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Matt Damon’s fight sequence in his $290 million action thriller gets high marks from an expert for its martial arts. Hand-to-hand combat was the last thing on Damon’s mind in early films like The Rainmaker, Dogma and Rounders, movies that were not about highlighting his physical prowess. His character in Good Will Hunting was indeed a scrapper, but his fighting style was not exactly polished.

Damon’s ascendance to star status saw him playing a lot of cocky kids a la young Tom Cruise, mixing in the occasional comedy (Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back) and grown-up thriller (Ocean’s 11). There were also the prestige dramas, some on the cringey side (The Legend of Bagger Vance), and some in the respectable failure department (All the Pretty Horses). Damon then embarked on a new path in his career, one that would eventually lead him to blockbuster success as a leading actor.

Ben Affleck said in an interview with GQ magazine that his acting career started to differ from that of friend Matt Damon’s after Damon made the “wise choice” early on to pick projects based on the movie’s director.

After 1997’s “Good Will Hunting” won them the Oscar for original screenplay, Damon joined forces with the likes of Steven Spielberg (“Saving Private Ryan”), Anthony Minghella (“Talented Mr. Ripley”), Robert Redford (“The Legend of Bagger Vance”), Steven Soderbergh (“Ocean’s Eleven”) and more. Affleck, meanwhile, leaned into action blockbusters like “Armageddon” and big studio fare such as “Pearl Harbor,” “Daredevil” and more.

“I thought you were going to compare our acting careers, to which I would’ve said, well, Matt learned and knew earlier than I did to really key in on the director as the fundamental basis on which he’s going to make a decision whether to do a movie or not,...

Few actors have had an influence as great as Matt Damon. With his ability to carefully pick the projects he stars in, he has curated one of the most vast and impressive filmographies of all time. From starting his career in Good Will Hunting to heading the Jason Bourne series and even being a part of films like Saving Private Ryan and Interstellar, he has been in a surprising number of Oscar-nominated projects.

Matt Damon and Cillian Murphy in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer | Credits: Universal Pictures

While these achievements have made him one of the most beloved and respected figures in the film industry, it is important to remember that he is not above making bad decisions. Unfortunately for Damon, one of the most disappointing moments in his professional life came because he listened to the advice of another Oscar winner.

The curious case of The Legend of Bagger Vance...

In 1997, when Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote and starred in Gus Van Sant's "Good Will Hunting," it immediately propelled the pair onto the ineffable Hollywood A-list. Both of them had been acting for several years and had participated in a few notable studio pictures, but it was "Good Will Hunting" that pushed the two handsome young blokes onto the top of the heap. Their film was nominated for nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture, and it won Oscars for Best Screenplay and Best Supporting Actor (for Robin Williams). Ever since, both Affleck and Damon have remained above-the-title power players, appearing in a long list of both big-budget hits and ambitious indies.

Although, that's not to say that they both haven't had their share of stinkers. Affleck has starred in several notorious films in his career, including widely loathed films like "Gigli" and "Phantoms." Although Affleck was the bomb in "Phantoms,...

Some audiences might have first spotted Matt Damon during a notable dinner scene in Donald Petrie's hit 1988 drama "Mystic Pizza." Thereafter, Damon turned up as an extra in "Field of Dreams" and as one of the many handsome students in the 1992 boarding school thriller "School Ties," both of them with his longtime friend and collaborator Ben Affleck. Damon went on to score some considerable screen time in Edward Zwick's "Courage Under Fire" before delivering his first lead performance in 1997 in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Rainmaker." That same year, Damon and Affleck became acclaimed Academy darlings for writing and starring in Gus Van Sant's "Good Will Hunting." The pair won Oscars for their screenplay and have both been major Hollywood players since.

Damon, having gained the clout to be picky and the fame to be noticed, thereafter became attracted to projects by established directors. After having alreayd...

Golf films explore comedic and real-life golfers, adding humor and depth to the sport's portrayal. The popularity of golf movies lies in their mix of comedy and real stories, making for an enjoyable viewing experience. Some golf films, while entertaining, lack a lasting impact in the realm of sports movies, despite their popularity among the golf community.

Golf isn't the most action-packed sport, but it has proven to be an underrated subject in many famous sports films. From classics such as Happy Gilmore to newer releases like The Phantom of the Open, the subtlety of golf pairs nicely with films that explore various characters. Some comical characters, including those in Caddyshack, have a humorous and contrasting approach to the often quiet sport.

Others, like the subjects of The Phantom of the Open and Tommy's Honour, are based on real prominent names in the world of golf. Movies about golf fall under a few different genres,...

Matt Damon’s Hollywood career has been defined by diverse films and roles across genres that have earned the actor the title of being one of the most bankable stars in the industry. From action to drama to comedy, The Martian star has covered the whole gamut of characters without being typecast in any particular genre.

Hollywood star Matt Damon (image credit: Elena Ternovaja/Wikimedia Commons)

In 2002, Damon portrayed one of his most successful roles as an action star when he took on The Bourne Identity which was followed by 3 more films in the series of successful novels by Robert Ludlum. Not only did these films cement the Oscar winner’s place as a bonafide star in the genre, they also gave him the opportunity to tap into a very different side of an action hero that made him more human and relatable.

Here’s Why Matt Damon Was Grateful...

A star-studded group of veteran “Saturday Night Live” guest hosts were on hand this evening to welcome Kristen Wiig into the “Five-Timers Club.” But much to Wiig’s chagrin, most of them haven’t matched her feat of actually hosting “SNL” five times.

