General

Disney, Tim Burton & Linda Woolverton deliver an “Alice” for the ages

WARNING! There be spoilers a-plenty in Jim Hill’s review of this new Tim Burton film. Which is a “Wonderland” that you’ll want to return to again & again.

Published

15 years ago

March 5, 2010

Jim Hill

“Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.”

Said by the King to the White Rabbit in Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”

Okay. Then let’s start with the obvious. Which is that – up until now – there really hasn’t been a good movie version of “Alice in Wonderland.”

Oh, sure. There have previously been fine pictures that used various characters, elements and themes from Lewis Carroll’s books (1985’s “Dreamchild” comes immediately to mind. Thanks to Dennis Potter’s brilliant screenplay as well as the Jim Henson’s Creature Shop’s fantastic interpretations of the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Gryphon and the Mock Turtle). But when it comes to straightforwardly adapting “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass” to the screen … Over the years, time & again, some very talented people have made heroic efforts but ultimately come up short.

The list of missed opportunities dates all the way back to Paramount Picture’s 1933 all-star dud version of “Alice in Wonderland” (which featured W.C. Fields — under ridiculously heavy make-up, I might add – as Humpty Dumpty and Gary Cooper as the White Knight) and 1972’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” (which featured future “Phantom of the Opera” Michael Crawford as the White Rabbit and Dudley Moore as the Dormouse).

There have even been several versions produced for television. Among them 1966’s “Alice Through the Looking Glass” (which featured Jack Palance as the Jabberwock) as well as 1985’s “Alice in Wonderland” (i.e. a star-studded Irwin Allen affair that – to give you an idea how awful the casting on this particular TV production was — featured Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé as Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee).

Even Walt Disney came up short when he tried to transfer the “Alice” books to the big screen. Though his Studio’s artists & animators struggled for almost two decades to pull an emotionally engaging motion picture out of this whimsical source material (at one point, Walt even turned to “Brave New World” author Aldous Huxley and asked him to take a swing at adapting Lewis Carroll to the screen. Huxley’s efforts were ultimately rejected by Disney, reportedly because Walt could only recognize every third word in Aldous’ “Alice” screenplay), Disney’s 1951 animated version still missed the mark.

Looking back on this troubled production, Walt eventually decided that the main reason that Disney’s original “Wonderland” didn’t won over audiences was because “Alice” lacked heart.

Well, nearly 60 years after the Studio’s first stab at adapting “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and “Through the Looking Glass,” Disney has now made another run at “Wonderland.” Only this time around, thanks to Tim Burton’s inspired direction and Linda Woolverton’s winning screenplay, “Alice” has (to borrow a familiar phrase from “The Wizard of Oz”) has heart, brains and courage to spare.

In fact, fans of MGM’s 1939 version of L. Frank Baum’s much beloved book are sure to see some echoes of that movie in this new Tim Burton film. Especially in “Alice in Wonderland” ‘s opening engagement party sequence. Where Alice’s fussy would-be fiancée, Hamish (Leo Bill) reminds us of the White Rabbit, Lady Ascot (Geraldine James) forebodes the Red Queen and Faith & Fiona Chattaway (Eleanor Geeks & Eleanor Tomlinson) are clearly meant to be stand-ins for
Tweedle Dum & Tweedle Dee.

Which brings us to Woolverton (i.e. a Disney vet who made numerous contributions to the screenplays of “Beauty & the Beast,” “The Lion King” and “Mulan”)’s brilliant screenplay. How is it that Linda succeeded where so many others had failed over the years? It’s simple, really. Instead of trying to adapt “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and/or “Through the Looking Glass” to the big screen, Woolverton wrote a sequel to Carroll’s stories. Where a 19-year-old Alice (Mia Wasikowska) – who’s feeling pressured into an unwanted engagement
and still grieving over the death of her father — returns to Wonderland and finds a fantasy kingdom that’s very much in need of a champion.

You see, Iracebeth, the Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) has stolen the crown away from Mirana, the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), the rightful ruler of Underland (That’s another one of Woolverton’s clever conceits. That Alice mis-heard the name of this fantastical underground empire during her first visit. Which is why she then called it Wonderland). And with the help of the Knave of Hearts (Crispin Glover) and the Jabberwocky (voiced by Sir Christopher Lee), Iracebeth now rules the land with an iron hand. Enslaved the weak & meek and beheading those who dare to stand up to her.

