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Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant will join fellow NBA greats Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett in the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Massachusetts in May 2021, the NBA annnounced Saturday.

The ceremony was originally scheduled for August, but was postponed by the pandemic. Bryant was announced in April as a posthumous inductee.

Bryant died at age 41 in January, along with daughter, Gianna, 13, and seven others.

Other inductees in May include two-time NBA championship winner Rudy Tomjanovich; Kim Mulkey, who coaches Baylor’s women’s basketball team; Bentley’s 1,000-game-winner, Barbara Stevens; three-time Final Four coach Eddie Sutton; and the former Fiba Secretary General, Patrick Baumann.

Baumann, who was selected by the international committee, died in October. Sutton died in May.

The NBA announced Saturday that it has set the date to celebrate its new Hall of Fame inductees, including the late Kobe Bryant.

The San Antonio Spurs’ Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett and Bryant, the beloved Los Angeles Lakers icon, will join the sport’s greats at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in May 2021. The event, which was set to occur in Springfield, Mass. in August but eventually delayed by the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, will now take place from May 13 to May 15.

The May 2021 event will be a posthumous honor for Bryant, who died at the top of 2020. Also known as “Black Mamba” on the court, Bryant was an 18-time NBA All-Star and basketball legend.

Beyond the court, Bryant was a husband to Vanessa Bryant, father to four daughters and also an Oscar winner. In 2018, he snagged his first Academy Award for his animated short film, Dear Basketball. Narrated by Bryant,...

Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett will finally enter the Basketball Hall of Fame in May 2021.

The NBA said Saturday that the delayed Hall of Fame weekend — it was to have taken place in Springfield, Massachusetts in August, before being pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic — will be held from May 13-15.

Bryant, Duncan and Garnett — with a combined 48 All-Star Game selections and 11 NBA championships between them — were the headliners of the class that was announced back in April. They all got into the Hall in their first year as finalists, as ...

Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett will finally enter the Basketball Hall of Fame in May 2021.

The NBA said Saturday that the delayed Hall of Fame weekend — it was to have taken place in Springfield, Massachusetts in August, before being pushed back because of the coronavirus pandemic — will be held from May 13-15.

Bryant, Duncan and Garnett — with a combined 48 All-Star Game selections and 11 NBA championships between them — were the headliners of the class that was announced back in April. They all got into the Hall in their first year as finalists, as ...

Queen Latifah, Robert Duvall and Ben Foster are set to join the cast of “Hustle,” a basketball film set up at Netflix that stars Adam Sandler and is being produced by LeBron James’ SpringHill Company, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.

Also joining “Hustle” are NBA player Juancho Hernangomez, Jordan Hull, Maria Botto, Ainhoa Pillet and sports commentator Kenny Smith in the film that’s directed by Jeremiah Zagar (“We the Animals”).

“Hustle” stars Sandler as a down-on-his-luck basketball scout who discovers a once-in-a-lifetime player and tries to bring him to the States without his team’s approval. Against the odds, they have one final shot to prove they have what it takes to make it in the NBA.

Oscar nominee Will Fetters wrote the screenplay for “Hustle” alongside Taylor Materne.

Sandler’s Happy Madison and James’ SpringHill are producing the film with Roth/Kirschenbaum Films.

Sandler’s...

Adam Sandler’s Uncut Gems is a vulgar and visceral film. The first thing we see is a bone sticking out of a miner’s leg after he gets stuck under a landslide. The second are Sandler’s own innards as his character receives a colonoscopy. Needless to say, the movie also involves swearing. A lot of it in fact, as can be seen in the new video below.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the pic, Uncut Gems tells the story of a Jewish jeweller who works in New York’s diamond district and owes large amounts of money to a hungry loan shark. Our jeweller would be able to pay it back in no time, were it not for his nasty gambling addiction. And throughout the course of the movie, we’re treated to no less than 560 F-bombs, according to Netflix.

Uncut Gems has the...

Howard Ratner loves nothing as much as he loves placing sports bets, but dropping the F-bomb comes close. The Netflix Film team is celebrating Ratner this week with the ultimate “Uncut Gems” supercut that brings together every F-bomb dropped in the Safdie Brothers’ acclaimed drama. The A24-released “Uncut Gems” hit Netflix in May and rocketed to the top of the streamer’s daily list of most-watched films. The popularity of “Uncut Gems” on streaming follows its breakout box office performance, where it earned $50 million to become A24’s highest grossing title to date.

