This year’s races for Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress were over before they started. Robert Downey Jr. in “Oppenheimer” and Da’Vine Joy Randolph in “The Holdovers” took leads in the Gold Derby odds in their respective categories early in the season. They both went on to pick up Golden Globe, Critics Choice, BAFTA and SAG Awards. By the time the Oscars rolled around, there was a “near zero” chance of either of them losing.
In contrast, the lead acting contests provided considerably more suspense. Bradley Cooper in “Maestro,” Paul Giamatti in “The Holdovers” and Cillian Murphy in “Oppenheimer” were all looking strong at different point in the derby, before Murphy really exploded and ultimately won the Best Actor Oscar. And Lily Gladstone in “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Emma Stone in “Poor Things” kept trading the top spot in the Best Actress odds. Gladstone finally reclaimed...
In contrast, the lead acting contests provided considerably more suspense. Bradley Cooper in “Maestro,” Paul Giamatti in “The Holdovers” and Cillian Murphy in “Oppenheimer” were all looking strong at different point in the derby, before Murphy really exploded and ultimately won the Best Actor Oscar. And Lily Gladstone in “Killers of the Flower Moon” and Emma Stone in “Poor Things” kept trading the top spot in the Best Actress odds. Gladstone finally reclaimed...
- 3/27/2024
- by Tariq Khan
- Gold Derby
Released soon after the end of the Great Depression and on the precipice of America’s entry into World War II, William Dieterle’s All That Money Can Buy is a peculiar and fascinating blend of the populist agitprop of the 1930s and the patriotic hokum that defined much of the war years.
In transposing the legend of Faust and his pact with the devil to a rousing bit of American folklore, the screenplay by Dan Totheroh and Stephen Vincent Benét presents greed as anathema to the American way of life, and in one of the few brief eras where that notion was anything short of risible. As such, rugged individualism is spurned in favor of collectivism, specifically in the exalting of the values of an agricultural grange—a communal safety net for small farmers like All That Money Can Buy’s protagonist, Jabez Stone (James Craig).
After a string of bad luck,...
In transposing the legend of Faust and his pact with the devil to a rousing bit of American folklore, the screenplay by Dan Totheroh and Stephen Vincent Benét presents greed as anathema to the American way of life, and in one of the few brief eras where that notion was anything short of risible. As such, rugged individualism is spurned in favor of collectivism, specifically in the exalting of the values of an agricultural grange—a communal safety net for small farmers like All That Money Can Buy’s protagonist, Jabez Stone (James Craig).
After a string of bad luck,...
- 3/19/2024
- by Derek Smith
- Slant Magazine
Flaming Star showcases Elvis Presley's unfulfilled acting potential under the direction of Don Siegel in a dark and violent Western film. Presley shines in this intense film, revealing Pacer's conflicted emotions and identity through expression and movement, not just words. Despite initial promise, Presley's serious acting ambitions were derailed by his manager's focus on profit over artistic quality in subsequent films.
Elvis Presley starred in 31 feature films of increasingly deteriorating quality between 1956 and 1969. Presley’s acting career concluded so disappointingly that it’s easy to forget how much promise Presley showed as an actor in the beginning phase of his acting career. The 1958 musical drama film King Creole, for which Presley received excellent reviews for his performance as a juvenile delinquent and nightclub singer who becomes embroiled in the criminal underworld of New Orleans, was directed by the estimable Michael Curtiz, whose impressive list of feature directorial credits includes The Adventures of Robin Hood,...
Elvis Presley starred in 31 feature films of increasingly deteriorating quality between 1956 and 1969. Presley’s acting career concluded so disappointingly that it’s easy to forget how much promise Presley showed as an actor in the beginning phase of his acting career. The 1958 musical drama film King Creole, for which Presley received excellent reviews for his performance as a juvenile delinquent and nightclub singer who becomes embroiled in the criminal underworld of New Orleans, was directed by the estimable Michael Curtiz, whose impressive list of feature directorial credits includes The Adventures of Robin Hood,...
- 2/25/2024
- by David Grove
- MovieWeb
Throughout the history of classic Hollywood, Henry Fonda was applicable across many genres. He thrived as a sheriff or cowboy in Westerns under the direction of either John Ford or Sergio Leone. He was the idyllic everyday individual in dramas, who expressed nobility during the Dust Bowl in The Grapes of Wrath or inside a jury deliberation room in 12 Angry Men. Most of all, Fonda carried an esteemed presence that made him perfect for playing historical icons or courageous men in stories about social issues. One might suspect that Fonda would have been too polished to effectively situate himself within the confines of an absurdist screwball comedy from a master of the genre like Preston Sturges, but one of his most charming roles, as a naive heir in The Lady Eve, shows him playing against type while also confirming his endearing screen presence.
- 2/10/2024
- by Thomas Butt
- Collider.com
Although he has personally competed for the Best Picture Oscar as a qualifying producer of just four films, Martin Scorsese is responsible for directing 10 of the top Academy Award category’s nominees, including 2024 contender “Killers of the Flower Moon.” This recent improvement upon his total makes him only the third filmmaker in Oscars history to helm a double-digit amount of Best Picture nominees. Including him, six people who were already credited with directing at least one nominee rose higher in the ranks this year.
The previous Scorsese films that vied for Best Picture are 2007 winner “The Departed” (for which he earned his sole directing trophy) and nominees “Taxi Driver” (1977), “Raging Bull” (1981), “Goodfellas” (1991), “Gangs of New York” (2003), “The Aviator” (2005), “Hugo” (2012), “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2014), and “The Irishman” (2020). Of the 10, he received producing notices for the most recent four and directing bids for all but “Taxi Driver.” The only ones who...
The previous Scorsese films that vied for Best Picture are 2007 winner “The Departed” (for which he earned his sole directing trophy) and nominees “Taxi Driver” (1977), “Raging Bull” (1981), “Goodfellas” (1991), “Gangs of New York” (2003), “The Aviator” (2005), “Hugo” (2012), “The Wolf of Wall Street” (2014), and “The Irishman” (2020). Of the 10, he received producing notices for the most recent four and directing bids for all but “Taxi Driver.” The only ones who...
- 2/9/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
John Ford holds the record for the most Best Director wins in Oscars history, with four wins. None of the Best Director nominees have enough Best Director wins to even match Ford's record at the 2024 Oscars, let alone beat it. In fact, no living director even has three wins. Martin Scorsese is the only nominee who has previously won an Oscar for Best Director, which would bring him the closest to Ford's record if he won at the 2024 Oscars.
Legendary film director John Ford set an Oscars record 71 years ago that none of the Oscars 2024 Best Director nominees can beat. After an impressive year for film in 2023, the Best Director category at the 2024 Oscars is stacked with some very talented filmmakers. The list includes first-time Oscar nominees, Justine Triet and Jonathan Glazer, and previous Oscar nominees, Christopher Nolan and Yorgos Lanthimos. The last slot belongs to Martin Scorsese, whose...
Legendary film director John Ford set an Oscars record 71 years ago that none of the Oscars 2024 Best Director nominees can beat. After an impressive year for film in 2023, the Best Director category at the 2024 Oscars is stacked with some very talented filmmakers. The list includes first-time Oscar nominees, Justine Triet and Jonathan Glazer, and previous Oscar nominees, Christopher Nolan and Yorgos Lanthimos. The last slot belongs to Martin Scorsese, whose...
- 2/8/2024
- by Lynn Sharpe
- ScreenRant.com
By racking up three Best Actress Oscar notices between the ages of 26 and 32, previous teenage supporting nominee Jodie Foster proved it possible to earn academy recognition more than twice during adulthood after initially charming them as a child. Now, nearly three decades later, she has improved upon that distinction by landing her fifth career bid for “Nyad,” thus entering the Best Supporting Actress arena for the first time as an adult. Since her two featured bids are separated by 47 years, she now holds the record for longest span between consecutive Oscar nominations in a single acting category.
