Any die hard movie musical fan knows that MGM produced most of the greatest musicals of all time in the 1950s. The Arthur Freed Unit became the touchstone of musicals with productions ranging from The Wizard of Oz in 1939 to Bells Are Ringing in 1960. While the 1940s was a productive decade for Freed, the 1950s gave us some of the most beloved, classic musicals of all time.

Now, Warner Brothers Home Entertainment has taken two of these MGM classics, plus one from the Warner Brothers library, and has given them a good scrubbing for Blu-ray and the results are astonishing. Best of all, you can purchase your favorite film as a stand-alone disk or get them all in the new Musicals: 4-Movie Collection. The three new titles are The Band Wagon, Calamity Jane, and Kiss Me Kate. Warners has added Singin’ in the Rain as a bonus to the 4-disk set.

The first movie in the collection is The Band Wagon (1953) starring Fred Astaire, Cyd Charisse, Nanette Fabray and Jack Buchanan. The story follows a nearly washed up Hollywood actor (Astaire) who decides to head to Broadway to see if he can untarnish his star in a big stage musical (shades of the Oscar-winning Birdman!). An egotistical director hijacks the frothy musical and turns it into a depressing version of Faust, ensuring a huge flop but the cast bands together to save the show.

The film is very entertaining, and it allows Astaire to take on a different character than we’re used to seeing from him. No top hat and tails this time around, but his dancing is still on point, especially in the scene where he dances with a shoe shine man (who was a real shoe shine man in New York). Cyd Charisse is stunning as always and is simply magnificent to watch in what was her first real starring role. The film also introduced Broadway star Nanette Fabray to movie audiences in what was, surprisingly, her only MGM musical. The movie also has a great score, but it’s most well-known for introducing “That’s Entertainment” as THE song about showbiz, supplanting the standard “There’s No Business Like Show Business.”

The film looks terrific on Blu-ray. The image is bright and colorful but still has a film-like quality to it with an appropriate amount of film grain. The 1080p image(presented in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio) has not been completely scrubbed of any detail, and the soundtrack has been given a nice DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 remix that keeps the dialog and singing front and center, allowing the orchestra to swell, but never overwhelm, from the surrounds.

Bonus features include:

• Commentary by Liza Minnelli and Michael Feinstein
• Get Aboard! The Band Wagon (37:09) — A vintage “making of” looking at the production of the film with many behind-the-scenes anecdotes from the film’s stars, crew and family members.
• The Men Who Made the Movies: Vincente Minnelli (58:25) — An episode of the WNET series focusing on Minnelli.
• Jack Buchanan with the Glee Quartet (6:00) — Comedic musical short film starring Band Wagon c0-star Buchanan.
• The Three Little Pups (6:46) — MGM cartoon featuring Droopy Dog in a variation of The Three Little Pigs.
• Theatrical Trailer (3:14)

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“All That Jazz.” “Cell Block Tango.” “When You’re Good to Mama.” “Mr. Cellophane.” “Razzle Dazzle.” If you’re a fan of Broadway musicals — or movie musicals — you know that those songs all came from the Broadway hit Chicago. Chicago first hit Broadway in 1975 under the guidance of the incomparable Bob Fosse. The show ran for 936 performances and was revived in 1996 and is still playing today. That makes it the longest running Broadway revival in Broadway history, and the second longest running Broadway musical behind Phantom of the Opera.

The Broadway show has been sustained by the familiarity of the music and the dancing, and has had a revolving door of big name stars taking on the roles of Roxy Hart, Velma Kelly and Billy Flynn. Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles is currently treading the boards on Broadway, while a new tour is crossing the country with John O’Hurley taking on the role of Billy Flynn in select cities (luckily, Baltimore was one of them). But if you’ve already seen the Oscar-winning movie, is it worth the time to see the show live on stage? In a word … yes!

If you’re not familiar with the story, Chicago takes place in the 1920s during the Jazz Age at a time when the public was fascinated by crimes committed by women. We first meet Velma Kelly (Terra MacLeod), who opens the show with “All That Jazz.” She’s become a manufactured celebrity with hopes of hitting the vaudeville circuit after lawyer Billy Flynn manipulates a jury into finding her not guilty. But another wannabe star enters the prison, Roxy Hart (Bianca Marroquin), and takes the spotlight off of Velma thanks to Billy. But how long will Roxy’s star shine before the next big crime makes headlines?

If you’ve seen the movie version of Chicago, the stage version is a completely different animal. The movie had sets, costumes, and set most of the musical numbers as fantasy sequences in the mind of Roxy. The stage show is a bit more abstract. The only set is a large, three-tiered bandstand with the orchestra on stage (the conductor even has interaction with the cast and dialog of his own). Everyone else is dressed in black (or a tux in the case of Billy) and never change costumes even when they’re playing various characters. I know some people are turned off by shows that don’t have flashy sets and costumes, but Chicago is about the music and the dance.

And on that front, the cast (and the orchestra) delivers in spades. Both MacLeod and Marroquin have powerful voices, but while MacLeod’s Velma is the more seasoned and mature of the two, Marroquin gets to have a lot of fun with the younger Roxy, particularly with her mugging and making funny noises when she’s getting bored with all of the legal drama around her. One of the show’s stand-out numbers is “We Both Reached For the Gun” as Billy plays Roxy’s puppet master, literally, in front of the press. Both women also handle the Fosse-inspired choreography with panache.

