Other than making records, what do Green Day, the Notorious B.I.G., classic crooners Perry Como and Johnny Mathis, Latin music giant Héctor Lavoe, and the late Bill Withers have in common? Not much, until today: Works by all those musicians, and over a dozen more, were announced as the latest additions to the Library of Congress’ National Recording Registry.
Signed off on by then-president Bill Clinton in 2000, the Registry has aimed to collect recordings —musical performances, speeches, and other audio — deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically important.” The first...
Signed off on by then-president Bill Clinton in 2000, the Registry has aimed to collect recordings —musical performances, speeches, and other audio — deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically important.” The first...
- 4/16/2024
- by David Browne
- Rollingstone.com
Anne Whitfield has sadly passed away at the age of 85.
The actress was best known for her role as Susan Waverly in the classic holiday film White Christmas, which just celebrated its 70th anniversary.
Keep reading to find out more…
Anne “passed away on February 15, 2024, surrounded by family at Valley Memorial Hospital after suffering an unexpected accident while on a walk in her neighborhood,” according to her obituary.
The obit added, “Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish.”
After her breakout role at age 15 in White Christmas, Anne starred mostly on television shows for the remainder of her acting career. Her other credits include The Six Million Dollar Man, The Donna Reed Show, and The Untouchables.
We’re sending our thoughts and condolences to Anne‘s loved ones during this difficult time.
The actress was best known for her role as Susan Waverly in the classic holiday film White Christmas, which just celebrated its 70th anniversary.
Keep reading to find out more…
Anne “passed away on February 15, 2024, surrounded by family at Valley Memorial Hospital after suffering an unexpected accident while on a walk in her neighborhood,” according to her obituary.
The obit added, “Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish.”
After her breakout role at age 15 in White Christmas, Anne starred mostly on television shows for the remainder of her acting career. Her other credits include The Six Million Dollar Man, The Donna Reed Show, and The Untouchables.
We’re sending our thoughts and condolences to Anne‘s loved ones during this difficult time.
- 3/1/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Anne Whitfield, who appeared at age 15 in the 1954 Hollywood Christmas chestnut White Christmas and went on to a prolific career in episodic TV throughout the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s, died February 15 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington. She was 85.
The actor, whose TV credits stretch from I Married Joan and Father Knows Best through The Six Million Dollar Man and Adam-12, suffered what her family describes as an “unexpected accident” during a walk in her neighborhood.
“Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish,” her family said.
Born August 27, 1938, in Oxford, Mississippi, Whitfield was four years old when she moved to Hollywood with her mother Frances Turner Whitfield, who served as the aspiring child performer’s agent and acting coach. By age 7 Whitfield was appearing on such radio series as...
The actor, whose TV credits stretch from I Married Joan and Father Knows Best through The Six Million Dollar Man and Adam-12, suffered what her family describes as an “unexpected accident” during a walk in her neighborhood.
“Through the kindness of neighbors who provided expert medical support, family had the gift to say goodbye and express love and gratitude, a gift we will always cherish,” her family said.
Born August 27, 1938, in Oxford, Mississippi, Whitfield was four years old when she moved to Hollywood with her mother Frances Turner Whitfield, who served as the aspiring child performer’s agent and acting coach. By age 7 Whitfield was appearing on such radio series as...
- 2/29/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Anne Whitfield, who appeared in the beloved holiday classic White Christmas and on dozens of TV shows, from Father Knows Best, 77 Sunset Strip and Perry Mason to That Girl, Ironside and Emergency!, has died. She was 85.
Whitfield died Feb. 7 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington, after suffering an “unexpected accident” while on a walk in her neighborhood, family members announced.
“She was a powerhouse in life, and we hope her immense positive energy flows out to those who had the pleasure of knowing her,” they wrote.
Whitfield was 15 and had done lots of acting on the radio when she was cast as Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Dean Jagger’s Major Gen. Thomas F. Waverly — “The Old Man” — in the Michael Curtiz-directed Paramount musical White Christmas (1954). The film starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.
She got to watch White Christmas with her family on the...
Whitfield died Feb. 7 at a hospital in Yakima, Washington, after suffering an “unexpected accident” while on a walk in her neighborhood, family members announced.
“She was a powerhouse in life, and we hope her immense positive energy flows out to those who had the pleasure of knowing her,” they wrote.
Whitfield was 15 and had done lots of acting on the radio when she was cast as Susan Waverly, the granddaughter of Dean Jagger’s Major Gen. Thomas F. Waverly — “The Old Man” — in the Michael Curtiz-directed Paramount musical White Christmas (1954). The film starred Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.
She got to watch White Christmas with her family on the...
- 2/29/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
New York’s Tectonic Theater Project and its founding artistic director Moisés Kaufman are speaking out against a recent decision by a Texas high school board to cancel a student production of Tectonic’s widely performed The Laramie Project.
The 2000 play, which was adapted as a feature film in 2002, is about the reaction to the 1998 murder of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming.
“When the administration of the Timber Creek High School cancels a production of The Laramie Project, it’s telling the LGBTQ students that their stories are unwelcome, that they should refrain from speaking their truth and that that community is not willing to listen,” Kaufman said in the statement. “This is a terrible thing to do to any minority.
“The Laramie Project has been performed in thousands of universities and high schools around the world,” he continues. “The only logical reason to censor...
The 2000 play, which was adapted as a feature film in 2002, is about the reaction to the 1998 murder of gay University of Wyoming student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming.
“When the administration of the Timber Creek High School cancels a production of The Laramie Project, it’s telling the LGBTQ students that their stories are unwelcome, that they should refrain from speaking their truth and that that community is not willing to listen,” Kaufman said in the statement. “This is a terrible thing to do to any minority.
“The Laramie Project has been performed in thousands of universities and high schools around the world,” he continues. “The only logical reason to censor...
- 2/28/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
For so many reasons, George Lucas' 1977 "Star Wars" is a revolutionary film. Like any game-changer, some of the ways in which "Star Wars" re-shaped the cinematic landscape couldn't have been predicted; its ushering in a huge wave of big budget sci-fi/fantasy films, its one-two punch with "Jaws" establishing the summer blockbuster, its use of Joseph Campbell-inspired myth making shaping the way so many screenplays would be written for the next few decades, and so on.
However, some of the innovations created by "Star Wars" were very visible while it was being made, none more so than by Lucas himself. In addition to gathering together a cadre of visual-effects pioneers and wizards who could make his vision a reality on screen (a coterie later dubbed Industrial Light & Magic), Lucas faced the problem of making sure their work could be seen in its best light, literally. As Paul Hirsch, one of...
However, some of the innovations created by "Star Wars" were very visible while it was being made, none more so than by Lucas himself. In addition to gathering together a cadre of visual-effects pioneers and wizards who could make his vision a reality on screen (a coterie later dubbed Industrial Light & Magic), Lucas faced the problem of making sure their work could be seen in its best light, literally. As Paul Hirsch, one of...
- 2/18/2024
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Pictured: Hulk, The Mummy, The Karate Kid, Kung-Fu Panda
A New Year means lots of removals from Netflix and January 1st is looking busy, with over 100 movies set to leave the service already. Below, we’ll be keeping track of all the Netflix departures for the first month of 2024.
First, a few housekeeping notes as to how Netflix removals work before we dive in. Due to licensing agreements, shows and movies added to Netflix aren’t added forever. Instead, they’re essentially rented for a fixed period. All the shows below have their current window on Netflix ending and will likely be bound for a rival streaming service.