Foster, who first caught the academy’s attention at 14, belongs to the 18% minority of child nominees who went on to contend as adults. She was preceded in that regard by 17-year-old “Rebel Without a Cause” (1956) cast mates Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood and has only been followed by Saoirse Ronan, who competed for...
Foster, who first caught the academy’s attention at 14, belongs to the 18% minority of child nominees who went on to contend as adults. She was preceded in that regard by 17-year-old “Rebel Without a Cause” (1956) cast mates Sal Mineo and Natalie Wood and has only been followed by Saoirse Ronan, who competed for...
- 2/2/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
John Ford is the four-time Oscar-winning director who made over 140 films in his long career, spanning the silent era through the 1960s. Yet how many of those titles are classics? Let’s take a look back at 20 of Ford’s greatest movies, ranked worst to best.
To this day, Ford holds the all-time Oscar record for Best Director victories with four: “The Informer” (1935), “The Grapes of Wrath” (1940), “How Green Was My Valley” (1941), and “The Quiet Man” (1952). Of those, only “How Green Was My Valley” also won Best Picture (Ford also competed as a producer on “The Quiet Man.”).
Interestingly enough, the one Best Director nomination he lost was for the film that had perhaps the most profound impact on his career: “Stagecoach” (1939). The first of many westerns Ford shot in his beloved Monument Valley, it was also the beginning of a long and iconic career with leading man John Wayne,...
To this day, Ford holds the all-time Oscar record for Best Director victories with four: “The Informer” (1935), “The Grapes of Wrath” (1940), “How Green Was My Valley” (1941), and “The Quiet Man” (1952). Of those, only “How Green Was My Valley” also won Best Picture (Ford also competed as a producer on “The Quiet Man.”).
Interestingly enough, the one Best Director nomination he lost was for the film that had perhaps the most profound impact on his career: “Stagecoach” (1939). The first of many westerns Ford shot in his beloved Monument Valley, it was also the beginning of a long and iconic career with leading man John Wayne,...
- 1/26/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
In the upcoming Season 4 episode of “1000-Lb. Sisters,” titled “Supersized: The Grapes of Wrath,” set to air on TLC at 8:00 Pm on Tuesday, 9 January 2024, viewers are in for a compelling continuation of the Slaton sisters’ health journey. With bonus scenes providing additional insights, the episode promises significant developments for Amanda and Misty as they receive big news and take a major step in their ongoing quest for better health.
Simultaneously, Amy and Tammy find a way to blow off some steam, providing viewers with moments of lightheartedness amid their weight loss challenges. However, the narrative takes a serious turn for Amy when she receives devastating news from her lawyer, sending her reeling and adding emotional depth to the episode.
“1000-Lb. Sisters” Season 4 Episode, “Supersized: The Grapes of Wrath,” guarantees an evening of emotional highs and lows as the sisters navigate personal milestones and face unforeseen challenges on their transformative health journey.
Simultaneously, Amy and Tammy find a way to blow off some steam, providing viewers with moments of lightheartedness amid their weight loss challenges. However, the narrative takes a serious turn for Amy when she receives devastating news from her lawyer, sending her reeling and adding emotional depth to the episode.
“1000-Lb. Sisters” Season 4 Episode, “Supersized: The Grapes of Wrath,” guarantees an evening of emotional highs and lows as the sisters navigate personal milestones and face unforeseen challenges on their transformative health journey.
- 1/2/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
Henry Fonda is a Hollywood titan who breathed life into over 70 movie characters in his career of more than five decades. He collaborated with some of the greatest filmmakers to ever tread the streets of cinema, including John Ford, Sergio Leone, Alfred Hitchcock, and Mark Rydell, among others. With John Ford, he made nine movies, among them 1946's My Darling Clementine, and most notably, his 1940 novel adaptation The Grapes of Wrath, for which he earned an Academy Award nomination. In the film, Fonda plays a frontman for the Toad family as it migrates from Oklahoma to California for a better life during the Great Depression. Not surprisingly, The Grapes of Wrath makes it into Fonda's favorite films, in second place. Fonda is also fond of the 1943 psychological Western The Ox-Bow Incident, in which he watches helplessly as three accused people are executed by a mob without a fair trial. Fonda's favorite film,...
- 12/30/2023
- by Namwene Mukabwa
- Collider.com
Prepare for an emotional rollercoaster in the upcoming episode of “1000-Lb. Sisters,” Season 5 Episode 4, titled “The Grapes of Wrath.” Airing on TLC at 9:00 Pm on Tuesday, January 2, 2024, the episode promises significant developments in the health journeys of Amanda and Misty.
In “The Grapes of Wrath,” Amanda and Misty receive life-changing news and take a monumental step forward in their pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. Meanwhile, Amy and Tammy find a way to blow off some steam, but the tension escalates when Amy receives devastating news from her lawyer, leaving her in a state of shock.
As the sisters navigate the challenges and triumphs of their weight loss journeys, viewers can expect a poignant and impactful episode that delves into the highs and lows of their experiences. Tune in for an unfiltered look at the realities these women face as they strive for healthier and happier lives.
Release Date & Time:...
In “The Grapes of Wrath,” Amanda and Misty receive life-changing news and take a monumental step forward in their pursuit of a healthier lifestyle. Meanwhile, Amy and Tammy find a way to blow off some steam, but the tension escalates when Amy receives devastating news from her lawyer, leaving her in a state of shock.
As the sisters navigate the challenges and triumphs of their weight loss journeys, viewers can expect a poignant and impactful episode that delves into the highs and lows of their experiences. Tune in for an unfiltered look at the realities these women face as they strive for healthier and happier lives.
Release Date & Time:...
- 12/26/2023
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
Married to Medicine is ramping up the Season 10 drama as Bravo unveils the midseason supertease chronicling what’s to come as Episode 7, “The Grapes of Wrath” arrives Sunday, December 17, at 9 pm Et/Pt. As previously teased by the network, the women, including — Toya Bush-Harris, Phaedra Parks, Lateasha Mayo, Dr. Simone Whitmore, Dr. Jacqueline “Jackie” Walters, Dr. Heavenly Kimes, and Quad Webb — are serving Season 10 realness as they look to make a fresh start with new friendship dynamics. That effort continues in the teaser, above, with old rivalries being put to rest. But that doesn’t mean things are tension-free among the group. (Credit: Phylicia J. L. Munn/Bravo) In the latest episode, a heart-wrenching night rehashing the past and the breakdown of their friendship with Quad leads the women to make a difficult decision about Quad’s future in the group. Meanwhile, Jackie is getting support from the White House...
- 12/14/2023
- TV Insider
This Sunday at 9:00 Pm, get ready for a riveting episode of “Married to Medicine” with Season 10, Episode 7 titled “The Grapes of Wrath.” The ladies are faced with a tough decision regarding Quad’s place within the group, promising drama and emotional moments as they navigate these complex relationships.
In this episode, Jackie receives unexpected support from the White House for her campaign against infant mortality, adding a powerful and meaningful layer to her advocacy work. Meanwhile, Toya takes a bold step forward in her entrepreneurial journey with a crucial meeting for her wine business, setting the stage for potential triumphs and challenges.
For fans of the series and those intrigued by the intricate dynamics of friendship and business within the medical community, “The Grapes of Wrath” is a must-watch. Tune in to Bravo at 9:00 Pm this Sunday for a captivating installment that promises both emotional depth and entrepreneurial intrigue.
In this episode, Jackie receives unexpected support from the White House for her campaign against infant mortality, adding a powerful and meaningful layer to her advocacy work. Meanwhile, Toya takes a bold step forward in her entrepreneurial journey with a crucial meeting for her wine business, setting the stage for potential triumphs and challenges.
For fans of the series and those intrigued by the intricate dynamics of friendship and business within the medical community, “The Grapes of Wrath” is a must-watch. Tune in to Bravo at 9:00 Pm this Sunday for a captivating installment that promises both emotional depth and entrepreneurial intrigue.
