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Movie Review: CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN 07/22/2011

CAPTAIN AMERICA - final movie poster | ©2011 Marvel Studios/Paramount Pictures

Rating: PG-13 Stars: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Sebastian Stan, Tommy Lee Jones, Hayley Atwell, Dominic Cooper, Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones Writers: Christopher Markus & Stephen McFeely Director: Joe Johnston Distributor: Paramount Pictures Release Date: July 21, 2011 There’s nothing terribly wrong with CAPTAIN AVENGER: THE FIRST AVENGER as these things go. Chris Evans is likable and puts conviction into the title role, one Steve Rogers of Brooklyn, who desperately wants to enlist and fight for his country during WWII. Alas, Steve doesn’t meet the U.S. Army’s health requirements, but he is ultimately brought into an experimental unit. Thanks to a […]Read On »

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TV Review: LOVE BITES – “Modern Plagues”

By RACHEL REITSLEFF

Michelle Trachtenberg and Bret Harrison in LOVE BITES - "Modern Plagues" | ©2011 NBC/Adam Taylor

Stars: Becky Newton, Greg Grunberg, Constance Zimmer, Michelle Trachtenberg, Bret Harrison, Matt Long, Donald Faison, Jaime Pressly Writer: Cindy Chupack Director: Anton Cropper Network: NBC, Thursdays @ 10 PM Airdate: July 21, 2011 If it’s still a little unclear on why someone decided to revive the LOVE, AMERICAN STYLE format – albeit in a much less cartoonish incarnation – in 2011, the results are quite pleasant. While one of our main characters, Annie (Becky Newton) is off on maternity leave while carrying her sister’s child, Annie’s waitress colleague Jodie (Michelle Trachtenberg) has made the big leap, giving up her own […]Read On »

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AMERICA’S GOT TALENT Recap: Second Hollywood Quarter-Finals eliminations

By PAMELA HARLAND 07/21/2011

Steve Retchless makes it through on AMERICA'S GOT TALENT - Season 6 - Hollywood Week Quarter Finals - Elimination 2 | ©2011 NBC/Trae Patton

There was a big surprise tonight on AMERICA’S GOT TALENT during the second week of the Hollywood Quarter-Finals elimination round. Steven Retchless, the male pole dancer made it to the semi finals! To the chagrin of Piers Morgan, who buzzed Retchless’ act mercilessly, Retchless moves forward with three other acts while eight more acts go home. Of the four acts, the judges picked one while the other three were voted for by the people at home. First to stay was, no surprise, the Silhouettes – the spectacular screen dance group of 42. Next to get in was flamboyant singing sensation […]Read On »

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AMERICA’S GOT TALENT Recap and Review: “Hollywood Quarter-Finals” – Week 2 (Season 6)

By PAMELA HARLAND 07/20/2011

Silhouettes perform on AMERICA'S GOT TALENT - Hollywood Week 2 - Quarter-Finals | ©2011 NBC/Trae Patton

The Hollywood quarter-finals competition continues on AMERICA’S GOT TALENT with the next twelve of the remaining 36 vying for the semi finals. However, it was not an exciting night. In fact, it was rather dull with very few exceptions. This week, just like last week, most couldn’t take the heat, easily paving the way for just four to move on to the semi finals with the already four from last week who have made it. Once again, Piers Morgan buzzed four of the 12 acts that, surprisingly, he had something to do with putting through. He is growing ever so […]Read On »

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TV Review: ALPHAS – Season 1 – “Cause and Effect”

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN

David Strathairn in ALPHAS - Season 1 - "Cause and Effect" | ©2011 Syfy/Steve Wilkie

Stars: David Strathairn, Malik Yoba, Warren Christie, Azita Ghanizada, Ryan Cartwright, Laura Mennell, Mahershalalhashbaz Ali, Valerie Cruz, Will McCormack Writer: Julie Siege, series created by Zak Penn & Michael Karnow Director: Constantine Makris Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 10 PM (note: pilot episode is 90 minutes) Airdate: July 18, 2011 ALPHAS is only on its second episode, “Cause and Effect,” but it shows nerves of steel in presenting us – and its characters – with the kind of moral gray zone that was last seen with regularity in these parts on BATTLESTAR GALACTICA. A heavily chained Alpha, Marcus Ayers (Will McCormack), […]Read On »

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TV Review: WAREHOUSE 13 – Season 3 – “Trials”