Mind you, the Ocaculum (a kind of forward-looking calendar for all of Underland history) has foretold that – on Frabjous Day — Alice will slay the Jabberwocky and thus free all those who suffer under the Red Queen’s rule. Which is why the White Rabbit (voiced by Paul Whitehouse) ventures out into the real world to try & find Alice and then bring her back.

Unfortunately, everyone in Underland is expecting the White Rabbit to return with a 9-year-old girl. Not a 19-year-old woman who’s – again quoting from Woolverton’s screenplay – has lost her muchness. Her sense of self.

And given that Alice – when confronted with her fate – flat-out refuses to pick up the Vorpal Sword, the would-be revolutionaries of Underland are quick to declare her the wrong Alice. Only the Mad Hatter (Johnny Depp) immediately recognizes this young lady as what / who she truly is. Striding across a table full of crockery, he grabs this then-diminutive woman’s hand and says “It’s you. It’s absolutely Alice. You’re absolutely Alice. I’d know you anywhere. I’d know him anywhere.”

Now the ads and posters for “Alice in Wonderland” have been selling Johnny Depp as the star of this particular Walt Disney Pictures release. But – truth be told – the Mad Hatter is mostly a supporting role in this picture. But – that said – Johnny does a really great job with this part. Instantly winning the audience’s sympathy as this rather tattered & forlorn character who really doesn’t want to be mad. But who was left unhinged by this awful event that occurred when …

No. I’m not going to spoil that part of this story. As it is, I’ve already given away far too many of “Alice in Wonderland” ‘s secrets. But what I will say is that Woolverton’s decision to give the Hatter a backstory, give this well-known Lewis Carroll character a definitive reason as
to why he might have become Mad was sheer genius.

And the best part of “Alice in Wonderland” is that Tim Burton takes Linda’s screenplay and then layers it with these terrific visuals and solid performances where the film’s human performers interact seamless with all the CG creatures that inhabit this cinematic world. So that – in the end – this movie is a cohesive whole. Filled with all of the excitement & emotion that previous film versions of “Alice in Wonderland” have lacked.

In short, this is an “Alice” for the ages. Loaded with laughs (My favorite story-driven gag out of this movie has to be when Alice is getting ready to do battle the Jabberwocky. As she steels her courage, Alice tells the Hatter that “Sometimes I believe in as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” To which the Hatter replies “That is an excellent practice. However, just at the moment, you really might want to focus on the Jabberwocky”), terrific visual effects as well as great vocal performances (wait ‘til you hear Stephen Fry as the Cheshire Cat and Alan Rickman as the Caterpillar), this is one “Wonderland” that you’re going to want to visit again & again.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Given that the White Rabbit is famous for saying “I’m Late! I’m Late! For a very important date!,” I thought that I’d use today’s “Alice in Wonderland” review as an opportunity to apologize for this site’s lack of content over the past few days.

To be blunt, Nancy and I spent the 10 days traveling – driving down to NYC to check out the construction of the new Times Square Disney Store, then flying down to WDW to cover the grand opening / rebranding of the ESPN Wide World of Sports, then zooming out to New Orleans to tour the “Dreams Come True” exhibit at the NOMA before finally flying home just in time to catch
Boston’s press screening of “Alice in Wonderland.”

And then — what with having to come back home to New Hampshire and then dig our place out from under that week’s worth of snowstorms that occurred while we were away – it just got to be too much. We were exhausted. Nancy and I both needed a day or so there to rest, relax, regroup, recover. Which is why we stepped away from this website for a wee bit earlier this week.

Photo by Rebecca Moore

But the upside is … As a direct result of all that traveling that we did last week, JimHillMedia scored some pretty amazing stories. Several of which will be popping up on this site in the coming weeks.

So, again, my apologies for the lack of content over the past few days. But now we’re rested & refreshed (Well, I am anyway. Poor Nancy’s actually wound up a case of walking pneumonia. Which actually put us further behind schedule here at JHM. What with all those trips out of the woods to go visit the doctor and/or pick up prescriptions) and ready to get back to work.

