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Andy Griffith Passes Away at 86

By
Rebecca Murray
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The Andy Griffith ShowAndy Griffith, the star of The Andy Griffith Show and Matlock, has died. The 86 year old actor, producer, and writer passed away at his Dare County, North Carolina home this morning. The beloved actor is survived by his wife Cindi and daughter Dixie. Griffith’s son Andrew Jr died in 1996.

In tribute to the multi-talented Griffith, TCM will be remembering his life and career with a four-film memorial tribute on July 18th at 8pm ET. The four films are:

8 p.m. – A Face in the Crowd (1957) – with Patricia Neal, Anthony Franciosa, Walter Matthau and Lee Remick. Directed by Elia Kazan.

10:15 p.m. – No Time for Sergeants (1958) – with Myron McCormick, Nick Adams, Murray Hamilton and Don Knotts. Directed by Mervyn LeRoy.

12:30 a.m. – Hearts of the West (1975) – with Jeff Bridges, Donald Pleasance, Blythe Danner, Alan Arkin, Richard B. Shull, Herb Edelman, Alex Rocco and Marie Windsor. Directed by Howard Zieff.

2:15 a.m. – Onionhead (1958) – with Felicia Farr, Walter Matthau, Erin O’Brien, Joe Mantell, Ray Danton, James Gregory and Joey Bishop. Directed by Norman Taurog.

[Updated to add]

The Recording Academy has issued this statement:

GRAMMY® winner Andy Griffith was an American television icon bringing beloved characters into family homes for more than 50 years with shows such as “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Matlock.” In addition to acting, Griffith had a passion for music and recorded a number of albums, including I Love To Tell The Story — 25 Timeless Hymns, which garnered him a GRAMMY Award for Best Southern Gospel, Country Gospel Or Bluegrass Gospel Album. He was an immense talent and a true gift to the entertainment industry and will be greatly missed. We extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and fans.

Neil Portnow
President/CEO
The Recording Academy”

Our thoughts are with Andy Griffith’s friends and family at this difficult time.

Sources: TCM, The Recording Academy

‘The Amazing Spider-Man’ Movie Review

By
Ian Forbes
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Andrew Garfield in The Amazing Spider-Man
Andrew Garfield in 'The Amazing Spider-Man' - Photo © Columbia Pictures

It’s been 5 years since Spider-Man 3 stunk up movie theaters worldwide. That’s a fairly decent amount of time (in Hollywood years) before a franchise gets rebooted. Still, I’ve yet to find one person who sees the need for it in this case, though I haven’t polled Sony stockholders so there have to be some people who can’t wait to see this make a tidy profit this summer.

Going into the theater, I was cautiously optimistic. Marc Webb did a great job helming (500) Days of Summer, the cast is a better fit on paper for the roles (especially with Kirsten Dunst out of the way), and CGI always gets better over time.

All of those statements are factually true with The Amazing Spider-Man. None of it changes the fact that while general audiences will find it lives up to the Mendoza line of summer entertainment, the more hardcore fans will find themselves scratching their heads … or in my case, wanting to pull out my hair for basically the last half of the TWO HOUR & FIFTEEN MINUTES this will run before mercifully letting people out of the theater.

Where to start? … Spider-Man’s probably a good place. Andrew Garfield is a talented actor and fits the wise-cracking superhero side of the webslinger just fine. His Peter Parker needs a lot of work, however, and came off far more of a social pariah than a classic nerd. In that department, Tobey Maguire has him beat hands down, and it’s a struggle to watch Garfield essentially mimic Hayden Christensen circa Jumper whenever he’s not in red tights. (And we’re not going to start my rant on the number of people who discover the SECRET alter ego of Spider-Man in the course of a few days.)

Then there’s Uncle Ben and Aunt May. Sure, Martin Sheen is great; It’s Martin Sheen after all. But Sally Field? If Peter Parker were a mentally challenged Southerner with aspirations of captaining a shrimp boat, this casting would make sense. Last time I checked, he’s not. And don’t get me started on the rationale for adding the mystery of Parker’s parents as a means to steer him towards meeting Dr. Curt Connors (aka The Lizard … NOT a spoiler). Seeing as this plot thread only marginally factors into garbled dialogue during an extra scene in the credits, it could have been dropped entirely, shortened the runtime, and no one but the screenwriter(s) who wrongly thought it was a good idea would have noticed.

