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Stars: Luke Avoledo, Nick Biskupek, Simon Phillips, Michael Swatton, Dan Molson, Sayla de Goede, Camille Blott, Paul Whitney | Written by Simon Phillips | Directed by Taylor Martin

Silent Bite is the third exercise in seasonal slaughter from writer/actor Simon Phillips, who also gave us Once Upon a Time at Christmas and its sequel The Nights Before Christmas. While they weren’t the greatest examples of the genre, they were far from the worst as well, and they do say the third time is the charm, so I decided to kick off my Christmas viewing with it.

A gang of Santa suited bank robbers, Prancer, Grinch, Father Christmas (Simon Phillips), and Snowman, are hiding out at The Jolly Roger Inn and Resort. Despite its name, it’s a dump in the middle of nowhere, which makes it perfect for them to lie low while Rudolph leads the police on a wild good chase.

Kelsey Grammer is currently enjoying a great deal of success with the revival of "Frasier," a series that has been running on Paramount+ since October 2023. The original "Frasier," itself a spinoff of "Cheers," starred Grammer as the titular character, a radio psychologist whose persnickety attitudes and tastes invited all manner of zany shenanigans into his life. The original show lasted 264 episodes over 11 seasons, making it one of the most successful sitcoms of its decade.

But, as many might be able to point out, Grammer's career has been wildly varied in success. He often shows up in films, yet he has headlined far more bombs than hits. Grammer has played Dr. Hank McCoy/Beast in several live-action "X-Men" movies, but he has also appeared in a slew of weird, low-budget, straight-to-home-media schlock. Who could forget, for instance, the bizarre glories of Andrew Lawrence's "Money Plane"? Grammer has similarly starred in numerous low-rent Christmas movies,...

Christmas has come early to the Frasier-verse. The reboot’s second season finale was a holiday-themed episode, one which found Dr. Crane and company attempting to reunite Frasier’s old friend Alan with his estranged daughter. Naturally, hijinks ensued.

The episode was mostly serviceable, although, as Frasier fans have pointed out, it’s a little weird that the show seems to be teeing up a romance between Frasier’s son Freddy and Alice, the character played by Kelsey Grammer’s real-life daughter Greer Grammer.

Also, we couldn’t help but notice that the episode’s title seemingly references one of Grammer’s career low points — and keep in mind that this is a career that includes both Down Periscope and Money Plane.

The season finale is named “Father Christmas,” which makes sense, considering that it’s about a troubled dad during the holidays. But it also, perhaps not accidentally, calls...

[This story contains spoilers from the season two finale of Frasier.]

Midway through the first episode of Frasier’s second season, star Kelsey Grammer picks up an Enchanted Snooker Ball — think of a British Magic 8-Ball — and asks, “Does Frasier Crane still got it?” The answer — “Indubitably” — does the opposite of comforting him as he continues settling into life back in Boston. Instead, it sends Dr. Crane on a warpath. His anger is warranted, because moments earlier he discovered that the toy gave the same answer to his son when he questioned quitting Harvard to become a fireman. Frasier frantically shakes the ball again, asking if his curmudgeon best friend Alan Cornwall (played masterfully by Nicholas Cornwall) used the same toy to give his son the advice. The ball answers, “Obviously, you bloody fool.”

The joke lands so well that the laughter from the live audience can still be heard long after the scene ends.

For Frasier showrunners Joe Cristalli and Chris Harris,...

Frasier, one of our favorite sitcoms here at Show Snob returns on Thursday, Sept. 19, only on Paramount+ and we’re super excited to start watching! If you’re on the same page as us, we’re here to help with the Frasier season 2 episode release schedule (and more) so you don’t miss out!

I know we have done our fair share of complaining about reboots and remakes, the world of entertainment is full of these. However, we’d be lying if we said we haven’t enjoyed a few of these shows. That said, Frasier is one of the shows we’re glad was brought back. The original series ran from 1993 to 2004, so it has now been about 20 years since the series concluded.

The first season of the relaunch premiered on Oct. 12, 2023, and it was received with critical acclaim and a decent number of audiences. This is why we...

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Kelsey Grammer is back in his most iconic role of Frasier Crane in the second season of the Frasier revival series. Developed by Chris Harris and Joe Cristalli, the Paramount+ series continues the story of Frasier nearly 20 years after the original series ended as he moves to Boston after the end of his immensely popular television series to repair his fraught relationship with his son Freddy, who is a firefighter now. To stay in Boston he takes up a job at Harvard University teaching psychology and mostly hangs out with his colleague and old friend Alan Cornwall. So, if you loved the first season of the revival series and are excited for Season 2, you can find the complete episode for the upcoming episodes below.

