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Dreamworks' The Wild Robot is looking to be a critical success as the first reviews have dropped online. Adapted from the novel of the same name by Peter Brown, The Wild Robot follows a domestic robot who wakes up for the first time shipwrecked on a wild island. Built to serve people in their homes, Roz (Lupita Nyong'o) is forced to learn the programming for "motherhood" when a young Gosling imprints on her. Directed by Christopher Sanders, the movie has been hyped as one of this year's best animated offerings. Even Mark Hamill (who lends his voice to the movie) praised it as something akin to the original Star Wars. And, according to the first reviews, the movie lives up to the hype.

The Wild Robot held its premiere at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, and was met with glowing reviews from critics following the screening. The movie doesn't...

The rise of Timothée Chalamet has been something to behold in an era where brands like the Marvel Cinematic Universe have tended to swallow prospective movie stars whole. (There's a reason Chris Hemsworth was so nakedly happy to be working with an honest-to-goodness visionary like George Miller on "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.") Borrowing a page from the book of his fellow former teen heartthrob and mentor, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chalamet was careful to establish his credentials as a performer before hitching his name to a franchise. Over the span of just 10 years, he's already joined forces with some of the most renowned directors in the biz -- Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson, Luca Guadagnino, Denis Villeneuve, Paul King, and Greta Gerwig chief among them.

He was also shrewd enough to cut ties with Woody Allen after the #MeToo movement led Hollywood as a whole to reckon with the skeletons that had...

Sydney Sweeney responds to producer's criticism as "sad," calls out attacking another woman. Baum's negative comments on Sweeney are seen as particularly harsh. Despite recent criticism, Sweeney's career is on an upward trajectory, with successful projects.

Sydney Sweeney reacts to a producer who said she “can’t act” and called a key film of hers “unwatchable.” Sweeney is a two-time Emmy-nominated actress, recognized for her work in Euphoria and The White Lotus. While most iconically known for playing the role of Cassie on Euphoria, she most recently played the lead role in the horror film Immaculate.

As per Variety, Sweeney offers her response to recent criticism. Sweeney found the comments from the producer “sad” in that “a woman in the position to share her expertise and experience chooses instead to attack another woman.” After this producer had “decades” in the industry, Sweeney felt her behavior was “shameful.” Check out...

Emily Deschanel and her sister, Zooey Deschanel, have been gracing our screens for years, but did you know that success in Hollywood has been in the family for generations?

The Deschanels' parents were both established in the entertainment industry long before the birth of their daughters. Their father, Caleb Deschanel, is an Oscar-nominated cinematographer. He was first nominated for an Academy Award in cinematography in 1983 for the film "The Right Stuff," followed by "The Natural" in 1984 and "Fly Away Home" in 1996. Additionally, 2000's "The Patriot," 2004's "The Passion of Christ," and 2018's "Never Look Away" all netted him nominations. He is also a member of the National Film Preservation Board of the Library of Congress.

Their mother, Mary Jo Deschanel, is an actor. She is perhaps best known for playing recurring character Eileen Hayward in "Twin Peaks." She went on to appear in the movie "The Patriot" and had roles...

Horror master Stephen King has had his terrifying stories adapted into movies since the 1970s, The prolific author has been the literary backbone behind some of cinema's best films. These include Academy Award-nominated and winning films like The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and Misery, box office explosions like 2017's It and the 2019 sequel, and possibly the greatest coming-of-age movie of all time, Stand by Me.

However, in 1986, King took a step outside his novelist comfort zone, and decided to direct Maximum Overdrive, a revved-up, diesel-fueled horror movie about sentient machines trying to take over the world. The cheesy, gory, critically-panned movie brought together a fun cast of Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle (Batman), Laura Harrington (What's Eating Gilbert Grape), Yeardley Smith (The Simpsons), and Holter Graham (Fly Away Home). Taking place in Wilmington, Nc, Maximum Overdrive brought forth corny one-liners, massive truck explosions, snarky ATMs, and squished children. Over the past 35+ years,...

Sarah Michelle Gellar is talking about how Dolly Parton was a producer on Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

During a visit to The Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon, Gellar was asked about Parton being an uncredited producer on the show she starred in for seven seasons.

“Yes, little known fact, the legend Dolly Parton was a producer,” she said on the NBC late-night show. “We never saw her [but] we’d get Christmas gifts in the beginning that would have our name, and I would think, ‘She doesn’t even know who I am.’ And then one day, someone asked her about it, and she complimented the show and my performance. I was like, ‘Oh, I can die now. Dolly Parton knows who I am and thinks I’m good.'”

Sandollar Productions, which Parton started with her then-business partner Sandy Gallin, was behind the supernatural drama, alongside Mutant Enemy Productions and 20th Century Fox Television.

April is here and that means there’s a whole slew of new releases headed to Hulu to meet your streaming needs.

