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There is a very specific kind of UK comedy-drama that's quietly funny, with well-developed characters but somewhat low stakes, and an accessible and (eventually) uplifting narrative that nonetheless feels very authentic. Waking Ned, Gregory's Girl, The Full Monty, Billy Elliot, Educating Rita, Local Hero, Another Year, Philomena — you know exactly the type; they're the definition of crowd-pleasers. The Ballad of Wallis Island is a very welcome addition to that niche subgenre of tiny comforting gems hailing from across the pond. It also gives lovable co-creator and co-star Tim Key one of his biggest spotlights, and boy, it's well-deserved.

The Ballad of Wallis Island is based on a short film from nearly 20 years ago, by the same writers and stars here (Tom Basden and the aforementioned TIm Key). It has a pretty perfect premise — a lottery winner spends some of his riches to hire his favorite band for a private concert on his island,...

Quick Links What is Housekeeping About? Housekeeping Has Powerhouse Performances From Non-Actors Housekeeping Was a Box Office Flop

While film is undoubtedly one of the premier art forms in the world, it simultaneously serves as an escape from the real world for countless movie lovers. After a hard day, sometimes all a viewer needs is to be immersed in a fictional world and take their mind off of their real-world troubles. While most viewers will opt for a fantastical adventure story to completely detach themselves from reality, sometimes the most eye-opening escape can be grounded entirely. Fantasy stories are fantastic in their own right, but there is magic and whimsy in the real world for those with eyes to see. Simple stories about people, families, and relationships can immerse a viewer and change one's outlook on life completely, and one film that did this for many was released in 1987.

1987 saw the release of Housekeeping,...

Upon entering the Criterion Closet, “Finding Nemo” writer/director Andrew Stanton named it as “hallowed ground” and considering he joins an ever-widening array of talent to leave Criterion’s New York offices with a huge bag of goodies — from Ayo Edebiri to Mike Leigh — he’s not that far off. But for Stanton, his love for Criterion goes a lot deeper than its modern popularity.

“I have been a collector since the very beginning,” he said. “Matter of fact, I think Criterion started, similarly, a few years ahead of Pixar. So, when we were just a small group of nerds, we would just covet every new LaserDisc that came out. And here we are still.”

Celebrating the Criterion release of Peter Bogdanovich’s 1973 Depression-set comedy “Paper Moon,” Stanton broke down how well the film unfolds its narrative.

“Probably one of the strongest, most economical openings,” Stanton said. “In, I’d say 10 seconds,...

Burt Lancaster could be just about anything you needed him to be — except small. He was not towering at 6'1", but he sure made it look that way on screen. Whether smiling or glowering, good natured or pure evil, there was a formidable bearing to Lancaster. But he did not lumber. God no, he was as graceful as a circus acrobat because, well, he was one. How dare a man so sturdy be so damn limber. And golden. And beautiful.

Lancaster's acting career was as remarkable as his absurdly perfect physicality. He made his motion picture debut in a stone-cold classic, and was one of the most popular movie stars on the planet for well over a decade. Lancaster worked too frequently to not slip up on occasion, but he generally exhibited great taste, particularly as a producer. His partnership with Harold Hecht (and later James Hill) yielded three Best...

Writer/director Mike Flanagan shares several recommendations for uplifting movies. Flanagan is best known for his work in the horror genre with films such as Hush, Oculus, and Ouija: Origin of Evil. He saw success with Netflix series, including The Haunting of Hill House, Midnight Mass, and Fall of the House of Usher. He also adapted the Stephen King novels Doctor Sleep and Gerald's Game. He has three more King adaptations in the works with The Life of Chuck, Carrie, and the genre-crossing epic The Dark Tower. In addition to those, Flanagan is busy with a new Exorcist movie.

Although Flanagan's career largely focuses on horror, the director has said his future work will end on a hopeful note, despite some previous bleak endings. Flanagan stated that when his children eventually watch his work he does not want to leave them with a sense of hopelessness and that "no matter how dark a story gets,...

Richard D. James, the Emmy-winning production designer who worked on all but one of the 14 seasons of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Star Trek: Voyager, has died. He was 88.

James died Nov. 11 of complications from an infection at Ut Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, his longtime friend Tom Sanden told The Hollywood Reporter.

For the big screen, the Texas native was art director on Bill Forsyth’s Local Hero (1983), starring Burt Lancaster and Peter Riegert; on Mike Nichols’ Silkwood (1983), starring Meryl Streep, Cher and Kurt Russell; and on Kevin Reynolds’ The Beast of War, starring George Dzundza, Jason Patric and Steven Bauer.

James joined the syndicated Next Generation for its second season (1988-89) and remained through its conclusion in 1994. He then segued to Upn’s Voyager, working on that series for its entire seven-season run (1995-2001).

