News

The Masked Singer Season 11 Judges’ Net Worth (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Fox TV’s The Masked Singer is a unique reality singing show where celebs compete against one another, but there is a fun twist. While performing, they wear fancy costumes and face masks to conceal their identities. The singing reality series is back with its Season 11, and the first episode premiered earlier this month. There had been a change in the judges’ panel this year as fan favorite Nicole Scherzinger did not return alongside Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg, and Robin Thicke. Rita Ora has taken her place.

The fans were initially upset and worried about Nicole’s exit from the show. But it was later reported that Nicole was busy with the revival of Andrew Llyod Webber’s Sunset Boulevard in London’s West End. It began in September, which coincided with the reality show’s filming. As a result,...

Veteran director Norman Jewison, who was nominated for seven Academy Awards during his illustrious career, has passed away.

Per Variety, Jewison died at his Los Angeles home on Saturday. While a specific cause was not provided, the filmmaker is said to have died peacefully in his sleep. He was 97 years old.

Norman Frederick Jewison was born in Toronto on July 21, 1926. After serving in the Royal Canadian Navy during World War II and graduating from Victoria College in 1949, Jewison began his career in show business. He started with stage work and children's television work in London before relocating back to Toronto to work for CBC Television in the early 1950s. He found his first big break as a filmmaker when he was hired by Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh to direct the 1962 comedy 40 Pounds of Trouble. Jewison followed this up by helming the Doris Day movies The Thrill of it All...

The Locarno Film Festival will pay tribute to Greek-French director Costa-Gavras with its Pardo alla carriera lifetime achievement award.

The longtime Paris-based master of politically engaged cinema will be on hand at the prominent Swiss fest dedicated to indie filmmaking to receive the prize during a ceremony on its Piazza Grande square on Aug. 11 followed by an audience-led conversation the next day.

Locarno will also host screenings of two of Costa Gravras’ lesser known films: “Un homme de trop” (“Shock Troops”) from 1967, and “Compartiment tueurs” (“The Sleeping Car Murders”), which is his 1965 debut feature.

In a career spanning nearly 60 years, Costa-Gavras — which is short for Konstantinos Gavras — has become known for highly political works, such as 1969’s “Z,” about the military’s coup d’etat in Greece, which won the foreign film Oscar in 1969; and 1982’s “Missing,” which starred Jack Lemmon and Sissy Spacek in a story inspired by the...

A former child star from the '90s is in trouble with the law, as The Little Rascals actor Brandon "Bug" Hall was recently arrested. Perhaps best known for playing Alfalfa in the 1994 movie adaptation of the classic comedy series, Hall was reportedly arrested over the weekend at a hotel in Weatherford, Texas for allegedly huffing multiple air duster cans. The actor's mugshot has since been released online, and needless to say, it's really strange to see the grown-up version of the kid with a cowlick wearing prison garb from behind bars.

According to TMZ, officers were performing a welfare check on Bug Hallafter one of his family members called the police for somebody to check on him. Believing they were responding to a possible overdose, officers arrived at Hall's room and were greeted at the door by the Little Rascals star. They then observed "a Ton of air duster...

John Landis struck gold with his madcap 1980 comedy, a masterpiece of choreographed destruction with a killer soundtrack

One of the longstanding hallmarks of a John Landis production are cameos from other film directors, which explains the fun incongruity of Jonathan Demme and David Cronenberg passing through Into the Night or the highbrow/lowbrow cognitive dissonance of Atom Egoyan, Gillo Pontecorvo, and Costa-Gavras appearing in The Stupids. But when Steven Spielberg turns up as the Cook county tax accessor near the end of Landis’ blowout comedy The Blues Brothers, it feels less like a hat-tip than a statement.

Related: I've never seen ... The Blues Brothers...

