News

At Tower Bar, everything old is new again.

After six years of holding court at Jeff Klein’s tony San Vicente Bungalows, Dimitri Dimitrov is departing this week to become the major domo of Tower Bar, the star-packed Hollywood eatery at Klein’s Sunset Tower Hotel where the legendary 75-year-old maître d’ first started working 20 years ago.

“Dimitri played an instrumental role in making Tower Bar what it is, and the guests missed him terribly,” said Klein. “Our regulars will be thrilled that he’s back.”

Those regulars include everyone from Jennifer Aniston to Tom Ford to Elon Musk. (Charmed by the dapper, Macedonian-born host, Musk talked him into buying a pile of Tesla stock way back in 2010, a prescient move that eventually turned Dimitri into L.A.’s first millionaire maître d’.)

“It’s not about the money for me, obviously,” said Dimitrov, who’s stepping in for departing Tower Bar host Geshie Wilmot.

Usually, it’s what’s going on inside the San Vicente Bungalows — the deals, the spiels, the meals — that gets Rambling Reporter’s attention. But lately we couldn’t help noticing what’s going on outside the buzzy Hollywood clubhouse: For nearly a week, a lone 26-year-old woman, often dressed in extravagant evening wear, has been picketing the property, brandishing a sign claiming, “I Have Been Sexually Harassed @ San Vincente Bungalows.”

Her name is Anazia Akhalu, and it turns out the target of her accusation is none other than Dimitri Dimitrov, the legendary 74-year-old maître d’ who has been a decades-long Hollywood high life fixture, working for years at the Sunset Tower before decamping for the Bungalows in 2018 (both are owned by hotelier Jeff Klein). Akhalu, who worked the front desk at Svb for five weeks last winter, is accusing Dimitrov of, among other things, “squeez[ing] on my waist and...

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Change is in the air at one of Hollywood’s preferred stomping grounds.

Gabé Doppelt, who officially replaced Dimitri Dimitrov as Sunset Tower’s resident and beloved maître d’ in October 2018 following a year and a half apprenticeship, is preparing to bid adieu to the iconic property and join hotelier Jeff Klein’s other industry hotspot, San Vicente Bungalows.

Doppelt informed Sunset Tower staff of the job change last Wednesday evening with plenty of warning to let it sink in. Beginning in March 2023, after awards season is over and all the gold has been handed out, Doppelt will segue to San Vincente Bungalows where she’ll focus on membership at the private club.

Per Klein and Doppelt, the move will be part-time at first as she will split focus by training her replacement while also learning the membership world in advance of San Vicente Bungalows’ planned expansion.

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit the interwebs. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.

A Very Murray Christmas (Sofia Coppola)

Gear up for Christmas by pouring some eggnog, gathering your family, and watching the latest work from Sofia Coppola, featuring Bill Murray, George Clooney, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, Rashida Jones, Miley Cyrus, and more. – Jordan R.

Where to Stream: Netflix

Best of Enemies (Morgan...

Netflix has released a new trailer for the upcoming holiday special A Very Murray Christmas, and it's a real treat. Sold as a K-Tel Christmas compilation commercial, we get a sneak peek at all of the musical performances that will be on display in this festive outing from the one and only Bill Murray. And best of all, we get to hear and see George Clooney as he belts out a new sure-to-be Christmas classic.

A Very Murray Christmas features all of the season's greatest hits performed by a cavelcade of all-star talent. Bill Murray, Miley Cyrus and a troupe of dancing silver reindeer get down and dirty on 'Sleigh Ride'. Miley Cyrus then goes solo for 'Silent Night', with Paul Shaffer accompanying on piano. Bill Murray and Chris Rock team up for a hilarious rendition of 'Do You Hear What I Hear'. You'll also hear Mya Rudolph. Jason Shwartzman...

At a loss for what to watch this week? From new DVDs and Blu-rays, to what's streaming on Netflix, we've got you covered.

