News

Mark Wahlberg is a name that incites respect and awe in the film industry today. However, the renowned actor’s humble beginnings were far from perfect. In fact, when he looks at it now, he regrets being the person he once was when he was young.

Mark Wahlberg in Max Payne / 20th Century Studios

In 2013, Wahlberg worked in Michael Bay’s film Pain & Gain, a story that was inspired by the real-life crimes committed by the Sun Gym gang. Working on that movie caused the Transformers star to reflect on his past life.

Pain & Gain made Mark Wahlberg reminisce about his younger days Dwayne Johnson, Mark Wahlberg and Anthony Mackie in Pain & Gain| Paramount Pictures

Mark Wahlberg has openly acknowledged his troubled past and expressed regret for his actions. During his teenage years, he was involved in various criminal activities.

Michael Bay’s Pain & Gain is...

Mark Wahlberg is a veteran actor (and an all-time legend) who has a plethora of movies and projects to his name. From movies that failed to movies that succeeded expectations, Wahlberg has done it all.

Mark Wahlberg and Jeff Goldblum in Jimmy Kimmel Live | Credits: ABC

Although the actor had a rickety start in Hollywood, Wahlberg never backed down from a challenge. The actor is also a gym freak and was covered in tattoos at a certain point in life.

Mark Wahlberg Had To Do One of the Toughest Things For Hollywood

As mentioned earlier, Wahlberg’s back, front, and, arms were covered in various tattoos that the actor had gotten over the years. This meant that whenever there was a shirtless scene, Wahlberg’s tattoos had to be covered with makeup.

Mark Wahlberg in a still from The Fighter | Credits: Relativity Media

That process took quite an extra amount...

Mark Wahlberg has done a plethora of roles over the years. From horror to comedy movies to patriotic action films, Wahlberg has done it all. However, Wahlberg feels that this was by far the weirdest thing he had ever done.

Tom Holland and Mark Wahlberg in Uncharted. Credits: Ctmg, Inc

Working alongside acclaimed director Michael Bay, the duo had a great time filming some of the Transformers movies. However, in 2013, the duo collaborated again on an iconic film titled Pain & Gain.

Mark Wahlberg Went Through a Lot of Pain for Pain & Gain

Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, and, Mark Wahlberg joined forces in 2013 to star in Michael Bay’s iconic film Pain & Gain. The film revolves around three friends who kidnap a wealthy businessman in hopes of extorting money.

Mark Wahlberg in Max Payne | 20th Century Studios

It’s a different thing that their idiocracy makes the kidnapping 10 times...

The last few years have been tumultuous for the House of Mouse, as some of their biggest releases didn’t land well among critics and fans. This is especially notable in their animated division, which isn’t exactly thriving, with both Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios failing to live up to their potential with their last major releases.

However, with the sequel to one of the best Disney animated releases of 2010 set to release later this year, which will see Dwayne Johnson return, things might change for the better.

The trailer for Dwayne Johnson’s Moana 2 Has Fans Excited

Dwayne Johnson | Credit: Fast Five (via Universal Pictures)

It has been three years since Walt Disney Animation Studios released Encanto, which was revered by both fans and critics and deservedly earned itself an Oscar win for Best Animated Release. However, since then, the animated studio has visibly struggled with its last two releases,...

Pluto TV, Paramount’s free streaming service, has revealed its May highlights. The Pluto TV May 2024 schedule includes Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month programming, more anime content, new channels, and new film additions.

Pluto TV is the leading free streaming television service, delivering hundreds of live linear channels and thousands of titles on-demand to a global audience.

The Emmy Award-winning service curates a diverse lineup of channels in partnership with hundreds of international media companies. It offers a wide array of genres, languages, and categories featuring movies, television series, sports, news, lifestyle, kids, and much more.

Pluto TV can be easily accessed and streamed across mobile, web, and connected TV devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles, Pluto TV’s growing international footprint extends across three continents and over 35 markets.

Pluto TV May 2024 Programming

Asian American, Native Hawaiian, And Pacific Islander Heritage Month

To pay tribute, Pluto TV...

Mark Wahlberg is one of the most dedicated actors around in the industry. He has pushed himself physically and creatively, and his efforts have always paid dividends. Wahlberg has been setting goals from the get-go, and he has shown that no mountain is too high for him to climb.

The Departed actor maintains a very healthy lifestyle, and he has spoken about it in the past as well. Wahlberg has been a constant source of motivation, and his latest workout routine proves exactly why.

Mark Wahlberg is a gym freak (Source: The Fighter)

Mark Wahlberg shows off his grueling gym routine

Mark Wahlberg is one of Hollywood’s leading men, and he has left his mark with his choice of roles. He is extremely versatile, with an arms-length list of accolades to show off for it, including two Oscars.

Suggested“You’re unlikely to feel massive changes”: Bodybuilder Copies Mark Wahlberg Fitness Routine,...

