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Jason Statham is the king of taking chicken sh*t and turning it into chicken salad as his immense and magnetic charisma and bone-crunching action scenes can elevate even the most mundane of action flicks, and 2013’s Parker is no exception. Directed by Taylor Hackford (Ray) and written by John J. McLaughlin (Black Swan), Parker follows Statham in the titular role of a professional thief with a code: never steal from those who can’t afford it, and never hurt those who don’t deserve it. But after being screwed over and left for dead by his crew, who are led by crime boss Melander (Michael Chiklis), Parker makes the decision to get his own back, eventually ending up in Palm Beach, where he teams up with real estate agent Leslie (Jennifer Lopez) to infiltrate the gang and hijack their next big score.

Action movie icon Jason Statham knows what he’s good at, and damn if he isn’t one of the best to ever do it, with the charismatic star able to bring any middling action fare at least somewhat to life using his particular set of skills. This is never truer than with the 2013 crime thriller Parker, which adapts one of the novels by the late Donald Westlake, and is all set to stream for free.

While the movie itself was met with mixed reviews at the time, the presence of The Stath never fails to impress, with The Beekeeper star bringing his usual gritty magnetism to the role of a professional thief who finds himself double-crossed and left for dead. Directed by Taylor Hackford and written by John J. McLaughlin, Parker sees Jason Statham team-up with Jennifer Lopez while butting (bald) head with (bald) head against The Shield star Michael Chiklis.

Ever wondered what it would be like if, in John Wick, the assassin had died and instead his dog went out on a deadly revenge mission? Screenwriter Scott Lobdell is here to answer that very question, whether or not it's ever actually been asked. Lobdell has partnered with fellow screenwriter John J. McLaughlin for a new project titled Odin, which sees a dog looking for vengeance after his owner is killed.

Scott Lobdell previously wrote Happy Death Day, which recently was given a sequel, Happy Death Day 2U. Lobdell did not return to pen the screenplay for the follow-up which, apparently, has left many to wonder what he's been up to and what his next project is going to be. Taking to Instagram, Lobdell provided an answer to that question. Here's what he had to say.

"For everyone asking about my next project... I've written a graphic novel and feature...

Whenever you think you’re alone, just remember that he’s always watching when The Super arrives on Blu-ray (plus Digital), DVD, and Digital December 18 from Lionsgate. This film is currently available On Demand. Starring Grammy® Award nominee Val Kilmer, this taut, suspenseful thriller will have you looking over your shoulder…even when you’re home. Produced by the creator of TV’s “Law & Order” and “Chicago P.D.,” written by John J. McLaughlin (Black Swan), and directed by Stephan Rick, The Super Blu-ray and DVD will be available for the suggested retail price of $21.99 and $19.98, respectively.

Official Synopsis

Former cop Phil takes a job as a superintendent in a Manhattan apartment building. When a teen goes missing, along with several other tenants, Phil suspects a sadistic murderer may be roaming the eerie corridors and that his daughters’ lives are in danger. But whom can he trust when everybody around him has something to hide?...

"What's in the box?!" Details on Cavitycolors' Holiday Mystery Pin will be revealed today at 5:00pm Est. Also in today's Horror Highlights, release details for The Super on Blu-ray and DVD, a teaser trailer for the anthology I Am An Addict, and details on the return of Paranormal Lockdown.

Holiday Mystery Pin from Cavitycolors Release Details: "What spooky surprise awaits inside this box? Tomorrow at 5 Pm Est, you can find out when we launch our Holiday Mystery Pin!

Here’s the scoop:

The pin + gift box is limited to 200.

2 per person only.

The pin inside has never been seen or released before, so it’s a complete surprise!

Just in time for the Holiday season - Grab one for yourself and one as a gift for a friend or family member. We wanted to capture that sense of wonder and excitement you experience on Christmas morning with a fun little mystery gift.

Another week, another installment of VOD Vault – taking a look at some on-demand releases that have hit various VOD platforms recently. It’s been more than a few months since our last installment, so we’re diving into two brand-new films to have hit VOD services recently: Serpent, and The Super – both available on iTunes, Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Sony, Rakuten, and the Sky Store courtesy of The Movie Partnership.

Serpent

Stars: Tom Ainsley, Sarah Dumont, Nicole Johnson | Written and Directed by Amanda Evans

Hoping to save their crumbling marriage, Gwynneth joins her husband, Adam, as he embarks on a wildlife research expedition. The romantic bliss of the wilderness suddenly turns into a fatal moment of reckoning, as the couple awaken to find a deadly snake trapped in their tent. With certain death looming, Gwynneth and Adam spiral into a dark and dangerous game of survival, twisted by heated confessions of temptation and betrayal.

