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Still going strong 21 seasons after debuting in 2005, the best American Dad episodes show why it’s such a beloved Seth MacFarlane show - and manage to squash any unfair comparisons to Family Guy. Arriving on Fox almost a decade after Family Guy introduced the world to Seth MacFarlane’s animation style and unique brand of humor, American Dad focuses on CIA agent Stan Smith and his quirky family.

While it took a few seasons to gain traction and step out of Family Guy’s shadow, all 372 episodes of American Dad have hilarious moments throughout. By the 2020s it has a dedicated following in its own right, and it’s the unique hilarity of the best American Dad episodes that arguably secured it a fanbase. Relying less on cutaway gags than Family Guy and more on repeat jokes and character humor, the greatest American Dad episodes of all time showcase why...

The Clones of the Grand Army of the Republic, who were largely in the background in the Prequels, got to be front and center in Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. Lauded as one of the best installments in the Star Wars franchise, the show delved into some pretty dark themes for a show that was primarily aimed at children.

Carnage of Krell || Star Wars: The Clone Wars

One of the more menacing characters in the story was Jedi Master Pong Krell, a character that the fandom has come to collectively hate as much as Harry Potter fans hate Dolores Umbridge. The character’s evil and duplicity come to fruition at the end of the 4-part story that he is introduced in, which sees Anakin relinquish the control of his army to another Jedi master, who has a lot more going on than he initially lets on.

Pong Krell...

As you’ve probably heard by now, last week Elon Musk staged a tech event heralding his bold new vision for the world of tomorrow. Unfortunately, that “bold vision” was really just designs from a 20-year-old Will Smith movie that only has 57 percent on Rotten Tomatoes. You may as well try to base a futuristic utopia on Michael Bay’s The Island, or Surrogates starring Bruce Willis.

But the big star of the “We, Robot” event was Optimus, Musk’s exciting new artificial intelligence creation that can do our chores for us, throw dance parties and even serve drinks. Musk suggested that Optimus could one day be cheaper to buy than a car. But at least no Toyota Corollas have ever tried to murder John Connor.

It later turned out that these Optimus units were really being controlled by human beings, a detail that was conspicuously omitted from Musk’s presentation,...

Before Jonathan Mostow attempted to break out with big sci-fi films like the much-maligned Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines and the Bruce Willis movie Surrogates, he made a humble little missing persons thriller with Kurt Russell called Breakdown. The film’s plot would involve one of the worst situations to have while traveling cross-country in the middle of nowhere and it is also one of our picks for the 10 Best Kurt Russell Movies. The paranoia film is an underrated gem that features one of the last great performances of the late J.T. Walsh. Blu-ray.com has now reported that Breakdown will soon be getting a 4K physical media release from Paramount Home Media Distribution. The cast that rounds out the film includes Kathleen Quinlan, M.C. Gainey, and Jack Noseworthy. And the description reads, “All roads lead to excitement with Kurt Russell in reakdown, the non-stop thrill ride that’s ‘a movie of nerve-frying intensity…...

The Clone Wars is one of the best Star Wars media, fleshing out the prequels era for fans beyond the three films. It humanized the clones and introduced audiences to some of the great characters of Star Wars, like Captain Rex, Ahsoka Tano, and The Bad Batch.

A still from The Clone Wars || Lucasfilm

A lot of the great things that came from the show can be credited to Dave Filoni, whose understanding of the lore of the universe has delivered some of the best stories from the IP in animation and live-action alike. However, it seems fans have Filoni to thank for the amazing portrayal of Anakin Skywalker as well, which was essayed by Matt Lanter.

Dave Filoni gave Matt Latner a fun note on his acting Anakin Skywalker in Star Wars: The Clone Wars || Lucasfilm

Matt Latner revealed how he got an interesting note about playing Anakin Skywalker.

George Lucas is one of the most visionary filmmakers of all time and his Star Wars franchise makes him a strong contender for the same. However, unlike the universal acclaim of the original trilogy, the prequels, directed by Lucas did not receive the same amount of love from fans upon release. Moreover, the second installment, Attack of the Clones is arguably considered one of the worst in the series.

Attack of the Clones is widely considered one of the worst Star Wars films (Credit: Lucasfilm).

Despite the negative reception of Attack of the Clones, a fan pointed out how the film features one of the best scenes in the franchise. Furthermore, the fan also argued how the emotionally riveting scene was arguably one of the best in Lucas’ directorial career. Here is why Star Wars fans love this particular scene from Attack of the Clones even though they dislike the film.

Bruce Willis shines in sci-fi films, from the exceptional 12 Monkeys to forgettable disappointments like Apex. Willis' grounded portrayals add depth to even the most outlandish sci-fi concepts, making his work iconic. While some sci-fi ventures falter, like Apex, others like Surrogates and Looper showcase Willis's ability to elevate complex narratives.

