News

Jay Kanter, agent to superstar Hollywood clients including Marlon Brando, Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly, died Tuesday at his home in Beverly Hills. He was 97.

His son, Adam Kanter of Independent Artist Group, remembered his father as someone who conducted his entire career with “integrity and kindness.”

Kanter also inspired Jack Lemmon’s character in Billy Wilder’s classic comedy “The Apartment.”

Jay Kanter served in the U.S. Navy during WWII and started out working at McA, with mentoring help from Lew Wasserman. At just 22 years old, he was sent to pick up Brando at the train station and they became friends, with Brando becoming his longtime client.

He went on to represent stars including Warren Beatty, Gene Kelly and Ronald Reagan.

Kanter relocated to London when McA bought Universal, where he oversaw production for the studio in Europe. When the studio shut down European operations, he founded a production...

Jay Ira Kanter, veteran film producer and agent to a long list of Hollywood luminaries including Marlon Brando, Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, among others has died. He was 97.

Kanter died peacefully and surrounded by his family in his Beverly Hills home on the morning of August 6.

The agent and executive got his start in the business after his stint in the US Navy, which he joined during World War II. Kanter applied for a job at McA and rose up quickly through the ranks. He was mentored by Lew Wasserman.

At age 22, Kanter sought an offer for a young actor named Marlon Brando. Brando then traveled to Los Angeles via train, and Kanter picked him up at the station. Upon arrival, the two became fast lifelong friends, with Brando becoming Jay’s longtime client.

Kanter went on to represent stars such as Grace Kelly, Marilyn Monroe, Gene Kelly, Warren Beatty,...

Mel Brooks will receive this year’s Career Achievement Award at the 84th Peabody Awards, and Quinta will be honored with the Peabody Trailblazer Award. Both received a unanimous vote of the Peabody Board of Jurors and will be recognized at the June 9 awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers, but particularly for their use of comedy to tell stories that matter, enriching the lives of so many.”

The Career Achievement Award is...

The Peabody Awards will honor actor, comedian, writer, and director Mel Brooks with this year’s Career Achievement Award, while “Abbott Elementary” award-winning writer, producer, actor, and comedian Quinta Brunson will receive the org’s Trailblazer Award. Both Brooks and Brunson were chosen by the Peabody Board of Jurors in a unanimous vote and will be recognized at the 84th Annual Peabody Awards ceremony on June 9 in Los Angeles.

“Mel Brooks is not only one of the most beloved comedians of all time, but he literally set the standard for television comedy from its earliest days. Across TV, film, theater, and recordings, Mr. Brooks is in a league of his own. And Quinta Brunson has emerged as a refreshingly creative force in network television comedy,” said Jeffrey Jones, executive director of Peabody, in a statement. “Peabody is proud to honor Mel and Quinta not only for their extraordinary contributions as storytellers,...

Angela Bassett (Photo Credit: D’Andre Michael)

Two-time Academy Award nominee Angela Bassett is finally getting her much-deserved Oscar. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences will be honoring Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and editor Carol Littleton with the Academy’s Honorary Awards during the Governors Awards taking place in November 2023.

Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter will be recognized with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” stated Academy President Janet Yang. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her.

The Academy Board of Governors voted to present Academy Honorary Awards to Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks and editor Carol Littleton and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award to the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter. They will accept the four Oscars at the Academy’s 14th Governors Awards event on Saturday, November 18, 2023, at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

“The Academy’s Board of Governors is thrilled to honor four trailblazers who have transformed the film industry and inspired generations of filmmakers and movie fans,” said Academy President Janet Yang in a statement. “Across her decades-long career, Angela Bassett has continued to deliver transcendent performances that set new standards in acting. Mel Brooks lights up our hearts with his humor, and his legacy has made a lasting impact on every facet of entertainment. Carol Littleton’s career in film editing serves as a model for those who come after her. A...

The newest Academy Award winners have been announced.

Angela Bassett, Mel Brooks, and veteran film editor Carol Littleton have been voted Honorary Oscars, and the Sundance Institute’s Michelle Satter the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award. All will be presented on Saturday, November 18, during the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 14th annual Governors Awards at the Fairmont Century Plaza in Los Angeles.

The three Honorary winners have all danced with Oscar before. Brooks won for his Original Screenplay for The Producers in 1968. Littleton received her sole previous nomination for editing E.T. The Extra Terrestrial in 1982. Bassett, coming off a Best Supporting Actress nomination this year for Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, also was a Best Actress nominee 30 years ago for her portrayal of Tina Turner in 1993’s What’s Love Got to Do With It.

