Category Archives: Entertainment

Drake drops surprise mixtape ‘If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late’

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In total Queen Bey fashion, rapper Drake dropped a collection of new music last Friday pretty much out of nowhere. Fans and the industry alike had little to no knowledge about Drake’s surprise release, If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late. Drake has clearly labeled the 17-track banger a mixtape; in other words, it is not his fourth studio album following 2013’s Nothing Was the Same but instead a pit stop on the way to it. He refers to it as a “tape” in his thank you notes on his blog. There you’ll also eye the massive tracklist and the tape’s producers who include PartyNextDoor, Boi-1da, and Noah “40” Shebib. …It’s Too Late releases days after Drake outed a nearly 15-minute short film titled Jungle; it includes snippets of a couple songs from the mixtape.

Download If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late at iTunes today. Though Drake technically regards it as a mixtape, he’s selling it for $12.99. How come, you ask? In a nutshell, Lil Wayne is clashing with his label Cash Money. He’s suing them to get out of his contract, and some speculate that Drake is taking calmer route to remove himself from the equation by releasing a “commercial mixtape” to serve as his fourth “studio album” which may release him from his 4-album contract with the label. For more on the internal drama about the Cash Money artists, head to Vulture. In the meantime, snag a copy of Drake’s latest now–he goes hard and it’s damn good. The surprise tape should hold you over until his next major studio release, supposedly titled Views from the 6, drops in the future.

First look at next Bond film ‘SPECTRE’ (video inside)

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That’s Daniel Craig back in his spy gear for the next film in the 007 franchise. That snowy mountaintop is the Austrian Alps, one of many locations the film will travel to this time around. In addition to shooting here and at Pinewood Studios in London, Bond 24 aka SPECTRE will visit Rome, Mexico City, Tangier, and Erfoud.

Want to see more? Jump after the break to watch a behind-the-scenes clip featuring Craig, co-stars Léa Seydoux and Dave Bautista, and returning director Sam Mendes as well as other members of the production. The video teases “one of the major action sequences of the movie, a jewel in the crown so to speak.”

“The thing Sam and I talked about was how we are going to top Skyfall”, says production designer Dennis Gassner. “We are going to continue the history of the Bond films, making things that are exciting for the audience to look at and what could be more exciting than to be on top of the world.”

SPECTRE releases November 6. Click here to learn more about the movie. Continue reading First look at next Bond film ‘SPECTRE’ (video inside) →

Guillermo del Toro’s latest ‘Crimson Peak’ will haunt you

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Gothic horror pic Crimson Peak hails from Guillermo del Toro whose previous works include Hell Boy, Pan’s Labyrinth, and Pacific Rim. It’s an R-rated haunted house film that’s been a passion project for del Toro for years now. At last, it has an appropriate Halloween release date thanks to Legendary Pictures and Universal Pictures. A brief synopsis follows:

In the aftermath of a family tragedy, an aspiring author is torn between love for her childhood friend and the temptation of a mysterious outsider. Trying to escape the ghosts of her past, she is swept away to a house that breathes, bleeds… and remembers.

GDT co-wrote the script with Matthew Robbins. The haunting film stars Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland), Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Tom Hiddleston (Thor), and Charlie Hunnam (Pacific Rim).

Crimson Peak hits theatres October 16. Dig the debut trailer above; a great cast is dropped inside an eerie, captivating dreamscape you won’t be able to resist.

Spider-Man, welcome to the Marvel Cinematic Universe

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Fanboys and fangirls, it’s happening: Sony Pictures Entertainment and Marvel Studios are making nice and, at long last, Spider-Man is entering the Marvel Cinematic Universe fray. Sony scooped up the rights to the web slinger years before Marvel got into the movie-making business, and ever since then Spidey was forced to play in his own sandbox separate from Iron Man, Thor, and the rest of The Avengers. Going forward, all that changes.

