Although BBC America received considerable acclaim from their original series, “Copper,” a period piece about New York City police officers circa the 1860s, it should come as no surprise that their stock and trade still tends to be series set in the UK. Don’t worry, though: they’re still sticking with the whole period-piece thing for their latest endeavor, “Ripper Street,” which is set in Whitechapel, in London’s East End, n 1889, a mere six months after the infamous Jack the Ripper murders. The series stars Matthew Macfadyen, a familiar face to Angophiles for his work in numerous TV and film appearances, and Bullz-Eye had a chance to chat with him just before the “Ripper Street” panel at the Television Critics Association’s winter press tour, where we asked him about his new gig, several of his old ones, and how he got into acting in the first place.

Bullz-Eye: You, sir, are no stranger to period pieces.

Matthew Macfadyen: I’ve done a few, yeah. [Laughs.]

BE: What was it about “Ripper Street” that stood out for you in particular? Certainly it’s a bit darker than some of your past fare.

MM: Yeah, I thought it was dark. But I just thought the writing was brilliant. I really did. I didn’t expect to…I wasn’t planning on doing another series, but then it came along and I couldn’t stop reading it, which is sort of the acid test for me. So that was it, really.

BE: When you took the role, how much of Det. Sgt. Edmund Reid was on the page, and how much were you able to bring to the part?

MM: It was all on the page. I mean, it’s there. It’s so beautifully sketched out, and there’s so much going on underneath him. He’s got this terrible thing with his family, his daughter, so…there’s a lot. It’s interesting. And I think the writer, Richard (Warlow), doesn’t immediately build the characters, but you know there’s a back story, and it sort of comes out in dribbles. It evolves.

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Most movie stars like to take breaks between big films, but they don’t necessarily want to stop making money. Check out these five ways movie stars make money between films.

Working as Musicians

Creative types often use their off time pursuing other crafts, such as visual art or music. Keanu Reeves played bass in a band called Dogstar until the Matrix Trilogy hurtled him into a new level of celebrity. Donald Glover, who acts in movies as well as the television series Community, spends quite a bit of time pursuing his career as a rapper under the pseudonym Childish Gambino. By all accounts, Glover is considerably better at his musical craft than Reeves.

Inventing New Technologies

Few actors have successful careers as inventors. 1930′s film star Hedy Lamarr, however, had a flair for mathematics that made her an outstanding inventor as well as an actress. In fact, Lamarr co-created a technology that made it nearly impossible for enemy armies to jam radio communications from US soldiers. The military didn’t fully understand the importance of her invention, but her frequency-hopping, spread-spectrum patent played an instrumental role in developing Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth.

Endorsing Products

Jenna Fischer, who has performed in hit comedies such as Blades of Glory and Hall Pass, made some extra cash by endorsing Proactiv products in 2010. While endorsing products like Proactiv’s dark spot corrector, she also won a Screen Actors Guild Award for her performance on The Office. That must have been a busy year!

Appearing in Foreign Commercials

A lot of actors don’t want to appear in commercials because they worry the work might tarnish their reputations. When they’re away from home, though, many of them will appear in commercials for extra cash. Jennifer Aniston appeared in a German Heineken commercial. Leonardo DiCaprio starred in a TV ad for an Italian telephone company. One of the weirdest examples, though, comes from Nicholas Cage, who played himself in a commercial for a Japanese gaming device. In the ad, he becomes crazed by blonde triplets, jumps on top of his car while yelling “fever!”, and speeds off without warning.

Investing in Businesses

Movie stars have a lot of money, so they are key targets for any entrepreneur who needs startup capital. Planet Hollywood is probably the most popular example of this. Without investments and endorsements from Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, Sylvester Stallone, and Arnold Schwarzenegger, it’s unlikely that this chain would have become as popular.
Ashton Kutcher has invested his money in companies that seem much hipper by today’s standards. Some of his investments include Foursquare and Spotify. He also bought into Skype before it became popular. Even if he hadn’t gotten rich off his romantic comedies, that well-timed investment would have made him extremely wealthy.
Actors have to do more than just sit around looking attractive when they’re between films. What other celebrities have you seen participating in side projects?

