What's New On Netflix In December 2014?

November 26, 2014, 7:12 am

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It's the holiday season, which means those hours of free time you've been waiting for are finally on the way. Kick back on your well-earned days off with these TV shows and movies, hitting Netflix in December 2014.

This list is tentative and subject to change. Not all titles may be available on the specified date. HuffPost Entertainment will attempt to keep the list as current as possible.

Movies and Specials
"A Knight's Tale"
"Almost Famous"
"American Beauty"
"Bewitched"
"Jewtopia"
"Knights Of Badassdom"
"Madison"
"Out of the Clear Blue Sky"
"Out of Time"
"The Out-of-Towners"
"Troop Beverly Hills"
"Oculus" (Dec. 3)
"Son of God" (Dec. 3)
"Bill Burr: I'm Sorry You Feel That Way" (Dec. 5)
"Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" (Dec. 6)
"Ava & Lala" (Dec. 6)
"Sharknado 2: The Second One" (Dec. 6)
"I Am Ali" (Dec. 9)
"Drive Hard" (Dec. 9)
"A Haunted House 2" (Dec. 10)
"The Village" (Dec. 11)
"The Wolf of Wall Street" (Dec. 11)
"Nick Offerman: American Ham" (Dec. 12)
"Don't Blink" (Dec. 13)
"Jake Squared" (Dec. 15)
"Ragnarok"(Dec. 18)
"Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones," (Dec. 20)
"Dark Skies" (Dec. 22)
"Romy and Michele's High School Reunion" (Dec. 22)
"The Trip To Italy" (Dec. 23)
"Legends Of Oz: Dorothy's Return" (Dec. 24)
"Good People" (Dec. 25)
"Child Of God" (Dec. 27)
"Labor Day" (Dec. 27)
"Behaving Badly" (Dec. 28)
"I, Frankenstein" (Dec. 28)
"Last Weekend" (Dec. 30)



TV Shows
"Turbo FAST" (Additional episodes)
"'American Horror Story: Coven" (Dec. 6)
"Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown" Season 3 (Dec. 8)
"Broadchurch: Season 1" (Dec. 12)
"Marco Polo" (Dec. 12)
"The Honourable Woman," Season 1 (Dec. 18)
"All Hail King Julien" (Dec. 19)
"Comedy Bang! Bang!" Season 3 (Dec. 28)
"Maron," Season 2 (Dec. 28)
"Jessie," Season 3 (Dec. 28)

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20 Things You Didn't Know About Charles Schulz

November 26, 2014, 7:19 am

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Today is the birthday of American cartoonist Charles Monroe Schulz, that beloved "Peanuts" creator who would turn 92 years old if he were still alive today.

Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Schulz is remembered most fondly for the wholesome characters he created throughout his 50-year-long illustration career. Among them are the eternally hesitant Charlie Brown and the mischievous Snoopy, two characters who came to represent the iconic four-panel gag strip known as "Peanuts." Schulz devoted much of his life to the American comic standard, which ran up until the day after his death in 2000.

In honor of the 92nd anniversary of Schulz's birth, we wanted to shine a spotlight on the man behind the cartoon, so we've put together 20 facts you might not have known about the great American artist. Behold, the quirks of a "Peanuts" legend:

1. The man, Charles Schulz, and the comic character, Charlie Brown, are pretty similar.



Schulz's father was a barber and his mother a housewife, just like Charlie Brown's parents. Plus, as the youngest in his class at Central High School in Saint Paul, Minnesota, Schulz was famously shy.


2. Schulz's childhood nickname was based on a comic strip.



Schulz's childhood nickname, Sparky, was given to him by his uncle and refers to the horse Spark Plug in Billy DeBeck's comic strip, "Barney Google."


3. Schulz had his own unusual dog named Spike.



When Schulz was a young boy, he submitted a picture of his dog, Spike, to Ripley's Believe It or Not! His drawing appeared in Robert Ripley's syndicated panel, describing Spike as an usual dog who ate pins, tacks and razor blades.


4. Schulz served in WWII but never fired his weapon.



In 1943, Schulz was drafted into the United States Army where he served as a staff sergeant with the 20th Armored Division in Europe. During his service as a squad leader on a .50 caliber machine gun team, his unit saw very little combat, and Schulz later explained that during the only opportunity to fire his machine gun he discovered that he had actually forgotten to load it.


5. Schulz debuted his two most famous characters in a comic strip known as "Li'l Folks."



The name of Schulz's most famous character -- Charlie Brown -- first appeared in an earlier cartoon written by the Peanuts creator titled "Li'l Folks", which was published from 1947 to 1950. That same series also featured a dog that resembled Snoopy.


6. Schulz didn't actually name "Peanuts."



In 1950, Schulz approached the United Feature Syndicate with his comic strip Li'l Folks. The syndication company accepted Schulz work but decided that the name "Li'l Folks" was too close to the names of two other comics of the time: Al Capp's "Li'l Abner" and a strip titled "Little Folks." So, to avoid confusion, United Feature Syndicate settled on the name "Peanuts" after the peanut gallery featured in the "Howdy Doody" TV show. In the end, Schulz did not name his famous work.


7. And he hated the name.



Schulz always disliked the title of his famous comic strip, "Peanuts". In a 1987 interview, Schulz said of the name: "It's totally ridiculous, has no meaning, is simply confusing, and has no dignity -- and I think my humor has dignity."


8. Schulz wanted to call Snoopy "Sniffy."



Schulz was originally going to call his star dog character "Sniffy", that is until he discovered that name had already been used in a different comic strip. So the cartoonist changed it to "Snoopy" after remembering that his late mother Dena Schulz told the family that if they were ever to acquire a third dog, it should be called Snoopy, an affectionate term in Norwegian. (The word is "Snuppa".)


