If you’re anything like my wife and me, the scariest part of this week’s episode of “The Strain” had next to nothing to do with vampires.

In a thrilling sequence that evoked “The Descent,” Neil Marshall‘s cave-diving horror film and paean to claustrophobia from 2005, our four main vampire hunters — Eph, Setrakian, Nora and Vasiliy — wriggle their way through a strigoi-soiled rat tunnel deep beneath New York City to find the Master and destroy him. Most shows or movies would focus only on one or two of the characters’ brief but harrowing journey through the hole, but “The Strain” shows all four struggling to get through. Read More »

I have a family member who has trouble watching Masters of Sex because she can’t understand what a dynamic, smart, gorgeous character like Virginia Johnson would see in Bill Masters. As it turns out, Bill can’t really figure it out either.

In this episode, Bill’s raging insecurities come to the forefront now that his study with Virginia is gaining media attention (a means to prove themselves as the leading researchers in their field). The two begin their television interviews about the sex study for a CBS special and Dr. Masters fears he won’t be welcomed into America’s living rooms. PR expert Shep Tally (Adam Arkin) wants the special to capture the laymen’s interests, but it’s not Bill’s forte. He doesn’t have the “Jack Kennedy eye twinkle” that’ll convince America to be more open about sex.

When Bill and Virginia are interviewed on camera, they discover that many words will not pass the censors (masturbation and orgasm being two). Bill, frustrated, tells the crew that censorship simply perpetuates shame.  He feels like a fraud, attempting to make the study appear family friendly and simultaneously, feels like a failure as the study has yet to cure anyone’s sexual dysfunction, including his own. Read More »

While Cookie seems confident he’ll avoid jail, Ray is not. He spends the day preparing for an arrest, first meeting with his accountant, telling her to prepare to go underground, and later giving Abby paperwork for a property in Malibu for her and the kids in case they need money while he’s away. Abby isn’t happy and insinuates her boyfriend will take care of them, and that he’s already working on fixing things.

After meeting with Cookie and collecting one million dollars to buy the video that’s surfaced of Marvin’s shooting, Ray heads to the office to leave some money for Lena and Avi in case the firm goes under when gets picked up. Lena tosses it back at him telling him she simply wants to keep her job. Everyone but Ray is in denial. Read More »

AMC released a new teaser from the coming show “Better Call Saul,” which is a prequel to “Breaking Bad.” The 10-second clip, called “Amen,” includes a line suggesting Saul, played by Bob Odenkirk, has at least a few pious bones in his body.

The series, which is scheduled to begin early next year, is set before Saul began working with crystal meth kings Walter White (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul). Also returning with Odenkirk is Jonathan Banks as fixer and hired heavy Mike Erhmantraut. Read More »

“The Maze Runner” found its way to the top of the box office this weekend, with Hollywood’s latest adaptation from the young-adult bookshelf grossing an estimated $32.5 million.

It was followed by two other new releases, “A Walk Among the Tombstones” and “This Is Where I Leave You,” that fell short of expectations.

“Tombstones,” the latest revenge thriller starring Liam Neeson, pulled in $13.1 million, while “This Is Where I Leave You,” about a family of dysfunctional children brought together by a patriarch’s death, grossed $11.9 million. Holdovers “No Good Deed” and “Dolphin Tale 2” landed in fourth and fifth place, respectively. Read More »

The cast of “The Maze Runner,” based on the popular fantasy series, shot the movie amid the heat, insects and snakes of Baton Rouge, La., but still managed to enjoy themselves.

Dylan O’Brien, who plays the lead character, Thomas, said he had never worked that many days in a row.  “I got through because I could come home to these guys every night,” he said as cast members and the book’s author discussed the movie at the 92^nd Street Y in New York on Tuesday night.

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David Bowie is one of the most widely documented musicians of the pop era. Luckily, he was also very thorough about documenting himself. The singer born David Jones in 1947 apparently kept almost everything from his 50-year career, and now employs a full-time archivist to manage it all.

That collecting impulse was essential to David Bowie Is. The museum exhibition, which spotlights the phases of the zig-zagging artist, was organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, where it broke attendance records last year. The touring show is now making its first and only stop in the United States. It opens Sunday in Chicago at the Museum of Contemporary Art, and runs through Jan. 4, 2015. Read More »

Queen is returning this fall with “Queen Forever,” an all new collection of some of their best work. And to get fans who might have all the versions of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” they’ll ever need, the set comes with three new recordings, including a Freddie Mercury/Michael Jackon duet “There Must Be More to Life Than This,” a track from 1984′s “The Works” sessions called “Let Me In Your Heart Again,” and a new version Mercury’s “Love Kills.”

Two different sets will be available: a 20-track, single CD and a 36-track, double CD.

Fans have known about the Mercury-Jackson sessions for years and Mercury released a solo version of the tune on his 1985 album “Mr. Bad Guy.” Electronic musician William Orbit recently came in to finish it off. “When I first played it in my studio I opened a trove of delights provided by the greatest of musicians,” Orbit said in a release.” Hearing Michael Jackson’s vocals was stirring. So vivid, so cool, and poignant, it was like he was in the studio singing live. With Freddie’s vocal solo on the mixing desk, my appreciation for his gift was taken to an even higher level.” Read More »

The Replacements will take the stage tonight at the Forest Hills Stadium in Queens, one year after the venue reopened for concerts. Built in 1923, the amphitheater-shaped stadium was part of the West Side Tennis Club and home of the U.S. Open. It fell into disrepair after the tournament moved to Flushing Meadows in 1978.

“This place had kind of been abandoned, they were going to turn it into condos,” said Mike Luba, who runs the stadium. “Saving an important New York icon is gratifying on many levels.”

The stadium was relaunched last summer after renovations, and modern icons are returning to the site to give sold-out performances. Since 2013, headliners have included Mumford and Sons, the Zac Brown Band, Modest Mouse, and Drake. This season wraps up with the Replacements tonight and Phil Lesh and Friends on Sunday.

See photos and a list of legendary rock acts at the Forest Hills Tennis Stadium. Read More »

George R.R. Martin is placing the weight of Westeros behind Democratic Sen. Tom Udall of New Mexico for the upcoming midterm elections.

The fantasy writer behind the “Game of Thrones” juggernaut will appear with the senator at an Oct. 7 fundraiser, where one winner and a guest will receive a round trip to Martin’s own Jean Cocteau Cinema. The promotion period runs from now until 11:59 on Sept. 23 according to the rules.

Fans with deeper pockets can pay $2,600 to have dinner with Martin and Sen. Udall. For $1,000, individuals will get a chance to meet and take photos with the pair. The general admission fee is $250 for the event, which will involve a discussion on New Mexico politics and other issues. Read More »