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PopWireNews, Reviews and Commentary from the World of Popular Culture Monday, October 13 2008Just in time for the election, 'W.' is a prime candidate for Oliver StoneLOS ANGELES -- For the first 113 of the 232 years that a United States of America has existed, there wasn't anything called cinema. So movies about Washington, Lincoln or the... Saturday, October 11 2008Young voter turnout expected to surge this electionWASHINGTON - After backing the candidates on Facebook, "tweeting" about the issues and posting their analyses on YouTube, a record number of young people are expected to vote in November. Between 1972, the first election when 18-year-olds were allowed to vote, and 2000, turnout among those 18 to 24 declined by 16 percentage points. But 2004 signaled a change, with an 11 percent increase in youth... Vinyl spins to the forefront againBrendan Canning explains Broken Social Scene's splintered but still very together existenceFriday, October 10 2008Movies and TV shows that poke fun at the trials of contemporary cubicle life appeal to working stiffThere's a reason why people buy red staplers, Dwight Schrute bobbleheads and stuffed Dilberts: It's because many Americans are disenchanted with their jobs, and those items -- pop culture icons that symbolize the worst in office culture -- affirm that others view the workplace with the same disregard. "I think it helps people to know they are not alone in their frustrations," said Scott Adams,... Bill Murray on his new movie, sky diving and … his skullThursday, October 9 2008Chart-topping rapper T.I. is headed to jail as 'Paper Trail' brims with new hitsThe artist with the No. 1 album in the country is going to prison. Billboard confirmed Wednesday that rapper T.I., scheduled in a few months to begin serving a one-year prison term for gun possession, has scored his third straight chart-topper. The Atlanta rapper's sixth album, "Paper Trail" (Grand Hustle/ Atlantic), sold 568,000 copies in the last week. He also has the nation's No. 1 single,... An alternative to the iPod, plus free musicOasis' 'Dig Out' digs in to more Beatles riffs'Saturday Night Live' gets less rote when it's time to voteWednesday, October 8 2008Nirvana manager's book tells of life in the rock 'n' roll trenchesSEATTLE -- Danny Goldberg was the manager of Nirvana. In his long career in the music business, he also covered Woodstock for Billboard; did PR for Led Zeppelin; managed Bonnie Raitt and Warren Zevon, among others; headed two of the biggest record companies of the 1990s; and now runs Gold Village Entertainment, a management company that counts Steve Earle, the Hives and Tom Morello among its... Blake Shields catches fire in Hollywood on popular TV show 'Heroes'Fast chat with 'Rocknrolla' director Guy RitchieNew novel takes Philip Roth back to collegeMolly Shannon and Selma Blair talk about 'Kath & Kim'Tuesday, October 7 2008Pop 20: A few more things worthy of bailout moneyI am in a bailout state of mind. Since I'm not an economist, I can't decide whether the $700 billion our MVPs, as in Most Vapid Politicians, gave to Wall Street (hopefully presented by Ed McMahon as a giant cardboard check) was a good idea or not. But when someone tells me they want to use my money to buy into an investment that will earn for another person -- with the end result supposedly... With 40 years behind him, Taj Mahal has 'tons more stuff to do'Low voltage current to stimulate growth of coral off South Florida coastFacebook friend, or ego?George Lopez hardly leads a dog's lifeGruesome ‘Mother' completes Argento horror trilogySome of us will miss ‘Boston Legal' after the gavel finally fallsReprogrammed TV on the Radio still stays left of the dialFall CD releases range from rising stars to big names‘Omen,' Harryhaussen collections top new Blu-ray releasesMonday, October 6 2008Stars of the future: 10 new TV faces to watchEach year since 1998, I've compiled a "10 to Watch" list of actors on TV. These are actors on new network shows who have the potential to go on to bigger careers even if their new series fails. Past years have been easy. The first "10 to Watch" included Keri Russell, Kevin James and Sean Hayes. Even the cast of "That '70s Show" was singled out and almost all of them have continued to work. This... All three levels of 'Evil''Blindness' hits close to home for Ruffalo — 2001 brain tumor changed actor's lifeMaroon 5: from pop to politics to PrinceFormat of Tuesday's debate puts voters seeking answers in controlSaturday, October 4 2008Janet Jackson is still in controlThe tour coinciding with Janet Jackson's new CD, "Discipline," suffered a bout of uncertainty this week. But Jackson, 42, will perform as scheduled on Tuesday at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., said publicists for the veteran R&B star and for the concert's promoter. Strings of cancellations and postponements, and a trip to the hospital, have raised questions about the status of "Rock... Going legit: Why movie stars need live theaterFriday, October 3 2008Warren Buffett's voice rises above din of credit crisisOMAHA, Neb. -- Historians who write about the Panic of '08 will cite one business leader who seized decision-makers' attention and focused it on a solution. That's Warren Buffett, who has invested thousands of words and billions of dollars over the past three weeks during the unfolding of a credit crisis that he believes threatens millions of Americans' jobs. His