Now we know why George Clooney’s The Monuments Men didn’t get released during Oscar Season. The World War II dramedy, directed, co-written and starring Clooney, is a mediocre ode to the men who saved many western culture masterpieces from the
Rosie O’Donnell, the comedienne who said she doesn’t believe the “official story” regarding the 9/11 attacks on America on The View, received a standing ovation when she returned to the show this week. The taped episode, set to air at
Marley’s legacy as a counter-culture troubadour is undiminished since his death in 1981 at the age of 36. Marley’s impact cannot be doubted, both as the musician who broke reggae music into the mainstream and someone who became a symbol
Jay Leno is getting a second Tonight Show farewell this evening, but this one means far more to the late night landscape. Leno first left the show in 2009 after NBC botched a plan to keep rising star Conan O’Brien
Philip Seymour Hoffman wasn’t one of those actors whose political identities overshadow their talent. That’s a place where Tim Robbins, Susan Sarandon, John Cusack, Sean Penn and Barbra Streisand often dwell. Most movie goers had no idea how Hoffman, who
Maybe Clay Aiken is sincere with his vow to bring bipartisanship to his newly launched Congressional campaign. The former American Idol star announced his bid to unseat her Republican opponent Rep. Renee Ellmers earlier today via a five-minute video announcement.
Woody Allen may have issued a statement Tuesday declaring he is innocent of charges he once sexually molested his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, but the Annie Hall director doesn’t appear concerned the accusation will hurt his career. Allen made his
Clay Aiken’s official foray into politics began early Wednesday with a video describing how his mother once shielded him from his father’s violent outbursts. Aiken, famous for being the runner up on the second season of American Idol, kicked of
Jerry Seinfeld forged a stand-up career by avoiding R-rated routines, preferring observational gags to F-bombs and sexual puns. He didn’t push anyone’s buttons. He just made people laugh. Yet the Seinfeld star said something so politically incorrect Monday that it
Greg Lukianoff says stand-up comics often complain about performing before college students. The comics tell Lukianoff, president at the nonpartisan Foundation for Individual Rights in Education (FIRE), that campus speech codes prevent them from using their “A” material. The consequences
Anyone watching Saturday Night Live over the past five-plus years knows how infrequently the show targets President Barack Obama. It wasn’t always that way. Past SNL casts have mocked Presidents Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton and George W. Bush with
Today’s Hollywood is scared to death to take chances, witness the stream of reboots, sequels and prequels fed to the public. The Super Bowl commercials took a similarly safe approach. Some of the biggest spots reunited viewers with old friends,
FOX marketers knew that introducing the hashtag #JackIsBack to social media wouldn’t need much of an explanation. Just in case, the network debuted our first look at 24: Live Another Day during Sunday’s Super Bowl telecast. Jack Bauer, the counter terrorism agent
Philip Seymour Hoffman, the versatile Oscar winner and star of Capote and The Hunger Games franchise, was found dead today. The revered actor was the victim of an apparent overdose. He was 46. New York City police discovered the actor’s
Lena Dunham, current media and Hollywood “It Girl,” refused to stay silent after reading an open letter from Woody Allen’s adopted daughter regarding sexual abuse allegations. Dylan Farrow rocked the news cycle this weekend when she publicly slammed both Allen
The 1987 film RoboCop did more than prove actor Peter Weller had the most distinct jawline in Hollywood. The action film commented sourly on both privatization and a corporate climate the film industry sneered at during the 1980s. According to
Author Joyce Maynard had no qualms with the casting of Josh Brolin in the film adaptation of her novel Labor Day. “There’s nothing metrosexual about Josh Brolin, as he has demonstrated in a few bar rooms of late,” Maynard tells
The documentary Dog Days chronicles an unlikely entrepreneur who squared off against the entrenched D.C. bureaucracy and lived to tell the tale. Better yet, the film showcases how the American dream is alive and well even if local governments too
Noah isn’t just another big-budget Hollywood product. The film, from celebrated director Darren Aronofsky (Black Swan, The Wrestler), is the first of several major movies based on spiritual source material. Recent films like Soul Surfer, Fireproof and Letters from God leveraged