Bruce Willis is renowned as one of Hollywood's most prolific actors, having starred in numerous films across various genres. In the realm of science fiction, Willis has appeared in both the finest and the most lackluster offerings the genre has to offer. With his everyman charm and magnetic screen presence, Bruce Willis has carved a unique niche in the world of cinema. While Bruce Willis’ action characters in iconic films like Die Hard and Pulp Fiction have cemented his status as a quintessential tough guy, Willis has consistently demonstrated his versatility by taking on diverse projects across various genres.

In terms of new original content coming to Hulu, March is a slight month, with the streamer’s highlight being the limited series premiere of We Were the Lucky Ones at the end of the month. The show, which is based on Georgia Hunter’s New York Times bestselling novel, is inspired by the true story of a Jewish family who are separated at the start of WWII, and who then have to survive in order to eventually reunite. We Were the Lucky Ones stars Joey King from The Kissing Booth films alongside Percy Jackson‘s Logan Lerman, and debuts on March 28.

Here’s everything coming to Hulu (and leaving) in March…

Hulu New Releases – March 2024

March 1

Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains: Complete Seasons 1-3 (Dubbed) Dark Side of the 90s: Complete Season 2 Dark Side of the 2000s: Complete Season 1 Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem | 2007 Ali | 2001 Bad Teacher | 2011 Batman Begins | 2005 Beasts of the Southern Wild...

April Ferry, the Oscar-nominated and Emmy-winning costume designer known for her work on Big Trouble in Little China, Maverick, Rome and Game of Thrones, died Thursday, the Costume Designers Guild announced. She was 91.

Ferry, who graduated to costume designer on Lawrence Kasdan’s The Big Chill (1983), collaborated with John Hughes on Planes, Trains & Automobiles (1987), She’s Having a Baby (1988) and Flubber (1997) and with Jonathan Mostow on U-571 (2000), Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (2003) and Surrogates (2009).

She received her Academy Award nom for Richard Donner’s reimagining of Maverick (1994) — she lost out to Lizzy Gardiner and Tim Chappel of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert on Oscar night — and won her Emmy in 2006 for HBO’s Rome.

Her résumé also included Made in Heaven (1987), Child’s Play (1988), The Babe (1992), Donner’s Radio Flyer (1992), Unlawful Entry (1992), Free Willy (1993), Beethoven’s 2nd (1993), Little Giants (1994), Donnie Darko (2001), Elysium (2013), RoboCop (2014) and Jurassic World (2015).

In 2014, she...

"Ahsoka" was a pretty mixed bag of a "Star Wars" show. It suffered from some truly horrendous pacing and a rather sour tone. At the same time, it gave us some of the most exhilarating "Star Wars" moments in years, embraced cartoonish physics for some old-school space opera fun, and even included some fan service that doubled as legitimately good character development. That's to say nothing of the inventive lightsaber action in "Ahsoka," which is some of the best that "Star Wars" has done in a while.

The show also gave us one of the biggest developments for the franchise at large since we learned Anakin Skywalker was born through immaculate conception. In the first episode of "Ahsoka," we learned that in the decade since the "Star Wars Rebels" finale took place, the characters Ezra Bridger and Grand Admiral Thrawn have been stranded in an entirely different galaxy. Indeed, the...

Since Star Wars began, fans have always been eager to know more about the unexplored corners of the galaxy far, far away. The first film offered a tantalizing tease of the Clone Wars, while the later revelation that Darth Vader was Luke Skywalker's father would inspire all kinds of speculation about the story of Anakin Skywalker's fall to the dark side. As the franchise has gone on, more and more narrative gaps have been filled in, but just as many new ones have emerged. Star Wars: The Bad Batch has been steadily exploring one of these previously untold stories.

The animated series The Bad Batch began at the very end of the Clone Wars, on the day Order 66 was carried out and Palpatine made himself Emperor. While the period between Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith and Star Wars: Episode IV - A New Hope...

The Jedi are an ancient order that span thousands of years of galactic history. Star Wars films and TV shows have only touched a small fraction of this timeline. Tales of the Jedi is a start in the right direction for exploring more about the Jedi Order, and it started with two great Jedis. Count Dooku and Ahsoka Tano headlined the first season of the show, and it allowed fans to see events within their lives that provided a lot more context for their actions. Yet, some fans are left wondering where these stories fall within the Star Wars timeline.

Tales of the Jedi Season 1 focuses on the lives of Ahsoka Tano and Count Dooku. While Ahsoka has had a significant amount of her life put on screen already, little has been seen of Count Dooku outside his time in the Clone Wars. Tales of the Jedi gives each character...

Warning! Spoilers for Spider-Gwen: Shadow Clones #1 ahead!Spider-Man's infamous Clone Saga is one of the most derided Spidey stories of all time, but a new Spider-Gwen series has so far found a way to make a fun and engaging story out of clone troubles. By virtue of being in its own universe, the story can be indirectly referential to the Clone Saga, but without the messiness and convolution of the original.

