Entertainment Blogger

Thanks -- and Farewell

2011-07-01T13:57:00.011-04:00

Repeating what I first reported last month -- thanks to all of you who have followed me here on the blog and on Twitter @Entertainment2u. It's been a pleasure keeping you updated on the latest movies, television, music, online and other entertainment news over the past couple of years. I started all of this back in March 2009 as a hobby -- and it quickly became a passion. But due to a real full-time job and mounting pressures on my time, I can no longer do it all!

You may have seen hints that this was coming -- as my movie reviews ended earlier this year, the weekly music blog posts become monthly, etc. So today, I have ended the Twitter entertainment feed and the blog altogether. I do hope you were able to celebrate this milestone with the special contest I ran over the past month -- just my way of thanking you for all your support.

Thanks again, and farewell -- for now!

Farewell Contest Winner Revealed!

2011-07-01T13:44:00.011-04:00

Congrats go out to Ali K. -- aka @GeekChic21. Ali had the winning random tweet entry in the Entertainment2u Farewell Contest -- and will receive her iPod Nano and iTunes gift card next week. Click here for more details on the Twitter contest!

Thanks to the hundreds of you who entered during the contest period -- resulting in thousands of valid entries. During the contest, @Entertainment2u reached 1735 followers!

And thank you all for following the blog and @Entertainment2u on Twitter. You've all been great.

SuperPoints -- Another Easy Way to Win Free Prizes!

2011-06-28T09:30:00.009-04:00

If you're looking for an easy way to earn more free rewards online, check out the SuperPoints Network. The site has actually been around for several years -- and in the past, offered rewards for things such as searching and shopping. Then the site took a hiatus last year and relaunched with different features.

For a limited-time only, you can join SuperPoints for FREE! That's right, it's free to join and free to use. And it's VERY easy to win points that you can then trade in for rewards. Recently, the site added many prizes to its rewards catalog -- from gift cards to popular electronics.

You earn points by:

clicking a button and getting 0-300 points on each click
watching short videos for 1-5 point(s) each
completing special offers for mega points
completing surveys for additional points

Keep in mind:

You must be invited by a current member -- so if you're interested in joining, please leave a comment below with your Twitter handle and I will send you a personalized referral link. (don't worry -- comments are moderated so I will NOT publish your Twitter screenname!)
The site is adding more ways to earn SOON -- so get in now while it's still free -- that's a limited-time offer!
The site matches your friends' button wins -- with NO cap! So, refer some of your friends to join, too! Similar to the search and win sites like iRazoo, you'll earn more if you have active referrals under you.
You can increase the number of button clicks you get by increasing your membership level (easy and free to do; just click the link to the left of the button once you're on the site).
You must live in the US, CA or UK to be a member of the site.

Win Free AmazonGift Cards on iRazoo!

2011-06-21T20:26:00.006-04:00

The search and win site iRazoo recently instituted a new point policy -- making it easier to win! Use iRazoo just like you use non-win search engines like Google and Bing. Each search will give you a random chance to win varied points -- from 10-20. And you can win up to 10 times during the day (6 am-3am ET)!

Once you reach 3000 points, you can cash out to receive a $5 Amazon gift card -- totally free! Within one to four weeks of cashing out, you'll receive your gift card code and can add it to your Amazon account balance. Amazon codes never expire -- and are stackable! You can also exchange your iRazoo points for other exciting prizes such as mp3 players, cameras, memory sticks and video game systems -- but the Amazon prize is the BEST bang for your buck.

The key to these sites is to join, get comfortable with how things work and then get some of your friends in the United States, Canada and United Kingdom to join under you as well. You will automatically earn matching points each time your friend earns points. For example, if your friend wins 20 points while searching, you will also get 20 points added to your account as well -- up to a cap of 3000 points per friend.

And guess what -- you can even earn up to an additional 150 points a day recommending sites that you click on via your searches! Each recommendation equals 5 points -- so you'll need to do 30 recommendations daily to reach that 150 maximum level. Just click on a linked site in your search results page -- and then click on the recommendation button at the top right of the new window. Tada! You can make this process go even faster by writing a brief comment per each recommendation, too. Each comment gives you 5 points. So instead of 30 recommendations alone, do 15 -- each with a comment -- to reach 150 plateau!

iRazoo recently now added more chances to earn by completing special offers. To learn more, just click on "My Account" at the top of the home page and then click on the link under Rewards Center that reads, "Earn MEGA Points." Just by clicking that link, you'll receive 5 points daily!

It's free to register and free to play -- so don't delay! Register here and start winning today -- you'll even get 50 points to start you off just for joining!

Win Free Money from Instant Cash Sweepstakes!

2011-06-20T09:04:00.000-04:00

Looking for an EASY way to build your PayPal account? Luckily there is a site where you can actually earn quick money JUST for answering 3- to 5-question surveys -- Instant Cash Sweepstakes. After you win enough money (just $2 or more), you simply cash out and the money is sent directly to your PayPal account within HOURS!

You can even write surveys -- and each month, the writer of the survey rated the best wins $100! And to top that, there is a daily $50 drawing -- and you gain entries ("lottery tickets") each time you complete or write a survey! You can win multiple times -- and EntertainmentBlogger is living proof -- winning the daily prize three times!

One lucky registered user won $1099 in the site's Tax Cut Sweepstakes in 2009! And there's always something new at ICS. Last fall, the site also implemented a $2 drawing held EVERY four hours. But even with ongoing changes, the site remains free to register -- and free to use!

Click here to join now!

MusicMonday: Final Column

2011-06-13T14:34:00.011-04:00

I hope you've enjoyed the occasional list of free downloads -- and other music updates that have appeared on the blog. Here's one more set of freebies below.

Free download of your choice

Compliments of Land O'Frost, complete a short 9-question survey and receive a free download of your choice! Offer expires July 31. Click here.

List of free singles

Are you fans of internet sensation Karmin? You can get free downloads including "Written in the Stars" and "Taken Away" via their site here -- or by clicking the image at right.
The Black Lips' "Modern Art" can be downloaded via SPIN here.
Also from SPIN, download "Bloody Poetry" from rapper Grieves here.
Smashing Pumpkins now has ten free downloads on its site -- with the latest being "Owata." Download them all here.

Free compilations

Compliments of SPIN, download 20 tracks from Bonnaroo performers here. Artists include Robert Plant, My Morning Jacket and Florence + the Machine!
From SPIN and iTunes comes 15 free singles here -- including one from the Meat Puppets. Offer expires June 30.
Is country more your style? Compliments of PEOPLE and iTunes is a set of six songs -- including one from Reba McEntire -- here. Offer expires July 31.

Great sites to bookmark

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Review Archived Posts

2011-06-03T23:59:00.001-04:00

Don't forget to click on the "older posts" link below to read more entertainment updates. Here are just a few highlights:

A recap of my trip to New Orleans for Jazz fest (click here)
A recap/review of a trip to see a Saturday Night Live rehearsal (click here)
Past movie reviews.
Past MusicMonday columns with music news and free download links

You can also access these posts by clicking on the archived listings found on the upper left area of the blog.

A Final Contest -- Farewell to Twitter, The Blog

2011-06-02T10:45:00.010-04:00

JUNE 30 UPDATE: THE CONTEST IS NOW CLOSED. Winner was selected, notified and announced on July 1 -- see here.

The Farewell

Thanks to all of you who have followed me here on the blog and on Twitter @Entertainment2u. It's been a pleasure keeping you updated on the latest movies, television, music, online and other entertainment news over the past couple of years. I started all of this back in March 2009 as a hobby -- and it quickly became a passion. But due to a real full-time job and mounting pressures on my time, I can no longer do it all!

You may have seen hints that this was coming -- as my movie reviews ended earlier this year, the weekly music blog posts become monthly, etc. Well, at the end of this month, I'll be ending the Twitter entertainment feed and the blog altogether. And what better way to celebrate this milestone and to thank you for all your support by holding a farewell contest!

The Contest

The Prizes:

One lucky follower will win a prize package with an ARV of $164 -- an Apple iPod Nano 8 GB Graphite (6th generation; newest model; ARV of $149.00) and one Apple iTunes gift card in the amount of $15 (ARV of $15.00).

How to Enter:

1) If you're not already following @Entertainment2u on Twitter -- do so, by clicking here:

Follow @Entertainment2u

2) Then copy and paste the following message into the "What's happening" field on your Twitter account:

Just entered to win an iPod Nano and iTunes Gift Card in the @Entertainment2u Farewell #Contest. #Giveaway info @ http://bit.ly/E2uFarewell

3) Only one entry per account is counted per day through June 29! So please, only ONE tweet per day (otherwise, you're spamming!). ONE random winner will be chosen from all valid entries. Read notes below and full detailed rules here.

Notes:

Contest ends Wednesday, June 29 at 11:59pm ET.
Only one main contest tweet entry allowed per Twitter account per contest day.
Entries are only valid if you are following @Entertainment2u on Twitter from point of entry through duration of contest.
Read full detailed rules here.
Please note that you do NOT need to comment below about your tweet entries. All tweets are tracked on Twitter -- and each tweet has an equal chance of being the random winner!
Click here to return to the EntertainmentBlogger home page.

Twitter Contest: Five Giveaways Behind Us -- The BIG One Coming Up!

2011-06-01T16:15:00.009-04:00

We did it -- @Entertainment2u hit 1500 Twitter followers today!

June 2 Contest Update: The new contest has been announced here.

Previous Winners

For the past few months, there have been several giveaways of $5 Amazon.com gift cards to random tweeters who helped promote the contest. Those winners were:

1250 followers -- winner announced February 23 -- @kzarr
1300 followers -- winner announced March 3 -- @goochin
1350 followers -- winner announced March 13 -- @kevin072492
1400 followers -- winner announced March 29 -- @textiff
1450 followers -- winner announced May 1 -- @bomar97

More Ways to Earn Free Prizes on Swagbucks

2011-05-01T12:24:00.000-04:00

By now, you've probably heard of search and win sites that offer free rewards for searching. Many of these sites have come and gone over the past several years. Only a few remain (see left menu). Well, the king of them all remains strong -- and continues to find new ways to grow. So the big question remains -- why are you still using Google or Bing when you can search and WIN free prizes with Swagbucks instead? Swagbucks is an online portal where you earn digital dollars. These 'bucks' can then be redeemed for exclusive FREE merchandise including:

Gift cards from Amazon, iTunes, Target, Barnes & Noble, Starbucks and many others
Sports memorabilia from MLB, NFL, NBA and NHL
Music memorabilia from your favorite bands/solo artists
Electronics from iPods to video game consoles

Besides winning on random searches, there are many other ways to earn bucks:

Use links in the Shop & Earn section to gain bucks from completing purchases on 100s of reputable sites
Trade in your old cell phones, mp3 players, video games and game consoles
Redeem special swag codes that are given out periodically on the site's blog and downloadable toolbar -- as well as its Twitter feed and Facebook fan page
Complete special offers from the site's partners
Complete surveys covering varied areas of interest
Watch videos in the Swagbucks TV section -- earn bucks as you watch!
Now you can download coupons for your local stores -- and when they are redeemed, you'll earn bucks
NEW! -- Play games and win bucks!
You'll even get 50 extra birthday bucks on your special day

You can earn enough swag bucks for your first prize on the very first day you start using the site -- so what are you waiting for? It's free to join and use -- and you get 30 bucks to start you off!

So have fun -- and happy searching! The site remains free to join -- and free to use -- so register via the link or banner ad below today!

Click here to register now!

MusicMonday: April's Free Music!

2011-04-18T16:13:00.004-04:00

Free Downloads

Here's a list of free downloads compiled since last month:

The annual Coachella Valley Music & Arts Festival was held this past weekend, but the fun didn't end there. Thanks to SPIN Magazine, you can get a free downloadable album of songs by 10 of the festival's bands. Click here or the image above.
Also from SPIN Magazine, 18 additional tracks can be downloaded via iTunes here. Offer expires May 31.
Thanks to People Magazine and iTunes, download six songs from top new Country artists here. Offer expires June 1.
From Urban Outfitters and iTunes comes a sampler of 23 songs here. Offer expires June 30.
The Spring 2011 edition of the Landmark Digital Sampler is available via Filter here. Download the 10 individual tracks or click the "download" button for a zipped folder of the entire sampler.
Missed the SXSW Festival this year? Compliments of WXRT radio, you can download 140 songs from festival artists here.
Also, Amazon offers an SXSW sampler of 12 songs here.
Dirty Vegas has downloads available on its Facebook page here. Just "Like" the page to see the list.
Download Michele Branch's "Long Goodbye" here. The song also features Dwight Yoakam.
Smashing Pumpkins now has nine free downloads on its site --with the latest being "Lightning Strikes." Download them all here.
Thanks to SPIN Magazine, you can download The Wombats' "A Robot Like You" here.
Looking for a way to occupy your kids? There's a download section on the Sprout site here.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

MusicMonday: March's Free Music!

2011-03-07T17:41:00.006-05:00

Free Music Offers

If you have an American Express credit card, you can get FIVE free songs from iTunes! Just register your card here, purchase five songs on iTunes and AMEX will reimburse you. Offer expires March 15.
Rhapsody is offering a free 60-day trial membership here. I never used the service, so cannot vouch for it -- but free is good!

Free Downloads

Scissor Sisters has five songs for download via their Website here.
Download 19 tracks via iTunes from SPIN Magazine here; offer expires March 31.
Download 20 tracks via iTunes from Southwest Airlines here; offer also expires March 31.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

2011 Oscar Predictions!

2011-02-27T12:50:00.010-05:00

The 83rd Academy Awards begin tonight at 8pm ET on ABC -- and will honor the best in film for 2010. Having seen all the movies in the top categories and all the nominated performances, I offer up my predictions with some level of confidence.

Like I said last year, I'd love to be right -- but I also love to be surprised. The most memorable Oscar shows have always been the ones with some upsets. With that said, here are my predictions (in purple)...

2/28 update -- winners in red

Best Picture

Black Swan
The Fighter
Inception
The Kids are All Right
The King's Speech - winner
The Social Network
127 Hours
Toy Story 3
True Grit
Winter's Bone

For the second year in a row, we have a staggering 10 best picture noms -- after 5 was the norm for decades. But even with the added films, the race is down to just two -- The King's Speech and The Social Network. The latter was the early favorite, but was released in October -- losing steam as the awards season kicked into high gear. So, watch for the very worthy The King's Speech to take the top prize. The Oscar voters skew older, so the WWII-timed story should strike a chord more than the one about the relatively new Facebook creation. Meanwhile, my favorite movie of 2010, Toy Story 3, will have to settle for the best animated feature award (see below).

Best Director

Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan)
David O. Russell (The Fighter)
Tom Hooper (The King's Speech) - winner
David Fincher (The Social Network)
Joel and Ethan Coen (True Grit)

This race is down to the same two movies -- and it's even a tighter race. Second-time nominee Fincher (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) may squeak out a win over relative newcomer Hooper -- even though the latter took the Directors Guild prize. But again, some years a sweep occurs -- so don't be surprised if Hooper walks home with trophy. Either way, both men are very deserving.

Best Actor

Javier Bardem (Biutiful)
Jesse Eisenberg (The Social Network)
Colin Firth (The King's Speech) - winner
James Franco (127 Hours)
Jeff Bridges (True Grit)

Bridges (Crazy Heart) beat Firth (A Single Man) in the same category last year, so it's time for Firth to get his sweet revenge. No contest this year. Firth turned in a great performance as the stuttering British monarch in The King's Speech -- and will hold that trophy high late in the evening.

Best Actress

Annette Bening (The Kids are All Right)
Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole)
Jennifer Lawrence (Winter's Bone)
Natalie Portman (Black Swan) - winner
Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine)

This race is closer than you think. The Black Swan's Portman has received most of the attention for her harrowing turn as a ballerina suffering from a mental collapse. But Bening was amazing in her role as a lesbian mother trying to keep her family together. When I left the theater after seeing The Kids Are All Right, I turned to my friend and said, "I forgot how great an actress Bening is!" She's come close to winning this award before -- so the Academy may honor her here. But I think Portman still maintains the edge.