9. And Schulz wanted Snoopy to be entirely silent.



Schulz originally imagined Snoopy as a silent character. It was only after two years of the comic that Snoopy verbalized his thoughts to readers in a thought balloon in 1952.


10. Schulz named many of the other "Peanuts" characters after his friends.



Linus and Shermy, prominent characters in the Peanuts comic strip, were named for good friends of Schulz, Linus Maurer and Sherman Plepler.


11. Relatives served as inspiration too.



The character of Peppermint Patty was inspired by Patricia Swanson, one of Schulz's cousins on his mother's side. Schulz came up with the full name when he saw peppermint candies in his house.


12. And ex-girlfriends.



The character of the Little Red-Haired Girl (Charlie Brown's love interest in "Peanuts") was based on a woman in Schulz's life named Donna Mae Johnson. She was an Art Instruction Inc. accountant with whom the cartoonist had a relationship, but when he proposed to her, she turned him down.


13. Schulz was adamant about "A Charlie Brown Christmas."



For "A Charlie Brown Christmas", network executives were hesitant about a scene involving Linus reciting the story of Christ's birth. But in a documentary about the making of the program, Charles Schulz states, "If we don't tell the true meaning of Christmas, who will?" And so the scene remained. Schulz also felt strongly about the absence of a laugh track in the televised cartoon, maintaining that the audience should be able to enjoy the show at their own pace, without being cued when to laugh. CBS created a version with a laugh track, but that version never aired.


15. Schulz was an avid hockey fan.



Schulz was an avid hockey fan. In 1998, he hosted the first Over 75 Hockey Tournament and in 2001, and in 2001, Ramsey County renamed the Highland Park Ice Arena in St. Paul, Minn., the Charles M. Schulz Highland Arena in his honor.


16. Schulz loved the Space Program.



Schulz was also a huge proponent of the space program, so much so that the 1969 Apollo 10 command module was named Charlie Brown and a lunar module was named Snoopy.


17. Schulz was pals with Reagan.



Ronald Reagan once wrote a fan note to Schulz saying that the president identified with Charlie Brown.


18. Schulz really wanted Charlie Brown to kick the football.



When Schulz was asked if Charlie Brown would finally get to kick the football in the final "Peanuts" strip, his response was: "Oh, no! Definitely not! I couldn't have Charlie Brown kick that football; that would be a terrible disservice to him after nearly half a century." But in a December 1999 interview, Schulz recounted the moment when he signed the final comic panel, stating, “All of a sudden I thought, 'You know, that poor, poor kid, he never even got to kick the football. What a dirty trick -- he never had a chance to kick the football!'”


18. Schulz was inducted into the U.S. Figure Skating Hall of Fame.



Schulz was posthumously inducted into the United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame in 2007.


19. Schulz was published in 75 countries.



At its height, Schulz's Peanuts comic strip was published in 75 countries, in 21 different languages.


20. Schulz created one of the longest stories ever told by one human being.



According to Robert Thompson of Syracuse University, Schulz created "arguably the longest story ever told by one human being". In total, Schulz produced 17,897 published strips from 1950 to 2000, with reruns continuing after.


In honor of Charles Schulz birthday, we are revisiting a post originally published last year honoring the artist's life and work.

'Water Born' Reveals The Surreal And Trippy World Of Freediving

November 26, 2014, 7:23 am

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In the world of mere mortals, holding one's breath underwater over the length of a swimming pool is a feat to be proud of. For freedivers, however, that's just not gonna cut it; the current world record breath hold is 22 minutes.

Freediving, or diving without any breathing equipment, is all about pushing the limits of the human body: diving deeper, staying submerged longer, and developing a peaceful understanding of the ocean.

"Water Born," a new web series made by and about freedivers, pushes the boundaries of free diving in a new, more creative way. The series is filmed largely underwater -- with even the production team freediving -- and hopes to give the freediving community something to rally around.

Unlike other water sports like surfing, which already enjoy publicity and prestige, freediving is relatively unknown. According to Creative Director Goh Iromoto, the goal of "Water Born" is to inspire the freediving community while showing off the incredible beauty and athleticism of the sport.

"There is a bit of a pureness to the sport," Iromoto said. "In that it is our physical abilities to get down to depth, as opposed to relying on technical machinery."

The episodes themselves are only three or four minutes long, but behind the scenes footage shows the amount of work and planning that each episode requires.

The first episode, for instance, features an epic underwater fight scene complete with shipwrecks, sharks, and an evil wetsuit-clad villain. The two divers propel themselves through rusty ship skeletons as they act out complex choreography. The spar is not only beautiful, but amazing when you realize the divers are performing entirely on held breath, 50+ feet below the surface.

The second and third episodes focus more on storytelling, especially the intense sense of tranquility and harmony divers experience. While the second episode, which was shot at hypothermia-inducing depths, features an ethereal "Alice In Wonderland" theme and some trippy underwater scenery, the third episode has incredible footage of a whale shark and a storyline similar to that of "The Giving Tree." Both episodes shed light on the divers relationship with the ocean and give us land dwellers a glimpse into the oxygen-deprived state the divers seem to relish.

In the third episode, for instance, is it just us, or does the wise whale shark kind of sound like Will Ferrell’s impression of George W. Bush?

Either way, the super athletic and surreal world of "Water Born" is a breath of fresh air.

The next season of "Water Born" will be released in October/November 2015.

Princess Leia Takes On Galadriel In Epic New 'Princess Rap Battle'

November 26, 2014, 8:15 am

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Prepare yourself for worlds colliding -- or at least Middle Earth colliding with a galaxy far, far away.