James received his Emmy (shared with longtime collaborator Jim Mees) in 1990 for his...

For a brief period, over 1982-86, the U.K. enjoyed a remarkable film renaissance. Four films – “Chariots of Fire,” (1982) “Gandhi,” (1983) “The Killing Fields” (1985) and “The Mission” (1986) – won a total 19 Academy Awards, including Best Picture two years running. All of those films, save “Gandhi,” were produced by David Puttnam.

To this day, few figures are more associated with a national film revival. “The British are coming,” “The Chariots of Fire” screenwriter Colin Welland famously said in his Oscar speech. The main Brit Hollywood had on their radar was Puttnam. He was appointed CEO of Columbia Pictures in 1986, becoming the first and only foreigner ever, he notes, to serve on the board of the MPA.

Knighted in 1995, Puttman ended his film career in 1997, at 56, when he was appointed a life peer. “When I finished ‘Memphis Belle,’ I kind of knew that I was never going to make better films than the ones I’d already produced,...

“What a thrill to be here in the Criterion … cupboard,” said Jude Law as he cheekily hinted at his British sensibilities within what is actually — quite famously — known as the Criterion Closet. Though America has many faults, this is not one of them and we will forgive Law this grievous correction.

Taking a stop in the closet amidst promoting his period cop thriller “The Order” and the upcoming Disney+ series “Star Wars: Skeleton Crew,” Law took home six films that reflect his broad appreciation for cinema and all it can offer. After pulling off Andrei Tarkovsky’s “Stalker” and discussing its “stillness” alongside another one of the filmmaker’s epic works, “Andrei Rubelev,” the actor selected a classic French film with connections to one of his earliest roles.

“So this holds a very special place in my heart. ‘Purple Noon’ or ‘Plein Soleil,’ which was the first realization of ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley...

Plex is gearing up for an exciting lineup of films and series in November 2024. Viewers can look forward to a variety of new additions, including Blue Ridge, But I’m A Cheerleader, Call Jane, and Empire State. Cult classics like The Grudge, Hard Candy, House of 1000 Corpses, and The Midnight Meat Train are also hitting the platform, alongside more recent hits like Wind River and Where’d You Go, Bernadette? For fans of horror, thrillers, and emotional dramas, there’s no shortage of options. However, Plex is also bidding farewell to a number of films and shows in November. Among those leaving are 24 Hours to Live, Drive Angry, The Devil’s Rejects, Snowpiercer, and USS Indianapolis: Men of Courage. If you’ve been meaning to watch these titles, now is the time to catch them before they disappear. For those looking to binge their favorites, many notable titles are still available for streaming.

The 1980s comedy scene was incredibly strong but largely dominated by one man, John Hughes. His writing style was essential to an entire generation of film lovers, with classics like Ferris Buellers Day Off, The Breakfast Club, and National Lampoons Vacation. Never before has a decade been so defined by one voice, and with this prevailing brand of comedy, some offbeat classics fell through the cracks.

Of all the unique voices this decade, a select few managed to make themselves known despite the John Hughes-led cheesy movie revolution, but it was a real challenge. Tim Burton and the Coen Brothers broke onto the comedy scene with Beetlejuice and Raising Arizona, respectively, but theyre simply the exceptions that prove the rule. There are so many unique, brilliant voices that should have been defining filmmakers of the decade but were unfortunately left by the wayside. One of these filmmakers is Bill Forsyth,...

“The Problem With People” starts with a montage of the many wars and conflicts happening in the world right now. A dying Irish man, Fergus (Des Keough) bemoans this crushing violence affecting humanity as his TV blares out the news. It’s the broadest starting point in a film that always chooses the broadest jokes and situations. While the comedic script, written by the film’s star Paul Reiser with Wally Marzano-Lesnevich, favors stereotypes to specificity, director Chris Cottam keeps the rhythm humming nicely enough for its 100-minute running time for the film to be mildly amusing.

Before he goes, Kes wants to settle at least one war: the one raging inside his own family. Many years ago, his grandfather had a falling out with his brother, who then immigrated to America. He tasks his son Ciaran (Colm Meaney) with contacting his long-lost cousin Barry (Reiser) in New York to initiate a family reconciliation.

Just days after Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band delivered an instantly classic set in Asbury Park, New Jersey for the Sea.Hear.Now Festival, the performance has been released as a live album, available on CD and streaming via the live music platform nugs.net.

The set, which take place on September 15th, was a homecoming of sorts for Springsteen and the E Street Band, who first got their start gigging around the Asbury Park area. Among its 30-song setlist were hits like “Dancing in the Dark” and “Born to Run,” plus bust-outs, like the tour premieres of “Blinded by the Light,” “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?”, “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy),” and more.