Late Monday, Marvel pushed out a press release announcing its new partnership. The Spidey rights still belong to Sony; that studio “will continue to finance, distribute, own and have final creative control of the Spider-Man films,” reads the release. But under this new deal, Peter Parker and his superhero alter ego “[takes] his rightful place among other Super Heroes in the MCU.” According to the release, Spider-Man has total freedom in terms of where he can appear; you will see him pop up in future Marvel movies and it works the other way around, too. Marvel and Sony are “exploring opportunities to integrate characters from the MCU into future Spider-Man films.”

Now here’s what the release shares in terms of specifics. “The new Spider-Man” will make his debut in a Marvel-produced film. Many are already speculating that he’ll officially enter the MCU in the upcoming Captain America: Civil War movie which opens May 6, 2016. Cap and Iron Man go head-to-head, and in the comics Spider-Man plays a crucial role in this popular storyline, so this particular rumor makes sense. And then, on July 28, 2017, Spidey in star in a Sony-produced solo film in the already rebooted twice franchise. Marvel head Kevin Feige will co-produce with Sony’s Amy Pascal; the latter recently stepped down from her post as head of the studio following the hack attacks. This is her first power move after becoming a producer under Sony and man is it a big one.

We don’t know yet if current Peter Parker portrayer Andrew Garfield will suit up as the “new” Spider-Man. All we know is that the studios “will collaborate on a new creative direction for the web slinger.” Does a fresh creative slate equal a new actor to fill the spandex suit? Perhaps. This quote from Sony exec Doug Belgrad at least hints that we’re finally through with Spidey origin stories. “This new level of collaboration is the perfect way to take Peter Parker’s story into the future.”

This is a long time coming for Marvel fans around the world. Spider-Man has always been an integral member of The Avengers, and now that Marvel and Sony are holding hands in harmony, moving forward moviegoers can experience the comic books truly come to life. Now all we need is 20th Century Fox to make a deal like this to bring X-Men and the Fantastic Four into the fold and we’re golden! But I’ll take what I can get.

Click here to view the full press release from Marvel, including reactions from Feige, Pascal, Belgrad, and Disney’s Bob Iger.

Update: In order to make room for Spider-Man, Marvel is pushing the release dates of four upcoming superhero flicks. As mentioned above, July 28, 2017 is the day Spidey’s new solo mission hits theatres. Previously, Marvel had carved out that date for the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok. Now, the third Thor movie will drop November 3, 2017. Moving out of that space is Black Panther, and its new release date is July 6, 2018. That pushes Captain Marvel to November 2, 2018 and Inhumans to July 12, 2019. Release dates for Captain America: Civil War, Doctor Strange, Guardians of the Galaxy 2, and Avengers: Infinity War parts 1 & 2 remain unchanged. I’ll just say what you’re thinking: MCU Phase 3 is gonna rock.

‘Nashville’s Lennon & Maisy Stella perform angelic “Boom Clap” cover

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Before they were Maddie and Daphne Conrad in ABC’s country music drama Nashville, real-life sisters Lennon and Maisy Stella dominated YouTube with their massive collective talent by way of unique covers of popular songs. Their cover of Robyn’s “Call Your Girlfriend,” which has gained over 25 million views, is a personal favorite of mine. Though their musical uploads have slowed due to Nashville‘s popularity (the show is currently in its third season), by no means has their collaborative efforts ceased. Need proof? The girls, now aged 15 and 11, perform a stripped down version of Charlie XCX’s “Boom Clap” in the clip above which has already gone viral amassing over 3 million views in under a week. Lennon, the elder Stella, strums an electric sky blue guitar and beautifully harmonizes with her little sister. Together they magically transform a bass-heavy track into a sweet, angelic symphony. Enjoy.

Sam Smith rules the Grammys

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Sam Smith, the new crooner on the street, expectedly dominated this year’s Grammys with multiple wins and a memorable performance of “Stay with Me” featuring Mary J. Blige. Smith took home four shiny gramophones. He was crowned Best New Artist, the aforementioned soulful, catchy track was named Record of the Year and Song of the Year, and his debut album In The Lonely Hour scored Best Pop Vocal Album. Elsewhere, Beck somehow managed to beat out Smith, Beyonce, Ed Sheeran, and Pharrell Williams and win Album of the Year for his twelfth studio album Morning Phase.

