I'm starting to think the execs over at Syfy may be a bunch of secret geniuses. When I first read Forbes' report that the NBC Universal-owned cable network is considering giving the lifeguard's kiss to Waterworldas either a film for its new theatrical division or, more likely, a TV series for its prime-time schedule, I almost choked on my coffee. more »
Ahem. So, if you could just take your eyes off Noomi Rapace's naked breasts for a damn second, I'd like to ask you a question. Is it me or is the Prometheusstar a terrible dancer? Compelling actor, yes — with a face that demands my attention every time she's on screen. But check out that weird kind of heaving motion she makes when she's imitating Mick Jagger in Jonas Akerlund's music video for "Doom and Gloom." What the hell is that? more »
Although Disney and LucasFilm remain officially mum, The Hollywood Reporter says Empire Strikes Back/Return of the Jedi screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan and X-Men: The Last Stand/Sherlock Holmes scribe Simon Kinsberg have signed on to write Star Wars sequels following Michael Arndt's Star Wars Episode VII. more »
"Elmo is bigger than any one person," the producers of Sesame Streetdeclared last week when Kevin Clash, who was the voice of the furry and very famous red muppet, was first accused of having sex with a minor. more »
With The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part II finally in theaters, it’s time to get to spoiler-talkin’ — did Bill Condon & Co. blow minds with the Big Crazy Twist in their big-screen adaptation? How much sexy time do newborn vampires have? Is imprinting totally not creepy when the power of Taylor Lautner’s abs is compelling you? more »
It's been a roller coaster of a week for Kevin Clash. On Monday, the voice of Elmo and the subject of the hit Sundance documentary Being Elmo, took a leave of absence from Sesame Street in the wake of allegations that he'd had a sexual relationship with a 16-year-old teen.
One day later, Clash's unidentified accuser, who's now 23, recanted his claim, clearing Clash's name. But can the beloved voice of Elmo bounce back from the controversy? more »
Steel yourself, cinephiles: A sequel to the 1942 classic Casablanca, one of the greatest films of all time, could happen in the near future. But while practically 99 percent of all Hollywood sequels and spin-offs seem like cash-grabs that have no good reason for existing, is there a case to be made for revisiting the saga of star-crossed lovers Rick and Ilsa in Casablanca 2? more »
In what was the shortest press op of my media career, Terry Crews portrayed Idiocracy President Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho in a Funny or Die conference call that, like most political media events, was about nothing. That seems to have something to do the absence of Idiocracy filmmaker Mike Judge, who was also supposed to be present at the press conference, but did not make it. more »
Get ready for more Star Wars, and possibly further incarnations of your favorite George Lucas properties: The Walt Disney Company is buying LucasFilm for $4.05 billion, with plans to release Star Wars: Episode 7 in 2015. Great idea, or "Nooooooo!" worthy? Weigh in, Movieliners! [UPDATE: Disney head Bob Iger says Disney's planning Star Wars 8 and 9 to follow.] more »
As images and reports rolled in from Hurricane Sandy's destructive tour through the Big Apple I thought of my East Coast friends and family affected by the storm, and of Manhattan, Woody Allen's great cinematic ode to the city — his city: Tough, romantic, and everything in between.
All those terrifying images of flooded streets and New York at an unimaginable standstill reminded me of happier times, by way of the magical moments the movies have seared into my consciousness over the years. This photo for example, taken Monday near the 59th Street Bridge as Sandy approached New York, depicted surging waters looming near where Allen and Diane Keaton shot Manhattan's iconic bridge scene — one of the most beautiful, dreamy moments of New York there is.
The New York that was beaten up, wind-whipped, and deluged over the past few days is a scary, unrecognizable New York. But the spirit of New York (and New Jersey, not to mention other affected cities and states along the East Coast) endures as folks begin rebuilding. I go back to the New York — romanticized, yes, but alive and bustling the way that NYC should be and will be again — of Manhattan's opening scene, which flashes through the city as Allen's voice-over and George Gershwin's "Rhapsody in Blue" bring it to life.
Even if only brief respites from the reality of what folks have to deal with out there, the movies can remind us of what makes life worth living; feel free to add your own indelible NYC movies and moments below. Meanwhile, NYC Movieliners Brian Brooks, Frank DiGiacomo, and Alison Willmore are powering through the insanity, as you'll see in the coming days. Send good vibes and warm thoughts their way.
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I love horror films, but it's real life that gives me the heebie jeebies. And when I think about the cinematic moments that haunt my nightmares, they're rarely from scary movies. Sure, escapism is involved (and a bit of time travel) — just not the supernatural. With that in mind, here's a list of the top five movie scenes that make my skin crawl. I hope they inspire you to come up with more in the comments section. more »
When Entertainment Weekly posted an exclusive photo of actor Ben Kingsley as the Mandarin, the super-villain who rocks Tony Stark's world in the upcoming Iron Man 3, it resurrected a thorny question around the virtual office here. In the Marvel universe, the Mandarin is the son of one of pre-Revolutionary China's wealthiest men and an English noblewoman, as well as a descendant of Ghengis Khan. So, why, as Executive Editor Jen Yamato wondered when news broke that Ben Kingsley would play him, did the job go to a half-Indian, half-English actor? more »
With this week's release of The Avengers on DVD/Blu-ray and Marvel's Kevin Feige entertaining all sorts of speculative queries as to the future of the superhero franchise, let's put it to the people: Which Avenger do you want to see step into the spotlight in a standalone sequel after Thor and Captain America? more »
What's in a name? J.J. Abrams' Star Trekreboot sequel finally has one (per Deadline) and despite my deepest, nerdiest hopes that early reports were on some crazy tip it's been confirmed so I guess we're stuck with it. I hope you're ready for — drumroll please... Star Trek Into Darkness. Star Trek into what now!? more »
