Humanitas, the organization that annually honors film and television writers whose work best explores the human condition, has revealed its 2023 winners.
Among the prizewinners is Craig Mazin, who scripted Season 1 The Last of Us episode “Long Long Time” that starred Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. Mazin won in the Drama Teleplay category, beating out fellow semifinalists that included Peter Gould who was up for the series-finale episode of Better Call Saul.
Other Humanitas category winners in TV included Amy Sherman-Palladino for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Comedy Teleplay), and Tony Phelan & Joan Rater for the pilot of A Small Light in Limited Series.
On the movie side, winners included Tyler Perry for his Tyler Perry: A Jazzman’s Blues in the Drama Feature Film category, over Rebecca Lenkiewicz for She Said and Michael Reilly & Keith Beauchamp and Chinonye Chukwu for Till. Cooper Raiff won Comedy Feature Film for his indie Cha Cha Real Smooth,...
Among the prizewinners is Craig Mazin, who scripted Season 1 The Last of Us episode “Long Long Time” that starred Nick Offerman and Murray Bartlett. Mazin won in the Drama Teleplay category, beating out fellow semifinalists that included Peter Gould who was up for the series-finale episode of Better Call Saul.
Other Humanitas category winners in TV included Amy Sherman-Palladino for The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Comedy Teleplay), and Tony Phelan & Joan Rater for the pilot of A Small Light in Limited Series.
On the movie side, winners included Tyler Perry for his Tyler Perry: A Jazzman’s Blues in the Drama Feature Film category, over Rebecca Lenkiewicz for She Said and Michael Reilly & Keith Beauchamp and Chinonye Chukwu for Till. Cooper Raiff won Comedy Feature Film for his indie Cha Cha Real Smooth,...
- 8/16/2023
- by Patrick Hipes
- Deadline Film + TV
This year’s Humanitas Prizes for screenwriting, usually handed out at Beverly Hilton ceremony, were announced via the Los Angeles Times this year in solidarity with the unions on strike, including the Unite Here Local 11 hospitality workers. And on top of awarding shows like The Last of Us and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Humanitas, an organization founded in 1974, also honored the striking Writers Guild of America itself with its “Voice for Change” award. Past winners of that award have included Ava DuVernay and Kenya Barris.
Humanitas’ mission is to tell “stories that explore the human experience because we believe that the act of acknowledging our common humanity is transformational.” With that in mind, this year the organization’s winners include The Last of Us‘ Craig Mazin for the teleplay for the emotional and critically lauded episode “Long, Long Time” in the drama television category. In the comedy equivalent, Amy Sherman-Palladino...
Humanitas’ mission is to tell “stories that explore the human experience because we believe that the act of acknowledging our common humanity is transformational.” With that in mind, this year the organization’s winners include The Last of Us‘ Craig Mazin for the teleplay for the emotional and critically lauded episode “Long, Long Time” in the drama television category. In the comedy equivalent, Amy Sherman-Palladino...
- 8/15/2023
- by Esther Zuckerman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Animated adventures as well as classics based on true stories abound on Netflix in July 2023. From theatrical releases that made waves — such as James Cameron’s “Titanic” to DreamWorks’ “Puss in Boots” — we’re running down some of the best new movies to stream on Netflix this month.
Those in the mood for family fun should check out “They Cloned Tyrone,” “The Out-Laws” and “Happiness for Beginners.” “Tyrone,” starring John Boyega and Jamie Foxx promises thrilling scenes and an overall suspenseful setting. “The Out-Laws,” starring Adam Devine, Nina Dobrev, Ellen Barkin, Pierce Brosnan and Poorna Jagannathan, combines action, danger and raunchy humor. “Happiness for Beginners” was adapted from comfort book queen Katherine Center, author of the novel of the same name, and stars Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes.
Read on below for our curated picks for the best new movies to watch on Netflix in July.
Also Read:
The 25 Best...
Those in the mood for family fun should check out “They Cloned Tyrone,” “The Out-Laws” and “Happiness for Beginners.” “Tyrone,” starring John Boyega and Jamie Foxx promises thrilling scenes and an overall suspenseful setting. “The Out-Laws,” starring Adam Devine, Nina Dobrev, Ellen Barkin, Pierce Brosnan and Poorna Jagannathan, combines action, danger and raunchy humor. “Happiness for Beginners” was adapted from comfort book queen Katherine Center, author of the novel of the same name, and stars Ellie Kemper and Luke Grimes.
Read on below for our curated picks for the best new movies to watch on Netflix in July.
Also Read:
The 25 Best...
- 7/16/2023
- by Dessi Gomez and Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Stars: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillén, Wagner Moura, Florence Pugh | Written by Paul Fisher, Tommy Swerdlow | Directed by Joel Crawford
Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll when he learns that he has burnt through eight of his nine lives. Puss sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine lives.
The first Puss in Boots movie is one that I deeply enjoyed, which is something that I’m in the vast minority of. The decade-spanning Shrek franchise is quite possibly my favourite kids/family franchise of all time. Each movie in the series (except for the colossally disappointing Shrek the Third) holds a place near and dear to my heart.
So many kid’s movies get a bad reputation for being, well, only for kids. But, the Shrek movies prove that animated movies can be hugely enjoyable for adults too.
Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll when he learns that he has burnt through eight of his nine lives. Puss sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine lives.
The first Puss in Boots movie is one that I deeply enjoyed, which is something that I’m in the vast minority of. The decade-spanning Shrek franchise is quite possibly my favourite kids/family franchise of all time. Each movie in the series (except for the colossally disappointing Shrek the Third) holds a place near and dear to my heart.
So many kid’s movies get a bad reputation for being, well, only for kids. But, the Shrek movies prove that animated movies can be hugely enjoyable for adults too.
