Several years ago, Mark Harris began feeling a little self-conscious about a gap in his film-history knowledge. As a journalist for Entertainment Weekly, New York Magazine and the late, lamented Web site Grantland, among others, he'd covered the waterfront of contemporary moviemaking. As an author, his book Pictures at a Revolution dissected the moment in the late 1960s when the last gasp of the Golden Age studio system gave way to what become known as "New Hollywood." Ask him about the works of legends like, say, John Ford and Frank Capra,...
- 4/1/2017
- Rollingstone.com
‘Five Came Back’ Review: A Cinephile’s Dream Documentary Becomes Enthralling for Everyone on Netflix
War is driven by conflict, and conflict is an endless source for new narratives. So that many of our greatest filmmakers, at some point, find reason to tell a war story makes all the sense in the world. Their greatness and their films’ greatness feels equally preordained. Steven Spielberg made “Saving Private Ryan” and “Schindler’s List”; Francis Ford Coppola made “Apocalypse Now”; Lawrence Kasdan wrote “The Empire Strikes Back”; Paul Greengrass had “Green Zone” and “United 93”; and Guillermo del Toro took war into the future with “Pacific Rim.”
These five filmmakers would have plenty to say regarding the motivations of making war films all on their own, but “Five Came Back” isn’t focused on these five legendary filmmakers. The three-hour documentary written by Mark Harris (and based on his book) features these legendary men paying homage to the legends who preceded them; not only as directors or directors of war movies,...
These five filmmakers would have plenty to say regarding the motivations of making war films all on their own, but “Five Came Back” isn’t focused on these five legendary filmmakers. The three-hour documentary written by Mark Harris (and based on his book) features these legendary men paying homage to the legends who preceded them; not only as directors or directors of war movies,...
- 3/31/2017
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Every week, IndieWire asks a select handful of film and TV critics two questions and publishes the results on Monday. (The answer to the second, “What is the best film in theaters right now?”, can be found at the end of this post.)
This week’s question: In dubious honor of “Fifty Shades Darker,” what is the most ridiculous sex scene from a movie?
Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC), Vulture/Film Comment
I’m sure others will easily top this, but I always think of Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone in the terrible 1994 action film “The Specialist,” having laboriously glossy, oiled, carefully pube-concealing, solemn, positionally exhausting intercourse while mouthing tedious expository dialogue in a shower that appears to be the size of a studio apartment. The 90s were a boom time for bad movie sex, and this is Hall of Fame level in that so much money, time and effort has gone...
This week’s question: In dubious honor of “Fifty Shades Darker,” what is the most ridiculous sex scene from a movie?
Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC), Vulture/Film Comment
I’m sure others will easily top this, but I always think of Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone in the terrible 1994 action film “The Specialist,” having laboriously glossy, oiled, carefully pube-concealing, solemn, positionally exhausting intercourse while mouthing tedious expository dialogue in a shower that appears to be the size of a studio apartment. The 90s were a boom time for bad movie sex, and this is Hall of Fame level in that so much money, time and effort has gone...
- 2/13/2017
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Author: Zehra Phelan
Back in 2015, Britain witnessed a robbery that could have been straight out of the movies. It was a throwback crime to the days of the Great Train Robbery of 1963, a crime which made the likes of Buster Edwards and Ronnie Biggs household names. It was only a matter of time before this new story was adapted for the big screen and The Hatton Garden Job is just that film.
The Hatton Garden Job is directed by Tower Block and I Am Soldier writer and director Ronnie Thompson, though looking at the new trailer anyone would think this has a touch of Guy Ritchie about it. The cast is none too shabby either; the gang of aging criminals is lead by Brian Reader who is played by Larry Lamb who may be most recognisable as Gavin’s Dad in Gavin and Stacey. He also had the evil role...
Back in 2015, Britain witnessed a robbery that could have been straight out of the movies. It was a throwback crime to the days of the Great Train Robbery of 1963, a crime which made the likes of Buster Edwards and Ronnie Biggs household names. It was only a matter of time before this new story was adapted for the big screen and The Hatton Garden Job is just that film.
