By Joan Alperin-Schwartz: 'Super 8' is written and directed by J. J. Abrams. This film could have been the 'ET' for a new generation of film goers... Unfortunately... it misses the mark.

In the summer of 1979, a group of friends in a small Ohio town set out to make a zombie movie. While shooting their Super 8 film, the kids witness a catastrophic train crash and, after barely escaping themselves, they come to discover that this was not an accident.

Soon after, unusual disappearances begin to take place in town and local Deputy Jackson Lamb (Kyle Chandler) along with these aspiring f...

This weekend, I finally had the opportunity to see the Paul Feig comedy “Bridesmaids” starring Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph. Because the trailers just made it seem like a female version of “The Hangover,” I was not incredibly enthused to see it at first. When I actually watched it though, I was thoroughly impressed by the strength of the story (written by Wiig and Annie Mumolo) and the universal appeal of the humor despite the dominance of female characters.

Wiig’s Annie, is a down-on-her-luck character: her dream bakery failed in the struggling economy and as a result, she can barely a...

A week from today, J.J Abrams' highly anticipated flick Super 8 hits theaters. To get you ready for the 1979-set thriller, I sat down with one of the stars, 14-year-old Riley Griffiths (who plays Charles in the film) to talk about what it's like to tackle such a big project at such a young age.

Let's get the obvious question out of the way: tell me about Charles, your character in the film.

Charles is kind of the group leader of all the kids [and] Joe's best friend. He's the director of the zombie movie within the movie. He's very bossy, very production-value crazed. I actually had...

There has not been a film more shrouded in mystery this summer season than Super 8 and rightfully so -- to know too much about it would ruin the majesty that is this truly fantastic picture. From executive producer Steven Spielberg and writer-director J.J. Abrams comes a film that plays on our childhood fantasies, fears and our fascination with the fantastical.

Super 8 is incredibly Steven Spielberg-esque while adding layers of J.J. Abrams' brilliance at capturing the wonder of, "What is it?" Abrams has mastered this ability, whether on his hit show Lost or with his film work producing Clo...

Well, it wasn’t for not trying. If there’s one contestant this year who really developed and emerged over the course of the season it was Haley Reinhart. Look at where she started. A frizzy-haired oversinging novice who only got through because of the softest judging panel since the OJ Jury.

From there she barely snuck through every step of the way and had me flabbergasted that the judges selected her as a Wild Card. I was surprised she even got the chance to sing a second time.

Somehow, she finagled her way into the top 13 only to sit on the bottom of my power rankings just about every s...

CBS announced today its new 2011-2012 primetime schedule, ordering five new series and making key time-period moves for CSI and The Good Wife to strengthen its already top-rated primetime lineup.

The new series include three new dramas and two new comedies: "Person Of Interest," a crime thriller from renowned executive producer J.J. Abrams starring Jim Caviezel, Emmy Award winner Michael Emerson and Academy Award nominee Taraji P. Henson; "Unforgettable," starring Dylan Walsh and Poppy Montgomery as a former detective with a rare condition that enables her to remember virtually every det...

In 'The Greatest Movie Ever Sold', Morgan Spurlock, ('Super Size Me') takes us into the world of product placement, marketing and advertising. The full title of this documentary is actually 'POM Wonderful Presents: The Greatest Movie Ever Sold...because POM Wonderful is the major sponsor of this film.

So how interesting is the world of product placement? It seems now-a-days, most films, especially the big budget action ones, can't seem to exist without branding. (Bruce Willis puts on a pair of Ray-Bans before killing some bad guy, right?)...Spurlock explains that while using brands ...

Leonard Nimoy is following in the footsteps of his Star Trek co-star William Shatner as he turns 80 years old this week.

The veteran actor celebrates the landmark on Saturday, just four days after his longtime friend reached the milestone. Nimoy, like Shatner, shot to fame in the 1960s TV series in his career-defining role as Spock, which he last reprised in 2009 for a brief cameo appearance in J.J. Abrams' film Star Trek, alongside Zachary Quinto as a younger version of his pointy-eared character.

We now celebrate Nimoy's long running career and hope that he can 'live long and prosper'...

Produced by J.J. Abrams ("Alias") and written by Aline Brosh McKenna ("The Devil Wears Prada"), director Roger Michell's "Morning Glory" is a comedic glimpse into the cutthroat world of live television.

A desperate female news producer (Rachel McAdams) attempts to put out the flames between an anchorman (Harrison Ford) and his blustery but iconic cohost (Diane Keaton) in a last-ditch effort to save their failing morning show.

Jeff Goldblum co-stars in the Paramount Pictures production.

CBS has ordered a crime drama pilot from J.J. Abrams and The Dark Knight co-writer Jonathan "Jonah" Nolan.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Person of Interest follows an ex-CIA hit man and a scientist who team up to prevent crimes before they happen.

