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Monday, January 5, 2015

Latest Movie News From Moviefone

Latest Movie News From Moviefone

The 79 Most Anticipated Movies of 2015

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2015 is going to be huge, both in the sense that there are a ton of movies coming out and the fact that most of the movies coming out are explosive studio tent poles that cost hundreds of millions of dollars and come loaded with a 777's worth of big time movie stars. Just look at our list of movies -- it's nearly doubled from last year, and crammed with superheroes, sentient robots, rampaging dinosaurs, and everything in between.

A few notes about our rundown: firstly, there will be tons of movies that make their debuts at festivals throughout the year and manage to capture something that propels them into the zeitgeist (as if anyone even know what "Whiplash" was at this point last year), so it's good to keep that in mind. There are also a bunch of movies that we are ridiculously excited about that we didn't include on the list simply because they didn't have a release date (like Terrence Malick's "Knight of Cubs," Todd Haynes's "Carol," and Richard Linklater's "That's What I'm Talking About") and others that didn't even have titles (please Cameron Crowe, just title your new movie "Deep Tiki" and let's move on with our lives). Sometimes you actually need information to write about it, even speculatively.

So, with all of that in mind, please take a look at the year ahead, and the nearly 80 movies that you'll probably be in the mood to see. As always, you know where to look for movie times, interviews, reviews, and behind-the-scenes action. That's right, Moviefone.
most anticipated movies of 2015

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Olivia Newton-John and Didi Conn's 'Grease' Reunion Makes Us Want to Do the Hand Jive

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Didi Conn Joins Olivia Newton-John On Stage At Flamingo Las Vegas To Perform The Pink Ladies had a small, brief reunion this weekend when Olivia Newton-John was joined onstage by her "Grease" co-star Didi Conn at a concert in Las Vegas.

Newton-John and Conn, who starred in the hit 1978 musical, sang and danced together again Saturday at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino, where Newton-John is holding her "Summer Nights" residency, a nod to one of the most famous songs from the flick. The pair slipped right back into character for the number, with Newton-John sporting Sandy's blonde locks and all-black leather ensemble, and Conn donning a Pink Ladies jacket like her onscreen alter ego, Frenchy.

While we would have loved if fellow Pink Ladies Rizzo (Stockard Channing), Jan (Jamie Donnelly), and Marty Maraschino (Dinah Manoff) could have joined the gals, it's nice to know that Sandy and Frenchy are still BFF.

Check out the photo above, and just try to keep the songs from "Grease" out of your heard for the rest of the afternoon.

[via: Us Weekly]

Photo credit: David Becker via Getty Images

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​Oscars 2015: Let the Mudslinging Begin

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Foxcatcher starring Steve Carell, Channing TatumIt was inevitable, with so many inspired-by-a-true-story films in the Oscar race, that there would be grumbling about the inaccuracies of various awards-contending movies. This year, however, all those complaints seemed to emerge at once, mostly during the past week. And the gripes are especially bitter, seemingly aimed not just at questioning the movies' factuality but also at sabotaging their chances of winning awards. It's this sort of mudslinging that has many observers wondering if those who complain are actually doing the bidding of campaigners for competing films and performers.

The loudest trash talk last week came from gold-medal-winning Olympic wrestler Mark Schultz, who is played by Channing Tatum in the awards-contender "Foxcatcher." Noticing that reviewers of the recently-released films have found a subtext of homosexuality in the movie (though it's all in the way that creepy coach John du Pont, played by Steve Carell, behaves toward Schultz, and not in the wrestler's own conduct), Schultz has taken to Facebook and Twitter to defend himself against what he claims are interpretations that are "jeopardizing my legacy." The target of his ire, however, is not the critics but the movie, and director Bennett Miller in particular.

Schultz's late-blooming revulsion has made Oscar pundits curious, given that, just a few months ago, he was appearing alongside Miller at the movie's Cannes premiere and was praising the film on the same social media outlets where he was now criticizing it. (Tatum, too, has said that Schultz helped him create his portrayal.) Did he only just recently read reviews that he felt questioned his heterosexuality, or did the campaigners behind some rival film put him up to it? After all, he didn't just challenge the film's accuracy; he threatened Miller's career. As he tweeted last Wednesday, "YOU CROSSED THE LINE MILLER. WE"RE DONE. YOU'RE CAREER IS OVER. YOU THINK I CAN'T DO IT. WATCH ME." (And that was just one of many of his anti-Miller tweets, some of which the wrestler has since deleted, but which were preserved by the Hollywood Reporter.) He took off the caps-lock for one tweet that read, "Everything I've ever said positive about the movie I take back. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it. I hate it."

