Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Banel & Adama (Ramata-Toulaye Sy)
A directorial debut programmed into the main Cannes competition is typically viewed with suspicion, if not overlooked altogether. Very rare is that lightning-in-a-bottle moment like the arrival of Son of Saul some years back. Typically, the only conversation these debuts generate is the critical debate as to why they’ve been elevated to the top of the pile when there are far more striking debuts buried deeper within the festival. This often means that accomplished films are overlooked and underappreciated by those on the ground, who may be subconsciously comparing a striking feature to the work of more established names it’s competing against for the Palme d’Or, approaching each debut with a “show me” attitude it...
Banel & Adama (Ramata-Toulaye Sy)
A directorial debut programmed into the main Cannes competition is typically viewed with suspicion, if not overlooked altogether. Very rare is that lightning-in-a-bottle moment like the arrival of Son of Saul some years back. Typically, the only conversation these debuts generate is the critical debate as to why they’ve been elevated to the top of the pile when there are far more striking debuts buried deeper within the festival. This often means that accomplished films are overlooked and underappreciated by those on the ground, who may be subconsciously comparing a striking feature to the work of more established names it’s competing against for the Palme d’Or, approaching each debut with a “show me” attitude it...
- 8/9/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Almost half a century ago, a cinematic juggernaut stormed into theaters, heavily transforming the landscape of Hollywood. Released in 1972, Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather swiftly rose to the pinnacle of box office success, sealing its fate as one of the most influential films ever produced.
Also spotlighting James Caan as Santino ‘Sonny’ Corleone, the film catapulted its stars into phenomenal stardom. Yet, it’s a real head-scratcher that, despite the movie’s sky-high acclaim, Caan found himself under a dark cloud of dissatisfaction.
Marlon Brando and Salvatore Corsitto in The Godfather | Paramount Pictures
A decision by Coppola to cut an extended scene has left Caan perpetually miffed. It’s like cutting the cloth according to your coat. But sometimes the trim leaves you with more than just fabric scraps—it can slice through your soul as well. When Caan realized a scene that held deep meaning for him was...
Also spotlighting James Caan as Santino ‘Sonny’ Corleone, the film catapulted its stars into phenomenal stardom. Yet, it’s a real head-scratcher that, despite the movie’s sky-high acclaim, Caan found himself under a dark cloud of dissatisfaction.
Marlon Brando and Salvatore Corsitto in The Godfather | Paramount Pictures
A decision by Coppola to cut an extended scene has left Caan perpetually miffed. It’s like cutting the cloth according to your coat. But sometimes the trim leaves you with more than just fabric scraps—it can slice through your soul as well. When Caan realized a scene that held deep meaning for him was...
- 8/9/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
Claim to Fame fans are struggling to figure out who Shane’s celebrity relative is. The house is even in shambles as Danny and Shane were the two big mysteries. Yet, Danny’s celebrity relative was discovered (so it seemed) in the Wednesday, August 7th episode. Unfortunately, it may take some more time to see if the guesses are right. As for Shane, his relative has been figured out by viewers but the houseguests may not pick up on this one. Keep reading for more details.
Claim To Fame: Who Is Shane’s Celebrity Relative?
Shane has come into the house with a chicken wing around his neck and no one on Claim to Fame has any idea who he is related to. He shared his clues, with one being a lie. They were that his celebrity relative was his cousin, who’s an actor and won an Oscar. There...
Claim To Fame: Who Is Shane’s Celebrity Relative?
Shane has come into the house with a chicken wing around his neck and no one on Claim to Fame has any idea who he is related to. He shared his clues, with one being a lie. They were that his celebrity relative was his cousin, who’s an actor and won an Oscar. There...
- 8/8/2024
- by Amanda Lauren
- TV Shows Ace
Jay Kanter, agent to superstar Hollywood clients including Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly, died Tuesday at his home in Beverly Hills. He was 97.
His son, Adam Kanter of Independent Artist Group, remembered his father as someone who conducted his entire career with “integrity and kindness.”
Kanter also inspired Jack Lemmon’s character in Billy Wilder’s classic comedy “The Apartment.”
Jay Kanter served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and started out working at McA, with mentoring help from Lew Wasserman. At just 22 years old, he was sent to pick up Brando at the train station and they became friends, with Brando becoming his longtime client.
He went on to represent stars including Warren Beatty, Gene Kelly and Ronald Reagan.
Kanter relocated to London when McA bought Universal, where he oversaw production for the studio in Europe. When the studio shut down European operations, he founded a production...
His son, Adam Kanter of Independent Artist Group, remembered his father as someone who conducted his entire career with “integrity and kindness.”
Kanter also inspired Jack Lemmon’s character in Billy Wilder’s classic comedy “The Apartment.”
Jay Kanter served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and started out working at McA, with mentoring help from Lew Wasserman. At just 22 years old, he was sent to pick up Brando at the train station and they became friends, with Brando becoming his longtime client.
He went on to represent stars including Warren Beatty, Gene Kelly and Ronald Reagan.
Kanter relocated to London when McA bought Universal, where he oversaw production for the studio in Europe. When the studio shut down European operations, he founded a production...
- 8/7/2024
- by Pat Saperstein
- Variety Film + TV
Jay Kanter, the veteran agent who represented a slew of Hollywood legends including Marlon Brando and Marilyn Monroe, died Tuesday in his Beverly Hills home. He was 97.
A Chicago native who served in the Navy during World War II, Kanter got his start in showbiz at McA, where he was mentored by legendary mogul Lew Wasserman.
As an agent, one of Kanter’s first clients was a young Marlon Brando, whom he represented all the way through his iconic career and right up to his death in 2004. Kanter would go on to serve as an agent for several of the biggest names in Hollywood history, including Grace Kelly, Gene Kelly, Ronald Reagan and Marilyn Monroe.
In 1962, after Wasserman led McA to take over Universal Pictures, Kanter moved into film production and oversaw Universal’s European studio. After that studio shut down, Kanter formed a production company with famed producer Alan Ladd Jr....
A Chicago native who served in the Navy during World War II, Kanter got his start in showbiz at McA, where he was mentored by legendary mogul Lew Wasserman.
As an agent, one of Kanter’s first clients was a young Marlon Brando, whom he represented all the way through his iconic career and right up to his death in 2004. Kanter would go on to serve as an agent for several of the biggest names in Hollywood history, including Grace Kelly, Gene Kelly, Ronald Reagan and Marilyn Monroe.
In 1962, after Wasserman led McA to take over Universal Pictures, Kanter moved into film production and oversaw Universal’s European studio. After that studio shut down, Kanter formed a production company with famed producer Alan Ladd Jr....
- 8/7/2024
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Jay Kanter, the high-powered Hollywood agent who represented Marlon Brando, Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe and served as the inspiration for Jack Lemmon’s character in the classic Billy Wilder film The Apartment, died Tuesday. He was 97.
Kanter died at his home in Beverly Hills, a spokesperson for the Independent Artist Group announced. His son Adam Kanter is a partner at Iag.
A favorite of mighty Music Corporation of America mogul Lew Wasserman, Kanter also spent seven years in England in the 1960s greenlighting European movies for Universal, produced films including the Elizabeth Taylor-starring X, Y and Zee (1972) and had a long business relationship with Alan Ladd Jr. at Fox and MGM.
When Brando was slumming around Paris after breaking out on Broadway in Streetcar Named Desire in the late 1940s, Kanter‚ then an McA junior agent, received a call from producer Stanley Kramer saying he wanted to hire...
Kanter died at his home in Beverly Hills, a spokesperson for the Independent Artist Group announced. His son Adam Kanter is a partner at Iag.