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Memento, Christopher Nolan, J.J. Abrams, Jonathan Nolan, The Dark Knight

Former Lost star Jorge Garcia is preparing to head to another island in a new drama based on the legendary Alcatraz prison.

The actor starred in all six seasons of J.J. Abrams' mystery show, about a group of plane crash survivors stranded on a desert island.

He is now set to re-team with Abrams once again in a new series called Alcatraz, which tells the story of a number of missing prisoners and guards who reappear in the present day, according to Deadline.com.

The website reports Garcia will play an Alcatraz expert helping cops unravel the mysteries of the island prison, off the coas...

Rachel McAdams was sizzling on the red carpet at the "Morning Glory" world premiere in New York City on Sunday.

Produced by J.J. Abrams and written by Aline Brosh McKenna ("The Devil Wears Prada"), director Roger Michell's comedic glimpse into the cutthroat world of live television finds a desperate female news producer (McAdams) attempting to put out the flames between an anchorman (Harrison Ford) and his blustery but iconic cohost (Diane Keaton) in a last-ditch effort to save their failing morning show.

Jeff Goldblum co-stars in the Paramount Pictures production.

See more photos of Rac...

TV and movie mogul J.J. Abrams' latest TV series has officially flopped - "Undercovers," which starred Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbtha-Raw as a married spy couple, has been cancelled after just a handful of episodes.

The series failed to attract viewers and its last scheduled appearance will be on December 1.

Regardless of what you thought of the ‘Lost’ finale that aired last May, chances are you will miss the show come January. Then, you’ll realize during the doldrums of winter that your favorite show is not making a return from the usual eight-month hiatus. It is, in fact, over. Done. Finito.

There are ways to cope, however. There are potential new shows that may remedy your ‘Lost’ pains, and there are shows coming up that will sound promising to you. There are even a few old favorites you might find comforting.

What you can watch now:

-‘The Event’ on NBC. There’s no way you could ha...

J.J. Abrams is one busy guy lately. Recently I reported he and ‘Dark Knight’ scribe Jonah Nolan were working on a new television crime-thriller and today Deadline reported that Fox has greenlit a show based on Alcatraz, the infamous prison located on an island in the San Francisco Bay that housed some pretty famous criminals such as Al Capone. Abrams is set to produce the series and will work with ‘Lost’ writer Elizabeth Surnoff and producer Bryan Burk.

There have been a few other properties that feature Alcatraz as the setting. A few that come to mind are ‘Escape From Alcatraz’, ‘...

Holy dream team Batman! Geek powerhouse J.J. Abrams is reportedly teaming up with Jonah Nolan to shop around a crime-thriller that Nolan wrote. If you haven’t heard of Jonah Nolan but think his name sounds familiar, that’s because he is Christopher Nolan’s brother and helped write 'The Dark Knight', 'The Prestige' and also wrote a short story that 'Memento' was based off of.

That’s enough right there to make anyone want to work with this guy. Throw in Abrams and I’m sure all the studios are clamoring to secure this project A.S.A.P.! No title has been given to the project yet but I’m ...

The vehicles from "LOST" were among the biggest items to go under the hammer at a props and memorabilia auction on Sunday.

The Jeep were the highlights of the two-day sale, which culminated early on Monday morning, raising $87,500.

The van was the big highlight - it went for $47,500. The DHARMA Jeep and Hurley's Camaro both fetched $20,000.

Other highlights of the Profiles in History sale included a script of the pilot episode signed by show co-creators J.J. Abrams and Damon Lindelof, the suit Matthew Fox's character Jack was buried in and his set chair, and a large section of the Ocean...

The folks over at The Wrap have somehow managed to grab an email direct from Paramount that discusses future projects such as G.I. Joe 2, World War Z, Zoolander 2 and the just announced J.J. Abrams concept, 7 Minutes in Heaven. Paramount said that this was not their document but that some information is correct, and others are not.

Either way, it's a pretty nice find and we know that some of these projects are in the works with attached talent and filming scheduled.

Source: The Wrap

Why does a sexy woman like Anna Torv torture us with such a bland fashion choice? The "Fringe" actress opted for black shorts and a jungle print blouse at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards. We think it's unflattering and unattractive. What do you think?

Anna recently separated from her husband, Former "Fringe" co-star Mark Valley, after just a year of marriage. The couple met while filming the first season of the hit J.J. Abrams show. The two played FBI partners who hid the affair they were having from their bosses at the FBI before Valley's character was killed off early in the series.

The ac...

NBC has issued its first scripted series pickup for the 2010-11 season with the order of the drama "Undercovers" from acclaimed writer/producer/director J.J. Abrams ("Star Trek," "Fringe," "Lost," "Alias") and executive producer/writer Josh Reims ("Brothers and Sisters").

Abrams serves as co-writer, executive producer – and also directs – his first direction of a TV series pilot since "Lost."

"Undercovers" is a sexy, fun, action-packed spy drama that proves once and for all that marriage is still the world's most dangerous partnership. Outwardly, Steven Bloom (Boris Kodjoe) and his wife...