In the realm of original films, Hulu has the queer rom-com “Crush,” starring Rowan Blanchard and Auli’i Cravalho, which debuts April 29. Meanwhile, new library arrivals this month include the Bruce Willis and Joseph Gordon-Levitt sci-fi mind-bender “Looper,” both “Shrek” and “Shrek 2,” and all four films in “The Twilight Saga.”

April is also a big month for new TV shows on Hulu. Andrew Garfield’s hot streak continues with the FX drama “Under the Banner of Heaven,” which debuts exclusively on Hulu April 28. For reality TV fans, “The Kardashians” premieres on April 14. Hulu also has two franchise spinoff kids shows returning with Season 7 of “Madagascar: A Little Wild” on April 4 and Season 2 of “The Croods: Family Tree” on April 5.

These are but a few highlights in a rather...

Though the confusingly named initiative “FX on Hulu” is on its way out, FX is still bringing premium television to Hulu in the meantime.

Hulu’s list of new releases for April 2022 is highlighted by FX limited series Under the Banner of Heaven. This adaptation of the non-fiction book by John Krakauer stars Andrew Garfield as a Mormon police detective whose faith is shaken when investigating a murder involving the church.

It’s not all just FX on the TV side of things for Hulu this month, however. The streamer is debuting second seasons of its series The Hardy Boys (April 6) and Woke (April 8). There isn’t much to report from Hulu’s original movies arm aside from true crime documentary Captive Audience on April 21. But that doc about one family’s 50-year journey for justice sounds like a must-watch.

April 1 sees the usual arrival of library film titles. Looper,...

Been meaning to check out some Oscar-nominated films before the 94th Academy Awards on March 27? Well does HBO Max have some good news for you! HBO Max’s list of new releases for March 2022 is filled with classic films, new originals, and yes: plenty of current Oscar nominees.

Two Best Picture nominees roll out on HBO Max on March 2: Steven Spielberg’s epic musical adaptation West Side Story and Japanese drama Drive My Car. Those two contenders will be followed by Dune on March 10 and King Richard on March 24.

Read more Movies Oscars 2022: Predictions and Analysis By David Crow Movies How Dune’s Director Helped with Marvel’s Eternals By Joseph Baxter

HBO Max is not neglecting its original responsibilities this month either. March 3 sees the arrival of pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death. That will be followed by Adam McKay-produced Lakers drama Winning Time on March...

HBO Max has a crowded month of new movies and shows streaming in March, from franchise films to original series debuts — and it’s shaping up to be a go-to streaming service for awards contenders, just in time to get caught up before the Oscars.

Warner Bros. films “Dune” and “King Richard,” both of which are nominated in several key categories including Best Picture, make their return to streaming on HBO Max. “Dune” returns on March 10, but last-minute viewers looking to catch up before the Oscars will only have a few days to stream “King Richard,” which returns on March 24. The 94th Academy Awards ceremony airs on March 27.

Fellow Best Picture contenders “Drive My Car” and “West Side Story” are also arriving on HBO Max in the coming weeks. “Drive My Car,” which has been in limited theaters, is finally available to stream on March 2, as is “West Side Story...

By Lee Pfeiffer

The 1970s was the Golden Age of American TV movies and mini-series. Fortunately, many of these long unseen titles have been surfacing again on home video and streaming services. I'll admit that memories of the very good ones had somewhat romanticized my recollection of the TV movie genre in general. Upon viewing some of the titles today, they don't hold up as well as I had hoped, but even the weakest remain quite entertaining. "One of My Wives is Missing" is definitely a lesser entry in the TV movie cycle. In fact, I had never heard of it until I came across the title on Amazon Prime and decided to give it a go. The film was telecast in 1976 and has a good deal of talent associated with the production. The show was produced by the powerhouse team of Aaron Spelling and Leonard Goldberg. The screenplay was by Peter Stone,...

Exclusive: Oscar-nominated Saving Private Ryan screenwriter Robert Rodat is set to write Semper Fi, the true story of Marine Maj. Thomas Schueman and his extraordinary Afghan interpreter Zainulla Zaki.

During fierce fighting in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, the two men formed an unbreakable brotherhood that transcended the differences in their cultures and ethnicities. After Schueman’s return to the U.S. he tried, with no success, to help Zaki and his family get out of Afghanistan. This summer, as the U.S. pulled out of Afghanistan, Zaki and his family were targeted for execution by the Taliban due to his involvement with U.S. Forces. Schueman’s devotion to his comrade and his struggle to save him, his wife and four children led to a harrowing escape and a daring rescue at Kabul’s airport.

The project is being developed by producers Flashlight Films managing partner Allyn Stewart and veteran movie producer Hawk Koch,...

Portland studio Laika announced that its next stop-motion and CG hybrid animated feature film release will be Wildwood, based on the bestselling novel written by Colin Meloy, which the company optioned in 2011.

