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Sandra Bullock starred in the 2002 cult classic romantic comedy Two Weeks Notice, opposite Hugh Grant, which is no longer streaming on Netflix. Marc Lawrence directed it, with Bullock also serving as a producer on the nearly 23-year-old movie.

The fan-favorite movie follows the romance between a liberal lawyer and her narcissistic, billionaire boss. It also features a cameo from US President Donald Trump, which is arguably one of his best film appearances. Here is everything about Two Weeks Notice that fans might miss after the movie left Netflix.

Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant’s fan-favorite rom-com, Two Weeks Notice, is no longer on Netflix

Sandra Bullock and Hugh Grant appeared together in the fan-favorite rom-com Two Weeks Notice. The movie was released in 2002 and received mixed reviews from critics despite emerging as a commercial success. However, the movie is no longer available to stream on Netflix after it left the...

When the "Friends" cast landed their roles on that beloved NBC sitcom, they instantly secured their futures as some of the biggest, most well-paid stars in the world. By the end of the series in 2004, each member of the ensemble was making $1 million an episode. That means that for seasons 9 and 10 they made $42 million, and to this day, the "Friends" cast still makes quite a bit from reruns. Of course, they sacrificed much of their personal privacy in the process, and David Schwimmer has been one of the most outspoken about the negative side of mega-stardom.

In a Guardian interview, the actor recalled how prior to the show's debut, director and sitcom legend James Burrows took the cast to Las Vegas and tried to warn them of the coming onslaught. "We were walking through the casino at one point," Schwimmer recalled, "and [Burrows] said to us, 'Remember this moment, it's...

Miss Congeniality, starring Sandra Bullock, Michael Caine, and Benjamin Bratt, remains one of Bullock's best performances. As Gracie Hart, Bullock is an FBI agent transformed into a beauty pageant contestant — despite her abhorrence of the events. The tomboy-turned-knockout competes at the Miss United States Pageant to investigate threats and violence against her fellow contestants, with pratfalls and gaffs at every turn.

The success of Miss Congeniality resulted in a sequel in 2005. Released five years after the original, Miss Congeniality 2: Armed and Fabulous, united Bullock with Regina Hall in a female buddy comedy. Gracie Hart, too high-profile to be an effective FBI agent, becomes the face of the Bureau with Agent Sam Fuller (Hall) as her partner.

The first Miss Congeniality earned Bullock a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, was a huge box office success, and was fairly well received by critics. The sequel was far less successful and,...

Sandra Bullock has starred in many critically acclaimed projects, giving the world an Oscar-winning performance in The Blind Side in 2009, the same year she received a Golden Raspberry for her role in All About Steve. A major rom-com queen, in 2000, she starred in Miss Congeniality.

Since its release in theaters, the movie has become a cult classic, despite the poor reviews. Miss Congeniality was a great undercover action comedy that became a hit in theaters. Almost 25 years since its release, Miss Congeniality is now a hit on Netflix,Tudum reveals.

RelatedFifth Element Director's 8-Year-Old Action Flop Becomes Netflix Streaming Hit

The movie was a massive box office flop.

For the week between Feb. 3 and 9, Miss Congeniality debuted on the platform in sixth place in the U.S. charts. Per FlixPatrol, the action comedy also debuted at No. 10 in Italy on Netflix, and enjoyed some popularity in Portugal, as well, where it sits in third place.

Before becoming a romcom icon, thanks to leading roles in The Proposal and The Lake House, Sandra Bullock was a bona-fide action star during the '90s and 00s, with major roles in Demolition Man, and the Speed franchise. But, one of Bullock's often-forgotten, and vastly underappreciated action flicks came six years after Speed, when Bullock starred in Miss Congeniality. For those that have never seen the action comedy, or won't pass up an opportunity for a long-overdue re-watch, it's currently a hit on streaming.

Miss Congeniality was recently added to Netflix, and flew up the streamer's Top 10 most popular movies of the week list. At the time of writing, Miss Congeniality is the 4th most popular movie on Netflix. The film sits behind Amy Schumer's latest comedy, Kinda Pregnant, in 1st, with The Menu and Back in Action in 2nd and 3rd, respectively. Released in 2000, Miss Congeniality was directed by Donald Petrie,...

Actress Sandra Bullock has starred in a wide variety of genres in her over thirty-year career. Starting out with Speed, Bullock quickly grew close to the public with her rom-coms but then moved towards the dramatic territory. She won the Oscar for Best Actress for her role in The Blind Side and was once the highest-paid actress in the world.

While Bullock got her breakthrough with charming films like Miss Congeniality, While You Were Sleeping, and others, she said she would bid goodbye to the rom-com genre after her film with Hugh Grant Two Weeks Notice. The actress fared well with the risky move in her career, unlike her contemporary Meg Ryan, who ruined her career after trying something new.