In actress Whitney Avalon's second "Princess Rap Battle," Princess Leia from "Star Wars" minces words with Galadriel from "Lord Of The Rings" (who is not technically a princess, but an elf ruler will suffice.)

Among Leia's best zingers is this gem: "You're like a stormtrooper, 'cause your shots never hit / I wore one gold bikini and the world lost its shit."

But it's Galadriel who strikes back with some serious, nearly NSFW wordplay: "I will never give in to your Jedi mind, trick / after Jabba's eager tongue, you should know when you're licked."

Ew. But also: drop that mic.

Ellen Remakes The 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' Trailer And Now We Really Can't Take It Seriously

November 26, 2014, 9:53 am

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Ellen Degeneres is more than 50 shades of hilarious here.

After her successful spoof of Matthew McConaughey's bizarre Lincoln ad, Ellen decided to insert herself into the infamous trailer for "50 Shades Of Grey" for her show on Tuesday. And her version of the character Anastasia Steele has some choice words and facial expressions for Christian Grey.

"Oh my," indeed.

Liza Minnelli Releases 'Until The End' With Wynton Marsalis For 'Garnet's Gold'

November 26, 2014, 9:58 am

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Stage and screen icon Liza Minnelli teams up with jazz legend Wynton Marsalis for "Until The End," a new song which will be featured in the documentary film "Garnet's Gold."

The tune, which will be released on iTunes Dec. 2, was penned by composer J. Ralph, who has collaborated with the likes of Norah Jones, Ben Harper and Carly Simon, in addition to scoring films including "Finding Vivian Maier," "The Cove" and "Man on Wire."

"I was delighted when J. Ralph first told me he had written a song with me in mind and when I heard it I new he meant it," Minnelli told The Huffington Post in an email statement. "It reminded me of some of the best songs I've recorded over the years."

Calling Minnelli's talents as a performer "unrivaled," Ralph added, "When the director first showed me his film, I instantly heard Liza singing this song over the final scene. She delivered a masterful, effortless performance and is one of the sweetest, most sincere people I have ever met."

Have a listen to "Until The End" above.

Photos Of 'Star Wars' Icons In Real Life Will Put You Over The Moon

November 26, 2014, 10:48 am

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Thomas Dagg brings "Star Wars" to the real world.

The Toronto-based photographer drew on his boyhood love of the series by inserting its characters into photos of everyday life. Many of the "Star Wars" icons are Dagg's toys from back in the day.

His work imagines Yoda getting a piggyback ride across the street, Darth Vader on public transportation (does he pay senior fare?) and other intriguing scenarios.




"I owe the original trilogy a lot and so I wanted to pay tribute to that and my imagination as a child by showing how I saw the world when I was young and obsessed," Dagg told The Huffington Post.

Another Canadian, David Vancook, also made "Star Wars" more earthbound by placing the characters in secondhand paintings.

Dagg understands the fascination.

"I think that visceral memory all of us fans have of the characters and events we fell in love with comes out in our work," he said.





Check out more of Dagg's work at Thomasdagg.com.

H/T Laughing Squid

6-Year-Old Dances To Michael Jackson's 'Smooth Criminal,' Brings The House Down

November 26, 2014, 12:23 pm

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This boy is smooth.

Six-year-old Willie Osborn decided to channel Michael Jackson during an elementary school talent show. Dancing to Jackson's "Smooth Criminal," his performance -- and his outfit -- were spot-on.

The video was uploaded to YouTube Wednesday, but it isn't the first time Willie's wowed crowds with his dancing. He previously made headlines with "Smooth Criminal" when he performed the routine -- complete with backup dancers -- at a talent show in Indiana.

H/T Tastefully Offensive

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'Serial' Is Renewed For Season 2

November 26, 2014, 12:44 pm

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There won't be a new episode of "Serial" released on Thanksgiving, but fans of the show have something else to be thankful for: a second season. Producers of the podcast announced on Wednesday that the future of the long-form series had secured by listener donations and sponsorship deals.

Last week, we asked people who’ve been listening to Serial to chip in if they wanted a second season. "This American Life" funded the bulk of Season One, but for Serial to continue, it needs to pay for itself. Today, we have good news: between the money you donated and sponsorship, we’ll be able to make a second season. We don’t know yet what the story will be or exactly when we’ll be airing Season Two, but we’ll be working on it as soon as this season ends.

Thanks so much to everyone who gave.

- the Staff of Serial

Executive produced by Sarah Koenig and Julie Snyder, and hosted by Koenig, the first season of "Serial" has focused on the death of Hae Min Lee, a Baltimore teenager who was killed in 1999. Lee's ex-boyfriend, Adnan Syed, was convicted of her murder and is currently serving out a life sentence. Syed maintains his innocence. Since "Serial" debuted in October, it has become the biggest podcast in the world, with more than 5 million streams and downloads on iTunes during the last two months.

Head to the podcast website for more on the show. New episodes of "Serial" are available on Thursdays.

This Is What A 400-Pound Wedding Dress Looks Like

November 26, 2014, 1:05 pm

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Here's a wedding dress for the bride that has everything.

Minnesota artist Gail Be spent the last three-plus years creating a 400-pound wedding dress made entirely of beads -- over 1 million of them. The dress features a 20.5-foot train that was constructed with seven miles of beading wire, 500,000 glass pearls and over 400,000 crystals.


gailbe.com

The design, which the 57-year-old beading pro hopes will be featured in a movie and ultimately a museum, took over 833 days to complete.

