On Sunday, October 27, 2024, Clint Eastwood will premiere his fortieth feature directorial effort, "Juror #2," at the American Film Institute Festival. This feels like a landmark number. It's certainly a landmark achievement, given that Eastwood is 94 years old, an age at which most people are interred. So it's frankly despicable that Warner Bros-Discovery, headed by noted enemy of cinema David Zaslav, has chosen to unceremoniously dump "Juror #2" on 50 screens over its opening weekend, with no plans for expansion or an awards campaign.
While it's possible the film is not, in the eyes of its studio, an awards contender, it has a commercially viable hook (as evidenced by its compelling trailer) and a killer cast headed up by Nicholas Hoult. Moreover, it's a film by Clint Eastwood, a man whose films have earned WB loads of money over the last 50-plus years. He's had an office on the lot for nearly as long,...
While it's possible the film is not, in the eyes of its studio, an awards contender, it has a commercially viable hook (as evidenced by its compelling trailer) and a killer cast headed up by Nicholas Hoult. Moreover, it's a film by Clint Eastwood, a man whose films have earned WB loads of money over the last 50-plus years. He's had an office on the lot for nearly as long,...
- 10/27/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
We all know that Westerns are the most American of movie genres, one that many U.S.-born actors view as a proving ground of sorts. Strapping yourself with a couple of six-shooters and hopping astride a horse presents the opportunity to measure yourself against some of the greatest to ever do it: James Stewart, Henry Fonda, and John Wayne, to name just a legendary few. Oh, to stride down a dusty street at high noon, rope cattle at the ranch, or wallop someone you probably don't know over the back with a wooden chair in the midst of a saloon brawl -- this is why we make and love movies.
For a guy who professes a deep and abiding love for classic films, Tom Cruise must've been champing at the bit to go into the West with Ron Howard in 1992's "Far and Away." Getting to make a Western...
For a guy who professes a deep and abiding love for classic films, Tom Cruise must've been champing at the bit to go into the West with Ron Howard in 1992's "Far and Away." Getting to make a Western...
- 10/27/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
A Genre Too Big to Fail (So They Say) In 2022 alone so far, we’ve gotten Matt Reeves’s ‘The Batman,’ Sam Raimi’s ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,’ and of course (who can forget?) ‘Morbius.’ We’re not quite halfway into the year and we have three big-name superhero movies on our plate — and that’s actually a low number, compared to some past years. I remember, as clearly as if it were yesterday, that in 2017, we got ‘Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2,’ ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming,’ ‘Thor: Ragnarok,’ ‘Justice League,’ ‘Logan,’ and ‘The Lego Batman Movie.’ There was at least one superhero movie for every season, and you simply couldn’t get away from them for long. I’m not saying this is entirely a bad thing, of course; after all, I do like most of the movies mentioned. I don’t think there’s much room for debate,...
- 10/20/2024
- by Brian Collins
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Alfred Hitchcock: The Iconic Film Collection will collect six of the Master of Suspense’s classics on 4K Ultra HD + Digital: Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North By Northwest, Psycho, and The Birds.
Releasing on November 26 via Universal, the six-disc set is limited to 5,150. It’s housed in premium book-style packaging featuring artwork by Tristan Eaton along with photos, bios, and trivia.
In 1954’s Rear Window, “A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.”
It’s written by John Michael Hayes (To Catch a Thief), based on Cornell Woolrich’s 1942 short story “It Had to Be Murder.” James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter, and Raymond Burr star.
Rear Window special features:
Audio commentary by Hitchcock’s Rear Window: The Well-Made Film author John Fawell Rear Window Ethics – 2000 documentary Conversation with Screenwriter John Michael...
Releasing on November 26 via Universal, the six-disc set is limited to 5,150. It’s housed in premium book-style packaging featuring artwork by Tristan Eaton along with photos, bios, and trivia.
In 1954’s Rear Window, “A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.”
It’s written by John Michael Hayes (To Catch a Thief), based on Cornell Woolrich’s 1942 short story “It Had to Be Murder.” James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter, and Raymond Burr star.
Rear Window special features:
Audio commentary by Hitchcock’s Rear Window: The Well-Made Film author John Fawell Rear Window Ethics – 2000 documentary Conversation with Screenwriter John Michael...
- 10/16/2024
- by Alex DiVincenzo
- bloody-disgusting.com
James Stewart began his professional acting career on the stage in the early 1930s, and it wasn't the rosiest beginning. He was cast in a string of walk-on parts and stage manager positions on Broadway and was canned from several of them for missing his cues. Still in his mid-20s, Stewart even contemplated leaving acting behind and returning to school. Luckily, he landed the lead role in a play called "Yellow Jack" in 1934, and critics loved him. Encouraged to stay in showbiz, Stewart drifted toward Hollywood, where he starred in his first film, Tim Whelan's "The Murder Man," in 1935.
From there, it was a meteoric rise for Stewart, who appeared in six feature films in 1936 alone, working for prestigious and successful directors like William Wellman and W.S. Van Dyke. Stewart's acting career would take a serious upturn in 1938 when he starred in "You Can't Take It With You,...
From there, it was a meteoric rise for Stewart, who appeared in six feature films in 1936 alone, working for prestigious and successful directors like William Wellman and W.S. Van Dyke. Stewart's acting career would take a serious upturn in 1938 when he starred in "You Can't Take It With You,...
- 10/12/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Although Nicole Kidman recently accepted the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award in recognition of her four-decade acting career, there is no indication that her life’s work is anywhere near finished. Indeed, according to Gold Derby’s racetrack odds, the 56-year-old is well on her way to picking up her sixth Oscar nomination for her lead performance in the critically acclaimed “Babygirl,” which would make her the 13th AFI honoree to subsequently earn film academy recognition in a competitive category.
The fact that Kidman’s life achievement award was presented by her pal and costar, Meryl Streep, is quite fitting given that she’s the only woman to go from being an AFI recipient to an Oscar contender. Since receiving the AFI honor in 2004, she has racked up a whopping eight bids, including a successful one for “The Iron Lady” (2012). A previous champ for “Kramer vs. Kramer” (1980) and...
The fact that Kidman’s life achievement award was presented by her pal and costar, Meryl Streep, is quite fitting given that she’s the only woman to go from being an AFI recipient to an Oscar contender. Since receiving the AFI honor in 2004, she has racked up a whopping eight bids, including a successful one for “The Iron Lady” (2012). A previous champ for “Kramer vs. Kramer” (1980) and...
- 9/30/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
With nine Oscar nominations and two wins, Denzel Washington's legacy as one of the finest actors in Hollywood is well-established. But even without the accolades, the man's talent speaks for itself. Often this is literally the case. Alfred Hitchcock once told Francois Truffaut, "The chief requisite for an actor is the ability to do nothing well" — something that frequent Hitch collaborator James Stewart had down to a tee. Even Stewart's quiet charisma arguably can't quite match Denzel's effortless magnetism, though. The man can make doing nothing look good like no other. But he can also do a lot when required, and has demonstrated his adaptability across one of the most impressive filmographies in Hollywood.
In 2017, Washington spoke to The Inquirer about his approach to acting at the age of 60. "I'm trying to get better," Washington told the outlet, "This ain't dress rehearsal. I really don't know how many...
