It might feel like we just rang in the new year last week, but believe it or not, summer is already here -- at the movies, anyway.
With the release of the Ryan Gosling-Emily Blunt action-romcom The Fall Guy, Hollywood's most lucrative season has officially arrived.
But the calendar is light on sure bets this year, and that's mostly because of recent box office trends that have left studio execs in a very uncertain position.
As you probably recall, Barbie and Oppenheimer were the summer box office success stories of 2023.
In retrospect, it seems like a foregone conclusion that two films that so dominated the zeitgeist would also win big commercially.
After all, prior to last year, you had to go all the way back to 2010 for a year in which the highest-grossing movie was neither a sequel nor a superhero flick.
That was the year that James Cameron...
With the release of the Ryan Gosling-Emily Blunt action-romcom The Fall Guy, Hollywood's most lucrative season has officially arrived.
But the calendar is light on sure bets this year, and that's mostly because of recent box office trends that have left studio execs in a very uncertain position.
As you probably recall, Barbie and Oppenheimer were the summer box office success stories of 2023.
In retrospect, it seems like a foregone conclusion that two films that so dominated the zeitgeist would also win big commercially.
After all, prior to last year, you had to go all the way back to 2010 for a year in which the highest-grossing movie was neither a sequel nor a superhero flick.
That was the year that James Cameron...
- 5/4/2024
- by Tyler Johnson
- TVfanatic
Obviously it wasn’t by design, but the early-1950s renewal of the western genre, aided in large part by the success of Winchester ’73, which heralded a career second act for both its director, Anthony Mann, and its star, James Stewart, was answered in other quarters of the industry by multiple endeavors to take the once disreputable genre, previously dismissed as Roy Rogers/Saturday-matinee bunkum, all the way into the hallowed halls of state-sanctioned, capital-a art. And, as it happened, the two westerns that made a big runner-up showing at the 1952 and 1953 Oscars, High Noon and Shane, respectively, also served, by virtue of holding what wide swaths of the future cinephile demographic would come to view as Vichy letters of transit, as high-value targets for skeptics of the official cultural narrative.
These auteurist critics and film buffs, whose philosophy acquired definite contours some 10-odd years later, observed a different watershed moment: Rio Bravo.
These auteurist critics and film buffs, whose philosophy acquired definite contours some 10-odd years later, observed a different watershed moment: Rio Bravo.
- 5/3/2024
- by Jaime N. Christley
- Slant Magazine
10. James Arness (1923–2011)
James Arness is primarily recognized for his iconic portrayal of Marshal Matt Dillon in the long-running prime-time Western TV show Gunsmoke.
From 1955 to 1975, Arness entertained the audience by keeping the peace in Dodge City, but he also starred in legendary movies like Them!, Hondo, The Farmer's Daughter, and others.
9. Lee Marvin (1924–1987)
Famous for his tough and brutal character, Lee Marvin was just as masculine off-screen as he was in his movies. He blew up after portraying Kid Shelleen in Cat Ballou and went on to star in other iconic Western movies, including The Dirty Dozen, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Big Red One, and many others.
8. Sam Elliott (1944–Now)
Sharp and rugged, Sam Elliot was born to portray gruffly cowboys with a no-bs attitude. His iconic mustache broke many hearts, and the actor didn’t become less popular after Westerns died off: since his famous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,...
James Arness is primarily recognized for his iconic portrayal of Marshal Matt Dillon in the long-running prime-time Western TV show Gunsmoke.
From 1955 to 1975, Arness entertained the audience by keeping the peace in Dodge City, but he also starred in legendary movies like Them!, Hondo, The Farmer's Daughter, and others.
9. Lee Marvin (1924–1987)
Famous for his tough and brutal character, Lee Marvin was just as masculine off-screen as he was in his movies. He blew up after portraying Kid Shelleen in Cat Ballou and went on to star in other iconic Western movies, including The Dirty Dozen, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, The Big Red One, and many others.
8. Sam Elliott (1944–Now)
Sharp and rugged, Sam Elliot was born to portray gruffly cowboys with a no-bs attitude. His iconic mustache broke many hearts, and the actor didn’t become less popular after Westerns died off: since his famous Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid,...
- 5/1/2024
- by dean-black@startefacts.com (Dean Black)
- STartefacts.com
The famous twist at the end of Irvin Kershner's 1980 sci-fi epic "The Empire Strikes Back" — that the evil Darth Vader (James Earl Jones/David Prowse) was actually the father of the heroic Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) — was shocking enough to send seismic ripples through the future of pop culture. Young prospective filmmakers reared in 1980 were so shocked by the famed "Empire" revelation that the "hero was secretly related to the villain this whole time" twist would eventually become a common screenwriting trope.
As many Starwoids will be able to tell you, the "I am your father" twist famously contradicts dialogue from George Lucas' "Star Wars" from three years earlier. In that film, the trustworthy Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) revealed that he was friends with Luke's father, who was, by Obi-Wan's own description, definitely not Darth Vader. Indeed, Darth Vader was said to have murdered Luke's father. So when...
As many Starwoids will be able to tell you, the "I am your father" twist famously contradicts dialogue from George Lucas' "Star Wars" from three years earlier. In that film, the trustworthy Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness) revealed that he was friends with Luke's father, who was, by Obi-Wan's own description, definitely not Darth Vader. Indeed, Darth Vader was said to have murdered Luke's father. So when...
- 4/28/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Famous for his brutal roles in The Quiet Man (1952), Rio Bravo (1959) and True Grit (1969), John Wayne got much recognition as the king of Westerns alongside Clint Eastwood. His movies became not only the best examples of the genre, but also one of the biggest sources of inspiration of the 20th century’s filmmakers.
In particular, Steven Spielberg, the giant of the industry, once confessed he revisits one of Wayne’s movies every time before he makes a new film of his own, as it’s much of a great value for the director. Indeed, the 1956 Western feature is quite unmissable.
The plot of the movie seems typical of the genre - it follows a Civil War veteran looking for his abducted relative. However, it’s not as simple as it may seem, as Ethan Edwards, the main character played by Wayne, has his niece Debbie stolen by the Comanches, whom he can’t bear,...
In particular, Steven Spielberg, the giant of the industry, once confessed he revisits one of Wayne’s movies every time before he makes a new film of his own, as it’s much of a great value for the director. Indeed, the 1956 Western feature is quite unmissable.
The plot of the movie seems typical of the genre - it follows a Civil War veteran looking for his abducted relative. However, it’s not as simple as it may seem, as Ethan Edwards, the main character played by Wayne, has his niece Debbie stolen by the Comanches, whom he can’t bear,...
- 4/27/2024
- by info@startefacts.com (Ava Raxa)
- STartefacts.com
Nikki Amuka-Bird gives a powerful performance as a gritty deputy defending her remote sheriff’s office from armed invaders
There’s an old-timey charm about this, a (mostly) one-location action movie in the tradition of Rio Bravo, or its sort-of remake Assault on Precinct 13. Partly it’s because of the remote mountainous setting in an unnamed state, the log cabin sheriff’s office, the trucks, twangy accents and mentions of second amendment nuts; and partly because of the core device of having a heroic figure – in this case, Deputy Tabby Temple (Nikki Amuka-Bird) – defending the fort against armed invaders. But the joke’s on us because nearly the whole thing was shot in Kosovo and most of the cast is British, as is writer-director Will Gilbey, who is making his feature directorial debut after a long apprenticeship as an editor, writer and second-unit dogsbody on the distinctly estuary-accented Rise of the Footsoldier...
There’s an old-timey charm about this, a (mostly) one-location action movie in the tradition of Rio Bravo, or its sort-of remake Assault on Precinct 13. Partly it’s because of the remote mountainous setting in an unnamed state, the log cabin sheriff’s office, the trucks, twangy accents and mentions of second amendment nuts; and partly because of the core device of having a heroic figure – in this case, Deputy Tabby Temple (Nikki Amuka-Bird) – defending the fort against armed invaders. But the joke’s on us because nearly the whole thing was shot in Kosovo and most of the cast is British, as is writer-director Will Gilbey, who is making his feature directorial debut after a long apprenticeship as an editor, writer and second-unit dogsbody on the distinctly estuary-accented Rise of the Footsoldier...
