Although Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have recently been in conversation allegedly about their troubled marriage, they once made headlines for being one of the most popular couples in Hollywood, especially after showcasing their chemistry in the romantic crime drama, Gigli. Despite the couple being sensational at the time, the film failed at the box office and was heavily panned by critics.
Gigli | Credit: Sony
However, despite its devastating box office reception and critical failure, the actor has no regrets about the film, not only because he met Lopez while filming the movie, but also because it prompted a significant shift in his career trajectory.
Ben Affleck Has no Regrets Regarding the Disappointing Film Gigli
In a conversation with his friend and fellow actor Matt Damon for Entertainment Weekly, Ben Affleck reflected on the disappointing 2003 film Gigli while acknowledging its role in steering him toward what he considers the true passion of his professional career.
Gigli | Credit: Sony
However, despite its devastating box office reception and critical failure, the actor has no regrets about the film, not only because he met Lopez while filming the movie, but also because it prompted a significant shift in his career trajectory.
Ben Affleck Has no Regrets Regarding the Disappointing Film Gigli
In a conversation with his friend and fellow actor Matt Damon for Entertainment Weekly, Ben Affleck reflected on the disappointing 2003 film Gigli while acknowledging its role in steering him toward what he considers the true passion of his professional career.
- 5/25/2024
- by Laxmi Rajput
- FandomWire
Eddie Murphy is feeling the heat in the first full trailer for Netflix’s forthcoming action-comedy sequel Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.
The feature from director Mark Molloy is set to launch July 3 on the streaming service. Murphy leads a cast that also includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot and Kevin Bacon.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F sees the star reprising his role as detective Axel Foley, who aims to save the life of his daughter (Paige) by teaming up with new partner (Gordon-Levitt) and familiar faces Billy Rosewood (Reinhold) and John Taggart (Ashton) to foil a conspiracy.
Murphy originated his character in the Martin Brest-helmed 1984 smash Beverly Hills Cop, which was written by Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie Jr. After becoming the year’s highest-grossing film, it was followed by two sequels, the latest of which hit theaters back in 1994.
Axel F...
The feature from director Mark Molloy is set to launch July 3 on the streaming service. Murphy leads a cast that also includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot and Kevin Bacon.
Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F sees the star reprising his role as detective Axel Foley, who aims to save the life of his daughter (Paige) by teaming up with new partner (Gordon-Levitt) and familiar faces Billy Rosewood (Reinhold) and John Taggart (Ashton) to foil a conspiracy.
Murphy originated his character in the Martin Brest-helmed 1984 smash Beverly Hills Cop, which was written by Danilo Bach and Daniel Petrie Jr. After becoming the year’s highest-grossing film, it was followed by two sequels, the latest of which hit theaters back in 1994.
Axel F...
- 5/23/2024
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"The Godfather Part III," "Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines," "Jaws 3-D," "Superman III" ... there are tons of examples of film trilogies that feature a dramatic drop in quality in their third entries. "Beverly Hills Cop III" definitely belongs on that list; the 1994 stinker, directed by John Landis, plopped Eddie Murphy's beloved fish-out-of-water Detroit cop character Axel Foley back in Beverly Hills, but this time, it takes place largely in a ... theme park. Thanks to scripting issues and scheduling problems, the film also broke up the beloved trio of Murphy, John Ashton, and Judge Reinhold, the latter of whom play Taggart and Rosewood, the Beverly Hills police officers who go from being Axel's pesky babysitters in the first movie to lifelong pals and de facto partners in the second. Ashton dodged a bullet by not appearing in the third film at all, and that movie's lousy script didn't do...
- 5/23/2024
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Netflix is continuing to roll out its celebration of iconic films, this time turning the page to 1984.
As part of the streaming platform’s “Milestone Movies: The Anniversary Collection,” Netflix has unveiled the 1984 films celebrating their 40-year anniversary in 2024 with classics like “Footloose” and “Sixteen Candles” alongside Oscar contenders “Amadeus” and “Iceman.”
The Milestone Movies hail from Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, and Sony — the distributors that license content to Netflix.
Starting today, April 1, 2024, Netflix subscribers can revisit Brian de Palma’s erotic noir “Body Double” and Kevin Bacon’s breakout performance in “Footloose.” How about a double feature? There’s also “Repo Man” and “Beverly Hills Cop,” streaming just in time for franchise reboot “Beverly Hills Cop: Axle F” out this summer.
In addition to the cinematic celebrations in your Netflix queue, in-person special screenings of select films will continue at the Paris Theater in New York and Los Angeles...
As part of the streaming platform’s “Milestone Movies: The Anniversary Collection,” Netflix has unveiled the 1984 films celebrating their 40-year anniversary in 2024 with classics like “Footloose” and “Sixteen Candles” alongside Oscar contenders “Amadeus” and “Iceman.”
The Milestone Movies hail from Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, and Sony — the distributors that license content to Netflix.
Starting today, April 1, 2024, Netflix subscribers can revisit Brian de Palma’s erotic noir “Body Double” and Kevin Bacon’s breakout performance in “Footloose.” How about a double feature? There’s also “Repo Man” and “Beverly Hills Cop,” streaming just in time for franchise reboot “Beverly Hills Cop: Axle F” out this summer.
In addition to the cinematic celebrations in your Netflix queue, in-person special screenings of select films will continue at the Paris Theater in New York and Los Angeles...
- 4/1/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Reacher star Alan Ritchson and Here Comes the Boom actor Kevin James must learn how to play nice with each other for the forthcoming action-comedy Playdate. The duo brings dad jokes and action chops to the new project with Luke Greenfield directing from a script by Neil Goldman.
According to Deadline, Playdate revolves around “a down-on-his luck man, Brian (James), who was just fired from his job and becomes an unexpected stay-at-home dad to his 10-year-old son. On his first day, he accepts a playdate invitation from Jeff (Ritchson), another stay-at-home dad, who turns out to be an unexpected loose cannon. The two fathers and their sons spend the day on the run, facing a deadly conspiracy.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to see such an incredible team come together for Playdate. Alan and Kevin are such a great duo and their chemistry in such a short time is...
According to Deadline, Playdate revolves around “a down-on-his luck man, Brian (James), who was just fired from his job and becomes an unexpected stay-at-home dad to his 10-year-old son. On his first day, he accepts a playdate invitation from Jeff (Ritchson), another stay-at-home dad, who turns out to be an unexpected loose cannon. The two fathers and their sons spend the day on the run, facing a deadly conspiracy.”
“I couldn’t be more excited to see such an incredible team come together for Playdate. Alan and Kevin are such a great duo and their chemistry in such a short time is...
- 2/21/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are both A-List actors and one of the fan-favorite couples in Hollywood. The couple once dubbed Bennifer, is back in the spotlight, not just for rekindling their flame, but also for Lopez’s new musical “This Is Me… Now”.
A still from Gigli (2003)
The Hollywood A-Couple first met in the early 2000s and were in a close relationship before parting ways. Both stars married someone else before fate had them get back to each other in the 2020s. Their story of reunion has made fans believe that true love wins, after all.
SUGGESTEDJennifer Lopez Might Just Risk Her Acting Career Again For Ben Affleck
Jennifer Lopez On Her Perfect Relationship With Ben Affleck
A still from Martin Brest’s Gigli (2003)
In a recent interview with Variety, Jennifer Lopez was asked about his forthcoming music album This Is Me… Now. Here, she revealed how she was so excited about the album,...
A still from Gigli (2003)
The Hollywood A-Couple first met in the early 2000s and were in a close relationship before parting ways. Both stars married someone else before fate had them get back to each other in the 2020s. Their story of reunion has made fans believe that true love wins, after all.