We list titles slightly differently from other outlets, with our listings being the actual day of removal. If you want to watch any titles scheduled to expire on January 1st, for example, you’ll need to watch by the end of December 31st.
A New Year means lots of removals from Netflix and January 1st is looking busy, with over 100 movies set to leave the service already. Below, we’ll be keeping track of all the Netflix departures for the first month of 2024.
First, a few housekeeping notes as to how Netflix removals work before we dive in. Due to licensing agreements, shows and movies added to Netflix aren’t added forever. Instead, they’re essentially rented for a fixed period. All the shows below have their current window on Netflix ending and will likely be bound for a rival streaming service.
We list titles slightly differently from other outlets, with our listings being the actual day of removal. If you want to watch any titles scheduled to expire on January 1st, for example, you’ll need to watch by the end of December 31st.
- 12/31/2023
- by Kasey Moore
- Whats-on-Netflix
Oh, we are just up to our ass in this debate again, John? Even 35 years after its release, 1988’s Die Hard is as cited around the holiday season as often as Home Alone and A Christmas Story. And that comes down to two sides: you either watch it every year or you argue why it’s not a Christmas movie. As it turns out, co-writer Steven E. de Souza is at least in support of those in the former camp.
Posting on social media over this holiday weekend, de Souza stated (with tongue in cheek?) that not only is Die Hard unequivocally a Christmas movie, it’s even more so than the one where Bing Crosby tap dances with Danny f*ckin’ Kaye. ““White Christmas” is universally acknowledged as a benchmark Christmas movie, so empirical evidence proves “Die Hard” is even *more* Christmas-y.”
For starters, Die Hard takes place entirely during the Christmas holiday – chiefly,...
Posting on social media over this holiday weekend, de Souza stated (with tongue in cheek?) that not only is Die Hard unequivocally a Christmas movie, it’s even more so than the one where Bing Crosby tap dances with Danny f*ckin’ Kaye. ““White Christmas” is universally acknowledged as a benchmark Christmas movie, so empirical evidence proves “Die Hard” is even *more* Christmas-y.”
For starters, Die Hard takes place entirely during the Christmas holiday – chiefly,...
- 12/25/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
The holiday song “White Christmas” is one of the most unforgettable songs of the holiday season. Bing Crosby made it iconic, but did he ever get sick of singing “White Christmas?”
Bing Crosby made ‘White Christmas’ a hit in 1942, but did he get sick of singing it?
The song “White Christmas” was made famous by Bing Crosby in the 1942 Christmas movie Holiday Inn. The “White Christmas” song was adapted twelve years later into a full-length film starring Crosby and Danny Kaye.
The song and film became Crosby’s calling card, despite many other hits synonymous with the singer throughout his career. But in a 1977 interview with Barbara Walters, Crosby revealed his real feelings about the holiday hit.
Walters asked Crosby, “Are you sick of ‘White Christmas?'” He replied, “No, no, I could never be sick of it. I just fear that people will be sick of it.”
Subsequently, Crosby...
Bing Crosby made ‘White Christmas’ a hit in 1942, but did he get sick of singing it?
The song “White Christmas” was made famous by Bing Crosby in the 1942 Christmas movie Holiday Inn. The “White Christmas” song was adapted twelve years later into a full-length film starring Crosby and Danny Kaye.
The song and film became Crosby’s calling card, despite many other hits synonymous with the singer throughout his career. But in a 1977 interview with Barbara Walters, Crosby revealed his real feelings about the holiday hit.
Walters asked Crosby, “Are you sick of ‘White Christmas?'” He replied, “No, no, I could never be sick of it. I just fear that people will be sick of it.”
Subsequently, Crosby...
- 12/24/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Social media users recently marveled that last month marked 20 years since three modern Christmas favorites — New Line’s Elf, Universal’s Love Actually and Miramax’s Bad Santa — all hit theaters within weeks of each other. Two decades later, you don’t need to feel like a cotton-headed ninny-muggins if you’re among those wondering why studios don’t release holiday theatrical offerings in the way they once did.
Although most Christmas films don’t tend to follow the path of, say, 1990’s Home Alone, which topped the domestic box office for a whopping 12 straight weeks, they had typically been a staple of the release calendar, with a handful of titles hitting theaters annually, as recently as the late 2010s. That list includes such 2016 theatrical offerings as Almost Christmas, Bad Santa 2, Office Christmas Party and Why Him?, followed by 2017’s Daddy’s Home 2, A Bad Moms Christmas and animated...
Although most Christmas films don’t tend to follow the path of, say, 1990’s Home Alone, which topped the domestic box office for a whopping 12 straight weeks, they had typically been a staple of the release calendar, with a handful of titles hitting theaters annually, as recently as the late 2010s. That list includes such 2016 theatrical offerings as Almost Christmas, Bad Santa 2, Office Christmas Party and Why Him?, followed by 2017’s Daddy’s Home 2, A Bad Moms Christmas and animated...
- 12/23/2023
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"I can't tell you how good it is... to have all of under the same roof again." Someone over at The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences (AMPAS) really loves mashups. This video plays like one of their montages during the Academy Awards show every year, but this one won't be airing during the broadcast in March. The Academy debuted a short "Happy Holidays from The Academy" mashup video on their YouTube featuring a medley of holiday classics. Aside from all the regulars, they've also got some oddball ones like Christmas with the Kranks, Jingle All the Way, Krampus, and The War With Grandpa. Plus classics like White Christmas, The Apartment, Meet Me in St Louis, and It's a Wonderful Life. It's just a nice celebration of the magic of the movies and how they are connected with the holiday spirit and holiday season. Christmas is just around the corner!
- 12/21/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Paul King’s origin musical starring Timothee Chalamet opened in over 700 locations
RankFilm (distributor)Three-day grossTotal gross to dateWeek 1. Wonka (Warner Bros) £8.9m £8.9m 1 2. Wish (Disney) £1.1m £5.8m 3 3. The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes (Lionsgate) £960,535 £14.8m 4 4. Napoleon (Sony) £950,261 £11.4m 3 5. Saltburn (Amazon/Warner Bros) £417,477 £4.1m 4
Audiences feasted on Warner Bros’ Wonka at the UK and Ireland box office this weekend as the family musical debuted with a sweet £8.9m.
Paul King’s chocolatier origin story opened in 701 venues, making for a solid £12,693 location average. It is one of the stronger openings of the year, narrowly beating out Universal’s Super Mario Bros: The Movie...
RankFilm (distributor)Three-day grossTotal gross to dateWeek 1. Wonka (Warner Bros) £8.9m £8.9m 1 2. Wish (Disney) £1.1m £5.8m 3 3. The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes (Lionsgate) £960,535 £14.8m 4 4. Napoleon (Sony) £950,261 £11.4m 3 5. Saltburn (Amazon/Warner Bros) £417,477 £4.1m 4
Audiences feasted on Warner Bros’ Wonka at the UK and Ireland box office this weekend as the family musical debuted with a sweet £8.9m.
Paul King’s chocolatier origin story opened in 701 venues, making for a solid £12,693 location average. It is one of the stronger openings of the year, narrowly beating out Universal’s Super Mario Bros: The Movie...
