In her first turn on television, Thandie Newton joins DirectTV’s first attempt at an original series with Rogue. The show is about an undercover cop and single mother whose pursuit for justice takes a bloody turn as she gets involved with one of the gangsters in her case.

What do you think? Will you tune in or take a pass?

The stock image used in the reveal of the new New York State License might seem a little...familiar...to people. We're thinking when New York picked “Brenna Murphy”, they should have done a more thorough background check on her. According to her very own Tumblr (maintained by Jason Feifer), she's held several careers (outside of random stock image lady)—she's been a doctor, a real estate agent, an insurance agent...she models for book covers and she's not too proud to admit to having had some cosmetic surgery! But obviously she can't have licenses in all of these places and careers, looking exactly the same, taking on different identities. We're very suspicious...

Much like the Newspaper Woman featured in several Hollywood props, the New York State License Lady has gained some infamy for how much she gets around. But it got us to wondering, would she make a good match for Florida Man, or is she just another face in the crowd?

When these people welcome you to the neighborhood, there ain’t no songs and green cardigans. Instead there are werewolves, demon possession, and a whole lot more! Netflix has already successfully pursued the original TV series market with its political drama, House of Cards. And it will earn a reputation for original series soon if the pattern continues with Hemlock Grove, which will feature an all-star cast led by horror heavyweight, Eli Roth.

The series is based on the book of the same name by Brian McGreevy and features some familiar names and faces—Famke Janssen of X-Men, Dougray Scott of Mission Impossible III and Ever After, and newcomer Bill Skarsgard, Stellan Skarsgard’s son and Alexander Skarsgard’s little brother.

The show follows Peter, a Gypsy and possible werewolf, and Roman (played by Skarsgard), the heir of a local wealthy family, as they try to solve the murder of a young woman. The town and its citizens seem to be possessed by many personal (and actual) demons. All 13 episodes of Hemlock Grove will be released simultaneously April 19.

Will you tune in to this latest Netflix series? What do you think of the trailer?

I’m a pretty big Harry Potter fan. I grew up reading the books and watching the movies, so when I heard that Emma Watson’s next big role would be a big step away from her image as Harry’s pal Hermione I was both nervous for the change and excited for the transition.

Earlier this week, the first trailer for The Bling Ring was released. One of Emma Watson’s biggest projects since she left her wand behind, the movie is based on the true story of a group of teenagers who broke into various Hollywood stars’ homes, including Orlando Bloom, Paris Hilton, and Lindsay Lohan. It’s directed by Sophia Coppola and is due out on June 14.

What do you think of the trailer? Are you as nervous as I am about this new side of Emma Watson?

There are few bromances that are more epic than the one between Sherlock Holmes and John Watson (or more than just a bromance if you choose to read between the lines that way). When Clare Toohey and I went to the Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet Sherlockian charity ball in January, we told you we had some pretty sweet Sherlock fan art to give away. Well, what's better than a piece of Sherlockian art for your Sherlock-loving Valentine?

Enter for a chance to win a poster of this fan art at left by commenting below!

This sweepstakes has ended. Check out our Sweepstakes feature page for current opportunities.

To enter for a chance to win one copy of this Sherlock fan art poster, make sure you’re a registered member of the site, sign in, and then simply leave a comment below.

TIP: Since only comments from registered users will be tabulated, if your user name appears in red above your comment—STOP—go log in, then try commenting again. If your user name appears in black above your comment, You’re In!

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A purchase does not improve your chances of winning. Sweepstakes open to legal residents of fifty (50) United States and the District of Columbia, who are 18 or older. To enter, fill out entry at http://www.criminalelement.com/blogs/2013/02/an-epic-bromance-sherlock-fan-art-for-the-one-you-love-jennifer-proffitt-detective-sherlocking-sherlock-holmes-holiday-dynamic-duo beginning at 8:45 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) February 14, 2013. Sweepstakes ends at 8:44 a.m. ET on February 21, 2013 (the “Promotion Period”). Void outside of the 50 US and DC and where prohibited by law. Please see full details and official rules at http://www.criminalelement.com/page/official-rules-sherlock-valentines-day-comment-contest. Sponsor: Macmillan, 175 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10010

We all have our causes and our pet peeves (pun intended), but a man has taken it one step further and is campaigning to eradicate cats (also known as predators) from New Zealand.

