News

Japanese drama The Longing has secured a sales agent ahead of its world premiere here in Panorama.

Belgium’s Axxon Media has landed sales rights to the social drama, directed and co-written by Toshizo Fujiwara, which will have its first public screening at the Zoo Palast on Wednesday (February 19).

The story centres on a couple who run a restaurant and employ ex-youth offenders to help support their rehabilitation. A young man is hired and becomes infatuated with a fellow former juvenile detainee, gradually losing himself as he grows isolated at the restaurant.

Produced by Toshizo Produce and based on Fujiwara...

When David S. Ward's "Major League" slid into multiplexes on April 7, 1989, a lot of people wrote it off as a pro baseball clone of the minor-league-set "Bull Durham." A wise veteran catcher (Tom Berenger) with bad knees looking down the barrel of a forced retirement? Check. A screwy rookie pitcher (Charlie Sheen) with a flamethrower for an arm and no semblance of control? Check. A superstitious slugger (Dennis Haysbert) who demands to sacrifice a live chicken to get him out of a hitting slump? Check.

The very existence of these familiar elements was enough for many of the nation's critics to dismiss "Major League" as a meatheaded comedy. Moviegoers did not concur. The film grossed $50 million in the U.S. on an $11 million budget, and earned an A- CinemaScore before turning into a home video/pay cable sensation. By the time the next baseball season rolled around, "Major League" was considered a full-fledged,...

Bob Uecker, a former baseball catcher, actor and longtime Milwaukee Brewers broadcaster, died Thursday, the Brewers announced. He was 90.

Uecker had small-cell lung cancer and was diagnosed in 2023, his family said.

“He brought joy to countless listeners through his wit, charisma, and love for baseball, Milwaukee, and all of Wisconsin, creating a legacy that will forever be cherished,” the Uecker family said in a statement.

Uecker, often known as “Ueck,” was born January 26, 1934, in Milwaukee, Wis. Starting in 1962, he played two seasons as a catcher with the Milwaukee Braves. He also played for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Philadelphia Phillies and again with the Braves after they became an Atlanta team.

He started working as a radio announcer for the Brewers in 1971, becoming an iconic voice associated with the team.

“Ueck was the light of the Brewers, the soundtrack of our summers, the laughter in our hearts, and his passing is a profound loss,...

On Sunday October 27 2024, CBS broadcasts CBS News Sunday Morning!

Episode 42 Episode Summary

On October 27, 2024, CBS News presents Episode 42 of Sunday Morning, featuring a diverse lineup of segments that explore current issues, arts, and culture.

Borderline

Lee Cowan reports from Eagle Pass, Texas, where he examines how residents are facing the ongoing immigration challenge. This segment highlights how the local community uses art to convey their message that Eagle Pass is a place of fascination rather than intimidation, showcasing the resilience and creativity of those living in a border town.

Renaissance Man

David Pogue engages with legendary filmmaker Ken Burns, discussing his latest documentary series focused on Leonardo da Vinci. This conversation will delve into the life and legacy of one of history’s most celebrated artists and thinkers, offering viewers insights into Burns’ creative process and the impact of da Vinci’s work.

Get Lost!

Seth Doane takes viewers to...

In the "The Simpsons" episode "Thirty Minutes Over Tokyo", Homer (Dan Catellaneta) loses his family's vacation money to an online scam. Acting on a tip from his chipper neighbor Ned (Harry Shearer), the Simpsons learn they can get vacations at a discount by claiming abandoned airplane tickets at the airport. By random chance, the Simpsons find themselves on a trip to Japan.

The ensuing shenanigans are predictably hilarious, as the doltish, ultra-American Simpsons find themselves butting heads with various facets of Japanese culture. They are astonished by the country's high-tech toilets, experience seizures watching a local cartoon show (a spoof of the Pokémon episode that caused seizures in children), and attend an ikebana class. Eventually, Homer will go to prison (natch) and the Simpsons will lose all their money (also natch), They will be forced to briefly work in a fish-gutting factory before trying to win plane tickets home on...

