Prior to his seven-year stint on "Star Trek: Voyager," Robert Picardo had a lengthy and storied acting career. He was a Joe Dante regular, appearing in "The Howling," "The Explorers," "Innerspace," "The 'Burbs," "Matinee," and "Gremlins 2: The New Batch." He appeared in "Star 80," Ridley Scott's "Legend," the zombie cop film "Dead Heat," and Robert Englund's directorial debut "976-evil." This was all mixed in with plentiful TV work and multiple appearances on stage. Picardo has never been not busy, most recently appearing on a 2024 episode of "Young Sheldon."
Had Picardo never taken the "Star Trek" gig, he still would not have been hurting for work. "Voyager" just happened to be a sizable feather in his cap. "Voyager" simply boosted the actor's visibility and gained him legions of Trekkie fans. On "Voyager," Picardo played the U.S.S. Voyager's nameless Doctor, an Emergency Medical Hologram that had to...
Had Picardo never taken the "Star Trek" gig, he still would not have been hurting for work. "Voyager" just happened to be a sizable feather in his cap. "Voyager" simply boosted the actor's visibility and gained him legions of Trekkie fans. On "Voyager," Picardo played the U.S.S. Voyager's nameless Doctor, an Emergency Medical Hologram that had to...
- 5/18/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
On Dec. 18, 1987, MGM unveiled Norman Jewison’s romantic comedy Moonstruck in theaters, where it would go on to gross $80 million. The film nabbed six Oscar nominations at the 60th Academy Awards, winning best actress for Cher’s performance, best supporting actress for Olympia Dukakis’ role and screenplay for John Patrick Shanley’s script. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:
Deck the halls and crack open the eggnog. The already impressive yuletide movie season has hit new heights with the arrival of Norman Jewison’s Moonstruck.
A romantic comedy that doesn’t skimp in either department, Jewison’s celebration of The Family, as captured by the pen of screenwriter John Patrick Shanley, expertly weaves the spell of a Capra or a Lubitsch. With its universal appeal, expect MGM to reap the lion’s share of box-office cheer.
Cher, in her most confident performance to date, is a delight as Loretta Castorini,...
Deck the halls and crack open the eggnog. The already impressive yuletide movie season has hit new heights with the arrival of Norman Jewison’s Moonstruck.
A romantic comedy that doesn’t skimp in either department, Jewison’s celebration of The Family, as captured by the pen of screenwriter John Patrick Shanley, expertly weaves the spell of a Capra or a Lubitsch. With its universal appeal, expect MGM to reap the lion’s share of box-office cheer.
Cher, in her most confident performance to date, is a delight as Loretta Castorini,...
- 12/17/2023
- by Michael Rechtshaffen
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Everyone has them. The movie opinions that earn them bewildered stares at parties. The movie opinions that end promising dates after the first round of cocktails. The movie opinions that get even beloved friends shouting at you. But you stand your ground. You dig in your heels. You believe this often unpopular take because you know, deep in your heart, that it's true. The rest of the world is wrong. You are the only sane one left.Welcome to /Film's list of our Hottest Takes, a collection of opinions that will likely baffle, frustrate, and infuriate many of you. And you'll probably quietly nod along with a few of them. We asked the entire /Film team to pitch the takes that they know get them annoyed glances at best and furious monologues at worst. But this isn't a list built to anger anyone, and there is no entry on this...
- 12/4/2023
- by SlashFilm Staff
- Slash Film
The Killer is a crime thriller film directed by David Fincher from a screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker. Based on a French graphic novel of the same name by Alexis “Matz” Nolent and illustrated by Luc Jacamon, the Netflix film follows the story of a mysterious assassin, who is cold, methodical, and looks out for his interest but after his personal life is disrupted by someone he goes on a mission to kill a series of people. The Killer stars Michael Fassbender, Sophie Charlotte, Tilda Swinton, Monique Ganderton, and Charles Parnell. So, if you loved the Netflix film here are some similar movies you could watch next.
Collateral Credit – DreamWorks Pictures
Synopsis: Vincent (Tom Cruise) is a cool, calculating, contract killer at the top of his game. Max (Jamie Foxx) is a hapless cabbie with big dreams and little to show for it. Now, Max has to transport Vincent on his next job – one night,...
Collateral Credit – DreamWorks Pictures
Synopsis: Vincent (Tom Cruise) is a cool, calculating, contract killer at the top of his game. Max (Jamie Foxx) is a hapless cabbie with big dreams and little to show for it. Now, Max has to transport Vincent on his next job – one night,...
- 10/31/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
If you purchase an independently reviewed product or service through a link on our website, Variety may receive an affiliate commission.
It was only a few days ago that the Criterion Collection had a surprise flash sale. The home video company’s entire catalog was slashed down to 50% off list prices. While that sale only lasted for 24 hours, there are a number of titles that are still on sale for half-off at Amazon.
We rounded up the best deals on Criterion Collection releases, including Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing,” Dennis Hopper’s “Easy Rider,” Whit Stillman’s “The Last Days of Disco” and much more. In fact, even a few boxed sets are half off, such as Krzysztof Kieślowski’s “The Dekalog” and Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology.
Ahead, check out the best Criterion Blu-ray discs currently on sale for 50% off at Amazon:
‘Do the Right Thing...
It was only a few days ago that the Criterion Collection had a surprise flash sale. The home video company’s entire catalog was slashed down to 50% off list prices. While that sale only lasted for 24 hours, there are a number of titles that are still on sale for half-off at Amazon.
We rounded up the best deals on Criterion Collection releases, including Spike Lee’s “Do The Right Thing,” Dennis Hopper’s “Easy Rider,” Whit Stillman’s “The Last Days of Disco” and much more. In fact, even a few boxed sets are half off, such as Krzysztof Kieślowski’s “The Dekalog” and Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe” anthology.
Ahead, check out the best Criterion Blu-ray discs currently on sale for 50% off at Amazon:
‘Do the Right Thing...
- 10/20/2023
- by Anna Tingley and Rudie Obias
- Variety Film + TV
We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.
The "Nightmare on Elm Street" film series was a hotbed for emerging talent. Many of the directors in the franchise would go on to prolific or interesting careers. Chuck Russell, director of "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors" would go on to make Hollywood blockbusters like "The Mask," "Eraser," and "The Scorpion King." Renny Harlin, who directed "A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master" would likewise enter the Hollywood mainstream with films like "Predator 2," "Die Hard 2," "Cliffhanger," and "Cutthroat Island." Jack Sholder, Stephen Hopkins, and Rachael Talalay also emerged from the series' directors pool.
One can also find a few rising actors at the start of their careers throughout the Freddy Krueger movies. Famously, a young Johnny Depp starred in Wes Craven's 1984 original, and, for "Dream Warriors," Patricia Arquette made her cinematic debut.
The "Nightmare on Elm Street" film series was a hotbed for emerging talent. Many of the directors in the franchise would go on to prolific or interesting careers. Chuck Russell, director of "A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors" would go on to make Hollywood blockbusters like "The Mask," "Eraser," and "The Scorpion King." Renny Harlin, who directed "A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master" would likewise enter the Hollywood mainstream with films like "Predator 2," "Die Hard 2," "Cliffhanger," and "Cutthroat Island." Jack Sholder, Stephen Hopkins, and Rachael Talalay also emerged from the series' directors pool.
One can also find a few rising actors at the start of their careers throughout the Freddy Krueger movies. Famously, a young Johnny Depp starred in Wes Craven's 1984 original, and, for "Dream Warriors," Patricia Arquette made her cinematic debut.
