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March 17, 1951 was a great day in history, because that’s the day Kurt Vogel Russell entered the world. And while he would go on to become one of the biggest icons of the eighties and nineties, many folks don’t know that Russell started as a child star for The Walt Disney Company, even acting opposite his future life partner Goldie Hawn in The One and Only, Genuine, Original Family Band (1968) – although they wouldn’t get together until Russell ended up in another movie starring Goldie Hawn, Swing Shift (1984). From the sixties into the seventies, he starred in Disney flicks like The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), but as the studio’s movies started to flop and Russell got older, a change of pace was needed. Arguably, Russell’s career took off when he began working with director John Carpenter, with the first movie being 1979’s TV movie Elvis, but what...

That Kurt Russell is one of our finest actors should go without saying, but it's almost more important to applaud him specifically because his career began in a place that hasn't always fostered long-term success for young actors: Disney. Although the House of Mouse and its related studios often feature plenty of opportunities for young and talented actors (think Lindsay Lohan or Shia Labeouf), those same actors can struggle professionally and personally when they try to grow beyond their Disney years. The same is absolutely untrue for Russell, who became one of the most reliable and enjoyably sly action stars of the 1980s and 1990s, serving as a welcome on-screen presence in everything from "The Thing" to "Big Trouble in Little China" to "Breakdown." But Russell has also appeared in a jaw-dropping number of Disney productions; when you count titles from both Disney proper and studios like Marvel and Touchstone,...

This can be written with great confidence: You know a Paul Anka song. Right now, you’re either thinking, “Well, yes, of course I do,” or you’re thinking, “I do not.” If you are in the latter group, you are wrong. There are, of course, his big hits like “Put Your Head on My Shoulder.” But then there are the songs he’s written for others, most notably “My Way,” which he wrote for Frank Sinatra and has been covered by Elvis, Nina Simone, Aretha Franklin, Sid Vicious, and countless others. It’s in the conversation for one of the most famous songs ever written.

That’s kind of the remarkable think about Paul Anka — who is at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, returning to his Canadian roots for the premiere of John Maggio’s documentary “Paul Anka: His Way” — that he’s written so many famous songs for others.

Wyatt Russell was born to Kurt Russell and Goldie Hawn on July 10, 1986, eight days after "Big Trouble in Little China," his pop's third and lamentably final big-screen collaboration with John Carpenter, bombed at the box office. The martial arts action-fantasy movie didn't seriously damage Russell's career, but it did alter its trajectory a tad. Just about everything after "Big Trouble in Little China" was a two-hander or an ensemble piece. Though he could still mess around in nonsense like "Overboard" and "Captain Ron," he couldn't dominate a movie with a broad, endearingly dopey hero like Jack Burton anymore.

Kurt Russell has many different modes, but I grew up with a preference for his swaggering himbos, guys who were so supremely confident in their capabilities that, like Wile E. Coyote, they didn't realize how far off the edge of the cliff they'd run. Watching a lug like Burton scramble out of...

When Kurt Russell shed his Disney child star image once and for all as the leathery, laconic renegade Snake Plissken in John Carpenter's dystopian action hit "Escape from New York," he seemed poised for a long career as a handsome, rough-and-tumble leading man, the John Wayne-Steve McQueen hybrid America needed now that both had hit the soil. Russell, however, had other plans.

For starters, Russell didn't dig the laconic shtick. After a tonally similar performance as the perpetually cheesed-off R.J. MacReady in Carpenter's "The Thing," the actor sought to send up his tough-guy persona in goofball action flicks like "Big Trouble in Little China" and "Tango & Cash." He also gleefully made a fool of himself in broad comedies (memorably/infamously in "Overboard" and "Captain Ron"), while playing in-over-their-heads everymen in thrillers like "The Mean Season" and "Unlawful Entry." He could still do the gruff act when...

For cinephiles who came of moviegoing age during the 1970s and/or '80s, there is a shortlist of movie stars that, if you were talented and fortunate enough to become a filmmaker of some renown, you'd give anything to direct. And if you grew up with a hankering for horror and science-fiction flicks, the name Kurt Russell was probably at or near the top of that list.

