Jared Leto and Matthew McConaughey star in 'Dallas Buyers Club' (Photo Credit: Anne Marie Fox / Focus Features)When you’re one of the favorites to earn a spot on the list of Best Picture Oscar nominees, it’s okay to brag. And Focus Features is doing a bit of pre-Oscar bragging by releasing a new Dallas Buyers Club trailer showing off some of its award nominations and wins. Two of the critics’ groups I’m a part of are mentioned – Broadcast Film Critics Association’s Critics’ Choice Movie Awards and the San Diego Film Critics Society – as well as a round-up of its Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild nominations, all of which were well-deserved.
The Plot:
Matthew McConaughey stars in Dallas Buyers Club as real-life Texas cowboy Ron Woodroof, whose free-wheeling life was overturned in 1985 when he was diagnosed as HIV-positive and given 30 days to live. These were the early days of the AIDS epidemic, and the U.S. was divided over how to combat the virus. Ron, now shunned and ostracized by many of his old friends, and bereft of government-approved effective medicines, decided to take matters in his own hands, tracking down alternative treatments from all over the world by means both legal and illegal. Bypassing the establishment, the entrepreneurial Woodroof joined forces with an unlikely band of renegades and outcasts – who he once would have shunned – and established a hugely successful “buyers’ club.” Their shared struggle for dignity and acceptance is a uniquely American story of the transformative power of resilience.
The History Channel has added Appalachian Outlaws to its 2014 primetime schedule. The new reality series that delves into the world of ginseng harvesting will premiere on Thursday, January 9th at 10pm ET/PT, following ginseng growers, diggers, and middlemen as they attempt to survive in the often brutal world of ginseng farming which, according to History, is worth $600 a pound.
The Plot:
Whoever controls the ginseng, controls the mountains. People will steal it, risk jail time and even their lives to get their hands on it. Over-harvesting in Asia has increased demand, pushing prices to an all-time high, and people are rushing to cash in. It so happens the Appalachian Mountains have just the right elevation, rainfall and mineral-rich soil to produce the best wild ginseng in the world, but it’s only legal for digging from the end of summer until the first frost. To prevent over-harvesting in the U.S., some states have started regulating where it’s legal to pull ginseng, which has made territorial lines even blurrier than before. And with ginseng fever heating up, outsiders are creeping in on local’s territory to find it, causing massive turf wars over this heavily revered root.
Appalachian Outlaws follows a set of unique characters in their quest to acquire and fight for this plant that affords many their livelihood. From diggers to growers to middlemen, every day is a matter of survival in a trade where people will do just about anything to get their hands on this rare root.
Shakira, Usher, Carson Daly, Adam Levine, Blake Shelton from 'The Voice' (Photo by: Mark Seliger/NBC)
The Voice‘s rotating coach chairs will be filled once again by Shakira and Usher when the popular singing competition returns for season six. Shakira and Usher proved to be big hits with fans of The Voice and NBC says they’ll both be reuniting with Blake Shelton and Adam Levine when the show kicks off with a special two-night premiere on Monday, February 24, 2014 and Tuesday, February 25th.
The fifth season of The Voice with judges Shelton, Levine, Christina Aguilera, and Ceelo Green has been averaging 14.7 million viewers and is the #1 show on broadcast networks on Mondays and Tuesdays (among 18-49 year olds).
Details on The Voice Coaches [Courtesy of NBC]:
Reprising her role as a coach in season four, Shakira returns to share her expertise. Over the course of her career, Colombian singer-songwriter and Grammy winner Shakira has sold close to 60 million albums worldwide and has won numerous awards, including two Grammys, nine Latin Grammys, four World Music Awards, three American Music Awards and five Billboard Music Awards. Her collaborations with such stars as Beyonce and Alejandro Sanz have helped grow her audience and she is the only artist from South America to have a #1 song in the U.S. Currently working on a new album, Shakira has had four of the 20 top-selling hits of the last decade, more than any other artist. Tops on the list is 2006’s “Hips Don’t Lie,” the biggest-selling single of the 21st century that reached the #1 spot in an astonishing 55 countries.
A natural born coach, Usher also returns to his red chair. He has been ranked by the Recording Industry Assn. of America as one of the best-selling artists in American music history, having sold over 50 million albums worldwide. He has won numerous awards including eight Grammy Awards and was named the #1 Hot 100 artist of the 2000s decade. Billboard named him the second most successful artist of the 2000s decade, with his career-propelling 2004 album Confessions being ranked as the top solo album of the 2000s decade. Usher has attained nine Hot 100 #1 hits (all as a lead artist) and 18 Hot 100 top-10 singles.