Travis Knight, the Academy Award-nominated director of Kubo and the Two Strings and Laika’s president/CEO, is helming the movie, which is currently in production.

Six-time Oscar nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (Fly Away Home, The Patriot) is serving as director of photography.

Based on the book written by Meloy, the lead singer and songwriter for The Decemberists, and illustrated by Carson Ellis, Wildwood is a Portland-set story that follows Prue McKeel, who enters ...

Portland studio Laika announced that its next stop-motion and CG hybrid animated feature film release will be Wildwood, based on the bestselling novel written by Colin Meloy, which the company optioned in 2011.

Travis Knight, the Academy Award-nominated director of Kubo and the Two Strings and Laika’s president/CEO, is helming the movie, which is currently in production.

Six-time Oscar nominated cinematographer Caleb Deschanel (Fly Away Home, The Patriot) is serving as director of photography.

Based on the book written by Meloy, the lead singer and songwriter for The Decemberists, and illustrated by Carson Ellis, Wildwood is a Portland-set story that follows Prue McKeel, who enters ...

Isidore “Izzy” Mankofsky, a longtime cinematography who worked on such films as The Jazz Singer, The Muppet Movie and Somewhere in Time and enjoyed a prolific career in TV, earning three Emmy nominations, has died. He was 89. The American Society of Cinematographers said he died March 11 but did not provide details.

He received the President’s Award from the American Society of Cinematographers in 2009 for his decades of leadership and service to the organization and was nominated three times for its ASC Awards: twice for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for a Miniseries or Special and once for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cinematography for a Miniseries or Special.

Born on September 22, 1931, to Ukrainian immigrant parents in New York City and raised there and in Chicago, Mankofsky served in the Air Force before embarking on his showbiz career. He got his start behind the lens...

Closing out a year in which we’ve needed The Criterion Channel more than ever, they’ve now announced their impressive December lineup. Topping the highlights is a trio of Terrence Malick films––Badlands, Days of Heaven, and The New World––along with interviews featuring actors Richard Gere, Sissy Spacek, and Martin Sheen; production designer Jack Fisk; costume designer Jacqueline West; cinematographers Haskell Wexler and John Bailey; and more.

Also in the lineup is an Afrofuturism series, featuring an introduction by programmer Ashley Clark, with work by Lizzie Borden, Shirley Clarke, Souleymane Cissé, John Akomfrah, Terence Nance, and more. There’s also Mariano Llinás’s 14-hour epic La flor, Bill Morrison’s Dawson City: Frozen Time, Ken Loach’s Sorry We Missed You, Jennie Livingston’s Paris Is Burning, plus retrospectives dedicated to Mae West, Cary Grant, Barbra Streisand, and more.

Check out the lineup below and return every Friday for our weekly streaming picks.

The great actor Robert Picardo, a frequent Joe Dante collaborator and long time Star Trek hologram, joins Josh and Joe to discuss movies that compel him to sit and watch all the way through any time they just happen to be on.

Also… Josh and Bob discuss the best cheesesteak joints in Philly.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

The Howling (1981)

A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)

A Hard Day’s Night (1964)

The Running Jumping and Standing Still Film (1959)

Swing Time (1936)

The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad (1949)

Cabaret (1972)

A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

On The Waterfront (1954)

Some Like It Hot (1959)

Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)

Innerspace (1987)

Ordinary People (1980)

Hollywood Boulevard (1976)

Rock ‘N’ Roll High School (1978)

The Godfather (1972)

The Godfather Part II (1974)

Jaws (1975)

The Wiz (1978)

The Godfather Part III (1990)

Alien (1979)

Star Wars (1977)

Death Becomes Her (1992)

Dog Day Afternoon (1975)

I Knew It Was You (2009)

Touch Of Evil (1958)

Citizen Kane (1941)

The Day The Earth Stood Still...

I idealised this as a movie about the beauty of the natural world. I realise now its also about surviving loss and finding strength when everything looks hopeless

Read all the other My favourite film choicesThe best arts and entertainment during self-isolation

My love for Fly Away Home coincided with moving to the countryside; where my mum and I had lived in cul-de-sac after cul-de-sac, our new home was surrounded by only a cluster of other houses, and then field after field. The Canadian prairie it was not – you could just make out the lights of the out-of-town supermarket from our garden – but it was around that time, I think, that I started to understand the benefits of the great outdoors.

Fly Away Home, similarly, begins with a new start, albeit under more traumatic circumstances. After her mother dies in a car accident, 13-year-old Amy moves from New Zealand to...

Gold Derby has conducted exclusive video chats with dozens of this year’s Oscar contenders across a wide variety of categories. That includes nine of this year’s nominees for Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, and Best Visual Effects. Will they get a Gold Derby bump when the envelopes are opened on Sunday, February 24? Follow the links below to be taken to their full interviews.

