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The Holdovers is a comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Payne from a screenplay by David Hemingson. The period film is set in the early 1970s, and it revolves around Paul Hunham, a grouchy, disliked teacher at Barton Academy, who has to supervise the students who were unable to return to their homes for the Christmas holidays. He soon forms a bond with a rebellious and troubled student who recently lost his father. The Holdovers stars Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Carrie Preston. So, if you loved the feel-good comedy, sombre drama, and compelling characters in The Holdovers, here are some similar movies you could watch next.

Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Pluto TV & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Madman Films

Hunt for the Wilderpeople is an adventure comedy-drama film written and directed by Taika Waititi. Based...

Gifted children (or prodigy) movies are driven by an intriguing paradox: what if they don’t realize their full potential if not adequately challenged? But what if the pursuit of intense challenges inculcates within them a fear of failure which can adversely impact their childhood and beyond? In a world where individuals can be casually stigmatized for being ‘different’, extraordinary intellect can’t always be a gift. Movies like A Beautiful Mind (2001), Shine (1996), Good Will Hunting (1997), The Royal Tenenbaums (2001), The End of the Tour (2015), The Man Who Knew Infinity (2016) dealt with super-smart people burdened with mental or emotional problems. The films mentioned below grapple with such problems or quandary (of kids & teens), some with unflinching profundity and some hide its relevant messages beneath saccharine narrative layers.

Honorable Mention: Vitus (2006)

Fredi M. Murer’s light-hearted and leisurely paced Swiss drama tells the eponymous tale of a 12-year-old piano prodigy (Teo Gheorghiu...

On October 16, 2023, Disney celebrated 100 years of magic, from movies, television shows, theme parks, and an improbable corporate identity that has become beloved all on its own. Disney's most significant impact is the cinematic canon that defined the company, and as is to be expected from such an iconic company, it has gone through a lot of changes in its century-long history.

Disney has had eight distinct eras that shaped the company and altered the course of its vaunted animation. Each generation has had highs and lows some more than others but each has had its clear place in the Disney timeline. Despite facing various hardships, Disney has continued to delight fans of all ages with its timeless takes on classic fairy tales and original stories that resonate just as deeply. Every Disney fan has their favorite film and era, but some rank better than others in performance and quality.

Updated...

Twenty years after its release in theaters, the Sean Connery movie Finding Forrester is the next classic title to get a reboot. Deadline reports that NBC is working on a TV series adaptation of the 2000 movie, which starred Connery in one of his final acting roles. The project comes from The Chi co-executive producers Tj Brady and Rasheed Newson, director Tim Story, and NBA player Stephen Curry through his Unaimous Media banner alongside Sony Pictures Television.

Written by Mike Rich and directed by Gus Van Sant, Finding Forrester followed a black teenager named Jamal (Rob Brown) as he attends a private high school. Upon striking up a friendship with reclusive writer William Forrester (Connery), Jamal comes to discover his own passion for writing along with coming to terms with his identity. Along with Brown and Connery, the movie also starred Anna Paquin, F. Murray Abraham, Busta Rhymes, and Charles Bernstein.

Exclusive: NBC is developing Finding Forrester, a drama series based on the 2000 Gus Van Sant movie that starred the late Sean Connery. It hails from The Chi co-executive producers Tj Brady & Rasheed Newson, director Tim Story, NBA star Stephen Curry and his Unanimous Media as well as Sony Pictures Television.

In the film, a black teenager (Rob Brown), a gifted writer and basketball player, lands a scholarship to a prestigious private high school and befriends a reclusive Scottish writer (Connery).

The TV adaptation, written by Brady and Newson and to be directed by Story, is changing up the mentor character, played in the movie by Connery. The series examines the cost of success and the price of redemption through the unique bond between two gifted black writers: a homeless 16-year-old orphan who leverages his basketball skills to hustle his way into an ultra-competitive elite boarding school and a reclusive lesbian...

NBC is teeing up another reboot, developing a drama based on the 2000 movie Finding Forrester.

The Sony Pictures TV project comes from writers T.J. Brady and Rasheed Newson (The Chi). Tim Story (Ride Along, 2019’s Shaft) is attached to direct, and NBA star Stephen Curry is executive producing via his Unanimous Media. NBC has given a script commitment to the drama.

Finding Forrester, directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Mike Rich, starred Rob Brown as a high school basketball star and writing prodigy who finds a mentor in a reclusive writer, played by Sean Connery. NBC’s adaptation will ...

NBC is teeing up another reboot, developing a drama based on the 2000 movie Finding Forrester.

The Sony Pictures TV project comes from writers Tj Brady and Rasheed Newson (The Chi). Tim Story (Ride Along, 2019’s Shaft) is attached to direct, and NBA star Stephen Curry is executive producing via his Unanimous Media. NBC has given a script commitment to the drama.

