Sony is the latest player that would like to make an accusation. The studio has won the rights to develop a reimagining of the Hasbro board game “Clue,” and the studio intends to bring the murder mystery game to the screen for both film and television.
Hollywood has been trying to remake “Clue,” first adapted in Jonathan Lynn’s cult classic screwball comedy “Clue” from 1985, for years. Most recently, a project was set up at 20th Century Studios, and it had Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman circling to star along with “The Muppets Movie” filmmaker James Bobin directing. In 2022, Oren Uziel (“The Lost City”) stepped up to rewrite the original draft of the script from Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (“Deadpool”), but it too went nowhere.
No cast or creative talent is attached at this stage of development. Sony is the only studio developing anything based on “Clue” at this time,...
Hollywood has been trying to remake “Clue,” first adapted in Jonathan Lynn’s cult classic screwball comedy “Clue” from 1985, for years. Most recently, a project was set up at 20th Century Studios, and it had Ryan Reynolds and Jason Bateman circling to star along with “The Muppets Movie” filmmaker James Bobin directing. In 2022, Oren Uziel (“The Lost City”) stepped up to rewrite the original draft of the script from Rhett Reese and Paul Wernick (“Deadpool”), but it too went nowhere.
No cast or creative talent is attached at this stage of development. Sony is the only studio developing anything based on “Clue” at this time,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
"Star Trek: Strange New Worlds" might be considered the most lighthearted show in the vast canon of "Trek." It's a series that returned to an episodic structure, allowing its stories to conclude at the end of an hour, rather than stretching them across an entire season -- and sometimes well past their breaking point. The old-world structure has allowed the showrunners to experiment with genre in ways not previously tried on "Star Trek." One episode may be a body-swap comedy, while the next is a terse horror tale. There are a few steely, soul-crushing wartime dramas sprinkled throughout, but their headiness is leavened by lightweight time-travel stories, party-animated crossovers, and an episode in which Spock becomes a human and eats too much bacon. The most notorious "Strange New Worlds" episode is likely "Subspace Rhapsody," a full-on musical.
Trekkies who prefer more professional, mature characters may bristle a little at the...
Trekkies who prefer more professional, mature characters may bristle a little at the...
- 4/7/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Willie Nelson has quite the busy summer ahead of him. That did not stop him from starting that summer early at the Luck Reunion Festival 2024 in Texas. For one song, “The Red-Headed Stranger” was joined onstage for a duet with a television icon and superstar. The two sang the Oscar-nominated song “Rainbow Connection.”
Luck Reunion Festival 2024
Willie Nelson was, once again, at the Luck Reunion Festival. Joining him at this festival was Old Crow Medicine Show, Madi Diaz, John Oates and Tyler Childers. There was also a very special (and famous) guest known all around the world.
Making the special appearance at the Luck Reunion Festival was none other than Kermit the Frog. He and Willie Nelson had sang together.
Willie Nelson and Kermit The Frog’s Duets
Willie Nelson and Kermit the Frog sang several songs together. One of those songs was “Rainbow Connection.” This song first recorded for the 1979 movie,...
Luck Reunion Festival 2024
Willie Nelson was, once again, at the Luck Reunion Festival. Joining him at this festival was Old Crow Medicine Show, Madi Diaz, John Oates and Tyler Childers. There was also a very special (and famous) guest known all around the world.
Making the special appearance at the Luck Reunion Festival was none other than Kermit the Frog. He and Willie Nelson had sang together.
Willie Nelson and Kermit The Frog’s Duets
Willie Nelson and Kermit the Frog sang several songs together. One of those songs was “Rainbow Connection.” This song first recorded for the 1979 movie,...
- 3/16/2024
- by Emma Riley Sutton
- Country Music Alley
In a much-anticipated duet more than 20 years in the making, Willie Nelson was finally joined onstage by Kermit the Frog to perform “Rainbow Connection” together Thursday at the Luck Reunion.
The Oscar-nominated song was a hit for Kermit (and Jim Henson) after it featured in 1979’s The Muppet Movie, and over the next decades was covered by the likes of the Carpenters, the Chicks, Kenny Loggins, and Nelson, whose tender rendition became a classic in its own right after it featured on his 2001 album also titled Rainbow Connection.
I don’t use emojis almost ever,...
The Oscar-nominated song was a hit for Kermit (and Jim Henson) after it featured in 1979’s The Muppet Movie, and over the next decades was covered by the likes of the Carpenters, the Chicks, Kenny Loggins, and Nelson, whose tender rendition became a classic in its own right after it featured on his 2001 album also titled Rainbow Connection.
I don’t use emojis almost ever,...
- 3/15/2024
- by Daniel Kreps
- Rollingstone.com
This post contains spoilers for Madame Web.
There are exactly two good things in Madame Web. No, it’s not the meme-worthy line about moms and Amazons, which doesn’t even appear in the movie. Neither is it all of the winks toward Peter Parker nor the young female Spider-heroes who (spoiler) have only two brief scenes in costume.
No, one good thing in Madame Web is the old-school Marvel logo that opens the film. The simple flipping of comics pages that dissolves into the big red block with the word “Marvel” in white font, before MCU movies replaced it with their busy fanfare.
The other good thing happens at the end of the movie. Or rather, it doesn’t happen. Because after Madame Web‘s closing scene, a very stupid looking close-up on Cass Web’s blank face, played by the ever-wooden Dakota Johnson, credits roll and that’s it.
There are exactly two good things in Madame Web. No, it’s not the meme-worthy line about moms and Amazons, which doesn’t even appear in the movie. Neither is it all of the winks toward Peter Parker nor the young female Spider-heroes who (spoiler) have only two brief scenes in costume.
No, one good thing in Madame Web is the old-school Marvel logo that opens the film. The simple flipping of comics pages that dissolves into the big red block with the word “Marvel” in white font, before MCU movies replaced it with their busy fanfare.
The other good thing happens at the end of the movie. Or rather, it doesn’t happen. Because after Madame Web‘s closing scene, a very stupid looking close-up on Cass Web’s blank face, played by the ever-wooden Dakota Johnson, credits roll and that’s it.
- 2/16/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Amazon MGM Studios and The Jim Henson Company are teaming to develop a series based on the work of Brian and Wendy Froud.
Brian and Wendy will executive produce the project along with their son, Toby. The Jim Henson Company will also executive produce.
Currently titled “Faerie,” the series is described as a “modern Henson family adventure set in the magical world of Brian & Wendy Froud’s Faeries.”
The official series description states: “When the Faeries kidnap an unsuspecting father, his family must venture into the Faerie realm to rescue him. Through their journey, they will discover their inner strength and unique potential, challenging the expectations that the human world has put upon them. At its core, Faerie is a story of perseverance and the strength of a family’s love, filled with magic, adventure, and self-discovery at every age.”
The Jim Henson Company is repped by UTA.
The Frouds...
Brian and Wendy will executive produce the project along with their son, Toby. The Jim Henson Company will also executive produce.
Currently titled “Faerie,” the series is described as a “modern Henson family adventure set in the magical world of Brian & Wendy Froud’s Faeries.”
The official series description states: “When the Faeries kidnap an unsuspecting father, his family must venture into the Faerie realm to rescue him. Through their journey, they will discover their inner strength and unique potential, challenging the expectations that the human world has put upon them. At its core, Faerie is a story of perseverance and the strength of a family’s love, filled with magic, adventure, and self-discovery at every age.”
The Jim Henson Company is repped by UTA.
The Frouds...
- 11/29/2023
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
About a decade ago, Netflix was sitting pretty, pulling in growing numbers of viewers with TV shows they had licensed from other networks. Some might remember how, in 2013, NBCUniversal licensed the streaming rights for "The Office" to Netflix, allowing it to become a frequently re-watched series for the streaming service. 2013 was when, some might say, early rumblings of what was to become the Streaming Wars began. Companies began keeping their own properties under their own umbrellas, each hoping that it could launch a successful streaming service of its own. Netflix also began making original content, a move that was considered risible at the time.
