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Sony had been planning to give director Chris Weitz’s horror film They Listen a theatrical release on August 25th of 2023, but in May of last year they decided to delay the release an entire year, pushing They Listen to August 30, 2024. By the time that date rolled around, the movie had been given the new title Afraid (or AfrAId)… and neither the new title nor the new release date worked out for the movie at the box office, because it only ended up making $9 million at the global box office. Just two weeks after its theatrical release, Afraid has now been given a digital release and is available for rent on Amazon’s Prime Video for $9.99. It can also be purchased for the price of $14.99.

Afraid‘s physical media release will follow on November 5th, when it comes to Blu-ray and DVD with the following extras: – 5 Deleted & Extended Scenes including...

Hollywood is home to many experts on counter-programming but insiders behind the new film Reagan, which had its world premiere Tuesday at the town’s most iconic theater, insist that it was merely a coincidence that the event bumped up against the Democratic National Convention.

“It wasn’t intended but what the heck, that’s awesome,” offered filmmaker Sean McNamara with a smile, adding that despite missing the night’s program that featured onetime White House residents Barack and Michelle Obama, he would be watching clips once he got home. “I always watch it all day if I’m not working to try and get a sense of what everybody is saying, both Republicans and Democrats.”

McNamara, who pointed out that he’s a registered Democrat, said people are sometimes too quick to link politics to movies when sometimes those ties don’t tell the full story. “Look at the movie Lincoln,...

Exclusive: Veteran actor Bernard White has signed with Artists & Representatives and Craig Dorfman’s Frontline Management for representation.

With extensive work in film, television and the theater, White is known for his memorable performances in The Matrix films, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, American Dreamz and television series including Silicon Valley, Kidding, Big Sky and more.

His latest lead role in Amar Wala’s feature film Shook is set to premiere in the Discovery sidebar at the 2024 Toronto International Film Festival. White portrays Vijay, Ash’s (Saamer Usmani) father who wants to reconnect with his estranged son, and Nisha, Ash’s mother.

White has collaborated with directors, including Wim Wenders, Michel Gondry, Kimberly Peirce, Minkie Spiro, the Wachowskis, the Russo brothers, Chris and Paul Weitz, Ryan Fleck, and Anna Boden, in film. In theater, he has worked with Tony-winning directors Michael Greif, Bartlett Sher, and Rebecca Taichman. He is...

Sony had been planning to give director Chris Weitz’s horror film They Listen a theatrical release on August 25th of 2023, but in May of last year they decided to delay the release an entire year, pushing They Listen to August 30, 2024. With that date swiftly approaching, we knew the marketing for the film had to start any time now… and as it turns out, it has started today. They Listen has been retitled Afraid, and a trailer for the film can be seen in the embed above.

Afraid is coming to us from Sony, Blumhouse, and Depth of Field. Weitz is producing the film with Jason Blum and Andrew Miano. Bea Sequeira, Dan Balgoyen, Britta Rowings, and Paul Davis serve as executive producers. Filming took place in Los Angeles back in December of 2022.

Along the with release of the trailer comes, finally, some information on what this movie is actually about.

Alexander Skarsgard of Succession, The Legend of Tarzan, and The Northman is set to star in the ten-episode sci-fi series Murderbot, which has just been picked up by Apple TV+. Despite sharing a title with a recently released movie from Full Moon and director Jim Wynorski, this project is actually based on Martha Wells’ bestselling, Hugo and Nebula Award-winning book series The Murderbot Diaries.

The sibling duo of Chris and Paul Weitz (About a Boy) are writing, directing, and executive producing Murderbot under their Depth of Field banner. Andrew Miano is also executive producing for Depth of Field, while David S. Goyer executive produces alongside Keith Levine for Phantom Four. Wells is on board as consulting producer.

Coming our way from Paramount Television Studios, Murderbot is aiming to be action-packed. According to Deadline, the project first received a “blinking green light”, but the casting process was disrupted by the lengthy...

Actor Mike Batayeh passed away at the age of 56 at his home in Michigan on June 1. The cause of death has just been announced as “asphyxia hanging.”

His family originally announced that his cause of death was a “massive heart attack,” but this proved to be untrue. Steve Owens, Batayeh’s manager, also reaffirmed this statement.

His sisters spoke about their brother’s death, “He was a kind, sensitive, intelligent, and gifted soul. This is such a devastating loss of a huge life and Mike will be missed by us and so many people in all parts of the world.”

The police were called after he committed suicide, but it has not been released who called the police. They reported to his apartment on the third floor of his building based on a call for a “possible suicide.”

All that is known about the caller is that they are a male relative of Batayeh.

Actor and comedian Mike Batayeh, best known for his role in “Breaking Bad,” where he played laundromat manager Dennis Markowski, has died at the age of 52.

