Everyone’s favorite senior citizen actress, Betty White, has picked up a much-deserved Emmy nomination for her role in Hot In Cleveland. The 63rd Primetime Emmys, which will take place on September 18, 2011 on Fox, also awarded the comedy show a nomination in the Outstanding Art Direction For A Multi-Camera Series category.
White’s nowhere near getting ready to retire as she continues to work on both TV and in feature films. In Hot in Cleveland, White stars as Elka Ostrovsky, an opinionated caretaker who lives in the rented house where the action in the show takes place. The show also stars Valerie Bertinelli as novelist Melanie Moretti, Jane Leeves as “eye-brow archer to the stars” Joy Scroggs, and Wendie Malick as a former soap star named Victoria Chase.
“It’s a dream come true for all of us to be working with an icon like Betty White every single day on Hot in Cleveland,” said Larry W. Jones, president, TV Land. “We pinch ourselves that we have the honor to work with her as well as the rest of the talented cast. The additional nominations for our original sitcoms Hot and Retired at 35 make this day even more exciting.”
“I am going to sit here in shock and celebrate that I am working with three wonderful women – Valerie Bertinelli, Jane Leeves, and Wendie Malick,” added Betty White.
Vacationeer Productions announced Julia Stiles (terrific in the 2010 season of Dexter) and America Ferrera (best known for Ugly Betty) have signed on to the comedy movie It’s a Disaster. Todd Berger (Happytime Murders) wrote the script and is also set to direct the film.
The comedy tells the story of four couples who meet for Sunday Brunch only to discover they are stuck in a house together as the world may be about to end.
“It’s a crazy story and I was convinced Julia and America would think I’m crazy too, but I’m thrilled they get my sense of humor. I’m excited to have them on board,” said Berger.
Kevin M. Brennan, Jeff Grace, Blaise Miller, and Todd Berger of the comedy troupe The Vacationers also are signed up for the cast. Berger directed the troupe in The Scenesters which won the Rosebud Award at the 2010 Slamdance Film Festival.
Filming is now underway on the coming-of-age comedy Struck by Lightning starring Mad Men‘sChristina Hendricks, Dermot Mulroney, Sarah Hyland, and Allison Janney. Brian Dannelly (Saved) is directing from a script by Glee stand-out Chris Colfer (who also stars in the film).
Angela Kinsey, Allie Grant, Ashley Rickards, Polly Bergen, Brad Henke, Robbie Amell, and Carter Jenkins have supporting roles in Struck by Lightning.
“We’re so thrilled to begin filming this story that really captures the trials and tribulations of coming into your own,” stated Brian Dannelly. “We’ve got a phenomenal cast on board and Chris’ script is so smart, fresh, and funny but also has such heart. I’m excited to help tell this coming-of-age story that I think will resonate with young audiences, and all of us who’ve survived adolescence.”
Hendricks’ will next be seen in The Weinstein Company’s comedy I Don’t Know How She Does It starring opposite Sarah Jessica Parker and Pierce Brosnan. She also has the independent feature Drive with Ryan Gosling releasing soon in theaters.
The Plot: Struck by Lightning opens with Colfer’s character being struck and killed by a bolt of lightning, is told in flashback, and chronicles his exploits as he blackmails his fellow senior classmates into contributing to a literary magazine he’s publishing.
Victoria Justice and Victorious fans don’t have much longer to wait as the Victorious soundtrack album will arrive on August 2, 2011. And just to keep fans happy, Columbia Records/Nickelodeon has revealed the track list for the first-ever soundtrack album from the popular comedy TV series.
“I can’t wait for the Victorious soundtrack to be released,” said Victoria Justice. “We have a few really cool songs on the soundtrack that haven’t been featured on the show yet. I hope the fans love it!”
“The Victorious album captures the spirit and energy of this great new show whilst providing an important showcase for the exciting talent of Victoria Justice,” said Rob Stringer, Chairman, Columbia/ Epic Label Group.
Victorious: Music From The Hit TV Show features 12 songs – and an additional iTunes exclusive bonus song – performed by Victoria and the series cast including the show’s buoyant theme song “Make It Shine” as well as the hit singles “Beggin’ On Your Knees,” “Freak the Freak Out” and “Best Friend’s Brother.” The combined sales of all four singles have accounted for sales of over 1.3 million units.
Also on the CD are new songs “All I Want is Everything,” by the Victorious cast featuring Victoria Justice and produced by Grammy Award winner and Columbia artist Raphael Saadiq, and a special cover of the Jackson 5 classic, “I Want You Back.” Both songs will be featured in the upcoming Victorious hour-long movie Locked Up! premiering Saturday, July 30 at 8 p.m. (ET/PT) on Nickelodeon.