Satter’s Hersholt award represents the second Sundance-related special Academy Award after creator and founder...

Actor, producer, and writer Mel Brooks discussed his first date with his late wife, Anne Bancroft. Brooks says he faced significant financial difficulty early in his career. He reveals he had to tell Bancroft he was “broke” during their first date.

Mel Brooks says he was ‘broke’ Mel Brooks and Anne Bancroft | Jim Smeal/Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images

During an interview with ABC News, Brooks spoke about his first date with Bancroft. He admits she gave him $20 under the table because he couldn’t afford to pay for the meal.

“I didn’t have any money, and I was dating Anne Bancroft,” Brooks tells interviewer George Stephanopoulos. “She was on Broadway and The Miracle Worker. We were at a Chinese restaurant one night, and I said, ‘I’m broke.’ She slipped me a $20 bill under the table. And the bill came up to $14 or $15. It wasn’t that expensive.

Actor, producer, and writer Mel Brooks discussed life after winning an Oscar for his film The Producers. The entertainer says he faced financial hardship even after receiving the prestigious award.

Mel Brooks says he wasn’t making money Mel Brooks | Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for TCM

In 1969, Brooks won an Oscar for The Producers for best original screenplay. Roughly 30 years later, the film was transformed into a Broadway musical, starring actors Matthew Broderick and Nathan Lane. The production won 12 Tony Awards.

Despite the success of the 1967 film, Brooks reveals he had a tough time with his finances. Receiving an award didn’t translate into financial security.

“Up until Blazing Saddles, I was hanging on to show business with the skin of my teeth, not making any money,” says Brooks during an interview with Ruth Rogers on Ruthie’s Table 4 (presented by iHeartPodcasts). “The first movie I made was The Producers.

Ralph Ahn, who recurred as Nick’s mostly silent friend on Fox’s New Girl and had credits dozens of credits spanning more than 65 years, has died. He was 95. Korean American Federation of Los Angeles reported his February 26 death but did not provide details.

In his signature role, Ahn played Tran on the Zooey Deschanel-led Fox sitcom New Girl, appearing in seven episodes spanning its 2011-18 run. He was a mostly smiling and nodding grandfather figure to co-lead Nick (Jake Johnson) and spoke only two lines of dialogue — one in Tran’s first appearance and one in his last.

His long list of credits ranges from such 1950s TV series as Terry and the Pirates, 21 Beacon Street and China Smith popular more recent shows including ER, Gilmore Girls, The King of Queens, The Shield, Suddenly Susan and Walker, Texas Ranger. He also had small roles in a number of...

Ralph Ahn, who played the fan-favorite “New Girl” character Tran, died on Feb. 26, the Korean American Federation of Los Angeles reported. He was 95.

Ahn appeared in seven episodes of the sitcom alongside Jake Johnson, who played Nick Miller. A man of very few words, Tran serves as a friend and grandfather figure. Through facial expressions and body language, he helps Nick sort out his problems. His only two speaking lines in the show are “You are a huge baby” and “Drive.”

Johnson took to Instagram to honor Ahn, writing, “Rip. So much fun to work with. He gave so much with literally no lines. I loved when he was on set. I was always expecting to somehow work with him again. Condolences to his family/friends.”

“New Girl” star Zooey Deschanel also mourned the loss, commenting, “Noooooo” with a crying emoji.

In a 2014 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, “New Girl...

On the occasion of its 15th investment session, the screen.brussels fund is injecting 1.1 million euros into the production of 13 majority Belgian projects. Among the various feature films supported, we find Chienne de vie, the new film by Xavier Seron who we last saw several years ago, wielding his singular, successful first feature Death by Death. Chiennes de vie consists of three overlapping dog stories which paint a humorous portrait of human beings, with their doubts, their dreams, their loneliness and their search for love. The project has been selected to receive support in the form of a lightweight production grant accorded by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation Film and Audiovisual Centre and is produced by Hélicotronc. screen.brussels is also lending aid to Temps Mort by Eve Duchemin, who is signing her...

There are only two months left to go in this truly hellish year and relatively new streaming service HBO Max is trying to make the best of them. While most other streamers recover from Halloween and get prepared for Christmas, HBO Max is using November 2020 to fill out its servers.

Things are pretty light not the new original series front this month with only Industry (Nov. 9) and His Dark Materials season 2 (Nov. 16) making a splash. But the streamer has a couple of notable original films to complement them. Between the World and Me, based on the book by Ta-Nehisi Coates, arrives on Nov. 21 and Melissa McCarthy comedy Superintelligence arrives on Nov. 26. That’s not even to mention two intriguing projects that don’t have dates yet: The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air Reunion Special and The Mystery of Db Cooper.