Batayeh’s sister shared the news via Facebook on June 4. “He will be greatly missed by those who loved him and his great ability to bring laughter and joy to so many,” the statement read. According to TMZ, the performer died of a heart attack while in his sleep on June 1. He passed in his Michigan home.

The comedian appeared in three episodes of the award-winning AMC drama as the manager of Gus Fring’s (Giancarlo Esposito) industrial laundromat. In the series, the laundromat was a cover for what was actually a super meth lab used by Walt (Bryan Cranston) and Jesse (Aaron Paul).

Also Read:

Bob Rice, Champion of Video Game Music and ‘Journey Escape’ Creator, Dies at 79

Batayeh started his acting career...

Updated: Mike Batayeh, actor and comedian known for his role in “Breaking Bad” as the manager of Gus’s notorious laundromat, has died. He was 52.

Batayeh died on June 1 of a heart attack while asleep in his Michigan home, his family initially said in a statement.

However, the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed to the New York Post on June 13 that he had died by suicide.

“It is with great sadness and heavy hearts that my sisters and I announce the passing of our dear brother,” his family said. “He will be greatly missed by those who loved him and his great ability to bring laughter and joy to so many.”

Batayeh starred in three episodes of AMC’s “Breaking Bad” as Dennis Markowski, manager of Lavanderia Brillante laundromat, which doubled as a meth lab for Walter White and Jesse Pinkman.

Throughout his acting career, Batayeh made appearances...

Sony had been planning to give director Chris Weitz’s horror film They Listen a theatrical release on August 25th of this year, which is why we have it listed on our Summer Horror Movie Preview… but we’re going to have to remove it from that list, because Sony has (according to Yahoo) decided to delay the release an entire year. They Listen is now set to reach theatres on August 30, 2024.

They Listen is coming to us from Sony, Blumhouse, and Depth of Field. Weitz is producing the film with Jason Blum and Andrew Miano. Bea Sequeira, Dan Balgoyen, Britta Rowings, and Paul Davis serve as executive producers. Filming was already underway in Los Angeles back in December, so this movie is going to be complete and sitting on a shelf a while before its new release date rolls around next year.

All details about They Listen are being kept under wraps.

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves star Hugh Grant reveals the one movie he’d like to erase from his filmography. A romantic-comedy superstar thanks to hit films like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually, Grant is currently making the promotional rounds behind his new film Dungeons & Dragons, the sword-and-sorcery epic based on the famed tabletop role-playing game. In D&d: Honor Among Thieves, Grant plays Forge Fitzwilliam, a former roguish con artist who has become a lord and acquired great wealth.

It remains to be seen whether Forge Fitzwilliam goes down in history as one of Grant’s best roles, but so far the actor has no reason to be ashamed of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, unlike one movie from his past that the actor has revealed he would like to erase from his IMDb profile.

Joining D&d co-star Chris Pine in a...

Riki Lindhome, who was recently seen playing Dr. Valerie Kinbott in the Addams Family series Wednesday on the Netflix streaming service, has signed on to join Katherine Waterston (Alien: Covenant), John Cho (Searching), and Lukita Maxwell (Shrinking) in director Chris Weitz’s horror film They Listen. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news, but wasn’t able to dig up any information on the character Lindhome will be playing… which is to be expected, because all They Listen plot and character details are being kept entirely under wraps.

They Listen is coming to us from Sony, Blumhouse, and Depth of Field. Weitz is producing the film with Jason Blum and Andrew Miano. Bea Sequeira, Dan Balgoyen, Britta Rowings, and Paul Davis serve as executive producers. Filming was already underway in Los Angeles back in December.

In addition to Wednesday, Lindhome’s credits include Million Dollar Baby, The Last House on the Left,...

Lukita Maxwell, who may be best known for playing Alice in 10 episodes of the Apple TV+ series Shrinking, Delilah in 16 episodes of the HBO Max series Generation, or Jillian in 4 episodes of the ABC series Speechless, has signed on to star in director Chris Weitz’s horror film They Listen. Maxwell joins previously announced cast members Katherine Waterston (Alien: Covenant) and John Cho (Searching). Deadline hears that Maxwell will have “a top-billed role” in the film.

They Listen is coming to us from Sony, Blumhouse, and Depth of Field. Weitz is producing the film with Jason Blum and Andrew Miano. Bea Sequeira, Dan Balgoyen, Britta Rowings, and Paul Davis serve as executive producers.

Filming was already underway in Los Angeles back in December, but plot details are still being kept entirely under wraps. So we have to gauge our interest in this one based only on the title and the...

40 years ago, Hugh Grant made his film debut in 1982’s “Privileged,” a little-seen effort about undergraduates at Oxford (where Grant studied English lit), which was funded by the Oxford University Film Foundation. In its July 14, 1982, review, Variety said the film — which also marked the bows of producer Andy Paterson, director Michael Hoffman, actors Imogen Stubbs and James Wilby and composer Rachel Portman — would have “limited interest” for most audiences but that the actor, billed as Hughie Grant, gives a convincing performance as an “aristocratic dropout.”