Barry Alexander Brown: Spike Lee‘s longtime editor earned his first nomination in this category for this fact-based drama about an African-American police detective (John David Washington) who infiltrated the Ku Klux Klan in the 1970s. This film also brought Brown a bid at the Ace Eddie Awards. Before he joined forces with Lee he previously picked up an Oscar nom for Best Documentary Feature for “The War at Home” (1979). (Click here to be taken to his full interview)

See Watch 3 Gold Derby pundits argue over predictions: Thelma Adams,...

One of the most unexpected Oscar nominations this year came for a German film in the thick of the foreign-language race that managed to score love elsewhere: Caleb Deschanel’s cinematography notice for Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s “Never Look Away,” a three-hour epic inspired by the life of artist Gerhard Richter.

For Deschanel, a beloved industry veteran with six nominations dating back to 1983’s “The Right Stuff,” it was as much a shock to him as it was to the awards season chattering class.

“You sort of figure, ‘No chance; not enough people have seen the movie,'” Deschanel says, calling from London where he’s in the middle of production on Jon Favreau’s effects-driven remake of “The Lion King,” due out in July. “But I had so many calls from people who loved this movie.”

It’s easy to see why Deschanel’s colleagues in the cinematography branch,...

How did Caleb Deschanel end up being the cinematographer on “Never Look Away,” Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s three-hour-plus German-language film?

“I had known Florian for a number of years because we had been on some various committees at the academy,” Deschanel shared at Gold Derby’s Meet the Experts: Cinematographers panel, moderated by this author (watch above). “He had met with Gerhard Richter, the painter, and he had done a lot of interviews with him and he was really fascinated by his life. He then called me and we met and we sat down for about four hours and he sort of told me this story and it was before he had written the script, but I was really fascinated by this character.”

Inspired by Richter’s life, “Never Look Away” tells the fictional story of a painter, Kurt (Tom Schilling), who grew up in Dresden, Germany, during World War II,...

Don’t miss our upcoming special Q&A panel as Gold Derby welcomes four of the top cinematographers in the world on November 29. Join us at the Landmark Theater on Pico Blvd. in Los Angeles for the event at 7:00 Pt. It’s free to anyone who wants to attend, but top priority in getting one of the limited seats is to be a guild member or Oscar voter.

Click the following link to register: https://meettheexpertscinematography.splashthat.com

Our senior editor Joyce Eng will moderate the Q&A with the following contenders for 2019 awards consideration:

Charlotte Bruus Christensen represents Paramount for “A Quiet Place”

Christensen is also known for her work on such films as “The Girl on the Train,” “Fences” and “Molly’s Game.”

Caleb Deschanel represents Sony Pictures Classics for “Never Look Away”

Deschanel is a five-time Oscar nominee for “The Right Stuff” (1983), “The Natural” (1984), “Fly Away Home...

If Jeff Daniels could give his younger self advice, here's what he'd say: "Hang on — it may not happen until you're in your 50s!" he exclusively told Closer Weekly at the recent Montclair Film Festival in NJ. While Jeff has been on a roll of late with award-worthy turns in projects like Hulu's new Sept. 11–themed miniseries, The Looming Tower, the truth is he’s done consistently fine work since his breakout role in Terms of Endearment 35 years ago. This is an even more impressive achievement considering Jeff, 63, put the bright lights of Hollywood behind him in 1986 and moved home to his native Chelsea, Mi with his wife and high school sweetheart, Kathleen. There, they raised three now-grown kids: Ben, Lucas, and Nellie. "It slows you down," Jeff told Closer of life on the Lower Peninsula. "It always reminds you when you go back into a movie or a...

Here’s your daily dose of an indie film, web series, TV pilot, what-have-you in progress, as presented by the creators themselves. At the end of the week, you’ll have the chance to vote for your favorite.

In the meantime: Is this a project you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments.

Tina and the Gucci Flip Flop

Logline: A woman finds herself trapped in the closet when her lover’s lover comes home.

Elevator Pitch:

“Tina and The Gucci Flip Flop” follows a woman named Tina, who finds herself trapped in the closet when her lover’s lover comes home. It’s a tale of betrayal, cheating, sexuality, closet hiding, and big, wet farts. It’s based on the twitter story of the same name, that sent me from 8,000 followers, to 25,000 overnight on twitter, helped me become verified, win Project Greenlight, and ultimately, become a fellow of the Sundance Labs.

Simon Brew Sep 2, 2016

Premiere magazine highlighted 10 movie executives to watch in 1990. So what happened to them?

In its May 1990 issue, the sadly-missed Us version of Premiere magazine published an article, highlighting ten young movie executives, and suggesting that these were people with very big futures ahead of them in the industry.

Given that much is written about movie executives, without actually digging much deeper to find out who they actually are, I thought it was worth tracing what happened to these ten, and – 26 years later – whether Premiere was correct in saluting them as the future of the industry. So, er, I did...

