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The 1980s marked an exceptional era of filmmaking. The decade saw the emergence of multiple iconic franchises that gave rise to several beloved characters that continue to captivate viewers across the globe. Films made during this time are magnetically influential; so much so that even four decades later, they are quoted and referenced in conversations and on social media platforms. This era of cinema, successful both critically and commercially, has become an integrated part of modern culture. Movies being made now strive to match the standard set by movies made in this decade.

Explore the the golden era of cinema with this ranking of the 10 highest-grossing films from that time; based on their reception and cultural impact.

10. Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) Harrison Ford in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom | Credits: Universal Pictures

Box Office Collection: $333 million

Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom was the...

Bruce Willis was on a bit of a heater heading into 2001. The star had a habit of keeping busy, which meant that there would be a dud or two mixed in with the successes, but after the washout of "Last Man Standing" in 1996 (and excluding the animated hit that was "Beavis and Butt-Head Do America"), he had four consecutive years with a box-office smash in "The Fifth Element" ($264 million worldwide), "Armageddon" ($554 million WW), "The Sixth Sense" ($673 million WW), and "Unbreakable" ($248 million WW). Why not make it five?

Willis surely didn't lack for offers in 2001, but for whatever reason he rolled into that year with one film on the slate, Barry Levinson's caper comedy "Bandits." Co-starring Billy Bob Thornton and Cate Blanchett, it's a funny enough movie that rode its mild charms to a $67 million global gross — which fell short of the movie's inexplicably fat $75 million budget (money that most...

Few actresses capture the essence of the “girl next door” ingenue quite like Kirsten Dunst. However, Dunst’s talent extends far beyond this classic film trope, as she has consistently demonstrated her remarkable acting abilities throughout her career.

Kirsten Dunst has had an active acting career since 1989, and moviegoers may know her from many different roles — depending on their generation — such as Mary Jane Watson in the early 2000s Spider-Man franchise or as the forever young Claudia in the 1994 film Interview with the Vampire.

Director Sofia Coppola and Kirsten Dunst on the set of the 1999 American psychological drama film The Virgin Suicides (Credit: Paramount Pictures)

Dunst was born in 1982 and grew up in Brick Township, New Jersey, a far cry from the glitz of Hollywood, with most of its residents from middle and lower-middle-class backgrounds.

Dunst’s family was no different, though they likely fared better than some of Brick Township’s inhabitants.

Starring Priyanka Chopra, Kareena Kapoor and Akshay Kumar, Aitraaz released in 2004. Subhash Ghai, who produced the Abbas-Mustan directedAitraaz, revealed plans to do a sequel. One doesn’t have any idea where this is going. Ghai also spoke of how reluctant Priyanka Chopra was to play the predatory vixen.

The only aspect of Abbas-Mustan’s poor remake of Barry Levinson’s Disclosure which stood out was Priyanka Chopra. As a married woman who goes all out to seduce a hunk, Priyanka killed it. It was India’s first film on male sexual harassment.

In throwback interview Priyanka said, “Aitraaz requires a maturity way beyond my years. And to make matters worse, I don’t believe in the things that my character believes in. Each day before I shoot I’ve to sit for an hour to prepare myself. It’s a very bold subject. But it isn’t like some of...

Veteran screenwriter Chris Collins (John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum) has partnered with producer and film executive Kelly McKee, and entertainment attorney Ken Browning to launch Generator Entertainment, a new entertainment company that will develop, produce, and finance projects across film, TV, and other areas.

Primarily focusing on action, sci-fi, and elevated horror in the budget range of $5 million to $20 million, Generator launches in partnership with Hill Country Studios, a $250M studio development outside Austin, Texas, which will be the first purpose-built production facility of its kind in the state, offering access to 12 sound stages, four workshops, dedicated production offices, and 1,500 acres of backlot space. Under the partnership, Hill Country will back Generator’s ongoing development and contribute to the financing of upcoming productions, two of which are set to shoot at the studio in late 2025, and two of which are planned for the following year.

Ahead of launch,...

John Wick 3 screenwriter Chris Collins has partnered with film producer Kelly McKee (Paterno, The Crow) and veteran entertainment attorney Ken Browning to launch a genre media production banner, Generator Entertainment.

Also behind the new production and finance company is Hill Country Studios, a film studio outside Austin, Texas that will help finance upcoming productions set to shoot on its soundstages. The venture aims to develop, produce and finance film, TV and entertainment content around action, sci-fi, and horror projects in the $5 million to $20 million budget range.

Collins’ credits include FX’s Sons of Anarchy, Amazon’s The Man in the High Castle, Star Wars: The Clone Wars and Starz’s Crash. McKee was head of production at Pressman Film and co-executive produced Lionsgate’s The Crow, Mary Harron’s DaliLand, and co-produced HBO Film’s Paterno by director Barry Levinson.

There’s no word on specific projects in the Generator pipeline,...

What happens in Vegas… heads back to Los Angeles.

