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The 1990s was a peak time for martial arts movies, with a distinctive '90s' fusion of old-school kung fu choreography, hyper-dynamic action sequences, and different martial arts styles that thrilled global audiences. Martial arts cinema was making a distinct change at this time as more classic Hollywood elements were being used throughout films as their popularity grew. The best films of this era used those elements while remaining true to Eastern martial arts traditions that focused on stories of honor and redemption to make films that were both exciting and emotionally satisfying.

The 1990s weaving of acrobatic fight sequences with larger-than-life characters made the decade a golden age for performances in martial arts films. Jet Li’s Chen Zhen in Fist of Legend (1996) and Jackie Chan’s Wong Fei-hung in Drunken Master II (1994) both had incredible charisma and depth in their onscreen roles, making the martial arts more than mere action and combat.

The feature directorial debut of Anna Zlokovic, the body horror film Appendage made its world debut at the SXSW Film Festival earlier this year, and now it’s set to receive a wider release through the Hulu streaming service on October 2nd. With that date less than a week away, we have the trailer embedded above to help you decide whether or not Appendage is a movie you’ll be watching this Halloween season. Check it out!

Scripted by Zlokovic, who also produced the film alongside Alex Familian and Katrina Kudlick, Appendage tells the following story: Hannah, a young fashion designer, seems fine on the surface, but secretly struggles with debilitating self-doubt. Soon these buried feelings begin to make Hannah physically sick and sprout into a ferocious growth on her body: The Appendage. As her health continues to decline, The Appendage begins to fuel her anxieties – her perceived lack of talent at work,...

"She's hiding something down there!" Hulu has revealed an official trailer for a new body horror film titled Appendage, marking the feature directorial debut of filmmaker Anna Zlokovic. This first premiered at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival earlier this year, and it's debuting for streaming as part of the Huluween offerings this October. A young fashion designer's life spirals out of control as her darkest thoughts physically turn into something gruesome – that won't stop growing. After hitting a breaking point, Hannah's debilitating self-doubt inner thoughts manifest into a monstrous creature that threatens to upend her life. The film stars Hadley Robinson as Hannah, with Emily Hampshire, Deborah Rennard, Kausar Mohammed, Pat Dortch, and Annie Pisapia. Yeah this absolutely looks creepy, getting into some disgusting territory by the end. Reminds me of the horror films Malignant and Hatching in plenty of ways. Check it out below. // Continue Reading ›...

The “evil twin” school of psychological metaphor has been a frequent device in horror fiction, and its familiarity does not much benefit the very literal-minded “Appendage.” Writer-director Anna Zlokovic’s first feature centers on a young Manhattanite whose insecurities manifest themselves in the form of a mini-me who becomes a serious usurping threat. This SXSW-launched Hulu Original is sufficiently polished to pass muster as a night’s streaming entertainment for undiscriminating genre fans. But despite the grotesque premise, its attack is a little too blunt to make much impact, whether taken as thinly-veiled satire or straight fantasy thriller.

Introduced chafing under the critical control of her waspish mother (Deborah Rennard) during a visit home to the suburbs, Hannah (Hadley Robinson) is a nice, talented, attractive twentysomething nonetheless driven by the sense that she’s got everything to prove. An aspiring fashion designer, she certainly gets negative reinforcement on that front from her employer,...

A New York jury on Monday unanimously ordered Oscar-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis to pay 2.5 million in punitive damages after finding him liable for raping a film publicist.

A civil rape lawsuit was filed against the filmmaker by former film publicist Haleigh Breest, who alleges the filmmaker forced her to perform oral sex on him and then raped her after they attended a movie premiere in 2013. On Friday, the jury unanimously found Haggis liable on all three counts of rape and sexual abuse. They awarded the plaintiff at least 7.5 million in compensatory damages. That brings Haggis’s total damages to 10 million.

In the hallway outside of the court room, Haggis said he planned to appeal the verdict.

“I’ve spent all the money I have at my disposal,” he told reporters. “I’ve gutted my pension plan. I’ve lived on loans in order to pay for this case in a very naive belief in justice.