We all know the hoarding, overspending, and striking that the Streaming Wars ultimately begat, but just prior to the War, streaming seemed like a sustainable model. Studios would license their movies to a third-party streamer, they would earn revenue, and many older shows and movies were advertised as being more available.
We all know the hoarding, overspending, and striking that the Streaming Wars ultimately begat, but just prior to the War, streaming seemed like a sustainable model. Studios would license their movies to a third-party streamer, they would earn revenue, and many older shows and movies were advertised as being more available.
- 11/25/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
There’s never been a creative artist quite like Jim Henson. The Mississippi-born Henson was arguably the world’s most famous puppeteer, but he was much more than that. A cartoonist, actor, inventor, animator, writer and filmmaker, Henson was in a class by himself, whether his work appeared in films or on television. In addition, Henson founded the enormously successful Jim Henson Company, an entertainment mainstay that has lived on to produce family entertainment long after Henson’s untimely death in 1990.
After Henson got his start at age 18 creating puppets for a local station in Washington, D.C., he was approached by the Children’s Television Workshop to help develop a new series for PBS, “Sesame Street.” Soon kids around the world were marveling at the antics of Big Bird and his friends, and the show’s success led Henson to expand his Muppet empire with such further successful series...
After Henson got his start at age 18 creating puppets for a local station in Washington, D.C., he was approached by the Children’s Television Workshop to help develop a new series for PBS, “Sesame Street.” Soon kids around the world were marveling at the antics of Big Bird and his friends, and the show’s success led Henson to expand his Muppet empire with such further successful series...
- 9/20/2023
- by Tom O'Brien, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Clockwise from top left: The Lion King (Disney), 2001: A Space Odyssey (Warner Bros.), Toy Story 3 (Disney), The Muppet Movie (Disney)Illustration: AVClub
It’s hard to imagine a world without G-rated movies, but we’re getting there. Since the rating system was instituted in 1968, beloved films like Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory,...
It’s hard to imagine a world without G-rated movies, but we’re getting there. Since the rating system was instituted in 1968, beloved films like Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory,...
- 8/22/2023
- by Ian Spelling
- avclub.com
Existence is absurd.
At least, that’s what Nathan W. Pyle believes. Birthed out of his very cute and very literal comics, Pyle’s upcoming Apple TV + series “Strange Planet” dares to grapple with the oddity that is life and how we all manage to get through it.
Since the start of 2019, Pyle has been drawing the webcomic series under the same name. Little alien-like characters he called the Beings lived in shades of pink, blue and purple, trying — in a very matter-of-fact way — to process emotions and the difficult stages of life we all go through. Pyle traded words like alcohol or food for “mild poisoning” and “sustenance,” or hug for “limb enclosure.” In just four little squares, Pyle was able to poke fun at the strangeness of human life by rewiring the way people think about language. In a little over four years, he amassed 6.5 million followers on his “Strange Planet” Instagram page,...
At least, that’s what Nathan W. Pyle believes. Birthed out of his very cute and very literal comics, Pyle’s upcoming Apple TV + series “Strange Planet” dares to grapple with the oddity that is life and how we all manage to get through it.
Since the start of 2019, Pyle has been drawing the webcomic series under the same name. Little alien-like characters he called the Beings lived in shades of pink, blue and purple, trying — in a very matter-of-fact way — to process emotions and the difficult stages of life we all go through. Pyle traded words like alcohol or food for “mild poisoning” and “sustenance,” or hug for “limb enclosure.” In just four little squares, Pyle was able to poke fun at the strangeness of human life by rewiring the way people think about language. In a little over four years, he amassed 6.5 million followers on his “Strange Planet” Instagram page,...
- 8/9/2023
- by Sophia Scorziello
- Variety Film + TV
When Carol Kane was approached about joining “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” for its second season, the celebrated 70-year-old actor had to make a confession: She’d never watched a single minute of the venerated franchise.
“The science fiction world has not really been attractive to me for some reason,” Kane says. “Now that I’m in it,” she adds with a laugh, “I’m very excited about it. It just wasn’t on my path until now.”
Clearly the producers were on to something. Kane’s role on the Paramount+ series fits neatly within her wheelhouse of sublime eccentrics, from her Emmy-winning role on “Taxi” to for-the-ages supporting turns in “The Muppet Movie,” “The Princess Bride,” “Scrooged” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” Here, she plays Pelia, the new chief engineer of the Enterprise and a member of an alien species never before seen on “Star Trek”: Lanthanites, who are...
“The science fiction world has not really been attractive to me for some reason,” Kane says. “Now that I’m in it,” she adds with a laugh, “I’m very excited about it. It just wasn’t on my path until now.”
Clearly the producers were on to something. Kane’s role on the Paramount+ series fits neatly within her wheelhouse of sublime eccentrics, from her Emmy-winning role on “Taxi” to for-the-ages supporting turns in “The Muppet Movie,” “The Princess Bride,” “Scrooged” and “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.” Here, she plays Pelia, the new chief engineer of the Enterprise and a member of an alien species never before seen on “Star Trek”: Lanthanites, who are...
- 6/15/2023
- by Adam B. Vary
- Variety Film + TV
Every few months, it seems someone from Hollywood says the same thing: There are no true movie stars anymore. Blockbusters are now carried by brands and franchises, and the days of actors being able to sell a movie on their marketability alone have long since passed. How did this happen? There are a variety of possible reasons, but we’ll propose just one: movies just don’t have The Muppets in them anymore.
It has been almost 10 years since Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter, and their various crafted cohorts graced theater screens in “Muppets Most Wanted,” which saw the acclaimed comedy group stage a prison break. Since then, the beloved creations of Jim Henson have been confined to the small screen, where they captured the hearts and minds of audiences everywhere via a strong candidate for the most influential sketch comedy series of all time: 1976-1981’s “The Muppet Show.
It has been almost 10 years since Kermit, Miss Piggy, Fozzie, Gonzo, Scooter, and their various crafted cohorts graced theater screens in “Muppets Most Wanted,” which saw the acclaimed comedy group stage a prison break. Since then, the beloved creations of Jim Henson have been confined to the small screen, where they captured the hearts and minds of audiences everywhere via a strong candidate for the most influential sketch comedy series of all time: 1976-1981’s “The Muppet Show.
- 5/12/2023
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
It’s always difficult for parents to find entertainment that bridges the gap between kid-friendly and not making you want to bore a hole in your skull with a giant-nailed Drilldo (look it up). In the past few decades, kiddie cartoon purveyors like DreamWorks and Illumination have attempted to bridge the gap by serving up cuddly characters spewing pop culture reference-laden dialogue, penned by Wesleyan grads with a minor coke problem. But the result invariably comes off as slick and cynical: the kids feel bored, the adults pandered to, the...
- 5/10/2023
- by Ej Dickson
- Rollingstone.com
This Star Trek: Picard article contains spoilers.
Todd Stashwick is thirsty.
“I’m gonna go grab a Lacroix,” he tells Den of Geek when we catch up with him over Zoom post-Star Trek: Picard season 3. “Don’t go anywhere! Stay where you are! It’ll be worth the wait if I grab a coconut Lacroix to wet my whistle.”
No doubt we’re just the latest in a long line of outlets waiting to chat with Stashwick now that Picard has wrapped. Everyone wants to know what the actor will be up to after his scene-stealing turn in the show, and whether he’ll return to the Star Trek universe. The latter hangs in the balance because his character, Captain Liam Shaw, is currently super dead, and a new Trek series called Legacy that promises to see him return in an “absolutely amazing” way hasn’t yet been greenlit at the time of writing.