- 12/10/2023
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
John Ford was a legendary filmmaker and Hollywood icon who directed some of the greatest movies of all time including The Searchers, The Grapes of Wrath, and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. He was known for his on-location productions, natural backdrop, and wide camera shots that made him one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation. Born John Martin Feeny in Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Ford started out in show business appearing in his older brother, Francis', films and eventually realized that he had a talent behind the camera.
- 12/8/2023
- by Andrea Ciriaco
- Collider.com
John Ford holds the record for the most Best Director Oscar wins with four, a milestone that no current director has come close to achieving. Filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, Alfonso Cuarón, Ang Lee, and Clint Eastwood, who have two Best Director wins, would need two more to equal Ford's record and three to surpass it. Despite the larger pool of filmmakers in the modern industry, John Ford's record remains impressive and unlikely to be broken in the near future.
John Ford made history at the Academy Awards 71 years ago by the filmmaker holding a certain record, one that will likely not be eclipsed in the near future. Since 1929, the Academy Awards - more commonly known as Oscars - have been the barometer for success in the film industry. Oftentimes during Oscar season, studios build up a release slate consisting of movies that should get nominated for Oscars. This will...
John Ford made history at the Academy Awards 71 years ago by the filmmaker holding a certain record, one that will likely not be eclipsed in the near future. Since 1929, the Academy Awards - more commonly known as Oscars - have been the barometer for success in the film industry. Oftentimes during Oscar season, studios build up a release slate consisting of movies that should get nominated for Oscars. This will...
- 12/8/2023
- by Lewis Glazebrook
- ScreenRant.com
Screen Rant compiled a list of the best movies of all time, based on critical scores and audience opinions. The list includes a diverse range of films, from classic dramas like The Grapes of Wrath to animated favorites like Ratatouille. These movies are highly acclaimed for their storytelling, performances, and significant contributions to cinema history.
Here are the Best Movies of all time, as evaluated by Screen Rant. Covering Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth to Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller Rear Window, with cartoon rats, gangsters and superheroes in between, it’s the perfect list for emerging cinephiles or checking off essential watches.
Deciding the best movies ever takes a balance of objective and subjective preference, which can differ for industry professionals and general viewers. Something as important as the greatest movies of all time requires some advanced thinking, beyond the opinion of a single writer. With that in mind,...
Here are the Best Movies of all time, as evaluated by Screen Rant. Covering Guillermo del Toro’s Pan’s Labyrinth to Alfred Hitchcock’s classic thriller Rear Window, with cartoon rats, gangsters and superheroes in between, it’s the perfect list for emerging cinephiles or checking off essential watches.
Deciding the best movies ever takes a balance of objective and subjective preference, which can differ for industry professionals and general viewers. Something as important as the greatest movies of all time requires some advanced thinking, beyond the opinion of a single writer. With that in mind,...
- 12/1/2023
- by Colin McCormick, Jordan Williams
- ScreenRant.com
In the four years since the Walt Disney Company bought 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight, the core studio — now known as 20th Century Studios — has become for the most part a content mill for its streaming services.
Some key IP — like next summer’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” — are still deemed worthy of theaters but most 20th Century Studios films, like the true-crime thriller “Boston Strangler” and “Vacation Friends 2,” are streaming-bound.
Insiders differ on whether this is a temporary situation caused by Covid variables, a Wall Street-driven rush to streaming and an uncertain theatrical marketplace playing their parts. Will the formally theatrically-focused powerhouse fade into Disney-backed irrelevancy or might an improved theatrical marketplace offer the former titan a chance to be more than just a streaming supply arm for the Walt Disney Company?
In March of 2019, the Walt Disney Company paid $71 billion for Fox Studios.
Some key IP — like next summer’s “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” — are still deemed worthy of theaters but most 20th Century Studios films, like the true-crime thriller “Boston Strangler” and “Vacation Friends 2,” are streaming-bound.
Insiders differ on whether this is a temporary situation caused by Covid variables, a Wall Street-driven rush to streaming and an uncertain theatrical marketplace playing their parts. Will the formally theatrically-focused powerhouse fade into Disney-backed irrelevancy or might an improved theatrical marketplace offer the former titan a chance to be more than just a streaming supply arm for the Walt Disney Company?
In March of 2019, the Walt Disney Company paid $71 billion for Fox Studios.
- 9/29/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Martin Scorsese is one of the greatest movie makers of all time, with titles such as “Taxi Driver,” “Raging Bull,” “Goodfellas,” and “The Irishman.” The Academy Awards think that highly of him, too. Scorsese has reaped nine Best Director nominations. That tally ties him with Steven Spielberg. Here’s the breakdown of Best Director bids for both of them:
Scorsese:
“Raging Bull” in 1981 — lost to Robert Redford for “Ordinary People.” “The Last Temptation of Christ” in 1989 — lost to Barry Levinson for “Rain Man.” “Goodfellas” in 1991 — lost to Kevin Costner for “Dances With Wolves.” “Gangs of New York” in 2003 — lost to Roman Polanski for “The Pianist.” “The Aviator” in 2005 — lost to Clint Eastwood for “Million Dollar Baby.” “The Departed” in 2007 — Won. “Hugo” in 2012 — lost to Michel Hazanavicius for “The Artist.” “The Wolf of Wall Street” in 2014 — lost to Alfonso Cuarón for “Gravity.” “The Irishman” in 2020 — lost to Bong Joon Ho for “Parasite.
Scorsese:
“Raging Bull” in 1981 — lost to Robert Redford for “Ordinary People.” “The Last Temptation of Christ” in 1989 — lost to Barry Levinson for “Rain Man.” “Goodfellas” in 1991 — lost to Kevin Costner for “Dances With Wolves.” “Gangs of New York” in 2003 — lost to Roman Polanski for “The Pianist.” “The Aviator” in 2005 — lost to Clint Eastwood for “Million Dollar Baby.” “The Departed” in 2007 — Won. “Hugo” in 2012 — lost to Michel Hazanavicius for “The Artist.” “The Wolf of Wall Street” in 2014 — lost to Alfonso Cuarón for “Gravity.” “The Irishman” in 2020 — lost to Bong Joon Ho for “Parasite.
- 9/13/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Movies have the potential to elicit a wide range of emotions and can affect billions of people due to their accessibility and universal appeal. Emotionality in movies has evolved over time with advancements in technology and storytelling techniques, allowing for deeper and more impactful portrayals of human feelings. Many movies, such as "Grave of the Fireflies," "Petite Maman," and "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas," have the power to move audiences to tears with their poignant and heartbreaking stories.
Movies are not a unique art form in that they can elicit many kinds of emotion from those that consume them. Multiple mediums are capable of doing this. What is special about cinema, however, is that it is so accessible and almost universally beloved. That gives it the potential to affect and move billions of people, and it has done so for over a hundred years, showing no sign of relenting in the 21st century.
Movies are not a unique art form in that they can elicit many kinds of emotion from those that consume them. Multiple mediums are capable of doing this. What is special about cinema, however, is that it is so accessible and almost universally beloved. That gives it the potential to affect and move billions of people, and it has done so for over a hundred years, showing no sign of relenting in the 21st century.
- 8/20/2023
- by Dan Loveday
- ScreenRant.com
Wes Craven’s controversial debut film, The Last House on the Left, was a visceral shock to 1970s moviegoers unaccustomed to extreme violence on film. Despite a bevy of negative reviews and audience protests, the film was a financial success, pulling in over $2 million against a $90,000 budget.
When the time came for Craven’s next feature, his reputation as a horror director preceded him: the only producers offering him money wanted a horror film, despite the director’s desire to explore outside the genre. Producer Peter Locke requested something like Last House, to which Craven sought out stories of human depravity. He eventually came across the Scottish legend of Sawney Bean and his cannibalistic clan of incestuous offspring.
Inspired just as much by the legend itself as the dispassionate inhumanity of its end, Craven set to work on his sophomore film The Hills Have Eyes. Set in the Nevada Desert,...