O’Hurley is perfectly cast as Billy Flynn, using that persona he’s honed so well over the years, the self-important, over-blown ego on full display. He doesn’t have to do much dancing, but he’s got a very nice, powerful voice to make up for that. Another member of the touring cast has a notable claim to fame: Roz Ryan has played Matron “Mama” Morton on stage, Broadway and touring, longer than any other actor. She clearly relishes the role and while she doesn’t dance, she has the voice and stage presence to make you forget all about that. While all the numbers are outstanding, there is one major showstopper in Act 2 when Jacob Keith Watson, as Roxy’s husband Amos, takes the spotlight to sing “Mr. Cellophane.” The song is about how no one ever takes notice of Amos, even when they’re standing right next to him, but Watson brings such emotion to the number with his amazing singing voice (which really isn’t heard until this point) that you can’t help but take notice.

Overall, even if the show feels a bit uneven with very little dialog to drive the plot in Act 1 (which feels almost like a cabaret presentation of the music of Chicago), the cast’s singing and dancing, the more than outstanding support from the dance company (who are all impossibly sexy in their curve-hugging costumes), and the beautiful, familiar music provided by the orchestra makes a trip to Chicago well worth your time. Chicago is currently in Baltimore at the Hippodrome Theatre through March 8, with stops in Ontario, Virgina, New York, Texas, Arizona, Kansas and California to come. You can find out more information about the tour by clicking the banner below.

In 2006, a small Irish movie made some big waves, becoming a sleeper hit and earning an Academy Award for Best Original Song. That movie was Once, the tale of an Irish musician and a Czech immigrant who meet, discover a common ground with music and begin writing songs together that express their growing relationship. While the plot may have been a bit thin, the movie succeeded on the back of the music by film’s stars Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, including the Oscar winning “Falling Slowly.”

The film seemed an unlikely choice to be transformed into a Broadway musical, but writer Enda Walsh and director John Carney (who also directed the film) found something magical about the music and created a show that went on to win eight Tony Awards including Best Musical. Now Once is touring the North America and has made its second stop (of thirty-three engagements) at Baltimore’s Hippodrome Theatre.

Unnamed Guy (Stuart Ward) is a struggling musician who fixes vacuum cleaners in his dad’s shop while pining away for the girl who got away … far away to New York, leaving Guy ready to ditch his music because it all reminds him of her. A chance encounter with Girl (Dani de Waal), a Czech immigrant with a young child and marital issues, ignites the musical spark in Guy once again as they become collaborators with the dream of producing a CD. Girl keeps pushing Guy to take off for New York to find his lost love, but Guy’s feelings for Girl are deepening, causing complications for them both.

I didn’t know what to expect from the show – not having seen the movie – and the TV commercials made it seem like a melancholy love story, but I was pleasantly surprised by how funny the show really is. In fact, the audience is a part of the show upon entering the theatre as members are welcomed on stage to mingle with the cast, have a drink from the on stage bar, and enjoy a few musical numbers before the actual show begins. You actually feel like you’re a part of the story by the time the lights dim and the actual story gets started.

The show works around a single set that become many different locations through the movement of the cast, various props and lighting. One minute it’s a music shop, the next it’s Guy’s bedroom and then a recording studio. The production is brilliantly designed to move from place to place as smoothly and quickly as possible without ever actually moving anything more than a few chairs or tables.

Contributing to the show’s many charms is the company of actor/musicians who rarely leave the stage, usually lined up and seated on either side of the stage when they’re not part of a scene, but also contributing to the music when needed. Each of them also has a specific character as well, so they all get a pretty good workout with acting, dancing and playing an instrument (in some cases, several different instruments).

But the stars of the show are Ward and de Waal. Ward is perfectly angsty and angry as the show begins but he never goes into a caricature. He is a real person with real feelings and frustrations over his situation. He also has a magnificently raw and powerful voice that can deliver the sweetest melodies and powerful, aggressive vocals sometimes in the same song. He gives Guy a lot of heart and we as an audience want to see him succeed. De Waal is absolutely charming with her Czech accent and dry humor (“I’m always serious. I’m Czech.”). Her Girl is almost like an angel sent to give Guy the kick in the butt he needs, and even without saying as much, we can tell she’s falling in love with him as he is with her. De Waal has a solo late in the second act that will just make your heart ache as she privately expresses her feelings in song. It’s a remarkable performance all around.

I don’t think it’s possible for anyone to not fall in love with Guy and Girl by the end of the show. The music is terrific, the performances are magnetic, and the production just draws you in to this world of love and music. The story uses the film’s framework as a starting point, but giving Guy the lost love as the impetus to create his music is a bit stronger for storytelling than the movie’s Guy who just doesn’t have the confidence to perform his songs. Overall, Once is just a lovely show to savor if it comes to a venue near you.

Once runs through September 14 in Baltimore, then heads across the country with stops in Nashville, Charlotte, Madison, Memphis, Cincinnati, Dallas, Tulsa, Detroit, Austin, Houston, New Orleans, Tucson, Sacramento and more, concluding at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC in July 2015. Visit the show’s official website for more details.

