News

1000-Lb. Sisters star Amy Slaton is serving major “body” in a strapless black dress while oozing body confidence. The reality star has long struggled with her weight but she is now showing that she does not care what anyone says. Read on for more details on her outfit and what followers said about her look.

Amy Slaton Serves ‘Body’ In Strapless Dress, Total Confidence

Amy Slaton and her older sister, Tammy Slaton have worked hard to get to where they are. Tammy was in a rehab facility to help her drop the weight she needed for life-changing surgery. Finally, she got to the weight she had to be at in order to get her weight loss procedure. Nothing has been the same for her since that happened. She got married (her husband sadly passed last summer), she no longer needs oxygen or a wheelchair, she can fit in the front seat,...

Jenny McCarthy and Donnie Wahlberg wowed their fans with their style as the couple enjoyed a night together on the town.

The Masked Singer judge and her Blue Bloods actor husband recently got gussied up for a date night and showed off their best looks as well as some dance moves.

Jenny, 51, and Donnie, 54, wore matching white ensembles as they headed out for the evening, looking sophisticated as ever.

Jenny opted for a form-fitting white minidress paired with gold, strappy heels, while Donnie looked dapper in his white suit with a white tie and black leather shoes.

Jenny first shared footage of their date night on her Instagram feed this week in a Reel she captioned, “He’s my one and only. ❤️ @donniewahlberg

#love #dancing #couples #datenight.”

In the video, set to the song Count on Me by Bruno Mars, Jenny shared footage of place settings with her and Donnie’s name on the napkins,...

Gear up for a night of parenting humor and relatable chaos as “Children Ruin Everything” returns with Season 3 Episode 3, titled “Confidence,” airing at 9:30 Pm on Thursday, January 25, 2024, on CW. In this laugh-out-loud episode, viewers can expect Astrid to face the challenges of balancing work, parenthood, and the unpredictable antics of her kids.

The storyline takes an amusing turn as Astrid, played by Meghan Heffern, finds herself needing to give a crucial presentation to the World Cup Committee. However, her confidence takes a hit when her kids unintentionally sabotage her practice run. Expect a hilarious exploration of the ups and downs of parenthood, work-life balance, and the unpredictable nature of children.

For fans of comedy series that capture the chaotic beauty of family life, “Children Ruin Everything” promises another entertaining episode filled with laughter and heartwarming moments. Don’t miss the comedic chaos unfolding at 9:30 Pm on CW.

Release...

Sister Wives star Gwendlyn Brown has been posting reaction videos on her YouTube channel, offering viewers a fresh perspective on the latest season's episodes. Gwen is one of Kody Brown's daughters with his ex-wife Christine Brown. Those who have watched Sister Wives from the start have seen Gwen grow up on the screen. Since appearing on the show, Gwen has grown into her own person, staying away from some of her Brown family members.

Gwen, who may appear in Sister Wives season 18, had a very different experience from her siblings. As one of the daughters of Kody and Christine, who divorced in late 2021, Gwen has an interesting take when it comes to her mother and Kody's fellow wives. For instance, Gwen often calls out the behavior of Meri Brown, who left Kody along with Janelle Brown in late 2022. In her recap videos, Gwen offers commentary and shares her opinions on storylines,...

Can’t get enough Married at First Sight? We have good news. Lifetime is adding another international version of the show to its lineup. Married at First Sight: UK premieres Feb. 23. Here’s what you need to know about the British take on the popular reality show before you watch.

Season 7 of ‘Married at First Sight: UK’ will air on Lifetime

A look at the new #MAFSNashville schedule and our upcoming premieres! #Mafsuk #CouplesCouch pic.twitter.com/egl5Ny8DN1

— Married At 1st Sight (@MAFSLifetime) February 15, 2023

Married at First Sight: UK might be new to most Lifetime viewers, but the show has been airing on the other side of the pond for a while. It premiered in 2015 and has aired seven seasons so far. The most recent season aired in the fall of 2022 on E4.

As with other versions of the show, Mafs: UK features a panel of experts who match singles,...

This article contains spoilers for Saving Private Ryan.

Steven Spielberg’s Saving Private Ryan (1998) is known for a number of things: the gut-wrenching, visceral terror of its battle scenes (especially the opening landing at Omaha Beach), the shocking way in which bodies are torn to pieces during the course of those battles, the attention to period detail, and a powerful performance by Tom Hanks that rates as one of his finest.

But one thing that the film may not be as widely recognized for is the lineup of young actors who played members of Capt. John Miller’s (Hanks) squad, or soldiers they met along the way as they searched throughout Normandy for the missing Pvt. James Francis Ryan. From Matt Damon to Vin Diesel, Spielberg recruited relatively new faces who were all, in one way or another, either launching their careers outright or just starting to make their mark on Hollywood.