For the next five years, Grant did sketch comedy, played the classics onstage and worked in TV; his first mention in Variety was for the 1985 miniseries “Jenny’s War,” playing the Raf pilot son of Dyan Cannon.

He boosted his profile with the 1987 Merchant-Ivory film “Maurice,” adapted from E.M. Forster. The film also featuring his “Privileged” costar Wilby and the two shared the best-actor prize at the Venice Film Festival.

After roiling a Polish village as an impostor priest in Oscar-nominated “Corpus Christi,” star Bartosz Bielenia tries to rattle the entire nation in “Prime Time.” His character here is another malcontent, this one armed and ready to take over a TV studio on New Year’s Eve with a special message for the world. But he’s a bit too literally a rebel without a cause: We never discover just what this protagonist’s protesting gripe is. That lack makes director Jakub Piatek and co-writer Lukasz Czapski’s first feature a familiar hostage drama whose anticipated narrative raison d’etre is strangely Mia. The slick, watchable but ultimately somewhat pointless results, which premiered at Sundance six months ago, launch worldwide on Netflix June 30.

It’s New Year’s Eve 1999 at a Krakow network affiliate, and despite the Y2K fears glimpsed on other stations’ broadcasts, just another night’s labor for the staff here.

There was a time when Hugh Grant dominated the rom-com genre, with a string of hits from Four Weddings and a Funeral, to Notting Hill. Critics are traditionally not very warm towards rom-coms in general, and Grant was often dismissed as a pretty-boy actor who essentially played himself in every romantic movie. But Grant has always viewed himself first and foremost as a character actor, who just happened to be best known as a romantic lead. In an interview with the L.A. Times, the actor explained how he always took every role equally seriously.

"I did try. Whatever it might be, Four Weddings and a Funeral or Two Weeks Notice, my process was always the same as it is now. I do a ridiculous amount of homework and granular analysis of every moment in the film. I build up these vast biographies of the character. Hiding behind the mask...

Gritty reboots are all the rage in Hollywood, from CW's tortured take on the world of Archie Andrews in Riverdale, to the Power Rangers movie being more about depressed outcasts rather than "teens with attitude". Now, actor Hugh Grant wants to be part of the trend, as he recently revealed during a Q&a with HBO that he wants to make a Notting Hill sequel that shows his character getting divorced from Julia Roberts.

"I would like to do a sequel to one of my own romantic comedies that shows what happened after those films ended. To really prove the terrible lie they all were, that it was a happy ending. I'd like to do me and Julia and the hideous divorce that's ensued. With really expensive lawyers, children involved in tug of love, floods of tears. Psychologically scarred forever. I'd love to do that film."

A generation of women...

Exclusive Composer Stephen Trask, co-creator/composer/lyricist of the award-winning stage musical Hedwig and The Angry Inch, has signed with ICM Partners.

Trask, who is currently working on a musical adaptation of Martin Scorsese’s The King of Comedy, made his breakthrough with Hedwig, staged both Off Broadway and on Broadway. The Obie-winning musical, co-created with John Cameron Mitchell, went on to win four Tony Awards and Grammy nominations.

The musical was developed into a 2001 feature for Killer Films and New Line Cinema.

In addition to his work in theater, Trask has composed for film and television, with credits including Tamara Jenkins’ The Savages, The Station Agent, In Good Company, American Dreamz, Little Fockers, among others.

His latest stage musical This Ain’t No Disco, premiered Off Broadway at the Atlantic Theater in 2018. Trask has also recorded and performed with artists such as Stone Temple Pilots, Bob Mould, Sleater-Kinney and Yoko Ono.

The summer of 2015 could have been the summer of Judy Greer, with the long-time character actress snagging roles in massive tentpole features like “Jurassic World,” “Ant-Man,” the “Entourage” movie and “Tomorrowland,” but what stood out most about Greer’s turns in those blockbusters was just how little they did to capitalize on her talent or charms. In three of those films, Greer was cast as a mostly ancillary mother character, while “Entourage” didn’t even bother to give her role a name (she was just “Casting Director”).

Instead of offering the actress, a two-decade veteran of the industry who has worked in both film and television, a chance to make a well-earned splash on a giant scale, she was mostly pushed to the background. That was nothing new for Greer, but even as she’s struggled from a phenomenon described by Scott Meslow of The Week (which asked, “How did...

Maybe everyone just stayed home and watched the baseball playoffs this weekend. Or maybe moviegoers blew all their ticket money buying advance tickets for "Star Wars: The Force Awakens."

Or maybe there was just nothing playing at the multiplex that anyone wanted to see.

That last one would be the obvious takeaway from this weekend's weak box office -- so weak that, even with four new wide releases and one much-anticipated expansion into wide release -- nothing could top the three-week-old "The Martian" and the week-old "Goosebumps." Both were neck-and-neck with nearly $16 million each, but "The Martian" returned to the top spot in its fourth week of release.

