News

On Aug. 23, 1985, the Warner Bros. teen comedy Better Off Dead, starring John Cusack, hit limited release. The film, written and directed by Savage Steve Holland, grossed $10 million domestically in theaters. The Hollywood Reporter’s original review is below:

As a title, Better Off Dead doesn’t give one much of a clue as to what the movie’s about. It does, however, reflect a likely audience reaction to this crude, cartoonish comedy. Not surprisingly, Warner Bros. has been doing a lot of research — sneaking Dead in places like Denver — to figure out what to do with this one, other than to stamp D.O.A. on its opening.

John Cusack stars as a myopic high schooler smitten with a perky blonde (Amanda Wyss) who leaves him for the school’s obnoxious ski team captain (Aaron Dozier). While plot structure may seem like just an other faded away August release, the...

Smokey And The Bandit Part 3 Screenshot: Universal Pictures The word “sequel” doesn’t have as many negative connotations today as it did 40 years ago. Back in the day, sequels were often extruded like tasteless gruel with barely a thought for advanced levels of storytelling or filmmaking. And the expectation that...

On a fairly regular basis, Joni Mitchell’s official Twitter feed posts vintage photos of the genre-defining singer-songwriter. A few weeks back, up popped one of the most surprising—a shot of a fairly glam Mitchell and her former manager and label head David Geffen happily partying at Studio 54 in the late Seventies. It was a just-for-fun tweet, but also a trenchant reminder that Mitchell has never been predictable. She’s long shunned the cliches of her profession, and that’s also true of the journey heard in The Early Years...

Looks like the Conner family can continue to make themselves at home at ABC, as the broadcast network has renewed its highly-rated “Roseanne” spinoff series, “The Conners,” for a second season.

The cast for Season 2 includes series regulars John Goodman as Dan Conner, Laurie Metcalf as Jackie Harris, Sara Gilbert as Darlene Conner, Lecy Goranson as Becky Conner-Healy and Ames McNamara as Mark Conner-Healy. Additional cast members will be announced at a later date.

Ending on Jan 22, the 11-episode first season of the “The Conners” ranks as the No. 1 new comedy of the 2018-19 season in both total viewers, with an average of 9.5 million, and the advertiser-coveted adults 18-49 demographic, scoring a 2.2 rating average, according to the “most current” data from Nielsen.

Also Read: 'The Conners': ABC Boss Says 'We Are Close' on Season 2 Renewal

The “Roseanne” spinoff follows the Conner family — sans Roseanne, as she was fired...

Here’s the no-brainer of the week: ABC has finalized a renewal of its “Roseanne” revival for a second go-round — which, the network notes, will actually be its 11th season. ABC Entertainment president Channing Dungey, who told IndieWire earlier in the week that such a move was likely forthcoming, announced the pickup on Friday.

“Roseanne” opened to huge numbers, which continue to grow. After just one day of Nielsen’s delayed viewing counted, Tuesday’s “Roseanne” premiere has now jumped to 21.9 million viewers, and its adults 18-49 rating is now at a 6.2. (It was a 5.2 rating after its live debut.) That number will continue to grow once Live+3 and Live+7 data come in.

ABC had already sealed deals with the show’s stars to return for another season — this time, for 13 episodes. And Roseanne Barr has previously expressed her desire to keep the show going in success.

Read More:‘Roseanne’ Upends the TV Industry,...

Riving old TV series has become big business in Hollywood and it seems like one of the most anticipated revivals coming is Roseanne. I was never really into this show when I was growing up, but I know a lot of people loved the sitcom, including my parents who watched it all the time. Those people are sure to enjoy this revival.

The full cast of the original series is coming back, including John Goodman, who originally died at the end of the series. But, as you'll see in the trailer, they play it off like he never really died. I guess if the comic books can get away with cheating death all the time, Roseanne can do it too.

