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Oscar Watch: Jennifer Aniston and Julia Roberts go Golden Globe-ing
3 hours ago
With the 67th Annual Golden Globes less than four weeks away, the Hfpa have announced the initial presenters for this years show and, as expected, star power is a prominent consideration. Globe nominee this year for Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical Julia Roberts (eh, don't get us started) will join last year's Best Actor in a Drama winner Mickey Rourke and perennial Hfpa favorite Jennifer Aniston in helping to drive even higher ratings for the show. And if you haven't noticed that seems to be a priority for both the Hfpa and NBC. The organization made two very smart »
TV's Best of the Decade: No. 9 - 'Lost'
5 hours ago
You can spot the good ones coming from a-ways off. Because I do news coverage in addition to writing reviews and features, I spend most of the spring writing casting notices on pilots and it's hard not to get invested in some of the shows without seeing a second of footage. Sometimes it's a writer you trust. With "Chuck," I was ready for that show months early because I was ready to see how Josh Schwartz would follow up "The O.C." Sometimes it's a premise that intrigues you. When "Wonderfalls" was being mentioned in the trades, one of »
- Daniel Fienberg
Susan Boyle keeps Alicia Keys from No. 1 on Billboard 200
6 hours ago
The debut of Alicia Keys' "Element of Freedom" wasn't nearly strong enough to stop the Susan Boyle train from chugging at the top of The Billboard 200. "I Dreamed a dream had a 14% increase in sales to 661,000 a week before Christmas. "Element" moved 417,00 copies for a No. 2 entry, comparatively slower to the 742,000 start that her 2007 album "As I Am" had during Thanksgiving week that year. "I Dreamed a Dream" is the second best-selling album this year so far with 2,465,000 units sold. Taylor Swift's "Fearless" is in first, with 2,933,000. There are two weeks left in »
- Katie Hasty
Aerosmith's Steven Tyler checks into rehab
7 hours ago
Following several tumultuous weeks, Aerosmith lead singer Steven Tyler has checked into rehab for addiction to prescription painkillers. In a statement released to People, Tyler puts to rest that he is still fronting Aerosmith, which is getting ready to celebrate its 40th anniversary. For the last few months, the band has been in limbo with Tyler announcing he’s focusing on a solo career, while the other four members in a quandary whether to wait for Tyler’s return or select a new lead singer. He also denied he had fallen back into his addiction, despite his band members’ belief to the contrary. »
- Melinda Newman
TV Ratings: 'NCIS' dominates repeat-filled Tuesday
8 hours ago
Fast National ratings for Tuesday, December 22, 2009. We know that CBS' "NCIS" has solidified its place as TV's most watched show this fall, but we still can't help but be amazed when "NCIS" repeats draw more than 15 million viewers on an otherwise dead Tuesday night. Only ABC showcased a limited amount of new programming and the absence of alternatives did nothing to help "Scrubs" and "Better Off Ted." Among adults 18-49, CBS won the night with a 2.4 rating. NBC's 1.5 rating was second in the key demographic, followed closely by the 1.2 rating for ABC and »
- Daniel Fienberg
An 'Awards-worthy look at the top 25 films of the decade
14 hours ago
It's a daunting task to come up with a list of best films for a year let alone a decade. And strangely, unlike the 90's, the past 10 years has just whizzed by with so many movies that were good, but not great that many years seem like a blur. You try to think of movies that stand out only to discover they came out in 1999 or within the past two years. That can't be an accurate look at the decade, can it? The first part of the 21st Century in film is marked by two events: 9/11 and the »
Watch: Jay-z's overseas video for 'Forever Young'
17 hours ago
Although it’s meant for his international fans and won’t be released in the U.S., you can check out Jay Z’s new video for “Forever Young” embedded on this page. The song, a remake of Alphaville’s 1984 hit “Forever Young” features Kanye West protégé Mr. Hudson taking on the main vocal duties with Jay Z dropping in a few raps. The video is a black and white collage of youngsters playing intercut with Mr. Hudson and Jay-z performing the song in concert. It’s a fairly sedate affair, but the spirit is sweet. Look for Jay-z’s next video in the U.S. to be »
HitFix's Top 20 Songs of 2009