The Hatton Garden Job is directed by Tower Block and I Am Soldier writer and director Ronnie Thompson, though looking at the new trailer anyone would think this has a touch of Guy Ritchie about it. The cast is none too shabby either; the gang of aging criminals is lead by Brian Reader who is played by Larry Lamb who may be most recognisable as Gavin’s Dad in Gavin and Stacey. He also had the evil role...
- 1/27/2017
- by Zehra Phelan
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
“Suicide Squad” is a movie so spectacularly awful that it’s tempting to see it as a malignant singularity. But in the context of a summer that’s produced a nearly unbroken string of lackluster-at-best blockbusters, it looks more like a perfect storm, the product of everything that’s wrong with studio filmmaking happening at the same time. Like the movie’s “Team X,” which gathers together the world’s most notorious criminals, “Suicide Squad” is the worst of the worst — but it’s not alone, and that makes it indicative of a larger problem.
As Kim Masters points out in her account of the movie’s troubled production in The Hollywood Reporter, the tempestuous backstory “barely stands out in today’s landscape.” Perhaps more alarming than Warner Bros.’ last-ditch attempts to salvage “Suicide Squad” are all the similarly uninspired summer tentpoles that apparently failed to set off alarm bells.
As Kim Masters points out in her account of the movie’s troubled production in The Hollywood Reporter, the tempestuous backstory “barely stands out in today’s landscape.” Perhaps more alarming than Warner Bros.’ last-ditch attempts to salvage “Suicide Squad” are all the similarly uninspired summer tentpoles that apparently failed to set off alarm bells.
- 8/4/2016
- by Sam Adams
- Indiewire
Bless Viola Davis forever
A TMZ reporter asks her if Suicide Squad will net her another Oscar nod. Her face at this question! Her quote while laughing:
No. But that's okay. I'll stick with it.
We'll take it she means acting and not critically lambasted supervillain movies. P.S. Have you heard about the hilarious petition to shut down Rotten Tomatoes because of Suicide Squad's abyssmal approval percentage (worse than Batman v Superman's score!). I guess we need a PSA on what "aggregate" means and also a PSA on how to find a good therapist in your neighborhood. In more Suicide Squad news, THR has a story about its rushed production and competing edits. Worth a read if you're curious (but just ignore that confusingly written subheader).
Showbiz
Vulture Mark Harris on the indie boom for actresses over 60: Streep, Smith, Danner, Field, Mirren and hopefully more to come.
A TMZ reporter asks her if Suicide Squad will net her another Oscar nod. Her face at this question! Her quote while laughing:
No. But that's okay. I'll stick with it.
We'll take it she means acting and not critically lambasted supervillain movies. P.S. Have you heard about the hilarious petition to shut down Rotten Tomatoes because of Suicide Squad's abyssmal approval percentage (worse than Batman v Superman's score!). I guess we need a PSA on what "aggregate" means and also a PSA on how to find a good therapist in your neighborhood. In more Suicide Squad news, THR has a story about its rushed production and competing edits. Worth a read if you're curious (but just ignore that confusingly written subheader).
Showbiz
Vulture Mark Harris on the indie boom for actresses over 60: Streep, Smith, Danner, Field, Mirren and hopefully more to come.
- 8/3/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
“The pilot and the first couple of two-hour movies were the thing that really cemented it as legitimate science fiction. … Then we sort of got off the rails a little bit.” — Patrick Duffy to Famous Monsters magazine
Dallas and Step By Step television star Patrick Duffy returns to his underwater roots with an all-new adventure in book form based on his first major prime-time TV show, The Man From Atlantis, to be published in June. He spoke exclusively to Famous Monsters of Filmland editor David Weiner.
From marathon underwater filming sessions in which he had to hold his breath for up to two minutes at a time to those revealing yellow swim trunks — and how they “neutralized” his gender details for television — the candid Duffy reflects on his classic ’70s show and also previews his new novel — with plans to write a trilogy — based on Man From Atlantis.
Duffy with...