Spider-Gwen is currently in the middle of her own clone saga. In the new five-issue miniseries, Spider-Gwen: Shadow Clones by Emily Kim and Kei Zama, Gwen is beset by clones of herself who are combinations of Gwen and classic Spider-Man villains. The series’ first issue has Gwen encountering a mind-controlled combination of herself and Doctor Octopus, with the final page reveal of another clone of hers with Sandman's powers. The joy so far in this series is in seeing...

Get ready to relive some of Willis’s greatest hits (and maybe a few misses) as we take a journey through this Bruce Willis movies list.

The ace German-born American actor has been entertaining audiences for decades with his rugged good looks, quick wit, and kick-ass action movies. He’s had a long and successful career, and we’ve all been along for the ride. From the iconic John McClane in “Die Hard” to his more recent roles, Willis has left his mark on the movie industry. But with so many Bruce Willis movies out there, how do we decide which ones are worth watching? Fear not, dear reader, because we’ve got you covered with this comprehensive Bruce Willis movies list, ranked from best to worst. Let’s dive into the Bruce Willis movies list and see where his films stack up!

Source: Captain Toy

Top 10 Highest-Grossing Bruce Willis Movies

Money talks,...

It feels just like last month we were complimenting Hulu on its true crime offerings. Well, with its list of new releases for February 2023, Hulu is staying in the true crime lane. Suppose that’ll happen when you push back the release date of a series or two.

February sees the arrival of three notable true crime series on Hulu. Taiwan Crime Stories premieres on Feb. 1 and presents four true tales from Taiwan’s criminal “dark underbelly.” That will be followed by ABC News Studios’ Killing County on Feb. 3. That three-episode series ponders the question “what happens when police kill?” The most interesting true crime offering premieres on Feb. 9. That’s when Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence College shares its four-episode saga of Larry Ray and the young college students he victimized.

As far as non true crime offerings go, the third and final season of Hulu...

February can be a weird month. It’s too late to wish anyone “Happy New Year,” late enough to abandon resolutions, and too early to leave the house if you want to avoid getting caught in nasty weather (even in Los Angeles).

This month also marks the third and final season of Hulu’s widely acclaimed “Wu-Tang: An American Saga,” which charts the rise of the Wu-Tang clan over time. Season 3 catches up with the Wu-Tang members after their first album, facing divergent paths in the years that follow. As with any group navigating the challenging lure of fame and money, it’s a treacherous road — but an indelible journey. “Wu-Tang: An American Saga” Season 3 premieres February 15 on Hulu.

Here’s everything coming to Hulu in February 2023.

February 1

“Taiwan Crime Stories” (Season 1)

“Impractical Jokers” (Seasons 1-3)

“Naruto Shippuden”

“Sherman’s Showcase” (Season 2B)

“2012” (2009)

“50/50” (2011)

“Aileen Wuornos: American Boogeywoman” (2021)

“All...

Spoilers for Spider-Gwen: Shadow Clones #1 by Marvel ComicsIn a series of new variant covers for Spider-Gwen: Shadow Clones by Greg Land, Gwen Stacy suits up in costume as some of Spider-Man's greatest villains. In four recently revealed covers, Gwen Stacy becomes her version of Doctor Octopus, Sandman, Kraven the Hunter, and Rhino, which tease the exciting Multiversal adventures ahead for Gwen Stacy's most popular variant.

Spider-Gwen's Multiversal adventures are about to continue, as Spider-Gwen: Shadow Clones will have the Spider-Verse hero taking on her evil doppelgangers in a brand-new miniseries. While the recently concluded Spider-Gwen: Gwenverse saw Gwen team up with her heroic variants, including Gwen as Captain America and Wolverine, Shadow Clones will see her face off against the likes of Gwen Stacy versions of Spider-Man villains, including Doctor Octopus and Kraven the Hunter. In four new variant covers by Greg Land, readers can see the Gwen Stacy variants...

As spooky season comes to a close, HBO Max is ditching scary favorites like “Friday the 13th,” “Poltergeist” and the “A Nightmare on Elm Street” franchises this November in preparation for the holidays.

Emerald Fennell’s Oscar-winning hit, “Promising Young Woman,” led by Carey Mulligan, will exit the streaming service alongside the Kristen Wiig-led comedy “Girl Most Likely” at the end of the month.

Film fans should also take advantage of watching classics like “Anna Karenina,” “Fatal Attraction,” “He’s Just Not That Into You,” “The Truman Show,” “Godzilla” and the Judy Garland and James Mason version of “A Star Is Born” before they leave.

Other noteworthy titles leaving HBO Max this month include “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” “Godzilla vs. Kong” and “Dunkirk.”

Check out a full list of what’s leaving HBO Max in November and the dates that each title leaves below..