A favorite of mighty Music Corporation of America mogul Lew Wasserman, Kanter also spent seven years in England in the 1960s greenlighting European movies for Universal, produced films including the Elizabeth Taylor-starring X, Y and Zee (1972) and had a long business relationship with Alan Ladd Jr. at Fox and MGM.
When Brando was slumming around Paris after breaking out on Broadway in Streetcar Named Desire in the late 1940s, Kanter‚ then an McA junior agent, received a call from producer Stanley Kramer saying he wanted to hire...
- 8/7/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Jay Ira Kanter, veteran film producer and agent to a long list of Hollywood luminaries including Marlon Brando, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, among others has died. He was 97.
Kanter died peacefully and surrounded by his family in his Beverly Hills home on the morning of August 6.
The agent and executive got his start in the business after his stint in the US Navy, which he joined during World War II. Kanter applied for a job at McA and rose up quickly through the ranks. He was mentored by Lew Wasserman.
At age 22, Kanter sought an offer for a young actor named Marlon Brando. Brando then traveled to Los Angeles via train, and Kanter picked him up at the station. Upon arrival, the two became fast lifelong friends, with Brando becoming Jay’s longtime client.
Kanter went on to represent stars such as Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Gene Kelly, Warren Beatty,...
Kanter died peacefully and surrounded by his family in his Beverly Hills home on the morning of August 6.
The agent and executive got his start in the business after his stint in the US Navy, which he joined during World War II. Kanter applied for a job at McA and rose up quickly through the ranks. He was mentored by Lew Wasserman.
At age 22, Kanter sought an offer for a young actor named Marlon Brando. Brando then traveled to Los Angeles via train, and Kanter picked him up at the station. Upon arrival, the two became fast lifelong friends, with Brando becoming Jay’s longtime client.
Kanter went on to represent stars such as Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Gene Kelly, Warren Beatty,...
- 8/6/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
The 1980s are often viewed as a pop cultural wasteland: a post-disco, style-over-substance hellscape where music videos turned vacuous bands and singers into chart-topping titans, blockbuster-chasing executives drained films of personality and artistic merit, and television pandered to a benumbed viewership with hacky sitcoms, formula dramas, and risible nighttime soaps. This was only half-true.
There was a good bit of dreck polluting the multiplexes and the airwaves throughout the eight-year Reagan era (and the Bush I hangover), but you'd have to be a killjoy to have lived through that time and turned up your nose at the bevy of brilliant artists who were working at their absolute peak. Prince, Spielberg, Streep, Selleck ... yes, Selleck. Tom Selleck.
For eight immensely entertaining seasons, Tom Selleck was the handsomest, charmingest, mustachioed-est private detective on television as Magnum P.I. The creation of small-screen hit makers Donald P. Bellisario and Glen A. Larson, the...
There was a good bit of dreck polluting the multiplexes and the airwaves throughout the eight-year Reagan era (and the Bush I hangover), but you'd have to be a killjoy to have lived through that time and turned up your nose at the bevy of brilliant artists who were working at their absolute peak. Prince, Spielberg, Streep, Selleck ... yes, Selleck. Tom Selleck.
For eight immensely entertaining seasons, Tom Selleck was the handsomest, charmingest, mustachioed-est private detective on television as Magnum P.I. The creation of small-screen hit makers Donald P. Bellisario and Glen A. Larson, the...
- 8/6/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
In László Benedek's 1953 crime drama "The Wild One," a young woman dancing with a member of the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club asks their leader, the pouty-lipped Johnny (Marlon Brando), what he's rebelling against, to which Johnny replies, unsmiling, "Whaddya got?" The most famous line of Brando's career up there with "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse," it also might as well have been a mission statement for the notoriously temperamental, wild card actor.
Brando's career trajectory reflected his disposition. Where the 1950s saw him collecting accolades and awards left and right, the actor's ill-reputable conduct overshadowed practically everything he did onscreen in the decade that came after. It wasn't until the '70s that Brando's legacy as a screen icon was restored, even as he continued to try and sabotage himself with his unpredictable behavior and seeming apathy towards many of the films he worked on.
Brando's career trajectory reflected his disposition. Where the 1950s saw him collecting accolades and awards left and right, the actor's ill-reputable conduct overshadowed practically everything he did onscreen in the decade that came after. It wasn't until the '70s that Brando's legacy as a screen icon was restored, even as he continued to try and sabotage himself with his unpredictable behavior and seeming apathy towards many of the films he worked on.
- 8/5/2024
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Deadpool & Wolverine continues to rake in impressive numbers at the box office in its second weekend and is poised to become the MCU’s first billion-dollar film since Spider-Man No Way Home. Fans have greatly enjoyed the titular character’s dynamic as well as the various easter eggs that have been planted throughout the film.
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine | Marvel Studios
The film also introduced variants of Deadpool in the Deadpool Corps including Nicepool. Both Deadpool and Nicepool had a rather competitive dynamic in the film which proved to be one of its main highlights. To show his fourth wall-breaking skills, Nicepool references a beloved Ryan Reynolds rom-com which had him featuring alongside Sandra Bullock.
Deadpool & Wolverine Has a Cheeky Reference to Ryan Reynolds’ The Proposal
Ryan Reynolds’ The Proposal with Sandra Bullock is immensely watchable | Touchstone Pictures
Deadpool & Wolverine pumped up the meta...
Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine | Marvel Studios
The film also introduced variants of Deadpool in the Deadpool Corps including Nicepool. Both Deadpool and Nicepool had a rather competitive dynamic in the film which proved to be one of its main highlights. To show his fourth wall-breaking skills, Nicepool references a beloved Ryan Reynolds rom-com which had him featuring alongside Sandra Bullock.
Deadpool & Wolverine Has a Cheeky Reference to Ryan Reynolds’ The Proposal
Ryan Reynolds’ The Proposal with Sandra Bullock is immensely watchable | Touchstone Pictures
Deadpool & Wolverine pumped up the meta...
- 8/5/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
Stunt casting can always be really hit or miss — sometimes audiences are excited to see a fun guest star in a surprising role, and sometimes the gimmick ends up feeling, well, gimmicky. Even when it works, like Marlon Brando playing Jor-El in Richard Donner's "Superman," it's frequently a major headache for folks behind-the-scenes. After all, stunt casting involves bringing an actor or star not used to a certain genre or medium into that arena, and actors used to art films and dramas might have a hard time adjusting to the very different requirements of science fiction, fantasy, and horror movies. This goes double for major franchises, where the actor has to contend not only with the unique challenges of a new genre but also the expectations of the fandoms. Since there are few fandoms as intense in their love or as scrutinizing as "Star Trek," stunt casting has to be done very,...
- 8/4/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
Can we ever get over the wild & windswept world of Yellowstone, where the ten-gallon hats brim with as much drama as the Big Sky country itself? Is there a soul under those wide-open heavens who hasn’t reckoned with the formidable specter of John Dutton? Kevin Costner embodies this Montana titan with a finesse that makes you question whether you’re witnessing a hero’s journey or a villain’s tale.
Josh Lucas in Yellowstone | Paramount Network
But as we all know, in addition to Costner, this cowboy hat has been donned by another actor as well. Josh Lucas, a steadfast fixture in the cinematic landscape with credits like Wonderland and the heart-racing Ford v Ferrari, also sought to lasso the role in Taylor Sheridan’s neo-western saga. After all, who wouldn’t jump at the chance to ride through the narrative pastures Sheridan has farmed?
Despite an audition that...
