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Will Smith was once known as one of Hollywood’s biggest blockbuster action stars. The actor was well aware of his standing in the genre. At the same time, he was very much concerned about aging out of those kinds of roles.

Will Smith already started to feel his age doing this action movie Will Smith | Cory Ryan/Getty Images

Smith’s path to movie stardom initially began with action movies. As an actor, he was steadily building his portfolio back in the 90s in works like Six Degrees of Separation and Fresh Prince of Belair. But Bad Boys was the start of Smith becoming the blockbuster star he’d later become. It was something he owed to filmmaker Michael Bay for insisting that he run around shirtless in the movie for this now iconic scene.

“For this scene, I wanted to have my shirt on, and Michael was like,...

You got a problem? One that won’t go away? One you don’t want the cops getting wind of? Well, you’d better know a guy who knows a guy, because movies and television will have you believe that only a fixer can make a scandal like this go away.

After a summer holiday and some postal delays, I am finally back covering all things Adamantium-laced. Although there are only two books to cover this month, I feel enough time has passed that I can do a Wolverine-centric review of Deadpool and Wolverine complete with spoilers.

Life of Wolverine #1 Writer: Jim Zub | Artist: Ramon F. Bachs | Colourist: Java Tartaglia | Letters: Joe Sabino

This originally came out as a digital-first comic in ten parts, during the X Lives/Deaths mini-series. It makes perfect sense for Marvel to release this as a print comic when they did. It is a simple one-shot that can appeal to a cross-section of fans. Obviously, you have the hardcore Wolverine fans like myself who will pick anything up. It also helps bridge the gap between the ongoing series ending and the next one starting. Then there are the casual fans who might be interested in reading...

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: Kelly Reichardt, Gus Van Sant, Todd Haynes, Kathryn Bigelow. All names that appear multiple times in...

It’s 1970, and as the astronauts of Apollo 13 ventured around the dark side of the moon, they faced a life-threatening crisis. Who helped save the day? Judith Love Cohen. Judith had helped create the Abort Guidance System that would ultimately rescue those astronauts.

But wait, it gets better. Judith was still working on a problem for the Apollo program, the day she gave birth to a son. She took a printout to the hospital, called her boss to say she’d finished it, and then casually gave birth to the future star of School of Rock, Po himself, the man who brought Bernie Tiede to the silver screen, the one-and-only Jack Black. Talk about multitasking!

Now, with a mom like that, you’d think Jack would be all about the math and science, right? Well, not exactly. Jack was a kid who was not great at academics, but had a knack for making people laugh.

Will Smith has been one of the biggest names in the industry and in addition to being a bankable star, the actor is also a great dramatic performer. The actor has starred in some of the most popular franchises and cult films that have garnered him various accolades.

Will Smith’s Gettin’ Jiggy wit It was one of the biggest hits from his debut album | YouTube

In addition to films, Smith has a successful career in rap music and has even released four studio albums. In the late 90s, Smith reportedly butted heads with rising rapper Eminem, even taking a dig at him at an award event. Eminem famously hit back at the Hollywood star with his hit song The Real Slim Shady.

Will Smith Got A Taste of His Own Medicine With Eminem’s The Real Slim Shady

Eminem mocked Will Smith in his hit song The Real Slim...

The following contains spoilers from the second episode of Criminal Minds Season 17.

A not-so-happy reunion was happening when TVLine visited the set of Paramount+’s Criminal Minds: Evolution in late February.

More from TVLineDavid E. Kelley: Presumed Innocent Series Has 'Twists and Turns,' Yes - But Maybe Not the Ones You ExpectSweet Tooth Series Finale: Creator Jim Mickle Explains Why [Spoiler] Had to Die, Weighs In on Big Man's Dubious FateThe Low-Tech Secret to Criminal Minds' 'Ghost Voit' Gimmick - Plus, How Can Rossi Shake the Spectre?

Hunkered down behind the crew in a small, dark parking garage situated beneath a defunct Glendale church,...

Cinematic powerhouse actor Robert De Niro has given us some truly memorable performances for the ages, going all the way back to the 70s starting with Martin Scorsese’s’ Mean Streets. And let’s be honest, the guy clearly understands bat-shit crazy. Mr. DeNiro has some insane range, especially in the nutjob department. We’re talking great films such as Raging Bull, Taxi Driver, Cape Fear, The Untouchables, Mean Streets, and This Boy’s Life. But there is one film particularly overlooked in his filmography. A film that creeps along the uncharted path of unseen territory to most. This is 1996’s The Fan (a Best Movie You Never Saw fave of ours here), directed by the late Tony Scott and stars not just De Niro, but Wesley Snipes, Benicio Del Toro, Ellen Barkin, and John Leguizamo. The Fan centers around one man’s downfall and downward spiral into psychotic obsession toward...