Get Bruce Springsteen Tickets Here

One highlight from the performance came when Springsteen’s wife, Patti Scialfa, made an appearance for “Tougher Than the Rest.” Earlier this year, Scialfa revealed that she...

Ever since they returned to the road in February 2023 following a six-year hiatus, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have largely stuck to a rigid setlist that tells a story about friendship, loss, resilience, and making the most of the time we have left. This has frustrated some longtime fans who travel across the globe to see multiple shows, but as the upcoming documentary Road Diary: Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band reveals, it was inspired by Springsteen’s experience on Broadway in 2017-18, and crafted with meticulous care.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band gave Asbury Park, New Jersey a show to remember with an epic headlining set at Sea.Hear.Now festival on Sunday night.

The show was a homecoming for Springsteen and the band, who got their start playing gigs in and around Asbury Park in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Appropriately, the first half of the Sea.Hear.Now setlist leaned heavily into material from Springsteen’s debut album, Greetings from Asbury Park, N.J., as well as other Jersey-centric songs. Notably, Springsteen performed tracks like “Blinded by the Light,” “Does This Bus Stop at 82nd Street?,” “Thundercrack,” and “4th of July, Asbury Park (Sandy)” for the first time in nearly a decade.

Get Bruce Springsteen Tickets Here

Elsewhere in the set, Springsteen was joined by his wife, Patti Scialfa, for a performance of “Tougher Than the Rest.” Scialfa recently revealed that she...

Matt Damon has landed some of the most notable cinematic pieces throughout his career, and his 2011 family comedy with Scarlett Johansson, We Bought a Zoo, was yet another addition to his star-studded resume. Based on a true story, the film served as a creative project for the 53-year-old actor that became one of his most enjoyable pieces of all time.

We Bought a Zoo. (2011) | Credits: 20th Century Studios.

As entertaining as this movie in itself was, its backstory of how Cameron Crowe wooed Damon into hopping onboard was even more interesting as the filmmaker took a rather clever approach to let the actor know what he was getting himself into. And through this very approach, he helped kill Damon’s doubt about starring in a ‘Disney’ version of the script pitched to him.

Matt Damon Didn’t Want to be in “the Disney Version” of We Bought a Zoo

Back in the late 2000s,...

Carol Kane probably deserves her own closet filled with classic films she’s been a part of, from “Dog Day Afternoon” to “The Princess Bride,” but for now, the Criterion Closet will have to do. In Criterion’s latest closet video, Kane reflects on influences like Bette Davis, as well as past collaborators like John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands, who she describes as a “queen and a goddess.”

“I’m Carol Kane, I’m an ac-tor, and I am so moved to be in this room — this closet — with all these extraordinary films, movies — I don’t know what you’re supposed to call them — but all the creativity. It’s breaking my heart in a good way,” said Kane at the beginning of the video.

As her first pick off the shelf, Kane grabbed “All About Eve” and discussed the effect the lead of the film, Bette Davis, had...

Here we are with another case of “Wait, that was a book first?” Although, having watched the movie for the first time and seeing its reputation online, this is also a case of “Wait, that was a movie?” William Friedkin was a master filmmaker and although most of his stone-cold classics happened before 1990, he proved he still had plenty in the tank with things like The Hunted and Bug to name a couple. He was a replacement director which seems surreal considering his talents and he was one of 3 credited writers on a little remembered horror movie adaptation from 1990. The Guardian (watch it Here) is based on The Nanny from 1987 and it’s a strange pairing of source material and finished product. Both pieces of media are mostly slept on in their respective fields but how close did Friedkin and the other writers come to matching the book? Always do...

Film Forum is turning back the clock to the ’80s and celebrating golden era cinemas with the New York premiere of Richard Shepard’s “Film Geek.”

Emmy winner Shepard writes and directs the cine-memoir feature centered on moviegoing in the ’70s and ’80s. “Film Geek” debuts as part of Film Forum’s “Out of the ’80s” programming, which includes over 50 films ranging from blockbusters to cult classics.

Films such as “Blue Velvet,” “Do the Right Thing,” “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” and more will screen at the theater. Actors such as Griffin Dunne and Isaac Mizrahi will revisit their own ’80s features, while directors like Charlie Ahearn, Charles Lane, and Jerry Schatzberg discuss their filmmaking styles.

The series is programmed by Bruce Goldstein, Film Forum’s Repertory Artistic Director, and was inspired by Richard Shepard’s documentary “Film Geek.” The festival centers on the debut of “Film Geek,” which is...

An animated video for Mark Knopfler’s all-star charity single “Going Home (Theme From Local Hero)” – which brought together a stunning lineup of over 60 guitar gods to raise funds for Teen Cancer America and the Teenage Cancer Trust – has been released. It features the final recording of Jeff Beck along with contributions by Bruce Springsteen, David Gilmour, Slash, Ronnie Wood, Joan Jett, Eric Clapton, Pete Townshend, and Sting.