Josh Lucas in Yellowstone | Paramount Network
But as we all know, in addition to Costner, this cowboy hat has been donned by another actor as well. Josh Lucas, a steadfast fixture in the cinematic landscape with credits like Wonderland and the heart-racing Ford v Ferrari, also sought to lasso the role in Taylor Sheridan’s neo-western saga. After all, who wouldn’t jump at the chance to ride through the narrative pastures Sheridan has farmed?
Despite an audition that...
- 8/3/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
This August, Prime Video is bringing you a lot of entertainment with the highly anticipated Season 2 of The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, an all-new action-comedy film starring John Cena and Awkwafina titled Jackpot!, and an animated Batman series titled Batman: Caped Crusader. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Prime Video this month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 10 best films that are coming to Prime Video in August 2024 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.
Fargo (August 1)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
Fargo is a dark comedy crime drama film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The 1996 film follows the story of Jerry, a sales manager who is under a huge debt. To repay his loan he hatches a plan to hire two henchmen to kidnap his wife and...
Fargo (August 1)
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 95%
Fargo is a dark comedy crime drama film written and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. The 1996 film follows the story of Jerry, a sales manager who is under a huge debt. To repay his loan he hatches a plan to hire two henchmen to kidnap his wife and...
- 7/28/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
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...
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...
- 7/28/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
If we had a dollar for every time Val Kilmer kissed a guy, we would have two dollars, which is not a lot but, weirdly, it has happened two times (one of them being Robert Downey Jr).
Val Kilmer in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) | Paramount Pictures
The other actor that Kilmer has kissed on-screen is The Penguin actor Colin Farrell. Well, Val Kilmer and Farrell became good friends but the Top Gun actor held nothing back when he talked about Farrell’s fame in Hollywood.
Val Kilmer Was Jealous of Colin Farrell’s Fame
Starring in the 2005 film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Val Kilmer, and Robert Downey Jr. shared the screen together while the Iron Man actor hadn’t found his fame yet.
Colin Farrell in Phone Booth | Fox 2000 Pictures
During one of the interviews back in 2005, Kilmer talked about how Colin Farrell had already worked with iconic directors Michael Mann,...
Val Kilmer in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) | Paramount Pictures
The other actor that Kilmer has kissed on-screen is The Penguin actor Colin Farrell. Well, Val Kilmer and Farrell became good friends but the Top Gun actor held nothing back when he talked about Farrell’s fame in Hollywood.
Val Kilmer Was Jealous of Colin Farrell’s Fame
Starring in the 2005 film Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, Val Kilmer, and Robert Downey Jr. shared the screen together while the Iron Man actor hadn’t found his fame yet.
Colin Farrell in Phone Booth | Fox 2000 Pictures
During one of the interviews back in 2005, Kilmer talked about how Colin Farrell had already worked with iconic directors Michael Mann,...
- 7/28/2024
- by Visarg Acharya
- FandomWire
While perhaps not as immediately obvious as a drooling xenomorph with acid-for-blood, one of the many secrets to the Alien franchise’s longevity has been its casting. The original 1979 movie directed by Ridley Scott is rightly celebrated for introducing Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley to the world, yet that whole film’s ensemble is pretty extraordinary. For all intents and purposes, it marked American audiences’ introductions to John Hurt and Ian Holm while also featuring an overall grizzled naturalism, courtesy of actors like Tom Skerritt and Yaphet Kotto.
When the folks starring in the series’ latest iteration, Alien: Romulus, think back to the ’79 movie today, they’re still in a bit of awe. Actor David Jonsson, who plays a benevolent android named Andy in the film, enthuses the first Alien is “almost a theater piece” with its reliance on an often quiet, unshowy ensemble. Alien: Romulus star Cailee Spaeny, meanwhile,...
When the folks starring in the series’ latest iteration, Alien: Romulus, think back to the ’79 movie today, they’re still in a bit of awe. Actor David Jonsson, who plays a benevolent android named Andy in the film, enthuses the first Alien is “almost a theater piece” with its reliance on an often quiet, unshowy ensemble. Alien: Romulus star Cailee Spaeny, meanwhile,...
- 7/26/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
The internet is filled with facts, both true and otherwise. In Film Trivia Fact Check, we’ll browse the depths of the web’s most user-generated trivia boards and wikis and put them under the microscope. How true are the IMDb Trivia pages? You want the truth? Can you handle the truth?...
- 7/26/2024
- by Matt Schimkowitz
- avclub.com
From his debut in Top Secret! to Academy Award-winning action flicks like Top Gun, Val Kilmer has garnered an eclectic repertoire of works under his belt. In a career easily spanning four decades, Kilmer – who started his Hollywood journey as a stage actor – has led some evergreen classics, the likes of which include Tim Burton’s campy Batman Forever and the ’80s hit Willow.
Val Kilmer in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) | Paramount Pictures
But there’s one film – that makes Kilmer’s robust devotion stand out against his role – for which he deserves much more recognition than he’s received, and rightly so.
Val Kilmer Gave This Role His All Despite Not Being Violent
Shepherded by Miami Vice‘s Michael Mann and comprising a star-studded ensemble with A-listers like Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Val Kilmer, Heat is jam-packed with all the great bits you’d want in a movie.
Val Kilmer in Top Gun: Maverick (2022) | Paramount Pictures
But there’s one film – that makes Kilmer’s robust devotion stand out against his role – for which he deserves much more recognition than he’s received, and rightly so.
Val Kilmer Gave This Role His All Despite Not Being Violent
Shepherded by Miami Vice‘s Michael Mann and comprising a star-studded ensemble with A-listers like Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, and Val Kilmer, Heat is jam-packed with all the great bits you’d want in a movie.
- 7/25/2024
- by Khushi
- FandomWire
My World Of Flops is Nathan Rabin’s survey of books, television shows, musical releases, or other forms of entertainment that were financial flops, critical failures, or lack a substantial cult following.In a 2022 interview with Vulture, Golden Raspberries co-founder Maureen Murphy addressed one of the odious organization’s most...
- 7/25/2024
- by Nathan Rabin
- avclub.com
The stories of messy production schedules are not new in Hollywood. Over the years, many movies have seen an arduous filming process where everything goes South. Such a film was the 1996 sci-fi horror, The Island of Dr. Moreau, inspired by the H.G. Wells novel and starring Marlon Brando and Val Kilmer. From the very start, it was a cursed project that hardly went well for anybody on set.
Marlon Brando in The Island of Dr. Moreau | New Line Cinema
Interestingly, The Island of Dr. Moreau‘s mess was so monumental, that an entire documentary titled Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau was made to reveal everything that occurred on that cursed project. According to the reports, none of the co-stars had good working ethics with each other or the director. However, Val Kilmer has a different story to narrate as he felt that...
Marlon Brando in The Island of Dr. Moreau | New Line Cinema
Interestingly, The Island of Dr. Moreau‘s mess was so monumental, that an entire documentary titled Lost Soul: The Doomed Journey of Richard Stanley’s Island of Dr. Moreau was made to reveal everything that occurred on that cursed project. According to the reports, none of the co-stars had good working ethics with each other or the director. However, Val Kilmer has a different story to narrate as he felt that...
- 7/24/2024
- by Subham Mandal
- FandomWire
Russell Crowe appeared as the genius scientist Jor-El of Krypton in Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel. Snyder’s vision for the character was entirely different from Richard Donner’s Superman, where Marlon Brando played the role. Crowe later revealed that he did the role of Superman’s birth father as a tribute to The Godfather actor.