- 5/2/2023
- by Guest
- Nerdly
Deadline’s Most Valuable Blockbuster tournament took a hiatus during the pandemic as movie theaters closed for the majority of 2020-2021 and theatrical day-and-date titles on both the big screen and studios’ respective streaming platforms became more prevalent. Coming back from that brink, the studios have largely returned to their theatrical release models and the downstream monies they can bring. Not to mention their power in launching IPs around the world with big global marketing campaigns. When it comes to evaluating the financial performance of top movies, it isn’t about what a film grosses at the box office. The true tale is told when production budgets, P&a, talent participations and other costs collide with box office grosses, and ancillary revenues from VOD to DVD and TV. To get close to that mysterious end of the equation, Deadline is repeating our Most Valuable Blockbuster tournament for 2022, using data culled by seasoned and trusted sources.
- 4/5/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
A new episode of The Manson Brothers Show, the video series hosted by the writers/stars of the horror comedy The Manson Brothers Midnight Zombie Massacre – Chris Margetis (Stone Manson) and Mike Carey (Skull Manson) – has just been released, and in this one the Boys are looking back at the 1988 classic Child’s Play (watch it Here)! To find out what they had to say about it, check out the video embedded above.
Directed by Tom Holland, who also receives screenplay credit with John Lafia and Don Mancini, Child’s Play has the following synopsis: Gunned down by Detective Mike Norris, dying murderer Charles Lee Ray uses black magic to put his soul inside a doll named Chucky — which Karen Barclay then buys for her young son, Andy. When Chucky kills Andy’s baby sitter, the boy realizes the doll is alive and tries to warn people, but he’s institutionalized.
Directed by Tom Holland, who also receives screenplay credit with John Lafia and Don Mancini, Child’s Play has the following synopsis: Gunned down by Detective Mike Norris, dying murderer Charles Lee Ray uses black magic to put his soul inside a doll named Chucky — which Karen Barclay then buys for her young son, Andy. When Chucky kills Andy’s baby sitter, the boy realizes the doll is alive and tries to warn people, but he’s institutionalized.
- 3/29/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Stars: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Harvey Guillén, Wagner Moura, Florence Pugh | Written by Paul Fisher, Tommy Swerdlow | Directed by Joel Crawford
Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll when he learns that he has burnt through eight of his nine lives. Puss sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine lives.
The first Puss in Boots movie is one that I deeply enjoyed, which is something that I’m in the vast minority of. The decade-spanning Shrek franchise is quite possibly my favourite kids/family franchise of all time. Each movie in the series (except for the colossally disappointing Shrek the Third) holds a place near and dear to my heart.
So many kid’s movies get a bad reputation for being, well, only for kids. But, the Shrek movies prove that animated movies can be hugely enjoyable for adults too.
Puss in Boots discovers that his passion for adventure has taken its toll when he learns that he has burnt through eight of his nine lives. Puss sets out on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine lives.
The first Puss in Boots movie is one that I deeply enjoyed, which is something that I’m in the vast minority of. The decade-spanning Shrek franchise is quite possibly my favourite kids/family franchise of all time. Each movie in the series (except for the colossally disappointing Shrek the Third) holds a place near and dear to my heart.
So many kid’s movies get a bad reputation for being, well, only for kids. But, the Shrek movies prove that animated movies can be hugely enjoyable for adults too.
- 1/31/2023
- by Caillou Pettis
- Nerdly
Plot: Puss in Boots is back, and this time he is nearly out of his nine lives. Thankfully he may have an answer. With the legend of a lost star that can grant a single wish, he and his pals seek out this magical item in hopes to prolong his kitty lives.
Review: The cat is back. Over a decade after the first cat-centric adventure, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish makes a swashbuckling return to the big screen. Antonio Banderas is back as Puss, along with his on-and-off romantic interest, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek). This time, the cast includes a good-hearted undercover puppy played by by the scene-stealer Harvey Guillén. Florence Pugh as Goldilocks, and her three bears are all terrific. John Mulaney shows up as the adult version of Jack Horner – if you remember the nursery rhyme – and he embraces it rather well. And William Moura is delightfully...
Review: The cat is back. Over a decade after the first cat-centric adventure, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish makes a swashbuckling return to the big screen. Antonio Banderas is back as Puss, along with his on-and-off romantic interest, Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek). This time, the cast includes a good-hearted undercover puppy played by by the scene-stealer Harvey Guillén. Florence Pugh as Goldilocks, and her three bears are all terrific. John Mulaney shows up as the adult version of Jack Horner – if you remember the nursery rhyme – and he embraces it rather well. And William Moura is delightfully...
- 12/22/2022
- by JimmyO
- JoBlo.com
More than a decade has passed since the last film in the "Shrek" franchise, the spin-off film "Puss in Boots." That 2011 adventure centered the fan-favorite swashbuckling cat, voiced by Antonio Banderas as a silly blend of Zorro and an adorable kitty, in an adventure without any talking ogres, donkeys, or the like. In the intervening 11 years, the studio behind "Puss in Boots", DreamWorks Animation, has shifted ownership from DreamWorks Skg to 20th Century Fox to Universal Pictures, where it's now overseen by the head of another animation studio, Illumination. And yet, perhaps thanks in part to the enduring legacy via memes online, the "Shrek" franchise endures, with a fifth film looming on the horizon. But first, we are revisiting the cat himself with "Puss in Boots: The Last Wish," a sequel that blends more fairy-tale fluffery with a somewhat unexpected heaviness due to a deathly plot twist that hovers over the entire affair.