“I kept going and going,” Be, who worked with 23 other women on the project, told ABC News. “It’s in my warehouse and when it finally got to the back I stopped and said, ‘It’s done,’ and everyone got up and clapped.”

As you might expect, the gown -- which Be named "Fantasy" -- is impossible to walk in.

“It hurt and I couldn’t move, but I felt like a fairy-tale princess. It’s truly like a fantasy,” Jessica Collette, a model who tried on the dress, told the Star Tribune.

Hey, anything to feel like a princess on your wedding day, right? (We kid, we kid.) Check out more photos of the dress below.



H/T Bustle

Follow HuffPost Wedding's board Wedding Dresses on Pinterest.

Keira Knightley Knows 'The Imitation Game' Has 'A Lot Of Inaccuracies'

November 26, 2014, 1:08 pm

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Few fact-based dramas escape criticism of historical inaccuracy, and "The Imitation Game" is no exception. Based on the life of Alan Turing (Benedict Cumberbatch), the mathematician who broke the Nazi's Enigma Code during World War II, effectively changing the course of the war, "The Imitation Game" has been under fire since June for its depiction of Turing's homosexuality and his relationship with Joan Clarke. But Keira Knightley, who plays Clarke -- Turing's fiancée and fellow code-breaker -- in the film, has had no shame in admitting to the various discrepancies between real life and the finished feature.

"As far as her relationship with Alan, they were engaged. They were great, great friends. She was at the center of the breaking of the Enigma Code," Knightley told HuffPost Entertainment during an interview in October. Yet the actress admitted flat out that things had to be changed for various reasons. "There are a lot of inaccuracies in the film as to life. What was actually said, and the reasons that they actually got engaged, I think are slightly different than the film,"

Knightley, 29, said that the focus of "The Imitation Game" was the story behind cracking the code, not just the history of Clarke and Turing's relationship. "If you’re making a film just about that period and just about the reasons he asked her to marry him," Knightley said, "then I think you can really go into the truth of it. But unfortunately you’ve got two and a half hours and what you're doing is trying to tell a bigger story, so you have to pick and choose. I think what we’re trying to get to is the essence of what it was. And at that time with Alan, to my knowledge, he didn’t have another affair, or an affair actually, with a man. His big friendship was with a woman and he did ask her to marry him."



The dramatic license extended to Clarke's backstory as well. The film shows her arriving at Bletchley Park, the location of the British government's code-breaking operation, after solving a crossword puzzle to pass Turing's test. Instead, Clarke's Oxford professor helped push her into the program (though the government did recruit people at the time using crossword puzzles).

Another liberty is taken with Clarke's parents, who are shown objecting to her work at Bletchley Park since the government school mostly employed men. "The whole thing with the family isn’t, to my knowledge, true," Knightley said. "It was sort of put there to show what she was up against as far as society goes."

But that struggle was inherent in Clarke's story already: "They ended up putting her in as a linguist even though she didn’t speak any other language in order to try and get her a bit more money," Knightley said. "I think that's fascinating because that's still the center of the feminist movement today: a place at the table and equal pay. And we're talking about the 1940s, and now it's 2014 and obviously women's rights are better, but not best."

And yet while many of the facts about Turing and Clarke were massaged for "The Imitation Game," Knightley -- who has made her fair share of historical dramas in the past, including "The Duchess" and "A Dangerous Method" -- doesn't really mind the variations. "In all of these stories, often truth in filmmaking, it’s not a documentary," she said. "It is a drama, so ultimately you have to go for the drama."

Which is what "The Imitation Game" tries to accomplish, enlightening audiences on the story of the so-called father of theoretical computer science above all else. As Knightley said, the film emphasizes aspects of Turing's life related to the breaking of the Enigma cipher as "the most extraordinary thing that he did."

"The Imitation Game" opens Nov. 28.

Taylor Swift, Chris Pratt, Drake & Everything We're Thankful For In Pop Culture This Year

November 26, 2014, 1:40 pm

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Thanksgiving is a time to reflect on the past year and give thanks to all that was good. It's no different in the entertainment world, where your trusty HuffPost Entertainment editors have compiled a list of random, excellent and bizarre pop culture moments from 2014 that we simply couldn't live without. Happy Thanksgiving!

Taylor Swift's "1989"



What else is there to be thankful for in entertainment besides the greatest pop album of the year? Taylor Swift took a trip back to the '80s, cut her last ties to country and released "1989," a non-stop, synth-heavy party. The record still has everything we love about Swift's earlier albums -- honest, interesting lyrics, grandiose hooks and a special brand of bizarre -- but is a segue into a new era of Swift. Sure, there are a few duds (cough "Shake It Off"), but hits like "Style" and "Blank Space" will undoubtedly have longevity. I plan on playing it on loop at my family Thanksgiving, though I dread the moment I'll have to tell my mom, "It's not 'Starbucks lovers.'" -- Jessica Goodman

All The Haters



This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for all the haters out there doing their thing. If not for the people who proclaim they don't care about various celebrities, only to later spout off venom about those same celebrities, there are so many stories that would not have been written. (And if you think about it, the haters basically inspired the majority of Taylor Swift's "1989," so without all that negativity, she could be without a platinum-selling album. So I'm thankful for that.) To everyone who took time out of their day to dig deep and embrace their negativity, so a celebrity could respond to it, thus ensuring prolonged relevance: thank you. After all, it's not the fans, but the haters who really keep these people famous. -- Stephanie Marcus

Rogelio De La Vega On "Jane the Virgin"