Thankfully, the real appeal in November 2020 is all the fresh library...

We might be stuck indoors this Halloween weekend, but thankfully, the various major streaming services are on hand to keep us occupied with a monumental mountain of new content heading our way over the next few days. As it’s both the end of the month and the beginning of November, the likes of Netflix, Disney Plus, HBO Max, Hulu and Prime Video are adding a mix of seasonal movies and TV shows today and tomorrow, and a whole load of freshly licensed titles on Sunday.

First of all, Netflix is dropping five new originals this Friday, October 30th, including a couple of horrors, like The Day of the Lord and His House. Disney Plus, meanwhile, debuts The Mandalorian‘s season 2 premiere today, along with a new episode of The Right Stuff and Nicolas Cage movie The Sorcerer’s Apprentice. Elsewhere, on the 31st, HBO Max adds last year’s Black Christmas...

As we have just about a week left to go of October, let’s take a look at everything that’s due to arrive on HBO Max in November. It’s a big month for the WarnerMedia streaming service, with countless new movies from their legendary library being added and plenty of fresh originals dropping throughout the following weeks. A few upcoming releases have yet to be dated, but otherwise, here’s the full list of what’s coming to HBO Max next month.

Released November Tba

12 Dates Of Christmas, HBO Max Original Series Premiere

Colin Quinn & Friends: A Parking Lot Comedy Show, HBO Max Original Special Premiere

Crazy, Not Insane, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

The Fresh Prince Of Bel Air Reunion Special, HBO Max Original Special Premiere

Full Bloom, HBO Max Original Series Premiere

I Hate Suzie, HBO Max Original Series Premiere

The Mystery Of Db Cooper, Documentary Premiere (HBO)

Sesame Street,...

With a new month quickly approaching, it’s time to look ahead and see what’s coming to all your favorite streaming services this November. That’s Netflix, Disney Plus, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video and, of course, HBO Max.

Halloween will soon be behind us and given that Christmas isn’t too far off, we’re beginning to see some holiday titles pop up, with all the major platforms getting into the festive spirit. That’ll continue in December as well, of course, but for November, there’s certainly tons on offer for those looking to start the celebrations early.

There’s a lot of other great stuff on the way, too, though, be it classic films, underrated gems, brand new releases and much more, and you can check out the entire lineup, sorted by date, down below. Ready to dive in?

November 1

Netflix

60 Days In: Season 5

A...

Peter Larkin, whose innovative set design graced Broadway productions and major films, died Monday at his home in Bridgehampton, New York after a brief illness. He was 93 years old and his death was confirmed by his stepson, screenwriter Wesley Strick.

Larkin won four Tony Awards and was behind the set design for such Broadway productions as Peter Pan, The Teahouse of the August Moon and No Time for Sergeants. His film resume was equally impressive, including Tootsie and Get Shorty.

Born in Massachusetts and raised in Boston by Pulitzer Prize winning historian Oliver Waterman Larkin, he attended Yale.

Larkin’s Broadway debut came with Henrik Ibsen’s The Wild Duck in 1951. That led to his big break, the Broadway show of Peter Pan with actress Mary Martin. The show was so successful it immediately went to television within five months, setting a television record for the time with 65 million viewers.

In the day and age that we live in, if we say the wrong thing, or someone misinterprets what we are trying to say, people are ready to pounce on you with the intent to destroy you. We’ve seen this happen time and time again, and it mostly seems to be happening with comedians.

It seems like it’s hard to be a comedian these days because a lot of the jokes they tell involve touchy subjects that lots of people can and will easily be offended by. There are a lot of things that you can’t joke about these days because if you do, people will want to ruin you and kill your career. Comedians aren’t supposed to be walking on eggshells, but they are, and according to legendary comedian and filmmaker Mel Brooks, it’s killing comedy.

During a recent interview with Telegraph, Brooks said...

Sammy Shore, who co-founded the World Famous Comedy Store in Los Angeles has died. He was 92.

The stand-up comedian passed away of natural causes at his home in Las Vegas and was surrounded by family, according to a tribute posted Saturday on The Comedy Store’s Facebook page.

“Words can’t express how much his comedic gift, friendship, and beneficence will be missed. The bright light he shone and the laughter he brought into the lives of everyone he touched will never dim. There is only one ‘Brother Sam’!” the post read.

Shore co-founded The Comedy Store with his writing partner Rudy De Luca in 1972. It would soon become one of most popular comedy clubs in the nation.