Finding Forrester, directed by Gus Van Sant and written by Mike Rich, starred Rob Brown as a high school basketball star and writing prodigy who finds a mentor in a reclusive writer, played by Sean Connery. NBC’s adaptation will center ...

In today’s TV news roundup, Courteney Cox and Lisa Kudrow are among the celebrity contestants on “25 Words or Less.” Also, Ruby Rose, Sarah Snook and Dacre Montgomery will be honored at the Australian in Film Awards.

Castings

Fox TV announced Courteney Cox, Lisa Kudrow, Chelsea Handler, Jane Lynch and Rick Fox are among the celebrity contestants to appear on new game show “25 Words or Less.“ The half-hour game show is produced by Dino Bones Prods. and executive produced by Kudrow, Dan Bucatinsky, Mary McCormack, Michael Morris, Michael Canter (who also showruns) and Bruce Sterten. Two teams comprised of celebrities and civilians are pitted against each other as they compete to see who will win the top prize of $10,000. Hosted by Meredith Vieira, “25 Words or Less” will debut Sept. 16.

Renewals

Food Network has renewed “Delicious Miss Brown” for a 13-episode second season. Starring Kardea Brown, the daytime series, shot on-location in South Carolina,...

Cars 3 proved the franchise still has plenty of gas in the tank.

The filmed opened over the weekend with strong box office numbers and reviews. The Pixar magic is still definitely there with their newest addition.

Here’s the official synopsis:

Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning McQueen is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. To get back in the game, he will need the help of an eager young race technician with her own plan to win, inspiration from the late Fabulous Hudson Hornet, and a few unexpected turns. Proving that #95 isn’t through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing’s biggest stage!

The voice cast includes Owen Wilson, Cristela Alonzo, Chris Cooper, Nathan Fillion, Larry the Cable Guy and Armie Hammer.

Lrm sat down with the filmmakers director Brian Fee and Kevin Reher. They...

I know I’m in the critical minority when admitting my enjoyment of the Cars franchise, but I honestly do. It’s not even that I am a “car guy” either—I’ve never seen the appeal of them beyond their utility as a transportation vehicle. So my enjoyment of the first film was solely on the level of its message and humor. It dealt with the theme of ego and humility as Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) discovered you simply cannot get through life on an island alone. Cars 2 may not have put message in the foreground (Larry the Cable Guy‘s Mater taking center stage to teach kids about individuality, self-esteem, and courage), but it tried something different by projecting a pure entertainment genre (spy thriller) atop its existing world.

While the second didn’t possess the same lasting power as a result, it had merit if only because it was fun.

Chicago – The Cars movies continue to be the kiddieland of Pixar Animation franchises. Kids adore them, parents tolerate them. Unlike the best of Pixar’s output, the Cars films are lovingly crafted cartoons aimed squarely at kids with far more attention detail than the average fare you’d find scrolling through Netflix. The best that can be said is that “Cars 3” represents a considerable step up from “Cars 2”.

.. which remains the worst movie Pixar has ever produced by a wide margin.

Rating: 3.5/5.0

Returning to the narrative themes of the first Cars film, this one puts Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) back on the racetrack and dials Larry The Cable Guy’s Mater character down to a glorified cameo. This time Lightning McQueen is the esteemed veteran dealing with hotshot challengers. When a gigantic crash knocks him out for the season he must find a way to deal with the changed landscape,...

For the juggernaut that is Pixar, the one consistent mark on an otherwise essentially spotless record has been the Cars franchise. Give or take one or two other outings that some people are higher on than others, this franchise is the only thing keeping the company from essentially a perfect record. This week, Cars 3 hits theaters and hopes to right the ship as it becomes part of a trilogy. Cars has a mixed reputation, but Cars 2 is Pixar’s somewhat red headed stepchild. Can Cars 3 change the trend? Well, yes and no. It’s going to be the best in the series to some or most, but it’s still very much lesser Pixar overall. I suppose your mileage may vary here (no pun intended) with this one. This sequel looks at how racer Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) deals with no longer being the new kid on the block.

“It’s the comeback story of the year.” So says one announcer as the stakes go up in “Cars 3,” and while that may be hyperbole when applied to the movie itself, there’s no question that this latest edition in Pixar’s weakest franchise rescues it from mediocrity. Ironically, the first two “Cars” installments were shepherded along by Pixar guru John Lasseter, but traded the sophistication associated with the brand for hokey archetypes and surface-deep gags. Perhaps the setback came from the starting point: It was never a surefire bet that the travails of googly-eyed talking vehicles (in a world eerily devoid of other species) could muster much depth, but “Cars 3” finally gets there.

This time, Lasseter takes a backseat to new director Brian Fee (a storyboard artist on the first two films), who develops a richer scenario out of rusty parts — finding, along with screenwriters Kiel Murray,...

