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Top 9 Bollywood Actors who made a mark Internationally(Photo Credit –Instagram)

Over the years, several Bollywood actors have crossed borders, leaving an indelible mark on international audiences. These stars have not only showcased their talent but also brought a slice of Indian culture to the global stage. Here’s a look at the top 10 Bollywood actors who have made a significant impact internationally.

1. Priyanka Chopra Jonas

Priyanka Chopra Jonas is undoubtedly the queen of global domination. After winning Miss World in 2000, Priyanka has come a long way, becoming a household name in Hollywood. Her role as Alex Parrish in the hit TV series Quantico put her on the global map. She has also starred in movies like Baywatch alongside Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. Not just an actor, Priyanka is also a singer, author, and producer, making her one of the most versatile talents from Bollywood.

Fun Fact:

Priyanka’s single “Exotic,...

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan Rejected Brad Pitt’s Movie ( Photo Credit – Instagram )

Before Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone, it was Aishwarya Rai Bachchan who won hearts with her talent in the Hollywood film industry. She appeared on several talk shows and impressed people with her wit and charm. The blue-eyed diva has worked in international movies like Bride and Prejudice, Mistress of Spices, Provoked, The Pink Panther 2 and The Last Legion. With her fantastic acting and bewitching beauty, Aishwarya made a place for herself in the West. Hence, even today, many top stars sometimes mention her name in their interviews.

There was a time when the Ponniyin Selvan actress was getting multiple offers to work on Hollywood projects. However, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan was quite selective and slowly distanced herself from working in English or international movies due to scheduling issues. One such film the actress was offered, which she rejected,...

There are literally hundreds of films and TV shows about or featuring King Arthur going back well over a century – there are silent films, musicals, animated films, comedies, dramas. You name it, there is a King-Arthur-themed version of it. There are not a small number of “Best of…” lists floating around the internet as well. But how do you know which of the recommendations is really going to scratch your King Arthur-shaped itch?

MGM+’s new series about King Arthur, The Winter King, is a combination of gritty historical fiction and “low” fantasy. It is also fairly grim and violent. But there are lots of different ways to tell a story about King Arthur and his knights, with or without round table, Merlin, the Lady of the Lake and so on. Here, we’ve rounded up a few of our favourite films and TV shows about or featuring King Arthur,...

Coming June 8 to Peacock is “Based on a True Story,” a true-crime comedy thriller about a couple (Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina) who decide that getting involved in a murder will somehow save their marriage. All eight episodes will be released at once. This comical look at true crime is sure to entertain audiences, whether they are fans of the genre or not.

Check out the trailer for “Based on a True Story”:

On June 2, Peacock will premiere the new film “Shooting Stars.” The sports movie tells the story of LeBron James and how his high-school team at Akron’s St. Vincent/St. Mary High School became the No. 1 basketball team in the country. Also, how the friendships forged on the court have remained in place throughout the decades that followed.

Watch the “Shooting Stars” trailer:

Four of the five “Bourne” films are set to arrive on the service...

It’s tempting to think of the first “Star Wars” movie as ground zero for the new era of popular culture. But part of the primal power of George Lucas’s sci-fi landmark is that it represented a kind of dawn-of-the-digital-age, joystick-happy recycling of many, many things from the past. It drew on the ramshackle movie serials of the ’40s and ’50s. It drew on classic films as serious as John Ford’s “The Searchers” and Akira Kurosawa’s “The Hidden Fortress.” And, of course, there would have been no “Star Wars” without J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings”.

One of the reasons the “Lord of the Rings” films became such a massive cultural phenomenon is that they were, in effect, the true prequels to “Star Wars.” (It didn’t matter that they unfolded in a more primitive world; they took you over the hills and far away.

“There was once a dream that was Rome. You could only whisper it, anything more than a whisper and it would vanish.” These were the words spoken by Richard Harris at his most regal in Gladiator, adding some blockbuster poeticism to the democratic ideals of the Roman republic—a dream lost long before Gladiator begins. But he could just as easily be speaking about the beauty and grandeur of the historical epics which inspired Gladiator .

Decades before Russell Crowe and Ridley Scott reawakened that whisper to a mighty roar, historical war epics, from swords and sandals beefcake cinema to Napoleonic and Revolutionary melodramas, were the order of the day in Hollywood. Kirk Douglas’ Spartacus and Charlton Heston’s Ben-Hur were the superheroes of the early ‘60s, before the genre’s popularity receded to camp TV miniseries ignominy. Then came Gladiator (and to a lesser extent Braveheart five years earlier), and...

We’ve reviewed every summer movie season since 1980 to find out which are the best, and which are the worst. Last week we posted our picks for the worst, and here we post our picks for the best.

2015 and 2016 may just be the most overthetop summer movie seasons yet. It seems like nearly every movie slated for a summer 2015 or 2016 release is heavily anticipated. Because of these impending summers of movie awesomeness, we’ve decided to take a look back at summer movie seasons of years past. The idea of the summer movie season is currently in full swing, but it didn’t catch on immediately. Hollywood had to do its fair share of experimenting to determine what types of films would be most successful. As a result, some summer movie seasons have been better than others. We’ve reviewed them all for you and ranked them from worst to best.

A witty, clever, character-driven bit of science fiction wonderfulness, full of suspense, surprise, tension, and an unexpected poignancy. I’m “biast” (pro): love sci-fi, was intrigued by what I saw at a footage reveal

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

I have not read the source material

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

Oh, hooray. I am a happy geek today. Science fiction has made me happy. Because director Doug Liman has given us exactly the kind of sci-fi action drama we were hoping for — expecting, even — from the indie filmmaker who snuck up on the action genre and booted it into the 21st century with 2002’s The Bourne Identity. Edge of Tomorrow is, unsurprisingly, smart, cleverly playing with clichés it knows we’re familiar with and even goofing on its own storytelling. It is also, surprisingly, funny, an unanticipated treat since it’s set during...

"The man's a genius, and he's taking us with him." We've already seen one trailer that showed 42 star Chadwick Boseman taking on the role of the Godfather of Soul in Get on Up. The film tells the story of the rise and struggles of famed singer James Brown, and a new trailer shows a little more of his troubled childhood and also his adult struggles to deal with the return of his estranged mother (Viola Davis) who he hasn't seen since she abandoned his family as a child. It doesn't sound like Boseman is doing his own singing, but he certainly seems to have Brown's mannerism's and speaking voice locked down. Watch now! Here's the new trailer for Tate Taylor's Get on Up, originally from Apple: Get On Up is directed by Tate Taylor (The Help) and written by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (Fair Game, The Last Legion) with Steven Baigelman (Feeling Minnesota,...

"You wanna go down in history as the man that killed the funk?" After bringing Jackie Robinson to life in 42, actor Chadwick Boseman has another biopic coming this year, but this time it's a microphone in his hand instead of a baseball bat. Tate Taylor (The Help) directs Get On Up, the story of James Brown, the Godfather of Soul, and the first trailer has arrived. It certainly looks lively, until the serious part of the story kicks in with Viola Davis showing up as the singer's estranged mother. This could be great, but we hope it doesn't just graze the surface like 42. Also keep an eye out for Dan Akyroyd and Craig Robinson. Watch! Here's the first trailer for Tate Taylor's Get On Up, originally from Apple (via The Film Stage): Get On Up is directed by Tate Taylor (The Help) and written by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth (Fair Game,...

After playing Jackie Robinson on the big screen in 42, actor Chadwick Boseman is bringing another icon to life, this time in the music world. The Help director Tate Taylor is directing Get On Up, a biopic on the Godfather of Soul, James Brown. Boseman plays the energetic singer in the film that is currently shooting in Mississippi. Before passing in 2006, the project had Brown involved behind the scenes, so this should be a rather accurate portrayal of his life. But can Boseman deliver the iconic voice of Brown? Well, apparently Taylor will use a combination of Boseman's voice and an overlay of the singer's actual voice. Anyway, we have the first look photo featuring Boseman singing and Craig Robinson on the saxophone. Look below! Here's the first photo from Tate Taylor's Get On Up from Entertainment Weekly: Get On Up is directed by Tate Taylor (The Help) and written...

Warner Bros. is looking to make an epic Roman Empire versus Han Dynasty film called The Last Legion. The movie is being written by Kurt Johnstad who is the same guy that wrote 300 and the upcoming sequel 300: Rise of an Empire. 

I guess the studio felt they need another high testosterone period war film. The film will tell the story about the "first encounter between two of the most powerful forces in the history of civilization, the Roman Empire and the Han Dynasty of ancient China. In 53 BC, a Roman legion was defeated in the Middle East and the surviving Roman soldiers were sold into slavery in the far east, North of China in what is now known as Mongolia. An intrepid band of Chinese warriors freed the legionnaires from captivity, and teamed up to defend China from the fiercest army in history."

Sounds like it will be a pretty freakin awesome movie!

Wreck-it Ralph was the best videogame-centric movie ever made, but prepare yourself for a ton more (Halo, Deus Ex, and a buttload of others are coming our way in the next couple years). One such film is Asteroids, based on the classic 70s Atari game that practically spawned the video game industry.

Universal has nabbed Jez Butterworth (Fair Game, The Last Legion, and an upcoming James Brown biopic) to rewrite the script, which came from Matt Lopez and Evan Spiliotopoulos. The film is produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who shepherded Transformers and GI Joe to the screen, if that tickles your pickle.

I hate movies that are made from products just to use their brand even if there isn’t a logical story involved (welcome to America), but hey, this will probably be better than Battleship. Right? Right?!

A while back I reviewed the wicked gothic-industrial album Xs and the Eyes by indie artist Anders Manga, which was packed to the brim with horror movie references (including the awesome Exorcist spin “I Cast You Out”) and heavy-beat electro nightmare soundscapes, all structured around Anders' mesmerizing and chilling vocals. Since then, he's founded a new project that retains that whole doomy devilish vibe, but this time on a foundation of old-school psychedelic occult doom, taking its name from the creepy song “Bloody Hammer” by legendary alt-rock icon Roky Erikson, from his horror-themed album The Evil One. Based in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Bloody Hammers formed within the past year and their self-titled debut album has now dropped on CD and vinyl. Along with Erikson, the band also cites creative influences ranging from Alice Cooper and Black Sabbath to Nick Cave and Bauhaus; from the Misfits and the Cramps to David Bowie and Joy Division.

Photos from The Conjuring, Movie 43, The Last Exorcism II, Promised Land, behind-the-scenes of The Young and Prodigious Spivet, Brad Pitt doing reshoots on World War Z, and Jared Leto in drag on the set of The Dallas Buyers Club

Posters for The Last Stand, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, Admission, Beautiful Creatures, Playing for Keeps, In Our Nature, Gangster Squad, Beautiful Noise, Gambit, The Girl and Identity Thief.

"The midnight screenings of 'The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2' pulled in $30.4 million, just ahead of Part 1's $30.25 million midnight gross last year…" (full details)

"Jez Butterworth ("Fair Game," "The Last Legion") has come onboard to work on the script for the film adaptation of classic Atari video game "Asteroids" at Universal Pictures…" (full details)

"'Snakes on a Plane' and 'The Final Destination' director David R. Ellis is set to direct the horror thriller 'Sprawl' for Blumhouse.

Universal Pictures has been working on an "Asteroids" movie for a while. And now comes word that project, based on the popular 1970s Atari video game, has signed on a new writer, Jez Butterworth (Fair Game, The Last Legion). Meanwhile, Warner Bros just hired Jane Goldman (Kick-Ass, X-Men: First Class) to write the script for "Pinocchio," a live-action movie that has Tim Burton in talks to direct and Robert Downey Jr in talks to play Geppetto. "Pushing Daisies" creator Bryan Fuller wrote the original script. Downey provided some notes that Goldman will include in her version in hopes of getting the actor to officially sign on.

Variety reports that the Universal Pictures adaptation of the popular '70s Atari video game Asteroids has gotten a new writer in Jez Butterworth, who wrote the screenplay for Doug Liman's Fair Game , the epic The Last Legion , as well as directed Nicole Kidman's Birthday Girl . More recently, Butterworth has written a James Brown biopic for The Help director Tate Taylor. Produced by Lorenzo di Bonaventura, the man behind three "Transformers" movies and two based on "G.I. Joe," earlier versions of the project were written by Matt Lopez and Evan Spiliotopoulos, but with vintage video games being very much in the public consciousness right now thanks to the success of Disney's Wreck-It Ralph , it makes sense Universal might want to try to get this...

The Help director Tate Taylor is currently in negotiations to direct a feature film biopic of musical legend James Brown. The movie is being produced by Image Entertainment's Brian Grazer and The Rolling Stone's Mick Jagger is also along for the ride as a producer!

The film was written by Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth (Birthday Girl, The Last Legion, Fair Game). According to Deadline, "the story charts a young boy’s rise from extreme poverty and violence to become The Godfather Of Soul, one of the most influential black artists in history whose career spanned six decades. Grazer started the project at a time when the singer himself was an active part in its development, before he died in late 2006."

Well, it's cool to see the project finally moving forward again after all this years. This is a passion project for Grazer who has said Brown was "one of the most electric,...

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has reportedly been cast in a Hollywood film with Titanic star Billy Zane. The Bollywood actress has already achieved international recognition, having starred alongside Colin Firth in The Last Legion, Martin Henderson in Gurinder Chadha's Bride and Prejudice and Steve Martin in The Pink Panther 2. A source told Mid-Day: "Aishwarya has been approached by director Daniel Silva for his upcoming film that also stars Billy Zane, TV actress Sara Khan and singer Lucky Ali." Khan also backed up the report, (more)...

New Delhi, Feb 29: Hollywood trainer Ed Chow, who trained celebrities like Clive Owen and Lucas Till, says he would love to work with Farhan Akhtar, who has been training hard for his next film "Bhaag Milkha Bhaag".

"I was really lucky to meet Aishwarya Rai when she was working on 'The Last Legion' with Colin Firth. There are actors like Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor and Sara Khan. And I'd like to work with Farhan Akhtar - I've seen some of his work and I really liked it," Chow said in an e-mail interaction.

"Bhaag Milkha Bhaag" is a biopic on legendary athlete Milkha Singh and Farhan is currently undergoing.

Paris, Feb 28: Aishwarya is famous for her beautiful blue eyes. One famous person criticizes the expression of her eyes in one of her Hollywood movie. The Italian historian, Valerio Massimo Manfredi criticizes her eyes for her role in The Last Legion. The movie is based on Manfredi’s story. After watching the movie, the historian gives his review. The movie portrays Aishwarya as a strong personality. Manfredi’s girl in the story is a simple village lass.

The movie also cast Colin Firth and Benkingsley and others. Aishwarya the mother of a baby girl, acted opposite Colin Firth. It is not her first Hollywood movie. She was the part.

Now this is a project that sounds like it could be awesome! Deadline reports that MGM is in talks to acquire a spec script adaptation from filmmaker Adam Green of Greg Taylor's 2009 novel Killer Pizza. Green is the fan-favorite indie horror director of Hatchet I & II and Frozen and it sounds like he'll be directing this, too. It's likely that Rafaella De Laurentiis (DragonHeart, The Last Legion) will produce with 1492 Pictures and Cj Entertainment. It sounds like such a great concept for a kid-focused horror, about a 14-year old boy who lands a summer job at a pizza place that's actually a front for a monster hunting organization. Read on! The project has been in development ever since the book hit, but it sounds like it's moving forward with MGM, likely for a 2013 premeire. Learning to cook pizzas is one thing, but killing hideously terrifying monsters? That’s ...

It was a box-office bloodbath for Conan the Barbarian and Fright Night among others over the weekend. On the bright side, The Help climbed to the top spot, due to a combination of a strong hold and those weak new releases, while Rise of the Planet of the Apes took second. The Help eased 21 percent to an estimated $20.5 million, lifting its total to $71.8 million in 12 days. It marked the first time since early January that a movie has risen to No. 1 after previously debuting lower. The last instance was True Grit, but the more thematically comparable The Blind Side also did it.

The Help has dusted Julie & Julia and Eat Pray Love, the past female-driven August book adaptations that inspired its release, by a wide margin. Rise of the Planet of the Apes extended its lead over most past comparable titles, including X-Men: First Class and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,...

On Friday, it was a box-office bloodbath for Conan the Barbarian and Fright Night among others. Between the weak new releases and a strong hold, The Help climbed to the top spot, while Rise of the Planet of the Apes took second. The Help eased 24 percent Friday-to-Friday to an estimated $5.8 million, lifting its total to $57.1 million in ten days. It marked the first time since early January that a movie has risen to No. 1 after previously debuting lower. The last instance was True Grit, but the more thematically comparable The Blind Side also did it. The Help has dusted Julie & Julia and Eat Pray Love, the past female-driven August book adaptations that inspired its release, by a wide margin. It was business as usual for Rise of the Planet of the Apes, which extended its lead over most past comparable titles, including X-Men: First Class and G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra,...

Between the openings of three 3D movies trying to recapture a bygone era, Conan the Barbarian, Fright Night and Spy Kids: All the Time in the World, and holdovers The Help and Rise of the Planet of the Apes, this weekend is a free-for-all for the top spot. That speaks to the relative weakness of the new movies and the strength of the holdovers. The Help, in particular, is on track for a second weekend in the high teen millions at least, which will likely be all it takes to emerge victorious. Spy Kids 4 attacks the most locations: 3,295 (including around 1,300 showing it in 3D, and all of them will have "smell-o-vision"-type cards dubbed "Aroma-scope" handed out). Fright Night lashes out at 3,114 locations (3D count unavailable at this time), and Conan hits 3,015 locations (including roughly 2,100 showing it in 3D). All three movies are estimated to have screen counts in the 4,000 range.

Montreal, Qb (June 2011). Zoe Saldana, Olivia Wilde, Ben Barnes, John Hannah, J.K. Simmons, and Nora Arnezeder join Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Irons, and Dennis Quaid to round out the cast of the dramatic thriller The Words. The film marks Tron Legacy writers Brian Klugman and Lee Sternthal’s directorial debut. Klugman and Sternthal also wrote the script, which went through the Sundance Screenwriter’s Lab and appeared on the Black List (the annual list of Hollywood’s best unproduced screenplays). The Words starts shooting this month in Montreal.

The Words follows a writer (Cooper) who, at the peak of his literary success, discovers the price he must pay for stealing another man’s work.

Michael Benaroya of Benaroya Pictures is producing along with Animus Films’ Jim Young, and Serena Films’ Tatiana Kelly. Untitled Entertainment’s Laura Rister is executive producing the film with Cassian Elwes under their joint venture Waterfall Media.

Hitting movie theaters this weekend:

African Cats – Samuel L. Jackson (Narration)

Deep Gold – Bebe Pham, Jaymee Ong, Michael Gleissner

Madea’s Big Happy Family – Tyler Perry, Loretta Devine, Bow Wow

Water for Elephants – Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz

Movie of the Week

Water for Elephants

The Stars: Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, Christoph Waltz

The Plot: A veterinary student (Pattinson) abandons his studies after his parents are killed and joins a traveling circus as their vet.

The Buzz: This period piece looks to be a well put together romantic drama. I enjoyed Pattinson’s general vibe in the trailer; thankfully a far cry from his brooding ham-bake of the Twilight films. Witherspoon is winsome, I typically love her in her more dramatic pieces — aside from the laborious Vanity Fair. It’ll be interesting to see what kind of on-screen magic this pair can conjure up. Happy to see Christolph Waltz again,...

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The King's Speech I'm not starting with The King's Speech because I think it's the best film of the bunch, though I did thoroughly enjoy it. But when a film wins Best Picture you sort of have to give it top placement... don't you? That said, I'm surprised the Weinstein Co. isn't pulling some kind of "The Rated Version You Could Only See in Theaters Before We Replaced it with the PG-13 Version" as a marketing tactic. I mean, you gotta spin it any way you can at this point don't you? The Way Back I have not yet had the chance to see Peter Weir's latest and while I haven't heard any negative buzz I haven't heard any overwhelming endorsements either. Anyone out there seen it and want to tell me I have to see it? Personally,...

Your Weekly Source for Blu-Ray New Releases

Tuesday, April 19, 2011 Steven Seagal is Born To Raise Hell… so he says. (2010) Morgan Freeman Double Feature: Code / The Contract Get into nature from the comfort of your home with the Earth From Above films: Amazing Lands / Life / Stunning Waters Jack Black gets adventurous in Gulliver’S Travels in 3D (2010) Donnie Yen kicks butt in the sequel IP Man 2 as a 2-Disc Collector’s Edition (2010) Named by the British Film Institute as one of the ten best British films of the century, Kes: Criterion Collection (1969) from director Ken Loach. Colin Firth sh-sh-shines in director Tom Hooper’s Best Picture winner The King’S Speech (2010) Not noticed by the Academy, Colin Firth and Ben Kingsley star in The Last Legion (2007) Director Tinto Brass Monamour (2005) as a 2-Disc Special Edition. Flashback to the glory days (snicker) of video game movie adaptations with Mortal Kombat (1995) Then…...

Subject: Colin Firth, 50-year old English actor

Date of Assessment: March 30, 2011

Positive Buzzwords: Underrated, mainstream

Negative Buzzwords: Stiff, posh, bore

The Case: The good news, as accurately declared by Colin Firth in his recent (Best Actor) Oscar acceptance speech, is that his career really has just peaked. The bad news, however, is that in the event of a career peak, a downward slide might be inevitable. In the best case scenario, it is entirely possible Firth could parlay his Oscar win into more exposure for the sorts of roles that he's played before and for which he hasn't yet received proper recognition.

Most of us know Firth as the quintessential Englishman and for good reason. He's quite notorious for his straight-out-of-the-novel portrayal of Mr. Darcy in the six-episode miniseries Pride and Prejudice, in which he performed the classic Regency version of a one-man wet t-shirt contest. Indeed, there's something strange...

There have been a few films lately about Roman soldiers caught behind enemy lines in ancient Britain (Centurion, The Last Legion, King Arthur), but none of them comes close to Kevin Macdonald's The Eagle – for atmosphere and spectacle, at least. Like the same director's Touching the Void, it's about two men being battered by nature at its most unforgiving, and, like The Last King of Scotland, it has someone venturing far out of his depth in an exotic foreign land.

For those who have seen The Last Legion, it's not fresh news that recent Oscar winner Colin Firth has a Bollywood connection. The actor who starred in the movie is said to have kept in close contact with his co-star Aishwarya Bachchan. The connection between the two has been brought to centre-stage what with the news that Firth has taken up Bachchan's invitation to go to India.

Details of a pending trip are being kept under wraps but it seems it has been on the cards for some time. The two caught up at the Oscars recently and undoubtedly Bachchan was all cheers when Firth was announced as winner of the Best Actor. It is rumoured that Bachchan raised a glass to Firth and his Oscar win at the after-party and the two are said to have talked about connecting while the actress is in Los Angeles later this month.

Bollywood couple Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan graced the red carpet at the 83rd Academy Awards in February. Aishwarya wore a strapless bronze Giorgio Armani gown with amber sequins, while her husband Abhishek wore a traditional black tuxedo.

Indian actress Mallika Sherawat also walked the red carpet—in a sequined white Mark Bouwer gown with a dramatic front slit and plunging neckline.

The Bachchans were vacationing in the U.S. and said they received a last-minute invitation to the ceremony. They attended the Vanity Fair Oscar Party later that night.

Aishwarya has appeared in several Hollywood productions. In 2007, she co-starred with this year's Best Actor winner Colin Firth in 'The Last Legion,' along with British actor Ben Kingsley.

Indian composer A.R. Rahman, known as the "Mozart of Madras" and famous for his work in Hindi film, was nominated for two Academy Awards this year, Best Original Score...

The King's Speech continues to bask in Oscars glory, with a huge surge of interest in the film and in all previous titles featuring Best Actor award winner Colin Firth.

The historical drama, which won four Oscars, has experienced a 281 per cent increase in rental pre-orders and is predicted to become the biggest rental title of 2011.

There has also been a major boost for Firth's earlier releases, including a rise of more than 1000 per cent in viewers watching 2008's The Accidental Husband via online streaming.

According to subscription service LOVEFiLM, DVD rentals of Relative Values, a film adaption of the 1950s play, have jumped by 400 per cent, and those for romantic comedy Fever Pitch are up 340 per cent.

LOVEFiLM's Watch Online streaming service has also experienced a boost: The Accidental Husband directed by Griffin Dunne is up by a staggering 1145 per cent and A Single Man based on Christopher Isherwood...

As we all know, an Oscar win can give a film a mass audience, and an actor newly obsessive fans. After this year’s Academy Awards, whose oeuvre have you been inspired to explore more thoroughly? Maybe you’ve already moved a few films to the front of your Netflix queue, or perhaps you’re using your lunch hour to watch interviews on YouTube. Best Actor winner Colin Firth is the lucky recipient of my focus this year, which means I will finally be seeing both A Single Man (which garnered him an Oscar nod last year) and The Last Legion...

Channing Tatum heads into battle in Roman times in The Eagle. We sent Ron off with him, to find out how the film fares...

Twenty years ago, the Ninth Legion marched north from Roman Britain into the wilds of Scotland. They disappeared, never to be seen again, and their standard disappeared with them. Humiliated by the loss of their golden eagle, Emperor Hadrian constructed his famous wall and pretty much abandoned the area north of said wall to the savages. That is, until hotshot young commander, Marcus Flavius Aquila (Channing Tatum), comes along.

Of course, Aquila isn't coming to the forsaken British Isles for a vacation. He's got redemption on his mind. His father was the commander of the Ninth that disappeared, and now his son is coming back in an attempt to restore the family name somehow.

After proving his bravery in battle and getting an honorable discharge from the Legion,...

Justin Bieber came on strong on Friday, but didn't have the stamina to take the weekend from defending champ Adam Sandler. Nipping on both Bieber and Sandler's heels were some hefty garden gnomes. Courting his core audience and the date crowd and perhaps alienating both to a certain degree, Just Go With It was below par for an Adam Sandler vehicle, but nonetheless marked his 11th No. 1 movie. It drew an estimated $31 million on around 4,900 screens at 3,548 locations, and it should dominate Valentine's Monday and the rest of the weekdays. Sandler's last romantic comedy, 50 First Dates, notched $39.9 million in its Feb. 2004 opening weekend, or the equivalent of over $51 million adjusted for ticket price inflation (though it was bolstered by Presidents Day). Attendance was also down from Sandler's prior February romantic comedy The Wedding Singer. For co-star Jennifer Aniston, Just Go With It's start was slightly better than her last February release,...

Justin Bieber's fan base translated to a big opening day for the 16-year-old's biography/3D concert movie, and thanks to Bieber, Just Go With It and Gnomeo and Juliet, 2011 saw its first $40-million-plus Friday, proving yet again how product-driven the industry is. Overall business, though, was still down from the same Friday last year, which boasted the triple play of Valentine's Day, The Wolfman and Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief. Justin Bieber: Never Say Never packed an estimated $12.4 million on approximately 4,200 screens at 3,105 locations, making two and half times what the Jonas Brothers' 3D concert movie pulled in its opening day. Bieber also exceeded the first day grosses of the Hannah Montana 3D concert ($8.7 million) and Michael Jackson's This Is It ($7.4 million), though both Montana and Jonas played at far fewer locations than Bieber. Bieber's run included 2,516 3D venues, and they accounted for an estimated 85 percent of business.