Tom Selleck never made a cameo in the Magnum P.I. reboot. Showrunner Eric Guggenheim revealed that they joked about that possibility very early on in the first season. He goes on to say that they knew a Selleck cameo was never a real possibility.

The showrunner of the Magnum P.I. reboot has reflected on Tom Selleck never having a cameo in the show. Selleck starred as Hawaii-based private investigator Thomas Magnum in the original show, which ran on CBS for eight seasons between 1980 and 1988. The show was rebooted in 2018 with Jay Hernandez in the lead role, running for four seasons on CBS before being cancelled, then picked up by NBC for a fifth and final season.

TVLine recently sat down with Magnum P.I. reboot showrunner Eric Guggenheim following the airing of the series finale. He was asked why Selleck never ended up appearing on the show, perhaps as Robin Masters,...

Warning: Spoilers for Batman: The Brave and the Bold #3 ahead!

Mr. Baseball fits naturally into Batman's rogues gallery, challenging the Dark Knight in a way reminiscent of his classic foes. Mr. Baseball effectively challenges Batman's strategizing skills with his knack for putting together highly effective teams and plans. Mr. Baseball is a breath of fresh air in an industry dominated by legacy characters, perfectly calculated to fit into Batman's street-level goings-on.

It's notoriously difficult to make a new comic-book villain with staying power, but the latest addition to Batman's rogues gallery — the eccentrically scarred Mr. Baseball — fits so naturally into Batman's list of villains that it's easy to imagine him turning up in plenty of comics to come. While his gimmick may be goofy (a penchant for baseball alongside a baseball-stitch scar across his bald head), his demeanor, style, and talents challenge the Dark Knight in a way reminiscent of his most classic foes.

Tim McCarver, the All-Star catcher who made the Baseball Hall of Fame as an sometimes-controversial announcer and had a long-running syndicated interview program, died today of heart failure in Memphis. He was 81.

His death was announced by the Hall of Fame.

Related Story Hollywood & Media Deaths In 2023: Photo Gallery & Obituaries Related Story Matt Nix Strikes Broadcast Deal With Fox Entertainment Related Story As Broadcast Comedy Is Having A Moment, Fox Hopes 'Animal Control' Will Leap Out Of Its Cage

McCarver’s long baseball career spanned four decades from 1959-80, mostly with the St. Louis Cardinals and Philadelphia Phillies, for which he caught for a pair of all-time greats in Bob Gibson and Steve Carlton, respectively. He was a two-time All-Star and won a pair of World Series with the Cardinals in 1964 and 1967.

But he probably is best remembered for his long stint as a network color commenter, covering two dozens World Series for ABC,...

Prime Video has no shortage of shows or movies arriving in September. The biggest new show on the block for Amazon Studios is “Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power” which is a prequel based on the work of J.R.R. Tolkien that’s set thousands of years before the events of “The Hobbit” and “Lord of the Rings.” Several new 2022 films will be available on the streamer as well: including Channing Tatum’s “Dog,” Michael Bay’s “Ambulance,” Zac Efron’s “Firestarter,” Dylan O’Brien’s “The Outfit,” and more.

Noteworthy library titles arriving this month include “Fight Club” (1999), “Legally Blonde” (2001) and “The Silence of the Lambs” (1991).

Here’s everything new on Amazon Prime Video and Freevee in September.

Also Read:

Here’s What’s Leaving Netflix in September 2022 September 1

American Ninja Warriors S12-13 (2022)

Friday Night Lights S1-5 (2007)

Texicanas (2019)

Wags Miami S1-2 (2022)

21 Grams (2004)

23:59 (2011)

A Family Thing...

With its list of new releases for September 2022, Prime Video is finally unveiling the most anticipated (and expensive) series in the streamer’s history.