Then there’s the issue of The Lizard himself. The whole point of the character was to show this well-meaning scientist battling with the animal underneath. Here, the struggle is quickly given up in order to push forward with some cockamamie notion of biological warfare, only to revert back to the more dynamic and dramatic man vs. beast-within notion … all with a schizophrenic slant not evident in the comics or the character prior to the genetic changes.

As for the 3D, you can forget about it. I’ll concede that in the theater where I saw the movie screened, their 3D is not great. However, I didn’t put my special glasses on for THIRTY minutes and was only bothered by a few blurry objects and the occasionally blurry human. Putting them on was more a matter of being tired of holding the stupid plastic shades than acknowledging anything was in the third dimension. Some of the swinging and fighting scenes benefit from the technology, but that’s hardly worth the extra money.

With all of that glowing praise, how much do I not want to see this movie again? I’d rather go BUY a ticket for Magic Mike than see this for free while getting a back rub from a Victoria’s Secret model. The title is a lie, there’s very little that’s “amazing” about The Amazing Spider-Man and simply by understanding how to tell a linear story, getting some key points right, and not including Kirsten Dunst, this doesn’t get the full brunt of the anger I felt as the credits rolled.

Personally, I’d drop the grade a little more (just thinking about a ridiculous scene of construction workers tilting cranes to help Spidey make it to the final battleground gets my blood boiling) but as I was in the clear minority of people who didn’t at least find it entertaining, I’ll chalk this one up to being too close to the source material. In the world of cinematic adaptations, that’s usually more of a curse than a gift, and that’s definitely the case here.

GRADE: C-

The Amazing Spider-Man hits theaters on July 3, 2012 and is rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence.




First Look: ‘Craigslist Joe’ Movie Trailer and Poster

By
Rebecca Murray
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Craigslist Joe Poster
Poster for 'Craigslist Joe'

Funny guy Zach Galifianakis executive produces the documentary Craigslist Joe, a timely film that examines what would happen if one man opted to live off the kindness of Craigslist strangers. The documentary from filmmaker Joseph Garner will be available on Video On Demand and in theaters on August 2, 2012.

The Story:

When the country’s economy and sense of community were crumbling, one guy left everything behind to see if he could survive solely off the goodwill of America’s new town square: Craigslist.

America is a wealthy, diverse, and technologically sophisticated country – yet some say we’ve lost the sense of community that used to carry us through tough times. Today it’s every person for themselves. Have we become so caught up in our own lives that we don’t notice life outside of our bubble? 29-year-old filmmaker Joseph Garner decides to find out. He cuts himself off from everyone he knows and everything he owns, to embark on an adventure. For 31 days and nights, Joe will live entirely off the alms of America’s new town square: Craigslist.

From transportation to food, shelter, and companionship, Joe depends solely on the generosity of people he meets through this massive digital swap meet.

‘For a Good Time, Call’ New Trailer with Ari Graynor

By
Rebecca Murray
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For a Good Time, Call with Lauren Anne Miller and Ari Graynor
Lauren Anne Miller and Ari Graynor in 'For a Good Time, Call...' - Photo © Focus Features

Focus Features has released a new trailer for For a Good Time, Call… starring Lauren Anne Miller and Ari Graynor as phone sex operators. The comedy directed by Jamie Travis will hit theaters in limited release on August 31st, followed by a wider rollout on September 7, 2012.

For a Good Time, Call… also features Justin Long, James Wolk, and Mark Webber.

The Plot: The reserved Lauren (played by Lauren Anne Miller) and the irrepressible Katie (Ari Graynor) are polar opposites… and past enemies. But when both come up short on the funds needed to afford their dream New York City apartment a mutual friend (Justin Long) re-introduces them and they reluctantly agree to room together.

These apartment-mates have nothing in common – until Lauren discovers that Katie is working as a phone-sex operator, and recognizes a good business opportunity. But as their business partnership takes off, their newfound friendship finds unexpected challenges that may leave them both, as they say, hanging on the telephone.

