Steven Spielberg is undoubtedly one of the greatest voices in filmmaking today. Since the ’70s, he has proven himself to be a very competent director who can dabble in any filmmaking genre with ease. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of The Lost Ark, Saving Private Ryan, Jurassic Park, The Color Purple, etc. are examples of his complete mastery over varied genres.
Melinda Dillon and Cary Guffey in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Spielberg tasted success early in his career with Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. When he decided to put a comedic spin on the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, many, including John Wayne, warned him that it would backfire on him. The underwhelming reception of the film led to a big realization of the mistakes that he made.
John Wayne’s Warning About 1941 Was The First Sign of the Film...
Melinda Dillon and Cary Guffey in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind
Spielberg tasted success early in his career with Jaws and Close Encounters of the Third Kind. When he decided to put a comedic spin on the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941, many, including John Wayne, warned him that it would backfire on him. The underwhelming reception of the film led to a big realization of the mistakes that he made.
John Wayne’s Warning About 1941 Was The First Sign of the Film...
- 5/6/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
When Steven Spielberg set out to helm "1941" (a film John Wayne tried to stop him from making), he was seemingly unbeatable. Here was the man who invented the summer blockbuster with "Jaws," then followed it up with the big hit "Close Encounters of the Third Kind." He was on top of the world, and it felt like anything he put his name on was going to be a success. Then "1941" crashed and burned.
Sort of.
Here's the thing: in the grand scheme of things, "1941" was not relly a flop. However, because critics were mixed on the flick and it wasn't as big of a hit as Spielberg's previous two movies, it was seen as a failure. Spielberg the wunderkind was showing signs of fatigue. And to be fair, "1941" is definitely one of Spielberg's weaker efforts. Based very loosely on true events, the film follows several...
Sort of.
Here's the thing: in the grand scheme of things, "1941" was not relly a flop. However, because critics were mixed on the flick and it wasn't as big of a hit as Spielberg's previous two movies, it was seen as a failure. Spielberg the wunderkind was showing signs of fatigue. And to be fair, "1941" is definitely one of Spielberg's weaker efforts. Based very loosely on true events, the film follows several...
- 5/5/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Always good as either an antagonist or malign authority figure, Walsh – best known as loathsome Pi Visser in Blood Simple – was a singular, brilliant icon
M Emmet Walsh, American actor, dies at 88
M Emmet Walsh was the outstanding Hollywood character actor who emerged in the American new wave, a performer whose mesmerically watchable and powerful looks made him eminently castable; he was jowly and heavy set, but always looked tough, as if the idea of a fistfight would not be a novel or frightening thing for him. But he also had a woundedly sad expression in those poached-egg eyes.
Walsh lent a texture of reality to any picture he was in – like his approximate contemporaries Ned Beatty or George Kennedy, a performer who could be part of the landscape and offset the importance of the male lead, often in some kind of antagonistic or malign authority role. He could be...
M Emmet Walsh, American actor, dies at 88
M Emmet Walsh was the outstanding Hollywood character actor who emerged in the American new wave, a performer whose mesmerically watchable and powerful looks made him eminently castable; he was jowly and heavy set, but always looked tough, as if the idea of a fistfight would not be a novel or frightening thing for him. But he also had a woundedly sad expression in those poached-egg eyes.
Walsh lent a texture of reality to any picture he was in – like his approximate contemporaries Ned Beatty or George Kennedy, a performer who could be part of the landscape and offset the importance of the male lead, often in some kind of antagonistic or malign authority role. He could be...
- 3/21/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
A familiar face showed up in The Conners Wednesday (March 13) night when legacy cast member Natalie West returned to the show to reprise her role as Crystal Anderson. West featured on the fifth episode of the currently airing sixth season, marking her first appearance on the Roseanne spinoff since the popular sitcom’s inaugural 2018 run. She appeared in the episode “When Sisters Collide and The Return of the Grifters,” where it was revealed Dan (John Goodman) had been using money to pay for her medical bills. Long-time viewers will remember West from Roseanne, where she starred in a total of 59 episodes across the show’s ten seasons. She was made a series regular for Seasons 3 and 4 and recurred before and after. Her character, Crystal, was introduced as an old friend of Roseanne and Dan. She later married Dan’s father, Ed (Ned Beatty), and the pair had two children together,...
- 3/14/2024
- TV Insider
Pageantry. Screw ups. Touching tributes. Private beefs made public. There are plenty of reasons to watch the Oscars. But they all amount to partaking in, witnessing, movie history in its many forms — the high art, the gossip, the record-breaking moments when an arthouse director becomes a household name.
However, there are a lot of ways to set a record. There are big moments like Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tying the record with 11 trophies or Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite becoming the first film not in English (or silent) to win Best Picture. And then, beyond those sit the oddities and records that are nearly impossible to break. Give me records like Walter Brennan winning three Best Supporting Actor awards because, as a former extra, he was popular with the Union of Film Extras, who were allowed to vote. At least, the story goes, they were allowed...
However, there are a lot of ways to set a record. There are big moments like Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King tying the record with 11 trophies or Bong Joon-Ho’s Parasite becoming the first film not in English (or silent) to win Best Picture. And then, beyond those sit the oddities and records that are nearly impossible to break. Give me records like Walter Brennan winning three Best Supporting Actor awards because, as a former extra, he was popular with the Union of Film Extras, who were allowed to vote. At least, the story goes, they were allowed...
- 3/10/2024
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Tom Priestley, the British film editor whose work assembling the dueling-banjos sequence and hellish “squeal like a pig” attack in John Boorman’s Deliverance landed him an Oscar nomination, has died. He was 91.
His death on Christmas Day was only recently revealed.
Priestley also cut two other movies helmed by Boorman: Leo the Last (1970), which won the best director award at the Cannes Film Festival, and Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977).
He also edited The Great Gatsby (1974); Blake Edwards’ The Return of the Pink Panther (1975); That Lucky Touch (1975), starring Roger Moore; Voyage of the Damned (1976), featuring an all-star cast; and Roman Polanski’s Tess (1979).
Priestley was the only son of renowned British novelist and playwright J.B. Priestley, who wrote the classic 1945 drama An Inspector Calls for the theater and served as a BBC Radio broadcaster during the Dunkirk evacuation of World War II.
Upon its release in 1972, Deliverance became the...
His death on Christmas Day was only recently revealed.
Priestley also cut two other movies helmed by Boorman: Leo the Last (1970), which won the best director award at the Cannes Film Festival, and Exorcist II: The Heretic (1977).
He also edited The Great Gatsby (1974); Blake Edwards’ The Return of the Pink Panther (1975); That Lucky Touch (1975), starring Roger Moore; Voyage of the Damned (1976), featuring an all-star cast; and Roman Polanski’s Tess (1979).
Priestley was the only son of renowned British novelist and playwright J.B. Priestley, who wrote the classic 1945 drama An Inspector Calls for the theater and served as a BBC Radio broadcaster during the Dunkirk evacuation of World War II.
Upon its release in 1972, Deliverance became the...
- 2/19/2024
- by Rhett Bartlett
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Superman is soaring back to the forefront. A new iteration of the Man of Steel is coming from Warner Bros, which made a splashy acquisition at Sundance of the documentary Super/Man: The Christopher Reeve Story. That tells the story of moviedom’s first Man of Steel, and how he found his real superpowers in becoming an activist after suffering an equestrian accident that left him paralyzed.
On the heels of that comes an auction by Peter Harrington Rare Books of storyboards that Ivor Beddoes drew for the original Superman, the 1978 blockbuster directed by Richard Donner, with script by Mario Puzo and David Newman, with John Williams score. The film starred Reeve, Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, Glen Ford, Ned Beatty and Terence Stamp. They’ve allowed Deadline readers and Superman fans to take a trip down memory lane and see how the film was structured visually. The most expensive film made for its time,...
On the heels of that comes an auction by Peter Harrington Rare Books of storyboards that Ivor Beddoes drew for the original Superman, the 1978 blockbuster directed by Richard Donner, with script by Mario Puzo and David Newman, with John Williams score. The film starred Reeve, Marlon Brando, Gene Hackman, Margot Kidder, Glen Ford, Ned Beatty and Terence Stamp. They’ve allowed Deadline readers and Superman fans to take a trip down memory lane and see how the film was structured visually. The most expensive film made for its time,...
