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Former Zorro Antonio Banderas trades swords and swashbuckling for grit and guns in one of his most underrated action thrillers, which is now streaming free. Released back in 2017, Acts of Vengeance evokes the best kind of action B-movie in this tale of a lawyer who never shuts up, vowing silence and revenge after his family is murdered.

Directed by Isaac Florentine, who has demonstrated his affinity for the genre before with frequent collaborations with action icon Scott Adkins in the likes of Ninja: Shadow of a Tear, Undisputed II: Last Man Standing, and Close Range, Acts of Vengeancestars The Boys’ Karl Urban alongside Banderas. The action outing, which proved divisive at the time, is well worth a second shot, and is available to stream free now on Tubi. You can check out the official synopsis for the revenge flick below.

“A fast-talking lawyer transforms his body and takes a vow of silence,...

Viking movies have been a consistent film genre since the 1950s, but the concept has received a place in pop culture due to the widely successful TV series Vikings Valhalla and its predecessor, Vikings. The movies based on these Norse people have varied in prominence and historical accuracy. However, most of them cover similar themes, focusing on the brutal and brave lifestyle of the Viking warriors.

Many fans of the Viking genre are interested in the historical accuracy of the narrative but are also invested in the entertainment and cohesiveness of the storyline. Some successful movies have impressed these viewers, including The Vikings and The Northman. Other underrated films, such as The 13th Warrior, have also captivated viewers despite the initial criticism they received. This collection of Viking movies is the overall best in the niche genre.

This article was updated on February 7, 2025, by Christopher Raley: Viking movies represent a niche category of films,...

Vikings have been a staple of fiction for decades, with numerous novels, movies, and shows featuring the iconic warriors. Recently, Vikings and its sequel series, Vikings: Valhalla, thrilled fans with their depictions of Norse culture and the clash of civilizations. With the latter series concluding in 2024, many viewers are, understandably, eager for more stories set in the world of Vikings. For these fans, the 1999 action movie, The 13th Warrior, could be a perfect fit.

Starring Antonio Banderas as Ahmad Ibn Fadlan, a Muslim Ambassador of the Abbasid Caliphate, The 13th Warrior also offers compelling portrayals of Viking culture and how they conflict with people of other societies. While it received poor reviews when it premiered and failed in theaters, the movie developed a cult following in the decades after its release. Thanks to fantastic sets and costumes, along with great performances and directing, The 13th Warrior overcame criticism of its simple plot,...

Quick Links 'The 13th Warrior's Premise, Explained 'The 13th Warrior's A-List Pedigree Why 'The 13th Warrior' Didn't Deserve Its Box Office Demise

Although 1999 was a banner year for American cinema, it was not kind to John McTiernan's highly underrated historical action adventure, The 13th Warrior. The director behind such bona fide action hits as Predator and Die Hard took a financial drubbing when The 13th Warrior was soundly defeated at the box office, losing nearly $130 million for Touchstone Pictures. When the dust settled, The 13th Warrior was the largest box-office failure of 1999.

Armed with an expensive production budget of $160 million (equivalent to $302 million in 2025), The 13th Warrior had an A-list international pedigree to become a success. Alas, between the mixed reviews and stiff box-office competition from a galaxy far, far away, The 13th Warrior was slain theatrically. With the film celebrating its 25th anniversary in August,...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

"We all had our tuxedos ready. I'm not even joking," Colin Farrell said in a 2023 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, reflecting on the 2004 historical epic "Alexander," directed by Oliver Stone. "We were all like, 'Right, lads, we're off to the Oscars. This is a sure thing.' And then it came out."

It came out, indeed, and as alluded to by the Oscar-nominated actor, things didn't exactly go as planned. In the aftermath of Ridley Scott's Best Picture-winning "Gladiator," Stone finally had the opportunity to scrape together funding for his three-hour take on Alexander the Great. The timing seemed perfect. The cast was a murderer's row. The production had all of the resources in the world at its disposal. But by just about every measure,...

While not every movie can be a financial hit, the biggest box office bombs of all time prove that some projects can take down careers, genres, and even studios. While movie studios do everything possible to ensure they take as few risks as possible, investing in a film is always a gamble. The common criticism that Hollywood only produces reboots, sequels, remakes, and spinoffs is not without justification. This claim comes from the fact that, for studios, an intellectual property with proven potential and a built-in fanbase will always be more appealing than an unknown, original prospect.

However, this approach does not always bear fruit. The box office failure of superhero movies in 2023 shows that no genre is going to be a surefire hit forever. While superhero movies were once the biggest earner, they have now made for some costly losses. This can be the same for big ambitious productions that spiral out of control,...