Stars: Tom Arnold, Sean Astin, Martin Blasick, Natasha Blasick, Jake Busey, Rhys Coiro, Leisha Hailey, Michael Horse, Joi Liaye, David A. Lockhart, Nick Mason, Amber Martinez, Michelle Campbell, Angelica Cassidy, Ewart Chin | Written by Ron Carlson, Hank Braxtan, Dan Sinclair | Directed by Ron Carlson

Ron Carlson (Tom Cool) co-wrote the story and the screenplay of Giant Killer Ants with story co-writers Dan Sinclair (Chemical Peel) and Hank Braxtan (Snake Outta Compton), and they created a flashback of 80s comedy horror.

Giant Killer Ants takes a trip down peyote-lane with a 1980s glam rock band who have only had one hit, and they plan to rejuvenate their career by heading to a music festival in the middle of the desert. It isn’t as simple as going out and rocking out though, because they are attacked by, you guessed it, Giant Ants!

I love the concept. A comedy film about a...

Reel-Important People is a monthly column that highlights those individuals in or related to the movies that have left us in recent weeks. Below you'll find names big and small and from all areas of the industry, though each was significant to the movies in his or her own way. Harvey Atkin (1942-2017) - Actor. He starred in Meatballs and appears in Silver Streak, Atlantic City and The Stupids. He died of cancer on July 17. (THR) Trevor Baxter (1932-2017) - British Actor. He starred in Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow, A Man for All Seasons, Van Wilder 2: The Rise of Taj and Cold Comfort Farm. He died on July 16. (Big Finish News) Chester Bennington (1976-2017) - Singer. As front man of Linkin...

Read More...

Exclusive: Actor and comedian Tom Arnold has signed with ICM Partners following the closure of upstart agency Resolution. The move reunites Arnold with John Burnham, the former William Morris agent who landed the actor a role in his first film, 1992’s Hero, and put him in front of James Cameron who cast him opposite Arnold Schwarzenegger in True Lies. Arnold can be seen in Mike Myers’ documentary Supermensch: The Legend of Shep Gordon. He’s currently filming Yahoo’s comedy series Sin City Saints with Andrew Santino and Malin Akerman and has indie drama Any Day with Sean Bean, Eva Longoria, and Kate Walsh coming up along with a role in Chevy Chase’s holiday film Shelby.

The onetime Roseanne actor still tours with his stand-up act and hosts Cmt’s My Big Redneck TV franchise. Early career highlights include Nine Months, McHale’s Navy, The Stupids, and a memorable...

Odd List Simon Brew 20 Sep 2013 - 07:14

They don't make funny movies any more, right? Wrong. If you're looking for a laugh, then here are some you may have missed...

For this list, blame The Hangover Part III. It was whilst walking out of that film that I got into a chat with someone, who was bemoaning the lack of genuinely funny movie comedies. Certainly, big budget Hollywood comedies have no end of problems right now - with the occasional exception - but I couldn't help thinking of the many neglected gems that had gone through my DVD player over the past decade or so.

As such, I started to put this list together. It's inevitably subjective, as one person's comedy is another person's snore fest. But I've tried to dig out a mix of comedies from the past three decades that have either flown under the radar completely, or...

Director David Cronenberg occasionally steps out in front of the camera, and he has 26 acting credits including roles in Jason X and The Stupids.  According to Yahoo! Movies, he'll be working with slightly more elevated material by joining the adaptation of Don DeLillo's Body Art.  Directed by Luca Guadagnino (I Am Love), Isabelle Huppert stars as "an actress/performer of sorts grieving over a lost lover who encounters a mysterious stranger living in her house (all of which may or may not be literally happening)."  The film also stars Denis Lavant, who wowed audiences with his excellent performance(s) in Holy Motors. This is the second pairing of Cronenberg and DeLillo.  Cronenberg's most recent film was an adaptation of DeLillo's 2003 novel, Cosmopolis.  It looks like Cronenberg's next directing project will be Maps to the Stars, especially since Eastern Promises 2 and a remake of The Fly are now kaput.

