Fight Club, Zodiac, The Social Network, Gone Girl. There's hardly anyone who hasn't seen, let alone heard, all of these movies and the name of the man behind them, David Fincher. From Alien 3 to The Killer with Michael Fassbender, from House of Cards to Love, Death & Robots, Fincher's career is now in its fourth decade and his films have collectively grossed over $2.1 billion. But of course, no matter how original his work, even a director as innovative as Fincher is inspired by the achievements of filmmakers who came before him. Here is a list of 26 films that David Fincher has cited as his favorites.
26 Must-See Movies David Fincher Loves
26. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
25. Chinatown
24. Dr. Strangelove
23. The Godfather Part II
22. Taxi Driver
21. Being There
20. Alien
19. Rear Window
18. Jaws
17. Lawrence of Arabia
16. Zelig
15. Cabaret
14. All That Jazz
13. Paper Moon
12. All the President's Men
11. Citizen Kane
10. 8½
9. The Graduate...
26 Must-See Movies David Fincher Loves
26. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
25. Chinatown
24. Dr. Strangelove
23. The Godfather Part II
22. Taxi Driver
21. Being There
20. Alien
19. Rear Window
18. Jaws
17. Lawrence of Arabia
16. Zelig
15. Cabaret
14. All That Jazz
13. Paper Moon
12. All the President's Men
11. Citizen Kane
10. 8½
9. The Graduate...
- 5/16/2024
- by louise.everitt@startefacts.com (Louise Everitt)
- STartefacts.com
Netflix comedy movies in March 2024 cover every subgenre in the category. Whether you’re looking to stream slapstick, a rom-com, or something with a side of horror, Netflix’s March additions have something for you.
While any time is a good time to watch a comedy, springtime and laughs can go hand-in-hand. With warmer weather (and summer blockbusters) around the corner, spend your March with Netflix’s best comedy movies.
‘Beverly Hills Ninja’ Coming to Netflix March 1
Celebrate comedy legend Chris Farley by streaming Beverly Hills Ninja on Netflix beginning March 1. The 1997 martial arts comedy marks the final film released during Farley’s lifetime, as the actor died less than a year after its release.
Farley stars as Haru, adopted as a child by a clan of ninjas who believe he’ll become the master promised in legends. As expected, Haru never entirely becomes a ninja despite his best efforts.
While any time is a good time to watch a comedy, springtime and laughs can go hand-in-hand. With warmer weather (and summer blockbusters) around the corner, spend your March with Netflix’s best comedy movies.
‘Beverly Hills Ninja’ Coming to Netflix March 1
Celebrate comedy legend Chris Farley by streaming Beverly Hills Ninja on Netflix beginning March 1. The 1997 martial arts comedy marks the final film released during Farley’s lifetime, as the actor died less than a year after its release.
Farley stars as Haru, adopted as a child by a clan of ninjas who believe he’ll become the master promised in legends. As expected, Haru never entirely becomes a ninja despite his best efforts.
- 3/1/2024
- by Matt Moore
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
A big-budget series adaptation of a best-selling sci-fi epic, a new season of an acquired Peacock gem, a spinoff series of a Guy Ritchie crime feature, the return of one of the world’s most grueling reality competition shows, Millie Bobby Brown finding herself in all sorts of bother and Adam Sandler getting serious in a space drama are among the standout films and series hitting Netflix in March.
Funnyman Sandler is deathly serious in Johan Renck’s Spaceman, Netflix’s big feature release this month that debuts on March 1. The film, an adaptation of Jaroslav Kalfar’s novel Spaceman of Bohemia, sees Sandler play a Czech astronaut sent to the farthest reaches of space, just as his personal life is falling to pieces. Sandler’s character must keep his sanity and his only supposed company is a giant alien arachnid. The film, which premiered out of competition at the Berlin Film Festival,...
Funnyman Sandler is deathly serious in Johan Renck’s Spaceman, Netflix’s big feature release this month that debuts on March 1. The film, an adaptation of Jaroslav Kalfar’s novel Spaceman of Bohemia, sees Sandler play a Czech astronaut sent to the farthest reaches of space, just as his personal life is falling to pieces. Sandler’s character must keep his sanity and his only supposed company is a giant alien arachnid. The film, which premiered out of competition at the Berlin Film Festival,...
- 3/1/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
As the mixed critical response and lackluster box office for "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" emphatically proves, they simply don't make 'em like "Raiders of the Lost Ark" anymore.
When Roger Ebert reviewed Steven Spielberg's action-adventure classic back in 1981, he opined that it played like "an anthology of the best parts from all the Saturday matinee serials ever made." As it happens, that was pretty much George Lucas' idea when he dreamt up Indiana Jones in the first place — and what an idea it was. The Indiana Jones franchise has since become one of the biggest blockbuster sagas in cinema history, with Dr. Henry Jones Jr. himself ascending to the status of pop culture icon in the process.
While 1984's "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" has its defenders, and many fans of the series will swear 1989's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" is just as good as "Raiders,...
When Roger Ebert reviewed Steven Spielberg's action-adventure classic back in 1981, he opined that it played like "an anthology of the best parts from all the Saturday matinee serials ever made." As it happens, that was pretty much George Lucas' idea when he dreamt up Indiana Jones in the first place — and what an idea it was. The Indiana Jones franchise has since become one of the biggest blockbuster sagas in cinema history, with Dr. Henry Jones Jr. himself ascending to the status of pop culture icon in the process.
While 1984's "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom" has its defenders, and many fans of the series will swear 1989's "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" is just as good as "Raiders,...
- 1/20/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
How do you solve a problem like Chevy Chase? Throughout his lengthy career, the actor has had a long, troubled history of acting like a jerk to nearly everyone he's worked with, from the infamous backstage fight he had with Bill Murray upon leaving Saturday Night Live to his much-publicized feud with showrunner Dan Harmon while co-starring on the beloved NBC sitcom "Community." By many accounts, the star is, at best, annoying to work with, and, at worst, an insufferable jerk.
That behavior would seem to be the end-all, be-all explanation for why Chase's film career eventually floundered despite having a pretty strong start. Yet, like most things, that isn't the whole story: for one, Chase is an incredibly talented actor and comedian, despite his personal shortcomings. For another, his persona being what it is — this is the man who made a splash announcing himself on SNL as "I'm Chevy Chase,...
That behavior would seem to be the end-all, be-all explanation for why Chase's film career eventually floundered despite having a pretty strong start. Yet, like most things, that isn't the whole story: for one, Chase is an incredibly talented actor and comedian, despite his personal shortcomings. For another, his persona being what it is — this is the man who made a splash announcing himself on SNL as "I'm Chevy Chase,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
As the calendar turns to August, Peacock is going to be home to some of the most exciting sporting events and movies on streaming. In addition to being the streaming home for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the NBCUniversal streaming service will host the WWE’s Summerslam, college football’s premiere Week 0 matchup between Notre Dame and Navy from Ireland.
In addition to all of the sports action, the streamer will become the exclusive streaming home of the most successful movie of the year, all of Hallmark Channel’s Summer Nights movies, and one of the most exciting Viking epics ever made.
Sign Up $5.99+ / month peacocktv.com What Are the Best Shows and Movies Coming to Peacock in August 2023? 2023 Women’s World Cup Finals | Aug. 20
The United States Women’s National Team is just two games into its quest to win its third-straight Women’s World Cup, but the excitement is already ramping up,...
In addition to all of the sports action, the streamer will become the exclusive streaming home of the most successful movie of the year, all of Hallmark Channel’s Summer Nights movies, and one of the most exciting Viking epics ever made.
