In addition to all the movies based on characters co-created by Stan Lee, Lee himself became a fixture in the Marvel superhero films.
We lost an iconic pop culture figure Thursday morning, when Burt Reynolds headed off to that great car chase in the sky. He could do gut-wrenching drama (“Deliverance”), broad comedy (“The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “The End”), crime dramas (“B.L. Stryker,” “Dan August”), science fict…
Decades after the rise and fall of the notorious 1990 TV series “Cop Rock,” law enforcement officers around the country are bursting into song with the #LipSyncChallenge. Some do entire songs, while others do medleys. Either way, they’re having fun job with this new craze. Here are some favo…
The latest movie in the “Jurassic Park” franchise, “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” is hitting theaters this weekend, the latest example of Hollywood’s fascination with the prehistoric beasts.
The news of Bob Dorough’s death this week was sad, but at the same time brought back a lot of good memories for people who grew up with the 1970s Saturday morning educational shorts "Schoolhouse Rock!" The series used catchy music to teach kids important ideas. When I spoke with Dorough year…
Jim Nabors, who died Thursday, was best known for his endearing and enduring character, Gomer Pyle, on the classic sitcoms “The Andy Griffith Show” and “Gomer Pyle USMC.” He was the king of catchphrases, with memorable lines made all the more memorable by his character’s thick accent. Some f…
Any list of favorite Tom Petty songs is, by default, going to be awfully subjective. Different songs speak to us for a variety of reasons, and Petty — who died on Monday — was a master of crafting songs that caught a particular emotion. Here are five of my favorites, plus a few other interes…
It’s been a busy week for people using social media to complain about pop culture. Granted, that’s a constant hobby for many people, but this week seems especially busy.
1. “Transformers: The Last Knight”
"Wonder Woman" hit the box office and hit it hard this past weekend, earning more than $100 million and becoming the top box office superheroine film to date (the ball’s in your court, Captain Marvel).
“Wonder Woman” hits theaters this weekend, giving us our first theatrical film focused on one of the most enduring characters in comic book history. It’s a fun movie, with engaging characters and a stalwart heroine played by Gal Gadot, who previously played the character in a supporting role…
Forty years ago today, audiences got their first chance to visit a galaxy far, far away.
When I was a kid, Roger Moore was the definition of suave, with a glint of steel mixed with a sly wink. He never seemed to take himself too seriously, which could be a benefit or a detriment depending on the role, but even in bad material (“Spice World,” anyone?) he was a lot of fun. Moore p…
On Sunday, “Twin Peaks” returns with most of its original cast, and its general tone of weirdness, intact. And next season’s network lineup, announced this week, has plenty more examples of classic TV shows getting a new chance, either in new seasons or reboots.
Don Rickles, the sharp-tongued insult comic, was a staple of TV when I was a kid in the 1970s and 80s, appearing in such memorable shows as the Dean Martin Celebrity Roasts and a childhood favorite, the 1976-78 sitcom “CPO Sharkey.” He was vicious, yet somehow good-natured, ornery and self-…
Mary Tyler Moore, who died today, had a long, illustrious career in show business, but she is probably best known for two of the finest comedies in television history, “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and “The Mary Tyler Moore Show.”
Christmas episodes of TV shows can be wondrous celebrations of the holiday season, or they can be maudlin and miserable — or somewhere in between the two.
Happy Life Day, Everyone!
Saturday night is the end of Daylight Saving Time, when at 2 a.m. you need to turn the clock back an hour. It’s better than the start of Daylight Saving Time, when you lose an hour of sleep and have to stagger in to work even more groggy than usual, but there are still some disadvantages to …
Sure, that smackdown Negan gave to (spoiler alert) Glenn and Abraham in last week’s “Walking Dead” season premiere was pretty intense, but it’s not the only time a TV show has rivaled the goriest of splatter films for sheer grossout. So with Halloween approaching, it seemed like a good time …
In honor of Halloween, which is less than a week away, here are some horror-themed movies with ties to the UNC School of the Arts.
Mayberry Days are underway this weekend, an annual celebration of Mount Airy’s ties to the late Andy Griffith and, through him, to the idyllic sitcom town of Mayberry, North Carolina. Events are scheduled all weekend, including celebrity guests and more; for a full schedule, go to MayberryDays.org.
Today is the 50th anniversary of the debut of “Star Trek,” one of the most enduring bits of pop culture from the 20th century, depicting life in a 23rd century full of optimism, promise, intrigue and enlightment … plus miniskirts, planets of gangsters and American Indians, and the … very … u…
Today is National Doughnut Day, a celebration of the little sweet treats (see story here). And while, tragically, not an official national holiday yet, it’s still worth celebrating. Here are my picks for favorites. Let us know what your favorites are in the feedback below …
“Cop Rock,” the notorious 1990 flop from producer Steven Bochco, is being released on DVD Tuesday, with grim police drama mixed with song-and-dance numbers that surely made many viewers wonder if they’d accidentally dropped acid:
TV is full of mothers who help keep their kids in check, safe, and heck, alive — which is a good thing, considering how many dopey dads the TV airwaves are filled with. There are plenty of notable moms — from June Cleaver to Carol Brady to Mrs. Cunningham to Roseanne Conner to the one-two pu…
The University of North Carolina Tar Heels are playing some sort of sportsball game tonight, one that CNN’s “Reliable Sources” host Brian Stelter referred to on Sunday’s show as “The NAACP Championship.” So there are people who know less about sports than I do.
In addition to the redemptive and spiritually uplifting parts of Easter, you have to admit it’s a holiday that has some pretty good edible treats attached to it. Little kids love getting Easter baskets full of goodies including most of my favorites below, but hopefully not No 2. And Easter M…
Thursday is St. Patrick’s Day, when leprechauns run amok and the beer turns green. Or something like that.
The Triad Anime Convention starts Friday in downtown Winston-Salem, and with it come hundreds of fans of Japanese animation.