Noticias

Robert Machray, whose prolific, decades-long career as a character actor included appearances on Three’s Company, Roseanne, Suddenly Susan, The Drew Carey Show and, in a four-episode recurring role as Fire Marshal Dobbins on Cheers, died Sunday, January 12, at his home in North Hollywood. He was 79.

His death was announced on Facebook by husband Luigi Camperchioli, who said Machray suffered from dementia.

In addition to his TV career, Machray frequently appeared on stage, including in the 1999 Broadway production of Amadeus, playing the role of Salieri’s Cook opposite Michael Sheen and David Suchet. Numerous regional and Off Broadway stage credits include roles in Waiting for Godot (at L.A.’s Mark Taper Forum), The Boys Next Door, Austin Pendleton’s Orson’s Shadow and Threepenny Opera.

Born May 4, 1945, in San Diego, Machray made his TV debut in the 1977 NBC TV-movie Panic in Echo Park starring Dorian Harewood. That same year...

Robert Machray, who starred as Orson Welles on the stage and played Fire Marshal Dobbins on Cheers in an acting career that spanned five decades, has died. He was 79.

Machray died Sunday at his home in North Hollywood after enduring two strokes and a brief battle with dementia, his husband, Luigi Camperchioli, told The Hollywood Reporter.

He also showed up on episodes of Operation Petticoat, Three’s Company, Life Goes On, Roseanne, Sister, Sister, Suddenly Susan, Profiler, The Drew Carey Show, Girlfriends, Criminal Minds and Parks and Recreation, which in 2011 marked his final onscreen credit.

Machray portrayed Dobbins, often the victim of pranks at the bar, on four episodes of NBC’s Cheers during seasons eight, nine and 11 from 1990-93.

He appeared in the 1999-2000 Broadway revival of Amadeus that starred Michael Sheen and David Suchet and received a Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle prize in 2002 for his turn as Welles...

Saturday Night Live has served as a launching pad to TV superstardom (Tina Fey and Bill Hader), dominance at the box office and even #1 music albums (Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi). But not every SNL star goes on to greater showbiz heights.

Here are five comedians who killed on the show only to find they just weren’t as good at anything else. In fairness, as insults go, “You were better at Saturday Night Live than anything else,” isn’t the worst that one could hear.

[subtitle]1Joe Piscopo [/subtitle]

Joe Piscopo might have been the first comedian to get huge on Saturday Night Live who couldn’t transfer that success beyond the show. After the original cast left, Piscopo became the show’s first new star, cranking out uncanny versions of David Letterman, Jerry Lewis and his idol Frank Sinatra. His original characters, unfortunately, had the bad habit of being more...

The 50th season of Saturday Night Live kicked off this weekend, and predictably began with a cold open that featured Maya Rudolph plus a cavalcade of celebrities impersonating prominent political personalities. In addition to Rudolph’s Kamala Harris, we also got Andy Samberg as her husband Doug Emhoff and Jim Gaffigan as Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz, who, to be fair, does have Bhpe (Big Hot Pockets Energy).

The crowd went wild, presumably because the crowd wasn’t comprised of current cast members of SNL desperately vying for screen time.

To cap things off, veteran player Dana Carvey took the stage and showed off his Joe Biden impression. Carvey obviously has a long history of playing presidents on SNL, largely because Lorne Michaels didn’t stubbornly insist on hiring, say, Dan Aykroyd to play George H.W. Bush.

Carvey and David Spade discussed the “top secret” cameo during a bonus episode...

While winning one Oscar in any category is an achievement for any celebrity in a lifetime, Ben Affleck has laid his hands on the coveted golden statuette twice in two different disciplines. The actor won his first Oscar with Matt Damon for the pair’s brilliant screenplay in Good Will Hunting. Years later, Affleck picked up his second award for Best Picture with Argo.

Ben Affleck as Antonio Mendez (image credit: Warner Bros.)