The song came out a week ago, but it was difficult to discern who was playing what part throughout the ten-minute song.

Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler has united with over 60 artists — including Bruce Springsteen, David Gilmour, Slash, Eric Clapton, Ringo Starr, Ronnie Wood, Jeff Beck, Pete Townshend, Sting, Brian May, Joan Jett, Nile Rodgers, and Brian May — to create a new version of his 1983 instrumental “Going Home: Theme of the Local Hero.”

The song arrives on March 15, though you can hear a brief sample right now. It’s the final recording Jeff Beck created before his death in January 2023. All proceeds from the release will benefit Teenage Cancer Trust and Teen Cancer America.

Julian Senior, the veteran Warner Bros. marketing and publicity executive in Europe who enjoyed close relationships with filmmakers including Oscar winners Stanley Kubrick, Clint Eastwood, David Puttnam and Neil Jordan, has died. He was 85.

Senior died Jan. 1 of pneumonia and heart failure in a hospital near his home in Borehamwood, England, Conor Nolan, his friend and onetime Warner Bros. colleague, told The Hollywood Reporter.

A native of South Africa, Senior joined Warner Bros. in 1970 after an eight-year run at MGM, where he was an advertising and publicity consultant in its European Regional Office, and he stuck with the studio through 2000.

At the start, Senior helped mastermind the advertising and publicity campaign for the landmark Kubrick film A Clockwork Orange (1971), and he also worked with the famed director on The Shining (1980), Full Metal Jacket (1987) and Eyes Wide Shut (1999).

“He taught me how publicity, advertising and marketing operates,” Senior once said of Kubrick.

Julian Senior, a veteran international marketing executive for Warners and MGM who enjoyed a long working relationship with Stanley Kubrick and many other notable filmmakers, died Jan. 1. He was 85.

His death was announced by former Warners executive Conor Nolan.

Born in South Africa, Senior was at MGM for eight years before joining Warners in 1970 as an advertising and publicity consultant in Europe, and soon after was appointed VP of European advertising and publicity.

He became senior VP of European regional advertising and publicity in 1993, and oversaw dozens of Warner Bros. film campaigns. Senior retired in 2000 and handed over the marketing and publicity reins to Con Gornell and Nolan.

His friendship with Kubrick began in 1970 when the director finished “A Clockwork Orange.” Senior oversaw the advertising and publicity campaigns for “The Shining,” “Full Metal Jacket” and Kubrick’s final film, “Eyes Wide Shut” with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.

Senior once...

Julian Senior, former Warner Bros European marketing and publicity executive, passed away on January 1, 2024 at the age of 85.

Senior joined Warner Bros in 1970, after an eight-year stint at MGM, as an advertising and publicity consultant in the studio’s European region office. He was soon appointed vice president of European advertising and publicity at the studio and, in 1993, was promoted to senior vice president.

The South Africa-born executive had a close working and personal relationship with Stanley Kubrick and worked with the filmmaker on the campaigns for A Clockwork Orange, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket and Eyes Wide Shut.

During his career,...

Brian Cox says Succession creator Jesse Armstrong was a “gentleman” to salute him during his acceptance speech at Sunday night’s Emmy Awards.

The celebrated HBO drama won the top drama prize, and Armstrong praised the show’s cast, creatives and crew then lauded Cox, “who the show was revolved around whether he was in it or not.”

Later at the HBO | Max Emmy afterparty at San Vicente Bungalows, Cox tells me he was “touched” by Armstrong singling him out. “Jesse’s a gentleman in an industry where there aren’t many of those,” he says.

Cox adds that the entire team deserved the praise. ”All of them. The drama series win belongs to each and every one of them.”

The acclaimed actor says he knew Succession would become a “cultural landmark” from the time he read Armstrong’s first script. “I was in no doubt that it would become a benchmark.

In his latest podcast/interview, host and screenwriter Stuart Wright talks to author and arts and culture writer Anna Cale about the writing of her book The Real Diana Dors, the Bill Forsyth podcast series Ten Thousand Grains Of Sand and 3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life.

Saturday Night And Sunday Morning (1960) His Girl Friday (1940) Local Hero (1983)

“3 Films That Have Impacted Everything In Your Adult Life” is about those films that made you fall in love with film. The guest selects their trio of movies and we talk for 5 minutes, against the clock. When the alarm goes off for five minutes we move on to the next film.

Powered by RedCircle...

Making a top ten list of your favourite movies can be difficult, but is it any easier when you narrow that list down to a single decade? IndieWire asked dozens of filmmakers to put together a list of their favourite 80s movies, and the results are as widely varied as the decade itself. Which 80s movies does Bill Hader hold dear to his heart? What are some of Nia DaCosta’s favourites? Can Edgar Wright actually contain himself to just ten movies? What horror movies of the 80s top Eli Roth’s list?