Overall, the box office was down 14 percent from last weekend's lackluster showing, and down 30 percent from the seasonal peak three weeks ago, when "The Martian" first topped the chart.

"The Last Witch Hunter" underperformed with a disappointing fourth-place debut ($10.8 million), and...

Teen movies have gotten a lot of mileage out of the “24 hours that changed everything” storyline, but it’s a great device for films about older characters as well, whether it’s Ingmar Bergman’s “Wild Strawberries” or Woody Allen’s homage “Deconstructing Harry.” Writer-director Paul Weitz, after a string of duds that includes “Admission” and “American Dreamz,” officially gets his groove back by teaming up with Lily Tomlin on “Grandma,” which allows the actress a rare opportunity to paint with all the colors in her seasoned palette. As Tomlin’s Elle spends a day driving around Los Angeles and catching up with friends.

Lily Tomlin in “Grandma”

Grandma

Written by Paul Weitz

Directed by Paul Weitz

USA, 2015

Director Paul Weitz (About A Boy, American Dreamz) has tailor-made Grandma to showcase the strength of comedy legend Lily Tomlin. As poet Elle Reid, her wry personality has an overpowering screen presence that is entertaining, but comes at the expense a talented supporting cast that is made to funnel all attention back to her. The fact that Tomlin came out of the closet late in life adds depth to her portrayal of a woman who absolutely owns her success and sexuality. Elle’s teenage granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner of Electrick Children) comes to Elle in desperate need of terminating an unwanted pregnancy and so ensues a quirky, caustic road trip to procure enough money to get it done.

Elle verbally bulldozes old friends, family, and lovers for the money. Proudly uncouth, she barely flinches while she...

Some people toe the line between drama and comedy. Paul Weitz plays hopscotch over it. He's the writer/director of such dark comedies as "About A Boy" and "American Dreamz," as well as a producer on the not-so-dark "American Pie" franchise. This year at Sundance he returns to sardonic form with "Grandma," a wry look at a difficult day in the life of a difficult family. Starring comedy masters Lily Tomlin and Judy Greer, "Grandma" is sure to hit that laugh-at-the-pain sweet spot. What's your film about, in 140 characters or less?Lily Tomlin breaks up with her girlfriend (Judy Greer) and then goes on a one day long road trip with her granddaughter (Julia Garner) who is trying to get enough money to pay for an abortion she has scheduled at the end of the day. Now, what's it Really about?Overcoming loss. Tell us briefly about yourself.Work-wise, I started out as a playwrite,...

Mandy Moore is scrubbing in as what Fox is calling a "recurring guest star" on the freshman hospital dramedy "Red Band Society." The network announced this morning that Moore will play Dr. Erin Grace, chief of staff at Ocean Park Hospital, home to the pediatric wing caring for the show's main characters. Grace is also the ex-fiancee to Dave Annable's Dr. McAndrews, which may cause seconds of confusion for people who think that with dark hair, Mandy Moore has at least a superficial resemblance -- it's in the cheekbones, I think -- to Annable's real-life wife Odette Annable. "Red Band Society" premieres on Wednesday, September 17 at 9 p.m. on Fox.  You can check out my Take Me To The Pilots entry for a show that I think has a fair amount of potential. I also talked to co-stars Wilson Cruz and Rebecca Rittenhouse earlier this week and I'll be...

The new episode of The Capones sees Uncle Lou trying to revive his singing career, which culminates in a public performance at the Green Mill Lounge, an Uptown Chicago bar that was frequented by Al Capone. While Uncle Lou is no stranger to dangerous professions, we started to think of movies that revealed the pitfalls of a professional music career. We should warn, however, that you just might learn something from our list of cautionary tale movies about singers.

Family, Food, and... Singing?

Returning with new episodes in March

Next Showing:

Link | Posted 2/11/2014 by Ryan

The Capones | This Is Spinal Tap | 8 Mile | The Joker Is Wild | American Dreamz | Crazy Heart | The Bodyguard | The Blues Brothers...

There was once a lovelorn boy named Sam in a little film called Love Actually who told his grieving father, “Let’s go get the sh– kicked out of us by love.”

Judging by this trailer for the sequel, it looks like they certainly did.

Fine — it’s a parody. The video, a masterful compilation of some of the ensemble’s post-Love Actually work, weaves a storyline that sees Alan Rickman and Emma Thompson at a certain school for witchcraft and wizardry, a profanity-loving Colin Firth, and an Andrew Lincoln battling the zombie apocalypse (which the actor himself outlines...

