There’s nothing so freaky about “Freaky Tales,” Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck’s sci-fi omnibus ode to ‘80s cinema nostalgia that takes the definition of “derivative,” packages a bunch of retro cinematic references smugly into winky “you get it, right?” pastiche, and stretches it to its furthest possible event horizon.
The problem with structuring your film around four interlocking chapters, each with its own segueing title card, is if you’re not down with the first, you’ll be counting down the passage of time groaningly until the next. Last time they were behind the camera, Boden and Fleck had decamped their indie roots, including the lovely “Half Nelson” and “Sugar” — films powered by real characters — for the irresistible Faust’s bargain of directing 2019’s “Captain Marvel.” It seems they have not stripped themselves of the MCU’s cheeky, self-reflexive DNA, here writing and directing a film that thinks...
The problem with structuring your film around four interlocking chapters, each with its own segueing title card, is if you’re not down with the first, you’ll be counting down the passage of time groaningly until the next. Last time they were behind the camera, Boden and Fleck had decamped their indie roots, including the lovely “Half Nelson” and “Sugar” — films powered by real characters — for the irresistible Faust’s bargain of directing 2019’s “Captain Marvel.” It seems they have not stripped themselves of the MCU’s cheeky, self-reflexive DNA, here writing and directing a film that thinks...
- 1/19/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Woody Allen is a four-time Academy Award winner who has proved incredibly prolific in his decades-long career, writing, directing, and oftentimes starring in nearly a film a year for over 50 years. But how many of those are classics? Let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
After years as a joke writer and standup comic, Allen transitioned into filmmaking penning such screenplays as “What’s New Pussycat?” (1965) and starring in such titles as “Casino Royale” (1967). His first credit as a director was the comedically overdubbed Japanese spy thriller “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” (1966).
The Woody Allen as we know him emerged in 1969 with the farcical mockumentary “Take the Money and Run” (1969), made when he was 34 years old. The success of that film led to a string of critically acclaimed absurdist comedies, including “Bananas” (1971) and “Sleeper” (1973).
He established himself as an important filmmaker with the romantic...
After years as a joke writer and standup comic, Allen transitioned into filmmaking penning such screenplays as “What’s New Pussycat?” (1965) and starring in such titles as “Casino Royale” (1967). His first credit as a director was the comedically overdubbed Japanese spy thriller “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” (1966).
The Woody Allen as we know him emerged in 1969 with the farcical mockumentary “Take the Money and Run” (1969), made when he was 34 years old. The success of that film led to a string of critically acclaimed absurdist comedies, including “Bananas” (1971) and “Sleeper” (1973).
He established himself as an important filmmaker with the romantic...
- 11/25/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Prime Video has a fair amount in store for subscribers in November, as the uber-violent hit animated show Invincible returns for its highly anticipated second season. Based on the iconic comic book by Robert Kirkman, Cory Walker, and Ryan Ottley, season two will find super-powered protagonist Mark attempting to rebuild his life after finding out the truth about his father Nolan.
Elsewhere on the streamer, the producing team behind the James Bond movies are out to spin the franchise in a completely different direction by debuting their curious new globe-trotting adventure series, pitched somewhere between a quiz show and a treasure hunt. 007: Road To A Million features Brian Cox as the game’s “mastermind”, watching over the contestants as they try to win a million quid.
Here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video and Freevee this month. Amazon Originals are accompanied by an asterisk!
New on Amazon Prime...
Elsewhere on the streamer, the producing team behind the James Bond movies are out to spin the franchise in a completely different direction by debuting their curious new globe-trotting adventure series, pitched somewhere between a quiz show and a treasure hunt. 007: Road To A Million features Brian Cox as the game’s “mastermind”, watching over the contestants as they try to win a million quid.
Here’s everything coming to Amazon Prime Video and Freevee this month. Amazon Originals are accompanied by an asterisk!
New on Amazon Prime...
- 11/1/2023
- by Kirsten Howard
- Den of Geek
Jeff Daniels is ready to tell his story. The actor, who has been in everything from “The Purple Rose of Cairo” to “Dumb and Dumber,” is readying his audio-only memoir, “Alive and Well Enough,” as a 12-part series for Audible, with the first season debuting in September (with a second season on the way).
According to the official release “Alive and Well Enough” “mixes storytelling, original music and performance, [and] is like nothing you have heard before.” Would it be too much to ask for several chapters devoted to the making of “Arachnophobia?”
“Audible is the only place where I get to do everything I do,” said Daniels in an official statement. “’Alive and Well Enough’ is an audio adventure of an accidental artist who one day looked up and realized he had a sense of humor, a passion for writing and stories to tell.”
Daniels, of course, is an accomplished performer,...
According to the official release “Alive and Well Enough” “mixes storytelling, original music and performance, [and] is like nothing you have heard before.” Would it be too much to ask for several chapters devoted to the making of “Arachnophobia?”
“Audible is the only place where I get to do everything I do,” said Daniels in an official statement. “’Alive and Well Enough’ is an audio adventure of an accidental artist who one day looked up and realized he had a sense of humor, a passion for writing and stories to tell.”
Daniels, of course, is an accomplished performer,...
- 8/3/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
The second season of original series “Almost Paradise” is set to premiere on Freevee on July 21. When hypertension forces DEA agent Alex Walker (played by Christian Kane) into early retirement, he moves to the Philippines in hopes of a quieter life. But unfortunately for him, he can’t avoid danger. Soon, the local police ask him to help solve a series of serious crimes.
Watch the “Almost Paradise” Season 2 trailer:
Also coming to Amazon’s free streaming service in July is the incredibly meta action series “Ze Network.” In the show, David Hasselhoff plays himself as he takes a gig at an English-language theater in Germany — and we all know that Germans love David Hasselhoff. However, once there, he is recruited into an elite society of super-spies, who must work together to prevent a dangerous plot from striking the nation.
Check out the trailer for “Ze Network”:
The Coen Bros.
Watch the “Almost Paradise” Season 2 trailer:
Also coming to Amazon’s free streaming service in July is the incredibly meta action series “Ze Network.” In the show, David Hasselhoff plays himself as he takes a gig at an English-language theater in Germany — and we all know that Germans love David Hasselhoff. However, once there, he is recruited into an elite society of super-spies, who must work together to prevent a dangerous plot from striking the nation.
Check out the trailer for “Ze Network”:
The Coen Bros.
- 6/26/2023
- by Fern Siegel
- The Streamable
Plot: Michelle and Allen have reached the point in their relationship to take the next steps toward marriage. Thinking it is a good idea to invite their parents to finally meet, they set a dinner and make it a family affair. To everyone’s surprise, the affair takes on a whole new meaning as the parents already know each other all too well-they’ve been cheating on their spouses for months…with each other. Trapped in this precarious predicament, they try to hide their dalliances from the kids while confronting their spouse’s lovers head-on. Let the games begin!
Review: I went into Maybe I Do with no expectations. These days, the stars of this film have appeared in countless romantic comedies, some of which have been received better than others. When you make that many rom-coms, they tend to blend together, so unless you are a dedicated fan of the genre,...
Review: I went into Maybe I Do with no expectations. These days, the stars of this film have appeared in countless romantic comedies, some of which have been received better than others. When you make that many rom-coms, they tend to blend together, so unless you are a dedicated fan of the genre,...
- 1/27/2023
- by Alex Maidy
- JoBlo.com
Everyone in Hollywood had to get their start somewhere, and it's always fascinating when we hear a story outside of nepotism. Actor Danny DeVito had worked as a hairstylist in a mortuary for a brief period of time, Christopher Walken was a former lion tamer, and legendary horror director Wes Craven cut his teeth in the adult film industry. Most of the eccentric rags-to-riches stories of A-list celebrities have been told time and time again, but director Todd Field, of the fantastic Cate Blanchett vehicle "TÁR," may have the coolest origin story of all. Field has been working in the industry for decades, first appearing as an actor in projects like "Radio Days," "Twister," and "Eyes Wide Shut," before pivoting to writing and directing critical darlings like "In The Bedroom" and "Little Children."