A jury ordered Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis Thursday to pay at least 7.5 million to a woman who accused him of rape in one of several #MeToo-era cases that have put Hollywood notables’ behaviour on trial this fall. Jurors also plan to award additional punitive damages.

Veering from sex to red-carpet socializing to Scientology, the civil court trial pitted Haggis, known for writing best picture Oscar winners “Million Dollar Baby” and “Crash”, against Haleigh Breest, a publicist who met him while working at movie premieres in the early 2010s.

After hugging her lawyers, Breest said she was “very grateful” for the verdict as she left court. In a statement released later, she said she was thankful “that the jury chose to follow the facts — and believed me.”

Haggis said he was “very disappointed in the results.”

Read More: Woman Testifies In Paul Haggis Sexual Assault Trial: ‘I Felt Humiliated’

“I’m going to continue to,...

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On Thursday, a jury ordered Academy Award-winning filmmaker Paul Haggis to pay at least 7.5 million to a woman who accused him of rape in one of several #MeToo-era cases that have put Hollywood notables’ behavior on trial this fall. The jury also decided that additional punitive damages should be awarded, but the amount is to be decided later.

Veering from sex to red carpet socializing to Scientology, the civil court trial pitted Haggis—known for writing best picture Oscar winners Million Dollar Baby and Crash—against Haleigh Breest, a publicist who met him while working at movie premieres in the early 2010s. After a screening afterparty in January 2013, Haggis offered her a lift home and invited her to his New York apartment for a drink.

Breest, 36, said Haggis then subjected her to unwanted advances and ultimately compelled her to perform oral sex and...

Updated with more testimony, 5:09 Pm: Back on the witness stand Thursday, Paul Haggis denied sexually assaulting any of the four Jane Does who have testified in support of Haleigh Breest, the New York woman who is suing the Oscar-winning filmmaker and former Church of Scientology member for allegedly raping her in 2013.

On the stand for a second day, Haggis finished his direct testimony in the sexual assault civil trial by saying these “terrible false allegations” had left him both “scared” and “humiliated.”

“I’m scared because I don’t know why women or anyone would lie about things like this, make up or twist the truth,” Haggis said more than seven hours into questioning by his lawyer, Priya Chaudhry. “I don’t know.”

In a halting voice, he said, “To see my daughters sitting in the courtroom right now, my son and my family, I’m humiliated by these false allegations.

Paul Haggis took the stand on Thursday for a second day in his civil trial and denied the rape charges leveled against him. He testified that he and Haleigh Breest, a former events publicist who is suing him for sexual assault, were flirting and were “having a really good time” after a movie premiere in 2013.

Breest claims the Oscar-winning filmmaker forced her to perform oral sex on him and then raped her in his Soho apartment after an event hosted by the Cinema Society, where she worked as a freelance publicist. He told jurors in a lower Manhattan courtroom that Breest “never gave me any indication it was anything other than consensual” until she filed a lawsuit years later in 2017.

In his hours-long testimony, Haggis, whose credits include “Million Dollar Baby,” “Crash” and “Casino Royale,” presented a different picture of the events that took place on that night. He alleged...

Paul Haggis expressed feeling “incredibly nervous” but “very happy” to take the witness stand Wednesday in the trial of a civil rape lawsuit against him.

“For five years, I’ve been unable to clear my name,” the Oscar-winning filmmaker told jurors in a lower Manhattan courtroom. “Now, I will.”

The civil rape trial stretched into its second week as Haggis testified that he consensually had sex with former film publicist Haleigh Breest in 2013. Breest, who filed a lawsuit in 2017, is suing Haggis for claims the filmmaker forced her to perform oral sex on him and then raped her in his Soho apartment after a movie premiere nearly a decade ago.

“[Breest] never gave me any indication it was anything other than consensual,” he told jurors during the hours-long testimony.

Court was dismissed before Haggis got to the heart of his testimony about what he claims happened that night, but he started...