On Friday, his temper having perhaps cooled, Schultz took to Facebook, saying that his main point of contention with Miller was a recent interview in which Miller did not challenge a reporter's question about a scene that the reporter felt implied a sexual relationship between the wrestler and du Pont. Schultz said he signed off only reluctantly on the scene in question, believing that Miller would clear up its ambiguity, at least in interviews. Schultz concluded by apologizing for unwittingly creating a media firestorm and undermining the work of those he collaborated with on the film. "I hope this will help in resolving any undue conflict these actions have created," he wrote, but the damage to the film's Oscar hopes may already have been done.

There have also been complaints about "Selma," notably from Joseph A. Califano Jr., who was an aide to President Lyndon B. Johnson, and who wrote an editorial in the Washington Post on December 26 complaining that the film made Johnson out to be too much of an obstacle to Martin Luther King's planned voting-rights march in the title Alabama city. In fact, Califano claimed, the march was LBJ's idea. He concluded that "the movie should be ruled out this Christmas and during the ensuing awards season."

"Selma" director Ava DuVernay was incredulous, posting a tweet in response, calling the notion that the Selma march was LBJ's idea "jaw-dropping and offensive" to those who organized and participated in the march. In fact, Johnson did urge King to stage a media event to bring attention to the voting-rights issue, but he didn't pick the place or suggest a march. Nor did the two men agree on the timing of the event; King favored immediate action, while Johnson wanted him to wait in order to avoid distracting Congress from the rest of the president's agenda, both domestic (anti-poverty legislation) and foreign (America's growing military commitment to the Vietnam War).

Still, the movie seems to portray Johnson as more antagonistic to King and his goals than he actually was. Even Andrew Young, who was a longtime King associate before his own celebrated political career, has said that the movie gets everything right except for the relationship between the reverend and the president. Nonetheless, it's one thing for Califano to question the on-screen portrayal of that relationship; it's another for him to urge that "Selma" should "be ruled out" for awards consideration and that no one should see it. Again, conspiracy-minded Oscar experts have wondered: what made Califano go to such extreme lengths to dis the movie?

Then there's journalist Christian Caryl's dismantling of "The Imitation Game" in the New York Review of Books. Caryl claims that director Morten Tyldum and screenwriter Graham Moore have gotten plenty wrong about World War II-era codebreaker and computing pioneer Alan Turing. Caryl writes that Benedict Cumberbatch has been directed to play Turing as a geeky, emotionless Vulcan, despite accounts by biographers and contemporaries who found him affable and charming. He says the movie also creates antagonisms between Turing and his co-workers and superiors that didn't exist, downplays his effectiveness as a cryptographer in the early years of the war (preferring to stage a dramatic breakthrough later on), invents a blackmail subplot that didn't happen, and makes Turing a martyr driven to suicide by government persecution over his then-illegal homosexuality. (Caryl says the circumstances surrounding his death are much more complicated and mysterious.) "Monstrous hogwash" is one of the kinder phrases the writer uses to describe the film, and he marvels that there hasn't been more outrage about the picture among Turing experts and surviving members of his circle.

These sort of complaints are par for the course whenever supposedly fact-based historical dramas compete at awards season, with grumblings about accuracy and portraying real-life figures in a more flattering light than they deserved having plagued recent contenders from "A Beautiful Mind" to "The King's Speech." Most notoriously, there was an outcry over "Zero Dark Thirty," with political editorialists and bloggers griping that director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal gave too much credit to the use of torture on prisoners in yielding valuable information that led to the successful raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan. (Indeed, the recent Senate torture report seems to bear out this criticism.) As a result, "ZDT" went from being considered a surefire Oscar contender to a near-shutout at awards time, winning an Oscar only for Best Sound Editing.