Field has been nominated for three Academy Awards for his writing, and if "TÁR," continues to bring...
Field has been nominated for three Academy Awards for his writing, and if "TÁR," continues to bring...
- 10/5/2022
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
No director has done more to deconstruct the myth of the suburban American family than Steven Spielberg. Dissertations have been written and documentaries made on the subject. And now, at the spry young age of 75, Spielberg himself weighs in on where his preoccupations come from in “The Fabelmans,” a personal account of his upbringing that feels like listening to two and a half hours’ worth of well-polished cocktail-party anecdotes, only better, since he’s gone to the trouble of staging them all for our benefit. Spielberg’s a born storyteller, and these are arguably his most precious stories.
From the first movie he saw (“The Greatest Show on Earth”) to memories of meeting filmmaker John Ford on the Paramount lot, this endearing, broadly appealing account of how Spielberg was smitten by the medium — and why the prodigy nearly abandoned picture-making before his career even started — holds the keys to so...
From the first movie he saw (“The Greatest Show on Earth”) to memories of meeting filmmaker John Ford on the Paramount lot, this endearing, broadly appealing account of how Spielberg was smitten by the medium — and why the prodigy nearly abandoned picture-making before his career even started — holds the keys to so...
- 9/11/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Sixteen years since his last film “Little Children” peeled back the malaise and psychosexual dysfunction of suburbia, director Todd Field is back on the film festival stage with “TÁR.” Field has paddled around a suite of projects over the years, from a 20-hour Showtime limited series take on Jonathan Franzen’s tome “Purity” with Daniel Craig and David Hare, to a likely-never-to-happen adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s unfilmable western “Blood Meridian.” After adapting fiction for his last two films — Tom Perrotta’s novel “Little Children” and the Andre Dubus short story “Killings” for his debut feature “In the Bedroom” — Field returns to writing his own material.
“TÁR” is set to make waves at the fall festivals with stops at Venice and NYFF before Focus Features releases the whopping two-hour-and-40-minute film on October 7 stateside. Cate Blanchett stars as renowned (and highly fictional) composer Lydia Tár, in the film regarded as...
“TÁR” is set to make waves at the fall festivals with stops at Venice and NYFF before Focus Features releases the whopping two-hour-and-40-minute film on October 7 stateside. Cate Blanchett stars as renowned (and highly fictional) composer Lydia Tár, in the film regarded as...
- 8/25/2022
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The actor Paul Herman, who had memorably roles in “Goodfellas,” “Silver Linings Playbook,” and “The Irishman” and starred on the HBO hit series “The Sopranos” died this week at the age of 76.
Herman’s death was confirmed by his management company, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “We are deeply saddened at the loss of our beloved Paul Herman. A true character on and off-screen. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, and we will always remember the sound of his laughter and bold spirit. We ask that you respect the privacy of the family at this time,” the statement read.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Herman worked for years as an actor – and often appeared in movies with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Early credits included “Easy Money” (with Pesci and Rodney Dangerfield) and “Once Upon a Time in America...
Herman’s death was confirmed by his management company, in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter. “We are deeply saddened at the loss of our beloved Paul Herman. A true character on and off-screen. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him, and we will always remember the sound of his laughter and bold spirit. We ask that you respect the privacy of the family at this time,” the statement read.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, Herman worked for years as an actor – and often appeared in movies with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci throughout the 1980s and 1990s. Early credits included “Easy Money” (with Pesci and Rodney Dangerfield) and “Once Upon a Time in America...
- 3/31/2022
- by Christopher Rosen and Caillou Pettis
- Gold Derby
Paul Herman, a Brooklyn-born actor who appeared in such classic mob movies as Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in America and The Irishman but is probably best known for his portrayal of club owner Peter “Beansie” Gaeta in The Sopranos, died Tuesday. He was 76.
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery
His death was announced on Instagram by Sopranos co-star Michael Imperioli. A cause of death was not disclosed.
“Our friend and colleague Paul Herman has passed away,” Imperioli wrote. “Paulie was just a great dude. A first class storyteller and raconteur and one hell of an actor. Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in America, The Irishman and of course The Sopranos are some highlights. Paulie lived around the corner from me the last few years and i am glad we got to spend some time together before he left us. I’ll miss him. Lots of love to his family,...
Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2022: Photo Gallery
His death was announced on Instagram by Sopranos co-star Michael Imperioli. A cause of death was not disclosed.
“Our friend and colleague Paul Herman has passed away,” Imperioli wrote. “Paulie was just a great dude. A first class storyteller and raconteur and one hell of an actor. Goodfellas, Once Upon a Time in America, The Irishman and of course The Sopranos are some highlights. Paulie lived around the corner from me the last few years and i am glad we got to spend some time together before he left us. I’ll miss him. Lots of love to his family,...
- 3/30/2022
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Chicago – When an interview opportunity comes up with Wallace Shawn, and it lasts more than 15 minutes, a conversation can be born. In our own version of “My Dinner with Andre,” I got an expansion with the actor, writer and one of the most famous dinner guests in cinema history (he is the “My” in “My Dinner … “ ).
Wallace Shawn’s story begins in New York City, where he was born the son of journalist Cecille Lyon and William Shawn, the longtime editor of the New Yorker magazine. After doing his undergrad at Harvard and post-grad work at Oxford, he eschew his philosophy and political studies to translate a play for a friend. He also had a role in the play, and his future was determined.
Wallace Shawn in ‘Rifkin’s Festival’
Photo credit: MPI Media Group
He began as a playwright, and many of his notable titles have been staged on...
Wallace Shawn’s story begins in New York City, where he was born the son of journalist Cecille Lyon and William Shawn, the longtime editor of the New Yorker magazine. After doing his undergrad at Harvard and post-grad work at Oxford, he eschew his philosophy and political studies to translate a play for a friend. He also had a role in the play, and his future was determined.
Wallace Shawn in ‘Rifkin’s Festival’
Photo credit: MPI Media Group
He began as a playwright, and many of his notable titles have been staged on...
- 2/10/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – The distinctive voice and presence of Wallace Shawn has been in the show business firmament for over 40 years. From his legacy film “My Dinner with Andre” through cultural icon in “The Princess Bride” to “Young Sheldon,” Wally Shawn has endured and prospered. He stars as the title character in “Rifkin’s Festival, opening January 28th, 2022.
Wallace Shawn is Mort Rifkin, a struggling novelist who used to be a film studies professor. Through his academia he met and married Sue (Gina Gershon), a movie publicist who saw potential in his literary pursuit. She is representing a hot young director at the famous San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain, and takes Mort along for the ride. The ex-professor doesn’t like modern cinema, and distracts himself by pursuing a local cardiologist (Elena Anaya) and creating dreams and fantasies from his film heroes.
Wallace Shawn and Gina Gershon in ‘Rifkin’s Festival...
Wallace Shawn is Mort Rifkin, a struggling novelist who used to be a film studies professor. Through his academia he met and married Sue (Gina Gershon), a movie publicist who saw potential in his literary pursuit. She is representing a hot young director at the famous San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain, and takes Mort along for the ride. The ex-professor doesn’t like modern cinema, and distracts himself by pursuing a local cardiologist (Elena Anaya) and creating dreams and fantasies from his film heroes.
Wallace Shawn and Gina Gershon in ‘Rifkin’s Festival...
- 1/27/2022
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
The Korean writer and director team of Choi Suk-kwan and Lee Joon-ik had already established themselves as box office smashers with “Radio Days” and “The King and the Clown”, when they decided to shoot “The Happy Life”, and with actors like Kim Yoon-seok, Jung Ji-young and Kim Sang-ho the result was predefined as highly entertaining, a prediction it fulfilled utterly.