"I know you were in my apartment, Walter." Saban Films has debuted a new trailer for a horror thriller film titled The Super, from German director Stephan Rick. The film is about a former cop who becomes the superintendent of a large New York City apartment building where people mysteriously go missing. The screenplay is by John J. McLaughlin, one of the writers on the Black Swan script, as well as Hitchcock and Parker. Patrick John Flueger stars as Phil Lodge, who becomes the new super. The full cast includes Val Kilmer, Louisa Krause, Mattea Conforti, Taylor Richardson, Paul Ben-Victor, Yul Vazquez, Andrea Lynn Green, and Travaris Spears. I'm not really sure why Kilmer looks so much like Al Pacino in this, but I don't mind really. I just wish this looked better than every other apartment horror film before. Here's the new official trailer (+ poster) for Stephan Rick's The Super,...

Saban Films has acquired U.S. distribution rights to the “The Super,” starring Val Kilmer and John Flueger (“Chicago P.D.”).

Stephan Rick directed from a script by John J. McLaughlin. The genre film is based on an idea from “Law & Order” creator/producer Dick Wolf, who produced through his company Wolf Entertainment alongside Tom Thayer, Patrick Rizzotti, and Brett Forbes.

“The Super” centers on the mysterious disappearance of several tenants at a luxury New York City apartment building. Flueger portrays the building’s new superintendent and a former NYPD officer, who immediately suspects the strange maintenance man, played by Kilmer. With his daughters’ lives on the line, he must decipher the cryptic riddles in which Kilmer’s character speaks to solve the case of the disappearances before it’s too late.

“‘The Super’ marks a return to form for Val Kilmer, who delivers a truly menacing performance,” Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley said.

Exclusive: Saban Films has acquired U.S. distribution rights to The Super, the Stephan Rick-directed genre thriller that stars Top Gun 2‘s Val Kilmer and Chicago P.D.‘s Patrick John Flueger. The film was scripted by Black Swan’s John J. McLaughlin based on an idea by Law & Order creator/producer Dick Wolf, who produced through his company Wolf Entertainment alongside Tom Thayer, Patrick Rizzotti and Brett Forbes. Saban Films has set an October 19 release and the film should play through Halloween and on VOD.

The Super centers on the mysterious disappearance of several tenants at a luxury New York City apartment building. Phil Lodge (Flueger), the building’s new superintendent and a former NYPD officer, immediately suspects Walter (Kilmer), the strange maintenance man. With his daughters’ lives on the line, Phil must decipher the cryptic riddles in which Walter speaks to solve the disappearances before it’s too late.

Exclusive: Dick Wolf's Wolf Entertainment is partnering with Tom Thayer and Fortress Features' Patrick Rizzotti and Brett Forbes to produce The Super, with production just getting underway in New York. Written by Black Swan scribe John J. McLaughlin and directed by The Good Neighbor‘s Stephan Rick in his U.S. debut, the film stars Chicago Pd's Patrick Flueger and Val Kilmer, with Mattea Marie Conforti, Taylor Richardson, Paul Ben-Victor, Yul Vazquez, Louisa Krause and…...

Exclusive: Dick Wolf's Wolf Entertainment is partnering with Tom Thayer and Fortress Features' Patrick Rizzotti and Brett Forbes to produce The Super, with production just getting underway in New York. Written by Black Swan scribe John J. McLaughlin and directed by The Good Neighbor‘s Stephan Rick in his U.S. debut, the film stars Chicago PD's Patrick Flueger and Val Kilmer, with Mattea Marie Conforti, Taylor Richardson, Paul Ben-Victor, Yul Vazquez, Louisa Krause and…...

On the evening of March 8, famed producer George Martin passed away at home, in his sleep, at age 90. (The announcement was first made on Ringo Starr's Twitter account.) He is, of course, primarily famous as the Beatles' producer, but I was heartened to see many friends in my Facebook feed chose to mark his passing by posting non-Beatles tracks he produced. Martin was a well-established, and well-rounded, producer before he started working with the Beatles. In his career the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee worked in quite a variety of contexts with any number of famous people, from comedy records with Peter Sellers to jazz records with Stan Getz, and practically everything in between.

The Beatles would undoubtedly have become famous without him -- and perhaps he without them -- but they wouldn't have sounded as good. Who else at that time would have made a Beatles record on...

Spike is developing the Pendergast TV series drama, with Paramount Television and Universal Cable Productions. The Walking Dead's Gale Anne Hurd is executive producing, with Black Swan's John McLaughlin, who is also set as writer. Sharon Levy, Ted Gold, and Lauren Ruggiero will oversee the project for Spike.

