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Fascinating fact:
June 11, 2013 1:38am ESTThe funeral of Dad's Army star Bill Pertwee took place in Brighton, England on Monday (10Jun13). The white tin hat he wore as grumpy Chief Warden Hodges in the long-running TV series rested on top of the coffin. His former co-stars Ian Lavender and Frank Williams attended the service.
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Fall Out Boy lead Kerrang! Awards nominations
May 08, 2013 5:38am ESTFall Out Boy, Bring Me The Horizon and Pierce The Veil lead this year's (13) Kerrang! Award nominations, picking up four nods each. Pete Wentz's band has been nominated twice in the Best Single category for The Phoenix and My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up). They are also up for Best Event for their show at Camden Underworld in London earlier this year (Feb13). The reunited rockers will also battle it out against Green Day, Black Veil Brides, All Time Low and Pierce The Veil for Best International Band. Pierce The Veil nods include Best International Newcomer, Best Song and Best Video for King For A Day feat. Kellin Quinn, while Bring Me The Horizon are up for Best Single and Best Video for Shadow Moses, Best British Band, and Best Album (Sempiternal). Paramore singer Hayley Williams is nominated along with Lzzy Hale from Halestorm for Hottest Female, and funnymen Frankie Boyle and Louis C.K. are up for Best Comedian. The 20th annual Kerrang! Awards will be held at the Troxy in London on 13 June (13) and will be hosted by Blink-182's Mark Hoppus and Anthrax guitarist Scott Ian.
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Get Thee to the Geek: 15 Reasons Why 'The Clone Wars' Was 'Star Wars' At Its Best
March 12, 2013 4:51pm ESTThe news that Star Wars: The Clone Wars had been cancelled came to me as a slowly-dawning shock. Almost like the Five Stages of Grief in reverse. I started with acceptance, the realization that this show couldn't last forever. After all, it had originally been planned for only 100 episodes at its outset, and we crossed that mark this January. Lucasfilm's announcement also promised that another animated series is in the works, one that would explore a wholly untouched part of the Star Wars timeline. That's exciting. But as much as it may be un-Jedi-like of me, as the day progressed and the news truly started to sink in, I found it harder and harder to let go. The Clone Wars has been an amazingly accomplished series throughout its run. If its quality ever varied, it's because it realized it had to be all things to all Star Wars fans and deliver different kinds of episodes for different demographics: young kids encountering that Galaxy Far, Far Away for the first time, teenagers and young adults who first experienced Star Wars with the prequels, and middle-aged fans for whom the original trilogy is all the Star Wars they ever care to know. That's a tall order. And with an incredible batting average, it succeeded in pleasing each of those groups at one time or another. RELATED: Lt. Commander Data’s Tricorder Analysis of the Vatican’s White Smoke…and the New Pope The lazy, kneejerk response to The Clone Wars is that it was what the prequels should have been: kinetic, action-driven, easy on the politics and heavy on the mythmaking. You will get no such prequel-bashing from this post. The funny thing is, The Clone Wars could be daringly political and devote whole episodes to moral quandaries and character's relationships as easily as it could space battles and lightsaber duels. It can be argued, very easily in fact, that The Clone Wars took the best of the prequels and the best of the original trilogy and made a series radically original and unlike any previous TV animation project. What emerged was a show as vast as the Star Wars galaxy itself. And lucky for us, there are still stories to tell, due to still unaired episodes that are due a DVD release or online streaming or who knows what. The final separation pains are still to be felt later on. But for now, let's take a deep breath and count the ways The Clone Wars was the very best that Star Wars had to offer. RELATED: Get Thee to the Geek: Why ‘DS9’ Is the Best, Most Influential, ‘Trek’ 1. The Clone Wars Gave Us Vivid Characters With Bold Personalities and Complex Motivations For the incredible roster of characters The Clone Wars gave us, you have to give a great tip of the hat to Lucasfilm Animation's talented stable of voice actors. (We'll get to them in a minute.) But, first and foremost, you've gotta acknowledge not only the depth but the economy of the writing. There were hundreds of characters with speaking parts throughout the 109 episodes of the show. And each episode ran for only 22 minutes. To convey a sense of any character's personality, the writers had to communicate something unique about each of them...and very quickly. Members of the Jedi Council, who served as freaky-looking window dressing in the movies, had to be fleshed out, and, in the case of Plo Koon or Even Piell or Adi Gallia, be capable of anchoring episodes themselves. An even greater challenge lay in making each of the Republic's clone troopers distinct. I mean, they're clones. They all look the same. They all have the same voice (the incomparable Dee Bradley Baker). How do you set them apart? The writers made it seemed like they'd solved that problem effortlessly, building whole episodes, or even multi-episode story arcs around squads of clone troopers, like the Battle for Umbara Arc in Season 4. Take away the white armor, the blasters, the lightsabers, and any other funky tech, then splice those episodes together, and that arc could have served as a solid Vietnam War movie. Then there's the way the show introduced new characters. Some of these developed whole cults of personality themselves, like Duros bounty hunter Cad Bane. Others would only appear in one episode, or even one scene, but were still capable of making an impression. Writer Brent Friedman especially proved himself a master at efficiently setting up new characters and delineating their personalities, as in the clip below, my favorite scene from my favorite episode of the series: Season 4's "The Box." Look at the way Friedman introduces 12 characters from the show in under 90 seconds. And once those 90 seconds are up, you know exactly what you need to know about each of those characters. Even beyond the economy of that set-up, Friedman writes something A New Hope achieved brilliantly: a line of throwaway dialogue that suggests an epic history we're not entirely privy to. In this case, it's when Count Dooku says to the final bounty hunter, a Selkath of the aquatic race first scene in the videogame Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, that his people were once a peaceful race and "How far they have fallen." Whoa. So what happened to them, exactly? Why did they change? We don't know but our minds are racing with possibilities. This is writing that inspires the imagination, and it's in micro what Clone Warsdid all the time. RELATED: ‘Clone Wars’ Ending Production, ‘Winding Down,’ New ‘Star Wars’ Animated Series Planned 2. The Clone Wars Went Further than the Expanded Universe I love the Star Wars Expanded Universe. I've probably read a good 70+ Star Wars novels easy, not to mention countless comics and graphic novels. So I can understand why fans were upset when The Clone Wars rewrote previously established canon, like killing off Even Piell (who had previously been depicted as surviving Order 66), or, most notably, what the show did with bony Sith assassin, and all-around hottie, Asajj Ventress. In the Clone Wars comics released before Revenge of the Sith hit theaters, Ventress was portrayed as a repeat sufferer of