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The ACLU of Southern California’s annual Bill of Rights Awards on Sunday night honored Mark Ruffalo, “Will & Harper” stars Harper Steele and Will Ferrell, “The Sympathizer” author Viet Thanh Nguyen and sports legend Brittney Griner and her wife Cherelle Griner.

Taking place just days after the election, the evening took on a somber tone with presenters and honorees emphasizing how crucial the ACLU was and will be in legal battles protecting civil rights and fighting for social justice during a Trump administration. In an eerie coincidence, an SUV adorned with Trump flags and passengers shouting “we won” drove by the Beverly Hilton hotel on Wilshire Boulevard as guests arrived for the gala.

Griner, who spent 10 months in a Russian work camp before her release was secured by a prisoner swap negotiated by the Biden administration in 2022, praised the civil rights organization. “My wife and I have a lot of common with the ACLU,...

Here’s a piece of trivia you might have heard in recent months: In Hollywood big-buck history’s grand annals, only one performer has ever been part of four films that grossed more than $2 billion each. That performer is, of course, Zoe Saldaña, who has starred in four of our biggest franchises. The four films that carried Saldaña to the incredibly impressive stat include “Avatar,” “Avengers: Endgame,” “Avengers: Infinity War,” and “Avatar: The Way of Water.”

But the star’s relationship with those franchises has occasionally proven a little tough for her. In 2022, the actress revealed feeling sometimes stifled by the demands of big-budget movie-making. “I’m very grateful for the opportunities that they provided, from collaborating with amazing directors and getting to meet cast members that I consider friends and getting to play a role that fans, especially children, love,” Saldaña told Wwd. “I feel that for the last 10 years of my life,...

Zoe Saldaña, the guest on this episode of The Hollywood Reporter’s Awards Chatter podcast, which was recorded in front of an audience at the Scad Savannah Film Festival, has been a screen actress for 25 years. She has been described as “the queen of the film franchise,” having starred in installments of the Avatar, Avengers, Guardians and Star Trek series. (She’s the only person ever to have been part of four films that grossed more than $2 billion.) But this year, with her performance as an attorney recruited to help a cartel leader with a top-secret mission in Jacques Audiard’s unconventional musical Emilia Pérez, she has reminded people that she’s also much more.

Those who have already seen Emilia Pérez have gone wild for it. It received an 11-minute standing ovation following its world premiere at May’s Cannes Film Festival, where the festival’s jury awarded Saldaña...

Zoe Saldaña has given Steven Spielberg credit for “restoring her faith” in filmmaking. The Oscar winner directed the American actress in The Terminal, on a set she she joined eight months after being part of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise.

While Saldaña didn’t name any particular execs or crew who demoralised her on the Pirates set, she revealed joining the huge Disney franchise came as a shock so early in her career. And she reflected:

“99% of people in the industry are absolutely wonderful, but if people at the top aren’t leading with kindness… Then eight months later, I worked with Steven Spielberg (on The Terminal), and he restored my faith that big can also be great.

Saldaña was speaking at a Screen Talks session at the London Film Festival about her long and varied career, which includes appearing in four of the highest-grossing films of all time,...

Jason Statham Once Slammed Marvel Movies. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

You’ll never see Jason Statham in a cape. The old-school action star is not marvelled by the Avengers swinging around a green screen. Statham even made his stance clear of the Marvel flick, which prompted The Hulk, aka Mark Ruffalo, to clap back hilariously.

Jason Statham is one of the biggest action stars in the world, and he takes pride in performing his own stunts. You’ll rarely catch the Transporter star relying on special effects and stunt doubles, so Statham’s antipathy toward superhero flicks largely reliant on green screens is understandable.

In 2015, the Fast & Furious 7 star told the Italian website I 400 Calci that he was disinterested in leading a superhero film. Jason Statham also name-checked the Marvel franchise, saying he has no interest in dwelling in that world.

Trending Kirsten Dunst Dystopian War Film ‘Civil War’ Arriving On Prime Video!

August is heating up on Max, with “90 Day: The Last Resort” premiering on the streamer Aug. 15 (one day after it airs on TLC).

Five fan-favorite couples from “90 Day Fiance” have reached their breaking points. In a final attempt to salvage their relationships, each couple will participate in a couples retreat to determine whether or not they can heal old wounds. Alongside a team of professionals, they’ll actively navigate issues with trust, sex, jealousy, anger and intimacy. Explosive group therapies, intense couples sessions, past life regressions, unique on-and-off-resort activities and so much more ensue. At the end of the retreat, each couple must decide if they will stay together or move on separately.