With just one week left until Cars 3 hits theaters nationwide, Disney Pixar has released a final trailer, set to The Eagles' classic 1975 song "Take It to the Limit." The trailer features more scenes with the iconic Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) reaching the end of his career, with newcomers like Jackson Storm (Armie Hammer) speeding past him at every turn, along with more footage of that big Lightning crash we've seen in earlier trailers. This final trailer also features new footage of Lightning's longtime friend Sally (Bonnie Hunt), who tells Lightning that he shouldn't be afraid of failure.

This new trailer from Disney also hints that Lightning will go back to his roots, with a visit to the old track run by the iconic Hudson Hornet (Paul Newman). We also see footage of a race where Lightning comes across the finish line far behind a crop of new racers, along...

Cars 3 looks like it could be a big improvement over its predecessor. Pixar is not the kind of studio that likes to repeat mistakes, especially since they very rarely make them in the first place. It might be difficult to call the Cars franchise a mistake altogether, but it certainly isn't the most popular among the Pixar faithful. But it looks like with Cars 3 they are taking a much more serious approach, as evidenced by this latest trailer, and it looks like it could pay off in more ways than one.

Pixar has released the brand new trailer for Cars 3, giving us our best, most well-rounded look at the upcoming third installment of the Cars franchise. This time around we get to hear a bit of Nathan Fillion's character, who is trying to convince Lighting McQueen that his racing days are over and that he should focus on merchandising.

There’s no such thing as a sure path to success in Hollywood, but the Academy Nicholl Fellowship in Screenwriting is as close as you’re going to get. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced the five 2013 finalists just over two weeks ago, and already the honorees are fielding calls from agents, managers and studios eager to work with them. At least one has already signed with an agent and a manager.

The program, now in its 28th year, allows aspiring screenwriters who have never earned more than $25,000 writing fiction for film or television to submit an...

Beverly Hills, CA - Seven writers have been selected as winners for the 26th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Each writer (or writing team) will receive a $30,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at a gala dinner in Beverly Hills on November 3.

The 2011 Nicholl Fellows are (listed alphabetically by author):

Chris Bessounian & Tianna Langham, Los Angeles, Calif., “Guns and Saris” Dion Cook, Altus, Okla., “Cutter” John MacInnes, Los Angeles, Calif., “Outside the Wire” Matthew Murphy, Culver City, Calif., “Unicorn” Abel Vang & Burlee Vang, Fresno, Calif., “The Tiger.s Child”

The winners were selected from a record 6,730 scripts submitted for this year’s competition. The competition is open to any individual who has not sold or optioned a screenplay or teleplay for more than $5,000, or received a fellowship or prize that includes a “first look” clause,...

Beverly Hills, CA - Seven individual writers and three writing teams have been selected as finalists for the 26th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Their scripts will now be read and judged by the Academy’s Nicholl Committee, which may award as many as five of the prestigious $30,000 fellowships.

This year’s finalists are (listed alphabetically by author):

Chris Bessounian & Tianna Langham, Los Angeles, Calif., “Guns and Saris” Dion Cook, Altus, Oklahoma, “Cutter” K.E. Greenberg, Los Angeles, Calif., “Blood Bound” Ehud Lavski, Tel Aviv, Israel, “Parasite” John MacInnes, Los Angeles, Calif., “Outside the Wire” Aaron Marshall, West Hollywood, Calif., “Fig Hunt: The Quest for Battle Armor Star Captain” Khurram Mozaffar, Lisle, Illinois, “A Man of Clay” Matthew Murphy, Culver City, Calif., “Unicorn” Abel Vang & Burlee Vang, Fresno, Calif., “The Tiger.s Child” Paul Vicknair & Chris Shafer,...

Beverly Hills, CA . The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition has received a record 6,730 entries for 2011, including a first-time entry from Ecuador. The Academy will award up to five fellowships of $30,000 each in November.

The Nicholl Fellowships competition is open to screenwriters who have not earned more than $5,000 writing for film or television. Entry scripts must be feature length and the original work of a sole author or of exactly two collaborative authors. The scripts must have been written originally in English. Adaptations and translated scripts are not eligible.

This year, entries have come from all 50 states in the U.S., as well as from Argentina, Australia, Austria, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Cameroon, China, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Ecuador, Egypt, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, India, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kenya, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand,...

The 26th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition is accepting entries until May 2. So get writing if you haven't earned more than $5,000 from the sale or option of a screen or teleplay, or haven't received another fellowship or prize of more than $5,000. Feature length original works, written in English and from up to two authors are eligible. Each year, the Nicholl Fellowship awards up to five $30,000 awards. Starting in 1985, 118 fellowships have been awarded. Among the past recipients are Oscar® nominee Susannah Grant (The Soloist, Erin Brockovich, Pocahontas), Doug Atchison (Akeelah and the Bee), Mike Rich (Secretariat, The Rookie, Finding Forrester), Ehren Kruger (Transformers: Dark of the Moon, The Ring, Arlington Road) and Andrew Marlowe (ABC's Castle, Hollow ...

