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Sony Pictures has found its writers for Sam Mendes’s ambitious four-part biopic about The Beatles, with Tony winner Jez Butterworth, Conclave best adapted screenplay Oscar winner Peter Straughan, and Bafta and Tony Award-winning Adolescencewriter Jack Thorne on board.

As previously announced, the features will star Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

Sony Pictures is financing and distributing worldwide “with full theatrical windows” in April 2028. That announcement came out of CinemaConrecently. While the studio is yet to announce precisely how it will do this, motion...

Sony Pictures has found its writers for Sam Mendes’s ambitious four-part biopic about The Beatles, with Tony winner Jez Butterworth, Conclave best adapted screenplay Oscar winner Peter Straughan, and Bafta and Tony Award-winning Adolescencewriter Jack Thorne on board.

As previously announced, the features will star Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney, and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

Sony Pictures is financing and distributing worldwide “with full theatrical windows” in April 2028. That announcement came out of CinemaConrecently. While the studio is yet to announce precisely how it will do this, motion...

Tony Award winner Jez Butterworth, Academy Award winner Peter Straughan, and BAFTA and Tony Award winner Jack Thorne are set to write the screenplays for Sony Pictures, Sam Mendes and Neal Street Productions’ biopics of “The Beatles,” whose stories will be told with four distinct theatrical feature films, the studio announced on Wednesday.

The films mark the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film.

Conceived by Mendes, who will direct the four theatrical feature films – one from each band member’s point-of-view – the movies will tell the astonishing story of the greatest band in history.

The four films will star Harris Dickinson (as John Lennon), Barry Keoghan (as Ringo Starr), Paul Mescal (as Paul McCartney) and Joseph Quinn (as George Harrison).

Sony Pictures will finance and distribute worldwide...

Sam Mendes’ four Beatles biopics have found writers.

Tony Award winner Jez Butterworth, Academy Award winner Peter Straughan and BAFTA and Tony Award winner Jack Thorne are set to write the screenplays for the four theatrical films from Sony Pictures and Neal Street Productions.

The films mark the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – have granted full life story and music rights for a scripted film.

Mendes conceived and will direct the four films, each from a different band member’s point of view, intersecting to tell the story of the iconic group.

The films will star Harris Dickinson as John Lennon, Barry Keoghan as Ringo Starr, Paul Mescal as Paul McCartney and Joseph Quinn as George Harrison.

Sony Pictures will finance and distribute worldwide with full theatrical windows in April 2028.

“The Beatles—A Four-Film Cinematic Event” is a...

Exclusive: After officially announcing the cast for their incredible endeavor at CinemaCon in March, Sam Mendes and Sony Pictures now have landed the writers that will help spearhead The Beatles – A Four Film Cinematic Event. Sources tell Deadline that Tony Award winner Jez Butterworth, Oscar winner Peter Straughan and BAFTA and Tony winner Jack Thorne are set to write the screenplays for the biopics of The Beatles, whose stories will be told in four distinct theatrical feature films.

It is unknown if each will be writing their own film or will be collaborating on all four films.

The movies mark the first time Apple Corps Ltd. and The Beatles – John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr – or their estates have granted full life-story and music rights for a scripted film. As conceived by Mendes, who will direct the four movies, one from each band member’s point of view,...

The following article is an excerpt from the new edition of “In Review by David Ehrlich,” a biweekly newsletter in which our Chief Film Critic and Head Reviews Editor rounds up the site’s latest reviews and muses about current events in the movie world. Subscribe here to receive the newsletter in your inbox every other Friday.

Before this month, the last time I went to Sundance in person was January 2020. I clearly remember — and will never forget — standing in the lobby of the festival’s headquarters and reading news reports about the first case of a novel coronavirus being found in the United States; Donald Trump insisted that he had it “completely under control,” so I naturally spent the rest of the festival wondering if we’d all be dead before any of the films that premiered there saw the light of the day (“Save Yourselves!” indeed). To go by the statistics,...

Sandra Bullock may have reigned as the queen of romantic comedies, but her real life has been anything but a fairytale, though she still manages to shine! More recently her love story took a tragic turn in August 2023 when her longtime partner, Bryan Randall, passed away at 57 after a private battle with Als.

Credits: Sandra Bullock in Murder by Numbers / Warner Bros.

His heartbreaking loss marked the end of a relationship that had its fair share of ups and downs. However way before all this happened she once declared she’d never date an actor, here’s why!

Why Sandra Bullock Never Wanted to Date an Actor

Sandra Bullock dated Tate Donovan from 1990 to around 1994 and was completely head over heels for him, but their romance eventually came to an end. At that time, she was also linked to NFL star Troy Aikman. From the outset, her romantic journey has been anything but predictable,...

The Proposal, starring Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds, was released in 2009 and immediately became popular among fans of romantic comedies. Bullock and Reynolds’ on-screen chemistry has been the key factor in the movie’s continued appeal despite getting some mixed reviews from critics.

Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds in The Proposal | Credits: Walt Disney Studios

Fans began to speculate that there might be a genuine connection between the two actors off-screen as a result of their believable relationship and lighthearted banter on film. Did this beloved movie duo ever date, or was their connection purely a product of skillful acting?