Fans of dating and relationship shows may also be interested in “Kim vs Kayne: The Divorce” on August 7, which chronicles the split between Kim Kardashian and Kanye West. There’s also Season 18 of “Sister Wives,...

Summer isn’t over yet but HBO and its streaming arm Max are already moving on to fall. With its list of new releases for August 2023, Max is focusing on football! The American kind, mind you, not the actually footy kind.

August 2023 sees the release of two major football documentaries on HBO and Max. The first is the premiere of Hard Knocks on Aug. 10. The new season of long-running NFL training camp docuseries will center on the New York Jets, new employers of legendary quarterback Aaron Rodgers. On Aug. 23, Max will air the aptly named Bs High. The doc tells the stranger-than-fiction story of high school football team Bishop Sycamore, which pulled off one of the more notable sports scams you’re likely to ever hear about.

Not of the football variety but in keeping with the North American sports theme will be season 2 of Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty on Aug.

DeVaughn Nixon, Quincy Isaiah, and Delante Desouza in ‘Winning Time’ season 2 (Photograph by Warrick Page/HBO)

Hard Knock‘s new season focusing on the New York Jets and the second season of the original drama Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty join Max’s August 2023 lineup, along with Tracy Morgan’s latest comedy special. August’s schedule also includes the season finales of And Just Like That… and Warrior.

Rap Sh!t season two premieres on August 10th, and the new half-hour young adult animated series Adventure Time: Fionna & Cake arrives on August 31st.

Series & Films Arriving On Max In August 2023:

August 1

A Hologram for the King (2016)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)

A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child...

August is one of the weird months on the calendar. It feels like it should be early fall; September is Right there, after all. And yet August is one of the hottest months of the year for many in the United States, one last gasp of summer before autumn and its traditional TV schedule of new releases settle in.

This year’s fall schedule will look markedly different thanks to strikes by both the leading actors’ union and the leading writers’ guild in Hollywood, but August will still have some fantastic new hits coming to streaming. Warner Bros. Discovery’s streaming platform Max is debuting new titles in just about every imaginable category, so here are the five we’re most excited for at The Streamable!

7-Day Free Trial $9.99+ / month Max via amazon.com

Get 20% Off Your Next Year of Max When Pre-Paid Annually

‘Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty’ Season 2 Premiere | Aug.

Four “Hunger Games” movies are coming to Fox’s free streaming service Tubi beginning May 1. The games begin with one girl and one boy from each district trained in the art of survival and ultimately, battling to the death. Unless your character is played by Jennifer Lawrence, in which case, all bets are off.

Watch the trailer for “The Hunger Games”:

Also coming is the Tubi original comedy “Pastacolypse” on May 21. When a global ban on gluten destroys the life of billionaire celebrity chef Alfredo Manicotti, he leads a pasta uprising that threatens humanity. It’s up to his spoiled heiress daughter to save the world.

The true-crime story of Joseph DeAngelo arrives May 10. A devoted family man and police officer, DeAngelo was also the Golden State Killer. For 40 years, he raped and murdered women in California. “Evil Among Us: The Golden State Killer” reveals how a genetic match...

I am not of fan of movies that resort to breaking the fourth wall, as it were, and letting their key characters talk incessantly to the audience. It is a device that generally feels lazy, a writer’s crutch to explain away story points instead of letting us discover for ourselves. The recent annoying pandemic comedy Together, with James McAvoy and Sharon Horgan as a bickering couple who sell their sides of ongoing marital arguments directly to the camera, is an example of why overuse of this technique can be so tired. Now along comes The Good House, which just premiered at the Toronto Film Festival, and where Sigourney Weaver as a functioning alcoholic real estate agent in North Boston offers her view on the town and its people with full sarcasm intact. It is based on the 2013 book by Ann Leary, and it seems this very literary conceit was...

Writing, directing, and life partners Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky work out all of their disagreements on the page, the couple confided to Variety at this year’s Toronto Film Festival.

While that may pertain strictly to film narratives, they’re certainly on the same page about their festival entry “The Good House” — a rich and unexpected drama starring Sigourney Weaver as you’ve never really seen her.

Adapted from the Ann Leary book of the same name, “The Good House” has Weaver playing Hildy Good, a real estate agent in an aristocratic New England town whose penchant for booze collides with the pangs of being a middle-aged divorcee to disastrous effects.

“The bulk of our career has been spent writing and we always talk about point of view, and this book had such a strong point of view. It does this really perceptive job in creating a world, and...

