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Steve Martin is a ludicrously talented human being. He's a brilliant stand-up comedian, a fine actor, a skilled magician, a masterful humorist (that means he's funny when he writes), an art collector of tremendous discernment and, above all, an assassin with the banjo. He's gone from being an entertainment phenomenon best known for singing about King Tut to an entertainment phenomenon best known for making mirth with Martin Short. In between, he wrote and starred in classic comedy films like "The Jerk," "Dead Men Don't Wear Plaid," "The Man with Two Brains," "Roxanne," "L.A. Story" and "Bowfinger," and just plain old acted in "Three Amigos," "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," and "Parenthood."

Steve Martin is a national treasure (just watch his "Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces" documentary on Apple+ if you don't believe me). He deserves the very best in life. So why, oh why, has he...

It’s been 25 years since Eddie Murphy played his own lookalike in the underrated “Bowfinger,” a Steve Martin-led comedy revolving around a struggling director who, to produce a film unwittingly starring a major celebrity, casts an everyman who just so happens to bear more than a passing resemblance to the man at the top of the marquee. The concept of doppelgangers in cinema could hardly be considered new, with fresh takes on the idea few and far between.

Continue reading ‘Serious People’ Review: A Light Doppelganger Comedy Hits All The Right Notes [Sundance] at The Playlist.

Steve Martin and John Candy's beloved holiday classic has become a streaming hit 37 years after its release. Martin rose to prominence as a popular stand-up comedian during the 1970s and went on to star in movies such as Three Amigos, Bowfinger, Looney Tunes: Back in Action and played family patriarchs in the Father of the Bride and Cheaper by the Dozen films. Over his career, Martin has starred in a few Christmas movies; 1994's Mixed Nuts and 2015's Love the Coopers.

On the other hand, Candy rose to prominence as a member of Second City and starred in movies such as Stripes, Splash, and Spaceballs. During the 1980s, Candy was a frequent collaborator of writer-director John Hughes, starring in The Great Outdoors, written by Hughes, and Uncle Buck, written and directed by Hughes. Candy also appeared in supporting roles in National Lampoon's Vacation and the 1990 Christmas classic Home Alone,...

Long before he was solving murders in luxury apartment buildings and endlessly trading pre-written put-downs with Martin Short, Steve Martin collaborated with those hunks of felt and plastic that made our childhoods magical (and early 2000s Denny’s commercials real weird): the Muppets.

Martin was one of the earliest hosts of The Muppet Show, appearing in a Season Two episode back in 1977. Martin’s hosting duties found him juggling, making balloon animals and, of course, wailing on the banjo.

Just two years later, the comedy superstar was invited to cameo in the Jim Henson creations’ big-screen debut, The Muppet Movie. Martin played the snarky restaurant server who waits on Kermit and Miss Piggy while wearing short shorts that leave little to the imagination.

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Martin would go on to appear in several movies directed by Muppet performer Frank Oz, including Little Shop of Horrors, Housesitter, Bowfinger and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Frank Oz’s illustrious career will be celebrated by the Museum of the Moving Image with screening series “The Magic of Oz: A Frank Oz Retrospective.”

All 15 films Oz directed will screen, ranging from “Little Shop of Horrors” to “The Muppets Take Manhattan” to “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels” and “Bowfinger.” Oz’s acting roles in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Inside Out,” plus his character creations for “Sesame Street” and “The Muppet Show,” will also be part of the lineup. The series will take place from October 4 to November 30.

“Frank Oz has been a revered and adored artist for generations, yet I’d argue he’s under-appreciated for his filmmaking, which he’s dedicated the past 40 years to,” curator of film Eric Hynes said.

“From the beginning he defied expectations, starting with his now-classic homage to the Hollywood studio musical and B-movie creature feature, ‘Little Shop of Horrors,’ and continuing through...

Frank Griffin, who nosed out another makeup artist to work with Steve Martin on Roxanne, just one of the 20 movies they did together, has died. He was 95.

Griffin died Wednesday of cancer at his home in Studio City, his daughter Roxane Griffin, a veteran Hollywood hairstylist (Avatar, Transparent, 80 for Brady), told The Hollywood Reporter.

Frank Griffin started out in Hollywood as an actor and studio laborer before turning to makeup in the mid-1960s, and he went on to work on Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Scarecrow (1973), Westworld (1973), Cinderella Liberty (1973), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977), Urban Cowboy (1980), Midnight Run (1988), Fast Times at Ridgemont High (1982), Vacation (1983), Revenge of the Nerds (1984) and Pee-wee’s Big Adventure (1985).

Survivors also include his sister Debra Paget, who starred in such films as Broken Arrow (1950), Love Me Tender (1956) — Elvis Presley’s first movie — and The Ten Commandments (1956).

His other two sisters were actresses as well: Lisa Gaye,...