Russell Crowe in a still form Man of Steel | DC Films
Crowe recalled the story of how Brando loved one of his performances so much, that he left a gift for him after his death. Besides Crowe, Sean Penn and Clive Owen were also considered for the role of Jor-El. He briefly reprised his role in Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Russell Crowe Purposefully Took The Role of Jor-El To Pay Tribute To Marlon Brando Russell Crowe as Jor-El in Man of Steel | DC Films
Russell Crowe played the role of Jor-El alongside...
Russell Crowe in a still form Man of Steel | DC Films
Crowe recalled the story of how Brando loved one of his performances so much, that he left a gift for him after his death. Besides Crowe, Sean Penn and Clive Owen were also considered for the role of Jor-El. He briefly reprised his role in Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Russell Crowe Purposefully Took The Role of Jor-El To Pay Tribute To Marlon Brando Russell Crowe as Jor-El in Man of Steel | DC Films
Russell Crowe played the role of Jor-El alongside...
- 7/21/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Long before Kevin Costner ever set foot onto the Yellowstone Ranch or danced with wolves, he became a rising star with Lawrence Kasdan’s Silverado!
The Story: Fresh off a five year stint in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Emmett (Scott Glenn), a cowboy, heads to a small town called Silverado to pick up his kind-hearted but deadly younger brother, Jake (Kevin Costner), picking up a gambler, Paden (Kevin Kline) and a black cowboy named Mal (Danny Glover) along the way. Once in Silverado, they realize the town is being ruled by Emmett’s old nemesis, who’s in-league with a former friend of Paden’s – the town sheriff – Cobb (Brian Dennehy). Eager to settle down, all four men find themselves challenged by the ruthless factions that run the town, and will have to unite to save the day.
The Players: Starring: Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner,...
The Story: Fresh off a five year stint in prison for a crime he didn’t commit, Emmett (Scott Glenn), a cowboy, heads to a small town called Silverado to pick up his kind-hearted but deadly younger brother, Jake (Kevin Costner), picking up a gambler, Paden (Kevin Kline) and a black cowboy named Mal (Danny Glover) along the way. Once in Silverado, they realize the town is being ruled by Emmett’s old nemesis, who’s in-league with a former friend of Paden’s – the town sheriff – Cobb (Brian Dennehy). Eager to settle down, all four men find themselves challenged by the ruthless factions that run the town, and will have to unite to save the day.
The Players: Starring: Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner,...
- 7/21/2024
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Exclusive: Days after Disney revealed that it was investigating a reported hack of its internal Slack workplace, the producers behind the upcoming indie Eyes in the Trees starring Anthony Hopkins say they has been targeted in a ransom-seeking data breach.
Producer Daemon Hillin (Which Brings Me to You) tells Deadline that he has received disturbing and very detailed emails from a Korean Zombie address that said 18 minutes of video footage from his film had been hacked. The breach constitutes all of Hopkins’ scenes that were shot in Los Angeles during last year’s strikes. (The film was awarded an interim agreement by SAG-AFTRA.)
The email included screenshots of Hopkins from the film, which is a reimagining of the H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau, along with a list of the film’s investors and other producers. Bgg Capital and Landon B. Gorman are the money behind the film...
Producer Daemon Hillin (Which Brings Me to You) tells Deadline that he has received disturbing and very detailed emails from a Korean Zombie address that said 18 minutes of video footage from his film had been hacked. The breach constitutes all of Hopkins’ scenes that were shot in Los Angeles during last year’s strikes. (The film was awarded an interim agreement by SAG-AFTRA.)
The email included screenshots of Hopkins from the film, which is a reimagining of the H.G. Wells novel The Island of Dr. Moreau, along with a list of the film’s investors and other producers. Bgg Capital and Landon B. Gorman are the money behind the film...
- 7/19/2024
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
Culver City, Calif. – Celebrate 100 years of Columbia Pictures and complete your Columbia Classics collection as Sony Pictures Home Entertainment proudly debuts six more iconic films from its library on 4K Ultra HD disc for the first time ever, exclusively within the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 5, available October 1. This must-own set includes a variety of powerful and moving award-winning favorites: All The King’S Men, On The Waterfront, A Man For All Seasons, Tootsie, The Age Of Innocence and Little Women (2019). Each film is presented in 4K resolution with Dolby Vision High Dynamic Range, and five of the films include immersive Dolby Atmos mixes.
The six films in the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 5 are only available on 4K Ultra HD disc within this special limited edition collector’s set. Included with the collection is a gorgeous hardbound 80-page book, featuring in-depth sections about the making of...
The six films in the Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 5 are only available on 4K Ultra HD disc within this special limited edition collector’s set. Included with the collection is a gorgeous hardbound 80-page book, featuring in-depth sections about the making of...
- 7/18/2024
- by ComicMix Staff
- Comicmix.com
Spoilers for "Longlegs" follow.
It seems to happen like a clockwork. A new Nicolas Cage movie will arrive, and with it comes a question: "Is Nicolas Cage a good actor?" Cage has been working for decades now, but at some point, some folks got it in their heads that the off-kilter performer was bad at his job. To be fair, this could have something to do with the quality of the films he appears in. Cage once got himself in trouble with the IRS -- he made lavish purchases (including buying a dinosaur skull that turned out to be stolen), and according to CNBC, ended up owing the IRS "$6.3 million in property taxes."
To offset his financial woes, Cage began working -- a lot. He would seemingly take any job thrown his way, and as a result, he appeared in a lot of direct-to-video stinkers. Now, I'm not going to...
It seems to happen like a clockwork. A new Nicolas Cage movie will arrive, and with it comes a question: "Is Nicolas Cage a good actor?" Cage has been working for decades now, but at some point, some folks got it in their heads that the off-kilter performer was bad at his job. To be fair, this could have something to do with the quality of the films he appears in. Cage once got himself in trouble with the IRS -- he made lavish purchases (including buying a dinosaur skull that turned out to be stolen), and according to CNBC, ended up owing the IRS "$6.3 million in property taxes."
To offset his financial woes, Cage began working -- a lot. He would seemingly take any job thrown his way, and as a result, he appeared in a lot of direct-to-video stinkers. Now, I'm not going to...
- 7/17/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
There were bigger movie stars than Al Pacino in the 1970s, but between 1971 and 1975, he gave six utterly electric performances that placed him in the American film acting stratosphere alongside the likes of Marlon Brando, Dustin Hoffman, Jack Nicholson, and Robert De Niro. And as brilliant as those guys were, the virtuosity on display in "Panic in Needle Park," "The Godfather," "Scarecrow," "Serpico," "The Godfather Part II" and "Dog Day Afternoon" made a solid case for Pacino as the best of the bunch. He could be seductive, sympathetic, vulnerable, pathetic and terrifying –- sometimes all in the same movie. And his peers were dazzled enough to nominate him for four straight Oscars.
The full range of Pacino's genius can be found in Michael Corleone's journey from principled World War II returnee to brother-killing monster, but for sheer thespian fireworks, you can't top his live-wire portrayal of bank robber Sonny Wortzik...
The full range of Pacino's genius can be found in Michael Corleone's journey from principled World War II returnee to brother-killing monster, but for sheer thespian fireworks, you can't top his live-wire portrayal of bank robber Sonny Wortzik...
- 7/14/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Robin Williams was an iconic figure in Hollywood who will be forever remembered for his iconic films, roles, and, comedy. An old clip of Williams was recently shared on the internet and the world is in love with it.
Matt Damon and Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting | Miramax Films
It was 1977 when a show titled Laugh-In aired on television. From various cameos by stars to comedians doing funny bits and skits, the show was quite popular during that time.