SUGGESTEDJennifer Lopez Might Just Risk Her Acting Career Again For Ben Affleck
Jennifer Lopez On Her Perfect Relationship With Ben Affleck
A still from Martin Brest’s Gigli (2003)
In a recent interview with Variety, Jennifer Lopez was asked about his forthcoming music album This Is Me… Now. Here, she revealed how she was so excited about the album,...
- 2/15/2024
- by Piyush Yadav
- FandomWire
There is, a critic will argue, a great deal of value in finding and discussing the worst films of the year. All the films released in a given epoch are a reflection of the trends and ideas that produced them, and scoring the bottom of the barrel for the worst filmmaking, the worst ideas, and the most misguided thinking will provide a valuable analysis of where we are as a society. Worst-of lists are important and vital and should be written with enthusiasm. They also let critics blow off steam a little bit; we don't have the luxury to skip bad movies or avoid talking about the ones we hate. It's our job.
The Golden Raspberries, or the Razzies for short, however, lost sight of that value a while back. The annual Razzies announcement is usually a snarky affair that only serves to pick on the year's least popular blockbusters,...
The Golden Raspberries, or the Razzies for short, however, lost sight of that value a while back. The annual Razzies announcement is usually a snarky affair that only serves to pick on the year's least popular blockbusters,...
- 2/15/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Some apotheosis of film culture has been reached with Freddy Got Fingered‘s addition to the Criterion Channel. Three years after we interviewed Tom Green about his consummate film maudit, it’s appearing on the service’s Razzie-centered program that also includes the now-admired likes of Cruising, Heaven’s Gate, Querelle, and Ishtar; the still-due likes of Under the Cherry Moon; and the more-contested Gigli, Swept Away, and Nicolas Cage-led Wicker Man. In all cases it’s an opportunity to reconsider one of the lamest, thin-gruel entities in modern culture.
A Jane Russell retro features von Sternberg’s Macao, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Raoul Walsh’s The Tall Men and The Revolt of Mamie Stover; streaming premieres will be held for Yuen Woo-ping’s Dreadnaught, Claire Simon’s Our Body, Ellie Foumbi’s Our Father, the Devil, the recently restored Sepa: Our Lord of Miracles, and The Passion of Rememberance.
A Jane Russell retro features von Sternberg’s Macao, Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, and Raoul Walsh’s The Tall Men and The Revolt of Mamie Stover; streaming premieres will be held for Yuen Woo-ping’s Dreadnaught, Claire Simon’s Our Body, Ellie Foumbi’s Our Father, the Devil, the recently restored Sepa: Our Lord of Miracles, and The Passion of Rememberance.
- 2/14/2024
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
A few months after Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were married in 2022, Lopez got a call from Jane Fonda. The two had been friends since 2005’s “Monster-in-Law,” and it was Fonda who had introduced J. Lo when she received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Fonda was reaching out because Lopez had asked her to appear in a yet-undefined film (with music) that would examine Lopez’s romantic failures in some kind of meta way. Lopez wanted Fonda to play a member of her Zodiac love council. (More on that later.)
Fonda had her doubts. So before deciding, she talked to Benny Medina, Lopez’s longtime manager, expressing skepticism about any project that seemed to excessively celebrate the Affleck-Lopez reunification. Medina relayed to Lopez Fonda’s thoughts: “I believe that everyone in the entire world is pulling for this relationship and this love. And the idea of how...
Fonda had her doubts. So before deciding, she talked to Benny Medina, Lopez’s longtime manager, expressing skepticism about any project that seemed to excessively celebrate the Affleck-Lopez reunification. Medina relayed to Lopez Fonda’s thoughts: “I believe that everyone in the entire world is pulling for this relationship and this love. And the idea of how...
- 2/13/2024
- by Stephen Rodrick
- Variety Film + TV
Two shady figures walk into a club, raising the suspicions of Detective Axel Foley. Foley needs help to deal with both men, but the pair of officers keeping an eye on him — Sergeant Taggart (John Ashton) and Detective Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold) — don’t trust him. Furthermore, he’s in a public place, which means that his actions could harm civilians.
After his pleading convinces Taggart and Rosewood to help out, Axel approaches one of the potential troublemakers.
“Phillip!” Foley shouts, adopting the stagger and slurred speech patterns of a drunk man as he approaches the confused suspect. Foley continues the act even after the suspect pulls a gun and threatens the patrons, which allows him to get close enough to yank the weapon away.
You probably recognize the above scene as one of the standout moments of 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop, in which Foley shows off his keen detective...
After his pleading convinces Taggart and Rosewood to help out, Axel approaches one of the potential troublemakers.
“Phillip!” Foley shouts, adopting the stagger and slurred speech patterns of a drunk man as he approaches the confused suspect. Foley continues the act even after the suspect pulls a gun and threatens the patrons, which allows him to get close enough to yank the weapon away.
You probably recognize the above scene as one of the standout moments of 1984’s Beverly Hills Cop, in which Foley shows off his keen detective...
- 2/12/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
Eddie Murphy is returning to the Beverly Hills Cop universe and reprising his role of Axel Foley in a fourth installment of the franchise.
Ahead of the 40th anniversary of the release of the 1984 film, Murphy returns to play Foley and is opening up about the difficulties of getting back into the action sequences.
“It was a hard one,” Murphy told People in an interview. “I did Axel Foley when I was in my 20s. I am not in my 20s anymore. It was an action movie. So it was a rough one. But we got through it.”
The action comedy directed by Martin Brest centers on Axel Foley, a Detroit detective who travels to Beverly Hills, California to solve the murder of his best friend.
“It’s a really physical movie and I had to do some physical stuff…. I like to be on the couch, I don’t...
Ahead of the 40th anniversary of the release of the 1984 film, Murphy returns to play Foley and is opening up about the difficulties of getting back into the action sequences.
“It was a hard one,” Murphy told People in an interview. “I did Axel Foley when I was in my 20s. I am not in my 20s anymore. It was an action movie. So it was a rough one. But we got through it.”
The action comedy directed by Martin Brest centers on Axel Foley, a Detroit detective who travels to Beverly Hills, California to solve the murder of his best friend.
“It’s a really physical movie and I had to do some physical stuff…. I like to be on the couch, I don’t...
- 12/24/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Once upon a time, Hollywood studios made original movies. Lots of them. Granted, "original" is a relative term when we're talking about this industry. Studios have always hedged their bets by relying on popular genres or recycling tried-and-true formulas. When a film went into production, moguls and executives were hoping for a healthy return on their investment, while stars generally tried their damnedest not to alienate their fans while avoiding the perils of typecasting. Once the film wrapped, it was on to the next one — and the next one was rarely a sequel.
This business model changed drastically in the 1970s when films like "The Godfather," "The Exorcist" and "Love Story" became wildly profitable cultural phenomena. When the studios realized people were lining up to see these movies again and again like they were amusement park rides, they reasoned that the safest course of action would be to continue the...
This business model changed drastically in the 1970s when films like "The Godfather," "The Exorcist" and "Love Story" became wildly profitable cultural phenomena. When the studios realized people were lining up to see these movies again and again like they were amusement park rides, they reasoned that the safest course of action would be to continue the...
- 12/24/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Cue the synths: After almost 30 years, Eddie Murphy’s Axel Foley will return to the beat with Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F set to hit Netflix next summer.
The long-awaited fourth installment of the hit cop-comedy franchise got its first teaser today. It doesn’t give anything away in terms of plot, but there are shootouts, car chases, wanton destruction, and bits like a Beverly Hills mother making her child take influencer pics and Murphy joking about getting arrested not once, but twice.
As for the actual story, it...
The long-awaited fourth installment of the hit cop-comedy franchise got its first teaser today. It doesn’t give anything away in terms of plot, but there are shootouts, car chases, wanton destruction, and bits like a Beverly Hills mother making her child take influencer pics and Murphy joking about getting arrested not once, but twice.