Sandra Bullock’s on-screen chemistry with her co-actor fueled dating rumors

With a history of iconic roles and multiple awards, including an Oscar, Sandra Bullock has been one of Hollywood’s brightest actresses for decades. She captivated audiences all over the world with her charisma and sense of humor.

Related...

Over the past 20 years, screenwriter Peter Straughan has become British cinema’s go-to guy for adaptations. That might sound like a back-handed compliment, but his protean talent makes it hard to pinpoint what exactly constitutes a typical project for the UK-based writer: is it Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (2011), his masterly adaptation of John Le Carré’s classic Cold War spy thriller; is it Frank (2014), which stars Michael Fassbender as a struggling indie musician sporting a papier mâché head; or is it Our Brand Is Crisis, a satirical Sandra Bullock comedy based on a deadly serious political documentary?

Straughan is currently sailing into awards season with his take on Robert Harris’ 2016 bestseller Conclave, a darkly witty conspiracy drama starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini. Directed by Edward Berger, following hard on the heels of his award-winning drama All Quiet on the Western Front two years ago, it...

In the cutthroat world of Hollywood, only a select few manage to sustain long-term success, and even fewer do so with both grace and strategic brilliance. Sandra Bullock is one of those rare stars who has not only built a career on her acting talent but also demonstrated a keen business sense that has led her to become one of the industry’s most successful figures.

Sandra Bullock as FBI Special Agent Gracie Hart in Miss Congeniality | Warner Bros

From humble beginnings, Bullock has risen to the top of the entertainment world, earning millions and cementing her place as one of the most beloved actresses in Hollywood. What makes Bullock’s journey truly remarkable is not just her string of box office hits but her ability to balance blockbuster performances with behind-the-scenes production work.

Sandra Bullock’s Hits and Highest Salary: Gravity, Speed, and The Blind Side Keanu Reeves and...

Sandra Bullock and George Clooney have long been close friends and collaborated on several projects, including the Oscar-winning film Gravity. However, one of the notable collaborations between the two has been the 2015 comedy-drama, Our Brand Is Crisis.

Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in Gravity | Credit: Warner Bros.

The film, following Bullock in the role of a political consultant Jane Bodine, didn’t achieve the box office success that was expected. However, its script, originally centered on a male character, piqued her interest. The actress later reflected on how her friend Clooney almost led the movie, while highlighting the complexities of gender representation in Hollywood.

Sandra Bullock Reflected on Transforming Male Role in Our Brand Is Crisis

The 2015 comedy-drama Our Brand Is Crisis follows a political consultant, Jane Bodine, who returns to the fray to help a struggling Bolivian presidential campaign while navigating her personal and professional challenges.

Sandra Bullock as...

I’m not overly fond of politics. Given a choice, I’d rather talk food, or faraway places.

But I do have a weakness for political films — or, more precisely, films about political campaigns.

The best of them have been sharp, often witty, and self-aware to the point of cynicism. Bulworth. The Campaign. Wag the Dog. Primary Colors. Dave.

As a genre, they tend toward satire, if not broad comedy. In one of my favorites, David Gordon Green’s Our Brand Is Crisis, two inimical American political consultants corrupt Bolivian politics by transplanting our worst habits to foreign shores. It’s painfully funny stuff.

Where serious, the campaign genre tends to be confessional. With The Ides of March, progressive filmmaker George Clooney, adapting a play be Beau Willimon, unmasked Faustian bargains behind the gleaming ideals of a “good” politician in a hard-fought Ohio primary.

Should we show it at the White House,...

Today, many lead actors pride themselves on scarcity. Leonardo DiCaprio, Sandra Bullock, and Denzel Washington have emerged as the rare movie stars in modern pop culture partially because they don’t inundate audiences with new movies. These performers can take years off in between movies and make people’s hearts grow fonder for their presence. Whenever they show up in a new motion picture (so long as it isn’t J. Edgar or Our Brand is Crisis), it’s a must-see event for the general public. Still, that’s not the only way to carve out a movie star persona. Just ask John Wayne, the man who has the record for the most leading parts in one actor’s filmography.

Even as The Exorcist: Believer gets panned by critics and looks to be one of the craziest gambles ever by a movie studio – Universal shelled out $400 million for the rights – director David Gordon Green may avoid helming the rest of the planned trilogy. But his decision may have less to do with its reception than just how he operates.

Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, David Gordon Green said it’s quite possible that he’ll get sucked into another project instead of directing more Exorcist movies. “My intention is just to start making things, and as those plans come together, if I find myself in that [The Exorcist: Deceiver] director’s chair, I’d be thrilled… But right now, I’m navigating it from a story perspective and looking at my realities of life as I pivot.” He added, “One of the things that’s been really great between these...

Today, many lead actors pride themselves on scarcity. Leonardo DiCaprio, Sandra Bullock, and Denzel Washington have emerged as the rare movie stars in modern pop culture partially because they don’t inundate audiences with new movies. These performers can take years off in between movies and make people’s hearts grow fonder for their presence. Whenever they show up in a new motion picture (so long as it isn’t J. Edgar or Our Brand is Crisis), it’s a must-see event for the general public. Still, that’s not the only way to carve out a movie star persona. Just ask John Wayne, the man who has the record for the most leading parts in one actor’s filmography.

