Q: I just saw the new Hallmark Christmas movie "I'm Not Ready for Christmas" and I loved it. The star, who played Holly, looks really familiar to me, but I can't figure out why. Can you help?
There are a lot of reasons why Alicia Witt might look familiar to you, but if you're a regular fan of made-for-TV Christmas movies, that's a pretty good clue -- this is her fourth.
Q: I was watching "Flowers in the Attic" and thought the girl who played Cathy looked like Hermione from the "Harry Potter" movies. Is there any relation?
There's no blood relation between Kiernan Shipka, who played Cathy in the 2014 remake of "Flowers in the Attic," and Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the "Harry Potter" franchise. There is, however, a relation in terms of career trajectory: they both found fame at an extremely young age and seem to have managed it well so far.
Q: I was watching "Flowers in the Attic" and thought the girl who played Cathy looked like Hermione from the Harry Potter movies. Is there any relation?
There's no blood relation between Kiernan Shipka, who played Cathy in the 2014 remake of "Flowers in the Attic," and Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter franchise. There is, however, a relation in terms of career trajectory: they both found fame at an extremely young age and seem to have managed it well so far.
Bells are ringing: More angels get their wings as NBC airs 'It's a Wonderful Life'
Jimmy Stewart and Donna Reed star in “It’s a Wonderful Life”
It’s an iconic movie that holds a special place in viewers' hearts, and with one of the most memorable lines in cinema, “It’s a Wonderful Life” is a true Christmas classic. Found in homes across the world at this time of year, it airs again this Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, on NBC.
New Releases for the week of December 20 - 26
Black Mass
Based on a true story, this film takes an in-depth look at the man who controlled the criminal underworld in Boston for decades. Starting in the mid-'70s, James “Whitey” Bulger (Depp) brought Boston to its knees thanks in part to friend -- and less-than-ethical FBI agent -- John Connolly (Edgerton). When a member of Bulger's gang is murdered by the mafia, Bulger becomes an FBI informant, feeding the agency information about the various criminal elements at work in the city. Meanwhile, he uses info given to him by Connolly to eliminate his opponents. However, after almost two decades of ruling the city, an internal investigation and front page story in the Boston Globe bring Bulger's empire crashing to the ground.
Director: Scott Cooper. Stars: Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Rory Cochrane, Dakota Johnson. 2015. 122 min. Crime.
Dragon Blade
In ancient China, a legion of defecting soldiers from the Roman Empire, led by a general named Tiberius (Cusack), arrives at the gates of a village along the Silk Road. After a lukewarm reception results in a duel between Tiberius and the local captain of the guard, Huo An (Chan), Tiberius warns that the corrupt Consul Lucius (Brody), who killed his and Tiberius' father, is on his way to the village with an army of 100,000 to claim the Silk Road for themselves. Huo An and the Chinese join forces with both Tiberius' army and a ragtag group of other troops who have a stake in the Silk Road to fight back against Lucius.
Director: Daniel Lee. Stars: John Cusack, Jackie Chan, Adrien Brody, Si Won Choi, Peng Lin. 2015. 127 min. Action.
Pawn Sacrifice
In 1972, at the very height of the Cold War, American chess prodigy Bobby Fischer (Maguire) played his Russian counterpart, Boris Spassky (Schreiber), in what would go on to be called the Match of the Century. For a month and a half, the two men challenged each other on the chess board in an epic battle of minds, attracting more attention than any other chess match in history, and helped distract the world from the frightening realities of the Cold War.
Director: Edward Zwick. Stars: Tobey Maguire, Liev Schreiber, Lily Rabe, Peter Sarsgaard, Robin Weigert. 2014. 115 min. Drama.
Christmas clash: Celebrities duke it out in Yule food feud
Andy Richter hosts "Celebrity Food Fight"
Late Laughs for the week of December 20 - 26, 2015
Late Night With Seth Meyers
A new poll found that 54 percent of Americans say it’s too early to be playing Christmas music. I couldn’t agree more. Now let’s talk about the 2016 presidential race.