“More effort than it’s worth” possibly represents the harshest 5 words that can be strung together in the English language. For a film, that statement guarantees an immediate death sentence. In the case of Antonio Banderas’ The 13th Warrior, it spelled the extinction of an entire genre: the Muslim hero archetype.

Antonio Banderas (as Ahmad ibn Fadlan) and Vladimir Kulich (as Beowulf) in The 13th Warrior [Credit: Touchstone Pictures, Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures]

In the film’s critical and commercial failure, Antonia Banderas finds a sense of comfort and familiarity with his daughter Dakota Johnson whose 2024 film, Madame Web went through somewhat of a similar treatment. Both films represent a central character destined for a greater purpose who is uprooted from their established life and thrown into a mission against a foreign enemy.

The similarity between the two films is more than skin-deep. Both films also burned millions of dollars...

Bone Tomahawk's troglodytes are simultaneously the most enigmatic and terrifying thing about the movie, yet while their origins are left unexplained, another movie from 16 years before the horror Western may hold the key to their backstory. Bone Tomahawk is a masterful blend of genres that takes elements of traditional Western stories and mixes them with something altogether darker. This approach is mirrored in the troglodytes themselves, who both represent a monstrous, supernatural presence and humanity's violent primal instincts.

According to some interpretations, the troglodytes constitute some of Bone Tomahawk's more problematic elements. Their role as the "savage other" dances around cinematic tropes that have historically been used to demonize marginalized communities, including Native Americans. However, as one 1999 action movie explains, the concept of a wild, cannibalistic tribe is not unique to S. Craig Zahler's 2015 film. In fact, the troglodyte story has roots that stretch back into folklore...

(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)

1999 is widely considered to be one of the best years in cinema history. Truthfully, 25 years later, it's not remotely hard to see why. It saw the release of groundbreaking films like "The Matrix," which remains one of the most important sci-fi hits ever made. The likes of "Star Wars: The Phantom Menace," "Toy Story 2," "The Blair Witch Project," "American Pie," "Sleepy Hollow," "Deep Blue Sea," "Eyes Wide Shut," "Fight Club," "The Mummy," and so much more. It's an embarrassment of riches.

Unfortunately, even the best year is going to have its share of misfires. As far as 1999 goes, the biggest misfire of them all (at least by reputation) is unquestionably "The 13th Warrior." Directed by John McTiernan, of "Die Hard" and "Predator" fame,...

Each Voldemort actor in the Harry Potter franchise portrayed different stages of the dark wizard's life and transformations. The evolution of Voldemort's character required different actors to show various versions from childhood to full power. With the Harry Potter universe getting a reboot, more performers will join the list of Voldemort actors in the future.

Every Lord Voldemort actor throughout the Harry Potter movies and beyond has had a certain purpose in bringing the evil wizard to life. Initially spoken of in hushed tones only, Harry Potter introduces the legend of Voldemort in its very first book, depicting a dark, fearsome wizard who terrorized the magic world, only to be defeated while attempting to kill a young Harry Potter. That led to various versions of Voldemort appearing throughout the franchise, meaning seven actors played He Who Must Not Be Named in various movies.

Over the years, every version of Voldemort...

We don’t get a ton of Gothic or romanticized horror anymore, at least not in the sense of the old days. The old days had a bit of a stretch too as I’m talking about the Universal classics and Val Lewton all the way through at least the early run of Hammer Films. To that end, what creature is more romantic or at least romanticized than Dracula and any of his vampire off shoots? While many of the vampiric screen adaptations have that feel to them from Frank Langella to Gary Oldman and David Bowie sandwiched in between, there are few vampires who embody that ideology more than those found in the writings of Anne Rice. While her novel Interview with the Vampire came out all the way back in 1976, it would take nearly 20 years for the adaptation to hit theaters with the movie of the same name...

John McTiernan is a household name. A man who defined action films. Let’s just name a few…we got Die Hard, Predator, Die Hard With A Vengeance, and yes, Last Action Hero. He has also made some other great films like The Thomas Crown Affair and The Hunt for Red October. He has made some stinkers, such as Medicine Man, The 13th Warrior, and Basic. But what if I told you that there’s a film he directed that was the catalyst to his ending up in federal prison? Sounds crazy, right? But it’s true. Today, we are here to look at Rollerball. It’s a movie whose word of mouth is so bad that you’d think we would have covered it on our Awfully Good Channel. But alas, this will be the first time we dive in. So sit back, relax, and take it all in...

