Mariah Carey - Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel

Mariah Carey - This 'Imperfect Angel' Knows What Love Is
Liz Smith

"ALL MY life, my saving grace, the thing that kept me steady, was listening to music; on the radio, on records or my mother's singing." That's the famously voluptuous singing superstar Mariah Carey, with whom I had a brief conversation the other day. I was the last of Mariah's duties that long afternoon; she'd given about 19 interviews to promote her new album, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel."

Barbra Streisand, Still Pitch-Perfect After All These Years
Liz Smith

Barbra Streisand's voice has not suffered much over the years, despite the fact that she doesn't exercise those golden vocal chords. She has admitted to some last-minute warm-ups right before recording or beginning a tour, but otherwise, she just opens her mouth and out come those famous tones, ravishing, if inevitably matured and deeper.

 

In Theaters: Movie Reviews

 

Michael Jackson's This Is It
Michael Jackson in Michael Jackson's This Is It

Produced with the cooperation of the Jackson estate, "This Is It" has no interest in telling the full story of anything, or the crumbling state of anyone. Director Kenny Ortega -- Jackson's partner in staging the London concert that never came to fruition -- is simply trying to suggest in some detail what sort of overstuffed career retrospective Jackson was attempting

 

Carey Mulligan & Peter Sarsgaard

An Education
Carey Mulligan & Peter Sarsgaard in An Education

Novelist Nick Hornby's screenplay for British journalist Lynn Barber's memoir sands a few edges off the corners of its heroine's story, yet the film is awfully charming. It bops along with so much esprit and lively acting.

 

Hilary Swank & Richard Gere

Amelia
Hilary Swank & Richard Gere in Amelia

This Amelia Earhart biopic isn't a bad movie, but it's distressingly ordinary for such an extraordinary subject. Played by an aptly cast and game Hilary Swank, Earhart becomes a checklist of Historical Legend accomplishments

 

Astro Boy Anime Movie Feature

Astro Boy
Freddie Highmore & Kristen Bell in Astro Boy

Astro Boy first appeared in a Japanese comic in 1951. His adventures led to a '60s Japanese TV series, then to the first of the American spin-offs, and now "Astro Boy" hits the big screen. I wish the film version of "Astro Boy" provided a stronger antidote to mediocrity. With the voices of Freddie Highmore, Kristen Bell and Nicolas Cage

 

John C. Reilly & Patrick Fugit

Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant
John C. Reilly & Patrick Fugit in Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant

In this campy vampire flick, the truce between vampires who sip, leaving humans a little weaker but none the wiser, and those who gorge, leaving death and destruction behind, comes to an end. This is an adaptation of the frothy kids book series by Darren Shan.

 

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Is It Legal to Copy a DVD?
David LaGesse

Consumers are accustomed to copying music disks to their computers, making it easy to transfer them to portable MP3 players like the iPod. Many wonder why they can't do the same with movies on DVD. Two recent court rulings nixed novel approaches that sought to make it easy and legal for consumers to copy DVDs to computers and elsewhere. Here's a quick guide to what the courts have said, what it means to consumers

 

Who was Michael Jackson
Victor Davis Hanson

When Michael Jackson tragically died two weeks ago, millions were shocked. The wonder, though, is not that the troubled pop-music megastar died at the relatively young age of 50 under regrettable circumstances, but that he was able to live as long as he did

Michael Jackson, Gone Too Soon
(M. Ryder)

Remembering My Michael Jackson
Liz Smith

Here's how I want to remember Michael -- not as the mega-star, not as Wacko Jacko, but as a lovely boy whom I got to know a bit during the filming of "The Wiz" when he was 16. He was shy -- surprisingly so, for somebody who was already a show biz veteran, and a star.

His solo "Off the Wall" and "Thriller" albums were just around the corner. He was still the brilliant lead singer of the Jackson Five -- a group that never would have gotten off the ground had it not been for Michael's unique talents.

 

Academy Awards Expand Oscar Best Picture Nominations to 10
Timothy M. Gray

And the winner is... well, actually there are lots of winners with the decision to broaden the best-picture Oscar race to 10 films. The board's decision to double the category to 10 nominees "may make it more interesting and less cloistered," said Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences president Sid Ganis at a press conference Wednesday morning.

