Starring alongside Tom Cruise in the 1986 action film, Top Gun, Val Kilmer portrayed Lt. Tom Kazansky, aka Iceman, serving as a rival to Cruise’s Pete Maverick, a role he would later reprise in the 2022 sequel. Their dynamic, which evolved from a playful rivalry to a deep friendship, captivated fans.
Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer in Top Gun | Credit: Paramount
However, Kilmer’s candid revelation about his initial reservations about the original film not only adds depth to this dynamic but also offers a compelling insight into his artistic integrity and values, along with his professionalism and dedication to his craft.
Val Kilmer Was Reluctant About Starring in Top Gun
In the 2021 Amazon Prime documentary, Val, which offers an insight into the Hollywood star Val Kilmer’s life with behind-the-scenes clips and images, the actor revealed that he was offered the role of Iceman in Tony Scott’s action film...
Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer in Top Gun | Credit: Paramount
However, Kilmer’s candid revelation about his initial reservations about the original film not only adds depth to this dynamic but also offers a compelling insight into his artistic integrity and values, along with his professionalism and dedication to his craft.
Val Kilmer Was Reluctant About Starring in Top Gun
In the 2021 Amazon Prime documentary, Val, which offers an insight into the Hollywood star Val Kilmer’s life with behind-the-scenes clips and images, the actor revealed that he was offered the role of Iceman in Tony Scott’s action film...
- 5/18/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
What exactly is BASEketball anyway? If you’re a child of a certain era, you know exactly what it is. If not, well, let me explain. In the late nineties, the hottest comic duo was no doubt Trey Parker and Matt Stone. Together, they had charted a unique path to stardom. Two University Of Colorado grads, the two had their beginnings in the early nineties when they made a micro-budget indie called Cannibal: The Musical, which, despite failing to get into the Sundance Film Festival, became kind of a calling card for them. It got them a unique job directing a corporate film about Universal Pictures for Seagrams, who were acquiring the company, thanks to the patronage of David Zucker, one of the directors behind The Naked Gun, Top Secret and Airplane, who was a fan of their movie. They parlayed their success into a low-budget comedy called Orgazmo, which...
- 5/15/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
One of America's strangest celebrity sagas came to an abrupt, anticlimactic close when O.J. Simpson died at the age of 76 on April 10, 2024. The Heisman Trophy-winning running back from the University of Southern California became a professional football phenomenon during his 11-season tenure with the Buffalo Bills. He was blindingly handsome and charismatic, as comfortable in front of a camera as he was breaking tackles on the gridiron. Unlike Jim Brown, Simpson chose to keep playing football when he embarked on his acting career; and though Simpson was typically cast in supporting roles, they were often high-profile productions (namely the Best Picture-nominated "The Towering Inferno" and the Emmy-winning miniseries "Roots").
When Simpson retired, he continued to act while staying close to football as an on-field reporter for NBC. You never knew where The Juice was going to turn up, but you were never unhappy to see him. This was especially true...
When Simpson retired, he continued to act while staying close to football as an on-field reporter for NBC. You never knew where The Juice was going to turn up, but you were never unhappy to see him. This was especially true...
- 4/21/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
American Idol fans don’t want to see Katy Perry leave her position as a judge alongside Lionel Richie and Luke Bryan. Recently, the superstar announced her planned departure. But that doesn’t mean she’s leaving the spotlight, as fans can anticipate new music from Perry soon. Here’s the breakable handbag she wore to promote her next album.
Katy Perry teased her new album with a note inside of a glass mini handbag ‘American Idol’ judge Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom | Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize Related
‘American Idol’: Katy Perry Likely ‘Annoyed’ by ‘Lumpy,’ ‘Awful’ Dresses Producers Make Her Wear, Stylist Says
Katy Perry is teasing what’s next for her after American Idol Season 22 — and fans of her music should get excited. On April 14, 2024, Perry posted photos on Instagram showing her and her fiancé, Orlando Bloom, at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony in Los Angeles.
Katy Perry teased her new album with a note inside of a glass mini handbag ‘American Idol’ judge Katy Perry and Orlando Bloom | Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images for Breakthrough Prize Related
‘American Idol’: Katy Perry Likely ‘Annoyed’ by ‘Lumpy,’ ‘Awful’ Dresses Producers Make Her Wear, Stylist Says
Katy Perry is teasing what’s next for her after American Idol Season 22 — and fans of her music should get excited. On April 14, 2024, Perry posted photos on Instagram showing her and her fiancé, Orlando Bloom, at the Breakthrough Prize Ceremony in Los Angeles.
- 4/16/2024
- by Lauren Weiler
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Netflix Celebrating 1984 Cinema With 40th Anniversary Collection Including ‘Nightmare on Elm Street’
Netflix kicked off their Milestone Movies: The Anniversary Collection initiative back in January with a 50th anniversary collection paying tribute to the movies of 1974, which notably included Larry Cohen’s horror movie It’s Alive. We were also promised collections celebrating 1984, 1994 and 2004 in the coming months, and the 1984 collection is now live.
Netflix’s 1984 Collection is now streaming, and it includes Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street alongside the original adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter!
The 1984 collection also includes the following films:
2010: The Year We Make Contact Against All Odds Amadeus A Nightmare on Elm Street A Passage to India Beverly Hills Cop Birdy Body Double Conan the Destroyer Falling in Love Firestarter Firstborn Footloose Iceman Joy of Sex The Killing Fields Moscow on the Hudson Micki & Maude Places in the Heart Repo Man The River Sixteen Candles Starman Top Secret!
You can browse the full collection over on Netflix now.
Netflix’s 1984 Collection is now streaming, and it includes Wes Craven’s A Nightmare on Elm Street alongside the original adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter!
The 1984 collection also includes the following films:
2010: The Year We Make Contact Against All Odds Amadeus A Nightmare on Elm Street A Passage to India Beverly Hills Cop Birdy Body Double Conan the Destroyer Falling in Love Firestarter Firstborn Footloose Iceman Joy of Sex The Killing Fields Moscow on the Hudson Micki & Maude Places in the Heart Repo Man The River Sixteen Candles Starman Top Secret!
You can browse the full collection over on Netflix now.
- 4/1/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
‘Naked Gun’ Turns 35: Team on Adapting Failed TV Series, Leslie Nielsen’s Magic, Reboot Frustrations
Turning a short-lived parody TV series into a feature film was always going to involve taking a chance, but as the team behind the Naked Gun franchise learned, it wasn’t quite on the level of sticking your face in a fan.
Following the breakout success of the 1980 smash hit Airplane!, that film’s writer-director team — David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker — found themselves grounded when ABC promptly canceled their police-spoofing show Police Squad! in 1982. But the series’ co-creators refused to let the concept die and went on to adapt it for The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, which Paramount Pictures released theatrically on Dec. 2, 1988. The movie, featuring Leslie Nielsen reprising his Police Squad! lead role as accident-prone police lieutenant Frank Drebin, also starred Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalbán, George Kennedy and O. J. Simpson.
To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the original Naked Gun film that...
Following the breakout success of the 1980 smash hit Airplane!, that film’s writer-director team — David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker — found themselves grounded when ABC promptly canceled their police-spoofing show Police Squad! in 1982. But the series’ co-creators refused to let the concept die and went on to adapt it for The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!, which Paramount Pictures released theatrically on Dec. 2, 1988. The movie, featuring Leslie Nielsen reprising his Police Squad! lead role as accident-prone police lieutenant Frank Drebin, also starred Priscilla Presley, Ricardo Montalbán, George Kennedy and O. J. Simpson.