- 12/16/2022
- by Josh Spiegel
- Slash Film
More than a decade after “Shrek” prequel/spinoff “Puss in Boots,” the flamboyant feline is up to his old tricks — but has yet to meet the computer-animated ogre whose party he’s destined to crash in “Shrek 2.” As that series wore on, the “Shrek” franchise took on so many popular side characters that by the fourth outing, there was hardly room left to swing a cat.
A knee-high hero who walks, talks and swashbuckles upright, Puss was one of the few tagalongs rich enough to warrant his own origin story. Now, director Joel Crawford (“The Croods: A New Age”) goes dark, bringing the fearless cat face to face with his own mortality. By forcing Puss to contemplate his priorities, the sequel more than justifies its own existence, while paving the way for how his path meets the big green guy’s.
The stakes may be more serious this time around,...
A knee-high hero who walks, talks and swashbuckles upright, Puss was one of the few tagalongs rich enough to warrant his own origin story. Now, director Joel Crawford (“The Croods: A New Age”) goes dark, bringing the fearless cat face to face with his own mortality. By forcing Puss to contemplate his priorities, the sequel more than justifies its own existence, while paving the way for how his path meets the big green guy’s.
The stakes may be more serious this time around,...
- 11/27/2022
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Click here to read the full article.
Hey kids, want to see a movie revolving around an aging male character dealing with a mid-life crisis who’s desperately afraid of his impending mortality? Just in time for Christmas?
Not so much? Didn’t think so. Now what if I told you that it was a Puss in Boots movie?
It’s been nearly two decades since the adorable Puss made his screen debut in Shrek 2 and 11 years since his starring debut, and he’s worse for the wear. In an elaborate action sequence that opens his new animated adventure Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, he gets killed. That normally wouldn’t be a problem for a cat with nine lives, except that Puss has now lost eight of them. Naturally, that prompts a visit to his concerned physician (Anthony Mendez), who advises him to adopt some lifestyle changes.
Hey kids, want to see a movie revolving around an aging male character dealing with a mid-life crisis who’s desperately afraid of his impending mortality? Just in time for Christmas?
Not so much? Didn’t think so. Now what if I told you that it was a Puss in Boots movie?
It’s been nearly two decades since the adorable Puss made his screen debut in Shrek 2 and 11 years since his starring debut, and he’s worse for the wear. In an elaborate action sequence that opens his new animated adventure Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, he gets killed. That normally wouldn’t be a problem for a cat with nine lives, except that Puss has now lost eight of them. Naturally, that prompts a visit to his concerned physician (Anthony Mendez), who advises him to adopt some lifestyle changes.
- 11/27/2022
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
A new episode of the Deconstructing… video series has been released through the JoBlo Horror Originals YouTube channel, and the classic horror film we’re digging into this time around is director Tom Holland’s Child’s Play (watch it Here), from 1988. To find out what we had to say about Child’s Play, check out the video embedded above!
Scripted by Holland, John Lafia, and Don Mancini, Child’s Play has the following synopsis:
Gunned down by Detective Mike Norris, dying murderer Charles Lee Ray uses black magic to put his soul inside a doll named Chucky — which Karen Barclay then buys for her young son, Andy. When Chucky kills Andy’s baby sitter, the boy realizes the doll is alive and tries to warn people, but he’s institutionalized. Now Karen must convince the detective of the murderous doll’s intentions, before Andy becomes Chucky’s next victim.
The film stars Brad Dourif,...
Scripted by Holland, John Lafia, and Don Mancini, Child’s Play has the following synopsis:
Gunned down by Detective Mike Norris, dying murderer Charles Lee Ray uses black magic to put his soul inside a doll named Chucky — which Karen Barclay then buys for her young son, Andy. When Chucky kills Andy’s baby sitter, the boy realizes the doll is alive and tries to warn people, but he’s institutionalized. Now Karen must convince the detective of the murderous doll’s intentions, before Andy becomes Chucky’s next victim.
The film stars Brad Dourif,...
- 9/16/2022
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Grab some popcorn and pull up a chair, it’s a moral imperative that we celebrate the 35th birthday of Martha Coolidge’s science whiz classic Real Genius!
The wise-cracking Val Kilmer starrer, which details the adventures of a group of brilliant physics undergrads at the fictional Pacific Tech University (clearly a stand-in for Caltech), stands as a wonderful slice of ’80s fun. It’s the kind of feel-good adventure that can be watched over and over again, spun like a favorite album.
Kilmer plays Chris Knight, a senior at Pacific Tech on the verge of burnout after years working with a special research team under the tutelage of the sleazy Dr. Jerry Hathaway (William Atherton). Chris, now prone to wearing goofy t-shirts and slippers and generally flaunting any sort of authority with playful jabs, convinces Hathaway to let him room with brilliant freshman Mitch Taylor (Gabriel Jarret), a 15-year-old winter term addition to campus.
The wise-cracking Val Kilmer starrer, which details the adventures of a group of brilliant physics undergrads at the fictional Pacific Tech University (clearly a stand-in for Caltech), stands as a wonderful slice of ’80s fun. It’s the kind of feel-good adventure that can be watched over and over again, spun like a favorite album.
Kilmer plays Chris Knight, a senior at Pacific Tech on the verge of burnout after years working with a special research team under the tutelage of the sleazy Dr. Jerry Hathaway (William Atherton). Chris, now prone to wearing goofy t-shirts and slippers and generally flaunting any sort of authority with playful jabs, convinces Hathaway to let him room with brilliant freshman Mitch Taylor (Gabriel Jarret), a 15-year-old winter term addition to campus.