The former “Saturday Night Live” cast member made her fifth appearance as host — having previously hit the stage in 2013, 2016 and twice in 2020.

The stolen “SNL” valor actually began with a legit five-timer: Paul Rudd, on hand to welcome her from the audience..

“As a former cast member, it is very special,” Wiig said. “I’m really excited about getting my jacket tonight… they don’t just hand the jackets off to anyone.”

Well, not quite. Soon more stars came out: Matt Damon, Jon Hamm, Martin Short, Will Forte, Fred Armisen, Martin Short and Ryan Gosling. None of whom haven actually hosted five times yet.

Damon, who has only hosted twice,...

The American Society of Magical Negroes satirizes an age-old Hollywood trope with clever humor and pointed social commentary in a Harry Potter-esque narrative. The critical term "magical negro" was popularized by filmmaker Spike Lee. It refers to a stereotypical Black supporting character who only exists to help the white protagonist achieve their goals. Classic examples are Forrest Gump, The Green Mile, and The Legend of Bagger Vance.

Justice Smith stars as Aren, a Black yarn artist who's mistaken as a waiter by a white man at his gallery opening. But instead of taking offense, Aren dutifully fetches a cocktail. Roger (David Alan Grier) notices this interaction. He invites Aren to join The American Society of Magical Negroes, a secret organization that has existed since Jefferson's presidency with a singular goal: help, support, and soothe white people so that Blacks won't get killed.

Nicole Byer co-stars as Dede, leader of the society.

The American Society of Magical Negroes cleverly satirizes a film trope first criticized by filmmaker Spike Lee. A "magical negro" is a stereotypical Black supporting character who exists solely to aid a white protagonist. Forrest Gump, The Green Mile, and The Legend of Bagger Vance are well-known examples. Writer/director Kobi Libii, also an accomplished actor, takes aim at Hollywood and American culture in general with a humorous and romantic twist.

Justice Smith stars as Aren, a struggling Black yarn artist. Yup - you read that right. He defers to a white man who mistakes him for a server. Roger, played by the superb David Alan Grier, witnesses this interaction. He invites Aren to join The American Society of Magical Negroes, a secret organization that has existed since Jefferson was president. Their goal: alleviating white tension and discomfort to prevent Black people from getting hurt.

An-Li Bogan, in her film debut,...

The movie cleverly satirizes Hollywood's harmful racial stereotypes with a whimsical touch and big ambitions. The narrative loses momentum in the third act, covering too much and diluting its efficacy. There is bold creativity in how the film addresses divisive themes, though, sparking important conversations with a unique approach.

A meek Black artist, who's always submissive when interacting with whites, joins a secret organization that protects Black people from racial violence. The American Society of Magical Negroes cleverly satirizes an age-old Hollywood trope before running out of steam in a somewhat labored third act. The term "magical negro" was brought into the mainstream by filmmaker Spike Lee and criticizes the Hollywood trope of stereotypical Black supporting characters that exists solely to help a white protagonist achieve their goals. Forrest Gump, The Green Mile, and The Legend of Bagger Vance are classic examples.

The American Society of Magical Negroes skewers this...

Matt Damon's new thriller Drive-Away Dolls, directed by Ethan Coen, redeems his past failure working with the Coen Brothers. Drive-Away Dolls uses the Coen Brothers' style alongside a raunchy storyline and brutal deaths. While Matt Damon's role in Drive-Away Dolls is entertaining, his best role remains as La Beouf in the Coen Brothers' True Grit.

The new 2024 thriller with Matt Damon, Drive-Away Dolls, makes up for his $25 million bomb from seven years ago. Actor Matt Damon has worked in Hollywood for 36 years and has appeared in several prolific films, like Good Will Hunting, The Martian, and The Talented Mr. Ripley. The actor even won an Oscar in 1998 and the Joel Siegel Award in 2011, which is granted to an actor who uses their celebrity to do good for others.

However, like every great actor, not every one of Matt Damon’s movies is a success. Some of his biggest flops include The Brothers Grimm,...

Editor’s Note: This review was originally published at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival. Focus Features will release “The American Society of Magical Negroes” on Friday, March 15.

In one of the few laugh-out-loud scenes of “The American Society of Magical Negroes,” actor, writer and comedian Kobi Libii’s unevenly written but good-looking directorial debut that gradually runs out of steam, a Black man grabs an unsuspecting white person by the crotch to supposedly cure him of a prostatic illness.

The scene is a direct reference to Frank Darabont’s 1999 Oscar nominee “The Green Mile,” in which Michael Clarke Duncan’s prison inmate with a heart of gold (and supernatural powers) and Tom Hanks’ kind guard get similarly, well, acquainted. “The Green Mile” was only one of the then-recent barrage of popular movies like “What Dreams May Come,” “The Family Man,” and “The Legend of Bagger Vance” (also amusingly referenced in Libii...

Kobi Libii knew “The American Society of Magical Negroes” would be controversial. After all, the film is a critique of the “magical negro,” the cinematic trope where Black characters are constructed to support white protagonists without internal lives of their own.

Libii grew up in Gary, Ind. in the ’90s, during a run of those movies. “Some of them were seared in my brain,” he tells Variety, remembering a time when “The Legend of Bagger Vance” and “The Green Mile” were lauded by critics and audiences alike, even though they reinforce those tropes. (Both movies are not-so-indirectly referenced in the film.) “It really agitated me at the time but I didn’t have a language for that. I was just told that this was a great movie even though Black people are doing this.”