Anthony Mackie has been a part of many notable films in Hollywood including Pain & Gain and Million Dollar Baby. However, there is no denying that a majority of his fame comes from his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether it is as Falcon or Captain America, Anthony Mackie holds a special place in the hearts of his fans.

Anthony Mackie as Falcon in the MCU

Therefore, it goes without saying that when fans spot the actor out and about in the city, they wouldn’t want to miss the golden opportunity of interacting with him. Unfortunately, sometimes things don’t turn out how we expect them to. This is the story of a fan whose interaction with Anthony Mackie didn’t go quite how she had hoped, causing her to label the man as the ‘Rudest Human Being Alive.”

Is Anthony Mackie the Rudest Celebrity Alive?

A still...

Stan Lee’s favorite DC character could find a place in James Gunn’s Dcu if one director were to helm the film. In the earlier Dceu, reports suggested that Michael Bay was attached to direct a movie featuring the character Lobo. The Transformers director has a knack for creating movies that gamble with absurd characters and produce amazing results. He might be the right fit to handle this character of an intergalactic bounty hunter.

The character of Lobo could still get a solo project in James Gunn’s Dcu

Interestingly, Jason Momoa pitched a solo Lobo film to Gunn during the promotion for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Momoa became a fan of the minor Superman villain of the ’80s who became popular in the ’90s as a parody of grim and gritty characters who defined comics in that decade.

One Director Could Do Justice To Jason Momoa’s...

After garnering visceral reactions from the Sundance crowd in January, Kristen Stewart’s Love Lies Bleeding has opened to a whopping 91%, becoming her second highest-rated film in the Tomatometer. Announced back in 2022, the Twilight Star joined forces with Saint Maud director Rose Glass for her first collaboration with A24.

And while fans are thrilled by it, following Glass’ work on the acclaimed horror Saint Maud, her only feature film prior to this one, it’s reasonable to see why this might not be for everyone.

Kristen Stewart in the Love Lies Bleeding

Reviews for Love Lies Bleeding Calls It a Wild Ride Not Made for Everyone

Being Rose Glass’s second collaboration with A24, Love Lies Bleeding has been deemed by viewers a pretty wild ride, which doesn’t hold back from being gruesome at times. Starring Kristen Stewart as a bored gym worker Lou, who falls for her bi-sexual bodybuilding drifter Jackie,...

Mark Wahlberg’s sci-fi action series Transformers wasn’t as adult-oriented as some of his other films. Still, the actor had second thoughts about exposing Wahlberg to the films in their formative years.

Why Mark Wahlberg didn’t want his kids watching ‘Transformers’ Mark Wahlberg | Fred Duval/FilmMagic

Wahlberg picked up where Labeouf left off with the Transformers franchise. The actor led the series in the commercially successful Transformers Age of Extinction, and also in its sequel The Last Knight. In an interview with CBS, Wahlberg asserted that the movie brought him back to his childhood years.

“It’s as much fun as you can ever imagine,” Wahlberg said. “Anybody who’s ever been a kid, playing with big things, this is exactly what it’s like. Blowing things up, shooting guns…It’s amazing.”

However, Wahlberg quickly learned that it might not have been a good idea to expose...

Mark Wahlberg and Michael Bay have collaborated for a couple of projects such as the Transformers movies. But as much as the two got along, Wahlberg confided Bay put him in a pretty weird position for one of his movies.

Mark Wahlberg once revealed what he found challenging working with Michael Bay Mark Wahlberg and Michael Bay | Lintao Zhang/Getty Images

Some people might think of Transformers when picturing Bay and Wahlberg working together. But their collaboration wasn’t just limited to the popular sci-fi franchise. Wahlberg also worked with Bay on the 2013 feature Pain and Gain. There, he played a real-life bodybuilder who committed several crimes to get rich fast.

Wahlberg shared that he was interested in the movie as soon as he read its script, especially since he was into weightlifting himself.

“I thought the story was fascinating. I’ve had this fascination with body building from a very young age.

Mark Wahlberg has been as passionate about fitness as he’s been with his acting career. His Pain and Gain co-star Dwayne Johnson has a very similar lifestyle as well. But there was one aspect of Wahlberg’s schedule that Johnson shared he couldn’t do.

Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg once revealed their workout schedules Dwayne Johnson and Mark Wahlberg | Uri Schanker/Getty Images

Wahlberg and Johnson have always been some of the most disciplined actors in the film industry. Johnson has often documented his grueling bodybuilding routine, which includes eating several high-protein meals a day and early Am workouts. Wahlberg’s work ethic isn’t too different.

“Oh, man. Between my physical fitness and my faith, I have so much discipline in my life. And I have such a positive outlook on life, the opportunities that I have, and the things I’ve been able to accomplish in my life,...

Here’s your guide to every movie and TV show leaving Netflix Canada in January 2024.

