old "Home Improvement" episodes instead, do you think anyone would notice?); "The World According to Paris" (we want to thank the American public for rejecting this show and hopefully making Paris Hilton go away forever).
(10) "The Office"
This one hurts: NBC's workplace sitcom used to be one of the best and brightest comedies on TV. But it was already on a steady decline before Steve Carell left, and now it's completely fallen off a cliff. The once-cute Jim and Pam are now the most annoying couple on TV, James Spader is an awkward fit as the oddball CEO who inexplicably spends all his time at the Scranton branch, and making Andy the boss was a spineless excuse to recycle all the Michael Scott plots they didn't get around to using. We can't believe we're saying this, but it's time for a little downsizing at Dunder Mifflin.
This one hurts: NBC's workplace sitcom used to be one of the best and brightest comedies on TV. But it was already on a steady decline before Steve Carell left, and now it's completely fallen off a cliff. The once-cute Jim and Pam are now the most annoying couple on TV, James Spader is an awkward fit as the oddball CEO who inexplicably spends all his time at the Scranton branch, and making Andy the boss was a spineless excuse to recycle all the Michael Scott plots they didn't get around to using. We can't believe we're saying this, but it's time for a little downsizing at Dunder Mifflin.
(9) "Pregnant in Heels"
This Bravo reality series stars Rosie Pope, a "maternity concierge" with a weird British lisp who helps richy-rich New Yorkers prepare to have a baby. (Yes, that's apparently a job now.) Her upper-crust clientele brings new meaning to the word "insufferable"; we'll never forget the time Rosie gathered a bunch of branding experts (including a poet!) to help name a client's baby. If these people represent the 1%, count us in with Occupy Wall Street.
This Bravo reality series stars Rosie Pope, a "maternity concierge" with a weird British lisp who helps richy-rich New Yorkers prepare to have a baby. (Yes, that's apparently a job now.) Her upper-crust clientele brings new meaning to the word "insufferable"; we'll never forget the time Rosie gathered a bunch of branding experts (including a poet!) to help name a client's baby. If these people represent the 1%, count us in with Occupy Wall Street.
(8) "How to Be a Gentleman"
More like "How Did This Show Get on the Air?" Pairing a stale premise (stuffy etiquette expert gets masculinity lessons from his old high-school bully) with a limp leading man ("It's Always Sunny" supporting weirdo David Hornsby) led to one of the fall's most forgettable new shows. Wasting a talented supporting cast (Dave Foley, you deserve better) and a cushy post-"Big Bang Theory" timeslot, "Gentleman" fully earned the rather rude reception it received from viewers.
More like "How Did This Show Get on the Air?" Pairing a stale premise (stuffy etiquette expert gets masculinity lessons from his old high-school bully) with a limp leading man ("It's Always Sunny" supporting weirdo David Hornsby) led to one of the fall's most forgettable new shows. Wasting a talented supporting cast (Dave Foley, you deserve better) and a cushy post-"Big Bang Theory" timeslot, "Gentleman" fully earned the rather rude reception it received from viewers.
(7) "The Bachelorette"
No, we're not naïve enough to expect that all "Bachelor" relationships will continue happily ever after… but we do expect to at least be entertained while we're watching. Becoming more and more contrived each season, ABC's reality franchise hit a low point with the most recent "Bachelorette," starring Ashley Hebert, a woman so irritating that several of her suitors bailed on the show rather than risk getting stuck with her. The show tried to keep our interest by manufacturing phony contestants like masked man Jeff and the cartoonishly cruel Bentley, but we still tuned out long before the final rose.
No, we're not naïve enough to expect that all "Bachelor" relationships will continue happily ever after… but we do expect to at least be entertained while we're watching. Becoming more and more contrived each season, ABC's reality franchise hit a low point with the most recent "Bachelorette," starring Ashley Hebert, a woman so irritating that several of her suitors bailed on the show rather than risk getting stuck with her. The show tried to keep our interest by manufacturing phony contestants like masked man Jeff and the cartoonishly cruel Bentley, but we still tuned out long before the final rose.
