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Michael Moriarty remembered his exit from NBC’s Law & Order very differently from other accounts of Dick Wolf and other crew members. According to Moriarty, he rage-quit the series over then-Attorney General Janet Reno’s comments on the show’s violent content. However, Wolf later revealed that his firing did not have anything to do with Reno.

Michael Moriarty as Ben Stone in a still from Law & Order | Credits: NBC

Moriarty claimed that NBC and Wolf tried to defame him by announcing that he was fired for misbehavior. He played Ben Stone for four seasons and 88 episodes before he quit the series in 1994. Moriarty since left the United States and moved to Canada, where he acted in a few projects before his retirement.

Law & Order‘s Michael Moriarty Claimed He Was Not Fired By Dick Wolf Michael Moriarty and Richard Brooks in Law & Order | Credits: NBC

Michael Moriarty was proud...

Before his death earlier this month, late producer Quincy Jones penned an acceptance speech for his honorary Oscar. On Sunday night, his daughter, actress Rashida Jones, emotionally delivered that speech at the Governors Awards in Hollywood while accepting the award on his behalf.

Surrounded by three of her siblings, Rashida Jones took a moment to remember how her father “knew how to stay present, stay curious, and stay loving” before reading the speech they had been working on together.

“As a teenager growing up in Seattle, I would sit for hours in the theater and dream about composing for films,” the speech began. “I was always keenly aware of the power that we possessed as filmmakers — that the art we created, the stories we told, if we were lucky, had a chance to move people in ways that they could never imagine, to make society and the world a more...

Before his death earlier this month, late producer Quincy Jones penned an acceptance speech for his honorary Oscar. On Sunday night, his daughter, actress Rashida Jones, emotionally delivered that speech at the Governors Awards in Hollywood while accepting the award on his behalf.

Surrounded by three of her siblings, Rashida Jones took a moment to remember how her father “knew how to stay present, stay curious, and stay loving” before reading the speech they had been working on together.

“As a teenager growing up in Seattle, I would sit for hours in the theater and dream about composing for films,” the speech began. “I was always keenly aware of the power that we possessed as filmmakers — that the art we created, the stories we told, if we were lucky, had a chance to move people in ways that they could never imagine, to make society and the world a more...

Rashida Jones read from the speech her late father, Quincy Jones, was set to deliver upon receiving his honorary Oscar at the Motion Picture Academy’s annual Governors Awards.

The ceremony took place last night, Nov. 17, two weeks after Quincy’s death at the age of 91. Rashida, joined on stage by several of her siblings, accepted the prize on her father’s behalf, saying the acclaimed musician, producer, and composer “was really excited to attend tonight” and, “I want you to know that he is here, very much here.”

Rashida...

Quincy Jones died last Sunday night at age 91—another entertainment legend who shuffled off this mortal coil this year before the country once again made the ass-backwards decision to put Trump in office. A lot has already been said about his multi-Grammy-winning discography, which includes producing and arranging music not...

Based on a best-selling novel by Judith Rossner (which itself was inspired by a true crime case), the 1977 sexual thriller Looking for Mr. Goodbar was a box office success and earned two Academy Award nominations: Best Supporting Actress for Tuesday Weld and Best Cinematography for William A. Fraker. Star Diane Keaton also earned a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama. And yet, for a film, this was a film lost to time, as it never made it past the VHS and LaserDisc age of home video – apparently due to music licensing issues. Thankfully, it looks like the folks at Vinegar Syndrome have finally solved the problem, as Looking for Mr. Goodbar has leap-frogged over DVD and received a 4K Uhd and Blu-ray release! Limited to 8,000 units, this Vinegar Syndrome release can be ordered at This Link.

The 2-disc 4K Uhd/Blu-ray set comes with...

Often cited as one of the best actors of all time, Sidney Poitier has an incredible filmography full of important career-defining films. His filmography is vast, and while some are considered the best of Sidney Poitier's films, others simply represent some of the most important moments in his career as an actor, director, and filmmaker. Regardless of where they fall in the timeline of his life, each film represents a notable step to becoming the legend that Poitier is known as today.

Born February 20th, 1927, Poitier appeared in over 50 films. These movies include everything from tense thrillers to softer romantic dramas, and he gave a compelling performance in each one. With Sidney Poitier's death in 2022, the film world lost one of its greatest stars, making it that much more important to reflect on his history as an important figure in American film.

Blackboard Jungle (1955) Sidney Poitier's Breakout Success Was A...

Is that the smell of cigarette smoke filling the room? Did a thick layer of fog just descend on the city skyline? Has your inner voice started monologuing more than usual and with an air of suspicion? That’s right folks, Noir City Film Festival at Detroit’s Redford Theatre is set to return this month for it’s seventh annual showcase of murder, intrigue, trenched coats, and brimmed hats. As with every year, the festivities will be hosted by Eddie Muller of Turner Classic Movies‘ “Noir Alley” and will feature an international theme this year with foreign selections, as well as Hollywood films directed by non-American filmmakers like Otto Preminger and Hugo Fregonese.