Tommy “Tiny” Lister, the hulkish character actor whose pro-wrestler frame and menacing onscreen disposition highlighted the first two Friday films, Jackie Brown, The Fifth Element, and more than 200 other movies, died Thursday at the age of 62. His manager, Cindy Cowan, confirmed the actor’s death to Variety. A cause of death was not immediately known, but Cowan told Variety that he was found unresponsive in his Los Angeles apartment “after displaying symptoms of Covid-19 in recent days.” Cowan said Lister had been diagnosed with Covid-19 earlier this year.

“Deputies were...

Tommy “Tiny” Lister, the professional wrestler-turned-actor perhaps best known for his turn as the bully Deebo in the “Friday” films, passed away on Thursday, his manager confirmed. He was 62.

According to TMZ, Lister was found unconscious in his Marina Del Rey home on Thursday afternoon. He was pronounced dead on the scene and there is no word as of yet as to the cause of death.

Lister — who stood 6 feet, 5 inches tall — started his career as a wrestler before moving on to films. His early roles included “Beverly Hills Cop II,” “No Holds Barred” and the HBO football series “1st & Ten.”

After his appearance in “No Holds Barred” — which starred Hulk Hogan — he transferred the Zeus character from the film over the wrestling ring. He wrestled against Hogan as part of a tag team match at SummerSlam in 1989, where he was pinned by Hogan. His final appearance in the WWF came later that year,...

Since any New York City cinephile has a nearly suffocating wealth of theatrical options, we figured it’d be best to compile some of the more worthwhile repertory showings into one handy list. Displayed below are a few of the city’s most reliable theaters and links to screenings of their weekend offerings — films you’re not likely to see in a theater again anytime soon, and many of which are, also, on 35mm. If you have a chance to attend any of these, we’re of the mind that it’s time extremely well-spent.

Film at Lincoln Center

Bong Joon-ho’s “The Bong Show” is underway, with a mixture of his own films and work by Imamura, John Boorman, Clouzot and more.

Museum of Modern Art

“To Save and Project,” a highlight of any given year, has returned. The first weekend includes work by Stan Brakhage, Ken Jacobs, and George A. Romero.

Filmmaker Quinn Shephard didn’t go to film school — instead, she made her own. The New Jersey native was just 15 when she came up with the idea for what would become her feature directorial debut “Blame,” a modern high school-set take on Arthur Miller’s classic play “The Crucible.” Seven years later, Shephard is at the Tribeca Film Festival with the film, one that she not only stars in, but also wrote, directed, edited and produced. At 21, she’s reached a benchmark that usually filmmakers a few more years of work.

The film follows Shephard as high school outcast Abigail Grey, who returns to high school after a mysterious incident the year before, only to form a taboo bond with her new drama teacher (Chris Messina). As their relationship blossoms in very unexpected ways, Abigail’s nemesis Melissa (Nadia Alexander) observes from afar, continually threatening to bust the entire situation wide open (a witch hunt?...

Yesterday Simon Pegg announced on his Twitter that filming has wrapped on Star Trek Beyond. The third nu-Star Trek flick entered production in June with The Fast And The Furious 3-6's Justin Lin behind the camera, taking over for J.J. Abrams, who directed the two previous movies. Pegg co-wrote the script with Confidence scribe and Dark Blue creator Doug Jung, and although story details have been scarce,... Read More...

Venice Film Festival is now in full swing, and Hollywood’s finest have been pouring onto the Italian streets to promote their latest releases. One actress in particular that has been riding the crest of her newfound stardom is Dakota Johnson, who was in town to trumpet her appearances in A Bigger Splash and Scott Cooper’s gangster drama Black Mass.

But arguably the biggest release – or rather releases – on the actress’ slate involve a certain Anastasia Steele. Due to reprise her role as the reticent, shy assistant next year for Fifty Shades Darker, Johnson will be teaming up with a new director this time around following the exit of Sam Taylor-Johnson. In her place is Confidence‘s James Foley, who recently sealed a deal to helm the erotic sequel. And now, the actress has offered her own two cents on the director’s new take on E.L. James’ novel of the same name.

Currently attending the Venice Film Festival to promote both gangster drama Black Mass and mystery A Bigger Splash, Dakota Johnson sat down with Empire and also discussed another role, playing Anastasia Steele in Fifty Shades Of Grey sequel Fifty Shades Darker.With the first film a success, Universal is naturally pushing ahead with the follow-up. But it has to do so without director Sam Taylor-Johnson, who opted not to return. Confidence's James Foley recently made a deal to direct the sequel, and his leading lady seems to be ready to get back into the world of Anastasia and her emotionally distant paramour, Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan).“It’s quite exciting," she says. “There was a moment of being afraid, because I didn’t know what it was going to be like. I had an experience with Sam [Taylor-Johnson] and then that all went away. Now I’m excited. I think James is a talented filmmaker.