Todd Stashwick is thirsty.
“I’m gonna go grab a Lacroix,” he tells Den of Geek when we catch up with him over Zoom post-Star Trek: Picard season 3. “Don’t go anywhere! Stay where you are! It’ll be worth the wait if I grab a coconut Lacroix to wet my whistle.”
No doubt we’re just the latest in a long line of outlets waiting to chat with Stashwick now that Picard has wrapped. Everyone wants to know what the actor will be up to after his scene-stealing turn in the show, and whether he’ll return to the Star Trek universe. The latter hangs in the balance because his character, Captain Liam Shaw, is currently super dead, and a new Trek series called Legacy that promises to see him return in an “absolutely amazing” way hasn’t yet been greenlit at the time of writing.
- 5/1/2023
- by John Saavedra
- Den of Geek
This past weekend, Wamg attended the annual TCM Film Festival (honestly this writer’s favorite event of the year) and as usual, it did not disappoint! There was a ton of great programming this year, with something for just about everyone.
Opening Night of the 14th annual TCM Classic Film Festival kicked off with a screening of Rio Bravo (1959) in celebration of Warner Bros.’ 100th anniversary, featuring a conversation with Wbd CEO David Zaslav and The Film Foundation Board members Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson about the mission of The Film Foundation as well as Rio Bravo star Angie Dickinson.
Hollywood, California – April 13: (L-r) TCM host Ben Mankiewicz; General Manager, Turner Classic Movies Pola Changnon; Steven Spielberg; Angie Dickinson; and President and Chief Executive Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav attend the opening night gala and world premiere of the 4k restoration of “Rio Bravo” during the...
Opening Night of the 14th annual TCM Classic Film Festival kicked off with a screening of Rio Bravo (1959) in celebration of Warner Bros.’ 100th anniversary, featuring a conversation with Wbd CEO David Zaslav and The Film Foundation Board members Steven Spielberg and Paul Thomas Anderson about the mission of The Film Foundation as well as Rio Bravo star Angie Dickinson.
Hollywood, California – April 13: (L-r) TCM host Ben Mankiewicz; General Manager, Turner Classic Movies Pola Changnon; Steven Spielberg; Angie Dickinson; and President and Chief Executive Officer of Warner Bros. Discovery David Zaslav attend the opening night gala and world premiere of the 4k restoration of “Rio Bravo” during the...
- 4/19/2023
- by Melissa Thompson
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Hayer Elementary School, located in Waukesha, Wisconsin, was meant to feature Miley Cyrus and Dolly Parton’s collaboration “Rainbowland” during a spring concert, but a teacher revealed earlier this week that the song was pulled from the lineup. In an email to Wisconsin Public Radio, Waukesha Superintendent James Sebert stated: “The question was around whether the song was appropriate for the age and maturity level of the first-grade students.”
But the Happy Hippie Foundation, a non-profit founded by Cyrus in support of young people in the LGBTQ+ community and those facing homelessness,...
But the Happy Hippie Foundation, a non-profit founded by Cyrus in support of young people in the LGBTQ+ community and those facing homelessness,...
- 3/30/2023
- by Larisha Paul
- Rollingstone.com
Dolly Parton and Miley Cyrus‘ 2017 collaboration “Rainbowland” got 86’d from a first-grade spring concert setlist after school district officials in Wisconsin deemed the track controversial.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the parent of a first grader in Waukesha, Wisconsin, was excited about the Parton-Cyrus collab, along with some of the other songs slated to be part of the spring concert, which included Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World and Kermit the Frog’s “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie.
As for why the track that celebrates acceptance was banned from the spring concert, one parent told The Times that “the school district of Waukesha has really cracked down on anything LGBTQ” and that “this song being an ‘issue’ has not in any way come as a surprise.”
Read More: Bebe Rexha Can’t Believe She Got To Collaborate With ‘Bad B***h’ Dolly Parton: ‘An Icon… It’s...
According to the Los Angeles Times, the parent of a first grader in Waukesha, Wisconsin, was excited about the Parton-Cyrus collab, along with some of the other songs slated to be part of the spring concert, which included Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World and Kermit the Frog’s “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie.
As for why the track that celebrates acceptance was banned from the spring concert, one parent told The Times that “the school district of Waukesha has really cracked down on anything LGBTQ” and that “this song being an ‘issue’ has not in any way come as a surprise.”
Read More: Bebe Rexha Can’t Believe She Got To Collaborate With ‘Bad B***h’ Dolly Parton: ‘An Icon… It’s...
- 3/25/2023
- by Emerson Pearson
- ET Canada
From The Video Archives Podcast, writer/director Roger Avary and writer/producer Gala Avary discuss a few of their favorite movies with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Taxi Driver (1976)
Star Wars (1977)
Matinee (1993)
Dune (1984)
Terror On A Train a.k.a. Time Bomb (1953)
Licorice Pizza (2021)
Batman (1989)
Yentl (1983)
Nuts (1987)
Spaceballs (1987)
Die Hard (1988)
Top Gun (1986)
Cocksucker Blues (1972)
Mijn nachten met Susan, Olga, Albert, Julie, Piet & Sandra (1975)
Straw Dogs (1971)
The Godfather (1972)
A History Of Violence (2005)
Day Of The Dolphin (1973)
Babylon (2022)
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (2022)
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979)
Carrie (1976)
Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995)
Blow Out (1981)
The Matrix (1999)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Killing Zoe (1993)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
The Tenant (1976)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Bugsy Malone (1976)
Phantom Of The Paradise (1974)
The Muppet Movie (1979)
The Rules Of Attraction (2002)
The Sound Of Music (1965)
Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)
Giant (1956)
The Andromeda Strain (1971)
Babe (1995)
Time Bandits...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Taxi Driver (1976)
Star Wars (1977)
Matinee (1993)
Dune (1984)
Terror On A Train a.k.a. Time Bomb (1953)
Licorice Pizza (2021)
Batman (1989)
Yentl (1983)
Nuts (1987)
Spaceballs (1987)
Die Hard (1988)
Top Gun (1986)
Cocksucker Blues (1972)
Mijn nachten met Susan, Olga, Albert, Julie, Piet & Sandra (1975)
Straw Dogs (1971)
The Godfather (1972)
A History Of Violence (2005)
Day Of The Dolphin (1973)
Babylon (2022)
Puss In Boots: The Last Wish (2022)
Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (2022)
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
Rock ‘n’ Roll High School (1979)
Carrie (1976)
Indictment: The McMartin Trial (1995)
Blow Out (1981)
The Matrix (1999)
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Killing Zoe (1993)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
The Tenant (1976)
Dr. Strangelove (1964)
Bugsy Malone (1976)
Phantom Of The Paradise (1974)
The Muppet Movie (1979)
The Rules Of Attraction (2002)
The Sound Of Music (1965)
Willy Wonka And The Chocolate Factory (1971)
Giant (1956)
The Andromeda Strain (1971)
Babe (1995)
Time Bandits...
- 2/28/2023
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
If you think about it (but not too much), R2D2 and C-3Po are the closest things the "Star Wars" films have to main characters. They're the first two we focus on in "A New Hope," and they go on to play a role in every single episode afterward. The human characters usually only get one or two trilogies to make an impression, but our two favorite droids are a consistent presence throughout all three.
Yet back in 1977 if you told the actor who plays C-3Po, Anthony Daniels, that there'd be eight more of these movies for him to star in, he probably wouldn't be too happy to hear it. That first "Star Wars" film, with its threadbare budget, forced Daniels to be stuck inside a robot suit that was deeply uncomfortable. "The whole first film was a miasma of pain," Daniels told Rolling Stone in a 1980 interview.
