HBO has confirmed the second-season debuts of the acclaimed series “Enlightened” and “Girls,” with both shows scheduled to kick off ten-episode second seasons in Jan. 2013.

“Enlightened” tells the story of an ambitious executive at a global conglomerate, who returns to her fractured life after a humiliating public breakdown, determined to lead a more enlightened existence. But her newfound noble intentions only ratchet up the drama, wreaking unexpected havoc on those around her. Laura Dern stars in the series, which she executive produces along with Mike White, who also co-stars, writes and directs. The show concluded its first season in December 2011, with Dern receiving a 2012 Golden Globe for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical.

The Los Angeles Times called “Enlightened” “the most interesting and ambitious series of the fall season,” while the Hollywood Reporter hailed it as “very funny” and “emotionally resonant.” The New York Times described the show as “funny, sardonic,” and the Washington Post termed it “wonderfully realized” and “unique.”

Created by and starring Lena Dunham, “Girls” takes a comic look at the assorted humiliations and rare triumphs of a group of girls in their early 20s. Dunham, Judd Apatow and Jenni Konner executive produce the show, which concluded its first season in June. Bruce Eric Kaplan and Ilene S. Landress co-executive produce. The cast also includes Jemima Kirke, Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet, Adam Driver and Alex Karpovsky.

The series recently received five Emmy nominations, including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham) and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham).

“Girls” was called “smart, funny” and “groundbreaking” by the San Francisco Chronicle, while New York Magazine hailed it as “the ballsiest show on TV.” People described the show as “brilliant,” and TV Guide said it was “brilliantly raw” and a “true breakthrough.”

The article “Enlightened”, “Girls” Confirmed for Second Season appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

HBO received 81 Primetime Emmy nominations, the most of any network for the 12th year in a row, for the upcoming 64th Primetime Emmy Awards, which were announced in Los Angeles.

‘Hemingway & Gellhorn’ led all HBO nominees with 15 nominations, while “Boardwalk Empire” and ‘Game Change’ received 12 nominations apiece, and “Game of Thrones” received 11 nominations.

HBO’s Emmy nominations this year include:

• 15 nominations for ‘Hemingway & Gellhorn’, including Outstanding Miniseries or Movie, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Clive Owen), Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Nicole Kidman), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (David Strathairn) and Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Philip Kaufman).
• 12 nominations for “Boardwalk Empire,” including Outstanding Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series (Steve Buscemi) and Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series (Tim Van Patten).
• 12 nominations for ‘Game Change’, including Outstanding Miniseries or Movie, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Woody Harrelson), Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Julianne Moore), Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie (Ed Harris), Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie (Sarah Paulson), Outstanding Directing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Jay Roach) and Outstanding Writing for a Miniseries, Movie or a Dramatic Special (Danny Strong).
• 11 nominations for “Game of Thrones,” including Outstanding Drama Series and Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series (Peter Dinklage).
• 6 nominations for “George Harrison: Living in the Material World,” including Outstanding Nonfiction Special and Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming (Martin Scorsese).
• 5 nominations for “Curb Your Enthusiasm,” including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (Larry David), Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series (Michael J. Fox) and Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Robert B. Weide).
• 5 nominations for “Girls,” including Outstanding Comedy Series, Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham), Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham) and Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series (Lena Dunham).
• 3 nominations for “Veep,” including Outstanding Comedy Series and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series (Julia Louis-Dreyfus).
• 2 nominations for “Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory,” including Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking and Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming (Joe Berlinger, Bruce Sinofsky).
• 2 nominations for “Real Time with Bill Maher,” including Outstanding Variety Series and Outstanding Writing for a Variety Series.

Other HBO nominees include “Bobby Fischer Against the World,” “Entourage,” “Game of Thrones Season Two – Enhanced Digital Experience,” “Gloria: In Her Own Words,” “Mel Brooks and Dick Cavett Together Again,” “2012 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony,” “The Weight of the Nation” and “The Weight of the Nation for Kids: The Great Cafeteria Takeover.” The CINEMAX series “Strike Back” also received an Emmy nomination.

The Primetime Emmy Awards will be announced September 23.

The article HBO Receives Most Emmy Nods for the 12th Straight Year appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Los Angeles, U.S.A. — Production has begun in South Africa and North Carolina on the HBO Films presentation ‘Mary and Martha,’ starring Hilary Swank (Oscar winner for ‘Boys Don’t Cry’ and ‘Million Dollar Baby’) and Brenda Blethyn (Oscar nominee for ‘Secrets & Lies’ and ‘Little Voice’), it was announced July 16 by Len Amato, president, HBO Films.

Directed by Phillip Noyce (‘Salt,’ ‘The Quiet American’) from a screenplay written by Richard Curtis (Oscar nominee for ‘Four Weddings and a Funeral,’ Emmy winner for HBO’s ‘The Girl in the Café’), ‘Mary and Martha’ depicts the epic journey of two mothers who bond over the mutual loss of their sons to malaria. James Woods, Frank Grillo, Ian Redford and Stephanie Faracy also star.

“We were especially attracted to Richard Curtis’ approach to the story – bringing a human touch to this serious and often overlooked issue about a disease that is preventable and can be eradicated,” said Amato. “In the hands of Philip Noyce, directing these two gifted actresses, the difficult subject matter becomes upliftingly accessible, yet profoundly powerful.”

Hilary Swank stars as Mary and Brenda Blethyn stars as Martha, an American and an Englishwoman who have little in common apart from the one thing they wish they hadn’t – both have lost sons to malaria. Promising adventure and fun, Mary took her young son, George, to Africa, where he subsequently contracted the disease, while Martha’s son, Ben, died while working as a volunteer at an orphanage in Mozambique.

When the two immensely different women meet in Africa, they bond over their shared personal loss. Forging a deep friendship, they vow to dedicate themselves to the cause of malaria prevention, realizing that, as mothers, they have a responsibility to all the world’s children.

Says writer Richard Curtis, “I’ve always wanted to write a film about the fact that when you have children, there’s always the possibility of extreme joy and extreme sorrow. And over the years, working with Comic Relief, I have come across the tragedy of the startling number of lives taken by malaria every year. This film gives me achance to write about that too, as well as working with a team of people I hugely admire – Brenda Blethyn, Hilary Swank and the great Australian director, Phillip Noyce.”

‘Mary and Martha’ is an HBO Films Presentation of a WTTV Working Title Television Production, in association with BBC and NBC Universal; executive produced by Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Liza Chasin and Juliette Howell; produced by Genevieve Hofmeyr and Hilary Bevan Jones; director, Phillip Noyce; screenplay written by Richard Curtis.

Image Courtesy of  Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

The article Hilary Swank Will Star in New HBO Film appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

“Marina Abramović  The Artist Is Present,” new documentary to play on HBO this month, includes extensive archival footage and images of her life in the year leading up to the MoMA extravaganza. Revisiting her controversial beginnings in the early 1970s, the film features documentation of her earlywork, including video of Abramović driving a van around a public square while shouting numbers from a megaphone, taking psychoactive drugs to challenge social attitudes towards female mental illness, and mutilating and flagellating herself.