abandonment, whose loneliness drove her toward the Dark Side -- and the manipulation of Count Dooku. On the show, some of that was left in place, but she was also revealed to be a Nightsister, and rather just exiting galactic history stage-right near the end of the war, as in the comics, on the show she became a bounty hunter and, eventually, a quasi-ally to both Obi-Wan Kenobi and Ahsoka Tano. George Lucas, who had a hand in most, if not all, of the TV show's plot points, personally steered Ventress' arc in that direction. And you've got to admit it's more interesting than what had already been established in the EU. The same goes for Barriss Offee, who in the Season 5 (er, series) finale revealed herself to be a traitor to the Jedi Order and the person framing Ahsoka for murder and terrorism. In the comics, she was just another anonymous casualty of Order 66. On The Clone Wars, however, she was given a far more compelling exit. 3. The Clone Wars Featured Some of the Saga's Greatest Battles And, yes, the show had plenty of action. In fact, it offered up space battles and lightsaber duels of true cinematic sweep, the equal of anything seen in the movies. And it set those battles in landscapes and environs unlike anything seen in the movies. Space battles? Try the Sky Battle of Quell on for size, instead. The Clone Wars even cannibalized unused concept art for the original trilogy that legendary artist Ralph McQuarrie had painted. His original blue-white vision for Hoth became the moon Orto Plutonia in Season 1. And his exotic cityscapes were just as interesting, so his design for Coruscant's Monument Plaza made it onto the show, as well. NEXT: The Clone Wars was brimming with talent, behind the scenes and in the recording booth. 4. The Clone Wars Was Really Smart This show was capable of delivering a two-part episode about the passage of legislation that would enact banking reforms (in Season 3), as a kind of commentary on the Wall Street shenanigans that led to our financial collapse in this galaxy in 2008. I know, I know, you'll balk and say that sounds as dry as "the taxation of trade routes," but The Clone Wars made that incredibly interesting. It became a study of the political process, about how Palpatine coerced his minions to do what he needed to do, that was worthy of Lincoln or Advise and Consent. And it showed the intersection of economics and warfare. To ensure the passage of that legislation, General Grievous sends suicide-bomber droids to Coruscant to destroy the the government district's main power center and plunge the Republic Senate in darkness. His motivational speech to those droids as he sent them on their mission was almost Dickensian: "I won't lie to you...this is a dangerous mission. Some of you may not return....Actually, none of you will return." The resulting blackout was dripping with Langian paranoia and the kind of inky, palpable fear of a people ready to turn to fascism to solve their problems. Brilliant stuff. RELATED: Ashley Eckstein on Why Ahsoka’s ‘Clone Wars’ Future Now Seems ‘A Lot Brighter’ 5. The Clone Wars Had an Incredible Roster of Voice Talent The show's regular cast of Matt Lanter as Anakin, Ashley Eckstein as Ahsoka, Tom Kane as the Narrator, Dee Bradley Baker as the clones, the late Ian Abercrombie as Palpatine, and James Arnold Taylor as an inspired (and inspiring) Obi-Wan, was peerless. But supervising director Dave Filoni also managed to score high-profile guest talent: actors like George Takei, Michael York, Tim Curry (as Abercrombie's replacement for Palpatine), Katee Sackhoff, Seth Green, Simon Pegg, and even, in one memorable cameo, Liam Neeson himself as Qui-Gon Jinn. As great as they were, it was the regulars, though, who really made the show shine week-in and week-out. Check out the final time we heard Abercrombie as Darth Sidious, at the end of this knock-out fight when the Sith Lord sneers at a supplicating Darth Maul and says, "I'm not going to kill you...I have other plans for you-u-u-u...(trails off into maniacal laugh). The best. 6. The Clone Wars Gave Us the Most Fully Realized Star Wars Underworld Yet Sure, we got glimpses of scum and villainy in the Mos Eisley Cantina, Jabba's Palace, and that weird Coruscant nightclub Anakin and Obi-Wan visit in Attack of the Clones. But Clone Wars went deeper. In fact, it even devoted whole episodes to gangsters, pirates, and bounty hunters. For years, it's been rumored that a live-action TV series, tentatively titled Star Wars: Underworld, would explore the demimonde of that Galaxy Far, Far Away. But you don't need to wait for a show that may never happen. It already has happened. This interaction between Nika Futterman's Asajj Ventress and Simon Pegg's Dengar is perfectly indicative of the languid sleaze and scuzzy sexiness the show could trade in effortlessly. 7. The Clone Wars Had an Unbeatable Rogues Gallery We've already talked about how great Ventress was on the show. But she's just the tip of the villainous iceberg. Jon Favreau, director of Iron Man and Elf, voiced the sinister, snarling Mandalorian Death Watch terrorist Pre Vizsla, a character who could have been a throwaway baddie but ended up having a kind of karmic--even tragic--story arc. Or the Nightsister coven leader, Mother Talzin. Or Revenge of the Sith's General Grievous, whose unique mix of malice and campiness was perfected by voice artist (and Oscar-nominated sound editor of There Will Be Blood) Matthew Wood. Or Savage Opress, who, forget Vizsla, really had a tragic arc, and was voiced by Highlander's Clancy Brown! Or Tarkin, the King's English-accented villain inhabited by Peter Cushing in A New Hope, who was the only man capable of holding Vader's leash, and was given a new, equally snide personality by Stephen Stanton. Or Cad Bane, who was the Star Wars Galaxy's answer to Lee Van Cleef's Angel Eyes in The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: implacable, unstoppable, someone we'd call a force of nature if he weren't just so damn civilized. He was the kind of bounty hunter willing to kill someone if they had a wider-brimmed hat than him, who was never to be found without a toothpick in his mouth, who just seemed to conjure Morricone-esque music out of thin air. In this scene, the floor of his apartment was originally supposed to have the chalk outline of a Gungan. Even more reason to like him! NEXT: The Clone Wars drew upon a diverse range of influences from Star Wars itself to Alfred Hitchcock to, I would argue, John Waters. (Yep, we're talking "Hunt for Ziro.") 8. The Clone Wars' Movie Inspirations Were Savvy Though the call-outs were subtle, several episodes were designed as homages to movies cherished by Dave Filoni & Co. A Season 2 episode recast Seven Samurai with Star Wars bounty hunters, in tribute to the centennial of Akira Kurosawa's birth. One of the characters, the broad-hatted Embo was part of a race named the Kyuzo, in honor of Seven Samurai's most taciturn badass. There were also episodes rendered in the style of Godzilla movies, zombie flicks, Spaghetti Westerns (note that sarape Boba Fett wears in Season 2!), even a blow-by-blow redo of the end of Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious with Anakin as Cary Grant, Padmé as Ingrid Bergman, and Senator Clovis as Claude Rains. RELATED: ‘Clone Wars’ Recap: The Fate of Ahsoka 9. The Clone Wars Gave Us Mini Movies. Serialized storytelling is the holy grail of TV production today, but Clone Wars found a middle ground between a serialized rollout of its stories and an episodic approach. Though a character like Anakin's Padawan, Ahsoka Tano, obviously has an arc throughout the course of the whole series, the show mostly preferred three-to-four episode arcs. Splice those together, like Season 3's Nightsisters arc, or the