Movies, TV, DVDs, music and games … in chronological order.
[IMG:L]1. Friday Night Lights, DirecTV (Season 3)
Oh God, yes, thank the football-lovin’ deities you have DirecTV. Because if you’re not one of the 17.1 million awesome households with it, then you’ll have to wait till Feb, when brand-new episodes of the intrepid Texan high-school gridders finally come to NBC. Of course, same cast, though less screen time for Smash and Jason. And oh, yeah, last season’s murder subplot is gone. What’s in is more tube-time on the riveting tug-of-war relationship between Lyla and Tim. (Oct. 1)
[IMG:L]2. Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist Soundtrack
Please retire your scratched-up Garden State soundtrack. Please. Way cooler than Zach Braff is Nick (Michael Cera), who’s nursing his broken teenage heart with the kind of indie rock that will (ultimately) get him laid. Evidence: track two, “Lover,” is sung by Devendra Banhart, who in real life has bagged Natalie Portman. Plus, Band of Horses, Shout Out Louds, We Are Scientists, Bishop Allen and Vampire Weekend, declared the “whitest band” by the revered blogger behind Stuff White People Like. (It’s out now, but best enjoyed Oct. 3, the film’s release date)
[IMG:L]3. Madonna’s Sticky & Sweet Tour
If you’re a virgin to Madge in concert (you’re not, of course), it’s most pressing that you get thee ass wigglin’ to the $300 seat nearest you. You’ll be privy to abundant (but scant) wardrobe changes, lots of political innuendo (McCain/Hilter and Obama/Ghandi comparisons) and four musical sets plump with plenty of classics like “Vogue,” “La Isla Bonita” and “Borderline.” She’ll open with “Candy Shop” and lots and lots of neon pink. (in North America, Oct. 4-Nov. 26)
[IMG:L]4. Samantha Who?, ABC (Season 2)
Because of Christina Applegate‘s recent double-mastectomy triumph, the adorably powerful sitcom will likely gain new fans. Samantha, afflicted with retrograde amnesia, is still grappling with her former oh-so-vain self, as well as the still-alive sexual tension with former love, Todd (Barry Watson), who is now Sam’s roommate (somehow, it seemed like a good idea. But things get awkward when Sam brings home the Perfect Guy (Men in Trees‘ James Tupper). Mary-Kate Olsen pops up as an allusion to “Bad Sam,” and while clocking in community-service hours with the real-life bad girl, Sam finds herself in handcuffs. (Oct. 6)
[IMG:L]5. Ray Harryhausen Collectible DVD Gift Set
The unmatched force behind stop-animation gets three of his top classics commemorated in the form of six DVDs (brilliant color and black & white): It Came From Beneath the Sea, Earth Vs. the Flying Saucers and 20 Million Miles to Earth: 50th Anniversary Edition. Plus! In this collectible 80-dollar gift set, a Ymir figurine is tossed in, based on Harryhausen’s 1957 hand-crafted design and signed by the legend himself. But if it’s Blu-ray that you want and, in addition to the aforementioned three features in color, you want a color disc of your real favorite, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad: 50th Anniversary Edition, this far more contemporary four-disc set will be available, too. (Oct. 7)
KEEP READING: Russell vs. Leo, Christian Slater vs. Christian Slater!
