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‘Point Break’ Review: Remake of Campy Action Classic Is All Stunts, No Story
10 hours ago
When snarky L.A. theatrical producers turned Kathryn Bigelow‘s campy 1991 action melodrama “Point Break” into a stage show, one of the play’s most successful gags was recruiting an audience member into the role of FBI agent Johnny Utah, with the idea that a non-actor’s cold reading of dialogue would approximate Keanu Reeves‘ legendary wooden Zen in the original. The joke has gone too far in the new “Point Break” remake, with Utah being played by Luke Bracey (“The Best of Me”), giving a performance so utterly blank that future stage spoofs will need to cast a broom or a set. »
- Alonso Duralde
New York Times Columnist Creates Catchy Donald Trump Christmas Carol
10 hours ago
Donald Trump stood as an early Christmas present for The New York Times’ columnists when he launched his rollercoaster ride of a presidential campaign. So columnist Gail Collins decided to give back to the Donald in the form of a new Christmas carol. Naturally, it oozed with sarcasm and criticism for the polarizing real-estate-mogul-turned-presidential-candidate. Headlined, “The Donald Trump Days of Christmas,” Collins explained that this is a campaign “where the insults are meeting a new norm. Thanks almost entirely to the front-runner.” Also Read: 5 Most Horrifying Media Debacles of 2015 (Video) She then wrote a new Christmas carol, courtesy of the Donald’s most outlandish comments. »
- Jordan Chariton
Don Lemon Has Eyes On Launching a Bill Maher, Chelsea Handler-Like Show (Video)
12 hours ago
CNN’s Don Lemon, who joined the winners’ circle in TheWrap’s 2015 media winners list, is eyeing his eventual post-cnn career, hinting at modeling an opinion-based show after the likes of Bill Maher and Chelsea Handler. In a video interview with TVNewser, the CNN anchor talks about his desire to host a show that gives him more freedom to express his opinion without the journalism police coming after him. “At some point I will probably get out of traditional news,” Lemon said, invoking Bill Maher as an example of the type of show he’d like to host. Also Read: CNN Boss Jeff Zucker. »
- Jordan Chariton
Police Unions Bail on Tarantino Boycott: ‘We’re Not Giving This Guy Any More Free Publicity’
12 hours ago
Quentin Tarantino‘s “The Hateful Eight” hit theaters without a peep from nationwide police unions and their supporters despite threats of a boycott since late October. Protests over the Weinstein Company release and its outspoken director erupted after Tarantino referred to cops as “murderers” at an anti-police violence rally in New York. “We’re not giving this guy anymore free publicity. We have nothing to say about it,” New York Patrolman’s Benevolent Association spokesperson Albert O’Leary told TheWrap on Saturday. Also Read: Tarantino's 'Hateful Eight' Headache: Will Police Boycott Impact Box Office and Awards? Calls to similar unions in Los Angeles, »
- Matt Donnelly
Watch ‘Home Alone’ Perp Marv’s Terrified Response to Older Macaulay Culkin (Video)
13 hours ago
Keep the tears, ya filthy animal. Actor Daniel Stern, who played Marv in “Home Alone,” responded to Macaulay Culkin‘s new character — an updated version of Kevin McCallister who’s a deranged killer of home invaders — by screaming for his fellow wet bandit Harry to come and save him. “Harry, Harry, come find me Harry, I’m scared … the kid is back!” Marv says uncontrollably, calling out for his partner in crime, played by Joe Pesci 25 years ago. Also Read: Macaulay Culkin Reprises 'Home Alone' Character as Psychologically Damaged Adult (Video) “Nobody believed us about this stupid kid! »
- Jordan Chariton
Jailed Washington Post Reporter Jason Rezaian Spends Christmas With Wife, Mother
14 hours ago
Jason Rezaian, who’s been jailed in Iran’s Evin Prison for over 500 days, received a small Christmas gift when his wife and mother were able to visit him. “After several efforts, Yegi and I were able to secure permission from the court to meet with Jason for several hours today, Christmas,” Rezaian’s mother, Mary, told The Washington Post. Jason’s mother was allowed to bring her son a home-cooked meal and spend an extended amount of time with him. Also Read: Washington Post Reporter Blasts Obama Administration Over His Iran Imprisonment “This is the first time in the year that I have been. »
- Jordan Chariton
Fox News Attracts Oldest Audience, CNN Youngest in TV News 2015
16 hours ago
Younger viewers are the name of the television news game and CNN will end 2015 as the leader in that category. Final ratings for the year will be released next week, but preliminary data shows the original cable news network attracted the youngest median age viewer while Fox News continued to have the oldest. In total day, CNN’s median viewer age was 61 compared to 67 for Fox. But in primetime the difference was starker; CNN’s average was 59 while Fox News averaged 68. Also Read: 7 Times Fox News Personalities Crossed the 'Total Pussy' Line Without Punishment MSNBC ranked second in both categories. »
