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Friday Box Office: Holmes For Christmas
26 December 2009 11:30 AM, PST
There really was something elementary about uncoiling Robert Downey Jr.'s sly, sinewy Sherlock Holmes on Christmas Day, when nearly $25 million worth of holiday moviegoers flocked to the star's action-comedy riff on the famous sleuth. Avatar was not far behind, continuing its own robust run with an estimated $23.5 million. Off in fourth place behind Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel was Nancy Meyers's It's Complicated, ably overriding its R-rating with a solid $7.1 million. Let it suffice to say these gifts fit Hollywood fine, and no returns will be necessary. Read on for the full top 10. »
And Finally, a Touching Christmas Memory from Phoebe Cates
23 December 2009 5:00 PM, PST
· While the staff of Movieline takes the next two days off (either to celebrate Christmas or to book an easy reservation at the local tortilla place), what better moment to leave you with than the infamous Christmas monologue from Gremlins? Sure, Phoebe Cates may be the ultimate buzzkill, but your Christmas plans are bound to seem better in comparison. Happy holidays, and enjoy: »
In Theaters: Sherlock Holmes
23 December 2009 4:30 PM, PST
As the new and implausible Sherlock Holmes, Robert Downey Jr. again lends his eccentric charms and complexly freighted persona -- post-meltdown, he has cultivated and strategically deployed a hair-trigger vulnerability, as though complete dissolution is always one of twelve steps away -- to a role that doesn't deserve them. Guy Ritchie and a posse of screenwriters (including Anthony Peckham, who wrote Invictus) seem to have reconceived Arthur Conan Doyle's methodical, champion sleuther with Downey in mind; now he's more of a self-destructive wag with a sociopathic commitment to sussing out everything from advanced chemical reactions to your fiancée's psychological profile. As the central bad boy in Ritchie's painfully macho, laboriously kinetic conception of a spooky, nineteenth century murder mystery, Downey pushes his own schtick to its logical end -- tedium -- and then somehow lugs it right on through to the other side, arriving at something like grudging admiration. »
The 8 Most Oversexed TV Characters of the Last Decade
23 December 2009 3:00 PM, PST
Call them sluts, tramps, sexually empowered, "in touch with themselves," or whatever your bedroom religion permits. Still, it can't be denied that the past decade has bred a new kind of television floozy, thanks in part to Sex and the City gently escorting us into the 2000's with its bold bedroom dialogue. After the jump, Movieline recalls the 8 best characters who overindulged in the boudoir. »
James Cameron Advances Stealth Avatar Oscar Campaign For Zoe Saldana
23 December 2009 2:30 PM, PST
It seemed reasonable enough last week to deduce Jim Cameron's motivations behind issuing a new Avatar set photo of Zoe Saldana -- head-rigged, mo-capped and mewling in character as Na'vi princess Neytiri. Beyond its basic, "here's how we did it" purpose, the photo seemed also to suggest that CGI is only as effective as the flesh-and-blood performance underneath it. Saldana's own performance is pretty strong, and in a new conversation with his fellow Oscar-winning visionary Peter Jackson, Cameron won't let you -- or the Academy, if its members are listening -- forget it. »
Which Real Housewives Star Has the Most Charming Rap Sheet?
23 December 2009 2:00 PM, PST
Real Housewives of Orange County star Lynne Curtin is having a hell of a year. The domestic matriarch was evicted from her home in August, and now she's skipping court appearances with her husband and earning herself an arrest warrant. Does something about "Real Housewives Star Arrested" sound familiar to you? That's because this happens all the time. After the jump, we investigate five different manacled stars of the Bravo franchise and decide whose crimes most endear them to us on a 1-10 scale. The competition is stiff. »
In Theaters: It's Complicated
23 December 2009 1:30 PM, PST
I think a lot of people -- particularly the older women it was designed for -- would be insulted by It's Complicated, the latest cashmere and calla lily-scented effusion to waft from the mind of Nancy Meyers, if the director took her Dkny boot off their jugulars long enough for it to occur to them. A big part of Meyers's appeal is her obsessively upscale aesthetic, and the pull she creates toward a cozy, kooky, family-based world of privileged comfort, beauty and affluence is formidable: she wants you to give in, you want to give in -- where's the harm? Well, it's in her blithely loathsome characters, to begin with, but also in her blinkered notion of escapist cinema: not everyone is willing to relax into Meyers's Sonoma-scapes of domestic abundance the way, say, Depression-era moviegoers flocked to see Carole Lombard cracking wise in feathers and furs; the element of »
Buzz Break: It Could Use Some Bryan Adams
23 December 2009 11:20 AM, PST
· Slashfilm's got the poster for Ridley Scott's upcoming, unofficial Gladiator sequel Robin Hood. Click for bigger.