Your thoughts?

General

Seward Johnson bronzes add a surreal, artistic touch to NYC’s Garment District

Published

9 years ago

June 23, 2015

Jim Hill

Greetings from NYC. Nancy and I drove down from New
Hampshire yesterday because we'll be checking out
Disney Consumer Products' annual Holiday Showcase later today.

Anyway … After checking into our hotel (i.e., The Paul.
Which is located down in NYC's NoMad district), we decided to grab some dinner.
Which is how we wound up at the Melt Shop.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is this restaurant that only sells grilled cheese sandwiches.
This comfort food was delicious, but kind of on the heavy side.

Photo by Jim Hill

Which is why — given that it was a beautiful summer night
— we'd then try and walk off our meals. We started our stroll down by the Empire
State Building
…

Photo by Jim Hill

… and eventually wound up just below Times
Square (right behind where the Waterford Crystal Times Square New
Year's Eve Ball is kept).

Photo by Jim Hill

But you know what we discovered en route? Right in the heart
of Manhattan's Garment District
along Broadway between 36th and 41st? This incredibly cool series of life-like
and life-sized sculptures that Seward
Johnson has created.

Photo by Jim Hill

And — yes — that is Abraham Lincoln (who seems to have
slipped out of WDW's Hall of Presidents when no one was looking and is now
leading tourists around Times Square). These 18 painted
bronze pieces (which were just installed late this past Sunday night / early
Monday morning) range from the surreal to the all-too-real.

Photo by Jim Hill

Some of these pieces look like typical New Yorkers. Like the
business woman planning out her day …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the postman delivering the mail …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the hot dog vendor working at his cart …

Photo by Jim Hill

… the street musician playing for tourists …

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention the tourists themselves.

Photo by Jim Hill

But right alongside the bronze businessmen …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and the tired grandmother hauling her groceries home …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there were also statues representing people who were
from out-of-town …

Photo by Jim Hill

… or — for that matter — out-of-time.

Photo by Jim Hill

These were the Seward Johnson pieces that genuinely beguiled. Famous impressionist paintings brought to life in three dimensions.

Note the out-of-period water bottle that some tourist left
behind. Photo by Jim Hill

Some of them so lifelike that you actually had to pause for
a moment (especially as day gave way to night in the city) and say to yourself
"Is that one of the bronzes? Or just someone pretending to be one of these
bronzes?"

Mind you, for those of you who aren't big fans of the
impressionists …

Photo by Jim Hill

… there's also an array of American icons. Among them
Marilyn Monroe …

Photo by Jim Hill

… and that farmer couple from Grant Wood's "American
Gothic."

Photo by Jim Hill

But for those of you who know your NYC history, it's hard to
beat that piece which recreates Alfred Eisenstaedt's famous photograph of V-J Day in Times Square.

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, a 25-foot-tall version of this particular Seward
Johnson piece ( which — FYI — is entitled "Embracing Peace") will actually
be placed in Times Square for a few days on or around August 14th to commemorate the 70th
anniversary of Victory Over Japan Day (V-J Day).

Photo by Jim Hill

By the way, if you'd like to check these Seward Johnson bronzes in
person (which — it should be noted — are part of the part of the Garment
District Alliance's new public art offering) — you'd best schedule a trip to
the City sometime over the next three months. For these pieces will only be on
display now through September 15th.

General

Wondering what you should “Boldly Go” see at the movies next year? The 2015 Licensing Expo offers you some clues

Published

9 years ago

June 10, 2015

Jim Hill

Greeting from the 2015 Licensing Expo, which is being held
at the Mandalay Bay
Convention Center in Las
Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

I have to admit that I enjoy covering the Licensing Expo.
Mostly becomes it allows bloggers & entertainment writers like myself to
get a peek over the horizon. Scope out some of the major motion pictures &
TV shows that today's vertically integrated entertainment conglomerates
(Remember when these companies used to be called movie studios?) will be
sending our way over the next two years or so.