When the time came for Craven’s next feature, his reputation as a horror director preceded him: the only producers offering him money wanted a horror film, despite the director’s desire to explore outside the genre. Producer Peter Locke requested something like Last House, to which Craven sought out stories of human depravity. He eventually came across the Scottish legend of Sawney Bean and his cannibalistic clan of incestuous offspring.
Inspired just as much by the legend itself as the dispassionate inhumanity of its end, Craven set to work on his sophomore film The Hills Have Eyes. Set in the Nevada Desert,...
- 8/11/2023
- by Zoe Dumas
- MovieWeb
“How did I become Tom Joad? I used to write for a living.”
Tom Joad was the hapless farmer in The Grapes of Wrath who fled the Dust Bowl to find a better life in California. The man who cited him this week is a successful screenwriter who’s been walking the picket line and asked that I not use his name.
While the cast of pickets might not mirror John Steinbeck’s characters in his great novel, still “the rhetoric of this strike has taken on a ‘rich against the poor’ obsession,” in the words of one studio CEO.
The bargaining jargon once focused on residuals, but now it’s about “land barons” and “tone-deaf greedy bosses” (the words of SAG-AFTRA’s Fran Drescher). Little wonder polling shows only 7% of the public siding with the “bosses.” The “class warfare” has passed the 100-day mark, with L.A. city workers joining in Tuesday.
Tom Joad was the hapless farmer in The Grapes of Wrath who fled the Dust Bowl to find a better life in California. The man who cited him this week is a successful screenwriter who’s been walking the picket line and asked that I not use his name.
While the cast of pickets might not mirror John Steinbeck’s characters in his great novel, still “the rhetoric of this strike has taken on a ‘rich against the poor’ obsession,” in the words of one studio CEO.
The bargaining jargon once focused on residuals, but now it’s about “land barons” and “tone-deaf greedy bosses” (the words of SAG-AFTRA’s Fran Drescher). Little wonder polling shows only 7% of the public siding with the “bosses.” The “class warfare” has passed the 100-day mark, with L.A. city workers joining in Tuesday.
- 8/10/2023
- by Peter Bart
- Deadline Film + TV
Lennie's size is downplayed in the Of Mice and Men film, relying more on Malkovich's performance to convey his isolation and loneliness. The Of Mice and Men film focuses on Lennie's intellectual disability rather than his mental illness, forgoing hallucinations like Aunt Clara and the rabbit featured in the book. The character of Curley's wife is portrayed as more sympathetic in the film, making her death appear more tragic and less deserving.
One of the great American classics, Of Mice and Men, was turned into a 1992 feature film starring John Malkovich and Gary Sinese, but there are several Of Mice and Men differences between the film and book. John Steinbeck is one of the greatest American writers to have set pen to paper. His novels shine a light on the realities of the American experience and stands as some of the classics of literature, with books such as The Grapes of Wrath,...
One of the great American classics, Of Mice and Men, was turned into a 1992 feature film starring John Malkovich and Gary Sinese, but there are several Of Mice and Men differences between the film and book. John Steinbeck is one of the greatest American writers to have set pen to paper. His novels shine a light on the realities of the American experience and stands as some of the classics of literature, with books such as The Grapes of Wrath,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Thomas West
- ScreenRant.com
Some actors and actresses are able to break free from their typecasted roles and deliver exceptional performances as villains, showcasing their range and talent. In some cases, audiences and producers pressure actors to revert back to their typecasted roles, despite their success in playing against type. However, some actors continue to explore new dramatic avenues and challenge themselves. These actors and actresses who have played villains have left a lasting impact with their performances, sometimes overturning audience expectations and solidifying their status as versatile performers.
Hollywood typecasting can be a curse for many "good guy" actors and actresses, but some have managed to escape their pigeonholes with acclaimed performances as villains. It’s a rare thing, especially for performers who are so comfortable with and accustomed to playing heroes, bleeding hearts, or softies. Still, sometimes an actor will be offered the chance to flex their theatrical muscles and try something new.
Hollywood typecasting can be a curse for many "good guy" actors and actresses, but some have managed to escape their pigeonholes with acclaimed performances as villains. It’s a rare thing, especially for performers who are so comfortable with and accustomed to playing heroes, bleeding hearts, or softies. Still, sometimes an actor will be offered the chance to flex their theatrical muscles and try something new.
- 8/4/2023
- by Dan Loveday
- ScreenRant.com
The episode of Wtf Really Happened to This Horror Movie covering The Hills Have Eyes was Written and Narrated by Andrew Hatfield, Edited by Mike Conway, Produced by Lance Vlcek and John Fallon, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
“We’re gonna be French fries! Human French fries!”
We’ve talked about the loose definition of based on a true story but what happen when what the movie is based on may not even be entirely factual. This is can happen with movies like The Possession which was based on an internet article that someone fleshed out into a story when they thought the thing they bought was cool. Other times a movie can be merely inspired by an event even when they don’t credit that event in the film’s credits. Think A Nightmare On Elm Street. Wes Craven read articles about a bunch of people dying in...
“We’re gonna be French fries! Human French fries!”
We’ve talked about the loose definition of based on a true story but what happen when what the movie is based on may not even be entirely factual. This is can happen with movies like The Possession which was based on an internet article that someone fleshed out into a story when they thought the thing they bought was cool. Other times a movie can be merely inspired by an event even when they don’t credit that event in the film’s credits. Think A Nightmare On Elm Street. Wes Craven read articles about a bunch of people dying in...
- 7/27/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
“Now I’m through with land and the land’s through with me,” says world-weary mariner Donkeyman (Arthur Shields) in The Long Voyage Home, succinctly expressing the dichotomy that runs through John Ford’s 1940 drama. Adapted by Dudley Nichols from four of Eugene O’Neill’s one-act plays, the film is deeply concerned with the threshold between land and sea.
Even when in port, the men working on the SS Glencairn are largely confined to the British cargo ship, and for logical reasons, such as police and military restrictions during wartime. Yet, through the aura of despondence and alienation so strongly established by Gregg Toland’s almost spectral cinematography, the men’s entrapment takes on a metaphysical significance not unlike that of the bourgeois individuals unable to exit the dining room in Luis Buñuel’s The Exterminating Angel.
For all the isolation and deprivation endured by the sailors, The Long Voyage Home is,...
Even when in port, the men working on the SS Glencairn are largely confined to the British cargo ship, and for logical reasons, such as police and military restrictions during wartime. Yet, through the aura of despondence and alienation so strongly established by Gregg Toland’s almost spectral cinematography, the men’s entrapment takes on a metaphysical significance not unlike that of the bourgeois individuals unable to exit the dining room in Luis Buñuel’s The Exterminating Angel.
For all the isolation and deprivation endured by the sailors, The Long Voyage Home is,...
- 7/11/2023
- by Derek Smith
- Slant Magazine
(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we look at Oscars categories from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winners stand the test of time.)
When we think of great Hollywood directors, we think of names like John Ford, Frank Capra, Billy Wilder, and moving on up to the likes of Steven Spielberg. These are filmmakers who not only had strong artistic and creative instincts and abilities, but they also knew how to translate those skills into making films that appealed to gigantic mass audiences. They made the films that Hollywood always strives to make.
Unquestionably, another filmmaker who belongs on that list is Alfred Hitchcock, the so-dubbed "Master of Suspense." That moniker suits him perfectly, as he was able to craft some of the most tense pictures ever produced in Hollywood. He perfectly understood set-up and payoff. He knew how to ride the line between euphemism and explicitness,...
When we think of great Hollywood directors, we think of names like John Ford, Frank Capra, Billy Wilder, and moving on up to the likes of Steven Spielberg. These are filmmakers who not only had strong artistic and creative instincts and abilities, but they also knew how to translate those skills into making films that appealed to gigantic mass audiences. They made the films that Hollywood always strives to make.
