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The following contains major spoilers from Law & Order Season 24, Episode 4, "The Meaning of Life," which debuted Thursday, Oct. 24 on NBC. It also contains discussion of sensitive topics, including pregnancy loss and abortion.

Law & Order Season 24, Episode 4, "The Meaning of Life" is one of the show's most controversial episodes since the revival started -- and with good reason. Audiences may be divided because the plot centers on the murder of a fertility clinic doctor by a pro-life suspect. But past the very sensitive issue of pro-life versus pro-choice, the hour will cause debate because of how it handles its characters. An attempt to explore all the different sides of the topic casts some of them in very harsh lights.

"The Meaning of Life" starts when Dr. Sarah Heartwood is gravely wounded by a pipe bomb dropped off at her home. Sarah doesn't die, but she winds up in an irreversible coma,...

In Thursday night’s episode of “Law & Order,” when a bomb gravely injures a woman, the Da’s office decides to charge the suspect with murder, despite the victim still being alive on life support.

After the defense witness sways the jury with accounts of “miracles” of patients waking up from comas, the prosecution has to change their approach to make sure the defendant isn’t let off the hook for their attack.

In TheWrap’s exclusive sneak peek from the episode titled “The Meaning of Life,” Da Baxter (Tony Goldwyn) tells Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy) and Samantha Maroun (Odelya Halevi), that since the defense seems to have the edge at the moment, they’ve got to appeal to the jury’s “heartstrings” as well.

Price says he’s sure their case will recover, adding, “We’ll be Ok. We just need to rebut Calhoun’s testimony and bring...

1982’s Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl, is one of the all-time great comedy concert films, perfectly capturing the iconic troupe’s electric stage presence back in the days when they were all still alive, and didn’t hate each other’s guts.

The Pythons spent four nights in September of 1980 headlining the famous venue, which they themselves revered. “There was just something about performing at the Hollywood Bowl which I think tickled all of us,” Michael Palin once confessed, “because we were all brought up on LPs of people 'Live at the Hollywood Bowl,' whether it was Sinatra or Errol Garner or the big bands that played on the stage there.”

Terry Jones noted that it was “kind of a party,” and the chill vibe even infected noted crank John Cleese. “I enjoyed every minute of it, and had a wonderful time,” Cleese later admitted. That rock...

Hey, "Law & Order" fans. It's time for us to hop back on here with some new spoiler scoops for you guys. In this article, we're going to talk about some very intense scenarios that are coming up in the next, new episode 4 of this current season 24, which is due out tonight, October 24, 2024. Thanks to the NBC people and their official episode 4 press release synopsis, we were able to gather up two, new, official teaser scoops for this new episode 4. So, we're going to dive right into all of that right now. Let's go. For starters, we've got the official title for this new episode 4. The writers decided to name this one, "The Meaning of Life." It sounds like episode 4 will feature some very scandalous, intense, dramatic, action-filled, suspenseful and interesting scenes as a very dangerous bomb gets ignited! Some interesting legal charges get filed and more. The first spoiler...

Season 24 of Law & Order continues on NBC with the fourth episode of the season, "The Meaning of Life," set to debut on Oct. 24. Ahead of the episode's airing, Cbr has an exclusive sneak peek clip to unveil.

In the sneak peek video, Nolan Price (Hugh Dancy) and Samantha Maroun (Odelya Halevi) discuss what to do with their suspect in the aftermath of a bomb attack. Maroun stresses the need for their case to be "rock solid," as they're looking to charge the suspect with murder, even though the intended victim is still alive, albeit on life support. Her husband is not yet willing to say goodbye to his gravely injured wife, leading to Price and Maroun to debate over the value of grief over getting justice against the suspect. The video can be watched below.

Related Law & Order: Svu Brings Back a Surprising Character From a Fan-Favorite Episode

Law & Order...

John Cleese is best known as a member of the British comedy troupe Monty Python. Let’s look back at the Oscar-nominated funnyman and his 12 greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Born in 1939 in Weston-Super-Mare, Somerset, England, Cleese rose to prominence thanks to the British sketch series “Monty Python’s Flying Circus,” which ran for four seasons on the BBC from 1969-1974. The troupe — which also included Graham Chapman, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin — revolutionized comedy with their surreal, experimental sketches, the best of which were assembled into the film “And Now for Something Completely Different” (1971). This led to other cinematic outings, including “Monty Python and the Holy Grail” (1975), “Life of Brian” (1979) and “The Meaning of Life” (1983).

Cleese achieved big screen success of his own with “A Fish Called Wanda” (1988), which he wrote and starred in as an uptight English barrister who becomes entangled in an elaborate...

Law & Order fans, we’ve got a fresh off the press preview for the new Season 24 Episode 4 episode titled The Meaning of Life!

