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The Story: A corrupt American cop (Michael Douglas) and his partner (Andy Garcia) wind-up in Japan after a prisoner exchange gone awry. With their former captive cutting a swath through the local Yakuza in an attempt to establish himself as the new Tokyo boss, the cops are forced into an uneasy alliance with a by-the-book local police inspector (Ken Takakura).

The Players: Starring: Michael Douglas, Andy García, Ken Takakura, Kate Capshaw and Yusaku Matsuda. Directed by Ridley Scott. Music by Hans Zimmer.

The History: Michael Douglas was riding high in 1989. Following his Oscar-win for Wall Street, and Fatal Attraction’s boffo box office, his was considered one of the most bankable actors in Hollywood. Opting for a rare action role, grittier and more hard-edged than his turns in Romancing the Stone and The Jewel of the Nile, Douglas, with his Fatal Attraction producers Stanley Jaffe and Sherry Lansing (who would...

Holland Taylor will star opposite Matthew McConaughey and Woody Harrelson in the duo’s upcoming comedy series at Apple TV+, Variety has learned.

The untitled, 10-episode show was originally announced in 2023, with McConaughey and Harrelson set to play versions of themselves. Per the official logline, “Matthew and Woody’s friendship is tested when their combined families attempt to live together on Matthew’s ranch in Texas.”

Taylor will star as Ma Mac, Matthew’s mother.

Taylor is a highly-accomplished actress across stage, film, and television. She is a nine-time Emmy nominee, winning the award for best supporting actress in a drama for her role in “The Practice.” Her other nominations were for the shows “Two and a Half Men” (on which she starred for 12 seasons), “The Lot,” “Hollywood,” and “The Morning Show.” Taylor is also a Tony Award nominee, getting the nod in the best actress in a play category in 2013 for “Ann.

Everyone knows the sound of Kathleen Turner’s voice.

Her sexy, smoky rasp most famously gave life to Jessica Rabbit in Who Framed Roger Rabbit, and although that was her first animated role, it definitely wouldn’t be her last. A few years later, she voiced Malibu Stacy creator Stacy Lovell on The Simpsons. A few years after that, she became the voice of Hank Hill’s boss’ wife, Liz Strickland, on King of the Hill, who famously tried to seduce Hank. And her voice career continues today with a recent guest spot on Rick and Morty and with the upcoming animated film Animal Farm, based on the famous George Orwell novel.

It was her time on King of the Hill that we set out to talk about during a recent phone interview, but that inevitably led to a discussion about her voice career as a whole and how that...

Did Emily Blunt and John Krasinski almost canceled their big A Quiet Place Part II? ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Stuck in quarantine, Emily Blunt quickly shifted gears. She dove headfirst into homeschooling, read everything in sight, and even joined in on some quirky family projects. She popped up in John Krasinski’s viral Some Good News and even had a cameo in her brother-in-law Stanley Tucci’s legendary Instagram cocktail tutorials. Meanwhile, the sequel to the sci-fi horror hit was tucked away—until now.

Fast forward over a year. Blunt’s back, not just with A Quiet Place Part II, but also with Disney’s Jungle Cruise hitting the big screens in July. And here’s the kicker: both films are getting the kind of love from audiences and critics alike that might just help revive the struggling box office.

Blunt reflects, “It’s just been mad. We’re on the other side of it now,...

Robert Zemeckis released an R-rated comedy starring Kurt Russell called Used Cars which is surprisingly very dark. Zemeckis is best known for his incredibly popular and classic films such as Forrest Gump, Back to the Future, and Cast Away. Zemeckis made his feature film debut with 1978's historical comedy I Wanna Hold Your Hand, which follows two fans who try to sneak into the Beatles' hotel in New York City before their American debut on The Ed Sullivan Show.

While Zemeckis is known for his collabs with Tom Hanks, he has also worked with several other stars such as Kurt Russell in Used Cars, which was just his second directorial effort. Used Cars is one of Russell's career-best comedic performances, even though the actor is best known for his dramatic roles in classic movies such as Tombstone, Escape From New York, and Miracle. While Zemeckis has made plenty of comedy movies,...

Michael Douglas has revealed he has been enjoying a career break over the past two years but is still open to taking on projects that introduce him to a new genre or type of role, such as a horror movie.

The Wall Street and Fatal Attraction actor who turned 80 in September told an an onstage conversation at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival that he had been taking time off for the first time in nearly 60 years, apart from when he was being treated for cancer in 2013.

“I’ve just had my 80th birthday,” said the actor, who explained he had decided to take a break after playing Benjamin Franklin in Franklin.

“I took 2023 off and I’ve now nearly finished 2024… I’m having a very nice time enjoying my life,” he said.

Prior to stopping, the actor said he had taken on roles that stretched his repertoire including The Kominsky Method,...