17 hours ago
While truly great albums are harder to define in 2009, the year yielded an abundant number of singles, more than enough to pack a top 20. Still, HitFix critics Katie Hasty and Melinda Newman tackled the task, picking out some incredible dance, pop, rock, hip-hop, R&B and even country tracks that were on constant spin. Major breakouts like Lady GaGa and Kid Cudi made the cut, while mainstays like Green Day and Kelly Clarkson still had a place. Some songs that were on albums last year, like those from Taylor Swift and Lady GaGa, made their way onto the list, as »
- Katie Hasty and Melinda Newman
Must Watch: Sarah Jessica Parker returns in 'Sex and the City 2' trailer
23 hours ago
Sarah Jessica Parker may have had a bit of a disappointment with "What happened to the Morgans?" but that frown will get turned upside down when "Sex and the City 2" opens on May 28. As Carrie Bradshaw (Parker) says in the voice over, a lot can happen in two years and it looks like it. No sign of new co-star Penelope Cruz, but Samantha (Kim Cattrall) has a fine young man on her arm (are we surprised?), Charlotte (Kristen Davis) is busy with her daughter and, as always, Mr. Big (Chris North) is somewhere in the picture. Check out the trailer »
- HitFix Staff
Review: Martin Scorsese's 'Shutter Island' with Leonardo Di Caprio
23 hours ago
Another highlight from this year's Butt-Numb-a-Thon (aside from the previously reviewed "Avatar" and "Kick-Ass") was the world premiere screening of Martin Scorsese's "Shutter Island." If you're not familiar with Butt-Numb-a-Thon, it's a 24 hour movie marathon, where the movies play back to back to back from noon on Saturday to noon on Sunday. Except this year it started at 11:00 and ended after 2:00. Harry Knowles programs the event as his birthday/Geek Christmas, and it's always a mix of vintage films and new films. Honestly, the best example of how that can pay off with a whole that is better than »
TV's Best of the Decade: No. 10 - 'Freaks and Geeks'
22 December 2009 1:52 PM, PST
Someday soon, a wiseacre graduate student is going to write a mighty clever dissertation focusing on a strange facet of popular entertainment in the Aughts. The title of that dissertation is going to be something along the lines of "'Virgin' Territory: How Judd Apatow Went From TV Failure to Movie King Without Changing a Thing." The thesis of the dissertation will be that in a two-year period between 1999 and 2001, Judd Apatow executive produced two superb TV shows, arguably (as I have done) two of the best shows of the entire decade. But neither "Freaks and Geeks" nor »
- Daniel Fienberg
Celebrating HitFix's one-year anniversary
22 December 2009 1:18 PM, PST
12 months. 365 days. 2335 stories. 2205 blog posts. 450 galleries. 1 year in the life of HitFix. When HitFix launched a year ago even the most experienced members of our team didn't know what to expect. Needless to say, it's been an amazing, surprising and eventful ride. From Sundance to the Grammys to Oscar to SXSW to Comic-Con to TCA's to Lollapalooza to Toronto to Fantastic Fest to set visits to premieres and events all over the world it's been a journey beyond our wildest dreams. Through the good times (the drama of "American Idol") and the bad (Michael Jackson's »
- HitFix Staff
Fox sets its 'American Idol' schedule through the Finals
22 December 2009 12:06 PM, PST
Fox has now announced its full "American Idol" schedule from the audition rounds through to the start of the Finals, allowing viewers to decide which part of the process they want to tune in for. As was previously announced, "American Idol" will premiere on Tuesday, Jan. 12 with a two-hour audition episode focusing on aspiring stars from Boston. The following night, Atlanta auditions will get a 75-minute show. Future audition episodes will air on Jan. 19 (Chicago), Jan. 20 (Orlando), Jan. 26 (Dallas), Jan. 27 (Los Angeles) and Feb. 2 (Denver). A "The Road to Hollywood" audition special will air on »
- Daniel Fienberg
TV Ratings: 'Sing Off' finale battles CBS Monday repeats
22 December 2009 8:35 AM, PST
Fast National ratings for Monday, December 21, 2009. The finale of NBC's "The Sing Off" helped the network beat CBS' comedy repeats at 8 p.m., but CBS took control in the 9 p.m. hour and eventually carried the night. Among adults 18-49, CBS averaged a 2.4 rating, with NBC's 2.1 rating following closely in the key demographic. Fox's 1.4 rating and the 1.3 rating for ABC were close behind. The CW trailed with a 0.3 rating. Overall, CBS averaged an estimated 8.18 million viewers to go with a 5.2 rating/9 share. NBC was second with a 4.2/7. ABC's »
