Featured Blogs:

 

Cannes Film Festival 2013

'Twilight Saga: Eclipse' Press Conference Live Blog: The Cullens

Peter Facinelli, Liz Reaser, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Ashley Greene chat with the press

By Daniel Fienberg Saturday, Jun 12, 2010 2:48 PM

<p> The Cullens of 'Twilight Saga: Eclipse'</p>

 The Cullens of 'Twilight Saga: Eclipse'

Credit: Summit

12:21 p.m. PT Robert Pattinson only just left us, but now we're rushing The Cullens in.

12:23 p.m. Peter Facinelli, Liz Reaser, Nikki Reed, Jackson Rathbone, Ashley Greene, Kellan Lutz after the break...

Read Full Post

'Twilight Saga: Eclipse' Press Conference Live Blog: Robert Pattinson

Everybody's favorite brooding vampire talks to the press on Saturday morning

By Daniel Fienberg Saturday, Jun 12, 2010 2:40 PM

<p>Robert Pattinson of 'Twilight Saga: Eclipse'</p>

Robert Pattinson of 'Twilight Saga: Eclipse'

Credit: Summit

11:33 a.m. PT Well, we've covered Mr. Taylor Lauter. We've covered Ms. Kristen Stewart. Up next? Well, that would be Mr. Robert Pattinson. Y'all probably would want some live-blogging about him, right?

11:38 a.m. No? Nobody wants Robert Pattinson? Oh well.

11:38 a.m. I'm KIDDING! Rob live-blogging after the break...

Read Full Post

'Twilight Saga: Eclipse' Press Conference Live Blog: Kristen Stewart

Everybody's favorite indecisive Bella talks to the press on Saturday morning

By Daniel Fienberg Saturday, Jun 12, 2010 2:01 PM

<p>Kristen Stewart of 'Twilight Saga: Eclipse'</p>

Kristen Stewart of 'Twilight Saga: Eclipse'

Credit: Summit

11:01 a.m. PT As I've already mentioned, Summit has allowed for video recording at the "Twilight Saga: Eclipse" press conferences. And as I've already said, I, alas, do not have a video camera. What I *do* have is fast-ish fingers and a [currently] reliable Internet connection. So follow along as I live-blog today's various press conferences. Taylor Lautner was first. Up second... Kristen Stewart, after the break.

Read Full Post

'Twilight Saga: Eclipse' Press Conference Live Blog: Taylor Lautner

Everybody's favorite buff werewolf talks to the press on Saturday morning

By Daniel Fienberg Saturday, Jun 12, 2010 1:28 PM

<p>Taylor Lautner of 'Twilight Saga: Eclipse'</p>

Taylor Lautner of 'Twilight Saga: Eclipse'

Credit: Summit

10:25 a.m. PT Summit has allowed for video recording at the "Twilight Saga: Eclipse" press conferences. I, alas, do not have a video camera. What I *do* have is fast-ish fingers and a [currently] reliable Internet connection. So follow along as I live-blog today's various press conferences. Up first... Taylor Lautner, after the break.

Read Full Post

TV Review: Bravo's 'Work of Art: The Next Great Artist'

This is not a very good mechanism to uncover a great new artist

By Daniel Fienberg Wednesday, Jun 9, 2010 7:55 PM

<p>These people know how to appreciate great art very quickly.</p>

These people know how to appreciate great art very quickly.

Credit: Bravo
A questionable concept executed without any inspiration, Bravo's "Work of Art: The Next Great Artist" may finally be a bridge too far when it comes to the cookie cutter competition shows churned out by the Magical Elves production company.
 
Your tolerance for "Work of Art" will likely boil down together you think that true art is something best created, appreciated and understood in a competition setting and whether attempting to compare, contrast and rank these hastily conceived and created works has anything to do with the way art has been evaluated over the centuries or a validity for how such work should be evaluated in the future. 
 
For me, every second of "Work of Art" was specious and intellectually insulting, but I guess it comes down to how (or if) you approach art at all.
 
"My approach to art is purely physical. I normally know in the first split second if it's a great work or not," mentor Simon De Pury tells the camera.
 