In case you missed it, we also covered all the movies and TV shows leaving Netflix Canada in December 2023.

Some great movies are leaving Netflix Canada in January 2024, including James Cameron’s award-winning juggernaut Titanic, beloved coming-of-age comedy 13 Going on 30, powerful WW2 drama The Pianist, and slasher switch-up Freaky.

Please Note: This is not the full list of everything leaving Netflix UK in January 2024. More departures will be announced throughout December 2023 and January 2024.

Movies and TV Shows Leaving Netflix Canada on January 1st, 2024 13 Going on 30 (2004) A Dog’s Purpose (2017) The Bride of Habaek (1 Season) Bridesmaids (2011) Burlesque (2010) The Change-Up (2011) Christmas Under Wraps (2014) Christmas With a View (2018) Countdown (2019) Cutthroat Island (1995) The Danish Girl (2015) Dreamgirls (2006) DreamWorks Shrek the Halls (1 Season) Falls Around Her (2018) Football-Inspired Workouts for All (2023) N Freaky (2020) Full Out 2: You Got This! (2020) The Girl on the Train...

It’s the most spookiest time of the year, and you’ll find a smorgasbord of creepy content on the Hulu streaming service in October! Not only has the streamer secured recent theatrical releases like Cobweb and Slotherhouse for you, but Huluween is here again to make sure things go bump in the night.

Huluween highlights this year include the first season of Living for the Dead, which comes from the creators of Netflix’s popular Queer Eye. Join five queer ghost hunters – Alex Le May, Juju Bae, Ken Boggle, Logan Taylor and Roz Hernandez – as they travel to a range of the world’s most haunted locations in an attempt to help the living by healing the dead.

Hulu will also premiere Monster Inside: America’s Most Extreme Haunted House from director Andrew Renzi. The new documentary follows the story of “Navy Veteran turned master of horror” Russ McKamey. His home,...

Actor Mark Wahlberg stays in shape because he wants to live for as long as possible as he explains his intense workouts. The 52-year-old actor underwent intense physical training for roles in his films ‘Pain and Gain’ and ‘Infinite’ and whilst initially, his efforts were about how he looked, he now stays in shape because he wants to make sure he is around for a long time.

He told People: “For me, now, it’s much more about longevity than anything else. You know? Before it was about aesthetic when trying to get in shape. I want to live a long time. I feel better getting up early. If I don’t work out in the morning, I have a really hard time doing it towards the end of the day.”

The star went on to add that whilst he often feels like taking a day off if he...

Actor Mark Wahlberg stays in shape because he wants to live for as long as possible as he explains his intense workouts. The 52-year-old actor underwent intense physical training for roles in his films ‘Pain and Gain’ and ‘Infinite’ and whilst initially, his efforts were about how he looked, he now stays in shape because he wants to make sure he is around for a long time.

He told People: “For me, now, it’s much more about longevity than anything else. You know? Before it was about aesthetic when trying to get in shape. I want to live a long time. I feel better getting up early. If I don’t work out in the morning, I have a really hard time doing it towards the end of the day.”

The star went on to add that whilst he often feels like taking a day off if he...

Actor Mark Wahlberg has been a part of Hollywood for a very long time, even becoming somewhat of a meme due to his way of speaking. Thinking about his own future in the industry now, the actor is making it seem bleak, even saying that he doesn’t think he will be acting in Hollywood for too long.

‘The Departed’ actor in a session with ‘Cigar Aficionado’ magazine, opened about his past, present and future business pursuits. Notably, the 52-year-old star has questioned his longevity in the industry, wondering just how much longer he can stand in front of cameras, as per ‘The Hollywood Reporter’.

“Well, I’m certainly working harder now than ever. Certain businesses, you kind of build them, pass them on or you exit. Hopefully my kids, we’ll see what their interests are, but I don’t think that I’ll be acting that much longer...

Actor Mark Wahlberg has been a part of Hollywood for a very long time, even becoming somewhat of a meme due to his way of speaking. Thinking about his own future in the industry now, the actor is making it seem bleak, even saying that he doesn’t think he will be acting in Hollywood for too long.

‘The Departed’ actor in a session with ‘Cigar Aficionado’ magazine, opened about his past, present and future business pursuits. Notably, the 52-year-old star has questioned his longevity in the industry, wondering just how much longer he can stand in front of cameras, as per ‘The Hollywood Reporter’.

“Well, I’m certainly working harder now than ever. Certain businesses, you kind of build them, pass them on or you exit. Hopefully my kids, we’ll see what their interests are, but I don’t think that I’ll be acting that much longer...

Whenever you see a film that opens with the words “based on real events”, you can be sure of two things. One, you’re going to have a good time. Two, that this film will probably contain about as much factual material as I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter! contains butter.

But we don’t care!

