News

One lesser known but extremely cool horror series that’s worth revisiting is the Maniac Cop franchise. Directed by William Lustig and scripted by Larry Cohen, the Maniac Cop trilogy got off to a great start in 1988 with a film that stars Tom Atkins, Richard Roundtree, William Smith, Laurene Landon, and Evil Dead franchise hero Bruce Campbell, with Robert Z’Dar as the title character. Although Campbell emerges as the hero in the first film, he’s killed off early in 1990’s Maniac Cop 2 – which, despite losing Campbell so quickly, still manages to be one of the best horror sequels out there. Things don’t get questionable until 1993’s troubled Maniac Cop 3. But even though the first two movies are awesome, Campbell doesn’t seem to have the fondest memories of them, as he revealed during a recent interview with Variety.

Variety gathered lines from several of the movies...

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Hulu is ready with an entertainment-packed November this year. The upcoming month will see the return of some popular K-drama shows The Fiery Priest and also new original movies like Nutcrackers. Just like every month, Hulu is ready to overload you with great content. So, we’re here to tell you about the 10 new movies and TV shows coming to Hulu in November 2024.

Gangnam B-Side Season 1 (November 6)

Gangnam B-Side is an action mystery crime thriller drama series directed by Park Noo Ri from a screenplay by Jo Won Gyu. The Disney+ series is set in Gangnam, Seoul and it revolves around the disappearance of a young woman who had information about a series of disappearances. Now, a detective, an outlaw, and a Prosecutor all try to find her for their own reasons. Gangnam B-Side stars Jo Woo-jin, Ji Chang-wook,...

Before Rian Johnson gained notoriety with his Star Wars sequel, The Last Jedi, and his whodunnit mystery films, Knives Out and Glass Onion, he made a name for himself on the indie scene with Brick. Brick would start his working relationship with his Looper star, Joseph Gordon-Levitt. The film also co-starred Lukas Haas, Emilie de Ravin, Nora Zehetner, and Noah Fleiss. Now, Blu-ray.com has unveiled that the physical media label Kino Lorber will be releasing Brick on 4K Blu-ray. This new remastering is scheduled to hit retailers on October 15.

Brendan Frye is a high school loner, someone who knows all the angles but has chosen to stay on the outside. When the girl he loves turns up dead, he is determined to find the “who” and “why” and plunges into the dark and dangerous social strata of rich girl Laura, intimidating Tugger, drug-addled Dode, seductive Kara, and the ominous Pin.

The concept of good vs. evil is at the heart of almost every movie ever made, but how that antagonistic force takes shape always varies. We can look at certain genres, such as superhero films or horror movies, and envision what a villain looks like. Sometimes they'll wield a knife or an axe, or perhaps they'll attempt to destroy the world to gain incalculable power. But arguably some of the most terrifying antagonists in films can't be visualized in the same way, because they all emanate from nature; if nothing else, they become so much more terrifying specifically because you can't reason with these antagonists and they have no sentience like human beings. 

A natural disaster is at the heart of the big movie of the week, Lee Isaac Chung's long-awaited "Twisters," a follow-up to Jan de Bont's 1996 film all about storm chasers in Oklahoma. But natural disasters...

Josh Margolin’s Thelma is a heartfelt drama-comedy that offers a fun and nuanced exploration of aging. Elevated by an exceptional performance from legendary Hollywood actor June Squibb, the film also features a terrific performance from the late Richard Roundtree – star of the American blaxploitation crime action thriller Shaft – in his last ever role.

The story centres on Thelma (Squibb), a 93 year-old widow living a quiet, solitary life in LA. Her days are filled with frequent visits from her aimless, yet adoring grandson, Danny (Fred Hechinger). When a phone scammer posing as Danny tricks her out of $10,000, Thelma is determined to retrieve her money. Despite her family’s concerns, she enlists the help of Ben (Roundtree), a widower from a neighbouring assisted living community, and together they set out on an adventure.

Writer-director Josh Margolin draws inspiration from his own grandmother’s near-experience with a scam, infusing the film with heartfelt affection.

[Editor’s note: This list was originally published in 2017. It has since been updated many times.]

With everything going the way it is in the world right now, we’re laughing to keep less cheery emotions at bay. At least this bizarre, still-very-much-in-progress century has already produced a slew of spectacular, silly, snarky, and cynical comedies: ready to fire up whenever you need a serotonin burst or distraction thanks to the ever-growing cadre of streaming services.