- 2/9/2024
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Here are two words for those who believe Christopher Nolan can’t possibly lose the Best Director race at this year’s Academy Awards for “Oppenheimer”: Bob Fosse. And here are three more: Francis Ford Coppola.
When you think about how many consider Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece “The Godfather” to be perhaps the greatest American film ever made, it might shock them to learn that while the film won Oscars in ’73 for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Marlon Brando, Coppola lost the director race to Fosse for “Cabaret.” Nothing against Fosse or his iconic musical, but his win over Coppola was shocking even if deserved. The lesson is that you simply never know what might happen on Oscar night. “Oppenheimer” could clean up, as is being widely predicted, and Nolan could still somehow miss out even though all indicators tell us it’s a done deal.
SEEOscar...
When you think about how many consider Coppola’s 1972 masterpiece “The Godfather” to be perhaps the greatest American film ever made, it might shock them to learn that while the film won Oscars in ’73 for Best Picture, Adapted Screenplay and Best Actor for Marlon Brando, Coppola lost the director race to Fosse for “Cabaret.” Nothing against Fosse or his iconic musical, but his win over Coppola was shocking even if deserved. The lesson is that you simply never know what might happen on Oscar night. “Oppenheimer” could clean up, as is being widely predicted, and Nolan could still somehow miss out even though all indicators tell us it’s a done deal.
SEEOscar...
- 2/8/2024
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Herbert “Cowboy” Coward, the sometime actor and pal of Burt Reynolds who played one of the scary, sadistic mountain men in John Boorman’s Deliverance, died Wednesday in a car crash in North Carolina. He was 85.
His death, along with that of his girlfriend Bertha Brooks, 78, and their pet Chihuahua and squirrel, was announced by North Carolina State Highway Patrol officials.
The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. Et Wednesday on a U.S. Route 19/23 in Haywood County. According to patrol officials, Coward’s vehicle was struck by a pickup truck driven by a 16-year-old, who was taken to a hospital for treatment. No charges have been filed.
North Carolina troopers told Asheville TV station Wlos that Coward had just left a doctor’s office when his car was struck by the teen driver, who was not speeding. Neither Coward nor Brooks was wearing a seat belt.
Coward had come...
His death, along with that of his girlfriend Bertha Brooks, 78, and their pet Chihuahua and squirrel, was announced by North Carolina State Highway Patrol officials.
The crash occurred around 3:30 p.m. Et Wednesday on a U.S. Route 19/23 in Haywood County. According to patrol officials, Coward’s vehicle was struck by a pickup truck driven by a 16-year-old, who was taken to a hospital for treatment. No charges have been filed.
North Carolina troopers told Asheville TV station Wlos that Coward had just left a doctor’s office when his car was struck by the teen driver, who was not speeding. Neither Coward nor Brooks was wearing a seat belt.
Coward had come...
- 1/25/2024
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Herbert “Cowboy” Coward, who as the sadistic toothless man in John Boorman’s Deliverance terrorized canoeists and audiences alike with the chilling line, “He got a real pretty mouth, ain’t he?,” has been killed in a car accident. He was 85.
Coward died Wednesday when the Nissan he was driving was struck by a pickup truck driven by a 16-year-old in Haywood County, North Carolina, North Carolina State Highway Patrol officials told Wlos-tv.
Coward; his girlfriend, Bertha Brooks; and two pets, a chihuahua and a squirrel, died at the scene, they said. The other driver was taken to a hospital. No charges have been filed.
In the early 1960s, Burt Reynolds was making $100 a week falling off rooftops as a stuntman at the Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, when he first met Coward, who was there playing an outlaw character named Pa Clanton.
Coward died Wednesday when the Nissan he was driving was struck by a pickup truck driven by a 16-year-old in Haywood County, North Carolina, North Carolina State Highway Patrol officials told Wlos-tv.
Coward; his girlfriend, Bertha Brooks; and two pets, a chihuahua and a squirrel, died at the scene, they said. The other driver was taken to a hospital. No charges have been filed.
In the early 1960s, Burt Reynolds was making $100 a week falling off rooftops as a stuntman at the Ghost Town in the Sky amusement park in Maggie Valley, North Carolina, when he first met Coward, who was there playing an outlaw character named Pa Clanton.
- 1/25/2024
- by Rhett Bartlett
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Benedict Fitzgerald, the co-writer of Mel Gibson’s The Passion of the Christ, has died. He was 74.
Fitzgerald died Jan. 17 after a long illness at his home in Marsala, Sicily, his cousin Nancy Morgan Ritter told The Hollywood Reporter.
Best known for his work on Gibson’s 2004 Biblical epic, the highest-grossing Christian film, as well as the highest-grossing independent film of all time, Fitzgerald’s other credits include co-writing the screenplay for John Huston’s Wise Blood (1979), the adaptation of Flannery O’Connor’s novel.
Born on March 9, 1949, in New York, Fitzgerald was born into a literary household. His deeply Catholic mother, Sally, was a writer and editor and his father, Robert, was a poet, United States Poet Laureate (1984-1985), critic, and famed translator of classic ancient Greek and Latin texts, who was responsible for perhaps the most well-known translation of Homer’s The Odyssey.
In the late 1950s, Fitzgerald’s family...
Fitzgerald died Jan. 17 after a long illness at his home in Marsala, Sicily, his cousin Nancy Morgan Ritter told The Hollywood Reporter.
Best known for his work on Gibson’s 2004 Biblical epic, the highest-grossing Christian film, as well as the highest-grossing independent film of all time, Fitzgerald’s other credits include co-writing the screenplay for John Huston’s Wise Blood (1979), the adaptation of Flannery O’Connor’s novel.
Born on March 9, 1949, in New York, Fitzgerald was born into a literary household. His deeply Catholic mother, Sally, was a writer and editor and his father, Robert, was a poet, United States Poet Laureate (1984-1985), critic, and famed translator of classic ancient Greek and Latin texts, who was responsible for perhaps the most well-known translation of Homer’s The Odyssey.
In the late 1950s, Fitzgerald’s family...
- 1/22/2024
- by Abid Rahman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Benedict Fitzgerald, best known as the screenwriter of The Passion of the Christ, died at home in Marsala, Sicily after a long illness on January 17, 2024. He was 74 and no cause of death was given by his family.
He first won acclaim for his screenplay adaptation of Flannery O’Connor’s novel Wise Blood, cowritten with his brother, Michael. The film, produced in 1979 by Michael and Kathy Fitzgerald and directed by John Huston, starred Brad Dourif, Harry Dean Stanton, and Ned Beatty.
Fitzgerald specialized in literary adaptions, among them Zelda, (starring Natasha Richardson and Timothy Hutton) in 1993; Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness in 1993 (starring John Malkovich); a television mini-series of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood in 1996 and Moby Dick in 1998 (starring Patrick Stewart as Ahab and nominated for 5 primetime Emmy awards).
The Passion Of The Christ (2004), the...
He first won acclaim for his screenplay adaptation of Flannery O’Connor’s novel Wise Blood, cowritten with his brother, Michael. The film, produced in 1979 by Michael and Kathy Fitzgerald and directed by John Huston, starred Brad Dourif, Harry Dean Stanton, and Ned Beatty.
Fitzgerald specialized in literary adaptions, among them Zelda, (starring Natasha Richardson and Timothy Hutton) in 1993; Joseph Conrad’s Heart of Darkness in 1993 (starring John Malkovich); a television mini-series of Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood in 1996 and Moby Dick in 1998 (starring Patrick Stewart as Ahab and nominated for 5 primetime Emmy awards).
The Passion Of The Christ (2004), the...
- 1/21/2024
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Benedict Fitzgerald, co-screenwriter of “The Passion of the Christ,” died Jan. 17 in Marsala, Sicily, after a long illness, his cousin Nancy Ritter told Variety. He was 74.
Fitzgerald co-wrote 2004’s “The Passion of the Christ” with director and producer Mel Gibson. The biblical epic remains the highest-grossing independent film of all time.
