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Sure, there are plenty of great free movies on YouTube—but while YouTube is awesome, it’s not the only game in town. So we decided to put together a list of other sites that also offer free movies, break down the pros and cons of each one,...

Ryan Reynolds shares a behind-the-scenes dance video from Spirited. Released November 18 on Apple TV+, Spirited is a modern retelling of Charles Dickens' ubiquitous 1843 novella, A Christmas Carol. Reynolds and Elf's Will Ferrell lead the all-star Spirited cast alongside Oscar winner Octavia Spencer, Sunita Mani, Patrick Page, Marlow Barkley, and Tracy Morgan. Dame Judi Dench and Jimmy Fallon make cameos as themselves. As opposed to a straightforward adaptation of Dickens' 19th-century novella, Spirited updates A Christmas Carol for modern audiences with several song-and-dance numbers, fully living up to its name as a Christmas-themed musical comedy.

A few days after the Christmas movie debuted on Apple TV+, Ryan Reynolds shared a behind-the-scenes dance video from Spirited. The one-minute-and 20-second BTS video shows Reynolds and Ferrell rehearsing the choreography for one of the musical's dance numbers. While Ferrell is well-known for his Christmas classic Elf and recently ventured into musicals with Netflix's Eurovision Song Contest,...

In the holiday season, the popular Christmas music canon can start to feel pretty repetitive. Backstage offers some classic, odd, or unappreciated alternative listening options for the musical theater lover. Alan Menken’s “A Christmas Carol” (1995 Original Broadway Cast Recording)This classic Dickens tale is a holiday tradition and sometimes a “bah humbug” bugaboo. Alan Menken, the composer of Disney reputation, has a brilliantly composed (and underappreciated) score to the iconic ghost story. The cast recording is wildly melodramatic—which makes it all the more fun to listen to! Some favorite numbers include “Nothing to Do With Me,” “Mr. Fezziwig’s Annual Christmas Ball” (which has a similar vibe to Menken’s “Topsy Turvy” in Disney’s “Hunchback”), and a lovely duet and reprise called, “A Place Called Home.” This recording is highly recommended for road trips to inspire ridiculous lip-syncing. Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” (2008 Original Broadway Cast Recording...

In the holiday season, the popular Christmas music canon can start to feel pretty repetitive. Backstage offers some classic, odd, or unappreciated alternative listening options for the musical theater lover. Alan Menken’s “A Christmas Carol” (1995 Original Broadway Cast Recording)This classic Dickens tale is a holiday tradition and sometimes a “bah humbug” bugaboo. Alan Menken, the composer of Disney reputation, has a brilliantly composed (and underappreciated) score to the iconic ghost story. The cast recording is wildly melodramatic—which makes it all the more fun to listen to! Some favorite numbers include “Nothing to Do With Me,” “Mr. Fezziwig’s Annual Christmas Ball” (which has a similar vibe to Menken’s “Topsy Turvy” in Disney’s “Hunchback”), and a lovely duet and reprise called, “A Place Called Home.” This recording is highly recommended for road trips to inspire ridiculous lip-syncing. Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas” (2008 Original Broadway Cast Recording...

After the resounding success of Rodgers amp Hammerstein's State Fair Cadogan Hall November 2016 and the sell out concert of Alan Menken amp Lynn Ahrens' A Christmas Carol Lyceum Theatre, December 2016, with numerous five star reviews for both performances, The London Musical Theatre Orchestra hasannounced the initial casting for its first concert of the 2017 season, the hit Broadway musical Honeymoon in Vegas.

Alan Menken (Buena Vista Pictures/Courtesy of Everett Collection)

By: Carson Blackwelder

Managing Editor

Alan Menken is far from being a newcomer at the Oscars, but this year the composer could be nominated or even win for a venture into the new territory of R-rated films. Having usually created award-worthy songs for Disney, Menken connected himself with a more mature project with Sausage Party and stands to win an Oscar for a song in a movie about weenies and buns.

