Weekly Forecast
This week, actors tap into their emotions - whether it be caused by an adrenaline rush in Denzel Washington's "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," a reflection of the past in Francis Ford Coppola's "Tetro," or a test of one's self confidence in Eddie Murphy's "Imagine That."
MOVIES
"The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," Denzel Washington stars as New York City subway dispatcher Walter Garber, whose ordinary day is turned upside down and thrown into chaos by the hijacking of a subway train. John Travolta stars as Ryder, the criminal mastermind who, as leader of a highly-armed gang of four, threatens to execute the train's passengers unless a large ransom is paid within one hour. The film opens on Friday, June 12.
"Tetro" is Francis Ford Coppola's first original screenplay since "The Conversation." Considered his most personal film yet, Coppola draws from his early memories and emotions, however the film is completely fictional. The bittersweet story is based on two brothers, of family lost and found and the conflicts and secrets within an Argentine-Italian family. The film opens on Thursday, June 11.
Eddie Murphy plays a powerful financial executive whose career goes downhill when a sudden and surprising lack of confidence gets the best of him. He eventually gets back on track when confronted with an imaginary world dreamt up by his young daughter in a fantasy comedy in "Imagine That", which opens on Friday, June 12.
Photos: Celebrity Circuit
In "Food, Inc.", documentary filmmaker Robert Kenner uses reports by Fast Food Nation author Eric Schlosser and The Omnivore's Dilemma author Michael Pollan as a springboard to exploring where the food we purchase at the grocery store really comes from, and what it means for the health of future generations.
"Moon", a psychological sci-fi film starring Sam Rockwell and Kevin Spacey, is based on a an astronaut miner, who spends three years extracting moon gas that promises to reverse the Earth's energy crisis. Just when he thinks he can finish his duty and get back to his life, he makes an ominous discovery.
Having appearing in a documentary and playing himself on "The Simpsons," Houston Rockets star Yao Ming finally gets to voice a whole different character for an upcoming Chinese-language animated film.
On "Curb Your Enthusiasm," Larry David's alter ego has realized two fantasies: starring in a Mel Brooks production and acting in a Martin Scorsese film. Now, like a "Curb" story line come to life, David is the lead in Woody Allen's latest film, "Whatever Works."
TV
Stephen Colbert will broadcast four shows from Baghdad, where he says he'll be "Bob Hoping" it for the troops. Colbert arrived at the former Al Faw Palace at Camp Victory on Friday.
For weeks, he's promoted the trip on Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," but because the military urged caution, he has only trumpeted a vague trip to "the Persian Gulf." The series of shows, each to be taped in front of an audience of about 450 troops, have been dubbed "Operation Iraqi Stephen: Going Commando." It's the first time anyone has broadcast from Iraq for a USO tour.
Edie Falco, having capped her stellar run as mobster wife Carmela Soprano, carried on with her life. Now she's got a new series, "Nurse Jackie" on Showtime, Monday June 8 at 10:30 p.m ET.
Susan Lucci's memorable "All My Children" character is about to become TV's ultimate cougar, airing weekdays at 1 p.m. ET/12 PT on ABC.
MUSIC
The Black Eyed Peas release The E.N.D. (Energy Never Dies) on Tuesday, June 9. "BOOM BOOM POW" was the Peas' very first No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.
Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band will perform at the Bonnaroo Music and Art Festival on Staurday, June 13.
The Apollo Theater celebrates its 75th anniversary with Patti LaBelle, Quincy Jones, Bill Cosby, Mariah Carey and Jamie Foxx.
Photos: Pete Seeger's 90th Birthday
The Jonas Brothers and Live Nation host a press conference to discuss the June 20 kickoff of the North American leg of the "Jonas Brothers World Tour 2009."
The Spoleto Festival USA enters its final weekend of concerts, plays and fireworks with good news amid tough economic times: it reached a scaled-back target for ticket sales, unless final events are rained out.
Photos: Jonas Brothers: A Talented Trio
Yusuf, the artist formerly known as Cat Stevens, doesn't bear any grudges about being denied entry into the U.S. five years ago. He's responded to the widely publicized episode with a whimsical new song "Boots and Sand," with a music video that he likens to "a spaghetti Italian cowboy movie."
DVD
In his fourth directorial feature, Clint Eastwood tells the story of a Korean War vet's reluctant friendship with a Hmong teenage boy and his immigrant family in "Gran Torino".
"The International" is based on Interpol agent Louis Salinger (Clive Owen) and his partner, New York Assistant D.A. Eleanor Whitman (Naomi Watts), who are consistently stonewalled by local law enforcement in their attempt to close in on the bank's insiders.
Narrated by Glenn Close and featuring amazing aerial photography of famed photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand, this soaring trip across planet Earth allows viewers to experience their home as never before in "Home".
BOOKS
One of the child stars of the Oscar-winning movie "Slumdog Millionaire" is to publish her life story, her publishers said Friday. Transworld Publishers said Rubina Ali's book will tell the story of her life in the shantytown where she grew up.
Madeline Toy at Transworld Publishers said Friday that "Slumgirl Dreaming: My Journey to the Stars" will be published in Britain in mid-July. She said both Transworld Publishers and Random House Children's Books will publish the book at the same time. Both companies are units of Random House Group Ltd.
"Skin Trade" is author Laurell K. Hamilton's latest work in her bestselling Vampire Hunter series. A vampire serial killer sends Anita Blake a grisly souvenir from Las Vegas. When she warns Sin City's authorities to what they're dealing with - Blake realizes it's worse than she thinks.
In "Beyond the Grave" by Jude Watson, Amy and Dan are hot on the trail of the fourth Clue, but their ruthless relatives will stop at nothing to eliminate them from the competition. Their hunt leads them to an ancient city that has been a hot bed of Cahill activity for centuries. The clock is ticking for Amy and Dan.
THEATER
Dysfunctional Theatre Company presents a revival of Joseph Kesselring's farcical comedy about a newspaper reporter and his crazy relatives in "Arsenic and Old Lace", which opens on Friday, June 12 at the Kraine Theatre in New York City.
"Dov and Ali" is a new play by Anna Ziegler about an Orthodox Jew and a strict Muslim who get caught in a cultural crossfire, which opens Friday, June 12 at Cherry Lane Theatre in New York City.