The Highlander reboot, directed by Chad Stahelski and starring Henry Cavill, is in good hands due to Stahelski's success in the action genre and Cavill's rising star power. Movies like Dragonslayer, The 13th Warrior, Escape from New York, Conan the Destroyer, Red Sonja, Mortal Kombat, The Blade trilogy, Equilibrium, Excalibur, and The Duellists share similarities with Highlander in themes, setting, aesthetics, and characterization. Highlander's unique premise, distinct personalities, dazzling special effects, and amazing sword fights contribute to its appeal within the action, fantasy, and science fiction genres.

This article contains subtle references to sexual assault.

Although the Highlander reboot is one of the upcoming movies by John Wick director Chad Stahlehski and set to feature A-list actor Henry Cavill in the lead as Connor MacLeod, there are plenty of movies in the action, fantasy, and science fiction genres that are very similar to the 1986 original. Written by Greg Widen,...

Many films have reinterpreted or loosely remade other films, from Kurosawa's Throne of Blood retelling the tale of Macbeth to Scorsese making his version of the Hong Kong action classic Infernal Affairs with The Departed. However, Bone Tomahawk takes the cake as one of the most creative loose remakes ever made. Bone Tomahawk takes the age-old story of Beowulf, originally existing as a poem in the first couple of centuries post-Christianity, while also taking influence from some other common interpretations of the story, specifically 1999's The 13th Warrior starring Antonio Banderas and the book from which it was adapted, Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton.

Stars: Eili Harboe, Dennis Storhoi, Regina Tucker, Vebjorn Enger, Jonis Jesf, Iben Akerlie, Arthur Berning | Written and Directed by Henrik Martin Dahlsbakken

Like many people, you might think you’ve seen everything when it comes to zombie movies. But there’s always somebody with a new idea, a fresh and original take on the horror genre. Films like One Cut of the Dead, Anna and the Apocalypse, and Train to Busan, have all added something new to the zombie movie, and this Norwegian production tries to do the same.

And Project Z is somewhat original. It takes things from various other movies to create something that is quite unique. To start with, this is a found footage movie, and there’s actually not a whole lot of found footage zombie movies. It doesn’t exactly play out like other films in that horror subgenre though, because it’s a movie about people making a movie.

Great war movies often flop at the box office, but they are important pieces of cinema history. They are often misunderstood initially but later recognized as underrated gems. Factors such as the film's subject matter and the timing of its release can contribute to a movie's failure. A movie needs to earn twice its budget to be considered successful, and those that don't are considered bombs. Must-see war movies that were box office failures include The Thin Red Line, Stalingrad, and The 13th Warrior. These films offer unique perspectives on war and have gained cult followings despite their initial commercial failure.

There are plenty of great war movies that bombed at the box office, and they serve as time capsules of the eras in which they were released. It's not uncommon for war and anti-war films to be initially misunderstood by audiences, only to be later reassessed as criminally underrated.

John Wright, the film editor who received Oscar nominations for his work on Jan de Bont’s Speed and The Hunt for Red October, one of six movies he cut for John McTiernan, has died. He was 79.

Wright died April 20 at his home in Calabasas after a battle with prostate and bone cancer, his wife of 57 years, Jane Wright, told The Hollywood Reporter.

Wright’s résumé also included such other high-profile films as Sam Peckinpah’s Convoy (1978), Paul Michael Glaser’s The Running Man (1987), Stan Dragoti’s Necessary Roughness (1991), John Woo’s Broken Arrow (1996), Bryan Singer’s X-Men (2000), James Gartner’s Glory Road (2006) and Louis Leterrier’s The Incredible Hulk (2008).

He collaborated with directors Mel Gibson on The Passion of the Christ (2004) and Apocalypto (2006); with Graeme Clifford on Frances (1982) and Gleaming the Cube (1989); and with Randall Wallace on Secretariat (2010) and Heaven Is for Real (2014).

Wright was nominated for an Emmy...

With Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (check out our review here) coming out and over-performing, and because we here at Joblo are big fans of alliteration, we wanted to know what is your Favorite Fantasy Film? If you don’t see your favorite listed, please click “Other” and let its know in the comments

What is your Favorite Fantasy Film?The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Rings (2001)The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers (2002)The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (2003)The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012)The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug (2013)The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)Beowulf (2007)Hercules (2014)Clash of the Titans (2010)Wrath of the Titans (2012)Conan The Barbarian (1982)Warcraft (2016)Your Highness (2011)The 13th Warrior (1999)Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)The NeverEnding Story (1984)The NeverEnding Story 2: The Next Chapter (1990)Labyrinth (1986)The Wizard of Oz (1939)The Dark Crystal (1982)The Shape of Water...