Also Read:

The Best Movies...

There was a really dark period for "Star Wars" fans that occurred between 1983 and 1997. It was after "Return of the Jedi" hit theaters and before the Special Editions were released in theaters. There was virtually nothing big happening with the franchise. Sure, this period gave us Grand Admiral Thrawn in the "Heir to the Empire" trilogy and video games like "Shadows of the Empire," but there was no big event to look forward to. That all changed in 1999 with the release of "The Phantom Menace," The franchise's return with a brand new...

The post Tales From The Box Office: 20 Years Ago, Attack Of The Clones Set A Low Bar For Star Wars appeared first on /Film.

The Star Wars prequel trilogy surprised many hardcore original trilogy fans two decades ago when it left them utterly disappointed. Since then, the trilogy has become embraced and beloved by new generations who appreciate its underlying narrative brilliance. All first-time viewers, though, have gotten surprised by the trilogy, both in the direction of the story and characters and by its many plot twists.

Related: Ranking Every Major Action Sequence In Attack Of The Clones

Most fans who watch it for the first time know that Anakin becomes Vader, Obi-Wan survives, and Palpatine is the Emperor. Still, there are many aspects to the trilogy and things that happen in the movies that viewers do not expect.

Wake up, Neo.

It’s December 2021 and to celebrate HBO Max is bringing back a classic sci-fi franchise for one last ride. The list of new releases on HBO Max this month is highlighted by The Matrix Resurrections on Dec. 22. This is the long-awaited return to the reality-bending saga from The Wachowskis. Writer/director Lana Wachowski returns as do stars Keanu Reeves and Carrie-Anne Moss as Neo and Trinity, respectively. This time around it’s 20 years after The Matrix Revolutions and “Neo lives a seemingly ordinary life as Thomas A. Anderson in San Francisco where his therapist prescribes him blue pills. Neither he nor Trinity recognize each other. However, Morpheus offers him the red pill and reopens his mind to the world of the Matrix.”

While The Matrix Resurrections is the big draw this time around, HBO Max has some other intriguing originals to speak of. The David Thewlis and...

This Star Wars: The Bad Batch review contains spoilers.

Star Wars: The Bad Batch Episode 9

It sounds over-the-top, but it’s true: revelations and surprises propelled this week’s round of clone adventure stories. “Bounty Lost” features excellent bounty hunter action and a pleasant focus on Omega. Sure, some revelations feel more like duds, but overall, it’s an episode that certainly isn’t afraid to move the plot forward, and returning characters and a real sense of threat keep it exciting.

Cad Bane has captured Omega. While the rest of the Bad Batch tries to catch up, she offers to help Bane’s hassled droid, Todo 360, as a way to escape her cell, but she’s too late. Bane delivers Omega to an abandoned floating installation on the planet Bora Vio, where he’s supposed to meet up with Taun We (the Kaminoan aide who ushered Obi-Wan Kenobi into...

While Star Wars has fantastic romance and great comedic elements at times, the most exciting parts of these movies are always the action sequences. Whether it's fighting in spaceships, shooting blasters, or the great lightsaber duels, there is plenty of battles within these stories which have helped to make them so exciting to watch.

Related: Star Wars: 10 Best Characters In Attack Of The Clones

Everybody in the movies has a different fighting style, with their own unique abilities that they bring to the table. While all the Jedi and Sith Lords are able to showcase their ability, which of the main characters in the movies are truly the greatest fighters within the galaxy?...

This Star Wars: The Bad Batch article contains spoilers.

While the Star Wars Original Trilogy has been explored thoroughly for more than 40 years, the period between the Prequels and the Originals is less well-trodden. Following in The Clone Wars and Rebels‘ footsteps, The Bad Batch takes a deep dive into the rise of the Empire. This means we get to see familiar characters, planets, ships, and technology in a moment of transition, as a Republic becomes something more twisted and sinister in the hands of the Sith.

Unsurprisingly, “Aftermath,” which is directed by Steward Lee, Saul Ruiz, and Nathaniel Villanova, and written by Jennifer Corbett and Dave Filoni, is full of connections and nods to other parts of the Star Wars universe.

Here are all of the Star Wars easter eggs and references we spotted in this episode:

Caleb Dume/Kanan Jarrus

– Jedi Kanan Jarrus was introduced and starred in...

Jonathan Mostow is on board to write and direct a biopic about American businessman and humanitarian Chris Catrambone, founder of the Migrant Offshore Aid Station (Moas). Established in 2013, Moas has provided humanitarian aid and services to the most vulnerable people around the world, reaching hundreds of thousands to date. Catrambone’s self-financed efforts have resulted in the rescue of 40,000 refugees at sea.

“Chris Catrambone is living proof of how one person’s passion can save lives,” said Mostow. “When he saw the world standing idle as scores of refugees drowned in the Mediterranean, he took it upon himself to do something. I’m honored to be able to tell his story.”

