It will never get old celebrating the comeback of cult classic comedy Arrested Development. Let the good times ride with these new AD clips featuring creator Mitch Hurwitz,the all-star cast, and some behind-the-scenes footage. Embedded above you’ll hear from the lot of them and get to see just how excited they all were to bring the band back together. After the break catch featurettes on characters like George Michael, Gob, Buster; plus, get an inside look at how the show’s wardrobe department works and the many challenges they faced in making the new season. Continue reading More ‘Arrested Development’ clips: Mitch Hurwitz and the cast on bringing back the show
Category Archives: Entertainment
‘The Hobbit’ production vlog #11: Peter Jackson confirms no ‘Smaug’ at Comic Con
It’s been a long while since we last heard from director Peter Jackson in a Hobbit production diary vlog; but just like he promised he returned to preview the next movie in The Hobbit trilogy. To start things off, Jackson delivered rather unfortunate news that The Desolation of Smaug will not make an appearance at Comic Con later this month. His crew and the stars will all be busy as the next two films are still in production and Jackson admits that he simply doesn’t have time to shift focus on preparing a sizzle reel for fans at the moment. With that said, our guide takes us back to Middle Earth for pickups. Though prinicipal photography wrapped in July of last year, the director explains that the gang was required to get back together to re-shoot certain scenes and additional footage that previously couldn’t be done due to factors like bad weather and other unforeseen circumstances. “It’s a reunion of people, props, and sets,” he says. He goes on to mention the upcoming Battle of Five Armies featuring the dwarves coming in the third pic There And Back Again, and we also get to hear from the luminous Evangeline Lilly who plays the elf Tauriel.
Like the rest before, this production vlog is jam-packed with all sorts of Hobbit goodness for fans to scan and devour. Witness locations, sets, costumes, and characters come back to life in this vlog all about pickups. And stay tuned; Jackson hints at another diary coming soon when pickup shooting concludes. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug hits theatres December 13.
Editor’s Note: The tenth and final Hobbit production diary that covers the days and hours leading up to and including the world premiere of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is posted after the break in case you missed it, like me. Continue reading ‘The Hobbit’ production vlog #11: Peter Jackson confirms no ‘Smaug’ at Comic Con
Movie trailer round-up: “In Saturn’s Rings” takes you into real space, Laika’s next animated pic “The Boxtrolls” & more
There are countless movies that take us into the great unknown called space. The recent summer blockbuster Star Trek Into Darkness wowed audiences with its grand special effects as the USS Enterprise battled the Vengeance among the stars. With today’s advanced computer technology filmmakers can make us truly believe we are witnessing action taking place in space. However, if you’re looking to actually journey into space in theatres, you might want to put In Saturn’s Rings on your radar.
With the aid of equipment set up in Saturn’s orbit, filmmaker Stephen van Vuuren has been capturing over a million extremely high-resolution images and stitching them all together to form a 45-minute trek around the sixth planet from the sun. He notes:
The film is 100% created using only flat 2D photographs (often hundreds or thousands per frame) stitched together for massive hundred megapixel+ resolutions that are scaled and zoomed using techniques developed by the filmmaker, based on Ken Burns and 2.5D photo animation processes. No 3D models, texture mapping, 3D CGI, camera projection, cloning or painting or any other VFX techniques are used – every pixel is what was captured in the photograph. The photographs are processed as minimally as possible – much less than your average Instagram photo.
Catch a first look at the breathtaking film in a teaser embedded above. Experience space like never before when In Saturn’s Rings comes exclusively to IMAX theatres in spring 2014.
Jump after the break for more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: “In Saturn’s Rings” takes you into real space, Laika’s next animated pic “The Boxtrolls” & more
Kid Cudi drops WZRD-produced track “Going To The Ceremony”
Out of nowhere, months after debuting his fourth studio album Indicud, Kid Cudi released a never-before-heard track titled “Going To The Ceremony.” In the SoundCloud stream, embedded below for your listening pleasure, Cudder acknowledges that it’s WZRD-produced, meaning his WZRD partner Dot Da Genius also had a hand in the production of the guitar-tinged song. Whether or not it was made during WZRD‘s production window to be left on the cutting room floor remains unknown. On the song streaming site Cudi leaves a note, “it’s all happening.” Is WZRD 2 in the works? I leave you with this.