Sign Up $5.99+ / month peacocktv.com What Are the Best Shows and Movies Coming to Peacock in August 2023? 2023 Women’s World Cup Finals | Aug. 20
The United States Women’s National Team is just two games into its quest to win its third-straight Women’s World Cup, but the excitement is already ramping up,...
- 7/28/2023
- by Matt Tamanini
- The Streamable
With No Hard Feelings hitting theaters, it seems that studios might be trying to bring back hard R raunchy comedies. The gamble of taking a well-known actor and throwing them into a raunchy, sex-filled comedy may end up working out. Could this bring about a new wave of R-rated comedies? We can only hope. So what are some of the best sex comedies? Let’s look back at this hilarious genre and find out which ones make the cut.
Zack And Miri Make A Porno (2008)
Kevin Smith is not a stranger to the raunchy realm of comedies, but this film is maybe his truest sex comedy out of all of his filmography. Life-long platonic friends Zack and Miri are in trouble as they are both dead broke and have mounting bills as their rent is coming due. To make a large amount of cash very quickly, they...
Zack And Miri Make A Porno (2008)
Kevin Smith is not a stranger to the raunchy realm of comedies, but this film is maybe his truest sex comedy out of all of his filmography. Life-long platonic friends Zack and Miri are in trouble as they are both dead broke and have mounting bills as their rent is coming due. To make a large amount of cash very quickly, they...
- 6/24/2023
- by Bryan Wolford
- JoBlo.com
Italy’s Taormina Film Festival kicks off its 69th edition Friday evening against the backdrop of its landmark Teatro Antico amphitheatre with a “Pavarotti Forever” benefit event headlined by Placido Domingo and Vittorio Grigolo.
It’s not the typical opening for a film festival, but it is in keeping with the eclectic programming of incoming artistic director Barrett Wissman, whose interview with Deadline on his plans for the festival can be read here.
Much is riding on the edition, with Wissman being brought in to raise its local and international profile after a turbulent decade, which was compounded by the Covid pandemic.
Topping the bill over the first weekend is the Italian premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny in the presence of Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen. It’s the first time a major Disney production has touched down at the festival since Inside Out in 2015. Indiana Jones,...
It’s not the typical opening for a film festival, but it is in keeping with the eclectic programming of incoming artistic director Barrett Wissman, whose interview with Deadline on his plans for the festival can be read here.
Much is riding on the edition, with Wissman being brought in to raise its local and international profile after a turbulent decade, which was compounded by the Covid pandemic.
Topping the bill over the first weekend is the Italian premiere of Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny in the presence of Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen. It’s the first time a major Disney production has touched down at the festival since Inside Out in 2015. Indiana Jones,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Toronto’s favorite son turns his eye toward New York, and back to 1975 for his next project. Jason Reitman is currently producing the next “Ghostbusters” picture with director and co-writer Gil Kenan and leads Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon, but he’s got his next project lined up at Sony Pictures.
As per Deadline, the “Juno” and “Up in the Air” director will be back behind the camera for an untitled “Saturday Night Live” opening night project. Kenan will co-write the script.
Casting has not been announced, but somebody out there is (probably) going to be playing producer Lorne Michaels and first-episode cast members like Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, and Garrett Morris. Also, potentially, writers like Michael O’Donoghue, Al Franken, Anne Beatts, Alan Zweibel, and others. The first guest on “SNL” was George Carlin so maybe someone will be doing an impression of the comedian during his “Toledo Window Box” era,...
As per Deadline, the “Juno” and “Up in the Air” director will be back behind the camera for an untitled “Saturday Night Live” opening night project. Kenan will co-write the script.
Casting has not been announced, but somebody out there is (probably) going to be playing producer Lorne Michaels and first-episode cast members like Chevy Chase, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, and Garrett Morris. Also, potentially, writers like Michael O’Donoghue, Al Franken, Anne Beatts, Alan Zweibel, and others. The first guest on “SNL” was George Carlin so maybe someone will be doing an impression of the comedian during his “Toledo Window Box” era,...
- 5/2/2023
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Ah, 1978. It was the year that Slashfilm writer Lee Adams entered the world, and two movies changed the course of comedy forever (those landmarks are unrelated; I'm not trying to claim any credit). Those movies were "National Lampoon's Animal House" and Cheech and Chong's "Up in Smoke" — two lowbrow hits whose influences are still felt to this day.
There was lowbrow stuff before 1978, of course. Slapstick — the age-old art of falling over, breaking things, and hitting people — was still doing the rounds in the increasingly weary adventures of Inspector Clouseau. But the class of '78 was different: wild, irreverent, raucous, bawdy, subversive, counterculture comedy that delighted the kids and antagonized the squares.
The two films had their roots in the '60s. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong developed their stand-up act in the latter part of the decade before making their break on the big screen with the granddaddy of stoner movies,...
There was lowbrow stuff before 1978, of course. Slapstick — the age-old art of falling over, breaking things, and hitting people — was still doing the rounds in the increasingly weary adventures of Inspector Clouseau. But the class of '78 was different: wild, irreverent, raucous, bawdy, subversive, counterculture comedy that delighted the kids and antagonized the squares.
The two films had their roots in the '60s. Cheech Marin and Tommy Chong developed their stand-up act in the latter part of the decade before making their break on the big screen with the granddaddy of stoner movies,...
- 3/26/2023
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
Love Is Blind season four, Murder Mystery 2, Rob Lowe starrer Unstable and docuseries Waco: American Apocalypse and Emergency: NYC are among the much-anticipated projects hitting Netflix this month.
Dating show Love Is Blind returns on March 24, featuring a new group of singles looking to make a connection based on something other than looks.
Later in the month, the streamer drops Rob and John Owen Lowe’s Unstable, a scripted comedy inspired by the playful dynamic between the real-life father and son. In the series, co-created by Santa Clarita Diet creator Victor Fresco, the elder Lowe plays successful biotech entrepreneur Ellis Dragon who is struggling after the death of his wife. John Owen Lowe plays his introverted son, Jackson, who seems to be the only one who can save his dad.
And Netflix closes out the month with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler’s Murder Mystery 2. The sequel finds Aniston...
Dating show Love Is Blind returns on March 24, featuring a new group of singles looking to make a connection based on something other than looks.
Later in the month, the streamer drops Rob and John Owen Lowe’s Unstable, a scripted comedy inspired by the playful dynamic between the real-life father and son. In the series, co-created by Santa Clarita Diet creator Victor Fresco, the elder Lowe plays successful biotech entrepreneur Ellis Dragon who is struggling after the death of his wife. John Owen Lowe plays his introverted son, Jackson, who seems to be the only one who can save his dad.
And Netflix closes out the month with Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler’s Murder Mystery 2. The sequel finds Aniston...
- 3/19/2023
- by Hilary Lewis
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
John Belushi remains the poster child for the entertainer who burned bright but had their light extinguished far too soon. The comedian came up through the ranks of Chicago's fabled Second City comedy group and was a member of the inaugural season of "Saturday Night Live." Belushi honed his disruptive, physical style of comedy in the early seasons of "SNL" with characters such as Samurai Futaba and one of the Killer Bees alongside Dan Aykroyd.
In 1977, Belushi would add movie star to his resume with the role of Bluto Blutarsky in the film "National Lampoon's Animal House." Plus, ffter three appearances on "Saturday Night Live," the characters Joliet Jake (Belushi) and Elwood Blues (Aykroyd) were developed into their own 1980 hit movie "The Blues Brothers."
Belushi was integral to "Saturday Night Live's" early success and stayed with the show through 1980 before transitioning completely to movies. But it's also fair to...