Best Supporting Actor

Christian Bale (The Fighter) - winner
John Hawkes (Winter's Bone)
Jeremy Renner (The Town)
Mark Ruffalo (The Kids are All Right)
Geoffrey Rush (The King's Speech)

Bale totally transformed himself to play a crack-addicted former boxing hero in The Fighter -- a truly mesmerizing performance. He should win over Rush who was excellent as the speech therapist in The King's Speech. Once again, though -- a strong tide for The King's Speech could reverse the results.

Best Supporting Actress

Amy Adams (The Fighter)
Helena Bonham Carter (The King's Speech)
Melissa Leo (The Fighter) - winner
Hailee Steinfeld (True Grit)
Jacki Weaver (Animal Kingdom)

Much talk has been made that Leo has turned off voters with her shameless self-campaigning. Others suggest that she and Fighter co-star Adams will split the vote. But I still think she'll ride the wave of her previous wins at the other award shows and capture the Oscar. It will be a well-deserved win for her excellent portrayal of a head-strong mother. But this category is notorious for being the one with the most surprises on the big night. So, don't be shocked if 14-year-old newcomer Steinfeld wins for her gritty performance in True Grit.

Best Original Screenplay

Another Year (Mike Leigh)
The Fighter (Paul Attanasio, Lewis Colich, Eric Johnson, Scott Silverand Paul Tamasy)
Inception (Christopher Nolan)
The Kids are All Right (Stuart Blumberg and Lisa Cholodenko)
The King's Speech (David Seidler) - winner

Look for The King's Speech to add to its trophy case here. It's a great historical story intertwined with one of true friendship -- the type of uplifting film that the Academy loves. I thought the writing in Another Year was equally exceptional -- but Inception is the dark horse with its truly unique story.

Best Adapted Screenplay

127 Hours (Simon Beaufoy and Danny Boyle)
The Social Network (Aaron Sorkin) - winner
Toy Story 3 (Michael Arndt, story by John Lasseter, Andrew Stanton and Lee Unkrich)
True Grit (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen)
Winter's Bone (Debra Granik and Anne Rossellini)

Famed TV writer Sorkin (The West Wing) stepped up his game for the intriguing Social Network -- and the film's win here will be a nice consolation prize for losing in the Best Picture category. How could the Academy pass on such brilliant, quickfire dialogue? I must say that is a shame that the absorbing 127 Hours will be shutout in the main categories tonight.

Best Animated Feature

How to Train Your Dragon
The Illusionist
Toy Story 3 - winner

No contest here. How to Train Your Dragon was good, not great. And The Illusionist was beautiful to look at, but a bit short on story. With its equally great story and top-notch animation, Toy Story 3 was my favorite movie of the year -- and those geniuses at Pixar/Disney will deservedly win here.

Notes:

A complete list of the 83rd Academy Award nominations can be found here. -- winners list updated at same link!
My reviews of the Oscar-nominated films can be found here and at the Film Reviews icon at left.

Oscar Catch-up and Final Reviews

2011-02-26T12:17:00.017-05:00

If you're a movie lover like me, then this is a big weekend with tomorrow night's 83rd Annual Academy Awards (8pm ET/5pm ET on ABC). My predictions in leading categories will be posted here by tomorrow morning.

Every year, I have a goal to see all the Oscar-nominated films and performances before the Academy Awards telecast. And more recently, I have expanded that goal to include all the following:

10 best picture nominees
3 best animated feature film nominees
5 best director nominees
5 best original screenplay nominees
5 best adapted screenplay nominees
5 best actor nominees
5 best actress nominees
5 best supporting actor nominees
5 best supporting actress nominees

When the nominations were made last month, I only needed to see these seven films to achieve my expanded goal:

Animal Kingdom - best supporting actress Jacki Weaver
Another Year - best original screenplay
Biutiful - best actor Javier Bardem -- and also best foreign film
Blue Valentine - best actress Michelle Williams
The Fighter - best picture, 3 best acting nods, best director, etc.
The Illusionist - best animated film
The King’s Speech - best picture, 3 best acting nods, best director, etc.

Well, I completed my goal last Sunday -- with a week to spare! Here are my quick reviews of these seven -- and three more films I saw that garnered some nominations (but that I hadn't previously reviewed). All other reviews for films nominated in these key categories can be found by clicking on the FILM REVIEWS archive icon at left.

Animal Kingdom

A crime family unravels in this Australian film that I found a bit too slow. Jacki Weaver is fine as the matriarch, but her nomination wrongly excluded some more worthy candidates (e.g., Mila Kunis in Black Swan). The main focus is centered around the matriarch's teenage grandson played by James Frecheville. The lead's performance is too wooden to be absorbing. Enough twists occur to hold your interest, but this was my least favorite of the bunch -- and I cannot recommend. Grade = C+

Another Year

There is something magical about director/writer Michael Leigh's movies. You feel like a fly on a wall watching real-life human interactions -- rather than actors on the screen. A married couple who have remained happy into their autumn years are surrounded over the course of the four seasons by family and friends who all suffer some degree of unhappiness. The movie has a great message about taking responsibility for your own life and your own happiness. Terrific performances by Lesley Manville, Jim Broadbent and Ruth Sheen -- all who were robbed of nominations.
Grade = A-

Biutiful

Javier Bardem turns in another amazing performance in this Mexican film set in Barcelona, Spain. Bardem is a street criminal with two children, a bipolar estranged wife, a guilty conscience and a terminal disease. This film is dark, gritty and most of all, depressing. But Bardem's performance is unforgettable. Grade = B+

Blue Valentine

Michelle Williams earned her second nomination as half of a young couple in a dissolving marriage. And Ryan Gosling was robbed of a nomination for playing Williams' husband. The movie escapes being a total downer by interspersing scenes of their meeting and courtship. Excellent performances in a raw drama. Grade = A-

The Fighter

Talk about excellent performances -- this movie is filled with them. It's about two brother boxers in a dysfunctional family. One whose career has passed (Christian Bale) and one who is out to make a name for himself (Mark Wahlberg). Melissa Leo plays the matriarch and Amy Adams plays Wahlberg's girlfriend -- and both prove once again why they are two of our top actresses (competing against each other for supporting actress this year). Oscar-nominee Bale is nearly unrecognizable as the drugged-out former star. Great story, great direction, great performances. Grade: A-

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1

Included here because of its visual effects and art direction nominations. But the magic of this first half of the series conclusion goes well beyond technical recognition. This time around, the story really concentrates on the three young wizard leads -- and boy, have they've grown into these roles. The captivating story and visuals combine to make this the best film in the series to date. Grade = A-

How to Train Your Dragon

Nominated for best animated feature, the film has no chance against the far-superior Toy Story 3. But it's still a fun film in its own right -- about a young teenager earning validation in a mythical Viking world. The animation is top-notch and the voice acting of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, T.J. Miller and Kristen Wiig are well cast. Grade = B

The Illusionist

Also nominated for best animated feature is this French film. Every scene is like watching an artist's masterpiece painting. The beautiful visuals help carry a sometimes slow and simple story about an aging magician who befriends an adoring young woman. Amazingly, there is hardly any dialogue -- but ultimately, you'll still find deep meaning in what is conveyed. Grade = B+

The King's Speech

If you're a lover of history, I cannot recommend this British movie enough. Colin Firth plays King George VI (father of current monarch Queen Elizabeth II), who works to overcome his stutter with the help of Lionel Logue, an unorthodox speech therapist played by Geoffrey Rush. The two men become friends as they work together, and after his brother abdicates the throne, the new king relies on Logue to help him make a crucial radio broadcast at the beginning of World War II. Firth, Rush and Helena Bonham Carter (as George's wife -- who we all knew later as the Queen Mum) are at the top of their game. This beautiful film is more than just a history lesson though -- it's a rewarding exploration of true friendship. Grade = A-

Winter's Bone

Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence is a revelation as a teenager trying to keep her family together in a dirt poor Ozarks town -- while her mother remains in a catatonic state and her father is missing. It's one of those movies that will make you glad you have the life you live -- because there's always someone out there that has it worse off than you. Also earned nominations for best picture, best adapted screenplay and best supporting acting (John Hawkes). Depressing, but uplifting just the same. Grade = B

There you have it -- my final film reviews (more on that big news later). And a reminder to check back tomorrow morning for my predictions.

MusicMonday: Valentine's Day Edition

2011-02-14T17:36:00.011-05:00

Amazon.com Credit

Just a reminder -- the FREE $2 mp3 credit from Amazon.com expires at 11:59 pm PT tonight! Steps to redeem:

Click here or the image at right
On the right-hand side call-out box, click "Redeem a gift card or promotion code"
Enter coupon code VDAYMP3S

You can buy individual songs (starting at 99 cents) or apply the credit toward full albums. Some album selections you may want to consider:

Songs For Swingin' Lovers! by Frank Sinatra is on sale today for only $3.99 -- click here to sample or purchase. It is Valentine's Day after all!
There are 100 albums for sale at $5 each here -- including last night's Grammy winner for best album, The Suburbs by Arcade Fire. Also included are other Grammy favorites Recovery by Eminem and Need You Now by Lady Antebellum.
50 past Grammy-winning albums are also on sale for $5 each here.

Free Downloads

Is classical music your thing? Then download The 50 Most Essential Romantic Masterpieces here.
Or maybe you prefer jazz? Download Carol Welsman's "Be My Valentine" here.
Finally, Lady Gaga's new album Born this Way comes out May 23. If you're thinking of buying it, maybe you should consider Target's Deluxe Edition version which includes exclusive bonus tracks. And if you pre-order it by February 26, you can download the title track for free now. Details here.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2011-02-13T17:52:00.005-05:00

Notes:

The race for the top spot at the weekend box office is so close -- it can't officially be called til Monday. According to estimates, Sony's Just Go With It opened to an estimated $31 million from 3,548 theaters. The poor reviews for the Jennifer Aniston/Adam Sandler comedy didn't keep audiences away -- as early Valentine's Day celebrators were looking for a rom-com. If the film hangs on to the top spot, the film will be the 11th Sandler film to open at #1 domestically.
Just behind, Paramount's Justin Bieber: Never Say Never far outpaced expectations in grossing an estimated $30.3 million from 3,105 locations, including 2,156 higher-priced 3D runs.
Never Say Never's cume is now $31 million when adding in the $740,000 grossed from special screenings last Wednesday.
In third place, Disney's 3D family entry Gnomeo & Juliet did strong business in debuting to an estimated $25.5 million -- the best February opening ever for an animated pic.
Focus Features' Roman epic The Eagle, the weekend's fourth new wide opener, came in on the high end of expectations. At #4, the Channing Tatum-starrer grossed an estimated $8.6 million.
Although it looks to be the best weekend so far in 2011, the domestic box office still couldn't catch up with last year, partly because Valentine's Day fell on a Sunday in 2010. Revenues were down more than 25%.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of True Grit and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

MusicMonday: Free Music!

2011-02-07T20:34:00.007-05:00

Amazon.com Credit

Amazon is offering a FREE $2 mp3 credit that expires next Monday, February 14. Steps to redeem:

Click here
On the right-hand side call-out box, click "Redeem a gift card or promotion code"
Enter coupon code VDAYMP3S

Free Downloads

Download a free track from Tres Mts.' forthcoming new album, "Three Mountains" here. The group features dUg Pinnick (King's X), Richard Stuvered (The Fastbacks) and Jeff Ament (Pearl Jam). The new album comes out next month.
Here are 14 Valentine's Day tracks from Amazon -- including one from Band of Horses.
Also from Amazon, download REM's newest single "Oh My Heart" here or by clicking the image above.
Through February 11, receive a free mp3 from Roger Baker's album “Nothing’s Changed.” Just go to www.bakerstreetmusic.com and in the contact form fill out your name, email address, in the comment section: “I would like the free mp3!” and your free mp3 will be emailed to you within 24 hours.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2011-02-06T21:31:00.003-05:00

Notes:

Despite consistently poor reviews, Sony/Screen Gems' thriller The Roommate topped the weekend box office -- grossing an estimated $15.6 million in its debut.
Despite the extra bump from higher-priced 3D tickets and James Cameron as executive producer, Sanctum couldn't crack the $10 million mark in its debut. However, its $9.2 million opening gross was better than Universal anticipated -- and good enough for #2.
Last week's #1, New Line/Warner Bros.' The Rite, slipped to #6 in its second weekend -- a steep 62% decline.
Though a solid start for The Roommate, the overall box office was down more than 23% from 2010, when Screen Gems' Dear John opened to an especially good $30.5 million. Usually, Super Bowl weekend is hard for Hollywood, with theater traffic dropping substantially on game day.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of True Grit, Black Swan and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2011-01-30T17:03:00.006-05:00

Notes:

New Line/Warner Bros.' Anthony Hopkins exorcism pic The Rite opened on the lower end of expectations, but still won the weekend box office race with an estimated gross of $15 million.
Last week's #1, Paramount and Spyglass' No Strings Attached, held better than expected. The romantic comedy came in #2 while grossing an estimated $13.7 million -- and now has a cumulative total of $39.7 million in its first 10 days.
CBS Films' action remake The Mechanic, the weekend's other new entry, tied with Sony holdover The Green Hornet for #3 -- each grossing $11.5 million.
For award favorites, Oscar nominations resulted in a definite box office bump, led by the Weinstein Co.'s The King's Speech, which jumped the $70 million mark domestically and came in #5.
Paramount's True Grit (#6) showed a zero decline from the previous weekend, unusual for a film well into its run. The Western, receiving 10 Oscar nods, grossed an estimated $7.6 million for a cume of $148.4 million.
Coming in at #8, Fox Searchlight's awards front-runner Black Swan was down only 13% from the previous weekend to jump the $90 million mark on its way to $100 million.
Paramount's The Fighter also benefited from its top Oscar nods, coming in #9 and dipping just 5% from the previous weekend. The film grossed an estimated $4.1 million for a cume of $78.4 million.
Across the board, the box office was hurt Friday by yet another storm in the Northeast. But business rebounded on Saturday and doesn't have any football to compete with today. While box office revenues were down 13-15% over the same period last year, it's a narrower decline than recent weekends.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of True Grit, Black Swan and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

MusicMonday: Hot Tunes for a Cold Day

2011-01-24T15:17:00.008-05:00

Monday = Free Music Day!
Here's the latest list:

Compliments of SPIN Magazine comes 16 tracks from its "Best of 2010" issue. Click here to download via iTunes. Offer expires next Monday, January 31.
Also from SPIN, download a mix tape featuring one song from each of the albums the magazine deemed the "10 Best Albums You Might Have Missed in 2010." Click here.
Timbaland has kicked off Timbaland Thursdays on his site -- offering up a free download each week. Click here to get the latest -- "Take Ur Clothes Off" (with Missy Elliott) and "Round Da Way Tim."
Click here (or the image above) to download "Don't Shut 'Em Down," the first single off the forthcoming studio album from Flogging Molly.
Smashing Pumpkins now has eight free downloads on its site --with the latest being "The Fellowship." Download them all here.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2011-01-23T17:10:00.004-05:00

Notes:

Paramount’s Natalie Portman/Ashton Kutcher R-rated romantic comedy No Strings Attached topped the weekend box office with a solid $20.3 million start -- on the higher end of expectations. The film obviously overcame mostly weak reviews with good word-of-mouth by a mostly female audience.
No Strings Attached proved a strong return for Ivan Reitman in the director’s chair. The $20.3 million opening beat the debuts of recent R-rated comedy hits I Love You, Man ($17.8 million) and Forgetting Sarah Marshall ($17.7 million).
Meanwhile, Portman is the darling of the box office -- with two films in the top ten. Fox Searchlight’s Black Swan is still doing strong business, coming in #6 for the weekend. Portman won the Golden Globe for best actress in a drama for her role in the psychological thriller. Jeff Bridges shares the two-fer feat -- starring in #5 True Grit and #10 Tron: Legacy.
Sony’s 3D The Green Hornet came in #2 in its second weekend, declining a respectable 46% to an estimated $18.1 million -- and a domestic cume of $63.4 million.
Colin Firth’s Golden Globe win a week ago for best actor in a drama likely boosted The King’s Speech, coming in #4 for the weekend. On Saturday, the filmed scored a surprise upset over The Social Network in winning the top award from the Producers Guild of America.
On the downside is the 11th consecutive down weekend vs. last year with the ghost of Avatar looming large and making comparisons tough.
The specialized fare of The King's Speech, True Grit and Black Swan should continue to do well next weekend -- not only because of good reviews, but due to the Oscar nominations they should garner come Tuesday morning.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of True Grit, Black Swan and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2011-01-16T17:21:00.004-05:00

Notes:

Sony's 3D The Green Hornet grossed an estimated $34 million over the weekend to nab the second-best opening ever for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Sony estimates the superhero pic will gross $40.5 million through Monday.
The only other film to gross more over the long King holiday weekend was Paramount's 2008 Cloverfield, which earned $40.1 million for the three days and $46.1 million for the four days. Hornet also is the third-highest January opener after Cloverfield and a reissue of Star Wars.
Ron Howard's Vince Vaughn/Kevin James comedy The Dilemma, from Universal, got off to a rough start due to bad reviews -- grossing an estimated $17.4 million through Sunday. Good enough for the #2 spot, but far lower than the usual opening for a Vaughn or James comedy.
The bright spot continued to be specialized fare -- as The King's Speech, True Grit and Black Swan continue to do well -- thanks to good reviews.
It is important to note that The Green Hornet came in on the lower end of expectations -- possibly due to poor reviews. The film couldn't help reverse a troubling downturn at the domestic box office for studio popcorn titles. Overall revenues for the weekend were down at least 25% from last year, as well as being the lowest since 2007.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of True Grit, Black Swan and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2011-01-09T20:20:00.006-05:00

Notes:

Paramount and Skydance Prods.' True Grit wrestled the weekend box office crown from Universal's Little Fockers for the first time, grossing an estimated $15 million and upping its overall take to $110.4 million.
True Grit and #2 Little Fockers (with $13.8 million) had no trouble beating Relativity Media newcomer Season of the Witch. The Nicholas Cage-starrer came in #3 with an estimated debut of $10.7 million.
Sony/Screen Gems' new nationwide entry starring Gwyneth Paltrow, Country Strong, grossed an estimated $7.3 million to come in #6 as it expanded from a limited two-city run.
It was a slow weekend overall compared to the same time frame a year ago, when Avatar lit up the domestic box office with a $50 million gross. Revenues this year were down a whopping 30%.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of True Grit, Black Swan and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

MusicMonday: Free Downloads to Kick Off 2011

2011-01-03T16:40:00.009-05:00

Happy 2011! Here are the first free downloads of the New Year -- which are actually some leftovers from late in 2010:

Head over to Facebook here to download "What the Hell" from Avril Lavigne.
Click here for 10 live tracks from Trey Anastasio and the Scorchio Quartet. The set from the Phish frontman was recorded last November in Richardson Auditorium at Princeton University.
Compliments of NPR comes The Best New Music of 2010. Download the 12 songs via iTunes here. Free offer expires February 28.
The Winter 2011 edition of the Landmark Digital Sampler is now out. Download 11 tunes here.
And sure, Christmas is over and you're so over the music. But if you like Country, you may want to download 8 holiday tunes from People Magazine -- and save for NEXT Christmas. Top stars Brad Paisley and Rascal Flatts are included in the mix. Download here via iTunes. Offer expires this Friday.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Complete Rules for Farewell Contest

2011-01-03T09:44:00.005-05:00

Here are the complete rules for EntertainmentBlogger's Farewell Contest announced on June 2, 2011:

1. No purchase necessary to enter or claim a Prize. No skill is necessary to enter or win.

2. Sponsor: The sponsor of this Sweepstakes is EntertainmentBlogger located in Philadelphia, PA (”Sponsor”).

3. Eligibility: EntertainmentBlogger's Farewell Contest (the “Sweepstakes”) is offered to any U.S. resident with a Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/) account who is at least 13 years of age. Employees and agents of Sponsor and/or its affiliates, agencies and distributors (”Associated Persons”), members of such Associated Persons’ families, and individuals living in the same household with such Associated Persons are not eligible to win. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

4. How to Enter: The Sweepstakes begins at 10:45 AM Eastern Time ("ET") on June 2, 2011 and ends at 11:59pm ET on June 29, 2011 (the "Promotion Period"). To enter, you must issue the stated status update from your Twitter account. Limit one (1) entry per person / per day. Sponsor’s decisions will be final in all matters relating to the Sweepstakes and winner eligibility. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible or misdirected entries, which will be disqualified. The potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder of the account associated with the winning entry in order to be awarded a prize.

5. Prize Drawing and Entry Period: Prize winner will be selected in a random drawing after the entry period. An official entry will only be counted if the Twitter service displays the entry from their public search stream (http://search.twitter.com/). Sponsor is not responsible for entries undelivered to the public search stream. If any potential winner cannot be contacted, or if prize is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize.

6. Odds: There will be a total of one (1) Prize winner. Odds of winning the random drawing will depend on the total number of entries received during the entry period.

7. Prizes and Approximate Retail Value: There will be two (2) Prizes with a total ARV of $164 awarded to one (1) Prize winner -- one (1) Apple iPod nano 8 GB Graphite (6th generation; newest model; ARV of $149.00) and one (1) Apple iTunes gift card in the amount of $15 (ARV of $15.00).

8. Release: By receipt of any prize, winner agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor, Apple, and any promotional partners, each of their parent, subsidiary, affiliate and related companies, and each of its and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents (collectively the “Released Parties”) from and against any losses, damages, rights, claim or cause of action of any kind arising, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, out of participation in the Sweepstakes or resulting directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize awarded in connection with the Sweepstakes, including without limitation personal injury, death, and/or property damage, as well as claims based on publicity rights, defamation, and/or invasion of privacy.

9. Limitations of Liability: The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Sweepstakes; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Sweepstakes or the processing of entries; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use of any prize or while traveling to or from any prize-related activity. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. In the event that production, technical, seeding, programming or any other reasons cause more than the stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of prizes by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, abbreviate or suspend the Sweepstakes or any portion thereof for any reason without further obligation or advance notice. If the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned by Sponsor, notice will be posted on http://movies-tv-entertainment.blogspot.com/. In the event that the Sweepstakes is abbreviated for any reason, the Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion, but is under no obligation, to award prizes from among all valid and eligible entries received up to the time of termination. By entering, entrants agree to comply with these rules. Any entrant who attempts to tamper with the Sweepstakes, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, shall be disqualified. In the event of a dispute as to who submitted an entry, the Entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the Twitter account submitted at the time of entry. “Authorized account holder” means the natural person who is in control of the email address associated with the entering Twitter account. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES TO THE EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW) FROM ANY SUCH ENTRANTS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION. If any portion of these rules is determined to be invalid or illegal, the remaining portions of these rules will remain in effect and be construed with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein.

10. Notification: Winners will be contacted directly via a direct message from Sponsor's Twitter account (@Entertainment2u) and posted directly on http://movies-tv-entertainment.blogspot.com/. It is the Entrant's sole responsibility to contact Sponsor to collect Prize.

11. Prize Shipment: Prizes will be sent to winner via USPS. EntertainmentBlogger is NOT responsible for lost or damaged prizes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2011-01-02T18:00:00.000-05:00

Notes:

Little Fockers grossed an estimated $26.3 million over the holiday weekend to top the box office and jump the $100 million mark. The film now has a cume of $103.2 million. However, it is pacing well behind previous sequel Meet the Fockers, which earned $162.5 million during the same frame in 2004.
Paramount's True Grit finished at #2 -- earning another $24.5 million -- and raising its domestic cume to $86.8 million, the best ever gross for the Coen brothers.
Except for True Grit and other top awards contenders, the Christmas season has been a disappointment for Hollywood studios. Business over New Year's weekend was down a hefty 27% from last year, when Avatar and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, both from 20th Century Fox, did big business.
Big losers for the 2010 holidays include Fox's 3D family adventure Gulliver's Travels, which grossed an estimated $9.1 million to come in #8 for New Year's weekend and raise its cume to only $27.2 million. Sony also stumbled with Christmas romantic comedy How Do You Know, which fell out of the top 10 already and has a cume of just $25.1 million.
While it didn't become the breakout hit that Disney had hoped for, the studio's 3D Tron: Legacy was still the biggest grosser of the two-week holiday stretch. The film finished #3 over New Year's weekend at the domestic box office, grossing an estimated $18.3 million for a cume of $130.9 million.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of True Grit, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Gulliver's Travels, Black Swan and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

Complete Rules for 1500 Twitter Contest

2011-01-02T10:56:00.003-05:00

Here are the complete rules for EntertainmentBlogger's "1500 Twitter Contest -- Amazon.com Gift Card Giveaway" contest announced on February 12, 2011:

1. No purchase necessary to enter or claim a Prize. No skill is necessary to enter or win.

2. Sponsor: The sponsor of this Sweepstakes is EntertainmentBlogger located in Philadelphia, PA 19103 (”Sponsor”).

3. Eligibility: EntertainmentBlogger's "1500 Twitter Contest -- Amazon.com Gift Card Giveaway" contest (the “Sweepstakes”) is offered to any U.S. resident with a Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/) account who is at least 13 years of age. Employees and agents of Sponsor and/or its affiliates, agencies and distributors (”Associated Persons”), members of such Associated Persons’ families, and individuals living in the same household with such Associated Persons are not eligible to win. Void where prohibited or restricted by law. The Sweepstakes is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations.

4. How to Enter: The Sweepstakes begins at 10:00 AM Eastern Time ("ET") on February 12, 2011 and ends when @Entertainment2u hits 1450 followers on Twitter (the "Promotion Period"). To enter, you must issue the stated status update from your Twitter account. Limit one (1) entry per person / per day. Sponsor’s decisions will be final in all matters relating to the Sweepstakes and winner eligibility. Use of any automated system to participate is prohibited and will result in disqualification. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, invalid, unintelligible or misdirected entries, which will be disqualified. The potential winner may be required to show proof of being the authorized account holder of the account associated with the winning entry in order to be awarded a prize.

5. Prize Drawing and Entry Periods: Prize winners will be selected in a random drawings at the specified intervals: 1250, 1300, 1350, 1400 and 1450 @Entertainment follower thresholds. An official entry will only be counted if the Twitter service displays the entry from their public search stream (http://search.twitter.com/). Sponsor is not responsible for entries undelivered to the public search stream. If any potential winner cannot be contacted, or if prize is returned as undeliverable, potential winner forfeits prize.

6. Odds: There will be a total of five (5) Prize winners. Odds of winning the random drawing will depend on the total number of entries received during the entry period.

7. Prize and Approximate Retail Value: There will be five (5) Prizes awarded with a total retail value ("ARV") of $25 USD (five $5 Amazon.com e-gift card codes equaling $25 in total).

8. Release: By receipt of any prize, winner agrees to release and hold harmless Sponsor, Amazon.com, and any promotional partners, each of their parent, subsidiary, affiliate and related companies, and each of its and their respective officers, directors, employees, and agents (collectively the “Released Parties”) from and against any losses, damages, rights, claim or cause of action of any kind arising, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, out of participation in the Sweepstakes or resulting directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, use, or misuse of any prize awarded in connection with the Sweepstakes, including without limitation personal injury, death, and/or property damage, as well as claims based on publicity rights, defamation, and/or invasion of privacy.

9. Limitations of Liability: The Released Parties are not responsible for: (1) any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by entrants, printing errors or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Sweepstakes; (2) technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to malfunctions, interruptions, or disconnections in phone lines or network hardware or software; (3) unauthorized human intervention in any part of the entry process or the Sweepstakes; (4) technical or human error which may occur in the administration of the Sweepstakes or the processing of entries; or (5) any injury or damage to persons or property which may be caused, directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, from entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes or receipt or use of any prize or while traveling to or from any prize-related activity. No more than the stated number of prizes will be awarded. In the event that production, technical, seeding, programming or any other reasons cause more than the stated number of prizes as set forth in these Official Rules to be available and/or claimed, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of prizes by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims. Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify, abbreviate or suspend the Sweepstakes or any portion thereof for any reason without further obligation or advance notice. If the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned by Sponsor, notice will be posted on http://movies-tv-entertainment.blogspot.com/. In the event that the Sweepstakes is abbreviated for any reason, the Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion, but is under no obligation, to award prizes from among all valid and eligible entries received up to the time of termination. By entering, entrants agree to comply with these rules. Any entrant who attempts to tamper with the Sweepstakes, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, shall be disqualified. In the event of a dispute as to who submitted an entry, the Entry will be deemed submitted by the authorized account holder of the Twitter account submitted at the time of entry. “Authorized account holder” means the natural person who is in control of the email address associated with the entering Twitter account. CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE WEBSITE OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE SWEEPSTAKES MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK REMEDIES AND DAMAGES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES TO THE EXTENT ALLOWED BY LAW) FROM ANY SUCH ENTRANTS TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION. If any portion of these rules is determined to be invalid or illegal, the remaining portions of these rules will remain in effect and be construed with their terms as if the invalid or illegal provision were not contained herein.

10. Notification: Winners will be contacted directly via a direct message from Sponsor's Twitter account (@Entertainment2u) and posted directly on http://movies-tv-entertainment.blogspot.com/. It is the Entrant's sole responsibility to contact Sponsor to collect Prize.

11. Prize Shipment: Amazon.com e-gift card codes will be sent to winner via direct messages on Twitter or via email address if supplied by winner.

Movie Reviews: An Alphabetical Listing

2011-01-01T16:00:00.009-05:00

Below is an alphabetical listing of movies released in 2009 and 2010 that I reviewed. The full review for each can be found by clicking on the film's title.