Based on the novels Relic and Cabinet of Curiosities by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, Pendergast features Aloysius Pendergast, an eccentric FBI special agent. In the first season he will investigate a current crime that mirrors a century old mystery and is tied to his own family history.

Read More…...

Spike TV and "The Walking Dead" producer Gale Anne Hurd are teaming for "Pendergast," a TV drama series adaptation of Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child's best-selling novel series following the character of FBI special agent Aloysius Pendergast.

In the novels the character is a highly intelligent, well-mannered, aloof and eccentric slender man who comes from a rich Louisiana family, most of whom are committed or deceased. His wife was killed by a lion years before in Africa, and his brother driven criminally insane during a traumatic childhood incident. Agent Pendergast usually investigates various serial killings, many of which have a highly unusual style to them.

Fifteen novels in the series have been published so far and dealt with everything from diamond heists and zombie cults to a genetically altered beast in the museum of natural history. The first novel in the series, "Relic," was adapted into the 1997 feature "The Relic" but omitted Pendergast's character,...

'Black Swan' movie with Natalie Portman. 'Black Swan' movie review: Darren Aronofsky's 'most mature' effort Darren Aronofsky has one of the most amazing talents for not only crafting impeccable works of fiction, but also for framing these works against the backdrop of worlds the average person will never be a part of. In Requiem for a Dream, he took a stylized and brutal eye to the dangerous world of drug addiction. In The Wrestler, he gave us a brilliant and tragic human story set in the world of professional wrestling. In Black Swan, he gives us the fascinating story of one person's psychological downward spiral within the world of professional ballet. Black Swan, arguably Aronofsky's best effort, was surely his most mature to date. 'Black Swan': Nina and her 'ballet mother' Mark Heyman, Andres Heinz, and John McLaughlin's screenplay tells the story of Nina Sayers (Natalie Portman...

For an artist whose practice is predicated on the somewhat subversive, it's no surprise that Peter Coffin would stack a playlist with Miles Davis and Kraftwerk and Tonto's Expanding Headband. "I don't have anything interesting or quotable to say about the songs I sent,” he wrote, somewhat teasingly, "They inspire different moods." Coffins's works do, too — whether with his outdoor Cloud installations or oversize taxidermy animal sculptures or slow-motion videos. For those times when you don’t know where you want to go but want the journey to inspire you, listen up.Terry Riley, "In the Summer" Miles Davis, "Little Church" Toots Thielemans, "Love Theme From 'The Getaway' Yesterday & Today" Kraftwerk, "Ananas Symphonie (pineapple symphony)" David Crosby, "Laughing" Tonto's Expanding Headband, "Riversong" Lifetones, "Good Side" Carlos Santana & John McLaughlin, "Naima" Grace Jones, "The Fashion Show" Was (not Was), "Wheel Me Out"...

Point Pleasant

Showcase Inventory

Created by Marti Noxon and John McLaughlin

Produced by 20th Century Fox Television

Aired on Fox for one season (13 episodes, two unaired) from January 19, 2005 – July 3, 2005

Cast

Elisabeth Harnois as Christina Nickson

Grant Show as Lucas Boyd

Samuel Page as Jesse Parker

Aubrey Dollar as Judy Kramer

Dinah Meyer as Amber Hargrove

Cameron Richardson as Paula Hargrove

Show Premise

A mysterious female stranger washes ashore of the New Jersey seaside town named Point Pleasant, where she is rescued ashore. The mysterious stranger is Christina Nickson (Elisabeth Harnois), who it is implied is the daughter of Satan, but who tries to fight her evil inclinations, such as her strong attraction to the romantically unavailable lifeguard, Jesse Parker (Samuel Page). Christina is tempted towards evil by Lucas Boyd (Grant Show), a servant of the Devil that was sent there to ensure she fulfills her destiny. Upon her arrival to...

Salaam Bombay Childrens Fund based in Stamford, Ct along with The New York Society For Ethical Culture will be hosting a benefit concert in New York City to enable underprivileged children from India’s slums to stay in school. The evening, titled “Sounds of Hope” will feature a night of India inspired jazz, with some of the world’s most renowned musicians, and will be held on November 14th at the New York Society For Ethical Culture near Central Park West in Manhattan.

“This concert is a wonderful opportunity for the people of New York, world music and jazz lovers to participate in supporting underprivileged children to stay in school. Join us and change a child’s life” says Victor Martinez-Angles, President, Salaam Bombay Childrens Fund.

Salaam Bombay Childrens Fund works with children in Mumbai’s slums. The foundation helps children that live in conditions of extreme poverty and deprivation.