Lance Young

Senior production VP, Paramount Pictures

Pictured in the article on an office swivel chair with some snazzy purple socks, Lance Young, Premiere wrote, had been “groomed for big things since joining Paramount at the age of 23”. He was 30 at the time the article was published, and...

Documentary specialists launches new label with Fly Away Home [pictured].

Austrian docs specialist Autlook Filmsales is to take the plunge into handling dramatic features.

Here in Cannes, company CEO Salma Abdalla has confirmed that the company is launching a new boutique label for Austrian narrative features.

The new label is launching in Cannes with the market release of the adaption Fly Away Home by Mirjam Unger, produced by Gabriele Kranzelbinder of Kgp Filmproduction (We Come As Friends).

Gabriele Kranzelbinder is one of Autlook´s founding partners.

The film is adapted from the best-selling autobiographical novel by Christine Nöstlinger about her childhood experience in war torn Vienna. Bombed out and penniless, she and her family are put up in a fancy villa in the outskirts of the city, a moment when class differences get cracky and all families in the house just want to survive.

The drama is set during the last days of the Nazi regime and then...

Chiwetel Ejiofor was on hand in Toronto in 2013 – for “Half of a Yellow Sun” and his Oscar-winning “12 Years a Slave.” Scott is here for what he said was his fourth time "and this is the biggest reaction I’ve ever had." Jeff Daniels, who plays the head of Nasa in Scott’s bring-Matt-back-from-Mars adventure, has been here so many times he’s lost count (“The Squid and the Whale," "Fly Away Home," "something else”). “The reaction for me, compared to those other three movies was a sense of relief that it worked,” Daniels said. “It’s all guesswork, even with someone as great as Ridley a portion of what we’re throwing up there, we’re crossing our fingers, hoping an audience takes to it. That’s the payoff for us.” What audiences often forget is that what the performers are putting on screen, they executed a year or more before.

It was a winner right out of the starting gate, an instant classic that's still a pleasure for the eyes and ears. Carroll Ballard and Caleb Deschanel's marvel of a storybook movie has yet to be surpassed, with a boy-horse story that seems to be taking place in The Garden of Eden. The Black Stallion Blu-ray The Criterion Collection 765 1979 / Color / 1:85 widescreen / 117 min. / Street Date July 14, 2015 / 39.95 Starring Kelly Reno, Mickey Rooney, Teri Garr, Clarence Muse, Hoyt Axton, Michael Higgins, Ed McNamara, Doghmi Larbi, John Karlsen, Leopoldo Trieste, Marne Maitland, Cass-Olé. Cinematography Caleb Deschanel Film Editor Robert Dalva Supervising Sound Editor Alan Splet Original Music Carmine Coppola Written by Melissa Mathison, Jeanne Rosenberg, William D. Wittliff from the novel by Walter Farley Produced by Fred Roos, Tom Sternberg Directed by Carroll Ballard

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

Francis Coppola divided audiences with his war epic Apocalypse Now, but in the same...

Master cinematographer and television director Caleb Deschanel will receive AFI's 25th Annual Franklin J. Schaffner Alumni Medal, which has previously gone to the likes of Darren Aronofsky, Patty Jenkins, David Lynch, Wally Pfister and fellow Dp Janusz Kaminski. This honor recognizes the extraordinary creative talents of an AFI Conservatory alum who embodies the qualities of filmmaker Franklin Schaffner, the Oscar-winning director of 1970's "Patton." An AFI grad from the class of 1969, Deschanel is a five-time Oscar nominee for "The Passion of the Christ," "The Patriot," "Fly Away Home," "The Natural" and "The Right Stuff." AFI cinematography alumni have been nominated 17 times across the past 12 years — winning five times. Deschanel won the American Society of Cinematographers (Asc) Award for "The Patriot" and was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Asc in 2010. His directing credits...

American Film Institute top brass have chosen Caleb Deschanel to receive the 2015 Franklin J Schaffner Alumni Medal.

The honour recognises the creativity of an AFI Conservatory alumnus “who embodies the qualities of filmmaker Franklin Schaffner: talent, taste, dedication and commitment to quality filmmaking.”

The presentation of the Schaffner Medal will take place as part of the AFI Life Achievement Award Gala Tribute to Steve Martin in Hollywood on June 4.

Deschanel’s credits include The Right Stuff, The Natural, Fly Away Home, The Patriot and The Passion Of The Christ.

Previous recipients include Darren Aronofsky, Patty Jenkins, Janusz Kamiński, David Lynch and Wally Pfister...

Oscar-nominated cinematographer of The Passion of the Christ and The Right Stuff to accept lifetime achievement award at cinematography festival in Poland.

Caleb Deschanel is to receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 15-22).

Deschanel will also present screenings of his films at the 22nd edition of the festival followed by Q&A’s with the audience.

