The Playlist

The 5 Worst Movie Star Performances In Musicals

By Oliver Lyttelton
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June 14, 2012 3:14 PM
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21 Comments

Features

After a few of years since the last major effort (the ill-fated "Nine"), the live-action movie musical is back again, with two starry efforts due this year about as far away from each other as you can get. This Christmas will see the terribly-serious looking "Les Miserables" hit theaters, with a star-studded cast including Hugh Jackman, Russell Crowe and Anne Hathaway. But first is "Rock Of Ages," which arrives in theaters tomorrow, with another A-list ensemble including Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Russell Brand and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

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Scripts For Supernatural 'Stuff Of Legend,' Amblin-Esque 'Glimmer,' Zombie/Vampire Pic 'Bethlehem' & Mythological 'Temple Of Heaven' All Find Homes

By Cain Rodriguez
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June 14, 2012 2:58 PM
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1 Comment

News

From a graphic novel adaptation and found footage-Amblin homage to another zombie apocalypse and a Chinese mythology inspired action adventure, here’s a round up of recent spec script sales in Hollywood.

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5 Things You Might Not Know About 'The Bourne Identity,' Released 10 Years Ago Today

By Oliver Lyttelton
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June 14, 2012 2:01 PM
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5 Comments

Features

Ten years and one day ago, Doug Liman was an independent director with a couple of critical favorites behind him. Ten years and one day ago, Matt Damon was the promising writer/star of "Good Will Hunting" who's seemingly squandered his potential on a string of questionable choices, kept on the A-list only by his presence in "Ocean's Eleven." Ten years and one day ago, the spy genre was increasingly tired, with the Bond movies moving into new levels of ridiculousness (that year's "Die Another Day" would introduce Madonna and invisible cars to the series).

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'The Artist' Star Jean Dujardin Joins Martin Scorsese's 'The Wolf Of Wall Street'

By Kevin Jagernauth
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June 14, 2012 1:48 PM
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3 Comments

News

While there was no doubt that Jean Dujardin was the charming story of the awards season last year, capped off by a Best Actor win at the Oscars, his Hollywood prospects seemed doubtful. His command of the English language is limited, but he proved he could deliver with some great comic timing with the right material, thanks to a pretty great Funny Or Die video. But he'll have his greatest test yet as he's nabbed his first stateside role with one of the most esteemed directors...well, ever.

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Watch: Blink-And-You'll-Miss-It Footage From 'Life Of Pi' Plus New Banners From Ang Lee's Film

By Kevin Jagernauth
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June 14, 2012 1:27 PM
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6 Comments

News

If you went to see "Prometheus" in 3D over the past week, you might have received a little bit of a treat. With Oscar already in their eyes, 20th Century Fox has begun the long marketing road for Ang Lee's "Life Of Pi," placing a 3D sequence from the film in front of Ridley Scott's sci-fi epic (with "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter" and "Ice Age: Continental Drift" also getting bonus scenes). But if you were out getting popcorn or didn't get the special scene, a very, very brief taste of some first footage has landed online.

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Scott Bakula & Nicky Katt Go 'Behind The Candelabra'; Justin Bartha Rocks 'CBGB' & Dermot Mulroney Gets 'Jobs'

By Benjamin Wright
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June 14, 2012 1:25 PM
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1 Comment

News

A few unorthodox period pieces/biopics are taking form in Steven Soderbergh’s “Behind the Candelabra,” Randal Miller’s “CBGB” and "Jobs" with Ashton Kutcher. And all three are lining up some impressive ensemble casts, so let’s see who is taking over some coveted roles.

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Review: 'Extraterrestrial' Is A Charming & Ambitious Sci-Fi Rom Com

By Drew Taylor
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June 14, 2012 1:02 PM
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0 Comments

Reviews

In 2007 Nacho Vigalondo wrote, directed, and co-starred in "Timecrimes," a loopy Spanish language time travel thriller that announced a bold new voice in science fiction filmmaking. Ingenious on an almost molecular level, the incredibly low budget feature combined traditional time travel concerns (including multiple variations of the same character) with a hard thriller edge and a DePalmian obsession with voyeurism. In short: it was an absolute blast. Well, Vigalondo is finally back, with an altogether different take on science fiction. "Extraterrestrial" (or "Extraterrestre" in its original language) is a kind of romantic comedy set against the backdrop of a global alien invasion. It might not be as bold or crackling as "Timecrimes," but it is just as unique.

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Review: 'That's My Boy' Predictably Juvenile & Surprisingly Far Uglier Than The Usual Adam Sandler Offering

By Gabe Toro
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June 14, 2012 12:37 PM
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8 Comments

Reviews

Adam Sandler, comedian, A-List star, and leading man of this Friday’s “That’s My Boy,” is not an idiot. Dedicated to preserving his brand, his films have effectively raised a generation, from the sophomoric absurdity of “Billy Madison” to, uh, the sophomoric banality of “Grown Ups.” You can’t keep playing the same notes forever, and Sandler is not the most diverse instrument, so aside from token experiments (“Punch Drunk Love” certainly stands out), “That’s My Boy” is something of a departure: a hard-R rated film featuring an unfamiliar collaborator in director Sean Anders (“Hot Tub Time Machine”) and a co-star who actually makes Sandler, for the first time ever, come across as an elder.

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Watch: Trailer For 'Resident Evil: Retribution' Is Everything You Expect & Nothing More

By Kevin Jagernauth
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June 14, 2012 12:19 PM
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1 Comment

News

Milla Jovovich looking amazing in a tight leather outfit? Check. Zombie monster thingies? Check. Evil corporation? Check. 3D? Check? Endless amounts of CGI? Check. The first trailer for "Resident Evil: Retribution" is here and it delivers everything fans expect from this never-ending series and nothing more.

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Discuss: Is Rian Johnson Right About 3D Technology Still Catching Up To The Ambitions Of Filmmakers?

By Oliver Lyttelton
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June 14, 2012 12:03 PM
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7 Comments

Features

We're coming up to three years since "Avatar" became the biggest-grossing film in history, and any thought that 3D film, which James Cameron's picture helped to revive, was a flash in the pan seems to have been wishful thinking. The top two slots at the current U.S. box office are taken by two 3D films that couldn't be more unlike one another: "Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted," a colorful, star-studded animated sequel, and "Prometheus," a dark, live-action sci-fi horror from Ridley Scott. And yet they happily sit side-by-side, raking in the cash without cannibalizing each other's 3D screens (not to mention those of "The Avengers" or "Men In Black 3," which are still very much in theaters). And these are hardly outliers: when you include the stereoscopic re-releases of "Titanic" and "The Phantom Menace," eight of the all time top grossers were released in 3D.

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