2024’s Noir City: Detroit begins on Friday, September 20 with a double feature of “Victims of Sin” (1951) and “Night Editor” (1946). Directed by Emilio Fernández, one of the most prolific filmmakers from Mexican cinema’s Golden Age during the ’40s and ’50s,...

If you are a horror fan then there is a big chance that you might have heard about the horror streaming service Shudder, and if you have its subscription you might be wondering what’s in store for you in September 2024. Don’t worry there is a host of new and old horror movies coming to the service in the upcoming month and we have listed the 10 best movies coming to Shudder in September 2024.

Candyman (September 1)

Candyman is a gothic supernatural horror film written and directed by Bernard Rose. Based on a short story titled The Forbidden by Clive Barker, the 1992 film follows the story of Helen as she investigates a local legend of the Candyman but her investigation takes a dark turn when a series of brutal murders start happening. Candyman stars Tony Todd, Virginia Madsen, Bernard Rose, Kasi Lemmons, Vanessa Estelle Williams, Xander Berkeley, Stanley DeSantis, and Ted Raimi.

Ryan Eggold will guest star in Law & Order season 24 as Detective Vince Riley's brother. Mariska Hargitay will crossover in Law & Order season 24 as Captain Olivia Benson. Elizabeth Marvel reprises her role as Defense Attorney Rita Calhoun for a crossover episode with Hargitay in Law & Order season 24.

Law & Order season 24 casts a former NBC star in a pivotal role while confirming returning characters from Law & Order: Svu. Debuting new episodes in October, the long-running procedural will feature a few cast changes. The most notable change to Law & Order season 24 is that the Emmy-winning Camryn Manheim has exited the role of Lieutenant Kate Dixon and will be replaced by ER and The Affair actor Maura Tierney.

Deadline confirms that Ryan Eggold, who played the lead character of Max Goodwin on the NBC hospital drama New Amerstdam, is returning to the network to guest star as...

The first issue of James O'Barr's comic book "The Crow" was initially published in February 1989, and it joined the ranks of a growing contingent of broody, Goth-friendly comics that spoke to a growing cultural obsession with death and angst. The story of "The Crow" is incredibly bleak. A young man named Eric and his fiancée Shelley are attacked in an alleyway by a random group of thugs. Eric is shot in the head and left paralyzed, while Shelley is assaulted, beaten, and murdered. Eric later succumbs to his wounds and dies at the hospital.

An invisible mystical crow, however, finds Eric's soul in the afterlife a year later, and returns it to his body, resurrecting him. Eric is more or less a zombie and can be wounded without dying. He also becomes an introspective poet, often quoting Rimbeau and even Joy Division lyrics. He instantly became the poster boy for broody Goths everywhere,...

Hollywood will get to hear Elizabeth Taylor’s voice once more in the newly-released HBO documentary, Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes. Nanette Burstein helms the project that relies on 40 hours of lost interviews of the actress throughout 1984. One of the most devastating topics covered in the documentary is the death of her third husband Mike Todd.

Elizabeth Taylor in Cleopatra | 20th Century Fox

The death of the producer came at a time when Taylor was acting in the 1958 film, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. The production of the film was already going through several troubles and Taylor’s husband’s death halted it for a month. She was allegedly forced to return to the film by MGM, the studio behind the film.

Elizabeth Taylor Was Forced To Film One Of Her Most Prominent Films Amidst A Personal Tragedy Elizabeth Taylor in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof | MGM

Elizabeth Taylor was married eight times,...

Best TV dramas are subjective, but standouts explore complex themes, offer insights into society & human condition. Great dramas resonate with different generations, spark discussions, push boundaries, influence culture, and offer unforgettable viewing experiences. From gripping crime stories to epic sagas, the best TV dramas transcend genre conventions to provide immersive and engaging narratives.

Selecting the best TV dramas of all time is ultimately subjective, but several shows stand out for their overall quality and impact on the medium of television. Marked by compelling storytelling and memorable characters, these shows typically explore complex themes such as morality, identity, and power dynamics. Whether set in contemporary times or eras in the past, they offer insights into the human condition and society at large. While crime series have practically dominated television today, the greatest dramas of all time hail from all genres of TV.

From the best TV shows of the past 20 years...

In the 80s and 90s, an interesting cycle of inspirational teacher movies was being made. You know the type – the film where a big star plays a down-and-out teacher who gets posted in some crime-ridden school, and they manage to turn things around? Often, they were based on true stories, like Stand and Deliver, Dangerous Minds, Lean on Me and a few others. Then, there were the more fanciful, tough-guy teacher movies, like Nick Nolte’s Teachers and James Belushi’s underrated The Principal.

But of all these movies, the most badass, by far, is a little movie called The Substitute starring Tom Berenger.

