Category Archives: Entertainment

‘Hannibal’ season 3 trailer is quite the Apéritif

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Will Graham lives! As for the rest of Hannibal’s victims involved in last season finale’s bloodbath, we still don’t know for sure. Here’s a sublime trailer for the upcoming third season of Bryan Fuller’s dark masterpiece of a series that is Hannibal. In it, Graham (the magnificent Hugh Dancy) is plotting his revenge on the good doctor Lector (the equally magnificent Mads Mikkelsen) whose has seemingly escaped to Florence, Italy with new series regular Gillian Anderson. Also featured is Tao Okamoto (The Wolverine); she’s a new character and from the looks of it she’s ready and willing to help Graham capture his nemesis. At the end of the trailer, oddly enough, Will speaks to Hannibal, “I forgive you.” Is he playing mind games again, or is this the continuation of a never-ending twisted relationship?

The hunt begins this summer when Hannibal returns to NBC.

*If you’re paying close attention, as you should be, you’ll recognized the word “Apéritif.” It was the title of the series’ pilot episode and it translates to “a small drink of alcoholic liquor taken to stimulate the appetite before a meal.” In case you haven’t picked up on it by now, each season Fuller chooses episode names based on international fine cuisine. Season 1 was French, season 2 was Japanese, and season 3 is all about Italian foodstuffs. The premiere is titled, “Antipasto.”

Italian youths star in a stirring PSA to uplift your day

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An Italian media company has put together a heartwarming PSA about domestic violence. Italian boys ranging in age from 6 to 11 unknowingly participate in the spot when they’re each separately asked to interact with a young girl named Martina. The clip will make you smile, it will make you think, and then you’ll smile some more. Godere. That’s Italian for enjoy.

[Thanks, @LunaLanieee]

Real Life Peter Griffin will amaze you

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You know the blue-collar Irish American cartoon character voiced by Seth MacFarlane? That’s Peter Griffin from the long-running animated series Family Guy.

This, here, is cosplayer and aspiring voice actor Robert Franzese and he is Peter Griffin in real life. Not only does he land Peter’s prominent and unmistakable Rhode Island accent–he looks the part, too. Franzese embraces his girth by donning green pants, a run-of-the-mill white button down shirt, and round glasses to perfectly pull off the Griffin patriarch’s signature look and simplistic charm.

Mash play and watch as he wows a New York Comic Con crowd!

[Via HuffingtonPost]

FOX renews ‘Gotham,’ ‘Empire’ & ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine,’ discusses futures of ‘X-Files,’ ’24’ & ‘Prison Break’ (!)

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Days after renewing animated sitcom Bob’s Burgers for a sixth season, FOX is expanding its security blanket over three more of its series. Freshman Gotham and Empire, as well as sophomore sitcom Brooklyn Nine-Nine, will be back next fall to unspool new episodes. And this renewal news shouldn’t really come as any sort of surprise: the Batman origin story and the hip hop soap opera both performed well out of the gate with popular pilots; in fact, Empire‘s ratings went up in its second week which these days is a rare feat indeed. As for the Andy Samberg laugher, that series is comfortably enjoying its new digs on Sunday nights stuffed between The Simpsons and Family Guy.

What about the fates of other FOX shows such as Bones and Sleepy Hollow? “We are in conversations on both,” FOX studio and network head Dana Walden told reporters at the Television Critics Association’s Winter Press Tour this week. “We’re at the end of our deal on Emily Deschanel and David Boreanaz. We’re very hopeful Bones will return. We can’t announce it today because deals aren’t closed, [but] nothing will make us happier.”

As for Sleepy Hollow, Walden said the network is “going to wait a little bit longer” to renew it as creative calibrations are made behind-the-scenes. “We’re excited about some creative changes on the show and bringing it back to something that feels a little more episodic in nature, that has closure and doesn’t feel quite so serialized,” said Walden. In sum, the network would like the series to take the serialization down a couple pegs and “return the fun to it” that was rampant in season 1. That being said, worry not, Sleepy heads–Fox brass holds the show in a special place in their hearts and wants to see it grow. “We really love the show,” she added. “We love Tom Mison and Nicole Beharie. They have fantastic chemistry. We feel like it’s a really unique series.”

