We were sad to hear that veteran character actor Louis Gossett Jr, who got his acting start in Broadway productions back in 1950s (including Take a Giant Step and a 1959 production of A Raisin in the Sun where he shared the stage with Sidney Poitier), had passed away at 87. While we have to get used to the fact that our favorite actors are all human, and like all of us, eventually pass away, it can’t help but hurt anytime we lose a legend like this. But he leaves behind a rich legacy, so let’s look back at five of his coolest roles.
An Officer and a Gentleman:
Louis Gossett Jr. won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in this, and became the first African-American actor to win an Academy Award in that category in the process. Next to R. Lee Ermey...
An Officer and a Gentleman:
Louis Gossett Jr. won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his role as Gunnery Sergeant Emil Foley in this, and became the first African-American actor to win an Academy Award in that category in the process. Next to R. Lee Ermey...
- 10/29/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Recently, I wrote an article about movies that were surprisingly hard to find on streaming or Blu-ray, and one of the movies I mentioned was a little-remembered 1988 thriller called Shoot to Kill (aka Deadly Pursuit in the UK). The film was a decent box office hit in its day, but outside of a DVD release many years ago, it has sunk into obscurity.
This is a shame, as Shoot to Kill is a nifty little movie. After a few comments praised the film, I decided to revisit it for myself, as I honestly hadn’t seen it since the nineties and had no idea if it would hold up. To my surprise, not only did it hold up, but Shoot to Kill is a bit of a lost 80s action classic.
The film stars Sidney Poitier as a veteran FBI agent investigating a strange robbery where the owner of a...
This is a shame, as Shoot to Kill is a nifty little movie. After a few comments praised the film, I decided to revisit it for myself, as I honestly hadn’t seen it since the nineties and had no idea if it would hold up. To my surprise, not only did it hold up, but Shoot to Kill is a bit of a lost 80s action classic.
The film stars Sidney Poitier as a veteran FBI agent investigating a strange robbery where the owner of a...
- 10/19/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Eddie Redmayne has played a doctor-slash-serial killer, a scientist, and now, an infamous assassin.
Redmayne leads the latest “The Day of the Jackal” adaptation, with the Peacock series centering on his eponymous hit man. The official synopsis reads: “‘The Day of the Jackal’ follows an unrivaled and highly elusive lone assassin, the Jackal (Redmayne), who makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. But following his latest kill, he meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer (Lashana Lynch) who starts to track down the Jackal in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving destruction in its wake.”
Úrsula Corberó, Charles Dance, Richard Dormer, Chukwudi Iwuji, Lia Williams, Khalid Abdalla, Eleanor Matsuura, Jonjo O’Neill, Nick Blood, Sule Rimi, and Florisa Kamara also star.
The original “The Day of the Jackal” book centered on assassination attempts on French president Charles de Gaulle in 1963 amid the Algerian war of independence,...
Redmayne leads the latest “The Day of the Jackal” adaptation, with the Peacock series centering on his eponymous hit man. The official synopsis reads: “‘The Day of the Jackal’ follows an unrivaled and highly elusive lone assassin, the Jackal (Redmayne), who makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. But following his latest kill, he meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer (Lashana Lynch) who starts to track down the Jackal in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe, leaving destruction in its wake.”
Úrsula Corberó, Charles Dance, Richard Dormer, Chukwudi Iwuji, Lia Williams, Khalid Abdalla, Eleanor Matsuura, Jonjo O’Neill, Nick Blood, Sule Rimi, and Florisa Kamara also star.
The original “The Day of the Jackal” book centered on assassination attempts on French president Charles de Gaulle in 1963 amid the Algerian war of independence,...
- 10/9/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Pedro Almodóvar, the Oscar-winning Spanish writer-director who is making waves this awards season with his new film The Room Next Door, has been named the recipient of the 50th Chaplin Award bestowed by New York’s Film at Lincoln Center.
He will be honored at a gala tribute April 28 at Lincoln Center that will feature excerpts from his work and appearances by co-stars, friends and colleagues.
The Room Next Door, which stars Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, won the Golden Lion for best film at the Venice Film Festival last month. The Chaplin honor was announced Friday at Flc’s New York Film Festival ahead of the film’s U.S. premiere there. It hits U.S. theaters on December 20 via Sony Pictures Classics.
“Pedro Almodóvar is a storytelling master whose artistry, creativity, and exceptional talent have captivated audiences and filmmakers alike,” said Lesli Klainberg, Film at Lincoln Center’s president.
He will be honored at a gala tribute April 28 at Lincoln Center that will feature excerpts from his work and appearances by co-stars, friends and colleagues.
The Room Next Door, which stars Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton, won the Golden Lion for best film at the Venice Film Festival last month. The Chaplin honor was announced Friday at Flc’s New York Film Festival ahead of the film’s U.S. premiere there. It hits U.S. theaters on December 20 via Sony Pictures Classics.
“Pedro Almodóvar is a storytelling master whose artistry, creativity, and exceptional talent have captivated audiences and filmmakers alike,” said Lesli Klainberg, Film at Lincoln Center’s president.
- 10/4/2024
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
Film at Lincoln Center (Flc) has announced that internationally acclaimed Spanish film director, screenwriter, and author Pedro Almodóvar is the recipient of the 50th Chaplin Award. He will be honored during a gala evening at Lincoln Center on April 28, 2025.
The announcement was made this evening by Flc President Lesli Klainberg prior to the 62nd New York Film Festival Centerpiece premiere of Almodóvar’s first English-language feature, “The Room Next Door,” which won the Golden Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival and opens at Flc on December 20.
Per this evening’s official announcement, “Internationally recognized for his spirited and bold storytelling with a distinctive and colorful visual style, Pedro Almodóvar is one of Spain’s most celebrated filmmakers. His work is characterized by a blend of humor and melodrama and his ability to create resonant, emotional stories often centered around the lives of strong and fearless women. He has...
The announcement was made this evening by Flc President Lesli Klainberg prior to the 62nd New York Film Festival Centerpiece premiere of Almodóvar’s first English-language feature, “The Room Next Door,” which won the Golden Lion at this year’s Venice Film Festival and opens at Flc on December 20.
Per this evening’s official announcement, “Internationally recognized for his spirited and bold storytelling with a distinctive and colorful visual style, Pedro Almodóvar is one of Spain’s most celebrated filmmakers. His work is characterized by a blend of humor and melodrama and his ability to create resonant, emotional stories often centered around the lives of strong and fearless women. He has...
- 10/4/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar, whose Venice Golden Lion winner The Room Next Door is anticipated to be a fixture this awards season, will receive Film at Lincoln Center’s 50th Chaplin Award on April 28, 2025.
News of the honour, which comes in recognition of the filmmaker’s “spirited and bold storytelling with a distinctive and colorful visual style”, was announced prior to Friday evening’s New York Film Festival Centerpiece premiere of The Room Next Door.
The Chaplin Award Tribute will feature excerpts from Almodóvar’s work and appearances by friends and collaborators.
His body of work includes 23 features, among them...
News of the honour, which comes in recognition of the filmmaker’s “spirited and bold storytelling with a distinctive and colorful visual style”, was announced prior to Friday evening’s New York Film Festival Centerpiece premiere of The Room Next Door.
The Chaplin Award Tribute will feature excerpts from Almodóvar’s work and appearances by friends and collaborators.
His body of work includes 23 features, among them...