In 1977, Belushi would add movie star to his resume with the role of Bluto Blutarsky in the film "National Lampoon's Animal House." Plus, ffter three appearances on "Saturday Night Live," the characters Joliet Jake (Belushi) and Elwood Blues (Aykroyd) were developed into their own 1980 hit movie "The Blues Brothers."
Belushi was integral to "Saturday Night Live's" early success and stayed with the show through 1980 before transitioning completely to movies. But it's also fair to...
- 3/16/2023
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
There’s something for everyone this month on Netflix, including the streamer’s first-ever live-streamed global event: Chris Rock’s comedy special “Selective Outrage.”
The last time the comedian was on a stage of this scale, he was slapped in the face by Will Smith. You’ll have to tune in at 7 pm Pm Pt/10 pm Et on Saturday, March 4 to find out if he addresses the Oscars incident!
On the drama front, the second half of “You” Season 4, starring Penn Badgley, returns March 9. Fans of political intrigue will want to tune into “The Night Agent.” Former child star Gabriel Basso stars as a vigilant FBI agent who answers a call that plunges him into a deadly conspiracy involving a mole at the White House. Idris Elbra returns as disgraced London detective John Luther in “Luther: The Fallen Son” on March 10. And of course, we can’t forget the steamy series “Sex/Life,...
The last time the comedian was on a stage of this scale, he was slapped in the face by Will Smith. You’ll have to tune in at 7 pm Pm Pt/10 pm Et on Saturday, March 4 to find out if he addresses the Oscars incident!
On the drama front, the second half of “You” Season 4, starring Penn Badgley, returns March 9. Fans of political intrigue will want to tune into “The Night Agent.” Former child star Gabriel Basso stars as a vigilant FBI agent who answers a call that plunges him into a deadly conspiracy involving a mole at the White House. Idris Elbra returns as disgraced London detective John Luther in “Luther: The Fallen Son” on March 10. And of course, we can’t forget the steamy series “Sex/Life,...
- 3/1/2023
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
It seems like just last month Netflix was releasing the long-awaited fourth season of its stalker drama You. And that’s because it was just last month that Netflix released You Season 4! Now, with its list of new releases for March 2023, Netflix is finishing off what it started with You Season 4 Part 2.
The five episodes that make up You Season 4 Part 2 will premiere on March 9. The ending of Part 1 left things off on quite the cliffhanger so soon we will get to see how Joe (Penn Badgley) reacts to the reveal of the other serial killer in his orbit. Netflix is premiering a fresh season of another one of its TV hits this month as well with Shadow and Bone Season 2 premiering on March 16.
The biggest TV new in March 2023 might actually come in the form of a movie though. Idris Elba will reprise his iconic British TV role as...
The five episodes that make up You Season 4 Part 2 will premiere on March 9. The ending of Part 1 left things off on quite the cliffhanger so soon we will get to see how Joe (Penn Badgley) reacts to the reveal of the other serial killer in his orbit. Netflix is premiering a fresh season of another one of its TV hits this month as well with Shadow and Bone Season 2 premiering on March 16.
The biggest TV new in March 2023 might actually come in the form of a movie though. Idris Elba will reprise his iconic British TV role as...
- 3/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
March is a time for madness, whether it comes from basketball, Mercury retrograde, or a person’s home streaming habits. Netflix joins in on the chaos by updating its library with all three “Hangover” movies, a whole lot of workout content, “Magic Mike Xxl,” and much, much more.
On March 9, the streamer will premiere Part 2 of “You” Season 2, starring Penn Badgley, Charlotte Ritchie, and Ed Speleers. The five remaining episodes find Joe (Badgley) trapped in a volatile dance with London mayoral candidate and serial killer Rhys (Speleers), trying to prevent more murders but also not go down for the many he’s committed in the process. The trailer shows Joe and Kate (Ritchie) growing closer, more brushes with Kate’s wealthy socialite friends, and the return of Victoria Pedretti as Joe’s wife Love — or maybe the ghost of his wife, and of sins past.
“You” Season 4 Part 2 premieres March...
On March 9, the streamer will premiere Part 2 of “You” Season 2, starring Penn Badgley, Charlotte Ritchie, and Ed Speleers. The five remaining episodes find Joe (Badgley) trapped in a volatile dance with London mayoral candidate and serial killer Rhys (Speleers), trying to prevent more murders but also not go down for the many he’s committed in the process. The trailer shows Joe and Kate (Ritchie) growing closer, more brushes with Kate’s wealthy socialite friends, and the return of Victoria Pedretti as Joe’s wife Love — or maybe the ghost of his wife, and of sins past.
“You” Season 4 Part 2 premieres March...
- 2/22/2023
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
While binge drinking has remained a staple of American college culture for years, day drinking in a backyard in 2023 might look very different from the college parties popularized by the 1973 hit film Animal House. Case in point: there is the Borg, the new Gen Z, gallon-sized binge drink sweeping (and surprising) a millennial side of TikTok.
Not to be confused with the Star Trek aliens of the same name, a Borg is a gallon jug filled with vodka, water, and caffeinated flavoring or electrolyte additives. They’re usually made by...
Not to be confused with the Star Trek aliens of the same name, a Borg is a gallon jug filled with vodka, water, and caffeinated flavoring or electrolyte additives. They’re usually made by...
- 2/13/2023
- by CT Jones
- Rollingstone.com
"Animal House" was the first movie ever created under the name of National Lampoon. It made the humor magazine a household name, but not everybody on the staff was interested in venturing into the movie business. In fact, some of the writers and editors at the magazine felt that the film brought on an unwelcome shift that would eventually render them obsolete.
The film arrived in 1978, eight years after National Lampoon was founded, and achieved instant success. The magazine went on to attach its name to a number of other films, including 1983's "Vacation," which was so popular it exploded into its own movie franchise.
The success of "Animal House" brought a lot of new readers to the magazine, and it also brought a lot of the magazine's writers into the entertainment business. One of the magazine's founders, Henry Beard, had warned the staff against going into film and television before he moved on.
The film arrived in 1978, eight years after National Lampoon was founded, and achieved instant success. The magazine went on to attach its name to a number of other films, including 1983's "Vacation," which was so popular it exploded into its own movie franchise.
The success of "Animal House" brought a lot of new readers to the magazine, and it also brought a lot of the magazine's writers into the entertainment business. One of the magazine's founders, Henry Beard, had warned the staff against going into film and television before he moved on.
- 2/13/2023
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
The National Lampoon is not a movie studio, though it might have seemed like it in the 1980s. The humor magazine that ran from 1970 to 1998 got into the movie business in 1978 when it put its name on "Animal House." The college comedy — co-written by Harold Ramis, directed by John Landis, and starring John Belushi — was wildly successful and launched a cinematic comedy institution. After a few disappointments, National Lampoon would hit cinematic gold again in 1983 with "National Lampoon's Vacation," a cross-country family vacation movie written by John Hughes and starring Chevy Chase and Beverly D'Angelo. The franchise would see two John Hughes-penned sequels and a fourth movie not associated with National Lampoon (1997's "Vegas Vacation").
With a hot comedy label, one of the best screenwriters in Hollywood, and the lead actors returning, what went wrong with the first sequel, "National Lampoon's European Vacation?" According to one author, Griswold family patriarch...
With a hot comedy label, one of the best screenwriters in Hollywood, and the lead actors returning, what went wrong with the first sequel, "National Lampoon's European Vacation?" According to one author, Griswold family patriarch...
- 2/5/2023
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
The National Lampoon-backed "Vacation" movies sit comfortably in the pop culture hive.