Gi-yeong is an unemployed slob that owes money due to a number of unsuccessful investments in the stock market, has utterly leaned upon his wife for financial support and has trouble with his adolescent daughter. However, when he is informed that Sang-woo, the leader of his college band has died, he attends a funeral where a drunken reunion among the former band members takes place, which gives him the idea to reinstate the band, Active Volcano. His former comrades though are not so eager, due to their business and financial engagements.
Gi-yeong is an unemployed slob that owes money due to a number of unsuccessful investments in the stock market, has utterly leaned upon his wife for financial support and has trouble with his adolescent daughter. However, when he is informed that Sang-woo, the leader of his college band has died, he attends a funeral where a drunken reunion among the former band members takes place, which gives him the idea to reinstate the band, Active Volcano. His former comrades though are not so eager, due to their business and financial engagements.
- 7/27/2021
- by Panos Kotzathanasis
- AsianMoviePulse
HBO Max will not remove Woody Allen movies from its streaming platform, despite HBO now airing its four-part documentary series “Allen v. Farrow.” The show examines Dylan Farrow’s accusations of sexual abuse against Woody Allen, which has left many viewers puzzled over how HBO could air the series while also streaming six of Allen’s movies on HBO Max. The Allen movies now available to stream are “Scoop,” “Broadway Danny Rose,” “Shadows and Fog,” “Radio Days,” “Another Woman,” and “September,” five of which star Mia Farrow.
“These titles will remain available in the library to allow viewers to make their own informed decisions about screening the work,” HBO said in a statement to The Wrap.
HBO’s decision to continue streaming Allen’s films drew ire from many industry voices on social media, with Ernest Media Empire journalist Ernest Owens writing on Twitter, “White privilege is letting Woody Allen...
“These titles will remain available in the library to allow viewers to make their own informed decisions about screening the work,” HBO said in a statement to The Wrap.
HBO’s decision to continue streaming Allen’s films drew ire from many industry voices on social media, with Ernest Media Empire journalist Ernest Owens writing on Twitter, “White privilege is letting Woody Allen...
- 2/23/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
HBO says that six Woody Allen films available for streaming on HBO Max will remain on the service after some online called out the streamer for hosting those films alongside the new docuseries “Allen v. Farrow.”
“These titles will remain available in the library to allow viewers to make their own informed decisions about screening the work,” HBO said in a statement to TheWrap.
“Allen v. Farrow,” which premiered Sunday on HBO and for streaming on HBO Max, examines Dylan Farrow’s accusations of sexual abuse against her adopted father Allen. Others online then noticed that six films, including five starring Mia Farrow, are all available on the streamer. While the films aren’t prominently displayed or promoted, the films available for streaming through HBO Max for those looking for them are “Scoop,” “Broadway Danny Rose,” “Shadows and Fog,” “Radio Days,” “Another Woman” and “September.”
“White privilege is letting Woody...
“These titles will remain available in the library to allow viewers to make their own informed decisions about screening the work,” HBO said in a statement to TheWrap.
“Allen v. Farrow,” which premiered Sunday on HBO and for streaming on HBO Max, examines Dylan Farrow’s accusations of sexual abuse against her adopted father Allen. Others online then noticed that six films, including five starring Mia Farrow, are all available on the streamer. While the films aren’t prominently displayed or promoted, the films available for streaming through HBO Max for those looking for them are “Scoop,” “Broadway Danny Rose,” “Shadows and Fog,” “Radio Days,” “Another Woman” and “September.”
“White privilege is letting Woody...
- 2/22/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
If your Twitter timeline recently has been dominated by tweets about HBO’s new docu-series “Allen v. Farrow,” you aren’t alone.
The four-part documentary from filmmakers Amy Ziering, Kirby Dick, and Amy Herdy examines what happened when 7-year-old Dylan Farrow, the daughter of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen, accused her father of sexually abusing her in 1992. The saga has provoked fiery debates for nearly 30 years.
“Allen v. Farrow,” which premiered Feb. 21 and will air subsequent episodes over the next three weeks, aims to take a new look at the allegations and their aftermath. The story is told in part through never-before-seen home movies from Mia Farrow, as well as phone calls she recorded between her and Allen in the lead-up to the 1993 custody trial in which Mia Farrow prevailed.
Allen, 85, and his wife Soon-Yi Previn, who is also Farrow’s daughter, as well as a subject of “Allen v.
The four-part documentary from filmmakers Amy Ziering, Kirby Dick, and Amy Herdy examines what happened when 7-year-old Dylan Farrow, the daughter of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen, accused her father of sexually abusing her in 1992. The saga has provoked fiery debates for nearly 30 years.
“Allen v. Farrow,” which premiered Feb. 21 and will air subsequent episodes over the next three weeks, aims to take a new look at the allegations and their aftermath. The story is told in part through never-before-seen home movies from Mia Farrow, as well as phone calls she recorded between her and Allen in the lead-up to the 1993 custody trial in which Mia Farrow prevailed.
Allen, 85, and his wife Soon-Yi Previn, who is also Farrow’s daughter, as well as a subject of “Allen v.
- 2/22/2021
- by Kate Aurthur
- Variety Film + TV
As we have just about a week left to go of October, let’s take a look at everything that’s due to arrive on HBO Max in November. It’s a big month for the WarnerMedia streaming service, with countless new movies from their legendary library being added and plenty of fresh originals dropping throughout the following weeks. A few upcoming releases have yet to be dated, but otherwise, here’s the full list of what’s coming to HBO Max next month.
Released November Tba
12 Dates Of Christmas, HBO Max Original Series Premiere
Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show, HBO Max Original Special Premiere
Crazy, Not Insane, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air Reunion Special, HBO Max Original Special Premiere
Full Bloom, HBO Max Original Series Premiere
I Hate Suzie, HBO Max Original Series Premiere
The Mystery Of Db Cooper, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
Sesame Street,...
Released November Tba
12 Dates Of Christmas, HBO Max Original Series Premiere
Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show, HBO Max Original Special Premiere
Crazy, Not Insane, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air Reunion Special, HBO Max Original Special Premiere
Full Bloom, HBO Max Original Series Premiere
I Hate Suzie, HBO Max Original Series Premiere
The Mystery Of Db Cooper, Documentary Premiere (HBO)
Sesame Street,...
- 10/23/2020
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
These days, every new Woody Allen film invites the same question: Is it possible to review the film and not its disgraced filmmaker? “Rifkin’s Festival” makes this challenge especially daunting: All the action takes place at the San Sebastian Film Festival, where the film opened this year’s edition. Wallace Shawn stars as a revered but neurotic director with romantic delusions. And if it seems like Allen is really asking for it, there’s one more factor working against the 84-year-old filmmaker: The film is far from vintage Allen and would struggle to find a mass audiences even before it turned against him.
Having said that, “Rifkin’s Festival” is a notch above middling Allen comedies like last year’s “A Rainy Day in New York,” thanks to delightful turns from Shawn and Gina Gershon as well as some zany stabs at film history in a series of black-and-white dream...
Having said that, “Rifkin’s Festival” is a notch above middling Allen comedies like last year’s “A Rainy Day in New York,” thanks to delightful turns from Shawn and Gina Gershon as well as some zany stabs at film history in a series of black-and-white dream...
- 9/18/2020
- by Kaleem Aftab
- Indiewire
Maya Rudolph’s first auditions were usually for parts in commercials or music videos.
It was the mid-90s when she snagged work as an extra in a Dr. Dre video. “It was a night shoot and we got paid nothing,” Rudolph recalls on Thursday’s episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.” “They were like, ‘You’ll be walking where that liquid is, which was where they were dumping the porta potties.’ And I was like, ‘I’ll be in my car.’ So I slept in my car for the whole night of the shoot and then got my money and then went home.”
Fast forward to today. Rudolph is up for three Emmy nominations for her work as Connie on Netflix’s animated series “Big Mouth,” as The Judge on NBC’s “The Good Place” and for her performance as Kamala Harris on “Saturday Night Live.