In 2017, Washington spoke to The Inquirer about his approach to acting at the age of 60. "I'm trying to get better," Washington told the outlet, "This ain't dress rehearsal. I really don't know how many...
- 9/27/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
Killer Heat is a mystery crime thriller drama film directed by Philippe Lacôte from a screenplay co-written by Roberto Bentivegna and Matt Charman. Based on the 2021 short story titled The Jealousy Man by author Jo Nesbø, the Prime Video film is set on a Greek island and it follows the story of a troubled detective known as The Jealousy Man who is brought in to investigate the murder of one of twin brothers who were entangled in a love triangle. Killer Heat stars Shailene Woodley, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Richard Madden in the lead roles with Billy Clements, Manos Gavras, Abby Lee, Clare Holman, and Babou Ceesay. So, if you loved the intense story, thrilling mystery, and compelling characters in Killer Heat here are some similar movies you should check out next.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix...
Killer Heat is a mystery crime thriller drama film directed by Philippe Lacôte from a screenplay co-written by Roberto Bentivegna and Matt Charman. Based on the 2021 short story titled The Jealousy Man by author Jo Nesbø, the Prime Video film is set on a Greek island and it follows the story of a troubled detective known as The Jealousy Man who is brought in to investigate the murder of one of twin brothers who were entangled in a love triangle. Killer Heat stars Shailene Woodley, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Richard Madden in the lead roles with Billy Clements, Manos Gavras, Abby Lee, Clare Holman, and Babou Ceesay. So, if you loved the intense story, thrilling mystery, and compelling characters in Killer Heat here are some similar movies you should check out next.
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (Netflix...
- 9/27/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Kathryn Crosby, who starred in such films as Operation Mad Ball, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad and Anatomy of a Murder before she curtailed her acting career as the wife of Hollywood legend Bing Crosby, has died. She was 90.
Crosby died peacefully at her home in Hillsborough, California, surrounded by her family, according to a family spokesperson.
Billed under her stage name, Kathryn Grant, the Houston native made five features for famed film noir director Phil Karlson, including Tight Spot (1955), The Phenix City Story (1955) and The Brothers Rico (1957).
She also played the younger sister of Martha Hyer’s character in another film noir, the Blake Edwards-directed Mister Cory (1957), starring Tony Curtis, and portrayed a budding trapeze artist in The Big Circus (1959), starring Victor Mature.
Soon after wrapping production in Spain with her turn as the damsel in distress Princess Parisa in the Ray Harryhausen fantasy The 7th Voyage of Sinbad...
Crosby died peacefully at her home in Hillsborough, California, surrounded by her family, according to a family spokesperson.
Billed under her stage name, Kathryn Grant, the Houston native made five features for famed film noir director Phil Karlson, including Tight Spot (1955), The Phenix City Story (1955) and The Brothers Rico (1957).
She also played the younger sister of Martha Hyer’s character in another film noir, the Blake Edwards-directed Mister Cory (1957), starring Tony Curtis, and portrayed a budding trapeze artist in The Big Circus (1959), starring Victor Mature.
Soon after wrapping production in Spain with her turn as the damsel in distress Princess Parisa in the Ray Harryhausen fantasy The 7th Voyage of Sinbad...
- 9/21/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A rumor had been going around that Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope was being developed into a remake. And World of Reel is now confirming that the project is indeed happening and the film may be securing David Fincher to direct. Fincher was recently trying to develop a remake of another Alfred Hitchcock classic, Strangers on a Train, which was said to be eyeing Brad Pitt and Ben Affleck to star. However, now it seems as though Fincher is instead opting to remake Rope as, according to Netflix’s Kasey Moore, the film is moving forward. Denzel Washington and/or Charlize Theron may be up for roles in the film.
The plot synopsis for the Alfred Hitchcock original reads,
“Just before hosting a dinner party, Philip Morgan (Farley Granger) and Brandon Shaw (John Dall) strangle a mutual friend to death with a piece of rope, purely as a Nietzsche-inspired philosophical exercise.
The plot synopsis for the Alfred Hitchcock original reads,
“Just before hosting a dinner party, Philip Morgan (Farley Granger) and Brandon Shaw (John Dall) strangle a mutual friend to death with a piece of rope, purely as a Nietzsche-inspired philosophical exercise.
- 9/19/2024
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” is a meta ghost story, according to legendary author Rachel Kushner.
The California writer, whose latest novel “Creation Lake” will be released in September, appeared on the Criterion Channel’s “Adventures in Moviegoing” series to share her favorite San Francisco-set films. Of course, “Vertigo” was on the top of her list, both due to her personal connections to the locations captured by Hitchcock onscreen and just how much the 1958 film still haunts the city itself 70 years later.
The beloved thriller stars James Stewart as a former police detective who becomes obsessed with a woman (Kim Novak) he is hired to investigate. (Read our list of Alfred Hitchcock’s best movies here.)
“I find ‘Vertigo’ to be an exquisite movie,” Kushner said. “There’s this sense of holographic ghosts hovering in San Francisco and come to think of it, the holograph is an imagery that is actually...
The California writer, whose latest novel “Creation Lake” will be released in September, appeared on the Criterion Channel’s “Adventures in Moviegoing” series to share her favorite San Francisco-set films. Of course, “Vertigo” was on the top of her list, both due to her personal connections to the locations captured by Hitchcock onscreen and just how much the 1958 film still haunts the city itself 70 years later.
The beloved thriller stars James Stewart as a former police detective who becomes obsessed with a woman (Kim Novak) he is hired to investigate. (Read our list of Alfred Hitchcock’s best movies here.)
“I find ‘Vertigo’ to be an exquisite movie,” Kushner said. “There’s this sense of holographic ghosts hovering in San Francisco and come to think of it, the holograph is an imagery that is actually...
- 8/27/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Robert Downey Jr. is one of the biggest stars of our generation, one of the greatest actors of all time, given one of the greatest superhero portrayals, and is now slated to play one of the greatest superhero villains in Marvel comics. The previous statement would seem absolutely crazy if we were talking about any other actor but everything immediately falls into place and makes perfect sense knowing it is Rdj we are talking about.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Dr. Doom casting sent shockwaves among fans | Credits: Instagram- @marvelstudios
Slated to play Doctor Doom, we’ll be honest that we all have doubts about how successful his second run in the MCU will be. While Downey is worried, he seems to already have a backup plan of ‘remaking’ a classic if everything goes down the ditch.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Backup Plan if His Doctor Doom Run Fails
Robert Downey Jr.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Dr. Doom casting sent shockwaves among fans | Credits: Instagram- @marvelstudios
Slated to play Doctor Doom, we’ll be honest that we all have doubts about how successful his second run in the MCU will be. While Downey is worried, he seems to already have a backup plan of ‘remaking’ a classic if everything goes down the ditch.
Robert Downey Jr.’s Backup Plan if His Doctor Doom Run Fails
Robert Downey Jr.
- 8/21/2024
- by Maria Sultan
- FandomWire
Alexander Payne touched down at the Sarajevo Film Festival on Sunday where he shed some light on his next project – a Western which will reunite the writer-director with The Holdovers scribe David Hemingson.
Speaking at a masterclass at the Bosnian Cultural Center, Payne, whose last project The Holdovers earned five Oscar nominations, told the audience that he wanted to explore different genres from the types of films he has made so far.