- 4/23/2024
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
Following The Film Stage’s collective top 50 films of 2023, as part of our year-end coverage, our contributors are sharing their personal top 10 lists.
In all honesty, the films of 2023 should take a backseat to the images we are seeing every day in Gaza, where journalists and average citizens have been recording and documenting a daily assault on their homes and livelihoods by the Idf. Whatever fakery we watched and enjoyed in the cinema this year should always be kept in perspective in importance with images that are real and actually happening right now. The Palestinians who have documented these important images have been targeted and killed with intent and purpose to silence what their photos and videos are showing and saying.
List of journalists who have been killed.
The below is of lesser note:
Best First Watches:
Angel’s Egg La belle noiseuse Centipede Horror Charley Varrick Coffy Crimson Gold...
In all honesty, the films of 2023 should take a backseat to the images we are seeing every day in Gaza, where journalists and average citizens have been recording and documenting a daily assault on their homes and livelihoods by the Idf. Whatever fakery we watched and enjoyed in the cinema this year should always be kept in perspective in importance with images that are real and actually happening right now. The Palestinians who have documented these important images have been targeted and killed with intent and purpose to silence what their photos and videos are showing and saying.
List of journalists who have been killed.
The below is of lesser note:
Best First Watches:
Angel’s Egg La belle noiseuse Centipede Horror Charley Varrick Coffy Crimson Gold...
- 1/3/2024
- by Soham Gadre
- The Film Stage
“Lawmen: Bass Reeves” just wrapped on Paramount+. And while the streamer has yet to announce whether it will be coming back for another season, the show’s creator Chad Feehan is absolutely ready to come back.
“I intentionally left some meat on the bone in case we got to this point. Bass’s life is so incredible and it’s so expansive, there is no way that we could hit every major benchmark in his life in 8 or 10 hours or else it would’ve felt almost like a procedural,” Feehan told TheWrap.
And noting the story of the real-life Reeves being forced to arrest his own son in part to save his life, Feehan adds, “I would love to tell that story.”
“Lawman: Bass Reeves” is based on the life of Bass Reeves (played on the show by David Oyelowo), a former slave who became the first Black deputy U.
“I intentionally left some meat on the bone in case we got to this point. Bass’s life is so incredible and it’s so expansive, there is no way that we could hit every major benchmark in his life in 8 or 10 hours or else it would’ve felt almost like a procedural,” Feehan told TheWrap.
And noting the story of the real-life Reeves being forced to arrest his own son in part to save his life, Feehan adds, “I would love to tell that story.”
“Lawman: Bass Reeves” is based on the life of Bass Reeves (played on the show by David Oyelowo), a former slave who became the first Black deputy U.
- 12/19/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Joe Cornet, the director of the action packed western Gunfight at Rio Bravo (you can check it out on Amazon at This Link) and its upcoming sequel Taken from Rio Bravo, recently made his horror directing debut with Night of the Caregiver (you can watch that one at This Link and read our review of it Here), which was produced by Rio Bravo star / former Mr. Universe Alexander Nevsky.
It was recently announced that the Rio Bravo creative team are working on a third film in that series, to be called The Last Heroes of Rio Bravo – but before that goes into production, they’re returning to the horror genre! Cornet is set to direct a horror film called The Ominous, with production scheduled to start in February of 2024. Nevsky is producing the film through his Hollywood Storm production banner and will also be starring in it, making his horror acting debut!
It was recently announced that the Rio Bravo creative team are working on a third film in that series, to be called The Last Heroes of Rio Bravo – but before that goes into production, they’re returning to the horror genre! Cornet is set to direct a horror film called The Ominous, with production scheduled to start in February of 2024. Nevsky is producing the film through his Hollywood Storm production banner and will also be starring in it, making his horror acting debut!
- 12/1/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
John Wayne’s 1956 Western “The Searchers” will debut a new restoration as part of the 2024 TCM Classic Film Festival in April. This marks the second Wayne film to receive a premiere of a restored print at the yearly event which takes place on Hollywood Boulevard; last year’s opening night feature was a 4K restoration of Wayne’s 1959 film “Rio Bravo.”
This year’s festival theme is “Most Wanted: Crime and Justice in Film.” Alongside “The Searchers” TCM announced that Frank Capra’s 1934 film “It Happened One Night,” Elia Kazan’s “On the Waterfront” and the 1974 musical documentary “That’s Entertainment!” will also screen as part of the four-day festival.
It’s unknown if “The Searchers” will be the film’s opening night movie, though considering “Rio Bravo” was also a restoration last year it would make sense that Warner Bros. would continue to debut new 4K prints of their films...
This year’s festival theme is “Most Wanted: Crime and Justice in Film.” Alongside “The Searchers” TCM announced that Frank Capra’s 1934 film “It Happened One Night,” Elia Kazan’s “On the Waterfront” and the 1974 musical documentary “That’s Entertainment!” will also screen as part of the four-day festival.
It’s unknown if “The Searchers” will be the film’s opening night movie, though considering “Rio Bravo” was also a restoration last year it would make sense that Warner Bros. would continue to debut new 4K prints of their films...
- 11/14/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
It was revealed at the end of Irvin Kershner's 1980 sci-fi/fantasy film "The Empire Strikes Back" that the masked fascist warlock Darth Vader was secretly the father of the young hero Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill). This information was shocking enough to echo through multiple generations, and the "villain is secretly related to the hero" twist has been repeated throughout much of popular media for decades. The revelation also famously contradicts dialogue from 1977's "Star Wars." Luke was previously told, by the reliable Obi-Wan Kenobi (Alec Guinness), that Darth Vader had killed Luke's father. The reason for Obi-Wan's deception has never been satisfactorily explained.
In the broader context of the "Star Wars" saga, the relationship between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker has become a vital narrative fulcrum, but in the contained 1980-only context of just "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back," the twist doesn't make a lot of sense.
In the broader context of the "Star Wars" saga, the relationship between Darth Vader and Luke Skywalker has become a vital narrative fulcrum, but in the contained 1980-only context of just "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back," the twist doesn't make a lot of sense.
- 11/13/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
He may be the greatest horror director of all time (just ask Jordan Peele), but John Carpenter’s film taste skews farther away from the genre than you might expect.
Born in 1948 in Carthage, New York, Carpenter grew up with a love of cinema, watching Howard Hawks westerns an early age, and started making short films with an 8mm camera before he started high school. He studied at Western Kentucky University and University of Southern California, before dropping out of the latter after a short he made, “The Resurrection of Broncho Billy,” won an Oscar.
Now with a sudden amount of prestige, Carpenter made two little seen projects “Dark Star” and “Assault on Precinct 13,” both now critically acclaimed, before really breaking out with 1978’s “Halloween.” Starring a young Jamie Lee Curtis, the independent film became a massive hit, grossing $70 million, turning main villain Michael Myers into a horror icon,...
Born in 1948 in Carthage, New York, Carpenter grew up with a love of cinema, watching Howard Hawks westerns an early age, and started making short films with an 8mm camera before he started high school. He studied at Western Kentucky University and University of Southern California, before dropping out of the latter after a short he made, “The Resurrection of Broncho Billy,” won an Oscar.
Now with a sudden amount of prestige, Carpenter made two little seen projects “Dark Star” and “Assault on Precinct 13,” both now critically acclaimed, before really breaking out with 1978’s “Halloween.” Starring a young Jamie Lee Curtis, the independent film became a massive hit, grossing $70 million, turning main villain Michael Myers into a horror icon,...
