Film
Twister Reboot Gathering Speed at Universal
Food. Food. Fooood: Prepare to re-enter The Suck Zone! According to The Hollywood Reporter, a reboot of 1996’s Twister is gathering speed over at Universal. There’s not much as of press time, though the studio is currently in talks with Top Gun: Maverick director Joseph Kosinski to helm the picture. A search for writers is underway. The sky’s the limit for this story, no pun intended, especially given the ensuing global warming crisis. Not to get too depressing, but nightmare weather will only be more relatable as the years pass, which could make this lucrative IP for Universal. As to whether this will be a remake or connect to the original remains to be seen. Sadly, star Bill Paxton passed away in 2017 (and Philip Seymour Hoffman in 2014), though who’s to say Helen Hunt won’t return to th...
HBO Max Restores Gone With the Wind, With Historical Disclaimer
Two weeks after HBO Max pulled Gone With the Wind, the Oscar-winning film has returned to the platform, with a new historical disclaimer in tow. The 1939 film is the recipient of ten Academy Awards, and ranks as the highest-grossing motion picture in American history (adjusted to inflation). Yet, in the eyes of some, the film’s depiction of Black characters as racist stereotypes who are cheerfully and gratefully subservient to the white characters is untenable in modern day America. On June 10th, HBO Max announced it was temporarily removing Gone With the Wind until the film could be prefaced by “a discussion of its historical context and a denouncement” of its ethnic and racial prejudices.” Such a discussion has now been added in the form of a four-minute featurette w...
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run to Receive PVOD Release
The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge on the Run had been set to be one of the first new releases to hit theaters as they re-open following COVID-19 shutdowns. Now, though, Paramount is scrapping those plans and is instead sending Sponge on the Run straight to PVOD. The CGI-animated film will then be available exclusively on CBS All Access beginning in early 2021 alongside all prior TV seasons of the Nickelodeon series. In Sponge on the Run, SpongeBob and Patrick embark on a rescue mission to save Gary, who has been “snailnapped” by Poseidon. Along the way, they encounter Keanu Reeves (!) playing a Sage named… Sage, who’s also a tumbleweed, and navigate the temptations of Atlantis City. Snoop Dogg, Awkwafina, and Reggie Watts also have cameos in the film. Sponge on the Run i...
Jon Stewart’s Irresistible Is A Snarky, Silly Plea for Less of the Same: Review
The Pitch: In Jon Stewart’s Irresistible, the year 2016 and the U.S. presidential election very much happened. The Democratic National Committee is left licking its wounds in the wake of what was to be a slam-dunk win for Hillary Clinton. All the strategy, all the super PAC money, all the campaigning, photo ops, polls, and beyond still couldn’t put a seasoned veteran in the White House. Gary Zimmer (Steve Carrell), a leading DNC strategist, is burrowed under his bedsheets, dodging calls from MSNBC, CNN, national networks, and the rest of the circus. He was too smart, too punchy, too confident, too well-funded, and too connected for this to happen. Fast forward to the present. Zimmer discovers a viral video of a town meeting interrupted by a Marine colonel, Jack Hastings (Chris Cooper), pro...
AFI to Host Live Conversation with Spike Lee, Stream Do The Right Thing for Free
Spike Lee’s Do the Right Thing will be honored this week by the American Film Institute. The 1989 Oscar-nominated masterpiece has been named their latest Movie Club selection, and to celebrate, they’ll be speaking to the director himself. “AFI Movie Club’s global reach has inspired the need for more thoughtful discussions about films that have shaped our culture,” said CEO Bob Gazzale. “Do The Right Thing is a timeless and timely classic, and Spike Lee has forever proven himself the voice for change that we need now more than ever. We would like to thank our partners at Universal for their essential support in educating and inspiring audiences around the world.” The conversation goes down this Thursday, June 25 at 8:00 p.m. ET/5:00 p.m. PT via the AFI YouTube channel. In anticipation,...
If Michael Keaton Returns to Batman, Why Not Tim Burton? Or Danny Elfman?
Michael Keaton is back in the Batcave — or will be in the near future. On Monday, The Hollywood Reporter shook comic book fans everywhere when they reported that the Oscar-nominated veteran will once again return to Wayne Manor for a series of films in the Warner Bros./DC Extended Universe. The report suggests that the studio is attempting to lock the actor into a multi-picture deal that would see his Batman serve as a mentor to younger heroes. More specifically, he could appear in Andy Muschietti’s much-delayed The Flash starring Ezra Miller and the long-gestating Batgirl movie. While that’s all well and good, it would be a total waste of Keaton’s commitment. Sure, audiences would be stoked to see his mug pop up in an alternate universe of The Flash, but they would be far more stoked...