(6) "Whitney"
Once upon a time, Whitney Cummings was a promising comedienne with an appealingly bawdy persona. Then that persona got smoothed out and glammed up to fit this utterly generic NBC sitcom, which stars her and Chris D'Elia as lovers who (wait for it…) aren't ready to get married! (Oooh, subversive!) Now Whitney delivers weak one-liners, parades around in embarrassingly skimpy costumes, and drags down an otherwise promising Thursday night comedy block. And God, that laugh track: We'll be hearing it in our nightmares for years to come.
Once upon a time, Whitney Cummings was a promising comedienne with an appealingly bawdy persona. Then that persona got smoothed out and glammed up to fit this utterly generic NBC sitcom, which stars her and Chris D'Elia as lovers who (wait for it…) aren't ready to get married! (Oooh, subversive!) Now Whitney delivers weak one-liners, parades around in embarrassingly skimpy costumes, and drags down an otherwise promising Thursday night comedy block. And God, that laugh track: We'll be hearing it in our nightmares for years to come.
(5) "Terra Nova"
We're convinced that the producers of this show just had to say "Steven Spielberg" and "dinosaurs," and Fox immediately said, "Sold! We'll figure out the rest later!" (Hey, we got fooled, too; we actually included the show in our Fall TV Editors' Picks.) Well, they never did figure out the rest: "Nova" is a joyless combination of lazy sci-fi plotting ("Oh, this timeline doesn't affect any other timelines… because we said so!"), laughable casting (does anyone seriously buy that the Zac Efron lookalike came out of his TV mom's womb?), and straight-to-DVD-quality special effects. We'd compare it to a Syfy original movie, but at least those are so bad they're good. This is just plain bad.
We're convinced that the producers of this show just had to say "Steven Spielberg" and "dinosaurs," and Fox immediately said, "Sold! We'll figure out the rest later!" (Hey, we got fooled, too; we actually included the show in our Fall TV Editors' Picks.) Well, they never did figure out the rest: "Nova" is a joyless combination of lazy sci-fi plotting ("Oh, this timeline doesn't affect any other timelines… because we said so!"), laughable casting (does anyone seriously buy that the Zac Efron lookalike came out of his TV mom's womb?), and straight-to-DVD-quality special effects. We'd compare it to a Syfy original movie, but at least those are so bad they're good. This is just plain bad.
(4) "Charlie's Angels"
A glossy name-brand action series with beautiful women kicking butt in exotic locales: When a show like this can't find an audience, you know it must be pretty awful. Instead of embracing the cheesy camp that made the '70s original so beloved, this version of "Angels" made the mistake of going the dead-serious route, asking us to take Minka Kelly playing a bad-ass street racer (!) at face value. Needless to say, we couldn't, and these "Angels" thankfully went to TV heaven in a hurry.
A glossy name-brand action series with beautiful women kicking butt in exotic locales: When a show like this can't find an audience, you know it must be pretty awful. Instead of embracing the cheesy camp that made the '70s original so beloved, this version of "Angels" made the mistake of going the dead-serious route, asking us to take Minka Kelly playing a bad-ass street racer (!) at face value. Needless to say, we couldn't, and these "Angels" thankfully went to TV heaven in a hurry.
(3) "The X Factor"
Congratulations, Simon: Your new show makes "American Idol" look like a humble small-town talent show. From its magical-X-hurtling-through-outer-space opening to the bombastic opera music that introduces the contestants, "Factor" is ridiculously overblown to the power of ten. Unfortunately for you, Simon, all that grandiosity is masking the fact that you haven't found a single compelling talent this season that even comes close to meriting a $5 million recording contract. "Factor" is all sizzle, no steak. Oh, and you made a 13-year-old girl collapse in tears on national TV. Bravo!
Congratulations, Simon: Your new show makes "American Idol" look like a humble small-town talent show. From its magical-X-hurtling-through-outer-space opening to the bombastic opera music that introduces the contestants, "Factor" is ridiculously overblown to the power of ten. Unfortunately for you, Simon, all that grandiosity is masking the fact that you haven't found a single compelling talent this season that even comes close to meriting a $5 million recording contract. "Factor" is all sizzle, no steak. Oh, and you made a 13-year-old girl collapse in tears on national TV. Bravo!