K.C. Fox, an Emmy-nominated set decorator who worked on the sets of films like Speed, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The 40-Year-Old Virgin, died August 28 of pancreatic cancer. The prolific artisan, whose career spanned four decades, was 70.

“Known for her joie de vivre, keen artistic eye, belly laugh, and clever wit, she was beloved by her crew and colleagues,” the Set Decorators Society of America wrote in an obituary on its website. “K.C. generously offered career advice, mentored through the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and served on many Boards and Committees at the Sdsa and AMPAS.”

A founding member of the Sdsa and 2024 recipient of the Earl Cooperman Lifetime Achievement Award, Fox died at home, surrounded by her family. Throughout her illustrious career, she racked up two Art Directors Guild Awards for The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo and HBO’s Little Britain USA.

In his recent book Number One Is Walking, Steve Martin wraps up a section of anecdotes from his film career by alluding to the difficulty of making movies. He’s not describing the physical or logistical challenges, but the part that’s supposed to make it all worthwhile: the result.

I had somehow never seen Frank Oz's hilarious Hollywood satire "Bowfinger" until last night, and it was only just now, as I write this, that I realized the movie celebrated its 25th anniversary yesterday. Weird timing! Anyway, "Bowfinger" is fantastic, with comedic masters Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy both operating at an incredibly high level throughout. Murphy, in particular, is amazing in dual roles; he plays a paranoid superstar actor named Kit Ramsey, as well as a goofy, lovable loser named Jiff, and the two performances could not be more different.

The film is about a schlocky B-movie filmmaker named Bobby Bowfinger (Martin), who tries to surreptitiously direct a movie starring a cast of nobodies alongside one of the world's biggest actors (Murphy) without the star ever finding out he's in their movie. It's a terrific premise, and it got me thinking about other films that focus on making movies,...

Forget your state’s lottery, A24 has the scratch-off game covered. The indie studio has launched its first-ever scratch-off prize event for fans, and it comes with a zoo worth of prizes.

Beginning August 2, AAA24 members have a chance to win exclusive prizes ranging from coveted merchandise to set visits on upcoming A24 films, as well as other unforgettable exclusive experiences. To participate, fans can join membership program AAA24, which includes early access to ticket sales and merch. Members will receive their scratcher in their welcome package and/or first zine shipment; the membership is $5/month or $55/year at launch for U.S. customers, and $9.99/month or $99/year for customers in all other countries.

The scratcher prizes include adopting a baby lamb — a nod to the twisted 2021 family drama “Lamb” — and a roundtrip ticket to Norway and two-night stay at the “Ex Machina” house (aka the Juvet Landskaphotell).

To be clear,...

Prime Video is the place to be in August with an incredible month of new releases. The month kicks off with the premiere of the animated series Batman: Caped Crusader on Aug. 1. The series was produced by J.J. Abrams and The Batman‘s Matt Reeves. We also return to Middle Earth this month with the premiere of The Rings of Power season 2 on Aug. 29.

As far as movies go, the Amazon original Jackpot! arrives on Aug. 15 starring Awkwafina and John Cena. This comedy is set in a world where Lottery winners have to survive until sundown in order to claim their multi-billion dollar jackpot – anyone who kills them before that gets to claim their prize.

The Hobbit trilogy also joins the Prime Video library this month, as do 21 and 22 Jump Street, Superman I-iv, Superman Returns, Night Swim, Drive Away Dolls, and 10 Cloverfield Lane.

Here’s everything coming...

Eddie Murphy may consider sequels to his classic movies after recent successes like Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F and Coming 2 America. Fans of Eddie Murphy's comedic roles are excited about the potential return of classic characters in sequels or spinoffs. Murphy's career renaissance may lead to sequels for movies like Bowfinger or Tower Heist.

After Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, Eddie Murphy may consider making sequels to some of his other classic movies after decades of silence. Murphy first broke through as a movie star in the early 1980s. Since then, he has built a reputation as an inimitable comedic actor that rivals his success as a stand-up. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F is the second legacy sequel Murphy has made in recent years. Amazon Prime Video's Coming 2 America also revived one of his most popular movies, suggesting that he may be open to more.

Eddie Murphy...

10 Best Films Of Eddie Murphy, Ranked. (Photo Credit – Instagram)

With his remarkable career, Eddie Murphy has found a place among the best comic actors of this generation. After first gaining fame on Saturday Night Live in the early 1980s, he transitioned to films and has consistently captivated the audience ever since.

From his brilliant comic timing in the Beverly Hills Cop and Coming to America franchises to his dramatic roles in Mr. Church and Dreamgirls, the actor has always impressed with his talent. Now that Eddie Murphy has been in the industry for close to five decades and has appeared in numerous projects, here is a ranking of 10 of his best films.

10. Mr. Church (2016)

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Bruce Beresford’s Mr. Church stars Murphy in the titular role of a talented cook hired by a dying woman, Marie, to take...