The project marks Mostow’s return to film since 2017’s The Hunter’s Prayer, starring Sam Worthington. He’s also no stranger to filming on water, having directed the WW2 submarine thriller U-571 with Matthew McConaughey and the pilot for TNT’s The Last Ship.

HBO’s latest blockbuster drama effort, Lovecraft Country, is a unique Lovecraftian beast. As adapted by Matt Ruff’s novel of the same name, the show takes classic horror, sci-fi, and adventure tropes and adapts them into a timely story of American racism.

Though the series is certainly timely, it’s also timeless. As evidenced by our helpful explainer article, it wasn’t immediately clear when Lovecraft Country even took place. That’s partly because the Jim Crow era of American institutionalized racism was a lengthy one. And the fact that Atticus “Tic” Freeman was a war veteran didn’t help out much. Which war coincided with “whites only” restaurants and sundown towns? World War II, The Korean War, The Vietnam War – take your pick, really. That pleasant disorientation is enhanced by an equally disorienting soundtrack.

Rest assured, Lovecraft Country takes place in the mid 1950s. But the show’s...

George Lucas divided the Star Wars fan base with The Phantom Menace. Contemporary children lapped it up, but adults who grew up with the original trilogy felt insulted by the campy tone. Lucas ignored his critics and boldly charged ahead with the prequel trilogy, following up Episode I with Attack of the Clones, which continued the journey toward the inevitable tragic downfall of Anakin Skywalker.

Related: Star Wars: 10 Greatest Moments In Attack Of The Clones, Ranked

Although Attack of the Clones is widely regarded to be the worst of the prequels, and was considered to be the worst Star Wars movie altogether until the sequel trilogy came along, it does have some redeeming value.

Fett is back, baby! According to THR, the infamous bounty hunter Boba Fett is slated to appear in the second season of The Mandalorian, and he'll be played by none other than Temuera Morrison (Aquaman), who played Jango Fett, as well as the Clone Troopers, in Attack Of The Clones and Revenge Of The Sith. Morrison also re-recorded the lines of Boba Fett in the 2004 DVD release…...

Warning: This interview contains spoilers about the series finale of Star Wars: Clone Wars “Victory and Death” on Disney+.

For Star Wars: The Clone Wars producer-scribe-supervising director-animator Dave Filoni, the animated series has represented a 15-year journey that began when he arrived at Lucasfilm from Nickelodeon’s The Last Airbender. He promptly found a mentor in George Lucas, learning and working with him on building out the Star Wars universe between the feature installments of Star Wars: Episode II: Attack of the Clones and Star Wars, Episode III: Revenge of the Sith in Clone Wars. The animated series was a massive ratings success, and at one point was one of Cartoon Network’s highest rated shows during the series’ initial run and delivered five Daytime Emmys and two wins to Filoni. But when Disney bought Lucasfilm in 2012 for $4.05 billion, they halted Clone Wars, only to resurrect it on Disney+ for...

The Clone Wars, which follows Star Wars‘ most famous conflict from the early days to the very last battle, has reached its end. “Shattered,” the penultimate episode of The Clone Wars, finally brings the horrors of Order 66 into view, showing us the Jedi Purge from Ahsoka Tano’s perspective. With the Siege of Mandalore complete, General Grievous dead on Utapau, the Jedi Order destroyed, and the last remaining Separatist leaders waiting for Darth Vader on Mustafar, the fall of the Republic and the rise of the Empire can finally begin.

We saw much of the end of the Clone Wars, including Emperor Palpatine’s total victory, in Revenge of the Sith, and the final arc of the animated series is a worthy companion piece to the grim third act of the Prequel Trilogy. Those who have followed The Clone Wars from the start know how much the heroes of the...

If you’ve ever watched contrived science fiction for fun, being willing to ignore its barely sensical story points for the sake of tone, but secretly hoping it was splashed with a layer of pink glitter, then do I have the film for you. Director Alice Waddington’s feature debut, Paradise Hills, is the fluffy pastel answer to the science fiction evening fillers we’re so used to seeing toned blue, green, and yellow.

Uma (Emma Roberts) wakes up in a strange place, an inescapable island adorned in an aesthetic that matches someone’s grandmother’s tea set. She’s been sent there because she has declined to marry a man that would allow her to regain her family’s fortune. The island turns out to be an over-the-top retreat, reminiscent of a celebrity rehab facility, filled with wealthy young women sent there to change something about themselves. One has a drinking problem,...

The Full Metal Jacket and Law & Order: Criminal Intent actor will play American Southern Baptist pastor, televangelist, and conservative activist Jerry Falwell in Fox Searchlight’s The Eyes of Tammy Faye about the rise, fall and redemption of televangelist Tammy Bakker.

