Paul Rudd hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest One Direction last night. A rundown of my favorite sketches follows after the break. Continue reading SNL sketch round-up: December 7, 2013
Category Archives: Entertainment
Music video round-up: Bob Dylan & Pharrell Williams create fun, interactive clips; Kanye West gets parodied [Update: Eminem is a “Rap God”]
Forty-eight years after Bob Dylan released his 1965 hit “Like A Rolling Stone” the track gets its very own music video and a uniquely impressive one at that. Israeli director Vania Heymann partnered with interactive videomaker Interlude to imagine a music video experience that allows the viewer to flip through TV channel stations and inside each one TV personalities are lip-syncing Dylan’s song. There are 16 stations to flip through using your arrow key or mouse press; from Pawn Stars to The Price is Right to Marc Maron’s podcast, Dylan permeates through them all without missing a beat. Mash play in the TV box embedded above and see it to believe it.
Jump after the break to watch new music vids from Pharrell and Kanye West. Continue reading Music video round-up: Bob Dylan & Pharrell Williams create fun, interactive clips; Kanye West gets parodied [Update: Eminem is a “Rap God”]
Watch the wonderful ‘Muppets Most Wanted’ trailer here!
The Muppets return in a sequel to 2011’s The Muppets. In Muppets Most Wanted the fuzzy gang travel to Europe and Kermit gets mistaken for the “World’s Number One Criminal” Constantine the frog. Humans Tina Fey, Ty Burrell, Ricky Gervais, and a wide net of celebrity cameos round out the impressive cast. James Bobin returns as director as does his Flight of the Conchords cohort Bret McKenzie whose music is featured once again. Watch the wildly entertaining trailer above and flails your arms like Kermit–The Muppets come back to the big screen March 21, 2014.
TV teasers: BBC’s ‘Orphan Black’, ‘Sherlock’ & HBO’s ‘Girls’
Black is back. Orphan Black, that is. The Tatiana Maslany Show returns April 19 on BBC America and even though this teaser doesn’t feature new footage in does not fail in ramping up anticipation for what’s to come, not in the slightest. The latest season 2 logline hints at more clone mysteries and some long-anticipated answers
Season 2 hits the ground running with Sarah in a desperate race to find her missing daughter Kira. Her scorched earth tactics spark a war with pro-clone Rachel, dividing and imperiling all the clones. As Sarah discovers more about her past, mysterious newcomers appear, but can they be trusted?
Jump after the break to watch teasers for Sherlock and Girls. Continue reading TV teasers: BBC’s ‘Orphan Black’, ‘Sherlock’ & HBO’s ‘Girls’
SNL sketch round-up: November 23, 2013
Josh Hutcherson of The Hunger Games hosted Saturday Night Live with musical guest Haim last night. A rundown of my favorite sketches follows after the break. Continue reading SNL sketch round-up: November 23, 2013
‘Breaking Bad’ complete series comes in a barrel on November 26 (Alternate ending video inside!)
On Tuesday, November 26 the complete box set of Breaking Bad releases on Blu-ray and DVD. Except it doesn’t come in a box but inside a collectible replica money barrel! In addition to all five seasons of the hit AMC drama, the set is packed with over 55 hours of bonus material including a two-hour documentary that chronicles the filming of the final eight episodes and, yes, an alternate ending.
Said ending has already leaked onto the Internet and you can watch it now after the break. However, don’t freak out just yet; the inspired bit is just that–it’s a parody that involves Bryan Cranston waking up next to his Malcolm in the Middle wife played by Jane Kaczmarek having experienced a nightmare that pretty much sums up the bulk of Bad. Cranston steps into Hal’s shoes and Kaczmarek doesn’t miss a beat as his former TV wife Lois. Leading up to the series finale many Breaking Bad fans imagined Vince Gilligan’s show to be a prequel to Malcolm whereby Walter White gets put into witness protection and lands on his feet in that sitcom’s household; or it was all a dream, Newhart style. Though that never came to fruition, this fun and quite funny “alternate ending” should do just the trick for fans with such wild imaginations.
The Breaking Bad barrel, which also includes a 16 page booklet with a letter from Vince Gilligan, a commemorative challenge coin designed by Gilligan, and a Los Pollos Hermanos apron, is up for preorder today at Amazon for $201.29. Jump after the break to view the full list of special features. Fill the stockings with the blue stuff this holiday season and get your Heisenberg-obsessed loved one a money barrel brimming with the best of Bad.
Update: A couple more videos are now embedded after the break. Vince Gilligan sets up shop with a webcam to unbox the Breaking Bad barrel, and in another clip stars Bryan Cranston & Aaron Paul get ready to read the series finale script for the first time. Also provided is a link to watch Cranston & Paul read the final moments of the last episode together for the first time at Cranston’s place; it’s all part of the aforementioned two-hour documentary included in the barrel. Enjoy! Continue reading ‘Breaking Bad’ complete series comes in a barrel on November 26 (Alternate ending video inside!)
TV reminder: ‘Almost Human’ premieres Sunday (11/17) at 8PM on FOX
J.H. Wyman’s next TV show following the phenomenal sci-fi drama Fringe is Almost Human and it premieres across two nights starting this Sunday. Executive produced by J.J. Abrams (yes, it’s from Bad Robot), Almost Human is an “action-packed police procedural set 35 years in the future, when police officers are partnered with highly evolved human-like androids.” The series will follow Detective John Kennex (Karl Urban) and his android partner Dorian (Michael Ealy) as they investigate and attempt to solve crimes against a futuristic landscape. And don’t worry–a larger mythology is also at play here; Kennex survived a near-fatal attack and after waking from an 17-month coma he’s trying to put the pieces together.