- 12/11/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens and Christopher Plummer as Ebenezer Scrooge in ‘The Man Who Invented Christmas’ (Photo by Kerry Brown / Bleecker Street)
Once again, the holidays – or is it holidaze? – are upon us, bringing with it a flurry of Christmas movies.
You have your endless parade of cartoons, specials, Christmas-themed episodes of your favorite TV shows, bad holiday comedies (1996’s Jingle All the Way and 2007’s Fred Claus come to mind), and Christmas-set horror movies (1984’s Gremlins). Then there’s the cheesy yet feel-good Lifetime and Hallmark films. And how can we forget the 24-hour marathon of 1983’s A Christmas Story (celebrating its 40th anniversary this year), beginning on Christmas Eve and ending on Christmas Day?
If those don’t do it for you, maybe these lists of Christmas movies will.
Classic Christmas Movies
You can’t go wrong with these classics, which can lighten the hearts of even the most ardent cynics.
Once again, the holidays – or is it holidaze? – are upon us, bringing with it a flurry of Christmas movies.
You have your endless parade of cartoons, specials, Christmas-themed episodes of your favorite TV shows, bad holiday comedies (1996’s Jingle All the Way and 2007’s Fred Claus come to mind), and Christmas-set horror movies (1984’s Gremlins). Then there’s the cheesy yet feel-good Lifetime and Hallmark films. And how can we forget the 24-hour marathon of 1983’s A Christmas Story (celebrating its 40th anniversary this year), beginning on Christmas Eve and ending on Christmas Day?
If those don’t do it for you, maybe these lists of Christmas movies will.
Classic Christmas Movies
You can’t go wrong with these classics, which can lighten the hearts of even the most ardent cynics.
- 12/9/2023
- by Kurt Anthony Krug
- Showbiz Junkies
(Clockwise from bottom left:) White Christmas (Paramount/Getty Images), Klaus (Netflix), The Christmas Chronicles (Netflix), Falling For Christmas (Netflix)Graphic: The A.V. Club
What makes a classic holiday film? Browsing Netflix’s options, it seems a malleable term; 1954’s White Christmas is as classic as they come, but what...
What makes a classic holiday film? Browsing Netflix’s options, it seems a malleable term; 1954’s White Christmas is as classic as they come, but what...
- 12/9/2023
- by The A.V. Club
- avclub.com
’The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes’ ,‘Wish’ and ’André Rieu’s White Christmas’ also secured top five spots.
Rank Film (distributor) Three-day gross Total gross to date Week 1. Napoleon (Sony) £1.9m £9.3m 2 2. The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes (Lionsgate) £1.7m £13m 3 3. Wish (Disney) £1.4m £4.4m 2 4. Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce (Trafalgar Releasing) £1.1m £1.1m 1 5. André Rieu’s White Christmas (Piece Of Magic Entertainment) £1m £1m 1
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.27
Holdovers and concert films dominated the top of the UK-Ireland box office this weekend, led by Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, alongside strong debuts from...
Rank Film (distributor) Three-day gross Total gross to date Week 1. Napoleon (Sony) £1.9m £9.3m 2 2. The Hunger Games: The Ballad Of Songbirds And Snakes (Lionsgate) £1.7m £13m 3 3. Wish (Disney) £1.4m £4.4m 2 4. Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce (Trafalgar Releasing) £1.1m £1.1m 1 5. André Rieu’s White Christmas (Piece Of Magic Entertainment) £1m £1m 1
Gbp to Usd conversion rate: 1.27
Holdovers and concert films dominated the top of the UK-Ireland box office this weekend, led by Ridley Scott’s Napoleon, alongside strong debuts from...
- 12/4/2023
- by Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce debuts in 568 cinemas while André Rieu’s White Christmas is the widest opener.
Concert films and anniversary screenings dominate the UK and Ireland box office this weekend as Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce opens in 568 cinemas for Trafalgar Releasing.
It is not quite as many locations as Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour which debuted in 651 venues back in October. Swift’s film opened on £5.7m and broke the record for the highest-grossing concert film in the UK, currently standing at around £12m.
Renaissance is directed and produced by Beyonce, through her company Parkwood Entertainment, and...
Concert films and anniversary screenings dominate the UK and Ireland box office this weekend as Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce opens in 568 cinemas for Trafalgar Releasing.
It is not quite as many locations as Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour which debuted in 651 venues back in October. Swift’s film opened on £5.7m and broke the record for the highest-grossing concert film in the UK, currently standing at around £12m.
Renaissance is directed and produced by Beyonce, through her company Parkwood Entertainment, and...
- 12/1/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce debuts in 568 cinemas while André Rieu’s White Christmas is the widest opener.
Concert films and anniversary screenings dominate the UK and Ireland box office this weekend as Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce opens in 568 cinemas for Trafalgar Releasing.
It is not quite as many locations as Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour which debuted in 651 venues back in October. Swift’s film opened on £5.7m and broke the record for the highest-grossing concert film in the UK, currently standing at around £12m.
Renaissance is directed and produced by Beyonce, through her company Parkwood Entertainment, and...
Concert films and anniversary screenings dominate the UK and Ireland box office this weekend as Renaissance: A Film By Beyonce opens in 568 cinemas for Trafalgar Releasing.
It is not quite as many locations as Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour which debuted in 651 venues back in October. Swift’s film opened on £5.7m and broke the record for the highest-grossing concert film in the UK, currently standing at around £12m.
Renaissance is directed and produced by Beyonce, through her company Parkwood Entertainment, and...
- 12/1/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
“Jingle bells.” “White Christmas.” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer.” For his latest concert special, the legendary Barry Manilow doesn’t write all the songs that make the whole world sing — but he performs the heck out of these holiday standards. At 80, the crooner-composer is still going strong with a steady Las Vegas gig, a cover of Mariah Carey’s “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” the new Broadway musical Harmony, and now A Very Barry Christmas. Manilow gives us a peek. What’s the Very Barry scoop? Barry Manilow: What I like most is that I figured out how to put in a handful of my hits with all the Christmas songs I’ve recorded over the years. (Credit: Ethan Miller/Getty Images) Which hits? I did a whole batch of them: “Mandy,” “Weekend in New England,” “Looks Like We Made It,” “I Write the Songs” and “Copacabana.” What’s...
- 11/23/2023
- TV Insider
It’s not just about those repeats of A Christmas Story on TNT anymore.
Multiple linear channels and streamers are getting into the holiday spirit this month and next by dropping original Christmas movies, as well as old favorites and one-off holiday specials. As usual, Hallmark has wall-to-wall flicks planned until the end of the month, but Great American Family, Lifetime and BET have their own original slates as well to help ring in the new year.
And if the classics are all that you are looking for, there are still airings of It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Home Alone, The Santa Cause, The Wizard of Oz and Miracle on 34th Street scheduled for the boomers and Gen Xers.
And yes, on the big days, several channels have do have marathon programming events.
Check it all out below.
November 9
Christmas Angel (BET)
November 10
Everything Christmas...
Multiple linear channels and streamers are getting into the holiday spirit this month and next by dropping original Christmas movies, as well as old favorites and one-off holiday specials. As usual, Hallmark has wall-to-wall flicks planned until the end of the month, but Great American Family, Lifetime and BET have their own original slates as well to help ring in the new year.
And if the classics are all that you are looking for, there are still airings of It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Home Alone, The Santa Cause, The Wizard of Oz and Miracle on 34th Street scheduled for the boomers and Gen Xers.
