Whenever we find out that one of our favorite film actors has taken a role on TV, we’re intrigued. Why trade Hollywood’s red carpets and big paydays for the weekly grind of a regular television schedule? While some thespians can’t resist a juicy role on premium cable, others embrace the small screen as a way to regain the cred they’ve lost after years of disappointing parts in terrible movies. In honor of Don Cheadle’s surprising — and delightful — decision to helm Showtime’s House of Lies, which premiered last night, we look at ten great film actors who became great TV actors.
Well, it’s Thursday, but there won’t be a new episode of Community tonight. Apparently, there won’t be a new episode of Community for many more Thursday nights… excuse me…
Okay, I’m back. Nothing wrong with a good morning cry. As I was saying, last week’s Christmas episode marked the final new episode until the series’ undetermined spring return to the NBC schedule, as room is cleared in the Thursday night line-up for 30 Rock’s return and various other shufflings. NBC promises (promises!) that the innovative ensemble comedy isn’t cancelled, it’s just going on a little break, but their assurances have the subtle air of a parent’s earnest insistence that no, Sir Barksalot just went to a farm in the country where he can run and play, not that he was… put to… sorry, be right back…
Right-o. Our worries about Community’s future aside, its distressing exile—along with the rerun cycle that has already taken over prime-time — and the recent addition of the entire three-season run to Hulu Plus means that the holidays are a fine time for you Greendale novices out there to catch up on what is, I believe, the finest comedy program on network television. After the jump, we’ll give you the ten episodes most worth your time. Read More »
Nestled among this week’s new theatrical releases is The Big Year, a rather syrupy looking Bucket List riff co-starring Steve Martin, Jack Black, and Owen Wilson. Let’s be clear: we have not yet seen it. But we’re not holding out much hope for a movie that puts those three guys together and cannot find one single laugh to put in a trailer.
How could you combine three men as (granted, not always reliably) funny as these and not come up with a laugh riot? Quite easily, turns out. The recent cinema is all but littered with pictures that teamed up established comedic talents and thus sounded like sure-fire crowd pleasers, but which ended up tickling the funny bones of neither critics nor moviegoers. After the jump, we’ll run down ten comic combinations that misfired.
As much as we love SNL digital shorts and all the vulgar laughs and Justin Timberlake cameos they may bring, let’s take a break before this weekend’s season premiere to acknowledge another variety of Saturday Night Live music videos, shall we? Y’know, the ones that weren’t produced by Lorne Michaels. Every now and then, a current or former “Not Ready For Prime Time Player” will lend a hand as the protagonist of a real music video for an actual musician, and some of these guest appearances are pretty great. Check out ten of our favorites after the jump.
Welcome to “Trailer Park,” our regular Friday feature where we collect the week’s new trailers all in one place and do a little “judging a book by its cover,” ranking them from worst to best and taking our best guess at what they may be hiding. This week, we’ve got an even dozen trailers for you, and most are for the kind of prestige pictures that the end of the summer movie season usually has us salivating for. Not to worry, though, fans of things that are awful: there’s also a new Ghost Rider. Check ‘em all out after the jump.
You can feel legitimate excitement in these pre-paparazzi era Polaroids taken by Alan Light at the after-party for Barbra Streisand’s A Star Is Born, held at Dillon’s Disco back in 1976. (Crazy pop culture trivia fact: The remake was originally going to star couple-of-the moment James Taylor and Carly Simon.) Click through for images of Chevy Chase, Kris Kristofferson, and a shockingly young-looking Gary Busey, who has on some bizarre striped pants.
1. Former Saturday Night Live “presidents” Will Ferrell, Fred Armisen, Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Dana Carvey, and Darrell Hammond, have joined forces for a skit encouraging financial regulatory reform. (video) [via HuffPo]
2. Check out this short documentary about Ryan Gosling‘s band, Dead Man’s Bones. [via Pitchfork]
3. Is 8-year-old Brazilian talent show contestant Laura Montana a.k.a. “Baby Gaga” going to be the next Susan Boyle? [via The Awl]
4. Martin Scorsese has announced that he’s working on a documentary about writer/social commentator Fran Lebowitz. [via The Playlist]
5. The American Ballet Theatre has canceled its fall season, citing the need for rehearsal time for a new production of The Nutcracker and lack of funds. [via WSJ]
Coachella giveaway: We use Yahoo! Search to help find the top culture stories of the day. Now we’re giving you the chance to play editor, and you just might win a trip to Coachella.
Use Yahoo! Search to find an interesting link about Saturday Night Live, and drop it below in the comments. Our favorite entry will receive 39 Years of Short-Term Memory Loss: The Early Days of SNL from Someone Who Was There, and more importantly, be entered to win a VIP trip for two to Coachella. Topics will be changing throughout the week, so get your search on and keep playing to increase your chances of winning!
1. Don DeLillo talks about his new 117-page novel, Point Omega, which comes out next week. [via WSJ]
2. Zachary Quinto — who played Spock in JJ Abrams‘ Star Trek — will take on the role of George Gershwin in a Steven Spielberg-directed biopic. [via Deadline Hollywood]
3. Parks and Recreation has been renewed. [via Reuters]
4. Now that they’re unemployed, some former staffers at The Tonight Show with Conan O’Brien are starting their own web series. [via Pop Candy]
5. Chevy Chase and Bevery D’Angelo are reuniting as the Griswolds! For a Super Bowl ad… [via TV Squad]
After PopWatch tipped us off to the fact that buzzy fall pilot Community is available in full on Facebook, we couldn’t help but take a 24-minute break from blogging to check it out. First, the terms: in order to watch the pilot, you have to become a fan of Community‘s Facebook page. Well played, NBC viral marketing team. Moving on, the show stars Joel McHale, already beloved among fans of E!’s The Soup, and a rag-tag ensemble that includes, rather oddly, Chevy Chase. Read More »
If you’re in New York: Head to Under St. Marks to catch a showing of Under the Rainbow from the Real HBO Summer Film Series tonight at 7 p.m. It’s a great, early ’80s farce starring Chevy Chase and Carrie Fisher.
If you’re in Los Angeles: It could be your last chance to hear the blues-infused beauty of Gomez for a while (they have an opening slot on Pearl Jam’s upcoming European tour). Hit The Wiltern tonight at 8 p.m. to soak up all the indie rock you can.
If you’re in San Francisco: How can you not go see Jim Henson’s (alleged) favorite project, The Great Muppet Caper, playing tonight at Red Vic? Muppets+jewel heist+frame job+breaking the fourth wall = unadulterated awesome.
If you’re in Chicago: Listen to some amazing audio documentaries — think This American Life-like radio stories melded with music and found sound as the Third Coast International Audio Festival sets up another edition of Edible Audible Picnic on the Great Lawn of Millenium Park.
If you’d rather have this information delivered straight to your inbox each Tuesday, sign up for our Flavorpill City Guides.
, and more importantly, be entered to win a VIP trip for two to Coachella. Topics will be changing throughout the week, so get your search on and keep playing to increase your chances of winning!
