The Challenge is making the jump from MTV to CBS.
Paramount announced a series order for The Challenge: CBS, which will air in the Summer.
The series features “reality titans from the CBS universe will compete in the most unpredictable and demanding game of their lives.”
The contestants in the series would be vying for a spot on The Challenge's War of the Worlds championship event series on Paramount+.
They would compete against contestants from the just announced The Challenge: Argentina, The Challenge: Australia, and The Challenge: UK.
The Challenge is going global, and this could be a great way to introduce new competitors into the franchise.
MTV used to have feeder shows to bring new blood into The Challenge, but in recent years, we've had contestants from Big Brother, Shipwrecked, Survivor, and Love Island.
The franchise remains a big draw, so it makes sense to go...
Paramount announced a series order for The Challenge: CBS, which will air in the Summer.
The series features “reality titans from the CBS universe will compete in the most unpredictable and demanding game of their lives.”
The contestants in the series would be vying for a spot on The Challenge's War of the Worlds championship event series on Paramount+.
They would compete against contestants from the just announced The Challenge: Argentina, The Challenge: Australia, and The Challenge: UK.
The Challenge is going global, and this could be a great way to introduce new competitors into the franchise.
MTV used to have feeder shows to bring new blood into The Challenge, but in recent years, we've had contestants from Big Brother, Shipwrecked, Survivor, and Love Island.
The franchise remains a big draw, so it makes sense to go...
- 2/16/2022
- by Paul Dailly
- TVfanatic
Hey, "Elementary" fans. We hope you guys enjoyed tonight's episode 9. Now that it's officially aired and completed, it's time to see what is going to be taking place in next week's brand new episode 10. The wonderful folks over at CBS delivered some new teaser descriptions as usual via their official press release for this 10th installment. We will definitely be referencing their press release for this spoiler session. To get things started, there is indeed a title for this new episode 10. CBS' press release revealed that the title is called, "The Latest Model." It sounds like episode 10 will feature some pretty interesting and possible dramatic scenes as Holmes and Watson get asked to collaborate on a new invention with Odin Reichenbach. Odin causes great concern for Holmes and Watson and more! We'll go ahead and start off this spoiler session with the invention part of this plotline. It turns out...
- 7/19/2019
- by Derek Smith
- OnTheFlix
Mating season is finally here on Siren Season 2 Episode 13.
The mermaids' population is dwindling, and reproduction has become a necessity to prevent the species from going extinct.
Related: Siren Review: Ryn Leads An Underwater Expedition
But as viewers know, reproduction on land and reproduction in the water isn't the same by any means. In other words, things get sparkly very fast.
No, this isn't Twilight, and no Ryn isn't glowing because she's out in the sun.
Viewers may not have learned too much about the mermaid's mating season, but the show did do a good job of portraying how different bodily functions are for mermaids and humans.
Related: Fanatic Feed: Euphoria Fate Revealed, Courteney Cox Sets TV Return, and More!
Reproduction in the water isn't done for pleasure, but rather, it's something the mermaids see as vital to keeping their species alive.
Ryn: We are many seasons without babies.
Ben: No one's gotten pregnant?...
The mermaids' population is dwindling, and reproduction has become a necessity to prevent the species from going extinct.
Related: Siren Review: Ryn Leads An Underwater Expedition
But as viewers know, reproduction on land and reproduction in the water isn't the same by any means. In other words, things get sparkly very fast.
No, this isn't Twilight, and no Ryn isn't glowing because she's out in the sun.
Viewers may not have learned too much about the mermaid's mating season, but the show did do a good job of portraying how different bodily functions are for mermaids and humans.
Related: Fanatic Feed: Euphoria Fate Revealed, Courteney Cox Sets TV Return, and More!
Reproduction in the water isn't done for pleasure, but rather, it's something the mermaids see as vital to keeping their species alive.
Ryn: We are many seasons without babies.
Ben: No one's gotten pregnant?...
- 7/12/2019
- by Rachel Foertsch
- TVfanatic
Following months of uncertainty, MTV has confirmed that Floribama Shore will return for a third season, albeit in a slightly different location. The reality guilty pleasure will relocate from Panama City Beach, where it has called home for the past two seasons, to St. Petersburg, Fla.
Despite several of them expressing concerns at the end of Season 2, all eight original cast members — Jeremiah Buoni, Codi Butts, Kortni Gilson, Aimee Hall, Kirk Medas, Nilsa Prowant, Candace Rice, Gus Smyrnios — are expected to return for Season 3, which will film this summer and premiere this fall.
Smyrnios has proven himself to be Floribama‘s breakout cast member,...