This inspiring narrative of a thrilling rescue of 6 American diplomats orchestrated by the Canadian government and the CIA, is actually based on a true story of Antonio J. Mendez who achieved this heroic feat. In a strange coincidence, the great Steven Spielberg has an uncanny connection to this film, which also beat his biopic Lincoln at the Oscars that year.

The Association Between Steven Spielberg and Ben Affleck’s Oscar-Winning Film Is A Tale For The Ages...

Fly Me to the Moon is a historical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Greg Berlanti from a screenplay by Rose Gilroy. The 2024 film follows a romantic entanglement between a marketing executive and a NASA official, as he prepares for the Apollo 11 moon landing while she is given the task of filming a fake moon landing in case the real mission fails. Fly Me to the Moon stars Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum in the lead roles with Woody Harrelson, Anna Garcia, Ray Romano, Jim Rash, Nick Dillenburg, Jessie Mueller, Noah Robbins, and Bill Barrett starring in supporting roles. If you loved the fake moon landing aspect of Fly Me to the Moon, here are some similar movies you can check out next.

Moonwalkers (Starz & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Alchemy

Moonwalkers is a crime comedy film directed by Antoine Bardou-Jacquet from a screenplay by Dean Craig. Based on the Apollo Moon landing hoax,...

While winning one Oscar in any category is an achievement for any celebrity in a lifetime, Ben Affleck has laid his hands on the coveted golden statuette twice in two different disciplines. The actor won his first Oscar with Matt Damon for the pair’s brilliant screenplay in Good Will Hunting. Years later, Affleck picked up his second award when his directorial Argo which he also produced, won Best Picture.

Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez in Argo

While the true story impressed many critics and audiences, it also led to polarizing views and divisive opinions regarding the execution of its narrative in certain parts. Nevertheless, one seemingly irrelevant moment featuring a Led Zeppelin track proves that the film and Affleck deserved to win top honors.

Ben Affleck Expertly Used A Led Zeppelin Track in Argo

Ben Affleck’s 2012 film Argo won him the coveted Best Picture award on Oscar night.

It’s a fairly big month on Prime Video in March, at least compared to the other streaming service offerings! There are are two major films arriving on Amazon’s streamer. The first is a remake of the Patrick Swayze action classic Road House. Stepping into the late Swayze’s shoes? A crazy-jacked Jake Gyllenhaal, who really seemed to want to go the extra mile for this project.

The other big film coming to Prime Video is Ricky Stanicky, and the plot sounds really fun! It follows three friends who have always blamed their mistakes on an imaginary guy called Ricky Stanicky. When they have to finally introduce people to Stanicky, they decide to hire a washed-up actor (John Cena) to impersonate him. Hilarity ensues, maybe? But if neither of those make your watchlist, there’s also the return of the animated hit series Invincible.

Here’s everything coming to...

February may be over, but Freevee is far from done! Despite rumors Amazon would be shutting the door on its free streamer, the service will instead open the gates to 15 new Fast channels and plenty of new titles this coming month, including 2020’s psychological thriller “The Invisible Man,” the heist comedy “Ocean's 8,” and more.

Check out The Streamable’s top picks for what to watch on Freevee in March, and continue below to see all the titles and channels getting added to the streamer in March!

Watch Now Free amazonfreevee.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Freevee in March 2024? “Emma” | Friday, March 1

Anya Taylor-Joy stars as the restless Emma Woodhouse, a wealthy and elegant young woman without rivals living with her father in Regency-era England who entertains herself by meddling in the romantic lives of those closest to her as an amateur matchmaker. The film,...

One of the biggest criticisms of films made by Saturday Night Live alumni is that they can often feel like a series of sketches or an amalgamation of ideas that don't justify a full feature. This isn’t always necessarily a bad thing—films like Anchorman and The Blues Brothers are barely held together by a plot—but sometimes, this can lead to films like The Love Guru or The Master of Disguise. Please Don’t Destroy: The Treasure of Foggy Mountain, the first film from the comedy group of Ben Marshall, John Higgins, and Martin Herlihy, falls into this same problem, often seeming like deleted concepts stitched together into a “story,” but thankfully, it’s a form that mostly works here—even though the result doesn’t have the quality of the group’s SNL videos or online sketches.

