The ShowBuzz Weekly Forecast
More new movies such as "Snakes on a Plane" and "Factotum" are coming to a theater near you just as some of your favorite reality TV shows — which have kept you housebound all summer long — are coming to an end.
New albums from singers Christina Aguilera and Trace Adkins are out this week, and the first season of HBO's critically acclaimed TV series "Rome" is available on DVD.
MOVIES:
The following films are opening Aug. 18: Already an internet sensation, Samuel L. Jackson's campy horror flick "Snakes on a Plane," hits theaters this week … "Factotum," the drama based on a 1975 novel by Charles Bukowski, stars Matt Dillon as a writer who consistently gets distracted by booze and women … Ed Norton plays a magician living in turn-of-the-century Vienna in "The Illusionist," a movie Rolling Stone calls an "elegant fable of art, love, and politics." … Real-life sisters Hilary and Haylie Duff play rich socialite sisters who lose it all and try to survive without credit in the comedy "Material Girls" … David Duchovny, Julianne Moore and Maggie Gyllenhaal star in "Trust the Man," a romantic comedy Hollywood Reporter calls "a smart, sharply observed, highly affable look at contemporary relationships that finally injects a little life into the stagnant genre."
MUSIC:
Christina Aguilera's third studio album, "Back to Basics," hits stores Tuesday Aug. 15. The singer serves up jazz and blues inspired tracks that are less sexually charged than offerings on her 2002 album, "Stripped."
Marking his 10th year as a recording artist, country singer Trace Adkins' new album, "Dangerous Man," will be released Tuesday, His hit single, "Swing," is already climbing Billboard's hot country chart.
TV:
Finalists Virginia and Heather are challenged with running a restaurant in the second season finale of "Hell's Kitchen," airing Monday Aug. 14 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
Grammy-winner John Legend drops by for the premiere of the 37th season of "Sesame Street," Aug. 14 on PBS Kids (check your local listings).
The "Miss Teen USA" pageant will air live from Palm Springs, Calif., on Tuesday, Aug. 15 at 8 p.m. on NBC. JoJo, Ashley Parker Angel and High School Musical's Lucas Grabeel are set to perform.
The final four compete to become winner of "So You Think You Can Dance?" on the season finale Wednesday, Aug. 16 at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.
The season finale of "America's Got Talent" airs Thursday, Aug. 17 at 9 p.m. ET on NBC. Only one act will receive the million dollar prize. Could it be the Rappin' Granny (aka Vivian Smallwood)?
"American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino stars as herself in the new Lifetime movie "The Fantasia Barrino Story: Life Is Not a Fairy Tale" airing Saturday, Aug. 19 at 9 p.m. ET.
"The Comedy Central Roast of William Shatner" will air Sunday, Aug. 20 at 10 p.m. ET on Comedy Central. "Seinfeld" alum Jason Alexander is Roast Master while Shatner's pals Andy Dick, Sharon Stone and Betty White will be turning up the heat.
DVD:
The following DVD's are available Tuesday, Aug. 15: Season one of HBO's epic drama "Rome" ... "Apocalypse Now: The Complete Dossier," a two-disc special collector's edition ... The first season of NBC's sci-fi series "Surface," which was canceled in January and starred Lake Bell ... "Scary Movie 4," the horror-spoof starring Carmen Electra and Anthony Anderson ... "RV," the road trip comedy starring Robin Williams' and singer-actress JoJo.
By Amy Bonawitz