Fitzgerald first received acclaim for his screenplay adaptation of the Flannery O’Connor novel “Wise Blood,” which he co-wrote with his brother Michael. Michael and Kathy Fitzgerald produced the John Huston-directed film, which starred Brad Dourif, Harry Dean Stanton and Ned Beatty.
“Wise Blood” marked the beginning of Fitzgerald’s many literary adaptations, including 1993’s “Zelda” with Natasha Richardson and Timothy Hutton, and Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” (1993), starring John Malkovich. He wrote the miniseries adaptations of Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood” (1996) and Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” (1998), starring Patrick Stewart as Captain Ahab. Both series were nominated for several Emmy Awards.
Fitzgerald co-wrote 2004’s “The Passion of the Christ” with director and producer Mel Gibson. The biblical epic remains the highest-grossing independent film of all time.
Fitzgerald first received acclaim for his screenplay adaptation of the Flannery O’Connor novel “Wise Blood,” which he co-wrote with his brother Michael. Michael and Kathy Fitzgerald produced the John Huston-directed film, which starred Brad Dourif, Harry Dean Stanton and Ned Beatty.
“Wise Blood” marked the beginning of Fitzgerald’s many literary adaptations, including 1993’s “Zelda” with Natasha Richardson and Timothy Hutton, and Joseph Conrad’s “Heart of Darkness” (1993), starring John Malkovich. He wrote the miniseries adaptations of Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood” (1996) and Herman Melville’s “Moby Dick” (1998), starring Patrick Stewart as Captain Ahab. Both series were nominated for several Emmy Awards.
- 1/21/2024
- by Caroline Brew
- Variety Film + TV
Andre Braugher, the two-time Emmy winner who died this week at the age of 61, was an unknown when the hardboiled NBC detective drama “Homicide: Life on the Street” debuted in the coveted post-Super Bowl time slot on Jan. 31, 1993. He left the series six years later as an in-demand leading man who went on to star in TV series include FX’s “Thief,” TNT’s “Men of a Certain Age,” Fox/NBC’s “Brooklyn Nine Nine,” in addition to many other prominent roles.
But it started with his years on “Homicide.” Braugher played Detective Frank Pembleton, one of the most unforgettable characters that television has ever produced, thanks to the brilliance of executive producers Tom Fontana, Barry Levinson and Jim Finnerty and a murderers row of a writers room. The stellar supporting cast alongside included Ned Beatty, Melissa Leo and Yaphet Kotto.
Braugher made his name as an actor with his work as the ultra-intense,...
But it started with his years on “Homicide.” Braugher played Detective Frank Pembleton, one of the most unforgettable characters that television has ever produced, thanks to the brilliance of executive producers Tom Fontana, Barry Levinson and Jim Finnerty and a murderers row of a writers room. The stellar supporting cast alongside included Ned Beatty, Melissa Leo and Yaphet Kotto.
Braugher made his name as an actor with his work as the ultra-intense,...
- 12/14/2023
- by Paul McGuire
- Variety Film + TV
Shirley Anne Field, the British leading lady who starred alongside Laurence Olivier in The Entertainer, Albert Finney in Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, and Kenneth More in Man in the Moon — all in 1960 — has died. She was 87.
“It is with great sadness that we are sharing the news that Shirley Anne Field passed away peacefully on Sunday, Dec. 10, surrounded by her family and friends,” a spokesperson announced.
“Shirley Anne will be greatly missed and remembered for her unbreakable spirit and her amazing legacy spanning more than five decades on stage and screen.”
For her first Hollywood film, Field passed up John Schlesinger’s A Kind of Loving to star opposite Steve McQueen and Robert Wagner in the World War II drama The War Lover (1962). It was a decision she would regret, she explained in a 2009 interview.
“I finally had a chance to go to Hollywood and become a worldwide name.
“It is with great sadness that we are sharing the news that Shirley Anne Field passed away peacefully on Sunday, Dec. 10, surrounded by her family and friends,” a spokesperson announced.
“Shirley Anne will be greatly missed and remembered for her unbreakable spirit and her amazing legacy spanning more than five decades on stage and screen.”
For her first Hollywood film, Field passed up John Schlesinger’s A Kind of Loving to star opposite Steve McQueen and Robert Wagner in the World War II drama The War Lover (1962). It was a decision she would regret, she explained in a 2009 interview.
“I finally had a chance to go to Hollywood and become a worldwide name.
- 12/12/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The episode of The Test of Time covering Exorcist II: The Heretic was Written by Andrew Hatfield, Narrated by Niki Minter, Edited by Mike Conway, Produced by John Fallon and Tyler Nichols, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
Here at Test of Time, the whole idea of the show is to look at a classic, either objectively through critical praise, box office revenue, or even things like reputation or cult classic status. The three of us, writer Andrew, narrator Niki, and editor Mike like to discuss what we think about whatever the movie is and have fun with it. Shouldn’t this be able to work in reverse though? What about a movie that is seen as bad? Shouldn’t it be looked at through a different lens via time and what we know now? Maybe a bad movie stays a bad movie but what if a reappraisal alters the opinion?...
Here at Test of Time, the whole idea of the show is to look at a classic, either objectively through critical praise, box office revenue, or even things like reputation or cult classic status. The three of us, writer Andrew, narrator Niki, and editor Mike like to discuss what we think about whatever the movie is and have fun with it. Shouldn’t this be able to work in reverse though? What about a movie that is seen as bad? Shouldn’t it be looked at through a different lens via time and what we know now? Maybe a bad movie stays a bad movie but what if a reappraisal alters the opinion?...
- 11/28/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we look at Oscars categories from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winners stand the test of time.)
With all the milestones that have occurred throughout the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, there are still plenty of accomplishments that have not transpired. No Black woman has ever been nominated for Best Director, and no Black person has ever won that category. No animated film has ever won Best Picture, and no documentary has ever been nominated. I do believe all of these things will eventually happen in the future. As the diversity of the industry steadily increases and Academy membership gradually expands, these sorts of things must happen as time moves on.
But there is one thing I remain skeptical about when it comes to Oscars milestones. It has nothing to do with representation, nor does it have to...
With all the milestones that have occurred throughout the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, there are still plenty of accomplishments that have not transpired. No Black woman has ever been nominated for Best Director, and no Black person has ever won that category. No animated film has ever won Best Picture, and no documentary has ever been nominated. I do believe all of these things will eventually happen in the future. As the diversity of the industry steadily increases and Academy membership gradually expands, these sorts of things must happen as time moves on.
But there is one thing I remain skeptical about when it comes to Oscars milestones. It has nothing to do with representation, nor does it have to...
- 11/12/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
Burt Young, the gravely-voiced actor who played Sylvester Stallone‘s brother-in-law, Paulie Pennino, in Rocky, has died at 83. Young became beloved by moviegoers for his interpretation of the down-on-his-luck character who helped champion Rocky Balboa’s rise to boxing stardom. The film franchise would total nine installments over almost 50 years, but how many Rocky movies and sequels did Young appear in?
Burt Young played Paulie Pennino alongside Sylvester Stallone in ‘Rocky’ and its sequels
As Paulie Pennino, Burt Young played the devil character sitting atop one of Rocky Balboa‘s shoulders in the original Rocky film, written and starring Sylvester Stallone. His sister Adrian, played by Talia Shire, was the angel, and both pulled him in different directions emotionally.
Paulie had a temper, drank too much, complained often, and was a pain in the neck. However, he was beloved by Rocky, who could see beyond his tough exterior.
However, the...
Burt Young played Paulie Pennino alongside Sylvester Stallone in ‘Rocky’ and its sequels
As Paulie Pennino, Burt Young played the devil character sitting atop one of Rocky Balboa‘s shoulders in the original Rocky film, written and starring Sylvester Stallone. His sister Adrian, played by Talia Shire, was the angel, and both pulled him in different directions emotionally.
Paulie had a temper, drank too much, complained often, and was a pain in the neck. However, he was beloved by Rocky, who could see beyond his tough exterior.
However, the...
