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A changing cultural climate in Hollywood beginning in the 2010s has led to unsavory revelations about many famous men and women, along with several arrests. People began speaking out, especially after the large social support generated by #MeToo. The landscape was much different than in 1989, when two women felt they needed to hide their names in order to write an exhibit about a famous director based on their own personal experiences with him and the experiences of 11 other women. That article in Spy actually featured a detailed fold-out chart of the Upper West Side in New York, visualizing where and women the director had approached women. That director, after many years of accusations, allegations, and legal bureaucracy, has now been ordered to pay $1.68 billion to 40 of his accusers.

The filmmaker in question is James Toback, and according to Deadline, "More than seven years after dozens of women accused director James Toback of sexual assault,...

More than seven years after dozens of women accused director James Toback of sexual assault, false imprisonment, coercion and psychological abuse, a New York State jury today awarded $1.68 Billion to 40 of those women. The jury awarded a total of $280 Million in compensatory damages and $1.4 Billion for punitive damages to the plaintiffs.

The lawsuit was filed under New York’s Adult Survivors Act, which opened a one-year window allowing survivors of sexual abuse to file civil claims regardless of how long ago the abuse occurred.

“This verdict is about justice. But more importantly, It’s about taking power back from the abusers — and their and enablers — and returning it to those he tried to control and silence,” said Brad Beckworth, lead counsel for the plaintiffs.

“Today, a jury from the greater New York Community spoke very clearly and sent a message that reverberates far beyond this courtroom: no one is above accountability.

By Lee Pfeiffer

Charles Grodin,  the actor and prolific writer who made droll comedy his trademark, has died at age 86. His first big break on the silver screen came with a dramatic role in Roman Polanski's 1968 classic "Rosemary's Baby", after Grodin failed to land the lead in "The Graduate". He shot to stardom in 1972 with his leading role in the comedy "The Heartbreak Kid" and from then on he became known for often playing charismatic cads. He also scored with memorable roles in the 1978 remake of  "Heaven Can Wait" and opposite Robert De Niro in the 1988 crime comedy "Midnight Run". He also played the harried father in the "Beethoven" family comedies. One of his most impressive late career roles was in the little-seen and critically disparaged "An Imperfect Murder" in which he excelled in a brief appearance as a man trying to cope with the onset of dementia. Click...

We're getting some very sad news to pass along as veteran actor Charles Grodin has died. Known for his starring roles in movies like The Heartbreak Kid, Midnight Run, and Beethoven, Grodin died on Tuesday of bone marrow cancer at his home in Wilton, Connecticut. He was 86 years old.

Grodin was born on April 21, 1935, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After high school, he attended the University of Miami but dropped out to pursue a career in acting. He began by studying the craft at Hb Studio in New York City, and it wasn't long before he started to find acting roles. He made his movie debut with an uncredited role in Disney's 1954 hit 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Just a few years later, he'd land the small but memorable role of Dr. Hill in Roman Polanski's acclaimed horror flick Rosemary's Baby.

Released in 1972, The Heartbreak Kid served as a breakout movie role for Grodin.

Stars: Sienna Miller, Nick Matthews, Charles Grodin, Alec Baldwin, Colleen Camp, John Buffalo Mailer, Steven Prescod | Written and Directed by James Toback

“This is not a dream.”

Running at 71 minutes, semi-disgraced writer-director, James Toback, has managed to add new meanings to the term, “pretentious,”, with his latest (and hopefully last) film, An Imperfect Murder aka The Private Life of a Modern Woman. The picture stars Sienna Miller in what generally feels like a one-woman-show, only to be infiltrated by annoying and suspicious characters.

Vera Lockman (Miller), an out-of-work actress living in a New York apartment, endures violent nightmares featuring her abusive and frightening ex-boyfriend, Sal (Nick Matthews). The sequence, entailing a loaded gun wielded by the ex, results in the sudden death of its carrier. Was it a nightmare or flashback?

The subsequent visit to her apartment made by an academic writing a thesis on the theme of murder on...

Netflix is adding a total of 18 new movies and TV series to its library over the next seven days. While that’s not the biggest haul of fresh additions ever, especially after everything that dropped on the platform during the first week of January, it still contains a bunch of must-see titles, including both original content and newly licensed films, that you’ll want to check out.

