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Perhaps you’ve heard that Matt Damon is from the beautiful city of Boston. True story! So are his friends and professional colleagues the Affleck brothers — Casey and the other guy — and they seem to like to going back and filming in their hometown whenever possible. Watch these guys run around Beantown in movies like The Departed and Gone Baby Gone, and you get an inherent sense that they know these streets, they’ve tippled in those taverns, they’ve pissed in those alleyways after hours. Drop these actors in...

Mark Ruffalo's film debut came in 1994, when he appeared as a seductive and possibly supernatural super-hunk named Christian who periodically appears to Tracy Wells in the horror sequel "Mirror Mirror II: Raven Dance." The producers, likely pleased with his performance also hired Ruffalo to play a brand-new role in "Mirror Mirror III: The Voyeur." In that film, he played a sexy moving truck worker named Joey. Ruffalo did not appear in "Mirror Mirror 4: Reflections."

Despite starring in the "Mirror Mirror" movies, as well as the gore flick "The Dentist," Ruffalo had a pretty varied early career. He appeared in the '60s-set coming-of-age drama "There Goes My Baby" in 1994, the indie comedy "Safe Men" in 1998, and the Oscar Bait biopic "54" that same year. He worked with Ang Lee in 1999's "Ride with the Devil," but exploded into the pop consciousness with his memorable performance in Kenneth Lonergan...

There aren’t many places where one might encounter two Avengers, three chameleons and a hot priest. But that’s precisely who gathered in mid-November for THR’s Actor Roundtable at The Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica: Robert Downey Jr. (Oppenheimer), Mark Ruffalo (Poor Things), Jeffrey Wright (American Fiction), Paul Giamatti (The Holdovers), Colman Domingo (Rustin) and Andrew Scott (All of Us Strangers). They have among them 14 Emmy nominations (five of which led to wins), six Tony nominations (one victory) and six Oscar nominations, with each still on the hunt for his first statuette. Considering that the last Oscar winners for best actor and supporting actor first appeared on this roundtable, there’s a strong chance the best is yet to come for this starry sextet.

There are a lot of connections at this table, some of which you guys may not realize because they happened so early in your career.

Michael Lerner, the character actor known from films like “Godzilla,” “Elf,” and “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” and who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his role in “Barton Fink,” has died, as per a report in Variety. He was 81 years old.

The news was broken by his nephew, actor Sam Lerner, a series regular on “The Goldbergs.” He wrote on his Instagram page that “it’s hard to put into words how brilliant my uncle Michael was, and how influential he was to me. His stories always inspired me and made me fall in love with acting. He was the coolest, most confident, talented guy, and the fact that he was my blood will always make me feel special.” He added, “Rip Michael, enjoy your unlimited Cuban cigars, comfy chairs, and endless movie marathon.”

A carousel of images included pictures of Lerner on set in various costumes over the years,...

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between.

And today we talk to the great Steve Zahn, currently starring in the impressive indie Cowboys. Conor and I were lucky enough to speak with Zahn about his eclectic career, including highlights such as Safe Men, Riding in Cars with Boys, and A Perfect Getaway.

We discuss the immense variety in his resume, from Reality Bites to Rescue Dawn, the slightly infamous legacy of Sundance fave Happy, Texas, the way he approaches each role, and a little-seen film called Blowin’ Smoke (Freak Talks About Sex).

Cowboys is currently available digitally.

For more from The B-Side, you can find every actor/director and the films discussed in one place here.

Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter and Facebook.

Moonlight, Manchester by the Sea, Moana, Doctor Strange and more top our list of movies to watch at home in FebruaryMoonlight, Manchester by the Sea, Moana, Doctor Strange and more top our list of movies to watch at home in FebruaryGarrett McCormick2/7/2017 3:22:00 Pm

February is a love-fest and what better way to express your love of movies than purchasing the best films that 2016 had to offer!

New in the Cineplex Store this month is a pool of Oscar nominees, a crazy-good superhero film, and a few knee-slapping comedies, so get yourself more prepped than ever for this year's Academy Awards and get a copy of our new releases!

Check out our February New-in-Store Supercut featuring some of this months Cineplex Store releases, and find more releases below:

Nocturnal Animals - Available February 7th

Based on Austin Wright’s novel Tony and Susan, Amy Adams plays Susan Morrow, an...