Click here to access the full list of winners.

TV trailers: HBO’s ‘Silicon Valley’ and Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ & ‘Bloodline’

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Mike Judge’s hysterical tech-infused comedy Silicon Valley returns for a second season April 12 on HBO. If you’ve gotten through the first batch of episodes, this minute-long teaser will have you in stitches because it quickly reminds you all about how absurdly funny and crude the show can be.

Jump after the break for trailers from Netflix. Continue reading TV trailers: HBO’s ‘Silicon Valley’ and Netflix’s ‘Daredevil’ & ‘Bloodline’ →

‘Happy Endings’ revival can happen, but will it?

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Adam Pally departed The Mindy Project last week. Damon Wayans, Jr. announced he’ll be exiting New Girl (again) after the sitcom’s fourth season wraps this May. Eliza Coupe‘s USA comedy Benched got the axe after one season. Are you starting to recognize the pattern here?

Half of the main cast from the criminally underrated but highly lauded cancelled NBC sitcom Happy Endings is about to be available for a triumphant reprise. At least, that’s the idea that popped in my head when all this news made itself public in the eerily same window of time.

Now, Max, Brad, and Jane are crucial to a Happy Endings comeback, but there cannot be such a thing without the other half: I’m talking about Penny, Dave, and Alex, of course. So what are their portrayers up to? Casey Wilson currently stars in NBC’s Marry Me, a funny show you should be watching from Happy Endings creator (and Wilson’s husband) David Caspe. Zachary Knighton and Elisha Cuthbert are primed to star in Fox’s Weird Loners and NBC’s One Big Happy, respectively. (Fun fact, because why not: Cuthbert stars alongside Endings‘ alum Nick Zano in her new series.)

Where does this leave us? Well, if Marry Me continues to perform well creatively with the occasional uptick in the ratings department, it very may well be renewed for a second season; star Wilson and creator Caspe would then be attached to that. As for Knighton and Cuthbert, it’s too early to tell their availability status since their new series have yet to premiere (both are set to launch next month).

Enter the curveball the length of my wide-eyed smile. On Feb. 6, the Happy Endings writer’s Twitter account blasted out a cryptic tweet that takes you to a countdown portal with the words “It’s almost a new day” sprawled across the page. The timer will reach zero in 50 days from now. I’ll do the math for you: that’s April 1, aka April Fools Day. Are the writers hinting at series comeback? Their Twitter account currently follows Netflix, Amazon, and Yahoo! Screen–Internet streaming services known for resurrecting dead shows (see: Arrested Development, Community). Or, more likely, are they teasing a one-off reunion of sorts that will bring back the cast for one final hurrah? OR, is this a heinous mind trick set to explode in tears of disappointment come April 1? I doubt that; the worst news, I suppose, is that the team is teasing a brand new series. And even that’s not bad news, per se, but it’s not a Happy Endings revival. The thing we are all now anticipating.

With that, let the wild speculation begin.

Update: Hope you’re keeping tabs on @HappyWrites. The Happy Endings writers are barraging followers with all kinds of tantalizing tweets involving hashtags like #ketchup and #wintercomestwice. Most exciting, though, is this video they shared; it’s Vivaldi’s “Four Seasons” and the video starts playing at the “Winter” section of the song. Not sure what the winter hooplah is all about but “Four Seasons”–get it?! If Endings were to make a comeback, a new season would be the series’ fourth! This is getting real, people. Or is it a hoax? The anticipation is killing me slowly.

NBC renews five dramas for next season

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You can file this under no surprises here: the Peacock network has gifted five of its well-performing dramas another season each. James Spader vehicle The Blacklist, Dick Wolf’s Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, Chicago Fire, and Chicago P.D., and Friday night genre staple Grimm will all be back next TV season. Other NBC dramas such as State of Affairs with Katherine Heigl, The Mysteries of Laura with Debra Messing, and other Friday genre fare Constantine remain in contention for next season.

“The creative vision of the executive producers who’ve guided these outstanding dramas has been nothing short of incredible,” said NBC Entertainment President Jennifer Salke in a statement. “We’re highly appreciative of the passion they bring to their shows at every step of the creative process and we’re thrilled to reward that dedication with these renewals.”

