Monday, December 29, 2014
What's New on TV, Netflix Streaming, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: December 29 - January 4
At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's streaming on Netflix, we've got you covered.
New on DVD and Blu-ray
There's not a whole lot coming out on DVD and Blu-ray this week that's worth your hard-earned ducats, but here are two that might be.
"The Equalizer"
This actioner with Denzel Washington and Chloë Grace Moretz got mixed reviews from critics, but if you love Washington in butt-kicking mode - especially with "Training Day" director Antoine Fuqua behind the wheel - it's is worth a look.
"Kelly & Cal"
Juliette Lewis stars as a new mother trying to cope with settling down from her punk rock past. She strikes up a friendship with a teenage neighbor named Cal that becomes a lifeline for them both. Jonny Weston ("Taken 3," "Chasing Mavericks") co-stars.
TV Worth Watching
New Year's Eve Specials!
Turn on almost any channel to find some live shenanigans celebrating 2015:
"Dick Clark's Primetime New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest 2015" on ABC, starting at 8 p.m. EST
"MTV's NYE 2015" on MTV, at 11 p.m. EST
"NBC's New Year's Eve with Carson Daly 2014" on NBC, at 10 p.m. EST
"Pitbull's New Year's Revolution" on Fox, at 8 p.m. EST and 11 p.m. EST.
New on Netflix
"Friends"
This sitcom about a gaggle of goofy New Yorkers in their twenties has been in syndication forever, but now you can watch whichever episode you want, when you want to watch it. FREEDOM!
"Election"
Alexander Payne's satire pits a straight-A student named Tracy Flick (Reese Witherspoon) against the high school teacher who doesn't want her to be class president (Matthew Broderick).
"Mean Girls"
Tina Fey wrote the screenplay for this awesomely quotable comedy about one teen girl's foray into popularity. Lindsay Lohan stars as a teen at a new school who inadvertently falls in with a clique known as The Plastics - until she gets on the wrong side of chief mean girl Regina George (Rachel McAdams) by falling for Regina's ex BF.
New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only
"Fury" (iTunes)
David Ayer's WWII action drama stars Brad Pitt as an Army sergeant leading a tank crew on a dangerous mission in Germany. Shia LaBeouf, Michael Peña, and Jon Bernthal co-star as his exhausted, war-scarred crew, with Logan Lerman on board as a fresh-faced newbie who has to get up to speed on the double.
"Mozart In The Jungle Season 1" (Amazon Prime)
Who knew playing in a symphony could get so racy? Gael García Bernal stars as the new maestro Rodrigo, with the wonderful Bernadette Peters as the head of the board of directors, Malcolm McDowell as Rodrigo's predecessor, Saffron Burrows as a successful cellist, and Lola Kirke as new oboist who's at the center of the story.
"Downton Abbey Season 5" (iTunes, Amazon Prime)
Catch up with the Crawleys as they head into the 1920's with a roar. Things are getting a little loose in this PBS series, as the Crawleys and their crew start getting with the times. The sexy times!
from The Moviefone Blog http://news.moviefone.com/2014/12/29/new-tv-netflix-streaming-digital-dvd-blu-ray-december-29/
via IFTTT
2015 Family Movie Preview
It's that time of year not only for a look back at the year's best, but also to peek ahead at what the new year has to offer at the movies. We've assembled a list of our 15 most anticipated family titles that you can at least plan to attend in the next year with your children - depending, of course, on the kids' ages and interests, and your budget for tickets and concessions.
In 2015, some of the most eagerly awaited films of the past several years hit theaters, including Pixar's latest, "Inside Out," and "Tomorrowland," a live-action, sci-fi mystery starring George Clooney and directed by two-time Oscar winner Brad Bird. Besides those original films, the second "Avengers" film explodes on-screen in May, and the final "Hunger Games" concludes the series in November. Other sequels, anticipated for a decade or more, finally open for the SpongeBob, Jurassic Park, and Star Wars franchises.
So grab your family calendar and get ready to circle the opening dates of those and the rest of these 15 family friendly titles of 2015.
from The Moviefone Blog http://news.moviefone.com/2014/12/29/2015-family-movie-preview/
via IFTTT
'Wheel of Fortune' Contestant Solves Puzzle with 1 Letter, Sets Winnings Record (VIDEO)
Long-running game show "Wheel of Fortune" is a reliable source for viral videos, and this clip of a record-setting contestant solving a toss-up puzzle with only one letter on the board is just the latest amazing example.
Matt DeSanto, a contestant from Pennsylvania, burned through the entire game last Friday, sweeping every single puzzle and racking up more than $90,000 -- and that was even before the bonus round. But it was his amazing solve on a puzzle in the "Character" category that still has viewers talking.