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Nine years is a long time in between a movie and a sequel. Of course, it’s not the longest; a quick glace at Wikipedia reveals ten years for The X-Files movie, another niche film, sixteen years for the Dirty Dancing sequel, and a whopping sixty-three years for a sequel to Bambi. Although that’s a different sort of movie altogether. The first Sin City movie came out in 2005 from director Robert Rodriguez, sharing the directing credit (a bit controversially at the time) with Frank Miller, who had created the graphic novel the movie is based on.

Later, Frank Miller went to direct The Spirit, another graphic novel adaptation, but it was a critical and commercial failure. Now the two have teamed up again for a sequel/prequel to Sin City. But the world isn’t the same as it was nearly ten years ago, not just in terms of technology, but also art and culture. Sin City blew me away when it came out; it was brutal, stylized, and jumped straight off the comics page. People had never seen such an accurate version of comic books, nor did they expect the crazy, violent world of Frank Miller. I wasn’t really familiar at the time, and have since read some of it; I like the movie more. But is the sequel still fun or is it drag?

Sin City: A Dame to Kill tells several stories, two chronologically before the first movie and two taking place afterwards. Mickey Rourke returns as craggle face super-strong macho man Marv with a short story of justified revenge (in the context of the world), a decent starting off point. Then there are a few back and forth ones, but the other prequel is about Dwight, now played by Josh Brolin (originally by Clive Owen) and his femme fatale ex-girlfriend Ava Lord (Eva Green). Ava comes to him with a dangerous request, and Dwight can’t help but be drawn into a potentially fatal adventure where everyone’s an antihero or just a villain. This storyline is decent enough, although the storyline seems kind of cliched.

The first of the other two stories stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a young and arrogant gambler named Johnny, now back in Sin City to settle scores, make money, and insult the wrong people. Violence ensues. The final storyline is the direct sequel from the first movie, with stripper Nancy Callahan (Jessica Alba) emotionally broken from the death of her caretaker/love Hartigan (Bruce Willis) who died in the first movie, although he makes a few appearances here as a ghost or vision or hallucination. It’s not clear.

Of course, in this sort of movie nobody’s a good guy, per se, but there are clear bad ones. Sometimes the violence is visceral and exciting; other times it’s dull and gratuitous. I didn’t feel the same thrill as the first movie, although I enjoyed myself overall. Seeing the sequel, I can see more problematic elements with Frank Miller’s work I didn’t notice before, like the glamorization of bloody revenge and the roles of women. All ladies with any real lines here are prostitutes with weapons, background objects, motivating forces, or beguiling sirens. Not the most depth, although I found that Eva Green brought a very fun, campy vibe to her performance. Josh Brolin is fine, fitting in well with the noir aesthetic, and Mickey Rourke is decent enough, but not as interesting as in the first movie. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is just plain excellent, showing off depth and intrigue by virtue of his acting with a fairly thinly written character. And most surprisingly, Jessica Alba does a legitimately good acting job here.

I really felt she pulled out an emotional role here, and I also thought she did well in the first movie, so maybe there’s something to that. She was dull in Machete Kills, but I’ve always been a fan of her very early work in the TV show, James Cameron’s Dark Angel. Maybe niche is the best place for her, or maybe she needs a very strong-willed director like Robert Rodriguez or James Cameron to bring out her best work.

As for the rest, Jamie Chung replaces Devon Aoki from the first movie as the vaguely fetishistic ninja prostitute Miho, but she brings a different sort of energy. Devon Aoki was flatter and less emotional, but Jamie Chung doesn’t seem as hardcore. Dennis Haysbert replaces the late Michael Clarke Duncan who played Manute, the imposing bodyguard and enforcer in the first movie, and is also the only black character in the film. He’s fine, but there’s not much to the character other than punching. That’s most of this movie, punching, blood, and occasional nudity.

The dialogue is noir and fun at times, cliched and tiresome at others. Overall I found the movie pretty fun, but it probably could’ve been cut a bit shorter. I’m also not sure that having this sort of ultra-faithful adaptation is quite as interesting anymore. After the adaptation failures of such movies as Watchmen, I’ve become more on the side of adaptation not needing to hew closely to the exact way the source material looks, but merely the spirit and story. I like this sequel/prequel, but part of that is that it was fun to revisit this stylized world from a decade ago. I made it a point to buy the DVD of the original but this one? I doubt it. That said, I’m glad I saw because it’s still fun, despite the problems. It’s not as good as the first one by any stretch, but it’s basically a copy of the first movie, with all that entails. So you know, it’s decent.

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ABC held its own version of Game of Thrones‘ Red Wedding when network execs went on a cancellation spree, giving the ax to fan and critical faves like Trophy Wife, The Neighbors, and Suburgatory, as well as Mixology, Super Fun Night, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland, Mind Games, Killer Women and Betrayal. In the end, one queen reigned supreme as ABC turns over an entire night to hit-maker Shonda Rhimes.

ABC has a lot to prove in the fall as it currently stands as the fourth place network. A night of programming from Rhimes makes sense as ABC can use the night as a launching pad to move any of those around to plug in a hole if needed and launch a new Rhimes-produced show in the vacant slot. And, let’s face it, how much longer can Grey’s Anatomy run? ABC will have to plan for that eventuality and giving Rhimes a night of her own and a long-term contract is probably the best move the network has made.