 

TELEVISION

Discovery Channel explains Nitty-Gritty of Dirty Jobs
Liz Wolgemuth

Throughout the course of the Discovery Channel show "Dirty Jobs", Mike Rowe, 47, has parachuted into incredibly dirty jobs, including coal miner, shrimper, and even skull cleaner, paying tribute to the value and integrity of manual laborers as he sloshes around in knee-high nastiness right beside them. A recent interview with Mike Rowe about Dirty Jobs ...

NBC Puts a Royal Spin on Latenight
Brian Lowry

Most of Craig Ferguson's audience was doubtless mystified when he used his opening segment to ridicule NBC's press release proclaiming Conan O'Brien "the new king of late night."

Fresh Reality TV Shows Try to Find Spot on Crowded Sked

Finding a spot is the big challenge right now for first-season reality TV programs. After all, there are only so many hours in the day to watch television, and viewers tend to be loyal to their favorite show, even if it's a little long in the tooth.

'Breaking Bad' -- Am I the Only Person Watching This Great TV Show
Liz Smith

After having its maiden run shortened by the writer's strike, 'Breaking Bad' recently capped a breathtaking second season that delved deeper into the show's world of moral ambiguity and unintended consequences," writes Variety's pundit Brian Lowry.

 

comic strips

ANIMAL CRACKERS	ANNIE	BLISS	BOTTOM LINERS
BOUND & GAGGED	BRENDA STARR	BREWSTER ROCKIT	BROOM HILDA
DICK TRACY	GASOLINE ALLEY	GIL THORP	HOUSEBROKEN
LOOSE PARTS	LOVE IS ...	THE MIDDLETONS	PINK PANTHER
PLUGGERS	RAISING HECTOR	SYLVIA	9 TO 5

81st Academy Awards - 2009 Oscar Winner & Nominees

"Slumdog Millionaire"
Leads the Way
8 Oscars for Slumdog Millionaire

In much the same manner that the film captured the hearts of movie-goers, "Slumdog Millionaire" captured the hearts and votes of the Academy garnering 8 Oscars in total, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Cinematography and Best Adapted Screenplay.

"And the Oscar Goes to ..."
81st Academy Award Oscar Nominations 2009 Review

This year's top Academy Awards nominated film is "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" starring Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett and Taraji P. Henson with 13 Oscar nominations including Best Picture. The 13 Oscar nominations falls one short of the current record of 14 nominations held by two films, "All about Eve" (1950) and "Titanic" (1997).

Other highly Oscar nominated films include Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire (10 Oscar Nominations), Christopher Nolan's The Dark Knight (8 Oscar Nominations) and Gus Van Sant's Milk (8 Oscar Nominations).

Daily Comics & Your Favorite Comic Strips Online
Popular & Classic Comic Strips Online

Your favorite comics strips Animal Crackers, Annie, Bound & Gagged, Brenda Starr, Brewster Rockit: Space Guy, Broom-Hilda, Dick Tracy, Gasoline Alley, Gil Thorp, Housebroken, Loose Parts, The Middletons, Pink Panther, Raising Hector, Sylvia, 9 to 5, Bliss, Bottom Liners, Love Is..., Pluggers all online at ComicStripNation.com

Jackson's father seeks allowance
Joe Jackson asks for an allowance from the estate of his late son Michael, saying the star supported him before he died.

Sadler's Wells role for Phillips
Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Arlene Phillips is to become a director of Sadler's Wells dance theatre.

Street star questioned over crash
Police quiz Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas over a car crash which took place in Manchester city centre.

Aretha to perform at Motown gala
Aretha Franklin and Stevie Wonder are among the musicians set to perform at a special concert for the US record label.

Beatles tracks pulled off US site
EMI wins an injunction against a US website which it claims was selling Beatles songs without permission.

Sick Sir Elton is out of hospital
Singer Sir Elton John is released from a London hospital after being treated for flu and E. coli, a spokesman for the star says.