Mortis trilogy, or Season 4's awesome Undercover Obi-Wan arc, and you'd have some pretty tasty cinematic experiences. Here's hoping that the final episodes that have yet to be released will be cut together to fully unleash their latent theatrical heft. RELATED: Get Thee to the Geek: How Escapism Made a Comeback 10. The Clone Wars Explored the Niches of that Galaxy Far, Far Away One thing you could do in a TV show that you couldn't do in a movie, not even in the spin-off Star Wars movies Disney has planned, is give really obscure supporting characters the spotlight. Take one of the oddest, but possibly most original, episodes of the series: "Hunt for Ziro." Ziro the Hutt, a tattooed, purple Hutt who escaped from prison with the assistance of Cad Bane, but forgot to pay Bane for his services, was modeled on Truman Capote, voice and all. Despite Ziro's previously ambiguous sexuality, he was revealed to have a girlfriend in "Hunt for Ziro," the glam lead singer of the Max Rebo Band, as seen in Jabba's Palace in Return of the Jedi, Sy Snootles. Sy put on a Vegas floor show in "Hunt for Ziro," then rushed to her beloved Ziro's side, after he was locked in prison again. They exchanged some self-consciously overheated Tennessee Williams dialogue like Ziro's "Unfortunately the cage that entraps me now also entraps my chance of loving you again." So Sy helped him escape...and then she gunned him down, proving herself to be the Star Wars saga's ultimate femme fatale. Who knew? 11. The Clone Wars Had a John Waters-esque Affinity for the Absurd And the grotesque. When Obi-Wan and fellow Jedi Quinlan Vos are on the hunt for Ziro in "Hunt for Ziro," they enlist his mother for help. Wow. To think we thought Jabba was obese. And to think we thought Ziro was sexually ambiguous! Ziro's mom is indicative of The Clone Wars' sometimes surreal proclivity for comical exaggeration. If Ziro was based on Truman Capote, Ziro's mom must surely have been inspired by Divine. Brace yourself for this one. You could argue this is The Clone Wars' all-time worst moment. I'd argue it's one of the best. NEXT: Just like Luke Skywalker's story ended (or so we thought) the moment he became a Jedi, The Clone Wars will go out on top. 12. The Clone Wars' Animation Kept Getting Better and Better Every season saw a new visual advance. Mind you, Industrial Light & Magic was already a pioneer in the rendering of CGI fire effects. But foliage, water, and hair had always been more of a challenge. And with each year it met those challenges one-by-one. The Season 3 finale's Most Dangerous Game setup of Trandoshan hunters tracking Ahsoka and fellow Padawans through a dense jungle showed how the Lucasarts Animation team had mastered creating a fully organic environment, where before they relied on arid landscapes of sand and rock. Season 4 tackled water with the season-opening arc's three episodes set entirely beneath the waves of ocean planet Mon Calamari. And by Season 5, the characters' hair, previously immobile, had started to move and sway with the wind and their own exertion. Not to mention that their choreography of elaborate fight scenes had never gotten more visceral than by the end of its run. Check out the incredible final showdown between Maul and Pre Vizsla from Season 5's "Shades of Reason." 13. The Clone Wars Could Be Edgy Oh yeah, Vizsla suffered the fate of Ned Stark there. The Clone Wars could be violent and it more than once got in trouble with timid Cartoon Network censors. Other, more graphic beheadings were cut out of the show altogether. And this scene from the Season 3 premiere, of Asajj Ventress kissing a soldier she's impaled on her lightsaber, was also left on the cutting room floor. 14. The Clone Wars' Makers Knew It Served a Wide Audience A glimpse at Season 5, alone, shows the narrative diversity of this show. It opened with a four-part arc focused squarely on the war, for an older, more action-oriented crowd. Then it followed that up with "The Young Jedi Knights," episodes that gave the spotlight to younglings first learning the Jedi ropes, showing how they would find their lightsaber crystals, then build their blades. Those eps were clearly for the under-10 crowd, and great for parents to watch with their kids. The same goes for the four-episode adventure about "D-Squad," plucky droids behind enemy lines. Then we got to a three-parter about Darth Maul, and those episodes featured a level of grit--not to mention multiple deaths--to satisfy a Game of Thrones fan. And finally the "Jedi On the Run" arc that saw Ahsoka leave the Jedi Order would appeal to, well, everybody. But especially older fans of the original trilogy searching for those movies' unique mythological resonance. 15. The Clone Wars Corrected the Mistakes of the Prequels Mind you, I stand by my initial remarks that this is not a time to praise Clone Wars at the expense of the prequels. Actually, I consider myself an ardent prequel defender. Those movies are certainly different from the originals, but in some ways they go deeper, even deconstructing the very Manichaean, Dark Side/Light Side bipolar split of the originals, in showing that the very qualities that make a hero can also make a villain. That's pretty heady stuff. But I do think the Clone Wars series picked up a couple threads that maybe weren't explored as effectively as they could have been in Episodes I, II, and III. Namely, George Lucas himself realized the missed storytelling potential of killing off Darth Maul at the end of The Phantom Menace when he decided to resurrect him on the TV show. Or, rather, that we'd discover he'd never been killed but had survived being cut in half because of the power of the Dark Side...which, as we know, leads to abilities some consider to be unnatural. Suddenly, Darth Maul was back and his motivations were as prickly as his horns--did he want to return to Darth Sidious' side? Did he actually resent Sidious for abandoning him? Just what does he want? Like Hamlet, he may not even know. But that wasn't going to stop him from unleashing a bloodbath in the meantime. The other area where I'd say The Clone Wars picked up a neglected strand from the prequels was in its development of the relationship between Obi-Wan and Satine. It was funny and fresh, bristling with a hormonal spark and repressed longing. At times, like in the scene below, when Obi-Wan subtly mocks Satine for being a pacifist, there was even a screwball wit to their dynamic. It's probably what we would have liked to have seen from Anakin and Padmé in the movies. But obviously, that could never have been, since Anakin and Padmé's relationship, though consummated, is marked by tragedy, betrayal, and abuse. Instead, Obi-Wan and Satine captured a will-they/won't-they free-spiritedness we hadn't seen in a Star Wars couple since Han and Leia. There are probably a dozen more reasons I could list for why The Clone Wars was such a valuable part of Star Wars storytelling. Whatever animation projects Disney and Lucasfilm are planning for the future can learn a lot from this show. Hell, Episode VII could learn a lot from The Clone Wars. I've been writing about it in-depth for almost five years, and it still seems too soon to say goodbye. This will be a show long remembered. Follow Christian Blauvelt on Twitter @Ctblauvelt [Photo Credit: Lucasfilm] You Might Also Like:8 Male Stars With Tramp StampsStars Who Have Lost Roles For Being Too Hot (Celebuzz)
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2013 Grammy Awards: See The List of Winners Here!
