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‘Bunheads’ Series Preview: Plot, Cast and Promo Video

By
Rebecca Murray
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ABC’s Family has set a June 11, 2012 premiere date for the half-hour comedy Bunheads. The new series stars Sutton Foster and Alan Ruck and is set in the world of dance.

Season one also stars Julia Goldani Telles as Sasha, Kelly Bishop as Fanny Flowers, Kaitlyn Jenkins as Boo, Bailey Buntain as Ginny, and Emma Dumont as Melanie.

Bunheads Cast
Emma Dumont as Melanie, Kaitlyn Jenkins as Boo, Sutton Foster as Michelle, Bailey Buntain as Ginny and Julia Goldani Telles as Sasha in ‘Bunheads’ (Photo: ABC FAMILY/ANDREW ECCLES)

The Synopsis: Michelle Simms (Foster) had a promising career as a classically–trained professional dancer but was drawn to the lights of Las Vegas. Now, with a dead–end job as a 30–something showgirl, she’s found the excitement of Sin City has lost its appeal, and her persistent suitor, Hubbell Flowers (Ruck), is gaining it.

With promises of a cushy life in his coastal town of Paradise, CA., Hubbell convinces Michelle to marry him and move away. Once in Paradise, Michelle discovers that Hubbell forgot to mention that he lives with his mother, the strong–headed, imperious Fanny Flowers (Bishop), who is not pleased that Hubbell has run off and married a stranger.

A former dancer herself, Fanny runs the local dance studio, which Michelle comes upon and ends up bonding with some of Fanny’s dance students: sweet “Boo” (Kaitlyn Jenkins), who would give anything to be a “bunhead” but struggles against her body type; rebellious Sasha (Telles), who possesses the classic ballet dancer’s body and talent but –– distracted by family issues at home –– doesn’t seem to have her heart in dancing; shapely Ginny (Buntain), who is not yet comfortable in her own skin; and fun–loving Melanie (Dumont), who is ready for whatever life throws at her.

Michelle’s budding relationship with these girls helps her adapt to small town living and her uneasy role as a new daughter–in–law.




Justin Bieber Special Expanded to a Two Night Event

By
Rebecca Murray
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Justin Bieber Believe Poster

NBC is hoping audiences want more Justin Bieber. The network’s announced they’ve expanded the Justin Bieber: All Around the World special to two nights. Viewers will be able to go behind the scenes of Bieber’s global tour during the special airing Wednesday, June 20th from 8-9pm ET and Thursday, June 21st from 8-9 pm ET.

Bieber’s first-ever network special follows the singer as he visits nine cities in seven countries over 12 days, including a special look at life through the eyes of Bieber via the “Justin-cam.”

“The worldwide hysteria surrounding Justin’s album launch is unlike anything we’ve seen, and we’re thrilled to share it with our audience over two nights,” stated Doug Vaughan, SVP of Special Programs and Late Night for NBC, announcing the expanded special. “With added stops in Italy and Mexico, we’ll have even more unprecedented access to Justin as our cameras film not only his performances but his every move on this global tour.”

Believe hits stores on June 19th, and Bieber stopped by the Today show on June 15th to promote the album’s upcoming release.

Watch Justin Bieber perform “Boyfriend:”

The Dark Knight Rises Imported from Gotham City Contest Details

By
Rebecca Murray
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The Dark Knight Rises Poster
'The Dark Knight Rises' Poster - Poster © Warner Bros Pictures
Warner Bros Pictures and Chrysler are teaming up for the “Imported from Gotham City” contest in support of The Dark Knight Rises. Creative Batman fans are asked to come up with an “original co-branded TV spot featuring these two iconic brands,” with The Dark Knight Rises filmmaker Christopher Nolan selecting the winning spot. The winner’s work will air on TV around the July 20th release of the final film of the Dark Knight trilogy.

“We’re excited for the opportunity to tap into the creative community online and allow those who participate to showcase their talent and passion. We look forward to seeing what unique spots people produce,” stated Nolan.

The Details [Courtesy of WB and Chrysler]:

“Contestants will have two weeks to create their ‘Imported from Gotham City’ original commercial utilizing a suite of assets, including: Chrysler 300 car footage, film footage, and music stems from the trailer that contestants can remix for their spot. At the conclusion of the contest, a gallery of submissions will go live on Saturday, June 30, kicking off a four-day public voting period when fans can weigh-in on their favorite Gotham City collaboration.