It will be interesting to see if the wisdom of cancelling three popular, but low-rated, sitcoms pays off. The Twitter-verse pretty much went nuts when ABC canned The Neighbors, a witty, smart, well-cast comedy that probably failed to grab audiences because they wrote it off as a one-joke gimmick (it was certainly more than that). ABC gave the show a terrible time slot in its second season (Friday at 8:30 PM) and never promoted the show. That it had viewers at all is a miracle and should have been rewarded with a third season, better time slot and lead-in. (Tim Allen’s Last Man Standing was far from compatible. ABC should have scheduled The Neighbors with The Goldbergs and moved Trophy Wife after Modern Family.) It now looks like Last Man Standing will have a more compatible partner on Friday night with the new comedy Cristela, about a law school student trying to modernize her family’s old world culture.

Even with the cancellations, ABC’s schedule still looks surprisingly familiar with Sunday and Monday remaining virtually the same. The rest of the week has a few surprising changes, mainly the move of Grey’s Anatomy to the 8:00 PM time slot on Thursday (which hasn’t been successful since Ugly Betty), Scandal an hour earlier at 9:00 PM on Thursdays and Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. moving to the 9:00 PM slot on Tuesday sandwiched between two new comedies and one new drama. ABC hopes S.H.I.E.L.D. will give a boost to the new 10:00 PM drama Forever, starring Ioan Gruffud as a doctor who studies the dead to find an answer to his own immortality.

ABC also has a few shows waiting in the wings including alien drama The Whispers, starring Lily Rabe (American Horror Story) and Milo Ventimiglia (Heroes), Galavant (from The Neighbors creator Dan Fogelman) and Marvel’s Agent Carter starring Hayley Atwell, bringing her Captain America character to the small screen. ABC plans to use limited run series Galavant and Agent Carter as “bridge shows” to fill in the space during the winter breaks of Once Upon a Time and Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. respectively. Agent Carter already comes with a built-in fan base, so its success is almost a sure thing. Galavant‘s musical comedy fairy tale may be a harder sell. Rhimes’ new show How To Get Away With Murder, starring Viola Davis, should have no problem luring audiences in with its legal thriller premise.

Here’s hoping ABC can climb out of the ratings basement with it’s fall schedule. To see more photos and video clips of the new shows, be sure to visit and “Like” our Facebook and Google+ pages. Here’s a look at ABC’s fall 2014 lineup:

Monday
8 p.m. — Dancing With the Stars
10 p.m. — Castle

Tuesday
8 p.m. — Selfie
8:30 p.m. — Manhattan Love Story
9 p.m. — Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
10 p.m. — Forever

Wednesday
8 p.m. — The Middle
8:30 p.m. — The Goldbergs
9 p.m. — Modern Family
9:30 p.m. — Black-Ish
10 p.m. — Nashville

Thursday
8-9 p.m. — Grey’s Anatomy
9-10 p.m. — Scandal
10-11 p.m. — How to Get Away With Murder

Friday
8 p.m. — Last Man Standing
8:30 p.m. — Cristela
9 p.m. — Shark Tank
10 p.m. — 20/20

Saturday
8 p.m. — Saturday Night Football

Sunday
7 p.m. — America’s Funniest Home Videos
8 p.m. — Once Upon a Time
9 p.m. — Resurrection
10 p.m. — Revenge

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CliqueClack has partnered with High Top Releasing and Allied Integrated Marketing to offer readers in the DC areas an opportunity to attend an advance screening of the new dance drama Make Your Move starring Emmy winning Dancing With the Stars champ Derek Hough and BoA.

Aya (Kwonin) and Donny (Hough) are from very different backgrounds — she’s from Korea, he’s from New Orleans; and to top things off, their families own competing dance clubs and are bitter rivals. But there is only one thing that Aya and Donny care more about than dancing — and that’s the impossible and dangerous love they have for each other. This modern day Romeo and Juliet will risk everything, fight anyone, take-on anything and out-dance everyone, just to stay together.

The screening will take place Monday, April 14, 7:00 PM at Regal Gallery Place in Washington, DC.

A limited number of passes are available on a first come, first served basis. Simply comment on this post telling us why you want to see the movie and we will send your passes by email. Please make sure you have entered your email address correctly! As passes are limited, we will accept one comment per person/per email address/per household (this is not a random drawing so if you’re a couple, only one of you need comment!). CliqueClack reserves the right to discard any duplicates or comments that appear to be duplicates. Multiple comments from a single person will result in complete disqualification. Please keep these offers fair for everyone.

This offer will be valid until all passes have been awarded or on the day of the screening, whichever comes first. Have a look at the trailer below and then let us know where you want to see the film. Make Your Movie opens in theaters on April 18.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0V2GkuAiz4

It’s only the second week for the current season of Dancing With the Stars, and the surprise host Tom Bergeron hinted at last week turned out not to be a pleasant one. Perhaps the surprise could have been that no one was going home after the first week, but noooooo! The surprise was the season’s first (and only?) double elimination. We hadn’t planned on doing a full post again this week, but something this major shook us all up so we had to discuss.

CHUCK: So, a double elimination?!?! Wow, way to shake everyone up before their second dance of the season. I thought it was a particularly cruel way to kick things off.

KIM: I almost spit my drink out when they said there was going to be a double elimination. I thought for sure they were going to say everyone was safe this week. And the Switch-Up is happening in two weeks? This is going to be a cruel season for sure.