- Jordan Chariton
‘Star Wars’ Skyrockets to Record $49 Million at Christmas Box Office
16 hours ago
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” unwrapped a nifty new Christmas Day record with its $49.3 million Friday to lead the crowded holiday party at the box office. Disney and Lucasfilm’s J.J. Abrams-directed juggernaut is headed for a three-day haul in the $170 million range, which would easily be the best second weekend ever, too. “The Force Awakens” crushed the old Christmas Day record of $24.6 million set by Robert Downey Jr.‘s “Sherlock Holmes” in 2009, and will do the same to the $106 million second-weekend mark set by “Jurassic World” in June. The domestic total is now up to $440 million after eight days. »
- Todd Cunningham
Miss Philippines Urges Fans to Stop Fighting After Miss Universe Announcement Debacle
16 hours ago
Newly crowned Miss Universe Pia Alonzo was in the spirit on Christmas, standing in front of the famous tree at Rockefeller Plaza before writing an Instagram post that spread both cheer and a little jeer. In her post, Alonzo, who was initially announced as runner-up before Steve Harvey reversed course and correctly named her Miss Universe, wrote about how grateful she was to win the prestigious honor. But she also had a message for battling fans who’ve been going at it for days over the debacle that originally named Colombian beauty Ariadna Gutierrez Miss Universe. Also Read: Miss Universe »
- Jordan Chariton
‘Daddy’s Home’ Laughs Way to $1.2 Million in Christmas Eve Previews
25 December 2015 9:33 AM, PST
“Daddy’s Home,” the comedy starring Mark Wahlberg and Will Ferrell, took in $1.2 million in preview screenings Thursday night at the box office for Paramount. It was Christmas Eve, so not a lot of moviegoers were stirring, and most that were were headed for “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” The Disney blockbuster is expected to win its second consecutive weekend, with most analysts projecting around $180 million over the three days. It took in $27.6 million Thursday. Also Read: 9 Best Christmas Movies You Can Stream Right Now (Photos) The PG-13-rated “Daddy’s Home” is expected to top the other openers with »
- Todd Cunningham
‘Star Wars’ Powers Into Christmas Day With $813 Million at Worldwide Box Office
25 December 2015 9:09 AM, PST
“Star Wars: The Force Awakens” drove to a stunning $813 million worldwide total in its first week, bringing in $27.6 million at the domestic box office on Thursday. Holiday shopping and traveling finally may have taken a toll on Disney’s record-breaking blockbuster, which posted its lowest-grossing single day since making its debut last Friday. Also Read: 9 Best Christmas Movies You Can Stream Right Now (Photos) But it still managed to break another record by capping a $391.1 million first week, easily outstripping the $296.2 million that “Jurassic World” achieved in June. “The Force Awakens,” the J.J. Abrams-directed seventh film in the beloved sci-fi series, »
- Todd Cunningham
Listen to Radiohead’s Rejected ‘Spectre’ Bond Theme Song
25 December 2015 7:55 AM, PST
Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke offered fans the ultimate Christmas present: a link to a rejected theme song that the band had written for the new James Bond movie “Spectre.” Posting Friday on his personal Twitter account, Yorke confirmed that the rockers had been asked to write the Bond theme — something that had long been rumored — but that “It didn’t work out.” The movie’s producers wound up using the somber ballad “Writing’s on the Wall” by another British artist, Sam Smith. Also Read: 'Spectre' Is 2nd-Highest-Grossing James Bond Movie But while the Radiohead tune didn’t »
- Thom Geier
Janet Jackson Postpones 2016 World Tour for Surgery
25 December 2015 7:39 AM, PST
Janet Jackson has postponed her “Unbreakable” world concert tour in order to undergo surgery, the singer announced on her Facebook page Thursday. “I need you to know, I learned today, from my doctors that I must have surgery soon,” the Grammy-winning performer wrote. “It breaks my heart to tell you that I am forced to postpone the Unbreakable Tour until the spring.” The 49-year-old singer did not disclose what sort of surgery she needed. Also Read: Nwa Headlines 2016 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductees - See Who's In, Who's Out Jackson, a nominee this year for the Rock Hall of Fame, »
- Thom Geier
‘Deadpool’ Red-Band Trailer Unleashes Holiday Badassery (Video)
25 December 2015 7:05 AM, PST