As production starts today in Charlotte, North Carolina, Searchlight also announced Vincent D’Onofrio joining the cast in addition to Gabriel Olds (Surrogates) as televangelist, media mogul and former Republican presidential candidate Pat Robertson, Mark Wystrach (Johnny Christ) as American actor and country music singer Gary Paxton.

They join previously announced cast Andrew Garfield as Jim Bakker, Jessica Chastain (who is also producing) in the title role, Sam Jaeger as Roe Messner and Chandler Head as Little Tammy Faye, Cherry Jones as Tammy Faye’s mother Rachel, and Fredric Lehne as Tammy Faye’s step-father Fred,

Pic is based on Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato’s 2000 documentary of the same name.

Receiving the 2019 Pioneer of the Year award from the Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation, Elizabeth Banks is leading in a new field. In addition to her achievements as an actor, director, producer and writer, Banks also devotes considerable time and money to a wide array of philanthropic efforts and organizations.

And on Sept. 25 she will be the first female director to receive the honor in the 78-year history of the Pioneer of the Year Dinner benefiting the Pioneers Assistance Fund. Banks was surprised and delighted by the prestigious honor.

“I’m pretty excited to be following in the footsteps of so many incredible past honorees,” says Banks, who joins a who’s who of legendary recipients such as Cecil B. DeMille, Jack Warner, Darryl F. Zanuck, Cheryl Boone Isaacs and last year’s honoree Tom Cruise. “And we’ve already raised over a million dollars for the Pioneer Assistance Fund,...

The Will Rogers Motion Picture Pioneers Foundation announced today that actress, director, and producer Elizabeth Banks will receive the 2019 Pioneer of the Year Award on September 25, 2019 at The Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills. Banks is the first female director to receive the honor.

The Pioneer of the Year Award is given to a respected member of the motion picture community whose professional leadership, service, and commitment to philanthropy is exemplary. Banks will receive the Award at the Pioneer of the Year Dinner – the annual fundraiser benefiting the Wrmppf’s Pioneers Assistance Fund (Paf) which provides financial support and services to individuals in the theatrical entertainment community who are encountering an illness, injury or a life-changing event. There wasn’t a Pioneer of the Year Dinner at CinemaCon in Las Vegas back in April because the event was moved to Beverly Hills this fall.

Banks’ filmography counts $5.6 billion at the global box office.

A new study has determined that Jessica Alba and Mike Epps are the worst reviewed actors of the last 20 years. The study was conducted by Go Compare who attempted to determine which actors and actresses in movies had the worst track records based on reviews. This was done based on looking at the average Metacritic score for all of the movies the respective stars appeared in over the last two decades. The results are, in some ways, surprising.

Starting with the actresses, Jessica Alba, who had an average Metacritic score of 39 out of 100 for her movies, came out on top. Or at the bottom, depending on how one looks at it. Alba has been in a ton of poorly reviewed movies, from her pair of Fantastic Four movies, to Sin City: A Dame to Kill For and, more recently, Mechanic: Resurrection alongside Jason Statham. That really just scratches the surface,...

With sci-fi actioners Surrogates and Terminator 3 already under his belt, director Jonathan Mostow should have no trouble handling a real-world Euro-thriller like The Hunter’s Prayer, yet control of the narrative appears to rapidly slip from his grasp as the movie’s implausibilities mount. What should be a reliably entertaining, if not especially original, replication of well-worn crime-thriller conventions instead turns into an enervating slog. Audiences seeking mindless diversion are more likely to discover The Hunter’s Prayer on VOD than in theaters, where it doesn’t have, well, a prayer of lasting past opening weekend.

Anti-hero assassins come in various guises, from...

Kirsten Howard Jan 19, 2017

Most Bruce Willis movies right now seem to head to DVD almost immediately. We've found even more of them...

This article has been updated to include two new films - Precious Cargo and Marauders.

See related Split review M Night Shyamalan interview: Split, non-conformity, creative freedom

It’s not exactly clear when Bruce Willis went from being a big star whose name filled seats and sold tickets to being a guy whose name you see on the cover of so many direct-to-dvd and VOD outings (albeit ones that sometimes get a week or two in a cinema, in essence to promote the VOD release), but I’d like to go out on a limb here and say that Kevin Smith’s mouth might be partly to blame.

During one of his filmed Q&A sessions that ended up winging its way to eager fanboys and girls like...

Actress Radha Mitchell is no stranger to the world of horror. She broke into the genre with Pitch Black in 2000, and since then, Mitchell has starred in films such as Phone Booth, Silent Hill, Surrogates, and The Crazies (2010), as well as her latest project, The Darkness, which has her re-teaming with director Greg McLean (who she previously collaborated with on Rogue, an excellent killer croc movie).