With the success of Fifty Shades Of Grey, Universal is naturally ploughing ahead with the sequel (and, potentially, a third film shot back to back). Since Sam Taylor Johnson famously clashed with novelist E.L. James, the hunt has been on for a new director ready for Fifty Shades Darker and according to Deadline, James Foley is the top choice for the job.Foley, who has directed the likes of Fear, Glen Garry Glen Ross, After Dark, My Sweet, Perfect Stranger and Confidence, was apparently among a small group of filmmakers in contention, and has broken from the pack to become Universal’s preferred candidate. But negotiations still have to lock in a deal, and there’s some consideration whether the studio wants to make just Darker or add Fifty Shades Freed to the schedule, and keep Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan in place. Which could also help them stay engaged with their characters.

Filming for Star Trek Beyond is going to begin a little later than Zachary Quinto thought it would, but according to Simon Pegg, production on the third "Nu-Star Trek" movie should start by the end of this month. Fast And Furious 6's Justin Lin is directing from a script co-written by the actor and Confidence scribe Doug Jung, and Pegg also told Radio Times (via Moviepilot) that they just... Read More...

Out on the rounds for Kill Me Three Times, Simon Pegg is, naturally enough, fielding a lot of questions about Star Trek 3. As revealed back in January, he's not only returning to the Enterprise as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott, but has also stepped up to the plate to co-write the next instalment with Doug Jung (Confidence). "It's terrifying!" he laughs."It was a difficult decision," Pegg told Collider. "I hemmed and hawed about it, a little bit, because it felt like a big responsibility. I owe J.J. Abrams and Bryan Burke an awful amount. I love those guys. I want to do right by them, so I felt like I should man up and do it. It’s weird to walk into something and take ownership of it, in a way. Everything else that I’ve written has been mine, from the very germ of the first idea, or shared...

In Focus, Will Smith's first film since 2013, the superstar plays Nicky, a long-time conman who is planning his last big score, but ends up reuniting with a con woman who he trained years before.

The film, which performed mildly at the box office in its debut this weekend, joins the ranks of Hollywood's long love affair with the art of the con.

Video: Will Smith Is A Shirtless Con Man in Focus

In celebration of this newest entry in the grifter genre, here are nine of the best conman movies ever made.

(Note: This list doesn't include movies about heists that happen to involve conmen -- i.e. Ocean's Eleven or The Heist -- just films that celebrate the age of tradition of swindling.)

9. Matchstick Men (2003): Nicholas Cage and Sam Rockwell play con artists who are planning one of the biggest scams of their careers. Things get complicated when Cage's teenage daughter shows up and...

The Star Trek franchise has a great tradition of seeing its actors become creatively involved behind the camera. Leonard Nimoy got the ball rolling by taking the helm of Star Trek III: The Search for Spock and then co-wrote and directed Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and collaborated on the story for Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country. In between those latter two, William Shatner co-wrote and directed Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. Later, The Next Generation cast member Jonathan Frakes directed Star Trek: First Contact and Star Trek: Insurrection. Frakes also directed many episodes of The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Other cast members who’ve helmed episodes of various incarnations, including Enterprise: Patrick Stewart, LeVar Burton, Avery Brooks, Rene Auberjonois, Roxann Dawson, Michael Dorn, Siddig El Fadil, Gates McFadden, Robert Duncan McNeill, Robert Picardo, Andrew Robinson and Tim Russ. As far as I’m willing to go through everyone’s...

We can see the scene now: the Enterprise bridge is in flames, smoke gushing from damaged panels. The turbo lift doors crank slowly open and Scotty emerges. Looking around, he realises that with the rest of the crew dead or incapacitated, he’s now in command. Roll opening credits! Okay, so that likely won’t happen with Simon Pegg now on script duty for the third Star Trek film, but it’s certainly within his power...According to Deadline, the new Trek film has taken another twist, with Pegg hired to work on the script alongside Confidence scribe Doug Jung. They’re taking over from Patrick McKay, John D. Payne and Trek reboot veteran Roberto Orci, who was briefly attached to direct.Fast And The Furious director Justin Lin is currently in the command chair for the film, but the report says nothing about what the plot will be for this new outing.

Odd List Ryan Lambie Simon Brew 19 Dec 2013 - 06:30

Our journey through the lesser-known films of the 2000s continues. This week, it's 2003...

