Michael Chapman, legendary cinematographer who worked on Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, and The Last Waltz, has died at 84. His wife, filmmaker and screenwriter Amy Holden Jones, confirmed the news on Facebook, writing: “Michael Chapman ASC, love of my entire adult life, has passed. Until we meet again.” Born in New York City in 1935, Chapman was raised in the suburbs of Boston on sports and very little arts. He graduated with an English major from Columbia University and temporarily served in the United States Army. It wasn’t until his father-in-law secured him a job as an assistant cameraman that he had interest in Hollywood. It’s an interest that stuck, though. After cutting his teeth with Joseph Cates, Frank Perry, Hal Ashby, and John Cassavettes, Chapman really turned hea...
Disney+ is doing their own thing for October 2020. The Mouse House is mostly opting out of spooky season for some truly out-of-this-world events. There’s the series premiere of The Right Stuff and the highly anticipated sophomore season of their Emmy-winning Star Wars spinoff The Mandalorian. Beyond that, Disney+ is adding a few big titles to their catalogue, specifically Maleficent, X2: X-Men United, Mr. Holland’s Opus, and — watch out — Cheaper by the Dozen 2. They’re also getting the 31st season of The Simpsons. How about that. For those bummed out there are very little Halloween treats — including their dusty diamond-in-the-rough special Halloween Treats — it should be noted that they already have plenty of ghoulish content on the service. Yes, that means Halloweentown. Editors’ ...
May the force be with Uber Eats. The food delivery app has just released a new commercial, and it features a Star Wars and Star Trek crossover we never could have predicted. In the video, Mark Hamill and Patrick Stewart emerge from the shadows of a dark warehouse to face off. What’s so urgent that Luke Skywalker and Captain Jean-Luc Picard would leave lockdown and duel? Tomatoes. Specifically, the correct pronunciation of the word. Is it “tomahto” or “tomayto”? Who will survive this showdown? In addition to seeing these two legendary actors dramatically debate food, the clip includes a few funny lines referencing their respective franchises. At one point, Stewart asks Hamill how he plans to win without help from his father. In a nod to that classic Darth Vader scene, Hamill replies, “I am ...
The Emmy Awards are going virtual for 2020 in an unprecedented move. Now in its 72nd year, the ceremony honors the best in U.S. prime time television programming from June 1st, 2019 until May 31st, 2020. Jimmy Kimmel is the night’s canary in a coal mine host, proving three time’s the charm as he presides over the live ABC broadcast. In a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Kimmel admitted he’s bracing for a “beautiful disaster,” and acknowledged some limitations. “Not being able to pre-tape limits you as well,” he shared. “But I think what we found from watching the late night shows during this time is that you do find things that are better when you’re handcuffed.” The night will see a number of presenters hopping online, including forthcoming She-Hulk star Tatiana Maslany,...
The Pitch: Recently widowed Jessica (Jules Willcox) attempts to leave her past by absconding into the Pacific Northwest wilderness. Unfortunately for her, those plans are literally derailed after a harrowing run-in with a cold-blooded killer. Following a series of very unfortunate events, Jessica finds herself kidnapped, beaten, and locked away in a remote cabin. But there’s hope! She manages to escape her captor, only to find herself in the middle of nowhere … completely alone … except for her pursuer. Bare Bones: Screenwriter Mattias Olsson adapts his 2011 Swedish thriller Gone for American audiences with Alone. He keeps things lean and mean, though, eschewing any of the fat that traditionally comes with Hollywood remakes. Instead, subtlety is survival with this reimagining, and that’s p...
Winston Groom, the author and historian whose novel Forrest Gump became a pop-culture staple, died Thursday (Sept. 17th), reports the Tuscaloosa News. He was 77 years old. Groom’s death was confirmed by Alabama Governor Kay Ivey in a statement. “Saddened to learn that Alabama has lost one of our most gifted writers,” she said. “While he will be remembered for creating Forrest Gump, Winston Groom was a talented journalist and noted author of American history. Our hearts and prayers are extended to his family.” In 1985, Groom’s father told him a story about a neighbor’s child who was graceful and exceedingly talented despite having difficult mental challenges. Inspired by that, he picked up a pen and wrote Forrest Gump in just six weeks. The book was published the following year. Come 1994, ...
× We noticed that you visited our new website design. If you enjoyed your experience, you can return to the new site. Take Me Back There Do you prefer the previous version of our site? Please send us your comments. What about the new site do you not like? Would you like to report a bug? Which device did you use to visit the site? (browser type, computer/tablet/phone?) You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair share of Internet revenue.
The Pitch: In London’s West Indian community in 1980, a house party brews. The men haul furniture out to the backyard and bring in huge speakers to replace it, while the women crowd into the kitchen, cooking goat curry and plaintains while singing and laughing with each other. Men and women file in one at a time, paying the bouncer while the DJ pumps in the songs of Carl Douglas, Sister Sledge, Janet Kay — romantic reggae, “Lover’s Rock”. This is the setting for Steve McQueen‘s Lovers Rock, a glimpse into the Blues parties that served as an important space for Black Londoners of the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s to find community, solidarity, and love, as a rotating ensemble of characters sing and scrub throughout the evening. And in the middle of it all, a young woman named Martha (Amarah-Jae...
This review is part of our coverage of the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival. The Pitch: In Viggo Mortensen’s directorial debut, gay Air Force pilot John (Mortensen) struggles to care for his ailing conservative father, Willis (Lance Henriksen). Malcontent and never afraid to shy away from a racist, homophobic or sexist rant, Willis offends everyone from John’s husband Eric (Terry Chen) to his daughter Sarah (Laura Linney), all while he slips in and out of flashbacks, including his two marriages to wives Gwen (Hannah Gross) and Jill (Bracken Burns). Grumpy Old Man: Early in Falling, as the relationship between John and Willis is being established, it’s clear that Henriksen is exceptional in the role. Willis is the kind of curmudgeonly character whose edges are too often softened in ...
If anyone is going to tell Madonna’s story, it’s going to be the pop music icon herself. Last week, Madonna confirmed that she was writing the screenplay of her own biopic in collaboration with Diablo Cody (Juno). Now, Madge has announced that she will also be directing the film. In a statement to Variety, Madonna said she wanted to be able chronicle her life and career on her own terms. “I want to convey the incredible journey that life has taken me on as an artist, a musician, a dancer – a human being, trying to make her way in this world,” she commented. The 62-year-old pop music icon also assured fans that her music would be the driving force of the as-yet-untitled movie. “The focus of this film will always be music,” continued Madonna. “Music has kept me going and art has kept me aliv...