We’re not just talking about biopics or historical films here, we’re talking about crime movies like Pain & Gain, Catch Me If You Can, romances like It Could Happen to You, and crime romances like I Love You Phillip Morris. And of course the horror genre absolutely loves a “Based On A True Story” title card and poster slogan. The Amityville Horror, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, and all The Conjuring movies have one (making the last the first ever Based On A True Cinematic Universe).

So the question is,...

Michael Bay was a decade into his film directing career when Steven Spielberg and "Transformers" beckoned. He'd established himself as a maestro of mayhem — or, as we call it now, "Bayhem." He made the $19 million budgeted "Bad Boys" look like a $75 million action extravaganza, and the $75 million budgeted "The Rock" look like one of the most expensive action movies ever made. Had Bay arrived on the scene in the 1980s, he would've been making high-style, ultra-violent shoot-em-ups with Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Unfortunately, at the turn of the millennium, four-quadrant tentpole blockbusters were all the rage, which meant Bay had to stifle his R-rated urges and deliver PG-13 spectacle for maximum worldwide grosses. He delivered with "Armageddon," and, to a lesser degree, the distressingly bloodless "Pearl Harbor," which gave him carte blanche to make one of the most morally reprehensible (yet spectacularly entertaining) studio action movies of all time...

As Warner Bros. Discovery rethinks its streaming and licensing strategy, the studio has begun to license out several of its HBO and Max properties to outside streaming services. Among these shows is Ballers, the sports comedy drama starring and executive produced by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, which ran for five seasons from 2015 to 2019. Now available to stream on Netflix, Ballers has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity thanks to the change in platforms, opening up the show to new, bigger audiences. Ballers has the distinction of being led by Johnson in his most nuanced and well-rounded role to date, providing a surprising amount of vulnerability for the global superstar.

Created by Stephen Levinson, Ballers follows Spencer Strasmore (Johnson), a former NFL player who parlays his life experiences to become a financial manager to current NFL athletes. As Spencer expands his business into a growing empire within the professional sports industry, he...

Rebel Wilson needed stitches after a stunt went wrong on the set of her movie “Bride Hard,” an indie film that was granted a waiver to film during the SAG-AFTRA strike.

The “Pitch Perfect” actress shared a photo of herself with a bloodied nose to her Instagram story, which was screencapped by Entertainment Tonight. She wrote in the caption, “Not the way I wanted to end this movie! 3 stitches and in hospital last night after a stunt accident at 4am.”

While most Hollywood production has been shut down, independent company Balcony 9 Productions was granted a strike waiver by SAG-AFTRA for the Simon West-directed action comedy.

The movie is set at a wedding where the bridal party is taken hostage by mercenaries, who have no idea that the maid of honor (Wilson) is actually a secret agent, who’s “ready to rain hell-fire upon anyone who would ruin...

The actual plot of Michael Bay's 2009 sci-fi actioner "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" is rather oblique. In 17,000 Bce, Transformers used specialized, high-tech, sun-killing solar collectors to gather energy from the galaxy's stars. Their ethical code forbid them from snuffing out stars in solar systems that supported life, but one Transformer defied said ethic to deplete Earth's sun. That Transformer was excommunicated and became the first Decepticon. Fast forward to 2009, and the modern-day Decepticons are intent on activating the ancient solar collector once again. It's hidden inside one of the Pyramids of Giza. 

"Revenge of the Fallen" was filmed in several locations in the United States, including Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and remote places in New Mexico, and Arizona. The Pyramid sequences were indeed filmed in Cairo, and the footage of ancient Egyptian cities was filmed in Petra, Jordan. Many filmgoers might recognize Petra from the climax of the 1989 film "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,...

Cult indie icons Deeper have announced their new album Careful!, out September 8th, with its lead single “Build a Bridge” streaming now. Along with the news, the band have revealed their 2023 tour dates.

Careful! marks Deeper’s third album overall and their debut for Sub Pop: “I wanted these to be interesting songs, but in a way where a two-year-old would vibe out to it,” the band’s Nic Gohl said in a statement, naming “coked-out Bowie” as a major influence. “It’s pop music, basically… We’ve always talked about how we didn’t want to stay in one genre as a band.”

Pop melodies drive “Build a Bridge,” but they’re undercut with Deeper’s classic pointed, jittery guitars that make the track at once catchy and a little unnerving. Its lyrics reckon with finding — while, perhaps, also losing — yourself: “A troubled life/ I saw the mirror/ Is this really what you need?...

Exclusive: Ed Harris (Westworld), Sonequa Martin-Green (Star Trek: Discovery) and Natalie Morales (No Hard Feelings) have closed deals to lead My Dead Friend Zoe, a dark dramedy about two generations of veterans, family and friendship, which Kyle Hausmann-Stokes will direct in his feature debut.