The top three finalists will be announced online and Christopher Nolan will personally choose the winner.

The winning spot will be determined by a number of judging criteria, including public vote, originality, creativity, memorability and brand effectiveness. Warner Bros. and Chrysler will debut the winning commercial on national television the week of the film’s release – watch for specific date and airing details to be announced shortly. The winner will receive a trip to Hollywood to finish their spot alongside a professional editor before traveling to New York City to attend the red carpet premiere screening of The Dark Knight Rises, on Monday, July 16.”

For more details, visit www.importedfromgothamcity.com.

Burn Notice Season 6 Recap and Review

By
Rebecca Murray
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Burn Notice Cast
Sharon Gless as Madeline Westen, Bruce Campbell as Sam Axe, Jeffrey Donovan as Michael Westen, Gabrielle Anwar as Fiona Glenanne in 'Burn Notice' - USA Network Photo: Justin Stephens / © NBCUniversal, Inc.

Reviewed by Kevin Finnerty

“I’ve just been fighting for so long and she was all I had left,” says Michael Westen (Jeffrey Donovan) to his best friend, Sam Ax (Bruce Campbell), after seeing his girlfriend, Fiona (Gabrielle Anwar), being taken away by Federal Agents in the sixth season opener of the action drama Burn Notice.

Picking up right where season five left off, Fiona turned herself into the Feds for the bombing of a building which killed two guards, freeing up Michael from being forced to follow the orders of Anson (Jere Burns) who framed Fiona for the crime and as it turns out was the mastermind behind burning Michael Westen all along. Now that Anson no longer has any leverage to use against Michael, the hunt is on with Sam and Mike getting information that Anson is fleeing in a green Jaguar headed to one of the marinas. Not about to let Anson escape, Mike steals a large diesel truck and with Sam’s help (he keeps the traffic behind the truck back far enough by driving the classic Dodge Charger all over the road), Westen jackknife’s the truck and sets it a blaze, causing an extremely effective road block. The two determined men now double back on the side of the highway looking for Anson’s Jaguar, which should be stuck in the traffic jam.

Meanwhile, Fiona sits in an interrogation room handcuffed to a table when an old C.I.A. associate of Michael’s walks in to take down her statement and tries to persuade her to implicate Michael Westen in the bombing. As Fiona begins telling him the truth of what happened, the interrogator makes it very clear he has no interest in “this Anson person” and keeps bringing up Westen every chance he gets.

Spotting an abandoned green Jaguar, Mike and Sam ask a stuck motorist if he saw where the driver went. He points to a chemical plant not far off. As Sam and Mike begin to head over to the plant, Westen’s phone rings and it’s Anson who tells Michael that he should give up hunting him and go save his mother from the hired mentally unstable assassin that Anson has sent to kill her.


Action-packed and intense, the Burn Notice season six opener brings the series back stronger and better than its previous season. Jeffrey Donovan is perfect as the decent, lethal, wrongly burned spy Michael Westen who has only ever wanted one thing – to clear his name and find the people responsible for ruining his life. This time though it’s Westen who is losing his edge, giving in to fits of rage, panic and sorrow which clearly affects his usually almost perfect coldly calculating judgement. Bruce Campbell is hands down playing the best character of his career, Michael’s best friend and ex-navy seal Sam Ax. He is both the comic relief of the show and the one character who seems to almost always save Michael – as well as Fiona and Mike’s mom – from certain death. Gabrielle Anwar literally sits this episode out as Fiona, the gun-smuggling explosives expert girlfriend of Michael’s who’s main problem this season seems to be trying to stay one step ahead of her interrogators who seem determined to implicate Michael Westen in any illegal activity.

The spy drama known for its high energy action scenes launches its new season with two shoot-outs, two car chases, a fist fight, and two very big explosions. That’s more action in one hour of prime time television than in most two hour big screen action films. The only element missing from this particular episode is the classic tongue-in-cheek one-liners from Westen and Ax, which have always kept the show from getting too serious and dark.

With such high caliber performances, stand out production, and top notch writing, Burn Notice is a show not to be missed this summer.

GRADE: B+

Burn Notice Season 6 premiered on June 14, 2012. The series airs on USA Network on Thursdays at 10-11 p.m. ET.