Now that he’s got a foothold in Hollywood, Libii is taking that type of representation to task,...

Fandoms everywhere can now rejoice, for in October Our Flag Means Death finally returns to our screens for its second season. Rhys Darby and Taika Waititi will be romancing the high seas once more thanks to an enormous outpouring of love and support from the show’s fans. The safety of the cult favorite is not yet known beyond season two, but if this one is as good as the first, it certainly won’t be for lack of trying.

Talking of little shows that could, Doom Patrol is back for its last ever block of episodes, having long outlasted the many of the other ill-fated DC streaming series. Season two of The Gilded Age is also streaming this month, with Bertha challenging both Mrs. Astor and the old system in this new run.

And if none of that is up your street, there’s always Jason Statham punching sharks in the face,...

Rhys Darby in ‘Our Flag Means Death’ season 2 (Photograph by Nicola Dove/Max)

Max’s 2023 October lineup of series includes new seasons of Our Flag Means Death, The Gilded Age, and 30 Coins, as well as the second half of Doom Patrol season four (the final season). A documentary focusing on the notorious Bling Ring premieres on October 1st, along with all five Final Destination films.

In addition to a batch of horror films joining the network’s lineup, Max is celebrating Halloween with new seasons of Ghost Adventures and The Haunted Museum.

Series & Films Arriving On Max In October 2023:

October 1

3 Godfathers (1948)

The Adventures of Pinocchio (1996)

All About the Benjamins (2002)

The Amazing Panda Adventure (1995)

Angels in the Outfield (1951)

The Answer Man (2009)

Anthropoid (2016)

Appaloosa (2008)

The Apparition (2012)

The Asphalt Jungle (1950)

Badlands (1973)

Be Cool (2005)

Bee Season (2005)

Beetlejuice (1988)

The Benchwarmers (2006)

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Blindspotting (2018)

Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012)

Cesar Chavez (2014)

Charlie Wilson’s War...

What is it about the game of golf that makes good cinema? We can barely keep our eyes open during the PGA Tour. Its tranquil vibes are more relaxing than a glass of warm milk. And we can't name but a handful of players: Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, er... Is there a famous "Dave" in there? Still, we could pop in and enjoy at least a dozen films about the sport at a moment's notice on a lazy Saturday afternoon. There's something majestic about the luscious greens, the stillness of the crowd, the whispered play-by-play, and the distant thwack of a ball that translates to the big screen.

Or maybe it's the class struggle, as golf is seen as a gentleman's sport designed for the wealthy. A round of golf at Pebble Beach will set you back nearly 600! Or perhaps we're intoxicated by the psychology of the game,...

Exclusive: Emmy winner Carrie Preston (The Good Fight) has signed on to star alongside Paul Giamatti and Da’Vine Joy Randolph in the Miramax film The Holdovers, from two-time Oscar winner and seven-time nominee Alexander Payne.

The dramedy written by Whiskey Cavalier creator David Hemingson follows Paul Hunham (Giamatti), a teacher at a prestigious academy who nobody likes—not his students, not his fellow faculty, not the headmaster, who all find his pomposity and rigidity exasperating. With no family and nowhere to go over Christmas holiday in 1970, Paul remains at school to supervise students unable to journey home. After a few days, only one student holdover remains—a trouble-making 15-year-old named Angus, a good student whose bad behavior always threatens to get him expelled.

Joining Paul and Angus is the school’s head cook Mary (Randolph), who caters to sons of privilege and whose own son was recently lost in Vietnam.

Emmy winner Carrie Preston will return to The Good Fight in Season 6—directing one episode, and reprising her fan-favorite role as attorney Elsbeth Tascioni.

The Paramount+ legal drama co-created, showrun and exec produced by Robert and Michelle King is a spinoff of the legal and political drama The Good Wife, which has seen attorney Diane Lockhart (Christine Baranski) starting from scratch at a new firm, after losing her life savings. Season 6 has Diane feeling like she’s going crazy, struggling with an uneasy sense of déjà vu, with everything from Roe v. Wade to voting rights to Cold War aggressions returning. Meanwhile, the lawyers of Reddick & Associates wonder if the violence that they see all around them points to an impending civil war. As Diane finds herself getting further from reality this season, suddenly she and Elsbeth (Preston) are in a similar headspace.

Preston portrayed Tascioni in 14 episodes of The Good Wife,...

‘The Nan Movie’, ‘Hive’, ‘X’ also opening.

eOne’s UK sports comedy The Phantom of the Open tees off at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend, in a bumper weekend with 17 new releases.

Directed by Craig Roberts, The Phantom Of The Open debuted at the BFI London Film Festival in October last year. The film tells the true story of Maurice Flitcroft, an aspiring golfer of limited talent, who managed to gain entry to the British Open Gold Championship Qualifying in 1976 only to shoot the worst round in the event’s history. It will open in 629 locations - the fourth-biggest...

If you’re looking for something to watch on HBO Max this month, you may want to prioritize the following titles that are leaving the streaming service throughout February. Below, we’ve assembled a complete list of everything leaving HBO Max in February, which ranges from Oscar-winning blockbusters to stone-cold classics to delightful comedies.