Monday kicks things off with hard-hitting documentary Crack and French comedy-drama The Intouchables. On Tuesday, meanwhile, the fourth season of British series Last Tango in Halifax debuts. Wednesday then delivers a couple of titles for crime enthusiasts – 2017 thriller An Imperfect Murder (also known as The Private Life of a Modern Woman) starring Sienna Miller and Alec Baldwin and documentary Night Stalker: The Hunt for a Serial Killer.

For more, check out the full list of what we can expect to arrive on Netflix...

The first month of a new year is a good time to make a new impression. And that’s just what Netflix seems set on doing with its list of new releases for January 2021.

The streamer is coming out strong with a third season of Cobra Kai, formerly of YouTube Premium. The next installment in Daniel Larusso and Johnny Lawrence’s story is set to arrive…eventually. Netflix has not unveiled a released date yet but it will be during this month. While Cobra Kai is the highlight among Netflix’ original series, it’s not the only one by a long shot. Last year’s fun Jurassic World: Camp Cretaceous returns for a second season on Jan. 22 and it will be accompanied by Fate: The Winx Saga. Also, if you’re a fan of things that will one day be .gif’ed to death, the Nicolas Cage-hosted History of Swear Words drops on Jan.

2020 is finally almost over and, like most people, I’m happy to see this hell year consigned into the history books. Of course, there’s no guarantee that 2021 is going to be much better, as despite a vaccine being developed, Covid-19 isn’t likely to go away anytime soon, there are several enormous divides in American society and we’re teetering on the brink of economic collapse. But hey, we might finally get to see Black Widow in theaters in May!

At least Netflix is kicking the year off with a bang, too. As is usual, there’s an avalanche of new titles hitting the service in January, including a bunch of bone-chilling movies and documentaries.

Top of the pile is 2003 Halle Berry, Robert Downey Jr. and Penelope Cruz flick Gothika, which will be available from January 1st. Unjustly maligned on its original release, it’s since had a rehabilitation,...

January is usually referred to as the theatrical industry’s dumping ground, where projects destined to fail are shoved out into the world to die a slow and painful death at the box office. Obviously, next month could see almost every new release face a similar fate as business is still showing no signs of recovery, but Netflix are looking to buck the trend and rehabilitate January’s reputation as a safe haven for fresh content, and the streaming service have some major original movies and TV shows on the horizon.

The most exciting without a doubt is History of Swear Words, which sees Nicolas Cage hosting a six-episode series that delves into the origins and multiple uses of profanity. Anyone who doesn’t have their curiosity immediately piqued by the idea of Hollywood’s most manic and memeable actor fronting a show where the episodes are titled “F*ck...

With 2020 now coming to an end – thank goodness – and a new year finally in sight, it’s time to begin looking forward to what all the various streaming platforms will be bringing us to kick off 2021 with. And after Disney Plus was first out of the gate to announce their lineup yesterday, Netflix has now followed, revealing a huge range of content set to drop in January that consists of hit movies, beloved TV shows and a whole lot more.

Of course, the 1st of the month is the busiest day and brings mostly licensed titles with it, as is often the case. But the following days look to keep up the momentum, with a ton of exciting films and television series on the way, all combining for what appears to be a fantastic month of new content.

See below for the full list:

Released January Tba

50M2 *Netflix Original...

Four VOD titles reached #1 in a week with scattershot results across the board. “Mortal” (Saban), a contemporary action film with Nordic mythology roots, took first place at Apple TV. Meanwhile, the PVOD prison drama “The Informer” (Vertical) repeated at #1 at FandangoNow, Paramount’s horror entry “Spell” is first at Spectrum, and romance “After We Collided” from Briarcliff bested at Google Play. “Mortal” is a standard price entry, while “The Informer” is at $19.99 premium, with “Spell” at $9.99 finding a middle ground.

But the highest showing for a new release is #2 at Apple TV for Woody Allen’s “A Rainy Day in New York” (MPI). Its VOD showing comes three weeks after a token theatrical run, more than a year after it opened in most of the world, and after his latest, “Rifkin’s Festival,” premiered overseas.