“The one genre I’ve wanted to do is a Western,” said Payne. “So, right now while Jim [Taylor] and I are talking about a sequel to Election, with a different writer – the guy who wrote The Holdovers [David Hemingson], we have been conceiving a Western for years now.”
He added: “It would be nice to take a kind of realistic-slash-naturalistic approach to a Western and also using landscape. In as much as sense of place is important…part of my...
Speaking at a masterclass at the Bosnian Cultural Center, Payne, whose last project The Holdovers earned five Oscar nominations, told the audience that he wanted to explore different genres from the types of films he has made so far.
“The one genre I’ve wanted to do is a Western,” said Payne. “So, right now while Jim [Taylor] and I are talking about a sequel to Election, with a different writer – the guy who wrote The Holdovers [David Hemingson], we have been conceiving a Western for years now.”
He added: “It would be nice to take a kind of realistic-slash-naturalistic approach to a Western and also using landscape. In as much as sense of place is important…part of my...
- 8/18/2024
- by Diana Lodderhose
- Deadline Film + TV
Alexander Payne updates on ‘Election’ sequel, teases next projects: “I want to do a car chase movie”
Alexander Payne teased post-The Holdovers projects to an audience at the Sarajevo Film Festival on Sunday (August 18), providing an update on the Election sequel and saying he wants to make “a car chase movie.”
“Jim Taylor and I are conceiving what the sequel would look like now,” said Payne of the Election sequel, which is in the works at Paramount+. Taylor is a regular collaborator with Payne, including as co-writer on Downsizing and Sideways.
The film will be based on the 2022 sequel novel Tracy Flick Can’t Win by Tom Perrotta, who wrote the first book Election on which...
“Jim Taylor and I are conceiving what the sequel would look like now,” said Payne of the Election sequel, which is in the works at Paramount+. Taylor is a regular collaborator with Payne, including as co-writer on Downsizing and Sideways.
The film will be based on the 2022 sequel novel Tracy Flick Can’t Win by Tom Perrotta, who wrote the first book Election on which...
- 8/18/2024
- ScreenDaily
The semi-finals of Dancing with the Stars on Channel 7 and 7plus delivered a dramatic night, resulting in a triple elimination and narrowing the competition to five finalists: Lisa McCune, Ant Middleton, James Stewart, Nikki Osborne, and Samantha Jade. The semi-final performances featured high-scoring routines and intense rivalry. Samantha Jade and Lisa McCune impressed the […]
Dancing with the Stars Semi-Finals: A Triple Elimination Leaves Five Contestants Standing...
Dancing with the Stars Semi-Finals: A Triple Elimination Leaves Five Contestants Standing...
- 8/11/2024
- by Jackson Anderson
- MemorableTV
Alfred Hitchcock has long been revered as one of the most influential filmmakers of all time. He also holds the unfortunate distinction of being one of Oscar’s biggest losers, with five Best Director nominations and no wins. Still, who needs an Oscar when you’ve impacted world cinema as significantly as “Hitch” has? Let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked from worst to best.
Known as “the Master of Suspense,” Hitchcock cut his teeth directing silent movies in his native England. With films like “The Lodger” (1927), he gained a reputation for helming tense and stylish psychological thrillers. With the invention of sound came an added element to Hitchcock’s work: a sly sense of humor.
He moved to America in 1940 to direct two films that earned Best Picture nominations: “Foreign Correspondent” and “Rebecca,” which took home the top prize. Hitchcock competed for directing “Rebecca,...
Known as “the Master of Suspense,” Hitchcock cut his teeth directing silent movies in his native England. With films like “The Lodger” (1927), he gained a reputation for helming tense and stylish psychological thrillers. With the invention of sound came an added element to Hitchcock’s work: a sly sense of humor.
He moved to America in 1940 to direct two films that earned Best Picture nominations: “Foreign Correspondent” and “Rebecca,” which took home the top prize. Hitchcock competed for directing “Rebecca,...
- 8/10/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
In June 2014, Miramax Film Corp. and the Saul Zaentz Company settled a $20-million lawsuit over profit sharing on Zaentz’s 1996 Best Picture winner “The English Patient.” The celebrated film earned $232 million at the box office and a reported $75 million in video sales.
Zaentz claimed Miramax, then owned by Disney, had padded expenses to reduce the profits — thus reducing Zaentz’s percentage payout. Miramax, he argued, shouldn’t have deducted $17.5 million of theatrical advertising expenses, since the money also benefited the home entertainment release of the movie.
That wasn’t the only time Zaentz had battled over the backend — Hollywoodspeak for taking a percentage of the profits in lieu of a bigger upfront fee. In 2005, the music and movie mogul behind “Amadeus” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” reached an out-of-court settlement in his $20 million suit against New Line Cinema over foreign royalties from “The Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy.
Zaentz claimed Miramax, then owned by Disney, had padded expenses to reduce the profits — thus reducing Zaentz’s percentage payout. Miramax, he argued, shouldn’t have deducted $17.5 million of theatrical advertising expenses, since the money also benefited the home entertainment release of the movie.
That wasn’t the only time Zaentz had battled over the backend — Hollywoodspeak for taking a percentage of the profits in lieu of a bigger upfront fee. In 2005, the music and movie mogul behind “Amadeus” and “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” reached an out-of-court settlement in his $20 million suit against New Line Cinema over foreign royalties from “The Lord of the Rings” movie trilogy.
- 8/1/2024
- by Diane Haithman
- The Wrap
When putting together a list of the 25 Best Alfred Hitchcock Movies, it’s like plunging into a spectacular alternate universe of wit, verve, and style. The director of “Rear Window,” “Vertigo,” “North by Northwest,” and “Psycho” has a body of work so deep there are endless ways you can parse it: Maybe you could focus on his obsession with mothers, his approach to time, or the way food and painting pop up throughout his films.
But on a basic level, you also run into a challenge with Hitchcock you face with few other filmmakers, full-stop: The Master of Suspense is one of the rare directors to have a filmography with both the volume and the quality to credibly field a Top 25. With what other filmmakers can you do that? John Ford, certainly (Ford had the most films in our recent list of the 100 Greatest Westerns). Godard or Fassbinder perhaps? They...
But on a basic level, you also run into a challenge with Hitchcock you face with few other filmmakers, full-stop: The Master of Suspense is one of the rare directors to have a filmography with both the volume and the quality to credibly field a Top 25. With what other filmmakers can you do that? John Ford, certainly (Ford had the most films in our recent list of the 100 Greatest Westerns). Godard or Fassbinder perhaps? They...
- 7/23/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt and Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
James Stewart is sublimely strange and sweet in Harvey as a drunkard with an invisible rabbit friend
Harvey is the pièce de résistance of films featuring massive human-like bunnies
How does one go about choosing their favourite James Stewart movie? The great actor’s oeuvre spans a wide variety of genres and moods. For good ol’ fashioned Christmas cheer, it’s hard to go past It’s a Wonderful Life. For political drama, Mr Smith Goes to Washington. For repartee-filled romantic comedy, The Shop Around the Corner. For thrillers, there’s not one but three great Hitchcock productions: Vertigo, Rear Window and Rope.
These are all fine films (and we haven’t even mentioned his westerns yet), but I have a soft spot for a less well-known production, starring Stewart as a lovely drunkard whose best friend and constant companion is a giant invisible rabbit. If you’ve never heard of Harvey (the title of the film and the name of the rabbit) you may wonder whether you read that sentence correctly.