The 13th Warrior has a storied history–which we actually covered in a previous installment of “Wtf Happened to This Movie?!”–with the most heated aspect of the production being director John McTiernan being replaced by writer Michael Crichton, who wrote the source novel (1976’s Eaters of the Dead). But now, John McTiernan is speaking out against just this, saying The 13th Warrior is undoubtedly his movie.

John McTiernan recently sat down with filmmaker Fabrica Du Welz (the 2016 Chadwick Boseman actioner Message from the King) to discuss a number of his works, with the conversation inevitably turning to 1999’s The 13th Warrior, particularly the debate over who directed which scenes and who truly deserves credit. “The difference between Michael and I amounts to three shots…Yes [it’s my film]!” he said. “[There’s] a tiny amount of stuff added in…” McTiernan then pulled back slightly, delicately broaching Crichton himself but recognizing he may have had...

Exclusive: Michael Crichton’s brilliant mix of science and narrative resulted in north of $10 billion in film and TV revenue and 250 million books sold. Now, the estate of the author who died in 2008 has made another major deal to bring his work back to new audiences.

Blackstone Publishing has made a seven-figure deal with CrichtonSun to acquire the worldwide print, eBook and audiobook rights to Crichton’s first series of novels, which he wrote under the pseudonym John Lange. This was long before Jurassic Park, ER and such, and he wrote the first three titles while matriculating at Harvard Medical School. This side pursuit also came prior to his first breakout novel done under the Crichton name, 1971’s The Andromeda Strain.

The eight books comprise unconnected tales of fiction in numerous genres and will be shopped to studios and streamers for potential film/television adaptations. Perhaps Crichton didn’t want...

Brendan Fraser's ongoing Brenaissance (sorry) continues as the once-reclusive star re-emerges into the spotlight. Much of Hollywood's newly rediscovered love for Fraser stems from his Oscar-nominated turn in Darren Aronofsky's "The Whale," but he's also got the benefit of '90s nostalgia and just being a charming guy working in his favor. That effortless charm was put to good use back in the '90s when Fraser was handed starring role after starring role. From his breakthrough in 1992's "Encino Man," which established his ongoing penchant for playing "naif characters," to 1997's "George of The Jungle," and his biggest hit "The Mummy," Fraser had a gentle and endearing demeanor that proved popular with audiences of all ages. Sometimes.

Other times, it didn't work that way. "George of The Jungle" proved a hit for Disney in '97, bringing in 105 million at the box office on a 55 million budget. Two...

John McTiernan is responsible for two of the best suspense-filled action movies from the 80s, Die Hard and Predator. Since then, his career has been hit-or-miss with films like Hunt for the Red October, Last Action Hero, Basic, The 13th Warrior, and the remake of the James Caan film Rollerball. After Basic, McTiernan had been convicted of lying to the FBI over spying on producer Charles Roven who had also been involved in his previous project, Rollerball. McTiernan would go to jail in 2013 but then serve the rest of his sentence in 2014 under house arrest and eventually declared bankruptcy.

After 20 years of being out of the public eye, the prolific director is ready to get back to directing movies, and he’s already got a film lined up. According to World of Reel, McTiernan is set to direct a film called Taut Ceci Foxtrot, which will star Uma Thurman and Laurence Fishburne.

The recent release of The Northman has shown that Viking culture has always been a source of great material for films and TV shows. While there have been many hit films that feature the Vikings, some classics have slipped through the cracks of time.

From action-adventure films like The 13th Warrior to comedic romps like Erik The Viking, movies about the ancient warriors are as vast as they are numerous. Despite a wealth of Viking cinema to choose from, users on Ranker took to the site to upvote the movies that they thought deserved more attention.

Hello, everyone! Hard to believe it, but September is nearly upon us, which means we have a brand new month of Digital and VOD premieres to look forward to as we gear up for this year’s Halloween season. For all you James Wan fans out there, the wait to see Malignant is almost over, as his latest horror film will arrive on HBO Max on September 10th, and for the fans who have been anxiously awaiting more horror from Mike Flanagan, Midnight Mass will be making its way to Netflix on September 24th. Arrow is set to debut Jumbo exclusively on their platform tomorrow, and Shudder has a trio of exclusive films headed to their service throughout September as well: Simon Barrett’s Seance, Martyrs Lane, and Superhost from Brandon Christensen.

Check out the full rundown of all the digital debuts happening over the next few weeks, as there...

Hopefully March will bring respite from crippling snow storms and frigid temperatures for much of the globe. And if it doesn’t? Well, Hulu’s got some new streaming options at least!

Hulu’s list of new releases for March 2021 are relatively slight on Hulu originals. Thankfully, one beloved original of note is coming back this month. Solar Opposites will premiere all episodes of its second season on March 26. This sci-fi animated comedy from Rick and Morty co-creator Justin Roiland is a breath of fresh alien air.