Russell wasn't always one of the cool kids. In fact, he was a literally uncool kid for Disney as the teenage star of family comedies like "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes." Indeed, no one viewed Russell as a grown-up actor until he impressed in the title role of Carpenter's 1979 TV movie "Elvis." This did the trick. Two years later, Russell slipped under the scaly skin of laconic scoundrel Snake Plissken in Carpenter's dystopian actioner "Escape from New York." Then he went the...

Kurt Russell's underrated movies deserve more love from audiences, showcasing his versatility and charm throughout his career. Captain Ron, The Hateful Eight, and Executive Decision highlight Russell's comedic, gritty, and action-packed performances that deserve more recognition. From Death Proof to Bone Tomahawk, Russell has proven his talent in various genres, making him a versatile and underappreciated actor in Hollywood.

From Death Proof to Bone Tomahawk to Executive Decision, there are a ton of great underrated Kurt Russell movies that deserve a lot more love from audiences. Russell has been acting since the age of 12. He started his career in the 1960s with the title role in the western series The Travels of Jaimie McPheeters. This led to a 10-year contract with Disney, under which he starred in such cult comedies as The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes, The Strongest Man in the World, and Now You See Him, Now You Dont.

Director Randall Okita (See for Me) is back this year with new movie Menace, which was notably written by Thom Eberhardt, the writer of 1984 fan favorite Night of the Comet.

Variety reports this morning that IFC Films and Shudder have acquired the North American rights to the upcoming film, which is expected to see release sometime in 2025.

Isabel May (1883) will star in sci-fi horror movie Menace, which comes courtesy of Image Nation Abu Dhabi and the genre label Spooky Pictures. This is the third feature from Image Nation and Spooky Pictures, behind Watcher and Late Night with the Devil.

“The film follows a research student (Isabel May), who has a psychotic breakdown and is remanded to the custody of her aunt and uncle in a small town.

“There, strange things begin to transpire and people start disappearing, leaving her uncertain about what is real or what is simply a figment of her imagination.

Director Randall Okita impressed us back in 2022 with the home invasion thriller See for Me, and today brings a first look at Okita’s next horror movie. This one is titled Menace.

Deadline reports that Isabel May (1883) will star in sci-fi horror movie Menace, which comes courtesy of Image Nation Abu Dhabi and the genre label Spooky Pictures. This is the third feature from Image Nation and Spooky Pictures, behind Watcher and Late Night with the Devil.

The site details, “May stars as a research student who has a psychotic breakdown and is remanded to the custody of her aunt and uncle in a small town.

“When strange things start happening around her and people start disappearing, she isn’t sure what is real or what is her imagination.”

AGC International will launch sales at the Cannes Market this month.

Of particular note for horror fans, Menace is written by Thom Eberhardt,...

Is there any actor who casually oozes coolness like Kurt Russell? 

As with anyone in Hollywood, the young Russell had to earn his stripes. Upon signing a contract with the Mouse House, he started out anchoring a collection of zany Disney comedies in the '60s and '70s, including "The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes," "The Strongest Man in the World," and "The Barefoot Executive," a movie that paired him opposite a chimpanzee. Beginning with their 1979 made-for-tv "Elvis" biopic, however, Russell and director John Carpenter collaborated on a series of highly efficient yet firmly modest genre films, many of which became cult hits and cemented their too-cool-for-school reputation.

Russell has only continued to evolve his legacy in the 21st century, starring in everything from cult favorites as worlds apart as "Sky High" and "Bone Tomahawk" to Quentin Tarantino joints and blockbuster franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe and The Fast...

The combination of Kurt Russell and Godzilla was an opportunity too cool to pass up for the producers of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters.