As for the actual story, it...
- 12/14/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Eddie Murphy is ready to have the last laugh as police lieutenant Axel Foley in the teaser trailer for Netflix’s Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F.
Hitting the streamer in the summer of 2024, the new movie from director Mark Molloy revives the action-comedy franchise three decades after the previous installment. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F stars Murphy as Detroit native Foley, who returns to Beverly Hills after the life of his daughter (Taylour Paige) is threatened.
The film sees Foley teaming with a new partner — played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt — while investigating a possible conspiracy and spending time with familiar faces including Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), John Taggart (John Ashton), Jeffrey Friedman (Paul Reiser) and Serge (Bronson Pinchot). Kevin Bacon is also part of the action as Captain Grant.
“Watch your ass out there, Ok?” Reiser warns Murphy, who responds, “I’m gonna be fine. They love me in Beverly Hills.
Hitting the streamer in the summer of 2024, the new movie from director Mark Molloy revives the action-comedy franchise three decades after the previous installment. Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F stars Murphy as Detroit native Foley, who returns to Beverly Hills after the life of his daughter (Taylour Paige) is threatened.
The film sees Foley teaming with a new partner — played by Joseph Gordon-Levitt — while investigating a possible conspiracy and spending time with familiar faces including Billy Rosewood (Judge Reinhold), John Taggart (John Ashton), Jeffrey Friedman (Paul Reiser) and Serge (Bronson Pinchot). Kevin Bacon is also part of the action as Captain Grant.
“Watch your ass out there, Ok?” Reiser warns Murphy, who responds, “I’m gonna be fine. They love me in Beverly Hills.
- 12/14/2023
- by Ryan Gajewski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"So how many people have you pissed off so far?" He's back again! Netflix has unveiled the first look teaser trailer for Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F, the long-awaited new sequel in the Beverly Hills Cop series – which ended years ago in 1994 with Beverly Hills Cop III directed by John Landis. This smashing new follow-up picks up right where things left off with Axel Foley as he returns to his old stomping grounds in SoCal. When his daughter is threatened, he is drawn back to the many opulent environs of Beverly Hills to investigate the untimely demise of a long-time confidant. Eddie Murphy is back as Foley for the fourth time, after first taking on the role in the 1984 comedy classic that was directed by Martin Brest. The new cast also includes Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Bronson Pinchot, Paul Reiser, and Kevin Bacon. This sequel is...
- 12/14/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
One cannot understate the impact Martin Brest's crime comedy "Beverly Hills Cop" had on popular culture when it was released in 1984. Between "Cop," the 1983 comedy "Trading Places," and Walter Hill's 1982 buddy film "48 Hrs.," Eddie Murphy was suddenly one of the largest and most striking movie stars in the world. His glib delivery and willingness to be crass rattled cinemas to an astonishing degree, and audiences began flocking to see Murphy in just about anything. Brest's film was made for a mere $13 million and would rack up about $316 million worldwide. It was also nominated for Best Original Screenplay at the Academy Awards.
In the film, Murphy played Axel Foley, a Detroit-based detective who says he's going on vacation to Beverly Hills, but who is secretly investigating the death of a friend, unbeknownst to his bosses. The film involves a lot of Murphy's bafflement at the posh, unusual, upscale...
In the film, Murphy played Axel Foley, a Detroit-based detective who says he's going on vacation to Beverly Hills, but who is secretly investigating the death of a friend, unbeknownst to his bosses. The film involves a lot of Murphy's bafflement at the posh, unusual, upscale...
- 12/14/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
George Clooney will be back with another “Ocean’s” heist film, the actor confirmed.
Clooney told Uproxx while promoting “The Boys in the Boat,” which he directed, that there is a script in the works for a fourth “Ocean’s” film set after the events of 2007 movie “Ocean’s 13.” The film concluded Steven Soderbergh’s crime comedy trilogy at the time, and later led to 2018 spin-off “Ocean’s 8” starring Sandra Bullock as the sister of Clooney’s (presumed dead) character.
“We have a really good script for another ‘Ocean’s’ now, so we may end up doing another one,” Clooney said. “It’s actually a great script.”
Clooney added that the film won’t be called “Ocean’s 14,” saying, “Well … I don’t want to call it that … I mean, the idea is kind of like ‘Going in Style.'”
The reference is to 1979 heist comedy “Going In Style,” directed by Martin Brest.
Clooney told Uproxx while promoting “The Boys in the Boat,” which he directed, that there is a script in the works for a fourth “Ocean’s” film set after the events of 2007 movie “Ocean’s 13.” The film concluded Steven Soderbergh’s crime comedy trilogy at the time, and later led to 2018 spin-off “Ocean’s 8” starring Sandra Bullock as the sister of Clooney’s (presumed dead) character.
“We have a really good script for another ‘Ocean’s’ now, so we may end up doing another one,” Clooney said. “It’s actually a great script.”
Clooney added that the film won’t be called “Ocean’s 14,” saying, “Well … I don’t want to call it that … I mean, the idea is kind of like ‘Going in Style.'”
The reference is to 1979 heist comedy “Going In Style,” directed by Martin Brest.
- 12/13/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
George Clooney may be returning to the “Ocean’s” franchise. In a new interview with Uproxx while promoting his movie “The Boys in the Boat,” the actor revealed that a script for another “Ocean’s” movie exists that would seemingly reunite the original trilogy’s cast for a movie set after the events of 2007’s “Ocean’s 13.” Clooney did not provide any concrete details.
“We have a really good script for another ‘Ocean’s’ now, so we may end up doing another one. It’s actually a great script,” Clooney told the publication.
When Uproxx asked if the script was for a potential “Ocean’s 14,” Clooney responded: “Well… I don’t want to call it that… I mean, the idea is kind of like ‘Going in Style.'”
Clooney is referring to Martin Brest’s 1979 heist comedy, which famously starred George Burns, Art Carney, Lee Strasberg and Charles Hallahan. Zach Braff...
“We have a really good script for another ‘Ocean’s’ now, so we may end up doing another one. It’s actually a great script,” Clooney told the publication.
When Uproxx asked if the script was for a potential “Ocean’s 14,” Clooney responded: “Well… I don’t want to call it that… I mean, the idea is kind of like ‘Going in Style.'”
Clooney is referring to Martin Brest’s 1979 heist comedy, which famously starred George Burns, Art Carney, Lee Strasberg and Charles Hallahan. Zach Braff...
- 12/13/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
The heat is back on in this episode of Revisited, as we follow up our last outing with Axel Foley in Beverly Hills Cop with the inevitable sequel. Part one proved to be such a mammoth hit that not only helped send Eddie Murphy’s career into the stratosphere but it guaranteed that part two wouldn’t be too far away.
If you take a look back at the 1980s, which is something we love to do here at JoBlo, there are many franchises that started in the era and still have longevity or an influence in modern Hollywood. However, when you have a movie as popular as Beverly Hills Cop, that doesn’t necessarily mean that a sequel will match the quality of the first, and it’s been a problem that Hollywood has faced over the years. Just how, exactly, do you keep your inbuilt audience happy while...
If you take a look back at the 1980s, which is something we love to do here at JoBlo, there are many franchises that started in the era and still have longevity or an influence in modern Hollywood. However, when you have a movie as popular as Beverly Hills Cop, that doesn’t necessarily mean that a sequel will match the quality of the first, and it’s been a problem that Hollywood has faced over the years. Just how, exactly, do you keep your inbuilt audience happy while...
- 12/5/2023
- by Adam Walton
- JoBlo.com
Potential "Deadpool 3" spoilers to follow.
