Film
Nicolas Cage Doesn’t Like Being Called an Actor
Don’t call him an actor, thank you very much. In a new interview, Nicolas Cage made it clear he prefers to be labeled as something much more serious when it comes to his profession. “I really don’t like the word actor because for me it always implies, ‘Oh, he’s a great actor, therefore he’s a great liar, and (great at) lying,’” he said during an appearance on the Variety Awards Circuit podcast. “So with the risk of sounding like a pretentious a–hole, I like the word thespian because thespian means you’re going into your heart. Or you’re going into your imagination, or your memories or your dreams, and you’re bringing something back to communicate with the audience.” The National Treasure star continued: “I think it’s more like recruiting imagination. Dare I say it, it’s more like a s...
Daniel Craig Honored by Queen with Same Title as James Bond
The Queen of England has honored James Bond actor Daniel Craig with the same title as 007 himself: the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG). Queen Elizabeth awarded Craig as part of her annual New Year Honours. The CMG is usually given to British citizens who work as foreign-service officers and diplomats, but in Craig’s case he was honored for his “services to film and theatre.” In the James Bond universe, the British super spy was fictionally given the title of CMG in Ian Flemming’s 1954 book You Only Live Twice. Craig and Bond also share the title of honorary Commander in the British Royal Navy. Advertisement Related Video Craig’s latest honor comes on the heels of his final bow as Bond in No Time to Die. He’s next set to star in the upcoming sequel to Knives Out. The Queen’s other 2...
Betty White’s 100th Birthday Film to Screen as Planned
A film commemorating Betty White’s 100th birthday will screen in theaters as planned — albeit under a slightly different title. Originally titled Betty White: 100 Years Young — A Birthday Celebration, the film has been rebranded as Betty White: A Celebration following the legendary actress’ passing on Friday. Directed by Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein, the film serves as a retrospective of White’s eight-decade career and includes tributes from Ryan Reynolds, Tina Fey, Robert Redford, Lin Manuel-Miranda, Clint Eastwood, Morgan Freeman, Jay Leno, Carol Burnett, Craig Ferguson, Jimmy Kimmel, Valerie Bertinelli, James Corden, Wendie Malick, and Jennifer Love Hewitt. Advertisement Related Video The film also features what is now White’s final on-screen interview. Betty White: A Celebration&...
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts: The 5 Biggest Revelations of the Reunion Special
While Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts didn’t include any truly earth-shattering revelations, the reunion special now streaming on HBO Max did include plenty of details about what it was like to be a young person growing up in the Wizarding World. It’s a light and often charming look back at both the franchise and its impact — not on the world in general, though, but instead on the people whose lives were tangled up in it for years at a time. It is also an hour and 43 minutes long, so, if you don’t necessarily feel like committing to the full experience, here are some of the most surprising highlights of the special. The focus here is on the stories that might be totally brand new even to hardcore fans, because believe it or not, there are still some mysteries to be explor...
Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts Is More About the Memories Than the Magic: Review
The Pitch: You’ll spend a lot of time thinking about chairs, while watching Harry Potter 20th Anniversary: Return to Hogwarts. Not just who’s sitting in them, and where, and with who, but the chairs themselves: plush vintage armchairs, high-backed wooden thrones, and the wide spectrum of options in between. The anniversary special dropping on New Year’s Day is a loving look back at the global phenomenon, as told by the stars and directors involved with the journey along the way. It also, despite best efforts made to add some visual flair in the form of wandering about archived film sets, is about 80 percent just footage of people sitting and talking. While tracking the chairs people are sitting in is oftentimes necessary to understand the context of the soundbite you’re hearing, overall th...
Every Harry Potter Movie Ranked From Worst to Best
This feature originally ran in November 2018. Welcome to Dissected, where we disassemble a band’s catalog, a director’s filmography, or some other critical pop-culture collection in the abstract. It’s exact science by way of a few beers. This time, we sort through the best and worst of the still-expanding Wizarding World cinematic universe. A viewer of a certain age will remember what the run-up to the release of 2000’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone felt like. Just a couple of years earlier, the Boy Who Lived arrived on American shores with a slightly altered first installment title and the many wonders of J.K. Rowling’s wizarding world in tow. Potter phenomenon was already well underway, but the idea of being able to bring Hogwarts and its inhabitants to life set the exc...