On the movie side of things, Hulu is premiering Boss Level on March 5. This actioner will star the delightful Frank Grillo and the decidedly less delightful Mel Gibson. Speaking of delightful though, the documentary Kid 90 will arrive on March 12. This comes from Punky Brewster star Soleil Moon Frye and features hours of footage she shot in the ’90s that will depict what...

When the film industry hands out its awards, action films rarely get their due, yet there’s serous craft required to make them well – and never more so than when it comes to battles. This week we’re turning our spotlight on some of cinema’s greatest battle scenes, all available for you to watch from the comfort of your home, looking at the way the brilliance of real tacticians combines with storytelling skill to create moments that thrill and terrify in equal measure even when watched over and over again.

The 13th Warrior

The 13th Warrior - Amazon Prime, Google Play

Twelve Viking warriors and the Arab translator they’re teaching to fight. A village whose inhabitants are ready to defend themselves but lack any skills. A cannibal horde determined to overwhelm them all. John McTiernan’s action-packed take on Beowulf has several great battle sequences and draws on...

Two all-time Hollywood greats Lauren Bacall and Kirk Douglas at the Deauville Festival of American Cinema in Deauville in 1999. They were regular attendees over the years. Photo: Festival de Deauville All systems seem to be go for the Deauville Festival of American Cinema in the upscale Normandy resort, which is scheduled to run from 4 to 13 September.

The Festival has confirmed that it will co-operate with Cannes Film Festival and the Annecy Animation Film Festival (both disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic) to present certain titles still to be revealed.

The organisers plan a tribute to Kirk Douglas, who died earlier this year at the age of 103. The veteran star of Spartacaus, Lust for Life and The Vikings and his son Michael have been frequent visitors to the event in the past.

Vanessa Paradis takes over the honours as president of the jury at the Deauville Festival of American Cinema Photo: Richard Mowe...

All films start out with the greatest of intentions, but some of them fail in massive proportions. When hit with budget over-runs, scripts rewritten by committee and other problems, they can be headed to the garbage dumps of movie history. Take a tour now through our photo gallery featuring 12 of the biggest box office bombs of all time. These turkeys might make you sick to your stomach, but let’s take a photo gallery tour anyway to look over these these rotten leftovers.

SEEThanksgiving on TV: 15 Greatest Episodes of All Time

1. Battlefield Earth – 2000

John Travolta fought for many years to get this adaptation of the L. Ron Hubbard novel made into a movie. Set in the year 3000, the science-fiction film is set on an Earth that has been ruled for 1,000 years by the brutal Psychlos.

2. Heaven’s Gate – 1980

Michael Cimino had full reign to do what he wanted coming off Best...

Like with any genre of filmmaking, there are periods of time where there's an influx in a certain type of entertainment and then it ebbs away again. Gangster movies of the '30s and '40s gave way to Westerns in the '50s, which dominated the cinema landscape for almost three decades before they dipped their cowboy hat to spy thrillers and action films of the '70s and '80s.

Related: 7 Vikings Characters That Were Based On Real People (And 3 That Are Completely Fictional)

One genre that hasn't received nearly as much attention tells the story of Vikings, those Norse warriors who worshiped multiple gods and sailed the seas pillaging and conquering. Lately, we've seen a healthy interest in Vikings due to well-executed historical dramas like Vikings on the History Channel, and The Last Kingdom on Netflix. But what about all of the great Viking films out there?...

MaryAnn’s quick take… An action masterpiece newly remastered in gorgeous 4K (and rejiggered for superfluous 3D) reveals how fresh it remains not only technically but thematically. I’m “biast” (pro): love this movie, have seen it a dozen times at least

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

August 29th? It’s Judgment Day! Or at least it would have been, 20 years ago in 1997, if not for the brave actions of mental patient Sarah Connor, her juvenile delinquent son John, and a reprogrammed T-800 killing machine sent back from the future, who didn’t even have a name, poor thing. To commemorate their selfless work, Terminator 2: Judgment Day has been newly remastered in gorgeous 4K, and also rejiggered for 3D, which is entirely superfluous: it adds nothing to the film, but at least it doesn’t detract from it...

Welcome to The Top 5, where every week, we list five things for a given topic. These topics can range from "5 Things We Liked About The Power Rangers Teaser Trailer" to "5 Things We Want (Or Don't Want) In Ben Affleck's The Batman."

Of course, because everyone has an opinion, there is sure to be some disagreements, which is why, despite the title "The Top 5," very rarely are these actual "best of" articles. Instead, they're meant to provide entertaining insight, and to stir a discussion, and give everyone a chance to speak their mind.