Despite several of them expressing concerns at the end of Season 2, all eight original cast members — Jeremiah Buoni, Codi Butts, Kortni Gilson, Aimee Hall, Kirk Medas, Nilsa Prowant, Candace Rice, Gus Smyrnios — are expected to return for Season 3, which will film this summer and premiere this fall.
Smyrnios has proven himself to be Floribama‘s breakout cast member,...
- 6/11/2019
- TVLine.com
Nicole Polizzi, better known as Snooki from Jersey Shore, is expecting her third child with husband Jionni Lavalle. Snooki’s pregnancy was teased on a recent episode of Jersey Shore Family Vacation but now, she’s confirmed that it’s the real deal. For weeks, Jersey Shore fans have been speculating about the state of Snooki’s uterus and it looks like she’s finally ready to let the cat out of the bag. It all started on Jersey Shore Family Vacation when Snooki, who had been partying with her MTV co-stars pretty hard, got sick and suggested almost immediately that she may be pregnant. […]
The post Snooki is pregnant! Jersey Shore star expecting third child with Jionni Lavalle appeared first on Monsters and Critics.
The post Snooki is pregnant! Jersey Shore star expecting third child with Jionni Lavalle appeared first on Monsters and Critics.
- 11/22/2018
- by Shaunee Flowers
- Monsters and Critics
Party’s over: Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, who shot to fame as a cast member on MTV’s reality hit Jersey Shore, was sentenced to eight months in prison on Friday after pleading guilty to tax evasion. Sorrentino was sentenced to two years supervised release to follow his prison stint, according to EW.com; he’ll also have to complete 500 hours of community service and pay back restitution and a $10,000 fine.
He pled guilty to one count of tax evasion in January, stemming from charges that he failed to pay taxes on $8.9 million of income from 2010 to 2012. (Jersey Shore, for the record,...
He pled guilty to one count of tax evasion in January, stemming from charges that he failed to pay taxes on $8.9 million of income from 2010 to 2012. (Jersey Shore, for the record,...
- 10/5/2018
- TVLine.com
Someone get Chris Harrison on the phone! Vinny Guadagnino is newly single after his split from his girlfriend Elicea Shyann earlier this year, and even though he was not quite ready to mingle yet with while filming Season 2 of Jersey Shore Family Vacation in Las Vegas, he's still open to eventually finding one lucky lady to settle down with. Since Vinny is Jersey Shore's newest eligible bachelor, it would literally be a match made in reality TV heaven if he allowed ABC to document his journey to find love on a future season of The Bachelor — and Vinny exclusively revealed to Life & Style whether he'd be open to handing out roses and finding love on a dating show. "I mean I think it would be fun. I like, make fun of The Bachelor all the time, so I would kind of like make fun of it but at the...
- 9/5/2018
- by Emma Hernandez
- Life and Style
When it comes to toxic masculinity, there are few men in the public eye who have created more controversy than Chris Brown and Jersey Shore star Ronnie Magro. Surely, a picture of the two of them together would result in an onslaught of hate. Oh wait, that actually happened. On July 17, the reality star shared a snapshot of himself alongside the rapper, Kevin Hart, and DJ Whoo Kid. While commenters were quick to dismiss Kevin Hart and DJ Whoo, they couldn’t help but comment on "the similarities" between Ronnie and Chris — unsurprisingly, it wasn’t pretty. "Doing this for years!! #Legends #AllTheBestAtWhatTheyDo&Love," Ronnie captioned the pic. A post shared by Ronnie Magro (@realronniemagro) on Jul 16, 2018 at 9:47pm Pdt "Chris Brown...the best at what? Beating women?" one fan wrote, referencing Chris Brown's domestic violence allegations. "Did you get tips from Chris on how to beat your girl?...
- 7/19/2018
- by Melissa Copelton
- Life and Style
A little meatball is on the way! Deena Cortese from Jersey Shore is pregnant and fans couldn't be happier. On July 2, the star revealed on Instagram that she and husband Christopher Buckner are expecting a baby boy. "Chris and I Decided to wait until we were ready to spill the beans! Now that we are safely into our second trimester.. us and our little monkey are ready to tell the world our little family is growing!" she wrote to her followers. "We have a sweet little boy on the way! We are truly blessed and our hearts are filled with so much joy and happiness December can’t come soon enough! Daddy and Mommy can’t wait to meet you Christopher John you are going to be the most spoiled little boy ever!!!!" A post shared by Deena (@deenanicolemtv) on Jul 2, 2018 at 8:56am Pdt This might not be too...