Bringing together all of the F-bombs in “Uncut Gems” isn’t a quick endeavor. The film has a total of 506 F-bombs, which puts it in the number four position on the list of movies with the most F-bombs. “Uncut Gems” trails the Canadian movie “Swearnet: The Movie” (935 uses), the F-bomb documentary “Fuck” (857 uses), and Martin Scorsese...

Uncut Gems duo Adam Sandler and Kevin Garnett are reteaming for Lo Lifes: Stealing the American Dream, a scripted series about the 1988 marriage of two rival shoplifting crews from Brooklyn. The Lo Lifes were an '80s street crew that formed when Ralphie's Kids from Crown Heights linked up with Polo U.S.A. from Brownsville. Co-founded by Victor DeJesus, the group was famous for stealing designer labels from department stories in the Tri-state area, and is credited with helping to spark the urban fashion phenomenon. The series hails from Sandler's Happy Madison banner, Garnett's …...

Exclusive: Kevin Garnett’s Content Cartel is partnering with Village Roadshow Television, Adam Sandler’s Happy Madison Productions and Marc Levin’s Blowback Productions to develop Lo Lifes: Stealing The American Dream, a scripted series based on the story of the 1980s Brooklyn street crew.

The Lo Lifes formed in 1988 from the marriage of two shoplifting crews from Brooklyn: Ralphie’s Kids from Crown Heights, and Polo U.S.A. from Brownsville.

The group, co-founded by Victor “Thirstin Howl The 3rd” DeJesus, gained popularity in the late ’80s and “boosted” designer labels from Tri-state department stores and helped spark the urban fashion phenomenon. “From their creation to their global expansion, the Lo Lifes captured the genesis of the subversive hip-hop spirit in a totally original fashion and were the original influencers,” according to the producers.

DeJesus will executive produce the project with Garnett, Levin and Matt Mosko.

Former NBA All-Star...

(Welcome to Now Stream This, a column dedicated to the best movies streaming on Netflix, Amazon, Hulu, and every other streaming service out there.) Uncut Gems Now Streaming on Netflix Release Date: 2019 Genre: 135-minute panic attack Director: Josh and Benny Safdie, Cast: Adam Sandler, Julia Fox, Idina Menzel, Lakeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett, Eric Bogosian You might not be […]

The post Now Stream This: ‘Uncut Gems’, ‘The Terminator’, ‘Den of Thieves’, ‘Fantastic Mr. Fox’, ‘Police Story’, and More appeared first on /Film.

Update: The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame's 2020 induction ceremony is officially postponed.  Originally set to take place in August, chairman Jerry Colangelo told ESPN the event will now take place in the spring of 2021 due to concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic. The Class of 2020 includes NBA legends Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett.  Colangelo assured that separate ceremonies will be held for the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021, saying, "We won't be combining them. The Class of 2020 is a very special class and deserves its own celebration." ______ Kobe Bryant's legacy lives on. On Monday, it was announced that the...

Adam Sandler’s popularity on Netflix isn’t a new development. The longtime comedian and movie star has featured in a number of exclusive Netflix movies over the past few years and even his older films have been getting a second life on the platform lately.

His most recent effort, Uncut Gems, debuted on the streaming site just yesterday, May 25th, and despite its more serious subject matter, it’s already proving to be a massive hit. After only 24 hours on Netflix, it’s ranked #3 on the Top 10 Overall list and #1 on the Top 10 Movies list. An impressive feat, no doubt.

After all, dramatic Sandler movies don’t tend to perform well. It’s why he doesn’t do them very often. Uncut Gems was a different animal when it came out last Christmas, though. Directed by the Safdie Brothers, it earned more than $50 million at the box office and...

Adam Sandler may have gotten a Spirit Award and the best reviews of his career from “Uncut Gems,” but the film nearly cost him his life.

In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Sandler and directors Josh and Benny Safdie revealed that the nearly fatal moment happened while filming the now infamous scene when Sandler’s impulsive, gambling-addicted character Howard is kidnapped by his loan shark brother-in-law, after it’s discovered he had used Arno’s money on crazy sports bets.

The Safdies said that Keith Williams Richards and Tommy Kominik, who played Arno’s bodyguards, had never been in a film before, and while they were professional, they had no idea how physical they should be as they manhandled Sandler during the intense scene.

Also Read: The Safdie Brothers Detail the 10-Year Journey to Make the Adam Sandler Drama 'Uncut Gems'

“Sandler’s so in it, he’s so into...

Exclusive: Former Los Angeles Laker and NBA champion Matt Barnes has signed with ICM Partners in all areas. Barnes, who retired in 2017 after 14 seasons in the NBA, is currently an ESPN analyst, executive producer and podcast host.