"Jane the Virgin" is by far the best new show of the fall, but it's hard to choose what's greatest about it. Is it the show's witty narration? Is it the winning array of characters? Sure, all of that is wonderful, but I can't lie: Rogelio De La Vega has stolen my heart. He's the famous telenovela star who turned out to be Jane's father, and Jaime Camil, the actor who plays him, manages a neat trick: He makes Rogelio's arrogance hilarious, but he also makes viewers care about his heartfelt desire to build a relationship with his newly discovered daughter. This fizzy, sweet show is a nearly perfect confection, and Rogelio is the cherry on top. -- Maureen Ryan

Shondaland Thursdays



Thank you, thank you, thank you, world, for Shondaland Thursdays. Rhimes' "Greys Anatomy" and "Scandal" have for years featured racially diverse casts and some of the most compelling depictions of female friendships and same-sex relationships to ever hit prime time. Newcomer "How To Get Away With Murder" doesn't shy away from the sex either and -- in what might be the most arresting two minutes of TV this season -- took on the Western beauty myth to perfection. Refreshingly, the shows never present these components as fodder for "Very Special Episodes," but just as the reality that they are. If only for three hours each week, Rhimes makes sure network television is the right side of history. -- Lily Karlin

Dragons. Just Dragons



From “Game of Thrones” to “How to Train Your Dragon 2,” the best thing about this year has definitely been dragons. Dragons just make everything instantly better, and Hollywood should take note. For example, just look at Zac Efron’s critically panned “That Awkward Moment.” You know the most awkward moment of all? No dragons. Or take into account box office flop “A Million Ways To Die In The West.” Clearly, one of the ways to die was boredom from the lack of dragons. Now, with Smaug’s upcoming appearance in “The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies,” it’s clear that, for dragons, 2014 is the one year to rule them all. -- Bill Bradley

"Tuesday" by ILOVEMAKONNEN (feat. Drake)



As a weekend editor here at HuffPost Entertainment, I know the importance of a good weeknight turn-up. This year, I'm thankful that two men who go by the names Drake and I Love Makonnen (yes, his stage name is a complete sentence) gave me a club anthem for this very purpose. In 2011, Drake reminded us all that we only live once. And in 2014, he taught us that you really don't have to wait for the weekend to rage. You can make the club go up any night you choose, if you put your mind to it. Tuesday is the new Saturday. Thank you, Drake. -- Lauren Zupkus

All Mindy Kaling Everything



While everyone wants to talk about Mindy Kaling's size, skin color and gender, Mindy Kaling wants to talk business. The brilliant writer and actress rose from "The Office" to her own Fox series, now in its third season. She created it from scratch, reviving the rom-com in the process. She produces. She acts. She's writing her second book. She is ridiculously funny. Why would we ever want to talk about her size, skin color and gender? This year, I am thankful for the fierce, painfully self-aware and unapologetic wonder that is Mindy Kaling. May we all find out inner Beyonce Pad-Thai. -- Liat Kornowski

Seth & Blair Got Married



After hearing about their engagement announcement, it was my 2014 resolution to attend the wedding of Seth Cohen and Blair Waldorf. Unfortunately, I never received an invite. (That oversight prevented me from shouting, "California, here she comes!" as the future Mrs. Cohen walked down the aisle.) Crestfallen, I went to the mirror and looked into the eyes of Sandy Cohen, his face emblazoned on my t-shirt. He seemed to suggest I get a bagel. "Spotted: Lonely boy eating a bagel in Brooklyn. Did his wedding invite get scooped out of the mail? XNoXNo," I thought. Or something like that (after all, I'm not Gossip Girl). I can only hope Captain Oats didn't suffer a similar fate. -- Todd Van Luling

The Best Ice Bucket Challenge



This year -- like every other year -- I am thankful for Hollywood's most lovable, down-to-earth couple: Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner. These two make me smile with their "just like us" attitude, proving every day that although they're A-list stars, they're also people who are focused on their marriage and raising their three children. But what solidified their ranking on my "most thankful for" list was their charming ALS Ice Bucket Challenge video, which gave fans a glimpse into their seemingly-perfect personal life. In the video, after Jen pours the ice water on Ben's head, he pushes her into the pool as their kids squeal with delight. I meaaaaaannnnn??? This adorable moment cemented Bennifer 2.0's status in my eyes, although I'm not going to lie, it was hard for me to put Chris Hemsworth's Sexiest Man Alive crowning at my No. 2 spot. Hey, priorities, amiright? -- Leigh Blickley

My Boyfriend's Parents' HBO GO Password



This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for my boyfriend's parents' HBO GO password. Without being given SallyKat82 (the password created in homage to their dead cat), I would not have been able to binge watch the "Sopranos" or "The Comeback" on the elliptical. I would have to just wait for E! to air weird marathons of "Sex and the City" (seriously, one time they did a "Miranda and Steve" one). Most of the time the only thing on is really old episodes of the Kardashians, and who can burn more than 300 calories watching that? So, thank you, boyfriend's parents and also Sally the dead cat (RIP). My calves would be slightly less defined without you. -- Lauren Duca

Instagram's Best Star



While the name of this Instagram star may be rather offensive, it merely serves as a disclaimer for the type of photos he's become known for posting. The Fat Jew, whose real name is Josh Ostrovsky, is a 30-year-old Instagram sensation who posts some of the funniest, most random photos that will make any stoner or culturally-aware viewer laugh to tears. His regrams, paired with hilarious captions (take this one for instance) some of which he apparently gets paid up to $2,500 for, range from the silliest fails to relatable mom texts to some of the finest cultural criticism. This year, I'm thankful for Fat Jew because without him I (likely) would never have known about the Jewish Steve Carrell/Ryan Gosling mash-up. I never would have been so intimidated by a carrot. I also probably never would have found joy without seeing this photo. Thank you, Fat Jew.-- Erin Whitney