Baz Luhrmann has hopped between genres in his career, though he’s usually maintained some blend of period romance and music for the likes of Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!, Australia and last year’s The Great Gatsby. But if he takes on a new job for Legendary Pictures, we could be in for a very different Luhrmann movie, as he’s in talks to make Kung Fu.Legendary has been trying to turn the 1970s David Carradine-starring show into a film for years now. When it last kicked our news radar, word was that Bill Paxton might be picking up the megaphone to get it made. It would seem that that didn’t work out and now Luhrmann is considering the idea. The Hollywood Reporter cautions that it’s unclear how far the talks have progressed: for all we know, Luhrmann is simply chewing over the notion.If he does go ahead,...

Now this is a curious combination as THR reports Baz Luhrmann of all people is in talks to direct Kung Fu for Legendary Pictures. The project is a big-screen adaptation of the 1970s martial arts Western television show that starred David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk who came to the American West in search of his half brother. The show featured flashbacks to Caine's training as a teen in which his master called him "young grasshopper." THR reports a source saying the current script, written by John McLaughlin (Black Swan), switches the action to China and finds Caine in search of his father -- at one point ending up in a prison where he must fight to survive. Cory Goodman (Priest) and Rich Wilkes (xXx) have written previous drafts of the screenplay and Bill Paxton was, at one time, attached to direct back in 2011. Luhrmann will do...

Washington, Apr 12: Baz Luhrmann is in talks to direct 'Kung Fu', Legendary Pictures' big-screen adaptation of the 1970s martial arts Western television show, it has been revealed.

It is unclear how far along the talks are. Legendary had no comment, but the company is beginning to ramp up its Chinese-centric projects again (Yimou Zhang is in talks to revive the company's adventure movie The Great Wall) and Kung Fu has Chinese roots.

If a deal is made, Luhrmann would first do a rewrite on the script before proceeding.

The current script is by Black Swan scribe John McLaughlin.

Kung Fu starred David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk who came to the American West in search of his half brother..

Marvel In less than four months, the Marvel Cinematic Universe will make a big about-face from Captain America: The Winter Soldier, its most grounded superhero property, to its first non-Avengers experiment, the out-of-this world space adventure Guardians of the Galaxy. Despite its imminent (in cinematic terms) arrival in theaters, director James Gunn (Super) has just gone back into production to film additional footage for the movie. Actress Zoe Saldana, who plays the green-skinned Guardian Gamora, revealed the news when she tweeted a photo (above) of herself squaring off against co-star Karen Gillan, who plays the villainous Nebula, with the caption: "@KarenGillan2 and I rehearsing our extended fight scene! #gamora and #nebula r gonna kick e\o's butts! #Gotg."

One of the big questions about Guardians of the Galaxy has been how or if the movie will connect with the Marvel Cinematic Universe proper. Speculation that it would tie in to...

Just one week after we reported that Universal Pictures and Legendary are moving forward with their Kung Fu TV series adaptation, Baz Luhrmann has entered talks to direct.

If a deal is made, his first order of business will be to rewrite the script, which was most recently worked on by Rich Wilkes (xXx, Marvel's Iron Fist), although it isn't clear how far along the negotiations are at this stage. Bill Paxton was once attached to direct back in October 2011. Other writers who have worked on the script include John J. McLaughlin (Black Swan) and Cory Goodman (Priest, Apollo 18).

The original Kung Fu TV series starred David Carradine as Kwai Chang Caine, a Shaolin monk who roams the countryside of America, searching for his long lost half-brother. The show, which aired from 1972 to 1975 on ABC, featured flashbacks to his days in training, where he was called "young grasshopper by his master,...

Following word last week that Legendary and Universal Pictures are moving forward with a big screen adaptation of the '70s television series Kung Fu comes world, via The Hollywood Reporter , that Baz Luhrmann is in talks to direct. The TV series, set in the Old West during the 19th Century, starred David Carradine as a monk traveling across America looking for his father facing all sorts of foes using his martial arts. It ran on ABC from 1972 to 1975 with Bill Paxton previously set to direct a movie based on a script by John McLaughlin. Other writers who have come and gone on the project include Cory Goodman ( Priest ) and Rich Wilkes, who is involved with writing Marvel's upcoming "Iron Fist" show for Netflix. Luhrmann, best known for spectacle-laden projects like...

Universal Pictures has been developing an adaptation of the 1970s TV series Kung Fu for several years, although we haven't heard anything about the project since October 2011 when Bill Paxton was attached to direct. The filmmaker is no longer involved, with Universal and Legendary still moving forward in search of a new director.

John J. McLaughlin (Black Swan) wrote the original draft for this Kung Fu movie, although other writers have worked on the script since then, including Cory Goodman (Priest, Apollo 18) and Rich Wilkes (xXx, Marvel's Iron Fist).