The CIA has declassified new information that contradicts the story portrayed in the 2012 film Argo, revealing the involvement of a second officer named Ed Johnson. While the film didn't include Johnson's role, it is difficult to fault Argo for this omission since the information was only recently declassified. The movie takes other artistic liberties for storytelling and dramatic effect, with some aspects being criticized for historical inaccuracy. However, Argo still effectively recreates the significant events of the Iran hostage crisis.

Ben Affleck's Argo movie, which he directed and starred in, is no longer entirely accurate as the CIA declassifies new information about the real mission. Released in 2012, Argo stars Ben Affleck as Tony Mendez and tells the true story of how the C.I.A. operative led the rescue of six American diplomats in Tehran during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis under the facade of filming a fake science-fiction film. The real movie,...

Warning! This article contains Spoilers for Netflix's The Out-Laws!Adam Sandler’s newest movie on Netflix, The Out-Laws, revived the actor’s cameo rule after two movies went without it. This tradition is most prevalent in films from Sandler’s production company, Happy Madison, and has created a fun throughline in several of his films. However, one unexpected element of this tradition is that it makes films without it seem more notable, if only because they break Sandler’s trend. That being said, it’s fun to see this tradition brought back in The Out-Laws, and hopefully signals similar nods in future Happy Madison films set to come out this year.

Sandler’s most recent Happy Madison film, The Out-Laws, features a star-studded cast that tells the story of Owen (Adam DeVine) and Parker (Nina Dobrev), a pair of soon-to-be newlyweds. However, matters are complicated when Parker’s estranged...

Over the years, plenty of actors have tried their hand at directing. Sometimes, an actor will even prove to be a triple threat by writing, directing, and starring in a movie. Although not everyone is as successful behind a camera as in front of it, a select few actors have directed some of the best and most iconic movies of all time.

Between Orson Welles' Citizen Kane, Jordan Peele's Get Out, and Clint Eastwood's Unforgiven, audiences have been treated to several great actor-directed movies. Some actors directed films for years to prove themselves, while others made some of their best films in their directional debuts.

Related: 10 Great Actors Who Became Even Better Directors

A Star Is Born Bradley Cooper

A Star is Born is the fourth adaptation of the classic film story, but the 2018 version follows Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) as he discovers singer Ally (Lady Gaga) and helps her career blossom.

The 2002 comedy The Master of Disguise is infamous for how reviled it was upon release, but Brent Spiner enjoyed every second of its production. Co-written by Dana Carvey and Harris Goldberg, the film stars Carvey as Pistachio Disguisey, a man in a long line of secret agents known as the "Masters of Disguise." Co-starring in the comedy is Spiner, who plays the villain, Devlin Bowman. Utilizing a variety of disguises, Pistachio does his best to thwart Devlin's criminal deeds.

Dana Carvey has said that a viral rumour about his whereabouts on the day of 9/11 is, in fact, true.

The comedian was filming The Master of Disguise at the time of the terror attacks. In the film, he plays secret agent Pistachio Disguisey, who disguises himself as many characters throughout the film.

For years, it has been claimed that 11 September 2021 was the day that Carvey was filming scenes in one of the film’s most striking disguises – a bizarre-looking humanoid turtle – and that he “observed a moment of silence” while wearing it.

The rumour started after the piece of trivia was listed on the film’s IMDb page,

Wayne’s World star Carvey addressed this rumour during an episode of Fly on the Wall podcast on Wednesday (5 April).

“It’s kind of a sensitive topic, but after 9/11 I was shooting a movie called Master of Disguise,” he told his co-host, David Spade.

Dana Carvey definitely remembers where he was on 9/11.