9 - already on DVD
17 Again - already on DVD
127 Hours - DVD release on March 1
(500) Days of Summer - already on DVD
2012 - already on DVD
Adam - already on DVD
Adventureland - already on DVD
Amelia - already on DVD
Another Year - DVD release on June 7
Angels & Demons - already on DVD
Animal Kingdom - already on DVD
Avatar - already on DVD
Away We Go - already on DVD
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans - already on DVD
Biutiful - DVD release on May 31
Black Dynamite - already on DVD
Black Swan - DVD release on March 29
The Blind Side - already on DVD
Blue Valentine - DVD release on May 10
The Boys are Back - already on DVD
Bright Star - already on DVD
Brooklyn's Finest - already on DVD
Brothers - already on DVD
The Burning Plain - already on DVD
Catfish - DVD release on January 4
Capitalism: A Love Story - already on DVD
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
- DVD release on April 8
Cold Souls - already on DVD
Conviction - DVD release on February 1
Countdown to Zero - already on DVD
Crazy Heart - already on DVD
Cyrus - already on DVD
Despicable Me - already on DVD
Dinner for Schmucks - DVD release on January 4
District 9 - already on DVD
Eat Pray Love - already on DVD
Edge of Darkness - already on DVD
An Education - already on DVD
Everybody's Fine - already on DVD
Extract - already on DVD
Extraordinary Measures - already on DVD
Fantastic Mr. Fox - already on DVD
The Fighter - DVD release on March 15
Fighting - already on DVD
Funny People - already on DVD
The Ghost Writer - already on DVD
Going the Distance - already on DVD
Gommorah - already on DVD
The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard - already on DVD
Green Zone - already on DVD
Grown Ups - already on DVD
Gulliver's Travels - DVD release on April 19
The Hangover - already on DVD
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince - already on DVD
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1
- DVD release on April 15
Hereafter - DVD release on March 15
How to Train Your Dragon - already on DVD
Hubble 3D - DVD release on March 29
Humpday - already on DVD
The Hurt Locker - already on DVD
I am Love - already on DVD
I Love You, Man - already on DVD
The Illusionist - DVD release on May 10
In the Loop - already on DVD
Inglourious Basterds - already on DVD
The Informant! - already on DVD
Inception - already on DVD
Invictus - already on DVD
It's Complicated - already on DVD
Jack Goes Boating - DVD release on January 18
Julie & Julia - already on DVD
The Kids Are Alright - already on DVD
The King's Speech - DVD release on April 19
Knowing - already on DVD
The Last Station - already on DVD
The Lovely Bones - already on DVD
Lymelife - already on DVD
Megamind - DVD release on February 25
Monsters vs. Aliens - already on DVD
The Messenger - already on DVD
My Sister's Keeper - already on DVD
Never Let Me Go - DVD release on February 1
Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian - already on DVD
Nine - already on DVD
Observe and Report - already on DVD
Oceans - already on DVD
The Other Guys - already on DVD
A Perfect Getaway - already on DVD
Ponyo - already on DVD
Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire - already on DVD
The Proposal - already on DVD
Rabbit Hole - DVD release on April 19
RED - DVD release on January 25
A Serious Man - already on DVD
Sex and the City 2 - already on DVD
Sherlock Holmes - already on DVD
Sin Nombre - already on DVD
A Single Man - already on DVD
The Social Network - DVD release on January 11
The Soloist - already on DVD
Star Trek - already on DVD
The Stoning of Soraya M. - already on DVD
Sunshine Cleaning - already on DVD
The Switch - DVD release on March 15
The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 - already on DVD
Taking Woodstock - already on DVD
Terminator Salvation - already on DVD
Tetro - already on DVD
The Time Traveler's Wife - already on DVD
The Town - already on DVD
Toy Story 3 - already on DVD
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen - already on DVD
True Grit - DVD release on June 7
The Ugly Truth - already on DVD
Up - already on DVD
Up in the Air - already on DVD
Where the Wild Things Are - already on DVD
Whip It - already on DVD
Whiteout - already on DVD
Winter's Bone - already on DVD
World's Greatest Dad - already on DVD
The Young Victoria - already on DVD
Zombieland - already on DVD

Notes:

Those films issued on DVD before 2011 are marked with "already on DVD."
** NOTE: 2011 release dates are in GREEN.
Curious when the other movies will be available at your local video store or on Netflix? Check this best source for DVD release dates: http://videoeta.com/.
And don't forget to check out this earlier post on how you can obtain free advance screening passes, too: click here.

Movie Review: Big Laughs? Or Just Big?

2010-12-23T23:30:00.003-05:00

Gulliver's Travels

We all know the 18th-century story of Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift, where the main character finds himself a giant amongst the tiny people of a mysterious faraway land, Lilliput. In this modern-day retelling, Jack Black (Kung Fu Panda) plays the title role as a Manhattan mail room clerk. He's smitten by an editor at the office, but Darcy (2012's Amanda Peet) is clearly out of his league. To get her attention, Gulliver tricks her into believing that he's actually a writer -- so she sends him on assignment to the Bermuda Triangle to cover a story.

After a fierce storm, Gulliver is shipwrecked and awakens in Lilliput -- where at first he is held captive, but then rises to hero status. Along the way, he helps another unlikely duo get together -- the island's princess (The Young Victoria's Emily Blunt) and an adoring commoner (Jason Segel from Despicable Me). Helping his new friends get together gives Gulliver much insight as to how he could win over Darcy. Now if only he could find a way to be back on the same ground with her again.

The comic-adventure film relies a bit too much on crude humor and special effects (although the 3D enhancement is once again unnecessary). It may not be that funny or adventurous, but there's some mild entertainment here thanks to a talented cast that rises above a silly script. It's not the best family film out this year, but it's certainly not the worst either. Directed and co-written by Rob Letterman (Monsters vs. Aliens). [Rated PG; opens Christmas Day]

Grade: B-

Notes:

The minor recommendation is helped along by a fun new animated short that precedes the film. Scrat’s Continental Crack-Up is a great sneak peek at what lies ahead for the Ice Age series -- as Ice Age: Continental Drift is expected to hit theaters on July 13, 2012.
Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews -- including Rabbit Hole, which opens wider on Christmas Day.

Movie Review: The Coen Brothers Tackle a Western Remake

2010-12-22T00:24:00.008-05:00

True Grit

Joel and Ethan Coen (A Serious Man, No Country for Old Men) have created their most mainstream film in True Grit, an adaptation of the 1968 Western novel by Charles Portis. The story, set in 1800s Arkansas, was previously adapted in a 1969 film starring John Wayne -- in his only Oscar-winning role.

Newcomer Hailee Steinfeld plays Mattie Ross, a 14-year-old girl who undertakes a quest to avenge her father's death at the hands of a drifter named Tom Chaney (Milk's Josh Brolin). Ross persuades an alcoholic U.S. marshal known as Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges) to join her in tracking Chaney down. He wants to go solo, but feisty Ross insists she go along. They are also joined by Texas Ranger LaBoeuf (Matt Damon), who wants to take in Chaney for other crimes. The trio face danger and surprises on the journey -- truly testing their "grit."

Bridges proves that his Oscar win last year for Crazy Heart was no fluke -- he nails the gruff, but lovable Cogburn. And Damon (Hereafter) also successfully showcases his great range -- he really can do both comedy and drama. But it's Steinfeld who steals the movie in a perfect casting coup. The Academy will surely recognize her talents when the Oscar nominations are announced next month.

Although I never read the novel -- and don't recall seeing the original film -- this newer version may be less of a straight remake than some would think. Ethan Coen has been quoted as saying the film is a more faithful adaptation of the novel than the 1969 version: "It's partly a question of point-of-view. The book is entirely in the voice of the 14-year-old girl. I think [the book is] much funnier than the movie. They lost a lot of humour in both the situations and in her voice. It also ends differently than the movie did. Another way in which it's a little bit different from the movie — and maybe this is just because of the time the movie was made — is that it's a lot tougher and more violent than the [original] movie reflects." (Source: IGN)

To sum up -- even if you're not usually a fan of Westerns, this film should not be missed. And if you've had trouble with the Coen Brothers' quirky writing and directing in past films, no worries here. There's no confusion as to what happens -- from start to finish. It's just a great American story -- dramatic, funny, touching and adventurous. And you'll witness the making of a new star in Steinfeld. [Rated PG-13; opens later today]

Grade: A-

Notes:

Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews.
Coming soon: a review of Gulliver's Travel.

MusicMonday: Final Freebies of 2010

2010-12-20T14:56:00.007-05:00

Where did this year go? Flew by! Today is the last MusicMonday post of the year -- so don't miss out on the final free music of 2010!

Are you on Facebook? If so, just head over to Facebook, "like" HobNob and claim your coupon for $5 in free Rhapsody downloads! Click here to get started. Offer expires December 31.
While you're at it, 'like" the iTunes Facebook page and get 10 sneak peek tracks from Vans Warped Tour 2011. Click here or image above to get started. Offer expires January 31.
Download 16 tracks from SPIN magazine's best of 2010 issue via iTunes here. Offer ends January 31.
Like Broadway tunes? Compliments of SHN and iTunes comes a 15-track Broadway music sampler. Click here to download -- and enter this code: BROADWAYINSF. Plenty of time on this offer -- it expires October 31 of next year.
thedownplayer.com has downloads of 10 songs --and they swap out the selection often. This week's offerings include a single from Broken Bells! Click here.
Finally, one last holiday selection -- from x5music.com comes 10 free Christmas piano songs; click here to download.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-12-19T17:16:00.005-05:00

Notes:

In another soft weekend, Disney's 3D Tron: Legacy debuted on top of the domestic box office with a $43.6 million opening. Quite a big leap from the original Tron film -- which opened with $4.8 million on the weekend of July 9, 1982.
Warner Bros.' 3D family entry Yogi Bear opened to $16.7 million to finish in second place. The CG/live-action hybrid had been expected to open at $20 million.
Coming in #3 was last week's winner -- 20th Century Fox and Walden Media's The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader. It fell 48% to $12.4 million for a new domestic cume of $42.8 million. Overseas, the third Narnia film won the weekend with $29.9 million for a worldwide gross of $166.8 million.
At #4, Paramount/Relativity Media's The Fighter grossed $12.2 million as it expanded after opening the weekend before in N.Y. and Los Angeles.
Due to mostly poor reviews, Sony's How Do You Know (filmed partially in my neighborhood!) opened to a paltry $7.6 million -- only good for #8.
The weekend was down about 3% from the same frame last year.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Black Swan and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

Movie Review: A Beautifully-Acted Drama

2010-12-17T11:39:00.011-05:00

Rabbit Hole

How do you move on after the death of a child? There is no time frame rule for grieving. Nor does everyone grieve in the same way. Eight months after the death of their young son, Becca (Nicole Kidman) and Howie (Aaron Eckhart) continue to cope with their grief -- but in different ways. Whereas Howie finds solace in re-watching a final video of the boy over and over, Becca needs to strip the house of most reminders. Both find comfort in private platonic relationships -- Becca becomes close with the teenage driver (newcomer Miles Teller) who accidentally hit the boy, while Howie buddies up with a fellow bereavement support group member (Sideways' Sandra Oh). Can Becca and Howie's marriage survive with so much grief and secrecy?

There's nothing particularly groundbreaking in the story-telling here. Sure, it's heartbreaking -- but the movie stands out due to riveting performances by Kidman (Oscar-winner for The Hours) and Eckhart (The Dark Knight). And Oscar-winner Diane Wiest (Hannah and Her Sisters, Bullets Over Broadway) is terrific as Becca's mom -- mourning not only her grandson, but also her own son she lost several years back. Teller, Oh and The Good Shepherd's Tammy Blanchard (who plays Becca's sister) round-out a strong supporting cast.

Directed by John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch) and written by David Lindsay-Abaire -- an adaptation of his Pulitzer Prize-winning play of the same name. If you can sit through the tough subject matter, the film is worth seeing for some astonishing performances. [Rated PG-13; opens in NY and LA today; wider on Christmas Day; nationwide on January 14]

Grade: B+

Notes:

Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews.
Coming soon: a review of True Grit.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-12-12T14:32:00.002-05:00

Notes:

Fox's 3D action fantasy The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader opened with a disappointing $24.5 million weekend, but still managed to top the domestic box office. With an underwhelming performance, it remains uncertain if Fox will take on a fourth Narnia picture. Disney had previously dumped the family franchise following a disappointing first sequel.
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the first film in the series, opened with a franchise-best $65.6 million in 2005 -- en route to ring up $291.7 million domestically. The May 2008 sequel, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, debuted with $55 million and collected $141.6 million domestically.
The weekend's only other wide opener -- the Sony-distributed action thriller The Tourist, starring Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp -- earned second place with a debut of just $17 million.
The session's top 10 films fetched less than $83 million, roughly matching top performers' contributions in the same frame last year.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, Black Swan, Megamind and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

Movie Reviews: One for the Kids, One for Adults

2010-12-10T10:55:00.020-05:00

The Chronicles of Narnia:
The Voyage of the Dawn Treader

The fun falls a bit short in the film adaptation of the third published novel in the C. S. Lewis epic fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. This time around, the two younger Pevensie kids Edmund (Skandar Keynes) and Lucy (Georgie Henley) are transported back to Narnia along with their annoying younger cousin Eustace (Will Poulter). They join the new King of Narnia, Caspian (Ben Barnes) in his quest to rescue seven lost lords to save Narnia from a corrupting evil that resides on a dark island. Each character is tested as they journey to the home of the great lion Aslan at the far ends of the world.

The core cast is fine as always, but some of the supporting players are not seen as much as they were in the previous installments. Liam Neeson reprises his voice role of Aslan, the great lion and the highest of all the Kings of Narnia. And don't blink or you will miss the cameo returns of Tilda Swinton (I am Love) as the White Witch, and the older Pevensie siblings -- William Moseley as Peter and Anna Popplewell as Susan. Somehow minimizing these roles in the threequel really weakens the ride.

The positives -- it's great to see the kids again as they set off on a new journey -- and some of the special effects are top-notch. But unfortunately, the storytelling is quite simplistic this time around -- and the overall effect is pretty bland. Available in both 2D and 3D formats -- I saw the latter and can say, save your money and go with the standard format. Nothing spectacular happens in 3D. In summation, a minimal nostalgic recommendation from me -- based on continuing a classic story with some interesting characters and the actors who play them. Directed by Michael Apted (Amazing Grace), who has also signed on to do the fourth installment in the series, The Silver Chair. [Rated PG; opens today]

Grade: B-

Black Swan

Director Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler) is back to his wacky ways with the psychological thriller, Black Swan. Natalie Portman (Brothers) is sensational as Nina, who lands the lead in a production of Swan Lake by a New York City ballet company. She lives with her obsessive former ballerina mother who exerts suffocating control over her. The stress of gaining the role and dealing with more pressure at home has pushed Nina over the edge. Things get even crazier when a new dancer, Lily (the equally great Mina Kunis from Forgetting Sarah Marshall), enters the mix.

The film is beautifully shot and is carried by some of the best acting of the year. But it's also a bit too bizarre for its own good. Nina pushes herself so hard that her stress causes her to be unsure if things she is experiencing are real, psychotic episodes, drug-induced hallucinations or dreams. And you'll be left wondering the same, too.

The excellent supporting cast includes Vincent Cassel (Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen) as the ballet's demanding artistic director and Barbara Hershey (The Portrait of a Lady) as Nina's mother. On the flip side, Winona Ryder (Girl, Interrupted) is a bit too campy as another dancer forced to retire due to age. The movie is very dark and compelling -- but also difficult to recommend strongly because it's way too over the top for all audiences. [Rated R; opens wider today]

Grade: B+

Notes:

Fourteen members of the Pennsylvania Ballet were cast as the corps de ballet in the Black Swan -- backdrop for the main actors' performances. A few were on hand at my screening for Q&A -- and admitted that real ballet life is stressful and drama-filled, but that Nina's character takes her grueling preparation a bit too far.
Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews, including the highly-recommended 127 Hours.

MusicMonday: December Downloads, New Holiday Tunes

2010-12-06T15:31:00.009-05:00

New Holiday Music

I tweeted two new holiday songs over the past few days -- and they're worth repeating here:

Coldplay's new holiday single "Christmas Lights" was released last week. Watch the video at www.coldplay.com -- and you can download the song by purchasing it at www.iTunes.com/Coldplay.
The Maccabeats, a singing group from Yeshiva University, has huge internet Hanukkah hit with "Candlelight." It's sung to the tune of the pop song "Dynamite" by Taio Cruz -- and it's pretty catchy! Check out the story here -- and the YouTube video here.