And now for the juicy stuff. Walden and network/studio co-head Gary Newman shed a glimmer of light on the futures of classic FOX series like The X-Files, 24, and yes, even Prison Break. For more, jump after the break. Continue reading FOX renews ‘Gotham,’ ‘Empire’ & ‘Brooklyn Nine-Nine,’ discusses futures of ‘X-Files,’ ’24’ & ‘Prison Break’ (!) →

‘American Sniper’ & ‘Birdman’ lead the charge at the Oscars this year

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‘Tis the season for awards. On the heels of the Globes wrapping up, the Oscars is raring to go. Today the nominees for the 87th Academy Awards were announced in earnest and they eight films vying for Best Picture are American Sniper, Birdman, Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Imitation Game, Selma, The Theory of Everything, and Whiplash. Alexandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman), Richard Linklater (Boyhood), Bennett Miller (Foxcatcher), Wes Anderson (The Grand Budapest Hotel), and Morten Tyldum (The Imitation Game) are competing for Best Director. Birdman and The Grand Budapest Hotel garnered the most nods with nine apiece. American Sniper and Boyhood followed closely in second with six nods each. Foxcatcher, Interstellar, The Theory of Everything, and Whiplash each scored five nominations.

With every award show there are snubs. I could rant about how the sci-fi epic Interstellar only received technical and musical nods, with nothing to show for its superb director Christopher Nolan and actors Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain. But no, I’m here to splay my fury about the fact that The LEGO Movie–which was previously deemed a frontrunner for Best Animated Feature–was NOT nominated for Best Animated Feature! Looking past the nearly $258 million the movie made domestically, The LEGO Movie is a technical marvel with a unique presentation, fun characters and voice cast, and a memorable story that managed to capture the imaginations of all ages. The movie was and continues to be more than popular amongst critics and movie-goers alike. It was defeated at the Globes by How to Train Your Dragon 2, which was a shocker. But the fact that it’s not even in the running here is truly unfathomable. I don’t get it. A snub for the ages. Making the cut are Big Hero 6, The Boxtrolls, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Song of the Sea, and The Tale of Princess Kaguya. Ever heard of those last two? Neither have I. At least co-director Phil Lord is able to take it in stride; he tweeted, “This is not a tragedy. Congrats to incredible crew and cast of The Lego Movie, who made a classic.” He also attached this image of an Oscar made of LEGOs. It’s true: “Everything Is Awesome” received a nom for Best Original Song, but still, everything is not awesome.

Cool off with me by watching this funny clip from Conan. During the nom announcements this morning, Academy president Cheryl Boone Issacs flubbed Mr. Turner cinematographer Dick Pope’s name calling him “Dick Poop.” Shortly after becoming a trending topic on Twitter, the late night host took it to a whole other level.

The Academy Awards, hosted by Neil Patrick Harris, airs February 22 on ABC. Click here to view the full list of nominees.

‘The Lazarus Effect’ looks like a scary good time

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Here’s a fun trailer that’s been making the rounds: it’s The Lazarus Effect, the latest fright fest from Jason Blum, the producer behind low-budget box office hits Paranormal Activity, The Purge, and Insidious. The logline is simple–“The film follows a group of medical students who discover a way to bring dead patients back to life.” The trailer embedded above tells that story and goes well beyond it. Spoilers abound, but that can only mean there’s so much more to it…right? In any case, Blum is deviating from the norm this time around by signing on well-known actors here including Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass (The League, Togetherness), Donald Glover (Community), and Evan Peters (American Horror Story). Looks creepy and scary and dare I say it again–fun! What do you think?

The Lazarus Effect opens February 27.

‘Community’ season 6 premieres on Yahoo March 17 (video inside)

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Mark your calendars: class is in session March 17, for Community season 6, that is. With series creator Dan Harmon back at the helm and a new reign of creative freedom ahead thanks to Yahoo scooping it up after NBC cancelled it last season, Community is primed to premiere its best season yet. Original cast members Joel McHale, Gillian Jacobs, Alison Brie, Danny Pudi, Jim Rash, and Ken Jeong are all returning, and they are joined by newbies Paget Brewster (Criminal Minds) and Keith David (The Cape). Yvette Nicole Brown joins Chevy Chase and Donald Glover on the bench this season but you never know–perhaps Harmon will surprise us with special appearances by the dearly departed study group members. Community will be watchable at Yahoo Screen (supported by ads but no subscription required). On the 17th of March two episodes will land, and then the season will unfold with one new episode every Tuesday following the double-dose premiere.

