Peter Jackson was the man who gave Kate Winslet her first on-screen kiss when she was 17 years old.

The Lord of the Rings filmmaker had a cameo in 1994 crime drama Heavenly Creatures, which was one of the first movies he directed.

The film was based on the notorious Parker-Hulme murder case in New Zealand in which the Honorah Mary Rieper - ...Read more

As young men flinched and gasped around me at the Los Angeles premiere of “Obsession,” I almost had to laugh. A slight head tilt, creepy smile or strange movement from star Inde Navarrette was enough to make them jump, and I had the realization that the most terrifying thing for a young man these days is an emotionally unregulated and ...Read more

'IS GOD IS'

Rated R for strong/bloody violence and language.

What it’s about: Twin sisters set off on a revenge road trip to enact vengeance on their abusive father.

The kid attractor factor: This is a Southern noir — bleak, violent and dark. Not for kids.

Good lessons/bad lessons: It's a challenge to escape our circumstances and ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Tatiana Maslany and video calls don't have the best track record these days.

In the opening moments of the new Apple TV series "Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed," her character Paula, a recently divorced mom with a mysterious past trying to keep her life together, is in the middle of a late-night venting session on her laptop with a ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — If gas prices have you second-guessing a road trip this summer, this season’s crop of television series can transport you to distant lands, real and imagined, for a much lower price. Visit the American frontier, 1930s New York and the mountains of Europe. And get a glimpse of dragons, superheroes, airbenders and pro athletes ...Read more

In the wake of the nominations for this year’s Tony Awards, coming June 7, here are short versions of my reviews of every Broadway show currently playing in New York. The (+) symbol designates those that are recommended.

“& Juliet”: A savvy jukebox musical from London offering a feminist reworking of Shakespeare’s “Romeo and Juliet”...Read more

SAN JOSE, Calif. — Demi Lovato’s It’s Not That Deep Tour is just not that good.

It’s not necessarily that bad either. But it’s certainly forgettable — a tour with very little to say and even less to offer beyond 90 minutes of decent distraction.

So, yeah, what some 8,500 fans witnessed on Monday night (May 11) at Chase Center in ...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. — “The Real Housewives of Orange County” returns for its 20th season on July 9, followed a month later by a new series to celebrate 20 years of Housewives everywhere, the network announced on Monday.

When “The Real Housewives of Orange County” returns in July, its cast will include Vicki Gunvalson, the OG of the OC, as...Read more

The "be careful what you wish for" genre gets a slick, swift jolt of electricity in "Obsession," a finely crafted tale of a spell — and a crush — gone very, very wrong.

Bear (Michael Johnston, looking like a young Billy Crudup) is anything but the animal for which he's named. He's a shy guy carrying a flame for his co-worker and trivia ...Read more

ANAHEIM, Calif. — In “The Wizard of the Kremlin,” actor Paul Dano plays Vadim Baranov, a character loosely inspired by a real-life adviser who helped Russian leader Vladimir Putin gain and keep power.

Vadim is a mild-mannered sort, happy to stay in the background, but there’s no doubt in Dano‘s mind that Vadim knows exactly what he�...Read more

LOS ANGELES — A city hearing concerning on-site alcohol sales provided the public a chance to air their opinions on the possible reopening of the Cinerama Dome and ArcLight Hollywood on Tuesday.

Though a final letter of determination is still to be issued, Tim Fargo, the associate zoning administrator in charge of Tuesday's meeting, said he ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Barry Blaustein, the former "Saturday Night Live" writer behind the beloved Eddie Murphy "Coming to America" films and the acclaimed documentary "Beyond the Mat," died Tuesday. He was 71.

Blaustein's death was confirmed by Chapman University's Dodge College of Film and Media Arts, where he had been a screenwriting professor ...Read more

James Van Der Beek's widow has admitted "reality is settling in", as she marked three months since the Dawson's Creek star's death.

Kimberly Van Der Beek has told how the "comforts of shock have worn off" following her late husband's passing in February, aged 48, and the mother of six admitted that to say she is "heartbroken" is a "severe ...Read more

Ashley Judd has thrown a birthday party for her "inner 12 year old".

The Heat actress saw in her 58th birthday last month, and the star has told how her big day was also a celebration for her younger self after she grew up with "unmet needs".

She wrote on Instagram: "On my 58th birthday,

my inner 12-year-old was ready to receive love, care, ...Read more

Conan the Barbarian star Donald Gibb has died at the age of 71.

The actor passed away at his home in Texas on Tuesday (12.05.26) evening following ongoing health problems, his son Travis has announced.

Travis explained to TMZ that his father died "due to health complications" and that he "was surrounded by family who loved him deeply".

Gibb's...Read more

Mia McKenna-Bruce has joined the cast of The Species.

The 28-year-old actress is to star alongside Sir Anthony Hopkins, Charlotte Rampling and Tom Hollander in the new movie from director Justin Chadwick.

The Species - which is being sold internationally by HanWay Films at Cannes - tells the story of Emma Darwin (Rampling), recently widowed ...Read more

Michael Che has called out The Roast of Kevin Hart for jokes about "slavery", "sex crimes" and "slurs".

The 42-year-old Saturday Night Live star didn't appear at the live Netflix event over the weekend, but he has noted a difference in style between the subject matter for white and black people.

Taking to Instagram, he wrote: "White guys and ...Read more

Hayden Panettiere's ex Brian Hickerson reveals a domestic abuse story he didn't want her to include in her memoir.

The Heroes star is set to release her new memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, and in the book she reflects on their relationship from 2018 to 2022, during which time Hickerson was arrested multiple times for domestic abuse.

Speaking ...Read more

Q. Do you still recommend ZVOX soundbars as best for reproducing voices? We have a hard time understanding dialogue on certain movies and television series. I have a Samsung UN55DU7200D television and would like to stay under $300 or so.

—G.B., Burnsville, Minnesota

A. In terms of absolute best vocal reproduction my new benchmark is the ...Read more

LOS ANGELES — Over the last few weeks, acts like Post Malone, Zayn, Meghan Trainor, the Pussycat Dolls and Kid Cudi have canceled major tour dates. Whatever their reasons behind the scenes (they range from finishing new music to spending time with family), some have cited "Blue Dot Fever" as a possible cause — a tour staring down too many ...Read more