I, myself, do not usually know in the first split second if I'm looking at a great work or not. I find that the art I have the most immediate and visceral reaction to is rarely the art that lingers in my memory and that I find myself seeking out in the future. Or, at the very least, I find that art requires contemplation, especially the art that's most challenging. And if the art is challenging, I don't want to have every little bit of it explained to me by the artist or by a curator, because otherwise, my involvement in the art is completely passive and steered. But maybe my problem is that I'm just not as trained as De Pury and I lack his ability to instantly assimilate and process art, without any required contemplation and deliberation.
 
If you're as primitive as I must be, you're also going to be annoyed by "Work of Art." If you fall into the De Pury camp, you still probably won't enjoy "Work of Art," unless you also think that the best way to appreciate art is in glossy books or still pictures on the Internet. 
 
[Full review of "Work of Art" after the break...]
Read Full Post

Listen: Firewall & Iceberg Podcast No. 20

Daniel Fienberg and Alan Sepinwall discuss 'Justified,' 'Glee,' 'True Blood' and 'Undeclared'

By Daniel Fienberg Wednesday, Jun 9, 2010 6:54 PM

<p>Joe Manganiello and Anna Paquin of HBO's 'True Blood' </p>

Joe Manganiello and Anna Paquin of HBO's 'True Blood' 

Credit: John P. Johnson/HBO

The

 
Happy Wednesday. It's time for another summer episode of The Firewall & Iceberg Podcast.
 
This week, we covered the finales of "Justified" and "Glee," the return of HBO's "True Blood" and two episodes of "Undeclared."
 
Here's what came up:
 
"Justified" finale -- 00:30 - 11:30
"Glee" finale plus Reader Mail -- 12:00 - 25:10
"True Blood" -- 25:15 - 35:05
"Undeclared" -- 35:10 - 47:00
 
 
As always, you can subscribe to The Firewall & Iceberg Podcast over at the iTunes Store, where you can also rate us and comment on us. [Or you can always follow our RSS Feed.]
 
And here's this week's podcast...
Read Full Post

TV Review: ABC Family's 'Pretty Little Liars'

Casting problems dog ABC Family's latest attempt to expand its brand

By Daniel Fienberg Tuesday, Jun 8, 2010 1:59 AM

<p>The stars of ABC Family's 'Pretty Little Liars'</p>

The stars of ABC Family's 'Pretty Little Liars'

Credit: ABC Family
Summertime is ABC Family time, as far as I'm concerned. I've discovered over the past year that if you program "Greek" in the summer, I'll watch episodes, but otherwise I can't find the time. I've discovered that if you put "Make It or Break It" or "10 Things I Hate About You" during the summer, I'll watch them, but otherwise I won't find the time. There's a whole, wide assortment of shows where I'm constantly aware I'm not demo-appropriate that seem palatable in those interludes where my biggest network TV responsibilities are buffering the first hour of a two-hour "So You Think You Can Dance" performance episode before zipping through on my DVR.
 
That's why even though I'm clearly not the target audience for ABC Family's new "Pretty Dirty Liars," I'm definitely a viable alternative audience, as a viewer with a pretty fair tolerance for guilty pleasures between June and August. 
 
Unfortunately, in its pilot at least, "Pretty Little Liars" just isn't cutting it. An uneven hybrid of "Gossip Girl," "Desperate Housewives" and "I Know What You Did Last Summer," the ensemble drama suffers from clunky dialogue, over-hasty plotting and several pieces of poor casting.
 
I can't rule out watching a second episode, but even after one hour, my interest is waning.
 
[Full review, keeping in mind my way-out-of-the-demo perspective, after the break...]
Read Full Post

TV Review: NBC's 'Persons Unknown'

'Usual Suspects' scribe Christopher McQuarrie sets up a mystery, but pay off is weeks away

By Daniel Fienberg Monday, Jun 7, 2010 1:57 AM

<p>The cast of NBC's 'Persons Unknown'</p>

The cast of NBC's 'Persons Unknown'

Credit: NBC

A couple weeks back, Sepinwall discussed -- not for the first time and not for the last -- the concept of the bottle episode, a single-set, one-off episode devised to save budget within a contained run of a series. He called the "Fly" episode of "Breaking Bad" one of the best bottle shows ever and I'm not inclined to disagree.