How does one go about choosing their favourite James Stewart movie? The great actor’s oeuvre spans a wide variety of genres and moods. For good ol’ fashioned Christmas cheer, it’s hard to go past It’s a Wonderful Life. For political drama, Mr Smith Goes to Washington. For repartee-filled romantic comedy, The Shop Around the Corner. For thrillers, there’s not one but three great Hitchcock productions: Vertigo, Rear Window and Rope.
These are all fine films (and we haven’t even mentioned his westerns yet), but I have a soft spot for a less well-known production, starring Stewart as a lovely drunkard whose best friend and constant companion is a giant invisible rabbit. If you’ve never heard of Harvey (the title of the film and the name of the rabbit) you may wonder whether you read that sentence correctly.
- 7/9/2024
- by Luke Buckmaster
- The Guardian - Film News
Channel 7’s Dancing with the Stars is back with a stellar line-up of celebrities ready to take on the ballroom and compete for the coveted Mirrorball trophy. The contestants includes well-known names such as actress and multiple Gold Logie winner Lisa McCune, Afl legend Ben Cousins, and Home and Away actor James Stewart. They will […]
Dancing with the Stars: Season 21 Premiere...
Dancing with the Stars: Season 21 Premiere...
- 7/7/2024
- by Jackson Anderson
- MemorableTV
Laurie Lindeen, who blazed a trail in the grunge era as a guitarist with indie rockers Zuzu’s Petals and later chronicled the experience in a book, died Monday at 62 in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts, of a brain aneurysm.
Lindeen moved from Wisconsin in 1987 to join the burgeoning Minneapolis music scene, where acts like Prince, The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum, The Jayhawks, and Babes in Toyland were putting the city on the map.
Zuzu’s Petals, which took its name from the rose petals carried by James Stewart’s character in the film It’s a Wonderful Life, made a mark at local clubs as an all-female band at a time when that was still somewhat of a novelty. They recorded a debut four-song cassette with help from Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum and Gary Louris of the Jayhawks.
The band later released two full-length albums for Twin/Tone Records,...
Lindeen moved from Wisconsin in 1987 to join the burgeoning Minneapolis music scene, where acts like Prince, The Replacements, Hüsker Dü, Soul Asylum, The Jayhawks, and Babes in Toyland were putting the city on the map.
Zuzu’s Petals, which took its name from the rose petals carried by James Stewart’s character in the film It’s a Wonderful Life, made a mark at local clubs as an all-female band at a time when that was still somewhat of a novelty. They recorded a debut four-song cassette with help from Dave Pirner of Soul Asylum and Gary Louris of the Jayhawks.
The band later released two full-length albums for Twin/Tone Records,...
- 7/3/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Political films have been a staple of American entertainment since the very beginning. Our photo gallery features 15 of the best movies that have put a spotlight on candidates, elections and the process of voting.
The earliest film in our gallery is “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” the 1939 movie directed by Frank Capra. James Stewart starred as a newly-appointed U.S. Senator who is thought to be easily manipulated by the political bosses.
Long before her kindly role as mystery writer Jessica Fletcher on “Murder, She Wrote,” Angela Lansbury received an Oscar nomination for her role as an evil mother in “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962). She is a right-winger who allows her son to be brainwashed into becoming an assassin.
Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman have each appeared in two of the films in our gallery. They starred together as journalists taking down the White House in “All the President’s Men” (1976). Four years earlier,...
The earliest film in our gallery is “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington,” the 1939 movie directed by Frank Capra. James Stewart starred as a newly-appointed U.S. Senator who is thought to be easily manipulated by the political bosses.
Long before her kindly role as mystery writer Jessica Fletcher on “Murder, She Wrote,” Angela Lansbury received an Oscar nomination for her role as an evil mother in “The Manchurian Candidate” (1962). She is a right-winger who allows her son to be brainwashed into becoming an assassin.
Robert Redford and Dustin Hoffman have each appeared in two of the films in our gallery. They starred together as journalists taking down the White House in “All the President’s Men” (1976). Four years earlier,...
- 6/30/2024
- by Tom O'Brien and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
For the Fourth of July, let’s get into the All-American spirit with good old-fashioned patriotic movies? Whether you’re an astronaut, a Congressman, a mathematician or a hockey player, you typify the kind of best Americans that the movies want to celebrate on Independence Day.
The theme of our photo gallery above is all about the American spirit, which can be a rah-rah film (like “Miracle” or “Top Gun”), fighting for the people back home or even going against the grain to fight for what’s right in society. Our gallery also includes “The Right Stuff,” “Field of Dreams,” “Forrest Gump,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “Hidden Figures” and more. James Cagney, Kevin Costner, Tom Cruise, Sally Field, Tom Hanks, Taraji P. Henson, James Stewart and Denzel Washington are some of the big names in starring roles.
Enjoy a hot dog and sit back to peruse (or even watch again) these...
The theme of our photo gallery above is all about the American spirit, which can be a rah-rah film (like “Miracle” or “Top Gun”), fighting for the people back home or even going against the grain to fight for what’s right in society. Our gallery also includes “The Right Stuff,” “Field of Dreams,” “Forrest Gump,” “Yankee Doodle Dandy,” “Hidden Figures” and more. James Cagney, Kevin Costner, Tom Cruise, Sally Field, Tom Hanks, Taraji P. Henson, James Stewart and Denzel Washington are some of the big names in starring roles.
Enjoy a hot dog and sit back to peruse (or even watch again) these...
- 6/30/2024
- by Tom O'Brien, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Sunset Boulevard – a singular location, known around the world. Mentioned in movies, songs, and all kinds of media, it is one of the important secular locations in Los Angeles, California. Sunset Boulevard is a mixture of tropical freedom, tourist paradise, sunshine, and palm trees, and the Chateau Marmont is a monumental figure of the area. Things to do: Subscribe to The Hollywood Insider’s YouTube Channel, by clicking here. Limited Time Offer – Free Subscription to The Hollywood Insider Click here to read more on The Hollywood Insider’s vision, values and mission statement here – Media has the responsibility to better our world – The Hollywood Insider fully focuses on substance and meaningful entertainment, against gossip and scandal, by combining entertainment, education, and philanthropy. The Hotel The Chateau Marmont opened in 1927 and is currently notoriously known as a hideaway for many of Hollywood’s biggest celebrities – but that fact pales in comparison...
- 6/29/2024
- by Ben Brown
- Hollywood Insider - Substance & Meaningful Entertainment
Plot: An epic saga of the various groups who try to settle the ever-expanding horizon of the old West.
Review: Kevin Costner’s Horizon might be the most ambitious movie undertaking since Lord of the Rings. Think about it – Kevin Costner has sunk a huge chunk of his own personal fortune into making an epic Western saga, with a second movie only weeks away from hitting theatres, regardless of whether or not the first makes him any money. If that weren’t enough, he’s already started shooting pieces of the third film, and he’s sworn he’ll be making a fourth film as well. Given the scope of his ambitions, it’s hard to truly judge Horizon – Chapter 1 as a standalone film, with it so clearly part of a much bigger whole.
Running three hours (with credits), Costner, who also directed, produced and co-wrote the film (with Jon Baird...