Noteworthy films leaving HBO Max this month include “Dunkirk,” “Blade Runner 2049,” “Amistad,” “Pitch Perfect,” “Independence Day,” “Godzilla: King of the Monsters,” “The Goonies,” “Joker” and “The Lego Batman Movie.” It’s also last call for DC films “Wonder Woman,” “Aquaman,” “Birds of Prey” and “Suicide Squad.”

The end of February will also mark the departure of a number of documentary series that aired on CNN, including “The Bush Years,” “The Seventies,” “The Eighties,” ”The Nineties,” ”The Movies” and ”The Story of Late Night.”

Check out the full list of everything leaving HBO Max in February 2022 below.

After a week off, “Saturday Night Live’s” 47th season returned with another hosting debut, this time in the form of “Succession” star Kieran Culkin. This, however, was not Culkin’s first appearance on “SNL,” as he (at age nine) appeared in a sketch nearly 30 years ago to the date, when his older brother, Macaulay, hosted the sketch comedy institution back in Season 17.

Host: Kieran Culkin

The most important part of Culkin’s monologue — other than him wanting to make clear that he’s not at all like his “Succession” character, Roman Roy — was the promise of what was to come. Specifically, the promise that he would be picked up by a cast member during the episode’s goodnights, much like he made Kevin Nealon pick him up during the goodnights of the aforementioned Macaulay Culkin-hosted “SNL” episode.

Thankfully, the promise was kept, as Chris Redd and Kenan Thompson ended up doing the honors.

While the other streaming services set up recurring franchises, Hulu has opted to get a bit more experimental with its original offerings in August 2021.

Hulu’s list of new releases this month is highlighted by three original series concepts with promise. Reservation Dogs premieres on August 9. Co-created by Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok), this story will follow four indigenous teenagers in Oklahoma as they stave off boredom and adulthood. Next up is Nine Perfect Strangers on August 18. This miniseries, based on a book of the same name, is produced by David E. Kelley and features staggering cast of Nicole Kidman, Melissa McCarthy, Luke Evans, Samara Weaving, and more.

Only Murders in the Building is likely the biggest thing to look forward to in August though. Premiering on August 31, this comedy stars Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez as three true crime-obsessed friends who stumble into a true crime of their own.

Since we’ve already had faith-based features involving football, baseball (“Where Hope Grows”), basketball (“Slamma Jamma”), boxing (“Carman: The Champion”), competitive skateboarding (“Hardflip”) and even mixed martial arts (“The Fight Within”), it was doubtless inevitable that someone would produce a movie where the Lord works in mysterious ways on the golf course. Robert Redford’s “The Legend of Bagger Vance” (2000) didn’t quite qualify, given the nondenominational nature of its spirituality. On the other hand, “Walking With Herb” is explicitly and unashamedly upfront about depicting how an agent of God, or someone of an even higher pay grade, might directly intervene in providing a shot at redemption — and no handicap at all — for a golfer far from the fairway.

Striking perfect balances of gruffness and grief, taciturn skepticism and bemused self-awareness, Edward James Olmos is dead solid perfect in the lead role of Joe Amable-Amo, a bank manager and devoted family man in Las Cruces,...

A new year has arrived but Amazon Prime is looking to the past.

That’s not a bad thing mind you, as for its list of new releases in January 2021, Amazon is bringing back some classic movies and TV shows for its host of subscribers. We’ll get to the Amazon originals in a moment but for now, feast your eyes on January’s impressive library additions for the streamer.

Jan. 1 marks the arrival of all eight seasons of Dexter…roughly four and a half of which are great! Dexter will be receiving its own Michael C. Hall-approved revival later this year and thanks to Amazon you can catch up with the first run again. Speaking of show’s with disappointing conclusions, all nine seasons of How I Met Your Mother will come to Amazon on Jan. 19. Some movies of note arriving on Jan. 1 include Dr. Strangelove, The Truman Show,...

A new year means a new start. But in its list of new year releases for January 2021, Hulu is sending a message of…eh, we’ll get the year started in February. Not to be overly rude to the usually sturdy streaming service, but there’s not much going on for Hulu in 2021’s first month.

Perhaps the biggest release of note is something that already enjoyed a successful release for ITV in the U.K. The Sister is the lates thriller from Neil Cross (Luther) and it makes its U.S. debut on Hulu on Jan. 22. 2020 comedies Save Yourselves and Like a Boss both arrive on Jan. 1. Hulu original film The Ultimate Playlist of Noise premieres on Jan. 15 and TV series Everyone is Doing Great arrives on Jan. 13.

Thankfully Hulu’s library titles are a bit livelier this month. Jan. 1 sees the arrival of Blade Runner: The Final Cut,...

It’s 2021 in just a couple of weeks, so now’s the time for out with the old and in with the new. And in streaming terms, that means get ready for a load of fresh titles to celebrate the New Year in style.

We’ve already covered what’s coming to Netflix, Disney Plus and Hulu in January, so let’s take a look at everything that’s on the way on Amazon Prime Video next month, too. As you’d expect, New Year’s Day is the biggest drop of the month when it comes to fresh releases, but a few notable movies and TV shows are scattered throughout the remaining days as well.

In total, there are over 70 titles coming to Prime on the 1st, including countless classics of all shapes and sizes for subscribers to enjoy. In the mood for some genuine cinematic masterpieces? Then check out Stanley Kubrick’s Dr.