In “The Good House,” Sigourney Weaver plays Hildy, a prickly, well-born Realtor in a wealthy New England town. Hildy is a mother and grandmother, and her family has become concerned with her drinking. When they stage an intervention, the beginning of which you can see in this exclusive clip, Weaver’s Hildy breaks the fourth wall, and tells the audience about the players.

“Let me introduce everyone first,” Hildy says to the camera. And then she does, peppering her comments with asides: “This is my ex-husband, Scott, to whom I pay alimony. Even though he left me for a man after 22 years of marriage.”

“The Good House,” an acquisition title produced by Amblin Partners, will premiere as a Gala Presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival on Sept. 15. Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky co-directed the film, and also adapted Ann Leary’s 2013 novel of the same name with Thomas Bezucha.

Mark Ruffalo won the limited series/TV movie actor award at the 78th Annual Golden Globes for his double role in “I Know This Much Is True.”

Ruffalo followed his Emmy win for portraying twins, caretaker Dominick Birdsey and his schizophrenic twin brother Thomas in HBO’s limited series adaptation of “I Know This Much Is True” with this Globe win, his first-ever honor from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Previously, Ruffalo was nominated for three other Globes across the film (“Infinitely Polar Bear” and “Foxcatcher”) and television (“The Normal Heart”) sides of the Golden Globes ballots, but he had yet to win.

He accepted the award at home surrounded by his family members, thanking them along with HBO, the HFPA, director Derek Cianfrance, the show’s crew and Wally Lamb, who wrote the 1998 novel “I Know This Much Is True.”

“Thank you for always leading with the idea of humanity,...

Of the 11 Golden Globe Awards handed out on the television side, four will go to male actors who made a splash in the 2020 calendar year. Per Gold Derby odds, two trophies will be given to performers who appear in brand new programs, a staple of the Hollywood Foreign Press: Matthew Rhys in drama series “Perry Mason” and Mark Ruffalo in limited series “I Know This Much Is True.” The other pair of trophies are forecasted for father-son duo Eugene Levy and Dan Levy, who will buck the “new show” trend and prevail on their sixth (and final) season of “Schitt’s Creek.” Do you agree or disagree with these Golden Globe predictions? You have until February 3 to make your own picks.

SEEThese 4 TV actresses will win Golden Globes, per Gold Derby odds: Anya Taylor-Joy, Catherine O’Hara …

Best TV Drama Actor winner prediction: Matthew Rhys (“Perry Mason”)

Rhys is a two-time Globe nominee for “The Americans,...

For all you awards fans who roll your eyes when the same shows and stars win year after year, the 2021 Golden Globes will be right up your alley. Of the 11 TV trophies handed out during last year’s ceremony, only two are eligible to repeat: Olivia Colman (“The Crown”) in Best TV Drama Actress and Ramy Youssef (“Ramy”) in Best TV Comedy Actor. The other nine Golden Globe winners are ineligible, either because they completed their runs or because they didn’t air new episodes within the 2020 calendar year.

Colman is the favorite to reclaim her trophy for playing Queen Elizabeth II on Netflix’s regal drama. However, her co-star Emma Corrin (as Princess Diana) could end up being a wild card as she’s just been promoted to a lead actress. Season 4 of “The Crown” debuted in November to great acclaim, which now makes it top of mind as...

At the most recent Emmy Awards, Mark Ruffalo took home a trophy for his dual roles on HBO’s dark limited series “I Know This Much Is True.” The popular “Avengers” actor cuts his teeth portraying twin brothers Dominick Birdsey and Thomas Birdsey, a paranoid schizophrenic, in this adaptation of Wally Lamb‘s 1998 novel. Now, he’s on track to win his first-ever Golden Globe in Best TV Movie/Limited Series Actor, per Gold Derby odds, after three prior nominations.

SEEWill ‘Lovecraft Country’ or ‘Perry Mason’ become HBO’s 5th Best Drama Series winner at Golden Globes?

Ruffalo was previously recognized by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for his film work in “Foxcatcher” and “Infinitely Polar Bear,” plus the TV movie “The Normal Heart.” He lost those contests to J.K. Simmons (“Whiplash”), Matt Damon (“The Martian”) and Billy Bob Thornton (“Fargo”), respectively. He also has three Best Supporting Actor Oscar...

As Gold Derby predicted, Mark Ruffalo won Best Limited Series/Movie Actor at this year’s Emmys for “I Know This Much Is True.” He represented the lone nomination for the HBO limited series. And he was competing in a category against actors from more beloved programs such “Watchmen” and “Normal People.” That Ruffalo was able to overcome the popularity of his competition at the Emmys could signal that he will sweep through the upcoming winter awards season.