To celebrate the 35th anniversary of the original Naked Gun film that...
- 12/21/2023
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The heat is most definitely on in this episode of revisited, as we’re looking back on a quintessential piece of 1980s action / comedy movie-making, that helped to launch the career of American funnyman Eddie Murphy into the stratosphere. That’s right folk, with the much anticipated fourth entry in the series on the horizon, we’re taking a retrospective look at the Axel F infused goodness that is Beverly Hills Cop. Ok, well, I guess part four isn’t necessarily ‘much anticipated’ across the entire movie-world, but Eddie Murphy has had somewhat of a career resurgence in recent times and apart from a slightly tame and disappointing Coming 2 America, and the relative appeal of You People, he’s made a positive return the spotlight. Part four is currently slated, as per time of writing this video, for 2024 but there have been whispers about it possibly surfacing on Netflix,...
- 10/12/2023
- by Adam Walton
- JoBlo.com
Fox’s The Masked Singer Season 10 is coming soon, and fans can’t wait to see the new masks hitting the stage. A new preview includes snippets of five masks that fans have never seen before — and future viewers have opinions. Here are the five new masks seen in the sneak peek.
The Masked Singer Season 10 preview shows 5 new masks Related
Top Secret ‘The Masked Singer’ Clue Process is More Involved Than You Might Think
The Masked Singer Season 10 premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, at 8 p.m. Et on Fox, and fans are already excited about the possible celebrities hitting the stage. Because it’s the show’s 10th season, fans can expect new twists and turns they haven’t seen yet.
“In honor of its milestone 10th season, The Masked Singer is celebrating with the biggest and boldest costumes in the show’s history — with the buzziest and brightest celebrities underneath!
The Masked Singer Season 10 preview shows 5 new masks Related
Top Secret ‘The Masked Singer’ Clue Process is More Involved Than You Might Think
The Masked Singer Season 10 premieres on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, at 8 p.m. Et on Fox, and fans are already excited about the possible celebrities hitting the stage. Because it’s the show’s 10th season, fans can expect new twists and turns they haven’t seen yet.
“In honor of its milestone 10th season, The Masked Singer is celebrating with the biggest and boldest costumes in the show’s history — with the buzziest and brightest celebrities underneath!
- 8/3/2023
- by Lauren Weiler
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
July brings new channels to Pluto TV, including the Godzilla Channel, which features 30 films, such as “Godzilla Vs. King Chidorah” and “Godzilla vs. Biollante,” as well as the 1998-2000 animated adventure “Godzilla: The Series.” The Hollywood Squares Channel is also debuting. Celebrities in nine separate tic-tac-toe boxes provide right — and wrong — answers to contestants longing to hear “circle gets the square!”
July continues the streamer’s Summer Popcorn Movies with the “Mission Impossible” franchise starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, an agent of the Impossible Missions Force (Imf). Cruise has played the super-fit spy since 1996, as well as produced the series. The seventh iteration, “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1,” has a theatrical release date of July 12.
Check out the first “Mission Impossible” trailer
“The Soldier’s Story,” a gripping 1984 drama nominated for three Academy Awards, is a jarring mystery about the death of a black sergeant stationed at a...
July continues the streamer’s Summer Popcorn Movies with the “Mission Impossible” franchise starring Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, an agent of the Impossible Missions Force (Imf). Cruise has played the super-fit spy since 1996, as well as produced the series. The seventh iteration, “Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part 1,” has a theatrical release date of July 12.
Check out the first “Mission Impossible” trailer
“The Soldier’s Story,” a gripping 1984 drama nominated for three Academy Awards, is a jarring mystery about the death of a black sergeant stationed at a...
- 6/30/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
The lucky few managed to snag a Mission Impossible 7-branded umbrella. There were dozens of them, neatly arranged on the marble banisters of the Spanish Steps, the majestic staircase of Rome’s Piazza di Spagna that is no stranger to large-scale social events, but rarely finds itself the center of a global premiere like this: The bow of Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning, Part One.
For everybody else — and we’re talking about thousands of people, of all ages and nationalities — all that’s left to do is to shelter themselves from the scorching sun, which melts the makeup of fans, journalists and influencers (TikTokers are there to the left of the Barcaccia fountain) alike. They spent more than half an hour taking photos of the piazza, with their studied poses and skimpy, glittery outfits.
The undisputed star on this very hot Roman afternoon is Tom Cruise. That quintessential action actor,...
For everybody else — and we’re talking about thousands of people, of all ages and nationalities — all that’s left to do is to shelter themselves from the scorching sun, which melts the makeup of fans, journalists and influencers (TikTokers are there to the left of the Barcaccia fountain) alike. They spent more than half an hour taking photos of the piazza, with their studied poses and skimpy, glittery outfits.
The undisputed star on this very hot Roman afternoon is Tom Cruise. That quintessential action actor,...
- 6/20/2023
- by Arianna Di Cori
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Tales From The Box Office: Meet The Spartans, One Of The Worst-Reviewed Movies Ever, Was Still A Hit
(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.)
Spoof movies have been a staple of comedy for decades. For as long as popular cinema exists, there is an argument to be made that somebody should be there to send up the popular genre of the moment. Perhaps the greatest of all time in this department were David and Jerry Zucker, aka the Zucker brothers, who were behind such comedy masterpieces as "Top Secret," "Ruthless People," and, most importantly, "Airplane!"
Unfortunately, the spoof movie took a pretty rough turn in the 2000s largely thanks to the success of "Scary Movie," a send up of the slasher craze that was reignited by "Scream" several years earlier. The film was a big hit and spawned several sequels and, before getting massive rewrites after being sold to Dimension Films,...
Spoof movies have been a staple of comedy for decades. For as long as popular cinema exists, there is an argument to be made that somebody should be there to send up the popular genre of the moment. Perhaps the greatest of all time in this department were David and Jerry Zucker, aka the Zucker brothers, who were behind such comedy masterpieces as "Top Secret," "Ruthless People," and, most importantly, "Airplane!"
Unfortunately, the spoof movie took a pretty rough turn in the 2000s largely thanks to the success of "Scary Movie," a send up of the slasher craze that was reignited by "Scream" several years earlier. The film was a big hit and spawned several sequels and, before getting massive rewrites after being sold to Dimension Films,...
- 1/21/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Stephen Colbert took some time in his monologue on Tuesday to poke fun at Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. This time, it was over the fact that she got slapped with a cease and desists order after using one of rapper Dr. Dre’s songs without permission on a video posted to Twitter.
“The Late Show” host went on to joke that “The Chronic” mastermind must also be a lawyer in addition to being a doctor, which checks out honestly.
For those catching up, Greene posted an extremely dorky video of herself walking in slow motion through a hallway in congress as Dre’s 1999 classic “Still D.R.E.” played in the background. Which of course wasn’t cleared, resulting in the C&d and, according to her, a temporary suspension from Twitter.
“Man, those automated iPhone slideshow videos are getting weird,” Colbert joked after he played the clip. “You...
“The Late Show” host went on to joke that “The Chronic” mastermind must also be a lawyer in addition to being a doctor, which checks out honestly.
For those catching up, Greene posted an extremely dorky video of herself walking in slow motion through a hallway in congress as Dre’s 1999 classic “Still D.R.E.” played in the background. Which of course wasn’t cleared, resulting in the C&d and, according to her, a temporary suspension from Twitter.