Even the best filmmakers in history take big, ambitious swings and completely miss the mark at times. In the case of Brian De Palma – the supremely talented New Hollywood director behind such all-time great classics as Carrie, Dressed to Kill, Blow Out, Scarface, The Untouchables, Carlito’s Way, and more – many consider his most glaring cinematic blemish to be tone deaf adaptation of The Bonfire of the Vanities in 1990. However, if general moviegoers and De Palma fans knew about the crushing production woes relating to the ending of his uneven 1998 crime thriller Snake Eyes, perhaps they’d reassess their opinion.

Indeed, the original ending of Snake Eyes is so drastically different than what transpires at the end of the theatrical cut that it’s nearly impossible to judge the movie’s intentional merits versus the final product. Of course, the grand irony about the brutally botched ending of Snake Eyes is...

From all the X-Men movies, including the acclaimed "Logan," to animated series like "X-Men '97," Wolverine is one of the biggest fan-favorite Marvel superheroes. With razor-sharp indestructible claws and an accelerated healing factor, James "Logan" Howlett is a killing machine with a conscience, finding his place among the mutant superheroes, the X-Men. Wolverine comes from an especially dark past, however, while his berserker rage and susceptibility to mind control makes him a lethal liability at times. This has led to Wolverine committing several especially heinous acts, some deliberately, across the character's extensive history in comic books, television, and film.

Wolverine may be one of the greatest heroes of the Marvel Universe, but you can bet that his hands are dirty with all the questionable things he's done. Here are the worst things Wolverine has ever done, be it mistakes made in the comics, movies, or beyond, adding to the superhero's conflicted morality and background.

When it comes to the classics of cinema—and sometimes the dregs—it’s always fun to think about what might’ve been. Casting especially can be a strange alchemy between actor and role, and when the formula is off, it’s easy to ponder whether the spell would work at all. Can you imagine Robert Redford as Michael Corleone? What about Tom Selleck as Indiana Jones? And it’s an interesting challenge to envision what Tim Burton’s Batman might’ve been if it starred Bill Murray versus Robin Williams.

The casting of Neo in The Matrix is another legendary “what if?” in movie history. The 1999 classic, which just turned 25 years old earlier this month, is now beloved for its reinvention of Keanu Reeves. He plays Neo in the film; a former sad sack hacker who discovers he’s actually a superpowered messiah sent to free us from a digital prison.

With the 1995 release of Bad Boys, Will Smith may have achieved a major turning point in his career toward becoming one of the biggest stars in the history of Tinseltown. His performance in the action flick proved that he could manage a large-scale production, which helped him secure roles in other popular 1990s movies such as Independence Day and Men in Black.

However, did you know that Smith took issue with director Michael Bay’s well-known choice to have the actor, now 55, run in a scene while sporting ‘no shirt’? Well, Bay could see he was helping the actor establish him as a real movie star, and the s*x appeal would help him no doubt. And seems the director was absolutely right.

And that’s why Smith has since expressed regret to Bay for the argument in a lighthearted manner.

Will Smith and Martin Lawrence in Bad Boys

In...

The Willennium may have started nearly a quarter of a century ago, but Will Smith has been dominating on screen since the early 1990s. The Academy Award-winning star has been a blockbuster juggernaut with a commanding presence on screen, dabbling in anything and everything. Serious fare like "Concussion," edgy superhero stories like "Hancock" and "Suicide Squad," action-packed dramas like "Enemy of the State," sci-fi thrillers like "I, Robot," musicals like "Aladdin," and plenty of goofy nonsense like "Shark Tale" and "Wild Wild West" have all let Big Willy Style flex his acting muscles and show that he truly is a jack of all trades. From his humble beginnings in the ensemble piece "Where the Day Takes You" to the recently announced "Bad Boys: Ride or Die," Smith is one of Hollywood's most prolific and profitable performers. And fortunately, he's also one of the best. It's time to get jiggy wit'...

Actress Regina King is known for her role as Sharon Rivers in the film If Beale Street Could Talk. King won the Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress for the role. She then went on to win a Primetime Emmy Award, her fourth, for her role as Sister Night a.k.a Angela Abar in the HBO series Watchmen.

King has since gone on to be a producer and has also been the director of several episodes of TV and made her feature film debut with One Night in Miami. The film was nominated for the Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Original Song. The actress mentioned how Hollywood gave her the power to tell marginalized stories not just as an actor, but also as a producer and director.