Watch the trailer:

Warner Bros Has Huge Plans for Comic-Con

By
Rebecca Murray
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Extra at Comic Con

Not every studio or TV network will have a presence at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con (20th Century Fox and Paramount are sitting this one out), however, Warner Bros is going all out for the annual geekfest held in downtown San Diego. Warner Bros Entertainment has unveiled their plans for “Extra at Comic-Con,” a free outdoor entertainment festival taking place July 12-14 at Bayfront Park by the San Diego Convention Center.

“Everyone at Warner Bros. Television approaches Comic-Con as a fan-first experience. It’s in our DNA, with everything we do — from panels to signings to our bags, posters and more — carefully curated with our fans in mind,” stated Lisa Gregorian, Chief Marketing Officer, Warner Bros. Television Group, announcing the Extra event. “With the Extra at Comic-Con space, we have created a free and fun outdoor entertainment destination for fans. In addition to having all the Batmobiles on display and game demos, we will be hosting interviews throughout the day on the Extra stage, as well as evening and night events such as screenings and live comedy and musical performances after the convention floor closes for the day. It’s additive to the experience of being at the Con.”

Here’s the scoop, courtesy of Warner Bros Entertainment:

THE EXTRA STAGE

The centerpiece of this 60,000-square-foot outdoor entertainment event is the Extra stage. Featuring Q&As, live performances, screenings and talent interviews presented by the long-running hit TV entertainment magazine Extra, the stage will be a constant — and free — place for fans to go beyond the Con.

Stars from The Big Bang Theory, Fringe, The Vampire Diaries and more will appear live on the Extra stage to tape interviews with Extra’s on-camera hosts.

Warner Bros. will also distribute the studio’s Comic-Con special edition of TV Guide Magazine — with four sets of collectible flip covers featuring the casts of The Big Bang Theory, Fringe, Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries — at the Extra stage.

ALL SIX BATMOBILES

On display in “The Batcave”: all six Batmobiles from television and film! For the first time ever, Comic-Con fans will have the opportunity to see all of Batman’s iconic onscreen vehicles live and in person, from Adam West’s 1955 Lincoln Futura to the Tumbler from The Dark Knight trilogy.

Adam West’s 1955 Lincoln Futura. Designed by George Barris, this original Batmobile was featured in the cult classic television series and 1966’s Batman, the Movie.

Michael Keaton’s Batmobile from 1989’s Batman and 1992’s Batman Returns. Sleek and powerful with a central turbine, the vehicles’ slightly retro design followed Tim Burton’s art deco look of the films.

Revamped for Joel Schumacher’s 1995 Batman Forever, with bat-lighting and extended fins, Val Kilmer’s hot rod had the ability to drive up walls.

Schumacher updated the Batmobile once again for George Clooney in 1997’s Batman & Robin. At 33 feet long and a top speed of 350 mph with afterburner thrust, this was the largest and fastest Batmobile on the road.

The Tumbler designed for Christopher Nolan’s 2005 Batman Begins and 2008’s The Dark Knight is the prototype military vehicle designed by the character Lucius Fox (Morgan Freeman).

The unveiling of the replacement Camouflage Tumbler, to be seen in 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, in theaters and IMAX July 20.

THE LORD OF THE RINGS VIDEO GAME SHOWCASE

With anticipation mounting for Warner Bros. Pictures’ December 14, 2012, release of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey motion picture, directed by Peter Jackson and a production of New Line Cinema and MGM, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is showcasing two upcoming games set in Middle-earth.

Fans can play hands-on with new video game Guardians of Middle-earth as characters including Gandalf, Sauron, Gollum, Thrain, Galadriel, Legolas and many more. This new multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game allows up to 10 players to engage in competitive matches. The game includes tie-ins with The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey film. Tournaments will take place each evening, with prizes including custom-painted video game console systems and high-end gaming audio gear.

· LEGO® The Lord of the Rings: 3D Street Art. From the creative minds at Planet Streetpainting comes a one-of-a-kind, LEGO The Lord of the Rings–inspired 3D street art design that will be created and on display for fans of all ages over the course of three days, July 13–15. Stop by each day and watch the artwork unfold!