- 7/3/2018
- by Emma Hernandez
- Life and Style
Get crazy, get wild...go home and recoup? As amazing as the Jersey Shore experience may look on-screen, that kind of lifestyle isn’t for the faint of heart — you know, the sort of lifestyle where you drink Ron Ron Juice from dusk till dawn, surround yourself with toxic people, and make a fool out of yourself on national television. Even the most dedicated guido would need a break from that, and as it turns out, that’s exactly what has happened with certain roomies over the years. From Angelina Pivarnick leaving Jersey Shore to Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola and Vinny Guadagnino, we’re breaking down all of the times cast members said goodbye to their Gtl safe space. When did Angelina leave Jersey Shore? (Photo Credit: Giphy) Um, hello?! First of all, the Kim Kardashian of Staten Island didn’t just leave Jersey Shore once! She left the MTV reality...
- 5/31/2018
- by Melissa Copelton
- Life and Style
If you’ve been keeping up with Jersey Shore Family Vacation, you may have noticed that Jersey Shore alum Vinny Guadagnino has been working out and eating well. Remember that episode when he only ate the cheese off a slice of pizza? There was a reason for that! He attributes his weight loss to the keto diet, even calling himself a "keto guido." In a recent Instagram post, the 30-year-old shared an impressive before and after picture championing his new lifestyle. “I never posted a photo from when I was overweight, because it always embarrassed me putting it out there to millions,” he wrote. “But I know that it will help and inspire people, because I looked for the same body transformations when I was trying to lose weight and be healthy so f--k it.” So, what is this trendy weight loss diet that he and other celebs (e.g.
- 5/26/2018
- by Dan Clarendon
- Life and Style
Can exes still be friends? Not according to Vinny Guadagnino’s ex-girlfriend, Elicea Shyann. The model took to Instagram to call out the Jersey Shore star and the series for “humiliation” following the Thursday, May 17, episode of Jersey Shore Family Vacation. “Here’s some free promotion!!!! For the trash everyone loves to watch. I’m a real f---king person who wakes up Daily to more and more bulls--t and heartache,” Elicea wrote on Saturday, in a now-deleted Instagram post. “Enjoy the f--king show that is my f--king life. Ppl wonder how ppl end up in the darkest places. Here’s your answer.” According to Us Weekly, she shared a video clip from the show’s latest episode along with her message. Vinny and Elicea dated throughout the filming of Jersey Shore Family Vacation, but the reality star confirmed their split in early 2018. The couple officially ended things once production wrapped,...
- 5/22/2018
- by Dan Clarendon
- Life and Style
So, who is Vinny Guadagnino dating? No, not Ramona from Miami... that's old news. The Jersey Shore star confirmed his early 2018 split from Instagram model Elicea Shyann — the girl he was dating throughout the filming of Jersey Shore: Family Vacation. And while fans did get to meet Elicea in the premiere episode, the couple officially broke things off shortly after production wrapped — and even though he didn't use the smush room while filming, he still did some things that upset Elicia. Vinny kept his hands to himself when the guys brought back a couple of girls for some hottub time earlier in the season, but he did pick up a stripper while out at a strip club with the rest of his castmembers. He didn't grab the girl in any places he shouldn't have, but he still physically lifted her up, and he came clean to Elicea on the duck...
- 5/18/2018
- by Alex Riccardi
- Life and Style
She may have found her happily-ever-after with husband Roger Mathews, but it wasn't long ago that Jersey Shore Family Vacation star Jenni "JWoww" Farley was embroiled in legal drama with ex Tom Lippolis. She even accused him of physical abuse, and the drama got so intense, the Jersey Shore house became a refuge. Here's the backstory… In a 2011 episode of Jersey Shore After Hours, Jenni opened up about her saga with Tom, saying she was "stressed" from emotional and physical abuse. She said he tormented her, even threatening to let loose her dogs if she made a mistake. "He had control over my life," she said. "I felt like I created that monster." The reality star continued, "His insecurities got the best of him. In Long Island, he cut all my friends away from me, my family. I couldn't even go out with my girlfriends to have a drink. He had to be there.
- 5/10/2018
- by Dan Clarendon
- Life and Style
Thanks to drunken hook-ups with roommates, seemingly endless relationship drama, and a memorable duck phone that quacked instead of rang, the cast of Jersey Shore made bank during their six-season run on MTV. While each member made some serious cash, who was the richest person on Jersey Shore? The cast sure have had their financial ups and downs over the years. From now-defunct businesses and promotion deals to tax fraud and legal battles, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Jenni "JWoww" Farley, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, DJ Pauly D, Vinny Guadagnino, Sammi "Sweetheart" Giancola, Ronnie Ortiz-Magro, and the long-lost roommate Angelina Pivarnick might have more (or less!) in their bank accounts than most fans would think. Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino net worth: $300,000 Despite his relatively low net worth — at least in comparison to Mike's co-stars — The Situation was one of Jersey Shore's top earners. Like Snooki, Mike, who was known for his diabolical plans,...