Review: Kevin Costner’s Horizon might be the most ambitious movie undertaking since Lord of the Rings. Think about it – Kevin Costner has sunk a huge chunk of his own personal fortune into making an epic Western saga, with a second movie only weeks away from hitting theatres, regardless of whether or not the first makes him any money. If that weren’t enough, he’s already started shooting pieces of the third film, and he’s sworn he’ll be making a fourth film as well. Given the scope of his ambitions, it’s hard to truly judge Horizon – Chapter 1 as a standalone film, with it so clearly part of a much bigger whole.
Running three hours (with credits), Costner, who also directed, produced and co-wrote the film (with Jon Baird...
- 6/28/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Being openly and undeniably queer in horror didn’t happen overnight. For so long, non-heterosexuality in the genre was coded or downplayed. Villainization was also common. Exploited, however, shows just how far we have come along in terms of transparency. While this 2022 film doesn’t have the renown or accolades of others, it does offer a change in routine. Neither queerness nor terror are sacrificed or dialed back in favor of the other, and the story is refreshingly uninhibited.
It would seem confusing to call Exploited openly queer when two of the central characters start out as closeted, albeit one of them is more intensely so than the other. Nevertheless, appearances are deceiving in Carl Moellenberg and Anthony Del Negro’s script. That sense of deception begins quickly — along with the film’s sensuality— as a webcam fetish model known as “wrestlerstud99” (Colin Bates) is attacked and presumably murdered by...
It would seem confusing to call Exploited openly queer when two of the central characters start out as closeted, albeit one of them is more intensely so than the other. Nevertheless, appearances are deceiving in Carl Moellenberg and Anthony Del Negro’s script. That sense of deception begins quickly — along with the film’s sensuality— as a webcam fetish model known as “wrestlerstud99” (Colin Bates) is attacked and presumably murdered by...
- 6/26/2024
- by Paul Lê
- bloody-disgusting.com
As the well-known saying goes, another Tom Hardy movie, another comically offbeat voice. In Jeff Nichols' beautiful Austin Butler drama "The Bikeriders," Hardy plays Johnny, leader of Chicago motorcycle club the Vandals — and this being a midwestern biker movie, you better believe there's yet another weirdo Hardy accent involved. Speaking to Variety about the film, the British star said, "One of the things that I hold myself to, as a principle, is that you've got to make an effort to create a vocal silhouette, as well as the physical silhouette." In "The Bikeriders" it's not just Hardy that provides an intriguing vocal silhouette (Jodie Comer affects a captivating mix of Chicago and Wisconsin accents), but he surely has the most unconventional and endearingly idiosyncratic take on the midwestern accent.
Of course, this is hardly the first time Mr. Hardy has treated us all to a unique vocal performance. The man...
Of course, this is hardly the first time Mr. Hardy has treated us all to a unique vocal performance. The man...
- 6/23/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Hollywood has been renowned for figures like Stanley Kubrick whose extreme, almost cruel, attitude invaded movie sets, affecting crews and actors to the point of torture. Unconfirmed stories about the infamous director’s alleged abuse have littered the society papers and historical records from his time and disgruntled stars have lived to tell the tale via op-eds and interviews through the decades.
Stanley Kubrick [Photo: Phillip A. Harrington, Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, 1949]However, the most popular piece of pop-culture myth about Stanley Kubrick revolves around his supposed obsessive-compulsive need for endless takes of a single scene until he obtained the desired result. As rumor would have it, these takes often racketed up to a number as high as 127.
While the psychological after-effects of such incidents would go on to shape the lives of the director and his actors, one thing was for sure: Stanley Kubrick was no perfectionist but he was certifiably a genius with a method behind his madness.
Stanley Kubrick [Photo: Phillip A. Harrington, Sadler’s Wells Theatre in London, 1949]However, the most popular piece of pop-culture myth about Stanley Kubrick revolves around his supposed obsessive-compulsive need for endless takes of a single scene until he obtained the desired result. As rumor would have it, these takes often racketed up to a number as high as 127.
While the psychological after-effects of such incidents would go on to shape the lives of the director and his actors, one thing was for sure: Stanley Kubrick was no perfectionist but he was certifiably a genius with a method behind his madness.
- 6/22/2024
- by Diya Majumdar
- FandomWire
Turner Classic Movies’ (TCM) award-winning podcast The Plot Thickens will premiere season five, Decoding John Ford, on June 6, co-produced by Novel. Host Ben Mankiewicz strips back the mythology to reveal Ford's brilliance – alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist. This season features scores of never-before-heard archival interviews, including John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and John Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” said TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered the military and envied those who served yet bristled at authority; Ford became known as one of Hollywood’s leading conservatives, yet one of his finest films is 1940’s The Grapes of Wrath, one of the most progressive films of classic...
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” said TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered the military and envied those who served yet bristled at authority; Ford became known as one of Hollywood’s leading conservatives, yet one of his finest films is 1940’s The Grapes of Wrath, one of the most progressive films of classic...
- 6/5/2024
- Podnews.net
Could you turn down the exciting idea of George Miller, known for his mythological prowess, breathing new life into Chris Hemsworth’s Thor franchise? After the rollercoaster of feelings that Thor 4 elicited, the audience’s appetite for richness and depth in storytelling stands at an all-time high. Could the celebrated director of the highly acclaimed Mad Max series, with his legendary grasp of epic narratives, be the key to asundering the line of cold responses and rekindling the thunderous glory of Asgard? Maybe…
Miller’s approach resonates well beyond the box office; his canceled Justice League project, still a lament among superhero aficionados, serves as proof of the vision that could have reinvented DC’s pantheon.
Chris Hemsworth as Thor | Marvel Studios
In a recent interview with Happy Sad Confused, Miller gave his reasons for wanting to helm Justice League because he has “always been aware of the power of myth.
Miller’s approach resonates well beyond the box office; his canceled Justice League project, still a lament among superhero aficionados, serves as proof of the vision that could have reinvented DC’s pantheon.
Chris Hemsworth as Thor | Marvel Studios
In a recent interview with Happy Sad Confused, Miller gave his reasons for wanting to helm Justice League because he has “always been aware of the power of myth.
- 5/29/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Chris Hemsworth is a powerhouse when it comes to acting. Having portrayed some of the fiercest and most formidable characters in cinema during his entire career, even the actor’s looks scream that he might be just as tough and intense in real life as he is on-screen most of the time. Despite mostly playing such powerful characters, Hemsworth has a soft, gentle heart.
Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth (PC: YouTube | Andrew Freund)
At least that is what his top favorite movies say about him. During the promotion of his latest film, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga the actor and his co-star Anya Taylor-Joy recently gave an interview to Letterboxd and revealed their four favorite movies of all time.
Chris Hemsworth and His Four Favorite Movies of All Time It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) | Paramount Pictures
Chris Hemsworth has often portrayed larger-than-life, often fierce characters throughout his career. The star...
Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth (PC: YouTube | Andrew Freund)
At least that is what his top favorite movies say about him. During the promotion of his latest film, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga the actor and his co-star Anya Taylor-Joy recently gave an interview to Letterboxd and revealed their four favorite movies of all time.
Chris Hemsworth and His Four Favorite Movies of All Time It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) | Paramount Pictures
Chris Hemsworth has often portrayed larger-than-life, often fierce characters throughout his career. The star...