Sandra Bullock Was Ready To Quit Rom-Coms After Two Weeks Notice Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock in Two Weeks Notice | Credits: Warner Bros.

Sandra Bullock had her breakthrough with the...

The newly elected US President Donald Trump had made a cameo appearance in a rom-com starring Hugh Grant and the actor barely had time to notice him. Grant shared that Trump appeared in a small role in his movie with Sandra Bullock, Two Weeks Notice. While Trump played himself opposite Grant’s billionaire George Wade, he left no lasting impression on Grant.

Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock in a still from Two Weeks Notice | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

Grant explained that Trump did not register with him at that time as he was invested in a bet that he made with co-star Bullock. As plans for a sequel to the rom-com are thrown around, the film has little chance to cast Trump in a returning cameo as he would be busy in the White House.

Donald Trump Didn’t Really Register To Hugh Grant During The Former’s Cameo In...

Sandra Bullock is currently on a break from her Hollywood career. Her world was turned upside down when her long-time partner Bryan Randall passed away last year after a long battle with Als. She is currently home, present for her two children who were equally devastated by the loss. However, fans hope that she will return to acting soon and sources report that attempts to bring her back are already in full swing.

Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock in a still from Two Weeks Notice | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

At this stage, Bullock wouldn’t probably return to any project and work with anyone. She needs a safe space that allows her to take things slow. One project has reportedly presented itself as sources suggest that the filmmakers of Two Weeks Notice are interested in a sequel. Bullock might consider reuniting with Hugh Grant and director Marc Lawrence but under one condition.

Hugh Grant took all of our hearts away during his rom-com days but his real-life personality couldn’t be farther from a male romance lead. Often deemed as grumpy, sullen, and sometimes straight-up disrespectful, Hugh Grant holds a certain reputation for himself that you wouldn’t expect from the charming star of films like Love Actually.

Hugh Grant in Love Actually (2003) | Credits: StudioCanal

It was probably this unusual side of Hollywood’s heartthrob that weirded out Sandra Bullock to the point that she ended up avoiding him for years. Before the two starred opposite each other in Two Weeks Notice, Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock united for a “relationship meeting” where the actress was so grossed out by a story he had to tell that she walked out and didn’t return for three years.

How Hugh Grant Drove Sandra Bullock Away Hugh Grant and Sandra Bullock in Two Weeks Notice...

New month, new horror recommendations from Deep Cuts Rising. This installment features five selections reflecting the month of October 2024.

Regardless of how they came to be here, or what they’re about, these past movies can generally be considered overlooked, forgotten or unknown.

This month’s offerings include a Frankenstein anime adaptation, a K-Pop ghost story, and a pioneer of screenlife horror.

Pigs (1973)

Pictured: Pigs (1973)

Directed by Marc Lawrence.

It would be wrong to say Pigs‘ complicated release history is more interesting than the movie itself. Just don’t go into the movie expecting a simple story of sinister swine getting their fill of human flesh. Adjust your expectations as you watch Pigs for Hog Out Month.

Instead of pure hog horror, Pigs is far more concerned with the troubled interiority of its protagonist Lynn (Toni Lawrence). Something from her haunted past is making her uneasy. And the longer she...

Find Me Falling is a romantic comedy-drama film written and directed by Stelana Kliris. The Netflix film follows the story of a washed-up rock star whose comeback album fails after which he retreats to his cliffside home in Cyprus, where he finds new friends and an old flame. Find Me Falling stars Harry Connick Jr. in the lead role with Ali Fumiko Whitney, Agni Scott, Clarence Smith, Christodoulos Martas, and Lea Maleni starring in supporting roles. So, if you loved Netflix’s charming romantic comedy film with great characters and a feel-good story, here are some similar movies you could watch next.

Forever My Girl (Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Ld Entertainment

Forever My Girl is a romantic drama film written and directed by Bethany Ashton Wolf. Based on the novel of the same name by author Heidi McLaughlin, the 2018 film follows the story of Liam Page, a popular country...

Space Cadet is a romantic comedy film written and directed by Liz W. Garcia. The Prime Video film follows the story of Tiffany “Rex” Simpson, a Florida party girl who has always dreamed of going to space and gets admitted into the NASA space program because of a fluke with much more capable candidates. She must prove herself to the NASA bosses using her heart, street smarts, and moxie. Space Cadet stars Emma Roberts in the lead role, with Tom Hopper, Poppy Liu, Sebastián Yatra, Kuhoo Verma, Desi Lydic, Gabrielle Union, Andrew Call, Sam Robards, and Dave Foley starring in supporting roles. If you like the comedic, romantic, and heartfelt moments of Space Cadet, here are some similar films you could watch next.

Legally Blonde (Max & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – MGM

Legally Blonde is a romantic comedy film directed by Robert Luketic from a screenplay by Karen McCullah Lutz and Kirsten Smith.

