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In A Roundabout Way, Star Wars Gave Robin Williams His Big Break CBS Television Distribution By Lee Adams/Aug. 3, 2022 9:57 am EST If you were a kid around when the original “Star Wars” trilogy first came out, that period between “A New Hope” and “Return of the Jedi” was a golden era. Not only did you have three great movies to rave about, there were copious amounts of merchandise to beg your parents for: Could you really call yourself a fan if you didn’t have the action figures, bedspread, comic books, and matching lunchbox?...

Is IMAX Entering The Streaming Business? IMAX By BJ Colangelo/Sept. 22, 2022 7:06 pm EST It looks like the biggest screen in the theatrical biz is entering the Thunderdome of the streaming wars. In what appears to be an attempt to stay competitive in the streaming era, IMAX has acquired SSIMWAVE, a tech start-up from Canada that specializes in optimizing video quality and viewer experiences across multiple platforms. According to The Hollywood Reporter, IMAX allegedly shelled out $18....

James Caan’s Slow And Deliberate Approach To Thief Even Extended To His Speech United Artists By Ernesto Valenzuela/Dec. 24, 2022 2:00 pm EST Michael Mann’s theatrical debut, “Thief,” is a slow and methodical neo-noir film. The movie tells the story of a safecracker and jewel thief named Frank (played by the late and great James Caan), and goes into intricate detail surrounding the dangerous profession Frank has decided to pursue and, later on in the film, leave....

One Of Clint Eastwood’s Signature Moves Flies In The Face Of John Wayne Warner Bros By Jeremy Smith/July 6, 2022 2:37 pm EST Clint Eastwood is not a fussy filmmaker. He prefers to work quickly, which means he hires actors and crew members who can deliver exactly what he wants sans grumbling. And what exactly does he want? In most cases, authenticity. He needs his actors to be real, the dialogue to ring true, and, perhaps most importantly, the scene to look and feel totally genuine....

Out Of My Mind: Everything We Know So Far Simon and Schuster By BJ Colangelo/July 20, 2022 10:10 am EST Children’s writer, professional educator, and the 1997 National Teacher of the Year Sharon Draper’s award winning novel “Out of My Mind” is getting the film adaptation treatment. The book geared toward grades 5–8 from the five-time winner of the Coretta Scott King Award is a moving story about an 11-year-old girl with cerebral palsy....

She put porn around her trailer Netflix To help her get into character for “The Umbrella Academy,” Arya borrowed a technique from Angelina Jolie. “I also heard this thing that Angelina Jolie did, when she was doing ‘Girl, Interrupted’… that she put porn around her trailer. I did that. Not because I think of Lila being as much highly sexualized, but more that it felt like quite a ballsy thing to do and kind of bold....

Starman’s Opening Forest Fire Scene Was A Wet Mess For John Carpenter To Shoot Columbia Pictures By Sandy Schaefer/Oct. 6, 2022 3:59 pm EST It’s always interesting to see what happens when a director tries their hand at a film unlike any they’ve made before or since. Consider David Fincher’s “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” a whimsical romantic fantasy drama far removed tonally from the grim thrillers and dark character studies the masses are accustomed to seeing from the “Se7en” and “Social Network” helmer....

Directing in slow-motion Pixar The question, “What is the difference between directing animation and directing live-action?” was asked via video by none other than Willem Dafoe. Dafoe has worked with Stanton before, voicing Gill in “Finding Nemo” and playing Green Martian war-chief Tars Tarkas in “John Carter.” Fittingly, Stanton responded first: “[Directing in animation] is doing it in slow motion: It’s all the same decision-making, but separated by meetings between months, so the five things you would say on set in an hour happen over a month in five different meetings....

The Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special Is Incredibly Cheesy, But That’s The Point, Right? Disney+/Marvel Studios By Cameron Roy Hall/Nov. 27, 2022 4:55 pm EST Depending on whom you ask, Phase 4 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe is either a many-splendored era or a rancid trash fire. Both feel just a touch overdramatic, and probably say more about the critic than the art, but these opposing parties seem to agree on at least one thing — Phase 4 is the most varied arbitrary segment in Marvel’s history....

Watch The Infernal Machine trailer Oof, this is spooky, particularly with everything going on in the world right now. Is the book a psychological incendiary device? Is there a message that was supposed to be read between the lines, or was this fan interpreting the text in a different way? It seems obvious that Cogburn has a past, and opening a trailer with the shot of a quarter being etched to resemble a picture of a skull is pretty ominous....