The studios are trying to find a director before another round of rewrites are ordered, so they can restructure the project with a modern-day setting, instead of the 1800s period seen in the TV series, which starred David Carradine. The story reportedly revolves around a displaced monk who is roaming America in search of his father, facing dangerous enemies along the way.

Speaking of long dormant big screen remakes of popular '70s television shows , Legendary Pictures seems to be ready to give an infusion to their planned film remake of the '70s show Kung Fu as part of their new deal with Universal Pictures with producers looking for a new director to take on the project. The TV series, set in the Old West during the 19th Century, starred David Carradine as a monk traveling across America looking for his father facing all sorts of foes using his martial arts. It ran on ABC from 1972 to 1975 with Bill Paxton previously set to direct a movie based on a script by John McLaughlin. Other writers who have come and gone on the project include Cory Goodman ( Priest ) and Rich Wilkes, who is involved with writing Marvel's upcoming "Iron Fist"...

One of the world's most celebrated flamenco guitarists

The fame and influence of the guitarist Paco de Lucía, who has died aged 66 from a suspected heart attack, reached far beyond the intense and sometimes enclosed world of Spanish flamenco. His musical role in Carlos Saura's Carmen (1983) was as arresting in its way as the first glimpse of Laura del Sol, the film's luminous lead. The director-choreographer Saura cleverly reinvented the opera as a contemporary fable while retaining the original's elements of passion, possession, jealousy and obsession. De Lucía's interpretation respectfully returned Bizet's score – a French fantasy of Spain – to its Moorish antecedents. He also gave Carmen's timeless melodies a fresh, international appeal that chimed with the movie's arthouse success.

De Lucía had begun to broaden his horizons in the late 1960s, on teaming up with the charismatic young singer Camarón de la Isla. Their partnership yielded many...

Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal's Tribeca Productions continues to expand into television with "Private," a series from Sonar Entertainment and James Patterson Entertainment based on Patterson's bestselling Jack Morgan series of novels. Sonar announced today that the company has chosen Brad Furman ("The Lincoln Lawyer") to direct the adaptation. John McLaughlin ("Black Swan") has written the initial two-episode pilot and will script future episodes as well. "Private" will be a 13-episode hourlong drama centered on Morgan, a former CIA agent who runs the world's most elite investigation firm. His staff of the best and the brightest global investigators take cases that involve the secrets of the globe's most influential people. Patterson's 113 books have grossed over $3 billion in worldwide sales to date, with novels featuring his character Alex Cross having been adapted to the big screen in "Kiss the Girls," "Along Came a Spider" and "Alex Cross." Patterson...

"Lincoln Lawyer" director Brad Furman will direct the pilot of "Private," a series based on James Patterson's series of the same name. The two-part pillot, executive produced by Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro of Tribeca Productions, is written by "Black Swan" screenwriter John McLaughlin. Also read: Justin Timberlake, Ben Affleck and Some Hungry Crocodiles in 'Runner, Runner' Trailer "Brad Furman is a singular talent whose star is rapidly ascending," said Steve Bowen, president of James Patterson Entertainment. "His gritty style and gripping, compelling storytelling make him the ideal visionary to lift 'Private' off...

Brad Furman ("The Lincoln Lawyer") is set to direct the first episode of a drama TV series based on James Patterson's book series "Private" for Sonar Entertainment.

The story will center on a former CIA agent-turned-private eye named Jack Morgan.

John McLaughlin ("Black Swan," "Hitchcock") has penned the initial two-episode pilot and will pen future episodes for the project which is being pitched as a straight-to-series commitment.

Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro are set to serve as executive producers.

Patterson's best known for his Alex Cross books. A sequel to last year's film "Alex Cross", to be based on the novel "Double Cross", is in the works.

Source: Deadline...

Stars: Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Chiklis, Nick Nolte, Wendell Pierce, Clifton Collins Jr. | Written by John J. McLaughlin | Directed by Taylor Hackford

Ah Statham. We’re on safe ground here folks. I’ve already fully elucidated The Stathe’s qualities in a previous outpouring of praise review so they hardly need reiterating here. But to be clear: Jason Statham is a brilliant human and his works make the world a better place. His latest exploration of the human experience (or ‘film’, if you must reduce his art so) is Parker, a cinematic adaptation of the Richard Stark novel, Flashfire. Statham plays the titular character, a thief who ‘only steals from those who can afford it and never hurts those who don’t deserve it’. He’s basically Robin Hood then, except he keeps the money.

Parker does a job with a bunch of his father-in-law’s less-than-salubrious friends, who...