It was the mid-90s when she snagged work as an extra in a Dr. Dre video. “It was a night shoot and we got paid nothing,” Rudolph recalls on Thursday’s episode of the Variety and iHeart podcast “The Big Ticket.” “They were like, ‘You’ll be walking where that liquid is, which was where they were dumping the porta potties.’ And I was like, ‘I’ll be in my car.’ So I slept in my car for the whole night of the shoot and then got my money and then went home.”
Fast forward to today. Rudolph is up for three Emmy nominations for her work as Connie on Netflix’s animated series “Big Mouth,” as The Judge on NBC’s “The Good Place” and for her performance as Kamala Harris on “Saturday Night Live.
- 8/27/2020
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
“Oh, What A Lovely War?”
By Raymond Benson
Filmmaker John Boorman was between the ages of six and twelve during World War II, and in 1987 he released a fictional “memoir” of a film based on his childhood recollections of what life was like on the home front in Britain while the conflict raged. By most of the media and promotional materials, Hope and Glory was billed as a “comedy”—in fact, it won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (and it was also nominated for the Oscar Best Picture and Director).
Whether it truly is a comedy or not is up for debate. There are indeed humorous moments as we follow the days through the eyes of young Billy Rowan (played with empathy and intelligence by child actor Sebastian Rice-Edwards) as he navigates the bombed-out neighborhood where he and his family live, runs around with the...
By Raymond Benson
Filmmaker John Boorman was between the ages of six and twelve during World War II, and in 1987 he released a fictional “memoir” of a film based on his childhood recollections of what life was like on the home front in Britain while the conflict raged. By most of the media and promotional materials, Hope and Glory was billed as a “comedy”—in fact, it won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy (and it was also nominated for the Oscar Best Picture and Director).
Whether it truly is a comedy or not is up for debate. There are indeed humorous moments as we follow the days through the eyes of young Billy Rowan (played with empathy and intelligence by child actor Sebastian Rice-Edwards) as he navigates the bombed-out neighborhood where he and his family live, runs around with the...
- 4/10/2020
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
The great Larry Wilmore joins us to share some very personal double features.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
1917 (2019)
Animal Crackers (1930)
Duck Soup (1933)
My Little Chickadee (1940)
A Night At The Opera (1935)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
The Parallax View (1974)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Jaws (1975)
The Stepford Wives (1975)
The Party (1968)
The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
Richard Pryor: Live In Concert (1979)
Richard Pryor: Live And Smokin’ (1971)
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)
Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Lenny (1974)
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)
Lolita (1962)
Caligula (1979)
The Night of the Iguana (1964)
The Elephant Man (1980)
What Would Jack Do? (2020)
Blue Velvet (1986)
The Apartment (1960)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Double Indemnity (1944)
The Sting (1973)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
1917 (2019)
Animal Crackers (1930)
Duck Soup (1933)
My Little Chickadee (1940)
A Night At The Opera (1935)
A Hard Day’s Night (1964)
The Manchurian Candidate (1962)
The Manchurian Candidate (2004)
The Parallax View (1974)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
Planet of the Apes (1968)
Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial (1982)
Jaws (1975)
The Stepford Wives (1975)
The Party (1968)
The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)
The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
Richard Pryor: Live In Concert (1979)
Richard Pryor: Live And Smokin’ (1971)
Jo Jo Dancer, Your Life Is Calling (1986)
Dolemite Is My Name (2019)
Lenny (1974)
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)
Lolita (1962)
Caligula (1979)
The Night of the Iguana (1964)
The Elephant Man (1980)
What Would Jack Do? (2020)
Blue Velvet (1986)
The Apartment (1960)
Some Like It Hot (1959)
Double Indemnity (1944)
The Sting (1973)
Butch Cassidy And The Sundance Kid...
- 3/10/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
As tributes come rolling in for Danny Aiello, the Oscar-nominated Do the Right Thing actor who died Thursday at 86, take a look back at his long career in film and TV. Click on the pic of his signature role of pizzeria owner Sal Frangione above to launch the photo gallery.
The New York native got his start with a small role in the 1973 baseball drama, which starred a young Robert De Niro. Aiello’s next big-screen appearance was in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part II, which won the Oscar for Best Picture on 1974. The actor would go on to rack up more than 100 film and TV credits, working steadily all the way into 2019.
Along the way, Aiello appeared in films from such noted directors as Norman Jewison (Moonstruck), Robert Altman (Prêt-à-Porter), Lasse Hallstrom (Once Around), Luc Besson (Léon: The Professional Norman) and Adrian Lyne (Jacob’s Ladder) as well...
The New York native got his start with a small role in the 1973 baseball drama, which starred a young Robert De Niro. Aiello’s next big-screen appearance was in Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather Part II, which won the Oscar for Best Picture on 1974. The actor would go on to rack up more than 100 film and TV credits, working steadily all the way into 2019.
Along the way, Aiello appeared in films from such noted directors as Norman Jewison (Moonstruck), Robert Altman (Prêt-à-Porter), Lasse Hallstrom (Once Around), Luc Besson (Léon: The Professional Norman) and Adrian Lyne (Jacob’s Ladder) as well...
- 12/13/2019
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Aiello in Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing".
Actor Danny Aiello has passed away at age 86 following a brief illness. Aiello didn't start acting until age 34 but when he did, he became a reliable and popular character actor. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar in Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing", playing the owner of a pizza parlor trying to navigate boiling racial tensions in the neighborhood. He also had a memorable role in Norman Jewison's "Moonstruck". Other films include "The Godfather Part II", "The Front", "The Purple Rose of Cairo", "Radio Days" (the latter three with Woody Allen), "Fingers", "Fort Apache the Bronx", "The Cemetary Club", "Ready to Wear", "The Professional", "Once Upon a Time in America" and "Prince of the City". Although Aiello worked with some of the most legendary directors, his one regret was not having been cast in a Martin Scorsese film.
Actor Danny Aiello has passed away at age 86 following a brief illness. Aiello didn't start acting until age 34 but when he did, he became a reliable and popular character actor. He was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar in Spike Lee's "Do the Right Thing", playing the owner of a pizza parlor trying to navigate boiling racial tensions in the neighborhood. He also had a memorable role in Norman Jewison's "Moonstruck". Other films include "The Godfather Part II", "The Front", "The Purple Rose of Cairo", "Radio Days" (the latter three with Woody Allen), "Fingers", "Fort Apache the Bronx", "The Cemetary Club", "Ready to Wear", "The Professional", "Once Upon a Time in America" and "Prince of the City". Although Aiello worked with some of the most legendary directors, his one regret was not having been cast in a Martin Scorsese film.
- 12/13/2019
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Cher is mourning the loss of Danny Aiello.
The singer, 73, shared her condolences on Twitter Friday following the news that Aiello, who starred with her in the 1987 film Moonstruck, had died on Thursday. He was 86.
The two played newly engaged couple Loretta Castorini and Johnny Cammareri. When Johnny leaves for Italy to visit his dying mother, he asks Loretta to visit his estranged brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage) to tell them of their engagement. When she does, Loretta finds herself falling for Ronny despite being engaged to Johnny.
“Goodbye Dear #DannyAiello Danny was a Great Actor, But a Genius Comedic Actor.
The singer, 73, shared her condolences on Twitter Friday following the news that Aiello, who starred with her in the 1987 film Moonstruck, had died on Thursday. He was 86.
The two played newly engaged couple Loretta Castorini and Johnny Cammareri. When Johnny leaves for Italy to visit his dying mother, he asks Loretta to visit his estranged brother Ronny (Nicolas Cage) to tell them of their engagement. When she does, Loretta finds herself falling for Ronny despite being engaged to Johnny.
“Goodbye Dear #DannyAiello Danny was a Great Actor, But a Genius Comedic Actor.