And yes, on the big days, several channels have do have marathon programming events.
Check it all out below.
November 9
Christmas Angel (BET)
November 10
Everything Christmas...
- 11/6/2023
- by Lynette Rice and Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
While Thanksgiving is still a few weeks away, Kelly Clarkson delivered some holiday tunes to the Kellyoke stage on Friday. Singing “Love, You Didn’t Do Right By Me,” the host paid tribute to Rosemary Clooney, who sang the song in the 1954 film White Christmas.
“My one love affair didn’t get anywhere from the start/To send me a Joe who had winter and snow in his heart wasn’t smart,” sings Clarkson in the rendition. “Love you didn’t do right by me/As they say in the song,...
“My one love affair didn’t get anywhere from the start/To send me a Joe who had winter and snow in his heart wasn’t smart,” sings Clarkson in the rendition. “Love you didn’t do right by me/As they say in the song,...
- 11/4/2023
- by Charisma Madarang
- Rollingstone.com
AMC and AMC+ have more than 650 hours of holiday programming planned for this year’s “Best Christmas Ever” lineup kicking off on November 26 and running through December 26, 2023. The lineup includes classic Christmas films, including Miracle on 34th Street, White Christmas, Elf, and Christmas Vacation. For those who like to celebrate their winter holidays with a serving of horror, Shudder’s offering a new Joe Bob’s Creepy Christmas Special and the original film The Sacrifice Game.
This year’s “Best Christmas Ever” schedule also features Christmas with the Campbells, The Apology, and marathons of John Candy, Reese Witherspoon, and Bill Murray films.
Best Christmas Ever 2023:
The Sacrifice Game – Debuts December 8 on Shudder and AMC+
It’s bad enough that boarding school students Samantha and Clara can’t go home for the holidays, but things take a deadly turn when a murderous gang arrives at their doorstep – just in time for Christmas.
This year’s “Best Christmas Ever” schedule also features Christmas with the Campbells, The Apology, and marathons of John Candy, Reese Witherspoon, and Bill Murray films.
Best Christmas Ever 2023:
The Sacrifice Game – Debuts December 8 on Shudder and AMC+
It’s bad enough that boarding school students Samantha and Clara can’t go home for the holidays, but things take a deadly turn when a murderous gang arrives at their doorstep – just in time for Christmas.
- 11/1/2023
- by Rebecca Murray
- Showbiz Junkies
NBC is celebrating the holidays with an evening of a music legend’s hits and some favorites perfect for the festive season. The network has announced Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas will premiere on Monday, December 11 at 10/9c. (It will be available to stream the next day on Peacock.) The special will be filmed at Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino, where he performs his hit show, “Manilow: Las Vegas – The Hits Come Home!” The evening, with a Vegas-size backdrop and the legend’s renowned 24-piece band, will feature the best of Barry Manilow‘s greatest hits, including “Copacabana,” “Mandy,” “I Write the Songs,” and “Looks Like We Made It,” as well as several holiday favorites such as “Jingle Bells,” “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer,” “Feliz Navidad,” and “White Christmas.” Santa himself may appear. “I love doing our Christmas show! We get to sing my pop hits and favorite Christmas songs,...
- 10/27/2023
- TV Insider
Barry Manilow will star in his own Christmas special this holiday season on NBC.
“Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas,” which will premiere Monday, Dec. 11 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt on NBC, will take fans along as the music legend performs his greatest hits, including “Copacabana,” “Mandy,” “I Write Songs” and “”Looks Like We Made It.”
Filmed at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, where Manilow performs his Las Vegas show, the special will also feature classic holiday songs, from “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” to “Feliz Navidad” and “White Christmas.” The Christmas special will stream on Peacock beginning Dec. 12, day after its NBC broadcast.
“I love doing our Christmas show!” Manilow said in a statement. “We get to sing my pop hits and my favorite Christmas songs. It’s a feel-good hour full of music.”
Releasing 13 No. 1 hits during his seven-decade career, the performer,...
“Barry Manilow’s A Very Barry Christmas,” which will premiere Monday, Dec. 11 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt on NBC, will take fans along as the music legend performs his greatest hits, including “Copacabana,” “Mandy,” “I Write Songs” and “”Looks Like We Made It.”
Filmed at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort and Casino, where Manilow performs his Las Vegas show, the special will also feature classic holiday songs, from “Jingle Bells” and “Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer” to “Feliz Navidad” and “White Christmas.” The Christmas special will stream on Peacock beginning Dec. 12, day after its NBC broadcast.
“I love doing our Christmas show!” Manilow said in a statement. “We get to sing my pop hits and my favorite Christmas songs. It’s a feel-good hour full of music.”
Releasing 13 No. 1 hits during his seven-decade career, the performer,...
- 10/27/2023
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
Tyrannical and brilliant, director Michael Curtiz created film legends out of mere stars, and turned movies into myth. Here are some of his greatest films.
When movie enthusiasts think of legendary director Michael Curtiz, the first thing that pops into their mind is Casablanca (1942), consistently named to, and occasionally topping, lists of the greatest films of all time. Although if we’re being honest, most people think of it as a Humphrey Bogart movie. The same could be said of Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). These are known for their stars, James Cagney, and Errol Flynn, the latter of whom Curtiz put on the map with Captain Blood (1935). In the director’s hands, actors and characters merged into a mythology which exceeded mere signature roles, becoming universal symbols.
Curtiz worked in the motion picture business from its infancy, but began in the theater, graduating Budapest’s...
When movie enthusiasts think of legendary director Michael Curtiz, the first thing that pops into their mind is Casablanca (1942), consistently named to, and occasionally topping, lists of the greatest films of all time. Although if we’re being honest, most people think of it as a Humphrey Bogart movie. The same could be said of Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942) and The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938). These are known for their stars, James Cagney, and Errol Flynn, the latter of whom Curtiz put on the map with Captain Blood (1935). In the director’s hands, actors and characters merged into a mythology which exceeded mere signature roles, becoming universal symbols.
Curtiz worked in the motion picture business from its infancy, but began in the theater, graduating Budapest’s...
- 9/27/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Wonka director Paul King has compared star Timothée Chalamet’s singing voice to Bing Crosby, whose version of “White Christmas” remains the best-selling single of all time.
King shared his effusive praise for Chalamet, who portrays a young Willy Wonka in the film, in an interview with Total Film Magazine. “[Chalamet]’s got a beautiful singing voice,” he said. “The person it reminded me of was Bing Crosby. There’s quite a range, because it does go from a couple of bigger, showstopper-y sort of things, to moments of real, pure emotion and he can do it all… I’m going to sound like a crazed fan.”
Though it sounds like there are big musical moments in the film, King is reluctant to label it as a proper musical. “The Oompa Loompas sing a lot in the book, and Dahl always uses poetry,” he said. “But I didn’t want it...
King shared his effusive praise for Chalamet, who portrays a young Willy Wonka in the film, in an interview with Total Film Magazine. “[Chalamet]’s got a beautiful singing voice,” he said. “The person it reminded me of was Bing Crosby. There’s quite a range, because it does go from a couple of bigger, showstopper-y sort of things, to moments of real, pure emotion and he can do it all… I’m going to sound like a crazed fan.”
Though it sounds like there are big musical moments in the film, King is reluctant to label it as a proper musical. “The Oompa Loompas sing a lot in the book, and Dahl always uses poetry,” he said. “But I didn’t want it...
