Each Thursday, the Avenue is serving up the best in entertainment, pop culture and everything in between. From the big screen to the radio waves, check out this week’s picks.
Listen: “No Mercy”
The King is no longer un-caged. Before getting busted for pot possession in September, T.I. was a free man who had served his time and was ready to release his comeback album, previously titled “King Uncaged.” However, as the rap extraordinaire is back in jail, his album, set to be released Tuesday, has been renamed “No Mercy.” And despite the rapper’s 11 months of impending jail time, you can be sure the album will perform well, as it features some of the industry’s high rollers, including Eminem, Drake and Kanye West.
See: “Black Swan”
Dancing movies aren’t hard to come by. In fact, some would say Hollywood’s obsession with them has become laughable (see “Center Stage,” “Save the Last Dance” and all of those “Step Up” movies). But thankfully, this one’s got a twist – and a good one. In this psychological thriller, Natalie Portman, who may receive an Oscar nod for her performance, and Mila Kunis (“That ‘70s Show,” “Family Guy”) play ballet dancing rivals with different approaches to the art.
Buy: "Inception" on Blu-Ray and DVD
With Netflix, iTunes and Hulu, it’s hardly worth buying DVDs and Blu-ray discs anymore. But make no mistake: “Inception” is an exception. It’s sure to be one of the most popular stocking stuffers this holiday season (shout-out, Santa), and the Blu-ray combo pack has lots of extra goodies – other than the fantastic flick itself – including interviews with dream scientists, trailers and backstage footage that reveals some of the film’s most complex and dream-like special effects.
Watch: “Glee,” the Holiday episode
Buddy, Will Ferrell’s character in the Christmas flick “Elf,” always said, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is [by] singing loud for all to hear.” That’s exactly what the kids of “Glee” will be doing Tuesday. In the hit show’s holiday episode, someone in glee club almost lets slip that Santa Claus isn’t real, almost crushing the blissful ignorance of our favorite blonde airhead, Brittany. To keep Britt’s holiday spirit intact, the Gleeks rock around the Christmas tree like there’s no tomorrow. But Sue Sylvester, the moaning, groaning tyrant we all love to hate, is more of a Grinch than ever – jeopardizing the success of the glee club’s efforts. Watch at 8 p.m. on FOX.