Bill Hader’s (Barry) Favourite 80s Movies:

Thin Blue Line Road Warrior Blood Simple Evil Dead 1&2 Raging Bull Naked Gun The Emperor’s Naked Army Marches On The Hit Raising Arizona Crimes and Misdemeanors Blue Velvet Where is the Friends House Pee Wees Big Adventure Midnight Run Come and See Do the Right Thing My Neighbor Totoro Die Hard Paris,...

Ncuti Gatwa's big roles in Barbie and Sex Education can avoid a mistake that hampered the first season of Peter Capaldi's Doctor Who era. Best known for his role as Eric Effiong in Sex Education, Ncuti Gatwa is due to succeed David Tennant as the Fifteenth Doctor during Doctor Who's 60th anniversary specials. Due to the immense popularity of the Netflix show, Ncuti Gatwa's casting in Doctor Who has given the show a higher profile than it's had in the past few years. That interest in Gatwa's Doctor Who era will only get stronger in the upcoming months, as he appears as Ken in summer blockbuster Barbie ahead of him inheriting the Tardis keys in November.

The last time that an incoming Doctor's reputation preceded them similarly to Ncuti Gatwa was when Peter Capaldi was cast as the Twelfth Doctor. Capaldi is a beloved British character actor...

Film scores £9,001 average from 644 sites.

Rank Film (distributor) Three-day gross (May 19-May 21) Total gross to date Week 1. Fast X (Universal) £5.9m £5.9m 1 2. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (Disney) £2.8m £28.9m 3 3. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Universal) £541,284 £51.8m 7 4. Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret (Lionsgate)

£287,209 £327,169 1 5. Beau Is Afraid (Sony) £202,254 £231,370 1

Universal’s action blockbuster Fast X took the chequered flag at the UK-Ireland box office with a £5.9m start – down on the previous five films from the car racing franchise.

The film took over £2m on both Friday and Saturday with over £1.5m on Sunday, with a location average of £9,001 across the full weekend.

‘Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret’ and ‘Beau Is Afraid’ both opening.

Universal’s high-octane Fast X is the leading opener at the UK-Ireland box office this weekend, starting in 653 cinemas – more than any previous title in the Fast And Furious franchise.

Directed by Louis Leterrier, Fast X sees Vin Diesel’s Dom Toretto and his family targeted by the vengeful son of drug kingpin Hernan Reyes.

The previous widest opening for a Fast And Furious film was 2019’s Fast & Furious: Hobbs & Shaw – a spin-off to the main franchise - which started in 618 sites with £6.4m, ending on £20.7m.

Disney’s “Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3” stayed atop the U.K. and Ireland box office for a second consecutive weekend with £5.4 million ($6.6 million) for a total of £23.9 million, per figures from Comscore.

In second place, in its sixth weekend, Universal’s “The Super Mario Bros. Movie” collected £858,444 for a total of £51 million.

There were two debuts in the top five. Sony’s “Love Again” bowed in third place with £340,785 and Universal’s “Book Club: The Next Chapter” in fourth with £299,370. Rounding off the top five was Studiocanal’s “Evil Dead Rise,” which earned £258,417 in its fourth weekend for a total of £5 million.

The other debut in the top 10 was one-off “Eurovision – Grand Final Live (2023)” from CineLive that took in £237,787.

Mubi’s “Return to Seoul” earned £37,070 over its second weekend and now has a total of £186,438.

The big release this upcoming weekend is potential summer blockbuster “Fast X,” starring Vin Diesel,...

David Lowery's "Peter Pan & Wendy" has been a long time coming. Principal photography wrapped in 2021, while reshoots were completed in early 2022. The Covid-19 pandemic obviously played a role in delaying the film's production, but Disney has been a tad skittish about its release. The movie was greenlit as a Disney+ exclusive, but, unsurprisingly, the studio saw theatrical potential in the "Pete's Dragon" director's second remake of a Mouse House classic.

Alas, Disney reverted to a streaming release for "Peter Pan & Wendy," and, given the film's considerable budget, this is one of those moves that makes you wonder if the studio isn't completely on board with the tone Lowrey has struck. "Pete's Dragon" was an earthy redo of a slightly dated live-action/animated family flick, and it managed to connect with its simple tale of a lonely boy and his fantastical friend. Lowrey imbued his movie with a cloudy,...

Documentary follows the ambiguous impact of an American non-profit’s grand largesse to a Kenyan village

From each, nothing according to ability; to each, a pretty decent amount regardless of need. This is the experiment in radical giving being carried out by the US non-profit organisation GiveDirectly and its perma-smiley co-founder Michael Faye. The group donates free money directly as universal basic income to villages and needy communities all over the world, without the costly admin of means testing. East Africa is the main focus, and this documentary tracks the group’s association with the Kenyan village of Kogutu, making monthly cash transfers beginning in 2017 to properly constituted adult residents there over a projected period of 12 years.