Exclusive: Smokehouse Pictures partner George Clooney and Grant Heslov have signed an overall film deal with the Warner Bros. Pictures Group and its Co-Chairs and CEOs Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy. It amounts to a homecoming for the filmmakers, who named their company for the Smoke House steak joint right off the Warner Bros lot, where they used to eat all the time. Clooney’s history with the studio goes back to his breakthrough starring role in the Warner Bros Television drama ER. They made their first deal at Warner Bros when they formed Smokehouse in 2006.

The duo told those who attended with them during a Q&a session at last Friday night’s screening of All The President’s Men that is part of a monthly screening series of WB classics set up by De Luca & Abdy. Clooney and Heslov will return to offices on the lot — one of...

The Oscar-nominated documentary “Fire of Love” is getting the narrative remake treatment.

The acclaimed non-fiction movie, concerning the scientific research and on-the-job romance of French volcanologist filmmakers Katia and Maurice Krafft, will become a live-action narrative feature film. Searchlight Pictures snagged remake rights to the acclaimed documentary, which debuted at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival before being acquired by National Geographic Documentary Films.

Searchlight will finance and distribute, with Jamie Patricof’s Hunting Lane developing and producing. “Fire of Love” director/producer Sara Dosa and producer Shane Boris are attached to produce this version as well, while producer Ina Fichman will be an executive producer. Other executive producers include Josh Braun and Ben Braun from Submarine Deluxe, and Greg Boustead and Jessica Harrop from Sandbox Films.

Also Read:

Oscar Voting Has Begun: Here’s What Not to Do, Voters

There is no word on who will direct the picture or anything regarding casting.

Exclusive: Joaquim de Almeida (Searching 2), Darren Barnet (Never Have I Ever), Kevin Carroll (Showtime’s Let the Right One In) and Jd Pardo (Mayans M.C.) have signed on for roles in Prime Video’s reimagining of the 1989 MGM film Road House, which has entered production in the Dominican Republic.

The actors join an ensemble led by Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal, which also includes two-time UFC champion Conor McGregor, Billy Magnussen, Daniela Melchior, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Lukas Gage, Hannah Love Lanier, Travis Van Winkle, B.K. Cannon, Arturo Castro, Dominique Columbus, Beau Knapp and Bob Menery, as previously announced.

The original action-thriller, which Rowdy Herrington directed from Hilary Henkin’s script, centered on Dalton (Patrick Swayze), a tough bouncer hired to tame a dirty bar. The new take from director Doug Liman (The Bourne Identity) follows a former UFC fighter (Gyllenhaal) who takes a job as a bouncer at a rough-and-tumble roadhouse in the Florida Keys,...

Aunt Lydia is about to dance with the devil.

Ann Dowd is joining the ensemble of “The Exorcist,” which is being billed as both a new take on the demonic possession classic, as well as the first film in a planned trilogy. The veteran character actress, best known for her work as the chilling enforcer of dystopian discipline on “The Handmaid’s Tale,” will appear alongside “Hamilton” star Leslie Odom Jr. and Ellen Burstyn, who is reprising her role from the original film as Chris MacNeil.

Blumhouse and Morgan Creek are producing the movie for Universal and Peacock. The first film in the new “Exorcist” saga will be released theatrically on Oct. 13, 2023.

Dowd won the 2017 Primetime Emmy Award for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series for her work on “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and was also nominated for an Emmy in 2018 and 2021. Last year, Dowd starred in “Mass,” a searing drama...

Blumhouse, Universal and Peacock’s big continuation of The Exorcist has added Emmy winner Ann Dowd to the cast. She will star opposite already announced Leslie Odom Jr. and Ellen Burstyn who is reprising her role as Chris MacNeil from the original 1973 movie.

It was announced a year ago that Universal and Peacock closed a 400M deal for global rights to the Exorcist franchise. The new film is being directed by David Gordon Green, who is behind Blumhouse/Miramax and Uni’s latest trio of Halloween movies; the first two have grossed over 387M at the worldwide box office, with Halloween Ends set for release October 14.

Dowd and Gordon Green previously teamed on his 2015 satire Our Brand Is Crisis. Gordon Green also executive produced Dowd’s 2012 breakout film Compliance after spotting the actress in the Off Broadway play Blood From a Stone. He was the one who suggested her for the Compliance role of Sandra,...

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Ann Dowd has joined the first film in the planned The Exorcist trilogy from Blumhouse, Universal, and Morgan Creek Productions. The Emmy winner joins a previously announced cast including Leslie Odom Jr. and Ellen Burstyn, who is reprising her role as Chris MacNeil.

David Gordon Green is directing the movie, with Dowd having previously worked with him on the drama Our Brand Is Crisis. Scott Teems, Danny McBride and Green worked on the story with Peter Sattler and Green writing the screenplay.

William Friedkin directed the original The Exorcist, which became a sensation in 1973. The story followed a 12-year-old girl possessed by a mysterious entity and the lengths her mother and two Catholic priests went to in an attempt to save her. The film was nominated for 10 Oscars, including best picture and best director, as well as an acting nomination for Burstyn.