February 10, 2013 9:44pm ESTForget actors for once. Sunday night marked the night of awards season when we got to focus on the best musical artists of the year. That's right — it was the 55th annual Grammy Awards! And it was one hell of a show. From Adele to Mumford & Sons to Frank Ocean, the best of the best in the industry walked away with awards. Check out the full list of winners below! RELATED: Kim Kashkashian Wins A Grammy?! Winners Announced Live: 1. Best Pop Solo Performance: "Set Fire To The Rain [Live]," Track from: Live At The Royal Albert Hall, Adele 2. Best Country Solo Performance: "Blown Away," Track from: Blown Away, Carrie Underwood 3. Song Of The Year: "We Are Young," Track from: Some Nights, Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost, and Nate Ruess, songwriters (Fun. Featuring Janelle Monáe) 4. Best Urban Contemporary Album: Channel Orange, Frank Ocean 5. Best Rock Performance: "Lonely Boy," Track from: El Camino, The Black Keys 6. Best Pop Vocal Album: Stronger, Kelly Clarkson 7. Best Rap/Sung Collabortion: "No Church In The Wild," Track from: Watch The Throne, Jay-Z and Kanye West Featuring Frank Ocean and The-Dream 8. Best Country Album: Uncaged, Zac Brown Band 9. Best New Artist: fun. 10. Record Of The Year: "Somebody That I Used To Know," Track from: Making Mirrors, Gotye Featuring Kimbra 11. Album Of The Year: Babel, Mumford & Sons Additional Winners: 1. Best Pop Duo/Group Performance: Gotye Featuring Kimbra, Track from: Making Mirrors 2. Best Pop Instrumental Album: Impressions, Chris Botti 3. Best Dance Recording: "Bangarang," Track from: Bangarang, Skrillrex Featuring Sirah 4. Best Dance/Electric Album: Bangarang, Skrillex 5. Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album: Kisses On The Bottom, Paul McCartney 6. Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance: "Love Bites (So Do I)," Track from: The Strange Case Of..., Halestorm 7. Best Rock Song: "Lonely Boy," Track from: El Camino, Dan Auerbach, Brian Burton, and Patrick Carney, songwriters (The Black Keys) 8. Best Rock Album: El Camino, The Black Keys 9. Best Alternative Music Album: Making Mirrors, Gotye 10. Best R&B Performance: "Climax," Track from: Looking 4 Myself, Usher 11. Best Traditional R&B Performance: "Love On Top," Track from: 4, Beyonce 12. Best R&B Song: "Adorn," Miguel Pimentel 13. Best R&B Album: Black Radio, Robert Glasper Experiment 14. Best Rap Performance: "N****s In Paris," Track from: Watch The Throne, Jay-Z and Kanye West 15. Best Rap Song: "N****s In Paris," Track from: Watch The Throne, Shawn Carter, Mike Dean, Chauncey Hollis, and Kanye West, songwriters (W.A. Donaldson, songwriter) (Jay-Z & Kanye West) 16. Best Rap Album: Take Care, Drake 17. Best Country Duo/Group Performance: "Pontoon," Little Big Town 18. Best Country Song: "Blown Away," Blown Away, Josh Kear and Chris Tompkins, songwriters (Carrie Underwood) 19. Best New Age Album: Echoes Of Love, Omar Akram 20. Best Improvised Jazz Solo: "Hot House," Track from: Hot House, Gary Burton and Chick Corea 21. Best Jazz Vocal Album: Radio Music Society, Esperanza Spalding 22. Best Jazz Instrumental Album: Unity Band, Pat Metheny Unity Band 23. Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album: Dear Diz (Everyday I Think Of You), Arturo Sandoval 24. Best Latin Jazz Album: ¡Ritmo!, The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band 25. Best Gospel/Contemporary Christian Music Performance: "10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord," Track from: 10,000 Reasons, Matt Redman 26. Best Gospel Song: "Go Get It," Erica Campbell, Tina Campbell, and Warryn Campbell, songwriters (Mary Mary) 27. Best Contemporary Christian Music Song: "10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord)," Track from: 10,000 Reasons, Jonas Myrin and Matt Redman, songwriters (Matt Redman) 28. Best Gospel Album: Gravity, Lecrae 29. Best Contemporary Christian Music Album: Eye On It, TobyMac 30. Best Latin Pop Album: MTV Unplugged Deluxe Edition, Juanes 31. Best Latin Album, Urban Or Alternative Album: Imaginaries, Quetzal 32. Best Regional Mexican Music Album (Including Tejano): Pecados Y Milagros, Lila Downs 33. Best Tropical Latin Album: Retro, Marlow Rosado Y La Riquena 34. Best Americana Album: Slipstream, Bonnie Raitt 35. Best Bluegrass Album: Nobody Knows You, Steep Canyon Rangers 36. Best Blues Album: Locked Down, Dr. John 37. Best Folk Album: The Goat Rodeo Sessions, Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer, and Chris Thile 38. Best Regional Roots Music Album: The Band Courtbouillon, Wayne Toups, Steve Riley, and Wilson Savoy 39. Best Reggae Album: Rebirth, Jimmy Cliff 40. Best World Music Album: The Living Room Sessions Part 1, Ravi Shankar 41. Best Children's Album: Can You Canoe?, The Okee Dokee Brothers 42. Best Spoken World Album: Society's Child: My Autobiography, Janis Ian 43. Best Comedy Album: Blow Your Pants Off, Jimmy Fallon 44. Best Musical Theater Album: Once: A New Musical, Steve Kazee and Cristin Milioti, principal soloists; Steven Epstein and Martin Lowe, producers (Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova, composers/lyricists) (Original Broadway Cast With Steve Kazee, Cristin Milioti, and Others) 45. Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media: Midnight In Paris, Various Artists 46. Best Score Soundtrack For Visual Media: The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo, Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross, composers 47. Best Song Written For Visual Media: Safe & Sound (From The Hunger Games), T Bone Burnett, Taylor Swift, John Paul White, and Joy Williams, songwriters (Taylor Swift Featuring The Civil Wars) 48. Best Instrumental Composition: "Mozart Goes Dancing," Track from: Hot House, Chick Corea 49. Best Instrumental Arrangement: "How About You," Track from: Centennial - Newly Discovered Works Of Gil Evans, Gil Evans, arranger (Gil Evans Project) 50. Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s): "City Of Roses," Track from: Radio Music Society, Thara Memory and Esperanza Spalding, arrangers (Esperanza Spalding) 51. Best Recording Package: Biophilia, Michael Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak, art directors (Björk) 52. Best Boxed Or Special Limited Edition Package: Woody At 100: The Woody Guthrie Centennial Collection, Fritz Klaetke, art director (Woody Guthrie) 53. Best Album Notes: Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles, Billy Vera, album notes writer (Ray Charles) 54. Best Historical Album: The Smile Sessions (Deluxe Box Set), Alan Boyd, Mark Linett, Brian Wilson, and Dennis Wolfe, compilation producers; Mark Linett, mastering engineer (The Beach Boys) 55. Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical: The Goat Rodeo Sessions, Richard King, engineer; Richard King, mastering engineer (Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile) 56. Producer Of The Year, Non-Classical: Dan Auerbach, El Camino (The Black Keys), Locked Down (Dr. John), Savage (Hacienda), Shakedown (Hacienda) 57. Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical: "Promises (Skrillex & Nero Remix)," Skrillex, remixer (Nero), Joseph Ray, Skrillex, and Daniel Stephens, remixers 58. Best Surround Soung Album: Modern Cool, Jim Anderson, surround mix engineer; Darcy Proper, surround mastering engineer; Michael Friedman, surround producer (Patricia Barber) 59. Best Engineered Album, Classical: Life & Breath - Choral Works By René Clausen, Tom Caulfield and John Newton, engineers; Mark Donahue, mastering engineer (Charles Bruffy and Kansas City Chorale) 60. Producer Of The Year: Blanton Alspaugh, Chamber Symphonies (Gregory Wolynec & Gateway Chamber Orchestra), Davis: Río De Sangre (Joseph Rescigno, Vale Rideout, Ava Pine, John Duykers, Kerry Walsh, Guido LeBron, The Florentine Opera Company & Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra), Gjeilo: Northern Lights (Charles Bruffy & Phoenix Chorale), In Paradisum (Brian A. Schmidt & South Dakota Chorale), Life & Breath - Choral Works By René Clausen (Charles Bruffy & Kansas City Chorale), Music For A Time Of War (Carlos Kalmar & The Oregon Symphony, Musto: The Inspector (Glen Cortese & Wolf Trap Opera Company) 61. Best Orchestral Performance: "Adams: Harmonielehre & Short Ride In A Fast Machine," Michael Tilson Thomas, conductor (San Francisco Symphony) 62. Best Opera Recording: "Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen," James Levine and Fabio Luisi, conductors; Hans-Peter König, Jay Hunter Morris, Bryn Terfel and Deborah Voigt; Jay David Saks, producer (The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra; The Metropolitan Opera Chorus) 63. Best Choral Performance: "Life & Breath - Choral Works By René Clausen," Charles Bruffy, conductor (Matthew Gladden, Lindsey Lang, Rebecca Lloyd, Sarah Tannehill, and Pamela Williamson; Kansas City Chorale) 64. Best Chamber Music/Small Ensemble Performance: "Meanwhile," Eighth Blackbird 65. Best Classical Instrumental Solo: "Kurtág & Ligeti: Music For Viola," Kim Kashkashian 66. Best Classical Vocal Solo: "Poèmes," Renée Fleming (Alan Gilbert and Seiji Ozawa; Orchestre National De France & Orchestre Philharmonique De Radio France) 67. Best Classical Compendium: "Penderecki: Fonogrammi; Horn Concerto; Partita; The Awakening Of Jacob; Anaklasis," Antoni Wit, conductor; Aleksandra Nagórko and Andrzej Sasin, producers 68. Best Contemporary Classical Composition: "Hartke, Stephen: Meanwhile - Incidental Music To Imaginary Puppet Plays," Track from: Meanwhile, Stephen Hartke, composer (Eighth Blackbird) 69. Best Short Form Music Video: "We Found Love," Rihanna Featuring Calvin Harris 70. Best Long Form Music Video: "Big Easy Express," Mumford & Sons Follow Lindsey on Twitter @LDiMat. [Photo Credit: Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images] From Our Partners: Celebrity Swimsuits Ever (Celebuzz) Stars: Where Are They Now? (Celebuzz)
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'Girls,' 'Breaking Bad' Top Writers Guild of America 2013 TV Nominees
December 06, 2012 11:16am ESTThe 2013 nominees for the Writers Guild of America awards have been announced. Writers, you say? Yes, writers! The people that make words dance on pages to create the worlds in which our favorite shows flourish. Some people, when confronted with a brilliant episode of television automatically assume the credit for its general goodness should go to the actors. But what about the writers? They are often just as (if not more so) likely to be the reason you laughed, cried, gasped, guffawed, or squirmed in your seat during last week's episode of your favorite show. These makers of televised scripts carry a good chunk of a show's success (and failure) on their shoulders, and leading the pack of successful witty wordsmiths? Lena Dunham and her HBO darling Girls. Overall, it seems as though cable dramas fared better than broadcast (which, duh), but on the flip-side, broadcast comedies outdid their cable brethren. Breaking Bad cleaned up in the episodic drama category, and comedy lady hero Amy Poehler got herself a nod for the episode of Parks and Recreation she penned, "The Debate." Check out the full list of nominees below! DRAMA SERIES Boardwalk Empire written by Dave Flebotte, Diane Frolov, Chris Haddock, Rolin Jones, Howard Korder, Steve Kornacki, Andrew Schneider, David Stenn, Terence Winter; HBO Breaking Bad written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett; AMC Game of Thrones written by David Benioff, Bryan Cogman, George R. R. Martin, Vanessa Taylor, D.B. Weiss; HBO Homeland written by Henry Bromell, Alexander Cary, Alex Gansa, Howard Gordon, Chip Johannessen, Meredith Stiehm; Showtime Mad Men written by Lisa Albert, Semi Chellas, Jason Grote, Jonathan Igla, Andre Jacquemetton, Maria Jacquemetton, Brett Johnson, Janet Leahy, Victor Levin, Erin Levy, Frank Pierson, Michael Saltzman, Tom Smuts, Matthew Weiner; AMC COMEDY SERIES 30 Rock written by Jack Burditt, Kay Cannon, Robert Carlock, Tom Ceraulo, Vali Chandrasekaran, Luke Del Tredici, Tina Fey, Lauren Gurganous, Matt Hubbard, Colleen McGuinness, Sam Means, Dylan Morgan, Nina Pedrad, John Riggi, Josh Siegel, Ron Weiner, Tracey Wigfield; NBC Girls written by Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, Lena Dunham, Sarah Heyward, Bruce Eric Kaplan, Jenni Konner, Deborah Schoeneman, Dan Sterling; HBO Louie written by Pamela Adlon, Vernon Chatman, Louis C.K.; FX Modern Family written by Cindy Chupack, Paul Corrigan, Abraham Higginbotham, Ben Karlin, Elaine Ko, Steven Levitan, Christopher Lloyd, Dan O’Shannon, Jeffrey Richman, Audra Sielaff, Brad Walsh, Bill Wrubel, Danny Zuker; ABC Parks and Recreation written by Megan Amram, Greg Daniels, Nate Dimeo, Katie Dippold, Daniel J. Goor, Norm Hiscock, Dave King, Greg Levine, Joe Mande, Aisha Muharrar, Nick Offerman, Chelsea Peretti, Amy Poehler, Alexandra Rushfield, Michael Schur, Mike Scully, Harris Wittels, Alan Yang; NBC NEW SERIES Girls written by Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, Lena Dunham, Sarah Heyward, Bruce Eric Kaplan, Jenni Konner, Deborah Schoeneman, Dan Sterling; HBO The Mindy Project written by Ike Barinholtz, Jeremy Bronson, Linwood Boomer, Adam Countee, Harper Dill, Mindy Kaling, Chris McKenna, B.J. Novak, David Stassen, Matt Warburton; Fox Nashville written by Wendy Calhoun, Jason George, David Gould, David Marshall Grant, Dee Johnson, Todd Ellis Kessler, Callie Khouri, Meredith Lavender, Nancy Miller, James Parriott, Liz Tigelaar, Marcie Ulin; ABC The Newsroom written by Brendan Fehily, David Handelman, Cinque Henderson, Paul Redford, Ian Reichbach, Amy Rice, Aaron Sorkin, Gideon Yago; HBO Veep written by Jesse Armstrong, Simon Blackwell, Roger Drew, Sean Gray, Armando Iannucci, Ian Martin, Tony Roche, Will Smith; HBO EPISODIC DRAMA “Buyout” (Breaking Bad), written by Gennifer Hutchison; AMC "Dead Freight” (Breaking Bad), written by George Mastras; AMC “Fifty-One” (Breaking Bad), written by Sam Catlin; AMC “New Car Smell” (Homeland), written by Meredith Stiehm; Showtime “The Other Woman” (Mad Men), written by Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner; AMC “Say My Name” (Breaking Bad), written by Thomas Schnauz; AMC EPISODIC COMEDY “The Debate” (Parks and Recreation), written by Amy Poehler; NBC “Episode 9” (Episodes), written by David Crane & Jeffrey Klarik; Showtime “Leap Day” (30 Rock), written by Luke Del Tredici; NBC “Little Bo Bleep” (Modern Family), written by Cindy Chupack; ABC “Mistery Date” (Modern Family), written by Jeffrey Richman; ABC “Virgin Territory” (Modern Family), written by Elaine Ko; ABC LONG FORM – ORIGINAL Hatfields and McCoys, Nights 2 and 3, teleplay by Ted Mann and Ronald Parker, Story by Bill Kerby and Ted Mann; History Channel Hemingway & Gelhorn written by Jerry Stahl and Barbara Turner; HBO Pilot (Political Animals), written by Greg Berlanti; USA LONG FORM – ADAPTED Coma, Nights 1 and 2, teleplay by John McLaughlin, based on the book by Robin Cook; A&E Game Change written by Danny Strong, based on the book by Mark Halperin and John Heilemann; HBO ANIMATION “A Farewell to Arms” (Futurama), written by Josh Weinstein; Comedy Central “Forget-Me-Not” (Family Guy), written by David A. Goodman; Fox “Holidays of Future Passed” (The Simpsons), written by J. Stewart Burns; Fox “Ned and Edna’s Blend Agenda” (The Simpsons), written by Jeff Westbrook; Fox “Treehouse of Horror XXIII” (The Simpsons), written by David Mandel & Brian Kelley; Fox COMEDY / VARIETY (INCLUDING TALK) – SERIES The Colbert Report writers: Michael Brumm, Stephen Colbert, Rich Dahm, Paul Dinello, Eric Drysdale, Rob Dubbin, Glenn Eichler, Dan Guterman, Peter Gwinn, Barry Julien, Jay Katsir, Frank Lesser, Opus Moreschi, Tom Purcell, Meredith Scardino, Scott Sherman, Max Werner; Comedy Central Conan writers: Jose Arroyo, Andres du Bouchet, Deon Cole, Josh Comers, Dan Cronin, Michael Gordon, Brian Kiley, Laurie Kilmartin, Rob Kutner, Todd Levin, Brian McCann, Conan O'Brien, Matt O'Brien, Jesse Popp, Andy Richter, Brian Stack, Mike Sweeney; TBS The Daily Show With Jon Stewart writers: Rory Albanese, Kevin Bleyer, Richard Blomquist, Steve Bodow, Tim Carvell, Hallie Haglund, J.R. Havlan, Elliott Kalan, Dan McCoy, Jo Miller, John Oliver, Zhubin Parang, Daniel Radosh, Jason Ross, Jon Stewart; Comedy Central Jimmy Kimmel Live writers: Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Joelle Boucai, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Gary Greenberg, Josh Halloway, Bess Kalb, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeff Loveness, Molly McNearney, Bryan Paulk, Danny Ricker, Rick Rosner; ABC Key & Peele writers: Jay Martel, Ian Roberts, Keegan Michael Key, Jordan Peele, Sean Conroy, Colton Dunn, Charlie Sanders, Alex Rubens, Rebecca Drysdale; Comedy Central Portlandia writers: Fred R. Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Karey Dornetto, Jonathan Krisel, Bill Oakley; IFC Real Time With Bill Maher writers: Scott Carter, Adam Felber, Matt Gunn, Brian Jacobsmeyer, Jay Jaroch, Chris Kelly, Mike Larsen, Bill Maher, Billy Martin; HBO Saturday Night Live Head writer: Seth Meyers. Writers: James Anderson, Alex Baze, Neil Casey, Jessica Conrad, James Downey, Shelly Gossman, Steve Higgins, Colin Jost, Zach Kanin, Chris Kelly, Joe Kelly, Erik Kenward, Rob Klein, Lorne Michaels, John Mulaney, Christine Nangle, Mike O’Brien, Josh Patten, Paula Pell, Marika Sawyer, Sarah Schneider, Pete Schultz, John Solomon, Kent Sublette, Bryan Tucker, Additional Sketch By Emily Spivey, Jorma Taccone, Additional Material By Frank Sebastiano; NBC Universal COMEDY / VARIETY – MUSIC, AWARDS, TRIBUTES – SPECIALS 66th Annual Tony Awards written by Dave Boone; special material by Paul Greenberg; opening and closing songs by David Javerbaum, Adam Schlesinger; CBS 2012 Film Independent Spirit Awards written by Billy Kimball, Wayne Federman; IFC After the Academy Awards Head writers Gary Greenberg, Molly McNearney. Writers Tony Barbieri, Jonathan Bines, Sal Iacono, Eric Immerman, Jimmy Kimmel, Jeffrey Loveness, Bryan Paulk, Danny Ricker, Richard G. Rosner; ABC National Memorial Day Concert written by Joan Meyerson; PBS DAYTIME DRAMA Days of Our Lives written by Lorraine Broderick, Carolyn Culliton, Richard Culliton, Rick Draughon, Christopher Dunn, Lacey Dyer, Janet Iacobuzio, David A. Levinson, Ryan Quan, Dave Ryan, Melissa Salmons, Roger Schroeder, Elizabeth Snyder, Christopher J. Whitesell, Nancy Williams Watt; NBC One Life to Live written by Lorraine Broderick, Ron Carlivati, Anna Theresa Cascio, Daniel J. O’Connor, Elizabeth Page, Jean Passanante, Melissa Salmons, Katherine Schock, Scott Sickles, Courtney Simon, Chris Van Etten; ABC The Young and the Restless written by Amanda Beall, Jeff Beldner, Brent Boyd, Susan Dansby, Janice Ferri Esser, Jay Gibson, Scott Hamner, Maria Kanelos, Natalie Minardi Slater, Beth Milstein, Michael Montgomery, Anne Schoettle, Linda Schreiber, Lisa Seidman, Sarah K. Smith, Christopher J. Whitesell, Teresa Zimmerman; CBS CHILDREN'S – EPISODIC & SPECIALS “The Good Sport” (Sesame Street), written by Christine Ferraro; PBS CHILDREN’S – LONG FORM OR SPECIAL Girl vs. Monster story by Annie De Young; teleplay by Annie De Young and Ron McGee; Disney Channel Winners will be announced on February 17th at events in New York and Los Angeles. What do you think of this year's nominees? Let us know in the comments! [Photo Credit: Jojo Whilden/HBO] Follow Alicia on Twitter @alicialutes More: Drum Roll Please: The Nominees for the 2013 Grammy Awards The Entire 'Freaks and Geeks' Cast Reunite — PHOTO Stephen Tobolowsky Out, B.J. Novak to Guest on 'The Mindy Project' From Our Partners: Kate Middleton Pregnant: A Look Back at Famous Royal Baby Portraits (PHOTOS) Pregnant Kate Middleton Leaves Hospital After Four-Day Stay
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Death, Destruction, and Klaine: The Year in Television Spoilers
November 30, 2012 11:19am ESTFirst, let's start with the bad news: The Mayan calendar (and, more importantly, a stellar John Cusack movie) have confirmed that the world is ending in a few weeks. I know, right? And we were all totally going to lose those 15 lbs and start journaling in 2013. Then there's the even worse news: You missed a lot of really good TV in 2012. So much good, in fact, that you have no hope of catching up before the end of days. That's where we (and the good news) come in — we've rounded up the best TV spoilers of 2012, so you can spend your remaining days with your family, or whatever. SPOILERS AHEAD, but sorry — no one will ever know who actually killed Alison DiLaurentis on Pretty Little Liars. Let's start with the little guys: How I Met Your Mother: Drama! It was eventually revealed that Barney (Neil Patrick Harris) is marrying Robin (Cobie Smulders). Also, Victoria (Ashley Williams) left her future husband at the alter for Ted (Josh Radnor), but they broke up afterwards because Ted wouldn't stop being friends with Robin. Those crazy kids! The Office: Angela (Angela Kinsey) found out that her husband was cheating on her with Oscar (Oscar Nuñez). Way to be a good coworker, Oscar. Parks and Recreation: Speaking of workplace comedies, Leslie (Amy Poehler) and Ben (Adam Scott) finally became engaged! It was adorable. You still with me? Good. Because it all goes downhill from here. Time for some suicides and martyrdom: Sons of Anarchy: The universally beloved Opie (Ryan Hurst) was brutally murdered early in the show's fifth season — sacrificing his life for the club in the most horrendous way possible (he was beaten to death with a lead pipe). Mad Men: Then there was the tragic tale of Lane Price (Jared Harris), the British sap who hung himself in his office after he found himself in financial trouble, and was fired by Don. Not a dry eye in the house. But not all major deaths on TV this year were via suicide — 2012 was huge for killing, or being killed by, children. Let's explore, shall we? Breaking Bad: In the former category, the artist formerly known as Landry (Jesse Plemons) from Friday Night Lights (now known as Todd on Breaking Bad) murdered a small child after said child witnessed Todd, Walt, and Jesse robbing a train. It was probably the most disturbing moment on TV this year, which says a lot, given our next spoiler. The Walking Dead: This one sounds horrific, but it actually made a lot of people happy — Lori (Sarah Wayne Callies) died via C-section childbirth during a Walker attack on Walking Dead. Doc Herschel and the rest of the Grimes Gang were busy fighting Walkers in the prison, so Lori's son Carl (Chandler Riggs) had to watch while Maggie (Lauren Cohan) tore out her baby with a dirty knife. Then Carl shot her, before she rose again. It was a classic mother/son coming-of-age moment. Downton Abbey: This one really hurt. Lady Sybil (Jessica Brown Findlay) from Downton also died during childbirth — but she didn't become a zombie, so she should just shut up and count her blessings. Those were all really depressing, so let's move on to justice — quite a few criminals were caught in 2012: Breaking Bad: First and foremost there's Walter White (Bryan Cranston), the drug kingpin currently known as Heisenberg . We haven't yet seen the aftermath, but the first half of Season 5 ended with Walt's brother-in-law Hank (Dean Norris) learning his dirty, methy secret. Dun dun dun. Dexter: This was a long time coming — Deb (Jennifer Carpenter), the brilliant Miami Metro detective, finally learned that her brother is a serial killer. So far, she's been taking it surprisingly well. The Killing: Oh, we