As it was in future filmmaker John Hughes' original National Lampoon essay "Vacation '58," the lifeblood of the hilarious, raunchy, and relatable family misadventures found in the movies comes from its fallible but undefeated patriarch. In fact, name a "Vacation" title — be it the beloved Hughes-penned '80s trilogy "Vacation," "European Vacation," and "Christmas Vacation" or one of its Lampoon label-free continuations — and the quotes that are zealously regurgitated back to you likely come from Clark W. Griswold, head of the nuclear Griswold family.
The role would be filled by Chevy Chase, a full-blown star by the time the first "Vacation" project came his way. Using a mixture of the physical comedy that made him famous on "Saturday Night Live" and a more chill iteration of the gruff father of Hughes' essay, Chase's Clark was so aggressively good-spirited...
As it was in future filmmaker John Hughes' original National Lampoon essay "Vacation '58," the lifeblood of the hilarious, raunchy, and relatable family misadventures found in the movies comes from its fallible but undefeated patriarch. In fact, name a "Vacation" title — be it the beloved Hughes-penned '80s trilogy "Vacation," "European Vacation," and "Christmas Vacation" or one of its Lampoon label-free continuations — and the quotes that are zealously regurgitated back to you likely come from Clark W. Griswold, head of the nuclear Griswold family.
The role would be filled by Chevy Chase, a full-blown star by the time the first "Vacation" project came his way. Using a mixture of the physical comedy that made him famous on "Saturday Night Live" and a more chill iteration of the gruff father of Hughes' essay, Chase's Clark was so aggressively good-spirited...
- 1/30/2023
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
There are two situations where you should never speak without a lawyer present. One is when you're being questioned by the police, and the other is during contract negotiations. Donald Sutherland learned the latter the hard way.
Sutherland had a supporting role in "Animal House" as Professor Dave Jennings, a hippie whose attitude is closer to his students' than the Faber College administration. He even re-used his wig from "Don't Look Now" to play Jennings: The curly perm and mustache fit even better for the part of a hippie professor. "Fat, Drunk, & Stupid: The Inside Story Behind the Making of Animal House" by Matty Simmons tells the story of how Sutherland got the part.
John Landis, director of "Animal House," befriended Sutherland on the set of "Kelly's Heroes" and wanted to work with him. "Animal House" was in production at the same time as the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers...
Sutherland had a supporting role in "Animal House" as Professor Dave Jennings, a hippie whose attitude is closer to his students' than the Faber College administration. He even re-used his wig from "Don't Look Now" to play Jennings: The curly perm and mustache fit even better for the part of a hippie professor. "Fat, Drunk, & Stupid: The Inside Story Behind the Making of Animal House" by Matty Simmons tells the story of how Sutherland got the part.
John Landis, director of "Animal House," befriended Sutherland on the set of "Kelly's Heroes" and wanted to work with him. "Animal House" was in production at the same time as the "Invasion of the Body Snatchers...
- 1/28/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Long before the success of "National Lampoon's Animal House" launched careers and a renewed interest in Greek fraternities, it had to get sold as a story. After multiple directors passed on it, John Landis would eventually come on board, telling Indiewire that he "was hired to develop it, basically to supervise the rewrite." The screenplay was a collaborative effort, the work of "The National Lampoon Show" star and writer Harold Ramis, "National Lampoon Magazine" co-founder Douglas Kenney, and Chris Miller, whose "The Night of the Seven Fires" story served as a springboard for what would become the sordid saga of Faber College's Delta Tau Chi house. Early drafts were going long on absurd concepts; one seedling of a story focused on cult leader Charles Manson as he navigated high school.
In Matty Simmons' book "Fat, Drunk, and Stupid," the producer looks back on the writing process for "Animal House," which...
In Matty Simmons' book "Fat, Drunk, and Stupid," the producer looks back on the writing process for "Animal House," which...
- 1/26/2023
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
When your students are tanking their classes (if they attend at all) and dumping Fizzies tablets onto the varsity swim meet, you can't be a soft school administrator. That said, Dean Wormer would run Faber College more like Rikers if he had the opportunity. The gruff villain (played by John Vernon) is just one of the highlights of "National Lampoon's Animal House," John Landis' 1978 frat comedy, as the biggest authority standing in the way of Delta House's good time. The movie was penned by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney, and Chris Miller, pulling from their respective experiences in higher education. It was "National Lampoon Magazine" editor-in-chief and writer Kenney who came up with the Dean years before the movie, as the satirical "National Lampoon's High School Yearbook" featured Wormer as a civics teacher and coach. On the big screen, Wormer doesn't suffer fools or twerps, and he's as rigid about...
- 1/25/2023
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
National Lampoon's "Animal House" is perhaps Hollywood's first party film. It's a beloved genre now, with notable entries like "Neighbors" and "Project X," but "Animal House" was a true pioneer in debauchery. It may have seemed like a non-stop rager in the Delta house, but believe it or not, the set was a strictly sober environment — at least, while the cameras were rolling.
"Animal House" was a fratty set from the very start. Director John Landis called all the Deltas to set a week before the rest of the cast to help them form a close-knit bond. One night, they went to a frat party and got in a fight with the real fraternity brothers there, The New York Times reported.
"That fight cemented us as a group," declared James Widdoes, who plays the high-strung chapter president Robert Hoover. After that, the Deltas took to partying in real life almost as much as their characters.
"Animal House" was a fratty set from the very start. Director John Landis called all the Deltas to set a week before the rest of the cast to help them form a close-knit bond. One night, they went to a frat party and got in a fight with the real fraternity brothers there, The New York Times reported.
"That fight cemented us as a group," declared James Widdoes, who plays the high-strung chapter president Robert Hoover. After that, the Deltas took to partying in real life almost as much as their characters.
- 1/22/2023
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
On the evening of July 23, 1982, “Animal House” director John Landis was filming a tricky nighttime helicopter scene for “Twilight Zone: The Movie.” The wide-open spaces of Indian Dunes, now part of Santa Clarita, Calif., were standing in for Vietnam, and the scene called for soldiers in a helicopter to pursue actor Vic Morrow, who was carrying two children. When the copter made a turn just above a large mortar round, the special effect explosive detonated, bringing down the helicopter and killing Morrow along with 7-year-old Myca Dinh Le and 6-year-old Renee Shin-Yi Chen.
The devastating accident shook Hollywood, and several months later, Variety announced that “Landis, pilot, others face ‘Twilight’ accident charges.” Landis and other “Twilight Zone” movie crew members were charged with involuntary manslaughter — the same charges “Rust” actor and producer Alec Baldwin and “Midnight Rider” director Randall Miller faced for their roles in on-set deaths.
Five years later,...
The devastating accident shook Hollywood, and several months later, Variety announced that “Landis, pilot, others face ‘Twilight’ accident charges.” Landis and other “Twilight Zone” movie crew members were charged with involuntary manslaughter — the same charges “Rust” actor and producer Alec Baldwin and “Midnight Rider” director Randall Miller faced for their roles in on-set deaths.
Five years later,...
- 1/21/2023
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
John Landis' 1978 comedy "Animal House" would change the game for many; not only was the college campus laugh-fest a launchpad for several of its stars — including the already famous "SNL" star John Belushi, who would soon get a call from Steven Spielberg about an upcoming comedy project — but it also heralded a new age of irreverent comedy, one that celebrated contemporary filmmakers didn't quite see at the time.
In Mick de Semlyen's book "Wild and Crazy Guys," producer Ivan Reitman reasoned:
"Before 'Animal House' they were all watching Bob Hope and Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis ... and then this was the first film really made by kids who were postwar and in their early twenties, with a different way of expressing what's funny."