- 8/7/2020
- by Alex Kirschenbaum
- Trailers from Hell
Features the voices of: Benedict Cumberbatch, Cameron Seely, Rashida Jones, Pharrell Williams, Tristan O’Hare, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury | Written by Michael LeSieur, Tommy Swerdlow | Directed by Yarrow Cheney, Scott Mosier
The Grinch tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl’s generous holiday spirit. Funny, heartwarming, and visually stunning, it’s a universal story about the spirit of Christmas and the indomitable power of optimism. Academy Award® nominee Benedict Cumberbatch lends his voice to the infamous Grinch, who lives a solitary life inside a cave on Mt. Crumpet with only his loyal dog, Max, for company. With a cave rigged with inventions and contraptions for his day-to-day needs, the Grinch only sees his neighbors in Whoville when he runs out of food. Each year at Christmas they disrupt his tranquil solitude with their increasingly bigger,...
The Grinch tells the story of a cynical grump who goes on a mission to steal Christmas, only to have his heart changed by a young girl’s generous holiday spirit. Funny, heartwarming, and visually stunning, it’s a universal story about the spirit of Christmas and the indomitable power of optimism. Academy Award® nominee Benedict Cumberbatch lends his voice to the infamous Grinch, who lives a solitary life inside a cave on Mt. Crumpet with only his loyal dog, Max, for company. With a cave rigged with inventions and contraptions for his day-to-day needs, the Grinch only sees his neighbors in Whoville when he runs out of food. Each year at Christmas they disrupt his tranquil solitude with their increasingly bigger,...
- 3/11/2019
- by Jak-Luke Sharp
- Nerdly
The Christmas Chronicles
Stars: Kurt Russell, Darby Camp, Judah Lewis, Oliver Hudson, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Debra Wilson, Kari Wahlgren, Andrew Morgado, Debi Derryberry, Michael Yurchak, Jessica Lowe | Written by Matt Lieberman | Directed by Clay Kaytis
The story of sister and brother, Kate and Teddy Pierce, whose Christmas Eve plan to catch Santa Claus on camera turns into an unexpected journey that most kids could only dream about.
Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles has only one factor that kept it out of the clutches of a dollar bin – the absurdly affectionate performance of Kurt Russell as Santa Claus. A role in which he revels in with humorous and lively exploits. The rest is your standard merit of a traditional direct-to-video treatment that has moments of entertainment but stagnates in saturated genre convention. Russell steals the show undoubtedly. His charisma and charm is the lifeblood of the picture. A wonderfully exuberant and joyous role is clearly on display,...
Stars: Kurt Russell, Darby Camp, Judah Lewis, Oliver Hudson, Kimberly Williams-Paisley, Debra Wilson, Kari Wahlgren, Andrew Morgado, Debi Derryberry, Michael Yurchak, Jessica Lowe | Written by Matt Lieberman | Directed by Clay Kaytis
The story of sister and brother, Kate and Teddy Pierce, whose Christmas Eve plan to catch Santa Claus on camera turns into an unexpected journey that most kids could only dream about.
Netflix’s The Christmas Chronicles has only one factor that kept it out of the clutches of a dollar bin – the absurdly affectionate performance of Kurt Russell as Santa Claus. A role in which he revels in with humorous and lively exploits. The rest is your standard merit of a traditional direct-to-video treatment that has moments of entertainment but stagnates in saturated genre convention. Russell steals the show undoubtedly. His charisma and charm is the lifeblood of the picture. A wonderfully exuberant and joyous role is clearly on display,...
- 12/18/2018
- by Jak-Luke Sharp
- Nerdly
His heart may be small, but that doesn’t mean his box office returns will be.
“Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch” is looking to top the weekend box office in its debut with an estimated $67 million from 4,141 North American locations.
Benedict Cumberbatch voices the titular green Whoville denizen in Universal’s new adaptation of Seuss’ 1957 story from Illumination. Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney directed the Yuletide pic from a screenplay by Michael LeSieur and Tommy Swerdlow. Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Cameron Seely, and Angela Lansbury also lent their voices to the feature, with Pharrell Williams narrating and music by Danny Elfman.
The film has an early Rotten Tomatoes score of 54% and has landed an A- CinemaScore.
The last “Grinch” adaptation, 2000’s instant classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” starring Jim Carrey and directed by Ron Howard, earned $55 million in its opening weekend, giving this year’s animated version a significant box office edge.
“Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch” is looking to top the weekend box office in its debut with an estimated $67 million from 4,141 North American locations.
Benedict Cumberbatch voices the titular green Whoville denizen in Universal’s new adaptation of Seuss’ 1957 story from Illumination. Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney directed the Yuletide pic from a screenplay by Michael LeSieur and Tommy Swerdlow. Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Cameron Seely, and Angela Lansbury also lent their voices to the feature, with Pharrell Williams narrating and music by Danny Elfman.
The film has an early Rotten Tomatoes score of 54% and has landed an A- CinemaScore.
The last “Grinch” adaptation, 2000’s instant classic “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” starring Jim Carrey and directed by Ron Howard, earned $55 million in its opening weekend, giving this year’s animated version a significant box office edge.
- 11/10/2018
- by Erin Nyren
- Variety Film + TV
Holiday season has already started for “The Grinch” as it heads for a merry $61 million opening weekend at 4,140 North American locations, early estimates showed Friday.
Universal-Illumination’s animated comedy is performing right in line with forecasts of between $55 million and $65 million this weekend. Fox’s second weekend of “Bohemian Rhapsody” should lead the rest of the pack with about $28 million. Newcomers “The Girl in the Spider’s Web” and World War II horror tale “Overlord” should take in about $9 million each and will probably finish behind the second weekend of Disney’s “Nutcracker and the Four Realms” for third place.
“The Grinch,” adapted from the 1957 Dr. Seuss book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” features Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the titular Yuletide-hating character. The voice cast also includes Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury, and Pharrell Williams. Frequent Illumination collaborator Yarrow Cheney took on directing duties with Scott Mosier...