Donald Trump said in an interview that it is highly unlikely that he would ever use nuclear weapons as president. Meanwhile, Ben Carson said, “Hey, what does this button do?”
'Tis the season: Hallmark floods the airwaves with Christmas cheer
Danica McKellar stars in “Crown for Christmas”
'Tis the season: If you're looking for feel-good TV -- and many of us are this time of year -- look no further than Hallmark Channel. The epitome of Christmas spirit, the cable network has been airing Christmas movies and specials non-stop since the beginning of November, many of which are brand new Hallmark originals.
Saturday Night Live, on NBC
Tina Fey and Amy Poehler step onto the Studio 8H stage for the first time together as the headlining hosts in this new episode. Bruce Springsteen rocks out as the musical guest for the popular sketch comedy's last installment of 2015.
Recaps for the week of December 14 - 18
Rena Sofer and Sean Kanan in a scene from “The Bold and the Beautiful”
The Bold and the Beautiful
Eric, Rick, Maya, Nicole and Zende all wonder how Ivy's accident will affect Steffy's future at Forrester Creations. Steffy's confrontational behavior accidentally places Ivy back in a perilous predicament. Wyatt and Liam try to come to grips with Ivy's current legal control over Steffy. When Lt. Baker hears of Ivy's most recent scare, he pays an unexpected and unwelcome visit to Liam and Steffy. Liam decides that he'll do whatever it takes to make things right between Steffy and Ivy. When Liam reaches out to Ivy about making peace with Steffy, Ivy throws him a curve ball. Meanwhile, Sasha arrives in town unexpectedly, which makes some people happy and others uncomfortable. Zende runs into Sasha at the Forrester design office. Nicole and Zende's passion for one another grows, but it soon hits a bump in the road. Julius is quick to place the blame on Rick and Maya when he notices that Nicole is upset with Zende.
Days of Our Lives
Hope is forced into a difficult situation as she tries to rescue Ciara, and Rafe fears she's gone too far. Soon, Rafe arrests Hope for murder. Kayla is horrified when she comes face to face with Ava and tells her to get lost, but Ava, shares some news that gives Kayla pause. Philip urges Victor to make a big business decision, while Belle lets Brady in on a big secret. Old feelings get stirred up when Belle runs into Philip. Theresa tries to convince Brady to take his life in a new direction. Meanwhile, Gabi and JJ decide to get to know each other better by going out on a date. Abigail and Chad solidify their bond with a special night together, but Chad leaves Abigail devastated when he breaks things off. Later, Abigail gets some good news about Thomas. Andre takes matters into his own hands when Chad rejects his plan to help the family, and carries out his scheme using his unwitting brother. Eduardo makes a shocking admission to John, and is able to shed more light on his past.
General Hospital
Jason makes his intentions known, though he remains torn between the man he once was and the man he is now. After Dante reaches out to Lulu, he attempts to set someone on a better path. While Nikolas gets what's coming to him, Liz gets some comforting advice from an unexpected source. Johnny learns what Valerie's weakness is. Patrick finds a clue to Robin's captors and he and Anna seek help in their search for Robin. Later, Robin's loved ones learn of her fate. The fundraiser holiday gala kicks off in style.
The Young and the Restless
Adam tells Sage to let Nick love her, but Sage believes that she and Nick will only hurt one another. Nick confides in Dr. Anderson that he feels he should've given Sage more space after the loss of their baby, and Dr. Anderson, in turn, opens up to Nick about her past. Later, Chelsea grows concerned that Adam will do anything to remain in Victor's good graces. After Sage has a run-in with Victor, Adam tells her that he'll deal with his father. Abby becomes upset when Ashley and Victor begin fighting while she and Stitch are trying to plan their wedding, and Victor suggests they postpone their big day. Billy upsets Victoria when he shows up hung over for his play date with the kids. Later, he begs for one more chance to make things right with Victoria.