Ryan Reynolds unleashes more badassery in the latest trailer for the R-rated Marvel superhero movie “Deadpool.” He begins by crawling into the front seat of a taxi and explaining the reason for his tight red body-suit. “That’s because it’s Christmas Day,” he says, “and I’m after someone on the naughty list.” Reynolds’ sharp-tongued superhero is joined in the new trailer by some other superpowered cohorts, including the silver-faced Colossus (Stefan Kapicic) and a goth-styled teenager called Negasonic Teenage Warhead (newcomer Brianna Hildebrand). Also Read: Ryan Reynolds Proves 'Bigger Is Better' in 'Deadpool' IMAX Trailer (Video) “Deadpool” tells »
- Thom Geier
‘Hateful Eight’ Star Samuel L. Jackson Says He’s the Base in Quentin Tarantino’s Bouillabaisse
24 December 2015 3:15 PM, PST
A version of this story originally appeared in the Nominations/SAG/Golden Globes issue of TheWrap magazine. “The Hateful Eight” is the sixth movie Samuel L. Jackson has made with Quentin Tarantino, starting with his Oscar-nominated role in “Pulp Fiction” and continuing through “Jackie Brown,” “Kill Bill: Vol. 2,” “Django Unchained” and a voiceover role in “Inglourious Basterds.” The 67-year-old actor is essentially Tarantino’s comrade-in-arms, with his role as a mysterious bounty hunter giving him another opportunity to spew fast-paced dialogue and take part in bloodshed (Warning: Slight spoiler below.) Also Read: Quentin Tarantino Lets Loose on Race, Violence »
- Steve Pond
Watch Donald Trump’s Most Shocking Insults of 2015 (Video)
24 December 2015 2:02 PM, PST
Donald Trump pretty much spent 2015 hurling insults at anything that moved. It started with his jaw-dropping presidential announcement, when the former reality TV host called Mexican immigrants “rapists,” though to be fair, he did acknowledge that “some” of them are “good people.” He didn’t stop there. The Gop candidate, emboldened by rising poll numbers, went on to insult Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly for asking tough questions during a debate, Rosie O’Donnell for no specific reason, Muslims for being Muslim, Hillary Clinton for needing to use the bathroom, and he compared fellow Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson to a child. »
- Itay Hod
Critics Love ‘The Big Short': 9 Reasons You Should See ‘Devastatingly Funny’ Comedy
24 December 2015 12:22 PM, PST
Seven year out from the financial crisis of 2008, critics agree that Adam McKay‘s “The Big Short” is a great way to learn how it all went down. With an 86 percent fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the film is being hailed as a “smart” and “terrifically enjoyable” look at the men who predicted the meltdown and made millions betting against it. “The film (wisely) never overestimates viewers’ attention spans,” Inkoo Kang wrote in her review for TheWrap, “embracing instead a kitchen-sink approach to any technique that might work: Ryan Gosling talking to the camera, Margot Robbie defining financial terms while. »
- Reid Nakamura
Quentin Tarantino Lets Loose on Race, Violence and ‘The Hateful Eight’
24 December 2015 11:57 AM, PST
A version of this story originally appeared in the Nominations/SAG/Golden Globes issue of TheWrap’s magazine. Even before it was released, Quentin Tarantino‘s “The Hateful Eight” was enmeshed in a few controversies. An early draft of the script was leaked online, causing the writer-director to vow that he would no longer make the movie. The vow lasted until a live reading of the script in downtown Los Angeles, which was so successful that Tarantino decided to go ahead and make the Western about an octet of shady figures trapped in a remote outpost called “Minnie’s Haberdashery »
- Steve Pond
‘Sesame Street’ Brought to You by the Letters HBO in First Trailer (Video)
24 December 2015 11:30 AM, PST
New episodes of “Sesame Street” will be brought to you by the letters H, B and O in the new trailer for the children’s show’s 16th season. “Sesame Street” will make its debut on HBO on January 16. Two 30-minute episodes will kick off the 46th season of the iconic former PBS children’s program at 9 a.m. Also Read: 'Sesame Street' HBO Premiere Date Set This season, Gwen Stefani, Pharrell, Nick Jonas, Sara Bareilles, Alan Cumming and Ne-Yo will make guest appearances, and a new Muppet character, Nina, who is bilingual and Hispanic, will be introduced. Produced by »
- Linda Ge
‘Daddy’s Home’ But Not Welcome: Read the 7 Worst Reviews of Will Ferrell-Mark Wahlberg Comedy
24 December 2015 11:29 AM, PST
Will Ferrell is one of the most well-regarded comedic actors in the business, but critics seem to agree that his latest project, “Daddy’s Home,” doesn’t even come close to matching his best. The film currently suffers a 22 percent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with only 12 of the 50 critics counted giving it a positive review. Though some agreed the film had some high points, most took issue with its awkward juxtaposition of raunchy humor and kid-friendly story. TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde agreed, placing the bulk of the blame on director Sean Anders (“That’s My Boy,” “Horrible Bosses 2”) and co-writers Brian Burns. »
- Reid Nakamura
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