CHUCK: Well at least they had the courtesy to break up the eliminations throughout the show instead of making everyone wait till the end. Drew & Cheryl got the news that they were safe right off the bat and then immediately had to dance. I don’t know how Drew even pulled that off, scoring a 21 for his Jive which was fun to watch but his kicks weren’t very sharp.

KIM: I think they should go back to the two-night format personally. It was better when everyone was relaxed and got to dance and ask for votes on night one, followed by the eliminations on night two. I didn’t mind all the “filler” material necessary to fill both shows. It seems like they keep running out of time and rattling everyone with this format. It sometimes makes it more painful to watch.

CHUCK: I also enjoyed the Results shows, because they were almost like old-time variety shows, minus the comedy skits. More dancing is not a bad thing, but at least the Macy’s Stars of Dance is coming back! Of course, the biggest shock of the night came when Tom announced that Billy Dee & Emma were safe! What?! The lowest judges scores and once again the fans keep someone around who really shouldn’t be there. This is really the one aspect of the show that I dislike. It’s a dance competition, Len even said the point was to do better and get better scores each week, but then the fans vote on someone just because they like them and someone who has potential to move forward and grow goes home.

KIM: I’m starting to agree with you on that, Chuck. Billy Dee looked so happy and relieved to still be there, but I really think (and hope) he’ll go home next week.

CHUCK: And, let’s face it, after Billy Dee’s, ahem, dance this week (which included two more female partners to distract everyone from his listlessness) he ended up with the same exact score as last week, 15, and in last place again. Please, for the love of all that’s decent, don’t keep voting for this man just because he’s Lando Calrissian!

KIM: These are not the dance droids you’re looking for. I’d rather see him exit before anyone else at this point. He seems like a really nice guy, but he just can’t compete at the same level as everyone else.

CHUCK: The next three couples to dance were Amy & Derek, Candace & Mark and Diana & Henry, but Diana & Henry were eliminated right then and there before anyone else danced. It was nice to see them get to do their last dance (and I do believe the viewers made the right choice with this one after seeing that dance), but you have to wonder if the shock of the elimination shook up the other two couples. I’m sure they were relieved, but you have to be rattled after seeing someone standing right next to you told they’re out of the competition.

KIM:  I felt bad for the way they told Diana & Henry they were going home – at least they gave them the option of dancing their dance they’d worked so hard on. If the others were rattled, I couldn’t tell by the way they danced. Candace & Mark’s dance gave me actual goosebumps. I was disappointed in their scores, but I’m not an expert on the technicalities. Amy and Derek were phenomenal as always. If there’s one couple I don’t want to see switched up, it’s definitely those two. I am so anti the Switch-Up, I don’t think I’m going to nominate anybody on Twitter.

CHUCK: I think the Switch-Up will be particularly bad for Amy because she has such specific needs. I’m definitely not participating in that voting. So the other safe couples for the week at this point are

• Danica and Val, whose steamy Samba earned tham a 24.
• Meryl & Maks, who earned a 25 for their energetic Swing Dance.
• Candace & Mark, who did a very un-romantic, too Contemporary Rumba and scored 21.
• Amy & Derek, who did an amazing swing dance that made Tom Bergeron nervous (after Amy kept saying her legs could fly off) and scored a 24 (and after all the glowing comments, should have gotten a 27).
• James & Peta, who scored a 25 mainly for his physique than his Salsa moves which were lacking.
• Charlie & Sharna, who did an amazing, powerful, sharp Tango, but only scored 25 because Len deducted probably two points for the break in the hold.

I have to say my favorite of this group for the men is Charlie. He nailed his Tango, got the emotion down with some help from Maks and even with the break in the hold, he should go very far in the competition. For the women, it’s a toss-up right now between Danica, Amy and Meryl. They’re all been stupendous both weeks and were within a point of each other this week. Who do you like from this group?

KIM: My heart still only beats for Charlie (haha). He is just so adorable in a curly-haired Hobbit kind of way and he is miles above the other male competitors in terms of natural dance talent and charisma. The women are really throwing me for a loop. I love Danica, Amy, Meryl and Candace. I’m having trouble deciding who is best, and I’m also having trouble casting my votes so far this season because I want to vote for everybody! If I have to pick just one, I’m probably Team Amy.

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Dancing With the Stars season 18 premiered this week and even with the many changes to the show, things went rather smoothly. Following up on our review of the new celebrities participating this year, Chuck and I are back with our thoughts on the changes and who did best … and worst.

KIM: I thought the new band did well – they appeared to bring a younger energy to the set. Perhaps that’s why the producers felt a switch-up was necessary? I am so happy they brought the judges’ location back to its rightful place. I also love the Skybox – I was majorly bummed when they took it away last season. However, is it just me or was the rest of the set really lackluster? What happened to the big fancy, multicolored staircases and the really over-the-top costumes? I watch this show for the glitz and the glamour, and it felt like they were holding back on me last night. The entire show had a subdued feeling.

CHUCK: Yes, the new band did well and sometimes I couldn’t even tell when they were using recorded music, like with Ellie Goulding’s “Burn.” It sounded like the original, but then there were more voices singing with the chorus, so I thought they did a good job (and I love that song). The dancers have more floor space now with the orchestra pit mostly covered over, the video screen has been expanded down, and the staircases are still there. The stars haven’t made their entrance down the center though for a season or two. But there are two staircases at the opposite end of the ballroom as well. With the amazing lighting design that they employ on the dance floor, I thought the show was flashy as ever. They’ll build up to flashier costumes as the season progresses.