His five Oscar nominations in the Best Cinematography category were for The Right Stuff, The Natural, Fly Away Home, The Patriot and The Passion of the Christ.

Other notable credits include Being There, National Treasure, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and Jack Reacher.

Deschanel was also involved in creating one of the essential tools of modern cinematographers, the Steadicam.

He directed his first feature film The Escape Artist in 1982, and later Crusoe in 1989. Deschanel has also directed episodes for TV shows including David Lynch’s Twin Peaks as well...

After staring at my movie collection trying to come up with an article idea (secrets revealed), I noticed a lot of coming of age stories. Growing up in a 90 minutes or so movie is no easy feat and these movies often deal with confusing, heartbreaking and even exhilarating time in our lives. They make sense of all the motions of a kid, show guidance in one form or another; they depict turning points in our lives that are all too common and relatable.

The spring is here folks, it’s time to get outside on your bikes, head to summer camp, make new friends, find trouble, get out of a pickle or steal a first kiss. But if you’re like me and have grown up into a life of responsibilities, there’s always nostalgia.

Here is part 1 of My Favorite Coming of Age Movies, tell me yours in the...

The other night, My Mary and I were looking for something to watch on the tube. She had recorded Fly Away Home, the 1996 film by Carroll Ballard, starring Jeff Daniels, Dana Delaney, Anna Pacquin and Terry Kinney. We’ve watched it many times and I think we even own a copy of it. It’s wonderfully acted and beautifully shot; if you ever watch it, try to see it in wide screen. Some of the shots of Canadian Geese flying are breathtaking.

One of the things that struck me (again) was Mark Isham’s soundtrack and the haunting song that opens and closes the film, 10,000 Miles, sung by Mary Chapin Carpenter. (You can find it on YouTube, along with the lyrics.) It was one of the pieces of music that I played over and over again during that year of grieving after my wife, Kim Yale, died. Music was, and is,...

Odd List Ryan Lambie Simon Brew 31 Oct 2013 - 07:01

We train our sights on the year 1996, and the 25 underappreciated films it has to offer...

Independence Day managed to revive both the alien invasion movie and the disaster flick in 1996, and just about every other mainstream picture released that year lived in its saucer-shaped shadow.

Yet beyond the aerial battles of Independence Day, the flying cows in Twister, and the high-wire antics of Tom Cruise in Brian De Palma's Mission: Impossible, there sat an entire library of lesser-known and underappreciated movies.

As part of our attempts to highlight the unsung greats of the 90s, here's our selection of 25 such films from 1996 - the year chess champion Garry Kasparov lost to the might of the computer Deep Blue, and the year comedy star Jim Carrey starred in an unexpectedly dark tale of obsession...

25. The Cable Guy

We can't sit here and...

Now that Thor 2 has finally found a director in Game Of Thrones workhorse Alan Taylor (who is busy stapling his trousers to the folding chair so he can’t be dumped off the project), it would appear that Marvel is bringing in a big gun to re-write the script, with Robert Rodat as the man for the job.Rodat, of course, is probably still best known for scripting Saving Private Ryan and scoring an Oscar nomination for his work. But he also has credits on films such as Fly Away Home and The Patriot. More recently, he created and oversaw alien invasion TV drama Falling Skies.While Don Payne, one of the original Thor writers, has already cranked out at least one draft, Marvel always ends up bringing in new writers to take a look, whether credited (as with Rodat) or just for some quiet polishing.The sequel has...

Andrea Cipriani Mecchi Jennifer Weiner

It’s been ten years since Jennifer Weiner released “Good in Bed,” the book that launched both her career as a novelist and her status as a staunch defender of chick lit. Over the past decade, Weiner has emerged as the conscience of modern fiction, intent on minimizing the disparity between the reception commercial male fiction gets (think Stephen King) and the reception commercial female fiction receives (think Weiner and Jodi Picoult). She also recently...

Outdoor cinema, London

Let the open-air cinema season commence (and all the traditional meteorological uncertainties that go with it). The British summer now has its regular outdoor cinema fixtures, most of which get going in July and August, but some new additions to the calendar kick off this week. Best of the bunch is the Nomad pop-up cinema, which roams across London's royal parks, and occasionally beyond, from now until September. And it's not just endless reruns of Dirty Dancing; this one has some quality cinema. On Sunday, it's got Priscilla, Queen Of The Desert under a big top in Mile End Park – not technically outdoors, admittedly – then next Saturday it's Casablanca in Dulwich park, and over the coming months it's showing choice titles such as The Life Aquatic, The Wicker Man, Black Cat White Cat and kids' films Wall-e and The Goonies. There's also a pop-up cinema in Ravenscourt...

Just like it did with Battle: Los Angeles, Sony Pictures is offering movie cash for its upcoming film Soul Surfer with the purchase of certain DVD and Blu-ray discs through Amazon.