- 5/28/2024
- by Maria Sultan
- FandomWire
James Stewart, more affectionately known as “Jimmy” to his fans, was an Oscar-winning performer who became famous for his polite, gentle screen persona, often playing the aww-shucks boy next door. Yet he also showed his range with a series of performances that found him playing against type. Let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1908, Stewart earned his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor for playing an idealistic young senator in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), which firmly established him as the patron saint of the common man. He clinched his one and only victory the very next year for “The Philadelphia Story” (1940), playing a tabloid reporter who stumbles into the marital strife of a high society couple (Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant).
After serving in WWII, Stewart returned home to play George Bailey, a businessman contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve,...
Born in 1908, Stewart earned his first Oscar nomination as Best Actor for playing an idealistic young senator in “Mr. Smith Goes to Washington” (1939), which firmly established him as the patron saint of the common man. He clinched his one and only victory the very next year for “The Philadelphia Story” (1940), playing a tabloid reporter who stumbles into the marital strife of a high society couple (Katharine Hepburn and Cary Grant).
After serving in WWII, Stewart returned home to play George Bailey, a businessman contemplating suicide on Christmas Eve,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
An important thing to keep in mind when evaluating any work of art is that the audience and critical response can change a ton over the years. Such was the case with "Vertigo," the 1958 Alfred Hitchcock thriller that is now rightly recognized as one of the best films ever made, and a career-high for Hitchcock himself. It's a dark, provocative film, one with a lot of fascinating things to say about love and obsession. It's also a remarkably well-directed movie; every single cinematic choice (like filming the driving scenes so Scottie (James Stewart) is almost always driving downhill, never up) contributes to the sense that Scottie is descending towards his doom.
Still, at the time of its release, "Vertigo" received mixed reviews and had a disappointing run at the box office. Contemporary critics declared the film's big twist to be nonsensical, and Hitchcock himself seemed to agree with this, at...
Still, at the time of its release, "Vertigo" received mixed reviews and had a disappointing run at the box office. Contemporary critics declared the film's big twist to be nonsensical, and Hitchcock himself seemed to agree with this, at...
- 5/13/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Frank Capra was a three-time Oscar winner who dominated the box office throughout the 1930s with his populist fables, nicknamed “Capra-corn.” Yet how many of these titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 12 of Capra’s greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1897 in Siciliy, Italy, Capra came to the United States with his family in 1903. His work often reflected an idealized vision of the American dream, perhaps spurned by his own experiences as an immigrant. Depression-era audiences lapped up his sweetly sentimental screwball comedies, which often centered on the plight of the common man.
He earned his first Oscar nomination for directing “Lady for a Day” (1933), and his loss was infamously embarrassing: when presented Will Rogers opened the envelope, he said, “Come up and get it, Frank!” Capra bounded to the stage, only to learned that Frank Lloyd (“Cavalcade”) has won instead.
No matter, because...
Born in 1897 in Siciliy, Italy, Capra came to the United States with his family in 1903. His work often reflected an idealized vision of the American dream, perhaps spurned by his own experiences as an immigrant. Depression-era audiences lapped up his sweetly sentimental screwball comedies, which often centered on the plight of the common man.
He earned his first Oscar nomination for directing “Lady for a Day” (1933), and his loss was infamously embarrassing: when presented Will Rogers opened the envelope, he said, “Come up and get it, Frank!” Capra bounded to the stage, only to learned that Frank Lloyd (“Cavalcade”) has won instead.
No matter, because...
- 5/10/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Clockwise from top left: American Fiction (Amazon MGM Studios), Psycho (Universal Pictures), The Idea Of You (Amazon MGM Studios), Pearl (A24)Image: The A.V. Club
A new romantic comedy starring Anne Hathaway, the Oscar-winning American Fiction, Mia Goth in the horror prequel Pearl, and a number of Alfred Hitchcock classics...
A new romantic comedy starring Anne Hathaway, the Oscar-winning American Fiction, Mia Goth in the horror prequel Pearl, and a number of Alfred Hitchcock classics...
- 5/7/2024
- by Robert DeSalvo
- avclub.com
Wes Anderson’s favorite on-set still photographer James Hamilton with 99 Records founder Ed Bahlman and Anne-Katrin Titze on his Village Works exhibition: “They have a display of eight of my photographs, good size prints, including Lou Reed and John Cale and Pattie Smith and Tom Verlaine and Prince and Debbie Harry.”
In the first instalment with photojournalist James Hamilton, Wes Anderson’s favourite on-set still photographer (James is also the voice of Mole in Fantastic Mr. Fox and makes an appearance in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou), we start out discussing Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, Grace Kelly’s Mark Cross bag, the Albert Hotel, Harper’s Bazaar, and everything else that James Stewart’s Lb Jeffries eerily has in common with the subject of Dw Young’s surprisingly candid Uncropped (a highlight and centerpiece selection of the 14th edition of Doc NYC).
James Hamilton on Alfred Hitchcock at the St.
In the first instalment with photojournalist James Hamilton, Wes Anderson’s favourite on-set still photographer (James is also the voice of Mole in Fantastic Mr. Fox and makes an appearance in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou), we start out discussing Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, Grace Kelly’s Mark Cross bag, the Albert Hotel, Harper’s Bazaar, and everything else that James Stewart’s Lb Jeffries eerily has in common with the subject of Dw Young’s surprisingly candid Uncropped (a highlight and centerpiece selection of the 14th edition of Doc NYC).
James Hamilton on Alfred Hitchcock at the St.
- 5/5/2024
- by Anne-Katrin Titze
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Obviously it wasn’t by design, but the early-1950s renewal of the western genre, aided in large part by the success of Winchester ’73, which heralded a career second act for both its director, Anthony Mann, and its star, James Stewart, was answered in other quarters of the industry by multiple endeavors to take the once disreputable genre, previously dismissed as Roy Rogers/Saturday-matinee bunkum, all the way into the hallowed halls of state-sanctioned, capital-a art. And, as it happened, the two westerns that made a big runner-up showing at the 1952 and 1953 Oscars, High Noon and Shane, respectively, also served, by virtue of holding what wide swaths of the future cinephile demographic would come to view as Vichy letters of transit, as high-value targets for skeptics of the official cultural narrative.
These auteurist critics and film buffs, whose philosophy acquired definite contours some 10-odd years later, observed a different watershed moment: Rio Bravo.
These auteurist critics and film buffs, whose philosophy acquired definite contours some 10-odd years later, observed a different watershed moment: Rio Bravo.
- 5/3/2024
- by Jaime N. Christley
- Slant Magazine
10. James Arness (1923–2011)
James Arness is primarily recognized for his iconic portrayal of Marshal Matt Dillon in the long-running prime-time Western TV show Gunsmoke.
From 1955 to 1975, Arness entertained the audience by keeping the peace in Dodge City, but he also starred in legendary movies like Them!, Hondo, The Farmer's Daughter, and others.
9. Lee Marvin (1924–1987)
Famous for his tough and brutal character, Lee Marvin was just as masculine off-screen as he was in his movies. He blew up after portraying Kid Shelleen in Cat Ballou and went on to star in other iconic Western movies, including The Dirty Dozen, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Big Red One, and many others.
8. Sam Elliott (1944–Now)
Sharp and rugged, Sam Elliot was born to portray gruffly cowboys with a no-bs attitude. His iconic mustache broke many hearts, and the actor didn’t become less popular after Westerns died off: since his famous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,...