“Man, those automated iPhone slideshow videos are getting weird,” Colbert joked after he played the clip. “You...
- 1/11/2023
- by Ross A. Lincoln and Joshua Vinson
- The Wrap
If you've never seen the 1984 comedy "Top Secret!", it's a film that pulls double-duty as both a spoof of spy movies and Elvis Presley. The comedy in the film is equal parts broad, clever, slapstick, and dumb, as you might expect from Jim Abrahams and the Zucker brothers, David and Jerry, who previously unleashed "Airplane!" on the world. And as you might also expect, it's also uproariously funny. But the film is most memorable for introducing audiences to Val Kilmer, who turns in a star-making performance as Nick Rivers -- a rock and roll heartthrob who gets pulled into the world of international espionage and intrigue.
Given Kilmer's reputation as a serious actor, thanks to stellar turns in movies like "Tombstone," "The Doors," and "Heat," it's easy to forget that his earliest work on the big screen was in the comedy genre. Between "Top Secret!" and "Real Genius," he...
Given Kilmer's reputation as a serious actor, thanks to stellar turns in movies like "Tombstone," "The Doors," and "Heat," it's easy to forget that his earliest work on the big screen was in the comedy genre. Between "Top Secret!" and "Real Genius," he...
- 1/7/2023
- by Jeff Kelly
- Slash Film
It’s New Year’s Eve once again over at Trailers From Hell, so you know what that means, fellow cineastes: it’s Val Kilmer’s birthday!
As such, our Kilmer Birthday Committee (of one) will continue its annual tradition of watching one Val classic in celebration. Tonight’s entertainment: the criminally under-seen and intensely silly Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker adventure comedy Top Secret! (1984), a mash-up Elvis musical/spy caper parody picture. This relentlessly unserious entertainment carries special significance for Kilmerphiles, as it brought the world Val’s first-ever feature film role.
Now when Val Kilmer makes his celluloid acting debut, he’s not just some featured extra, or the 12th lead, or whatever. Don’t be silly. He’s the star, damn it.
In Top Secret!, that means he’s Nick Rivers, a Presley-esque rock and roller who finds himself inadvertently at the heart of an attempted hostile overseas takeover. This raucous...
As such, our Kilmer Birthday Committee (of one) will continue its annual tradition of watching one Val classic in celebration. Tonight’s entertainment: the criminally under-seen and intensely silly Zucker-Abrahams-Zucker adventure comedy Top Secret! (1984), a mash-up Elvis musical/spy caper parody picture. This relentlessly unserious entertainment carries special significance for Kilmerphiles, as it brought the world Val’s first-ever feature film role.
Now when Val Kilmer makes his celluloid acting debut, he’s not just some featured extra, or the 12th lead, or whatever. Don’t be silly. He’s the star, damn it.
In Top Secret!, that means he’s Nick Rivers, a Presley-esque rock and roller who finds himself inadvertently at the heart of an attempted hostile overseas takeover. This raucous...
- 1/1/2023
- by Alex Kirschenbaum
- Trailers from Hell
Oliver Stone was born in 1946. Jim Morrison was born in 1943. Stone was 19 when The Doors first formed in 1965. Morrison was 22. By 1991, a 45-year-old Stone had established himself as a notable and hard-striking American Boomer auteur with films like "Platoon," "Wall Street," and "Born on the Fourth of July." By 1991, Morrison had been dead for 20 years.
Stone's wild, drug-soaked biopic "The Doors" was released to modest success and a warm critical response (the film currently holds a mere 57 approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes). Using multiple film formats and a freewheeling narrative, "The Doors" certainly captured the sweaty, drugged-out experience of attending a concert in the late 1960s, but didn't offer too much beyond the death wish-inflected arc possessed by the band's doomed lead singer.
Morrison was played by Val Kilmer, a rising star at the time with comedy hits like "Top Secret!" and "Real Genius," as well as blockbusters like "Top Gun" and "Willow,...
Stone's wild, drug-soaked biopic "The Doors" was released to modest success and a warm critical response (the film currently holds a mere 57 approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes). Using multiple film formats and a freewheeling narrative, "The Doors" certainly captured the sweaty, drugged-out experience of attending a concert in the late 1960s, but didn't offer too much beyond the death wish-inflected arc possessed by the band's doomed lead singer.
Morrison was played by Val Kilmer, a rising star at the time with comedy hits like "Top Secret!" and "Real Genius," as well as blockbusters like "Top Gun" and "Willow,...
- 12/9/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
When Val Kilmer's Madmartigan first appears in director Ron Howard's 1988 fantasy film "Willow," he's locked in a hanging cage awaiting his death. "Give me some water, peck, or you'll die. You understand? Water!" he growls, grabbing the movie's plucky hero Willow Ufgood (Warwick Davis) from behind. After teaming up, the pair go on to quibble over the appropriate food to feed a human baby and take a precarious but undeniably fun-looking sled ride down a snowy slope to avoid being captured by their enemies.
Madmartigan, the swaggering scamp of a swordsman that he is, is a role that calls for an actor with excellent comedic timing along with a knack for effortlessly emanating braggadocio. Kilmer had already proven himself to possess both those traits in spades by the time he signed on for "Willow," having cut his teeth with early career roles in the broad 1980s comedies "Top Secret!
Madmartigan, the swaggering scamp of a swordsman that he is, is a role that calls for an actor with excellent comedic timing along with a knack for effortlessly emanating braggadocio. Kilmer had already proven himself to possess both those traits in spades by the time he signed on for "Willow," having cut his teeth with early career roles in the broad 1980s comedies "Top Secret!
- 11/29/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
If you’re a fan of Ron Howard’s fantasy film, “Willow,” you’re probably someone who enjoys the chemistry between the title character, played by Warwick Davis, and his cohort on the adventure, Madmartigan, played by Val Kilmer. The 1988 film was positioned right in the sweet spot of Val Kilmer’s career, where he was emerging as one of the biggest and most charismatic stars on the planet, following films like “Top Gun,” “Real Genius,” and “Top Secret.” So, with “Willow” getting a reboot on Disney+ this week, fans were probably hoping to see Kilmer reprise his role.
Continue reading ‘Willow’: Jonathan Kasdan Says Val Kilmer Had To Be Written Out Of Reboot Due To Covid Concerns at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Willow’: Jonathan Kasdan Says Val Kilmer Had To Be Written Out Of Reboot Due To Covid Concerns at The Playlist.
- 11/29/2022
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Airplane! director David Zucker recently reiterated a joke he’s told frequently through the years.
“When we do screenings of Airplane! we get the question if we could do Airplane! today,” said Zucker. “The first thing I could think of was, ‘Sure, just without the jokes.’ “
In a video posted this week by Dennis Prager’s Prager U, the director of comedy classics such as The Kentucky Fried Movie, Top Secret! and the Naked Gun films got more specific about the current state of Hollywood.
“My current writing partner Pat Proft and I wrote a parody of James Bond and Mission: Impossible,” related Zucker. “One female executive said, ‘This joke is getting pretty risqué here.’ It was a mild joke about the lead female character. Because she had come up through the police department and through the FBI…she needed a breast reduction to fit into the kevlar vest.”
Zucker,...