His son, actor and comedian Pauly Shore, posted a series of tweets Saturday about the late comedian’s commitment to his family and his love of comedy.

I'm saddened to let everyone...

Lewis Rothenberg has been elected to a three-year term as president of the powerful International Cinematographers Guild, ousting incumbent Steven Poster from a post he had held since 2006.

The Icg, which operates as Local 600 of the Intl. Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, reps about 8,600 camera crew workers and publicists and is Hollywood’s biggest below-the-line local.

Rothenberg, who was a digital imaging technician on “Avengers: Infinity War,” 2016’s “Ghostbusters” and “Girl on the Train,” ran on a platform of increasing organizing and member involvement.

“I feel that we need to be less of a top down organization, and that we need to start internally organizing at the grass roots level,” he said in a campaign statement. “If elected, I will look to not only continue the progress that has been made, but also look at expanding it, with more two-way communication between the membership, elected leaders, and staff. I will look for more involvement,...

Live Nation, The Araca Group and Ebg (Entertainment Benefits Group) are pleased to announce that iconic Oscar, Emmy, Grammy and Tony Award winner Mel Brooks will take the stage on June 17 and 18 as part of the recently announced In Residence on Broadway series at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street).

Blazing Saddles. Young Frankenstein. The Producers. Mel Brooks has created some of the most iconic comedies in film history, and he is returning to the New York stage for an exclusive two-night engagement. The actor, writer, director, and producer stars in a hilarious unscripted show combining off-the-cuff comedy, unbelievable personal stories, and film clips from some of his most memorable work in Mel Brooks On Broadway. Mel Brooks On Broadway will be a very special evening of unforgettable tales and non-stop laughter.

Mel Brooks, director, producer, writer and actor, is in an elite group as one of the few entertainers...

Monsoon Shootout

Starring Vijay Verma, Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Tannishtha Chatterjee, Gitanjali Thapa,Farhan Mohammed Hanif Sheikh

Directed by Amit Kumar

Rain-splashed bloodied puddles of questioning, probing, searching, emotional and physical violence… Monsoon Shootout is a curious case of a potentially routine cops-and-killer sanguinary saga given a certain fresh twist of ambivalence by writing skills that know their Dirty Harry as closely as they know Ardh Satya.

There is tadka of circumstantial ambiguity, a twist of fate, if you will, whereby a rookie cop’s rookie-rookie si zindagi gets more unscheduled excitement on his first assignment than he had bargained for.

A serial killer is on the prowl. And really,in how many ways can Nawaz be cast as the psychotic outcast? It was a hammer in hand in Raman Raghav, It’s an axe here. The slayings are staged stylishly in the slippery monsoon of Mumbai when it’s easy for...

Gold Derby can exclusively reveal that Kathryn Hahn is entering the “Transparent” episode “Life Sucks and Then You Die” as her Emmy submission for Best Comedy Supporting Actress. This installment of the Amazon program streamed September 23 and was the 7th episode of the 3rd season. In this segment, Raquel (Hahn) experiences a spiritual crisis […]...

Much like the rest of the Internet, we’ve reveled in the sweet advice generously offered by celeb mother-daughter duos (like Goldie Hawn and Kate Hudson!) and, of course, our own moms’ wise words.

Moms do know best, after all — and these Reddit users are well aware of that as they share the priceless advice their moms have imparted on them over the years:

1. “Everything happens for a reason, you just won’t know the reason until you’re ready to accept it.”

2. “Treat others equally, be giving without expecting gratitude and stand up for what you believe in.”

3. “Saving up is hard,...

In the burgeoning world of festivals that honor achievements in web series and video, the Vancouver Web Fest has emerged as one of the leading destinations for quality web content. Now in its fourth year, the Vancouver-based festival takes place in a city often hailed as the “Hollywood of Canada,” and a popular production destination for film, television, and now web series. The festival will take place March 17-19, 2017, with public screenings, panels from leading industry professionals, and “speed-dating” pitch sessions between creators and developers.

Read More: Dracula-Based Web Series ‘Mina Murray’s Journal’: ‘Doctor Who’ Writer Re-Vamps Vampire Classic

“Vancouver Web Fest creates an experience that brings people together to discover extraordinary digital series and web content from around the world,” writes Executive Director and Founder Suzette Laqua. “It fosters a welcoming environment that encourages exploration into new formats of storytelling.”

Previous panelists have included New Form Digital...

Welcome to Random Roles, wherein we talk to actors about the characters who defined their careers. The catch: They don’t know beforehand what roles we’ll ask them to talk about.