Frasier Season 2 – Episode Guide (When Will The New Episodes Come Out?) Credit – Paramount+

Frasier...

Netflix is developing a “Virgin River” prequel series.

“Virgin River” follows the lives of the residents of the eponymous Northern California town, including nurse practitioner Mel (Breckenridge), bar owner and veteran Jack (Henderson), town doctor Doc (Matheson), mayor Hope (O’Toole) and many more.

If ordered to series, the prequel would follow Mel’s parents: Sarah Jensen, who died when Mel was young, and Everett Reed (John Allen Nelson), who was revealed as Mel’s biological father in Season 6 finale “Father Christmas.”

“Virgin River” premiered in 2019 and is now in production on its sixth season. The series, which consistently dominates the Netflix Top 10 when new seasons are released, is based on Robyn Carr’s novel series of the same name and was developed for television by Sue Tenney. Patrick Sean Smith serves as showrunner and is writing the prequel series.

In a column about Season 5 of “Virgin River,” Variety critic...

Spoiler Alert: The story includes details about the Virgin River Christmas special

Netflix’s Virgin River closed out its fifth season with a two-episode Christmas special set during the holidays, more than three months after the “Labor Day” Season 5 Part 1 finale. As suggested by the aptly titled Episode 512, “Father Christmas,” the special’s main storyline follows the bombshell cliffhanger in the Part 1 finale, that Mel’s biological father is likely a man from Virgin River.

With only a couple of clues to his identity in the man’s love letters to Mel and Joey’s mom Sarah to go off of, Mel and Jack launched a search that eventually led them to Everett Reid, who lives in a cabin outside of Virgin River. At first, he wanted nothing to do with Mel but by the end of the two-hour special, in a true holiday spirit, he came around and,...

This Friday, November 17, 2023, at 10:07 Pm on BET, “The Ms. Pat Show” unveils its 10th episode of the third season titled “Father Christmas.” In this episode, viewers can expect a holiday-themed adventure that’s as wild as it is heartwarming.

Pat, the central character of the show, embarks on a mission to create the perfect Christmas for her partner, Terry. Her quest leads her down the path of trying to locate Terry’s biological father to make the holiday extra special. However, as she encounters challenges in tracking down this elusive figure from Terry’s past, Pat and her friend Denise set their sights on a Plan B. This alternative plan takes them to a mall Santa, setting the stage for unexpected and comedic developments.

“The Ms. Pat Show” continues to deliver its signature brand of humor and unfiltered charm in this special holiday-themed episode. Tune in to BET at...

It’s not just about those repeats of A Christmas Story on TNT anymore.

Multiple linear channels and streamers are getting into the holiday spirit this month and next by dropping original Christmas movies, as well as old favorites and one-off holiday specials. As usual, Hallmark has wall-to-wall flicks planned until the end of the month, but Great American Family, Lifetime and BET have their own original slates as well to help ring in the new year.

And if the classics are all that you are looking for, there are still airings of It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, How the Grinch Stole Christmas, Home Alone, The Santa Cause, The Wizard of Oz and Miracle on 34th Street scheduled for the boomers and Gen Xers.

And yes, on the big days, several channels have do have marathon programming events.

Check it all out below.

November 9

Christmas Angel (BET)

November 10

Everything Christmas...

BET’s streaming platform BET+ has unveiled 12 new projects marking the holiday season this year. The releases will be a mix of films spanning musical dramas and romantic comedies, and TV specials, including a standalone holiday episode of the streamer’s popular sitcom The Ms. Pat Show directed by Debbie Allen.

Allen is among a dynamic roster of Black writers, directors and actors who were brought on to create this year’s slate, including Jasmine Guy who stars in the family drama A Wesley Christmas Wedding and Vivica A. Fox who appears in the suspense thriller Sworn Justice: Taken Before Christmas. Additionally, Robin Givens wrote, executive produced and stars in the rom-com Christmas Rescue and directed the faith-based drama Favorite Son Christmas. Tami Roman is also executive producer of the romance drama Whatever It Takes, which she stars in, in addition to So Fly Christmas and The Ms. Pat Show holiday episode “Father Christmas.

This isn’t about favorites. Favorites are flimsy and can be overdone, like a song or a sandwich filling you tire of after choosing it one too many times. This is about rightness. Of all the Doctors in the Tardis, of all the Bonds in the Aston Martin, of all the Batmen in the Batsuit, there’s one that feels more right to you than the rest. They’re in technicolor while everybody else is in black and white (speaking figuratively if it’s William Hartnell).

Maybe they’re the one you first fell for as a kid, or maybe they’re the newest hire who made everything finally click into place. The point is that they’re yours, an actor in a role that is unchangingly, enduringly right.