- 10/4/2024
- ScreenDaily
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
Denzel Washington has always been careful about what films he chooses to work on. After becoming widely recognized and openly acclaimed in 1980s dramas like "Cry Freedom" and "Glory," he was officially a Hollywood powerhouse by the time he appeared in Spike Lee's films "Mo' Better Blues" and "Malcolm X," as well as "Philadelphia" and "Much Ado About Nothing." Because he was such a big star, Washington never felt obligated to star in a major action franchise, and he was long insistent on never acting in any sequels, at least not until "The Equalizer 2" in 2018. He tends to want to work with deeply experienced directions he can form a good relationship with. There's a reason he's made multiple films with Lee, Ridley Scott, Tony Scott, and Antoine Fuqua.
That's not to say, however, that Washington is allergic to mainstream entertainments. Like everyone, he's seen the big actioners and...
That's not to say, however, that Washington is allergic to mainstream entertainments. Like everyone, he's seen the big actioners and...
- 9/29/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has a lousy track record when it comes to getting its awards to the most deserving nominees. There are myriad examples of injustices, and, when it comes to Best Picture, a history of settling on a movie that most people at least really like, even if few outright love it. In recent years, we've had the perfectly fine "Spotlight," "Argo," Nomadland," and "Coda" take home the top prize. They weren't the best movies of their respective years, not even close, but they were proficiently directed movies buoyed by excellent performances and accomplished (if somewhat formulaic) screenplays.
The Academy has had a decent five year Best Picture run, but in 2018 there was a galling regression to the bad ol' days when white Hollywood phonies made bogus can't-we-all-just-can't-get-along bromides congratulating themselves for viewing people of different colors and ethnicities as actual human beings. That...
The Academy has had a decent five year Best Picture run, but in 2018 there was a galling regression to the bad ol' days when white Hollywood phonies made bogus can't-we-all-just-can't-get-along bromides congratulating themselves for viewing people of different colors and ethnicities as actual human beings. That...
- 9/28/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
There’s no “the” in the title of RaMell Ross’s adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s Pulitzer Prize-winning 2019 novel The Nickel Boys. Though it seems like a minor change, the dropped article turns out to be significant when you see what Ross has brought to the screen. Though Whitehead’s harrowing chronicle of abuses at a reform school in the 1960s was inspired by a real place—the Nickel Academy stands in for the infamous Arthur G. Dozier School for Boys in Florida—Ross sees in Whitehead’s story a more universal tale, one with personal and historical implications beyond the characters and settings of this specific narrative.
The film takes a relatively more abstract approach to telling the story of the friendship that develops between Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson) while they’re students at the Nickel Academy. Ross’s occasional use of archival footage and film...
The film takes a relatively more abstract approach to telling the story of the friendship that develops between Elwood (Ethan Herisse) and Turner (Brandon Wilson) while they’re students at the Nickel Academy. Ross’s occasional use of archival footage and film...
- 9/28/2024
- by Kenji Fujishima
- Slant Magazine
Early in his career, Denzel Washington received some crucial advice from Sidney Poitier, the gist of which was that, as a young Black actor attempting to make his mark in the early 1980s, Hollywood would only give him three or four roles before passing judgment on his value as performer. There weren't many non-comedic Black stars to begin with at the time (especially with the then 50-something Poitier in the midst of a lengthy on-screen hiatus that lasted from 1977's "A Piece of the Action" to 1988's "Shoot to Kill"), so Washington's margin of error must've felt particularly slim, regardless of his undeniable talent.
He took the message to heart. There was a lot working against him in the white-dominated industry. And even if he "made it," the paucity of opportunities meant the competition to remain a prominent actor would always be fierce.
After the commercial and critical failure of his debut feature,...
He took the message to heart. There was a lot working against him in the white-dominated industry. And even if he "made it," the paucity of opportunities meant the competition to remain a prominent actor would always be fierce.
After the commercial and critical failure of his debut feature,...
- 9/28/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Green Lantern has had a rough history on film. In 2011, Warner Bros. bet on the hero being their Iron Man; a B-lister underdog who could kick off a blockbuster franchise. "Green Lantern" starring Ryan Reynolds did not fly high so the character was almost completely absent from the DC Extended Universe. (None of the major Green Lanterns show up in either cut of "Justice League.")
Now, James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Studios is again looking to make the Green Lantern Corps an early fixture of their DC Films. Nathan Fillion is playing Guy Gardner in 2025's "Superman" and a "Lanterns" TV series is currently in development at HBO. A "True Detective" style murder mystery, "Lanterns" will star the two most famous comic Green Lanterns: Hal Jordan and John Stewart (not the one from "The Daily Show").
Kyle Chandler has recently been cast as Hal Jordan, so what about John?...
Now, James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Studios is again looking to make the Green Lantern Corps an early fixture of their DC Films. Nathan Fillion is playing Guy Gardner in 2025's "Superman" and a "Lanterns" TV series is currently in development at HBO. A "True Detective" style murder mystery, "Lanterns" will star the two most famous comic Green Lanterns: Hal Jordan and John Stewart (not the one from "The Daily Show").
Kyle Chandler has recently been cast as Hal Jordan, so what about John?...
- 9/25/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Muhammad Ali called Oct. 26, 1970, his “day of judgment.” His refusal to be inducted to the Army during the Vietnam War, on moral and religious grounds, had pushed him out of the ring for 43 months. But that night in Atlanta, his boxing license restored, he faced “The Great White Hope” Jerry Quarry in his long-awaited return to the ring. Black royalty from Harlem to Birmingham showed up and showed out: Diana Ross, Sidney Poitier, Hank Aaron, and Corretta Scott King filled ringside seats. Filling the stands right alongside them were a bevy of gangsters,...
- 9/12/2024
- by Kalia Richardson
- Rollingstone.com
Peacock’s Fight Night: The Million Dollar Heist is based on a true story, explained in a podcast from Will Packer and iHeart Media. The podcast was co-written by Jim Roberts and Jeff Keating, whose production company Doghouse Pictures also backed the project.
Keating hosted the podcast, executive produced by Dan Bush, Lars Jacobson and Kenny Burns. Packer and James Lopez, President of Will Packer Productions, co-produced. The podcast and now television show shine the spotlight on Muhammad Ali’s return to the boxing ring after a three-year ban to take on Jack Quarry in Atlanta on October 26, 1970. Celebrities like Diana Ross, Sidney Poitier and Arthur Ashe attended the sporting event.
As the second part of the title hints, a major armed robbery took place at an after-party following the fight. A stellar cast has gathered to portray the events of what happened that night. Check out who plays who...
Keating hosted the podcast, executive produced by Dan Bush, Lars Jacobson and Kenny Burns. Packer and James Lopez, President of Will Packer Productions, co-produced. The podcast and now television show shine the spotlight on Muhammad Ali’s return to the boxing ring after a three-year ban to take on Jack Quarry in Atlanta on October 26, 1970. Celebrities like Diana Ross, Sidney Poitier and Arthur Ashe attended the sporting event.
As the second part of the title hints, a major armed robbery took place at an after-party following the fight. A stellar cast has gathered to portray the events of what happened that night. Check out who plays who...
- 9/12/2024
- by Dessi Gomez
- Deadline Film + TV
With James Earl Jones, there was always the voice. It rumbled. It poured over you, thick as molasses. It sounded regal, even when he was playing a humble ex-ballplayer instead of a king. It was always unmistakably his — he wasn’t even credited as the voice of Darth Vader in the first two Star Wars films, but everyone of course knew — yet remarkably versatile within what could have been a limited basso profundo range. He could be the epitome of evil as Vader, a clear figure of goodness and reason...