As the only brand-new movie in nationwide release, sci-fi adventure Oblivion easily took first place with an estimated $38.2 million. Unfortunately, overall box office was down around 19 percent from the same frame last year, and it now appears that April 2013 will wind up about even with April 2012.Oblivion's $38.2 million start ($5.5 million in IMAX) is the highest non-sequel debut for star Tom Cruise since 2005's War of the Worlds, and it's his fifth-best ever behind that movie and the first three Mission: Impossible outings. It was a bit higher than 2002's Minority Report ($35.7 million), though with ticket price inflation it likely had noticeably lower attendance. Oblivion's solid (but not spectacular) opening can be attributed at least in part to smart scheduling. Bracing for the Summer box office season, studios typically avoid releasing big-budget fare during the month of April; Universal Pictures, however, successfully stretched the calendar in April 2009 and 2011 with Fast and Furious...

Paul Weitz is a director I have come to dread.  About a Boy was a long time ago, and in the interim he has done some truly abysmal films such as Cirque du Freak, American Dreamz, and Being Flynn (I didn't even bother with Little Fockers).  But after a 12-year-drought, Weitz has delivered a film that's almost as funny and sweet as About a Boy.  His new movie, Admission, is a playful, nice little story where leads Tina Fey and Paul Rudd have the room to exercise their comic and dramatic abilities, and do so with a charming screenplay from Karen Croner.  Even though it heads towards safe places, Admission never feels gratingly familiar. Portia Nathan (Fey) is an admissions officer at Princeton.  She's settled into a personal and professional malaise where she tolerates her occupation and lack of affection from her long-term boyfriend (Michael Sheen).  On a visit to the progressive Quest School,...

As Barack Obama is sworn in to his second term as President of the United States of America we decided to take the opportunity too look back on some of the country's previous presidents. Great men who are often overlooked simply because of the small technicality that they never actually existed. We are talking about the presidents of the silver screen.

Above we have complied some of the speeches of our favorite movie presidents into one epic, rousing stem-winder. Check it out and let us know which of cinema’s fictional presidents you would most trust to sit in the real White House in the comments below…

Full List of Movies:

Deep Impact

Head of State

Scary Movie 4

Mars Attacks

Seven Days In May

Gabriel Over The White House

American Dreamz

Deterrence

Escape From La

Armageddon

Dave

The American President

Spy Kids 3D: Game Over

Canadian Bacon

Idiocracy

Independence Day...

Hmm, how shall I describe my reaction when I read the news that Cher and the Logo network are teaming up on a TV show about '60s Hollywood? Hmmmm. How about: I fell through the floor and into the sky. This is news from a better dimension, people. A richer, greater universe where our queen is a half-breed gypsy tramp who's just like Jesse James and named, uh, Cher. I'm torqued for this show. 

More tantalizing yet is we're not sure whether Cher will star in the show or bring any of her personal story to the plot. Luckily, this gives us an opportunity to propose ideas for the program and help egg along the creative process. Here are my five ideas for Cher/Logo collaboration about Hollywood in the swingin' '60s. 

1. Backup 

 

Cher famously sang backup for The Ronettes and The Righteous Brothers, and I think it'd...

In a perfect video to watch on Election Day — or really any day for that matter — video mixologists Wreck & Salvage have put together an astounding compendium of clips of U.S. presidents from sci-fi flicks, comedies, drama, action movies and more. If you have trouble matching each Potus with each movie, below is a handy guide provided by W&S of the 51 films they’ve cribbed from.

The clips, of course, aren’t strung together willy-nilly. There’s a definite arc, flow and rhythm that provide a quasi narrative. Most movie presidents are there to deliver the “oh shit” news to the country — aliens are going to kill us all, an asteroid is going to kill us all, the economy’s in the toilet, all plant life is dying, etc. You know the “oh shit” news is coming when you hear the clichéd refrain, “Good evening, my fellow Americans.” (Actually,...

Despite the departure of star Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass, the Bourne franchise still ruled the box office this weekend.

The Bourne Legacy, Universal’s $125 million sequel/reboot, which stars Jeremy Renner as a new (but similarly brainwashed) secret agent, topped the chart with an estimated $40.3 million from 3,745 locations

The action film debuted higher than franchise launchpad The Bourne Identity, which grossed $27.1 million in its 2002 opening weekend, but it will need solid word of mouth (which may not be merited by its lukewarm “B” CinemaScore grade) to match that film’s $121.7 million finish. Legacy was unable to reach the heights of its two predecessors,...

After recent successes, Bobcat Goldthwait disappoints with this weak reality-tv satire

Robert "Bobcat" Goldthwait scored real successes as a director with two recent movies, Sleeping Dogs Lie (2006) and World's Greatest Dad (2009) – each a subversive yet subtle black comedy of manners. But his latest is a disappointingly broad and obvious satire, a casual drive-by, spraying bullets at the most obvious of targets. The title itself hits a deafening irony klaxon. The star is Joel Murray, brother of Bill; he plays Frank, a divorced loser living in a scuzzy apartment. All around him idiots are listening to reactionary shock-jocks and watching stupid television shows. He is infuriated at the national dumbing-down – or is he just rationalising his own depression? On one terrible night, Frank has an epiphany and winds up befriending an alienated teen called Roxy (Tara Lynne Barr) for some violent adventures together. The big beef is with reality TV, which...