“When we do screenings of Airplane! we get the question if we could do Airplane! today,” said Zucker. “The first thing I could think of was, ‘Sure, just without the jokes.’ “
In a video posted this week by Dennis Prager’s Prager U, the director of comedy classics such as The Kentucky Fried Movie, Top Secret! and the Naked Gun films got more specific about the current state of Hollywood.
“My current writing partner Pat Proft and I wrote a parody of James Bond and Mission: Impossible,” related Zucker. “One female executive said, ‘This joke is getting pretty risqué here.’ It was a mild joke about the lead female character. Because she had come up through the police department and through the FBI…she needed a breast reduction to fit into the kevlar vest.”
Zucker,...
- 11/10/2022
- by Tom Tapp
- Deadline Film + TV
When the now disbanded Zaz trio of David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker were on their spoof game, they belonged to a very exclusive club that, to this day, includes only Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and Monty Python. Their parody run of "Kentucky Fried Movie," "Airplane!," "Top Secret!" and "The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad!" remains unmatched. And while they were likely too talented to miss the mark in their heyday, it's difficult to imagine them drilling the bullseye so emphatically without the deadpan genius of Leslie Nielsen.
When Nielsen was cast as the unflappable Dr. Rumack in "Airplane!," he was best known for his stolid performances in films like "Forbidden Planet," "The Swamp Fox" and "The Poseidon Adventure." He provided instant, deathly serious gravity to every scene he entered. He was no one's idea of a comedic dynamo, which is why he was perfect for the part of Rumack.
When Nielsen was cast as the unflappable Dr. Rumack in "Airplane!," he was best known for his stolid performances in films like "Forbidden Planet," "The Swamp Fox" and "The Poseidon Adventure." He provided instant, deathly serious gravity to every scene he entered. He was no one's idea of a comedic dynamo, which is why he was perfect for the part of Rumack.
- 11/1/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Iconic action star Scott Adkins returns to discuss a few of his favorite comedies with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Day Shift (2022)
John Wick (2014)
Accident Man (2018)
Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday (2022)
Deadpool (2016)
Rrr (2022)
The Evil Dead (1981) – Fede Alvarez’s trailer commentary
Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn (1987) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary, Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Army Of Darkness (1992)
Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary
Snatched (2017)
Snatch (2000)
Citizen Kane (1941) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
The Pink Panther (1963) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
A Shot In The Dark (1964) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
Dumb And Dumber (1994)
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
Bad Trip (2020)
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013)
Airplane! (1980) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979) – Eli Roth’s trailer commentary
Zero Hour!
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Day Shift (2022)
John Wick (2014)
Accident Man (2018)
Accident Man: Hitman’s Holiday (2022)
Deadpool (2016)
Rrr (2022)
The Evil Dead (1981) – Fede Alvarez’s trailer commentary
Evil Dead II: Dead By Dawn (1987) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary, Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Army Of Darkness (1992)
Bubba Ho-Tep (2002) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary
Snatched (2017)
Snatch (2000)
Citizen Kane (1941) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
The Pink Panther (1963) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
A Shot In The Dark (1964) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary
The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
Dumb And Dumber (1994)
Ace Ventura: Pet Detective (1994)
Bad Trip (2020)
Jackass Presents: Bad Grandpa (2013)
Airplane! (1980) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
Kentucky Fried Movie (1977) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979) – Eli Roth’s trailer commentary
Zero Hour!
- 10/18/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
A reboot of the crime spoof series “The Naked Gun” is in development at Paramount, and Liam Neeson is in talks to star in the role that the late Leslie Nielsen made iconic, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
Akiva Schaffer, best known as one third of The Lonely Island but also the director of this year’s “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers” movie on Disney+, has been tapped to direct the rebooted “Naked Gun” film.
Schaffer will reunite with the “Rescue Rangers” writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand to write the script based on a previous draft from Mark Hentemann & Alec Sulkin.
Seth MacFarlane of “Family Guy” and “Ted” fame is also producing the reboot alongside Erica Huggins via their company Fuzzy Door.
Also Read:
Emma Watson, Will Ferrell, Daniel Dae Kim and More to Battle It Out on CBS’ Pickleball Tourney
“The Naked Gun” franchise,...
Akiva Schaffer, best known as one third of The Lonely Island but also the director of this year’s “Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers” movie on Disney+, has been tapped to direct the rebooted “Naked Gun” film.
Schaffer will reunite with the “Rescue Rangers” writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand to write the script based on a previous draft from Mark Hentemann & Alec Sulkin.
Seth MacFarlane of “Family Guy” and “Ted” fame is also producing the reboot alongside Erica Huggins via their company Fuzzy Door.
Also Read:
Emma Watson, Will Ferrell, Daniel Dae Kim and More to Battle It Out on CBS’ Pickleball Tourney
“The Naked Gun” franchise,...
- 10/13/2022
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
It’s last call for a number of excellent Comedy Central series as well as a handful of genuinely great films on HBO Max this month.
On Oct. 31, the Comedy Central shows “Key and Peele,” “Nathan for You,” “Inside Amy Schumer,” “Reno 911!” and “Chappelle’s Show” (the first two seasons) will depart HBO Max, likely heading to Paramount+ at some point in November.
Also leaving HBO Max this month is the Halsey music film “If I Can’t Have Love I Want Power,” as well as the surprisingly great horror prequel “Annabelle: Creation.” Other noteworthy depatures include “Capote,” “High Fidelity,” “Jerry Maguire,” “McCabe and Mrs. Miller,” the 1994 version of “Little Women” and the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” movies.
Check out the full list of what’s leaving HBO Max in October below.
Also Read:
Here’s What’s New on Hulu in October 2022
October 6
If I Can’t Have...
On Oct. 31, the Comedy Central shows “Key and Peele,” “Nathan for You,” “Inside Amy Schumer,” “Reno 911!” and “Chappelle’s Show” (the first two seasons) will depart HBO Max, likely heading to Paramount+ at some point in November.
Also leaving HBO Max this month is the Halsey music film “If I Can’t Have Love I Want Power,” as well as the surprisingly great horror prequel “Annabelle: Creation.” Other noteworthy depatures include “Capote,” “High Fidelity,” “Jerry Maguire,” “McCabe and Mrs. Miller,” the 1994 version of “Little Women” and the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” movies.
Check out the full list of what’s leaving HBO Max in October below.
Also Read:
Here’s What’s New on Hulu in October 2022
October 6
If I Can’t Have...
- 10/1/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Years before he flaunted his versatility in "The Doors," "Tombstone" and "Heat," it appeared as though Val Kilmer was going to be one of Hollywood's go-to comedy stars. Though David Zucker, Jim Abrahams and Jerry Zucker's "Top Secret!" flopped at the box office in 1984, those who were wise enough to rush out and catch it walked away impressed with the actor's ability to deadpan one moment and switch on his rockstar swagger the next. He followed that up the next year with an immensely appealing performance as troublemaking genius Chris Knight in Martha Coolidge's hysterical "Real Genius."
Kilmer's arrival was as sudden as it was welcome. Unlike many stars, he hadn't paid his dues via two-line roles in schlocky exploitation flicks or sitcoms. He just showed up, and we instantly adored him. If you had to guess, you figured he'd studied improv at Second City or The Groundlings.
Kilmer's arrival was as sudden as it was welcome. Unlike many stars, he hadn't paid his dues via two-line roles in schlocky exploitation flicks or sitcoms. He just showed up, and we instantly adored him. If you had to guess, you figured he'd studied improv at Second City or The Groundlings.