Universal-Illumination’s animated comedy is performing right in line with forecasts of between $55 million and $65 million this weekend. Fox’s second weekend of “Bohemian Rhapsody” should lead the rest of the pack with about $28 million. Newcomers “The Girl in the Spider’s Web” and World War II horror tale “Overlord” should take in about $9 million each and will probably finish behind the second weekend of Disney’s “Nutcracker and the Four Realms” for third place.
“The Grinch,” adapted from the 1957 Dr. Seuss book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” features Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the titular Yuletide-hating character. The voice cast also includes Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury, and Pharrell Williams. Frequent Illumination collaborator Yarrow Cheney took on directing duties with Scott Mosier...
- 11/9/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
“The Grinch” has opened with a merry $2.2 million at 3,200 North American locations on Thursday night.
Universal-Illumination’s holiday-themed animated comedy, which began showings at 6 p.m., is expected to gross between $55 million to $65 million this weekend when it expands to 4,140 screens. “The Grinch” should dominate moviegoing over the second weekend of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and the launches of thriller “The Girl In the Spider’s Web” and World War II horror tale “Overlord.”
“The Grinch,” adapted from the 1957 Dr. Seuss book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the Yuletide-hating villain. The voice cast includes Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury, and Pharrell Williams. Frequent Illumination collaborator Yarrow Cheney took on directing duties with Scott Mosier from a script by Michael LeSieur and Tommy Swerdlow.
“The Grinch” is the second Dr. Seuss story that Illumination has brought to the big screen following 2012’s “The Lorax,” which...
Universal-Illumination’s holiday-themed animated comedy, which began showings at 6 p.m., is expected to gross between $55 million to $65 million this weekend when it expands to 4,140 screens. “The Grinch” should dominate moviegoing over the second weekend of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and the launches of thriller “The Girl In the Spider’s Web” and World War II horror tale “Overlord.”
“The Grinch,” adapted from the 1957 Dr. Seuss book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas,” stars Benedict Cumberbatch as the voice of the Yuletide-hating villain. The voice cast includes Rashida Jones, Kenan Thompson, Angela Lansbury, and Pharrell Williams. Frequent Illumination collaborator Yarrow Cheney took on directing duties with Scott Mosier from a script by Michael LeSieur and Tommy Swerdlow.
“The Grinch” is the second Dr. Seuss story that Illumination has brought to the big screen following 2012’s “The Lorax,” which...
- 11/9/2018
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Chicago – They should have left well enough alone, didn’t anybody learn anything from the trainwreck of the Jim Carrey live-action-as-The-Grinch? Apparently not. A more kid friendly and modern animated version of “The Grinch” opens six weeks before Christmas, and already I want to return it.
Rating: 3.0/5.0
It’s isn’t bad bad, it’s just ho-hum and lazy storytelling. It starts with the inevitable, and by this time bordering-on-satire hip hop version of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” by Tyler the Creator… because we all know that the kiddie target audience need hip hop 24/7. And then we hear the voice of new Grinch, and it sounds exactly like a Brit doing an American accent (stretch out those vowels!). It would have been much cooler if Benedict Cumberbatch has just done his natural voice. Oh well. At least it had a decent emotional connection at the end, but...
Rating: 3.0/5.0
It’s isn’t bad bad, it’s just ho-hum and lazy storytelling. It starts with the inevitable, and by this time bordering-on-satire hip hop version of “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” by Tyler the Creator… because we all know that the kiddie target audience need hip hop 24/7. And then we hear the voice of new Grinch, and it sounds exactly like a Brit doing an American accent (stretch out those vowels!). It would have been much cooler if Benedict Cumberbatch has just done his natural voice. Oh well. At least it had a decent emotional connection at the end, but...
- 11/9/2018
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Older children are apt to be skeptical. And anyone past voting age may need to be seriously stoned to swallow it. Don’t get me wrong: It’s not that the story can’t be done right outside of the classic 1957 Seuss book. The gold standard remains the wickedly whimsical 1966 TV version from director Chuck Jones, with an unapologetically nasty Boris Karloff voicing the mean, green Xmas-hating machine. And the latest Grinch is nowhere near as insufferable as Ron Howard’s 2000 live-action How the Grinch Stole Christmas with Jim Carrey...
- 11/8/2018
- by Peter Travers
- Rollingstone.com
Illumination and Benedict Cumberbatch deliver a surprisingly complex (and timely) new take on Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch.
If it’s true that the Christmas holiday season is continuing its march toward calendar domination, then it’s also true that the number of Christmas movies made each year is also increasing. The cable network Lifetime is especially guilty of the latter, as this year’s slate of Lifetime Original television films currently rests at a whopping 23 titles, never mind Netflix dipping its toes into the Yuletide weather. But then there’s, always, The Grinch.
Thus enters the third adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas! since its publication in 1957. The first was the 1966 animated television special narrated by Boris Karloff while the second was the 2000 live-action film directed by Ron Howard and starring Jim Carrey in the title role. Now, these two forms have merged into a...
If it’s true that the Christmas holiday season is continuing its march toward calendar domination, then it’s also true that the number of Christmas movies made each year is also increasing. The cable network Lifetime is especially guilty of the latter, as this year’s slate of Lifetime Original television films currently rests at a whopping 23 titles, never mind Netflix dipping its toes into the Yuletide weather. But then there’s, always, The Grinch.
Thus enters the third adaptation of the Dr. Seuss classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas! since its publication in 1957. The first was the 1966 animated television special narrated by Boris Karloff while the second was the 2000 live-action film directed by Ron Howard and starring Jim Carrey in the title role. Now, these two forms have merged into a...