company, Berkshire Hathaway... Chatty Kathy: Griffin's growing popularity threatens her D-list statusSinger swaps Hootie for a chart-topping country debutCalif. man registers Web site domains in names of politicians he wants out of officeThursday, October 2 2008Bill Maher hopes to get people thinking with his tirade against organized religionORLANDO, Fla. -- Never let it be said that Bill Maher ran away from a fight. The comic and cultural critic is famous for questioning and ridiculing America's sacred cows. With his new film, "Religulous," which opens Friday, he's taking his shot at the biggest sacred cow of all: religion. And he fully expects to take hits for a documentary that mocks and attacks religion for what Maher sees as its... Elizabeth Reaser leverages 'Grey's Anatomy' acclaim into her own network seriesDeft documentary shows two sides of Lee AtwaterG.I. Joe reassigned to IDW PublishingKerouac manuscript unscrolled for Beat exhibitThe Movie Masochist: This movie thinks you're dumbAmanda Tapping of 'Stargate' lands in another science fiction seriesWednesday, October 1 2008Digg aims to raise its profileSAN JOSE, Calif. -- YouTube made a splash last fall when CNN engaged the video-sharing Web site to show mainstream Americans posing questions to candidates in the presidential primaries. Now the "social news" site Digg is bidding to enter the national psyche as well. Backed by a fresh round of $28.7 million in venture funding last month, San Francisco-based Digg is embarking on a major expansion... Debate may be pivotal moment in campaignRachel Maddow hops from radio to her own MSNBC show with smarts, energy and charmRobin Thicke talks race, collaborationsTunes Genius is short a few points of living up to its nameThe end is here: 9-11 attacks and the new millennium revive apocalyptic moviesTuesday, September 30 2008Katie Couric is having a field day with Palin appearancesOne prominent female national figure is looking pretty good on TV these days, and it's not vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Palin's joint appearance Monday night with running mate John McCain on "The CBS Evening News With Katie Couric" was a public-relations disaster, conveying the impression of a father coming to the defense of his naive daughter who had gotten into trouble at... Gordon Lightfoot is nearly 70 but has recaptured the life of the working musicianNew citizenship test focuses on history, civic conceptsAs presidential campaigns kick into high gear, so do political high jinks'Fake work' points up disconnect between companies, workersClosure of 'Halo Wars' developer shockingA scholarly approach keeps novelist Philippa Gregory from veering off trackMonday, September 29 2008The irreverent Bill Maher takes on religion with 'Religulous'TORONTO -- Bill Maher had to face down protests when he showed up at the premiere of "Religulous" at the Toronto International Film Festival a few weeks ago. The heckling clutch of Christian conservatives hadn't seen the comic's documentary denouncing humankind's systems of belief -- Catholicism, Judaism, the Mormons, Islam, Scientology even. But that didn't stop them from circling the entrance... 'Sports Night' DVD set revives memories for Robert GuillaumeMy Morning Jacket has learned to pace itself on the road, but it still goes wild in the studioStan Lee's 'Iron Man' leads way for latest Blu-ray titlesJason O'Mara goes back in time in ABC's 'Life on Mars'Hall of Fame '09 nominees half-right, half-lameSunday, September 28 2008'Dexter' gets a life"Dexter" spent the spring on CBS, but with the writers strike now history, television's most sympathetic serial killer is back on premium cable Sunday (9 p.m., Showtime). Which is, let's face it, where he probably belongs. There are way too many people on CBS trying to catch people like him. Not that things are ever easy for Dexter Morgan (Michael C. Hall), who eluded the FBI only to find... One movie critic's top 12 Paul Newman filmsSaturday, September 27 2008Actor Paul Newman dies of cancerNEW YORK -- Paul Newman, actor, philanthropist and businessman, died Friday of cancer at age 83, media reports said. The Academy Award-winner died at his home in Westport, Conn., the Associated Press reported Saturday. Last year Newman said he would retire from acting, and earlier this year stepped down from a directorial position for a fall production of "Of Mice and Men," citing health... Spanish-language TV gets as bloodthirsty as the restFriday, September 26 2008It's a Mad world for wordless cartoonist Sergio AragonesThe wordless cartoons of Sergio Aragones have appeared in virtually every issue of Mad magazine since 1963. Times have changed, but not Aragones' enduring flair for staging silent hilarity on the pages -- and also in the margins -- of America's most recognized satire publication. Why does he continue to work for Mad ? "I have a mortgage," Aragones said from his home in Ojai, Calif. "And, to... Despite uncertainty, preparations for debate move forwardProducer remembers definitive presidential debate, 48 years laterLinux devotee tries to spread the wordAs one of the Eagles, Joe Walsh goes along to get along'Desperate Housewives' goes back to the futureThursday, September 25 2008Metallica fans say 'Guitar Hero' versions of 'Death Magnetic' songs beat those of the CDFans of heavy metal band Metallica have been complaining that the group's new album, "Death Magnetic," suffers from heavy-handed distortion effects. Too bad, right? Well, apparently