With only the letter "E" up on the board, DeSanto rang in with the correct answer: The Lone Ranger. The contestant earned $2,000 for his trouble, and went on to accrue $91,892 total before sailing through to the bonus round.
DeSanto ultimately came up short during that round, but walked away with a huge lump of cash and a pair of "Wheel" records to boot: He's the first contestant to win more than $70,000 in the main game since 2011, and his total is the highest ever earned by a contestant in the main game throughout "Wheel"'s history. We'll spin to that.
[via: TheWrap]
Photo credit: YouTube
from The Moviefone Blog http://news.moviefone.com/2014/12/29/wheel-of-fortune-contestant-1-letter-sets-record/
via IFTTT
Aaron Paul May Star in Han Solo-centric 'Star Wars' Spin-off: Report
A new rumor floating around about the first upcoming "Star Wars" spin-off film is a juicy one: It may be focused on legendary "Wars" character Han Solo, and "Breaking Bad" alum Aaron Paul may also star in the flick.
Fan site Making Star Wars reports that sources close to the "Star Wars: Force Awakens" production at London's Pinewood Studios have dropped some details about the first planned "Wars" spin-off, and it's some decent scoop. According to the site's sources, Han Solo is set to take center stage for the flick, and its filming will directly overlap with production on "Episode VIII," which is also set to shoot at Pinewood.
Whether or not the spin-off and "Episode VIII" will share any of the same plot remains to be seen, though if they're shooting somewhat at the same time, it would stand to reason that some events from the spin-off could be referenced in "Episode VIII" (or vice versa).
Making Star Wars's sources also said that Paul was a name that was attracting interest from the production, though there's no indication that he would be playing Solo himself.
Whether or not any of these rumors pan out remains to be seen. The "Star Wars" rumor mill loves to whip itself into a frenzy before anything official is announced, and this may be just another unconfirmed detail that never comes to fruition. We'll wait and see if Disney or Lucasfilm has anything to say about this before we get too excited.
[via: Making Star Wars, h/t Screen Rant]
Photo credit: Getty Images
from The Moviefone Blog http://news.moviefone.com/2014/12/29/aaron-paul-han-solo-star-wars-spin-off/
via IFTTT
'The Interview' Scores Massive $15 Million Online Debut
Its limited theatrical release over the Christmas holiday weekend may not have been ideal for all moviegoers, but millions of people still ponied up to see "The Interview" -- from the comfort of their own homes.
According to data release by Sony, the controversial comedy scored a whopping $15 million debut online through various streaming and VOD channels. More than 2 million people either rented or bought the film through Google Play, YouTube, or Xbox, Sony said.
Those numbers make "The Interview" Sony's highest-grossing online release of all time. It also brought in approximately $2.8 million from 331 independent theaters over the four-day weekend.
While that theatrical gross is a far cry from what Sony initially expected from the Seth Rogen and James Franco-starring comedy, the online numbers are a good sign for the studio, which has struggled in recent weeks. The nationwide release of the movie was scrapped altogether by Sony following a massive hacking attack (most likely perpetrated by North Korea) and threats of violence on theaters that screened the flick; the studio eventually backtracked on that cancellation in favor of the limited screenings and VOD plan.
[via: The Hollywood Reporter]
Photo credit: Ed Araquel/Sony
from The Moviefone Blog http://news.moviefone.com/2014/12/29/the-interview-15-million-online/
via IFTTT
Oscars 2015: Five Myths About the Academy Vote
It's crunch time for Academy Awards voters. Balloting for Oscar nominations begins in earnest on December 29 and runs until January 8, with the actual list of nominees announced a week later. Predictions are flying fast and furious, but there are a lot of myths and misunderstandings about how the vote actually works. Here's why a lot of what you think you know about how the Academy is likely to vote is wrong.
Myth No. 1: The Academy is a bunch of old-timers who vote according to their old-school tastes. In fact, the Academy has been reaching out to younger film industry professionals in recent years. And the recruiting effort seems to be working. One measure is that the new online voting system has increased overall participation in the vote. This year, there are 6,124 eligible voters, up from 5,856 two years ago. So the result could be some outside-the-box thinking when it comes to nominees for Best Picture, Best Director, and the acting categories.
Myth No. 2: A movie needs to be released in December in order to remain on the minds of Oscar voters. That used to be true; a less charitable interpretation might be that such a notion is a relic of the time when the Academy was dominated by seniors with supposedly short memories. But in recent years, "The King's Speech" is the only December release to win Best Picture. This year, many of the leading contenders are movies released in the final month of the year, but they're up against movies from the first half of the year, like "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and "Boyhood," or movies from earlier in the fall, like "Birdman" and "Gone Girl." Thanks to the now-common studio practice of sending out DVD screeners to the Academy and other awards groups, movies that have been out of theaters for months have as good a shot as films currently playing on the big screen.