The film written by Hausmann-Stokes and A.J. Bermudez tells the story of a female veteran (Martin-Green) engaged in a mysterious but comfortable friendship with her wise-cracking (and dead) best friend from the Army (Morales). When the vet is summoned to the remote lake house of her estranged Vietnam vet grandfather (Harris), she is tasked with providing the one thing he refuses…help.

Pic is based on Merit x Zoe, a short that Hausmann-Stokes co-wrote and directed last year, and both films draw inspiration from his real-life experiences during and after the military. A graduate of USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Hausmann-Stokes served five years in...

Netflix’s Killer Sally docuseries explored the true crime story of Sally McNeil. On Valentine’s Day, the Marine and bodybuilder fatally shot her husband, Ray McNeil, after years of abuse. The case gained national attention due to Sally and Ray’s bodybuilding careers. Sally served 19-to-life for the murder. But her story in Killer Sally is not the only murder crime committed by a bodybuilder.

Bodybuilder and Marine Sally McNeil in ‘Killer Sally’ | via Netflix Sally’s crime in ‘Killer Sally’ does not compare to bodybuilder Gordon Kimbrough’s murder case

In 1993, news hit of a professional bodybuilder committing a horrific murder. According to a New York Times article, Gordon Kimbrough was “a chemical machine.” He used various steroids and drugs to reach a perfectly built physique. Kimbrough and his then-girlfriend Kristy Ramsey were well-known in San Francisco for their bodybuilding careers.

Their relationship was rocky as Kimbrough had affairs and physically abused Ramsey.

Oscar and BAFTA-winning film producer David Parfitt is hoping to reunite with French producer Philippe Carcassonne following their successful collaboration on Florian Zeller’s Oscar-winning drama The Father.

Parfitt revealed his plans during a masterclass at the Doha Film Institute’s Qumra talent incubator event on Sunday.

“He [Carcassonne] is developing something really interesting based on an Israeli novel called Pain, which he commissioned as a French screenplay but they have decided they want to do it in England in English,” Parfitt clarified after the talk.

The 2019 novel by Zeruya Shalev revolves around a woman revisiting the double trauma of being caught up in a terror attack and abandonment by a lover when he comes back into her life a decade later.

Carcassonne’s partner, the actress and director Anne Fontaine, whose credits include Coco Before Chanel, is attached to direct the film, in what would be her first English-language production.

The oldest filmmakers in Hollywood were physical comics, and they can all rest easy knowing Adam Devine is upholding their tradition. The "Righteous Gemstones" star is best known for his work as a comedian, but he also loves performing his own stunts — the more dangerous the better. One stunt was so extreme that production wanted a double to step in, but Devine insisted on going through with it himself.

"The Righteous Gemstones" is far from Devine's first foray into dangerous stunt work. "Workaholics" also featured a lot of physical comedy that Devine had to commit to mind, soul, and, body. Luckily, his commitment paid off, and the series earned an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Stunt Coordination. "I'm very excited and happy that the Academy took notice," the series co-creator said in a 2013 interview with Join the Synergy. "It looks like I really hurt myself every time, 'cause I do. It's very painful.

If you thought the PG-13 version of "M3GAN" was mouthy, you might want to cover your ears for the unrated cut, now available on Peacock. Shortly after the surprisingly touching horror comedy hit theaters, director Gerard Johnstone and screenwriter Akela Cooper both made it known that the original script was gorier than what was shown in theaters, and teased the possibility of an unrated cut as much of the original gore was already filmed but edited out for a PG-13 release. Luckily, Blumhouse and Universal Pictures made the brilliant decision to release the gorier cut of "M3GAN" on Peacock, which is now available to stream.

There are some definite differences between the two films, some more noticeable than others, and may help make your decision whether to go with the theatrical cut or the new, unrated release. Obvious spoilers ahead, but there are the all of differences between the two versions of "M3GAN.

[This story contains major spoilers from the fourth episode of Wolf Pack, “Fear and Pain.”]

Rodrigo Santoro wasn’t afraid to take a bite out of the supernatural world in his latest starring role in Paramount+’s Wolf Pack.

The actor, who began his career decades ago with several Brazilian projects, has had a taste of sci-fi, adventure and fantasy with previous roles in Westworld, Lost and 300. Now, starring as Garrett Briggs, a father to werewolves and a park ranger with a secret in the Sarah Michelle Gellar-starring series, Santoro has taken on a new battle. He says, “I was just connected to the storytelling and the characters.”

The high school-set horror series, written and produced by Jeff Davis, follows teenagers Everett (Armani Jackson) and Blake (Bella Shepard) as their lives are flipped upside down when they are bitten by a werewolf during a mysterious wildfire in southern California. As they try to navigate the confusion and chaos,...

Chip Gaines and Joanna Gaines have faced multiple lawsuits, and the Fixer Upper stars were recently sued again by their literary agent for a minimum of 1 million. Here’s why the HGTV stars’ literary agent filed a lawsuit against them and what the court documents said.