- 11/7/2018
- Den of Geek
While researching the history of Christmas movies, I watched 22 different adaptations of “A Christmas Carol,” and even that felt like just scratching the surface. So if Ebenezer Scrooge can be subject to myriad interpretations — even when some fans are convinced that one version or other is the “definitive” one — why shouldn’t the Grinch?
That’s an easier argument to make now that we have “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch” as an example of how to revisit the material, particularly since the 2000 live-action take was such a grim and overblown piece of Yule-sploitation. That version no doubt led many to dread this latest one, from “Minions”-makers Illumination Entertainment, but this new animated feature is bright, both in its color palette and in the wit and liveliness of the storytelling.
You know the tale: the curmudgeonly Grinch (now voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) lives high atop Mount Crumpet with his devoted dog Max,...
That’s an easier argument to make now that we have “Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch” as an example of how to revisit the material, particularly since the 2000 live-action take was such a grim and overblown piece of Yule-sploitation. That version no doubt led many to dread this latest one, from “Minions”-makers Illumination Entertainment, but this new animated feature is bright, both in its color palette and in the wit and liveliness of the storytelling.
You know the tale: the curmudgeonly Grinch (now voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) lives high atop Mount Crumpet with his devoted dog Max,...
- 11/7/2018
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Studio executives target North American launch in $50m range.
Universal and Illumination have shared some early detail of the international launch plan for Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch.
The family film launches this week day-and-date with North America in 23 international markets including the UK, the Middle East, Sweden, Brazil and Malaysia. Remaining territories will roll out through December.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas voiced by Jim Carrey launched in the UK in Janaury 2001 and went on to gross $21.9m, which adjusts for inflation to $31.5m in real terms.
In North America, executives are targeting a debut in...
Universal and Illumination have shared some early detail of the international launch plan for Dr. Seuss’ The Grinch voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch.
The family film launches this week day-and-date with North America in 23 international markets including the UK, the Middle East, Sweden, Brazil and Malaysia. Remaining territories will roll out through December.
How The Grinch Stole Christmas voiced by Jim Carrey launched in the UK in Janaury 2001 and went on to gross $21.9m, which adjusts for inflation to $31.5m in real terms.
In North America, executives are targeting a debut in...
- 11/6/2018
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Pharrell Williams, whose Oscar-nominated song “Happy” helped turn Despicable Me 2 into a monster hit in 2013, has rejoined with Illumination and Universal Pictures. Williams has come aboard to be the narrator of the animated The Grinch. Grammy nominee Tyler, the Creator has written an original song — “I Am The Grinch” — and will perform it for the film. Oscar-nominated composer Danny Elfman has written the film’s score, and Tyler, the Creator and Elfman collaborated on a re-imagined version of the classic Grinch theme “You’re A Mean One.”
The Grammy-winning Williams previously composed the score and original songs for all three films in the Despicable Me series and has been important in Illumination racking up three of the eight top-grossing animated films of all time, with Illumination’s films grossing more than $5.8 billion worldwide in the company’s 11-year run.
Benedict Cumberbatch voices the title role of The Grinch,...
The Grammy-winning Williams previously composed the score and original songs for all three films in the Despicable Me series and has been important in Illumination racking up three of the eight top-grossing animated films of all time, with Illumination’s films grossing more than $5.8 billion worldwide in the company’s 11-year run.
Benedict Cumberbatch voices the title role of The Grinch,...
- 9/18/2018
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
"Who do we know who can come through for us?" An official trailer has debuted for a funky little indie film titled A Thousand Junkies, set in Los Angeles following a drug junkie looking for his next fix. As much as that sounds like a film no one wants to see, the description is rather intriguing: it's a "'drug' movie with no drugs, and a 'road' movie that goes nowhere." From first-time director Tommy Swerdlow, the film stars Tj Bowen (who co-wrote the script) as Tj, one of the junkies going about his 9 to 5 life of searching for drugs. The cast includes Patricia Castelo Branco, Dinarte de Freitas, and Blake Heron. The Film Stage says the film "is not necessarily a morality tale, nor is it pure voyeurism. It's simply capturing a day in a life — or three, to be more specific." This reminds me a bit of Trainspotting, looks like a good time.
- 1/9/2018
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The screenwriter behind such family fare as Cool Runnings, Little Giants, and Snow Dogs, Tommy Swerdlow spent nearly two decades addicted to heroin and methadone, and with any addiction also comes the unceasing search for the next fix. He’s now channeled these experiences for his directorial debut, A Thousand Junkies, and we’re pleased to premiere the trailer today courtesy of The Orchard. Starring alongside co-writer Tj Bowen and the late Blake Heron–both of whom Swerdlow met in AA–one can’t imagine a more authentic rendering of such a life-consuming addiction than what this pitch-black buddy comedy captures.
“The film embodies a statement made by Jerry Stahl, writer of Permanent Midnight: a good friend who is a junkie will do all of your drugs and then spend the day helping you look for them,” John Fink said in our Tribeca Film Festival review. “A Thousand Junkies...
“The film embodies a statement made by Jerry Stahl, writer of Permanent Midnight: a good friend who is a junkie will do all of your drugs and then spend the day helping you look for them,” John Fink said in our Tribeca Film Festival review. “A Thousand Junkies...
- 1/9/2018
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Exclusive: Lucas Akoskin’s new venture lines up story of Hasidic musician superstar.
Santa Monica-based Aliwen Entertainment has signed Holy Rollers director Kevin Asch to King Without A Crown, based on the story of the Jewish American reggae singer, rapper and beatbox performer Matisyahu.
Aliwen Entertainment founder Lukas Akoskin is producing with Bonnie Timmerman and Jonathan Gray. The project is a collaboration between Aliwen, Bonnie Timmerman Productions and Big Jack Productions.