· Guy Ritchie may be blue about directing Lobo. "Is it a matter of fact that I'm doing it?" he said to MTV. "I don't think it's a matter of fact. In fact, I can tell you it's not a matter of fact."
· How much do you want to see Neil Patrick Harris's Christmas balls?
· Balloon Boy's parents have been sentenced to jail.
· Michael Fassbender, Christoph Waltz, and Keira Knightley in a film by David Cronenberg? The title (The Talking Cure) and plot are almost superfluous. My ticket has already been bought. »
Rage Against The Machine: Your X-Factor Tirade is the Worst Machine of All
23 December 2009 11:00 AM, PST
Across the Atlantic, a grassroots campaign designed to put Rage Against the Machine's 1992 single "Killing in the Name" on the top of the holiday charts ahead of recent X Factor champion Joe McElderry has proven successful: "Killing in the Name" sold 500,000 copies last week, beating the 450,000 units of McElderry's "The Climb." The campaign was created to unseat producer and X Factor judge Simon Cowell as a chart-mongering alchemist. Organizers Jon and Tracy Morter wrote on the wall of one of their Facebook groups: "All We Want Is A Non-x Factor No.1." Christmas chart-topping is a bragging right in the UK, and Rage Against the Machine's victory is a feat, particularly since the single doesn't recall the likes of the Spice Girls, Cliff Richard, or Michael Jackson -- three of the artists who have earned the #1 in past Decembers. But the strength of the accomplishment sours thanks to Rage Against the Machine »
What's On: Dreck the Halls
23 December 2009 10:30 AM, PST
We're headlong into Rerun Week (which does not refer to the younger brother of Linus and Lucy Van Pelt, regrettably), but today's "What's On" will focus on the important stuff -- classy holiday programming. Oh, and the Faith Hill holiday concert with special guests. For you and yours. Maybe Mary J. Blige will burst into tears and thank herself for how well she understands everyone's feelings. (That actually happened; 2002 VMAs, Best R&B Video acceptance speech.) Anyway: Look, it's Christmas! »
Terry Gilliam: The Movieline Interview
23 December 2009 10:00 AM, PST
Having a conversation with Terry Gilliam is not unlike watching one of his films: In either medium, he likes to throw a lot of ideas out there, and he'll even recreate his trademark fisheye lensing for you by leaning forward to whisper something he knows he shouldn't. In short, it's an experience, as is Gilliam's latest effort, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. The onscreen story involves a mad doctor (Christopher Plummer), a devilish antagonist (Tom Waits), and a mysterious amnesiac (Heath Ledger); the offscreen story was dominated by Ledger's death midway into production, which resulted in a rewrite that finds Johnny Depp, Jude Law, and Colin Farrell subbing in for the character in scenes Ledger had yet to shoot.
In a wide-ranging, cuss-heavy, finger-pointing discussion with Movieline, Gilliam opened up about Ledger, his problems with Hollywood, the Oscars, Fox Searchlight, The Departed...well, let's just say that there were few topics that went untouched. »
TV Bites: Dr. Conrad Murray, Manslaughter Suspect and Your Next Reality Star
23 December 2009 10:00 AM, PST
· Reality television does not discriminate. Case in point, Dr. Conrad Murray, Michael Jackson's doctor who could be convicted of involuntary manslaughter, has struck a deal with a British documentary crew to film his "first day back on the job in Houston." You're probably thinking the same thing we are: "How could the man who illegally supplied the King of Pop with a fatal dose of Propofol continue to practice medicine?" We're not sure, but Murray's spokesman released a statement saying that Murray is already "working 12 hour days ... to pay off his [child support] debt." The footage was taped on November 23 and Murray refuses to let the company air anything until the Michael Jackson investigation is finished. [TMZ]
ABC releases a "new" Lost trailer, Jane Lynch warms up her pipes, and more TV Bites after the jump. »
Hollywood Ink: Industry Has its First $10 Billion Year
23 December 2009 9:30 AM, PST
· Amid anguished cries of poverty from studios, distributors and production companies around Hollywood, the film industry yesterday broke the $10 billion-annual-gross barrier for the first time ever. But $10,008,000,000 with 11 days to go, a few questions remain, like: How much of that is inflated by 3-D and IMAX surcharge boosts? (Answer: Probably between 3 and 4 percent.) And how much of that will your miserly boss float you for a belated holiday bonus? (Answer: You're kidding, right?) Expect above-the-line salary warfare to ensue in 2010. Should be fun! [The Wrap]
James Cameron wins the only award that really matters, 2010's best film title is officially taken, and more Hollywood Ink after the jump. »
An Education, A Prophet the Toast of the London Critics Circle
23 December 2009 9:00 AM, PST
The London Critics' Circle has released its nominees for their U.K.-centric awards, and An Education led the pack with seven -- including British Film of the Year, and nods for Carey Mulligan in both the actress and British actress categories. A Prophet took five, including actor, screenwriter, foreign language film and directing honors. Its director Jacques Audiard will face down Kathryn Bigelow, James Cameron, Michael Haneke and Jason Reitman in that category. Quentin Tarantino will be awarded the Dilys Powell award for excellence in cinema.