- 9/11/2023
- by Eddie Fu
- Consequence - Film News
Timothée Chalamet’s “Wonka” director Paul King recently told Total Film magazine that his singing voice in the upcoming Warner Bros. family adventure is “beautiful” and reminiscent of Bing Crosby, whose rendition of “White Christmas” remains the world’s best-selling single of all time with over 100 million sales. Chalamet is playing a younger version of the eponymous chocolatier in the film, which follows Willy Wonka as he attempts to open up his first chocolate shop.
“[Chalamet]’s got a beautiful singing voice,” King said. “The person it reminded me of was Bing Crosby. There’s quite a range, because it does go from a couple of bigger, showstopper-y sort of things, to moments of real, pure emotion and he can do it all… I’m going to sound like a crazed fan.”
Although Chalamet has several musical numbers in the film, King prefers not to describe “Wonka” as a “musical.”
“The...
“[Chalamet]’s got a beautiful singing voice,” King said. “The person it reminded me of was Bing Crosby. There’s quite a range, because it does go from a couple of bigger, showstopper-y sort of things, to moments of real, pure emotion and he can do it all… I’m going to sound like a crazed fan.”
Although Chalamet has several musical numbers in the film, King prefers not to describe “Wonka” as a “musical.”
“The...
- 9/11/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Tl;Dr:
John Lennon said one of his No. 1 songs just came to him. He said it would have sounded clichéd except “now clichés are not clichés anymore.” The tune sounds more like a 1950s Elvis Presley rock ‘n’ roll song than a traditional pop Crosby song.
One of John Lennon‘s No. 1 songs was inspired by Bing Crosby. In addition, it’s a lot more tender than other solo John songs. John revealed what he felt about soft-hearted tunes.
John Lennon wrote 1 of his No. 1 songs when he was in Bermuda
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980. In it, John was asked to start talking about his song “(Just Like) Starting Over.”
“Appropriate enough,” he said. “Á la Bing Crosby. Well, ‘Starting Over’ and ‘Cleanup Time’ were sorta written on the run after I’d...
John Lennon said one of his No. 1 songs just came to him. He said it would have sounded clichéd except “now clichés are not clichés anymore.” The tune sounds more like a 1950s Elvis Presley rock ‘n’ roll song than a traditional pop Crosby song.
One of John Lennon‘s No. 1 songs was inspired by Bing Crosby. In addition, it’s a lot more tender than other solo John songs. John revealed what he felt about soft-hearted tunes.
John Lennon wrote 1 of his No. 1 songs when he was in Bermuda
The book All We Are Saying: The Last Major Interview with John Lennon and Yoko Ono features an interview from 1980. In it, John was asked to start talking about his song “(Just Like) Starting Over.”
“Appropriate enough,” he said. “Á la Bing Crosby. Well, ‘Starting Over’ and ‘Cleanup Time’ were sorta written on the run after I’d...
- 7/25/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Every time a new season of “Black Mirror” debuts, viewers everywhere stop what they’re doing and start feverishly debating which episode was their favorite. (Wars have been started over less.) Emmy voters gave three consecutive Best TV Movie awards to “San Junipero” (2017), “USS Callister” (2018) and “Bandersnatch” (2019), but what does the entire fandom think are the show’s best and worst installments ever? We’ve consulted the cumulative IMDb rankings for all seasons and come up with the definitive list of “Black Mirror” episodes ranked by fans. Can You guess their #1 choice? (Scroll through our photo gallery above or click here for direct access.)
Season 6 was released in June 2023 and brought the total number of episodes and specials to 28. Created by Charlie Brooker, the sci-fi anthology series began on the UK’s Channel 4 in 2011 before moving to Netflix (and becoming a worldwide phenomenon) in 2016. The show took a four-year...
Season 6 was released in June 2023 and brought the total number of episodes and specials to 28. Created by Charlie Brooker, the sci-fi anthology series began on the UK’s Channel 4 in 2011 before moving to Netflix (and becoming a worldwide phenomenon) in 2016. The show took a four-year...
- 6/28/2023
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Every time a new season of “Black Mirror” debuts, viewers everywhere stop what they’re doing and start feverishly debating which episode was their favorite. (Wars have been started over less.) Emmy voters gave three consecutive Best TV Movie awards to “San Junipero” (2017), “USS Callister” (2018) and “Bandersnatch” (2019), but what does the entire fandom think are the show’s best and worst installments ever? We’ve consulted the cumulative IMDb rankings for all seasons and come up with the definitive list of “Black Mirror” episodes ranked by fans. Can You guess their #1 choice?
Season 6 was released in June 2023 and brought the total number of episodes and specials to 28. Created by Charlie Brooker, the sci-fi anthology series began on the UK’s Channel 4 in 2011 before moving to Netflix (and becoming a worldwide phenomenon) in 2016. The show took a four-year break after Season 5, thanks in part to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, but...
Season 6 was released in June 2023 and brought the total number of episodes and specials to 28. Created by Charlie Brooker, the sci-fi anthology series began on the UK’s Channel 4 in 2011 before moving to Netflix (and becoming a worldwide phenomenon) in 2016. The show took a four-year break after Season 5, thanks in part to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic, but...
- 6/28/2023
- by Marcus James Dixon and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Just a few minutes into the first episode of season six of "Black Mirror," titled "Joan Is Awful," the titular character - played by Annie Murphy - walks into a bar to meet her ex-boyfriend. Softly in the background, music plays, the singer crooning, "You can blame me, try to shame me." The song isn't really important to the scene, or even the overall episode plot, but eagle-eared fans of the long-running technology-is-terrifying series from Charlie Brooker certainly may recognize it.
The track in question is a 1964 song performed by Irma Thomas, originally written by Jeannie Seely and Randy Newman (of "Toy Story"–tune fame) and called "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)." It is also a favorite of the "Black Mirror" team: "Joan Is Awful" is the sixth episode of the series that the song has appeared in - it pops up once a season.
Viewers first...
The track in question is a 1964 song performed by Irma Thomas, originally written by Jeannie Seely and Randy Newman (of "Toy Story"–tune fame) and called "Anyone Who Knows What Love Is (Will Understand)." It is also a favorite of the "Black Mirror" team: "Joan Is Awful" is the sixth episode of the series that the song has appeared in - it pops up once a season.
Viewers first...
- 6/19/2023
- by Lindsay Kimble
- Popsugar.com
NBC’s Emmy juggernaut Saturday Night Live entered a pair of episodes for the production design award this season, one hosted by Only Murders in the Building‘s Steve Martin and Martin Short and one hosted by Wednesday star Jenna Ortega.
A nomination, or nominations, would extend the remarkable track record of Eugene Lee, who died in February at age 83 after serving as a production designer on SNL since its 1975 pilot. He has been nominated 17 times for the show, and a posthumous award would give him a seventh Emmy win for the sketch series.
“I was very honored to work with Eugene Lee for 47 years,” says fellow production designer Leo Yoshimura. “Eugene hired me to be his art director on Saturday Night Live in August 1975. I overstayed. I will miss his consummate passion for design. But it is comforting to know that I will still be able to work in Eugene Lee’s television studio.
A nomination, or nominations, would extend the remarkable track record of Eugene Lee, who died in February at age 83 after serving as a production designer on SNL since its 1975 pilot. He has been nominated 17 times for the show, and a posthumous award would give him a seventh Emmy win for the sketch series.
