FRIDAYS AT 11PM ET INFO
2
Tuesday
11:27am
CINEMA’S GOLDEN AGE: Hollywood For the Holidays

museumnight.jpg1. You know, as much as you love your family, spending an entire week with them during the holidays can get a little annoying from time to time. Thank goodness there’s the gentle escape of the movies, where you can enjoy two relaxing hours of Robin Williams’ kooky voices, Ben Stiller’s hilarious pratfalls, and Owen Wilson’s awkward charm - $46.8 million

2. I really don’t know why the writers couldn’t get the spelling right on this one. Sappy is spelled with an “S”, not an “H” - $24.7 million

3. Looks like this movie was one fat suit (they already had Eddie Murphy, mind you) away from a #1 opening - $19.5 million

4. You know what’s even weirder than a giant talking spider writing sh*t about a pig in its web? Dakota Fanning - $15.5 million

5. The Boring Supremacy - $14.3 million

20
Wednesday
6:00pm
The 10 Best 10 Best Lists of 2006, #8: The 10 Best Movie Cliches of The Year

10best22.JPGIt’s only the third day of our 10 Best 10 Best Lists of 2006, but we’ve already tackled two of the biggest issues yet: The Top 10 Celebrity Body Parts of the year and the Top 10 Reasons to Hate Singing & Dancing in 2006. Today we’re shifting our attention to the big screen and counting down the 10 Best Movie Cliches of the year. If it was in theaters at some point during the past 12 months, chances are it’s on this list. Not The Lake House, though. We missed that one.

mov - departed.jpg10. ‘The’ Movies are the new ‘The’ Bands
Way back in 2001 everybody was talking about the influx of ‘The’ bands that came popping out of the woodwork. The Strokes, The White Stripes, The Hives and The Vines ushered in a new wave of music that people were excited about (for approximately 9-15 months.) This year, we were treated to a whole new batch of The ______s in theaters. The Illusionist, The Marine, The Queen, The Guardian, The Sentinal, The Benchwarmers, and The Departed were just a few. Let’s hope that this trend disappears faster than those “Get Free” guys.

9. Sequels that nobody everybody’s been waiting for!
mov - instinct.jpgEvery year we’re blessed with a bunch of sequels that are guaranteed to a) make a lot of money and b) be terrible. In 2006, though, they added another item to the list: c) make sure it’s a sequel to a franchise that should’ve died years ago. How else could you explain Basic Instinct II? Why else would Sylvester Stallone release Rocky VI? Did anybody else really expect a Van Wilder 2 nearly four years after the original? Hey, we even had Superman Return. What’s left? I’m shocked there wasn’t a Short Circuit III. Maybe next year.

8. Talking animals, people. Talking! Animals!
Over The Hedge: talking rodents. Happy Feet: talking penguins. Barnyard: talking farm animals. Ant Bully: talking ants. Sadly, most of the dialogue spoken by animated animals in 2006 was probably better than most of the dialogue spoken by actual people. Writers in Hollywood might want to get on that.

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4
Monday
5:57pm
Check It Out: Listen to the Dreamgirls Soundtrack!

Dreamgirls2.JPGFor those of you who just can’t wait until Christmas Day when Dreamgirls finally opens, AOL Music is holding a “Listening Party” and streaming the entire soundtrack! Part of us encourages you to stay strong until Dec. 25 in order to experience Dreamgirls for the first time in the theater… Some of the songs sound incredibly cheesy without the aid of the visuals.

Then again, for those of you familiar with the musical and curious to hear how Jennifer Hudson stacks up against Beyonce, or wondering if Eddie Murphy’s vocal chops have improved since his last album, now’s the perfect time to polish your gavels and give your judging arm a good workout. So, if you’re man enough to give this soundtrack a listen, definitely let us know what your first impressions are!

1
Friday
2:02pm
BWE REVIEWS: DREAMGIRLS! And I Am Telling You, You Must See It

DREAMGIRLZ.JPGDreamgirls, the new movie musical directed by Kinsey’s Bill Condon, has been attracting a lot of attention thanks to its glitzy cast and $25 price tag (temporarily at least). So when the opportunity arose to catch a sneak preview, we tucked our $25 money orders back into our diamond-encrusted bras and jumped at the chance. Our verdict: If the salt-water-stains on our silken robes tell you anything, it is AMAZING. Yes, certain parts are cheesy and over-the-top (there’s a Jackson 5 montage that will force some cringe eating) and sure, Jamie Foxx’s singing voice is about as pleasant as a balloon slowly farting across a room, but people: There is so much to love!

After the jump, an informal review, an informal music video, and an informal poll: Will you be seeing Dreamgirls?

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17
Friday
6:00pm
Best Of The Best Week Ever

For that and so much more, make sure you tune into Best Week Ever tonight at 11 (and all weekend long.) In the words of Aerosmith, from that cheesy movie that’s about to become a reality, you don’t want to miss a thing.

16
Thursday
5:09pm
BWE INVESTIGATES: Dreamgirls Ticket Price Breakdown

The NY Post is reporting that, at $25 a ticket for the first ten days of its release, the film Dreamgirls will break records as the most expensive box office admission ever. As we thought 25 bucks for a Beyonce/Eddie Murphy/Jamie Foxx vehicle seemed a little steep, we did some investigating and found out exactly what every dollar of every ticket is paying for. Roll over the pie chart to find out!

14
Tuesday
5:31pm
ICYMI: 9-Year-Old Insists You’re the Best Man She Ever Knew

Yesterday, we alerted you to the classic 1982 clip of Jennifer Holliday singing “And I Am Telling You” from Dreamgirls. There seems to be concern over whether American Idol star Jennifer Hudson will be able to hold a candle to Holliday, who originated the role on Broadway. But what no one seems to be mentioning is the other girl who vied for the role, Erica Marks. Sure she’s only 9-years-old, and, yes, she’s dressed head-to-toe in Bratz-brand clothing, but listen to her pipes! Look at that finger wavin’! Move over, Jennifer Holliday, there’s a tin-eared little white girl comin’ after yah.

p.s. What we meant to say is 9-year-olds shouldn’t be allowed to sing this song. Particularly Erica Marks. Agreed?

13
Monday
11:54am
ICYMI: Please, We Are Begging You To Watch This

dreamgirls.jpgIt is a rare and sparkling day that we find a legitimate reason to post anything musical theater related here at BWE. But please, don’t stop reading, because you will be rewarded with one of the best live performances ever! One of the most hyped about movies vying for Oscar gold this season is Bill Condon’s Dreamgirls, the story of a trio of black female singers, their quest for fame, and the complications that result. Those unfamiliar with the plot probably know that Beyonce plays one of the “Dreamettes”. But fans of the musical are much more concerned with the casting of American Idol runner-up Jennifer Hudson playing the pivotal role of Effie, the slightly plump and eventually jilted singer. We’ve always loved Hudson and have been confident in her abilities since the beginning. However an EW article about the film mentioned that the originator of the role, Jennifer Holliday, was a complete powerhouse, and that footage from her legendary 1982 Tony Awards performance of “And I Am Telling You” was available on Youtube. We found the clip, and… wow. It is hands down the most moving live performance we have ever seen. Really, if you’re still with us, watch this clip. And then, for the first time, start to feel nervous for the 25-year-old newcomer trying to fill these bigger-than-life shoes.