His Showtime basketball podcast, All the Smoke with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, launched last year. It featured the last exclusive interview with Kobe Bryant prior to his death, and has featured several prominent guests including current and ex-players Stephen Curry, Kevin Durant, Kevin Garnett and Dwyane Wade, rappers Lil Wayne and Snoop Dogg, and activist Sean King.

More from DeadlineESPN And NBA Team For 'H.O.R.S.E' Competition Featuring Coronavirus Idled Basketball TalentsICM Signs Cooper Raiff, Filmmaker Behind SXSW Jury Prize Winning Narrative 'Shithouse'icm Partners TV Lit Agent Laura Gordon Joining CAA

Along with Sean Butler and Patrick Strøm, his producing partners and managers from Cul∙ti∙vate Entertainment,...

A24 will auction off paraphernalia from some of its films and TV shows, including Uncut Gems, Midsommar and Euphoria, to raise money for charities aiding essential workers and communities hit hardest by the Covid-19 pandemic.

The studio will host a handful of auctions over the coming weeks, each with different lots. The first sale, the A24 Attic Auction, will launch April 22nd at 12 p.m. Edt and feature original items from Euphoria (Rue’s hoodie), Jonah Hill’s Mid90s (Stevie’s skateboard), Eighth Grade (Kayla’s time capsule, and...

Want to own the flower dress Florence Pugh wears during the climax of Ari Aster’s “Midsommar”? What about the purple hoodie that is the trademark of Zendaya’s character Rue on “Euphoria”? Today is your lucky day thanks to the launch of A24 Auctions. The indie production company and distributor has announced a new auction program to benefit various charity organizations, including NYC Health + Hospitals and the Fdny Foundation. The studio is auctioning props from some of its most popular titles. Additional items include the carved wooden mermaid from “The Lighthouse,” plus Dina’s prom dress and Kevin Garnett’s Celtics jersey from “Uncut Gems,” among others.

A24 said in an official statement: “As a company founded and based in New York City, A24 wants to give back to the city as it weathers this crisis and begins to rebuild. 100% of each auction’s proceeds will be donated to...

The late Kobe Bryant’s legacy continues to grow, as the latest release from his Granity Studios is expected to debut at No. 1 on The New York Times middle-grade hardcover list to be published April 19.

The book, The Wizenard Series: Season One by Wesley King, already is No. 1 on Amazon’s bestseller list for children’s basketball books.

More from DeadlineKobe Bryant Gets Quick Induction To Basketball Hall Of Fame, Joined By Kevin Garnett, Tim DuncanLA County Sheriff Says He Ordered Deputies To Delete Graphic Photos Of Kobe Bryant Crash SiteLA County Sheriff "Deeply Disturbed" By Reports Deputies Shared Photos From Kobe Bryant Crash

Season One follows the progress of a young basketball player. The book is described by Granity as “a story of strain and sacrifice, supernatural breakthroughs, and supreme dedication to the game.” It was released last week, with Bryant credited as the series creator and story lines visionary.

Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant, in his first year of eligibility, will be posthumously inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the NBA announced Saturday.

“He was one of the greatest competitors who stepped on the court and made sure his impact was felt on both sides of the ball. He is ranked 4th on the NBA’s career points list (33,643). We congratulate posthumously 5x NBA Champion Kobe Bryant,” the Basketball Hall of Fame tweeted Saturday.

In an interview Saturday with ESPN, Bryant’s widow Vanessa said...

Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant was granted quick acceptance into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, according to news reports. The official announcement is expected Saturday.

The Basketball Hall of Fame has a three-year waiting period from the end of a player’s career for induction consideration. Bryant died in a helicopter crash in January along with his daughter and seven others.

More from DeadlineTwo Los Angeles Lakers Players Positive For Covid-19, In Quarantine And AsymptomaticLakers, Clippers, Kings Team Up To Help Staples Center Workers Losing Wages Amid Coronavirus CancellationsLA County Sheriff Says He Ordered Deputies To Delete Graphic Photos Of Kobe Bryant Crash Site

Bryant will be joined by Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan as this year’s inductees. The report of his induction was broken by The Athletic.

Bryant played 20 seasons with the Lakers, winning five NBA championships, two Finals MVPs and a regular season Mvp.

Ben and Josh Safdie’s critically-beloved speeding train of chaos and mayhem, “Uncut Gems” features many unexpected but memorable guest performances ranging from Kevin Garnett and The Weeknd to Tilda Swinton providing a voice-over cameo, but audiences apparently missed out on another guest performer. Rapper Cam’ron claims he was supposed to star in the film alongside Jonah Hill.