Find out everything you need to know about the The Meaning of Life episode of Law & Order, including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!

Law & Order The Meaning of Life Season 24 Episode 4 Preview

The upcoming episode of “Law & Order,” titled “The Meaning of Life,” promises to deliver a gripping storyline that will keep fans on the edge of their seats. Set to air on NBC at 8:00 Pm on October 24, 2024, this episode brings a dangerous twist to the classic crime drama.

In “The Meaning of Life,” detectives Shaw and Riley find themselves in a high-stakes investigation after a bomb detonates in a brownstone. The tension rises as they work to uncover whether the intended target was a...

The latest episode of “Law & Order,” titled “The Meaning of Life,” promises to deliver a gripping mix of suspense and moral dilemmas. As Season 24 continues, Episode 4 takes viewers into the chaotic aftermath of a bomb explosion in a brownstone. Detectives Shaw and Riley are on the case, and they face a challenging task. They must figure out which resident was the intended target: a well-known author or a respected fertility doctor.

The stakes are high as the investigation unfolds. With the bomb blast leaving the neighborhood rattled, Shaw and Riley delve into the lives of both individuals. Their backgrounds and relationships may hold the key to understanding the motive behind the attack. Meanwhile, the legal team, led by Price and Maroun, navigates the complexities of bringing murder charges against a suspect, even though the victim miraculously survived the incident.

This episode is set to explore themes of life, survival, and the consequences of choices made.

While most news about Monty Python these days tends to involve bitter financial disputes and long-simmering tensions blowing up on social media, there’s at least one recent Python-centric story that’s unquestionably heartwarming. And no, we don’t mean John Cleese’s decision to quit Twitter.

There’s currently a crowdfunding campaign to raise money to pay for a statue honoring Terry Jones, which is to be erected on the promenade in Colwyn Bay, Wales where the late Monty Python member lived until he was nearly five. Jones, of course, passed away in 2020 due to complications of a rare form of dementia, which he was diagnosed with in 2015 — although his death still hasn’t stopped him from booking acting jobs.

The GoFundMe campaign, dubbed “A Python on the Prom,” seeks to raise £120,000 for the bronze sculpture. Run by Jones’ family and the Conwy Arts Trust, the campaign was...

Although somewhat tame by today’s standards, when Monty Python’s Life of Brian was released in 1979, it was considered to be among the most offensive — and blasphemous — films ever made. While no strangers to controversy, Monty Python faced a backlash like never before with their third film, in which they relentlessly mocked organized religion via a biblical epic parody about a man named Brian who is mistaken for the messiah just because he’s Jesus’ neighbor.

Forty-five years after its initial release, Life of Brian is still regarded as a classic, and many consider it to be the best, most sophisticated work the Pythons ever did. Here’s how it all came about, how angry it made everybody and why it’s stood the test of time…

45 Jesus Christ: Lust for Glory

Life of Brian was first conceived when the Pythons were on the publicity tour for Monty Python and the Holy Grail.

On the cover of American Recordings, Johnny Cash’s stunning 1994 comeback album, the Man in Black stands squarely between Sin and Redemption — literally, since that’s what he named the black-and-white dogs that flank him as he glares into your soul. At the time, he also felt between sin and redemption metaphorically and the album was a leap of faith. The new archival compilation, Songwriter, which contains demos Cash recorded in 1993 mere months before American Recordings, presents an alternate history of the period when absolution still felt unattainable, and many...

In a scene worthy of one of his animated works, Terry Gillam took to a stage covered in crashed paper planes at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival on Sunday to receive its honorary Cristal award and give a masterclass about his animated works.

Gilliam was last in Annecy, where its audience has a tradition of bombarding the stage with paper planes, in 1975 with Miracle of Flight. The anarchic comedy about mankind’s different attempts to fly debuted in the shorts competition but did not win a prize.

“Do you know how long it’s taken me to get this f**king award… They’ve finally let me in… I think they know I might not be around next year,” joked the director as he received the trophy.

The French lakeside animation festival, running from June 9 to 15, is set to welcome close to 16,000 animation professionals this year, many of them...

Terry Gilliam has been to Cannes with three of his own films since 1983, but one of his favorite memories of the festival takes him back to that very first time, at the 36th edition, as the co-writer and co-star of Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life. Along with Graham Chapman and the film’s director Terry Jones, he’d emerged from the Carlton hotel’s iconic entrance, then bedecked with promotion for the upcoming Bond movie Octopussy, to encounter a camera crew. Jones started grabbing people at random, shouting, “Who Ees Monty Python???” in a ridiculous foreign accent, and got so carried away that, when they reached the hotel’s famous terrace, he accidentally did it to Gilliam too.

The crowd loved it, and the day only grew stranger. Out on the Carlton’s jetty, they gave an interview to British news channel ITN, with Jones hiding behind Graham...