- 12/13/2019
- by Alexia Fernandez
- PEOPLE.com
Tony Sokol Dec 13, 2019
Danny Aiello recorded big band music and was a favorite of directors Spike Lee and Woody Allen
Veteran film actor Danny Aiello, best known for his roles in Do The Right Thing, and Moonstruck, died at the age of 86, according to Variety. Aiello was being treated for a sudden illness at a medical facility in New Jersey.
Aiello's work as the jilted lover in Norman Jewison's hit comedy Moonstruck supported Cher's Best Actress and Olympia Dukakis's Best Supporting Actress Oscar wins. Aiello was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Sal, the pizza joint owner, in Spike Lee's 1989 film Do the Right Thing. Lee first offered the role to Robert De Niro.
Daniel Louis Aiello Jr. was born June 20, 1933, in Manhattan. Aiello's family moved to the South Bronx when he was seven after his father deserted his wife, who lost her eyesight,...
Danny Aiello recorded big band music and was a favorite of directors Spike Lee and Woody Allen
Veteran film actor Danny Aiello, best known for his roles in Do The Right Thing, and Moonstruck, died at the age of 86, according to Variety. Aiello was being treated for a sudden illness at a medical facility in New Jersey.
Aiello's work as the jilted lover in Norman Jewison's hit comedy Moonstruck supported Cher's Best Actress and Olympia Dukakis's Best Supporting Actress Oscar wins. Aiello was nominated for the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his role as Sal, the pizza joint owner, in Spike Lee's 1989 film Do the Right Thing. Lee first offered the role to Robert De Niro.
Daniel Louis Aiello Jr. was born June 20, 1933, in Manhattan. Aiello's family moved to the South Bronx when he was seven after his father deserted his wife, who lost her eyesight,...
- 12/13/2019
- Den of Geek
Shortly after reports started to surface that “Do the Right Thing” actor Danny Aiello had died on Thursday at the age of 86, celebrities took to social media to share their condolences.
“We Laughed so much. Making #Moonstruck ..It was one of the happiest times in my life,& He Was apart of that Happy time,” Cher, who starred in “Moonstruck” with Aiello in 1987, wrote on Twitter.
“I’m ??’? Broken. Just Found Out My Brother Danny Aiello Made His Transition Last Night. Danny,We Made Cinema History Together With Do The Right Thing. May You Rest In Paradise,” “Do the Right Thing” director Spike Lee said of the actor.
Also Read: Danny Aiello, 'Do the Right Thing' and 'Moonstruck' Actor, Dies at 86
“So so sad,” Michael Rapaport said of Aiello. “What a great actor. Huge Inspiration for me personally.”
In a statement to TheWrap, Aiello’s family said:...
“We Laughed so much. Making #Moonstruck ..It was one of the happiest times in my life,& He Was apart of that Happy time,” Cher, who starred in “Moonstruck” with Aiello in 1987, wrote on Twitter.
“I’m ??’? Broken. Just Found Out My Brother Danny Aiello Made His Transition Last Night. Danny,We Made Cinema History Together With Do The Right Thing. May You Rest In Paradise,” “Do the Right Thing” director Spike Lee said of the actor.
Also Read: Danny Aiello, 'Do the Right Thing' and 'Moonstruck' Actor, Dies at 86
“So so sad,” Michael Rapaport said of Aiello. “What a great actor. Huge Inspiration for me personally.”
In a statement to TheWrap, Aiello’s family said:...
- 12/13/2019
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Danny Aiello — the Oscar-nominated character actor who featured in films like Do the Right Thing, Moonstruck, and The Purple Rose of Cairo — has died at the age of 86.
Aiello’s literary agent, Jennifer De Chiara, confirmed to Rolling Stone that Aiello died Thursday night; Aiello’s family said in a statement that he died following a brief illness.
“It is with profound sorrow to report that Danny Aiello, beloved husband, father, grandfather, actor, and musician passed away last night after a brief illness,” Aiello’s family said. “The family asks for privacy at this time.
Aiello’s literary agent, Jennifer De Chiara, confirmed to Rolling Stone that Aiello died Thursday night; Aiello’s family said in a statement that he died following a brief illness.
“It is with profound sorrow to report that Danny Aiello, beloved husband, father, grandfather, actor, and musician passed away last night after a brief illness,” Aiello’s family said. “The family asks for privacy at this time.
- 12/13/2019
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
Danny Aiello, a character actor best known for his work in such films as “Do the Right Thing” and “Moonstruck,” died on Thursday night in New Jersey. He was 86.
Aiello’s literary agent Jennifer De Chiara confirmed his death to Variety.
“It is with profound sorrow to report that Danny Aiello, beloved husband, father, grandfather, actor and musician passed away last night after a brief illness,” his family said in a statement. “The family asks for privacy at this time. Service arrangements will be announced at a later date.”
Aiello worked steadily in films starting in the mid-1970s, often playing cops, mobsters and other New York tough guys. He earned a supporting actor Oscar nomination for his role as a pizza parlor owner caught up in racial tensions and a changing neighborhood in Brooklyn in Spike Lee’s 1989 hit “Do the Right Thing.” He earned praise for his work in 1987’s “Moonstruck,...
Aiello’s literary agent Jennifer De Chiara confirmed his death to Variety.
“It is with profound sorrow to report that Danny Aiello, beloved husband, father, grandfather, actor and musician passed away last night after a brief illness,” his family said in a statement. “The family asks for privacy at this time. Service arrangements will be announced at a later date.”
Aiello worked steadily in films starting in the mid-1970s, often playing cops, mobsters and other New York tough guys. He earned a supporting actor Oscar nomination for his role as a pizza parlor owner caught up in racial tensions and a changing neighborhood in Brooklyn in Spike Lee’s 1989 hit “Do the Right Thing.” He earned praise for his work in 1987’s “Moonstruck,...
- 12/13/2019
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Danny Aiello, who earned a Best Supporting Actor Oscar nomination for his acclaimed performance as Salvatore “Sal” Frangione in Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing,” has died at the age of 86. TMZ first reported the news of Aiello’s passing. The actor’s family confirmed Aiello passed away at a medical facility in New Jersey where he was being treated for a sudden illness.
Aiello got his acting break in the 1973 baseball drama “Bang the Drum Slowly,” which also starred Robert De Niro, followed by a walk-on role as Tony Rosato in “The Godfather Part II.” Aiello would be paired with De Niro yet again in Sergio Leone’s gangster epic “Once Upon a Time in America.” The actor won a Daytime Emmy Award for his appearance in an ABC Afterschool Special called “A Family of Strangers.” Aiello’s other credits include the films “Defiance,” “The Purple Rose of Cairo,...
Aiello got his acting break in the 1973 baseball drama “Bang the Drum Slowly,” which also starred Robert De Niro, followed by a walk-on role as Tony Rosato in “The Godfather Part II.” Aiello would be paired with De Niro yet again in Sergio Leone’s gangster epic “Once Upon a Time in America.” The actor won a Daytime Emmy Award for his appearance in an ABC Afterschool Special called “A Family of Strangers.” Aiello’s other credits include the films “Defiance,” “The Purple Rose of Cairo,...
- 12/13/2019
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Danny Aiello, who starred in “Moonstruck,” “Do The Right Thing” and “The Godfather Part II,” died on Thursday, a spokesperson for Aiello confirmed to TheWrap. He was 86.
In a statement to TheWrap, the family said, “it is with profound sorrow to report that Danny Aiello, beloved husband, father, grandfather, actor and musician passed away last night after a brief illness. The family asks for privacy at this time. Service arrangements will be announced at a later date.”
Aiello’s other credits include “The Front” (1976), “Once Upon a Time in America” (1984), “The Purple Rose of Cairo” (1985), “Radio Days” (1987), “Harlem Nights” (1989) and “2 Days in the Valley” (1996).