- 10/31/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
“The Continental” boasts that it’s “From the World of John Wick.” But the Peacock spin-off is thankfully uninterested in providing a microwaved version of the same story. Instead, the miniseries takes its cues from stylized crime auteurs, folks like Joe Carnahan or Guy Ritchie who have as much fun, if not more, with their eccentric character archetypes, rat-a-tat banter and bold needledrops as they do with any blood shed on screen.
But “The Continental” merely aspires to these authors of cinematic cool. And in its Icarus-esque reach, what it faintly grasps only reminds us how hard it is to make something look easy.
Over three sprawling, 90-minute episodes, “The Continental” is centered on a simple story, one that has roots as recent as “The Raid” and as far back as “Rio Bravo” – or more accurately, John Carpenter’s riffs on “Rio Bravo” like “Assault on Precinct 13” or “Escape From New York.
But “The Continental” merely aspires to these authors of cinematic cool. And in its Icarus-esque reach, what it faintly grasps only reminds us how hard it is to make something look easy.
Over three sprawling, 90-minute episodes, “The Continental” is centered on a simple story, one that has roots as recent as “The Raid” and as far back as “Rio Bravo” – or more accurately, John Carpenter’s riffs on “Rio Bravo” like “Assault on Precinct 13” or “Escape From New York.
- 9/20/2023
- by Gregory Lawrence
- The Wrap
The episode of Best Horror Movie You Never Saw covering Vfw was Written by Andrew Hatfield, Narrated by Kier Gomes, Edited by Paul Bookstaber, Produced by John Fallon and Tyler Nichols, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
In today’s movie landscape, its easy to get a sequel or remake greenlit, particularly in horror, but what about an original movie that is a heavy homage to an older title? This can give is something fresh and fun if done well. It has to have the right ingredients like the right actors on screen, the right script, and know exactly what it is and what it’s meant to accomplish. Indie director Joe Begos was the right guy to give us a wholly original genre flick that came out in 2019 to seemingly good reviews but little fanfare 4 years later. How a movie put out by Fangoria, one of the premiere indie horror entities,...
In today’s movie landscape, its easy to get a sequel or remake greenlit, particularly in horror, but what about an original movie that is a heavy homage to an older title? This can give is something fresh and fun if done well. It has to have the right ingredients like the right actors on screen, the right script, and know exactly what it is and what it’s meant to accomplish. Indie director Joe Begos was the right guy to give us a wholly original genre flick that came out in 2019 to seemingly good reviews but little fanfare 4 years later. How a movie put out by Fangoria, one of the premiere indie horror entities,...
- 9/6/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.
Paris Theater
The Paris reopens with a new Dolby Atmos screen and a 70mm series featuring Playtime, Lawrence of Arabia, 2001 and more.
Metrograph
One of France’s greatest directors and producers, Paul Vecchiali, is subject of a new retrospective that includes Jeanne Dielman and the terrific, too-little-seen Simone Barbès.
Bam
The Thin Red Line, Solaris, and more play in “Intimate Epics.”
Film at Lincoln Center
A retrospective of Korean cinema’s “golden decade” has begun.
Roxy Cinema
Passing the torch to Chapo Trap House‘s Movie Mindset, the 35mm print of Rio Bravo is now playing under their guardianship; Madonna fans can flock to Vision Quest, Who’s That Girl, Evita, and Spike Lee’s Girl 6 on 35mm.
Film Forum
Michael Roemer’s great The Plot Against Harry and the Tarantino-presented Winter Kills both screen on 35mm; Contempt continues
Museum of Modern Art...
Paris Theater
The Paris reopens with a new Dolby Atmos screen and a 70mm series featuring Playtime, Lawrence of Arabia, 2001 and more.
Metrograph
One of France’s greatest directors and producers, Paul Vecchiali, is subject of a new retrospective that includes Jeanne Dielman and the terrific, too-little-seen Simone Barbès.
Bam
The Thin Red Line, Solaris, and more play in “Intimate Epics.”
Film at Lincoln Center
A retrospective of Korean cinema’s “golden decade” has begun.
Roxy Cinema
Passing the torch to Chapo Trap House‘s Movie Mindset, the 35mm print of Rio Bravo is now playing under their guardianship; Madonna fans can flock to Vision Quest, Who’s That Girl, Evita, and Spike Lee’s Girl 6 on 35mm.
Film Forum
Michael Roemer’s great The Plot Against Harry and the Tarantino-presented Winter Kills both screen on 35mm; Contempt continues
Museum of Modern Art...
- 9/1/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
With the insane games that the various streaming platforms are pulling in terms of removing content from their services (sometimes projects that were made specifically for those platforms), an added emphasis has been placed on home video. And with good reason. The only way you can insure that the movies you love will be around is by owning them on Blu-ray. Thankfully the home video labels have been stepping up their game, with deluxe packages overflowing with extras and feature films presented in their best possible format.
Here are the biggest and best releases on Blu-ray, DVD and 4K in August 2023.
Marvel Studios
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
Ready for one last ride? Writer/director James Gunn, who is now overseeing DC Studios at Warner Bros., returned for the third part of his “Guardians of the Galaxy” saga. This time around, the Guardians, led by Star Lord (Chris Pratt...
Here are the biggest and best releases on Blu-ray, DVD and 4K in August 2023.
Marvel Studios
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
Ready for one last ride? Writer/director James Gunn, who is now overseeing DC Studios at Warner Bros., returned for the third part of his “Guardians of the Galaxy” saga. This time around, the Guardians, led by Star Lord (Chris Pratt...
- 8/31/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
What’s so inspiring and energizing about Steven Spielberg is that he isn’t just one of the greatest filmmakers ever, he’s an eclectic cinephile who talks about his favorite films with the boyish enthusiasm of a fan.
So he was a natural fit, alongside Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson, for the advisory panel that came together in June to support Turner Classic Movies. As part of that role, he’s recorded his first “Spielberg’s Picks” video, a recommendations list of his personal faves from the September 2023 TCM lineup. Watch the video above, an IndieWire exclusive, for not just his choices, but his incisive comments.
For his debut picks, he chose Vincente Minnelli’s “Meet Me in St. Louis” (1944), Douglas Sirk’s “Imitation of Life” (1959), Gordon Douglas’s “Them!” (1954), Minnelli’s “The Bad and the Beautiful” (1952), and Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Wrong Man” (1957). Scorsese and Anderson’s own picks are forthcoming,...
So he was a natural fit, alongside Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson, for the advisory panel that came together in June to support Turner Classic Movies. As part of that role, he’s recorded his first “Spielberg’s Picks” video, a recommendations list of his personal faves from the September 2023 TCM lineup. Watch the video above, an IndieWire exclusive, for not just his choices, but his incisive comments.
For his debut picks, he chose Vincente Minnelli’s “Meet Me in St. Louis” (1944), Douglas Sirk’s “Imitation of Life” (1959), Gordon Douglas’s “Them!” (1954), Minnelli’s “The Bad and the Beautiful” (1952), and Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Wrong Man” (1957). Scorsese and Anderson’s own picks are forthcoming,...
- 8/30/2023
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.
Roxy Cinema
Because the people of New York can’t get enough, the 35mm print of Rio Bravo we programmed has yet another screening on Sunday; Swingers, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Body of Evidence, and James Toback’s Black and White also play on film, while Madonna: Truth or Dare has a screening.
Museum of Modern Art
Films by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Kelly Reichardt, Harvard’s Sel, Maren Ade, and more play in a new series.
Film at Lincoln Center
A new 70mm print of Boogie Nights has begun daily showings.
Anthology Film Archives
Documentaries by the great Kazuo Hara are subject of a new retrospective, while work by the crew of How to with John Wilson is highlighted this Saturday.
Bam
A restoration of the recently rediscovered Tokyo Pop continues, while a new animation series includes Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfathers.
Roxy Cinema
Because the people of New York can’t get enough, the 35mm print of Rio Bravo we programmed has yet another screening on Sunday; Swingers, Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure, Body of Evidence, and James Toback’s Black and White also play on film, while Madonna: Truth or Dare has a screening.