True Blood Adds Robert Patrick

By
Rebecca Murray
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Robert Patrick
Robert Patrick - Photo © Richard Chavez
True-Blood.net reports True Blood has just added Robert Patrick to this season’s cast. Patrick will be playing Alcide’s dad, Jackson Herveaux, starting with episode #9.

According to True-Blood.net, Patrick will first be introduced in flashbacks showing Alcide and Debbie Pelt as teenagers.

Robert’s film credits include Terminator 2, Fire in the Sky, Cop Land, All the Pretty Horses, Walk the Line, and Safe House. His TV credits include The X-Files, The Unit, and Burn Notice.

Film Review: ‘Rock of Ages’

By
Ian Forbes
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Tom Cruise in Rock of Ages.
Tom Cruise stars in 'Rock of Ages' - Photo © 2012 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc

Don’t stop believin’. That’s both a Journey lyric and Hollywood hoping that musicals can make a full-scale comeback. With Rock of Ages, the Broadway hit now turned feature film is poised to please audiences neither looking for alien invasions nor animated animals.

The story is your typical tale of young kids hoping to become rock stars, fighting against the negative influences of a 1987 Los Angeles scene doing its best to corrupt everything it touches. All of the archetypal characters necessary to fill out the paint-by-numbers script are here: the over-the-hill club owner, the streetwise strip club matron, the rock God who’s lost touch with reality, the hypocritical politician’s wife dead-set on protecting children from the evils of rock and roll. It’s no wonder the screening audience ate this up like crack-coated Belgian chocolate, it’s a safe, predictable ride filled with A-list actors and chock-full of nostalgic music from the late ’80s / early ’90s.

I think you can see where I’m headed with this. On the one hand, it’s so much fun to hear the music, and the mash-ups are particularly well done; the production of the actors all doing their own voice work is top-notch. However, it’s nearly impossible to shake the feeling that you’re watching a slightly raunchier version of Glee, complete with the aforementioned Journey anthem closing the show and ensuring that whatever issues anyone may have with the cheesy setups or glacial pacing are erased by the song’s practically irresistible hooks.

At the helm of this far too shiny ship is director Adam Shankman. He did a very smart thing in bringing choreographer Mia Michaels in, the musicality of her work is evident throughout (and the pole dancing expertise of the dancers is truly impressive). But despite such a strong connection with dance and the musical world, Shankman’s efforts have a problem making the transition from stage to screen. It’s clear why audiences love the musical. I’m not even surprised by people who are far less critical just liking the film as it stands, but in being so faithful to the source material, it doesn’t allow necessary trimming or reworking in order to make the project make more sense as a movie.

So although I enjoyed listening to all the great music and even found a decent amount of entertainment in most performances, the glossy and middle-of-the-road presentation gave me the inclination to take a shower to wash off how conflicted I felt about the project overall. To be blunt, it feels like all of that rock and roll sold out. The rebellious nature of the music is now just a pretty package to be sold and spoon-fed to the masses.

Rock of Ages does a number of good things. If you can check your cynicism at the door and don’t find the idea of Tom Cruise belting out Def Leppard and Bon Jovi songs abhorrent, then I wish you well. That’s something I just couldn’t do and the static direction, terribly weak transitions, and incessant need to make sure we knew just how recognizable the actors are kept me on the wrong side of the fence once all was said and done. If you think you might feel the same way, just dig through your CD collection and save yourself the ticket price. Any nagging curiosity you might have can definitely wait for the home market.

GRADE: C-

Rock of Ages hits theaters on June 15, 2012 and is rated PG-13 for sexual content, suggestive dancing, some heavy drinking, and language.




‘Lola Versus’ Movie Review

By
Ian Forbes
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Lola Versus
Greta Gerwig as Lola and Joel Kinnaman as Luke in ‘Lola Versus’ (Photo by Myles Aronowitz / Fox Searchlight)

Heartbreak is a universal concept and I’d be surprised if very many screenwriters hadn’t written a script working out that one, big love that somehow slipped away.  Looking back on a project like that five or ten years later, the flaws inherent in making something so personal come to light.  This is where editors and perspective are necessary to round out the screenplay and make it more accessible for anyone not directly referenced.