It was a big evening for Jenny McCarthy last night. Not only did she have Halloween to celebrate, but her final moments as a thirty-something as well! Yes, it’s hard to believe that the pin-up turns 40 years old today, but she didn’t let that slow her down as she stepped out at the Gallery Nightclub in Las Vegas to party hearty. Jenny showed off her super bod in a sizzling lingerie catsuit that served as a giant well deserved “F U” to aging.

The beautiful Ms. McCarthy got her start as 1993′s Playmate of the Year, but we were seven when that happened, which is a bit too young for Playboy. So she first caught our attention a few years later as the host of MTV’s classic 90′s dating game, Singled Out. Since then she’s gone on to appear in hilarious movies like BASEketball and The Stupids,...

SyFy’s latest creation, specifically director Griff Furst’s sci-fi/horror outing “Arachnoquake”, takes two unbelievably horrifying elements and violently rolls into one potentially awesome small screen blockbuster. Is this just another example of my penchant for unchecked, unabashed hyperbole, you ask? Not really. I’m genuinely excited about the flick, mostly due to my secret passion for spider movies. And if they’re giant spiders, well, that’s even better. I may shriek like a baby with a broken rattle while I’m watching it, but you can rest assured I’m having an absolute blast. This synopsis looks like something you’ll need: In Arachnoquake massive earthquakes unleash giant albino spiders. Freed from their ancient subterranean prison, the spiders go on a murderous rampage through New Orleans. Adding to the movie’s unrelenting appeal is its cast, which includes Edward Furlong, Bug Hall (“Little Rascals”, “The Stupids”), and Tracey “Growing Pains” Gold.

When given the opportunity to interview John Landis, I had to take it. After all, this is a man whose films I’ve grown up on (The Blues Brothers may very well be my most-watched movie of all time), so the idea of talking to him was pretty thrilling. Thankfully, it turns out that he’s a great conversationalist.

While we started off with his latest project, Burke and Hare, the discussion soon veered toward the creative state of Hollywood, as well as what he has planned next. There are many other places we could have gone, but I think that the ensuing talk was both informative and enlightening.

Without further ado:

How did this material get into your hands?

John Landis: I was visiting my friend, Gurinder Chadha, who is an English director. Do you know Gurinder?

I don’t know if I do.

You know a movie called Bend It Like Beckham?...

John Landis has revealed that his next film after Burke and Hare will be a horror set in France. The director will be writing the film with Alexandre Gavras, whose director father Costa-Gavras has made cameos in Landis's The Stupids and Spies Like Us. Landis told Bloody Disgusting that the production will begin in Paris within the next two years. He said: "We know who's gonna star in it, but this is all off the radar right now, so I can't tell you. It's interesting - the cast has to be bilingual because it's being shot (more)...

Burke and Hare came out in the UK aaaages ago, but it's only just arriving in the Us. Out on the publicity trail once again, director John Landis has revealed a few sketchy details of his next project, "a little monster movie" with a Gallic setting.Landis told Bd that the film has no title yet, but "I'm writing it with Alexandre Gavras and we're shooting it within the next two years in Paris." Pressed for specifics he remained cagey, but it seems the project is already some way along: "We know who's gonna star in it, but this is all off the radar right now, so I can't tell you. It's interesting: the cast has to be bilingual because it's being shot in French and English."Alexandre Gavras is the son of the Greek film director Costa-Gavras. The family connection to Landis goes back some years - Costa-Gavras has...

They’ve had their successes, and they clearly have talent. Yet all hasn't been going to plan. Luke looks at 10 directors in need of a critical and financial hit…

You know how it is. You’re latest feature goes down well with critics and audiences alike, and before you know it, the scripts are flying through your door.

Your last film went down well, too, and thanks to this momentum, men in suits are asking you to make films now, whereas previously all your work had been attained via a complex and degrading system of begging, selling your principles and lying in the foetal position outside film studios, weeping and yammering in desperate gibberish, until a passing producer took pity and on you and gave you a lowly job as second assistant director on a small film of questionable promise or merit.