You know your Bond, you may well know your Doctor and own the accompanying action figure/reproduction Sonic screwdriver. But who’s your on-screen Santa?...

The author’s books inspired Channel 4’s much-loved Christmas animations.

The author and illustrator Raymond Briggs, best known for his 1978 work The Snowman, passed away yesterday, August 9, aged 88.

Briggs produced a wealth of books including an illustrated book of nursery rhymes, The Mother Goose Treasury (1966), Father Christmas (1973), Father Christmas Goes on Holiday (1975), Fungus the Bogeyman (1977), When the Wind Blows (1982) and The Tin-Pot Foreign General and the Old Iron Woman (1984).

Many of his works, which were largely based on themes of love and loss, have been adapted into films, plays and TV animations.

The producer John Coates turned his most famous work,...

Raymond Briggs, who created the original picture book that became beloved Academy Award-nominated short The Snowman, has died aged 88.

Briggs’ family put out a statement via publisher Penguin Random House this morning stating that he had “lived a rich and full life” and passed away yesterday.

“He shared his love of nature with [late partner] Liz on South Downs walks and on family holidays to Scotland and Wales,” it added. “He also shared his sense of fun and craziness with his family, and with his family of artist friends — at get-togethers, fancy dress parties and summer picnics in the garden.”

Briggs was recognized for a wealth of popular picture books that included Fungus the Bogeyman and the Father Christmas series, each of which was filled with his trademark illustrative style.

He was best known for 1978’s The Snowman, a beautiful picture book that told the story of a boy who builds a...

Raymond Briggs, the British illustrator, cartoonist, graphic novelist and author best known for “The Snowman,” has died. He was 88.

“The Snowman,” a book without words and illustrated with pencil crayons, was created by Briggs in 1978. It was adapted as an animated television film for U.K. broadcaster Channel 4 in 1982, which is played on U.K. television every Christmas. It was nominated for the Academy Award for best animated short film and won a BAFTA TV Award for best children’s program.

“The Snowman” sold more than 5.5 million copies worldwide. Briggs also created evergreen children’s books “Father Christmas,” “Fungus The Bogeyman” and “When The Wind Blows.”

His 1988 graphic novel “Ethel & Ernest,” which tells the story of the lives of Briggs’ parents from their first meeting in 1928 to their deaths in 1971, was adapted by British animation studio as an animated feature in 2016 that won awards at several animation festivals around the world.

So, you fancy yourself as a bit of an authority on Christmas cinema … but do you know your Elf from your Snowman? Or how Gonzo, Kermit et al line up in the Muppet Christmas Carol? Test yourself with this fun festive quiz

What is the first booby trap “wet bandits” Harry and Marv encounter when they try to gain entry to the McCallister residence in Home Alone?

They both get shot with a Bb gun

Marv stands on glass Christmas ornaments after climbing through the window

Harry burns his hand on the front door knob

They both slip on the frozen stairs

Who plays Charles Dickens in the Muppet Christmas Carol?

Fozzie Bear

Kermit the Frog

Gonzo

Miss Piggy

In the film Elf, what is Buddy’s job growing up in the north pole?

Looking after reindeer

Toy testing

Wrapping up presents

Making the tea

The Polar Express was based...

Simon Brew Dec 6, 2017

The mighty Kurt Russell is next to become a screen Father Christmas...

Joining the extensive pantheon of screen Santa Clauses, Kurt Russell is set to take on the role for a brand new production, that Netflix is backing.

He’s set to star in the thus-far untitled Yuletide film, that also stars Judah Lewis and Darby Camp. Lewis and Camp will play siblings who hatch a plan to try and catch Santa on camera, and thus prove he’s real. This plan, however, does not go to plan, and all concerned have a struggle to pull Christmas back together.

The film will mix live action and CG, and it’s set to be directed by Clay Kaytis. The idea is to have it ready for release in time for next Christmas.

THR.

If you thought you’d seen the last of Roobla’s alphabetical rundowns with our Halloween effort, think again. With Christmas drawing ever closer, we couldn’t let the big one pass without the A-Z film treatment, so here we go…

A is for Alastair Sim. His performance in the 1951 version of A Christmas Carol still remains the definitive portrayal of Ebenezer Scrooge.

B is for Bruce Willis. You can even get Die Hard festive jumpers now – ho-ho-ho.

C is for Channel 5. This lot love to start early with the Yuletide flicks; in fact I’m sure I saw one during August Bank Holiday.

D is for Disney. From Snow White to Frozen, they’ve made family entertainment into an art form, especially at this time of year..

E is for elves. Played by Dudley Moore and Will Ferrell amongst others, they’ve served Santa well over the years.