- 5/3/2018
- by Steph Osmanski
- Life and Style
Watching the one and only Ronnie Ortiz-Magro in the last few episodes of Jersey Shore Family Vacation, all we can say is yikes. The clips of him flirting with, touching, and entering a bathroom with some rando chick — all while his girlfriend Jen Harley was at home pregnant with their baby — are nothing short of cringeworthy. When Jen saw inappropriate videos of Ron on Instagram and called him to be like, "Uh, what the hell, we're literally about to have a human child together," we couldn't help but feel like justice was having its day. But things got even messier when, as all of this was playing out on TV, their baby girl was born and they were breaking up Irl. And now we just rediscovered an interview Ronnie did with In Touch just a few months ago where he fully shaded the idea of a Jersey Shore reunion and having kids any time soon.
- 4/30/2018
- by Chelsea Duff
- Life and Style
Kendra Wilkinson is turning to some famous friends for support after filing for divorce from Hank Baskett. The 32-year-old Kendra on Top star posted on her Instagram Stories feed on Tuesday videos of her having lunch with Jersey Shore's Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi and Deena Cortese and later hanging out with fellow reality star and Beverly Hills, 90210 alum Tori Spelling. The latter two attended the Millennial Mamas' Mom's Night Out event in Calabasas, where Kendra lives. They were joined by women such as Kendra's Bff and co-star Jessica Hall, Beverly Hills, 90210 alum Ian Ziering's wife Erin...
- 4/11/2018
- E! Online
Can a girl live? Kailyn Lowry took to Instagram to share some more pics from her recent vacation to Jamaica — but fans criticized the Teen Mom 2 star for posting a nude photo on the social media platform. According to her followers, Kail should have considered her three boys before showing off her curves. "Jamaica had me feeling free," Kail captioned the sexy snap, which set off a mommy-shaming debate in her comments section. "You seem so desperate so you really want any of your kids seeing these when they get older? They are going to get bullied by their friends so bad," one user wrote before another added, "This is whats on your mind when your kids are present. You're a terrible mother." A post shared by Kailyn Lowry (@kaillowry) on Apr 9, 2018 at 5:40pm Pdt However, many of her longtime fans came to her defense. "Let's talk about the good things.
- 4/10/2018
- by Anna Quintana
- In Touch Weekly
The wait is almost over! Jersey Shore fans are anxiously waiting for the MTV reality series to make its triumphant return on Thursday, April 5 — and the first official trailer for Jersey Shore Family Vacation has finally arrived! It's been over five years since the final episode aired, and it seems like a lot has changed since then for Jenni "JWoww" Farley, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, Deena Cortese, Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino, Pauly "DJ Pauly D" DelVecchio, Ronnie Magro, Vinny Guadagnino, and Angelina Pivarnick. In the video, we meet Ronnie's pregnant girlfriend, Jen Harley, Sitch opens up about his legal drama, and someone is shopping for engagement rings. Mike previously told Life & Style that he planned on proposing to his longtime girlfriend, Lauren Pesce, in the near future — so we're wondering if he's next to tie the knot. Everyone else appears to be up to their old tricks, from Mvp, to team meatball,...
- 3/16/2018
- by Amber Belus
- Life and Style
Kim Kardashian West has revealed her newborn daughter’s name — and fans (including members of Hollywood) have their opinions about the infant’s unique moniker.
The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star used her app and website on Friday to share the name of her and Kanye West‘s baby girl: Chicago.
Twitter was quick to comment and/or congratulate the Kimoji creator, 37, on the name choice for the family’s newest addition, who was born via surrogate on Monday at 12:47 a.m., weighing 7 lbs., 6 oz.
Though Kardashian West didn’t explain the reasoning behind why she and her husband chose Chicago,...
The Keeping Up with the Kardashians star used her app and website on Friday to share the name of her and Kanye West‘s baby girl: Chicago.
Twitter was quick to comment and/or congratulate the Kimoji creator, 37, on the name choice for the family’s newest addition, who was born via surrogate on Monday at 12:47 a.m., weighing 7 lbs., 6 oz.
Though Kardashian West didn’t explain the reasoning behind why she and her husband chose Chicago,...
- 1/19/2018
- by Natalie Stone
- PEOPLE.com
Amid news that Mike “the Situation” Sorrentino could face over a decade in prison as he is scheduled to plead guilty in his tax case, his Jersey Shore castmate Jenni “JWoww” Farley tells People Now he’s a “different human being.”
Farley opens up about how Sorrentino has changed since the show’s initial 2009 to 2012 run, noting that she can’t wait for viewers to get to know the new “Situation” when the reboot, Jersey Shore Family Vacation, airs.