So, you’ve finally made it, eh? Fantastic.

Tom Arnold recounts his tumultuous life and past marriages in his first-ever hourlong stand-up special

What don't we already know about the much publicized life of Tom Arnold, who kicked off his zany career as the husband of Roseanne and the star of tabloid magazines across the country back in the 80s? A lot, according to the comedian himself, who is set to release his first-ever hourlong stand-up special That's My Story & I'm Sticking to It on DVD April 5th.

The actor, who made a name for himself appearing in hit movies like True Lies and Nine Months back in the nineties, is reemerging as a sought after dramatic lead who hopes to soon reprise his role as Albert Gibson in True Lies 2. We had a chance to catch up with Tom to talk with him about his comedy special, his plans for True Lies 2, and to reminisce about some...

If you found a "Twilight" actor stranded on the side of the road with his car, would you give him a few bucks to help him out? Well, check out the video Justin Chon posted yesterday and find out if you would have shown him any more kindness than the strangers he ran into at a gas station.

Elsewhere in Twitter-Wood, as with pretty much any other place you could have looked for information yesterday and today, LeBron James' decision to leave Cleveland for the Miami Heat provoked a wide range of responses. Tom Arnold has his back, but Patton Oswalt seems a little more suspicious. Check out their responses below along with who's excited about working with Jane Lynch.

I'm @brianwarmoth, and it's on the record in Twitter-Wood for July 9, 2010.

Twitter Pic of the Day:

@aasif_mandvi Myself, Penn Badgley @mrskutcher and The Mentalist on the set of Margin Call http://twitpic.

Gary Coleman's death stirred up posts throughout Twitter-Wood this afternoon, both with positive remembrances and commentary on the lifelong issues that childhood actors can face. Ashton Kutcher, Shannon Elizabeth, Tom Arnold and Eliza Dushku counted themselves among Coleman's fans, and many others acknowledged their appreciation for his work as Arnold on "Diff'rent Strokes."

John Stamos touched on the more serious issues in Coleman's in life in his Twitter note, and Ken Jeong and Jon Hurwitz both left simpler notes. Click on past the jump and you can find out who else posted about Coleman. Feel free to leave your own responses and memories in the comment section.

@TomArnold Rip Gary Coleman. He made my teen years funnier! Now I hope people will stop bullying him.

-Tom Arnold, Actor ("True Lies," "The Stupids")

@JohnStamos mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be...actors. r.i.p. gary

-John Stamos,...

It did not take a mysterious brain-melting chemical to have our writers turn on each other in this especially violent version of “He Said – She Said.” No, it only took a movie about said topic to have Morrow McLaughlin and Nick Allen question each other’s sanity when it comes to movie reviewing. It’s fitting, at least, that this should be over a film titled The Crazies.

Click Here for complete coverage of The Crazies including interview with Radha Mitchell

Plot: A chemical used for biochemical warfare is inadvertently released into the water supply of a small, Aw-Shucks Iowa town and the afflicted go batty.

(As always, we recommend that you see the film before reading, as we do discuss spoilers below.)

Let us hope that there is no virus outbreak in the near future, simply for the sake of avoiding a lifelong argument between the two concerning what...

Baked goods have a shelf life for good reason. I don't care how good the original pie was, after ten fucking years, it's going to be shitty and nauseating. Now on its Seventh incarnation, I'm praying to the god Flickus, god of direct-to-dvd, and Frattus, god of collegiate antics, that the lame American Pie series be taken out back and given the ol' double-barrel buh-bye. Bury the remains in hallowed earth, and then salt it so nothing may grow from it again. American Pie is now prepackaged like dollar store cake-mix boxes molded from a warehouse flood. The jokes stopped being funny four movies ago, they've run out of things to stick it in or have stuck in themselves, and they're recycling hit-on/burn lines that were old when the Pie was still fresh. The first film might have been my generation's Breakfast Club, igniting a few careers with a...