“I was very honored to work with Eugene Lee for 47 years,” says fellow production designer Leo Yoshimura. “Eugene hired me to be his art director on Saturday Night Live in August 1975. I overstayed. I will miss his consummate passion for design. But it is comforting to know that I will still be able to work in Eugene Lee’s television studio.
- 6/17/2023
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Warning: spoilers for season 6 of “Black Mirror”.
Upon “Black Mirror”‘s epic return after a four-year hiatus, fans have already spotted numerous Easter eggs from previous seasons in each of the five new episodes.
The mind-bending anthology series — that reveals humanity’s worst traits, greatest innovations, and more — released its sixth season today, and it’s full of new and cryptic surprises, whether in outer space or an alternate reality.
Read More: Annie Murphy Says She And ‘Black Mirror’ Co-Star Salma Hayek Are Desperate To Star In A Buddy Comedy Together: ‘Please, We’re Begging You!’
While filming the new season last September, series creator, Charlie Brooker, said he “always felt that ‘Black Mirror’ should feature stories that are entirely distinct from one another, and keep surprising people — and myself — or else what’s the point?”
Despite season 6’s more frightening approach, Brooker still managed to connect the “Black Mirror...
Upon “Black Mirror”‘s epic return after a four-year hiatus, fans have already spotted numerous Easter eggs from previous seasons in each of the five new episodes.
The mind-bending anthology series — that reveals humanity’s worst traits, greatest innovations, and more — released its sixth season today, and it’s full of new and cryptic surprises, whether in outer space or an alternate reality.
Read More: Annie Murphy Says She And ‘Black Mirror’ Co-Star Salma Hayek Are Desperate To Star In A Buddy Comedy Together: ‘Please, We’re Begging You!’
While filming the new season last September, series creator, Charlie Brooker, said he “always felt that ‘Black Mirror’ should feature stories that are entirely distinct from one another, and keep surprising people — and myself — or else what’s the point?”
Despite season 6’s more frightening approach, Brooker still managed to connect the “Black Mirror...
- 6/16/2023
- by Melissa Romualdi
- ET Canada
Considering how controversial the first, pig-centric episode of "Black Mirror" is, fans of the dystopian anthology show often debate amongst themselves the best episode for introducing new viewers to the series. Do you go with an easygoing crowd-pleaser like "San Junipero," to make sure the viewer won't be scared off? Or do you go for a dark, twisted episode like "Shut Up And Dance," which will make the viewer want to take a shower afterward? It's a tough question. You don't want the show to come on too strong, but "Black Mirror" is an inherently abrasive show. Half the time, it seems like dread and nausea are its two main goals.
That's why "White Bear" might be the best introductory episode. It starts off as a story about an apocalypse where some sort of zombie virus has infected people through their phones, which is exactly the sort of plotline you'd...
That's why "White Bear" might be the best introductory episode. It starts off as a story about an apocalypse where some sort of zombie virus has infected people through their phones, which is exactly the sort of plotline you'd...
- 5/14/2023
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
You probably know more about Ronald Reagan from U.S. History than Film Studies. Make no mistake. Before Reagan ever ran for office, he was an actor. The 40th U.S. president started his entertainment career as "Dutch" Reagan, a radio sports announcer in Des Moines, Iowa. Reagan honed his storytelling chops by recreating Chicago Cubs games with nothing but a slip sent to him by telegraph. The 26-year-old dreamed of big-screen stardom, so he joined the Cubs for spring training in Southern California — to snag a screen test with Warner Brothers. The WB studio suits liked what they saw, and film actor Ronald Reagan was born.
While Reagan had a better Hollywood career than most, he never became a bonafide movie star. Throughout Reagan's political career, opponents and detractors slandered him as a "B-movie actor." However, Reagan was a B-movie actor. No, he wasn't starring in the 1940s equivalent...
While Reagan had a better Hollywood career than most, he never became a bonafide movie star. Throughout Reagan's political career, opponents and detractors slandered him as a "B-movie actor." However, Reagan was a B-movie actor. No, he wasn't starring in the 1940s equivalent...
- 3/26/2023
- by Hunter Cates
- Slash Film
On a stormy Monday night in New York City, a girl in a massive pink ballgown appears at the top of a spiral staircase. “Hi everyone!” she calls as the audience below her erupts into ecstatic applause. Her friends fill in dozens of rows, her father is front and center. For the next hour and change, she will sing, dance, cry, have multiple costume changes, and be held by a family that has chosen her again and again. It’s not her wedding. Or her birthday. The girl is trans-TikTok...
- 3/14/2023
- by CT Jones
- Rollingstone.com
What do the 55th annual Academy Awards which took place April 11, 1983 have in common with the upcoming 95th Oscars?
Steven Spielberg and John Williams.
Back in 1983, Spielberg’s beloved “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” was nominated for nine Academy Awards including film, director and score. This year, the 76-year-old Spielberg and Williams, 91, are both nominated for “The Fabelmans.” The filmmaker’s semi-autobiographical drama is in contention for eight Academy Awards including film, director, screenplay and score.
The 55th Oscars made history with Ben Kingsley becoming the first actor of Indian descent to win the best actor Oscar for his extraordinary portrayal of “Gandhi” while Louis Gossett Jr. become the first black actor to win in the supporting category with his iconic turn as tough-nosed D.I. in “An Officer and a Gentleman.” This year, history could be made again in the best actress category. Malaysian Chinese performer Michelle Yeoh has the chance...
Steven Spielberg and John Williams.
Back in 1983, Spielberg’s beloved “E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial” was nominated for nine Academy Awards including film, director and score. This year, the 76-year-old Spielberg and Williams, 91, are both nominated for “The Fabelmans.” The filmmaker’s semi-autobiographical drama is in contention for eight Academy Awards including film, director, screenplay and score.
The 55th Oscars made history with Ben Kingsley becoming the first actor of Indian descent to win the best actor Oscar for his extraordinary portrayal of “Gandhi” while Louis Gossett Jr. become the first black actor to win in the supporting category with his iconic turn as tough-nosed D.I. in “An Officer and a Gentleman.” This year, history could be made again in the best actress category. Malaysian Chinese performer Michelle Yeoh has the chance...
- 3/1/2023
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Why Don McLean Compared Bob Dylan’s ‘A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall’ to The Beatles’ ‘A Day in the Life’
Tl;Dr:
“American Pie” singer Don McLean discussed hearing Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” live.He compared the song to The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” and The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations.”“A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” appeared on one of Dylan’s acclaimed albums. Bob Dylan | Bettmann / Contributor
Don McLean said Bob Dylan‘s “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” was one of several classic rock songs that made him fall in love with music. In addition, he compared it to The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life.” He contrasted “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” with the work of modern songwriters.
Don McLean discussed the way Bob Dylan’s ‘A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall’ impacted him when he heard it live
In a 2022 interview with The Red Bulletin, McLean discussed some of the songs that made him fall in love with music.
“American Pie” singer Don McLean discussed hearing Bob Dylan’s “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” live.He compared the song to The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life” and The Beach Boys’ “Good Vibrations.”“A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” appeared on one of Dylan’s acclaimed albums. Bob Dylan | Bettmann / Contributor
Don McLean said Bob Dylan‘s “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” was one of several classic rock songs that made him fall in love with music. In addition, he compared it to The Beatles’ “A Day in the Life.” He contrasted “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall” with the work of modern songwriters.