As an additional treat for fans of the show, the soundtrack also includes music by Victorious stars Elizabeth Gillies, Ariana Grande, and Leon Thomas. The Victorious experience is capped off with the propulsive “Leave It All To Shine,” a musical mashup — featuring Victoria and Miranda Cosgrove with the casts of Victorious and iCarly – showcased in the Nickelodeon TV event “iParty with Victorious” (premiered June 11), the number-one entertainment telecast of 2011 across all TV with kids 6-11 and tweens 9-14.
Victorious: Music From the Hit TV Show Track List
1. “Make It Shine (Victorious Theme)” featuring Victoria Justice
2. “Freak the Freak Out” featuring Victoria Justice
3. “Best Friend’s Brother” featuring Victoria Justice
4. “Beggin’ On Your Knees” featuring Victoria Justice
5. “All I Want Is Everything” featuring Victoria Justice
6. “You’re The Reason” featuring Victoria Justice
7. “Give It Up” featuring Elizabeth Gillies & Ariana Grande
8. “I Want You Back” featuring Victoria Justice and Victorious Cast
9. “Song 2 You” featuring Leon Thomas III & Victoria Justice
10. “Tell Me That You Love Me” featuring Victoria Justice & Leon Thomas III
11. “Finally Falling” featuring Victoria Justice
12. “Leave It All To Shine” featuring Miranda Cosgrove & Victoria Justice
(iCarly & Victorious casts)
13. “Broken Glass” featuring Matthew Bennett *iTunes exclusive bonus song
Victoria began her acting career at age 8 and went on to appear on Nickelodeon series Zoey 101, iCarly, True Jackson, VP and The Troop, as well as original television movies Spectacular! and The Boy Who Cried Werewolf, which finally led to her very own Nick series, Victorious. As Tori Vega, Victoria puts a full range of talents on display, including acting, singing and dancing. Justice appeared on the front page of Variety (March 28, 2011) with the news that the star had been offered the lead role in Josh Schwartz’s feature film directorial debut, the Halloween comedy Fun Size.
The Sing-Off has found its third celebrity judge. The NBC series, which launches its third season on September 19, 2011 at 8pm, will have a judging panel featuring Sara Bareilles, Ben Folds (of Ben Folds Five), and Shawn Stockman (Boyz II Men). Nick Lachey will be back as the show’s host.
Paul Telegdy, Executive Vice President, Alternative Programming, NBC and Universal Media Studios announced the news. “I love the fact that on this show, the judges are each so rooted in the world they preside over,” said Telegdy. “Simply put, they can do what the contestants are doing and that means a lot. Sara will bring a sublime technical knowledge and huge appreciation for The Sing-Off – she’s a fan and we’re thrilled she’s coming on board.”
“I’m extremely excited to be joining the panel of judges for The Sing-Off this fall!” said Bareilles. “A cappella music is very near and dear to my heart, and I have been a huge fan of the show from the beginning. I love the opportunity to be a part of something that celebrates a genre of music that I just adore and believe in. I can’t wait for it to start.”
The official announcement included this background info on singer/songwriter Bareilles and The Sing-Off:
“Bareilles, a three-time Grammy Award nominee, released her platinum-selling major label debut Little Voice in 2007. The album’s first single ‘Love Song,’ was a hit in 22 countries, including the Billboard Hot100. It garnered a Grammy nomination for the prestigious ‘Song Of The Year’ before going multi-platinum.
Bareilles’ album, Kaleidoscope Heart, debuted in the United States at #1 and yielded the hit single ‘King of Anything,’ which earned a Grammy nomination for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance and was certified gold by the RIAA. The video for Sara’s new single, ‘Gonna Get Over You,’ will be directed by actor/writer/producer/director Jonah Hill, marking his directorial video debut.
Bareilles is currently opening for Sugarland on their summer 2011 ‘Incredible Machine Tour,’ along with some exclusive headlining shows around the country. Bareilles isn’t a stranger to the NBC family, as she performed on the season finale of The Sing-Off last December and appeared in NBC’s 30 Rock. Earlier this year, Sara visited Japan where she traveled to Ofunato in the northern part of the country to volunteer with Allhands.org in one of the areas affected by this year’s tsunami.
While attending UCLA Bareilles was part of the a cappella group Awaken, who were her special guests on stage at her hometown Orpheum show in Los Angeles last summer. She also won UCLA’s annual Spring Sing two years running in both 2002 and 2003.