KIM: Erin seemed to hold her own as co-host, asking pertinent questions and managing to not sound like a complete airhead. I think she only placed so much emphasis on her former partner and time on the show because it was big news that Maks was back after such a long hiatus. Only time will tell though.

CHUCK: Yes, I did like Erin’s authority, and you can tell she’s a pro at what she does. She did get into asking just a bit too many personal questions which occasionally brought things to a grinding halt, and I wonder sometimes if she has producers whispering in her ear to say certain things. I do get your point about her references to her past and Maks’ return, but I hope she drops that soon because I got so sick of Brooke doing that. So what did you think of the dancing?

Nene & Tony; Cha-cha-cha — Score: 21
KIM: Nene Leakes was up first. I may still have no idea who she is, but I have to say NeNe won me over slightly with her personality. She was hilarious and not a bad dancer!
CHUCK: I love her spirit and attitude, and she did a pretty good job on her first dance, with good rhythm and musicality. And she sure was brave starting out the first dance of the seasons center stage by herself. Len said it was a great start.

James & Peta; Foxtrot — Score: 21
KIM: James was good-looking, but that only gets you so far in this competition. His performance didn’t wow me. In fact, it was very forgettable, as I’m sitting here and not recalling a single thing about it.
CHUCK: I thought James did a good job, even with the apparent awkwardness between him and Peta. He did seem a little stiff at times, though, and some footwork was a bit sloppy.

“James, you and I, we know why we’re here. We’re here for a bit of eye candy for the ladies.” — Len Goodman

Danica & Val; Foxtrot — Score: 24
KIM: Danica was as cute as ever. Has she aged at all since The Wonder Years? I love Val and I really would love to see him win a Mirror Ball Trophy. Maybe this will be his season, as he and Danica looked really comfortable together and made dancing well appear effortless.
CHUCK: Danica was adorable, and her enthusiasm for the show really came through in her performance. She wants to be there! I loved her excitement when meeting Val for the first time, they had a terrific first dance and she had great footwork and frame. She is definitely one to beat! It was also funny that she didn’t understand Erin’s question about how she felt and Val had to explain it to her.

“When Val starts translating for people, it’s got to be one of the signs of the Apocalypse.” — Tom Bergeron

Sean & Karina; Contemporary — Score: 20
CHUCK: I’m not a big fan of Contemporary dances on this show. They amount to a bunch of running, jumping, spinning and lifting. There are no real technical dance steps. I guess he did okay. Carrie Anne was fascinated by him. It’s going to take a while to warm up to him. He just seems so cold and aloof, but maybe it’s just that very dry, sarcastic humor they mentioned in the video package.
KIM: So, Sean is a hockey player? That is interesting. I thought he did pretty well, but I agree with you Chuck when you say it will take a while to warm up to him – there’s just something about him that seems rather cold and calculating even off the ice. Did he ever smile?
CHUCK: Yes, Carrie Anne made him smile during her critique. Tom made a big deal of it!

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With the new cast of Dancing With the Stars announced, and the season premiere only hours away, it’s time for Kim and I to play catch up and dish on the stars, non-stars, and twists and turns coming this season.

CHUCK: The biggest issues we need to address first are the big shakeup in the personnel department. First we heard the Harold Wheeler Orchestra got the boot because they were going to use all pre-recorded, original music this time out … and then they went and hired a new band fronted by a former American Idol band leader. I know a lot of people out there hated the show’s music – and not necessarily the music, but the singers who often butchered the songs – but I thought Wheeler and his musicians and singers did an admirable job under tough circumstances. It’s hard to cut down and arrange a 3-plus minute song to a minute and a half, sometimes completely re-orchestrating the music to fit the style of the dance. I’m not sure how a stripped down band is going to work. I like the use of original music, but a live orchestra just adds to the ambiance. What do you think?

KIM: I never really had much of a problem with the music, to be honest. I was shocked to hear of this shakeup. I think original music would be a good format, but can they always get the rights to do that? The show wouldn’t be the same without the live music format. I hope they get this figured out!

CHUCK: And the second biggest elephant no longer in the room is the never delightful Brooke Burke-Charvet. I don’t know why they even bother giving Tom Bergeron a co-host. Bergeron really carried the show last season when they went from two nights to one which gave him more time to interact with the stars and pros as they waited for their judging and scores. It was much better than Brooke blathering on, sometimes seeming like she wasn’t even listening. My favorite Brooke moment was when they had her on the giant video screen above the stage and Tom was throwing to her and he said, “Brook, you’re enormous,” and her reply was, “Thanks Tom.” She was even more useless than Samantha Harris, and often turned an interview around to her experience on the show. Erin Andrews at least has reporting skills and DWTS experience, but I hope she doesn’t just ask more mindless questions.

KIM: I was never a big Brooke fan either. Let’s face it: she was mostly eye candy. I loved Erin when she was a contestant, so I’m hopeful about this change. She had a bubbly enthusiasm about her but she didn’t ever go overboard with it from what I remember. Thank goodness they didn’t get rid of Tom — he cracks me up every week! The show would definitely not be the same without Tom.