Chip and Joanna Gaines | Cindy Ord/Getty Images Chip and Joanna Gaines have released several books

Fixer Upper stars Chip and Joanna Gaines have published several books, separately and as a couple.

Joanna has two children’s books: We Are the Gardeners and The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be. She also has the cookbook The Magnolia Table and its successor, Magnolia Table, Volume 2. Joanna also published two books titled The Stories We Tell and Homebody: A Guide to Creating Spaces You Never Want to Leave.

Chip Gaines has two books: Capital Gaines: Smart Things I Learned Doing Stupid Stuff and No Pain,...

T-Pain has announced the upcoming release of his new covers album, “Under the Covers”, in which the rapper takes on classic hits from artists ranging from Frank Sinatra to Black Sabbath.

The upcoming covers album, notes a press release, is the result fans asking to hear the rapper showcase his natural voice, which was featured in the first season of “The Masked Singer” (in which he was declared winner) and delivering what was, at the time, the most-watched NPR Tiny Desk session of all time.

Read More: T-Pain Informs ‘Up And Coming’ Artists That The Road To Success Is Not Easy, Shares The Number Of Streams Required To Earn 1

“Featuring an eclectic and unexpected mix of reimagined hits, T-Pain’s stunningly soulful and smooth voice is front and centre throughout the album’s seven tracks,” notes the release.

Those seven tracks include: Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come,...

I was talking to another movie buff the other night when the subject of Mark Wahlberg came up. "What," he said, "you mean Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch?" It wasn't the first time I've heard people make snarky comments about Wahlberg's hip hop career before he got into acting, which got me thinking: Why just him? When the name Charlize Theron enters the discussion, no one says, "What, you mean the former winner of the Rooi Rose modeling competition in South Africa?" or makes a wisecrack about Hugh Jackman's previous job as a children's entertainer called Coco the Clown.

I think it's because people are, for whatever reason, still dubious about the talents of a guy who first tasted stardom rapping badly while frequently appearing shirtless with a baseball cap, and that was before using his buff physique to sell underpants. This is weird because he has done...

It's been a rough couple of years at the movies, but if 2022 proved anything, it's that capital-c Cinema still stands a chance. The blockbuster came back in a major way this year — and not just for the tried-and-true Marvel Cinematic Universe. 2022 was, for better or worse, the year of the spectacle: big budgets, big effects and even bigger risk. It made for a surprisingly great year for action, especially the films that pushed the limits of the genre or even evoked some good old-fashioned nostalgia.

It's not an easy thing, picking favorites — but with the end of the year upon us, now's as good a time as any to reflect on the greatest additions to the genre in 2022. Whether these 15 films broke big or cruised under the radar, whether they relied on technical achievements or dipped into low humor now and again, they still managed to raise our pulses in their own special way.

Exclusive: Scott Gardenhour (13 Hours) is set to produce Ponzi: Pure and True alongside Flag On The Play Productions and producers Dominic Zamprogna and Travis Schneider. The upcoming film adapts the Charles Ponzi biography Ponzi: The Incredible True Story of the King of Financial Cons by Donald Dunn.

Ponzi was, of course, the Italian swindler notorious for his “Ponzi scheme,” used to cheat would-be investors across North America out of tens of millions of dollars, beginning in the 1920s. The film on the con artist has been written by Richard Kahan. Producers’ search for a director for the project is now underway.

“Before Madoff, before any other big-time hustler, there was Charles Ponzi,” said Gardenhour in a statement. “It’s time to meet the swindler’s swindler, the man who invented The Ponzi Scheme. And with an incredible script by Richard Kahan, the true story is crazier and much stranger than fiction.

Anthony Mackie manages to keep a strict diet and workout plan for his "Captain America" roles; we expect nothing less than tip-top shape from our superheroes. But years before Mackie took over as Captain America, he found himself rushing against the clock to bulk up for Michael Bay's 2013 action comedy flick "Pain & Gain."

In the movie, which is set in Miami, Mackie is no hero. He plays Adrian Doorbal, a gym rat who suffers from steroid-induced erectile dysfunction and shrinkage. When he learns an injection that would cure his below-the-belt troubles is too expensive, he joins Daniel Lugo, a formerly incarcerated fitness trainer who puts his second chance at freedom on the line by concocting a plan to kidnap and extort one of his wealthy clients, Victor Kershaw (Tony Shalhoub). Together, Daniel and Adrian recruit Paul Doyle (Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson), another formerly incarcerated bodybuilder and born-again Christian with a cocaine addiction.

This week, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson shifts into superhero mode with "Black Adam," a film he's been connected to for at least 15 years. I can't comment on the quality of that film as I haven't seen it (you can read our review right here), but based on the marketing alone, it looks like more of the same from the wrestler-turned-actor. And I don't say that in a disparaging way — The Rock has clearly found a niche for himself, acting-wise, and he's been successful. For the last several years, Johnson has more or less played the same character: a big, muscular guy who is charming, funny, and fond of wearing khaki. He's the perpetual leading man, too massive to be a supporting player.