Continue reading Cam’ron Claims He Was Originally Supposed To Star In ‘Uncut Gems’ With Jonah Hill at The Playlist.

When looking at the filmography of comedian and actor Adam Sandler, it is difficult not to be astounded by the clear divide between the kinds of projects he chooses. On the one side, you have such critically acclaimed works as Paul Thomas Anderson's Punch Drunk Love and the recent Safdie Brothers hit Uncut Gems, and on the other stands movies such as the Grown Up series, The Do-Over and, shudder, Jack and Jill. Despite this stark contrast, Sandler himself has now gone on record saying that he has never once phoned in a performance.

"Man, I don't know what the downs have been. I mean, maybe in some people, when they write about me, they talk about my downs. But I don't have any downs. I love every movie I've made. I've never in my entire career phoned one thing in."

Whilst the higher caliber works often garnish Sandler...

It's taken a couple of indie mavericks with a Martin Scorsese inspiration to bring out the essence of Adam Sandler's histrionic talent. Forever crushed by his image as a star of crass slapstick hits, Sandler finally finds a reason to surprise all in this film, with the most remarkable act yet in his career of three decades.

American indie wizards Josh and Benny Safdie have created a sparkling winner with "Uncut Gems", a crime drama that technically bears street-savvy edge even as it reveals intelligent storytelling relish to unfold a gritty suspense drama. The impact is slowburn as the crime thriller grows on you with every passing minute. A tautly executed narrative, brought to life by Ronald Bronstein and Benny Safdie's crisp editing, renders importance to every second of the film's 135-minute runtime.

The genius of the Safdies is at work here again, after their 2017 Robert Pattinson-starrer "Good Time", you realise,...

Netflix has extended their production deal with Adam Sandler and his Happy Madison Productions to make four more films, the company announced Friday.

Sandler first signed a production deal with Netflix in 2014, which was then extended in 2017. “The Ridiculous 6” was the first film Sandler made for Netflix, followed by “The Do-Over,” “Sandy Wexler,” “The Week Of,” “Murder Mystery” and “100% Fresh,” for which he was nominated for an Emmy. Additionally, Happy Madison produced “Father of the Year” and the upcoming “The Wrong Missy.”

According to Netflix, audiences have spent two billion hours watching his films since 2015, when “The Ridiculous 6” premiered. Additionally, the streamer noted that “Murder Mystery” was the most popular film on Netflix last year.

As many know, Kobe Bryant died over the weekend. Now, news comes that Kobe Bryant will be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as part of the 2020 class. This follows the passing of the NBA legend, who died in a helicopter crash over the weekend. The 41-year-old former NBA superstar was flying with his daughter, Gianna, as well as Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli and his family, who also died in the crash. Now, it's been revealed that Bryant will become a first-ballot hall of famer.

The news was first reported by The Athletic reporter Shams Charania. According to Charina, who shared the information on Twitter, Kobe Bryant will be enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame later this year. Bryant had previously been listed among this year's nominees. Hall of Fame chairman Jerry Colangelo had this to say.

"Expected to be arguably the most epic class ever with Kobe,...

Looking for F-Bombs? Prepare to experience the nail-biting thriller, one of A24's highest grossing movies, Uncut Gems arriving on Digital February 25 from A24 and on Blu-ray Combo Pack (plus DVD and Digital) and DVD March 10 from Lionsgate. Executive produced by Martin Scorsese, the Uncut Gems Blu-ray Combo Pack and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $39.99 and $29.95, respectively.

Adam Sandler gives a mythologically great performance in the critically-acclaimed thriller Uncut Gems. Co-written and directed by brothers Josh and Benny Safdie (writers and directors of Good Time), the film played at both the Telluride Film Festival and the Toronto International Film Festival to rave reviews and is Certified Fresh&#8482 on Rotten Tomatoes. Uncut Gems stars Golden Globe nominee Adam Sandler, Lakeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel, Eric Bogosian, and Academy Award nominee Judd Hirsch.

A charismatic jeweler (Adam Sandler) makes a high-stakes bet that could lead to the windfall of a lifetime.

“Uncut Gems” headliner Adam Sandler has reunited with the Safdie brothers on a short film from A24 about dueling street performers in Times Square. Watch the short above.

“Goldman v. Silverman” stars Sandler and Benny Safdie as street performers “Rod Goldman” and “Al Silverman” who work the tourist scene of Times Square. Goldman gets no respect and Silverman is the first one to make sure of that. Josh Safdie co-directed the chaotic short which featured onlookers in Times Square who had no idea the dueling street performers were part of a film shoot.