Beverly Hills, CA . The deadline to submit entries for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 26th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting competition is Monday, May 2, 2011.

The Nicholl competition is open to any individual who has not earned more than $5,000 from the sale or option of a screenplay or teleplay, or received a fellowship or prize of more than $5,000 that includes a “first look” clause, an option or any other quid pro quo involving the writer’s work. To enter, writers must submit a completed online application, upload one Pdf copy of their original screenplay in English and pay the Us$45 entry fee before 11:59 p.m. Pt on May 2, 2011.

Entry scripts must be feature length and the original work of a sole author or of exactly two collaborative authors. The scripts must have been written originally in English. Adaptations and translated scripts are not eligible.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is accepting submissions for the Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, which awards up to five $30,000 fellowships to new screenwriters. Alum of the fellowship include Ehren Kruger ("The Ring," "Transformers"), Kurt Kuenne ("Dear Zachary"), Andrew Marlowe ("Air Force One"), Randall McCormick ("Speed 2"), Annmarie Morais ("How She Move"), Eric Nazarian ("Mongol"), Mike Rich ("Secretariat"), Rebecca Sonnenshine ("Happily Ever After"), Victoria ...

Chicago – There are few things more unsightly than a small-minded film that pats itself on the back for being enlightened. “Secretariat” is no more about a horse than “The Blind Side” was about a football player. Instead, both films revolve around insufferable, blonde, finger-wagging, pontificating heroines who confuse bold feminism with extreme self-absorption.

The fact both films are based on true stories is irrelevant to their inherent worth. With all the depth and nuance of a smarmy campaign ad, these films transform their remarkable source material into Bible-thumping celebrations of conservatism and Palin-esque Mama Grizzlies. “Secretariat” is such a derivative fusion of the “Seabiscuit” and “Blind Side” formulas that it occasionally plays like an “Airplane”-style parody.

Blu-Ray Rating: 2.0/5.0

Diane Lane is a fine actress, but you’d never know it on the basis of her performance as Penny Chenery Tuohy—whoops, I mean “Tweedy.” With her mother gone and her father ailing,...

And they’re off! Secretariat is now on Blu-ray and DVD in a wonderful combo pack. The film serves as biography of the legendary racehorse’s owner Penny Chenery, how she came to acquire the animal, and the almost impossible true story of how her champion steed became known as one of the greatest equine athletes that ever lived.

The film opens with Penny Chenery (Diane Lane), a traditional housewife and mother who is tending to her family. She then gets a call that her mother has passed away. This then results in Penny inheriting her parents’ Meadow Stables located in Virginia. Penny has no experience running a stable nor does she have any knowledge of horseracing so she enlists the help of veteran horse trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich), an eccentric but highly capable individual. Joining them in their adventure is seasoned jockey Ron Turcotte (Otto Thorwarth), friend Elizabeth...

Braveheart and Pearl Harbor writer-director Randall Wallace just can't resist distorting a true story for his own rightwing ends, reckons John Patterson

Give a true story to rightwing writer-director Randall Wallace and it will return worked into a state of transcendent ahistoricality, festooned with distortions, lies, strategic omissions, anachronistic insertions and cheesy climacterics.

As evidence I cite his screenplay for Braveheart, inspired by Wallace's Quiet Man-style visit to the land of his ancestors. By the time Braveheart was picking up Oscars for best picture and director, the good burghers of Stirling had to suffer a Wallace statue in the likeness of the movie's director-star, noted Jew-baiter and homophobe Mel Gibson, while the real William Wallace had been lost to history. (You want a proper Scottish historical epic? Try Peter Watkins's Culloden, made for about seven shillings in 1964.)

Gibson and Wallace seem intent on founding their own exclusive zone of absolute historical wrongness.

Best Picture

Frontrunners

“The Social Network” (Columbia, 10/1, PG-13, trailer)

“The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company, 11/26, R, trailer)

“Inception” (Warner Brothers, 7/16, PG-13, trailer)

“127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight, 11/5, R, trailer)

“True Grit” (Paramount, 12/25, Tbd, trailer)

“Black Swan” (Fox Searchlight, 12/1, R, trailer)

“The Fighter” (Paramount, 12/10, Tbd, trailer)

“Toy Story 3” (Disney, 6/18, G, trailer)

“The Kids Are All Right” (Focus Features, 7/9, R, trailer)

“Winter’s Bone” (Roadside Attractions, 6/11, R, trailer)

Major Threats

“Waiting for ‘Superman’” (Paramount Vantage, 9/24, PG, trailer)