Nicki Minaj and Jesse Williams are starring in their most mystical acting roles yet as they headline H&M’s new holiday commercial, which premiered on Tuesday.

In the Johan Renckhe-directed ad, the rapper, 34, and the actor, 36, play parents to a little girl who’s told a bedtime story from Williams’ imaginative improvisations. The star’s on-screen daughter is transported in the touching tale and explores a parallel universe in search of the evil brother of Father Christmas, played by actor John Turturro.

And in her quest to bring holiday cheer back to all, the young protagonist finds help from...

MaryAnn’s quick take… There’s charm and wit in its fanciful depiction of the creative process, but the film downplays the social activism that Dickens fully embraced in his work. I’m “biast” (pro): love Dickens and A Christmas Carol

I’m “biast” (con): haven’t been the biggest fan of Dan Stevens

I have not read the source material

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

Did Charles Dickens really invent our modern observance of Christmas? Well… he certainly contributed to it, with his beloved 1843 novella A Christmas Carol bringing to it a spirit of family celebration and togetherness and moving the holiday away from its religious grounding to a more secular one focused on ecumenical kindness and generosity. But we also have Prince Albert to thank, for importing his German Yuletide customs — such as evergreens and Christmas trees — to England when he married...

Louisa Mellor Nov 15, 2017

Peaky Blinders has a triumphant return, with as much swagger, glamour and excitement as ever. Spoilers ahead in our review…

This review contains spoilers.

See related 26 new TV shows to watch in 2017

The sensational twist at the end of Peaky Blinders’ last series left writer Steven Knight with a problem: having blasted them apart, how could he reunite the Shelby family? After six months inside and a noose around each of their necks—all part of the boss’ plan to shake them loose of the Economic League’s grip—would Arthur, John, Polly and Michael ever forgive Tommy?

They don’t need to forgive him to get back together, is Knight’s simple and smart answer. An unprecedented threat is what’s required to make the Shelby-Grays reunite. Enter: the New York mafia. In retaliation for the murder of Vicente Changretta last series, son Luca (Adrian Brody...

From TorontoFilm.Net here is the Toronto Film Production Update for November 2017 including "Locke and Key", "Titans", "Umbrella Academy" and a whole lot more:

Anne- Season 2

TV Series

CBC/Netflix

Prod.: John Calvert

Dir.: Various

Oct 2/17 - Mar 20/18

Baroness Von Sketch Show- Season 3

TV Series

Frantic Films

Prod.: Graham Ludlow, Jeff Peeler

Dir.: Jeremy Lalonde, Jordan Canning

Aug 21 - Nov 10/17

Cardinal: By The Time You Read This- Season 3

TV Series – Mini

eOne

Prod.: Jessica Daniel

Dir.: Daniel Grou

Sep 19 - Nov 24/17

Decoy

Feature

Decoy Pictures Inc.

Prod.: Andrew Gunn, Michael Bien, Angela Donald

Dir.: Allan Ungar

Nov 1 - Dec 7/17

Designated Survivor- Season 2

TV Series

Designated 1 Ltd.

Prod.: Llewellyn Wells

Dir.: Various

Jul 4/17 - Mar 31/18

Dino Dana- Season 3

TV Series

Sinking Ship Entertainment

Prod.: Eric Beldowski

Dir: Various

Aug 1 – Nov 17/17

Falling Water- Season 2

TV Series

Gep Falling Water Inc.

Hello and welcome to one of our shoutouts for projects casting around the U.K. As always there’s a mix of opportunities for all ages, abilities, and locations but do remember to check if you fit the bill before applying. Although we make every attempt to verify castings before we hit publish, please ensure that you do your own research before firing off those headshots and Backstage links. Wild Rumpus Theatre’s Lanterns at Chester Zoo Have a beard? Over six feet tall? Skilled improviser who is also great at interacting with audiences? Step right up for this magical Christmas show! North West-based Wild Rumpus Theatre seeks a tall, bearded male with a playing age of over 26 for their upcoming Christmas production. Set in a zoo, twilight falls and a magical sorting office and postal depot comes to life. What a sorting office is doing in a zoo is...

Simon Brew Aug 18, 2017

Looking for a film to watch, that you might not have considered before? Try some of these...

Sometimes, we figure, you come to a site like this just to find out about a film you didn’t know about. That you want recommendations of movies that you might not otherwise have uncovered. This list, then, has no theme, save that the films on it are really good, and didn’t get much of an audience first time around. That, or they seem to have been forgotten. It’s a real mix, but hopefully, there’s something on here that appeals..

The Brady Bunch Movie

The Brady Bunch films never really seemed to do much business in the UK, and that’s a real pity. No foreknowledge of the series is required, and the first movie takes the Brady film and transplants them into 1990s America, with no...