Also Read: Chris Cotton, Philadelphia Comedian, Dies at 32
Aiello was Oscar-nominated for his supporting role in Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing,” in which he plays an Italian-American character who has owned a pizzeria in a neighborhood in Brooklyn for 25 years, and refuses to...
In a statement to TheWrap, the family said, “it is with profound sorrow to report that Danny Aiello, beloved husband, father, grandfather, actor and musician passed away last night after a brief illness. The family asks for privacy at this time. Service arrangements will be announced at a later date.”
Aiello’s other credits include “The Front” (1976), “Once Upon a Time in America” (1984), “The Purple Rose of Cairo” (1985), “Radio Days” (1987), “Harlem Nights” (1989) and “2 Days in the Valley” (1996).
Also Read: Chris Cotton, Philadelphia Comedian, Dies at 32
Aiello was Oscar-nominated for his supporting role in Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing,” in which he plays an Italian-American character who has owned a pizzeria in a neighborhood in Brooklyn for 25 years, and refuses to...
- 12/13/2019
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
Woody Allen celebrates his 83rd birthday on December 1, 2018. The four-time Academy Award winner has proved incredibly prolific in his decades-long career, writing, directing, and oftentimes starring in nearly a film a year for almost 50 years. But how many of those are classics? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
After years as a joke writer and standup comic, Allen transitioned into filmmaking penning such screenplays as “What’s New Pussycat?” (1965) and starring in such titles as “Casino Royale” (1967). His first credit as a director was the comedically overdubbed Japanese spy thriller “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” (1966).
SEEOscar Best Picture Gallery: History of Every Academy Award-Winning Movie
The Woody Allen as we know him emerged in 1969 with the farcical mockumentary “Take the Money and Run” (1969), made when he was 34 years old. The success of that film led to...
After years as a joke writer and standup comic, Allen transitioned into filmmaking penning such screenplays as “What’s New Pussycat?” (1965) and starring in such titles as “Casino Royale” (1967). His first credit as a director was the comedically overdubbed Japanese spy thriller “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” (1966).
SEEOscar Best Picture Gallery: History of Every Academy Award-Winning Movie
The Woody Allen as we know him emerged in 1969 with the farcical mockumentary “Take the Money and Run” (1969), made when he was 34 years old. The success of that film led to...
- 12/1/2018
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Hulu’s slate of new titles arriving on the platform in November is here.
“Wonder,” starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay, will arrive on Hulu Nov. 2. The movie, based on the novel of the same name, tells the story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters the fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.
The complete series of “Married with Children” will arrive on the platform on Nov. 9, and the Season 1 premiere of “The Bisexual” will drop on Nov. 16. The “Oceans” trilogy will also become available, beginning Nov. 1.
Also Read: Hulu in Talks to Create a Smaller, More Affordable TV Bundle
Here’s the complete list of titles coming to and leaving Hulu below.
Available Nov. 1
K: Complete Season 2 (Dubbed) (Viz)
Sailor Moon: Complete Season 3 (Dubbed) (Viz)
Six: Complete Season 2 (History)
10 to Midnight (1983)
28 Days Later (2002)
2001 Maniacs (2005)
The Accused (1988)
The Adventures of Priscilla,...
“Wonder,” starring Julia Roberts, Owen Wilson and Jacob Tremblay, will arrive on Hulu Nov. 2. The movie, based on the novel of the same name, tells the story of August Pullman, a boy with facial differences who enters the fifth grade, attending a mainstream elementary school for the first time.
The complete series of “Married with Children” will arrive on the platform on Nov. 9, and the Season 1 premiere of “The Bisexual” will drop on Nov. 16. The “Oceans” trilogy will also become available, beginning Nov. 1.
Also Read: Hulu in Talks to Create a Smaller, More Affordable TV Bundle
Here’s the complete list of titles coming to and leaving Hulu below.
Available Nov. 1
K: Complete Season 2 (Dubbed) (Viz)
Sailor Moon: Complete Season 3 (Dubbed) (Viz)
Six: Complete Season 2 (History)
10 to Midnight (1983)
28 Days Later (2002)
2001 Maniacs (2005)
The Accused (1988)
The Adventures of Priscilla,...
- 10/17/2018
- by Ashley Boucher
- The Wrap
“Wonder Wheel” opens with Mickey (Justin Timberlake), a wannabe playwright and current Coney Island lifeguard, staring at the camera and making an excuse on Woody Allen’s behalf: “I relish melodrama and larger-than-life characters,” he says. There are a lot of those in this lush ‘50s romance, one of the more confident Allen pictures of late, but Kate Winslet looms above them all.
As Ginny, a failed actress-turned-clam-bar-waitress yearning for something more, Winslet delivers her most powerful, emotionally resonant performance in more than a decade. Though inevitable comparisons to Cate Blanchett’s fiery turn in Allen’s “Blue Jasmine” hold water, Winslet delivers a softer, melancholic woman, with cinematographer Vittorio Storaro’s lush, expressionistic camerawork complimenting her poetic anguish. She transforms a bumbling alcoholic caricature who exudes bleak jokes about missed opportunities, injecting her with majestic sadness.
The rest is nothing we haven’t seen before, but it’s nevertheless...
As Ginny, a failed actress-turned-clam-bar-waitress yearning for something more, Winslet delivers her most powerful, emotionally resonant performance in more than a decade. Though inevitable comparisons to Cate Blanchett’s fiery turn in Allen’s “Blue Jasmine” hold water, Winslet delivers a softer, melancholic woman, with cinematographer Vittorio Storaro’s lush, expressionistic camerawork complimenting her poetic anguish. She transforms a bumbling alcoholic caricature who exudes bleak jokes about missed opportunities, injecting her with majestic sadness.
The rest is nothing we haven’t seen before, but it’s nevertheless...
- 10/13/2017
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Various Woody Allen films have placed one foot firmly in the past (Radio Days, last year's Café Society), and now Wonder Wheel takes a look back at 1950s Coney Island. The story centers on the inevitably intersecting lives of an ex-waitress turned actress named Ginny (Kate Winslet), her rough and tumble carousel operator spouse Humpty (Jim [...]...
- 10/5/2017
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
“Love And Angst”
By Raymond Benson
Woody Allen came off an incredible run of five superior films released between 1983 and 1987 (Zelig, Broadway Danny Rose, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Radio Days) and then delivered one of his occasional “serious” pictures (without his presence as an actor) in late ’87 that was so dire that it only grossed approximately $500,000 in its initial run.
Basically a six-character “play” that takes many cues from the works of Anton Chekhov, September is set in a Vermont country house where depressed Lane (Mia Farrow) is recovering from a suicide attempt. Her best friend Stephanie (Dianne Wiest) is there for moral support. Lane is in love with tenant/writer Peter (Sam Waterston), and neighbor/teacher Howard (Denholm Elliott) is in love with Lane. She doesn’t share Howard’s affections, but Peter, however, is in love with Stephanie. Coming to visit into...
By Raymond Benson
Woody Allen came off an incredible run of five superior films released between 1983 and 1987 (Zelig, Broadway Danny Rose, The Purple Rose of Cairo, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Radio Days) and then delivered one of his occasional “serious” pictures (without his presence as an actor) in late ’87 that was so dire that it only grossed approximately $500,000 in its initial run.
Basically a six-character “play” that takes many cues from the works of Anton Chekhov, September is set in a Vermont country house where depressed Lane (Mia Farrow) is recovering from a suicide attempt. Her best friend Stephanie (Dianne Wiest) is there for moral support. Lane is in love with tenant/writer Peter (Sam Waterston), and neighbor/teacher Howard (Denholm Elliott) is in love with Lane. She doesn’t share Howard’s affections, but Peter, however, is in love with Stephanie. Coming to visit into...
