This Is Us fans love the character of Jack Pearson. But those of us who have gotten to know Milo Ventimiglia love him even more. Ever since he got his first regular TV role, we’ve had numerous opportunities to speak with him, and we’ve been amazed by how consistent his character has remained, even as he’s become more and more famous. Ventimiglia says that no matter who he’s playing on the big or small screen, he’s always going to be the same person off the screen.
Andy Cohen’s mouth has made him one of the busiest men in Hollywood. He’s got his own daily Bravo show, Watch What Happens: Live, he’s been the host of several Housewives shows, he’s got his own Sirius XM satellite radio show, and he’s been co-hosting CNN’s New Years celebrations with Anderson Cooper. In his case, the proverbial “gift of gab” has been a real gift, but did he always think he’d be able to make a living by talking? (Click on the media bar below to hear Andy Cohen)
Watch What Happens: Live airs Sunday through Thursdays on Bravo; check www.bravotv.com to see when his Housewives shows will air.
Laurel & Hardy are as popular as they come when it comes to comedy teams, and thankfully Stan & Ollieis not your stereotypical cradle to the grave biopic of the performers. Director Jon S. Baird (Filth) focuses his narrative on a tour the pair took in 1953 towards the end of their respective career.
The picture’s opening moment begins in 1937, as Stan Laurel (Steve Coogan) and Oliver Hardy (John C. Reilly) are at the top of their game. Laurel, who also writes the material for Laurel & Hardy, believes they should be getting a significant raise from movie producer Hal Roach (Danny Huston). Unfortunately Roach doesn’t see eye to eye with Laurel, and that rift would eventually lead to huge repercussions for both men.
Cut to 1953, and the pair’s movie career has all dwindled, even though they both have hopes for starring in a talked about Robin Hood project. To make a living they tour areas of Britain, and their journey takes doesn’t exactly start off with a bang due to a sparse audience. Shirley Henderson and Nina Arianda co-star as their loving wives Lucille Hardy and Ida Kitaeva Laurel.
Film buffs will surely love Baird’s attention to detail and the nuanced performances by Coogan and Reilly. One does not have to be a diehard fan of the two to actually appreciate the film, as Stan & Ollie is a resonant look at the inextricable connection between Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy. It’s a film that was woefully overlooked last year, and hopefully now it will receive much more attention with its home entertainment release.
Special features on the Blu-ray include three deleted and extended scenes and several featurettes. An informative and lively 30-minute Q&A session, which features Baird, Henderson, Reilly, and Coogan, is also part of the extras.
Stan & Ollie is now out on Blu-ray and DVD via Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
Elisabeth Moss has carved out a successful career in both film and television. On the television side, she’s received critical acclaim for her work on Mad Men, Top of the Lake, and The Handmaid’s Tale. Cinema wise she has a long standing collaboration with director Alex Ross Perry (Her Smell, Listen Up Philip, Queen of Earth) and now she’s part of the ensemble on Jordan Peele’s smash hit Us.
Moss accepted her role in Ussight unseen thanks to her belief in Peele. “I sort of said yes even before looking at anything or reading anything,” said the actress. “I had a meeting with him and he said ‘oh, there’s this part for you and I want you to do it.’ I (said) ‘I don’t want to sound desperate, but yes, that sounds great.’ He said, ‘Well, I’ll send it to you, let me know what you think.’ I was like ‘No, I don’t think you understand, yes it’s fine.”
Click on the media bar to hear Moss discuss the “thoughtful popcorn” aspect of Us:
Us, co-starring Lupita Nyong’o, is now playing nationwide.