Eddie Murphy is a versatile and talented actor known for his comedic performances in various films. Murphy has been enjoying a career resurgence lately, with sequels to Coming to America and Beverly Hills Cop in the last few years. Murphy's instantly recognizable voice has made him a standout voice actor in some animated classics.

Since breaking out as a star on Saturday Night Live, Eddie Murphy has developed a reputation as one of the best comedic actors of his generation. Murphy often plays brash but lovable characters surrounded by stick-in-the-mud types. Even in his voice-acting roles, he is usually the comic relief who comes in to undercut the tension. In live-action, Murphy has been a leading man since the 1980s.

Many of Eddie Murphy's best movies came during his early years. Beverly Hills Cop, Coming to America and Trading Places all came out during the 1980s. Since then, his hits...

Axel Foley makes his glorious return to Beverly Hills this week with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F gracing our home screens. And while Axel is one of Eddie Murphy’s most famous characters, there is no shortage of iconic roles from the comedian. Audiences have gravitated towards the likes of Axel, Reggie Hammond from 48 Hrs., Akeem from Coming to America, or even Chandler Gerald from The Golden Child. However, Murphy himself feels his best performance (or rather performances) comes from the 1996 remake of The Nutty Professor, in which he famously played the Klump family, minus the child, as well as a take on Richard Simmons.

In a new interview with The New York Times, Eddie reflects on his past performances. The interviewer brought up the film Bowfinger and praised Murphy’s performance (where he also played multiple roles as twins). However, Murphy still holds Nutty Professor at the top. The Beverly Hills Cop star stated,...

How do we live in a time where the Academy still hasn’t recognised Hollywood’s stunt community with an Oscar category? When films such as John Wick: Chapter 4 or Mad Max: Fury Road have pushed the boundaries of stunt excellence, it seems mystifying. Thankfully, David Leitch’s romcom/action blockbuster The Fall Guy — based on the 1980s TV series starring Lee Majors — is an apt reminder for its necessary inclusion. And it makes the case while having a lot of fun along the way.

Leitch, a former stunt performer, presents this as a movie-lover’s dream. It follows in the same self-referential footsteps as Bowfinger, Tropic Thunder and Babylon, a behind-the-scenes depiction of a Hollywood poking fun at itself. Almost every scene comes brilliantly infused with a tongue-in-cheek, meta in-joke about the filmmaking process. But you still feel a sense of warmth and affection in every frame. Each...

Jerry Seinfeld calls him ‘the most idolised comedian ever’. Yet after five decades at the top, success still makes him cringe. He discusses doubting himself, starring in a documentary – and that Dennis Pennis encounter

I didn’t expect Steve Martin to be funny. Sure, it was his skewwhiff sensibility that made The Jerk, The Man With Two Brains, LA Story and Bowfinger so deliriously inspired. And he was comedy’s first double-platinum-record-selling, stadium-touring megastar; he began wearing a white suit on stage only so that he could be seen by fans in the cheap seats several postcodes away. He crafted riotous slapstick crescendos in All of Me and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and displayed a literary flair even at his silliest. No one who has seen Roxanne, the modern-day interpretation of Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac that found Martin investing his comedy with emotional weight for the first time, will...

Don’t call it a career win because few would argue that Robert Downey, Jr. didn’t deliver one of his best performances ever as Lewis Strauss in Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.” That immense talent was rewarded with his first Oscar in the Best Supporting Actor category at the 96th Academy Awards. One of the most popular actors of the past two decades and a three-time Oscar nominee overall, Downey, Jr. earned his first nomination 30 years ago for “Chaplin.”

Read More: 2024 Oscars Winners As They Are Announced [Winners List]

Best known to global audiences for his role as Tony Stark in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Downey, Jr.’s prolific resume includes ’80s teen classics such as “Less Than Zero” and “Back to School,” cult ’90s comedies such as “Soapdish,” and celebrated films such as “Natural Born Killers,” “Short Cuts,” “Richard III,” “Wonder Boys,” “Bowfinger,” “Good Night, and Good Luck,” “Zodiac,” “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints,...

Iconic actor and comedian Steve Martin is finally getting his own documentary after spending more than half a century in the spotlight.

The “Bowfinger,” “Dirty Rotten Scoundrels,” and “Only Murders in the Building” star is the subject of Oscar-winning documentarian Morgan Neville’s latest feature, which charts Martin’s personal life to his rise on “SNL” and later, his writing, directing, and acting career.

Titled “Steve! (martin) a documentary in 2 pieces,” the film dives into Martin’s extraordinary story from two distinct points of view, with companion documentaries that feature never-before-seen footage and raw insights into Steve’s personal and professional trials and triumphs. The “Then” portion chronicles Martin’s early struggles and meteoric rise to revolutionize standup before walking away at 35. The “Now” section focuses on the present day, with Martin in the golden years of his career, teasing retirement, retracing the transformation that led to happiness in his art and personal life.