But it wasn't always like this. When Johnson first shifted from wrestling to acting, his roles were more varied. He dared to stretch himself, especially in films like "Southland Tales,...

Click here to read the full article.

The Producers Guild of America has a new pair of presidents: Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line.

After running unopposed, veteran producers Allain and De Line were elected to the top role at the trade organization, the PGA announced at their annual membership meeting on Tuesday. Producers and former studio executives Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher, who are stepping down this month, have led the organization since 2018.

Allain’s election marks the first time that a woman of color is leading the PGA, which advocates for producers and other members of the production team in film, television and new media.

“As proud members of the PGA for over twenty years, it’s a great privilege to serve as Presidents. Gail and Lucy’s excellent leadership has grown and strengthened the Guild, and we will build on their progress,” Allain and De Line said in a joint statement.

The Producers Guild said Tuesday that it has elected Stephanie Allain and Donald De Line its new presidents, after the pair ran unopposed to replace outgoing toppers Gail Berman and Lucy Fisher, who had served in the role since 2018.

The vote was held during the PGA’s annual membership meeting.

“As proud members of the PGA for over 20 years, it’s a great privilege to serve as presidents. Gail and Lucy’s excellent leadership has grown and strengthened the guild, and we will build on their progress,” Allain and De Line said. “Along with Susan Sprung and her team, we will continue to educate the industry on the role of the producer, support producers’ efforts for fair and commensurate compensation and benefits, welcome and encourage a more diverse membership, and endeavor to attain broader healthcare coverage while educating members on the current benefits and opportunities available to them.”

Allain, a...

Michael Bay, the filmmaker behind “Armageddon,” “Pearl Harbor” and the “Transformers” franchise, was once the premier architect of big-budget explosive blockbusters. “Ambulance,” the director’s latest detonating action-thriller, proves times and tastes have changed in the days since mayhem and Autobots ruled the box office.

Over the weekend, Universal’s “Ambulance,” a heist thriller that largely unfolds on an Ems vehicle, stalled out with 8.7 million from 3,412 North American theaters. It’s a disappointing domestic box office debut given Bay’s track record in fielding commercial hits. The R-rated “Ambulance” currently ranks as the worst opening weekend of Bay’s career, coming in behind 2013’s hulking action comedy “Pain & Gain” (20 million debut) and 2016’s Benghazi war film “13 Hours” (16 million debut). Neither of those movies went on to set the world aflame.

You may be saying, “Hey! We’re still living through a pandemic, and the domestic box office has not returned to normal.

Michael Bay is back with a brand new action-thriller — and it’s his best-reviewed movie in years. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as a pair of bank-robbing brothers, “Ambulance” follows a heist that quickly goes off the rails when they hijack an ambulance only to find an on-duty paramedic (Eiza González) a heart-attack patient inside.

If you’re ready for a dose of Bayhem, here’s everything you need to know about where you can watch “Ambulance” and when to expect it on streaming — and bonus, a guide to all the Michael Bay movies streaming right now.

When Is “Ambulance” in Theaters?

“Ambulance” is in theaters nationwide on April 8.

The film was originally slated for February 18, 2022, before the studio pushed back the release date to April.

Now that the wait is finally over, you can find “Ambulance” showtimes and book tickets at a theater near you on the official website.

"Ambulance" is a Michael Bay movie. For some folks, that's the only sentence of this review that matters. By now, Bay's ultra-shiny, ultra-chaotic style is so firmly established that you know what you're going to get — and you're likely either on board with that by now, or you think Bay is everything wrong with modern cinema. Me? I'm somewhere in the middle. I think Bay has made some true stinkers. I also think he's a genuine auteur, and when he gets it right, he can deliver a film that's wholly unique, warts and all....

The post Ambulance Review: Michael Bay Goes Full Bayhem With a Feature-Length Chase and a Wild Jake Gyllenhaal Performance appeared first on /Film.

Even Michael Bay admits that yes, he should have stopped making “Transformers” movies.

The blockbuster filmmaker was hand selected by producer Steven Spielberg to bring the Hasbro toy line to life with 2007’s “Transformers,” and then he ended up directing four additional sequels. The franchise hit a nadir with 2017’s “Transformers: The Last Knight,” which grossed 500 million less than the previous installment (2014’s “Age of Extinction”) and effectively put the series on ice.

“I made too many of them,” Bay admitted to Unilad UK in a recent interview. “Steven Spielberg said, ‘Just stop at three.’ And I said I’d stop. The studio begged me to do a fourth, and then that made a billion, too. And then I said I’m gonna stop here. And they begged me again. I should have stopped. [But] they were fun to do.”