That expression would see the story's central troupe of "fat, drunk, and stupid" college students launching food fights, thumbing their noses at authority, frightening a...
In Mick de Semlyen's book "Wild and Crazy Guys," producer Ivan Reitman reasoned:
"Before 'Animal House' they were all watching Bob Hope and Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis ... and then this was the first film really made by kids who were postwar and in their early twenties, with a different way of expressing what's funny."
That expression would see the story's central troupe of "fat, drunk, and stupid" college students launching food fights, thumbing their noses at authority, frightening a...
- 1/17/2023
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Many consider their time spent at college as the best years of their lives. For a number of people, that's their first taste of independence as they're the ones who pick their classes, figure out what to eat for dinner, and determine when it's a good time to go to bed. And when theses kids decide to make all those decisions by picking all the wrong answers, it certainly makes for a wild time, which is essentially what "Animal House" is all about.
A pioneer of the boundary-pushing sex comedy, the 1978 film from director John Landis, producer Ivan Reitman, and writers Douglas Kenney, Chris Miller, and Harold Ramis planted the seeds for generations of Greek life antics and alcohol-fueled hijinks. Even my peers, who became college freshmen 30 years after the Universal Pictures classic premiered, were taking part in toga parties and getting a little bit louder now with Otis Day and the Knights.
A pioneer of the boundary-pushing sex comedy, the 1978 film from director John Landis, producer Ivan Reitman, and writers Douglas Kenney, Chris Miller, and Harold Ramis planted the seeds for generations of Greek life antics and alcohol-fueled hijinks. Even my peers, who became college freshmen 30 years after the Universal Pictures classic premiered, were taking part in toga parties and getting a little bit louder now with Otis Day and the Knights.
- 1/16/2023
- by Ben F. Silverio
- Slash Film
The cast of National Lampoon's "Animal House" acted very similar on and off the screen. The 1978 comedy classic was the acting debut of Kevin Bacon, who was only nineteen at the time. Bacon had his big break when director John Landis plucked him out of acting school and cast him as Chip Dillard, a pledge in the prestigious Omega Theta Pi fraternity. It seemed like a dream come true at first, but the young actor quickly learned that playing one of the bad guys comes at a price.
Landis alienated the clean-cut, antagonistic Omegas from the rugged anti-heroic Deltas before they even began filming. The director brought the Deltas to set a week before the Omegas, where a strong bond quickly formed, The New York Times reported in a 2018 oral history. The group actually visited a nearby fraternity at the University of Oregon for a party — and got in a brawl with the brothers.
Landis alienated the clean-cut, antagonistic Omegas from the rugged anti-heroic Deltas before they even began filming. The director brought the Deltas to set a week before the Omegas, where a strong bond quickly formed, The New York Times reported in a 2018 oral history. The group actually visited a nearby fraternity at the University of Oregon for a party — and got in a brawl with the brothers.
- 1/15/2023
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
Chevy Chase is, and always has been, a compelling comedic actor. He can play smug, and he can play charming; he can be a romantic lead, or a buffoon. His portrayal of Clark Griswold from the "Vacation" series is a bit of a melting pot of all of those components, going from loving family man in one scene to unhinged maniac in the next. And apparently, Chase can often be just as volatile when the cameras aren't rolling as his most famous character is when they are.
In short, Chase has a reputation for being kind of a jerk and is often difficult to work with. Just ask Dan Harmon and the cast of "Community," or even more famously, comedy legend and fellow "Saturday Night Live" alum Bill Murray.
But when director John Landis was getting set to helm 1978 classic "Animal House," Chase was also arguably the biggest star in comedy at that time,...
In short, Chase has a reputation for being kind of a jerk and is often difficult to work with. Just ask Dan Harmon and the cast of "Community," or even more famously, comedy legend and fellow "Saturday Night Live" alum Bill Murray.
But when director John Landis was getting set to helm 1978 classic "Animal House," Chase was also arguably the biggest star in comedy at that time,...
- 1/14/2023
- by Jeff Kelly
- Slash Film
The 1990 bubblegum hip-hop comedy “House Party,” starring Kid ‘n Play, was a movie that channeled the flavor of its moment, and influenced a lot of what came afterward. It opened in March 1990 and helped to launch the spirit of the ’90s — something at once edgy and optimistic, infused with a rogue bravura that was made to conquer. Hip-hop had been on the rise for a decade, and by the late ’80s the preeminence of N.W.A. and Public Enemy had brought an ominous new profound power to hip-hop. In the summer of 1989, Spike Lee released “Do the Right Thing,” and that movie, with its fight-the-power core, was of course a Black cinematic apotheosis suffused with equal parts exuberance and trauma.
Somehow landing in the middle of all that, here was “House Party,” a naughty rollicking New Line comedy that was comparable, in many ways, to the John Hughes films or “Animal House.
Somehow landing in the middle of all that, here was “House Party,” a naughty rollicking New Line comedy that was comparable, in many ways, to the John Hughes films or “Animal House.
- 1/12/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Comedians David Spade and the late Chris Farley were one of the most memorable comedy duos of the '90s, both as ⅔ of the Gap Girls on "Saturday Night Live" and as co-leads of two of the decade's classic buddy films. Decades beyond the release of the latter film, Penelope Spheeris' "Black Sheep," it still delivers plenty of Farley's physical comedy -- its funniest scenes sees him tussle with a bat and a steep hillside -- and strong buddy chemistry with Spade. But the end product mimics the earlier "Tommy Boy," but without much of that film's magic, leading one of its leading men to wish the movie had been axed.
Coming out of "SNL" fame, Farley signed a two-picture deal with Paramount. "Tommy Boy'' fulfilled the first half, grossing 32 million on a 20 million budget. Following Farley's Tommy Callahan III on a mission to sell brake pads with a less-than-thrilled Spade in tow,...
Coming out of "SNL" fame, Farley signed a two-picture deal with Paramount. "Tommy Boy'' fulfilled the first half, grossing 32 million on a 20 million budget. Following Farley's Tommy Callahan III on a mission to sell brake pads with a less-than-thrilled Spade in tow,...
- 1/8/2023
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Composer Bear McCreary discusses a few of his favorite movies with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wolf Man (1941) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s Wolf Man movie power rankings
Host (2020)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary celebration
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Total Recall (1990)
Robot Monster (1953) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary
Cat-Women Of The Moon (1953)
The Man With The Golden Arm (1955) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
The Ten Commandments (1956) – Larry Cohen’s trailer commentary
The Swarm (1978) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Batman (1989)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003) – Mike Schlesinger’s trailer commentary
Chinatown (1974) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary
The Professor And The Madman (2019)
Hollywood Boulevard (1976) – Jon Davison’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Do The Right Thing (1989) – Allan Arkush...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Wolf Man (1941) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s Wolf Man movie power rankings
Host (2020)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary celebration
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Total Recall (1990)
Robot Monster (1953) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary
Cat-Women Of The Moon (1953)
The Man With The Golden Arm (1955) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
The Ten Commandments (1956) – Larry Cohen’s trailer commentary
The Swarm (1978) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Batman (1989)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Looney Tunes: Back In Action (2003) – Mike Schlesinger’s trailer commentary
Chinatown (1974) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary
The Professor And The Madman (2019)
Hollywood Boulevard (1976) – Jon Davison’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Do The Right Thing (1989) – Allan Arkush...