Choosing the right gift for your wife can be a challenge if you’re not looking in the right place. But this doesn’t mean you settle down for anything. Valentine’s Day is special and your gift should be special. Here are a few gifts that you should avoid giving to your wife…

1. Stale Candy: Yes, candy is a big part of Valentine’s Day and it’s a common gift. However, if you’re going to give it, do it properly. It’s a bad idea to give a box with missing pieces, and a few other cracked open. You should always, always ensure that the candy you’re giving is new, fresh and tasty. Also, don’t forget to add flowers with the candy. You’ll find a good selection of flowers online to choose from.

2. Cheap Dinner: Valentine’s Day is when your woman expects you to treat her extra special. She wants you to take out in the best possible way, which is why dinner on cheap is a bad idea to start with. You can definitely put that change you found under the sofa to a better use. But for dinner, make sure you treat her royally.

3. A Virtual Gift: Yes virtual gifts are all rage and happening. People give them to each other all the time. But a virtual gift for Valentine’s Day? It’s a strict no-no! Whether you buy a picture of a lava lamp, or a graphical heart – the point is that virtual gifts don’t work for Valentine’s Day. Period.

4. A Stuffed Animal: Women expect you to buy them gifts that are especially bought for them. So when it comes to expressing your love to your woman, keep away from stuffed animals. Your wife is an adult and she has no use of a stuffed animal. The solution is to avoid giving any stuffed animals and instead focus on donating to a local charity as it makes for a thoughtful gift.

5. Racy Sleepwear: When you buy lingerie for your wife, you know it yourself that it’s a gift that’s more for you than her. It’s just another excuse to gift your woman some racy sleepwear. Valentine’s Day is is an occasion couples feel happy and want to remain together. It’s not a day to ask your partner to put on some lingerie so that she feels sexy.

6. A Local Gym Membership: Do not make the mistake of using Valentine’s Day as an opportunity to suggest your Valentine that she can lose a few pounds. That’s right – women are highly self-conscious about their weight and you gifting a gym membership will only make it worse.

There you go! Six gifts that you should stay away from on Valentine’s Day if you want to make the most out of it.

SPOILER WARNING: This post will appear following a new episode of Justified. It is intended to be read after seeing the show’s latest installment as a source of recap and analysis. As such, all aspects of the series up to and including the episode discussed are fair game.

“Truth and Consequences” has a more literal title than most episodes of Justified (sure, they packed in a pun, but that’s almost cheating when the character central to the season’s big mystery has a name like “Waldo Truth”). It begins with Boyd paying a visit to the Last Chance Holiness Church, still struggling to figure out what game the preacher and his sister are playing. He’s sure there’s a game, though, there has to be. Boyd would never go to all the trouble the St. Cyrs have if he wasn’t getting something out of it, so he can’t believe anyone else would either. So what’s the truth he’s not seeing?

Half-jokingly, Boyd questions Cassie’s claims that she was merely “putting her brother to sleep,” implying the two are sexually involved and that the sibling act is merely part of their scheme (either that or it’s incest, after all, it’s Kentucky). But that isn’t it, and to his surprise, it isn’t that Cassie uses her brother’s faith and charisma to extort local criminals, either. Cassie turns down Boyd’s “donation,” insisting that what he’s smelling isn’t a con but the fact that “unlike the rest of these sorry souls, we’re not afraid of you.” Boyd quips back, “In that case, ma’am, I think we’ve misjudged each other,” words that turn out prophetic.

Having tried the carrot, Boyd decides to try the stick—sending his henchmen in to intimidate the St. Cyrs—which results in the one who isn’t Colton (apparently his name is Jimmy) being bitten to death by snakes, or so it seems. Given the severity of his injuries, Jimmy should’ve died hours before he got medical help. And just like that, a lightbulb goes off in Boyd’s head. So he heads back to the Last Chance Holiness with another gift, only this time, “it’s not to the church, it’s to the congregation. And it ain’t money, it’s knowledge.”

The main characters aren’t the only ones dealing with truths and consequences this week. Billy St. Cyr’s faith (and hubris) is cemented by the fact that he and his followers continue to survive snakebites without medical assistance. Seeing it as proof of divine intervention, he fearlessly handles snakes as a testament to his omnipotent and benevolent God. As it turns out, however, Boyd was right. There was a scheme afoot, and Cassie had the wool pulled over the eyes of her brother and his congregation both. She’d been “milking” the snakes of their venom to ensure their bites wouldn’t be fatal.