Universal...

It’s happening. It’s finally happening. What was once a particularly pervasive and aggressive Internet meme is now a reality. HBO Max’s list of new releases for March 2021 is highlighted by none other than the mythical Snyder cut.

The entity now known as Zach Snyder’s Justice League will premiere on March 18. While it was originally planned to be a four-part miniseries, this recut version of 2017’s ill-fated Justice League will in fact be a four-hour movie. But perhaps even four hours won’t be enough for fans who have been waiting years for just such an event.

Read more Movies Zack Snyder’s Original Vision for Justice League Faded Long Before His Exit By Joseph Baxter Movies Justice League: How Christopher Nolan Helped Prevent Zack Snyder from Seeing the Whedon Cut By David Crow

If the Snyder Cut is not to your speed, there are plenty...

Looking for a film of gigantic proportions? Debuting in theaters and on HBO Max March 31, Godzilla vs. Kong shows legends colliding as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. The film will be available on HBO Max for 31 days from its theatrical release in the U.S. included at no additional cost to subscribers.

March also brings a spectacular line-up of original programming, kicking-off with the long awaited release of Zack Snyder's Justice League on March 18. Dramedy series Generation joins the platform on March 11, following a diverse group of high school students whose exploration of modern sexuality (devices and all) tests deeply entrenched beliefs about life, love and the nature of family in their conservative community. Also new this month are the documentary debuts of Tina, CV Diaries NYC and Persona: The Dark Truth Behind Personality Tests.

Sandra Bullock is producing and starring in the romantic action film “The Lost City of D” for Paramount Pictures.

The film is centered on a romance author who discovers that a fictional city she had written about is real, prompting her to embark on a risky journey to find the city. The sibling directing team of Adam and Aaron Nee is attached to direct “The Lost City of D” from a Dana Fox script, based on an idea and treatment by Seth Gordon (“Horrible Bosses”).

Bullock is producing the film through her company Fortis Films, and Gordon is producing via his Exhibit A banner along with Liza Chasin and 3dot Productions.

The studio is eyeing Ryan Reynolds as a possible co-star, but there’s no deal in place. Bullock and Reynolds previously teamed on the 2009 romantic comedy “The Proposal,” which Bullock also executive produced.

Bullock won the Academy Award for...

Chicago – “Capone” is the new Video-on-Demand release featuring Tom Hardy as the title character, and besides the obvious Chicago connection to the infamous gangster there are a number of supporting players in the film that are familiar – like Matt Dillon and Kyle MacLachlan – and new to the scene, like Tilda Del Toro.

“Capone” is a biopic that chronicles the final days of the notorious gangster. The 47-year old Al Capone, after 10 years in prison, remains under federal watch, as they think he may be faking his insanity. Forced to sell many of his belongings to pay his debts, Capone begins to have hallucinations, loses control of his motor functions, starts suffering from dementia and comes to be haunted by his violent past.

Tilda Del Toro is Mona Lisa in ‘Capone’

Photo credit: Vertical Entertainment

Tilda Del Toro portrays the mysterious lover from Al Capone’s past … appropriately named Mona Lisa … who possesses a big secret.

You are invited to attend our Q&a discussion with four of film’s top music composers who now compete for Oscars, Golden Globes and more. Our event is on Tuesday, October 22, at 7:00 p.m. at the Landmark Theater at 10850 W. Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles. Admission and parking are free. Academy and guild members will get priority seating.

To RSVP, make your reservation here: https://goldderbycomposerspanel2019.splashthat.com/

Gold Derby managing editor Chris Beachum will moderate this “Meet the Film Experts” panel with the following contenders for 2019/2020 awards consideration:

Michael Abels represents Universal for “Us”

Abels was nominated at the Black Reel Awards for “Get Out” and at the World Soundtrack Awards for both “Get Out” and Us.” Other films have included “See You Yesterday” and “Bad Education.”

Nicholas Britell represents Netflix for “The King”

Britell has been nominated at the Oscars for “Moonlight” and “If Beale Street Could Talk.

Mid-September is not normally prime box office, but this weekend provided some encouragement as we move into a fall that will determine whether the market will reverse the trend that has domestic results 6% below last year.

“Hustlers” planted the flag for the cause of comedies, original projects, and women front and center with a stronger-than-anticipated $33 million. That was good enough for second place, behind “It: Chapter Two,” which managed to keep its second-weekend drop to reasonable levels and a total just under $41 million that maintained the #1 slot. A particularly strong group of small-drop holdovers also added to decent results.

And then there was the absolutely dreadful #8 with “The Goldfinch,” which grossed $2.64 million. Its failure, which Warner Bros. can sustain, will have more long-term impact than most similar high-end duds.

What emerged was a weekend total that should end up over $110 million, enough to slightly surpass the same date last year.