New Video on Demand, Rental Streaming, and Digital Only

"Imba Means Sing"

This heartwarming documentary follows the journey of 20 Ugandan children in the African Children's Choir who spent 500 days on tour singing their way to better lives. The doc debuts globally On Demand on December 4, with 100 percent of the filmmaker profits going back to the choir.

Here's an exclusive clip of the kids sharing what they want to be when they grow up:"Ted 2"

The foul-mouthed teddy bear is back! In this sequel, Ted marries his girlfriend, then they hit a snag with the birth of their child, since the law sees Ted as property, not a person. Cue Amanda Seyfried and Morgan Freeman as attorneys getting all "Legally Blonde" for Ted's cause. Mark Wahlberg returns as John,...

Netflix may have a certain Jessica Jones waiting in the wings ahead of her much-anticipated debut on Friday, November 20 – and we can hardly wait – but the online giant is readying another original project from the other end of the creative spectrum. That is, the celebrity-laden, gleefully meta holiday special, A Very Murray Christmas.

Sofia Coppola is behind the lens for this one, reuniting with her Lost in Translation star in the process. As if the title wasn’t an immediate giveaway, Bill Murray is very much front and center for Netflix’s original drama, who finds himself at his wits’ end when a seemingly relentless blizzard engulfs New York City, rendering any means of public transport useless. With the Big Apple at a standstill, Murray’s big plans for a festive stage show are on the brink, though some good old-fashioned improvising is enough to stage a show brimming with festive cheer.

On Friday, December 4th, Bill Murray and his celebrity friends will be bringing the holidays to naughty and nice fans around the world with the Netflix original holiday special, A Very Murray Christmas.

Netlfix has now released the new trailer, which you can check out below.

Written by Mitch Glazer, Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola, and directed by Sofia Coppola, A Very Murray Christmas is an homage to the classic variety show featuring Bill Murray playing himself, as he worries no one will show up to his TV show due to a terrible snow storm in New York City.  Through luck and perseverance, guests arrive at the Carlyle hotel to help him; dancing and singing in holiday spirit.

The star-studded cast also includes Michael Cera, George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Dimitri Dimitrov, David  Johansen, Rashida Jones, Jenny Lewis, Amy Poehler, Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Paul Shaffer, Julie White, the band Phoenix,...

Read More: Watch: 'A Very Murray Christmas' Trailer and Photos Tease Netflix, Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola's Very Special Holiday Special An homage to classic variety shows, "A Very Murray Christmas" features Bill Murray playing himself. Written by Mitch Glazer, Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola, and also directed by Sofia Coppola, the film includes a star-studded ensemble of cameo appearances. George Clooney, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, the band Phoenix, Rashida Jones, Miley Cyrus, and more all play themselves as they help Murray with his holiday variety show. Executive producers include Coppola, Glazer, Murray, Roman Coppola and Tony Hernandez.  The official film synopsis reads: "This winter, Bill Murray brings an extra-special dose of holiday cheer to Netflix with the premiere of an all-star musically-driven holiday special, 'A Very...

Can you believe Christmas is in 39 days?&#160Relax! Bill Murray and his celebrity friends will help take care of that with&#160A Very Murray Christmas. This once in a lifetime event is&#160coming exclusively to Netflix on&#160Friday, December 4th.&#160We have the brand-new trailer, which shows Bill dancing with Miley Cyrus as he pulls off one of the most amazing Christmas parties ever!

This winter, Bill Murray brings an extra-special dose of holiday cheer to Netflix with the premiere of an all-star musically-driven holiday special, A Very Murray Christmas. Set inside New York City's iconic Carlyle hotel, A Very Murray Christmas opens with Bill preparing to host a live, international holiday broadcast. After a blizzard shuts down the production, he makes the best of the situation by singing and celebrating with friends, hotel employees and anyone else who drops by.

Written by Sofia Coppola, Bill Murray and Mitch Glazer...

