Latest Movie News From Moviefone |
- Best TV Shows to Watch If You're a Crime Drama Junkie
- Family Game Night Ideas That Show Off Your Movie Knowledge
- Weekend Box Office: 'X-Men' Takes the Top Spot, 'Alice' Falls Short
- 5 Daytime Comedy Shows You Need to DVR
- TV Shows If You Love Food Porn
| Best TV Shows to Watch If You're a Crime Drama Junkie Posted:
OK, don't think too much about that analogy. The point is, crime show devotees such as yourself have your bases covered -- you're on that case like Veronica Mars after a double espresso. But like any good detective, you're also voracious and thorough. No need to bust out the fingerprint dust, though, 'cause we've got your back with some outside-the-box crime TV you might be missing out on. 'Fargo' (2014 - ) If you're obsessed with crime, chances are you already love the Coen brothers. And that's the start of why you should watch "Fargo," but not the end of it. The Coens' legacy gives "Fargo" its homely, off-kilter, and dryly hilarious flavor, but the show's in-sync ensemble -- from Patrick Wilson to Kirsten Dunst -- and its smartly written, labyrinthine plots help it stand apart. It's a reflection of a unique and time-tested style that's not afraid to do its own thing. It's also not afraid to kill off characters, so consider yourself warned. 'The Bridge' (2013 - 2014) Crime TV has a recipe, and that recipe is usually seasoned with a big ol' ensemble and a killer-of-the-week plot. Not so with "The Bridge," a show so good they had to make it twice (once in Denmark and Sweden and once in the States). This one's all about intense focus; the intricate story relies on the crazy-good hook of a dead body found exactly on the border of two countries and all the dramatic red tape and frustration that ensue. Performance-wise, it's laser-focused on Diane Kruger's knockout work as Detective Sonya Cross. 'Luther' (2010 - ) The austerity and smarts synonymous with the BBC. Idris "I Smolder Like a Pro" Elba. Lots of raspy-voiced moral philosophizing. Crimes that span numerous episodes getting more intricate, more grisly, and more addictingly complex as they go. That's "Luther" in a hard-boiled nutshell, and that's why you should watch it right now. 'Daredevil' (2015 - ) Don't go away -- you didn't accidentally click on a list about superhero shows. Yes, it's true that you can't throw a Batarang without hitting a comic book vigilante these days, but underneath the spandex, Marvel's "Daredevil" is a surprisingly solid procedural with beautiful cinematography, some of the best fight choreography you've seen in years, and an electric cast. Matt Murdock might be a blind ninja prodigy, but he's also an ace lawyer with a heart of gold and a plucky crew of misfits in Deborah Ann Woll and Elden Henson, and among all the criminal beat-downs, you get your fill of detective work and uber-dramatic court trials. Oh, and if you root for the bad guys, Vincent D'Onofrio's Wilson "the Kingpin" Fisk and Jon Bernthal's Frank "the Punisher" Castle are guaranteed to make you feel good for being bad. 'The X-Files' (1993 - ) Hear us out on this one because we're about to step even further outside the box. Like, so far outside the box that there might be some little green men and yetis and stuff. "The X-Files" is a crime show. There, we said it. From its original nine seasons to its 2016 Fox follow-up, Gillian Anderson and David Duchovny have not only been the most dynamic -- and sexiest -- duo in the FBI, but they've set out to solve crimes every week. It just so happens that the perps sometimes turn out to be ghosts or space assassins or gender-morphing alien cults from other dimensions. That aside, you've still got your "I-don't-play-by-the-rules" agent paired with a by-the-book peer, the rugged chief with a heart of gold, the shadowy informants, the twisted conspiracies, and all the other crime TV tropes you can shake a government-issued Glock 19 at. Give Mulder and Scully a single season of your time, and you won't just want to believe -- you will believe. Sources This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Family Game Night Ideas That Show Off Your Movie Knowledge Posted:
Oh, no. Family game night is how those little kids blossom from an obsession with "Zootopia" to growing up and watching nothing but Wes Anderson movies. What? You thought showing them movies all the time was enough of an education? No way. You've got to shovel as much movie trivia into their lives as possible. This is where family game night comes into the equation: to groom those kids to be future pub night movie trivia champs. Movie Trivial Pursuit Trivial Pursuit is an oldie but goody and totally worthwhile to play with your family. There are multiple movie-centric editions from the Lord of the Rings Trilogy to various Star Wars versions and even an all-encompassing silver screen classics subsidiary pack. By rotating through the different editions, you ensure that your kids will become mini Trivial Pursuit movie masters in all facets. Sure, you could play one version until everyone in the family knows all the answers by heart, but making sure you switch it up on a regular basis ensures that your kids -- and you, for that matter -- don't get bored with the game. Movie Jeopardy! Remember those games you used to play in school to study for science or history tests? The teacher would create all these questions about the curriculum and you'd study your bum off so your team would win? Well, you can do the same thing with facts about movies. For the "Jeopardy!" format, frame questions in the form of statements, like "In the movie "Toy Story," this character is Woody's best friend." Who is Andy? Correct! How about "In "Marvel's The Avengers," this is the place where our heroes eventually reunite to save the day." What is Stark Tower? Ding-ding-ding! It's like you're back in Mr. D's eighth grade history class learning about the Civil War, except the questions and answers are about Marvel's "Civil War," not the American one. Guess That Movie From the Still Here's a different angle on movie trivia if your family gets tired of straight-up facts about movies. Choose different scenes from popular movies and let players use a bell to signal that they have the answer. For instance, in what movie can you see Judy Garland dancing down a yellow brick road? Ding-ding! "The Wizard of Oz" -- obviously. Make It a Costumed Movie Theme Night Throw a movie trivia party with your parents, your friends, and your kids' friends; then assign each person a different character from a film. When party night rolls around, everyone shows up in costume and in character and then has to guess which movie every other character is from. Imagine a little Holly Golightly ("Breakfast at Tiffany's") sharing a snack with a pint-size version of Neo ("The Matrix") and fellow movie buffs trying to outdo each other's outfits. Sounds like it could be an out-of-the-box movie night of delights. Name That Line Sure, there are always guess-the-movie-from-the-still games, and most movie trivia games include lines from movies, but isolating lines is its own brand of fun. Collect some of the best known lines from movies, such as "Say hello to my little friend" from "Scarface" or "Just keep swimming" from "Finding Nemo," and have the players guess which character and movie the lines came from. Want to make it even more amusing? Require the player reading the lines to do so in the proper accent of the character. Like what would Austin Powers be if he said "yeah, baby" without the fake British accent? Nothing, that's what. Sources This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| Weekend Box Office: 'X-Men' Takes the Top Spot, 'Alice' Falls Short Posted:  By Jake Coyle, AP Film WriterNEW YORK (AP) -- Johnny Depp's "Alice Through the Looking Glass" bombed over the Memorial Day weekend with just $28.1 million through Sunday in North American theaters, while "X-Men: Apocalypse" debuted on top with an estimated $65 million. The anticipated showdown of the two big-budget films turned out to be little contest for 20th Century Fox's latest "X-Men" installment. On Friday, when "Alice" was opening in theaters, Amber Heard, Depp's wife, was granted a restraining order after alleging the actor previously assaulted her. The poorly reviewed "Alice in Wonderland" sequel had been expected to open around $60 million. Disney estimated that "Alice" would gross $35.6 million over the four-day weekend. It cost some $170 million to make. "X-Men" is on track for about $80 million through Monday. This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| 5 Daytime Comedy Shows You Need to DVR Posted:
Thankfully, the miraculous ability to DVR shows has visited us from the future, allowing us to balance that whole responsibility mess with the thing that's really most important in our lives: The LOLs. So here's how you can catch them while you're out doing all that dumb stuff like working a "job" and "making a living." 'Archer' (2010 - ) Though "Archer" lives on in nighttime TV, it has become a daytime syndication staple -- and all "Archer" is good "Archer," no matter what time it happens. We can't put it any better than Den of Geek's James Stanfield: "It's like MI5 run by Dunder Mifflin." In every episode, Sterling Archer -- voiced by the impeccably dry H. Jon Benjamin -- sends up all things spy movie with a complete lack of self-awareness and a heaping helping of egotism wrapped up in a big idiotic burrito. Plus, Jessica Walter is there to help us get over our post-"Arrested Development" depression. This is the kind of show that you can DVR episode 10 or episode 32 and jump in just fine -- it's always funny and never, ever appropriate. 'Raising Hope' (2010 - 2014) Ever wonder how every sitcom character ever -- who works about three minutes per season at a TV-land job -- has the swankiest flat in Manhattan and eats the trendiest tapas three times a day? You will not wonder that when you DVR "Raising Hope," the straightforward but surprisingly joyful tale of an earnestly dysfunctional lower-middle class family. As Lucas Neff, Cloris Leachman, and the rest of the brilliantly off-kilter ensemble struggle to afford a pizza and delight in hand-me-down tees, you will be reminded of the words of Confucius: The struggle is real. But "Raising Hope" is less "struggle," more "real." The family never navel-gazes about their situation -- they're too busy layering jokes on top of jokes, stocking groceries at the local shop, and raising the adorable baby of a deceased serial killer. Because life is good like that. 'Seinfeld' (1989 - 1998) "Archer" and "Raising Hope" might be modern-day syndication standbys, but "Seinfeld" is the Zeus that stands atop the Mount Olympus of daytime TV. We hardly need tell you why "Seinfeld" is heralded as a pop-cultural legend -- its absolutely perfect ensemble cast, its "yadas yadas," its Soup Nazis, and its big ol' bowl of thirst-inducing pretzels already do all that. "Seinfeld" is an icon, and its number of laughs per minute earn it that status in a big way. Might as well start collecting each episode like a neurotic, irreverent little sitcom Pokemon. 'How I Met Your Mother' (2005 - 2014) Say what you will about its, erm, "divisive" series finale, "How I Met Your Mother" is the pizza of syndicated TV comedy -- not only is it complete comfort food, even a "bad" slice of HIMYM is still a pretty good slice of television. Worst-case DVR scenario: You get Jason Segel's marshmallow-y lovableness, Neil Patrick Harris' smarmily lovable-yet-hateable electricity, and Cobie Smulders' "I just love everything about you" charm soaked in often-boozy mishaps and hilariously contradictory retellings of past events from different perspectives. It's like if "Rashomon" made you pee yourself a little. 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' (2003 - ) You know a show is good whenever people start referring to it with one noun. Like, "Time to watch 'The Wheel,'" "Gotta get home in time for 'Ellen.'" And while daytime TV might be a minefield of soaps and talk shows, Ellen DeGeneres is a mine that explodes with awesome. It may not be scientifically possible for human beings to not like "The Ellen DeGeneres Show." This thing has more Daytime Emmys than Shark Week has teeth, and that's because everybody can find something to love -- and something to laugh at -- on "Ellen." Wanna hear George Clooney riff about his sex life? Got it. SNL-caliber sketches starring DeGeneres herself? Check. Adorable genius kids showing up for off-the-cuff interviews about dinosaurs? That's in there. One of the best talk shows in the history of the format? Of course. Sources This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
| TV Shows If You Love Food Porn Posted:
Imagine yourself sitting through an entire hour-long episode, watching chefs compete by preparing the most delectable culinary creations you've ever seen, with the background noise of ... your stomach rumbling like thunder on a warm summer day. You can't even control the reaction because it's basically a Pavlovian response to the barren wasteland of a stomach you've left for yourself. Add the fact that after watching these shows sans-snacks, the only thing you will crave is food from a Michelin-starred restaurant and everything hitting your mouth that isn't up to this standard will leave you unsatisfied for, pretty much, forever. So, remember, eat first, and then watch these shows. 