“Rabbit Hole” (Lionsgate, 12/17, Tbd, trailer)

“Another Year” (Sony Pictures Classics, 12/31, PG-13, trailer)

“Get Low” (Sony Pictures Classics, 7/30, PG-13, trailer)

“Shutter Island” (Paramount, 2/19, R, trailer)

“Blue Valentine” (The Weinstein Company, 12/31, Nc-17, trailer)

“How Do You Know” (Columbia, 12/17, R, trailer)

Possibilities

“The Town” (Warner Brothers, 9/17, R, trailer)

“The Way Back” (Newmarket, 12/29, PG-13, trailer)

“Inside Job” (Sony Pictures Classics, 10/8, PG-13, trailer)

“Love and Other Drugs” (20th Century Fox, 11/24, R, trailer)

“Secretariat” (Disney, 10/8, PG, trailer)

“Hereafter” (Warner Brothers, 10/22, PG-13, trailer)

“Somewhere” (Focus Features,...

Best Picture

Frontrunners

“The Social Network” (Columbia, 10/1, trailer)

“The King’s Speech” (The Weinstein Company, 11/26, trailer)

“Inception” (Warner Brothers, 7/16, trailer)

“127 Hours” (Fox Searchlight, 11/5, trailer)

“True Grit” (Paramount, 12/25, trailer)

“Black Swan” (Fox Searchlight, 12/1, trailer)

“Another Year” (Sony Pictures Classics, 12/31, trailer)

“Toy Story 3” (Disney, 6/18, trailer)

“The Fighter” (Paramount, 12/10, trailer)

“The Kids Are All Right” (Focus Features, 7/9, trailer)

Major Threats

“Winter’s Bone” (Roadside Attractions, 6/11, trailer)

“Rabbit Hole” (Lionsgate, 12/17, trailer)

“Waiting for ‘Superman’” (Paramount Vantage, 9/24, trailer)

“Get Low” (Sony Pictures Classics, 7/30, trailer)

“Shutter Island” (Paramount, 2/19, trailer)

“How Do You Know” (Columbia, 12/17, trailer)

“Biutiful” (Roadside Attractions, 12/17, trailer)

“The Town” (Warner Brothers, 9/17, trailer)

Possibilities

“Blue Valentine” (The Weinstein Company, 12/31, trailer)

“Inside Job” (Sony Pictures Classics, 10/8, trailer)

“Love and Other Drugs” (20th Century Fox, 11/24, trailer)

“Secretariat” (Disney, 10/8, trailer)

“Hereafter” (Warner Brothers, 10/22, trailer)

“Somewhere” (Focus Features, 12/22, trailer)

“Made in Dagenham” (Sony Pictures Classics, 11/19, trailer)

“The Way Back” (Newmarket, 12/29, trailer)

Outside Shots

“Fair Game” (Summit, 11/5, trailer)

“Country Strong” (Screen Gems,...

It starts out all sad music at momma’s funeral and we gots to sell the horse farm, but dang if nobody can keep Diane Lane down. A nice, proper 1960s housewife, she turns into a spunky, tough cookie of a racehorse owner when her parents’ ranch is left in her hands and her no-goodnik husband (Dylan Walsh: Nip/Tuck) and useless brother (Dylan Baker: The Hunting Party) would rather sell. Actually, the guys aren’t so bad, just completely unsupportive of her dream to make a mint off the new foal, Big Red, who’s just as adorable as can be, what with putting the lump in your throat with his weird jangly baby foalness and all. Soon, Penny Chenery (Lane: Jumper) and her totally kickass sidekick Miss Ham (Margo Martindale: Orphan) are racing the horse, now called Secretariat, with the help of a fashion-disaster trainer (John Malkovich:...

Beverly Hills, CA . Five writers have been selected as winners of the 25th annual Don and Gee Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Each writer will receive a $30,000 prize, the first installment of which will be distributed at a gala dinner in Beverly Hills on November 4.

This year.s winners are (listed alphabetically by author):

Destin Daniel Cretton, San Diego, Calif., .Short Term 12.

Marvin Krueger, North Hollywood, Calif., .And Handled with a Chain.

Andrew Lanham, Austin, Texas, .The Jumper of Maine.

Micah Ranum, Beverly Hills, Calif., .A Good Hunter.

Cinthea Stahl, North Hollywood, Calif., .Identifying Marks.

The winners were selected from 6,304 scripts submitted for this year.s competition. The competition is open to any individual who has not sold or optioned a screenplay or teleplay for more than $5,000, or received a fellowship or prize that includes a .first look. clause, an option,...

Flicks on 6

Film critic Jeff Bayer talks about the new documentary focusing on American’s public schools, Waiting for Superman. There’s also Secretariat starring Diane Lane and written by Portland native Mike Rich. It’s Kind of a Funny Story is, in fact kind of funny and co-stars Zach Galifianakis. Finally, Carey Mulligan is back in a leading role and fantastic in Never Let Me Go.