In it, he plays a mercenary who goes undercover as a substitute teacher to avenge a brutal assault on his girlfriend, a crusading teacher played by Heat’s Diane Venora. While initially only planning on staying long enough to find the teens responsible, he finds himself...

Diane Keaton has impressed the audience with remarkable performances in timeless classics like The Godfather, Manhattan, and Reds. She has quite the collection of awards to her name including some very prestigious ones and why wouldn’t she? She’s Diane Keaton, after all. Diane Keaton redefined the modern heroine in cinema and brought absolute authenticity to every character she set out to conquer.

A still from The Godfather (1972) | Paramount Pictures

One of the finest works of Diane Keaton’s career so far has got to be the 1977 film, Annie Hall, where she played the titular character. The actress’ performance was so raw and well-received that she went on to win her first and only Academy Award. However, she starred in yet another brilliant film in the same year that was equally deserving of the nomination and many fans believe that she should’ve won an Oscar for this film instead.

Exclusive: Clear Talent Group has promoted agent Justin Busch to Director of NY Film & TV and agent Adam Liebross to Director of LA Film & TV.

Busch joined Ctg’s New York branch in 2012 after having been an agent at Phoenix Artists for five years. Notable NY film & TV clients include Marquise Vilson (Tom Swift), Amber Benson (Buffy the Vampire Slayer), Daphne Reid (Fresh Prince of Bel-Air), Shawna Hamic (Orange is the New Black), and James Andrew O’Connor (Hightown).

Liebross has been with Ctg’s Los Angeles branch since 2020. Prior to joining, he spent time at APA and Industry Entertainment, and was the Head of Talent at Beth Stein & Associates. Notable LA film & TV clients include Kiowa Gordon (Dark Winds), Tre Hale (Platonic), Christian James, Robert Longstreet (The Haunting of Hill House), Regan Aliyah (Xo Kitty), and Bj Harrison.

Additionally, the two...

If Criterion24/7 hasn’t completely colonized your attention every time you open the Channel––this is to say: if you’re stronger than me––their May lineup may be of interest. First and foremost I’m happy to see a Michael Roemer triple-feature: his superlative Nothing But a Man, arriving in a Criterion Edition, and the recently rediscovered The Plot Against Harry and Vengeance is Mine, three distinct features that suggest a long-lost voice of American movies. Meanwhile, Nobuhiko Obayashi’s Antiwar Trilogy four by Sara Driver, and a wide collection from Ayoka Chenzira fill out the auteurist sets.

Series-wise, a highlight of 1999 goes beyond the well-established canon with films like Trick and Bye Bye Africa, while of course including Sofia Coppola, Michael Mann, Scorsese, and Claire Denis. Films starring Shirley Maclaine, a study of 1960s paranoia, and Columbia’s “golden era” (read: 1950-1961) are curated; meanwhile, The Breaking Ice,...

Law & Order and Special Victims Unit have been renewed for new seasons on NBC. Organized Crime's future is uncertain amid lower ratings. Organized Crime could still go the way of many cancelled Dick Wolf spinoffs.

Two of the three ongoing Law & Order shows have been officially renewed. The universe of shows from creator Dick Wolf combine crime procedural and legal procedural elements and have all branched out from the flagship show, which originally premiered on NBC in 1990. So far, the show has received six spinoffs, with several already having been cancelled. However, the first spinoff, Special Victims Unit, is still going strong with 23 seasons so far. The other ongoing spinoff, Organized Crime, features Elliot Stabler (Christopher Meloni), a character who originated on Svu.

Per Deadline, Law & Order season 24 and Special Victims Unit season 26 have both been renewed by NBC. Organized Crime season 5 is still on the bubble, however. They report that the show,...

The new Law & Order season 23, episode 7 trailer showcases the character who is taking over for the departing Jack McCoy (Sam Waterston). McCoy's replacement, Da Nicholas Baxter (Tony Goldwyn), is described as ambitious and wanting to do things his way. Baxter's assertive approach suggests imminent changes in the team dynamics.

A new Law & Order trailer teases the upcoming replacement for Jack McCoy. McCoy, the Da in the long-running crime and legal procedural, was played by Sam Waterston, who originally joined the show during season 5 in 1994. He continued playing the role through the show's cancellation after season 20 in 2010. When the show was revived for season 21 in 2022, he returned to reprise the role until his exit midway through season 23.

NBC has now aired the trailer for the upcoming Law & Order season 23, episode 7, "Balance of Power." Check it out below, via TV Promos:

In the trailer, various characters are discussing how Jack's replacement,...

Tony Goldwyn replaces Sam Waterson on Law & Order. Goldwyn played a previous role in Law & Order: Criminal Intent. Goldwyn's experience from the political thriller Scandal and others makes him suitable for Law & Order.

