Exclusive: Legion M, a fan-driven film production and distribution outfit behind films like SXSW audience award winner My Dead Friend Zoe, has just raised $5 million from 15,000 individual investors.
It is the company’s largest fundraising round, both in terms of the number of investors and the amount raised, and is slated to close on October 11. The influx of investors brings the company’s total count to almost 50,000.
The news comes a day after a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign for fall title The Apprentice offered yet more evidence that newer models of film financing appear to be increasingly viable.
Legion M, whose slate also includes the upcoming film The Man in the White Van, which stars Sean Astin, Ali Larter, Madison Wolfe and Brec Bassinger, lets audiences get directly involved in the creation of content and own a financial stake in it. Investors become shareholders in the company and can also invest directly in individual projects,...
It is the company’s largest fundraising round, both in terms of the number of investors and the amount raised, and is slated to close on October 11. The influx of investors brings the company’s total count to almost 50,000.
The news comes a day after a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign for fall title The Apprentice offered yet more evidence that newer models of film financing appear to be increasingly viable.
Legion M, whose slate also includes the upcoming film The Man in the White Van, which stars Sean Astin, Ali Larter, Madison Wolfe and Brec Bassinger, lets audiences get directly involved in the creation of content and own a financial stake in it. Investors become shareholders in the company and can also invest directly in individual projects,...
- 9/5/2024
- by Dade Hayes
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: There’ s going to be some glory, curves and rage over at Ava DuVernay’s Array this summer, in all the best ways.
Back for its fifth year, the Array 360 conversation and screening series will feature films and more from directors Patricia Cardoso, Bill Duke Ed Zwick over the next two months.
Starting on August 3, Cardoso will be kicking off the 2024 program at Array’s Creative Campus in LA’s Historic Filipinotown with a screening of her Sundance award winning 2002 film Real Women Have Curves. The director, who helmed a May 30, 2018 episode of the DuVernay created OWN TV series Queen Sugar, will provide live commentary on the acclaimed picture for the Scene on Screen event.
Check out the full Array 360 2024 schedule below
Two week later, DuVernay and Array will be hosting a daylong Filmmaker Tribute for Bill Duke. With a spotlight on the Palme d’Or nominated director/actor...
Back for its fifth year, the Array 360 conversation and screening series will feature films and more from directors Patricia Cardoso, Bill Duke Ed Zwick over the next two months.
Starting on August 3, Cardoso will be kicking off the 2024 program at Array’s Creative Campus in LA’s Historic Filipinotown with a screening of her Sundance award winning 2002 film Real Women Have Curves. The director, who helmed a May 30, 2018 episode of the DuVernay created OWN TV series Queen Sugar, will provide live commentary on the acclaimed picture for the Scene on Screen event.
Check out the full Array 360 2024 schedule below
Two week later, DuVernay and Array will be hosting a daylong Filmmaker Tribute for Bill Duke. With a spotlight on the Palme d’Or nominated director/actor...
- 7/27/2024
- by Dominic Patten
- Deadline Film + TV
Stars: Carl Weathers, Craig T. Nelson, Vanity, Sharon Stone, Tom Wilson, Bill Duke, Robert Davi, Jack Thibeau, Mary Ellen Trainor, Ed O’Ross | Written by Robert Reneau | Directed by Craig R. Baxley
Action Jackson (1988), directed by Craig R. Baxley, stands as a remarkable fusion of the blaxploitation genre’s legacy and the dynamic, explosive nature of 1980s action cinema. While it may not reach the iconic status of blaxploitation classics like Shaft or Super Fly, Action Jackson offers a distinctive experience that both honours its roots and embraces contemporary action movie tropes.
The film centres on Jericho “Action” Jackson (Carl Weathers), a Detroit police sergeant demoted due to his overzealous tactics. Jackson finds himself embroiled in a plot masterminded by industrial magnate Peter Dellaplane (Craig T. Nelson), who aims to seize control of a powerful union. Weathers delivers a charismatic and physically commanding performance, embodying the tough, no-nonsense hero archetype essential...
Action Jackson (1988), directed by Craig R. Baxley, stands as a remarkable fusion of the blaxploitation genre’s legacy and the dynamic, explosive nature of 1980s action cinema. While it may not reach the iconic status of blaxploitation classics like Shaft or Super Fly, Action Jackson offers a distinctive experience that both honours its roots and embraces contemporary action movie tropes.
The film centres on Jericho “Action” Jackson (Carl Weathers), a Detroit police sergeant demoted due to his overzealous tactics. Jackson finds himself embroiled in a plot masterminded by industrial magnate Peter Dellaplane (Craig T. Nelson), who aims to seize control of a powerful union. Weathers delivers a charismatic and physically commanding performance, embodying the tough, no-nonsense hero archetype essential...
- 7/17/2024
- by George P Thomas
- Nerdly
Left to right: Everything Everywhere All At Once (A24), Starship Troopers (TriStar Pictures/Sunset Boulevard/Corbis via Getty Images), Enter The Dragon ((Photo by Warner Brothers/Getty Images), The Matrix (Photo by Warner Brothers/Getty Images)Graphic: The A.V. Club
The recent release of Thelma, a film that subverts the conventions of action films,...
The recent release of Thelma, a film that subverts the conventions of action films,...
- 7/1/2024
- by Cindy White
- avclub.com
The Hollywood Walk of Fame is looking ahead as it prepares to honor the star-studded Class of 2025.
On Monday, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced next year’s selections to receive a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s storied walk, including the likes of Jane Fonda, David Beckham, Fran Drescher, Alan Cumming and the late Prince.
In addition to Fonda, the 2025 motion picture honorees include John Carpenter, Jessica Chastain, Bill Duke, Robert Englund, Emilio Estevez, Colin Farrell, Nia Long, Lisa LIu, Glynn Turman and Toni Vaz.
The television honorees include Drescher, Lauren Graham, Bill Nye, Molly Shannon, Sherri Shepherd, Courtney B. Vance, Chris Wallace and South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, to be honored in a double ceremony.
Other recording artists to receive an honor include Fantasia, Depeche Mode, Los Bukis, The B-52s, Green Day, The Isley Brothers, Busta Rhymes, George Strait, Keith Urban and War.
Cumming and...
On Monday, the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce announced next year’s selections to receive a star on Hollywood Boulevard’s storied walk, including the likes of Jane Fonda, David Beckham, Fran Drescher, Alan Cumming and the late Prince.
In addition to Fonda, the 2025 motion picture honorees include John Carpenter, Jessica Chastain, Bill Duke, Robert Englund, Emilio Estevez, Colin Farrell, Nia Long, Lisa LIu, Glynn Turman and Toni Vaz.
The television honorees include Drescher, Lauren Graham, Bill Nye, Molly Shannon, Sherri Shepherd, Courtney B. Vance, Chris Wallace and South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, to be honored in a double ceremony.
Other recording artists to receive an honor include Fantasia, Depeche Mode, Los Bukis, The B-52s, Green Day, The Isley Brothers, Busta Rhymes, George Strait, Keith Urban and War.
Cumming and...
- 6/25/2024
- by Glenn Garner
- Deadline Film + TV
More than thirty new stars are going to be added to the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2025 (and into 2026), with the new batch of honorees who will be receiving stars having been chosen by the Hollywood Chamber’s Board of Directors. Variety reports that that honorees include Jessica Chastain, Bill Duke, Emilio Estevez, Colin Farrell, Jane Fonda, Nia Long, Lisa Lu, Glynn Turman, Toni Vaz, Fran Drescher, Lauren Graham, Bill Nye, Molly Shannon, Sherri Shepherd, Courtney B. Vance, Chris Wallace, Trey Parker, Matt Stone, Misty Copeland, Alan Cumming, Adam Carolla, Fantasia, Depeche Mode, Los Bukis, The B-52s, Green Day, The Isley Brothers, Busta Rhymes, George Strait, Keith Urban, War, Prince, David Beckham, and Orel Hershiser… but the two honorees that stand out more than any others on this list for us here in the Arrow in the Head horror section of JoBlo are character actor Robert Englund and legendary filmmaker John Carpenter!
- 6/24/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The Hollywood Walk of Fame 2025 class has been announced today, and we’re thrilled to pass along the word that two legends in the horror field are getting their bloody flowers.
First up, Robert Englund joins fellow horror acting legends including Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi with a much-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2025.