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power will arrive to Prime Video’s servers on Sept. 2, 2022. This Lord of the Rings prequel, set in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Second Age, is in many ways the kind of TV property that Prime Video must have always wanted. It’s certainly the TV property most fitting with the company’s largesse and riches. The Rings of Power will cover the creation of the titular rings and many important events from Tolkien’s lore (condensed into a more TV-appropriate timeframe).

Middle-earth is going to be the happening spot on Amazon and the streaming world at large this month, but Prime Video does have a handful of other originals for the fantasy-phobic. Flight/Risk, a documentary about the Boeing 737 Max design disasters,...

In this edition of Canon Of Film, we take honor the release of ‘Ocean’s 8‘ by taking a look back at one of Gary Ross’ early screenwriting achievements in ‘Big‘. For the story behind the genesis of the Canon, you can click here.

Big (1988)

Director: Penny Marshall

Screenplay: Gary Ross & Anne Spielberg

Having seen ‘Big‘ so often, that the magic of it has worn thin on me, I notice on my latest viewing something I hadn’t thought of before, in that now that Josh has returned to being a normal 13-year old, what will happen to him. Is he a normal 13-year old anymore, after spending six weeks as an adult working in the corporate market, having sex with women, earning a paycheck, going on dates, exactly how will his life change after this experience? It’s probably not much of a point that people will observe watching the film,...

American monster favorite Bruce The Shark will be getting some company this year at Universal Japan. While the Orlando edition of Jaws: The Ride shut down almost five years ago to the day, Bruce has been doing well for himself ever since playing to tourists in the far East. (Think of it as the movie monster version of the 1992 Tom Selleck vehicle, Mr. Baseball.) And in 2017, Bruce will be joined by local big hitter Godzilla. Universal announced the new attraction with a trailer:

The short clip doesn’t give away much, implying that Godzilla: The Real 4D will not feature the classic Showa Godzilla or Gareth Edwards’ 2014 iteration of the King of Monsters, but rather the Shin Godzilla design complete with googly eyes. Presumably, the attraction will consist of a theater show featuring 3-D glasses and 4-d elements such as big old splashes of water, the heat ...

In the midst of March Madness and with the Kentucky Derby around the corner, the first pitch of baseball season is almost here.

A quote from Field Of Dreams best describes America’s national pastime, “The one constant throughout the years has been baseball.”

To mark the start of the 2016 season, here’s our list of the Best Baseball movies.

The Bad News Bears

Considered by some to be the best baseball movie ever, the film celebrates its 40th anniversary this month (April 7, 1976). In an article from the NY Daily News, one line reads, “It is a movie that someone like the late Philip Seymour Hoffman called his favorite, and one which resonates on many levels today, with all different generations.”

Who are we to argue with greatness?

After skewering all-American subjects such as politics (The Candidate) and beauty pageants (Smile), director Michael Ritchie naturally set his sights on the...

Fox

It’s an inescapable law of television that, if a series survives long enough, it will do a pro wrestling episode. It’s right up there with beach episodes, weddings, and the addition of marketable new characters when ratings start to sag. It’s a grand tradition, going back to the early days of the medium. The earliest example I’ve come across is from the early 60’s, but it’s a safe bet that Philo T. Farnsworth ran out of ideas like 30 seconds after inventing television and ran off to find a wrestling match to broadcast. It’s ubiquitous, man.

That’s not to say there’s not variety. In this article you’ll find plots revolving around attending wrestling shows, instances of writers getting utterly confused about the differences between pro and amateur graps, and cameos from authentic superstars of the ring. There are shows that treat wrestling as a legitimate contest,...

Is this heaven? Nope, it’s Opening Week.

Recently Mlb rounded up a group of players to recite, word for word, James Earl Jones’ famous “people will come, Ray” speech from Field Of Dreams.

Wamg declares America’s national pastime, Baseball, to be the official sport of movie fans everywhere. As Brad Pitt said in Moneyball, “How can you not be romantic about Baseball?”