The MoMA retrospective exhibit occupies several floors of the museum, most of them dedicated to earlier chapters in Abramović’s career, with images and videos of installations, many involving fellow performance artist and former romantic partner Ulay. She also trains 41 young artists to “re-perform” some of her early installations. For example, in “Imponderabilia,” two artists stand face-to-face, completely naked on opposite sides of a doorway, which others can only squeeze through by brushing against the couple’s naked flesh, a piece originally performed by Abramović and Ulay.

In the new exhibit, Abramović sits in a chair under bright spotlights opposite an empty chair, where members of the public can sit as long as they want, gazing into her eyes. A seemingly endless number of people line up for the opportunity to sit with her, many sitting multiple times on different days, several for as long as ten hours, some even after waiting all night. It is the longest-duration solo work of her career, and by far the most physically and emotionally demanding one she has ever attempted. When she conceived it, Abramović says she knew instantly it was the right piece, because the mere thought of it “made me nauseous.” Exceeding the museum’s and the artist’s own expectations, the exhibit becomes a blockbuster, must-see event.

One of the most emotional scenes occurs when Ulay, the man with whom she shared an intense and colorful history spanning more than 12 years, occupies the seatopposite Abramović. The two lived in a van in Europe and performed together before their relationship ended in suitably dramatic fashion: They walked from opposite ends of the Great Wall of China, met in the middle after covering over 1,500 miles apiece, and then said good-bye.

Sitting opposite each other in the MoMA exhibit, neither can hold back tears. Eventually, to cheers from the crowd, she reaches across and extends her hand to touch him, something none of the other sitters are permitted to do, and they hold each other. This moving moment highlights the two sides of Marina Abramović — the flesh-and-blood woman and the art-world icon — who is driven by passion, hungry for admiration and riven by contradictions.

“Marina Abramović The Artist Is Present” received the Panorama Audience Award for Best Documentary at the 2012 Berlin Film Festival. It will open at the Film Forum in New York City on June 13 and the Nuart Theatre in Los Angeles on June 15, courtesy of HBO Documentary Films and Music Box Films.

Matthew Akers was the producer and a lead cinematographer on the series “Circus,” a producer and camera operator on the Emmy-winning series “Carrier,” and a producer and camera operator on the Peabody-winning series “Nimrod Nation.” His previous HBO credits as cinematographer include “Back in the Hood: Gang War II,” “Heir to an Execution” and “Elaine Stritch at Liberty.”

Image Courtesey of  Andrew Russeth

The article Marina Abramović Doc: Life of an Artist appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Seductive, fearless and outrageous, Marina Abramović has been redefining the meaning of art for nearly 40 years. Using her own body as a vehicle, pushing herself beyond her limits, and at times risking her physical safety, she creates performances that challenge, shock and move.

From first-time director Matthew Akers, “Marina Abramović The Artist Is Present” follows “the grandmother of performance art” as she prepares for a major retrospective of her work at Manhattan’s Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in 2010, highlighted by a new exhibit that is breathtaking in its simplicity: two chairs facing each other, with Abramović sitting in one and audience members taking turns sitting in the other, gazing into each other’s eyes in silence. In true Abramović style, she remains in the chair for seven and a half hours each day – every day the museum is open for three months – without eating, drinking or moving, a feat of mental and physical endurance that is challenging even for a veteran of such performances.

“Marina Abramović The Artist Is Present” debuts Monday, July 2 (9:00-10:45 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO, as part of the HBO Documentary Films summer series. The film had its world premiere at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival.

Other HBO playdates: July 5 (12:45 a.m.), 10 (12:30 a.m.) and 18 (2:45 a.m.)

Other July films in the summer series include: “Hard Times: Lost on Long Island” (debuting July 9); “Birders: The Central Park Effect” (July 16); “The Tsunami and the Cherry Blossom” (July 16); “Vito” (July 23); and “About Face: Supermodels Then and Now” (July 30).

Known for her extreme performance-art installations, many involving nudity and punishing bodily deprivation, Marina Abramović is one of the few artists of her generation still active in the field. A glamorous art-world icon, a lightning rod for controversy and a myth of her own making, she’s tired of the “alternative” label after four decades of skepticism, and happy that the retrospective is the crowning achievement of her career, providing her the best opportunity to put performance art on the mainstream map. “Performance art has never been a regular form of art,” she says. “It’s always been alternative since I was born, so I want it to be a real form of art and respected before I die.”

In addition to Abramović herself, the film features interviews and scenes with collaborators, art commentators, friends and fans, including: art critic Arthur Danto; Chrissie Iles, curator of the Whitney Museum of American Art; Abramović’s gallerist, Sean Kelly; writer Tom McEvilley; illusionist David Blaine; and actor James Franco.

Image Courtesey of  Andy Miah

The article HBO Presents Marina Abramović Documentary appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

HBO is partnering with VICE on an innovative news magazine show to be hosted by VICE founder Shane Smith, it was announced today by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. The weekly series will be executive produced by Bill Maher, Shane Smith and Eddy Moretti, VICE’s chief creative officer, with CNN’s Fareed Zakaria serving as consultant.

“VICE has emerged as a premier new media brand through a savvy combination of irreverence, smarts and fearlessness,” said Lombardo. “We are excited to offer a forum for their groundbreaking style of news coverage and look forward to a show that’s like nothing else on TV.”

Titled VICE, the HBO series will showcase a mix of stories from around the globe. Among the segments in production for possible inclusion in the show are: Taliban child suicide bombers; North Korean slave labor camps; New York’s underground voodoo heroin clinics; Somalian pirates; and Satanic dentists in the Pacific Northwest.

VICE is a leading youth entertainment company operating in over 34 countries, and includes vice.com, the world’s premier original online video destination; an international network of digital channels; a television production studio; a print magazine; a record label; an in-house creative services agency; and a book publishing division. VICE’s digital channels include: The Creators Project, dedicated to arts and creativity; Motherboard, covering cultural happenings in technology; and Noisey, a music discovery channel.

Image Courtesy of   pamlau

The article HBO, VICE Magazine Announce Collaborated News Show appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Fans were excited to learn this months that HBO has renewed ‘Game of Thrones’ for a third season, as announced by Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming.

“Series creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss raised our expectations for the second season – and then surpassed them,” said Lombardo. “We are thrilled by all the viewer and media support we’ve received for the series, and can’t wait to see what Dan and David have in store for next season.”

Based on the bestselling fantasy book series by George R.R. Martin, ‘Game of Thrones’ is an epic drama set in the world of Westeros, where ambitious men and women of both honor and ill-repute live in a land whose summers and winters can last years. The Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning fantasy series began its ten-episode second season Sunday, April 1, with other episodes debuting subsequent Sundays at the same time.