Right now is something of an intermission period before a slew of studio releases, including several...

Every year, movie-preview pieces herald the holidays’ arrival; in 2020, the headlines are a little different. As USA Today proclaimed, “10 Must-See Movies to Stream Over the Holiday Season.” They include “Soul,” “Mank,” “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom,” “Let Them All Talk,” and “Small Axe” — major awards contenders, many of which would have have been theatrical releases. However, they all belong to streamers, not VOD.

Meanwhile, on Friday Vertical Entertainment dropped an action film, “The Informer,” which stars Joel Kinnaman as an ex-con who returns to prison undercover to expose a Polish drug cartel. Shot in 2017 and released in most of the world in 2019, this title from the director of “Escobar: Paradise Lost” is unlikely to show up on anyone’s awards-season list. However, even at $19.99 to rent, it topped two major VOD charts this weekend.

“The Informer” has a strong ensemble cast that includes Rosamund Pike, Common, Clive Owen, and Ana de Armas...

Despite the plethora of horror and other genre releases that glutted home platforms this week, romance “After We Collided” placed best on VOD charts this weekend. It ranked #1 at both Apple TV and Google Play, both of which rank by transactions.

“Unhinged” is #1 at FandangoNow, which is based on revenue and gives an edge to Premium VOD titles like this $19.99 entry. Cable giant Spectrum still shows the Alec Baldwin-starring mystery “An Imperfect Murder,” which has little action elsewhere, atop its chart.

Surging late on the charts, “The Craft: Legacy” from Blumhouse Prods. and indie director Zoe Lister-Jones performed strongly at $19.99. It likely missed the top spot at FandangoNow because its full-week chart covered four days prior to its Friday release, but still took the #2 spot there. It is #3 at Apple TV and Google Play, despite its higher cost.

As the evolving strategies surrounding VOD releases emerge, the placements this...

“After We Collided” is the big winner this week. It is #1 at both Apple TV and Google Play, and #2 at FandangoNow (where its $6.99 price on the revenue-based chart put it at a disadvantage). Its Friday debut precluded Spectrum.

This is the sequel to 2019 college romance “After,” which grossed $12 million domestic and $57 million overseas. “After We Collided” also had a theatrical release this weekend, but earned only $420,000 at theaters willing to play day and date. This opened weeks ago in international theaters (including Canada), where it’s earned over $46 million. It’s a sign of how foreign results are dwarfing domestic ones (albeit with minimal competition).

Briarcliff opted to go at a non-premium VOD price and this clicked right away. “After” cost $14 million; figure this is more. It’s recouped a nice share of its cost overseas, and now can collect 70 percent of its domestic VOD from what appears to be a strong response.

After selling off a half-dozen titles to Amazon and Netflix, “Love and Monsters” is one of the few Paramount Pictures titles to receive a 2020 theatrical release. It’s not much of a release — 387 theaters this weekend, for $255,000 — but its PVOD performance (at $19.99) may suggest why Paramount chose to hold on to it.

Scheduled pre-covid for theatrical release April 17, “Love and Monsters” (original title: “Monster Problems”) is no. 1 at both Apple TV and FandangoNow. Budgeted at $30 million, this adventure comedy led by”Maze Runner” and “Teen Wolf” star Dylan O’Brien, is not unlike “Zombieland” in its use of a young hero fighting off monsters in a dystopian society.

It’s the only new PVOD title this week, so it’s unsurprising to see its high placement at FandangoNow, which ranks its charts by revenue. Still, it beat out “Mulan,” which costs $29.99. More impressive: It leads at Apple TV, which ranks by number of transactions,...

The range of pricing in VOD play has never been so clear. Two films at the extreme ranges of budget and premium stand out among new releases. At $3.99, which represents rock-bottom for a new film, Dinesh D’Souza’s latest right-wing polemic “Trump Card” is #1 at both Apple TV and Google Play, charts that rank by transaction volume.

At the same time, Disney’s “Mulan” is now available on platforms beyond Disney+ for $29.99, and is #1 at the revenue-based FandangoNow. “Ava” also continues its successful showings, with first place at Spectrum.