Don McLean discussed the way Bob Dylan’s ‘A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall’ impacted him when he heard it live
In a 2022 interview with The Red Bulletin, McLean discussed some of the songs that made him fall in love with music.
- 1/25/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
A holiday as conspicuous as Christmas will undoubtedly attract the most thrills and chills at this time of year. In the past, TV’s genre anthologies have been a remarkable and plentiful source of wintry terror, be that of the Christmas variety or otherwise. The original Twilight Zone submitted the strangest of strange holiday stories, Tales from the Darkside provided the macabre classics “Seasons of Belief” and “The Yattering and Jack,” and Tales from the Crypt put a new spin on the EC-era slasher “And All Through the House.”
Christmas horror only became more weird and wild as the century changed. And as these five festive frighteners from more recent anthology series suggest, there’s never a better season for horror than winter.
Black Mirror (2011-)
White Christmas
Black Mirror, “White Christmas”
Before Charlie Brooker‘s critically acclaimed sci-fi anthology Black Mirror moved to Netflix, the series concluded its on-air...
Christmas horror only became more weird and wild as the century changed. And as these five festive frighteners from more recent anthology series suggest, there’s never a better season for horror than winter.
Black Mirror (2011-)
White Christmas
Black Mirror, “White Christmas”
Before Charlie Brooker‘s critically acclaimed sci-fi anthology Black Mirror moved to Netflix, the series concluded its on-air...
- 12/23/2022
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
The Christmas season is advertised as a time for "peace on earth" and "goodwill toward men," but for a lot of us, the holidays are little more than a headache and a half. It's hard not to feel like such a Grinch this time of year when everyone else seems to be filled with joy, but fortunately, there are movies to help us anti-sentimentality Scrooges feel a little less alone. We've talked before on /Film about some of the best alternative Christmas movies (that aren't "Die Hard"), but we've never broken down why these films are so important. I might be acting overdramatic by calling these films "non-sentimental," as there's plenty of sentiment to be found in any story (as long as you know where to look), but I think we can all agree that the sentiment of something like Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" is in stark contrast to Bob Clark's "Black Christmas.
- 12/22/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
The Christmas season brings scores of ticket buyers to Broadway as tourists flood Times Square and locals bring visiting family to the theater. Many of those audiences should catch the bold new version of “A Christmas Carol” at the Nederlander Theater, where Tony-winner Jefferson Mays vaults through every single character in Charles Dickens’ classic ghost story. The production is an artistic triumph, but will it thaw the hearts of Tony nominators?
Holiday themed shows have historically demonstrated a shaky track record at the Tony Awards. The 2016 production of “Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn” earned a sole nomination for Denis Jones’ choreography. Before that, 2009’s “White Christmas” (another Berlin musical) nabbed nominations for Choreography and Orchestrations. In 2013 “A Christmas Story” became the first, and so far only, Christmas themed Best Musical nominee. It was also up for Score (Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) and Book of a Musical (Joseph Robinette). None of...
Holiday themed shows have historically demonstrated a shaky track record at the Tony Awards. The 2016 production of “Irving Berlin’s Holiday Inn” earned a sole nomination for Denis Jones’ choreography. Before that, 2009’s “White Christmas” (another Berlin musical) nabbed nominations for Choreography and Orchestrations. In 2013 “A Christmas Story” became the first, and so far only, Christmas themed Best Musical nominee. It was also up for Score (Benj Pasek and Justin Paul) and Book of a Musical (Joseph Robinette). None of...
- 12/22/2022
- by Sam Eckmann
- Gold Derby
Mac DeMarco keeps his Christmas tradition alive by covering yet another yuletide classic, this time “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas.”
The video for this year’s Christmas present finds DeMarco in an inflatable Santa Claus suit, motorbiking around Los Angeles with his faithful gingerbread man in tow. As the duo ride around, Christmas begins to take form in the city — keeping with the theme of the song — with DeMarco on hand to witness tree lightings and the rare patch of snow.
The cover itself stays true to...
The video for this year’s Christmas present finds DeMarco in an inflatable Santa Claus suit, motorbiking around Los Angeles with his faithful gingerbread man in tow. As the duo ride around, Christmas begins to take form in the city — keeping with the theme of the song — with DeMarco on hand to witness tree lightings and the rare patch of snow.
The cover itself stays true to...
- 12/21/2022
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
America’s Sweetheart has done it again! Kelly Clarkson, winner of the first season of American Idol and now more than ever known for her Christmas spirit and holly jolly vibes), recreated the Christmas classic, “Sisters” from “White Christmas”. She and her backup singer Jessi Collins beautifully harmonized and blended their voices on the “Sisters” track“ on “The Kelly Clarkson” show in her “Kellyoke” format, which is the music segment concerning covers in her daily show. She musically covers and recreates many songs, and it is hard to assess what
Kelly Clarkson’s Classic “White Christmas” Cover...
Kelly Clarkson’s Classic “White Christmas” Cover...
- 12/21/2022
- by ElenaWass
- TVovermind.com
Irving Berlin's song "White Christmas" is kind of a big deal. The tune's history is full of nothing but praise for its nostalgic lyrics that tell the story of someone "dreaming of a white Christmas" filled with all of the childhood wonder of Christmases past. A magical orchestral arrangement complete with angelic backup singers helps to give the song a wistful feel that you can't help but get caught up in every time you listen to Bing Crosby croon about sleigh bells and glistening treetops.
Crosby originally performed a version of the song in 1941 before it was officially released in 1942 as part of the soundtrack for the musical, "Holiday Inn." Even though the song first came out nearly a century ago, it is still one of the most (if not the most) beloved Christmas songs, and it's easy to understand why. After all, who doesn't want to magically wake...
Crosby originally performed a version of the song in 1941 before it was officially released in 1942 as part of the soundtrack for the musical, "Holiday Inn." Even though the song first came out nearly a century ago, it is still one of the most (if not the most) beloved Christmas songs, and it's easy to understand why. After all, who doesn't want to magically wake...
- 12/19/2022
- by Miyako Pleines
- Slash Film
For fans of "Spirited," the Christmas movie musical starring Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, Santa is delivering an early gift this year. As was announced via Deadline, Apple Original Films will be showing a special theatrical release of "Spirited," complete with a sing-along track for optimal audience participation. The film boasts original music from the Oscar, Grammy, and Tony Award-winning team of Benji Pasek and Justin Paul, and provides some new Christmas tunes to add to your holiday playlist rotation. "Spirited" was previously given a limited theatrical release the week prior to its streaming availability on Apple TV+ back in November, but this new release will include stylized lyrics on screen, just like what you'd see on a karaoke screen, with each word highlighted in time to allow audience members to sing along.
This means that you, your family, and your friends can all join a bunch of strangers for...
This means that you, your family, and your friends can all join a bunch of strangers for...
- 12/15/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Every year we hear the same Christmas songs again and again and again, the playlist seldom changing.
While the supermarkets might stick rigidly to Slade and Wizzard, and the high street coffee shops prefer the gingerbread-and-eggnog stylings of Michael Buble, Norah Jones or the Rat Pack, variation is minimal and certain tracks just will not go away.
You might wonder how much cash the writers of the more ubiquitous seasonal standards squirrel away every year and whether it’s really possible to live on the royalties.
In Nick Hornby’s novel About a Boy (1998), Will Freeman does precisely that, living an agreeably idle bachelor life on the proceeds of a festive single written by his late father.