Yet back in 1977 if you told the actor who plays C-3Po, Anthony Daniels, that there'd be eight more of these movies for him to star in, he probably wouldn't be too happy to hear it. That first "Star Wars" film, with its threadbare budget, forced Daniels to be stuck inside a robot suit that was deeply uncomfortable. "The whole first film was a miasma of pain," Daniels told Rolling Stone in a 1980 interview.
- 2/16/2023
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Sad news today as it’s been reported that Melinda Dillon, best known for her roles in Close Encounters of the Third Kind and A Christmas Story, has died at the age of 83.
Melinda Dillon played Jillian Guiler in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, a mother whose child is abducted by aliens. She was cast in the role just three days before filming began on the recommendation of Hal Ashby, who had directed her in Bound for Glory. Dillon’s performance would earn her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also played Ralphie’s mother in Bob Clark’s A Christmas Story, memorably telling him that he would shoot his eye out if he got a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. She received another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Sydney Pollack’s Absence of Malice.
Melinda Dillon played Jillian Guiler in Steven Spielberg’s Close Encounters of the Third Kind, a mother whose child is abducted by aliens. She was cast in the role just three days before filming began on the recommendation of Hal Ashby, who had directed her in Bound for Glory. Dillon’s performance would earn her an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress. She also played Ralphie’s mother in Bob Clark’s A Christmas Story, memorably telling him that he would shoot his eye out if he got a Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle. She received another Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Sydney Pollack’s Absence of Malice.
- 2/3/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
In the spring of 1992, the legendary singer-songwriter Paul Williams was walking in a park in the Los Angeles sunshine, thinking about Christmas. Sixteen years after first working with the Muppets, he was about to return to their colourful world, but he was apprehensive. Years of rock ’n roll debauchery having finally caught up with him, The Muppet Christmas Carol would be the first project he’d worked on sober in forever. Three decades later, he tells Empire, he needn’t have worried. “I sat on a bench and Scrooge’s song suddenly started coming to me: ‘Bom-bom-bom-bom… When a cold wind blows it chills you…’ I think I got as far as ‘There goes Mr Humbug, there goes Mr Grim / If they gave a prize for being mean, the winner would be him’ before I paused at all. I was like, 'Hey, that’s pretty good!' I was so...
- 12/1/2022
- by Owen Williams
- Empire - Movies
When Muppets creator Jim Henson died in 1990, the future of the Muppets franchise felt up in the air to its fans. At the time, Disney had already been in negotiations to purchase the Muppets, but Henson was on record with his refusal. Disney, still with a foot in the door, co-financed two Muppet feature films in the 1990s -- "The Muppet Christmas Carol" and "Muppet Treasure Island," both directed by Henson's son Brian -- which proved to audiences that the Muppets were capable of living on. Indeed, the two films provided a fascinating new premise for the Muppets: they would be stock players in adaptations of classic literature. Sadly, this tack did not play itself out, and after the not-very-good, straight-to-video "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz," that angle was abandoned.
Come now, Disney, "Muppet Midsummer Night's Dream," "Muppet Dracula," and "Muppet Moby-Dick" await.
"The Muppet Christmas Carol" (1992) is both one...
Come now, Disney, "Muppet Midsummer Night's Dream," "Muppet Dracula," and "Muppet Moby-Dick" await.
"The Muppet Christmas Carol" (1992) is both one...
- 9/14/2022
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Our critic surveys the streaming services’s current offerings to find the best family films – from Monsters, Inc to The Muppet Movie, Wolfwalkers to Wadjda
You’ve survived the heatwave, perhaps already been away, and still the school holidays stretch languidly into September, demanding plans and playdates and activities to fill the slowed summer hours. Sitting the kids in front of the TV for hours on end obviously shouldn’t be the only solution, but it needn’t be as passive as all that. A family film marathon can be a cheerfully sociable use of shared time – not to mention a cheap one, for parents burnt out on repeat cinema trips to Minions: The Rise of Gru. But which streaming platforms will serve you best this summer? And how few of them can you get away with subscribing to? Allow me to break down the best they have to offer.
You’ve survived the heatwave, perhaps already been away, and still the school holidays stretch languidly into September, demanding plans and playdates and activities to fill the slowed summer hours. Sitting the kids in front of the TV for hours on end obviously shouldn’t be the only solution, but it needn’t be as passive as all that. A family film marathon can be a cheerfully sociable use of shared time – not to mention a cheap one, for parents burnt out on repeat cinema trips to Minions: The Rise of Gru. But which streaming platforms will serve you best this summer? And how few of them can you get away with subscribing to? Allow me to break down the best they have to offer.
- 7/30/2022
- by Guy Lodge
- The Guardian - Film News
Some vinyl collections are about to get four times cuter: The Muppets Studio and Walt Disney Records have just announced a collaboration that includes not one or two, but four variations of an LP for the soundtrack to the 1979 classic "The Muppet Movie." The decked out collection comes courtesy of iam8bit, and will be on sale April 26, 2022 according to the production company's Twitter account.
The collectible album is decked out for Muppet lovers, and look like a can't-miss for anyone who's a fan of colored vinyl and original album artwork. The new cover art is designed by...
The post The Muppet Movie is Getting a Vinyl Soundtrack for the Lovers, the Dreamers, and You appeared first on /Film.
The collectible album is decked out for Muppet lovers, and look like a can't-miss for anyone who's a fan of colored vinyl and original album artwork. The new cover art is designed by...
The post The Muppet Movie is Getting a Vinyl Soundtrack for the Lovers, the Dreamers, and You appeared first on /Film.
- 4/25/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
(Welcome to The Daily Stream, an ongoing series in which the /Film team shares what they've been watching, why it's worth checking out, and where you can stream it.)
The Movie: "The Muppets Take Manhattan"
Where You Can Stream It: HBO Max
The Pitch: Kermit and his pals have only just graduated from Danhurst College when they decide to try to get their original stage musical, "Manhattan Melodies," turned into a Broadway show. (And before you ask: Yes, this film ignores the events of both "The Great Muppet Caper" and the original "Muppet Movie" before it. "Continuity? Never been there, but I hear it's lovely...
The post The Daily Stream: The Muppets Take Manhattan Has Frogs, Dogs, Bears, Chickens...and Heart appeared first on /Film.
The Movie: "The Muppets Take Manhattan"
Where You Can Stream It: HBO Max
The Pitch: Kermit and his pals have only just graduated from Danhurst College when they decide to try to get their original stage musical, "Manhattan Melodies," turned into a Broadway show. (And before you ask: Yes, this film ignores the events of both "The Great Muppet Caper" and the original "Muppet Movie" before it. "Continuity? Never been there, but I hear it's lovely...
The post The Daily Stream: The Muppets Take Manhattan Has Frogs, Dogs, Bears, Chickens...and Heart appeared first on /Film.
- 1/31/2022
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Some of today’s hottest hitmakers are providing one-of-a-kind experiences and items to The ASCAP Foundation for a silent auction taking place virtually between November 30 and December 15.
Pop phenomenon Billie Eilish and her collaborator/producer (and brother) Finneas, rap superstar Lil Baby, multi-platinum-selling singer, songwriter and producer blackbear, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp and Grammy-winning R&b songwriter, artist and producer Ne-Yo are among the stars giving back to The ASCAP Foundation, which has been fostering the growth and success of American music creators through music education and talent development programs since 1975.
“Music has been a lifeline for so many people during the pandemic, and ASCAP members understand how important music education and early recognition of their talents is for kids and aspiring music creators,” said ASCAP Foundation Executive Director Nicole George-Middleton. “We are extremely grateful to these ASCAP members for rallying around the Foundation at this...
Pop phenomenon Billie Eilish and her collaborator/producer (and brother) Finneas, rap superstar Lil Baby, multi-platinum-selling singer, songwriter and producer blackbear, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer John Mellencamp and Grammy-winning R&b songwriter, artist and producer Ne-Yo are among the stars giving back to The ASCAP Foundation, which has been fostering the growth and success of American music creators through music education and talent development programs since 1975.
“Music has been a lifeline for so many people during the pandemic, and ASCAP members understand how important music education and early recognition of their talents is for kids and aspiring music creators,” said ASCAP Foundation Executive Director Nicole George-Middleton. “We are extremely grateful to these ASCAP members for rallying around the Foundation at this...
- 12/1/2021
- Look to the Stars
A successful formula in horror is this: keep making what sells, but when the black ink begins to turn red, it may be time to tweak that formula. Come to think of it, “tweaking” may be a solid descriptor for Werewolves on Wheels (1971); this is a film that boasts not only bikers and werewolves, but a satanic cult behind it all! Can three genres and subgenres bump uglies and still provide coherent entertainment? Coherence? No. Entertainment? Most assuredly.
One could start with the title, getting the ball rolling on marketing, and as with most low budget bonanzas, delivering something not quite as good as one’s imagination. But recalibrated for that 1970s nihilistic molasses, it rides just fine.
Released in late November, WoW did well on the drive-in circuit and escaped critics’ wrath as just another second (or third) billed programmer. After all, the biker subgenre had been on fire...
One could start with the title, getting the ball rolling on marketing, and as with most low budget bonanzas, delivering something not quite as good as one’s imagination. But recalibrated for that 1970s nihilistic molasses, it rides just fine.
Released in late November, WoW did well on the drive-in circuit and escaped critics’ wrath as just another second (or third) billed programmer. After all, the biker subgenre had been on fire...
- 11/27/2021
- by Scott Drebit
- DailyDead
It’s 3 p.m. on a beautiful Southern California day and Barbra Streisand is in bed. “I’m still in my nightie,” she says. “I love being in my bed.”
Of course, her dogs — Miss Violet and Miss Scarlett — are by her side. “They take their naps in my bed,” Streisand tells me on today’s episode of the “Just for Variety” podcast.
Leave it to Streisand to work from her boudoir. She’s promoting her new album, “Release Me 2,” a collection of 10 recordings from the Egot winner’s vault that have never been released. On the recording that debuts Aug. 6, she sings “I’d Want It to Be You” with Willie Nelson on a recording that was first produced for her 2014 album “Partners.” “The Rainbow Connection” with Kermit the Frog was recorded in 1979. “I did it basically for my son [Jason Gould], who was a big fan of ‘The Muppet Movie...
Of course, her dogs — Miss Violet and Miss Scarlett — are by her side. “They take their naps in my bed,” Streisand tells me on today’s episode of the “Just for Variety” podcast.
Leave it to Streisand to work from her boudoir. She’s promoting her new album, “Release Me 2,” a collection of 10 recordings from the Egot winner’s vault that have never been released. On the recording that debuts Aug. 6, she sings “I’d Want It to Be You” with Willie Nelson on a recording that was first produced for her 2014 album “Partners.” “The Rainbow Connection” with Kermit the Frog was recorded in 1979. “I did it basically for my son [Jason Gould], who was a big fan of ‘The Muppet Movie...
- 8/6/2021
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
“Alfie.” “9 to 5.” “The Power of Love.” “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” I’m sure at least one of these classic songs brings back memories of a favorite film, and the tune is probably playing repeat in your head now. It’s not surprising that all of these songs were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. What is surprising is that they all lost. So which ones are best “losers?”
The Best Song category at the Academy Awards has a long and varied history. Introduced at the seventh ceremony, initially any song in a film, original or not, was considered; however, this rule was changed after 1941, when composer Jerome Kern was upset because his winning song, “The Last Time I Saw Paris,” had previously been recorded, and he felt a song written for a film should have won. Since then, only songs written specifically...
The Best Song category at the Academy Awards has a long and varied history. Introduced at the seventh ceremony, initially any song in a film, original or not, was considered; however, this rule was changed after 1941, when composer Jerome Kern was upset because his winning song, “The Last Time I Saw Paris,” had previously been recorded, and he felt a song written for a film should have won. Since then, only songs written specifically...
- 4/16/2021
- by Susan Pennington and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
“Alfie.” “9 to 5.” “The Power of Love.” “You’ve Got a Friend in Me.” I’m sure at least one of these classic songs brings back memories of a favorite film, and the tune is probably playing repeat in your head now. It’s not surprising that all of these songs were nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song. What is surprising is that they all lost. So which ones are best “losers?”
The Best Song category at the Academy Awards has a long and varied history. Introduced at the seventh ceremony, initially any song in a film, original or not, was considered; however, this rule was changed after 1941, when composer Jerome Kern was upset because his winning song, “The Last Time I Saw Paris,” had previously been recorded, and he felt a song written for a film should have won. Since then, only songs written specifically...
The Best Song category at the Academy Awards has a long and varied history. Introduced at the seventh ceremony, initially any song in a film, original or not, was considered; however, this rule was changed after 1941, when composer Jerome Kern was upset because his winning song, “The Last Time I Saw Paris,” had previously been recorded, and he felt a song written for a film should have won. Since then, only songs written specifically...
- 4/14/2021
- by Susan Pennington, Chris Beachum and Misty Holland
- Gold Derby
Isidore Mankofsky Dies: ‘Jazz Singer’, ‘Muppet Movie’ Cinematographer & Multiple Emmy Nominee Was 89
Isidore “Izzy” Mankofsky, a longtime cinematography who worked on such films as The Jazz Singer, The Muppet Movie and Somewhere in Time and enjoyed a prolific career in TV, earning three Emmy nominations, has died. He was 89. The American Society of Cinematographers said he died March 11 but did not provide details.
He received the President’s Award from the American Society of Cinematographers in 2009 for his decades of leadership and service to the organization and was nominated three times for its ASC Awards: twice for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for a Miniseries or Special and once for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cinematography for a Miniseries or Special.
Born on September 22, 1931, to Ukrainian immigrant parents in New York City and raised there and in Chicago, Mankofsky served in the Air Force before embarking on his showbiz career. He got his start behind the lens...
He received the President’s Award from the American Society of Cinematographers in 2009 for his decades of leadership and service to the organization and was nominated three times for its ASC Awards: twice for Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography for a Miniseries or Special and once for Outstanding Individual Achievement in Cinematography for a Miniseries or Special.
Born on September 22, 1931, to Ukrainian immigrant parents in New York City and raised there and in Chicago, Mankofsky served in the Air Force before embarking on his showbiz career. He got his start behind the lens...
- 3/15/2021
- by Erik Pedersen
- Deadline Film + TV
Isidore “Izzy” Mankofsky, who shot The Muppet Movie, Somewhere in Time and dozens of telefilms including the Farrah Fawcett-starring The Burning Bed, died Thursday, the American Society of Cinematographers announced. He was 89.
He also was the Dp on Richard Fleischer’s The Jazz Singer (1980) and two movies directed by Savage Steve Holland and starring John Cusack: Better Off Dead … (1985) and One Crazy Summer (1986).
A three-time Emmy nominee, Mankofsky got his start at Encyclopedia Britannica Films, then made his feature debut on the Aip sequel Scream Blacula Scream (1973), starring William Marshall.
In a 2009 interview, Mankofsky said in enjoyed working with Jim Henson and ...
He also was the Dp on Richard Fleischer’s The Jazz Singer (1980) and two movies directed by Savage Steve Holland and starring John Cusack: Better Off Dead … (1985) and One Crazy Summer (1986).
A three-time Emmy nominee, Mankofsky got his start at Encyclopedia Britannica Films, then made his feature debut on the Aip sequel Scream Blacula Scream (1973), starring William Marshall.