Unquestionably, another filmmaker who belongs on that list is Alfred Hitchcock, the so-dubbed "Master of Suspense." That moniker suits him perfectly, as he was able to craft some of the most tense pictures ever produced in Hollywood. He perfectly understood set-up and payoff. He knew how to ride the line between euphemism and explicitness,...
- 5/28/2023
- by Mike Shutt
- Slash Film
John Ford is best known for directing some of the most iconic Westerns of the mid-twentieth century. From Stagecoach to The Searchers to How The West Was Won to his Calvary trilogy and more, Ford's filmography is largely a list of gun-slinging, horse-racing, desert-dwelling American movies that defined a generation. That being noted, with a career spanning six decades and over a hundred films, John Ford made more than a few movies that fell outside of the Western genre, including literary adaptations like The Grapes of Wrath, military documentaries like The Battle of Midway, political dramas like Young Mr. Lincoln and The Last Hurrah, and one dark melodrama that toes the line of expressionism, experimentalism, and at times, the avant-garde.
- 5/20/2023
- by Andrew McGowan
- Collider.com
How would you like to spend a special Mother’s Day with your Mom? Here’s a suggestion — why not sit down for a couple of hours and watch one of these movies that’s all about mothers, both terrific and horrible? Our ranked photo gallery above includes many fine suggestions, all of which feature an Oscar-winning performance by an actress who plays a mother where that role was pivotal to the plot.
SEEOscar Best Actress Gallery: Every Winner in Academy Award History
Though there are thousands of films in which one character happens to be a mother, you won’t find them all on this list. Besides the fact that these 18 films contain a maternal performance that won an Academy Award, they show a wide array of what it means to be a mother. There’s the courageous mother, the inspirational mom, the loving mother and even the monstrous mother.
SEEOscar Best Actress Gallery: Every Winner in Academy Award History
Though there are thousands of films in which one character happens to be a mother, you won’t find them all on this list. Besides the fact that these 18 films contain a maternal performance that won an Academy Award, they show a wide array of what it means to be a mother. There’s the courageous mother, the inspirational mom, the loving mother and even the monstrous mother.
- 5/13/2023
- by Tom O'Brien and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Receiving one coveted 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes is a massive achievement in itself, with two actors being tied for having the most entries in the 100% club. Unsurprisingly, due to their influence on cinema, many of the films on Rotten Tomatoes with a Fresh 100% rating are considered classics, which means most of the actors with the highest number of 100% critic scores were at their height in the golden age of Hollywood. Many actors whose movies boast multiple 100% Rotten Tomatoes scores are also Oscar winners, suggesting their screen presence influences the films’ continued acclaim.
Beginning with 1920’s The Golem as the oldest movie with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, an increasing number of films have joined the desired list over the years, with the prospect of achieving a 100% score shockingly being easier to attain than a 0% score. Hollywood legends like Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland, Henry Fonda, and James Stewart boast between nine and 11 Fresh 100% scores each,...
Beginning with 1920’s The Golem as the oldest movie with a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, an increasing number of films have joined the desired list over the years, with the prospect of achieving a 100% score shockingly being easier to attain than a 0% score. Hollywood legends like Humphrey Bogart, Judy Garland, Henry Fonda, and James Stewart boast between nine and 11 Fresh 100% scores each,...
- 4/9/2023
- by Jordan Williams
- ScreenRant.com
Award-winning Catalan peach farm drama Alcarràs joins an impressive crop of movies about living off the land, from Minari and The Grapes of Wrath to Babe
We’re officially into spring now, a time when even lifelong city-dwellers like me start entertaining bucolic thoughts. Pleasing as it is to see daffodils blooming in a London park, the seasonal rewards of new life and renewed warmth are always best illustrated in a farming environment.
Which isn’t to over-romanticise the farming world: Spanish director Carla Simón’s lovely Alcarràs (2022; now streaming on Mubi and coming to DVD on Monday) certainly doesn’t. Earthy and angry, this portrait of a Catalan peach-farming family being forced off the land they’ve held for generations captures the occasional, elemental rewards of agricultural life, but also its punishing grind – and thus fits into a rich tradition of films where the dramatic stakes, tensions and catharses...
We’re officially into spring now, a time when even lifelong city-dwellers like me start entertaining bucolic thoughts. Pleasing as it is to see daffodils blooming in a London park, the seasonal rewards of new life and renewed warmth are always best illustrated in a farming environment.
Which isn’t to over-romanticise the farming world: Spanish director Carla Simón’s lovely Alcarràs (2022; now streaming on Mubi and coming to DVD on Monday) certainly doesn’t. Earthy and angry, this portrait of a Catalan peach-farming family being forced off the land they’ve held for generations captures the occasional, elemental rewards of agricultural life, but also its punishing grind – and thus fits into a rich tradition of films where the dramatic stakes, tensions and catharses...
- 3/25/2023
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
Republic Pictures, an historic movie label founded in 1935 and shuttered in 1967, has been revived by parent company Paramount Global. The banner will function as an acquisitions play, releasing titles acquired by Paramount Global Content Distribution.
“We’ve chosen to revitalize the Republic banner given its storied history of delivering popular movies to a global audience,” said Dan Cohen, Paramount chief content licensing officer and newly named president of Republic Pictures. “With our best-in-class global distribution teams working to identify the best homes around the world, we aim to continue that legacy by offering audiences great entertainment across all genres.”
Two films have already been set as Republic Pictures releases. The first is “Winter Spring Summer of Fall,” the feature directorial debut of Tiffany Paulsen. It will star “Scream VI” and “Wednesday” supernova Jenna Ortega and Percy Hines White as two teens who fall in love over four days spread out across the calendar year.
“We’ve chosen to revitalize the Republic banner given its storied history of delivering popular movies to a global audience,” said Dan Cohen, Paramount chief content licensing officer and newly named president of Republic Pictures. “With our best-in-class global distribution teams working to identify the best homes around the world, we aim to continue that legacy by offering audiences great entertainment across all genres.”
Two films have already been set as Republic Pictures releases. The first is “Winter Spring Summer of Fall,” the feature directorial debut of Tiffany Paulsen. It will star “Scream VI” and “Wednesday” supernova Jenna Ortega and Percy Hines White as two teens who fall in love over four days spread out across the calendar year.
- 3/24/2023
- by Matt Donnelly
- Variety Film + TV
The 2023 Oscar nominees for Best Supporting Actor are Brendan Gleeson (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), Brian Tyree Henry (“Causeway”), Judd Hirsch (“The Fabelmans”), Barry Keoghan (“The Banshees of Inisherin”), and Ke Huy Quan (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”). Our odds currently show Quan (31/10) triumphing, followed in order of likelihood by Gleeson (4/1), Keoghan (4/1), Hirsch (9/2), and Henry (9/2).
Hirsch is the only returning nominee among the five, as he was previously recognized for his featured turn in “Ordinary People” in 1981. He is the 74th man to earn at least two supporting notices and the sixth to be added to that list in the last five years after Mahershala Ali, Sam Rockwell, Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt, and J. K. Simmons. The 42-year gap between his first and second bids is the largest for any performer across any of the lead or supporting categories. The previous record holder was Henry Fonda, who won Best Actor for...
Hirsch is the only returning nominee among the five, as he was previously recognized for his featured turn in “Ordinary People” in 1981. He is the 74th man to earn at least two supporting notices and the sixth to be added to that list in the last five years after Mahershala Ali, Sam Rockwell, Anthony Hopkins, Brad Pitt, and J. K. Simmons. The 42-year gap between his first and second bids is the largest for any performer across any of the lead or supporting categories. The previous record holder was Henry Fonda, who won Best Actor for...
- 3/10/2023
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Henry Fonda was one of the acting greats during the Golden Age of Hollywood. His career spanned five decades in film and on Broadway. And he starred in a number of projects that today are considered classics. The father to Peter and Jane Fonda was not always personally liked, but was revered for his talent onscreen nonetheless.
Fonda broke into the movie industry in the 1930s. He enjoyed a storied career that earned him Oscars, a Grammy, a Tony, and multiple Emmy nominations. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, 124 credits to his name, and earnings from his acting that even today is considered a fortune.