In a time of great turmoil for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, who better to come strolling in than the Merc With A Mouth himself? The big-screen iteration of Deadpool -- as played by Ryan Reynolds -- thrives on upending expectations for the superhero genre, like when "Deadpool 2" introduced a version of the famous mutant outlaw squad known as X-Force, only to immediately kill off the entire team in a comically violent fashion (save for Zazie Beetz's luck-powered Domino). A little chaos along those lines would surely do the MCU good at this juncture, allowing it to shake off its recent woes and work towards a better tomorrow.
For that to happen, however, Marvel Studios should probably do a little House (of Ideas) cleaning first. Enter "Deadpool 3," a three-quel that's gotten fans hyped ever since it was confirmed to bring Reynolds' Wade Wilson into the MCU.
In a time of great turmoil for the Marvel Cinematic Universe, who better to come strolling in than the Merc With A Mouth himself? The big-screen iteration of Deadpool -- as played by Ryan Reynolds -- thrives on upending expectations for the superhero genre, like when "Deadpool 2" introduced a version of the famous mutant outlaw squad known as X-Force, only to immediately kill off the entire team in a comically violent fashion (save for Zazie Beetz's luck-powered Domino). A little chaos along those lines would surely do the MCU good at this juncture, allowing it to shake off its recent woes and work towards a better tomorrow.
For that to happen, however, Marvel Studios should probably do a little House (of Ideas) cleaning first. Enter "Deadpool 3," a three-quel that's gotten fans hyped ever since it was confirmed to bring Reynolds' Wade Wilson into the MCU.
- 12/5/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Jennifer Lopez’s movie career spans decades, but her filmography isn’t solely made up of critically acclaimed box office hits and award winners. Like many other actors, she’s starred in a few flops. According to Rotten Tomatoes, one stands out among the rest as Lopez’s worst movie. The answer, perhaps no surprise to anyone who lived through the early aughts, is Gigli.
Rotten Tomatoes has ‘Gigli’ as Jennifer Lopez’s worst movie
Lopez’s worst movie is none other than 2003’s Gigli, per Rotten Tomatoes. The comedy, which she starred in alongside her now-husband, Ben Affleck, marked the end of the original Bennifer era.
After getting to know each other during filming, romance blossomed between Affleck and Lopez, culminating in an engagement (Remember J.Lo’s pink ring?) and, eventually, a canceled wedding.
Directed by Martin Brest, Gigli earned a measly six percent on the Tomatometer. The...
Rotten Tomatoes has ‘Gigli’ as Jennifer Lopez’s worst movie
Lopez’s worst movie is none other than 2003’s Gigli, per Rotten Tomatoes. The comedy, which she starred in alongside her now-husband, Ben Affleck, marked the end of the original Bennifer era.
After getting to know each other during filming, romance blossomed between Affleck and Lopez, culminating in an engagement (Remember J.Lo’s pink ring?) and, eventually, a canceled wedding.
Directed by Martin Brest, Gigli earned a measly six percent on the Tomatometer. The...
- 10/21/2023
- by Mandi Kerr
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck are one of Hollywood’s most epic romances. The two originally started dating in the early 2000s, sparking a tabloid frenzy that ultimately resulted in the two splitting. After two decades, they reconnected.
For fans, there are a lot of memorable elements to “Bennifer’s” story, including the notoriously terrible 2003 film Gigli, which starred Affleck and Lopez at the peak of their romance. In a recent interview, the film’s director opened up about why he regrets making Gigli and why he thinks the movie is best described as a “ghastly cadaver.”
‘Gigli’ received terrible reviews
Gigli starred Affleck, Lopez, and an all-star cast. The 2003 film told the story of a softhearted L.A. mobster and his love affair with a woman named Ricki (Lopez). The movie received a lot of hype during production, primarily due to the romance between Affleck and Lopez; however, when it was released,...
For fans, there are a lot of memorable elements to “Bennifer’s” story, including the notoriously terrible 2003 film Gigli, which starred Affleck and Lopez at the peak of their romance. In a recent interview, the film’s director opened up about why he regrets making Gigli and why he thinks the movie is best described as a “ghastly cadaver.”
‘Gigli’ received terrible reviews
Gigli starred Affleck, Lopez, and an all-star cast. The 2003 film told the story of a softhearted L.A. mobster and his love affair with a woman named Ricki (Lopez). The movie received a lot of hype during production, primarily due to the romance between Affleck and Lopez; however, when it was released,...
- 8/10/2023
- by Suse Forrest
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Watching it in 2023, one might find themselves a little baffled as to why Martin Brest's 1984 crime comedy "Beverly Hills Cop" was such a massive success. Made for a modest $13 million, "Beverly Hills Cop" caused a sensation, earning over $234 million domestically which is, when adjusted for inflation, closer to $700 million. It made Eddie Murphy a household name and more or less codified an emerging genre of R-rated buddy cop movies that would remain ascendant throughout the 1980s and into the 1990s. The success of "Beverly Hills Cop" might confuse people, however, as it seems wildly basic these days. The jokes are not particularly funny, and while Murphy is as charismatic as they come, his Snobs vs. Slobs shtick seems trite and tired.
It seems that "Beverly Hills Cop," however, was merely outstripped by its imitators. In the wave of imitators that spawned, filmmakers pushed the action and the humor to higher and higher degrees,...
It seems that "Beverly Hills Cop," however, was merely outstripped by its imitators. In the wave of imitators that spawned, filmmakers pushed the action and the humor to higher and higher degrees,...
- 8/5/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Martin Brest's "Scent of a Woman" was one of the most critically acclaimed films of 1992. Powered by an emotionally raucous screenplay from the late, great Bo Goldman, it's probably best remembered 31 years later for the hoo-hahing performance showcase that earned Al Pacino the Best Actor Oscar he should've won for, take your pick, "The Godfather Part II," "Serpico" or "Dog Day Afternoon." This is unfair. The film does run a tad long, and concludes with a conventional stand-up-and-cheer monologue from Pacino, but the length is excusable because Brest gives his best moments, most of which arrive during the film's second act, an abundance of oxygen. He lets his actors explore, which was catnip for Pacino and a blessing for his 22-year-old co-star Chris O'Donnell.
Cast as a promising prep school student hired by a rich woman (Gabrielle Anwar) to babysit her blind, alcoholic Vietnam War vet uncle over Thanksgiving weekend,...
Cast as a promising prep school student hired by a rich woman (Gabrielle Anwar) to babysit her blind, alcoholic Vietnam War vet uncle over Thanksgiving weekend,...
- 7/30/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
When Bo Goldman, the two-time Academy Award screenwriter of "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" and "Harold and Maude," passed away on July 25, 2023 at the age of 90, the world lost a master dramatist and a razor-sharp observer of human behavior. Hailed by his Hollywood peers as a "screenwriter's screenwriter," Goldman possessed an unerring ear for dialogue and a cliche-eschewing sense of narrative. Be it a wistful satire of the American dream or a bruisingly authentic depiction of divorce, his name on the poster guaranteed an honest, offbeat view of humanity.
And it almost never happened. Goldman was born in the midst of the Great Depression on September 10, 1932. His father owned a chain of department stores that had fallen on hard times, but that didn't stop the besieged patriarch from sending his son to the prestigious likes of Phillips Exeter and Princeton University. It was at the latter institution that Goldman discovered a love for theater,...
And it almost never happened. Goldman was born in the midst of the Great Depression on September 10, 1932. His father owned a chain of department stores that had fallen on hard times, but that didn't stop the besieged patriarch from sending his son to the prestigious likes of Phillips Exeter and Princeton University. It was at the latter institution that Goldman discovered a love for theater,...