Law & Order's new cast member, Tony Goldwyn, shares a sweet message ahead of taking over for Sam Waterson's Jack McCoy. It was announced earlier in February that Waterson would be exiting the iconic NBC franchise after more than 400 episodes as Manhattan District Attorney Jack McCoy. In a statement, Waterson expressed sadness over leaving Law & Order but indicated that he was excited to explore other opportunities. Goldwyn, known for his role as President Fitzgerald Grant in Scandal, will fill the void left by McCoy.

Goldwyn posted about the passing of the torch and his gratitude before his first appearance in Law & Order season 23.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Tony Goldwyn (@tonygoldwyn)

The actor,...

With Grant Singer’s Reptile, Netflix has a solid word of mouth hit on its hands. A crime thriller starring Benicio Del Toro, Alicia Silverstone, Justin Timberlake and Eric Bogosian, the film has sat at the top of Netflix’s top 10 for the last two weeks. Indeed, we caught it at TIFF (read our review) and really enjoyed the darkly humorous thriller, which eventually evolves into a tense action thriller boasting one of Del Toro’s most outstanding performances.

It marks the feature directorial debut of Singer, best known for his music videos. We were lucky enough to chat with Singer recently, who seems to have a bright future ahead of him as a director. While some have dubbed the film David Fincher-esque, if you’ve seen the movie, you’ll note that it likely owes more to the work of Sidney Lumet, which is by design.

“So Sidney...

In his gritty ’55 flick Blackboard Jungle, director Richard Brooks introduced a wide audience to Sidney Poitier, the harsh world of inner-city schools...and a genre of music called "rock ‘n’ roll."Host Rico Gagliano tells the story of Bill Haley's "Rock Around the Clock"—cinema's first rock needle drop—with the help of music detective and author Jim Dawson, film writer Anna Ariadne Knight, and actor Peter Ford...the Hollywood kid who may have accidentally started the rock-n-roll era.Listen to episode 5 below or wherever you get your podcasts: Apple PodcastsStitcherSpotifyGoogle PodcastsMore...

It’s time for a new episode of The Arrow in the Head Show, and in this one hosts John “The Arrow” Fallon and Lance are looking back at the 1987 sci-fi horror film The Hidden (watch it Here). To find out what they had to say about the movie, check out the video embedded above!

Directed by Jack Sholder from a screenplay written by Bob Hunt, The Hidden has the following synopsis: Something hideous is changing law-abiding citizens into monstrous, hyperviolent psychopaths. A series of bizarre, inexplicable robberies and murders have L.A. police detective Tom Beck totally baffled. And it doesn’t help when mysterious FBI agent Lloyd Gallagher tells him that a demonic extraterrestrial creature is invading the bodies of innocent victims – and transforming them into inhuman killers with an unearthly fondness for heavy-metal music, red Ferraris and unspeakable violence!

The film stars Kyle MacLachlan, Michael Nouri, Richard Brooks,...

Robert Blake, who played the crazed real-life killer Perry Smith in Truman Copote’s In Cold Blood and the popular TV cop Tony Baretta before a sensational Hollywood murder trial destroyed his career, has died. He was 89.

Blake, who got his start as a child star in the 1940s in the Our Gang comedy shorts at MGM, died Thursday at his Los Angeles home after a long battle with heart disease, his niece, Noreen Austin, told The Hollywood Reporter.

On the night of May 4, 2001, Bonny Lee Bakley, Blake’s wife of six months and the mother of his young daughter, was fatally shot twice at point-blank range while she sat in their car after they had dined at Vitello’s, an Italian restaurant in Studio City. (The actor said he had gone back into the restaurant to retrieve a revolver he had left behind.)

Nearly four years later, including a year spent in jail,...

Extensively researched with the help of childhood chum Harper Lee, Truman Capote’s In Cold Blood was a true-life horror story written in a poet’s voice. There’s poetry in Richard Brooks’s 1967 movie adaptation as well, thanks to cinematographer Conrad Hall who contributes some of the finest black and white imagery in movie history. Robert Blake and Scott Wilson are terrifying as the killers Perry Smith and Dick Hickock.

The post In Cold Blood appeared first on Trailers From Hell.

Humphrey Bogart was the type of smooth leading man that made film noir great. I've said it before, I'll say it again: whenever you watch his movies, he always seems to ooze a kind of tough coolness. Maybe it's no surprise — the actor was allegedly just as nonchalant and quick-witted in real life. But there's one movie in particular that feels like a bit of a letdown from the good ol' Bogart routine: "Deadline — U.S.A."

Released in 1952, just a few years before Bogart's career would be tragically cut short, "Deadline — U.S.A." has all the makings of a great Bogart noir, at least on paper. As a newspaper committed to hard journalism suffered through its last days, editor-in-chief Ed Hutcheson (Bogart) tried to take down an untouchable mobster and save the paper. It's full of "Maltese Falcon"-style opportunities to banter with the bad guys, but somehow,...

As The Blackhouse Foundation marked its 15th anniversary, the organization presented TriStar Pictures president Nicole Brown with a special honor during a cocktail reception on Oct. 15.