Museum of Modern Art
Films by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Kelly Reichardt, Harvard’s Sel, Maren Ade, and more play in a new series.
Film at Lincoln Center
A new 70mm print of Boogie Nights has begun daily showings.
Anthology Film Archives
Documentaries by the great Kazuo Hara are subject of a new retrospective, while work by the crew of How to with John Wilson is highlighted this Saturday.
Bam
A restoration of the recently rediscovered Tokyo Pop continues, while a new animation series includes Satoshi Kon’s Tokyo Godfathers.
- 8/17/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
John Carpenter may not be a real-life carpenter, but he sure has built himself a legacy. It's just one made of movies, not wooden sticks.
Seriously though, any genre movie fan will probably tell you that John Carpenter has made a staggering number of classic motion pictures. "Halloween" may not have invented the slasher genre, but it defined it. "The Thing" may not have invented gory monster effects, but it raised the bar and few films have even nudged it in the decades that followed. "Big Trouble in Little China" is one of the most subversive films of the 1980s, tearing down the whole "badass" genre of cinema by placing a musclebound white American hero in the center stage and then revealing him to be nothing more than a comic relief sidekick in a story about Chinese mythology that he's too damned ignorant to comprehend. And We could go on.
Seriously though, any genre movie fan will probably tell you that John Carpenter has made a staggering number of classic motion pictures. "Halloween" may not have invented the slasher genre, but it defined it. "The Thing" may not have invented gory monster effects, but it raised the bar and few films have even nudged it in the decades that followed. "Big Trouble in Little China" is one of the most subversive films of the 1980s, tearing down the whole "badass" genre of cinema by placing a musclebound white American hero in the center stage and then revealing him to be nothing more than a comic relief sidekick in a story about Chinese mythology that he's too damned ignorant to comprehend. And We could go on.
- 8/17/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
Plot: A hospice nurse accepts a high-paying one-night job taking care of an elderly woman… but as the night goes on, it becomes clear there’s a supernatural evil lurking in the woman’s home.
Review: After directing four Westerns in a row, Joe Cornet has switched things up and made his horror debut with Night of the Caregiver – and he brought several Rio Bravo collaborators along with him: producer Alexander Nevsky, writer Craig Hamann, and cast members Natalie Denise Sperl and Anna Oris.
Now that Cornet is working in the horror genre, he doesn’t waste any time getting to the good stuff. There’s no holding back from letting viewers know there’s a demonic creature in the mix. Within the first minute, the camera has roamed through a creepy house, we’ve seen the hand of a monster that’s making its way around the location, and...
Review: After directing four Westerns in a row, Joe Cornet has switched things up and made his horror debut with Night of the Caregiver – and he brought several Rio Bravo collaborators along with him: producer Alexander Nevsky, writer Craig Hamann, and cast members Natalie Denise Sperl and Anna Oris.
Now that Cornet is working in the horror genre, he doesn’t waste any time getting to the good stuff. There’s no holding back from letting viewers know there’s a demonic creature in the mix. Within the first minute, the camera has roamed through a creepy house, we’ve seen the hand of a monster that’s making its way around the location, and...
- 8/15/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
A few days ago, we shared the news that Night of the Caregiver, a horror film that’s coming to us from the creative team behind the upcoming action-packed Western Gunfight at Rio Bravo, will be receiving a theatrical and VOD release on August 15th in North America, courtesy of ITN Studios. With that date just a week and a half away, the final trailer for Night of the Caretaker has been unveiled, and we have the Exclusive first look at it. Check it out in the embed above!
A digital and DVD release of the film will follow sometime this fall.
Night of the Caregiver is an international co-production between Eta Films, San Rafael Production and Hollywood Storm, with Joe Cornet (A Prayer for the Damned) directing from a screenplay written by Craig Hamann (Showdown in Manila). Alexander Nevsky (Black Rose) is producing, and Cornet serves as executive producer...
A digital and DVD release of the film will follow sometime this fall.
Night of the Caregiver is an international co-production between Eta Films, San Rafael Production and Hollywood Storm, with Joe Cornet (A Prayer for the Damned) directing from a screenplay written by Craig Hamann (Showdown in Manila). Alexander Nevsky (Black Rose) is producing, and Cornet serves as executive producer...
- 8/4/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.
Roxy Cinema
The 35mm print of Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo we presented last weekend has an encore appearance on Saturday afternoon, while prints of two Spielberg sequels (The Lost World and Temple of Doom) play alongside Shadows and Fog, Bloodhounds of Broadway, and My Blueberry Nights.
Anthology Film Archives
“Shopping Worlds” is a cinematic exploration of malls, offering the likes of Jackie Brown, Nocturama, Wiseman’s The Store, Dawn of the Dead, and Akerman’s Golden Eighties.
Museum of the Moving Image
Inception and John Carpenter’s Starman play on 70mm in a new series.
Film Forum
Contempt and Thelma & Louise play in 4K restorations, while the ’50s creature feature Robot Monster play in 3D on Sunday.
Museum of Modern Art
“Views from the Vault” closes with films by Jia Zhangke and more, while “Silent Movie Week” is underway.
Roxy Cinema
The 35mm print of Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo we presented last weekend has an encore appearance on Saturday afternoon, while prints of two Spielberg sequels (The Lost World and Temple of Doom) play alongside Shadows and Fog, Bloodhounds of Broadway, and My Blueberry Nights.
Anthology Film Archives
“Shopping Worlds” is a cinematic exploration of malls, offering the likes of Jackie Brown, Nocturama, Wiseman’s The Store, Dawn of the Dead, and Akerman’s Golden Eighties.
Museum of the Moving Image
Inception and John Carpenter’s Starman play on 70mm in a new series.
Film Forum
Contempt and Thelma & Louise play in 4K restorations, while the ’50s creature feature Robot Monster play in 3D on Sunday.
Museum of Modern Art
“Views from the Vault” closes with films by Jia Zhangke and more, while “Silent Movie Week” is underway.
- 8/4/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
We’ve been tracking the progress of Night of the Caregiver, a horror film that’s coming to us from the creative team behind the upcoming action-packed Western Gunfight at Rio Bravo, ever since the project was first announced- and we have an Exclusive update to share today. The final poster for Night of the Caregiver has just been unveiled, and you can check it out below. Along with the poster comes the announcement that ITN Studios has picked up the North American distribution rights to the film and will be giving it a theatrical and VOD release on August 15th! We’re just two weeks away from having the chance to watch Night of the Caregiver!
A digital and DVD release will follow sometime this fall.
Night of the Caregiver is an international co-production between Eta Films, San Rafael Production and Hollywood Storm, with Joe Cornet (A Prayer for...
A digital and DVD release will follow sometime this fall.
Night of the Caregiver is an international co-production between Eta Films, San Rafael Production and Hollywood Storm, with Joe Cornet (A Prayer for...
- 8/1/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Build your collection of cinematic classics. Now available for the first time in stunning 4K Ultra HD™—See James Dean in Elia Kazan’s award-winning adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden, and watch Howard Hawks’s timeless western, Rio Bravo, starring film legend John Wayne.
The 4K Ultra HD™ releases will include each feature film in 4K with Hdr.
Enter for your chance to win both digital movies. Five (5) winners will be selected at random.
Here’s how to enter:s
Step 1: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Step 2: Tweet this message:
I want to win a #WB100 4K Classics Prizepack (@WBHomeEnt) from @Slant_Magazine. https://www.slantmagazine.com/giveaways/warner-bros-4k-classics-giveaway/ #SlantGiveaway
Note: One entry per person/email address/Twitter handle.
Step 3: The giveaway ends 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. on August 20, 2023. Winners will receive a Direct Message with further information.
Must Redeem...
The 4K Ultra HD™ releases will include each feature film in 4K with Hdr.