- 9/27/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
Carlo Di Palma and Woody AllenThe only thing more consistent than the quality of Carlo Di Palma’s cinematography is the routine variance of his work. Though his most prominent titles were primarily those done in collaboration with two key directors—Michelangelo Antonioni and Woody Allen—what he demonstrated over the course of his career, in these films and dozens more, revealed a remarkable exhibition of visual range. His decades-spanning career produced a gallery of fluctuating colors, lighting techniques, temperatures, movements, and tones. And more often than not, what he refined in this richly varying field proved to be a directly corresponding realization of profound psychological consequence.Born April 17, 1925 in Rome, the son of a camera repair man, Di Palma’s cinematic commencement went from focus operator on Neo-Realist essentials like Rome, Open City (1945) and Bicycle Thieves (1948) to serving various capacities on largely subpar Italian fare. A turning point came...
- 7/28/2017
- MUBI
Elle
Blu-ray
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
2017 / Color / 2.40:1 widescreen / Street Date March 14, 2017
Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Anne Consigny, Charles Berling.
Cinematography: Stéphane Fontaine
Film Editor: Job Ter Burg
Written by David Birke
Produced by Saïd Ben Saïd and Michel Merkt
Directed by Paul Verhoeven
Michèle Leblanc, glamorous entrepreneur of a successful video game company, is the calm at the center of many storms. Her son’s girlfriend has given birth to another man’s child, an employee is stalking her with anime porn and her botox-ridden mother is betrothed to a male prostitute.
In the face of all this outrageous fortune, Michèle remains cool, calm and collected, even in the aftermath of her own harrowing sexual assault.
Elle, the new film from the Dutch provocateur Paul Verhoeven, begins with that already infamous assault, our heroine struggling under the weight of her attacker while an unblinking cat perches nearby, watching.
Blu-ray
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
2017 / Color / 2.40:1 widescreen / Street Date March 14, 2017
Starring: Isabelle Huppert, Laurent Lafitte, Anne Consigny, Charles Berling.
Cinematography: Stéphane Fontaine
Film Editor: Job Ter Burg
Written by David Birke
Produced by Saïd Ben Saïd and Michel Merkt
Directed by Paul Verhoeven
Michèle Leblanc, glamorous entrepreneur of a successful video game company, is the calm at the center of many storms. Her son’s girlfriend has given birth to another man’s child, an employee is stalking her with anime porn and her botox-ridden mother is betrothed to a male prostitute.
In the face of all this outrageous fortune, Michèle remains cool, calm and collected, even in the aftermath of her own harrowing sexual assault.
Elle, the new film from the Dutch provocateur Paul Verhoeven, begins with that already infamous assault, our heroine struggling under the weight of her attacker while an unblinking cat perches nearby, watching.
- 3/27/2017
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
One of the more unfair aspects of the awards season is that it truly isn’t a 12 month season. Only certain months tend to have Oscar contenders released in them. If you want Academy Award consideration, the early months of a given year are essentially no man’s land. The list of films nominated from January, February, and/or March is a short one. It can happen, but the odds are nowhere near if you’re a September, October, November, and/or December release. There’s just no contest. That got me thinking…will it change? Has there been progress lately? Why does it happen? Follow along as I ponder all this and more today. Historically, the biggest early year release, Oscar wise, is The Silence of the Lambs. Other nominees include Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a few Woody Allen pictures like Radio Days, etc. They’re not all of the ones,...
- 3/22/2017
- by Joey Magidson
- Hollywoodnews.com
Are these new pilots from Amazon trash? Of course they are! Here’s a guide.Just Robb Stark over here, wearin’ shades in outer space
Crowds may not be able to fund things, but they can give opinions. Or, at the very least, that’s been the idea behind Amazon’s occasional Pilot Season, generating enthusiasm for their programming by giving ordinary folk like yourself the opportunity to watch pilots and say, gee, this blows and vote them a big n’ meaningful thumbs down. Last year, they took everything, so it might just be a load of promotional nonsense. But it might not.
So, what’s hip in this line of potential programing? Once canceled TV-hands like Steve Dildarian and Amy Sherman-Palladino return with their latest attempts to enthuse audience with binge-worthy hours of spectacle and movie men like James Ponsoldt and Kevin Macdonald try to get into this golden age of TV they’ve been hearing...
Crowds may not be able to fund things, but they can give opinions. Or, at the very least, that’s been the idea behind Amazon’s occasional Pilot Season, generating enthusiasm for their programming by giving ordinary folk like yourself the opportunity to watch pilots and say, gee, this blows and vote them a big n’ meaningful thumbs down. Last year, they took everything, so it might just be a load of promotional nonsense. But it might not.
So, what’s hip in this line of potential programing? Once canceled TV-hands like Steve Dildarian and Amy Sherman-Palladino return with their latest attempts to enthuse audience with binge-worthy hours of spectacle and movie men like James Ponsoldt and Kevin Macdonald try to get into this golden age of TV they’ve been hearing...
- 3/21/2017
- by Andrew Karpan
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Mark Harrison Published Date Thursday, September 8, 2016 - 05:15
No one could reasonably expect that Woody Allen's 47th film Café Society would be some enormous trend-breaking statement, somehow pointing the way to the next 47 films. His movies are mixed up in nostalgia and romance and the self-perpetuating critical discussion about each new one, which has come along once every year for at least the last three decades, is of whether or not it's a return to form or evidence of a decline.
His breakthrough hits of the last decade, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Midnight In Paris and Blue Jasmine, are elevated into the former category, but most everything else seems to get dismissed as a cinematic fixture. If you've been a fan or viewer for any length of time, it's a bit like going to the same barber, getting the same annual haircut and hearing the same stories about the same preoccupations and neuroses.
No one could reasonably expect that Woody Allen's 47th film Café Society would be some enormous trend-breaking statement, somehow pointing the way to the next 47 films. His movies are mixed up in nostalgia and romance and the self-perpetuating critical discussion about each new one, which has come along once every year for at least the last three decades, is of whether or not it's a return to form or evidence of a decline.
His breakthrough hits of the last decade, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, Midnight In Paris and Blue Jasmine, are elevated into the former category, but most everything else seems to get dismissed as a cinematic fixture. If you've been a fan or viewer for any length of time, it's a bit like going to the same barber, getting the same annual haircut and hearing the same stories about the same preoccupations and neuroses.
- 9/7/2016
- Den of Geek
This Friday, Café Society, the latest release from writer/director/comic godhead Woody Allen, waltzes into theaters — the 47th feature Allen has directed over a career spanning 50 years. (Yes, we're counting New York Stories.) He's had box-office successes and outright bombs, Oscar-winning masterpieces and critically panned duds. But regardless of his movies' receptions (and the reoccurring rumors about his personal life), he's managed to pump out a film a year with impressive regularity. Some key elements have stayed the same — once a jazz clarinet slinks onto the soundtrack, audiences know exactly who they're dealing with.
- 7/13/2016
- Rollingstone.com
This Friday, Café Society, the latest release from writer/director/comic godhead Woody Allen, waltzes into theaters — the 47th feature Allen has directed over a career spanning 50 years. (Yes, we're counting New York Stories.) He's had box-office successes and outright bombs, Oscar-winning masterpieces and critically panned duds. But regardless of his movies' receptions (and the reoccurring rumors about his personal life), he's managed to pump out a film a year with impressive regularity. Some key elements have stayed the same — once a jazz clarinet slinks onto the soundtrack, audiences know exactly who they're dealing with.
- 7/13/2016
- Rollingstone.com
“Five Nights In Maine” follows Sherwin (David Oyelowo), a recent widower after his loving wife Fiona (Hani Furstenberg) was killed in a traffic accident. Amidst his depression, he travels to a remote corner of Maine to see Fiona’s hostile, cancer-stricken mother Lucinda (Dianne Wiest) who’s being taken care of by caring nurse Ann (Rosie Perez). Tensions run high as both Sherwin and Lucinda deal with their shared tragedy and express their grief in various difficult ways. Both struggle to come to terms with their rage and fear as well as their love for Fiona. Watch the trailer below and check out some exclusive photos from the film as well.