Robert Englund tweets this afternoon, “Woke up this morning to discover I’m in great company in the Hollywood Walk of Fame class of 2025. Just to hear my name mentioned alongside Jane Fonda and Prince makes my old heart go pit-a-pat!”
Englund’s name is also being mentioned alongside fellow master of horror John Carpenter today, as Carpenter has been announced for the 2025 Hollywood Walk of Fame class!
Bill Duke, known for his roles in ’80s classics Predator and Commando, is also being honored.
Variety details, “More than 30 new stars will...
First up, Robert Englund joins fellow horror acting legends including Boris Karloff, Lon Chaney and Bela Lugosi with a much-deserved star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2025.
Robert Englund tweets this afternoon, “Woke up this morning to discover I’m in great company in the Hollywood Walk of Fame class of 2025. Just to hear my name mentioned alongside Jane Fonda and Prince makes my old heart go pit-a-pat!”
Englund’s name is also being mentioned alongside fellow master of horror John Carpenter today, as Carpenter has been announced for the 2025 Hollywood Walk of Fame class!
Bill Duke, known for his roles in ’80s classics Predator and Commando, is also being honored.
Variety details, “More than 30 new stars will...
- 6/24/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
“There’s something out there waiting for us, and it ain’t no man.”
The typical slasher movie formula sees a group of people, often teens, stalked and hunted by a relentless killer with bladed weapons. Predator, released in theaters on June 12, 1987, retooled the slasher rules, swapping out vulnerable adolescents with a well-armed elite military squad prepared to take on guerilla camps in the jungle. Yet, not even they were equipped for the extraterrestrial threat that targeted them as worthy prey.
Seeing special ops so effortlessly dispatched in the grisliest ways is one effective way to increase the threat level of any horror antagonist, alien or otherwise, but director John McTiernan layers in gradual reveals about the eponymous hunter in a way that launched a franchise and clinched the creature’s movie icon status.
This movie monster has not one, but two major reveals.
The Setup
Vietnam War veteran Major...
The typical slasher movie formula sees a group of people, often teens, stalked and hunted by a relentless killer with bladed weapons. Predator, released in theaters on June 12, 1987, retooled the slasher rules, swapping out vulnerable adolescents with a well-armed elite military squad prepared to take on guerilla camps in the jungle. Yet, not even they were equipped for the extraterrestrial threat that targeted them as worthy prey.
Seeing special ops so effortlessly dispatched in the grisliest ways is one effective way to increase the threat level of any horror antagonist, alien or otherwise, but director John McTiernan layers in gradual reveals about the eponymous hunter in a way that launched a franchise and clinched the creature’s movie icon status.
This movie monster has not one, but two major reveals.
The Setup
Vietnam War veteran Major...
- 6/12/2024
- by Meagan Navarro
- bloody-disgusting.com
It was an emotional day at The View as Whoopi Goldberg reunited with the cast of Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.
The Oscar-winning star broke down in tears as she reunited with stars like Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, and Sheryl Lee Ralph, as well as crew members from the 1993 comedy. A recreation of the “Joyful, Joyful” choir scene had everyone in their feelings.
Tanya Trotter took over the solo performance in Lauryn Hill’s absence. Goldberg appeared in her nun outfit, joining the choir. Ryan Toby, who played Ahmal in the film, performed with Goldberg’s daughter. The performers were joined by students from the Laguardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.
Following the performance, Goldberg was overwhelmed with emotions and Ralph reached out to embrace her.
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit was directed by Bill Duke and released in 1993. The film was a...
The Oscar-winning star broke down in tears as she reunited with stars like Kathy Najimy, Wendy Makkena, and Sheryl Lee Ralph, as well as crew members from the 1993 comedy. A recreation of the “Joyful, Joyful” choir scene had everyone in their feelings.
Tanya Trotter took over the solo performance in Lauryn Hill’s absence. Goldberg appeared in her nun outfit, joining the choir. Ryan Toby, who played Ahmal in the film, performed with Goldberg’s daughter. The performers were joined by students from the Laguardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.
Following the performance, Goldberg was overwhelmed with emotions and Ralph reached out to embrace her.
Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit was directed by Bill Duke and released in 1993. The film was a...
- 6/5/2024
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Boy Kills World is an extremely stylized dystopian action thriller revenge film directed by Moritz Mohr from a screenplay by Tyler Burton Smith and Arend Remmers. Based on the story by Remmers and Mohr, the brilliant action film is set in a dystopian film where the Van Der Koy family rules the city. We follow the story of a young boy known only as Boy who is hell-bent on becoming a living breathing weapon to take revenge against the Van Der Koy family. Boy Kills World stars Bill Skarsgård in the lead role with Jessica Rothe, Andrew Koji, Famke Janssen, H. Jon Benjamin, Yayan Ruhian, Cameron Crovetti, Michelle Dockery, Brett Gelman, Quinn Copeland, and Sharlto Copley starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved the stylized action, dark comedy, and brutal violence in Boy Kills World here are some similar films you could watch next.
Wanted (Tubi & Rent on Prime...
Wanted (Tubi & Rent on Prime...
- 5/23/2024
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
A reboot of “The Munsters” and a series adaptation of the 1976 Universal Pictures comedy “Car Wash” are among the projects Universal Studio Group (Usg) currently has in development, Variety has learned. In addition, Universal International Studios (Uis) and Carnival Films are developing a drama series about a newlywed woman accused of murdering her husband on their honeymoon.
The “Munsters” reboot is currently titled “1313,” a reference to the fictional family of monsters’ address at 1313 Mockingbird Lane. It is not currently set up at any network or streaming service.
The new show is described as a horror series that “lives and breathes within the Universal Monsterverse,” per the official logline. The project was developed by James Wan, Lindsey Anderson Beer, and Ingrid Bisu. Anderson Beer will serve as showrunner and executive producer via Lab Brew, with Wan, Michael Clear, and Rob Hackett executive producing via Atomic Monster. Bisu will be a co-executive producer.
The “Munsters” reboot is currently titled “1313,” a reference to the fictional family of monsters’ address at 1313 Mockingbird Lane. It is not currently set up at any network or streaming service.
The new show is described as a horror series that “lives and breathes within the Universal Monsterverse,” per the official logline. The project was developed by James Wan, Lindsey Anderson Beer, and Ingrid Bisu. Anderson Beer will serve as showrunner and executive producer via Lab Brew, with Wan, Michael Clear, and Rob Hackett executive producing via Atomic Monster. Bisu will be a co-executive producer.
- 5/22/2024
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
The cult classic 1976 Universal Pictures film Car Wash is getting the small-screen treatment from producer Malcolm D. Lee (“The Best Man” franchise) and writer Opey Olagbaju. A comedy series of the same name is in development at NBC from Universal Television.
Set at a modern-day DC car wash, the TV series focuses on an immigrant family’s generational and cultural clashes between father and son and their eclectic group of employees.
The logline reveals many similarities to the original film while using the TV format to make the story much bigger. The Michael Schultz-directed film follows the lives of a group of friends from Los Angeles who work at the Dee-Luxe Car Wash and the interesting characters they interact with one Friday in July.
Many notable names were part of the large ensemble cast including Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Franklyn Ajaye, Bill Duke, Pepe Serna,...
Set at a modern-day DC car wash, the TV series focuses on an immigrant family’s generational and cultural clashes between father and son and their eclectic group of employees.
The logline reveals many similarities to the original film while using the TV format to make the story much bigger. The Michael Schultz-directed film follows the lives of a group of friends from Los Angeles who work at the Dee-Luxe Car Wash and the interesting characters they interact with one Friday in July.
Many notable names were part of the large ensemble cast including Richard Pryor, George Carlin, Franklyn Ajaye, Bill Duke, Pepe Serna,...
- 5/22/2024
- by Rosy Cordero
- Deadline Film + TV
Predator Movie – John McTiernan. (Photo Credit – IMDb/Wikipedia)
When it comes to power-packed action thriller movies, weapons are mandatorily used. Guns are widely used in such movies, especially in Hollywood. A few days ago, James Cameron commented on using too many guns for The Terminator. The Avatar director said he would not do something like this in today’s time. Now, Predator director John McTiernan has revealed details about using too many guns in one of the scenes in his 1987 movie.