not, at least if you're a Guitar Hero fan. Apparently, the "Death Magnetic" tracks available for download in Guitar Hero are much cleaner- and sharper-sounding. As a result, many fans are clamoring for Metallica to... New, old faces part of 'ER' prescriptionSpike Lee hopes his ‘Miracle' launches a film trendPolitically active actor Tim Robbins makes a not-particularly-political Iraq War filmAttention grabber: Keira Knightley as 'The Duchess'U.K.'s Hot Chip would like to defy definition, for nowWednesday, September 24 2008Randy Newman pops up again with first new album in nine yearsRandy Newman and pop music weren't exactly made for each other. "It's like I fell in love with a woman who wasn't my type," says the sardonic songwriter, whose caustic new album "Harps & Angels" is the latest addition to a musical oeuvre that gives voice to the characters of perverts, bigots, alcoholics, slave traders, and miscreants of all shapes and sizes. "If I could have, maybe I should... Google offers up a new vision of computing's futureNew crop of MP3 players hits the marketMan decorates basement walls with $10 worth of SharpieContinuity means a lot to award-winning author Richard RussoSocial, political change in early 20th century alters lives in 'The Given Day'Fiction and nonfiction books for fallAt 61, Stephen King keeps getting betterTuesday, September 23 2008Randall Bramblett may be the best Southern musician who's not famousAs he discusses by phone the contrasts behind his newest songs, Randall Bramblett is looking out his basement window. Inside, on the line, talk touches on inspirations of loss, death and seemingly dashed faith that strike a soulful Southern nerve on his new album "Now It's Tomorrow." But through the glass, into the open air of a late summer morning, he can view the ageless beauty of the woods... Two former Jayhawks are flying together againLatin Grammy nod fuels free-spirited singer Concha BuikaRock and Roll Hall of Fame announces 2009 nomineesKid-friendly versions of mom and dad's favorite jams are all the rageMonday, September 22 2008The Emmys should reflect our miserable livesDidn't I just go to the Oscars yesterday? I can't believe that awards show season is upon us again. And when I say "us," you know that I really mean "me." I anxiously count the days between the annual Emmys telecast and the annual Oscars telecast. As soon as the Oscars are over in February, I can stop working the rest of the year. But Sunday's Emmy Awards telecast started the work cycle all... Nuggets: Al Green, ‘Sounds Eclectic,' Richard Wright, Foo Fighters'The Guardian' becomes 'The Mentalist' for new CBS series'Lakeview Terrace' actress Kerry Washington flies under the radarWhat's that lingering odor? Sunday night's Emmys ceremony50 years later, how the credit card has changed AmericaTight White House race keeps political pollsters busier than everDarth Vader trains an evil apprentice in 'Star Wars: The Force Unleashed''Ghost Town' star Ricky Gervais likes to do things his way'Scrubs' star Sarah Chalke does double duty with stint on 'How I Met Your Mother'Fey sweeps up at the EmmysFriday, September 19 2008Don Henley talks about the Eagles' latest album, changes in the industry and moreIf most bands were to go nearly 30 years between albums, they might agonize over the direction and tenor their new music should take, how time has changed them individually and collectively, and whether they will still be considered relevant. For "Long Road Out of Eden," the Eagles' first studio effort since "The Long Run" in 1979, the reverse held true. All it took was a chance encounter on... Hootie's Darius Rucker not just a rocker gone countryAussie actress Anna Torv is busy keeping secrets on 'Fringe'Tyler Perry says he didn't use white actors to appeal to a different audienceRestoration blues: A revived Buddy Parker shouts a message of faith and inspiration in his new songs'Godfather' trilogy dwarfs all other new Blu-ray releasesTime to fall for TV — again?Thursday, September 18 2008Neil LaBute: Making films without apologyWhen playwright Neil LaBute broke through in the film world with his 1997 low-budget hit "In the Company of Men," here's how the business worked: Studios sought out new talent and would work these filmmakers into their plans. Now, as LaBute noted recently over lunch downtown, the process is reversed: The filmmaker is the one trying to conform to the ever-dwindling distributors' agendas. "I'm now... Fall film forecast: spies, potential comebacks and moreBeing John Malkovich brings many movie rolesRita Moreno overcame Hispanic stereotypes to achieve stardomWill Emmy fall for 'Mad Men'?'Ghost Town' star Gervais says there's a lot of himself in his charactersWednesday, September 17 2008Shocked fans hope for ghost hunter's return to 'Supernatural'It's always a gutsy move when a popular TV show kills off one of its stars. But when the show has only two lead characters to begin with, it seems downright crazy. That didn't stop the writers of the CW cult hit "Supernatural," when they made good on a threat this year to kill off hunky Dean Winchester and send his soul to hell. The final seconds of Season Three ended with Dean, played by... No passion for pie: Kristin Chenoweth can do without the dessert that's a theme on 'Daisies'Is there an Emmy in the 'House'? Tune in Sunday nightElection will focus on ‘isms'A pair of Stephen King chillers top Blu-ray releases |
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