Then again, Bigelow and Boal were also targeted for criticism for their previous movie, "The Hurt Locker," a fictional drama loosely based on Boal's reporting about real-life bomb squad soldiers deployed in Iraq. Some real-life service members complained that the film not only made bomb defusers look more reckless than their real-life counterparts, but was also rife with inaccuracies about what military service in the Iraq War was like. (Then again, many service members stood up for the film's accuracy; apparently, "The Hurt Locker" was truer to some people's wartime experience than others.) None of the complaints kept the film from winning Oscars for Best Picture, Director, and Adapted Screenplay, but the gripes were especially bitter for a film that did not pretend to be a depiction of actual events or people, and that went out of its way to avoid making a political statement about the Iraq War.

Three things about Oscar mudslinging: First, it's seldom effective in derailing a movie's awards chances, with "ZDT" a notable exception. Last year, there were mutterings about the factuality of "12 Years a Slave" (which went on to win Best Picture), "Dallas Buyers Club," and "Captain Phillips," all of which Academy members seemed to ignore.

Second, it's usually hard or impossible to trace complaints from third-party sources to a rival picture's campaign. People often blame Harvey Weinstein, whose track record of brilliant Oscar campaigning on behalf of his company's films is sometimes said to include anonymously-placed mudslinging against competing movies, but there's never any proof. This week, however, there was a tweet bringing attention to Schultz's complaints about Sony Pictures Classics' "Foxcatcher" that came from an account named "WB Digital." According to the Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. immediately denounced the account as a fake, though the studio later acknowledged that it was a real account belonging to an independent marketing consultant freelancing for the studio, which promptly suspended the account and fired the marketer. After all, the Academy takes campaigning violations very seriously; last year, it disqualified Best Song nominee "Alone Yet Not Alone" after ruling that composer Bruce Broughton, a member of the Academy's music branch executive committee, had abused his authority by touting his song via e-mails to fellow Academy voters. No one contemplating a possible win in the major categories (picture, acting, directing, and screenwriting) wants to be disqualified over a wayward tweet.

Third, the grumbling about accuracy seems to suggest a fundamental misunderstanding about the way historical dramas work. They're not documentaries, and there's always some speculation and fudging for dramatic purposes. Yeah, it's probably not fair to Lyndon Johnson to portray him as a stumbling block to civil rights activism instead of a sympathizer who disagreed about tactics, and it may do a disservice to Turing to oversimplify his life story, but it may also make for more effective drama. Indeed, if Shakespeare had been held to the standards of modern-day screenwriters, historical dramas like "Richard III" would have been written off centuries ago as scurrilous slanders. Even historians will tell you that much of history is never settled, with arguments over interpretations of events continuing endlessly. "Selma," "Foxcatcher," and "Imitation Game" each offer their own interpretations; no doubt none of them will be the last word on the events they depict. Like most moviegoers, members of the Academy aren't historians and shouldn't be expected to serve as arbiters of what really happened. All they can do is determine which narratives work best as movies. The conversations about the truth will and should continue, and at least we can thank these films for starting those conversations. As DuVernay tweeted, "Bottom line is, folks should interrogate history. Don't take my word for it or LBJ rep's word for it. Let it come alive for yourself."

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'The Raid 2' Stars Join 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' in Secret Roles

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Premiere Of Sony Picture Classics'
The "Star Wars" universe is getting a dose of martial arts with the news that a trio of actors from "The Raid" and "The Raid 2" will be joining "The Force Awakens."

Actors Iko Uwais, Yayan Ruhian, and Cecep Arif Rahman will put their fighting skills on display in director J.J. Abrams's new installment in the "Star Wars" franchise, though it's unclear in what capacity. Twitch, which first reported the trio's casting, noted that there was no indication whether Uwais, Ruhian, and Rahman would be playing good or evil characters.

According to TheWrap, at least one of the actors is slated to die onscreen. The site also reports that an additional, unnamed actor from the "Raid" stunt team participated in the "Force Awakens" shoot, but that person's role (and identity) is also being kept under wraps.

We're looking forward to seeing how these martial artists factor into a galaxy far, far away. "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" opens on December 18.

[via: Twitch, TheWrap]

Photo credit: Getty Images

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Marvel Teases 'Ant-Man' With Ant-Sized & Human-Sized Trailers (VIDEO)

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We won't get a full teaser trailer for Marvel's "Ant-Man" until Tuesday, but that doesn't mean that the marketing folks at Marvel HQ aren't going to have some fun with audiences first.