The sci-fi action thriller stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Major Alan ‘Dutch’Schaefer, Carl Weathers as Al Dillon, Elpidia Carrillo as Anna Gonsalves, Bill Duke as Master Sergeant Mac Eliot and others. In a scene where Arnold’s Dutch and others take revenge for the death of Jesse Ventura’s character, Blain, there’s a lot of gun firing that takes place. In an interview, Predator director John McTiernan revealed...
When it comes to power-packed action thriller movies, weapons are mandatorily used. Guns are widely used in such movies, especially in Hollywood. A few days ago, James Cameron commented on using too many guns for The Terminator. The Avatar director said he would not do something like this in today’s time. Now, Predator director John McTiernan has revealed details about using too many guns in one of the scenes in his 1987 movie.
The sci-fi action thriller stars Arnold Schwarzenegger as Major Alan ‘Dutch’Schaefer, Carl Weathers as Al Dillon, Elpidia Carrillo as Anna Gonsalves, Bill Duke as Master Sergeant Mac Eliot and others. In a scene where Arnold’s Dutch and others take revenge for the death of Jesse Ventura’s character, Blain, there’s a lot of gun firing that takes place. In an interview, Predator director John McTiernan revealed...
- 4/22/2024
- by Pooja Darade
- KoiMoi
Revenge (Shudder), Only God Forgives (Radius), Mandy (Rlje Entertainment)Graphic: The A.V. Club
The appeal of the revenge thriller is simple: it’s catharsis. A grim power fantasy that taps into the irrational parts of our brains that crave satisfaction after being wronged. Of course, in life, most people will...
The appeal of the revenge thriller is simple: it’s catharsis. A grim power fantasy that taps into the irrational parts of our brains that crave satisfaction after being wronged. Of course, in life, most people will...
- 4/4/2024
- by Jarrod Jones
- avclub.com
Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom and Sean Bean will star in Prime Video’s new film Deep Cover. More on that below.
Prime Video has today announced their new film, Deep Cover, starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Nick Mohammed, Ian McShane, Paddy Considine and Sonoya Mizuno.
The Prime original film (not to be confused with Bill Duke’s 1992 neo-noir of the same name) will begin production in the UK on Monday, 5th February. Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow have worked on the original script, with British improv duo Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen setting the script in London.
The film will follow “three improv actors hired by the police to help stage low-level stings. Their instinct to ‘always say yes’ without breaking character leads them deep inside the London criminal underworld.”
Trevorrow will also be producing the film under Metronome Film Co. and Tom Kingsley will be directing.
Prime Video has today announced their new film, Deep Cover, starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Orlando Bloom, Sean Bean, Nick Mohammed, Ian McShane, Paddy Considine and Sonoya Mizuno.
The Prime original film (not to be confused with Bill Duke’s 1992 neo-noir of the same name) will begin production in the UK on Monday, 5th February. Derek Connolly and Colin Trevorrow have worked on the original script, with British improv duo Ben Ashenden and Alexander Owen setting the script in London.
The film will follow “three improv actors hired by the police to help stage low-level stings. Their instinct to ‘always say yes’ without breaking character leads them deep inside the London criminal underworld.”
Trevorrow will also be producing the film under Metronome Film Co. and Tom Kingsley will be directing.
- 2/1/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Get to the convention! There was a mini Predator reunion over the weekend as Carl Weathers and Jesse Ventura met up at a convention, bringing together two of the key cast members of the fan favorite action flick. If only we could have gotten Bill Duke and that other guy…
Ventura — who played minigun-lovin’ Blain Cooper in Predator — plugged the event on Facebook, writing, “Come on down to the Mad Monster Party in Atlanta! I’ll be here today and tomorrow signing autographs and taking pictures with all the fans. Plus it’s a Predator reunion! Got to see Carl Weathers.” Weathers played Al Dillon (you son of a bitch!).
The original Predator, which came out in 1987, spawned a full-blown franchise for better or worse, with the first sequel, Predator 2, arriving in 1990. The series took a lengthy break before crossovers Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) and...
Ventura — who played minigun-lovin’ Blain Cooper in Predator — plugged the event on Facebook, writing, “Come on down to the Mad Monster Party in Atlanta! I’ll be here today and tomorrow signing autographs and taking pictures with all the fans. Plus it’s a Predator reunion! Got to see Carl Weathers.” Weathers played Al Dillon (you son of a bitch!).
The original Predator, which came out in 1987, spawned a full-blown franchise for better or worse, with the first sequel, Predator 2, arriving in 1990. The series took a lengthy break before crossovers Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) and...
- 11/20/2023
- by Mathew Plale
- JoBlo.com
One of the curious things about "The Twilight Zone's" enduring popularity is that Rod Serling's classic anthology series has been rebooted three separate times, and even spun off into movies, and yet the original series is still considered the gold standard. You'll hear "Star Trek" fans sing the praises of "The Original Series," sure, but you'll also find lots of them who think the franchise peaked with "The Next Generation," "Deep Space Nine," or "Enterprise." But the reboots of the "Twilight Zone" aren't nearly as well remembered or celebrated as the original series, no matter how many great filmmakers or actors appeared in them.
Take the first TV reboot, for example. That version of "The Twilight Zone" aired for three seasons between 1985 and 1989 — peak, influential pop culture years — and featured episodes directed by cinematic luminaries like Wes Craven, Joe Dante, John Milius, Curtis Harrington, Bill Duke, Martha Coolidge,...
Take the first TV reboot, for example. That version of "The Twilight Zone" aired for three seasons between 1985 and 1989 — peak, influential pop culture years — and featured episodes directed by cinematic luminaries like Wes Craven, Joe Dante, John Milius, Curtis Harrington, Bill Duke, Martha Coolidge,...
- 10/21/2023
- by William Bibbiani
- Slash Film
As of this writing, there have been four TV versions of "The Twilight Zone." There was Rod Serling's original series which ran from 1959 until 1964, of course, and that series completely shook the pop culture landscape, becoming a new pivot point by which new shows would be measured. In 1985, a decade after Serling's death, "The Twilight Zone" was revived and tried to adhere to the spirit of the original series by adapting stories from experienced sci-fi writers and employing an interesting raft of known actors and directors. Wes Craven, Tommy Lee Wallace, William Friedkin, Joe Dante, John Milius, Martha Coolidge, Bill Duke, and Atom Egoyan helmed episodes.
Many may also recall, merely through recency bias, that there was a 2019 "Twilight Zone" revival produced by Jordan Peele and broadcast on CBS All Access (now Paramount+). That new version has already been canceled after two ten-episode seasons.
Less well-remembered may be the...
Many may also recall, merely through recency bias, that there was a 2019 "Twilight Zone" revival produced by Jordan Peele and broadcast on CBS All Access (now Paramount+). That new version has already been canceled after two ten-episode seasons.
Less well-remembered may be the...
- 10/2/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Harlan County, USA
Filmmakers loves an underdog and movies have a long tradition of supporting the rights of workers, dating all the way back to the silent era. Here are some classic movies that celebrate workers’ right to strike for better wages and safer working conditions and the sometimes unlikely allies they find along the way. Many are based on true stories, including John Sayles’ masterful “Matewan,” about a coal miner strike in West Virginia, as well as Barbara Kopple’s Oscar-winning documentary, “Harlan County, USA.”
Photo credit: Disney
“Newsies” (1992)
“Headlines don’t sell papes, Newsies sell papes!” In this exuberant and pro-worker musical, Christian Bale’s Jack Kelly leads a group of newsboys in a strike against penny-pinching newspaper owner Joseph Pulitzer. They’re aided by Bill Pullman’s kindly, reform-minded journalist and, of course, Teddy Roosevelt, who was then governor of New York.
Photo credit: 20th Century
“Norma Rae...
Filmmakers loves an underdog and movies have a long tradition of supporting the rights of workers, dating all the way back to the silent era. Here are some classic movies that celebrate workers’ right to strike for better wages and safer working conditions and the sometimes unlikely allies they find along the way. Many are based on true stories, including John Sayles’ masterful “Matewan,” about a coal miner strike in West Virginia, as well as Barbara Kopple’s Oscar-winning documentary, “Harlan County, USA.”
Photo credit: Disney
“Newsies” (1992)
“Headlines don’t sell papes, Newsies sell papes!” In this exuberant and pro-worker musical, Christian Bale’s Jack Kelly leads a group of newsboys in a strike against penny-pinching newspaper owner Joseph Pulitzer. They’re aided by Bill Pullman’s kindly, reform-minded journalist and, of course, Teddy Roosevelt, who was then governor of New York.
