News

From simping over Ryan Howard in The Office to attending the unveiling ceremony for her very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, Mindy Kaling has seen some growth. And girl, we’re proud of you. Because let’s be honest—being a child of immigrants and trying to make it in Hollywood is no easy feat.

Mindy Kaling in a still from The Office | image: NBC

The doors of opportunity don’t exactly open themselves. But the South Asian-American star Mindy Kaling didn’t just walk through those doors—she kicked them down, inspiring many. Kaling has become an icon, a trailblazer, and a certified boss. But while we all know her from her iconic roles and hilarious shows, there are quite a few things about her that may surprise you. So, here’s a list of five things that you probably didn’t know about the actress.

When Morgan Freeman got to the stage at the 97th Academy Awards to pay respects to Gene Hackman, fans noticed that he was wearing a single glove on his left hand. Many fans wondered what happened to Freeman as he tried to hide his hands behind his back. However, it isn’t a new thing for the actor who suffered nerve damage to his left hand after suffering from a car accident.

Morgan Freeman in a still from Driving Miss Daisy | Credits: The Zanuck Company

Freeman had previously told People Magazine that he wore compression gloves to keep his blood flowing, adding that his hand hadn’t gotten better after the accident. At the Oscars, Freeman spoke about the late Hackman, whom he worked with on two films Unforgiven and Under Suspicion.

What happened to Morgan Freeman’s hand as he was seen wearing a single glove at the Oscars?...

For the second consecutive year, the Best Picture Oscar has been all in the family.

Husband and wife Sean Baker and Samantha Quan have earned statuettes for producing the comedy-drama “Anora,” one year after spouses Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas won the same award for “Oppenheimer.”

Baker and Quan, who shared the award with producer Alex Coco, are the fourth — or fifth, technically; see the “Lord of the Rings” team below — romantic partners to score the Oscar’s most coveted prize.

Julia Phillips was the first female producer to ever win Best Picture, 51 years ago, for the 1973 mystery drama “The Sting,” which she produced alongside Tony Bill and her then-husband Michael Phillips. They divorced the same year as their Oscar win, but continued to work together, producing “Taxi Driver” and “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”

Phillips wrote the brutal, blistering and best-selling memoir “You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again,...

There’s a reason the worst “Oscar Bait” exists, and it’s not because Felix Unger’s roommate loves fishing. Over the course of nearly 100 years the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has proven that they, like all specific audiences, have a particular sense of taste. The movies that win the Academy Award for Best Picture tend to be serious dramas, often historical pictures and biopics, with important social messages. (Bonus points if it’s about World War II.)

There have always been exceptions, and recent years have trended more surprising, but some genres have a harder time breaking into the Best Picture category than others. Horror movies have historically had a hard time of it, since the genre — on which the industry has often financially relied — has frequently been disregarded by critics and the public at large as “low art.” This has always been a lie and great...

Legendary actor, two-time Oscar winner, U.S. Marine and author Gene Hackman has passed away at the age of 95.

While all would agree that Hackman had a good innings, the circumstances of his death were unusual, as he was found with his wife, classical pianist Betsy Arakawa (63), and their dog on Wednesday afternoon in their home in the Santa Fe Summit community.

Santa Fe County Sheriff Adan Mendoza confirmed just after midnight on Thursday that the couple had died. Mendoza said in an interview on Wednesday evening that there was no immediate indication of foul play, though he did not provide a cause of death or say when the couple might have passed.

Hackman leaves behind an incredible body of work over a career that spanned six decades. He won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his blistering performance as "Popeye" Doyle in William Friedkin’s The French Connection...

The 2010s and 2020s saw a surge of American children's media that put queerness front and center. Take the work of N.D. Stevenson, such as the Netflix series "She-Ra and the Princesses of Power" and the animated film "Nimona," based on his graphic novel. From "Steven Universe" to "The Owl House," cartoons have gotten a lot gayer in the last decade.

And it is almost precisely a decade because Nickelodeon's "The Legend of Korra" is the show that broke down the dam in 2014. In the show's fourth and final season, Avatar Korra (Janet Varney) falls in love with her best friend, Asami Sato (Seychelle Gabriel). A sequel to "Avatar: The Last Airbender," "The Legend of Korra" is set in a fantasy world where people can bend one of the four elements. Korra, as the reincarnation of world defender the Avatar, can bend all four. If kids can accept a world that fantastical,...

When Ben Affleck took home a best picture Oscar for his film "Argo," he was asked to weigh in backstage on awards season punditry. In a video shared by CNN, Affleck opted out of the way people closely track the race. "I don't get into the Oscarology, and the pontificating," he said, though he acknowledged that many people enjoy following the process. "I hope people are interested in the Oscars, because it helps our industry, and it helps make better films," he added, "but it doesn't help me."