This year Sausage Party’s “The Great Beyond” (which would be shared with Chris Lennertz for the animated venture written by and starring Seth Rogen) is considered a major threat in the best original song race, according to this site’s namesake Scott Feinberg. In the past, Menken has been nominated a grand total of 19 times with eight of those being wins. Let’s take a look back at what...

’Tis the season in Atlanta! Atlanta Shakespeare Company’s upcoming production of “A Christmas Carol” seeks union actors for possible replacements/understudies. The musical, featuring a score by Alan Menken and Lynn Ahrens, seeks male actors ages 35–69 for the role of Scrooge, as well as male and female performers 18 and up to portray Storytellers. Rehearsals are set to begin Nov. 15 with a run slated for Nov. 30–Dec. 23 in Atlanta, Georgia. Equity auditions will be held at Atlanta’s Shakespeare Tavern on Nov. 16. To learn more about “A Christmas Carol,” check out the full listing here. And keep your eyes on all the Atlanta auditions in Backstage casting! For expert insight on the casting process, check out Backstage’s YouTube channel!

For some inexplicable reason, most television shows (especially '90s sitcoms) feel the need to bestow holiday-themed episodes upon their viewers, and let's just say it's a curse and a blessing. Of course holiday episodes can be a great excuse to cozy up with the family, shove a bunch of gingerbread into your face, and watch your favorite characters enjoy a bit of festive goodness, but some shows miss the magical mark in a major way. Check out a few unforgettably horrible holiday episodes from your favorite (or, possibly least favorite) series, most of which are so bad that they're good. Also, it goes without saying that this list was approved by The Grinch.

"Ghost Whisperer" - Holiday Spirit You know what screams Christmas? Watching Jennifer Love Hewitt discover that Santa Claus is actually a ghost while trying to determine whether or not he's "naughty or nice." Whoever wrote this...

The following "Auditions at a Glance" calendar conveniently organizes projects by the date and day-of-the-week that the projects' auditions are taking place, to help you schedule your plans. Click on any of the following links to see the casting and job notices related to the dates and project titles highlighted below. Fri. Sept. 27 'After Hours' 'No Turning Back' 'Nourisher' 'Other Desert Cities' Sat. Sept. 28 'A Christmas Carol: The Musical' 'Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead' 'Guerra Civil'' 'Hamlet' 'Knights Before Christmas' 'Life Is Short Cherish Every Moment' 'Miracle on 34th Street' 'Nourisher' Sun. Sept. 29 'Into The Woods Jr.' 'Network' Scene 'Some Are More Human' 'The Murder Mystery Company Presents!' 'You're A Good Man Charlie Brown!', The Musical Mon. Sept. 30 'A Christmas Carol: The Musical' 'Detective Story' 'Guerra Civil' New Play Reading Pampers Print Campaign 'Rock of Ages' Untitled Short Film Tue. Oct. 1 Don't...

If you're anything like us, then at this time of year you're a sucker for Christmas movies of any kind. You melt and grin over the tender lessons learned, the opening of presents, the sourpuss having a change of heart, the pratfalls, the lovers sharing a kiss in the snow, the realization that Santa actually exists. Oh, and Martians.

We're celebrating our love of Christmas movies, not to mention the holiday itself, with this heartwarming mashup of Christmas cheer. Merry Christmas from all of us here at NextMovie — as well as a multitude of movie characters — to all of you.

Movies Included (Click to Buy):

Holiday Inn | How the Grinch Stole Christmas | Love Actually | Bridget Jones' Diary | The Nightmare Before Christmas | Batman Returns | Pirate Radio | Home Alone | Eight Crazy Nights | Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist | Prancer | Christmas in Connecticut (1945) | The Holiday | A Charlie Brown Christmas | Bad Santa | American Psycho...

Odd List Robert Keeling Dec 20, 2012

We delve back into more than a century of A Christmas Carol movies to find the best and worst adaptations of Dickens' festive tale...

Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, the classic story of a time travelling pensioner who sees dead people, is a festive fairytale which has itself become part of Christmas folklore. In terms of favourite Christmas tales, Rudolph and Frosty may wrap up the children's vote, but for most people, it's Dickens’ seminal work which would get the nod.

The story was written by Dickens in order to tackle the relatively new issue of urban poverty, and in particular the growing underclass of impoverished townsfolk produced by the Industrial Revolution. With the rapid shift away from conventional farming and trade practices, and with the rise in new technological advancements, many people were suddenly without work and without the necessary skills to find a job.

Today we are talking to a Tony Award-winning Broadway and Hollywood notable all about his terrifically theatrical background - having appeared in musicals ranging from his debut in the ill-fated Merrily We Roll Along to his Tony Award-winning work in Jerome Robbins' Broadway to most recent role as the artistic director of La's lauded Reprise Theatre Company - the one and only Jason Alexander. Expounding upon his big Broadway break in Stephen Sondheim amp Harold Prince's Merrily and what it was like to witness the two titans as they developed the piece, Alexander shares his insights into the art of Broadway and also casts a glance back at his roles in Kander amp Ebb's The Rink, Mel Brooks's The Producers and directing Sondheims musicals himself such as Sunday In The Park With George with frequent InDepth InterView participant Kelli OHara. Alexander also opens up about some of...

On TV this Friday: Tardy Doctor Whovians can catch up with a marathon of past seasons, Boss follows his… heart, The Hills are alive (at least for the weekend) and Top Model documents the first time in history a model’s ever been stuffed. Here are eight programs to look out for tonight.

7 am Friday – 5 am Saturday Doctor Who marathon (BBC America) | Before Season 7 starts tomorrow at 8 pm, settle in for Seasons 5 and 6, plus the specials Doctor Who: A Christmas Carol (10 pm), The Science of Doctor Who (11 pm), The Women of Doctor Who (midnight), The Timey-Wimey of Doctor Who (1 am...

A Christmas Carol: The Musical (Dickensian Re-Do)

Hallmark, 4 Pm Et

Three Christmas ghosts try to inject some genuine holiday spirit into Ebenezer Scrooge's (Kelsey Grammer) miserly soul.

Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and the Island of Misfit Toys (Mistletoe & Mayhem)

ABC Family, 7 Pm Et

When the mysterious Toy Taker (Rick Moranis) steals Santa's inventory three days before Christmas, Rudolph comes to the rescue again.

What else is showing this season? See our The 12 Flavors of Christmas - 2010 Holiday TV Movie Guide.

Next Showing:

Link | Posted 12/6/2010 by reelz

Kelsey Grammer | Rick Moranis | A Christmas Carol: The Musical | Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer & the Island of Misfit Toys...

The 36th Annual Saturn Award nominees were announced this past Friday by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films. Word has it we should keep an eye on Adam Green’s Frozen and Sam Raimi’s Drag Me to Hell.

The nominations:

Best Science Fiction Film

The Book of Eli (Warner Bros)

Knowing (Summit Entertainment)

Moon (Sony Pictures Classics)

Star Trek (Paramount)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (Paramount)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine (20th Century Fox)

Best Fantasy Film

Avatar (20th Century Fox)

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (Warner Bros)

The Lovely Bones (Paramount)

The Time Traveler’s Wife (Warner Bros.)

Watchmen (Warner Bros.)

Where the Wild Things Are (Warner Bros.)

Best Horror Film

The Box (Warner Bros.)

Drag Me to Hell (Universal)

Frozen (Anchor Bay Films)

The Last House on the Left (Rogue / Universal)

The Twilight Saga: New Moon (Summit Entertainment)

Zombieland (Sony)

Best Action/Adventure/Thriller Film

2012 (Sony...

It's that time of year again: The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films has announced the nominations for its 36th Annual Saturn Awards.

Lots of genre flicks and stars are represented in the film, television, DVD, and theatre categories, which is always good to see! The Academy's membership is open to the public, and the presentation show will take place on June 24, 2010, in Burbank, CA.