- 10/19/2023
- by Lucille Barilla
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Synopsis
All his life, people have told Rudy he’s not good enough, not smart enough, not big enough. But nothing can stop his impossible dream of playing football for Notre Dame. From the time he’s a young boy, Rudy (Sean Astin) is determined to join the Fighting Irish. But his blue collar family only laughs at his ambitions – they know Rudy will follow his father and brothers to the local steel mill. And, for four long years after high school, he does just that. But some dreams won’t die, as Rudy proves when he goes to heroic, occasionally hilarious, lengths to win admission to Notre Dame. Once there, he becomes a walk-on player, serving as little more than a human tackling dummy against the starting players. Bloodied but unbeaten, Rudy wins the respect of legendary coach Ara Parseghian and the other Irish players, who give him one shot at gridiron glory.
All his life, people have told Rudy he’s not good enough, not smart enough, not big enough. But nothing can stop his impossible dream of playing football for Notre Dame. From the time he’s a young boy, Rudy (Sean Astin) is determined to join the Fighting Irish. But his blue collar family only laughs at his ambitions – they know Rudy will follow his father and brothers to the local steel mill. And, for four long years after high school, he does just that. But some dreams won’t die, as Rudy proves when he goes to heroic, occasionally hilarious, lengths to win admission to Notre Dame. Once there, he becomes a walk-on player, serving as little more than a human tackling dummy against the starting players. Bloodied but unbeaten, Rudy wins the respect of legendary coach Ara Parseghian and the other Irish players, who give him one shot at gridiron glory.
- 9/3/2023
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
In a career that lasted four decades, the great character actor Ned Beatty worked with a number of the greatest film directors in history, starting out with John Boorman and 1972’s “Deliverance,” in which he made his spectacular screen debut. From there, he went on to work with such screen legends as Robert Altman, Sidney Lumet, John Huston, Mike Nichols and Spike Lee.
Beatty was nominated for an Academy Award for 1976’s “Network,” directed by Lumet, as well as a Golden Globe Award nomination for portraying an Irish tenor in 1991’s “Hear My Song.” Beatty did not appear in films until he was 35 years old and was immediately pegged as a character actor, a category in which he flourished. His other film credits include “Nashville,” “Superman,” “Wise Blood” and “Toy Story 3.”
Tour our photo gallery ranking his 12 greatest screen performances from worst to best.
Beatty was nominated for an Academy Award for 1976’s “Network,” directed by Lumet, as well as a Golden Globe Award nomination for portraying an Irish tenor in 1991’s “Hear My Song.” Beatty did not appear in films until he was 35 years old and was immediately pegged as a character actor, a category in which he flourished. His other film credits include “Nashville,” “Superman,” “Wise Blood” and “Toy Story 3.”
Tour our photo gallery ranking his 12 greatest screen performances from worst to best.
- 7/1/2023
- by Tom O'Brien, Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Cormac McCarthy, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist who endured decades of obscurity and poverty before film versions of “All the Pretty Horses,” “No Country for Old Men” and “The Road” brought him a wide readership and financial security, died Tuesday in Santa Fe, N.M. His publisher, Penguin Random House, said his son John McCarthy announced his death from natural causes. He was 89.
Extremely reclusive, McCarthy shunned publicity so effectively that one critic observed, “He wasn’t even famous for it.” But Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2008 adaptation of 2005 novel “No Country for Old Men” put him momentarily in the limelight; the crime thriller, which starred Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin, won Oscars for best picture, director, adapted screenplay and supporting actor.
While McCarthy’s first novel, “The Orchard Keeper,” was published in 1965, commercial success eluded him until his 1992 National Book Award-winning “All the Pretty Horses” and the...
Extremely reclusive, McCarthy shunned publicity so effectively that one critic observed, “He wasn’t even famous for it.” But Joel and Ethan Coen’s 2008 adaptation of 2005 novel “No Country for Old Men” put him momentarily in the limelight; the crime thriller, which starred Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin, won Oscars for best picture, director, adapted screenplay and supporting actor.
While McCarthy’s first novel, “The Orchard Keeper,” was published in 1965, commercial success eluded him until his 1992 National Book Award-winning “All the Pretty Horses” and the...
- 6/13/2023
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
By the time of the release of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse in 2018, the concept of the multiverse had already become virtually ubiquitous in mainstream culture. It’s been a major plot point in most of the recent MCU films and even played a crucial role in this year’s best picture winner, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s Everything Everywhere All at Once. If the novelty of a multiverse setting has lost much of its luster of late, Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, and Justin K. Thompson’s Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse arrives, with its splashy colors, shapeshifting animation styles, and hyperkinetic sense of constant movement, as a forceful reminder of its narrative and aesthetic possibilities.
Stretching across six alternate universes, each with its own distinct animation style and tone, Across the Spider-Verse takes the already staggering visual achievements of its predecessor and one-ups them. The fluid, watercolor-infused universe of...
Stretching across six alternate universes, each with its own distinct animation style and tone, Across the Spider-Verse takes the already staggering visual achievements of its predecessor and one-ups them. The fluid, watercolor-infused universe of...
- 5/31/2023
- by Derek Smith
- Slant Magazine
Every month brings a new slate of entertainment to streaming services everywhere, but each turn of the calendar also brings the tragic removal of a list of movies and television shows. While Netflix is debuting a bevy of releases in May 2023, the streaming service is losing some treasured titles. Good thing you have this guide to make sure you catch everything that may have been sitting in your Netflix queue before they mysteriously disappear.
Unfortunately, juggling distribution rights in the ongoing proliferation of streaming services makes it a headache to keep up with who owns what. HBO Max is the biggest offender of losing its own original content, as the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery and the induction of CEO David Zaslav has wiped a chunk of HBO Max exclusives from the platform. Netflix has a better grasp on its properties, but even the longest-running streaming service has lost some of its licensing,...
Unfortunately, juggling distribution rights in the ongoing proliferation of streaming services makes it a headache to keep up with who owns what. HBO Max is the biggest offender of losing its own original content, as the merger between Warner Bros. and Discovery and the induction of CEO David Zaslav has wiped a chunk of HBO Max exclusives from the platform. Netflix has a better grasp on its properties, but even the longest-running streaming service has lost some of its licensing,...
- 4/26/2023
- by Andrew Housman
- Slash Film
There has long been a grave misunderstanding of the spoof movie, a genre that takes one movie or cinematic trend and recreates it while mocking it mercilessly. It's easy to write off comedy staples like "Airplane!" and "Spaceballs" as delivery systems for silly non-stop gags, and sure enough, they absolutely are. But at its best, the spoof genre is much more insidious.
Most great spoof movies don't just mock something popular, they mock something serious. "Top Gun" is a self-serious motion picture, one that's seemingly unaware or at least uncritical of its own artificiality and jingoism. Fans of "Top Gun" may laugh at the film's funnier moments but the film itself is not to be laughed at. That's why a film like "Hot Shots!" is such a delight. The jokes are absurd and rapid-fire, but they're all aimed at taking a movie that set itself on a pedestal down a...
Most great spoof movies don't just mock something popular, they mock something serious. "Top Gun" is a self-serious motion picture, one that's seemingly unaware or at least uncritical of its own artificiality and jingoism. Fans of "Top Gun" may laugh at the film's funnier moments but the film itself is not to be laughed at. That's why a film like "Hot Shots!" is such a delight. The jokes are absurd and rapid-fire, but they're all aimed at taking a movie that set itself on a pedestal down a...
- 4/15/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Although Christopher Nolan reinvented comic book movies with his Dark Knight trilogy, the filmmaker asserted he wasn’t a fan of them himself. But there was one superhero film that had everything he wanted to see in the genre.
Christopher Nolan didn’t want his Batman to be in a shared universe with other superheroes’ Christopher Nolan | Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
Nowadays, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered an experience where audiences can see multiple comic book superheroes onscreen. The Marvel heroes teaming up for the first time in 2012’s The Avengers marked a significant shift in cinema. But before The Avengers, Nolan took a different approach with his Batman films by making the caped crusader the only superhero in his world.
“I don’t think our Batman, our Gotham, lends itself to that kind of cross-fertilization,” Nolan once told the LA Times. “It goes back...