Free Downloads

Here is this week's list of free downloads:

The music of The Grateful Dead is meant to be shared and enjoyed by everyone. Through December 8, you can download 30 classic live tracks here -- or by clicking the image at right.
Not to be outdone, the third volume of Live Bait -- tracks from Phish -- can be downloaded here.
To celebrate the release of Joe Purdy's 12th album "This American," you can download this 15-song album for free throughout December here.
Finally, Amazon has a free holiday mp3 for download each day through Christmas; download here.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-12-05T20:18:00.006-05:00

Notes:

Disney's Tangled, a 3D animated adventure based on the Rapunzel fable, rang up $21.5 million during its second weekend to top the box office.
Warner Bros.' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1 settled for second place after two frames atop the box office rankings, earning $16.7 million for the weekend -- and now $244.2 million in cumulative box office after three weeks. That puts it comfortably ahead of any of the six previous Potter pictures for a similar span of time.
The weekend's only wide opener -- Relativity-distributed martial arts Western The Warrior's Way -- debuted weekly in ninth place with only $3.1 million.
Collectively, the top 10 films rang up $75 million, or 14% less than top performers in the same frame last year. That's the third consecutive year-over-year weekend downturn for the holiday box office season, which began the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Meanwhile, the weekend went very well for Fox Searchlight's Black Swan. The suspense thriller about ballet dancers directed by Darren Aronofsky (The Wrestler), Black Swan dove into 18 theaters in eight markets and came up roses with $1.4 million for a Searchlight-record $77,459 per venue. It opens wider on Friday.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of Megamind and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

MusicMonday: Cyber Monday Edition

2010-11-29T16:19:00.011-05:00

Cyber Monday is all all about finding the best online deals. Well, what is better than FREE?

Free $3 Amazon Code!

First up, how about $3 in free mp3s from Amazon.com? Click here to cash in code GET3MP3S -- offer expires tonight at 11:59pm PT!

Free Holiday Downloads

Here are 28 free holiday tunes:

Target has 13 holiday songs -- including one from Guster -- available for download here.
American Eagle's 15-track holiday sampler -- including a song from Nada Surf -- can be downloaded at FILTER Magazine's site here.

Non-Holiday Downloads

And here is a list of today's non-holiday downloads:

Compliments of SPIN -- 13 tracks from the magazine's December issue -- download here via iTunes before December 31.
Download the debut single "Tennessee Me" from The Secret Sisters here.
Head to Xbox's Facebook page here to download Nutso's "Jealous."
Download the 15-track "it was never about the audience" album from Noise Addict here.
Get a free single from singer/actor Billy Burke here.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-11-28T15:35:00.003-05:00

Notes:

In a close race, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1 remained the #1 movie with $50.3 million over Thanksgiving weekend. The next-to-last movie in the series raised its domestic total to $220.4 million after just 10 days in theaters, according to distributor Warner Bros. The film also has taken in $389.2 million overseas, giving it a worldwide total of $609.6 million.
Tangled, a 3D animated adventure based on the Rapunzel fable, was easily the top grosser among the new pictures with a surprisingly strong $49.1 million in second place and a $69 million cume since unspooling Wednesday in the biggest Disney-branded animated debut in years. The film far exceeded industry expectations, delivering the second-biggest Thanksgiving debut ever behind Toy Story 2, which had a $57.4 million opening in 1999.
The other Wednesday openers did not fare as well. Sony Screen Gem's musical Burlesque kicked up $11.8 million in fourth place during the weekend for a $17.2 million cume since its midweek bow. Fox's romantic comedy Love and Other Drugs earned $9.9 million in sixth place for the three days and a five-day cume of $14 million. CBS Films' Dwayne Johnson action film Faster snagged $8.6 million in seventh place for a $12.2 million cume.
Collectively, the weekend top 10 rung up $170.5 million, or 1% less than top performers in the same frame last year.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of Megamind and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter, AP

Holiday Movie Reviews

2010-11-24T11:17:00.016-05:00

Four major movies open today as we hit the long holiday weekend. Being extra busy lately, I wasn't able to screen any of the films before their release. But I thought it would be helpful to summarize some key reviews for each. Looks like Tangled is your best bet in a weak bunch.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Burlesque

This newest musical stars Cher and Christina Aguilera. Co-stars Stanley Tucci. [Rated PG-13]

AP = 2 out of 4 stars
Entertainment Weekly = C-
Philadelphia Inquirer = 2.5 out of 4 stars

Faster

Dwayne Johnson stars in this new vengeance flick. Also stars Billy Bob Thornton. [Rated R]

AP = 1 star
Entertainment Weekly = D
Philadelphia Inquirer = 2 stars

Love & Other Drugs

Another raunchy romantic comedy -- this time re-teaming Brokeback Mountain stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway. Co-stars the late Jill Clayburgh in her final film role.
[Rated R]

AP = 2 stars
Entertainment Weekly = C+
Philadelphia Inquirer = 2.5 stars

Tangled

Disney's 50th animated film is a new spin on the Rapunzel story. Mandy Moore voices the title role, with Zachary Levi as Flynn Rider. [Rated PG]

AP = 2.5 stars
Entertainment Weekly = B
Philadelphia Inquirer = 3 stars

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-11-21T13:42:00.008-05:00

Notes:

The newest Harry Potter film cast his biggest box-office spell yet with a franchise record $125.1 million domestically over opening weekend. In terms of revenue, that puts Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1 ahead of the series' best previous debut of $102.7 million for 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
Factoring in today's higher admission prices, the latest movie had roughly the same size audience as the franchise's best previous draws -- Goblet of Fire and 2001's Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, which launched the series. Deathly Hallows and those two earlier movies each sold around 16 million tickets in their first weekend.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows -- Part 1 landed at #6 on the domestic revenue chart for biggest opening weekends, a list headed by 2008's The Dark Knight with $158.4 million. It also was this year's second-biggest debut, behind Iron Man 2, which is #5 on the all-time chart with $128.1 million.
After two weeks on top, DreamWorks Animation's Megamind fell to #2 with $16.2 million -- and a cumulative total now past the $100 million mark ($109.5 million).
Opening pretty weakly for Lionsgate at #5 was the debut of the Russell Crowe drama, The Next Three Days, with $6.8 million.
Collectively, top 10 finishers in the the holiday box office season's first frame rung up $185.3 million. That was 25% less than top performers in a comparable frame last year topped by The Twilight Saga: New Moon.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of Megamind, RED and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter, AP

Movie Review: An Action Film Like No Other

2010-11-19T16:03:00.007-05:00

127 Hours

Director Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) is in Oscar-form once again with his dramatic telling of mountain climber Aron Ralston, who became trapped by a boulder in Utah for five days back in 2003. By now, we all know the true story of how Ralston ended up amputating his forearm to set himself free. So, it's an amazing feat by Boyle to create an engaging action film where the subject is alone and trapped -- especially one where we already know the ending. Boyle excels in pulling it off -- but there are plenty of accolades to go around.

James Franco (Milk) is excellent as Ralston, the loner who tells no one where he is going before his hike, while packing a bag with only limited supplies. He's pumped up for an exciting solo adventure -- but has some side fun before setting off on his main mission. Kate Mara (Brokeback Mountain, Shooter) and Ambler Tamblyn (The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants) play two pretty hikers Ralston meets before the accident. The short meeting showcases Ralston's captivating energy and fun spirit -- but also highlights his ultimate drive to be one with nature as they part ways.

Then it's on to the accident -- where Franco truly earns the Oscar nomination that lies ahead for him. He's somehow able to believably convey the fear, strength, determination, imagination and gut-wrenching realization that Ralston dealt with during those five days. How Ralston was able to keep his sense of humor intact and his mind sharp enough to rescue himself -- even after severe dehydration, hunger and hallucinations set in -- is nothing short of a miracle.

Boyle proves past success was not fleeting -- as the filmmaker pulls together a great story (he co-wrote with his Slumdog Millionaire Oscar-winning screenwriter, Simon Beaufoy) -- along with superb acting, camera work, film editing and score. Sure, you may have to look away at the critical point in the story, but that's okay -- I did. And it won't diminish the overall effect -- a truly inspirational story of survival. [Rated R; opens wider today and nationwide November 24]

Grade: A-

Notes:

Watch a short interview with Aron Ralston here.
Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews.

DVD Movie Review: A Modern Day Family Dramedy

2010-11-16T17:24:00.014-05:00

The Kids Are All Right

Nic and Jules are in a long-term, committed and loving relationship -- raising two teenagers while balancing home and work lives. Like most couples, they're happy -- but things are by no means perfect. Pretty normal. So, what makes this a different story? Well, Nic and Jules just happen to be lesbians. Annette Bening plays Nic, a doctor, primary breadwinner and the stricter parent. Julianne Moore is Jules, the more laid-back stay-at-home mom. With the kids getting older, Jules is trying to get a new business off-the-ground, but that's just one factor adding stress to the relationship.

We learn that each woman had given birth to one of the two kids using the same anonymous sperm donor. As daughter Joni (Mia Wasikowska) readies to leave for college, her curious younger brother Laser (Josh Hutcherson) asks her to contact the sperm bank in order to meet their biological father. When their father (Zodiac's Mark Ruffalo) enters the family's lives -- not only do the kids have to learn to adjust, but Nic and Jules face an unexpected turn of events that will truly test their relationship.

Directed by Lisa Cholodenko (High Art, Laurel Canyon) -- and written by Cholodenko and Stuart Blumberg -- the film is an entertaining family dramedy strengthened by stellar acting from a great cast. As usual, Moore (A Single Man) and Ruffalo are terrific -- and so are Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) and Hutcherson (Journey to the Center of the Earth). If you're going to make a film where younger actors play integral roles, you better nail the casting. And here, the filmmakers did. Bening is especially outstanding -- I honestly had forgotten what a great actress she is -- and without a doubt, she'll gain a well-deserved fourth Oscar nomination (The Grifters, American Beauty, Being Julia). My only gripe with the film is that part of the story veered off and didn't seem completely believable -- and that's the only reason you won't see a higher grade from me below. Still, a must-see. [Rated R; released on DVD and Blu-ray today]

Grade: B+

Note:

Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews of movies in theaters now -- or already released for home viewing.

MusicMonday: November Downloads -- Vol. 2

2010-11-15T15:10:00.009-05:00

Free Downloads

Here is this week's free offerings:

Nine live tracks from Phish (Live Bait Volume 2) can be downloaded here.
Click here for a live Massive Attack set from this past June's Southside Festival in Germany.
Download "Bring the Light" from Beady Eye here.
Kellee Maize's new single "Hasta Abajo - All The Way Down" here.
NoiseTrade offers downloads for free (or pay what you can) -- click here for Sleeperstar's "Just Another Ghost" -- then click the back space on that page for more songs.
Here is UTNE Reader's November sampler with 11 free downloads.
Is classical music more your stlye? Click here for 24 classical masterpieces from Rise of the Masters.

Holiday Music for Free

Too early for Christmas? Yeah, I hear you -- but why not download these complimentary songs from Amazon.com now -- and save them for later when you're in the holiday mood!

The Incredible Singing Christmas Tree -- 16 VeggieTales' tracks -- download here
The Karaoke Channel -- Best Traditional Christmas Songs (14 tracks) -- download here
Chacra World Music Holiday Sampler (five tracks) -- download here
The Very Merry Christmas Sugo Holiday Sampler (five tracks) -- download here
Timeless Christmas (six tracks, including two from Neil Sedaka and two from Michael McDonald) -- download here

Many More

Want more free (non-holiday) downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-11-14T15:11:00.004-05:00

Notes:

DreamWorks Animation's Megamind was the #1 movie for the second weekend in a row. The 3D comedy, featuring Will Ferrell as the voice of a super villain, made just over $30 million this weekend -- and now nearly $90 million overall.
Opening in second place is the 20th Century Fox action thriller Unstoppable, starring Denzel Washington and Chris Pine as railroad workers trying to stop a massive runaway train. The film made $23.5 million in its debut.
Among the weekend's other new releases, Skyline opened in fourth place with $11.7 million. The Universal Pictures sci-fi thriller depicts aliens invading and destroying Los Angeles. And Morning Glory, a Paramount comedy set in a network morning show starring Rachel McAdams, Harrison Ford and Diane Keaton, opened at #5 with about $9.6 million.
The top 10 films in the latest frame collected $110.4 million, or 12% less than top performers in the same session in 2009.
Coming up -- the home stretch to the box-office year will feature a number of limited-release "prestige pictures" vying for promotional bang from the year-end awards season.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of Megamind, RED and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter, AP

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-11-07T14:17:00.004-05:00

Notes:

DreamWorks Animation's Megamind debuted as the #1 movie for the weekend with $47.7 million. Distributed in a mix of 2D and 3D locations, 66% of its opening weekend earnings came from 3D screenings.
In other debuts, Warner Bros.' Due Date opened at a strong #2 with $33.5 million, while Tyler Perry's drama For Colored Girls premiered solidly for Lionsgate -- in third-place with $20.1 million.
Last weekend's champion, Saw 3D, slipped all the way down to #5 with $8.2 million -- down a steep 66 percent from its opening-weekend revenue. Halloween is over -- hello!
On an industry-wide basis, the weekend was very strong -- and even set a record for the best first weekend in November (previously $153 million in 2003). Overall revenues came in at $155 million, up 29.5 percent from the same weekend a year ago, when A Christmas Carol led with $30.1 million.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of Megamind, Red, Hereafter, The Social Network and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter, AP

Movie Review: A Villain vs. Superhero Story with a Twist

2010-11-05T11:43:00.005-04:00

Megamind

The latest animated comedy from DreamWorks Animation is a villain vs. superhero story with a twist -- one where you may end up rooting for the unlikely character. The villain here is the Megamind (voiced by Will Ferrell), who continuously terrorizes Metro City -- but the city and its people are always rescued by suave superhero Metro Man (Brad Pitt). Megamind and Metro Man are both aliens who were sent to Earth as babies from their respective home planets. On Earth, they've had a long rivalry -- but Megamind always seems to be outwitted by Metro Man. Then during one of Megamind's many hostage plots involving news reporter Roxanne Ritchi (Tina Fey), tragedy strikes -- and it looks like Metro Man is finally out of the picture.

Now freed from his rival's shadow, Megamind proceeds to take control of Metro City. But over time, the big blue-headed villain comes to realize that he no longer has any purpose in life without an enemy. So, he concocts a plan to turn Roxanne's goofy cameraman Hal (Jonah Hill) into Metro City's next big superhero, the fiery-headed Titan. But things do not go as planned when power quickly goes to Titan's head. Aided by his fish-like sidekick Minion (David Cross), Megamind must find a way to resolve an even bigger issue -- as Metro City now has two villains and no superheroes.

Written by Alan J. Schoolcraft and Brent Simons, the film is directed by Tom McGrath (Madagascar). All borrow plot points from recent animated features -- including Monsters vs. Aliens and Despicable Me -- so, the film isn't as original as it could be. And be forewarned, it's neither a laugh-out riot nor a 3D spectacular (it's ok to see in 2D!). But the animation and strong cast rescue the film's shortcomings. Ferrell (The Other Guys), Fey (Ponyo), Hill (Cyrus) and Cross (Alvin and The Chipmunks) add much liveliness to the tale. Surprisingly, only Pitt (Inglourious Basterds) is a bit flat in his first animated role. [Rated PG; opens today]

Grade: B

Notes:

Thanks to AOL, you can watch the first five minutes of the film -- with an introduction by Will Ferrell -- here. The opening serves as a great back-story that sets the stage well.
Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews.

First Day of November = Free Movie Rental Codes!

2010-11-01T11:55:00.000-04:00

Brrrrrrrr -- it was the coldest morning here in the past eight months! Unless you're lucky to live in a warm climate, I am sure you're experiencing much of the same. It's time to spend more time inside -- with a free movie night! So, here is the latest list of Redbox and Blockbuster Express codes.

Just a reminder: these codes listed below can only be used once per account.

Redbox

Did you know:

If you create a new redbox.com account, your second online rental is on them! Details here.
Join the Redbox text club and get a promo code good for a free rental on the first Monday of every month (the code is sent to your cell phone -- and is good only for you!). Learn more here.
Blu-ray discs are now available at a Redbox kiosk near you. At my local location, DVDs are still $1 and Blu-ray discs are $1.50. Check here to see if Blu-ray rentals are available near you.
Finally, Redbox has a great new contest -- you could win free rentals for a year! Enter the contest here.