Enter for your chance to win both digital movies. Five (5) winners will be selected at random.
Here’s how to enter:s
Step 1: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Step 2: Tweet this message:
I want to win a #WB100 4K Classics Prizepack (@WBHomeEnt) from @Slant_Magazine. https://www.slantmagazine.com/giveaways/warner-bros-4k-classics-giveaway/ #SlantGiveaway
Note: One entry per person/email address/Twitter handle.
Step 3: The giveaway ends 11:59 p.m. E.S.T. on August 20, 2023. Winners will receive a Direct Message with further information.
Must Redeem...
- 7/31/2023
- by Slant Staff
- Slant Magazine
NYC Weekend Watch is our weekly round-up of repertory offerings.
Roxy Cinema
Throughout this weekend we’re proudly presenting Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo on 35mm and Francis Ford Coppola’s The Rain People, marking the New York premiere of American Zoetrope’s 4K restoration––further details, including how to get discounted tickets, are here––while Desperately Seeking Susan also plays.
"[The Rain People] is the only time I think of a movie when I'm making a movie. The only one." — Vincent Gallo
We're hosting the New York premiere of American Zoetrope's 4K restoration @RoxyCinemaNYC this weekend, alongside 'Rio Bravo' on 35mm: https://t.co/txwXR32yRm pic.twitter.com/9p6knmwNa8
— The Film Stage (@TheFilmStage) July 27, 2023
Museum of Modern Art
Films by Olivier Assayas, Claire Denis, and Todd Haynes screen on 35mm as part of “Views from the Vault.”
Bam
A series on second features has begun.
IFC...
Roxy Cinema
Throughout this weekend we’re proudly presenting Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo on 35mm and Francis Ford Coppola’s The Rain People, marking the New York premiere of American Zoetrope’s 4K restoration––further details, including how to get discounted tickets, are here––while Desperately Seeking Susan also plays.
"[The Rain People] is the only time I think of a movie when I'm making a movie. The only one." — Vincent Gallo
We're hosting the New York premiere of American Zoetrope's 4K restoration @RoxyCinemaNYC this weekend, alongside 'Rio Bravo' on 35mm: https://t.co/txwXR32yRm pic.twitter.com/9p6knmwNa8
— The Film Stage (@TheFilmStage) July 27, 2023
Museum of Modern Art
Films by Olivier Assayas, Claire Denis, and Todd Haynes screen on 35mm as part of “Views from the Vault.”
Bam
A series on second features has begun.
IFC...
- 7/28/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Before we present the New York premiere of a new 4K restoration of Francis Ford Coppola’s The Rain People this weekend at NYC’s Roxy Cinema, it seemed germane to point towards this early meeting of two old friends (just before they changed Hollywood forever). In 1968 the enterprising experimental filmmaker George Lucas followed The Rain People‘s production across America, documenting the practical, grinding realities of film and stresses upon its artists, in the process finding a young, prodigiously talented director making his first pushes against an industry that––some things never change!––doesn’t attract, as he’d put it, “some of the most interesting guys.” The resulting work was Filmmaker: a diary by george lucas, which Coppola would suggest is superior to his own feature, and served as the first title copyrighted under either’s companies, American Zoetrope and Lucasfilm.
To which degree this could only anticipate...
To which degree this could only anticipate...
- 7/25/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
As we get ready to present a 35mm print of Rio Bravo at New York’s Roxy Cinema next weekend I’ve been thinking a lot about the anecdote, once oft-told by the man himself, that any girl Quentin Tarantino just started dating would be shown Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo as acid test: love it or leave me. As a kid Rio Bravo was as much about Tarantino (whose work I knew) as Howard Hawks (take a guess), and some two decades hence––with enough experience under my belt that I might prefer El Dorado––it’s fun hearing him actually praise the film at length, passionately, with the personal lens that defines his criticism in Cinema Speculation.
This video comes from a special screening Tarantino hosted at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, in only four-and-a-half minutes the filmmaker cramming enthusiasms. More than his own, it’s what he hopes and...
This video comes from a special screening Tarantino hosted at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, in only four-and-a-half minutes the filmmaker cramming enthusiasms. More than his own, it’s what he hopes and...
- 7/20/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
As part of the year-long centennial celebration for the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros. Studio, two iconic classics from the Warner Bros. library – East of Eden and Rio Bravo – will be available for purchase on 4K Ultra HD Disc and Digital August 1. East of Eden, directed by Academy Award winner Elia Kazan and starring James Dean, and Rio Bravo, directed by Honorary Academy Award winner Howard Hawks and starring John Wayne, will be available to purchase on Ultra HD Blu-ray™Disc from online and in-store at major retailers and available for purchase Digitally from Amazon Prime Video, AppleTV, Google Play, Vudu and more. Working in ... Read more...
- 7/12/2023
- by Thomas Miller
- Seat42F
Trio to work alongside Warner Bros. picture group co-heads Mike De Luca, Pamela Abdy.
The imbroglio at Turner Classic Movies (TCM) appears to have been resolved as it emerged on Wednesday that Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson will help curate films under the creative oversight of Warner Bros picture group co-heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy.
Senior vice-president of programming and content strategy Charles Tabesh, who had been at TCM for more than 25 years and was among several senior executives laid off earlier this month, will now return to the channel.
In a heartening development the new roles for Spielberg,...
The imbroglio at Turner Classic Movies (TCM) appears to have been resolved as it emerged on Wednesday that Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson will help curate films under the creative oversight of Warner Bros picture group co-heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy.
Senior vice-president of programming and content strategy Charles Tabesh, who had been at TCM for more than 25 years and was among several senior executives laid off earlier this month, will now return to the channel.
In a heartening development the new roles for Spielberg,...
- 6/28/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Warner Bros motion picture group co-heads to work alongside Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Paul Thomas Anderson.
The imbroglio at Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has been resolved as it emerged on Wednesday that Warner Bros picture group co-heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy will assume creative control of the channel working alongside Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson.
The three filmmakers called a meeting last week with David Zaslav, CEO of TCM parent Warner Bros Discovery (Wbd), amid fears the channel might close down after several senior executives were laid off under ongoing cost-cutting at Wbd.
Senior vice-president...
The imbroglio at Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has been resolved as it emerged on Wednesday that Warner Bros picture group co-heads Mike De Luca and Pam Abdy will assume creative control of the channel working alongside Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson.
The three filmmakers called a meeting last week with David Zaslav, CEO of TCM parent Warner Bros Discovery (Wbd), amid fears the channel might close down after several senior executives were laid off under ongoing cost-cutting at Wbd.
Senior vice-president...
- 6/28/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The Film Stage is elated to announce a double feature at New York’s Roxy Cinema: on Friday, July 28 we’ll introduce Francis Ford Coppola’s 1969 film The Rain People––marking the New York premiere of its 4K restoration––and a 35mm print of Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo, both of which continue screening through the weekend.
The Film Stage readers will receive a discounted $12 ticket with mention of our program at the Roxy’s box office. (Don’t be shy––their employees are very nice.) We look forward to seeing you at the movies.
The Rain People—New York Premiere of 4K Restoration
Friday, July 28 at 7:00pm
Saturday, July 29 at 5:45pm
Sunday, July 30 at 8:00pm
“If I could say I could have been in any Coppola film, I would have probably wanted to star in The Rain People.” –– Vincent Gallo
Despite consistent acclaim, The Rain People is...
The Film Stage readers will receive a discounted $12 ticket with mention of our program at the Roxy’s box office. (Don’t be shy––their employees are very nice.) We look forward to seeing you at the movies.
The Rain People—New York Premiere of 4K Restoration
Friday, July 28 at 7:00pm
Saturday, July 29 at 5:45pm
Sunday, July 30 at 8:00pm
“If I could say I could have been in any Coppola film, I would have probably wanted to star in The Rain People.” –– Vincent Gallo
Despite consistent acclaim, The Rain People is...