A Family Affair is Netflix’s latest rom-com directed by Richard Lagravenese from a screenplay by Carrie Solomon. The Netflix film follows the story of Zara, a young woman with aspirations of becoming a film producer, but currently, she works as an assistant for a self-obsessed and childish movie star, Chris Cole. While Zara hates her job and boss, she still tolerates them, but things get worse when she finds out that her mother and boss are romantically involved. A Family Affair has an amazing cast, including Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman, Joey King, and Kathy Bates. So, if you loved the romance, banter, and hijinks of A Family Affair, here are some similar romcoms you could watch next.

The Idea of You (Prime Video) Credit – Prime Video

The Idea of You is a romantic comedy film directed by Michael Showalter from a screenplay co-written by Showalter and Jennifer Westfeldt. Based...

If you are a horror fan then you might have heard about the director duo of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, who gave us brilliant horror films like 2022’s Scream and 2019’s Ready or Not and now they are back with their new and even campier horror film Abigail. Written by Stephen Shields and Guy Busick, the new horror film is a reimagining of the 1936 Universal Classic Monsters film Dracula’s Daughter and it follows the story of a group of kidnappers who are told to kidnap the daughter of a very powerful man and keep her in the house for 24 hours, but they quickly realize that the daughter might not be what she seems. Abigail stars Alisha Weir, Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Will Catlett, Kathryn Newton, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, Giancarlo Esposito, and Matthew Goode. So, if you loved the horror, survival, and gory elements of Abigail here are some...

Drew Barrymore is proving to Hugh Grant just what her voice can do after he jokingly called her singing “horrendous.”

During a Wired video interview posted Monday, where he answers “the web’s most-searched questions,” the Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves actor was asked, “Does Hugh Grant actually sing in Music and Lyrics?” He responded that he does, but he’s “auto-tuned beyond belief. Actually, that’s not true. I’m auto-tuned a bit, but not as much as some.”

While laughing, the actor went on to say that Barrymore, who starred opposite him in the 2007 rom-com, wouldn’t mind him saying that “her singing is just horrendous” in the film.

The Marc Lawrence-directed film follows former music superstar Alex Fletcher (Grant) who gets an opportunity at a career comeback when he’s asked to write a song for teen sensation Cora Corman (Haley Bennett). The only problem is he can’t compose lyrics,...

It’s time for a new episode of The Manson Brothers Show, the video series hosted by the writers/stars of the horror comedy The Manson Brothers Midnight Zombie Massacre – Chris Margetis (Stone Manson) and Mike Carey (Skull Manson)! In this one, the Boys are looking back at the 1996 Robert Rodriguez / Quentin Tarantino collaboration From Dusk Till Dawn (watch it Here). To find out what they had to say about the film, check out the video embedded above!

Directed by Rodriguez from a screenplay written by Tarantino, From Dusk Till Dawn has the following synopsis: On the run from a bank robbery that left several police officers dead, Seth Gecko and his paranoid, loose-cannon brother, Richard, hightail it to the Mexican border. Kidnapping preacher Jacob Fuller and his kids, the criminals sneak across the border in the family’s Rv and hole up in a topless bar. Unfortunately, the bar...

William Goldman’s international conspiracy thriller provides Dustin Hoffman with an outright ‘action man’ star vehicle. The public applauded supporting star Laurence Olivier, who with just a few gestures creates a terrifying villain: “Is it safe?” William Devane and Marthe Keller co-star. We wish Roy Scheider’s character could have continued in a series of crime thrillers — he brings genuine movie star charisma. The story is by William Goldman, from his own book.

Marathon Man 4K

4K Ultra-hd + Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1976 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 125 min. / Street Date February 28, 2023 / available through Kino Lorber / 39.95

Starring: Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier, Roy Scheider, William Devane, Marthe Keller, Fritz Weaver, Richard Bright, Marc Lawrence, Lou Gilbert, Fred Stuthman, Jacques Marin, Litti Palfi Andor, Madge Kennedy, Treat Williams.

Cinematography: Conrad Hall

Production Designer: Richard Macdonald

Art Director: Jack De Shields

Film Editor: Jim Clark

Special Makeup Consultant: Dick Smith

Original Music: Michael Small

Written by...

San Francisco, Jan 10 (Ians) Apple has launched a new parking feature to its Maps application which will provide users with parking options and availability near a specific destination.

According to TechCrunch, the tech giant launched the feature in partnership with the US-based digital parking reservation platform, SpotHero, which will allow Maps users across the US and Canada to get parking information for over 8,000 locations.

“We’re constantly identifying new ways to bring easy, affordable parking to drivers. Working with Apple Maps is one way we’re doing this. Through our new integration, Apple Maps users can discover SpotHero parking right in the Apple Maps on iPhone and Mac,” SpotHero CEO & co-founder Mark Lawrence was quoted as saying.