Dallas and Step By Step television star Patrick Duffy returns to his underwater roots with an all-new adventure in book form based on his first major prime-time TV show, The Man From Atlantis, to be published in June. He spoke exclusively to Famous Monsters of Filmland editor David Weiner.
From marathon underwater filming sessions in which he had to hold his breath for up to two minutes at a time to those revealing yellow swim trunks — and how they “neutralized” his gender details for television — the candid Duffy reflects on his classic ’70s show and also previews his new novel — with plans to write a trilogy — based on Man From Atlantis.
Duffy with...
- 5/25/2016
- by Harker Jones
- FamousMonsters of Filmland
While I update the charts I asked the team to share their single favorite Oscar nomination of the day. And I hope you'll pick a single nomination to praise in the comments to. What most delighted you?
And now the favorite things hoopla begins...
Mad Max: Fury Road - Best Picture
Back in May, critics and cinephiles, myself included, fell in love with Mad Max: Fury Road. It wasn’t just lust or infatuation. It was the kind of love that breeds doubt that others could see in the movie what we saw. Perhaps for that reason, a chorus of moans immediately went up about how not only is the Academy so often forgetful of Spring films, but that Mad Max was probably too fun, too action-y, too daring, hell, too feminist, for the academy to acknowledge it come Oscar season. Then, over the course of the summer, it didn...
And now the favorite things hoopla begins...
Mad Max: Fury Road - Best Picture
Back in May, critics and cinephiles, myself included, fell in love with Mad Max: Fury Road. It wasn’t just lust or infatuation. It was the kind of love that breeds doubt that others could see in the movie what we saw. Perhaps for that reason, a chorus of moans immediately went up about how not only is the Academy so often forgetful of Spring films, but that Mad Max was probably too fun, too action-y, too daring, hell, too feminist, for the academy to acknowledge it come Oscar season. Then, over the course of the summer, it didn...
- 1/14/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
New York Post has wise words for Netflix on their strange feet dragging for Season 2 of Jessica Jones
Slate Movie Club 2015 closes I'm assuming you read all 18 entries. They were A-ma-zing. My favorite Movie Club by Slate ever I think. Mark Harris, Dana Stevens, Amy Nicholson, David Ehrlich, and Dan Kois outdid themselves.
Decider great piece by Joe on the rise of the bad seen as villain in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and other blockbusters
Decider Joe also counts down the 10 times Globes were more fun than Oscars (10? This list could go to 1000) but there's a massive typo in his post because it says "7." [sic] by the part about Elizabeth Taylor slurring "Gladiaaaaator"
THR excerpt of a new interesting book "Starflacker" from a longtime PR pro Dick Guttman
The Guardian Anthony Hopkins and Sir Ian McKellen remade the Oscar nominated film The Dresser (1983) for the BBC in 2015- how did I miss this news?...
Slate Movie Club 2015 closes I'm assuming you read all 18 entries. They were A-ma-zing. My favorite Movie Club by Slate ever I think. Mark Harris, Dana Stevens, Amy Nicholson, David Ehrlich, and Dan Kois outdid themselves.
Decider great piece by Joe on the rise of the bad seen as villain in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and other blockbusters
Decider Joe also counts down the 10 times Globes were more fun than Oscars (10? This list could go to 1000) but there's a massive typo in his post because it says "7." [sic] by the part about Elizabeth Taylor slurring "Gladiaaaaator"
THR excerpt of a new interesting book "Starflacker" from a longtime PR pro Dick Guttman
The Guardian Anthony Hopkins and Sir Ian McKellen remade the Oscar nominated film The Dresser (1983) for the BBC in 2015- how did I miss this news?...
- 1/9/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Rushes collects news, articles, images, videos and more for a weekly roundup of essential items from the world of film.Vilmos ZsigmondNEWSVilmos Zsigmond, 1930 - 2016: In December we lost Haskell Wexler, and now another one of cinema's great photographers has passed. Zsigmond was paramount to such films as Altman's McCabe & Mrs. Miller, Spielberg's Close Encounter of the Third Kind, Cimino's Heaven's Gate, De Palma's Blow Out, and many more. Keyframe has a roundup.After many, many years under construction the new home of the Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive (Bampfa) will open in Berkeley, CA on January 31. "For the first time in sixteen years, Bampfa film screenings will take place under the same roof as the institution’s art galleries." Included in the announcement is the terrific news that the Pfa "will expand the number of film screenings it presents, hosting programs 52 weeks per year." Retrospectives devoted to Maurice Pialat,...