In an interview with Collider, Monarch director and executive producer Matt Shakman explained why he felt the upcoming Godzilla series was the perfect project to pair Russell with his real-life son Wyatt Russell for the first time as they play the same character in two different decades. "Certainly, we discussed two different actors. I think that’s the usual approach to things. But we had this idea that Kurt Russell and Wyatt Russell, who are often, I think, offered things as father and son, but I don’t think they’d ever been offered the same part to play in two different time periods," Shakman said. "It just felt like an idea that we had to run wholeheartedly at, and they were excited to do it."

Related:...

Kurt Russell's looks are "The Thing" that dreams are made of.Here's the then 38-year-old "Captain Ron" star at a movie theater in Universal City back in 1989 (left) -- and 25 years later... the now 62-year-old A-lister at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year (right). The question is... Read more...

New Pulp Publisher Airship 27 Productions has a way for loyal airmen to show their pulp support with the new Airship 27 patches. Press Release: For the first time ever, we offered all our Loyal Airmen a premium quality Airship 27 Crew Patch. These we debut at the Windy City Pulp & Paper Con to a truly wonderful response. Then we took them to PulpFest with the same results, our readers truly enjoyed them and remarked at the quality of the item. Now, with the cons behind us, we are offering them to all you Loyal Airmen via mail. Each quality 4″ x 4″ crew patch is only $3 plus a small shipping and handling fee. They look great on shirts, jacket shoulders or even baseball caps. If you would like to join the ever growing ranks of Airship 27 Productions’ Loyal Airmen by sporting one of these super cook patches, simply write Rob Davis at (robmdavis@me.

With each successive entry in the Fast and Furious franchise, Fast 3-6 helmer Justin Lin raised the bar on what we should expect in the terms of balls-to-the-wall action and brawny star power. When he walked away from the car chase-centric movie series, he left many fans wondering how his replacement, horror auteur James Wan, could possibly compete. Well, with the latest casting announcement, Wan seems to be taking some serious strides in an awesome direction. Variety reports Kurt Russell in currently in talks to join the cast of Fast & Furious 7. This is not a drill. The man who brought to life such brilliantly badass and bonkers characters as The Thing.s R.J. MacReady, Escape from New York.s Snake Plissken, Death Proof.s Stuntman Mike, and Captain Ron.s Captain Ron could team up with Dwayne Johnson, Vin Diesel, Tyrese Gibson, Paul Walker, and Jason Statham for the...

Some movies will always make me laugh, but let’s face it; the same movies might make others yawn. Comedy is tricky business, the hardest genre to pull off from script to screen. I’ve put together a list of 10 More underrated or dismissed comedies that deserve a first chance or even a second chance at recognition. Humor is subjective, but gives these flicks a chance and I promise you will enjoy yourself.

Check out the first 10 here and 10 more below; let me know what you think and what your list might look like.

Beer League

An unemployed slacker inspires his softball teammates to improve their game so they won’t get kicked out of the local league.

Director: Frank Sebastiano

Writers: Frank Sebastiano, Artie Lange

Stars: Artie Lange, Ralph Macchio

I found a double disc DVD for this in a sale bin (not a surprise) for $5, it was well worth it.

It was about this time last year that I began looking over the shelves of the book cases holding my wide assortment of DVDs, most of whose special features had barely been cracked open to say nothing of the commentaries they held. For that first endeavor into this new column now known as Commentary Commentary, we listened to John Carpenter and Kurt Russell wax poetic about the isolation and creepy slimies that went into making The Thing. Now, for our 1-year anniversary, we’re going back to that same charismatic duo to listen to them talk about another of their many collaborations, Big Trouble in Little China. Unfortunately, Carpenter and Russell didn’t contribute commentaries for all of the films on which they worked together. We are lucky, though, that one of the films which they do speak about together is this masterpiece of ancient magic and sly, cynical wit from its main “hero.” To...

Ahoy, mateys. If you haven't heard, today is International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

Aye, it's a real holiday – John Baur and Mark Summers began International Talk Like a Pirate Day (Itlapd) in 1996.

Needless to say, such an important holiday needs to be honored with more than just an eye patch and a few "argh"-punchlined puns. Thankfully, a vast array of pirate movies offers ample fodder to prepare you to impress your fellow scurvy-sufferers… and we've compiled their best hints.