“Mike was ‘the Situation’ on the show, and he was arrogant and he was cocky and he was very full of himself,...
Farley opens up about how Sorrentino has changed since the show’s initial 2009 to 2012 run, noting that she can’t wait for viewers to get to know the new “Situation” when the reboot, Jersey Shore Family Vacation, airs.
“Mike was ‘the Situation’ on the show, and he was arrogant and he was cocky and he was very full of himself,...
- 1/17/2018
- by Lindsay Kimble
- PEOPLE.com
Samuel L. Jackson, who just might be the best actor working in American movies, delivers another suggestive, mesmerizing performance in "The Caveman's Valentine". The film -- an impressive second effort from Kasi Lemmons, whose "Eve's Bayou" displayed a fine instinct for narrative and complex characterizations -- is a highly unusual attempt to marry heavy dramatic material to a mystery-thriller format. While this marriage has its ups and downs, "Valentine" is an utterly fascinating film that probably would not work without Jackson.
The actor has developed enough of a following to attract moviegoers when "Valentine" opens next month. So with careful nurturing by Universal Focus and word-of-mouth reaching serious moviegoers and mystery fans, the film should far surpass "Bayou" at the boxoffice.
The film is based on a 1994 Edgar Award-winning novel by George Dawes Green, who adapted to the screen his tale of a paranoid schizophrenic in Manhattan who finds himself playing detective to solve a murder. The film is somewhat reminiscent of "The Fisher King" and George C. Chesbro's 1989 mystery novel "Bone", in which a homeless, mute man in Manhattan holds the key to a string of vicious killings.
Jackson plays Romulus Ledbetter, once a promising, Juilliard-trained musician and composer -- only his mind has deteriorated so badly he lives in a park cave and believes a powerful foe he calls Stuyvesant monitors his every move from the Chrysler building. When Romulus, known to everyone on the street as Caveman, discovers the corpse of a young man apparently frozen to death in a tree outside his cave on Valentine's Day, he grows convinced the man was murdered.
Police dismiss his ranting. So he must fight his mental illness to pull together a convincing enough case against the man he believes is the killer, a prominent art photographer named David Leppenraub (Colm Feore in a eerily quiet, forceful performance).
To be sure, the entire story is an exercise in suspended disbelief. An audience is asked to buy, among other things, that Romulus' daughter (Aunjanue Ellis) just happens to be a cop, that Romulus' musicianship and contacts from his previous "sane" life enable him to gain entry to penthouse suites and upstate art gatherings, that a yuppie lawyer Anthony Michael Hall) would befriend a filthy street person and that Leppenraub's own sister (Ann Magnuson) would go to bed with him.
But we do buy all these things, thanks largely to Jackson's multidimensional, charismatic acting. With his hair in dreadlocks and bulky winter clothes hanging from his body, he shuffles through city streets as if expecting an attack from his nemesis at any moment. While Romulus' illness has the upper hand, he understands he is ill. He understands he must fight with all his mental strength to hold onto what little clarity he possesses to sort out clues and interview witnesses.
Lemmons has created a visually arresting landscape to depict Romulus' "brain typhoons." Flashing colored lights that emanate from the Chrysler building roll over Romulus in waves. Scenes from his past pop up as visions filtered through a damaged mind: His wife, as her younger self (Tamara Tunie), appears to him, acting as a kind of Greek chorus to question his motives and challenge his actions.
Production designer Robin Standefer and cinematographer Amelia Vincent beautifully capture the fragmented, often frightening world of schizophrenia. Caveman is obsessed with "angels": Standefer and Vincent render these visions as images of brown male bodies turning into moths in a vaguely Moorish interior.
The balancing act between the movie's genre trappings and its stylized portrait of mental disintegration is dazzling to behold even when it doesn't quite work. In the movie's third act, it collapses completely when Romulus morphs into a combination of Sherlock Holmes and Perry Mason. But Lemmons' filmmaking has pulled us too far into Romulus' fascinating world for this to do the movie much harm.
THE CAVEMAN'S VALENTINE
Universal Pictures
Universal Focus and Franchise Pictures present a Jersey Shore production in association with Arroyo Prods.
Producers: Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, Scott Frank, Elie Samaha, Andrew Stevens
Director: Kasi Lemmons
Screenwriter: George Dawes Green
Based on the novel by: George Dawes Green
Executive producers: Samuel L. Jackson, Eli Selden, Julie Yorn, Nicholas Clermont
Director of photography: Amelia Vincent
Production designer: Robin Standefer
Music: Terence Blanchard
Co-producers: Michael Bennett, James Holt, Jonathan Weisgal
Costume designer: Denise Cronenberg
Editor: Terilyn Shropshire
Color/stereo
Cast:
Romulus Ledbetter: Samuel L. Jackson
David Leppenraub: Colm Feore
Moira Leppenraub: Ann Magnuson
Arnold: Damir Andrei
Lulu: Aunjanue Ellis
Sheila: Tamara Tunie
Cork: Peter MacNeill
Bob: Anthony Michael Hall
Running time -- 105 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
The actor has developed enough of a following to attract moviegoers when "Valentine" opens next month. So with careful nurturing by Universal Focus and word-of-mouth reaching serious moviegoers and mystery fans, the film should far surpass "Bayou" at the boxoffice.