Among the early critical praise for the second season, Newsday called ‘Game of Thrones’ “the best show on television,” while the Los Angeles Times termed the series “a cinematic feast” and “masterful.” The Wall Street Journal hailed the show as “magnificent” and USA Today called it “near perfection.” Below are the May episodes:

Episode #16: “The Old Gods and the New”

Sunday, May 6 (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET/PT): Theon (Alfie Allen) completes his master stroke. In King’s Landing, the Lannisters send Myrcella (Aimee Richardson) from harm’s way in the nick of time. Arya (Maisie Williams) comes face to face with a surprise visitor; Dany (Emilia Clarke) vows to take what is hers; Robb (Richard Madden) and Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) receive crucial news; Qhorin (Simon Armstrong) gives Jon (Kit Harington) a chance to prove himself.

Episode #17: “A Man Without Honor”

Sunday, May 13 (9:00-10:00 p.m.): Jaime (Nicolaj Coster-Waldau) meets a distant relative; Dany receives an invitation to the House of the Undying; Theon leads a search party; Jon loses his way in the wilderness; Cersei (Lena Headey) counsels Sansa (Sophie Turner).

Episode #18: “The Prince of Winterfell”

Sunday, May 20 (9:00-10:00 p.m.): At Winterfell, Theon receives a visitor and holds down the fort. Arya calls in her final debt with Jaqen (Tom Wlaschiha) in a way that displeases him. Robb is betrayed. Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Varys (Conleth Hill) find common ground. Dany ignores Jorah’s (Iain Glen) advice. Stannis (Stephen Dillane) and Davos (Liam Cunningham) approach their destination, and Davos is offered a reward.

Episode #19: “Blackwater”

Sunday, May 27 (9:00-10:00 p.m.): Tyrion and the Lannisters fight for their lives as Stannis’ fleet assaults King’s Landing.

The article ‘Game of Thrones’ Renewal Excitement and May Episodes appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Former senator Selina Meyer was a rising star in her party, a charismatic leader who seemed to have unlimited potential. Some pundits thought she might even occupy the White House some day.

Then she became vice president.

Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Emmy winner for “Seinfeld” and “The New Adventures of Old Christine”) stars as Selina Meyer in ‘Veep’, the story of a woman who becomes vice president, only to discover the job is nothing like she expected, but everything she was warned about. Created by Armando Iannucci (Oscar nominee for co-writing “In the Loop”), the new comedy series kicks off its eight-episode season Sunday, April 22, exclusively on HBO.

Veep follows the whirlwind day-to-day existence of Vice President Meyer as she puts out political fires, juggles a busy public schedule and demanding private life, and defends the president’s interests, even as she tries to improve her dysfunctional relationship with the chief executive.

The ensemble cast of the show also includes Tony Hale (“Arrested Development”) as Gary, her right-hand man; Anna Chlumsky (“In the Loop”) as Amy, her chief of staff; Matt Walsh (HBO’s “Hung”) as Mike, Vice President Meyer’s weathered spokesperson; Reid Scott (“My Boys”) as Dan, an ambitious political aide; Timothy C. Simons (“Days Together”) as Jonah, a young and somewhat clueless White House liaison; and Sufe Bradshaw (“Overnight”) as Sue, Vice President Meyer’s executive assistant.

In addition to Armando Iannucci, directors include Chris Morris and Tristram Shapeero; other writers besides Armando Iannucci include Simon Blackwell, Tony Roche, Sean Gray, William Smith, Roger Drew and Ian Martin.

April’s episodes:

Episode #1: “Fundraiser” – Sunday, April 22 (10:00-10:30 p.m. ET/PT)

Vice President Selina Meyer (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) and her staff – chief of staff Amy (Anna Chlumsky), spokesperson Mike (Matt Walsh), right-hand man Gary (Tony Hale), and executive assistant Sue (Sufe Bradshaw) – are still finding their footing in Washington D.C. Selina decides to make the Clean Jobs Commission a pet project, but a series of missteps requires her staff to work damage control.

Teleplay by Simon Blackwell & Armando Iannucci; story by Armando Iannucci; directed by Armando Iannucci

Episode #2: “Frozen Yoghurt” – Sunday, April 29 (10:00-10:30 p.m.)

The veep’s office is revived by good news that her task force is likely to be green-lit. With the president (conveniently) out of the country, Selina looks to make headway on filibuster reform and meet some “normal” people.

Teleplay by Simon Blackwell & Armando Iannucci; story by Simon Blackwell; directed by Armando Iannucci.

The article New Comedy ‘Veep’ Kicks of on HBO this April appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

HBO Documentary Films has acquired the domestic TV rights to ‘The Central Park Effect’, it was announced today by HBO and Submarine Entertainment. A 2012 SXSW selection in Documentary Feature Competition, the film will debut on HBO this summer.

Featuring Chris Cooper, Jonathan Franzen and Starr Saphir, among others, the film is directed and produced by Jeffrey Kimball and executive produced by Pamela Hogan and Tom Casciato. The deal was negotiated by Josh Braun of Submarine Entertainment on behalf of the filmmakers with HBO Documentary Films.

‘The Central Park Effect’ reveals the extraordinary array of wild birds who grace Manhattan’s celebrated patch of green and the equally colorful New Yorkers who schedule their lives around the rhythms of migration. The film focuses on seven main subjects who regularly visit the park and have found a profound connection with this hidden natural world.

“HBO is the ideal home for ‘The Central Park Effect’ and gives us the ability to tell an important story to millions of people,” says filmmaker Jeffrey Kimball. “Even though it’s set in the middle of New York City, this is a story about people’s connection to nature. It’s important for us to realize that as the world becomes more urbanized, nature doesn’t have to entirely disappear from cities.”

‘The Central Park Effect’ is an Other Noises production; directed and produced by Jeffrey Kimball and executive produced by Pamela Hogan and Tom Casciato.

The article Life of New York Bird Revealed in New Show appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

This spring, HBO Latino, the HBO network’s dedicated Spanish-language premium channel, will present an incredible lineup of programs certain to appeal to today’s multigenerational and bilingual Hispanic households.

Two new and exciting original series from HBO Latin America, Destino Deporte and Mujer de Fases, will make their U.S. television premieres on HBO Latino along with three new Spanish-language films under the Estrenos Latinos banner.

The HBO Latino lineup will also include Spanish presentations of HBO original programs including the return of Games of Thrones, the new series Girls and Veep, HBO Films Hemingway & Gellhorn, the HBO Documentary Films presentation of The Weight of the Nation and HBO Sports events.

Content exclusive to HBO

Destino Deporte (“Sports Destination”) (Mexico) – This international journalistic documentary series goes beyond the scores and statistics to cover the unexplored side of sports.

Stories include the triumphs and tragedy of “lucha libre” in Mexico City, Brazil’s preparation for the 2016 Olympic Games, the excessive competitiveness and persistent cases of drug use in sports, and the looming fear of retirement that is a reality for many athletes.