Yo ho!

Make a First Impression

"Three shillings, forget the name."

"Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl" (2003)

Impress your mates right off the bat with this line. It's easily one of the most memorable scenes from any of the "Caribbean" films and Jack Sparrow's first line ever. He steals the guy's wallet after paying him off. We don't recommend you do that part.

Attire

"Put this...

Most of us have a TV or movie moment that brings tears (of emotion, not laughter) to the eyes. A selection of Den Of Geek writers confess to theirs right here...

Before we get going, we need to bring your attention to the following...

A note about spoilers: inevitably, each of the entries here reveals a plot point about the show or film concerned that you may not want to know. That's why, for this list, those headers are bright red. That way, it should make it a bit easier to know where to skip to if there's a particular entry you want to avoid

That sorted, here are the moments that have been moving the writers of Den Of Geek to tears over the years - and please add your own in the comments at the bottom!

Serenity

"I am a leaf on the wind. Watch how I-"

Firefly,...

The first sign things were going wrong on the set of Divine Rapture was when Marlon Brando shaved his head. But that was the least of the film's troubles

If all the roads in Ireland were to converge at a final destination, you would probably find yourself in Ballycotton, Co Cork. A tiny village on a rocky headland, it is as removed and cosy as its name suggests. Its harbour is stocked with a colourful fishing fleet and traditional music seeps from the pubs on Main Street. Despite an annual running marathon that passes through the town, it is slow-paced, sleepy, and cocooned from the outside world. But although 200-ft cliffs keep the Atlantic at bay and an offshore lighthouse looks out for danger, nothing could protect Ballycotton from nature's cruellest force: Hollywood.

Back in 1995, Johnny Depp, Debra Winger, and Marlon Brando rolled into town to make a film called Divine Rapture.

If you were wondering what Justin Theroux was doing after he finished writing Iron Man 2, you should mind your own business. But if you're curious what he's working on, we can probably fill you in. Since we've been camped outside of his house with a pair of binoculars that Neil got from a box of Frosted Flakes. They don't have much range, but theyyyy're great for hiding in plain sight. According to Variety, and our spy log, Universal has just hired the Tropic Thunder writer to direct the comedy Chief Ron - the story of a man who fakes a Native American heritage in order to start a casino. I was really excited to hear they were doing a sequel to the hilarious, Kurt Russell masterpiece Captain Ron, but apparently that's not what this movie is. The concept is based off the real-life story of the very-Aryan-looking Ron Roberts, although...

From the Department of Ill-Advised Biopics this week comes news of a movie based on the life story of John Z. DeLorean, the inventor of the DeLorean Dmc-12 sports car. The futuristic car is best-known for being featured as the time machine in the Back To The Future trilogy, but also has a strong community of fans based on its unique look and stainless steel construction. According to Variety, the movie is being produced by David Permut (Face/Off, Captain Ron) and Steve Lee Jones. I can only assume they're hoping the Back To The Future connection attracts some attention, because I don't know that this will necessarily make for a compelling movie. DeLorean was an engineer who worked his way up ...

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Fox's upcoming sitcom Boldly Going Nowhere has added two new actors to its growing cast. Lennon Parham will play the female lead alongside newcomer Chad L. Coleman. The two join Ben Koldyke, previously cast as the lead character Captain Ron Teague, and Tony Hale of Arrested Development as the ship's robot.

Boldly Going Nowhere is produced by It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia's Rob McElhenney, Charlie Day and Glenn Howerton. The show focuses on the day-to-day events of an intergalactic spaceship. McElhenny, Day and Howerton do not consider the series as a science fiction, but rather a unique twist on the workplace sitcom. Wayne McClammy (I'm F--king Matt Damon) directs the pilot.

Parham, a newcomer from the Upright Citizens Brigade, plays Joyce, the ship's by-the-book pilot. McElhenney describes her as "a diamond in the rough," found only due to the recommendation of co-star Tony Hale.