Regina King’s Career And Life A still from If Beale Street Could Talk

Regina King...

Regina King is an American actress and director. She is best known for her roles in films such as “Jerry Maguire,” “Ray,” and “If Beale Street Could Talk.” She has also appeared in numerous television shows, including “227,” “The Boondocks,” and “American Crime.” In 2019, King won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in “If Beale Street Could Talk.” She has also won multiple Emmy Awards for her work on television. King is known for her powerful performances and is considered one of the most talented actresses in Hollywood.

Early Life and Background

Regina King was born on January 15, 1971 in Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Gloria, was a special education teacher and her father, Thomas King, was an electrician. King has credited her parents for instilling in her the value of hard work. King also has an older sister, Reina. Although King did not grow up in a show business family,...

IMAX has just released the Twisters (1996 Twister’s sequel) trailer, and it looks awesome. The Twisters movie was shot by legendary Dan Mindel ASC, Bsc, Sasc purely on film, in order to maintain the look of the first movie, or just to make it to be screened tremendously on the huge canvas.

The cameras behind Twisters: Arriflex 435 and Panavision XL2 Twisters: The IMAX trailer

‘Twisters’ is an upcoming American disaster film directed by Lee Isaac Chung (the director of Minari which was nominated for Best Picture at Oscars 2021 (shot on Arri Alexa Mini paired with Panavision P Vintage glass)) and shot by Dp Dan Mindel ASC, Bsc, Sasc.

Twisters: Movie poster

It stars Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos, Maura Tierney, Brandon Perea, Daryl McCormack, Sasha Lane, Kiernan Shipka, and Nik Dodani. Twisters is a standalone sequel to Twister (1996). Furthermore, according to reports, the story will be...

Lisa Bonet has filed for divorce from Jason Momoa 18 years after the two actors became a couple.

The 56-year-old Bonet, whose legal name is Lilakoi Moon, filed documents to end her marriage to the 44-year-old Momoa in Los Angeles County court on Monday. The filing comes nearly two years after they announced their separation.

The petition cites irreconcilable differences as the reason for the split. The filing says neither person should get financial support and that the two have agreed on how to split their assets. The documents say they should have joint custody of their 16-year-old daughter and 15-year-old son.

Momoa is best known for his roles in the Aquaman movies and on Game of Thrones. Bonet was a star of The Cosby Show, its spinoff A Different World, and the films High Fidelity and Enemy of the State.

The two met and started dating in 2005, but did not...

RoboCop and Total Recall director Paul Verhoeven says he’d make another sci-fi film in the vein of those classics if it were offered. “I haven’t seen it,” he said.

RoboCop, Total Recall and Starship Troopers, released in 1987, 1990 and 1997 respectively, are among the greatest sci-fi films ever made. Darkly, violently satirical and loaded with sly humour, they carry all the manic energy of the director behind them – Dutch filmmaker Paul Verhoeven.

By the millennium, however, the independent studio system that gave Verhoeven the latitude to make those films had gone, and 2000’s Hollow Man – an invisible Kevin Bacon thriller even Verhoeven admitted he was disappointed with – marked the end of his movie-making period in America. After that, Verhoeven made smaller-scale but no less edgy films like Black Book, Elle and the saucy nun drama, Benedetta.

In a new interview with Metrograph's Eric Kohn (as picked up by IndieWire), Verhoeven...

For years, Awesome Art We’ve Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net.” In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up and coming, or well established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences, and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at theodorebond@joblo.com.This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of…

Victor...

Disney’s reputation is notoriously squeaky clean.

The beloved company has provided family-friendly fun for decades, with live-action favorites and animated classics spanning back to the 1930s.

As a powerful force in the industry and one of Hollywood’s biggest studios, the company expanded its reach over the years with film distribution companies, like Touchstone Pictures, Miramax, Searchlight Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution.

The movies often featured more adult themes than one would expect from the company. Because they are published by subsidiaries, the titles are all only indirectly Disney-related – but they still fall under the major studio’s umbrella anyway.

Find out which R-rated movies reside within the Disney brand…

The Woman in the Window (2021)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Starring: Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie

Plot summary: An agoraphobic woman begins to spy on her new neighbors, and is witness to a crime in their apartment.

Down and Out in Beverly Hills...

Disney’s reputation is notoriously squeaky clean.

The beloved company has provided family-friendly fun for decades, with live-action favorites and animated classics spanning back to the 1930s.

As a powerful force in the industry and one of Hollywood’s biggest studios, the company expanded its reach over the years with film distribution companies, like Touchstone Pictures, Miramax, Searchlight Pictures and Buena Vista Distribution.