History Channel Adds to the Vikings Cast

By
Rebecca Murray
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The History Channel LogoThe History Channel has added a batch of actors to the cast of Vikings, a new scripted series starring Gabriel Byrne. The new cast members include Travis Fimmel as Ragnar, the first great Viking leader, a man of both history and myth; Jessalyn Gilsig as Siggy, Earl Haraldson’s beautiful wife; Gustaf Skarsgard as Floki, a close friend of Ragnar’s who is an eccentric jokester yet an inventive, creative boat-builder; Clive Standen as Rollo, Ragnar’s excessive, cruel cousin; and Katheryn Winnick as Lagertha, Ragnar’s first wife and famous shield maiden who often fights alongside him.

Vikings was created by Michael Hirst who is also on board as writer and executive producer. Johan Renck (Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead) and Ken Girotti (Rescue Me, Law & Order: Criminal Intent) will be directing multiple episodes of the series, with filming set to take place at Ashford Studios in Ireland.

The Plot:

Vikings will be a series high on adventure, exploration, conflict, warfare and bloodshed – for these were extreme times – but, at its heart, it will also be a family saga. It follows the adventures of Ragnar Lothbrok, a historical figure, and the greatest hero of his age – and the gripping sagas of Ragnar’s band of Viking brothers and his family – as he rises to become King of the Viking tribes.

Ragnar Lothbrok (Fimmel) is based upon the real-life Viking leader who literally exploded out of Scandanavia and onto the world stage in the 8th Century. A young Norwegian farmer with a wife and family, Ragnar is deeply frustrated by the unadventurous policies of his local chieftan, Earl Haraldson (Byrne), who continues to send his Vikings raiders east every summer, to the Baltic states and Russia, whose populations are as materially poor as themselves. Lagertha (Winnick) is the first wife of Ragnar’s and their marriage is a love-match. Ragnar was first attracted to Lagertha when she came to fight for a local Norwegian ruler against an invading Sweden. Floki (Skarsgard), based partly on the Norse god Loki, is an impish character and ship builder who designs and builds the prototype of the new generation of Viking ships which can sail across the open ocean but also up the shallowest of rivers. He is a design genius and he allows Ragnar to fulfill his dreams of sailing west and discovering new lands and new civilizations.Siggy (Gilsig) is Earl Haraldson’s beautiful wife and an enigmatic character. She performs her duties impeccably and with style, but she may not be completely loyal to her husband. Rollo (Standen) is Ragnar’s cousin and initially one of his closest friends, involved in his early raids. But soon becomes jealous of his fame and success.

Source: The History Channel

HBO Renews True Blood and The Newsroom

By
Rebecca Murray
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Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard, and Lucy Griffiths in True Blood
Stephen Moyer, Alexander Skarsgard, and Lucy Griffiths in 'True Blood' - Photo © HBO
Viewers will be able to visit Bon Temps for at least one more season as HBO just confirmed they’ve renewed True Blood for season #6. The sexy vampire/werewolf/shapeshifter series will be returning without series creator Alan Ball as showrunner, but with the central cast in place.
 
True Blood follows vampire-magnet/part-faerie/telepathic waitress Sookie Stackhouse (Anna Paquin) and her on-again/off-again relationships with vampires Bill Compton (Stephen Moyer) and Eric Northman (Alexander Skarsgard). The series also stars Sam Trammell, Ryan Kwanten, Rutina Wesley, Christopher Meloni, Chris Bauer, Kristin Bauer van Straten, Nelsan Ellis, Janina Gavankar, Todd Lowe, Joe Manganiello, Michael McMillian, Denis O’Hare, Jim Parrack, Carrie Preston, and Deborah Ann Woll.
 
The network’s also given The Newsroom a second season renewal. The Newsroom is executive produced by Aaron Sorkin (who also created the series), Alan Poul, and Scott Rudin and stars Jeff Daniels as a cable news anchor, Emily Mortimer as his executive producer, and Sam Waterson as the newsroom boss. The cast also includes John Gallagher, Jr., Alison Pill, Thomas Sadoski, Dev Patel, and Olivia Munn.
 