First-time narrative filmmaker Roxy Toporowych, who previously directed the documentary Folk! and who has worked in the art department of films ranging from Safe Men to Captain America, is one of the ten filmmakers taking part this week in the Ifp Narrative Lab. Here, the Nyu Tisch graduate describes the genesis of her film, which sprung from a Fulbright Award she received to visit Ukraine as the Maidan protests were occurring and just before the revolution of 2014. Return later in the week for parts two and three of her story. A Badass Take-over The statue of Lenin that stood […]...

The release of Saturday Night Live head writer — and Staten Island native — Colin Jost’s coming-of-age comedy Staten Island Summer (available on Netflix Friday after a one-week run in theaters) isn’t the first time the “forgotten borough” has taken center stage in a movie or TV show. But as a native myself, I’ve always been surprised by how underrepresented the Island has been onscreen. Apart from 2009’s Staten Island (a barely noticed crime drama starring Ethan Hawke), the Island’s main claim to fame on the big screen has been when it doubled for other places in movies: The Godfather (Long Island), Safe Men (Rhode Island, weirdly enough), and School of Rock, where the venerable St. George Theatre was the setting for the final battle of the bands, though the location was never identified. The theater also performed double-duty on TV’s Smash, where it served as both...

Bill Hader has come a long way since his stint on Saturday Night Live, creating many popular characters and impersonations such as Stefon, Vincent Price and CNN’s Jack Cafferty. He is one of the highlights in such films as Adventureland, Knocked Up, Superbad and Pineapple Express, and so it is easy to see why author Mike Sacks interviewed him for his new book Poking A Dead Frog. In it, Hader talks about his career and he also lists 200 essential movies every comedy writer should see. Xo Jane recently published the list for those of us who haven’t had a chance to read the book yet. There are a ton of great recommendations and plenty I haven’t yet seen, but sadly my favourite comedy of all time isn’t mentioned. That would be Some Like It Hot. Still, it really is a great list with a mix of old and new.

Get ready to see a different side of Sam Rockwell. Well known for his goofy charm in movies such as this summer's "The Way Way Back" and as a suave bad guy in "Charlie's Angels" and "Iron Man 2," Rockwell's role in this weekend's indie "A Single Shot" could come as a shock. He plays John Moon, a West Virginian man who finds himself in a spot of trouble after he accidentally murders a young woman while hunting in the woods. Soon, he's the one being hunted.

We caught up with Rockwell prior to the movie's release, chatting on his trademark dance moves, the thick West Virginia accent he adopted for the role and the power of a good beard.

Talk to me a little bit about "A Single Shot." You're known for playing a very different kind of role than the very countrified, rough character in John Moon.

I think that I just wanted,...

“What I would hope is that people think that I was a guy who was good at his job.” So says Paul Giamatti about his potential legacy, and it’s hard to imagine that moviegoers could come to any other conclusion. The New Haven native has brought his unique brand of angst-ridden earnestness to great, real performances in “American Splendor,” “Sideways,” “Cinderella Man” (for which he earned an Oscar nomination), “Win Win” and many others. Giamatti next appears in the Jan. 25 release “John Dies at the End,” a whacked-out horror film directed by Don Coscarelli (“Bubba Ho-Tep”) about a mysterious drug called Soy Sauce that allows users to read people’s minds and cross dimensions. Indiewire recently caught up with Giamatti to hear stories about what was going on behind some of his most memorable screen work. “Safe Men” (1998) Giamatti plays a fashion-challenged mob...

Through a barrage of fantastic performances, Sam Rockwell has established himself as one of the most reliable character actors working in the movies today. Over the last 15 years Rockwell has built a film resume that speaks volumes about his range as an actor, taking in comedy and drama and everything else in between. He is an actor who can not only hold his own with the best in Hollywood blockbusters, but also keep his feet firmly planted in the roots of independent film as well. He creates characters of seamless originality, with no two performances quite the same.

The great film critic Roger Ebert once compared his style to that of Christopher Walken, which is a high compliment to be compared to an Oscar winning legend. Hopefully one day soon Rockwell can join Walken’s company in legendary Oscar winner status, but until then and to celebrate the release of...