On the latest episode of his podcast “Fly on the Wall” with David Spade, the actor’s co-host asked about an old rumour about the production of his 2002 film “The Master of Disguise”.

Read More: Dana Carvey Is ‘Always Game’ For A ‘Wayne’s World 3’ With Mike Myers

For years, the story had gone around that on September 11, 2001, Carvey was on set and in costume as his infamous Turtle Man character.

Its Real!!! pic.twitter.com/pimQNaZgn1

— wyatt dunkin (@WyattDuncan) April 5, 2023

At it turns out the story is completely true, and even weirder than many would have expected, the actor revealed.

“I was in it [the Turtle Man costume] all of that day, and then they said we’re going to have a group prayer about 9/11,” Carvey said. “I would have held everyone up for a half hour, getting all that prosthetic makeup off. So as I remember it,...

There are a number of films that anecdotally have links to the tragedy of the September 11th attacks: Spider-Man’s teaser was pulled due to showing the Twin Towers; Spike Lee’s 25th Hour was the first film to even acknowledge the attacks; a True Lies sequel was outright canceled. And then, of course, there’s The Master of Disguise, the movie where Dana Carvey dressed up as a turtle.

On a recent episode of his and David Spade’s podcast Fly on the Wall (which we highly recommend for Saturday Night Live buffs and people who can’t get enough of Carvey’s 30+-year-old George Bush impression), the comedian confirmed that the cast and crew of The Master of Disguise held a moment of silence and prayer for the victims of 9/11…except Dana Carvey was still in his Turtle Man garb. “We took an appropriate time off and went...

Bill & Ted Face the Music has arrived nearly 30 years after the original became a big hit and cult favorite. Since its release, the time travel comedy has been met with copious amounts of praise from critics and fans alike. Most agree that it perfectly captures the magic of the first two movies, and is a most excellent addition to the franchise. It looks and feels like a true Bill and Ted adventure. And a great deal of that is thanks to iconic special effects legend Kevin Yagher, who has been with the series since its start way back in 1989.

Bill and Ted, as a series, has a very distinct look. And that is once again captured on-screen in this latest journey for Bill S. Preston Esquire and Ted "Theodor" Logan, known world over as The Wyld Stallyns. Kevin Yagher created the cavemen for Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure. He would return...

Naya Rivera has passed away. She was 33-years old. The former Glee actress had been missing since Wednesday, July 8th after she was last seen at Lake Piru with her 4-year old son. It is believed that she accidentally drowned. Rivera had rented a pontoon boat for her and her son, but when it was time to return the boat, she was nowhere to be found. Her son, Josey Hollis Dorsey, was found asleep on the boat wearing a life jacket, telling authorities that his mother never came back from the water.

Ventura County officials announced this morning that they had located a body, which was later identified as Naya Rivera. A press conference is expected for later today. At this time it is unclear where Rivera was found, but investigators did receive a clue when looking at a text that Rivera sent to family. They were able to find...

The body of actress Naya Rivera, best known for her role as Santana Lopez on the TV show Glee, was found Monday after going missing in a lake near Los Angeles. She was 33. On Monday afternoon, Sheriff Bill Ayub confirmed Rivera’s death at a press conference. Prior to a press conference Monday afternoon, TMZ confirmed the body was Rivera.

A body has been found at Lake Piru this morning. The recovery is in progress. There will be a news conference at 2 pm at the lake

— Ventura Co. Sheriff (@Venturasheriff...

The money launderer. The Fixer. The master of disguise.

Netflix giveth, and Netflix taketh away.

"Blade Runner: The Theatrical Cut" was just added to Netflix streaming, but now it's facing a harsh expiration date of May 16. (We'll be up on the roof, holding a dove and crying.)

And dude! So bogus: Unless you have a time machine, you only have until May 1st to stream "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" (1989).

Also leaving in May 2016: "Election," "Clerks," and "Black Hawk Dawn" as well as classic Marilyn Monroe movie "Bus Stop."