If that's the case, Affleck may not know that he belongs to a relatively exclusive club: Actors who have won Oscars for something other than acting. Many actors who have spent decades on film sets eventually get the urge to try their hand at other aspects of the business, from producing to writing to directing. Many try, that is, but fewer succeed,...

Known for creating the iconic Star Wars franchise, George Lucas revolutionized the film industry with groundbreaking storytelling and cutting-edge technology. Since the release of A New Hope in 1977, the sci-fi saga has grown into one of the biggest and most influential franchises in the world, expanding into numerous films, TV series, games, novels, comics, and more.

George Lucas | Credit: Joi Ito/Cc-by-2.0/Wikimedia Commons

Despite Star Wars’ massive success and cultural impact, its creator has had a complicated relationship with Hollywood’s most prestigious honor, the Academy Awards. While the franchise has won multiple Oscars, Lucas himself has often been overlooked in major categories such as Best Director.

From his early success with American Graffiti to the sci-fi juggernaut that is Star Wars, here’s a look at every time the legendary filmmaker lost at the Oscars.

George Lucas lost the Best Director Oscar for American Graffiti

George Lucas is...

Famously, actor Paul Newman once joked that the epitaph on his tombstone would read: “Here lies Paul Newman, who died a failure because his eyes turned brown.” That wasn’t something that actually happened — Newman’s iconic blue eyes stayed the same vibrant color for his entire life — but you could see why that possibility was something the Hollywood star thought much about. Newman didn’t entirely owe his success to his eyes — many of his most acclaimed projects were in black-and-white, from the harsh gambling drama “The Hustler” to the modern Western “Hud.”

But a lot of his movies were in color, and it’s fair to say that those piercing baby blues were an essential component of his star image. In his breakout role in lurid melodrama “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” they conveyed youthful arrogance and vulnerability; in his mid-career turns in films like “Cool Hand Luke...

by Cláudio Alves

From 1969 to 1977, Paul Newman and George Roy Hill collaborated on three projects. The first two are, of course, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid and The Sting, a pair of immortal classics that are near impossible to divorce from one's understanding of Newman as a movie star, his cultural impact, his legacy. With Robert Redford along for the ride, Hill put his stamp on both the Western genre and the heist film, appealing to convention revisited and sometimes vivisected, re-imagined for a New Hollywood. And yet, no matter how impactful those flicks are, I find myself more drawn to the third Newman-Hill joint. This time, they set their sights on the sports movie, devising a hockey comedy as funny as it is surprising – Slap Shot…...

by Lynn Lee

No doubt about it, Paul Newman was at peak stardom when he signed on to The Sting. But he needed a hit: he hadn’t had one since Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and his intervening films had all underperformed. Fortuitously, he was about to enjoy the biggest blockbuster of his career in the form of a Butch Cassidy reunion with co-star Robert Redford and director George Roy Hill...

The Sting, starring Paul Newman and Robert Redford, made groundbreaking history with one of its Academy Award wins. Considered one of the best heist movies of all time, The Sting sees Henry Gondorff (Newman) and Johnny Hooker (Redford) teaming up to con the crime boss Doyle Lonnegan (Robert Shaw). The 1973 film is among Robert Redford and Paul Newman's best movies, with its heist being among one of the most iconic in cinematic history.

The Sting's critical and commercial success led to ten nominations and seven wins at the 46th Academy Awards in 1974. It won for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, Best Art Direction, Best Costume Design, Best Film Editing, and Best Scoring. Redford also received a Best Actor nomination, with Jack Lemmon going on to win the honor for Save the Tiger. However, only one of The Sting's Academy Award wins would change the future of movie awards.

The latest in a series of writers paying tribute to their go-to comfort watches is a recommendation of 1992’s satisfying con movie

To quote the late, great Leonard Cohen: everybody knows the dice are loaded, everybody knows the fight is fixed. That’s a cynical outlook, but one to which I fully adhere. Which perhaps explains why so many of my go-to comfort movies are about con artists.

Granted, not every classic con movie makes for a breezy watch – no one throws on The Grifters when they need a pick-me-up – but many do. The Lady Eve, Paper Moon, The Sting, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Ocean’s 11 – with their myriad twists and turns, hip earworm dialog, and stacked casts playing lovable rogues sticking it to the man, they prove endlessly rewatchable.

EastEnders spoilers and updates for the week of December 30 tease Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) and Eve Unwin (Heather Peace) are facing trouble while Stacey Slater (Lacey Turner) feels threatened.

Also, Ravi Gulati (Aaron Thiara) and Jack Branning (Scott Maslen) clash over Denise Fox (Diane Parish) and more!

EastEnders Spoilers – Suki Receives Worrying News, Gets Cold Feet About Her Wedding

Excitement fills the air in Walford as Suki and Eve prepare for their joint hen do- the Panesar family pitches in to help the brides-to-be get ready for their special day.

However, the festivities take a sudden turn when the police arrive at Number 41 with alarming news. They reveal that Nish Panesar (Navin Chowdhry) has been spotted in Albert Square.