- 1/6/2016
- by Notebook
- MUBI
Av Club deep screen capture to reveal how well constructed shots in Divergent dont make for a good film
BuzzFeed great essay on the current relevancy of Before Sunrise (1995) and instant nostalgia
Heat Vision Tyrese Gibson obsessed with playing Green Lantern in a film that's at least 5 years away based on a character already ruined by the movies
Decider 10 essential movies about nuns from our beloved Black Narcissus to less impressive but famous offerings like Doubt
HuffPo Adam Scott and Jason Schwarzmann discuss their prosthetic penises in The Overnight. (Takeaway: no actor will ever truly be naked again onscreen. That's only for actresses)
THR talks to the director of Book of Life - though disappointed by the lack of an Oscar nomination, he cherishes stories from fans about how it effected their families
Towleroad arts teacher in Texas does "Uptown Funk" with students. Cute. But I only share it because...
BuzzFeed great essay on the current relevancy of Before Sunrise (1995) and instant nostalgia
Heat Vision Tyrese Gibson obsessed with playing Green Lantern in a film that's at least 5 years away based on a character already ruined by the movies
Decider 10 essential movies about nuns from our beloved Black Narcissus to less impressive but famous offerings like Doubt
HuffPo Adam Scott and Jason Schwarzmann discuss their prosthetic penises in The Overnight. (Takeaway: no actor will ever truly be naked again onscreen. That's only for actresses)
THR talks to the director of Book of Life - though disappointed by the lack of an Oscar nomination, he cherishes stories from fans about how it effected their families
Towleroad arts teacher in Texas does "Uptown Funk" with students. Cute. But I only share it because...
- 1/29/2015
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Good morning! It's just three days until Christmas. Three! To note that I am unprepared is to state, shrugging, 'he thinks movies are alright'
I mean we haven't even started the Year in Review! Rectifying. Rectifying.
This is the kind of time frame wherein you need little friendly woodland animals to be doing all your busy work so that you can focus on the important things like Going to the Ball. I illustrate twitter collections with a picture of birds and today Cinderella seemed natural since Into the Woods is soon upon us. I hadn't really thought about this before but Cinderella is supposed to have this miserable indentured servant life but look at that view from her bedroom window! Talk about a room with a view... that's prime real estate. Shouldn't she be sleeping in the cellar or something?
Herewith some tweets that amused, edified, or otherwise cocked a...
I mean we haven't even started the Year in Review! Rectifying. Rectifying.
This is the kind of time frame wherein you need little friendly woodland animals to be doing all your busy work so that you can focus on the important things like Going to the Ball. I illustrate twitter collections with a picture of birds and today Cinderella seemed natural since Into the Woods is soon upon us. I hadn't really thought about this before but Cinderella is supposed to have this miserable indentured servant life but look at that view from her bedroom window! Talk about a room with a view... that's prime real estate. Shouldn't she be sleeping in the cellar or something?
Herewith some tweets that amused, edified, or otherwise cocked a...
- 12/22/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Mark Harris proclaims that the new film 'Birdman" will change the career of veteran actor Michael Keaton. Even better for audiences: "it will blow your mind." With an eccentric and artistic cover for this week's edition, the story says the character of Riggan Thomson is a "thinly fictionalized version" of Keaton himself. He helped create the modern-day superhero genre 25 years ago by starring for director Tim Burton in "Batman" and then "Batman Returns." In the exclusive interview, he says that he hasn't seen any of the more recent Christopher Nolan Batman movies all the way through and has "zero interest" in that. Keaton has never been nominated at the Oscars but is starting to gain serious traction. Entertainment Weekly -Break- Join the lively film and TV discussions going on right now in the Gold Derby message boards Chris Branch interviews actor Jai Courtney about the upcoming Angelina Jolie film &q.
