You all saw my public breakdown last week when America banished Naima Adedapo to the great reggae-themed Harrah's in the sky. Well, I'm not recovered. I think the final nine are decent performers, but the level of inspiration in the room just dropped by 75 percent. If no one's going to add hip-hop/African dance breaks to "Umbrella" or "Dancing in the Street," how can I be sure they care about me? If they're not going to sing "Summertime" with added booyakashas, how can I be sure they're not emotionless borgs in chunky wedges (ahem, Pia)? Whatever. We've got nine singers, nine selections from artists in the Rock 'N Roll Hall of Fame, and nine rankings. Let's tally some droids.
more »
In case you were still in denial about Arnold Schwarzenegger's return to TV and films, the first trailer for The Governator has arrived online to prove the former California governor wasn't kidding about becoming an animated superhero. Let's discuss this one ahead.
more »
Armed with a battalion of celebrity cameos -- not to mention a pseudo co-hosting gig by Tom Hanks -- there wasn't a whole lot of airtime to go around on the Elton John-hosted SNL over the weekend. As such, this week's Relevancy Poll is a bit top-heavy. Who excelled despite the limited chances? (Only nine sketches made it to air.) On to the poll!
more »
What an odd night. Then again, when Elton John was announced as Saturday Night Live's musical guest and host, perhaps an "odd night" should have been expected. But not quite like this.
more »
Since the judges saved Casey Abrams and his un-musical growls last week, American Idol was forced to eliminate two contestants during the results show on Thursday night. Oh, the terror. Who got the boot? Was it Paul McDonald and his jaunty floral suit? Was it Stefano Langone and his televangelist stage actions? Or was it Lauren Alaina, Thia Megia, James Durbin, or our flawless breakdancing orchid Naima Adedapo?
more »
Eleven enter (again). Eleven will hyperventilate backstage (again). But two will leave us tonight. Which of American Idol's eleven troubadours revived the magic of Elton John for an audience that's very willing to forget Gnomeo and Juliet? The answer will appall you: I'm ashamed of some of these rankings!
more »
Grab your Donald Duck suit, because American Idol's Top 11 is dealing with a songbook so varied and dynamic that you'll require padded stagewear to survive: the work of Elton John. Let's pick the best possible songs, keep up the energy from last week's Motown theme, and establish a tumbleweed connection with the contestants' spirits.
more »
It's clear that here at Movieline, we care about singing competitions. They're intrinsically cinematic: full of the magnetic characters, rising action, and glory moments that define the best in movies. Well, here comes a perilous twist: Jessica Simpson might join Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid as a judge on the U.S. X-Factor. Danger! Let's rank her among the 50 best lady candidates for the job and see how she fares against our fantasy draft that includes Madonna, Cheryl Cole, Paula Abdul, Courtney Love, and -- thanks to one lame rumor -- Taylor Momsen.
more »
To my previous rule of "Only Remake Bad Movies, Not Good Ones," let me add the codicil, "But It's OK to Remake Good Ones If the Original Strayed from the Source Material." Because that's what Todd Haynes does in his breathtaking five-part HBO adaptation of James M. Cain's Mildred Pierce (premiering this Sunday, March 27). Rather than try to summon the magic that made the 1945 version so memorable (Joan Crawford won a well-deserved Oscar in the title role), Haynes goes back to the original Cain novel to tell a story that fans of the original movie know only in bits and pieces.
more »
We gather here at the Kara DioGuardi Memorial Arboretum to bury Idol's newest eliminated contestant. Who took 11th place and therefore didn't make the tour? Was it Lauren Alaina, who straightened her hair but not her performance posture? Was it Stefano Langone, whose 8th grade history class taught him nothing about Lionel Richie's "Hello"? Or was it Paul McDonald? Thia Megia? Naima Adedapo? Our last-ranked troubadour this week, Casey Abrams? The answer will kill you.
more »
That's not exactly true: American Idol's trip to Motown last night was thrilling, mostly on-key, and even mesmerizing at times. Onetime favorites fell from grace a bit, but didn't Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke endure a few stumbles too? (I swear I'm not talking about deaths related to substance abuse and an attacked victim's self-defense.) We've got 11 crooners, 11 rankings, and one magnificently exotic flower who stood out from the rest. Ain't too proud to kick your ass with the spirit of a thousand orchids!
more »
Longtime NBC schedule watchers will remember that The Paul Reiser Show has been sitting on the shelf collecting dust since last fall. Not anymore, though! The network announced that Reiser's Curb Your Enthusiasm-like sitcom (he plays "himself") will premiere on April 14 in place of Perfect Couples. It's likely a burn-off situation, but beggars can't be choosers. [Deadline]
Shut the door, have a seat. It appears that AMC and Lionsgate are close to finalizing a deal with Matthew Weiner to bring Mad Men back for a fifth season. Not that this would surprise anyone -- AMC was pretty confident it would return back in January -- but, hooray! Here's hoping season five kicks off with Don Draper on the verge of becoming a new dad, or something equally crazytown. [Deadline]
Dammit? Speaking with the lovely ladies of The View on Monday morning, Kiefer Sutherland announced that the long-rumored, long-delayed movie version of 24 will hit theaters sometime in 2012. According to EW, however, the film has yet to find a director, start date or even finalized screenplay. So, maybe write this one down in pencil. [EW]
We gather here this morning to remember American Idol's newest fallen comrade, the balladeer who America shoved off the balustrade. Was it Casey Abrams, the raunchy redbeard whose Nirvana cover was indeed sub-pop? Was it Thia Megia, who painted with only one color of the wind (beige)? Or was it Haley Reinhart, Karen Rodriguez, Jacob Lusk, or our Rasta rockstar Naima Adedapo? We celebrate one loser's life after the jump.
more »