As always, there’s a giveaway as well. This week it’s the special edition Blu-ray of the Disney classic “Beauty and the Best.

Tune in every Friday for your chance to win!

For more from Jeff Bayer:

http://moviebs.pdx.fm/

As always, my Flicks On 6 video is located in the bottom left of the player below.

Related posts:Flicks on 6 – ‘Toy Story 3′ is the best of the year, giveaways and more Flicks on 6 – ‘Sex and the City 2′ and ‘Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time...

With Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Dylan Baker, Dylan Walsh and Aj Michalka. Directed by Randall Wallace.

By Kevin Bowen - October 11, 2010

Poor Sham.

In 1973, the magnificent chocolate stallion ran the second fastest time in the history of the Kentucky Derby. His mark remains to this day. He probably had the talent to win horse racing’s Triple Crown. Instead, he has gone down as the forgotten rival to a horse whose only real competition was the limits of reality.

There is a very good movie to be made about Sham, an artsy, angsty Sisyphean drama about the horse that never quite could. Needless to say, that film won’t be made by Walt Disney. Instead, the Mouse House has made an inspirational sports film about Sham’s great rival, Secretariat.

The 1973 winner of horse racing’s Triple Crown, the first horse to achieve that cherished feat in twenty-five years, became a national sensation.

I don.t "get" horses. Dogs show affection for human companions by licking their faces, jumping on them, even pulling on the leash when they see a familiar person nearby. Even cats, known for independence, can curl up on people.s laps when the mood strikes. But while it is said that horses love to be groomed and can respond to voices, arms and legs when training for the races, they seem wholly nonchalant when petted or spoken to softly by people they know. Even the trainer can.t figure this out, the trainer in mind being Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich), famous for getting Secretariat into shape for some local races in the short run and later for the Triple Crown (Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and Belmont Stakes). Considered by some the greatest race horse of all time for having won the Big Three for the first time in twenty-five years...

Screen Rant’s Paul Young reviews Secretariat

Secretariat is a wonderfully written film that is beautifully shot and a joy to watch. Writer Mike Rich deserves quite a bit of credit because he’s managed to bring depth to the story and warmth to the characters – specifically Penny Chenery Tweedy (Diane Lane) and Big Red (Secretariat). By combining creative storytelling with characters audiences will care about, Rich was able to overcome what could have been an obstacle: most people will watch the movie already knowing how it ends.

Diane Lane gives a superb performance as Penny Chenery Tweedy, the housewife turned prestigious racehorse owner, as she copes with the loss of her mother and father. She is thrown into the male dominated world of horse breeding in order to save her father’s farm,…

Click to continue reading Secretariat Review...

What is there to say about the new sports/horse/Disney movie Secretariat? Honestly, not much. The story of the famous racehorse from the 1970s and his owner Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) isn’t bad. It isn’t particularly interesting either. The film is the perfect example of a movie that would work better as a thirty-minute documentary or perhaps encyclopedia article. Under the direction of Randall Wallace (We Were Soldiers), this Mike Rich (The Rookie) adaptation of Will Nack’s book is about as milquetoast as they come. Sure, this is a true story in family film form,...

'Secretariat' reviews - what do the critics think? -- The movie Secretariat based on the book by William Nack comes out Friday. What are the critics saying about it? The movie is directed by Randall Wallace from a script adapted by Mike Rich. It stars Diane Lane, John Malkovich, and Scott Glenn.According to Rottentomatoes.com, 64% of the 72 reviews counted favor the movie. Among those the site calls "Top Critics," that number is actually higher at 75% from 24 reviews counted.Over at Metacritic.com, they rank the movie as "mixed or average" with a ...

Secretariat

Directed by: Randall Wallace

Cast: Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Margo Martindale, Scott Glenn

Running Time: 1 hr 54 mins

Rating: PG

Release Date: October 8, 2010

Plot: A housewife (Lane) takes over the stables from her ailing father (Glenn) and thinks she has a triple crown winner in a new horse they eventually call Secretariat.

Who’S It For? Want to celebrate a strong woman in the early 70s? Love Diane Lane no matter what? Those are your main motivators. Sure, there are horses, but not as many as you would think.

Expectations: One thought kept creeping into my head, can Secretariat really contend with Seabiscuit. I knew nothing about the Seabiscuit story, where as almost everyone knows Secretariat was the last horse to win the triple crown. I mean, Espn’s SportsCentury had Secretariat at number 35 for best athletes.

Scorecard (0-10)

Actors:

Diane Lane as Penny Chenery: She’s the first lady of horse racing.