Photo by Jim Hill

Take — for example — all of "The Secret Life of
Pets" banners that greeted Expo attendees as they made their way to the
show floor today. I actually got to see some footage from this new Illumination
Entertainment production (which will hit theaters on July 8, 2016) the last time I was in Vegas. Which
was for CinemaCon back in April. And the five or so minutes of film that I viewed
suggested that "The Secret Life of Pets" will be a really funny
animated feature.

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, Universal Pictures wanted to make sure that Expo
attendees remembered that there was another Illumination Entertainment production
coming-to-a-theater-near-them before "The Secret Life of Pets" (And
that's "Minions," the "Despicable Me" prequel. Which
premieres at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival next week but
won't be screened stateside 'til July 10th of this year). Which is why they had
three minions who were made entirely out of LEGOS loitering out in the lobby.

Photo by Jim Hill

And Warner Bros. — because they wanted "Batman v
Superman: Dawn of Justice" to start trending on Twitter today — brought
the Batmobile to Las Vegas.

Photo by Jim Hill

Not to mention full-sized macquettes of Batman, Superman and
Wonder Woman. Just so conventioneers could then see what these DC superheroes
would actually look like in this eagerly anticipated, March 25, 2016 release.

Photo by Jim Hill

That's the thing that can sometimes be a wee bit frustrating
about the Licensing Expo. It's all about delayed gratification. You'll come
around a corner and see this 100 foot-long ad for "The Peanuts Movie"
and think "Hey, that looks great. I want to see that Blue Sky Studios production
right now." It's only then that you notice the fine print and realize that
"The Peanuts Movie" doesn't actually open in theaters 'til November
6th of this year.

Photo by Jim Hill

And fan of Blue Sky's "Ice Age" film franchise are in for an even
longer wait. Given that the latest installment in that top grossing series
doesn't arrive in theaters 'til July
15, 2016.

Photo by Jim Hill

Of course, if you're one of those people who needs immediate
gratification when it comes to your entertainment, there was stuff like that to
be found at this year's Licensing Expo. Take — for example — how the WWE
booth was actually shaped like a wrestling ring. Which — I'm guessing — meant
that if the executives of World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. didn't like
the offer that you were making, they were then allowed to toss you out over the
top rope, Royal Rumble-style.

Photo by Jim Hill

I also have to admit that — as a longtime Star Trek fan —
it was cool to see the enormous Starship Enterprise that hung in place over the
CBS booth. Not to mention getting a glimpse of the official Star Trek 50th
Anniversary logo.

Photo by Jim Hill

I was also pleased to see lots of activity in The Jim Henson
Company booth. Which suggests that JHC has actually finally carved out a
post-Muppets identity for itself.

Photo by Jim Hill

Likewise for all of us who were getting a little concerned
about DreamWorks Animation (what with all the layoffs & write-downs &
projects that were put into turnaround or outright cancelled last year), it was
nice to see that booth bustling.

Photo by Jim Hill

Every so often, you'd come across some people who were
promoting a movie that you weren't entirely sure that you actually wanted to
see (EX: "Angry Birds," which Sony Pictures Entertainment / Columbia
Pictures will be releasing to theaters on May 20, 2016). But then you remembered that Clay Kaytis —
who's this hugely talented former Walt Disney Animation Studios animator — is
riding herd on "Angry Birds" with Fergal Reilly. And you'd think
"Well, if Clay's working on 'Angry Birds,' I'm sure this animated feature
will turn out fine."

Photo by Jim Hill

Mind you, there were reminders at this year's Licensing Expo
of great animated features that we're never going to get to see now. I still
can't believe — especially after that brilliant proof-of-concept footage
popped up online last year — that Sony execs decided not to go forward
with production of Genndy Tartakovsky's
"Popeye" movie. But that's the
cruel thing about the entertainment business, folks. It will sometime break
your heart.

Photo by Jim Hill

And make no mistake about this. The Licensing Expo is all
about business. That point was clearly driven home at this year's show when —
as you walked through the doors of the Mandalay
Bay Convention Center
— the first thing that you saw was the Hasbros Booth. Which was this gleaming,
sleek two story-tall affair full of people who were negotiating deals &
signing contracts for all of the would-be summer blockbusters that have already
announced release dates for 2019 & beyond.