American Fiction is a satirical comedy that critiques the entertainment industry's treatment of Black artists, offering hilarious moments and brilliant storytelling. Black filmmakers have a history of using cleverly-written films to tackle controversial issues of race and class, encouraging viewers to reassess their perspectives. Other movies in the genre, such as Bowfinger, CB4, and Dear White People, have also explored similar themes of exploitation and identity politics in thought-provoking and impactful ways.

American Fiction's comedic take on the trappings that many Black artists experience in the entertainment industry is the most recent addition to a genre rife with similar movies. While filled with plenty of somber moments, American Fiction is a satirical comedy that sees a Black novelist write a stereotypically Black novel as a tongue-in-cheek critique of the industry in which he's a part of, and his frustrations associated with the critical and financial success it garners him. Despite American Fiction's brilliant storytelling,...

When we last hung out with Eddie Murphy's Axel Foley, he was wreaking havoc at a fictional Southern California amusement park (clearly based on Disneyland) while trying to apprehend the facility's chief of security, who murdered Foley's ill-tempered mentor, Inspector Todd (Gil Hill). If you're saying, "Uh, no, he was chasing the Eurotrash criminals who shot up his buddy Chief Bogomil (Ronny Cox)," you are one of the vast majority of moviegoers who skipped John Landis' "Beverly Hills Cop III."

Released over Memorial Day weekend in 1994, Murphy's third go-round as the fast-talking Detroit detective who keeps making unwelcome visits to Los Angeles to avenge dead or badly wounded friends arrived seven years after the last installment, and audiences had moved on. Whereas the first two movies grossed $316 million and $300 million worldwide (the bulk of that money being made in the U.S.), "Beverly Hills Cop III" only...

It was a moment film nerds could only dream of: Actor/director Joe Lynch was seated next to Quentin Tarantino at an event, and they were going deep on lenses. Specifically, how Tarantino had gotten his mitts on Ultra Panavision 70, a 70mm format from Ben Hur, for his 2015 Western The Hateful Eight. Not much could distract Lynch from a moment like that — until he heard Stuart Gordon, of Re-Animator fame, discussing his latest collaboration with screenwriter Dennis Paoli: a modern-day retelling of H.P. Lovecraft’s story “The Thing at the Doorstep” called Suitable Flesh.

[Editor’s note: The following interview was conducted before the SAG-AFTRA strike began on July 14, 2023.]

Heather Graham is looking back on her own Hollywood legacy. The “Suitable Flesh” star recently told IndieWire that 1999 meta comedy “Bowfinger” is one of the films she’s “proudest” of starring in. “That’s one of the movies I’m proudest about being in,” Graham said. “I’m so proud and so grateful to be in that movie.”

Graham’s co-star Steve Martin wrote the film, which follows an indie film producer (played by Martin himself) who is looking to helm his big break. Graham portrays an aspiring actress who uses her sexuality to ascend Hollywood’s male-dominated power structures; Eddie Murphy and Christine Baranski co-star. Frank Oz directed.

“Bowfinger” came out two years after Graham’s breakout “Boogie Nights” role. The “Chosen Family” writer-director additionally told IndieWire that the sexist themes parodied by “Bowfinger” are still present in Hollywood today.

“It’s still not totally what I think it should be,...

Heather Joan Graham, an American actress, has captivated audiences with her talent and beauty for decades. From her early beginnings in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to her rise as a Hollywood star, Graham’s journey in acting has been nothing short of remarkable. In this article, we will explore the life and career of Heather Graham, highlighting her notable roles, achievements, and impact on the entertainment industry.

Heather Graham was born on January 29, 1970, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Joan and James Graham. Her mother, Joan, was a schoolteacher and children’s book author, while her father, James, worked as an FBI agent. Growing up in a strictly Catholic household, Heather and her sister, Aimee Graham, were raised with strong values and a sense of discipline. Despite her shyness, Heather developed a passion for acting at a young age, which would ultimately shape her future.

While attending high school, Heather’s love for acting...

Steve Martin has responded to allegations made by Miriam Margolyes, his co-star in 1986’s Little Shop of Horrors.

In her new memoir Oh Miriam: Stories From An Extraordinary Life, the veteran actress wrote of playing a dental assistant to Martin’s Orin Scrivello D.D.S., specifically a sequence in which Martin’s character slams a door in the face of Margolyes’ character and punches her.

“I was hit all day by doors opening in my face; repeatedly punched, slapped and knocked down by an unlovely and unapologetic Steve Martin – perhaps he was method acting – and came home grumpy with a splitting headache.”

Her overall appraisal? Martin was “undeniably brilliant, but horrid to me.”

Martin addressed the allegations in a statement to Deadline:

“When I first read Miriam Margolyes’ pejorative account of our scene in Little Shop of Horrors, I was surprised. My memory is that we had a good communication as professional actors.

Look at us! Here we are! Right where we belong ... in 4K Ultra HD, that is! 

