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Nick Frost to star in BBC2 adaptation of Martin Amis's Money

8 hours ago | The Guardian - TV News | See recent The Guardian - TV News news »

Two-part drama also features Mad Men's Vincent Kartheiser, Emma Pierson and Jerry Hall

Nick Frost will star in a BBC2 adaptation of Martin Amis's Money and Sophie Dahl will present a cookery show in the new season of programmes for early 2010.

Frost, the long-time collaborator of Simon Pegg who starred in Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Channel 4 sitcom Spaced, will play Money's anti-hero John Self in Amis's 1980s tale of greed and flawed ambition. Money will also star Vincent Kartheiser, who plays Pete Campbell in Mad Men, Little Dorrit's Emma Pierson and Jerry Hall. The two-part drama has been adapted by Tom Butterworth and Chris Hurford.

Model turned author Dahl will front her first cookery show, The Delicious Miss Dahl, in which BBC2 promised she would "marry her storytelling talents with fresh, enticing recipes".

New BBC2 documentaries for winter and spring 2010 include two about Barack Obama, »

- John Plunkett

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Alan Carr's 'Chatty Man' bows out to 1.3m

17 August 2009 8:54 AM, PDT | Digitalspy | See recent digitalspy news »

The final episode of Alan Carr: Chatty Man pulled in 1.26m (6.5%) during the 10pm hour for Channel 4 last night, according to the latest ratings figures. Previously, the 10-part series opened to 1.92m (11.5%) on Sunday, June 14, while last week's episode managed 1.69m (9.2%). Earlier on Channel 4, Celebrity Wife Swap had 1.91m (8.8%) at 8pm, then 1.88m (8%) stayed with the channel for the Big Brother highlights show. The second episode of BBC One's Jam & Jerusalem, which stars Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, logged 3.45m (15.8%) during the 8pm hour. The audience then rose to 5.29m (22.5%) for Rivers With Griff Rhys Jones at 9pm. BBC Two's (more) »

- By Dan French

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Blu-Ray Review: Riveting ‘Coraline’ Makes For Fantastic Blu-Ray Release

28 July 2009 2:54 PM, PDT | HollywoodChicago.com | See recent HollywoodChicago.com news »

Chicago – Great films refuse to go away. Since I saw Henry Selick’s excellent “Coraline” months ago it has lingered in my memory like a dream and watching it again on the recently-released Blu-Ray (“Coraline” is also available on DVD), I’m reminded of how clever, creative, and captivating this piece of film was in theaters and will be every time I watch it with a perfect home release.

Blu-Ray Rating: 5.0/5.0 Nothing gets old about “Coraline”. Actually, it gets richer with each viewing. That’s the mark of a great movie and exactly what most buyers willing to pay the still-too-steep purchase price of most Blu-Ray releases are looking for - something to watch again and again. You’ll watch “Coraline” again and again.

Coraline was released on Blu-Ray on July 21st, 2009.

Photo credit: Universal

The word I think of when I watch “Coraline” is mesmerizing. Based on the beloved book by Neil Gaiman, »

- adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)

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Cinematical Seven: Mocking 'Harry Potter'

14 July 2009 7:03 PM, PDT | Cinematical | See recent Cinematical news »

Ah, we do so enjoy tearing down that which we love. With the Harry Potter series of books and movies being perhaps the most successful franchises of their kind in this or any other lifetime, it's only natural that it would be the most spoofed bunch of stories as well. From The Simpsons and MadTV to stage musicals and RiffTrax commentaries, there have been hundreds of parodies since the Pottermania first swept the world. Here's just a tiny handful:

1) The jokes began in earnest with the huge popularity of 2001's film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone. That year, David Letterman offered up the Top Ten Signs That Your Kid is a Wizard. Among them: "You say, 'Do you think that lawn is gonna mow itself?' But then it does," "His homework ate the dog," and "You catch him in the bathroom polishing his wand."

2) Also from 2001, the Mad magazine parody, »

- Dawn Taylor

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DVD Playhouse--July 2009

14 July 2009 12:00 PM, PDT | The Hollywood Interview | See recent The Hollywood Interview news »

DVD Playhouse—July 2009

By

Allen Gardner

Do The Right Thing: 20th Anniversary Edition (Universal) Spike Lee’s groundbreaking fable about race relations in an ethnically mixed Brooklyn neighborhood during a sweltering New York summer remains as potent, timely and prescient as it was in 1989. Lee is among the cast, which also includes John Turturro, Danny Aiello, Samuel L. Jackson, Ossie Davis, Ruby Dee, and Rosie Perez (to name a few), that provide the tableaux-like framework for this stunning work. Criminally ignored by Oscar (it wasn't even nominated for Best Picture, but did garner nods for Supporting Actor Danny Aiello and Lee’s screenplay), it endures as a timeless classic. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Bonuses: Commentary by Lee, Ernest Dickerson, Wynn Thomas, Joie Lee; Documentary; Deleted and extended scenes; Featurettes. Widescreen. Dolby and DTS 5.1 surround.

