Bill Newcott

Biography: Bill Newcott is host of AARP's Movies for Grownups. He blogs about movies, television and all things entertainment.

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Bill Newcott 'sPosts

Rhapsody “In Bruges”—A Fan of the Film Visits the City

Posted on 03/20/2013 by Bill Newcott | Movies & TV | Comments

Entertainment | TravelYou know how the Disney parks have rides that let you re-live great moments from movies like The Little Mermaid and Snow White? And how at Universal you can “ride” Jurassic Park and the Harry Potter films? Well, if one of your favorite films is the cult classic In Bruges—and it’s one of mine, for sure—then a visit to the Belgian city of Bruges is a lot like hopping on an In Bruges theme park ride. For the uninitiated, In …

Is ‘Oz’ Really So Wonderful? We’ll Tell You!

Posted on 03/8/2013 by Bill Newcott | Movies & TV | Comments

Entertainment We’re inching closer to the big spring movie season, and the first entry comes this weekend: Oz the Great and Powerful, a prequel to the 1939 classic The Wizard of Oz, which became an annual viewing experience in the homes of many a boomer during their growing up years. We’ve got a review of the new movie here and you can see clips from it on my new YouTube Movies for Grownups Show: The weekend’s sleeper selection is Emperor, starring Tommy …

Tonight: Movies for Grownups Goes Prime Time!

Posted on 03/1/2013 by Bill Newcott | Movies & TV | Comments

EntertainmentIt’s a big night for grownup movie lovers: Movies for Grownups Presents premieres at 8 p.m. Eastern and Pacific on RLTV (click here to see if it’s available on your cable carrier). Every Friday night I’ll introduce a feature film, then return throughout the program with trivia and fascinating info about the movie. Plus, I’ll preview films that are arriving in theaters, on DVD, and on Video on Demand. Tonight’s movie is Bing Crosby and Bob Hope in The Road …

Oscar Shame: How Could They Forget Andy Griffith?

Posted on 02/25/2013 by Bill Newcott | Movies & TV | Comments

EntertainmentAs Gomer Pyle would have said, “Golllll-eeee!” How could Sunday night’s Oscarcast have neglected to mention the late great Andy Griffith among the stars who died in the past year? I’m not for one moment begrudging any of the film industry greats who were listed — from screen legends Ernest Borgnine, Charles Durning and Celeste Holm to songwriter Hal David and writer Nora Ephron. It’s typical of Oscar’s short memory that the evening’s organizers apparently forgot that Andy was actually …

Oscar Night: Grownups Get to Stay Up Late

Posted on 02/21/2013 by Bill Newcott | Movies & TV | Comments

EntertainmentRemember when the movie musical was dead? Well, Sunday night’s Academy Awards telecast will be a resounding reminder that, in the immortal words of Dr. Frankenstein, “It’s ALIVE!!” Most important for grownup movie lovers, this year’s Oscar production numbers will recognize that for the past decade musicals have aimed themselves squarely at us: Les Miserables, Chicago, Hairspray, and Mama Mia! were all a far cry from the kid-centric days of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Barney’s Great Adventure. Not all …

Dustin Hoffman: I’d Rather Play Jazz, But This Is Nice, Too!

Posted on 02/13/2013 by Bill Newcott | Movies & TV | Comments

Entertainment Dustin Hoffman once told our West Coast Editor Meg Grant that he would give up acting in a minute if he could only become a jazz musician. That switcheroo doesn’t appear imminent, but last year at age 75 Hoffman did direct his first movie — the funny, warm Quartet. That breakthrough achievement was among the reasons AARP toasted Hoffman Tuesday at the annual Movies for Grownups celebration in Beverly Hills. “This is an impactful moment in movies,” Hoffman told …