Category Archives: Entertainment

Marvel’s “Phase One” Blu-ray collection gets Spring release date, added bonus material

Movies, News, Video, , , , , , , , , ,

Marvel’s “Phase One” Blu-ray collection was supposed to come out in September but it was delayed due to lawsuit involving the suitcase packaging. After months of silence, the company is finally engaging with its fanbase with new details surrounding the long-anticipated collections that includes all Marvel Phase One movies–namely  Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Iron Man 2, Thor (in 2D/3D), Captain America: The First Avenger (2D/3D), and The Avengers (2D/3D)–plus loads of other content including “special access to S.H.I.E.L.D.’s most confidential archives, including a top-secret Bonus Disc filled with never-before-seen deleted scenes, extended scenes, featurettes and more, including “And Then Shawarma After” featurette.” The collection also includes “exclusive memorabilia (prop reproductions and artifacts) from the motion pictures,” not excluding the redesigned suitcase and the glowing Tesseract.

Marvel apologizes for the delay in the best way they can: by stuffing the Blu-ray set with new bonus material and a look at “Phase Two” material. Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige recently spoke with EW and spilled the beans. “We went back to the editor’s assembly of each film and discovered some rare moments that dropped out of the films early on and had not been released on prior discs,” he said. The new material will allow fans “to catch the connective tissue that paved the way toward the Avengers assembling.” He added, “We spent an embarrassing amount of time compiling the ‘Shield Files’ included in the box set to be sure that each character’s file was full of great, movie-accurate props and Easter eggs, which help tie all of the Phase One films together.” And as for the sneak peek at Phase Two? Owners can expect “footage, concept art, and a few new surprises,” he teased. “Also, look for a nod to Iron Man 3 in the Tony Stark S.H.I.E.L.D. file in the box set.”

The 10-disc, limited edition collector’s set (now called Marvel’s Cinematic Universe: Phase One Collection) is now up for preorder at Amazon for $197.10 and it’s aiming for release on April 2. Additional pics below and an alternate ending to Thor after the break!

Continue reading Marvel’s “Phase One” Blu-ray collection gets Spring release date, added bonus material →

‘The Hobbit’ production vlog #9

Movies, Video, , , , , ,

Believe it or not but Peter Jackson is back with yet another Hobbit production vlog as the movie premiere is only four days away. Number nine focuses on the post-production process, specifically shining light on the work that goes into the special effects and sound design. Jackson leads a tour through the Park Road Post Production house in Wellington, New Zealand and we even get to travel 18,331 miles to the UK where the Hobbit soundtrack is perfected with a full orchestra in tow at Abbey Road Studios.

Jackson says that post is “due to be completed two days before the premiere, hopefully.” Though this rolls off his tongue playfully, I don’t think he is joking. It’s full speed ahead for Jackson and his talented team of animators and composers; An Unexpected Journey premieres this Wednesday, November 28 in New Zealand and then it comes to the States December 14. A tenth vlog is teased at the end, one that will take fans to the movie’s big Wellington premiere.

Editor’s note: In the craze known as Comic Con I must have missed vlog #8 and never posted it. I made sure to embed it after the break in case you missed it, too. In it Jackson takes us to San Diego and presents the Hobbit footage he screened in front of a packed panel. Continue reading ‘The Hobbit’ production vlog #9 →

Movie trailer round-up: ‘Now You See Me’, ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ & ‘Oz: The Great and the Powerful’

Movies, Video, , , , ,

If you’ve seen Christopher Nolan’s The Illusionist, this new magic flick should inspire you to visit theatres soon. Now You See Me tells an intriguing story about a group of magicians who perform seemingly impossible tricks on the road. In this first trailer for the movie, we see them performing on stage in Vegas and somehow they are able to magically rob a bank in France and teleport and shower the money all across their astonished audience. A large ensemble cast includes Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Melanie Laurent, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher, Woody Harrelson, Common, Michael Kelly, and Elias Koteas; rounding out the cast are Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine, giving this even more of a Chris Nolan feel. But he is not at the helm; Louis Leterrier (Transporter, The Incredible Hulk) is.