By SEAN ELLIOTT

Allison Scagliotti in WAREHOUSE 13 - Season 3 - "Trials" | ©2011 Syfy/Steve Wilkie

Stars: Eddie McClintock, Joanne Kelly, Saul Rubinek, Genelle Williams, Allison Scagliotti, Aaron Ashmore, Jaime Murray, Ashley Williams Writer: Drew Z. Greeberg Director: Constantine Makris Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 9 PM Airdate: July 18, 2011 “Trials” is an interesting dual episode for WAREHOUSE 13. Now that Myka (Joanne Kelly) is back on the team, there are actually two complete sets of agents to investigate and acquire artifacts. Pete (Eddie McClintock) and Myka form their original duo, and Claudia (Allison Scagliotti) and ATF Special Agent Steve Jinks (Aaron Ashmore) form the new partnership. Two very different artifacts and cases in this episode […]Read On »

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TV Review: TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY – “Rendition” – Review #2

By SEAN ELLIOTT

Alexa Havins in TORCHWOOD: MIRACLE DAY | ©2011 BBC Worldwide Limited

Stars: John Barrowman, Eve Myles, Mekhi Phifer, Alexa Havins, Kai Owen, Bill Pullman, Arlene Tur, Paul James, Marina Benedict, Brian Guest, William Thomas, Sharon Morgan, Tom Price Writer: Doris Egan Director: Billy Gierhart Network: Starz, airs Friday nights Original Telecast: July 15, 2011 I like the tone of this series for TORCHWOOD better than the dark, bleak, and sinister overtones of TORCHWOOD: CHILDREN OF EARTH. That third series seemed so devoid of hope, that there was no possible way to end it on an upbeat note, and it didn’t. MIRACLE DAY is tense and engaging without giving us the darkness […]Read On »

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TV Review: TEEN WOLF – Season 1 – “Lunatic”

By CARL CORTEZ 07/19/2011

Colton Haynes and Crystal Reed in TEEN WOLF - Season 1 - "Lunatic" | ©2011 MTV

Stars: Tyler Posey, Crystal Reed, Dylan O’Brien, Tyler Hoechlin, Holland Roden, Colton Haynes, Linden Ashby, JR Bourne Director: Tim Andrew Network: MTV, airs Monday nights Original Telecast: July 18, 2011 Anyone looking to create a successful genre show on network or cable television, needs only to look as far as the exceptional TEEN WOLF. What it accomplishes on a weekly basis is phenomenal. From how it creates likable characters and dialogue that isn’t too meta and not too jokey to how the look of the show, courtesy of Director of Photography […]Read On »

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TV Review: EUREKA – Season 4 – “Reprise”

By RACHEL REITSLEFF

Colin Ferguson and Felicia Day in EUREKA - Season 4 - "Reprse" | ©2011 Syfy/Eike Schroter

Stars: Colin Ferguson, Salli Richardson-Whitfield, Joe Morton, Erica Cerra, Neil Grayston, Niall Matter, Tembi Locke, Kavan Smith, Felicia Day, Trevor Jackson, Debrah Farantino Writer: Amy Berg Director: Matt Hastings Network: Syfy, Mondays @ 8 PM Airdate: July 18, 2011 Episodes of EUREKA can approach THE USUAL SUSPECTS in structural complexity, with a lot of individual actions affecting one another until calamity erupts. This is the case in “Reprise,” which is both entertaining and suspenseful – and also intentionally very funny. When visiting Department of Defense scientist Holly (Felicia Day) hits town, she is clearly hyper-bright but also so nervously chatty […]Read On »

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TV Review: BREAKING BAD – Season 4 premiere – “Box Cutter”

By PETER BROWN

Bryan Cranston and Aarol Paul in BREAKING BAD - Season 4 | ©2011 AMC/Ben Leuner

Cast: Bryan Cranston, Anna Gunn, Aaron Paul, Dean Norris, Betsy Brandt, RJ Mitte, Giancarlo Esposito Director: Adam Bernstein Writer: Vince Gilligan Network: AMC, airs Sundays at 9 p.m. Original Telecast: July 17, 2011 Well, if that isn’t the way to get a message across to your employees, I’m not sure what is on BREAKING BAD. Of course, I’m talking about meth boss Gus Fring’s (Giancarlo Esposito) brutal and methodic disrobing of his suit and tie, slowly putting on a chemical suit in the meth lab, stalking about the lab in absolutely silence and ultimately slitting the throat of one of […]Read On »

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