Coraline (Universal) A young girl moves into an old Victorian house with her parents »

- The Hollywood Interview.com

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UK TV Review : Psychoville

19 June 2009 2:44 AM, PDT | TVovermind.com | See recent TVovermind.com news »

Now that season 5 of Ideal (starring Johnny Vegas) has come an end, it’s time for the BBC to air another dark comedy. If you watch Ideal and like it, then you probably enjoy that feeling of concern that always follows an episode. Lucky for us, Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton, two thirds of the League of Gentlemen, took to our screens again last night in their new comedy thriller, Psychoville. The League of Gentlemen was a big hit, but after 3 seasons and a film the boys called it a day. Psychoville sees a return to form for Shearsmith and Pemberton. It is awkward and uncomfortable, yet hilariously funny and a bit magical all at once.

But it’s certainly not for kids. In Pemberton’s words “It’s the same tone as The League Of Gentlemen, it’s called Psychoville, it’s on late-ish…” so consider yourself warned. They »

- Caroline Dutton

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Web site for ‘Psychoville’ goes live… ish!

19 May 2009 6:03 PM, PDT | Twitch | See recent Twitch news »

We’re unabashedly enormous fans of the lads from The League of Gentlemen so any project that they’re now involved in certainly has our interest and this just looks tip top.

Psychoville is a dark character comedy mystery in which different characters are strangely linked.

An embittered one-handed clown who makes balloon animals with his hook; a desperately misguided midwife; a lovestruck telekinetic dwarf who’s in love with his panto Snow White; a blind avaricious collector; and a serial-killer-obsessed man-child… five seemingly unconnected characters share one thing in common.

Yet despite having different backgrounds, different interests, and coming from different parts of the country they share a common link. Every one has been sent an anonymous, black-edged card marked just with the words: “I know what you did…”

The site goes fully live in June but for now there is a brand new clip of Dawn French in »

- Mack

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Coraline Brings the Art of Stop-Motion to DVD and Blu-ray on July 21st

14 May 2009 11:50 AM, PDT | MovieWeb | See recent MovieWeb news »

You can bring home Henry Sellick's new stop-motion masterpiece home on DVD and Blu-ray this July. Coraline will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on July 21. We have no cover art or pricing details as of yet, but it was said that both the 2-D and 3-D versions of teh film will be on the disc and there will be four pairs of 3-D glasses included. You can take a look at the special features below and we'll be sure to update this story as soon as we have more information. The film stars Dakota Fanning, Teri Hatcher, Dawn French, Jennifer Saunders and Ian McShane.

Based on Neil Gaiman's international best-selling book, Coraline is the story of a young girl (voiced by Fanning) who unlocks a mysterious door in her new home, and enters into an adventure in a parallel reality. On the surface, this other world eerily mimics »

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Star Trek and Coraline beat Wolverine at UK box office

13 May 2009 12:29 PM, PDT | The Geek Files | See recent The Geek Files news »

The new Star Trek movie has beamed up to the top of the UK box office with a first weekend total of just under £6million.

Star Trek's £5.95million was way ahead of Coraline, whose debut brought in £2.4million and just beat X-Men Origins: Wolverine which fell to third place with £2.2million on its second weekend.

Hugh Jackman's Wolverine prequel has now made a total of £12million in the UK. Star Trek's UK debut was below that of Wolverine, which made £6.7million on its launch weekend.

Coraline, a critically-praised animated stop-motion fantasy based on Neil Gaiman's 2002 novella, is about a girl who discovers an alternative reality with evil doubles of her parents, friends and neighbours.

It features the voices of Dakota Fanning as Coraline Jones, Desperate Housewives actress Teri Hatcher as mother Mel and comediennes Jennifer Saunders and Dawn French as retired actresses Miss Spink and Miss Forcible.