Bill Murray already has one Christmas classic in the bag with "Scrooged," but can he knock out another? Well, he's teaming with Sofia Coppola and pretty much every celebrity friend he's ever made, for "A Very Murray Christmas," which seems to be as much a holiday special as a gigantic Bill Murray love fest.  George Clooney, Paul Shaffer, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, the band Phoenix, Rashida Jones, Miley Cyrus, and more will appear in the Christmas treat that finds Bill Murray playing himself, as he worries that no one will show up to his TV show due to a terrible snow storm in New York City.  Through luck and perseverance, guests arrive at the Carlyle hotel to help him; dancing and singing in holiday spirit, in what will be an homage to old school variety shows.

Bill Murray and several of his celebrity friends have teamed up for Netflix's "A Very Murray Christmas" special on Friday December 4th.

Available in all territories where Netflix has a presence, the streaming service has premiered a brand-new poster, which you can see below. Co-written and directed by Sofia Coppola, Murray plays himself and worries no one will show up to his TV show due to a terrible snow storm in New York City. Through luck and perseverance, guests arrive at the Carlyle hotel to help him.

George Clooney, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, Phoenix, Frederic Moulin, Rashida Jones, Miley Cyrus, and many more also star.

On Friday, December 4th, Bill Murray and his celebrity friends will be bringing the holidays to naughty and nice fans around the world with the Netflix original holiday special, A Very Murray Christmas.

With the countdown officially on, Netflix just gave everyone some holiday cheer and released the official poster for the holiday special, which you can check out below.

Written by Mitch Glazer, Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola, and directed by Sofia Coppola, A Very Murray Christmas is an homage to the classic variety show featuring Bill Murray playing himself, as he worries no one will show up to his TV show due to a terrible snow storm in New York City.  Through luck and perseverance, guests arrive at the Carlyle hotel to help him; dancing and singing in holiday spirit.

The star-studded cast also includes Michael Cera, George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Dimitri Dimitrov, David  Johansen, Rashida Jones, Jenny Lewis,...

While December will herald the annual battle for festive supremacy at the box office, with seasonal releases such as Christmas Eve, Krampus, Love the Cooper and Joseph-Gordon Levitt’s The Night Before competing for your money and time, one movie studio forgoing the hustle and bustle is Netflix with its original holiday special: A Very Murray Christmas.

Due to premiere exclusively on the streaming service from December 4, Sofia Coppola reunites with her Lost in Translation star for the feature. Taking place largely in Big Apple’s historic Carlyle hotel, Netflix’s seasonal special has Murray putting the final plans together to host a a very special musical stage show to ring in the holiday. However, a fierce blizzard puts paid to that idea, though the leading star improvises in order to make light of a bad situation, and the reveal trailer showcased all the signs of a star-studded romp.

Not...

First, I'd like to say that Sofia Coppola should be making movies way more frequently than she is, and I'd really like it if she'd make about four films a year. However, I'm pretty happy about what she's got going on this year, because "A Very Murray Christmas" is on its way to Netflix on December 4th. Here's the official synopsis from today's e-mail: Written by Mitch Glazer, Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola, and directed by Sofia Coppola, A Very Murray Christmas is an homage to the classic variety show featuring Bill Murray playing himself, as he worries no one will show up to his TV show due to a terrible snow storm in New York City.  Through luck and perseverance, guests arrive at the Carlyle hotel to help him; dancing and singing in holiday spirit.   The star-studded cast also includes Michael Cera, George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Dimitri Dimitrov,...

If you weren't already excited, here's yet another taste of your new favorite holiday special: Bill Murray and his famous friends are coming to Netflix for the holidays in the Sofia Coppola-directed musical comedy film "A Very Murray Christmas," and here's the new poster to prove it. Written by Mitch Glazer, Bill Murray and Sofia Coppola, "A Very Murray Christmas" pays homage to classic variety shows as Bill Murray, who plays himself, worries no one will show up to his television show due to a terrible snowstorm in New York City. Thanks to a little bit of luck and perseverance, his famous guests arrive at The Carlyle Hotel to dance and sing along with Murray in the holiday spirit. The star-studded cast features Michael Cera, George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Dimitri Dimitrov, David Johansen, Rashida Jones, Jenny Lewis, Amy Poehler, Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Paul Shaffer, Julie White and the band Phoenix.