In The Darkness, Mitchell co-stars alongside Kevin Bacon, David Mazouz and Lucy Fry as a mother struggling to keep her family together after a sinister force invades their home, adding to the stresses she and her brood are already working their way through. During a recent press day, Daily Dead had the opportunity to speak with Mitchell about her involvement in The Darkness, working again with McLean, and more.

Look for The Darkness in theaters this Friday, May 13th.

Great to speak with you today,...

Roar Uthaug’s The Wave crashes on the shores of Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital HD on June 21st. Also in this round-up: production details on Jessica Cameron’s An Ending, release details for Sacrifice and The Divine Tragedies, and Kickstarter launch details for Night Wolf.

The Wave: “Nestled in Norway’s Sunnmøre region, Geiranger is one of the most spectacular tourist draws on the planet. With the mountain Åkerneset overlooking the village — and constantly threatening to collapse into the fjord — it is also a place where cataclysm could strike at any moment. After putting in several years at Geiranger’s warning centre, geologist Kristian (Kristoffer Joner) is moving on to a prestigious gig with an oil company. But the very day he’s about to drive his family to their new life in the city, Kristian senses something isn’t right. The substrata are shifting. No one wants to believe...

Stars: Bruce Willis, Ambyr Childers, Thomas Jane, Bryan Greenberg, Johnathon Schaech, Charlotte Kirk, Brett Granstaff, Ryan O’Nan, David Gordon, Colin Egglesfield, Cameron Brexler, Jesse Pruett, Tyler Jon Olson, Don Harvey, Lydia Hull | Written by Andre Fabrizio, Jeremy Passmore | Directed by Brian A. Miller

Take one part The Matrix, one part Surrogates and mix in a dash of video gmae Mirror’s Edge and you have Vice, a Cyberpunk action flick that – for older film fans like myself – plays as little more than a modern-day clone of Westworld and its sequel; which also shares a lot in common with the likes of Mamoru Oshii’s Ghost in the Shell sequel Innocence.

Designed by Julian Michaels (Willis), Vice is the ultimate resort where anything goes, allowing customers to play out their wildest fantasies and fulfil their deepest, darkest desires with artificial inhabitants who look, think and feel like real humans. Things...

On the third day of the new year, Hollywood shook off the rust from the two week holiday shutdown and emerged in the desert.

Palm Springs International Film Fest’s Awards Gala gave 10 pre-determined awards to serious awards season contenders at the Palm Springs Convention Center on Saturday night. Those winners, like Reese Witherspoon, J.K. Simmons, Rosamund Pike, “Selma’s” David Oyelowo, and the cast of “The Imitation Game” were already anointed before they headed east. No mystery there.

For the rest of the surprise guests (Brad Pitt, Shirley MacLaine), star surrogates, The Parker’s party scene here’s a...

Cbm had a great opportunity to interview 6 stars cast in the 4th installment of the Scorpion King movie franchise, which is a direct to Blu-Ray movie releasing January 13th, 2015. A campy action comedy that departed from its darker third installment to become more of a family friendly movie. A decision that made the movie more interesting, funnier, and entertaining to watch. I spoke with stars Victor Webster (Continuum, Charmed, Surrogates) who plays the eponymous character of Mathuyus, The Scorpion King, who took on the mantle from The Rock in the third film after the first sequel explored the characters younger beginnings, with Michael Copon in the leading role. I had a wonderful time speaking to Will Kemp (Van Hellsing, Step Up 2: The Streets) the antagonist in the film, Drazen; the always amazingly beautiful Ellen Hollman (Spartacus: War of the Damned, Weeds) who Co-Starred alongside Webster as the would-be...

Didn't Bruce Willis learn anything from Surrogates? Androids are bad news! They can't be trusted and something something Isaac Asimov. Regardless, the first trailer for Vice starring Willis has arrived and it has a few familiar concepts from other movies holding it together. The Purge and Westworld for starters and just about every other movie tackling the A.I. run amuck gimmick are present here. Here's the official synopsis for Vice: Julian Michaels (Bruce...

"They look and act like humans, which gives our clients the most realistic experience possible." Since the year is almost up, we're starting to get teases for films that will end up in the dumping ground of the early part of the year (January, February and most of March). This time it's the sci-fi action thriller Vice, which looks like a poor man's version of I, Robot meets Surrogates, and it even has the latter's star Bruce Willis involved. Loooking and feeling more like a film adaptation of the canceled Fox series "Almost Human," the movie follows a female android, used to carry out fantasies at a resort called Vice, that seems to be becoming more human with flashbacks and whatnot. Of course, she escapes, they pursue, and action ensues. Watch? Here's the first trailer for Brian A. Miller's Vice from YouTube (via THR): Vice is directed by Brian A.

Rosamund Pike nearly stole the show in David Fincher's "Gone Girl" but he stole the hearts of the Palm Springs International Film Festival's committee members. The actress is getting the Breakthrough Performance Award! Last year, "12 Years A Slave's" Lupita Nyong'o received the same award and walked all the way to Oscar glory!