Christopher Nolan didn’t want his Batman to be in a shared universe with other superheroes’ Christopher Nolan | Dave J Hogan/Dave J Hogan/Getty Images
Nowadays, the Marvel Cinematic Universe has delivered an experience where audiences can see multiple comic book superheroes onscreen. The Marvel heroes teaming up for the first time in 2012’s The Avengers marked a significant shift in cinema. But before The Avengers, Nolan took a different approach with his Batman films by making the caped crusader the only superhero in his world.
“I don’t think our Batman, our Gotham, lends itself to that kind of cross-fertilization,” Nolan once told the LA Times. “It goes back...
- 3/25/2023
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
The SAG Awards often match the Oscars for acting pretty closely, so when “Everything Everywhere All at Once” achieved an unprecedented clean sweep of all its categories including three individual acting races, the immediate question became, can it do the same thing at the Oscars? Only two films in history have ever won three acting trophies.
See‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ or ‘Everything Everywhere’ would be 9th film to win both supporting acting Oscars
“A Streetcar Named Desire” was the first. Adapted from Tennessee Williams‘s play, the 1951 film won Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), Best Supporting Actor (Karl Malden), and Best Supporting Actress (Kim Hunter). The only award it lost was Best Actor for arguably the film’s most iconic performance by Marlon Brando. That award went instead to Humphrey Bogart for “The African Queen.”
Then 1976’s “Network” pulled off the same feat, winning three awards out of a remarkable five acting nominations.
See‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ or ‘Everything Everywhere’ would be 9th film to win both supporting acting Oscars
“A Streetcar Named Desire” was the first. Adapted from Tennessee Williams‘s play, the 1951 film won Best Actress (Vivien Leigh), Best Supporting Actor (Karl Malden), and Best Supporting Actress (Kim Hunter). The only award it lost was Best Actor for arguably the film’s most iconic performance by Marlon Brando. That award went instead to Humphrey Bogart for “The African Queen.”
Then 1976’s “Network” pulled off the same feat, winning three awards out of a remarkable five acting nominations.
- 3/12/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Since Mahershala Ali set the current record for longest Best Supporting Actor Oscar-winning performance with his one hour, six minutes, and 38 seconds of screen time in “Green Book” (2019), the screen times of subsequent featured male champions have been increasingly smaller. Although the last three trophies have consistently gone to relatively lengthy turns, each has been about 10 minutes shorter than the one before it. This year will constitute a moment of truth, since, considering the last outcome, there is potential for at least a 22-minute jump in either direction.
Last year, Troy Kotsur was honored here for his performance as the patriarch of a primarily deaf family in “Coda,” which amounts to 35 minutes and 34 seconds of screen time, or 31.31% of the film. He fell 10 minutes and 35 seconds short of matching 2021 winner Daniel Kaluuya’s time in “Judas and the Black Messiah,” whereas Kaluuya himself landed nine minutes and three seconds below...
Last year, Troy Kotsur was honored here for his performance as the patriarch of a primarily deaf family in “Coda,” which amounts to 35 minutes and 34 seconds of screen time, or 31.31% of the film. He fell 10 minutes and 35 seconds short of matching 2021 winner Daniel Kaluuya’s time in “Judas and the Black Messiah,” whereas Kaluuya himself landed nine minutes and three seconds below...
- 3/8/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” has had a great couple of days. The Oscar frontrunner won the top prize at the Producers Guild of America Awards on Saturday, proving that it can conquer the preferential ballot. The next day, it pulled off a historic sweep at Screen Actors Guild Awards with a record four wins for ensemble, lead actress for Michelle Yeoh, supporting actor for Ke Huy Quan and supporting actress for Jamie Lee Curtis. The triple individual wins — also a first for a film in SAG Awards history — were unexpected as Curtis upset odds-on favorite Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”), but they just speak to the movie’s strength. They also tee it up for a never-before-seen above-the-line sweep at the Oscars: “Everything Everywhere” can be the first film to win Best Picture, Best Director, a screenplay award and three acting prizes.
The multiversal hit is the runaway...
The multiversal hit is the runaway...
- 3/2/2023
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Comedian and actor Richard Belzer, who sadly died on Sunday at age 78, played detective John Munch on several series, including “Homicide: Life on the Street” and “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit.” And on every single one of them, he had something wise and witty to say.
The character of John Munch was created on the underrated ’90s police drama “Homicide: Life on the Street.” Munch was known for his one-liners, metaphysical riffs and sprawling conspiracy theories while solving murders in Baltimore alongside detectives played by Andre Braugher, Daniel Baldwin and Ned Beatty. As he mused in one episode: “If a murder is committed in Baltimore and no homicide detective takes the call, did that homicide actually occur?”
He got a bit blue when the character moved over to “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” in 1999, where the topics were rape, assault and, sometimes, sexual dysfunction, but he was still the same Munch.
The character of John Munch was created on the underrated ’90s police drama “Homicide: Life on the Street.” Munch was known for his one-liners, metaphysical riffs and sprawling conspiracy theories while solving murders in Baltimore alongside detectives played by Andre Braugher, Daniel Baldwin and Ned Beatty. As he mused in one episode: “If a murder is committed in Baltimore and no homicide detective takes the call, did that homicide actually occur?”
He got a bit blue when the character moved over to “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” in 1999, where the topics were rape, assault and, sometimes, sexual dysfunction, but he was still the same Munch.
- 2/21/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Alan Gibson's 1982 TV miniseries, "A Woman Called Golda," isn't widely discussed in the pop culture firmament, but when it first aired, it felt like an event. A biography of Golda Meir, the Prime Minister of Israel from 1969 until 1974, "A Woman Called Golda" boasted an all-star, award-winning cast that boggles the mind. Meir herself was played by Ingrid Bergman in what would prove to be her final screen role. She was joined by the likes of Ned Beatty, who played an American senator, Robert Loggia who played Anwar Sadat, and Nigel Hawthorne, who played King Abdullah I of Jordan. Judy David played the young Meir. From 1917 to his death in 1951, Meir was married to a man named Morris Meyerson, and Meyerson was played by Leonard Nimoy, acting in scenes opposite both Davis and Bergman.
"A Woman Called Golda" aired in two 2-hour parts, starting on April 26 on CBS. The project was overseen by Harve Bennett,...
"A Woman Called Golda" aired in two 2-hour parts, starting on April 26 on CBS. The project was overseen by Harve Bennett,...
- 2/5/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Ben Masters, the much-loved soap star of “Passions,” died Wednesday at age 75.
Per an official release from Masters’ team, the actor suffered a years-long battle with dementia before succumbing to Covid at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs, California.
His much-loved role of billionaire Julian Crane was also his last. He starred on the daytime drama and pop culture phenomenon from 1999-2008.
Also Read:
Quinn K. Redeker, Beloved Soap Star of ‘Days Of Our Lives’ and ‘The Young And The Restless,’ Dies at 86
Masters began his acting career shortly after graduating from the University of Oregon with a theater degree in 1969 when he moved to New York City and got his start onstage. He starred in many on-and Off-Broadway productions including “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion” with Ingrid Bergman, “The Cherry Orchard” with Meryl Streep and the historic LGBTQ drama “Boys in the Band.”
Feature film credits included Bob Fosse...
Per an official release from Masters’ team, the actor suffered a years-long battle with dementia before succumbing to Covid at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs, California.
His much-loved role of billionaire Julian Crane was also his last. He starred on the daytime drama and pop culture phenomenon from 1999-2008.
Also Read:
Quinn K. Redeker, Beloved Soap Star of ‘Days Of Our Lives’ and ‘The Young And The Restless,’ Dies at 86
Masters began his acting career shortly after graduating from the University of Oregon with a theater degree in 1969 when he moved to New York City and got his start onstage. He starred in many on-and Off-Broadway productions including “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion” with Ingrid Bergman, “The Cherry Orchard” with Meryl Streep and the historic LGBTQ drama “Boys in the Band.”
Feature film credits included Bob Fosse...
- 1/11/2023
- by Benjamin Lindsay
- The Wrap
Ben Masters, who appeared three times on Broadway in the 1970s before starring as the philandering billionaire Julian Crane during the entire run of the NBC/DirecTV soap opera Passions, has died. He was 75.