Held at the Annenberg Community Beach House in Santa Monica, Calif., the special event commemorated Blackhouse’s work to amplify the voices of Black multiplatform content creators, particularly through its programming at the Sundance Film Festival, increasing the number of Black attendees, as well as expanding the opportunities for Black films and filmmakers to be featured at major film festivals.

Brown was awarded the Entertainment Trailblazer Award, singled out for embodying the nonprofit organization’s mission to “continually change the way audiences think about Black movies and television, and to keep the conversation about Black storytelling going on and off the screen.”

The honor was presented by The Blackhouse Foundation board chair and co-founder Brickson Diamond, who saluted Brown for her leadership. Among the...

The great Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said, "The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long." Most people think Tzu was talking about the importance of conservation and avoiding burnout. He could just as easily have been referring to the beloved sci-fi television show "Firefly," which graced our screens for 14 sublime episodes, briefly returned via the 2005 film "Serenity," and was never heard from again. Some things are simply too pure for this world.

Browncoats everywhere know the best thing about "Firefly" is the characters. The crew is a group of disparate castoffs, many of them lovable losers of a kind. Yet, they are all wonderfully unique and perfectly cast, bringing the witty and often surprising dialogue to life.

There are no bad "Firefly" characters. If all was right with the Verse, this would be a nine-way tie. However, by their very definition, rankings put somebody first and someone last.

Sam Gooden, founding and longest-serving member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame-inducted soul group the Impressions, has died at the age of 87.

Gooden’s daughter Gina Griffin confirmed her father’s death Thursday in his hometown Chattanooga, Tennessee to the Associated Press. No cause of death was provided, though ChattanoogaRadioTV.com reported that Gooden’s health had declined in recent years, including kidney and breathing issues.

Following a stint in the army, Gooden moved to Chicago, where he and fellow Chattanooga singers and brothers Arthur and Richard Brooks...

Josh Olson and Joe Dante answer fan questions and comments.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Abbott And Costello Meet The Mummy (1955) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary

Monster A-Go-Go (1965)

Infested (2002)

Straw Dogs (1971) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Criterion Blu-ray review, Joe Dante’s review

Straw Dogs (2011)

Mississippi Burning (1988)

The Ghost And Mrs. Muir (1947) – Axelle Carolyn’s trailer commentary

Grosse Pointe Blank (1997)

Bad Boy Bubby (1993) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

The Mummy (1932) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

The Mummy (1999)

The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings

Slappy And The Stinkers (1998)

Casper (1995)

Invisible Man (2020)

The Invisible Man (1933) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

Robot Monster (1953) – Joe Dante’s trailer commentary

The Stewardesses (1969)

The Hole (2012) – Joe Dante’s US, Italian, British trailer commentaries, Dennis Cozzalio’s review

Love (2015)

Cave Of Forgotten Dreams (2010)

McCabe And Mrs.

What happens the moment gunmen go South of the border in American westerns? Implied foreign policy, that’s what! Updating an old ‘MGM Video Savant’ article from 1999, CineSavant takes a look at a fistful of big Hollywood shoot-out epics that formed less-than-optimal public impressions of international relations. You know, the Friendly Neighbor Policy, only with guns. The essay rewrite was first reprinted at Lee Broughton’s Current Thinking on the Western page, ‘An Internet Resource for Scholars of the Western Worldwide.’

The Foreign Adventurism Western

CineSavant Article

Discussing the films

Vera Cruz (1954),

The Magnificent Seven (1960),

Major Dundee (1965),

The Professionals (1966),

The Wild Bunch (1969)

Directed by Robert Aldrich, John Sturges, Sam Peckinpah, Richard Brooks

While enjoying an escapist, ostensibly apolitical Hollywood western, did you ever get the feeling that the filmmakers were commenting on foreign policy?

Back in the early 1970s the best studies of American genre films seemed to emanate from English critics.

On March 24, we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the premiere of The Godfather. It was nominated for 11 Oscars, won three, and changed cinema forever. The film, which never uses the word “mafia” or the phrase “cosa nostra,” is renowned as the premiere gangster film of all time, and is more than occasionally called the greatest movie of all time. Yet its follow-up, The Godfather, Part II, is often ranked higher. This has more to do with filmmaking than with crime.

Paramount Pictures released a 4K Ultra HD edition of The Godfather Trilogy on March 22. The scope of the Corleone family saga is the story of 20th Century America. Over the course of the three films, Francis Ford Coppola delivers a multigenerational tale of corruption, vengeance, and family duty. The Godfather elevated mob movies to high art, paving the way for the street-level gangsters of Martin Scorsese’s Mean Streets and Goodfellas,...

