The Expendables are back and this time it’s personal…
Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone), Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), Yin Yang (Jet Li), Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), Toll Road (Randy Couture) and Hale Caesar (Terry Crews) — with newest members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) and Maggie (Yu Nan) aboard — are reunited when Mr. Church (Bruce Willis) enlists the Expendables to take on a seemingly simple job. The task looks like an easy paycheck for Barney and his band of old-school mercenaries. But when things go wrong and one of their own is viciously killed, the Expendables are compelled to seek revenge in hostile territory where the odds are stacked against them. Hell-bent on payback, the crew cuts a swath of destruction through opposing forces, wreaking havoc and shutting down an unexpected threat in the nick of time — six pounds of weapons-grade plutonium; enough to change the balance of power in the world. But that’s nothing compared to the justice they serve against the villainous adversary who savagely murdered their brother.
It looks like it’s a really, really bad time to have fairy blood as newly resurrected major league bad vampire Russell Edgington (Denis O’Hare), working with the Vampire Authority, is letting everyone in on the secret to daywalking. True Blood season five only has three episodes left … doesn’t it seem like the season just began?
The Plot:
Episode #58: “Gone, Gone, Gone”
Debut: SUNDAY, AUG. 12 (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Other HBO playdates: Aug. 12 (11:00 p.m.), 14 (midnight), 15 (10:00 p.m.), 16 (11:00 p.m.) and 18 (11:00 p.m.)
HBO2 playdates: Aug. 13 (9:00 p.m.), 14 (10:00 p.m.), 16 (8:00 p.m.), 17 (11:00 p.m.), 19 (4:00 p.m.) and 24 (10:00 p.m.)
With vampire-on-human attacks increasing, the Authority attempts to woo public favor. Meanwhile, Nora (Lucy Griffiths) tries to convert Eric to Lilith’s gospel. Jason finds a mysterious scroll; Elijah (Keram Malicki-Sanchez), the new vampire sheriff of Area 5, pushes Pam (Kristin Bauer van Straten) and Tara (Rutina Wesley) to obey a new mandate; Sam (Sam Trammell) and Luna (Janina Gavankar) search for Emma (Chloe Noelle); Russell (Denis O’Hare) seeks a higher calling.
Official Synopsis: Peter Hedges (Dan in Real Life, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?) brings enchantment to the screen with The Odd Life of Timothy Green, an inspiring, magical story about a happily married couple, Cindy and Jim Green (Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton), who can’t wait to start a family but can only dream about what their child would be like. When young Timothy (CJ Adams) shows up on their doorstep one stormy night, Cindy and Jim—and their small town of Stanleyville—learn that sometimes the unexpected can bring some of life’s greatest gifts.
[tabs style=”default” title=”‘The Odd Life of Timothy Green’ Resources”] [tab title=”Cast”]
Jennifer Garner – ‘Cindy’
Joel Edgerton – ‘Jim’
CJ Adams – ‘Timothy’
Rosemarie DeWitt – ‘Brenda’
Ron Livingston – ‘Franklin’
M Emmet Walsh – ‘Uncle Bub’
Odeya Rush – ‘Joni’
Lin-Manuel Miranda – ‘Reggie’
Lois Smith – ‘Aunt Mel’
Common – ‘Coach Cal’
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[tab title=”Trailer and clips”]Click to View the TrailerClick to View the Clips[/tab] [tab title=”Photos”]Click to View the Photo Gallery [/tab][/tabs]
I wish every series provided a seven minute recap prior to the debut of a new season. NBC has put the basics of Grimm‘s season one together in this video which provides pretty much everything you need to know before season two premieres on Monday, August 13, 2012.
The Plot:
Grimm is a drama series inspired by the classic Grimm Brother’s Fairy Tales. After Portland homicide detective Nick Burkhardt (David Giuntoli) discovers he’s descended from an elite line of criminal profilers known as ‘Grimms,’ he increasingly finds his responsibilities as a detective at odds with his new responsibilities as a Grimm.
His attempts to shield his fiancée, Juliette Silverton (Bitsie Tulloch), and his partner, Hank Griffin (Russell Hornsby), from the hazards of his new life have reached a crisis, leaving Juliette in a mysterious coma and Hank on the verge of a mental breakdown.