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[IMG:L]6. Sleeping Beauty: 50th Anniversary Platinum Edition
Finally. Disney gets its animation involved in hi-def. Sleeping Beauty is its inaugural Blu-ray princess, and for just a limited time, you’ll see more of Princess Aurora’s blond hair follicles than ever before. But if perchance you haven’t Hi-Deffed your home yet, the set includes good ol’ standard def, as well. For now. In addition to the defining cartoon, Disney is also launching a BD-Live Network, allowing interaction with fanatics just like you in the form of chat, video messages, communal gaming and more. (Oct. 7)
[IMG:L]7. Kath & Kim, NBC
Molly Shannon and Selma Blair are mother and daughter with a dual affinity for spandex workout pants in the most atrocious colors. Looking to re-create the magic that was the Australian boob-tube hit, Kath is a fit fortysomething divorcée who’s found a bit of fire in a sandwich shop owner (John Michael Higgins). However, she receives an unwelcome invasion by her self-involved daughter, Kim, who’s up and left her husband and is binge-eating her sorrows away. With a wine glass in one hand and nachos at the ready, Kim doubts that “Nicole Kidman has these problems.” Scoot over, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler; the Funny Women canon suddenly got a little fuller. (Oct. 9)
[IMG:L]8. Life on Mars, ABC
Why, more ripping-off, of course! The Office obviously translated from the UK, so America’s next overseas adoption is this popular police-drama series — and perhaps the answer to our void left by The Wire (see #47). Our version goes like this: A New York detective (Jason O’Mara) is hit by a car in 2008 and is catapulted (backwards) to 1973, attempting to solve crimes without the modern aid of DNA-testing, etc. They insist it’s “a fish-out-of-water show — not science fiction.” Harvey Keitel and Michael Imperioli have raised eyebrows about O’Mara’s story, but good-lookin’ Gretchen Mol is way on his side. Obviously. (Oct. 9)
[IMG:L]9. Body of Lies
It’s the first big-deal movie of the season — and you knew so when it had its trailer roll before the big-deal movie of last season, The Dark Knight. It’s Russell Crowe and Leonardo DiCaprio, one heavyweight versus another. It’s director Ridley Scott. It’s the writer of The Departed. It’s a lot of intensity as told behind Leo’s facial hair and Russell’s weight gain, plus aggressive music not unlike the Bourne movies. Oh, and it alludes to current events: Leo is a former journalist hired by the CIA to uncover an Al Qaeda leader in Jordan, and well, he gets stuck in some compromising situations, and Russell, the CIA big-wig, isn’t exactly motherly to Leo’s sweaty predicament. (Oct. 10)
[IMG:L]10. My Own Worst Enemy
Not since, what, True Romance, has Christian Slater been considered for a juicy T-bone of a role as this: a man with a split personality — sometimes, he’s a mild-mannered man of the household, and other times, he’s a mega-spy with a frequent urge to slay. Now, the family-guy personality isn’t supposed to know about the assassin, but due to a glitch in the secret-government-operated program (of course), “he” knows about “him.” So, now, the two personalities are forced to work together — hmm, which Christian Slater smile is more appropriate — the sweet, helpless one or the one with burgeoning connivance? Now you’re dying to rent Heathers, aren’t you? See #35. (Oct. 13)
KEEP READING: Heidi’s last “Auf” and Crash the TV show?!
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[IMG:L]11. The Decemberists, Always the Bridesmaid: A Single Series
The Portland band, lauded for its riveting storytelling approach to songwriting, has eschewed CDs completely; its latest crop of whimsical ballads will only be available for download (some singles on 10” vinyl, too). With a hint of rockabilly, “Valerie Plame” muses on the former CIA agent outed by Dick Cheney‘s Chief of Staff “Scooter” Libby; “O New England” recovers fond (or not) memories of the faithful Northeast. The band will perform the eve of Election Day on Late Night With Conan O’Brien. (Vol. I, Oct. 14; Vol. II, Nov. 4; Vol. III, Dec. 2)
[IMG:L]12. The New World: The Extended Cut
When Terrence Malick first revealed The New World in 2005, it was met with lackluster praise, but any true Malick fan was, no doubt, visually riveted by his keen camera-eye depicting the America we had never seen — Colin Farrell and Pocahontas aside. Rabid curiosity for the rumored 30-odd minutes of extra footage powered Malick to release an extended cut, and the privileged few that endured the 172-minute new version described it as “a work of breathtaking imagination” and “not like any other movie.” We’ll see. (Oct. 14)
[IMG:L]13. A Woman Under the Influence, Criterion Collection
Written and directed by John Cassavetes, the Oscar-nominated movie of 1974 stars the widowed wife of Cassavetes, the uncompromising Gena Rowlands. Rowlands is a young wife and mother who’s gone damned mental, and her husband (Peter Falk), still deeply infatuated in his bride, is helpless to his true love’s utterly psychotic behavior. Criterion has restored this most staggering anti-love story in hi-def, and the single disc includes an audio interview with Cassavetes conducted in 1975, a video conversation between Rowlands and Falk, plus rare stills of behind-the-scenes production photos. (Oct. 14)