Below are free movie rental codes for use at Redbox kiosks:

DVDATWAG - expiration unknown; Walgreen's only
DVDKROG - expiration unknown; Kroger's only
DRIVEIN - expiration unknown; Sonic only
CHANCEMONOP - McDonald's only; Redbox and McDonald's have partnered to give away 1 million FREE Redbox rentals; this code will expire after it has been used 1 million times
DVDONME - no expiration
BREAKROOM - no expiration
Click here to find a Redbox kiosk near you.

Blockbuster

Below are free movie rental codes for use at Blockbuster Express kiosks:

1MNDY - valid today only
G718A - expiration unknown
Click here to find a Blockbuster kiosk near you.

MusicMonday: New Month, New Free Mp3s!

2010-11-01T09:12:00.007-04:00

Wow -- it's November already! Let's kick off the month with some free music!

First up, Amazon.com recently offered a promotional code to some members -- and it has spread around the Internet. It's definitely worth trying out before it expires today! Enter the code STUDENT3 at check-out to redeem a $3 credit. Amazon MP3 music downloads are available to customers located in (and with billing addresses in) one of the 50 United States or the District of Columbia only. Taxes apply in some states. The promotion code must be used by 11:59 PT tonight! So get shopping here!

And here are this week's
free downloads:

To celebrate three decades of Bad Religion, the band recorded a live album during its spring 2010 tour -- and are offering it as a free "thank you" to loyal fans. Download it here by joining the band's mailing list.
Meanwhile, SPIN Magazine has compiled a 10-track mixed tape of top acts covering Bad Religion. Included in the tribute are Switchfoot and Tegan and Sara. Download "Germs of Perfection: A Tribute to Bad Religion" here.
Compliments of Adult Swim -- three big albums! Download 16 metal tracks here, 9 softer singles here and 17 ATL RMX remixes here.
Incubus has a section on their site with free downloads of many of their biggest hits. Click here.
And finally, the new War Tapes 5-track EP "Fever Changing" is available here. You can name your price.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-10-31T16:30:00.007-04:00

Notes:

On this Halloween weekend, horror fans flocked to Lionsgate's seventh and final chapter in its lucrative slasher franchise, as Saw 3D earned an estimated $24.2 million.
Saw 3D boasted more than 2,100 3D locations among 2,808 total engagements -- with 3D venues contributing 92% of its weekend gross.
The solid tally for Saw 3D was still well short of a franchise record -- in fact, it had the third lowest opening in the series. Saw III bowed with a series-best $33.6 million in 2006 on the way to $80.3 million in U.S. and Canadian coin. The franchise's top domestic run came a year earlier, when Saw II fetched $87 million following a $31 million opening. But this year was a step up from last, when Saw VI opened with a disappointing $14.1 million and rang up only $27.9 million overall domestically.
Last weekend's champion, Paranormal Activity 2, slipped to #2 with $16.5 million -- taking the 10-day haul for Paramount Pictures' scary movie sequel to $65.7 million.
On an industry-wide basis, the weekend was strong. Top 10 finishers rung up a collective $83.8 million, or 13% more than top performers in the same frame last year.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of Red, Hereafter, The Social Network, The Town, Conviction and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter, Reuters

Schedule for Animated Halloween Specials

2010-10-27T16:58:00.005-04:00

Halloween is this Sunday -- and most of the big networks (except CBS) are getting in on the fun. Here is the schedule of animated specials celebrating the holiday.

Thursday, October 28

8pm ET on ABC --

It's the Great Pumpkin,
Charlie Brown

The third prime time animated television special based on the comic strip Peanuts by Charles M. Schulz.
Debuted on CBS on October 27, 1966 -- following the CBS premieres of A Charlie Brown Christmas (December 9, 1965) and Charlie Brown's All-Stars (June 8, 1966).
It just never gets old watching poor Linus waiting in the pumpkin patch for The Great Pumpkin! And hearing Charlie Brown's repeated infamous line while trick-or-treating!
Stick around to watch Linus run for office in You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown -- which originally aired on CBS on October 29, 1972.

8pm ET on NBC -- Scared Shrekless

All-new special featuring film star, Shrek -- the second spin-off from the movie series which started in 2001 (the Christmas special Shrek the Halls debuted on ABC on November 28, 2007).
Halloween is Shrek's favorite holiday, and this year he’s planning a night of frights -- as he challenges Fiona, Donkey, Puss in Boots and the other fairy tale characters to spend the night in Lord Farquaad’s haunted castle telling scary stories. The last one to be scared "Shrekless" will win.

Friday, October 29

8pm ET on ABC -- It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

ABC is re-airing the classic one night later -- with You're Not Elected, Charlie Brown following once again at 8:30pm ET.

Saturday, October 30

8pm ET on NBC -- Scared Shrekless

8:30pm ET on NBC -- Monsters vs. Aliens:
Mutant Pumpkins From Outer Space

NBC kicks off the night by repeating the new Shrek special.
Next up is the new-ish special starring the cast of the 2009 hit film, Monsters vs. Aliens.
The Monsters vs. Aliens special premiered on NBC on October 28, 2009.
Susan (aka Ginormica) and the Monsters must stop mutant aliens disguised as innocent-looking Halloween jack-o-lanterns from implementing their fiendish plan to take over Earth.

Sunday, November 7

8pm ET on FOX -- The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXI

Due to the MLB World Series, the annual Simpsons Halloween special is delayed a week.
It's the 22nd season of The Simpsons -- and even if you no longer watch, you have to tune in for the annual Halloween special!
The 21st "Treehouse of Horror" episode -- like the others before -- will consist of three self-contained segments. Guest stars include Hugh Laurie and Daniel Radcliffe.
Tale #1 -- "War and Pieces" -- Marge, worried about the effects of excessively violent video games, encourages Bart and Milhouse to give wholesome, classic board games a shot. The best friends discover that board games are not boring after all when they find themselves playing a real-life game in which they must beat all the challenges before they are allowed to return to home. Think Jumanji!
Tale #2 -- "Tweenlight" -- Twilight fans are in for a real treat as Lisa becomes smitten with a mysterious new student, Edmund (Daniel Radcliffe), who also happens to be a vampire. When a romance blossoms, the young lovers run away to Dracula-la Land, leaving Homer to come to Lisa's rescue.
Tale #3 -- "Master and Cadaver" -- Homer and Marge set sail on a romantic second honeymoon, but are interrupted when they rescue Roger (Hugh Laurie), a castaway who escaped an attempted poisoning on his ship. Convinced that Roger is sabotaging their getaway and plotting a murder of his own, Homer and Marge take matters into their own hands.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-10-24T16:17:00.003-04:00

Notes:

Doing better than experts predicted, Paramount's Paranormal Activity 2 topped the domestic box office this weekend with an estimated $41.5 million -- the best debut ever by a horror film.
Paranormal Activity 2 opened in 3,216 locations and earned more during its first weekend than its predecessor rang up in its first four weeks. The prequel also wiped from the record books a $40.6 million bow by 2009 horror pic Friday the 13th.
The original Paranormal Activity opened in September 2009 with $77,873 from just 12 theaters, part of a low-profile launch prior to the micro-budgeted original's wide expansion. A year ago this past weekend, the film topped domestic rankings with a $21 million session en route to an eventual $107.9 million domestic haul.
Paramount also had the #2 movie with the stunt comedy Jackass 3D, which opened in first place last weekend. Jackass 3D pulled in $21.6 million, down sharply from its $50 million opening. But the movie raised its 10-day total to $87.1 million, more than either of the earlier two "Jackass" movies took in during their entire runs.
After opening Clint Eastwood and Matt Damon's Hereafter in limited release a week earlier, Warner Bros. expanded the supernatural drama nationwide, and the film came in at #4 with $12 million. That slightly exceeded the studio's expectations, yet like most Eastwood dramas, it was a modest start. His films play to older adults who do not rush out on opening weekend in the same numbers as young crowds.
Year-to-date revenues are at $8.65 billion at the end of the weekend and are running 3.36% ahead of last year (thanks to higher ticket prices). Attendance is still lagging by 2.15%. Fall-to-date box office tells a somewhat depressing story with revenues off by 6% vs. last year and attendance running 11% behind last season.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of Hereafter, Red, The Social Network, The Town and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Reuters, AP

Movie Review: The Latest from Clint Eastwood

2010-10-22T14:55:00.010-04:00

Hereafter

Invictus director Clint Eastwood and star Matt Damon re-team in the new drama, Hereafter. The film tells separate parallel stories about three individuals greatly affected by struggles with mortality -- and their beliefs in the afterlife. Damon plays American factory worker George, who is able to communicate with the dead, but finds it a curse rather than a gift. In another story, Cécile de France plays French television journalist Marie, who is haunted by her near-death experience after barely surviving the 2004 tsunami. Finally, newcomers Frankie and George McLaren play Marcus, a London boy who loses the person closest to him -- leaving him extremely lonely and longing for answers. As has been done in previous films in this style (yep, no longer original), all three stories and characters eventually converge.

The film has an extremely powerful opening showcasing Marie's survival. The special effects will pull you right into that horrific tsunami -- and the story. However, from that point on, the pacing of the film slows down significantly -- and at times, nearly stalls. And although it has a thought-provoking premise, and all three leads deliver strong performances, the conclusion seems a bit hokey and a tad unsatisfying. Still, Eastwood is a master director and the film is beautifully shot. Also stars the radiant Bryce Dallas Howard (The Village) and the miscast Jay Mohr (better suited for comedies). Written by Peter Morgan (The Queen, Frost/Nixon), with original music by Eastwood. It's not as strong as Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby or Gran Torino, but still worth seeing. [Rated PG-13; opens nationwide today]

Grade: B

Notes:

Conviction opens wider today. Click here to read my review -- and to see an interview with star Sam Rockwell and director Tony Goldwyn.
Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews.

Remembering Two Sitcom Legends

2010-10-20T10:41:00.018-04:00

In the past week, we lost two TV legends -- actress Barbara Billingsley and actor Tom Bosley. Billingsley, 94, starred as the mom on "Leave it to Beaver" (1957 - 1963) and Bosley, 83, starred as the dad on "Happy Days" (1974 - 1984). Both shows were set in the same time -- the mid-1950s to mid-1960s. A time when almost all the mothers were homemakers, and the fathers always had the right answers. Ah -- a simpler time.

I found it interesting that photos released this week for both stars were quite similar! Check it out. And RIP to them both.

Photo captions/credits:

Right: TV's Cleaver family decorates their first Christmas tree, December 1957. From left, Hugh Beaumont, Jerry Mathers, Billingsley and Tony Dow (compliments of CBS; photo appeared on the Los Angeles Times Website).

Bottom: TV's Cunningham family decorates their first Christmas tree, December 1974. From left, Ron Howard, Bosley, Erin Moran, Randolph Roberts and Marion Ross (compliments of ABC, via Photofest; photo appeared on The New York Times Website)

Note: Although no date (or caption) was given for the "Happy Days" photo -- a keen eye will see that this image has to be 1974. How so? Well look who's in there -- the infamous older brother Chuck! The basketball-playing college student went to practice one day and never came back (during season 2).

The series debuted in January 1974 -- so, this photo has to be from December 1974 -- or season 2 -- which included the show's first Christmas episode. Randolph Roberts was actually the second actor to play the part. Gavan O'Herlihy originated the role in the first season.

MusicMonday: More Free Downloads

2010-10-18T21:01:00.020-04:00

Here is this week's round-up of free downloads:

Compliments of People Magazine and iTunes comes a 10-track country sampler here. Artists (left) include The Charlie Daniels Band and Chelsea Field. Offer expires November 15.

The CMJ Music Marathon first started in 1980 with a modest amount of artists taking part in week-long festivities. The New York festival officially turns 30 this year, and the CMJ will have more than 1,000 artists performing throughout NYC tomorrow through Saturday. Spinner has compiled a list of over 50 free mp3 downloads of artists performing at CMJ 2010 here. And click here to learn more about the music marathon (and the accompanying film festival).

This year marks the 50th anniversary of Dr. Martens -- and you can now download the DM50 Album containing all 10 tracks that helped the company celebrate its milestone. Plus, they continually offer other free songs from a variety of artists. Click here for the current selections.

Download Far East Movement's single "Don't Look Now" (featuring Keri Hilson) on iTunes here.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-10-17T16:36:00.006-04:00

Notes:

Jackass 3D, the third installment in a feature series about a crew of thrill junkies, crushed forecasts by selling an estimated $50 million in tickets during its opening weekend. Rather impressive considering the film's budget. Even though it was filmed in 3D -- rather than converted in post-production -- the film cost a modest $19 million to make.
Industry experts had predicted a $30 million debut for the Paramount Pictures release. If projections hold up when final data are issued on Monday, Jackass 3D will beat 2003's Scary Movie 3 ($48.1 million) to rank as the biggest October opening of all time.
All three Jackass films have now opened at #1. The first film released in 2002 opened with $23 million and finished with $64 million. The 2006 sequel led the field with a $29 million opening, and ended up with $73 million. MTV, which originally aired the "Jackass" TV series between 2000 and 2002, and Paramount are units of Viacom Inc.
Opening at a distant #2 was Summit Entertainment's Red, a Bruce Willis action drama based on a DC Comics book. It earned $22.5 million, in line with expectations.
Overall revenues totaled $133 million, down 4 percent from the same weekend last year. So far this year, domestic revenue is at $8.5 billion, 3.2 percent above 2009's record pace. But adding in higher ticket prices, attendance is down 2.3 percent from 2009.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of Red, The Social Network, The Town and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Reuters, AP

Movie Review: A Different Kind of Love Story

2010-10-15T13:15:00.011-04:00

Conviction

Two-time Oscar winner Hilary Swank (Boys Don't Cry, Million Dollar Baby) turns in yet another winning performance in Conviction. Based on a true story, Swank plays Betty Anne Waters, a single mother who goes back to school to earn her GED, then her bachelor's degree, a master's in education, and eventually a law degree -- all in an effort to help exonerate her brother. Kenneth Waters was convicted in 1983 of the brutal 1980 murder of Katharina Brow in Ayer, Massachusetts. Kenny (Sam Rockwell) is no angel -- but Betty Anne feels she knows her brother the best, and is convinced he is innocent. So much so that she spends many years for just the chance to find a way to prove it.

Written by Pamela Gray and directed/co-produced by Tony Goldwyn (A Walk on the Moon, The Last Kiss), the story almost slips to TV movie quality at times -- maybe because so much ground (nearly 20 years) has to be condensed into a two-hour film. But Swank (Amelia), Rockwell (Everybody's Fine) and a great support cast led by Minnie Driver (Good Will Hunting), Juliette Lewis (The Switch, Whip It!), Melissa Leo (Frozen River) and Peter Gallagher (Adam) give the film the heavy jolt needed to remind you that you're watching a truly remarkable story. And we're fortunate it got told in a theatrical release instead of a watered-down Lifetime TV production.

Now, I complain a lot about dumb movie titles that often contribute to a film's failure. Finally, we have a moniker that is genius. Think about it -- two uses of the word fit here. Waters fought so hard to find a way to overturn her brother's conviction -- because it was her firmly-held belief that he was innocent. This movie is quite a moving story of one's love for a sibling -- and should not be missed by anyone who loves his or her family. [Rated R; opens in select cites today, wider next Friday]

Grade: B+

Notes:

Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews -- including RED, which opens today.
Fun fact: Tony Goldwyn comes from a long line of Hollywood producers, actors and writers. And although he has also now branched out to directing and producing, Goldwyn is probably still best known for his acting. He played bad guy Carl Bruner in 1980's Ghost and philandering business executive J.D. Sheldrake in a recent stint in Broadway's Promises, Promises (a role he'll reprise on the big screen).
Goldwyn, Sam Rockwell and Betty Anne Waters attended my recent screening of Conviction. The next day, the three made the usual round of press stops to promote the film. Here below is their interview with Philadelphia NBC10's "The 10! Show."