Tom Cruise and filmmaker J.J. Abrams are to team up for another Mission: Impossible.

Abrams, who directed Cruise in the third "Mission: Impossible," has signed on for the fourth film in the franchise, which Cruise will star in and produce.

And Paramount studio bosses already have a release date - the film will go up against The Hangover sequel on Memorial Day weekend next year.

The "Mission: Impossible" franchise has grossed more than $1.4 billion globally.

See more photos of Tom Cruise here!

Image © PR Photos

A new list from Vanity Fair includes the actors, directors, and producers who made the most money in 2009. "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" director Michael Bay topped the list with a staggering $125 million paycheck.

"Avatar" director James Cameron earned a mere $50 million, but figures are based on worlwide estimates up to Dec. 31. Since the film has grossed over $2 billion since then, it's likely his paycheck will double.

The higest paid actress? "Harry Potter" star Emma Watson ($30 million). The highest paid actor? Her co-star Daniel Radcliffe ($41 million). Their pal Rupe...

Zachary Quinto has been forced to dismiss rumors he's quit Star Trek, after comments he made in a recent interview about "stepping away" from the movie franchise sent fans into a spin. The Heroes star plays Spock in J.J. Abrams' 2009 revival of the sci-fi saga, and is expected to return for a series of sequels.

However, Star Trek devotees went into a panic this week after the actor's interview with Wired.com, in which he hints at a hiatus from the franchise, hit the internet.

He said, "I'm stepping away from Star Trek for at least two years - no movies, no conventions, no anything f...

NBC unveiled some of its early development projects that have been green-lit for 2010-11, including a large slate of dramas such as "Prime Suspect," an updated version of the classic The Rockford Files, "Undercovers" (from J.J. Abrams), "Chase" (from Jerry Bruckheimer), "Kindreds" (from David E. Kelley) and "The Event." Comedies include the untitled Adam Corolla project.

On the drama side, Prime Suspect is based on the award-winning BBC series centering on a courageous female detective who investigates complex mysteries in a politically explosive big city. Casting will be announced la...

At the start of every new year, critics and movie fans alike look at the list of movies for the year and start to consider what looks the best, the worst, and what might surprise them. There are shocking hits, failures, and then the movies with the highest expectations that actually succeed ... or totally crash and burn. 2009 had some excellent blockbusters that might have annoyed the critics ("Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," "G.I. Joe," "New Moon") but still managed to kill in the box office. Then there were the indie films that managed to become hits, or the big star names that neve...

William Shatner is in talks to return to the world of Star Trek, despite attacking director J.J. Abrams for leaving him out of his 2009 blockbuster prequel.

The original Captain Kirk reveals he and Abrams met for lunch recently and he has since seen the movie he chose not to be a part of - after refusing the filmmaker's cameo offer.

Shatner says, "They did a wonderful movie. J.J., I think of him as a buddy, he's a great director and I'm sure when the right time comes he'll make the right decision [and cast me]."

Image © Albert L. Ortega / PR Photos

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After watching the premiere of "V" last night, I was starting to wonder if Sci-Fi is going to make a real comeback into the spotlight. Let's face it, the popularity of this genre has risen in the past few years. It is no longer just the diehard Trekkies that care about Spock and Kirk, but the newcomers swarming after J.J. Abrams' reboot.

With shows like "Lost" and "Heroes" gaining notice on major television networks and the critical acclaim of "Battlestar Galactica," the stereotypes of typical "sci-fi nerds" is starting to wear off. In its place are people who never cared about phasers ...

Michael Ausiello, "Entertainment Weekly's" TV writer, is the "outbreak monkey" of his field. There is a new virus that is affecting the field of media journalism, and that plague is celebrity. The new neo-celebrity status of these journalists has a patient zero - the person we see as the beginning of it all - and that is Ausiello himself.

The line between celebrity and non-celebrity has blurred in the past 15 years thanks to a change in how we interpret and apply entertainment and media into our daily lives. This change has created a domino effect that has also hit the field of journ...

The fall season is finally upon us, and that means television is worth watching again. The summer has a few hot shows, but it is really just a waiting station for our favorites to return in September. Soon the Tivo will be completely full, every night will be a new adventure, and all our answers from last season's cliff hangers will (hopefully) be answered. Take a look at 10 TV shows we can't wait to see this coming season!

Gossip Girl (returns September 14)

Season two had a few shaky moments, including the illicit teacher-student affair with Dan and Chuck's flirtation with the under...

Phenomena that exist on the Fringe of science unleash their strange powers in this thrilling series, co-created by J.J. Abrams (Lost, Alias), combining the grit of the police procedural with the excitement of the unknown. Season one is now available. Also on DVD: Criminal Minds season 4, Harper's Island the complete series, Mr. Belvedere season 3, The Office season 5, Parks and Recreation season 1, and Worst Week the complete series.