While Parker has some problems, Jason Statham and director Taylor Hackford manage to capture the gritty violence of Donald E. Westlake's criminal pulp character, and his strict criminal code. Based on Westlake's 19th Parker novel Flashfire (written under the name Richard Stark), the film features a screenplay by John J. McLaughlin (Hitchcock and Black Swan) and stars Jennifer Lopez, Michael Chiklis, Wendell Pierce, Clifton Collins Jr., Bobby Cannavale, Patti LuPone, Emma Booth, and Nick Nolte. The film opens with a great action sequence where Parker (Statham) and his partners, Melander (Chiklis), Carlson (Pierce), Ross (Collins Jr.) and Hardwicke (Hauptman), rob a state fair. When committing a robbery, Parker has one rule - do what he says or...

Another Jason Statham action film brings thrilling news for some who love seeing their gruff screen hero doing what he does best to bad guys, and groans of déjà vu from others, weary at yet more stylised action sequences, bad accents and corny one-liners that are the Statham trademark.

However, to dismiss Parker, the actor’s new film, in a hurry would be to miss out on some frankly mindless but competently made fun from renowned Ray director Taylor Hackford and Black Swan writer John J. McLaughlin. Not to mention, this film is based on the Donald E. Westlake (as Richard Stark) novel Flashfire taken from a successful series about a ruthless career criminal with principles called Parker, a character brought to screen by Mel Gibson in Payback (1999) and earlier by Lee Marvin in Point Blank (1967). Granted, Parker (2013) has some incredulous plot and subplot situations but is like a guilty Stratham pleasure,...

Parker

Stars: Jason Statham, Jennifer Lopez, Michael Chiklis, Nick Nolte, Wendell Pierce, Clifton Collins Jr. | Written by John J. McLaughlin | Directed by Taylor Hackford

Ah Statham. We’re on safe ground here folks. I’ve already fully elucidated The Stathe’s qualities in a previous outpouring of praise review so they hardly need reiterating here. But to be clear: Jason Statham is a brilliant human and his works make the world a better place. His latest exploration of the human experience (or ‘film’, if you must reduce his art so) is Parker, a cinematic adaptation of the Richard Stark novel, Flashfire. Statham plays the titular character, a thief who ‘only steals from those who can afford it and never hurts those who don’t deserve it’. He’s basically Robin Hood then, except he keeps the money.

Parker does a job with a bunch of his father-in-law’s less-than-salubrious friends,...

Parker sees Jason Statham returns to our screens once more for the first time since last summer’s The Expendables 2, and the first leading role since last spring’s Safe.

Naturally, Parker is the latest action/crime-thriller that sees Statham front and centre, and it’s a genre that he’s made a very successful career from in recent years.

The film opened in the Us at the end of last month, and will be arriving on our shores at the start of March. And ahead of its release here, we’ve got a new TV spot to share.

“Parker (Jason Statham) is a professional thief who lives by a personal code of ethics: Don’t steal from people who can’t afford it and don’t hurt people who don’t deserve it. But on his latest heist, his crew double crosses him, steals his stash, and leaves him for dead.

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars

How much should likeness play into a performance? This is a question I found myself wrestling with when watching Sacha Gervasi’s (Anvil! The Story of Anvil) biopic of arguably the greatest filmmaker who has ever lived, The Master of Suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock.

Even if the script were in place – which it isn’t – there’s a troubling extravagance in the peculiarly Oscar-nominated make-up job Anthony Hopkins is subjected to, which renders him virtually unrecognisable, but also stifles his performance and prevents it from amounting to anything more than Anthony Hopkins playing himself while trying to play Alfred Hitchcock.

Though the film centers around the relationship between Hitch and his wife, Alma Reville (Helen Mirren), as they begin production on the director’s most famous film, Psycho, Gervasi eschews an intimate examination of the director’s methods and personality in favour of documenting the childish...

Hitchcock

Stars: Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlett Johansson, Danny Huston, Toni Collette, Michael Wincott, Jessica Biel, James D’Arcy, Kurtwood Smith, Ralph Macchio | Written by John J. McLaughlin | Directed by Sacha Gervasi

Films focusing on directors are a relatively rare thing and especially when they chronicle those who actually existed in real-life. The reasoning for this is likely that they just don’t have the most exciting stories to tell when it comes down to it, I certainly can’t imagine Jj Abrams: One Lucky Bastard to be hitting the big screen any time soon for example.

Saying this though, in the space of a couple of months, we have been treated to not one but two takes on the quirks of Alfred Hitchcock, thriller maker par excellence who knew how to generate electricity on screen but also created sparks off of it. The recent HBO production The Girl...