Foreplays is a column that explores under-known short films by renowned directors. Lynn Ramsay's Gasman (1998) is free to watch below.Lynne Ramsay’s Gasman is a film about family, and a film made with family—the director’s own brother and niece play, respectively, the central father and daughter in the story. Two siblings, Lynne (Lynne Ramsay Jr.) and Steve (Martin Anderson), go to a Christmas party with their father (James Ramsay), while the mother (Denise Flannagan) remains at home. They briefly meet with a woman (Jackie Quinn) and her two kids (Lisa Taylor, Robert McEwan). The woman leaves, but her children join the party. Gasman is the story both of a perfectly banal evening, and of an exceptional event that serves to fracture the family unit, messing up all its usual roles, and dissolving the very idea of what is familiar. Ramsay achieves this by never losing sight either of the everyday,...

Author: Hannah Woodhead

You might not know the name Chris Smith, but you’ll probably have seen at least one of his films. In 2004 he made the tube (even more?) terrifying with horror movie Creep, and a decade later he took on Father Christmas in the underrated Get Santa. With a varied filmography spanning horror, comedy, and historical action under his belt, Chris has gone stateside for his latest film – a neo-noir road trip movie starring Tye Sheridan, Emory Cohen and Bel Powley. We caught up with him for a quick chat about writing and directing Detour, and what he’s moving onto next.

Were there any films in particular that inspired the stylistic feel of Detour, and how much of the film did you visualise when working on the script?

That’s a very good question. In terms of the visual style, everything starts for me from the narrative style,...

Exclusive: Homeland actress joins voice cast of family animation.

Homeland actress Morena Baccarin has joined the voice cast on Awesometown Entertainment’s animation Elliott The Littlest Reindeer.

Baccarin will play Corkie, an intrepid reporter who is determined to get the scoop on Father Christmas’s North Pole try-outs for his coveted sleigh team.

“I really enjoyed the story,” said Baccarin. “The idea that with enough perseverance and team spirit you can change the expected and surpass the norm… And it’s always a plus to be in something your kids can watch.”

Ddi CEO Jason Morning announced the development on Sunday as Baccarin rounded out the key casting alongside Josh Hutcherson, Samantha Bee, John Cleese, Martin Short and Jeff Dunham.

Jennifer Westcott is directing Elliott The Littlest Reindeer from her screenplay. Lucas Lynette-Krech produces and executive producers include Dan Krech, Victoria Westcott of Elgin Road, Mike Sears and Michael Emerson of M3, and Moring.

Ddi’s Efm line-up...

Disney casts the Pitch Perfect actor as Father Christmas’s daughter, who takes over the family business after her dad’s retirement

Anna Kendrick is set to play a female Santa Claus in Disney’s new movie written and directed by Marc Lawrence, according to Variety.

Currently titled Nicole, the story involves Father Christmas chucking in the towel on presents delivery and his son getting cold feet at the prospect of taking over. This leaves Kendrick to don the big red suit and get the reindeer in reins.

Continue reading...

Louisa Mellor Jan 10, 2017

We've scoured The Lying Detective for details and noticed a few interesting titbits. Spoilers ahead...

Once again, we’ve clued for looks in the latest Sherlock episode The Lying Detective and noticed some fun details and references to the original Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories. Here goes…

See related CHiPs heading to the movies, Lethal Weapon influences CHiPs movie lands Vincent D'Onofrio as villain

1. The episode’s very first shot of a smoking gun – which we assume is that of Vivian Norbury in The Six Thatchers as remembered by John Watson – is actually the gun shot at John Watson by Eurus Holmes in the episode’s final shot. (The same shot also features in the series four opening credits and is briefly edited in to the scene of Sherlock and ‘Faith’ sitting by the Thames after he’s thrown her gun into the water.)

2. A vase of white roses,...

Chrissy Teigen is the latest model to participate in Love magazine's advent calendar, and it might be the funniest one yet.

Going braless in a bright blue leotard, thick white legwarmers and a red headband, Teigen looked oh-so-'80s as she attempted an aerobic workout while eating junk food. Only a model of Teigen's caliber could make doing push-ups while chowing down on French fries look sexy.

Watch: John Legend Hilariously Impersonates Wife Chrissy Teigen in a Blonde Wig

In addition to being the star of Love's day 16 video, Teigen is also enjoying the holiday season with daughter Luna. Her and John Legend's little girl met Santa for the first time earlier this week and while the doting mom first shared happy photos of her baby, she later admitted that it wasn't so easy to get Luna to pose with Kris Kringle.

On Thursday, the 31-year-old model posted a pic of her daughter crying in Santa's...