The actor: Eddie Jemison is one of those actors who managed to start on a blockbuster franchise, then went on to create a variety of memorable characters on TV shows from HBO’s Hung to various CSIs to prestige dramas like Six Feet Under and Masters Of Sex. He’s currently in the midst of a bit of a comeback as iZombie villain Mr. Boss; he’s also tearing up the floorboards in the current Lookingglass Theatre production in Chicago of Life Sucks, a modern rewrite of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. (It closes Sunday, November 6.)

Full disclosure: I knew Eddie through a mutual friend approximately 5 million years ago when he was a theater kid and ...

On Friday, Amazon released all 10 episodes of Transparent season 3, and I have some general thoughts on the year, followed by a mini-reviews of each episode, coming up just as soon as I say I'm the strip club's It person... As I alluded to in the introduction to my interview with the always-candid Gaby Hoffmann, I found that season 3 worked more in individual moments — or at times for entire episodes — than it did as a season of TV. The character arcs frequently felt like they were jumping from Point A to Point D without worrying about B or C, even though it wasn't structurally all that different from the previous seasons. Great performances, great scenes, and slightly more self-awareness from the Pfeffermans — Maura and Shelly, at least, and maybe Ali — but something was a bit lacking compared to the show's previous heights. Let's go episode-by-episode, and I'll do my best not...

The 3rd Annual NYC Web Fest (Nycwf) announced its official selections today – a wide variety of web series that span the globe. The Pit Loft on West 29th Street will host the three-day festival. Of the 96 series highlighted, nearly half are from the tri-state area, with an impressive international showing as well.

Now in its third year, Nycwf is following a very successful second edition. 2015 highlights included the world premiere of “The Mentors” starring Lewis Black, the festival premieres of Colin Quinn’s “Cop Show,” and Refinery 29’s “The Queens of Kings.” This year features shows with appearances by comedians Judy Gold and Sherrod Small, as well as “The Blacklist” actress Erika Robel.

Read More: Comedy Web Series ‘Poly’ Follows a Misunderstood Trio’s Adventures in Suburbia

The NYC Web Fest brings together a multifaceted diverse group of people from around the world to showcase the best of the web.

Great news for Justin Bieber fans ... he's still doing backstage meet and greets, but not with Beliebers who dropped up to $2k to get backstage -- instead, it's all about who you know.  Justin's team tells us in order to get a golden ticket you've got to be tight with Jb himself or someone in his inner circle ... who can vouch that you're no security risk.  As we've reported, some Beliebers are pissed because Justin...

Some actors wait for a long time to jump behind the camera, hoping to soak up all the knowledge they can before giving it a whirl in the director's seat, but not so for Craig Roberts. He's not even 25, and is only starting to amass a lengthy CV as an actor, but he's already knocked out his directorial debut, "Just Jim." And after premiering at SXSW this year, the film is gearing up to hit theaters this fall, and a new trailer has arrived. Read More: Exclusive Poster For 'Submarine' Star Craig Robert's Directorial Debut 'Just Jim' Roberts also takes a co-starring role in the movie alongside Emile Hirsch. The story follows an outcast teenager who can't even earn much attention from his parents, and who gets some life hack tips from his super cool, cigarette-smoking, neighbor Dean. But the friendship he thinks he's forged becomes something else.

Three details – the main character’s sluggish saunter, the childlike storytelling, and absence of any actual danger – told me Beyond Eyes was not the experience I envisioned. I was aware of Rae’s handicap before her journey began, but I had hoped for a more mentally stimulating adventure than what kids would read about in a popup book. Beyond Eyes practically forces you to feel empathy for Rae and her lack of vision – the reason for the verdant settings – then twists the knife in a backstab of an ending.

I felt cheated by the finale. 90 minutes of walking from location to location, filling in the blank canvas of Rae’s world with her remaining senses, to get a message that basically says, “Life sucks, hope you grow stronger for it.” Further spoilers aside, players should brace for disappointment despite Beyond Eyes’ early promise. Although a fireworks display accidentally blinds Rae at a young age,...

By Lee Pfeiffer

One of Mel Brooks' least-discussed films, the 1991 comedy "Life Stinks", is also one of his most accomplished works. The film didn't click with Brooks's usual audience at the time, perhaps because the film is laced with social commentary. Brooks obviously ignored the old Hollywood advice to "Leave the messages to Western Union". Nonetheless, it's precisely because of this departure from his usual productions that gives "Life Stinks" a certain poignancy that isn't found in his earlier works. Granted, Brooks always included some sentiment in his films (even Zero Mostel's Max Byalystock in "The Producers" is con man with some admirable traits.) However, "Life Stinks" makes a  plea for compassion toward society's most vulnerable people, even as it concentrates on the primary purpose of any Brooks film: to make the audience laugh.  