- 9/10/2024
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Legendary star of stage and screen James Earl Jones has passed away at the age of 93, it has been confirmed. The Egot winning actor, whose inimitable baritone brought life to the likes of The Lion King's Mufasa and Star Wars villain Darth Vader, died this morning at his home in Dutchess County, New York, Jones’ representatives shared with Deadline.
Born in Arkabutla, Mississippi on 17 January, 1931 to Ruth and Robert Earl Jones, it may surprise you to learn that James Earl Jones — one of the great masters of oration across film, TV, and theatre — overcame great struggles to gain control of his voice as a child. Having moved from Mississippi to Michigan to live with his maternal grandparents at just 5 years of age, Jones grew up with a profound stutter, and has in the past gone on record describing how he was all but mute throughout primary and early secondary school.
Born in Arkabutla, Mississippi on 17 January, 1931 to Ruth and Robert Earl Jones, it may surprise you to learn that James Earl Jones — one of the great masters of oration across film, TV, and theatre — overcame great struggles to gain control of his voice as a child. Having moved from Mississippi to Michigan to live with his maternal grandparents at just 5 years of age, Jones grew up with a profound stutter, and has in the past gone on record describing how he was all but mute throughout primary and early secondary school.
- 9/9/2024
- by Jordan King
- Empire - Movies
James Earl Jones is dead at the age of 93. Deadline first reported he died the morning of September 9, which IndieWire has confirmed. The distinguished Egot winner, esteemed star of stage and screen, and iconic basso profondo voice of Darth Vader enjoyed a remarkable, decade-spanning career that found him playing a slew of iconic characters in film, TV, and theater. Jones’ credits ranged from Othello to Malcolm X, Santa Claus, Ebenezer Scrooge, King Lear, and one of the famous villains of all time in “Star Wars.”
While he did not win a competitive Academy Award during his career, he received an Honorary Academy Award in 2011, granting him vaunted “Egot” status. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985, was presented with the National Medal of the Arts by President George H. W. Bush in 1992, and received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2002.
In 2009, he received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.
While he did not win a competitive Academy Award during his career, he received an Honorary Academy Award in 2011, granting him vaunted “Egot” status. He was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame in 1985, was presented with the National Medal of the Arts by President George H. W. Bush in 1992, and received the Kennedy Center Honor in 2002.
In 2009, he received the Screen Actors Guild Life Achievement Award.
- 9/9/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
James Earl Jones, a commanding presence onscreen who nonetheless gained greater fame off-camera as the sonorous voice of Star Wars villain Darth Vader and Mufasa, the benevolent leader in The Lion King, died Monday. He was 93.
Jones, who burst into national prominence in 1970 with his powerful Oscar-nominated performance as America’s first Black heavyweight champion in The Great White Hope, died at his home in Dutchess County, New York, Independent Artist Group announced.
The distinguished star made his big-screen debut in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) and was noteworthy in many other films, including Claudine (1974) opposite Diahann Carroll; Field of Dreams (1989), as the reclusive author Terence Mann; and The Sandlot (1993), as the intimidating neighborhood guy Mr. Mertle.
For his work on the stage, Jones earned two best actor Tony Awards: for originating the role of Jack Jefferson — who was...
Jones, who burst into national prominence in 1970 with his powerful Oscar-nominated performance as America’s first Black heavyweight champion in The Great White Hope, died at his home in Dutchess County, New York, Independent Artist Group announced.
The distinguished star made his big-screen debut in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) and was noteworthy in many other films, including Claudine (1974) opposite Diahann Carroll; Field of Dreams (1989), as the reclusive author Terence Mann; and The Sandlot (1993), as the intimidating neighborhood guy Mr. Mertle.
For his work on the stage, Jones earned two best actor Tony Awards: for originating the role of Jack Jefferson — who was...
- 9/9/2024
- by Jacqueline Mansky and Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
James Earl Jones, the Egot-winning actor known for voicing Darth Vader in the Star Wars franchise for four decades, has died at age 93.
Jones passed away at his home in Dutchess County, New York, on Monday, September 9th, according to the actor’s representatives.
The son of actor and boxer Robert Earl Jones, James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi on January 17th, 1931. His father left the family shortly after his birth, and Jones was raised by his maternal grandparents in Michigan from the age of five. Jones found the transition to living with his grandparents so traumatic that he developed a stutter and spent his time in school mute. He credited his high school English teacher, Donald Crouch, for helping him with his stutter; Crouch discovered Jones had a talent for poetry, and encouraged him to read his work aloud in class.
After graduating high school in 1949, Jones attended the University of Michigan,...
Jones passed away at his home in Dutchess County, New York, on Monday, September 9th, according to the actor’s representatives.
The son of actor and boxer Robert Earl Jones, James Earl Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi on January 17th, 1931. His father left the family shortly after his birth, and Jones was raised by his maternal grandparents in Michigan from the age of five. Jones found the transition to living with his grandparents so traumatic that he developed a stutter and spent his time in school mute. He credited his high school English teacher, Donald Crouch, for helping him with his stutter; Crouch discovered Jones had a talent for poetry, and encouraged him to read his work aloud in class.
After graduating high school in 1949, Jones attended the University of Michigan,...
- 9/9/2024
- by Carys Anderson
- Consequence - Film News
Many movies have been made about soldiers whose skill set proves out of step once they re-enter the civilian world. Some of them treat those differences with empathy and insight; but more often than not, they leverage them for explosive, empty action sequences. “Rebel Ridge” mostly falls perfunctorily in the latter category.
Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier (“Green Room”), the film’s focus on a Black soldier adds degrees of complexity to the conflicts that erupt between him and local law enforcement in a small, mostly white town. But if racial politics (cinematic and otherwise) prompt Saulnier to treat him marginally more thoughtfully than most movie veterans, the filmmaker’s obligations to genre formula end up overshadowing those differences by the time the last empty, explosive action sequence has unfolded.
Aaron Pierre (“Genius: MLK/X”) plays Terry Richmond, a veteran of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (McMap) who’s...
Written and directed by Jeremy Saulnier (“Green Room”), the film’s focus on a Black soldier adds degrees of complexity to the conflicts that erupt between him and local law enforcement in a small, mostly white town. But if racial politics (cinematic and otherwise) prompt Saulnier to treat him marginally more thoughtfully than most movie veterans, the filmmaker’s obligations to genre formula end up overshadowing those differences by the time the last empty, explosive action sequence has unfolded.
Aaron Pierre (“Genius: MLK/X”) plays Terry Richmond, a veteran of the Marine Corps Martial Arts Program (McMap) who’s...
- 9/5/2024
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
They shape our minds, they inspire our souls, they change our lives. When it comes to teachers, no amount of words do justice to the impact they have in our journeys. But, where words fall short, art can always do the trick!
This Teacher’s Day, the best way to commemorate our beloved teachers could be by dedicating a film or series to them. Here are 5 films and audio series that celebrate the hard work, grit and spirit of teachers across the world:
To Sir, with Love ( Amazon Prime Video)
An all time classic starring late Hollywood icon Sidney Poitier, ‘To Sir, with Love’ has all the makings of an unforgettable viewing experience. From the very first scene, once we meet Mr. Thackeray (Poitier), we root for the man to transform the lives of some wayward and roguish students. The journey of one determined teacher who refused to give up...
This Teacher’s Day, the best way to commemorate our beloved teachers could be by dedicating a film or series to them. Here are 5 films and audio series that celebrate the hard work, grit and spirit of teachers across the world:
To Sir, with Love ( Amazon Prime Video)
An all time classic starring late Hollywood icon Sidney Poitier, ‘To Sir, with Love’ has all the makings of an unforgettable viewing experience. From the very first scene, once we meet Mr. Thackeray (Poitier), we root for the man to transform the lives of some wayward and roguish students. The journey of one determined teacher who refused to give up...