- 7/27/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Bo Goldman, the Academy Award-winning screenwriter, who co-wrote ‘One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest’ (1975) and ‘Melvin and Howard’ (1980), died in Helendale, California. He was 90.
Director Todd Field, his son-in-law, confirmed the death, but did not give a cause, reports ‘Deadline’.
Goldman’s career took off when director Milos Forman read his first screenplay and invited him to adapt Ken Kesey’s ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’ novel for film.
The resulting script shared screenwriting credit with Lawrence Hauben and won the Oscar for Best Screenplay Adapted from Other Material. The film was also named Best Picture, and earned Oscars for Forman, lead actor Jack Nicholson, and Louise Fletcher, who played Nurse Ratched.
As per ‘Deadline’, in 1980, ‘Melvin and Howard’ won Goldman his second Oscar, this time for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. Goldman later worked with director Martin Brest on two other acclaimed films, ‘Scent of a Woman’ (1992) and ‘Meet Joe Black...
Director Todd Field, his son-in-law, confirmed the death, but did not give a cause, reports ‘Deadline’.
Goldman’s career took off when director Milos Forman read his first screenplay and invited him to adapt Ken Kesey’s ‘Cuckoo’s Nest’ novel for film.
The resulting script shared screenwriting credit with Lawrence Hauben and won the Oscar for Best Screenplay Adapted from Other Material. The film was also named Best Picture, and earned Oscars for Forman, lead actor Jack Nicholson, and Louise Fletcher, who played Nurse Ratched.
As per ‘Deadline’, in 1980, ‘Melvin and Howard’ won Goldman his second Oscar, this time for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen. Goldman later worked with director Martin Brest on two other acclaimed films, ‘Scent of a Woman’ (1992) and ‘Meet Joe Black...
- 7/27/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
Bo Goldman, an Academy Award-winning screenwriter for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) and Melvin and Howard (1980), died Tuesday in Helendale, CA. He was 90.
Director Todd Field, his son-in-law, confirmed the death, but did not give a cause.
Goldman’s career took off when director Milos Forman read his first screenplay and invited him to adapt Ken Kesey’s “Cuckoo’s Nest” novel for film.
The resulting script shared screenwriting credit with Lawrence Hauben and won the Oscar for Best Screenplay Adapted from Other Material. The film was also named Best Picture, and earned Oscars for Forman, lead actor Jack Nicholson, and Louise Fletcher, who played Nurse Ratched.
In 1980, Melvin and Howard won Goldman his second Oscar, this time for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.
Goldman later worked with director Martin Brest on two other acclaimed films, Scent of a Woman (1992) and Meet Joe Black (1998).
Born in New York City,...
Director Todd Field, his son-in-law, confirmed the death, but did not give a cause.
Goldman’s career took off when director Milos Forman read his first screenplay and invited him to adapt Ken Kesey’s “Cuckoo’s Nest” novel for film.
The resulting script shared screenwriting credit with Lawrence Hauben and won the Oscar for Best Screenplay Adapted from Other Material. The film was also named Best Picture, and earned Oscars for Forman, lead actor Jack Nicholson, and Louise Fletcher, who played Nurse Ratched.
In 1980, Melvin and Howard won Goldman his second Oscar, this time for Best Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.
Goldman later worked with director Martin Brest on two other acclaimed films, Scent of a Woman (1992) and Meet Joe Black (1998).
Born in New York City,...
- 7/27/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Veteran screenwriter Bo Goldman, who won Oscars for “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and Jonathan Demme’s “Melvin and Howard,” died Tuesday at the age of 90, his son-in-law, director Todd Field told The New York Times on Wednesday.
Goldman landed the job of adapting Ken Kesey’s book (along with Lawrence Hauben) after his script for “Shoot the Moon” impressed “Cuckoo’s Nest” director Miloš Forman.
Danny DeVito, who had a small role in “Cuckoo’s Nest,” told TheWrap, “Working with Bo was a dream. It was an honor knowing him.”
After winning a second Oscar for “Melvin and Howard,” he became one of the few screenwriters — along with Francis Ford Coppola and Billy Wilder — to take home Academy Awards for both original and adapted screenplay. He was nominated a third time for his script for Martin Brest’s “Scent of a Woman.”
During his long career, he also...
Goldman landed the job of adapting Ken Kesey’s book (along with Lawrence Hauben) after his script for “Shoot the Moon” impressed “Cuckoo’s Nest” director Miloš Forman.
Danny DeVito, who had a small role in “Cuckoo’s Nest,” told TheWrap, “Working with Bo was a dream. It was an honor knowing him.”
After winning a second Oscar for “Melvin and Howard,” he became one of the few screenwriters — along with Francis Ford Coppola and Billy Wilder — to take home Academy Awards for both original and adapted screenplay. He was nominated a third time for his script for Martin Brest’s “Scent of a Woman.”
During his long career, he also...
- 7/27/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
Screenwriter Bo Goldman, who won Oscars for his scripts to “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and “Melvin and Howard” and was among a select group of film scribes including Robert Towne and William Goldman considered to be among that generation’s best, died Tuesday in Helendale, Calif., his son-in-law, director Todd Field, confirmed to the New York Times. He was 90.
Goldman was also Oscar nominated for 1993’s “Scent of a Woman.”
The 1976 Oscar he shared with Lawrence Hauben for co-adapting Ken Kesey’s novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was a particularly impressive achievement considering that “Cuckoo’s Nest” represented only Goldman’s second screenplay and the first to be produced. The win for adapted screenplay was part of a sweep for the film that also included victories for best picture, director, actor and actress. No movie had won those five awards since 1934’s “It’s a Wonderful...
Goldman was also Oscar nominated for 1993’s “Scent of a Woman.”
The 1976 Oscar he shared with Lawrence Hauben for co-adapting Ken Kesey’s novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” was a particularly impressive achievement considering that “Cuckoo’s Nest” represented only Goldman’s second screenplay and the first to be produced. The win for adapted screenplay was part of a sweep for the film that also included victories for best picture, director, actor and actress. No movie had won those five awards since 1934’s “It’s a Wonderful...
- 7/26/2023
- by Carmel Dagan
- Variety Film + TV
Bo Goldman, the late-blooming guru of screenwriting who received Academy Awards for his work on One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and Melvin and Howard, has died. He was 90.
Goldman died Tuesday in Helendale, California, his son-in-law, director Todd Field, told The New York Times.
Goldman’s first screenplay was, years after he wrote it, directed by Alan Parker for Shoot the Moon (1982), which featured Diane Keaton and Albert Finney in a raw, seriocomic drama about a disintegrating marriage.
He also co-wrote the Mark Rydell-directed rock drama The Rose (1979), starring Bette Midler in an Oscar-nominated turn, and Martin Brest’s Scent of a Woman (1992), which netted him his third Academy Award nom (and Al Pacino the best actor Oscar, too).
Goldman was one of the handful of screenwriters — Paddy Chayefsky, Francis Ford Coppola, Horton Foote, William Goldman, Billy Wilder and Joel and Ethan Coen among them — to win Academy...
Goldman died Tuesday in Helendale, California, his son-in-law, director Todd Field, told The New York Times.
Goldman’s first screenplay was, years after he wrote it, directed by Alan Parker for Shoot the Moon (1982), which featured Diane Keaton and Albert Finney in a raw, seriocomic drama about a disintegrating marriage.
He also co-wrote the Mark Rydell-directed rock drama The Rose (1979), starring Bette Midler in an Oscar-nominated turn, and Martin Brest’s Scent of a Woman (1992), which netted him his third Academy Award nom (and Al Pacino the best actor Oscar, too).
Goldman was one of the handful of screenwriters — Paddy Chayefsky, Francis Ford Coppola, Horton Foote, William Goldman, Billy Wilder and Joel and Ethan Coen among them — to win Academy...