Vanishing Angle, the production studio behind the Sundance film Greener Grass, has upped three of its own to executive positions: Natalie Metzger as VP of Development & Production, Benjamin Wiessner as VP of Sales & Acquisitions, and Jim Cummings as VP of Creative Initiatives. Metzger, who boarded the company as a producer in 2015, is a writer and director whose films have premiered at AFI Docs, Frameline, and Outfest. She also holds the Gold Prize at the Page International Screenwriting Awards. Wiessner, a producer and creative distributor, has worked on seven films with Vanishing Angle. He’s also produced and self-distributed shorts and features with broadcast partners like Canal+ and PBS. Cummings is an independent filmmaker who wrote, directed, and starred in the comedy-drama, Thunder Road, which is being released by Vanishing Angle. The company is also in development on Cummings’ erotic thriller Beta, as well as mystery thriller Buffalo from Keith Powell,...

MGM has signed a two-year, first-look deal with George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse Pictures.

Jonathan Glickman, president of MGM’s Motion Picture Group, announced the deal on Tuesday.

The first film under the new deal will center on motoring engineer and designer John DeLorean, with Clooney set to direct the movie with the possibility of playing DeLorean. The pic will be written by Keith Bunin, based on veteran journalist Alex Pappademas’ Epic magazine article “Saint John.”

“We are thrilled to bring George, Grant, and their spectacular team into the MGM family,” Glickman said. “Smokehouse has an undeniable pedigree, representing the high quality and entertaining slate of talent we look to work with as we expand the MGM slate.”

“We’re thrilled to be working with Jon and all the folks over at MGM and look forward to a long successful partnership,” Clooney and Heslov said.

Smokehouse’s upcoming projects include Hulu’s “Catch-22,...

“Halloween” grossed $76 million its opening weekend and broke records in the process, so it’s hard to imagine there won’t be a sequel to the Blumhouse film.

That said, Jason Blum, CEO of Blumhouse Productions, told TheWrap that while there is definite interest there to make a sequel, nothing has been greenlit — yet.

“It’s hard to make a great movie, period, and I always say, make a great movie first and we’ll figure out a franchise after,” Blum told TheWrap. “Of course we would want to make a sequel, in fact, we’re dying to make a sequel, but we’re guests in Malek Akkad’s house so there are a lot of people that have to be in the same mindset as us. Nothing’s been set in stone, but we’re certainly going to try.”

Also Read: 'Halloween' Director David Gordon Green on...

It should come as little surprise that David Gordon Green has strong thoughts on the horror genre, given that he directed the latest “Halloween” movie. The chameleonic filmmaker, who made a name for himself with indies like “George Washington” and “All the Real Girls” before going on to helm the likes of “Pineapple Express” and “Our Brand Is Crisis,” was asked to name his favorite horror movie by Entertainment Weekly. His answer? Charles Laughton’s brilliant “The Night of the Hunter,” the only film he ever directed.

“’Night of the Hunter’ is the film from my youth that really opened the door,” Green said. “That was a stepping stone into the more gratuitous genre horror. I guess you’d probably call it more of a thriller, but that was a movie that really affected me in terms of everything from the music and songs Robert Mitchum’s character would sing,...

Sandra Bullock is good friends with Gravity co-star George Clooney (he also executive produced Our Brand Is Crisis), so the A-list actress seems like the perfect choice to steer the Ocean’s franchise into a new direction. Ocean’s 8, which hits Blu-ray and DVD on September 11, proved to be a box office hit (it made [...]

The post Blu-Ray Spotlight: Sandra Bullock Leads A-List Cast In Engaging ‘Ocean’s 8’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

This week, IndieWire is rolling out our annual fall preview, including the very best indie movies coming out this year, all the awards contenders you need to know about, and even some blockbuster fare that will please the most discerning viewers. Check back every day for a new look at the best the season has to offer. Be sure to check out our list of indie gems and festival favorites to see this season, too.

“A Simple Favor” (September 14)

Paul Feig has spent much of this decade directing films written by and starring women. Yet “A Simple Favor,” his latest example, hinges on more danger and intrigue than his signature comedies. Oscar and Tony nominee Anna Kendrick portrays Stephanie, a “mommy blogger” who idolizes, then befriends fellow parent Emily (Blake Lively), her glamorous, nonchalant opposite. Emily goes Mia after asking Stephanie to retrieve her son from school. Police locate what...

George Clooney and Sandra Bullock have been friends for as long as we can remember. They have walked red carpets together, costarred in 2014's Gravity, coproduced 2015's Our Brand Is Crisis, and always look like they're having the best time. In fact, George and Sandra's first meeting was actually before they even worked in Hollywood. "George and I have known each other since long before we actually had jobs in this business, literally out of college," Sandra told Canada's etalk back in 2015. "We've seen each other through many facets and stages of life, and this is just another one of those facets and stages. And the nice thing is we still like each other at the end of it, we still admire each other."

As if their friendship wasn't already sweet enough, Sandra recently revealed George's advice to her before she took on the Ocean's 8 reboot, given that George starred in the original films.

The ladies of “Ocean’s 8” pulled off a solid debut at the North American box office, swiping the crown from a recent string of tentpoles.

The gender-bending heist film opened to $41.5 million from 4,145 locations — a series best for the “Ocean’s” franchise. Overseas, it launched with $12.2 million for a global start of $53.7 million. Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures co-financed the spin-off, which cost $70 million.

Jeff Goldstein, head of domestic distribution at Warner Bros., says the strong bow is thanks to counter-programming against “Solo: A Star Wars Story” and “Deadpool 2.”