Music's Risk Takers



I am thankful for artists like Beck, who continue to write amazing music after two decades and inspires other artists to become exceptional singer-songwriters like himself. I am thankful for artists like Polyenso, who not only constantly challenge themselves to grow their musical abilities and redefine their art with each release, but also push the collective musical sphere to be more innovative. I am thankful for artists like Run The Jewels, whose words constantly spread socio-political messages that force humanity to reexamine itself, sharing their personal shortcomings and heartbreaks when few others will. -- Ryan Kristobak

The Comeback Of "The Comeback"



Resurrecting short-lived shows is in vogue right now, but it's especially thrilling to see "The Comeback" return a whopping nine years after its premature departure. HBO axed the single-season comedy in 2005, but the fame-chasing Valerie Cherish and her hapless attempts at a career renaissance gained a defining cult audience in the years that followed. Little has changed almost a decade later, including Lisa Kudrow's idiosyncratic brilliance. If anything, the show's meta reflections on the state of reality television, ephemeral fame and Hollywood misogyny feel even timelier. So far we've seen an Andy Cohen cameo, Academy Award envy and a fake Seth Rogen blow job -- and that's only three episodes in. We're cringing along the way, and then demanding instant repeats so as to catch the show's sharp nuances. As it turns out, we really do want to see that. -- Matthew Jacobs

Steve Carell's Nose



"Foxcatcher" is not a feel-good movie, and that's shocking because it stars Channing Tatum. It's creepy, tragic, eerie and mostly true. Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo and Tatum's performances are some of the best we've seen all year, as they draw us into the world of elite wrestling, expansive mansions and the complex splintering of ego, identity and masculinity. But there is one true star of "Foxcatcher" and that is Carell's prosthetic nose. It's the only thing you can look at when he's on screen (runner up: his tiny teeth) and the watershed moment where we actually get to watch Brick from "Anchorman" snort a mess of cocaine through a giant nose while on a helicopter wins for the most important scene of the year in cinema. -- Sasha Bronner

Chris Pratt Is Our New Movie Star



Whoever decided Chris Pratt should be a gigantic movie star deserves a medal. Pratt was everywhere in 2014, starring in "The LEGO Movie" and "Guardians of the Galaxy," rapping, doing the ice bucket challenge, rapping again and just basically being the best. (He even rode a motorcycle with raptors.) "Attitude is contagious," Pratt told HuffPost Entertainment in an interview this past summer. We're glad his is so awesome. -- Christopher Rosen

Grimanesa Amoros on Her Favorite Work of Art

November 26, 2014, 2:17 pm

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Every artist has one, a wish-I’d-done-that creation that inspires envy and admiration in equal measure. Some of the world’s top artists’ eyes light up whenever they’re asked to name an artwork they saw early on in their careers that triggered their imaginations and got their hearts racing.

Here's Everything Expiring From Netflix On Dec. 1

November 26, 2014, 2:29 pm

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The beginning of a new month might mean that a handful of new movies and TV shows are coming to Netflix, but sadly there are even more expiring on Dec. 1. While you're digesting Thanksgiving feasts this weekend, drag the family to the TV and start watching these movies before they're gone for good. Because if you don't rewatch "Uptown Girls," "Spice World" or "Dirty Dancing" while you can, we bet you'll regret it.

Expiring on Dec. 1:

"'night, Mother" (1986)
"1941" (1979)
"An Officer and a Gentleman" (1982)
"The Apostle" (1997)
"Assassination" (1987)
"Audrey Rose" (1977)
"The Believers" (1987)
"Better than Chocolate" (1999)
"The Big Hit" (1998)
"The Bingo Long Traveling All-Stars and Motor Kings" (1976)
"Blood & Chocolate" (2007)
"Body Count" (1998)
"The Boy in the Striped Pajamas" (2008)
"Bushwhacked" (1995)
"Chaplin" (1992)
"Cheech & Chong: Get Out of My Room" (1985)
"The Choirboys" (1977)
"The Cockeyed Cowboys of Calico County" (1970)
"Coffee and Cigarettes" (2003)
"The Cold Light of Day" (1996)
"The Colombian Connection" (2011)
"The Constant Gardener" (2005)
"Corpo Celeste" (2011)
"Count Yorga, Vampire" (1970)
"Cry-Baby" (1990)
"D2: The Might Ducks" (1994)
"Dirty Dancing" (1987)
"Dirty Dancing: Havana Night" (2004)
"Dororo" (2008)
"Double Indemnity" (1944)
"En la Cama" (2005)
"Event Horizon" (1997)
"Eye for an Eye" (1996)
"Fairy Tale: A True Story" (1997)
"First Knight" (1995)
"Five Easy Pieces" (1970)
"Flight of the Intruder" (1991)
"Foreign Student" (1994)
"Free Men" (2011)
"Funny Lady" (1975)
"The Ghost and Mrs Muir" (1947)
"The Girl from Petrovka" (1974)
"Going All the Way" (1997)
"Going Berserk" (1983)
"The Great Waldo Pepper" (1975)
"Holiday Favorites: Vol. 1-5" (1952 - 1954)
"House of Voices" (2004)
"How to Frame a Figg" (1971)
"I'm Not Rappaport" (1996)
"Imagining Argentina" (2003)
"Invaders from Mars" (1986)
"Ishtar" (1987)
"Joe Gould's Secret" (2000)
"Joe Kidd" (1972)
"Johnny Mnemonic" (1995)
"Killer at Large" (2008)
"King of the Hill" (1993)
"Lonely Hearts" (2006)
"Loser" (2000)
"Magic Trip" (2011)
"Magicians" (2007)
"The Man Who Cried" (2001)
"Mission Impossible III" (2006)
"Minnie and Moskowitz" (1971)
"Monkey Shines" (1988)
"Mr. Mom" (1983)
"A Murder of Crows" (1999)
"Night of the Creeps" (1986)
"Opal Dream" (2006)
"The Other Side of the Mountain" (1975)
"The Other Side of the Mountain, Part 2" (1978)
"Our City Dreams (2008)
"Pandaemonium" (2000)
"The Paper Chase" (1973)
"Paper Soldiers" (2002)
"Paradise Alley" (1978)
"The Parole Officer" (2001)
"The Pirates of Penzance" (1983)
"Prairie Love" (2011)
"The Presidio" (1988)
"The Promise" (1979)
"The Proposition" (1998)
"Ram Dass: Fierce Grace" (2001)
"Reds" (1981)
"Restless City" (2011)
"The Return of Count Yorga" (1971)
"RoboCop 2" (1990)
"School Ties" (1992)
"The Sci-Fi Boys" (2006)
"The Serpent and the Rainbow" (1988)
"Set Up" (2011)"
"Spice World" (1998)
"Star Trek: Generations" (1994)
"Steel Magnolias" (2012)
"Summer Rental" (1985)
"Swashbuckler" (1976)
"The Talented Mr. Ripley" (1999)
"They Might Be Giants" (1971)
"The Untouchables" (1987)
"Thursday" (1998)
"Uptown Girls" (2003)
"The Vampire Lovers" (1970)
"Walker" (1987)
"W.C. Fields and Me" (1976)
"Year of the Horse: Neil Young & Crazy Horse Live" (1997)
"Young Sherlock Holmes" (1985)