Actress Lacey Chabert has a lot to celebrate this holiday season. Her 40th Hallmark movie, The Christmas Quest just premiered on the channel and she has another festive flick fans can check out, her Netflix Christmas film, Hot Frosty – which has turned out to be a major hit for the streaming platform.

Now that she’s worked with both Hallmark and Netflix, Chabert was asked during an interview about the differences between the two.

Lacey Chabert – Talks Netflix Vs. Hallmark

While there are a lot of differences between Hallmark and Netflix, the Mean Girls star recently told Cinemablend the two share ‘the same heart’.

She went on to explain why she loves doing holiday movies in general is because, “… I personally love … watching these movies as it reminds me of cherished traditions and memories as you’re creating new ones, hopefully with your friends and family.

And there’s a...

David Korda, the British film producer and financier who hailed from a family of notable filmmakers including his father Zoltàn Korda, has died. He was 87.

Korda’s death was disclosed Nov. 16 by film historian Charles Drazin via social media. Korda died Sept. 18 at Cromwell Hospital in London following a battle with cancer, according to Drazin who wrote a 2011 biography of Korda’s uncle, producer-director Alexander Korda. News of David Korda’s death was first reported by the Hollywood Reporter.

Korda’s father was the director of films such as 1939’s “The Four Feathers” and 1951’s “Cry, the Beloved Country.” His mother was actress Joan Gardner, known for roles in such films as 1934’s “The Scarlett Pimpernel” and 1937’s “Dark Journey.” His uncle Alexander Korda founded London Films, owner of British Lion Films, which produced the 1933 feature “The Private Life of Henry VIII” and 1949’s “The Third Man.” His uncle Vincent Korda...

David Korda, a prominent member of the Korda family movie dynasty who served as a producer and important film financier in a show business career that spanned more than 60 years, has died. He was 87.

Korda, chairman of the British company Film Finances Ltd., died Sept. 18 at Cromwell Hospital in London, author, editor and film historian Charles Drazin told The Hollywood Reporter. He had been in poor health after a battle with cancer.

Korda’s parents were Zoltan Korda, director of the Ralph Richardson-starring epic The Four Feathers (1939), and actress Joan Gardner (Dark Journey, The Scarlet Pimpernel).

One of his uncles was Alexander Korda, the founder of London Films, the owner of British Lion Films, a producer of such classics as The Private Life of Henry VIII (1933) and The Third Man (1949) and the first filmmaker to receive a knighthood. Another uncle, Vincent Korda, was a painter and Oscar-winning art director.

Emmy-and-Golden Globe winning actor. Oscar-nominated producer. Director. Writer. In his 50 years in the industry, Danny DeVito has worn many hats, becoming one of the most successful and popular entertainers of his generation.

Daniel Michael DeVito, Jr. was born on November 17, 1944, in New Jersey, with multiple epiphyseal dysplasia. Also known as Fairbank’s disease, this rare genetic disorder affects bone growth and contributed to his short stature. This has not hindered his successes, beginning with his training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and early work in the theater.

In 1975, DeVito successfully reprised his off-Broadway role in “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” in the film version, and soon found success as Louie DePalma in the television sitcom “Taxi,” for which he received four Primetime Emmy and four Golden Globe nominations, winning the Emmy in 1978 and the Globe in 1980. Louie was the arrogant dispatcher of the Sunshine Cab Company who...

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Emily Blunt is one of the biggest actors in the business right now. Not only has she been starring in beloved movies such as "The Devil Wears Prada" or "Edge of Tomorrow" for nearly two decades, but she's also now an Oscar winner thanks to her work in Christopher Nolan's "Oppenheimer." Like most people who star in movies, Blunt is also a big fan of movies. No surprise there. But what's her favorite movie? Demonstrating good taste, it's an absolute classic directed by none other than Steven Spielberg.

"I always say 'Jaws,' people are sick of hearing me say that," Blunt said when asked what her four favorite movies are during a red carpet interview at SXSW 2024 with Letterboxd. "It's an incredible, perfect film." Indeed, she has been vocal about her love of "Jaws" for a long time.

As a commercially oriented, artistically ambitious, innovation-embracing filmmaker, Robert Zemeckis enjoyed an unparalleled pre-21st century career where box-office, critic-approved hits far outweighed the occasional misses or missteps. Awards recognition wasn't a matter of if, but when. Nominated for several Academy Awards, Zemeckis won a Best Director award in 1994 for Forrest Gump. As Forrest Gump's title character, Tom Hanks won his second back-to-back acting (Hanks won his first for Philadelphia a year earlier). Seven years later, a second Zemeckis-Hanks collaboration, Cast Away, proved almost as commercially and artistically rewarding. It was The Polar Express, their third time as director and actor (motion-captured via relatively new tech) that doubled as the first major misstep...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

Hollywood’s most notable bombs are — sadly — just as well-known as its biggest hits, a factor that a new book joyously celebrates.