With the new feature, iPhone and Mac users can search for a destination in Apple Maps and then select “More” and “Parking”, and they will be taken straight to the SpotHero website without leaving Maps,...

Ella Rubin has been cast opposite Anne Hathaway in the Amazon Prime Video movie “The Idea of You,” about a mom who embarks on a romance with the lead singer of the world’s hottest boy band.

Rubin will play the Academy Award winner’s daughter in the movie, based on Robinne Lee’s bestselling contemporary love story of the same name. “The Idea of You” centers on Sophie (Hathaway), a 40-year-old divorced mother. First, Sophie’s husband Dan leaves her for a younger woman, and then he cancels his Coachella trip with their 16-year-old daughter Izzy (Rubin). Sophie steps in to save the day, braving the crowds and desert temperatures, but things really heat up when she meets 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of boy band August Moon.

Production begins this month on the Amazon Original movie, which will be directed by Michael Showalter, from a script by Jennifer Westfeldt,...

Jennifer Lopez wants to save it. Netflix wants to save it. Rose Matafeo wants to save it. Indie film has already saved it. But this weekend, “Marry Me” proved to be another uninspiring example of the studio-backed American rom-com. Even with a title that seemed custom-made for the return of superstar JLo to a genre she appears to genuinely love, plus the multi-hyphenate performing multiple original songs in the film, the film opened this pre-Valentine’s Day weekend to $8 million.

You could blame the slow return of women to theaters, Super Bowl Weekend, or that the film played for free on Peacock; any or all could be true. But here’s another reason: “Marry Me,” like so many rom-coms before it, isn’t very good. While Lopez is an extraordinary performer, all those songs start to feel like product placements. The ostensible reason for the film — how Lopez as superstar...

A topsy-turvy take on The Postman Always Rings Twice, Ursula Andress, John Derek and Aldo Ray engage in some murderous fun and games in this 1965 potboiler directed by Hollywood stalwart Marc Lawrence. Shot in a little over two weeks in Calabasas, California, Lawrence co-wrote the steamy screenplay with his wife Fanya.

The post Nightmare in the Sun appeared first on Trailers From Hell.

It's hard to make a Christmas classic. Many have tried, few -- especially modern filmmakers -- have succeeded, and even films that generally have their hearts in the right place sometimes miss the mark. That last descriptor fits like a snug little Santa cap on Noelle, the new holiday comedy from writer/director Marc Lawrence (Miss Congeniality) and one of the first original features to launch on the nascent streaming service Disney+, alongside the other marquee movie title, Lady and the Tramp. With a knockout cast and a cute (if flimsy) feel-good message, Noelle is a sweet and well-intended …...

Among the many announcements at the D23 Expo, Disney debuted the first look at holiday feature “Noelle,” which is set to premiere exclusively on Disney Plus this fall.

“It isn’t Christmas without Santa’s Sister,” Walt Disney Studios said of the film on Twitter. Starring Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader, the Christmas flick tells the story of Santa Claus’ daughter (Kendrick) who finds herself having to take over the family business after her Dad retires and her brother (Hader) is reluctant to take over. Shirley MacLaine and Billy Eichner also star in the pic. “My name is Noelle Kringle,” Kendrick says in the trailer, which opens with the “Pitch Perfect” star singing for her reindeer. “Christmas runs in my family.”

It isn’t Christmas without Santa’s sister. Watch the new trailer for Noelle, streaming November 12 only on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/Wd88XWq7MD

— Walt Disney Studios (@DisneyStudios...

Christmas came early this year, with Anna Kendrick and Bill Hader decking the halls in the first trailer for the holiday comedy “Noelle,” which will be available Nov. 12 on Disney+.

Kendrick and Hader star in the film as Santa Claus’ kids. But when the pressure of becoming the next Santa becomes all too much for Hader’s character Nick and he runs off, his younger sister Noelle must step up, search the globe for her brother and work to save the Christmas season.

Check out the first trailer for “Noelle” above.

Kingsley Ben-Adir, Billy Eichner, Julie Hagerty and Shirley MacLaine also star in the festive film that’s directed and written by Marc Lawrence, best known as the screenwriter of “Miss Congeniality.”

Also Read: Anna Kendrick-Paul Feig Rom-Com Series 'Love Life' Adds 4 to Cast at HBO Max

“Noelle” was completed and initially slated for a theatrical release in November of this year,...

To go along with the company’s massive library, WarnerMedia now has a streaming-bound original to call its own: a romantic comedy anthology starring Anna Kendrick.

“Love Life” will star Kendrick as the same character over the course of an entire season, with each of the 10 half-hour episodes centering on a different chapter in that character’s personal romantic history.