Wesley Mead Dec 19, 2016

Think Christmas TV has always been warm and fluffy? Think again, as we revisit some disturbing vintage festive specials...

The festive season holds long-held ties to the macabre. From the classic novels of Charles Dickens to the melancholy of the Christmas carol canon, Christmas has always harboured a darker side, lurking beyond the tinsel and mince pies. That role has extended to festive television: for every smiles-and-silliness sitcom special, there’s a programme with an altogether more disturbing spin on the season – be that a dramatic Christmas episode imbued with fear and bloodshed, or a family classic whose ostensibly wholesome charms look questionable in retrospect.

See related Star Wars: Rogue One enjoys huge opening weekend

An early mainstay of the medium in its infancy, morality play anthology series were our first taste of a darker Christmastime being translated to television. Alfred Hitchcock Presents’ Back From Christmas...

Did everyone Love Peter as Father Christmas?

We found out the answer to that on Family Guy Season 15 Episode 9 when the Griffin patriarch filled in for Santa at the mall, and quickly realized just how much he could get away with.

Watch Family Guy Season 15 Episode 9 Online

Meanwhile on this hit comedy series, Stewie and Brian became holiday office-party crashers and it wound up being a career they felt would have longevity. 

Use the video above to watch Family Guy online to get caught up on the latest drama for the Griffin family at Christmas. ...

Greg Lake, the pioneering prog rocker known for his work with King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, passed away Tuesday at the age of 69. Lake’s career spanned a wide chunk of 20th century, and he was active through many major — and important — phases of rock and roll and pop music. Let’s take a look at how his artistry evolved.

1. The Shame, “Don’t Go Away Little Girl” (1967)

Lake picked up the guitar at 12 and played through school, after which he joined The Shame and was featured prominently on their single “Don’t Go Away Little Girl,” which was...

Greg Lake, the progressive rock icon best known as a member of King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer, has died at the age of 69.

Lake – originally from Poole in Dorset, southern England – passed away on Tuesday after “a long and stubborn battle with cancer,” according to his manager Stewart Young.

“Greg Lake will stay in my heart for ever, as he has always been,” Young added in a Facebook post. “His family would be grateful for privacy during this time of their grief.”

Lake first shot to fame as a member of King Crimson in the late ’60s. The bassist...

It’s almost time for Christmas with the royal cousins.

Zara Tindall, whose mom is the Queen’s daughter Princess Anne, opened up about her excitement for the holidays — especially seeing her adorable toddler daughter Mia play with her cousins Prince George and Princess Charlotte at the royal family’s annual Christmas gathering at Queen Elizabeth’s Sandringham House.

Tindall, tells U.K. magazine Country Living, “Having all the generations of my family together at Christmas is my favorite part of the season,” says Tindall, 35, who is married to ex-rugby player Mike.

“Mia will share this Christmas with lots of her cousins,...

Warning: This Video Contains Strong Language Not Suitable For Work

Bad Santa is back and still firmly on the naughty list.

In an exclusive look at Bad Santa 2, Willie Soke (played again by Billy Bob Thornton) is his usual grumpy, potty-mouthed self as he turns down a chance to participate in a kids’ Christmas concert alongside Mad Men‘s Christina Hendricks.

“Are you out of your goddamn mind? I ain’t dancing around with a bunch of candy canes,” he says in the clip, before tacking on a friendly, “Because I’m all about the birther Christmas.”

He then...

Comedian to take on part of Father Christmas in Dashing Through the Snow, a family comedy about an overworked New York policeman

Comedian Kevin Hart is set to take on the role of Santa Claus in a new Christmas film made by Disney.

Hart will play the jolly gift-giver in Dashing Through the Snow, a family comedy about an overworked New York policeman who takes his son to work with him on Christmas Eve.

Continue reading...

Central Intelligence star Kevin Hart has entered talks to suit up as Father Christmas for Disney’s festive comedy, Dashing Through the Snow.

That’s according to The Hollywood Reporter, confirming today that should a deal fall into place, Hart will buddy up with his Ride Along 2 producer Will Packer. The Mouse House has also drafted in John Jacobs (Ted) and Kristin Burr to oversee development.

Citing Liar Liar and the seemingly timeless Elf as inspirations, Dashing Through the Snow tells the story of a “New York City detective who is a workaholic and has a strained relationship with his son. The only thing that may be able to repair the father-son relationship is the one true Santa Claus who has to make the man believe in Christmas magic.”

It’s a bankable pitch, and fans of Elf will no doubt pinpoint comparisons to James Cann and Will Ferrell’s most unusual relationship.

Offering up a welcome tonic to the R-rated chaos of Wednesday’s sizzle reel, Broad Green Pictures has now unveiled the Sfw version of Bad Santa 2‘s new trailer that reins in the debauchery – but only a smidge.

