This Richard Curtis romantic comedy-drama, about a bunch of Londoners in and out of love around the Christmas holidays, is a decade old now. It’s no less fresh or funny or moving, but its cast, in the intervening decade, has enjoyed even greater success. Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson were stars back then, but are joined now by Bill Nighy (pictured), Martin Freeman, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Keira Knightley and others.

2013

Aug

THE NEWSROOM By David Bianculli

Here’s a same-week repeat, in case you missed it or would like to enjoy it again, of the episode, “Red Team III,” that I consider the finest hour of The Newsroom yet presented by Aaron Sorkin. For a full review, see Bianculli’s Blog.

2013

Aug

THERE WILL BE BLOOD By David Bianculli

So many movies arrange for promotional tie-ins with fast-food restaurants, I think this 2007 Paul Thomas Anderson-directed movie missed the boat by not teaming with Wendy’s, Chick-fil-A, or some other chain with frosty ice-cream drinks. Imagine the fun of having a souvenir glass, emblazoned with the face of Oscar-winner Daniel Day Lewis as a ruthless oil magnate, screaming, “I – drink – your – milkshake!” (Would you like fries with that?)

2013

Aug

PROJECT RUNWAY By David Bianculli

Tonight’s guest judge is Kaley Cuoco, who plays Leonard’s on-again, off-again girlfriend in The Big Bang Theory. In this show, she’s judging a contest in which the designers have to draw inspirations from selected pairs of shoes. The winners have sole, the losers are heels.

2013

Aug

THE MYSTERY OF THE WAX MUSEUM By David Bianculli

In 1942, Michael Curtiz would direct both Casablanca and Yankee Doodle Dandy. Nine years before that, he directed Fay Wray in this thriller, co-starring Lionel Atwill as madman sculptor Ivan Igor, whose lifelike statues are explaining by a very deadlike secret. This 1933 movie was remade decades later, starring Vincent Price, as House of Wax, but this pre-Code film actually is a bit darker and more twisted. Darker, and yet colorful, thanks to an experimental two-color film process.

2013

Aug

HOLLYWOOD GAME NIGHT By David Bianculli

SEASON FINALE: I’ve enjoyed this prime-time game show this summer, as a nice casual diversion, and apparently I’m not alone: NBC recently renewed it for a second season. So instead of vanishing after tonight’s installment, it’s merely going into hibernation for a while. And for this last romp of its initial run, Jane Lynch’s (very) game guests include Tom Arnold, Terry Crews and Emilie de Ravin.

2013

Aug

LABOR DAY WEEKEND KICKS OFF WITH COLLEGE FOOTBALL: TV IN THE RAH-RAH By Gerald Jordan

Even with temperatures reaching nearly 100 degrees in some places, the indisputable fact is that autumn is here. How so? College football season means that autumn is here...

2013

Aug

'BAD' READING: PHILOSOPHERS PONDER THE BIG QUESTIONS OF WALTER WHITE By Eric Gould

So, you think you've read all there is to read about the TV landmark? Have you considered the Nietzchean view of "Heisenberg"?...

2013

Aug

TV BOOK REVIEW: ALAN SEPINWALL’S ‘THE REVOLUTION WAS TELEVISED’ By David Bianculli

It’s the end of August – a last chance to, among other things, dive into fun summer reads. Here at TVWW, that means recent books about TV, which we review starting today…

2013

Aug

SECRETARY By David Bianculli

Most drama or comedy movies, dealing with sexual urges and practices some might consider as deviant, usually adopt a priggish or mocking tone. This 2002 movie, starring James Spader as a businessman with some unusual quirks, and Maggie Gyllenhaal as the new secretary who finds she likes the restrictions and control he offers, makes it a tender love story instead – though with some very funny moments. And some frankly sexy ones, too.

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