The unsettling news sends Suki into a panic, raising her concerns for her family’s safety. Suki starts to get cold feet, but with a motivating chat from Yolande Trueman (Angela Wynter...

A portion of the iconic Santa Cruz Wharf collapsed into the Pacific Ocean just after noon today. The last 150 feet of the 2,745 foot long structure dropped into the Pacific, according to local officials. They said at least three people were on the wharf when it broke up, two of whom had to be rescued.

richkong15's video of the destruction on the Santa Cruz Wharf pic.twitter.com/BV4XjGjNEU

— Micah Burke (@MicahBBurke) December 23, 2024

The wharf was being buffeted by a massive winter swell pushing 15-20 foot waves across Santa Cruz Point just one mile north.

Footage shown on local and national TV news showed a tattered segment of the pier floating on the swell with at least one person walking across the debris.

Wharf Rescue | Three people were on the end of the Santa Cruz Wharf when it collapsed into the ocean. Two of them were rescued and one...

The Francis Ford Coppola masterpiece “The Godfather” (1972) has been voted the greatest Oscar Best Picture winner ever. The results are from a recent Gold Derby ballot cast by 29 of our film experts and editors, who ranked all 96 movie champs.

Ranking in second place is the Michael Curtiz classic “Casablanca” (1943). Following in third place is the powerful Steven Spielberg film “Schindler’s List” (1993). Rounding out the top five are Coppola’s “The Godfather Part II” (1974) in fourth place and Billy Wilder‘s “The Apartment” (196o) in fifth place.

At the bottom of the list of the Best Picture winners is “The Greatest Show on Earth” (1952) from Cecil B. DeMille. Just above that film in the rankings are “Cimarron” (1931) from Wesley Ruggles, “The Broadway Melody” (1929) from Harry Beaumont, “Crash” (2005) from Paul Haggis, and “Around the World in 80 Days’ (1956) from Michael Anderson.

Our photo gallery above features the full top 10. See the complete rankings of all 96 films below.

The Francis Ford Coppola masterpiece “The Godfather” (1972) has been voted the greatest Oscar Best Picture winner ever. The results are from a recent Gold Derby ballot cast by 29 of our film experts and editors, who ranked all 96 movie champs.

Ranking in second place is the Michael Curtiz classic “Casablanca” (1943). Following in third place is the powerful Steven Spielberg film “Schindler’s List” (1993). Rounding out the top five are Coppola’s “The Godfather Part II” (1974) in fourth place and Billy Wilder‘s “The Apartment” (196o) in fifth place.

The worst among 96 Best Picture winners is “The Greatest Show on Earth” (1952) from Cecil B. DeMille. Just above that film on the bottom of the rankings are “Cimarron” (1931) from Wesley Ruggles, “The Broadway Melody” (1929) from Harry Beaumont, “Crash” (2005) from Paul Haggis, and “Around the World in 80 Days’ (1956) from Michael Anderson.

Our photo gallery below features the full top 10. See the complete rankings of all 96 films below.

Filmmakers have searched for fresh ideas since cinema began. In early Hollywood, casinos gained attention as a growing theme. These two industries became connected fast. The first gambling movies appeared in the 1930s. They focused on the risky lives of gamblers. Such themes still appear in modern films, reflecting cultural and economic shifts.

In cinema, casino movies shifted from simple dramas to complex stories. Filmmakers explore the moral conflicts of gambling. They show it as both tempting and dangerous. Crime syndicates appear regularly in these films. This highlights the darker aspects of gambling. However, modern businesses operate under strict licenses. They follow laws and offer gambling in a controlled setting. This change shows how it has become a structured activity. Strict gambling regulations in today’s world have also influenced the themes and narratives of modern casino movies. So, let’s take a look at the top 10 gambling movies, spanning...

What is Sally Kirkland’s net worth? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Hollywood actress Sally Kirkland has sparked concerns among fans after the news of her severe health crisis came out. Friends of the 83-year-old actress have started a GoFundMe campaign to help her with her treatment expenses. Kirkland has been acting since the 1960s and has starred in over 250 movies and television shows. Though she earned a decent amount of money during her long and illustrious career, her need for funding for her hospitalization has left fans wondering about her net worth.

Sally Kirkland’s Net Worth

According to the website Celebrity Net Worth, Sally Kirkland’s last recorded net worth was $5.5 million. However, her wealth has significantly dwindled in recent years. According to her GoFundMe post, the actress’ net worth took a massive hit during the 2007–2008 market crash. Additionally, in 2021, SAG-AFTRA canceled medical insurance for actors over the age of...

Friends of Sally Kirkland are rallying around the actress as she faces an “urgent need” of assistance following a series of health scares including two “life-threatening infections” and fractures in her neck, wrist and hip. Kirkland now requires a level of medical care beyond what she can afford, and those friends have launched a GoFundMe fundraiser to help the 83-year-old with expenses.