Monty Python’s The Meaning Of Life, directed by Terry Jones

Monty Python's The Meaning Of Life, 9pm, ITV4, Tuesday, March 26

Not really a film as such but rather a collection of sketches, loosely linked by shuffling in, about and off this mortal coil. As you might expect, that means the end result is a little bit hit and miss - and one or two sections haven't dated so well either - but there's plenty here to amuse fans of Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin. Among the more enjoyable moments are satirical musical number Every Sperm is Sacred and the unforgettable dining experience of Mr Creosote, which certainly goes with a bang. It was in competition in Cannes in 1983 where it, perhaps surprisingly, took home the Grand Prix. Just go easy on the wafer-thin mints...

Cat Person, Netflix, from Wednesday, March 27

This...

Eric Idle has set the record straight for anyone who thought he had a cushy life from his earnings as a member of Monty Python, saying that he still has to work for a living.

“I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded. Python is a disaster,” the 80-year-old actor and comedian wrote on Twitter. “Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.”

Later on, Idle clarified that though the British comedy troupe owns “everything” they ever made as part of the group, changes to royalty distribution — and what he sees as mismanagement of the company — have made a drastic impact on their earnings.

“I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously,” he wrote. “But I guess if you put a Gilliam child in as your manager you should not be so surprised.

“Monty Python” alum Eric Idle addressed an apparent fan misconception on Friday: that he and the rest of the legendary British comedy troupe’s members aren’t swimming in cash from their productions. As he put it, “I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded. Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age.” Idle is 80 years old.

I don’t know why people always assume we’re loaded. Python is a disaster. Spamalot made money 20 years ago. I have to work for my living. Not easy at this age. https://t.co/nFDbV9BOfC

— Eric Idle (@EricIdle) February 9, 2024

Hours later, Idle added, “We own everything we ever made in Python and I never dreamed that at this age the income streams would tail off so disastrously. But I guess if you put a Gilliam...

Crowley's Bentley and its personalized license plate "Niat Ruc" have a deeper meaning, referencing the suicidal leaves section in Monty Python's The Meaning of Life. The license plate is also a nod to Terry Gilliam, who worked on the animation of The Meaning of Life and was previously involved in a failed film adaptation of Good Omens. The license plate's meaning becomes more significant in Good Omens season 2, as Crowley and Aziraphale part ways and Crowley's character takes on a darker outlook on life in season 3.

Good Omens’ Crowley (David Tennant) only has one best friend outside of angel Aziraphale (Michael Sheen) — his Bentley, and Crowley's car has a distinctive personalized license plate “Niat Ruc” with a symbolic deeper meaning (as expected from a story by Neil Gaiman). After saving the world in season 1, Good Omens season 2 saw Aziraphale and Crowley in a new story, as the first season covered the complete source novel.

U.S. writer-director Terry Gilliam had the crowd in stitches throughout his masterclass at the Lumière Film Festival, where he presented the restored version of his 1995 cult movie “12 Monkeys.”

The former Monty Python member, whose career as a director started with the 1975 satirical comedy “Monty Python and the Holy Grail,” said that while he was keen to approach difficult subjects, he had learnt from Mary Poppins the secret of success.

“She taught me that the sugar helps the medicine go down,” he quipped, to the audience’s delight.

On a more serious note, Gilliam said that his main goal as a filmmaker was “to make films that make you think about the world in a different way.”

Rejecting the way reality is presented by the media, which he described as “too limited,” Gilliam said it could be “more fascinating, bizarre and surprising.”

“I don’t make fantasy films, though,...

It's nothing short of a miracle that anything nearly as weird as "Monty Python's Flying Circus" became a pop culture phenomenon. In the BBC television series that ran from 1969 to 1974, comedians Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, and Michael Palin, along with animator Terry Gilliam and frequent co-stars Carol Cleveland and Connie Booth, obliterated all sense of sanity on the airwaves.

Their sketch comedy show — which had neither circuses, pythons, nor a character named "Monty" — crafted off-the-wall sketches about every strange thing they could think of. Silly walks, Hungarian phrase books, and how not to be seen were just the tip of the very absurd iceberg, and the comedy troupe's absolute dedication to defying convention remains, to this day, a gold standard to which any comedian can aspire.

Monty Python didn't stay on the airwaves forever. The troupe created four feature films together over the course of twelve years,...

Warning: contains Some spoilers for Good Omens season two

There are over 200 Easter eggs scattered throughout Good Omens season two, buried in everything from oil paintings to posters to bookshelves. On August 4th, Prime Video will be releasing an X-Ray feature for the season, where viewers can catch them all, but here are a few of our favourites.

They show us that the characters who don’t appear in season two have not been forgotten, that Terry Pratchett is still very much a voice in this show, that David Tennant always carries a little bit of The Doctor with him.