The same day faded-romance drama “A Love Song” screened for the Sundance Film Festival, I caught an interview with Marilyn Bergman on NPR in which the late lyricist described the time director Richard Brooks came to her and partner Alan with a request: “I want you to write me a song that is to appear twice in [“The Happy Ending”]. Early in the film, I want it to function perhaps as a proposal of marriage between these two young lovers,” he said to them. “l don’t want you to change a note or a word, but I want the song to mean something very different when you hear it a second time,” Brooks told the couple, who answered the assignment with the ballad “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?”

There’s a love song in “A Love Song” that functions in much the same way. It...

Exclusive: Victoria Rowell’s hit web series The Rich and the Ruthless has a new home at BET+. The upcoming fourth season of the drama series premieres May 13, joining Seasons 1-3, which are currently streaming on the ViacomCBS platform.

Created by, starring and directed by Rowell, The Rich and the Ruthless is a behind the scenes, dram-com soap that follows the fictional story of the first black owned family sudser on broadcast television, stopping at nothing to stay in power. The series hails from Rowell and Days Ferry Productions.

In addition to Rowell, the series also stars Richard Brooks (Good Trouble; Shameless), Alesha Renee (Kenan), Robert Ri’chard (Harlem), Chrystale Wilson (All the Queens Men), Michael Colyar (BET’s Hollywood Heartbreak), Dawnn Lewis (Star Trek; Lower Decks), Vivian Lamolli (All the Queens Men), Kristen Mako (The Big Rant), Bryton James (The Young & The Restless) and new talent Akilah Releford.

The six-episode...

If you have to name One movie that’s not likely to ever be screened in a prison, this one’s a good bet. In his sophomore starring outing Burt Lancaster leads a group of rebel convicts on a do-or-die bust-out against Hume Cronyn’s utter Nazi of a warden Captain. Richard Brooks’ script and Jules Dassin’s direction don’t sugarcoat the sadistic goings-on and producer Mark Hellinger pushed the result through the Production Code office. Sure, sure, plenty of noirs are violent … but this one must have been quite a head-spinner in ’47.

Brute Force

Blu-ray

The Criterion Collection 383

1947 / B&w / 1:37 Academy / 98 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date September 8, 2020 / 39.95

Starring: Burt Lancaster, Hume Cronyn, Charles Bickford, Yvonne De Carlo, Ann Blyth, Ella Raines, Anita Colby, Sam Levene, Jeff Corey, John Hoyt, Jack Overman, Roman Bohnen, Sir Lancelot, Howard Duff, Art Smith, Whit Bissell.

Cinematography: William Daniels...

David M. Rudy’s Armada Partners is expanding its ranks, adding Scot Reynolds, formerly an agent with Clear Talent Group, as a new manager. He is expected to begin officially at the company later this month.

“We have been looking for the right person to join Armada, not only on the talent representation side but also to be able to have a voice in the creative process as we continue to develop content,” said David M. Rudy, founder of Armada Partners. “Scot’s relationships and dedication to his clients were exactly what we wanted in a new team member and couldn’t be happier to have him make the transition to management.”

A graduate of Florida State University, Reynolds began his career at David Shapira & Associates in 2012 as an assistant before being promoted to junior agent and overseeing his own talent roster. In 2014, Reynolds moved to Ctg where he...

There are a whole host of films bubbling around the virtual Cannes Market at the moment, one, in particular, will see the likes of Richard Gere, Diane Keaton, Blake Lively and Lin-Manuel Miranda team up to star in the romantic comedy ‘The Making Of’.

Written and produced by Ed Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz, the story focuses on two couples: long-married filmmakers (Gere and Keaton) have cast overemotional actors (Blake Lively and Lin-Manuel Miranda) to portray their younger selves in the story of their great love. Unfortunately, by the time shooting begins, their fabled marriage is unravelling. The filmmakers want to make a hit; the actors want to tell the true story. Whose version really is the truth? And how do they distinguish between real love and movie love when their lives and their work become hopelessly intertwined?

Gere and Keaton have previously worked together before, back in 1977 they starred in...

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.

Clemency (Chinonye Chukwu)

From Escape from Alcatraz to Cool Hand Luke to The Shawshank Redemption, cinema is rich with not only prison films focused on the plight of the prisoner, but also depicting wardens in an evil light. Clemency, winner of the Dramatic Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival, flips the script in both ways, both turning the spotlight on a warden and painting her in an empathetic, complicated light. Led by Alfre Woodard, she gives a riveting, emotional performance as the Bernadine Williams, a woman who is stuck between the demands of her grueling job and a disintegrating marriage, and can’t give her all to both.

Not all Tennessee Williams film adaptations are successful, but Richard Brooks’ blend of romance, show biz venality and political thuggery is just too entertaining to dismiss. The entire cast is better than good, with Geraldine Page shining and Paul Newman well-cast. And the ingenue Shirley Knight receives her most iconic role, right at the beginning of her career. It’s sad timing for admirers of Ms. Knight, but still good to see her looking so radiant.

Sweet Bird of Youth

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1962 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 120 min. / Street Date April 28, 2020 / available through the WBshop / 21.99

Starring: Paul Newman, Geraldine Page, Shirley Knight, Ed Begley, Rip Torn, Mildred Dunnock, Madeleine Sherwood.