The last decade began with a trio of triple winners of the Emmy, Golden Globe and SAG Awards: Al Pacino (“You Don’t Know Jack”), Kevin Costner (“Hatfields & McCoys”) and Michael Douglas (“Behind the Candelabra”). But since then only Darren Criss (“The Assassination of Gianni Versace”) has been able to pull off the hat trick.

In “I Know This Much Is True,” Ruffalo plays dual roles as brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey.

Following up on the success of titles like Mr. Invincible, independent publisher Magnetic Press — which brings the best of international comics to the U.S. — is hoping its new title, Waluk, will introduce new readers not just to European comics, but also the plight of animals affected by global warming.

Waluk is named after its main character, a young polar bear who, along with an older bear named Eskimo, are forced to travel outside their home to find food and fertile hunting grounds as the world shifts because of climate change.

“When I first saw Waluk, my heart melted,” publisher ...

Every year the Golden Globes seem to go out of their way to award the newest shows and hottest stars, and this year will be no different … almost by default. As it turns out, only two of last year’s TV winners are eligible for repeat recognition at the upcoming 2021 ceremony: Olivia Colman (“The Crown”) and Ramy Youssef (“Ramy”). All of the other reigning champs — including Brian Cox (“Succession”) and Phoebe Waller-Bridge (“Fleabag”) — hailed from programs that didn’t air during the 2020 television season.

See‘The Crown’ Season 4 trailer provides a chilling preview of Princess Diana and Prince Charles’ tumultuous ‘fairy tale’

Colman is the favorite to reclaim Best TV Drama Actress for playing Queen Elizabeth II on Netflix’s regal drama. The fourth season debuts November 15 on the streaming service, which will make it top of mind as Golden Globe voters start marking off their ballots at the end of the year.

New films from Vincent Bal, Koen Mortier and Caroline Strubbe among 47 films at virtual showcase.

A new drama from Cannes award-winner Lukas Dhont (Girl) and a film produced in lockdown by Milo Rau are among 47 projects to be showcased at Re>Connext, the annual film and TV showcase run by Flanders Image.

The event, which serves as an export platform for film and TV drama made in Flanders, will run online from October 5-31 after the physical showcase was cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Usually taking place over three days under the banner Connext, the virtual edition has been...

Sigourney Weaver and Kevin Kline are set to star in an adaptation of the New York Times bestselling novel “The Good House” at Amblin Partners, the studio announced Monday.

Production will begin this week in Canada on the film based on Ann Leary’s novel of the same name. Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky, who also co-wrote the script, are set to direct.

“The Good House” follows Hildy Good (Weaver), a wry New England realtor and descendant of the Salem witches, who loves her wine and loves her secrets. Her compartmentalized life starts to unravel as she rekindles an old romance and becomes dangerously entwined in one person’s reckless behavior.

Also Read: Watch Sigourney Weaver Exhort Samantha Bee to Cheer on Journalists at 'Not the White House Correspondents' Dinner' (Video)

Jane Rosenthal, Berry Welsh and Aaron Ryder are producing on behalf of FilmNation Entertainment. The executive producers are Erika Hampson,...

We’ve been asking you to vote in our poll over the past week about which “Avengers” superhero will be the next to win an Oscar. With overwhelming results, Robert Downey Jr. is the one you pick with the best chance to take home an Academy Award (not necessarily for “Avengers: Endgame” but for any upcoming role). He has 37% of the vote, taking down Benedict Cumberbatch with 20% and Mark Ruffalo with 19%. We featured 12 of the stars in our poll (full results below).

Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame” has been dominating the box office since last weekend and probably will for weeks to come. The Disney-branded comic book production company has continued to assemble some of the most highly-regarded actors and actresses in the entertainment industry.

See‘Avengers: Endgame’ 32 character posters

Of course, the newest hero “Captain Marvel” is played by Brie Larson. She already prevailed at the Oscars for “Room” (2015) on her only career nomination,...

Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame” will dominate the box office this weekend and probably for weeks to come. The Disney-branded comic book production company has continued to assemble some of the most highly-regarded actors and actresses in the entertainment industry. Several have already contended at the Academy Awards, but which of the “Avengers” superheroes is the most likely to be the first Oscar winner? Take our poll below which features 12 of the stars.

See‘Avengers: Endgame’ 32 character posters

Of course, the newest hero “Captain Marvel” is played by Brie Larson. She already prevailed at the Oscars for “Room” (2015) on her only career nomination, so she isn’t listed in the poll. Neither are other past champs in the overall Marvel Cinematic Universe of 22 films: Michael Douglas, Anthony Hopkins, William Hurt, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwyneth Paltrow, Natalie Portman, Robert Redford, Tilda Swinton and Marisa Tomei.