If you have a suggestion for a Top 5 piece, send them my way via #TheTop5LRM on Twitter. If I choose your topic, I'll be sure to give you a shoutout!

Now, on with today's topic!

5 Star Wars Stories We Want To See After Rogue One

As crazy as it sounds, it’s been less than a...

Omar Sharif, who received an Oscar nomination for his towering performance in the 1962 classic Lawrence of Arabia, passed away earlier today at the age of 83. His agent, Steve Kenis, revealed earlier this year that the actor had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. Steve Kenis confirmed that Omar Sharif died after suffering a heart attack in Cairo, Egypt.

The actor was born as Michel Shalhoub in Alexandria, Egypt in April 1932, to a lumber merchant. After graduating from Victoria College in Alexandria, and later from Cairo University, he entered his family's lumber business, before moving to London to study at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (Rada). In the 1950s, he became a rising star in Egyptian cinema, starring in films such as The Blazing Sun, Our Best Days and The Lebanese Mission before making his English-language debut with Lawrence of Arabia, for which he won a Golden Globe Award for and received an Oscar nomination.

Omar Sharif, star of Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia, has passed away at the age of 83.

The Egyptian-born actor rose to fame in the '60s thanks to his roles in director David Lean's sweeping epics and continued to work across TV and film for a further five decades. Digital Spy takes a look back at some of Sharif's greatest roles below.

David Lean cast Sharif as Arab revolutionary Sherif Ali in 1962's Lawrence of Arabia - the film was his English language debut and earned him an Oscar nomination.

Sharif reunited with Lawrence director David Lean to take on the lead role in Doctor Zhivago in 1965.

World War II drama The Night of the Generals (1967) saw Sharif star alongside Peter O'Toole once more, with Donald Pleasence, Tom Courtenay and Christopher Plummer in the supporting cast."

Sharif starred opposite Barbra Streisand in 1968's Funny Girl, playing a smooth gambler to her Vaudeville performer.

Omar Sharif

Omar Sharif, star of such legendary films as Doctor Zhivago and Lawrence of Arabia, has died at the age of 83.

The actor, who made a memorable Captain Nemo in Mysterious Island and also appeared in films like Funny Girl, The Tamarind Seed and The 13th Warrior, continued to work until 2013. He was a real all-rounder, as passionate about sport as he was about theatre and film, with a degree in maths and physics, impressive carpentry skills, and a reputation as one of the world's best bridge players. An international heart-throb in his youth, he went on to play fatherly and grandfatherly roles, ageing gracefully and never losing his loyal fans. Though he sometimes publicly lost his temper, once even striking a fan, he is remembered by his fellow actors for his charm and kindness, and for his joie de vivre. "I want to live every moment...

Director John McTiernan at La Cinémathèque Française's masterclass.Last autumn, my friend and colleague, Christopher Small, and I took the vacation of a lifetime to Paris. Did we go to eat macarons, drink wine and sneak a peek at the Mona Lisa? No, no we didn’t. We went to Paris to watch movies. Movies? Yes, movies. Did we go to Paris to watch the latest Godard, visit the site of the first cinema screening or drink beer with friendly Parisians until 4 in the morning? No, but we did anyway. What Christopher and I went to Paris to do was to watch John McTiernan’s movies on glorious 35mm at the Cinémathèque Française. To understand how special this trip was, I should probably provide a bit of background information: my husband, Jake Barningham, and his best friend, Daniel Gorman, started Mission:McTiernan back in 2010. They were right there with Notebook alum...

30. Sense and Sensibility

Directed by: Ang Lee

Ang Lee has gone in about eight different directions in terms of genre. His resume includes “The Ice Storm,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” Hulk,” “Brokeback Mountain,” “Life of Pi,” and this delightful Jane Austen adaptation, starring Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Alan Rickman, and young Kate Winslet. “Sense and Sensibility” took home the Oscar for Adapted Screenplay for the story of the Dashwood family, a mother widowed and left in difficult circumstances after her husband has left his fortune to his first wife, instead of his current one. So Mrs. Dashwood (Gemma Jones) and her daughters Fanny, Marianne, and Elinor (Harriet Walter, Winslet, Thompson) have to find a way to survive in a world ruled by men and the rules that seem to create obstacle after obstacle for them. Unfortunately, given the era, they are viewed as “unmarryable,” since they have no fortune and no prospects.

We’ve reviewed every summer movie season since 1980 to find out which are the best, and which are the worst. Last week we posted our picks for the worst, and here we post our picks for the best.