PG-rated Soul Surfer tells the true story of surfer girl Bethany Hamilton, played by AnnaSohpia Robb (Race to Witch Mountain), who lost her arm in a shark attack but found the courage to start surfing again. Dennis Quaid (Legion) portrays Bethany’s father and Helen Hunt (Every Day) her mother. The movie also stars Jeremy Sumpter (TV’s Friday Night Lights), Craig T. Nelson (TV’s Parenthood) singer Carrie Underwood in her film debut.

Judging by the trailer (see below), it looks like a fun, inspirational movie in the vein of The Rookie and Invincible.

Amazon has a special page listing 56 movies on DVD and Blu-ray that are part of the Soul Surfer promotion. Consumers who purchase a disc...

Jeff Daniels is currently in talks to take the lead male part in Aaron Sorkin’s new HBO drama pilot, Deadline are reporting. The as-yet-unnamed pilot would see Daniels playing news anchor Will McCallister,

“who has his own cable show, his female executive producer and his staff. Will is described as a famous cable newsman of the Anderson Cooper/Brian Williams mold [sic] who is smart and talented guy but just a pain in the ass to work with and for.”

The plot reminds me of last year’s Morning Glory, starring Rachel McAdams and Harrison Ford, with Ford’s role being similar to what Daniels would play here. The film was a modest success at the box office, though I personally felt it deserved more attention than it received. Because of this, I must admit I am a little sceptical of how well a similar plot could work for Sorkin and Daniels.

 Sure you've heard of Jeff Daniels! From his breakthrough performance in Something Wild (1986) to his more recent triumphs in The Squid and the Whale (2005) and Away We Go (2009), and all the comedies (Dumb and Dumber, Pleasantville) and dramas (Fly Away Home, The Hours) in between. But did you know he also writes and performs folk music?Wicked Local has a great interview with Jeff on his music and career, and asks him about his hiatus from acting to focus on his singing career. And Boston-area fans will get a chance to hear him perform live this Thursday, October 21 at Club Passim...

Andrea Cipriani Mecchi

Jennifer Weiner may have hit the top of the book lists with her best-selling novels, including “Good In Bed” and “In Her Shoes.” But she’s trading in her pen (okay, laptop) for a microphone and hitting the stage with fellow authors Amy Tan, Dave Barry and Mitch Albom as part of the Rock Bottom Remainders‘ “Wordstock 2010″ tour. Starting in D.C., the writers then head to Philly, New York and Boston, with all the concert proceeds going toward Haitian relief and local non-profit organizations.

Weiner, who is only appearing at Thursday’s Philly stop, spoke to Speakeasy about bringing out her inner rock star, her new love of running (Ok, love might be a reach) and her upcoming book “Fly Away Home,” headed for stores this July. (Yes, it’s about the wife of a philandering politician; No, she hasn’t watched “The Good Wife” for...

Check out the trailer and new poster for the upcoming indie comedy Paperman which stars Ryan Reynolds (Wolverine, Green Lantern), Jeff Daniels (The Squid and the Whale, Fly Away Home, Grand Tour: Disaster in Time), Emma Stone, Lisa Kudrow, Kieran Culkin, Hunter Parrish, and directed by Kieran Mulroney and Michele Mulroney.

Paper Man is an inspirational comedic drama about an unlikely friendship between Richard (Jeff Daniels), a failed middle-aged novelist who has never quite grown up and Abby (Emma Stone), a 17-year-old girl whose role in a family tragedy years earlier has stolen away her youth. Both are unsure, both are afraid to take firm steps forward, and both are looking for that special friend—that connection—to help guide them into the future. Since his childhood, Richard has mostly relied on the imaginary one that resides in his head—a costumed superhero known as Captain Excellent (Ryan Reynolds).

Paper Man...

Austrian Christian Berger won the American Society of Cinematographers' feature competition for "The White Ribbon" during the 24th Annual ASC Outstanding Achievement Awards at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza on Saturday.

The other nominees in the feature film category -- which along with "The White Ribbon" are also up for Oscars in cinematography -- are Barry Ackroyd for "The Hurt Locker," Mauro Fiore for "Avatar" and Robert Richardson for "Inglourious Basterds." "Nine," photographed by Dion Beebe, rounded out the Asc feature nominees.

Commenting on the range of looks and approaches to this year's nominated films, Berger said backstage: "It was quite good to have that contrast ... to see what is photography today in cinema -- or what will be the future."

The frontrunner in the Academy Awards race for foreign-language film, "The White Ribbon" is the second black-and-white film in the past decade to earn the Asc's feature award. Roger Deakins...

Tonight on The Bachelor: Jake meets the families of his final four ladies (Ali, Vienna, Corrie, and Gia) and learns more about why three of them are sweet and one of them is spoiled. (Guess who!)

Then, before the final rose ceremony, Jake is dealt a blow that will Change Everything. And by "change everything," I mean there will be no rose ceremony, because one woman drops out and the rest will join Jake in St. Lucia. So not much will change, except that Jake isn't making this decision. And maybe that's for the best.