SEEThe new ‘Avengers: Endgame’ trailer tells us absolutely nothing,...

Kelsey Grammer and Julia Stiles have been set to star in The God Committee, a medical thriller that offers a lens into the U.S. organ transplant system. Austin Stark wrote and is directing the pic from Paper Street Films, Phiphen Pictures and Crystal City Entertainment, and shooting is underway in New York City.

The story moves between two timelines: In one, a donor heart is being flown to a New York hospital and a transplant committee has an hour to decide which patient deserves the life-saving organ. The other, which takes place six years later, explores the impact of that one decision. Colman Domingo, Janeane Garofalo and Dan Hedaya are co-starring.

Phiphen’s Molly Conners, Amanda Bowers, Vincent Morano and Jane Oster are producing alongside Crystal City’s Ari Pinchot and Jonathan Rubenstein and Paper Street’s Stark, Benji Kohn and Bingo Gubelmann. Joannna Meek, Ray Masucci, Erika Hampson,...

Infinitely Polar Bear producer Austin Stark directs from own screenplay.

The Solution Entertainment Group will launch international sales in Cannes on the Kelsey Grammer and Julia Stiles medical thriller The God Committee from Paper Street Films, Phiphen Pictures and Crystal City Entertainment.

Filming is underway in New York on the story set against the backdrop of the Us organ transplant system and takes place across two timelines. In one, a transplant committee has one hour to decide which patient deserves a donor heart that is being flown to a New York hospital. The other takes place six years later and...

Infinitely Polar Bear producer Austin Stark directs from own screenplay.

The Solution Entertainment Group will launch international sales in Cannes on the Kelsey Grammer and Julia Stiles medical thriller The God Committee from Paper Street Films, Phiphen Pictures and Crystal City Entertainment.

Filming is underway in New York on the story set against the backdrop of the Us organ transplant system and takes place across two timelines. In one, a transplant committee has one hour to decide which patient deserves a donor heart that is being flown to a New York hospital. The other takes place six years later and...

Kelsey Grammer and Julia Stiles are set to star in “The God Committee,” a medical thriller from writer and director Austin Stark. Paper Street Films, Phiphen Pictures and Crystal City Entertainment announced the casting on Thursday.

Colman Domingo, Janeane Garofalo and Dan Hedaya will co-star in “The God Committee,” which is currently shooting in New York.

“The God Committee” is a look into the U.S. organ transplant system, seen through the eyes of those personally involved and affected by it. The story moves between two timelines: In one, a donor heart is being flown to a NYC hospital, and a transplant committee has an hour to decide which patient deserves the life-saving organ. The other, which takes place six years later, explores the impact of that one decision.

Also Read: Kelsey Grammer Told Original 'Frasier' Cast He'd Want Them for a Reboot

Molly Conners, Amanda Bowers, Vincent Morano...

Authentic Talent & Literary Management and indie studio Propagate Content have set a partnership to create content, with a focus on developing and producing scripted drama for network, premium cable and streaming services, as well as non-scripted TV series. Under terms of the deal, Ben Silverman and Howard T Owens’ Propagate will finance the slate.

The venture will be led by writer-producer Galt Niederhoffer, who now becomes head of production for Authentic, the Jon Rubinstein-led company whose credits include the Vera Farmiga-helmed Sundance pic Higher Ground, a CBS pilot in the works from Chris Distefano, Comedy Central specials, Msg Networks’ Four Courses With Jb Smoove and Fusion’s Shade: Queens of NYC.

The first project under the agreement will be Reciprocity, a dramatic thriller from music biz veteran Drew Dixon and Christopher Cherot. Other projects in the works include Dysphoria, a queer coming-of-age pic set in a society that has outlawed gender,...

Authentic Talent & Literary Management and Propagate Content have entered into a new development and producing partnership and named Galt Niederhoffer head of production.

The two companies will work together to focus on scripted dramas for network, premium cable and streaming, as well as non-scripted television. Propagate is financing the development slate, and writer/producer Niederhoffer will oversee the new division.

“Over the past three years, Propagate has formed development partnerships with leading production and broadcast companies and executives around the world with an eye to developing world-class content,” Ben Silverman, Propagate’s chairman and co-ceo, and Howard T. Owens, Propagate’s co-ceo, said in a joint statement.

The Propagate duo has worked closely with Authentic’s CEO Jon Rubinstein for the past decade, and they expressed excitement about the new venture by adding that they “have admired Galt’s vision and sensibility, and believe she is the perfect choice to lead this new enterprise.