- 9/30/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
In last year's documentary "Val," Val Kilmer talks about his Broadway debut in "The Slab Boys." He was originally cast in the lead role but got bumped down to second lead when Kevin Bacon was suddenly available. Then, when Sean Penn also became free, he was relegated to the third-best part. You can still hear the resentment, but then the proud professional takes over as he quotes the old adage: "There are no small parts, only small actors."
I always found a disconnect between Kilmer's sun-kissed good looks and his pouting aloofness. It was like he thought he was the smartest guy in the room and was waiting for everyone else to catch up. The documentary makes some of these contradictions more understandable: As a precocious talent, he was the youngest person ever accepted by the Juilliard School's prestigious Drama Division at the time, driven in pursuit of excellence by...
I always found a disconnect between Kilmer's sun-kissed good looks and his pouting aloofness. It was like he thought he was the smartest guy in the room and was waiting for everyone else to catch up. The documentary makes some of these contradictions more understandable: As a precocious talent, he was the youngest person ever accepted by the Juilliard School's prestigious Drama Division at the time, driven in pursuit of excellence by...
- 9/15/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
“I’m somewhere in or near Grand Rapids, Michigan,” estimates “Weird Al” Yankovic from the back of his tour bus, his signature curls trying to escape from behind headphones. The singer-songwriter was definitely heading to Toronto, where his movie Weird opened the film festival’s Midnight Madness section on Thursday.
Weird, which Yankovic co-wrote with director Eric Appel (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Silicon Valley) and produced, stars Daniel Radcliffe as a subversive version of Yankovic, seen in the trailer shirtless, swilling whiskey onstage and entertaining Madonna (played by Evan Rachel Wood) in between accordion riffs. The film offers Yankovic, long considered the undisputed king of the parody song with hits like “Amish Paradise” and “Like a Surgeon” — sendups of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” and Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” respectively — the opportunity to spoof his own rise to stardom as well as the well-worn tropes of the music biopic.
“I’m somewhere in or near Grand Rapids, Michigan,” estimates “Weird Al” Yankovic from the back of his tour bus, his signature curls trying to escape from behind headphones. The singer-songwriter was definitely heading to Toronto, where his movie Weird opened the film festival’s Midnight Madness section on Thursday.
Weird, which Yankovic co-wrote with director Eric Appel (Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Silicon Valley) and produced, stars Daniel Radcliffe as a subversive version of Yankovic, seen in the trailer shirtless, swilling whiskey onstage and entertaining Madonna (played by Evan Rachel Wood) in between accordion riffs. The film offers Yankovic, long considered the undisputed king of the parody song with hits like “Amish Paradise” and “Like a Surgeon” — sendups of Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” and Madonna’s “Like a Virgin,” respectively — the opportunity to spoof his own rise to stardom as well as the well-worn tropes of the music biopic.
- 9/9/2022
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Angus MacLane, animation veteran and director of the new Pixar adventure Lightyear, discusses his favorite movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Taking Off (1971)
Reign of Terror (1949)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s review
Lightyear (2022)
Toy Story (1995)
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s Beyond Furious series, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Mars Attacks! (1996)
The ’Burbs (1989) – Ti West’s trailer commentary, ’Burbs Mania at Tfh
Alive (1993)
Star Wars (1977)
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
The Matrix (1999)
Alien (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Aliens (1986) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Tron (1982)
The Blues Brothers (1980) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
Howard The Duck (1986) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Wall-e (2008)
Predator 2 (1990)
Alien vs. Predator...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Taking Off (1971)
Reign of Terror (1949)
Kiss Me Deadly (1955) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s review
Lightyear (2022)
Toy Story (1995)
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s Beyond Furious series, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Mars Attacks! (1996)
The ’Burbs (1989) – Ti West’s trailer commentary, ’Burbs Mania at Tfh
Alive (1993)
Star Wars (1977)
Snow White And The Seven Dwarfs (1937)
The Empire Strikes Back (1980)
Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
The Matrix (1999)
Alien (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Aliens (1986) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Tron (1982)
The Blues Brothers (1980) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary
Howard The Duck (1986) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Wall-e (2008)
Predator 2 (1990)
Alien vs. Predator...
- 6/7/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Season 2 of the Emmy-winning comedy “Hacks,” the debut of Colin Firth’s true-crime drama “The Staircase” and the streaming return of “The Matrix: Resurrections” all await HBO Max subscribers in May. If you’re looking for something new to watch or wondering what’s on HBO Max this month, not to worry, we’ve got the full rundown.
There are several must-watch new TV shows on both HBO and HBO Max this month, new and returning. Acclaimed Jean Smart comedy “Hacks” returns for Season 2 on May 12. As for the new debuts, May sees the premieres for HBO Max’s “The Staircase” on May 5, starring Colin Firth as Michael Peterson in the true-crime limited series, as well as the HBO premiere of Steven Moffat’s (”Doctor Who”) series adaptation of “The Time Traveler’s Wife” on May 15.
New films this month include the streaming return of “The Matrix: Resurrections” and streaming premieres...
There are several must-watch new TV shows on both HBO and HBO Max this month, new and returning. Acclaimed Jean Smart comedy “Hacks” returns for Season 2 on May 12. As for the new debuts, May sees the premieres for HBO Max’s “The Staircase” on May 5, starring Colin Firth as Michael Peterson in the true-crime limited series, as well as the HBO premiere of Steven Moffat’s (”Doctor Who”) series adaptation of “The Time Traveler’s Wife” on May 15.
New films this month include the streaming return of “The Matrix: Resurrections” and streaming premieres...
- 5/20/2022
- by Haleigh Foutch
- The Wrap
With movie theaters fully back up and running, HBO Max no longer has any major film releases to point to with its list of new releases for May 2022. That’s alright though as the streamer is leaning into the HBO side of its branding to offer up some fun TV releases.
The biggest HBO Max original this month is undoubtedly the return of Hacks on May 12. The first season of this comedy starred Jean Smart as a venerated Vegas comedy and Hannah Einbinder as her new millennial assistant. The first batch of episodes was excellent and even won an Emmy or two for its troubles and now season 2 will look to keep up the good vibes.
Premiering on May 15, is The Time Traveler’s Wife. This series adaptation of the 2003 novel (which in turn became a a 2009 movie) keeps up with two star-crossed lovers who can never quite make the timing work…...
The biggest HBO Max original this month is undoubtedly the return of Hacks on May 12. The first season of this comedy starred Jean Smart as a venerated Vegas comedy and Hannah Einbinder as her new millennial assistant. The first batch of episodes was excellent and even won an Emmy or two for its troubles and now season 2 will look to keep up the good vibes.
Premiering on May 15, is The Time Traveler’s Wife. This series adaptation of the 2003 novel (which in turn became a a 2009 movie) keeps up with two star-crossed lovers who can never quite make the timing work…...
- 5/1/2022
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The Nes and its incredible library of games changed console gaming forever. It’s impossible to know what would have happened if the Nes had never come along, but it’s relatively easy to draw a line from so many of the best Nes titles to where we are now.
However, if you spend a little more time looking through the Nes library, you may find quite a few titles that feel…out of place. It’s not that they’re bad (though some arguably are), but rather that they’re so unlike everything else that was available at the time (and often for many years after) that they strike you as anomalies that just need to be explained.
Those are the games that we’ll be talking about today. Before we get into all of that, though, here’s a quick look at the criteria used to select these...