Ant and Dec sign new ITV contract
Presenting team Ant and Dec say they are "delighted" and "excited" after signing up for two more years at ITV.

Beyonce in MTV Europe hat-trick
Singer Beyonce has landed a trio of trophies, including best female and best song, at the MTV Europe Music Awards in Berlin.

Golden Girl star has heart bypass
Golden Girls actress Rue McClanahan is recovering in a New York hospital following heart bypass surgery, her manager says.

Oldest museum reopens to public
The UK's oldest public museum, the Ashmolean, reopens after a £61m redevelopment.

Artist's gift of war veteran portraits
Final drawings of two of Britain's last World War I veterans are gifted to the nation for future generations.

Public art boosted by tax scheme
Works of art by Titian and David Hockney are among almost £20m worth of cultural objects accepted in lieu of tax this year, it is revealed.

Bridgend to premiere suicide play
A play based around teenage suicide in the Welsh county of Bridgend is announced by the National Theatre Wales.

Strand of Elvis's hair saved by his barber to go under the hammer
A strand of hair saved by Elvis Presley's personal barber is expected to fetch about £250 at auction in Devizes.

Bunnymen cancel US tour over tax
Echo and the Bunnymen cancel their US tour 10 days before it was due to begin over a tax dispute.

Morrissey is 'best musical poet'
A Scottish academic writes a book arguing that singer Morrissey is the greatest lyricist in the history of British popular music.

Rihanna warning over assault
Singer Rihanna talks on US television about being assaulted by ex-boyfriend Chris Brown, warning that "it could happen to anybody".

Choir aims for top with Dame Vera
A Welsh choir is teaming up with forces sweetheart Dame Vera Lynn to try to secure the Christmas number one spot.

Eminem 'wins 3D horror film role'
Rap star Eminem is to appear in a 3D hip-hop horror movie called Shady Talez, according to trade paper Screen International.

De Niro gets top LA Bafta award
Veteran actor Robert De Niro receives the Stanley Kubrick award for excellence in film at the Bafta Awards in Los Angeles.

Freeman settles car crash lawsuit
Hollywood star Morgan Freeman reaches an out-of-court settlement with a woman who was his passenger in a car crash.

Boyle 'to make mountaineer epic'
Slumdog Millionaire director is to film the story of a climber who was forced to amputate his own arm, US media reports.

STV to go it alone with Taggart
STV is to make a new series of its police drama Taggart next year, even if ITV refuse to re-commission it.

Wogan stays at Children In Need
Broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan plans to carry on presenting the BBC's Children In Need show "until hell freezes over", he reveals.

Royle Family actress collects OBE
Veteran actress Sue Johnston, best known for her role in the Royle Family, collects her OBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace.

TV debut for Streep daughter
The daughter of Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep is to make her screen debut in a TV series as the child of a celebrity couple.

Ladies' night in Berlin
Host Katy Perry may have an album called One of the Boys - but it was the girls who shone at the MTV Europe Music Awards

Obama inspired
Jon Bon Jovi says his lyrics are framed in the White House

Inside Ashmolean
Discover the museum's delights

Dreamscape
Tracey Emin unveils her latest exhibition in New York

The Grouch
Why did Britain fall out of love with Sesame St?

Making Dr Who
Bye to the man behind the biggest doctors

Vampire weekend
One hotel. Five actors. And 800 Twilight fans...

BBC News | Entertainment | UK Edition
Get the latest BBC Entertainment news: breaking news, views and analysis on celebrities, music, film, theatre, TV and radio plus audio-video content.

 

Video Game Review | Uncharted 2: Among Thieves: A Game That Takes Aim at Bigger Screens
Uncharted 2: Among Thieves, for the PlayStation 3 console, is perhaps the best-looking game on any system and provides a cinematic entertainment experience.

Music Review | New York City Opera: City Opera Returns in Its Newly Inviting Home
The company opened its 2009-10 season on Thursday night with a celebratory program, “American Voices,” and for once at an opening-night gala, there really was a great deal to celebrate.

Long-Delayed Opening for History of, and by, Joseph Papp
If Joseph Papp had had his way, “Free for All,” Kenneth Turan’s newly published oral history of Papp and the Public Theater he helped found, would never have seen the light of day.