CHUCK: Tom is like Seacrest on Idol. No matter how many changes they make (and some think DWTS needs new judges too), Tom Bergeron should always be there! And then there’s the twist – later in the season, viewers will be able to vote on “The Switch Up,” which will rip apart the dance teams and force a celeb to dance with a new partner. I’m not sold on this idea at all. We watch the show to see the relationship develop between the star and their pro, and now just as they’re getting into a groove, they’re going to be torn apart?! It may inject drama into a show that has seen its ratings fall over the last few seasons, but it could also do some major damage as well.

KIM: Whaaat? I didn’t hear about this change! I very much dislike this idea! How can you root for any pairing with the knowledge that their partnership can change? Let’s hope they see the folly of this and don’t make it something they do every season because honestly that sounds like a turn-off to me. I have my favorite dance pros and my favorite celebrities and I usually stay pretty loyal to whomever I’m throwing my votes to each season.

CHUCK: Agreed. And then we come to the stars. Oh, they’re really scraping the bottom of the barrel. I know “big” names won’t do the show because they see it as a step down into obscurity, but I think it’s been proven over time that being on the show has its benefits as far as putting someone’s star on the ascent rather than descent. So this year, we have very little in the way of “stars” – and my definition of a star is someone from stage or screen. Athletes are athletes, they can be famous and popular, but for me they don’t fall into the definition of a “star.”

And this season is rife with athletes of whom I have absolutely no investment at the moment. I don’t even know who most of them are! So good luck Sean Avery, Meryl Davis, Amy Purdy and Charlie White, whoever you are. At least I do know Diana Nyad, but what, she wasn’t old enough to pair with Tristan so he’s off the show?!

KIM: If I’m being honest, Charlie White is the only athlete this season I’ve ever heard of, and I don’t even know much about him. But then again, I don’t watch very many sports, and I seldom know who very many of the athletes are. But the athletes usually win me over because they end up being pretty good dancers! And I’m saddened to hear Tristan won’t be on there this season. We can count on Maks to add some snarky entertainment though.

CHUCK: Yes, Maks is back, so that’s a plus. Moving on to people I do know. First, Drew Carey. I used to love his sitcom, but I really don’t like him on The Price Is Right. He never really seems invested in the contestants like Bob Barker was. He seemed more warm and human when he was heavier, but now he just comes off as cold and distant. He’s really going to have to work it to win me over.

KIM: I still love Drew Carey! I’m excited to see him lighter on his feet and ready to sweep his dance partner off hers. I hope he wears a bow tie every single week because that might be enough to win my votes.

CHUCK: Nene Leakes was someone I only knew of from one of those Real Housewives shows. Then I was appalled when I heard she was going to be on Glee, but she surprised me with her performance regardless of how one-note it was written. Then I adored her on The New Normal, and I’ve been a fan ever since (although I still refuse to watch a Real Housewives show). I hope she can dance, because right now I think she’s the only person I’m really rooting for!

KIM: I don’t even know who this person is, sorry Chuck. I don’t watch any of those shows you just mentioned. This sounds like someone I might be annoyed watching though, similar to Snooki. I just don’t have much respect or patience for “reality TV stars.”

CHUCK: But Nene has segued into acting pretty well, so I give her props for that. I have no idea who James Maslow is. Or Cody Simpson for that matter. One is from Nickelodeon and the other is from The Disney Channel. I guess a certain Canadian bad boy wasn’t available or willing to go on the show, but if you’re reading this Justin, Dancing With the Stars is the perfect career rehabilitation you could use right about now.

KIM: I have no clue on either of these kids either. I never know the Disney celebrity, but I’m usually won over because they pick pretty talented kids.

CHUCK: I only vaguely know Candace Cameron Bure. She was on some sitcom I never watched. I do, however, know Danica McKellar and I loved her as Winnie Cooper on The Wonder Years. I wonder if her appearance is tied in to the long-awaited release of that show on DVD? I hope she does well. She’s a child star who grew up without getting into any tabloid-style trouble, so I’ll put her up on my list with Nene as to who I’d like to see succeed.

KIM: ’80s aficionado that I am, these are the two celebrities I am most excited to see this season! I loved Full House and The Wonder Years growing up and out of all the celebs, I have seen the most pictures of Candace rehearsing with Mark (maybe that’s because I follow both on social media). I have to say Candace and Mark look absolutely adorable together! And for the record, Candace also had a pretty squeaky clean record, Chuck. I hope her fellow Full House co-stars come to root for her because that would make my day. Actually, if Kevin Arnold came to root for Winnie Cooper, that would also make my day! I adore Fred Savage.

CHUCK: Maybe Danica can talk Fred into doing it next season! Of course, the geek crowd should tune in for Billy Dee Williams. I saw him recently as a judge on an episode of King of the Nerds, so I wonder if his sudden resurgence of TV work is tied in to that upcoming film sequel to a popular franchise in which he played a memorable role? Or maybe he’s here to show he’s still got it and JJ Abrams should take note (especially if some of the original stars are coming back). He may be able to pilot a spaceship, but I’m not sure if he’s going to have the dancing skills to get him very far. And any bets on if his first dance will be to the Stars Wars theme? And I think it’s time to start a Facebook page petitioning them to cast George Takei next season!

KIM: Stay classy, Cloud City! The nerd in me is excited to see Billy Dee, but I have a feeling you’re right Chuck. I can’t picture him being very graceful. And I would 100% sign a petition to cast George Takei — he would be a blast to watch! I doubt that will ever happen though.