Goats And Sheep Do Their Best Human Expressions

November 27, 2014, 9:14 am

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What do you do when your neighbors are goats and sheep? Turn them into a photography project, naturally.

When photographer Kevin Horan moved from Chicago to Whidbey Island, Washington in 2007, he found himself surrounded by goats and sheep. They used to send up a chorus of "baaas" every time he came home, Horan told The Huffington Post, and because their voices were all so different, he thought they would make for good individual portraits.

This year, he unveiled his goat and sheep portraits series, "Chattel."

"Many of them are from New Moon Farm Goat Rescue and Sanctuary; some are dairy goats; and some are pets," Horan explained of his wooly subjects. "It’s kind of like photographing people -- you pick the good ones. The ones that seem to have some personality. They’ve lived a life and earned their faces ... the sheep and goats are an apt analog to the human face."

As for whether other barnyard animals will ever make it into the mix, Horan says he hasn't ruled it out.

"I’ve tried horses, and while I’ve made some nice pictures of them, they just don’t seem to work here. Is it the long face? I’m looking around for some good pigs, though. Very optimistic."

Check out Horan's portraits below:

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Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Celebrates 2014's Huge Hits

November 27, 2014, 10:23 am

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The 88th Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade ran through New York City on Thursday, bringing Snoopy, Hello Kitty and Spider-Man along with it. Hosted by "The Today Show's" Matt Lauer, Savannah Guthrie and Al Roker, the legendary parade featured marching bands, Broadway casts, Quvenzhané Wallis and some of the biggest names in pop music. From Idina Menzel to Lucy Hale, Sting to Nick Jonas, here's a look at this year's highlights.

KISS was typical KISS.


...And then hung out with Idina Menzel.

Just hanging with some buddies before #macysparade @paulstanleylive @tommy_thayer

A photo posted by Idina Menzel (@idinamenzel) on Nov 11, 2014 at 5:59am PST

Meghan Trainor sang her new single, "Lips Are Movin."



Lucy Hale goes from "Pretty Little Liars" to country star.

Just chillin with some fish on this lovely thanksgiving day

Una foto publicada por Lucy Hale (@lucyhale) el Nov 11, 2014 at 7:40 PST

The Madden brothers had some family time atop a float.



Allison Williams supported her "Peter Pan Live" co-stars.

Our cast KILLED it just now in the parade! I watched with so much pride and happiness after introducing them. I love you guys. And we love all our supporters who are as excited as we are about next Thursday. Happy Thanksgiving everybody! #PeterPanLive #1WeekAway

A photo posted by Allison Williams (@aw) on Nov 11, 2014 at 7:06am PST

Tony Danza's got a voice! The "Honeymoon In Vegas!" star took the stage.



Nick Jonas proved again why "Jealous" is actually a pretty good song.

PARADE TIME!

Uma foto publicada por @nickjonas em Nov 11, 2014 at 5:58 PST

Becky G performed "Can't Stop Dancing" with Dora The Explorer and Diego.


Quvenzhané Wallis and her "Annie" co-stars sang "It's The Hard Knock Life."


Sting riles the crowd with the cast of "The Last Ship."

Shia LaBeouf Gives Strange Silent Hour-Long 'Interview'

November 27, 2014, 11:05 am

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Celebrate your Thanksgiving by watching Shia LaBeouf be silent for an hour. In the Winter 2014 issue of Dazed, writer Aimee Cliff chronicled her time arranging an "interview" with LaBeouf. They emailed at length about his recent projects including the "I Am Sorry" installation in LA, "Fury," "Nymphomaniac" and "his newfound affinity with metamodernism." He suggested that when they met in person, they wouldn't speak. When they finally did sit down in a London hotel, LaBeouf and Cliff strapped Go-Pros to their heads and sat for an hour in silence.