Netflix is wishing viewers A Very Murray Christmas this holiday season, debuting Bill Murray's all-star special on Friday, December 4th. A new teaser for the Sofia Coppola-directed project previews the hijinks unfolding at New York City's iconic Carlyle hotel, where a blizzard ruins production on the actor's live, international holiday broadcast. Joined by famous friends like George Clooney, Miley Cyrus and Chris Rock, Murray makes the most of his surroundings, singing and dancing with everyone in the building.

"Tonight will go down as the greatest night in history,...

Do you hear what I hear? Bill Murray and his celebrity friends are crashing Christmas! On&#160Friday, December 4th,&#160Netflix will debut&#160A Very Murray Christmas&#160in all territories where Netflix is available. This promises to be the holiday party of the year. And today, we have the new trailer and new photos from the bash!

Written by Sofia Coppola, Bill Murray and Mitch Glazer and directed by Sofia Coppola,&#160A Very Murray Christmas&#160is an homage to the classic variety show featuring Bill Murray playing himself. The iconic comedy legend worries that no one will show up to his TV show due to a terrible snow storm in New York City.&#160Through luck and perseverance, guests arrive at the Carlyle hotel to help him; dancing and singing in holiday spirit.

The star-studded cast includes&#160George Clooney, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen,...

Though the weather outside is frightful, Bill Murray is always delightful judging by the first clip for Netflix’s star-studded holiday special, A Very Murray Christmas. Featuring a who’s who of Hollywood talent, the footage includes fleeting glimpses of George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Chris Rock, Maya Rudolph and of course, Murray himself.

Written and directed by Lost in Translation helmer Sofia Coppola, A Very Murray Christmas has the beloved acting veteran playing himself as he scrambles to make the best out of a bad situation when a snowstorm blankets the entirety of New York City. Having planned for an elaborate stage show to take place the same weekend, the titular host is forced to improvise within the Big Apple’s historic Carlyle hotel, leading to feature film that revels in the holiday spirit.

Having helped pen the screenplay himself along with Mitch Glazer, Bill Murray is very much the...

Bill Murray’s Netflix Christmas party is jingle bell rockin’ a guest list that includes movie star George Clooney, funny ladies Amy Poehler and Rashida Jones, Chris Rock and (of course) Miley Cyrus, as seen in the first promo for the star-studded special.

VideosA Very (Bill) Murray Christmas Special Ordered at Netflix — Watch the Teaser

Written by Murray, Sofia Coppola and Mitch Glazer and directed by Coppola, A Very Murray Christmas (premiering Dec. 4) is described as “an homage to the classic variety show,” with Murray (as himself) fretting that no one will show up for his TV show due to...

Halloween hasn't even half-killed us with Reese's overload yet, but we're already counting the days until Netflix starts streaming "A Very Murray Christmas."

The Sofia Coppola-directed special is an "homage to the classic variety show featuring Bill Murray playing himself," and it arrives on December 4. The holiday event has an all-star cast, including George Clooney, Miley Cyrus, Paul Shaffer, Amy Poehler, Julie White, Dimitri Dimitrov, Michael Cera, Chris Rock, David Johansen, Maya Rudolph, Jason Schwartzman, Jenny Lewis, Phoenix's Thomas Croquet, Christian Mazzalai and Laurent Mazzalai, Frederic Moulin, Rashida Jones, and more.

The famous names are on display in Netflix's new 30-second trailer, which shows Murray promising, "This night will go down as the greatest night in history."

Check it out:

Here's the plot synopsis from Netflix:

Set inside New York City's iconic Carlyle hotel, A Very Murray Christmas opens with Murray preparing to host a live, international holiday broadcast.