News

A North Carolina handyman has pleaded guilty to murdering and dismembering a pregnant former Food Network Star contestant and her husband in 2015, People confirms.

On Thursday, 37-year-old Robert Jason Owens admitted in court to murdering Cristie Schoen Codd, her husband, J.T. Codd, and their unborn daughter, Skylar, in what authorities called “the most disturbing killings in history.”

Owens, who was in the middle of disposing of the bodies when he was arrested in 2015, pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree murder and two counts of dismembering remains, according to authorities.

He will spend 59 and a half to 74 and a half years in prison.

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A fourth man has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting Olympian Tyson Gay’s 15-year-old daughter, Trinity, People confirms.

Lamonte A. Williams, 20, has been charged with wanton endangerment after allegedly opening fire in a shooting in Lexington, Kentucky, that ended in Trinity’s death, according to a Lexington police news release.

Williams’ arrest follows the arrests of Chazarae and Dâ€.markeo Taylor, 38 and 19 respectively, who were taken into custody on Sunday and charged with wanton endangerment hours after Trinity was shot, according to a statement from the Lexington Police Department.

A 20-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the shooting death of Tyson Gay's 15-year-old daughter ... the 4th suspect arrested so far ... cops have confirmed.  The Lexington P.D. says they believe Lamonte A. Williams was involved in the gunfight near the Cook Out restaurant on October 16th ... in which a stray bullet struck and killed Trinity Gay, daughter of the U.S. Olympic track star.  Cops say Williams and at least 3 other...

NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams did a Facebook Q&A Wednesday, and the evening turned out to be a wonderful mix of absurd ("Who is your favorite member of Nwa?") and serious ("What story have you covered in your career has stuck with you the most?"). Some other NBC personalities showed up to banter with Williams, as well. Here are the best bits - both illuminating and entertaining - from the Q&A. Williams said he'll do another, "but only by popular demand," so keep an eye out. Does the orchestral intro music get you as pumped up for...

American Hustle, David O. Russell’s newest film staring Amy Adams, Christian Bale, Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, is a fictional film based on the true events of the Abscam scandal.

American Hustle follows Irving Rosenfeld, a mastermind conman played by Christian Bale, as he gets entangled with FBI agent Richie Dimaso (Cooper) and the two concoct an elaborate sting operation that borderlines on entrapment to expose corrupt government officials. In reality, conman Mel Weinberg worked with FBI agent John Good, in Abscam, a two-year operation in the late 70s and early 80s, which resulted in the arrests and convictions of Sen. Harrison A. Williams of New Jersey, Angelo Errichetti, the Mayor of Camden, New Jersey Congressman Frank Thompson Jr. and others. All convicted were caught on video accepting bribes. As in American Hustle, an FBI agent masquerading as an Arab Sheik was involved.

Abscam is thoroughly explored in the...

Balagan Theatre and New York City producer Katie Tomlinson Diamond presented an open workshop performance of Nirvanov on Monday, July 29, 2013, featuring television and stage star C.S. Lee Dexter and Van Hughes American Idiot The Musical, national tour as rock legend Kurt CobainNirvanov. Kirsten deLohr Helland and Williams A. Williams perform 'Faded and Jaded' from the show. Check out the video below...

Amy Adams will conspire with her "Fighter" director David O. Russell once again. The actress has signed on to star in Russell's next film, an untitled drama formerly known as "American Bullshit" that tells the true-life tale of con artist Mel Weinberg (Bradley Cooper), who teamed up with the FBI on a massive corruption case beginning in the late 1970s. Known as the Abscam operation, the snowballing investigation ultimately led to the conviction of several high-powered politicians, including U.S. Senator Harrison A. Williams and five members of the House of Representatives. Adams will play Maxine "Max" Gardner, Weinberg's mistress and co-conspirator....

This is a busy weekend for awards, and the first major awards have just been handed out. The winners of the 2011 Chesley Awards were announced today at Renovation, the WorldCon going on right now in Reno, Nevada. The Chesleys are given by the Association of Science Fiction and Fantasy Artists each year for excellence in genre art.

Paperback: Jason Chan, for Geist by Phillipa Ballantine (Ace) Hardcover: Michael Whelan, for The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson (Tor) Magazine: Nick Greenwood, for Orson Scott Card’s Intergalactic Medicine Show #17 Three-Dimensional: Mark Newman, Eel Walker; bronze Interior: Donato Giancola, Middle Earth: Visions of a Modern Myth Unpublished Color: Julie Dillon, “Planetary Alignment” Unpublished Monochrome: Ian Miller, “Triptych” Product: Sam Weber, Shadow Rising by Robert Jordan, promo art for Tor ebook Gaming: Lucas Graciano, Amorphous Drake (Legends of Norrath) (Sony Online Entertainment) Art Director: Jon Schindehette — Wizards of the Coast Lifetime Achievement:...