2015 and 2016 may just be the most overthetop summer movie seasons yet. It seems like nearly every movie slated for a summer 2015 or 2016 release is heavily anticipated. Because of these impending summers of movie awesomeness, we’ve decided to take a look back at summer movie seasons of years past. The idea of the summer movie season is currently in full swing, but it didn’t catch on immediately. Hollywood had to do its fair share of experimenting to determine what types of films would be most successful. As a result, some summer movie seasons have been better than others. We’ve reviewed them all for you and ranked them from worst to best.

Pierce Brosnan returns to the thriller genre this weekend with The November Man, and now another action-oriented picture of his has landed a director. Deadline reports that A Good Day to Die Hard helmer John Moore has been tapped to direct I.T., which will star Brosnan as a publisher who is tormented via technology when his relationship with a young I.T. consultant goes south. Moreover, William Wisher Jr. (Terminator 2, The 13th Warrior) has been tapped to rewrite the screenplay for the Voltage Films picture, which was originally penned by Dan Kay. In addition to the atrocious A Good Day to Die Hard, Moore’s directing credits also include Max Payne and Behind Enemy Lines. Producers are currently looking to cast the antagonist role—that of the dreaded I.T. consultant—in anticipation of beginning production on the thriller this fall. Brosnan is also attached to star in a November Man sequel...

There’s just no point in even bothering. In the vast conspiracy of stupidity that has overtaken pop culture, the disparagement of this movie by a film critic becomes an endorsement of a sad, twisted sort. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): the franchise had worn out whatever welcome it might have had before the end of the first movie

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

There’s just no point in even bothering. I could huff and puff and moan and groan and explain why The Expendables 3 is a terrible excuse for a movie… even for a dumb cheesy 80s-throwback action movie. I could go into great detail about the laziness of the writing, about how perfunctory the directing is, about the blatant obvious cheapness of the FX.

It doesn’t matter. There is nothing I can say that will...

Veteran actor Antonio Banderas takls to us about his role in The Expendables 3, working with Robert Rodriguez on Desperado, and more...

One of the greatest strengths that Antonio Banderas possesses as an actor is his ability to be beloved by audiences for entirely different reasons.

For many, especially children, he’s the perfectly (I avoided a cat pun there) charming voice of Puss in Boots in all the DreamWorks incarnations, as well as the father of some uniquely problematic youngsters in the Spy Kids franchise. He’s also developed a rather substantial following of older viewers who appreciate his more romantic and smouldering side in the likes of Evita, Original Sin and Interview With The Vampire, as well as his earlier and racier work with Pedro Almodóvar.

However to me, as well as many of our readers I suspect, Banderas has made a great action hero over the years.

Upfront disclosure. I've never read Diana Gabaldon's "Outlander" series. And before the Starz media blitz had never even heard of it. Somehow despite utilizing both time travel and historical fiction — two thing I love reading about — I missed it. So based only on the ad campaign, I know this is a historical sci-fi drama about a WWII era British woman who gets mysteriously thrown through time to 18th century Scotland. Somehow her modern immune system manages to instantly adapt to this bacterial utopia (life finds a way!) and our plucky heroine is forced to navigate her new reality. ********************************************* We open in Middle Earth. Sweeping vistas of the Scottish highlands are breath-taking but somewhat marred by our heroine’s voice over narration. I keep looking for the Fellowship but alas, Gandalf and the Balrog are on a smoke break. Bagpipes play as Claire laments how people vanish all the time.

Argentine director Pablo Trapero to preside over Un Certain Regard; actress-director Nicole Garcia to head Camera d’Or jury.

Just days before the launch of the Cannes Film Festival (May 14-25), two more juries have been revealed.

As previously announced, Argentine director Pablo Trapero will preside over the five-member jury, which will also include:

Peter Becker, President of The Criterion Collection (Us)

Maria Bonnevie, actress (Norway / Sweden)

Géraldine Pailhas, actress (France)

Moussa Touré, director, scriptwriter, producer (Sénégal)

Bonnevie is best known for her roles in I Am Dina (2002) and The 13th Warrior (1999), and will next be seen in Susanne Bier’s En Chance Til.

Pailhas is best known for Don Juan DeMarco (1994), Palme d’Or nominee Jeune & Jolie (2013) and The Returned (2004)

The 20 films taking part in Un Certain Regard will be screened in the Debussy Theatre from May 15-23. The opening film will be Party Girl by Marie Amachoukeli, Claire Burger and Samuel Théis, a debut movie...