For a movie that tells the remarkable true story of the greatest racing horse of all time, "Secretariat" is a truly unremarkable film. This is a film that tries its best to be an inspirational crowd-pleaser in the vein of "Seabiscuit" and ends up being neither inspiring nor crowd-pleasing. In fact, it just meanders in mediocre and shameful Oscar-baiting territory from start to finish thanks in no part to a bland, cliché-ridden and tension-less script by Mike Rich and the pedestrian direction of Randall Wallace who, after directing "We Were Soldiers," "The...

At last we’re off to the races with the opening of Secretariat - the rousing tale of the 1973 Triple Crown winner and the greatest race horse of all time!

Based on the novel “Secretariat: The Making of a Champion” by William Nack, Secretariat centers on Penny Chenery (Diane Lane), Secretariat’s owner, and how she broke into the “boys only club” of thoroughbred horseracing in 1969. The real Penny Chenery, now 88, even has a cameo in the film as a spectator at the Belmont Stakes race. Walt Disney Pictures decided the time was right and put the story in the very capable hands of director Randall Wallace (Man In The Iron Mask, Braveheart screenplay) and writer Mike Rich (The Rookie). With the unbelievable, mud-in-your-face cinematography of Academy Award winner Dean Semler (Dances With Wolves) and the galloping sound work of 20 time Oscar-nominee Kevin O’Connell, Secretariat is as close...

Diane Lane in Secretariat

Photo: Walt Disney Pictures I knew the story of Secretariat, but the particulars were tucked away so far in my mind that each turn in this horse tale was a surprise. I don't care much for horse racing although I do dedicate a couple hours of my life to the sport three times a year and on the off chance I take to the local track about 30 minutes south of Seattle. However, when told right, a story such as this can truly succeed on the big screen and Secretariat is an in-betweener when it comes to overall satisfaction. The race sequences are spectacular and the facts of the story are undeniably impressive, but the overall telling of the story is a bit whitewashed to the point the intrigue isn't really there until you hit the racetrack.

Opening in 1972, the film begins as Penny Chenery (Diane Lane...

Chicago – In real life, we cling to the notion that the inconceivable can happen, that magical probability can penetrate the mendacity of everyday existence, but it rarely if ever happens. That is what makes the new film “Secretariat” so appealing, that 37 years ago the impossible did happen, through the heart of a horse and his believers. Diane Lane and John Malkovich lead the charge.

Rating: 4.0/5.0

Secretariat is the horse that won the Triple Crown of racing (Kentucky Derby, Preakness, Belmont Stakes) back in 1973, and did it in a fashion that has yet to be equalled. Although it seems that everyone would know this story, the power of the achievement had been lost, until this film found it again. With the feel (complete with wooden dialogue) of a 1940s studio film, Secretariat brings together the characters, settings and drama that only a true story can muster.

Diane Lane is Penny Chenery,...

The secret of this film’s success is that it isn’t just the saga of a famous, prize-winning horse; it’s also the story of his owner, a suburban housewife and mom who stepped into a man’s world and took charge of an animal she believed to be a champion. It documents a time in the late 1960s and early 70s, when social change was in the air, and women’s roles in society were changing, if slowly. Mike Rich’s screenplay captures the time quite well, as do all the visual details onscreen. Those qualities—plus an exceptionally good cast—lift this above the norm…...

Review in a Hurry: The true-life account of the "world's greatest racehorse" deserves better than this bland adaptation from the Disney factory. Worthy of the glue factory? Neigh! Secretariat is probably a safe bet for devoted horse-lovers, but others should pony up for a different flick. The Bigger Picture: Following in the hoofsteps of Seabiscuit, this underdog horse tale chronicles the amazing journey of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Wobbly Secretariat stumbles over a number of hurdles, though, notably Mike Rich's generic script, which trots out one cliché after another during its long gallop to the finish line. Dressed in Mary Tyler Moore outfits and a stiff, Pat Nixon-like wig, Diane Lane...

Disney mastered the art of the sports underdog movie long ago, but now they’re just showing off. After crafting hits like Remember the Titans, The Rookie, and Miracle, in which real-life longshots overcome incredible obstacles and long odds to achieve athletic glory, Disney figured they really don’t even need the underdog. I give you Secretariat, which opens tomorrow on about 2,500 screens. It’s generally acknowledged that the strapping red colt was the most dominant Triple Crown winner ever, galloping into history with a Pegasus-like performance at the 1973 Belmont Stakes. At the Belmont, Secretariat was a 1-10 favorite to win the race.

Chicago – Randall Wallace began his screenwriting career at the top of the ladder, penning the script for the Best Picture-winning “Braveheart” and earning an Oscar nomination himself. He went on to direct “The Man in the Iron Mask” and “We Were Soldiers,” and returns this week with the inspirational “Secretariat,” the true story of the legendary horse starring Diane Lane and John Malkovich. Wallace recently sat down with us for a very-friendly and informative discussion on where he’s been for the last several years, the films that inspired him, and the difficulties of making a movie about horse racing.