The fundraiser, which went live on Monday, details Kirkland’s health crisis and claims that her situation has been exacerbated by controversial changes made to SAG-AFTRA’s health plan for senior guild members and the 2007 market crash that claimed the “bulk of her investments” and the money she earned during the peak years of her career.

“This past year Sally fractured her four bones in her neck, right wrist and her left hip. While recovering she developed two separate life-threatening infections,” states the GoFundMe, which has a goal...

Ocean’s 12 is a sequel to 2001’s Ocean’s 11, a reboot of the 1960 film of the same name. The film continues the story of George Clooney and Brad Pitt’s Danny Ocean and Robert “Rusty” Ryan as they undertake a new heist plan. However, the film almost included two iconic actors whose characters would have had major ramifications for the duo.

George Clooney and Brad Pitt starred in Ocean’s 12 (Credit: Warner Bros).

According to the reboot’s writer, Ted Griffin, actors Robert Redford and Paul Newman were considered for roles in the sequels. However, what is more surprising than their inclusion is why the idea did not come to fruition. Here is everything you need to know about Robert Redford and Paul Newman’s proposed roles in Ocean’s 12.

Ocean’s 12 Writer Wanted to Add Robert Redford and Paul Newman in Surprising Roles

The original Ocean’s 11 released in...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

The first Emmy that "Futurama" ever won came in 2000 for the episode "A Bicyclops Built for Two" (March 19). The award was for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Animation for Color Styling. That episode took place largely on a distant planet, seemingly occupied by the last of a species of humanoid cyclopes. The planet was suffused with interesting greens, purples, and other attractive alien flora snaking through the cyclops' ruined marble mansions. This was preceded by a sequence wherein the show's main characters all project virtual avatars into a VR internet where the backgrounds were all deep indigo, and everyone was outlined in neon green. The colors, overseen by the show's color supervisor Samantha Harrison, are indeed dazzling. 

The colors on "Futurama" have long made it a unique series. There are a lot of brick reds, all surrounding a lime/cyan starship.

In 1998, Robert Redford starred in The Horse Whisperer, a Western that had the potential to be a huge hit, yet the movie's shocking ending put it at a severe disadvantage. Since the 1960s, Redford has been a significant presence in Hollywood. He quickly rose to fame after starring in films like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, The Sting, and All the President's Men. Later, Redford pivoted towards directing, and earned several Academy Awards and nominations. Thus, by 1998, Redford was established as both an actor and director, putting The Horse Whisperer in a good place for success.

The Horse Whisperer follows a young girl named Grace who gets into a traumatic accident with her horse. Determined to heal both her daughter and the horse, Grace's mother, Annie, decides to move them to the ranch of a "horse whisperer" named Tom. Over time, Grace begins to recover while Annie and Tom grow closer.

In the early nineties, Chevy Chase was at a crossroads. He’d headlined a series of comedy hits in the eighties, including the National Lampoon’s Vacation films, two Fletch movies, and a few others, but he had some brutal flops, too. Funny Farm (underrated) and Caddyshack 2 did poorly, but Nothing But Trouble in 1991 was a nearly career-ending disaster for all involved. Suddenly, Chase’s future as a leading man looked bleak. Rather than double down on another comedy, he opted to stretch, signing on to star in a comic thriller in the vein of one of his first big hits, Foul Play, Memoirs of an Invisible Man, which was to feature cutting-edge special effects, and sports direction by one of the biggest genre directors of the time, John Carpenter.

Memoirs of an Invisible Man is based on a book by H.F Saint – his only novel in fact – which became...

The 1970s produced plenty of propulsive heist thrillers, helping to shape the crime genre for decades. Heist movies in the 1960s were typically classified by stylishness. Movies like Gambit, How to Steal a Million and Ocean's 11 presented a version of crime that was painless and suave. The following decade shook things up, reintroducing an element of danger that had been largely absent in the heist genre for years.

Some of the best heist movies ever made were produced in the 1970s, including Dog Day Afternoon and The Sting. Although these movies are just as funny as earlier films like The Italian Job or Take the Money and Run, they also have plenty of tension. The 1970s was the decade when heist movies started to balance humor and excitement, paving the way for later classics of the genre. The practical effects, clever plotting and great performances mean that these heist...

Sylvester Stallone’s back in the spotlight with Tulsa King, but this time he’s dusting off an acting talent he hasn’t flexed in 33 years. Known for his gritty, tough-guy roles, Stallone’s latest project has him diving into a skill fans haven’t seen much of since the ’90s—his knack for blending action with sharp comedic timing.

Sylvester Stallone in Taylor Sheridan’s Tulsa King | Paramount Pictures

That’s right, Stallone’s bringing back his humor, a side of him we haven’t really seen since Tango & Cash. Fans are buzzing, and it’s clear Stallone’s instincts for mixing intensity with wit haven’t lost their edge.