From British film critic Tim Robey, “Box Office Poison” digs up the dirt on some of cinema’s wildest misfires, from grand follies to misunderstood masterpieces, disastrous sequels to catastrophic literary adaptations, going behind the scenes to examine how they ended careers, bankrupted studios and changed film history.

Among the features in Robey’s crosshairs are David Lynch’s “Dune,” plus “Speed 2: Cruise Control,” “Gigli,” “Catwoman,” “Pan” and — of course — “Cats.”

In this exclusive extract from the book, being released by Hanover Square Press in the U.S. on Nov. 5, it’s the turn of the swashbuckling catastrophe that was Renny Harlin and Geana Davis’ “Cutthroat Island.” Costing upwards of $115 million to make, the watery flop sank almost without a trace in 1995, earning just $18.5 million globally and...

Robert Zemeckis reunites with Tom Hanks and Robin Wright for an ugly de-aged nightmare that boringly follows the same house throughout time

A swirl of concern and outright fear has long been following Robert Zemeckis’s unusual big bet Here, a 30-year reunion for his Forrest Gump co-stars Tom Hanks and Robin Wright. The film, based on Richard McGuire’s comic strip turned graphic novel, was heralded as the most ambitious use of digital de-aging yet, following the pair through the decades, from teenage years to final days, as part of an ensemble of characters who have lived in the same space over time. Early stills, and a trailer, had clued us into the film being plainly terrifying but nothing had quite prepared us for just how unforgivably dull it would also be. Here lies the year’s most eerie and embarrassing misfire.

Zemeckis was once a director who knew...

A charming Channing Tatum and Sandra Bullock rom-com is coming to Netflix soon. The 2022 title, which was one of the first Channing Tatum movies to premiere when he returned to acting after taking a years-long break from starring in live-action releases, was well-regarded by critics, earning a Certified Fresh score of 79% on Rotten Tomatoes and an even better 83% score from audience members on the review aggregator platform's Popcornmeter. It also became the highest-grossing romantic comedy of the year, earning $192.9 million against its roughly $70 million budget.

The movie, The Lost City, is set to debut on Netflix on November 9, according to a listing on the streaming platform. It follows popular novelist Loretta Sage (Bullock), whose romantic adventure stories are researched so accurately that she is kidnapped by billionaire Abigail Fairfax (Daniel Radcliffe) to help him find the treasure supposedly hidden in the mythical Lost City. Her only hope for survival is...

Here’s why Disney rejected Back To The Future (Photo Credit – Amazon Prime Video)

When Back to the Future hit theaters on July 3, 1985, it flipped Hollywood. Michael J. Fox went from TV star to mega-celebrity, while director Robert Zemeckis made waves. Despite getting rejected by Disney for being “too scandalous,” the film ended the year as a box office champ, leaving fans craving more time-travel adventures!

How Did Back to the Future Get Made?

Zemeckis and screenwriter Bob Gale first crossed paths at USC in 1971, forming a creative bond that would ultimately shake the cinematic landscape. They dabbled in TV and scored a brief break with the Misfire 1941, which was more a flop than a blockbuster. But they brushed off that bomb and charged ahead. After creating Used Cars in 1980 with Kurt Russell, they decided it was time to unleash a wild time-travel concept. They were riding high on their...

Between modern thrillers, horror comedies, and Universal monster movies, Peacock is a perfect streamer for Spooky Season

With Halloween right around the corner, Peacock’s library this month is fuller than ever, jam-packed with excellent seasonal classics like “Nosferatu the Vampyre,” “Jennifer’s Body,” “Halloween,” and many others. Complete with Peacock Originals and other films from Universal Pictures and Focus Features, there’s no shortage of great movies to spoil you on the streamer at the moment.

If you’re looking to add to your watch list and the best of what Peacock has to offer, here are my picks for the best seven movies currently available to stream!

Sign Up $7.99+ / month peacocktv.com Top 7 Movies Streaming on Peacock Right Now:

No. 7: ‘Death Becomes Her’

No. 6 ‘It Follows’

No. 5: ‘Dìdi’

No. 4 ‘Let the Right One In’

No. 3 ‘A Thousand and One’

No. 2 ‘Get Out’

No. 1 ‘Bride of Frankenstein’

No.

Tom Hanks teamed up once more with Robert Zemeckis, now for the drama movie Here, which will be the project that determines the legacy of their 30-year partnership. Tom Hanks continues to be one of the most popular and beloved actors of his generation thanks to his persona on and off the screen. Although Hanks acting career peaked in the 1980s and 1990s, mostly in the genres of drama and romantic comedies, he has made a bit of everything in over four decades of his career. Of course, Hanks has collaborated with some directors, producers, and actors more than once, among them filmmaker Robert Zemeckis.

Robert Zemeckis career began in the 1970s with short films, with his first feature-length project being the comedy I Wanna Hold Your Hand, in 1978. Zemeckis gained attention when he directed the comedy adventure movie Romancing the Stone in 1984, and ten years later, he worked with...