The movie opens with a very amusing scene in which we are introduced to the central character,...

This week on Off The Shelf, Ryan is joined by Brian Saur to take a look at the new DVD and Blu-ray releases for the week of June 23rd, 2015, and chat about some follow-up and home video news.

Subscribe in iTunes or RSS.

Episode Links & Notes Follow-up Comic Con News Don Hertzfeldt Blu-ray Kickstarter Arrow Films: October releases Shout / Scream Factory: Comic Con announcements Kino: Epic Of Everest WB: Mad Max Fury Road Universal: Restored Spartacus Fox: August releases Disney: Mr. Boogedy & Bride of Boogedy coming to Dmc DVD (& on Amazon Instant now) Twilight Time: new website Sony: Christine Blu-ray Over The Garden Wall on DVD New Releases

July 7th

Beyond Zero: 1914–1918 Cell, The Contamination The Killers Maggie Ned Kelly Pit Stop Robot Jox Roller Boogie Truck Turner Virtuosity

July 14th

Adventures of Captain Fabian All Quiet On The Western Front The Andromeda Strain Baby It’s You...

Warner Bros. Pictures/Paramount Pictures

Life sucks. Everyone knows it. That’s why the best movies are the ones that pull us out of our dreary existence, transporting us to a whole new world… cue Disney music. However, filmmakers aren’t god, no matter how much they may protest to the contrary, so mistakes inevitably crop up, even in the most successful movies of all time.

Editors will work harder than an Adam Sandler movie tries to be funny in order to prevent plot holes from occurring, but of course, they’re only human and some will inevitably slip through. While plot holes can be overlooked at times, some are so colossally huge that they just become impossible to ignore, unraveling the film’s entire logic with one simple insight.

Some people would argue that you’re better off not knowing the plot holes to your favourite movies, but you...

Normally, this is the part of the review where I wax nostalgic, and talk a little bit about what this particular “cult classic” means to me. In the case of Evilspeak, though, I can only claim to have known of its existence. I saw it on the video store shelf, but I never made the plunge and took it home. It’s surprising to me, honestly, because I think I rented damn near everything on the horror rack at least twice. I don’t know the reason that I continued to sit Evilspeak’s box back on the shelf, but I wish I had watched it back then, as it’s quite an entertaining movie. Featuring a young and awkward Clint Howard, playing a “slow”, cadet at a military school. As he gets picked on day in and day out, he turns to Satanism in the form of a book...

At 87, Mel Brooks has lost none of his edge.

The legendary comic provocateur has phoned me from his Los Angeles office to promote the just-released 40th anniversary Blu-ray of his magnum opus, "Blazing Saddles," but before he submits to an interview, he quizzes me about Moviefone's unique pageviews and other Web traffic statistics, about which he knows more than I do. Having concluded that Moviefone is well-trafficked enough for him to talk to, he says, "Ask away, Susman!"

"Blazing Saddles," which made serious satirical points about racism while also making cinema safe for fart jokes, is certainly one of the most influential comedies ever made. Brooks believes it's the funniest film of all time (followed closely by his own "Young Frankenstein"), and he's still upset with the American Film Institute for disagreeing with him. He's making his case for the film with the Blu-ray (which contains a new making-of documentary,...

Hey everyone! We’re back again with a look at the DVD and Blu-ray horror titles coming your way this week. Not only does Scream Factory have a double dose of terror in high definition on tap for you guys but we’ve also got two different collections of modern horror goodies being released by Anchor Bay Entertainment as well.

And for those of you who might have missed it in theaters earlier this year, I, Frankenstein is making its home debut this week as well. It’s kind of a light week for horror fans but there are definitely some worthwhile goodies to bring home this week- check them out below!

Spotlight Titles:

Evilspeak (Scream Factory, Blu-ray)

Life sucks for Stanley Coppersmith (Clint Howard, Rock ‘n’ Roll High School), a teenage outcast who’s bullied by everyone at a strict military academy. When Stanley discovers the crypt of a...

Scream Factory’s May releases include 80′s cult classics Evilspeak and Final Exam, and they’ve released the original theatrical trailers for both titles.

