Best Bets: Time to play 'Game of Thrones'

HBO

Peter Dinklage returns as Tyrion Lannister in "Game of Thrones."

By Gael Fashingbauer Cooper

Ready to lose yourself in a fantasy world this week? "Game of Thrones," the huge hit series from HBO, returns, and the first of two Snow White-themed movies comes to theaters. Here's our look at the week ahead in entertainment.

TV
Finally, "Game of Thrones" is returning to HBO. Ned Stark won't be back, but Tyrion, Daenerys, Cersei, Jaime, Robb, Joffrey, Catelyn and the rest are ready to clash swords again. The second season will loosely follow the plot of "Clash of Kings," the?second book in George R.R. Martin's bestselling series. Fans of the books eagerly await the introduction of new characters including Brienne of Tarth, the woman warrior who fights as well as any man,?and Stannis Baratheon, brother of the late King Robert.?It may be time to?finally give in and order HBO. ?(April 1, 9 p.m., HBO.)

Blake Shelton, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, The Band Perry and Rascal Flatts will be among the performers at the 47th annual Academy of Country Music Awards, broadcast live from Las Vegas. Shelton and Reba McEntire will co-host, and Shelton is also nominated for two big awards. (April 1, 8 p.m., CBS.)

Movies
Yes, there are two Snow White-themed movies coming out this spring, and they're very different. "Snow White and the Huntsman" is a fantasy drama coming in June, but?arriving this week is the lighter-looking "Mirror, Mirror," a comedic look at the fairy tale. Julia Roberts plays the evil queen, with Lily Collins as Snow White and Armie Hammer as the prince. It'll be satisfying to see a Snow White who can finally fight back. (Opens March 30.)

It's been 35 years since "Slap Shot," the cult classic film about a trio of hockey-enforcer brothers. Some fans of that?movie?have high hopes for "Goon," starring Seann William Scott as a regular Joe who's?good in a fight?and gets sucked into playing hockey even though he can't skate. Liev Schreiber plays the veteran player who drops gloves against Scott. (Opens March 30.)

DVD

Not every critic loved 2011's "A Dangerous Method," but Roger Ebert found David Cronenberg's film "absorbing." Keira Knightley plays a woman who's a patient of two of the most famed figures in psychology, Sigmund Freud (Viggo Mortensen) and Carl Jung (Michael Fassbender). It didn't play in many theaters, so now's your chance to check it out from the safety of your own couch, psychiatric or otherwise. (On DVD and Blu-ray March 27.)

Four never-before-released-on-DVD episodes of "Mystery Science Theater 3000"are coming out this week. "King Dinosaur, "The Castle of Fu Manchu," "Code Name: Diamond Head," and "Last of the Wild Horses are the films, and the classic shorts "X Marks the Spot" and "A Day at the Fair" also come in for riffing from Joel, Mike and the Bots. (Out on DVD March 27.)

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Source: http://entertainment.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/03/24/10809340-best-bets-time-to-play-game-of-thrones

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