Featuring the complete original cast, new series regulars and notable returning guest stars, the revival will explore life, death and everything in between through the relatable, hilarious and brutally honest lens of the Conner household.

Until David Yaffe’s Reckless Daughter: A Portrait of Joni Mitchell, Mitchell had never before cooperated with previous biographers. And based on the interviews she gave Yaffe for his book, the legendary singer-songwriter seems eager to finally spew. One-time lover James Taylor was “broody and moody … incapable of a relationship.” David Crosby, another ex, is called an “incompetent” producer of her first album. Bob Dylan’s original recordings for Blood on the Tracks were “butchered up” for its eventual release. Her first husband, Chuck Mitchell, was guilty of “academic stupidity.

Stars: Dan Monahan, Mark Herrier, Wyatt Knight, Roger Wilson, Cyril O’Reilly, Tony Ganios, Kaki Hunter, Kim Cattrall, Nancy Parsons, Boyd Gaines, Doug McGrath, Chuck Mitchell, Alex Karras | Written and Directed by Bob Clark

When we think of the rise of the teen sex comedy in the current movie generation the focus easily moves to American Pie and maybe even Superbad. The brashness and move against being controlled by the ratings system pushed the boundaries of what could be included on-screen. Looking back to the eighties though there was a movie that arguably created the blueprint from which these films would work from. That film was Bob Clark’s Porky’s.

Set in 1954 we see a group of high school kids from Florida, trying to find the best way to get their friend Pee-Wee (Dan Monahan) laid, and finally “lose his cherry”. With a few disastrous failures under their belt,...

We start the Top 7. You finish the Top 10.

This week’s “Question of the Week” on Jeff Bayer’s “Movie B.S.” podcast is inspired by Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days, a film about bullies and wimps clashing within the American educational infrastructure (I’m just assuming – Jeff reviewed it, I didn’t).

Read Jeff Bayer’s review of “Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days”

In honor of the wimps and their bullies, it’s time to think about the best clashes between the two in all of cinematic history. Below is a list that covers the moments of “Bully vs. Wimp,” but it doesn’t necessarily mean victory for the little guy. Sometimes, the wimp wins, but in others, the bully just keeps on harassin’, sassin’, and obviously, bullyin’.

Here are the Top 7 Bully vs. Wimp Moments …

7. Porky’s (1982)

Bully: Porky Wallace (Chuck Mitchell)

Wimp: Young...

Joni Mitchell has criticized Bob Dylan as a "fake" and a "plagiarist" - insisting the folk legend's entire act is a "deception". Mitchell slammed the star during an interview with the Los Angeles Times, after her decision to change her name from Roberta Joan Anderson was likened to Dylan's move to drop his birth name of Robert Zimmerman.

And the Canadian musician is adamant she is very different to the Blowin' "In the Wind" hitmaker. She tells the newspaper, "Bob is not authentic at all. He's a plagiarist, and his name and voice are fake. Everything about Bob is a deception. We are like night and day, he and I."

"As for my name, my parents wanted a boy, so they called me Robert John; when I came out a girl, they just added two letter 'A's to that. Then I married Chuck Mitchell; I wanted to keep my maiden...

Bob Dylan is fake, singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell strongly states. The "Blue" singer slammed the "Blowin' in the Wind" star, saying he's a "plagiarist" and "not authentic at all."

In an interview with the L.A. Times, Mitchell, 66, wasn't able to hold back words when Dylan's name was brought up. The interviewer pointed out that the songstress, born Roberta Joan Anderson, took the name Joni Mitchell, while Robert Allen Zimmerman took the name Bob Dylan.

"Bob is not authentic at all: He's a plagiarist, and his name and voice are fake. Everything about Bob is a deception. We are like night and day, he and I."

"As for my name, my parents wanted a boy, so they called me Robert John; when I came out a girl, they just added two letter A's to that. Then I married Chuck Mitchell; I wanted to keep my maiden name - I had a...