Meet the cliff divers of Acapulco, female bullfighter Lupita Lopez, former Uruguayan soccer idol Dario Silva, Patrick, who sees soccer as the only way out of the “City of God” favela in Rio de Janeiro, and more. Via in-depth investigations, Destino Deporte delves below the surface to reveal the incredible diversity and the unexpected facets of what is defined as sports. Premiere: Monday, April 9, 8:00 p.m. ET. (Visit for more information or artwork).

Mujer de Fases (“States of Grace”) (Brazil) – An all-new, 13-part comedy series from Brazil, Mujer de Fases is a modern chronicle on romantic relationships and the search for love. Based on the book Louca por Homen (Crazy for Men) by Brazilian author Claudia Tajes, the series follows the adventures of Grace, a recently divorced 30-something woman who is anxious to restart her life.

Along her journey, Grace becomes involved with a number of men, but soon realizes that finding a mate is not an easy task, and unlike a fairy tale, in most cases the prince turns into a frog – not the other way around. Cast includes Elisa Volpatto, Rodrigo Pando, Antoniela Canto, Mira Haar and Julia Assis Brazil. Premiere: Friday, April 13 at 10:00 p.m. ET.  (Visit for more information or artwork).

Cutting edge and critically acclaimed Spanish-language films from Latin America, Spain and the Caribbean take center stage on Friday nights, with a new film making its U.S. television on the first or second Friday of every month:

La Isla Interior (Spain) – The imminent death of their father brings together three siblings struggling with a genetic legacy of mental illness. Martin wants to leave his job as a teacher and become a writer in Paris. Gracia, an actress, wants to put some reality back into the fictional world her life has become.

And Coral seeks love, hiding a dark secret that keeps her from forming healthy relationships. Brought together by their father’s illness, they must confront their inner conflicts to avoid following in his footsteps. Starring Candela Peña, Alberto San Juan and Cristina Marcos. Premiere: Friday, April 13 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

A Tiro de Piedra (Mexico) – After dreaming he will discover a fortune, 21-year-old Jacinto Medina leaves behind his sheepherder life in Mexico and sets off on a mysterious and sobering journey to the northwest United States, where he believes fortune awaits him. Starring Rogelio Medina, Jacinto Medina and Alejandra España. Premiere: Friday, May 4 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Habana Eva (Cuba/Spain) – In a Havana that’s been shaken by Fidel’s retirement, a young seamstress dreams of becoming a fashion designer. Frustrated by her lazy but endearing Cuban boyfriend, she meets a sophisticated expatriate Venezuelan photographer who dazzles her with promises of a glamorous future.

After many deceptions and surprises, Eva has to choose between the two men she loves, reaching an unexpected decision that is a humorous metaphor for Cuba’s options for the future. Starring Prakriti Maduro, Yuliet Cruz, Juan Carlos Garcia and Carlos Enrique Almirante. Premiere: Friday, June 1 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

Original HBO Programming

Among the HBO original programs that will also be available in Spanish on HBO Latino are the following highly-anticipated series and programs.

Game of Thrones — Based on the bestselling fantasy book series “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R.R. Martin, the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning HBO drama series continues the epic story of duplicity and treachery, nobility and honor, conquest and triumph in the land of Westeros.

In the all-new second season, kings from across the land vie for the single, all-powerful throne against the backdrop of a fast-approaching winter – the season of the white raven. Returning cast members include Emmy and Golden Globe winner Peter Dinklage, Emilia Clarke, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Michelle Fairley, Aidan Gillen, Jack Gleeson, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Isaac Hempstead Wright, Richard Madden, Rory McCann, Iain Glen, Alfie Allen, Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams. Premiere: Sunday, April 1 at 9:00 p.m. ET.

Girls — Created by and starring Lena Dunham (Tiny Furniture), the new series takes a comic look at a group of 20-something women in New York City who are trying to figure out what they want – from life, from men, from themselves and each other.

Cast includes Jemima Kirke, Allison Williams, Zosia Mamet and Adam Driver, with recurring guest stars including Chris Abbott and Alex Karpovsky. Premiere: Sunday, April 15 at 1:30 p.m. ET.

Veep — Julia Louis-Dreyfus (Emmy winner for Seinfield and The New Adventures of Old Christine), stars in this new series which follows the story of a woman who becomes vice president, only to discover the job is nothing like she expected, but everything she was warned about. Ensemble cast includes Tony Hale, Anna Chlumsky, Matt Walsh, Reid Scott, Timothy C. Simons and Sufe Bradshaw. Premiere: Sunday, April 22 at 10:00 p.m. ET.

Hemingway & Gellhorn — The HBO Films presentation stars Academy Award nominee Clive Owen (Closer) and Oscar winner Nicole Kidman (The Hours) in a story about the tumultuous romance and subsequent marriage of literary master Ernest Hemingway and war correspondent Martha Gellhorn. Premiere: Monday, May 28 at 9:00 p.m. ET.

The Weight of the Nation — A 4-part, multi-platform project from HBO Documentary Films, this series addresses one of the most pressing health issues in America today – obesity.  Premiere: Monday, May 14 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

An additional 3-part series, The Weight of the Nation for Kids, will look at children who have taken action to prevent obesity in their lives and communities. Premiere: Wednesday, May 16 at 7:00 p.m. ET

HBO Latino is a dedicated Spanish-language premium channel that delivers compelling and relevant programming to the U.S. Latino market. Exclusive to the channel are the regular U.S. premieres of Spanish-language series, films, and documentaries acquired from North America, Latin America and Spain, as well as original short-form programming.

Additionally, HBO Latino offers the best Hollywood movies and HBO original programming from the network’s main channel in Spanish. Visit http://www.hbolatino.com for more information and scheduling. HBO Latino is included with an HBO subscription.

The article HBO Latino Introduce New Show Lineup appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Filmmaker Michael Mann and documentary director David Frankham will collaborate to produce a new limited documentary series, ‘Witness’, for HBO. The series will follow a new generation of young combat photographers into conflict zones in Mexico, Brazil, Uganda and Libya. By following these photojournalists’ immersions, their relations with the people on the ground and their closeness in battle, ‘Witness’ will show audiences why, when everyone else seeks cover, the war photographer stands.

“David Frankham and I share an admiration for combat photography that captures the universal – and sometimes the indescribable – in a single frame in the midst of chaos and danger,” said Mann.

“‘Witness’ will not provide a historical context. The direction Michael and I took in creating ‘Witness’ was to immerse the audience via intimacy with the photographer into the intensity of a situation as it’s developing, as they risk their lives to capture one piece of the truth,” said Frankham.

The first episode of ‘Witness’ was shot in Juarez, Mexico. The next three are currently in production.

Michael Mann is an acclaimed filmmaker recognized for innovative and successful motion pictures and television. Mann directed the pilot for and is executive producing HBO’s new series “Luck,” a provocative drama set in the world of horse racing. Mann’s first work in television was to direct and co-write 1979’s “The Jericho Mile,” which won four Emmys and a Directors Guild Award.