The film is based on a 1994 Edgar Award-winning novel by George Dawes Green, who adapted to the screen his tale of a paranoid schizophrenic in Manhattan who finds himself playing detective to solve a murder. The film is somewhat reminiscent of "The Fisher King" and George C. Chesbro's 1989 mystery novel "Bone", in which a homeless, mute man in Manhattan holds the key to a string of vicious killings.
Jackson plays Romulus Ledbetter, once a promising, Juilliard-trained musician and composer -- only his mind has deteriorated so badly he lives in a park cave and believes a powerful foe he calls Stuyvesant monitors his every move from the Chrysler building. When Romulus, known to everyone on the street as Caveman, discovers the corpse of a young man apparently frozen to death in a tree outside his cave on Valentine's Day, he grows convinced the man was murdered.
Police dismiss his ranting. So he must fight his mental illness to pull together a convincing enough case against the man he believes is the killer, a prominent art photographer named David Leppenraub (Colm Feore in a eerily quiet, forceful performance).
To be sure, the entire story is an exercise in suspended disbelief. An audience is asked to buy, among other things, that Romulus' daughter (Aunjanue Ellis) just happens to be a cop, that Romulus' musicianship and contacts from his previous "sane" life enable him to gain entry to penthouse suites and upstate art gatherings, that a yuppie lawyer Anthony Michael Hall) would befriend a filthy street person and that Leppenraub's own sister (Ann Magnuson) would go to bed with him.
But we do buy all these things, thanks largely to Jackson's multidimensional, charismatic acting. With his hair in dreadlocks and bulky winter clothes hanging from his body, he shuffles through city streets as if expecting an attack from his nemesis at any moment. While Romulus' illness has the upper hand, he understands he is ill. He understands he must fight with all his mental strength to hold onto what little clarity he possesses to sort out clues and interview witnesses.
Lemmons has created a visually arresting landscape to depict Romulus' "brain typhoons." Flashing colored lights that emanate from the Chrysler building roll over Romulus in waves. Scenes from his past pop up as visions filtered through a damaged mind: His wife, as her younger self (Tamara Tunie), appears to him, acting as a kind of Greek chorus to question his motives and challenge his actions.
Production designer Robin Standefer and cinematographer Amelia Vincent beautifully capture the fragmented, often frightening world of schizophrenia. Caveman is obsessed with "angels": Standefer and Vincent render these visions as images of brown male bodies turning into moths in a vaguely Moorish interior.
The balancing act between the movie's genre trappings and its stylized portrait of mental disintegration is dazzling to behold even when it doesn't quite work. In the movie's third act, it collapses completely when Romulus morphs into a combination of Sherlock Holmes and Perry Mason. But Lemmons' filmmaking has pulled us too far into Romulus' fascinating world for this to do the movie much harm.
THE CAVEMAN'S VALENTINE
Universal Pictures
Universal Focus and Franchise Pictures present a Jersey Shore production in association with Arroyo Prods.
Producers: Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg, Stacey Sher, Scott Frank, Elie Samaha, Andrew Stevens
Director: Kasi Lemmons
Screenwriter: George Dawes Green
Based on the novel by: George Dawes Green
Executive producers: Samuel L. Jackson, Eli Selden, Julie Yorn, Nicholas Clermont
Director of photography: Amelia Vincent
Production designer: Robin Standefer
Music: Terence Blanchard
Co-producers: Michael Bennett, James Holt, Jonathan Weisgal
Costume designer: Denise Cronenberg
Editor: Terilyn Shropshire
Color/stereo
Cast:
Romulus Ledbetter: Samuel L. Jackson
David Leppenraub: Colm Feore
Moira Leppenraub: Ann Magnuson
Arnold: Damir Andrei
Lulu: Aunjanue Ellis
Sheila: Tamara Tunie
Cork: Peter MacNeill
Bob: Anthony Michael Hall
Running time -- 105 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 1/19/2001
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA.--What hath the Farrelly brothers wrought?
With dumb and dumber resulting in boxoffice gold these days, it's not surprising that some enterprising indie filmmakers would eventually abandon the usual low-budget genres (romantic comedies, urban angst, etc.) and attempt to create a yukfest as a debut feature.