The truth is, it’s hard to say for sure precisely how much The Pogues or Mariah Carey have coined from their work as the Performing Right Society (Prs) does not reveal the...
While the supermarkets might stick rigidly to Slade and Wizzard, and the high street coffee shops prefer the gingerbread-and-eggnog stylings of Michael Buble, Norah Jones or the Rat Pack, variation is minimal and certain tracks just will not go away.
You might wonder how much cash the writers of the more ubiquitous seasonal standards squirrel away every year and whether it’s really possible to live on the royalties.
In Nick Hornby’s novel About a Boy (1998), Will Freeman does precisely that, living an agreeably idle bachelor life on the proceeds of a festive single written by his late father.
The truth is, it’s hard to say for sure precisely how much The Pogues or Mariah Carey have coined from their work as the Performing Right Society (Prs) does not reveal the...
- 12/13/2022
- by Joe Sommerlad
- The Independent - Music
Given that 1983's "A Christmas Story" only continues to grow in popularity with each passing year, one of my favorite party tricks to use when a relative or friend is in the throes of TNT's annual 24-hour marathon of the heartwarming holiday comedy is explain how it and 1974's "Black Christmas" — a bitter, bleak, and uncompromising horror classic — were made by the same director, Bob Clark.
It's a fun bit of trivia because both movies are so diametrically opposed in tone, with each exploring very different facets of Christmastime. Yet when examined closely, "A Christmas Story" and "Black Christmas" have a surprising amount in common, with the films containing a streak of knowing cynicism when it comes to the trappings of the holiday.
As it turns out, this isn't by coincidence. While Clark was never really an auteur director, careening as he did between numerous genres and budgets, his...
It's a fun bit of trivia because both movies are so diametrically opposed in tone, with each exploring very different facets of Christmastime. Yet when examined closely, "A Christmas Story" and "Black Christmas" have a surprising amount in common, with the films containing a streak of knowing cynicism when it comes to the trappings of the holiday.
As it turns out, this isn't by coincidence. While Clark was never really an auteur director, careening as he did between numerous genres and budgets, his...
- 12/11/2022
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
We all have our go-to holiday movie classics. "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Home Alone" quickly come to mind, but another holiday staple for me is "White Christmas." Starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kay, Rosemary Clooney, and Vera-Ellen, the film follows singers Bob Wallace (Crosby) and Phil Davis (Kaye), who have been pounding the pavement as successful producers post-World War II. Lured in to do a favor for a fellow soldier, they are introduced to sisters Betty (Clooney) and Judy Haynes (Vera-Ellen) when invited to attend the sister act show they put on.
Shenanigans ensue and the quartet of characters find themselves heading to rural Vermont. While staying at a local inn, the men realize their former commander owns the establishment and is deeply in the red. Loyalty for their commander prompts the men to rope in the women to try to make a Christmas miracle happen with some musical numbers thrown into the mix.
Shenanigans ensue and the quartet of characters find themselves heading to rural Vermont. While staying at a local inn, the men realize their former commander owns the establishment and is deeply in the red. Loyalty for their commander prompts the men to rope in the women to try to make a Christmas miracle happen with some musical numbers thrown into the mix.
- 12/4/2022
- by Sarah Musnicky
- Slash Film
Terry Zwigoff's 2003 film "Bad Santa" was more or less destined for cult classic status. Starring an Academy Award-winning actor, "Bad Santa" was deliberately crass and misanthropic, an antidote to the treacly sentimentality that ordinarily infuses films explicitly about Christmas.
In "Bad Santa," Billy Bob Thornton plays an itinerant mall Santa named Willie who uses his seasonal job to plan last-minute mall heists with his partner Marcus (Tony Cox), who poses as one of Santa's Elves. The heists typically go well, but just barely, as Willie is a wrathful, cruel alcoholic who has a great deal of trouble controlling his constant base impulses toward cussing and lechery. The late Bernie Mac played Gin, a mall manager who caught wise to Marcus' and Willie's plan, and Lauren Graham played Sue, a woman with a Santa Claus fetish that Willie was happy to indulge. Nine-year-old Brett Kelly played an unobservant boy named...
In "Bad Santa," Billy Bob Thornton plays an itinerant mall Santa named Willie who uses his seasonal job to plan last-minute mall heists with his partner Marcus (Tony Cox), who poses as one of Santa's Elves. The heists typically go well, but just barely, as Willie is a wrathful, cruel alcoholic who has a great deal of trouble controlling his constant base impulses toward cussing and lechery. The late Bernie Mac played Gin, a mall manager who caught wise to Marcus' and Willie's plan, and Lauren Graham played Sue, a woman with a Santa Claus fetish that Willie was happy to indulge. Nine-year-old Brett Kelly played an unobservant boy named...
- 12/3/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
New York, Dec. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Following Chloe Flower‘s performance on ABC’s The Wonderful World of Disney: Magical Holiday Celebration, the acclaimed pianist, composer and producer releases her new holiday EP, Christmas With Chloe Flower available now from Sony Music Masterworks – listen here. Accompanying today’s release is a new music video ‘Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence‘ directed by Deb Tam, and inspired by the pioneering, influential, experimental, multi-award-winning, visionary composer Ryuichi Sakamoto.
On her new EP, Christmas with Chloe Flower, fans can enjoy new arrangements of holiday favorites “The First Noel” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” as well as Chloe’s recording of the 1983 film- and chart-topping hit “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Plus, “A Liberace Christmas” features melodies from beloved Christmas classics “Jingle Bells,” “White Christmas,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and “Silent Night” seamlessly woven together to create a festive musical masterpiece. This...
On her new EP, Christmas with Chloe Flower, fans can enjoy new arrangements of holiday favorites “The First Noel” and “Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas,” as well as Chloe’s recording of the 1983 film- and chart-topping hit “Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence” composed by Ryuichi Sakamoto. Plus, “A Liberace Christmas” features melodies from beloved Christmas classics “Jingle Bells,” “White Christmas,” “O Come All Ye Faithful,” and “Silent Night” seamlessly woven together to create a festive musical masterpiece. This...
- 12/3/2022
- by Music Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Music
Snow is beginning to fall, and lights have gone up all over the place to celebrate the holiday season. Families are watching their favorite old movies like 1954's "White Christmas" to get in the mood. Unfortunately, if you want the full, official soundtrack to that particular film, you are out of luck. Even Santa can't fix record contract issues. He really should leave coal in a few record executives' stockings.
If you've never seen Michal Curtiz's "White Christmas," it's the story of Bob (Bing Crosby) and Phil (Danny Kaye), old WWII war buddies who have gone into show business and had great success. They meet sisters Judy (Vera-Ellen) and Betty (Rosemary Clooney), a performing duo dealing with some hard times. They all end up in Vermont at a failing resort owned by the guys' disgraced Major General (Dean Jagger), putting on a show to save the place and restore some holiday cheer.
If you've never seen Michal Curtiz's "White Christmas," it's the story of Bob (Bing Crosby) and Phil (Danny Kaye), old WWII war buddies who have gone into show business and had great success. They meet sisters Judy (Vera-Ellen) and Betty (Rosemary Clooney), a performing duo dealing with some hard times. They all end up in Vermont at a failing resort owned by the guys' disgraced Major General (Dean Jagger), putting on a show to save the place and restore some holiday cheer.
- 12/1/2022
- by Jenna Busch
- Slash Film
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