Good Omens Season 1 and the Book

Adam and the Them, Anathema, Newt and co. may not be appearing in Good Omens season two, but that does not mean they’re not still present in some form. Here are just a few of the references to beloved season one characters that...

There are few groups that are both as beloved and problematic as Monty Python. The British group created some of the most iconic comedies of the 20th century.

Their film The Meaning of Life is widely regarded as one of their best. But how does it compare to modern comedy?

What Was Monty Python?

The group of five British men and one American came together in 1969 to create the zany show Monty Python’s Flying Circus. The show consisted of sketches often completely out of the ordinary and skewered society in a way that no mainstream show had dared to before.

Related: Monty Python's Flying Circus: The Best Sketches, Ranked

The players consisted of Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam, John Cleese, and Graham Chapman. The group disbanded and came together multiple times for live events and projects. A few have died, and those that are left have...

With a long and successful career spanning genres, Mia Farrow may not be considered a horror icon, but she’s certainly deserving of the title in terms of quality over quantity. The two genre efforts in which she starred are exemplary horror movies of their respective eras; while Rosemary’s Baby has been widely lauded since its release in 1968 (Roman Polanski’s personal life controversies notwithstanding), The Haunting of Julia – known internationally as Full Circle – is a hidden gem ripe for rediscovery.

Based on Peter Straub’s 1975 novel Julia, the 1977 British film is directed by Richard Loncraine and written by Dave Humphries (Quadrophenia), with Xtro filmmaker Harry Bromley Davenport receiving a “based on an adaptation by” credit. Although ostensibly a haunted house tale, its ambiguity also allows it to be viewed as a dramatic character study. Scream Factory shines a well-needed light on the atmospheric chiller with a new 4K Uhd + Blu-ray edition.

For centuries, actors have endured a unique position in society. After dazzling audiences with their talent on the silver screen or stage, many talented individuals move behind the camera to become directors. With this transition comes great respect from those who recognize their performances as an actor and their skills in directing films that capture hearts and minds worldwide in spectacular fashion.

Related: Top 10 Richest Actors in the World [2022]

We wanted to know which actors make up some of our favorite director-actor combinations. So we dove into IMDb’s extensive collection of movie ratings, searching for insight into history’s best actor-directors based on viewer opinion alone. What follows is ten beloved actor-directors who saw success on either side (or both!) throughout various stages throughout showbiz’ past decade: Charlie Day, Zoë Kravitz, and Chris Pine, among others, all turn out award-winning feature productions utilizing decades worth of experience knowing precisely...

Godiva, a prominent Portuguese symphonic death metal, has made significant strides in the national and international music scenes. With noteworthy releases like “Tales to be Untold” (2000), “Traces of Irony” (2002), and “Spiral” (2007), the band has solidified its presence in the metal community.

After an 11-year hiatus, Godiva made a triumphant return with a new lineup and sound at Laurus Nobilis Music Fest, followed by unforgettable performances at Vagos Metal Fest, featuring a live orchestra, and a Sold Out Show at Hard Rock Café Porto.

Despite Covid-19 restrictions, they successfully held sold-out concerts in Lisbon at the RCA Club and at the Laurus Nobilis Hangover Festival, as well as the Riverstone Metal Festival.

At the beginning of the year, the band released two already-consecrated singles, “The Meaning of Life” and “Media God.” In 2023, they are embarking on an extensive European tour to promote their latest album, Hubris, with confirmed stops in countries such as France,...

Throughout her storied career, Emma Stone has starred in a wide variety of movies, from raunchy teen comedies to Oscar-winning dramatic masterpieces. Some of Stone’s movies have been universally praised by critics, like Birdman and The Favourite, while others have been panned as one of the worst, like Marmaduke and Movie 43 – and there are plenty of middling efforts that rank somewhere in between. With challenging roles like a woman in recovery, an aspiring starlet, and a conniving courtier, Stone has earned a cabinet’s worth of awards, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and a Golden Globe Award.

In 2017, Stone was included on Time magazine’s annual list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Movie stars have to leave a huge impression on audiences to make this list. Stone is one of the few actors who can seamlessly transition between zany comedic roles and complex dramatic roles,...

Exclusive: The Bridge creator Hans Rosenfeldt has said he is “not really watching crime shows at the moment,” as he talks up his big-budget Viaplay adaptation of fantasy novel Ronja the Robber’s Daughter, the streamer’s “most ambitious project to date.”

Rosenfeldt is deep in the edit on Ronja, which is being shopped at this week’s London TV Screenings, and he said adapting the Astrid Lindgren Swedish adventure classic has made a refreshing change from his decades of writing crime.

“I am not really watching crime shows at the moment,” said Rosenfeldt, who has penned four seasons of smash Scandi noir hit The Bridge, three of ITV/Netflix’s Marcella and several crime novels. “I have worked in crime for 30 years and whenever I work I’m working on crime so when I watch something or read something I like it to be something else.”