It was the year that Arnold Schwarzenegger went from Terminator actor to Governor of California, and when The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King dominated the global box office with a gross of more than $1bn. 2003 was also the year the Wachowskis' Matrix trilogy thundered to a close, the year Freddy Krueger clashed with Jason Voorhees in, er, Freddy Vs Jason, and the year Pixar scored another hit with Finding Nemo.

But as you've probably gathered by now, 2003 was also a year of quite brilliant, less lucrative films. The movies we've included in this week's list were chosen for a variety of reasons - some were ignored in cinemas, while others were harshly treated by critics. Some were modestly popular or given awards on release,...

News Simon Brew 21 Nov 2013 - 06:32

The new take on Jacob's Ladder recruits an interesting director to steer it, as James Foley is appointed to the project...

When we've been talking about the remake/reboot/whatever of RoboCop, our thoughts have been the same. Nobody really wants a new take on a film that was damn near perfect, but if you're going to have one, appointing Elite Squad director Jose Padilha to direct it gets us interested.

A few months ago, the news broke that a second take on Adrian Lyne's Jacob's Ladder was on its way through the Hollywood sausage making machine. And it turns out that this is a project that's very much active. Jake Wade Wall and Jeff Buhler have been working on the script for the new film, which will keep the themes of the original but set them against a contemporary backdrop.

And now,...

The Bet Hip-Hop Awards winners were revealed and Drake was recognized for All of his success. But he wasn’t the only one — check out all the winners below!

The hip-hop industry isn’t an easy one to make it in, but rapper Drake has done just that. At the 2013 Bet Hip-Hop Awards — which airs on Oct. 15 — Drizzy took home a fan-favorite award! See who else went home a winner.

Drake, A$AP Rocky & More: Bet Hip-Hop Award Winners Revealed

The 2013 Bet Hip-Hop Awards, hosted by Uncle Snoop, officially premieres on Oct. 15 at 8 p.m. Et/7 p.m. Ct — but the actual event happened on Sept. 28. So thanks to a Billboard review on the show, we can now reveal the awards that were handed out at the show:

The Perfect Combo Award: A$AP Rocky - “F**kin’ Problems”

People’s Champ Award: Drake - “Started From the Bottom”

Rookie...

Chris certainly made a statement by bringing Karrueche as his date to the Bet Awards on June 30. And a source close to his ex, Rihanna, tells HollywoodLife.com exclusively how she feels about Chris and Karrueche’s very public date — her reaction is quite shocking!

Chris Brown and Karrueche Tran are making up for lost time. After partying at The Belasco Theater, following the Bet Awards on June 30, Chris and Karrueche had a passionate night together. Is he dissing Rihanna? We found out how RiRi feels about Chris and Karrueche’s awards show date.

Rihanna’s Feelings On Chris Brown & Karrueche Tran Bet Awards Date

Chris may be flaunting Karrueche, but Rihanna’s not jealous — she doesn’t even care. A source close to the singer tells HollywoodLife.com exclusively:

“Rihanna doesn’t care about anything Chris is doing — she’s out here in Germany, getting on with her life and touring.

Chris and Karrueche spent the night at his Hollywood Hills home, following the Bet Awards after party on June 30, a source tells HollywoodLife.com exclusively.

Chris Brown and Karrueche Tran appear to be making up for lost time. After partying at The Belasco Theater, following the Bet Awards on June 30, Chris took the beautiful Karrueche back to his Hollywood Hills mansion, where the two had a passionate night together, a source tells HollywoodLife.com exclusively.

Chris Brown & Karrueche Tran: Romantic Sleepover After Bet Awards

“They got it crackin’ at his crib,” a source close the “Fine China” singer tells HollywoodLife.com Exclusively.

While the couple hung out at the theater with a group of friends, our source says Chris was “eager to leave” and whisked Karrueche away so they could have some much needed one-on-one time.

“He whispered in her ear, put his hand on her a** and she was...

Chris and Rihanna are stuck between a rock and a hard place because he’s celebrating his birthday on the West Coast while she’s performing concerts in NYC. They badly want to be together for Chris’ big day, but if things don’t work out, they’ll both be okay. Keep reading to find out why.

Chris Brown has a big weekend ahead of him celebrating his 24th birthday on May 5. It’s going to be an amazing time except for one thing – Rihanna can’t make it. She’s trapped in New York City, where she has multiple concerts scheduled over the next few days. It’s an unfortunate case of bad timing for the couple, but a source tells HollywoodLife.com Exclusively that they’ll be able to survive it.

Chris Brown & Rihanna: Secure Enough To Be Apart On His Birthday

“Just because he loves her doesn...

On April 28, a week before his birthday, Cb stopped following his girl, Rihanna, on Twitter. Does this mean trouble in paradise or was it just a social media faux pas? Keep reading for more details!