- 6/27/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Dean Smith, who won a gold medal as a sprinter at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics before becoming a top-notch Hollywood stunt performer who worked on a dozen films starring John Wayne, has died. He was 91.
Smith died Saturday at his home in Breckenridge, Texas, after a battle with cancer, his friend Rob Word told The Hollywood Reporter.
Smith, who got into the business with help from James Garner, appeared in seven Paul Newman films, including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), The Sting (1973) and The Towering Inferno (1974).
The tough Texan, who loved to say he could “ride, run and jump,” doubled for good friend Dale Robertson on the 1957-62 NBC series Tales of Wells Fargo, the 1964 film Blood on the Arrow and the 1966-68 ABC series Iron Horse.
He also did the dirty work for Ben Johnson...
Smith died Saturday at his home in Breckenridge, Texas, after a battle with cancer, his friend Rob Word told The Hollywood Reporter.
Smith, who got into the business with help from James Garner, appeared in seven Paul Newman films, including Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (1958), Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969), The Life and Times of Judge Roy Bean (1972), The Sting (1973) and The Towering Inferno (1974).
The tough Texan, who loved to say he could “ride, run and jump,” doubled for good friend Dale Robertson on the 1957-62 NBC series Tales of Wells Fargo, the 1964 film Blood on the Arrow and the 1966-68 ABC series Iron Horse.
He also did the dirty work for Ben Johnson...
- 6/25/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
John Wayne is a Western film icon and starred in many notable films during the Hollywood Golden Age. For over 30 years, fans saw his name attached to Westerns and war movies and couldn’t wait to see what he was filming next. But that doesn’t mean filming came easy for the superstar, especially in regard to injuries. Wayne suffered numerous physical difficulties through the years, and while filming Rio Lobo, he couldn’t use one side of his body. Here’s why.
John Wayne had difficulty filming ‘Rio Lobo’ due to a torn shoulder John Wayne in ‘Rio Lobo’ | CBS via Getty Images
Rio Lobo, a remake of Rio Bravo and El Dorado, came out in 1970 and featured John Wayne as the lead. Wayne played Cord McNally, a Civil War veteran searching for two traitors who caused McNally’s unit to go down. McNally travels to the town of...
John Wayne had difficulty filming ‘Rio Lobo’ due to a torn shoulder John Wayne in ‘Rio Lobo’ | CBS via Getty Images
Rio Lobo, a remake of Rio Bravo and El Dorado, came out in 1970 and featured John Wayne as the lead. Wayne played Cord McNally, a Civil War veteran searching for two traitors who caused McNally’s unit to go down. McNally travels to the town of...
- 6/24/2023
- by Lauren Weiler
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Warner Bros. Pictures heads Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy are taking oversight of Turner Classic Movies, an individual with knowledge of the matter confirmed Friday to TheWrap.
The leadership change follows the exit of TCM chief Pola Changnon and layoffs of several other members of the network’s top brass. The departures came amid cuts of 100 staffers across Warner Bros. Discovery’s U.S. Networks Group this week, led by chairman and chief content officer Kathleen Finch.
Following Changnon’s departure on Tuesday, Finch said in a memo to staff that Michael Ouweleen, the president of Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Discovery Family and Boomerang who had previously run TCM on an interim basis for eight months in 2019 and 2020, would take oversight of the network.
Just hours later, TheWrap exclusively reported that TCM’s senior vice president of programming and content strategy Charles Tabesh, vice president of studio production Anne Wilson,...
The leadership change follows the exit of TCM chief Pola Changnon and layoffs of several other members of the network’s top brass. The departures came amid cuts of 100 staffers across Warner Bros. Discovery’s U.S. Networks Group this week, led by chairman and chief content officer Kathleen Finch.
Following Changnon’s departure on Tuesday, Finch said in a memo to staff that Michael Ouweleen, the president of Adult Swim, Cartoon Network, Discovery Family and Boomerang who had previously run TCM on an interim basis for eight months in 2019 and 2020, would take oversight of the network.
Just hours later, TheWrap exclusively reported that TCM’s senior vice president of programming and content strategy Charles Tabesh, vice president of studio production Anne Wilson,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
Joe Cornet and Alexander Nevsky‘s action packed western Gunfight at Rio Bravo was released in the US by Shout! Studios back in January and is available on all of the major digital platforms. The sequel Taken from Rio Bravo was shot in Arizona last summer and is now in the final stages of post-production – and the project went over so well when it was presented to international distributors at the Cannes Film Festival last month, Cornet and Nevsky have announced that they’re putting another sequel on the fast track to production! This one will be titled The Last Heroes of Rio Bravo, and filming is scheduled to begin in August.
Cornet will be directing The Last Heroes of Rio Bravo from a screenplay by Craig Hamann, who also wrote the previous two films and crafted the stories with Nevsky. A plot synopsis for the third entry in the...
Cornet will be directing The Last Heroes of Rio Bravo from a screenplay by Craig Hamann, who also wrote the previous two films and crafted the stories with Nevsky. A plot synopsis for the third entry in the...
- 6/23/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
“All is well,” a headline read in January as hosts of the Turner Classic Movies channel assuaged fans’ fears following upheaval under CEO David Zaslav’s watch at Warner Bros. Discovery. Six months later, TCM’s top executives — including 25-year veteran Pola Changnon — are out and the cable channel’s future seems entirely uncertain.
This week’s changes will see the number of employees at TCM slashed from about 90 to about 20, according to insiders, with the responsibilities of overseeing the network distributed among other units under the Wbd umbrella. Meanwhile, budgets have already been progressively cut at the network, leading many to wonder what the future will bring.
“They’re farming most people out into different departments,” an insider with knowledge of the TCM restructuring told TheWrap. “Michael Ouweleen is now the head of TCM, but he really doesn’t oversee any part of TCM other than the podcasts and the duty of production.
This week’s changes will see the number of employees at TCM slashed from about 90 to about 20, according to insiders, with the responsibilities of overseeing the network distributed among other units under the Wbd umbrella. Meanwhile, budgets have already been progressively cut at the network, leading many to wonder what the future will bring.
“They’re farming most people out into different departments,” an insider with knowledge of the TCM restructuring told TheWrap. “Michael Ouweleen is now the head of TCM, but he really doesn’t oversee any part of TCM other than the podcasts and the duty of production.
- 6/23/2023
- by Jose Alejandro Bastidas and Lucas Manfredi
- The Wrap
Update: On Wednesday evening, Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Anderson released a joint statement about their discussions with Warner Bros. Discovery president and CEO David Zaslav regarding TCM.
After Warner Bros. Discovery announced layoffs at Turner Classic Movies (TCM) on Tuesday, filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson conferred with Wbd chief David Zaslav about the future of the cinema network.
Variety has learned that the Warner Bros. Discovery CEO convened a call with the trio of top filmmakers on Wednesday for guidance following the departure of top TCM execs, including general manager Pola Changnon, who stepped down after more than 25 years with the network and Turner.
“Turner Classic Movies has always been more than just a channel. It is truly a precious resource of cinema, open 24 hours a day seven days a week. And while it has never been a financial juggernaut, it has always been...
After Warner Bros. Discovery announced layoffs at Turner Classic Movies (TCM) on Tuesday, filmmakers Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Paul Thomas Anderson conferred with Wbd chief David Zaslav about the future of the cinema network.
Variety has learned that the Warner Bros. Discovery CEO convened a call with the trio of top filmmakers on Wednesday for guidance following the departure of top TCM execs, including general manager Pola Changnon, who stepped down after more than 25 years with the network and Turner.
“Turner Classic Movies has always been more than just a channel. It is truly a precious resource of cinema, open 24 hours a day seven days a week. And while it has never been a financial juggernaut, it has always been...
- 6/21/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
An action movie is created to excite and wow us, taking the audience on a rollercoaster ride to see if and how our protagonist — who may or may not be much of a hero — survives amid pure chaos. It’s also a genre that often strives to top itself. Many of our favorite films have found new ways to raise the bar, whether it be through the storytelling, cast, or sequences that completely change the game.