Battling raging alcoholism and mommy issues – the second ailment can be attributed to the introduction of Kathy Bates’ butch mother hen, Sunny Soke – the studio’s long-in-development sequel heralds a comeback for Billy Bob Thornton as Willie T. Soke, the lean, mean nihilistic who will be slipping into his red jumpsuit as Father Christmas in only two months’ time.

Pulled back to the fray by his literal partner-in-crime Marcus (Tony Cox), Bad Santa 2 leans on the ol’ one last job trope by teeing up a devious scheme that involves Marcus, Willie and the scene-stealing Sunny, as they orchestrate a ploy to rob a charity, one governed by Christian Hendricks’ newcomer Diane.

Thirteen years on from Terry Zwigoff’s raunchy cult hit, Billy Bob Thornton is ready to suit up as Father Christmas once again only this time, Thornton’s chain-smoking and wholly vile narcissist Willie Soke is preparing for his wildest festive season yet.

Welcome to Bad Santa 2, Mark Waters’ (Mean Girls) long-anticipated comedy sequel that promises to take the notion of seasonal antics and blow them wildly out of proportion and, subsequently, directly into R-rated territory. Case in point: Today’s all-new – and, yes, red band – trailer for Waters’ follow-up that sheds some light on the dilemma facing Willie Soke. From mommy issues to a rampant nymphomaniac in Christina Hendricks’ charity worker, one with a “heart of gold and libido of steel.”

With all that in mind, we should warn you that this latest peek is crude, over-the-top and decidedly not safe for work. That’s part and parcel...

Billy Bob Thornton’s foul-mouthed narcissist is back and nastier than ever in the decidedly Nsfw trailer for Bad Santa 2.

Yes, he may be the foulest, most hateful Father Christmas to ever don the fluffy red suit, but in reprising a role for the first time in close to 13 years, Thornton revealed recently that he’s aiming to inject more heart into the festive sequel, while still maintaining the crude streak that ensured the 2003 original went down as a cult hit.

“I think we pushed it even a little further this time, not only in the sort of dark humor but also in the emotion. This one has more of a heart, more of a story you would say, but it also went a little further with some of the nasty stuff. We try to keep up with the times.”

That role is, of course, Willie Soke, a borderline...

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It’s the festive sequel that even those on the nice list believed to be wishful thinking at first, but after years of fostering pent-up demand, Bad Santa 2 is on course to storm theaters this November, and it’ll come packing all of the R-rated seasonal shenanigans that ensured the 2003 original went down as a cult hit.

Back in the fluffy red suit is Billy Bob Thornton – the poor man’s Father Christmas – as he gears up for another festive season of booze drinking and spewing a series of empty promises. That’s a snarky attitude that permeated through last week’s riotous first teaser, one designed to shed light on Bad Santa 2‘s ensemble cast.

Introducing a very unique and decidedly Nsfw brand of festive cheer is Thornton’s Willie T. Stokes, flanked by Kathy Bates, The Neon Demon alum Christina Hendricks as...

In among the heartwarming yuletide cinematic offerings there are bound to be a few lumps of coal, and none (not even Scrooge himself) are less festive than Billy Bob Thornton’s Bad Santa. Thirteen years after the first film Thornton returns as the criminally-minded Father Christmas, this time looking to pilfer funds from a charity, along […]

The post Deck the halls with foul-mouthed folly – the first trailer for Bad Santa 2 is here appeared first on HeyUGuys.

The first “Bad Santa 2” teaser promises the sequel won’t stray too far from the original R-rated comedy that enchanted audiences 13 years ago. Billy Bob Thornton returns as the beloved mall Santa who is the furthest thing from Father Christmas there is. The first preview, in fact, shows the seasonal employee sleeping on the job. “Bad Santa 2” follows Thornton’s criminal character as he and his mom attempt to fraud a charity out of money. Also Read: Dwight Yoakam to Reunite With Billy Bob Thorton on Amazon's 'Goliath' Broad Green Pictures is releasing the comedy directed...

Thanks to VancouverFilm.Net, here is the Vancouver Film Production Update for June 2016, including "Death Note",  "Juggernaut", "Prison Break" and a whole lot more:  

Feature Film:

Boundaries

Boundaries Pictures Inc.