The official overview of the series lists the show as “one of the first series on WarnerMedia’s new streaming service” and “the journey from first love to last love, and how the people we’re with along the way make us into who we are when we finally end up with someone forever.”

The series was announced on Thursday as part of Lionsgate’s earnings call; “Love Life” will be a production of Lionsgate Television and Paul Feig’s Feigco Entertainment. Sam Boyd wrote the pilot and will direct the series.

Walt Disney Studios President of Production Sean Bailey provided insight and showed off trailers for the Disney+ streaming service’s slate of upcoming films, including the live-action version of Lady and the Tramp which will be available at launch on Nov. 12, 2019.

Charlie Bean directs and Tessa Thompson stars as Lady, Justin Theroux as Tramp in the remake of the 1955 animated romance movie.

Marc Lawrence’s Christmas movie Noelle, which once had a theatrical release date, follows Santa’s daughter played by Anna Kendrick who must track down her brother Nick when he goes missing. Lawrence wrote and Bill Hader, Billy Eichner, and Shirley MacLaine star.

Also hitting streaming is Tom McCarthy’s Timmy Failure based on Stephen Pastis’ illustrated book. The pic follows an 11-year old boy who believes that he is the best detective in town runs the agency Total Failures with his best friend, a 1,200 pound polar bear.

One of a number of Paramount noirs seemingly forever Mia on disc, Hal Wallis’ show reunites Burt Lancaster and Lizabeth Scott with promising newcomers Kirk Douglas and Wendell Corey. It’s light on action but strong on character — and it contains a key scene in the development of both the noir style and the gangster genre.

I Walk Alone

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1947 / B&W / flat Academy / 97 min. / Street Date July 24, 2018 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Burt Lancaster, Lizabeth Scott, Kirk Douglas, Wendell Corey, Kristine Miller, George Rigaud, Marc Lawrence, Mike Mazurki, Mickey Knox, Gino Corrado.

Cinematography: Leo Tover

Film Editor: Arthur Schmidt

Original Music: Victor Young

Written by Charles Schnee, Robert Smith, John Bright from a play by Theodore Reeves

Produced by Hal B. Wallis

Directed by Byron Haskin

One reason we keep going to theatrical Noir festivals is that a substantial number of interesting classic-era features still haven’t surfaced on disc.

From VancouverFilm.Net, here is the Vancouver Film Production Update for January 2018,  including "Purple Harvest", "Colony", "Fast Layne" and a whole lot more:

Noelle

Feature 

Local Production Company: True Meaning Productions

Director: Marc Lawrence

Exec. Producer(s): Justis Greene

Producer: Heather Meehan

Oct 23/17 - Jan 18/18

Purple Harvest

Feature

Local Production Company: Tcf Vancouver Productions

Director: Drew Goddard

Exec. Producer(s): Mary McLaglen

Jan 29/18 - Apr 06/18

Spontaneous

Feature

Local Production Company: Spontaneous Film Productions

Director: Brian Duffield

Jan 29/18 - Mar 02/18

A Series Of Unfortunate Events ~ Season 2

TV Series

Local Production Company: Olaf II Productions Inc

Director: Jonathan Teplitzky

Exec. Producer(s): Daniel Handler, Rose Lam, Barry Sonnenfeld

Apr 17/17 - Apr 20/18

Arrow - Season 6

TV Series

Local Production Company: Benchmark Production Services

Director: various

Producer: Todd Pittson

Jul 07/17 - Apr 26/18

Blue Book - Season 1

TV Series

Local Production Company: Blue Book 1 North Productions

Director: Robert Stromberg, Pete Travis

Producer:...

Republic raids an early Rko talkie for a fantastic special effects sequence, and you won’t believe how it’s repurposed — in a story about a TV personality (in 1939!) taking on a corrupt political mob. New York crumbles and is then washed away — sort of. It’s yet another resurfacing of a title that not long ago we couldn’t see to save our cinema-curious souls.

S.O.S. Tidal Wave

Blu-ray

Olive Films

1939 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 62 min. / Street Date October 31, 2017 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98

Starring: Ralph Byrd, George Barbier, Kay Sutton, Frank Jenks, Marc Lawrence, Dorothy Lee, Oscar O’Shea, Mickey Kuhn, Ferris Taylor, Don ‘Red’ Barry, Raymond Bailey.

Cinematography: Jack A. Marta

Film Editor: Ernest Nims

Musical Director: Cy Feuer

Written by Gordon Kahn, Stanley Rauh, Maxwell Shane, story by James Webb

Produced by Armand Schaefer

Directed by John H. Auer

If Republic wasn’t...

One of the best Hollywood historical epics takes Technicolor to Mexico for a Production Code version of La conquista: the Inquisition is still bad, but the Church is exonerated. Likewise with the invasion — Cesar Romero embodies a marvelous Hernán Cortés, substantially less murderous than the one we now know from accurate history books. Tyrone Power is the heartthrob hero and newcomer Jean Peters the lowborn girl who loves him. The magnificent scenery is matched by the music score of Alfred Newman.