Usher is also the last artist to reach Diamond sales in music history. He is currently working on his eighth studio album as well as filming the movie Hands of Stone where he will be starring as Sugar Ray Leonard opposite Edgar Ramirez and Robert de Niro.
Levine has been a coach on The Voice since the show’s debut in April 2011. He is also the lead singer of three-time Grammy Award-winning band Maroon 5. The multi-platinum selling group’s latest album, Overexposed, has quickly reinforced the band’s status as a powerhouse in popular music with all of the collection’s singles quickly rising to the top of the charts. The third single off of the album claimed the #1 spot on both Top 40 and Hot AC radio charts. In the process, the band set a record for the most #1’s (six in total) by a group in the Top 40 chart’s 20-year history.
Most recently, Maroon 5 wrapped one of the highest grossing tours of 2013 with over $50 million in ticket sales. The band is currently in the studio recording a new album.
Shelton is CMA Awards’ reigning Male Vocalist of the Year for the fourth consecutive year. With 10 back-to-back No. 1 singles (15 overall), Shelton is one of the “most versatile of contemporary country singers” (The New York Times). Based on a True Story…, the CMA Awards’ Album of the Year and Grammy Country Album of the Year nominee, has produced three consecutive No. 1 singles including “Mine Would Be You,” nominated for Grammy Country Song of the Year and Country Solo Performance of the Year. His current single, “Doin’ What She Likes,” is the latest single off this celebrated artists’ most successful album of his career.
“To a purist, Mr. Shelton is a savvy student of tradition. To a would-be outlaw, he’s forever adding a wink. He’s a star who is only as explicit as you want him to be,” said Jon Caramanica, The New York Times. Shelton’s passion for country music and his commitment to mentoring his teammates from “The Voice” make him an incredible ambassador for country music.
Juan Pablo di Pace as Jesus in ‘A.D.’ (Photo by Joe Alblas / Lightworkers Media / NBC)
Executive producers Mark Burnett and Roma Downey are teaming up with NBC for the 12-hour miniseries A.D. coming to the network in spring 2015. A.D. is a follow-up to The Bible and will be written by BAFTA nominated writer Simon Block (The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall). NBC hasn’t announced a director or any members of the cast.
“Last year when Mark Burnett was launching The Bible on cable, I told him, without hesitation, that if he wanted to tell more of the story, we’d love to do it at NBC,” said Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment. “We are firmly in the ‘event’ business, and nothing has more event potential than A.D. as it continues immediately after the The Bible ended. The heft of a broadcast network, combined with the promotional arms of NBCUniversal and Comcast, will push this miniseries to a mass audience. We value our relationship with Mark and Roma and know that no one could bring this story to life better than them.”
“You might think the story is over at the Crucifixion, but as most of the world knows, that was only the beginning,” added Jennifer Salke, President, NBC Entertainment. “Everyone’s lives were completely altered in an instant and the immediate aftermath of Christ’s death had an impact on his disciples, his mother, Mary, and key political and religious leaders of the time. In the first episode alone you see the last moments of the Crucifixion, Judas taking his own life after betraying Christ, Peter denying Jesus three times, and then the miracle of the Resurrection. We feel so fortunate to be in the hands of Mark and Roma, who have proven that the greatest story ever told is still just that.”
Downey and Burnett said, “It is the story that changed the world. Millions have died for it and billions live by it. We know that an enormous community will be counting the days until A.D. premieres. We look forward to making this an epic global television event.”
The Bible averaged 13.2 million viewers and, according to History Channel, was the third most-watched cable television series or miniseries in 2013. It’s sold more than 525,000 DVDs and is the top miniseries DVD seller in history.
Kevin Costner, Amber Heard, and Hailee Steinfeld star in the dramatic thriller 3 Days to Kill coming to theaters sometime next year and showing off a new poster and trailer today. 3 Days of Kill was directed by McG and written by Luc Besson and Adi Hasak.
The Plot:
Kevin Costner is a dangerous international spy, who is determined to give up his high stakes life to finally build a closer relationship with his estranged wife and daughter, whom he’s previously kept at arm’s length to keep out of danger. But first, he must complete one last mission- even if it means juggling the two toughest assignments yet: hunting down the world’s most ruthless terrorist and looking after his teenage daughter for the first time in ten years, while his wife is out of town.