Gareth Morgan, the champion of every bird, mouse, and other fodder for your feline, has a simple dream, a world without avian-ocide. His platform is based on the fact that cats are natural predators and so are aiding in the decrease of one of New Zealand’s national treasures. No, not Lord of the Rings, but its bird population. He’s not saying put your current cat down (at least that’s not his first piece of advice). He has one simple request—have your pets spayed or neutered. Now, if you ask us, he took a line out of Bob Barker’s playbook, but he’s concerned for the birds of the world.

Gareth couldn’t have found a tougher audience as a survey in 2011 showed that 48 percent of New Zealand residents owned at least one cat. So, will you be signing the survey or will you be guarding your cat against the Gareth Morgans of the world?

Hat tip to the Guardian UK

It is a rare occasion that brings together 75 Sherlock Holmes aficionados, their friends, and significant others in one place, but that’s exactly what happened on January 10 at the Salmagundi Club in Manhattan for the First Daintiest Thing Under a Bonnet Charity Ball. To boot, it was all in the name of a good cause, benefitting the Wounded Warrior Project, which helps combat-injured soldiers, their loved ones, and care givers. It was a most appropriate charity considering the Sherlockians’ most treasured Wounded Warrior—Dr. John Watson. 

The event was hosted by the Baker Street Babes, and it had the distinction of being the biggest collection of Babes in one place since the women behind the popular podcast are spread out around the United States, the United Kingdom, and Europe (with several here in New York, including our very own Lyndsay Faye).

[Let the deductions (and charitable giving!) begin!]

Last night, Crime HQ and some friends from our sister site, Heroes and Heartbreakers got a chance to see Gangster Squad a few days ahead of schedule! Going in, knowing a little about the background after having read the articles that initiated the book and movie, I felt I knew enough to be comfortable with the story without distracting from the supremely talented cast.

With that being said, don't go in thinking this is going to be L.A. Confidential. While the trailers have echoed the tone of that famous gangster flick, the movie itself is different. The movie opens with Sean Penn as the intimidating and dictatorial Mickey Cohen ripping a rival gangster from Chicago apart while he's tied to two cars. Oh yeah, and a few minutes later, a man's hand is severed in an elevator shaft. However, for those who are hoping for the violence to continue, a la other gangster flicks, don't hold your breath. While violence is woven into almost the film's every fiber, it's isn't quite as gory as I expected after those first few scenes (although according to a few movie-goers walking behind me, it was too gory for their tastes). Let's just say, the first few minutes are not indicative of the entire film.

The violence isn't the only thing that keeps this movie at a high pace (though it helps), there's an impeccable cast and a beautiful backdrop of 1940s L.A.

[Spoilers ahead, beware!]

I'm a huge fan of ABC's Castle. It seems like the perfect storm of a premise for crime writers—a well-known mystery author who works with the NYPD to get inspiration for his novels, and on occasion helps to solve the weekly murder. 

Now, I'm sure you all know the premise of the show, but did you know that there are actual books published for real-life Richard Castle fans that are based on the novels he writes in the show? The Nikki Heat series seems to have done alright for itself as it has more than 1,500 reviews and most of them positive. And we can't forget the predecessor to the Nikki Heat series, Derek Storm. The Storm series was turned into a graphic novel (much like it was on the show). So if you're looking for a gift for someone on your holiday wish list or wanting to add these to your own list, these Castle books might be just the thing!

Over the years, we’ve heard plenty of strange names come out of Hollywood (I’m talking to you Gwyneth Paltrow and your daughter, Apple; or Jenna Elfman’s son Story). And I’m sure you’ve heard plenty of unique names out in the “real” world.

A favorite of mine is the uptick in the names Isabella and Edward since the popularity of Twilight. A lot of times we leave the event- or person-inspired names to authors and their books, however a woman in Kenya couldn’t leave it to the authors and took some election inspiration when naming her twins on Wednesday. Yes, she did, in fact, name her twin boys Barack Obama and Mitt Romney.