- 7/26/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Making movies is hard, unglamorous work. It requires a functional collaboration between hundreds of people who specialize in wildly different disciplines, and it's all overseen by one person who must maintain a clear channel of communication with dozens of assistants and department heads to make sure everyone is on the same page and, god willing, on schedule.
Some people handle the stress better than others. Clint Eastwood apparently doesn't break a sweat bringing movies in ahead of schedule and under budget (albeit occasionally underlit and conceptually half-assed). On the flip side, Werner Herzog allegedly pulled a gun on his recalcitrant star Klaus Kinski during the making of "Aguirre: The Wrath of God."
As for Martin Brest, the critically acclaimed director of "Midnight Run" and "Scent of a Woman," the pressure of completing a film can prove physically draining. This is evidently one reason why he's only made seven movies over his 46-year career.
Some people handle the stress better than others. Clint Eastwood apparently doesn't break a sweat bringing movies in ahead of schedule and under budget (albeit occasionally underlit and conceptually half-assed). On the flip side, Werner Herzog allegedly pulled a gun on his recalcitrant star Klaus Kinski during the making of "Aguirre: The Wrath of God."
As for Martin Brest, the critically acclaimed director of "Midnight Run" and "Scent of a Woman," the pressure of completing a film can prove physically draining. This is evidently one reason why he's only made seven movies over his 46-year career.
- 7/24/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Martin Brest directed Beverly Hills Cop, Midnight Run, Scent of a Woman, and Meet Joe Black, but his last movie was such a flop that it brought his career to a grinding halt — Of course, I’m talking about Gigli.
Gigli was a romantic comedy crime movie starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. As the pair were romantically involved at the time, the movie generated an enormous amount of interest but it wound up becoming a box-office bomb that some consider to be one of the worst movies ever made. Woof. The failure of Gigli affected Martin Brest so much that he told Variety he can’t even bring himself to say its name.
Of all the movies that I’ve worked on, I know them inside and out. I don’t even know what that movie looks like, frankly, because of the manner in which it took shape. Even the name…...
Gigli was a romantic comedy crime movie starring Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez. As the pair were romantically involved at the time, the movie generated an enormous amount of interest but it wound up becoming a box-office bomb that some consider to be one of the worst movies ever made. Woof. The failure of Gigli affected Martin Brest so much that he told Variety he can’t even bring himself to say its name.
Of all the movies that I’ve worked on, I know them inside and out. I don’t even know what that movie looks like, frankly, because of the manner in which it took shape. Even the name…...
- 7/20/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
Martin Brest – an Oscar nominee for “Scent of a Woman,” the man responsible for directing Al Pacino to his only Academy Award, and the filmmaker behind ‘80s classics “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Midnight Run” – has finally offered a public comment about the 2003 flop “Gigli.”
“Of all the movies that I’ve worked on, I know them inside and out. I don’t even know what that movie looks like, frankly, because of the manner in which it took shape,” Brest said in a rare interview with Variety, the first he’s done with a media outlet in years. “Even the name… I refer to it as ‘the G movie.’ Probably the less said about it the better.”
“Gigli” is one of the most notorious failures in recent Hollywood history. Brest wrote and directed the thriller, which starred Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck at the height of their first romance – a...
“Of all the movies that I’ve worked on, I know them inside and out. I don’t even know what that movie looks like, frankly, because of the manner in which it took shape,” Brest said in a rare interview with Variety, the first he’s done with a media outlet in years. “Even the name… I refer to it as ‘the G movie.’ Probably the less said about it the better.”
“Gigli” is one of the most notorious failures in recent Hollywood history. Brest wrote and directed the thriller, which starred Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck at the height of their first romance – a...
- 7/19/2023
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez may have found their way back to each other, but they’ll never live down the embarrassment of Gigli, the film that started the pair dating. In 2003, the newly-minted couple starred in the crime flick alongside Justin Bartha, Al Pacino, and Christopher Walken—and it’s since become known as one of the worst films ever made. Its director, Martin Brest, apparently agrees.
In a new interview with Variety, Brest said he won’t even called Gigli by its name.
“Of all the movies that I’ve worked on,...
In a new interview with Variety, Brest said he won’t even called Gigli by its name.
“Of all the movies that I’ve worked on,...
- 7/19/2023
- by Emily Zemler
- Rollingstone.com
Ascending the driveway of a sprawling home in the Hollywood Hills for a face-to-face interview with Martin Brest, the legendary — and legendarily reclusive — director of “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Midnight Run,” it was tough not to immediately think of Xanadu, the protective enclave Charles Foster Kane retired to at the end of “Citizen Kane.” It seems like a fitting place for a former prince of the movie business to spend exile. Upon arrival, I quickly discover that the impeccably manicured property doesn’t, in fact, belong to Brest but to an artist friend, as does the lumbering, pitch-black Saint Bernard watching benevolently over our poolside conversation about the filmmaker’s career. By all accounts (most of all his own), that career came to a fiery end because of “Gigli,” but Brest soon explains how he made peace with the cataclysmic flop — even if he still can’t bear to mention it by name.
- 7/18/2023
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
Ava DuVernay’s arts and social collective Array has announced its slate of summer programming, including an actor’s masterclass taught by Emmy winner Niecy Nash-Betts, a cinematic celebration of Jean-Michel Basquiat and the debut of two new commissioned projects from Array’s Law Enforcement Accountability Project (Leap).
The summer lineup is curated by Array’s SVP of public programming, Mercedes Cooper, and in keeping with the Array’s mission of “igniting social change through the cinematic arts,” all events are free to the public.
“Array’s focus on instigating narrative change through our non-profit Array Alliance allows us to gather audiences around issues aligned with our core mission and everyday work,” said Cooper in a statement announcing the lineup.
“With film and art as the doorway, this summer’s programs invite conversations around otherness, authority and privilege, love and loss, as well as Black masculinity,” she continued. “Our ongoing...
The summer lineup is curated by Array’s SVP of public programming, Mercedes Cooper, and in keeping with the Array’s mission of “igniting social change through the cinematic arts,” all events are free to the public.
“Array’s focus on instigating narrative change through our non-profit Array Alliance allows us to gather audiences around issues aligned with our core mission and everyday work,” said Cooper in a statement announcing the lineup.
“With film and art as the doorway, this summer’s programs invite conversations around otherness, authority and privilege, love and loss, as well as Black masculinity,” she continued. “Our ongoing...
- 6/1/2023
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
With over 100 acting credits to his name, many of which are bonafide legendary performances, Anthony Hopkins has proven himself time and again as one of the best actors of his generation, and possibly of all time. After graduating from London's famed Royal Academy of Dramatic in 1963, Hopkins began his career on the stage, tackling the bard, as well as classic and modern plays at the Royal Court Theatre and The Old Vic. He also regularly appeared on British television, taking on episodic guest roles in shows like "The Man in Room 17" and "Department S."
In 1968's "The Lion in Winter, " Hopkins had his cinematic breakout role as Richard the Lionheart. Often remembered for the best actress tie between Katharine Hepburn (as Eleanor of Aquitaine) and Barbra Streisand (for "Funny Girl") at the Academy Awards, "The Lion in Winter" saw Hopkins more than hold his own against stalwarts Hepburn and Peter O'Toole.
In 1968's "The Lion in Winter, " Hopkins had his cinematic breakout role as Richard the Lionheart. Often remembered for the best actress tie between Katharine Hepburn (as Eleanor of Aquitaine) and Barbra Streisand (for "Funny Girl") at the Academy Awards, "The Lion in Winter" saw Hopkins more than hold his own against stalwarts Hepburn and Peter O'Toole.
- 5/14/2023
- by Rachel Ho
- Slash Film
Jacques Haitkin, who served as the cinematographer on the first two Nightmare on Elm Street movies, has died. He was 72.