Captain from Castile

Blu-ray

Twilight Time

1947 / Color / 137 Academy / 141 min. / Street Date October 17, 2017 / Available from the Twilight Time Movies Store / 29.95

Starring: Tyrone Power, Jean Peters, Cesar Romero, Lee J. Cobb, John Sutton, Antonio Moreno, Thomas Gomez, Alan Mowbray, Barbara Lawrence, George Zucco, Roy Roberts, Marc Lawrence, Reed Hadley, Robert Karnes, Estela Inda, Chris-Pin Martin, Jay Silverheels, Gilberto González.

Cinematography: Arthur Arling, Charles G. Clarke, Joseph Lashelle

Film Editor: Barbara McLean...

‘Things Blowing Up Good’ has been surefire entertainment since the beginning of cinema, but this ill-fated Cinerama extravaganza about the biggest explosion in recorded human history limps along despite some pretty darned impressive volcanic effects. It’s quite an entertaining spectacle, with various good performers in three soap opera plots, either overacting or loitering about with nothing to do. And don’t forget the from-left-field musical striptease.

Krakatoa East of Java

Blu-ray

Kl Studio Classics

1969 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 131 min. / Street Date September 12, 2017 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95

Starring: Maximilian Schell, Diane Baker, Brian Keith, Barbara Werle, Sal Mineo, Rossano Brazzi, John Leyton, J.D. Cannon, Jacqueline (Jacqui) Chan, Victoria Young, Marc Lawrence, Geoffrey Holder, Niall MacGinnis, Sumi Haru.

Cinematography: Manuel Berenguer

Film Editors: Walter Hannemann, Warren Low, Maurice Rootes

Production Design: Eugèné Lourié

Costumes: Laure Lourié

Special Effects: Eugèné Lourié, Alex Weldon, Francisco Prósper

Original Music: Frank De Vol

Written by Clifford Newton Gould,...

John Huston’s primal heist film is an almost perfect movie, with a score of unforgettable characterizations. A solid crime noir, it concerns itself with the human ironies in the ‘left handed form of human endeavor.’

The Asphalt Jungle

Blu-ray

The Criterion Collection 847

1950 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 112 min. / available through The Criterion Collection / Street Date December 13, 2016 /

Starring Sterling Hayden, Sam Jaffe, Louis Calhern, James Whitmore, Jean Hagen, John McIntire, Marc Lawrence, Barry Kelley, Anthony Caruso, Marilyn Monroe, Brad Dexter.

Cinematography Harold Rosson

Art Direction Randall Duell, Cedric Gibbons

Film Editor George Boemler

Original Music Miklos Rosza

Written by Ben Maddow and John Huston from the novel by W.R. Burnett

Produced by Arthur Hornblow, Jr.

Directed by John Huston

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Talk about a film that becomes only more enjoyable with each viewing… John Huston’s The Asphalt Jungle is the Singin’ in the Rain of noir masterpieces.

Leave it to director William Wellman to direct the most compelling social justice movie of the 1940s. Taken from a bestselling novel, it's a wrenching examination of the workings of a natural American phenomenon, the Lynch Mob. The Ox-Bow Incident Blu-ray Kl Studio Classics 1942 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 75 min. / Street Date July 12, 2016 / available through Kino Lorber / 29.95 Starring Henry Fonda, Dana Andrews, Mary Beth Hughes, Anthony Quinn, William Eythe, Harry Morgan, Jane Darwell, Matt Briggs, Harry Davenport, Frank Conroy, Marc Lawrence Cinematography Arthur Miller Art Direction James Basevi, Richard Day Film Editor Allen McNeil Original Music Cyril J. Mockridge Written and Produced by Lamar Trotti from a novel by Walter Van Tilburg Clark Directed by William A. Wellman

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

In the first scene of this grim feature, Henry Fonda stumbles out of a saloon street and throws up in the street. Apparently that was the reaction shared...

Bogie and Bacall are back, but with Edward G. Robinson's oily gangster breathing down their necks -- "Nyah!" Excellent direction (John Huston) and great performances (Claire Trevor) have made this one an eternal classic. We want subtitles for whatever Eddie whispered in Betty's ear... A most-requested, or demanded, HD release from Warners. Key Largo Blu-ray Warner Archive Collection 1948 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 100 min. / Street Date February 23, 2016 / available through the WBshop / 21.99 Starring Humphrey Bogart, Edward G. Robinson, Lauren Bacall, Lionel Barrymore, Claire Trevor, Thomas Gomez, Harry Lewis, John Rodney, Marc Lawrence, Dan Seymour, Monte Blue, William Haade, Jay Silverheels, Rodd Redwing. Cinematography Karl Freund Film Editor Rudi Fehr Original Music Max Steiner Written by Richard Brooks, John Huston from the play by Maxwell Anderson Produced by Jerry Wald Directed by John Huston

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

I'd guess that Key Largo became a classic the moment it hit the screen,...