Movie Review: On the Edge of My Seat -- But for the Right Reason?

2010-10-14T17:34:00.017-04:00

RED

In yet another film adaption of a comic-book series, RED follows the escapades of former black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses (Bruce Willis). Frank is now living a quiet life -- but maybe it's a bit too boring for someone the government labeled, "Retired, Extremely Dangerous." Now he's reduced to pining away for Sarah (Mary-Louise Parker from TV's Weeds) -- a woman he's never met in person, just talked to over the phone.

Things get interesting fast for us though, as would-be assassins enter Frank's life, and kidnappers take Sarah hostage. To combat his enemies, Frank reassembles his old team -- quite an oddball mix of characters. What transpires is a road trip full of cartoon violence, romance and a few laughs.

Willis (Die Hard series) is at his goofy best once again, and the film's silliness is saved (barely) thanks to him and the strong supporting cast -- which includes Oscar winners Helen Mirren (The Queen), Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby), Richard Dreyfuss (The Goodbye Girl) and Ernest Borgnine (Marty). Also on board are John Malkovich (Secretariat), Brian Cox and Karl Urban (Star Trek). The action-comedy is directed by Robert Schwentke (Flightplan, The Time Traveler's Wife), with a screenplay by Jon and Erich Hoeber based on the comic book series by Warren Ellis. There's nothing original in this story, but it's a hoot alone just to see Mirren play out of character. You'll just wish she and the others had better material to work with here. [Rated PG-13; opens tomorrow]

Grade: B-

Notes:

I nearly fell off my seat at my August screening of the film. As you may recall from an earlier post (here), I visited New Orleans for the first time this past spring. I loved attending Jazz Fest and exploring the city -- but my hotel was a dump. It was the only accommodations my buddy and I could find thanks to the musical festival, a national convention and a golf tournament all being held in The Big Easy at the same time! Well, imagine my shock when the hotel made an appearance in this film! The St. Vincent's Guest House was built in 1861 as an orphanage, and remained so until the 1970s when it was converted to its current use. In the movie, the hotel serves as nursing home where the Bruce Willis character visits his fellow retiree, played by Morgan Freeman. Movie magic strikes again -- as the dump actually looks good on screen!
Fun fact: Brian Cox also starred in a 2008 thriller titled Red.
Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews.
Coming tomorrow: a review of Conviction starring Hilary Swank.

DVD Movie Review: Tilda Swinton Stars in an Italian Film

2010-10-12T10:03:00.009-04:00

I Am Love (Io sono l'amore)

By now, you may have heard that Oscar winner Tilda Swinton (Michael Clayton) has turned in another winning performance in an Italian art house film she co-produced. And that she does in I am Love -- but unfortunately, besides her potent turn and some breathtaking cinematography, the film is nothing more than a glorified soap opera.

Swinton plays Emma, a native Russian who had long ago wed into the wealthy Recchi family of textile manufacturers from Milan, Italy. With her children all grown, Emma finds herself in a rut -- and ends up having a passionate love affair that rocks her existence and jeopardizes the sanctity of the entire family. Mix in secrecy, homosexuality, an accidental death and some business wheeling and dealing -- and you'll feel like you're watching a dubbed version of a 1980s "Dynasty" episode.

Although the mostly Italian cast is unknown here, you may recognize the wonderful Marisa Berenson (S.O.B.) as the Recchi matriarch. The score, which contains several works by Pulitzer Prize winning composer John Adams, is mostly way over the top -- adding to the film's melodramatic tone. Directed by Luca Guadagnino and written by Guadagnino and Barbara Alberti. [Rated R; Italian and Russian with English subtitles; released on DVD today]

Grade: C+

Notes:

Click on the Film Reviews icon at left for more reviews.
Coming soon: reviews of October theatrical releases RED and Conviction.
Curious when current films will be released on DVD? VideoETA remains the best online source -- click here.

MusicMonday: Free Fall Downloads

2010-10-11T15:26:00.014-04:00

Here is this week's round-up
of free downloads:

From Filter Magazine comes the fall installment of the Landmark Digital Sampler -- with 11 tunes including David Gray's "Holding On" and Ryan Bingham's "Hallelujah." Click here or the image at right for the free download.
Download "Rock Crowd" from Pete Yorn here.
Finally, have you checked out Guvera yet? The site has spent several years negotiating rights all around the world and designing its system to make music free by having advertisers pay for downloads. Yep, it's totally legal! Guvera started overseas and is now available in the U.S. -- so, visit the site here and start downloading thousands of hit songs!

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-10-10T16:32:00.005-04:00

Notes:

Sony's The Social Network beat all newcomers to top the box office for the second weekend in a row. Falling a modest 31% in its second outing, the critically-lauded film sold another $15.5 million in tickets to build its cumulative earnings to $46.1 million.
In so-so openings, Warner Bros.' romantic comedy Life as We Know It -- starring Katherine Heigl and Josh Duhamel -- earned an estimated $14.6 million to place second. Disney's Secretariat was third with $12.6 million.
The only other large release, Rogue Pictures' Wes Craven-penned and –helmed 3D horror pic My Soul to Take scared up a disappointing $6.9 million for fifth place.
Collectively, the pre-Columbus Day weekend's top 10 movies rang up $77.3 million, or almost 17% less than top performers in a comparable frame last year. (Though a federal holiday, Columbus Day isn't considered part of the box-office weekend, which remains a three-day session.)
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of The Social Network, The Town and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

$50 Amazon.com Gift Card Contest Winner Revealed!

2010-10-07T14:25:00.003-04:00

Congrats go out to Katherine P. of Sherman, New York. Katherine had the winning tweet entry in the EntertainmentBlogger $50 Amazon.com gift card giveaway contest -- and she received the e-card codes today! Click here for more details on the Twitter contest!

Thanks to the hundreds of you who entered during the contest period -- resulting in thousands of valid entries.

Remember to continue to follow EntertainmentBlogger on Twitter (@Entertainment2u) and check back here for more contests. You just never know when the next contest will be announced!

Note:

Bummed you didn't win? Well, just a reminder that you can earn FREE Amazon.com gift cards from several search and win sites. Just click on the links below, read up, join -- and start winning those free gift cards fast:

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-10-03T14:57:00.005-04:00

Notes:

Sony's The Social Network topped the weekend box office, but debuted in the lower end of projections. The David Fincher-helmed drama about the creation of Facebook posted an estimated $23 million.
The 3D family adventure Legend of the Guardian: Owls of Ga'Hoole, from Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow, dipped just 33% from its week-earlier opening for a surprisingly strong $10.9 million -- good for second place and $30 million in cumulative take.
Fox's Michael Douglas starrer Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps declined 47% to fetch $10.1 million in third place in its second weekend with a $35.9 million cume, while the Warners/Legendary heist thriller The Town finished fourth with $10 million and a $64.3 million cume through three frames.
Two other new wide releases settled for modest debuts: Paramount Vantage's demonic-possession pic Case 39 (which sat on the shelf for a couple of years) fetched $5.4 million in seventh place, and Overture's vampire thriller Let Me In grabbed $5.3 million in eighth.
Collectively, the weekend top 10 registered $83.8 million, or 7% less than top performers in the same frame last year.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of The Social Network, The Town and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

Movie Reviews: The Two Facebook Movies

2010-10-01T09:51:00.017-04:00

In just a short period of time, social media has greatly changed the way we communicate with each other. Our personal and online lives are increasingly being intertwined to levels most of us never dreamed imaginable -- but is it for the better? Two films this fall bring Facebook -- the leading social media site -- to the silver screen. One movie explores the site's genesis -- while the other is a disturbing take on where we are at now. Both help to define a generation -- and are the perfect complement to each other. I strongly recommend that you see them both -- and in this order...

The Social Network

Directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button), The Social Network is an engrossing look into the creation and early years of Facebook -- and the mind of its co-founder and CEO, Mark Zuckerberg (played by Jesse Eisenberg). It's almost hard to fathom (with its current active worldwide user base of 500 million people) that Facebook is a relatively young addition to the Internet. How it got started in 2004, survived and thrived makes for an amazing business story and history lesson -- but Fincher's character study of the brilliant mind behind the entity makes for movie magic.

After being dumped by his girlfriend (captured in one of the best movie openings in a long time), Harvard sophomore Zuckerberg decides to create a university version of Hot or Not -- a rating site that allows users to judge the attractiveness of individuals in posted photos. Learning of his technical expertise, fellow Harvard students and identical twins Cameron and Tyler Winklevoss recruit him for help starting Harvard Connection, an online community exclusively for that university's students. Perfecting (or stealing?) their idea, Zuckerberg creates The Facebook (the "The" drop is later explained) -- and it's an almost immediate success. But as the site continues to flourish, Zuckerberg is faced with not one -- but two lawsuits that threaten to halt the site's growth and drive him out of the business.

As the film's promotional poster states, Zuckerberg makes many enemies along the way. So, it's amazing to see how he pulls off Houdini-like escapes to survive the legal battles. Kudos go out to Jesse Eisenberg (Adventureland, Zombieland) who is terrific in the lead. Somehow he's able to pull off this complex person -- how can we possibly be sympathetic to him even though he is a total douchebag (sorry, no other word fits)?

Fincher and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (A Few Good Men, TV's West Wing) weave a captivating story adapted from Ben Mezrich's 2009 book, "The Accidental Billionaires: The Founding of Facebook: A Tale of Sex, Money, Genius and Betrayal." Both the book and film are unauthorized accounts of the site's young founder. The strong cast includes Andrew Garfield (Never Let Me Go) as the screwed-over friend and site co-founder Eduardo Saverin -- and Armie Hammer, who does double duty playing the Winklevoss twins. And then there's Justin Timberlake -- who proves again that he is not just an amazing musician -- as he turns in a convincing high-energy portrayal of Napster founder/party boy Sean Parker, who helps Zuckerberg think bigger.

The film is being touted by many as the 'film of the year,' but is it that good? I don't think so. Some of the added humor in this mostly dramatic story falls flat. And it would have been great to learn a bit about Zuckerberg's upbringing -- what helped mold him into this gifted jerk? Even a brief look into his family life would clear up that big question. Finally, some of the cast is totally wasted -- such as Rashida Jones' (I Love You, Man) turn as a member of one legal team. But these are minor complaints on an otherwise very intriguing film. [Rated PG-13; opens today]

Grade: B+

Catfish

There's something the folks behind Facebook and the media failed to tell you when announcing the recent 500-million-user threshold -- that not all of the people behind those profiles are for real. The Internet allows us the freedom to create any persona we'd like -- it only becomes a big issue if you then try to bring that life into the real world. In their unsettling documentary, Catfish, filmmakers Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost explore this other part of the Facebook story.

Chronicling the adventures of Ariel's brother Nev, a New York City photographer, the filmmakers set off to tell a tale of friendship in the Internet age. It all starts when Nev befriends Abby, an eight-year-old child prodigy artist in rural Michigan, who sends him a painting of one of his photographs. They become Facebook buddies in a network that broadens to include the girl's mother, Angela, Angela's husband and Abby's attractive older half-sister Megan. But as the friendships move from online to the phone -- and a long-distance romance stirs between Nev and Megan -- things begin to get fishy. When Nev, Ariel and Henry travel together to Michigan to visit the family, the resulting encounter is astonishing.

Let's clear the air on a couple of things. Something is a little bizarre about the (mis)marketing for the movie, as it almost makes it look like a horror film. Although what you see is disturbing, it's not scary in the true sense of the word. And is the film a true documentary? Some will argue that there's some definite scripting going on here and there. But don't let that ruin the experience for you. The film is a gripping mystery -- and yes, the bizarre title is explained! [Rated PG-13; in select cities now]

Grade: B+

Notes:

Click on the Film Reviews icon at left to read other recent reviews.
Coming soon: reviews of RED and Conviction.

Movie Review: Philip Seymour Hoffman's Directorial Debut

2010-09-30T15:36:00.012-04:00

Jack Goes Boating

Philip Seymour Hoffman has chosen familiar territory for his feature directorial debut -- the film adaptation of the 2007 off-Broadway play, Jack Goes Boating. Hoffman starred in Bob Glaudini's play -- an unconventional love story set in working-class New York City. On film, the Oscar-winner (for Capote) reprises his role as Jack, a limo driver unlucky in love.

Joining Hoffman is his Capote co-star, Amy Ryan (Gone Baby Gone) -- who plays Connie. Like Jack, she's also loveless. They're two middle-aged misfits who were somewhat damaged by life's experiences -- enough so that they never properly navigated the romance game. To the rescue are couple Clyde and Lucy -- who set their friends/co-workers up on a blind date. What ensues is a mix of humor and drama -- as one couple begins to take shape while another may suffer from irreparable damage.

Also reprising their roles from the play are John Ortiz (Two Lovers) as Clyde and Daphne Rubin-Vega (Wild Things) as Lucy. And Glaudini wrote the screenplay based on his own original work. Only Beth Cole, who played Connie in the play, did not take part in the movie. Although a small independent film, it's a believable tale of love, betrayal and friendship. Strengthened by excellent acting by all and showcasing a convincing slice of New York life, it's an admirable start to Hoffman's directing career. Some may argue that Hoffman has pigeon-holed himself in sad-sack roles. But who else can do it so well? [Rated R; in select cities now; opens wider tomorrow]

Grade: B

Notes:

Click on the Film Reviews icon at left to read other recent reviews.
Coming soon: reviews of The Social Network, Catfish, RED and Conviction.
Amy Ryan attended my Jack Goes Boating screening last week -- and was especially gracious. The next day, she made many press rounds to promote the film. Here below is an interview with Philadelphia NBC10's "The 10! Show."

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-09-26T14:47:00.007-04:00

Notes:

Fox's Michael Douglas-starrer Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps topped the domestic box office with a good-but-not great debut of $19 million. Oliver Stone's sequel to his original 1987 financial thriller may have been a bit hampered by the unavailability of its ailing star for promotion stumping. Douglas is currently being treated for throat cancer.
Warner Bros.' 3D animated family film Legend of the Guardians: The Owls of Ga'Hoole represented a more overt disappointment, earning just $16.3 million in second place. The adventure fantasy's uninspiring debut came despite premium ticket pricing in 2,479 3D locations. Are audiences getting fed up with the over-saturation of the genre?
The weekend's third wide opener -- Disney's You Again, starring Kristin Bell, Jamie Lee Curtis, Sigourney Weaver and Betty White -- opened weakly with $8.3 million. It was good enough only for fifth place.
Last week's top-charter, Warner Bros.' The Town, earned another $16 million -- for a third place finish and only a 33% drop.
Collectively, the weekend's top 10 films rung up $89.3 million. That is 13% more than the top performers in an even more lackluster corresponding frame last year.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of The Town, Inception and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

Twitter Contest: Win $50 in Amazon.com Gift Cards!

2010-09-26T01:00:00.000-04:00

Wow -- time flies. Summer has wrapped up -- and before you know it, the holidays will be upon us! Ok, maybe I'm rushing things just a bit -- but do you have a plan in place to pay for gifts this year? One great way is to build an Amazon.com account completely on winnings from search and win sites such as Swagbucks and iRazoo. If you're not a member of these sites yet, consider joining -- winning is easy -- and before you know it, you'll have an Amazon.com account balance that will cover all or much of your holiday shopping needs! Free shopping, that is! Learn more about Swagbucks here and iRazoo here.

Well, whether you already have an Amazon.com account or not, how about I help out? That's right, the exciting prize in this new EntertainmentBlogger Twitter contest is $50 in Amazon.com gift cards!

Each day through Tuesday, October 5 is an entry day for the contest.

October 6 Update:

THIS CONTEST HAS CLOSED. The winner will be selected and notified this week. Stay tuned for the announcement -- and for future EntertainmentBlogger contests!

Good luck!

