At The Movies

Journey 2: The Mysterious Island
Young Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) receives a coded distress signal from a mysterious island where no island should exist. It's a place of strange life forms, mountains of gold, deadly volcanoes, and more than one astonishing secret. Unable to stop him from going, Sean's new stepfather, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), joins the quest. Together with a helicopter pilot and his beautiful, strong willed daughter (Vanessa Hudgens), they set out to find the island, rescue its lone inhabitant and escape before seismic shockwaves force the island under the sea and bury its treasures forever.
 

On DVD

A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas
John Cho and Kal Penn return as the titular stoner heroes, back for a very merry high holiday misadventure. After years of growing apart, Harold and Kumar have replaced each other with new friends. But when a mysterious package mistakenly arrives at Kumar's door on Christmas Eve, his attempt to redirect it to Harold ends with the "high grade" contents, and Harold's father in law's prize Christmas tree, going up in smoke. With the Christmas clock ticking, Harold must embark on another ill advised journey with Kumar through New York City to search for the perfect replacement tree; a quest that almost blows Christmas sky high.

The Buzz...

Macaulay Culkin is fit as a fiddle, his spokeswoman insists, despite what Entertainment Tonight suggests. The 31 year old actor's publicist has fired back at ETOnline, after the site published a photo of the former Home Alone star looking thin on the streets of New York.

Paradise Lost, Legendary’s big budget, special effects-laden take on the John Milton classic poem, has been shut down. The movie was to have been directed by Alex Proyas and to have starred Bradley Cooper as Lucifer, who was to lead a cast that included Djimon Hounsou, Casey Affleck, Benjamin Walker, Camilla Belle, and Rufus Sewell. The project couldn’t overcome, according to sources, two hand in hand challenges, budget and special effects. The budget was over $120 million and was responsible for one postponement already.

Looks like CNN forgot to tell Piers Morgan that he's supposed to report the news, not make it. But he did just that this morning, when Heather Mills became the latest celebrity to take the stand in the U.K.'s exhaustive News of the World prompted media inquiry into press ethics. And it's safe to say she's no fan of the newsman, taking every opportunity to deny, counter or simply trash Morgan's own previous testimony. Starting with the hacking of her private voicemail messages left to her by then boyfriend Paul McCartney following a fight between the couple back in 2001.

Adele has broken her silence about Karl Lagerfeld's recent comments to Metro in which he called the singer "a little too fat." And it turns out Adele doesn't really care what the designer says. "I've never wanted to look like models on the cover of magazines," she tells People magazine. "I represent the majority of women, and I'm very proud of that."

Further proof that there's nothing the Kardashians won't shill for money: Kris Jenner, the reality TV family's matriarch, has reportedly signed on to endorse the sex aid Zestra. Jenner is the new spokeswoman for Zestra Essential Arousal Oils. According to the press release, "Zestra is a topically applied, over the counter product from Semprae Laboratories, Inc., that is clinically proven to enhance women's sexual pleasure." She's not only a spokeswoman, she's also a customer. "She's tried it and uses it. She wants to promote great sex," a source says.

Just as Netflix is nearly ubiquitous on media streaming platforms in the US, BBC's iPlayer is pretty much a default app in the UK so it's no surprise to see it show up on Roku's boxes just as they start shipping across the Atlantic. As detailed in the press release after the break, those shiny new Roku LT and Roku 2 XS hockey pucks are well on their way to punters who've shelled out £50 / £100, respectively, with over 40 available channels.

Miley Cyrus was planning on joining the vampire craze, but the former Disney darling has decided that Dracula isn't for her right now. The actress singer is no longer attached to Adam Sandler's upcoming animated flick, Hotel Transylvania. Cyrus was to voice Mavis, the young daughter of the quintessential bloodsucker Dracula (Sandler).

Eastman Kodak Co. says that it will stop making digital cameras, pocket video cameras and digital picture frames in a move that marks the end of an era for the beleaguered 132 year old company.

Looks like there’s going to be another beardy face to remember among Peter Jackson’s hirsute cast for The Hobbit, as Billy Connolly has just been cast as one of the film’s many Dwarves. Connolly will play Dain Ironfoot, cousin to Richard Amitage’s Thorin Oakenshield, and one of the most fearsome warriors in Dwarvish history. Peter Jackson has suggested that Connolly will be the final addition to The Hobbit’s cast, insisting that the Scotsman has made his ensemble complete.

A coterie of A-list musicians will be giving Paul McCartney, who turns 70 this year, an all-star tribute with a new album featuring cover versions of several songs from the ex-Beatle's back catalog. Those performing on the record will include such luminaries as B.B. King, Willie Nelson, Kiss, The Cure, Brian Wilson, Alice Cooper, Steve Miller, Billy Joel, Heart, Jeff Lynne, Wanda Jackson, Ronnie Spector and Corinne Bailey Rae.

Craig Ferguson is very likely staying put at CBS. The Late Late Show host is nearing a new deal to remain with the network through 2014. As part of the pact, Ferguson's 12:35 a.m. show, which launched in early 2005, will move to a bigger stage at CBS' TV City.

Naomi Watts is about to become royalty; at least on screen. The actress, 43, is set to star in Caught in Flight, a film described as "a compelling portrait of Diana, Princess of Wales during the last two years of her life," according to BBC News.

Sullivan Stapleton, the Australian actor from Animal Kingdom who currently stars in Cinemax’s terrorist action-drama Strike Back, will star in 300: Battle for Artemisia, the working title for Warner Bros.’ followup to the 2007 smash, 300.

Demi Moore's whereabouts are still top secret, but the troubled actress is seeking help from none other than spiritual guru Deepak Chopra.

The players in the late January firing spree at The X Factor are now starting to speak up. First it was FOX executive Mike Darnell. Then Simon Cowell explained his side of the story. And now the recently ousted Nicole Scherzinger is talking about her thoughts. In an interview with Access Hollywood Scherzinger says, "What happened? Well, all I know is that I gave 110 percent to that show...I know everybody's talking about it, they're saying good, bad, they love me or hate me, but the one thing you can't say is that I didn't give it my all."

Being a Victoria's Secret model can offer fame and fortune beyond a woman's wildest dreams. But this wasn't enough for Kylie Bisutti, who decided to stop modeling for the lingerie maker because it didn't match with her religious beliefs. Bisutti tells Good Morning America she turned down the work because, "I just became so convicted of honoring the Lord and my body and wanting to be a role model for other women out there who look up to me."

Slipknot fans have been clamoring for a new album for a couple of years now but recent comments from drummer Shawn 'Clown' Crahan indicate that recording is not likely to begin before 2013.

Black Sabbath have responded to drummer Bill Ward's open letter pledging to leave the band unless he is presented with a "signable contract." In a statement on Facebook, Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler indicated they they will carry on with their new album and reunion tour without him.