- 9/25/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
The Story: Eddie Hawkins (Bruce Willis) aka the Hudson Hawk is a master cat burglar recently released from prison after a long stretch. Determined to go straight, he’s nonetheless blackmailed by the psychotic Darwin (Richard E. Grant) and Minerva Mayflower (Sandra Bernhard) to undertake a series of jobs in Rome involving the components of a machine designed by Leonardo da Vinci that converts lead into gold.
The Players: Starring: Bruce Willis, Andie MacDowell, Danny Aiello, James Coburn, Richard E. Grant and Sandra Bernhard. Directed by Michael Lehman.
The History: With Bruce Willis’s sad health situation forcing him into retirement, it’s worth digging into his filmography to examine some of his less-seen gems. For me, one of the big ones is Hudson Hawk. In 1991, Bruce Willis was arguably at the peak of his fame. “Moonlighting” was done and Die Hard had made him into one of the biggest action stars in town,...
The Players: Starring: Bruce Willis, Andie MacDowell, Danny Aiello, James Coburn, Richard E. Grant and Sandra Bernhard. Directed by Michael Lehman.
The History: With Bruce Willis’s sad health situation forcing him into retirement, it’s worth digging into his filmography to examine some of his less-seen gems. For me, one of the big ones is Hudson Hawk. In 1991, Bruce Willis was arguably at the peak of his fame. “Moonlighting” was done and Die Hard had made him into one of the biggest action stars in town,...
- 8/10/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
TV loves itself some mobsters. There’s no getting around it. From Tony Soprano to Nucky Thompson to Frank “The Fixer” Tagliano, we’re enchanted by the bad guys and what they bring to the table. Shows like “The Sopranos,” “Peaky Blinders” and “Boardwalk Empire” – as well as “The Untouchables” in the early 1960s – have captivated us and generated plenty of awards attention in the bargain.
And now here comes another show with malice in its heart, if a wink in its eye, looking to compete for some Emmy attention: “Tulsa King,” the Paramount+ series that launched its first season last November and is plotting to enter production on season two soon (likely early this summer). It’s a crime dramedy set in Tulsa, Oklahoma that stars Sylvester Stallone in his first scripted starring role on TV.
SEEWill Sylvester Stallone land an Emmy nomination for ‘Tulsa King’?
Stallone portrays New...
And now here comes another show with malice in its heart, if a wink in its eye, looking to compete for some Emmy attention: “Tulsa King,” the Paramount+ series that launched its first season last November and is plotting to enter production on season two soon (likely early this summer). It’s a crime dramedy set in Tulsa, Oklahoma that stars Sylvester Stallone in his first scripted starring role on TV.
SEEWill Sylvester Stallone land an Emmy nomination for ‘Tulsa King’?
Stallone portrays New...
- 3/27/2023
- by Ray Richmond
- Gold Derby
Last year, we were treated to instant classics like ‘The Batman’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ adding to the already impressive collection of timeless action movies. For those seeking a similar adrenaline-packed experience, IMDb collective voters have identified some of the best action films of all time.
IMDb’s list of highest-rated award-winning action movies features several genre-defining classics. Naturally, it’s no surprise that hit franchises like Star Wars and the entire Lord of the Rings series are well-represented in these rankings. We’ve listed the top 10 action movies of all time, with other must-see adrenaline-rush action flicks available below it. Each of these action films can be found on the IMDb Top 250 Movies list.
10 ‘Léon: The Professional’ (1994)
Director: Luc Besson
Stars: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello
IMDb: 8.5
‘Léon: The Professional’ tells the story of an unlikely bond between a ruthless assassin and twelve-year-old Mathilda (Natalie Portman...
IMDb’s list of highest-rated award-winning action movies features several genre-defining classics. Naturally, it’s no surprise that hit franchises like Star Wars and the entire Lord of the Rings series are well-represented in these rankings. We’ve listed the top 10 action movies of all time, with other must-see adrenaline-rush action flicks available below it. Each of these action films can be found on the IMDb Top 250 Movies list.
10 ‘Léon: The Professional’ (1994)
Director: Luc Besson
Stars: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello
IMDb: 8.5
‘Léon: The Professional’ tells the story of an unlikely bond between a ruthless assassin and twelve-year-old Mathilda (Natalie Portman...
- 3/18/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
In Tom Gormican's 2022 film "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," Pedro Pascal plays Javi Gutierrez, a fun-loving playboy billionaire living in Majorca, Spain. Javi is a huge fan of actor Nicolas Cage and hires him to hang out for a weekend. Cage, playing himself, cautiously accepts the offer, having found himself in a bit of a creative rut; a younger version of Cage appears in visions to lambaste his older self that he is no longer the massive movie star he once was. Javi will spend a great deal of time heaping praise on Cage and eventually reveals that he has a secret collectibles vault full of Cage-related memorabilia. Cage, meanwhile, will be secretly approached by the CIA, and told that Javi is actually a dangerous arms dealer that might be involved in an ongoing kidnapping plot. The film is bright, whimsical, and enjoyable. Cage, as he always does,...
- 3/9/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences attempts to award Oscars to the “best” film or artist in each category that year, and each year it fails at least a few times.
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors, with just days to go until the 2023 ceremony. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat: Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b...
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors, with just days to go until the 2023 ceremony. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat: Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b...
- 3/9/2023
- by Helen O'Hara
- The Independent - Film
Charlize Theron is an Academy Award-winning South African actress and producer who has made a name for herself in Hollywood with her impressive performances and undeniable talent. She has starred in numerous critically acclaimed films including Monster, Mad Max: Fury Road, The Devil’s Advocate, and Atomic Blonde.
Charlize Theron. Depositphotos
Theron was born on August 7th, 1975 in Benoni, South Africa. She grew up on the farm of her parents Charles and Gerda Theron. She attended the National School of Arts in Johannesburg before moving to the United States at 18 to pursue a dance career. After a short while working as a dancer she switched gears and began studying acting at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City.
In 1995 Theron got her first big break when she was cast in 2 Days In The Valley alongside James Spader and Danny Aiello. This role put her on Hollywood’s radar, leading...
Charlize Theron. Depositphotos
Theron was born on August 7th, 1975 in Benoni, South Africa. She grew up on the farm of her parents Charles and Gerda Theron. She attended the National School of Arts in Johannesburg before moving to the United States at 18 to pursue a dance career. After a short while working as a dancer she switched gears and began studying acting at the Joffrey Ballet School in New York City.
In 1995 Theron got her first big break when she was cast in 2 Days In The Valley alongside James Spader and Danny Aiello. This role put her on Hollywood’s radar, leading...
- 2/20/2023
- by Movies Martin Cid Magazine
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
Step back into the 1980s with some of our favorite rom-coms from the decade. Nicolas Cage in “Valley Girl” and “Moonstruck,” Molly Ringwald looking for love in high school, and, of course, Princess Buttercup and her devoted Westley. Below we round up some of the best 80s romantic comedies.
When Harry Met Sally…
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal go from friends to lovers to … well, panic, and finally blissful commitment in this comedy written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. The deli scene is, of course, a classic.
Coming to America
Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) tries to find the perfect American bride who doesn’t care that he’s African royalty in this hilarious comedy where he plays multiple parts. Always worth a rewatch.
Pretty in Pink
What’s the most important love affair in this John Hughes-penned movie? Have-not Andie (Molly Ringwald) and rich boy Blane...