In this era of closely monitored TV budgets and year-round scheduling, it shouldn't be surprising that we're finally being treated to a full-on bottle *series*, in the form of NBC's "Persons Unknown," which premieres on Monday (June 7) night.
 
Shot in Mexico and featuring a cast that mixes familiar faces (but not household names) and relative newcomers, "Persons Unknown" is the latest piece of internationally financed production trickery from Fox Television Studios, following in the footsteps of shows like "Mental," "Defying Gravity" and ABC's upcoming "The Gates." 
 
Thanks to a tight script by Oscar winner Christopher McQuarrie ("The Usual Suspects") and savvy direction from Michael Rymer ("Battlestar Galactica"), "Persons Unknown" establishes its familiar premise with a tight proficiency. 
 
For a show like "Persons Unknown," though, the pilot is the easy part. Getting audiences intrigued for one week shouldn't be hard. And it succeeds. Providing enough twists and turns and creativity to fill subsequent episodes will be the challenge. Having only seen the pilot? Who knows.
 
Review after the break...
Read Full Post

The Fien Print's 2010 Television Critics Association Awards ballot

The Fien Print goes through the TCA Awards nominations and explains his votes

By Daniel Fienberg Saturday, Jun 5, 2010 10:21 PM

<p>Bryan Cranston of 'Breaking Bad'</p>

Bryan Cranston of 'Breaking Bad'

Credit: AMC

The Television Critics Association Awards nominees for the 2009-2010 season were announced on Thursday (June 3). 

I let Sepinwall break down the nominations on Thursday, before he'd actually filled out his ballot. Today, I'm going through my own thoughts on each individual category, including the votes I actually cast. Feel free to comment on mock as you see fit.

Note that the TCA allows for two votes, one vote or zero votes per category. This year, I mostly cast multiple votes per category, but I had at least one singe-vote and at least one abstention. 

Click through for the nominations and my votes...

Read Full Post

Listen: Firewall & Iceberg Podcast No. 19

Daniel Fienberg and Alan Sepinwall discuss 'Burn Notice,' 'Royal Pains,' 'Undeclared' and more

By Daniel Fienberg Wednesday, Jun 2, 2010 5:43 PM

<p>Jay Baruchel of 'Undeclared'</p>

Jay Baruchel of 'Undeclared'

Credit: FOX

The

 
Happy Wednesday. It's time for our first summer episode of The Firewall & Iceberg Podcast.
 
Due to the series premiere of "Are We Done Yet?," the returns of "Burn Notice" and "Royal Pains," our summer viewing of "Undeclared" and at least three different pieces of Listener Mail -- email questions to dan@hitfix.com and sepinwall@hitfix.com -- we still ended up finding plenty to chat about this week.
 
Here's what came up:
 
"Are We Done Yet?" -- 02:19 - 9:25
"Burn Notice" -- 9:25 - 13:30
"Royal Pains" -- 13:30 - 19:10
Listener Mail! -- 19:20 - 39:00
"Undeclared" -- 39:00 - 49:50
 
 
As always, you can subscribe to The Firewall & Iceberg Podcast over at the iTunes Store, where you can also rate us and comment on us. [Or you can always follow our RSS Feed.]
 
And here's this week's podcast...
Read Full Post
1 30 60 90 120 121 122 124 126 127 128 137 147 157 167

Get Instant Alerts on Breaking News

Recent Activity on Facebook
Most Popular on Facebook
Top Stories From Around the Web
About HitFix

HitFix delivers the Movie, Music, TV and Awards and general entertainment news that fans care about most, without the gossip or celebrity scandal. Our nationally-recognized, tastemaker journalists provide the latest breaking news, analysis, reviews, recaps, interviews and exclusives 24 hours a day while our proprietary localized Event Calendar and mobile apps allow consumers to stay up to the minute while managing their entertainment lives. Find out What’s Next In Entertainment with HitFix.

Advertise on HitFix
Subscribe to HitFix

Get the latest headlines & updates in your inbox

Popular Topics

© Copyright HitFix.com. All rights reserved. Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy