REEL TALK's with you for your Oscar fix. From the red carpet to the teary-eye speeches, here's our up-to-the minute Academy Awards commentary.

9:38: So far no big surprises - except for how lame Jon Stewart's jokes are. Javier Bardem finally claimed the award he basically won 3 months ago. Biggest shocker so far? The Golden Compass winning visual effects over "Transformers." What a travesty!!

9:39 - Alison Bailes: It's so typical that the Oscar for best animated feature went to "Ratatouille." Not that it wasn't a great film, but wouldn't it have been great to see "Persepolis" win? Something different than the usual Disney/Pixar effort. Makes me wonder how many of the voting members actually saw "Persepolis."

9:44: "Peter and the Wolf?!?" Drat. My Oscar pool is collapsing rapidly. I thought any film with 'Walrus' in the title was a shoo-in. BTW, anyone else sick of "The Bee Movie" tie-ins? Ugh.

9:49: The first surprise of the night - Tilda wins out over Cate and Ruby Dee. Dont think too many people picked her. And even fewer would have thought the funniest acceptance speech would come from her. Go Tilda!

9:52: It took almost until 10 P.M. to get our first Jack Nicholson cutaway and joke.

9:55: The "No Country for Old Men" caravan keeps rolling. The Coen brothers just grabbed Best Adapted Screenplay. The first of several for the brothers, we suspect.

10:00: Mixed reaction in my apartment for the Kristin Chenoweth version of 'That’s How You Know' from Enchanted. I liked it but my wife Cindi thought it stunk.
And was I the only one hoping Miley Ray Cyrus would fall while walking to the mic?

10:05: Seth Cohen and Jonah Hill save the day! Their 'im halle berry, youre dame judi dench' routine was priceless!! And whats the difference between Sound Editing and Sound Mixing?? Isn't it the same thing?? Why have two categories???
My head hurts.

10:18: How great was it to see Marion Cotillard win in a category full of superb performances? Her speech will lead all the news packages, just watch. That was pure joy on her face. Good for her. Marion's any absolute babe, inside and out. I'm just sad my personal fave Cate Blanchett is going home empty-handed.

10:18: When I spoke to Tilda Swinton at Sundance this year, she expressed relief that there might not be any big awards shows due to the writers' strike. She said she was daunted at the thought of the red carpet and having to dress up in a posh frock. I love that honesty, and a woman who doesn't bow to the ridiculous standards of Hollywood's idea of beauty. How refreshing to see an actress comfortable enough in her own skin to go to the Oscars without makeup!!

10:18: The two leads from "Once" had the best performance so far. Simply perfect almost makes me want to root for them - except i picked 'That’s How You Know' in the pool.

10:40: Strange seeing Jack Nicholson doing such an early segment. I always expect him to do Best Picture or at least Best Director. Doesn't the Academy realize "The Bucket List" has made over 85 million at the box office??

10:50: Three nominations for the same movie and still, Disney's Enchanted came up empty in Best Original Song.
The couple from 'Once' were just as deserving and a win certainly does more for them career-wise than another win for the Disney empire.

11:00: When people look back on the 80th annual Oscars, the most memorable moment will be when he decided to amend the Academy's mistake of cutting off Markéta Irglová's speech after winning Best Original Song by giving her a chance to say her thanks. And what a touching speech, saluting the spirit of indie filmmaking. Classy move by Stewart.

11:05: I can't believe the Academy's production team couldn't find a way to insert five seconds of video at the end of the obit piece to salute Roy Scheider. Disgraceful oversight of an actor who was not only a 2-time Oscar nominee but just a tremendous actor. He also muttered one of the most famous lines in history - one so famous that I’m not even going to write it here because if you’re reading this you should know it.

Cant believe he didn’t get the proper respect, considering he passed away so recently. Shame on you, Academy!

11:45: Daniel Day-Lewis was the easiest call of the night.

The Coen Brothers for Best Director was a close second.

This year's Oscars has turned out to be very predictable. How much that impacts the ratings, who knows? I bet they’re lower than usual.

12:00: The biggest surprise of the night for me was that the show wrapped before midnight.

But aside from that, it was pretty by-the-book, with few surprises since most of the major winners were correctly forecasted.

There's nothing the producers can do about that. But hopefully next year, with no writers strike going on, they can work on jazzing up the show a bit. Just felt a bit...I don't know. Stale. Maybe it's just me. I'm bitter because I lost my Oscar pool, AGAIN.

While news of this weekend's possible breakthrough in the talks to end the Writers Strike had everyone excited, here's a sobering reminder that until a deal is officially reached, Oscar night remains in jeopardy.

Today Vanity Fair magazine announced it was cancelling its annual Oscar party. Usually one of the biggest A-List affairs on Hollywood's biggest night, the VF party was supposed to be held at Craft, since the usual location -- Morton's -- has closed.

A statement on the magazine's website says: "After much consideration, and in support of the writers and everyone else affected by this strike, we have decided that this is not the appropriate year to hold our annual Oscar party. We want to congratulate all of this year’s nominees and we look forward to hosting our 15th Oscar party next year."

The latest word on the strike talks is that an agreement is this close to being reached, check out www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com's strike updates for all the details.

Better happen soon if the big, bloated, 45 minutes too-long Oscar ceremony we all love to watch is going to happen.

This weekend's big release (at least the one they screened critics) is the 'spirited' comedy "Over Her Dead Body" starring Eva Longoria Parker, Paul Rudd and Lake Bell. Jeffrey talks with Mrs. Longoria Parker in this week's Top Billing.

Jeffrey and Alison also review two foreign films opening in select cities: the Romanian picture "4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days" and the Lebanese comedy "Caramel," which is set in a Beirut beauty salon, of all places.

Our peerless critics give you the heads up on the Canadian comedy import "Trailer Park Boys: The Movie" which is based on a popular north-of-the-border TV show. Think “Jackass” only with fewer stunts and less class!

Oh, and that special one-week engagement of "Hannah Montana & Miley Cyrus: Best of Both Worlds 3D Concert Tour" that's been all over the news? The one that's causing movie theater sellouts nationwide?? They’ll review that as well. I guarantee you'll be surprised by what Jeffrey and Alison have to say.

And what's the connection between David Letterman and Michael Keaton's directing career? You'll have to tune in this weekend to see our chat with the actor turned director about his indie film "The Merry Gentleman," which premiered at Sundance.

Click the Where To Watch tab to see when/where REEL TALK is airing. Enjoy!

[Photos Courtesy of Getty Images and TrailerParkBoys.com]

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Having worked covering independent film for several years before my current gig with “REEL TALK,” I was thrilled to see so many indie made and indie-spirited films receive Oscar nominations this morning. To me it’s a sign that Hollywood is ready to embrace alternative fare and films that take more risks than your average studio produced movie.

Of course, “Juno” is the talk of the town, with its nods for actress, screenplay and picture, which I think stunned everyone. It seems like a shoe-in for best original screenplay, although I don’t think it can compete with more ‘serious’ films such as “There Will Be Blood” (my pick!) and the costumed glory of “Atonement.”

“The Savages” has also connected with Academy voters. A small, very dark comedy, it was nominated for original screenplay by Tamara Jenkins and best actress, Laura Linney -- always a friend to the indies.

And then there’s Tilda Swinton in “Michael Clayton.” Although the film isn’t a small indie project, Swinton is an actress whose love of off-beat projects keeps her energized. from “Orlando” to “Stephanie Daley,” she is always challenging her audiences. She also does not fit in to the current ideals of beauty that Hollywood espouses -- nor does she pander to its vanities, and she is all the more beautiful for it. This week she was out at Sundance promoting a documentary she produced, wrote and narrates about British film pioneer Derek Jarman.

I’m rooting for her to win best supporting actress for her portrayal as a merciless corporate attorney in “Michael Clayton.”

This weekend might feel like a dedicated James Marsden weekend here on REEL TALK. Not only do we interview the actor during our ‘Spotlight On’ section but we also review his latest film, “27 Dresses.” You can view the extended length interview here.

Also reviewed this weekend is the cautionary tale "Teeth," (which is actually an urban legend of some sort), "Day Zero," "Cassandra’s Dream," "Mad Money" and "No Country For Old Men" which features Golden Globe winner Javier Bardem.

It's going to be a whirlwind of a weekend here on REEL TALK. Check the Where To Watch tab at the top of the page to find out where to watch.

So the Golden Globes are history, and this year their impact at the box office will have even less of an effect. In recent years, the Golden Globes has become more important but as a prelude and a reminder to Oscar nominators about fine performances. The preferences of Italian or German interviewers -- most of whom aren't critics -- as to which is the best film or performance often don't jive with American critics' or movie goer's tastes.

But in a normal year, the stars all show up, and you can see them in a much more casual setting...dining, drinking, relaxing, being closer to their real personae, than at the formal Oscars. It's like watching ballplayers relax around the cage during batting practice; you get a glimpse of what might follow.

This year, however, they assembled hosts of all the show business programs who simply read the nominees and winners. While I'm certain not many tuned in, maybe they were on to something. The Oscars are often unintentionally hilarious with clumsy dance numbers and inane banter (sorry writers) uttered by when-worlds-collide presenting couples, often of different generations.

This year's press conference (are those presenters really press?) was quick and to the point. Maybe that's the way the Oscars ought to be. We'd all get a lot more sleep.

Oh, and you can view our interview with the pictured winner, Marion Cotillard, here.

The announcement that the Golden Globes will be cancelled and only a press conference held isn't surprising, but at the same time it's shocking, if that's possible.

It will be a tremendous hit to NBC and anyone associated with the awards show, to say nothing of depriving actors from the wide exposure prior to Oscar nominations -- the real reason for the Globes in the first place. But, a picket line can't be crossed. Other awards shows like The Broadcast Critics' Award show had many big stars in attendance, probably aware that the Globes would not be held. They will also turn up for the Screen Actors' Guild awards, which also got a waiver from the striking writers' union.

On the horizon, of course, are the Oscars. I can't imagine there not being Oscars as we know them, but it's a definite possibility. No one benefits from this situation, and it will be interesting to see if the Oscars do get cancelled or truncated in some way and how the box office will be affected. That, after all, is the real reason for these awards shows.

Again, I'm calling for a federal mediator or someone mutually respected like former Labor Secretary Robert Reich, now a Harvard professor, to summon the parties to binding arbitration. Too many people not directly involved in the strike are being hurt.

This has gone on too long.

With the recent announcement of the non-televised Golden Globes, one can only wonder if the Oscars will air or suffer the same fate. But could this now 11-week strike actually affect the Academy Awards? Lets hope all details will be ironed out soon, some of us are preparing for the worse.

Similar to Monday night's Critics Choice Awards, will stars cross the picket line to receive their golden statues? But was it even acceptable for actors to attend Monday night’s Critics Choice Awards ceremony int he first place with the looming strike?

Cross or continue, we all hope a decision will be made soon. Besides, America’s favorite past time is obsessing over who wore what, who said what and who deserves the credit. And we can't do that if there is no show!

What do you think? Will ’08 be a year of press conference award shows or is an end near?

I had the pleasure of catching music 'icon' Dewey Cox and his band The Hard Walkers Wednesday night at The Knitting Factory club in Lower Manhattan. Dewey of course, is John C. Reilly's on screen alter-ego in the 'Behind The Music' spoof "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story" which hits theaters this weekend. All I can say is, Reilly is a genuine talent. Seriously, Dewey Cox Rox!!

If you don't believe me, check out the clips from the concert that are all over YouTube already. I mean, the movie may be a send up of "Walk the Line" and "Ray" but the music is no joke. Reilly co-wrote most of the songs and sings/plays guitar on all of them, and some are so catchy you'll need therapy to get them out of your head.

He also stayed in character throughout the nearly 90-minute show. The story behind the concert tour is that it's basically a promotion for the movie. While he's on stage, Reilly-as-Dewey explains that he's been transported to the present day via a 'wormhole' (his words) in a younger incarnation of himself to perform all his classics from his several decades as a music icon who inspired people like Muddy Waters and had his music ripped off by the likes of Robert Dylan (again, his words).

One of the highlights from the show was "Let's Duet" which Reilly, er, Dewey, sang with co-star Kristin Wiig from "Saturday Night Live" filling in for Jenna Fischer (Kristin is also Dewey's first wife in the movie). Wiig has a nice voice but she seemed a bit nervous at first singing in front of an audience, which is weird considering she works on Saturday Night LIVE. But she seemed to get over it quickly and did a great job on the song, which is hysterical.

But nothing, I mean nothing, in the show topped "Let Me Hold You (Little Man)." If you haven't seen the movie, well, then some of Dewey's songs won't be quite as entertaining because you can't picture the scenes they're in. But 'Little Man' is a scream whether you've seen the picture or not. The crowd was in tears from laughing at this absolutely dead-perfect parody of one of those take-myself-so-serious-it-hurts acoustic songs that were all the rage in the early 70s. Only Reilly's song has some of the most politically-incorrect lyrics you will ever hear.

Dewey tossed numerous guitar picks into the crowd during the show and even gave one lucky woman who was into 'memorabilia' a gift she'll never forget.

Among the Cox 'classics' the set list also included a few sweet covers: "Rehab" from Amy Winehouse, "Shattered" from The Rolling Stones and the most inspired choice, "Sabotage" from The Beastie Boys.

If Sony was smart, they'd have the 'Cox Across America' tour go worldwide. Once word spreads about Reilly's on stage prowess, the crowds will be lining up to score tickets to see Cox Rox. Any doubters should have been at The Knitting Factory last night, where the line of folks hoping to get into the club stretched down the block.

Check out video from Dewey's other concert stops.

And here's the link to Jeffrey & Alison's review of "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story"

With Christmas Day falling on a Tuesday, this weekend is turning out to be the biggest of the year for Hollywood. Nearly 10 films open between now and Christmas Day.

On this week's show, Jeffrey & Alison share their thoughts on Tim Burton's blood-splattering songfest "Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street" (pity the poor theater workers who have to squeeze all those letters on a marquee), Nicolas Cage digging through history in "National Treasure: Book of Secrets," "Charlie Wilson's War" with Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts and Philip Seymour Hoffman, Jack Nicholson & Morgan Freeman in a movie together for the first time in "The Bucket List," "P.S. I Love You" starring Hilary Swank and Gerard Butler, and John C. Reilly singing for his supper in the music biopic spoof "Walk Hard: The Dewey Cox Story."

What's with all the long titles this week? And this year, for that matter?

Anyway, Reilly gets Top Billing on this week's show as well. He talks to Alison about finally shedding the 'character actor' label he's had for about 10 years now and shows in 'Walk Hard' that he's not only absolutely hysterical but a great singer as well. Wait 'til you see the interview. You can tell Reilly had a lot of fun playing Dewey Cox as well as writing and performing the songs.

We also turn our 'Spotlight On' one of the most successful producers Hollywood's ever seen, Jerry Bruckheimer. He dropped by recently to talk to Jeffrey and explained some of the secrets to his incredible success - Namely, hard work, calm demeanor and treating people the right way.

Oh, and Alison also recommends a good holiday DVD that's not your usual Christmas pic. So tune in to REEL TALK this weekend so you know what to decide on this holiday week at the multiplex.

This week's show has a novel mix of best-selling adaptations, royalty, Big Willie style, Christmas romance and high-pitched holiday singing.

Alison & Jeffrey share their thoughts on the week's new movies, including Will Smith's can't-miss sci-fi epic "I Am Legend," the live-action/animation hybrid "Alvin and the Chipmunks" starring Jason Lee and the holiday romance "The Perfect Holiday" starring Gabrielle Union, Morris Chestnut, Queen Latifah and Terrence Howard.

Those are the three films opening everywhere, but there are a few films opening in limited release we're reviewing as well. They include "The Kite Runner" based on the beloved bestseller, the documentary "Nanking," which chronicles the awful but mostly forgotten devastation of the Chinese city by the Japanese army in 1937.

And you can't miss our dynamic duo's review of Francis Ford Coppola's return to the director's chair, "Youth Without Youth" starring Tim Roth. They disagree wildly on this one, so be sure to tune in.

Besides the new movie reviews, Alison also sits down with fellow across-the-ponder and Oscar winner Helen Mirren. She tells Alison all about her dipping her feet into the action-picture pool in "National Treasure: Book of Secrets" which opens next week. Besides entertaining and informative, this is hands down the best-enunciated interview we've had all year on RT.

Oh, and check out the trailer for NTBoS here.

The DVD Roundup spotlights a summer smash hit ("The Simpsons Movie") and a summer sleeper ("Once"), not to mention the much-discussed, often-delayed, long-awaited release of "Blade Runner: The Final Cut" the 'definitive' version of Ridley Scott's influential futurama. We're big BR fans here at RT (at least I am) -- a few months ago we did a cool piece on the legacy of "Blade Runner" which is almost as intriguing as the movie itself. Click Here to check it out.

And in case that's enough for you, J & A also address the just-announced Golden Globe nominations. Find out who they think earned well-deserved nods and who were wrongly snubbed.

Check your local listings to watch REEL TALK this weekend.

Teenage pregnancy is no laughing subject, but pair “Arrested Development” ex-cast members Michael Cera and Jason Bateman with newcomer Ellen Page and out pops "Juno," a perfectly delightful movie for this holiday season. Jeffrey and Alison review the film during this weekend's edition of Reel Talk. Watch our review below.

Also opening this week and reviewed by our hosts is the small-town comedy "The Amateurs." This quirky film features Ted Danson, and Jeff Bridges on a mission to make a name for their little town within the adult film industry. We're thinking this film is not one for the kiddos, but parents will definitely enjoy it.

Interested in other films opening this weekend? Click on the movie titles for our reviews!

Theater goers can choose from the mystical flick "The Golden Compass," featuring Nicole Kidman as a sultry evil-doer on one heck of a mission; John Cusack (find his Reel Talk interview here) in a emotionally open role as a father struggling to tell his daughters about the death of his wife in "Grace Is Gone;" and the romantically beautiful "Atonement," with Keira Knightley and James McAvoy.

Tune into Reel Talk TV this weekend to see more!

SCI FI's three-part mini-series "TIN MAN" debuts this Sunday night. I've seen the first part and it's pretty entertaining. Yes, it is based on Frank Baum's "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" but it takes a sharp left turn on the yellow brick road we're used to seeing Dorothy and the fellas travel. Zooey Deschanel finds herself transported (by tornado, of course) to The O.Z. (Outer Zone) and there meets up with her cohorts who try to help figure out a way to get out of the dangerous, magical land and back home.

Alan Cumming, Neal McDonough, Kathleen Robertson (who eats up the scenery as the evil ruler of The O.Z.) and Richard Dreyfuss star.

There are a bunch of in-jokes tied to the 1939 movie; see if you can catch them all. And you remember how creepy the flying monkeys were in the original movie? The Mobat monkey-bats in "TIN MAN" are just as spooky. Check out this clip from the mini-series:

Our latest recommendation is just perfect for fans of serialized TV shows like "Lost," "The X-Files" and even the new "Pushing Daisies." It's the complete series DVD collection of David Lynch's bewildering early '90s series "Twin Peaks." This definitive gold box set features remastered versions of all 30 episodes of the show.

Most people don't remember but "Twin Peaks" was a pop culture happening when it debuted in 1990, one of the first true water cooler shows of the decade. But it quickly wore out its welcome in Season 2 by simply being too 'out there' (even series creator David Lynch admits as much). This new set gives older viewers a chance to revisit the bizarre storylines and gives new fans a chance to see what what all that chatter was about.

Besides making a star out of Kyle MachLachlan, it also features a pre X-Files David Duchovny as a transsexual federal agent. This is the kind of show the DVD format was made for. The show had so much going on at once it almost demands you pause a few times each episode just to stop and go 'huh?'

This set has all sorts of commentaries and interviews with people connected to the show, and also has both the the original pilot that aired (which has never been available on home video before) and the European version, which has about 15 minutes of footage U.S. viewers never saw. And you also get a dozen postcards. So make a pot of black coffee, cut yourself a slice of Cherry Pie, and enjoy your visit to Twin Peaks, the strangest town you're ever going to come across.

You can purchase Twin Peaks - The Definitive Gold Box Edition at Amazon.com and other entertainment stores.

OK, it's no secret NBC's super-hit "Heroes" is going through the Sophomore Slump. It's so obvious, in fact, that series creator Tim Kring even apologized to fans for the lackluster Season Two start and promised to right the ship before the end of the year and wrap up the season's first half with the Dec 3rd episode.

He's already off to a good start by wrapping up Hiro's ill-advised trip back in time to Old Japan. But the reboot of the show may be delayed if the writers strike lasts longer than anyone wants, but still, it's refreshing to get honest appraisal from the guy who runs the show. In the meantime, if you want a reminder of why so many people fell in love with this show, like Peter fell for MJ, check out the graphic novel "Heroes, Volume One" by DC Comics.

Once you finally stop staring at Alex Ross' gorgeous cover, inside you'll find the first 34 chapters of the online graphic novel that was launched at the same time the series was, this is the kind of supplemental material i wish every show I liked had. Its a great way for fans to get fresh content in between episodes and become truly invested in the show. That's how cult series become phenoms -- which is what happened with "Heroes" last year.

And if you're not familiar with the show, this is a great way to jump in and get you prepped for the Season One DVDs. Besides the online serial, it also includes incredible artwork by artist Tim Sale and an introduction by the series' breakout star, Masi Oka (Hiro). Oka's rapidly climbing the charts of fanboy celebrity icons (watch out Kevin Smith!) thanks to his great work on the show AND for being an unapologetic pop culture-lovin' geek too. His essay in this GN sends that message loud and clear.

"Heroes, Volume One" is available now.

It's the first week of Alison’s maternity leave and in her absence; Ben Lyons, E! Entertainment’s movie guy and Jeffrey’s son, joins the Reel Talk cast.

This weekend’s show is filled with lively commentary and reviews of “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead,” “Mr. Untouchable,” “Music Within,” "Rails & Ties,” Sir Anthony Hopkins’ “Slipstream,” and the Steve Carell comedy, “Dan in Real Life.”

You can also check out Jeffrey’s interview with the “Dan in Real Life” star and hear details one of his next films -- next year's remake of 60's TV classic "Get Smart," what it’s like to work on “The Office,” and his Oval Office aspirations.

With all that AND Final Takes, where our hosts provide industry commentary, this weekend’s episode of Reel Talk is not one to miss!

Let us know what you think of the show, submit your comments, concerns and questions below!

Here's the first pinup shot of the newest member of the REEL TALK family -- Frederick Bailes Ryan was born at 2:30pm last Thursday here in NYC. He weighed 6 lbs, 14 oz. upon arrival. Freddie is the second child for Alison & Keith Ryan. She gave birth to Agatha in 2005, right around the time REEL TALK was launched, actually (Hi, Aggie!).

Everyone's doing fine, and while Alison's recuperating at home for a bit (hopefully trying to catch up on all the TV shows she watches), we'll have a few FORTs (Friends Of Reel Talk) filling in for her.

This weekend, Ben Lyons, the movie guy on E!'s "The Daily 10" and Jeffrey's Hip-Hop loving son, will step in to help review the week's new movies. The lineup includes Steve Carell's "Dan in Real Life," Director Sidney Lumet's "Before The Devil Knows You're Dead," Sir Anthony Hopkins' directorial effort, "Slipstream" and the documentary "Mr. Untouchable," about the rise and fall of Harlem drug lord Nicky Barnes.

On our Nov. 3rd show, Entertainment Weekly's Dave Karger drops by to co-host the show with Jeffrey. You may recognize Dave from one of the 7855 appearances he's made on the TODAY show. That week features an interesting slate of films, including "American Gangster" (which I expect to do big box-office and earn serious Oscar consideration), "Bee Movie," "Martian Child," and two interesting documentaries, "Darfur Now" about the genocide happening in the Sudan; and "Joe Strummer: The Future in Unwritten" about one of the truly great and influential musicians of the past 30 years, the late founder of The Clash.