HBO has given a production commitment to the limited series “I Know This Much Is True” starring Mark Ruffalo.

The six-episode series is based on Wally Lamb’s New York Times bestseller of the same name. It is described as a family saga that follows the parallel lives of identical twin brothers in an epic story of betrayal, sacrifice, and forgiveness, set against the backdrop of 20th century America. Ruffalo stars as twin brothers Dominick and Thomas Birdsey.

Ruffalo will also executive produce in addition to starring. Derek Cianfrance serves as writer and executive producer as well as director, with Lamb also executive producing. Ben Browning and Glen Basner of FilmNation Entertainment, Gregg Fienberg, and Anya Epstein will also executive produce. Lynette Howell Taylor and Jamie Patricof will co-executive produce.

Ruffalo was most recently seen in the blockbuster film “Avengers: Infinity War” in the role of Bruce Banner/The Hulk.

Russell Brand and Paula Patton have joined Michael Caine and Matthew Goode in the family action adventure film Four Kids And It, first announced in Cannes in 2016.

Principal photography on the feature — adapted from the best-selling 2012 novel by British author Jacqueline Wilson (which itself is based on the 1902 book Five Children and It by E. Nesbit) — began earlier this week on location in Ireland, with Andy De Emmony (Father Ted) directing.

The children at the center of the film are played by up-and-comer Ashley Aufderheide (Infinitely Polar Bear, Going in Style) and Teddie Malleson-Allen (Swallows and Amazons) ...

Russell Brand and Paula Patton have joined Michael Caine and Matthew Goode in the family action adventure film Four Kids And It, first announced in Cannes in 2016.

Principal photography on the feature — adapted from the best-selling 2012 novel by British author Jacqueline Wilson (which itself is based on the 1902 book Five Children and It by E. Nesbit) — began earlier this week on location in Ireland, with Andy De Emmony (Father Ted) directing.

The children at the center of the film are played by up-and-comer Ashley Aufderheide (Infinitely Polar Bear, Going in Style) and Teddie Malleson-Allen (Swallows and Amazons) ...

Although highly regarded as a theater star — he earned a Tony nomination in 2006 for “Awake and Sing!” and just returned to Broadway last season in “The Price” — Mark Ruffalo is for most people a bona fide movie star. For his film performances, he has been nominated for three Oscars, two Golden Globes and four Screen Actors Guild Awards, winning one as part of the ensemble cast of “Spotlight” in 2015.

See‘Avengers: Infinity War’ trailer: Thanos plots destruction with ‘the snap of his fingers’ [Watch]

These days, however, Ruffalo’s greatest fame is largely thanks to his being part of the Marvel universe, having taken over the roles of Dr. Bruce Banner and The Hulk in 2012’s “Marvel’s The Avengers.” After a cameo performance in 2013’s “Iron Man 3,” Ruffalo’s Hulk also appeared in “Avengers: Age of Ultron” in 2015, “Thor: Ragnarok” in 2017 and is now in theaters in “Avengers: Infinity War.

With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit platforms. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.

Blame (Quinn Shephard)

Written, directed, edited, and starring 22-year-old Quinn Shephard, Blame premiered at Tribeca Film Festival last spring. We said in our review, “It’s an impressive debut feature that’s confident and assured, yet feels less like a feature film and more like an effective television drama with a few well-drawn characters and a multi-episode arc. Its asymmetric narrative doesn’t always work as it withholds information...

Regardless of the quality of the final project, Jack Black and his boundless energy is often the best part of any film he’s a part of. This can be said of the upcoming Jumanji sequel as well as a film he brought to last year’s Sundance Film Festival, The Polka King. Written and directed by Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky (also responsible for Infinitely Polar Bear), the film tells the true story of Jan Lewan, famed Polish polka singer and Ponzi scheme scammer in Pennsylvania. Based out of a novelty store in Hazleton, Jan wraps himself up in the American Dream. Playing everything from weddings to county fairs and other senior citizen-heavy venues, his polka fanbase grows as he continues to expand the number of band members, much to the chagrin of friend and band clarinetist Mickey (Jason Schwartzman).

Ahead of a Netflix release in January, the first...

Jack Black is looking to kick off 2018 with something of a career resurgence. The comedian is one of the leads in the Christmas family tentpole “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle,” and just a few weeks later his indie comedy “The Polka King” will debut on Netflix.