After just one year of the American Film Market (AFM) relocating to Las Vegas instead of Santa Monica, seven of the top sales agencies are telling — not asking — the market’s organizers that they will not return to Sin City. And if AFM won’t move back to Los Angeles, they’re already making other arrangements.

It’s an existential moment for what’s been a keystone event for the indie film industry. For organizer IFTA — the Independent Film & Television Alliance — it’s an existential crisis.

This year’s AFM wrapped November 10 at the Palms in Vegas. Attendance wasn’t the issue; Vegas was. Sources told IndieWire that most attendees hated the venue, thought food and accommodations were “gross,” the hotel charged $700 to rent a coffee machine, and massive lines at the elevators made film buyers late for meetings. Turns...

Exclusive: The Santa Barbara Film Festival is lauding The Brutalist stars, Oscar winner Adrien Brody and Guy Pearce, with the Cinema Vanguard Award during the 40th annual event on February 13, 2025.

The Cinema Vanguard Award recognizes actors who have forged their own path, taking artistic risks and making a significant and unique contribution to film. Previous honorees include Paul Giamatti, Colin Farrell & Brendan Gleeson, Benedict Cumberbatch, Carey Mulligan, Laura Dern, Michael B. Jordan, William DaFoe, Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Rooney Mara, Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio, Amy Adams, Jean Dujardin, Bernice Bejo, Nicole Kidman, Peter Sarsgaard, Christoph Waltz, Vera Farmiga, Kristin Scott Thomas, Stanley Tucci and Ryan Gosling.

Directed by Brady Corbet with a scheduled release from A24 on December 20, The Brutalist follows an immigrant architect (Brody) who makes waves in post-World War II America, working for a fierce industrialist (Pearce). They plan to erect a mesmerizing, and defying,...

Judy Greer, Sean Astin, Bryan Cranston and John Goodman have all signed on to star in the upcoming dark comedy feature Chili Finger, with first-timers Edd Benda and Stephen Helstad to co-direct. Helstad wrote the script and Goodman is an executive producer. Additional castmembers Sarah Herrman and Paul Stanko are currently attached, with production slated to begin next spring. The film is produced by Beyond the Porch and Gold Tree Studios.

Chili Finger tells the story of a recently empty-nested mother (Greer) who discovers a human finger in her bowl of fast-food chili. When she blackmails the restaurant for a cash payout, the situation spirals out of control and her life descends into chaos.

So far, Astin, Cranston and Goodman’s characters are being kept under wraps.

“We couldn’t ask for a better cast to bring our quirky dark comedy to the big screen,” said co-directors Benda and Helstad.

The American Film Market, which runs Nov. 5 – 10, kicks off in new digs as the event relocates from its long-standing base in Santa Monica to the bright lights of Las Vegas. The move will see hundreds of exhibitors setting up shop in the Palms Casino Resort, which will also play host to the AFM’s conference series, the AFM Sessions, as well as industry screenings inside the resort’s 14-screen multiplex, the Brenden Theatres.

More than 285 companies and organizations from 80 countries are exhibiting at this year’s AFM, with the event’s organizers announcing that exhibition space in the Palms Casino Resort has sold out. Countries including China, France, Germany, Italy, Romania and Thailand will host dedicated umbrella stands showcasing national companies and producers, and a total of 34 countries will be represented by international trade organizations, film commissions and national delegations.

Here are some of the buzziest films at AFM 2024:...

Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2 arrives in cinemas this weekend – but Warner Bros has hardly come out swinging in support of the film. Why?

When the first batch of reviews for Clint Eastwood’s newest movie landed over the weekend, I must confess I feared the worst a little. The film in question, Juror #2, has been the subject of much interest over the past few weeks, with the movie itself almost at the side of the conversation.

Instead, the focus has been how Warner Bros has been dealing with the latest – possibly final – film from its longest-serving director. The list of hits that Eastwood has delivered for the studio kicked off with the Dirty Harry films. Then, as a director, he’s economically made successes such as Unforgiven, Space Cowboys, Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, American Sniper, Sully, The Mule… it’s quite a list.

Still, Juror #2 is the...

Producers and distributors heading to Las Vegas for this year’s American Film Market, which runs Nov. 5-10, are betting big that indie action is primed for a comeback.

The AFM was built on action movies — the leading independent film bazaar launched in 1981 at the start of a decade defined by the cinematic stylings of Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger, Steven Segal, Chuck Norris and Jean-Claude Van Damme. But in recent markets, with the headline-grabbing success of breakouts like Neon’s Longlegs and Cineverse’s Terrifier 3, action has taken a backseat to horror.

There will be scares-a-plenty at AFM 2024, but many of the market’s buzziest projects sit squarely in the action space. Even a few that don’t star Liam Neeson, Gerard Butler, Jason Statham or Nic Cage. How buyers respond to this new generation of would-be action stars — Daisy Ridley, Amber Midthunder, Alan Ritchson — will determine who...

Following up Sasquatch Sunset, it was announced the Zellner Brothers would embark on the alien invasion comedy Alpha Gang led by Cate Blanchett. They’ve now amassed quite an ensemble, with Dave Bautista, Steven Yeun, Zoë Kravitz, Léa Seydoux, Riley Keough, and Channing Tatum all coming aboard the project, Deadline reports. Here’s the synopsis: Alpha Gang centers on a group of alien invaders sent to conquer Earth. Disguised in human form as a 1950s leather-clad biker gang, dubbed the Alpha Gang. They are ruthless in their mission, until they succumb to the most toxic and contagious human condition of all: emotions.”

Al Pacino has some new cast members for his next feature. Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser, and Bryan Cranston have joined Barry Levinson’s mystery thriller Assassination, scripted by David Mamet. Deadline reports the film explores a new angle on the JFK conspiracy, “centering around Kilgallen (Chastain), one of...

Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser and Bryan Cranston have been added to the cast of Barry Levinson’s mystery thriller ‘Assassination’.

Chastain, Fraser, and Cranston joined the previously announced cast of Al Pacino on the call sheet.

Centering on the JFK assassination, the movie is inspired by Dorothy Kilgallen (Chastain), one of the most famous voices in media at the time. When she suspects that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone, she uses her fame and influence to find President John F. Kennedy’s real killer. Part murder mystery, part film noir, Kilgallen’s journey will put her up against the CIA, mafia bosses and the FBI, all who would love nothing more than to make her and this story disappear.

Also in news – Dave Bautista, Steven Yeun, Channing Tatum, Zoë Kravitz set for sci-fi comedy ‘Alpha Gang’

Levinson directs the project from a script by David Mamet, Levinson, and Sam Bromell.

Brace yourselves for another film that touches upon the JFK files! Bryan Cranston, Al Pacino, Brendan Fraser, and Jessica Chastain will come together in Barry Levinson’s mystery thriller, Assassination. The film comes almost three and a half decades after Oliver Stone’s controversial film JFK hit theaters.

The cast of Assassination: Jessica Chastain (Miss Sloane | Credits: EuropaCorp), Bryan Cranston (Your Honor | Credits: Showtime), Al Pacino (The Irishman | Credits: Netflix), Brendan Fraser (Killers of the Flower Moon | Credits: Apple Studios)

The Kevin Costner-starrer was based on the conspiracy that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone. Assassination will be a modern take on this conspiracy and comes at a time when most of the JFK files are made public. Costner earlier mentioned that the film was to be partially credited for the JFK Act which resulted in the unsealing of the files.

Bryan Cranston, Brendan Fraser, Al Pacino, And...

Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser and Bryan Cranston have boarded Al Pacino‘s new movie Assassination, which explores a new angle on the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

The movie, from director Barry Levinson, focuses on the first female crime reporter Dorothy Kilgallen and the role that she played in investigating the murder of the president.

Additional details have been revealed about the project, which was described as the blend of a murder mystery and a film noire.

Keep reading to find out more…

Deadline confirmed the casting news, noting that Jessica would bring Dorothy to life.

“Dorothy Kilgallen was the first female crime reporter in America. She was the only woman to ever cover the JFK case. The only reporter to speak with Jack Ruby. With back-channel sources to the Warren Commission, she started putting pieces together that no one else did. She died under very suspicious circumstances, but it was never investigated,...

It’s been announced that Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty), Brendan Fraser (Killers of the Flower Moon), and Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) have joined the cast of Assassination, a mystery thriller that reveals a new take on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Barry Levinson (Rain Man) will direct from a script by David Mamet (Glengarry Glen Ross), with Levinson and Sam Bromell (Elvis). Al Pacino (House of Gucci) is also attached to star in the project.

Assassination centers around Dorothy Kilgallen, “one of the most famous voices in media at the time. When Dorothy suspects that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone, she uses her fame and influence to find the real killer of JFK. Part murder mystery, part film noir, Dorothy’s journey will put her up against the CIA, Mafia bosses, and the FBI, all who would love nothing more than to make her and this story disappear.

Barry Levinson’s John F. Kennedy mystery conspiracy thriller “Assassination” just got a massive injection of talent. Already starring Levinson mainstay Al Pacino, joining what now feels like an all-star ensemble is Academy Award–winner Jessica Chastain, Academy Award-winner Brendan Fraser”, and Academy Award-nominee Bryan Cranston.

Continue reading Jessica Chastain, Bryan Cranston & Brendan Fraser Join Al Pacino In Barry Levinson’s JFK ‘Assassination’ Thriller at The Playlist.

Los Angeles-based producer and global sales executive Pia Patatian has launched production, sales and financing company Concord Studios on the eve of AFM.

Patatian, who most recent served as president of worldwide sales at Arclight Films and SVP of sales at Capstone Pictures, secured private backing for her company and plans to bring12-15 features a year to the global marketplace, focused on high-quality, director-driven films for theatrical audience.

The inaugural slate is led by Barry Levinson’s JFK conspiracy featureAssassinationstarring Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser, Bryan Cranston, and Al Pacino.

Oscar-winner Chastain will portray Dorothy Kilgallen, an American columnist and reporter,...

Exclusive: Jessica Chastain, Brendan Fraser and Bryan Cranston have joined Al Pacino in the mystery thriller Assassination. The film will be directed by Barry Levinson from a script by David Mamet, Levinson and Sam Bromell.

The film offers up a new take on the JFK conspiracy, centering around Kilgallen (Chastain), one of the most famous voices in media at the time. When she suspects that Lee Harvey Oswald did not act alone, she uses her fame and influence to find President John F. Kennedy’s real killer. Part murder mystery, part film noir, Kilgallen’s journey will put her up against the CIA, mafia bosses and the FBI, all who would love nothing more than to make her and this story disappear.

“Dorothy Kilgallen was the first female crime reporter in America. She was the only woman to ever cover the JFK case. The only reporter to speak with Jack Ruby.

Dick Pope, a British cinematographer best known for his collaborations with Mike Leigh, has passed away at the age of 77. The British Society of Cinematographers announced the news, but no cause of death was given.

In addition to his work with Leigh, which included “Naked,” “Secrets & Lies,” “Topsy-Turvy” and this year’s “Hard Truths,” Pope had collaborated with Christopher McQuarrie (on “The Way of the Gun”), Barry Levinson (“Man of the Year”), John Sayles (“Honeydripper”) and Richard Linklater.

“Dick had a reputation for being a wonderful collaborator and someone who was passionate about the artform of cinematography,” the Bsc wrote in remembrance. ”He was keen to embrace new technologies and ideas while also ensuring the skills and crafts of those that came before him weren’t lost. To this end Dick would guest tutor at schools such as the National Film and Television School.”

Pope was nominated for two Oscars in his career,...

Dick Pope, the veteran British cinematographer who worked on 11 movies with director Mike Leigh, has died Tuesday, the British Society of Cinematographers said in a statement. He was 77.

No cause of death was given, but Leigh told Indiewire that Pope had undergone “major heart surgery” before work began on Hard Truths, their last collaboration that premiered at the Toronto Film Festival last month.

Pope received Oscar nominations for his work on Leigh’s Mr Turner and the mystery The Illusionist by director Neil Burger. Pope and Leigh also worked together on movies like Life Is Sweet in 1990, Naked, Topsy-Turvey, Vera Drake and Secrets & Lies.

In a 2019 interview with Film Comment, Pope talked about his decades of work with Leigh, with a reference to their movie coming out at the time, Peterloo.

“It’s very difficult to take Peterloo out of all the other work we’ve done together, because...

Dick Pope, the veteran British cinematographer best known for his decades-long collaboration with legendary filmmaker Mike Leigh, has died. He was 77.

The British Society of Cinematographers confirmed the news Tuesday with a statement.

“It is with deepest sadness that we learn of the passing of our friend and colleague Dick Pope Bsc,” the statement read. “Dick had a reputation for being a wonderful collaborator and someone who was passionate about the art form of Cinematography. He was keen to embrace new technologies and ideas while also ensuring the skills and crafts of those that came before him weren’t lost. To this end, Dick would guest tutor at schools such as the National Film and Television School.”

Pope was born in Bromley, Kent in 1947. He began his trade as a documentary filmmaker, working on the British current affairs series World In Action. He moved into television drama in the early...

British cinematographer Dick Pope, long-time collaborator of Mike Leigh, had died, it’s been announced. A very sad loss.

Some really awful news to wake up to this morning. Cinematographer Dick Pope has died at the age of 77. Ahead of the filming of what turned out to be his final movie, Hard Truths, Pope said he’d recently he’d undergone heart surgery.

Hard Truths – and it’s a superb film – has thus proven to be his final collaboration with writer/director Mike Leigh, and the pair have been at the heart of some of British cinema’s most notable films. They came together on 1990’s Life Is Sweet, and were regular collaborators from that point onwards.

Pope also, across a career that stretched nearly 50 years, worked with filmmakers such as Mike Newell, John Sayles, Gurinder Chadha, Christopher McQuarrie, Richard Linklater and Barry Levinson.

The news of his passing came...

Dick Pope, the legendary two-time Oscar nominated British cinematographer and longtime collaborator of auteur Mike Leigh, has died at the age of 77. News of Pope's passing was confirmed by the British Society of Cinematographers in a statement shared on their website earlier today.

"It is with deepest sadness that we learn of the passing of our friend and colleague Dick Pope Bsc," wrote the organisation in their post, which highlighted Pope's record three Camerimage Golden Frog wins as well as his achievement of the society's prestigious 'Cinematography in a Feature Film' award for his work on Mr. Turner. Continuing, the society also paid homage to their alumni's commitment to his craft and its furtherance, writing, "Dick had a reputation for being a wonderful collaborator and someone who was passionate about the artform of Cinematography. He was keen to embrace new technologies and ideas while also ensuring the skills and crafts...

Dick Pope is dead. The Oscar-nominated cinematographer best known for his 34-year collaboration with Mike Leigh was 77.