When Harry Met Sally…
Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal go from friends to lovers to … well, panic, and finally blissful commitment in this comedy written by Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. The deli scene is, of course, a classic.
Coming to America
Prince Akeem (Eddie Murphy) tries to find the perfect American bride who doesn’t care that he’s African royalty in this hilarious comedy where he plays multiple parts. Always worth a rewatch.
Pretty in Pink
What’s the most important love affair in this John Hughes-penned movie? Have-not Andie (Molly Ringwald) and rich boy Blane...
- 2/14/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences attempts to award Oscars to the “best” film or artist in each category that year, and each year it fails at least a few times.
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat: Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b) did not do so out of a morbid curiosity...
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat: Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b) did not do so out of a morbid curiosity...
- 1/30/2023
- by Helen O'Hara
- The Independent - Film
Ben Masters, the much-loved soap star of “Passions,” died Wednesday at age 75.
Per an official release from Masters’ team, the actor suffered a years-long battle with dementia before succumbing to Covid at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs, California.
His much-loved role of billionaire Julian Crane was also his last. He starred on the daytime drama and pop culture phenomenon from 1999-2008.
Also Read:
Quinn K. Redeker, Beloved Soap Star of ‘Days Of Our Lives’ and ‘The Young And The Restless,’ Dies at 86
Masters began his acting career shortly after graduating from the University of Oregon with a theater degree in 1969 when he moved to New York City and got his start onstage. He starred in many on-and Off-Broadway productions including “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion” with Ingrid Bergman, “The Cherry Orchard” with Meryl Streep and the historic LGBTQ drama “Boys in the Band.”
Feature film credits included Bob Fosse...
Per an official release from Masters’ team, the actor suffered a years-long battle with dementia before succumbing to Covid at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs, California.
His much-loved role of billionaire Julian Crane was also his last. He starred on the daytime drama and pop culture phenomenon from 1999-2008.
Also Read:
Quinn K. Redeker, Beloved Soap Star of ‘Days Of Our Lives’ and ‘The Young And The Restless,’ Dies at 86
Masters began his acting career shortly after graduating from the University of Oregon with a theater degree in 1969 when he moved to New York City and got his start onstage. He starred in many on-and Off-Broadway productions including “Captain Brassbound’s Conversion” with Ingrid Bergman, “The Cherry Orchard” with Meryl Streep and the historic LGBTQ drama “Boys in the Band.”
Feature film credits included Bob Fosse...
- 1/11/2023
- by Benjamin Lindsay
- The Wrap
Ben Masters, who appeared three times on Broadway in the 1970s before starring as the philandering billionaire Julian Crane during the entire run of the NBC/DirecTV soap opera Passions, has died. He was 75.
Masters battled dementia for several years and died Wednesday of Covid-19 complications at Eisenhower Health Center in Rancho Mirage, California, a family spokesperson announced.
On the big screen, Masters appeared in Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz (1979) with Roy Scheider, in Key Exchange (1985) with Brooke Adams and Danny Aiello, in Dream Lover (1986) with Kristy McNichol and in Making Mr. Right (1987) with John Malkovich.
On Passions, which ran from 1999-2008, Masters’ Julian had an affair and a son with Tracey Ross’ Eve and a long, tumultuous marriage with Kim Johnston Ulrich’s Ivy. He also was presumed murdered in 2002, but it turned out he wasn’t, and he was back on the show months later.
Soap Opera...
Masters battled dementia for several years and died Wednesday of Covid-19 complications at Eisenhower Health Center in Rancho Mirage, California, a family spokesperson announced.
On the big screen, Masters appeared in Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz (1979) with Roy Scheider, in Key Exchange (1985) with Brooke Adams and Danny Aiello, in Dream Lover (1986) with Kristy McNichol and in Making Mr. Right (1987) with John Malkovich.
On Passions, which ran from 1999-2008, Masters’ Julian had an affair and a son with Tracey Ross’ Eve and a long, tumultuous marriage with Kim Johnston Ulrich’s Ivy. He also was presumed murdered in 2002, but it turned out he wasn’t, and he was back on the show months later.
Soap Opera...
- 1/11/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ben Masters, best known for his part as the wealthy Julian Crane from the classic NBC soap Passions, died on January 11 at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs. The actor struggled with dementia for years and eventually died due to Covid. His role as Julian, which spanned from 1999 to 2008, was his most prominent and final credit. Masters, born May 6, 1947, in Corvallis, Or, graduated from the University of Oregon with a bachelor’s associate in theater in 1969. Afterward, he moved to New York, where he began acting on and off-Broadway in productions such as The Cherry Orchard with Meryl Streep, Captain Brassbound’s Conversion alongside Ingrid Bergman, and Boys in the Band. From there, Masters transitions into acting, starring in films like Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz with Roy Schneider, Key Exchange with Brooke Adams and Danny Aiello, Making Mr. Right with John Malkovich, and Dream Lover with Kristy McNichol.
- 1/11/2023
- TV Insider
Ben Masters, the actor best known for his role as Julian Crane on the old NBC soap Passions, died January 11 at the Eisenhower Medical Center in Palm Springs. He was 75.
Masters battled dementia for several years and succumbed to Covid.
His biggest role was also his last — portraying the rich and powerful Julian from 1999 to 2008 on the NBC sudser.
Born on May 6, 1947, in Corvallis, Or, Masters graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. degree in theater in 1969. He moved to New York City, where he starred in on and off-Broadway productions such as Captain Brassbound’s Conversion with Ingrid Bergman, The Cherry Orchard with Meryl Streep, and Boys in the Band.
From left: Ben Masters, Pierce Brosnan and Deborah Raffin, 1988, (c)De Laurentiis Entertainment Group/courtesy
Masters segued into film, starring in Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz with Roy Schneider, Key Exchange with Brooke Adams and Danny Aiello,...
Masters battled dementia for several years and succumbed to Covid.
His biggest role was also his last — portraying the rich and powerful Julian from 1999 to 2008 on the NBC sudser.
Born on May 6, 1947, in Corvallis, Or, Masters graduated from the University of Oregon with a B.A. degree in theater in 1969. He moved to New York City, where he starred in on and off-Broadway productions such as Captain Brassbound’s Conversion with Ingrid Bergman, The Cherry Orchard with Meryl Streep, and Boys in the Band.
From left: Ben Masters, Pierce Brosnan and Deborah Raffin, 1988, (c)De Laurentiis Entertainment Group/courtesy
Masters segued into film, starring in Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz with Roy Schneider, Key Exchange with Brooke Adams and Danny Aiello,...
- 1/11/2023
- by Lynette Rice
- Deadline Film + TV
For such a complex and troubling film, Spike Lee's 1989 film "Do The Right Thing" has a simple premise. On the hottest day of the year, in Brooklyn's Bedford-Stuyvesant neighborhood, tensions escalate to an unbelievable degree. Its citizens' sense of community is fractured over the course of the day as small incidents stack up, gradually building to an unforgettable climax set at a pizzeria that has seen it all. And the imagery that follows is burned into the mind of every viewer -- the heat felt in every sweaty close-up throughout the movie explodes into a fiery intensity.
In some ways, "Do The Right Thing" has a reputation for grit, for telling an honest story set in a predominantly Black American neighborhood, where every racial group has issues with every other racial group. The racial enmity is chaotic, all-encompassing, such that even the most likable characters in the movie express...