The studio debuted a pair of mini teaser trailers for the flick this weekend in both ant- and human-sized form, with the former clip better suited for a small being's eyes, and the latter a more normal YouTube-viewable format. When magnified to human-sized, the teaser really comes into focus, featuring short glimpses of Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, and Michael Douglas all in action as their respective comic alter egos.

Just how the trio all fit together remains to be seen, though we're expecting a bit more intel from the full teaser, which is due to debut during "Agent Carter" on Tuesday. Check out the clips below, and tune in to ABC tomorrow night for a closer look.

[via: HitFix]

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Netflix Knows You've Been Accessing Foreign Content Illegally

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International viewers who have previously found ways around Netflix's restrictions on certain content may have their work cut out for them from now on: The streaming service has reportedly been fixing vulnerabilities in an effort to cut illegal access to its U.S.-exclusive content from foreign countries.

According to CNN Money, restrictions from country to country are in place thanks to licensing agreements with movie and television studios. But viewers abroad have been able to trick Netflix servers in the past by using a virtual private network, or VPN, to obscure their location and gain access to internationally-blocked content.

Unfortunately for them, Netflix has caught on to that trick, and has begun blocking more international access in recent days, with users reporting on social media sites and Reddit that their VPNs no longer work with the service. Netflix claims that its terms of service have not been altered, but there appears to be some sort of deliberate action on its part to curb the illegal streaming, and CNN Money reports that that's because studios are complaining that their copyright agreements with Netflix have been violated.

"Our policies have not recently changed," Netflix spokesman Marlee Moseley told CNN Money. "Virtually crossing borders to use Netflix is a violation of our terms of use because of content licensing restrictions, and we employ standard measures to prevent this kind of use."

It seems that people who want to watch things illegally will always find a way -- but in this case, Netflix may no longer be an option.

[via: CNN Money, h/t Paste]

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Scarlett Johansson to Star in 'Ghost in the Shell,' Continuing Action Streak

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Friends Of Rockaway 2nd Annual Hurricane Sandy Fundraiser
Scarlett Johansson has been on an action flick roll lately, with high-profile parts -- and big box office bank -- in films like "The Avengers," "Lucy," and "Captain America: The Winter Soldier." Now, the actress is set to continue that streak as the lead in a live-action adaptation of popular anime comic and film "Ghost in the Shell."

Variety reports that Johansson had recently been approached to take the role, but was unsure; now, the trade writes, the actress has accepted the part.

According to Variety, "The story follows the exploits of a member of a covert ops unit of the Japanese National Public Safety Commission that specializes in fighting technology-related crime."

Rupert Sanders ("Snow White and the Huntsman") is directing the flick for DreamWorks. Variety reports that DreamWorks head honcho Steven Spielberg has been trying to get a "Ghost in the Shell" remake greenlit for some time, and Johansson's involvement should speed along the process.

The actress will next be seen in "Avengers: Age of Ultron."

[via: Variety]

Photo credit: Jamie McCarthy via Getty Images

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Here Are the 2014 PGA Awards Film and Television Nominees

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The Producers Guild of America announced Monday its list of film and television nominees for its 2014 awards, and the list is as notable for its omissions as it is for its selections.

Among the films in the running for the top prize -- known formally as the Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures -- are "American Sniper," "Birdman," "Boyhood," "Foxcatcher," "Gone Girl," "The Grand Budapest Hotel," "The Imitation Game," "Nightcrawler," "The Theory of Everything," and "Whiplash."

But it's the films that were left off the list that had awards season prognosticators in a tizzy Monday. "Selma," "Unbroken," and "Into the Woods" all failed to score nominations, leading some to wonder if those movies' Oscar chances have dimmed significantly.

On the television front, "American Horror Story: Freak Show," "Fargo," "The Normal Heart," "The Roosevelts: An Intimate History," and "Sherlock" all scored nominations in the long-form television category. Those series join the previously-announced nominees in the episodic television category, which includes "Breaking Bad," "Downton Abbey," "Game of Thrones," "House of Cards," and "True Detective."

The complete list announced Monday -- including the PGA's nominated animated features -- is below. (The full list, including previously announced nominees, can be found here.) The awards will be presented at a ceremony on January 24.