It's true: "The Muppets Take Manhattan" is getting a fresh coat of paint for its new release on home media courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The third "Muppets" feature film and, sadly, the last one that creator Jim Henson and puppeteer Richard Hunt worked on prior to their untimely deaths, "Manhattan" sees Kermit and the gang graduating from college and headed to New York City in the hopes of turning their humble little stage musical, "Manhattan Melodies," into a Broadway sensation. But as you might expect, the suits that run the theatrical industry aren't quite as enthused about the prospect of a show all about frogs and dogs and bears and chickens and ... stuff.

I've already gotten on my soapbox about how I feel "The Muppets Take Manhattan" doesn't get the credit it...

As the calendar turns to August, Peacock is going to be home to some of the most exciting sporting events and movies on streaming. In addition to being the streaming home for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup, the NBCUniversal streaming service will host the WWE’s Summerslam, college football’s premiere Week 0 matchup between Notre Dame and Navy from Ireland.

In addition to all of the sports action, the streamer will become the exclusive streaming home of the most successful movie of the year, all of Hallmark Channel’s Summer Nights movies, and one of the most exciting Viking epics ever made.

Sign Up $5.99+ / month peacocktv.com What Are the Best Shows and Movies Coming to Peacock in August 2023? 2023 Women’s World Cup Finals | Aug. 20

The United States Women’s National Team is just two games into its quest to win its third-straight Women’s World Cup, but the excitement is already ramping up,...

It was a magnificent movie weekend. Barbie, Oppenheimer, Sound of Freedom. All hits, a blowout!

So what else have you got?

The question sounds obnoxious, like its near-cousin, the always infuriating: “What have you done for me lately?”

But it’s an honest query, and an important one for a strike-bound, streaming-bent, pandemic-emergent industry that is still in need of revival.

The record-breaking weekend is a wonderful tonic, a welcome reminder that the audience, given half a chance, is still willing. But one weekend, even with the anticipated hold-over business from its hits, doesn’t mean a return to health.

That requires yet more watchable movies, lots of them, preferably offered in quick succession, while the viewers are showing an appetite. And those won’t be easy to come by in a Hollywood that has been shut down by dual strikes — raising the prospect of potential scheduling delays — and is...

Barry Newman alongside the iconic white Dodge Challenger in Vanishing Point

52 years after he became a cult icon by starring in Richard C Sarafian's Vanishing Point, Barry Newman has passed away. According to The Hollywood Reporter, he died of natural causes at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

The Boston-born actor, who originally trained as an anthropologist, appeared on Broadway and had small roles in a number of films and TV series before Vanishing Point made him a star, first in Europe and then in the US. He remained in the industry well into old age, retiring just eight years ago, and his career included appearances in Bowfinger, The Limey and, more recently, What The Bleep Do We Know!? He got back behind the wheel in 1972's Fear Is The Key, and continued to choose thrillers in his later years.

He is survived by his wife Angela....

Barry Newman, best known for starring in the action-thriller “Vanishing Point”, has died. He was 92.

Newman’s wife, Angela, confirmed the news of Newman’s death to The Hollywood Reporter on Sunday. The actor died of natural causes on May 11 at the NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

Newman had a number of smaller screen roles and performed on Broadway until he was cast in the 1971 car chase classic “Vanishing Point”, by director Richard C. Sarafian. He starred as a former race car driver named Kowalski who drives a Dodge Challenger across the US while avoiding cops and getting entangled in a deadly criminal conspiracy.

The film went on to be a cult classic and genre-defining epic that went on to be revered for its action set-pieces and proved to be influential on the next generation of blockbuster filmmakers.

Newman later went on to play defence lawyer Anthony J. Petrocelli...

Barry Newman, who somehow made souped-up muscle cars look even cooler in the 1971 film “Vanishing Point” and starred in the titular role on NBC’s legal drama “Petrocelli,” has died. He was 92 years old.

Newman died at Columbia University Irving Medical Center on May 11, according to media reports.

Born and raised in Boston, Massachusetts, he took a college course with renowned acting instructor Lee Strasberg, who inspired him to become an actor. After graduating from Brandeis University and serving time in the army, Newman moved to New York City to study with Strasberg.

Newman went on to perform in various Broadway and New York theater shows before moving into feature films like 1971’s “The Lawyer” and, of course, “Vanishing Point,” in which he played Kowalski, a car delivery driver known for transporting hot rods in record time — but with a knack for running into trouble with highway cops.

He went...

Barry Newman, the Emmy-nominated actor who starred in the 1971 cult action thriller “Vanishing Point” and as the eponymous lawyer in the NBC series “Petrocelli,” died on May 11. He was 92. No further details are currently available on his death.

In “Vanishing Point,” Newman played former race car driver Kowalski, a speedster that darts around in a Dodge Challenger after becoming entangled in a criminal conspiracy. The film is regarded as one of the defining American action films of the ’70s by genre enthusiasts.

Two decades and change later, Newman would play a heavy in Steven Soderbergh’s fractured crime yarn “The Limey,” which featured a second act car chase involving the actor getting back behind the wheel.