As we approach our wish for #sixseasonsandamovie, does this sixth season mark the beginning of the end for the Greendale Gang? According to Harmon, nope! When asked about the future of the series at the Television Critics Association winter press tour today, he responded like this: “I’m definitely not writing [this season] as if it’s the end. My sixth-grade mentality about it is this show has lived by the sword of its intimate relationship with the fans, and needs to die by that sword. Only when people stop watching would I ever want to stop making the product. I have to continue writing the show as if it’s going to last for 20 seasons.” Be gone, darkest timeline! For today we live in the light!

But still. As long as we get the movie in and solidify that special preordained fate, I am one happy Human Being. Now jump after the break to watch a fun little promo for the upcoming season of Community.

[Via Yahoo; TVLine; EW] Continue reading ‘Community’ season 6 premieres on Yahoo March 17 (video inside) →

‘The Walking Dead’ 5B: new poster, haunting teaser, and a sneak peek at the back eight episodes

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The Walking Dead returns in less than a month and so it’s time to ramp up anticipation for the back half of season five. AMC does it right by pumping out a flashy new poster, a truly epic teaser, and a brief sneak peek at what’s in store next for Rick and the gang. In the poster (see above), the survivors are walking down a dilapidated, deserted street. And what’s that on the side of the road? It’s the map that Abraham scribbled the following note on before departing for Washington: “The new world’s gonna need Rick Grimes.” [Spoiler!] Though Washington ended up being a bust (thanks a lot, Eugene!), perhaps the band of brothers (and sisters) are about to catch some much needed luck and find a new safe haven to fortify and for Rick to lead. A post-credits scene in the 5A finale featured Morgan finding the overrun church and that map inside; perhaps the poster is signaling a long-awaited reunion for Rick and the man who cried clear.

There’s more after the break: a haunting teaser following the survivors in the woods as they take down off-screen walkers, and a look at what’s ahead including commentary from the cast and producers. Showrunner Scott M. Gimple calls the back half of the season “a very interesting structure. There are some very emotional moments, there are some very crazy moment, and there’s a huge change for the situation for these characters.” Star Andrew Lincoln says, “it feels like a new show visually and also story-wise.”

The Walking Dead returns February 8 at 9pm on AMC.

Continue reading ‘The Walking Dead’ 5B: new poster, haunting teaser, and a sneak peek at the back eight episodes →

‘Boyhood’ & ‘The Affair’ big winners at the Globes

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Boyhood, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Affair, and Transparent came out as the big winners of the 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards.

Boyhood, the unique coming-of-age film shot over an 11-year period, came out on top crowned Best Motion Picture Drama. Director Richard Linklater and supporting actress Patricia Arquette took home statues for Boyhood, too. Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel took home only one award but it’s one that counts: Best Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. Though they didn’t win the crown, Birdman and The Theory of Everything grabbed two trophies apiece: Birdman star Michael Keaton was named Best Lead Actor and the film also won Best Screenplay. Actor Eddie Redmayne also won the Lead Actor award for his turn as Stephen Hawking in The Theory of Everything and the film was also recognized for its Original Score.

In TV, Showtime’s breakout freshman series The Affair won Best TV Drama, and its lead actress Ruth Wilson walked away with a globe. Amazon original series Transparent won Best TV Comedy or Musical and its star Jeffrey Tambor was named Best Lead Actor. FX hit Fargo also won twice being crowned Best TV Miniseries or Movie, and Billy Bob Thornton was recognized for his memorable performance in it.

For the full list of winners, including surprise winner Gina Rodriguez of The CW series Jane the Virgin, click here.

Early series renewals at CBS, FOX, The CW, and more

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A smattering of networks are showing extreme confidence in some of their series by renewing them for another season. In brief:

CBS has renewed three freshman dramas Scorpion, Madam Secretary and NCIS: New Orleans.

“These freshman dramas have each made a big impact on key nights of the week,” said CBS Entertainment Chairman Nina Tassler. “Creatively distinctive, the series are backed by strong showrunners with amazingly talented casts, and have resonated with a big, broad audience.”

