New Releases for the week of January 18 - 24
Annabelle
John (Horton) presents his expectant wife with a rare, vintage doll clad in a white wedding dress. Mia (Wallis) is initially thrilled with her gift -- until it takes on terrifying properties. One night, their home is invaded by members of a satanic cult, and the couple is brutally attacked. After they move, it becomes clear that malevolent forces have followed them to their new home, and they haven’t escaped the horror that appears to be connected to the doll.
Director: John R. Leonetti. Stars: Annabelle Wallis, Ward Horton, Tony Amendola, Alfre Woodard. 2014. 99 min. Horror.
The Drop
Lonely bartender Bob Saginowski (Hardy) works in his heavy-handed cousin’s (Gandolfini) bar, which serves as a covert money drop to funnel cash to local gangsters. When a heist goes bad, Bob gets caught up in the ensuing criminal conspiracy and investigation into the neighborhood’s past. In addition, he rescues a wounded pit bull puppy from a garbage can and finds himself the target of the dog’s abusive and unstable former owner.
Director: Michaël R. Roskam. Stars: Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, James Gandolfini. 2014. 106 min. Crime.
The Boxtrolls
The Boxtrolls are a tribe of subterranean monsters who creep out of the sewers at night to steal children and cheese -- or so the people of Cheesebridge believe. In reality, the Boxtrolls are a fun-loving community of junk-collecting tinkers who live beneath the streets of the Victorian town. Among their numbers is Eggs (Hempstead Wright), a human orphaned boy whom the Boxtrolls have raised as one of their own. When a nasty pest exterminator is set on destroying the Boxtrolls, Eggs and adventurous Winnie (Fanning) must help bring the two worlds together.
Directors: Graham Annable, Anthony Stacchi. Stars: Ben Kingsley, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Elle Fanning, Toni Collette, Jared Harris, Tracy Morgan. 2014. 96 min. Animation.
The Zero Theorem
An eccentric and reclusive computer genius is obsessively working on a mysterious project personally delegated to him by a shadowy figure known as "Management," aimed at discovering the meaning of life, or the complete lack of one, once and for all.
Director: Terry Gilliam. Stars: Christoph Waltz, Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton. 2014. 107 min. Sci-fi.
Late Laughs for the week of January 18 - 24, 2015
Jimmy Kimmel Live: Jimmy Kimmel
Hey, can you guess which musician made the most money this year? The answer is Dr. Dre. Dr. Dre earned $620 million between June of this year and June of last. See? That is why it pays to go to medical school.
According to "Forbes" magazine, $620 million is the most money any musician has ever made in a single year. The second-highest paid musician was Beyoncé. She made $115 million ... slacker.
The Great White Chop: 'Chopped' heads North for a second season
Rob Thomas, Bryan Simmons, Erin Harris and Jack Demers as seen in “Chopped Canada”
You have been chopped! Since 2007, those words have been uttered by host and TV personality Ted Allen each time a contestant is eliminated from competition in “Chopped,” the Food Network’s reigning star of cooking competitions.
Togetherness, on HBO
Alex (Steve Zissis) is in a funk and Tina (Amanda Peet) tries to snap him out of it by recruiting him to help her with her business. At the same time, Brett's (Mark Duplass) creative instincts rub his co-workers the wrong way, which gets him into trouble.
Colbert come lately: TV’s late-night shakeup is nearly complete
Stephen Colbert and David Letterman as seen in “The Late Show With David Letterman”
Colbert come lately: The seismic shakeup of the late night TV landscape is continuing, and with Jimmy Fallon having hold of the reins of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” for nearly a year, CBS’s rival fare, “The Late Show,” is moving forward with its own after-dark plans.
Whitney, on Lifetime
Director Angela Bassett shines a light on the troubled life of music industry icon Whitney Houston (Yaya DaCosta) in the premiere made-for-television movie. The film chronicles the tumultuous relationship between Houston and her husband Bobby Brown (Arlen Escarpeta).
Recaps for the week of January 12 - 16
Jacob Young stars in “The Bold and the Beautiful”
The Bold and the Beautiful
Maya and Caroline go back and forth about which one of them loves Rick more and which will end up with him in the end. Maya is offended by Carter's suggestion that she is just a rebound relationship, and she vows that she will prove to everyone that she's worthy of being a member of the Forrester family. In spite of Caroline warning him to stay out of it, Ridge tries to talk to Rick about his poor treatment of Caroline. Rick balks at the advice and rehashes all of the broken hearts Ridge has been responsible for over the years. Later, Ridge tells Caroline not to bother fighting a losing battle and then points out that there are no more barriers to them pursuing a relationship together. Caroline responds by saying she needs time to figure out what she really wants. Meanwhile, Ivy and Aly bond over their family's history and share a few laughs at Rick and Maya's expense. At the same time, Rick and Maya get cozy between the sheets.
Days of Our Lives
Melanie and Brady decide not to tell anyone about their relationship, but it isn't long before someone catches them kissing. A hospital press conference takes a shocking turn, leaving Jordan feeling hurt and betrayed. As Hope starts to realize that Aiden isn't giving her the full story, Aiden decides to cut all ties with his past. Eve is tempted to tell Jennifer about sleeping with JJ, but later, JJ makes a big confession to Jennifer. Later, Eve suggests to Paige that they leave Salem. Meanwhile, Paul hopes to win Sonny back by telling him the truth. Adrienne finds herself laughing for the first time in a long time after spending some time with Lucas. After presenting Rafe with a new job opportunity, Victor gets into a showdown with Clyde over business. Later, Clyde drops a bomb on Jordan about her mother's death and forces her to face a traumatic memory she's repressed. Nicole is tempted by an offer of information on Serena from an anonymous source.
General Hospital
Michael brings Fluke up to speed about his project, while Julian provides Sonny with an update on Fluke. Later, Sonny has Shawn follow Fluke. Anna finds that her career is in trouble, while some nefarious goings-on take place that lead up to the runoff election. After receiving another task from Helena, Jake is interrupted by Elizabeth. Helena and Nikolas decide to work together to achieve their goals. Sam prepares for a date with Patrick after the two make amends. Michael presents Rosalie with a job offer. Dante walks in on Johnny and Lulu while they are discussing a business opportunity.
The Young and the Restless
Lauren and Michael decide to open up to their friends and reveal Michael's struggle with cancer. Kevin asks Mariah to be honest about what she really wants for once. Nick confides in Avery, while Devon is shocked when he learns of the latest news about Neil and Hilary. Meanwhile, Ashley isn't pleased at all when Victoria shows up at the lab with Stitch at her side. As Sharon decides to make a fresh start, Austin accepts a new job. Victor asks Jack why he's suddenly bringing up Adam now during a heated confrontation between them. Later, Nikki faces a deep internal struggle with her drinking, and she lashes out at Victor. Adam grows concerned that Chelsea is slipping further and further away from him. Phyllis is stunned by a discovery that she makes.
12 Monkeys, on Syfy
Aaron Stanford stars as a time-traveler who sets out to stop the release of a deadly plague that will decimate the human race. Based on Terry Gilliam’s feature film of the same name, the series also stars Amanda Schull and Noah Bean.
Q: I've heard a few references on "Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.," and some of the other Marvel things, to the "Howling Commandos." Should I know who they are?
Well, whether or not you should know about Captain America's go-to military team is up to you, but you definitely could, if you paid close enough attention.