Pope's death was announced in a British Society of Cinematographers statement. "Dick had a reputation for being a wonderful collaborator and someone who was passionate about the artform of Cinematography," the Bsc wrote.

Dick Pope, the esteemed British cinematographer who received Academy Award nominations for his exquisite work on “The Illusionist” and Mike Leigh‘s “Mr. Turner,” has died at the age of 77. His death was confirmed by a publicist on his final film, Leigh’s “Hard Truths.”

“Hard Truths” producer Georgina Lowe shared the following statement: “On behalf of Mike, the team at Thin Man Films, and the cast and crew who worked regularly with Dick on our films for over 30 years, I wanted to say what a privilege it has been to have collaborated with him. His work, both with us, and on the eclectic collection of films he shot over his impressive career, was extraordinary. We have lost a friend and will miss him so much.”

Born in Bromley, Kent, in 1947, Pope became obsessed with still photography as a child and published some of his pictures in local papers as a teenager.

Richard Pope, the British cinematographer who collaborated with director Mike Leigh across his career and earned an Oscar nomination for his work lensing Leigh’s 2014 biopic “Mr. Turner,” died Tuesday in London. He was 77 years old.

Pope’s death was confirmed by the British Society of Cinematographers in a statement released Tuesday.

“It is with deepest sadness that we learn of the passing of our friend and colleague Dick Pope Bsc,” the organization wrote. “Dick had a reputation for being a wonderful collaborator and someone who was passionate about the artform of cinematography. He was keen to embrace new technologies and ideas while also ensuring the skills and crafts of those that came before him weren’t lost.”

Pope’s artistic partnership with Leigh, the most enduring of his career, began with the 1990 drama “Life Is Sweet.” The film marked Leigh’s third feature. Pope has served as cinematographer on...

Tom Cruise is one of the biggest superstars of his generation, with his movies raking in several billion dollars at the box office. Cruise’s popularity has been further bolstered by his blockbuster commercial movies that appeal to audiences across demographics. However, there was a time when Cruise used to make thoughtful movies that initially cemented his celebrity status.

Tom Cruise is one of the biggest stars in Hollywood (Credit: Mission: Impossible 7 | Paramount).

During an interview, Cruise spoke about his fame and revealed whether he had ever used his celebrity status to secure a special perk. The actor shared a surprising story, admitting to using his fame to get an opportunity to interact with an acclaimed actor who he ended up working with anyway. Here is what Tom Cruise had to say about getting one thing with his celebrity status.

Tom Cruise Admitted to Using His Celebrity Status to...

Al Pacino writes in his recently-published memoir “Sonny Boy” that he was forced to make dramatic career changes after losing all of his money due to a corrupt accountant who eventually served seven and a half years in prison for running a Ponzi scheme. The accountant mismanaged the Oscar winner’s funds, bringing Pacino’s savings from a staggering $50 million to zero dollars.

According to Pacino, it was in 2011 when he started “to get warnings that my accountant at the time, a guy who had lots of celebrity clients, was not to be trusted.” The actor was already paying “a ridiculous amount of money to rent some big fancy house in Beverly Hills,” and then he took his entire family on a trip to Europe where he flew various guests overseas “on a gorgeous Gulfstream 550” and “rented out a whole floor of the Dorchester hotel in London.”

When Pacino returned to his Hollywood home,...

Need something new to stream this month but don’t want to shell out for a subscription. Not a problem.

While traditional streamers like Netflix, Hulu and Prime Video keep hiking prices and adding ads to their paid platforms, Fast services like Tubi and Pluto TV are gaining ground by providing viewers with free options full of watch-worthy films and series. And in October, the roster is full up with Halloween-friendly movies, from spooky to downright scary.

Here’s your special spooky season edition of the best new movies to watch free on Tubi.

“The Evil Dead” (New Line Cinema) “The Evil Dead” (1981)

The shoestring-budget horror classic that spawned one of the most enduring and consistent horror franchises, Sam Raimi’s “Evil Dead” holds up nearly 45 years later. Starring Bruce Campbell as enduring horror icon Ash Williams, “Evil Dead” doesn’t have the snark or silliness that would come with the sequels,...

In London, late in 1940, the German bombs fall, erupting into an inferno of buildings gutted by glowing orange flame. People die right in their living rooms, seated in their armchairs. In the streets, the air-raid sirens scream as surging civilians surround a barricaded underground train station, trying to get the police to let them in. This is the desperate face of war. And yet…life goes on. Many of the buildings look like skeletons, but the shops and markets stay open, by day people walk the streets, and the swank patrons of a dance club party into the night…

As a filmmaker, the British director Steve McQueen might be one of the last old-school classicists. That’s not necessarily the first thing you think of when you see a McQueen film like “12 Years a Slave,” with its lacerating vision of human cruelty and resilience, or “Hunger,” about the Irish prison hero Bobby Sands.

Tom Cruise is blessed with a skillset unlike any other. The actor’s career since the early 80s has only ever been on the rise, without fail, and Cruise has only become more unstoppable with age. The global fascination that comes with his name is indicative of his status as one of the last true movie stars and it is because of that star persona that his career has turned into a timeless legacy.

Tom Cruise [Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures]

However, for every great man’s climb to the top, there were a dozen others who were passed over or rejected along the way to make room for the star. In Tom Cruise’s case, the rejection was parried over to his contemporary, Charlie Sheen. Despite being the son of Martin Sheen and his inherent familiarity with the studio system, the second-generation Hollywood actor failed to make his mark as a...

Poland’s Camerimage Film Festival will hand its Special Award for a Production Designer to six-time Oscar nominee Nathan Crowley during this year’s edition, which runs November 16-23 in Toruń.

Crowley is perhaps best known internationally for his longtime collaboration with Christopher Nolan. He has received five Oscar nods for his collaborations with the British filmmaker. Their films include Tenet, The Dark Knight, Dunkirk, Interstellar, and The Prestige. Crowley was also nominated for Damien Chazelle’s First Man.

Beginning his career at the Brighton School of Art in the UK, Crowley moved to Hollywood in the 1990s where he landed a Second Unit Art Director role on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. He then worked on films by directors like Barry Levinson and Joel Schumacher. His first collaboration with Christopher Nolan was on Insomnia.

Crowley’s other credits include Westworld, Wonka, and Wicked 1 and 2. He is currently signed on to...

Poland’s pioneering EnergaCamerimage International Film Festival revealed Tuesday that industry veteran Nathan Crowley will receive a special award for achievement in production design at the event’s upcoming 32nd edition in Toruń.

Crowley is best known for his long-running collaboration with Christopher Nolan, which earned him Oscar nominations for production design on The Prestige, The Dark Knight, Interstellar, Dunkirk and Tenet (he also was nominated for Damien Chazelle’s First Man). On the small screen, he picked up an Emmy nomination for his work on the HBO series Westworld. By no means slowing down, his recent work includes the adaptations of Wonka and Wicked 1 & 2, and he is next booked to design the new Avengers films for the Russo Brothers at Marvel Films.

“Known for his practical approach to production design, Crowley excels at creating immersive, detailed worlds, blending traditional and modern techniques,” Camerimage organizers said in a statement.

Crowley began his career in Islington,...

Exclusive: Abramorama and Zeitgeist Media are unspooling David Smick’s documentary America’s Burning with a set of special screenings at Regal Cinemas on Monday, Oct. 7 and Oct. 14.

This comes following a special return engagement at the Angelika Film Center in NY, and ahead of the documentary’s debut on AppleTV, Amazon and Google Play on Oct. 22.

The Michael Douglas narrated docu is a deconstruction of how the American Dream has waned for many due to a compromised economic system which is increasingly controlled by a corporate elite. At the same time, the docu celebrates America’s history of social and economic resilience. America’s Burning features interviews with James Baker, Derek Black, Ian Bremmer, Arthur Brooks, James Carville, Amy Chua, Stan Druckenmiller, Katherine Gehl, Hawk Newsome, Leon Panetta, and Larry Summers.

Says the pic’s EP Barry Levinson “Our nation is experiencing historic challenges. It is more important than ever to...

Paul Mazursky's 1986 comedy "Down and Out in Beverly Hills" is a sharp indictment of ultra-moneyed yuppie culture, which was running rampant during the Reagan administration. Culturally speaking, the mid 1980s saw a redoubled effort to enrich the already-wealthy and encourage rich people to become obsessed with conspicuous consumption. Many, many films and TV shows about Beverly Hills were released at this time, delving deep into the cockroach nest where America's wealthy classes gathered and cannibalized each other.

Prominent among these was Mazursky's film about a rich family, the Whitemans, that recently became wealthy thanks to a wire hanger manufacturing empire. The family are all empty and unhappy. Matriarch Barbara (Bette Midler) is attempting to fill her emptiness with increasingly strange renditions of New Age spirituality, while patriarch Dave (Richard Dreyfuss) is filling his own emptiness by having an affair with the family's live-in maid, Carmen (Elizabeth Peña). Their child...

Exclusive: Aaron Eckhart will star in the Jesse V. Johnson-directed action thriller Scorpion, written by Corey Large (Detective Knight trilogy) and Edward Drake (Gasoline Alley).

In the movie, a CIA assassin goes into hiding after he takes the fall for a failed mission. When he reappears on the grid so does his past to tie up loose ends, and the only way to protect his daughter is to take down the agency chief who set him up.

Scorpion is produced by Large through his 308 Enterprises. The film is executive produced by Arclight Films’ Gary Hamilton, Jordan Nott, Pia Patatian, Jamie Thompson and Jon Keeyes and financed by Pink 308. Arclight Films is handling global sales.

Eckhart received a Best Actor Musical or Comedy Golden Globe nomination for Jason Reitman’s Thank You for Smoking and received an Independent Spirit Award for Best Debut Performance in...

On Tuesday September 17 2024, ESPN broadcasts 30 for 30!

Stolen Gold Season 4 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “30 for 30,” titled “Stolen Gold,” promises to delve into a captivating moment in sports history. This episode is part of the documentary series that highlights significant events and stories in the world of sports. With a reputation for storytelling, “30 for 30” aims to bring to life the drama and intrigue surrounding this particular event.

“Stolen Gold” will explore a fascinating incident involving stolen Olympic medals. It will examine how the theft occurred and the impact it had on the athletes involved. The episode will include interviews with key figures, as well as archival footage that helps paint a vivid picture of the situation. Viewers can expect to learn about the challenges faced by the athletes and the wider implications of the theft on the sporting community.

As with other episodes in the series,...

The first time I saw Christopher Walken on-screen was as villainous industrialist Max Shreck in Tim Burton's "Batman Returns." That performance stayed with me simply because Walken seemed to play quietly menacing with as much ease as Jack Nicholson plays unhinged. That is to say that villainy seemed to come a little too easily to Walken, who throughout Burton's nightmare expressionist fairytale discovered new facets of odiousness with each successive scene.

32 years after "Batman Returns" debuted, however, Walken's filmography clearly speaks to the man's range. Walken is great at playing villains, but he's proven over the decades that he's capable of so much more. From his role as Frank Abagnale Sr. in Steven Spielberg's "Catch Me If You Can" — for which he was nominated for a Best Supporting Actor Oscar — to his portrayal of Corporal Nikanor Chevotarevich in Michael Cimino's "The Deer Hunter" — for which he...

This year’s Venice Film Festival lineup was not only the starriest in recent history, it was also the steamiest. Literally and figuratively. Aside from the brutal heatwave that plagued festivalgoers, the roster was filled with sexually charged movies, ranging from “Babygirl,” starring Nicole Kidman, to Luca Guadagnino’s “Queer” with Daniel Craig. Elsewhere in the festival circuit, Audrey Diwan’s “Emmanuelle” is kicking off San Sebastian, while Alain Guiraudie’s “Misericordia,” which opened at Cannes, is playing at virtually every major fest this fall.

But like Kidman’s character in “Babygirl” who only gets triggered when something is at stake, erotic movies in 2024 aren’t created as mere entertainment as they once were; they exist to push boundaries and break down clichés revolving mainly around female and gay protagonists.

“Babygirl,” directed by Dutch helmer Halina Reijn (“Bodies Bodies Bodies”), tackles the complexity of female sexuality and the issue of...

Demi Moore is getting her due thanks to Metrograph.

The “Substance” actress and Hollywood icon is being honored by Metrograph with a five-film series of Moore’s most beloved features, as curated by the theater. Titled “We Want Moore,” the mini festival begins September 13.

“The rapturous reception of Demi Moore’s performance in Coralie Fargeat’s ‘The Substance’ at this year’s Cannes Film Festival seems to have reminded many people that the New Mexico-born actress is a bona fide movie star — not just in terms of box office receipts and magazine cover shoots, but in her seemingly effortless ability to command the screen every time she walks into frame,” the Metrograph press statement reads. “In ‘We Want Moore,’ we’ve brought together some other timely reminders.”

Selected films screening in 35mm include Moore’s iconic turns in “Ghost,” “Indecent Proposal,” and “Striptease,” which Moore recently told Variety was one of her most under-appreciated performances.

From “Boy A” (the movie that launched Andrew Garfield’s career) to “Zero for Conduct,” movies set in broken boarding schools and juvenile reformatory centers are a dime a dozen. With “Nickel Boys,” director RaMell Ross finds fresh colors in such a rigidly codified genre, turning a Pulitzer Prize-winning novel into a minimalist tone poem. The book by Colson Whitehead is brilliant, but much of it you’ve probably seen before on-screen, so Ross strips away as many of the words as possible, searching instead for images to tell the story of Elwood, a Tallahassee teen who’s so much more than a victim of the system.

Except, Ross doesn’t tell the story so much as inhabit it, to the extent I found myself wondering whether I could have followed the plot — which alternates between the 1960s and the early 2000s — had I not already read Whitehead’s novel.

Tom Cruise, the action star who’s practically synonymous with Hollywood blockbusters, gave us all a masterclass in acting with his $354M movie. Yet, despite delivering what some might call his finest performance, the Oscars committee seemed to look the other way. Can you believe it? The guy who usually outruns explosions and jumps out of planes was finally showing off his dramatic chops—and they didn’t even give him a nod.

Paul Thomas Anderson (and audiences) want to see Tom Cruise return to more dramatic work like Rain Man | MGM

It’s like training for the Olympics, only to find out you’re competing in a backyard talent show. As we dive into this snub, one thing’s clear: Cruise was at his absolute best, and this one’s gonna sting.

Tom Cruise’s Hidden Depths in Rain Man: A Role Beyond the Glamor Tom Cruise | Photo by Gage Skidmore,...

Sometimes it’s hard to revisit a favorite TV series you haven’t seen in decades. Will the show hold up or be hopelessly dated? Happily, NBC’s groundbreaking 1993-98 police series “Homicide: Life on the Street” is just as brilliant as it was three decades Peacock recently dropped all seven seasons as well as 2000’s “Homicide: The Movie.”.

As NPR noted: “It was a cop show without gun battles or car chases, with a bracing shot of street-level realism; film mostly in Baltimore. ‘Homicide’ presented stuff you just didn’t see on network television back then: shaky, kinetic camera work, working stiff police detectives cracking jokes at gruesome murder scenes…serialized stories that arced over several episodes, heart-rending killings that never get solved.”

The series, which was set in the fictional Baltimore Police Department Unit, was based on David Simon’s (“The Wire”) 1991 book “Homicide: A Year in the Life of the Killing Streets.

The 1988 film Rain Man featured Tom Cruise alongside Dustin Hoffman, in a groundbreaking portrayal of autism that captured the hearts of audiences and critics alike. However, despite the film being a huge success, the marketing team initially struggled with how to promote a movie that delicately navigates such a sensitive topic.

Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman in a still from Rain Man | Credit: United Artists

Cruise later recalled the struggle of the marketing team in a 2017 interview, sharing that they had no idea how to promote the film, due to its unconventional title and the challenge of conveying the film’s concept.

Tom Cruise Reflected on the Challenges of Promoting Rain Man

Directed by Barry Levinson and starring Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman, Rain Man follows two brothers on a cross-country journey while exploring the realities of living with a mental illness.

Rain Man | United Artists

While it was a huge hit,...

The acclaimed filmmaker behind the 1988 classic Rain Man, Barry Levinson, is renowned for his ability to bring out the best in his actors, even when faced with challenging scenes. In a film where character depth is paramount, even the acclaimed actor like Dustin Hoffman found himself struggling with one sequence.

Rain Man | Credit: MGM

However, Levinson’s innovative approach and deep understanding of the characters helped Hoffman overcome this hurdle, as he later recalled during an interview, sharing the creative solution he came up with to help the actor.

Barry Levinson’s Brilliant Direction Helped Dustin Hoffman in Rain Man

Barry Levinson’s 1988 film, Rain Man follows a self-centered man who discovers his estranged brother is an autistic savant, leading to an unexpected journey of bonding and self-discovery.

Dustin Hoffman as Raymond | Credit: MGM

Dustin Hoffman took on the role of Raymond, the autistic savant brother, alongside Tom Cruise in the movie.

Election season is in the air and Turner Classic Movies is here to celebrate. Starting on September 6 and continuing every Friday up until this year’s general election, TCM will be running a nine-week limited series entitled “Making Change: The Most Significant Political Films of All Time.” This cinematic showcase is inspired by The New Republic rankings released in June 2023 and includes selections such as “All the King’s Men,” “Germany, Year Zero,” and “High and Low.”

To introduce the upcoming series, TCM host Ben Mankiewicz took to Washington D.C. for a trailer highlighting some of the films featured, as well as special guests like Stacey Abrams, Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, and John Turturro.

“I grew up here in Washington D.C.,” Mankiewicz said, the Capitol Building behind him. “My father’s life was politics — capital P politics. Though I went in a different direction, I understood at an early age,...

In the run-up to Election Day, TCM is going after the movie lovers’ popular vote by showing 50 films over nine successive Fridays under the banner Making Change: The Most Significant Political Films of All Time.

The series runs Sept. 6 to Nov. 1 — four days before America votes for its next president — and features TCM host Ben Mankiewicz in conversation with the likes of Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Lee Grant, Sally Field, Andy Garcia, Melissa Etheridge, John Turturro, Bill Maher, Alexander Payne, Diane Lane, Josh Mankiewicz, Barry Levinson, Maureen Dowd, Stacey Abrams and former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates.

Watch the trailer here.

Making Change showcases half of the movies unveiled by The New Republic in the rankings it released in June 2023. The films on TCM span the years 1915 to 2016 (from D.W. Griffith’s The Birth of a Nation to Raoul Peck’s I Am Not Your Negro); the whole thing kicks off with the No.

Actor Mel Gibson has won two Academy Awards for his direction despite being more commercially successful as an actor. However, Gibson might just have had a shot at winning an Oscar for acting had he accepted one role in one of the most critically acclaimed movies starring Tom Cruise.

Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman starred in 1988’s Rain Man (Credit: MGM).

Tom Cruise starred in the 1988 comedy-drama film Rain Man, which was a box office hit and even won several Academy Awards, including Best Picture and Best Actor for Dustin Hoffman. However, Hoffman’s role was initially offered to Gibson, who turned it down. On the other hand, Cruise was equally good in the movie but got snubbed by the Academy.

Rain Man Almost Starred Mel Gibson Along With Tom Cruise

The 1988 comedy-drama film Rain Man, directed by Barry Levinson, starred Dustin Hoffman and Tom Cruise in the lead roles.