Mann’s other work in television includes executive producing “Miami Vice” and “Crime Story.” Mann made his feature directorial debut with “Thief,” following it with acclaimed films such as “The Last of the Mohicans,” “Heat” and “The Insider,” which received seven Academy Award nominations, “Ali,” “Collateral” and “Public Enemies.” Films he has produced include “Hancock” and “The Aviator,” with 11 Academy Award nominations and five wins.

David Frankham is an acclaimed documentary and commercial director. He has created commercials for such noted brands as NIKE, UPS, Adidas, FOX Sports, Fiat and Citicard as a director for Smuggler, a film, TV, commercial and music video production company.

Image Courtesy of  magicinfoto / Shutterstock.com

The article Michael Mann: New HBO Doc of Combat Photography appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

In many ways, Richard and Mildred Loving were a typical couple. They grew up in the same Virginia town, fell in love and decided to cement their relationship by marrying.  Because she was part-black and part-Native American, and he was white, however, their 1958 marriage was declared illegal by their home state.

But the Lovings fought back and ultimately changed history through a watershed Supreme Court case that overturned bans on interracial marriage in 16 states. The exclusive HBO documentary The Loving Story, the uplifting saga of these unlikely Civil Rights heroes, debuts on Valentine’s Day, Tuesday, February 14 during Black History Month.

Married in Washington, D.C. on June 2, 1958, Richard Loving and Mildred Jeter were arrested in their home state of Virginia five weeks later and subsequently convicted of the felony crime of miscegenation. To avoid a one-year jail sentence, they agreed to leave the state, and could only return to Virginia separately. But that was just the beginning of their story.

he Loving Story features never-before-seen vintage film and stills of the Loving family shot in 1965 and 1966, as well as compelling present-day interviews with the Lovings’ daughter Peggy, neighbors, police and their intrepid ACLU lawyers Bernard S. Cohen and Philip J. Hirschkop, who argued the landmark 1967 U.S. Supreme Court case that finally brought justice to the Lovings.

The luminous, newly discovered 16mm footage of the Lovings and their lawyers, which was shot by filmmakers Hope Ryden and Abbot Mills, and photographs by acclaimed LIFE photographer Grey Villet capture the intimate realities of the Lovings’ daily lives. The prints were given to the Loving family by the photographer 45 years ago and given to the filmmakers in 2010. (A selection of these photos is currently on view at the International Center of Photography in New York through May 6.)

After the Lovings failed to have their convictions overturned at the state level, ACLU attorneys Cohen and Hirschkop sought a federal forum, and Loving v. Virginia was heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on April 10, 1967. Through his attorneys, Richard Loving said to the justices, “Tell the court that I love my wife, and it is unfair that I can’t live with her in Virginia.”

On June 12, 1967, the Supreme Court ruled unanimously in favor of the Lovings, striking down the prohibition of interracial marriage in 16 states in a breakthrough decision that continues to shape America’s attitude towards marriage to this day.

Neither dedicated activists nor participants in the protests of their time, the Lovings spent nine years simply trying to be able to live legally in their home state, and on their journey became little-known heroes of the Civil Rights era. They didn’t ask to be heroes. They just wanted to be happy.

Director and producer Nancy Buirski says the message of the film is both timeless and timely. Although depicting a universal love story, it comes at a time when, she says, “white supremacy groups are growing in the U.S. – in the very communities that perpetuated and maintained anti-miscegenation laws up to the 1967 Supreme Court ruling. While we’ve elected the first mixed-race president, we also recently witnessed a Louisiana justice of the peace refusing to marry a mixed-race couple.

“Contemporary parallels are gently embedded in the Lovings’ fight for marriage equality.  Today, 45 years after Loving v. Virginia, Perry v. Schwarzenegger is making its way to the Supreme Court. This is a story not of just civil rights, but of human rights and the pursuit of happiness, regardless of religion, race or gender.”

The Loving Story was an official selection at the 2011 Tribeca Film Festival, Hamptons International Film Festival, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival and Heartland Film Festival, and won the WGA Screenplay Award at the 2011 SilverDocs Festival.

Nancy Buirski is the founder and former director of the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival. Her credits include producing five collections of documentary shorts, as well as “Time Piece,” an omnibus documentary combining stories of Turkish and American filmmakers. The film has been made possible in part by a major grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities.

The article The Loving Story: True Love on HBO This Valentines Day appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

After fleeing his North Carolina hometown, washed-up major-league pitcher Kenny Powers spent a soul-searching season in Mexico as “La Flama Blanca” – and ended up returning to the States a changed man. Or is he?

Find out when the comedy series Eastbound & Down, executive produced by Will Ferrell, Chris Henchy, Adam McKay, Jody Hill and Danny McBride, kicks off its eight-episode third season Sunday, February 19, exclusively on HBO, just as real-life baseball spring training begins. The new comedy series “Life’s Too Short” debuts immediately after the season debut at 10:30 p.m.

Starring Danny McBride (“Pineapple Express,” “30 Minutes or Less”), Eastbound & Down tells the story of Kenny Powers, who used to be a star pitcher until his self-destructive behavior knocked him out of Major League Baseball. Picking up a year after season two, the third season finds Kenny in action on the “Redneck Riviera” (aka Myrtle Beach, SC), somehow resurrecting his baseball career by becoming the closer for the minor-league Myrtle Beach Mermen.

Even as he tries to pass himself off as the “King of Myrtle Beach,” Kenny struggles to come to terms with growing older and accepting the responsibilities of being a new father.

Eastbound & Down also stars Steve Little (“The Ugly Truth”) as Stevie, Kenny’s faithful sidekick; John Hawkes (HBO’s “Deadwood,” Oscar nominee for “Winter’s Bone”) as Kenny’s brother Dustin; Jennifer Irwin (“Still Standing”) as Dustin’s wife, Cassie; Andrew Daly (“Mad TV”) as Terrence Cutler; and Elizabeth De Razzo as Maria, Stevie’s Mexican wife. Jason Sudeikis (“Saturday Night Live”) joins the cast as Kenny’s new best friend and kindred spirit Shane, a veteran catcher with the Mermen.

Returning special guests on the third season include Katy Mixon (“Mike & Molly”) as April, the mother of Kenny’s one-year-old child; Will Ferrell as car dealer Ashley Schaeffer; and Matthew McConaughey as baseball scout Roy McDaniel.

Upcoming episodes:

Episode #14:  “Chapter 14,” Enjoying a new lease on his baseball career as the closer for the minor-league Myrtle Beach Mermen, Kenny Powers (Danny McBride) settles into a life of body-boarding, jet-skiing and hard-partying with his catcher, Shane (Jason Sudeikis).  A detour to Shelby to attend the one-year birthday of his child reunites Kenny with April (Katy Mixon).