Anyone with a significant other in the 21st century knows the rules — you follow your boyfriend or girlfriend on Facebook and Twitter (and any other social network) no matter what. So it’s a little odd that Chris Brown stopped following Rihanna on Twitter on April 28. Maybe all those sexy pics that Rihanna posts were just making him miss her too much!

Chris Brown No Longer Following Rihanna On Twitter

It’d be crazy to take a social network decision and turn it into a full-on breakup, but it’s at least worth noting since the couple has followed each other since their reunion. And Chris’ unfollow comes just a day after Rihanna started following Drake on Instagram,...

Vroom vroom! With just a week until Chris’ birthday on May 5, a new report alleges that Rihanna has already picked out the perfect gift — a souped up custom-made car with a price tag of over $1 million. Boy, these two really know how to do birthdays right!

Chris Brown succeeded in his duty as a boyfriend on Rihanna’s birthday, Feb. 20, by throwing her a blowout party and giving her some amazing gifts. Now it’s RiRi’s turn — and if this report is true, Chris is going to be one happy birthday boy come May 5.

Rihanna’s Gift To Chris Brown: $1 Million Mercedes

Rihanna has reportedly purchased a limited edition 2009 Mercedes-Benz Slr Stirling Moss, according to our friend Naughty But Nice Rob. Chris absolutely loves cars — we’ve seen him burn rubber in that red Ferrari many times — so he’s going to love this. It’s a automobile enthusiast...

Have you noticed that Chris has been doing extremely well lately? His career is hitting an all-time high and he’s totally in love and a source explains to HollywoodLife.com Exclusively that his resurgence is directly related to Rihanna! Keep reading for more details.

Chris Brown hit the lowest of lows in February 2009 when he infamously assaulted girlfriend Rihanna. In the years since then Chris has had other road bumps, but more and more lately he has appeared to be a rehabilitated man, focusing more on positive things like his charity and his music. Now, a source close to the R&B singer tells HollywoodLife.com Exclusively that Chris’ turnaround can be mostly attributed to Rihanna.

Rihanna Gave Chris Brown Confidence

“Chris was definitely in a tough spot after the assault,” the source acknowledges. “But patching things up with Rihanna really gave him the confidence to start focusing on his music again.

Circle of Confusion is merging with D/F Management, which will create a multifaceted management and production company with a growing footprint in New York and Los Angeles.Under the deal, the new firm will operate under Circle's banner, with D/F Management principals Steve Dontanville and Frank Frattaroli moving their acting clients over, according to reports. “We have been searching for like-minded partners for the past several years, and Circle of Confusion’s smart, passionate and unified team is the perfect cultural fit," Frattaroli and Dontanville said in a joint statement.D/F reps several prominent actors, including Willem Dafoe, Frances McDormand, Scott Speedman, Michelle Monaghan, Sarah Polley, Sasha Alexander, Zach Gilford, Alfre Woodard, Benjamin Bratt, Molly Parker, and Tom Cavanagh.Circle's literary clients include a number of science fiction screenwriters, such as Jon Spaihts, Kevin Lehane and Jeff Norton as well as "Chronicle" screenwriter Max Landis, "Confidence" screenwriter Doug Jung,...

New York — Only 11 years after her death, Elton John sang his ode to Marilyn Monroe. "And I would have liked to have known you, but I was just a kid," went the lyrics. "Your candle burned out long before your legend ever did."

What John didn't know was how much truer his words would ring a few decades later.

Monroe passed away a half-century ago this Sunday, a murky death that remains one of Hollywood's most tantalizing mysteries. But look around: Her legend lives on, more vibrantly than ever. In a development this fiercely ambitious actress surely would have appreciated, this 1950's bombshell has become a 21st-century pop culture phenomenon.

Just flip through a celebrity magazine: Some of-the-moment young starlet or pop singer will be channeling (or outright appropriating) those platinum locks, the bright red lips, moist and slightly parted, and that joyously, almost defiantly curvy figure, sheathed in something skin-tight and glamorous.

Full credit for this concept belongs to Mark Kermode…

Given the law of averages, it’s fairly common that as film fans we’re far more likely to run into a stinker than we are a new classic, or worse still a underwhelming slice of anti-climax that promised so much more. Quite often that leaves us deciphering a mess and hanging on to small morsels of consolation from an ultimately wasted couple of hours.

The end result of this is that you, on occasion, may stumble across a disproportionately good turn from the only actor in the movie who seemed to be taking their work seriously. You could make a legitimate claim that this is far more worthy than excellent acting in Oscar bait, but such feats are so often ignored and dismissed along with its mediocre surround.

Here is a run down of ten such performances, a rare moment...