Viewers expecting to see a lighthearted  'Cisco Kid' swashbuckler got a surprise with William Wellman's movie: it's a tragedy about a genuine historical California bandit who may have been an outlaw terrorist, avenging murderous discrimination against Mexican-Americans in the Gold Rush days. Hangings, rape and massacres -- not your average popcorn matinee fare for 1936. The Robin Hood of El Dorado DVD-r The Warner Archive Collection 1936 / B&W / 1:37 flat Academy / 85 min. / Street Date May 26, 2015 / available through the WBshop / 18.49  Starring Warner Baxter, Ann Loring, Bruce Cabot, Margo, J. Carrol Naish, Soledad Jimenez, Carlos De Valdez, Eric Linden, Edgar Kennedy, Charles Trowbridge, Harvey Stephens, Marc Lawrence. Cinematography Chester Lyons Film Editor Robert J. Kern Original Music Herbert Stothart Written by William A. Wellman, Joseph Calleia, Melvin Levy, from a book by Walter Noble Burns Produced by John W. Considine Jr. Directed by William A. Wellman

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

I'm always...

The day monster kids have dreaded for some time has arrived. Mournful, nostalgic, and melancholy – it’s the end of an era for more than one generation of horror fans. It seemed like Christopher Lee would live through all eternity, but unlike some of the characters he played, there’s no bringing him back to life this time. He made it to 93 and went out on a high note, appearing in the final Hobbit film just this past winter. He had an amazing career of fantastic performances and remains the greatest villain actor in film history. Rip to the last classic horror star and thank you for all the monster memories.

Christopher Lee was married to his wife Birgit (Gitte) for 54 years.

Here, according to Movie Geeks Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Sam Moffitt, and myself, are Christopher Lee’s ten best roles.

10. Frankenstein

It’s only fitting that The Curse Of Frankenstein,...

Prepare to be corrupted and depraved once more as Nucleus Films releases the sequel to the definitive guide to the Video Nasties phenomenon – the most extraordinary and scandalous era in the history of British film. Video Nasties: The Definitive Guide Part 2, a three-disc collector’s edition box set, is being released on DVD on July 14th 2014, to tie in with the 30th Anniversary of the Video Recordings Act 1984.

For the first time ever on DVD, all 82 films that fell foul of the Director of Public Prosecutions “Section 3” list are trailer-featured with specially filmed intros for each title, alongside a brand new documentary – Video Nasties: Draconian Days (review), directed by Jake West.

And to celebrate the release, Film4 FrightFest is hosting a special event – the world exclusive London Premiere of the finalised unseen extended 97 minute cut of Video Nasties: Draconian Days at The Prince Charles Cinema on Thurs 3 July, 8.30pm. The...

Article by Jim Batts, Dana Jung, Sam Moffitt, and Tom Stockman

The film career of legendary English actor Sir Christopher Lee began in 1948 and continues to the present day. Lee is best known for his roles in horror films, especially the string of seven Dracula movies he starred in for Hammer Studios between 1958 and 1974, but be may be best known to younger audiences for his roles in the Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Hobbit films. Almost all of the roles that Lee has played have been villains and here, according to We Are Movie Geeks, are his ten best.

10. Frankenstein

It’s only fitting that The Curse Of Frankenstein, the film that truly began England’s Hammer Studios’ theatrical run of full color gothic horror epics, should team (well, they’re both in the 1948 Hamlet, but have no scenes together) their greatest stars, Peter Cushing as Baron Victor Frankenstein...

Humphrey Bogart movies: ‘The Maltese Falcon,’ ‘High Sierra’ (Image: Most famous Humphrey Bogart quote: ‘The stuff that dreams are made of’ from ‘The Maltese Falcon’) (See previous post: “Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall Movies.”) Besides 1948, 1941 was another great year for Humphrey Bogart — one also featuring a movie with the word “Sierra” in the title. Indeed, that was when Bogart became a major star thanks to Raoul Walsh’s High Sierra and John Huston’s The Maltese Falcon. In the former, Bogart plays an ex-con who falls in love with top-billed Ida Lupino — though both are outacted by ingénue-with-a-heart-of-tin Joan Leslie. In the latter, Bogart plays Dashiel Hammett’s private detective Sam Spade, trying to discover the fate of the titular object; along the way, he is outacted by just about every other cast member, from Mary Astor’s is-she-for-real dame-in-distress to Best Supporting Actor Academy Award nominee Sydney Greenstreet. John Huston...