In some ways, "Do The Right Thing" has a reputation for grit, for telling an honest story set in a predominantly Black American neighborhood, where every racial group has issues with every other racial group. The racial enmity is chaotic, all-encompassing, such that even the most likable characters in the movie express...
- 12/24/2022
- by Anthony Crislip
- Slash Film
Hollywood has always shown a preference for films that offer reconciliation between their Black and white subjects. And as a result, the industry is notoriously skittish with the work of Spike Lee. There's been a pattern, especially at the Academy Awards, where Lee's films are concerned: the director is consistently snubbed in favor of films that comfort white audiences — films like "Driving Miss Daisy," which took home the Oscar for Best Picture in 1990 while "Do The Right Thing" was shut out from the category altogether.
Lee's incendiary third feature bred a fair amount of controversy. Set over one sweltering summer day in New York neighborhood Bed-Stuy, "Do The Right Thing" is a pressure cooker for interracial tension. The film follows the patrons and employees at a pizza joint owned by Sal (Danny Aiello) and operated by his two sons. It's the site of a particularly gruesome instance of police brutality,...
Lee's incendiary third feature bred a fair amount of controversy. Set over one sweltering summer day in New York neighborhood Bed-Stuy, "Do The Right Thing" is a pressure cooker for interracial tension. The film follows the patrons and employees at a pizza joint owned by Sal (Danny Aiello) and operated by his two sons. It's the site of a particularly gruesome instance of police brutality,...
- 12/12/2022
- by Lyvie Scott
- Slash Film
Edward Norton is a brilliant actor — and he knows it. He cares about the projects he takes on and he's controlling about how they're made. The final cut of "American History X" was even one that he edited, much to director Tony Kaye's dismay. Norton has thus developed a reputation as an actor who's difficult to work with. Norton's one-time "25th Hour" co-star Brian Cox wrote of him, "He's a nice lad but a bit of a pain in the arse because he fancies himself as a writer-director." Norton's "my way or the highway" attitude is also known to have cost him his role as the Incredible Hulk.
There are directors who Norton respects, though — game recognizes game. One of them is the man who directed him in "25th Hour": Spike Lee. Speaking to GQ and recalling "25th Hour," Norton was downright effusive in his praise for Lee:...
There are directors who Norton respects, though — game recognizes game. One of them is the man who directed him in "25th Hour": Spike Lee. Speaking to GQ and recalling "25th Hour," Norton was downright effusive in his praise for Lee:...
- 12/4/2022
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
In assembling its annual list of the 50+ men and women who matter most in comedy today, The Hollywood Reporter surveyed the top performers, writers, producers, showrunners and execs in the industry to get their read on how the business of making people laugh is evolving. Below, long-established superstars (e.g. Will Ferrell, Maya Rudolph, Kevin Hart), as well as some of this year’s breakouts (e.g. Kate Berlant and John Early, and the makers of smash hit half-hour The Bear) share their thoughts on the most played-out punchlines, offer their best ideas for getting comedies back in theaters, and assess what can safely be joked about these days. (For many, the answer on that last count remains: everything!) We also asked them to reveal more personal information, such as their secret sources of inspiration, and funniest mean thing ever said about them.
In assembling its annual list of the 50+ men and women who matter most in comedy today, The Hollywood Reporter surveyed the top performers, writers, producers, showrunners and execs in the industry to get their read on how the business of making people laugh is evolving. Below, long-established superstars (e.g. Will Ferrell, Maya Rudolph, Kevin Hart), as well as some of this year’s breakouts (e.g. Kate Berlant and John Early, and the makers of smash hit half-hour The Bear) share their thoughts on the most played-out punchlines, offer their best ideas for getting comedies back in theaters, and assess what can safely be joked about these days. (For many, the answer on that last count remains: everything!) We also asked them to reveal more personal information, such as their secret sources of inspiration, and funniest mean thing ever said about them.
- 11/18/2022
- by THR staff
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Budd Friedman, comedy club pioneer and founder of the original Improv comedy club, has died. He was 90. Friedman died Saturday of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his wife, Alix, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Friedman founded the original Improv in New York City in 1963, giving early career breaks to comedians and acting superstars like Jay Leno, Bette Midler, Richard Pryor and more.
He opened his second location in Hollywood in 1975, just three years after Johnny Carson moved “The Tonight Show” from New York to Los Angeles, marking the brand’s first expansion. Friedman and his partner, Mark Lonow, would go on to open 22 Improvs across 12 states before selling the company in February 2018 to Levity Entertainment Group.
His comedy clubs also helped provide a platform for superstars like Adam Sandler, Richard Lewis, Dick Cavett, David Steinberg, Steve Landesberg, David Brenner, Lily Tomlin, Freddie Prinze, Gabe Kaplan, Chris Rock,...
Friedman founded the original Improv in New York City in 1963, giving early career breaks to comedians and acting superstars like Jay Leno, Bette Midler, Richard Pryor and more.
He opened his second location in Hollywood in 1975, just three years after Johnny Carson moved “The Tonight Show” from New York to Los Angeles, marking the brand’s first expansion. Friedman and his partner, Mark Lonow, would go on to open 22 Improvs across 12 states before selling the company in February 2018 to Levity Entertainment Group.
His comedy clubs also helped provide a platform for superstars like Adam Sandler, Richard Lewis, Dick Cavett, David Steinberg, Steve Landesberg, David Brenner, Lily Tomlin, Freddie Prinze, Gabe Kaplan, Chris Rock,...
- 11/13/2022
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Budd Friedman, the comedy club pioneer who founded the original Improv in New York in 1963 and gave early career breaks to the likes of Jay Leno, Robert Klein, Bette Midler, Richard Pryor and Andy Kaufman, has died. He was 90.
Friedman died Saturday of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his wife, Alix, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Three years after Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show departed Manhattan for Burbank, Friedman opened a Hollywood outpost of the Improv on Melrose Avenue in 1975 in his first expansion of the brand.
There were 22 Improvs across 12 states in February 2018 when Friedman and partner Mark Lonow sold the company to Levity Entertainment Group, whose investors included Irving Azoff.
At his flagship New York hotspot, located at West 44th Street and Ninth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, Friedman also employed Rodney Dangerfield as an Mc, Elayne Boosler...
Friedman died Saturday of heart failure at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his wife, Alix, told The Hollywood Reporter.
Three years after Johnny Carson and The Tonight Show departed Manhattan for Burbank, Friedman opened a Hollywood outpost of the Improv on Melrose Avenue in 1975 in his first expansion of the brand.
There were 22 Improvs across 12 states in February 2018 when Friedman and partner Mark Lonow sold the company to Levity Entertainment Group, whose investors included Irving Azoff.
At his flagship New York hotspot, located at West 44th Street and Ninth Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, Friedman also employed Rodney Dangerfield as an Mc, Elayne Boosler...
- 11/13/2022
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Time can really play tricks on you, can't it? I was a teen in the '90s and it still feels like that era of movies was only a few years ago, but then I'll suddenly start spluttering on my coffee when it hits me that films like "Seven," "Boogie Nights," and "Fight Club" are all over 20 years old. That said, it's crazy to see how dated certain aspects of some old favorites are nowadays; the '80s were bad, but it sometimes seems like writers and directors in the '90s were challenging themselves to find whole new levels of inappropriateness.
There are plenty of articles on this subject, listing the '90s flicks that haven't aged well or are just plain problematic these days. There are plenty of moments to choose from: Robin Williams stalking his kids while disguised as an old lady in "Mrs. Doubtfire;" Ace Ventura...