Universal Studios Home Entertainment is releasing the sequel American Reunion on Blu-ray and DVD July 10, reuniting viewers with their favorite cast members from the 1999 hit American Pie. To help get you in the spirit of your own impending reunion, we're giving away Blu-ray copies of this hilarious and heartfelt comedy that spans the generations. Hopefully you'll forget to enter, because this is one hi-def disc I wouldn't mind keeping for myself!

Winners Receive:

American Reunion Blu-ray

Here's How To Win!

Just "Like" (fan) the MovieWeb Facebook page (below) and then leave a comment below telling us why these prizes must be yours!

If you already "Like" MovieWeb, just leave a comment below telling us why these prizes must be yours!

It was summer 1999 when four small-town Michigan boys began a quest to lose their virginity. In the years that have passed, Jim (Mad Love, L!fe Happens) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan,...

The entire cast of American Pie returns to East Great Falls for their high-school reunion in the outrageous comedy American Reunion, available on Blu-ray Combo Pack, DVD, and On Demand, with a never-before-seen unrated version, on July 10, 2012 from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. In one long-overdue weekend, old friends will reconnect, old flames re-ignite and everyone will rediscover just how much fun you can pack into one hilarious weekend.

It was summer 1999 when four small-town Michigan boys began a quest to lose their virginity. In the years that have passed, Jim (Mad Love, L!fe Happens) and Michelle (Alyson Hannigan, How I Met Your Mother) got married while Stifler (Seann William Scott, Role Models) still refuses to grow up. Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas, Please Give) and Vicky (Tara Reid, Scrubs) said goodbye while Oz (Chris Klein, American Dreamz) and Heather (Mena Suvari, American Horror Story) grew apart. Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas,...

I guess it was inevitable. The only thing that apparently made the American Pie guys “interesting” was that the movie surrounding them was full of adolescent sexual terror masquerading as “comedy.” Thirteen years later -- because, you know, everyone has a thirteenth high-school reunion -- they remain as fixedly bland as ever, and so their latest (and let us hope final) cinematic outing can hope to be in the least bit “appealing” only by trotting out the same tedious sitcom blend of crude vulgarity and sappy sentiment. Has there even been a more lifeless teenaged protagonist than Jason Biggs’ (Eight Below) Jim Levenstein? I mean, other than his pals, played by the doughiest white-bread cast ever: Chris Klein (American Dreamz), Thomas Ian Nicholas (The Rules of Attraction), and Eddie Kaye Thomas (A Very Harold and Kumar 3D Christmas)? (There’s an excellent reason none of these guys ever went on...

With its affable cast and broadly-appealing battle-of-the-sexes premise, Think Like a Man easily took the top spot at the box office this weekend ahead of The Lucky One and four-time champ The Hunger Games. In fourth place, Chimpanzee exceeded expectations and set a few minor records. Overall, the Top 12 earned an estimated $123.3 million this weekend, which is a very slight improvement over the same frame last year.Think Like a Man opened to an estimated $33 million from just 2,015 theaters. The movie's $16,377 per-theater average is third-highest for a nationwide release so far this year behind The Hunger Games ($36,871) and The Lorax ($18,830) and significantly above huge hits like The Vow, Safe House and 21 Jump Street. Its opening was also better than nearly all comparable titles, including all Tyler Perry movies except Madea Goes to Jail ($41 million). Finally, it topped 2009's Obsessed ($28.6 million) to become Screen Gems' highest opener ever targeting African-American audiences (overall,...

In the latest movie from About A Boy director Paul Weitz, actor Paul Dano plays Nick Flynn, a young writer who starts working at a homeless shelter. Nick is forced to face himself and his background when his estranged father Jonathan, (Robert De Niro) a downward spiraling writer, comes to stay at the shelter. Being Flynn is based on Nick Flynn’s memoir “Another Bullsh*t Night in Suck City.”

I spoke with director Paul Weitz in a roundtable interview to discuss what it was like to adapt this true story with the real man’s support, the chemistry of De Niro and Dano, and more.

Being Flynn opens in Chicago on March 9, 2012.

How did the Q&A go last night?

Pretty good. Quite kind.

‘Quite kind’? Is that your normal priority with Q&A’s?

Oh God, yeah. It’s funny because first they sort of bring up the...

To be quite honest, I've never been a big fan of Paul Weitz.  Along with his brother Chris, the Weitz are two of the nicest and most engaging filmmakers you'll meet in the business, but their work often has been wildly inconsistent. After breaking through on "American Pie," Paul co-directed the underrated Chris Rock comedy "Down to Earth" with his brother and then both helmed the overrated "About a Boy" a year later. The solid "In Good Company" followed, but then it sort of all went wrong for Paul.  His political satire "American Dreamz" just didn't work on any level and...

