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Best bets: Future 'Limitless' for Cooper

"Hangover" star takes lead in sci-fi drama. Also this week: "The Bachelor" picks his bride; "The Fighter" punches its way onto DVD.
/ Source: TODAY.com

Movies
What if one pill could give you incredible intelligence and stamina, enough to write best-selling novels, make millions on the stock market, and never need sleep? That's the premise of "Limitless," starring Bradley Cooper as a struggling writer who suddenly finds this magic drug. As you can imagine, there are drawbacks. Cooper's well-known from "Alias" and films "The Hangover" and "The A-Team," but despite the presence of legendary co-star Robert De Niro, he's got to carry this film. Can he do it? Better down another of those magic pills, Coop. (Opens March 18.)

If any Hollywood actor seems like he could play a guy who works out of his car, Matthew McConaughey is that guy. In "The Lincoln Lawyer," based on a Michael Connelly crime novel he plays Mickey Haller, a defense attorney whose auto-based practice has to step it up a notch when he lands the case of a rich playboy who's accused of rape and attempted murder. Sounds like a John Grisham, yet it's not. (Opens March 18.)

"Paul" looks an awful lot like "E.T.," if "E.T." were a loony comedy instead of a beloved 1982 sci-fi drama. It brings "Shaun of the Dead" stars Simon Pegg and Nick Frost together again, this time exploring Area 51 and running into alien Paul in the process. Reportedly, Brits Pegg and Frost based part of the film on a road trip they took across America. Seth Rogen voices Paul. (Opens March 18.)

TV
Here we go again. Brad Womack. "The Bachelor." The final rose. He passed on both women the first time he was on the show, but this time around, he even went on "The Women Tell All" raving about the woman in his life, so we assume he picks either Emily or Chantal. We also assume the new engagement will last about as long as most of the other relationships from this show, Trista and Ryan notwithstanding. (March 14, 9 p.m., ABC.)

And you think your house is messy. The employees of "Ultimate Cleaners" tackle the cleaning jobs that no one else wants, from crime scenes to crack houses. Larry Douglas is a former cop, and his staff is his family, which makes it only more interesting. (Premieres March 20, 9 p.m. ET, Discovery.)

DVD
"The Fighter
" punched out both supporting acting categories at last month's Oscars, with Christian Bale and Melissa Leo taking home golden statues for their work. But they didn't do it alone — they were backed up by a great cast, including Mark Wahlberg as the rising boxer trapped between family and fame, Amy Adams as his tough-talking girlfriend, and a gaggle of big-haired sisters. One DVD extra that you wouldn't have seen in the theaters is the story behind the real-life fighting brothers who are portrayed in the film. (Out on DVD March 15.)

Gael Fashingbauer Cooper is TODAY.com's movies editor.