Gary Halvorson Movies

The Metropolitan Opera interprets Gaetano Donizetti's three-act dramma tragico Lucia di Lammermoor in this 2009 production, directed for the stage by Gary Halvorson and starring Anna Netrebko in the title role. The cast also features Mariusz Kwiecien as Enrico, Piotr Beczala as Edgardo and Colin Lee as Arturo. The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, Chorus and Ballet lend added support, with Marco Armiliato conducting. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

This classical gala concert, filmed at New York's famed Carnegie Hall on opening night, 2008, finds an all-star ensemble paying homage to the eminent composer-conductor-pianist Leonard Bernstein, with a line up of Bernstein's best-known compositions including "What a Movie" from Trouble in Tahiti, "The Symphonic Dances," and "Gee, Officer Krupke" from West Side Story, and "Danzón" from Fancy Free. Participating musicians include vocalists Christine Ebersole (Mac & Me), Dawn Upshaw and Thomas Hampson; cellist Yo-Yo Ma; and the San Francisco Symphony. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

The Metropolitan Opera mounted this stage production of Vincenzo Bellini's celebrated opera I Puritani, starring Anna Netrebko, John Relyea, Franco Vassallo, Eric Cutler and the dancers of the Metropolitan Opera Ballet. The Metropolitan Opera Orchestra, led by maestro Patrick Summers, and the Metropolitan Opera Chorus, under the direction of Chorus Master Raymond Hughes, provide musical accompaniment. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Imagine The Honeymooners with four-letter words and All in the Family with full-frontal nudity, and you'll have a pretty good idea of what to expect with the half-hour HBO sitcom Lucky Louie. Debuting June 11, 2006, the series was created by Emmy-winning comedy writer Louis C.K., the man responsible for the cult-movie favorite Pootie Tang. The creator also played the leading role of Louie, a blue-collar oaf who held down a part-time job as a muffler-shop mechanic while his wife, Kim (Pamela S. Adlon), a full-time nurse, provided most of the family's income. Louie spent much of his time in his dingy little apartment, looking after his ill-mannered daughter, Lucy (Kelly Gould), and matching half-wits with his various friends and neighbors. These included his fully employed friend (and boss) Mike (Mike Hagerty) and Mike's wife, Tina (Laura Kightlinger), who doled out sex to her husband on a strictly conditional basis; his African-American neighbors Walter (Jerry Minor) and Ellen (Kim Hawthorne), who had their hands full caring for their own daughter, Lisa; Kim's rudderless brother, Jerry (Rick Shapiro), who was unemployed and often imposed on Kim and Louie for everything from food to the use of their shower; and Louie's pal Rich (Jim Norton), who still lived with his mom and supported himself with a variety of illegal business ventures. The series was greeted with uniformly devastating reviews, with most critics harping on its stereotypical treatment of working-class families and its overbearing obsession with sex and sex-talk (the first episode found Louie masturbating to a picture of Jessica Simpson -- imagine Ralph Kramden doing that). For diehard HBO fans, the series' surprise element was not its surfeit of nudity and profanity but the fact that Lucky Louie was the network's first sitcom to be filmed with multiple cameras in front of a live audience. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Upset over her dad's heart attack, Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) comes on to Ross (David Schwimmer) -- but he refuses to rekindle their romance under such circumstances, no matter how much he wants to. Meanwhile, adoptive birth mother Erica (Anna Faris) informs Monica (Courteney Cox) and Chandler (Matthew Perry) that the father of their soon-to-be-adopted baby may well be the infamous "shovel killer." And, just as the episode's title reveals, Joey (Matt LeBlanc) takes French lessons from Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) in preparation for a movie audition. ~ All Movie Guide

The very married Chandler (Matthew Perry) is spotted getting into car with a strange blonde. Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) suspect Chandler of cheating on Monica (Courteney Cox), little realizing that the "mystery woman" is a real estate agent, who is trying to close the deal on a home in Westchester. Once the friends have absorbed the news that Monica and Chandler are moving to the burbs, they are even more distraught than when they imagined that Chandler was philandering. All this intrigue is essentially an excuse for another Friends "clip show," with choice highlights from previous episodes. ~ All Movie Guide

Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) doesn't know how to tell the already depressed and confused Joey (Matt LeBlanc) that his agent, Estelle, has died. Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) has an opportunity for a new job in Paris, but Ross (David Schwimmer) is anxious to keep her in New York -- even to the point of trying to get her re-hired at Ralph Lauren. And Chandler (Matthew Perry) and Monica (Courteney Cox) discover that their old nemesis Janice (Maggie Wheeler) may be their new next-door neighbor. ~ All Movie Guide

Originally aired as an NBC special, Faith Hill: When the Lights Go Down is comprised of a dozen live performances from Hill, plus bonus footage of performances that were not aired on the TV special. Hill performs songs from her most recent album, Cry, as well as some of the tried and true hits that helped her become one of the most popular female singers in the country genre. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Against all odds (specifically, the past eight seasons of Friends), Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) has apparently found a true and lasting love in the form of Mike (Paul Rudd). Their future happiness would seem to be secured when Phoebe and Mike decide to move in together...but there's still one big problem that they're going to have to iron out. In other developments, Chandler (Matthew Perry) swallows his pride and asks Joey (Matt LeBlanc) for a loan, only to discover that Joey has already given money to Monica (Courteney Cox) -- and definitely not for household expenses. ~ All Movie Guide

As the grand prize of the Powerball lottery increases to astronomical proportions, the friends succumb to the fever and buy a huge block of lottery tickets. Despite the fact that no one has won yet, Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) is not entirely averse to spending money she doesn't have. Meanwhile, Chandler (Matthew Perry) receives some daunting news about his much hoped for internship at the advertising firm where he works; and baby Emma seems poised to pass her first milestone in life. ~ All Movie Guide

Jon Lovitz makes a return appearance as Steve, the dopey doper whose restaurant Monica (Courteney Cox) auditioned to be a chef for during season one of Friends. Steve turns out to be one of several "candidates" that Joey (Matt LeBlanc) and Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) have chosen as potential sight-unseen dates for Ross (David Schwimmer) and Rachel (Jennifer Aniston). The logic behind this is sublime: by demonstrating how many bad choices there are in the world, Joey and Pheebs hope to bring Ross and Rachel back together. ~ All Movie Guide

It's time again for Friends' traditional Thanksgiving show (the series' last such episode, in fact). But the dinner may not go off as planned: after Phoebe (Lisa Kudrow) strong-arms Monica (Courteney Cox) into staging the event for the rest of the friends, no one bothers to show up on time, preoccupied as they are with such distractions as a Rangers game and a baby beauty pageant. Offended and disgusted, Monica and Chandler (Matthew Perry) lock their door and refuse to allow any of the latecomers into the apartment. Happily, the friends are reunited by a very special phone call from Ohio. ~ All Movie Guide

Emma's first birthday is the occasion for a big party, complete with a bunny-shaped cake. The trouble begins when Rachel (Jennifer Aniston) decides that the cake -- which is in a "shape" all right, but is nothing like a bunny -- would be more appropriate for a bachelorette party. As it happens, the party may never come off, since none of Rachel's friends have shown up, preoccupied as they are with either working or trying to avoid work. ~ All Movie Guide