'Cupcake Wars' (2009 - ) It is not safe to watch this on a stomach filled solely with dinner. You need to have dessert as well in order to walk away from "Cupcake Wars" because, damn, is this show sweet! Not only is it a cutthroat competition, but the bakers frequently featured on the show are also masters at cooking up the most delectable combinations of cupcakes you'll ever see. Cookies and cream with Oreo-infused icing? Strawberry cheesecake topped with cocoa-based frosting? Your mouth will be watering and your empty stomach moaning before you can make it to the first commercial break. 'MasterChef' (2010 - ) Looking for food inspiration for your next dinner? Wanna learn how to cook but don't want to go to cooking classes? Try watching some "MasterChef" to learn the ways of the masters ... Well, it's more like watching Gordon Ramsay yell at people who think they're the best chefs around -- but they're not -- while they make luscious meals like mini Salisbury steaks, shrimp spring rolls, and everything else the imagination can cook up. Thee majority of food prepared for the competition is drool-worthy deliciousness, and you should definitely have a nice, hearty meal before hunkering down to watch even five minutes of the show. 'The Great British Bake Off' (2010 - ) All right, this is another one that demands you have a fulfilling meal and dessert before watching. "The Great British Bake Off" is basically master bakers creating the most melt-in-your-mouth, lip-smacking desserts, pastries, pies, cakes, and anything else loaded with sugar they can think of. Their concoctions are so impressive that the 2015 winner, Nadiya Hussain, made a cake for the Queen of England's 90th birthday. Talk about spectacular work! Worth noting is the fact that since the contestants on the show are, obviously, British, the way they compete with one another is like a study in cultural differences. They're so polite yet so, so mean. 'Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown' (2013 - ) Are you more of an adventurous eater? Someone who isn't afraid to knock back a couple local delicacies from unfamiliar places? Then "Parts Unknown" is your kind of food show. It follows the renowned chef, author, and TV personality Anthony Bourdain as he travels around the world sampling eats from places you may never have thought to go. From eating the pizza-like pide in Istanbul to going through the cultural practice of erusha in Ethiopia to oyster loading in San Francisco, this show will teach you all about the local foods and customs of the places Bourdain visits. As poet Dylan Thomas wrote, "Do not go gentle into that good night..." of watching "Parts Unknown" without eating a huge meal first. 'Barefoot Contessa' (2002 - ) Prepare yourself, fellow plebeians, because this show is essentially a fascinating case study in the life of the fancy-food-making, extremely classy, home-growing-food chef that is Ina Garten. Sure, when she tells viewers of "Barefoot Contessa" something along the lines of "if you can't pick your own cucumbers at midnight during the full moon of the third month in a lunar year, then store-bought will be fine," she never really means it. So, honestly, it's better for your own well-being if you fill your stomach up before tuning in because otherwise you'll be compelled to try her recipes for yourself. Do you really want your expectations to be extremely, horribly, terribly crushed when your pizza looks nothing like Garten's perfectly picked, piping-hot, pickled-pepper pizza? Not a good look for anyone. Sources This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now |
As a crime drama junkie, you already have a handle on the food pyramid of hearty, nutritiously litigious crime TV: "
Trivia is a movie lover's best friend. Seriously, have you ever been to a dinner with other movie lovers chattering about everything from new releases to which movies 
The problem with "life" and "responsibilities" and all those other things that require frowny-faced finger quotes is that they keep you from sitting at home all day eating ice cream directly from the carton and watching the best comedy that daytime TV has to offer. It's an issue.
Have you ever heard of that food-shopping rule of thumb? You know, never go when you're hungry. Passing the sweet smells of the bakery section on an empty stomach is pretty much torture. The advice applies to watching most, if not all, TV cooking shows too. Seriously, have you perchance sat down to watch "| You are subscribed to email updates from Moviefone News RSS Feed - Moviefone.com. To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States | |
No comments:
Post a Comment