There are some historical stories so fascinating, mysterious, and incredible that audiences can never tire of seeing the tale played out on the silver screen again and again. This is purportedly one of them. At the height of Rome’s dominance over all things Earth-bound the legendary Ninth Legion was reportedly sent into Caledonia (modern day Scotland) to find, defeat, and subjugate the Picts. They never returned, and the mystery remains to this day. Two decades later a young Roman soldier named Marcus Aquila (Cardboard Tatum) volunteers for a command that puts him within shouting distance of the land that swallowed the legion… and his father who led them. He wants to solve the mystery and restore his family’s good name by recovering the legion’s lost Eagle emblem. Along for the journey is a Scottish slave named Esca (Jamie Bell) whose life was spared by Marcus in the Roman arena. Together...

After box office receipts were down nearly 29 percent in January, the big question is whether the month of February can reverse this startling downward trend. With an Adam Sandler romantic comedy, the big-screen debut of pop sensation Justin Bieber, a sci-fi action movie set in high school and the latest Farrelly Bros. comedy, it's unlikely that February will fare as poorly as January. With no major holdovers, though, it's going to be tough to reach February 2010's $754.7 million, much less February 2009's record-setting $769.3 million. Feb. 4 While February as a whole doesn't look too bad, the first weekend should continue January's negative trend. The movie with the most hype is easily Sanctum, which has executive producer James Cameron hitting the press circuit as aggressively as he did for Avatar's opening (he recently created a Twitter account for the sole purpose of promoting the movie). Besides the its 3D presentation and Cameron's association,...

True Grit claimed the top spot, ending the reign of Little Fockers over a quiet start to 2011, while new nationwide releases Season of the Witch and Country Strong posted modest results. Overall business was off a precipitous 29 percent from the same weekend last year, when Avatar led. Steadily galloping along, True Grit collected an estimated $15 million, cooling 39 percent from New Year's weekend. The Western has racked up a mighty $110.4 million in 19 days, surpassing the final grosses of Unforgiven and Maverick. In terms of estimated attendance, it topped Brokeback Mountain on Saturday, and it eclipsed Tombstone on Sunday (Unforgiven and Maverick will likely prove insurmountable on this front). Little Fockers claimed an estimated $13.8 million, off 46 percent for a $124 million sum in 19 days. Predecessor Meet the Fockers grossed $28.5 million on the same weekend (day and date) in 2005, was down 32 percent and had tallied $204.3 million to date with more than double the attendance.

On Friday, True Grit (2010) edged out Little Fockers to top the box office, while new nationwide releases Season of the Witch and Country Strong were modest. Overall business was off precipitously from the same Friday last year, when Avatar led, and it was down significantly from the last time Friday landed on Jan. 7 (2005). True Grit collected an estimated $4.45 million, cooling 46 percent from last Friday (New Year's Eve), when it also led. Since this is a non-holiday weekend, it's likely to maintain its lead over Little Fockers and score its first weekend victory. The Western has racked up a mighty $99.9 million in 17 days, and, on Saturday, it will surpass the final grosses of Unforgiven and Maverick. In terms of estimated attendance, it will top Brokeback Mountain on Saturday, and it's on the cusp of eclipsing Tombstone (Unforgiven and Maverick will likely prove insurmountable on this front). Little Fockers claimed an estimated $4.25 million,...

The BBC reports that a film about The Clash is a go and that it is to center around the making of their 1979 record, "London Calling." The band, then composed of the infamous Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Nicky "Topper" Headon worked with influential British producer Guy Stevens to record the iconic rock album.

Both Mick Jones and Paul Simonon, currently playing animated alter egos in Damon Albarn's band Gorillaz, are on as executive producers. Alison Owen (mother of singer Lily Allen) is producing the film which begins shooting next year, with no cast yet announced.

I hope the story carries through '79 and into '82 for a bit of "Combat Rock," but we'll have to see where writer Jez Butterworth goes with it. The BBC notes that Butterworth is "author of award-winning play Jerusalem." That doesn't help a crude lad like me though, so I looked...

<img src="http://www.darkhorizons.com/assets/0013/0834/london-calling_article.jpg" /><p>Scribe Jez Butterworth ("Fair Game," "The Last Legion") is teaming with The Clash bandmembers Mick Jones and Paul Simonon for a film about the making of the band's famed 1979 album "London Calling" reports <a href="http://www.screendaily.com/news/uk-ireland/jez-butterworth-writes-feature-about-the-clash-for-ruby/5021086.article">Screen Daily</a>.</p> <p>The story will follow how unconventional producer/manager Guy Stevens steered the English punk rock band to fame with their hit 1979 album which is now considered one of the greatest of all time.</p> <p>Butterworth, Alison Owen and Paul Trijbits will produce the feature with shooting to kick off next year.</p>...