Photo by Jim Hill

"But what about The Walt Disney Company?," you
ask. "Weren't they represented on the show floor at this year's Licensing
Expo?" Not really, not. I mean, sure. There were a few companies there hyping
Disney-related products. Take — for example — the Disney Wikkeez people.

Photo by Jim Hill

I'm assuming that some Disney Consumer Products exec is
hoping that Wikkeez will eventually become the new Tsum Tsum. But to be blunt,
these little hard plastic figures don't seem to have the same huggable charm
that those stackable plush do. But I've been wrong before. So let's see what
happens with Disney Wikkeez once they start showing up on the shelves of the
Company's North American retail partners.

Photo by Jim Hill

And speaking of Disney's retail partners … They were
meeting with Mouse House executives behind closed doors one floor down from the
official show floor for this year's Licensing Expo.

Photo by Jim Hill

And the theme for this year's invitation-only Disney shindig? "Timeless
Stories" involving the Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm brands that
would then appeal to "tomorrow's consumer."

Photo by Jim Hill

And just to sort of hammer home the idea that Disney is no
longer the Company which cornered the market when it comes to little girls
(i.e., its Disney Princess and Disney Fairies franchises), check out this
wall-sized Star Wars-related image that DCP put up just outside of one of its
many private meeting rooms. "See?," this carefully crafted photo
screams. "It isn't just little boys who want to wield the Force. Little
girls also want to grow up and be Lords of the Sith."

Photo by Jim Hill

One final, kind-of-ironic note: According to this banner,
Paramount Pictures will be releasing a movie called "Amusement Park"
to theaters sometime in 2017.

Photo by Jim Hill

Well, given all the "Blackfish" -related issues
that have been dogged SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment over the past two years, I'm
just hoping that they'll still be in the amusement park business come 2017.

Your thoughts?

General

It takes more than three circles to craft a Classic version of Mickey Mouse

Published

9 years ago

June 9, 2015

Jim Hill

You know what Mickey Mouse looks like, right? Little guy,
big ears?

Truth be told, Disney's corporate symbol has a lot of
different looks. If Mickey's interacting with Guests at Disneyland
Park (especially this summer, when
the Happiest Place on Earth
is celebrating its 60th anniversary), he looks & dresses like this.

Or when he's appearing in one of those Emmy Award-winning shorts that Disney
Television Animation has produced (EX: "Bronco Busted," which debuts
on the Disney Channel tonight at 8 p.m. ET / PT), Mickey is drawn in a such a
way that he looks hip, cool, edgy & retro all at the same time.

Looking ahead to 2017 now, when Disney Junior rolls out "Mickey and the
Roadster Racers," this brand-new animated series will feature a sportier version
of Disney's corporate symbol. One that Mouse House managers hope will persuade
preschool boys to more fully embrace this now 86 year-old character.

That's what most people don't realize about the Mouse. The
Walt Disney Company deliberately tailors Mickey's look, even his style of
movement, depending on what sort of project / production he's appearing in.

Take — for example — Disney
California Adventure
Park's "World of Color:
Celebrate!" Because Disney's main mouse would be co-hosting this new
nighttime lagoon show with ace emcee Neil Patrick Harris, Eric Goldberg really had
to step up Mickey's game. Which is why this master Disney animator created
several minutes of all-new Mouse animation which then showed that Mickey was
just as skilled a showman as Neil was.

Better yet, let's take a look at what the folks at Avalanche Studios just went
through as they attempted to create a Classic version of Mickey & Minnie.
One that would then allow this popular pair to become part of Disney Infinity
3.0.

"I won't lie to you. We were under a lot of pressure to
get the look of this particular version of Mickey — he's called Red Pants
Mickey around here — just right," said Jeff Bunker, the VP of Art
Development at Avalanche Studios, during a recent phone interview. "When
we brought Sorcerer Mickey into Disney Infinity 1.0 back in January of 2014,
that one was relatively easy because … Well, everyone knows what Mickey Mouse
looked like when he appeared in 'Fantasia.' "

"But this time around, we were being asked to design
THE Mickey & Minnie," Bunker continued. "And given that these Classic
Disney characters have been around in various different forms for the better
part of the last century … Well, which look was the right look?"