Haitkin died March 21 in San Francisco after a battle with Als and leukemia, his son Zak Haitkin told The Hollywood Reporter. “He always said he never worked a day in his life because he loved his job so much,” he noted.
Haitkin also manned a camera and/or did second-unit work on three Fast & Furious films, two Captain America movies and other action features including Cherry 2000 (1987), Last Man Standing (1995), The Expendables (2010), X-Men: First Class (2011), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Black Panther (2018), Venom (2018) and 21 Bridges (2019).
Haitkin was the D.P. on A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), directed by Wes Craven, and A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985), directed by Jack Sholder. He reunited with Craven on Shocker (1989) and with Sholder on The Hidden (1987) and Beeper (2002).
Jacques Adam Haitkin...
Haitkin died March 21 in San Francisco after a battle with Als and leukemia, his son Zak Haitkin told The Hollywood Reporter. “He always said he never worked a day in his life because he loved his job so much,” he noted.
Haitkin also manned a camera and/or did second-unit work on three Fast & Furious films, two Captain America movies and other action features including Cherry 2000 (1987), Last Man Standing (1995), The Expendables (2010), X-Men: First Class (2011), Kong: Skull Island (2017), Black Panther (2018), Venom (2018) and 21 Bridges (2019).
Haitkin was the D.P. on A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), directed by Wes Craven, and A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985), directed by Jack Sholder. He reunited with Craven on Shocker (1989) and with Sholder on The Hidden (1987) and Beeper (2002).
Jacques Adam Haitkin...
- 4/7/2023
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There are two types of Al Pacino performances. The first is the kind that announced him as an acting virtuoso in the 1970s. They're fully inhabited, imbued with a coiled intensity, and forever on the verge of crescendoing to rage or, on rare occasions (most movingly in Jerry Schatzberg's "Scarecrow"), joy. This is Pacino at his very best: restless, yet modulated. When he blows his top in "Dog Day Afternoon," screaming "Attica" at the cops posted outside the bank he's attempting to rob, the moment is earned. He's given us keen insight into the mental machinery that drives Sonny, and has us cheering along with the crowd, even though we're still not sure why he's been driven to such dead-end desperation.
The second type is the grotesque self-parody that's been grist for impressionists — none better than Bill Hader — and soundboard prank callers since he stole Denzel Washington's Oscar...
The second type is the grotesque self-parody that's been grist for impressionists — none better than Bill Hader — and soundboard prank callers since he stole Denzel Washington's Oscar...
- 3/31/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
(Welcome to Best Actor Ever, an ongoing series where we explore the careers and performances of the greatest performers to ever grace the screen.)
We're only six articles into this series, and I've already violated my critic's creed by furthering one of the most egregious filmmaking fallacies in existence. While I stand wholeheartedly behind my selections of Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, Cate Blanchett, Robert De Niro, and Viola Davis, these artists are venerated for capital-a acting. They play serious, complicated people beset by demons both personal and societal. Critics expect them to dazzle us, to shed inspiring or unsettling light on the human condition. For too many years, they did not expect them to make us laugh.
When Streep, after a decade-plus of electrifying dramatic performances, appeared in the 1989 dark comedy "She-Devil" opposite TV superstar Roseanne Barr, many critics felt she was slumming. Ditto De Niro in Martin Brest's 1988 buddy-comedy "Midnight Run.
We're only six articles into this series, and I've already violated my critic's creed by furthering one of the most egregious filmmaking fallacies in existence. While I stand wholeheartedly behind my selections of Meryl Streep, Denzel Washington, Cate Blanchett, Robert De Niro, and Viola Davis, these artists are venerated for capital-a acting. They play serious, complicated people beset by demons both personal and societal. Critics expect them to dazzle us, to shed inspiring or unsettling light on the human condition. For too many years, they did not expect them to make us laugh.
When Streep, after a decade-plus of electrifying dramatic performances, appeared in the 1989 dark comedy "She-Devil" opposite TV superstar Roseanne Barr, many critics felt she was slumming. Ditto De Niro in Martin Brest's 1988 buddy-comedy "Midnight Run.
- 3/2/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Zach Braff's directorial debut, "Garden State," was an event unto itself in the indie movie scene circa 2004. With its award-winning soundtrack -- a mixtape of then-contemporary indie-rock titles and vintage classics like "The Only Living Boy in New York" -- and its quirky-dramatic tale of post-college graduation ennui, Braff's Sundance sensation was practically tailor-made for disaffected 20-somethings coming of adult age in the early '00s like himself. That it's also fairly hackneyed while being fully earnest in its convictions and observations about life kind of makes it the perfect embodiment of what the world looks like through the eyes of a 20-something.
Up until 2023, however, Braff had only directed two other films, one of which he also wrote (2014's "Wish I Was Here") and the other which he directed only (2017's "Going in Style"). "There has to be a catalyst that really puts me in the chair," he...
Up until 2023, however, Braff had only directed two other films, one of which he also wrote (2014's "Wish I Was Here") and the other which he directed only (2017's "Going in Style"). "There has to be a catalyst that really puts me in the chair," he...
- 3/2/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Some well-established actors and a composer achieved unusual Oscar feats, while a young and upcoming actress had a surprising win. Enjoy our flashback 30 years to the Academy Awards ceremony of 1993.
Hosting for the fourth consecutive year, Billy Crystal began the 65th Academy Awards ceremony by entering astride a gigantic Oscar statue pulled by . . . the Best Supporting Actor winner from the year before, Jack Palance, who had memorably shown off his impressive push-up abilities during his acceptance speech.
Five diverse but memorable films made it into the top category of the night, and none swept; in fact, at the end of the event, 11 movies had won one award each. One of the biggest box office draws of 1992 earned a Best Picture nomination; however, “A Few Good Men” failed to claim any of its four bids. The film with one of the most infamous surprise twists in cinema history garnered six bids...
Hosting for the fourth consecutive year, Billy Crystal began the 65th Academy Awards ceremony by entering astride a gigantic Oscar statue pulled by . . . the Best Supporting Actor winner from the year before, Jack Palance, who had memorably shown off his impressive push-up abilities during his acceptance speech.
Five diverse but memorable films made it into the top category of the night, and none swept; in fact, at the end of the event, 11 movies had won one award each. One of the biggest box office draws of 1992 earned a Best Picture nomination; however, “A Few Good Men” failed to claim any of its four bids. The film with one of the most infamous surprise twists in cinema history garnered six bids...
- 1/16/2023
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
For a Cold War techno-thriller about a teenage hacker named David (Matthew Broderick) who accidentally sets off a nuclear standoff between the United States and the Soviet Union, "Wargames" manages to not take itself too seriously. The entire plot rests on an unmotivated Seattle wunderkind who uses his home computer to impress a neighborhood girl named Jennifer (Ally Sheedy) by changing both of their high school grades. Unfortunately, it also results in David going a little too far and accidentally accessing North American Aerospace Defense Command (Norad)'s supercomputer, which misinterprets the break-in as the start of Wwiii.
Amazingly, "Wargames" went on to be a smash hit at the box office that was nominated for three Academy Awards. Broderick would go on to stardom after appearing in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," another film where the young actor tampers with his high school computing system to remove his nine absent marks.
Amazingly, "Wargames" went on to be a smash hit at the box office that was nominated for three Academy Awards. Broderick would go on to stardom after appearing in "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," another film where the young actor tampers with his high school computing system to remove his nine absent marks.
- 11/13/2022
- by Drew Tinnin
- Slash Film
There was perhaps no person who is more representative of comedy in the 1980s than Eddie Murphy. His time on "Saturday Night Live" was legendary, as was his run of movies that followed made him an international star. For a while, he was basically the undisputed funniest man on the planet.