It all started Sunday night with the Cardinals at the Cubs with St. Louis winning 3 to 0.

To celebrate the first pitch of Opening Week, here’s our list of the best Baseball movies.

The Rookie

One of the best baseball biopics to come along over the years, The Rookie, starring Dennis Quaid, tells the true story of Jim Morris, a man who finally gets a shot at his lifelong dream-pitching in the big leagues. A high school science teacher/baseball coach, Morris’ players make a bet with him:if they win district,...

Have you heard about this new movie about five Canadian youngsters who embark on an adventure involving walking across a frozen Lake Ontario from their dead-end Canadian town to New York State? It’s called Skating To New York, and We Are Movie Geeks wants to give you the Blu-ray.

From the creators of 8 Seconds, Mr. Baseball and Pain and Gain comes the contemporary coming-of-age adventure Skating To New York, debuting on Blu-ray™ and DVD Feb. 17 from Well Go USA Entertainment. Five teenage boys leave their small Canadian town behind and risk skating across Lake Ontario to New York on the coldest day of the year. The story of home and friendship, leadership and facing up to danger, about growing up and never giving up stars Connor Jessup (“Falling Skies”), Gage Munroe (Immortals), Wesley Morgan (Kick Ass 2), Matthew Knight (The Grudge 2), Dylan Everett (“Degrassi”), Michelle Nolden (“Nikita”) and Jason Gedrick...

By Dean Brierly

Japanese actor Ken Takakura, iconic leading man in countless yakuza and action films, died at 83 of lymphoma on November 10 in Tokyo. He had long since achieved legendary status in Japan with his portrayals of brooding samurai, gangsters and hit men. The characters he portrayed were usually on the wrong side of the law but adhered to a chivalric code of honor that, while not reflective of reality, nevertheless struck a deep chord among Japanese filmgoers of the 1960s. Takakura was most familiar to American audiences for his roles in The Yakuza (1975), directed by Sydney Pollack and co-starring Robert Mitchum; Black Rain (1989), with Michael Douglas; and Mr. Baseball (1992), with Tom Selleck. In each of these he more than held his own against his high-powered American co-stars.

Born Goichi Oda in Nakama, Fukuoka, Takakura was witness to real-life yakuza street clashes during his formative years, which may have informed...

In November 2014 Japanese Cinema lost two of its greatest: Ken Takakura and Bunta Sugawara. Since both legendary actors have had a great impact on the world of Japanese film and have starred in countless classic productions, I felt the need to write a short article about the matter and salute these two great actors.

On the 10th of November 2014, Ken Takakura passed away at the age of 83. He was known as the “Japanese Clint Eastwood”. Starting his career in 1955, Takakura became mostly known for his portrayal of tough but disciplined gangsters in the 1960s and 1970s. Most famous of these films is his performance as gangster Shinichi Tachibana in the Abashiri Prison series (1965-1972). This lead to him eventually working together with Sydney Pollack for the film The Yakuza (1974), his first international production.

But it wasn’t until 1989 before Takakura became internationally known by playing alongside Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia...

Though Tom Hanks had been around the block several times before Big hit, it’s the movie that really launched him into a top spot in the cultural consciousness. The awesome, but short-lived, Bosom Buddies managed to get Hanks some guest spots on shows like Family Ties, and 1984 kicked off a string off films that, while perhaps loved by some, didn’t exactly serve to rocket anyone to stardom – Splash, Bachelor Party, The Man with One Red Shoe, Volunteers, The Money Pit. 1988′s Big put Hanks on the map in a big way, and audiences were taken by the charm, depth, and overall impressive abilities Hanks displayed in the film. This carried him through a few years of what we have to now hope were contractual obligation films (Joe vs. The Volcano, The ‘Burbs, Turner & Hooch), to the point that Hanks managed A League of Their Own, Philadelphia, Forrest Gump,...