In an interview with New Yorker magazine, the Safdie brothers talked about the guerrilla shoot and the realism they were going for. “Someone came up to me and was, like, ‘Was that guy with you?'” said Josh. “I was, like, ‘Nah.’ He turned to his wife and said, ‘That was real violence!'”

Also Read: The...

Adam Sandler's complete lack of mention at this year's Academy Awards has not gone unnoticed by fans of the actor, nor has it gone unnoticed by his one time co-star Kathy Bates. More specifically, it is her character from the classic Sandler comedy The Waterboy that has taken issue with his Oscar snub. Resurrecting the outspoken character via social media, Mama has offered some heartfelt words in an attempt to sooth Sandler's hurt feelings and disappointment.

"I love you my Bobby Boucher!!! You was robbed!! But Mama loves you!!! I learned a new urban slang word for you! You da Goat!! Not the one we eat at home, Son."

Referring to Sandler as his character from the movie, The Waterboy, Bates also makes mention of the bizarre dietary choices that the characters share in the movie which includes squirrels, snakes and, on special occasions, alligator.

Bates' kind words came...

Note: This piece contains spoilers for Uncut Gems.

The transcendent central performance by Adam Sandler, the masterful cacophony of synths and percussion on Daniel Lopatin’s score, the incredible ways it builds and amplifies tension; much has been made of the latest film from Josh and Benny Safdie. A focal point of cultural discourse for months before its general release, it’s easy to forget there’s a beating heart at the center of Uncut Gems underneath the widespread fixation on Sandler’s instantly viral jeweled Furby and the layered aesthetics of the Safdies’ vision of New York. It’s this core that ties everything together and helps the film ascend to true greatness. Bolstered by an unrelenting tension and endless formal pleasures, the film never loses sight of a bigger thesis.

Each element of the film comes together in harmony to create one of the definitive portrayals of an autistic meltdown in recent memory.

“Uncut Gems” deserves an award for Most Stressful Theatrical Experience, and it’s cranked up to 11 thanks to composer Daniel Lopatin. He mashed synth sounds and elements of ’70s prog-rock to create a unique sonic environment that stands as its own work of art.

Lopatin is better known by his recording alias of Oneohtrix Point Never, and he previously soundtracked a Safdie Brothers film with 2017’s equally stressful “Good Time.” In a new documentary for Moog Music — know as a manufacturer of electronic instruments — Lopatin explains his process and innovative instrumentation in spinning this gritty urban thriller centered on Adam Sandler as Howard Ratner, a sad-sack jewelry dealer in over his head. Watch the video below.

“Howard Ratner is up against the clock, and there’s not a lot of time to figure out a whole lot of problems, and that essentially was mirrored in the studio. That kind of thing,...

Underscore? Try overscore. The co-star of “Uncut Gems” is undoubtedly the film’s music. The result of a second collaboration between composer Daniel Lopatin, aka Oneohtrix Point Never, and director Josh Safdie, the cosmically synthesized score blends multiple Moog tones for a sonic identity to accompany Adam Sandler’s role as Manny.

As the featurette below reveals, Lopatin’s audio foraging centered around his Moog One synthesizer, providing just the right psychedelic drones to journey through the interior of the raw Opal at the heart of the movie. Maximal New Age vibes play homage to the creators’ love of artists like Isao Tomita, Tangerine Dream and the mighty Vangelis. The mini-doc follows the creative process in Lopatin’s Brooklyn synth cave — beautifully flooded with natural light, plants and shelves of books (notably a copy of iconic San Francisco poet Clark Coolidge’s “A Beginning What and Ending Away”).

Interviews with...

Adam Sandler had his wife Jackie Sandler by his side as he was honored at the 2020 National Board Of Review Gala this week.

On Wednesday night, the 53-year-old actor was recognized by the board with the best actor award for his performance in his latest movie, Uncut Gems.

Ahead of the evening, Adam and Jackie — who have been married since 2003, and share daughters Sadie, 13, and Sunny, 11 — hit the red carpet, posing for photographers with their arms wrapped around one another. They even shared a sweet kiss for the cameras.

The Grown Ups star wore a gray suit and black tie...

Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Hugh Grant and Henry Golding star in The Gentlemen, directed by Guy Ritchie. The film released its second trailer over the end of the year, and is due in theaters on Jan. 24.