Exec. Producer(s): Chris Ferguson, Kenneth Burke

May 02/16 - Jun 02/16

Death Note

Dn (Canada) Productions Inc

Exec. Producer(s): Brendan Ferguson

Jun 30/16 - Aug 30/16

Further Adventures Of Max & Banks 2 & 3

Gramercy Film Productions

Producer: Michael Deluca, Erika Mitchell, Dana Brunetti, Marcus Viscidi

Feb 16/16 - Jul 06/16

Hot Street

Hot Street Productions Ltd

Exec. Producer(s): Alex Tkach

Producer: Chris Brough

Co-Producer: Ralph Zondag

May 23/16 - Jun 10/16

Juggernaut

Forlorn Hope Productions Inc.

Exec. Producer(s): Ben Silverman

Producer: Matthew Cervi

May 16/16 - Jun 08/16

Max 2: White House Hero

Max 2 Productions Canada

Producer: Karen Rosefelt, Ken Blancato, Matt Bierman

Line Producer: Kelley Sims

Jun 13/16 - Jul 13/16

Status Update

Status Productions Inc.

Exec. Producer(s): Shawn Williamson, Arielle Boisvert

Jun...

Rules Don't Apply

Following on from yesterday's first look photos from the project, actor and filmmaker Warren Beatty has released the first photo of himself as Howard Hughes in his new film "Rules Don't Apply" - his first directorial effort in 18 years and first onscreen role in 15 years.

The movie, which Beatty described as comedy, follows a young man (Alden Ehrenreich) and a young woman (Lily Collins) from puritan backgrounds who come to Hollywood on the brink of the sexual revolution and the rise of feminism in the early 1960s. It's currently targeting a November 11th release. [Source: EW]

The Red Turtle

Following rave reviews after premiering in Un Certain Regard at Cannes, Sony Pictures Classics has scored North American rights to Michael Dudok de Wit's dialogue-free animated feature "The Red Turtle".

Studio Ghibli and Wild Bunch co-produced the film about a man shipwrecked on a tropical island inhabited by turtles,...

Exclusive– Ol Parker, who wrote both instalments of the hit The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel films, has been tapped by Studio Canal and Blueprint Pictures to adapt Matt Haig’s acclaimed novel A Boy Called Christmas. The book follows the early life of Father Christmas. Frequent partners Studio Canal and Blueprint acquired the book’s rights in a competitive situation. The book was published by Canongate in the UK. Hailed as an instant Christmas classic by the Guardian, and…...

Exclusive: Duo re-team for Matt Haig’s well-received children’s tale about the early life of Father Christmas.

Studiocanal and The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel producers Blueprint Pictures have struck a deal to represent screen rights to acclaimed UK novelist Matt Haig’s well-received 2015 children’s story A Boy Called Christmas, about the early life of Father Christmas.

The duo came out on top following strong interest from a number of parties to the film rights and are now considering talent for the project.

Set in 18th-century Finland, A Boy Called Christmas is about elves, reindeer, a kidnapping, and an 11-year-old boy called Nikolas who isn’t afraid to believe in magic.

Canongate released the book in the UK. Haig is represented by Curtis Brown, who helped broker the deal.

The partnership renews a fruitful collaboration between Studiocanal and Blueprint, who recently teamed on James Marsh’s upcoming Donald Crowhurst biopic, starring [link=nm...

[Originally appeared in the December 2014 issue of Deadly Magazine.] ’Tis the season to be nicer, more forgiving and charitable toward those less fortunate. Keeping these ideals in mind, this month is the perfect opportunity to celebrate my favorite terrible (but so terrible that I can’t help but love it) holiday film of all-time: Santa’s Slay.

Directed by David Steiman (who has yet to helm another film since—poor guy), Santa’s Slay stars Bill Goldberg as a murderous Kris Kringle. He returns to the sleepy town of Hell Township with revenge on his mind, after being forced to be nice to children for a thousand years when he lost a bet with an angel a millennium ago. There’s a bit of Santa-related mythology thrown in, but what makes Santa’s Slay worthwhile is all the over-the-top raucous action and pitch-black humor.

It’s fair to say that the film is about as subtle as a monster truck rally,...

Wesley Mead Dec 22, 2016

Wesley counts down the penultimate 20 entries in the top 100 Christmas TV episodes of all time list: from number 40 to 21...

This article was first published in December 2015. Read entries 100 - 81 here, entries 80 - 61 here, and entries 60 - 41 here.

See related New on Netflix UK: what's added in December 2016? New Us sci-fi, fantasy and horror shows for 2016 15 underappreciated books: sci-fi, fantasy, horror fiction Another Earth: an interview with director Mike Cahill

Since the medium’s infancy, viewers have enjoyed sharing holidays with their favourite television characters. We grow invested in our friends on screen over the years; spending Christmas with them is a rite of passage, a chance for us to share tradition from our world with the fictional ones we see on screen. Some shows embrace the season wholeheartedly, characters in good spirits and enjoying the trappings of the season; others skew a little darker, bringing the more oppressive,...