Mike Ryan

Woody Harrelson’s third time as host of ‘SNL’–and his first since way back in 1992 (he hosted just a few weeks after Jason Priestly)–was actually pretty great. Anticipation for an ‘SNL’ host is a fickle beast. Now, one might circle the calendar when he or she sees, say, Chris Rock’s name show up as host, then that show winds up being a bust. I suspect that not a lot of people were thinking, Oh, man, Woody Harrelson is hosting ‘SNL’! I need to cancel all of my plans because that will be one I can’t miss. Then Harrelson goes out and is everything we want out of a host: funny, up for anything, looks like he’s having fun, willing to sing a song about apples that is still stuck in my head. Anyway, he hosted the best show of the season so far and here is your ‘SNL’ Scorecard.

Opening on November 7 is the new Disney animated hullabaloo titled ‘Big Hero 6.’ In ‘Big Hero 6,’ five regular human beings are brought together to fight crime alongside an inflatable robot doctor. I swear that all of this will make sense, kind of. Ahead, as a service to the world, we answer every question that you could possibly have about ‘Big Hero 6.’

Nic Cage is in a new movie that opened today called ‘Left Behind.’ There’s already a movie called ‘Left Behind’ that starred Kirk Cameron and this movie is probably a lot like that one, only Nic Cage is in it now. ‘Left Behind’ details the biblical rapture and what it would be like if the rapture happened while Nic Cage was piloting a commercial airliner. If ‘Left Behind’ was screened for critics, I wasn’t invited. So, on Friday morning I paid to see ‘Left Behind’ in the Kip’s Bay area of Manhattan. While watching ‘Left Behind,’ I kept a running diary. Here’s how that all went…

Throughout David Fincher’s adaptation of ‘Gone Girl,’ it was almost as if my subconscious was telling me that this movie shouldn’t be as good as what I was watching. That’s not a slam on Gillian Flynn’s novel (obviously; I haven’t read it), it’s just that the book is presented in such a unique way, which would at least seem almost impossible to pull off – just in a basic book vs. movie sort of way. Look, I understand that this following statement can be said about most movies, but in a less capable director’s hands – and with a less capable cast -- this movie could have easily have been garbage. Actually, this movie should have been garbage.

“Can you believe Popeye is played by the guy who plays Mork?” These words from my mother blew my seven-year-old mind. That's my intro to a piece I don’t know how to write and, honestly, probably shouldn’t be writing so soon after learning about Robin Williams’ death. I only had one encounter with Williams professionally – an interview promoting ‘Happy Feet 2,’ of all things – yet there are tears coming down my face as I type this for what is essentially a stranger. Even though he’s not a stranger. Everyone knew him. This is everyone’s loss.

Armitage -- who kinda, sorta practices method acting; depending on your definition of method acting -- has the final chapter of 'The Hobbit' trilogy coming out this December, 'The Battle of Five Armies.' Here, Armitage, who plays the dwarf Thorin Oakenshield, reflects on what he thinks the legacy of this trilogy will be in comparison to 'The Lord of the Rings.' Armitage also dares us to find him somewhere in 'Star Wars: Episode I -- The Phantom Menace' -- a movie that he is in -- and gives us some clues on how to do so, but even he's not exactly sure if he's seen himself.

‘The Boxtrolls’ – which hit Hall H on Saturday at San Diego Comic-Con -- is the third feature film from Laika, the stop motion animation studio that brought the world ‘Coraline’ and the wonderful ‘ParaNorman.’ Honestly, I cannot get enough of these movies, and Laika is quietly becoming the most unique animation studio working today. (Pixar’s last three films have been ‘Monsters University,’ ‘Brave,’ and ‘Cars 2,’ which is not exactly that studio’s best work. And, yes, I realize ‘Brave’ won an Oscar, but that was a travesty.) Anyway, here are our seven favorite moments from ‘The Boxtrolls’ Comic-Con panel.

At one point during this interview, Jeff Bridges leaned back in his chair, laughed, then broke into an impression of Jeffrey Lebowski, his character from 'The Big Lebowski' who is also famously known as The Dude. It was at this moment that I decided that the trip from New York City to San Diego for Comic-Con was worth it.

On Thursday afternoon at San Diego Comic-Con, Jeff Bridges was on hand to promote his newest film, 'The Giver.' During the panel, Bridges -- as he's wont to do and what makes him Jeff Bridges -- went off on long and unrelated digressions. Here are our six favorite digression topics. (The Dude was brought up many, many times and he's not on this list because that was very expected.)

Though he won't admit it verbally, there's something in the tone of Matt Reeves' voice that reveals that he knows that he has something special with his new film, 'Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.' I suspect Matt Reeves would be a terrible poker player.

During the second season of ‘Seinfeld’ – on Wednesday, December 12, 1990, to be more exact – the cast sat down to read through the script for what would be the fourth episode of the season and only the ninth episode of a series that would go on to produce a total of 180 episodes. The episode was titled ‘The Bet.’ Sets for the episode had been built. Guest characters had been cast. ‘The Bet’ would never air.

The only Fourth of July episode of anything worth mentioning is the series finale of ‘The Wonder Years.’ Airing on May 12, 1993, an epilogue set during a Fourth of July parade became one of the most memorable television moments of the last 25 years.