Parker

Directed by Taylor Hackford

Written by John J. McLaughlin

USA, 2013

Perhaps the best thing about Taylor Hackford’s Parker is its unwavering compatibility with comfort. This is not to say that all films (even January releases) should strive for such middling appeal, but there’s something slightly charming about a genre outing that realizes it’s not reinventing the wheel while providing ample thrills in the process. Scribed by John J. McLaughlin from a novel by Donald E. Westlake, Parker is leagues away from the best of its kind, though its sporadic pulse and leisurely swagger are tuned in such a way that inhibits this film from being an outright mess. Glorified genre gratuitousness has often been tastier and classier, but Parker is able to partially glide off of the physical attributes of its main star and protagonist whose roundup of career genre outings have placed him near the...

He has given us one of the greatest concert movies ever with Hail! Hail! Rock ‘N’ Roll, directed one of the most unforgettable romances in An Officer And A Gentleman, and he got an Oscar nomination for directing the acclaimed biopic Ray. Now with Parker, director Taylor Hackford tackles a genre he has not dealt with previously: the crime thriller.

The film stars Jason Statham as the title character, a professional thief who knowingly breaks the law but who also has a set of rules he always follows: he doesn’t steal from those who don’t have much, and he never hurts innocent people. Yes, Parker is a bad guy, but he has an unshakable code of ethics. The character of Parker originated from a series of books written by Donald Westlake (under the pen name of Richard Stark), and this is not the first time he has been brought to the silver screen.

“Parker,” the new crime thriller starring Jason Statham, is adapted from “Flashfire,” written by the late Donald E. Westlake under the pseudonym of Richard Stark, and marks the first time that the Westlake estate has allowed filmmakers to use the character’s name in a movie. The script written by John McLaughlin, which stays true to [...]

The post Taylor Hackford Interview, Parker appeared first on MoviesOnline.

Parker

Directed by Taylor Hackford

Written by John J. McLaughlin

USA, 2013

Perhaps the best thing about Taylor Hackford’s Parker is its unwavering compatibility with comfort. This is not to say that all films (even January releases) should strive for such moderate appeal, but there’s something charming about a genre outing that realizes it’s not reinventing the wheel while providing ample thrills in the process. Scribed by John J. McLaughlin from a novel by Donald E. Westlake, Parker is leagues away from the best of its kind, though its sporadic pulse and leisurely swagger are tuned in such a way that inhibits this film from being an outright mess. Glorified genre gratuitousness has often been executed far more tastefully, but Parker partially glides off of the physical attributes of its main star and protagonist whose roundup of career genre outings have placed him near the top of Hollywood’s action A-list.

Hollywood has been revisiting the late Donald E. Westlake’s Parker character since the 1960s, but Jason Statham breaks away from tradition – by possessing both his original name and a newfound conscience – in the simply titled Parker. The result feels at home with Statham’s moral criminal persona, but the remainder of the film is a departure from his past Euro-thrillers (The Transporter), extreme pop action riffs (Crank) and genre throwbacks (The Expendables, Safe).

Director Taylor Hackford and screenwriter John J. McLaughlin adapt “Flashfire” (the 19th of 24 Parker novels written by Westlake) into a hard-boiled crime-thriller that forgoes Noir-ish fatalism – found in Parker movies like Point Blank and The Split – as well as the dark humor Mel Gibson brought while playing “Porter” in Payback. Statham, per usual, embodies machismo as Parker, but his version of the character is closer to ...

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Chicago – The Jason Statham “character” has served the actor well through a substantial action movie career. But as situations to fit his stoic British kick-ass persona start to drift away, Statham is left with messy narratives like in his new film “Parker,” co-starring Jennifer Lopez.

Rating: 3.0/5.0

This scenario wants to be more clever than the usual Statham action movie – the title character is based on a series of best sellers by Donald Westlake – but the complexity of multiple characters and criminal enterprises dilutes itself by the end, and co-star J-Lo is reduced to a snooping neighbor-type to assure that she will be part of the action. Every circumstance in the film seems forced, but there are some moments, including the unintentional comedy of the British native Statham trying on a Texas accent. “Parker” is nothing more than an okay popcorn movie, and doesn’t even get much star power out...

Taylor Hackford’s Parker has a number of things going for it; Jason Statham playing the title character, a solid ensemble cast which includes actors like Michael Chiklis and Wendell Pierce, and taut action scenes that resemble anything but comic book violence. But despite the strong talent involved, Parker turns out to be a big letdown as it brings nothing new to the crime thriller genre, and it is not likely to stay with you long after the credits have finished. There are things about the movie worth applauding, but in the end it is largely forgettable.

The story starts with a robbery at a county fair with our protagonist Parker (Statham), dressing up as a priest and his accomplices dressed up as clowns. While he shows no remorse for being a professional thief, he does take the time to calm his hostages down even as he willfully steals from them.