finally found out who killed Rosie Larsen. It was her Aunt Terry, sort of. Then the show got canceled. Homeland: Nick Brody (Damian Lewis) was found out and captured by the CIA much, much earlier than anticipated. He's now working with them as a double agent, which is never easy when your other agency is TERRORISM. Enough with all the humans. Supernatural spoiler time: The Vampire Diaries: Elena (Nina Dobrev) became a vampire at the end of the third season's finale. This season, she totally dumped Stefan (Paul Wesley) and slept with Damon (Ian Somerhalder). Bad girls do it well. Fringe: Peter (Josh Jackson) willingly turned himself into an Observer after his daughter, Etta (Georgina Haig), was killed. It was horrifying. He's going bald! True Blood: The newly single Bill (Stephen Moyer) willingly drank the blood of the ancient, evil vampire Lilith at the end of last season — rising as an evil entity, and effectively earning the nickname "Billith." Run, Sookeh! Now let's move on to family drama: Revenge: Season 1 of ABC's new(ish) hit ended with Emily (Emily VanCamp) learning that her long-lost mother (Jennifer Jason Leigh) was still alive, while everyone else thought that Victoria Grayson (Madeleine Stowe) had died. She hadn't, and Emily's mother ended up being very, very boring. Revolution: Meanwhile, over on NBC's latest hit, good-guy Miles (Billy Burke) was revealed to have started the evil Monroe Militia — the same militia that recently kidnapped his nephew. (And they still haven't turned the lights on.) Game of Thrones: In a case of outright family treachery, Theon (Alfie Allen) betrayed the Starks by storming Winterfell, pretending to kill young Bran and Rickon, and slaughtering many of their people. Oh, and Klaine broke up on Glee. Follow Shaunna on Twitter @HWShaunna [PHOTO CREDIT: AMC, Showtime] MORE: Leanne's Spoiler List: 'True Blood' Wants Fresh Meat, 'Parenthood' Heads to Court, & More! Leanne’s Spoiler List: 'AHS: Asylum' Mommy Issues, Love and Loss on ‘Dexter’ Leanne’s Spoiler List: Love is Shaky on ‘Grey’s Anatomy,' ‘Vampire Diaries’ Gets Darker You Might Also Like: Cory and Topanga Are In! Big ‘Boy Meets World’ Spinoff News 12 Hot (And Horrifying) TV Nude Scenes
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Silver Linings Playbook Review
November 16, 2012 1:06pm ESTA character drama with a twisted sense of humor Silver Linings Playbook follows Pat (Bradley Cooper) a recently released psychiatric hospital patient who moves back in with his parents and begins a quest to reclaim his broken marriage. Despite the warnings from doctors Pat's mom Dolores (Jacki Weaver) and dad Pat Sr. (Robert De Niro) take him in hoping familiar settings and a little Eagles football may be the perfect cure. It isn't — Pat continuously loses his s**t over his ex-wife Nikki frantically stressing over her high school English class' reading syllabus (he toss Hemmingway's A Farewell to Arms straight through a glass window) and breaking down every time he hears their wedding song. There's no hope for him and Nikki — catching her with another man and beating him to a pulp led to his institutionalizing — but Pat's focused mind doesn't let him deviate. After being invited to a friend's house for dinner Pat meets Tiffany (Jennifer Lawrence) who sees a friendship in the bipolar patient. After the death of her husband Tiffany went off the deep end engaging anyone and everyone for sex. She's sees a companion in Pat and although he's reluctant the off-kilter pair can't fight the magnetic power of their psychological issues. Most of their conversations end in screaming or blunt admissions — but they're relatable. Mental illness and human connection may sound like an equation for eye-roll-worthy saccharine but director David O. Russell mines Cooper and Lawrence's comedic strengths to turn Silver Linings Playbook into one of the funniest movies of the year. Nothing is off limits for Russell; one reoccurring joke is that Pat can't stop bringing up the fact that Tiffany's husband is dead. As Tiffany puts it to Pat, "You say more inappropriate things than appropriate things." To make Pat aware of how his bipolar existence affects the people around him and to make us the audience feel for this heart-wrenching experience Russell shoots and paces Silver Linings Playbook for awkward comedy. He also returns to the always-reliable family dynamic. The Fighter is to Boston as Silver Linings Playbook is to Philadelphia De Niro perfecting the Eagles-loving everyman with a collection of betting buddies who may be just as delusional as Pat. The legendary actor proved he had comedy chops in Meet the Parents but here he blends it with gravitas that earned him a legacy in the first place. Rush Hour actor Chris Tucker also pops up as Pat's good friend from the institution. More restrained than ever Tucker helps add warmth to the picture. Pat has a support system everywhere he turns. In essence the film emanates with positive vibes. Even with a great ensemble Silver Linings Playbook is Cooper and Lawrence's show. To the bitter end Pat and Tiffany never get sappy with one another always at each other's throats over the feelings they harbor and the pasts they can't shake away. Cooper loses himself in the chaotic mind of Pat without ever slipping into a caricature of the mentally ill. He can stir up laughs with his desperate search for Pat's missing wedding video and then shock us in the blink of an eye when things turn violent. Impressively Lawrence's Tiffany is never written down. She never succumbs to being a comforting presence always provoking Pat to push himself. She's a strong woman but a strong woman juggling her own set of issues. Lawrence conveys all of that without missing a beat. That dynamic should be make Silver Linings Playbook the talk of the town come Oscar time.
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TV Tidbits: Laurence Fishburne Joins 'Hannibal,' Victoria is Back on 'How I Met Your Mother'
July 27, 2012 1:01pm ESTHannibal Lecter may have met his match, and (hopefully) Ted Mosby is losing one of his. New additions to Hannibal, How I Met Your Mother, Once Upon a Time and more fill out our casting roundup. Hannibal: Laurence Fishburne joins Hugh Dancy and Mads Mikkelson in NBC's upcoming Hannibal. Fishburne will play Jack Crawford, the head of the FBI Behavioral Sciences Unit (and Dancy's boss). Once Upon a Time: Sinqua Walls (Teen Wolf) has been cast as Sir Lancelot for one episode. Lancelot, a "sword for hire with nothing to lose," was expelled from King Arthur's Round Table and torn away from his love. Royal Pains: Carrie Preston is heading from Bon Temps to the Hamptons. TV Line reports that the True Blood and Good Wife actress has been cast as Jackie Van Ark, a romance novelist whose daughter unexpectedly becomes ill, on USA's Royal Pains. How I Met Your Mother: She's back! Again! Ashley Williams returns to HIMYM for its eighth season, reprising her role as Ted's former flame Victoria, who left him for her German lover but briefly reunited last season. Scandal: Deadline reports that Gregg Henry (Hung) and Jillian Armenante (The Dark Knight Rises, everything) will join Shonda Rimes' Scandal for its second season. Henry will play a big-money Southern guy whose charm is only surface-deep; Armenante will play brash and quick-witted Lucas, a part originally written for a male actor. American Horror Story: Franka Potente (Run Lola Run) is just crazy enough to join the second season cast of AHS, according to TV Line. No word yet on who her character is, but it's a good chance she'll be a patient at the insane asylum where this season is set. Follow Abbey Stone on Twitter @abbeystone [Photo Credit: WENN.com] More: TV Tidbits: 'Glee' Casts a Romantic Rival; Animation Attracts Zooey Deschanel, Sofia Vergara TV Tidbits: 'Weeds,' 'Supernatural' Add Mysterious Roles