There are plenty of articles on this subject, listing the '90s flicks that haven't aged well or are just plain problematic these days. There are plenty of moments to choose from: Robin Williams stalking his kids while disguised as an old lady in "Mrs. Doubtfire;" Ace Ventura...
- 9/25/2022
- by Lee Adams
- Slash Film
A heat wave sparks racial tensions in Spike Lee’s exhilarating and provocative Do the Right Thing. Spike himself takes the lead as a conflicted delivery man who works for Danny Aiello, an Italian-American in a predominately African-American community. The fuse is lit during the movie’s combustible title sequence with Rosie Perez rocking out to Public Enemy’s Fight the Power. Brilliantly photographed by Tfh Guru Ernest Dickerson.
The post Do the Right Thing appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
The post Do the Right Thing appeared first on Trailers From Hell.
- 9/19/2022
- by Charlie Largent
- Trailers from Hell
A new episode of the Best Horror Movie You Never Saw video series has just been released through the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel, and in this one we’re taking a look back at writer/director Larry Cohen’s 1985 film The Stuff (watch it Here), about a delicious dessert that has a strange effect on the people who consume it. We’ve previously talked about how Cohen made the concept of a killer baby work in It’s Alive, now find out how he made the idea of deadly dessert work by checking out the video embedded above!
The Stuff has the following synopsis:
It’s smooth and creamy! It’s delicious! It isn’t filling! It’s taken the country by storm… and it kills! It’s The Stuff! The newest taste sensation is outselling ice cream two-to-one and merchants can’t keep up with the voracious demand. In...
The Stuff has the following synopsis:
It’s smooth and creamy! It’s delicious! It isn’t filling! It’s taken the country by storm… and it kills! It’s The Stuff! The newest taste sensation is outselling ice cream two-to-one and merchants can’t keep up with the voracious demand. In...
- 9/6/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
I loved "Driving Miss Daisy" before I even saw the movie, actually. I remember running around as a kid teasing slow drivers — and slow-moving people in general for that matter — by calling them Driving Miss Daisy because I thought the movie was about an old lady who drove slowly and held up traffic. When I finally watched the 1989 comedy-drama, it only reinforced my adoration. Jessica Tandy shined in her role as Daisy Werthan, an elderly but prideful white Jewish widow who, from the late 1940s and into the early '70s, develops a bond with her kindly Black chauffeur, Hoke Colburn (Morgan Freeman) in Georgia. In my eyes, "Lean on Me," "The Shawshank Redemption," and "Driving Miss Daisy" are Freeman's best movie roles.
Miss Daisy and Hoke's relationship helped shape my knowledge of race relations during the civil rights era beyond the documentaries I watched in school. For example,...
Miss Daisy and Hoke's relationship helped shape my knowledge of race relations during the civil rights era beyond the documentaries I watched in school. For example,...
- 8/20/2022
- by J. Gabriel Ware
- Slash Film
Click here to read the full article.
It was an offer they couldn’t refuse.
APA has signed the estate of The Godfather author Mario Puzo for representation.
The agency will represent the media rights to the author’s novels with the goal of sales for motion picture and streaming minseries adaptations.
Puzo is best known for Godfather, his 1969 novel that was on the New York Times best-seller list for 67 weeks and reportedly sold 9 million copies in two years. The author gained further fame when Francis Ford Coppola adapted the book into the classic film starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. Paramount may own those rights, but APA is betting that in this age of insatiable hunger for stories, there will be plenty of interest in the author’s many other works.
The agency has already begun discussion with producers regarding Puzo’s as-yet-unadapted novels including: Fools Die, his first novel post-Godfather,...
It was an offer they couldn’t refuse.
APA has signed the estate of The Godfather author Mario Puzo for representation.
The agency will represent the media rights to the author’s novels with the goal of sales for motion picture and streaming minseries adaptations.
Puzo is best known for Godfather, his 1969 novel that was on the New York Times best-seller list for 67 weeks and reportedly sold 9 million copies in two years. The author gained further fame when Francis Ford Coppola adapted the book into the classic film starring Marlon Brando and Al Pacino. Paramount may own those rights, but APA is betting that in this age of insatiable hunger for stories, there will be plenty of interest in the author’s many other works.
The agency has already begun discussion with producers regarding Puzo’s as-yet-unadapted novels including: Fools Die, his first novel post-Godfather,...
- 8/2/2022
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Each year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences attempts to award Oscars to the “best” film or artist in each category that year, and each year it fails at least a few times.
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat:Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b) did not do so out of a morbid curiosity...
There is always room for disagreement on what constitutes “best”: how can we possibly compare Toy Story 3, Inception and The King’s Speech? And yet voters did just that in 2010.
It is similarly impossible to nail down all the egregious choices in academy history, but here are a few of the most glaring errors. Starting with the granddaddy of them all...
How Green Was My Valley
Beat:Citizen Kane to Best Picture, Best Director and Best Cinematography in 1941
It takes a bit of searching these days to find someone who has a) seen John Ford’s Welsh melodrama How Green Was My Valley and b) did not do so out of a morbid curiosity...
- 3/12/2022
- by Helen O'Hara
- The Independent - Film
Exclusive: Indican Pictures has acquired One Moment, a family comedy starring the late Danny Aiello, with plans to release it in theaters in May and on VOD in July.
One Moment tells the story of middle-aged siblings struggling to manage their lives and careers while also caring for their recently widowed aging father, Joe (Aiello). Joe, demanding and difficult, stubbornly believes he is still capable of running his own life which leads to sad, but sometimes hilarious situations. Although at odds on how to best care for Joe in his final years, the family is united in wanting to ensure his well-being and help him find peace of mind—without them losing their own.
Adria Tennor, Frankie Ingrassia, Natalie Seus, Sioux Madden and Sal Rendino round out the cast of the film written and directed by Deirdre O’Connor, who produced alongside Jodie Weiner. Shaun Hill and Gary Goldberger negotiated the...
One Moment tells the story of middle-aged siblings struggling to manage their lives and careers while also caring for their recently widowed aging father, Joe (Aiello). Joe, demanding and difficult, stubbornly believes he is still capable of running his own life which leads to sad, but sometimes hilarious situations. Although at odds on how to best care for Joe in his final years, the family is united in wanting to ensure his well-being and help him find peace of mind—without them losing their own.
Adria Tennor, Frankie Ingrassia, Natalie Seus, Sioux Madden and Sal Rendino round out the cast of the film written and directed by Deirdre O’Connor, who produced alongside Jodie Weiner. Shaun Hill and Gary Goldberger negotiated the...
- 2/18/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Frank Pesce, a character actor whose many credits include “Top Gun,” “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Midnight Run,” has died of complications from dementia, his girlfriend, Tammy Scher confirmed to TheWrap on Wednesday. He was 75.
“It’s very sad. He was loved by so many and had more friends than anyone I’ve ever known in my life. He was larger than life,” she said.
Pesce was in a hospital for the final three weeks of his life. He died Feb. 6.
“We walked into his room and everyone knew his name,” Scher said.
Pesce was born in New York in 1946 and began as an extra in “The Godfather Part II,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 1991. He was also a stand-in for Robert DeNiro in “Taxi Driver” and Frank Sinatra in “The First Deadly Sin.”
He had a small part in the first “Rocky” movie and formed a lifelong friendship with Sylvester Stallone.
“It’s very sad. He was loved by so many and had more friends than anyone I’ve ever known in my life. He was larger than life,” she said.