- 12/6/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Exclusive: After successfully relaunching the franchise with 2021’s Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Sony Pictures is ramping up pre-production on the sequel with the film’s writer and exec producer Gil Kenan set to take over directing reins. Sources tell Deadline that Jason Reitman, who directed the pervious pic, will move into the writer-producer role alongside co-scribe Kenan and Jason Blumenfeld. Insiders add that the Ghostbusters: Afterlife ensemble that includes Paul Rudd and Carrie Coon is on board to return.
Related Story Kymberly Herrin Dies: 'Ghostbusters' Actress Who Starred In Popular Zz Top Video Was 65 Related Story TIFF Industry Selects Section Includes Steve Buscemi's 'The Listener', Bill Pohlad's 'Dreamin' Wild'; Jason Reitman's Live Read Returns Related Story Sony Dates 'Ghostbusters' Sequel For 2023
“It’s an absolute honor to pick up the proton pack and step behind the camera for the next chapter of the Spengler family saga,...
Related Story Kymberly Herrin Dies: 'Ghostbusters' Actress Who Starred In Popular Zz Top Video Was 65 Related Story TIFF Industry Selects Section Includes Steve Buscemi's 'The Listener', Bill Pohlad's 'Dreamin' Wild'; Jason Reitman's Live Read Returns Related Story Sony Dates 'Ghostbusters' Sequel For 2023
“It’s an absolute honor to pick up the proton pack and step behind the camera for the next chapter of the Spengler family saga,...
- 12/5/2022
- by Justin Kroll
- Deadline Film + TV
In the words of Kevin Bacon, "Funny-scary is a very difficult thing." The star of Ron Underwood's horror-comedy "Tremors" has spoken at length about the 1990 creature feature and his role as stubborn handyman Val McKee who, alongside Fred Ward's Earl Bassett, tries to escape the doldrums of Perfection, Nevada when giant prehistoric underground monsters interrupt their flight.
In the documentary "Tremors: Making Perfection," Bacon, Underwood, and the rest of the film's cast and crew go long on its journey from page to screen. It began as a simple concept from writers S. S. Wilson and Brent Maddock, who were collecting footage for a Navy safety video when they thought about what it would be like if something had them marooned on a rock. The story, then dubbed "Land Sharks," would be retitled "Beneath Perfection" before finally landing on "Tremors."
It would feature a colorful cast of small-town characters,...
In the documentary "Tremors: Making Perfection," Bacon, Underwood, and the rest of the film's cast and crew go long on its journey from page to screen. It began as a simple concept from writers S. S. Wilson and Brent Maddock, who were collecting footage for a Navy safety video when they thought about what it would be like if something had them marooned on a rock. The story, then dubbed "Land Sharks," would be retitled "Beneath Perfection" before finally landing on "Tremors."
It would feature a colorful cast of small-town characters,...
- 11/26/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Check out these special Amazon Black Friday deals. Now, these are good for this week only, so make sure to buy them as soon as you can! Remember, some of these deals may be ongoing while others are limited, so strike while the iron is hot!
One disclaimer: Deals as good as these can be fickle, so there’s no telling if and when a money-saving opportunity might end or if the price may change. So if you want something – snap that shit up quick! Don’t wait, only to have Festivus roll around and discover you’ve nothing to give or the price suddenly changed and you no longer have the bread. And remember that if you want to support JoBlo.com, please make all your purchases by initially clicking through our links, since that’s beneficial for us. So click away, buy what you like, and happy Holiday hunting!
One disclaimer: Deals as good as these can be fickle, so there’s no telling if and when a money-saving opportunity might end or if the price may change. So if you want something – snap that shit up quick! Don’t wait, only to have Festivus roll around and discover you’ve nothing to give or the price suddenly changed and you no longer have the bread. And remember that if you want to support JoBlo.com, please make all your purchases by initially clicking through our links, since that’s beneficial for us. So click away, buy what you like, and happy Holiday hunting!
- 11/25/2022
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Steven Spielberg's "1941" is one of the most blissfully chaotic movies ever made. It is obscenely expensive, narratively scatterbrained, and unabashedly irreverent about one of the most devastating acts of war ever carried out by a foreign nation on American soil. It's more of a model train set than a movie, one operated by a spoiled brat who'd rather send the cars soaring off the track into the basement wall than keep his meticulously constructed railroad running smoothly. Crammed somewhere in the movie is an unruly satire about self-destructive, run-amok jingoism, but it's also a live-action Looney Tunes cartoon where a runaway Army tank crashes through a paint factory and then a turpentine factory.
After the back-to-back blockbuster triumphs of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Spielberg could call his tune at Universal, and he threw his all into this nutty World War II flick scripted by...
After the back-to-back blockbuster triumphs of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Spielberg could call his tune at Universal, and he threw his all into this nutty World War II flick scripted by...
- 11/24/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
This writer remembers Easter Sunday mornings of childhood when all the candy-filled eggs were collected, sitting before the TV and devouring Cadbury treats as the sweeping fanfare of Cecil B. DeMille's "The Ten Commandments" filled the family room. Charlton Heston and Yul Brynner made big impressions with their booming voices, but what I remembered most was the swell of strings that would arise anytime Yvonne De Carlo's saintly Sephora would grace the screen. Years beyond that childhood, Elmer Bernstein's epic score is what remains in the memory.
Responsible for the oom-pah horns accompanying the "Ghostbusters" on their paranormal escapades and for the militant pomp of Ivan Reitman's "Stripes," Bernstein is as much associated with comedies as the more serious dramas, though you might not know that the guy who scored "The Man With the Golden Gun" is the same who worked on "Animal House." In short,...
Responsible for the oom-pah horns accompanying the "Ghostbusters" on their paranormal escapades and for the militant pomp of Ivan Reitman's "Stripes," Bernstein is as much associated with comedies as the more serious dramas, though you might not know that the guy who scored "The Man With the Golden Gun" is the same who worked on "Animal House." In short,...
- 11/19/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
Peter Billingsley, the blond moppet from “A Christmas Story,” was 11 years old when he starred in that 1983 holiday-sleeper-that-became-a-classic (though it depends who you ask — I’ve always been something of a Scrooge about it). The image of Billingsley from “A Christmas Story” — goggle-ish glasses, beaming gopher grin — became, in its way, as iconic a movie signifier of raucous kiddie-culture spirits as Macaulay Culkin’s cheeky gaze of frozen horror in “Home Alone.” But that was 40 years ago. Billingsley is now 51, and he’s the dad in “A Christmas Story Christmas,” a latter-day sequel to the movie that a lot of people (maybe too many) think of as their all-time favorite Yuletide TV bliss-out.
In “A Christmas Story Christmas,” Billingsley, as the grown-up version of Ralphie Parker, is still a likable actor, but he’s lost any trace of that rascally Bb-gun exuberance. He now resembles the former NBC News anchor...
In “A Christmas Story Christmas,” Billingsley, as the grown-up version of Ralphie Parker, is still a likable actor, but he’s lost any trace of that rascally Bb-gun exuberance. He now resembles the former NBC News anchor...
- 11/15/2022
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Terry Gilliam's "Brazil" was made under relatively harmonious conditions. Arnon Milchan's Embassy International Pictures gave the filmmaker what was then a generous 15 million budget for what was, on the page, a bleak comedy about bureaucratic tyranny and the looming threat of an unchecked surveillance state. Gilliam's 143-minute cut of the film was released sans incident in Europe during the first quarter of 1985, but, this being the pre-internet days, the overseas critical buzz didn't cross the Atlantic unless you were a plugged-in industry type or the most die-hard of "Monty Python" fans.