Sylvester Stallone’s Comedy Comeback: Tulsa King Brings Back His Oscar-Level Humor! Sylvester Stallone as Angelo from Oscar | Credits: Touchstone Pictures

Sylvester Stallone’s out here flexing those comedy chops again, and the fans can’t get enough! Tulsa...

David S. Ward, the Oscar-winning scribe behind “The Sting” and “Sleepless in Seattle,” is set to helm “Dr. Campbell,” a biographical drama about plant-based nutrition pioneer Dr. T. Colin Campbell.

The project marks Ward’s return to the director’s chair after the 1996 film “Down Periscope.”

The film will trace Campbell’s journey from his upbringing on a dairy farm in the 1930s to his groundbreaking research linking diet to chronic diseases. It aims to explore the resistance Campbell faced from political, academic and corporate entities as his findings challenged established interests in the food industry. He also helped launch a movement with his bestselling book, “The China Study.”

The film’s logline reads: “From an unlikely starting point, and later battling his own illness, scientist Dr. Colin T. Campbell discovers that an animal-based diet dramatically increases the risk of disease, which threatens government, corporate and academic groups more interested...

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

For an industry often referred to as a "dream factory," it makes sense that what constitutes a success or a failure in the film business is based largely on perception. This is because the necessary facts in judging a film's financial performance are rarely available for outsiders to peruse. As detailed in the showbiz nonfiction classic "Fatal Subtraction: How Hollywood Really Does Business" by Pierce O'Donnell and Dennis McDougal, studios go to great lengths to conceal their "creative" accounting practices — which, in this case, allowed Paramount to use the profits from the Eddie Murphy blockbuster "Coming to America" to cover the company's overall losses.

Still, some movies are such obvious flops there's no way they're actually, despite their lousy box office performance, secret hits, right?

Ask anyone with a general sense of film history to name a film that epitomizes...

Sports betting, being such an evolving niche, has become a popular subject in movies. From the first days of cinema, sports betting has been closely associated with drama and tension. Today, sports betting is presented in a more realistic perspective, showing that it is just a tool and can be part of an ordinary and healthy life. In this article we will examine how cinema presents sports betting and how big betting platforms have completely transformed the sports betting experience. By incorporating the latest technologies, sports betting platforms can provide a similar experience to its players as if they were at the game.

The Early Years: Sports Betting and Drama

In the classical cinematic presentation, sports betting was linked to danger, agony, and tension. In movies such as The Sting (1973), sports betting was not just an entertainment but a high-risk game, where people staked everything for their success. In these...

You can't have "Jaws" without Quint, a modern Captain Ahab if he'd been hunting a great white shark rather than a white whale. It's difficult to picture anyone but Robert Shaw (in one of his last roles before his premature death in 1978) in the part, but the actor actually wasn't who director Steven Spielberg first had in mind.

In "Spielberg: The First Ten Years" by Laurent Bouzereau, Spielberg claimed his first choice for Quint was Lee Marvin. He wanted a big star and Marvin was famous for playing sinister tough guys. See: "The Big Heat," "Point Blank," "The Dirty Dozen," and "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" (directed by the man who taught Spielberg how to frame a horizon.) Marvin, though, said no. Spielberg recounted: "What I heard was that [Marvin] wanted to go fishing for real! He took his fishing very seriously and didn't want to do it from a 'movie' boat.

Ever since his Emmy-winning stint on HBO’s “The Sopranos,” Terence Winter has had a reputation as a great writer of crime stories, whether it be as the creator of HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire,” the screenwriter of “Get Rich or Die Tryin'” and “The Wolf of Wall Street,” or head writer on his current show, the Paramount+ gangster comedy “Tulsa King.” The source of Winter’s initial interest in the subject, however, is a little surprising.

“When I was a little kid, I watched ‘Oliver,’ the musical, and I wanted to be a part of that,” Winter told IndieWire. “I wanted to be the Artful Dodger.” Winter’s preoccupation with criminal endeavors was further stoked by movies like “The Sting” and Warner Bros. gangster classics he watched on local television in New York, and as a young man, he acquired first-hand knowledge of the lifestyle growing up in Brooklyn.

“When I was a teenager,...

James Earl Jones, a commanding presence onscreen who nonetheless gained greater fame off-camera as the sonorous voice of Star Wars villain Darth Vader and Mufasa, the benevolent leader in The Lion King, died Monday. He was 93.

Jones, who burst into national prominence in 1970 with his powerful Oscar-nominated performance as America’s first Black heavyweight champion in The Great White Hope, died at his home in Dutchess County, New York, Independent Artist Group announced.

The distinguished star made his big-screen debut in Stanley Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964) and was noteworthy in many other films, including Claudine (1974) opposite Diahann Carroll; Field of Dreams (1989), as the reclusive author Terence Mann; and The Sandlot (1993), as the intimidating neighborhood guy Mr. Mertle.