James Arness is primarily recognized for his iconic portrayal of Marshal Matt Dillon in the long-running prime-time Western TV show Gunsmoke.
From 1955 to 1975, Arness entertained the audience by keeping the peace in Dodge City, but he also starred in legendary movies like Them!, Hondo, The Farmer's Daughter, and others.
9. Lee Marvin (1924–1987)
Famous for his tough and brutal character, Lee Marvin was just as masculine off-screen as he was in his movies. He blew up after portraying Kid Shelleen in Cat Ballou and went on to star in other iconic Western movies, including The Dirty Dozen, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Big Red One, and many others.
8. Sam Elliott (1944–Now)
Sharp and rugged, Sam Elliot was born to portray gruffly cowboys with a no-bs attitude. His iconic mustache broke many hearts, and the actor didn’t become less popular after Westerns died off: since his famous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,...
- 5/1/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
Clint Eastwood was already 30 years old when he landed his breakout role in the CBS Western "Rawhide." The actor had spent much of the 1950s getting by on bit parts in B movies (most notably the Jack Arnold monster duo of "Revenge of the Creature" and "Tarantula"), and guest roles on TV series like "Maverick" and "Death Valley Days," so you'd think he would've been thrilled. But Eastwood was displeased with his character Rowdy Yates, who, early on in the series' run, was a wet-behind-the-ears ramrod. At his age, he was eager to play a grown, capable man with enough years behind him to allow for a bit of mystery.
Eastwood's restlessness coincided with a shift in filmmakers' approach to the Western genre. Though maestros like John Ford, Howard Hawks, Anthony Mann, and Budd Boetticher had allowed for moral ambiguity in their movies, the vast majority of Westerns were white...
Eastwood's restlessness coincided with a shift in filmmakers' approach to the Western genre. Though maestros like John Ford, Howard Hawks, Anthony Mann, and Budd Boetticher had allowed for moral ambiguity in their movies, the vast majority of Westerns were white...
- 4/28/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
“I think it was Andy Warhol who said, “Make art and let others decide whether it is good or bad. But while they are deciding, make some more”.
That was the line with which Nicole Kidman ended her 15-minute acceptance speech after Meryl Streep had presented her with the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award.
That is something that seems entirely appropriate for Kidman, who doesn’t seem to stop “making art,” taking risks at every turn, telling stories through her power not just as an actor, but also a producer dedicated to bringing those stories to screens big and small. At 56, she is on the younger side of the previous 48 recipients of this very high honor, the first Australian to receive it. And someone very much in the middle of creating those life achievements that led to last night’s honor at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where a large...
That was the line with which Nicole Kidman ended her 15-minute acceptance speech after Meryl Streep had presented her with the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award.
That is something that seems entirely appropriate for Kidman, who doesn’t seem to stop “making art,” taking risks at every turn, telling stories through her power not just as an actor, but also a producer dedicated to bringing those stories to screens big and small. At 56, she is on the younger side of the previous 48 recipients of this very high honor, the first Australian to receive it. And someone very much in the middle of creating those life achievements that led to last night’s honor at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where a large...
- 4/28/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
With the back-to-back blockbuster combo of "Jaws" and "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," Steven Spielberg had firmly established himself as a sui generis Hollywood visionary when, in 1978, he chose to make "1941." Most people consider this a near-disaster of a decision. The anarchic World War II comedy, set in panicked Southern California in the immediate wake of the assault on Pearl Harbor, was a 180-degree turn from the spirited adventure and childlike yearning of his previous two films. It was silly, vulgar and more than a little mean. And, most audaciously, it was making light of the country's understandably crazed reaction to an attack that killed thousands of U.S. military personnel.
Spielberg's co-conspirators in this juvenile affront to one of the worst days in 20th century American history were screenwriters John Milius, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale — and, really, all you have to do is watch "Used Cars...
Spielberg's co-conspirators in this juvenile affront to one of the worst days in 20th century American history were screenwriters John Milius, Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale — and, really, all you have to do is watch "Used Cars...
- 4/27/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
There’s something about a doppelganger that feels uniquely cinematic. A person who looks like you, thinks like you, and maybe even lives like you has always been a subject of fascination and dread in literature and philosophy, a concept that raises questions about individuality and the collective. But on the screen, seeing the effect of one person mimicked and duplicated proves all the more uncanny and unnerving. Science fiction, horror, and a multitude of other genres have used duality as a means to terrify, unsettle, and provoke.
And then, of course, there’s the acting challenge. For an experienced actor or an up-and-comer alike, playing dual roles is the ultimate flex, a way to show your range in a single project. Whether playing twins or identical strangers, an actor who takes on a dual role has to manage the trick of being both an individual and a duo, of...
And then, of course, there’s the acting challenge. For an experienced actor or an up-and-comer alike, playing dual roles is the ultimate flex, a way to show your range in a single project. Whether playing twins or identical strangers, an actor who takes on a dual role has to manage the trick of being both an individual and a duo, of...
- 4/19/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Nicole Kidman’s friends and collaborators will be in the building when she is honored at the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award Gala.
AFI shared that Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts and Reese Witherspoon are set as presenters for the gala, scheduled to take place at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on April 27.
Fellow AFI Life Achievement Award winner Streep worked with Kidman on HBO’s Big Little Lies, as did Witherspoon. Both Kidman and Witherspoon served as executive producers of the Emmy Award-winning hit series. Watts is a longtime friend of Kidman, dating back to their early acting careers. They both starred in the 1991 feature Flirting. Freeman and Kidman collaborated on the Paramount series Lioness for Taylor Sheridan.
“Nicole Kidman embodies the glamour and romance of Hollywood past — a true screen icon — but she is also a risk taker — and so each performance is something new and something profound,...
AFI shared that Meryl Streep, Morgan Freeman, Naomi Watts and Reese Witherspoon are set as presenters for the gala, scheduled to take place at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre on April 27.
Fellow AFI Life Achievement Award winner Streep worked with Kidman on HBO’s Big Little Lies, as did Witherspoon. Both Kidman and Witherspoon served as executive producers of the Emmy Award-winning hit series. Watts is a longtime friend of Kidman, dating back to their early acting careers. They both starred in the 1991 feature Flirting. Freeman and Kidman collaborated on the Paramount series Lioness for Taylor Sheridan.
“Nicole Kidman embodies the glamour and romance of Hollywood past — a true screen icon — but she is also a risk taker — and so each performance is something new and something profound,...
- 4/18/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
John Ford, the iconic director known for such films as Stagecoach, The Grapes of Wrath, My Darling Clementine, The Searchers and much more, will be the subject of the next edition of the TCM podcast The Plot Thickens, it was announced Wednesday.
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
“Decoding John Ford,” hosted by Ben Mankiewicz, premieres June 6. The fifth season of the podcast, consisting of seven episodes, will feature never-before-heard archival interviews with the likes of John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode and Ford himself.
TCM says Mankiewicz will “strip back the mythology to reveal Ford’s brilliance — alongside the often ugly, uncomfortable truths about his life and movies, asking whether we can ever truly separate art from the artist.”
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” the host said in a statement. “This is a man defined by contradictions: he revered...