[IMG:L]14. Project Runway (Season Finale)
The contestants of season five had the unfavorable luck of succeeding the beloved Christian Siriano, winner of season four. But! The Gristedes challenge be damned, this once lackluster batch of designers have turned up the fa-ierrrceness with help from: Jerell, who is so nice with his disses (“Come on, Joe. You can work on Nancy Reagan tomorrow.”); Kenley, who’s entirely too self-congratulatory (“I think I pretty much nailed it.”); Korto, who’s cutting mumblings always deserve captioning (“It’s like this. I’m makin’ the baddest vest. You wanna make one? Make one. Shoot.”); and Leanne, the silent assassin who dumped her model for Suede’s (she’s got no funny quips). Three will take the runway. Two will be out. And, only one will be the winner. (Oct. 15)
[IMG:L]15. Crash, Starz
Like its muse, the 2005 Oscar’s Best Picture of the same name, this 13-part series (Starz’s first HBO-like attempt at a big-deal series) will explore such wretched topics of race, class and gender and the collision of all themes therein. Dennis Hopper stars as a drug-reliant record producer, playing opposite an illegal immigrant and the cop who thinks only with his piece (not that piece). The film was polarizing, yes, but what’s promising about the TV series is that the two-hour grit of the movie is (a) spread across 13 hours, and (b) dark humor is involved. The exec producer has stated, “We’re not making fun of the issues, but I do want to make an entertaining show with people you’d want to spend time with.” Nothing like Sandra Bullock, we hope. (Oct. 17)
KEEP READING: Why Angelina’s getting another Oscar and HSM3, woot!
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[IMG:L]16. W.
Before our lame-duck president officially exits the White House, director Oliver Stone offers a companion piece to Dubya’s departure: a “Who is this guy?” satirical look at a ninny man that we elected to be our President — twice. Cut to Young George (Josh Brolin) getting drunk, crashing cars in front lawns, wooing his future Missus (Elizabeth Banks) and arguing with Old George — “You’re a Bush! Act like one!” — while the melody of “What a Wonderful World” sings on. Stone’s previous Prez-inspired works (JFK, Nixon) didn’t release while either were still in office. Unlike this one. Here in Hollywood, the film’s trailer is greeted with uproarious laughter; and if Hollywood (and politics in Hollywood) are any indication, Stone has himself a crowd-pleaser. (Oct. 17)
[IMG:L]17. Eli Stone, ABC (Season 2)
Attorney Eli Stone (Jonny Lee Miller) is six months into recovery from a removed aneurysm, but his odd visions of George Michael still remain (thank goodness). While the Oct. 14 season premiere is said to involve some sort of catastrophe that puts a main character at serious risk, it’s the second episode that will surely outdo all George Michael premonitions combined: Katie Holmes, yes, mother to the adorable Suri, will engage in a riveting song-and-dance routine — I mean, it’s riveting to even read about, right? (Oct. 21)
[IMG:L]18. Spider-Man: Web of Shadows
Spidey is back for Xbox 360 and the like, and so is Venom with his army of symbiotes. Initially, Venom dealt with just a mere infection; now it’s a full-fledged invasion and Spider-Man must prevent Venom from falling under the spell of his symbiote suit. The game will also be available for PlayStation 3 and 2, Microsoft Windows, Nintendo DS and Wii, and will allow free-roaming action— for the first time ever, the player will be able to choose Spidey’s path and the eventual outcome (a variety of endings!). Plus, you decide if Spidey is wearing his red/blue suit or the symbiote suit and which villain to fight right then. And, he doesn’t die in water. (Oct. 21)
[IMG:L]19. Changeling
What was well-received at Cannes was less so the “directed by Clint Eastwood” and more the “Angelina Jolie will get her second Oscar nomination.” Obviously, Eastwood and his quiet, careful approach to directing Jolie’s acting had something to do with the film’s growing accolades, but Jolie, who plays a 1920s mother whose young son disappears, pulled much of courage from her own mother, Marcheline Bertrand, who died of ovarian cancer just nine months before production began. When her son is returned weeks later, Jolie’s initial thrill is buried with the shocking insistence: “That’s not my child.” It’s based on the true story of the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders, a man that molested, tortured, killed and dismembered 20 or so young boys. (Oct. 24)
[IMG:L]20. High School Musical 3: Senior Year
Nevermind how Zac Efron keeps his brunet mop coifed whilst playing basketball and wooing beauty-and-brainy Vanessa Hudgens — HIGH SCHOOL IS ENDING. Therefore, senior year has to enable more jazz hands than ever — for prom, the big game, the spring musical and, of course, graduation! — which is why this third big-screen production (and its $30 million budget) will deliver 10 original songs, dramatic roof duets between Troy (Efron) and Gabriella (Hudgens), five costume changes for Sharpay (Ashley Tisdale) and one helluva grown-up vibe. When Troy and Gabriella get into different schools, we’ll get to see how, um, adults deal with such do-or-die decisions. (Oct. 24)
KEEP READING: Charlie Kaufman’s wackiest ever; Tina Fey as Sarah Palin again and again!