However, if you spend a little more time looking through the Nes library, you may find quite a few titles that feel…out of place. It’s not that they’re bad (though some arguably are), but rather that they’re so unlike everything else that was available at the time (and often for many years after) that they strike you as anomalies that just need to be explained.
Those are the games that we’ll be talking about today. Before we get into all of that, though, here’s a quick look at the criteria used to select these...
- 4/9/2022
- by Matthew Byrd
- Den of Geek
Ghostbusters: Afterlife director Jason Reitman takes hosts Joe Dante and Josh Olson on a journey through some of his favorite cinematic tonal shifts.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Thank You For Smoking (2006)
Up In The Air (2009)
Juno (2007)
Young Adult (2011)
Citizen Kane (1941) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Seven Samurai (1954) Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Rififi (1955)
Titane (2021)
Cannibal Girls (1973)
Raw (2016)
Hellraiser (1987)
A Serbian Film (2010)
Cast Away (2000)
What Lies Beneath (2000)
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Downhill Racer (1968) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Breaking Away (1979)
Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
The Great Waldo Pepper (1975)
Psycho (1960) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Psycho (1998) – Ti West’s trailer commentary
Last Night In Soho (2021)
Funny Games (1997)
Funny Games (2008)
The Piano Teacher (2001) – Charlie Largent’s Criterion Blu-ray
I, The Jury (1982)
Mother! (2017)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Tully (2018)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary links...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)
Thank You For Smoking (2006)
Up In The Air (2009)
Juno (2007)
Young Adult (2011)
Citizen Kane (1941) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Seven Samurai (1954) Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Rififi (1955)
Titane (2021)
Cannibal Girls (1973)
Raw (2016)
Hellraiser (1987)
A Serbian Film (2010)
Cast Away (2000)
What Lies Beneath (2000)
Million Dollar Baby (2004)
Downhill Racer (1968) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Breaking Away (1979)
Boys Don’t Cry (1999)
From Dusk Till Dawn (1996)
The Great Waldo Pepper (1975)
Psycho (1960) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Psycho (1998) – Ti West’s trailer commentary
Last Night In Soho (2021)
Funny Games (1997)
Funny Games (2008)
The Piano Teacher (2001) – Charlie Largent’s Criterion Blu-ray
I, The Jury (1982)
Mother! (2017)
Mulholland Drive (2001)
Tully (2018)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary links...
- 11/23/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Tonight at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Black Widow‘s Scarlett Johansson became the 35th recipient of the American Cinematheque Award.
Among those in attendance to pay tribute to the two-time Oscar nominee was Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, who praised her for her “talent,” “vision”, intelligence and savvy, both as an actress and a producer, also teasing a “top secret Marvel Studios project” on which the studio is reteaming with the actress, which he said has nothing to do with her Black Widow character, Natasha Romanoff. Feige noted that Johansson, who became the first Marvel actor to exec produce one of the studio’s movies with Black Widow, will also serve on the upcoming project as a producer.
“Scarlett has lent her talent and star power to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade. That she’s chosen to play a key part in it for so many years,...
Among those in attendance to pay tribute to the two-time Oscar nominee was Marvel Studios President Kevin Feige, who praised her for her “talent,” “vision”, intelligence and savvy, both as an actress and a producer, also teasing a “top secret Marvel Studios project” on which the studio is reteaming with the actress, which he said has nothing to do with her Black Widow character, Natasha Romanoff. Feige noted that Johansson, who became the first Marvel actor to exec produce one of the studio’s movies with Black Widow, will also serve on the upcoming project as a producer.
“Scarlett has lent her talent and star power to the Marvel Cinematic Universe for over a decade. That she’s chosen to play a key part in it for so many years,...
- 11/19/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
“Val,” the warmly received and reveal documentary about actor Val Kilmer, began simply with an email. A decade ago, Leo Scott was working as an editor on director Harmony Korine’s half-hour comedy series for Vice Films ‘The Lotus Community Workshop.” Kilmer played a version of himself as a motivational speaker. “It was quite incredible what he did with that character,” said Scott during a recent Film Independent Zoom conversation on “Val.”
“I really, really wanted to tell him how good he was,” Scott noted. So, he sent a carefully crafted e-mail to the actor, who has starred in such films as 1984’s “Top Secret!,” 1996’s “Top Gun,” 1991’s “The Doors,” 1993’s “Tombstone” and 1995’s “Batman Forever.” Much to Scott’s surprise, Kilmer quickly sent him back an email. Soon, Scott found himself working with Kilmer on his one-man theater piece on Mark Twain.
“He was starting to workshop the...
“I really, really wanted to tell him how good he was,” Scott noted. So, he sent a carefully crafted e-mail to the actor, who has starred in such films as 1984’s “Top Secret!,” 1996’s “Top Gun,” 1991’s “The Doors,” 1993’s “Tombstone” and 1995’s “Batman Forever.” Much to Scott’s surprise, Kilmer quickly sent him back an email. Soon, Scott found himself working with Kilmer on his one-man theater piece on Mark Twain.
“He was starting to workshop the...
- 11/18/2021
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Celebrating the release of his new memoir, multi-hyphenate Steven Van Zandt joins hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss a few of his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Elevator To The Gallows (1958) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Breathless (1960) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Angels With Dirty Faces (1938)
The Fisher King (1991)
Tony Rome (1967)
Lady In Cement (1968)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
The Killer (1989)
True Romance (1993)
True Lies (1994)
Get Shorty (1995) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Point Blank (1967) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Catch Us If You Can a.k.a. Sweet Memories (1965)
Double Trouble (1967)
Performance (1970) – Mark Goldblatt’s trailer commentary
The Driver (1978)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary, Tfh’s Don’t Knock The Rock piece
Help! (1965) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s review
Blue Collar (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Elevator To The Gallows (1958) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Breathless (1960) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Angels With Dirty Faces (1938)
The Fisher King (1991)
Tony Rome (1967)
Lady In Cement (1968)
Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home (1986)
Star Trek V: The Final Frontier (1989)
The Killer (1989)
True Romance (1993)
True Lies (1994)
Get Shorty (1995) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
Point Blank (1967) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Catch Us If You Can a.k.a. Sweet Memories (1965)
Double Trouble (1967)
Performance (1970) – Mark Goldblatt’s trailer commentary
The Driver (1978)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary, Tfh’s Don’t Knock The Rock piece
Help! (1965) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s review
Blue Collar (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s...
- 9/28/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Leo Scott and Ting Poo’s new documentary feature, Val, is not a mortality play. It is a rehearsal for an upcoming act. During a tour of his one-man stage show, Citizen Twain, Val Kilmer was diagnosed with throat cancer. The actor underwent two tracheostomies, and now can only speak while covering a tube. The narration of the new film is thus done by his son Jack Kilmer, allowing the pair to share a non-verbal connection throughout the journey, and through time and expression itself. While there are flourishes of humor, the documentary is a serious study of an artist who has always struggled to be understood, told through the selective memory of Kilmer’s Pov.
“I’ve wanted to tell a story about acting for a very long time,” Kilmer says toward the beginning of the documentary. “And now that it’s difficult to speak, I want to tell my story more than ever.
“I’ve wanted to tell a story about acting for a very long time,” Kilmer says toward the beginning of the documentary. “And now that it’s difficult to speak, I want to tell my story more than ever.