“Trump Card” is pitched as an expose of “socialism, corruption, and the deep state,” and clearly aimed at Election Day interest. In his past films (which received theatrical release), D’Souza preferred to specifically demonize Barack Obama or Hillary Clinton. This time, the target is far broader than the tougher-to-hate Joe Biden. It placed #2 at FandangoNow, where its low price hurts its ranking.

It’s almost the end of the weekend, but there’s still time to squeeze a couple of movies in this Sunday evening. And if you’re looking for something new to watch, then read on for our guide to what’s fresh on streaming and digital right now.

A total of 20 new titles went up across all the major platforms and VOD just in time for the weekend and there are a couple of horrors in there – unsurprisingly, given the time of year – as well as an action flick, a romcom, a documentary and much, much more.

Here’s the full list:

Streaming

The 40-Year-Old Version (Netflix)

Hubie Halloween (Netflix)

American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules (Netflix)

Archive (Prime Video)

Books of Blood (Hulu)

The Cleansing Hour (Shudder)

Welcome to the Blumhouse (Prime Video)

Charm City Kings (HBO Max)

Ginny Weds Sunny (Netflix)

Infamous (Hulu)

Netflix Reveals First Look At...

Exclusive: Film Mode Entertainment has add two further titles to its sales roster ahead of the Cannes Virtual Marche.

Joining the slate is romance Tuscaloosa, starring Devon Bostick, Tate Donovan, Natalia Dyer, Marchánt Davis and the rapper Yg. Philip Harder directed and producers are Josh and Brian Etting. Pic debuted at the Nashville Film Festival back in October. Film Mode will rep world rights outside of the U.S..

The company has also boarded The Private Life Of A Modern Woman, starring Sienna Miller and Alec Baldwin. James Toback directed the movie about a successful actress who wakes up from a nightmare to realize it has come true – she has killed her abusive ex-boyfriend and hidden his body in her apartment. Michael Mailer produced. Film Mode will rep world rights excluding The Middle East and has boarded the film in partnership with BondIt Media Capital. The pic first screened at...

The James Toback film The Private Life of a Modern Woman starring Sienna Miller will make its German premiere at the Oldenburg Film Festival and there has been an outcry of disapproval considering the sexual assault allegations hovering over the disgraced filmmaker.

The film made its premiere last year at Venice and is set to bow at the fest Saturday. Distributor Paul Thiltges took to Twitter to defend the film screening at Oldenburg writing, “We support Sienna Miller’s world class performance in this movie. She is in every single scene, and she is brillant. We love the movie and will continue to defend it against all odds.”

It didn’t take too long for women to come for him.

Actress Chantal Cousineau, who accused Toback of harassment last year, responded “This is #rapeculture in the flesh. Placing a woman #siennaMiller in every scene, does not make it okay to...

One year after its Venice premiere in September 2017, which was shortly before director James Toback was accused by more than 395 women of sexual harassment and assault, Germany's quirky Oldenburg Film Fest is giving his most recent film a German premiere.

That pic — The Private Life of a Modern Woman, a short character study starring Sienna Miller and Alec Baldwin — is being shown on Saturday. Timed to the screening, Toback accusers are calling out both Oldenburg and distributor Paul Thiltges on Twitter for giving a platform to an alleged predator.

"This is #rapeculture in the flesh. Placing ...

One year after its Venice premiere in September 2017, which was shortly before director James Toback was accused by more than 395 women of sexual harassment and assault, Germany's quirky Oldenburg Film Fest is giving his most recent film a German premiere.

That pic — The Private Life of a Modern Woman, a short character study starring Sienna Miller and Alec Baldwin — is being shown on Saturday. Timed to the screening, Toback accusers are calling out both Oldenburg and distributor Paul Thiltges on Twitter for giving a platform to an alleged predator.

"This is #rapeculture in the flesh. Placing ...

An adaptation of Norman Mailer's last novel, The Castle in the Forest, and Barbara Abel's French bestseller Duelle, as well as new projects from cult filmmakers Philippe Mora and Harry Kumel, will be on offer at this year's Matchbox Coproduction Lounge, the industry event held during the Oldenburg International Film Festival.

