There’s nothing more important to the Scene than keeping up with the latest news in pop culture. That’s why there’s “Take 5,” the column that will keep you up to date of all the most important entertainment headlines.
TV smorgasbord
NBC and FOX are aggressively marketing their new lineup with early online launches of several shows. NBC’s new shows include the controversial comedy “The New Normal,” already banned by the network’s Utah affiliates for its racy, progressive content; the high-profile sci-fi drama “Revolution,” with a plot reminiscent of “The Hunger Games;” and “Go On,” fan favorite and former “Friends” star Matthew Perry’s latest vehicle.
Meanwhile, FOX viewers can luxuriate in “The Mindy Project,” created by and starring former “Office” writer Mindy Kaling, and “Ben and Kate,” a romantic comedy with a sibling twist. The cries of “There’s nothing on TV!” will surely dissipate as the new TV season approaches.
Rock royalty
Rock music fanatics have several new albums to satisfy their musical thirst this week as Bob Dylan and The Dave Matthews Band release long-awaited fresh material.
Dylan’s “Tempest” is his 35th studio album and first in three years. The 10-song collection that includes an atmospheric, 14-minute title track and an album-closing tribute to John Lennon called “Roll on John.”
Dylan’s first studio album in three years coincides with the release of another album three years in the making: The Dave Matthews Band’s “Away From the World.” The album boasts the return of frequent DMB producer and collaborator Steve Lillywhite after a 10-year separation from the band.
Both albums have attracted rave reviews from critics, with Rolling Stone extolling “Tempest” as “a thing to behold” and Billboard describing “Away from the World” as “moody, restrained and subtle.”
Master blaster
Paul Thomas Anderson, whose last film “There Will Be Blood” was hailed as one of the most original, shocking films of the last decade. It’s no surprise, then, that Anderson’s latest, “The Master” has the film community buzzing. Among the other factors inspiring “Master” hype: the plot’s reported similarities to the life of Scientology founder and sci-fi author L. Ron Hubbard; the formal return of Oscar winner Joaquin Phoenix to traditional acting after his stint in the documentary “I’m Still Here” and the director’s controversial decision to shoot the film in the rare 70mm format despite the venue limitations associated with the antiquated format.
Hit ‘em up “Style”
The past week’s pop music scene has been dominated by the Korean rapper PSY and his inhumanly catchy K-pop single “Gangnam Style.” The track is coupled with a kooky music video heavy. It has experienced a surge in sales, briefly reaching the top of the iTunes sales charts, surpassing pop music titans like Taylor Swift and Kanye West.
“Finding Nemo” again
Pixar’s beloved 2003 classic “Finding Nemo” is making a brief return trip to theaters for the next several weekends, albeit with a minor wrinkle: the film has been converted to 3-D.
Inspired by the runaway box-office success of Disney’s 3-D “The Lion King” re-release, Disney opted to reach into its beloved catalog and update some of its other successful films to the newfangled format.
Barring any disasters at the box office, Disney plans to give the 3-D treatment to “Monsters, Inc.” and “The Little Mermaid” within the next year.
thescene@theeagleonline.com