Ronja the Robber’s Daughter.

Spoofs are all about volume. Deliver enough punchlines and there are almost guaranteed to be duds — but if you get enough big laughs, viewers will be too busy wheezing and wiping away tears to notice.

With the possible exception of the Airplane! guys, nobody knows this better than Mel Brooks. There are jokes in Blazing Saddles that fall flat. You mostly don’t remember them, because so much of it is still a riot. And because so much of Dracula: Dead and Loving It is stagnant, the few punchlines that land are rarely mentioned.

As Mel Brooks spoofs go, 1981’s History of the World, Part I is right in the middle. It has great bits — I quote “It is said that the people are revolting.” “You said it. They stink on ice!” in my head at least once a week — and flailing duds and stretches I think were memorable that...

One of the most acclaimed comedy series of all time is returning to TV more than four decades later. “Fawlty Towers,” the beloved British sitcom starring John Cleese, is getting a revival, with the “Monty Python” star set to return.

The show is being developed at Castle Rock Entertainment, with Matthew George, Rob Reiner, Michele Reiner, and Derrick Rossi executive producing for the studio. Cleese will write and star in the revival with his daughter, Camilla Cleese.

“What I like about Matt is that, unlike many producers, he really ‘gets’ the creative process,” Cleese said in a statement announcing the project. “When we first met, he offered an excellent first idea, and then Matt, my daughter Camilla, and I had one of the best creative sessions I can remember. By dessert we had an overall concept so good that, a few days later, it won the approval of Rob and Michele Reiner.

Classic British sitcom “Fawlty Towers” is being revived at Castle Rock Entertainment with original series writer and star John Cleese and his daughter Camilla Cleese set to write and star.

Matthew George, Rob Reiner, Michele Reiner and Derrick Rossi are executive producing the series for Castle Rock Television, which is developing the project.

“Fawlty Towers,” written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, originally ran in two seasons of six episodes each that were broadcast on the BBC in 1975 and 1979. The series followed the unfortunate exploits of Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) as he struggled to keep his hotel and marriage afloat. The series currently airs on BBC2 and is also available to stream on BritBox.

The show was ranked first by the British Film Institute in their 100 Greatest British Television Programs list in 2000, and in 2019, Radio Times named it the greatest ever British TV sitcom based on a panel of comedy experts.

The famed British comedy troupe Monty Python starred in a total of five movies throughout their tenure, ranging from timeless classics to underappreciated gems. They made narrative films and sketch compilations; movies shot on location and concert films recorded live; some movies had lighthearted humor, some with shockingly twisted humor, and others with a mixture of both. When bringing their particular brand of surreal humor to the big screen, the troupe tackled bigger subjects like the Arthurian legend, the origins of Christianity, and the meaning of life. Not all of their movies are bona fide masterpieces like Monty Python’s Life of Brian, but there’s something special in each of them.

The Pythons’ influence can still be seen across the comedy landscape today. They’re often referred to as the "Beatles of comedy," (via The Atlantic) because they marked a watershed moment in the history of the art form.

This year, the Cannes Film Festival kicked off with a restoration of Jean Eustache’s 1973 ménage à trois scandal “The Mother and the Whore” and concluded with a screening of controversial Palme d’Or winner “Triangle of Sadness,” creating an odd kind of symmetry for the event’s 75th anniversary edition. Made half a century apart, Eustache and Östlund’s rhyming triangles were hardly the only parallels to be found at Cannes — though anyone who’s ever binge-watched movies at a major festival knows the feeling of such connections, often just a fluke of the order in which you see movies whose images and ideas inevitably resonate with one another.

Masked in screening rooms full of Covid-defiant strangers, I somehow managed to screen all 21 films in competition this year, and such similarities were myriad, while the masterpieces were scarce.

Consider this could-be coincidence: Roughly midway through Östlund’s diamond-sharp, influencer-skewering...

LADstudios Behind ‘Lens On Ukraine’

Exclusive: LADbible production arm LADstudios is to produce Lens on Ukraine, a wealth of short and mid-form factual content dedicated to sharing reliable, informative and supportive content focused on the war in Ukraine. The series of shorts will include animated explainers, vox pops, and clips from contributors on the ground in Kyiv and other conflict zones covering events on TikTok. LADbible has also launched an initiative to raise funds for the British Red Cross, with each piece of content produced for the campaign linking to the charity’s Ukraine Humanitarian appeal where viewers can donate funds. “The unfolding tragedy in Ukraine has shocked us all,” said LADstudios Director Alex Morris. “The LADstudios team is committed to creating a wide range of content covering the crisis from a number of different angles.”