Daft Punk remixes R.A.M.’s “Get Lucky”
Can’t get enough of “Get Lucky,” the irresistable hit single off Daft Punk’s latest prize Random Access Memories? Well the Pharrell Williams assisted and Nile Rodgers enhanced track has been remixed by the electronic duo themselves. Clocking it at over 10 minutes in length, the remix does not deviate too far from its original incarnation, but it’s chopped and mixed up just enough to notice and appreciate the revitalized orchestration. The remix streams exclusively on Spotify; log in and listen to it after the break. Also after the jump you’ll find a video promo for the new track. Buy “Get Lucky” (Daft Punk Remix) on iTunes and preorder the vinyl here which drops July 16. Continue reading Daft Punk remixes R.A.M.’s “Get Lucky”
TV reminder: ‘Under the Dome’ premieres Monday, June 24 at 10PM on CBS (extended trailer inside) [Update: big ratings]
It’s finally here: a series premiering on network TV over the summer that is worth watching.
From executive producer Steven Spielberg and showrunner Brian K. Vaughan (Lost) comes Under the Dome, a series based the 2009 Stephen King novel that is the story of a small New England town named Chester’s Mill that is suddenly and inexplicably sealed off from the rest of the world by an enormous transparent dome. The town’s residents need to survive the deteriorating post-apocalyptic conditions while searching for answers to what this barrier is, where it came from, and how to make it go away.
Under the Dome stars Mike Vogel (Bates Motel), Rachelle Lefevre, Dean Norris (Breaking Bad), Natalie Martinez, Britt Robertson (The Secret Circle), Alexander Koch, Colin Ford, Nicholas Strong, Jolene Purdy, and Aisha Hinds. And for you Lost fans, you’ll spot Frank Lapidus himself, Jeff Fahey, too.
Though CBS is touting it as a “mini-series event,” Vaughn and his creative team envision the story expanding to multiple seasons if ratings allow for it.
Is the dome an act of terror or an act of God? The mystery unravels starting Monday night at 10PM on CBS. Jump after the break to watch a new extended trailer hyping Under the Dome. And don’t forget to take in the touching key art posted above of a boy separated from his dog.
Update (6/25): You wouldn’t think we were in network TV off-season if you looked at the big numbers CBS’ Under the Dome took in last night. Check it: 13.1 million viewers tuned into the buzzy Stephen King adaptation and it scored a solid 3.2/9 rating in the 18-49 demo. It’s the most watched summer debut on network TV since NBC premiered The Singing Bee in 2007 and CBS’ most watched summer series premiere since Big Brother in 2000. In the coveted 18-49 demo, it ranks as CBS’ highest rated summer debut since some show called Fire Me…Please circa 2005. And get this: Under the Dome goes head-to-head with some of last season’s most popular dramas that premiered in the fall and midseason; it ties Fox’s The Following as the second-highest-rated drama premiere of the 2012-13 season behind NBC’s Revolution. I predict a ratings climb next week; but even if the numbers were to remain steady here, it won’t be long before the Eye announces a second season. As it stands, the Dome is a bonafide hit. Continue reading TV reminder: ‘Under the Dome’ premieres Monday, June 24 at 10PM on CBS (extended trailer inside) [Update: big ratings]
Netflix renews ‘Hemlock Grove’ for a second season
Hemlock Grove, Eli Roth’s horror series produced for Netflix is coming back for more. On Wednesday the streaming service renewed the series based on Brian McGreevy’s gothic horror novel for a 10-episode second season to premiere all-at-once sometime next year. Chic Eglee–a veteran TV producer who’s worked on shows like The Walking Dead, Dexter, and The Shield–is joining Hemlock Grove as an executive producer in season 2.
Executive producer Roth on the renewal: “The worldwide fan response to Hemlock Grove was phenomenal. Netflix members loved the potent combination of sexy monsters, mystery, and the dark family soap opera that ended with a huge twist, leaving audiences worldwide totally shocked. Season One was just a warm up for what we have in store for season two. Get ready to be scared in ways you never expected.”