When Robin Williams Met Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra was a veteran singer known for songs like Fly Me To The Moon and New York, New York. Well, the singer also appeared in one episode of Laugh-In and that’s when Aladdin star Robin Williams made a simple cameo.
Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra in Guys and Dolls | Samuel Goldwyn Productions
Back in 1977, no one really knew who Robin Williams was.
Matt Damon and Robin Williams in Good Will Hunting | Miramax Films
It was 1977 when a show titled Laugh-In aired on television. From various cameos by stars to comedians doing funny bits and skits, the show was quite popular during that time.
When Robin Williams Met Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra was a veteran singer known for songs like Fly Me To The Moon and New York, New York. Well, the singer also appeared in one episode of Laugh-In and that’s when Aladdin star Robin Williams made a simple cameo.
Marlon Brando and Frank Sinatra in Guys and Dolls | Samuel Goldwyn Productions
Back in 1977, no one really knew who Robin Williams was.
- 7/14/2024
- by Visarg Acharya
- FandomWire
I was late catching up to Jeff Nichols’ “The Bikeriders,” and though the film has gotten some good reviews, like Peter Debruge’s rave in Variety, it’s fair to say that the collective response to it has been mixed to muted. “The Bikeriders” hasn’t exactly set off a chain reaction of retro biker fever. It seems as if more than a few people don’t quite know what to make of it: a drama based on Danny Lyon’s 1968 black-and-white photography book, which captured the rough-riding lives of a Chicago motorcycle gang called the Outlaws, their exploits now presented, in Nichols’ film, in all their unvarnished bad-boy grit and glory. Personally, I loved the film, and came out of it with a sense of surprise — mostly at the fact it hasn’t been more robustly celebrated. But I think I understand why.
What, exactly, is “The Bikeriders” about?...
What, exactly, is “The Bikeriders” about?...
- 7/13/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Val Kilmer is widely recognized for his role as Batman in Joel Schumacher’s 1995 film, but according to the actor, his biographical film about the rock band The Doors and its frontman Jim Morrison was the role that challenged him as an artist.
Val Kilmer in The Doors / TriStar Pictures
His performance in the movie was heavily lauded by fans and critics, although the accuracy was what weighed down the film. Several scenes were disputed, but that goes with any biopic film ever made.
Val Kilmer Reveals His Toughest Movie Role Ever
In a Reddit Ama segment, actor Val Kilmer responded to a fan who asked him the most demanding role he ever did in his career, stating Oliver Stone’s 1991 biopic The Doors.
I suppose the Doors. Jim was suicidal and when you spend over a year rehearsing inside someone’s skin who is so deeply unhappy… it’s tough.
Val Kilmer in The Doors / TriStar Pictures
His performance in the movie was heavily lauded by fans and critics, although the accuracy was what weighed down the film. Several scenes were disputed, but that goes with any biopic film ever made.
Val Kilmer Reveals His Toughest Movie Role Ever
In a Reddit Ama segment, actor Val Kilmer responded to a fan who asked him the most demanding role he ever did in his career, stating Oliver Stone’s 1991 biopic The Doors.
I suppose the Doors. Jim was suicidal and when you spend over a year rehearsing inside someone’s skin who is so deeply unhappy… it’s tough.
- 7/13/2024
- by Ariane Cruz
- FandomWire
Hollywood was conceived in the interim period between the silent era and the talkies, when a multiple studio system collectively decided to turn art into business. Star Trek and Star Wars were born a few years later when Jules Verne’s science-fiction popularity merged with the global Space Race frenzy.
A still from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) [Credit: 20th Century Studios]
Starting off as a wild idea, both IPs took off after the fantastical elements of the intergalactic adventures catered to the audience’s demands of the era. But little did one know how influential and phenomenal these franchises would grow to be, exceeding the limits of a studio-owned IP and becoming the franchise of the people.
Studio Politics Stands in the Way of Art & Expression
While numerous decisions factor into the making of a film or television project, one thing remains fairly constant: casting the perfect actor for the job.
A still from Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977) [Credit: 20th Century Studios]
Starting off as a wild idea, both IPs took off after the fantastical elements of the intergalactic adventures catered to the audience’s demands of the era. But little did one know how influential and phenomenal these franchises would grow to be, exceeding the limits of a studio-owned IP and becoming the franchise of the people.
Studio Politics Stands in the Way of Art & Expression
While numerous decisions factor into the making of a film or television project, one thing remains fairly constant: casting the perfect actor for the job.
- 7/12/2024
- by Diya Majumdar
- FandomWire
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
The Animal Kingdom (Thomas Cailley)
In The Animal Kingdom, an Un Certain Regard-selected science-fiction romp from France, human-animal mutations are the new norm. Director Thomas Cailley begins things in media res with a familiar disaster-movie scene: François (Romain Duris) and Émile (Paul Kircher)––father and son, respectively––are stuck in traffic, making chit-chat, when something slowly begins capturing the attention of other drivers. An ambulance across the way begins to rumble. Then a man with a large winged arm bursts out, causing some damage before scurrying down a tunnel. Only mildly ruffled, François exchanges a jaded aphorism with another driver over: “Strange times.” – Rory O. (full review)
Where to Stream: Hulu
The Bikeriders (Jeff Nichols)
Using photographer Danny Lyon’s iconic The...
The Animal Kingdom (Thomas Cailley)
In The Animal Kingdom, an Un Certain Regard-selected science-fiction romp from France, human-animal mutations are the new norm. Director Thomas Cailley begins things in media res with a familiar disaster-movie scene: François (Romain Duris) and Émile (Paul Kircher)––father and son, respectively––are stuck in traffic, making chit-chat, when something slowly begins capturing the attention of other drivers. An ambulance across the way begins to rumble. Then a man with a large winged arm bursts out, causing some damage before scurrying down a tunnel. Only mildly ruffled, François exchanges a jaded aphorism with another driver over: “Strange times.” – Rory O. (full review)
Where to Stream: Hulu
The Bikeriders (Jeff Nichols)
Using photographer Danny Lyon’s iconic The...
- 7/12/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Almost all of the Best Actor winners at this century’s 23 Academy Awards ceremonies have ticked at least one of these two boxes: they were over 40 or portraying a real-life fellow. The only exceptions: Russell Crowe (“Gladiator”) and Jean Dujardin (“The Artist”) who were 36 and 39 respectively when they won for playing fictional characters.
In 2024, Cillian Murphy, 47, won for his portrayal of scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the Best Picture champ “Oppenheimer.” He was the sixth Best Actor winner in a decade to prevail for playing a real person after Will Smith (“King Richard”), Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rhapsody”), Gary Oldman (“The Darkest Hour”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Revenant”), and Eddie Redmayne;. The four to win for fictional parts were Brendan Fraser, Anthony Hopkins (“The Father”), Joaquin Phoenix (“Joker), and Casey Affleck (“Manchester by the Sea”). (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2025 Oscar predictions for Best Actor.)
Just four of these 10 men won on their first nomination: Murphy,...
In 2024, Cillian Murphy, 47, won for his portrayal of scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer in the Best Picture champ “Oppenheimer.” He was the sixth Best Actor winner in a decade to prevail for playing a real person after Will Smith (“King Richard”), Rami Malek (“Bohemian Rhapsody”), Gary Oldman (“The Darkest Hour”), Leonardo DiCaprio (“The Revenant”), and Eddie Redmayne;. The four to win for fictional parts were Brendan Fraser, Anthony Hopkins (“The Father”), Joaquin Phoenix (“Joker), and Casey Affleck (“Manchester by the Sea”). (Scroll down for the most up-to-date 2025 Oscar predictions for Best Actor.)