- 9/5/2024
- by Editorial Desk
- GlamSham
I consumed Barry Jenkins’ 10-part limited series adaptation of Colson Whitehead’s The Underground Railroad over the course of a weekend because, basically, I couldn’t stop. It was extraordinary storytelling and filmmaking, if harrowing in its uncompromising depiction of slavery. Whitehead followed that book up with The Nickel Boys in 2019, and like Underground Railroad, won a Pulitzer Prize for it. Based on this, I looked forward to the film version, its title shortened to simply Nickel Boys, especially since it also came from Plan B., producers of The Underground Railroad and Oscar-winning Best Pictures 12 Years a Slave and Moonlight. As it turns out, shortening the title wasn’t the only change in the RaMell Ross screen version that just had its world premiere this weekend at the Telluride Film Festival and will also be opening the New York Film Festival.
Admittedly a difficult book to transfer its rhythms to a different medium,...
Admittedly a difficult book to transfer its rhythms to a different medium,...
- 8/31/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
It’s hard to believe, but the concept of the teenager is younger than film as a medium. According to historians, American culture first began thinking of the period between 13 to 19 as a specific bridge between childhood and adulthood in the 1940s, in part due to marketing executives looking to define people in that age range as a new demographic. And shortly afterwards, that demographic became ubiquitous on TV and films.
The first teen films began popping up in earnest during the 1950s, with landmark titles like “The Wild One,” “Blackboard Jungle,” and the enduringly iconic “Rebel Without a Cause.” Each film featured a bonafide screen legend — Marlon Brando in “The Wild One,” Sidney Poitier in “Blackboard Jungle,” and James Dean in his most iconic role in “Rebel Without a Cause” — and established films that took the emotional turmoil of teen life seriously as a vibrant subgenre. Since then, teens...
The first teen films began popping up in earnest during the 1950s, with landmark titles like “The Wild One,” “Blackboard Jungle,” and the enduringly iconic “Rebel Without a Cause.” Each film featured a bonafide screen legend — Marlon Brando in “The Wild One,” Sidney Poitier in “Blackboard Jungle,” and James Dean in his most iconic role in “Rebel Without a Cause” — and established films that took the emotional turmoil of teen life seriously as a vibrant subgenre. Since then, teens...
- 8/27/2024
- by Wilson Chapman and Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
Genius: MLK/X executive producer Reggie Rock Bythewood, in accepting the award for best limited series/special at the 6th Annual African American Film Critics Association (Affca) TV Honors Saturday afternoon, made a political plea to attendees as he and the producing team of the National Geographic series, which includes wife Gina Prince-Bythewood, noted the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr. and Malcolm X’s historic meeting in the halls of the U.S. Capitol building in 1964.
“Sixty years later, let’s pick up the baton, let’s organize, let’s elect Vice President Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States,” Bythewood told guests. “And by any means necessary, let’s continue to realize the dream.”
Aafca’s TV Honors was held Saturday at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in the same ballroom where the Academy Awards were first held 95 years ago. The association presented a total of...
“Sixty years later, let’s pick up the baton, let’s organize, let’s elect Vice President Kamala Harris as the next President of the United States,” Bythewood told guests. “And by any means necessary, let’s continue to realize the dream.”
Aafca’s TV Honors was held Saturday at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in the same ballroom where the Academy Awards were first held 95 years ago. The association presented a total of...
- 8/25/2024
- by Brande Victorian
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
In “Hollywood Black,” a four-part docuseries streaming on MGM+, director Justin Simien chronicles the vast and untold history of the Black experience in Hollywood. Inspired by historian Donald Bogle’s book by the same title, the series unearths parts of film history that don’t get taught in film school, and puts into historical, cultural, and societal contexts those performers and films that did break through to the mainstream. When Simien was a guest on an upcoming episode of the Filmmaker Toolkit podcast, he talked about how he was inspired to make the series by his own recent discovery of films, filmmakers, and rich periods of Black cinema that he was previously unaware of and wasn’t taught in film school.
“I am so shocked because it’s not what you think, it’s not what you were conditioned to believe,” said Simien. “What you finally uncover is some of the work is so sophisticated,...
“I am so shocked because it’s not what you think, it’s not what you were conditioned to believe,” said Simien. “What you finally uncover is some of the work is so sophisticated,...
- 8/22/2024
- by Chris O'Falt
- Indiewire
A few months ago, I wrote an article listing ten movies that – despite being well known – were difficult to find (legally) on any streaming service or even on disc. Those titles ranged from Ron Howard’s Cocoon to movies like Dawn of the Dead (the original). In the comments, many of our readers chimed in with their two cents on films they’ve found difficult to find over the years, so here are a few more challenging-to-find flicks, some of which may surprise you.
Panic Room:
The fact that David Fincher’s Panic Room has never been issued on Blu-ray blows me away. It’s been announced a few times, but a physical release never seems to happen (although you can stream it in HD pretty easily). What gives? You’d think the fact that it has Fincher’s name on it, and stars Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Forest Whitaker,...
Panic Room:
The fact that David Fincher’s Panic Room has never been issued on Blu-ray blows me away. It’s been announced a few times, but a physical release never seems to happen (although you can stream it in HD pretty easily). What gives? You’d think the fact that it has Fincher’s name on it, and stars Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, Forest Whitaker,...
- 8/6/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
‘The Day of the Jackal’ Teaser: Eddie Redmayne Is an International Assassin Outrunning Lashana Lynch
Eddie Redmayne is getting his James Bond on for another literary adaptation of an iconic assassin tale.
The Academy Award winner leads the Peacock and Sky adaptation of “The Day of the Jackal,” based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel. The “contemporary reimagining” was announced as a series in November 2022.
Redmayne stars as lone assassin, the Jackal, who makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. But he meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer (Lashana Lynch) who is tracking down the Jackal in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe.
Úrsula Corberó, Charles Dance, Richard Dormer, Chukwudi Iwuji, Lia Williams, Khalid Abdalla, Eleanor Matsuura, Jonjo O’Neill, Nick Blood, Sule Rimi, and Florisa Kamara co-star. The teaser debuted during the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock.
The original “The Day of the Jackal” novel centered on assassination attempts on French president Charles de Gaulle in 1963 amid the Algerian independence,...
The Academy Award winner leads the Peacock and Sky adaptation of “The Day of the Jackal,” based on Frederick Forsyth’s 1971 novel. The “contemporary reimagining” was announced as a series in November 2022.
Redmayne stars as lone assassin, the Jackal, who makes his living carrying out hits for the highest fee. But he meets his match in a tenacious British intelligence officer (Lashana Lynch) who is tracking down the Jackal in a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase across Europe.
Úrsula Corberó, Charles Dance, Richard Dormer, Chukwudi Iwuji, Lia Williams, Khalid Abdalla, Eleanor Matsuura, Jonjo O’Neill, Nick Blood, Sule Rimi, and Florisa Kamara co-star. The teaser debuted during the 2024 Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony on NBC and Peacock.
The original “The Day of the Jackal” novel centered on assassination attempts on French president Charles de Gaulle in 1963 amid the Algerian independence,...
- 7/27/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Conan O’Brien was blown away by Gene Wilder's chemistry with Richard Pryor in movie comedies like Silver Streak and Stir Crazy. Did Wilder feel it too? Boy, did he. “I don’t want to be shocking,” Wilder told Conan in 2005, “but it’s a little bit like a sexual chemistry.”