Pesce was in a hospital for the final three weeks of his life. He died Feb. 6.
“We walked into his room and everyone knew his name,” Scher said.
Pesce was born in New York in 1946 and began as an extra in “The Godfather Part II,” he told the Los Angeles Times in 1991. He was also a stand-in for Robert DeNiro in “Taxi Driver” and Frank Sinatra in “The First Deadly Sin.”
He had a small part in the first “Rocky” movie and formed a lifelong friendship with Sylvester Stallone.
- 2/16/2022
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
SAG-AFTRA’s unclaimed residuals fund has grown to roughly $76 million – up 60% from $48 million six years ago. According to the union, the fund now contains 124,000 separate accounts for members and others, living and dead, that it can’t locate. That’s up from 96,000 accounts in 2016.
“The funds may be unclaimed for a variety of reasons including a bad address or as a result of mail returned for other reasons; unresolved estate issues, or the funds may be in trust for an inactive or dissolved loan out corporation,” a spokesperson for the union said. “Most often, residuals may be waiting for a recipient or their agent to formalize a change of address or submit the appropriate paperwork to claim the funds. The union uses a number of tools to locate and get money to those individuals due unclaimed residuals including mail, email and telephone outreach to last known address and telephone number,...
“The funds may be unclaimed for a variety of reasons including a bad address or as a result of mail returned for other reasons; unresolved estate issues, or the funds may be in trust for an inactive or dissolved loan out corporation,” a spokesperson for the union said. “Most often, residuals may be waiting for a recipient or their agent to formalize a change of address or submit the appropriate paperwork to claim the funds. The union uses a number of tools to locate and get money to those individuals due unclaimed residuals including mail, email and telephone outreach to last known address and telephone number,...
- 1/10/2022
- by David Robb
- Deadline Film + TV
All products and services featured by IndieWire are independently selected by IndieWire editors. However, IndieWire may receive a commission on orders placed through its retail links, and the retailer may receive certain auditable data for accounting purposes.
From “Do the Right Thing” to “Da 5 Bloods,” Spike Lee’s film catalog is packed with classics that have shaped Black cinema, and film at large. The Brooklyn-born auteur is known for a unique storytelling style, and of course, his signature double-dolly shot (where the character remains stationary while the background moves), which he’s used in several films including “Mo’ Better Blueseppice” and “Malcolm X.”
Last week, Film at Lincoln Center presented Lee with the Chaplin Award during the 46th Chaplin Award Gala, held at New York City’s Alice Tully Hall. The celebration, which was delayed a year because of the pandemic, included an excerpt from Lee’s HBO documentary...
From “Do the Right Thing” to “Da 5 Bloods,” Spike Lee’s film catalog is packed with classics that have shaped Black cinema, and film at large. The Brooklyn-born auteur is known for a unique storytelling style, and of course, his signature double-dolly shot (where the character remains stationary while the background moves), which he’s used in several films including “Mo’ Better Blueseppice” and “Malcolm X.”
Last week, Film at Lincoln Center presented Lee with the Chaplin Award during the 46th Chaplin Award Gala, held at New York City’s Alice Tully Hall. The celebration, which was delayed a year because of the pandemic, included an excerpt from Lee’s HBO documentary...
- 9/16/2021
- by Latifah Muhammad
- Indiewire
Rick Aiello, the son of late actor Danny Aiello who appeared with his father in such films as Do the Right Thing, A Brooklyn State of Mind and Harlem Nights, died Monday of pancreatic cancer in a Warwick, New York, hospital. He was 65.
His death was announced by family members.
The younger Aiello also had roles in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, the original Walker, Texas Ranger and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He is perhaps most recognizable to TV viewers for his recurring role on Danny Aiello’s 1997-98 CBS crime series Dellaventura.
Rick’s elder brother Danny Aiello III, a stunt coordinator on the Denis Leary’s FX firefighter drama Rescue Me, preceded him in death, also succumbing to pancreatic cancer. Danny III died at 53 in 2010.
Danny Aiello (Moonstruck) died at 86 on December 12, 2019.
Rick Aiello is survived by wife Arlene and their children Ricky Jr.
His death was announced by family members.
The younger Aiello also had roles in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, The Sopranos, Sex and the City, the original Walker, Texas Ranger and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He is perhaps most recognizable to TV viewers for his recurring role on Danny Aiello’s 1997-98 CBS crime series Dellaventura.
Rick’s elder brother Danny Aiello III, a stunt coordinator on the Denis Leary’s FX firefighter drama Rescue Me, preceded him in death, also succumbing to pancreatic cancer. Danny III died at 53 in 2010.
Danny Aiello (Moonstruck) died at 86 on December 12, 2019.
Rick Aiello is survived by wife Arlene and their children Ricky Jr.
- 7/27/2021
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
Rick Aiello, an actor and the son of the late Oscar-nominated actor Danny Aiello, has died. He was 65. According to his wife, Aiello died on Monday of pancreatic cancer in a hospital in Warwick, New York. Sadly, complications stemming from pancreatic cancer were also responsible for the death of Rick's brother, Danny III, who passed in 2010 at the age of 53. Known for taking…...
- 7/27/2021
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Rick Aiello, actor and son of Oscar nominee Danny Aiello, died of pancreatic cancer on Monday at a hospital in Warwick, N.Y., his niece Sydney Fingerhut told Variety. He was 65.
Fingerhut remembers him as a great uncle who was close to all his nieces and nephews, and a “strong guy.”
With more than 60 acting credits, Aiello followed in his father’s footsteps, appearing alongside him in Spike Lee’s 1989 classic “Do the Right Thing.” His father earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Salvatore “Sal” Fragione and Aiello played Officer Long, a role he’d reprise a couple years later in Lee’s “Jungle Fever.”
Aiello also starred in films, including Christian Maelen’s “Remedy” and George Gallo’s “29th Street,” and toplined the TV series “Dellaventura” and the movie “A Brooklyn State of Mind” opposite his dad. As a character actor, Aiello had roles in shows such as “The Sopranos,...
Fingerhut remembers him as a great uncle who was close to all his nieces and nephews, and a “strong guy.”
With more than 60 acting credits, Aiello followed in his father’s footsteps, appearing alongside him in Spike Lee’s 1989 classic “Do the Right Thing.” His father earned an Oscar nomination for his portrayal of Salvatore “Sal” Fragione and Aiello played Officer Long, a role he’d reprise a couple years later in Lee’s “Jungle Fever.”
Aiello also starred in films, including Christian Maelen’s “Remedy” and George Gallo’s “29th Street,” and toplined the TV series “Dellaventura” and the movie “A Brooklyn State of Mind” opposite his dad. As a character actor, Aiello had roles in shows such as “The Sopranos,...
- 7/27/2021
- by Ethan Shanfeld
- Variety Film + TV
Rick Aiello, an actor who appeared in films including Do the Right Thing, Harlem Nights and A Brooklyn State of Mind alongside his father, the late Oscar-nominated actor Danny Aiello, has died. He was 65.
Aiello died Monday of pancreatic cancer in a hospital in Warwick, New York, his wife, Arlene, told The Hollywood Reporter. His brother Danny III, a stuntman who doubled for his dad in Do the Right Thing (1989) and was a stunt coordinator on FX’s Rescue Me, also succumbed to pancreatic cancer; he died in 2010 at age 53.
Danny Aiello, known for his turn as Sal the pizza-joint owner in Do the Right Thing and for portraying Cher’s lovelorn suitor in Moonstruck (1987), died in December 2019 at 86.