Cinematography: Milton Krasner

Film Editor: Henry Berman

Written by Richard Brooks from a play by Tennessee Williams

Produced by Pandro S. Berman

Directed by Richard Brooks

As with many American playwrights, Tennessee Williams was definitely bitten by the bug to...

Here are many more movies to watch when you’re staying in for a while, featuring recommendations from Steven Canals, Larry Karaszewski, Gareth Reynolds, and Alan Arkush with special guest star Blaire Bercy from the Hollywood Food Coalition.

Please support the Hollywood Food Coalition. Text “Give” to 323.402.5704 or visit https://hofoco.org/donate!

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976)

Groundhog Day (1993)

Kung Fu Mama a.k.a. Queen of Fist (1973)

Ali: Fear Eats The Soul (1974)

Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019)

In The Mood For Love (2000)

Hunger (2008)

The Sweet Hereafter (1997)

Fargo (1996)

Night of the Lepus (1971)

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Soylent Green (1973)

Silent Running (1972)

Canyon Passage (1946)

McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

The Professionals (1966)

Ride Lonesome (1959)

Carrie (1952)

The Heartbreak Kid (1972)

Hello Down There (1969)

The Brass Bottle (1964)

The Trouble With Angels (1966)

Pollyanna (1960)

Tiger Bay (1959)

The Parent Trap (1961)

Endless Night (1972)

The Family Way (1966)

Take A Girl Like You (1970)

Freddy Got Fingered...

Welcome back to Let’s Scare Bryan to Death, where this month I’m chatting with Ashlee Blackwell, founder of Graveyard Shift Sisters, a website dedicated to dispelling the myth that black women can’t be found in the horror genre. She also co-wrote and produced the amazing documentary Horror Noire: A History of Black Horror, and has bylines in Fangoria, Rue Morgue, and a bunch of other horror outlets.

Anyone who follows Blackwell knows she’s a huge Wes Craven fan, so it’s no surprise that her pick this month would be something from his filmography. But I had no idea the bonkers antics I was in for when she chose his 1988 return to the slasher genre, Shocker.

In Shocker, Craven leaves Freddy Krueger behind and introduces us to Horace Pinker (Mitch Pileggi), a brutal killer caught by local college student Jonathan Parker (Peter Berg) after Pinker murdered his foster family and girlfriend,...

Acclaimed stuntman and action director extraordinaire Jesse V. Johnson joins us to discuss the U.S. based action films and filmmakers that have influenced him the most.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

On The Waterfront (1954)

Fultah Fisher’s Boarding House (1922)

Undisputed (2002)

Undisputed II: Last Man Standing (2006)

Undisputed III: Redemption (2010)

Boyka: Undisputed (2016)

The Killer Elite (1975)

Convoy (1978)

The Osterman Weekend (1983)

Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia (1974)

Le Cercle Rouge (1970)

Straw Dogs (1971)

The Wild Bunch (1969)

Mr. Holland’s Opus (1995)

The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

The Birdcage (1996)

Cross of Iron (1977)

Electra Glide in Blue (1973)

Dirty Mary, Crazy Larry (1974)

Easy Rider (1969)

Fail Safe (1964)

The Cincinnati Kid (1965)

Ride The High Country (1962)

Major Dundee (1965)

Jinxed! (1982)

Beowulf (2007)

Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (2019)

The Girl Hunters (1963)

Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003)

Point Blank (1967)

Falling Down (1993)

M (1951)

M (1931)

The Black Vampire (1953)

The Roaring Twenties (1939)

Scum (1979)

Elephant (1989)

The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance (1962), possibly Joe’s favorite John Ford...

There’s never a bad time to be reminded of and introduced to great cinematic works and their authors and filmmakers, but 2020 is turning out to be a particularly necessary time for cultural enrichment and artistic nourishment. At home.

So the timing couldn’t be better for Stephen Farber and Michael McClellan’s new tome, “Cinema ’62,” an examination and celebration of 1962, which they boldly proclaim was “The Greatest Year at the Movies.”

For those cineastes who might challenge that proclamation, and substitute, say, 1939, 1999 or my particular favorite, 1969, for that vaunted honor, the book thankfully opens with an astute and succinct preface by Oscar-winning writer-

director Bill Condon.

“I’ve found that a cineaste’s ‘greatest year’ more often than not lines up with the early years of his or her adolescence,” observes Condon, expressing a theory I’d always assumed was mine alone. So with the question of subjectivity and...