Netflix VP of Original Content Cindy Holland: “In its first season, Eli, Brian, [exec producer] Lee [Shipman] and the team did an incredible job of introducing viewers to a unique world of memorable charactersChic’s addition to the show, and his experience on such fan favorites as The Shield, The Walking Deadand Dexter, will heighten the intensity of the mystery that grips Hemlock Grove.”
[Via Deadline]
‘Community’s Dan Harmon poops on season 4, issues lengthy apology
Since Dan Harmon confirmed he was returning to Community to executive produce the NBC sitcom he created, he didn’t wait long to take a giant proverbial dump on the entirety of season 4, the one in which he had no involvement. Before he could start imagining the fifth season of the show, he forced himself to sift through the previous season to catch up on what happened during his off-season, a result of him being fired by Sony TV. In his unfiltered podcast called Harmontown he spat out the following:
“It’s very much like an impression and an unflattering one. It’s very much like an impression — an unflattering one. It’s 13 episodes of people doing, ‘Derpy, derpy, der, I’m Dan Harmon, der.’ I’m going back to work tomorrow morning and I’m just like, do I talk like that?”
He compared watching the fourth season to “flipping through Instagram watching your girlfriend blow a million [people].”
He went further: “There’s something awesome about having all of those preconceived notions kind of ripped away from you. It’s exciting. There’s something awesome about being held down and watching your family get raped on a beach. It’s liberating. It makes you focus on what’s important.”
Later: “There’s a system in place that’s winning because I would have had too much leverage, too much power, too much salary as would have a lot of writers coming into Season 4. So they just flushed us, and replaced us with two guys who didn’t know what they were getting into… Writers fighting other writers is the American Dream in the eyes of Sony. That is what they want. They want creative people rewriting each other. They want creative people replacing each other. They want us interchangeable. They want to think about writing the way they think about the guy on assembly line 24 that puts the final screw in the fucking Playstation… I shouldn’t even say ‘they’ because it’s an ‘it,’ it’s a fucking machine. There isn’t a single person that works at that corporation that isn’t also thought of like that by the fucking SkyNet… The system just wants us all to not be human.”
A day after the Harmontown rant, Harmon took to his Tumblr to share a formal apology to those involved with the show and its fans. He tweeted, “I feel bad if I made anyone feel bad with my comments in harmontown. It’s a dirty, personal comedy podcast, not charismatic for quoting. I like making stuff that pleases people, I like being honest about my feelings but I hate hurting other people, especially community fans.” You can read his lengthy apology post here.
With the firing, the rehiring, and the Harmontown rant behind him, hopefully the sorrowful showrunner can now return to making Community great again in its fifth and possibly final season.
Universal picks up ‘Dumb and Dumber’ sequel with Farrellys, Carrey & Daniels on board
Back in April of last year the Farrelly brothers publicly stated that they were interested in doing a true Dumb and Dumber sequel with stars Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels. Flash forward to now and bam, it’s happening people. Shortly after Warner Bros. stepped away from the project, Universal Pictures snatched up Dumb and Dumber To, a sequel to the classic 1994 comedy. Again moviegoers will find Harry and Lloyd on a road trip and that’s pretty much all we’ve got to go on in terms of plot. Currently the sequel is in development. Jump after the break to watch one of my personal favorite scenes from the original (hint: “Radio…who needs the radio?”).
[Via Deadline] Continue reading Universal picks up ‘Dumb and Dumber’ sequel with Farrellys, Carrey & Daniels on board
Movie trailer round-up: ‘Anchorman 2’, ‘The LEGO Movie’, Disney’s ‘Frozen’, ‘Jobs’ & ‘Kick-Ass 2’
No more teasers! It’s time to watch the first Anchorman 2 trailer brimming with new footage from the upcoming sequel. Will Ferrell, Paul Rudd, Steve Carell, David Koechner, and Christina Applegate reprise their roles as Ron Burgundy, Brian Fantana, Brick Tamland, Champ Kind, and Veronica Corningstone in Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues. With the ’70s behind them, the Channel 4 news team reunites to take on New York’s first 24-hour news channel. Kristen Wiig and James Marsden join the all-star cast. Burgundy returns in the Adam McKay-directed sequel December 20. A hairy, unmistakable poster hangs after the break.