‘Poltergeist’ remake appears to be a scary-good time

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The classic 1982 supernatural spooker Poltergeist, directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg, is receiving a modern franchise reboot. The new Poltergeist, though it cleverly follows the original film’s plot and borrows many of the tropes, is not connected canonically to the ’82 flick or its two sequels. Gil Kenan (Monster House) takes the reigns this time, with Sam Raimi (Evil Dead, The Grudge) producing.

[Kenan and Raimi] contemporize the classic tale about a family whose suburban home is haunted by evil forces. When the terrifying apparitions escalate their attacks and hold the youngest daughter captive, the family must come together to rescue her before she disappears forever.

The dimensional closet? Check. The static TV screen? Check. A nightmare-inducing clown? Oh, you betcha. And with the advent of so many new technologies like cell phones and tablets, I can’t wait to see how the evil spirits take advantage of our myriad “black mirrors.” The trailer is a scary-good time so sit back, relax, and say it with me: They’re here.

Poltergeist, starring Sam Rockwell and Rosemarie DeWitt, opens in 3D on July 24.

Sneak a peek at the new Disney short ‘Frozen Fever’ [Update: trailer inside!]

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Frozen directors Christopher Buck and Jennifer Lee introduce Frozen Fever, a spinoff short that will screen in front of Disney’s upcoming live action adaptation of Cinderella. The short takes place “just a few months since we’ve last seen the gang,” explains Buck. “It’s Anna’s birthday,” Lee says, “and Elsa, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf are throwing her a giant party.” The inciting incident? Elsa’s got a cold and “that’s complicating things,” teases Buck. Watch the featurette after the break.

Kristen Bell, Idina Menzel, Jonathan Groff, and Josh Gad all return to reprise their signature roles. Plus, Frozen song writers Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez have invented an all-new original tune for the short. Cannot wait to hear that!

Frozen Fever comes to theatres with Cinderella on March 13.

Update (2/25): Disney’s released a Frozen Fever teaser trailer and it contains actual footage from the anticipated short! Plus, you’ll hear a brief snippet of the Lopez’s new song! Don’t delay–hop after the break and click play! Continue reading Sneak a peek at the new Disney short ‘Frozen Fever’ [Update: trailer inside!] →

‘Game of Thrones’ season 5 trailer hints at Dany’s ascension to the throne

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After debuting it to moviegoers who attended the limited-time IMAX presentations of last seasons final two episodes, HBO released the Game of Thrones season 5 trailer online for the masses to watch and obsess over. Here it is, embedded above, in all its glory. The premium cable network manages to pack a whole lot of action inside this two-minute clip. Let’s summarize:

Littlefinger consoles Sansa and tells her to avenge, presumably, the death of her parents. Margaery weds Tommen, and if there’s anything we learned from this show, expect death in this scene. Varys and Tyrion land in what appears to be Dorne (where Oberyn was from), and the two discuss the future ruler of the Seven Kingdoms; sounds like Varys is enlisting Tyrion to help Daenerys “climb those steps and take that seat.” Speaking of the Mother of Dragons, Dany is prepared to make a power move: “I’m not going to stop the wheel. I’m going to break the wheel.” Elsewhere, Melisandre is still playing with fire; Jon Snow leads an army into battle, and Arya–with Needle–finds herself knocking on a giant, mysterious door in Bravvos.

Speaking of the IMAX presentation, I just came out of it last night and if you’re a fan of the show I highly recommend you check it out before it vanishes from theatres. Thrones, an already cinematic series, transfers spectacularly to the big screen, both visually and sonically. The epic Battle of Castle Black in “The Watchers on the Wall” and the thrilling fight sequence with Brienne and The Hound in “The Children” are elevated to a whole new level. Click here to see participating theatres.

Game of Thrones returns April 12 to HBO.

Update (3/10): Watch a second trailer after the break! Continue reading ‘Game of Thrones’ season 5 trailer hints at Dany’s ascension to the throne →