- 10/9/2014
- Gold Derby
Boy Culture counts down 100 best Golden Girls guest spots - movie stars of yore!
The Daily Beast has an excellent piece on Tammy and Melissa McCarthy's career and body (also body of work) by Teo Bugbee
New Yorker thorough piece on the arguments for and against VOD for indies and the question of "cultural endurance" (I'm against VOD in general but I recognize that's probably because I live in NYC where I can actually see the movies and I think moviegoing is so much more immersive than watching things at home)
Me Says considers Notes on a Scandal (2006) the Whatever Happened to Baby Jane of our time
Bad-Ass Digest on Exodus: Gods and Kings' 'white men with bronzer' cast. Will it finally crystallize the white-wash problem for people who still don't get it?
Nathaniel R and have you seen that tacky black&white-in-color poster?
EW Dick Jones the...
The Daily Beast has an excellent piece on Tammy and Melissa McCarthy's career and body (also body of work) by Teo Bugbee
New Yorker thorough piece on the arguments for and against VOD for indies and the question of "cultural endurance" (I'm against VOD in general but I recognize that's probably because I live in NYC where I can actually see the movies and I think moviegoing is so much more immersive than watching things at home)
Me Says considers Notes on a Scandal (2006) the Whatever Happened to Baby Jane of our time
Bad-Ass Digest on Exodus: Gods and Kings' 'white men with bronzer' cast. Will it finally crystallize the white-wash problem for people who still don't get it?
Nathaniel R and have you seen that tacky black&white-in-color poster?
EW Dick Jones the...
- 7/9/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Despite great reviews, Edge Of Tomorrow has struggled. What does that mean for the future of stand-alone sci-fi films, we wonder...
Feature
Five years ago, sci-fi cinema enjoyed a remarkable period of critical and financial success. Avatar came out at the end of 2009, made billions, garnered nine Oscar nominations, and won three. District 9 had emerged that same summer, where it made more than $200m and received four Oscar nominations. Then there was Moon, Duncan Jones' low-budget genre film which launched his filmmaking career.
In the summer of 2010, along came Inception - Christopher Nolan's high-concept sci-fi thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Ahead of its release, Nolan's industry clout was at its height following the financial success and acclaim of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Yet Inception was seen by many as a risky undertaking - a $160m passion project Nolan had managed to set up because Warner was...
Feature
Five years ago, sci-fi cinema enjoyed a remarkable period of critical and financial success. Avatar came out at the end of 2009, made billions, garnered nine Oscar nominations, and won three. District 9 had emerged that same summer, where it made more than $200m and received four Oscar nominations. Then there was Moon, Duncan Jones' low-budget genre film which launched his filmmaking career.
In the summer of 2010, along came Inception - Christopher Nolan's high-concept sci-fi thriller starring Leonardo DiCaprio. Ahead of its release, Nolan's industry clout was at its height following the financial success and acclaim of Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Yet Inception was seen by many as a risky undertaking - a $160m passion project Nolan had managed to set up because Warner was...
- 6/11/2014
- by ryanlambie
- Den of Geek
Entertainment Weekly Mark Harris sounded off on horror television like Hannibal and The Walking Dead "with gore less is more"
La Times treasure trove of silent films found in Amsterdam including Mickey Rooney's first film role at age six
The Playlist interviews Denis Villeneuve (Enemy, Prisoners) on working with Jake Gyllenhaal, and his future projects
The Wire watching Noah during the Los Angeles earthquake
Playbill talks to F Murray Abraham about his career resurgence at 74
Variety Spain's Malaga festival reveals its winners. Maybe we should look at some of these as Oscar submission possibilities
Salon a new book makes the case for Wonder Woman as one of the greatest superheroes
The Wrap Game of Thrones and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty win the very first "Location Manager" awards - both shot partially in Iceland which is where it's at lately but more on Iceland in a special series...