For his work on the stage, Jones earned two best actor Tony Awards: for originating the role of Jack Jefferson — who was...

Michael Corleone in The Godfather, played by Al Pacino, is hailed as one of the finest performances in world cinema. His memorable character transition in the Francis Ford Coppola film is still discussed among worldwide fans. But interestingly, Al Pacino was never the original choice for the role. They had their eyes on another legendary performer, Robert Redford for the role.

Al Pacino as Michael Corleone in The Godfather | Credits: Paramount Pictures

The Godfather presented a beautiful amalgamation of popular and lesser-known stars who looked straight out of Mario Puzo’s bestselling novel. However, the 1972 masterpiece had a very problematic production schedule due to an intense conflict between Paramount and Francis Ford Coppola. Paramount wanted it to be a more star-studded affair with better-known stars.

Al Pacino almost lost his historical role in The Godfather because of Paramount

A still featuring Vito Corleone and Michael Corleone in The Godfather | Credits:...

Exclusive: Former Republican presidential candidate and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is making his first foray into Hollywood joining veteran actor and producer Colleen Camp as EPs on director Mohit Ramchandani’s City of Dreams.

The movie, inspired by true events, follows a young boy from Mexico who is trafficked across the border and sold to a sweatshop in downtown Los Angeles. The movie touches upon the current border crisis and the exploitation of migrant children in the supply chain of American corporations. Roadside Attractions, as previously announced, has set a Aug. 30 theatrical release.

“City of Dreams is a gripping thriller inspired by many true stories, and it’s one of the most important films of our time. It ought to make every American, and especially every parent, deeply uncomfortable – by exposing the underbelly of child trafficking in our own country. It’s an American nightmare. I don’t care if you...

Exclusive: John Devaney, CEO and Founder of the Miami-based United Capital Markets, on Wednesday announced the launch of Manor House Films, an equity-driven production company that he says will look to support “unique filmmakers and purpose driven films.”

Already, Devaney has had two occasions to do that through the company — first, as the financier of the addiction-themed drama The Prince, scripted by David Mamet, on which we were first to report. Currently in post, the film from director Cameron Van Hoy chronicles an addict’s tumultuous odyssey through the high-stakes world of power, pleasure, and pain on a transformative journey toward recovery.

Pic’s cast includes Nicolas Cage, J.K. Simmons, Giancarlo Esposito, Andy Garcia, Scott Haze, Simon Rex and more. Multiple sources told us the project was inspired by Hunter Biden, though sources close to the production denied it.

Devaney has also financed the P&a budget for City of Dreams,...

Robert Redford has had a highly successful 50-year career as an actor dating back to early appearances on television (most famously as “Death” in an episode of The Twilight Zone”), then successfully on Broadway and finally as one of the biggest movie stars of all time.

His acting career has included two outstanding films with Paul Newman, Oscar Best Picture nominee “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” and Best Picture champ “The Sting.” He has explored politics with “The Candidate” and “All the President’s Men.” And he starred in Best Picture winner “Out of Africa” with Meryl Streep among his many roles. All of these movies and more are now featured in our photo gallery of his 15 best films (view above).

In addition to his acclaimed work as an actor Redford has been a major force behind-the-scenes in the film industry with his directorial and producing efforts as well as...

Given that the Sundance Kid — aka Robert Redford — has been acting since he was 21, racking up 78 credits in film and on TV along the way (according to IMDb), no one can say he hasn’t paid his dues and then some. That Redford received just one acting Oscar nomination for his con man in 1972’s “The Sting” seems, well, a little stingy. However, the Academy voters have a habit of shunning so-called “pretty boys” – just look at what Leonardo DiCaprio suffered through in “The Revenant” to deserve winning the gold on his fifth try.

However, what this Electric Cowboy did Not say is that he is quitting directing. In fact, Redford has impressed Oscar most when he goes behind the camera and calls the shots – even if a few of his movies possess dubious reputations. Tour our photo gallery above for a ranking of all nine of his film-making efforts,...

Aiming to be a weapon of mass inspiration in the war against child trafficking, “City Of Dreams” written and directed by veteran producer Mohit Ramchandani showcases one boy’s story of ultimate resilience and hope as he’s trafficked across the border from Mexico and sold to a sweatshop in downtown Los Angeles. City Of Dreams

Visit: www.cityofdreamsmovie.com & watch the powerful trailer here.

Already critically acclaimed with a 100% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the feature film hits theaters nationwide on Aug. 30 via Roadside Attractions, the studio behind Academy Award Winner “Manchester by the Sea,” “Margin Call” and “Winter’s Bone.” The “City Of Dreams” film is supported by icons of film, music and media including New York Times bestseller and speaker Tony Robbins, Academy Award Winning Producer Michael Phillips, award-winning singer-song-writer Linda Perry (“Beautiful”), Academy Award nominated actress Yalitza Aparicio (“Roma”), 5 Time Latin Grammy Winning artist Luis Fonsi, Producer...