Paul Haggis testified Monday on his own behalf – the first time he’s spoken to the New York civil jury that will weigh whether to compensate a former events publicist who says the “Crash” director raped her in 2013 – and he barely got his first words out before an objection.

Asked by his own lawyer how he felt taking the stand, Haggis said: “I’m incredibly nervous, of course, and I’m very happy. Because for five years I’ve been unable to clear my name.”

Ilann Maazel, who is representing plaintiff Haleigh Breest, objected – but Judge Sabrina Kraus overruled her and the statement was allowed to stand, according to Deadline.

Also Read:

Paul Haggis Accuser Says Director Tricked Her Into a ‘Date,’ Relentlessly ‘Shadowed’ Her Until She Screamed for Help

Haggis did not immediately discuss the allegations brought against him by former events publicist Haleigh Breest, who first filed the...

Paul Haggis will testify Wednesday in the New York sexual assault civil case brought against him by Haleigh Breest, a lawyer for Haggis said Tuesday. The lawyer, Seth Zuckerman, said that Haggis’ ex-wife, Deborah Rennard, is scheduled to go first, followed by Haggis.

Ten days of testimony have elapsed, with the Oscar-winning filmmaker and former Church of Scientology member watching the trial quietly from his seat at the defense table while his daughters are seated in the gallery directly behind him.

Breest, who is suing Haggis for unspecified damages, testified that he forced her into unprotected oral sex and intercourse in his apartment in Manhattan in 2013. Four other women called to testify by Breest said that Haggis assaulted or tried to assault them sexually in separate incidents between 1996 and 2015.

Haggis says the sex with Breest was consensual and, in court filings and through his lawyers, has said that he has...

Paul Haggis, sexual aggressor, or Paul Haggis, “mensch”? Those are the dueling versions of the Oscar-winning “Crash” filmmaker’s behavior that are being presented in a New York court this month.

On Monday, a female friend of Paul Haggis said he made advances to her, but responded appropriately when she rejected his attempts to become romantic.

Sarah McNally, the owner of the independent bookstore chain McNally Jackson Books, testified during Haggis’s civil rape trial that she “developed a friendship” with the filmmaker after meeting him at a party in 2016 and has since been alone with him dozens of times. She said the director tried to kiss her when she first hung out with him alone, but she stated that she turned her head away because she “just wasn’t attracted to him.”

“Paul is a calm and resilient person. He shrugged and went, ‘Ok,’” McNally recalled. “It was the most easy-going and calm response.

The 11th annual Artists for Peace and Justice (Apj) Festival Gala, presented by Labatt Breweries of Canada, raises an impressive $1.1 million for education in Haiti. This year’s Apj Gala was held at the Windsor Arms Hotel in Toronto and was co-chaired by Natasha Koifman and Suzanne Boyd.

Apj co-founder Deborah Rennard and Natasha Koifman opened the gala, taking the stage to express gratitude for supporters and guests, many of whom had been involved with Apj for more than 11 years. The 2019 gala theme, as explained by Rennard, focused on going back to the roots of the organization and looking at all that has been accomplished. The Academy for Peace and Justice has graduated more than 1,000 students since its inaugural year.

“I am incredibly grateful to have been part of the Apj family since day one. We went back to our roots this year, celebrating more than a decade of generous...

1960: Coronation Street premiered. 1981: Gh's Bobbie

admitted to Noah that she was once a prostitute. 2005: Y&R's

Michael and Lauren were married. 2008: B&B's Steffy

grieved over her dead twin sister."History speaks to artists. It changes the artist's thinking and is constantly reshaping it into different and unexpected images."

― Anselm Kiefer

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1949: On The Guiding Light, Bert Miller (Ann Shepherd) married Bill Bauer (Lyle Sudrow).

1957: On The Edge of Night, Peter Dalton (Stephen Elliot) blasted Da Bruce Thompson (Brett Morrison) during his television speech for having an affair with Ruth Sherman. He also used what Ed (Les Damon) had...