La Times treasure trove of silent films found in Amsterdam including Mickey Rooney's first film role at age six
The Playlist interviews Denis Villeneuve (Enemy, Prisoners) on working with Jake Gyllenhaal, and his future projects
The Wire watching Noah during the Los Angeles earthquake
Playbill talks to F Murray Abraham about his career resurgence at 74
Variety Spain's Malaga festival reveals its winners. Maybe we should look at some of these as Oscar submission possibilities
Salon a new book makes the case for Wonder Woman as one of the greatest superheroes
The Wrap Game of Thrones and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty win the very first "Location Manager" awards - both shot partially in Iceland which is where it's at lately but more on Iceland in a special series...
- 3/31/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
It was pretty much an average week for me in the movie watching department as I managed to get four films under my belt over the last few days and I hope to watch something tonight since there isn't any football this weekend (no, the Pro Bowl doesn't count) to give me five movies in total. At home I watched La Dolce Vita (which was the topic of discussion in my first ever Best Movies feature), Zatoichi's Cane Sword (my 15th Zatoichi film so far) and a screener of Big Bad Wolves (which I then reviewed right here). Then, in theaters, I saw Draft Day, which won't be released until April so I'm not sure how much I can say about it. It stars Kevin Costner and Jennifer Garner and they are clearly hoping to use the May 8-10 NFL Draft as a catalyst to get more butts in the seats.
- 1/26/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
With no new reviews this week today's Friday episode is one topic after another as well as several of your questions. We discuss Mark Harris' article describing what he calls "The Nolan Effect" on the Oscar race as the Academy has moved to five nominees, we go on a tangent talking about ebook prices vs. print book prices, truth in movies, movie snacks, several of your questions, Jonah Hill talking about meeting Joe Pesci and much, much more. If you are on Twitter, we have a Twitter account dedicated to the podcast at @bnlpod. Give us a follow won'tchac I want to remind you that you can call in and leave us your comments, thoughts, questions, etc. directly on our Google Voice account, which you can call and leave a message for us at (925) 526-5763, which may be even easier to remember at (925) 5-bnl-pod. Just call, leave us a...
- 1/24/2014
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
Once I saw the Zatoichi Blu-ray set from Criterion was on sale at Barnes & Noble it immediately became a hot item on my Christmas wish list. Thankfully, even at the ripe age of 36, my mother still asks what I would like for Christmas... Zatoichi it was and I couldn't be happier, the set is amazing! I can't remember exactly, but I think I watched the first six Zatoichi films on Hulu Plus earlier this year, but once I received the set there was no chance I wasn't starting from the beginning and working my way through. I managed to watch the first three so far -- The Tale of Zatoichi, The Tale of Zatoichi Continues and New Tale of Zatoichi -- and I really can't wait to get to Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo, but that's still 16 movies away. Speaking of Yojimbo, or Toshiro Mifune to be more accurate, I also just received for review,...
- 12/29/2013
- by Brad Brevet
- Rope of Silicon
In a typically astute essay written for the March edition of GQ, Mark Harris muses on the qualities that make and sustain a movie star in the current Hollywood climate, and hit upon the contrasting fates of Channing Tatum and Taylor Kitsch last year to prove his point. Both actors began 2012 on the brink of stardom, with multiple mainstream releases ahead of them poised to do the job. But only Tatum made good on the promise, with a series of well-chosen leads in overperforming mid-size projects, while Kitsch's vehicles ("Battleship," "John Carter," "Savages") were all high-profile clunkers that did little...
- 4/10/2013
- by Guy Lodge
- Hitfix
Earlier this year, a scary thing happened to Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone: They became expendable for audiences, at least when starring in movies not called "The Expendables."
Schwarzengger, 65, back in front of the camera in a leading role for the first time since 2003's "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" weathered his worst opening in 27 years with "The Last Stand." The action film earned just over $12 million overall, a tally even lower than Schwarzenegger's much-maligned 1996 flop "Jingle All The Way" grossed during its opening weekend. Stallone, 66, didn't fare much better with "Bullet to the Head," which earned just $9.4 million at the North American box office, roughly three times less than the Stallone bomb "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot" pulled down in 1992. Added together, "The Last Stand" and "Bullet to the Head" totaled $21 million in North America, a far cry from the $85 million the pair earned together in "The Expendables 2" last August.