In a 2009 interview, Mankofsky said in enjoyed working with Jim Henson and ...
- 3/15/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Halfway into Arab Strap’s weepy “Tears on Tour,” vocalist Aidan Moffat evokes a novel fantasy: “What would you call the opposite of a comedian?” he asks in his thick Scottish burr. “Whatever that is, that’s what I wanted to be. I dreamed of touring the country … telling tales of woe. The audience would join me in a long collective cry; we would all weep together as one. I even planned the merchandise.” It’s so tragic, outlandish, and precisely detailed that it’s amusing — and that has always...
- 3/11/2021
- by Kory Grow
- Rollingstone.com
Gwen Stefani had a bananas 2020. Not only did she get engaged to her co-star/best friend Blake Shelton, but she also dominated the Billboard charts with singles like “Nobody but You,” “Here This Christmas” and “Let Me Reintroduce Myself.” Oh, and she finally won “The Voice” on her fifth try. During Tuesday’s grand finale of Season 19, Gwen’s artist Carter Rubin claimed victory over Jim Ranger & Ian Flanigan of Team Blake, Desz of Team Kelly Clarkson and John Holiday of Team John Legend. (Read our minute-by-minute recap.) At 15 years old, Carter is now the youngest male winner of all time.
Carter was a “Voice” favorite ever since his blind audition of “Before You Go,” where he earned two chair-turns from Gwen and John. He ultimately decided to join Team Gwen, a decision that’s now paid off handsomely. This pop singer from Long Island, New York next performed “Like...
Carter was a “Voice” favorite ever since his blind audition of “Before You Go,” where he earned two chair-turns from Gwen and John. He ultimately decided to join Team Gwen, a decision that’s now paid off handsomely. This pop singer from Long Island, New York next performed “Like...
- 12/16/2020
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
If you’re a fan of Carter Rubin on “The Voice,” you’ve come to the right place to learn how to vote for him to win Season 19 for coach Gwen Stefani. Simply visit “The Voice” website (or download the free App) and click on the face of the artist you want to win. You’ll be asked to sign up for a free NBCUniversal profile via email, Google, Facebook or Apple. Submit up to 10 votes per artist. Don’t delay, because final voting closes Tuesday, December 15 at 7 a.m. Et.
He may only be 15 years old, but this Long Island, New York native could end up winning and becoming Gwen’s first-ever champion on her fifth season as a coach. Carter began the competition by singing “Before You Go” in the blind auditions, choosing Team Gwen instead of Team John Legend, who also turned his chair around. He next...
He may only be 15 years old, but this Long Island, New York native could end up winning and becoming Gwen’s first-ever champion on her fifth season as a coach. Carter began the competition by singing “Before You Go” in the blind auditions, choosing Team Gwen instead of Team John Legend, who also turned his chair around. He next...
- 12/15/2020
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
He may only be 15 years old, but Carter Rubin is on his way to the Season 19 finale of “The Voice.” This Long Island, New York native and member of the Top 5 represents Team Gwen Stefani in next week’s two-night finale, scheduled for Monday, December 14 (performance show) and Tuesday, December 15 (results show). If Carter ends up going all the way, he’d be Gwen’s first-ever champion on her fifth season as a coach. What’s been your favorite Carter Rubin performance so far on “The Voice”? Vote in our poll below.
See Make your ‘The Voice’ Season 19 predictions right now: Who will win? Who will be eliminated?
Carter began the competition by singing “Before You Go” in the blind auditions, choosing Team Gwen instead of Team John Legend, who also turned his chair around. He next performed “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” in the battles and “You Say” in the knockouts.
See Make your ‘The Voice’ Season 19 predictions right now: Who will win? Who will be eliminated?
Carter began the competition by singing “Before You Go” in the blind auditions, choosing Team Gwen instead of Team John Legend, who also turned his chair around. He next performed “Like I’m Gonna Lose You” in the battles and “You Say” in the knockouts.
- 12/9/2020
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
Drive-ins are coming to Hollywood.
Post 43, the historic American Legion memorial clubhouse on Highland Avenue, is launching a drive-in screening series starting on Oct. 3. “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” will kick things off, followed by “The Muppet Movie,” “Jaws,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Jurassic Park,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Chinatown.”
The drive-in comes on the heels of several premieres being held last year in Post 43’s newly remodeled indoor Legion Theater. Since the theater had to close its door due to the pandemic, plans are being made to add 35mm projection to the drive-in, which currently includes 4K digital projection on a 38-foot custom-built screen. The location can accommodate up to 30 cars.
“We feel it is our responsibility as keepers of that flame to preserve film exhibition for the public,” theater director Bill Steele said in a statement. “The studios have been very supportive of this effort as well.
Post 43, the historic American Legion memorial clubhouse on Highland Avenue, is launching a drive-in screening series starting on Oct. 3. “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” will kick things off, followed by “The Muppet Movie,” “Jaws,” “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” “Jurassic Park,” “Saving Private Ryan,” “Raiders of the Lost Ark” and “Chinatown.”
The drive-in comes on the heels of several premieres being held last year in Post 43’s newly remodeled indoor Legion Theater. Since the theater had to close its door due to the pandemic, plans are being made to add 35mm projection to the drive-in, which currently includes 4K digital projection on a 38-foot custom-built screen. The location can accommodate up to 30 cars.
“We feel it is our responsibility as keepers of that flame to preserve film exhibition for the public,” theater director Bill Steele said in a statement. “The studios have been very supportive of this effort as well.
- 9/29/2020
- by Marc Malkin
- Variety Film + TV
Despite competition from the likes of Prime and Hulu, Netflix met arguably its biggest match yet last November when Disney Plus launched. The Mouse House has been coming for the streaming giant’s crown ever since, amassing more and more content over time. This September 1st, though, Netflix managed to get one up on D+ by snatching away two popular movies that were previously available on the rival service.
The two films are 2011’s The Muppets and 2014’s Muppets Most Wanted, the last two theatrical outings for Jim Henson’s beloved puppet troupe. The duology have been up to stream on Disney Plus for months, but as of this Tuesday, they’re now to be found on Netflix. It’s not unusual for movies to flit between the different streaming services, of course, but so far, D+’s methodology has been to collate as many of Disney’s productions as...
The two films are 2011’s The Muppets and 2014’s Muppets Most Wanted, the last two theatrical outings for Jim Henson’s beloved puppet troupe. The duology have been up to stream on Disney Plus for months, but as of this Tuesday, they’re now to be found on Netflix. It’s not unusual for movies to flit between the different streaming services, of course, but so far, D+’s methodology has been to collate as many of Disney’s productions as...
- 9/1/2020
- by Christian Bone
- We Got This Covered
Alamo Drafthouse will open its doors in two of its locations and offer private screening room rentals to parties that still want a private, big-screen viewing experience, even amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Over the weekend, Alamo Drafthouse launched “Your Own Private Alamo,” which allows you to invite up to 30 guests starting at just $150 to reserve a theater and showtime and watch one of 40 movies in what they say is a safe, sanitized environment. Check out the details on how to reserve your spot here.
Currently, the private option is only available in two locations, one in Austin, Texas and the other in Denver, Colorado. The $150 gets you the private theater rental and an online portal in which you can invite your friends to each purchase their own ticket and select their own seats. There’s also a minimum of $150 of food and drink purchases, which you order online in advance...
Over the weekend, Alamo Drafthouse launched “Your Own Private Alamo,” which allows you to invite up to 30 guests starting at just $150 to reserve a theater and showtime and watch one of 40 movies in what they say is a safe, sanitized environment. Check out the details on how to reserve your spot here.
Currently, the private option is only available in two locations, one in Austin, Texas and the other in Denver, Colorado. The $150 gets you the private theater rental and an online portal in which you can invite your friends to each purchase their own ticket and select their own seats. There’s also a minimum of $150 of food and drink purchases, which you order online in advance...