It sounds like the premise of a quirky British comedy like Local Hero or Whisky Galore!, only with money instead of whisky. The lucky lottery winners of Kogutu are delighted, of course, and...

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band closed out their first tour together in six years Friday in their native New Jersey, with the Boss changing up the setlist to give ode to the Garden State.

While “No Surrender” kicked off nearly every show on the E Street Band’s U.S. arena trek — which began Feb. 1 in Tampa — Friday’s concert at Newark’s Prudential Center opened with the Lucky Town cut “Local Hero,” a fitting choice given it was the band’s return to New Jersey for the first time in six years.

One of the most high-profile releases in the spring of 1983 was “Flashdance,” starring Jennifer Beals, directed by Adrian Lyne, and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Don Simpson. It marked Beals’ feature film debut, as well as Lyne’s second major feature following 1980’s “Foxes.” It was also one of Bruckheimer’s and Simpson’s earliest projects, coming soon after “American Gigolo.” Released 40 years ago on April 15, 1983, “Flashdance” took second place at the box office its opening weekend with four million dollars, but then it became the sensation of the spring movies, jumping up to first place the next weekend and staying there well into early May. By the end of its run, “Flashdance,” about a woman who works as both a welder and an exotic dancer and wants to get into ballet school, made more than $90 million in the United States and more than $200 million worldwide. Read on for our...

What if your imaginary friend was a killer from a slasher film? Set in Scotland in 1994, the new comic book series The Nasty answers this compelling question with blood-splattered results as it follows 18-year-old Graeme “Thumper” Connell, who enjoys watching notorious "video nasties" with his friends in The Murder Club, until one night when they come across a cursed videotape that just might bring its cinematic nightmares to lethal life.

With the first issue of The Nasty coming out on April 5th from Vault Comics, we caught up with writer John Lees and artist Adam Cahoon (who contributed art in the first two issues before stepping in as the main illustrator in issue #3) to discuss the making of The Nasty, including exploring how horror can be comforting, taking a subversive approach to the concept of imaginary friends, and creating their own "video nasties" for this series!

Below, you can check...

Brian Cox says his on-screen alter ego Logan Roy, the misanthropic media mogul at the heart of HBO hit “Succession,” would not be a fan in real life.

“Logan would hate me,” said Cox during an in-person conversation at the Edinburgh TV Festival in Scotland. “If Logan met me he’d say ‘I wish that Brian Cox would just shut the fuck up.’”

Despite Logan’s flaws, however, Cox says of the character: “I love him.”

“What I love about Logan, he’s self-made. Unlike all those other guys, Trump, Murdoch, Conrad Black, he did it all himself.”

Digging deeper into the character, he adds: “His curse is he loves his children. If he didn’t love his children life would be a lot easier for him.”

Cox also reflected on the similarities – or lack-thereof – between himself and Roy, saying: “He’s the antithesis of who I am. The one...

The actor on political corruption, the genius of Terence Davies and making a solo album in his 60s

Peter Capaldi, 63, studied at Glasgow School of Art and landed his breakthrough acting role aged 24 on the film Local Hero. He’s best known for his Bafta-winning performance as spin doctor Malcolm Tucker in political satire The Thick of It and as the 12th Doctor in Doctor Who. His film roles include The Personal History of David Copperfield, The Suicide Squad and Paddington. As a director, he won an Oscar for his 1993 short film, Franz Kafka’s It’s a Wonderful Life. At art college, he was briefly in a punk band; four decades later, he is releasing his first solo album, St Christopher.

You’re releasing your debut album aged 63. How did that happen?

We just set out to have some fun. My friend Dr Robert from the Blow Monkeys is a...

Mark Knopfler’s score for “The Princess Bride,” to quote the film, was only mostly dead.

On Saturday, the L.A. Philharmonic will perform it live to picture at the Hollywood Bowl — and they really do mean live. The original 1987 score was recorded almost entirely using a Synclavier sampling machine, with the exception of some nylon guitar solos by Knopfler. Under veteran conductor David Newman, the music will — like Cary Elwes’ Westley — finally come back from the dead.

Rob Reiner’s swashbuckling, romantic, meta-comedic film has a legion of fans — including the many celebrities who reenacted it at home during the pandemic — but depending on who you ask, Knopfler’s artificial-sounding score is either its beautiful beating heart… or a dated ear-sore. Composer Bear McCreary (“Godzilla: King of the Monsters”) recently said: “It remains on my list of good scores that don’t age well.”

But for Reiner, the way...