Masters battled dementia for several years and died Wednesday of Covid-19 complications at Eisenhower Health Center in Rancho Mirage, California, a family spokesperson announced.
On the big screen, Masters appeared in Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz (1979) with Roy Scheider, in Key Exchange (1985) with Brooke Adams and Danny Aiello, in Dream Lover (1986) with Kristy McNichol and in Making Mr. Right (1987) with John Malkovich.
On Passions, which ran from 1999-2008, Masters’ Julian had an affair and a son with Tracey Ross’ Eve and a long, tumultuous marriage with Kim Johnston Ulrich’s Ivy. He also was presumed murdered in 2002, but it turned out he wasn’t, and he was back on the show months later.
Soap Opera...
Masters battled dementia for several years and died Wednesday of Covid-19 complications at Eisenhower Health Center in Rancho Mirage, California, a family spokesperson announced.
On the big screen, Masters appeared in Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz (1979) with Roy Scheider, in Key Exchange (1985) with Brooke Adams and Danny Aiello, in Dream Lover (1986) with Kristy McNichol and in Making Mr. Right (1987) with John Malkovich.
On Passions, which ran from 1999-2008, Masters’ Julian had an affair and a son with Tracey Ross’ Eve and a long, tumultuous marriage with Kim Johnston Ulrich’s Ivy. He also was presumed murdered in 2002, but it turned out he wasn’t, and he was back on the show months later.
Soap Opera...
- 1/11/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ben Masters, who played Julian Crane in the daytime drama “Passions,” died Wednesday of Covid-19 in Palm Springs, Calif., after battling dementia for several years. He was 75.
He played the womanizing heir apparent to the show’s wealthy and powerful Crane family from 1999 to 2008.
Masters’ movie roles included parts in Bob Fosse’s “All That Jazz,” “Key Exchange,” “Making Mr. Right,” “Mandingo” and “Dream Lover.”
In the short-lived 1976 series “Muggsy,” Masters raised his 13-year old sister in a trailer behind a gas station after their parents died. The Saturday morning series dealt with issues like gangs and poverty in a more realistic way than the popular suburban depictions of family life.
From the 1970s to 1990s, Masters worked on several TV mini-series such as “Noble House” (with Pierce Brosnan) and “Celebrity” (with Ned Beatty and Tess Harper).
He also guest starred on TV series including “Kojak,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Murder She Wrote,...
He played the womanizing heir apparent to the show’s wealthy and powerful Crane family from 1999 to 2008.
Masters’ movie roles included parts in Bob Fosse’s “All That Jazz,” “Key Exchange,” “Making Mr. Right,” “Mandingo” and “Dream Lover.”
In the short-lived 1976 series “Muggsy,” Masters raised his 13-year old sister in a trailer behind a gas station after their parents died. The Saturday morning series dealt with issues like gangs and poverty in a more realistic way than the popular suburban depictions of family life.
From the 1970s to 1990s, Masters worked on several TV mini-series such as “Noble House” (with Pierce Brosnan) and “Celebrity” (with Ned Beatty and Tess Harper).
He also guest starred on TV series including “Kojak,” “Barnaby Jones,” “Murder She Wrote,...
- 1/11/2023
- by Julia MacCary
- Variety Film + TV
Ben Masters, the actor best known for his role as Julian Crane on the old NBC soap Passions, died January 11 at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs. He was 75.
Masters battled dementia for several years and succumbed to Covid.
His biggest role was also his last — portraying the rich and powerful Julian from 1999 to 2008 on the NBC sudser.
Born on May 6, 1947, in Corvallis, Or, Masters graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. degree in theater in 1969. He moved to New York City, where he starred in on and off-Broadway productions such as Captain Brassbound’s Conversion with Ingrid Bergman, The Cherry Orchard with Meryl Streep, and Boys in the Band.
From left: Ben Masters, Pierce Brosnan and Deborah Raffin, 1988, (c)De Laurentiis Entertainment Group/courtesy
Masters segued into film, starring in Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz with Roy Schneider, Key Exchange with Brooke Adams and Danny Aiello,...
Masters battled dementia for several years and succumbed to Covid.
His biggest role was also his last — portraying the rich and powerful Julian from 1999 to 2008 on the NBC sudser.
Born on May 6, 1947, in Corvallis, Or, Masters graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. degree in theater in 1969. He moved to New York City, where he starred in on and off-Broadway productions such as Captain Brassbound’s Conversion with Ingrid Bergman, The Cherry Orchard with Meryl Streep, and Boys in the Band.
From left: Ben Masters, Pierce Brosnan and Deborah Raffin, 1988, (c)De Laurentiis Entertainment Group/courtesy
Masters segued into film, starring in Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz with Roy Schneider, Key Exchange with Brooke Adams and Danny Aiello,...
- 1/11/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
If you’re a film fanatic, one book that’s absolutely worth checking out is Quentin Tarantino’s Cinema Speculation (buy it here). On the brilliant Video Archives podcast (which you really should be listening to), Tarantino downplays the autobiographical nature of the book, which is mostly about his reactions to the films that were seminal to him as a child of the seventies. But, along with the film analysis, there’s a lot of interesting, autobiographical material that adds up to a nostalgic depiction of a young film fan coming of age. For a lot of us, it’s tough not to relate.
With that in mind, Tarantino’s formative films are likely different than the ones from those of us who grew up a generation or so later, but every single movie that he mentions is well worth seeking out. Here are five to get started with:
Rolling...
With that in mind, Tarantino’s formative films are likely different than the ones from those of us who grew up a generation or so later, but every single movie that he mentions is well worth seeking out. Here are five to get started with:
Rolling...
- 12/26/2022
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
With 2010's "Toy Story 3," Pixar and director Lee Unkrich were faced with punishingly high expectations. Besides the first two entries in the series being certified modern animated classics, there was also the question of purpose. For Pixar, a production company known at the time for its refusal to do sequels unless there was a story to justify one, to do a sequel over a decade after the previous entry, something good must have been in store.
The original "Toy Story," which was released in 1995, changed animation forever. Its 1999 sequel -- a moving allegory for the stages of life -- managed somehow to be even better. A follow-up couldn't simply take viewers back to the world of toy cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) and toy astronaut Buzz (Tim Allen). Nor could it take the eventual route of "The Incredibles 2," which ignored the gap in time between movies. The series was always surprisingly deep,...
The original "Toy Story," which was released in 1995, changed animation forever. Its 1999 sequel -- a moving allegory for the stages of life -- managed somehow to be even better. A follow-up couldn't simply take viewers back to the world of toy cowboy Woody (Tom Hanks) and toy astronaut Buzz (Tim Allen). Nor could it take the eventual route of "The Incredibles 2," which ignored the gap in time between movies. The series was always surprisingly deep,...
- 12/19/2022
- by Anthony Crislip
- Slash Film
Quentin Tarantino’s second book, Cinema Speculation, is as hard to put down as his “novelization” of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. His film education began at age 7, when he quickly warmed to the violent R-rated movies he makes today. Now, the mission for this interview was not to get Tarantino to rehash controversies for soundbites — like answering yet again what he wished he could have done to stop Harvey Weinstein’s predatory path or talking about his next film. Tarantino’s also keeping his multi-ep TV series plan quiet, the one he dropped on Elvis Mitchell. He did say he would only...
- 11/22/2022
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Filmmaker, screenwriter and author Quentin Tarantino stopped by Real Time Friday night to talk with Bill Maher about his new book, Cinema Speculation, out on Tuesday.
Tarantino went to a lot of sophisticated films as a young child, he admitted, sometimes viewing subject matter that he didn’t quite understand, like a certain infamous Ned Beatty rape scene in Delilverance.
Of that scene, Tarantino said, “I’m seeing it in ’73, so I’m about nine,” he said. Admitting he didn’t know about sodomy, Tarantino did know Beatty was being subjugated, because everybody on the school yard has been subjugated to some degree.
“I’m not sure what the lesson is here,” Maher joked.