Paramount Pictures is set to release Welcome to Yesterday, a found footage sci-fi project that’s reminiscent of 2012’s Chronicle, in theaters on February 28, 2014. Produced by Michael Bay and previously titled Almanac, this found footage film follows a group of teenagers who discover how to build a time machine. Directed by Dean Israelite, Welcome to Yesterday stars Sofia Black-D’Elia, Allen Evangelista, Ginny Gardner, Sam Lerner, and Jonny Weston.
To follow Jake Owen on Twitter is to know him. The Florida native has a reputation for cultivating personal relationships over social media through his active and open presence. Whether it’s sharing new music or the entire track list for his latest album, Days of Gold, as he did in October, or inviting fans to impromptu, real-life meetings, Owen has grown his Twitter account and his brand to an extent that even he can’t believe.
“I never would have thought that I could move to a town with a dream, start fulfilling it as far as getting a record deal and putting out some music, and then eight years later have a million people following me on Twitter,” he said. “People don’t have you on Twitter. If they do, it’s because they want to know what’s going on in your life. It makes me feel good to know that people care enough about what I’m doing.”
Owen has worked hard to develop that relationship. No manager or label staffer runs his Twitter account. Owen handles his own online identity, a freedom that isn’t afforded to him in every aspect of his career. “The beautiful introduction of social media over the last few years has made it so if artists want to take the time to connect with their fans, there’s nothing stopping them,” he said. “There’s no one telling me I can’t. If I want to invite 10 people onto my boat, I can.”
“Jake is one of the best at conversing with his fans through the socials,” said Gary Overton, Chairman/CEO, Sony Music Nashville. “I don’t think the guy sleeps! There has not been an accurate matrix formulated that can measure direct links from socials to sales, but we definitely feel the lift in Jake’s career and public awareness of him through the socials.”
It is not uncommon for Owen to even invite fans out to meet him in person. “The other night, my wife and I were sitting around, drinking beers and watching football in Montana,” he recalled. “I asked people where to go to dinner, and then when I got to where we were going, I was like, ‘Hey, I’m at Old Chicago Pizza, or whatever. Come on down! I’m buying beer if you’re drinking.’ Like, 40 people showed up, people who got in the car and drove across town at 10 o’clock at night to shyly ask for a photo. To me, that’s so fulfilling, to be able to show people that I’m not just some guy on TV or the radio. I’m a real person.”
These meetings with fans are never planned, according to Owen. “It’s just spur-of-the-moment,” he insisted. “I’m usually not doing anything. People are like, ‘I can’t believe you’d invite people to come down and have beers with you on your bus.’ And I’m like, ‘I’m sitting here doing nothing. Who would not want to have a beer in the first place, let alone with someone who is excited to come to the show?”
The new father will often share his personal life too. Whether it’s a photo of his father in the hospital or videos of his daughter, Olive Pearl, who was born on November 22, 2012, Owen seems to be an open book.
“I have friends who are artists, who are like, ‘I can’t believe you do the things you do. I can’t believe you don’t want more privacy,’” Owen said. “For me, it’s almost backwards: I think giving people more, they’re content. They don’t have to dig. No one is ever digging into my life to find out anything because I’ve pretty much already told them, or they figure I’ll tell them anyway. I don’t ever want to be the guy who hides behind the shadows, comes out onstage as a mystery and then leaves again.”
Never mind that this “strategy” has served Owen well professionally. In the end, his reasons for reaching out are simpler than that. “I love that feeling of seeing people smile,” he said. “I love to reach down into the crowd, pull a little kid off his dad’s shoulders, walk him back to the drum stand, hand him a drumstick, high-five him and walk him back to his dad. It’s not just about knowing that I made the kid’s night, but knowing that the dad, when he goes home tonight, will be the coolest dad ever. Those are powerful things that I can do with my life and career. I’m not going to waste time in my life not doing the best I can for the people who give me this awesome opportunity.”
Robert Redford’s currently riding a wave of renewed popularity among moviegoers and film critics for his performance in All is Lost, and now he’s set up a new project at Discovery Channel. The network announced they’re currently in production on The West with Redford and Laura Michalchyshyn’s Sundance Productions producing. Sundance Productions also produced Discovery’s Emmy-nominated All the President’s Men Revisited.
The West will debut on Discovery Channel in 2014.
“The stories of the American West are epic and profound with some of the biggest, most renowned, and mythologized characters,” said Robert Redford and Laura Michalchyshyn, Sundance Productions.