Just four of these 10 men won on their first nomination: Murphy,...
- 7/9/2024
- by Paul Sheehan and Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
A wide range of actors, from Kirk Alyn to Henry Cavill, have donned the Kryptonian cape of Superman. But a large section of DC fans hail Christopher Reeve as the definitive version of the character. Despite Henry Cavill’s fame in the role, unlike Reeve, his story ended abruptly when James Gunn took over DC Studios.
Christopher Reeve as Superman | DC Studios
Recently a clip shared by Turner Classic Movies gave us a look into the terrific chemistry shared between Christopher Reeve’s Superman and Margot Kidder’s Lois Lane. The fans were sent on a nostalgic ride as the clip, featuring an iconic scene from the 1978 Richard Donner film, presented the best live-action version of Lois Lane.
Was Christopher Reeve’s 1978 Superman the best portrayal of the character?
A still from Christopher Reeve’s “cat rescuing moment” in the 1978 movie | Warner Bros. Pictures
Richard Donner impressed fans when he...
Christopher Reeve as Superman | DC Studios
Recently a clip shared by Turner Classic Movies gave us a look into the terrific chemistry shared between Christopher Reeve’s Superman and Margot Kidder’s Lois Lane. The fans were sent on a nostalgic ride as the clip, featuring an iconic scene from the 1978 Richard Donner film, presented the best live-action version of Lois Lane.
Was Christopher Reeve’s 1978 Superman the best portrayal of the character?
A still from Christopher Reeve’s “cat rescuing moment” in the 1978 movie | Warner Bros. Pictures
Richard Donner impressed fans when he...
- 7/7/2024
- by Subham Mandal
- FandomWire
From vampire noir to Bin Laden, Point Break to Detroit, the first woman to win an Oscar for best director has never pulled her punches
Watching new Jeff Nichols release The Bikeriders, starring Austin Butler and Tom Hardy as 60s Chicago greasers, I was reminded of two other movies: László Benedek’s 1953 Marlon Brando vehicle The Wild One, explicitly cited as an inspiration, and The Loveless, the 1981 feature debut of Kathryn Bigelow, the American film-maker (b.1951) who would go on to become the first woman to win a best director Oscar with her 2008 war drama The Hurt Locker.
A symphony of leather-clad posing (with just a touch of Kenneth Anger), The Loveless was a staple of the late-night circuit in the 80s, often on a double bill with David Lynch’s Eraserhead. Sharing directing credits with Monty Montgomery, Bigelow playfully deconstructed masculinity and machismo in a manner that was one...
Watching new Jeff Nichols release The Bikeriders, starring Austin Butler and Tom Hardy as 60s Chicago greasers, I was reminded of two other movies: László Benedek’s 1953 Marlon Brando vehicle The Wild One, explicitly cited as an inspiration, and The Loveless, the 1981 feature debut of Kathryn Bigelow, the American film-maker (b.1951) who would go on to become the first woman to win a best director Oscar with her 2008 war drama The Hurt Locker.
A symphony of leather-clad posing (with just a touch of Kenneth Anger), The Loveless was a staple of the late-night circuit in the 80s, often on a double bill with David Lynch’s Eraserhead. Sharing directing credits with Monty Montgomery, Bigelow playfully deconstructed masculinity and machismo in a manner that was one...
- 7/7/2024
- by Mark Kermode
- The Guardian - Film News
When Eddie Murphy broke out on Saturday Night Live and made his transition to the big screen, a lot of doors opened for him. The paychecks got higher, the popularity went widespread and a lot of Hollywood elite wanted to dine with him. Oddly enough, some of them didn’t have the kindest words about the profession Murphy chose, namely perhaps the greatest actor of them all, Marlon Brando.
In the wake of 48 Hrs., Eddie Murphy got wind that none other than Marlon Brando wanted to have dinner with him. Sure, Brando was on a hiatus and wouldn’t be making another movie until the tail end of the ‘80s, but that’s still a huge get. After one initial dinner, the two ended up hanging out at his famed Mulholland Drive residence, where Murphy couldn’t help but heap praise on his host. As he said on The New York Times’ Interview podcast,...
In the wake of 48 Hrs., Eddie Murphy got wind that none other than Marlon Brando wanted to have dinner with him. Sure, Brando was on a hiatus and wouldn’t be making another movie until the tail end of the ‘80s, but that’s still a huge get. After one initial dinner, the two ended up hanging out at his famed Mulholland Drive residence, where Murphy couldn’t help but heap praise on his host. As he said on The New York Times’ Interview podcast,...
- 7/5/2024
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
“The longer you live, I think really the smarter you get…and hopefully, as an actress, that makes you a better actress, because you can understand things better.” Words of wisdom from the fascinating and elegant Eva Marie Saint, as told to TCM’s late host Robert Osborne in an interview that first aired in 2014. This special, Eva Marie Saint: Live From the TCM Classic Film Festival, is being replayed on July 4 (10/9c), marking her 100th birthday. It’s also the first of four Thursdays celebrating her as Star of the Month, a tribute that includes 1954’s On the Waterfront (8/7c). Her first feature film role, as the sensitive Edie Doyle, won Saint an Oscar as supporting actress opposite her Actors Studio colleague Marlon Brando. “I felt that he could see right through me,” she marvels, recalling that Brando’s unpredictable line readings for each take “kept you on your toes.
- 7/4/2024
- TV Insider
Few stars have shone as bright as Elvis Presley did in the realm of music, and Marlon Brando in the world of Hollywood. Still enjoying widespread acclaim despite their legacy riddled with controversies, Presley and Brando remain beloved parts of popular culture and discourse today. Tying them together is their relationship with American actress Rita Moreno.
Rita Moreno and Marlon Brando in Desiree | 20th Century Fox
While Presley and Moreno were engaged in a brief romance, Moreno and Brando dated on and off for about 8 years. Often having spoken about her life and love, Moreno once made a startling revelation when comparing two of her high-profile lovers.
Rita Moreno on Dating Elvis Presley and Marlon Brando
Rita Moreno as Anita in West Side Story | United Artists
Rita Moreno has been in the industry for a long long time and has dated two of the most prolific figures of the entertainment industry of yesteryears.
Rita Moreno and Marlon Brando in Desiree | 20th Century Fox
While Presley and Moreno were engaged in a brief romance, Moreno and Brando dated on and off for about 8 years. Often having spoken about her life and love, Moreno once made a startling revelation when comparing two of her high-profile lovers.
Rita Moreno on Dating Elvis Presley and Marlon Brando
Rita Moreno as Anita in West Side Story | United Artists
Rita Moreno has been in the industry for a long long time and has dated two of the most prolific figures of the entertainment industry of yesteryears.
- 7/4/2024
- by Maria Sultan
- FandomWire
Robert Towne, the acclaimed screenwriter best known for his Oscar-winning script for “Chinatown,” passed away on Monday at his home in Los Angeles. He was 89 years old.
Towne’s death was confirmed by his publicist, Carri McClure. The news marks the end of a career that spanned six decades and left an indelible mark on American cinema.
Born on November 23, 1934, Towne began his career in the early 1960s, writing for television series such as “The Outer Limits” and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” However, it was his work in film that would cement his legacy as one of Hollywood’s most talented writers.
Towne’s breakthrough came with 1973’s “The Last Detail,” a military dramedy starring Jack Nicholson. This success paved the way for his most celebrated work, “Chinatown,” released the following year. The neo-noir thriller, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, earned Towne an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
Towne’s death was confirmed by his publicist, Carri McClure. The news marks the end of a career that spanned six decades and left an indelible mark on American cinema.