Photo credit: 20th Century
“Norma Rae...
- 7/24/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
It was more than a little heartening to see Roger Corman paid tribute by Quentin Tarantino at Cannes’ closing night. By now the director-producer-mogul’s imprint on cinema is understood to eclipse, rough estimate, 99.5% of anybody who’s touched the medium, but on a night for celebrating what’s new, trend-following, and manicured it could’ve hardly been more necessary. Thus I’m further heartened seeing the Criterion Channel will host a retrospective of Corman’s Edgar Allan Poe adaptations running eight films and aptly titled “Grindhouse Gothic,” though I might save the selections for October.
Centerpiece, though, is a hip hop series including Bill Duke’s superb Deep Cover, Ghost Dog, and numerous documentaries––among them Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, making Michael Rapaport a Criterion-approved auteur. Ten films starring Kay Francis and 21 Eurothrillers round out series; streaming premieres include the Dardenne brothers’ Tori and Lokita,...
Centerpiece, though, is a hip hop series including Bill Duke’s superb Deep Cover, Ghost Dog, and numerous documentaries––among them Beats, Rhymes & Life: The Travels of a Tribe Called Quest, making Michael Rapaport a Criterion-approved auteur. Ten films starring Kay Francis and 21 Eurothrillers round out series; streaming premieres include the Dardenne brothers’ Tori and Lokita,...
- 7/19/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Paul Eckstein, who produced the 1997 MGM film Hoodlum and co-created the Epix/MGM+ drama Godfather of Harlem with his writing partner, Chris Brancato, has died. He was 59.
Eckstein died peacefully in his sleep Tuesday, according to a statement from MGM+ and ABC Signature. He was in Jamaica, where he was teaching a screenwriting workshop for Strike Star Entertainment.
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of our brilliant colleague Paul Eckstein, the co-creator and executive producer of Godfather of Harlem and a beloved member of the MGM+ and ABC Signature families,” the companies said. “Working on the series was a labor of love for Paul, who based the show in part on his family’s personal history.
“Paul was passionate, a creative force, known for his kindness and generosity. He was a mentor and friend to many, and he will be dearly missed.”
Eckstein also led the...
Eckstein died peacefully in his sleep Tuesday, according to a statement from MGM+ and ABC Signature. He was in Jamaica, where he was teaching a screenwriting workshop for Strike Star Entertainment.
“We are deeply shocked and saddened by the sudden passing of our brilliant colleague Paul Eckstein, the co-creator and executive producer of Godfather of Harlem and a beloved member of the MGM+ and ABC Signature families,” the companies said. “Working on the series was a labor of love for Paul, who based the show in part on his family’s personal history.
“Paul was passionate, a creative force, known for his kindness and generosity. He was a mentor and friend to many, and he will be dearly missed.”
Eckstein also led the...
- 6/7/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
How much sympathy do average working people have for Hollywood actors? Not much, I suspect. Fancy trailers, high-end catering, and eye-watering salaries are not the hallmarks of a tough gig. However, it's not all luxury and dollar signs, especially in the extravagant science fiction genre. On-set accidents have injured performers such as Charlize Theron, who was nearly paralyzed while making "Æon Flux," and Carrie-Ann Moss, whose botched cartwheel in "The Matrix" caused a nasty ankle injury
Such incidents remind us of why stunt people are needed to protect a production's cast and crew from accidents and injuries. But what about the threat of illness? Who is responsible for that and what danger does it pose to a multi-million dollar project with a tight schedule and a tighter budget? Well, a lesser danger than injury, it seems, but there is still a precedent for actorly illnesses -- and the causes range...
Such incidents remind us of why stunt people are needed to protect a production's cast and crew from accidents and injuries. But what about the threat of illness? Who is responsible for that and what danger does it pose to a multi-million dollar project with a tight schedule and a tighter budget? Well, a lesser danger than injury, it seems, but there is still a precedent for actorly illnesses -- and the causes range...
- 3/25/2023
- by Jack Hawkins
- Slash Film
The action movies of the '80s were dominated by Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, who developed an intense rivalry going back as far as the Golden Globes in 1977. The two actors found themselves seated at the same table and Arnie, the up-and-coming star who had already bagged an award for his role in "Stay Hungry," openly gloated as Sly's "Rocky" kept missing out on the big prizes. When Stallone's underdog tale finally came out of the envelope for Best Picture, he responded by throwing a bowl of flowers at the ungracious upstart.
Almost a decade later, the "Rocky" franchise unwittingly contributed to Schwarzenegger taking over for Stallone as Hollywood's biggest action hero. The story goes that, after "Rocky IV," a joke spread that the next logical step for the Italian Stallion would be for him to fight a visitor from outer space. That germ of an idea became the screenplay for "Predator,...
Almost a decade later, the "Rocky" franchise unwittingly contributed to Schwarzenegger taking over for Stallone as Hollywood's biggest action hero. The story goes that, after "Rocky IV," a joke spread that the next logical step for the Italian Stallion would be for him to fight a visitor from outer space. That germ of an idea became the screenplay for "Predator,...
- 2/19/2023
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
Alice, Darling (Mary Nighy)
Everything you need to know about Alice’s (Anna Kendrick) state of mind concerning the abuse inflicted by her boyfriend Simon (Charlie Carrick) are the words “it’s not like he hurts me.” We feel Sophie’s (Wunmi Mosaku) wince in our bones—”hurt” doesn’t only become noteworthy when wrought by a physical altercation. Alice is glued to her phone to ensure she doesn’t miss a call or text. She wakes up super early to apply make-up and style her hair to Simon’s preference. Parrots all the soundbites he uses to police her eating habits about the toxicity of sugar. And literally pulls her hair out of her head whenever she has a spare second...
Alice, Darling (Mary Nighy)
Everything you need to know about Alice’s (Anna Kendrick) state of mind concerning the abuse inflicted by her boyfriend Simon (Charlie Carrick) are the words “it’s not like he hurts me.” We feel Sophie’s (Wunmi Mosaku) wince in our bones—”hurt” doesn’t only become noteworthy when wrought by a physical altercation. Alice is glued to her phone to ensure she doesn’t miss a call or text. She wakes up super early to apply make-up and style her hair to Simon’s preference. Parrots all the soundbites he uses to police her eating habits about the toxicity of sugar. And literally pulls her hair out of her head whenever she has a spare second...
- 2/3/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
“The 1619 Project” creator Nikole Hannah-Jones needed just one word to describe what it was like to pose on the red-white-and-blue carpet with Oprah Winfrey.
“Insane!” Hannah-Jones told Variety as she made her way down the line of reporters outside the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on Thursday night. “This was a lot, but it feels amazing.”
The journalist — a “print reporter” she likes to note, meaning she’s not quite used to the “lights, camera, action” style that TV news requires — cut a striking figure on the carpet, wearing an emerald green velvet gown which set off her signature red hair, plus her signature diamond necklace with “Nikole” written in cursive and custom gold “1619” hoop earrings.
Photographers called for her to look this way, that way, and “over the shoulder” as she posed with her collaborators, executive producer and director Roger Ross Williams and showrunner Shoshana Guy.
“Insane!” Hannah-Jones told Variety as she made her way down the line of reporters outside the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles on Thursday night. “This was a lot, but it feels amazing.”
The journalist — a “print reporter” she likes to note, meaning she’s not quite used to the “lights, camera, action” style that TV news requires — cut a striking figure on the carpet, wearing an emerald green velvet gown which set off her signature red hair, plus her signature diamond necklace with “Nikole” written in cursive and custom gold “1619” hoop earrings.
Photographers called for her to look this way, that way, and “over the shoulder” as she posed with her collaborators, executive producer and director Roger Ross Williams and showrunner Shoshana Guy.
- 2/1/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Mubi has announced its lineup of streaming offerings for next month, including Carla Simón’s Golden Bear winner Alcarràs, Ruth Beckermann’s Mutzenbacher, a series celebrating Black cinema with works from Charles Burnett, Julie Dash, Ephraim Asili, Bill Duke, and more.
Additional highlights include Sarah Polley’s Away From Her, Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight, Albert Brooks’ Modern Romance, Bong Joon Ho’s The Host, Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac, shorts by Emilija Škarnulytė, and the beginning of a series spotlighting Akio Jissoji’s Buddhist Trilogy.
Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
February 1 – Softie, directed by Samuel Theis | From France with Love
February 2 – The Sleeping Negro, directed by Skinner Myers
February 3 – Before Midnight, directed by Richard Linklater
February 4 – To Sleep with Anger, directed by Charles Burnett
February 5 – Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, directed by Stanley Kramer | Performers We Love
February 6 – Aphotic Zone, directed by Emilija...
Additional highlights include Sarah Polley’s Away From Her, Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight, Albert Brooks’ Modern Romance, Bong Joon Ho’s The Host, Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac, shorts by Emilija Škarnulytė, and the beginning of a series spotlighting Akio Jissoji’s Buddhist Trilogy.
Check out the lineup below and get 30 days free here.
February 1 – Softie, directed by Samuel Theis | From France with Love
February 2 – The Sleeping Negro, directed by Skinner Myers
February 3 – Before Midnight, directed by Richard Linklater
February 4 – To Sleep with Anger, directed by Charles Burnett
February 5 – Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, directed by Stanley Kramer | Performers We Love
February 6 – Aphotic Zone, directed by Emilija...
- 1/19/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Austin Stoker, a veteran actor who most notably starred in John Carpenter’s sophomore feature “Assault on Precinct 13” and co-starred with Pam Grier in the 1975 blaxploitation feature “Sheba, Baby,” died Friday of renal failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. He was 92.
Details regarding Stoker’s death were shared by his wife of 43 years, Robin Stoker, on her personal Facebook Monday evening. Robin called Austin “the love of my life” in her tribute.
In another tribute, actor and director Bill Duke hailed Stoker as “one of Hollywood’s unsung actors” and shared his blessings to his family.
In the landmark independent thriller “Assault on Precinct 13,” Stoker starred as Lt. Ethan Bishop, a Black cop who must lead a group of criminals, civilians and office workers as a police station is besieged by a relentless army of street gang members. The lead role furthered Stoker’s acting career at the...
Details regarding Stoker’s death were shared by his wife of 43 years, Robin Stoker, on her personal Facebook Monday evening. Robin called Austin “the love of my life” in her tribute.
In another tribute, actor and director Bill Duke hailed Stoker as “one of Hollywood’s unsung actors” and shared his blessings to his family.
In the landmark independent thriller “Assault on Precinct 13,” Stoker starred as Lt. Ethan Bishop, a Black cop who must lead a group of criminals, civilians and office workers as a police station is besieged by a relentless army of street gang members. The lead role furthered Stoker’s acting career at the...
- 10/11/2022
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
Though their “’80s Horror” lineup would constitute enough of a Halloween push, the Criterion Channel enter October all guns blazing. The month’s lineup also includes a 19-movie vampire series running from 1931’s Dracula (English and Spanish both) to 2014’s A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, the collection in-between including Herzog’s Nosferatu, Near Dark, and Let the Right One In. Last year’s “Universal Horror” collection returns, a 17-title Ishirō Honda retrospective has been set, and a few genre titles stand alone: Hush…Hush, Sweet Charlotte, The House of the Devil, and Island of Lost Souls.
Streaming premieres include restorations of Tsai Ming-liang’s Vive L’amour and Ed Lachman’s Lou Reed / John Cale concert film Songs for Drella; October’s Criterion editions are Samuel Fuller’s Forty Guns, Bill Duke’s Deep Cover, Haxan, and My Own Private Idaho. Meanwhile, Ari Aster has curated an “Adventures...
Streaming premieres include restorations of Tsai Ming-liang’s Vive L’amour and Ed Lachman’s Lou Reed / John Cale concert film Songs for Drella; October’s Criterion editions are Samuel Fuller’s Forty Guns, Bill Duke’s Deep Cover, Haxan, and My Own Private Idaho. Meanwhile, Ari Aster has curated an “Adventures...
- 9/26/2022
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Located somewhere between a classic opera, a modern dance piece, and a deadly fever dream — between the timeless beauty of ancient myth and the modern nightmare of America’s current immigration policies — Benjamin Millepied’s “Carmen” is stretched across a few too many borders to ever feel like it’s standing on solid ground. And yet, (Nicolas Britell) for the kind of aggressively unclassifiable movie that would never exist if not for these two artists reaching beyond their disciplines to create it themselves.
Loosely inspired by Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera of the same name — so loosely, in fact, that Millepied thinks of his film as less of a re-telling or adaptation than he does a version of Bizet’s tragedy from a parallel universe — this “Carmen” moves the action from the southern tip of Spain to the northern cusp of Mexico, pares the source material’s busy story down to the brink of abstraction,...
Loosely inspired by Georges Bizet’s 1875 opera of the same name — so loosely, in fact, that Millepied thinks of his film as less of a re-telling or adaptation than he does a version of Bizet’s tragedy from a parallel universe — this “Carmen” moves the action from the southern tip of Spain to the northern cusp of Mexico, pares the source material’s busy story down to the brink of abstraction,...
- 9/11/2022
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
Click here to read the full article.
Showtime got a little bit lucky with The Man Who Fell to Earth. The sci-fi drama took a title that means very little to modern audiences and a story that didn’t really require extending into a new era, but creators Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman had a specific and contemporary tale they wanted to tell — and, in Chiwetel Ejiofor, a fully committed leading man giving a wild, hilarious, soulful central performance.
Perhaps owing to the arbitrary attempt to build around the title of a 1976 film (and a 1963 novel), The Man Who Fell to Earth doesn’t appear to have generated any buzz at all and Ejiofor didn’t even crack the outer edge of the Emmy conversation.
Showtime hasn’t even gotten that lucky with American Gigolo. David Hollander’s (Ray Donovan) continuation of Paul Schrader’s 1980 feature arrives facing two big...
Showtime got a little bit lucky with The Man Who Fell to Earth. The sci-fi drama took a title that means very little to modern audiences and a story that didn’t really require extending into a new era, but creators Jenny Lumet and Alex Kurtzman had a specific and contemporary tale they wanted to tell — and, in Chiwetel Ejiofor, a fully committed leading man giving a wild, hilarious, soulful central performance.
Perhaps owing to the arbitrary attempt to build around the title of a 1976 film (and a 1963 novel), The Man Who Fell to Earth doesn’t appear to have generated any buzz at all and Ejiofor didn’t even crack the outer edge of the Emmy conversation.
Showtime hasn’t even gotten that lucky with American Gigolo. David Hollander’s (Ray Donovan) continuation of Paul Schrader’s 1980 feature arrives facing two big...
- 9/9/2022
- by Daniel Fienberg
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Movies: "No Sudden Move" and "Kimi"
Where You Can Stream Them: HBO Max
The Pitch: In "No Sudden Move," director Steven Soderbergh returns to the heist genre with an all-star cast and a home invasion gone wrong in '50s Detroit. In "Kimi," Soderbergh marries technology fears with a familiar scenario centered on a homebound "voice stream interpreter" (Zoë Kravitz) who overhears something she shouldn't have.
Why They're Essential Viewing: After retiring and un-retiring, there were a few years there where Soderbergh was focused more on TV projects like his Cinemax series "The Knick." It's been a while since we saw a movie of his enjoy a theatrical run -- thanks in part, perhaps, to the pandemic he predicted with his 2011 thriller "Contagion.
The Movies: "No Sudden Move" and "Kimi"
Where You Can Stream Them: HBO Max
The Pitch: In "No Sudden Move," director Steven Soderbergh returns to the heist genre with an all-star cast and a home invasion gone wrong in '50s Detroit. In "Kimi," Soderbergh marries technology fears with a familiar scenario centered on a homebound "voice stream interpreter" (Zoë Kravitz) who overhears something she shouldn't have.
Why They're Essential Viewing: After retiring and un-retiring, there were a few years there where Soderbergh was focused more on TV projects like his Cinemax series "The Knick." It's been a while since we saw a movie of his enjoy a theatrical run -- thanks in part, perhaps, to the pandemic he predicted with his 2011 thriller "Contagion.