According to the Yahoo! article:

The hospital is near the village of Kogelo, where where President Barack Obama’s father was born and where his 90-year-old step-grandmother, Sarah Obama resides.

Residents of Kogelo emphatically celebrated Obama’s victory as results from the United States were reported.

Shouts of “Hail our Kogelo son” and “Obama is coming, open the road for him” rang through the air as locals blew vuvuzelas horns in celebration.

So, is this baby-naming genius or something both mother and children will come to regret?

Hannibal Lecter is a pretty terrifying person. There have been lots of movies (some awe-inspiring, some...not so much) based on this character and there have even been some people who seem to take his diet to heart. But you have to admit that seeing Anthony Hopkins and crew laughing it up behind the scenes does take a little out of his bite (pun intended).

So what do you think of these pictures? Are you still terrified of the famous cannibal?

[Not so much...]

Back in March we reported the casting of Chloe Grace Moretz as Stephen King’s iconic telekinetic teen, Carrie, in a new screen version of his novel. So, last week while the Criminal Element team ventured out to New York Comic Con and came back with a few goodies from The Walking Dead panel and myriad fan pictures, we stopped by the Carrie panel and saw Julianne Moore, Chloe Moretz, and the director of the film, Kimberly Peirce.

During the panel, the trailer debuted and while it doesn’t reveal a lot, it does show that the havoc Carrie causes is bigger and badder than in the original film—and much more like the book itself.

“The destruction is a lot more widespread than in the [original] movie. We were able to utilize what [destruction] we have with new technology.” says Peirce.

You can’t have Carrie without having lots and lots of blood. Moretz said the blood helped her tap into Carrie.

“Each day the blood was different, the blood became part of who you are,” Moretz says.

With so much blood, one of the concerns of the director was how much is too much blood—what’s the line between scary and funny. At the end of the panel, one audience member asked how much fake blood they thought they used in the making of the film. Peirce estimated at least 1,000 gallons—that’s roughly 1,000 people’s worth of blood.

But if you want a little assurance from the cast, they flashed up a number at the end of the panel where you can “Call Carrie” and Chloe Moretz, Julianne Moore, or Kimberly Peirce will answer. The number is (207) 404-2604. Do you dare?

Imagine, you’re walking down the aisle at your favorite bookstore. You pick up a book and read the back cover...then you read the first few pages, but you’re still on the fence about it? What’s a self-respecting bibliophile to do? Well, you may just buy it on the hope and the prayer that the book is actually good and not the snooze-fest it could turn out to be. Or you could look up the book on the Rotten Tomatoes for Books app. One problem: there isn’t one.

Now some of you may read this and think, “That’s what GoodReads is for!” But I disagree. Rotten Tomatoes brought out a new kind of rating system for movies and it’s high time there was something like it for books! For those of you who aren’t entirely sure how Rotten Tomatoes works, it’s a rating system but not a ranking system and that’s an important distinction.

[Rotten tomatoes aren’t usually a good thing, but in this case...]

Growing up in the ’80s and ’90s, it was pretty hard to avoid Goosebumps. No, I’m not talking about the little bumps you get on your skin when it’s cold outside, but the gripping and sometimes terrifying Goosebumps children’s series by R.L. Stine.

Now Stine has turned his hand to adult fiction with his debut adult horror novel, Red Rain.

In an interview with Huffington Post, Stine said that he decided to write the book after 20- and 30-somethings (the grown-up kids from the ’80s and ’90s) reached out to him through Twitter and asked if he would write a book for adults. While the idea is reminiscent of his children’s books (evil twins who set out to frame their adoptive father for murder and in general just do very evil things), he said the writing process was very different:

It’s like running a race. It’s like if you’re used to running a sprint, like I am, and then running a marathon. It’s a totally different process. You have to change everything. When I write for kids, I have to make sure they know what can’t happen. They have to know it’s a fantasy. But when I write for adults, they have to think it’s real. Every detail has to be real or they won’t buy it.