Born on November 23, 1934, Towne began his career in the early 1960s, writing for television series such as “The Outer Limits” and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” However, it was his work in film that would cement his legacy as one of Hollywood’s most talented writers.
Towne’s breakthrough came with 1973’s “The Last Detail,” a military dramedy starring Jack Nicholson. This success paved the way for his most celebrated work, “Chinatown,” released the following year. The neo-noir thriller, directed by Roman Polanski and starring Nicholson and Faye Dunaway, earned Towne an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay.
- 7/2/2024
- by Naser Nahandian
- Gazettely
A motion picture screenplay is by nature imperfectible, and time, tide, and taste will have their say. The Oscar-winning script written for 1974’s “Chinatown” by Robert Towne — who passed away Monday, July 1, at age 89, according to his publicist (via THR) — makes its own case for being as perfect an example of the form as we may ever see. That it was the first original (as opposed to an adaptation) Towne ever authored, coming along at the age of 40, is itself remarkable.
It’s no coincidence that his great friend Jack Nicholson, an artistic comrade in arms since they met as neophytes in a Hollywood acting class, was the center of “Chinatown’s” dark beauty and also of the ribald, corrosive and mordantly funny Towne script for 1973’s “The Last Detail.” Another friend, Warren Beatty, was the centerpiece of 1975’s “Shampoo,” which joined the previous two to notch Towne’s third...
It’s no coincidence that his great friend Jack Nicholson, an artistic comrade in arms since they met as neophytes in a Hollywood acting class, was the center of “Chinatown’s” dark beauty and also of the ribald, corrosive and mordantly funny Towne script for 1973’s “The Last Detail.” Another friend, Warren Beatty, was the centerpiece of 1975’s “Shampoo,” which joined the previous two to notch Towne’s third...
- 7/2/2024
- by Fred Schruers
- Indiewire
Robert Towne, the screenwriter as superstar whose Oscar-winning work on the 1974 classic Chinatown is widely recognized as the gold standard for movie scripts, has died. He was 89.
Towne died Monday at his home in Los Angeles, publicist Carri McClure announced.
He also received Academy Award nominations for The Last Detail (1973) and Shampoo (1975) in the years surrounding his most famous work.
His takes on Los Angeles were etched with melancholy and painted the city as one of beauty and sadness. In Chinatown and Shampoo, gumshoe J.J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson) and Beverly Hills hairdresser George Roundy (Warren Beatty) end up alone. (Towne collaborated often with those actors.)
This squinty vantage on Southern California, as a temptress who dashes hopes, also was evident in his script for Tequila Sunrise (1988), which starred Mel Gibson as a retired drug dealer, Kurt Russell as a cop and Michelle Pfeiffer as the femme fatale.
Towne also...
Towne died Monday at his home in Los Angeles, publicist Carri McClure announced.
He also received Academy Award nominations for The Last Detail (1973) and Shampoo (1975) in the years surrounding his most famous work.
His takes on Los Angeles were etched with melancholy and painted the city as one of beauty and sadness. In Chinatown and Shampoo, gumshoe J.J. Gittes (Jack Nicholson) and Beverly Hills hairdresser George Roundy (Warren Beatty) end up alone. (Towne collaborated often with those actors.)
This squinty vantage on Southern California, as a temptress who dashes hopes, also was evident in his script for Tequila Sunrise (1988), which starred Mel Gibson as a retired drug dealer, Kurt Russell as a cop and Michelle Pfeiffer as the femme fatale.
Towne also...
- 7/2/2024
- by Duane Byrge and Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Just as most young actors who headed to New York post World War II, Eva Marie Saint was a staple on live television. In fact, her first TV appearance was in 1947 in a production of “A Christmas Carol” starring John Carradine as Scrooge. Saint, who celebrates her 100th birthday on July 4, told me in a 2013 L.A. Times interview that she didn’t appear on screen in her first TV gig that same year on NBC’s “The Borden Show.” She was hired to simply supply applause off-camera and called her parents to tell them the good news. “After the show, they called me and mom said, ‘Honey, we just love the show, and Dad thinks he heard you applauding.”’
Doing live TV got the lithe blonde actress a lot of exposure. One time it was way too much exposure. Between 1950-52, Saint appeared as the daughter of a high-powered San...
Doing live TV got the lithe blonde actress a lot of exposure. One time it was way too much exposure. Between 1950-52, Saint appeared as the daughter of a high-powered San...
- 7/2/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Eddie Murphy revealed on The New York Times’ “The Interview” podcast that Marlon Brando told him that “acting is bullshit, when Murphy’s star profile was on the rise in the wake of “48 Hrs.” Murphy was a known comedian at the time thanks to his stint on “Saturday Night Live,” but “48 Hrs.” was his first movie role and started his ascent as a film star. “Trading Places” and “Beverly Hills Cop” followed and cemented his status.
“I was having these famous people that I grew up watching on television wanting to have a meal with me,” Murphy remembered about becoming famous in Hollywood. “After ’48 Hrs.’ Marlon Brando calls my agent and wants to meet me. Now I look back and go, ‘Wow, that’s crazy: The greatest actor of all time wants to have dinner with you!’ But back then I just thought, ‘Well, that’s the way...
“I was having these famous people that I grew up watching on television wanting to have a meal with me,” Murphy remembered about becoming famous in Hollywood. “After ’48 Hrs.’ Marlon Brando calls my agent and wants to meet me. Now I look back and go, ‘Wow, that’s crazy: The greatest actor of all time wants to have dinner with you!’ But back then I just thought, ‘Well, that’s the way...
- 7/1/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Eddie Murphy may have just been born uber-confident. From a young age, he knew was gonna make it and, indeed, by just 19, he was already a cast member on “Saturday Night Live.” From there, he would go on to star in comedy hits like “48 Hrs.” and “Trading Places,” which is when he started receiving recognition from his fellow thespians. A recognition he says in a recent interview with The New York Times, he didn’t quite appreciate it at the time.
“I started at maybe around 13, 14, saying that I was going to be famous,” Murphy said. “I’d tell my mother, ‘When I’m famous…’ So when I got famous, it was like, ‘See, I told you.’ I was having these famous people that I grew up watching on television wanting to have a meal with me. After ‘48 Hrs.’ Marlon Brando calls my agent and wants to meet me.
“I started at maybe around 13, 14, saying that I was going to be famous,” Murphy said. “I’d tell my mother, ‘When I’m famous…’ So when I got famous, it was like, ‘See, I told you.’ I was having these famous people that I grew up watching on television wanting to have a meal with me. After ‘48 Hrs.’ Marlon Brando calls my agent and wants to meet me.
- 6/30/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
The oldest surviving Oscar winner is turning 100 this year! Classy, smart and with a warmth that belies her cool blonde beauty, Eva Marie Saint made a name for herself on stage, radio, television and film, earning numerous accolades over a nearly eight-decade career, and appearing alongside some of Hollywood’s most acclaimed stars.
Saint was born on July 4, 1924, in New Jersey, and raised in New York, before becoming an NBC page. After steady work on radio and TV, Saint won an Outer Critics Circle Award for her role in the 1953 play “The Trip to Bountiful.”
The following year, Saint made her movie debut opposite Marlon Brando in Elia Kazan‘s “On the Waterfront,” which garnered her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and launched an impressive film career. Over the next two decades, she co-starred alongside Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant, Paul Newman, Warren Beatty, Angela Lansbury and...
Saint was born on July 4, 1924, in New Jersey, and raised in New York, before becoming an NBC page. After steady work on radio and TV, Saint won an Outer Critics Circle Award for her role in the 1953 play “The Trip to Bountiful.”