The movies often featured more adult themes than one would expect from the company. Because they are published by subsidiaries, the titles are all only indirectly Disney-related – but they still fall under the major studio’s umbrella anyway.

Find out which R-rated movies reside within the Disney brand…

The Woman in the Window (2021)

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures

Starring: Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie

Plot summary: An agoraphobic woman begins to spy on her new neighbors, and is witness to a crime in their apartment.

Down and Out in Beverly Hills...

Tonight on “The Challenge: USA,” as the individual game heats up, “Challenge” vet Tori tries to cool things down with her showmance, and Michaela sets her sights on a fellow “Survivor” player who could be a threat to her game, on this episode titled “Enemy of the State” airing Thursday, Septemper 14 on the CBS.

Among the cast members are three people who previously won their seasons: Michele Fitzgerald (“Survivor: Kaôh Rōng”), Josh Martinez (“Big Brother 19”) and Chris Underwood (“Survivor: Edge of Extinction”). “MTV Challenge” vets are Wes Bergmann, Tori Deal, Johnny “Bananas” Devenanzio, Amanda Garcia, Jonna Mannion and Cory Wharton. How will these six all-stars now fare when competing with CBS reality favorites? In the end, only one man and one woman will emerge victorious, taking home $250,000 each. Follow our live blog and see the current team breakdowns below.

See Monte Taylor (‘The Challenge: USA’) on his 3-hour arena battle...

Another week, another episode of the Pop Addled podcast, part of the ever-growing podcast roster here on Nerdly!

Pop Addled is a pop culture podcast with nerd tendencies. Join Keenan, Sam and Timmy as they discuss movies, music, video games, sports, TV, comics, and any intersection thereof. Their brains have been thoroughly addled by pop culture and they’re here to share their twisted thoughts with you!

If you haven’t heard the show yet, you can check out old episodes on Libsyn and iTunes; and we’ll be bringing you the latest episodes each and every week.

Pop Addled – Episode 478: Doom Addled ‘Enemy of the State’

We got another Doom Addled episode! Mike and Harrison join us as we continue our look at the movies by director Tony Scott. This week we are discussing Enemy of the State. Give a listen and if you like what you hear,...

The Challenge: USA fans, we’ve got a fresh off the press preview for the new Season 2 Episode 9 episode titled Enemy of the State!

Find out everything you need to know about the Enemy of the State episode of The Challenge: USA, including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!

The Challenge: USA Enemy of the State Season 2 Episode 9 Preview

Gear up for an explosive episode of “The Challenge: USA” titled “Enemy of the State,” set to air on CBS at 10:00 Pm on September 14, 2023. As the competition intensifies and alliances shift like the sands of time, viewers can expect a whirlwind of drama, strategy, and unexpected twists.

In this high-stakes episode, the individual game takes center stage, and the cast members are out to prove their mettle. One of the central figures in this episode is the seasoned Challenge veteran, Tori. Known for her fierce determination and strategic prowess,...

We might be entering the dog days of summer but Hulu isn’t slowing down. The streamer’s list of new releases for August 2023 is a pretty impressive collection of content.

The biggest Hulu original this month is season 3 of true crime comedy Only Murders in the Building on Aug. 8. This time around Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd are joining the already-stacked cast that features Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. This season’s central murder appears to take place at a theater (outside the building) but I think we’ll let it slide.

That’s far from the only worthwhile original in August as Aug. 2 sees the premiere of the third and final season of superb comedy Reservation Dogs. That will be followed by South Korean sci-fi series Moving on Aug. 9, Solar Opposites season 4 on Aug. 14, and A Murder at the End of the World on Aug. 29. Of course,...

In the summer of 1996, Tom Cruise and director Brian De Palma achieved something that Hollywood would spend much of the next decade trying to replicate: a genuinely great movie adaptation of a popular television show that blew up at the box office. The first Mission: Impossible movie was somehow both an ode to the face-swapping, hi-tech hijinks of the original 1960s series while also serving as the perfect star vehicle for Cruise. Even De Palma was at the peak of his powers as an auteur, having just made his most underrated movie in Carlito’s Way.

In the years that followed, other big screen updates of small screen favorites would try to repeat the formula with often disastrous results. Film versions of shows like Wild Wild West, Lost in Space, The Avengers (not that one), and The Mod Squad all amounted to miserable trips to the multiplex. Meanwhile Mission: Impossible’s...

Exclusive: Deadline hears that Jake Busey has boarded Joel Souza’s recently restored production of Rust in Montana at the Yellowstone Film Ranch.

In the film produced and starring Alec Baldwin, Busey will play the role of Drum Parker.