Actress Deborah Rennard is proud of all the women standing up and speaking out against sexual misconduct, but she is not automatically siding with all accusers. One person facing multiple sexual assault accusations is Rennard’s ex-husband, Canadian filmmaker Paul Haggis. Rennard, 58, was asked by Deadline to share her thoughts on the allegations against Haggis, and...

Exclusive: In the wake of several women coming forward with sexual assault allegations against Crash director Paul Haggis — charges he has denied — the filmmaker’s ex-wife asked Deadline to add her voice to the narrative, in support of her ex-husband. Deborah Rennard, a former actress perhaps best known for playing Jr Ewing’s loyal secretary on Dallas, was married 12 years to Haggis and they have a son together. She grew up in the Church of Scientology and privately left…...

Exclusive: In the wake of several women coming forward with sexual assault allegations against Crash director Paul Haggis — charges he has denied — the filmmaker’s ex-wife asked Deadline to add her voice to the narrative, in support of her ex-husband. Deborah Rennard, a former actress perhaps best known for playing Jr Ewing’s loyal secretary on Dallas, was married 12 years to Haggis and they have a son together. She grew up in the Church of Scientology and privately left…...

1960: Coronation Street premiered. 1981: Gh's Bobbie

admitted to Noah that she was once a prostitute. 2005: Y&R's

Michael and Lauren were married. 2008: B&B's Steffy

grieved over her dead twin sister."History is a vast early warning system."

― Norman Cousins

"Today in Soap Opera History" is a collection of the most memorable, interesting and influential events in the history of scripted, serialized programs. From birthdays and anniversaries to scandals and controversies, every day this column celebrates the soap opera in American culture.

On this date in...

1949: On The Guiding Light, Bert Miller (Ann Shepherd) married Bill Bauer (Lyle Sudrow).

1957: On The Edge of Night, Peter Dalton (Stephen Elliot) blasted Da Bruce Thompson (Brett Morrison) during his television speech for having an affair with Ruth Sherman. He also used what Ed (Les Damon) had said to make it look as if Thompson's own staff members had lost faith in him.

The very first pilot I watched on this job was for a CBS drama called "Ez Streets." Created by Paul Haggis — then best known for creating "Due South," but most commercially successful for having helped develop the "Walker, Texas Ranger" pilot — it was essentially an HBO drama before such a thing existed: dark, dense, ambitious, heartbreaking, and addictive. It even featured Joe Pantoliano playing a sociopath gangster years before he won an Emmy for it on "The Sopranos" (and was, to my mind, better as Jimmy Murtha than as Ralphie Ciffaretto). It was also the first time I got my heart broken in this job. Despite rave reviews from me and my more established colleagues across the country, "Ez Streets" was Doa: CBS pulled it off the air after only two episodes had aired, and though most of the remaining episodes would air the following winter, it was just running out the string.

Stars: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Harrison Page, Deborah Rennard, Lisa Pelikan, Ashley Johnson. Brian Thompson, Voyo Goric, Michel Qissi, George McDaniel, Eric Karson, Ash Adams, William T. Amos, Roz Bosley, Dennis Rucker, Billy Blanks | Written by Sheldon Lettich, Jean-Claude Van Damme | Directed by Sheldon Lettich

When looking at eighties action heroes Jean-Claude Van Damme managed to make a name for himself in a genre built upon already big names and even bigger egos. Although A.W.O.L. (aka Lionheart) was released in 1990 I think it is fair to still class it as an eighties movie, the fashions shown on-screen pretty much confirm it (they are bad). Released this week on Blu-ray as part of 101 Films Cult Movie Collection it stands as a perfect example of everything that made Van Damme a star of the action genre.

When Lyon Gaultier discovers his brother is injured and the Foreign Legion with which...

Oscar-winning screenwriter Paul Haggis and actress Deborah Rennard are divorcing.

The Crash writer and the former Dallas star wed in 1997 but split in 2010.

The pair has now filed for divorce, but remain on amicable terms, according to New York Post gossip column Page Six.

The Canadian moviemaker bought a bachelor pad in the Big Apple after the couple separated, the publication reports.

Haggis and Rennard have no children together.