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[IMG:L]21. Synecdoche, New York
It’ll be nuts. It’s Charlie Kaufman! The first-time director leads Philip Seymour Hoffman, a frustrated director of a local Schenectady, N.Y., theater with a mysterious condition that is turning off each of his autonomic functions one by one (Eternal Sunshine fans wait with bated breath). Yet, he’s dying to impress the wife that’s just left him (Catherine Keener) by … moving his ensemble cast into a warehouse, creating a full-functioning New York City, and having everybody just play out their day-to-day lives. Thus, manufacturing super-real stuff. By definition, “synecdoche” is a figure of speech in which a part is used for the whole (e.g. warehouse as Manhattan) or the general for the specific — which, still, only partially defines it. (Oct. 24)
[IMG:L]22. Mystery Science Theater 3000: 20th Anniversary Edition
Responsible for lampooning the most horrendous movies in life, Joel Hodgson and Mike Nelson, your favorite TV show hosts of 1988-1999 (and the 1996 feature film, of course!), have orbited Earth and back so that you can fete their 20th anniversary with their four most requested episodes of yesteryear: First Spaceship on Venus (1960), Laserblast (1978), Werewolf (1996) and Future War (1997). This limited-edition tin-box special will include a 2008 Comic-Con reunion panel featuring Joel, Mike and the gang, plus the original film trailers, six versions of the theme song, four lobby cards and an exclusive figurine of Crow T. Robot. (Oct. 28)
[IMG:L]23. Saturday Night Live Presidential Bash
Tina Fey‘s impeccable roast of Sarah Palin was Saturday Night Live‘s most-watched episode — not-so-dumb NBC will, of course, milk this electrifying Presidential campaign till the ballots are finally whipped out. The Monday before Election Day, SNL will showcase its quadrennial poli-satire, featuring Fey’s Palin, Fred Armisen‘s Barack Obama, Amy Poehler‘s Hillary Clinton, plus some weaving-in of a few former-Prez classics like Chevy Chase‘s Gerald Ford to Will Ferrell‘s Dubya. In addition to this last hurrah, NBC will bring “SNL Weekend Update Thursday,” a kind of “Weekend Update” of 30 poli-savvy minutes on Oct. 9, 16 and 23. (Nov. 3)
[IMG:L]24. The Complete Batman Animated Series
Spread your Saturday morning cartoon fix over many, many Saturdays (heck, even Sundays) and relish your favorite caped crusader in over 35 hours of Gotham crime-fighting — 107 episodes in 17 discs. The Emmy-winning series is available in this limited-edition collection, and in addition to the cartoons, there are eight in-depth featurettes, a bonus-disc documentary (Shades of the Bat: Batman’s Animated Evolution), a 40-page collector’s book, and commentaries on 12 episodes with the animators. You can always pretend it’s your favorite Dark Knight, Christian Bale, fighting the Joker, Penguin and Mr. Freeze … (Nov. 4)
[IMG:L]25. Chris Cornell, Scream
Cornell, modern rock’s best aching lungs behind Soundgarden and Audioslave, thought, why not a little R&B for his third solo album? Somehow, singing over Timbaland‘s hip-hop beats seemed an awesome idea, and according to the two collaborators, it’s the best music of their careers (sorry, Justin Timberlake). If the first single, “Long Gone,” is any indication, the album will feature an electronification of Cornell’s vocals over futuristic keyboard tunes, a singer-songwriter piano, and of course, Timbaland’s signature stuttered-club beats. Dumbfounded fans of Cornell might find this pairing controversial, but Cornell thinks you’re ready for … let’s call it a Missy Elliot touch. (Nov. 4)
KEEP READING: Surviving Election Night, plus will Viggo live?