Stv Studios Buys ‘Ex Rated’ Producer Mighty Productions; Posts 2021 Growth

Scottish producer Stv Studios...

Lock the doors. Turn on the lights. Check under the bed. Crank up the volume. It’s time for another Halloween Parade!

Please help support the Hollywood Food Coalition.

Click here, and be sure to indicate The Movies That Made Me in the note section so Josh can finally achieve his dream of showing Mandy to his wife!

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Scream Blacula Scream (1973)

Mandy (2018)

Carnival of Souls (1962) – Mary Lambert’s trailer commentary

Night Tide (1961) – Charlie Largent’s Blu-ray review

A Bucket Of Blood (1959) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s DVD review, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Dementia 13 (1963) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Region B Blu-ray review, Glenn Erickson’s director’s cut Blu-ray review

The Godfather (1972) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings

The Godfather Part II (1974) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary

The Conversation (1974) – Josh Olson...

Two months ahead of its release, Ed Sheeran’s = as it leads the Apple Music Pre-Add Chart for the week of August 20th through August 26th. =, or Equals, is the British pop singer’s first album since 2019’s No. 6 Collaborations Project, and the first solo studio album since 2017’s ÷. The album’s lead single, “Bad Habits” is currently in the top five of the Rolling Stone Top 100 Songs Chart.

Pre-adds allow listeners to queue up an album to be added to their library when it’s released, offering a good...

Barry Sonnenfeld is a director and producer with the most incredible filmography.

From directing the Men in Black films and the Netflix series, A Series of Unfortunate Events, to producer credits on such clever shows as The Tick (Both iterations), Pushing Daisies, and Disney's Enchanted, this is a man with a wicked sense of humor and timing.

Taking on the director's chair on Apple TV+'s Schmigadoon!, which lovingly savages the Golden Age musicals of Hollywood, seems like a natural fit. But, speaking with TV Fanatic on a virtual press day, Sonnenfeld is quick to set the record straight.

"Y'know, I'm not a big fan of musical theatre whether it's Broadway or even MGM musicals from the 30s, 40s, and 50s. I never bought the reality of people stopping what they're doing to break into song.

"So I found it a little bit difficult. There were a few musicals I really liked,...

Australia might just be in for an Academy Award win come Monday, with Love and Monsters tipped as a dark horse in this year’s race for the Visual Effects Oscar.

Matt Sloan, Genevieve Camilleri, Matt Everitt and Brian Cox are on the ballot for their work crafting giant, mutated creatures for the Brisbane-shot post-apocalyptic film, each imbued with its own individual characteristics and unique personality.

But while it might be easy to assume Love and Monsters is a creature feature at first glance, VFX supervisor Sloan says director Michael Matthews made it clear at the outset the film was “not about monsters.”

A comedy adventure, Love and Monsters is set in a world where humans have been forced underground after giant creatures took control of the land.

Dylan O’Brien stars as Joel, who reconnects over the radio with his high school girlfriend Aimee (Jessica Henwick). Aiming to rekindle their romance,...

Heroes: Cleese, Gilliam, Idle, Jones, Palin and The Meaning Of Monty Python (2013); plus Thoughts On Alex Winter’S Zappa (2020)

As reunions of great collaborators go, it must be one of the least hyperbolic in pop culture history. In 2013, the five surviving members of Monty Python’s Flying Circus—John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Michael Palin—gathered together in a little flat in London’s Sloane Square, near Knightsbride and Chelsea, for a one-hour sit-down discussion for British television, and they got an unassuming, hour-long documentary out of the process. The Meaning of Monty Python, now available streaming on Netflix, is the Monty Python reunion true fans will have hoped for, recognizing that the time is past for on-stage recreations of the comedic trailblazers’ favorite and/or most famous bits and instead opening up an avenue for the five men to spend ostensibly relaxed time together, reminiscing,...

To mark the release of Out of Africa, Monty python and Uncle Buck on 28th September, we’ve been given 2 Blu-ray bundles of the movies to give away.

Out of Africa

The true life story of Karen Blixen (Meryl Streep), an amazingly strong willed woman who moves from Denmark to run a coffee plantation with her philandering husband (Klaus Maria Brandauer) in Kenya around 1914. To her astonishment she soon discovers herself falling in love with the land, its people and a mysterious adventurer and idealist (Robert Redford).

Monty Python

Those six pandemonium-mad Pythons are back with their craziest adventure ever! John Cleese, Graham Chapman, Terry Jones, Eric Idle, Terry Gilliam and Michael Palin have returned to explain The Meaning of Life. These naughty Pythons offer the usual tasteful sketches involving favourite bodily parts and functions, the wonders of war, the miracle of birth and a special preview of what’s waiting for us in Heaven.

In discussions of Monty Python’s movies, four usually get boiled down to two. And Now for Something Completely Different is usually disregarded, because it’s just a collection of sketches from the troupe’s TV series, while Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life is considered to be a weak, hit-and-miss effort.