Wednesday’s installment of American Idol was supposed to focus on Songs From the Year the Contestants Were Born, but in some cases, it felt more like Opposites Day: Steven Tyler woke up from a very long nap and started doling out crotchety critiques. Jennifer Lopez tried to give songwriting lessons (¡ay dios mio!) to Bonnie Raitt. And more than half of this week’s contestants picked songs that were not intially released in the years of their birth. Why the face?

In other news, Ryan Seacrest tried to make a pun about dreadlocks, while failing to recognize that’s...

Getty Images Quarterback Eli Manning in Super Bowl Xlvi.

Speakeasy is live blogging the ads during today’s Super Bowl Xlvi between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots.

Our Pro Bowl-worthy team of experts is watching the commercials and Madonna’s halftime show and offering you their take:

Michael B. Jordan, co-star of the acclaimed football drama “Friday Night Lights” and the new movie “Chronicle,” which tells the story of three high school students who acquire superpowers...

Watchdog says digitally enhanced image of actor on anti-wrinkle cream advert exaggerated performance of product

The advert for L'Oréal's anti-wrinkle cream featuring a striking photograph of Oscar-winning actor Rachel Weisz appeared too good to be true. "Skin looks smoother, complexion looks more even," said the double-page magazine spread. "It's not a facelift, it's Revitalift."

The industry watchdog, the Advertising Standards Authority, has ruled that the print advert must not appear again in its current form.

Acting on a complaint from Liberal Democrat MP Jo Swinson, the regulator said the image of Weisz's face had been altered in post-production and had "substantially changed her complexion to make it appear smoother and more even" and "misleadingly exaggerated the performance of the product". The advert for Revitalift Repair 10 featured a close-up, black and white photograph of Weisz.

Swinson, co-founder of the Campaign for Body Confidence, last year successfully complained to the Asa that...

HBO continues its streak of stacking powerful performers in uncharacteristic roles with calculated showrunners and directors in its new drama Luck. The series won’t officially premiere until the end of January, but the network screened the pilot after the finale of Boardwalk Empire, hoping to lure some viewers in early. Luck focuses on the world of horse racing and all of the deceit, corruption, blessing and just dumb old good fortune that comes with it. The show packed a real punch, but with a whirl of characters, following along can be a bit confusing for those new to the sport and the story.

The series was conceived by veteran David Milch, the man behind NYPD Blue and Deadwood. Milch has become the stuff of legends for his ability to create tragic intersections between powerful personalities, a skill that he is certainly bringing to the table in his newest venture.

In 1984, playwright David Mamet received the Pulitzer Prize for his blistering play Glengarry Glen Ross, about a bunch of real estate salesmen at the end of their rope. In 1992, director James Foley achieved a small miracle: transforming what is essentially a long-talk piece into fluid, exciting cinema with his Mamet-scripted adaptation. The play is brutal… but the film does it better. In this age of corporate downsizing and buck-passing, as the national unemployment rate creeps ever higher, this vicious, profane and brilliantly-acted film is timelier than ever.

The spine is identical from stage to screen: a group of real estate salesmen turn on each other and themselves while scrambling to keep their jobs. Then, during the night, someone breaks into the office and steals the Glengarry leads, brand new sales leads coveted by the lower-tier men: George Aaronow (Alan Arkin) and Shelley “The Machine” Levene (the late, great Jack Lemmon...

I get a little worried when movies high on my anticipated list get saddled with terrible release dates. That's definitely the case with Man On a Ledge, the heist thriller that packs an impressive top-to-bottom cast with Sam Worthington, Elizabeth Banks, Ed Harris, Jamie Bell, Genesis Rodriguez, Anthony Mackie, Kyra Sedgewick, and Ed Burns(looking like he just walked off the Confidence set). The...

Rosamund Pike has been shaking off her taffeta-and-lace typecasting with a run of sharp comic roles lately. She talks to John Patterson about keeping things interesting

A discernible groundswell has slowly been building under Rosamund Pike's career since this actor, hitherto lumbered with a grave ice-princess image and a profile seemingly custom-sculpted for heritage telly, suddenly flexed her comedic muscles in An Education two years ago. She was the transcendentally vacant, dimwit-goddess girlfriend of one of its shadier characters. Seeing the ostensibly buttoned-down, corseted-up Pike fire off delirious comic fusillades one after another was like watching Monica Vitti suddenly burst into song, or Angela Rippon dancing with Morecambe and Wise: delightful, and totally unexpected. Who knew?

American critics are agreeing that Pike has become the best reason to see any movie she's in: she has crept up on them in a succession of tasty supporting roles since An Education.