This is the case with Denis Zervos and Joe Convery's "Skippy", which recently received its world premiere at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. Unfortunately, dumb does not always equal funny; this effort makes a typical Adam Sandler vehicle look like a Bergman film in comparison.
Convery also co-produced, wrote the screenplay and stars in the title role as a would-be lovable misfit with more than a slight physical resemblance to Michael Richards. Skippy ekes out a living guessing people's weights on the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore, but his main focus of obsession is beautiful movie star Julia Fontaine (Paget Brewster), who has just announced a nationwide contest to find her next boyfriend.
Skippy dutifully treks to Hollywood, where he engages in a series of wacky adventures with a variety of bizarros and fails at a succession of odd jobs provided by an employment agency headed by the sleazy Ringo (veteran character actor William Sadler). And although Skippy is inexplicably chosen by Julia's managers to be her boyfriend, things become complicated by the return of a mad stalker who keeps making attempts on her life.
Convery, wearing a series of outrageously tacky shirts, projects a not-entirely-unappealing goofiness, but the endless procession of lame gags that fill the movie's brief 82-minute running time range from bad to worse. All the performers try hard -- very hard -- to garner laughs, but when one of the funnier bits involves talking into the rear end of a flatulent dog, there's only so much anyone can do. Failing on the humor front, the filmmakers fall back on the Troma aesthetic: populating the film with as many bikini-clad babes as the camera can take in.
Tech credits on this ultra-low-budget venture are passable, and it's fun watching Sadler chew up the scenery in an uncharacteristic nonvillain role, but otherwise "Skippy" can be quite easily skipped.
SKIPPY
Planet Earth Entertainment
Credits: Directors: Denis Zercos, Joe Convery; Screenplay: Joe Convery; Producers: Joe Convery, Timothy Patrick Brien; Director of photography: Goran Pavicevic; Film editor: Skip Spiro; Music: Mark Northam. Cast: Ringo: William Sadler; Skippy: Joe Convery; The Hitman: Danny Trejo; Gordan Gates: Allan Rich; Julia Fontaine: Paget Brewster; Larry: Timothy Patrick O'Brien. No MPAA rating. Color/stereo. Running time -- 82 minutes.
With dumb and dumber resulting in boxoffice gold these days, it's not surprising that some enterprising indie filmmakers would eventually abandon the usual low-budget genres (romantic comedies, urban angst, etc.) and attempt to create a yukfest as a debut feature.
This is the case with Denis Zervos and Joe Convery's "Skippy", which recently received its world premiere at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival. Unfortunately, dumb does not always equal funny; this effort makes a typical Adam Sandler vehicle look like a Bergman film in comparison.
Convery also co-produced, wrote the screenplay and stars in the title role as a would-be lovable misfit with more than a slight physical resemblance to Michael Richards. Skippy ekes out a living guessing people's weights on the boardwalk at the Jersey Shore, but his main focus of obsession is beautiful movie star Julia Fontaine (Paget Brewster), who has just announced a nationwide contest to find her next boyfriend.
Skippy dutifully treks to Hollywood, where he engages in a series of wacky adventures with a variety of bizarros and fails at a succession of odd jobs provided by an employment agency headed by the sleazy Ringo (veteran character actor William Sadler). And although Skippy is inexplicably chosen by Julia's managers to be her boyfriend, things become complicated by the return of a mad stalker who keeps making attempts on her life.
Convery, wearing a series of outrageously tacky shirts, projects a not-entirely-unappealing goofiness, but the endless procession of lame gags that fill the movie's brief 82-minute running time range from bad to worse. All the performers try hard -- very hard -- to garner laughs, but when one of the funnier bits involves talking into the rear end of a flatulent dog, there's only so much anyone can do. Failing on the humor front, the filmmakers fall back on the Troma aesthetic: populating the film with as many bikini-clad babes as the camera can take in.
Tech credits on this ultra-low-budget venture are passable, and it's fun watching Sadler chew up the scenery in an uncharacteristic nonvillain role, but otherwise "Skippy" can be quite easily skipped.
SKIPPY
Planet Earth Entertainment
Credits: Directors: Denis Zercos, Joe Convery; Screenplay: Joe Convery; Producers: Joe Convery, Timothy Patrick Brien; Director of photography: Goran Pavicevic; Film editor: Skip Spiro; Music: Mark Northam. Cast: Ringo: William Sadler; Skippy: Joe Convery; The Hitman: Danny Trejo; Gordan Gates: Allan Rich; Julia Fontaine: Paget Brewster; Larry: Timothy Patrick O'Brien. No MPAA rating. Color/stereo. Running time -- 82 minutes.