Steven Spielberg Had the Two Highest-Grossing Films in the US Last Weekend
Some movie theaters across the US have begun the process of reopening, face masks required. However, as new titles, like Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, aren’t out until the end of July, cinemas are opting to screen old summer classics as a way to lure back potential moviegoers. It made for a big weekend for Steven Spielberg. The legendary director found himself with both the first and second highest-grossing movies of the weekend in the form of Jurassic Park and Jaws, notes The Hollywood Reporter. Spielberg’s 1993 Jurassic Park earned an estimated $517,642 from 230 locations. Following close behind was Jaws, Spielberg’s 1975 hit, which brought in $516,366 from 187 locations. A handful of Spielberg’s other movies also raked in a sizable amount this past weekend, including E.T. Th...
Animorphs Film Adaptation in the Works
Animorphs, the popular ’90s children’s book series by K.A. Applegate, has a plot that’s as engrossing as its legendary book covers. The sci-fi collection follows five teenagers — Jake, Marco, Cassie, Rachel, and Tobias — who can morph into any animal they touch, a secret ability that helps them fight in an ongoing alien invasion. Now, seemingly unprompted, Scholastic Entertainment has announced they’re teaming up with Erik Feig’s Picturestart to adapt those Animorphs books into a feature film, according The Hollywood Reporter. Animorphs will be a live-action movie co-developed by Scholastic and Picturestart. Scholastic Entertainment’s Iole Lucchese and Caitlin Friedman will co-produce alongside Picturestart’s Feig and Lucy Kitada. Development of the script will be handled by Scholastic’s F...
AMC Theatres to Reopen in July, Won’t Require Face Masks to Avoid “Political Controversy”
Update – June 19th: AMC has reversed course and will require movie-goers to wear face masks. Bankruptcy be damned: Like Cinemark and Regal Cinemas earlier this week, AMC Theatres has now announced that they, too, will begin reopening their theaters across America beginning in July. Face mask, anyone? According to The Hollywood Reporter, the world’s largest theater chain will open 450 of its US locations on July 15th followed by the remaining 150 on July 24th, all in anticipation of Disney’s Mulan and Warner Bros.’ Tenet. “After a painful almost four-month hiatus due to the coronavirus, we are delighted to announce that movies are coming back to the big screen at AMC. Our next 100 years of making smiles happen officially begin at approximately 450 theaters across the Uni...
Ansel Elgort Denies Sexual Assault Allegations
Ansel Elgort has denied allegations that he sexually assaulted a teenage girl in 2014. Earlier this week, a Twitter user named Gabby accused the actor of assaulting her when she was 17 years old. Gabby claimed Elgort, who was 20 years old at the time, initially solicited nude photos from her via social media. They later met in person and had sex. However, after Gabby asked to stop, she said Elgort ignored her. “Instead of asking me if I wanted to stop having sex knowing it was my first time and I was sobbing in pain and I didn’t want to do it the only words that came out of his mouth were, ‘We need to break you in.’ I WASNT there in that moment mentally. I dissociated myself and just felt like my mind was gone and I was in shock,” Gabby wrote. “I couldn’t leave, I was only 5’2″ and 98 poun...
Mark Hamill Has a Secret Cameo in The Mandalorian as a Cantina Droid
Eagle-eyed Star Wars fans love to boast that they could spot Mark Hamill anywhere thanks to the wide range of voice and acting roles he’s accumulated over the years. That’s not always true though. The Luke Skywalker actor made his coolest secret cameo yet last year that nobody noticed: he was a droid in the fifth episode of The Mandalorian. During the finale of Disney Gallery: The Mandalorian, a behind-the-scenes docuseries about the making of the smash hit Disney Plus show, it was revealed that Hamill appeared in the series as the cantina bartender in Episode 5, reports Deadline. The droid — named EV-9D9, according to creator Jon Favreau — was uncredited and Hamill masked his voice for the role. In the scene, the Mandalorian walks into the cantina and approaches the bartender to ask about...
R.I.P. Ian Holm, Alien and Lord of the Rings Star Dies at 88
Ian Holm, iconic British actor who starred in Alien, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Chariots of Fire, and countless other productions, has died of Parkinson’s disease. He was 88. His agent confirmed the news Friday morning (June 19th) in a statement to The Guardian: “It is with great sadness that the actor Sir Ian Holm CBE passed away this morning at the age of 88. He died peacefully in hospital, with his family and carer. Charming, kind and ferociously talented, we will miss him hugely.” Born in Goodmayes, England on September 12th, 1931, Holm found a start in acting after his dentist, of all people, introduced him to Henry Baynton, a renowned Shakespearean actor who mentored the young thespian. Baynton’s guidance helped Holm secure admission into the Royal Academy of Drama...