Academy Award winner Michael Douglas has had a career of almost 50 years in feature films. In his distinguished career, Douglas has been nominated for two Oscars and won both of them — as producer of the 1975 Best Picture winner “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and as Best Actor for 1987’s “Wall Street.” For his film work, he has also been nominated for nine Golden Globe Awards, winning three — two for producing “Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Romancing the Stone” and one for his performance in “Wall Street.” And as a member of the cast of 2000’s “Traffic,” Douglas won a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the Ensemble. One of his biggest box office successes was also “Fatal Attraction” opposite Glenn Close.

The proud son of screen legend Kirk Douglas returned to the small screen with “The Kominsky Method,” for which he won a Golden Globe and earned SAG and Emmy nominations.

Robert Zemeckis couldn't have asked for a more propitious start to his filmmaking career. Soon after graduating from University of Southern California's School of Cinematic Arts in 1973, Zemeckis, on the strength of his award-winning student film, found a powerful young mentor in Steven Spielberg. The "Jaws" maestro was Universal Pictures' in-house wunderkind, so when he flipped out over "I Wanna Hold Your Hand," a raucous comedy, written by Zemeckis and his creative partner Bob Gale, about a trio of young girls desperate to attend the live taping of The Beatles' first performance on "The Ed Sullivan Show," the studio greenlit it -- even though Zemeckis was completely untested as a feature director.

Five years later, Zemeckis' was very close to finished in Hollywood.

With a budget of $2.8 million, "I Wanna Hold Your Hand" wasn't considered a gamble. And when it lost money for Universal, the studio didn't sweat it. But...

Tubi, Fox’s free streaming service, has announced its list of August titles. The Tubi August 2024 slate features new Tubi Originals and numerous action, art house, Black cinema, comedy, documentary, drama, horror, kids and family, romance, sci-fi and fantasy, thriller, and Western titles.

As a leading ad-supported video-on-demand service, the company engages diverse audiences through a personalized experience and the world’s largest content library: over 200,000 movies and TV episodes, a growing collection of Tubi Originals, and nearly 250 Fast channels.

You can watch the Tubi August 2024 lineup for free on Android and iOS mobile devices, Amazon Echo Show, Google Nest Hub Max, Comcast Xfinity X1, and Cox Contour.

You can also watch the service on connected television devices such as Amazon Fire TV, Vizio TVs, Sony TVs, Samsung TVs, Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, Android TV, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and on the Tubi site.

Tubi Originals

Documentary

Defying Death:...

Ya know that feeling when you watch something dumb, and even though you know it’s stupid, you can’t help but laugh and enjoy yourself? The 1980s are full of comedies like that. Yeah, we know they’re dumb and not especially clever, but whatever, man, every now and then, you’re in a bad mood, and you want to turn your brain off. That’s why they made seven Police Academy movies. No one thought they were good, but we watched them anyway because they were stupid in a pleasing way.

This brings me to this rare comedy-focused episode of The Best Movie You Never Saw, about a movie I loved as a kid that doesn’t super hold up forty years later, but it is still kinda fun – Johnny Dangerously. A gangster comedy in the vein of Airplane, Johnny Dangerously is probably a movie many younger viewers...

In cinematic history, few films have managed to capture the hearts of audiences quite like Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale’s Back to the Future. The film is the perfect comedy of science-fiction, comedy, and drama and it is impossible for movie lovers to think of a world without Back to the Future. However, there was a time when no one wanted to bet on the film.

Back to the Future (1985) | Amblin Entertainment

That’s right. While Back to the Future is as iconic as iconic gets, many studios turned a blind eye to the script for one reason or the other. But then there was Steven Spielberg who always saw the potential in the film and eventually was able to get himself the last laugh.

How Steven Spielberg Got Attached to Back to the Future

Michael J. Fox in Back to The Future | Amblin Entertainment

Bob Gale first had...

In the ever-changing landscape of pop culture, where trends flicker faster than a lightbulb, one franchise managed to stand as a beacon across the generations; and it’s none other than Back to the Future. But while the films’ success was largely credited to the titular star Michael J. Fox, his paycheck spoke otherwise.

Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly in Back to The Future (1985) | Universal Pictures

Despite earning a staggering amount of money from re-releases, merchandise, and more, Back to the Future surprisingly signed Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly, for a ridiculously low amount. But thankfully, the actor later received a promotion during the sequels and didn’t have to lose any sleep over his initial salary.

Michael J. Fox’s Ridiculously Low Salary for Back to the Future

After setting his records straight with Romancing the Stone (1984), director Robert Zemeckis hit the jackpot with his 1985 classic Back to the Future,...

Oscar-winning director Robert Zemeckis developed an interest in film and television at an early age and first worked in his native Chicago as an editor for TV commercials and news programs. This work led him to apply as a transfer student to the University of Southern California film school where his application material included a music video, set to a song by The Beatles. (Not surprisingly his first film would be “I Wanna Hold Your Hand” about a bunch of high school students obsessed with Beatlemania.)