Rick Aiello also worked with his father on the 1997-98 CBS series Dellaventura, playing the muscle at the firm owned by Danny Aiello’s cop-turned-private eye, and in other films like...
Aiello died Monday of pancreatic cancer in a hospital in Warwick, New York, his wife, Arlene, told The Hollywood Reporter. His brother Danny III, a stuntman who doubled for his dad in Do the Right Thing (1989) and was a stunt coordinator on FX’s Rescue Me, also succumbed to pancreatic cancer; he died in 2010 at age 53.
Danny Aiello, known for his turn as Sal the pizza-joint owner in Do the Right Thing and for portraying Cher’s lovelorn suitor in Moonstruck (1987), died in December 2019 at 86.
Rick Aiello also worked with his father on the 1997-98 CBS series Dellaventura, playing the muscle at the firm owned by Danny Aiello’s cop-turned-private eye, and in other films like...
- 7/27/2021
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rick Aiello, an actor who appeared in films including Do the Right Thing, Harlem Nights and A Brooklyn State of Mind alongside his father, the late Oscar-nominated actor Danny Aiello, has died. He was 65.
Aiello died Monday of pancreatic cancer in a hospital in Warwick, New York, his wife, Arlene, told The Hollywood Reporter. His brother Danny III, a stuntman who doubled for his dad in Do the Right Thing and was a stunt coordinator on FX’s Rescue Me, also succumbed to pancreatic cancer; he died in 2010 at age 53.
Danny Aiello, known for his turn as Sal the pizza-joint owner in Do the Right ...
Aiello died Monday of pancreatic cancer in a hospital in Warwick, New York, his wife, Arlene, told The Hollywood Reporter. His brother Danny III, a stuntman who doubled for his dad in Do the Right Thing and was a stunt coordinator on FX’s Rescue Me, also succumbed to pancreatic cancer; he died in 2010 at age 53.
Danny Aiello, known for his turn as Sal the pizza-joint owner in Do the Right ...
- 7/27/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Rick Aiello, an actor who appeared in films including Do the Right Thing, Harlem Nights and A Brooklyn State of Mind alongside his father, the late Oscar-nominated actor Danny Aiello, has died. He was 65.
Aiello died Monday of pancreatic cancer in a hospital in Warwick, New York, his wife, Arlene, told The Hollywood Reporter. His brother Danny III, a stuntman who doubled for his dad in Do the Right Thing and was a stunt coordinator on FX’s Rescue Me, also succumbed to pancreatic cancer; he died in 2010 at age 53.
Danny Aiello, known for his turn as Sal the pizza-joint owner in Do the Right ...
Aiello died Monday of pancreatic cancer in a hospital in Warwick, New York, his wife, Arlene, told The Hollywood Reporter. His brother Danny III, a stuntman who doubled for his dad in Do the Right Thing and was a stunt coordinator on FX’s Rescue Me, also succumbed to pancreatic cancer; he died in 2010 at age 53.
Danny Aiello, known for his turn as Sal the pizza-joint owner in Do the Right ...
- 7/27/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Olympia Dukakis, who won an Oscar for her supporting role in the 1987 hit Moonstruck also starred in Steel Magnolias, Away From Her, the three Look Who’s Talking films and Mr. Holland’s Opus, died today at her home in New York City. She was 89 and had been in ill health for some time.
“My beloved sister, Olympia Dukakis, passed away this morning in New York City,” wrote her brother Apollo, who confirmed her death on his Facebook page. “After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her [husband] Louis [Zorich].” The cause of death has yet to be determined.
Her other film credits include Over the Hill (1992), I Love Trouble (1994), Picture Perfect (1997).
Michael McKean, Bradley Whitford, George Takei & More Pay Tribute To “Brilliant, Strong, Hilarious” Olympia Dukakis
Her television credits include the 1993 transgender drama Tales of the City and its 1998 sequel, which earned her an Emmy nomination. Dukakis...
“My beloved sister, Olympia Dukakis, passed away this morning in New York City,” wrote her brother Apollo, who confirmed her death on his Facebook page. “After many months of failing health she is finally at peace and with her [husband] Louis [Zorich].” The cause of death has yet to be determined.
Her other film credits include Over the Hill (1992), I Love Trouble (1994), Picture Perfect (1997).
Michael McKean, Bradley Whitford, George Takei & More Pay Tribute To “Brilliant, Strong, Hilarious” Olympia Dukakis
Her television credits include the 1993 transgender drama Tales of the City and its 1998 sequel, which earned her an Emmy nomination. Dukakis...
- 5/1/2021
- by Bruce Haring and Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
In statements given to Variety as part of a look at the year ahead in Latinx film representation, Rosie Perez reveals she has never been invited to attend or present at the Academy Awards since her 1994 Oscar nomination in the Best Supporting Actress category for her performance in “Fearless.” The actress added, “Not even to sit in the audience, not to present, nothing — and I’m a member. I love the Academy Awards. I cheer on my peers, but it hurts.”
Perez described the feeling of never being invited to attend the Oscars as a guest in the audience as “like when your home team doesn’t ask you to come back into the stadium after you got up to bat and hit the home run.”
Perez was nominated in 1994 opposite Anna Paquin in “The Piano,” Holly Hunter in “The Firm,” Winona Ryder in “The Age of Innocence,” and Emma Thompson...
Perez described the feeling of never being invited to attend the Oscars as a guest in the audience as “like when your home team doesn’t ask you to come back into the stadium after you got up to bat and hit the home run.”
Perez was nominated in 1994 opposite Anna Paquin in “The Piano,” Holly Hunter in “The Firm,” Winona Ryder in “The Age of Innocence,” and Emma Thompson...
- 4/8/2021
- by Zack Sharf
- Indiewire
Filmmaker Spike Lee has nearly 100 credits to his name. From documentaries to movies to short films (“don’t call them music videos”), Lee has covered it all.
And through his films, he tackles issues of race, class, and history. Lee who started as an independent filmmaker burst onto the scene with 1986’s “She’s Gotta Have It” and in 1988 he made his first studio film, “School Daze.” From the get-go, Lee’s arresting opening credit sequences have become a signature. It’s a sign that audiences can expect a funny, provocative ride, one usually set to some killer music. In other words, a typical Spike Lee Joint.
Here, Lee breaks down his favorites and tells the story behind some of his most memorable opening credits, and he shares his favorite opening sequence of all-time. Watch the video above to see some of the opening sequences and the conversation with Lee in full.
And through his films, he tackles issues of race, class, and history. Lee who started as an independent filmmaker burst onto the scene with 1986’s “She’s Gotta Have It” and in 1988 he made his first studio film, “School Daze.” From the get-go, Lee’s arresting opening credit sequences have become a signature. It’s a sign that audiences can expect a funny, provocative ride, one usually set to some killer music. In other words, a typical Spike Lee Joint.
Here, Lee breaks down his favorites and tells the story behind some of his most memorable opening credits, and he shares his favorite opening sequence of all-time. Watch the video above to see some of the opening sequences and the conversation with Lee in full.