When Murphy was cast as the lead in "Beverly Hills Cop," a classic comedy movie was bound to happen. Murphy was at the height of his powers, and the main character of "Beverly Hills Cop" suited his persona extremely well. Once Murphy arrived and started punching up the film's script, it was destined to be one of the funniest films around.
But the movie wasn't always going to be a fish-out-of-water comedy. It was originally intended to be a much darker take on the realities of policing a population of the extremely wealthy, according to the book "Wild and...
When Murphy was cast as the lead in "Beverly Hills Cop," a classic comedy movie was bound to happen. Murphy was at the height of his powers, and the main character of "Beverly Hills Cop" suited his persona extremely well. Once Murphy arrived and started punching up the film's script, it was destined to be one of the funniest films around.
But the movie wasn't always going to be a fish-out-of-water comedy. It was originally intended to be a much darker take on the realities of policing a population of the extremely wealthy, according to the book "Wild and...
- 10/10/2022
- by Matt Rainis
- Slash Film
Eddie Murphy turned 61 years old this year, which makes him roughly the same age John Wayne was when he played the out-to-pasture codger Rooster Cogburn in "True Grit." That film, and Wayne's subsequent Westerns, had an elegiac, one-last-ride feeling to them. Yes, the Duke's cancer was in remission at this point, but he still looked washed. When he finally succumbed to the disease on the eve of the 1980s, the book quietly closed on an outmoded era of Hollywood filmmaking. It was time. Of all the golden age stars, Wayne was uniquely unsuited to the coked-up, strip-club glitz pioneered by producing teams like Don Simpson/Jerry Bruckheimer and Jon Peters/Peter Guber.
Of all the big-screen '80s superstars, no one was more at home in this olio of excess than Eddie Murphy. His fast-talking, nimble-minded riffing was perfectly attuned to the hurtling energy of the decade's blockbuster action-comedies. Murphy...
Of all the big-screen '80s superstars, no one was more at home in this olio of excess than Eddie Murphy. His fast-talking, nimble-minded riffing was perfectly attuned to the hurtling energy of the decade's blockbuster action-comedies. Murphy...
- 9/21/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Eddie Murphy was the surest of bets in the 1980s. At the age of 19, he single-handedly yanked "Saturday Night Live" back from the brink of cancellation after the departure of the original cast, and was all of 21 when he shot to big-screen stardom opposite Nick Nolte in Walter Hill's action-comedy classic, "48 Hrs." His second feature, "Trading Places," was also a critical and commercial hit, while his stand-up LP "Eddie Murphy: Comedian" went platinum. By 1984, Murphy was so hot, Paramount inserted him into the finished Dudley Moore comedy "Best Defense" in the hopes that he could enliven the deathly unfunny film with his ad-libbed brilliance. It didn't work, but no one held it against Murphy. The movie was just that bad.
There was no question that Murphy had turned into one of Hollywood's biggest stars overnight, but his first two hits had been two-handers. He had yet to carry a film on his own.
There was no question that Murphy had turned into one of Hollywood's biggest stars overnight, but his first two hits had been two-handers. He had yet to carry a film on his own.
- 9/11/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
1984's "Beverly Hills Cop" contains a plot hook so good it seems like a no-brainer idea in hindsight: a streetwise Detroit policeman finds himself in a fish-out-of-water situation when he pursues a criminal to luxurious Beverly Hills, whereupon his blue-collar attitude clashes with the snooty, affluent natives.
Yet a study of the making of the film reveals that it had a fairly rocky transition from concept to screen, with the production going through several different directors, stars, and tonal approaches before landing on director Martin Brest and star Eddie Murphy. That could be due in part to the fact that the core concept for the movie wasn't so fleshed out upon conception.
Way before a series of screenwriters began work on what would eventually become "Beverly Hills Cop," then Paramount executive Michael Eisner had the simple notion to make a movie about a Los Angeles policeman, an idea that occurred...
Yet a study of the making of the film reveals that it had a fairly rocky transition from concept to screen, with the production going through several different directors, stars, and tonal approaches before landing on director Martin Brest and star Eddie Murphy. That could be due in part to the fact that the core concept for the movie wasn't so fleshed out upon conception.
Way before a series of screenwriters began work on what would eventually become "Beverly Hills Cop," then Paramount executive Michael Eisner had the simple notion to make a movie about a Los Angeles policeman, an idea that occurred...
- 9/9/2022
- by Bill Bria
- Slash Film
Long before "Beverly Hills Cop" became the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time (a record the film held for almost 20 years until "The Matrix Reloaded" claimed the crown), it was a problem project for Paramount. Birthed in 1975 by a young studio exec named Michael Eisner, the film was to be a fish-out-of-water actioner about a streetwise Detroit cop who busts up the ritzy Los Angeles neighborhood while trying to track down the murderer of his best friend. The film went through multiple drafts over many years before Daniel Petrie Jr. basically cracked the story in 1983.
Though the project was at last moving forward, something still wasn't right. Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, red hot off the success of "Flashdance," were now shepherding the movie, and, despite their high studio profile, couldn't get a firm commitment from a leading man. Initially, they wanted Mickey Rourke for the part of Axel Foley,...
Though the project was at last moving forward, something still wasn't right. Producers Don Simpson and Jerry Bruckheimer, red hot off the success of "Flashdance," were now shepherding the movie, and, despite their high studio profile, couldn't get a firm commitment from a leading man. Initially, they wanted Mickey Rourke for the part of Axel Foley,...
- 9/7/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Like Eddie Murphy's dogged detective character Axel Foley, the concept for "Beverly Hills Cop" just wouldn't go away. A 1975 Hollywood traffic stop for then-Paramount Pictures president Michael Eisner, out of place driving a station wagon, inspired the idea for the movie. By the time "Beverly Hills Cop" was finally produced in 1984, Paramount had spent nearly a decade and two million dollars developing the film.
When production was set to begin, Paramount ran into some problems -- specifically, it didn't have a star or a director. Sylvester Stallone, initially slated to play Axel Foley, stepped away over disagreements about the tone of the film. (He later put many of his ideas for his version of "Beverly Hills Cop" into the 1986 action film "Cobra.") Producer Jerry Bruckheimer had his heart set on up-and-coming director Martin Brest, who had his own reservations. They soon found the perfect replacement for Stallone in Eddie Murphy,...
When production was set to begin, Paramount ran into some problems -- specifically, it didn't have a star or a director. Sylvester Stallone, initially slated to play Axel Foley, stepped away over disagreements about the tone of the film. (He later put many of his ideas for his version of "Beverly Hills Cop" into the 1986 action film "Cobra.") Producer Jerry Bruckheimer had his heart set on up-and-coming director Martin Brest, who had his own reservations. They soon found the perfect replacement for Stallone in Eddie Murphy,...
- 9/6/2022
- by Travis Yates
- Slash Film
If the on-and-off-and-[big pause!]-on-again love story of Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck were a dramatic television series, the fact that it has now been relaunched with the two of them getting married over the weekend in Las Vegas is simply beyond perfect. It’s like the new season of some paparazzi-movie-star version of “And Just Like That” kicking off in that overly on-the-nose way that is part of what makes that show such delectable comfort food. But then, who would expect anything less from Ben and J.Lo, the first brand-name celebrity couple to be fused, by us, into one name? Ah, Bennifer! The very sound of it can provoke a swoon of nostalgia for the early 2000s, when these two ruled the tabloids as no one had before. Overnight, they became the Liz and Dick of the new over-the-top, all-voyeurism-all-the-time, amusing-ourselves-to-death 21st-century gossip culture.
And once we, led by them,...
And once we, led by them,...
- 7/19/2022
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
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