This was unfortunate because the domestic distribution rights to "Brazil" belonged to Universal Pictures, which was being run at the time by Sidney Sheinberg. As the company's President and COO, Sheinberg had successfully guided the studio through the New Hollywood revolution by advocating for a young Steven Spielberg and taking the counsel of his junior executives by making "National Lampoon's Animal House.
This was unfortunate because the domestic distribution rights to "Brazil" belonged to Universal Pictures, which was being run at the time by Sidney Sheinberg. As the company's President and COO, Sheinberg had successfully guided the studio through the New Hollywood revolution by advocating for a young Steven Spielberg and taking the counsel of his junior executives by making "National Lampoon's Animal House.
- 11/15/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
When it comes to storytelling, "Wall-e" is as close to perfection as you can get. It was one of Disney-Pixar's most charming hits and one of the highest-grossing films of 2008.
Andrew Stanton stood at the helm of Pixar's ninth feature, which isn't silent but the spiritual kin of silent films. The future-set story finds its Charlie Chaplin avatar in a robot of the same name as the title. Wall-e is a non-verbal trash-collecting machine who lives a solitary life on a future Earth so befouled by garbage that, like a nightmare roommate, the humans fled to space rather than tidy up after themselves. A visit from a hot probe-bot and an update on Earth's viability brings the musical-loving Wall-e out of the smog and onto a starship, where mayhem, rebellion, mutiny, and ultimately love ensues.
/Film's resident Pixar animation expert Josh Spiegel has chronicled the risk that Pixar Animation Studios...
Andrew Stanton stood at the helm of Pixar's ninth feature, which isn't silent but the spiritual kin of silent films. The future-set story finds its Charlie Chaplin avatar in a robot of the same name as the title. Wall-e is a non-verbal trash-collecting machine who lives a solitary life on a future Earth so befouled by garbage that, like a nightmare roommate, the humans fled to space rather than tidy up after themselves. A visit from a hot probe-bot and an update on Earth's viability brings the musical-loving Wall-e out of the smog and onto a starship, where mayhem, rebellion, mutiny, and ultimately love ensues.
/Film's resident Pixar animation expert Josh Spiegel has chronicled the risk that Pixar Animation Studios...
- 11/8/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
This article is presented by Plex
As the seasons change once again, it’s a perfect time to snuggle up on the couch and dive into a first-time watch or an old familiar favorite. No matter what kind of movie or TV show you’re looking for this November, Plex TV has you covered. As temperatures start to plummet, it’s time to fire up Plex TV!
Plex offers a one-stop-shop streaming service offering 50,000+ free titles and 200+ of free-to-stream live TV channels, from the biggest names in entertainment, including Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, Lionsgate, Legendary, AMC, A+E, Crackle, and Reuters. Plex is always overflowing with thousands of new and old familiar favorites on its platform and we’re here to happily select the cream of the crop.
This month, we’ve got engaging film documentaries, groundbreaking horror comedies, through-provoking character studies, and more! Head...
As the seasons change once again, it’s a perfect time to snuggle up on the couch and dive into a first-time watch or an old familiar favorite. No matter what kind of movie or TV show you’re looking for this November, Plex TV has you covered. As temperatures start to plummet, it’s time to fire up Plex TV!
Plex offers a one-stop-shop streaming service offering 50,000+ free titles and 200+ of free-to-stream live TV channels, from the biggest names in entertainment, including Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM), Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution, Lionsgate, Legendary, AMC, A+E, Crackle, and Reuters. Plex is always overflowing with thousands of new and old familiar favorites on its platform and we’re here to happily select the cream of the crop.
This month, we’ve got engaging film documentaries, groundbreaking horror comedies, through-provoking character studies, and more! Head...
- 11/4/2022
- by Nick Harley
- Den of Geek
In the late 1970s and early 1980s, any movie that featured a Not Ready for Prime Time Player from the first five seasons of "Saturday Night Live" was a big deal. The show was an intoxicating mix of counterculture humor and hip comedic irreverence, and viewers were eager to see its stars break free from the watchful eye of network censors. John Belushi in "National Lampoon's Animal House," Bill Murray in "Meatballs," Belushi and Dan Aykroyd in "The Blues Brothers..." people showed up to these films primed to laugh, and, for the most part, they delivered.
This phenomenon coincided with the last days of the New Hollywood revolution powered by the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg. While most of these directors weren't interested in the raucous brand of comedy favored by the "SNL" gang, Spielberg wanted in on the fun. So after making two industry-altering...
This phenomenon coincided with the last days of the New Hollywood revolution powered by the likes of Francis Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Steven Spielberg. While most of these directors weren't interested in the raucous brand of comedy favored by the "SNL" gang, Spielberg wanted in on the fun. So after making two industry-altering...
- 10/30/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Zach Cregger’s Barbarian is one of the surprise horror hits of the year. Combining wicked twists, an unorthodox structure, and a dash of good humor, Barbarian became a word-of-mouth hit that’s now finding an even wider audience thanks to streaming on HBO Max. Fun, but still unsettling at times, Barbarian strikes a campy horror tone that’s both refreshingly irreverent and also cinematically satisfying.
With Spooky Season heading to a close, and Halloween right around the corner, you might be looking for more films that scratch this camp horror itch. If you’re looking for self-serious horror films, this isn’t the list for you. But if you’re looking for something that inspires laughter while you’re watching through the cracks in your fingers, something decidedly Barbarian-esque, check out these creepy classics below.
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
In her review of John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London,...
With Spooky Season heading to a close, and Halloween right around the corner, you might be looking for more films that scratch this camp horror itch. If you’re looking for self-serious horror films, this isn’t the list for you. But if you’re looking for something that inspires laughter while you’re watching through the cracks in your fingers, something decidedly Barbarian-esque, check out these creepy classics below.
An American Werewolf in London (1981)
In her review of John Landis’ An American Werewolf in London,...
- 10/28/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
In 1980, Canada delivered one of the most mind boggling slasher films of all time. Terror Train, directed by Roger Spottiswoode, threw Halloween, Friday the 13th, Animal House, Runaway Train and stage magic into a body bag, shook it up and dumped out a glorious Frankenstein monstrosity featuring Jamie Lee Curtis and David Copperfield. Forty-two years later, this classic oddity gets a modern yet mostly faithful retelling courtesy director Philippe Gagnon.
The premise is exactly the same: a well-to-do fraternity holds a Halloween bash on a privately chartered train only to have their numbers picked off one-by-one. There’s a mysterious magician, played by Tom Rozon in the finest Gary Numan impersonation ever, and an angry killer bent on revenge for the misdeeds of said fraternity. Costumes exchange and body counts rise as both guests and train employees realize someone is out to get them. The main difference is a twist...
The premise is exactly the same: a well-to-do fraternity holds a Halloween bash on a privately chartered train only to have their numbers picked off one-by-one. There’s a mysterious magician, played by Tom Rozon in the finest Gary Numan impersonation ever, and an angry killer bent on revenge for the misdeeds of said fraternity. Costumes exchange and body counts rise as both guests and train employees realize someone is out to get them. The main difference is a twist...
- 10/28/2022
- by Chuck Foster
- DailyDead
In between pandemic musical sessions with his goats, Kevin Bacon seems to have figured out the world. From admitting to having skin too thin to read social media comments to reflecting on how volatile Hollywood can be, a revealing 2021 interview with Esquire shows that he's also learned a lot about himself and life.
So, when he admits that there's only one film role he cares to revisit in the dozens of movies he's appeared in since his 1978 debut in "Animal House," we should pay attention. Bacon has walked a fine line between leading man and this generation's greatest character actor, playing everything from the provocative new kid in town in "Footloose" to a tortured and menacing child molester in "The Woodsman."