Exhibition Review | 'A Woman’s Wit: Jane Austen’s Life and Legacy': At the Morgan, the Jane Austen Her Family Knew
“A Woman’s Wit: Jane Austen’s Life and Legacy,” a new exhibition at the Morgan Library & Museum, includes many personal letters and early manuscripts by the author.

Wanda Sykes Has a Show (or So They Tell Her)
“The Wanda Sykes Show,” a new weekly late-night talk show that mixes stand-up material, taped segments and panel discussions, begins on Saturday on Fox.

Dance Review | Cave New York Butoh Festival: From Tokyo, a Stripped-Down Movement Style
“Furnace,” an ensemble piece, opened the Cave New York Butoh Festival on Thursday night at Dixon Place.

Theater Review | 'The Lily’s Revenge': The Bridegroom Wore Eye Shadow, Petals and Lime Fishnet
“The Lily’s Revenge,” a scrappy spectacle written by and starring the drag artist Taylor Mac, splashes across the stage at Here Arts Center in a tide of lime green fishnet and sequins.

‘Spider-Man’ Is Given a New Lead Producer
A rock concert promoter said on Friday that he was taking over production of the coming Broadway musical “Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark,” and that the troubled show would open in 2010.

Television: Same Street, Different World: ‘Sesame’ Turns 40
Over the years, “Sesame Street” has replaced the graffiti and gritty smudges of city life with green spaces, tofu and yoga.

Dance Review | Nancy Garcia and Chase Granoff: Looking Back, and Taking It Forward
Nancy Garcia and Chase Granoff take historical references seriously in two new works being performed at the Kitchen.

Music Review | New York Philharmonic: Swirling Sonorities, With Asian Poems Translated Into German
Neeme Jarvi conducted the New York Philharmonic in Alexander Zemlinsky’s “Lyric Symphony” on Thursday at Avery Fisher Hall.

Dance Review | 92nd Street Y: Following Many Famous Footsteps Through the 92nd Street Y
On Thursday evening the 92nd Street Y celebrated 75 years of dance programming with a gala sampler in its Kaufmann Concert Hall.

Stacy Rowles, Jazz Musician, Is Dead at 54
The jazz trumpeter, fluegelhorn player and singer had been active on the Los Angeles jazz scene since the 1980s.

Nien Cheng, Memoirist, Is Dead at 94
Ms. Cheng’s memoir, “Life and Death in Shanghai,” offered a harrowing account of the Cultural Revolution in China.

Bridge: Wondering What to Lead? Listen Closely to the Bidding
The North American Open Pairs title is decided at the Spring North American Championships, which will be in Reno, Nev., in March.

A Rally Marked by Bold Strokes
As sales of Modern and Impressionist art at Christie’s and Soethby’s in New York show, buyers in troubled financial times favor the instant aesthetic hit.

Reassessing Artworks of Ancient Rome
The exhibition "Rome: The Painting of an Empire," at the Scuderie del Quirinale through Jan. 17, offers a panoramic view of unusual broadness and depth of Roman painting.

With Top Quality Offerings, Sotheby's Nets $181 Million
At Wednesday's sale of Impressionist and Modern art at Sotheby's New York, 56 works brought in just over $181 million, leaving no doubt that the art market is vigorous despite financially tough times.

Christie's Amasses $65.67 Million in a Sparse Impressionist Sale
Christie's scored beyond all hope on Tuesday night in a sale of Impressionist and Modern art that was alarmingly thin. Of the 40 paintings and sculptures offered, 28 realized an aggregate $65.67 million.

On the London Stage: Bedroom Distress, and Tragedy in Art and Life
Alan Ayckbourn’s “Bedroom Farce” takes viewers on a delicious tour of upheaval; in “Prick Up Your Ears,” drama strangely mirrors real-life tragedy.

Opera Review: Domingo Excels as Boccanegra
Plácido Domingo gives a sterling performance in Verdi's "Simon Boccanegra" in Berlin. In Stuttgart, Stefan Herheim's production of "Der Rosenkavalier" imagines the opera as an erotic fantasy.

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