Madonna once set the standard for envelope-pushing antics, from borrowing Christian imagery on stage to baring most, if not all, for our bemusement. Now, she’s reduced to sticking her tongue out a la Miley Cyrus to curry favor with a
Hollywood routinely uses its content to influence hearts and minds, hoping the right heart-tugging storyline will make a difference on issues like fracking or gun control. At the same time, actors, screenwriters and directors alike say they cannot be held
The world premiere of Marcus Gardley’s Black Odyssey doesn’t fit any existing molds, and it should be a disaster because of it. Part spiritual, part comedy, the production manages to hit a dozen or so grace notes all the same
Pete Seeger, the legendary folk singer, unabashed socialist and political activist, has died at the age of 94. The left celebrated Seeger’s art and commitment to progressive causes, but those on the right noted his embrace of American enemies during
Mitt Romney is going the full Bob Dole. You never go the full Bob Dole. Back in 1996, the media fed a portrayal of GOP presidential hopeful Dole as a dour, humorless opponent to President Bill Clinton. Dole lost. Then,
For one night, an awards show understood what it meant to appeal to the masses. And then the 2014 Grammy Awards fired off a culture war missile aimed at those who believe in a traditional definition of marriage. While the
Many of the same singers we saw at last year’s VMA telecast on MTV will be on hand tonight to see if they will be taking home a Grammy Award or two. What audiences likely won’t see, though, is the
Justin Bieber may not have been humbled by his arrest on DUI charges Thursday. The pop star released an Instagram graphic earlier today that showed a picture of him waving to fans after his arrest in Miami next to an
Former Disney Channel standout Vanessa Hudgens shed her wholesome persona by starring in 2013’s Spring Breakers, a film swimming in boorish behavior. She’s just the latest child star eager to move on to more adult roles, but she does so
The television landscape looks far different than when Bill Cosby ruled as NBC’s Must See TV patriarch. The comedian’s landmark sitcom The Cosby Show existed before binge viewing, DVRs and streaming competition. One other new element worth mentioning as Cosby
Being young, rich and famous has its perks, a list too long to count. The downside, of course, is what we read far too often on the cover of US Weekly. Drugs. Careers out of control. And, in some cases,
Monica Cole of the American Family Association knew what might happen if the AFA sub-group, One Million Moms, protested the ABC Family drama The Fosters. The show features a lesbian couple (Teri Polo, Sherri Saum) raising a gaggle of children,
Media outlets keep heaping praise upon Lena Dunham and her signature series, HBO’s Girls. All that free publicity isn’t being seen in the ratings. The show’s third season began earlier this month with 1.1 million viewers, weak numbers but better
Mark Ruffalo hid his progressive beliefs while starring as The Hulk in the 2012 blockbuster The Avengers. Now, with a possible Hulk spinoff movie in discussions, the anti-fracking actor wants the green character to pack more than an earth-shattering punch.
The media’s infatuation with Girls star/creator Lena Dunham will continue in 2014. PBS announced this week plans for new installments of its Makers: The Women Who Make America series. The six, one-hour documentaries will focus on business, politics and entertainment.
Netflix and fellow streaming-based services enjoyed a subscriber boost over an 18-month span, while premium cable channels suffered a combined 6 percent drop. Coincidence? Trend? Or are the two unrelated? Variety posts those numbers while asking if the figures tell
Both Girls star Lena Dunham and producer Judd Apatow have been lecturing the press in recent days about the need to see Dunham naked early and often on their low-rated show. The casual nudity reflects reality, they insist. Having a
The current Broadway tour of Evita is more than a veteran musical with a powerhouse lead performance. The tale of an Argentinian icon who died tragically young offers a lesson for anyone who votes for personality over accomplishments. We may cry
Producer Harvey Weinstein thinks he can make a narrative film that will bring the NRA to its knees. Such is the power of movies, or so he believes. Yet he apparently isn’t bothered by helping produce some of the most
No matter what Michael Moore commits to celluloid over the next decade, chances are film festivals will welcome his far-left musings with open arms. The same couldn’t be said for movies like Occupy Unmasked or 2016: Obama’s America, films which
Robert Redford certainly has enough career accolades to be the envy of any working actor, and deservedly so. Yet Redford still bristled at being snubbed by the Academy earlier today when his terrific performance in All Is Lost failed to