Tarantino found his way back to his point about young viewers of sophisticated films. “There will be some stuff that goes over their head,” he said. But, like him, “I got the gist of it.”
That...
Tarantino went to a lot of sophisticated films as a young child, he admitted, sometimes viewing subject matter that he didn’t quite understand, like a certain infamous Ned Beatty rape scene in Delilverance.
Of that scene, Tarantino said, “I’m seeing it in ’73, so I’m about nine,” he said. Admitting he didn’t know about sodomy, Tarantino did know Beatty was being subjugated, because everybody on the school yard has been subjugated to some degree.
“I’m not sure what the lesson is here,” Maher joked.
Tarantino found his way back to his point about young viewers of sophisticated films. “There will be some stuff that goes over their head,” he said. But, like him, “I got the gist of it.”
That...
- 10/29/2022
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Actor / Filmmaker Alex Winter joins Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss movies featuring a cog in the machine – the individual struggling to exist within the system.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s Bill and Ted character power rankings
Bill And Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991)
Bill And Ted Face The Music (2020)
The Game (1997)
Showbiz Kids (2020)
The Panama Papers (2018)
Zappa (2020)
200 Motels (1971)
Modern Times (1936)
Metropolis (1927) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Avatar (2009)
Things To Come (1936) – Jesus Trevino’s trailer commentary
M (1931)
M (1951)
The Last Laugh (1924) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Brazil (1985)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Tfh’s Mogwai Madness
City Lights (1931)
Goin’ Down The Road (1970)
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Young And The Damned (1950)
Shock Corridor (1963) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
The Naked Kiss (1964)
Stroszek (1977)
Even Dwarves Started Small (1970)
Ikiru (1952) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s Bill and Ted character power rankings
Bill And Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991)
Bill And Ted Face The Music (2020)
The Game (1997)
Showbiz Kids (2020)
The Panama Papers (2018)
Zappa (2020)
200 Motels (1971)
Modern Times (1936)
Metropolis (1927) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Avatar (2009)
Things To Come (1936) – Jesus Trevino’s trailer commentary
M (1931)
M (1951)
The Last Laugh (1924) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Brazil (1985)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Tfh’s Mogwai Madness
City Lights (1931)
Goin’ Down The Road (1970)
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (1972) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Young And The Damned (1950)
Shock Corridor (1963) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary
The Naked Kiss (1964)
Stroszek (1977)
Even Dwarves Started Small (1970)
Ikiru (1952) – Glenn Erickson’s trailer...
- 10/11/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
John Boorman’s Deliverance arguably has two signature scenes. One is harmless enough, the “duelling banjos” sequence where a young Ronny Cox goes up against a local banjo-picking country boy played by Billy Redden, although it has a foreboding end. The second sequence, which gave rise to the term “squeal like a pig,” has lived on in nightmares for the entire half-century since this film made its theatrical debut in 1972. But, while everyone knows those scenes, Boorman’s white-knuckle thriller is often dismissed, and in this episode of Wtf Happened to this Movie, we dig into the Jon Voight and Burt Reynolds-led classic.
Deliverance tells the tale of some Atlanta businessmen who decide to canoe down a river in the Georgia wilderness before it gets damned. They are led by Reynolds’ Lewis, a swaggering, macho outdoorsman. Jon Voight’s Ed is his best friend, a more casual outdoorsman, while...
Deliverance tells the tale of some Atlanta businessmen who decide to canoe down a river in the Georgia wilderness before it gets damned. They are led by Reynolds’ Lewis, a swaggering, macho outdoorsman. Jon Voight’s Ed is his best friend, a more casual outdoorsman, while...
- 10/5/2022
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
If you know anything about Wolverine, you know this: he’s the best at what he does, but what he does isn’t very nice. And if you know anything about Hugh Jackman, you know this: he’s (among the) best at what he does, and what he does is very crowdpleasing.
So it’s great that he’s back as Wolverine for Deadpool 3, right? After all, Jackman and Ryan Reynolds have made it clear that their adventure, set years before Logan, won’t undo Logan’s sacrifice. And anyway, if you don’t like dead superheroes coming back to life, then X-Men—whose roster includes multiple characters whose defining feature is cheating death—may not be for you.
But despite the initial excitement of seeing a fan-favorite one last time, asking Jackman to don the Canucklehead’s mutton chops once again presents serious problems for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
So it’s great that he’s back as Wolverine for Deadpool 3, right? After all, Jackman and Ryan Reynolds have made it clear that their adventure, set years before Logan, won’t undo Logan’s sacrifice. And anyway, if you don’t like dead superheroes coming back to life, then X-Men—whose roster includes multiple characters whose defining feature is cheating death—may not be for you.
But despite the initial excitement of seeing a fan-favorite one last time, asking Jackman to don the Canucklehead’s mutton chops once again presents serious problems for the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
- 9/30/2022
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Captain America has one of the most iconic costumes in all of comic book history, if not pop culture at large. Since his debut in "Captain America Comics No. 1" in 1941, his design by the legendary "King of Comics" Jack Kirby has remained largely unchanged. It's deceptively simple and effectively sublimates the "rah-rah" patriotism as the heart of the character without being too in your face (a single step further would be overkill), and the chainmail texture of his suit harkens back to previous champions of lore.
How did the Marvel Cinematic Universe fare with its attempts at bringing this instantly-recognizable costume to the big screen? The results have been mixed, but they've given us plenty of versions to consider. It would be safe to assume that Cap's many wardrobe changes were at least partially commercially-motivated since a new costume means a new action figure to add to your collection. Cap...
How did the Marvel Cinematic Universe fare with its attempts at bringing this instantly-recognizable costume to the big screen? The results have been mixed, but they've given us plenty of versions to consider. It would be safe to assume that Cap's many wardrobe changes were at least partially commercially-motivated since a new costume means a new action figure to add to your collection. Cap...
- 9/21/2022
- by Jason Baxter
- Slash Film
Hawkeye and Trapper’s antics. Hawkeye and B.J.’s pranks. Frank and Hot Lips’s torrid romance. Klinger’s cross-dressing. Colonel Blake and Colonel Potter’s attempts to reign in the craziness. On September 17, 1972, “M*A*S*H” premiered, and for the next 11 years, the friendships, the tragedies and the hijinks of the 4077th captivated audiences. Let’s now celebrate the 50th anniversary of the CBS premiere with our photo gallery ranking the 25 best episodes. All episodes are now streaming on Hulu. Reelz also has a new documentary titled “M*A*S*H: When Television Changed Forever” that recently debuted.
The long-running series based on the three-year Korean War was adapted from a hit 1970 film, which in turn was adapted from a best-selling 1968 novel by Richard Hooker. Debuting at the height of the controversial Vietnam war, the series subtly mocked government bureaucracy and the senselessness of war, balancing the heaviness of tragedies...
The long-running series based on the three-year Korean War was adapted from a hit 1970 film, which in turn was adapted from a best-selling 1968 novel by Richard Hooker. Debuting at the height of the controversial Vietnam war, the series subtly mocked government bureaucracy and the senselessness of war, balancing the heaviness of tragedies...
- 9/17/2022
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Hawkeye and Trapper’s antics. Hawkeye and B.J.’s pranks. Frank and Hot Lips’s torrid romance. Klinger’s cross-dressing. Colonel Blake and Colonel Potter’s attempts to reign in the craziness. On September 17, 1972, “M*A*S*H” premiered, and for the next 11 years, the friendships, the tragedies and the hijinks of the 4077th captivated audiences. Let’s now celebrate the 50th anniversary of the CBS premiere with our photo gallery ranking the 25 best episodes.
The long-running series based on the three-year Korean War was adapted from a hit 1970 film, which in turn was adapted from a best-selling 1968 novel by Richard Hooker. Debuting at the height of the controversial Vietnam war, the series subtly mocked government bureaucracy and the senselessness of war, balancing the heaviness of tragedies that come through the surgical camp with the comic relief of the character’s efforts to survive the war with humor and compassion.
The first...
The long-running series based on the three-year Korean War was adapted from a hit 1970 film, which in turn was adapted from a best-selling 1968 novel by Richard Hooker. Debuting at the height of the controversial Vietnam war, the series subtly mocked government bureaucracy and the senselessness of war, balancing the heaviness of tragedies that come through the surgical camp with the comic relief of the character’s efforts to survive the war with humor and compassion.