The logline for Rust, written by Souza, based on a story developed by the director and Baldwin: A 13-year-old boy, left to fend for himself and his younger brother following the death of their parents in 1880s Kansas, is taken on a violent, harrowing journey to old Mexico by his long estranged grandfather after he’s sentenced to hang for the accidental killing of a local rancher.

Patrick Scott McDermott (Chicago Med, South Side) is playing the role of Lucas Hollister in the film. Frances Fisher also stars.

The film restarted production last week following the October 2021 death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins after a prop gun held by Baldwin discharged during...

Rainn Wilson travels for a purpose — to find the happiest places on Earth. In the new Peacock docu-series “The Geography of Bliss,” the intrepid traveler traverses the globe in a humorous search for meaning. Based on Eric Weiner’s New York Times bestselling book, “The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the World,” Wilson explores some of the happiest and unhappiest places on earth — from Iceland to Bulgaria to Ghana — in a profound and funny way that unpacks the science of happiness. All five episodes of the series will be available during Mental Health Awareness Month, beginning on May 18.

Watch the trailer for “The Geography of Bliss”:

Also arriving on the streaming service next month, Pete Davidson, Edie Falco, and Joe Pesci will star in “Bupkis,” a semi-autobiographical series about Davidson’s life. The show mixes reality and absurdity to capture the complexities...

Tom Sizemore passed away on March 3, 2023, about two weeks after suffering an aneurysm. Once one of Hollywood's most ubiquitous supporting actors, he was always a reliable presence in any film he appeared in, with his trademark ice-cold stare and husky laugh. He also possessed a truly unique attribute: a brooding, taciturn toughness that has become increasingly rare these days, shared by the likes of Michael Madsen, Chris Penn, and Ray Liotta.

Sizemore was a cut above those guys, though, with an uncanny ability to turn his heavy-lidded, sparkling eyes from charming to chilling at the drop of a hat. Look at the actor's cameo in "Enemy Of The State." He essentially plays a comic role, a broad, larger-than-life mobster, and yet when he shifts gears to a more intimidating presence, it doesn't feel jarring, but genuinely menacing instead.

Although he disappeared from the limelight in recent years, there was a...

Although it was news for a few days that Tom Sizemore’s family was making “end of life” decisions, his death on Friday night still was a shock for those praying for a miracle.

Sizemore was once one of the hottest actors in Hollywood before his career was derailed by substance abuse, and his friends remembered that talent in the social media posts that came after the official announcement of his death.

Related Story Tom Sizemore: A Career In Photos Related Story Tom Sizemore Dies: 'Saving Private Ryan' & 'Black Hawk Down' Star With Scores Of Film & TV Credits Was 61 Related Story Tom Sizemore End Of Life Decision Looms After Doctors Say "No Further Hope" Following Stroke

His legancy includes his performances in Saving Private Ryan, Heat, Natural Born Killers, Enemy of the State, and Bringing Out the Dead.

Some of the early reactions:

Related: Hollywood & Media...

Tom Sizemore, the talented, but troubled, actor who brought a tough guy bravado to films like Heat, Natural Born Killers and Saving Private Ryan, has died at the age of 61, Rolling Stone confirmed.

The actor died Friday after his family made the decision to remove him from life support at a Los Angeles-based hospital.

“It is with great sadness and sorrow I have to announce that actor Thomas Edward Sizemore (‘Tom Sizemore’) aged 61 passed away peacefully in his sleep today at St Joseph’s Hospital Burbank,” his manager Charles Lago...

Exclusive: My Name is Earl star Jason Lee has signed with Buchwald for representation in all areas.

Lee recently joined the ensemble cast of the upcoming Netflix/Shondaland murder-mystery series The Residence, based on the Kate Anderson Brower book of the same name, and will star opposite Uzo Aduba, Andre Braugher, and Ken Marino.

The multihyphenate is widely recognized for playing the lead role in the Emmy-winning comedy series My Name is Earl, which aired on NBC for four seasons and earned him two Golden Globe and SAG Award nominations. He also starred in the TNT series Memphis Beat, produced by George Clooney and Grant Heslov, which ran for two seasons. His other television credits include Greg Garcia’s Raising Hope and the NBC/Broadway Video series Up All Night, opposite Christina Applegate and Maya Rudolph.

On the film side, Lee starred in Vanilla Sky and the Oscar-winning Almost Famous for director Cameron Crowe.