There's something fascinating about Paul Dano. Perhaps it's the fact that there aren't many people who walk around thinking, I've got that guy figured out. I'm always skeptical of actors who just love doing press, and Paul Dano is definitely not one of those actors. Not to say that he goes out of his way to be mysterious or secretive -- he just kind of is. And that makes him interesting. Still, I have to wonder whether his reluctance to open up has harmed his career. After all, given the financial success of "Little Miss Sunshine" and "There Will Be Blood," you'd think he'd be a household name by now. But no. Now Dano stars as Nick Flynn in "Being Flynn" -- a film based on the popular memoir "Another Bullshit Night in Suck City," about a drug abuser, Nick, and his relationship with his homeless father, Jonathan (Robert De Niro...

Deconstructing the career of director Paul Weitz can be difficult, as he's never moved in a singular direction, going from comedies ("American Pie," "Little Fockers") to satire ("American Dreamz") to dramedy ("In Good Company," "About A Boy") to fantasy ("Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assisant"). His latest is the drama "Being Flynn," an adaptation of the celebrated memoir "Another Bullshit Night In Suck City" by Nick Flynn, that centers on a young man (Paul Dano) who works at various homeless shelters in Boston, and spots his estranged father (Robert De Niro) seeking a bed one night, leading him to face his past.

The Playlist recently sat down with Weitz to talk about the film, and we discussed the title change that left the director with a "splinter in my soul," the parallels between Robert De Niro's character and Travis Bickle from "Taxi Driver" and more. In case you missed it,...

Predictable has never been an adjective you could use to describe Paul Weitz. After cutting his teeth on the sex comedy "American Pie," the helmer explored different genre paths, tackling dramedy ("About A Boy," "In Good Company"), satire ("American Dreamz") and fantasy ("Cirque Du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant"). And this spring, he'll deliver what is arguably his most dramatic film yet in "Being Flynn," starring Paul Dano and Robert De Niro. We recently got a chance to chat with Weitz, and as usual, the projects on his upcoming slate are as diverse as they come. About a year ago, word emerged that Weitz was lined up to direct "Admission," based on the book by Jean Hanff Korelitz. Tina Fey was said to be eyeing the lead role of Portia Nathan, a Princeton admissions officer whose (non-sexual/romantic) relationship with a 17-year-old prospect causes discord with her live-in partner Mark, an English.

The first trailer for Robert De Niro's new movie, Being Flynn, is now online. It's based on poet and playwright Nick Flynn's 2004 memoir Another Bullshit Night in Suck City, in which he chronicles his unexpected reunion with his estranged alcoholic father at a homeless shelter in Boston.

Being Flynn marks a return to more dramatic material for writer-director Paul Weitz, who earned an Academy Award nomination for his 2002 dramedy adaptation About a Boy, but then subsequently strayed into parody (American Dreamz), fantasy (Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant), and comedy (Little Fockers, also with De Niro). The movie does not yet have a release date, but it is aimed at a Spring 2012 opening.

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Link | Posted 11/15/2011 by BrentJS

Julianne Moore | Paul Dano | Paul Weitz | Robert De Niro | Olivia Thirlby | Being Flynn...

Paul Weitz started his directorial career off well with films like American Pie and About a Boy, but thereafter experienced diminishing critical/financial returns from titles such as In Good Company, American Dreamz, and Cirque du Freak: The Vampire’s Assistant… that is, until he hit a new box office high (but critical low) with Little Fockers in 2010.

Now P. Weitz is trying his hand at writing and directing another literary adaptation: Being Flynn, a cinematic treatment of Nick Flynn’s 2004 memoir, “Another Bulls**t Night in Suck City”. The project was (at one point) going under the truncated title Another Night.

Being Flynn stars Paul Dano (Little Miss Sunshine, There Will Be Blood) as Nick, an aspiring writer who has long been troubled by the memory of his absent father, Jonathan (Robert De Niro). Sheer coincidence rears its ...

Click to continue reading ‘Being Flynn’ Trailer: Robert De Niro Is...

[1] After a promising start that included sweet, gentle About a Boy, Paul Weitz's career hasn't been doing so well these past few years. His more recent work include American Dreamz, Cirque du Freak, and Little Fockers, none of which are exactly creative smashes. But if the moving trailer for his next project, Being Flynn, is any indication, Weitz could be on his way up again. Based on Nick Flynn's acclaimed memoir Another Bullshit Night in Suck City, Being Flynn centers around the relationship between a young writer (Paul Dano) and his absentee father (De Niro). The two cross paths one night at a homeless shelter, where the son works and the dad is seeking a room. Watch the trailer after the jump. [via The Playlist [2]] It's here that I'll admit my opinion of the trailer is probably colored by the very effective use of both "Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes and...