The pandemic may be in the rearview for the U.S. federal government, but the specter of war, a tortured economy, and human rights issues across the globe have occupied the minds of many instead. So, in desperate need of some humor, we thought it was more important than ever to give our Greatest Comedies of the 21st Century list, originally published in 2017, yet another rethink. Since the list was originally published, we’ve expanded it to 90 entries, including titles released since then that deserved including and other titles we somehow overlooked the first time.

If she hasn’t earned it already by now, June Squibb certainly deserves American-national-treasure status for her performance as the indomitable Thelma. Having played supporting roles for decades in films like The Age Of Innocence, Far From Heaven and About Schmidt, in 2013 she was nominated for an Oscar for Alexander Payne’s Nebraska. But, perhaps unsurprisingly for an industry that’s not very interested in women over 40, let alone over 90, this Sundance hit is her first-ever leading role.

And thankfully this indie comedy/road movie/nonagenarian revenge story serves Squibb extremely well. Thelma lives a quiet life after the passing of her husband, enjoying visits from her affable but aimless grandson Danny (Fred Hechinger) who helps her with emails and watches Mission: Impossible with her. In a sequence that will have you cringing in horror, she falls for a phone scam, posting $10,000 in cash to a Po box. She’s...

It’s the summer of “Blaxploitation, Baby!,” the latest festival hosted by Film Forum.

The indie theater announced the upcoming festival which will take place August 16 through August 22. The program celebrates the early ‘70s genre of Black cinema, and features films wth iconic movie stars Pam Grier, Richard Roundtree, Ron O’Neal, Tamara Dobson, Jim Brown, Vonetta McGee, Fred Williamson, Isaac Hayes, and more.

“Blaxploitation, Baby!” is dedicated to author and pioneering film historian Donald Bogle, who collaborated on Film Forum’s first Blaxploitation festival in 1995. Bogle credited Melvin Van Peebles’ filmography for helping to establish the genre. “Blaxploitation, Baby!” additionally ranges from works from directors such as Ossie Davis, Gordon Parks, and Gordon Parks Jr.

As well as the screenings, the festival will include the sales of critic and historian Odie Henderson’s “Black Caesars and Foxy Cleopatras: A History of Blaxploitation” and Donald Bogle’s acclaimed TCM book “Hollywood Black” at concessions.

“Thelma” (Magnolia), an unlikely action-comedy starring June Squibb as a nonagenarian grandmother who becomes a phone scam victim, has grossed about $7.3 million through its third week. Though not a blockbuster by summer standards, in the specialized world, and particularly outside awards season, “Thelma” is a blockbuster, headed for between $9-10 million domestic, theatrically. And at a time of challenge for this sector. How it got there suggests some lessons for distributors.

Something clicked here. “Thelma” debuted last January at Sundance with immediate acquisition interest, selling to Magnolia, which isn’t normally known for mid-wide-level releases.

By all indications, the plan has worked. “Thelma” is already Magnolia’s highest-grossing narrative feature in the company’s 23-year history. Adjusted, “Woman Thou Art Loosed” and “The World’s Fastest Indian” ended up slightly bigger, but both were around 20 years ago.

What happened was by design. Magnolia releases a lot of films, usually of a...

Two Indian films flexed at the domestic box office — and when they hit they really do hit, buoying exhibitors through good times and bad — with Kinds Of Kindness hitting no. 10 in a major expansion and Thelma not far behind.

Kalki 2898 Ad, a Telugu sci-fi epic from Prathyangira Cinemas, is looking at an estimated $5.4 million on 1,049 screens for the three-day weekend, at no. 5. It’s also approaching a cume of $11 million including Wednesday previews and Thursday opening day, one of the best ever openings of an Indian film in North America.

Written and directed by Nag Ashwin, Kalki is toplined by superstars Prabhas with Deepika Padukone and Amitabh Bachchan. As Deadline has reported, this is India’s most expensive film ever.

Jatt & Juliet 3, the latest instalment of the Punjabi romantic comedy franchise, from White Hill Studios, is at no. 9 with $1.8 million for the weekend at just 143 locations, and a $1.9 million cume,...

The summer of 2024 has proven – at least for this filmgoer. There are plenty of excellent stories to tell. From the fantastic Maxxxine and The Bikeriders. And then there is this massive hidden gem called Thelma. If you have a heart and a pulse, this movie will bring you absolute joy. June Squibb will likely have a date for the Academy Awards this year after her engaging work in this wonderful mix of action, comedy and heartfelt drama. The on-screen relationship between her and Fred Hechinger is sublime. It is some of the best casting I’ve seen in a long time. If that doesn’t get you, wait until you see Richard Roundtree and June Squibb together. Thelma is special.

We recently spoke to both June Squibb and Fred Hechinger and it was just as delightful as watching the two on-screen. Firstly, Squibb is a national treasure, and Mr. Hechinger is an exceptional talent.