Jason Reitman wasn't bluffing yesterday when he said he would be carrying the Olympic Torch through Toronto, and he's got a picture up to prove it today. Selecting the Twitter Pic of the Day wasn't easy this afternoon, considering Reitman's post was accompanied by Eliza Dushku's shot of the "Dollhouse" wrap party, a view of "New Moon" actress Christian Serratos' latest photo shoot and a 2003 photo from Roger Ebert that appears to show Bob Dylan with blond hair.

Click on down, and you'll find all of those posts, as well as a few reactions to James Cameron's "Avatar," what Liv Tyler did inside Rainn Wilson's car and the celebratory gift Eli Roth plans on sending his fellow "Inglourious Basterds" actors in honor of their SAG Award nomination. It's all retweeted in the Twitter-Wood report for December 17, 2009.

Twitter Pic of the Day:

@ebertchicago http://twitpic.com/twhqp...

Word from Dread Central is that John Landis is returning to horror.  I'm going to give everyone a second to finish howling with delight.  No, that was not a werewolf joke.......yes it was.  Mr. Landis is apparently set to tackle the world of true crime with his new film Burke and Hare.  The title of the film refers to William Burke and William Hare who were Irish immigrants named as the killers of at least 17 people between 1827-1828 in Edinburgh, Scotland(a.k.a The West Port Murders).  As if that weren't bastardly enough, turns out these two necro-entrepreneurs ended up selling the bodies to the Edinburgh medical college for dissection.  This news is made even juicier by the supplemental announcement that Shaun of the Dead funnyman Simon Pegg has signed on to the project. I love Simon Pegg.  The guy cracks me up.  Shaun of the Dead remains one of my favorite romantic comedies of...

The new web comedy MERRIme begins with an ending. In its first scene, the eponymous main character Merri mourns the end of a relationship by tearing into Krispy Kreme and replaying the last voice mail her ex-boyfriend left her over and over again. Twisting the knife that much further, you can hear another woman’s voice at the end of the call. So what’s a romantically challenged 25-year old rich girl on the verge of an eating disorder to do? Listen to her stepmom’s rabid offer to drink Master Cleanse cocktails? Frown at the maid for taking away her bag of crullers? Or is it to pay heed to her father’s curious demand that if she’s not going to get married at least find a job, otherwise wave goodbye to her stacked trust fund. Interesting side note about that father: played by Tom Arnold! And I...

It’s Sunday so that can only mean one thing - The Weekend Movie News Wrap Up!

This week:

John Landis robs with graves with Burke and Hare; Spielberg and Will Smith eye Oldboy; Tom Hanks doesn’t take The Road To Purgatory; we can expect another 30 Days of Night and Carpenter and Cage think that it’s a Riot that they are no longer Scared Straight. Also there is the usual Box Office break down.

Box Office

Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa ruled the weekend with an estimated $60 million, beating its predecessor which managed to make $47 million back in 2005. Man, family movies are making so much money these days (like when have they never?).

The runner-up spot goes to Role Models starring Seann William Scott and Paul Rudd. The film was predicted to gross around $11 million over the weekend, but instead it should make somewhere between $17-19 million. Kevin Smith must be very angry!

We all know that Hollywood likes remakes. They’ll pretty much remake anything – old movies, new movies foreign movies, good movies, bad movies and even great movies. Heck, these days they’re even remaking remakes! If there’s brand recognition or somebody willing to stump up the cash then there is a remake in the cards.

John Landis, the once great director of An American Werewolf in London has stated that Hollywood wants to remake his iconic horror movie from 1981, but there is only thing that is stopping them.

Landis owns the rights.

But how long can the former directing master hold out before they make him an offer he can’t refuse?

I’m going to hazard a guess and say not very long.

Landis said at the Horror Hound festival that talks have been ongoing for a few years. What’s important here is - he is talking.