Hannah Montana: The Movie »

- David Bentley

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Gaiman got French, Saunders for 'Coraline'

11 May 2009 4:48 PM, PDT | Digitalspy | See recent digitalspy news »

Coraline author Neil Gailman has revealed that he got Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders their roles in Henry Selick's animated film. Speaking to Digital Spy, Gaiman said that he convinced Selick to cast the Brit comedy duo as the voices of retired stage performers Spink and Forcible. "I got to be involved on some levels," said Gaiman. "I got to cast French and Saunders, for example. Henry didn't know who they were, but I said 'you will be casting Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders as Miss Spink and Miss Forcible'. I seemed very sure about this (more) »

- By Simon Reynolds

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Dawn French for new BBC Two comedy

8 May 2009 4:22 AM, PDT | Digitalspy | See recent digitalspy news »

BBC Two has commissioned a new comedy series starring Dawn French. The six-episode series, titled Roger And Val Have Just Got In, stars French as the female lead. Casting for her male co-star is still ongoing. Roger And Val follows the lives of the middle-aged couple after they come through the door at the end of a working day. "Roger And Val leapt off the page at me the very (more) »

- By Dan French

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Branagh Lands Top British Academy TV Award

26 April 2009 6:40 PM, PDT | WENN | See recent WENN news »

Kenneth Branagh has walked away with his first producing honour, beating out Doctor Who to land the Best Drama trophy for his series Wallander at the British Academy Television Awards.

Branagh, who also stars as the eponymous police inspector in the TV show, won the coveted award at a star-studded ceremony in London on Sunday night.

He told the crowd, which included Mischa Barton, Ed Westwick and David Tennant: "We're absolutely thrilled. This is bl**dy marvellous. For a series first time out to get this recognition is beyond our wildest dreams."

Mad Men was named Best International Show ahead of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, Dexter and cult police drama The Wire.

Simon Cowell's TV talent show The X Factor picked up the Best Entertainment Show award, while British cop show The Bill was honoured with the Best Continuing Drama award.

The Hours star Anna Maxwell Martin was named Best Actress for her role in Poppy Shakespeare and Stephen Dillane beat Harry Potter star Jason Isaacs to take home the Best Actor award for The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall.

British comedy duo Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders received the BAFTA Fellowship.

The main list of winners is as follows:

Best Actor - Stephen Dillane (The Shooting of Thomas Hurndall)

Best Actress - Anna Maxwell Martin (Poppy Shakespeare)

Best Entertainment Performance - Harry Hill (Harry Hill's TV Burp)

Best Comedy Performance - David Mitchell (Peep Show)

Best Drama Series - Wallander

Best Continuing Drama - The Bill

Best Entertainment Programme - The X Factor

Best International Show - Mad Men

Best News Coverage - News at Ten - Chinese Earthquake reporting

Best Sport - F1: Brazilian Grand Prix

Audience Award - Skins

Special Award - Jane Tranter

Bafta Fellowship - French and Saunders »

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French and Saunders earn BAFTA fellowship

20 April 2009 10:04 PM, PDT | Digitalspy | See recent digitalspy news »

Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders are to become the second UK double act to be presented with a BAFTA fellowship. The comedy duo will follow in the footsteps of Morecambe and Wise when they are presented with the honour at the Academy's 2009 television awards later this month, says the BBC. French and Saunders are known for their BBC sketch show as well as Absolutely Fabulous and The Vicar Of Dibley. Joanna Lumley, who starred in Absolutely (more) »

- By Sarah Rollo

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Creating Coraline - Images

20 April 2009 3:12 AM, PDT | Latemag.com/film | See recent LateFilmFull news »

Above: Animator Chris Tootell readies Coraline to cross a snowy forest in Henry Selick's stop-motion animated 3-D adventure Coraline.

Above: Animator Bartek Prusiewicz works outside the Pink Palace house/apartments complex situated on a soundstage.

Stop motion animation fascinates me, marveling at the Dinosaurs of Jim Danforth and Roger Dicken in The Land that time forgot as a child. The maestro Ray Harryhausen work in everything he did and later the surrel imaginings of check master Jan Svankmajer. As well as creations like Morph the animated companion of the late great Tony Hart and top notch kids show The Trap Door. Apart from generally just loving the look of Stop motion the patience of its creators amazes me. Anyway check out the images above from Coraline.

You can view slightly larger versions over at our Virb page (click to enlarge them)

Above: Set construction supervisor Bo Henry makes final »

- Leigh

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The Fonz beats Cowell in charity contest

29 March 2009 12:52 AM, PDT | Digitalspy | See recent digitalspy news »

Simon Cowell has been praised for his generous spirit despite failing to scoop £40,000 for his favourite charity in a celebrity radio quiz. The X Factor judge was beaten to the prize by Henry Winkler, who played The Fonz in the 1970s sitcom Happy Days. Dawn French, Boris Johnson and William Shatner also took part in the 'Who's Calling Christian?' contest on Absolute Radio, reports New. DJ Christian (more) »

- By Sarah Rollo

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Glamour Magazine UK: Women Of The Year 2009