Schwarzengger, 65, back in front of the camera in a leading role for the first time since 2003's "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines" weathered his worst opening in 27 years with "The Last Stand." The action film earned just over $12 million overall, a tally even lower than Schwarzenegger's much-maligned 1996 flop "Jingle All The Way" grossed during its opening weekend. Stallone, 66, didn't fare much better with "Bullet to the Head," which earned just $9.4 million at the North American box office, roughly three times less than the Stallone bomb "Stop! Or My Mom Will Shoot" pulled down in 1992. Added together, "The Last Stand" and "Bullet to the Head" totaled $21 million in North America, a far cry from the $85 million the pair earned together in "The Expendables 2" last August.
- 3/28/2013
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
Welcome to the Annual Tfe Oscar Symposium! The Film Experience is proud to introduce the following guests (in alpha order): Ali Arikan chief film critic for Dipnot TV; Nick Davis Assistant Professor of English and Gender Studies at Northwestern University and the brilliant mind behind Nick's Flick Picks; Mark Harris author of the instant classic "Pictures at a Revolution: Five Movies and the Birth of New Hollywood" and Oscarmetrics columnist at Grantland; Kurt Osenlund Managing Editor at Slant Magazine's The House Next Door. And I'm Nathaniel Rogers, of course, your host here at The Film Experience. We started our conversation on Sunday night and here it is for you.
Nathaniel: Gentlemen. If I had access to the Windsor font I'd list us all in alpha order in white lettering on the same black title card Woody Allen style so that there won't be any tragic Corey Stoll business where...
Nathaniel: Gentlemen. If I had access to the Windsor font I'd list us all in alpha order in white lettering on the same black title card Woody Allen style so that there won't be any tragic Corey Stoll business where...
- 2/2/2012
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
I am not one to put too much stock in "scores" for Oscar Predictions. It's more exciting to predict something fewer people saw coming and this is why, I think I'm much better at "year in advance" predictions than most pundits; I don't always embrace the "sounds good on paper" options. But there's a flip side! My willingness to take risks always hurts my stats somewhere down the line. Nevertheless we have to take stock. It's fun to survey where you soared and plummeted each year. On average I'm completely happy with my track record. Here are my hits and misses!
I had a sensational batting average with Moneyball
My Perfect Scores
Supporting Actress. I knew Janet McTeer was stronger than people were guessing. She's a gender bender and Oscar loves drag. She totally steals the movie and Oscar loves Grand Theft Movie. Plus, it's a moving role with modern resonance.
I had a sensational batting average with Moneyball
My Perfect Scores
Supporting Actress. I knew Janet McTeer was stronger than people were guessing. She's a gender bender and Oscar loves drag. She totally steals the movie and Oscar loves Grand Theft Movie. Plus, it's a moving role with modern resonance.
- 1/24/2012
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Bridesmaids
The American Film Institute has announced its list of top ten American films of 2011. They are, in alphabetical order: Paul Feig's Bridesmaids, with Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph; Alexander Payne's The Descendants, with George Clooney; David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara; Tate Taylor's The Help, with Emma Stone and Viola Davis; and Martin Scorsese's Hugo, with Asa Butterfield and Ben Kingsley.
Also: Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, and Naomi Watts; Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, with Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, and Marion Cotillard; Bennett Miller's Moneyball, with Brad Pitt; Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, with Pitt, Sean Penn, and Jessica Chastain; and Steven Spielberg's War Horse, with Jeremy Irvine and Emily Watson.
As per the AFI, those movies were chosen because they...
The American Film Institute has announced its list of top ten American films of 2011. They are, in alphabetical order: Paul Feig's Bridesmaids, with Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph; Alexander Payne's The Descendants, with George Clooney; David Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara; Tate Taylor's The Help, with Emma Stone and Viola Davis; and Martin Scorsese's Hugo, with Asa Butterfield and Ben Kingsley.