Fergie’s on the cover of Cosmopolitan UK’s ‘Body Confidence’ issue, showing off all the magic workin’ on her fitness has done for her body. In true celebrity motor mouth fashion, she dishes about about her body and her husband, stripper-lover Josh Duhamel and offers up some pretty bizarre statements (no surprise there). When questioned about her global appeal she replied, “You know, in Italy, Catholic boys are raised to believe there are two types of women: the Madonna and the whore … And me? I’m both.” Fergie Ferg…you grew up in California. Just saying! She also revealed that post-Nine, Josh loved her newly-curvaceous body. “When I came home from filming, he was excited. He enjoys having both: the extra meat to grab when it’s there and the tight stomach when that’s there. He always gives me compliments.” We repeat… nothing here about him allegedly getting it on with a stripper.

Luke Savage catches up with Brick and The Brothers Bloom director Rian Johnson to talk about film making, Tom Cruise and The Terminator...

Five years after his debut feature Brick added a fresh spin to the high school movie, writer-director Rian Johnson returns with his follow up, The Brothers Bloom. We grabbed the chance to spend 20 minutes with him on a surprisingly sunny London afternoon to talk Tom Cruise, The Terminator and how long it took for Brick to get made.

And for anyone who doesn't want to spoil the ending of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, read carefully ...

Do you come to London much?

Not a ton, no. Last time I was here was the London Film Festival a year a half ago, the first showing we did of the film here. It's been a while. It just took a while to find the right people to put it out, I guess.

The Percy Jackson & The Olympians: The Lightning Thief soundtrack. Who needs Harry Potter when you’ve got Percy Jackson? That’s what you might hear Chris Columbus saying these days, out loud, to anyone who might be within earshot, if you happen to bump into him in a West Hollywood Starbucks. He might be wearing a sandwich board with the legend “Liked Potter? Try Percy!” written across it, and ringing a cowbell. Hell, if David Lynch can promote Laura Dern’s Oscar credentials on the side of a cow, why the hell not?

Actually, there’s a pretty good reason why not: because everything to do with the promotion of Percy Jackson & The Overbaked Title is already saying it. Let alone the tone, genre, narrative structure and lead character. And since Harry Potter made a shedload of money, we can assume this: Percy Jackson is in it for the dollars.

A Serious Man may be getting rave reviews – but it's like nothing the Coens have made before. Joe Queenan on weird one-offs and the directors who make them

About halfway through the very funny, very disturbing, very ethnic new film A Serious Man, the modern-day Job who is the serious man in ­ question climbs up on to the roof of his ghastly 1960s Minneapolis suburban home and tries to adjust the antenna to improve his TV reception. Beleaguered on all fronts – conjugally, professionally, medically – Larry Gopnik, a dorky physics professor who may be about to lose his job and is very likely to lose his family, is a bright, principled Jewish man whose children have begged him to fix the antenna so they can watch F Troop, an idiotic 1960s comedy. Many of Larry's travails unfold as songs from Jefferson Airplane's seminal 1967 LP Surrealistic Pillow play in the background.

Long Wharf Theatre, under the leadership of Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein and Managing Director Ray Cullom, will present the beloved musical The Fantasticks, directed by Amanda Dehnert, from October 7 through November 1, 2009, on the Mainstage.

Press night is Wednesday, October 14 at 7:30 p.m. Curtain times are Tuesdays at 7 p.m., Wednesdays at 2 and 7 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 3p.m. and 8p.m., and Sundays at 2p.m. and 7p.m. Tickets are $30-$70.

"I have loved The Fantasticks since I was a little kid," said Artistic Director Gordon Edelstein. "This will be so much fun for the entire family."

This hit musical with book and lyrics by Tom Jones and music by Harvey Schmidt, the longest running Off-Broadway musical in history, tells the story of Luisa and Matt, a pair entering the bloom of their youth. Their fathers, scheming to encourage their budding love, hire...

We haven't heard a good Batman rumor for a while, but I actually like this one quite a bit. Will it happen? Impossible to say, really, but when we talked about Batvillains this summer and who you'd like to see in the third Christopher Nolan movie, this name didn't come up. And maybe it should have.

Ted Casablanca at the letter I comes after I except after C says that Warner Bros. insiders have leaked to him that Rachel Weisz is in the running to play Catwoman. I know, I know - there's been no confirmation of any kind that Catwoman will ever make an appearance in one of these movies, and if you read The Big Picture as it relates to this subject, our own opinion is that she's completely unnecessary.

With that in mind, I do like the prospect of Weisz as Catwoman. And here's the reason why:...

Scott Bernstein has been upped to senior vp production at Universal Pictures.

Bernstein joined Universal in 2004 and has overseen such films as The Break Up and the teen comedy Accepted. He is overseeing Guillermo Del Toro's Hellboy 2, the Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott starrer Big Brothers and C/W Prods.' Death Race.