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[IMG:L]26. James Bond 007: Quantum of Solace
With its inventive third-person action elements, plus a Grand Theft Auto IV-like camera-panning and running off the Call of Duty 4 engine, the gamer is able to embody the blond Bond — mind, body and shooting. You’ll play through levels of espionage quandary pulled from both the Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace films (see #32) but shooting dozens more enemies, oftentimes quicker and quieter than Daniel Craig is able to execute (hand-to-hand combat, too!). It will support Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, Nintendo DS and PSP, but for Xbox 360 and PS3 gamers that purchase it advance at GameStop, a free multi-player map pack will be redeemable after it officially debuts. (Nov. 4)
[IMG:L]27. Comedy Central’s Indecision 2008 — Live With Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert
For months now, Stewart and Colbert have been reporting “Something Approximating Election News With Something Approximating Honesty,” and our four candidates, Barack Obama and Joe Biden, and John McCain and Sarah Palin, have done an exceptional job delivering the fodder to them. But live on Election Night, Stewart and Colbert will follow the votes (somewhat) closely, all the while inserting their trademark snark and outrageous declarations such as: “Does McCain wear a diaper?”, “Obama ‘Thinks,’ McCain ‘Knows’,” and “Is Sarah Palin a Dude?” They’ve promised to announce the winning President by night’s end … maybe. (Nov. 4)
[IMG:L]28. The Cosby Show: 25th Anniversary Commemorate Edition
Bill Cosby‘s idea for his second boob-tube series named after himself was to depict a successful, middle-class African-American family in a normal, positive light. From 1984-1992, we watched the baby-delivering Dr. Heathcliff Huxtable with his attorney wife Claire raise their five kids in a Brooklyn brownstone; it delivered lots of laughs and family values that resonated better than Full House‘s. The DVD set offers every original episode from its eight-year run — and yes, Theo and Rudy grow up, Mrs. Huxtable gets an actor switch, but remember the awesome guest stars like Stevie Wonder, Sammy Davis Jr. and Adam Sandler? The edition also includes a never-before-seen interview with Cosby on his lasting memories of the sitcom. (Nov. 11)
[IMG:L]29. Sukiyaki Western Django (Blu-ray)
It’s an English-language remake of Sergio Corbucci’s 1966 classic western, Django, but set in Japan with a who’s-who cast of Japanese actors “speaking” English the phonetic drawl-out way. Insert tumbleweeds, painted backdrops, Japanese period garb with cowboy hats, and Quentin Tarantino as a narrating character (what better western and Asian-film obsessor is there?), it’s obvious that the camp value of the new Django is very high — and bound to be very awesome. Released last year in Japan, director Miike Takashi’s marbles-losing genius of outrageous bloodshed and insane action was met with grab-your-belly laughter and joy. (Nov. 11)
[IMG:L]30. The Road
Already met with a Pulitzer Prize, Cormac McCarthy’s postapocalyptic novel gets the big-screen treatment with Viggo Mortensen, plus an aim to deliver the grimmest father-and-son tale that will, hopefully, be less dull and more touching. Aussie director John Hillcoat (his one American release was the impressive The Proposition) paints the taciturn journey of Mortensen’s exhausted father leading his frightened young boy across a desolate America after an unspecified widespread disaster. Surprising encounters with vagrants, soldiers or flashbacks of the boy’s mother (Charlize Theron) invite danger, fear, sometimes survival — and most likely, the attention of Oscar. (Nov. 14)
KEEP READING: Beyonce and the blond Bond … but not like that
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[IMG:L]31. Quantum of Solace
The blond Bond is nursing a broken heart since Vesper’s betrayal in Casino Royale, but Daniel Craig‘s 007 adventures allows for a new Bond girl to enter: Olga Kurylenko. Hasty indeed, considering that Quantum, the name of an obscure Ian Fleming short story, picks up just an hour after Craig shoots Mr. White in the leg before Casino‘s closing credits. Turns out, White is just a tiny player in a very messy conspiracy with hubbubs in Chile, Austria and Italy, but Craig’s new brunette leads 007 straight to the ruthless culprit (Mathieu Amalric), who’s planning a takeover of one of the world’s most important natural resources. James Bond is looking to stop this — swilling dry martinis and all. (Nov. 14)
[IMG:L]32. Ricky Gervais: Out of England — The Stand-Up Special, HBO