Read More: Tiff First Look: David Oyelowo and Dianne Wiest Lead ‘Five Nights in Maine’
The film is directed by Maris Curran. She previously directed the film “Edge of the Road,” about a family road trip out of the Midwest,...
Read More: Tiff First Look: David Oyelowo and Dianne Wiest Lead ‘Five Nights in Maine’
The film is directed by Maris Curran. She previously directed the film “Edge of the Road,” about a family road trip out of the Midwest,...
- 7/7/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Dan Cooper Jul 8, 2016
From Dumb & Dumber and The Martian, through to Arachnophobia and Steve Jobs - we salute the screen work of Jeff Daniels...
They say that when you play the Game of Thrones, “you win or you die”. The Game of Jeff Daniels, however, is an undeniably different beast and for the most part is a definite “you win or you win”. After viewing dozens of Jeff Daniels movies and spending many, many hours with his on-screen personas, it’s fair to say that the maxim has been sorely tested but guess what? It still holds true. This list has been carefully curated to celebrate the veteran actor’s talent, versatility and wit and no matter which (if any) of these movies you decide to revisit or check out for the first time, Jeff is guaranteed to give you something to love in each and every one.
25. Dumb And Dumber To (2014)
Hmmm.
From Dumb & Dumber and The Martian, through to Arachnophobia and Steve Jobs - we salute the screen work of Jeff Daniels...
They say that when you play the Game of Thrones, “you win or you die”. The Game of Jeff Daniels, however, is an undeniably different beast and for the most part is a definite “you win or you win”. After viewing dozens of Jeff Daniels movies and spending many, many hours with his on-screen personas, it’s fair to say that the maxim has been sorely tested but guess what? It still holds true. This list has been carefully curated to celebrate the veteran actor’s talent, versatility and wit and no matter which (if any) of these movies you decide to revisit or check out for the first time, Jeff is guaranteed to give you something to love in each and every one.
25. Dumb And Dumber To (2014)
Hmmm.
- 7/5/2016
- Den of Geek
By Patrick Shanley
Managing Editor
By the Sea, the romantic drama written and directed by Angelina Jolie and starring husband Brad Pitt and herself, has its world premiere this evening in Los Angeles to open AFI Fest 2015. The film follows last year’s directorial bow by Jolie, Unbroken, which earned three Oscar nominations, though none for Jolie herself, and is a rarity in the fact that it features a wife directing her husband.
Throughout history there have been a number of spousal collaborations between directors and stars, some with massive Oscar success, some that have been completely overlooked. However, the majority of these films featured the husband behind the lens. By the Sea is Jolie’s third feature film as a director while husband Pitt has never sat in the chair.
Here’s a look back at notable husband/wife collaborations in front of, and behind, the camera and how...
Managing Editor
By the Sea, the romantic drama written and directed by Angelina Jolie and starring husband Brad Pitt and herself, has its world premiere this evening in Los Angeles to open AFI Fest 2015. The film follows last year’s directorial bow by Jolie, Unbroken, which earned three Oscar nominations, though none for Jolie herself, and is a rarity in the fact that it features a wife directing her husband.
Throughout history there have been a number of spousal collaborations between directors and stars, some with massive Oscar success, some that have been completely overlooked. However, the majority of these films featured the husband behind the lens. By the Sea is Jolie’s third feature film as a director while husband Pitt has never sat in the chair.
Here’s a look back at notable husband/wife collaborations in front of, and behind, the camera and how...
- 11/5/2015
- by Patrick Shanley
- Scott Feinberg
Earlier this week Brad reported on several casting details for Woody Allen's next film, which I can only assume will be released in the summer of 2016, and today more details emerge as Oscar-winning cinematographer Vittorio Storaro and other crew members have joined the project. Storaro is a three-time Oscar winner, taking home trophies for Apocalypse Now, Reds and The Last Emperor, and he was nominated a fourth time for his camera work on Dick Tracy. While he hasn't done much of note in recent years this still represents a pretty interesting pairing, especially considering one of Allen's fan sites, Woody Allen Pages, notes Allen's next film will be set in the 1930s. Also joining Allen's crew is production designer Santo Loquasto, who has worked on numerous other Allen productions, most recently lending his hand and eye to Allen's 2013 film Blue Jasmine and nominated for Oscars on three other Woody Allen productions (Zelig,...
- 8/7/2015
- by Jordan Benesh
- Rope of Silicon
Ellie Kemper is as charming as one of the heroines in a Woody Allen film–fast-talking, genuinely affable, quick on her feet with a deftness for physical comedy—not unlike the cutups that Mia Farrow portrayed in Radio Days and Broadway Danny Rose. The Princeton grad propelled herself through New York's Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre and soon gained industry recognition with her multi-character one-woman show Feeling Sad/Mad with Ellie Kemper. She auditioned for Saturday N…...
- 6/13/2015
- Deadline TV
Twilight Time is celebrating its 4th anniversary with a major promotion that sees some of their limited edition titles reduced in price through April 3. These are the titles on sale.
Group 1
Retail price point: $24.95
Picnic
Pal Joey
Bite The Bullet
Bell, Book, And Candle
Bye Bye Birdie
In Like Flint
Major Dundee
The Blue Max
Crimes And Misdemeanors
Used Cars
Thunderbirds Are Go / Thunderbird 6
Group 2
Retail price point: $19.95
Rapture
Roots Of Heaven
Swamp Water
Demetrius And The Gladiators
Desiree
The Wayward Bus
Cover Girl
High Time
The Sound And The Fury
The Rains Of Ranchipur
Bonjour Tristesse
Beloved Infidel
Lost Horizon
The Blue Lagoon
Experiment In Terror
Nicholas And Alexandra
Pony Soldier
The Song Of Bernadette
Philadelphia
The Only Game In Town
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
Sleepless In Seattle
The Disappearance
Sexy Beast
Drums Along The Mohawk
Alamo Bay
The Other
Mindwarp
Jane Eyre
Oliver
The Way We Were...
Group 1
Retail price point: $24.95
Picnic
Pal Joey
Bite The Bullet
Bell, Book, And Candle
Bye Bye Birdie
In Like Flint
Major Dundee
The Blue Max
Crimes And Misdemeanors
Used Cars
Thunderbirds Are Go / Thunderbird 6
Group 2
Retail price point: $19.95
Rapture
Roots Of Heaven
Swamp Water
Demetrius And The Gladiators
Desiree
The Wayward Bus
Cover Girl
High Time
The Sound And The Fury
The Rains Of Ranchipur
Bonjour Tristesse
Beloved Infidel
Lost Horizon
The Blue Lagoon
Experiment In Terror
Nicholas And Alexandra
Pony Soldier
The Song Of Bernadette
Philadelphia
The Only Game In Town
Love Is A Many Splendored Thing
Sleepless In Seattle
The Disappearance
Sexy Beast
Drums Along The Mohawk
Alamo Bay
The Other
Mindwarp
Jane Eyre
Oliver
The Way We Were...
- 3/31/2015
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
American Ultra stars Kristen Stewart and Jesse Eisenberg will be reunited later this year in another project: Woody Allen's next as yet untitled feature. Bruce Willis is the third cast member whose name has been publicly announced. The source for this information is an "exclusive" report via Deadline.com's Mike Fleming Jr. So far, as Fleming explains in his brief piece, Woody Allen and "his people" haven't confirmed the casting. In other words, things could change in the not-too-distant future. See also: Kristen Stewart Joins Kelly Reichardt Movie Project, also featuring Laura Dern and Michelle Williams. Unsurprisingly, no plot details about the upcoming Woody Allen project have been forthcoming. In fact, one wonders if Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg, and Bruce Willis – in case they have indeed joined the fold – know what the movie is going to be about. Allen's latest collaborators – Letty Aronson, Stephen Tenenbaum and Edward Walson – will be producing the film.
- 3/9/2015
- by Zac Gille
- Alt Film Guide
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