Source: HBO
 

Katy Perry Greets Fans at the Australian Premiere of Katy Perry: Part of Me

By
Rebecca Murray
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Katy Perry at the Australian Premiere of Katy Perry: Part of Me
Katy Perry (center) with fans at the Sydney, Australia premiere of KATY PERRY: PART OF ME on June 30th, 2012. - Photo credit: Kristian Dowling / Getty images for Paramount Pictures

Katy Perry has been keeping super busy traveling around the globe promoting her first major film, Katy Perry: Part of Me. The 3D film takes a look behind the scenes at Perry’s life before she became a pop sensation as well as how she’s handling fame now that she has millions of fans worldwide.

On of her latest stops on her Katy Perry: Part of Me publicity tour was in Sydney, Australia, where she greeted fans and chatted about her film. Check out the video, courtesy of Paramount Pictures, from the red carpet event:

Django Unchained New Trailer is Here

By
Rebecca Murray
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Christoph Waltz as Schultz and Jamie Foxx as Django in DJANGO UNCHAINED
Christoph Waltz as Schultz and Jamie Foxx as Django in DJANGO UNCHAINED Credit: Andrew Cooper, SMPSP / The Weinstein Company
The Weinstein Company debuted this new trailer for writer/director Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained during the BET Awards, and it shows off more of the story as well as a few new action scenes. Coming to theaters on Christmas, the cast of Tarantino’s ensemble Western is led by Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, and Leonardo DiCaprio.

The Plot:

Set in the South two years before the Civil War, Django Unchained stars Academy Award®-winner Jamie Foxx as Django, a slave whose brutal history with his former owners lands him face-to-face with German-born bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz (Academy Award®-winner Christoph Waltz). Schultz is on the trail of the murderous Brittle brothers, and only Django can lead him to his bounty. The unorthodox Schultz acquires Django with a promise to free him upon the capture of the Brittles – dead or alive.

Success leads Schultz to free Django, though the two men choose not to go their separate ways. Instead, Schultz seeks out the South’s most wanted criminals with Django by his side. Honing vital hunting skills, Django remains focused on one goal: finding and rescuing Broomhilda (Kerry Washington), the wife he lost to the slave trade long ago.

Django and Schultz’s search ultimately leads them to Calvin Candie (Academy Award®-nominee Leonardo DiCaprio), the proprietor of “Candyland,” an infamous plantation. Exploring the compound under false pretenses, Django and Schultz arouse the suspicion of Stephen (Academy Award®-nominee Samuel L. Jackson), Candie’s trusted house slave. Their moves are marked, and a treacherous organization closes in on them. If Django and Schultz are to escape with Broomhilda, they must choose between independence and solidarity, between sacrifice and survival…

Watch the trailer:

New Online Animated Series Electric City from Tom Hanks Debuting This Month

By
Rebecca Murray
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Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson at the Larry Crowne Premiere
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson at the 'Larry Crowne' Premiere - Photo © Richard Chavez
Tom Hanks’ new animated series will debut on Yahoo! on July 17th. Electric City, created by and starring Tom Hanks, is a 90 minute sci-fi adventure series that is a “first-of-its kind 360 degree online interaction of digital, social, mobile and gaming media.”

The cast also includes Jeanne Tripplehorn, Holland Taylor, Ginnifer Goodwin, Jason Antoon, Chris Parnell, Paul Scheer, June Diane Raphael and Georg Stanford Brown. 10 episodes of the series will premiere beginning July 17th. The final episodes will follow on July 18th and 19th.

Announcing the upcoming premiere of the series, Erin McPherson VP & Head of Video at Yahoo! said, “The much anticipated Electric City is here – we at Yahoo! could not be more thrilled to be the digital partner for this unparalleled, groundbreaking series. Partnering with Playtone, Reliance Entertainment and one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Tom Hanks, is an important milestone for Yahoo! in paving the way to becoming the global destination for premium online content from the best storytellers in entertainment.”

“Every now and then, storytelling and technology unite in a fun and surprising way,” added Hanks’ Playtone Partner, Gary Goetzman. “Electric City brings viewers into a totally unique world through a truly immersive online experience whether they’re at home on their computers or mobile on their tablets and smartphones.”

Source: Yahoo!

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