Tron Legacy (Fri.)
Just wait until the third film arrives in 2038Tron: Legacy, Disney’s sequel to the 1982 cult classic Tron, opens in theaters on Friday with sky-high expectations considering that the budget is reportedly close to 300 million dollars (including advertising costs). The movie has Jeff Bridges’ Kevin Flynn trapped inside The Grid and his son Sam (Garrett Hedlund) coming to rescue him. The film is now in 3D (also 2D where available), has a Daft Punk score instead of a Wendy Carlos one, and has improved visual effects. Unfortunately, what hasn't been upgraded enough is Tron's script, according to the mixed early reviews.
Debate style over substance at the official Tron website.
Golden Globe nominations announced (Tue.)
A once and future nominee?The award show where you can drink is about to get loaded with nominations this Tuesday. The 68th Golden Globes, presented by the mysterious Hollywood Foreign Press Association, will take place on Sunday, January 16th and will feature Robert De Niro receiving the coveted Cecil B. DeMille Award. Last year’s host Ricky Gervais will return to provide laughs during the celebratory orgy. Tuesday morning, expect several nominations for critical darling The Social Network and actors Colin Firth and Natalie Portman in the film categories and Mad Men in TV land. If Ben Affleck gets nominated for direction on The Town and Edgar Wright doesn’t for Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, I’ll be moping in the corner.
Keep track of all of this year's film awards and nominations with Metacritic's Film Awards Scorecard
Michael by Michael Jackson (Tue.)
Well, it worked for Tupac Well, that was fast. It’s been about a year and a half since Michael Jackson passed away, and his first posthumously released album of new material, Michael, comes out Tuesday. Comprised of 10 songs that Jackson was working on largely during the 2000s, the new album hasn’t been without its share of controversy; many fans feel that Jackson wouldn’t have wanted unfinished material released to the public. Frequent Jackson collaborator Teddy Riley (Blackstreet) worked to finish the tracks, some of which feature guest appearances by Akon, Lenny Kravitz, Dave Grohl, and 50 Cent.
Stream a preview of the entire album at the official website.
Rabbit Hole (Fri.)
Her losing streak is overNicole Kidman has had an unfortunate run of films for the past six years (Nine, Bewitched) but not for a lack of trying. Ambitiously expensive projects like The Golden Compass and Australia should have been great but were felled by excessive spending and studio interference. Rabbit Hole, opening Friday, has a more modest Kidman starring as a mother coping with the death of her young son. The adaptation of David Lindsay-Abaire's Pulitzer Prize-winning play from director John Cameron Mitchell (Shortbus) is generating high praise for Kidman as well as Aaron Eckhart as her character’s husband and Dianne Wiest as her mother.
Bring tissues to the official website.
How Do You Know (Fri.)
We'll know when the reviews come outProducer/writer/director James L. Brooks has had great success in television (Taxi, The Simpsons) and film (Terms of Endearment, Broadcast News) but his efforts of late (Spanglish) have failed to please audiences and critics. His latest, How Do You Know, opens Friday with little buzz and stars Reese Witherspoon as a recently dropped Olympic softball player who must choose between a baseball player (Owen Wilson) and a federally investigated corporate executive (Paul Rudd). Frequent big-screen Brooks collaborator Jack Nicholson (replacing an originally cast Bill Murray) plays Rudd’s father in the film.
We know this is the official website.
Ricky Gervais: Out of England 2 - The Stand-Up Special (Sat.)
London calling?When Ricky Gervais isn’t revolutionizing the sitcom, making guest-appearances on Louie and Curb Your Enthusiasm, hosting the Golden Globes, or letting us down with The Invention of Lying, he’s sometimes delighting fans with his stand-up comedy. The follow-up to his Emmy-nominated 2008 special Out of England, Out of England 2 airs Saturday at 10pm on HBO. Expect more sharp-edged barbs directed at American life that will likely make you cringe and then double over with laughter.
Control your laughter at the official website.
Closing the book on last week
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Weekend Box Office Champion (Estimated, U.S. only; source: Boxofficemojo.com) | |
|---|---|---|
| The Chronicles of Narnia ... Dawn Treader 54 | $24.5 million; 1st week at #1 | |
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#1 Album on Billboard 200 (Source: Billboard.com/Nielsen SoundScan) | |
| Susan Boyle: The Gift 59 | 3rd week (1st consecutive) at #1 | |
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Top-Rated Primetime Broadcast Show (Source: Nielsen) | |
| Sunday Night Football (Steelers/Ravens) (NBC) | 22.5m viewers; week of 11/29 -12/5 | |
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