- 9/5/2022
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
Josh Olson shares his top 10 movies from his favorite movie year, 1992, with Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Star Wars (1977)
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
After Dark, My Sweet (1990)
The Last Of The Mohicans (1992)
Thief (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Manhunter (1986) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The Last Of The Mohicans (1936)
The Player (1992) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Popeye (1980)
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson (1976) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Quintet (1979)
HealtH (1980)
Come Back To the Five And Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982)
Secret Honor (1984)
The Graduate (1967) – Neil Labute’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Touch Of Evil (1958) – Howard Rodman’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Dead Alive a.k.a. Braindead (1992) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary
Meet The Feebles (1989) – Mike Mendez’s...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Star Wars (1977)
Glengarry Glen Ross (1992)
After Dark, My Sweet (1990)
The Last Of The Mohicans (1992)
Thief (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Manhunter (1986) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
The Last Of The Mohicans (1936)
The Player (1992) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Popeye (1980)
Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull’s History Lesson (1976) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Quintet (1979)
HealtH (1980)
Come Back To the Five And Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean (1982)
Secret Honor (1984)
The Graduate (1967) – Neil Labute’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Touch Of Evil (1958) – Howard Rodman’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Dead Alive a.k.a. Braindead (1992) – Mike Mendez’s trailer commentary
Meet The Feebles (1989) – Mike Mendez’s...
- 8/30/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
We ranked the 100 best movies of the ’90s. We listed our favorite performances, scores, and even made a video countdown of the decade’s greatest needle-drops. We wrote about how ’90s movies shaped us, how visionary artists like Gregg Araki and Bill Duke shaped them, and what love had to do with it.
So now, as IndieWire’s ’90s Week extravaganza winds down, we thought we’d turn the mic over to the people on the other side of the screen, and see what they find most precious about the decade that was. We reached out to over 60 actors, directors, writers, and so forth — an eclectic mix of luminaries from then and now and all points in between — with a simple question: What are your 10 favorite movies of the ’90s?
The responses we received ran the gamut (though some choices were inevitably common). Some participants chose to provide insightful lists,...
So now, as IndieWire’s ’90s Week extravaganza winds down, we thought we’d turn the mic over to the people on the other side of the screen, and see what they find most precious about the decade that was. We reached out to over 60 actors, directors, writers, and so forth — an eclectic mix of luminaries from then and now and all points in between — with a simple question: What are your 10 favorite movies of the ’90s?
The responses we received ran the gamut (though some choices were inevitably common). Some participants chose to provide insightful lists,...
- 8/19/2022
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
“Great actors fall into darkness backwards,” Bill Duke likes to say, quoting an early teacher of his who suggested that the leap of faith required for someone to become the person they imagine in their mind requires a sense of self-belief powerful enough to overcome their fear of the unknown. Not only has Duke consistently done that over the course of the actor-director’s 40-plus-year career, he’s done it with an unparalleled degree of excellence and grace.
While cinephiles and casual fans alike may be familiar with Duke’s performances in films like “Predator” and “Menace II Society,” few recognize the full impact of his contributions behind the camera during the ’90s, when he hit his stride with a series of major and enduring work that range from “A Rage in Harlem” and the masterful neo-noir “Deep Cover” to the beloved crowdpleaser “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.
While cinephiles and casual fans alike may be familiar with Duke’s performances in films like “Predator” and “Menace II Society,” few recognize the full impact of his contributions behind the camera during the ’90s, when he hit his stride with a series of major and enduring work that range from “A Rage in Harlem” and the masterful neo-noir “Deep Cover” to the beloved crowdpleaser “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit.
- 8/18/2022
- by Robert Daniels
- Indiewire
In 1987, a hyper-advanced alien species known as the “Yautja” descended upon an elite military squad in Guatemala. Thanks to its memorable performances, quotable dialogue and inventive action set pieces, “Predator” became an American action movie staple. The film has spawned four sequels, including the new Hulu film “Prey,” and two spinoffs. Yet, the mega franchise all started with a piece of paper underneath a door.
“The Thomas brothers snuck the script onto the Fox lot and under somebody’s door,” says John Davis, who has produced all seven “Predator” movies. “We got there on Monday, and there was this script. I was an executive at the time, and I had been working with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was a really good friend of mine. We were always both trying to figure out how we could work together. And so I’m the executive on this movie at Fox, and what happened is I became a producer.
“The Thomas brothers snuck the script onto the Fox lot and under somebody’s door,” says John Davis, who has produced all seven “Predator” movies. “We got there on Monday, and there was this script. I was an executive at the time, and I had been working with Arnold Schwarzenegger. He was a really good friend of mine. We were always both trying to figure out how we could work together. And so I’m the executive on this movie at Fox, and what happened is I became a producer.
- 8/15/2022
- by Carson Burton
- Variety Film + TV
Welcome to IndieWire ’90s Week, an unfettered celebration of the decade that every millennial will always think of as “10 years ago.”
This completely random celebration of the last years of the 20th century — a critical tribute to the spirit of a time that no reboot or legacy sequel could ever quite manage to capture — kicks off with our ranked mega-list of the decade’s 100 greatest films, and follows that up with interviews with the people who made them, essays about how the impact these modern classics had on the world at large, close listens of the scores and needle-drops that still reverberate in our ears, and more.
Below, you’ll find a comprehensive schedule of the ’90s Week goodness to come, which will update with links to our stories as they go live over the course of the week. Cowabunga, dudes!
Monday
10 a.m. Et: The 100 Best Movies of the...
This completely random celebration of the last years of the 20th century — a critical tribute to the spirit of a time that no reboot or legacy sequel could ever quite manage to capture — kicks off with our ranked mega-list of the decade’s 100 greatest films, and follows that up with interviews with the people who made them, essays about how the impact these modern classics had on the world at large, close listens of the scores and needle-drops that still reverberate in our ears, and more.
Below, you’ll find a comprehensive schedule of the ’90s Week goodness to come, which will update with links to our stories as they go live over the course of the week. Cowabunga, dudes!
Monday
10 a.m. Et: The 100 Best Movies of the...
- 8/15/2022
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
This article contains Prey spoilers.
It must be gratifying for filmmakers to know that the Monday after Prey’s premiere on Hulu (and Disney+ in Europe), many were debating whether the Predator prequel should’ve been released in theaters. The quality is certainly good enough with the film generally impressing most critics as demonstrated by its 92 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A majority of viewers also seem pleased if social media chatter is to be believed.
The emerging consensus about this one seems to be that director Dan Trachtenberg and a cast of primarily Indigenous actors knocked it out of the park, making the first truly gripping Predator movie since the original was released in 1987. And, truly, the final movements of Prey where Amber Midthunder’s tenacious Comanche warrior, Naru, lures a Predator into the ultimate deathtrap is as exciting a showdown between a human and a “Yautja” as we’ve ever seen onscreen.
It must be gratifying for filmmakers to know that the Monday after Prey’s premiere on Hulu (and Disney+ in Europe), many were debating whether the Predator prequel should’ve been released in theaters. The quality is certainly good enough with the film generally impressing most critics as demonstrated by its 92 percent “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes. A majority of viewers also seem pleased if social media chatter is to be believed.
The emerging consensus about this one seems to be that director Dan Trachtenberg and a cast of primarily Indigenous actors knocked it out of the park, making the first truly gripping Predator movie since the original was released in 1987. And, truly, the final movements of Prey where Amber Midthunder’s tenacious Comanche warrior, Naru, lures a Predator into the ultimate deathtrap is as exciting a showdown between a human and a “Yautja” as we’ve ever seen onscreen.
- 8/9/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
“Prey,” Dan Trachtenberg’s prequel to the 1987 action classic “Predator,” did not open in theaters this weekend, so we’ll never know exactly how it would have done at the box office. But if the online buzz is any indicator, it looks like it would have killed.
In addition to a crushing 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the 20th Century Studios film, which debuted on Hulu, got some kudos from an unexpected corner: the former governor of Minnesota.
Of course, Jesse Ventura did have a whole career before he entered politics, and part of that was playing one of the mercenaries who faced down interplanetary peril in the Latin American jungle with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, and Shane Black in John McTiernan’s original.
Ventura praised the movie and Trachtenberg, and shouted out the film’s star, Amber Midthunder, saying “you definitely ain’t got time to bleed,” a...
In addition to a crushing 93 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, the 20th Century Studios film, which debuted on Hulu, got some kudos from an unexpected corner: the former governor of Minnesota.
Of course, Jesse Ventura did have a whole career before he entered politics, and part of that was playing one of the mercenaries who faced down interplanetary peril in the Latin American jungle with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, and Shane Black in John McTiernan’s original.
Ventura praised the movie and Trachtenberg, and shouted out the film’s star, Amber Midthunder, saying “you definitely ain’t got time to bleed,” a...