"Scott is a terrific executive who has great instincts for developing a broad variety of projects," Universal president of production Donna Langley said. "We are solidifying a great team of production executives at Universal, and Scott has made major contributions to our success; I'm very pleased to recognize him with this promotion."

Before Universal, Bernstein worked at Revolution Studios, where he oversaw the development and production of Del Toro's Hellboy and The Forgotten, starring Julianne Moore.

He also was vp production and development at Lionsgate Films, where he was in charge of acquiring new projects as well as for overseeing development and production. Bernstein executive produced Confidence, directed by James Foley and starring Ed Burns and Dustin Hoffman, and was on the team responsible for Monster's Ball.

Before Lionsgate, he worked at Ignite Entertainment, Mostow/Lieberman Prods., the Draizin Co.

James Foley has been tapped to direct the Halle Berry psychological thriller Perfect Stranger for Revolution Studios. The project was brought in by Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas, Revolution Studios partner and head of Revolution's New York office, who also will produce the film. Deborah Schindler is serving as executive producer. The screenplay, by Todd Komarnicki from an original script by Jon Bokenkamp, tells the story of a woman (Berry) who gets caught up in the world of obsessive love and death online when she goes undercover to investigate a friend's murder. The film is set to go into production this winter. Foley's directing credits include Confidence, The Chamber, Fear, Glengarry Glen Ross and At Close Range. Foley is repped by CAA.

TORONTO -- Canadian producer Lions Gate Entertainment Corp., which last month acquired Artisan Entertainment for $160 million, posted a second-quarter loss of $1.1 million, or $0.02 cents per share, compared with a year-earlier profit of $312,000, or $0.01 per share, the company reported Friday. The loss, despite higher revenue, was attributed to higher distribution and marketing costs. Revenue for the three months ending Sept. 30 rose 28% to $99.8 million, compared with a year-earlier $77.8 million. Motion picture revenue rose 38% to $69.3 million, compared with a year-earlier $50.2 million, as Lions Gate Films cited success with the theatrical release of Cabin Fever, strong DVD and VHS sales for House of 1000 Corpses and Confidence and good third-party DVD sales for NBC's Will & Grace. TV revenue jumped 40% to $24.9 million, compared with a year-earlier $17.8 million.

LONDON -- U.K.-based Myriad Pictures Ltd., the London production and sales arm of Los Angeles-based Myriad Pictures said Monday that it has pacted with Canadian production company imX communications, headed by president Christopher Zimmer, to co-produce The River King. The deal, announced by Myriad president Kirk D'Amico, sees the two companies uniting to finance and produce the Nick Willing-directed project, billed as a supernatural murder mystery starring Edward Burns (Confidence). Willing most recently directed Hypnotic. Based on Alice Hoffman's novel of the same name, the movie will be made through U.K.-based Grosvenor Park's First Choice Films from a screenplay by David Kane (Born Romantic). Shooting is scheduled to start in the spring in Canada.

Up-and-comer Franky G has inked a talent holding deal with John Wells Prods. to star in a new TV series project for the company. "Franky G is an extraordinary new talent, and we are very fortunate to be working with him," Wells said. "We are extremely excited about this new relationship and the possibility of creating a show for him." Franky G most recently co-starred in this summer's hit The Italian Job. His first movie, Manito, for which he was cast after showing up at a cattle call, won the Special Jury Prize for best ensemble cast at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. Franky G also appeared this year in Confidence opposite Dustin Hoffman and Edward Burns. The actor, repped by CAA and 3 Arts Entertainment, next appears in the Val Kilmer starrer Wonderland, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival.

Rachel Weisz is in negotiations to star opposite Keanu Reeves in Warner Bros. Pictures' Constantine, the studio has confirmed. The project, based on an adaptation of the DC-Vertigo comic book Hellblazer, will be directed by Francis Lawrence. Hellblazer is described as Dirty Harry set in the occult world. Reeves will star as John Constantine, a man who dabbles in the occult and teams with a female police officer to fight evil forces. Weisz would play Angela, an officer who becomes involved with Constantine when her twin sister dies in a mysterious suicide. Kevin Brodbin (The Glimmer Man) wrote the original script, with a rewrite by Mark Bomback and Frank Cappello. Lauren Shuler Donner is producing the project with former worldwide production president Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Akiva Goldsman. Benjamin Melniker, Michael Uslan and Dan Kolsrud will executive produce. Donners Co. executive Michael Aguilar also will receive producing credit. Warners senior vp production Bob Brassel is overseeing the project. Weisz, repped by CAA and the Firm, next stars in 20th Century Fox/Regency Enterprises' Runaway Jury and DreamWorks' Envy. The actress, currently shooting the indie feature Daisy Winters, recently starred in Confidence, The Shape of Things and About a Boy.