FILM NOMINEES:

The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of Theatrical Motion Pictures:

American Sniper (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Producers: Bradley Cooper, p.g.a., Clint Eastwood, p.g.a., Andrew Lazar, p.g.a., Robert Lorenz, p.g.a., Peter Morgan, p.g.a.

Birdman (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Producers: Alejandro G. Iñárritu, John Lesher, James W. Skotchdopole

Boyhood (IFC Films)
Producers: Richard Linklater, p.g.a., Cathleen Sutherland, p.g.a.

Foxcatcher (Sony Pictures Classics)
Producers: Megan Ellison, p.g.a., Jon Kilik, p.g.a., Bennett Miller, p.g.a.

Gone Girl (20th Century Fox)
Producer: Ceán Chaffin, p.g.a.

The Grand Budapest Hotel (Fox Searchlight Pictures)
Producers: Wes Anderson & Scott Rudin, Jeremy Dawson, Steven Rales

The Imitation Game (The Weinstein Company)
Producers: Nora Grossman, p.g.a., Ido Ostrowsky, p.g.a., Teddy Schwarzman, p.g.a.

Nightcrawler (Open Road Films)
Producers: Jennifer Fox, Tony Gilroy

The Theory of Everything (Focus Features)
Producers: Tim Bevan & Eric Fellner, Lisa Bruce, Anthony McCarten

Whiplash (Sony Pictures Classics)
Producers: Jason Blum, Helen Estabrook, David Lancaster

The Award for Outstanding Producer of Animated Theatrical Motion Pictures:

Big Hero 6 (Walt Disney Animation Studios)
Producer: Roy Conli, p.g.a.

The Book of Life (20th Century Fox)
Producers: Brad Booker, p.g.a., Guillermo del Toro, p.g.a.

The Boxtrolls (Focus Features)
Producers: David Bleiman Ichioka, p.g.a., Travis Knight, p.g.a.

How To Train Your Dragon 2 (20th Century Fox)
Producer: Bonnie Arnold, p.g.a.

The LEGO Movie (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Producer: Dan Lin

TELEVISION NOMINEES:

The David L. Wolper Award for Outstanding Producer of Long-Form Television:

American Horror Story: Freak Show (FX)
Producers: Brad Buecker, Dante Di Loreto, Brad Falchuk, Joseph Incaprera, Alexis Martin Woodall, Tim Minear, Ryan Murphy, Jennifer Salt, James Wong

Fargo (FX)
Producers: Adam Bernstein, John Cameron, Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Michael Frislev, Noah Hawley, Warren Littlefield, Chad Oakes, Kim Todd

The Normal Heart (HBO)
Producers: Jason Blum, Dante Di Loreto, Scott Ferguson, Dede Gardner, Alexis Martin Woodall, Ryan Murphy, Brad Pitt, Mark Ruffalo

The Roosevelts: An Intimate History (PBS)
Producers: To Be Determined

Sherlock (PBS)
Producers: Mark Gatiss, Steven Moffat, Beryl Vertue, Sue Vertue

[via: The Hollywood Reporter]

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National Society of Film Critics Awards Top Honors to Obscure Indie 'Goodbye to Language'

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Swiss film director Jean-Luc Godard atte
The National Society of Film Critics has always been an offbeat bunch, awarding prizes to more obscure films than flashier organizations like the Academy or the Hollywood Foreign Press. This year's crop of awards were no different, with the organization giving its top honor to an obscure indie film that most mainstream moviegoers probably never heard of.

"Goodbye to Language," an offbeat, 3-D movie from filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard, was awarded Best Picture, beating out awards season favorite "Boyhood" by one vote. (Unlike most other organizations, the National Society of Film Critics releases its voting totals alongside its list of winners.)

Other winners selected by the society include Timothy Spall ("Mr. Turner") for Best Actor, Marion Cotillard ("The Immigrant" and "Two Days, One Night") for Best Actress, and Richard Linklater ("Boyhood") for Best Director. A partial list of winners, along with their vote tallies, is below; the full list is available here.

The National Society of Film Critics does not host an awards ceremony; winners will be sent commemorative scrolls.

