We may have timeless classics like A Charlie Brown Christmas to edify our gooey holiday spirits, but maybe it's the not-so-timeless classics that most enrich. I'm talking about Christmas variety specials of the '70s and '80s, the resplendent little tchotchkes they are, and their illegal quantities of trippy bliss. Karen Carpenter in kiddy overalls? Jerry Lawler writing letters to Santa? This is what a holiday should be about. Come with us as we revisit five dada moments in Christmas's primetime past.
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The first trailer for Real Steel is here, and it delivers pretty much what it promised from the start: A Shawn Levy movie... about boxing robots... developed and trained by Hugh Jackman... as a father working out his issues with his adolescent son... while muttering and/or barking a succession of cornball action-movie clichés. One of them will no doubt turn up on the poster; let's deduce which.
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The fact that NBC has titled a midseason replacement about three incredibly imperfect couples Perfect Couples shows that the network understands irony. So maybe irony was what the network was also going for when it cut together this completely unfunny preview devoid of any romance to promote what is being called a romantic comedy. On the plus side though, it does feature Olivia Munn, Kyle Bornheimer and four other attractive young actors in bed a lot.
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Nothing like some forced viral marketing to get your day started. A fake commercial from the makers of the 2011 film Limitless (formerly titled The Dark Fields) is making its way around the Web, and it features Bradley Cooper talking about something called NZT. "The Clear Pill," as it's known on the street, helps people use 100 percent of their brain capacity -- which sounds like something out of Albert Brooks' Defending Your Life -- but comes with some awful side effects: Irreversible coma, homicidal blackouts and sudden death. On the upside, though, no nausea!
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When we last saw some marketing for I Am Number Four -- the latest bit of teen pop from Dreamworks and director D.J. Caruso -- it looked an awful lot like Twilight. The brooding male lead who isn't what he seems...the porcelain-skinned ingenue who has his heart...the jumping and flying and assorted chasing. All that was missing was vampire fangs. Does the latest trailer rectify that omission?
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Gulliver's Travels co-stars Jack Black and Jason Segel have emerged from their respective burrows today to confirm that yes, it is indeed holiday season. As such, say hello to their duet of "Little Drummer Boy" (now available on iTunes)! In case you don't want to pay for what Black calls a "tasty Classic Jam," click ahead to watch their cartoon music video, and compare it to David Bowie and Bing Crosby's legendary piano-side duet.
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Just as excitement and anxiety for the upcoming holiday approaches its peak, here comes Hollywood with a reminder of the rapidly approaching Christmas 2011. Thanks guys! The teaser for Arthur Christmas plays out like most other recent CGI animation teasers; that is, it's more of a short film featuring the characters rather than a preview with any footage from the film. But hey, it finds a way to play off everyone's current fascination with UFOs, which is something. I guess.
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Don't expect to see Angelina Jolie on Chelsea Lately to promote her Bosnia rape-romance next year. The E! hostess blasted Jolie during a stand-up performance this weekend, proving once and for all that she is totally on Team Aniston and Team C-bomb.
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The cast of Glee has performed live for the most influential humans in the world like Oprah and the president, so it made sense that Fox flew their singing cash cows to the U.K. to perform "Don't Stop Believin'" for Dannii Minogue during The X Factor's live semi-finals results show. Well, not really, but those Glee kids had a Christmas album to promote. So watch, dear Gleeks, as Cory Monteith does not even try to convincingly lip sync to back-up vocals, and Simon Cowell does not even try to look pleased when Amber Riley belts the highest Journey notes in his face. But hey, at least Sue Sylvester was there...via tape.
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Remember that first Battle: Los Angeles teaser that was a little bit more elegant, artsy and awesome than anyone expected? Its editing and image composition were so well orchestrated with the unique, dreamy space pop that it looked like it might actually transcend the cheesy, B-movie trappings of the aliens-invade-Los Angeles genre. Well, B-movie fans rejoice. This new trailer has cheese to spare.
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Remember that great feeling after watching Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl for the first time? It was just an eminently enjoyable, breezy action movie with a gonzo performance by Johnny Depp that was unlike any other pirate we'd seen before. And then the sequels came along, and any joy and inventiveness disappeared under the crushing weight of a convoluted storyline and performance-obscuring CGI. But behind the scenes footage from the new Pirates seem to promise a return the zany swashbuckling fun of the first flick,
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Scant days after taking a look at the first official photo from the set of The Beaver, we've now been blessed with the first trailer for the Mel Gibson/Jodie Foster joint that J.Fo swears will regain Mel Gibson a place in America's heart. And, as any relationship expert can tell you, the best way to a large, multicultural country's heart is through a talking beaver puppet.
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I've been dreading (and sort of anticipating) this moment for fortnights, but here we are: The first promos for American Idol's 10th season with Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez are out. How sincere is Steven's glance? How earnest are Jennifer's head nods? How frightening is Randy's new facial hair? Join us for the scares.
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Nothing can liven up a fairly dull day like a brand-new trailer. Unfortunately for everyone, the first look at Terrence Malick's forever-gestating Tree of Life is only attached to theatrical copies of Black Swan (see it, see it, see it) and not yet online. (Though that hasn't stopped some outlets from falling prey to ambitious pranksters.) So without Sean Penn and Brad Pitt to warm our cockles on a chilly Friday, we're left with Vanessa Hudgens, Alex Pettyfer and Mary-Kate Olsen, as some devil woman in an updated version of Beauty & The Beast? Oh, come on.
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From Britain, here comes what looks like a feel-good underdog story about two rock bands in Dublin, based on a memoir by Telegraph critic Neil McCormick. Ben Barnes plays McCormick, the frontman for an up and coming rock n roll band who are competing for the spotlight with their friends' band...U2. Whoa. Bummer.
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