Editor’s Note: This op-ed originally ran in 2016 for the 20th anniversary of Happy Gilmore. Today, we’ve dusted it off for the 25th anniversary of the Adam Sandler blockbuster. So, grab your clubs, your gold jacket, and meet us in the sand. Happy Gilmore is basically perfect. Disagree with me? That’s your right, but I’m going to stab you with this skate. There’s a lot that makes Happy Gilmore, Adam Sandler’s 1996 golf-idiot-savant comedy, so wonderful. Part of it is that it’s almost gleefully simple: failed hockey player discovers that his lousy slap shot could be good for golf and uses his newfound power to save Grandma’s house in a battle of homegrown hero versus rich prick. Part of it is that it’s just funny, made before Sandler started to exhaust his schlumpy charms. But more than anyt...
It’s not surprising that Tom Petty’s passing came to inspire an annual birthday festival. Anyone who ever attended a Heartbreakers show knows that infinite feeling and suspicion that a summer night and a favorite song might somehow go on forever. That may not have turned out to be quite true, but artists, friends, and fans have been flocking to Gainesville since Petty’s death to hold on as tightly as possible to what the man and his music meant to so many of us. This year, of course, posed additional challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but that didn’t stop Petty’s family and friends from piecing together a heartfelt tribute that not only celebrated what would’ve been the artist’s 70th birthday but raised money for several notable, music-related causes. <img aria-describedby="c...
Netflix is bringing both the chills and the originals in October 2020. When it comes to tricks and treats, the candy is overflowing: Mike Flanagan’s new miniseries The Haunting of Bly Manor, Adam Sandler’s kooky new comedy Hubie Halloween, Ben Wheatley’s reimagining of Rebecca, and more Unsolved Mysteries. In terms of creepy-less originals, this isn’t any handful of pennies: Aaron Sorkin’s start-studded historical drama The Trial of the Chicago 7, the new music series Song Exploder, a BLACKPINK documentary, and more David Letterman. There’s also the final season of Schitt’s Creek, ParaNorman for some family Fall fun, and plenty of adult thrillers for late at night — you know, like Along Came a Spider, Basic Instinct, Cape Fear, Fargo, and In a Valley of Violence. Oh, and don...
Adam Sandler is leaving the Diamond District and heading to Halloweentown — or rather, Salem, Massachusetts. The blockbuster comic is back just in time for the season of the witch with his latest Netflix comedy, Hubie Halloween. Today, the streaming giant has unleashed the movie’s first trailer ahead of its October 7th premiere. Directed by Steven Brill (Heavyweights, Little Nicky), this spooky comedy follows Hubie DuBois (Sandler), a kooky, albeit good-natured, community volunteer who stumbles upon a real-life murder case on Halloween night. The problem is he’s something of a laughing stock across Salem to both adults and children alike. As with any of Sandler’s flicks, Hubie Halloween is chock full his go-to pals: Kevin James, Steve Buscemi, Rob Schneider, and Colin Quinn. However, old-s...
Netflix is getting into the spooky business. Today, the streaming giant announced their Fall programming, which they’ve aptly dubbed Netflix and Chills. This includes new movies, shows, and all kinds of tricks and treats for the living room. Among the many highlights is Mike Flanagan’s new miniseries The Haunting of Bly Manor, Adam Sandler’s kooky new comedy Hubie Halloween, Ben Wheatley’s reimagining of Rebecca, and a second volume of Unsolved Mysteries. That’s all without mentioning Ryan Murphy’s creepy Cuckoo’s Nest prequel series Ratched, Rachel Talalay’s A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting, and a number of children’s programming like The Worst Witch and A Go! Go! Cory Carson Halloween. Peruse the full calendar below and stay tuned for more things to go bump in your night. Let’s no...
Netflix is getting prehistoric in August 2020. The first three Jurassic Park films are stomping over to the streaming giant, leaving the newly minted confines of Peacock only 17 days after launching. That kind of coup would impress even the likes of Ian Malcolm. That’s not all! Those flicks join an onslaught of legitimate popcorn classics in The Addams Family, The NeverEnding Story, Mad Max, A Knight’s Tale, and Seabiscuit. Okay, maybe that last one is more wine and cheese than buttered popcorn… Hey, speaking of the wine and cheese crowd, Netflix is also bringing some high class cerebral fare. There’s An Education, Being John Malkovich, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and one of our personal favorites in Nightcrawer. In terms of originals, Netflix’s premiering a ton of documentaries...
Carl Reiner, the legendary comedian, actor, and director whose career spanned seven decades, passed away Monday night at the age of 98. In the wake of his passing, close friends, family, and colleagues all offered their thoughts and condolences. His son, Rob, mourned the loss of his father early this morning on Twitter, writing: “Last night my dad passed away. As I write this my heart is hurting. He was my guiding light.” Longtime colleague and closest friend Mel Brooks offered a statement to The Hollywood Reporter, writing: Carl was a giant, unmatched in his contributions to entertainment. He created comedy gems like The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Jerk and Where’s Poppa? I met him in 1950 when he joined Sid Caesar on Your Show of Shows and we’ve been best friend...
Want to add an anxiety attack to your Memorial Day weekend? Uncut Gems is on Netflix. Featuring Adam Sandler’s greatest role to date — an Oscar snub that even the Sandman agrees with — the Safdie brothers’ unnerving thriller centers around a Jewish jeweler drowning in debt amidst New York’s Diamond District. The film also stars The Weeknd, Idina Menzel, Lakeith Stanfield, Kevin Garnett, and Julia Fox. Editors’ Picks One of the 10 best films of 2019, our own Brett Arnold wrote in his glowing review for Consequence of Sound: “It’s grim, to be sure, but it’s packaged as a nail-biting thriller, one that builds to an amazing high-wire-act of a finale that turns a 2012 Celtics playoff game into the most important thing you’ve ever seen in cinema.” Consequence of Sound also spoke to the Saf...
Jonah Hill (Paramount Pictures) and Samuel L. Jackson (Walt Disney Studios) In some literal “what the fuck?” news, a new report from Buzz Bingo reveals that Jonah Hill has passed Samuel L. Jackson for the most swear words spoken in cinema history. Via The Wrap, Hill has cursed 376 times on film, compared to a mere 301 bad words from the original BAMF. That’s actually only good enough for third place, as Leonardo DiCaprio takes the spot right behind Hill with 361 expletives. According to an analysis of over 3,5000 movie scripts, Jackson lost the invective apex way back in 2013, which is also when The Wolf of Wall Street became the most profane movie of all time. That foulmouthed flick almost singlehandedly pushed Hill into first place and DiCaprio into second. Not coincidentally, ...