BEST PICTURE
Goodbye to Language - 25
Boyhood - 24
Birdman - 10
Mr. Turner - 10

BEST DIRECTOR
Richard Linklater, Boyhood - 36
Jean-Luc Godard, Goodbye to Language - 17
Mike Leigh, Mr. Turner - 12

BEST ACTOR
Timothy Spall, Mr. Turner - 31
Tom Hardy, Locke - 10
Ralph Fiennes, The Grand Budapest Hotel - 9
Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent Vice - 9

BEST ACTRESS
Marion Cotillard, The Immigrant and Two Days, One Night - 80
Julianne Moore, Still Alice - 35
Scarlett Johansson, Lucy and Under the Skin - 21

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
J.K. Simmons, Whiplash - 24
Mark Ruffalo, Foxcatcher - 21
Edward Norton, Birdman - 16

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Patricia Arquette, Boyhood - 26
Agata Kulesza, Ida - 18
Rene Russo, Nightcrawler - 9

BEST SCREENPLAY
Wes Anderson, The Grand Budapest Hotel - 24
Alejandro Iñárritu, Nicolas Giacobone, Alexander Dinelaris Jr., and Armando Bo, Birdman - 15
Paul Thomas Anderson, Inherent Vice - 15

BEST NONFICTION FILM
Citizenfour - 56
National Gallery - 19
The Overnighters - 17

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Dick Pope, Mr. Turner - 33
Darius Khondji, The Immigrant - 27
Fabrice Aragno, Goodbye to Language - 9

[via: National Society of Film Critics, h/t Vulture]

Photo credit: AFP/Getty Images

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Stuart Scott, Longtime ESPN Anchor, Dies at 49

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Obit Stuart Scott
Stuart Scott, a veteran ESPN anchor and "SportsCenter" staple, died Sunday after a long battle with cancer. He was 49.

Scott started his ESPN career in 1993, helping usher in the fledgling ESPN2 network, and quickly made a name for himself thanks to his signature style and instant-classic catchphrases, including "Boo-Yah!" and "As cool as the other side of the pillow." According to an obituary posted by ESPN.com, Scott was both popular and divisive in his early years at the network, with ESPN president John Skipper remembering that the anchor "changed everything."

"He didn't just push the envelope," added sports radio host and former ESPN anchor Dan Patrick. "He bulldozed the envelope."

Numerous tributes from fans, colleagues, athletes, and celebrities poured in for Scott Sunday, including remembrances from Michael Jordan, former co-anchor Rich Eisen, and President Barack Obama.

"Twenty years ago, Stu helped usher in a new way to talk about our favorite teams and the day's best plays," Obama said in a statement. "For much of those twenty years, public service and campaigns have kept me from my family -- but wherever I went, I could flip on the TV and Stu and his colleagues on SportsCenter were there. Over the years, he entertained us, and in the end, he inspired us -- with courage and love."

Scott was diagnosed with cancer in November 2007, and went on to face two more recurrences of the disease. He accepted ESPN's Jimmy V Award for Perseverance at the ESPYS on July 16, 2014, and gave an impassioned speech about his fight.

"When you die, it does not mean that you lose to cancer," Scott said. "You beat cancer by how you live, why you live, and in the manner in which you live."

Scott is survived by his two daughters, Taelor, 19, and Sydni, 15.

[via: ESPN]

Photo credit: John Shearer/Invision/AP

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What's New on TV, Netflix Streaming, Digital, and DVD/Blu-ray This Week: January 5 - 11

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At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's streaming on Netflix, we've got you covered.

New on DVD and Blu-ray

"Boyhood"
If you're curious about all the awards season fuss over Richard Linklater's epic project, here's your chance to catch it on Blu-ray. Filmed over the course of 12 years, "Boyhood" charts the life of a young Texas boy as he grows up -- it doesn't sound too exciting, but watching young Ellar Coltrane grow into adulthood is pretty trippy for everyone involved. Lorelei Linklater co-stars as his sister, alongside Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette as their estranged parents. Maybe next up we could get "Motherhood"?

"Get On Up"
Future "Black Panther" superhero Chadwick Boseman stars as James Brown in this loose biopic, alongside Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Nelsan Ellis, and tons of other awesome actors. Although it got generally good reviews across the board, it didn't quite light the summer movie season on fire. Still, worth checking out.

"The Guest"
Dan Stevens leaves "Downton Abbey" in this dust with his wonderfully creepy performance as a guy who insinuates himself into a family with fairly disturbing results. From the guys who made "You're Next," "A Horrible Way to Die," and short films for "V/H/S," "V/H/S 2," and "The ABCs of Death."