So how do they do it? Is it magic? Is it technology from the future? Morgan Freeman opens the trailer with this:  “Come in close, because the more you think you see, the easier it’ll be to fool you.” And he ends it like this: “Look closely, because the closer you think you are, the less you’ll actually see.” You figure it out when Now You See Me hits theatres on June 7.

Jump after the break for more trailers. Continue reading Movie trailer round-up: ‘Now You See Me’, ‘Jack the Giant Slayer’ & ‘Oz: The Great and the Powerful’ →

TV PSA: ‘Revolution’ gears up for midseason finale on Monday, won’t return until March

Image cache, News, Television, , , , , , ,

The battle for power begins on Monday, November 26 as we head toward the midseason finale of NBC’s buzzy new drama Revolution. So says the promotional artwork whipped together for next week’s pivotal episode titled “Nobody’s Fault But Mine.” Following the Led Zeppelin heavy “Kashmir” episode that aired earlier this week, Charlie, her uncle Miles, Aaron, and Nora have finally made it to Philadelphia  the city where Sebastian “Bass” Monroe has set up camp. Will Charlie (at long last) rescue her captive brother Danny? Will Miles succumb to Monroe’s pressure and rejoin the Republic (as was hinted at in last week’s hallucination)? What is Monroe’s ultimate plan when/if he gains power via the pendent with Rachel’s help? These are the questions you should be asking heading into Monday’s episode. Expect a major cliffhanger at the end–why?–because new episodes won’t return until March 25 and NBC has to leave viewers begging for more during such an excruciatingly long hiatus.

Revolution‘s midseason finale airs Monday, November 26 at 10PM on NBC.

[Image via TVLine]

First look: Freddy Highmore & Vera Farmiga in ‘Bates Motel’

Image cache, Television, , , ,

Here we have our very first look into Bates Motel, A&E’s Psycho prequel series from Carlton Cuse (Lost) and Kerry Ehrin (Friday Night Lights). The image captures Freddy Highmore (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory) as a young Norman Bates and Vera Farmiga (Up In The Air) as his mother Norma in the brush that crawls up to the now-infamous house on top of the hill.

Bates Motel is described as “a contemporary exploration of the formative years of Norman Bates’ relationship with his mother, Norma, and the world they inhabit. Viewers will have access to the dark, twisted backstory and learn firsthand how Norma helped forge the most famous serial killer of them all.” Norman and his mother move into the eerie home following the death of his father.

Also starring is Max Thieriot as Norman’s older brother, Nicola Peltz as Norman’s friend, and Olivia Cooke as one of his classmates.

Bates Motel’s 13 episode order premieres in 2013. Click after the break to view the first print ad for the anticipated series courtesy of THR. Continue reading First look: Freddy Highmore & Vera Farmiga in ‘Bates Motel’ →

Showrunners confirm ‘Last Resort’ & ‘666 Park Avenue’ will receive proper endings

News, Television, , ,

Last week ABC cancelled two of their high profile, creatively ambitious new shows Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue. Instead of axing them from the schedule, however, the network is going to allow both shows to play out their respective 13 episode arcs. Are you wondering if they will deliver answers and give at least some closure to fans who have been following since September? Ponder no more. TVLine has scooped that the sub drama and the supernatural thriller are tweaking their final episodes so that they serve as proper series finales.

“We have time to tweak,” says Last Resort creator Shawn Ryan. On the day of cancellation Ryan tweeted, “We’re going to give you no-holds barred kick-ass ending.” 666 executive producers David Wilcox and Matt Miller say that their show “is building to a powerful and surprising series finale, where all your questions will be answered. We hope fans of the show continue watching all the way to the end of Jane and Henry’s incredible journey to the dark side.”