Here are all the movies and TV series leaving Netflix in May 2016. As always, all titles and dates are subject to change.

Leaving May 1

"The Animatrix" (2003)

"Anna Karenina" (1948)

"Author! Author!" (1982)

"Beware of Mr. Baker" (2012)

"Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure" (1989)

"Broadway Idiot" (2013)

"Bus Stop" (1956)

"Election" (1999)

"The Good Life" (2012)

"Holiday Engagement" (2011)

"Kiss of Death" (1995)

"Mad Hot Ballroom" (2005)

"Mona Lisa Is Missing" (2012)

"Ralphie May: Austin-tatious" (2008)

"Terms And Conditions May Apply" (2013)

"That's What I Am...

By Anjelica Oswald

Managing Editor

Only one of this year’s adapted screenplay nominees isn’t adapted from a book, and that’s Damien Chazelle’s Whiplash, which is adapted from his short film of the same name that took home the jury prize for short film from the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. The other four adaptations all come from books, three non-fiction and one fiction.

American Sniper is based on Chris Kyle’s (portrayed in the film by Bradley Cooper) autobiography of the same name, which he wrote with Scott McEwan and Jim DeFelice.

The Imitation Game is adapted from Alan Turing: The Enigma, written by Andrew Hodges, a mathematician and author. Turing is played by Benedict Cumberbatch in the film.

Adapted from Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen Hawking by Jane Hawking, The Theory of Everything explores Stephen Hawking’s relationship with his ex-wife. The couple is played...

Universal Pictures

A quick glance at box office figures suggest that critical reviews have increasingly little to do with a movie’s chances of success. The cinematic exploits of Michael Bay, Roland Emmerich, Shawn Levy and others receive very little critical praise, but consistently do solid box office business. The simple reason for this is despite their many flaws, these directors provide a spectacle that audiences are willing to pay to see in theaters. They may not be universally loved, but they do have their merits.

However, there are plenty of movies that are simply irredeemably awful. We’ve all sat through countless movies and wondered if the production team knew they were making something terrible, questioning just how these cinematic abominations managed to get funding in favor of the countless superior unproduced scripts that litter the desks of every studio in Hollywood. Some of these stinkers fall into the...

The name Debora Cahn is not one that enjoys instant recognition among audiences, but she has been working steadily and with impressive results since her days as an award-winning writer on The West Wing. Eventually rising to the ranks of producer on that show, she went on to replicate the same success on Grey’s Anatomy. With a feature script having ranked highly on the 2013 Black List (The Special Program), her work has drawn attention from notable places – including Smokehouse Productions and Columbia Pictures, who have recruited her to write Coronado High.

Based on an article by Joshua Bearman, the story will focus on a laid-back teacher in Coronado, California in 1969, who collaborated with some local high school students to smuggle pot from Mexico, using swimming and paddle surfboards. From this supposedly simple idea rose a sizable 1970s criminal empire, which was ultimately taken down by the Drug Enforcement Agency.

By anyone’s standards, screenwriter Chris Terrio has already had a big year. Having penned the adaptation of the book The Master of Disguise as the film Argo, he spent the first few months of the year collecting a raft of awards nominations – capping the annual gong season with an Oscar win. Not bad for his first full screenplay.

For some, winning an Oscar early in the year might mean the ensuing months would be something of an anti-climax. Not so for Terrio, who is ending 2013 with the task of revising the script for the feverishly anticipated, Batman vs. Superman – the film that will see his Argo director and star, Ben Affleck, don the Dark Knight’s cape.

David Goyer – the writer behind Man Of Steel, and Christopher Nolan’s Batman films – provided Batman vs. Superman director Zack Snyder with a draft of the movie, but is now occupied with a rapidly expanding workload,...

On December 3, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (Wbhe) will release Argo Extended Edition on Blu-ray, featuring an additional nine minutes of footage that delves deeper into CIA specialist Tony Mendez's personal relationships with his wife and son. Based on the true story of the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans during the Iran hostage crisis, the film also focuses on the little-known role that the CIA and Hollywood played. Ben Affleck (The Town) directed.