Dwayne Johnson Slams Vin Diesel’s Invite to Return to Fast and Furious, Calling His Post “Manipulation”
That’s a no from Hobbs. Dwayne Johnson made it clear in a new interview that he has no plans whatsoever on returning to the Fast and Furious franchise — and had some choice words for fellow star Vin Diesel. Chatter regarding the possibility initially kicked off back in November, when Vin Diesel publicly issued an invite to his long-rumored rival to come back to the family. “The world awaits the finale of ‘Fast 10,’” Johnson, who plays Dominic Toretto, wrote on Instagram at the time. “As you know, my children refer to you as Uncle Dwayne in my house. There is not a holiday that goes by that they and you don’t send well wishes… but the time has come. Legacy awaits. I told you years ago that I was going to fulfill my promise to Pablo. I swore that we would reach and manifest the best Fast in ...
Remembering Norm Macdonald, Michael K. Williams and More Celebrities Who Died in 2021: Photo Gallery
The end of any year is good cause for us to look back at those we lost, and in the world of entertainment, there was a lot of heartbreak, as valuable and important voices went silent. The list of those who passed away in 2021 includes beloved TV stars like Michael K. Williams, Willie Garson, and Ed Asner, the respected directors of Lethal Weapon and Big Little Lies, and great writers such as Larry McMurtry and Joan Didion. Below, see their photos along with the many other artists whose contributions to film and television will not be forgotten anytime soon. (You can also see a gallery of musicians we lost in 2021 here.) Advertisement <img aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1035003" data-attachment-id="1035003" data-permalink="https://consequence.net/2020/05/ro...
Ice Cube Says Chris Tucker Declined Next Friday Over “Religious Reasons”
Next Friday — the 2000 sequel to Ice Cube’s beloved stoner comedy, Friday — had a conspicuous missing piece with the absence of Chris Tucker. Though the original 1995 film was made on a small budget, its smash success meant a follow-up had more cash to work with. Still, it wasn’t enough to bring Tucker back, who Ice Cube recently said backed out of the franchise over “religious reasons.” “We were ready to pay Chris Tucker $10-12m to do Next Friday but he turned us down for religious reasons,” Ice Cube wrote in a tweet Wednesday, December 29th. “He didn’t want to cuss or smoke weed on camera anymore.” Considering Tucker’s character in Friday was literally named Smokey, it’s no wonder the sequel’s script didn’t align with his beliefs. He even confirmed himself that weed w...
Keanu Reeves and The Matrix Resurrections Producer Say There’s No Sequel Planned
The Matrix Resurrections just debuted in theaters and on HBO Max last week, but fans have already been anticipating a sequel due to the open-ended nature of the final moments. In separate interviews, however, both Keanu Reeves and producer James McTeigue attempted to put any speculation to rest. During an appearance on the Empire podcast, Reeves said he didn’t think director Lana Wachowski was interested in doing another Matrix movie. “If I had to cast a ballot — no, not a ballot, a vote — I would say that Lana would not do another Matrix,” he said. When co-star Carrie-Anne Moss pointed out that they once thought the same thing about Resurrections, Reeves added, “I’m there if it’s there… If she invites me again, I’m in.” Advertisement Related Video McTeigue was more direct in his...
Denzel Washington’s Top 10 Performances, From Malcolm X to Macbeth
This feature originally ran in September 2014. We’re reposting it in celebration of Denzel Washington’s 67th birthday today. Top Performances is a recurring feature in which we definitively handpick the very best performances from an iconic actor or actress. Six-time Academy Award nominee and two-time winner. Can play it over-the-top, but knows when he needs to play it cool, to play down. One of the more gracious actors you’ll ever see on the big screen. I’m talking, of course, about Denzel Washington, and through careful consideration, Leah Pickett and I have gone through his filmography to select his 10 finest performances. Keep in mind these rankings are based on Washington’s performances, not the movies in which he performed. Did we forget anything? Did we place a performanc...
R.I.P. Jean-Marc Vallée, Dallas Buyers Club and Big Little Lies Director Dead at 58
Jean-Marc Vallée, the Canadian filmmaker behind films such as Dallas Buyers Club and Wild, as well as the HBO series Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects, has died at the age of 58. Vallée died suddenly over the weekend in his cabin near Quebec City, according to The Hollywood Reporter. His cause of death was not immediately disclosed. In a statement announcing his passing, Vallée’s longtime producer partner Nathan Ross wrote, “Jean-Marc stood for creativity, authenticity and trying things differently. He was a true artist and a generous, loving guy. Everyone who worked with him couldn’t help but see the talent and vision he possessed. He was a friend, creative partner and an older brother to me. The maestro will sorely be missed but it comforts knowing his beautiful style and impactful work ...