Jerry Bruckheimer has seen it all. He remembers the go-go days at Paramount Pictures in the ’80s with his coked-up partner Don Simpson, which yielded the original “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Flashdance” and “Top Gun.” Simpson had incredible story instincts — he invented the “high-concept” movie — and networked Hollywood parties while ex New York ad-man Bruckheimer kept his head screwed on straight and made sure the visually stylish movies were delivered on time and on budget.

On his own in the ’90s and early 2000s, Bruckheimer was cock of the walk at the Disney studio, churning out high-testosterone, actioners from Bruce Willis vehicle “Armageddon” and Nic Cage in “Con Air” and “National Treasure” to Will Smith in “Enemy of the State” and the Johnny Depp “Pirates of the Caribbean” series, which proved that movies could string together VFX-heavy action sequences without worrying about the vagaries of plot. Over the decades Bruckheimer...

Get ready for a trip down memory lane as we take a look at the career of one of Hollywood’s most beloved actors, Will Smith. From the streets of West Philadelphia to the bright lights of Hollywood, he has proven to be a versatile and talented actor, with a diverse range of films on his Will Smith movies list.

In this article, we’ll be ranking Will Smith’s top 10 best movies based on their reception and his performances. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or just discovering Will Smith’s work, this guide is for you. So, grab some popcorn, and let’s dive into the Will Smith movies list and discover the best movies of his career.

Top 10 Grossing Will Smith Movies

Will Smith is one of Hollywood’s most bankable stars and it’s no surprise that many of his movies have grossed big numbers at the box office.

James J. Murakami, an art director who received an Emmy award for his work on the HBO western drama Deadwood, has died. He was 91. As first reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Murakami passed away on Thursday, December 15, at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles, California, as confirmed by his wife, Ginger. Born on June 4, 1931, in Sacramento, California, Murakami began his career at Ziv Studios, where he worked in various art departments on several film and television projects. One of his first movie jobs came in 1974 as Assistant Art Director for Dean Tavoularis on The Godfather: Part II; he would assist Tavoularis again in 1979 for Apocalypse Now. He served as art director for multiple episodes of Battlestar Galactica in 1978 while also working on popular feature films, such as Beverly Hills Cop, True Romance, Midnight Run, and Enemy of the State. He also developed a close working relationship with Clint Eastwood,...

Gabriel Byrne, the Emmy-nominated and Golden Globe-winning “In Treatment” star, is the latest addition to the “John Wick” spinoff film “Ballerina,” starring Ana de Armas.

Production on the film is currently underway, with Len Wiseman directing from a screenplay penned by Shay Hatten (“John Wick: Chapter 4”). Basil Iwanyk, Erica Lee and Chad Stahelski are producing, while Lionsgate’s Brady Fujikawa and Chelsea Kujawa are overseeing the project.

“For decades, Gabriel’s mysterious and enigmatic presence has enriched dozens of films,” Iwanyk said in a statement. “You can never quite be sure what he’s thinking, and that’s perfect for this world.”

Also Read:

‘John Wick’ Spinoff ‘Ballerina’ Set at Lionsgate With ‘Total Recall’ Director Len Wiseman

Previously announced ensemble members include Ian McShane, Anjelica Huston, Lance Reddick, Catalina Sandino Moreno and Norman Reedus.

Byrne will next be seen playing literary giant Samuel Beckett in the biopic “Dance First,...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

There are few stars who will ever (and I mean ever) know the level of success that Will Smith has in his career. Heck, there are artists who would be thrilled to have had a music career as big as his that led to a sitcom like "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air." Yet, that was all just a preamble for an even bigger movie career, one the likes of which only a few people have ever seen. You're talking about Tom Cruise levels of superstardom. But no well-paved road is without its speed bumps and, for Smith, that speedbump came in 1999 in the form of his infamous flop, "Wild Wild West." And when it came, it came hard.

The run Smith had...

Christmas is fast approaching and while some will be busy decking the halls with boughs of holly, for many action movie fans the holidays are all about indulging in the time-honored tradition of watching Die Hard.

There are some who would have you believe Die Hard isn’t a Christmas movie. To them, we say “bah, humbug,” or rather “yippee-ki-yay….” For one thing, it’s got John McClane cast firmly in the role of Santa Claus, roaming the corridors of Nakatomi Plaza trying to find out “who’s naughty or nice.” Then there is Han Gruber, a modern-day Grinch with a dash of Ebenezer Scrooge intent on ruining the festive fun. He sees the error in his ways, of course. Unfortunately for him, that moment of realization comes as he takes a swan dive off the top of a very tall building.

It’s a biblical allegory, as well, with...