Believe it: “Thelma” is the first leading role in the great character actress June Squibb’s four-decade screen career.

The 94-year-old star, whose guileless way in any movie suggests an actor who shows up to set and hits her mark without any fuss, feels ubiquitous in our screen lifetime. Since earning her SAG card in the 1980s and impressing in small roles on TV and film through the ’90s, she received the Oscar nomination that changed everything in 2014 as Will Forte’s cantankerous, tombstone-flashing mother in “Nebraska.” Squibb also played Lena Dunham’s ailing grandmother, spouting barbs from her deathbed, in HBO’s “Girls.” And she’s had roles in “The Big Bang Theory,” “Bones,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” “Good Girls,” and recently lent her voice to “Inside Out 2” as Nostalgia. Basically, if you need a granny who shirks nonsense for wisdom, and is a reassuring presence in spite of blunt truths,...

After knocking it out of the park with Poor Things last year, director Yorgos Lanthimos and star Emma Stone are back at the box office with Kinds Of Kindness from Searchlight, which looks set to shake up a sluggish arthouse market with the best limited opening this year.

The best PTA in 2024 so far is The Taste Of Things from IFC Films, which debuted at $43.4k on three screens back in February. Kinds of Kindness at five locations in New York and LA will pull ahead of that, significantly perhaps. The market’s been odd so it’s hard to say by how much yet. Tune in Sunday.

Also this weekend, Thelma, a crowd pleaser with a terrific June Squibb, launches on 1,280 screens, the widest release ever by distributor Magnolia Pictures. A24’s Janet Planet, the first feature by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker,...

There are multiple ways a director might make an action comedy centered on a nonagenarian. The concept brings to mind gags about medication and pratfalls with walkers and canes. There could also be a saccharine, hit-you-over-the-head message about life being too short.

Then there is Thelma, which avoids potential pitfalls and parody to offer a truly original and funny take on aging, and those who care for the aged.

June Squibb stars as the eponymous hero, who is the victim of a scam when someone pretending to be her grandson (Fred Hechinger) asks for $10,000 to help free him from jail, a common real-life phone scam. (On Thursday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the San Diego FBI recovered over $3 million lost by elderly victims of similar scams.) When the cops prove no help, Thelma resolves to get the money back on her own, along the way commandeering a scooter and an accomplice,...

Chicago – Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com appears on “The Morning Mess” with Scott Thompson on Wbgr-fm on June 20th, reviewing “Thelma,” a debut for adapter/director Josh Margolin and featuring the great character actor June Squibb. In theaters on June 21st.

Rating: 4.5/5.0

June Squibb is Thelma, a 93-year-old woman who has been without her beloved husband for two years, but still lives independently with help from her grandson Daniel (Fred Hechinger). One night, Daniel calls Thelma in a panic telling her he’s been in a car accident, has run over a pregnant woman and is in custody. To take care of the situation, Thelma then is told to send 10K in cash to a certain address, and she does … yes, she’s been scammed. But, the perpetrators have underestimated this grandma, who recruits her buddy Ben (Richard Roundtree) to help her get the money back.

“Thelma” is in theaters on June 21st.

June Squibb isn’t one to turn down the opportunity to play interesting characters, so when the script for the action-comedy “Thelma” came her way, she was instantly hooked. That it marked the first lead role in her career after over 60 years in the business and was an action movie was merely the cherry on top.

“I don’t quite know what that means,” Squibb told TheWrap of the fact that this is her first starring performance. “But if I look at a script and if the character is interesting to me, then I decide yes. I couldn’t have turned this down. If it had been one day of shooting, I would have wanted to do it.”

Written and directed by Josh Margolin, “Thelma” tells the story of a woman who gets scammed out of thousands of dollars and decides to go after the scammer. The film is told...

Though Richard Roundtree passed last October at the age of 81, the actor left behind a legacy of iconic characters and memorable movies – including one that is opening this weekend. Though most associated with badass detective John Shaft in the 1971 classic “Shaft” and its sequels, his warm and charming turn as Ben in “Thelma” is a beautiful coda to a great talent.

Josh Margolin’s directorial debut stars Oscar nominee June Squibb (in her first leading film role at the age of 94) as the titular grandmother, who is conned out of $10,000 by a phone scammer. Thelma decides to take matters into her own hands, tracking down the people who wronged her. While her family panics to find her, she hatches a plan to steal her old friend Ben’s motorized scooter to aid in her journey. But Ben won’t allow her to go alone, and thus the two embark on...