Related: Monty Python: 5 Reasons Why Holy Grail Is Their Best Film (& 5 Why Life Of Brian is A Close Second)

Monty Python and the Holy Grail and Monty Python’s Life of Brian rank among the greatest comedies ever made and exemplify the Pythons’ unique comic sensibility more perfectly than perhaps any other Python media. But The Meaning of Life is a lot funnier, smarter, and more original than it’s given credit for.

Throughout the years, the Monty Python troupe has treated fans to four theatrically released feature films: And Now for Something Complete Different, an ironically titled compendium of reshot sketches from Monty Python’s Flying Circus intended to introduce the Pythons to a U.S. audience; Monty Python and the Holy Grail, a pitch-perfect lampoon of Arthurian legend; Monty Python’s Life of Brian, a super-controversial satire of organized religion; and Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, a collection of loosely connected (and deliciously dark) original sketches.

Related: The 10 Best Monty Python’s Flying Circus Skits & Sketches, Ranked

The general consensus among Python fans is that the troupe’s second and third movies are their finest.

There has never – not once – been an occasion where Netflix has asked us if we’re still watching and we haven’t been, but it still feels nice to be checked on! Every month, when it’s not making sure we’re still alive, the streaming service brings us loads of original content to feast our eyes on, and here at Den of Geek we like to give you a pretty comprehensive list of what’s being added in the weeks to come.

In May 2020, Netflix UK is offering Modern Family and New Girl binging opportunities, as well as old favourites like Labyrinth and The Blues Brothers. Alongside these are new seasons of Dead to Me and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, which is wrapping up on the platform after delivering a glorious run of animated perfection. If you haven’t yet given the rebooted series a shot, now...

Helping you stay sane while staying safe… featuring Leonard Maltin, Dave Anthony, Miguel Arteta, John Landis, and Blaire Bercy from the Hollywood Food Coalition.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Plague (1979)

Target Earth (1954)

The Left Hand of God (1955)

A Lost Lady (1934)

Enough Said (2013)

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941)

Mr. Smith Goes To Washington (1939)

Heaven Can Wait (1978)

Down to Earth (2001)

Down To Earth (1947)

The Commitments (1991)

Once (2007)

Election (1999)

About Schmidt (2002)

Sideways (2004)

Nebraska (2013)

The Man in the Moon (1991)

The 39 Steps (1935)

Casablanca (1942)

The Lady Vanishes (1938)

The Night Walker (1964)

Chuck and Buck (2000)

Cedar Rapids (2011)

Beatriz at Dinner (2017)

Duck Butter (2018)

The Good Girl (2002)

The Big Heat (1953)

Human Desire (1954)

Slightly French (1949)

Week-End with Father (1951)

Experiment In Terror (1962)

They Shoot Horses Don’t They? (1969)

Ray’s Male Heterosexual Dance Hall (1987)

Airport (1970)

Earthquake (1974)

Drive a Crooked Road (1954)

Pushover (1954)

Waves (2019)

Krisha (2015)

The Oblong Box (1969)

80,000 Suspects (1963)

Panic In The Streets (1950)

It Comes At Night (2017)

Children of Men (2006)

The Road (2009)

You Were Never Really Here...

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

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

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Master of the Flying Guillotine (1976)

Groundhog Day (1993)

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

Ali: Fear Eats The Soul (1974)

Portrait Of A Lady On Fire (2019)

In The Mood For Love (2000)

Hunger (2008)

The Sweet Hereafter (1997)

Fargo (1996)

Night of the Lepus (1971)

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Soylent Green (1973)

Silent Running (1972)

Canyon Passage (1946)

McCabe & Mrs. Miller (1971)

The Professionals (1966)

Ride Lonesome (1959)

Carrie (1952)

The Heartbreak Kid (1972)

Hello Down There (1969)

The Brass Bottle (1964)

The Trouble With Angels (1966)

Pollyanna (1960)

Tiger Bay (1959)

The Parent Trap (1961)

Endless Night (1972)

The Family Way (1966)

Take A Girl Like You (1970)

Freddy Got Fingered...

Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSAbel Ferrara's SiberiaThe Berlin Film Festival Competition lineup has finally been unveiled, revealing a roster of heavy hitters that includes Ilya Khrzhanovsky's controversial installation project Dau, Abel Ferrara's long-delayed Siberia, Hong Sang-soo's latest The Woman Who Ran, and the anticipated return of Christian Petzold, Rithy Panh, Tsai Ming-liang, Sally Potter, and Philippe Garrel. Actor, writer, and director Terry Jones, best known for his involvement in the Monty Python comedy group and for directing the 1983 Monty Python's The Meaning of Life, has died. Recommended VIEWINGGrasshopper Films has released a trailer for Pedro Costa's bold Vitalina Varela, about a woman who arrives in Lisbon from Cape Verde to attend her estranged husband's funeral. Upon its premiere at 2019's Locarno Film Festival, editor Daniel Kasman described it as "a film of fierce determination and paramount resonance.