Henry Fonda was a revered actor in Hollywood and on Broadway Henry Fonda in 1979 | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Fonda’s earliest career aspirations were to become a journalist, according to IMDb. But he ultimately made...
Fonda broke into the movie industry in the 1930s. He enjoyed a storied career that earned him Oscars, a Grammy, a Tony, and multiple Emmy nominations. He has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, 124 credits to his name, and earnings from his acting that even today is considered a fortune.
Henry Fonda was a revered actor in Hollywood and on Broadway Henry Fonda in 1979 | ABC Photo Archives/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images
Fonda’s earliest career aspirations were to become a journalist, according to IMDb. But he ultimately made...
- 2/20/2023
- by Nikelle Murphy
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Henry Fonda was one of the most famous actors of the last century, with a career that spanned the ’20s to the ’80s. People around the world loved his work, but Fonda wasn’t always welcoming to fans. In a recent interview, his daughter, Jane Fonda, revealed his true feelings about his supporters.
Henry Fonda’s career as an actor spanned 60 years
The elder Fonda began acting when he was 20 years old, appearing in local theater shows. In 1935, he headed to Hollywood and soon became a star, appearing in movies like You Only Live Once, Jezebel, The Grapes of Wrath, and The Lady Eve.
He enlisted in the Navy during WWII and, after returning, took a break from acting. Fonda returned in the late 40s and never stopped working afterward. Some of his biggest acting credits include 12 Angry Men, Once Upon a Time in the West, On Golden Pond,...
Henry Fonda’s career as an actor spanned 60 years
The elder Fonda began acting when he was 20 years old, appearing in local theater shows. In 1935, he headed to Hollywood and soon became a star, appearing in movies like You Only Live Once, Jezebel, The Grapes of Wrath, and The Lady Eve.
He enlisted in the Navy during WWII and, after returning, took a break from acting. Fonda returned in the late 40s and never stopped working afterward. Some of his biggest acting credits include 12 Angry Men, Once Upon a Time in the West, On Golden Pond,...
- 2/18/2023
- by India McCarty
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Jane Fonda has opened up about her feelings on death, saying she is “not scared” of it.
She also recalled “forgiving” her father, Henry Fonda, before he died in 1982.
The Hollywood star’s father was 31 when she was born in 1937, and was on his way to becoming one of the most famous actors in the world.
Soon after she was born, Henry starred in Jezebel (1938), Young Mr Lincoln (1939), The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and The Lady Eve (1941).
Over the years, Fonda, 85, has been open about the strained relationship she had with her father, which improved towards the end of his life.
Their story was echoed in 1980 film On Golden Pond, the rights to which Fonda bought in the hopes that her dad would star alongside her.
He did so, and the film became a huge box office success and received 10 Oscar nominations.
Fonda described it as “a gift to my father that was so unbelievably successful.
She also recalled “forgiving” her father, Henry Fonda, before he died in 1982.
The Hollywood star’s father was 31 when she was born in 1937, and was on his way to becoming one of the most famous actors in the world.
Soon after she was born, Henry starred in Jezebel (1938), Young Mr Lincoln (1939), The Grapes of Wrath (1940) and The Lady Eve (1941).
Over the years, Fonda, 85, has been open about the strained relationship she had with her father, which improved towards the end of his life.
Their story was echoed in 1980 film On Golden Pond, the rights to which Fonda bought in the hopes that her dad would star alongside her.
He did so, and the film became a huge box office success and received 10 Oscar nominations.
Fonda described it as “a gift to my father that was so unbelievably successful.
- 2/17/2023
- by Jacob Stolworthy
- The Independent - Film
The legendary RZA joins hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss a few of his favorite movies.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Man With The Iron Fists (2012)
Cut Throat City (2020)
Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)
Cooley High (1975) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Car Wash (1976) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Grease (1978)
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Tfh’s Mogwai Madness
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) – Dennis Cozzalio’s best of 2020
The Devil You Know (2022)
The Last American Virgin (1982)
The Beastmaster (1982)
Porky’s (1981)
Sixteen Candles (1984)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Carmen Jones (1954)
An American In Paris (1951)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
The Wizard Of Oz (1939) – John Badham’s trailer commentary
Is That Black Enough for You?!?...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
The Man With The Iron Fists (2012)
Cut Throat City (2020)
Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)
Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)
Cooley High (1975) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Car Wash (1976) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary
Grease (1978)
Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary
Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Tfh’s Mogwai Madness
Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) – Dennis Cozzalio’s best of 2020
The Devil You Know (2022)
The Last American Virgin (1982)
The Beastmaster (1982)
Porky’s (1981)
Sixteen Candles (1984)
The Breakfast Club (1985)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
There Will Be Blood (2007)
Carmen Jones (1954)
An American In Paris (1951)
Singin’ In The Rain (1952) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
The Wizard Of Oz (1939) – John Badham’s trailer commentary
Is That Black Enough for You?!?...
- 2/14/2023
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Before Bob Dylan settled in New York to establish himself as a musician, he traveled to Denver. He’d heard about the thriving folk scene in the city and wanted a chance to make a name for himself. He didn’t have nearly as much success here as he did in Greenwich Village, though. He found audiences unwilling to listen to him, and he struggled to make money. Finally, he resorted to theft, which landed him in trouble.
Bob Dylan | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Bob Dylan traveled to Denver after hearing about the city’s folk scene
In the summer of 1960, Dylan hitchhiked from Minnesota to Denver, Colorado. A friend told him the city had a strong music scene, so Dylan traveled west. His friend told him to look out for a man named Walt Conley, a singer and manager of a local club.
Bob Dylan | Sigmund Goode/Michael Ochs...
Bob Dylan | Bettmann/Contributor via Getty Bob Dylan traveled to Denver after hearing about the city’s folk scene
In the summer of 1960, Dylan hitchhiked from Minnesota to Denver, Colorado. A friend told him the city had a strong music scene, so Dylan traveled west. His friend told him to look out for a man named Walt Conley, a singer and manager of a local club.
Bob Dylan | Sigmund Goode/Michael Ochs...
- 2/12/2023
- by Emma McKee
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
It’s great to be Cate. When “Tar” was announced as one of the 2023 Oscar nominees for Best Picture on January 24, it secured Cate Blanchett a record 10th appearance in movies nominated for the Oscars’ top prize. That ties Blanchett with Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson for having appeared in the second-most Best Picture nominees in history behind only Robert De Niro, who has been credited with starring in 11 Best Picture nominees.
The caveat: Actor Ward Bond appeared in 13 films that were nominated for Best Picture, but he was uncredited as a performer in a number of the projects. His roster of Best Picture nominees, however, included “Arrowsmith” (1931/32), “Lady for a Day” (1933), “It Happened One Night” (1934), “Dead End” (1937), “You Can’t Take It with You” (1938), “Gone with the Wind” (1939), “The Grapes of Wrath” (1940), “The Long Voyage Home” (1940), “The Maltese Falcon” (1941), “Sergeant York” (1941), “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), “The Quiet Man” (1952), and “Mister Roberts” (1955).
Back to Blanchett.
The caveat: Actor Ward Bond appeared in 13 films that were nominated for Best Picture, but he was uncredited as a performer in a number of the projects. His roster of Best Picture nominees, however, included “Arrowsmith” (1931/32), “Lady for a Day” (1933), “It Happened One Night” (1934), “Dead End” (1937), “You Can’t Take It with You” (1938), “Gone with the Wind” (1939), “The Grapes of Wrath” (1940), “The Long Voyage Home” (1940), “The Maltese Falcon” (1941), “Sergeant York” (1941), “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946), “The Quiet Man” (1952), and “Mister Roberts” (1955).
Back to Blanchett.