Remember a few weeks back, when there were no major wide studio releases, and how that turned out? Expect a repeat this weekend with only one movie getting a substantially wide release as “Inside Out 2” remains in the lead. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.

“Loving” and “Take Shelter” director Jeff Nichols returns with the motorcycle drama, “The Bikeriders,” which will probably get the widest release of the new movies this weekend via Focus Features. Set in the late ’60s and early ’70s, it stars Jodie Comer as a Chicago woman who gets involved with a biker named Benny, played by Austin Butler, part of Chicago’s Vandals bike club, led by Tom Hardy‘s Johnny, The movie also stars Mike Faist from “Challengers.”

Hardy might be considered the biggest star of the bunch due to his appearances in the hit “Venom” movies. He’s also...

Richard Roundtree, June Squbb in Thelma Image: Magnolia Pictures How often does a film come along that you can comfortably recommend to literally everyone in your life? Not often enough. For that reason alone, Thelma deserves to be celebrated. It may not seem like the most obvious summer blockbuster, but...

Richard Roundtree, June Squbb in ThelmaImage: Magnolia Pictures

How often does a film come along that you can comfortably recommend to literally everyone in your life? Not often enough. For that reason alone, Thelma deserves to be celebrated. It may not seem like the most obvious summer blockbuster, but it...

If there’s one thing June Squibb has always known, it’s that she wanted to pursue a career in acting on her own terms. She’s the first to admit that she’s stubborn, but it’s a trait that has served her well over the past seven decades as she transitioned from local theater to Broadway to television and film. Her trajectory has been so singular, in fact, that Squibb didn’t land her first leading role until age 92, when writer-director Josh Margolin approached her to play the titular part in Thelma,...

When you get to be an actor of a certain age, you have the option of a lucrative career pivot into action movies. Just ask Liam Neeson, or Denzel Washington, or any of the other A-listers who’ve reinvented themselves as late-act ass-kickers. We’ll confess that we did not have June Squibb on our Geri-Action Bingo Card — after several decades treading the boards in the New York theater scene, the 94-year-old actor had carved out a nice little niche for herself as an Every-Gran who stole scenes and secured...

Grandma Scamma: Margolin Steals a Win with Squibb

Although there’s a prodigious sub-genre of kooky comedies featuring elderly resilient women (though more often in European cinema), few of them steer clear of screwball conceits which often seem cheap or cheesy. A formidable exception to such expected tropes is Josh Margolin’s debut, Thelma, a strangely cheerful odyssey built upon a rather somber dramatic catalyst. Headlined by Academy Award nominee June Squibb, who for the first time is playing a lead role, a warmly conducted supporting cast assists in a stellar ensemble achievement (made all the more bittersweet due to the recent passing of the iconic Richard Roundtree only three months prior to the film’s premiere).…...

ThelmaImage: Magnolia Pictures

Welcome to Random Roles, wherein we talk to actors about the characters who defined their careers. The catch: They don’t know beforehand what roles we’ll ask them to talk about.

The actor: June Squibb is the very model of the journeywoman actor. She’ll turn...

June Squibb has been acting for the past seven decades, and she shows no signs of slowing down at the age of 94, even performing her own stunts in Josh Margolin’s Thelma, in which her character goes on a reconnaissance mission across Los Angeles that metatextually channels the exploits of Tom Cruise from the Mission: Impossible movies. And she does it all with an impeccable sense for comedic timing and an infectious pathos.

The film tells the story of a grandmother who’s scammed out of $10,000 by a man pretending to be her son. When she decides to take matters into her own hands and get back what’s rightfully hers, she enlists the help of an old friend, Ben, and the man’s trusted motor scooter.

Hilarity and heartwarming moments ensue in Margolin’s loosely autobiographical film almost as soon as Thelma decides to follow in the footsteps of Cruise’s Ethan Hunt,...

"When she sets her mind to something, there's no stopping her. She doesn't eat, she doesn't sleep, she just keeps that laser focus until the task is done." Magnolia has unveiled one more teaser trailer for Thelma, from writer / director Josh Margolin. It didn't win any awards, but did win over the hearts of Sundance 2024 viewers as one of the best of the fest (I wrote a glowing review). Inspired by a real-life experience of Margolin's actual grandmother, Thelma puts a clever spin on movies like Mission: Impossible, shining the spotlight on an elderly grandmother as an unlikely action hero. Yes, she kicks all kinds of butt in this. With infectious humor, Margolin employs the familiar tropes of the action genre in hilarious, age-appropriate ways to tackle aging with agency. In the first leading film role of her 70-year career, June Squibb plays Thelma with grit and determination, demonstrating that...