Making a massive action film like "Top Gun: Maverick" requires a meticulous amount of planning and attention to detail. One of the reasons that the blockbuster legacy sequel works so well is the commitment to not have an overreliance on the intrusive digital effects and CGI that dominate most of the big-budget landscape. That choice was decided well before one frame of film was shot, thanks to Tom Cruise's dedication to aviation and the entire field of stunt work over the past 40 years. 

When Tony Scott's original "Top Gun" barreled its way into cinemas in 1986, practical effects were still king and audiences connected more with everyday heroes instead of caped crusaders. Scott's trademark visual style and the real-world flying captured by cinematographer Jeffrey Kimball helped wow audiences that had really never seen anything that eye-popping combined with the undeniable star power and magnetism of Cruise. 

Inevitably, the decision...

Unfortunately, the most notable thing about new sorta-cyber thriller Black Mail is that this weekend it is receiving the widest release ever — 100 screens — in the UK for an independent Black British film. That’s a nice barrier to break, and I wish I could recommend the film.

Does anyone actually fall for those sextortion emails in which scammers inform you — invariably in broken English and with no proof whatsoever — that they’ve installed spyware on your computer and have recorded video of you “having fun” at a p0rn website, and threaten to send it to all your contacts unless you placate them with some Bitcoin? Well, Ray Chinda falls for it… and reacts in a ridiculously stupid way that confirms him as an easy mark. Even more unlikely than that, Chinda is meant to be “a world-famous action star at the top of his career” (according to the film...

Philip Baker Hall, who is known to Seinfeld fans as Lt. Bookman, the library detective, to Curb Your Enthusiasm fans as the ultra-serious Dr. Morrison and to movie fans as any in a long list of memorable characters in films such as Hard Eight, Magnolia, Boogie Nights, Dogville, The Insider, The Truman Show, Rush Hour and many more, has died, according to his friend and neighbor, the Los Angeles Times sportswriter Sam Farmer. He was 90.

Hall will be remembered by the legions of Seinfeld fans for playing one of the most popular one-off characters the show ever saw. He was Lt. Bookman, the library detective who tracked Jerry Seinfeld down for not returning a book the “joy boy” — as Bookman called him, among other things — had checked out in 1971. His diatribe about Seinfeld and his “good-time buddies” is chock-full of quotable lines that still tickle fans of the show.

Hollywood...

Shudder Acquires Official Fantasia Festival Selection Moloch: "Shudder, AMC Network’s premium streaming service for horror, thriller and the supernatural, has acquired rights to Dutch director Nico van den Brink’s directorial debut Moloch. The film, an official selection of the Fantasia International Film Festival, will be available exclusively on Shudder in the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand on Thursday, July 21.

“Moloch is a bold and thrilling new folk horror that is sure to chill Shudder members this summer,” said Shudder general manager Craig Engler.

Added Nico van den Brink, ”I’m extremely excited to be working with Shudder in bringing Moloch to horror-lovers worldwide. The film will have a wonderful home there. I know we have some very creepy stories to tell in the Netherlands and I'm really looking forward to inviting Shudder's diverse and international audience into the unique world of local Dutch folklore.

“Mephistopheles can be a mouthful in Manhattan, Johnny.”

Writer-director Alan Parker’s haunting and psychological horror-thriller masterpiece, Angel Heart, arrives July 12 for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook from Lionsgate, exclusively at Best Buy

Writer-director Alan Parker’s haunting and psychological horror-thriller masterpiece, Angel Heart, arrives July 12 for the first time ever on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray+ Digital SteelBook from Lionsgate, exclusively at Best Buy.

Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Sir Alan Parker (Mississippi Burning), Angel Heart features two-time Oscar-winning actor Robert De Niro, Primetime Emmy nominee Lisa Bonet, Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke, and Oscar and Primetime Emmy nominee Charlotte Rampling. Angel Heart will be available on 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital SteelBook for the suggested retail price of 27.99.

Oscar nominee Mickey Rourke is Harry Angel, a down-and-out Brooklyn detective who is hired by the mysterious Louis Cyphre (Oscar winner Robert De Niro...

(Welcome to Year of the Vampire, a series examining the greatest, strangest, and sometimes overlooked vampire movies of all time in honor of "Nosferatu," which turns 100 this year.)

Trigger Warning: Be advised that this article deals with issues of assault and grooming. If you are a survivor there are resources available. 

The atmospheric horror thriller "The Hunger" is something of an anomaly in director Tony Scott's filmography. While the late British helmer (who cut his teeth on commercials) made a box office mint on slick action hits like "Top Gun," "Days of Thunder," and "Enemy of the State," his debut feature allowed him to...

The post Year Of The Vampire: The Hunger Is A Deceptively Gorgeous Movie About Grooming appeared first on /Film.