John Krasinski returns to direct the sequel to A Quiet Place, starring wife Emily Blunt along with Cillian Murphy, Noah Jupe and Millicent Simmonds. A Quiet Place Part II released its first full trailer this week and is due in theaters this March. Adam Sandler stars in the latest Safdie brothers film, Uncut Gems, along with Julia Fox, Idina Menzel, Kevin Garnett and Lakeith Stanfield. The A24 ...

Matthew McConaughey, Charlie Hunnam, Hugh Grant and Henry Golding star in The Gentlemen, directed by Guy Ritchie. The film released its second trailer over the end of the year, and is due in theaters on Jan. 24.

John Krasinski returns to direct the sequel to A Quiet Place, starring wife Emily Blunt along with Cillian Murphy, Noah Jupe and Millicent Simmonds. A Quiet Place Part II released its first full trailer this week and is due in theaters this March. Adam Sandler stars in the latest Safdie brothers film, Uncut Gems, along with Julia Fox, Idina Menzel, Kevin Garnett and Lakeith Stanfield. The A24 ...

Following our top 50 films of 2019, we’re sharing personal top 10 lists from our contributors. Check out the latest below and see our complete year-end coverage here.

To paraphrase Drake, “Where should I even really start?” 2019 was a year full of cinematic riches informed by dominant forces of the day: global politics, streaming (with an endless river of tech money), and an increased push across the board to include diverse voices at both festivals and in studios, which has led to more innovative storytelling across the board. Certainly, there is more work to be done but 2019’s global filmmakers went to work reflecting our collective dreams, fears, and anxieties. Streaming services like Netflix, Amazon, and Apple TV+ created and distributed content in a kind of arms race that truly benefits consumers.

Streaming and the need for prestige content like The Irishman and Marriage Story (typically the domain of studios or their...

Uncut Gems really shined.

Despite receiving a C+ Cinemascore from audiences on opening night, Adam Sandler’s latest film Uncut Gems earned positive reviews from critics and gave its production company A24 its biggest opening ever when the indie picked up $18.8 million in its first week of wide release. The movie, set in New York City’s Diamond District where Sandler’s character Howard runs a jewelry shop, also received a 92 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

Uncut Gems follows gambling lover Howard as he bets it all on a rare opal he bought from Ethiopia. Howard lends the gem to NBA star Kevin Garnett,...

"You like to win, right? This is no different than that. This is me. This is how I win." A24 has dropped one final, 60-second trailer for Uncut Gems, which is already playing in theaters nationwide right now. This is an obvious tactic to boost awareness and attention - right as the Oscar voting starts, and as more people find out about this movie (since it still is an indie flick). Set in the diamond district of New York City, Adam Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a jewelry store owner and dealer to the rich and famous, who must find a way to pay his debts when his merchandise is taken by one of his top sellers. He "must perform a precarious high-wire act, balancing business, family, and encroaching adversaries on all sides, in his relentless pursuit of the ultimate win." Also with Lakeith Stanfield, Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Idina Menzel,...

Adam Sandler’s “Uncut Gems,” a suspense thriller set in New York’s Diamond District, set a new box office benchmark for A24, the film’s indie distributor.

Directed by brothers Josh and Benny Safdie, the movie generated a dazzling $18.8 million since opening on Wednesday. Those ticket sales bested “Midsommar” ($11 million) to become A24’s biggest five-day launch to date.

After a limited run in select cities, “Uncut Gems” has now surpassed $20 million in North America. Despite a harsh C+ CinemaScore from audiences (the same grade as “Cats”), “Uncut Gems” is already one of the studio’s highest-grossing movies ever.

Critics have been far more enthusiastic than moviegoers, awarding the film with a 93% average on Rotten Tomatoes. “Uncut Gems” has been a critical hit and could find itself in the awards race for Adam Sandler’s dramatic turn as Howard Ratner, a jeweler and compulsive gambler. The anxiety-inducing crime drama...

“Uncut Gems” doesn’t just offer up the anomaly of Adam Sandler, an actor best known for broad comedies, venturing into dramatic territory. Even more unusual, it’s the rare modern movie to include a Passover seder.

Directed by brothers Josh and Benny Safdie, “Uncut Gems” follows Howard Ratner (Sandler), a jeweler in New York’s Diamond District. He’s also a compulsive gambler with questionable judgment, in part because he relishes in the chaos of upping the ante rather than settling his debts. Howard’s domestic life is equally in disarray — he’s dating his employee Julia (Julia Fox), though he’s still married to Dinah (Idina Menzel).

The Passover sequence, centered around one of the holiest holidays in the Jewish religion, gives audiences a brief opportunity to relax in a film that’s otherwise rife with tension. It’s a fleeting, unfettered look at what a normal life...