Available in Blu-ray (at $49.99 Srp) with UltraViolet digital copy, Argo Extended Edition will be offered in time for holiday gift giving. This new edition includes three brand new special features: Ben Affleck's Balancing Act and Argo Declassified featurettes; plus a mash-up entitled Argo F*ck! Yourself. In addition, there are collectible premiums of a one-sheet poster, map of Tehran, reproduction of Tony Mendez's CIA ID card, and a 40-page book with behind-the-scenes photos,...

Knoxville -- After a whirlwind experience at the Academy Awards, Tony Mendez has received more than 7,000 emails about "Argo's" big win.

"It changes your life," Mendez said Tuesday afternoon.

Now back in Maryland, the former CIA agent and wife, Jonna, are responding to those inquiries one at a time. On Tuesday night, the couple took a break for an interview with CNN host Piers Morgan. CNN and other media outlets all seem to want a piece of Mendez and his story.

"I wouldn't have thought getting an Oscar was that big of a deal, but it turns out to be a huge deal," Mendez told The Frederick News-Post.

On Tuesday, Mendez described Oscar night as a surreal experience that left him in tears. He and his wife were seated inside the Dolby Theatre as first lady Michelle Obama announced "Argo" as best picture.

"It was probably one of the...

Toronto — The former Canadian ambassador to Iran who protected Americans at great personal risk during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis said Monday it was good to hear Ben Affleck finally thank Canada after Affleck's film "Argo" won the Oscar for best picture.

"Argo" came under criticism from some Canadians, including former ambassador Ken Taylor, who said he felt slighted by the movie because it makes Canada look like a meek observer to CIA heroics. Taylor says it minimizes Canada's role in the Americans' rescue.

Taylor criticized Affleck on Friday and said he hoped Affleck would acknowledge Canada's role. Affleck briefly thanked Canada in his acceptance speech Sunday.

"Finally, he mentioned Canada," Taylor said. "Under the circumstances, I think that was fine. It certainly acknowledged Canada. I think certainly the movie was about CIA agent Tony Mendez. I think that President Carter's remarks put everything in proportion."

Carter appeared on television last week and said,...

Chris Terrio snares Oscar for Argo, after his take on an article in Wired magazine was shot by Ben Affleck

Oscars 2013: best picture belongs to Argo, while Life of Pi helps upset Lincoln's ship

Oscars 2013: the full list of winners

Chris Terrio has won the best adapted screenplay Oscar at the 85th Academy Awards in La, defeating a strong field that included Tony Kushner for Lincoln and David O Russell for Silver Linings Playbook.

Directed by Ben Affleck, Argo tells the story of the "Canadian caper", the extraction of six hostages by CIA agent Tony Mendez from the 1979 Us embassy siege in Iran.

Based on a Wired magazine article by Joshuah Bearman, as well as Mendez's own book The Master of Disguise, Argo marks Terrio's first appearance as an Academy Award nominee.

Terrio's victory in this category will no doubt provide some compensation for Affleck, who was bafflingly...

And here we are, the last big hurrah before the granddaddy of the awards season, the Academy Awards. As expected, "Zero Dark Thirty" won Original Screenplay but the most surprising winner was "Argo," beating the writing frontrunner, "Lincoln" by Tony Kushner. So more "Argo" power! It's definitely the film to beat this Oscars, and I'm happy that it's my No. 1 film of 2012!

Here's the complete list of WGA winners; for other winners/nominees this awards season, click here:

Film

Original Screenplay

"Zero Dark Thirty" - Written by Mark Boal; Columbia Pictures

Adapted Screenplay

"Argo" - Screenplay by Chris Terrio; based on a selection from "The Master of Disguise" by Antonio J. Mendez and the Wired magazine article "The Great Escape" by Joshuah Bearman; Warner Bros. Pictures

Documentary Screenplay

"Searching for Sugar Man" - Written by Malik Bendejelloul; Sony Pictures Classics

Television

Drama Series

"Breaking Bad" - Written by Sam Catlin,...