Get your swords and sandals ready – there’s a legion of historical epic movies on the way. Here’s Ti’s round-up…

Since Ridley Scott resurrected the swords and sandals genre with Gladiator in 2000, the historical epic has grown more and more popular. With massive budgets, thousands of extras and battle scenes that try to top each other year after year, the historical epic has become a regular feature in cinemas over the last ten decade, with Troy, Kingdom Of Heaven, Alexander, Robin Hood, Mongol, 300, King Arthur, The Last Legion, Pathfinder, Beowulf, Elizabeth: The Golden Age, and Clash Of The Titans all vying for our attention.

This year is no different, and with Michael Mann rumoured to be directing an adaptation of Bernard Cornwall's account of the Battle of Agincourt, Sharpe, it looks set to continue. We've already seen the likes of Robin Hood, Solomon Kane, Centurion, Clash Of The Titans,...

Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical

Famed film producer Dino De Laurentiis died early Thursday morning in Los Angeles, Variety has confirmed. He was 91.

Though he never directed a film, his name burst through the world of little-known producers, becoming one of the premiere names of both Italian cinema and Hollywood productions. His long career, spanning from pre-war Italy to 2007's trio of 'Hannibal Rising,' 'The Last Legion' and 'Virgin Territory,' stretched beyond genres and cinematic sentimentalities. He produced important films of the Italian New Wave ('La Strada') through to cult gems like 'Danger: Diabolik' and 'Barbarella.'

His on-going success bubbled out of his interest in breaking the boundaries of cinema and moving away from vertically integrated systems and into international co-productions. In the '60s, Italy's socialist government led the famed producer to move to New York, but...

Filed under: Movie News, Cinematical

Famed film producer Dino De Laurentiis died early Thursday morning in Los Angeles, Variety has confirmed. He was 91.

Though he never directed a film, his name burst through the world of little-known producers, becoming one of the premiere names of both Italian cinema and Hollywood productions. His long career, spanning from pre-war Italy to 2007's trio of 'Hannibal Rising,' 'The Last Legion' and 'Virgin Territory,' stretched beyond genres and cinematic sentimentalities. He produced important films of the Italian New Wave ('La Strada') through to cult gems like 'Danger: Diabolik' and 'Barbarella.'

His on-going success bubbled out of his interest in breaking the boundaries of cinema and moving away from vertically integrated systems and into international co-productions. In the '60s, Italy's socialist government led the famed producer to move to New York, but...

For most leading ladies in tinsel town, their career takes a downfall after they touch 30. But certainly not in the case of Aishwarya Rai, who continues to flourish in Bollywood as she turns 37 Monday and has two mega projects - 'Action Replayy' and 'Guzaarish' - lined up for release.The former beauty queen has come a long way from being crowned Miss World in 1994, to working in Tamil films, moving to Bollywood and finally topping it up with international fame through movie projects as well as attending prestigious foreign film festivals.But all through her 13-year film career, filmmakers feel she has remained a director's delight, and is here to stay for a long time to come.'Aishwarya always followed me during the shooting of 'Taal', and is a complete director's actor. I'm proud she has evolved so much as an actor. She is giving good performances, she has achieved international fame,...

Bollywood is so far out of my comfort zone that I only know of the films being produced there when someone brings them to my attention. Case in point: The Robot (Endhiran).

Directed by S. Shankar this bit of cheeky entertainment stars Rajnikanth and the gorgeous Aishwarya Rai who some may remember as Mira in Doug Lefler’s The Last Legion. The story’s pretty simple: a doctor, played by Rajnikanth, creates a robot who, after some modification, begins to experience human emotions. He falls in love with Sana (Rai) while the bad guys try to acquire the robot for their own purposes. That’s all fine and good but this is Bollywood so don’t forget to add in music (by the Oscar winning A. R. Rahman) and dance numbers (and I expect a lengthy running time).

Gloriously cheesy, the trailer is full of questionable CG, winks to The...

It opens in theaters today, in a limited release, so I’m reposting my earlier review of the film, which I caught a pre-theatrical screening of 3 weeks ago. Here ya go…

A Centurion was a commander of an army of 100 soldiers in ancient Rome – a title worn by Michael Fassbender as Quintus Dias, the only survivor of an attack on the Roman legionary fortress he commands, by the so-called “savage” Scottish Picts.

He’s captured and held prisoner, but is eventually rescued by the legion of General Titus Flavius Virilus (played well by Dominic West of The Wire fame), while on an ordered mission to seek out and exterminate the Picts, and their king, Gorlacon. However, all doesn’t go as planned when the legion is betrayed and nearly wiped out in a surprise attack by the Picts, leading to the capture of Virilus. Quintus Dias and six others survive the attack,...