Bacon says he prefers to move on to the next role once a project is done, although there is one film that might be worth revisiting. One might say...
So, when he admits that there's only one film role he cares to revisit in the dozens of movies he's appeared in since his 1978 debut in "Animal House," we should pay attention. Bacon has walked a fine line between leading man and this generation's greatest character actor, playing everything from the provocative new kid in town in "Footloose" to a tortured and menacing child molester in "The Woodsman."
Bacon says he prefers to move on to the next role once a project is done, although there is one film that might be worth revisiting. One might say...
- 10/28/2022
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
In the late '70s and early '80s, comedians from "Saturday Night Live" made the transition to the big screen, and the move paid off big time. John Landis' "Animal House" provided a star vehicle for John Belushi, and the bawdy comedy made over 140 million against its modest 3 million budget (via Box Office Mojo). For their next trick, Belushi was joined by Dan Aykroyd for a big-budget version of their "SNL" musical act, "The Blues Brothers," which was another smash.
Arguably peak "SNL" at the movies came in 1984. "Beverly Hills Cop," starring Eddie Murphy, was the top-performing film domestically with 234 million, while "Ghostbusters" with Aykroyd and Bill Murray was a global sensation and became a pop culture phenomenon.
"Three Amigos," starring Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, and Martin Short, was originally conceived in 1980 as a vehicle for - you guessed it - John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. By the time...
Arguably peak "SNL" at the movies came in 1984. "Beverly Hills Cop," starring Eddie Murphy, was the top-performing film domestically with 234 million, while "Ghostbusters" with Aykroyd and Bill Murray was a global sensation and became a pop culture phenomenon.
"Three Amigos," starring Chevy Chase, Steve Martin, and Martin Short, was originally conceived in 1980 as a vehicle for - you guessed it - John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. By the time...
- 10/26/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
It's the most wonderful time of the year. No, it's not quite Christmas time yet, but it is time for new Marvel Cinematic Universe releases. Thanks to Disney+, these occurrences are happening more often each year, which is sure to please all the good little True Believers across the multiverse. However, the latest Marvel Studios Special Presentation is still sure to put everyone in the holiday spirit because, with a month to go until its release, Disney+ has unveiled the first trailer for "The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special."
Following the events of "Avengers: Endgame" and "Thor: Love and Thunder," Star-Lord finally has time to let Gamora's fate sink in. Though there is another version of Zoe Saldana's character from a different timeline out there in the galaxy right now, the fact that the "original" one from the Sacred Timeline was sacrificed to complete Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet is...
Following the events of "Avengers: Endgame" and "Thor: Love and Thunder," Star-Lord finally has time to let Gamora's fate sink in. Though there is another version of Zoe Saldana's character from a different timeline out there in the galaxy right now, the fact that the "original" one from the Sacred Timeline was sacrificed to complete Thanos' Infinity Gauntlet is...
- 10/25/2022
- by Ben F. Silverio
- Slash Film
Few people have made quite as big an impact in comedy filmmaking as Harold Ramis. As a writer, director, and actor, he was a major part of bringing such classic comedies as "Ghostbusters," "Groundhog Day," and "National Lampoon's Animal House" to the big screen. Over the course of career, Ramis became a frequent collaborator with "Saturday Night Live" legends like Bill Murray, John Belushi, and Dan Aykroyd, even after turning down a spot on "SNL." His work was highly influential and very funny, and he's considered a legend in his field.
Before becoming a famed filmmaker, Ramis was part of talented comedy groups like Second City and National Lampoon. After the success of "National Lampoon's Animal House," he got the chance to make his directorial debut in 1980 with "Caddyshack," a goofy comedy about golfers at a country club. There was just one problem.
While Ramis had plenty of experience writing scripts and working on television,...
Before becoming a famed filmmaker, Ramis was part of talented comedy groups like Second City and National Lampoon. After the success of "National Lampoon's Animal House," he got the chance to make his directorial debut in 1980 with "Caddyshack," a goofy comedy about golfers at a country club. There was just one problem.
While Ramis had plenty of experience writing scripts and working on television,...
- 10/25/2022
- by Matt Rainis
- Slash Film
Easily my favorite movie reference in "Scream" is the line, "What's that werewolf movie with E.T.'s mom in it?" That would be Joe Dante's gloriously seedy "The Howling," one of three lycanthrope flicks that hit theaters in 1981. Unabashedly sticking to its B-movie roots, the film outperformed Albert Finney vs. Real Wolves in "Wolfen," but got left a little in the dust by "An American Werewolf in London." Perhaps that was no surprise because John Landis was on a hot streak after "Animal House" and "The Blues Brothers," and his first foray into horror was slicker, more expensive, and, despite its fair share of shocks, generally more respectable than Dante's low-budget shocker.
More's the pity. Despite the cult appeal of his earlier movies, Landis was more of a commercial crowdpleaser in the '80s and I always got the sense that he was a little ashamed of the...
More's the pity. Despite the cult appeal of his earlier movies, Landis was more of a commercial crowdpleaser in the '80s and I always got the sense that he was a little ashamed of the...
- 10/21/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
Updated at 8:11 Am from 12:58 Am exclusive with Gavin Polone statement: Anna Faris has claimed that the late director Ivan Reitman inappropriately touched her on the set of their 2006 rom-com My Super Ex Girlfriend.
Speaking on her podcast Unqualified, the actress disclosed that Reitman “slapped my ass” during the production and on her first day “yelled” at her, leaving her feeling “angry, hurt and humiliated.”
During a candid conversation with actress and filmmaker Lena Dunham, Faris said: “One of my hardest film experiences was with Ivan Reitman. I mean, the idea of attempting to make a comedy under this, like, reign of terror, he was a yeller. He would bring down somebody every day…and my first day, it was me.”
During a wide-ranging discussion with Dunham about different behaviors on set, Faris said that she had to fight back tears during her turbulent first interaction with Reitman, who died in February,...
Speaking on her podcast Unqualified, the actress disclosed that Reitman “slapped my ass” during the production and on her first day “yelled” at her, leaving her feeling “angry, hurt and humiliated.”
During a candid conversation with actress and filmmaker Lena Dunham, Faris said: “One of my hardest film experiences was with Ivan Reitman. I mean, the idea of attempting to make a comedy under this, like, reign of terror, he was a yeller. He would bring down somebody every day…and my first day, it was me.”
During a wide-ranging discussion with Dunham about different behaviors on set, Faris said that she had to fight back tears during her turbulent first interaction with Reitman, who died in February,...
- 10/19/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
John Landis' 1981 classic "An American Werewolf in London" is one of the most revered horror-comedies ever, standing on the shoulders of the goofy "Abbott and Costello Meet..." film series and leaning into the natural absurdities of one of the horror genre's most overt manifestations of man's duality. Casting the lead roles of doomed Americans David Kessler and Jack Goodman was of paramount importance; the movie was conceived as homage to "The Wolf Man," after all. The suits at Universal initially wanted SNL alum and "Blues Brothers" stars Dan Akroyd and John Belushi to lead, but Landis went with unknowns David Naughton and Griffin Dunne instead.
An ordinary casting process might include screen tests and further evaluations of the actor, but the way Naughton told it to journalist Sandy Auden, one meeting with the "Animal House" director was all it took to land the role of the doomed backpacker. He describes...
An ordinary casting process might include screen tests and further evaluations of the actor, but the way Naughton told it to journalist Sandy Auden, one meeting with the "Animal House" director was all it took to land the role of the doomed backpacker. He describes...
- 10/17/2022
- by Anya Stanley
- Slash Film
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