There are many reasons to mourn the end of Eastbound & Down. Danny McBride’s easy, almost casual hilarity, the show’s odd, un-tv-like pace, and the sheer thrill of seeing Will Ferrell on television will all be missed.

But there’s also another thing that the HBO series will take with it when its finale airs tonight, and that’s baseball — or, more specifically, baseball’s place in pop culture.

For years — even decades — people have talked about baseball losing its mantle as America’s favorite pastime, but the topic has flared up again in the past few months. National ratings are down,...

"I don't like to go down the same road with films, I don't like to repeat myself," director Fred Schepisi told us recently over the phone from Australia. Indeed looking over his filmography, one can't deny the diversity of his work in a career that has spanned more than four decades. From bracing drama ("A Cry In The Dark") to a John Le Carré based thriller ("The Russia House") to comedy ("Roxanne," "I.Q.," "Mr. Baseball"), Schepisi has worked with talent ranging from rising actors that would go on to become worldwide superstars (Will Smith in "Six Degrees Of Separation") to bonafide legends (Paul Newman in "Empire Falls"). And for his latest, "Words And Pictures," which premieres at the Toronto International Film Festival this week, Schepisi is once again trying something different. Starring Clive Owen and Juliette Binoche, the film tells the story of former literary star turned prep school English teacher Jack Marcus,...

Brad Lesley -- who fashioned a sports-movie career out of a few seasons in Major League bullpens -- died of a heart attack ... Not kidney failure, as previously believed ... according to the death certificate obtained by TMZ.Leslie was 54 when he died in a Marina Del Rey hospital April 29, as TMZ first reported. His ex-wife said he'd been in a nursing home for months due to kidney problems that required dialysis ... and that he died of kidney failure.

Former major league baseball player turned Hollywood actor Brad Lesley died this weekend in Marina del Rey, Calif. He was 54. Nicknamed "The Animal," Lesley hit the big leagues in 1982 as a relief pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds. Two years later, he would move to the Milwaukee Brewers before participating in a Japanese professional league. After stepping away from the pitcher's mound, the 6-foot-6-inch athlete went on to explore Hollywood with several roles in major sports films. News: Country music legend George Jones dead at 81 His first movie role came in 1992's Mr. Baseball, where he starred alongside Tom Selleck. Lesley would later obtain roles in Space Jam with Michael Jordan...

Former Major League Baseball player-turned-actor Brad Lesley has died at the age of 54, reports TMZ.

Lesley's ex-wife, Chiho Svimonoff, told the website that the former athlete had been living in a nursing home, where he was receiving dialysis for kidney problems, for the past seven months. According to Svimonoff, the "Little Big League" star was rushed to hospital on Saturday night, and later died there from kidney failure.

Lesley made his Major League debut on July 31, 1982, pitching for the Cincinnati Reds, and was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers in 1984 and let go from the team in 1985.

The former 6-foot-6-inch athlete went on to showbusiness, appearing on the Japanese game show "Takeshi's Castle" in 1986, and furthered his credits in a number of movies in the 1990s, including "Mr. Baseball," "A Boy Called Hate," "Big Monster on Campus" and the 1994 film "Little Big League," in which he played an angry pitcher.

Brad Lesley -- who played a few years of Major League Baseball before appearing in a slew of '90s sports movies -- passed away this weekend. He was 54.Lesley's ex-wife, Chiho Svimonoff, tells TMZ ... Lesley had been suffering from kidney problems and had been living in a nursing home for the past seven months, where he was receiving dialysis.Svimonoff says Lesley was rushed to a hospital in Marina Del Rey on Saturday night...