Amidst buzz of a possible Oscar host out of Ricky Gervais, the humorous insensitivity of the pioneer behind the The Office can be relished a lot sooner in the less censored environment of HBO. The taste-making cable network snatched rights to Gervais’ recent American tour of stand-up comedy. He’s the “British King of Comedy,” if he does say so himself, and he did sell out 3,401 seats of Hollywood’s Kodak Theater (so familiar with the Oscar stage already!) His biting delivery, always spot-on, riffs on the bravest, what-the?! topics — it’s as if an episode of Extras is playing out on stage. But much more shameless. (Nov. 15)
[IMG:L]33. Beyonce
The radio will debut “Single Ladies” and “If I Were a Boy” on Oct. 7, and for the prior, Beyoncé borrows the duo behind Rihanna’s “Umbrella” — Jay-Z (reluctantly) opts to share his Rihanna-mentoring tactics with his wife. “Single Ladies,” a sing-along dance-to-it beat, will appeal to MTV’s pop market as well the nostalgic void of Destiny’s Child, while “If I Were a Boy” will be the urban market’s jam, specifically. The label posits that this is Beyoncé’s most personal album to date (she co-wrote or co-produced all of the as-yet-untitled album’s material) which will include contributing vocals from Justin Timberlake and Lil’ Wayne. (Nov. 18)
[IMG:L]34. Wall-E (3-Disc Special Edition)
The endearing robot Wall-E is tasked with the listless duty of gathering Earth’s copious amount of trash 700 years into the future, until he discovers a companion in the sleek femme ‘bot Eve. Together, they traveled the universe and found sweetness and undeniable humor in new friends and new life. Among a treasure spaceship of bonus features, the best addition in this set is an unmissable animated short film called Burn-E. The 98-minute sweet-satirical feature offers a healthy, kid-friendly dose of what is relevant to our environment now — and it requires no forcing-down-throats whatsoever. (Nov. 18)
[IMG:L]35. Heathers 20th High School Reunion Edition
Arguably the best high-school movie ever, go bravely dark with the three bitch-faced Heathers (Shannen Doherty is one!) and the vindictive shenanigans of Winona Ryder and Christian Slater. The limited-edition set includes a miniature teal locker replica filled with the remastered two-disc feature, plus a Blu-ray release, a Return to Westerburg High documentary that revisits the set of the Heathers high school, the original ending, one of three possible T-shirts (“Greetings and Salutations,” What’s Your Damage?” or “Big Fun”), a Class of 1988 Yearbook and a set of 14 magnets. Oh, household cleaner is not included. (Nov. 18)
KEEP READING: Get a bite of Twilight; plus controlling Angelina Jolie
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[IMG:L]36. Tomb Raider: Underworld
Perhaps the sole method of sorta-embodying Angelina Jolie, control Ms. Lara Croft with the broadest acrobatic abilities yet in the eighth installment of Tomb Raider games (the third developed by Crystal Dynamics). The biggest enhancement is that this Tomb Raider environment is an “interactive world that reacts and remembers,” which means Lara’s victims will remain where slayed, footprints will be washed away by rain, and mud will stick to Lara’s knees if she knelt in it. Before, climbing, shooting and puzzle-solving were three separate environments; now these three elements, available for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, have thankfully integrated. (Nov. 18)
[IMG:L]37. David Cook
David Cook, the American Idol contestant that snaked the winning title from the other David (Archuleta), is done singing everybody else’s songs. He’s slaved away on a debut album, with the guidance of the Grammy-winning producer of Green Day, and promises that these new songs will make “the hair on your neck stand up.” It’ll include “The Time of My Life,” his heartfelt original song that he finished his Idol run with, which sold 236,000 digital tracks on iTunes in just four days. His mod-rock sensibility is made for mainstream radio, but inserted “twists and turns” is slated to keep his fans’ interest piqued. (Nov. 18)
[IMG:L]38. Twilight
Last summer’s Comic-Con was attacked by 6,500 bombastic Twilight fans, tweens and adults alike completely enamored by the first of Stephanie Meyer’s four-book vampire series. Director Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen) moves the cult favorite to the big screen with the eccentric, soulful Kristen Stewart (Into the Wild) as the heroine that falls for the tragically handsome vampire in Robert Pattinson, who might not bite for human blood, but his primal needs aren’t to be ignored. The love is bigger than Romeo and Juliet’s, but the similarity it shares with Shakespeare’s beloved young couple is their willingness to die for their impossible passion. (Nov. 21)
[IMG:L]39. American Music Awards