The decision to change the last Hobbit film’s name got us thinking about big movie name changes that have happened over the years, and whether those changes actually helped or hurt the film. We’ve rounded up 23 of the most memorable changes to decide if the films were named correctly, or if they had it right the first time:

Original name: Fruitvale

Final name: Fruitvale Station

For better or worse? In terms of marketing, this was a smart move, because the story was more easily recognizable with the new title. That being said, it’s a very literal title.

Celebrated filmmaker John McTiernan has signed on to direct “Red Squad,” an action film from Hannibal Classics. Casting for the leading roles is currently underway with production slated to begin in this spring. Filming will take place in Mobile, Alabama. McTiernan is known for directing such blockbusters as “Predator,” “Die Hard,” and “The Hunt for Red October,” and other landmark films including “Die Hard With A Vengeance,” “The 13th Warrior,” and “The Thomas Crown Affair.” … Continue reading →

Horrornews.net...

It's been 11 years since John McTiernan released Basic, his last film since the long turmoil of a seven-year legal battle began, which ultimately ended in a one-year jail sentence, which he is currently serving. However, the action auteur of such films as Die Hard, Predator, The Hunt For Red October, and The 13th Warrior is not out of the game entirely. McTiernan is expected to be released from prison this spring and has already signed on to direct his first film literally out of the...

What’s new, what’s hot, and what you may have missed, now available to stream on Netflix, blinkbox, and BBC iPlayer.

new to stream

Die Hard with a Vengeance: Bruce Willis, his headache, and Samuel L. Jackson versus Jeremy Irons, all around New York City [my review] [at Netflix] Tangled: Disney’s lovely, charming, hugely entertaining spin on Rapunzel, all animated gorgeousness and authentic emotion [my review] [at Netflix] The 13th Warrior: an enthralling historical action adventure, gruesome and intense, beautifully mythic visual storytelling [my review] [at Netflix] The Iceman: underbaked mobster drama is redeemed — just barely — by excellent performances from Michael Shannon, James Franco, and Chris Evans [my review] [at Netflix] A Late Quartet: powerfully engaging performances keep us caught up in the emotional upheaval even when it feels a little trite [my review] [at Netflix] Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides: pure cinematic junk food, with piracy finally Disneyfied in a way the previous films hadn’t quite done, but still good...

As the year comes to a close, many people are assembling their best and worst of the year lists. This can also inspire people to look back at some of the best and worst of previous years. While Kevin Costner’s infamous 1995 box office behemoth Waterworld is fondly remembered by some (evidenced by the possibly surprising RottenTomatoes score of 43%), most people remember it for its cost overruns and ballooning budget that threatened to break Universal’s bank. (Spoiler alert: Even though Waterworld was famous for its massive budget that wasn’t even remotely recouped at the U.S. box office, it eventually broke even with international numbers, home video sales, and other ancillary revenue streams.) I fall in the column of people who thought the film was a bit of a turkey. Sure, it was impressive in some respects, but the story and characters weren’t enough to keep me interested. There...

What’s your favourite action movie? Die Hard? Predator? The Hunt for Red October? John McTiernan, their director, is unarguably a true master of Western action cinema, and this writer is a huge fan of his work. Sure, there’s been a few missteps, your Last Action Heroes and your Rollerballs, but he’s an incredibly talented filmmaker beloved the world over.

And like many people, you may be wondering what happened to John? Why hasn’t he made a movie in so long?

Well, it’s because he’s been imprisoned for the last six months after a lengthy legal battle which prevented him from working- it’s a labyrinthine set of events to explain, and was perhaps best done so by Buzzfeed’s Michael Hastings. Hastings was the first major journalist in America to investigate the affair, before his untimely and tragic death earlier this year.

Gail Sistrunk Mctiernan is John’s wife,...

Welcome to The Best Movie You Never Saw, a column dedicated to examining films that have flown under the radar or gained traction throughout the years, earning them a place as a cult classic or underrated gem that was either before it.s time and/or has aged like a fine wine. This week we.ll be examining John McTiernan.s The 13th Warrior, based on the novel .Eaters of the Dead. by Michael Crichton. The Story: In Ad 922, an important emissary who is banished from his homeland. The...

The Longest Ride lassos Craig Bolton for scripting duties Black Rain starring Michael Douglas, Andy Garcia, Ken Takakura and Kate Capshaw is one of my favorite films of 1989. A riveting action crime drama helmed by Ridley Scott, which was well written by Bolotin, alongside Warren Lewis (The 13th Warrior). That said, it's been a long time since Bolotin worked on a feature; the last feature being in 1999's Light It Up starring Usher Raymond, Forest Whitaker and Rosario Dawson, and prior to that had seven years to his last credits for That Night and Straight Talk. Whether that hiatus will pay off, remains to be seen.