Nominations for the 2011 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards®

Presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing

Best Play

Good PeopleAuthor: David Lindsay-Abaire

Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove

JerusalemAuthor: Jez Butterworth

Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Stuart Thompson, Scott Rudin, Roger Berlind, Royal Court Theatre Productions, Beverly Bartner/Alice Tulchin, Dede Harris/Rupert Gavin, Broadway Across America, Jon B. Platt, 1001 Nights/Stephanie P. McClelland, Carole L. Haber/Richard Willis, Jacki Barlia Florin/Adam Blanshay

The Motherf**ker with the HatAuthor: Stephen Adly Guirgis

Producers: Scott Rudin, Stuart Thompson, Public Theater Productions, Oskar Eustis, Joey Parnes, Labyrinth Theater Company, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Mimi O'Donnell, Yul Vázquez, Danny Feldman, Fabula Media Partners LLC, Jean Doumanian, Ruth Hendel, Carl Moellenberg, Jon B. Platt, Tulchin Bartner/Jamie deRoy

War HorseAuthor: Nick Stafford

Producers: Lincoln Center Theater, André Bishop, Bernard Gersten, National Theatre of Great Britain, Nicholas Hytner, Nick Starr, Bob Boyett,...

The Book of Mormon, the musical comedy from the creators of South Park, was the big winner this morning when the 2011 Tony Award nominations were announced, earning 14 nominations, including Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score, and Best Direction. The Scottsboro Boys also cleaned up, with 12 nods. Tony winners Anika Noni Rose and Matthew Broderick made the announcements, and the ceremony will air Sunday, June 12 on CBS. The entire list of nominations is after the jump.

Best Play

Good People

Author: David Lindsay-Abaire Producers: Manhattan Theatre Club, Lynne Meadow, Barry Grove

Jerusalem

Author: Jez Butterworth Producers: Sonia Friedman Productions, Stuart Thompson,...

If you see your name below check your e-mail! You might be heading to HollywoodLife’s Young Hollywood Awards this Thursday, May 13

Hey BFFs, we’re sending out emails right now to the winners of our Young Hollywood Awards free ticket giveaway. If you name is on the list below, be sure to check your email. There are detailed instructions inside. Thanks to everyone for entering, and be sure to follow @HollywoodLife for updates from the show!

J. Abdalla

S. Ackerman

S. Anderson

C. Armstrong

J. Barboza

E. Berman

D. Bernstein

H. Bowden

J. Brauer

S. Brenner

A. Bryansmith

J. Bullock

K. Cabral

A. Calderon

I. Cam

M. Camacho

A. capellino

E. Carbajal

E. Cardenas

V. Carranza

K. Carver

N. Casso

C. Castellon

B. Charles

C. Cheng

J. Covarrubias

R. Cucchiara

P. Dean

B. DeCastro

J. Denisse

J. Dial

D. Dinh

L. Doan

H. Duran

N. Durghalli

K. Elder

B.

Underdog, the live-action Disney film based on the Saturday morning cartoon series that ran from 1964-73, has a tail-wagging sense of wit and fun but gets undone by an increasingly lame story and physical gags in the latter phases of the movie. Still, the movie isn't nearly as bad as you would expect when the studio holds its only press screening the night before a national opening. The film kids superhero movies even as it opens the way for clever canine jokes that do make the movie something of an underdog.

The movie's hero is a lovable Beagle nicknamed Shoeshine that cop-turned-security guard Dan (a subdued and genuinely likable Jim Belushi) finds on a street one fateful night in Capitol City. He and his son Jack Alex Neuberger) are involved in a real-life challenge of coping with the death of the wife and mother, which gives this cartoonish comedy emotional heft.

Unbeknownst to either male, Shoeshine has been accidentally transformed into a canine crime-fighter in the lab of one Dr. Simon Barsinister (Peter Dinklage in a peerless bit of comic clowning), a mad scientist who, as he says, prefers the term "visionary." The dog can blast through walls, lift impossibly heavy objects, think faster than a human and, yes, he can talk. (Voice supplied with a down-home sensibility by Jason Lee.)

It takes a while for Shoeshine and Jack to get comfortable with these brilliant pet tricks, which makes for much of the fun in the early going. So while Shoeshine and Jack get their superhero act going -- which includes pinpointing the right costume after several false starts -- Dr. Simon, his face hideously rearranged by an industrial accident to look truly diabolical, and his wonderfully dense yet resourceful henchman Cal (a narcissistic Patrick Warburton) find new ways to do evil badly.

So the movie, under the direction of Frederik Du Chau (who directed that other critter comedy Racing Stripes), seems to have many things going for it as a family comedy. Alas, it fritters this all away with a Batman-style plot to destroy Capitol City by Dr. Simon and a gang of bad dogs led by a tough called Riff Raff ("Everybody Loves Raymond's" Brad Garrett).

The script by Adam Rifkin, Joe Piscatella & Craig A. Williams doesn't so much go to the dogs as rely too heavily on dogs doing things cute or amazing to take audience minds off a stalled story.