- 8/10/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
One of the few good things to come out of the coronavirus pandemic is the re-emergence of the drive-in, an entertainment experience that was lost to two generations with the advent of movie megaplexes.
With health and government officials continuing to promote social distancing, studios are utilizing drive-in theaters to draw audiences.
Here are some of the more notable events being held in August.
Kevin Smith’s Drive-In Birthday Bash (Los Angeles)
In honor of the director’s 50th birthday, a special pop-up will be held on Monday, August 3 at Paramount Drive-In Theaters. The event will include a screening of the “Jay & Silent Bob” reboot as well as a Q&a with Smith himself. Catering and merchandise from his popular Mooby’s pop-up restaurant will be served (the physical carry-out location has been extended through August). If you don’t live in L.A., Mooby’s meal kits are also available through Goldbelly.
With health and government officials continuing to promote social distancing, studios are utilizing drive-in theaters to draw audiences.
Here are some of the more notable events being held in August.
Kevin Smith’s Drive-In Birthday Bash (Los Angeles)
In honor of the director’s 50th birthday, a special pop-up will be held on Monday, August 3 at Paramount Drive-In Theaters. The event will include a screening of the “Jay & Silent Bob” reboot as well as a Q&a with Smith himself. Catering and merchandise from his popular Mooby’s pop-up restaurant will be served (the physical carry-out location has been extended through August). If you don’t live in L.A., Mooby’s meal kits are also available through Goldbelly.
- 7/30/2020
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
The Muppets — specifically, the comedy-variety troupe featuring Kermit the Frog, Miss Piggy, Fozzie Bear, Gonzo the Great, et. al. — are in their sixth decade of existence, but they have never been more perfectly deployed than in their first project together, the Seventies syndicated hit The Muppet Show. A faux variety series, each episode was a mix of two kinds of segments. The first were vaudeville-style sketches from the show-within-a-show, where the Muppets sang, danced, told corny jokes, and appeared in shows-within-the-show-within-the-show like Pigs in Space and Veterinarian’s Hospital. The...
- 7/28/2020
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
Members of the music for screens community — composers, songwriters, music editors, music supervisors, studio executives and others working at the intersection of music and visual media — are lending their talents to a benefit event for Covid-19 relief.
“Soundtrack of Our Lives: A Celebration for the Film and TV Music Community” raises money for MusiCares and features appearances by Sting, Catherine O’Hara, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Elisabeth Moss, Anika Noni Rose, William Shatner, Auli’i Cravalho, John Stamos, Patti LuPone, Danny Elfman, Andra Day, Zachary Levi, Reba McEntire, Clive Davis, Hans Zimmer, Alan Menken, Hildur Gudnadóttir, Alex Newell, Arturo Sandoval, Rita Wilson, Harvey Fierstein, Holly Hunter, Marc Shaiman and Darren Criss, among others.
The hour-long show streamed on YouTube — via Variety, Rolling Stone and the GRAMMYs’ official channels — also features special performances, including a musical number by Levi, LuPone, Newell, Yankovic, Peter Gallagher and Fierstein, and a song from “The Nightmare Before Christmas...
“Soundtrack of Our Lives: A Celebration for the Film and TV Music Community” raises money for MusiCares and features appearances by Sting, Catherine O’Hara, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Elisabeth Moss, Anika Noni Rose, William Shatner, Auli’i Cravalho, John Stamos, Patti LuPone, Danny Elfman, Andra Day, Zachary Levi, Reba McEntire, Clive Davis, Hans Zimmer, Alan Menken, Hildur Gudnadóttir, Alex Newell, Arturo Sandoval, Rita Wilson, Harvey Fierstein, Holly Hunter, Marc Shaiman and Darren Criss, among others.
The hour-long show streamed on YouTube — via Variety, Rolling Stone and the GRAMMYs’ official channels — also features special performances, including a musical number by Levi, LuPone, Newell, Yankovic, Peter Gallagher and Fierstein, and a song from “The Nightmare Before Christmas...
- 6/25/2020
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
June 25 at noon Pt, members of the music for screens community — composers, songwriters, music editors, music supervisors, studio executives and others working at the intersection of music and visual media — will lend their talents to a benefit event for Covid-19 relief. “Soundtrack of Our Lives: A Celebration for the Film and TV Music Community” will raise money for MusiCares and feature appearances by Sting, Catherine O’Hara (pictured), “Weird Al” Yankovic, Elisabeth Moss, Anika Noni Rose, William Shatner, Auli’i Cravalho, John Stamos, Patti LuPone, Danny Elfman, Andra Day, Zachary Levi, Reba McEntire, Clive Davis, Hans Zimmer, Alan Menken, Hildur Gudnadóttir, Alex Newell, Arturo Sandoval, Rita Wilson, Harvey Fierstein, Holly Hunter, Marc Shaiman and Darren Criss, among others.
The hour-long show will be streamed on YouTube — via Variety, Rolling Stone and the GRAMMYs‘ official channels — and will feature special performances including a musical number by Zachary Levi, Patti LuPone, Alex Newell, Yankovic,...
The hour-long show will be streamed on YouTube — via Variety, Rolling Stone and the GRAMMYs‘ official channels — and will feature special performances including a musical number by Zachary Levi, Patti LuPone, Alex Newell, Yankovic,...
- 6/16/2020
- by Variety Staff
- Variety Film + TV
Bill Gavin, the former Goldcrest executive and general manager of Australia’s Hoyts Theatres, has died at the age of 83 at his home in Auckland, New Zealand, after a short illness.
Gavin moved to the UK in the early 1960s after securing a contract to cover New Zealand’s then highly successful Formula One drivers, going on to write a biography of UK driver Jim Clark. He segued initially into the music business and established Gto Films to promote glam rock acts, the company then branched into distribution and worked on the UK release of Weir’s classic Picnic At Hanging Rock and the original version of Swept Away.
In 1978 he moved to Australia to become general manager of Hoyts Theatres and spearheaded the company’s entry into distribution. His down under success distributing the first Muppet Movie caught the eye of Lew Grade, who invited him to join Itc Films’ sales team in London.
Gavin moved to the UK in the early 1960s after securing a contract to cover New Zealand’s then highly successful Formula One drivers, going on to write a biography of UK driver Jim Clark. He segued initially into the music business and established Gto Films to promote glam rock acts, the company then branched into distribution and worked on the UK release of Weir’s classic Picnic At Hanging Rock and the original version of Swept Away.
In 1978 he moved to Australia to become general manager of Hoyts Theatres and spearheaded the company’s entry into distribution. His down under success distributing the first Muppet Movie caught the eye of Lew Grade, who invited him to join Itc Films’ sales team in London.
- 5/28/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
I first met Adam 14 years ago outside the Juice Bar in Nantucket. I quickly introduced myself because my awkward gawking would’ve made any ordinary person uncomfortable. I’d been a fan for years.
Like most songwriters, I was completely in awe of his power pop songbook. From “That Thing You Do” and “Stacy’s Mom” to Tinted Windows’ “Kind of a Girl” and Click Five’s “Just The Girl” — it was all brilliantly crafted. But on a slightly subversive note, I equally dug the fact that he scribed both The Crank Yankers and Howard Stern themes. Those are some Adam deep cuts, but classics nonetheless. You see, Adam straddled musical worlds like a champion. If he was a seesaw of song, one half was indie cool as f–k, while the other side was hilarious Borscht Belt brilliance — and yet underneath it all were these moments of melancholy that made it all mean something.
