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The best Samuel L. Jackson movies and TV shows prove that he is one of Hollywood’s most popular and beloved actors as he has become almost a character himself. Jackson had early success as a theater actor before he got a chance to move into movies with small roles in Spike Lee’s School Daze and Do the Right Thing. From there, he skyrocketed to the top of Hollywood, with his first major breakout role in Quentin Tarantino’s Pulp Fiction as Jules Winnfield.

That performance made him a major star and he never looked back. Jackson has appeared in the Star Wars franchise as Mace Windu in the prequel series and took on the overarching role of Nick Fury in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where he has appeared in countless movies and TV shows over the MCU’s entire run. He also appeared in giant franchise movies like Unbreakable and Jurassic Park,...

The last cork has been popped and the final flute of Kirkland Signatures sparkling wine drained down to the last drop. Old Man 2023 has gathered his sash about his withered frame and slunk into the night, clearing the way for cherubic New Year 2024–giggly, chubby and brimming with promise.

Or something. In reality, years don’t flip on and off like a light switch. They smear into each other like paint, until everything is the same weird shade of brownish-purple. But still: we all strive to make each new chapter in the Gregorian filing system a fresh start–a chance to break bad habits and begin good ones.

The traditional way of kickstarting these self-improvement reboots is through the maddeningly self-deceptive ritual of setting New Year’s Resolutions–80% of which are inevitably abandoned by February 1, according to most studies. But hey! A sustainable 20% is still pretty good. And for cineastes,...

With readers turning to their home viewing options more than ever, this daily feature provides one new movie each day worth checking out on a major streaming platform.

Bette Midler, Diane Keaton, and Goldie Hawn all together in one movie — they just don’t make ’em like they used to. This delectable trio would have been plenty to float even a middling script, but no one does fabulous women of a certain age like “Steel Magnolias” and “Soapdish” scribe Robert Harling. Released in 1996, when mid-budget studio comedies were still commonplace, “The First Wives Club” delivered a surprise hit for Paramount while reigniting the careers of its “middle-aged” stars. Though it received mixed reviews at the time, “The First Wives Club” has found many fans over the years, and for good reason: Like its trio-of-women-led predecessor “9 to 5,” the movie delivers its message of women’s empowerment with old-school Hollywood farce and eminently quotable brash one-liners.

“Brittany Runs a Marathon” director Paul Downs Colaizzo searched near and far for the perfect actress to take the lead role in his movie that is loosely based on his best friend, Brittany. When Jillian Bell came along, he first thought she might not have the dramatic chops to do so — but he was quickly proven wrong.

“I was meeting with actresses and I met up with Jillian Bell in Brooklyn and she was instantly protective over the character,” Colaizzo told TheWrap. “I knew Jillian as a comedic actress and I was a huge fan of ’22 Jump Street.’ When we met, it was a big question mark if she could pull it off just based on the work I’ve known from her. In sitting with her and discussing how I saw the character being played and how the tone needed to be involved, she was on the same page.

"You changing your life was never about your weight." Amazon Studios has launched the first trailer for Brittany Runs a Marathon, the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Paul Downs Colaizzo. The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, where it won the biggest prize of the festival - the main competition Audience Award. Jillian Bell stars as an overweight young woman who decides she needs to get in shape (or rather: is told by her doctor), and takes on the challenge of running the streets of New York. She soon starts training for the NYC Marathon, which is no easy task. This inspiring, humorous, uplifting film tells the "story of a party girl who finally finds real friends — and dignity — by taking control of her future, one city block at a time." The cast includes Jennifer Dundas, Patch Darragh, Alice Lee, Erica Hernandez, Michaela Watkins, and introducing Utkarsh Ambudkar as Jern.

A familiar story about an awkward and under-romanced young woman's coming to terms with herself and the world, "Swimming" is exceptionally well-made and impressed screening audiences at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. Directed and co-written by Robert J. Siegel (co-producer and co-writer of HBO's "Descending Angel"), the under-$500,000 indie bowed at Slamdance, made the trip to Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and could prove to be a prestigious limited-release item for an enterprising distributor.

Siegel's classy approach is a selling point for more-patient adult audiences and women from teens on up. The likable and focused cast includes Lauren Ambrose ("Can't Hardly Wait"), Jennifer Dundas Lowe ("The First Wives Club"), Joelle Carter ("The Horse Whisperer") and Jamie Harrold ("Erin Brockovich").

Set in Myrtle Beach, S.C., but with situations and characters that are universally recognizable, "Swimming" is a carefully composed and orchestrated drama, with a fair amount of character-driven comedy and totally involving performances. On screen for most of the film's 90 minutes, Ambrose is excellent as local lonely-heart Frankie, kind of plain, always sincere, the withdrawing sister of and co-restaurateur with grumpy Neil (Josh Pais).

She works hard and doesn't complain, content to let Neil be the boss and deal with all the headaches of running a beachside cafe. Located next to a piercing salon owned and operated by Frankie's best friend, Nicola (Lowe), the diner is a recurring location, as is the beach. A steady stream of vacationers creates an expectant romantic atmosphere that Frankie is unable to take advantage of, while a male contemporary, Brad James Villemaire), is a tanned young bohemian who scores easily.

While cuter and wilder Nicola is a good friend to her, Frankie finds a slightly older, more mature role model in tall heartbreaker Josee (Carter), Brad's free-spirited new girlfriend who is hired by Neil as a waitress. Self-assured, able to handle men of all persuasions, taking a special interest in Frankie that almost becomes romantic, Josee is the spark that causes the lead to take a chance or two.

Enter Heath (Harrold), a pot-smoking hawker of tie-dyed shirts, who is similarly a sensitive soul and social nobody. It doesn't happen at the speed of light -- and where it arrives by the film's end is a poignant moment that's disarmingly mundane -- but Frankie and Heath hit it off, and that helps her handle a suddenly jealous and needy Nicola, as well as the calamity that half occurs when Josee has a fling with Neil.

A film professor at Purchase College in New York, Siegel optioned a script by one of his students, Lisa Bazadona, and then wrote the final draft with Grace Woodard. Inspired by "Marty", and having not directed a feature since the 1980 antiwar film "The Line", Siegel shows uncommon attention to the details of filmmaking -- from the subtle direction to the soundtrack, which is not loaded down with distracting songs.

SWIMMING

Oceanside Pictures

Director:Robert J. Siegel

Screenwriters:Lisa Bazadona, Robert J. Siegel, Grace Woodard

Producers:Robert J. Siegel, Linda Moran

Executive producer:Reginald Shelbourne

Director of photography:John Leuba

Production designer:Charlotte Bourke

Editor:Frank Reynolds

Costume designer:Laura Sewrey

Casting:Judy Henderson

Color/stereo

Cast:

Frankie Wheeler:Lauren Ambrose

Nicola Jenrette:Jennifer Dundas Lowe

Josee:Joelle Carter

Heath:Jamie Harrold

Brad:James Villemaire

Neil Wheeler:Josh Pais

Marianne Wheeler:Sharon Scruggs

Running time -- 97 minutes

No MPAA rating...