TEST1 2018

While the Negative Nancy contingent at the USGS continues to sound alarm bells of impending seismic doom for the West Coast , the good folks at Warner Bros. aren’t waiting around for Mother Nature to unleash The Big One. The 2015 Summer blockbuster blitz kicks into high gear on May 29th with the release of SAN ANDREAS , a disaster film that makes the wildly overrated EARTHQUAKE (1974) look quaint by comparison.   The cast is an oddball mix that feels like a thinly veiled attempt to hit key demo hotspots. Guys and action fans get genre fave Dwayne Johnson as the heroic lead. The geek contingent can nibble on  pop-culture treats like Colton Haynes (ARROW), Art Parkinson (GAME OF THRONES) and  Will Yun Lee (THE WOLVERINE). Talented thesps Carla Gugino and Paul Giamatti are there to  class up the joint and Kylie Minogue (yes, Kylie Minogue) means you won’t have to bribe your gay besties to tag along. It’s quirky casting, to be sure, but that’s where the fun...

In the week since the release of the first teaser for STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS , the 88 second clip has been viewed more than 58 million times. That breaks the record for any trailer posted on YouTube in 2014. If you’ve been living under a rock somewhere on Tatooine and haven’t seen it (or want to watch it again) it’s included at the end of this post.   The original plan was to do this write-up day and date with the promo launch. That didn’t happen. Rather than joining everyone on the instant-reaction bandwagon, I chose to hang back. Why? Because the trailer opens with a shot of a BLACK GUY dressed in Stormtrooper armor. Now, if that doesn’t seem like a big deal, then you’re a typical STAR WARS fan. If, however, the mere sight of a BLACK GUY on screen is the thing you fixate on, you’re probably a racist bastard. I had a gut feeling the hate contingent was going to have something nasty to say so I hit pause and waited for the fallout. Sadly, I didn’t have to wait long. ...

Last Halloween, we unearthed a special three part series that revealed our picks for the “Scariest Movie Moments.” If you’re still looking for the perfect fright film to watch during the witching hour, it’s a can’t miss guide. From well-known classics to gore obscure, there’s something for horror fans of every stripe.   While big screen titles are still the lifeblood of the genre, TV series and made for television movies have a long tradition of bringing tales of terror into our living rooms. To that end, we’ve narrowed down hours of network programming into a short list that includes some of our all-time favorite television specials and series episodes. Each of these thirteen selections is also a stand-out example of small screen scary. Turn the lights on and enjoy.   NOTE: Titles available for streaming on Netflix, Hulu Plus and/or Amazon Instant Video are noted as such. Clicking on any image below will take you to the Amazon product page for the DVD and/or Blu-ray rel...

Welcome to the new RONTHINK. While we put the final touches on our redesign, we thought it would be the perfect time to launch a new feature: The Archive. Well, technically, it’s the concept that’s new. As the name implies, at least some of the content will indeed come from deep in our back pages. That doesn’t mean we’re going spray digital Febreze on a parade of old clunkers and send them back out to whore for more clicks. The Archive will re-imagine content in creative, compelling and entertaining ways. That could mean themed packages, “what were we thinking?” moments, follow-up pieces inspired by fan favorites or curated collections of reviews and opinion pieces enhanced with new material and fresh perspective. Rather than generating content that lives and dies in an online moment, we’re hoping to build something that keeps good conversations alive, celebrates those “best of” moments and, frankly, holds our feet to the fire when we screw up. As part of our re-design, you can ...

It’s Wednesday and we’ve got something for everyone tonight. Unscripted competition series? Check! Goofy sitcom? Check! Moody police drama? Check! Viva Hump Day! In addition to this trio of Wednesday “best bets,” you can also check out new episodes of the hit ABC Family sitcoms MELISSA & JOEY and BABY DADDY . Both are holdovers from my 2013 “Summer TV Guilty Pleasures” list and make for a perfect hour of mindless fluff (add a glass or two of pinot to “enhance” the comedic experience). SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE (FOX) WHY IT'S A BEST BET: Because in a sea of crappy, carbon copy reality shows, SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE is one of the few that consistently delivers the goods. The talent on display is off the charts and Cat Deeley remains one of the best hosts in the business. This is a show that celebrates dance, choreography and true artistic vision. It’s never a shoo-in for renewal year to year and, honestly, that’s a real shame. WHO SHOULD WATCH:  Anyone who loves a televis...