“Look, it’s true,” Wilder argued after the audience’s amused reaction. “You see someone and you say, ‘I really am attracted to that woman, right?’ And someone says, ‘But why her? That girl is much prettier. She’s taller, she’s shorter, she’s fatter, she’s slimmer. Why that one?’ I don’t know.”
Pryor, in other words, was the right one for Wilder. “When Richard and I did our first scene, some magic happened. What they call chemistry,” Wilder explained. “He improvised. I used to improvise in class but not in front of the movie camera.
“Look, it’s true,” Wilder argued after the audience’s amused reaction. “You see someone and you say, ‘I really am attracted to that woman, right?’ And someone says, ‘But why her? That girl is much prettier. She’s taller, she’s shorter, she’s fatter, she’s slimmer. Why that one?’ I don’t know.”
Pryor, in other words, was the right one for Wilder. “When Richard and I did our first scene, some magic happened. What they call chemistry,” Wilder explained. “He improvised. I used to improvise in class but not in front of the movie camera.
- 7/16/2024
- Cracked
Norman Jewison was the Oscar-nominated filmmaker who has tackled a number of controversial topics and social issues in his work, crafting mainstream entertainments with a political point of view. But how many of his titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 15 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1926 in Toronto, Jewison cut his teeth in television before moving into directing with a number of light farces, including the Doris Day vehicles “The Thrill of It All” (1963) and “Send Me No Flowers” (1964), her last collaboration with Rock Hudson. His career took a turning point with his first drama, “The Cincinnati Kid” (1965), which also kicked off his collaborations with film editor Hal Ashby, himself a future director. His next film, the darkly comedic “The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!” (1966), earned him his first Oscar nomination in Best Picture.
He hit the Oscar jackpot the...
Born in 1926 in Toronto, Jewison cut his teeth in television before moving into directing with a number of light farces, including the Doris Day vehicles “The Thrill of It All” (1963) and “Send Me No Flowers” (1964), her last collaboration with Rock Hudson. His career took a turning point with his first drama, “The Cincinnati Kid” (1965), which also kicked off his collaborations with film editor Hal Ashby, himself a future director. His next film, the darkly comedic “The Russians Are Coming! The Russians Are Coming!” (1966), earned him his first Oscar nomination in Best Picture.
He hit the Oscar jackpot the...
- 7/11/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Denzel Washington’s legendary career began with his feature film role in Carbon Copy in 1981. However, his breakout role came in six seasons of the medical drama series, St. Elsewhere. He got some interesting roles following his series role. He once revealed that he rejected a comedy film, which could’ve altered the course of his career.
Denzel Washington in a still from St. Elsewhere | NBC
Washington went on to film critically acclaimed roles in Cry Freedom and Glory, which would land him Oscar nominations and an Oscar win for the latter. The Equalizer actor’s latest project in development is the sequel to Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning film, Gladiator.
Denzel Washington Rejected A Comedy Film Which Could’ve Changed His Career Path Denzel Washington in a still from Cry Freedom | Universal Pictures
Denzel Washington was determined not to get hung up on television roles before St. Elsewhere came his way.
Denzel Washington in a still from St. Elsewhere | NBC
Washington went on to film critically acclaimed roles in Cry Freedom and Glory, which would land him Oscar nominations and an Oscar win for the latter. The Equalizer actor’s latest project in development is the sequel to Ridley Scott’s Oscar-winning film, Gladiator.
Denzel Washington Rejected A Comedy Film Which Could’ve Changed His Career Path Denzel Washington in a still from Cry Freedom | Universal Pictures
Denzel Washington was determined not to get hung up on television roles before St. Elsewhere came his way.
- 7/4/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Actor Denzel Washington became one of the biggest stars in Hollywood. But he didn’t see himself achieving this A-list status in his younger years. Back then, his plan didn’t go beyond just making a living as an actor.
How Denzel Washington became an actor Denzel Washington | Tibrina Hobson/WireImage
Washington didn’t start out wanting to be an actor. He explored a few potential occupations before realizing that acting was something that he wanted to do. In college, he was a pre-med major before focusing on becoming a lawyer. In the end, he earned a degree in Journalism from Fordham University in 1977.
He revealed that it wasn’t until his stint at a summer camp that he considered a career in acting. But even then, he didn’t see himself becoming the movie star that he turned out to be.
“I worked as a creative arts director at an overnight Ymca summer camp.
How Denzel Washington became an actor Denzel Washington | Tibrina Hobson/WireImage
Washington didn’t start out wanting to be an actor. He explored a few potential occupations before realizing that acting was something that he wanted to do. In college, he was a pre-med major before focusing on becoming a lawyer. In the end, he earned a degree in Journalism from Fordham University in 1977.
He revealed that it wasn’t until his stint at a summer camp that he considered a career in acting. But even then, he didn’t see himself becoming the movie star that he turned out to be.
“I worked as a creative arts director at an overnight Ymca summer camp.
- 7/4/2024
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
“The Bear,” “The Chi,” Ayo Edebiri and Wendell Pierce are among the winners announced Monday for the Sixth Annual Aafca TV Honors recognizing distinguished achievement in television and streaming, with a special focus on the Black diaspora. Presented by the African American Film Critics Association. The honors also celebrate individuals and their standout contributions to television. The Aafca Honors ceremony will take place August 24 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles.
Winners in the competitive categories are:
Best Documentary – “Black Twitter: A People’s History”
Best Ensemble – “Masters of the Air”
Best Limited Series/Special – “Genius: MLK/X”
Best New Show – “Bookie”
Best TV Acting (Female) – Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”)
SEEWatch 10 exclusive Aafca Awards 2024 red carpet interviews: Colman Domingo, Ava DuVernay, Cord Jefferson and more …
Best TV Acting (Male) – Wendell Pierce (“Elsbeth”)
Best TV Comedy – “Unprisoned”
Best TV Directing – Channing Godfrey Peoples (“Genius: MLK/X – Episode 401 ‘Graduation'”)
Best TV...
Winners in the competitive categories are:
Best Documentary – “Black Twitter: A People’s History”
Best Ensemble – “Masters of the Air”
Best Limited Series/Special – “Genius: MLK/X”
Best New Show – “Bookie”
Best TV Acting (Female) – Ayo Edebiri (“The Bear”)
SEEWatch 10 exclusive Aafca Awards 2024 red carpet interviews: Colman Domingo, Ava DuVernay, Cord Jefferson and more …
Best TV Acting (Male) – Wendell Pierce (“Elsbeth”)
Best TV Comedy – “Unprisoned”
Best TV Directing – Channing Godfrey Peoples (“Genius: MLK/X – Episode 401 ‘Graduation'”)
Best TV...
- 7/1/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
FX’s “The Bear” has been the series equivalent of a three-star Michelin, James Beard Award-winning restaurant since its premiere in 2022. Created by writer/director/product Christopher Storer, the hit show revolves around Carmy (Jeremy Allen White), a chef from the fine dining world in New York, who returns to his home in Chicago to run the family’s sandwich shop after the suicide of his brother. The first season won 10 Emmys including best comedy series and actor in a comedy series for White. Besides earning a Peabody, “The Bear” also performed well at the SAG Awards and the Golden Globes. The second season is a strong Emmy contender and the third season which just dropped will probably follow suit in 2025.
Since the early days of TV, restaurants, nightclubs, coffee shops, bars and diners have played an important role in countless series including the beloved multi-Emmy Award-winning 1982-93 NBC sitcom “Cheers”. In fact,...