- 12/1/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
With winning performances by William Petersen and Michael Wincott as two Atlantic City, N.J., tough guys with an interest in the same woman, "Gunshy" is an engaging ride as long as one doesn't take it too seriously.
Unveiled at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, director Jeff Celentano's second feature is a leisurely gangster drama pitched at mature audiences not requiring continual gunplay, but getting attention in the theatrical marketplace is an iffy prospect. The film's snappy title and the rep of screenwriter Larry Gross ("48 HRS.", "This World, Then the Fireworks") will help.
An investigative journalist on the outs with his editor, Jake (Petersen) catches his wife in bed with another man and knows it's time to get out of town. He slinks off to the Jersey Shore and hits the booze, where fate brings him in contact with likable thug Frankie (Wincott) and his girlfriend Melissa (Diane Lane).
With nothing to lose and seemingly looking for a new profession or an end to his misery, Jake joins Frankie as he makes his rounds and meets the ruthless Irish mobster (Michael Byrne) who calls the shots. Much nicer is Melissa, and both she and Frankie bond with Jake in an unique romantic triangle.
Potentially serious complications ensue when it becomes apparent that Jake is not just along for the adrenalin rush that comes with shaking down restaurant owners and other deadbeats in trouble with the Irishman. He finds the love and attention he needs, but he plays the dangerous game of pursuing Melissa under the nose of the unsuspecting Frankie.
When it comes to light that Jake has a hidden agenda the film almost comes apart, but once again the performances, production values and Celentano's direction keep one intrigued even as credibility takes a backseat.
Lane makes the most of her meaty role as a nice girl, who does not play the guys off each other in the usual tradition of femme fatales but follows her heart. The first-rate supporting cast includes Kevin Gage, Eric Schaeffer and Meat Loaf.
GUNSHY
Periscope Pictures
Credits: Director: Jeff Celentano; Screenwriter: Larry Gross; Producers: Larry Gross, Neal Stevens; Executive producers: Jim B. Hodge, Peter Wetherell; Director of photography: John Aronson; Production designer: Randal P. Earnest; Editor: Andy Horvitch; Costume designer: Susanna Puisto; Casting: Linda Phillips-Palo. Cast: Jake Bridges: William Petersen; Frankie McGregor: Michael Wincott; Melissa: Diane Lane; Ward: Kevin Gage; Gwynne: Eric Schaeffer; Lange: Michael Byrne; Lew: Meat Loaf. No MPAA rating. Running time -- 101 minutes. Color/stereo.
Unveiled at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, director Jeff Celentano's second feature is a leisurely gangster drama pitched at mature audiences not requiring continual gunplay, but getting attention in the theatrical marketplace is an iffy prospect. The film's snappy title and the rep of screenwriter Larry Gross ("48 HRS.", "This World, Then the Fireworks") will help.
An investigative journalist on the outs with his editor, Jake (Petersen) catches his wife in bed with another man and knows it's time to get out of town. He slinks off to the Jersey Shore and hits the booze, where fate brings him in contact with likable thug Frankie (Wincott) and his girlfriend Melissa (Diane Lane).
With nothing to lose and seemingly looking for a new profession or an end to his misery, Jake joins Frankie as he makes his rounds and meets the ruthless Irish mobster (Michael Byrne) who calls the shots. Much nicer is Melissa, and both she and Frankie bond with Jake in an unique romantic triangle.
Potentially serious complications ensue when it becomes apparent that Jake is not just along for the adrenalin rush that comes with shaking down restaurant owners and other deadbeats in trouble with the Irishman. He finds the love and attention he needs, but he plays the dangerous game of pursuing Melissa under the nose of the unsuspecting Frankie.
When it comes to light that Jake has a hidden agenda the film almost comes apart, but once again the performances, production values and Celentano's direction keep one intrigued even as credibility takes a backseat.
Lane makes the most of her meaty role as a nice girl, who does not play the guys off each other in the usual tradition of femme fatales but follows her heart. The first-rate supporting cast includes Kevin Gage, Eric Schaeffer and Meat Loaf.
GUNSHY
Periscope Pictures
Credits: Director: Jeff Celentano; Screenwriter: Larry Gross; Producers: Larry Gross, Neal Stevens; Executive producers: Jim B. Hodge, Peter Wetherell; Director of photography: John Aronson; Production designer: Randal P. Earnest; Editor: Andy Horvitch; Costume designer: Susanna Puisto; Casting: Linda Phillips-Palo. Cast: Jake Bridges: William Petersen; Frankie McGregor: Michael Wincott; Melissa: Diane Lane; Ward: Kevin Gage; Gwynne: Eric Schaeffer; Lange: Michael Byrne; Lew: Meat Loaf. No MPAA rating. Running time -- 101 minutes. Color/stereo.
- 3/17/1998
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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