Episode #15:  “Chapter 15,” With the baby in tow, a seething Kenny heads north in search of April.  Getting no assistance from Dustin (John Hawkes), Maria (Elizabeth De Razzo) or Jamie (Jerry Minor), Kenny tracks down his erstwhile lackey Stevie (Steve Little), currently employed at Ashley Schaeffer’s (Will Ferrell) car dealership.  Kenny crashes a perverse plantation fete the dealer is throwing in an effort to liberate Stevie.

Episode #16:  “Chapter 16,” Pro scout Roy McDaniel (Matthew McConaughey) arrives in Myrtle Beach to ask Kenny to mentor Ivan Dochenko (Ike Barinholtz), a promising young Russian pitching prospect. Stevie lays down the ground rules for his return to Kenny’s team, while grappling with Shane and Kenny’s relationship.

This season’s episodes were directed by David Gordon Green and Jody Hill, both of whom also directed episodes of the first and second season of Eastbound & Down.

The seven-episode second season of Eastbound & Down, which concluded in Nov. 2010, followed Kenny on his adventures in Mexico as he played baseball, made new enemies, reconnected with his deadbeat dad and smuggled Stevie’s Mexican girlfriend back into the USA on his return. The hit season inspired critical praise, with Entertainment Weekly saying that the show “continues to amaze,” while the Huffington Post called it “hilarious.”

The New York Post called the series “very funny,” and Rolling Stone hailed Kenny Powers as “an American anti-hero for our troubled times.” Danny McBride was named Comedy MVP for his role as Kenny Powers at the 2011 Spike Guy’s Choice Awards.

The article Eastbound & Down: Kenny Powers’ Return to America appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The Ricky Gervais Show, the animated comedy series based on the record-breaking podcast, returns to HBO for its 13-episode third season on Friday, April 20, with other new episodes debuting subsequent Fridays at the same time. The voices are recorded by Ricky Gervais, his longtime collaborator, Stephen Merchant, and Gervais’ colleague and friend, Karl Pilkington, whose offbeat musings inspire many of the storylines.

The Ricky Gervais Show animates the podcast that first appeared on the Guardian website, subsequently earning a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the most downloads. In March 2011, the podcast reportedly passed the 300 million download mark.

Topics covered in season three include: Karl ruminating on museum collections, his invention of the mug coaster, a movie pitch, and Karl, Stephen and Ricky shedding new light on charitable causes.

The Ricky Gervais Show has inspired critical praise, with the New York Times saying the series is “proof that big laughs can come in small doses,” while the New York Post described the show as “crazy fun,” and the Houston Chronicle observed that the show’s “pointless conversations will keep you in stitches.”

The Ricky Gervais Show is produced for HBO Entertainment by Media Rights Capital in association with Wildbrain Entertainment; executive producers, Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant, Karl Pilkington, Glyn Hughes, Bob Higgins, Lisa Ullmann and Steve Patrick; supervising producers, Margaret M. Dean and Shannon Nettleton; producer, Pamela J. Arseneau and director, Dan Fraga.

The article The Ricky Gervais Show Returns to HBO appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

He’s a self-aggrandizing actor who’s appeared in some of Hollywood’s biggest hits. But now his career is on the wane, and he’ll do anything to reverse his fortunes.

From Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, Life’s Too Short is a faux documentary starring Warwick Davis (“Willow,” the “Harry Potter” and “Star Wars” films) as a fictionalized version of himself: a little person who’s down on his luck, desperately trying to hustle and connive his way back into the spotlight. The comedy series kicks off its seven-episode season Sunday, February 19, following the third-season debut of the comedy series “Eastbound & Down,” with other episodes debuting subsequent Sundays at the same time, exclusively on HBO.

In Life’s Too Short, actor Warwick Davis is struggling to jumpstart his fading career and maintain his status as Britain’s “go-to” little person. He runs a talent agency for fellow showbiz little people called “Dwarves for Hire,” though he often takes the best roles for himself, and serves as vice chairman of a society for small people, though he’d rather be chairman.

Davis also seeks advice from his old pals Gervais and Merchant (playing versions of themselves) in hopes that their A-list celebrity connections will aid his career.

Each episode features cameos by top stars, including Johnny Depp, Liam Neeson, Sting, Helena Bonham Carter, Steve Carell and Kat Deeley. Other cast regulars include Jo Enright as Davis’ soon to be ex-wife Sue, Rosamund Hanson as his dim-witted assistant Cheryl, Steve Brody as his incompetent accountant and “EastEnders” actor Shaun Williamson as himself.

February’s episodes

Episode #1: For more than two decades, Warwick Davis was Britain’s “go-to dwarf.” Now, with his career on the slide, a massive tax bill caused by his useless accountant and a wife who’s divorcing him, he decides to open his doors to a reality TV film crew. After interviewing a new assistant, he drops by unannounced to see old pals Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, but Liam Neeson already has an appointment to pitch himself as a serious actor who is serious about breaking into comedy.

Episode #2: While selling autographs at a sci-fi convention, Davis agrees to be the special guest at a “Star Wars”-themed wedding. His fortunes appear to rise when Johnny Depp hires him to help research a new movie role, but Depp ends up having a bone to pick with Ricky Gervais.

Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant are the creators of the Golden Globe-winning BBC comedy series “The Office” and the HBO series “Extras” and “The Ricky Gervais Show.” In addition to his feature film credits, Warwick Davis guest-starred on the series “Extras.”

Life’s Too Short was created by Ricky Gervais, Stephen Merchant & Warwick Davis.

The article Life’s Too Short: New HBO Comedy by Ricky Gervais appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

There were 18 Golden Globe nominations given to HBO programs last month, the most of any television network this year, for the upcoming 69th annual Golden Globe Awards, which will be presented in Los Angeles on January 15. ‘Mildred Pierce,’ starring Oscar-winners Kate Winslet and Melissa Leo, led all HBO programming with four nominations, tied for the most of any TV series or program.

HBO’s Golden Globe nominations this year include:

Four nominations for ‘Mildred Pierce,’ including Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Kate Winslet), Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Evan Rachel Wood) and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Guy Pearce).

Three nominations for ‘Boardwalk Empire,’ including Best Television Series – Drama, Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama (Steve Buscemi) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Kelly Macdonald).

Three nominations for ‘Cinema Verite,’ including Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Diane Lane) and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Tim Robbins).

Three nominations for ‘Too Big to Fail,’ including Best Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television, Best Performance by an Actor in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (William Hurt) and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Paul Giamatti).

Two nominations for ‘Enlightened’: Best Television Series – Comedy or Musical and Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical (Laura Dern).

Two nominations for ‘Game of Thrones,’ including Best Television Series – Drama and Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Series, Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for Television (Peter Dinklage).

One nomination for ‘Hung’: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Comedy or Musical (Thomas Jane).

The article HBO Receive Most Golden Globe Nominations of Any Network 2011 appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

David Milch’s Redboard Productions has entered into a new multi-year exclusive television deal with HBO, which will also cover any further services on the upcoming series “Luck,” starring Dustin Hoffman and debuting on the network Sunday, Jan. 29.