Jump after the break to view more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘Anchorman 2’, ‘The LEGO Movie’, Disney’s ‘Frozen’, ‘Jobs’ & ‘Kick-Ass 2’
Jay-Z previews new album ‘Magna Carta Holy Grail’ in extended Samsung commercial
If you were watching Game 5 of the NBA finals tonight you couldn’t have missed this: in a three-minute spot paid for by Samsung and promoting its Galaxy smartphones, rap legend Jay-Z introduces and previews his 12th studio album titled Magna Carta Holy Grail. Thankfully there’s no product placement or any cheesiness at all here, really; it’s just Jay and his collaborators Pharrell Williams, Timbaland, Rick Rubin, and Swizz Beatz brainstorming new beats and rhymes for Jay’s upcoming, surprise release.
“Pretty much the album is about this duality of how do you navigate your way through this whole thing — through success, through failures — and remain yourself,” remarks Hova.
Kanye West drops ‘Yeezus’ on Tuesday, exalts his achievements in NYT interview
This Tuesday Kanye West releases his sixth studio album Yeezus. Pictured above is what the physical album will look like in stores. Its minimalist design features no album album artwork, only a transparent jewel case with some red tape. There is no link from iTunes or Amazon to preorder the album. It drops June 18 and that’s the day you can snag it. ‘Ye hasn’t done much in terms of promoting the album in the traditional sense. He performed on SNL and after that he projected images and sound on buildings around the world for fans to flock to and discover his new sound.
The most hype is emitting from a recent interview he conducted with The New York Times. In it ‘Ye opens up about his past mistakes, his problem with the Grammys, the inspiration behind previous albums 808s & Heartbreak and My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, parenthood (his girlfriend Kim Kardashian gave birth to their daughter days after the interview posted), fashion, and more. Expectedly, Kanye stroked his ego more than once throughout the back-and-forth describing himself as “the Michael Jordan of music” and saying about his career “I knew I was going to make it this far; I knew that this was going to happen.” He also calls himself the “Steve [Jobs] of Internet, downtown, fashion, culture.” And he concluded the interview with this:
I think that’s a responsibility that I have, to push possibilities, to show people: “This is the level that things could be at.” So when you get something that has the name Kanye West on it, it’s supposed to be pushing the furthest possibilities. I will be the leader of a company that ends up being worth billions of dollars, because I got the answers. I understand culture. I am the nucleus.
It’s a must-read for fans of the undoubtedly talented artist who has certainly evolved in many ways since his 2004 debut The College Dropout. Read the interview in full here.
Now what can you expect from Yeezus? The Times‘ Jon Caramanica describes it as “a turn away from [Kanye’s] reliable maximalism to something more urgent and visceral.” He describes the songs as “becoming more skeletal and ferocious.” He goes on to say, “The music of Yeezus — spare, direct and throbbing — is, effectively, a palate cleanser after years of overexertion, backing up lyrics that are among the most serrated and provocative of his career.”
And even Mr. West, who thinks of himself as a “black new wave artist,” shared some of his influences: “It’s like trap and drill and house. I knew that I wanted to have a deep Chicago influence on this album, and I would listen to like, old Chicago house. I think that even “Black Skinhead” could border on house, “On Sight” sounds like acid house, and then “I Am a God” obviously sounds, like, super house.”
After the break, a brief clip of Kanye rapping new track “I Am A God” on headphones with an appearance by collaborator Rick Rubin. Under that, a short film inspired by the movie American Psycho starring Kourtney Kardashian’s boyfriend Scott Disick (who actually really does resemble the movie’s star Christian Bale) and Kim’s friend Jonathan Cheban in the role orignially made famous by Jared Leto.
Update (6/17): Yeezus is now available for digital download at kanyewest.com & iTunes, and you can purchase a physical copy at Amazon.
Update 2 (6/25): Yeezus debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart, selling 327,000 copies in its first week. For more stats surrounding Kanye’s latest release, head over to Billboard.com. Continue reading Kanye West drops ‘Yeezus’ on Tuesday, exalts his achievements in NYT interview