Adapting material from one medium to another is never an easy proposition. Script to screen is perhaps the most dangerous transition of all as the phrase “the book was better” is so often a common sentiment. The waters are especially murky for an established character like Donald E. Westlake‘s Parker, the star of no less than 24 novels and a dozen or so mostly unofficial film appearances. Perhaps the most well-known is Mel Gibson’s Porter from the 1999 film Payback. Using a different novel as the source material, screenwriter John McLaughlin and director Taylor Hackford are bringing the Parker character back to the big screen this weekend in the aptly, if simply, titled Parker. Adapted from “Flashfire,” one of the more recent Parker novels, Parker sees our titular antihero (played by Jason Statham) teaming up with four other guys to rob the Ohio State Fair. Things go south after they make good their escape only to spring...

Taylor Hackford is one of those journeymen directors who's done it all -- from the exemplary Stephen King adaptation "Dolores Claiborne" to influential '80s dramas "Against All Odds" and "An Officer and a Gentlemen" to more contemporary fare like the horror movie "Devil's Advocate." This weekend his career takes another left turn with "Parker." Based on the character by author Donald Westlake, the film is a colorful, occasionally violent caper about a titular criminal (played by Jason Statham) who is double-crossed by his gang and teams up with a Florida real estate agent (played by Jennifer Lopez) to get revenge. We got to sit down and chat with the filmmaker about all things "Parker," whether or not he has any interest in returning to Stephen King territory, and if he really thinks his Director's Guild of America co-president Steven Soderbergh will retire. What brought you to this material? Had...

Let’s take the final look at the upcoming Parker movie, which opens – tomorrow! Taylor Hackford‘s crime thriller stars Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez in the leading roles, and as you already know – the movie will tell us the story of a professional thief with… well, with morals. Today, we have four new clips from the whole thing to share with you, hope you’ll enjoy!

Written by John J. McLaughlin and based on the series of bestselling novels by Donald E. Westlake, the movie centers on a professional thief, played by Statham, who doesn’t steal from the poor or hurt innocent people.

Beside Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez, Parker also stars Michael Chiklis, Wendell Pierce, Bobby Cannavale, Emma Booth and Nick Nolte, and as we said – the movie opens tomorrow, on January 25th, 2013.

On his latest heist, Parker’s crew double crosses him, steals his stash, and leaves him for dead.

The most daring and ruthless theif in the business, Parker (Jason Statham) is an expert at planning and executing seemingly impossible heist. All he requires from his crew is absolute loyalty and strict adherence to the plan. But when his latest robbery turns deadly, Parker declines to join crime boss Melander (Michael Chiklis) and his gang for the next big job. Not willing to take no for an answer, the thieves turn on Parker, leaving him for dead by the side of a deserted road.

Set amidst the unparalleled wealth and glamor of Palm Beach, Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez team up to get their cut in the crime thriller Parker based on the crime novel Flashfire by Donald Westlake. The film is directed by Academy Award nominee Taylor Hackford and also stars Michael Chikils, and Nick Nolte.

We spoke to Jason about playing an icon character, working with Taylor Hackford and Jennifer Lopez,...

Academy Award winner Taylor Hackford tackles the action genre with aplomb and enthusiasm in Parker, a noirish crime thriller based on the novel Flashfire by Richard Stark, aka Donald E. Westlake, the prolific best-selling crime writer. Hackford directs the slick heist flick starring Jason Statham from a riveting screen adaptation by John McLaughlin filled with non-stop action and thrills. Parker opens on January 25th and also features Jennifer Lopez, Michael Chiklis, Nick Nolte, Clifton Collins, Wendell Pierce and Micah Hauptman. At the film’s recent press day, Hackford talked about directing his first genre movie based on the characters and storyline inspired by Westlake, his strategy of casting from the center out, collaborating with Statham on the amazing action sequences, the challenges of shooting on location and making it work on a tight budget, teaming up with composer David Buckley to develop the terrific score, and what he’s working on next.

Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 40 pairs of movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of “Parker” with Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez!

“Parker,” which opens on Jan. 25, 2013 and is rated “R,” also stars Michael Chiklis, Nick Nolte, Patti LuPone, Wendell Pierce, Clifton Collins Jr., Bobby Cannavale, Carlos Carrasco, Micah A. Hauptman, Emma Booth, Daniel Bernhardt, Billy Slaughter, John Eyes and Carl J. Walker from director Taylor Hackford and writer John J. McLaughlin based on the novel by Donald E. Westlake.

To win your free “Parker” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our unique Hookup technology below. That’s it! This screening is on Thursday, Jan. 24, 2013 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! You must be 17+ to attend this “R”-rated screening.