No offense to last year’s host, Jimmy Kimmel, but it’s rumored that this year’s ceremony will have no host. Awesome, right? Who needs a boring ol’ host when a farm of attractive, well-spoken celebrities are always at the ready to serve as presenters? Nominations for Favorite Male and Female Artists in their respective categories of Pop/Rock, Country, R&B and Hip-Hop will be announced Oct. 14, but if we may submit our wish list of duets, it would include: Beyonce and Rihanna, Britney Spears and Rihanna and the Jonas Brothers and Rihanna. Oh, and if Britney and Justin could present an award together, would that be asking too much? (Nov. 23)
[IMG:L]40. A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All
In an hour-long musical special to his ever-earnest The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert is snowed-in at his cabin in upstate New York, preventing him from visiting dear ol’ Elvis Costello in the city. But no storm averts Colbert from yuletide happy times with his special singing friends Toby Keith, Willie Nelson, John Legend and Feist. In addition to a dazzling collection of Christmas sweaters, Colbert offers his natural singing talent to original songs, even one called “Hanukkah” with Jon Stewart. Despite Colbert’s usual selfishness as displayed by his two stockings — one for “Stephen,” one for “Colbert” — proceeds from his DVD sales (out two days later on Nov. 25) will go to Feeding America. (Nov. 23)
KEEP READING: Gay Sean Penn, sorta-naked Heidi Klum and Brit-Brit’s Circus!
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[IMG:L]41. Australia
Not since seven years ago has director Baz Luhrmann attempting moviemaking. But what follows Moulin Rouge! is a sweeping romantic ode to his country of birth with starring natives, Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. It’s the eve of World War II, and Kidman travels Down Under to sell the cattle that her husband has neglected, and consequently, falls in the arms of a rugged Jackman. While Luhrmann’s previous films had a heavy hand in sensory hyperbole, Australia has a starkly gorgeous old-Hollywood outlook, with a big wink to the empty wild west, a visual appeal that rivals such classics as Lawrence of Arabia and Out of Africa. (Nov. 26)
[IMG:L]42. Milk
Oscar has one good eye on Sean Penn as Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man elected to a major political office — 1977’s San Francisco’s city supervisor. At the helm is Gus Van Sant, whose progressive directing tactics has James Franco (as Milk’s lover Scott Smith) going at it with Penn on page five — it’s Brokeback Mountain but on Castro Street involving poli-activists not cowboys. A year into office, Milk is assassinated by the city’s former supervisor Dan White (Josh Brolin). For a good primer on Harvey, peep the documentary, The Times of Harvey Milk. (Nov. 26)
[IMG:L]43. Britney Spears, Circus
A slew of “comeback” expectations was ignited when Britney revealed that she would release a new album on her 27th birthday. Soon thereafter, a leaked video of Brit rehearsing the song “Mannequin” received over three million views. Then, a radio station in Nashville boasted a 40-second rough cut of her to-be-released-first single “Womanizer” (and later fined $250,000 by Jive Records), and a week later, the real full deal hit New York radio waves with seemingly favorable reviews. At the end of a recording day, CDs of Circus-in-progress were locked away in a safe, but come Dec. 2, the two-disc album — filled with aggressive upbeat dance jams — will greet the public’s rabid anticipation. (Dec. 2)
[IMG:L]44. Spectacle: Elvis Costello With…, The Sundance Channel
The Sundance Channel debuts a weekly music-variety talk show with Elvis Costello as its intrepid host. Costello is to engage in intimate conversations with his guests (hm, Inside the Musician’s Studio?), then provide a stage for rare musical performances by Costello and a group of confirmed artists like Sir Elton John, Lou Reed, Jenny Lewis, artist/director Julian Schnabel and former President Bill Clinton. A recent taping of the show at New York’s Apollo found Costello, at first, following a banal script, but some impromptu banter with Jakob Dylan — how starstruck Costello was to meet Jakob’s father — was a lesson learned that Costello can’t script art. (Dec. 3)
[IMG:L]45. The Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, CBS
It’s a night of almost-naked women ushering in the cold months of winter — without the sweaters. It’s when your Victoria’s Secret Swimsuit Calendar gets real-life treatment in the form of a runway show — just replace the bikinis with the far more imaginative bedroom skivvies and put them on supermodels like Heidi Klum, Miranda Kerr and Adriana Lima. It’s OK to forget that Heidi has children with that man that sings “Kiss From a Rose.” It’s OK to still think that Adriana Lima is a virgin — it was only, like, a year ago that she said that, right? If you’re in Miami on Nov. 15, sneak a thong peek at the Fontainebleau Resort — the show will be taping then. (Dec. 3)
KEEP READING: Brad Pitt is 80, Scarlett’s Spirit and a Titanic reunion!