(2) "Kim's Fairytale Wedding: A Kardashian Event"
It's time to collect some payback for the four hours of our lives we'll never get back. Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries' marriage famously lasted a mere 72 days, but E!'s painfully indulgent wedding special seemed to last at least twice that long. Puffed up with overwrought drama (Kim doesn't want to change her last name! Kim disinvites Khloe!) and egregious product placement, "Fairytale Wedding" was reality TV at its absolute worst. The Brits got the royal wedding of William and Kate; what did we do to deserve this?
It's time to collect some payback for the four hours of our lives we'll never get back. Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries' marriage famously lasted a mere 72 days, but E!'s painfully indulgent wedding special seemed to last at least twice that long. Puffed up with overwrought drama (Kim doesn't want to change her last name! Kim disinvites Khloe!) and egregious product placement, "Fairytale Wedding" was reality TV at its absolute worst. The Brits got the royal wedding of William and Kate; what did we do to deserve this?
(1) "Entourage"
HBO's bro-tastic Hollywood comedy ran out of creative gas years ago, but it hung on just long enough to give us the gift of a truly terrible series finale. All the clichés came out in full force: Vince got married to a girl he just met (who couldn't stand him an episode earlier), E found out Sloan was pregnant with his baby, and Ari gave up the career he ruthlessly built up brick by brick over the entire series to (gag) spend time with his wife and kids. We'd like to think the finale was actually an elaborate satire of TV series finales, but that'd be giving the writers too much credit. Please, no "Entourage" movie; we've all suffered enough.
HBO's bro-tastic Hollywood comedy ran out of creative gas years ago, but it hung on just long enough to give us the gift of a truly terrible series finale. All the clichés came out in full force: Vince got married to a girl he just met (who couldn't stand him an episode earlier), E found out Sloan was pregnant with his baby, and Ari gave up the career he ruthlessly built up brick by brick over the entire series to (gag) spend time with his wife and kids. We'd like to think the finale was actually an elaborate satire of TV series finales, but that'd be giving the writers too much credit. Please, no "Entourage" movie; we've all suffered enough.
HBO Renews ‘Enlightened’ but Cancels Three Other Shows By DAVE ITZKOFF
A pair of Golden Globe nominations for the HBO comedy “Enlightened” may have helped it earn a second season, but three other shows on that channel – “Hung,” “Bored to Death” and “How to Make It in America” – will not be ascending to another plane and have been canceled.
On Tuesday, HBO said it had picked up a new season of “Enlightened,” a series created by Laura Dern and Mike White and starring Ms. Dern as a woman who returns to her job after a breakdown and a personal reawakening. The series has struggled in building an audience, drawing 200,000 viewers or fewer for new episodes, but has earned critical acclaim and last week received Golden Globe nominations for a comedy or musical series and for actress in a comedy or musical (Ms. Dern).
Meanwhile, the network said it was not ordering new seasons of “Hung,” its comedy about a well-endowed male prostitute (played by Thomas Jane); “Bored to Death,” which starred Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis and Ted Danson as friends who solve crimes and have wild adventures in Brooklyn; and “How to Make It in America,” another New York-centric comedy about a group of striving twentysomethings.
HBO said it planned to introduce six new series in 2012, including “Luck,” “Veep,” “Girls,” “Life’s Too Short,” “Angry Boys” and an untitled Aaron Sorkin project, to complement returning shows like “Game of Thrones” and “Boardwalk Empire.”
On Tuesday, HBO said it had picked up a new season of “Enlightened,” a series created by Laura Dern and Mike White and starring Ms. Dern as a woman who returns to her job after a breakdown and a personal reawakening. The series has struggled in building an audience, drawing 200,000 viewers or fewer for new episodes, but has earned critical acclaim and last week received Golden Globe nominations for a comedy or musical series and for actress in a comedy or musical (Ms. Dern).
Meanwhile, the network said it was not ordering new seasons of “Hung,” its comedy about a well-endowed male prostitute (played by Thomas Jane); “Bored to Death,” which starred Jason Schwartzman, Zach Galifianakis and Ted Danson as friends who solve crimes and have wild adventures in Brooklyn; and “How to Make It in America,” another New York-centric comedy about a group of striving twentysomethings.
HBO said it planned to introduce six new series in 2012, including “Luck,” “Veep,” “Girls,” “Life’s Too Short,” “Angry Boys” and an untitled Aaron Sorkin project, to complement returning shows like “Game of Thrones” and “Boardwalk Empire.”
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
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