Ever the true believer, Billy insists on handling Boyd’s “gift” nonetheless, though his sister begs him not to. Having gotten what he came for, Boyd too tries to talk him out of it, saying, “You know what, son? I once stood where you’re standing now, mistaking my own hubris for God’s touch. That ain’t religion, son, that’s self-glorification. Best you leave this thing alone.” After that, things go about as you’d expect. Billy is bitten and, given his conviction, I’m willing to bet he’ll die as a result. The preacher was presented with the truth, refused to recognize it, and now he’ll face the consequences. For now, it seems the St. Cyrs weren’t out to get the Crowders. They were nothing but true believers in a place with no room for such. Boyd did what he did not because they were affecting his business interests, but to come to terms with the man he was, the man he saw reflected in Billy St. Cyr’s face.

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The Super Bowl commercial blitz is officially underway with the unveiling of a 60-second online teaser video from Taco Bell, found above. This minute-long production is a preview of the company’s new Super Bowl commercial, a LIVE MÁS® brand commercial called “Viva Young,” set to debut during the third quarter of the game February 3 on CBS. The full commercial, which will show that anyone at any age can “live más,” will be set to the music of Taco Bell Feed the Beat® artist and six-time GRAMMY® Award nominee fun.’s “We Are Young,” which will be sung in Spanish.

Check out the teaser above and be sure to keep your eyes open during the third quarter of the big game next week!

Today is the 40th anniversary of this epic call from Howard Cosell as George Forman knocked down and then knocked out Joe Frazier. It’s one of the greatest sports call of all time.

It’s amazing watching this now. In today’s world there’s no way the ref lets Frazier keep fight after that second knockdown.

2013 is off to a fresh start, and the New Year promises a lot for music. The early part of the year has shaped up well with updates on the most expected albums of 2013, and everyone is looking forward to what they have to offer. Here’s a list of top 5 expected music albums of 2013 everyone is looking forward to.

1. TBA – Five Iron Frenzy

The Christian ska band is all set for this release and expectations are high as it’s been a 10 year wait. After such a long interval, you may be wondering if they’re really going to come along, but the song ‘It was A Dark and Stormy Night’ suggests that band is pretty serious about making a comeback. The album may even include the best lyrics ever produced by the band.

2. Street King Immortal – 50 cent

The rapper is pumped up to release Street King immortal. The release date is slated around the 10th year anniversary of his popular album Get Rich or Die Tryin’. You won’t be listening to him alone. The album also features big names such as Chris Brown, Busta Rhymes, Alicia Keys, Eminem, Adam Levine and Akon. The star tweeted the album’s release date; February 26.

3. One Women Army – Ciara

Ciara is making big comeback with this new album. Talking to MTV news, she stated the album is about her independence as a woman and represents her strength. It’s about what she wants out of her life. It’s going to be a follow-up to her album ‘Basic Instinct’ released two years ago, which featured three hit singles. Music lovers have high hopes from One Women Army.

4. Amok – Atoms for Peace

Thom Yorke and Flea are considered as the top rock stars of today, and they’ve recorded some impressive material so far. With Nigel Godrich on their side, the album has high expectations. The art work released so far has made a statement reflecting the creation as a building. The album is expected to release late in February.

5. Pink Friday: The Pink Print – Nicki Minaj

After cementing herself as a global superstar last year, winning multiple awards, she looks to continue her feat with the follow-up to her album Roman reloaded. The new album is going to be a continuation and a ‘re-release’ to The Re-Up. Let’. As the name of the album ‘The Pink Print’ suggests, everyone is expecting a lot of pink in the videos.

These are the biggest expected music albums of 2013. A good way to promote your favorite album among your social circle would be to learn playing guitar so you can play the tunes of your favorite tracks. Professional teachers from TakeLessons are an option if you live in Los Angeles, or if you live in another city, you can search for additional options. By learning tracks from your favorite albums, you would be able to promote it among friends and acquaintances, building a greater following for your favorite artist.

January has been pretty disappointing for movie fans thus far, both in theaters and on home video, but that cold streak appears to be finally coming to an end thanks to this week’s collection of new releases. Most of them aren’t particularly high profile titles (except maybe “End of Watch”), but they’re all worth seeing for one reason or another.

“Training Day” ranks pretty high on my list of the best cop movies ever made, so when I learned that writer/director David Ayer (who wrote the screenplay) would be returning to the genre with a found footage film, it definitely perked my interest. But while the idea is great in theory, “End of Watch” doesn’t work quite as well as you’d hope. The biggest problem is that Ayer isn’t fully committed to the found footage gimmick that he forces on the story, often relying on shots that clearly weren’t captured by any of the characters, surveillance cameras or dash cams, and it spoils the experience as a result. There really wasn’t a need to shoot the movie this way either, or at the very least, not draw so much attention to the fact that its heroes and villains are carrying around cameras the whole time. Despite these annoyances, however, Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Peña are so incredibly committed to their roles – striking an excellent chemistry and delivering some of the best work of both their careers – that it’s worth seeing for their performances alone.