Also: Clint Eastwood's J. Edgar, with Leonardo DiCaprio, Armie Hammer, and Naomi Watts; Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, with Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, and Marion Cotillard; Bennett Miller's Moneyball, with Brad Pitt; Terrence Malick's The Tree of Life, with Pitt, Sean Penn, and Jessica Chastain; and Steven Spielberg's War Horse, with Jeremy Irvine and Emily Watson.
As per the AFI, those movies were chosen because they...
- 12/12/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
This Just In: Brett Rattner has resigned as producer of the Oscar telecast after his gay slur this weekend at a Q&A. So we don't even need to link you to Mark Harris's sharp opinion piece about why they should fire him. Good. Let us wash our hands of this one and move on... although I'm still more worried about him ruining Wicked for all time than ruining the Oscars for one year. The Oscars survive everything.
Coming Soon we're going to get a youth-centric fictional film about the adventures of the young Leonardo da Vinci.
Hollywood Reporter interviews the recipients of the upcoming honorary Oscars including Her Oprahness
Tom and Lorenzo object to this new pictorial of Chloe Moretz
Vgl Bruce Weber shoots Weekend star Tom Cullen (left). I think this is the most clothed I've ever seen a Weber shoot but beautiful pics. I hope Cullen...
Coming Soon we're going to get a youth-centric fictional film about the adventures of the young Leonardo da Vinci.
Hollywood Reporter interviews the recipients of the upcoming honorary Oscars including Her Oprahness
Tom and Lorenzo object to this new pictorial of Chloe Moretz
Vgl Bruce Weber shoots Weekend star Tom Cullen (left). I think this is the most clothed I've ever seen a Weber shoot but beautiful pics. I hope Cullen...
- 11/9/2011
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Pittsburgh and other postindustrial cities are a fitting location for cinema's dystopian futures
Christopher Nolan's decision to film his third Batman movie on location in Pittsburgh has a perfectly rational business explanation. Many rustbelt cities, including Pittsburgh, Detroit (Transformers 3), and Cleveland (Spider-Man 3), are cheaper alternatives to New York and Chicago, offering tax-breaks to film companies that, in turn, meld their visually striking downtowns into larger-looking places with post-production wizardry. (Reports suggest that other locations, in Los Angeles and even London, may be amalgamated with Pittsburgh for this new Gotham City.)
Yet this region of America, with its grandly tumbledown cities and postindustrial landscapes, seems a fitting location for Nolanesque creepshows. When searching for locations for The Road, the filmed adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel about the end of the world in nuclear winter, the producers felt no need to add much CGI to the area outside Pittsburgh in winter.
Christopher Nolan's decision to film his third Batman movie on location in Pittsburgh has a perfectly rational business explanation. Many rustbelt cities, including Pittsburgh, Detroit (Transformers 3), and Cleveland (Spider-Man 3), are cheaper alternatives to New York and Chicago, offering tax-breaks to film companies that, in turn, meld their visually striking downtowns into larger-looking places with post-production wizardry. (Reports suggest that other locations, in Los Angeles and even London, may be amalgamated with Pittsburgh for this new Gotham City.)
Yet this region of America, with its grandly tumbledown cities and postindustrial landscapes, seems a fitting location for Nolanesque creepshows. When searching for locations for The Road, the filmed adaptation of Cormac McCarthy's novel about the end of the world in nuclear winter, the producers felt no need to add much CGI to the area outside Pittsburgh in winter.
- 4/12/2011
- The Guardian - Film News
For those of us that love movies, it's not surprising that the quality of movies made in Hollywood these days has gone down, and it's getting worse. Sure, the special effects are awesome, but where the hell did the story go? The script and story used to be the key element to making movies, and it still should be! But, it's those two important things that have taken a back seat in todays movie world. These days studios are are throwing movies into production without a script, and they write it as the movie is being filmed. That's not right. Star power and special effects are used to cover up all of the faults, bad dialogue and story holes. Sometimes it works! Tron: Legacy is a perfect example of how I was duped into liking the movie. The script and story were awful, but the music and special effects were awesome.
- 2/19/2011
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
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