Movies/TV category, Page 99
Appreciation: Ivan Reitman was the genial maestro of American movie comedy
A few weeks ago, during one of those late nights when YouTube becomes a rabbit hole for the sleep-deprived, I found myself seeking out random clips from, of all things, “Kindergarten Cop.” That 1990 action-comedy directed by Ivan Reitman, who died this weekend at 75, is not what I’d call...
Regina Hall, Amy Schumer, Wanda Sykes to host Oscars
LOS ANGELES — After three years without a host, the Oscars are making up for lost time with three hosts for this year’s awards: Amy Schumer, Regina Hall and Wanda Sykes are set to host the 94th Academy Awards, producer Will Packer said Tuesday. Reports say that each actor will...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Talking Super Bowl commercials, ‘Bel-Air,’ ‘South Park’Video
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including WTAE’s anchor realignment. Benz and Owen weigh in on the Super Bowl commercials they liked best, including the “Sopranos” sequel ad and spots featuring...
‘Death on the Nile’ tops a quiet box office weekend
NEW YORK — Hollywood’s Super Bowl weekend largely fizzled with the muted debut of Kenneth Branagh’s long-delayed Agatha Christie whodunit, “Death on the Nile,” a tepid reception for the Jennifer Lopez romantic-comedy “Marry Me” and modest box-office bumps for Oscar nominees. “Death on the Nile,” Branagh’s follow-up to the 2017...
‘Book of Boba Fett’ finale, like the series, is messy but fun
It’s tough to reconcile how I feel about “The Book of Boba Fett.” On one hand, it was a series full of great moments, bridging a lot of the current “Star Wars” properties in a way that feels really great, especially as it takes place in the dustier, grittier universe...
Former WPXI reporter Kimberly Easton dies at 56
Former WPXI-TV reporter Kimberly Easton is being remembered as both a consummate professional and a kind, loving person, following her death Monday at her home in Columbus, Ind. She was 56. Her death was attributed to a heart attack. Easton worked at WPXI in Pittsburgh from 2003 to 2010. During...
13 romantic dramas to stream for Valentine’s Day
For Valentine’s Day, rom-coms often get all the press — who doesn’t want a charming trifle for this most romantic of holidays? But sometimes, romantic drama is the way to go, getting yourself lost in something gorgeously swoonworthy. Here are a baker’s dozen of my favorite dramas about love. I’ve...
TV Talk: Shonda Rhimes invents another winner: ‘Inventing Anna;’ ‘Book of Boba Fett’ closes a chapterVideo
With “Inventing Anna,” writer/uber-producer Shonda Rhimes once again proves why she’s one of the most successful TV writers working today. Rhimes innately understands what viewers want — a juicy story — and happily serves it up on a cafeteria tray. Rhimes isn’t a showrunner who puts out meditative (re: boring),...
Review: In ‘Marry Me,’ Jennifer Lopez leans into her stardomVideo
Jennifer Lopez is very good at being very famous. That might sound more like a circumstance and not a rarified skill, but that’s just because she’d never let you see the work behind it. The same goes for her competence as a romantic comedy heroine. She might not always get...
TV Talk: ‘Fresh Prince’ becomes ‘Bel-Air’ in dramatic rebootVideo
When director Morgan Cooper’s 2019 trailer for an imagined gritty reboot of the Will Smith-starring ‘90s sitcom “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air” went viral, it was probably for a few reasons. The homemade trailer looked great and captured all the elements of the sitcom and then turned them into what...
Former ‘American Idol’ star charged in fatal DUI crash
PACOLET, S.C. — A country music singer who was a finalist on TV’s “American Idol” has been charged with driving under the influence resulting in death, South Carolina authorities said Wednesday. Caleb Andrew Kennedy, 17, drove his pickup truck onto a private driveway and struck a residential building in Spartanburg...
Stumped on where to watch the Oscar nominees? A guided tour
NEW YORK — Looking to watch top Oscar nominees before the 94th Academy Awards air on March 27? There are many ways to get that done, including a trip to a theater in some cases. Here’s a few other ways, though it’s worth looking around as many have myriad paths...
TV Q&A: Why did WTAE-TV make so many anchor changes?Video
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Any perspective on the WTAE-TV anchor changes? Were their 11 p.m. numbers that bad? – Sally, via Facebook Rob: My first thought was less about...