Den of Geek is celebrating 15 movies that looked forward, whether they were celebrated in their day as innovators or have been finally reevaluated years after release. All of these action movies were ahead of their time, whether it be through never-before-seen fight choreography and stunt work or advancements in special effects and storytelling.
Seven Samurai (1954)
Yeah, we all know that one film nerd who gets on your case about watching Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai at least once.
Den of Geek is celebrating 15 movies that looked forward, whether they were celebrated in their day as innovators or have been finally reevaluated years after release. All of these action movies were ahead of their time, whether it be through never-before-seen fight choreography and stunt work or advancements in special effects and storytelling.
Seven Samurai (1954)
Yeah, we all know that one film nerd who gets on your case about watching Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai at least once.
- 6/3/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
Howard Hawks was the Oscar-nominated director who has become a favorite among cinephiles, praised as a master of genre entertainments. But how many of his titles have remained classics? Let’s take a look back at 20 of Hawks’ greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1896, Hawks had a background in engineering and aviation before turning to filmmaking during the silent era. He proved himself to be a versatile talent, adapting his direct, fast-paced style to a variety of genres, including comedies, westerns, film noir, adventures (“Only Angels Have Wings”), gangster epics (“Scarface”) and war dramas.
Although Hawks often explored the codes of masculinity in films starring Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne and Cary Grant, he was noted for his strong-willed, fast talking female characters, coined the “Hawksian woman.” The battle of the sexes was never more evenhanded than it was in one of his films, thanks to the likes of Katharine Hepburn,...
Born in 1896, Hawks had a background in engineering and aviation before turning to filmmaking during the silent era. He proved himself to be a versatile talent, adapting his direct, fast-paced style to a variety of genres, including comedies, westerns, film noir, adventures (“Only Angels Have Wings”), gangster epics (“Scarface”) and war dramas.
Although Hawks often explored the codes of masculinity in films starring Humphrey Bogart, John Wayne and Cary Grant, he was noted for his strong-willed, fast talking female characters, coined the “Hawksian woman.” The battle of the sexes was never more evenhanded than it was in one of his films, thanks to the likes of Katharine Hepburn,...
- 5/27/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
One of the most prized moments of Howard Hawks’ macho manifesto Rio Bravo is when Dean Martin’s Dude kicks back, gazes lightheadedly at the ceiling, and moseys into a rendition of the western ballad “My Rifle, My Pony and Me,” accompanied on guitar and harmonica with a sense of second nature by Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan. It’s an oasis of calm, of earned sentimentality, in the steeliest and most no-nonsense movie of its Hollywood era, and an emblem of the male camaraderie––sans queer shading, for sure––beloved of its most famous fans, most notably Quentin Tarantino.
Víctor Erice, however––in his first feature since a mysterious absence following 1992’s The Quince Tree Sun––has now made the ultimate homage. The centerpiece of his comeback film Close Your Eyes is its lead, melancholic filmmaker and writer Miguel Garay (Manolo Solo), busting out his acoustic during a communal...
Víctor Erice, however––in his first feature since a mysterious absence following 1992’s The Quince Tree Sun––has now made the ultimate homage. The centerpiece of his comeback film Close Your Eyes is its lead, melancholic filmmaker and writer Miguel Garay (Manolo Solo), busting out his acoustic during a communal...
- 5/26/2023
- by David Katz
- The Film Stage
As HBO Max fades in favor of its revamped cousin — Max — subscribers with a little extra cash to spend can get a sharper image. Subscribers to the “ultimate” tier ($19.99/month) will have access to more than 1,000 4K Uhd titles.
7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of Max When Pre-Paid Annually
The 4K library will include “The Last of Us,” “Game of Thrones,” “The House of the Dragon,” the Harry Potter films, “Dune,” The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Dark Knight trilogy, and more. Strangely, the list includes “Superman,” but not the beloved “Superman II.” You can stream “It: Chapter Two” in 4K, but not the original. Only half of “Barry” is available in 4K. The company reports it plans to add more 4K titles each month.
The ultimate tier also offers four concurrent streams, up to 100 offline downloads and Dolby Atmos and Vision...
7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com
Get 20% Off Your Next Year of Max When Pre-Paid Annually
The 4K library will include “The Last of Us,” “Game of Thrones,” “The House of the Dragon,” the Harry Potter films, “Dune,” The Lord of the Rings trilogy, The Dark Knight trilogy, and more. Strangely, the list includes “Superman,” but not the beloved “Superman II.” You can stream “It: Chapter Two” in 4K, but not the original. Only half of “Barry” is available in 4K. The company reports it plans to add more 4K titles each month.
The ultimate tier also offers four concurrent streams, up to 100 offline downloads and Dolby Atmos and Vision...
- 5/22/2023
- by Ben Bowman
- The Streamable
Oscar winner John Wayne, better known as “The Duke” to his fans, starred in over 165 movies throughout his career, oftentimes playing the swaggering, macho hero of westerns and war epics. But how many of his titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1907 as Marion Robert Morrison, Wayne worked his way up from bit player to leading man, appearing in a number of poverty row, Z-grade westerns throughout the 1930s. He shot to stardom with his role in John Ford‘s “Stagecoach” (1939), which brought new shades of nuance and artistry to the Cowboys and Indians genre. It also kicked off a lucrative, decades-long partnership between the director and star, who would make over two dozen films together, including “The Quiet Man” (1952), “The Searchers” (1956) and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (1962).
Despite being one of the top box office...
Born in 1907 as Marion Robert Morrison, Wayne worked his way up from bit player to leading man, appearing in a number of poverty row, Z-grade westerns throughout the 1930s. He shot to stardom with his role in John Ford‘s “Stagecoach” (1939), which brought new shades of nuance and artistry to the Cowboys and Indians genre. It also kicked off a lucrative, decades-long partnership between the director and star, who would make over two dozen films together, including “The Quiet Man” (1952), “The Searchers” (1956) and “The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance” (1962).
Despite being one of the top box office...
- 5/21/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The upcoming western Taken from Rio Bravo has received its first trailer and we’re pleased to present it exclusively here on JoBlo!
The action-packed trailer starts off with an attempted robbery that results in juuuust about everybody getting a bullet to the chest courtesy of one nasty gunslinger. He joins forces with the seemingly more cautious sheriff, out to find his soon-to-be bride, nabbed by a group of bastards who take women over the border into Mexico. Judging by the trailer, Taken from Rio Bravo looks to be a tightly constructed picture with plenty of gunplay. And yes, that is our very own John Fallon in the trailer!
The official plot synopsis of Taken from Rio Bravo: “The action western sees the return of the mysterious Russian gunslinger who teams up with a sheriff in pursuit of a gang of sadistic human traffickers known as The Posse, who have kidnapped five women.
The action-packed trailer starts off with an attempted robbery that results in juuuust about everybody getting a bullet to the chest courtesy of one nasty gunslinger. He joins forces with the seemingly more cautious sheriff, out to find his soon-to-be bride, nabbed by a group of bastards who take women over the border into Mexico. Judging by the trailer, Taken from Rio Bravo looks to be a tightly constructed picture with plenty of gunplay. And yes, that is our very own John Fallon in the trailer!
The official plot synopsis of Taken from Rio Bravo: “The action western sees the return of the mysterious Russian gunslinger who teams up with a sheriff in pursuit of a gang of sadistic human traffickers known as The Posse, who have kidnapped five women.
- 5/13/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
Autograph hounds are ghouls. They've taken what should be an innocent, good-natured interaction between a celebrity and a fan, and turned it into a cynical, bottom-feeding industry that largely services people with a good deal of disposable income which, given modern-day income disparity, makes you at the very least rich-adjacent. Alas, they've been around forever. Donald Duck portrayed one in a 1939 Disney cartoon, but, in this case, he's just a movie-mad waterfowl eager to fill his personal autograph book with his favorite entertainers' signatures. There's no insinuation that he's trying to profit from his hobby (though he is trespassing on private property to sate his fame-addled desire).