Since the early days of TV, restaurants, nightclubs, coffee shops, bars and diners have played an important role in countless series including the beloved multi-Emmy Award-winning 1982-93 NBC sitcom “Cheers”. In fact,...
- 7/1/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
The Chi, Unprisoned and Bookie are among the winners of the Sixth Annual Aafca TV Honors, which celebrate distinguished achievements in television and streaming.
Hosted by the African American Film Critics Association, the honors also celebrate individuals for their work in the industry and beyond. The ceremony will take place Aug. 24 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles.
Winners in the competitive categories are:
Best Documentary – Black Twitter: A People’s History
Best Ensemble – Masters of the Air
Best Limited Series/Special – Genius: MLK/X
Best New Show – Bookie
Best TV Acting (Female) – Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)
Best TV Acting (Male) – Wendell Pierce (Elsbeth)
Best TV Comedy – Unprisoned
Best TV Directing – Channing Godfrey Peoples (Genius: MLK/X – Episode 401 “Graduation)
Best TV Drama – The Chi
Best Writing – The Bear
Breakout Star – Josiah Cross (Masters of the Air)
Special achievement honorees are:
Legacy Award – Glynn Turman. Starting on Broadway at just...
Hosted by the African American Film Critics Association, the honors also celebrate individuals for their work in the industry and beyond. The ceremony will take place Aug. 24 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles.
Winners in the competitive categories are:
Best Documentary – Black Twitter: A People’s History
Best Ensemble – Masters of the Air
Best Limited Series/Special – Genius: MLK/X
Best New Show – Bookie
Best TV Acting (Female) – Ayo Edebiri (The Bear)
Best TV Acting (Male) – Wendell Pierce (Elsbeth)
Best TV Comedy – Unprisoned
Best TV Directing – Channing Godfrey Peoples (Genius: MLK/X – Episode 401 “Graduation)
Best TV Drama – The Chi
Best Writing – The Bear
Breakout Star – Josiah Cross (Masters of the Air)
Special achievement honorees are:
Legacy Award – Glynn Turman. Starting on Broadway at just...
- 7/1/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Network Entertainment has entered production on a new documentary celebrating the life and career of Bernie Taupin, the legendary lyricist best known for his longtime songwriting partnership with Egot winner Elton John.
Directed by Matthew Miele (Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion) and featuring newly commissioned interviews and archival content, the doc promises to offer a pulsating celebration of Bernie’s life, a deep dive into the roots of his creativity — including Bernie living his dream as a cowboy on the California coast, and a trip with Bernie back to Lincolnshire to capture his origin story, which is rooted within many of his songs that have become classics — and an insider’s look at his insatiable pursuit of sonic and visual art forms.
In addition to John, interviewees in the documentary will include Brandi Carlile, Alice Cooper, James Hetfield, Annie Lennox, Lulu, Gary Oldman, Ringo Starr, and Pete Townshend. Pic is produced...
Directed by Matthew Miele (Bob Mackie: Naked Illusion) and featuring newly commissioned interviews and archival content, the doc promises to offer a pulsating celebration of Bernie’s life, a deep dive into the roots of his creativity — including Bernie living his dream as a cowboy on the California coast, and a trip with Bernie back to Lincolnshire to capture his origin story, which is rooted within many of his songs that have become classics — and an insider’s look at his insatiable pursuit of sonic and visual art forms.
In addition to John, interviewees in the documentary will include Brandi Carlile, Alice Cooper, James Hetfield, Annie Lennox, Lulu, Gary Oldman, Ringo Starr, and Pete Townshend. Pic is produced...
- 6/25/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
For some 10 years, British-American actor-producer David Oyelowo has nurtured his obsession with the legendary post-Civil War Deputy U.S. Marshall Bass Reeves — long considered an inspiration for the Lone Ranger, with his white horse and Native American sidekick. Others had tried to make movies about him. Morgan Freeman, for one, spent some three decades pushing the project forward, to no avail. Always, there was resistance to centering a project on a Black lawman.
“You simply cannot avoid the question of race,” said Oyelowo at his spacious home in the San Fernando Valley. “Because arguably, the most, if not one of the most beloved genres, certainly, in American cinema is the Western. The narrative in our business, ‘Black doesn’t travel,’ ‘Black is niche,’ ‘Black is not global,’ therefore, does not warrant the level of budget.”
As time passed, mounting a Western set in the 1800s only became more expensive. “The further away you get,...
“You simply cannot avoid the question of race,” said Oyelowo at his spacious home in the San Fernando Valley. “Because arguably, the most, if not one of the most beloved genres, certainly, in American cinema is the Western. The narrative in our business, ‘Black doesn’t travel,’ ‘Black is niche,’ ‘Black is not global,’ therefore, does not warrant the level of budget.”
As time passed, mounting a Western set in the 1800s only became more expensive. “The further away you get,...
- 6/19/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
The Metrograph Summer Book Fair Will Celebrate Legendary Editor Robert Gottlieb’s Private Collection
The private literary collection of late publishing tycoon and editor Robert Gottlieb will be showcased by Metrograph’s Summer Book Fair.
IndieWire can exclusively announce that the late former editor-in-chief of The New Yorker, who also served as the president of publishing powerhouse Knopf, will be posthumously celebrated by the Lower East Side theater. Gottlieb was also at the center of 2022 documentary “Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb,” directed by his daughter Lizzie Gottlieb.
The upcoming Summer Book Fair was organized with the support of the Gottlieb family by Metrograph Editions, the specialty boutique arm of Metrograph, and will feature more than 500 film books from Gottlieb’s personal collection. The books will be for sale and include the seal “From the Library of Robert Gottlieb.” The event will take place on Saturday, July 20.
Gottlieb died in 2023 at the age of 92. He collaborated with Joseph Heller on “Catch-22,...
IndieWire can exclusively announce that the late former editor-in-chief of The New Yorker, who also served as the president of publishing powerhouse Knopf, will be posthumously celebrated by the Lower East Side theater. Gottlieb was also at the center of 2022 documentary “Turn Every Page: The Adventures of Robert Caro and Robert Gottlieb,” directed by his daughter Lizzie Gottlieb.
The upcoming Summer Book Fair was organized with the support of the Gottlieb family by Metrograph Editions, the specialty boutique arm of Metrograph, and will feature more than 500 film books from Gottlieb’s personal collection. The books will be for sale and include the seal “From the Library of Robert Gottlieb.” The event will take place on Saturday, July 20.
Gottlieb died in 2023 at the age of 92. He collaborated with Joseph Heller on “Catch-22,...
- 6/17/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
If Nicole Kidman is ever looking to cast her own biopic, she won’t have to look far.
Reese Witherspoon delivered a spot-on impersonation of her close friend and Big Little Lies co-star at the recent 49th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Nicole Kidman, airing Monday on TNT.
“Most actors wait by a phone to be chosen by a director,” said Witherspoon in her speech. “But as an actor, Nicole has always been proactive. Even in her earliest work, she picks her directors.”
She then recounted a common experience of watching a foreign film with Kidman, switching from her southern U.S. accent to a hilariously accurate Australian impression.
“And she’s like, ‘But do you see that director?'” said Witherspoon, earning laughs from everyone, including Kidman. “‘I mean, it’s incredible. Reese, we must get her. We must!'”
Reese Witherspoon does one hell of Nicole Kidman impression.
Reese Witherspoon delivered a spot-on impersonation of her close friend and Big Little Lies co-star at the recent 49th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Nicole Kidman, airing Monday on TNT.