The Plot:
From Jesse James and Crazy Horse to Wyatt Earp and Buffalo Bill, the characters at the center of this violent, blood-soaked period in American history are explored. Each episode of The West will follow the stories and struggles of the West’s most infamous outlaws as they fight for their land and identity. The American Dream belonged to those brave enough to claim it and The West encapsulates the world of chaos, turmoil and opportunity during the notorious fight for the American West.
KISS (Photo Credit: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum)Nine groups/individuals have been voted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and will be honored at the 29th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony to be held on April 10, 2014 at Barclays Center. “This year’s Hall of Fame Inductees really capture the passion of the fans,” said Joel Peresman, President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation. “We’re thrilled to again be able to have the fans be a part of the show, especially as we bring the ceremony to Barclays Center and partner again with HBO and Playtone.”
“Brooklyn has always been a hotbed for rock and roll and we’re proud to continue that tradition by hosting the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,” said Barclays Center CEO Brett Yormark. “Barclays Center has hosted many of the world’s biggest artists and we are looking forward to welcoming the new Inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as we celebrate for the first time ever in Brooklyn.”
700 voters cast their votes for the potential Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductees among the acts that qualified for consideration. In order to be eligible, artists had to have a career in music spanning at least 25 years.
Nirvana (Photo credit: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum)The Inductees are:
Performer Category:
Peter Gabriel
Hall and Oates
KISS
Nirvana
Linda Ronstadt
Cat Stevens
Ahmet Ertegun Awards:
Brian Epstein
Andrew Loog Oldham
The Award for Musical Excellence:
The E Street Band
Oscar Isaac stars in 'Inside Llewyn Davis' - Photo Courtesy of CBS FilmsJoel and Ethan Coen’s Inside Llewyn Davis nabbed two of the top prizes at the 2013 Toronto Film Critics Association Awards, with the folk singer drama earning the Best Picture award and star Oscar Isaac winning for Best Actor. This year’s winners will be honored at the 2013 TFCA Awards ceremony taking place on January 7, 2014 and hosted by Toronto International Film Festival Artistic Director Cameron Bailey.
“It’s been an unusually thrilling year for cinema,” said TFCA President Brian D. Johnson, film critic at Maclean’s. “And these awards celebrate a remarkable diversity. Among our distinctive Canadian finalists, each offers an inspired take on a compelling issue—from school bullying in The Dirties to sexual liberation among the disabled in Gabrielle to epic environmental crisis in Watermark.
Toronto Film Critics Association Awards Winners and Runners-up:
BEST PICTURE Inside Llewyn Davis
Runners-up: Her and 12 Years a Slave
BEST ACTOR
Oscar Isaac, Inside Llewyn Davis
Runners-up: Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave and Matthew McConaughey, Dallas Buyers Club
BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett, Blue Jasmine
Runners-up: Julie Delpy, Before Midnight and Greta Gerwig, Frances Ha
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Jared Leto, Dallas Buyers Club
Runners-up: Michael Fassbender, 12 Years a Slave and James Franco, Spring Breakers
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Jennifer Lawrence, American Hustle
Runners-up: Lupita Nyong’o, 12 Years a Slave and June Squibb, Nebraska
BEST DIRECTOR
Alfonso Cuarón, Gravity
Runners-up: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis and Steve McQueen, 12 Years a Slave
BEST SCREENPLAY, ADAPTED OR ORIGINAL
Spike Jonze, Her
Runners-up: Richard Linklater, Ethan Hawke & Julie Delpy, Before Midnight and Joel Coen & Ethan Coen, Inside Llewyn Davis
BEST FIRST FEATURE Neighboring Sounds directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho
Runners-up: Fruitvale Station directed by Ryan Coogler and In a World … directed by Lake Bell
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
The Wind Rises
Runners-up: The Croods and Frozen
BEST FOREIGN-LANGUAGE FILM A Touch of Sin
Runners-up: Blue Is the Warmest Color and The Hunt
BMO ALLAN KING DOCUMENTARY AWARD The Act of Killing
Runners-up: Leviathan and Tim’s Vermeer
ROGERS BEST CANADIAN FILM AWARD FINALISTS The Dirties
Gabrielle
Watermark
Stumble It! 
The History Channel has added Appalachian Outlaws to its 2014 primetime schedule. The new reality series that delves into the world of ginseng harvesting will premiere on Thursday, January 9th at 10pm ET/PT, following ginseng growers, diggers, and middlemen as they attempt to survive in the often brutal world of ginseng farming which, according to History, is worth $600 a pound.