He was initially rejected by USC but he begged an official to reconsider and promised to bring his low grade point average up by attending summer school. This brashness would also play a big part in his initial success as a director when he barged into Steven Spielberg’s office with a copy of his student film and asked Spielberg to employ him. The...

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.Newsa Man of Integrity.Having banned producers of and actors in Mohammad Rasoulof’s The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024) from leaving the country in an apparent attempt to pressure the director to pull the film from the Cannes Film Festival, Iranian authorities have now sentenced Rasoulof to eight years in prison, whipping, a fine, and confiscation of property, his lawyer announced today, adding that the courts consider the director’s films examples of collusion with the intention of committing a crime against the nation’s security.A group of about 200 French festival workers called Sous les écrans la dèche (“Under the screens the waste”) announced Monday that it will move ahead with plans for a strike during Cannes,...

Lynda Carter is paying tribute and honoring the late Jeannie Epper, the Wonder Woman stunt performer.

Epper died on Sunday at the age of 83. She performed stunts in the 1970s Wonder Woman TV series and films like The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Kill Bill: Vol. 2.

“I have a lot to say about Jeannie Epper. Most of all, I loved her. I always felt that we understood and appreciated one another,” Carter wrote in a message posted on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. “After all, it was the 70s. We were united in the way that women had to be in order to thrive in a man’s world, through mutual respect, intellect and collaboration.”

Carter continued, “Jeannie was a vanguard who paved the way for all other stuntwomen who came after. Just as Diana was Wonder Woman, Jeannie Epper was also a Wonder Woman.

Jeannie Epper, a stuntwoman known for her work in Wonder Woman and Dynasty has died. The performer was 83 years old. News of Epper’s death was confirmed by her family via The Hollywood Reporter, which revealed that the stuntwoman died of natural causes at her home in Simi Valley, California. As mentioned, above, Epper worked on Wonder Woman, serving as a double for Lynda Carter in the beloved television series. She also stepped in to swing from vines and propel down a mudslide on Kathleen Turner‘s behalf in Romancing the Stone. © HBO / Courtesy Everett Collection Epper’s work also included being a stunt double for Linda Evans‘ Krystle on the hit soapy drama Dynasty. She also served as a stunt double for several episodes of the series Charlie’s Angels, working alongside Tanya Roberts and Kate Jackson. In addition to her stunt work, Epper was also an actress, performing in films such as Hello,...

Jeannie Epper, a stunt double for Lynda Carter in the 1970s Wonder Woman TV series and performed stunts in such movies as The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift and Kill Bill: Vol. 2, died Sunday at her Simi Valley, California, home. She was 83.

A founding member in 1968 of the Stuntwomen’s Association of Motion Pictures, Epper’s more than 150 film credits also included Catch Me If You Can, Romancing the Stone, The Amazing Spider-Man, and The Princess Diaries. She was spotlighted in Double Dare, Amanda Micheli’s 2004 documentary about stuntwomen.

Her death was first reported by Deadline sister publication The Hollywood Reporter.

Described as “the greatest stuntwoman who ever lived” in a 2007 Entertainment Weekly article, Epper was the daughter of stunt performers John Epper and sister to stuntmen Gary and Tony Epper. Jeannie Epper became one of the first professional child stunt doubles when she began her career at age...

Jeannie Epper, the peerless, fearless stunt performer who doubled for Lynda Carter on Wonder Woman and swung on a vine across a 350-foot gorge and propelled down an epic mudslide as Kathleen Turner in Romancing the Stone, has died. She was 83.

Epper died Sunday night of natural causes at her home in Simi Valley, her family told The Hollywood Reporter.

Just one member of a dynasty of stunt performers that Steven Spielberg dubbed the “Flying Wallendas of Film” — starting with her father, John Epper, there have been four generations of Eppers in show business since the 1930s — she worked on 150-plus films and TV shows during an astounding 70-year career.

In 2007, Epper received the first lifetime achievement honor given to a woman at the World Taurus Awards and ranks among the greatest stuntwomen of all time.

Known for her agility, horse-riding skills and competitiveness, the 5-foot-9 Epper also stepped in...

Warning: This article discusses spoilers for "The Fall Guy."

It may seem like the next "Deadpool" movie already has the market cornered on breaking the fourth wall and making meta jokes about its own existence, but Universal's "The Fall Guy" just might have it beat. The David Leitch action movie/romantic comedy has all the makings of being the exact kind of blockbuster audiences need these days (just read /Film's review by Jacob Hall for more), but despite its old-school movie star charm and "Romancing The Stone" vibes, writer Drew Pearce loaded the script with some of the wittiest and most self-reflexive observations about our current state of the industry. The idea of giving some love back to the hardworking yet underappreciated community of stunt people takes top priority throughout the (mis)adventures of Ryan Gosling's stuntman Colt Seavers, of course, but the main villain of the story...

