Even in the era of social media and streaming, there’s nothing in the digital world that can match the authenticity of live comedy. Watching a comedian risk losing his or her reputation and dignity on a set is a thrilling feeling, and the buzz of seeing a great routine is…
Perhaps it was inevitable that Ethan Hawke would have to eat his words. “I went to see Logan cause everyone was like, ‘This is a great movie,’” he told The Film Stage back in 2018. “I was like, ‘Really? No, this is a fine superhero movie.’ There’s a difference, but…
This weekend, Denzel Washington and Rami Malek will be combining their wits as they hunt down a serial killer (Jared Leto) in the new HBO Max thriller The Little Things. Hollywood has often been attracted to the allure of serial killers, as villains with even the slightest bit of plausibility…
If 2021 wasn’t looking brighter already, the news that previously unseen Beatles content is coming soon is certainly a welcome sign that there are better days ahead. Lord of the Rings filmmaker Peter Jackson has restored over 55 hours of previously unrestored footage of the Fab Four during the recording…
Given the wide accessibility of Blu-Ray special features, YouTube behind-the-scenes videos and real-time social media updates, film fans have more knowledge than ever before about how movies are made. Sometimes, the story of a film’s creation is enough to justify a story of its own. Last year’s Mank is one…
Sure, we all love “Gimme Shelter.” The Rolling Stones classic about the perils of the Vietnam era is one of the band’s signature tunes, and it’s always been a favorite of filmmaker Martin Scorsese, who incorporated it into some of his best films, including Goodfellas, Casino and The Departed. Unfortunately, Scorsese…
The rumours are true. Preceded by David Crosby and Bob Dylan, both of whom recently sold the rights to their entire catalogues, Fleetwood Mac’s Lindsey Buckingham announced last week that he’d signed away his entire discography to Merck Mercuriadis’ Hipgnosis Songs. No word on how much the deal paid, but we’re…
In his over 35 year-career as every dad’s favorite actor, Tom Hanks has played historical figures — from Ben Bradlee to Walt Disney — wooed mermaids, saved Private Ryan, solved crimes with dogs and played “Chopsticks” on a larger-than-life piano. Yet, at the age of 64, Hanks has done a…
If you scrolled back to the beginning of the year and looked at any lists of “the most anticipated films of 2021,” you’d see titles such as Dune, Black Widow, Halloween Kills, Top Gun: Maverick, Ghostbusters: Afterlife, Godzilla vs. Kong, Fast and Furious 9, A Quiet Place: Part II, Coming…
The end of the year generally marks an exciting time for movie buffs, when fans can put together their yearly lists of favorite films, speculate on the offerings of the new year and dedicate some time to that stack of Blu-Rays gifted over the holidays. “New Year’s Movies” doesn’t have…
Movies will never be the same. The industry has been changing rapidly over the past several years, but the biggest development has been the antiquated notion of seeing new theatrical films in theaters. Maybe Parasite winning Best Picture was the last good thing to happen? This was a big year…
Holiday season has arrived, which means we’ll once again be inundated with the holiday spirit by many of our favorite films. You know, those. It’s a Wonderful Life. Miracle on 34th Street. White Christmas. Home Alone. Elf. Fred Claus (just kidding with that last one). These movies have carved a place…
Every year, there’s at least one film that earns the label of “failed Oscar bait.” These are the films with lofty ambitions, big-name movie stars, prime fall release dates and seemingly noble and important ambitions that aim for all the glory of awards season only to land with a thud…
Bob Dylan is back in the news. The 79-year-old music legend recently sold his entire catalog of work to Universal in a record-breaking deal that reportedly cost over $300 million and included over 600 songs. Even that much might even feel a bit low when considering the unparalleled impact Dylan…
A time-honored tradition among many great shows is to have holiday-centric episodes designed to pull at our heartstrings. It seems easy enough; just gather your cast, give them a holiday dilemma and wrap up with a heartwarming message about how the season has caused them to reassess their priorities. Lots…
Movies are always a gamble. A writer bets that the story they’re writing is one that people will want to hear. A director bets that they’ve chosen the right crew to tell that story. Actors make bets with every choice they make on set — are they being overly emotive…
This past week saw the release of The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special, the latest Star Wars tie-in on Disney+. The title is in part a reference to a very unique entry into the Star Wars mythology, the 1978 Star Wars Holiday Special. Airing only once on ABC, The Star…
You’d think that the first thing you’d get squared away before working on a David Bowie movie was, you know, his music. Apparently, that’s something that might have slipped the minds of the creative team behind Stardust. The upcoming film follows in the footsteps of successful recent musical biopics such…
It’s the holiday season again, so we can all look forward to an imminent debate regarding whether or not Die Hard is a Christmas movie. It is. It’s heartwarming. It’s about family. Certainly, it’s not nearly as violent and demented as Home Alone, the other holiday classic about a lone…
In the early 21st century, psychologists began to identify the “CSI effect,” in which people’s perception of law enforcement protocol became largely based on what they saw on network television programs. Of course, there are a fair number of discrepancies between television and reality; real-life criminal cases aren’t solved in…
Every famous musician with a story worth telling (and even some who don’t) is bound to get the Hollywood treatment. Films based on the life of famous performers aren’t a new trend, but the past few years have seen a noticeable uptick in musician biopics, most notably Bohemian Rhapsody, which…
Baby Yoda fever has swept the world. In the year since its first season debuted, the Star Wars live-action series The Mandalorian has generated a considerable amount of buzz and, in turn, boosted subscribers to the Disney+ streaming service. In a time of competing services with different audiences, it’s rare…