- 8/8/2022
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Tanya Kersey, an entrepreneur and entertainment journalist who founded the Hollywood Black Film Festival, died Monday of cardiac arrest in Rancho Cucamonga, California. Her daughters Brittany Love and Monique Love, and sister Lisa M. Kersey confirmed the news on Facebook. She was 61.
In a tribute, Lisa M. Kersey wrote that her sister had “been battling multiple health issues for many years” before she “passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones.”
“She was a fighter and fought a long hard battle with dignity & grace,” she added.
Also Read:
Rebecca Balding, ‘Soap’ and ‘Charmed’ Actress, Dies at 73
In 1998, Kersey founded and became executive director of the Hollywood Black Film Festival, an annual event that brings together established and up-and-coming Black independent filmmakers. Dubbed “The Black Sundance,” Hbff has counted Sidney Poitier, Forest Whitaker, Sanaa Lathan, Ice-t, John Singleton, Tim Story, Malcolm Lee, Bill Duke, Devon Franklin, George Tillman, Blair Underwood, Loretta Devine,...
In a tribute, Lisa M. Kersey wrote that her sister had “been battling multiple health issues for many years” before she “passed away peacefully, surrounded by her loved ones.”
“She was a fighter and fought a long hard battle with dignity & grace,” she added.
Also Read:
Rebecca Balding, ‘Soap’ and ‘Charmed’ Actress, Dies at 73
In 1998, Kersey founded and became executive director of the Hollywood Black Film Festival, an annual event that brings together established and up-and-coming Black independent filmmakers. Dubbed “The Black Sundance,” Hbff has counted Sidney Poitier, Forest Whitaker, Sanaa Lathan, Ice-t, John Singleton, Tim Story, Malcolm Lee, Bill Duke, Devon Franklin, George Tillman, Blair Underwood, Loretta Devine,...
- 7/20/2022
- by Harper Lambert
- The Wrap
Click here to read the full article.
Tanya Kersey, founder of the Hollywood Black Film Festival, has died. She was 61.
Kersey died Monday of cardiac arrest at a hospital in Rancho Cucamonga, California, her daughter Monique told The Hollywood Reporter. She had faced a number of health issues over the years.
Kersey launched the Hollywood Black Film Festival in 1998. The event, which celebrates Black cinema by bringing together established talents and up-and-coming indie creatives, gained traction in the entertainment industry and was dubbed the “Black Sundance” in its early years. The Hbff has screened more than 1,000 independent films from the U.S. and 25 other countries.
The festival became a key event for Hollywood’s Black community, and notable attendees included Sidney Poitier, Forest Whitaker, John Singleton, Tim Story, Malcolm Lee, Bill Duke, Devon Franklin, George Tillman, Ice-t, Blair Underwood, Sanaa Lathan, Loretta Devine, Debra Martin Chase and Antwone Fisher.
Born...
Tanya Kersey, founder of the Hollywood Black Film Festival, has died. She was 61.
Kersey died Monday of cardiac arrest at a hospital in Rancho Cucamonga, California, her daughter Monique told The Hollywood Reporter. She had faced a number of health issues over the years.
Kersey launched the Hollywood Black Film Festival in 1998. The event, which celebrates Black cinema by bringing together established talents and up-and-coming indie creatives, gained traction in the entertainment industry and was dubbed the “Black Sundance” in its early years. The Hbff has screened more than 1,000 independent films from the U.S. and 25 other countries.
The festival became a key event for Hollywood’s Black community, and notable attendees included Sidney Poitier, Forest Whitaker, John Singleton, Tim Story, Malcolm Lee, Bill Duke, Devon Franklin, George Tillman, Ice-t, Blair Underwood, Sanaa Lathan, Loretta Devine, Debra Martin Chase and Antwone Fisher.
Born...
- 7/20/2022
- by Abid Rahman and Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Producer Mike Finnell (Joe Dante’s long time producing partner) joins Josh and Joe to discuss a few of his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Avalanche (1978)
Airport (1970)
Earthquake (1974) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Matinee (1993) – Illeana Douglas’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Hollywood Boulevard (1976) – Jon Davison’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Deceived (1991)
Newsies (1992)
Milk Money (1994)
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979) – Eli Roth’s trailer commentary
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary celebration
Explorers (1985) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The ’Burbs (1989) – Ti West’s trailer commentary, Tfh’s ’Burbs Mania
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Small Soldiers (1998)
A Matter of Life and Death (1946) – Glenn Erickson’s...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Avalanche (1978)
Airport (1970)
Earthquake (1974) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Matinee (1993) – Illeana Douglas’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s review, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Hollywood Boulevard (1976) – Jon Davison’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
Deceived (1991)
Newsies (1992)
Milk Money (1994)
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979) – Eli Roth’s trailer commentary
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings
Twilight Zone: The Movie (1983)
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s 4K Blu-ray review, Tfh’s 30th anniversary celebration
Explorers (1985) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The ’Burbs (1989) – Ti West’s trailer commentary, Tfh’s ’Burbs Mania
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Small Soldiers (1998)
A Matter of Life and Death (1946) – Glenn Erickson’s...
- 7/12/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
With its dude-heavy cast that includes Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Bill Duke, Sonny Landham and Jesse "The Body" Ventura, you might not be surprised to learn that the set of John McTiernan's sci-fi/action classic "Predator" was a daily test of macho mettle. The boys went for daily five-mile runs and hit Schwarzenegger's private weight room (which the former Mr. Universe had transported from Los Angeles) for daily workouts that, according to Weathers, apparently descended into muscle-measuring contests.
There was no let-up, especially for the "Predator" star, who felt he had to maintain his Alpha-Dog dominance over his co-stars. However, this prideful drive...
The post Predator Star Arnold Schwarzenegger Pooped His Pants While Working Out Before Filming appeared first on /Film.
There was no let-up, especially for the "Predator" star, who felt he had to maintain his Alpha-Dog dominance over his co-stars. However, this prideful drive...
The post Predator Star Arnold Schwarzenegger Pooped His Pants While Working Out Before Filming appeared first on /Film.
- 6/27/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
What would it take to overpower the world’s toughest special forces soldiers? A hunter from out of this world, of course.
That’s the spark that ignited Predator (1987), one of the all-time great sci-fi action adventures. Released 35 years ago today, the film’s legacy is now secure: it has spawned three direct sequels and an upcoming prequel, plus two Alien Vs. Predator spin-off movies, along with a variety of comic book series, extremely cool action figures, and assorted other merchandise unusual for a gritty R-rated picture. Naturally we at Tfh felt it was high time to reflect on the original classic.
Cigar-chomping Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger at his most ‘roided-out) and his crew of military mercenaries are recruited by his former Vietnam War comrade Al Dillon (Carl Weathers), now a CIA agent, to purportedly save foreign government officials, taken hostage by a team of guerrilla revolutionaries in a Central American jungle.
That’s the spark that ignited Predator (1987), one of the all-time great sci-fi action adventures. Released 35 years ago today, the film’s legacy is now secure: it has spawned three direct sequels and an upcoming prequel, plus two Alien Vs. Predator spin-off movies, along with a variety of comic book series, extremely cool action figures, and assorted other merchandise unusual for a gritty R-rated picture. Naturally we at Tfh felt it was high time to reflect on the original classic.
Cigar-chomping Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger at his most ‘roided-out) and his crew of military mercenaries are recruited by his former Vietnam War comrade Al Dillon (Carl Weathers), now a CIA agent, to purportedly save foreign government officials, taken hostage by a team of guerrilla revolutionaries in a Central American jungle.
- 6/12/2022
- by Alex Kirschenbaum
- Trailers from Hell
Exclusive: Dallas Roberts (Big Sky), Arden Myrin (Orange Is the New Black) and Harvey Guillén (Reacher) have signed on to star in the comedy Road Dogs, from Bustled Knuckle Productions and Residue Remains Productions, which goes into production in Minnesota this summer.
The film centers around three stand-up comedians who hit the road for a simple weekend showcase but soon find their plans derailed by a crooked club owner and her homicidal bouncer. Vanessa Leigh is directing from her and Aaron W. Bennett’s script, which was based on Bennett’s time as an improv comic and comedy club owner in Central Washington. The duo will produce alongside Kris Black from Residue Remains Productions, with Hunter G. Williams of Busted Knuckle Productions serving as executive producer.