With help from his confidants, Monroe (Silas Weir Mitchell) and Rosalee (Bree Turner) — both reformed Grimm creatures, Nick must help those closest to him while still facing off against all manner of ancient evils, including royal lines dating back to the original profilers themselves, the Grimm Brothers. As Nick develops his ability to harness his inner Grimm, he begins to question what he once knew, never more so than when he is reunited with his mother (guest star Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio), also a Grimm, whom he thought dead for the past 18 years.
Seriously, is there any group that hasn’t made a “Call Me Maybe” video? The US Olympic Swim Team, Sesame Street and Cookie Monster, Harvard’s Baseball Team…there’s even a Corgi (‘Corgi Rae Jepsen’) “Call Me Maybe” video. So, are we sick and tired/over and down with these? No way.
In the spotlight today is the “Call Me Maybe” video featuring US Marines. Put together by Eric Raum, the video was shot quickly so as not to keep the Marines from their work and was shot with the cooperation of the Marine command in Kandahar as a morale booster. Each group of Marines featured was only available for an hour, so Raum and Randy Moresi had to teach the song – and the moves – in a very short time.
Says Raum on his official site: “I wanted to note here that this didn’t cost anything to make, was filmed on a lunch break, and had a great impact on the morale of not only the service members in the video, but those we’ve shared it with since. It is important to take a break and have some fun every once and a while, whether you’re back in the states hanging with friends and family, or serving your country under the unrelenting Afghanistan sun.”
“Running for office, that’s always been my dream,” says Marty Huggins (Zach Galifianakis), director of the local Tourism Center, after being told by his father (Brian Cox) that he’ll oppose current Congressman Cam Brady (Will Ferrell) for office after a small scandal has caused Brady to drop in the popularity polls in the comedy movie, The Campaign.
Determined to keep his seat, Brady decides to go all out and play hardball against his new opponent. Early in the campaign Marty seems to be a likable but naïve, weak/odd choice for a candidate. But with the financial backing of his new benefactors, a pair of unscrupulous power brokers known as the Moth brothers (played by Dan Aykroyd and John Lithgow) and his new overbearing, menacing campaign manager, Tim Wattley (Dylan McDermott), it’s not long before Marty becomes a strong and worthy adversary. With both candidates becoming overly obsessed with winning, they decide to throw caution, manners, ethics and morals aside and do whatever it takes to completely destroy each other to obtain public office.
Funny, silly, and unexpectedly mean in parts, The Campaign is a comedy that has some laugh out loud moments early in the film but quickly starts to lose both steam and laughs before the first half of the film is over. Will Ferrell delivers an adequate performances as Brady, the not-too-bright, overly-sexed career politician, a combination of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton in one who will do and say anything to hold onto his political office. But, there is no real challenge for him here. He’s played this type of character before on the small screen on Saturday Night Live.
Zach Galifianakis is solid as Marty, the simple, well-meaning and decent aspiring candidate who quickly starts to lose his way in pursuit of a political career. Most of the film’s early laughs are when both Will and Zach are on screen together trying sabotage and upstage each other.
One stand-out performance is by Dylan McDermott as the cold, ruthless, stone-faced campaign manager whose job it is to make Huggins an electable candidate. His cold stares and forceful language make his scenes with Zach some of the funniest in the film.
However, the movie’s tone and humor goes from being silly and funny to dark, mean and ugly in the second half, with many of the jokes being obvious and flat. The movie also becomes extremely predictable with an ending the audience will see coming a mile away.
Crude, dumb and weak, The Campaign is a political satire that ultimately comes up short on the laughs and goes too far with its mean-spiritedness.
GRADE: C-
The Campaign hits theaters on August 10, 2012 and is rated R for crude sexual content, language and brief nudity.
In Red Dawn, a city in Washington state awakens to the surreal sight of foreign paratroopers dropping from the sky – shockingly, the U.S. has been invaded and their hometown is the initial target. Quickly and without warning, the citizens find themselves prisoners and their town under enemy occupation. Determined to fight back, a group of young patriots seek refuge in the surrounding woods, training and reorganizing themselves into a guerilla group of fighters. Taking inspiration from their high school mascot, they call themselves the Wolverines, banding together to protect one another, liberate their town from its captors, and take back their freedom.