“Most actors wait by a phone to be chosen by a director,” said Witherspoon in her speech. “But as an actor, Nicole has always been proactive. Even in her earliest work, she picks her directors.”
She then recounted a common experience of watching a foreign film with Kidman, switching from her southern U.S. accent to a hilariously accurate Australian impression.
“And she’s like, ‘But do you see that director?'” said Witherspoon, earning laughs from everyone, including Kidman. “‘I mean, it’s incredible. Reese, we must get her. We must!'”
Reese Witherspoon does one hell of Nicole Kidman impression.
- 6/15/2024
- by Glenn Garner
- Deadline Film + TV
Sheryl Lee Ralph has signed with CAA for representation.
An Emmy, Critics Choice and Independent Spirit Award winner, Ralph is currently seen starring in ABC’s hit comedy series “Abbott Elementary” opposite Quinta Brunson. In 2022, she won the Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, becoming the first black woman in 35 years to take home the trophy.
In 2023, she was nominated for her second Emmy Award, a Golden Globe and a Film Independent Spirit Award for her portrayal of straight-laced kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard, winning the Critics Choice Award for best supporting actor in a comedy series.
Ralph made her feature film debut at 20 years old, opposite Academy Award winner Sidney Poitier in “A Piece of the Action.” She has also appeared in “The Mighty Quinn” opposite Denzel Washington, “Mistress” with Robert De Niro, “The Distinguished Gentleman” with Eddie Murphy, “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit” opposite...
An Emmy, Critics Choice and Independent Spirit Award winner, Ralph is currently seen starring in ABC’s hit comedy series “Abbott Elementary” opposite Quinta Brunson. In 2022, she won the Emmy for outstanding supporting actress in a comedy series, becoming the first black woman in 35 years to take home the trophy.
In 2023, she was nominated for her second Emmy Award, a Golden Globe and a Film Independent Spirit Award for her portrayal of straight-laced kindergarten teacher Barbara Howard, winning the Critics Choice Award for best supporting actor in a comedy series.
Ralph made her feature film debut at 20 years old, opposite Academy Award winner Sidney Poitier in “A Piece of the Action.” She has also appeared in “The Mighty Quinn” opposite Denzel Washington, “Mistress” with Robert De Niro, “The Distinguished Gentleman” with Eddie Murphy, “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit” opposite...
- 6/10/2024
- by Katcy Stephan
- Variety Film + TV
Abbott Elementary’s Mr. Johnson typically makes you laugh. This time, he made folks cry.
In the season three finale of the Emmy-winning series, the janitor and Quinta Brunson’s Janine Teagues have a short but serious talk about pursuing life and living with regrets. “It’ll be all right, trust me,” he reassures her.
“I got a lot of compliments from not only Quinta but from the producers and the writers, and some of them even got a little teary and got a little emotional about it,” William Stanford Davis tells The Hollywood Reporter. “You got to see a different side of [Mr. Johnson]. He’s a three-dimensional character. Every time we shot it, [Quinta and I] were like, ‘Wow.’ I’m hoping it affected the audience in the same way.”
Quinta Brunson and Willian Stanford Davis in ‘Abbott Elementary’
The moment for Davis, 72, was emotional for another reason: He says Brunson, who created the ABC hit,...
In the season three finale of the Emmy-winning series, the janitor and Quinta Brunson’s Janine Teagues have a short but serious talk about pursuing life and living with regrets. “It’ll be all right, trust me,” he reassures her.
“I got a lot of compliments from not only Quinta but from the producers and the writers, and some of them even got a little teary and got a little emotional about it,” William Stanford Davis tells The Hollywood Reporter. “You got to see a different side of [Mr. Johnson]. He’s a three-dimensional character. Every time we shot it, [Quinta and I] were like, ‘Wow.’ I’m hoping it affected the audience in the same way.”
Quinta Brunson and Willian Stanford Davis in ‘Abbott Elementary’
The moment for Davis, 72, was emotional for another reason: He says Brunson, who created the ABC hit,...
- 6/8/2024
- by Mesfin Fekadu
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
It’s been 10 years since David Oyelowo made his U.S. breakthrough portraying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in “Selma.” Playing the awe-inspiring civil rights leader was an opportunity for the British-Nigerian actor to live up to his surname, which translates to “a king deserves respect.”
Oyelowo has been reflecting on that time in his life a lot more lately, thanks in part to “Becoming King,” a documentary directed by his wife, Jessica Oyelowo, that captures the seven-year journey to bring “Selma” to the big screen.
“It was a big year,” he says of 2014. “There was no way you could know the sheer amount of things that would happen, because at the beginning of it, nothing was happening. ‘Selma’ felt dead. I was in the middle of shooting ‘A Most Violent Year,’ having a good time with that, but just feeling in a state of limbo and then—”
He stops mid-thought.
Oyelowo has been reflecting on that time in his life a lot more lately, thanks in part to “Becoming King,” a documentary directed by his wife, Jessica Oyelowo, that captures the seven-year journey to bring “Selma” to the big screen.
“It was a big year,” he says of 2014. “There was no way you could know the sheer amount of things that would happen, because at the beginning of it, nothing was happening. ‘Selma’ felt dead. I was in the middle of shooting ‘A Most Violent Year,’ having a good time with that, but just feeling in a state of limbo and then—”
He stops mid-thought.
- 5/23/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare is now available on Premium Video on Demand and Premium Electronic Sell-Through from Lionsgate, and following its launch, we were able to sit down with star Babs Olusanmokun (Dune; Dune: Part Two; The Book of Clarence) to talk about his pivotal role in the Guy Ritchie-directed actioner.
In the film, Olusanmokun plays Richard Heron, one of the members of the team and works closely with Eiza González ("Marjorie Stewart") to take down the Nazis by land while the rest of the team head to the sea. He tells me about the importance of telling this story, his experience working with Guy Ritchie again, and a whole lot more.
Additionally, the film will also be available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on June 25!
Watch our full video interview with Babs Olusanmokun below and/or keep scrolling to read the transcript. Plus, please remember...
In the film, Olusanmokun plays Richard Heron, one of the members of the team and works closely with Eiza González ("Marjorie Stewart") to take down the Nazis by land while the rest of the team head to the sea. He tells me about the importance of telling this story, his experience working with Guy Ritchie again, and a whole lot more.
Additionally, the film will also be available on 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD on June 25!
Watch our full video interview with Babs Olusanmokun below and/or keep scrolling to read the transcript. Plus, please remember...
- 5/22/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
Abashiri Prison is a famous prison in Japan that had spawned numerous films, books and video games featuring the location. One of it's inmates was Hajime Ito whose novel Abashiri Bangaichi would form the basis of the feature reviewed here. With Eureka Entertainment bringing the first three of the lengthy series to blu ray it's time to look back at a launchpad for several prominent careers.
on Terracotta by clicking on the image below
A young Yakuza (Ken Takakura) is sent to prison following an attack on a rival gangster. After an incident results in his solitary confinement, he resolves to be a model prisoner and serve his time. He ignores several efforts of other prisoners to get him to join their escape. Fellow inmate Honda (Koji Nanbara) refuses to let go and ultimately a combination of manipulation by Yoda (Toru Abe) and discovery of his mother's illness force his hand.
on Terracotta by clicking on the image below
A young Yakuza (Ken Takakura) is sent to prison following an attack on a rival gangster. After an incident results in his solitary confinement, he resolves to be a model prisoner and serve his time. He ignores several efforts of other prisoners to get him to join their escape. Fellow inmate Honda (Koji Nanbara) refuses to let go and ultimately a combination of manipulation by Yoda (Toru Abe) and discovery of his mother's illness force his hand.