Image: IFC Films, Warner Bros., Cinetic Media, Screenshot: YouTube, YouTube, Apple/YouTube, Disney/YouTube, Photo: Frank Masi (Sony Pictures Entertainment), Atsushi Nishijima (Searchlight Pictures), Warner Bros. Pictures, Magnolia Pictures, Vertical, CraSH/imageSPACE/Shutterstock (Shutterstock), Jasin BolandIn A Violent Nature review: A slasher in touch with its surroundingsIn A Violent NatureImage:...

Counter-clockwise from top left: Martin Lawrence, Will Smith; Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons; Kevin Costner; Dakota Fanning, Olwen Fouéré; Richard Roundtree, June Squibb; Russell Crowe Photo: Frank Masi (Sony Pictures Entertainment) The summer movie season is here, and it’s in rough shape. Last month was one disappointment after another for theaters.

Counter-clockwise from top left: Martin Lawrence, Will Smith; Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons; Kevin Costner; Dakota Fanning, Olwen Fouéré; Richard Roundtree, June Squibb; Russell Crowe

Photo: Frank Masi (Sony Pictures Entertainment), Atsushi Nishijima (Searchlight Pictures), Warner Bros. Pictures, Magnolia Pictures, Vertical

The summer movie season is here, and it’s in rough shape.

The American Cinematheque will pay tribute to the late Richard Roundtree through a retrospective film series screening June 8-14. The lineup of films includes “Shaft,” “Once Upon A Time…When We Were Closed,” “Q: The Winged Serpent” and “Shaft’s Big Score!” The retrospective will conclude with Roundtree’s final film “Thelma” followed by a Q&a with director Josh Margolin and June Squibb.

The retrospective, co-sponsored with Aafca, takes place at the Los Feliz and Egyptian theaters.

“Thelma” follows a 93-year-old woman (Squibb) and her best friend (Roundtree) as they travel across Los Angeles on a motor scooter to retrieve $10,000 from a telephone scammer.

The American Pavilion Announces Emerging Filmmaker Showcase Winners at Cannes

The American Pavilion revealed the Jury Award winners of this year’s Emerging Filmmaker Showcase presented by Gold House at Cannes.

The showcase allows upcoming filmmakers to have their works seen by Cannes Festival and Film Market attendees.

Revenge flicks are nothing new on the market, and while we’ve always had them, there was a proper little boom of such movies after the success of Liam Neeson’s Taken. Now, many have tried, some have failed, some have succeeded in making a good revenge flick, and while we don’t know if the movie we are reporting about is going to succeed or fail, it is certainly going to be one of the most original takes on the genre. Namely, legendary Oscar-nominee June Squibb (94) is probably the last name you’d think of when searching for a revenge flick star, but this year’s upcoming movie Thelma is going to deliver just that. The movie has just released its first trailer and you will be able to check it out below.

The movie is going to be an action comedy that will show June Squibb tackle a Bryan Mills-eseuqe role,...

One of the most purely enjoyable movies to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival found June Squibb on a mission for justice. Josh Margolin’s debut Thelma finds the nonagenarian actor in, shockingly, her first leading role (starring alongside Richard Roundtree in his final role) as a grandma who hunts down a phone scammer who pretended to be her grandson (Fred Hechinger). Also starring Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, and Malcolm McDowell, it’s arriving June 21 and Magnolia Pictures has now debuted the first trailer.

Jake Kring-Schreifels said in his review, “At the beginning of Thelma––a loveable, low-stakes joyride from director Josh Margolin––the movie’s eponymous 93-year-old grandmother sits on the couch with her grandson Daniel and marvels at Tom Cruise. They’re watching a recent Mission: Impossible sequel on her tiny television and can’t fathom Cruise’s running and jumping daredevil-ism at his weathered age. Thelma may live alone,...

The first trailer for Thelma, the June Squibb-starring comedy about a grandma going John Wick on senior scammers, has arrived.

Thelma follows Squibb as 93-year-old Thelma Post, who is duped out of $10,000 by phone scammers pretending to be her grandson (Fred Hechinger). After the police say they can’t help her, she enlists the help of her friend Ben (Richard Roundtree), and sets out for revenge. Filling out the cast will be Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Malcolm McDowell, and more.

The film is due in theaters on June 21st, released via Magnolia Pictures. Watch the trailer below.

Thelma first premiered this past January at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. In her review, Consequence’s Liz Shannon Miller praised the film’s mixture of comedy and genuine depth of feeling, calling it a “love letter to grandmas.”

This is just the latest project for a still-quite-active Squibb, who appeared in Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead...