Redboard has also concluded an agreement with the William Faulkner Literary Estate to produce films and television series based on selections from Faulkner’s bibliography. The deal covers all of the 19 novels and 125 short stories in the estate, as well as other works, with the exception of those currently contracted with other parties.

ICM, which represent Milch, brokered the deal with Redboard and the William Faulkner Literary Estate. Under the terms of the agreement, Milch will partner with Lee Caplin, the executor of the William Faulkner Literary Estate and CEO of Picture Entertainment Corp., to choose which works to develop, package and produce.

Both Milch and Caplin will act as executive producers of those projects, with Milch serving as the executive writer in charge of adapting the works. The agreement gives HBO an exclusive first opportunity to finance, produce and distribute the projects as movies, miniseries and series. Olivia Milch will serve as coordinating producer on the projects.

“We are especially pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with one of the industry’s most talented contemporary writers,” says Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. “We know that whatever David brings to the HBO table will be exciting and innovative.”

“I’m delighted to expand my longstanding relationship with HBO to encompass the adaptation of some of the most important literary works by any American writer into television films and series,” says Milch. “As we embark on this ambitious project, our first commitment is to serve the material, and we look forward to identifying and collaborating with the best screenwriters and filmmakers to help each of the pieces find its ideal form onscreen.”

Featureflash / Shutterstock.com

The article HBO, Redboard Sign Exclusive Production Pact appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

For many children, going to school is as simple as a trip around the block. For others, it means a long and dangerous journey through deserts and war zones. In the volatile Middle East, some students have found happy refuge at Bialik-Rogozin, a public school in the heart of Tel Aviv that welcomes Jews, Christians and Muslims from 48 countries.

Many arrive fleeing violent pasts, and others have limited, if any, prior education. For every child who attends Bialik-Rogozin, the school is like a home. Here, no child is a stranger. This year’s Oscar winner for Best Documentary Short, Strangers No More tells the inspiring story of this extraordinary school and the students who struggle to acclimate to life in a new land when it debuts Monday, Dec. 5, exclusively on HBO.

Produced & directed by Karen Goodman & Kirk Simon (HBO’s “Masterclass”), Strangers No More follows three Bialik-Rogozin students over the course of a school year as they try to fit in, and slowly open up to share their stories of hardship and tragedy. Mohammed, a 16-year-old refugee from Darfur, witnessed the killing of his grandmother and father before escaping alone through Egypt to Israel.

Though he’s never been in school before, his sharp mind and tremendous determination enable him to make up for years of missed study. Johannes arrived at Bialik-Rogozin after spending most of his life in refugee camps across the Middle East. As his father struggles to obtain a work visa, 12-year-old Johannes tries to adjust to attending school for the first time.

After a slow start, his teachers realize he is nearly blind in one eye and take him to an eye clinic. With his new glasses, Johannes is reading and writing before long, and helping other newcomers to adjust. Esther and her father fled South Africa with nothing after the murder of her mother. At Bialik-Rogozin, they are welcomed with clothing, food and counsel on how to begin a new life.  Esther’s teachers try to relieve the trauma of this nine-year-old girl, who is still dealing with the loss of her mother.

Strangers No More also spotlights the school’s compassionate and dedicated faculty, including: teacher Smadar Moers, who works closely with Johannes’s family and teaches 21 hours of Hebrew classes a week to new students; elementary principal Nehana Shapira, who helped a disoriented and hungry Esther through her first days at the school; and the school’s principal, Karen Tal, who recently received The Charles Bronfman Prize for her humanitarian work at the school.

As Karen Tal notes, Bialik-Rogozin differs from other schools in that students aren’t just taught the values of human rights and tolerance – they are able to live out those values every day. Upon graduation, Mohammed provides the finest evidence of the school’s ultimate success, declaring his dream to return to Darfur and build a school for the children of the village he once fled.

In addition to their Academy Award for Strangers No More, Kirk Simon and Karen Goodman’s films have garnered four other Oscar nominations, several Emmys and the DuPont-Columbia Award for Independent Programming.

Their documentaries have screened at festivals around the world, including the New York Film Festival, Sundance, New Directors/New Films, London, Berlin and Saint Petersburg. Their other HBO credits include:  “Masterclass” (2010), “Locks of Love:  The Kindest Cut” (2008), “Rehearsing a Dream” (2006), “Kindergarten” (2001), “27th & Prospect:  One Year in the Fight Against Drugs” (1997) and “Chimps: So Like Us” (1989).

Image Courtesy of   http://www.strangersnomoremovie.com/

The article Oscar-Winning Documentary “Strangers No More” Debuts on HBO appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Despite opening to mixed reviews in 2009, Bored To Death continues its third season this fall on HBO. The show won the 2010 Emmy Award for Main Title Design over other successful shows and has picked up from its bland start.

The story revolves around Jonathan Ames, a well-meaning but unsuccessful writer who takes up detective work as an unlicensed private eye to pass time. Jonathan is played by Jason Schwartzman who is known for his quirky style of acting, often playing underdog characters and misfits.

The cast also includes Ted Danson as George Christopher, Jonathan’s friend and editor of the magazine Edition where Jonathan works. Zach Galifianakis plays Jonathan’s best friend Ray Hueston who is a comic book artist. Heather Burns plays Ray’s on/off girlfriend Leah and Oliver Platt is Richard Antrem, editor of GQ and George’s rival.

Episode #21: “I Keep Taking Baths Like Lady Macbeth” – Debut: Monday, Nov. 7 (9:00-9:30 p.m. ET/PT)

Jonathan and George see a “friendship” counselor (Sarah Silverman). George begins taking singing lessons from Josephine (Mary Steenburgen), a delightful pothead.  Jonathan attempts to win back George’s affection. Ray becomes irresistible to women.

Episode #22: “Two Large Pearls and a Bar of Gold” – Debut: Monday, Nov. 14 (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

Jonathan’s college sweetheart (Casey Wilson) enlists him to guard her wedding jewels and reminds him of their prenuptial pact. Ray moves in with George. George warns Josephine about growing too attached.

Episode #23: “Forget the Herring” – Debut: Monday, Nov. 21 (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

Rose Hiney (Isla Fisher) connects with Jonathan on new leads. George and Ray attempt to right their unrightable wrongs.

Episode #24: “Nothing I Can’t Handle by Running Away” (season finale) – Debut: Monday, Nov. 28 (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

George throws a wedding for Emily (Halley Feiffer) and Bernard (David Rasche).  Jonathan is hesitant to break it off with his new lady.  Ray retreats into Spencer’s (Nate and Darren Cangelosi) arms. Jonathan is taken hostage and Ray gathers an army of his newfound Super Ray fans.

Bored To Death was created by Jonathan Ames; executive producers, Jonathan Ames, Sarah Condon, Stephanie Davis and Dave Becky.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.facebook.com/boredtodeath

The article Bored To Death November Episodes Revealed appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The American comedy drama on HBO How To Make It In America premiered its second season earlier this month. In a press release, the channel has revealed the plots of the upcoming episodes this November.