I've kept a close eye on Peter Dinklage ever since he played a diminutive hitman in the underrated indie comedy Safe Men (if you've never seen it, rent it). But finding roles for Dinklage is simultaneously easy and challenging. Dinklage was born with a condition called Achondroplasia, which causes dwarfism.so whenever a script calls for a little person, an elf, or anyone else who's only as tall as a nightstand, Dinklage usually ends up on the casting agent's shortlist. For every other role, things aren't so simple.

Aside from 2003's The Station Agent, for which Dinklage was showered with praise as the star, roles written for...  More >>...

The juror panel at the Tribeca Film Festival is going to look like the red carpet at a major Hollywood premiere.

Several celebrities, including Jessica Alba, Whoopi Goldberg, Aaron Eckhart and Brooke Shields, were asked to serve on the six competitive festival categories. They will announce the winning films, filmmakers and actors in their respective categories at the Tff Awards Night Party, which will be held on April 29. The 2010 Tribeca Festival runs from April 21 to May 2 in New York City.

“This year’s jury features the same impressive range and depth as our films playing in competition. They are distinctive and accomplished storytellers, artists and entrepreneurs from the worlds of film, theater, culture, fashion, television and new media – all of whom share a passion for film, a thirst for discovery and a spirit of independence,” said Jane Rosenthal, co-founder of the Tribeca Film Festival.

Here’s a list of all...

The Tribeca Film Festival announced Tuesday morning the 35 jurors for its six competition categories.

Filmmakers, actors, screenwriters, journalists and media figures such as Aaron Eckhart, Jessica Alba, Cheryl Hines, America Ferrera, Alicia Keys, Zach Braff, Hope Davis, Gary Ross, Whoopi Goldberg and Twitter co-founder Jack Dorsey will participate on the juries.

"This year's jury features the same impressive range and depth as our films playing in competition," fest co-founder Jane Rosenthal said. "They are distinctive and accomplished storytellers, artists and entrepreneurs from the worlds of film, theater, culture, fashion, television and new media -- all of whom share a passion for film, a thirst for discovery and a spirit of independence."

Winners in the world narrative, world documentary, New York narrative, New York documentary, narrative short and documentary and student short film categories will be announced at the awards night party April 29. Together, the six juries will award $130,000 in cash and prizes,...

There are some actors whose mere presence on the bill puts you in a good mood. Patricia Clarkson does this for me. Joan Cusack, Judy Greer, Ben Shenkman, Harry Dean Stanton. Steve Zahn owns this territory. From Reality Bites to Joy Ride, I'll watch just about any movie this guy shows up in. Many I'm willing to wait for the DVD. Management (what kind of movie title is that?), I'm looking at you. So it was with gusto that I hauled my ass out of the heat and caught the 10 a.m. showing of A Perfect Getaway, which incidentally is a great fun piece of air-conditioned throwaway about a couple on their Hawaii hiking trip who run into fingerprint-shaving murderers. There were three people in the theater, which might account for its modest $5+ million opening. But I got my Zahn fix. And I've got a new girl crush on Samantha Who?...

Safe Men Dir. John Hamburg (1998) Can't get enough Sam Rockwell lately? Well, neither can we. Long before he landed on the Moon (Tff '09) with Duncan Jones and Kevin Spacey, Rockwell and walking-comic-relief Steve Zahn were Safe Men. Today's pick was directed by John Hamburg (who had a hit this year with I Love You, Man and also has written flicks like Zoolander and Meet the Parents), and follows two wannabe-singers (Rockwell and Zahn) in Providence, Rhode Island. When the pair is mistaken for a team of master safecrackers, local hoodlums persuade the two into their service. Trouble and hilarity ensue. And to complicate things further is the boss-man's daughter (Christina Kirk), who refuses to date gangsters. Safe Men is classic mistaken identity with a stellar supporting cast: Mark Ruffalo, Harvey Fierstein, Paul Giamatti, and Michael Lerner all make appearances. Be sure to read our Moon interview with director Duncan Jones.