Following is the full list of nominees from the press release:

Movies

Best Horror Film:

"The Box" (Warner Bros.)

"Drag Me to Hell" (Universal)

"Frozen" (Anchor Bay Films)

"The Last House on the Left" (Rogue/Universal)

"The Twilight Saga: New Moon" (Summit Entertainment)

"Zombieland" (Sony)

Best Science Fiction Film:

"The Book of Eli" (Warner Bros)

"Knowing" (Summit Entertainment)

"Moon" (Sony Pictures Classics)

"Star Trek" (Paramount)

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" (Paramount)

"X-Men Origins: Wolverine" (20th Century Fox)

Best Fantasy Film:

"Avatar" (20th Century Fox...

Today marks the day when the nominations for the 36th Annual Saturn Awards are given out. In case you’re not familiar with them, they are given out by The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films (they also include TV shows and stage productions) so as a reader of Screen Rant I believe they’re right up your alley .

The awards will be given out on June 24th, so we have over four months to speculate and choose the nominees we’d give the award to. The categories range from the usual Best Film (separated into Fantasy, Horror, Science Fiction etc) to Best DVD release and Best DVD Special Edition.

Keeping in line with all of the rest of the major awards, films like Avatar, The Hurt Locker and Inglourious Basterds have snagged a high amount of noms, with a couple of fan-favorites like District 9 and Star Trek also being included.

The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films has announced the nominations for the 36th Annual Saturn Awards, revealing the domination of "Avatar" and "Lost". The big budget sci-fi movie has a chance to have its glorious moment in the event as it earns ten nominations while the hit ABC series grabs the most nods in TV categories with eight.

Beside "Avatar", those which receive multiple nominations in feature film categories are "Sherlock Holmes" with eight, as well as "Inglourious Basterds" and "Watchmen" which are tied with seven each. "Lost", in the meantime, is followed close by "Dexter", "Breaking Bad" and "True Blood" with five nods each.

The winners of the 36th Annual Saturn Awards will be announced at a ceremony held on June 24 in Burbank, California. Beside honoring movie and TV, the awards show will also recognize excellence in home entertainment (DVD) and stage presentation.

The Nominations List...

The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films has unveiled its selection of nominees for the 36th Annual Saturn Awards. On Thursday, February 18, the Academy revealed that Alexander Skarsgard and Hayden Panettiere were among those receiving nominations in the television. Both were nominated for Best Supporting Actor and Actress respectively.

Skarsgard landed the nom for his role in "True Blood". He is up against "Lost" actors, Jeremy Davies and Michael Emerson, "Leverage" thesp Aldis Hodge, and "Breaking Bad" actor Aaron Paul. Meanwhile, "Heroes" beauty Panettiere will be competing against the likes of Julie Benz and Jennifer Carpenter.

While those two were up for the performers honor, "Lost" led the television categories with eight nominations. "Dexter", "Breaking Bad and "True Blood" followed with five each, while "Fringe", "Doctor Who" and "Leverage" earned three apiece, and "Chuck", "The Closer", "Heroes" and "Ghost Whisperer" collected two.

In movie category, Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana...

The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films has announced the nominations for the 36th Annual Saturn Awards that will be presented on June 24 in Burbank. As you might have guessed, Avatar landed the most nominations with 10 - including Best Fantasy Film and Best Director. Other films that got multiple nominations include Sherlock Holmes (8), Watchmen (7), Inglourious Basterds (7), District 9 and J.J. Abrams’ Star Trek landed 6 nominations each. For a complete list, hit the jump:

Also, props to the Saturn Awards for nominating Sam Rockwell as Best Actor in Moon. Easily one of the best performances of the year and it’s a crime the Oscars missed the boat on this.

Here’s the press release we were sent:

The Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films has announced the nominations for the 36th Annual Saturn Awards. Leading the charge is James Cameron’s epic 3-D fantasy “Avatar” with 10 nominations. “Sherlock Holmes” uncovered 8 nominations,...