- Daniel Fienberg
Beyonce, Taylor Swift set to perform at Grammy Awards
22 December 2009 6:43 AM, PST
Beyoncé, the Black Eyed Peas, Lady Antebellum, Maxwell and Taylor Swift have all been tapped to perform at the 52nd Annual Grammy Awards ceremony, live on Jan. 31 via CBS. Each has been nominated for an award this year and will have their answer during the two-and-a-half hour ceremony at Los Angeles' Staples Center. Announcements of additional performers, plus the initial round of presenters, are expected soon. Black Eyed Peas will most likely be performing their hit "I Gotta Feeling," as fans are requested to upload 20-second segments of them singing the song to YouTube for possible broadcast at the show. »
- Katie Hasty
An 'Awards' worthy Top Ten Movies of 2009
22 December 2009 12:52 AM, PST
This wasn't a particular amazing year for movies, but it wasn't necessarily a bad one either. In fact, it's hard to remember a year so middle of the road in film quality as 2009. It's one reason why pundits such as this one are having such a tough time nailing down the last three to four slots in the Oscar race. Now, some will blame the Writer's strike almost two years ago for this absence of "spectacular" work but that's a sorry excuse and hardly explains the weak slate of independent film. Plus, how can you knock 12 months that features »
Starz renews 'Spartacus'
21 December 2009 9:52 PM, PST
Starz has ordered a second season of its effects-heavy sword-and-sandals epic "Spartacus." Now the premium cable network just has to get around to premiering the first season. The first season of "Spartacus," with the full title "Spartacus: Blood and Sand," will premiere on Starz on Friday, January 22 at 10 p.m. Et. The second season, tentatively titled [spoiler alert!] "Spartacus: Vengeance" will begin production on 13 new episodes in the first quarter of 2010. "We couldn't be happier with the first season. 'Spartacus' delivers on all levels -- action, characters, intrigue, romance and excitement," states Starz Entertainment Evp, Programming, »
- Daniel Fienberg
HitFix's Top 10 Albums of 2009
21 December 2009 9:31 PM, PST
Pearl Jam's "Backspacer" and Grizzly Bear's "Veckatimest" came out on top of HitFix critics Melinda Newman's and Katie Hasty's top 10 albums of 2009 lists, respectively. Between the two, only a pair of titles had crossover: "Veckatimest" and Phoenix's "Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix." While rock seems to reign our lists, there's a smattering of pop, hip-hop, singer-songwriters, hard rock and more included. We discussed the personal -- and sometimes incomplete -- nature of list-making in our earlier article on "Why lists?", which is why you should check back in for a gallery of other media outlets' top 10s, too: we at »
- Katie Hasty and Melinda Newman
Not so fast: 'Avatar' actually has a $77 million debut
21 December 2009 8:48 PM, PST
James Cameron's "Avatar" jumped out to a faster start than projected, taking in $77 million domestically over opening weekend. That was about $4 million more than distributor 20th Century Fox had estimated over the weekend. The studio said the film did far more business than it had projected on Sunday. Early Monday, Fox estimated the film's domestic haul could hit $77.35 million, which would have been a record opening for December. But the final number came in just shy of the $77.2 million debut of Will Smith's "I Am Legend," which retained the December record. Worldwide, "Avatar" »
- AP Staff
Sundance adds new premieres featuring 'True Blood's' Anna Paquin, Katie Holmes and Julianne Moore
21 December 2009 1:40 PM, PST
Already packing a busy and star-studded line up, the Sundance Film Festival announced the addition of three additional premieres to next month's fest. The non-competition features make this year's event more anticipated than ever. "It's a Wonderful Afterlife" Director: Gurinder Chadha ("Bend it like Beckham") Screenwriters: Paul Mayeda Berges and Gurinder Chadha Synopsis: A comedy centered on an Indian mother who discovers that finding the perfect son-in-law can be murder. Cast: Shabana Azmi, Goldy Notay, Sendhil Ramamurthy, Sally Hawkins. "The Kids are Alright" Director: Lisa Cholodenko ("High Art") Screenwriters: Stuart Blumberg and Lisa Cholodenko Synopsis: Two children conceived by artificial »
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