HollywoodNews.com: Bobby Ewing is now married either to a dead narrator or a woman who got married in India and wears a bra on the outside of her blouse. According to the publicity materials for the reboot of “Dallas” on TNT, Brenda Strong, the actress who narrates “Dh” as deceased Mary Alice Young, is apparently married to Bobby.

There’s no Pam — Victoria Principal long ago left “Dallas.” And there’s no April (Sheree J. Wilson). Now it’s Mary Alice, er. Brenda, who offed herself on “Desperate Housewives” but stuck around to narrate the show. On “Seinfeld,” Brenda was Elaine’s friend Sue Ellen–yes, Sue Ellen, “Dallas” fans–Mischke, who appeared in four episodes including “The Betrayal”–the backwards episode about the trip to her wedding in India, and “The Bra-less Wonder.” Not only that, Strong was on the original “Dallas,” playing a one night stand with Cliff.

By Roger Friedman

HollywoodNews.com: The New Yorker– venerable and respected–has taken on the Church of Scientology.

Lawrence Wright’s piece, called “The Apostate: Paul Haggis vs. the Church of Scientology,” chronicles the Oscar winning screenwriter and film director’s departure from Scientology after 34 years. It’s something this reporter has written about often, not only Haggis’s exit but that of other Hollywood stars. Wright goes even further: he has actor Josh Brolin describe his brief encounter with Scientology. It scared him. Brolin–smart, respected–has taken a big chance here because Scientology is vindictive. They’ve already called him a liar less than 24 hours since his anecdote was published.

I know Josh Brolin, and he’s no liar. He says he saw John Travolta try to “heal” Marlon Brando using Scientology techniques. “It was f–ing bizarre,” Brolin said.

I told readers of this column last year...

"The Next Three Days" is not coming out until next week but some people have been able to watch the film during the premiere in New York City on November 9. As the lead actor, Russell Crowe has got an opportunity to take part in the event held at the Ziegfeld Theater.

The "Gladiator" actor, who portrays a man plotting his wife's escape in the upcoming movie, came in all black ensemble. He was not seen coming with real-life spouse Danielle Spencer, but his on-screen wife Elizabeth Banks was showing up that night.

Another female cast Olivia Wilde also supported the Tuesday event, and so did director Paul Haggis who was accompanied by wife Deborah Rennard. Meanwhile, Gerard Butler and Adrien Brody joined the crowd as celebrity guests.

"The Next Three Days" follows Russell Crowe's John Brennan whose seemingly perfect life is turned upside down after his wife Lara is...

Uproar in Hollywood: Oscar-winning director Paul Haggis has resigned from the Church of Scientology and his letter to top dog Tommy Davis has been leaked on the net. It was leaked this weekend that Paul Haggis, known mainly for his screenplays ("Million Dollar Baby", "Letters from Iwo Jima" and the last two James Bond movies) as well as for directing his own films ("In the Garden of Elah" and the multiple Oscar winner "Crash"), resigned from the Church of Scientology (best known for faithful supporter Tom Cruise) this past August. In a letter to the church's spokesman, Haggis gave two reasons for leaving the sect created by L. Ron Hubbard: one is the Church of Scientology's support of Proposition 8, a piece of legislation banning gay marriage in California. "The church's refusal to denounce the action of these bigots, hypocrites and homophobes is cowardly,' Haggis wrote. His second reason was more personal: his wife,...

.Crash. Oscar-winning writer-director and Ep of the eponymous Starz television series Paul Haggis has left the Cult of Scientology. Roger Friedman of Showbiz 411 reported Sunday that Haggis penned a poison letter aimed at Anne Archer's son Tommy Davis, the Scientology celebrity liaison of the "church." The tipping point for Haggis, a 35 year member of the cult, was Scientology.s backing of Proposition 8 in California banning gay marriage. The letter Haggis wrote also reveals a painful family struggle where his wife, actress Deborah Rennard, came into Scientology through her parents, and was ordered by the cult to break off from her parents and have nothing more to do with them because of a perceived infraction. Haggis, according...