 

With Lola Versus, director/co-writer Daryl Wein and actress/co-writer Zoe Lister-Jones have crafted a deeply personal tale … that falls into the very trap I just mentioned. The film revolves around Lola (Greta Gerwig), her fiancé (Joel Kinnaman), her best friend (Zoe Lister-Jones) and another friend/future love interest (Hamish Linklater).  Lola is trying to figure herself out and continues to see the world through self-absorbed blinders, fumbling through and wrecking relationships as she goes.

 
 

I’m more used to seeing Gerwig in mumblecore movies or as a supporting member of a larger film, so it was nice to see her front and center in a narrative piece like this.  Her vulnerability and relatability make her perfect for a role like this. There are a few moments where the character breaks down completely that feel forced, but the script and direction seem to be the overlying factors at work.

Jones adds a nice comedic touch to the effort and Linklater is almost too sweet and understanding of a guy (ladies, please don’t expect that much from all of us).  Kinnaman was a bit less easy to fit into this puzzle, as his detached approach worked for some scenes but not for others.  Still, with the inclusion of Bill Pullman and Debra Winger as Lola’s parents, the overall cast did a nice job of working with what they were given.

 

Speaking of which, there’s a lot of self-reflection and self-loathing in the script, which only adds to the feeling that Wein and Jones were holding onto things very tightly when writing.  While the first three-quarters of the film develops nicely and play to Gerwig’s alluring strengths, as well as the rest of the cast, trying to wrap everything up turns into a muddled mess of melodramatic conflict and hurried resolution.  The closing section effectively erases what goodwill was generated and the overall result is a movie no one needs to see but those working out their own demons.

 

Lola Versus is a cutesy title to denote the character working against herself to “find herself”.  The film has some nice moments early on, but once it’s all said and done, the inability to figure out a good exit strategy dooms the result.  Indie film fans can just wait for this to show up on IFC.  A theater trip is surely not necessary, and it lacks the broader appeal mass romantic audiences generally seem to covet.

GRADE: D+

Lola Versus opens in theaters in limited release on June 8, 2012 and is rated R for language, sexuality and drug use.




‘Safety Not Guaranteed’ Movie Review

By
Ian Forbes
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Aubrey Plaza and Jake M Johnson in 'Safety Not Guaranteed'
Aubrey Plaza and Jake M Johnson in 'Safety Not Guaranteed' - Photo © FilmDistrict

Writing this review for Safety Not Guaranteed turned out to be far more difficult than initially expected. I tried the pithy time travel joke opening and scrapped it after a few sentences. Then came the synopsis approach: A magazine staff on the hunt to see what kind of guy places a personal ad looking for a companion to go back in time. That devolved into a book report and had to go. So I guess the only thing left is to admit to having thrown away those ideas and somehow arrived here: the end of the first paragraph.

With that out of the way, what potential audiences should know is that this high-concept film plays out very much like an independent dramedy, with more than a few drops of mumblecore thrown in thanks to the involvement of Mark Duplass (as the man who thinks he’s found a way to travel through time). None of that is a bad thing, but there’s an obviously low-budget production factor, and depending on your ability to look past some of the worst cinematography and camerawork of 2012, it could make it harder to connect to the characters.

Perhaps because of the shoddy visuals, gravitating to the heart of the story is the best place to go to make the experience enjoyable and despite a number of missteps filmmaking-wise, this connected with me more than almost any other movie of the year. The central issues of loss, regret, and connection are universal and ground the sci-fi backdrop – as long as you aren’t put off by Aubrey Plaza’s acting style (deadpan, at times emotionally ambiguous).

Intertwining with the main relationship between Duplass and Plaza is Jake M. Johnson’s ulterior motive for taking the story: being paid to revisit a town where his high school crush still resides and looking to rekindle the innocence lost as he’s attempted to climb the professional ladder. Thankfully, rather than compete with the overlying narrative, this subplot helps round out the characters and make this a feature film since the main thrust of things on its own might have made for a better short film.

As alluded to, despite the film’s ability to connect, there are plenty of examples of lazy screenwriting and almost amateurish presentation. Ancillary characters seem placed as afterthoughts or, in some cases, excuses in order to ask for favors to bring in better-known actors for a day (Jeff Garlin, Kristin Bell).

Then there’s the manner in which events resolve. I’d like to think things are a bit ambiguous though others who I’ve talked to feel certain about the ending and I can understand why (I prefer to go with my opinion of course). Also, there are a couple of government agents who show up near the end to fill in more info about Duplass which don’t act at all like their real-life counterparts would and end up detracting from the story like the supremely obvious plot devices they are.