“We exceeded our expectations,” Goldstein said. “There’s always been a lack of movies [female-led projects]. I’m glad audiences enjoyed it as much as we did.”

Women and older moviegoers bolstered numbers. Females accounted for 69% of audiences, while 69% were over the age of 25. “Ocean’s 8” currently has a B+ CinemaScore and 68% rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The spin-off marks over a...

“Ocean’s 8” star Sandra Bullock said she considered quitting acting and leaving Hollywood altogether after facing sexist behavior.

“I was like, ‘Wow, maybe I need to step out of here. Maybe I need to do something else for a living,'” the actress told USA Today. “And that was in the middle of when I was getting work — I didn’t want to be a part of that world where there was that experience.”

This weekend, Bullock will star “Ocean’s 8,” the all-female reboot of “Ocean’s 11” and Bullock’s first starring role since 2015’s “Our Brand Is Crisis.” Early tracking has its opening weekend set at roughly $30 million.

Bullock told USA Today that in her early career, beginning with her breakout role in 1994’s “Speed,” she had little...

Sandra Bullock's newest film Ocean's 8 is almost here! The film, which follows Danny Ocean's (George Clooney) sister Debbie Ocean (Bullock) as she tries to pull off the greatest jewelry heist at the Met Gala, hits theaters this week (June 8) and we're almost a little too excited about it. It's been three years since Bullock has had a movie in theaters—the last movie was 2015's Our Brand is Crisis—and that's far too long for fans of the Oscar-winning actress. The good news is that the Bullock box-office drought it almost over. In fact, ahead of the 53-year-old actress's next movie release this Friday why not take a look back at the star's biggest and best movies...

Sandra Bullock enjoyed a low-key night out with Bryan Randall, her boyfriend of nearly three years.

On Friday evening, the couple joined their friends for a date night dinner at Innovative Dining Group’s Roku Sunset in West Hollywood, California.

“They looked happier than ever,” a source tells People of Bullock, 53, and Randall, 51.

“Bryan was such a gentleman, holding the door open for Sandra, keeping her close and holding her the entire night,” the source says. “Sandra was very engaged, laughing and smiling the entire night.”

At the restaurant, the Ocean’s 8 star and her group dined on hanabi (crispy rice...

Sandra Bullock enjoyed a low-key night out with Bryan Randall, her boyfriend of nearly three years.

On Friday evening, the couple joined their friends for a date night dinner at Innovative Dining Group’s Roku Sunset in West Hollywood, California.

“They looked happier than ever,” a source tells People of Bullock, 53, and Randall, 51.

“Bryan was such a gentleman, holding the door open for Sandra and his parents, keeping her close and holding her the entire night,” the source says. “Sandra was very engaged, laughing and smiling the entire night.”

At the restaurant, the Ocean’s 8 star and her group dined on...

From “Veep” to “Scandal,” “Wag the Dog” to “Our Brand is Crisis,” Hollywood has no shortage of cautionary tales about media manipulation by politicians. It’s tempting to see the plague of fake news and the ham-fisted attempts at Orwellian indoctrination — on Fox News, Sinclair stations and YouTube conspiracy-theory videos — as a malaise that afflicts them, seldom us.

“Chappaquiddick,” about the 1969 car accident that left campaign strategist Mary Jo Kopechne dead and felled the late Senator Ted Kennedy’s presidential aspirations, serves as a timely reminder that voters on either side of the aisle are susceptible to influence, especially when it’s wrapped up in male entitlement and oligarchical polish.

By the time he died in office in 2009, Kennedy was the fourth longest-serving senator in U.S. history, with the “Chappaquiddick Incident” far behind him.

Also Read: Martin Sheen: JFK (Unlike Trump) Would Have 'Confronted Those Bastards' at NRA Over Gun Crisis

Directed by Australian John Curran (“The Painted Veil”), the somber, quietly damning “Chappaquiddick” tells a middle-of-the-road version of the events, firmly between tabloid speculation and dynasty-protecting heroics. Here, Jason Clarke’s 37-year-old Ted isn’t philandering, though possibly drunk, when, in a moment of ill-fated recklessness, he flips his Oldsmobile into a pond, with a sober Mary (Kate Mara) in the passenger seat. He makes it to shore; she doesn’t. He should call the police; he doesn’t.

Watch Video: Ted Kennedy Movie 'Chappaquiddick' Scores $20 Million From Byron Allen's Entertainment Studios

The real-life Kopechne’s official cause of death was drowning, but “Chappaquiddick” considers an alternate, more horrifying theory that’s become part of the incident’s lore: That she slowly asphyxiated to death in the car over several hours (during which she could have been rescued), her head above water until oxygen ran out. Later, Ted imagines the serious, idealistic Mary’s final moments, waiting for help that would never arrive.

First-time screenwriters Taylor Allen and Andrew Logan manage to give Mary a distinct personality and biography in Mara’s 15-ish minutes on screen, so that she’s not reduced to an albatross around Ted’s neck, but rather blooms into someone whose death we feel as a loss. But, of course, this is Ted’s story. The accident becomes a crossroads where he is to decide who he should become: His father’s sole surviving son (after the assassinations of Jack and Bobby, and the death of Joseph Jr. in battle during World War II) and thus the old man’s final shot at seeing one of his children in the White House again, or someone who’s going to do the right thing.