Notes:

Only one main contest tweet entry AND one bonus tweet entry allowed per Twitter account per contest day.
Entries are only valid if you are following @Entertainment2u on Twitter from point of entry through duration of contest.
Contest ends on Tuesday, October 5, 2010 at 11:59 PM ET.
One winner will be randomly chosen from all qualified entries. He or she will be sent a direct message via Twitter -- and have 48 hours to respond.
Prize will be awarded as Amazon.com e-gift card codes distributed in $5 increments (ten quantity).
Read full detailed rules here or by clicking on the image above.
Please note that you do NOT need to comment below about your tweet entries. All tweets are tracked on Twitter -- and each tweet has an equal chance of being the random winner!
Original contest post date: Tuesday, August 31, 2010.
Contest update: On Tuesday, September 14, 2010, EntertainmentBlogger reached 1000+ followers on Twitter (@Entertainment2u) and the amount of the prize jumped from $40 to $50 in Amazon.com gift card value. The entry tweets above were revised to reflect that change.
Click here to return to the EntertainmentBlogger home page.

Movie Review: Interesting Story, but Unfulfilling Execution

2010-09-23T15:09:00.015-04:00

Never Let Me Go

Directed by Mark Romanek (One Hour Photo), the incredibly slow-moving drama Never Let Me Go is a science-fiction tale -- but it's not set in the future. Instead, the action begins at an English boarding school in the 1980s where classmates Kathy (Isobel Meikle-Small), Tommy (Charlie Rowe) and Ruth (Ella Purnell) may seem like regular kids -- but they (and we) eventually learn that they are far from normal. Without giving much away, their lives are totally planned out -- from beginning to defined end.

The visually-stunning story jumps to the mid-1990s, with the lead characters now young adults. Picking up the roles are the excellent Carey Mulligan (An Education) as Kathy, Andrew Garfield (The Social Network, future Spider-Man) as Tommy and Keira Knightley (Atonement) as Ruth. The transition from Meikle-Small to Mulligan is a seamless achievement in great casting -- and it's a good thing since the Kathy role serves as the film's narrator. The other transitions are less believable -- something that always seems to bug me maybe more than it should.

Wrapped up in the dystopian world is a story of love, jealousy and betrayal. But the character development falls far short to really sympathize. There was such potential here -- but in the long run, not enough happens to make things interesting or truly moving. And believe me, there are things you expect should happen and don't -- and you're left frustrated as to why they're not even explored. The film also stars Charlotte Rampling (Swimming Pool) and Sally Hawkins (Happy-Go-Lucky). The screenplay is by Alex Garland (28 Days Later) -- and is based on the novel of the same name by Kazuo Ishiguro, who also wrote the novel "The Remains of the Day." [Rated R; in select cities now; opening wider tomorrow]

Grade: C+

Notes:

Click on the Film Reviews icon at left to read other recent reviews.
Coming soon: reviews of The Social Network, Catfish, Jack Goes Boating and RED.

MusicMonday: Final Free Downloads of Summer

2010-09-20T10:39:00.011-04:00

Fall officially kicks in on Wednesday. So here is this week's round-up of free downloads -- the last of the summer of 2010:

SPIN Magazine has 18 tracks for free download here. Included are songs from Bad Religion, John Legend, The Posies and many more. Offer expires December 15.
From Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross comes a five-track sampler from the upcoming soundtrack of the movie, The Social Network. Click here for the download.
The Smashing Pumpkins are now onto their sixth free download. Visit the band's Website here to receive "Spangled" (and the past five songs, too!).
Click here to download "Boy" from Ra Ra Riot.
Download the entire 9-track jazz album, Chicago Trio 2010, from Mike Jones here.
Finally -- check out mp3.com -- another daily source for free downloads. Click here for today's offering -- "Grown Unknown" from Lia Ices.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-09-19T13:46:00.005-04:00

Notes:

In a surprise for industry analysts, Warner Bros.' Ben Affleck-helmed heist thriller The Town earned $23.8 million for a #1 bow. Good reviews for Affleck's second directorial feature helped to push the film to the top.
Affleck marked a new helming high by topping his $5.5 million debut with 2007's Gone Baby Gone. But the bow by The Town -- the first pic Affleck both directed and starred -- was never going to approach his personal best as an actor, a $59.1 million opening with 2001's Pearl Harbor.
Sony's youth comedy Easy A -- which had been expected to easily top the weekend rankings -- settled for $18.2 million in second place on support from teen and tween females.
In other new releases, Universal's horror pic Devil rang up $12.6 million in third place -- the low end of projections. Lionsgate's 3D animated family comedy Alpha and Omega collected $9.2 million in fifth place.
Last weekend's chart-topper -- Screen Gems' Resident Evil: Afterlife -- fell a whopping 62% in its sophomore session to $10.1 million in fourth place, with $44 million in cumulative box office.
Summit Entertainment staged a limited re-release of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse in a bid to eclipse $300 million domestically. It did just that, as $205,000 in weekend grosses yielded a new cumulative total of $300.1 million.
The weekend's top 10 movies earned $85 million, or 3% more than top performers in a comparable session last year.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Reviews of The Town, Inception, The Other Guys and other movies not in the top 10 can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter

Movie Review: Another Winner from Ben Affleck

2010-09-17T09:43:00.011-04:00

The Town

In his second directorial feature, Ben Affleck proves that his first -- 2007's taut crime thriller Gone Baby Gone -- was no beginner's luck. Affleck explores the same genre again -- but this time around, he's wearing even more hats -- as director, co-writer and star of The Town. And he excels at all tasks -- in this gripping tale of intense action (some quite violent) interwoven with romance.

Set within the tough streets of Charlestown, Massachusetts, the film's plot revolves around four friends who are team of expert bank thieves. Affleck is the crew's chief, Doug -- with Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker) as Jem, a bit of a loose cannon. Things get a bit complicated when the masked crew takes bank employee Claire (Vicky Cristina Barcelona's Rebecca Hall) as a hostage during one Boston heist. She's released unharmed, but the crew decides they must keep on eye on her -- just in case she starts talking to the Feds. Soon after, Doug and the unknowing Claire strike up a romance -- and he finally has just cause to turn his life around. But will Claire find out the truth, ending Doug's plans?

Based on Chuck Hogan's novel "Prince of Thieves," the film boasts strong performances by all the leads and supporting cast. Jon Hamm (TV's Mad Men) portrays the FBI agent pursuing a case against the criminals. Blake Lively plays troubled drug addict Krista, Jem's sister and Doug's ex-girlfriend. It's quite a departure for Lively -- who stars on TV's Gossip Girl. And although we don't see a lot of her, Lively is surprisingly believable in the gritty role. The drama also stars the consistently great Pete Postlethwaite (In the Name of the Father) and Chris Cooper (Adaptation). Now that the traditional summer fluff is behind us, it's time for movies to get serious again. Thankfully, The Town kicks off the fall season in fine fashion. [Rated R; opens today]

Grade: B+

Notes:

You may recall that Blake Lively was the guest host of the Saturday Night Live show I attended last year. Click here for more on that adventure.
Click on the Film Reviews icon at left to read other recent reviews.
Upcoming reviews include my thoughts on two October releases -- The Social Network (aka, the Facebook movie) and the Bruce Willis-starrer RED.

MusicMonday: Keeping up with the Free Downloads

2010-09-13T23:05:00.003-04:00

Here is this week's round-up of free downloads:

Josh Groban will release his new album, Illuminations, in November. You can now download the opening track "Hidden Away"at his site here.
Two exclusive soundtrack tracks from the hit movie Inception -- "Projections" and "Don't Think About Elephants"-- are available for download here.
From Kellee Maize comes the new song, "Revival of the 5th Sun." Download it here.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-09-12T13:49:00.009-04:00

Notes:

The lowest grossing weekend of the year thus far is led by Sony/Screen Gems’ Resident Evil: Afterlife 3D with a franchise high of $27.7 million -- thanks to 3D and IMAX powered screenings. It is the fourth installment in the action series that stars Milla Jovovich.
Screen Gems also claimed the #2 spot as the heist thriller Takers earned $6.1 million, rising one place; its total stands at $48.1 million after three weekends.
Last weekend's top film, Focus Features' George Clooney assassin drama The American, dropped to #3 with $5.9 million, for a 12-day haul of $28.3 million.
Reviews of Going the Distance, The Other Guys, Inception, Eat Pray Love and other movies not in the top 10, can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
The weekend after Labor Day is notoriously a slow weekend. With Resident Evil: Afterlife being the only big studio release, overall sales hit their lowest level in two years this weekend (lowest since the September 5-7 weekend of 2008).
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Monday.
Sources: Hollywood.com, Reuters

Top 10 at the (4-Day) Weekend Box Office

2010-09-06T17:34:00.003-04:00

Notes:

The order of the top 10 movies did not change between the 3-day and 4-day weekend tallies.
George Clooney's hitman tale The American captured the top spot at the box office with a $16.4 million debut over the long 4-day Labor Day weekend. Since opening Wednesday, the Focus Features release has taken in $19.5 million.
Hollywood closed its busiest season with record revenue of $4.35 billion, about $100 million more than the previous high set last summer, according to Hollywood.com, which tracks box office. Yet because of higher ticket prices, movie attendance actually slipped -- to about 552 million, the lowest since summer 2005.
Reviews of Going the Distance, Eat Pray Love, The Other Guys, Inception and other movies not in the top 10, can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures will be released on Tuesday.
Sources: Hollywood.com, AP

Top 10 at the (3-Day) Weekend Box Office

2010-09-05T16:47:00.008-04:00

Notes:

Even though the Labor Day holiday extends the weekend, the movie industry still tallies the traditional 3-day weekend from Friday through Sunday. After opening on Wednesday with $1.7 million, Focus Features’ The American starring George Clooney leads the weekend with $13 million. That translates to a $16.1 million total since its early opening on Wednesday.
In second place is last week's champ -- Takers -- with $11.5 million, a solid 44% second weekend hold and a domestic total to date of $37.9 million. Close behind in third place is Fox’s Machete with its $11.3 million debut.
Meanwhile, romantic comedies continue to struggle. Warner Bros.' Going the Distance had to settle for $6.9 million and fifth place in its debut.
Overall, sales were weak -- and are expected to remain so for the next few weeks as the studios release their projected under-performers so that they can focus on prestige pictures catering to awards voters later this fall.
Reviews of Going the Distance, Eat Pray Love, The Other Guys, Inception and other movies not in the top 10, can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
Sources: Hollywood.com, AP, Hollywood Reporter

Movie Review: Finally -- a Rom-Com that Works!

2010-09-03T08:11:00.017-04:00

Going the Distance

It was just two weeks ago (here) that I complained that no one seemed to be able to make an enjoyable romantic comedy. Well, Going the Distance sure proves that it is possible. On-and-off real life couple Drew Barrymore and Justin Long star as thirty-something New Yorkers Erin and Garret -- who meet in a bar and hit it off immediately. But after one must move to California, can the two maintain a long-distance relationship? In this troubled economy, is there even a chance that they can eventually find career-defining work in the same city?

Barrymore (Everybody's Fine, Whip It) and Long (Youth in Revolt) obviously bring great chemistry to the screen -- and both their comic and serious scenes are believable. Helping the believability factor is the stronger MPAA rating. So many rom-coms seem watered-down by their PG-13 rating. Here, Garret's buddies -- played by TV's Jason Sudeikes (Saturday Night Live) and Charlie Day (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia) -- deliver plenty of adult laughs. So yeah, you'll hear some four-letter words and some minor raunchy humor. But that's real life. And ultimately, the film appeals to the male audience as well as the female crowd -- making for a great date movie.

Directed by Nanette Burstein, who is known for her documentaries such as American Teen and The Kid Stays in the Picture. It definitely could explain why this rom-com rings more honest and realistic than most. She manages to capture both the lively spirit of the Big Apple as well as the characters. Also stars Christina Applegate, Jim Gaffigan and Ron Livingston (Dinner for Schmucks). It's funny, it's surprisingly sweet and it's worth a night out to see. [Rated R; opens today]

Grade: B

Note:

Click on the Film Reviews icon at left to read other recent reviews -- including The Switch, Eat Pray Love and The Other Guys.

MusicMonday: Free Downloads, More on that Emmys Song

2010-08-30T15:59:00.007-04:00

Emmys In Memoriam Song

On last night's 62nd Annual Emmy Awards, Jewel performed "The Shape of You" -- a song she wrote for a friend who recently passed away from cancer -- as we remembered those in the television industry who died over the past year.

If you follow me on Twitter, you know that I like to pay respect to the lives and careers of entertainment figures. Not surprisingly then, of the dozens included in the memoriam, I only missed tweeting about one individual -- producer Joanne Dillon. RIP, all.

For only 99 cents, Jewel's song can be downloaded at Amazon.com here. And thanks to NBC, you can view last night's performance and tribute below.

Free Downloads

Here is this week's round-up of freebies:

A compilation of 10 live Phish songs is available for free; "Live Bait Vol. 01" was compiled by Phish archivist Kevin Shapiro and can be downloaded here.
Singer-songwriter Pete Yorn is about to release his third album in 14 months. The self-titled effort (out Sepember 28) is produced by Pixies frontman Frank Black. Compliments of SPIN magazine, download the track "Velcro Shoes" here.
Compliments of VEVO and Shick is "Love Me Chase Me"by Carney; click here for the free download.

Want more free downloads? Well, don't forget to continually check the following sources -- new songs covering all genres are added frequently. Just click on the links below and enjoy some new tunes.

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-08-29T14:52:00.010-04:00

Notes:

With only $300,000 separating them, the fright flick The Last Exorcism and the heist thriller Takers were in a photo finish for the top spot at the weekend box office -- with both ending the two-week reign of Sylvester Stallone's The Expendables.
Lionsgate's The Last Exorcism had a thin lead with a $21.3 million debut, closely followed by Sony's Takers with a $21 million opening. The two new releases were close enough that rankings could change after final numbers are released Monday. August 30 update: The movies DID switch places once final weekend numbers were released on Monday. Takers debuted with $20.5 million to grab a narrow win over The Last Exorcism, which opened in second place with $20.4 million.
The re-release of Avatar, the biggest movie in box office history, brought in $4 million from a limited run in 862 3D theaters -- good enough for 12th place. The total domestic box office for the 20th Century Fox sci-fi extravaganza, now boasting an additional 8 1/2 minutes minutes of footage, is $753.8 million.
Meanwhile in worldwide box office, Disney/Pixar's Toy Story 3 crossed the $1 billion mark last Friday. Disney is now the first company to field two $1 billion blockbusters in the same year. Earlier this year, Disney's Alice in Wonderland, also crossed that line and currently stands in fifth place in the all-time worldwide rankings with $1.024 billion. Toy Story 3 ranks in seventh place.
Overall box office revenues came in at $115 million, down 8 percent compared with the same weekend last year.
Reviews of Eat Pray Love, The Other Guys, Inception, The Switch and other movies not in the top 10, can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures are released on Monday.
Sources: Nielsen EDI, Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter, Reuters

Top 10 at the Weekend Box Office

2010-08-22T14:39:00.009-04:00

Notes:

None of the week's five new films could topple Lionsgate's The Expendables, which retained the #1 spot for a second straight weekend -- earning $16.5 million.
Vampires Suck took in $12.2 million, good enough for the #2 spot. The 20th Century Fox Twilight spoof now has an overall total of $18.6 million since opening Wednesday.
Bringing up the rear among new wide releases at #8 was Jennifer Aniston's single-mom comedy The Switch, which debuted poorly with only $8.1 million.
The overall box office was down only slightly -- 1.7% -- compared with the same weekend last year.
Reviews of Eat Pray Love, The Other Guys, Inception, The Switch and other movies not in the top 10, can be found by clicking on the Film Reviews archive icon at left.
All figures are industry estimates. Final weekend figures are released on Monday.
Sources: Nielsen EDI, Hollywood.com, Hollywood Reporter, AP