All that being said, and fully acknowledging the myriad of problems in the filmmaking and script, Safety Not Guaranteed still gets my seal of approval. I’m a bit biased due to my appreciation for movies about relationships mixed with a little science fiction, but even if you’re not a sci-fi geek, those elements are in the background, and it’s about how these characters are able to connect with one another that matters. It’s easy to see why this has been popular with festivals. As long as you are a fan of independent film, this fits the bill for an afternoon escape but can easily wait for the home market if you’d rather save that extra cash for one of the bigger blockbusters still to come this summer.

GRADE: B-

Safety Not Guaranteed hits theaters on June 15, 2012 and is rated R for language including some sexual references.




Billboard Names the Best Call Me Maybe Viral Videos

By
Rebecca Murray
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Billboard has put together a Top 10 list of the best “Call Me Maybe” covers of the Carly Rae Jepsen hit you just have to check out. Love or hate the song (I find it annoyingly addictive), these covers are truly entertaining.

So, who made Billboard’s cut? Celebs including Jimmy Fallon, President Obama, and the Miss USA contenders, as well as Katy Perry, Fun, Justin Bieber, Selena Gomez, Ashley Tisdale and the Miami Dolphins Cheerleaders. Even the Harvard baseball team found their way onto Billboard’s Top 10 list.

Check out the complete list at Billboard.com.

Watch Katy Perry and friends do “Call Me Maybe:”

Or, check out the Harvard baseball team (including one player who slept through the whole thing):

NBC Announces Fall 2012 Season Premiere Schedule

By
Rebecca Murray
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Animal Practice Cast
Kym Whitney, Joanna Garcia Swisher, and Justin Kirk in ‘Animal Practice’ (Photo © NBC)

NBC just revealed their staggered season premiere schedule which includes two commercial-free sneaks peeks of brand new shows. The schedule makes full use of the promotional platforms afforded by NBC’s 2012 Summer Olympic Games coverage, with the network opting to premiere its new shows before the start of the season.

Go On and Animal Practice will screen without commercials following the night’s coverage of the Olympics, with Go On airing August 8th and Animal Practice airing August 12 after the Closing Ceremonies. The network’s also planned the launch of the competitive series Stars Earn Stripes the day after the Olympics conclude, arriving with a special two-hour episode on August 13th. That night will also bring us the advance second season premiere of Grimm at 10pm.

NBC’s Fall 2012 Primetime Schedule Premiere Dates:

Wednesday, August 8
“GO ON” (sneak peek following Olympic Games coverage)

Sunday, August 12
“ANIMAL PRACTICE” (sneak peek following Olympic Games Closing Ceremonies)

Monday, August 13
8-10 p.m. “STARS EARN STRIPES” (two-hour premiere)
10-11 p.m. “Grimm”

Wednesday, September 5
7:30-8:30 p.m. “NFL Kickoff Special 2012” (regular season)
8:30-11 p.m. “Sunday Night Football” (regular season)

Sunday, September 9
7-8:15 p.m. “Football Night in America” (regular day and time)
8:15-11 p.m. “Sunday Night Football” (regular day and time)

Monday, September 10
8-10 p.m. “The Voice”

Tuesday, September 11
9-9:30 p.m. “GO ON” (time period premiere)
9:30-10 p.m. “THE NEW NORMAL”
10-11 p.m. “Parenthood”

Wednesday, September 12
10-10:30 p.m. “GUYS WITH KIDS” (sneak peek after penultimate “America’s Got Talent”)

Friday, September 14
9-10pm – “Grimm” (time period premiere)

Monday, September 17
10-11 p.m. “REVOLUTION”

Thursday, September 20
8:30-9 p.m. “Up All Night”
9-9:30 p.m. “The Office”
9:30-10 p.m. “Parks and Recreation”

Wednesday, September 26
8-8:30 p.m. “ANIMAL PRACTICE” (time period premiere)
8:30-9 p.m. “GUYS WITH KIDS” (time period premiere)
9-11 p.m. “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (two-hour premiere)

Thursday, October 4
8-8:30 p.m. “30 Rock”

Wednesday, October 10
10-11 p.m. “CHICAGO FIRE”

Friday, October 19
8-8:30 p.m. “Whitney”
8:30-9 p.m. “Community”




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