The full list of nominees is after the jump. »
Sex and the City 2 Trailer: Does Lanvin Make Burqas?
23 December 2009 8:30 AM, PST
The first Sex and the City movie helped usher in a wave of female film phenomenons, and now Sex and the City 2 is coming along to give that Twilight-gorged audience segment some questionable fashion and nice, soft lighting. SATC2's trailer boasts a road trip segment and hey, fun fact: The original movie was supposed to be a road trip until Kim Cattrall pulled out (by the time she agreed to participate years later, writer/director Michael Patrick King had reconceived the project). However...Morocco? Really, girls? »
Vive La Inception: A French Trailer Surfaces
23 December 2009 8:00 AM, PST
Some observations of Christopher Nolan's Inception, based on this French-dubbed trailer:
1. Dreidel!
2. Life is actually a series of maps. When God is done playing with one city for the day, he rolls it up and puts it in a drawer.
3. A glass of water!
4. Trafficjambreaker!
5. More water! (Way more.)
6. Le Chevalier Noir is how I'd like to be addressed at all times.
Verdict: How do you say "confused" in French? »
Motion Sickness 911
22 December 2009 4:30 PM, PST
If you've spent your entire life aspiring to become a police officer only to repeatedly fail the psychological exam, Base Prods. has the answer for you. The company's reality series Pov-pd, which is close to being signed with a major cable network, will allow you to live vicariously through a cop thanks to its policemen wearing head-mounted cameras. While it might almost feel like you're running after a drug dealer, burning yourself on scalding coffee or smashing someone into the hood of your squad car, there's one thing you will definitely feel one thing: nausea. [THR] »
Bryan Singer Casually Hints How You Can Ruin His Hawaiian Holiday
22 December 2009 4:10 PM, PST
Bryan Singer on Monday gave a lengthy, revealing interview about his upcoming projects, including his recently disclosed bombshell X-Men: First Class, his likely Valkyrie follow-up Jack the Giant Killer, and the more slowly developing Battlestar Galactica and Excalibur. If it's a lot for a fan to contemplate, just imagine how overwhelming it must be for Singer himself to even begin attacking the material. Thankfully, he said, he expects to get plenty of quiet, undisturbed work done this week at his regular Hawaiian haunt. He'll even tell you where -- sort of -- in case you want to check it out yourself. »
Can Starz Give Showtime and HBO A Run For Their Money?
22 December 2009 3:30 PM, PST
Last night, Nikki Finke reported that cable channel Starz will appoint Chris Albrecht, HBO's disgraced former chairman, as the network's new CEO starting in January. You may recall Albrecht's impressive reign at Home Box Office, where he nurtured a surge in original programming (The Sopranos, Sex and the City, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Entourage, The Wire and more), but you may also remember that he unceremoniously departed HBO after he was arrested for assaulting a woman in Las Vegas. Either way, Starz is ignoring Albrecht's rap sheet and hoping that the creative genius can beef up its meager (but ambitious) original programming lineup. Will it work? »
Make Your Own 2010 Robert Pattinson Flipbook!
22 December 2009 3:00 PM, PST
Summit just released a clutch of new photos to promote its 2010 film slate, and of paramount importance are the ones promoting its twin Robert Pattinson projects, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and Remember Me. Above, in a brand-new still from Eclipse, you can see Pattinson and Kristen Stewart reenacting Tom Cruise's famous romp through a freshly Sea Org-planted meadow with Nicole Kidman. However, if you need more, perhaps some additional Pattinson pictures will do? (Warning: No abs.) »
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