A new extended television spot for the upcoming family-friendly boxing tale Real Steel plays up the two things that seemingly every movie set in the business of pugilism must incorporate: an underdog story and some appropriately bruising boxing sequences.  It does the first by establishing Hugh Jackman as a washed up prizefighter who gets his ass kicked and is generally having a bad run of luck.  It does the second with lots and lots of very expensive visual effects depicting eight foot tall robots engaging in metal-on-metal action, as sports in the future of Real Steel are dominated by a boxing league in which the combatants are not sweaty humans, but are instead remote-control robots roughing each other up for the entertainment of America.

Actress Taryn Manning is clearly no stranger to starring in films with musical themes but she is also an accomplished singer-songwriter in her own right. The actress is best known for her roles in the Oscar winning hip-hop films 8 Mile and Hustle & Flow, as well as starring opposite Britney Spears in her film debut Crossroads. But Manning has also licensed her own music to movies like Mean Girls, The Hot Chick, and The Italian Job. Now the actress/musician returns with a new film that seems tailor-made for her unique talents entitled The Perfect Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll, which opens in theaters on August 5th.

Written and directed by Scott Rosenbaum, the film revolves around a group of childhood friends who reunite their former band and must come face to face with their own “rock ‘n’ roll demons” (sex, drugs & booze) while on a cross-country trip that compels them to face their past, present, and future. In addition to Manning, the film features an excellent cast of actors including Kevin Zegers (Fozen), Jason Ritter (W.), Lauren Holly (Dumb & Dumber), Lukas Haas (Brick), and living legend Peter Fonda (Easy Rider). I recently had a chance to speak with Taryn Manning about The Perfect Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll and we discussed the film; it’s themes, music’s infamous “27 Club,” the recent passing of Amy Winehouse, Manning’s musical lineage, and working with the great Peter Fonda. Here is what she had to say:

Netflix's streaming Watch Instantly service is fast becoming America's favorite way to watch movies.  The library of available titles is so vast and mutable that you, the avid instant watcher, could no doubt use a guide as you navigate the streaming frontier.  Luckily for you, I'll be here every Tuesday to update you on the latest titles available for instant-watching, as well as bringing attention some gems out there in the instantly watchable wilds.

The big game is over, Packers brought home the Vince Lombardi Trophy, and the half time show terrified some, thrilled others. So what are your thoughts on Super Bowl XLV? Between the Black Eyed Peas and Christina Aguilera, were you happy with either performance? How about the commercials? There were a ton of entertaining ones this year, from Eminem riding through the streets of Detroit to a young Darth Vadar; this was a good year when it came to ads.

Armed with the confidence that comes with having the number one album of 2010, Eminem is taking on his first role as a leading man since Curtis Hanson’s 8 Mile in 2002.  Marshall Mathers himself, whose song “Lose Yourself” won him an Oscar that year, will make his return in the Fox thriller Random Acts of Violence.  Eminem will play a recently released ex convict navigating the allegiances and compromises he must make, caught between his former crew and the authorities, who want to use him to take them down.