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook on Twitter and Instagram.FESTIVALSMay Days.As many as 200 French film festival workers plan to stage labor actions during Cannes, citing insufficient pay and the exclusion of many festival staff from unemployment benefits when they are not under contract. The movement is being organized under the banner of Sous Les Écrans La Dèche: Collectif Des Précaires Des Festivals De Cinéma.A new report outlines the institutional dysfunction at the Toronto International Film Festival, which recently lost the support of the telecommunications company Bell as its major sponsor. Citing a desire for “greater accessibility,” Slamdance Film Festival will relocate from Park City, Ut, to Los Angeles in 2025.NEWSHarlan County, U.S.A..Now that all thirteen IATSE locals have reached tentative agreements with the AMPTP,...

Zack Norman, the stand-up comedic, actor, and producer, best known for his role as Danny DeVito‘s crocodile-loving, antique-smuggling sidekick in Romancing the Stone, has died. He was 83. Norman’s family announced he died Sunday night of natural causes at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. In his film career, Norman worked most frequently with director Henry Jaglom on films such as Tracks (1977), Sitting Ducks (1980), Venice Venice (1992), Babyfever (1994), Festival in Cannes (2001), Hollywood Dreams (2005), Irene in Time (2009), Queen of the Lot (2010), The M Word (2014), and Ovation (2015). In the 1984 adventure film Romancing the Stone by Robert Zemeckis which stars Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, Norman played the smuggling cousin Ira alongside DeVito who played the other cousin Ralph. Norman as Ira had an affinity for crocodiles, making a comment every time he saw one: “Look at those snappers.” Zack Norman (left) and Danny DeVito in Romancing the Stone (1984) Following the film,...

Zack Norman, a veteran character and producer who appeared in films including Romancing The Stone, Cadillac Man and several for director Harry Jaglom along with guested on The Nanny, The A-Team, Baywatch and other series, died April 28 of natural causes. He was 83.

His son-in-law Jeff Briller confirmed the news to Deadline.

Born Howard Zuker on May 27, 1940, Norman received an executive Mba from Harvard Business School before embarking entering show business. He performed as a comedian through the latter half of the 1960s and working the Playboy Clubs, the Flamingo and Copacabana with the Temptations. He made his TV debut in 1969 doing stand-up on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson.

He made about a half-dozen films in the 1970s before working on a pair of memorable ’80s films: He had a small role in Milos Forman’s Ragtime (1981) before being cast as Cousin Ira in Robert Zemeckis’ Romancing the Stone (1984). His character uttered the oft-quoted line,...

Zack Norman, the stand-up comic, actor and producer perhaps best known for his turn as a crocodile-loving antiquities smuggler in Romancing the Stone, has died. He was 83.

Norman died Sunday night of natural causes at Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, his family announced.

Norman collaborated frequently with director Henry Jaglom, with the two working together on Tracks (1976), Sitting Ducks (1980), Venice/Venice (1992), Babyfever (1994), Déjà Vu (1997), Festival in Cannes (2001), Hollywood Dreams (2006), Irene in Time (2009), Queen of the Lot (2010), The M Word (2014) and Ovation (2015).

In Robert Zemeckis’ action-adventure Romancing the Stone (1984), starring Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, Norman and Danny DeVito play the smuggling cousins Ira and Ralph, respectively.

“Look at those snappers,” Ira says in admiration whenever he sees a croc.

(He and Douglas would get into a legal spat over a company that they co-founded.)

Norman also appeared on the big screen in James Toback’s Fingers (1978), Milos Forman...

The last time I spoke to Noah Jupe was four years ago when he was just 15 years old. It was over Zoom, and he was promoting HBO’s “The Undoing” from a Detroit hotel room, where he was under mandatory quarantine waiting to be cleared to start work on Steven Soderbergh’s “No Sudden Move.”

At the time, Jupe’s list of credits already included “The Night Manager,” “Suburbicon,” the first two “A Quiet Place” films and “Ford v Ferrari.” He had earned a Spirit Award nomination for his work starring role in “Honey Boy,” director Alma Har’el’s drama loosely based on Shia Labeouf’s childhood.

The British actor is now 19 and I’m meeting him once again over Zoom — this time, he’s in his London-area home — for this week’s “Just for Variety” podcast. He’s promoting Apple TV+’s “Franklin.” The limited series follows Benjamin Franklin,...

Legendary actor Michael Douglas plays the role of one of the Founding Fathers of the USA Benjamin Franklin in the Apple TV+ docuseries Franklin. The show reportedly shows the legend’s time in France on a diplomatic mission to convince King Louis XVI to support the American Revolutionary War. The show also features Noah Jupe.

Douglas reportedly came under fire from critics when the show premiered as he had decided to depict a disgusting habit of Benjamin Franklin. In the opening episode, Douglas reportedly shows him farting, which drew the ire of many critics. However, the actor had his proofs ready and reportedly sent a book by Franklin about his habit to the critics.