Man, talk about a movie title that is going to be a pain to Google. Fred Schepisi ("Roxanne," "Mr. Baseball," "The Eye Of The Storm") is lining up his next movie, the blandly titled "Word And Pictures," but luckily his two leads are much livelier. The always awesome Juliette Binoche and the suave Clive Owen are set to star in the film, penned by Gerald Dipego (“Phenomenon,” “Message In a Bottle”). The story takes place at an elite, insular New England prep school where a charismatic English teacher (Owen) and an intensely private art teacher (Binoche) create an improbable relationship, then proceed to complicate their lives with romance. Guys, get it? Words And Pictures. Okay, the premise sounds pretty generic, but in the hands of these actors we'll definitely be willing to see what they make of it. Production on the movie will begin in March, and we're likely to...

If Tim McCarver hadn't been offered a pair of broadcasting contracts as his playing days were winding down in the late 1970s, he surmises he'd have gone off to law school -- and not been all that thrilled about it.

But the Philadelphia Phillies' president at the time, Bill Giles (with an assist from the Toronto Blue Jays), saw something in his loquacious backup catcher that told him he'd make an excellent analyst, and 30-plus years, thousands of hours of game calls, and mountains of accolades and awards later, the 71-year-old Tennessean has a place in baseball broadcasting history with his election this summer to the broadcaster's wing of the Baseball Hall of Fame.

McCarver and Joe Buck call the action when Fox broadcasts the 2012 World Series beginning Wednesday, Oct. 24­.

McCarver, who played for the Phillies, St. Louis Cardinals, Boston Red Sox and Montreal Expos from 1959 to 1980, describes his style of analysis as "first-guessing,...

Director Craig Gillespie has a pretty mixed track record behind the camera, but he's about to head to the big leagues with Mad Men star Jon Hamm.

Variety reports that Gillespie is in negotiations to direct Million Dollar Arm, a true story written by Win Win helmer Tom McCarthy that stars Hamm as agent J.B. Bernstein, a man who set up an elaborate reality show in India in order to audition 40,000 cricket players to see if any of them had what it took to become Mlb stars. (He ended up converting players Rinku Singh and Dinesh Patel.)

Bernstein was also responsible for teaching his new talent the rules of baseball as well as inducting them into American culture. So basically this whole project sounds like a reverse Mr. Baseball scenario. I'm sure Hamm will be fine as the agent, but is Gillespie the right person to tell this story?...

 

In this week's episode, Ben and Tyler talk about Fred Schepisi's 1992 film, Mr. Baseball.

Introduction

Character Name Game Intro - 1:46

Media Consumed

Tyler

The Rock-afire Explosion - 2:30

Chasing Ghosts: Beyond the Arcade - 6:10

Up Your Bookend: "The Neverending Story" - 11:50

Ben

NBC's "Awake" - 14:45

Goon - 21:10

Review

Mr. Baseball - 28:30

Wrap-Up

Next Time: Friday the 13th Part 1 and 2 - 58:27

Listener E-mail/Voicemail/Twitter - 1:01:01

Character Name Game - 1:07:06

Where You Can Find Us - 1:11:01...

 

In this week's episode, Tyler and Ben discuss Brad Bird's 1999 film, The Iron Giant.

Introduction

Character Name Game Intro - 2:40

Media Consumed

Tyler

Wrestlemania 28: Rock vs. Cena - 3:40

Gator - 9:42

Up Your Bookend: William Shatner's "The Return" - 13:40

Ben

Jason Reitman's Live Read of The Big Lebowski - 17:34

Review

The Iron Giant -27:15

Wrap-Up

Next Time: Mr. Baseball - 1:07:08

Listener E-mail/Voicemail/Twitter - 1:08:08

Character Name Game - 1:10:28

Where You Can Find Us - 1:12:55...

Tonight is baseball's annual All-Star game and to honor the occasion The Wall Street Journal put together their own all-star team, a sort of fantasy fantasy baseball roster: the greatest fictional ball players in movie history.

You should go over and check out WSJ.com for the whole roster but I'll say this for the piece's author, the aptly named Jared Diamond: he put together a team with very few holes. There are obvious movie ball players that jump to mind: of course Ricky "Wild Thing" Vaughn (Charlie Sheen) will be the movie All-Stars' closer; of course Roy Hobbs (Robert Redford) from "The Natural" will be in left field. But Diamond didn't forget the obscure choices either. He's got the legendary Benny "The Jet" Rodriguez (Mike Vitar) from "The Sandlot," and he even put the titular monkey from Matt LeBlanc's "Ed" as a utility player on the bench.