TV Worth Watching

"Marvel's Agent Carter" (Tuesday, ABC at 8 p.m. EST)
Marvel's takeover of the small screen continues with this TV show centered around Hayley Atwell's character from "Captain America: The First Avenger" et al. We're stoked to see an entire show centered around Peggy Carter, the MCU agent who lives a double life as an agent with the Strategic Scientific Reserve.

"Empire" (Wednesday, Fox at 9 p.m. EST)
Lee Daniels and Danny Strong ("The Butler," "Game Change," "The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 1" and "Part 2") created this one-hour show about a fictional music label called Empire Entertainment and the family behind it. Terrence Howard stars as the CEO of Empire, alongside Taraji P. Henson as his ex-wife Cookie, who's just out of prison for drug deals that might or might not have helped Empire Entertainment get on its feet. "Empire" looks like it could be a deliciously soapy drama for a midweek treat.

"Portlandia" (Thursday, IFC at 10 p.m. EST)
Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen return for the fifth season of IFC's endlessly quotable sketch comedy. If you don't know about "Portlandia," it's time to visit that magical place where the '90s lives on, birds adorn everything, and guest stars literally rock.

New on Netflix

"The Apartment"
Jack Lemmon stars as an office drone named Bud who lets his bosses borrow his apartment for their trysts. Bud falls for a gal named Fran, played by Shirley MacLaine, who's already seeing his boss -- inside of Bud's own apartment! Billy Wilder co-wrote and directed this award-winning classic. ("The Apartment" is occasionally yanked off of streaming, so even though it's not new this week, catch it while you can!)

"Cast Away"
This drama starring Tom Hanks and a deflated volleyball nicknamed Wilson was added to Netflix Instant on January 1, but maybe you weren't in the mood to watch a movie about a guy marooned on a desert island by himself last week.

"Frank"
This is Michael Fassbender as you've never seen him before. As the "eccentric" musician Frank, he wears a giant fiberglass head for nearly the entirety of the film. Domhnall Gleeson plays the newest addition to the band, an inexperienced keyboardist named Jon, alongside Maggie Gyllenhaal as a sort of angry theremin player who hates Jon. Internet fame leads to a gig at SXSW, with mixed results.

New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only

"Love Is Strange"
John Lithgow and Alfred Molina co-star as partners who, soon after they get hitched, are forced to sell their apartment in NYC and find something cheaper. They have to rely on the kindness of friends and family during their real estate hunt, a trying situation that proves to be nearly more than anyone can deal with.

"Lucy" (iTunes)
Scarlett Johansson stars as a regular human being who accidentally ingests massive amounts of a futuristic drug that allows her to access 100 percent of her brain. Luc Besson's best when he's doing "girl and a gun" actioners, and this silly superhero film allows him to return to his "La Femme Nikita" roots.

"Starred Up" (Amazon Prime)
If you thought Jack O'Connell went through hell in "Unknown," this English prison drama will set you back on your heels. O'Connell plays a young criminal who's transferred from a juvenile prison to the same adult prison where his dad, played by Ben Mendelsohn, is also doing time. Rupert Friend co-stars as a therapist who runs an anger management seminar with the prisoners, based on screenwriter Julian Asser's experiences doing the same. Definitely intense viewing.

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Listen: Pharrell Resurrects N.E.R.D. For 'SpongeBob SquarePants: Sponge Out of Water'

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Once upon a time, Pharrell Williams would produce songs for some of hip hop's biggest guns. These days, though, he seems to be writing new music exclusively for movies made for children. Last year he was responsible for the phenomenally ear-wormy "Happy," and this year he's been snuck into the Oscar race with a song for "Paddington." Today, too, comes word that Williams has resurrected his arty pop rock band N.E.R.D. (who had minor hits with "Lapdance" and "Everybody Nose") for the forthcoming "SpongeBob SquarePants: Sponge Out of Water." And it's pretty great (you can listen to it below via All Hip Hop).

Chad Hugo, Williams' partner in The Neptunes and N.E.R.D., talked to Variety about the new material (they're contributing two more songs: "Sandy Squirrel" and "Patrick Star"). "We're trying not to think too much in a cartoon sense," Hugo told Variety, "but more just like a psychedelic, otherworldy type of thing. If you want to draw a parallel, maybe think of what the Beatles did with 'Yellow Submarine.'"