- 8/6/2021
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
Val Kilmer has been waiting to tell his story for decades. In “Val,” the intimate first-person account of the actor’s ambitious rise to Hollywood A-lister and the bumpy years that followed, Kilmer shares his experiences in both candid voiceover narration and years of home video footage from virtually every chapter of his life — from his promising early days to the clashes over creative vision that came later, and the tragic battle with throat cancer that limited his ability to speak.
Kilmer, who wrote about his health struggles in the 2020 memoir “I’m Your Huckleberry,” received an operation on his trachea that has left him unable to speak beyond a whisper. But his footage tells a much louder story. Kilmer had his camcorder in hand for every phase of his career, but it took directors Leo Scott and Ting Poo to piece it all together.
The movie premieres at Cannes...
Kilmer, who wrote about his health struggles in the 2020 memoir “I’m Your Huckleberry,” received an operation on his trachea that has left him unable to speak beyond a whisper. But his footage tells a much louder story. Kilmer had his camcorder in hand for every phase of his career, but it took directors Leo Scott and Ting Poo to piece it all together.
The movie premieres at Cannes...
- 7/6/2021
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
With over 100 acting credits to his name since his debut in 1984’s Top Secret!, Val Kilmer has one of the wildest, most varied careers in Hollywood. As a recent New York Times profile attests, his fascinating life has also not been without heartache as he’s recently battled throat cancer. The actor and author is now getting his own documentary and it looks to be quite intimate.
Val, directed by Leo Scott and Ting Poo, will be based on footage from Kilmer’s personal documentation of over 40 years. “He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies like Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever,” a synopsis reads. “This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be...
Val, directed by Leo Scott and Ting Poo, will be based on footage from Kilmer’s personal documentation of over 40 years. “He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies like Top Gun, The Doors, Tombstone, and Batman Forever,” a synopsis reads. “This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be...
- 5/27/2021
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Peter Lamont, a legendary production designer who worked on James Cameron’s “Aliens” and many of the James Bond films, and who won an Oscar for his work on Cameron’s “Titanic,” has died. He was 91.
Lamont’s death was announced on the 007 official Twitter account Friday alongside a photo of him on set of the 1964 Bond film “Goldfinger.” No other details about his passing were given.
“Peter Lamont was a much beloved member of the Bond family and a giant in the industry. Inextricably linked with the design and aesthetic of James Bond since ‘Goldfinger,'” 007 producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson said in a statement.
The statement continued: “He became production designer on ‘For Your Eyes Only’ (1981) working on 18 of the 25 films, including nine as production designer. He was a true success story proving that with talent and hard work you will achieve your dreams. He won...
Lamont’s death was announced on the 007 official Twitter account Friday alongside a photo of him on set of the 1964 Bond film “Goldfinger.” No other details about his passing were given.
“Peter Lamont was a much beloved member of the Bond family and a giant in the industry. Inextricably linked with the design and aesthetic of James Bond since ‘Goldfinger,'” 007 producers Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson said in a statement.
The statement continued: “He became production designer on ‘For Your Eyes Only’ (1981) working on 18 of the 25 films, including nine as production designer. He was a true success story proving that with talent and hard work you will achieve your dreams. He won...
- 12/18/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
In Disney+’s limited series “The Right Stuff,” NASA pulls in the very best test pilots from each branch of the armed forces in the late 1950s in an effort to select who will be the first American to go into outer space. Eventually, the upstart program narrows down its list to seven men, a group that would be dubbed the Mercury 7. The search started with a hell of a lot more than seven, however — and they all had one thing in common.
In Episode 1, titled “Sierra Hotel,” we follow Gordon Cooper to a lobby desk at a hotel near Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. There, he checks in under a pseudonym, “Bill Baker.”
“Not only do you all have the same name, you all look the same too,” the front desk clerk says, producing a sign-in book full of “Bill Baker” signatures.
We then see all the...
In Episode 1, titled “Sierra Hotel,” we follow Gordon Cooper to a lobby desk at a hotel near Langley Air Force Base in Hampton, Virginia. There, he checks in under a pseudonym, “Bill Baker.”
“Not only do you all have the same name, you all look the same too,” the front desk clerk says, producing a sign-in book full of “Bill Baker” signatures.
We then see all the...
- 10/9/2020
- by Tony Maglio
- The Wrap
Val Kilmer crafted the persona of a serious, brooding (often labeled “difficult”) actor in such films as “Heat” and “Tombstone,” so it’s interesting to remember that his film debut was in the goofy spy spoof “Top Secret!” in 1984, followed by the comedy “Real Genius” in 1985. Kilmer would go on to show his comedy chops in films including “MacGruber” and “Kiss Kiss Bang Bang,” but there has long been an air of mystery around him, perhaps because he hasn’t been giving big interviews lately. That makes the publication of his memoir, “I’m Your Huckleberry,” all the more cause for celebration. In his autobiography, from Simon & Schuster, Kilmer is brutally frank about his career, his loves and battle with throat cancer.
Early Years, Famous Faces
Kilmer spent his formative years in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles, which feels much further from Hollywood than distance would suggest. “We...
Early Years, Famous Faces
Kilmer spent his formative years in the Chatsworth neighborhood of Los Angeles, which feels much further from Hollywood than distance would suggest. “We...
- 4/30/2020
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
Following the total obliteration of Battle Island at the climax of Fortnite Season X and the subsequent introduction of Chapter 2 Season 1, Epic Games appeared to enter something of a cooling-off period. As a first for the battle royale since its release back in 2017, the developer opted to delay Chapter 2’s next major update, adding a further 30 days to the usual three-month cycle of seasonal refreshes.
The resulting content drought finally came to a close last month with the launch of Chapter 2 Season 2, of course, and one particular new addition has fans clamoring to learn more. In case you hadn’t heard, Marvel’s foul-mouthed mutant, Deadpool, has decided to grace players with his presence in Season 2: Top Secret, though not until now has the unconventional superhero finally revealed himself in-game.
As for how one goes about finding Wade Wilson’s alter ego: it’s actually quite straightforward. Simply head...
The resulting content drought finally came to a close last month with the launch of Chapter 2 Season 2, of course, and one particular new addition has fans clamoring to learn more. In case you hadn’t heard, Marvel’s foul-mouthed mutant, Deadpool, has decided to grace players with his presence in Season 2: Top Secret, though not until now has the unconventional superhero finally revealed himself in-game.
As for how one goes about finding Wade Wilson’s alter ego: it’s actually quite straightforward. Simply head...
- 3/6/2020
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
Epic Games has once again found itself the butt of the joke thanks to a recent update rolled out for Fortnite.
The battle royale, which continues to be the market leader despite fierce competition from the likes of Apex Legends, received its first major content drop of the year last week in the form of Chapter 2, Season 2: Top Secret. The long-awaited refresh, which arrived later than usual due to various circumstances, has introduced a number of improvements and cosmetics, most notably a new collaborative event with Marvel that’ll eventually see players granted ownership of a neat Deadpool skin.
As for gameplay, Apollo Island has been converted into a Bond villain’s dreamland, replete with all sorts of weird and wacky hideouts that Blofeld would be proud of. Offshore oil rigs, luxury yachts and yes, hollowed-out volcanos are just some of the locales players can and are encouraged to visit,...
The battle royale, which continues to be the market leader despite fierce competition from the likes of Apex Legends, received its first major content drop of the year last week in the form of Chapter 2, Season 2: Top Secret. The long-awaited refresh, which arrived later than usual due to various circumstances, has introduced a number of improvements and cosmetics, most notably a new collaborative event with Marvel that’ll eventually see players granted ownership of a neat Deadpool skin.