Exclusive: Richard Brooks (Law & Order) is set as a series regular opposite Janina Gavankar and Reid Scott in NBC drama pilot Echo, from JJ Bailey, Davis Entertainment and Universal Television. Written by Bailey, Echo is a high-concept, genre procedural revolving around a team of investigators who solve the highest-profile crimes by sending our heroes into the past — in the body of the victim. They assume the victim’s identity and must race against time to prevent the crime before it happens. Brooks will play Carl Gaines, an old-school police officer. Brooks can be seen recurring on Freeform’s Good Trouble and in Amazon’s Bosch. He’s known for his portrayal of Paul Robinette on Law & Order, a role which he reprised on Chicago Justice. He was a series regular on Bet’s Being Mary Jane for four seasons. Brooks is repped by Thruline Entertainment, Clear Talent Group...

Cobra Woman

Blu ray

Kino Lorber

1944/ 1:33 / 71 min.

Starring Maria Montez, Jon Hall, Sabu

Directed by Robert Siodmak

In the early 40’s Universal Pictures was still best known for its shadowy black and white horror shows. That all changed in 1944 when the studio produced the kind of candy-colored dreamland not seen since Dorothy woke up to Oz. The movie was Robert Siodmak’s Cobra Woman starring Maria Montez, Jon Hall and studio stalwart Lon Chaney Jr., last seen putting the bite on Louise Allbritton in Siodmak’s Son of Dracula. There aren’t any vampires in this florid South Sea adventure but this is Universal, after all – villagers are dying and the bite marks on their throats suggest Siodmak’s latest wouldn’t stray too far from the studio’s comfort zone.

Montez plays two roles, a moony island girl named Tollea and her twin sister Naja who rules far-off...

Geffen Playhouse presents the world premiere adaptation of Key Largo, directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes Doubt, Farragut North and featuring Academy Award nominee Andy Garcia Mama Mia Here We Go Again, The Godfather Part III as Johnny Rocco. The Geffen Playhouse production is adapted by Jeffrey Hatcher and Andy Garcia, based on the play by Maxwell Anderson and the screenplay by Richard Brooks John Huston. Original music is composed by 10-time Grammy Award winner and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Arturo Sandoval.

Richard Gere celebrates his 70th birthday on August 31, 2019. Whether in romantic comedies, legal dramas, action thrillers or musicals, he’s been pretty durable as a leading man in a career spanning over 40 years. But how many of his titles remain classics? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 12 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1949, Gere kicked off his movie career with a memorable supporting turn in Richard Brooks‘ “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” (1977), followed by a leading role in Terrence Malick‘s “Days of Heaven” (1978). He became a sex symbol with Paul Schrader‘s “American Gigolo” (1982) and a romantic idol with Taylor Hackford‘s “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination as Best Drama Actor.

SEEDebra Winger movies: 10 greatest films ranked from worst to best

Despite his box office bravura, Gere has never competed at the Oscars.

Richard Gere celebrates his 70th birthday on August 31, 2019. Whether in romantic comedies, legal dramas, action thrillers or musicals, he’s been pretty durable as a leading man in a career spanning over 40 years. But how many of his titles remain classics? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 12 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1949, Gere kicked off his movie career with a memorable supporting turn in Richard Brooks‘ “Looking for Mr. Goodbar” (1977), followed by a leading role in Terrence Malick‘s “Days of Heaven” (1978). He became a sex symbol with Paul Schrader‘s “American Gigolo” (1982) and a romantic idol with Taylor Hackford‘s “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982), which earned him a Golden Globe nomination as Best Drama Actor.

Despite his box office bravura, Gere has never competed at the Oscars. Perhaps the closest he ever came was with his leading...

Rip Torn, who played Garry Shandling’s profane, fiercely loyal producer on HBO’s The Larry Sanders Show, co-starred in the original Men in Black films and was a major star of Broadway and Off Broadway during a seven-decade career, died today surrounded by family at his home in Lakeville, Ct. He was 88.

The prolific Torn played the unstoppable and unflappable Artie on Larry Sanders, which aired from 1992-98 and followed the behind-the-scenes and onstage antics of a successful late-night network talk show. Along with scoring a Supporting Actor in a Comedy Emmy in 1996, he was nominated for each of the show’s six seasons.

The year Torn won his Emmy, he also had been up for Guest Actor in a Drama Series for his turn on CBS’ Chicago Hope. In 2008, he earned his ninth and final Emmy nom, for his recurring role as Don Geiss on NBC’s 30 Rock.

Veteran television producer Dick Wolf, best known for creating the “Law & Order” franchise, is eyeing a cross-network crossover between his CBS freshman procedural “FBI” or its in-the-works spinoff “FBI: Most Wanted” and one of his NBC shows, such as “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” or “Chicago P.D.”

The decision whether to go with “FBI” or its spinoff, and which NBC show to partner with “depends on which story wins,” he told Variety at the Monte Carlo TV Festival on Saturday.

Wolf said the cross-network crossover was his idea, and both CBS and NBC are open to it, although it has yet to be confirmed. “CBS and NBC both want to do it – whether they can figure it out is above my pay grade,” he said.

The crossover would be quite natural given the FBI’s real-life collaborations with different law enforcement agencies. Wolf gave one example. “Svu deals...