The Matt Damon-Affleck dream team continues, except not with Ben this time, but Casey. Doug Liman‘s upcoming Apple TV+ action thriller “The Instigators” celebrated its premiere in New York City on Wednesday, July 31 at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

While Matt Damon and Casey Affleck were just in a film together last year with “Oppenheimer,” we see the duo sharing nearly every second of screen time in this alongside each other as they seek to rob a corrupt politician’s ill-gained earnings. Affleck serves as a co-writer for this, his first writing credit since his 2019 post-apocalyptic drama “The Light of My Life.”

“First of all, [co-writer] Chuck MacLean had a great idea, Chuck had a fantastic beginning for the script,” Affleck told IndieWire. As for if he sought inspiration from any other films, he told us that “‘Midnight Run,’ ‘The Sting,’ and ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ were definitely talked about a lot.

Al Pacino got his breakout role as Michael Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather. The actor got an Oscar nomination for his compelling performance in the film. The actor reprised the role in the sequels The Godfather Part II and The Godfather Part III. While audiences still love the trilogy as a whole, they consider the first film to be the best film among the three.

Al Pacino and Marlon Brando in The Godfather | Paramount Pictures

Pacino got to share screen space opposite Marlon Brando who played Michael’s father, Vito Corleone. However, that combo almost didn’t happen as another bonafide actor was first attached to the role of Michael. Jack Nicholson turned down The Godfather in favor of other projects as he found them more interesting than Coppola’s film.

Al Pacino Has Jack Nicholson To Thank For His Career-Defining Role in The Godfather

Chinatown‘s...

Robert Redford had a dream-like Hollywood run before his retirement in 2018. He had a celebrated acting and directing career and was showered with several prestigious accolades. The Captain America: The Winter Soldier actor is also renowned for founding the Sundance Film Festival.

While it can be undoubtedly said that Robert Redford’s career will always be a dream for many, the War Hunt actor almost lost it all in his childhood. The former actor, who is mostly known to keep his personal life private shared one of the darkest moments in his life- when he had polio at 11.

Robert Redford in Captain America: The Winter Soldier | Marvel Studios

For those who are well-acquainted with Robert Redford’s past, the actor has a harrowing backstory. Sadly, life was never very kind to him on the personal front. From losing loved ones to finding himself in numerous near-death experiences, the 87-year-old saw it all.

Among the various successful lineups of Disney’s Pixar, it features popular titles like Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, and many more. However, there is one underrated franchise that does not get the wholehearted love it deserves. It is none other than Cars. The film is often overlooked but it is surely one of the classic films that is enjoyed by children and adults alike.

A still from Cars. Credits: Disney/ Pixar

Though one would assume from the title that the story is merely about some automobiles, its central themes are much more complex and center more than just vehicles. The film teaches us grounded values with a gripping storyline in a fast-paced racing world. But the film is much deeper than that as it became Paul Newman’s most popular film giving him a fitting tribute before he passed away in 2008.

Disney Gave Paul Newman’s Most Popular...

Plot: A mild-mannered psychology professor (Glen Powell) interested in electronics takes a sideline bugging undercover cops in sting operations, specializing in setting up phony hits. When the usual undercover guy is suspended, he’s enlisted to pose as a hitman. He turns out to be a natural at undercover work, with the police using him to entrap people taking out contracts. Things get complicated when he falls for an abused wife (Adria Arjona) wanting to take out her husband.

Review: Richard Linklater’s Hit Man is the movie where Glen Powell finally becomes a legit star. Granted, there was little to no doubt remaining in anyone’s head after his breakout turn in Top Gun: Maverick, but in Hit Man, his charisma is so white hot and old-school in that true movie star way that he should rocket to the top of everyone’s young leading man list. Linklater previously...

While Christopher Nolan recently directly explored the creation of the atomic bomb, a long-lost 1961 film explores the landscape directly after the dropping of the bomb in uniquely expressionistic fashion, set against the racial politics of the decade. Helmed by theater director Peter Kass and shot by radical visualist Ed Emshwiller, it’s now been restored in 4K by UCLA Film & Television Archive and Lightbox Film Center, University of the Arts at Illuminate Hollywood laboratory, in collaboration with Corpus Fluxus and Audio Mechanics from the 35mm picture, the soundtrack negative and the original 1⁄4” stereo master recording of Lejaren Hiller’s score. Ahead of a May 10 release at NYC’s Film at Lincoln Center and May 12 at LA’s American Cinematheque from Arbelos, the new trailer has now arrived.

Here’s the synopsis: “Emerging from the void, mysterious drifter Gaunt (The Sting’s John Heffernan) wanders the upstate countryside in a...