Hulu is kicking off the new year in style next month, with January set to deliver a ton of fresh titles to the Disney-owned streaming service. There’s a bunch of original content landing throughout the first few weeks of 2021, but probably the highlight is the incredible number of classic movies that are going up on the site on New Year’s Day. Whether you’re in the mood for iconic comedies, dramas, animated efforts or sci-fi flicks, there’s something for you on the way.

There are well over 100 films being added to Hulu’s library on January 1st, so let’s just pick out a few notable titles. The full Austin Powers trilogy is among them, and if you can’t get enough of Mike Myers, the first Shrek likewise becomes available. For dramas, there’s Robert Downey Jr. biopic Chaplin, Johnny Depp vehicle Donnie Brasco and Jim Carrey’s The Truman Show.

As people continue to stay home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, Showtime will add a myriad of television shows and films in August to keep house-bound subscribers entertained.

On the film side, a number of high-profile movies will debut at the start of the month, including Children of Men, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Man on the Moon, The Manchurian Candidate, My Week With Marilyn, Night of the Living Dead, The Pursuit of Happyness, Scent of a Woman, Seabiscuit, She's All That, Wayne's World 2, What Lies ...

As people continue to stay home to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus, Showtime will add a myriad of television shows and films in August to keep house-bound subscribers entertained.

On the film side, a number of high-profile movies will debut at the start of the month, including Children of Men, I Know What You Did Last Summer, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Legend of Bagger Vance, Man on the Moon, The Manchurian Candidate, My Week With Marilyn, Night of the Living Dead, The Pursuit of Happyness, Scent of a Woman, Seabiscuit, She's All That, Wayne's World 2, What Lies ...

Charlize Theron, who is currently garnering some of the best notices of her career for her portrayal of Megyn Kelly in Jay Roach's Bombshell, is only 44 — but at the 23rd Hollywood Film Awards on Sunday, Nov. 3, the South African will collect a career achievement award, organizers of the event announced Tuesday.

Theron emerged on the Hollywood scene in the late 1990s in films such as The Devil's Advocate (1997), Mighty Joe Young (1998), The Cider House Rules (1999) and The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), but truly made her name with a rave-reviewed Oscar-winning turn in Monster (2003). She garnered another Oscar nom ...

Charlize Theron, who is currently garnering some of the best notices of her career for her portrayal of Megyn Kelly in Jay Roach's Bombshell, is only 44 — but at the 23rd Hollywood Film Awards on Sunday, Nov. 3, the South African will collect a career achievement award, organizers of the event announced Tuesday.

Theron emerged on the Hollywood scene in the late 1990s in films such as The Devil's Advocate (1997), Mighty Joe Young (1998), The Cider House Rules (1999) and The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000), but truly made her name with a rave-reviewed Oscar-winning turn in Monster (2003). She garnered another Oscar nom ...

Stephen Curry is set to swap out his preferred basketball for an altogether smaller one.

The NBA star is teaming up with ABC to produce and star in “Holey Moley,” a mini-golf competition series which will showcase self-proclaimed mini-golf lovers from around the country as they compete head-to-head on the course.

Curry will serve as executive producer and resident golf pro on the “Holey Moley” course. The on-camera talent will also include “Hangover” star Rob Riggle, who will bring color commentary, ABC and ESPN sportscaster Joe Tessitore, who will act as a play-by-play commentator, and fashion expert and “The Real” co-host Jeannie Mai, who will be a sideline correspondent.

“Everyone has a favorite memory of playing miniature golf, whether it was as a child with your family, with a group of friends as a teenager, or on an awkward first date. Take that feeling, add high stakes competition and out-of-this-world challenges,...

Hank Corwin has worked with some of film’s most iconic directors — Robert Redford, Oliver Stone, Barry Levinson and Terrence Malick. He’s frequently edited earnest dramas, like Stone’s “Nixon” and Malick’s “The Tree of Life.”

But his two latest feature outings — Adam McKay’s “The Big Short,” released in 2015, and the Dick Cheney biopic “Vice,” a Christmas release from Annapurna, took a more ironic approach to storytelling.

Corwin was surprised three years ago when his agent sent him the script for “The Big Short” because, he says, “McKay is comedy, and if you look at my work, I’m not exactly a comedy editor.” It turned out that McKay was looking for a replacement editor because the first individual attached to the film wasn’t working out. Corwin loved the script, started cutting, and he and McKay hit it off. The movie went on to earn him an Oscar nomination for editing.

The Legend of Bagger Vance is a sports drama film from actor and director, Robert Redford. The movie stars Will Smith, Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Bruce McGill, and Joel Gretsch. It is about a war veteran, Captain Rannulph Junuh, played by Matt Damon, who reluctantly agrees to play a game of golf. While he isn’t into it, his caddie changes his mind. The caddie, Bagger Vance, played by Will Smith, teaches him all about golf and the authenticity behind the game, which ends up being a huge lesson about life and finding meaning with his existence. But did Bagger Vance ever exist? […]

The post Is The Legend of Bagger Vance a true story? appeared first on Monsters and Critics.

Dr. Donald W. Shirley was a piano prodigy of Jamaican descent who had mastered much of the standard concert repertory by age 10. “His virtuosity is worthy of gods,” Igor Stravinsky once said. Yet the idiosyncratic Shirley has been reduced to one of cinema’s long-standing racist stock characters in Peter Farrelly’s “Green Book.”