Roberts is represented by UTA and Circle of Confusion; Myrin by Innovative Artists, Vault Entertainment and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Guillén by Innovative and Yorn,...
The film centers around three stand-up comedians who hit the road for a simple weekend showcase but soon find their plans derailed by a crooked club owner and her homicidal bouncer. Vanessa Leigh is directing from her and Aaron W. Bennett’s script, which was based on Bennett’s time as an improv comic and comedy club owner in Central Washington. The duo will produce alongside Kris Black from Residue Remains Productions, with Hunter G. Williams of Busted Knuckle Productions serving as executive producer.
Roberts is represented by UTA and Circle of Confusion; Myrin by Innovative Artists, Vault Entertainment and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Guillén by Innovative and Yorn,...
- 5/27/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The credited screenwriters on John McTiernan's 1987 film "Predator" are brothers Jim Thomas and John Thomas, who would also work on "Predator 2," "Executive Decision," and "Wild Wild West." The story goes that they slipped the script for "Predator" (originally called "Hunter") under an executive's door at 20th Century Fox in order for it to be noticed.
"Predator," for the uninitiated, is a military satire movie wherein the burliest, manliest men imaginable — all of them made of sweat and biceps — are sent go on a jungle-bound rescue mission with every type...
The post Shane Black Was Juggling a Lot of Projects While Working On the Set of Predator appeared first on /Film.
"Predator," for the uninitiated, is a military satire movie wherein the burliest, manliest men imaginable — all of them made of sweat and biceps — are sent go on a jungle-bound rescue mission with every type...
The post Shane Black Was Juggling a Lot of Projects While Working On the Set of Predator appeared first on /Film.
- 5/26/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Forest Whitaker has shed new plot details about Francis Ford Coppola’s mystery project “Megalopolis,” which is set to start shooting in August.
The actor-producer, who is in Cannes to receive the festival’s honorary Palme d’Or, suggested he had a substantial role in the new movie, and spoke favorably of Coppola’s script, which is a long-gestating passion project that’s been in the works for 20 years. Coppola invested more than 100 million of his own resources to make the film, which is his first as a director since 2016’s “Distant Vision.”
“The cast is coming together,” said Whittaker, who praised Coppola as an “amazing filmmaker” that he was excited to work with. The “Last King of Scotland” Oscar winner will star in “Megalopolis” alongside Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel and Jon Voight.
The movie’s plot has been something of a mystery, with Coppola saying in the past that...
The actor-producer, who is in Cannes to receive the festival’s honorary Palme d’Or, suggested he had a substantial role in the new movie, and spoke favorably of Coppola’s script, which is a long-gestating passion project that’s been in the works for 20 years. Coppola invested more than 100 million of his own resources to make the film, which is his first as a director since 2016’s “Distant Vision.”
“The cast is coming together,” said Whittaker, who praised Coppola as an “amazing filmmaker” that he was excited to work with. The “Last King of Scotland” Oscar winner will star in “Megalopolis” alongside Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel and Jon Voight.
The movie’s plot has been something of a mystery, with Coppola saying in the past that...
- 5/17/2022
- by Manori Ravindran
- Variety Film + TV
Not long after attending my first Cannes Film Festival almost 35 years ago, I was still green and naïve enough to ask long-time Cannes attendees why the famed French fest held such a powerful place in the pecking order of international film gatherings. The late Richard Corliss, Time magazine’s peerless and beloved film critic, answered warmly and succinctly, with his own more worldly query: “Would you rather be in Germany in the winter or the South of France in the spring?”
Corliss had a point, but in the decades since I’ve tucked my own couple of dozen Cannes fests under my belt, I’ve compiled my own list of reasons why Cannes remains the one film festival that people who’ve never been to a film festival have heard about and wish they could go to, and know that if a film has scored there, it must be worth their time.
Corliss had a point, but in the decades since I’ve tucked my own couple of dozen Cannes fests under my belt, I’ve compiled my own list of reasons why Cannes remains the one film festival that people who’ve never been to a film festival have heard about and wish they could go to, and know that if a film has scored there, it must be worth their time.
- 5/11/2022
- by Steven Gaydos
- Variety Film + TV
Forest Whitaker will receive the honorary Palme d’or at the opening ceremony of the 75th Cannes Film Festival, following the footsteps of Jodie Foster.
Previous Cannes Palme d’Or honorees include Jeanne Moreau, Bernardo Bertolucci, Manoel de Oliveira, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Agnès Varda, or Alain Delon. The award pays tribute to a “sparkling artistic journey, a rare personality as well as a discreet but strong humanitarian commitment to key topical issues,” said the festival.
As part of the tribute, Christophe Castagne and Thomas Sametin’s movie “For the Sake of Peace,” which Whitaker produced, will play in the Special Screening section on May 18.
“34 years ago, attending Cannes for the first time changed my life, and assured me that I’d made the right decision to devote myself to finding connectivity in humanity through film,” said Whitaker. “It’s always a privilege to return to this beautiful festival to both screen my own work,...
Previous Cannes Palme d’Or honorees include Jeanne Moreau, Bernardo Bertolucci, Manoel de Oliveira, Jean-Pierre Léaud, Agnès Varda, or Alain Delon. The award pays tribute to a “sparkling artistic journey, a rare personality as well as a discreet but strong humanitarian commitment to key topical issues,” said the festival.
As part of the tribute, Christophe Castagne and Thomas Sametin’s movie “For the Sake of Peace,” which Whitaker produced, will play in the Special Screening section on May 18.
“34 years ago, attending Cannes for the first time changed my life, and assured me that I’d made the right decision to devote myself to finding connectivity in humanity through film,” said Whitaker. “It’s always a privilege to return to this beautiful festival to both screen my own work,...
- 5/5/2022
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Michael Tolkin is the creator behind "The Offer." The show about the making of a Hollywood classic is from a screenwriter who's worked on classics himself, such as "The Player" and Bill Duke's "Deep Cover." Most recently, he co-created another show about process, the Ben Stiller-directed prison drama "Escape at Dannemora." With Paramount+'s new miniseries about "The Godfather" production, Tolkin had 10 hours to tell the story of the making of the movie from producer Al Ruddy's ("The Longest Yard") point of view.
Tolkin faced a variety of challenges making "The Offer," starting with Covid. Recently, the show's creator told us about...
The post The Offer Creator Michael Tolkin on Telling The Godfather Producer Al Ruddy's Story [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
Tolkin faced a variety of challenges making "The Offer," starting with Covid. Recently, the show's creator told us about...
The post The Offer Creator Michael Tolkin on Telling The Godfather Producer Al Ruddy's Story [Interview] appeared first on /Film.
- 5/2/2022
- by Jack Giroux
- Slash Film
Writer, director and actor Michael Showalter joins hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)
The Baxter (2005)
Hello, My Name Is Doris (2015)
Runaway Daughters (1994)
Clueless (1995)
Bagdad Cafe (1987)
Coda (2021)
The Long Goodbye (1973) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Jaws (1975) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Do The Right Thing (1989)
Sugarbaby (1985)
City Slickers (1991)
Attack! (1956) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Paris, Texas (1984) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
Pretty In Pink (1986)
Escape From New York (1981) – Neil Marshall’s trailer commentary
Hamburger: The Motion Picture (1986)
The Warriors (1979)
The Thing (1982) – Jesus Treviño’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Christine (1983)
Crossing Delancey (1988)
Annie Hall (1977) – Robert Weide’s trailer commentary
When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
The Fugitive (1993)
The Big Sick (2017) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Between The Lines...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
The Eyes of Tammy Faye (2021)
The Baxter (2005)
Hello, My Name Is Doris (2015)
Runaway Daughters (1994)
Clueless (1995)
Bagdad Cafe (1987)
Coda (2021)
The Long Goodbye (1973) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Jaws (1975) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Do The Right Thing (1989)
Sugarbaby (1985)
City Slickers (1991)
Attack! (1956) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Paris, Texas (1984) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure (1985)
Pretty In Pink (1986)
Escape From New York (1981) – Neil Marshall’s trailer commentary
Hamburger: The Motion Picture (1986)
The Warriors (1979)
The Thing (1982) – Jesus Treviño’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Innerspace (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Christine (1983)
Crossing Delancey (1988)
Annie Hall (1977) – Robert Weide’s trailer commentary
When Harry Met Sally… (1989)
The Fugitive (1993)
The Big Sick (2017) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
Between The Lines...
- 4/5/2022
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
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