As for gameplay, Apollo Island has been converted into a Bond villain’s dreamland, replete with all sorts of weird and wacky hideouts that Blofeld would be proud of. Offshore oil rigs, luxury yachts and yes, hollowed-out volcanos are just some of the locales players can and are encouraged to visit,...
- 2/25/2020
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
Credit where it’s due: Epic Games surely knows how to drum up hype at the most opportune moment.
Following an extended content drought in the wake of Fortnite Chapter 2‘s celebrated launch last year, the developer has finally been able to deliver the battle royale’s first major content update of 2020. Released today, Season 2: Top Secret introduces several noticeable adjustments to the established metagame thanks, in no small part, to a number of new weapons and gadgets meant to facilitate players’ takeover of a spy-themed Apollo Island.
Villain hideouts, faction systems and a completely revitalized Battle Pass are par for the course this time around, though it’s a certain reward present on the latter that’s currently demanding the lion’s share of attention among Fortnite‘s millions-strong community. Revealed via Season 2’s launch trailer earlier today, Marvel’s Deadpool is the latest in a long line...
Following an extended content drought in the wake of Fortnite Chapter 2‘s celebrated launch last year, the developer has finally been able to deliver the battle royale’s first major content update of 2020. Released today, Season 2: Top Secret introduces several noticeable adjustments to the established metagame thanks, in no small part, to a number of new weapons and gadgets meant to facilitate players’ takeover of a spy-themed Apollo Island.
Villain hideouts, faction systems and a completely revitalized Battle Pass are par for the course this time around, though it’s a certain reward present on the latter that’s currently demanding the lion’s share of attention among Fortnite‘s millions-strong community. Revealed via Season 2’s launch trailer earlier today, Marvel’s Deadpool is the latest in a long line...
- 2/20/2020
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
In case you somehow hadn’t already heard, Fortnite fans have received a rather special treat today in the form of the battle royale’s first major update of 2020.
After a longer-than-expected wait for the usual shift between seasons to occur, Season 2: Top Secret has finally rolled out across all platforms, with a new launch trailer (above) released to celebrate. Generous helpings of new content are par for the course with these sorts of bumper additions, of course, and this time is no different. A wealth of new weapons and gadgets, as well as impactful changes to Apollo Island in the form of hideouts, will no doubt usher in the breath of fresh air that players have been pining for, but the hype for all of the above combined pales in comparison to a certain new cosmetic skin that’s just been revealed.
None other than Marvel’s wise-cracking...
After a longer-than-expected wait for the usual shift between seasons to occur, Season 2: Top Secret has finally rolled out across all platforms, with a new launch trailer (above) released to celebrate. Generous helpings of new content are par for the course with these sorts of bumper additions, of course, and this time is no different. A wealth of new weapons and gadgets, as well as impactful changes to Apollo Island in the form of hideouts, will no doubt usher in the breath of fresh air that players have been pining for, but the hype for all of the above combined pales in comparison to a certain new cosmetic skin that’s just been revealed.
None other than Marvel’s wise-cracking...
- 2/20/2020
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
Fortnite Chapter 2‘s first major update of the year has finally arrived, but before you get stuck in, Epic Games has a question to ask. Are you a member of Team Ghost, or Shadow?
As the central hook of so-called Season 2: Top Secret, players will be tasked with pledging their allegiance to either cause in this thematic pastiche of James Bond, with all sorts of cosmetic goodies up for grabs regardless of which side you ultimately decide to align with. As for how the whole process works: once your team has been self-assigned, it’ll be largely business as usual as you skydive into the heat of battle on Apollo Island.
That is, of course, until you take note of several new points of interest littered throughout the world. These locations, dubbed hideouts, are treasure troves filled to the brim with all sorts of rare and lucrative loot, the...
As the central hook of so-called Season 2: Top Secret, players will be tasked with pledging their allegiance to either cause in this thematic pastiche of James Bond, with all sorts of cosmetic goodies up for grabs regardless of which side you ultimately decide to align with. As for how the whole process works: once your team has been self-assigned, it’ll be largely business as usual as you skydive into the heat of battle on Apollo Island.
That is, of course, until you take note of several new points of interest littered throughout the world. These locations, dubbed hideouts, are treasure troves filled to the brim with all sorts of rare and lucrative loot, the...
- 2/20/2020
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
The content drought is finally over for Fortnite fans.
At long last, Epic Games has rolled out the next major update for its massively popular battle royale, in doing so revealing the theme as well as some of the content players can expect to see arrive over the next several weeks and beyond. As the name suggests, Season 2: Top Secret is all about stealth and subterfuge, with today’s Battle Pass trailer (above) revealing a number of cosmetics that players can expect to earn for completing a wide array of challenges.
Skins for human-cat hybrid Meowscles and a neat customizable Maya outfit – with unlockable upgrades – are up for grabs this time around, as too, is one for none other than Marvel’s Deadpool. The wise-cracking and unconventional superhero’s likeness will be obtained directly via Top Secret‘s Battle Pass and will require completion of a number of special and suitably-themed challenges.
At long last, Epic Games has rolled out the next major update for its massively popular battle royale, in doing so revealing the theme as well as some of the content players can expect to see arrive over the next several weeks and beyond. As the name suggests, Season 2: Top Secret is all about stealth and subterfuge, with today’s Battle Pass trailer (above) revealing a number of cosmetics that players can expect to earn for completing a wide array of challenges.
Skins for human-cat hybrid Meowscles and a neat customizable Maya outfit – with unlockable upgrades – are up for grabs this time around, as too, is one for none other than Marvel’s Deadpool. The wise-cracking and unconventional superhero’s likeness will be obtained directly via Top Secret‘s Battle Pass and will require completion of a number of special and suitably-themed challenges.
- 2/20/2020
- by Joe Pring
- We Got This Covered
Frank Henson [Photo Courtesy of Jon Auty]
Frank Henson, a legendary Hollywood stunt performer, has died at 83. Henson passed away at a hospital in Sussex, England from a short battle with an undisclosed illness, stunt historian Jon Auty told The Hollywood Reporter. His wife, Marion, and son, Mark, were at his bedside.
“He had a simple lesson in life – if someone is good to you, you should be good to them in return,” Auty told The Hollywood Reporter. “I will miss the times we had discussing his life and remembering the good times. Also, when he laughed, the room lit up. That’s a gift.”
Henson was best known for tussling with Mark Hamill during a speeder bike chase in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and fighting Harrison Ford in the action-packed climax of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. He also worked on several James Bond films including Casino Royale and You Only Live Once...
Frank Henson, a legendary Hollywood stunt performer, has died at 83. Henson passed away at a hospital in Sussex, England from a short battle with an undisclosed illness, stunt historian Jon Auty told The Hollywood Reporter. His wife, Marion, and son, Mark, were at his bedside.
“He had a simple lesson in life – if someone is good to you, you should be good to them in return,” Auty told The Hollywood Reporter. “I will miss the times we had discussing his life and remembering the good times. Also, when he laughed, the room lit up. That’s a gift.”
Henson was best known for tussling with Mark Hamill during a speeder bike chase in Star Wars: The Last Jedi and fighting Harrison Ford in the action-packed climax of Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom. He also worked on several James Bond films including Casino Royale and You Only Live Once...
- 4/27/2019
- by Matt Bishop
- Age of the Nerd
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