From the start, opportunity has a head start on integrity. When Ted’s two closest advisers — his cousin, Joe (Ed Helms), and a more distant confidant, Paul (Jim Gaffigan) — ask him just after the accident what’s wrong, the senator sighs, “I’m not going to be president.”

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As in that scene, “Chappaquiddick” is most powerful when it comes to the words that aren’t spoken. Ted doesn’t notify local officials of the accident, so the upturned car, with Mary inside it, is discovered by the townspeople the next morning. With the “Kennedy curse” heavy on everyone’s mind — as if Mary’s death was yet another thing that happened to the family — Ted is counseled to call his mother immediately (“Don’t let her find out about another tragedy through the news”), but it’s not until some time after that anyone thinks of Mary’s family. Nor does Ted think to call his pregnant wife during the worst crisis of his career.

The script is stuffed with portentous, dual-meaning lines like, “We will persevere, because that’s what Kennedys do,” that become eyeroll-inducing as they pile up. But the knee-jerk acquiescence to the Potus ambitions of both Ted and especially Joe Sr. (a wheezing, wheelchaired Bruce Dern in a Darth Vader-esque turn) is rivetingly revolting nonetheless. You’ll never hear the word “alibi” the same again.

Ted’s daddy issues are laid on a bit too thick, especially when he self-pityingly whines that he was always the least-favorite son of his stroke-stricken father. (“Chappaquiddick” is the rare unsubtle, yet highly suggestive, film.) But Ted’s burden to live up to the ideals his brother Jack represented to the country rings true, even if he and Joseph Sr.’s nine-man pack of waxen consultants admit to each other that the Bay of Pigs was a disaster.

Even more revealing are the film’s observations about the bubble of privilege that Ted occupied, as predetermined as his preppy pastel wardrobe. He’s referred to as “Senator” even at the beach, and a single call to his father or a lackey means a covert fudging of documents. Ted’s certainly not a sociopath, but self-protective deception is his natural instinct. As he tries on a fake neck brace for Mary’s funeral, he has to be reminded by his increasingly disturbed cousin, “You’re not a victim, Ted.” Donning prosthetic teeth, Clarke nails his character’s aura of genteel self-absorption, as well as the Kennedys’ flat, nasal brogue.

After a compelling first hour, the actual clean-up scenes are anticlimactic. But the ending hits hard, with a coda consisting of archival footage of Massachusetts citizens expressing their faith in Ted Kennedy and parroting more or less what the Democratic machine wanted voters to believe. “Chappaquiddick” may or may not be what actually happened, but it gets at enough piercing truths.



Read original story ‘Chappaquiddick’ Film Review: Ted Kennedy Scandal Makes for Searing Drama At TheWrap...

Based on the inspiring true story of Jeff Bauman, a survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing, Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal (2005, Best Supporting Actor, Brokeback Mountain) and Primetime Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany (2016, Outstanding Actress in a TV Series – Drama, “Orphan Black”) star in Stronger, arriving on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD, and On Demand today (December 19) from Lionsgate. Hailed as “one of the best films of the year” (National Review) and Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh, Stronger is a deeply personal account of the infamous 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and its aftermath. Also starring Oscar® nominee Miranda Richardson (1994, Best Actress, Tom & Viv) and Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption), the film chronicles the heroic story of Jeff Bauman, the man who became a symbol of hope and determination for a wounded city.

Now you can own Stronger on Blu-ray. We Are Movie Geeks has 4 copies to give away. All you have to do is leave...

Based on the inspiring true story of Jeff Bauman, a survivor of the Boston Marathon bombing, Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal (2005, Best Supporting Actor, Brokeback Mountain) and Primetime Emmy winner Tatiana Maslany (2016, Outstanding Actress in a TV Series – Drama, “Orphan Black”) star in Stronger, arriving on Digital December 5 and Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD, and On Demand December 19 from Lionsgate. Hailed as “one of the best films of the year” (National Review) and Rotten Tomatoes Certified Fresh, Stronger is a deeply personal account of the infamous 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and its aftermath. Also starring Oscar® nominee Miranda Richardson (1994, Best Actress, Tom & Viv) and Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption), the film chronicles the heroic story of Jeff Bauman, the man who became a symbol of hope and determination for a wounded city.

Inspired by the true story, Stronger stars Jake Gyllenhaal as Jeff Bauman, a working-class Bostonian who was at the 2013 marathon when...

Truth or Dare: Supernatural thriller Truth of Dare has now been set for theatrical release on April 27, 2018. Lucy Hale (Scream 4, above) and Tyler Posey star in the movie, which follows what happens when friends playing what should be a harmless game suffer deadly consequences for telling a lie or refusing a dare. Jeff Wadlow (Kick-Ass 2) directed; Jason Blum (Get Out; Happy Death Day) produced. [Coming Soon]   Let Her Speak: Sandra Bullock, who starred as a political consultant in Our Brand Is Crisis (above), is provisionally attached to star as Texas State Senator Wendy Davis in Let Her Speak, "subject to landing a director she likes." Davis earned nationwide recognition when she staged a 13-hour filibuster in 2013 against the passage of abortion...