After the November 4th installment of 666 saw DVR numbers jump a whopping 77 percent, ABC president Paul Lee called the ratings surge “amazing” but then went to say basically state too little, too late. “It’s wonderful to see the passion [these] shows have,” he said. “We just have to make sure we monetize it.”

Even though these shows have been cancelled, if you’ve been watching since the beginning there is no reason to stop now. Not only is the network going to air all 13 episodes of each, they will also produce answers to most (if not all) of the most juicy questions posed during the first half of their respective seasons. And who knows… if ratings climb, ABC is keeping the option open to bring them back next year if its schedule calls for it.

Chevy Chase exits ‘Community’

News, Television, , , ,

On Wednesday news broke that Pierce Hawthorne dropped out of Greendale Community College for good. Chevy Chase, who plays the bumbling, bigoted former CEO of a Moist Towelette company, will no longer take part in the NBC sitcom Community effective immediately. The actor and the show “are parting ways by mutual agreement,” according to Deadline. The site also reports that as of Wednesday only one or two episodes of the thirteen that comprise the long-delayed season 4 have yet to be filmed so Chase’s character will in fact appear in most of the upcoming episodes. Additionally, episodes were shot out of order; though Chase won’t appear in some episodes leading up to the season finale, he will (likely) be present in the May capper which has already been shot and wrapped.

If you’ve been following the tumultuous news coming out of Community even before series creator Dan Harmon was ousted this news shouldn’t really come as a total surprise. Prior to Harmon’s exit, there was a very public beef between the showrunner and Chevy Chase involving a nasty voicemail left by Chase. With Harmon out of the picture, just last month Chase went on a tirade in the middle of production vocally sharing his displeasure of the way his character was being portrayed; the N-word was tossed around on a set that includes two African American stars. In between there have been numerous reports of Chase storming off the set, and he has made it known that he’s not a fan of the TV sitcom in general. All in all, Chase’s exit was inevitable.

With the series creator and one of the show’s main stars out of the picture, can Community survive past a fourth season. We’ll see how it performs when it finally returns to NBC’s schedule February 7 at 8PM. Harmon had fun with Pierce Hawthorne and he made a formidable antagonist last season, but perhaps the character has run its course and the show will be better off without a hot-headed presence around. With a strong ensemble cast led by Joel McHale, the prospect of six seasons and a movie still lies ahead methinks.

The Weeknd drops 33-track ‘Trilogy’, three music videos, a message to the fans

Music, News, Video, , , ,

On November 13, Abel Tesfaye, aka The Weeknd, re-released his three mixtapes as one collection in Trilogy. The 33-track album contains mixed and mastered versions of every song from House of Balloons, Thursday, and Echoes of Silence plus three, never-before-heard bonus tracks “Twenty Eight,” “Valerie,” and “Till Dawn (Here Comes the Sun).” At $9.99 Trilogy, which also includes the music video for “The Zone” featuring Drake, is the definition of a steal. Digital and physical ($11.99) copies are available. Trilogy was released under Universal Republic Records and Tesfaye’s own XO label. If you enjoyed his mixtapes, support a growing, talented artist by picking up Trilogy today.

In addition to dropping the album, The Weeknd also directed three music videos to promote the release. Clips were shot for “Rolling Stone,” “Wicked Games,” and the previously aforementioned “The Zone” featuring Drake. In a note directed at his fans, Tesfaye opens up and sheds light on the symbolism behind the “Rolling Stone” clip. He acknowledges that signing to a major record label and releasing a studio album in Trilogy takes him away from “the underground” and into the spotlight, but promises that “this does not mean what you think it means.” In other words, he will not be affected by his new-found fame and next-level success. “YOU WILL CONTINUE TO GET WHAT YOU FELL IN LOVE WITH, AND I WILL CONTINUE TO GIVE YOU WHAT YOU ASK FOR. I’LL NEVER MAKE YOU WAIT AGAIN,” he shares in all caps.