I don't think the concept of an autograph book even exists now. For decades, Hollywood premieres have been overrun with memorabilia merchants loaded with photos, posters, and other collectable items that can be put up for auction on eBay (the brick-and-mortar outlets have...
I don't think the concept of an autograph book even exists now. For decades, Hollywood premieres have been overrun with memorabilia merchants loaded with photos, posters, and other collectable items that can be put up for auction on eBay (the brick-and-mortar outlets have...
- 5/1/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
This past weekend, Wamg attended the annual TCM Film Festival (honestly this writer’s favorite event of the year) and as usual, it did not disappoint! There was a ton of great programming this year, with something for just about everyone.
Opening Night of the 14th annual TCM Classic Film Festival kicked off with a screening of Rio Bravo (1959) in celebration of Warner Bros.’ 100th anniversary, featuring a conversation with Wbd CEO David Zaslav and The Film Foundation Board members Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson about the mission of The Film Foundation as well as Rio Bravo star Angie Dickinson.
Hollywood, California – April 13: (L-r) TCM host Ben Mankiewicz; General Manager, Turner Classic Movies Pola Changnon; Steven Spielberg; Angie Dickinson; and President and Chief Executive Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav attend the opening night gala and world premiere of the 4k restoration of “Rio Bravo” during the...
Opening Night of the 14th annual TCM Classic Film Festival kicked off with a screening of Rio Bravo (1959) in celebration of Warner Bros.’ 100th anniversary, featuring a conversation with Wbd CEO David Zaslav and The Film Foundation Board members Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson about the mission of The Film Foundation as well as Rio Bravo star Angie Dickinson.
Hollywood, California – April 13: (L-r) TCM host Ben Mankiewicz; General Manager, Turner Classic Movies Pola Changnon; Steven Spielberg; Angie Dickinson; and President and Chief Executive Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav attend the opening night gala and world premiere of the 4k restoration of “Rio Bravo” during the...
- 4/19/2023
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
If the 14th annual TCM Classic Film Festival had an official focus, it was on the 100th anniversary of Warner Bros., from the opening night premiere selection of a restoration of “Rio Bravo” to a celebration of the 50th anniversary of “The Exorcist.” Almost equal in emphasis, though, by virtue of the guests brought in, was a celebration of the ingenues-turned-leading-ladies of the 1960s, who now represent the elder guard of a Hollywood golden age — Angie Dickinson, Ann-Margret and Shirley Jones.
Dickinson had the highest profile of any star at the festival, being the belle of the ball at the Thursday screening of “Rio Bravo” in the big house at the Tcl Chinese Theatres, where most of the screenings were held. But there was just as much outpouring of affection for Ann-Margret, who turned up for a Q&a (and birthday cake) following “Bye Bye Birdie” on Saturday, and Jones,...
Dickinson had the highest profile of any star at the festival, being the belle of the ball at the Thursday screening of “Rio Bravo” in the big house at the Tcl Chinese Theatres, where most of the screenings were held. But there was just as much outpouring of affection for Ann-Margret, who turned up for a Q&a (and birthday cake) following “Bye Bye Birdie” on Saturday, and Jones,...
- 4/18/2023
- by Chris Willman
- Variety Film + TV
Hollywood stars and filmmakers joined for a weekend of celebrating film legacies and the impact they have had on cinema at the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival.
To kick off the festival at the Los Angeles’ Tcl Chinese Theatre, The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and Hollywood Legion Theater at Post 43, Angie Dickinson chatted with TCM host Ben Mankiewicz on opening night Thursday about Rio Bravo, her role as Feathers and starring opposite John Wayne and Dean Martin.
When talking about what it was like working with director Howard Hawks, Dickinson said, “He was a man of few words,” and while filming, he told her and the crew to “just relax, and he and I sat there, talking about nothing. It was just to relax me and get me to the point that he wanted me to be for the scene.”
Directors Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson also took part in a...
To kick off the festival at the Los Angeles’ Tcl Chinese Theatre, The Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and Hollywood Legion Theater at Post 43, Angie Dickinson chatted with TCM host Ben Mankiewicz on opening night Thursday about Rio Bravo, her role as Feathers and starring opposite John Wayne and Dean Martin.
When talking about what it was like working with director Howard Hawks, Dickinson said, “He was a man of few words,” and while filming, he told her and the crew to “just relax, and he and I sat there, talking about nothing. It was just to relax me and get me to the point that he wanted me to be for the scene.”
Directors Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson also took part in a...
- 4/16/2023
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Steven Spielberg, Paul Thomas Anderson and Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav took part in a panel at the 2023 TCM Classic Film Festival to discuss the importance of rescuing films that are at risk of deteriorating.
During an event Thursday on the festival’s opening night at Los Angeles’ Tcl Chinese Theatre, TCM host Ben Mankiewicz moderated a conversation between the three guests surrounding their efforts to restore decades-old titles. Spielberg explained that Martin Scorsese launched The Film Foundation in 1990 to preserve motion picture history and had enlisted the help of the Hollywood studios and other prominent filmmakers. The panel on Thursday focused on the work being done in a partnership between TCM, Warner Bros. Discovery and Film Foundation, and it accompanied the premiere screening of the 4K restoration of Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo (1959).
“We all joined [Scorsese] to go around to all the studios to get them to try...
During an event Thursday on the festival’s opening night at Los Angeles’ Tcl Chinese Theatre, TCM host Ben Mankiewicz moderated a conversation between the three guests surrounding their efforts to restore decades-old titles. Spielberg explained that Martin Scorsese launched The Film Foundation in 1990 to preserve motion picture history and had enlisted the help of the Hollywood studios and other prominent filmmakers. The panel on Thursday focused on the work being done in a partnership between TCM, Warner Bros. Discovery and Film Foundation, and it accompanied the premiere screening of the 4K restoration of Howard Hawks’ Rio Bravo (1959).
“We all joined [Scorsese] to go around to all the studios to get them to try...
- 4/15/2023
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Opening night of the 14th TCM Classic Film Festival in Hollywood brought out not only the lustrous 4D restored Howard Hawks classic western “Rio Bravo” — starring John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Angie Dickinson, 91, who was on hand — but two directors and board members of Martin Scorsese’s Film Foundation, Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson. They extolled Scorsese’s foresight and ongoing commitment to preserving and saving the original celluloid elements of classic films so that restorations like this one can occur.
“David and Warner Bros have their own archivists and they have titles they’d like from the Warner Bros. archive to be preserved,” said Spielberg explaining how titles are chosen, nearly 1000 since 1990 to date. “And every studio does have that but we try to find the films, not the films that are our favorite movies, but films that tell a very unique story of this country and the people of this country,...
“David and Warner Bros have their own archivists and they have titles they’d like from the Warner Bros. archive to be preserved,” said Spielberg explaining how titles are chosen, nearly 1000 since 1990 to date. “And every studio does have that but we try to find the films, not the films that are our favorite movies, but films that tell a very unique story of this country and the people of this country,...
- 4/14/2023
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO and President David Zaslav, just a day after revealing details of the new combined streaming service Max, joined industry titans Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson to tout another area close to the heart of the studio he now heads: the importance of restoring and preserving Warner Bros.’ rich legacy of film classics, especially as it heads into its 100th anniversary year. Appearing on stage at the opening night of the 14th TCM Classic Film Festival with Spielberg and Anderson in a conversation moderated by TCM host Ben Mankiewicz, Zaslav — who previously stated his belief in the theatrical experience and a return to that after 2021’s much-derided day-and-date release model under past CEO Jason Kilar — made it clear that the studio’s commitment to the preservation and well-being of the studio’s rich library will be a priority in his administration. (Turner Classic Movies is a...
- 4/14/2023
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
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