From Harrison Ford to Tom Cruise, Hollywood stars have become increasingly comfortable performing stunts in the later stages of their careers. But June Squibb might have set a new standard when she took on the lead role in “Thelma” and did the bulk of her own stunt work at the age of 93.

Josh Margolin’s directorial debut, which is loosely based on a true story about his own grandmother, stars Squibb as a nonagenarian who falls victim to a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson. The injustice inspires her to hop on her motorized scooter and travel across Los Angeles to take down the thief and reclaim her lost funds. The result is an action movie that promises to show audiences that it’s never too late to reclaim agency over your own life.

In addition to Squibb, “Thelma” also features “Shaft” star Richard Roundtree in his final film performance.

Magnolia Pictures has released a brand new trailer for "Thelma." This film may not be on your radar just yet, but after watching this trailer, it probably should be. Serving as the feature directorial debut of Josh Margolin, the big hook here is that Oscar-nominee June Squibb is getting to lead a revenge thriller at the age of 94. More than that, it marks the first time that Squibb has been given a leading role in a movie in her long, storied career. Check the trailer out for yourself above.

The trailer is impossibly charming, even though there is an insidious plot at the center of it all. Squibb's character gets scammed out of a bunch of money and, with no options left, she sets out on a path of revenge. It's not unrealistically action-packed or anything like that, but it comes off as quite delightful. Squibb is paired with the late Richard Roundtree,...

"We all have our good days and our bad days?" "And what's today?" "We'll find out." Magnolia Pics has launched their full official trailer the Sundance 2024 hit film Thelma, from writer / director Josh Margolin. It didn't win any awards, but it did win over the hearts of many Sundance viewers as one of the best of the fest (I wrote a glowing review). Inspired by a real-life experience of Margolin's own grandmother, Thelma puts a clever spin on movies like Mission: Impossible, shining the spotlight on an elderly grandmother as an unlikely action hero. Yes, she kicks some serious ass. With infectious humor, Margolin employs the familiar tropes of the action genre in hilarious, age-appropriate ways to tackle aging with agency. In the first leading film role of her 70-year career, June Squibb plays Thelma with grit and determination, demonstrating that she is more than capable of taking care of business.

City Hunter is an action comedy film directed by Yûichi Satô from a screenplay by Tsukasa Hôjô and Tatsuro Mishima. Based on a popular manga series of the same name by Tsukasa Hojo, the Netflix film follows the story of a private investigator as he teams up with his late partner’s sister to solve his mysterious murder which is connected to a deadly conspiracy. So, if you loved the style, humor, action, and philandering ways of Ryo Saeba in City Hunter, here are some similar films you could watch next.

City Hunter Credit – Golden Harvest

31 years before Suzuki Ryohei took on the role of the philandering Ryo Saeba, the legendary Jackie Chan also starred as the main character in another adaptation of the popular manga by Tsukasa Hojo. Directed by Jing Wong, the 1993 film follows the story of a lustful private investigator who is searching for a missing girl...

Emily Kassie and Julian Brave NoiseCat’s documentary “Sugarcane” garnered the top nonfiction honor at the 26th annual Sarasota Film Festival. About the abuse and death of Indigenous children at a Canadian-based Indian Residential School, the docu premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival (Sff), where it picked up the U.S. documentary directing kudo. In February, National Geographic Documentary Films acquired the film.

The doc feature jury made up of producer Wren Arthur, Indiewire’s Christian Blauvelt, NPR’s Eric Deggans, and Doc NYC artistic director Jaie Laplante said in a joint statement that they selected the film for “bravely tackling the legacy of trauma from the abuse of First Nations students at the St. Joseph’s Mission Residential School in British Columbia. The Catholic Church-run school closed decades ago, but the horrors there are still deeply felt by generations across an entire community. The filmmakers do not lose sight...

Following a gala closing night celebration featuring Steve Buscemi and his film “The Listener,” the 2024 Sarasota Film Festival has announced its awards — with several prominent indies taking the top prizes. This 26th edition of the Florida festival celebrating independent film gave the Narrative Feature Jury Prize to Josh Margolin’s Sundance breakout “Thelma,” starring June Squibb and the late Richard Roundtree. “Sugarcane” won the Documentary Feature Jury Prize.

Speaking for the narrative feature jury, filmmaker Alex Hedison, in awarding the prize to “Thelma,” said the group found the movie to celebrate “what Hollywood cinema so infrequently does: age. The extraordinary performances by June Squib and Richard Roundtree are at the center of ‘Thelma,’ surrounded by an excellent supporting cast who serve as a surrogate for the audience in reminding them of the significance of living their best lives with the kind of action and adventure life affords us if we...