CHUCK: If a Facebook page can get Betty White a gig on SNL, then I think we can get George on DWTS. I bet he’d jump at the chance! Oh My! Well, I think it’s safe to say that while we have a couple of interesting celebs on the show this season, the dearth of “stars” and the influx of athletes is going to drive the show over to ESPN soon. Perhaps it’s time to think about just doing the show once a year so the pool of potential participants isn’t drained completely. Let us know who you’re rooting for, and we’ll check back in occasionally to rank our favorites!

2013 was a pretty good year at the movies. Of the 37 films I saw this year (and I still have to see some biggies like 12 Years a Slave and The Wolf of Wall Street), I’ve only got a handful that go in the “Worst” column … and mostly because they were major titles that ended up being pretty disappointing. Most of the films I saw fall into the “Good” category, so to determine the “Best” films of the year, I chose the ones that I would definitely want to see again.

Topping the list as my favorite movie of the year is David O. Russell’s American Hustle. The 70s period piece that uses a real operation – Abscam – to create a fictional story is perfectly cast with great actors, dressed and coiffed to perfection, with a twisty, turny script that will have you alternately disgusted by and empathetic with the characters. By the end, good guys are villains and villains are (somewhat) redeemed, and through it all Russell keeps his camera moving fluidly through each scene. It’s simply master filmmaking at its best, and many are calling it the best Scorsese film he never made (and there is a major nod to Scorsese late in the film).

The other “usual suspects” (i.e. Oscar bait movies) are on the list as well. Saving Mr. Banks is practically perfect as a movie, even if its storytelling is a bit too Disneyfied. Emma Thompson, however, deserves all the accolades she’s getting for playing the difficult author of the classic Mary Poppins books (and the audio tapes played during the film’s credits demonstrate that her performance is not far off from the real thing). Tom Hanks gives us a too-genial Walt Disney, but it’s still a good performance. Like American Hustle, the period production design is impeccable, the rest of the cast is excellent (I loved the relationship between Thompson’s P.L. Travers and her driver Ralph, played by Paul Giamatti), but the ending is as far from reality as you can get. Despite that, this is Thompson’s movie and is well worth seeing.

August: Osage County is playing in limited release to qualify for Oscar consideration and will open in wide release on January 10. (Our full review will be available on January 10.) This is the kind of movie that you think “these actors took these roles to win an award,” and true or not, it certainly brings out the best in everyone to have this kind of material. Based on the Tony Award winning Broadway play (also Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama), the movie focuses on the Weston family who gather back at the parental home in Osage County following a death. Meryl Streep stars as the pill-addled, chain-smoking mother (who also has mouth cancer) who knows everyone’s dirty little secrets and isn’t shy about revealing them, usually at the dinner table. Julia Roberts is the daughter who was the apple of her daddy’s eye and has the worst relationship with her mother. Fireworks fly as these two forces of nature collide, and their verbal (and physical) sparring is amazing to witness. The rest of the cast has their moments to shine, but they wisely stay out of the way when Streep and Roberts go at it. It’s a movie filled with laughter and tears and should live up to all the awards chatter.

Gravity was a high-concept story executed perfectly by director Alfonso Cuarón with a stellar (no pun intended) performance from Sandra Bullock who has to basically carry the entire film after a disaster in space leaves her alone and stranded with very limited time and resources to try to get home. The film was originally touted for its realist depiction of what it would be like orbiting the earth, but most of those things have turned out to be little more than fantasy (famously debunked by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson). The film hinges completely on Bullock’s performance and she pulls it off with aplomb (comparisons to Tom Hanks in Cast Away are inevitable). And points to Cuarón for keeping space a silent void, even if someone at Warner Brothers got a little over-zealous with the sound effects in the trailer. It’s a white-knuckle ride from start to finish, and is served extremely well by the IMAX and 3D process.

Disney hits another one out of the park with the animated “princess movie” Frozen. The story seems typical with two princesses and the men who are apparently there to save one, the other, or both of them (and let’s not forget the wacky reindeer and animated snowman sidekicks, thankfully used sparingly and to great comic effect), but the story has a deeper twist as it truly becomes about family and trusting in the love that comes with it even when events transpire to tear that family apart (yes, this is a Disney movie so the parents must die early in the film). The snow-covered landscapes are rendered gorgeously in CG and the film is also served extremely well by 3D. And as a bonus, the film starts with a brand new Mickey Mouse short that looks like a classic cartoon but becomes an eye-popping experience in 3D. Frozen is definitely a film for all ages.

Also on my list of favorite movies of the year that may or may not garner much award consideration includes The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, the much, much better follow-up to the first Hobbit movie. Where that one dragged interminably, this one moves at a crisp pace, interweaving several storylines, and keeping things moving without resorting to “look what we can do” scenes of CGI battles and singing trolls and dwarfs. Martin Freeman again gives a terrific performance as Bilbo Bagging, but this chapter of the story belongs to Richard Armitage as Thorin, who finally steps up as the leader of the group of travelers. Director Peter Jackson indulges himself with a terrifying giant spider attack and a comical escape scene with dwarfs in barrels, but he saves the best for the last act as we finally get to encounter the dragon Smaug. Voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch with a honeyed gravelly growl, he makes it all worth the wait to get to that point. And unlike the first movie, this two-and-three-quarter hours actually flies by, leaving us with a huge cliffhanger that will make you want more.

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