Tommy Swerdlow, whose screenplay credits include Cool Runnings, wrote the script that recounts key episodes in the life of Matisyahu from the ages of 17 to 27.
The film will chronicle Matisyahu’s remarkable transformation from his secular origins as Matthew Miller to becoming a rabbi and Hasidic Jewish rock star. Matisyahu himself is creatively and musically involved in the project.
The producers anticipate an autumn start in New York and Israel and are out to casting for a star capable of portraying a “spiritually transformative one-of-a-kind...
Santa Monica-based Aliwen Entertainment has signed Holy Rollers director Kevin Asch to King Without A Crown, based on the story of the Jewish American reggae singer, rapper and beatbox performer Matisyahu.
Aliwen Entertainment founder Lukas Akoskin is producing with Bonnie Timmerman and Jonathan Gray. The project is a collaboration between Aliwen, Bonnie Timmerman Productions and Big Jack Productions.
Tommy Swerdlow, whose screenplay credits include Cool Runnings, wrote the script that recounts key episodes in the life of Matisyahu from the ages of 17 to 27.
The film will chronicle Matisyahu’s remarkable transformation from his secular origins as Matthew Miller to becoming a rabbi and Hasidic Jewish rock star. Matisyahu himself is creatively and musically involved in the project.
The producers anticipate an autumn start in New York and Israel and are out to casting for a star capable of portraying a “spiritually transformative one-of-a-kind...
- 5/9/2017
- by jeremykay67@gmail.com (Jeremy Kay)
- ScreenDaily
Punctuated with banter about the best places to score, which gas station bathroom is the best for shooting up, which neighborhoods have cops roaming, where in downtown can one get a bag of coke on a tight budget, and from whom can they steal to score the next fix, Tommy Swerdlow’s pitch-black slice of life A Thousand Junkies is a bleak, yet engaging look at a day in the life of three junkie friends. Simultaneously absurd, playful, and horrific, Trainspotting this is not.
Told as a matter-of-fact buddy comedy, the film is inspired by the real-life struggles of its stars. Director Tommy Swerdlow and co-writer Tj Bowen, along with friend Blake Heron, play Tommy, Tj and Blake, respectively, three guys that met randomly. Tommy is a successful screenwriter who occasionally uses his contacts for “get well,” a term they use to score a fix so that they can function.
Told as a matter-of-fact buddy comedy, the film is inspired by the real-life struggles of its stars. Director Tommy Swerdlow and co-writer Tj Bowen, along with friend Blake Heron, play Tommy, Tj and Blake, respectively, three guys that met randomly. Tommy is a successful screenwriter who occasionally uses his contacts for “get well,” a term they use to score a fix so that they can function.
- 5/7/2017
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
The feature directorial debut of screenwriter Tommy Swerdlow, A Thousand Junkies strikes a nerve and strikes a delicate tonal balance, often making the viewer laugh and cringe from painful identification within a matter of seconds. Boasting a successful career in the ’90s as the writer of a number of beloved family films—including Cool Runnings, Little Giants, and Snow Dogs—Swerdlow was, at the same time, a full-blown heroin addict. And Swerdlow wasn’t alone—his co-stars B…...
- 4/28/2017
- Deadline
It’s not surprising that Tommy Swerdlow’s helming debut about three heroin addicts in desperate search of a fix reeks with authenticity. The film’s director/co-writer was an addict himself for nearly two decades, suffering open-heart surgery and a near-fatal bleeding ulcer as a result. Known for his screenplays for such family-oriented comedies as Cool Runnings and Snow Dogs, Swerdlow has now turned his experiences into A Thousand Junkies, a film geared to a decidedly different demographic. It recently made its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival.
Swerdlow also assumes a lead role as Tommy, who in the opening scene sits...
Swerdlow also assumes a lead role as Tommy, who in the opening scene sits...
- 4/27/2017
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Some very sad news: screenwriter Michael Goldberg has died, at the age of 55.
Some really sad news. Screenwriter and producer Michael Goldberg has died, from the brain and sinus cancer that he'd been battling for over a year. He was 55 years old.
Goldberg's list of credits include the screenplay to Little Giants, Bushwhacked and Snow Dogs. He also wrote and directed The Lovemaster back in 1997. Yet it's Cool Runnings that's likely to be the project of his closest to many of our hearts. The 1993 comedy remains a firm, witty favourite, and the script - which Goldberg co-wrote with Lynn Siefert and Tommy Swerdlow - was his first work to make it to the big screen.
Rest in peace Mr Goldberg. 55 is no age. And thank you for the chuckles.
Movies News Simon Brew 6 Oct 2014 - 06:30...
Some really sad news. Screenwriter and producer Michael Goldberg has died, from the brain and sinus cancer that he'd been battling for over a year. He was 55 years old.
Goldberg's list of credits include the screenplay to Little Giants, Bushwhacked and Snow Dogs. He also wrote and directed The Lovemaster back in 1997. Yet it's Cool Runnings that's likely to be the project of his closest to many of our hearts. The 1993 comedy remains a firm, witty favourite, and the script - which Goldberg co-wrote with Lynn Siefert and Tommy Swerdlow - was his first work to make it to the big screen.
Rest in peace Mr Goldberg. 55 is no age. And thank you for the chuckles.
Movies News Simon Brew 6 Oct 2014 - 06:30...
- 10/6/2014
- by simonbrew
- Den of Geek
Cool Runnings
Directed by Jon Turteltaub
Written by Lynn Siefert, Tommy Swerdlow, Michael Goldberg, and Michael Ritchie
Starring John Candy, Doug E. Doug, Malik Yoba, Leon Robinson, Rawle D. Lewis
Throughout my lifetime, there have been a number of heartbreaking deaths in popular culture. I won’t rank them in terms of least to most heartbreaking, for myriad reasons, but one of the saddest has always been John Candy passing away in 1994. I was sad about this at age 9 even though, looking at his filmography, I can’t imagine I would’ve seen most of the movies Candy was known for when he passed on. Certainly, I saw Home Alone and The Rescuers Down Under as a kid, but I didn’t see most of his movies—Canadian Bacon, Stripes, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles—until after he passed away. But even as a child, I...