After an opening prologue that shows the pain caused by the opal mines in Ethiopia, the camera takes the viewer on a journey through the precious uncut stone at the center of the story. It’s colorful, flashy and larger than life, captivating in a way that makes it hard to look away. This is also how you would describe the mind and life of the film’s central character, Howard. And as the story progresses, both the stone and character are always moving, being talked about it, and causing pain and tragedy. Uncut Gems tells an unabashedly Jewish story in the vein of the Coen Brothers and the Old Testament long before them, revolving around the moral lesson of learning through suffering. It’s a modern parable about the determination and will to succeed (but at what cost), and it confidently rises to the top as one of the...

Adam Sandler knows what he's talking about. In the electrifying new drama Uncut Gems, Sandler portrays Howard Ratner, a nervy New York City jeweler who is only too happy to tell visiting celebrity athlete Kevin Garnett all about a particular gem that is a shining star in Howard's tiny shop. We get a sense of Howard's bravado in our exclusive clip. In town for an NBA game, Garnett has been convinced by a friend (Lakeith Stanfield) to stop by Howard's shop and pick out a pricey...

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Christmas Day will see acclaimed films like “Little Women” and “Uncut Gems” make their wide release, all while the industry eyes whether word of mouth about “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” will be strong enough to maintain high turnout despite tepid critic reviews.

The film earned a strong $175 million opening, which fell well below the $220 million opening earned two years ago by “Star Wars: The Last Jedi.” The good news is that “Rise” opened closer to Christmas Day than “Last Jedi,” so a big 5-day weekend from families on holiday is within possibility. Hardcore fans made up the majority of this weekend’s audience with 59% male and 71% being non-family adult audiences.

The bar for “Rise of Skywalker” to clear is $27 million, the total that “Last Jedi” made on Christmas Day and Dec. 26. A mark above that would be a good sign for the blockbuster’s second weekend. If it is lower,...

J.J. Abrams has proven to make some of his own controversial decisions in The Rise of Skywalker. While Rian Johnson was criticized for expanding the Star Wars franchise and taking risks, Abrams is taking things back to the past. And for some fans, that's perfectly acceptable until it's not, which is the case with a few decisions in the final installment in the sequel trilogy, including one at the end of the movie when Rey travels to a very familiar planet. There are Spoilers for The Rise of Skywalker below, so read ahead at your own risk.

At the conclusion of The Rise of Skywalker, Rey travels to Tatooine to bury Luke and Leia's Lightsabers. She is visited by their Force Ghosts as they smile upon her from the great beyond, which is also the point in the movie where she takes their name. Rey Palpatine is now Rey Skywalker.

We've known for some time now that Adam Sandler is capable of delivering an exceptional performance. Movies such as Punch Drunk Love and Funny People have provided the proof. But, for whatever reason, we rarely get the chance to see Sandler at his best. Instead, he's often featured in lowbrow comedies, these days ones that debut directly on Netflix. However, thanks to directors Benny Safide and Josh Safdie, aka the Safdie brothers, we've been treated to peak-Sandler in Uncut Gems, which is a truly off-the-rails, totally unique and darkly comedic thriller.

Uncut Gems centers on Howard Ratner (Adam Sandler), a high-strung and magnetic New York City jeweler who is always on the hunt for his next big score. In this case, Howard may well have found his golden ticket in the form of a rare gem that could be worth hundreds of thousands. However, Howard's gambling problem sees him make...

“Uncut Gems” has set a new limited opening record at the indie box office for A24. The critically acclaimed crime drama starring Adam Sandler was released in five theaters this weekend and grossed $525,498 for a per screen average of $105,100.

That average tops the previous A24 record of $100,500 set by Best Picture winner “Moonlight” in October 2016. It’s also the second highest average of the year behind only “Parasite” with $131,072. “Uncut Gems” entered theaters after a wave of awards nominations from the Film Independent Spirit Awards, Gotham Awards, and National Board of Review, among others.

Directed by the Safdie Brothers, “Uncut Gems” stars Sandler as Howard Ratner, an eccentric and extroverted New York City jeweler whose gambling addiction leads him into a high-wire act balancing business, family and a growing set of enemies. Julia Fox, Kevin Garnett, Lakeith Stanfield and Idina Menzel also star in the film, which has an A-...

Josh and Benny Safdie’s merciless assault on the senses, “Uncut Gems,” is now in theaters from A24, with the film’s star Adam Sandler turning out a startling performance that both showcases his singular gifts while revealing new ones. Not since “Punch-Drunk Love” has the comic actor delivered such an unhinged, yet emotionally nuanced turn.