- 4/18/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The award-winning Turner Classic Movies podcast “The Plot Thickens” is ready to take on the Manifest Destiny of filmmaker John Ford.
The new fifth season, titled “Decoding John Ford,” centers on the legendary auteur best known for Westerns like “The Searchers.” Host Ben Mankiewicz dives into the mythology behind Ford’s filmography.
The seven-part podcast also examines Ford’s shelved WWII film that was commissioned by the U.S. military in 1944. Host Ben Mankiewicz travels to Europe to trace the mystery of whether the D-Day movie exists. The season debuts on June 6, the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The season features never-before-heard archival interviews with stars like John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and director Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz said in a release. “This is a man defined...
The new fifth season, titled “Decoding John Ford,” centers on the legendary auteur best known for Westerns like “The Searchers.” Host Ben Mankiewicz dives into the mythology behind Ford’s filmography.
The seven-part podcast also examines Ford’s shelved WWII film that was commissioned by the U.S. military in 1944. Host Ben Mankiewicz travels to Europe to trace the mystery of whether the D-Day movie exists. The season debuts on June 6, the 80th anniversary of D-Day.
The season features never-before-heard archival interviews with stars like John Wayne, Katharine Hepburn, Henry Fonda, James Stewart, Woody Strode, and director Ford himself.
“John Ford is a mercurial figure. Not surprisingly given his stature, the stereotypes about Ford are incomplete,” TCM Host Ben Mankiewicz said in a release. “This is a man defined...
- 4/18/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The speculation on casting a female James Bond has been going around for quite some time now, and as expected, it has raised many eyebrows. It seems like a bizarre idea for the general public to have a female spy taking on the role of the famed British agent, but it’s not really that far-fetched, as history goes.
Daniel Craig as James Bond
In fact, the franchise almost had a female Bond about six decades ago when one of the producers suggested an actress take on the lead role. Of course, it did not get off the ground, but it was quite a fantastic idea given the era it happened.
James Bond Almost Had Susan Hayward As 007 Susan Hayward in I Want to Live!
Author Ian Fleming’s agent, Robert Fenn, revealed in the book written by Nicholas Shakespeare, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man, the difficulty of finding an...
Daniel Craig as James Bond
In fact, the franchise almost had a female Bond about six decades ago when one of the producers suggested an actress take on the lead role. Of course, it did not get off the ground, but it was quite a fantastic idea given the era it happened.
James Bond Almost Had Susan Hayward As 007 Susan Hayward in I Want to Live!
Author Ian Fleming’s agent, Robert Fenn, revealed in the book written by Nicholas Shakespeare, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man, the difficulty of finding an...
- 4/13/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
Alfred Hitchcock was so prolific a director that very few years go by without a handful of his 53 feature films celebrating a significant anniversary. 2024 is no exception: his first version of The Man Who Knew Too Much turns 90 this year, Lifeboat drifts into its 80s, Dial M For Murder rings up 70 years, and Marnie – the baby of the bunch – is now a sprightly 60 years old.
Released just months after Dial M, Hitchcock’s sweatiest masterpiece Rear Window also celebrates 70 years of voyeuristic thrills this year. To celebrate, here’s an exclusive extract from regular Empire contributor Neil Alcock’s new book, Hitchology: A Film-by-Film Guide to the Style and Themes of Alfred Hitchcock. An accessible introduction for newcomers to Hitchcock and an insightful companion for devoted fans, Hitchology has been described by Empire’s editor Nick De Semlyen as “incisive, fresh and thunderingly entertaining.”
Have a read below, and look...
Released just months after Dial M, Hitchcock’s sweatiest masterpiece Rear Window also celebrates 70 years of voyeuristic thrills this year. To celebrate, here’s an exclusive extract from regular Empire contributor Neil Alcock’s new book, Hitchology: A Film-by-Film Guide to the Style and Themes of Alfred Hitchcock. An accessible introduction for newcomers to Hitchcock and an insightful companion for devoted fans, Hitchology has been described by Empire’s editor Nick De Semlyen as “incisive, fresh and thunderingly entertaining.”
Have a read below, and look...
- 4/12/2024
- by Neil Alcock
- Empire - Movies
Less bleak than Anthony Mann’s westerns with James Stewart, including Winchester ’73 and Bend of the River, The Tin Star still wastes little time sketching an unwelcoming vision of the Old West. It begins with bounty hunter Morgan Hickman (Henry Fonda) riding into a small town with his latest deceased prize in tow. The townspeople gather around him in the street like pigeons, though the open hostility and disapproval in their faces undermines the sense that they’re in any way titillated by the sight of a dead body or a grizzled gunslinger. Forced to wait for the paperwork to clear for his payout, Morgan settles in for a few days of frosty reception that the townsfolk extend to any outsider, including those within their community who violate the narrow-minded boundaries of accepted behavior.
Perhaps inevitably, Morgan becomes briefly attached to Nora (Betsy Palmer), a local woman ostracized to...
Perhaps inevitably, Morgan becomes briefly attached to Nora (Betsy Palmer), a local woman ostracized to...
- 4/12/2024
- by Jake Cole
- Slant Magazine
The name’s Fleming, Ian Fleming. And boy did he have some problems with how his James Bond character was being adapted for the big screen. As we all know, Sean Connery was cinema’s first 007, but Fleming himself hated the idea, concerned that he didn’t have the right voice.
As revealed in Nicholas Shakespeare’s new book, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man (via IndieWire), the process to find the perfect James Bond was an arduous one. Per Fleming’s agent Robert Fenn, “We tried twenty or thirty [potential prospects]. No major actor would play the part for more than one picture, and we couldn’t set up a deal with a distributor without commitment from a main actor.” Of course, Bond would go to Connery, who Fleming didn’t care for because “he couldn’t speak the Queen’s English…He’s not my idea of Bond at all,...
As revealed in Nicholas Shakespeare’s new book, Ian Fleming: The Complete Man (via IndieWire), the process to find the perfect James Bond was an arduous one. Per Fleming’s agent Robert Fenn, “We tried twenty or thirty [potential prospects]. No major actor would play the part for more than one picture, and we couldn’t set up a deal with a distributor without commitment from a main actor.” Of course, Bond would go to Connery, who Fleming didn’t care for because “he couldn’t speak the Queen’s English…He’s not my idea of Bond at all,...
- 4/12/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
With Daniel Craig bowing out after his James Bond was blasted into the afterlife at the end of 2023's "No Time to Die," the question of who will take on the iconic role next has been following the franchise for quite some time. In 2024, as our cultural norms shift and evolve, there's no reason why the super spy couldn't be played by anybody — maybe even, dare I suggest, a woman?
Prior to the release of "No Time to Die," the internet was abuzz with rumors that British actress Lashana Lynch would be the next 007. When the film arrived, it was revealed that Lynch's character, Nomi, did indeed inherit the codename from her predecessor. Later in the film, however, she requests that the title be given back to Bond, after which she takes on the codename 005. So, we didn't get a female Bond, but we sort of did for...
Prior to the release of "No Time to Die," the internet was abuzz with rumors that British actress Lashana Lynch would be the next 007. When the film arrived, it was revealed that Lynch's character, Nomi, did indeed inherit the codename from her predecessor. Later in the film, however, she requests that the title be given back to Bond, after which she takes on the codename 005. So, we didn't get a female Bond, but we sort of did for...
- 4/12/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.