Michael Douglas Goes To War With Critics About Benjamin Franklin’s Habit Michael Douglas in Wall Street

Actor Michael Douglas is known for his dramatic roles in films such as Wall Street, for which he won the Oscar for Best Actor.

‘80s nostalgia is heading back to Netflix’s theaters with Milestone Movies: The Anniversary Collection – 1984.

The Milestone Movies collection will screen across three theaters: New York’s Paris Theater, The Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood and The Bay Theater in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Selected films turning 40 this year will play in Netflix’s theaters and the 1984 collection is also available to stream.

The Paris Theater in New York City will show blockbusters “Beverly Hills Cop,” “Footloose,” “Gremlins,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” “Muppets Take Manhattan,” “Natural,” “Nightmare on Elm Street,” “Romancing the Stone,” “Amadeus” and “Splash,” from April 12 to 18.

Indie and auteur titles “The Ballad of Narayama,” “Birdy,” “Body Double,” “Brother from Another Planet,” “Last Night at the Alamo,” “Love Streams,” “Moscow on the Hudson,” “Places in the Heart,” “Suburbia” and “Times of Harvey Milk” will be available from April 19 to 25.

In the Fantastic Journeys collection, “Dune,” “Fanny and Alexander,...

Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch are ready to duke it out in satirical divorce comedy “The Roses.” The remake of 1989 feature “War of the Roses,” which starred “Romancing the Stone” alums Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner, “The Roses” will be written by “Poor Things” screenwriter Tony McNamara, marking a reunion between the screenwriter and “The Favourite” Academy Award winner Colman.

The Hollywood Reporter reports that the feature has been set up at Searchlight Pictures, with “Bombshell” director Jay Roach helming the project. “The Roses” is based on the novel published in 1981 by Warren Adler. The 1989 adaptation was directed by Danny DeVito and released by Twentieth Century Fox.

Per Searchlight, the remake’s official synopsis read: “Life seems easy for picture-perfect couple Theo (Cumberbatch) and Ivy (Colman): successful careers, great kids, an enviable sex life. But underneath the façade of the perfect family is a tinderbox of competition and resentments...

Michael Douglas is one of the most well-known actors in Hollywood. Having gained prominence with his role in the ABC series The Streets of San Francisco, the actor went on to star in several movies and series. After acquiring the rights to the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest from his father, he produced the eponymous film and won his first Academy Award for it as well.

Michael Douglas as a younger Hank Pym in Avengers: Endgame

The Basic Instinct actor refused to work with one actress, none other than 1987’s Black Widow star Debra Winger. In a recent interview, he revealed why he refused to star with the actress in one of his most successful movies.

Debra Winger Bit Michael Douglas’ Arm as a Joke

Michael Douglas starred alongside Kathleen Turner in the 1984 action-adventure rom-com Romancing the Stone. The movie was a commercial hit with a worldwide gross of $115 million,...

As she ascended the Hollywood ladder in the late 2000s, Emily Blunt was a rising star who worked at the forefront of modern cinema and appeared in movies like The Young Victoria and The Devil Wears Prada. The Into the Woods actress’ recent performances in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer have further cemented her status among the greatest actors of our time.

Moreover, her acclaimed performance led to her being nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award. Well, as she becomes a more important icon in modern cinema, Blunt has begun to share her thoughts on the industry, revealing her top four films during a SXSW Q&a session.

Emily Blunt in Oppenheimer

Surprisingly enough, though, none of these works belong to the Interstellar director.

Emily Blunt’s 4 Favorite Movies: No Room for Christopher Nolan?

With a diverse taste in movies, Emily Blunt’s all-time favorite is a reflection of her own bright choices,...

Poor Things, Oppenheimer and Saltburn took top film honors at the 28th annual Art Directors Guild Awards tonight. The Neighborhood and New Girl actor Max Greenfield hosted the show from Ovation Hollywood’s Ray Dolby Ballroom. Check out the full winners list below.

Oppenheimer‘s Ruth De Jong and Poor Things’ James Price and Shona Heath will face off for Best Production Design at the Academy Awards next month. They’ll go up against the production designers and set decorators behind Barbie, Killers of the Flower Moon and Napoleon.

The Art Directors Guild divides its top film prizes into Fantasy, Period and Contemporary Feature categories, which went to Poor Things, Oppenheimer and Saltburn, respectively. Since the trophy show launched in 1996, the winner of one of those has gone on to win the Art Direction/Production Design Oscar in 18 of the 27 years. It had a run of nine in a row snapped last year,...

Network crime procedurals are a dime a dozen, so what led to "Bones" taking off the way it did? It helped that Hart Hanson's series had a sense of humor about itself, combining terrifying serial killer storylines with episodes about alleged deaths by chupacabra or FBI agent Seeley Booth (David Boreanaz) and forensics expert Temperance "Bones" Brennan (Emily Deschanel) donning ludicrous wigs to go undercover at a demolition derby. But above all else, "Bones" was more interested in the home lives of the Jeffersonian Institute's employees than their field and lab work.