The Sing-Off scours the country in search of the best a cappella groups ranging in various sizes and ages. This year, the competition has expanded not only weekly but also to the 16 very best vocal groups who will perform chart-topping songs in a weekly competition that will culminate with a live finale revealing the grand prize winner.
The groups will be competing for America’s vote and a chance to walk away with the ultimate prize — a Sony Music recording contract and a cash prize of $100,000.
“He’s after you, Mister Potter. You really don’t stand a chance.” “Then I better find him first and kill him.” That’s Daniel Radcliffe as the boy wizard Harry Potter, now a young man, responding to Mr. Ollivander played once again by the very talented actor John Hurt in the beginning of the last film in the magical saga: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2.
The film wastes no time and picks up right where Part 1 left off. Harry, Ron, and Hermione are still following their quest to find and destroy all the Horcruxes (objects which contain a piece of Lord Voldemort’s soul) so that they can kill the Dark Lord and save the wizarding world from his grasp. Harry quickly deduces that one of the Horcruxes lies in the safe belonging to Bellatrix Lestrange (Helena Bonham-Carter) at Gringotts bank. So it’s up to Hermione to use her magical spells to transform herself into Bellatrix and trick the Goblins who run the bank into letting them in the highly guarded vault. Did I mention to look out for the dragon?!
Lord Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes), now in possession of the Elder Wand, believes he finally has the ultimate weapon to kill Harry Potter and control the Wizard world forever. Needing to draw out Harry for a final confrontation the Dark Lord marches on Hogwarts with his Death Eaters and Dementors threatening the lives of Harry’s classmates and teachers.
Meanwhile, Harry, Ron, and Hermione’s hunt for the Horcruxes has led them back to Hogwarts to find the last remaining ones and destroy them. Once there, Harry learns a terrible truth…that in order to save his friends and the world he loves so dearly he may have to make a horrible sacrifice.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 is a stunning, compelling, epic, action-adventure fantasy that delivers everything you could ever want and hope for from the movie saga. The film has wonderful special effects and breathtaking battle scenes. The siege of Hogwarts and the fight that ensues is truly thrilling. The acting has perhaps never been better than in this, the final chapter.
Daniel Radcliffe delivers his strongest performance as Harry, portraying both a confident and courageous hero determined to save everyone from the Dark Lord and a devastated soul trying to summon up the strength he needs to face his enemy. He owns every scene he’s in and is the heart and soul of the film. Emma Watson and Rupert Grint are finally allowed to explore the romantic feelings their characters feel for one another as well as become action heroes all their own. Both actors rise to the challenge beautifully.
Ralph Fiennes is fiendishly evil as Voldemort. His character actually shows fear and a dark comical side in the film that has never been present before. It adds an interesting new side to the Dark Lord.
The film’s haunting and stirring soundtrack by Alexandre Desplat adds real emotion and enhances every scene it’s in. Perhaps the only problem with the film is with the cinematography that seems to gray and dark in some scenes.
Magical, moving, suspenseful and heartfelt, this last installment in the Harry Potter franchise is the perfect farewell for these characters and their world. It’s not often when a film series ends and lives up to its fans’ – and critics’ – expectations. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 does exactly that.
GRADE: A-
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 hits theaters on July 15, 2011 and is rated PG-13 for some sequences of intense action violence and frightening images.
Chickenfoot – Joe Satriani, Chad Smith, Michael Anthony, and Sammy Hagar – just announced some new details on their upcoming album, Chickenfoot III, set for release on September 27, 2011. Chickenfoot III, produced by Mike Fraser (AC/DC, Metallica), will lead off with the single “Big Foot” on August 2nd.
“I am very proud of the new album,” stated lead singer Hagar. “We’re calling the album Chickenfoot III because it’s so good, the songs are so tight, it’s like we jumped right past having to make a second record.” He adds, “We’ve established a real trust, Joe and I, we truly bring out the best in one another, and that spreads to the whole band.”
According to the press release, Chickenfoot III features 10 tracks with so many moments of epiphany that one can barely take them all in on first listen. Colossal, stadium-shaking riffs abound on earth-movers such as “Alright, Alright,” “Last Temptation,” “Bigfoot,” and “Lighten Up.” Tradition meets innovation on the Nashville pop-tinged “Different Devil,” the Delta-blues flavored “Something Going Wrong” and the aching rock ballad “Come Closer.” “Come Closer” marks a dramatic twist in that singer Hagar wrote the words first and guitarist Joe Satriani composed the music to suit the lyrics.