Directed by Jon Turteltaub
Written by Lynn Siefert, Tommy Swerdlow, Michael Goldberg, and Michael Ritchie
Starring John Candy, Doug E. Doug, Malik Yoba, Leon Robinson, Rawle D. Lewis
Throughout my lifetime, there have been a number of heartbreaking deaths in popular culture. I won’t rank them in terms of least to most heartbreaking, for myriad reasons, but one of the saddest has always been John Candy passing away in 1994. I was sad about this at age 9 even though, looking at his filmography, I can’t imagine I would’ve seen most of the movies Candy was known for when he passed on. Certainly, I saw Home Alone and The Rescuers Down Under as a kid, but I didn’t see most of his movies—Canadian Bacon, Stripes, National Lampoon’s Vacation, and Planes, Trains, and Automobiles—until after he passed away. But even as a child, I...
- 4/21/2012
- by Josh Spiegel
- SoundOnSight
"Hey, baby. Walk nasty for me". This low-voiced, seductive lead-in is the gateway to endless jokes about an extremely long penis in this serviceable showcase for stand-up comic Craig Shoemaker, a winner at this year's American Comedy Awards.
Directed by first-timer Michael Goldberg (co-writer with partner Tommy Swerdlow of "Cool Runnings" and "Little Giants"), "The LoveMaster" is distributed by Rocket Releasing and boasts small roles and cameos played by Farrah Fawcett, Kurt Rambis, Karen Witter and Courtney Thorne-Smith. Its theatrical life should be brief, but Shoemaker's fans will discover "LoveMaster" in the video rental market, where it should do brisk business.
There's a nominal plot about comedian and impersonator Craig Shoemaker) trying to work out his personality problems with a therapist (George Wendt), including amusing flashbacks with the lead as a young boy (Kyle Thomas) and teen (Andrew Starnes). But the real attraction is Shoemaker's onstage talents and R-rated material, captured in a 1995 concert at the Improv in Tempe, Ariz.
With a gift for facial contortions to go along with his perfect vocal mimicry, Shoemaker knows how to work a crowd into hysterics with a combination of Baby Boomer nostalgia and raunchy sex jokes. His Don-Knotts-as-Barney-Fife shtick is inspired, while caricatures of his pot-smoking grandmother and an effusive gay man are engagingly exaggerated.
Shoemaker has fun with young audience members who may not get all his 1950s- and '60s pop culture references. He's most exciting when he changes personality mid-joke, but too often he returns to the titular LoveMaster. It's a very funny bit but limited to variations on how one can use a member comparable to an elephant's trunk to impress the ladies.
THE LOVEMASTER
Rocket Releasing
Rocket Pictures presents
A Coleman/Breen production
A Michael Goldberg film
Director Michael Goldberg
Producer Tom Coleman
Executive producers Alan David, Mark Breen
Directors of photography Phil Parmet,
Jeff Zimmerman
Production designer Gary Randail
Editors Richard Currie, Jeremy Kasten
Music Michael Skloff, Giorgio Bertucelli
Costume designer Maud Kersnowski
Color/stereo
Cast:
Craig Craig Shoemaker
Therapist George Wendt
Young Craig Kyle Thomas
Teen Craig Andrew Starnes
Running time -- 84 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
Directed by first-timer Michael Goldberg (co-writer with partner Tommy Swerdlow of "Cool Runnings" and "Little Giants"), "The LoveMaster" is distributed by Rocket Releasing and boasts small roles and cameos played by Farrah Fawcett, Kurt Rambis, Karen Witter and Courtney Thorne-Smith. Its theatrical life should be brief, but Shoemaker's fans will discover "LoveMaster" in the video rental market, where it should do brisk business.
There's a nominal plot about comedian and impersonator Craig Shoemaker) trying to work out his personality problems with a therapist (George Wendt), including amusing flashbacks with the lead as a young boy (Kyle Thomas) and teen (Andrew Starnes). But the real attraction is Shoemaker's onstage talents and R-rated material, captured in a 1995 concert at the Improv in Tempe, Ariz.
With a gift for facial contortions to go along with his perfect vocal mimicry, Shoemaker knows how to work a crowd into hysterics with a combination of Baby Boomer nostalgia and raunchy sex jokes. His Don-Knotts-as-Barney-Fife shtick is inspired, while caricatures of his pot-smoking grandmother and an effusive gay man are engagingly exaggerated.
Shoemaker has fun with young audience members who may not get all his 1950s- and '60s pop culture references. He's most exciting when he changes personality mid-joke, but too often he returns to the titular LoveMaster. It's a very funny bit but limited to variations on how one can use a member comparable to an elephant's trunk to impress the ladies.
THE LOVEMASTER
Rocket Releasing
Rocket Pictures presents
A Coleman/Breen production
A Michael Goldberg film
Director Michael Goldberg
Producer Tom Coleman
Executive producers Alan David, Mark Breen
Directors of photography Phil Parmet,
Jeff Zimmerman
Production designer Gary Randail
Editors Richard Currie, Jeremy Kasten
Music Michael Skloff, Giorgio Bertucelli
Costume designer Maud Kersnowski
Color/stereo
Cast:
Craig Craig Shoemaker
Therapist George Wendt
Young Craig Kyle Thomas
Teen Craig Andrew Starnes
Running time -- 84 minutes
MPAA rating: R...
- 10/9/1997
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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