The annual SFFIlM Festival has officially unveiled its 2024 lineup, with two first-time feature filmmakers bookending the fest.

Sean Wang’s semi-autobiographical feature “Dìdi (弟弟)” opens the festival April 24 after premiering at Sundance 2024. Wang was also recently Oscar-nominated for his short film “Nai Nai & Wài Pó” which had been supported by Sffilm grants.

The 67th annual festival closes out with Josh Margolin’s “Thelma” starring June Squibb, Parker Posey, Malcolm McDowell, and late actor Richard Roundtree in his final role. The feature screens April 28.

Programming highlights include “The Idea of You,” “Sing Sing,” “Janet Planet,” and Sundance award-winning documentary “Porcelain War.” A private screening of opening night film “Dìdi (弟弟)” in Dolby Vision + Dolby Atmos will be held at the Dolby Cinema @ 1275 Market exclusively for cast and crew, Sffilm Festival filmmakers, and Sffilm fellows and grantees. A Sffilm members’ screening of “Mother, Couch” will also take place after the film debuted...

Dig out your best tuxedo, or don your finest gown – it’s Oscars night! The 2024 Academy Awards are about to get underway, bringing the best of Hollywood together to celebrate cinema, and hand out all kinds of shiny gold statues in the process. As ever, it’s going to be a long haul and a late night, but Team Empire is here to follow with you every step of the way with our live blog, covering every single award, every single winner, and every single unmissable moment. There will be songs, there will be speeches, there will be snubs – though, there probably won’t be another slap.

Read below for the latest updates, be sure to stock up on caffeine and snacks, and we’ll be with you to the end of the line.

––––

2.30am That’s it! Thanks for following along with us. A strong Oscars year in all,...

Andrea Bocelli performed a rendition of the song “Time to Say Goodbye” with his son Matteo Bocelli to accompany the Academy’s annual obituary section. Perhaps mindful of previous years, in which eagle-eyed viewers have jumped on omissions, this year’s “In Memoriam” — which began with footage of the recently deceased Russian opposition leader and subject of last year’s winning documentary Navalny — seemed comprehensive but at the same time not enough.

Related: ‘Oppenheimer’ Wins Best Picture Oscar & Six Others; Emma Stone & Cillian Murphy Take Lead Acting Prizes – Full List

Beloved actors Lance Reddick, Treat Williams, Apocalypse Now’s Frederic Forrest, Rocky’s Burt Young all relegated to a fine print reference at the end, along with such writers as Norman Lear and No Country for Old Men’s Cormac McCarthy. Also given afterthought treatment were Kenneth Anger, Terence Davies, Carl Davis, David McCallum, Sinead O’Connor and Paolo Taviani in...

Part of every awards show is the In Memoriam segment, which honors those who have died in the past year. And that also means that part of every awards show is taking note of who didn’t make the cut (as happens every time). The 2024 Oscars are no exception. Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo performed “Time to Say Goodbye” for the 2024 Oscars In Memoriam segment. Among the names part of the segment—at the end, the broadcast directed viewers to a website for the “many other legends we lost”—were: Michael Gambon, Harry Belafonte, Alan Arkin, Julian Sands, Andre Braugher, Chita Rivera, Tom Wilkinson, Glynis Johns, Jane Birkin, Paul Reubens, Piper Laurie, Richard Roundtree, Ryan O’Neal, Matthew Perry, Richard Lewis, Lee Sun-Kyun, Carl Weathers, William Friedkin, Glenda Jackson, and Tina Turner. The In Memoriam segment, which you can watch above, did end with a long list of names on...

The In Memoriam section of the Academy Awards is always one of the most emotional moments of the show. This year was no exception, as the 96th Oscars celebrate the performers, filmmakers and artisan talents who died in the past year. The In Memoriam segment kicked off with a remembrance of Alexei Navalny, the political prisoner who died Feb. 16 and was profiled in last year’s documentary feature winner “Navalny.”

The names unfurled onscreen was Andrea Boccelli and his son, Matteo, sang “Time to Say Goodbye.”

Every year, the Academy leaves a few beloved names out of the montage, causing anger among some viewers. Though a much longer list is presented on the Oscars.org website, outrage over who makes it onscreen is part of the Oscar-watching tradition.

Read more: All the 2024 Oscar winners

This year several beloved late performers and filmmakers didn’t make the main segment, including Treat Williams,...

In an exclusive uInterview, Fred Hechinger and Clark Gregg discuss working with June Squibb and the late Richard Roundtree in their new film, Thelma.