Like most songwriters, I was completely in awe of his power pop songbook. From “That Thing You Do” and “Stacy’s Mom” to Tinted Windows’ “Kind of a Girl” and Click Five’s “Just The Girl” — it was all brilliantly crafted. But on a slightly subversive note, I equally dug the fact that he scribed both The Crank Yankers and Howard Stern themes. Those are some Adam deep cuts, but classics nonetheless. You see, Adam straddled musical worlds like a champion. If he was a seesaw of song, one half was indie cool as f–k, while the other side was hilarious Borscht Belt brilliance — and yet underneath it all were these moments of melancholy that made it all mean something.
- 4/2/2020
- by Sam Hollander
- Variety Film + TV
Jack Burns, a comedian, writer and actor known for writing on “The Muppet Show” and “Hee Haw,” acting on “The Andy Griffith Show,” and his comedy partnership with George Carlin, has died at the age of 86, his manager Peter Santana confirmed to TheWrap Tuesday.
“He has been in senior care for the last two years in good spirits and surrounded by friends and cases of Diet Coke,” Santana said. “He was as sharp as a tack mentally but had not walked for two years. He achieved many great achievements but his most recent was hitting the 31 year sober mark in December. Truly a sweet and talented man.”
Burns began his career in show business in the 1960s by way of his duo with Carlin. The two made a comedy album together in 1963 called “Burns and Carlin at the Playboy Club,” and also had a radio show together at Kxol in Fort Worth,...
“He has been in senior care for the last two years in good spirits and surrounded by friends and cases of Diet Coke,” Santana said. “He was as sharp as a tack mentally but had not walked for two years. He achieved many great achievements but his most recent was hitting the 31 year sober mark in December. Truly a sweet and talented man.”
Burns began his career in show business in the 1960s by way of his duo with Carlin. The two made a comedy album together in 1963 called “Burns and Carlin at the Playboy Club,” and also had a radio show together at Kxol in Fort Worth,...
- 1/28/2020
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Caroll Spinney, the puppeteer who played Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch for 49 years at “Sesame Street,” died Sunday in Connecticut after living with dystonia. He was 85.
Sesame Workshop announced his death, calling him an “artistic genius” whose “legacy here at Sesame Workshop and in the cultural firmament will be unending.” Spinney’s death came on the same day “Sesame Street” is to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in Washington, D.C.
“His enormous talent and outsized heart were perfectly suited to playing the larger-than-life yellow bird who brought joy to generations of children and countless fans of all ages around the world,” the announcement continued, “and his lovably cantankerous grouch gave us all permission to be cranky once in a while,” Sesame Workshop said.
Spinney was with “Sesame Street” from the beginning in 1969, and continued working as Big Bird and Oscar through 2018, though he stopped performing inside the...
Sesame Workshop announced his death, calling him an “artistic genius” whose “legacy here at Sesame Workshop and in the cultural firmament will be unending.” Spinney’s death came on the same day “Sesame Street” is to receive the prestigious Kennedy Center Honor in Washington, D.C.
“His enormous talent and outsized heart were perfectly suited to playing the larger-than-life yellow bird who brought joy to generations of children and countless fans of all ages around the world,” the announcement continued, “and his lovably cantankerous grouch gave us all permission to be cranky once in a while,” Sesame Workshop said.
Spinney was with “Sesame Street” from the beginning in 1969, and continued working as Big Bird and Oscar through 2018, though he stopped performing inside the...
- 12/8/2019
- by Erin Nyren
- Variety Film + TV
Here’s a list of some of the notable celebrities and industry professionals in film, TV, music and sports who have passed away in 2019.
Carol Channing
The legendary Broadway and musical actress died Jan. 15. Channing was 97.
Kevin Barnett
The comic and “Rel” co-creator, the Lil’ Rel Howery-led sitcom, died Jan. 22 due to a hemorrhage. Barnett was 32.
Joe Stapleton
The New England broadcaster who appeared in several Oscar-winning films like “Spotlight” and “Mystic River,” died Jan. 1. Stapleton was 55.
Daryl Dragon
One half of pop duo Captain and Tennille died Jan. 2 of renal failure, according to Reuters. He was 76.
Gene Okurland
The famed WWE announcer, who frequently interviewed the likes of Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant at their peak, died Jan. 2. Okurland was 76.
Bob Einstein
The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Arrested Development” actor (and brother of actor-filmmaker Albert Brooks) died Jan. 2. Einstein was 76.
Verna Bloom
The “Animal House” and “The Last Temptation of Christ...
Carol Channing
The legendary Broadway and musical actress died Jan. 15. Channing was 97.
Kevin Barnett
The comic and “Rel” co-creator, the Lil’ Rel Howery-led sitcom, died Jan. 22 due to a hemorrhage. Barnett was 32.
Joe Stapleton
The New England broadcaster who appeared in several Oscar-winning films like “Spotlight” and “Mystic River,” died Jan. 1. Stapleton was 55.
Daryl Dragon
One half of pop duo Captain and Tennille died Jan. 2 of renal failure, according to Reuters. He was 76.
Gene Okurland
The famed WWE announcer, who frequently interviewed the likes of Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant at their peak, died Jan. 2. Okurland was 76.
Bob Einstein
The “Curb Your Enthusiasm” and “Arrested Development” actor (and brother of actor-filmmaker Albert Brooks) died Jan. 2. Einstein was 76.
Verna Bloom
The “Animal House” and “The Last Temptation of Christ...
- 12/2/2019
- by Omar Sanchez and Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Emmet Otter’s jug band is reuniting on the big screen: A movie adaptation of the classic Jim Henson holiday special Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas is in the works from Flight of the Conchords alum Bret McKenzie, according to our sister site Variety.
McKenzie will write the script and pen new songs for the film, which is based on the Canadian TV special that debuted in the U.S. in 1978 on HBO. (The project is still being shopped around to distributors.) He’s best known for playing one half of the Flight of the Conchords alongside Jemaine Clement on the 2007-09 HBO musical comedy,...
McKenzie will write the script and pen new songs for the film, which is based on the Canadian TV special that debuted in the U.S. in 1978 on HBO. (The project is still being shopped around to distributors.) He’s best known for playing one half of the Flight of the Conchords alongside Jemaine Clement on the 2007-09 HBO musical comedy,...
- 10/21/2019
- TVLine.com
After 11 years, Disney is pulling the plug on Disney Family Movies On Demand — with the service’s shutdown coming just days before the launch of the Mouse House’s Disney Plus.
Disney Family Movies, which cost between $5-$10 per month, has been available via pay-tv providers in the U.S., including Comcast Xfinity, Charter Communications, Verizon Fios, Cox Communications, Altice USA’s Optimum and AT&T’s U-verse.
As of Oct. 31, 2019, Disney Family Movies will no longer be available, according to a notice on Comcast’s site. Recent movies featured on the subscription VOD service included “The Princess Diaries,” “Enchanted” starring Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey, “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” with Nicolas Cage, and Tim Allen-starrer “The Santa Claus 3: The Escape Clause,” as well as “Pinocchio,” “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid,” “Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch,” “Encino Man” and “Oliver & Company.”
The end of...
Disney Family Movies, which cost between $5-$10 per month, has been available via pay-tv providers in the U.S., including Comcast Xfinity, Charter Communications, Verizon Fios, Cox Communications, Altice USA’s Optimum and AT&T’s U-verse.
As of Oct. 31, 2019, Disney Family Movies will no longer be available, according to a notice on Comcast’s site. Recent movies featured on the subscription VOD service included “The Princess Diaries,” “Enchanted” starring Amy Adams and Patrick Dempsey, “National Treasure: Book of Secrets” with Nicolas Cage, and Tim Allen-starrer “The Santa Claus 3: The Escape Clause,” as well as “Pinocchio,” “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid,” “Lilo & Stitch 2: Stitch Has a Glitch,” “Encino Man” and “Oliver & Company.”
The end of...
- 10/18/2019
- by Todd Spangler
- Variety Film + TV
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