We've got a bunch of trailers for these upcoming movies. Just click on the Movie Trailers tab to check 'em out.

I know this is a website about movies that's an extension of a show about movies, but if you're like me, then that means you watch a lot of television as well. And if you're not watching Aaron McGruder's The Boondocks on Cartoon Network, you are missing out on one of the most outrageously entertaining 30 minutes in the pop culture universe.

McGruder's animated spinoff of his celebrated comic strip of the same name skewers everyone from self-serving politicians to hypocritical celebrities, often in a profane manner.

Here's a clip from the 2nd episode of The Boondocks:

This is the show that during its debut season two years ago had an episode called "The Return of the King," where the late Dr. Martin Luther King, awakened from a coma, launches into a foul-mouthed tirade after seeing the pervasive influence of gangsta rap and the bling lifestyle on urban youths. That episode put the show on the mainstream radar -- mainly because a lot of buttoned-up observers were horrified by an animated Dr. King saying the N-word -- and it won a Peabody Award for distinguished achievement.

Expect more take-no-prisoners satire in season two from the main characters, a militant 10-year-old named Huey and his little brother Riley. McGruder reluctantly gave up the newspaper strip to focus on the TV show, saying the workload was too much to handle. I discovered The Boondocks on TV so I'm happy about his choice. You will be too, if you give the show a chance.

Be warned, though. The Boondocks an animated show, not a cartoon. But adults who like a little social commentary embedded in laugh-out-loud scenarios should tune in Monday nights @ 11:30pm during Cartoon Network's Adult Swim.

ReelTalkTV.com is going to be our way of giving you a daily dose of the movie reviews, news and film industry insight you get on our show every week (at least I hope so). Expect to get regular updates from Alison & Jeffrey on various topics -- whether its a heads up on a new movie, talking about a recent interview subject, random trivia questions (a Jeffrey specialty) -- if its occupying some part of their thought process, chances are they'll post about it here.

One of the great benefits of our new site will be to get feedback from you about what you like, don't like and what you're looking for. Since there are about 37 million entertainment-based websites clogging up bandwidth, we want to make sure when you visit our site, you find compelling and engaging content that isn't the same recycled stuff you see on many other websites. So let us know your thoughts.

One last thing. A can't-miss movie is "Into the Wild," based on Jon Krakauer's book of the same name. It tells the amazing and tragic story of Chris McCandless, AKA 'Alexander Supertramp.'

That name will make sense if you've read the book. If not, go see the movie because it is AMAZING. Sean Penn wrote/directed it and perfectly captures the spirit of the book. Emile Hirsch pulls a Christian Bale and completely immerses himself in the role as Chris. It opens in limited release this weekend but trust me, this one's worth the extra effort to find in theaters.

We're also interviewing Sean Penn on this weekend's show - great interview with one of the most talented people in Hollywood. Check local listings for times.

I'll post more on Mr. Penn's visit to the Reel Talk studios soon.

I’m a huge cartoon guy. Been that way since I was a kid, watching The Flintstones & Spider-Man reruns on TV before going off to elementary school. From the Smurfs to Spongebob, Akira to The Simpsons, if its animated, chances are I like it.

Without a doubt, there has never been an animated show that has made laugh out loud like The Tick. A delightfully satiric, subversive poke at the whole Superhero genre, I used to watch this Saturday mornings back in the 90s when I was exiting high school for college.

"Eat My Justice!" was the catchphrase of the indestructible and clueless title character. Defining the virtues of this show is too tough to do it in the space I have here, but lets put it this way: Without the Tick and his supporting cast like his sidekick Arthur (who dresses up as a Moth when he’s not doing accounting work) and fellow heroes like American Maid and Bat Manuel, there would never have been The Incredibles.

Creator Ben Edlund was skewering capes and having fun at heroes’ expense WAY before the boys at Pixar did it (very well I might add).. first in the comics and then in animated form. The live-action series inspired by this show (starring Seinfeld’s Patrick Warburton) was also a blast, but as usual, network TV execs didn’t realize the gem they had.

Well, you’re not TV execs. You’re much smarter! So go pick up The Tick Vs. Season Two on DVD and revel in the stench of righteousness!

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