It really needn’t be said how much Christopher Nolan’s Best Picture winner “Oppenheimer” has brought the aftershock of the atomic bomb ripping through the public consciousness again.

So the current zeitgeist is as good as any for boutique distributor and arthouse restoration outfit Arbelos to uncover a lost 1961 gem: Peter Kass’ 1961 “Time of the Heathen.” Set in the immediate aftermath of the atomic bomb, the avant-garde drama was shot by American science-fiction artist Ed Emshwiller as cinematographer. The film’s bold visuals are on full display in the exclusive trailer, hosted by IndieWire, below for the re-release of “Time of the Heathen.” Arbelos will open the film at New York’s Film at Lincoln Center on May 10 and at LA’s American Cinematheque on May 12.

Kass, who died in 2008, was best known for his work as a theater instructor in New York, collaborating with the likes of Faye Dunaway,...

James Sloyan portrayed four distinct characters across Star Trek series, delivering unforgettable performances in every appearance. From Romulan Admiral to Klingon Time Traveler to complex scientists, Sloyan's versatility shone in his various Star Trek roles. Sloyan appeared in popular TV shows and movies, showcasing his talent beyond Star Trek with voice work in commercials and trailers.

James Sloyan has portrayed four different characters in the Star Trek universe, across three different shows. An accomplished character actor, Sloyan portrayed memorable guest stars in every one of his Star Trek appearances. On Star Trek: The Next Generation, Sloyan played Romulan Admiral Alidar Jarok in "The Defector," and time-traveling Klingon K'mtar in "Firstborn." Sloyan appeared as Haakonian scientist Doctor Ma'Bor Jetrel in Star Trek: Voyager's "Jetel," and as Bajoran scientist Dr. Mora Pol in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine's "The Alternate" and "The Begotten."

Since he began acting in the 1970s,...

Screen legends Paul Newman and Robert Redford’s second and final screen pairing, in 1973’s The Sting, proved even more popular at the box office than their first, 1969’s Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. The film — about a syndicate of confidence men planning cons in the Great Depression — was a dream shoot on the Universal backlot set, save for one persistent annoyance: Redford was always late.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of its seven Oscar wins, the team behind The Sting — producers Michael Phillips and Tony Bill (the third producer, Julia Phillips, ex-wife of Michael and author of You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again, died in 2002) and screenwriter David S. Ward — joined The Hollywood Reporter‘s It Happened in Hollywood podcast for a rollicking conversation about getting the film made.

“He always felt inadequate, and that he was hired for his blue eyes,” says Phillips of working with his hero,...

One of Los Angeles’ most famous attractions is under new ownership.

Santa Monica Pier’s Pacific Park, the amusement park on stilts that has been featured in films like Forrest Gump and Iron Man and in the opening titles of Three’s Company, has sold to Sc Holdings. The investment firm, which specializes in sports, entertainment and hospitality bought it for an undisclosed sum.

The new owners plan to invest $10 million over the next five years into Pacific Park’s food and entertainment programs and general operations.

Run by managing partners Jason Stein and Daniel Haimovic, Sc Holdings has previously invested in LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s entertainment studio The SpringHill Company, as well as the merging of Major League Pickleball and the Professional Pickleball Association.

Pacific Park vice president and general manager Jeff Klocke will continue to lead day-to-day operations on the pier along with his management team.

Rather than fulfilling general expectations by becoming the first film since “Slumdog Millionaire” (2009) to win eight Oscars, “Oppenheimer” left the 2024 Academy Awards with seven, including the coveted Best Picture prize. Although its eventual haul was far from the most impressive ever, it still comfortably ranked as the biggest winner of the night and officially joined a stellar, eight-decade-spanning roster of 12 movies that each merited a lucky seven competitive academy honors.

In addition to the top award, “Oppenheimer” racked up victories for Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Actor (Cillian Murphy), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.), Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Original Score. Of the dozen films that preceded it in winning seven Oscars, the one that comes closest to matching its exact haul is “The Bridge on the River Kwai” (1958), which took Best Adapted Screenplay rather than Best Supporting Actor (Sessue Hayakawa).

“The Bridge on the River Kwai...

After ringing in Monday celebrating Universal’s Oscar wins, led by Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, Donna Langley sent congratulatory note thanking all of those on her team who helped make the victory possible.

Oppenheimer picked up seven wins, including best picture and best director (Nolan’s first), while Focus Features’ The Holdovers won best supporting actress for Da’Vine Joy Randolph’ performance. The evening was a big win for Langley, who lured Nolan to the studio after he split ways with Warner Bros., and made a bet on his R-rated biopic.

“I hope you are all still reveling in what we accomplished last night. Eight total Academy Award wins for Universal and Focus Features! It was a pinch-me moment for us — well, eight pinch-me moments,” Langley wrote. Last year, the longtime Universal movie chief expanded her power base exponentially when named NBCUniversal’s chief content officer.

Oppenheimer, which has grossed nearly $960 million globally,...