Before we begin, check out my alternate headlines for this livethoughts article. (Clearly "Blows Ceremony" needed to win, given its poetic wordplay that rivals Shakespeare.)

Which do you like best?

Homeward Frowned [Jake will be doing a lot of that tonight.]

Homeward Drowned [Metaphorically speaking... unfortunately. Jk!]

Home Despot [Vienna reference: too harsh?]

Bringing Home the Mistaken [Mmm... bacon.]

Home is Where the Harm Is [This is simply true.]

Fly Away Home [Similar plot alert: A girl who can fly leads home some confused chicks who have lost their way and never stop quacking. Zing!]...

Caleb Deschanel will receive the American Society of Cinematographers Lifetime Achievement Award on Feb. 27 at the 24th annual ACS Outstanding Achievement Awards at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza Hotel in Century City.

Deschanel has earned Oscar nominations for his work on "The Right Stuff," "The Natural," "Fly Away Home," "The Patriot" and "The Passion of the Christ." He most recently worked on Nick Cassavetes' "My Sister's Keeper."

"Caleb Deschanel is an extraordinarily talented cinematographer who has played an influential role in cinema history and driven artistic excellence in contemporary filmmaking," ACS president Michael Goi said. "For him to receive this honor while still at the top of his field shows the profound influence and respect he has among his peers."...

Call Pepsi and have them start mass producing unprecedented amounts of Mountain Dew Code Red because Sam Raimi's Warcraft is only a few steps away from hitting level 80 and heading into the hardest end game heroic dungeon of all... Development! Scary right? Well, Raimi has just acquired a new set of epic level gloves (Aka a writer) for his upcoming video game adaptation in the form of Robert Rodat. Rodat's resume gives him +42 to Script Writing and +90 to Frost Resistance because according to IMDb, the dude is from my home state of New Hampshire, and it gets colder than the Storm Peaks up there. Ok. I'm done making ultra dorky World of Warcraft references. Some notable work from Rodat includes the Anna Paquin launch pad Fly Away Home, pre-crazy Mel Gibson's The Patriot, and the most exciting on the list is Saving Private Ryan. Exciting because the ultra kinetic look,...

Not only are they capable of lighting up the silver screen, they are also some of today's most talented young actresses, commanding huge fees - in some cases, in the millions. Many have won multiple awards, while others have starred in some of today's biggest box office hits. In short, we're listing down the cream of the crop!

Just like our recent Top 50 hottest young actors, we've narrowed down our list from 88 to 50, and set an age limit. If you miss seeing some of your favorites, so do we - including Maggie Gyllenhaal (31 years old) and Amy Adams (34 years old). Definitely some of the names you'll see on the list are emerging talents - the ones you will see getting the big roles in the near future - and some of them already have, with awards and nominations to boot.

Here's the updated Top 30 list! The names are getting more...

Not only are they capable of lighting up the silver screen, they are also some of today's most talented young actresses, commanding huge fees - in some cases, in the millions. Many have won multiple awards, while others have starred in some of today's biggest box office hits. In short, we're listing down the cream of the crop!

Just like our recent Top 50 hottest young actors, we've narrowed down our list from 88 to 50, and set an age limit. If you miss seeing some of your favorites, so do we - including Maggie Gyllenhaal (31 years old) and Amy Adams (34 years old). Definitely some of the names you'll see on the list are emerging talents - the ones you will see getting the big roles in the near future - and some of them already have, with awards and nominations to boot.

Here's the updated Top 30 list! The names are getting more...

Not only are they capable of lighting up the silver screen, they are also some of today's most talented young actresses, commanding huge fees - in some cases, in the millions. Many have won multiple awards, while others have starred in some of today's biggest box office hits. In short, we're listing down the cream of the crop!

Just like our recent Top 50 hottest young actors, we've narrowed down our list from 88 to 50, and set an age limit. If you miss seeing some of your favorites, so do we - including Maggie Gyllenhaal (31 years old) and Amy Adams (34 years old). Definitely some of the names you'll see on the list are emerging talents - the ones you will see getting the big roles in the near future - and some of them already have, with awards and nominations to boot.

Here's the updated Top 30 list! The names are getting more...

In 2002, French producer Jacques Perrin had a modest international hit with Winged Migration, a beautifully photographed film about the astonishing journey birds make each year from one habitat to another. Buoyed by contemplative music, minimal-but-well-placed narration, and non-enhanced close-ups of birds in flight, Winged Migration followed the old Disney “true-life adventure” mold in subtle ways, crafting the migratory patterns of birds into mini-narratives marked by perilous encounters with pollution and hunters. Perrin, whose Microcosmos took an intimate look at the world of insects, prefers immersion to explication with his nature films, but like most movies about the animal kingdom ...