Read More:‘The Godfather’ Trilogy Makes Netflix an Offer It Can’t Refuse Next Month; ‘Marie Antoinette’ and ‘Midnight in Paris,’ Too

Directed by “Infinitely Polar Bear” filmmaker Maya Forbes, “The Polka King” tells the stranger-than-fiction true story Jan Lewan, a Polish hustler known for being the “King of Pennsylvania Polka” in the early ’90s and for running a Ponzi scheme to fund his aspiring music career. Jenny Slate, Jason Schwartzman, Jacki Weaver, and J.B. Smoove co-star.

“The Polka King” premiered at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. The film will be available to stream on Netflix starting January 12. Watch the trailer below.

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Netflix has acquired worldwide distribution rights to the Jack Black-starrer The Polka King, which first debuted at Sundance.

The feature is based on the documentary The Man Who Would Be Polka King from directors Joshua Brown and John Mikulak, which follows Grammy-nominated polka sensation Jan Lewan, who ended up running a Soviet souvenir-based Ponzi scheme that landed him in jail.

Black stars as Lewan and also acted as a producer under his Electric Dynamite banner. David Permut, Stuart Cornfeld, Shivani Rawat, Monica Levinson, Wally Wolodarsky and Priyanka Mattoo also produced.

Infinitely Polar Bear helmer Maya Forbes and former Simpsons writer...

“Diary of a Wimpy Kid: The Long Haul”: Yup, the experience of watching this movie is right there in the title. Unconscionably overlong while offensively appealing to the lowest common denominator of filmgoers, this film would appear to lack a single reason to exist. It’s been five years since the “Diary” trilogy came to a close with “Dog Days” — a touching finale of a franchise written by the versatile Maya Forbes (“Infinitely Polar Bear,” “Monsters vs. Aliens”). The book had seemed to be literally closed on this one. And for good reason. Compelling artistry always knows where (and when) to.

Kudos to Jack Black for trying new things. The actor seems to be on a mission to expand his comedic (and dramatic) palette with interesting turns in smaller fare like Bernie, The D Train and now The Polka King. Written and directed by Maya Forbes and Wallace Wolodarsky (also responsible for recent Sundance flick Infinitely Polar Bear), the film tells the true story of Jan Lewan, famed Polish polka singer and Ponzi scheme scammer in Pennsylvania (try saying that five times fast). Based out of a novelty store in Hazleton, Jan wraps himself up in the American Dream. Playing everything from weddings to county fairs and other senior citizen-heavy venues, his polka fanbase grows as he continues to expand the number of band members, much to the chagrin of friend and band clarinetist Mickey (Jason Schwartzman).

Jan is a untenable ball of ambition, determined to become rich and famous while remaining well-loved by all.

Plot: The true story of Jan Lewan (Jack Black), a Pennsylvania Polka sensation who ran a $5 million ponzi scheme, to the complete ignorance of his wife (Jenny Slate) and best friend/ band-mate (Jason Schwartzman. Review: The Polka King is so strange a tale, it could only be based on fact. Were it not, people would have written-off Maya Forbes (Infinitely Polar Bear) and Wallace... Read More...

Based on the life of disgraced polka sensation Jan Lewan, Jacki Weaver, Jason Schwartzman and Jenny Slate round out a wacky comedy that’s full of heart

There are three things you can always count on: death, taxes and that any movie with Jason Schwartzman playing a clarinet can’t be all bad.

The Polka King, a return to Sundance for Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky after Infinitely Polar Bear, is definitely wacky, perhaps even a little zany, but as the pre-title card and closing credits photos remind us, this is based on a true story. That fact serves as a considerable engagement engine, as this is the type of story where, if someone told it to you, you might say, “Man, they ought to make a movie about that!”

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Bidding wars have already begun for the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Buyers snapped up six titles in the days leading up to the fest, including one that A24 purchased sight unseen: David Lowery’s “A Ghost Story,” starring Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara. Other movies acquired in the past two weeks are “Berlin Syndrome” (Netflix), “Call Me By Your Name” (Sony Pictures Classics), “Casting JonBenet” (Netflix), “Cries From Syria” (HBO for television rights) and “Long Strange Trip” (Amazon).

Read More: Sundance 2017: Netflix, Vertical Acquire ‘Berlin Syndrome’

With 120 features playing at Sundance, there are plenty of hot titles remaining for acquisition executive, though it will be tough for any film to exceed last year’s $17.5 million purchase of “The Birth of a Nation” by Fox Searchlight, the biggest deal in the festival’s history.

Which movies are likely to have buyers lining up in the cold this year? Here are 14 hot...