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Over the last couple of years, October hasn't been the haven for horror one would think it would be. This year, however, not only has the year itself been dominated by top quality horror releases, but It got a jump start on the scary season with a September release and October has already had Happy Death Day debut with strong numbers. This weekend, Lionsgate hopes to give the genre another jolt with Jigsaw, which brings the Saw franchise back to the big screen after a seven year hiatus. Additional new releases include George Clooney's Suburbicon and Universal's Thank You for Your Service while Dimension will finally release Amityville: The Awakening after over five years of the film bouncing around the release schedule. Expected to finish #1 this weekend, Lionsgate brings back one of the studio's most iconic characters with Jigsaw. Michael and Peter Spierig (Daybreakers) directed the film, which arrives...

Sandra Bullock and boyfriend Bryan Randall are still going strong!

The 53-year-old actress and her boyfriend of two years were recently snapped leaving Piccolino restaurant in West Hollywood, California, and weren't afraid to show some Pda after their lunch date. Bullock wrapped her arms around Randall and smiled, as her beau also happily kept his arm around her. The couple also shared a few smooches as they waited for the valet.

Photo: Vasquez-Max Lopes / Backgrid

Bullock and Randall -- who's a photographer and model -- have been linked together since August 2015, when they were spotted on a dinner date at celeb hot spot Craig's restaurant. One month later, Bullock played coy about her romance when Et asked her about it at the Toronto International Film Festival.

"Who says I have a new boyfriend?" the actress teased, before adding, "Everything in my life is great right now."

Inside Sandra Bullock and Bryan Randall's Romantic Double Date with [link=nm...

2017-09-15T12:30:42-07:00Jamie Lee Curtis Working on New 'Halloween' Movie

It's been 15 years since Jamie Lee Curtis played Laurie Strode, the character she originated in 1978's Halloween. She'll reprise the role, however, in a new installment in the franchise due out next year. There's been no shortage of Halloween movies, both with and without Curtis involved, and the franchise has been plagued in recent years by subpar remakes and reboots. This time around, though, original director John Carpenter is on board as executive producer, and the movie is being directed by David Gordon Green, creator of Eastbound and Down.

Via The Hollywood Reporter.

Cue the iconic piano notes.

Jamie Lee Curtis is returning to Halloween, the horror franchise that helped to launch her career.

"Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her iconic role as Laurie Strode in Halloween, released by Universal Pictures October 19, 2018. #HalloweenMovie,...

Cue the iconic piano notes. 

Jamie Lee Curtis is returning to Halloween, the horror franchise that helped to launch her career. 

"Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her iconic role as Laurie Strode in Halloween, released by Universal Pictures October 19, 2018. #HalloweenMovie," Blumhouse Productions tweeted Friday. 

"Same porch. Same clothes. Same issues. 40 years later. Headed back to Haddonfield one last time for Halloween," Curtis tweeted. 

David Gordon Green, the co-creator of HBO's Eastbound & Down and director of movies such as Pineapple Express and Our Brand Is Crisis, will helm a new movie that will have a script co-written by him...

Cue the iconic piano notes. 

Jamie Lee Curtis is returning to Halloween, the horror franchise that helped to launch her career. 

"Jamie Lee Curtis returns to her iconic role as Laurie Strode in Halloween, released by Universal Pictures October 19, 2018. #HalloweenMovie," Blumhouse Productions tweeted Friday. 

"Same porch. Same clothes. Same issues. 40 years later. Headed back to Haddonfield one last time for Halloween," Curtis tweeted. 

David Gordon Green, the co-creator of HBO's Eastbound & Down and director of movies such as Pineapple Express and Our Brand Is Crisis, will helm a new movie ...

A theme appears to be emerging in a lot of 2017 pop culture. It’s become one of the defining features of Game of Thrones, runs through the layered narratives of Dunkirk, and takes center stage once again in Stronger, a film that plays with an implied tagline, “What doesn’t kill you, makes you…” It’s fitting for a world that feels more in flux and in peril than many of us have experienced in our lifetimes, this idea that there’s a level of heroism in mere survival, that enduring and living to fight or simply wake up to another day is something worth celebrating, something noble.

Stronger may not explore this concept as fantastically as Thrones or as grippingly or viscerally as Dunkirk, but there’s a ground level inspiration to it that’s worth admiring. It depicts the story of real life Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman (played by Jake Gyllenhaal,...

MaryAnn’s quick take… A rom-com for people who hate rom-coms. A painfully funny movie, full of enrapturing emotion that captures the glorious contradictions of all kinds of love. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): not a fan of romantic comedies

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

How many ways can a movie be spoiled by its own mere existence so that it’s ruined before you even see it? We now know that it’s more than the many ways in which The Big Sick spoils itself, because its multiply-foregone conclusion does not hinder its amusements, lessen its drama, or take away from its big, big, all-enrapturing emotion. It’s kind of amazing.

The Big Sick is the basically-true, just-a-little-bit-fictionalized story of the relationship between actor and comedian Kumail Nanjiani (Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates, Goosebumps) and writer and producer Emily V. Gordon,...