Probably best known as a 1950 movie starring JAMES STEWART, HARVEY started out as a play written by MARY CHASE, telling the story of an everyday guy whose best friend just happens to be 6-foot-tall invisible rabbit. Currently in rehearsals for an opening later this spring, HARVEY is being revived as a starring vehicle for Emmy Award-winning actor and one of the stars of THE BIG BANG THEORY, JIM PARSONS. Directed by SCOTT ELLIS, the cast will also include JESSICA HECHT, CHARLES KIMBROUGH, LARRY BRYGGMAN, CAROL KANE, PETER BENSON, TRACEE CHIMO and MORGAN SPECTOR.
Inspired by the Milton-Bradley board game created in 1931, BATTLEFIELD goes places the game never tried. Directed by PETER BERG from a script by brothers ERICH and JON HOEBER, the plot has a fleet of American warships going into battle with an alien army. Heading the cast are LIAM NEESON, TAYLOR KITSCH, ALEXANDER SKARSGARD, RIHANNA and BROOKLYN DECKER.
Arguably a better soundtrack than movie, THE BODYGUARD was originally released in 1992 to only so-so reviews. Directed by MICK JACKSON from a script by LAWRENCE KASDAN, the film starred KEVIN COSTNER and WHITNEY HOUSTON. A romantic drama telling the tale of an Oscar-nominated singer/actress who hires a former Secret Service agent for protection from a dangerous stalker, the film offered HOUSTON a shot at big screen stardom while confirming COSTNER’S status as a viable leading man. HOUSTON, who never took an acting lesson and relied on natural instincts, spoke to us at the time of the film’s original release about her acting abilities. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR FOR AUDIO)
In theaters this week, the comedy/horror send-up THE CABIN IN THE WOODS has been getting great word-of-mouth since being screened at the recent SxSW Festival. Co-written (with cult fave JOSS WHEDON) and directed by DREW GODDARD, the cast features RICHARD JENKINS, BRADLEY WHITFORD, JESSE WILLIAMS, CHRIS HEMSWORTH, KRISTEN CONNOLLY and ANNA HUTCHISON. We can’t really divulge the characters that WHITFORD and JENKINS portray for fear of the “spoiler police” but we can say that they provide ample comic relief from the horrific action. We spoke with the two of them last week and WHITFORD admitted he’d just seen the finished film with an audience and loved the reaction it got. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR FOR AUDIO)
Debuting tonight on ABC, DON’T TRUST THE B____ IN APT. 23 is one of the most audacious, off-the-wall sitcoms to come along in a while. A naive small-town girl named June moves to Manhattan only to find the dream job she had gotten no longer exists. Moving in with new acquaintance Chloe (a con-artist, party-girl) leads to an unlikely roommate relationship and some very peculiar situations. Highlighting the series is the fact that Chloe’s BFF is JAMES VAN DER BEEK, the former star of the hit teen soap DAWSON’S CREEK. Played to the hilt by the real VAN DER BEEK, the character is delightfully egoist and self-absorbed. If the performance is any indication, he’s really enjoying the role. At the Television Critics Association press conference to promote the show, VAN DER BEEK talked about taking the job. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR FOR AUDIO)
Available this week on DVD and Blu-ray, THE IRON LADY brings to the screen the political career and personal life of controversial British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Directed by PHYLLIDA LLOYD, MERYL STREEP stars in the titular role and shares the screen with JIM BROADBENT, ANTHONY HEAD and RICHARD E. GRANT.Top Dawg Randy Jackson Talks ‘American Idol’ Legacy
By · Comments
Airing on Fox-TV, AMERICAN IDOL continues the brutal elimination of hopeful contestants on the latest season of what has become the country’s favorite talent competition. Featuring judges RANDY JACKSON, STEVEN TYLER and JENNIFER LOPEZ along with host RYAN SEACREST, the series seemed to be struggling through its first few “audition” episodes but, now that the Top Ten is being whittled away, it appears to be stronger than ever. The first of this generation’s televised talent contests, AMERICAN IDOL has spawned countless imitators, but has always managed to stay ahead of the pack. During our recent phone interview with JACKSON, he talked about how he hopes people will look back at the show after its gone. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR FOR AUDIO)
Airing tonight on FX, the third season finale of JUSTIFIED is the faithful depiction of characters created by iconic crime-fiction author ELMORE LEONARD. As played by TIMOTHY OLYPHANT, the TV version of Raylan Givens is an anti-hero as likeable as he is cool. As far as villains go, the series has created some of the best. Not the least of which was MARGO MARTINDALE (whose departure guaranteed an Emmy Statue). During the recent Television Critics Association press conference to promote the show, NEAL McDONOUGH talked about stepping into the villain’s shoes on JUSTIFIED. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR FOR AUDIO)
The season finale of JUSTIFIED airs tonight on FX
Returning to ABC-TV tonight with an all new episode, LAST MAN STANDING finds conflicting schedules wreaking havoc with the lives of the Baxter family. Created by JACK BURDITT, the ensemble cast includes TIM ALLEN, NANCY TRAVIS, HECTOR ELIZONDO, ALEXANDRA KROSNEY, MOLLY EPHRAIM, KAITLYN DEVER and CHRISTOPH SANDERS.
Currently in theaters, TITANIC 3D brings new life to JAMES CAMERON’S 1997 epic disaster movie that put a romantic slant on what will always be considered the world’s greatest shipwreck. Known for being a pioneer in the field of technology, CAMERON spent an estimated $18 million (and a considerable amount of time) to convert TITANIC from a 2D epic to a 3D masterpiece. A labor of love and object of slavish attention to detail, the film features a cast that includes KATE WINSLET, LEONARDO DiCAPRIO, BILLY ZANE, FRANCIS FISHER, KATHY BATES and GLORIA STUART.
We recently caught up with KATE WINSLET, who is thrilled at the prospect of a whole new audience enjoying one of filmdom’s greatest romantic dramas. (CLICK ON THE MEDIA BAR FOR AUDIO)
TITANIC 3D is in theaters now
