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Movie Review: MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

By ABBIE BERNSTEIN 05/20/2011

MIDNIGHT IN PARIS movie poster | ©2011 Sony Classics

Rating: PG-13 Stars: Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Marion Cotillard, Rachel McAdams, Michael Sheen, Owen Wilson Writer: Woody Allen Director: Woody Allen Distributor: Sony Pictures Classics Release Date: May 20, 2011 Woody Allen has been writing and directing movies since 1969’s TAKE THE MONEY AND RUN (or 1966’s WHAT’S UP, TIGER LILY? If one counts his before-its-time MSTK redubbed take on a Japanese spy film). He started out as a farceur, then did comedy/dramas, then tried straight drama and by 1980, he made a movie called STARDUST MEMORIES where aliens told his onscreen alter ego (played by Allen) that […]Read On »

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Movie Review: PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES

By SEAN ELLIOTT

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: ON STRANGER TIDES final poster | ©2011 Walt Disney Studios

Rating: PG-13 Stars: Johnny Depp, Peneolpe Cruz, Geoffrey Rush, Ian McShane Writer: Screenplay by Ted Elliott & Terry Rossio, Characters by Ted Elliott, Terry Rossio, Stuart Beattie,Jay Wolpert Director: Rob Marshall Distributor: Walt Disney Pictures Release Date: May 20, 2011 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN is a film series that I think could probably just keep going like the Energizer Bunny. People didn’t react as kind to the last couple of PIRATES sequels as well as they did the first film though. Complaints concerning films two and three (DEAD MAN’S CHEST and AT WORLD’S END)were that there were too many storylines […]Read On »

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TV Review: BONES – Season 6 – “The Change in the Game” – Season Finale

By RACHEL REITSLEFF

David Boreanaz and Emily Deschanel in BONES - Season 6 - "The Change in the Game" | ©2011 Fox/Ray Mickshaw

Stars: David Boreanaz, Emily Deschanel, Michaela Conlin, T.J. Thyne, Tamara Taylor, John Francis Daley, Michael Grant Terry, Ryan O’Neal, Kevin Alejandro Writers: Hart Hanson & Stephen Nathan Director: Ian Toynton Network: Fox, Thursdays @ 9 PM Airdate: May 19, 2011 Let’s cut to the chase here. When a TV series has a star who becomes pregnant in real life, the options are to write her out of several episodes, stash her behind desks and potted plants while she is “showing,” or just write the pregnancy into the series. As Emily Deschanel is the title character on BONES, writing her out […]Read On »

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AMERICAN IDOL recap: Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina in the finals next week

By PETER BROWN

Haley Reinhart is eliminated on AMERICAN IDOL - Season 10 - The Final Three | ©2011 Fox/Michael Becker

Cast: Ryan Seacrest, Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler, Randy Jackson Network: Fox, airs Wednesdays and Thursdays Original Telecast: May 19, 2011 And then there were two on the world’s greatest karaoke competition, AMERICAN IDOL. Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina are in the finals and next week will battle it out for the numero uno position of the season. The big cheese. The top dog. The ace of spades. But who will it be? That means that Haley Reinhart was eliminated this week despite perhaps being the strongest singer left in the competition and having the better performances last night. It’s too […]Read On »

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THE RITE is one of the Blu-ray and DVD picks this week

By PETER BROWN 05/19/2011

Your time is short. We know this. So in order to expedite your buying and Netflix decision making, we provide you with a list of the cool and not-so-cool titles coming out for movies, television and everything in-between. So put your feet up, grab some popcorn and check out this week’s selections. MOVIES THE RITE – Unlike the recent demonic possession films that have come out of late – THE LAST EXORCISM, THE EXORCISM OF EMILY ROSE – is a taut supernatural thriller that does a good job of keeping you guessing as to where the flick is going. A […]Read On »

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TV Review: SOUTH PARK – Season 15 – “T.M.I.”