During these emails, LaBeouf also wrote that he had been raped during "I Am Sorry," the exhibit in which he met people one by one (also in silence) for five days. His account of the incident is below:

One woman who came with her boyfriend, who was outside the door when this happened, whipped my legs for ten minutes and then stripped my clothing and proceeded to rape me…There were hundreds of people in line when she walked out with dishevelled hair and smudged lipstick. It was no good, not just for me but her man as well. On top of that my girl was in line to see me, because it was Valentine’s Day and I was living in the gallery for the duration of the event – we were separated for five days, no communication. So it really hurt her as well, as I guess the news of it travelled through the line. When she came in she asked for an explanation, and I couldn’t speak, so we both sat with this unexplained trauma silently. It was painful.

#INTERVIEW
http://t.co/ygB232iP8g @DazedMagazine pic.twitter.com/C7MDvK4wu8

— Shia LaBeouf (@thecampaignbook) November 27, 2014

Watch the whole "interview:"

INTERVIEW from Rönkkö / Turner on Vimeo.

To read the whole story, head over to Dazed.

Patti Smith's 'O Holy Night' Performed At 2013 Vatican Christmas Concert Is The Only Carol You Need

November 28, 2014, 5:08 am

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Patti Smith managed to make one of the most beloved Christmas hymns all the more exquisite with her gorgeous rendition of 'O Holy Night' at the 2013 Vatican concert. It's little wonder Pope Francis invited the singer back to perform again at this year's show.

With the Vatican orchestra playing back up, Smith's voice resonated throughout the Conciliation Auditorium in Rome, where the 2014 concert will also take place on Dec. 13. The carol's lyrics -- "Led by the light of faith serenely beaming" -- stand out in the wake of Smith's recent interview with HuffPost Religion senior editor Paul Raushenbush, during which the artist discussed her personal relationship with faith:

Spiritually, one has to have the ability to be lifted up themselves. You can be inspired by a rock-and-roll song but spirituality is innate. Someone can make you feel good or happy, but the actual framework of spirituality is within you.

There's no word yet what Smith's Vatican show set will include this year, but if she decides to revisit 'O Holy Night' a second time around we're sure no one would object.

LISTEN: PATTI SMITH'S SPIRITUAL WISDOM AND PROPHETIC POWER

Frank Ocean Just Released A New Song Called 'Memrise'

November 28, 2014, 5:55 am

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It has been more than two years since Frank Ocean released his debut album, "channel ORANGE," and eight months since Ocean was spotted in the studio working on that record's untitled follow-up. Now he's back with a new song. Titled "Memrise," Ocean released the track on his Tumblr page early Friday morning. There are lyrics:

I memorized the wayward expressions
Never look down
Never let you see me down
I memorized the way no directions
Can I come over now
I’d like to stay a little while
I memorized your body exposed
I could fuck you all night long
From a memory alone

I never forget a face
Don’t go plastic on me
Nothing’s set in stone
You’re not dipped in gold
Dipped in gold
You can’t breathe if you’re dipped in gold
You are not on paper
You are not a copy
You’re so, you’re so..so thick, so thick

Listen below:

James Snyder's 'I Shouldn't Be Here' Showcases Actor's 'Goofball' Side At New York's 54 Below

November 28, 2014, 6:31 am

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James Snyder has been wowing the masses as the hunky love interest of Idina Menzel in “If/Then” on Broadway since March, but the actor hopes audiences come away from his latest act with a sense of his “off-the-cuff, goofball” side.

The California native says “I Shouldn’t Be Here” explores his multifaceted stage and screen career as a series of firsts, specifically his first holiday season in New York and his first time dealing with winter weather. The show fittingly hits Manhattan’s 54 Below on Dec. 1.

“It’s a grab bag from my whole life,” Snyder, who recently named one of Broadway’s 10 sexiest men, says. Stylistically, the set is “all over the place,” featuring songs from Snyder’s 2008 alt-rock album “L.A. Curse,” as well as tunes from his roles in “Cry-Baby” on Broadway, “Carousel” at Connecticut’s Goodspeed Opera House and the City Center Encores! production of “Fanny.”

Also featured in “I Shouldn’t Be Here” will be “Cry-Baby” star Elizabeth Stanley and Matt Doyle (“Spring Awakening,” “The Book of Mormon”), who sang with Snyder on the 2007 recording of “bare: A Pop Opera.”

Check out Snyder performing with Idina Menzel, then scroll down to keep reading:


No doubt the show will venture into personal territory, too. At a press preview of the show in late November, Snyder crooned a Hanukkah-tinged rendition of the holiday classic, “Please Come Home For Christmas (Bells Will Be Ringing).” The song choice was a nod to Snyder’s embrace of “Chrismukkah” after he tied the knot with wife Jacqueline Dadon, who is Jewish. These days, the couple celebrates both Christmas and Hanukkah with two-year-old son, Oliver, and Snyder has tapped Broadway stalwart Seth Rudetsky to join him for a number or two during the show teach him “a little bit more about being Jewish.”

For all of his work on Broadway, Snyder seems most proud of his “legit” 2012 turn in “Carousel,” which prompted the producers of “If/Then” to encourage him to audition for their show. If the actor has his way, his next stage or screen role will be in the same vein as that Rodgers and Hammerstein classic.

“Not a lot of people my age and my type have really found their legit voice,” he says. “I don’t know what’s next, and of course I’m not going to say no to something contemporary, but I hope I get the chance to do something of that grandeur again, something of that size and scope. I grew up watching ‘The Music Man’ and ‘Oklahoma,’ and now that I’m here and I feel like I’m gaining some footing, I would love to go back to those roots.”

James Snyder's "I Shouldn't Be Here" plays New York's 54 Below on Dec. 1. Head here for more information.