The Rings Of Power Finale Learned The Right Lesson From The Lord Of The Rings: The Return Of The King Ben Rothstein/Prime Video By Valerie Ettenhofer/Oct. 15, 2022 11:00 am EST Endings: they’re tough! Ask plenty of “Lord of the Rings” fans and they’ll say that “Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King” had a perfect conclusion. But whenever I hear that, I think, “Which one?!” The film trilogy famously didn’t seem to know how to say goodbye to the characters we’d grown to love so much, so it tacked on not one or two but at least four endings, if not more....

The Simpsons Will Cross Over With Bob’s Burgers For A Halloween Special By BJ Colangelo/Oct. 19, 2022 2:44 pm EST Adult animation fans are finally getting the crossover event of our dreams, as Linda Belcher herself (well, voice actor John Roberts, that is) confirmed that the upcoming “The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XXXIII” will feature a crossover between everyone’s favorite animated families. “The Simpsons” set the bar for animated Halloween TV specials for years....

Thor: Love And Thunder China Release Might Be On Hold Over LGBTQ Scenes Marvel By Valerie Ettenhofer/July 11, 2022 1:27 pm EST While “Thor: Love and Thunder” topped the domestic box office this weekend, its global numbers are missing a key market: China. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the nation continues its recent trend of leaving Marvel films in limbo and off its release schedule. While other Phase Four Marvel films have been held back for various reasons, sources at two cinema chains in China told THR the cause in this case is pretty clear: “Thor: Love and Thunder” includes queer representation that has led to it being denied censorship approval....

Rebecca (1997) ITV Studios Where to stream: PBS Masterpiece For those looking for a bite-sized taste of “Downton Abbey”-style drama, the 1997 mini-series version of “Rebecca” is a great place to start. Starring the iconic Charles Dance and Diana Rigg, the story centers on a young girl (Emilia Fox) who finds herself falling in love with handsome widower Maxim de Winter (Dance). The two get to know each other better and eventually marry, leading the new Mrs....

Becoming The Predator In Prey Wasn’t Easy On Dane DiLiegro 20th Century Studios By Steven Ward/Aug. 28, 2022 2:02 pm EST “Prey” is such a refreshing take on the “Predator” franchise that really the only connection it seems to have to other films is the eponymous alien and a certain flintlock pistol. Set 300 years ago on the Great Plains, this instalment of the series focuses on a Comanche tribe that runs afoul of a Predator’s first hunt on Earth....

Before Adam Sandler Took The Role, James Caan Almost Starred In Uncut Gems Paramount By Jeremy Smith/July 11, 2022 1:45 pm EST Just about everyone familiar with the film knows that Josh and Bennie Safdie wrote the role of self-destructive jeweler Howard Ratner in “Uncut Gems” for Adam Sandler. And anybody who’s read about the making of the film is well-aware that the Sandman’s management initially turned down the project without letting their client read the screenplay....

Believe: Yes, You’ve Seen That Thor: Love And Thunder Credit Scene Actor Before Marvel By Valerie Ettenhofer/July 8, 2022 1:26 pm EST This post contains major spoilers for “Thor: Love and Thunder.” Marvel mid-credits scenes: are they an art form? Not exactly. But do they sometimes include some of the most watercooler-chatter-worthy moments in a movie? Definitely. The latest credit insert offering comes courtesy of “Thor: Love and Thunder” and it not only offers up a major hint to where the massive superhero franchise may be headed, but also includes a surprising and delightful cameo....

How the Stallone vs Schwarzenegger rivalry began United Artists Arnie was gunning for Stallone almost from the beginning. They found themselves seated at the same table for the Golden Globe Awards in 1977 and both were up for prizes; Schwarzenegger collected the Best Newcomer award for his role in “Stay Hungry, while Stallone and “Rocky” were competing in several major categories. With Arnie’s prize already in the bag, he sat gloating every time “Rocky” lost out on an award....

Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Easily one of the funniest aspects of “Thor: Love and Thunder” is the inclusion of Thor’s magical flying goats, known as Toothgnasher and Toothgrinder. Originating in both mythology and in the comics, this quirky pair — originally Tanngnjóstr and Tanngrisnir within Norse lore — are given to Thor by the Indigarrians after he saves their people from owl-like invaders. However, despite the initial kindness of the Indigarrians, the goats, while majestic in their own odd way, seem to be more of a punishment for Thor wrecking their sacred temple than a genuine act of kindness....

Guardians Of The Galaxy Holiday Special Ending Explained: Drax And Mantis Save Christmas Marvel Studios By Ernesto Valenzuela/Nov. 25, 2022 1:00 pm EST Spoilers follow. The next “Marvel Studios Special Presentation” is here. Instead of the terrors and thrills brought by Michael Giacchino with “Werewolf by Night,” the Marvel Cinematic Universe is treated to some much-needed holiday cheer. “The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special” is a short and sweet 42 minutes, with a more significant focus on Mantis (Pom Klementieff) and Drax (Dave Bautista)....