Later this week, Lrm will be attending this year’s Sundance Film Festival. While the festival tends to be a mixed bag of indie films, some will be picked up for distribution by studios and turned into mainstream hits, others will flounder and be lucky to get a VOD release. Even so, there’s no denying that Sundance is the real beginning of the year for most movie lovers as we’ll be talking about the movies below for the next 12 months.

Last year alone, Sundance held the premieres for The Birth of a Nation, Manchester by the Sea, Captain Fantastic, Love and Friendship, The Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Sing Street and many more films, some that appeared on The Weekend Warrior’s year-end Top 25. One or two of those might even receive Oscar nominations when they’re announced next week on January 24.

Most of the films I’ve selected...

Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival is a welcome reminder of the power of film. Since 2005, he has slowly turned a conservative small town in Northwest Michigan — a four-hour drive away from any major city — into a community of ardent film enthusiasts. Not only that, but they are no longer quite as narrow-minded. Now there are decent restaurants on the main drag. Tourists flock in for the five-day summer festival (which this year ran July 26-31), which sells 130,000 tickets and generates more than $5 million dollars in commerce every year.

Over time, Moore has won over the residents of Traverse City, building their involvement in running his year-round arthouse The State, plus mainstream The Bijou (built in an old Wpa building) and the annual festival, all of which are staffed by volunteers led by resident Deb Lake. They feed Traverse City audiences a steady diet of films foreign and domestic,...

Michael Moore’s Traverse City Film Festival is a welcome reminder of the power of film. Since 2005, he has slowly turned a conservative small town in Northwest Michigan — a four-hour drive away from any major city — into a community of ardent film enthusiasts. Not only that, but they are no longer quite as narrow-minded. Now there are decent restaurants on the main drag. Tourists flock in for the five-day summer festival (which this year ran July 26-31), which sells 130,000 tickets and generates more than $5 million dollars in commerce every year.

Over time, Moore has won over the residents of Traverse City, building their involvement in running his year-round arthouse The State, plus mainstream The Bijou (built in an old Wpa building) and the annual festival, all of which are staffed by volunteers led by resident Deb Lake. They feed Traverse City audiences a steady diet of films foreign and domestic,...

Exclusive: Jacki Weaver and Jason Schwartzman are set to join Jack Black in The Man Who Would Be Polka King. The feature project is based on Joshua Brown and John Mikulak's 2009 documentary, which follows the rise and fall of Jan Lewan, a Pennsylvania polka sensation who unwittingly brought a town to its knees in a Ponzi scheme. Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky (Infinitely Polar Bear) write and direct the amazing true story. Permut Presentations, Red Hour Films and…...

Ivanka Trump's ex boyfriend and Maroon 5's guitarist have both taken plea deals after being busted for possession of cocaine in New York City in January. Michael "Mickey" Madden, 36, bassist for the Adam Levine-fronted group, allegedly slipped James "Bingo" Gubelmann, 35, a vial of cocaine outside St. Dymphnas bar in Manhattan's East Village around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 21, according to court documents. Both men were arrested and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Gubelmann, who dated Donald Trump's daughter for nearly four years, accepted a conditional dismissal offer in the case in exchange for...

Ivanka Trump's ex boyfriend and Maroon 5's guitarist have both taken plea deals after being busted for possession of cocaine in New York City in January. Michael "Mickey" Madden, 36, bassist for the Adam Levine-fronted group, allegedly slipped James "Bingo" Gubelmann, 35, a vial of cocaine outside St. Dymphnas bar in Manhattan's East Village around 1:30 a.m. on Jan. 21, according to court documents. Both men were arrested and charged with criminal possession of a controlled substance. Gubelmann, who dated Donald Trump's daughter for nearly four years, accepted a conditional dismissal offer in the case in exchange for...

Halt and Catch Fire

Manish Dayal ("The Hundred-Foot Journey," "Rubicon") will recur as a brilliant yet awkward young coder on the third season of AMC's period computer drama "Halt and Catch Fire". The third season shifts the action of the 1980s-set series to Silicon Valley. The third season is expected to premiere this summer. [Source: THR]

The Man Who Would Be Polka King

Jack Black is set to produce and star in "The Man Who Would Be Polka King" for Permut Presenations, Red Hour Films and Shivhans Pictures. The story follows Jan Lewan, a Polish-born Pennsylvania polka sensation who unwittingly brought a town to its knees in a Ponzi scheme.

Based on Joshua Brown and John Mikulak's documentary, "Infinitely Polar Bear" duo Maya Forbes and Wally Wolodarsky will pen and direct the true story tale which aims to begin production in July. [Source: Deadline]

You Get Me

Bella Thorne and Halston Sage are...