- 1/28/2023
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
George Cukor's "The Philadelphia Story" is a terrific film. It is as great a mainstream comedy as Hollywood has ever produced, and the three leads — James Stewart, Katharine Hepburn, and Cary Grant — are humming on every available cylinder. It was worthy of many accolades, but I'll never understand how Academy voters walked out of John Ford's "The Grapes of Wrath," and cast a vote for anyone other than Henry Fonda.
Ford's film was rushed into production by Twentieth Century Fox's Darryl Zanuck, who worried tremendously about the populist, anti-capitalist politics of John Steinbeck's novel. The book is explicitly critical of the banks' cruel treatment of tenant farmers and pulls no punches in its portrayal of Oklahomans desperate to find prosperity in the Western United States. At the center of the book is Tom Joad, an ex-con who joins his evicted family on their arduous trek to California.
Ford's film was rushed into production by Twentieth Century Fox's Darryl Zanuck, who worried tremendously about the populist, anti-capitalist politics of John Steinbeck's novel. The book is explicitly critical of the banks' cruel treatment of tenant farmers and pulls no punches in its portrayal of Oklahomans desperate to find prosperity in the Western United States. At the center of the book is Tom Joad, an ex-con who joins his evicted family on their arduous trek to California.
- 1/27/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
In a brief scene in her new movie 80 for Brady, Jane Fonda appears onscreen without her makeup or hair done, a collection of flowing blond wigs hung conspicuously on a rack behind her. It’s a surprisingly vulnerable moment in an otherwise broad studio comedy and a scene that Fonda specifically requested. In most of the rest of the movie, her character, Trish — a former beauty queen who now writes football-inspired erotica — is impeccably coiffed and hyper-feminine.
“It’s an exaggerated form of how I used to be,” Fonda says of Trish. “Please the guys. She’s had face-lifts.” Fonda wanted to reveal another layer to the character. “I wanted the audience to see her not done. What is it she’s covering up? All of us, we go home and we take it all off. And then we’re who we really are.”
Jane Fonda
It’s early January,...
“It’s an exaggerated form of how I used to be,” Fonda says of Trish. “Please the guys. She’s had face-lifts.” Fonda wanted to reveal another layer to the character. “I wanted the audience to see her not done. What is it she’s covering up? All of us, we go home and we take it all off. And then we’re who we really are.”
Jane Fonda
It’s early January,...
- 1/27/2023
- by Rebecca Keegan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
When the nominations for the 2023 Academy Awards were announced on Tuesday morning, Michelle Yeoh, Angela Bassett and Elvis were among the stars and films setting new records or carving out unique places in Oscar history.
Both Yeoh and Bassett scored historic nominations, with the Everything Everywhere All at Once star paving new ground for Asian women in the lead actress category while the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star broke her own glass ceiling for Marvel performers. Meanwhile, Elvis may have missed out on a best director nomination for helmer Baz Luhrmann, but one of its female producers joined a rare club of multiple category nominees, with its female Dp also making history for her cinematography nomination.
Famed filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, Jerry Bruckheimer, Todd Field, Alfonso Cuarón, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert all made their own marks — adding to their existing achievements, proving sequels can find success decades after earlier...
Both Yeoh and Bassett scored historic nominations, with the Everything Everywhere All at Once star paving new ground for Asian women in the lead actress category while the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever star broke her own glass ceiling for Marvel performers. Meanwhile, Elvis may have missed out on a best director nomination for helmer Baz Luhrmann, but one of its female producers joined a rare club of multiple category nominees, with its female Dp also making history for her cinematography nomination.
Famed filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, Jerry Bruckheimer, Todd Field, Alfonso Cuarón, Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert all made their own marks — adding to their existing achievements, proving sequels can find success decades after earlier...
- 1/26/2023
- by Lexy Perez and Abbey White
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 95th Oscar nominations were revealed Tuesday morning in Los Angeles. And as usual, the newest lineup featured a number of historic milestones. Among them this year:
◦ Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) is the first performer nominated for a Marvel Cinematic Universe film. “Black Panther” was the first superhero film ever nominated for Best Picture.
◦ Among actresses, Bassett is third on the list of longest gap between first and second Oscar nominations, with a span of 29 years since she was nominated for 1993’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”
◦ Among all actors, Judd Hirsch (“The Fabelmans”) has broken Henry Fonda’s record for the longest stretch between nominations. Fonda was nominated for “The Grapes of Wrath” and “On Golden Pond” 41 years apart. Hirsch was cited this year 42 years after his nom for 1980’s “Ordinary People.”
◦ Four Asian/Asian-American actors have been nominated, the most ever in a single year.
◦ Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) is the first performer nominated for a Marvel Cinematic Universe film. “Black Panther” was the first superhero film ever nominated for Best Picture.
◦ Among actresses, Bassett is third on the list of longest gap between first and second Oscar nominations, with a span of 29 years since she was nominated for 1993’s “What’s Love Got to Do With It.”
◦ Among all actors, Judd Hirsch (“The Fabelmans”) has broken Henry Fonda’s record for the longest stretch between nominations. Fonda was nominated for “The Grapes of Wrath” and “On Golden Pond” 41 years apart. Hirsch was cited this year 42 years after his nom for 1980’s “Ordinary People.”
◦ Four Asian/Asian-American actors have been nominated, the most ever in a single year.
- 1/24/2023
- by Joe McGovern
- The Wrap
Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical feature The Fabelmans earned seven Oscar nominations this morning, including one for Spielberg’s longtime collaborator, composer John Williams, and one for veteran actor Judd Hirsch, who plays Boris, a fictionalized version of Spielberg’s great uncle in the movie.
Related Story Oscar Nominations: The Complete List Of Nominees Related Story 'Rrr' Scores Historic Oscar Nomination For Best Original Song, But Shut Out Of Other Major Races Related Story 2023 Oscars: 'All Quiet on the Western Front' Earns Nine Nominations
At 90 years 350 days, Williams became the oldest person to be nominated for an Oscar (excluding honorary awards). He also topped his own record as the most nominated living person with 53 Oscar noms.
At 87 years and 315 days, Hirsch became the second oldest acting nominee behind Christopher Plummer who was 88 years and 41 days at the time of his nomination and ahead...
Related Story Oscar Nominations: The Complete List Of Nominees Related Story 'Rrr' Scores Historic Oscar Nomination For Best Original Song, But Shut Out Of Other Major Races Related Story 2023 Oscars: 'All Quiet on the Western Front' Earns Nine Nominations
At 90 years 350 days, Williams became the oldest person to be nominated for an Oscar (excluding honorary awards). He also topped his own record as the most nominated living person with 53 Oscar noms.
At 87 years and 315 days, Hirsch became the second oldest acting nominee behind Christopher Plummer who was 88 years and 41 days at the time of his nomination and ahead...
- 1/24/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Season 2 of “Ginny & Georgia” is back and better than ever with a bevy of pop culture references and a killer soundtrack. Ginny’s love of literature, reading and writing was established in Season 1, and references to classic books and authors continue to thread through the show’s sophomore season.
As Ginny continues to unravel the layers of her mother Georgia’s (Brianne Howey) past, she still has to deal with an out-of-touch English professor who doesn’t exactly grasp the benefits of a diverse literary canon. Ginny’s bedroom is stocked full of classic and colorful book spines. Her dad Zion (Nathan Mitchell) also references a lot of literary figures.
Ginny’s English teacher Mr. Gitten (Johnathan Potts) challenges her to select a book to present for her AP English class; her selection should, in his words, be “anything that encompasses the Black experience in America.” The three options...
As Ginny continues to unravel the layers of her mother Georgia’s (Brianne Howey) past, she still has to deal with an out-of-touch English professor who doesn’t exactly grasp the benefits of a diverse literary canon. Ginny’s bedroom is stocked full of classic and colorful book spines. Her dad Zion (Nathan Mitchell) also references a lot of literary figures.
Ginny’s English teacher Mr. Gitten (Johnathan Potts) challenges her to select a book to present for her AP English class; her selection should, in his words, be “anything that encompasses the Black experience in America.” The three options...