By CARL CORTEZ

Cartman in SOUTH PARK - Season 15 - "T.M.I." | ©2011 Comedy Central

Writer: Trey Parker Director: Trey Parker Network: Comedy Central, airs Wednesday nights Original Telecast: May 18, 2011 Last week I was equally praised and crucified by readers for my scathing review of the SOUTH PARK episode “Royal Pudding”. It was a horrible mess with a funny gags and not much else. Sorry. Thankfully, this week’s episode “T.M.I.” is a much better effort (still not perfect, but good), keeping things simple and bringing the inspired lunacy that makes SOUTH PARK so great. When the South Park faculty decides to post how much each student has grown in size during the year, […]Read On »

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TV Review: AMERICAN IDOL – Season 10 – “Three Finalists Compete”

By PETER BROWN

AMERICAN IDOL: The Final Three: L-R: Haley Reinhart, Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina | | ©2011 Fox/Michael Becker

Cast: Ryan Seacrest, Jennifer Lopez, Steven Tyler Network: Fox, airs Wednesdays and Thursdays Original Telecast: May 18, 2011 There was a lot of pomp and circumstance on the world’s greatest karaoke competition, AMERICAN IDOL, this week. Lots of looking back at the final three and how they got this spot, but one more has to go before the finals during Season 10 of this powerhouse series. So I’m skipping all that filler (since they boosted it to two hours this week) and going right to the heart of the matter – the performances. Beyonce was the guest mentor this week […]Read On »

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TV Review: GLEE – Season 2 – “Funeral”

By CARL CORTEZ 05/18/2011

Jane Lynch, Jessalyn Golsig, Kent Avenido in GLEE - Season 2 - "Funeral" | ©2011 Fox/Beth Dubber

Stars: Dianna Agron, Chris Colfer, Jessalyn Gilsig, Jane Lynch, Jayma Mays, Kevin McHale, Lea Michele, Cory Monteith, Matthew Morrison, Amber Riley, Mark Salling, Jenna Ushkowitz Writer: Ryan Murphy Director: Bradley Buecker Network: Fox, airs Tuesday nights Original Telecast: May 18, 2011 Characters should be the backbone of any TV series. They should move a series forward, they should connect with an audience and there should be some consistency in their actions as well. With GLEE in Season 2, it’s proven to be a topsy-turvy ride character-wise with random motivations, left-field personality switches and a heavy reliance on romantic pairings that […]Read On »

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DANCING WITH THE STARS Recap: Ralph Macchio is karate kicked off DWTS

By PAMELA HARLAND

Karina Smirnoff and Ralph Macchio are eliminated on the DANCING WITH THE STARS - Season 12 - Week 9 - Semifinals | ©2011 ABC/Michael Desmond

Lightening didn’t strike twice on DANCING WITH THE STARS as Ralph Macchio (and his partner Karina Smirnoff) were karate chopped off the show, placing him in fourth place for season 12. Unlike last week when somehow he escaped elimination after coming in last – partially due to a knee injury – this week his luck ran out and Hines Ward, Kirstie Alley and Chelsea Kane earned their place in the finals next week. The judges basically made their picks last night…Alley, Ward and Kane would go to the finals. Their low scores for Macchio basically told him that last night. […]Read On »

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Breaking News: ABC announces Fall 2011 Schedule

By CARL CORTEZ 05/17/2011

Joe Anderson and Luisana Lopilato in THE RIVER - Season 1 | ©2011 ABC/Francisco Roman

ABC made some bold moves with its Fall 2011 Schedule today in New York for the annual upfronts. The biggest new is Tim Allen is returning to ABC with his LAST MAN STANDING comedy, while a reboot of CHARLIE’S ANGELES anchors Thursday nights at 8:00. Midseason has a slew of programs waiting in the wings, but the most ambitious is the found footage series THE RIVER from PARANORMAL ACTIVITY creator Oren Peli and executive producer Steven Spielberg. Below is the schedule and after that is the ABC press release information on all of their new series. ABC FALL 2011 SCHEDULE […]Read On »