Jump after the break to revisit the extended Almost Human trailer; down there you’ll also hear Wyman, Abrams, and the cast’s take on the sci-fi actioner. Look in the gallery below for a couple more cool posters.
With such a high pedigree supporting this series from the producers to the actors, it’s hard to imagine Almost Human not firing on all cylinders from the get-go. It premieres this Sunday, November 17 at 8PM on FOX; episode 2 follows the very next night on Monday the 18th at 8. With Bones relocating to Friday, Almost Human becomes the Monday @ 8PM anchor leading into Sleepy Hollow starting that night. I have a feeling Monday nights are about to get oh-so-sahweet.
Continue reading TV reminder: ‘Almost Human’ premieres Sunday (11/17) at 8PM on FOX
TV reminder: ‘Raising Hope’ returns tonight (11/15) at 9PM on FOX
The one and only Chance family returns to the airwaves tonight (11/15, disregard the incorrect date in the key art above) at 9PM on FOX with back-to-back new episodes titled “Déjà Vu Man” and “Burt Bucks.” Arrested Development‘s Jeffrey Tambor guest stars in the first half-hour. With Jimmy & Sabrina hitched and Hope getting older, I for one cannot wait to see what kind of weird stuff ensues in Raising Hope season 4. This show quickly gained a decent following thanks to its charm, wit, and most of all its quirkiness. From everybody at Howdy’s to Cloris Leachman’s senile Maw Maw, Raising Hope is the little sitcom that could and you should not forget it as it makes the transition to Fridays this fall.
Movie trailer round-up: Disney’s ‘Maleficent’ & Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Noah’
Angelina Jolie is Maleficent, the iconic villain from the 1959 Disney animated classic Sleeping Beauty. And boy can she play the part; the proof is in the pudding so watch the teaser trailer embedded above. Here’s the synopsis:
From Disney comes “Maleficent”—the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the 1959 classic “Sleeping Beauty.” A beautiful, pure-hearted young woman, Maleficent has an idyllic life growing up in a peaceable forest kingdom, until one day when an invading army threatens the harmony of the land. Maleficent rises to be the land’s fiercest protector, but she ultimately suffers a ruthless betrayal—an act that begins to turn her pure heart to stone. Bent on revenge, Maleficent faces an epic battle with the invading king’s successor and, as a result, places a curse upon his newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Maleficent realizes that Aurora holds the key to peace in the kingdom—and perhaps to Maleficent’s true happiness as well.
Special effects artist Robert Stromberg (Avatar, Alice in Wonderland) directs Elle Fanning as Princess Aurora, Brenton Thwaites as Prince Phillip, Sharlto Copley as King Stefan, and Juno Temple as Thistlewit. Maleficent releases May 30, 2014.
After the break, one epic trailer. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: Disney’s ‘Maleficent’ & Darren Aronofsky’s ‘Noah’
30 Seconds to Mars shines a light on the “City of Angels”
Jared Leto and his 30 Seconds to Mars have released a music video/short film hybrid for the band’s single “City of Angels,” a track off their latest album Love, Lust, Faith and Dreams. It’s an ode to Los Angeles, a place where dreams are born and made everyday, at least according to the lineup of celebrities, celebrity impersonators, and street performers that pop up in this 11-minute clip. Leto and his bandmates set up shop near LA’s Griffith Observatory and play the uplifting track as Kanye West, James Franco, Lindsay Lohan, and others open up about coming to and living in the City of Angles.
“As I got older I realized I wanted to make some of my creative dreams come true that I need to go west,” spills Leto. From the sweeping, grand shots of the city to the vitalizing track and the inspirational tales told by the featured guests, Leto has directed quite the PSA for California’s capital.
Justin Timberlake is out for the count in “TKO” music video
Sexual tension takes center stage in Justin Timberlake’s latest music video for “TKO,” the second single off The 20/20 Experience 2 of 2. Elvis’ granddaughter actress Riley Keough stars opposite Timberlake as she takes him for a not-so-pleasant ride. The clip is visually stimulating but not nearly as engaging as JT’s previous efforts “Mirrors,” “Tunnel Vision,” and “Take Back the Night.”
Download the full 20/20 Experience at iTunes today, and read SpeakSonic’s glowing review of Part 2 right here.
Peter Jackson calls on Ed Sheeran to create “Hobbit” closing track
Peter Jackson handpicked English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran to compose and produce “I See Fire,” the softly bold track that will close out the second Hobbit film when the credits roll. Jackson posted this video on his Facebook page and here’s an excerpt from his accompanying message to fans:
We have a tradition in our Tolkien films of having a song over the closing credits. It’s very important that the song feels right for the world of the movie – and also carries the emotional resonance of the end of that particular film. The Desolation of Smaug is no different. The ending of this film requires a voice and sensibility that will allow a viewer to process what they have just experienced. It’s always tricky to think of the right person to create and perform these songs. Someone who shares our passion for Tolkien, and somebody who is prepared to respect the film. This year we are thrilled to have Ed Sheeran write and perform our closing song, “I See Fire”.
It was a great experience, and what you will see in this video are moments captured by our behind the scenes team during the creation of the song. But the images are only supporting Ed’s wonderful song. This is his direct emotional response to seeing The Desolation of Smaug, written and performed on the same day he saw the movie.
And his “direct emotional response” turned out to be a thing of beauty. The song balances strength and grace and it’s easy to imagine it play as the second chapter of Jackson’s three-part journey comes to an close.
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug hits theatres December 13. Download “I See Fire” at iTunes today.