At 8, ABC has Jennifer Hudson: I'll Be Home For Christmas, followed by a new Find My Family. CBS has a new How I Met Your Mother at 8, then new episodes of Accidentally on Purpose, Two and a Half Men, Big Bang Theory, and CSI: Miami. NBC has the two-hour series premiere of The Sing-Off at 8, followed by a new Jay Leno Show. ABC Family has Mary Poppins at 8. USA has a new Monday Night Raw at 8. Tlc has a new Little People, Big World at 8. Food Network has a Christmas Good Eats at 8. Also at 8: Cartoon Network has Grandma Got Run Over By A Reindeer, followed by Gotta Catch Santa Claus. At 9, Fox has a new Lie to Me. TNT has a new episode of The Closer at 9, then a new Men of a Certain Age. Tlc has a new Cake Boss at 9. At 10, Bravo has a new Chef Academy.

Looking for some Classic Cheer or a Sugarplum Romance? Perhaps Bah Humbug better suits your mood? We've checked our list twice, and with 12 flavors and 70+ movies, you're sure to find something you'll like. Here's what's on tonight.

A Christmas Carol: The Musical (Dickensian Re-Do)

Hallmark, 8 Pm Et

Three Christmas ghosts try to inject some genuine holiday spirit into Ebenezer Scrooge's (Kelsey Grammer) miserly soul.

The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause (Naughy v. Nice)

ABC Family, 9 Pm Et

A vindictive Jack Frost (Martin Short) tries to freeze Santa (Tim Allen) out of Christmas.

What else is showing this season? Check out the complete Holiday TV Movie Guide: The 12 Flavors of Christmas.

Next Showing:

Link | Posted 12/1/2009 by reelz

Kelsey Grammer | Martin Short | Tim Allen | A Christmas Carol: The Musical | The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause...

Some exciting stuff coming from the mouse at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. Among the very cool things we’re particularly excited about are the panels concerning Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland and the reboot of Tron called Tron (at least for the moment). Also, Disney plans on having several guests to discuss these films, and the fact that they're all in 3D, including Robert Zemeckis, animation legends John Lasseter and Hayao Miyazaki, Tron reboot producers Sean Bailey and Steve Lisberger, veteran animation directors John Musker and Ron Clements and special guest director/auteur Tim Burton.

With all this, it looks to be a very interesting couple of days around the Disney booth and panels. Check out all the info from Disney’s official release:

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures’ Comic-con Agenda Is Full Of “Firsts”

Directors Zemeckis, Burton To Take Part In First-ever 3D Panel;...

When you think of Comic-Con in San Diego, you don’t immediately think of Walt Disney Studios making their presence known. But that’s exactly what they are doing this year. And when you think about it, two titles in particular will fit right in to the comic crazy crowds … Tron and Alice in Wonderland. Here’s the news release from Disney.

Animation greats Hayao Miyazaki and John Lasseter and directors Robert Zemeckis and Tim Burton will take part in their first ever Comic-Con at the San Diego Convention Center July 23-24. The filmmakers will be on hand to help Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures showcase a wide-ranging roster of upcoming films, including 3D juggernauts Alice In Wonderland, Tron and Disney’S A Christmas Carol, and animated gems The Princess And The Frog, Beauty And The Beast, Ponyo and the Toy Story trilogy.

Zemeckis, Burton, Miyazaki and Lasseter will take part in industry panels.

Jane Krakowski is more than ready to laugh at herself. Though the stunning blonde has played her share of knockouts -- perhaps most memorably in her Tony-winning turn as Antonio Banderas' mistress in the musical Nine -- TV audiences know her best for her role as Jenna Maroney, the narcissistic, self-centered star of the show-within-a-show on NBC's Emmy-winning 30 Rock. A legend in her own mind, Jenna humiliates herself on a regular basis, usually in an attempt to prove her sexuality or intelligence -- both of which are questionable. In the sitcom's three seasons, Krakowski has shown herself game for anything. She wore a fat suit when Jenna gained weight from performing in a musical version of Mystic Pizza and launched the catch phrase "Me want food!" And Robert Downey Jr. wasn't the only actor to don blackface last year to hilarious effect -- a recent episode featured Jenna going undercover as a black man.