The Notebook Primer introduces readers to some of the most important figures, films, genres, and movements in film history.Bill Forsyth on the set of Local Hero1.You can sell movie tickets telling people that the story of a human life is too complex and changeable to ever even begin to catch hold of, and that we are helpless mortals who don’t have the slightest idea what is best for us, and that wry acceptance of a mixed-to-dark fate is the closest we can come to sustained happiness – you can make back your film’s budget doing all of this, but it’s a lot of work, and even if you do it with supreme delicacy, with images of startling beauty and comfort, and with good jokes you are still swimming against a very hard tide; and that in a nutshell is the story of Bill Forsyth’s filmmaking career.

‘Freaky’, ‘French Exit’ also in cinemas.

Studiocanal’s Another Round will finally make its UK-Ireland bow this weekend, as the box office looks to continue its strong performance since cinemas reopened in the territory.

Thomas Vinterberg’s drinking comedy-drama will play in 131 locations from today (July 2). It was originally scheduled for release on November 27, before being put on hold due to the second lockdown. Its date was set for June 25 in March, before being moved back a week to its final spot.

Another Round was selected for the Cannes 2020 label of titles that would have played at last year’s...

Exclusive: Film4 is partnering with film distributor Park Circus on a campaign to entice Brits back to the cinema. Under the deal, the duo will offer UK cinemas a season of six classic features from the Film4 library, including Danny Boyle’s Trainspotting and Jonathan Glazer’s Sexy Beast.

The films will initially screen in Picturehouse, Everyman, Odeon, Vue, and Showcase theaters across the country from the start of July, with other venues joining the initiative in the coming weeks. It follows cinemas reopening in the UK on May 17 after the most recent coronavirus lockdown.

The four other films in the Film4 season are Mark Herman’s Brassed Off, Stephen Frears’ rom-com My Beautiful Launderette, Bill Forsyth’s Local Hero, and Bhaji on the Beach, from director Gurinder Chadha.

Film4’s parent Channel 4 will support the season with an advertising campaign across its TV channels, as well as online.

Made in a sweet spot of Scottish filmmaking that had seen Bill Forsyth's Gregory's Girl achieve fame five years earlier and his Local Hero win fans the year before, this tale of a pair of hapless buddies-turned-tourist-coach highwaymen has a rough-edged comic charm, even if it isn't quite in the same league.

At the heart of Michael Hoffman's film - written by Ninian Dunnett for a Lloyds Bank screenwriting competition, which he won - are Vincent Friell and Joe Mullaney,  who offer a winning chemistry and affable appeal. They play Will and Ronnie likely lads from an Edinburgh scheme housing estate who are stuck in the dead end jobs of park sweeper and joke shop clerk - Thatcher's Britain is in evidence here, with Ninnian literally giving her the boot at one point, although the politics are kept in the background. Will still lives at home, a crowded space he shares with.

To mark the release of Restless Natives, out now, we’ve been given 2 copies to give away on Blu-ray.

Fans of Gregory’s Girl and Local Hero would do well to add Restless Natives to their collection. First released in 1985 this spirited, establishment-mocking caper movie remains a much-loved and thoroughly enjoyable comedy gem featuring a soundtrack by Big Country. It’s the story of two under-employed Scots who achieve wealth and notoriety as modern-day highwayman holding up coachloads of tourists wearing a wolf and a clown mask and armed only with a puffer gun! Their exploits make them a bigger tourist attraction than the Loch Ness Monster, much to the annoyance of the inept local police.

Starring Vincent Friell, Joe Mullaney, Ned Beatty, Bernard Hill, Mel Smith and directed by Michael Hoffman from a script by Ninian Dunnett, the new Blu-ray and DVD release comes with additional features including a new...

In his latest podcast/interview, host and screenwriter Stuart Wright talks to film composer Sacha Puttnam about his new music project which is out now: Spirit of Cinema: Sacha Puttnam with the Classic Film Orchestra.

Tracklisting: Love’s Theme

Original score by Giorgio Moroder for Midnight Express, 1978. Best Original score at the Oscars, 1979 First of May

Music by The Bee Gees for the film Melody, 1971 Chariots of Fire

Original score by Vangelis for the film Chariots of Fire, 1981. Best original score at The Oscars, 1982 Sailing Homeward

Music by Donovan for the film The Pied Piper, 1972 Gabriel’s Theme

Original score by Ennio Morricone for The Mission, 1986. Best Original Score at The Golden Globes and Best Music at The Baftas, 1986 Theme From Midnight Express (Istanbul)

Original score by Giorgio Moroder for Midnight Express, 1978. Best Original score at the Oscars, 1979 War of the Buttons Suite

Original score By Rachel Portman, from the film War of the Buttons,...

The November 2020 lineup for The Criterion Channel has been unveiled, toplined by a Claire Denis retrospective, including the brand-new restoration of Beau travail, along with Chocolat, No Fear, No Die, Nenette and Boni, Towards Mathilde, 35 Shots of Rum, and White Material.