FOX is bringing back cult animated series Bob’s Burgers for a sixth season.

“This gem of a series is a rare feel-good blend of sharp wit and genuine heart that fans and critics alike have continued to love throughout its five seasons on Fox,” said network heads Dana Walden and Gary Newman. “We are proud of Loren and Jim and the extremely talented voice cast who bring these unique characters to life with both humor and charm each week.”

The CW is renewing a whopping eight series to return next fall and they include breakout rookies The Flash and Jane the Virgin and returning series The Originals (for a season 3), Reign (season 3), The 100 (Season 3), Arrow (season 4), The Vampire Diaries (season 7), and Supernatural (season 11).

“Each of these series have helped define what The CW is today, a network that is home to smart, provocative, quality programming, targeting a savvy adult audience,” said CW president Mark Pedowitz said. “By picking up these shows now, our executive producers can start planning next season’s storylines, and rolling these shows out throughout next season guarantees. The CW will have more proven original series for our fall, midseason and summer 2016 line-ups.”

Elsewhere, HBO renewed Girls for a fifth season prior to its season four debut which aired this past Sunday and Netflix is bringing back original series Marco Polo for a 10-episode second season.

New Marvel trailers: Paul Rudd in ‘Ant-Man,” plus more ‘Age of Ultron’

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Following cheeky ant-sized and human-sized previews, Marvel finally unleashed the first teaser trailer for its next standalone superhero movie: Ant-Man. Paul Rudd stars as Scott Lang, a thief, who will don a suit granting him the power to drastically decrease in size and increase in strength and making him the Ant-Man. The first trailer gives us a first look at Rudd in the aforementioned suit; we also get to see him get around on the back of a flying insect (honey, I shrunk the Anchorman actor!). Starring alongside Rudd are Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, and Corey Stoll. Ant-Man releases July 17.

In other Marvel news, a brand-spankin’ new look at The Avengers: Age of Ultron has been let out into the wild. Fixate your prying on it after the break. Epic, much? Continue reading New Marvel trailers: Paul Rudd in ‘Ant-Man,” plus more ‘Age of Ultron’ →

‘Game of Thrones’ comes to IMAX theatres this month [Update: New release date & more participating theatres)

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It’s not Game of Thrones The Movie, but it’s as close as we’ll ever get to that. HBO has partnered up with IMAX to bring a couple episodes of the critically acclaimed fantasy series to the enhanced silver screen. This marks the first time ever that a TV series is being formatted for and screened in IMAX. From January 23 through the 29th, upwards of 150 IMAX theatres across the nation will showcase the final two episodes from season 4. As a refresher, those are “The Watchers on the Wall” (featuring the epic battle in which the Night’s Watch defend Castle Black from the wildlings) and “The Children” (the memorable season finale with deaths galore). In addition to showing these digitally re-mastered episodes, the event will also screen an exclusive trailer including never-before-scene looks at the highly anticipated upcoming fifth season of the series. Stick it here to find out if a theatre near you will host Game of Thrones in IMAX.

“The cinematic brilliance and grand scope of the series is perfect for the IMAX format,” said Pamela Levine, HBO’s Chief Marketing Officer. “We are always looking to provide fans with new and exciting ways to experience the show, and viewing two key episodes, along with the new trailer, on such an impressive platform makes for a great event.”

“IMAX always seeks innovative ways to provide moviegoers a unique and differentiated experience and today’s partnership with HBO and Game of Thrones achieves just that,” added IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond. “This deal also furthers our efforts to offer exhibitors the opportunity to participate in alternative forms of content in a new and exciting way.”

Update (1/14): Switch-up! IMAX has shifted the Game of Thrones limited-time screening event by one week. The two episodes plus the trailer will now hit big-screen theatres on Thursday, Jan. 29 and will extend through Feb. 5. The move was “prompted by extraordinary consumer response that drove online mentions for IMAX to record heights,” says IMAX, and the shift allows for a more expansive rollout; the event will now reach upwards of 200 theatres (that’s up from the previous count of 150). IMAX is also offering up the list of participating theatres now. Preorder tickets starting tomorrow, Jan. 16. And, if you’re one of the first 300 ticket holders you will be gifted a limited edition GoT poster at participating venues; eye them at that link.