"An American Carol" is coming to a theater near you, whether you like it or not.

A zany comedy that promises to offend Hollywood's liberal sensibilities -- coming just one month before the presidential election -- there's more riding on "Carol" than one might expect.

For one, it's the first wide release distributed by Vivendi Entertainment, which launched as a theatrical distribution company in March. Vivendi will open "Carol" on 2,000 screens Oct. 3.

And "Carol" is the first theatrical production from Mpower Pictures, the studio co-founded by Mel Gibson's longtime producing partner Steve McEveety.

It's loosely based on "A Christmas Carol," only instead of Ebenezer Scrooge learning an appreciation for Christmas, a Michael Moore-type filmmaker who is visited by the ghosts of George Washington, George Patton and President Kennedy must learn to appreciate the USA.

"Carol" isn't the only politically charged film set for wide release before voters head to the polls Nov.

Vivendi Entertainment has acquired North American distribution rights to David Zucker's "An American Carol," which it plans to release theatrically nationwide Oct. 3.

The film -- a flag-waving variation on "A Christmas Carol" -- follows a cynical Hollywood filmmaker who has been trying to abolish the Fourth of July. He is visited by three ghosts who teach him the meaning of America.

Zucker co-wrote and directed the film, which he produced with Mpower Pictures' Stephen McEveety and John Shepherd. Zucker's co-writers are Lewis Friedman and Myrna Sokoloff. Sokoloff also executive produced.

The cast includes Kevin Farley, Kelsey Grammer, Trace Adkins, Leslie Nielsen, Dennis Hopper, James Woods, Robert Davi and Jon Voight.

The deal was brokered by Yolanda Macias for Vivendi Entertainment and Todd Burns for Mpower.

Frasier star Kelsey Grammer is to have a second surrogate child with his third wife Camille Donatecci. The couple - who have a two year old surrogate daughter, Mason - are expecting the child in the next month. A friend says, "They are delighted. Kelsey is really hoping it will be a boy." Grammer, 49 - who married former Playboy model Donatecci, 36, in 1997 - also has two daughters Spencer, 19, and Greer, 12, from previous relationships. The Emmy-winning actor will next be seen on the small screen playing Ebenezer Scrooge in a new adaptation of A Christmas Carol co-starring Jason Alexander and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

Hallmark Entertainment is beefing up its slate of high-profile projects for the upcoming TV season. At NBC, Hallmark has received a green light for Hercules, a four-hour miniseries budgeted at more than $20 million. Meanwhile, Oscar winner Jon Voight is set to topline Hallmark's three-hour movie adaptation of Mitch Albom's Five People You Meet in Heaven for ABC, with Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn, Jeff Daniels and Michael Imperioli on board to co-star. The two projects join Hallmark's Kelsey Grammer-starring musical for NBC, A Christmas Carol, all three executive produced by Robert Halmi Sr. Charles Pogue (Dragonheart) is on board to pen Hercules, with Emmy-winning director Roger Young set to helm.

Hallmark Entertainment is beefing up its slate of high-profile projects for the upcoming TV season. At NBC, Hallmark has received a green light for Hercules, a four-hour miniseries budgeted at more than $20 million. Meanwhile, Oscar winner Jon Voight is set to topline Hallmark's three-hour movie adaptation of Mitch Albom's Five People You Meet in Heaven for ABC, with Oscar winner Ellen Burstyn, Jeff Daniels and Michael Imperioli on board to co-star. The two projects join Hallmark's Kelsey Grammer-starring musical for NBC, A Christmas Carol, all three executive produced by Robert Halmi Sr. Charles Pogue (Dragonheart) is on board to pen Hercules, with Emmy-winning director Roger Young set to helm.