Newman was born in Boston on Nov. 7, 1938, where he would attend Boston Latin School and go on to attend Brandeis University. During his education, Newman met Lee Strasberg and became inspired to pursue acting.

Actor Barry Newman, star of the 1971 hot rod classic “Vanishing Point”, has died at age 92.

Newman’s wife, Angela, told The Hollywood Reporter that Newman died May 11 at New York-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center.

After appearing in Broadway, Newman was cast in 1970 feature “The Lawyer”. That led to a starring role in director Richard C. Sarafian’s 1971 “Vanishing Point”, which went on to become a cult classic that has influenced the likes of Steven Spielberg.

Read More: Canadian Actor Gordon Pinsent, Who Starred In ‘Away From Her’, Has Died At 92

Newman then reprised his role in “The Lawyer” — brash young attorney Anthony Petrocelli — in the 1974 made-for-tv movie “Night Games”, which was spun off as the series “Petrocelli”, which ran from 1974 until 1976.

Among Newman’s extensive list of credits are the TV movies “King Crab”, “City on Fire”, “Amy” and “Good Advice”, and TV series including “L.A. Law”, “Murder, She Wrote...

Just a few days ago, we published a list of great car movies (which is about to get a follow-up), and one of the movies we highlighted was 1971’s Vanishing Point. Many people consider it the greatest car movie ever made, with Quentin Tarantino paying homage to it in Death Proof, with the “hero car” a 1970 Dodge Challenger, just like the one featured in that movie. Sadly, the star of Vanishing Point, Barry Newman, is no more, with THR reporting the iconic seventies actor has died at 92.

In the movie, Newman plays Kowalski, a disaffected ex-cop turned car delivery driver who makes a wager that he can drive from Denver to San Francisco in two days. Hopped up on speed and driving up to 160 miles an hour, he quickly runs afoul of the law, but nothing will stop him from delivering the Dodge Charger by the agreed-upon delivery date. He soon becomes a counter-culture hero,...

Barry Newman, who propelled a supercharged Dodge Challenger across the American West in Vanishing Point and portrayed a defense attorney on the NBC series Petrocelli, has died. He was 92.

Newman died May 11 of natural causes at NewYork-Presbyterian Columbia University Irving Medical Center, his wife, Angela, told The Hollywood Reporter.

After appearing on Broadway and starring in The Lawyer (1970), the Boston-born actor was up for a change of pace when he was offered the role of a man tasked with transporting a car from Denver to San Francisco in the action-packed Fox film Vanishing Point (1971), directed by Richard C. Sarafian.

“This was very unique,” he said. “I had just done this film about a lawyer, a Harvard graduate, and I thought this is a different kind of thing. The guy was the rebel, the antihero. I enjoyed doing that very much.”

Newman’s taciturn character, Kowalski, was a Vietnam veteran, former...

“The Help” is coming to Freevee on June 1. The top-notch cast includes Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, and Jessica Chastain. The plot focuses on two black maids who work in white homes in Jackson, Mississippi, in the 1960s. Stone plays a writer who wants to help the women chronicle the hardships they face, so their injustices are exposed nationwide. “The Help” chronicles real-life conditions in the Deep South, while celebrating female friendship and empowerment.

Watch the trailer for “The Help”:

Also streaming on June 1 is the hit dystopian thriller “The Hunger Games,” turned into a four-film franchise, starring Jennifer Lawrence. In the first, the nation of Panem pits one girl and one boy from 12 tribes to fight to the death each year in the games. There can be only one survivor. The story is written from the perspective of a 16-year-old girl, who takes her sister’s place...

The sun has set on Charlie Day’s “Fool’s Paradise” before it’s even risen.

The cringe comedy that serves as both a farcical ode to Old Hollywood and a Charlie Chaplin-esque platform for writer-director-star Day is…not good. Pair the off-beat script with a slew of celebrity cameos and the film feels more like a “Threat Level Midnight” inside joke amongst Day’s A-lister pals. It’s an Adam Sandler sensibility of filmmaking without the wide-appeal marketability. At best, “Fool’s Paradise” could have been a hilarious “The Other Two” episode about the hollow insanity of Hollywood and the sleight-of-hand trick behind the magic of movies. Sadly, “Fool’s Paradise” instead keeps viewers trapped in the nine circles of hell.

Day pulls double (quadruple?) duty as a psychiatric patient who has lost the ability to speak due to severe trauma, and his misbehaving Method actor doppleganger, Thomas Bingsley. The film...

Heather Graham admitted she was “so nervous” over her iconic “Boogie Nights” nude scene.

The actress reflected on the 1997 Paul Thomas Anderson film in a recent interview with Yahoo!, sharing that it was the first time she stripped down onscreen.