To be fair, “Green Book” doesn’t set out to be a Don Shirley biopic; however, the movie’s billed as essentially an interracial buddy comedy. Universal, which produced the film, plans to submit the true-life road trip film in the Best Comedy/Musical at the Golden Globes (although its eventual category placement will be determined by the Hollywood Foreign Press). American buddy comedies have generally mandated equal screen time to both characters — except when one of those characters is black, and exists almost entirely to help transform his white companion on a quest toward salvation.

Robert Redford, who turns 82 on Saturday, reconfirmed last week that “The Old Man and the Gun,” which opens Sept. 28, will feature his last on-screen performance.

Given that the Sundance Kid has been acting since he was 21, racking up 78 credits in film and on TV along the way (according to IMDb), no one can say he hasn’t paid his dues and then some. That Redford received just one acting Oscar nomination for his con man in 1972’s “The Sting” seems, well, a little stingy. However, the Academy voters have a habit of shunning so-called “pretty boys” – just look at what Leonardo DiCaprio suffered through in “The Revenant” to deserve winning the gold on his fifth try.

However, what this Electric Cowboy did Not say is that he is quitting directing. In fact, Redford has impressed Oscar most when he goes behind the camera and calls the shots – even if a...

Every golf course is unique when it comes to terrains, views, and challenges. These unique qualities can give a different experience on the playing field as well as a higher cost just to tee off on the green.

The following golf courses may be the most expensive in the world, but their hallowed turfs are an irresistible destination for the golf enthusiasts.

10. Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wisconsin – $340

Priced at $340 per person, per round, the Whistling Straits in Sheboygan, Wisconsin is one of two 36 holes golf course associated with the luxury resort, The American Club. Located close to Kohler in Wisconsin, the golf course has a length of 7,123 m and a par of 72. It has hosted several golf championships namely the 2014 PGA Championship, the 2007 Us Senior Open and the 2010 PGA Championship.

Designed by Alice and Pete Dye, it was constructed to resemble the ancient seaside courses in Ireland and UK. Currently...

Hulu is ringing in the summer with plenty of new titles to keep you occupied during your air conditioned TV binges next month.

The Stephen King multiverse series “Castle Rock” finally makes its debut on July 25, and the final season of Hulu’s original series “Casual” will land on July 31.

Meanwhile, the second season of Hulu’s “Harlots” premieres on July 11, and Season 4 of “You’re the Worst” is available on July 6. The third season of Lifetime’s “UnReal” is available on July 2.

Also Read: Hulu Orders Drama Pilot 'Reprisal' From 'Handmaid's Tale' Producer Warren Littlefield

See below for the complete list of titles coming to and leaving next month.

Available July 1

Alone: Complete Season 3 (History)

American Pickers: Complete Season 17 (History)

American Ripper: Complete Season 1 (History)

Ancient Top 10: Complete Season 1 (History)

The Curse of Oak Island: Complete Season 4 (History)

Doomsday Preppers: Complete Season 2 (Nat Geo)

Forged in Fire: Complete...

New titles available to stream with your Amazon Prime membership next month include Season 5 of BBC’s “Orphan Black,” and several new Amazon Original series, including “Last Flag Flying,” “Picnic at Hanging Rock,” and “Diablo Guardian.”

Movies available include 2017’s “Baywatch,” “A.I. Artificial Intelligence,” and “Rocky” I through V. Beginning May 1, you’ll also be able to rent “Annihilation,” “12 Strong,” James Corden’s “Peter Rabbit” and “Fifty Shades Freed.”

See the full list below. For our May Hulu roundup, head over here.

Also Read: 'Westworld' Creators Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy's New Sci-Fi Series 'The Peripheral' Lands at Amazon

Available May 1

3 Ways to Get a Husband (2009)

40 Days and 40 Nights (2002)

A Very Brady Sequel (1996)

A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001)

An Inconvenient Truth (2006)

Baby Boom (1987)

Back to School (1986)

Bad News Bears (1976)

Barefoot (2014)

Beyond Borders (2003)

Blame (2017)

Brother Nature (2016)

Bull Durham (1988)

Cool World (1992)

Cyborg (1989)

Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

Dr. No (1962)

Eight Men Out (1988)

Elizabethtown (2005)

Evolution (2001)

Foxfire (1996)

Frailty (2001)

From Russia with Love (1964)

Gator (1976)

Ghost Town (2008)

Goat (2016)

Goldfinger (1964)

Holy Air (2017)

Hot Boyz (2000)

Immigration Tango (2011)

Insomnia (2002)

Iron Eagle IV: On the Attack (1999)

Kalifornia (1993)

Live and Let Die (1973)

Love Is A Gun (1994)

Also Read: Amazon in Talks to Develop Series About Young Moammar Gadhafi's Rise to Power in Libya

Manhunter (1986)

Men with Brooms (2002)

Murder on the Orient Express (1974)

Never Say Never Again (1983)

New Rose Hotel (1999)

Ninja Masters (2009)

Octopussy (1983)

Outcast (2014)

Perfect Score (2004)

Perfume: Story of a Murderer (2006)

Psychopaths (2017)

Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (1977)

Rocky (1976)

Rocky II (1979)

Rocky III (1982)

Rocky IV (1985)

Rocky V (1990)

Sabrina (1995)

Saturday Church (2017)

School Ties (1992)

Set Up (2011)

Starting Out in the Evening (2007)

Strategic Air Command (1955)

The Benchwarmers (2006)

The Benefactor (2015)

The Box (2007)

The Brady Bunch Movie (1995)

The Counterfeit Traitor (1962)