After a strong start to the week with a quartet of tune-in worthy dramas on Monday , it looks like the TV Gods have declared Tuesday their day of rest. There’s a boat load of unscripted crap to sift through, including two hours of Duggar hell on TLC (home of some of the worst programming this side of WE and MTV). While some people think FARGO is the bee’s knees, I think it’s as insufferable and overrated as the movie that inspired it. That means my “best bets” list for tonight is a bit skinny, with one new drama making the cut. CHASING LIFE (ABC FAMILY) WHY IT'S A BEST BET:  Because when you think “summer TV” and “ABC Family” I’m sure the first thing that comes to mind is “cancer show.” OK, that’s a gross oversimplification of this surprisingly well done and engaging series. Credit some above-par writing and an appealing cast, including a nice turn by lead Italia Ricci . Extra points for the presence of one of my favorite character actors, Vondie Curtis Hall . CHASING LIFE is li...

Start your week off on a high note with four scripted dramas that will add some sex, humor and intelligent crime drama to your Monday nights. These quick hit reviews will give you the highlights you need to know and enough of a tease to match the right show with the right viewer. Fire up those DVRs and enjoy! MAJOR CRIMES (TNT) WHY IT'S A BEST BET: Not only is this spin-off from THE CLOSER a thousand times better than the show that birthed it, a first rate cast and smart writing keep the drama crackling. MAJOR CRIMES manages to mix hard-hitting police action with well-placed flourishes of humor and emotional drama. Veterans Mary McDonnell , Tony Denison , Michael Paul Chan and G.W. Baily anchor an exceptional cast that also includes fine work from Raymond Cruz , Phillip P Keene , Kearran Giovanni and Graham Patrick Martin (one of the best young actors on series television). WHO SHOULD WATCH:  Anyone who enjoys a crime drama that mixes the best elements of police procedurals w...

IN TWEET: BOSTON-BASED UNREAL BRANDS TAKES THE CANDY WE ALL LOVE AND “UNJUNKS” IT. THE RESULT IS A TASTY LINE-UP OF INDULGANT TREATS FROM A VERY COOL COMPANY. EDITOR’S NOTE:  THIS POST ORIGINALLY RAN ON APRIL 20,2013 AND HAS BEEN UPDATED. IF WE FEATURE IT IN AN UNDER5 POST, THAT MEANS IT’S A PRODUCT WE KNOW, USE AND LOVE.  YOU CAN BUY THIS STUFF FOR LESS THAN FIVE BUCKS BUT, NO PRODUCT, SERVICE OR COMPANY CAN BUY THEIR WAY INTO AN UNDER5 ON RONTHINK. SPRING CLEANING WEEK aside, I will admit to having a bit of a sweet tooth. I’m not a pastry guy and I don’t like complex, fussy desserts but, oh boy, do my eyes sparkle in a candy store . It all started when I was a kid in the tiny town of Norton, MA . I used to parlay my paper route money and make a weekly trip to Hadley’s, a front porch converted into a candy counter. It was run by a kind old lady, Mrs. Hadley, and I’m sure it wasn’t a licensed retail establishment but I didn’t care. I’d buy my baseball cards , Bazooka gum, ...

“The Toolbox” is our weekly drill down of celebrities, politicians and other news makers who are trending for all the wrong reasons. From questionable thinking and general stupidity to ham-handed decision making and a death long in coming, these five individuals are among the biggest losers of the past seven days. Sure, Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour can make or break a designer with a snap of her bony fingers but, even she can become a fashion victim. Witness the outcry from all quarters regarding the April issue of Conde Naste’s flagship glossy. What’s all the bitching about? The cover “models” are Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, two mind-numbing idiots who somehow captured Wintour’s clearly questionable imagination . Critics were even more peeved by her editor’s letter , a hooty bit of prose made even more laugh-out-loud hilarious because every word was meant to be taken seriously. When Buffy wants to put a stake in the heart of your publication, you know you’ve gone epic fai...