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[IMG:L]46. Frost/Nixon
Three years after President Richard Nixon was forced out of the White House, he ached to save his legacy, and in 1977, agreed to an all-inclusive interview that would reveal details of the scandal known as Watergate; Nixon would confess to David Frost, a British personality itching to make a name for himself. Ron Howard directs Frank Langella and Michael Sheen who reprised their Peter Morgan-scribed stageplay roles in which Langella was awarded a Tony. The film re-creates the emotional on-air interview plus weeks of intense behind-the-scenes deal-making between both men … who will be very busy come awards season. (Dec. 5)
[IMG:L]47. The Wire: The Complete Series
HBO’s most underrated (but best reviewed) original series quietly finished five seasons this year, chock full of Baltimore youngin’s doling out drugs, folks getting slayed in broad daylight, corrupt journalism at The Baltimore Sun, and of course, good (and despicable) police work at the BDP often with the use of intricate wire taps. A former police reporter at the Sun, creator David Simon was able to depict the grit of Baltimore’s drug-laden crime world with utmost accuracy and heart. Hardly forgiving on the men in blue either, its anti-hero Jimmy McNulty (Dominic West) wasn’t shy about bending the rules in his work and personal life, despite his sincere passion for both. (Dec. 9)
[IMG:L]48. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
“I was born under unusual circumstances,” says Brad Pitt, who stars as Benjamin Button, the protagonist of a 1920’s F. Scott Fitzgerald tale. Unusual, yes, as Mr. Button enters New Orleans at the end of World War I as an 80-year-old man and continues to age into the 21st century — but in reverse. Rather than hiring several actors to portray Button’s various ages, director David Fincher, who also led Pitt in Fight Club and Se7en, applied cutting-edge motion-picture technology in order for Pitt to star as his eight-year-old self and beyond and beyond (age 44 was quite easy). Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton co-star in this unbelievable drama, both joyful and not, and full of the radical impressions that Benjamin has littered. (Dec. 25)
[IMG:L]49. The Spirit
The Spirit, Will Eisner’s comic-book series of the ’40s and ’50s, is a leader in graphic brilliance and not until now has it found a sliver-screen director that could match its genius. Frank Miller gives it a Sin City/300 stylish wash, the live action is led by the relatively unknown Gabriel Macht (we noticed his very supporting role in The Good Shepherd) as the murdered rookie cop that “awakens” to fight crime à la Batman (aka the Spirit); his aggression is directed at the cold-hearted Octopus (Samuel L. Jackson), but along the way, he’s met with a harem of temptresses that want to love and/or kill the Spirit (Scarlett Johansson, Eva Mendes, Jaime King, et al.). Miller delivers something awfully sinister … and just what we wanted for Christmas. (Dec. 25)
[IMG:L]50. Revolutionary Road
The most lucrative lovebirds of all time, Titanic‘s Leonardo DiCaprio and Kate Winslet, are back for more gut-wrenching romance — but to make things a little more awkward a decade later, Winslet’s husband, Sam Mendes, is directing the lovemaking. Luckily for Mendes, the lovey-dovey stuff is quite scarce. DiCaprio and Winslet’s marriage is stressed with arguments, deceit and disinterest, and the fragile pair attempt to break the darkness with a relocation to Paris. It’ll leave you a bit bruised, as it did to DiCaprio and Winslet, who described themselves as “bled dry” from the emotionally explosive affair. (Dec. 26)