Blu-ray Highlight: In addition to some short promos and deleted scenes, writer/director David Ayer sits down for a mostly enjoyable commentary track where he discusses the cast’s dedication to the project, criticisms about the found footage cheats and more.

Continuing the recent trend of R-rated female comedies, “For a Good Time, Call…” is like a stick of cotton candy – it’s fluffy and sweet, but doesn’t have very much substance. Unlike the sugary treat, however, the film is harmless fun. The story is pretty formulaic, and you probably won’t remember much about the movie when it’s over, but it’s an enjoyable slice of mindless entertainment that’s anchored by a pair of likeable performances by Ari Graynor and co-writer Lauren Anne Miller. Though I’m a little surprised that the comedy wasn’t raunchier, it’s nice to see an R-rated film that doesn’t feel like it has to resort to crude humor for laughs. That doesn’t mean it’s not raunchy at times, but Miller and Katie Anne Naylon’s script nicely balances those moments with the charming relationship between its two leads. The film also features some great cameos by Seth Rogen, Kevin Smith and Ken Marino, and though that doesn’t make it any less forgettable, it’s not a bad way to spend two hours.

Blu-ray Highlight: The included audio commentary features director Jamie Travis, stars Ari Graynor and Lauren Anne Miller, and co-writer Katie Anne Naylon in an enthusiastic discussion about making the movie, but it’s not particularly informative or entertaining.

I’m one of the few critics that didn’t fall head over heels for “Precious: Based on the Novel Push by Sapphire” when it was released four years ago, and a major reason for that was director Lee Daniels’ poor execution of the material. Not only does his Oscar nomination seem like a complete joke in hindsight, but based on the reaction to his latest movie, it appears that he’s finally been found out with yet another appalling effort. “The Paperboy” is bad filmmaking through and through, from its ugly, slapdash script to the dreadful acting by its cast. You know something’s wrong when Macy Gray delivers the best performance, and though everyone involved is pretty bad (even Matthew McConaughey, who’s had a really good year), Zac Efron is the worst of the bunch. Nicole Kidman, meanwhile, just makes a complete fool of herself, whether it’s peeing on Efron or miming fellatio while John Cusack’s convict jizzes in his pants. There doesn’t seem to be a point to anything that happens over the course of the film, and even the outrageous stuff is dull. If you’re looking for a great pulp thriller that doesn’t pull its punches, watch “Killer Joe” instead.

Blu-ray Highlight: There’s not a lot to choose from here, but the interviews with the cast and crew – including director Lee Daniels and actors Nicole Kidman, John Cusack, Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron – do shine some light on the making of the film.

The beautiful Tanit Phoenix returns as Katrina Banks in “Death Race 3: Inferno,” and she’s just as badass as ever. She has some pretty incredible fight scenes in this third installment of the “Death Race” series and one very hot scene as well.

Bullz-Eye.com was on location in South Africa for the filming of the movie, and senior photographer Paul Miller had the opportunity to talk to this stunning South African actress and model. He also helped the unit photographer set up some of the sexy photos above as well. Tanit has a great sense of humor as you can see in this video, and you’ll definitely want to pick up the Blu-ray/DVD set after watching her interview.

Also, check out our interviews with Michelle Van Schaik, who plays Olga Braun, along with our interview with the Death Race Nav Girls.

Michelle Van Schaik is a stunning Dutch model who was working in South Africa and then auditioned for a role in a new film. Now she’s made her acting debut in “Death Race 3: Inferno,” and Bullz-Eye.com was on location for the film production. Senior photographer Paul Miller got the awesome assignment that included an interview with the blonde beauty that you can watch below. Paul also assisted the unit photographer in getting some exclusive glamour shots of the Michelle in her costume from the movie that you can see in the slideshow above.

Michelle does a great job in the film as she’s the lone female driver among the 12 drivers in the Death Race. She has a badass scene that we can’t tell you about, so you’ll have to pick up the Blu-ray/DVD to see it.

Also, check out our interviews with Tanit Phoenix along with our interview with the Death Race Nav Girls.