ABOUT TEST PATTERN

Don't touch that dial: Test Pattern tunes into television, movie, music and pop culture links, as well as gossip and idle chat from around the Web.

Every week, msnbc.com entertainment producers Gael Fashingbauer Cooper, Denise Hazlick, Paige Newman, Kurt Schlosser and Anna Chan weigh in on topics ranging from TV commercials to movie hype to the latest celebrity blunder. We're not ashamed to admit our love for bad TV or reveal what's on our iPods, and invite you to join the conversation via your comments.



Movies (RSS)

I could listen to Tarantino for hours

Posted: Wednesday, September 02, 2009 6:00 AM by Paige Newman
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I had a great time seeing “Inglourious Basterds.” I felt invigorated and empowered, as though I could actually win a fight if I were to get into one. If you enjoyed the film half as much as I did, you might agree that part of the fun is just how much director Quentin Tarantino loves movies. CONTINUED >>

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'This Is It'? Not for me

Posted: Wednesday, August 26, 2009 6:00 AM by Paige Newman
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On Oct. 30, oddly enough just in time for Halloween, Sony Pictures will release “Michael Jackson This Is It.” People will line up, pay their $10 to take a look at Jackson’s final performance before his death. For me, this prospect is cringe worthy. CONTINUED >>

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Bueller, Bueller? John Hughes quotes

Posted: Thursday, August 06, 2009 3:00 PM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
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Bueller, Bueller? Demented and sad, but social? John Hughes, gone too soon at age 59, wrote some of the most marvelous lines in movies. CONTINUED >>

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Streep just keeps getting better

Posted: Wednesday, August 05, 2009 6:00 AM by Paige Newman
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When it comes to great acting, Meryl Streep breaks the gender divide. While Robert De Niro and Al Pacino have arguably damaged their legendary reputations with shoddy movie choices, Streep has remained consistently excellent. And she can do it all: drama, of course, comedy and even with last year’s “Mamma Mia!” musicals. CONTINUED >>

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Movie twist endings: Did you see that coming?

Posted: Thursday, July 16, 2009 6:00 AM by Gael Fashingbauer Cooper
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Some movies with twist endings are breathtaking, but others make you want your money, and the past two hours back. Let's discuss twists that work, and those that fail. Warning: Here there be spoilers. CONTINUED >>

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Where have all the movie men gone?

Posted: Wednesday, June 24, 2009 6:00 AM by Paige Newman
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So let me get this straight. In 2009, People’s Hottest Bachelor is 23-year-old Chace Crawford. And the actor most likely to star in this year’s biggest box office hit is either 19-year-old Daniel Radcliffe, in “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” or 23-year-old Shia LaBeouf in “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” CONTINUED >>

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Time to end the actor bailout plan

Posted: Wednesday, June 17, 2009 6:00 AM by Paige Newman
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In these trying economic times, it’s tough to see mediocrity rewarded with piles of money. Whether the benefactor is a banking CEO or, well, an actor, there’s a certain amount of headshaking. Which is why I was struck by Forbes list of Hollywood’s top-earning actors for 2008. CONTINUED >>

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The wonderful world of Sid and Marty Krofft

Posted: Wednesday, June 03, 2009 7:00 AM by Paige Newman
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If you weren’t a kid in the ‘70s, you really missed something special: The world of Sid and Marty Krofft. The release of the new “Land of the Lost” movie has been hitting my nostalgia button bigtime. CONTINUED >>

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Music makes the best movie moments

Posted: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 6:00 AM by Paige Newman
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These days, most films are packed wall-to-wall with pops songs. But it takes a special blend of music and cinema to make those moments memorable. For example, try to think of a single song from “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days.” Nope, I can’t think of any either. CONTINUED >>

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DVDs in China? No renting allowed

Posted: Wednesday, April 22, 2009 7:00 AM by Paige Newman
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I’ve never thought much about DVD piracy. But on a recent trip to China, I got to experience it firsthand. Now, of course, being an upright U.S. citizen, I didn’t actually purchase any illegal DVDs, but I did get to check out some flicks courtesy of some Chinese friends. And here’s what just 80 cents American will buy you. CONTINUED >>

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