Myth No. 3: Hollywood's liberal politics inevitably bias the vote. Again, that may have been true once. Indeed, Los Angeles Times Oscar pundit Glenn Whipp says unnamed Academy members have suggested to him that they'll snub "American Sniper" because they still haven't forgiven director Clint Eastwood for his empty-chair speech mocking President Obama at the Republican National Convention two years ago.
But if there's one thing Hollywood reveres more than liberal politics, it's success -- artistic or financial. And right now, Eastwood's movie seems to be enjoying both. It's earned good reviews, and its limited release this weekend scored $850,000 from Thursday to Sunday, or an impressive $152,500 per screen, boding well for the movie's ultimate commercial success when it goes wide in January. If there's anything Hollywood might be more reluctant to forgive Eastwood for than his outspoken conservatism, it's the critical and commercial failure of this summer's "Jersey Boys." Just six months later, however, Eastwood is effectively erasing that memory and making a renewed case for himself as a director of material that's both popular and Oscar-worthy.
Myth No. 4: The Academy takes its cues from the critics groups. Well, the critics do help define the conversation by generating lists of movies worthy of consideration. It's because of critics that this year's consensus has coalesced around "Boyhood," "Birdman," "The Theory of Everything," "The Imitation Game," and "The Grand Budapest Hotel," as well as performances like Julianne Moore's in "Still Alice," a movie that no one in the public has yet seen.
Nonetheless, critics' opinions can take a movie only so far. Praise for Amy Adams and Christoph Waltz (both longtime Academy favorites) in "Big Eyes" isn't likely to carry over into Oscar support because the movie is underperforming at the box office. Its opening this weekend on 1,307 screens, many of them booked at the last minute when they became available after multiplex chains balked at showing "The Interview," yielded only $4.4 million, or $2,285 per screen. That move may be seen as overreach by the Weinstein company, usually experts in shepherding difficult movies to Oscar nominations. Again, it's okay for a movie not to be a blockbuster hit -- a modest success is fine for a small indie movie -- but commercial failure, even on indie terms, creates a stench that even lofty-minded Oscar voters can't ignore.
Conversely, critical scorn isn't enough to sink a movie's Oscar chances. Reviewers didn't think much of Angelina Jolie's "Unbroken," but the film is a commercial hit, opening this weekend with $47.3 million over the four-day holiday and generating great word-of-mouth among audiences (as measured by its A- grade at CinemaScore). Plus, Jolie's recent good-will tour, in which the once skin-baring actress has dressed primly and behaved like a serious filmmaker, has done its work in rehabilitating her image and adding to the film's luster. (Plus, there's industry sympathy for Jolie after revelations of the unkind words top executives had for her in e-mails stolen in the Sony hack; she's getting the last laugh now.) "Unbroken" is already the kind of movie that Oscar loves --- the kind of historical-epic, World War II, based-on-a-best-seller, triumph-of-the-human-spirit film that used to be Hollywood's bread-and-butter but which the studios have all but abandoned. That there's now a parallel narrative behind the film (sexy actress defies the critics and the suits to make a high-minded film that's also a box office hit) can only help the Oscar chances of Jolie and her movie, just as it did with Ben Affleck and "Argo."
Myth No. 5: Actors make up the largest and most consequential branch of the Academy. Well, it's true that more members of the Academy are actors than any other profession. There are 1,150 of them, making up nearly a quarter of the membership. It's the prominence of the actors that has led to the notion among pundits that the Screen Actors Guild awards are a strong predictor of the Oscars (since the actors who are Academy members are also SAG voters), or that their prevalence makes the Academy more likely than it might be to vote for actors who stretch (say, those like Eastwood or Jolie who become directors). All that is true, up to a point.
This year, however, the actors' branch actually declined a bit, losing 26 members. And the largest contingency in the Academy is actually the unaffiliated voters -- casting directors, executives, publicists, producers, and members at large -- who comprise 1,606 members and make up 26 percent of the Academy. Unlike the other Academy branches, who all pick the nominees in their own categories, these unaffiliated voters have no award category of their own and vote only to nominate the Best Picture candidates. So they make up a huge wild card; how they'll vote for the Oscars' top prize is anyone's guess.
from The Moviefone Blog http://news.moviefone.com/2014/12/29/oscars-2015-five-myths-about-the-academy-vote/
via IFTTT
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)