The Crow (1994)

The Elephant Man (1980)

The Golden Compass (2007)

The Hangman (1959)

The House I Live In (2013)

The Hurt Locker (2008)

The Last Castle (2001)

Also Read: Amazon Studios Shakes Up Under Jennifer Salke: Albert Cheng Named Co-Head of TV

The Legend of Bagger Vance (2000)

The Man with the Golden Gun (1974)

The Saint (1997)

The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)

Thief (1981)

Thirst Street (2017)

Thunderball (1965)

Twisted (2004)

Untamed Heart (1993)

Wild Thornberrys (2002)

Wish Upon a Star (1996)

Wonder Boys (2000)

You Only Live Twice (1967)

Aristocrats: Limited Series

Banished: Limited Series

Charles II – The Power and The Passion: Limited Series

Daniel Deronda: Limited Series

David Copperfield: Limited Series

Desperate Romantics: Limited Series

Ivanhoe: Limited Series

Jane Eyre (1983): Limited Series

Jane Erye (2006): Limited Series

Life in Squares: Limited Series

Little Dorrit: Limited Series

Lorna Doone: Limited Series

Love in A Cold Climate: Limited Series

Mansfield Park: Limited Series

Martin Chuzzlewit: Limited Series

Middlemarch: Limited Series

Oliver Twist (1985): Limited Series

Oliver Twist (2007): Limited Series

Our Mutual Friend: Limited Series

Pride and Prejudice: Limited Series

Sense and Sensibility (1981): Limited Series

Sense and Sensibility (2008): Limited Series

Sinbad: Limited Series

Tess of the D’Urbervilles: Limited Series

The Buccaneers: Limited Series

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy: Limited Series

The Lost World: Limited Series

The Office: Limited Series

The Pickwick Papers: Limited Series

The Tenant of Wildfell Hall: Limited Series

The Way We Live Now: Limited Series

Tom Jones: Limited Series

Vanity Fair (1998): Limited Series

Available May 4

Last Flag Flying

Available May 5

Warrior (2011)

Diablo Guardian (Prime Original series), Season 1

Available May 11

Rocky & Bullwinkle (Prime Original series), Season 1

Available May 12

Baywatch (2017)

Still Mine (2012)

Orphan Black, Season 5

Available May 15

How to Be a Latin Lover (2017)

Available May 18

You Are Wanted (Prime Original series), Season 2

Available May 19

Beatriz at Dinner (2017)

Shooters (2003)

Available May 22

Dino Dana (Prime Original series), Season 2

Available May 23

Beast of Burden (2018)

Available May 25

Picnic at Hanging Rock (Prime Original series), Season 1

Available May 27

Just Getting Started (2017)

The Wedding Plan (2016)

Available May 29

Howards End, Season 1

Read original story Here’s What You Can Stream With Your Amazon Prime Membership in May At TheWrap...

Bustling Atlanta may be the third-largest production center in the U.S. (after L.A. and New York), but the coastal Georgia city of Savannah offers far more charming allures for producers looking to shoot amidst cobblestone streets, green parks and historic buildings – not to mention in the haunting Bonaventure Cemetery, made famous by the novel and film “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.” Plus, the city provides a 10% rebate on qualified film and TV spend on top of Georgia’s already generous 20-30% transferable tax credit.

To qualify, films must be budgeted at $1.75 million or higher. Qualifying TV series must include a minimum of five episodes.

The minimum spend must be $500,000 per film; $500,000 is also required of TV, per season. There’s a project cap of $150,000 for film and $250,000 for TV, per calendar year. In addition, at least 60% of the filming days must take place in Chatham County,...

Simon Brew Dec 14, 2017

In late 2006, with much fanfare, Tom Cruise was announced as headlining a revived United Artists. But what went wrong?

Lurking in the corners of Netflix UK is a not-very-widely-seen Tom Cruise movie, that a decade ago was all set to herald a new filmmaking dawn. Directed by Robert Redford, and with a cast that includes Redford, Cruise, Meryl Streep and a then-relatively-unknown Andrew Garfield, Lions For Lambs looked on paper to be a heavyweight political drama. Its focus is on three stories: an ambitious politician giving an interview to tough reporter, an army platoon being ordered to go on a top secret mission by said politician, and a professor trying to talk a promising student into turning his life around.

It looked like Oscar-bait. It turned out to be a footnote to the failure to resurrect United Artists.

United Artists was originally founded in 1919 by Charlie Chaplin,...

Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith will celebrate 20 years of marriage in December. And throughout their time together, the two have heard countless rumors about their relationship.

But there’s one rumor in particular that has Pinkett Smith stumped: that she and Will are swingers.

During a visit to Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen on Thursday, the 45-year-old mother of two opened up about the gossip, telling Cohen, “That’s the craziest one! It’s constant.”

Pinkett Smith dispelled the claims — but in a way that showed she isn’t offended by them. “I’m like, ‘Yo, I wish.

Jada Pinkett Smith has heard just about every rumor when it comes to her lengthy marriage to Will Smith! The 45-year-old actress stopped by Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Thursday, with her Girls Trip co-star, Queen Latifah, where she dispelled one particular rumor.

Watch: Jada Pinkett Smith Reveals She 'Was a Drug Dealer' When She First Met Tupac, Reflects On Their Relationship

When a caller asked her about the craziest thing she’d ever heard about her family, Jada replied, “That Will and I are swingers. It’s constant.”