Zach Galifianakis has scored a first-look deal with HBO. He is set to write and produce a pilot presentation for the premium cable network, teaming up with Mike Gibbons. According to Deadline, comedian Brody Stevens will star in the show and Galifianakis is expected to appear too.

The mockumentary-style comedy will revolve around Stevens, who stars as himself, and chronicle one day in the life of the former amateur baseball player. Described as a cross between George Plimpton and "Mr. Baseball" Bob Uecker, Stevens who began doing standup in the mid-1990s has been friends with Galifianakis for 10 years.

Zach Galifianakis currently stars on HBO's comedy series "Bored to Death". Brody Stevens, meanwhile, once landed a small role in "The Hangover" in which Galifianakis starred as one of the main characters.

Zach Galifianakis has signed a new first-look deal with HBO that expands his relationship with the network. He currently co-stars in the comedy series Bored to Death and has now lined up a new show starring comedian Brody Stevens and directed by Jonathan Krisel. The show was co-created and excec produced by Galifianakis and Mike Gibbons, and just wrapped production. The series is a mocumentary that stars Stevens as himself, which follows one day in the life of the comedian. Galifianakis is expected to guest star on the potential series.

Stevens is a former amateur baseball player and is described as a cross between George Plimpton and "Mr. Baseball" Bob Uecker. He's been doing standup since the 90's and met Galifianakis in Chicago when Stevens was opening for the Hangover star. Deadline reports that Brody called Galifianakis' hotel room and said: "It's Brody Stevens. I’d really want to take...

Exclusive: The Hangover's Zach Galifianakis, who co-stars on HBO's comedy series Bored to Death, has expanded his relationship with the pay cable network through a first-look deal. The first project under the pact is a low-budget comedy presentation for HBO starring comedian Brody Stevens and directed by Jonathan Krisel. Galifianakis and Mike Gibbons co-created, wrote and are executive producing the presentation, which just wrapped production. It is a mocumentary starring Stevens as himself, which chronicles one day in the life of the comedian. Galifianakis appears in the presentation and is expected to guest star on the potential series. Stevens, described as a cross between George Plimpton and "Mr. Baseball" Bob Uecker, is a former amateur baseball player who began doing standup in the mid-1990s. He's been friends with fellow standup comedian Galifianakis for 10 years. The two met in Chicago when Stevens was opening for the Hangover star. According to Brody,...

Neither golf nor pool counts (or bowling). They are not real sports. Moreover, the list is limited to professional sporting events.

1. Sylvester Stallone, Rocky Balboa, Real Age 60

2. Mickey Rourke, The Wrestler, Real Age 57

3. Paul Newman, Slap Shot, Real Age 52

4. Dennis Quaid, The Rookie, Real Age 48

5. Robert Redford, The Natural -- real Age 48

6. Michael Caine, Victory, -- Real Age 48

7. George Clooney, Leatherheads -- Real Age 47

8. Tom Selleck, Mr. Baseball, -- Real Age 47

9. Dennis Quad, Any Given Sunday -- Real Age 45

10. Tom Berenger, Major League II, -- Real Age 45

(Note: I am not passing judgment on the performances of any of these actors or suggesting that they were inappropriately cast. I am merely noting -- for posterity -- the ten oldest actors (to my knowledge) to play a professional sport in a film.)...

As baseball season approaches, it seems fitting to announce the official All-Star team of fictional baseball characters. Below is a full 35-man roster that would compete against any Major League squad in history. In fact, I’d like to see Espn put it to the test.

You may disagree with a roster occupant here and there, but this is the most comprehensive roster of sports movie characters you’re likely to find. So, sit back and watch the Boys (and Ladies) of Summer tap into your baseball movie nostalgia.