Oscar nominations 2022: All the snubs and surprises
LOS ANGELES — Oscar nominations arrived Tuesday morning, and, as you might expect, reactions around town ranged from finger-snapping approval to all the lonely people working out their disappointment by that tried-and-true “Power of the Dog” method of walking outside and twirling a hula hoop with the burning rage of...
‘Power of the Dog’ leads Oscar noms with 12; ‘Dune’ lands 10
NEW YORK — Jane Campion’s gothic western “The Power of the Dog” led nominations to the 94th Academy Awards, where streaming services more than ever before swept over Hollywood’s top honors. In nominations announced Tuesday, Campion’s film landed a leading 12 nominations, including nods for best picture, best director and...
Review: The long-delayed ‘Death on the Nile’ runs agroundVideo
Kenneth Branagh’s Agatha Christie adaptation “Death on the Nile” begins with a flashback to the trenches of World War I before shifting to 1930s London two decades later, but that’s nothing compared to the time that’s passed since Branagh’s preceding 2017 whodunit “Murder on the Orient Express.” That film, which...
Pittsburgh Pop podcast: Talking ‘Terry Bradshaw: Going Deep,’ terrible Olympics ratings and ‘Pam & Tommy’
In this episode of the “Pittsburgh Pop” podcast, host Tim Benz and TV Talk columnist Rob Owen discuss Pittsburgh pop culture news of the moment, including the HBO Sports documentary “Terry Bradshaw: Going Deep.” Benz and Owen theorize on possible reasons for the terrible ratings for NBC’s Winter Olympics opening...
The evolution of Steve-O, where every act is his last
Steve-O dropped out of college in 1993. He told everyone his plan was to become a famous stuntman with his home video camera. He remembers people feeling genuinely sorry for him. To be fair, he wasn’t even sure it would work or that he’d be successful, in the least, he...
TV Talk: Westmoreland County native explores China’s impact on Hollywood in ‘Red Carpet’
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen offers a viewing – or TV adjacent — tip for the coming week. Former Pittsburgh journalist Erich Schwartzel probably shouldn’t expect China to roll out the red carpet once its political leaders get their hands on a copy of his first book, “Red...
Screen icon Rita Moreno tells how Marlon Brando’s mistreatment led her to suicide attemptVideo
Rita Moreno’s tempestuous relationship with Marlon Brando led to a suicide attempt. The EGOT-winner opened up about how the hot and heavy romance with the late screen legend caused her to almost end up in an early grave. “I tried to end my life with pills in his house,” she...
TV Talk: Comic actors improvise their way through ‘Murderville;’ PBS delivers a history of jeansVideo
In an era of plenty of TV, including many reboots, it’s refreshing to see some outlets take chances on offbeat programming. Sometimes those risks pay off creatively and ratings-wise (see: CBS’s “Ghosts,” not exactly a match with CBS’s multi-cam sitcoms) and sometimes they don’t. Creatively, Netflix’s “Murderville,” now streaming, falls...
Jeff Zucker resigns from CNN because of relationship with colleagueVideo
In a stunning move, Jeff Zucker resigned as CNN president Wednesday, citing his failure to disclose a relationship with a longtime colleague. The prominent media executive’s sudden departure was announced in a memo sent to CNN employees, sending shock waves through the WarnerMedia unit. “As part of the investigation into...
TV Q&A: What degrees do Pittsburgh TV meteorologists have?
Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review. Q: Of all of the “meteorologists” that are on the Big Three Pittsburgh news stations, do you know how many actually have a four-year degree in...
TV Talk: Janelle Hall moves to mornings on WTAE as part of shakeup
The other shoe finally dropped following the abrupt departure of Kelly Frey from WTAE-TV last fall: Janelle Hall, most recently an anchor at 6 and 11 p.m., will join Michelle Wright weekday mornings, 4:30-7 a.m. Ryan Recker, who has been filling in since Frey’s departure, will also be a co-anchor...
TV Talk: Tori Yorgey on ‘Ellen;’ equipment failure bedevils WQED-TV scheduleVideo
Looks like Tori Yorgey’s start date with WTAE-TV, scheduled for Feb. 1, will push back just a few days. She tweeted a photo Monday from the makeup room of daytime chat show “Ellen,” which tapes in Burbank, Calif. Presumably Yorgey is appearing to talk about getting hit by a car...