May 2022 represents the calm before the storm for Amazon Prime Video. Early June will see the arrival of the much-hyped third season of The Boys. Before all that, however, Prime has some other streaming goodies to tide you over.

This month is highlighted by a handful of intriguing original series. Season two of Amazon’s sleeper hit The Wilds premieres on May 6. This pulpy mystery series about a group of teenage girls marooned on an island is Prime Video’s version of Lost or Yellowjackets so give it a watch if that kind of thing sounds up your alley. Also arriving on May 6 is the true crime docuseries The Unsolved Murder of Beverly Lynn Smith.

Canada’s finest comedy goobers The Kids in the Hall return in a rebooted version of their sketch series on May 13. The week after that J.K. Simmons will try his hand at sci-fi once again...

An original sci-fi series starring two Oscar winners, the second season of a buzzworthy teen show and the return of a beloved cult comedy series are just some of the new additions to Amazon Prime Video in May.

Below, you can peruse a full list of the movies and TV shows that are being added to Amazon Prime Video in May 2022. The second season of the Prime Video original series “The Wilds” debuts on May 6, telling the story of a group of girls who have been stranded on an island as part of an experiment.

And on May 13, the iconic Canadian sketch comedy troupe “The Kids in the Hall” return for a slew of new episodes, reunited for the first time in years.

If it’s original sci-fi you’re into, J.K. Simmons and Sissy Spacek play a couple who have a portal in their backyard in the new series “Night Sky,...

Three decades into his career, Will Smith remains one of the most successful actors of his generation and one unafraid to continue to pursue the possibility of blockbuster domination alongside smaller projects only he could make happen. Smith’s initial foray into the movie business included supporting roles in “Where the Day Takes You” (1992), “Made in America” (1993), and a co-lead role in “Six Degrees of Separation” (1993): dramas that drew some critical acclaim but yielded very limited box office.

Then the actor reconsidered his career objectives, realizing how important box office was to longevity, and researched what ingredients were necessary to turn movies into blockbusters. It worked.

Over the following decade, the vast majority of the movies he starred in met those requirements — high budget, high concept projects, typically released in the summer, with the potential to make a lot of money: the “Men in Black” and “Bad Boys” franchises,...

Spider-Man has a couple of major milestones coming up. This year marks the 60 year anniversary of Spider-Man’s first appearance in Amazing Fantasy #15. We’re also getting a new volume of Amazing Spider-Man with a brand new first issue by Zeb Wells and John Romita Jr. Marvel is also celebrating the upcoming 900th issue of the long-running comic with Wells working with Ed McGuinness.

Wells’ big Spidey run is coming up this April and it comes with a big question: “What did Spider-Man do?”

While John Romita, Jr. is one of the Spider-Man artists, Zeb Wells also has had a big hand in the wallcrawler’s history. He wrote for the underrated Avenging Spider-Man series, gave us one of the best Lizard comics ever in the “Shed” storyline, brought back Carnage from being torn in half by the Sentry in space, had Spider-Man team up with Barack Obama, as well as many other stories.

Regina King’s acting and directing career is abundant with accolades. So much so that the USC alumna reigns as the most awarded African-American performer to date with an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and four Primetime Emmys.

“I’m born and bred in L.A., when we got to see a film at the Chinese Theatre it was always an event because we could put our hands and feet on the prints of the movie stars,” she says. “I always wondered, was it hard to decide what shoe to wear? Who would have thunk I would answer my own question 40 years late …. yep! It is difficult to decide. I’m struggling between a pump and sneaker right now.”

Her legacy thus far is an eclectic mix of comedy (Friday) and drama (If Beale Street Could Talk), action (Watchmen) and adventure (The Harder They Fall). Her energy is palpable even when behind the scenes,...

XYZ Films has acquired North American sales rights to “Indemnity,” an action thriller from South African director Travis Taute that’s set to world premiere at Montreal’s Fantasia Film Festival.

Written and directed by Taute, “Indemnity” tells the story of an ex-firefighter in Cape Town who’s forced to fight for his life after being accused of murdering his wife. Starring Jarrid Geduld, Nicole Fortuin and Andre Jacobs, pic is produced by Benjamin Overmeyer and Bradley Joshua for Gambit Films, the South African production outfit behind the Netflix series “Blood and Water” and the Fantasia prize winner “Number 37.”

“‘Indemnity’ is, at its very core, a simple and poetic journey of one man’s attempt at redemption in the wake of a devastating trauma,” said Taute. “It was conceived as a vehicle to shine a spotlight on the importance of mental health and deliver sobering insight into the destructive nature of toxic masculinity.