The pet tricks are quite good, and the animation of the animal mouths and the actors' voices synch well. This includes Amy Adams as Shoeshine's love interest, a saucy Spaniel named Polly. Other effects are just so-so, and the production design reflects the film's divided sensibility: Some sets and locations have true grit while others feel like backlot fakery.

UNDERDOG

Buena Vista Pictures

Walt Disney Pictures presents in association with Spyglass Entertainment a Barber-Birnbaum/Jay Polstein production in association with Classic Media

Credits:

Director: Frederik Du Chau

Screenwriters: Adam Rifkin, Joe Piscatella, Craig A. Williams

Story by: Joe Piscatella, Craig A. Williams, Adam Rifkin

Producers: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Jay Polstein

Executive producers: Eric Ellenbogen, Bob Higgins, Todd Arnow

Director of photography: David Eggby

Production designer: Garreth Stover

Music: Randy Edelman

Co-producers: Erin Stam, Rebekah Rudd

Costume designer: Gary Jones; Editor: Tom Finan

Cast:

Voice of Underdog: Jason Lee

Dr. Simon Barsinister: Peter Dinklage

Dan Unger: Jim Belushi

Cad: Patrick Warburton

Jack: Alex Neuberger

Molly: Taylor Momsen

Mayor: John Slattery;

Voice of Polly: Amy Adams

Voice of Riff Raff: Brad Garrett

Running time -- 84 minutes

MPAA rating: PG...

This review was written for the theatrical release of "Underdog"."Underdog", the live-action Disney film based on the Saturday morning cartoon series that ran from 1964-73, has a tail-wagging sense of wit and fun but gets undone by an increasingly lame story and physical gags in the latter phases of the movie. Still, the movie isn't nearly as bad as you would expect when the studio holds its only press screening the night before a national opening. The film kids superhero movies even as it opens the way for clever canine jokes that do make the movie something of an underdog.

The movie's hero is a lovable Beagle nicknamed Shoeshine that cop-turned-security guard Dan (a subdued and genuinely likable Jim Belushi) finds on a street one fateful night in Capitol City. He and his son Jack Alex Neuberger) are involved in a real-life challenge of coping with the death of the wife and mother, which gives this cartoonish comedy emotional heft.

Unbeknownst to either male, Shoeshine has been accidentally transformed into a canine crime-fighter in the lab of one Dr. Simon Barsinister (Peter Dinklage in a peerless bit of comic clowning), a mad scientist who, as he says, prefers the term "visionary." The dog can blast through walls, lift impossibly heavy objects, think faster than a human and, yes, he can talk. (Voice supplied with a down-home sensibility by Jason Lee.)

It takes a while for Shoeshine and Jack to get comfortable with these brilliant pet tricks, which makes for much of the fun in the early going. So while Shoeshine and Jack get their superhero act going -- which includes pinpointing the right costume after several false starts -- Dr. Simon, his face hideously rearranged by an industrial accident to look truly diabolical, and his wonderfully dense yet resourceful henchman Cal (a narcissistic Patrick Warburton) find new ways to do evil badly.

So the movie, under the direction of Frederik Du Chau (who directed that other critter comedy "Racing Stripes"), seems to have many things going for it as a family comedy. Alas, it fritters this all away with a "Batman"-style plot to destroy Capitol City by Dr. Simon and a gang of bad dogs led by a tough called Riff Raff ("Everybody Loves Raymond's" Brad Garrett).

The script by Adam Rifkin, Joe Piscatella & Craig A. Williams doesn't so much go to the dogs as rely too heavily on dogs doing things cute or amazing to take audience minds off a stalled story.

The pet tricks are quite good, and the animation of the animal mouths and the actors' voices synch well. This includes Amy Adams as Shoeshine's love interest, a saucy Spaniel named Polly. Other effects are just so-so, and the production design reflects the film's divided sensibility: Some sets and locations have true grit while others feel like backlot fakery.

UNDERDOG

Buena Vista Pictures

Walt Disney Pictures presents in association with Spyglass Entertainment a Barber-Birnbaum/Jay Polstein production in association with Classic Media

Credits:

Director: Frederik Du Chau

Screenwriters: Adam Rifkin, Joe Piscatella, Craig A. Williams

Story by: Joe Piscatella, Craig A. Williams, Adam Rifkin

Producers: Gary Barber, Roger Birnbaum, Jay Polstein

Executive producers: Eric Ellenbogen, Bob Higgins, Todd Arnow

Director of photography: David Eggby

Production designer: Garreth Stover

Music: Randy Edelman

Co-producers: Erin Stam, Rebekah Rudd

Costume designer: Gary Jones

Editor: Tom Finan

Cast:

Voice of Underdog: Jason Lee

Dr. Simon Barsinister: Peter Dinklage

Dan Unger: Jim Belushi

Cad: Patrick Warburton

Jack: Alex Neuberger

Molly: Taylor Momsen

Mayor: John Slattery

Voice of Polly: Amy Adams

Voice of Riff Raff: Brad Garrett

Running time -- 84 minutes

MPAA rating: PG...