The first...
- 9/10/2022
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Showrunner Eric Kripke joins podcast hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss a few of his favorite films.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Piranha (1978) – Jon Davison’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Tfh’s Mogwai Madness
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
My Octopus Teacher (2020)
The Evil Dead (1983) – Fede Alvarez’s trailer commentary
Evil Dead II (1987) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary, Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Meet The Feebles (1989) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary
Dead Alive a.k.a. Braindead (1992) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary
Bad Taste (1987) – Ti West’s trailer commentary
Infested (2002)
Super (2010)
Forrest Gump (1994)
The Hidden (1987) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Uhf (1989)
Fat Guy Goes Nutzoid (1986)
The Dead Pit (1989)
Batgirl (2022) – Unreleased film
The Fantastic Four (1994) – Unreleased film...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Piranha (1978) – Jon Davison’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Tfh’s Mogwai Madness
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
My Octopus Teacher (2020)
The Evil Dead (1983) – Fede Alvarez’s trailer commentary
Evil Dead II (1987) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary, Alex Kirschenbaum’s review
Meet The Feebles (1989) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary
Dead Alive a.k.a. Braindead (1992) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary
Bad Taste (1987) – Ti West’s trailer commentary
Infested (2002)
Super (2010)
Forrest Gump (1994)
The Hidden (1987) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review
Uhf (1989)
Fat Guy Goes Nutzoid (1986)
The Dead Pit (1989)
Batgirl (2022) – Unreleased film
The Fantastic Four (1994) – Unreleased film...
- 8/23/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
After Bonnie Parker and Joan Crawford, Faye Dunaway's most famous role is arguably sociopathic TV producer Diana Christensen in "Network." The youngest of the film's leads, Diana personifies the generation "raised on TV." Her ambition to bump up the ratings of the Ubs network sees her put the mentally ill Howard Beale (Peter Finch) on TV, then arrange to have him assassinated once his ratings falter. She ruins her relationship with fellow producer Max Schumacher (William Holden) along the way.
"Network" is famous for its verbose dialogue, scripted by screenwriter/satirist seer Paddy Chayefsky. From Beale's "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take this anymore!" or the towering Arthur Jensen's (Ned Beatty) "You have meddled with the primal forces of nature!," many of the film's monologues have become deservedly famous. However, Dunaway apparently had the hardest time of the film's leads wrapping her brain around Chayefsky's words.
"Network" is famous for its verbose dialogue, scripted by screenwriter/satirist seer Paddy Chayefsky. From Beale's "I'm as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take this anymore!" or the towering Arthur Jensen's (Ned Beatty) "You have meddled with the primal forces of nature!," many of the film's monologues have become deservedly famous. However, Dunaway apparently had the hardest time of the film's leads wrapping her brain around Chayefsky's words.
- 8/12/2022
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
John Boorman’s critical and commercial smash may have leaned on grotesque stereotypes but it remains a fiercely thrilling piece of exploitation
Two sounds leap to mind at the mere mention of Deliverance. The first is the tuneful bluegrass plink of Arthur Smith’s Dueling Banjos, performed by the eponymous instrument and an acoustic guitar harmonizing with it. The second, much less pleasant sound is the high, pained yelp of Ned Beatty, squealing like a pig to appease the depraved stranger violating him. So crucial are both to the enduring power of John Boorman’s 1972 nightmare in the boonies that the first can’t help but evoke the second: five decades later, that banjo tune still sounds like a warning – an omen of danger ahead, especially the kind that lies off the beaten path, south of the Mason-Dixon.
It’s a version of America nearly extinct, the more wild and...
Two sounds leap to mind at the mere mention of Deliverance. The first is the tuneful bluegrass plink of Arthur Smith’s Dueling Banjos, performed by the eponymous instrument and an acoustic guitar harmonizing with it. The second, much less pleasant sound is the high, pained yelp of Ned Beatty, squealing like a pig to appease the depraved stranger violating him. So crucial are both to the enduring power of John Boorman’s 1972 nightmare in the boonies that the first can’t help but evoke the second: five decades later, that banjo tune still sounds like a warning – an omen of danger ahead, especially the kind that lies off the beaten path, south of the Mason-Dixon.
It’s a version of America nearly extinct, the more wild and...
- 7/30/2022
- by AA Dowd
- The Guardian - Film News
Sidney Lumet is the Oscar-nominated director who proved incredibly prolific during his career, directing over 40 movies in 50 years, from his feature debut “12 Angry Men” (1957) through his cinematic farewell “Before the Devil Knows You’re Dead” (2007). But how many of those titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 20 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born on June 25, 1924, Lumet got his start as a child actor, appearing in “One Third of a Nation” (1939) when he was 15 years old. After serving during WWII, he quickly began directing Off-Broadway plays before moving into the burgeoning medium of television, where he helmed hundreds of live teleplays. While working on episodes of “Playhouse 90,” “Kraft Theater” and many more, he honed his abilities to shoot quickly and economically.
His turned to movies with “12 Angry Men,” an adaptation of Reginald Rose‘s TV drama about a lone juror (Henry Fonda) holding out during a murder trial.
Born on June 25, 1924, Lumet got his start as a child actor, appearing in “One Third of a Nation” (1939) when he was 15 years old. After serving during WWII, he quickly began directing Off-Broadway plays before moving into the burgeoning medium of television, where he helmed hundreds of live teleplays. While working on episodes of “Playhouse 90,” “Kraft Theater” and many more, he honed his abilities to shoot quickly and economically.
His turned to movies with “12 Angry Men,” an adaptation of Reginald Rose‘s TV drama about a lone juror (Henry Fonda) holding out during a murder trial.
- 6/23/2022
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The Railway Children Return is shortly to arrive on UK platforms and Bullet Train speeding down the tracks behind it. Until then – as rail strikes bring stations to a standstill – here are 20 vicarious train trips
The sight of Gene Wilder blacking-up under the tutelage of Richard Pryor is enough to get this lightweight comedy-thriller cancelled faster than a train on strike day. But there’s still plenty to enjoy, from a sleeping-compartment scene between Wilder and Jill Clayburgh, which is interrupted by a grisly shock, to the lively supporting cast and a spectacular final crash.
The sight of Gene Wilder blacking-up under the tutelage of Richard Pryor is enough to get this lightweight comedy-thriller cancelled faster than a train on strike day. But there’s still plenty to enjoy, from a sleeping-compartment scene between Wilder and Jill Clayburgh, which is interrupted by a grisly shock, to the lively supporting cast and a spectacular final crash.
- 6/23/2022
- by Ryan Gilbey
- The Guardian - Film News
Exclusive: Angelo Pizzo, the screenwriter behind such titles as Hoosiers and Rudy, is looking to complete a trifecta of iconic sports films with an upcoming title centered on automotive entrepreneur Carl Graham Fisher and the inaugural 1911 running of the Indianapolis 500, which Justin Escue will direct for Above The Line Productions, Diverse Media Group, T-Minus Productions and his company, My First Bike Productions.
This year’s Indy 500 is scheduled to take place this Sunday, May 29. The race sits alongside the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hour of Le Mans as part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport—maintaining a reputation as one of the world’s most prestigious motorsport events.
Fisher, the protagonist of the as-yet-untitled feature, is an enigmatic, and until now mostly forgotten, true American anti-hero, responsible for not only the greatest spectacle in racing, but the building and creation of Miami Beach, Montauk Island, America’s first highways and byways,...
This year’s Indy 500 is scheduled to take place this Sunday, May 29. The race sits alongside the Monaco Grand Prix and the 24 Hour of Le Mans as part of the Triple Crown of Motorsport—maintaining a reputation as one of the world’s most prestigious motorsport events.
Fisher, the protagonist of the as-yet-untitled feature, is an enigmatic, and until now mostly forgotten, true American anti-hero, responsible for not only the greatest spectacle in racing, but the building and creation of Miami Beach, Montauk Island, America’s first highways and byways,...
- 5/26/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
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