Thelma follows an aging widow of the same name who spends most of her time tending to her 20-something grandson, Daniel, played by Hechinger. When she receives a call from a scammer pretending to be Daniel, Thelma sends $10,000 in cash to a nearby P.O. box and embarks on an action-packed journey to retrieve her money.

Hechinger said that working with Squibb on the project was “incredible.”

“She’s the best, just the top of the top, not only one of the greatest partners in scene work but also just a great friend,” he told uInterview founder Erik Meers.

“We just came from a screening where we could tell that the audience was really connected with the film,” Gregg said. “I think the reason that’s happening is,...

"This summer - action has a new name." Magnolia Pictures has unveiled a very short teaser trailer for the Sundance 2024 hit film Thelma, from writer / director Josh Margolin. The film didn't win any awards, but it did win over the hearts of many Sundance viewers as one of the best of the fest. Inspired by a real-life experience of Margolin's own grandmother, Thelma puts a clever spin on movies like Mission: Impossible, shining the spotlight on an elderly grandmother as an unlikely action hero. Yes, she kicks some serious ass. With infectious humor, Margolin employs the familiar tropes of the action genre in hilarious, age-appropriate ways to tackle aging with agency. In the first leading film role of her 70-year career, June Squibb portrays the strong-willed Thelma with grit and determination, demonstrating that she is more than capable of taking care of business. In addition to Squibb kicking butt as Thelma,...

There’s a new action hero in Hollywood and her name is June Squibb! At 94 years young, the Oscar-nominated actress (“Nebraska”) stars in “Thelma,” an action comedy about Thelma Post, a 93-year-old woman who gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson. Fueled with rage, Thelma sets out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her. Watch the first teaser trailer below.

“Thelma” premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival on January 18, 2024 and was quickly scooped up by Magnolia Pictures. Squibb’s co-stars include Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg and Malcolm McDowell. The feature directorial debut of Josh Margolin, “Thelma” is a poignant action-comedy that gives Squibb her first leading role and features Roundtree’s final performance.

See Celebrity Deaths 2024: In Memoriam Gallery

Inspired by a real-life experience of Margolin’s own grandmother, “Thelma” puts a clever spin on movies like “Mission: Impossible,...

Exclusive: At 94 years old, June Squibb may not be the most conventional of action heroes. But by gum, she’s the one we need. The Nebraska Oscar nominee is poised to save the summer with Thelma, the nonagenarian action comedy marking the first feature of writer-director Josh Margolin, which Magnolia Pictures has set for a wide release in North America on June 21.

Check out a new clip, teasing the film’s theatrical debut, above.

Marking the first lead film role of Squibb’s accomplished 70+ year career, Thelma is based on a real-life experience of Margolin’s grandmother, Thelma Post, and world premiered to critical acclaim at Sundance, where Magnolia landed rights in a competitive situation. In the film, the 93-year-old Thelma (Squibb) gets duped by a phone scammer pretending to be her grandson, then setting out on a treacherous quest across the city to reclaim what was taken from her.

Oppenheimer won the marquee Cast in a Motion Picture prize as the 30th annual SAG Awards were presented Saturday, and its star Cillian Murphy might have wrestled Oscar front-runner status away from Paul Giamatti by taking the trophy for Male Actor in a Leading Role.

Lily Gladstone was cemented as the favorite for the Best Actress Oscar, winning Female Actor in a Leading Role for Killers of the Flower Moon at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in a ceremony streaming live on Netflix for the first time.

Related: Lily Gladstone Calls For Compassion In Emotional Speech After Historic SAG Awards Win

Robert Downey Jr won the Male Actor in a Supporting Role for Oppenheimer in a mini-upset. But the evening’s first film award wasn’t much of a surprise as Da’vine Joy Randolph continued her awards-season dominance with a Supporting win for The Holdovers.

Related: “Your Solidarity Ignited Workers Around The World,...

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) has confirmed that Matthew Perry will be honoured at its TV awards later this year following backlash over his omission from the In Memoriam segment of the film awards night on Sunday evening, reports ‘Variety’.

Although Perry, who died last October, was best known for his 10-year stint as Chandler Bing on hit TV show ‘Friends’, ‘Variety’ adds that he also appeared in a number of popular feature films in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including ‘The Whole Nine Yards’, alongside Bruce Willis, and ‘Fools Rush In’ opposite Salma Hayek.

This year’s In Memoriam segment, set to a special arrangement of Cyndi Lauper’s ‘The After Time’ performed by ‘Ted Lasso’ star Hannah Waddingham, featured Jane Birkin, Shirley Anne Field, Richard Roundtree, Michael Gambon, Tom Wilkinson and Carl Weathers, among others.

The segment also paid tribute to Tina Turner,...