Safe Men Dir. John Hamburg (1998) Can't get enough Sam Rockwell lately? Well, neither can we. Long before he landed on the Moon (Tff '09) with Duncan Jones and Kevin Spacey, Rockwell and walking-comic-relief Steve Zahn were Safe Men. Today's pick was directed by John Hamburg (who had a hit this year with I Love You, Man and also has written flicks like Zoolander and Meet the Parents), and follows two wannabe-singers (Rockwell and Zahn) in Providence, Rhode Island. When the pair is mistaken for a team of master safecrackers, local hoodlums persuade the two into their service. Trouble and hilarity ensue. And to complicate things further is the boss-man's daughter (Christina Kirk), who refuses to date gangsters. Safe Men is classic mistaken identity with a stellar supporting cast: Mark Ruffalo, Harvey Fierstein, Paul Giamatti, and Michael Lerner all make appearances. Be sure to read our Moon interview with director Duncan Jones.

Sam Rockwell is one of those underrated actors who works all the time in indie films but rarely seems to land anything larger than a supporting role in studio productions (most recently in Frost/Nixon). His resume is dotted with little-seen gems that might have made him a star if they'd had any exposure to a mass audience. Off the top of my head, I can come up with Box of Moonlight, Jerry and Tom, Lawn Dogs, Safe Men and last year's Choke. Add Moon to that list -- yet another small film I fear will only find an audience in the DVD/cable aftermarket. Moon is an acting tour de force in which Rockwell's performance -- or, more accurately, performances -- lift what could have been an intellectual exercise into an emotionally compelling movie. Rockwell plays Sam Bell, the lone employee on a mining...

It's been just over ten years since John Hamburg's "Safe Men" was released.  If you haven't seen that film, it's on DVD right now, and I highly recommend tracking down a copy.  It's a great small quirky comedy with Steve Zahn, Paul Giamatti, and Sam Rockwell, and it's one of those movies that I've probably pushed on more friends over the years than I can count.  And every single time, the person who I give it to ends up loving it.  As a result, I've been interested in whatever Hamburg's up to since then.  He's co-written both "Meet The Parents" and...

If daylight savings time is upon us, it must mean the first quarter release graveyard really is out of sight now as some big name stars finally come out to play. Meanwhile, some previous SXSW alums make their theatrical bows as the film and music fest get underway in Austin and bromance continues to blossom.

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"Angel"

French helmer François Ozon's first English language feature is an adaptation of Brit author Elizabeth Taylor's seriocomic novel of the same title and promises to be a campy, ironic throwback to the melodramas of 1950s Hollywood. Romola Garai stars as Angelica "Angel" Deverell, the Barbara Taylor Bradford of the Edwardian era who specializes in romantic slush, which she flogs to long-suffering publisher Sam Neill. A woman of determined ambition, Angel callously manipulates anyone she feels will benefit her ascension to the upper echelons of society,...

We have new images and clips in from the Paramount Pictures comedy "I Love You, Man," starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly. John Hamburg ("Along Came Polly," "Safe Men") directs the film from the screenplay he wrote with Larry Levin ("Dr. Dolittle 2") based on the story by Levin. The romantic comedy sees theatres soon, on March 20th. View all the clips: Trailer 1 Girlfriend Guy Trying to Get Pregnant Open House Prepare to be Rushified Do you play an instrument? See all of the new images Check out the website today at http://www.iloveyouman.com/. What's it about? In “I Love You, Man,” a comedy from John Hamburg (“Along Came Polly,” co-writer of “Meet The Parents,” “Meet The Fockers,” “Zoolander”), Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd, “Knocked Up” “The 40 Year Old Virgin”) is a successful real estate agent who,...

We have new images and clips in from the Paramount Pictures comedy "I Love You, Man," starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly. John Hamburg ("Along Came Polly," "Safe Men") directs the film from the screenplay he wrote with Larry Levin ("Dr. Dolittle 2") based on the story by Levin. The romantic comedy sees theatres soon, on March 20th. In “I Love You, Man,” a comedy from John Hamburg (“Along Came Polly,” co-writer of “Meet The Parents,” “Meet The Fockers,” “Zoolander”), Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd, “Knocked Up” “The 40 Year Old Virgin”) is a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey, (“The Office’s” Rashida Jones)...

We have new images and clips in from the Paramount Pictures comedy "I Love You, Man," starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly. John Hamburg ("Along Came Polly," "Safe Men") directs the film from the screenplay he wrote with Larry Levin ("Dr. Dolittle 2") based on the story by Levin. The romantic comedy sees theatres soon, on March 20th. In “I Love You, Man,” a comedy from John Hamburg (“Along Came Polly,” co-writer of “Meet The Parents,” “Meet The Fockers,” “Zoolander”), Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd, “Knocked Up” “The 40 Year Old Virgin”) is a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey, (“The Office’s” Rashida Jones)...