Starting Lineup:

Cf- Willie Mays Hayes (Major League)

3B- Kelly Leak (The Bad News Bears)

Rf- Roy Hobbs (The Natural)

C- Crash Davis (Bull Durham)

1B- Jack Elliot (Mr. Baseball)

Dh- Jack Parkman (Major League 2)

2B- Marla Hooch (A League Of Their Own)

Lf- Bobby Rayburn (The Fan)

SS- Benny Rodriguez (The Sandlot)

P- Steve Nebraska (The Scout)

Pitching Staff: Sp-...

Nikki Finke is reporting that Matt Damon is going to star in a biopic of Robert F Kennedy for New Regency. Directed by Gary Ross, and written by Dirty Pretty Things and Eastern Promises scribe Steven Knight. The film will be adapted from the Evan Thomas-penned biography His Life, published in 2000. Ross burst into Hollywood as the screenwriter and co-producer of Big. He also wrote Mr. Baseball, Dave and Lassie before making his feature directorial debut with Pleasentville. He has since wrote and directed Seabiscuit and the animated film The Tale of Despereaux. Here is the official description from Thomas' book: He was "Good Bobby," who, as his brother Ted eulogized him, "saw wrong and tried to right it . . . saw suffering and tried to heal it." And "Bad Bobby," the ruthless and manipulative bully of countless conspiracy theories. Thomas's unvarnished but sympathetic and fair-minded portrayal is packed with new...

To paraphrase George Clooney, if you can get Gary Ross for your movie, get Gary Ross for your movie. Clooney was referring to Don Cheadle when he said that on the set of Out of Sight, but it's just as true about the writer of Big and the writer-director of Dave, Pleasantville, and Seabiscuit. Gary Ross knows what he's doing.

And now there's a legitimate reason to wait for what's next from Spider-Man 4, the film Ross was just hired by Sony to rewrite, according to Variety. Regular readers here know my big concern about the recent Transformers movie is that there's no story. A plot, sure, but the characters don't even interact, and only one has something close to a purpose. That's bad writing. It also afflicted Spider-Man 3.

Gary Ross doesn't, as a general rule, write bad scripts. I'll forgive Lassie and Mr. Baseball, which were commissioned jobs...

Oscar nominated screenwriter Gary Ross has come on board to rewrite Sony’s highly anticipated Spider-Man 4. Ross joins James Vanderbilt (Zodiac) and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire on the list of high-profile writers who have been working on the project. Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire are back as director and star, respectively, as are series producers Laura Ziskin and Avi Arad. While not being officially confirmed yet, Kristen Dunst, who plays Spidey’s love interest Mary Jane Watson, is also expected to be back. Ross previously wrote Big, Mr. Baseball and Dave and also wrote and directed Pleasantville and Seabiscuit, both of which starred Maguire. Ross and Maguire are also currently developing Tokyo Suckerpunch, a drama set up at Columbia; although that project is now on hold as Ross tackles another writing project, Columbia's Lance Armstrong biopic. Before filming begins on Spider-Man 4 early next year, Maguire will star...

According to the Hollywood Reporter’s Risky Biz Blog, Gary Ross has signed on to pen the screenplay for the untitled Lance Armstrong biopic, a project that has been trying to get off the ground since 2006. The film is based on Armstrong’s first book, which he wrote with Sally Jenkins titled “It’s Not About the Bike,” which traces his story from his difficult Texas upbringing, his cancer diagnosis in 1996, his relationship to first wife Kristin, the birth of their child and his remarkable comeback from illness that saw him first win the Tour de France in 1999. Armstrong went on to win six more titles in cycling’s biggest race, before retiring upon the completion of the 2005 Tour de France. He recently came out of retirement to try and win a record eighth title. Ross’ writing credits include The Tale of Despereaux, Big, Dave, Mr. Baseball and Lassie. He...