Elsewhere, Chickenfoot tackles issues such as mortality in “Up Next” and the world’s economy in “Three and a Half Letters” on hard-as-nails cuts that rock the body while filling one’s senses. A teaser video with some music from the forthcoming single “Big Foot” can be viewed on the band’s webpage and YouTube.
Chickenfoot III Track List:
1. Last Temptation
2. Alright, Alright
3. Different Devil
4. Up Next
5. Lighten Up
6. Come Closer
7. Three and a Half Letters
8. Big Foot
9. Dubai Blues
10. Something Going Wrong
Gleeks will have a chance to experience Glee: The 3D Concert Movie two days before the film’s official August 12, 2011 release with special advance screenings offered by 20th Century Fox. And not only will Glee fans get to see the film early, ticket holders receive a special “merchandise packet created especially for the event, including a Glee logo lapel pin, commemorative ticket and lanyard, silicone bracelet, hat, commemorative Glee RealD 3D glasses, and backpack.”
Glee: The 3D Concert Movie will screen early in 291 theaters, with tickets for the special event going on sale from July 13th thru August 2nd. Tickets can be purchased on the film’s Facebook page. Ticket sales end August 2 to allow for mailing of the special ticket and bag.
Per the press release, “Glee: The 3D Concert Movie is a new way to see all your favorite characters — including Rachel (played by Lea Michele), Finn (Cory Monteith), Mercedes (Amber Riley), Kurt (Chris Colfer), Artie (Kevin McHale), and Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) – as never before, with their spectacular musical performances, captured in 3D, interwoven with intimate behind-the-scenes revelations that are a story unto themselves.
Ryan Murphy produced the film, and Kevin Tancharoen directed it.
His return to feature films was postponed a bit due to the revelation he fathered a child with the family’s maid, but it appears Arnold Schwarzenegger’s ready to get back in front of the camera. He’s committed to starring in the action film The Last Stand for Lionsgate Films.
Korean action-suspense master Kim Jee-Woon (A TALE OF TWO SISTERS, THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE WEIRD) will direct the film, which is to be based on a spec script by Andrew Knauer that was subsequently rewritten by Jeffrey Nachmanoff. Lionsgate has domestic and international distribution rights, with the film having pre-sold well in several overseas territories already. Lorenzo di Bonaventura will be producing the film through di Bonaventura Pictures.
“Arnold Schwarzenegger will bring incredible magnetism to this complex but classic role,” explained Drake of the perfect fit between the material and the star. “When he came on the screen in The Expendables, it always electrified the audience. In this film, the Sheriff Owens character grapples with some really tough stuff, but ultimately triumphs, and we knew he’d truly elevate this high octane ride.”
Schwarzenegger will be starring as Sheriff Owens, a man who has resigned himself to a life of fighting what little crime takes place in sleepy border town Sommerton Junction after leaving his LAPD post following a bungled operation that left him wracked with failure and defeat after his partner was crippled.
After a spectacular escape from an FBI prisoner convoy, the most notorious, wanted drug kingpin in the hemisphere is hurtling toward the border at 200 mph in a specially outfitted car with a hostage and a fierce army of gang members. He is headed, it turns out, straight for Summerton Junction, where the whole of U.S. law enforcement will have their last opportunity to make a stand and intercept him before he slips across the border forever. At first reluctant to become involved, and then counted out because of the perceived ineptitude of his small town force, Owens ultimately accepts responsibility for one of the most daring face offs in cinema history.
The much-anticipated Sherlock Holmes sequel, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, doesn’t hit theaters until December 16th but Warner Bros is keeping fans happy by releasing the first trailer from the film on July 12th. Starring Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law, the first look at the sequel shows it retains the same tone as the original – and is just as action-packed.
“Oh, how I’ve missed you, Holmes,” says Watson in the trailer. We’re right there with you, Watson.
The Plot: Sherlock Holmes (Downey Jr.) has always been the smartest man in the room…until now. There is a new criminal mastermind at large — Professor Moriarty (Jared Harris) — and not only is he Holmes’ intellectual equal, but his capacity for evil, coupled with a complete lack of conscience, may actually give him an advantage over the renowned detective. When the Crown Prince of Austria is found dead, the evidence, as construed by Inspector Lestrade (Eddie Marsan), points to suicide.
But Sherlock Holmes deduces that the prince has been the victim of murder — a murder that is only one piece of a larger and much more portentous puzzle designed by Professor Moriarty. The cunning Moriarty is always one step ahead of Holmes as he spins a web of death and destruction — all part of a greater plan that, if he succeeds, will change the course of history.