- 3/10/2021
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety Film + TV
It’s the hottest day of the summer. You can do nothing, you can do something, or you can…Do The Right Thing. In 1989, Academy Award® winner and visionary filmmaker Spike Lee mesmerized audiences with one of the most insightful and provocative films of its time, Do The Right Thing. Universal Pictures Home Entertainment continues to celebrate diversity and Black stories by bringing one of the most thought-provoking and groundbreaking films of its time, Do The Right Thing, to 4K Ultra HD for the first time on February 2, 2021. The controversial story centers around one scorching inner-city day, when racial tensions reach the boiling point in a tough Brooklyn neighborhood. Culturally significant and featuring over four hours of bonus features including a brand-new introduction by Director Spike Lee, a retrospective documentary with the original cast and crew, a feature commentary from Lee, deleted and extended scenes, Do The Right Thing captures...
- 1/28/2021
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Criterion refreshes a bona fide classic with a new remaster and makes their release especially attractive with some well-chosen extras that give us first-person input from writer John Patrick Shanley and star Cher. The show isn’t technically a holiday movie but it plays really well at family gatherings. Heck, even Cher says ‘she can watch this movie’ which from her is a high compliment. The answer to ‘who needs to see this? is that a lot of people have been born since 1987.
Moonstruck
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1056
1987 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 102 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date November 17, 2020 / 39.95
Starring: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aiello, Julie Bovasso, John Mahoney, Louis Guss, Feodor Chaliapin Jr.
Cinematography: David Watkin
Film Editor: Lou Lombardo
Original Music: Dick Hyman
Written by John Patrick Shanley
Produced by Norman Jewison, Patrick Palmer
Directed by Norman Jewison
John Patrick Shanley has a...
Moonstruck
Blu-ray
The Criterion Collection 1056
1987 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 102 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date November 17, 2020 / 39.95
Starring: Cher, Nicolas Cage, Vincent Gardenia, Olympia Dukakis, Danny Aiello, Julie Bovasso, John Mahoney, Louis Guss, Feodor Chaliapin Jr.
Cinematography: David Watkin
Film Editor: Lou Lombardo
Original Music: Dick Hyman
Written by John Patrick Shanley
Produced by Norman Jewison, Patrick Palmer
Directed by Norman Jewison
John Patrick Shanley has a...
- 12/19/2020
- by Glenn Erickson
- Trailers from Hell
Movies are constantly coming up with reasons to keep lovers apart for long enough to convince audiences that they genuinely belong together, but “Wild Mountain Thyme” may be the first film in which those obstacles are never made clear. Rosemary Muldoon (Emily Blunt) is beautiful. Anthony Reilly (Jamie Dornan) is beautiful. These two Irish neighbors grew up on adjacent farms, and the “once upon a time”-style opening narration — delivered by Anthony’s father, Tony, played by Christopher Walken — makes it all to evident in the opening minutes that these two are destined for one another. And yet, Rosemary and Anthony are not a couple.
Adapting his own Tony-nominated play “Outside Mullingar” in the key of twee, director John Patrick Shanley has made a film that many will enjoy, but few will understand, and it’s not helped by a prologue in which young Anthony gazes up at the stars and asks,...
Adapting his own Tony-nominated play “Outside Mullingar” in the key of twee, director John Patrick Shanley has made a film that many will enjoy, but few will understand, and it’s not helped by a prologue in which young Anthony gazes up at the stars and asks,...
- 12/11/2020
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Screenwriter Bruce Joel Rubin still recalls one viewer’s reaction to Jacob’s Ladder.
“I was stood outside the theatre on the very first day it opened in LA, waiting for the crowds to come out to see how they responded,” Rubin recalls. “As the credits started rolling this guy ran out, probably five feet from me, and yelled at nobody in particular: ‘If I ever meet the guy that wrote that movie, I’ll kill him.’”
It was an extraordinary reaction but, then again, Jacob’s Ladder is an extraordinary movie.
Released on November 2, 1990, the film was only a modest success at the box office, debuting at number one in the US before being knocked off the top spot by Child’s Play 2 just a week later. But while plastic dolls reigned supreme on the big screen, Jacob’s Ladder would have its day on home video, where it garnered a cult...
“I was stood outside the theatre on the very first day it opened in LA, waiting for the crowds to come out to see how they responded,” Rubin recalls. “As the credits started rolling this guy ran out, probably five feet from me, and yelled at nobody in particular: ‘If I ever meet the guy that wrote that movie, I’ll kill him.’”
It was an extraordinary reaction but, then again, Jacob’s Ladder is an extraordinary movie.
Released on November 2, 1990, the film was only a modest success at the box office, debuting at number one in the US before being knocked off the top spot by Child’s Play 2 just a week later. But while plastic dolls reigned supreme on the big screen, Jacob’s Ladder would have its day on home video, where it garnered a cult...
- 11/11/2020
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Luc Besson’s, Léon: The Professional is getting a special edition steel book release on December 1st. So if you have no idea what to get your significant other for Christmas this year you probably won’t go wrong with this purchase. Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, and Danny Aiello star in a go-for-broke thriller about […]
The post LÉON: The Professional Limited Edition 4K Uhd Steel book. appeared first on Cinelinx | Movies. Games. Geek Culture..
The post LÉON: The Professional Limited Edition 4K Uhd Steel book. appeared first on Cinelinx | Movies. Games. Geek Culture..
- 9/29/2020
- by Rob Bayne
- Cinelinx
As the early rumblings of the Oscar race begin with the conclusion of Toronto and the kickoff of NYFF, Netflix is starting to set their chess pieces up for a strategic and boastful awards season. In an exclusive to Variety, Netflix has confirmed the decision to campaign, Delroy Lindo, the star of “Da 5 Bloods” from Spike Lee, in lead actor for the upcoming Academy Awards.
The 67-year-old actor has been a fixture of film and television for four decades, counting more than 40 screen credits to his name. With two career SAG nominations as part of a cast ensemble (“Get Shorty” and “The Cider House Rules”), Lindo has never received his proper recognition despite standout roles in films such as “Malcolm X.”
In “Da 5 Bloods,” Lindo plays Paul, a Vietnam veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder who travels back to Vietnam in search of the remains of his fallen squad leader.
The 67-year-old actor has been a fixture of film and television for four decades, counting more than 40 screen credits to his name. With two career SAG nominations as part of a cast ensemble (“Get Shorty” and “The Cider House Rules”), Lindo has never received his proper recognition despite standout roles in films such as “Malcolm X.”
In “Da 5 Bloods,” Lindo plays Paul, a Vietnam veteran with post-traumatic stress disorder who travels back to Vietnam in search of the remains of his fallen squad leader.
- 9/17/2020
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
On the night of Aug. 23, 1989, 16-year-old Yusuf Hawkins went with his East New York friends to the predominantly Italian-American neighborhood of Bensonhurst, responding to a used car sales ad. After being misidentified as the boyfriend of a local girl, Hawkins was attacked by an angry mob of young white men, and was eventually shot dead. His death sparked outrage, bringing simmering racial tensions to a boil, leading to an aftermath that engulfed the city as Hawkins’ family demanded justice. Directed by Muta’Ali Muhammad (“Life’s Essentials with Ruby Dee”) the HBO documentary, “Yusuf Hawkins: Storm Over Brooklyn,” relives that tragic night that exposed deep racial prejudices which continue to haunt the country today.
Ahead of the opening of Spike Lee’s incendiary ”Do the Right Thing” just a month prior on July 21, 1989, a few mostly white critics predicted that the film’s portrayal of racial divisions in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood might lead to riots.
Ahead of the opening of Spike Lee’s incendiary ”Do the Right Thing” just a month prior on July 21, 1989, a few mostly white critics predicted that the film’s portrayal of racial divisions in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood might lead to riots.
- 8/12/2020
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
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