Kelly Clarkson is sitting in a coach’s chair on The Voice for the third consecutive season — she’s the first coach (not named Blake or Adam) to do that since Pharrell Williams in Seasons 7-10. Has she lasted that long because she knows talent? Has she lasted that long because she knows exactly what the contestants are feeling? Or has she lasted that long because Adam Levine loves having her around? Well, maybe a bit of all three, though Levine told us he really has forged an incredible bond with Clarkson. (Click on the media bar below to Adam Levine)
Little piece of trivia for you: There are actually two Captain Marvel movies coming out this year. Chances are, you’ve already seen the first. The other is Shazam! See, the superhero in Shazam! was actually known as Captain Marvel for years, until the lawyers unleashed their own superpowers and separated the Marvel and DC characters for good. So, in Shazam!, Zachary Levi plays the once-“Marvel”-ous character, now simply known as Shazam. He says making the movie was an amazing experience for him. How could it not be, since he’d always dreamed of being a superhero?
One of the problems with the “fish out of water” comedy trope is that the fish eventually adapts to his new surroundings. With that concept at the very heart of The Neighborhood, can the show manage to keep the maintain the edgy relationship between Cedric the Entertainer’s Calvin and his new neighbors, the Johnsons? Cedric told us he thinks there are plenty of stories to tell about these people, and he trusts the show’s writers to maintain its quality for years to come. (Click on the media bar below to hear Cedric the Entertainer)
Thanks to her work in Sicario: Day of the Soldado and Instant Family, Isabela Moneris one of cinema’s rising young stars. The 17-year-old’s popularity should rise as she plays Dora the Explorer in Dora And The Lost City of Gold.James Bobin, who directed The Muppets and Alice Through The Looking Glass, directed this highly anticipated feature.
The narrative has Dora (Moner) trying to adjust to high school after a life in the jungle with her parents (Eva Longoria, Michael Peña). Eventually she and her classmates are sent back to her home grounds to rescue her folks and find the mysterious lost city of gold. Moner is the perfect casting choice for Dora, and having Eugenio Derbez around to provide comic relief is also a plus. Check out the trailer and tell us what you think!
Dora And The Lost City of Gold opens nationwide August 2.
If Beale Street Could Talk, based on James Baldwin’s acclaimed novel, was met with critical acclaim last year and netted an Best Supporting Actress Oscar for Regina King.
Directed by Moonlight’sBarry Jenkins, the narrative centers on Tish (KiKi Layne) and Fonny (Stephan James), a young couple in 1970s Harlem who are having a baby. When Fonny is thrown in jail for a crime he did not commit, Tish and her family (Regina King plays Tish’s mother) do whatever it takes to get Fonny out of jail.
Click on the media bar to hear Regina King talk about the family dynamic of If Beale Street Could Talk:
Special features on the Blu-ray and DVD editions include deleted scenes, a featurette (“If Beale Street Could Talk: Poetry in Motion”), and audio commentary from Barry Jenkins. If Beale Street Could Talk hits DVD and Blu-ray on Tuesday, March 26.
Jordan Peele’s latest film Us was the #1 film in the United States with a $70.3 million take, with Captain Marvelhaving another strong weekend with $35 million. Here are this weekend’s top 10 films:
Us– Jordan Peele proves that Get Outwasn’t a fluke, as his latest film takes in $70.3 million.
Captain Marvel – Brie Larson flick scores $35 million for another strong outing.
Wonder Park – Animated flick takes in $9 million.
Five Feet Apart – Drama collects $8.75 million.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World– Final installment of the franchise continues to do solid business with $6.5 million.
Tyler Perry’s A Madea Family Funeral– Perry’s latest makes $4.5 million.
Gloria Bell – Julianne Moore indie film rounds up $1.8 million in business.
No Manches Frida 2 – Comedy makes $1.7 million.
The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part – Animated feature collects $1.1 million.
This Is Us fans love the character of Jack Pearson. But those of us who have gotten to know Milo Ventimiglia love him even more. Ever since he got his first regular TV role, we’ve had numerous opportunities to speak with him, and we’ve been amazed by how consistent his character has remained, even as he’s become more and more famous. Ventimiglia says that no matter who he’s playing on the big or small screen, he’s always going to be the same person off the screen.