Click after the break to view the note in full and all three music videos. In addition, you’ll find a new track “Enemy” outed last month that is not included on his first major release. Continue reading The Weeknd drops 33-track ‘Trilogy’, three music videos, a message to the fans →

ABC grants full season order to ‘Nashville’, cancels ‘Last Resort’ & ‘666 Park Avenue’; NBC picks up ‘Chicago Fire’; CBS cancels ‘Partners’; and other order updates

News, Television, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

As we start to approach midseason, broadcast networks take a close look at the ratings and decide whether or not to keep the new shows they introduced earlier this fall. In addition to reporting the latest pickups and cancellations, I will take a grander look at the status of each network’s programs to give you an idea as to what is likely to stay and go before the new year rolls around.

ABC: On Monday, ABC picked up the Connie Britton-Hayden Panettiere country music drama Nashville. This serialized soap had a ton of buzz going into the pilot and word of mouth helped this show perform to respectable ratings; leading up to its back-nine order it was averaging 9.4 million viewers and a 3.2 in adults 18-49.

PREVIOUS: The Alphabet is still sitting on new dramas Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue as ratings continue to bottom-out for the submarine and supernatural thrillers. Ratings are not good for either shows. This week Last Resort drew a 1.3 in adults 18-49 (a series low) and 666 saw that same number in its most recent outing. While Last Resort continues to fluctuate, it appears as though 666 has found the bottom since this is the second consecutive week it scored a 1.3 in the coveted demo. Insiders bet that ABC will likely renew Last Resort and dump 666 when all is said and done, but with ratings so neck-and-neck, it’s a tough call at the moment.

UPDATE: As I was putting together this post, news broke that ABC has cancelled both Last Resort and 666 Park Avenue. That 1.3 demo ratings must’ve really spooked the execs at top and gave them no choice but to let the Colorado and Drake go. It’s sad, really. Both of these shows were refreshingly ambitious in their storytelling. Fans will likely be vocal about this somber news because over the course of the last few weeks both shows managed to get ahead creatively and their potential to grow into truly memorable series jumped significantly. The acting on Last Resort (a show from The Chicago Code creator  Shawn Ryan who just can’t catch a break) is superb led by Andre Braugher and Scott Speedman. In 666, the enigmatic Rachael Taylor only just ventured down the rabbit hole. I tip my hat to ABC for giving these serialized dramas wrapped in mystery and intrigue a shot in its schedule; it’s unfortunate that neither of them managed to retain an audience. They will sorely be missed.

Now here’s a sprinkle of good news on top of all this: ABC will allow both series to finish out their respective 13-episode runs; whether or not this gives the writers and producers enough time to properly wrap some things up remains to be seen. Also, ABC is not letting go of these show entirely just yet; the network has the option to revive them next season, but without a back-nine order now this is likely a formality and you shouldn’t hold your breath.

Elsewhere, The Neighbors miraculously received a pickup and the new Reba McEntire sitcom Malibu Country dropped significantly after opening to huge ratings a couple weeks back; ABC recently ordered three additional scripts.

NBC: Last Thursday, NBC gave a back-nine order to the Dick Wolfe drama Chicago Fire. Though the procedural didn’t have much buzz a the get-go, it managed to reach 8 million viewers on average and a decent 2.4 rating in the adults 18-49 demo leading up to its pickup. NBC’s other new drama Revolution was picked up over a month ago and continues to be a strong performer for the network.

Elsewhere on the Peacock, comedies Go On and The New Normal were also granted full season orders. Animal Practice has been cancelled, and multi-cam comedy Guys with Kids is still alive. Though it has been sitting on the fence ratings-wise (it attracted 3.8 million viewers and a 1.3 demo in its last two installments), this week NBC has shown a spark of faith by ordering an additional four scripts increasing the Jimmy Fallon-produced comedy episode count from 13 to 17. It’s not a back-nine order, but it’s certainly good news for fans of the show. Whether or not the network decides bring the season’s episode count up to the typical 22 remains to be seen.