I had a chance to see "I Love You, Man" at this year's Butt-Numb-a-Thon, and although it's not a Judd Apatow production, I guarantee a lot of people will think it is.  It's actually written and directed by John Hamburg, whose best credit before this was the underrated and underseen "Safe Men" with Sam Rockwell and Paul Giamatti.  The Apatow confusion will probably result from the presence of both Paul Rudd and Jason Segel in the film, as well as a general bromance tone that the Apatow films have mined so successfully the last few years. I liked the film a...

The trailer for the new comedy “I Love You, Man” has surfaced at Yahoo! Movies. Paul Rudd stars as a soon-to-be-married man who goes on a search to find a buddy to fill his empty best man spot in I Love You, Man. The trailer to the Dreamworks comedy is now online. I Love You, Man is written and directed by John Hamburg, the screenwriter of Meet the Parents, Zoolander, and Along Came Polly and director of Safe Men and Along Came Polly. “I Love You, Man,” starring Paul Rudd, Rashida Jones, Jason Segel, Andy Samberg, J. K. Simmons, Jaime Pressly, Thomas Lennon and Jon Favreau lands in theaters on March 20th, 2009.

Movie Jungle has new images in from the DreamWorks Pictures' comedy "I Love You, Man," starring Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly. Coming on March 20th next year, the film is helmed and written by John Hamburg ("Safe Men"). Segel's breakthrough role was in "Knocked Up," he later landed a starring role in the successful adult comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" alongside Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Paul Hader, Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill.

Movie Jungle has new images in from the DreamWorks Pictures' comedy "I Love You, Man," starring Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly. Coming on March 20th next year, the film is helmed and written by John Hamburg ("Safe Men"). Segel's breakthrough role was in "Knocked Up," he later landed a starring role in the successful adult comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" alongside Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Paul Hader, Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill.

Movie Jungle has new images in from the DreamWorks Pictures' comedy "I Love You, Man," starring Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly. Coming on March 20th next year, the film is helmed and written by John Hamburg ("Safe Men"). Segel's breakthrough role was in "Knocked Up," he later landed a starring role in the successful adult comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" alongside Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Paul Hader, Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill. Check out the images here. What's it about? In “I Love You, Man,” a comedy from John Hamburg (“Along Came Polly,” co-writer of “Meet The Parents,” “Meet The Fockers,” “Zoolander”), Peter Klaven (Paul Rudd, “Knocked Up” “The 40 Year Old Virgin”) is a successful real estate agent who, upon getting engaged to the woman of his dreams, Zooey, (“The Office’s” Rashida Jones), discovers, to his dismay and chagrin,...

Movie Jungle has new images in from the DreamWorks Pictures' comedy "I Love You, Man," starring Jason Segel, Paul Rudd, Rashida Jones, Andy Samberg, J.K. Simmons, Jane Curtin, Jon Favreau and Jaime Pressly. Coming on March 20th next year, the film is helmed and written by John Hamburg ("Safe Men"). Segel's breakthrough role was in "Knocked Up," he later landed a starring role in the successful adult comedy "Forgetting Sarah Marshall" alongside Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Russell Brand, Paul Hader, Paul Rudd and Jonah Hill.

Choke Directed by: Clark Gregg Cast: Sam Rockwell, Angelica Huston, Kelly Macdonald, Brade William Henke Time: 1 hr 30 mins Rating: R Plot: A sex-addicted con-man (Rockwell) dropped out of medical school to get a job to afford his mother's (Huston) hospital bills. He also plays on the sympathies of others who rescue him from choking to death at restaurants. Who’s It For? It's a dark comedy that should have gone darker. Based on Chuck Palahniuk's novel, it doesn't carry the same bite or impact as Fight Club. Expectations: I actually had the book Choke waiting for me at the library, but due to an early screening, I didn't read it before the film. All I knew was Rockwell was starring. Safe Men made me a Rockwell fan. Scorecard (0-10) Actors: Sam Rockwell as Victor: Rockwell's wispy loaf of a haircut doesn't aid him well, but he does his best...