This Gun for Hire

Written by Albert Maltz and W.R. Burnett

Directed by Frank Tuttle

U.S.A, 1942

The great American actor Alan Ladd died at the unfairly young age of 50. With a series of leading roles in some timeless classics during the 1940s and 1950s he carved himself a firm place in Hollywood lore. His quality work in such films as The Blue Dahlia, Two Years Before the Mast and Shane earned him critical acclaim as well as a bevy of movie fans. He could play cool and he could play tough as nails, yet was also clearly capable of demonstrating a subtle humane side to even his most hardened characters. One of the early films of his career that helped pave his way into stardom was the 1942, Frank Tuttle directed This Gun for Hire, a multi-genre mashing of WWII, spy and noir themes.

An alarm clock wakes up...

Eleanor Parker: Palm Springs resident turns 91 today Eleanor Parker turns 91 today. The three-time Oscar nominee (Caged, 1950; Detective Story, 1951; Interrupted Melody, 1955) and Palm Springs resident is Turner Classic Movies’ Star of the Month of June 2013. Earlier this month, TCM showed a few dozen Eleanor Parker movies, from her days at Warner Bros. in the ’40s to her later career as a top Hollywood supporting player. (Photo: Publicity shot of Eleanor Parker in An American Dream.) Missing from TCM’s movie series, however, was not only Eleanor Parker’s biggest box-office it — The Sound of Music, in which she steals the show from both Julie Andrews and the Alps — but also what according to several sources is her very first movie role: a bit part in Raoul Walsh’s They Died with Their Boots On, a 1941 Western starring Errol Flynn as a dashingly handsome and all-around-good-guy-ish General George Armstrong Custer. Olivia de Havilland...

To mark the 50th Anniversary of one of the most successful movie franchises of all time and with filming well underway on James Bond’s 23rd official outing in Skyfall due for release later this year, I have been tasked with taking a retrospective look at the films that turned author Ian Fleming’s creation into one of the most recognised and iconic characters in film history.

With Roger Moore well and truly established in the lead role after just one film, work began on a follow-up to Live And Let Die almost as soon as it was released into cinemas. Keen to capitalise on the renewed success of the character, producers Albert R. Broccoli and Harry Saltzman chose Fleming’s final Bond novel, The Man With The Golden Gun as their ninth film featuring the British secret agent.

With the novel taking place largely in Jamaica, it was felt...

DVD Playhouse—July 2011

By Allen Gardner

The Music Room (Criterion) Satyajit Ray’s 1958 masterpiece looks at the life of a fallen aristocrat as a metaphor for an India that is not only becoming Westernized, but modernized technologically and culturally beyond recognition. When the beloved music room, where he has hosted lavish concerts in the past, starts falling into disrepair as attendance drops steadily, the man realizes his way of life is vanishing. Stunningly shot in black & white, one of Ray’s finest works. Bonuses: Documentary on Ray from 1984 by Shyam Benegal; Interviews with Ray biographer Andrew Robinson and filmmaker Mira Nair; Excerpt from 1981 roundtable discussion between Ray, critic Michael Ciment, director Claude Sautet. Also available on Blu-ray disc. Full screen. Dolby 1.0 mono.

Beauty And The Beast (Criterion) Jean Cocteau’s sublime adaptation of the classic fairy tale become a beloved classic upon its 1946 release, and hasn’t faded since.

Marathon Man (1976) Direction: John Schlesinger Cast: Dustin Hoffman, Laurence Olivier, Roy Scheider, William Devane, Marthe Keller, Fritz Weaver, Richard Bright, Marc Lawrence Screenplay: William Goldman; from his own novel Oscar Movies Laurence Olivier, Marathon Man The deadliest sin a good-guy-vs.-bad-guy movie can commit is to — unintentionally — have us root for the evildoer. That is exactly what director John Schlesinger (Darling; Midnight Cowboy; Sunday, Bloody Sunday) and screenwriter William Goldman (adapting his own novel, reportedly with some help from Robert Towne) manage to do in the thrill-less "thriller" Marathon Man. Adding insult to injury, the villain I came to root for was a horrific Nazi war criminal, while the hero that bored me to tears was a pacifist Jew. Now, how could anyone manage to tip the scale toward such a monstrous character, especially when we have a Jewish hero fighting him? Well, ask Laurence Olivier, who has a grand...

Troma sounds a lot like trauma and without knowing how they came up with the name I can't but help think it's on purpose. After all they've spent more than thirty years making sure there was something to offend somebody in virtually every movie they've made. Maybe that's why Troma is still around thirty years later. They bring a smile to the face of anyone who likes seeing sacred cows splattered even if at the end you feel a little messy yourself.

Lloyd Kaufman has made a living out of being able to brand that particular sentiment even when Troma's movies have been truly awful. In fact at times the studio has been so well known because of it’s boob baring antics that it itself has threatened to become a bigger product than any of it's films. This despite there having been some real classics, movies that I would...