Terry Jones has died. Jones, one of the co-founders of Monty Python, was 77. He has seen an outpouring of love since news of his passing spread. People from all walks of entertainment, and some of those closest to him, took to pay their respects to the late actor, writer, director and historian.

The news of Terry Jones' passing has been confirmed by the BBC and his family. Jones was diagnosed with dementia in 2015, which had made it difficult for him to communicate in recent years. Terry Jones passed with his wife, Anna Soderstrom, by his side. Fellow Python member Eric Idle had this to say on Twitter.

"I loved him the moment I saw him on stage at the Edinburgh Festival in 1963. So many laughs, moments of total hilarity onstage and off we have all shared with him. It's too sad if you knew him, but if you didn't you...

Tony Sokol Jan 22, 2020

Monty Python creator, writer and director Terry Jones threw away punchlines to refresh comedy.

Screenwriter, director, and author Terry Jones, a founding member of Monty Python, died at the age of 77, according to Variety. He had been suffering from frontotemporal dementia, which his son Bill revealed publicly in September 2016. The disease left the comedian unable to speak.

"Over the past few days his wife, children, extended family and many close friends have been constantly with Terry as he gently slipped away at his home in North London," Jones' family said in a statement. "We have all lost a kind, funny, warm, creative and truly loving man whose uncompromising individuality, relentless intellect and extraordinary humour has given pleasure to countless millions across six decades."

Terence Graham Parry Jones was born in North Wales on Feb. 1, 1942. He met his long-term collaborator Michael Palin while studying English at Oxford University.

London – Co-founding one of the most influential comedy troupes in history just wasn’t enough for Terry Jones, of “Monty Python’s Flying Circus.” He also had to become one of the foremost amateur medieval history scholars in the world, among his many achievements as author, director and comic sketch creator. Jones passed away in London on January 21st, 2020. He was 77.

Terrence Graham Parry “Terry” Jones was born in Colwyn Bay on the north coast of Wales in England. He graduated from St Edmund Hall, a constituent college of Oxford University, where he met future writing partner Michael Palin. He broke into British television in 1967 along with Palin in the show “Twice a Fortnight,’ worked with Eric Idle in “Do Not Adjust Your Set,” and wrote alongside Graham Chapman John Cleese, Idle and Palin (all soon-to-be Pythoners) on “The Frost Report.”

’She’s a Witch!’ Terry Jones and Connie Booth in...

We've got some incredibly sad news to pass along today as Terry Jones, a founding member of the famous Monty Python comedy team, has passed away. For the past several years, Jones had been battling a rare form of dementia called primary progressive aphasia, which had severely affected his ability to communicate. Due to complications from his dementia, Jones reportedly died on Saturday evening with his wife, Anna, by his side. The comedy legend was 77 years old.

"Over the past few days his wife, children, extended family and many close friends have been constantly with Terry as he gently slipped away at his home in North London," reads a statement from Jones' family, confirming his passing. The statement goes on to add: "We have all lost a kind, funny, warm, creative and truly loving man whose uncompromising individuality, relentless intellect and extraordinary humour has given pleasure to countless millions across six decades.

Terry Jones, one of the core members of Monty Python and director of three of the comedy troupe’s films, died Tuesday after a battle with a rare form of dementia, Ftd, the BBC reports. He was 77.

Jones’ agent confirmed his death, while his family also issued a statement. “We have all lost a kind, funny, warm, creative, and truly loving man whose uncompromising individuality, relentless intellect, and extraordinary humor has given pleasure to countless millions across six decades,” they said. “His work with Monty Python, his books, films, television programs,...

Terry Jones, the Welsh comedian and filmmaker, has died at 77 after a four-year battle against frontotemporal dementia. Jones’s family announced he died on the evening of January 21, 2020 in a statement. “We are deeply saddened to have to announce the passing of beloved husband and father, Terry Jones,” the statement reads. “Terry passed away with his wife Anna Soderstrom by his side after a long, extremely brave but always good humoured battle with a rare form of dementia, Ftd.”

Jones is best known as one of the founding members of comedy troupe Monty Python alongside Eric Idle, John Cleese, Graham Chapman, and Terry Gilliam. Jones and Gilliam co-directed the group’s breakthrough first movie, 1975’s “Monty Python and the Holy Grail.” Jones would go on to direct Monty Python’s follow-up films “Life of Brian” (1979) and “The Meaning of Life” (1983). Jones’s non-Monty Python credits include writing the scripts for the 1986 cult classic “Labyrinth,...