Pike is joining recently announced recipients Eddie Redmayne, Julianne Moore, and J.K. Simmons. Here's the press release:

Palm Springs, CA (November 21, 2014) . The 26th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will present Rosamund Pike with the Breakthrough Performance Award, Actress at its annual Awards Gala. The Gala will also present awards to previously announced honorees Julianne Moore, Eddie Redmayne and J.K. Simmons. Presented by Cartier, and hosted by Mary Hart, the Awards Gala will be held Saturday, January 3 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The Festival runs January 2-12.

.Rosamund Pike perfectly taps into Gillian Flynn.s...

The Giver star Odeya Rush has signed on to star in the action-thriller Hunter's Prayer, which was formerly known as For the Dogs.

The actress is playing Ella, a young woman who is aided by a contract killer named Lucas (Sam Worthington) on her quest for justice, where she encounters a number of thugs and other assassins. Hailee Steinfeld and Emma Roberts were previously attached to play Ella before Odeya Rush won the starring role.

Jonathan Mostow (Surrogates) is directing from an adapted screenplay by Oren Moverman, Paul Leyden, John D. Brancato and Michael Ferris, based on the book by Kevin Wignall. Navid McIlhargey and Anthony Rhulen are producing for Film Engine, alongside Mid Summer Films' Christopher Milburn for Midsummer Films, and Full Clip's Sam Worthington, Paul Leyden, John Schwarz and Michael Schwarz. No production schedule was given at this time.

Odeya Rush will next be seen in Sony's Goosebumps.

New York — The spotlight is finally on Rosamund Pike. The 35-year-old actress first came to moviegoers' attention 12 years ago when she played a double agent in "Die Another Day." She then alternated between independent films like "Pride & Prejudice," "Barney's Version" and "Made in Dagenham," as well as studio flicks such "Doom," "Surrogates," "Wrath of the Titans" and even opposite Tom Cruise in "Jack Reacher." The biggest media spotlight she'd received was for her supporting role in "An Education," but if you were introduced to her at a party you probably wouldn't know where you recognized her from (or that she was even a movie "star"). That will all change with David Fincher's "Gone Girl." It's a cliche to say Pike's performance as Amy Dunne is a revelation, but, y'know, it sort of is. Pike just hasn't had an opportunity this rich before and she makes sure you'll never forget "Amazing Amy" (and,...

Award winning Costume Designer April Ferry has joined Ashutosh Gowariker’s Mohenjo Daro. April, in her Hollywood career spanning decades, has designed costumes for many top Hollywood films such as Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Robocop (2015), Elysium, Surrogates and Jurassic World (unreleased sequel to Steven Spielberg’s films), Maverick and the HBO series Rome. She has received an Oscar-Award nomination for her costume designing for Maverick and won the Outstanding Costume for a Series Emmy for Rome. Having designed costumes for some of the most well known actors in Hollywood, April is now set to design the costumes for Hrithik Roshan, debutant Pooja Hegde along with the entire cast of the film.

Says April, “I am really thrilled to be working with Ashutosh Gowariker. When I first heard about this film I really hoped that it wouldn’t clash with my work back there and I am glad it didn’t.

Ever since the Transformers movie franchise kicked off in 2007, the iconic Autobot Bumblebee has taken the form of a Chevy Camaro. The tradition continues in this summer's Transformers: Age of Extinction, with Bumblebee inhabiting a brand new 2014 Camaro, which is showcased in a brand new commercial, directed by Jonathan Mostow (Surrogates), and a behind-the-scenes video that offers new footage from director Michael Bay's action-packed sequel.

As humanity picks up the pieces, following the conclusion of Transformers: Dark of the Moon, Autobots and Decepticons have all but vanished from the face of the planet. However, a group of powerful, ingenious businessman and scientists attempt to learn from past Transformer incursions and push the boundaries of technology beyond what they can control - all while an ancient, powerful Transformer menace sets Earth in his crosshairs. The epic adventure and battle between good and evil, freedom and enslavement ensues.

Transformers: Age of Extinction...

Elizabeth Banks is not going to sit around and wait for you to get your shit together, Hollywood. The multi-talented actress and comedienne has, like many other actresses of her generation, been trapped in thankless girlfriend roles in stuff like Seabiscuit, and Role Models, but she.s not going to sit down and take it. She openly lobbied for her role as Effie Trinket in the Hunger Games saga, and originated the premise of surprise hit Pitch Perfect, which she also produced. Now, the stunning Banks (who apparently produced the Bruce Willis actioner Surrogates. wha?) is stepping into a new realm: directing. Prepare to get Pitch-slapped once again as Pitch Perfect 2 is slated for a 2015 release, and this time Banks will be behind the camera. The actress, who also shows up in the first film as an overzealous commentator, will be making her feature length directorial debut on the film,...