He stars as the eccentric, abrasive Howard Ratner, a NYC jewelery dealer who is splitting up with his fed-up wife (Idina Menzel) and has all but alienated his children. One of the film’s subplots revolves around a rare gem that Howard has imported to his shop, which he ends up lending to real-life basketball player Kevin Garnett. However, according to a new interview with Vulture, the Safdies originally designed the film around Kobe Bryant, and also considered NBA players Amar’e Stoudemire and Joel Embiid.

“It started with Amar’e Stoudemire, who was a...

Fox Searchlight is ready to put another stake in the ground for this year’s awards season race with the theatrical release of the Terrence Malick drama A Hidden Life starring August Diehl and Valerie Pachner. The release marks a reunion between the Fox Searchlight and Malick since 2011’s Tree Of Life starring Brad Pitt and Jessica Chastain.

“We are thrilled to reunite with Terrence and his team, plus new craftspeople we didn’t yet work with on Tree of Life,” said Frank Rodriguez, Svp General Sales Manager, Fox Searchlight Pictures. “It has been a long and fruitful relationship. It has been wonderful to work with August Diehl and Valerie Pachner as well.”

Based on true events, A Hidden Life tells the story of the modest hero Franz Jägerstätter (Diehl), an Austrian farmer-turned-World War II conscientious objector who refused to fight for the Nazis. Pachner stars as his wife and...

The films of Josh and Benny Safdie are no doubt anxiety-inducing, but if one looks closer within the chaos of their newest thriller Uncut Gems, a world of comedy is hiding underneath. Adam Sandler plays Howard Ratner, a jeweler in the Diamond District of midtown Manhattan who comes in possession of a black opal from Welo opal mines in northern Ethiopia that catches the eye of NBA star Kevin Garnett. Ratner loans the opal to Garnett for good luck in exchange for a championship ring. Already in trouble with other people’s money, Ratner makes a successful bet using Garnett’s ring as collateral. When Garnett refuses to return the opal, Ratner has to call on every last favor he’s owed to keep his head above water–and it gets pretty bad for the jeweler.

Cinematographer Darius Khondji bookends the film with deep zooms; the first is a benign look at the black opal.

Though A24’s “Uncut Gems” features retired Celtics player Kevin Garnett in his acting debut, avid basketball fan and star Adam Sandler said he never actually had the chance to shoot hoops with the famed center during filming.

“But he taught me two good tips and I’m not going to tell you what they are, but I hope I see you out on the court and I’m going to destroy you,” Sandler cracked to Variety on Wednesday night at the film’s Los Angeles premiere at the ArcLight Cinerama Dome in Hollywood.

Basketball played a central role in the both the film’s story and development; Sandler’s first meeting with the writer/director brother duo Josh and Benny Safdie took place on the court. “We played a lot of basketball during this shoot,“ Sandler said. “Josh has long arms. He lucked out and blocked me one time.

If you want to be grabbed by the throat, then I’ve got just the movie for you: Josh and Benny Safdie's Uncut Gems. Like the brothers’ last two features, Heaven Knows What (2014) and Good Time (2017), it’s a showboating immersion into a gritty but resiliently existent side of New York that is nowadays rarely set to film. And like Good Time, their collision of Robert Pattinson with a borough-based B-film, Uncut Gems is driven by the monomania of its protagonist, Harold Ratner, and the stunt-casting appeal of the actor who plays him: Adam Sandler. Ratner is a Jewish jeweler in Midtown’s Diamond District and another addict looking for a rush—in this case, the rush of moving capital around with dangerous risks at the hope of a big pay off.The film opens with Ratner in debt and in panic, and its anxiety only climbs higher from there.

Kevin Garnett has been to jewelry stores like the ones Adam Sandler runs in “Uncut Gems,” and he’s been witness to some of the more chaotic and strange circumstances that take place there as seen in the film from Josh and Ben Safdie. It explains how Garnett managed such a head-turning performance in “Uncut Gems” despite little acting experience. It also helps that he still looks as good as he did in his prime. “How is it the fact that it’s set in 2012, and Kevin Garnett looks exactly the same? You did all right there, Kg,” Sandler joked to Garnett when TheWrap’s Steve Pond spoke to the cast and crew at the Toronto International Film Festival. “It’s amazing what happens when you shave the beard off,” Garnett responded. Also Read: The Safdie Brothers Detail the 10-Year Journey to Make the Adam Sandler Drama 'Uncut Gems' “Uncut Gems...