And, honestly, it's easy to get that vibe from the song, especially with its gently psychedelic, sing-song-y tone and the backing party vocals. Ah, N.E.R.D., it's been too long. Hopefully this means more new material soon.

"SpongeBob SquarePants: Sponge Out of Water" opens on February 6th.



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Revenge Season 4 Episode 11 Recap: 'Back In Black'

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Daniel Grayson died during "Revenge's" completely insane mid-season finale, an event so tragic that our holiday break was spent stuffing yule logs into our faces in mourning. In case you need a quick refresher, poor Daniel was wandering around the beach outside Emily Thorne's house (as ya do) when he made the mistake of going inside only to get shot by corrupt FBI Agent Kate Taylor. The good news is that Jack "Worst Cop Ever" Porter showed up and killed Kate, but the bad news is that Daniel's most definitely dead -- and now Victoria's having a hysterical meltdown all over the place. In other words, it's time for revenge!

Emily Buries The Lead While David Buries The Body

Lest you've forgotten due to one too many shots of holiday eggnog, David Clarke owes a bunch of money to a nefarious Canadian arms dealer named Malcolm Black, and the situation has only worsened now that Malcolm's daughter (aka Agent Taylor) has been killed. Turns out her murder could cause Malcolm to go nuts and destroy everyone in The Hamptons, so David does what any dad would do: he forces Emily to babysit her arch nemesis (aka his lover Victoria) while he cleans up their mess. Too bad he doesn't clean up his beard while he's at it. Help us help you, buddy.

Unfortunately, David's plan isn't without its flaws, because the entire Hamptons police force show up to question Emily. She's forced to concoct a story wherein Daniel showed up drunk, smashed a planter through her window, and then attacked her -- forcing her to shoot him in self defense. Too bad Jack's partner isn't buying it. Officer Ben decides that there's more to Emily's story than meets the eye, so he questions his former crush about why Daniel didn't have any defensive marks on his body. Oh, and he drops the bombshell that Danny Boy was about to be a dad. Feelings. So, does Officer Ben believe Emily's story? That remains to be seen.

Also, if you're wondering what happened to Kate's body, David shoves it in the back of the creepiest van ever and then dumps it in an undisclosed location. Good times!

Nolan and Jack Geek Out And Save The Day... Almost

Time To Check In On Nolan, who unlike everyone else on this show, hasn't murdered anyone lately. Instead, our favorite billionaire spends this episode being super nerdy! Not only does Nols wipe Agent Taylor's phone so Malcolm can't find her, he snags the FAA locators for all of Malcolm's private planes (which is apparently super useful). Meanwhile, Jack takes a break from being literally the worst policeman in the history of policemen to help Nolan clean out Agent Taylor's hotel room, which means Emily's tracks are officially covered!

So, how's Victoria doing now that her son has been murdered? Not good, but at least she's not dead (remember when David tried to poison her last week?). This Queen Bee spends most of the episode mourning the loss of her child, but she does find time for some plotting and scheming (naturally!), and asks Southern socialite Louise Ellis to sneak into Nolan's house and steal the incriminating envelope she'd given Agent Taylor a few weeks ago. Way to cover your stiletto tracks, Victoria!

Of course, this episode doesn't end with everything tied up in a neat bow -- far from it. Nolan learns that Malcolm has traveled to Miami, where it appears as though he's promptly murdered thanks to David telling some mutual enemies about his arrival. Unfortunately, Malcolm is very much alive and makes a bee line for North Hampton where he wastes no time killing Detective Alvarez. So yeah -- we're pretty sure he's coming for Emily -- and he's not alone. Even Margaux wants to see this girl dead as recompense for Daniel's death! Watch your back, Miss Thorne, because M&M have a shiv with your name on it.

And now for some burning questions....

1. Will Margaux find out the truth about Daniel's death? She certainly has the power to investigate....
2. Seriously, how many more terrible decisions can Jack make before he's fired?
3. Will David Clarke eventually go through with his plan to kill Victoria?
4. We're worried about this Malcolm Black fellow... who will he stab in a random parking lot next?
5. Will Ben find out the truth about Emily and sell her out to the police?

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