The first trailer for the drama Being Flynn has gone online. The film is an adaptation of Nick Flynn’s acclaimed memoir Another Bullshit Night in Suck City, written and directed by Paul Weitz. Paul Dano stars as a writer who takes a job at a homeless shelter, only to run across his long-absent father (Robert De Niro) who is seeking a bed. The story is neat, and the trailer plays pretty well. Dano and De Niro are both capable of great performances, but I can’t tell if Being Flynn will play as an insightful drama, or a heavy-handed soap opera. Weitz was responsible for About a Boy which gives me hope, but his last three films (American Dreamz, Cirque du Freak, and Little Fockers) give me pause. I’m hoping for the best though, as the trailer reminds me a bit of Wonder Boys which is definitely not a bad thing.

Single-camera comedy will be called 'Us and Them.'

By Gil Kaufman

Mandy Moore

Photo: Getty Images

Mandy Moore has long bounced between TV, movies and music, and now the "Princess Diaries" co-star is trying her hand at a sitcom. Moore, who has guested on "Scrubs," "Grey's Anatomy" and "American Dreamz" in the past, will star in the new single-camera sitcom "Us and Them," according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The family comedy is described as the story of the "inherent conflict that exists between the families you grow up in and the ones we make as adults," told through the perspective of Moore's newlywed character Anne and her husband, Ben. Among the producers on the show are Jon Leshay, who was a music supervisor on a number of Moore movies, including "Saved!," "How to Deal" and "A Walk to Remember."

"Night at the Museum" director Shawn Levy will direct and executive-produce the show.

Hugh Grant Up in David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas?

What do actors Halle Berry, Tom Hanks, Susan Sarandon, and, just announced, actor Hugh Grant all have in common? The film adaptation of Cloud Atlas is the answer! Boomtron has reported on this, the newest project by the Wachowski Brothers a few times now and it definitely sounds like a head trip each time. The unique fantasy story seems to span several vastly different locations and time periods as a string of events links together in a remarkable chain. One such vignette occurs in a post-apocalyptic future. Some of the characters are a notary who discovers a diary, a young musician, a journalist, a genetic clone and a primitive tribesman.

No word yet on whom he will portray. A few of Grant’s latest films include American Dreamz, Music and Lyrics and Did You Hear About the Morgans.

Wachowski Brothers (Larry...

She's best known for her teen popstar days and sweet films such as "American Dreamz," "A Walk To Remember," and "The Princess Diaries." She's even voiced a Disney Princess, Rapunsel in "Tangled."

Now, Mandy Moore is growing up on the big screen -- by getting super raunchy.

The 27-year old singer/actress stars in the upcoming comedy, "Swinging With The Finkels," as one half of a sexually stagnant couple looking for answers to their relationship drag. Her solution? She proposes to husband Martin Freeman (of UK "The Office" and "The Hobbit fame) that the two become swingers -- or, a couple that has sex with another.

In this trailer for the flick -- which has already come out in the UK -- Moore shows her new side with an especially embarrassing vibrator scene that involves Jerry Stiller. Not that any vibrator scene with Jerry Stiller wouldn't be embarrassing, but this one is especially cringe-inducing.

An Aardman Production For Sony Pictures Animation Martin Freeman, David Tennant, Imelda Staunton, Jeremy Piven, Salma Hayek, Brian Blessed, Brendan Gleeson, Russell Tovey, and Ashley Jensen Also On Board

Culver City, Calif. – Hugh Grant will voice the lead role alongside an all-star cast in The Pirates! Band Of Misfits, the new stop-motion, 3D, animated film produced by Aardman Animations for Sony Pictures Animation. The film, which will be distributed by Columbia Pictures, will be released March 30, 2012 in North America.

Hugh Grant, starring in his first animated role, is the luxuriantly bearded Pirate Captain – a boundlessly enthusiastic, if somewhat less-than-successful, terror of the High Seas. With a rag-tag crew at his side (Martin Freeman, Brendan Gleeson, Russell Tovey, and Ashley Jensen), and seemingly blind to the impossible odds stacked against him, the Captain has one dream: to beat his bitter rivals Black Bellamy (Jeremy Piven) and Cutlass Liz (Salma Hayek) to...

Is it time to reappraise our crushes in the wake of Hugh Grant's astonishing comeback? Plus, American Apparel's founder welcomes us into his home

Fancyings come in waves, like the smell of onions off a hot dog cart in high wind. A single event can propel a celebrity out of the urinal of our hearts, where they may have been lingering for a decade or more, and make you suddenly worry about all the hours you've wasted not fancying them, all the evenings spent not dwelling on their eyes, their paunch, spent not imagining the smell of their breath.

This week the fancying wave brought us Hugh Grant. It wasn't entirely out of the blue – there was the incident in 2007 when he was arrested for throwing a tub of cold baked beans at a pap. I liked that. And then when a St Andrews student posted pictures on Facebook...