- 1/14/2023
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Sergio Leone might be most famous for his Man With No Name trilogy, but (arguably) his best Western didn't star Clint Eastwood. "Once Upon A Time In The West" was a landmark late-era Western for cinephiles. It's rougher and crueler than his previous Spaghetti Westerns and features two extremely intimidating adversaries who spend the whole runtime trying to prove which one is the sweatiest, baddest gunslinger in the West.
On one side is the black hat, the bad guy of the picture, named Frank and played by Henry Fonda who, up to this point, was known as a good guy charmer in Hollywood. He eschews that image right up front when he guns down a kid in cold blood. Imagine Tom Hanks showing up in a Western today where he straight up wastes a child in his introduction.
On the other side is Harmonica, played by Charles Bronson. He's soft-spoken...
On one side is the black hat, the bad guy of the picture, named Frank and played by Henry Fonda who, up to this point, was known as a good guy charmer in Hollywood. He eschews that image right up front when he guns down a kid in cold blood. Imagine Tom Hanks showing up in a Western today where he straight up wastes a child in his introduction.
On the other side is Harmonica, played by Charles Bronson. He's soft-spoken...
- 1/7/2023
- by Eric Vespe
- Slash Film
Nicolas Cage's acting career spans 41 years and over 100 movies. That's more than enough time to make just about every type of film, and Cage has been plenty adventurous in his choices. He's done dramas, comedy, action, horror, suspense, war flicks, and several unquantifiable brain scramblers. He's played Ghost Rider. He's played the screenwriter of the film in which he's starring (and the screenwriter's fictional brother). He's played himself.
But somehow, after all this time, Cage hadn't appeared in a Western until recently -– and the itch must've hit him something fierce, because he's now made two of them! One is "Butcher's Crossing," an environmentally conscious tragedy lamenting the ruin of America's westward expansion. The other, which opens in theaters today, is "The Old Way," and it is precisely the kind of Western its title indicates. Cage stars as Colton Briggs, a reformed gunman whose peaceful domestic existence is shattered...
But somehow, after all this time, Cage hadn't appeared in a Western until recently -– and the itch must've hit him something fierce, because he's now made two of them! One is "Butcher's Crossing," an environmentally conscious tragedy lamenting the ruin of America's westward expansion. The other, which opens in theaters today, is "The Old Way," and it is precisely the kind of Western its title indicates. Cage stars as Colton Briggs, a reformed gunman whose peaceful domestic existence is shattered...
- 1/6/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Frank Galati, the Tony Award-winning director of Broadway’s The Grapes of Wrath and nominee for Ragtime, died Monday night. He was 79.
A cause of death was not immediately available.
Galati, who was an associate director at Chicago’s famed Goodman Theatre from 1986 to 2008 and a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company since 1985, was Oscar-nominated, along with co-writer Lawrence Kasdan, for the 1988 screenplay adaptation of Anne Tyler’s novel The Accidental Tourist.
Galati’s 1990 stage adaptation of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath won the Tony Award for Best Play; Galati also won the award that year for Best Direction. The acclaimed production, which debuted at Steppenwolf before transferring to Broadway, starred Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney, and Lois Smith in Tony-nominated performances.
“Frank had a profound impact on Steppenwolf, and all of us, over the years,” said Steppenwolf’s co-artistic directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis in a joint statement.
A cause of death was not immediately available.
Galati, who was an associate director at Chicago’s famed Goodman Theatre from 1986 to 2008 and a member of the Steppenwolf Theatre Company since 1985, was Oscar-nominated, along with co-writer Lawrence Kasdan, for the 1988 screenplay adaptation of Anne Tyler’s novel The Accidental Tourist.
Galati’s 1990 stage adaptation of John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath won the Tony Award for Best Play; Galati also won the award that year for Best Direction. The acclaimed production, which debuted at Steppenwolf before transferring to Broadway, starred Gary Sinise, Terry Kinney, and Lois Smith in Tony-nominated performances.
“Frank had a profound impact on Steppenwolf, and all of us, over the years,” said Steppenwolf’s co-artistic directors Glenn Davis and Audrey Francis in a joint statement.
- 1/3/2023
- by Greg Evans
- Deadline Film + TV
This past summer, it was revealed that Florence Pugh was set to lead the cast of a new series adaptation of “East of Eden,” written by Zoe Kazan. But that’s not the only John Steinbeck novel getting a new TV adaptation, as it appears “The Grapes of Wrath” is on the horizon, as well.
According to Deadline, Fifth Season is producing a new TV series based on the novel “The Grapes of Wrath.” However, what makes this incredibly interesting isn’t just that it’s based on the classic American novel by John Steinbeck, but the adaptation will be written and directed by none other than Ramin Bahrani.
Continue reading ‘The Grapes Of Wrath’: Ramin Bahrani To Write & Direct A New TV Series Adaptation Of John Steinbeck’s Classic Novel at The Playlist.
According to Deadline, Fifth Season is producing a new TV series based on the novel “The Grapes of Wrath.” However, what makes this incredibly interesting isn’t just that it’s based on the classic American novel by John Steinbeck, but the adaptation will be written and directed by none other than Ramin Bahrani.
Continue reading ‘The Grapes Of Wrath’: Ramin Bahrani To Write & Direct A New TV Series Adaptation Of John Steinbeck’s Classic Novel at The Playlist.
- 12/12/2022
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Exclusive: Fifth Season is gearing up for its first full year with new owners and a new name.
The company formerly known as Endeavor Content has new owners in Korea’s Cj Enm after a 785M deal and on the television side has moved from a business that scored a number of buzzy orders from streamers to one that is starting to get renewals and move into new areas.
Series such as Apple’s Severance, HBO Max’s Tokyo Vice, Peacock’s Wolf Like Me and even Hulu’s Nicole Kidman-fronted Nine Perfect Strangers, which was originally designed as a limited series, are coming back for second seasons.
Fifth Season is also now looking at new fronts including a growing international business, with the opportunity for global co-productions, and moving into new genres such as romance with the likes of Amy Adams, and searching for its own version of...
The company formerly known as Endeavor Content has new owners in Korea’s Cj Enm after a 785M deal and on the television side has moved from a business that scored a number of buzzy orders from streamers to one that is starting to get renewals and move into new areas.
Series such as Apple’s Severance, HBO Max’s Tokyo Vice, Peacock’s Wolf Like Me and even Hulu’s Nicole Kidman-fronted Nine Perfect Strangers, which was originally designed as a limited series, are coming back for second seasons.
Fifth Season is also now looking at new fronts including a growing international business, with the opportunity for global co-productions, and moving into new genres such as romance with the likes of Amy Adams, and searching for its own version of...
- 12/12/2022
- by Peter White
- Deadline Film + TV
This article contains The Fabelmans spoilers.
Do you want to meet the greatest film director who ever lived? That would be a loaded question in any context, but it has extra weight in Steven Spielberg’s new release, The Fabelmans. With the film being a semi-autobiographical portrait of the legendary filmmaker’s own adolescent years, the picture feels in many ways like a rare window into meeting the real Spielberg—or at least the Spielberg as imagined in the director’s own head.
While the film has a thin layer of artistic license, anyone can see it’s a rumination by an auteur of a certain age in his early halcyon days. And for many audience members, Spielberg is the greatest film director who ever lived. Jaws, E.T. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park—to name but a few—are considered...
Do you want to meet the greatest film director who ever lived? That would be a loaded question in any context, but it has extra weight in Steven Spielberg’s new release, The Fabelmans. With the film being a semi-autobiographical portrait of the legendary filmmaker’s own adolescent years, the picture feels in many ways like a rare window into meeting the real Spielberg—or at least the Spielberg as imagined in the director’s own head.
While the film has a thin layer of artistic license, anyone can see it’s a rumination by an auteur of a certain age in his early halcyon days. And for many audience members, Spielberg is the greatest film director who ever lived. Jaws, E.T. Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Raiders of the Lost Ark, and Jurassic Park—to name but a few—are considered...
- 11/24/2022
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
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