There will also be a series celebrating 30 years of The Film Foundation, featuring a new interview with Martin Scorsese by Ari Aster, as well as a number of their most essential restorations, including films by Jia Zhangke, Ritwik Ghatak, Luchino Visconti, Shirley Clarke, Med Hondo, and more.

There’s also David Lynch’s new restoration of The Elephant Man, retrospectives dedicated to Ngozi Onwurah, Nadav Lapid, and Terence Nance, a new edition of the series Queersighted titled Queer Fear, featuring a new conversation between series programmer Michael Koresky and filmmaker and critic Farihah Zaman, and much more.

See the lineup below and learn more on the official site.

Limbo, the second film from writer-director Ben Sharrock after 2015's Pikadero, is a stubbornly funny film of unquenchable sadness. As others have noted, Sharrock’s deadpan comedy brings to mind Aki Kaurismaki and Bill Forsyth – and the recurring phone box in Limbo inevitably recalls Local Hero – but ultimately this is a film brimming with freshness in its ideas and their execution.

Omar (Amir El-Masry) is one of a number of refugees, all single men, seeking asylum on a remote, windswept Scottish island in the Outer Hebrides. These are men chased to The Edge of the World, though in a reversal to Michael Powell’s tale of the evacuation St Kilda, the small number of refugees housed here have increased the population by around 25% according to one of the mirthless locals.

Omar shares accommodation with Farhad (Vikash Bhai), an Afghan who appoints himself as Omar’s agent/manager, as well as the Ghanaian Abedi.

Brian Cox

Brian Cox is Emmy-nominated for his memorable work in HBO’s “Succession” as patriarch Logan Roy, the head of a ruthless and viewer-addictive family of power-brokers.

Cox, born in Dundee, Scotland, has created many memorable characters in his six-decade career, including roles in such works as HBO’s “Deadwood,” blockbuster films such as “Braveheart” and “Troy,” and cult faves like “Rushmore,” “Zodiac,” “Super Troopers” and “Adaptation.” He was also the screen’s first Hannibal Lecktor in Michael Mann’s 1986 “Manhunter.” (The film changed Thomas Harris’ spelling of Lecter in his book.)

The actor talks about important lessons he’s learned in life, from Michael Elliott, director Lindsay Anderson (“In Celebration”), and fellow Scottish actor Fulton Mackay. But the most important piece of advice he got was from his mother.

‘It’s a journey’

“When I was much younger, two directors who were major influences in my acting life...

Bill Gavin, the former Goldcrest executive and general manager of Australia’s Hoyts Theatres, has died at the age of 83 at his home in Auckland, New Zealand, after a short illness.

Gavin moved to the UK in the early 1960s after securing a contract to cover New Zealand’s then highly successful Formula One drivers, going on to write a biography of UK driver Jim Clark. He segued initially into the music business and established Gto Films to promote glam rock acts, the company then branched into distribution and worked on the UK release of Weir’s classic Picnic At Hanging Rock and the original version of Swept Away.

In 1978 he moved to Australia to become general manager of Hoyts Theatres and spearheaded the company’s entry into distribution. His down under success distributing the first Muppet Movie caught the eye of Lew Grade, who invited him to join Itc Films’ sales team in London.

Gavin worked on films including ‘Gandhi’ and ‘Whale Rider’.

Bill Gavin, a former executive at the UK’s Goldcrest Films who worked on films including Gandhi and Whale Rider, has died aged 83 at his home in Auckland, New Zealand after a short illness.

The industry veteran worked on several award-winning features throughout his career as an independent sales agent, distributor, exhibitor and producer.

Born in Wellington, New Zealand, Gavin began his career as a motor racing journalist and moved to the UK in the early 1960s after securing a contract to report on successful Kiwi Formula One drivers competing overseas.

Film Movement, a self-described “film service” that traffics in esoteric theatrical and home video product has released two notable examples of post-war British comedy with Whisky Galore! and The Maggie – both are seafaring satires directed by Alexander Mackendrick featuring some of Ealing Studio’s most memorable players.

Whiskey Galore!/The Maggie

Blu ray

Film Movement

1949, 1954 / 1:33:1 / 82 min., 92 min.

Starring Joan Greenwood, Paul Douglas

Cinematography by Gerald Gibbs, Gordon Dines

Directed by Alexander Mackendrick

The men and women of Ealing emerged from the second World War with their cheerful cynicism intact and more than ready to take a bite out of the hand what fed them – from Passport to Pimlico to Kind Hearts and Coronets those artists happily took potshots at the class systems they had fought so hard to defend. Though these satires had teeth (Kind Hearts was especially lethal), romance was never far away – it’s no wonder...