Cast members from FX’s addictive, critically acclaimed series Sons of Anarchy will be participating in the 2nd Annual Boot Ride and Rally kicking off on August 26th at the Route 66 Classic Grill in Canyon Country, CA. The ride is in support of The Boot Campaign, a military non-profit organization that helps military personnel heal from “physical and emotional combat wounds.”
The ride begins at 10:30am and ends at 3pm, with a rally at The Happy Ending Bar & Restaurant in Hollywood where Blackberry Smoke will perform.
Commenting on SoA‘s involvement, Theo Rossi said, “I support the Boot Campaign for what they give to those who give so much for our country every day. The first year of the Boot Ride was an amazing experience. Seeing people come out from all over, ride and, most importantly, put on their boots, was an inspiration. This year can only be better than the last. It’s an honor to be part of this movement.”
20th Century Fox Entertainment is one of the event’s sponsors and will be donating 250 copies of Sons of Anarchy Season 4 on DVD.
Tickets for the after-ride event can be purchased by non-riders for $25.
Details on how you can get involved, courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment:
BUY YOUR BOOT – It wouldn’t be a Boot Ride without the official Boot Campaign footwear!
BUY YOUR RIDE – ONLINE registration ONLY for riders and passengers. The fee is $150 per person (rider or passenger), which includes entry into both the Ride and Rally, Boot Ride 2012 t-shirt, Boot Ride 2012 commemorative patch, Mirror tag – Boot Ride 2012 bandana, Rally wristband, BBQ lunch at Route 66 Classic Grill.
BUY YOUR RALLY – The Rally gates open at 3pm Sunday afternoon at The Happy Ending Bar & Restaurant parking lot. Admission is $25 and includes a live performance by Blackberry Smoke, plus appearances by cast members of FX’s hit show Sons of Anarchy and other celebs.
More on The Boot Campaign:
The Boot Campaign is a grassroots military appreciation and veteran awareness campaign started by five women from Texas, known as the Boot Girls. The Boot Girls launched the Boot Campaign in 2009 to spread awareness of the needs of military personnel returning home from combat and express gratitude to the current military. Through the sale of military combat boots, the BootCampaign donates proceeds to a group of partner charities that work with soldiers healing from a variety of physical and emotional combat wounds, embodying the campaign motto that, “When They Come Back, We Give Back”.
“In this ensemble comedy, 10 Years follows a group of friends on the night of their high school reunion who, a decade later, still haven’t quite grown up. Channing Tatum plays Jake, who is deeply in love with his girlfriend (Jenna Dewan-Tatum) and ready to propose—until he runs into his high school flame (Rosario Dawson) for the first time in ten years. Jake’s friend Cully (played by funnyman Chris Pratt) married his cheerleader girlfriend (Ari Graynor), and has been looking forward to the reunion so he can finally apologize to all the classmates he bullied in high school. However, after a few too many drinks, the jock-turned-family man ends up reverting back to his old ways instead. Meanwhile, longtime rivals Marty (Justin Long) and A.J (Max Minghella) spend the night still trying to one-up each other to impress thecoolest girl in class (Lynn Collins), who now has a secret. The famous one of the group, Reeves (Oscar Isaac) is now well-known musician, but is still too shy to talk to the high school crush (Kate Mara) who inspired his one hit wonder.”
Ten Years hits theaters on September 14, 2012.
Channing Tatum and Rosario Dawson in Ten Years - Photo Credit: Colleen Hayes, property of Anchor Bay Films
From the big top to the big screen, visionary filmmaker James Cameron and director Andrew Adamson (Shrek, Narnia) invite you and your family on an all new 3D adventure: Cirque du Soleil Worlds Away. A young couple who is separated, must journey through the astonishing and dreamlike worlds of Cirque du Soleil to find each other, as audiences experience the immersive 3D technology that will allow them to leap, soar, swim, and dance with the performers.