Stine has made appearances in the adult genre before, as the ThrillerMaster at ThrillerFest in 2011. So far the reviews of his foray into adult fiction aren’t all that great, but  transitioning to a different genre or even a different reading level is very hard. After all look at the poor reception of J.K. Rowling’s first adult effort, The Casual Vacancy. Whichever way either author ends up settling I’ll likely follow and give their adult efforts a try.

What about you, will you give R.L. Stine’s Red Rain a read?

Hat tip: Huffington Post

Fifty years ago yesterday, James Bond’s first film incarnation hit the silver screen. He has captivated audiences in almost 25 films since then. In honor of that day, October 5 (the day Dr. No first hit theaters in 1962) was declared James Bond Day.

How can you commemorate the day? Well, you can buy the Blu-ray DVD Golden Anniversary box set of the so far 22 released films. Or, you can listen to Adele’s new theme song for Skyfall, the upcoming 23rd installment in the James Bond franchise. Option Number 3, and a personal favorite, is donning a tuxedo, drinking a martini (shaken, not stirred, of course), and raising a toast to the greatest secret agent ever created.

I’m a huge How I Met Your Mother fan. I even watched the premiere of the show in the bar in New York City that the show’s bar is based on. As I was perusing videos on YouTube, as any good superfan would, I found this video put together by the show’s production team.

Ted, the show’s protagonist and the one telling the story of “how I met your mother” for the last seven seasons, has had a lot of women come in and out of his life. One of the most important was Robin, the whiskey-drinking, gun-toting Canadian journalist who snagged Ted’s heart back in season 1. Now with those characteristics in mind, it’s not too hard to imagine her as a femme fatale, right?

Mark Harmon is back. Everyone loves the tough-as-nails silver fox who plays Jethro Gibbs on CBS’s NCIS. Can you believe the show just entered its 10th season? Well, actually it’s not so surprising with a great cast headed by Harmon and a story line that manages to make you laugh and still keeps you on the edge of your seat.

For those of us Harmonizers who were craving more Mark Harmon (and who isn’t?) there was his movie Certain Prey to consider. It aired in November 2011 on USA and Harmon was perfect as John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport. Now the movie is available on DVD, and since we at Criminal Element are such hardcore Harmon fans, we got copies to give away!

[But seriously, let’s talk NCIS (spoilers ahead!)...]

The Painter has escaped a maximum security mental hospital after the great Sherlock Holmes caught him. Now the Painter, who once tortured and killed art gallery owners, is threatening to return to his old habits unless Sherlock can catch him again. While Sherlock is off trying to find the Painter, we amateur sleuths have been charged with figuring out the mocking riddles the madman has left around the city.

On Saturday, CBS and Watson Adventures put together a Scavenger Hunt to celebrate the debut of Elementary on Thursday, September 27. In the modernization of the classic Sir Arthur Conan Doyle stories, Jonny Lee Miller plays Sherlock Holmes, a recovering drug addict who has relocated to New York City. Another big difference? Watson is Sherlock’s sober coach . . . oh, yeah, and she’s played by Lucy Liu.

The Scavenger Hunt took me and about 14 other teams across Lower Manhattan—to a tattoo shop, the High Line (raised railroad tracks that have been turned into a garden and nature trail), and various shops in Greenwich Village. The grand prize? A set visit to the show.

[Remember: Presume. Nothing.]

Necromancing the Stone by Lish McBride is the sequel to Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, a young adult paranormal mystery featuring Sam the Necromancer (available September 18, 2012).

With the title of this book alone, I had a feeling that the voice of the author would be hilarious. After all, it takes talent to make necromancing funny. In Lish McBride’s sequel to Hold Me Closer, Necromancer, we are reintroduced to Samhain “Sam” LaCroix. He has recently killed his necromancing mentor, Douglas, and inherited all the power, wealth, and responsibility that goes with taking Douglas’s place in the supernatural food chain. On top of all that, Sam is dealing with the trials of being a young adult, a female werewolf’s boyfriend, and having one ghostly friend and another were-bear (say that five times fast) best friend.

[Nope, can’t say it . . .]