“That was my first time [doing a nude scene], and I was so nervous about it. But at that point in my career I was also like, ‘Beggars can’t be choosers,'” Graham said. “It was a great script and Paul [Thomas Anderson] was an amazing talent. I had a great time making that movie even though it was terrifying doing a nude scene.”

Graham’s co-star Mark Wahlberg infamously donned a large prosthetic penis for his nude scenes, which Graham called out as not being comparable to her role.

“He’s wearing a fake penis so it’s not exactly the same,” she said.

And learning how to be comfortable on camera...

Heather Graham is reflecting on how Hollywood has changed — or hasn’t — since she began her career in the 1980s.

The “Boogie Nights” actress recognized that sexism is now openly addressed in the industry, but “nothing has changed drastically” enough when it comes to getting female-led stories greenlit.

“No one really thought about it or commented on it. At that point, people thought they were being really evolved and now we look back and go, ‘Whoa, that was so sexist.’ I’m glad that we are growing as a culture,” Graham told People magazine, adding that “some of the movies from that time period, they were so sexist.”

The “Bowfinger” star continued, “I feel like nothing has changed drastically. More people care, but it’s not suddenly equal. It’s still pretty sexist, to be honest. Every phase of the business, whether it’s financing, distribution, the reviewers, all those people are mostly men.

When filmmaker Raine Allen-Miller pictured her debut film, she had a few ideas she couldn’t shake. It would be set in her own stomping grounds of South London, and it definitely had to be funny. One thing she didn’t consider? “I can tell you that it wouldn’t have been a rom-com. I never really thought I would direct a rom-com,” the director told IndieWire during a recent interview.

Surprise! With “Rye Lane,” Allen-Miller didn’t just make a rom-com, she made a great rom-com. The film, which debuted at Sundance in January to acclaim, winningly mashes up everything from “Before Sunrise” to “Notting Hill” as it follows the charming Dom (David Jonsson) and the effervescent Yas (Vivian Oparah) as they walk and talk their way through South London after a meet-cute in a public bathroom.

“I think it was the right thing because I was able to...

Exclusive: Marisol Nichols (Riverdale) will star alongside Jenna Ortega, Percy Hynes White and Adam Rodriguez in the romantic drama Winter Spring Summer or Fall, marking the feature directorial debut of Holidate and About Fate scribe Tiffany Paulsen.

The film billed as Before Sunrise meets The Perks of Being a Wallflower is written by Dan Schoffer, with revisions by Paulsen, and tells the story of teens (Ortega and White) on the cusp of adulthood who meet and fall in love over four significant days of the year.

Nichols will play Ortega’s overbearing attorney mother, who is focused on getting her only daughter into Harvard. Rodriguez is playing Ortega’s father, as previously announced. Mpca’s Brad Krevoy, Wall Fly’s Josh Shader and David Wulf are producing the pic, with Ortega serving as exec producer. Paramount Global Content Distribution is the film’s distributor.

Best known for her role as...

You People. (L to R) Jonah Hill (Writer-Producer) as Ezra and Eddie Murphy as Akbar in You People. Cr. Tyler Adams/Netflix © 2023.

For those of us who grew up with comedian and actor Eddie Murphy, our first exposure to this gifted entertainer was on Saturday Night Live’s “Mister Robinson’s Neighborhood“.

For decades now, Murphy has always been there, whether on TV or in the movies, and continues to have loyal, diehard fans who grew up in the 80’s to his hilarious standups “Delirious” and “Raw”, as well as his pop single “Party All The Time”.

Personally, while my siblings and I were in high school, after moving cross country from Connecticut to Idaho, Murphy saved us as we listened repeatedly to the cassette of Delirious in 1984. He had us laughing and made us forget our feelings of being the “new kids” in a new town at a new school.

Steve Martin is still writing his “L.A. Story,” just not for the screen.

The iconic comedian has been in Hollywood for over 60 years, but Martin said that after his beloved Hulu whodunnit series “Only Murders in the Building” ends, he’s ready to step away from the screen.

“When this television show is done, I’m not going to seek others,” Martin told The Hollywood Reporter. “I’m not going to seek other movies. I don’t want to do cameos. This is, weirdly, it.”

However, Martin assured he will still be in the public eye.

“My wife keeps saying, ‘You always say you’re going to retire and then you always come up with something,'” Martin, who is making a documentary about his life story with Oscar-winning director Morgan Neville (“20 Feet from Stardom”) said. “I’m really not interested in retiring. I’m not. But I would just work a little less.

Steve Martin finally has his first chance at an Emmy nomination in the Best Comedy Actor category for his performance as Charles-Haden Savage on Hulu’s “Only Murders in the Building,” a series he created with John Hoffman. Playing a once-successful actor who now leads a lonely life in a lavish apartment building, Martin brings his gifts for comedy and drama to a dazzling, three-dimensional performance I think is his best since 1999’s “Bowfinger” more than 20 years ago.