CBS: Today, CBS cancelled the David Krumholtz-Michael Urie comedy Partners after six episodes. Though it averaged 6.5 million viewers and a 2.4/6 in adults 18-49, in its most recent outing it sunk to 5.6 million viewers and a 1.8. With ratings giants like The Big Bang Theory and Two and a Half Men on its schedule, Partners is obviously a weak link for the network and did not perform up to its high standards. The show has been pulled from the schedule effective immediately and CBS comedy repeats will air in its Monday at 9:30PM slot starting next week. Though the sitcom was packed to the brim with gay jokes, I enjoyed engaging in the excellent rapport between stars Krumholz and Urie and I will sorely miss seeing the stunning Sophia Bush on a weekly basis. Also cancelled by CBS earlier this season was Made in Jersey.

CBS dramas fared better this season as the network picked up the Sherlock Homles-inspired Elementary and the Dennis Quaid-Michael Chiklis period drama Vegas. This week the network played around with these series’ episode orders: Elementary has gained an additional two episodes bringing its grand season 1 total to 24 and Vegas is losing one so its debut season will consist of 21 episodes.

FOX: Nothing new to report here. Comedies The Mindy Project and Ben And Kate were given “full season orders;” Mindy will run 24 episodes and Kate 19. The Mob Doctor continues to practice, for now.

The CW: Over at The CW, Arrow and Beauty and the Beast have been given the back-nine. Emily Owens, M.D. is still awaiting its fate.

FX renews ‘American Horror Story’ for season 3

News, Television, , , , , ,

This week FX renewed American Horror Story. With strong ratings and intense creativity brimming, it’s no shocker. The anthology series’ third season remains under wraps plot-wise, of course, but it has been revealed that Jessica Lange (Constance Langdon in Murder House, Sister Jude in Asylum) will star again. With season two encompassing so many intense fears, it’s hard to imagine what Ryan Murphy and co. have in store for us next.

FX president John Landgraf: “With American Horror Story: Asylum, Ryan and Brad have raised the bar in every way from Murder House, the first American Horror Story miniseries. And their original idea—the notion of doing an anthological series of miniseries with a repertory cast—has proven groundbreaking, wildly successful and will prove to be trendsetting. We can’t wait to see what deviously brilliant ideas they come up with for their third miniseries.”

FX begins production on the third season of AHS this summer and it’s set to premiere in Fall 2013.

Currently, AHS: Asylum airs Wednesday nights at 10PM on FX.

TV poster: ‘Game of Thrones’ season 3 [Update: promo teaser inside]

Image cache, Television, Video, , , , , , ,

This official poster serves as a reminder that HBO’s fantasy series Game of Thrones returns for its third season on March 31, 2013.

Update (11/19): A promo teaser joins the promo poster after the jump. There is no actual footage from the upcoming season; what we get is this fiery and icy quote: “The great war is between death and life, ice and fire. If we lose, the night will never end.” Continue reading TV poster: ‘Game of Thrones’ season 3 [Update: promo teaser inside] →

Netflix original program ‘House of Cards’ gets first trailer

Television, Video, , , , , ,

Could House of Cards be a game-changer in terms of original content distribution? That’s where we last left off when Netflix announced it would be exclusively streaming a new show from executive producer David Fincher (The Social Network) and Kevin Spacey. The streaming giant released a trailer for the “wicked political drama [that] penetrates the shadowy world of greed, sex, and corruption in modern D.C.” Kevin Spacey stars as Congressman Francis Underwood, his wife Claire is played by Robin Wright, and together they “stop at nothing to conquer everything.” Kate Mara (American Horror Story) and Corey Stoll co-star.

Production value looks on-par with the best premium cable giants like HBO and Showtime have to offer. Will it attract the same kind of audiences Game of Thrones and Homeland score? We’ll find out shortly after House of Cards premieres on Netflix February 1. Just like the streaming company is doing with new episodes Arrested Development, all thirteen episodes of House of Cards will be made available on day one. No matter its performance, Netflix is committed to two 13-episode seasons of the politically-driven drama.