Mailer's son Michael, who will present Sienna Miller starrer The Private Life of a Modern Woman in Oldenburg, will be on hand to pitch the adaptation of his father's final novel to potential partners. 

Kumel, the Belgium filmmaker behind such features as Monsieur Hawarden ...

An adaptation of Norman Mailer's last novel, The Castle in the Forest, and Barbara Abel's French bestseller Duelle, as well as new projects from cult filmmakers Philippe Mora and Harry Kumel, will be on offer at this year's Matchbox Coproduction Lounge, the industry event held during the Oldenburg International Film Festival.

Mailer's son Michael, who will present Sienna Miller starrer The Private Life of a Modern Woman in Oldenburg, will be on hand to pitch the adaptation of his father's final novel to potential partners. 

Kumel, the Belgium filmmaker behind such features as Monsieur Hawarden ...

The Los Angeles District Attorney’s office has declined to prosecute writer-director James Toback on five allegations of sexual assault and abuse. Hundreds of other women also have accused him of sex crimes – many relating to the casting of his movies – but the Da has dismissed these five cases because they were either outside the one-year statute of limitations or, in one case, because the alleged victim did not appear at a scheduled interview.

None of the five women is identified in the Da’s reports, but together they paint a disturbing pattern of behavior that is all but certain to finish his career, if not land him in jail. The WGA East, of which he is a member, is considering expelling him, and he was booted out of the DGA long ago for not paying his dues. His most recent writing and directing credit, ironically enough, was titled The Private Life of a Modern Woman...

After reading a HuffPost article titled "James Toback Gets Us, He Truly Gets Us in 'The Private Life of a Modern Woman,'" Selma Blair, 45, tweeted the since-updated piece along with the word "ironic." Ironic, in the sense, the actress claims she was sexually harassed by the famed director—and she's not the only one do so. Glenn Whipp from the Los Angeles Times published an article earlier this week in which 38 women, including Blair and Rachel McAdams, accused Toback of sexual harassment. According to Vanity Fair, Blair shared her story with the newspaper on the condition her name wouldn't be published. More than 200 accusers have since come forward, per Vanity Fair's...

With the formal compactness of a taut short story but the moral weight of a 19th century Russian novel, James Toback's misleadingly titled The Private Life of a Modern Woman shrewdly investigates how an accidental incident upends the equilibrium of a young woman who seems to have everything going for her. Building quickly to two long and transfixing scenes that have no cinematic precedents that come to mind, this is a small but weighty film that general audiences might find either too self-serious, given the profusion of classical music (Shostakovich's staggering “Leningrad” Seventh Symphony often booms from ...

With the formal compactness of a taut short story but the moral weight of a 19th century Russian novel, James Toback's misleadingly titled The Private Life of a Modern Woman shrewdly investigates how an accidental incident upends the equilibrium of a young woman who seems to have everything going for her. Building quickly to two long and transfixing scenes that have no cinematic precedents that come to mind, this is a small but weighty film that general audiences might find either too self-serious, given the profusion of classical music (Shostakovich's staggering “Leningrad” Seventh Symphony often booms from ...

The Private Life of a Modern Woman, the new drama from writer-director James Toback, is simultaneously one of the most anticipated, and secretive, films of 2017.

The feature, which premieres at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, stars Sienna Miller as the modern woman of the title, a successful actress struggling to keep up with public appearance amid personal doubt and depression. Alec Baldwin, Charles Grodin and Colleen Camp co-star. But few details are known about the project, which Toback shot in secrecy.

From the first sneak preview clip of the film (see below), it looks like Toback has borrowed...

The Private Life of a Modern Woman, the new drama from writer-director James Toback, is simultaneously one of the most anticipated, and secretive, films of 2017.

The feature, which premieres at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, stars Sienna Miller as the modern woman of the title, a successful actress struggling to keep up with public appearance amid personal doubt and depression. Alec Baldwin, Charles Grodin and Colleen Camp co-star. But few details are known about the project, which Toback shot in secrecy.

From the first sneak preview clip of the film (see below), it looks like Toback has borrowed techniques ...