HBO to finally re-release 'The Wire' in HD format after Christmas

I don't know your life, but if you haven't watched The Wire, you should probably re-evaluate your choices. It's the greatest television show of all time, and if you somehow think The Sopranos or Breaking Bad or Mad Men is better, then you need to sit down and give The Wire, America's greatest televised novel, another run-through. And now that HBO is finally re-releasing the show in HD, you can.

Starting at 12 p.m. on Friday, December 26, HBO will make new-and-improved versions of the show's 60 episodes available for streaming on HBO GO and marathon viewing on HBO Signature. (You can check out the schedule for HBO Signature here; it looks like they're going to air the episodes in season-long blocks starting on Friday.) No news yet on whether the HD versions of the episodes will be available on Amazon, where the show is already streaming as part of HBO's deal with the shopping website, but let's hope that happens soon so even more people can enjoy the greatness and perfection and heartbreaking wonder of this show. (And theoretically, this also means that the full series will also eventually be available on Blu-ray ... which means I know exactly what I want next Christmas.)

To prepare yourself, watch this short teaser HBO released as an announcement. It is excellent, and every line should give a Wire fan chills - especially "We used to make shit in this country, build shit. Now we just put our hand in the next guy's pocket." Holy shit, this show was good. I know where I'll be Dec. 26, and where you should be, too.

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Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Albert Brooks Join Concussion Drama, Idris Elba and Dominic West Voice 'Finding Dory'

 A rising star and a screen veteran are coming aboard Will Smith's drama centered on concussions in the NFL. Gugu Mbatha-Raw, who turned heads earlier this year in Belle, and Albert Brooks have joined Smith in the untitled film to be directed by Peter Landesman (Parkland) and produced by Ridley Scott. Based on a GQ article, the films follows  "Dr. Bennet Omalu (Smith), the forensic neuropathologist who single-handedly made the first discovery of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in a professional football player and brought awareness to the public." [Variety/Deadline]

The Wire reunion!!!!!! Well, sorta. Idris Elba and Dominic West of the legendary (no b.s. there) HBO series have come on to voice characters in Finding Dory, Pixar's sequel to Finding Nemo. No word on who they'll be voicing but who cares about that when you've got West telling Shortlist that he keeps in regular contact with much of The Wire's cast. Dude. So why aren't you all doing more movies together? Why aren't you beating down HBO's door for The Wire to be a movie? Anyway, Finding Dory opens June 17th 2016 and  stars Ellen Degeneres, Diane Keaton, Albert Brooks (there's that name again), and Willem Dafoe.

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Imelda Staunton and Bill Nighy Go on Strike in New Trailer for 'Pride'

Nobody does crowd-pleasing working class comedies better than the British, and in the tradition of The Full Monty, Billy Elliot, and hundreds of others comes Pride, which was recently screened at Cannes. Directed by Matthew Warchus (Simpatico) with a cast of Brit powerhouses Bill Nighy, Imelda Staunton, Paddy Considine, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, and George McKay, it tells the true story of the 1984 strike by the National Union of Mineworkers and how they were helped in their cause by gay and lesbian activists. As you can imagine it caused quite a stir at that time, but despite the clashing of cultures a number of unexpected and long-lasting friendships were forged in the fight against Margaret Thatcher's policies.

Pride opens on September 19th.

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Kevin Bacon Goes to '6 Miranda Drive'; Emily Watson Joins 'Testament of Youth'; Liam Neeson Cameos in 'Entourage'

* Kevin Bacon is apparently quite happy staying in the horror realm. The Following star and Radha Mitchell have joined 6 Miranda Drive, a small-budget horror from Wolf Creek director, Greg McLean. The story centers on “a family that unwittingly brings a fear-feeding supernatural force with them when they return from a Grand Canyon vacation.” Bacon will play the patriarch, of course, with shooting to begin next month. [THR]

* Wherever Emily Watson (Trixie, Punch-Drunk Love) goes, I will follow, and so I've just been given another reason to be excited about Testament of Youth. The historical drama stars Alicia Vikander and Kit Harington (who spoke about it briefly with me) ,  telling the true story of Vera Brittain who "postponed her studies at Oxford to serve as a nurse in the Great War, during which she lost her fiance and brother. After the war, she tried to resume her life but found herself part of a lost generation, returning to Oxford and becoming a feminist and a writer." Coming aboard with Watson is Dominic West (The Wire), with both playing Brittain's parents. [DailyMail]

* We hinted at it last night but since every site is boasting it in their headline, we'll just post it here. Liam Neeson will be making a cameo in the Entourage movie, having been spotted on set by The Wrap and other outlets. In one image he's seen giving the finger to Jeremy Piven, meaning he's likely playing himself in a confrontation with Ari Gold. Neeson is just one of many celebrity cameos in Doug Ellin's big screen version of his hit HBO series, which is due to hit theaters June 12th 2015.

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Trailer Time: 'The Awakening', starring Rebecca Hall and Dominic West

The Awakening received some hearty buzz after it premiered in Toronto last year, with much of the praise aimed at the film's commitment to creating a moody atmosphere. The film opened in the UK last November, and with an American release right around the corner, a new trailer for the psychological horror has been unveiled.

Set in London not long after WWI, the film stars Rebecca Hall(Please Give) as an author who has devoted her career towards exposing frauds, in particular of the supernatural variety. With the memory of her recently deceased husband still haunting her, she's called in to investigate the death of a student at an all-boy's school, only to discover that something strange may be going on that her science can't explain. Dominic West(The Wire) plays a mysterious teacher at the school, with Imelda Staunton(Vera Drake) co-starring as well. Directed by Nick Murphy, he has to be a little disappointed at the cut of this trailer, which doesn't make the film look all that special. It isn't helped by what looks like a subdued performance by Hall and West's tendency for the over dramatic.

The Awakening is set to hit theaters on August 17th....

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