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Teen Choice Awards: Justin Bieber and 'Hunger Games' Storm the Winners List
July 23, 2012 4:53am ESTWhile many TV lovers were tuning into The Bachelorette finale and watching Emily Maynard accept Jef Holmes' proposal, younger TV fans were tuning in to watch the 2012 Teen Choice Awards on Sunday. And it was a big night for teen favorites like Jennifer Lawrence and Liam Hemsworth's The Hunger Games in the movie category, while Justin Bieber stormed the Fashion and Music sections. See below for the complete list of the 2012 Teen Choice Awards winners: Movies: Choice Movie: Action — Abduction Choice Movie Actor: Action — Taylor Lautner, Abduction Choice Movie Actress: Action — Zoe Saldana, Colombiana Choice Movie: Sci-Fi/Fantasy — The Hunger Games Choice Movie Actor: Sci-Fi/Fantasy — Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games and Journey 2: The Mysterious Island Choice Movie Actress: Sci-Fi/Fantasy — Jennifer Lawrence, The Hunger Games Choice Movie: Drama — The Lucky One Choice Movie Actor: Drama— Zac Efron, The Lucky One Choice Movie Actress: Drama — Emma Stone, The Help Choice Movie: Comedy — 21 Jump Street Choice Movie Actor: Comedy — Channing Tatum, 21 Jump Street Choice Movie Actress: Comedy — Emma Stone, Crazy, Stupid, Love Choice Movie: Romance — The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 Choice Movie Actor: Romance — Zac Efron, The Lucky One Choice Movie Actress: Romance — Kristen Stewart, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 Choice Movie Voice — Taylor Swift as Audrey, Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax Choice Movie Chemistry — Jennifer Lawrence and Amandla Stenberg, The Hunger Games Choice Movie Liplock — Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson, The Hunger Games Choice Movie Hissy Fit — Charlize Theron, Snow White & The Huntsman Choice Movie Villain— Alexander Ludwig, The Hunger Games Choice Movie Scene Stealer: Male — Liam Hemsworth, The Hunger Games Choice Movie Scene Stealer: Female — Ashley Greene, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 1 Choice Movie Breakout — Rihanna, Battleship Choice Summer Movie: Action — The Avengers Choice Summer Movie: Comedy/Music — Katy Perry: Part of Me Choice Summer Movie Star: Male — Chris Hemsworth, Snow White & The Huntsman and The Avengers Choice Summer Movie Star: Female — Kristen Stewart, Snow White & The Huntsman TV: Choice TV Show: Drama — Pretty Little Liars Choice TV Actor: Drama — Ian Harding, Pretty Little Liars Choice TV Actress: Drama — Lucy Hale, Pretty Little Liars Choice TV Show: Fantasy/Sci-Fi — The Vampire Diaries Choice TV Actor: Fantasy/Sci-Fi — Ian Somerhalder, The Vampire Diaries Choice TV Actress: Fantasy/Sci-Fi — Nina Dobrev, The Vampire Diaries Choice TV Show: Action — CSI: Miami Choice TV Actor: Action — Adam Rodriguez, CSI: Miami Choice TV Actress: Action — Linda Hunt, NCIS: Los Angeles Choice TV Show: Comedy — Glee Choice TV Actor: Comedy — Chris Colfer, Glee Choice TV Actress: Comedy — Lea Michele, Glee Choice TV: Animated Show — The Simpsons Choice TV: Male Personality — Simon Cowell, The X Factor Choice TV: Female Personality — Jennifer Lopez, American Idol Choice TV: Reality Competition Show — The X Factor Choice TV: Reality Show — Punk’d Choice TV: Male Reality Star — Paul "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio, Jersey Shore and The Pauly D Project Choice TV: Female Reality Star — The Kardashians, Keeping Up with the Kardashians Choice Summer TV Show — Teen Wolf Choice Summer TV Star: Female — Troian Bellisario, Pretty Little Liars Choice Summer TV Star: Male — Tyler Posey, Teen Wolf Choice TV Villain — Janel Parrish, Pretty Little Liars Choice TV Female Scene Stealer — Candice Accola, The Vampire Dairies Choice TV Male Scene Stealer — Michael Trevino, The Vampire Diaries Choice TV Breakout Show — The X Factor Choice TV Breakout Star: Female — Hannah Simone, New Girl Choice TV Breakout Star: Male — Beau Mirchoff, Awkward Music: Choice Male Artist — Justin Bieber Choice Female Artist — Taylor Swift Choice Music Group — Selena Gomez & The Scene Choice R&B/Hip-Hop Artist — Nicki Minaj Choice R&B/Hip-Hop Song — “Starships,” Nicki Minaj Choice Rock Group — fun. Choice Rock Song — “Paradise,” Coldplay Choice Electronic Dance Music (EDM) Artist — David Guetta Choice Single by a Group — “We Are Young,” fun. featuring Janelle Monáe Choice Single by a Female Artist — “Eyes Open,” Taylor Swift Choice Single by a Male Artist — “Boyfriend,” Justin Bieber Choice Male Country Artist — Hunter Hayes Choice Female Country Artist — Taylor Swift Choice Country Song — “Sparks Fly,” Taylor Swift Choice Country Group — Lady Antebellum Choice Summer Song — “Call Me Maybe,” Carly Rae Jepsen Choice Love Song — “What Makes You Beautiful,” One Direction Choice Break-Up Song — “Payphone,” Maroon 5 featuring Wiz Khalifa Choice Summer Music Star: Female — Demi Lovato Choice Summer Music Star: Male — Justin Bieber Choice Summer Music Star: Group — One Direction Choice Music: Breakout Artist — Carly Rae Jepsen Choice Music: Breakout Group — One Direction Fashion: Choice Fashion Icon: Female — Katy Perry Choice Fashion Icon: Male — Justin Bieber Choice Female Hottie — Miley Cyrus Choice Male Hottie — Ian Somerhalder Other: Choice Female Athlete — Serena Williams (Tennis) Choice Male Athlete — David Beckham (Soccer) Choice Book — “The Hunger Games” trilogy, Suzanne Collins Choice Comedian — Ellen DeGeneres Choice Twit — Demi Lovato Choice Web Star — Sophia Grace and Rosie Choice Video Game — Just Dance 3 Choice Social Network — Facebook More: Katy Perry Adds Rapper to Her Resume — VIDEO Justin Bieber Reaches 25 Million Twitter Followers 2012 Teen Choice
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Comic-Con 2012: 'The Vampire Diaries' Panel: Best Bites
July 14, 2012 3:59pm ESTWith a fourth season on the way, stars like Ian Somerhalder, Nina Dobrev and an ever growing population of fans, The Vampire Diaries broke out as one of Comic-Con’s most biting panels of 2012. The cast and creative team assembled to offer a Q&A to the CW series’ devoted fans, delving into the engrossing characters and fascinating world the show has built, as well as what we’re bound to see in The Vampire Diaries’ future. With executive producer Julie Plec, co-creator Kevin Williams, castmembers Dobrev, Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, Steven R. McQueen, Michael Trevino, and Zach Roerig on hand, eager fans were given a taste of what's to come with some Season 4 footage and insight. Here's some of the most memorable bites from The Vampire Diaries panel: * Nina, on the task of playing Vampire Elena: "It's going to be tricky. I think she's going to be defined by her experiences." * Julie, on Season 4: "Everything just feels so fresh , it feels so new. Elena's obviously going through a huge change and Damon and Stefan are going to have to deal with that. It's a lot of really deep, emotional, twisted stuff." * Michael, on Tyler in Season 1: "Even I despised the character!" * Paul, coining the phrase "Salvatore sandwich." Yum. * Julie, on Katherine: "Katherine will not show her face until Klaus is no longer a threat." * Julie, on the possibility of seeing Alaric again: "We certainly don’t like living in a world without Matt Davis in our family. So it’s possible.” * Ian, on whether he thinks Damon will be happy that Elena is a vampire: "It could be fun!" Follow Shaunna on Twitter @HWShaunna [Photo credit: The CW] More: The CW Announces Premiere Schedule: Vampire Diaries Pushed To Mid-October True Blood vs. Vampire Diaries: Eight Reasons We See Double Vampire Diaries Season Finale Recap: It Had to Be You