The actor’s comedic line deliveries and moments of slapstick humor are inspired, and the more complex dramatic shades he brings to this well-written character make the performance shine. As Joel Keller (Decider) praises, “It’s been a minute since we’ve seen Martin, but we appreciate his later-in-life desire to find the funny in emotional moments and less broad, physical shtick.” Emmys voters, take notice.

“Only Murders in the Building” tells...

Six top TV casting directors will reveal secrets behind their projects when they join Gold Derby’s special “Meet the Experts” Q&a event with 2022 Emmy Awards contenders. They will participate in two video discussions to premiere on Tuesday, May 17, at 4:00 p.m. Pt; 7:00 p.m. Et. We’ll have a one-on-one with our senior editor Joyce Eng and a roundtable chat with all of the group together.

RSVP today to our entire ongoing Emmy contenders panel series by clicking here to book your free reservation. We’ll send you a reminder a few minutes before the start of the show.

This “Meet the Experts” panel welcomes the following 2022 contenders:

As We See It (Amazon Prime)

Synopsis: Three autistic roommates find a way to live together and strive for similar things in life.

Bio: Cami Patton is an Emmy winner for “Band of Brothers” and “The Pacific.” Other...

Exclusive: Heather Graham (Half Magic), Brandy Norwood (Queens), Jason Biggs (Outmatched) and Matt Cedeño (Power) have signed on to star in the Netflix holiday film Best. Christmas. Ever. from director Mary Lambert.

The film written by Charles Shyer (Father of the Bride) and Todd Calgi Gallicano (Sam London Adventure book series) centers on Jackie (Norwood), who every Christmas, without fail, sends a boastful holiday newsletter that makes her old college friend Charlotte (Graham) feel like a lump of coal. When a twist of fate lands Charlotte, her husband Rob (Biggs), and their family on Jackie’s and her husband Valentino’s (Cedeño) snowy doorstep just days before Christmas, Charlotte seizes the opportunity to prove her old friend’s “perfect” life can’t possibly be that perfect. But in her overzealous attempt to expose Jackie, Charlotte nearly ruins Christmas for both families and must team...

Veteran producer Joel Silver (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang), Robert Downey Jr. and Susan Downey’s Team Downey and Amazon Studios are partnering to develop a series of feature film and television projects based on Donald E. Westlake’s series of highly popular Parker crime fiction novels, written under the pseudonym Richard Stark.

The first project emerging from the deal will be the film Play Dirty, in which Downey Jr. (Marvel’s Avengers franchise) is set to star as Parker, a professional thief who approaches his job with a straightforward, no-nonsense work ethic. He’s a craftsman. He’s brutal, brilliant. He’s also deadly. He’s whatever it takes to get the money and get away clean. The Parker character was first introduced in 1962’s The Hunter from Pocket Books and featured in 23 other titles from Westlake, subsequently serving as the basis for such films as Parker with Jason Statham,...

NBCUniversal’s international flight plan for Peacock starts this week: Starting Nov. 16, Sky TV and Now customers in the U.K. and Ireland will get access to the streaming service for no additional fee.

Comcast had announced plans this summer to launch Peacock as a free add-on for Sky’s satellite TV customers in Europe, representing a base of close to 20 million households. According to NBCU, after the “soft launch” in the U.K. and Ireland, Peacock will continue to roll out across Sky platforms in territories including Germany, Italy, Austria and Switzerland in the next few months.

Sky TV customers and subscribers to the Now Entertainment package in the U.K. and Ireland will get “early access” to the new ad-supported Peacock destination, with original and library TV shows and movies from across NBCU although the content availability will differ from what’s available on Peacock in the U.

Eddie Murphy has a new home for his next few movies. As announced by Amazon Studios today, the company has officially closed a three-picture and first-look film deal with the Oscar nominee and star of such pictures as "Beverly Hills Cop" and "Coming to America." Also see: the very underrated "Bowfinger." Under the deal, Murphy will star in three films for Amazon Studios in addition to developing original film projects for Prime Video. Those other projects come with the potential for him to star.

The deal follows the release of the "Coming 2 America" earlier this year. Originally, Paramount was going to release the much-anticipated...

The post Eddie Murphy Strikes Three-Movie Deal With Amazon Studios appeared first on /Film.

It’s happening. It’s finally happening. What was once a particularly pervasive and aggressive Internet meme is now a reality. HBO Max’s list of new releases for March 2021 is highlighted by none other than the mythical Snyder cut.

The entity now known as Zach Snyder’s Justice League will premiere on March 18. While it was originally planned to be a four-part miniseries, this recut version of 2017’s ill-fated Justice League will in fact be a four-hour movie. But perhaps even four hours won’t be enough for fans who have been waiting years for just such an event.

Read more Movies Zack Snyder’s Original Vision for Justice League Faded Long Before His Exit By Joseph Baxter Movies Justice League: How Christopher Nolan Helped Prevent Zack Snyder from Seeing the Whedon Cut By David Crow

If the Snyder Cut is not to your speed, there are plenty...