“This May, Scream Factory™ invites loyal fans and horror movie enthusiasts to combat the stress associated with long office hours and final exams with a double dose of 80s high-camp horror romps when Eric Weston’s Evilspeak, starring Clint Howard (Rock ‘n’ Roll High School), R.G. Armstrong (Children of the Corn), Joseph Cortese (Death Collector), Claude Earl Jones (Dark Night of the Scarecrow), Haywood Nelson (What’s Happening!), Don Stark (That ‘70s Show), Charles Tyner (Father Murphy), Lenny Montana (The Godfather), Richard Moll (Night Court), and Jimmy Huston’s Final Exam, starring Cecile Bagdadi, Joel S. Rice (Bounty Hunters), arrive on Blu-ray™ for the first time on May 13, 2014. Each movie collection boasts anamorphic widescreen movie presentation and insightful bonus content. Evilspeak and Final Exam Blu-ray™ editions...

According to this new TV spot for Matt Reeves’ “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” (yeah, not a clunky title at all there, Fox), it looks like we’re pretty much screwed, and it’s all thanks to our need for power and electricity and whatnot. See, cause the apes don’t need those things. Pretty soon, we’ll all be wearing loincloths, even in the winters. Life sucks, then before you know it, an ape is using you to serve drinks at parties. Check out a new TV spot and poster for “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes” below. A growing nation of genetically evolved apes led by Caesar is threatened by a band of human survivors of the devastating virus unleashed a decade earlier. They reach a fragile peace, but it proves short-lived, as both sides are brought to the brink of a war that will...

A double dose of 1981 horror flicks will usher us into the summer, courtesy of our friends over at Scream Factory. Read on for full details about both releases, which put Evilspeak and Final Exam on Blu-ray for the very first time!

From the Press Release

This May, Scream Factory™ invites loyal fans and horror movie enthusiasts to combat the stress associated with long office hours and final exams with a double dose of 80s high-camp horror romps.

Eric Weston’s Evilspeak, starring Clint Howard (Rock ‘n’ Roll High School), R.G. Armstrong (Children of the Corn), Joseph Cortese (Death Collector), Claude Earl Jones (Dark Night of the Scarecrow), Haywood Nelson ("What’s Happening!"), Don Stark ("That ‘70s Show"), Charles Tyner (Father Murphy), Lenny Montana (The Godfather), Richard Moll ("Night Court"), and Jimmy Huston’s Final Exam, starring Cecile Bagdadi, Joel S. Rice (Bounty Hunters), arrive on Blu-ray™ for the first time...

Scream Factory officially announced a May release for 80′s cult classics Evilspeak and Final Exam, and we have a look at the official cover art, along with the list of bonus features:

This May, Scream Factory™ invites loyal fans and horror movie enthusiasts to combat the stress associated with long office hours and final exams with a double dose of 80s high-camp horror romps when Eric Weston’s Evilspeak, starring Clint Howard (Rock ‘n’ Roll High School), R.G. Armstrong (Children of the Corn), Joseph Cortese (Death Collector), Claude Earl Jones (Dark Night of the Scarecrow), Haywood Nelson (What’s Happening!), Don Stark (That ‘70s Show), Charles Tyner (Father Murphy), Lenny Montana (The Godfather), Richard Moll (Night Court), and Jimmy Huston’s Final Exam, starring Cecile Bagdadi, Joel S. Rice (Bounty Hunters), arrive on Blu-ray™ for the first time on May 13, 2014. Each movie collection boasts anamorphic widescreen movie presentation and insightful bonus content.

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has added an exciting roster of screen legends and beloved titles to the 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival, including appearances by Maureen O’Hara, Mel Brooks and Margaret O’Brien, plus a two-film tribute to Academy Award®-winner Richard Dreyfuss. Marking its fifth year, the TCM Classic Film Festival will take place April 10-13, 2014, in Hollywood. The gathering will coincide with TCM’s 20th anniversary as a leading authority in classic film.

O’Hara will present the world premiere restoration of John Ford’s Oscar®-winning Best Picture How Green Was My Valley (1941), while Brooks will appear at a screening of his western comedy Blazing Saddles (1974). O’Brien will be on-hand for Vincente Minnelli’s perennial musical favorite Meet Me in St. Louis (1944), starring Judy Garland. The tribute to Dreyfuss will consist of a double feature of two of his most popular roles: his Oscar®-winning performance...

And the announcements keep rolling in… Yesterday, Scream Factory revealed that Phantom of the Paradise would be joining the 2014 lineup and it has just been announced that they’ll also be bringing 80′s cult classics Evil Speak and Final Exam to Blu-ray:

“Fans of early 80s school-themed horror films are in luck with this news. 1981′s college campus slasher film Final Exam and 1982′s satanic revenge epic Evilspeak (starring Clint Howard) will both be making their debuts on Blu-ray both for the first time this Summer!