HollywoodChicago.com: What is an interesting question that you’ve been asked by an audience member at a Q&A?

Randall Wallace: I was asked what I learned making the film.

HollywoodChicago.com: Well?

Wallace: All of my movies – “Braveheart,” “We Were Soldiers” – have been about the same things: That hope prevails,...

Is Secretariat corny? Well, put it this way: Does a racehorse love to run? You bet. And just as you'd imagine with a family-targeted movie about a horse, Randall Wallace's Secretariat is awash in sentimentality. The lump in your throat is as pro forma as the popcorn. The longer Secretariat goes on, the thicker Wallace and screenwriter Mike Rich lay it on. The inspirational moments may not have a subtitle saying "Here's the message," but they should. With all of that overt Disney Channel-style nostalgizing, it is probably a plus that most viewers already know that Secretariat wins the Triple Crown. Otherwise, the manipulation would seem even more shameless. And yet ... Oh, I know I should know better. But Secretariat got to me, mostly because of the way Wallace filmed the races -- and because of the heartfelt and mostly underplayed performances by...

Secretariat gallops into 800 theaters nationwide this Saturday, Oct. 2, 2010, for a special sneak preview, nearly a full week before its Oct. 8 release. Perfect timing for a movie about a horse who liked to run fast and finish first. To find local theaters, show times and tickets, visit Disney.com/Secretariat:

About the Movie

Based on the remarkable true story, Secretariat chronicles the spectacular journey of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Housewife and mother Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) agrees to take over her ailing father's Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery - with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich) - manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and what may be the greatest racehorse of all time. Directed by Randall Wallace from a screenplay written by Mike Rich. For more information, check out Disney.

Check out new clips, broll and interviews from Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures' "Secretariat." I spoke to Diane Lane who plays Secretariat's owner Penny Chenery, John Malkovich as trainer Lucien Laurin as well as director Randall Wallace for the wonderful family drama which will have you cheering. We have new clips in high definition for your viewing pleasure as well as interviews with Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Scott Glenn, James Cromwell, Dylan Walsh, Fred Dalton Thompson, Kevin Connolly, Nelsan Ellis, Eric Lange, Margo Martindale, helmer Randall Wallace and producer Mark Ciardi of Mayhem Pictures. The film opens on October 8th and is screenwritten by Mike Rich based on the book written by William Nack (played by Kevin Connolly). Mayhem are responsible for other inspirational winning dramas including "Miracle" and "Invincible."...

Secretariat

Starring Diane Lane, John Malkovich

Directed by Randall Wallace

Rated PG

The challenge in making a movie like Secretariat stems from the fact that pretty much everybody already knows the story. In case you're one of the few who don't, I won't ruin the nearly 40-year-old spoiler for you here, but suffice it to say that the where of this movie isn't a surprise, it's the how that most are coming to see.

What screenwriter Mike Rich has done is focus on the journey of how Secretariat gained his place in history. He does so in the typical, PG-rated, overly-dramatized Disney fashion, but this is a pretty acceptable way to make up for the foregone conclusion nature of the film. What gets annoying is how he relies too much on dialogue to fast-forward through the exposition of his story; it feels a bit forced when characters tell each other...

Walt Disney Pictures has released a new poster for Secretariat, based on “the impossible true story” of the horse that in 1973 became the first Triple Crown winner in twenty-five years. Diane Lane (Nights in Rodanthe) and John Malkovich (Being John Malkovich) star in the inspirational tale, written by Mike Rich (Radio) and directed by Randall Wallace (We Were Soldiers). Check out the poster in high resolution after the jump.

The official synopsis:

Based on the impossible true story, Secretariat chronicles the spectacular journey of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Housewife and mother Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) agrees to take over her ailing father’s Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery—with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich)—manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and what may be the greatest racehorse of all time.

Check out the upcoming titles from Walt Disney Pictures for the fall season after the break!

Secretariat

Opening Date: October 8

Cast: Diane Lane, John Malkovich, Dylan Walsh, James Cromwell, Kevin Connolly

Director: Randall Wallace

Writer: Mike Rich

Official Synopsis: Based on the remarkable true story, Secretariat chronicles the spectacular journey of the 1973 Triple Crown winner. Housewife and mother Penny Chenery (Diane Lane) agrees to take over her ailing father’s Virginia-based Meadow Stables, despite her lack of horse-racing knowledge. Against all odds, Chenery – with the help of veteran trainer Lucien Laurin (John Malkovich) – manages to navigate the male-dominated business, ultimately fostering the first Triple Crown winner in 25 years and what may be the greatest racehorse of all time.

Read more on Walt Disney Pictures fall preview…...