The show follows two friends, Ben Epstein (Bryan Greenberg) and Cam Calderon (Victor Rasuk), as they hustle their way through the backdoors of New York’s fashion scene, determined to make it big. Through their perseverance and connections, the two enterprising young men try their best to break into the city’s competitive fashion scene.

Episode #14: “I’m Sorry, Who’s Yosi?”

Ben senses a conflict of interest when Nancy (played by Gina Gershon) sets CRISP up with a manufacturer named Yosi (Nick Chinlund). Determined to bring some spice to Biscuit, Rachel (Lake Bell) disregards her boss and pursues an edgy lead. The feds catch up with Kapo (Eddie Kaye Thomas); Lulu (Nicole Laliberte) warns Cam (Victor Rasuk) against selling out; and Rasta Monsta incites the ire of the East Flatbush Caribbean League.

Episode #15: “The Friction”

Ben and Cam debate the future of CRISP. Rene (Luis Guzmán) hunts down the culprit behind the Rasta Monsta tincture spray, and gives Kapo some advice on how to survive medium security. Rachel commemorates a job setback with ‘shrooms and a shvitz.

Episode #16 and season finale: “What’s in a Name?”

Questioning his faith in Nancy and Yosi, Ben tries to find a way to stitch CRISP – and his friendship with Cam – back together. Domingo (Scott Mescudi aka Kid Cudi) and Cam try to clear Rasta Monsta’s name with the East Flatbush Caribbean League. Rachel seeks Edie’s (Martha Plimpton) advice; Kapo has the best prison send-off party ever.

The second season of the zesty New Yorker tale has already proven fiery as the 32-year-old Lake Bell, who plays Rachel, Ben’s on-off girlfriend, went topless in the season’s second episode. Bell’s character is an interior designer on the search for herself. Before How To Make It In America, the stunning actress starred alongside Alec Baldwin and Meryl Streep in the 2009 comedy It’s Complicated.

How To Make It In America has the successful team behind HBO’s Entourage as executive producers, including Mark Wahlberg, Stephen Levinson and Rob Weiss.

Image Courtesy of  http://www.facebook.com/howtomakeit

The article “How To Make It In America” Reveals November Episodes appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

HBO renewed the hit show True Blood for a 12-episode fifth season in August and this week, details of two new characters emerged from the production team. Created by Alan Ball, the series will begin production of new episodes later this year in Los Angeles, and will debut on screen in the summer of 2012

“I am thrilled that True Blood continues to enjoy a phenomenal reception from both subscribers and critics,” noted Michael Lombardo, the president of HBO Programming.  “Alan Ball and his gifted team have devised the greatest thrill ride on TV.”

Mixing romance, suspense, mystery and humor, the Emmy-nominated show takes place at a time when vampires have come out of the coffin, and follows the on-and-off romance between waitress and part-faerie Sookie Stackhouse, played by Anna Paquin, who can hear people’s thoughts, and 173-year-old vampire Bill Compton, in the form of Stephen Moyer.

According to a press release, the series creator Alan Ball, who is also responsible for the creation of the Emmy-winning HBO series Six Feet Under, is also an executive producer of the show, which is based on the bestselling Sookie Stackhouse novels by Charlaine Harris.

“I remain amazed and delighted by the enthusiasm of our viewers,” says Ball. “I can’t imagine having more fun than this.”

The 12-episode fourth season has inspired critical raves, with USA Today calling it “exuberantly entertaining,” as well as hailing the “superb crew of writers and actors,” while the Washington Post called the show “a rollicking good scream” and “addictive.” The season was wrapped up this week with a number of cliff-hangers and surprising exits, with Sookie tied up in the middle of everything.

Fans on Stuff.co.nz found the season finale a double-edged sword; “if you’re a Sookie fan, then chances are you’re pretty happy with how things ended last night. If you’re like Pam – and at least a portion of other viewers, like me – and you’re over Sookie, then chances are the finale didn’t increase your enthusiasm for next season.”

While waiting for next summer to pick up, Entertainment Weekly revealed details of the two new characters. One is a beautiful and intelligent woman named Nora who has a story with Eric and who will join the regular cast ensemble. The other is a new female vampire whom Aceshowbiz.com describes as “a powerful ancient vampire and a world-class seductress who’s also a little mad,” named Salome.

It is likely that we will see more new faces on the show as Ball has hinted to exciting new elements of spirits, freakish demons and more never-before-seen supernatural creatures.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.facebook.com/TrueBlood

The article True Blood Fifth Season Set to Welcome Two New Characters appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

The critically acclaimed Boardwalk Empire, about Prohibition era America, has been approved for a third season after resounding award-winning approval of the series second season, debuting on September 25. President of HBO programming, Michael Lombardo, made the announcement last week.

“Following a triumphant first season, I was eager to see what Terry Winter, Martin Scorsese and the rest of their stellar team had in store, and they continue to surpass our highest expectations,” said Lombardo. “The response from the media and our viewers has been extremely gratifying.”

Emmy Award-winning writer of The Sopranos, Terence Winter, is the creator of the revered series set in the 1920s, in the early days of Prohibition. It chronicles the life and times of Enoch “Nucky” Thompson, the undisputed leader of Atlantic City, and the lives and souls that surrounded him.

According to a press release from HBO, the renewal of Boardwalk Empire is the latest in a number of recent drama series pickups, following True Blood, Game of Thrones and Treme, as well as commitments to new series including Luck, Life’s Too Short and Aaron Sorkin’s as-yet untitled project.

Steve Buscemi leads the impressive cast that includes Kelly Macdonald, Paz de la Huerta, Michael Pitt, Gretchen Mol and Michael Shannon. Among the early critical raves for the new season, New York’s Daily News called the show “delicious entertainment” and “one of the best shows on television,” while Daily Variety termed it “consistently bold and lusty,” as well as “good to the last illicit, intoxicating drop.”

The Boston Globe hailed the Atlantic City gangster drama as “a must-see show” and “remarkable,” and Entertainment Weekly noted that “drama this good should be illegal. Boardwalk Empire has managed to rank among HBO’s most popular series with an average gross audience of 10.7 million viewers.

The mesmerizing character of ‘Nucky’ Johnson is based on the real life Johnson. According to IMDB.com, the real life ‘Nucky’ resembled the physique of James Gandolfini in The Sopranos more than Steve Buscemi but Winter wanted to write a character that differed from his previous show and wrote the role specifically with Buscemi in mind.

At the recent Primetime Emmy Awards, the series was nominated for eighteen awards, including Outstanding Drama Series, Lead Actor in a Drama Series and Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. The show’s director Martin Scorsese won the category Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series.

In January this year, the show further received two Golden Globe Awards, for Best Television Series – Drama and Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series – Drama, Steve Buscemi.

Image Courtesy of   http://www.facebook.com/boardwalkempire

The article Boardwalk Empire Gets Third Season on HBO appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.