But she doesn’t seem to take offense to the false claims, adding, “And I’m like, ‘Yo, I wish!’”

The couple has been together for 23 years, but Jada didn’t have any tips on keeping the romance hot when host Cohen asked.

“I don’t know. I mean, I’m baffled, really,” she quipped. “Will and I just have amazing chemistry on a lot...

In last weekend's most hilarious Golden Globes presentation, Kristen Wiig & Steve Carell equated Fantasia and Bambi with utterly traumatic childhood experiences. Which begs the question...

What cartoon sends you spiralling into depression? 

Jose: Dumbo! As a giant eared child, it brings back so many traumas. 

Eric:  Dumbo.  When caged Mama's trunk reaches for Dumbo's trunk: merciless!

Nick: The Legend of Bagger Vance.

Kim: Toy Story 3 was a pretty traumatic viewing experience for me; I came out of the theatre with my eyes almost swollen shut from crying. (The holding hands when they all thought they were going to die, you guys!) If I harken back to a movie that sent me off the edge as a kid, I'm going to go with The Secret of Nimh. I know it Ends happily, but that movie is Dark. 

Jorge:  Spirited Away and Howl's Moving Castle throws me into a deep pit of out-of-body melancholy.

Next month, Netflix has a wide variety of films — modern to classic, animated to live action, Oscar winners to romantic comedies — and we’ve picked seven that you should watch once they’re made available on the streaming service. Enjoy.

Read More: 7 Films New to Netflix to Watch In November 2016, Including ‘Boyhood’ and ‘The Jungle Book’

1. “National Lampoon’s Animal House” (available December 1)

John Landis’ 1978 classic college comedy follows the rowdy Delta Tau Chi fraternity’s battle to remain on campus after they provoked the ire of the conniving Dean of the college. Features John Belushi in his most anarchic performance, toga parties, and sing-a-longs to “Louie Louie” and “Shout!”

2. “Waking Life” (available December 1)

Richard Linklater’s 2001 film “Waking Life” examines a bevy of philosophical issues — the nature of dreams, the limitations of consciousness and the meaning of life — in a surreal, rotoscoped dreamscape that demands the viewer’s mind to take flight.

I'll never forget seeing the first trailer for The Bourne Identity. It was 2001 and, up until that point, Damon had acquitted himself quite nicely as a dramatic actor-writer in high-minded productions like Good Will Hunting, Saving Private Ryan, The Talented Mr. Ripley, and The Legend Of Bagger Vance. He and pal Ben Affleck crossed over into the A-list at the same time, thanks to their work as writers/actors in 1996's Good Will Hunting, but they seemingly split after that. Damon went serious, and Affleck went big. While Damon worked on the kinds of films mentioned above, Affleck ran around making bombastic blockbusters like Armageddon, Reindeer Games, and Pearl Harbor.

So the idea, as a follower of films, was that- of the two of them- Damon was more of the thoughtful artiste, while Affleck was more the celebrity movie star.

That's what made the debut trailer for The Bourne Identity so attention-grabbing.

Did you pay good money from your weekend job at Jamba Juice to see the universally-loathed 1999 adaptation of Wild Wild West, which one contemporary critic called “extremely stupid and incompetent” and another deemed a “colossal waste of talent”? If the answer is “yes,” then Will Smith is very, very sorry about that. In a roundup of the actor’s Tuesday talk at the Cannes Lions marketing conference (a.k.a. “the only truly global meeting-place for branded communications professionals to connect, share and discover,” whew!), THR reports that Smith “repeatedly brought up 1999's Wild Wild West as a personal low point,” and they aren’t kidding. Though the superstar has been involved in other notable stinkers such as The Legend of Bagger Vance and After Earth, he clearly holds a special place of unquenchable scorn in his heart for the millennial stinker, which saw him starring opposite such other slumming talents as Kevin Kline,...

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It was the spy thriller that revitalised the genre. But the production of 2002’s The Bourne Identity was far from an easy one...

Like so many budding filmmakers of his generation, Doug Liman got his start in movies by fiddling with his father's Super 8 camera. Then aged eight, Liman "Picked it up, started making movies with it, and never stopped."

By the time he'd reached his early 30s, Liman's ambitions had finally paid off. His films Swingers and Go, released in 1996 and 1999, were made cheaply and recouped healthy profits. Urgent and effervescently told, they were the product of a young, talented filmmaker on the rise. Liman's rising profile soon saw him land the kind of deal that a few dozen other hopefuls would have sold their souls for - Universal signed him up to make a film based on Robert Ludlum's spy thriller, The Bourne Identity.

Matt Damon, who was so good in carrying "The Martian," is being honored at the upcoming Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff). He will join previously announced honorees Cate Blanchett, Johnny Depp, Michael Fassbender, Brie Larson, Rooney Mara, Tom McCarthy, Saoirse Ronan and Alicia Vikander. Here's the full press release from Psiff:

Palm Springs, CA (December 15, 2015) . The 27th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will present Matt Damon with the Chairman.s Award at its annual Awards Gala. This year.s Awards Gala will be hosted by Mary Hart on Saturday, January 2 at the Palm Springs Convention Center. The Festival runs January 1-11.

.Since his breakthrough role in Good Will Hunting, Matt Damon has taken on a series of challenging roles through his career,. said Film Festival Chairman Harold Matzner. .In his latest film, The Martian, Damon dazzles yet again as Mark Watney, an astronaut desperately trying to survive on Mars,...