To be sure, Boreanaz and Deschanel's chemistry kept viewers hooked, even after Booth and Bones finally abandoned their will-they-or-won't-they rumba to get married, settle down, and start a family. Not that the series gradually evolved into a rom-com disguised as a show about solving murder cases -- it was always that! Really, if there was ever even...

British filmmaker Matthew Vaughn’s helmed a gonzo fantasy with a cross-dressing Robert De Niro, a vigilante superhero flick with a foul-mouthed, killer kid, and a delirious spin on Bond with Colin Firth. But Argylle, his $200 million globe-trotting espionage thriller, has proven to be his most divisive film yet.

The film follows Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), a novelist/homebody whose series of spy books about Aubrey Argylle (Henry Cavill) have captured the public’s imagination. One day, she encounters an actual superspy, Aidan (Sam Rockwell), on a train who...

Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) and Aidan (Sam Rockwell) in ‘Argylle’ (Photo Credit: Peter Mountain / Universal Pictures; Apple Original Films; and Marv)

Argylle isn’t likely to gain the fame and following of other fictional spies like James Bond, Jack Ryan, and Jason Bourne. The slick, charming spy with a weird box haircut is introduced in director Matthew Vaughn’s 2024 action comedy as the creation of reclusive author Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard).

The PG-13 film begins with the titular character (Henry Cavill) trapped in a room with multiple assassins. He quickly uses his skills and a smoke screen to escape and gives chase to a double agent (Dua Lipa) trying to flee the country.

Cut to Conway who’s doing a celebrity author reading to help publicize her latest novel. To her fans, Elly seems to have it all. Her writing’s so descriptive and realistic that fans even...

Argylle, directed by Matthew Vaughn, has received mostly negative reviews, setting the stage for a potentially disappointing opening weekend. The film's poorly written plot and muddled story are common complaints among top critics, who find it lacking in originality. Argylle's attempts at comedy fall flat, with many jokes struggling to land, leaving viewers unsatisfied with the film's comedic moments.

The mostly negative reviews for Argylle have set the stage for a potentially disappointing opening weekend for the new spy thriller at the start of the February 2024 box office. Directed by Matthew Vaughn, who is celebrated for his highly entertaining 2010s films, including Kick-Ass (2010), X-Men: First Class (2011), and Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014), Argylle seemingly has all the ingredients to become one of the year's best theatrical experiences. Many top critics have found this not to be the case, as the star-studded and very expensive blockbuster has not lived up to its...

For the past decade, "Kick-Ass" and "X-Men: First Class" director Matthew Vaughn has been entrenched in the world of high-class spies, thanks to the "Kingsman" franchise. Though "Argylle" keeps the filmmaker firmly in the spy action genre, the film offers Vaughn the chance to venture into somewhat different territory thanks to the movie's many twists and turns, including a couple of showstopping action sequences, the likes of which you've never seen on the big screen before. But we're getting ahead of ourselves.

On the surface, "Argylle" takes cues from movies like 1984's "Romancing the Stone" and the more recent "The Lost City," each featuring stories where a female novelist becomes entrenched in exactly the kind of real action and adventure that she's only imagined in the pages of books. This time, it's Bryce Dallas Howard as Elly Conway, the author behind the successful, ongoing spy novel series "Argylle." Elly has...

What looks like diamonds but on closer inspection turns out to be little more than reams of cheap polyester? Why, argyle, of course — that preppy pattern found on socks and sweaters, and an apt name for the latest kooky spy caper from Matthew Vaughn. The erstwhile “Kick-Ass” director has been trapped in “Kingsman” mode for so long (going on a decade now) that it feels like we’ve lost him to that kind of live-action cartoon forever, cramming Gen Z James Bond riffs with disco music and outrageous greenscreen shenanigans.

“Argylle” boasts an entirely new set of characters, but sticks to Vaughn’s CG-exaggerated aesthetic as hacky spy novelist Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard) gets pulled into a scheme nearly identical to the one she described in her bestselling series of books. She invented a character called Agent Argylle who’s uncovered a secret division of rogue agents, creatively named the Division.

Say what you will about “Kingsman” (I’m a fan), but Matthew Vaughn’s 2014 spy movie built to an undeniably gonzo climax that took hours of careful tone-setting to earn and a wild imagination to execute. A quick, spoilery refresher for those of you who don’t share my sophisticated appreciation for pure cinema: A computer chip — implanted into the flesh of the rich and powerful in order to save them from a global culling — suddenly backfires, triggering hundreds or thousands of spectacular deaths around the planet that peak with then-president Barack Obama’s head erupting off his body in a rainbow gas explosion of cartoon death. It’s the kind of denouement that helps make sense of the silliness that led up to it, and recontextualizes the movie’s irreverent pastiche as a necessary path towards pop absurdism.

Say what you will about “Argylle” (meh), but Matthew Vaughn’s...