15 March 2009 9:29 AM, PDT | twilightersanonymous.com | See recent TwilightersAnonymous news »

Glamour Magazine UK has announced the nominees for Women of the Year 2009 and with such a femalepowered film its no surprise that three Twilightrelated women were among the nominees.nbspAussie Hair Care newcomer Amanda Seyfried Mamma Mia! Blake Lively Gossip Girl Claire Foy Little Dorrit Freida Pinto Slumdog Millionaire Katie White The Ting Tings We Started Nothing Katy Perry One Of The Boys Kristen Stewart Twilight Lady GaGa The Fame Leighton Meester Gossip GirlFilmMaker Barbara Broccoli producer Quantum Of Solace Catherine Hardwicke director Twilight Catherine Johnson screenwriter Mamma Mia! Drew Barrymore executive producer Hes Just Not That Into You Gurinder Chadha director Angus Thongs And Perfect Snogging Phyllida Lloyd director Mamma Mia! Sarah Jessica Parker producer Sex And The City Sharman Macdonald screenwriter The Edge Of LoveWriter Cecelia Ahern The Gift Dawn French Dear Fatty India Knight The Thrift Book Jk Rowling The Tales Of Beedle The Bard Jodi Picoult »

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watch it: “Mamma Mia - Behind the Scenes - Red Nose Day 2009”

13 March 2009 12:07 PM, PDT | www.flickfilosopher.com | See recent FlickFilosopher news »

It’s Red Nose Day today! And I’ve got lots of videos today in support of Comic Relief. So it seems that two of the funniest of Britain’s funny ladies -- Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders -- will be performing their last sketch ever on the Comic Relief show on the BBC tonight (which is now underway as midafternoon rolls around here in New York). They’re sending up Mamma Mia!, the biggest movie in the U.K. in 2008 -- yup, bigger than James Bond and bigger than Batman. Jennifer Saunders as Meryl Streep? Fun-ny. If/when the actual sketch shows up on YouTube, I’ll grab it and post it here. There’s another video peeking behind-the-scenes of this sketch over at the Rose Nose Day site, but you’ll have to click over to see it: it’s not embeddable. (Please give some cash -- you »

- MaryAnn Johanson

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He’s Just Not That into You tops the charts as Panther has no claws.

8 February 2009 | Movie Jungle | See recent Movie Jungle news »

Sometimes, as bad as it may sound, one is almost thankful that a film bombs out at the box office. Much-beloved classics, especially in a series of films like “The Pink Panther,” should never be remade. I say one would be thankful because perhaps they won’t add another abomination to their lineup. Now, the follow-up to the reincarnation, which stars a buffet of talented actors, has debuted in fourth spot with a paltry $12 million from 3,243 venues, averaging just $3,700 per theatre. The first may have made over $80 million domestically simply from crowd curiosity – you can’t pull that move twice. Sorry fellas. Instead, the more deserved contender in Warner Bros. Pictures’ “He’s Just Not That into You” topped the charts with an estimated $27.4 million. The film starring Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Connelly, Justin Long, Drew Barrymore and Kevin Connolly opened into 3,175 locations and averaged $8,650 per theatre. »

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Henry Selick Interview, Coraline

7 February 2009 8:00 PM, PST | MoviesOnline.ca | See recent MoviesOnline news »

Combining the visionary imaginations of two premier fantasists, director Henry Selick (The Nightmare Before Christmas) and author Neil Gaiman (Sandman), Coraline is a wondrous and thrilling, fun and suspenseful adventure that honors and redefines two moviemaking traditions. It’s the first stop-motion animated feature to be conceived and photographed in stereoscopic 3-D and it’s unlike anything moviegoers have ever experienced before. The film’s characters are voiced by Dakota Fanning,Teri Hatcher, John Hodgman, Robert Bailey Jr., Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, and Ian McSh... »

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Henry Selick’s ‘Coraline’ an Early Contender For Best Animated Film of 2009

6 February 2009 12:59 PM, PST | HollywoodChicago.com | See recent HollywoodChicago.com news »

Chicago – Henry Selick, the visionary director of “The Nightmare Before Christmas” and “James and the Giant Peach” has masterfully directed a mesmerizing journey into the world of imagination called “Coraline”.

Rating: 4.0/5.0 Based on the beloved book by Neil Gaiman, “Coraline” is a nearly perfect stop-motion animated adventure featuring excellent voice work by Teri Hatcher, Dakota Fanning, John Hodgman, Ian McShane, Jennifer Saunders, Dawn French, and Keith David.

Read Brian Tallerico’s full review of “Coraline” in our reviews section. Last year was an incredible one for animation with moving masterpieces like “Wall-e” and “Waltz With Bashir” and crowd-pleasers like “Kung Fu Panda” and “Bolt,” so it’s hard to say that “Coraline” would have been the best animated film of 2008, but it’s also easy to believe that we won’t see one better in 2009. It’s that good.

What immediately distinguishes “Coraline” is the creative team’s understanding that »

- adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)

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2009 | 2008 | 2004 | 2000

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