Which is why Jeff and his team at Avalanche Studios began watching hours &
hours of Mickey Mouse shorts. As they tried to get a handle on which look would
work best for these characters in Disney Infinity 3.0.

"And we went all the way back to the very start of Mickey's career. We began
with 'Steamboat Willie' and then watched all of those black & white Mickey shorts
that Walt made back in the late 1920s & early 1930s. From there, we
transitioned to his Technicolor shorts. Which is when Mickey went from being
this pie-eyed, really feisty character to more of a well-behaved leading
man," Bunker recalled. "We then finished out our Mouse marathon by
watching all of those new Mickey shorts that Paul Rudish & his team have
been creating for Disney Television Animation. Those cartoons really recapture
a lot of the spirit and wild slapstick fun that Mickey's early, black &
white shorts had."

But given that the specific assignment that Avalanche Studios had been handed
was to create the most appealing looking, likeable version of Mickey Mouse
possible … In the end, Jeff and his team wound up borrowing bits & pieces
from a lot of different versions of the world's most famous mouse. So that
Classic Mickey would then look & move in a way that best fit the sort of
gameplay which people would soon be able to experience with Disney Infinity
3.0.

"That — in a lot of ways — was actually the toughest
part of the Classic Mickey design project. You have to remember that one of the
key creative conceits of Disney Infinity
is that all the characters which appear in this game are toys," Bunker
stated. "Okay. So they're beautifully detailed, highly stylized toy
versions of beloved Disney, Pixar, Marvel & Lucasfilm characters. But
they're still supposed to be toys. So our Classic versions of Mickey &
Minnie have the same sort of thickness & sturdiness to them that toys have.
So that they'll then be able to fit right in with all of the rest of the
characters that Avalanche Studios had previously designed for Disney Infinity."

And then there was the matter of coming up with just the
right pose for Classic Mickey & Minnie. Which — to hear Jeff tell the
story — involved input from a lot of Disney upper management.

"Everyone within the Company seemed to have an opinion
about how Mickey & Minnie should be posed. More to the point, if you Google
Mickey, you then discover that there are literally thousands of poses out there
for these two. Though — truth be told — a lot of those kind of play off the
way Mickey poses when he's being Disney's corporate symbol," Bunker said.
"But what I was most concerned about was that Mickey's pose had to work
with Minnie's pose. Because we were bringing the Classic versions of these
characters up into Disney Infinity 3.0 at the exact same time. And we wanted to
make sure — especially for those fans who like to put their Disney Infinity
figures on display — that Mickey's pose would then complement Minnie.

Which is why Jeff & the crew at Avalanche Studios
decided — when it came to Classic Mickey & Minnie's pose — that they
should go all the way back to the beginning. Which is why these two Disney icons
are sculpted in such a way that it almost seems as though you're witnessing the
very first time Mickey set eyes on Minnie.

"And what was really great about that was — as soon as
we began showing people within the Company this pose — everyone at Disney
quickly got on board with the idea. I mean, the Classic Mickey that we sculpted
for Disney Infinity 3.0 is clearly a very playful, spunky character. But at the
same time, he's obviously got eyes for Minnie," Bunker concluded. "So
in the end, we were able to come up with Classic versions of these characters
that will work well within the creative confines of Disney Infinity 3.0 but at
the same time please those Disney fans who just collect these figures because
they like the way the Disney Infinity characters look."

So now that this particular design project is over, does
Jeff regret that Mouse House upper management was so hands-on when it came to
making sure that the Classic versions of Mickey & Minnie were specifically
tailored to fit the look & style of gameplay found in Disney Infinity 3.0?

"To be blunt, we go through this every time we add a new character to the
game. The folks at Lucasfilm were just as hands-on when we were designing the
versions of Darth Vader and Yoda that will also soon be appearing in Disney
Infinity 3.0," Bunker laughed. "So in the end, if the character's
creators AND the fans are happy, then I'm happy."

This article was originally posted on the Huffington Post's Entertainment page on Tuesday, June 9, 2015