These titles have been with Code Red – another long-time cult film home entertainment company – for some time and we are pleased that we were able to make a deal with them for these two guilty pleasures.

Expect the same extras that were on the prior Code Red DVD releases to be imported over. More details on street date and if any more extras are...

London, July 20: Geri Halliwell stripped down to her underwear for an intimate scene in her new comedy show, titled 'Geri: Life Sucks'.

In a sneak peek from the upcoming show, the former 'Spice Girl' band mate can be seen being humiliated by a guy after a one-night stand, the Mirror reported.

In the first teaser video, which has garnered only 133 views on YouTube at time of publishing, a man reveals he's been sleeping his way through the iconic girl band.

The handsome hunk tells the singer that when he saw the movie 'Spiceworld', he had vowed to sleep with all the 'Spice Girls' members.

The Casanova continues.

Geri Halliwell is working on a TV show in which she plays a fictionalized version of her Spice Girl self. It's called Geri: Life Sucks, and this is the first clip from the would-be series. There's no network attached yet or anything, but if you can't sell a show based on a postcoital Spice Girl pillow talk scene, why are you even in the selling-things business? Let's hope that if it winds up being a full-on TV show, the camera work gets less janky.

Newsflash: Geri Halliwell, a.k.a. Ginger Spice, is making a comedy show in the proud vein of Tori Spelling’s So NoTORIous, Kirstie Alley’s Fat Actress, and Christine Lakin’s Lovin’ Lakin. You know, the “quasi-celebrity plays version of herself for laughs” genre — sort of like Curb Your Enthusiasm, but a little sadder and a lot less funny.

In this first Nsfw teaser for the series — evidently titled Geri: Life Sucks — the Girl Power guru lies in bed with a hunky dude. Everything seems perfect… until he reveals that he’s been working toward a certain icky...

Review Caroline Preece 8 Jul 2013 - 23:00

Effy and Naomi's story concludes in thoroughly downbeat style, but what's its message? Here's Caroline's review of Skins Fire...

This review contains spoilers.

Life sucks and then you die. That’s what the first two-part story from Skins would have you believe, at any rate, with the second part of Skins Fire starting off bleak and just getting darker and darker. Did Effy learn anything from her time in the city? Not really. Did Naomi and Emily get their happy ending? Definitely not. At least little Dom got away without some huge personal tragedy but, if we’re being totally honest, nobody cares about Dom. There were only three people viewers were concerned with here, and those three people had a very bad year indeed.

This second episode documented the lives of Effy, Naomi and Emily in autumn and winter of some unspecified year,...

Martin Scorsese will present Mel Brooks with the American Film Institute’s 41st Life Achievement Award – America’s highest honor for a career in film. The private black tie gala will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood on June 6 and will air on TNT Saturday, June 15, at 9 p.m. Et/Pt and as part of an all-night tribute to Brooks on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Sunday, July 24, at 8 p.m. Et. Brooks will be recognized for his range of mastery as a director, producer, writer, actor and composer.

Martin Scorsese is widely regarded as one of the greatest directors of all time having received the AFI Life Achievement Award for his contributions to cinema, two AFI Awards, an Academy®Award, a Palme d’Or, Grammy® Award, two Emmys®, four Golden Globes®, a BAFTA and three DGA Awards. Scorsese’s body of work includes films such as The Departed,...

Chicago – I’m a huge Mel Brooks fan, one of those critics who bows at the altar of arguably the two best comedies of all time, “Blazing Saddles” & “Young Frankenstein.” I’ve seen them both a dozen times and can’t wait to watch them again. “The Producers,” “A History of the World,” “High Anxiety,”” “Silent Movie,” “To Be or Not To Be,” “The Twelve Chairs,” his work on “Get Smart” & “Your Show of Shows,” “The 2000 Year Old Man” — the first response that most people should have to “American Masters: Mel Brooks: Make a Noise,” debuting on PBS tonight and releasing on DVD tomorrow, May 21, 2013, is a simple one — What took so long? “American Masters” premiered in 1986 and he should have been one of the first choices.

Television Rating: 4.5/5.0

To be fair, “Make a Noise” doesn’t do much more than confirm what most of us fans...

Last Sunday’s episode of The Walking Dead featured one of the show’s most heartbreaking scenes ever as Daryl Dixon found the brother he had finally been reunited with — Merle — hunched over and eating human flesh as a zombie. Not only did Daryl find his big brother dead (or undead, as it were) but he then had to rekill him to put him out of his zombie misery. Now, the man who plays Daryl, Norman Reedus, reveals how he used the loss of his father to prep for the scene, what it all means for the future of his character,...