The following year, Saint made her movie debut opposite Marlon Brando in Elia Kazan‘s “On the Waterfront,” which garnered her the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, and launched an impressive film career. Over the next two decades, she co-starred alongside Montgomery Clift, Elizabeth Taylor, Cary Grant, Paul Newman, Warren Beatty, Angela Lansbury and...
- 6/30/2024
- by Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Since 1938, Superman has dominated countless comic books, inspired a legion of fans, and appeared on the big and small screen to varying degrees of success. Adorned in blue tights and a red cape, the Man of Steel is a traditional hero in every sense of the word: morally sound, full of hope, and never too busy for any task, great or small. He's a Boy Scout who stands for truth, justice, and the American Way, an ideology that contrasts sharply against today's darker generation of heroes like Batman and Spider-Man.
But that hasn't stopped producers from trying their hand at blockbuster success with the big guy. Richard Donner's "Superman: The Movie," the grandfather of all superhero films, remains the most successful entry, critically and commercially, while Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns" and Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel" trilogy divided critics and audiences alike. Soon, James Gunn steps to the plate with "Superman Legacy,...
But that hasn't stopped producers from trying their hand at blockbuster success with the big guy. Richard Donner's "Superman: The Movie," the grandfather of all superhero films, remains the most successful entry, critically and commercially, while Bryan Singer's "Superman Returns" and Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel" trilogy divided critics and audiences alike. Soon, James Gunn steps to the plate with "Superman Legacy,...
- 6/29/2024
- by Jeff Ames
- Slash Film
Hailed as one of the most prestigious actors of the 20th century, Al Pacino has done copious blockbuster films throughout his career spanning over five decades. But who would’ve thought we’d get to see him go from playing chilling gangster roles to a comical coffee connoisseur? That’s right, nobody could’ve foreseen that plot twist.
Al Pacino in The Irishman (2019) | Netflix
Even industry juggernauts like The Godfather star aren’t immune to a few bad days at the cinemas (that’s code for flops), and his movie with Adam Sandler was one such out-of-the-pan-and-into-the-fire kind of collaboration. Save for the epic commercial that perhaps echos one of the greatest moments in cinema history.
Al Pacino’s Dunkin’ Donuts Commercial Was Peak Cinema
Adam Sandler might be a comedic genius but Jack and Jill certainly didn’t make it to the list of ‘most hilarious movies of all time.
Al Pacino in The Irishman (2019) | Netflix
Even industry juggernauts like The Godfather star aren’t immune to a few bad days at the cinemas (that’s code for flops), and his movie with Adam Sandler was one such out-of-the-pan-and-into-the-fire kind of collaboration. Save for the epic commercial that perhaps echos one of the greatest moments in cinema history.
Al Pacino’s Dunkin’ Donuts Commercial Was Peak Cinema
Adam Sandler might be a comedic genius but Jack and Jill certainly didn’t make it to the list of ‘most hilarious movies of all time.
- 6/28/2024
- by Khushi Shah
- FandomWire
There's an entire generation of actors, and movie lovers in general, who think Al Pacino is the best actor ever based almost solely on the basis of his 1970s work. Obviously, he was overwhelmingly dynamic. The live-wire energy of characters like Frank Serpico, Sonny Wortzik and Arthur Kirkland spit and popped off the screen with a sizzling intensity that could only be matched by his Method contemporaries (namely Robert De Niro and Dustin Hoffman). But he might've been more impressive when playing strangely ingratiating outsiders, as he did to unforgettable effect under Jerry Schatzberg's direction in "Panic in Needle Park" and "Scarecrow."
And then there was Michael Corelone in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part II." As the youngest and, much to the consternation of his older brothers, favorite son of mafia capo Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), Pacino, over two movies running a combined six-plus hours,...
And then there was Michael Corelone in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" and "The Godfather Part II." As the youngest and, much to the consternation of his older brothers, favorite son of mafia capo Vito Corleone (Marlon Brando), Pacino, over two movies running a combined six-plus hours,...
- 6/27/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Sidney Lumet once wrote: “While the goal of all movies is to entertain, the kind of film in which I believe goes one step further. It compels the spectator to examine one facet or another of his own conscience. It stimulates thought and set the mental juices flowing. In a film career spanning 50 years, Lumet explored conscience in such classics 1957’s “12 Angry Men,” 1973’s “Serpico,” 1976’s “Network” and 1982’ s “The Verdict.”
Lumet’s New York Times 2011 obit stated: “Social issues set his mental juices flowing and his best films not only probed the consequences of prejudice, corruption and betrayal, but also celebrated individual acts of courage.” And one should also add redemption to that list. He was always in a New York state of mind. Of the 38 films he made, 29 were shot in New York. Lumet earned four Oscar nominations for best director- “12 Angry Men,” which marked his feature debut,...
Lumet’s New York Times 2011 obit stated: “Social issues set his mental juices flowing and his best films not only probed the consequences of prejudice, corruption and betrayal, but also celebrated individual acts of courage.” And one should also add redemption to that list. He was always in a New York state of mind. Of the 38 films he made, 29 were shot in New York. Lumet earned four Oscar nominations for best director- “12 Angry Men,” which marked his feature debut,...
- 6/25/2024
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
Kevin Costner is an actor-producer-director extraordinary, whose talent has only gotten better with age. The Oscar winner has worked on many projects over the years, but that doesn’t mean he has lost his way. It’s more like he found his way to the exact place he needs to be. After giving his time and energy to Paramount and Yellowstone for five seasons, he left the show before its last few episodes, citing a conflict in schedule.
Kevin Costner as Hayes Ellison in Horizon: An American Saga | Warner Bros Pictures
Kevin Costner wanted to do his own thing and had been postponing it because of the Taylor Sheridan-created show for a long time. But he found that the same courtesy wasn’t being returned to him, and Costner decided it was time to leave Yellowstone behind and do what he wanted to for decades. And that’s how...
Kevin Costner as Hayes Ellison in Horizon: An American Saga | Warner Bros Pictures
Kevin Costner wanted to do his own thing and had been postponing it because of the Taylor Sheridan-created show for a long time. But he found that the same courtesy wasn’t being returned to him, and Costner decided it was time to leave Yellowstone behind and do what he wanted to for decades. And that’s how...
- 6/23/2024
- by Swagata Das
- FandomWire
In the 1970s, American films underwent a massive shift, thanks to a new generation of talent infiltrating the business. Filmmakers like Martin Scorsese, Steven Spielberg, and Brian De Palma introduced a new, more energetic language into films, largely thanks to their studious backgrounds studying movies and reading the essays of Jean-Luc Godard and François Truffaut; this generation of filmmakers is traditionally called the Film School Generation. These artists tended to look after each other, seemingly understanding their mutual unspoken goal of revolutionizing movies and exploring the limits of what the medium was capable of.
Two Film School Generation directors once entered an alliance one might not expect. Francis Ford Coppola had already won many, many Oscars for his "Godfather" movies and for "The Conversation," making him a legitimate Hollywood darling. George Lucas, meanwhile, rewrote the language of the Hollywood blockbuster with "Star Wars" in 1977. Aesthetically, the two filmmakers could not have been more different,...
Two Film School Generation directors once entered an alliance one might not expect. Francis Ford Coppola had already won many, many Oscars for his "Godfather" movies and for "The Conversation," making him a legitimate Hollywood darling. George Lucas, meanwhile, rewrote the language of the Hollywood blockbuster with "Star Wars" in 1977. Aesthetically, the two filmmakers could not have been more different,...
- 6/23/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
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