- 5/19/2024
- by Ben Stykuc
- AsianMoviePulse
King Kong ain’t got nothin’ on Denzel Washington but he did have something on Ethan Hawke on Oscar night 2002, when Hawke lost Best Supporting Actor for his remarkable performance in Training Day. But without his co-star, Hawke might have been plenty more devastated than he was allowed to be.
Appearing on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? (via Variety), Ethan Hawke remembered that Denzel Washington had some sage wisdom after he lost to Iris’ Jim Broadbent. According to Hawke, Washington told him, “‘It’s better that you didn’t win. Losing was better…You don’t want an award to improve your status. You want to improve the award’s status.’ That’s the way he thinks…The Academy Award has more power, because Denzel has a couple. It didn’t elevate who he was.” Washington would go on to win Best Actor later that night, which we’d...
Appearing on Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace? (via Variety), Ethan Hawke remembered that Denzel Washington had some sage wisdom after he lost to Iris’ Jim Broadbent. According to Hawke, Washington told him, “‘It’s better that you didn’t win. Losing was better…You don’t want an award to improve your status. You want to improve the award’s status.’ That’s the way he thinks…The Academy Award has more power, because Denzel has a couple. It didn’t elevate who he was.” Washington would go on to win Best Actor later that night, which we’d...
- 5/2/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Chris Pine, Cynthia Erivo, Kieran Culkin, Sharon Stone and Rosie Perez celebrated Jeff Bridges’ seven-decade career at the 49th annual Chaplin Awards Gala in New York City on Monday night. But the Big Lebowski star almost chose a different career path.
During his acceptance speech for the Film at Lincoln Center‘s prestigious honor, the True Grit star shared that he originally “resisted” the idea of pursuing acting full-time for a few different reasons.
“It made me nervous, anxious, and I had other things I wanted to do,” he told the full auditorium at Alice Tully Hall. “I was very much into music. I loved ceramics, painting, and who wants to do what their parents do anyway?”
He recalled his father, actor Lloyd Bridges, explaining to him that he could do all of those things in this career path and use them all to some degree, which was one of the beauties of the job.
During his acceptance speech for the Film at Lincoln Center‘s prestigious honor, the True Grit star shared that he originally “resisted” the idea of pursuing acting full-time for a few different reasons.
“It made me nervous, anxious, and I had other things I wanted to do,” he told the full auditorium at Alice Tully Hall. “I was very much into music. I loved ceramics, painting, and who wants to do what their parents do anyway?”
He recalled his father, actor Lloyd Bridges, explaining to him that he could do all of those things in this career path and use them all to some degree, which was one of the beauties of the job.
- 4/30/2024
- by Christy Piña
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“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
It’s always fascinating when a movie with a top star, and directed by another star, goes as far under the radar as Steve Buscemi‘s “The Listener,” starring Tessa Thompson, has.
But in the case of this particularly gentle movie — available on VOD now for $6.99 — maybe that’s part of its DNA. Like the mental health helpline operator Thompson plays, this is a movie that’s there if you need it: Quiet, thoughtful, and totally shunning the kind of splashiness that most movies are thought to require these days to stand out.
“The Listener” premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2022, where it was the closing night film of the Venice Days sidebar. On April 13, it was the closing night film of the Sarasota Film Festival, out of competition — in this over 18-month festival journey, it’s also made stops at the festivals in Vienna, Thessaloniki, Stockholm, The Hague,...
But in the case of this particularly gentle movie — available on VOD now for $6.99 — maybe that’s part of its DNA. Like the mental health helpline operator Thompson plays, this is a movie that’s there if you need it: Quiet, thoughtful, and totally shunning the kind of splashiness that most movies are thought to require these days to stand out.
“The Listener” premiered at the Venice Film Festival in 2022, where it was the closing night film of the Venice Days sidebar. On April 13, it was the closing night film of the Sarasota Film Festival, out of competition — in this over 18-month festival journey, it’s also made stops at the festivals in Vienna, Thessaloniki, Stockholm, The Hague,...
- 4/20/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- 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
Veena Sud is no stranger to the tangled streaming rights game when it comes to distribution.
After her Quibi series folded, the filmmaker is now bringing her breakout horror hit “The Stranger” to Hulu with a new director’s cut. “Longlegs” actress and horror staple Maika Monroe plays a rideshare driver who goes through a twelve-hour fight for survival when she picks up Carl (Dane DeHaan), a passenger who becomes her worst nightmare. Avan Jogia co-stars in the former series which is now a feature film.
“The Stranger” began as a Quibi series, which meant that Sud co-owned the copyright to the work, as part of the Quibi business model. Sud is now able to “self-distribute” the footage, recut as a feature.
“For artists and creatives in the industry, the right to own one’s work has been a decades-long
struggle. From the creation of United Artists in 1919, to Paul Newman,...
After her Quibi series folded, the filmmaker is now bringing her breakout horror hit “The Stranger” to Hulu with a new director’s cut. “Longlegs” actress and horror staple Maika Monroe plays a rideshare driver who goes through a twelve-hour fight for survival when she picks up Carl (Dane DeHaan), a passenger who becomes her worst nightmare. Avan Jogia co-stars in the former series which is now a feature film.
“The Stranger” began as a Quibi series, which meant that Sud co-owned the copyright to the work, as part of the Quibi business model. Sud is now able to “self-distribute” the footage, recut as a feature.
“For artists and creatives in the industry, the right to own one’s work has been a decades-long
struggle. From the creation of United Artists in 1919, to Paul Newman,...
- 4/11/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The 49th annual Chaplin Gala presenters have been officially unveiled to honor award recipient Jeff Bridges.
Bridges’ former co-stars Sharon Stone, Chris Pine, Cynthia Erivo, and Rosie Perez will all toast the Academy Award winner’s contributions to film as Bridges receives the coveted Chaplin Award on April 29.
Erivo starred with Bridges in “Bad Times at the El Royale” (2018), while Perez appeared with Bridges in “Fearless” (1993). Pine was side-by-side with Bridges in Oscar-nominated Western “Hell or High Water” (2016), and Sharon Stone acted opposite Bridges in both “Simpatico” (1999) and “The Muse” (1999).
The Chaplin Award Tribute will feature excerpts from a selection of Bridges’ work, appearances by co-stars, friends, and colleagues, and the presentation of the award itself. An acclaimed actor, producer, and musician, Bridges’ film career has spanned seven decades and features a slew of iconic roles in “True Grit,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Hell or High Water,” “Heaven’s Gate,” and “Crazy Heart,...
Bridges’ former co-stars Sharon Stone, Chris Pine, Cynthia Erivo, and Rosie Perez will all toast the Academy Award winner’s contributions to film as Bridges receives the coveted Chaplin Award on April 29.
Erivo starred with Bridges in “Bad Times at the El Royale” (2018), while Perez appeared with Bridges in “Fearless” (1993). Pine was side-by-side with Bridges in Oscar-nominated Western “Hell or High Water” (2016), and Sharon Stone acted opposite Bridges in both “Simpatico” (1999) and “The Muse” (1999).
The Chaplin Award Tribute will feature excerpts from a selection of Bridges’ work, appearances by co-stars, friends, and colleagues, and the presentation of the award itself. An acclaimed actor, producer, and musician, Bridges’ film career has spanned seven decades and features a slew of iconic roles in “True Grit,” “The Big Lebowski,” “Hell or High Water,” “Heaven’s Gate,” and “Crazy Heart,...
- 4/11/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
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