Bay peppered in other projects in between “Transformers” movies like 2013’s...

As a semi-introduction for those who haven’t been reading my stuff on Gold Derby the past couple months, my name is Edward Douglas, and I’ve spent the past 20+ years writing about the box office for a variety of outlets, including my own weekly box office column, the Weekend Warrior. I’m bringing my many years of knowledge in this area to those at Gold Derby who take part in the weekly box office predictions contest. Read on for my April box office 2022 preview.

We’ve just passed the two-year mark on the Covid pandemic plus the Oscar season is officially over, so now seems like a good time as any for the box office to rebound to somewhere close to where it was before this whole mess started, or at least give it a try. In the past, April represented Spring and Easter with many schools taking off for Spring Break,...

Donny Davis, the comic and impersonator who appeared frequently as a guest on Chelsea Lately, performed as a comedian and dancer for Britney Spears’ 2013 Las Vegas residency and was a longtime member of the Hollywood and Las Vegas nightclub variety show Beacher’s Madhouse, where he often appeared with a fake tan and blond wig as “Mini-Trump,” died Tuesday in Las Vegas. He was 43.

No cause of death was disclosed pending an autopsy. Las Vegas CBS affiliate Klas is reporting that Davis was found dead by police inside his room at Vegas’ Resorts World hotel and casino just before 6 a.m. today.

Though he was known mostly for his raucous stage performances, Davis also appeared on film in 2017’s Tommy Chong comedy It’s Gawd! and in the 2013 film Pain & Gain starring Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson and Anthony Mackie.

Also in 2013, Davis appeared frequently on Chelsea Handler’s late-night talk show Chelsea Lately.

I never thought I'd say this about a Michael Bay movie, but "Pain & Gain" is a modern masterpiece. While "The Rock" and "Armageddon" have found their way into Criterion's hallowed collection, this toxic crime caper is the pugnacious director's masterwork, a rambunctious distillation of everything right and wrong with the blockbuster auteur's career to date.

If you have any doubt that Bay is a true auteur, consider his movies alongside the similarly popcorn-friendly director Roland Emmerich, who has no clearly defined aesthetic of his own. You could probably identify Bay's signature style from any random screenshot from his filmography. Just as Scorsese is known for...

The post The Real Life Inspiration Behind Michael Bay's Pain & Gain appeared first on /Film.

As the Hollywood blockbuster machine continues to dust itself off and release some early winter hits, Hulu is going in a bit of a different direction with its list of new releases for November 2021.

There are no big Hulu original films of note this month. Instead there’s a whole host of original series. The TV parade starts on Nov. 5 with the release of Animaniacs season 2. Also getting a second season this month is monarchal comedy The Great on Nov. 19. The most intriguing series, however, is animated Marvel comedy Marvel’s Hit Monkey. As its name so graciously implies, this is a show about a hit monkey…as in monkey assassin. Naturally the hit monkey is haunted by the ghost of Jason Sudeikis because it’s important that everything make sense.

Though Hulu doesn’t have any original movies in November, its list of library movie titles is quite vast.

Wtf Really Happened To This Movie? – The JoBlo series that dives into movies based on True stories, Real people and Actual historical events to separate Fact from Fiction! Director Michael Bay’s 2013 movie Pain & Gain revolves around a crew of bodybuilding criminals in Miami. However, unlike most of the mayhem maestro’s filmography, this one is actually based on reality! But how accurate is this story of beefy bandits Mark Wahlberg, Anthony Mackie…...

A column chronicling conversations and events on the awards circuit.

This crazy season is starting to heat up.

The National Board of Review, usually first up in a “normal” season, settled for bringing up the rear this time since the Oscars were moved so late to April 25, and same goes for the Indie Spirit Awards which also offered up its nominations this week. Titles like Nomadland, One Night In Miami, Sound off Metal, Da 5 Bloods and Minari are all happy campers because most of these movies have scored repeatedly during the critics-list phase of Oscar season. Pundits looking to forecast the race based on these early precursors beware: a lot of these groups follow each other like sheep and generally prefer minimalist filmmaking, not necessarily the taste of those voters who toil in the industry itself, particularly from the various crafts. And, in this extended season, we are now...

Michael Bay’s 6 Underground came armed with a blockbuster $150 million budget, one of the most famous directors in the industry being given carte blanche to deliver his signature style of mayhem without any restrictions, and an A-list leading man in Ryan Reynolds. The deranged actioner was a massive hit for Netflix, too, racking up 83 million views in four weeks to become one of the streaming service’s most popular original movies ever, but it was also completely and utterly forgettable.

With the exception of Reynolds himself, a lot of people would struggle to name another half-dozen members of the cast, and even fewer would be able to tell you any of the character’s real names off the top of their heads. Not only that, but 6 Underground had one of the most pointless and weakest villains in recent memory, and if you claim that Lior Raz brought anything...