The last of the guild awards were held Sunday night with the Writers Guild of America (WGA) Awards, and as predicted, "Argo" took honors for adapted screenplay, while "Zero Dark Thirty" won for original screenplay. Overall, we correctly guessed 10 out of 14 winners correctly, including best drama series "Breaking Bad" and best comedy series "Louie."  Ceremonies were held on both the west and east coasts, which resulted in many west coast finding out they had won in advance, such as "Zero Dark Thirty" writer Mark Boal, who admitted he'd learned five minutes before of his win on Twitter.  With the win for "Argo" writer Chris Terrio, the film has done a clean sweep of the guilds, winning PGA, DGA, and SAG ensemble awards. Terrio is considered the fronturnner to win the Oscar next week. Boal did not have to compete against such films as "Amour" or, most notably, "Django Unchained," which...

As we enter the home stretch to the Academy Awards, writers were celebrated Sunday. The 2012 Writers Guild Awards honored the best writing in film, television, radio, new media, and video games. "Zero Dark Thirty" and "Argo" took home the original and adapted screenplay awards, respectively. While "Breaking Bad," and "Louie" took home awards for best drama and comedy series.

Here is the full winners list:

Television

Drama SERIESBreaking Bad (AMC), Written by Sam Catlin, Vince Gilligan, Peter Gould, Gennifer Hutchison, George Mastras, Thomas Schnauz, Moira Walley-Beckett

Comedy SERIESLouie (FX), Written by Pamela Adlon, Vernon Chatman, Louis C.K.

New SERIESGirls (HBO), Written by Judd Apatow, Lesley Arfin, Lena Dunham, Sarah Heyward, Bruce Eric Kaplan, Jenni Konner, Deborah Schoeneman, Dan Sterling

Episodic DRAMAMad Men (AMC) - "The Other Woman" - Written by Semi Chellas and Matthew Weiner 

Episodic COMEDYModern Family (ABC) - "Virgin Territory" - Written by Elaine Ko

Long Form -...

Original Screenplay Zero Dark Thirty, Written by Mark Boal; Columbia Pictures Adapted Screenplay Argo, Screenplay by Chris Terrio; Based on a selection from The Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez...

The unstoppable "Argo" takes home another award! The Ben Affleck film won the 25th annual Scripter Award! Voted on by 41 critics, screenwriters, and film professionals, "Argo" beat "Beasts of the Southern Wild," "Life of Pi," "Lincoln," "The Perks of Being a Wallflower," and "Silver Lining Playbook."

Yay, "Argo!" My No. 1 Favorite Film of 2012!

Here's the complete list of winner/nominees; for winners/nominees of other award-giving bodies, click here:

*** Winner "Argo": Screenwriter Chris Terrio, Joshuah Bearman, author of the article "The Great Escape," and Antonio J. Mendez, author of "The Master of Disguise."

"Beasts of the Southern Wild": Screenwriters Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, based on Alibar's play "Juicy and Delicious."

"Life of Pi": Screenwriter David Magee and novelist Yann Martel.

"Lincoln": Screenwriter Tony Kushner and Doris Kearns Goodwin, author of "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln."

"Perks of Being a Wallflower": Stephen Chbosky,...

Unstoppable awards juggernaut "Argo" won yet another award Saturday night as New York screenwriter Chris Terrio, Wired journalist Joshuah Bearman ("The Great Escape") and ex-cia analyst Tony Mendez ("The Master of Disguise")  won the 25th annual Scripter Award. Scripter awards go to adapted scripts as well as the original writers. It may have been just as well that the expected Scripter winners, "Team of Rivals" author Doris Kearns Goodwin and "Lincoln" screenwriter Tony Kushner, were snowed in on the East Coast. "We're an anxious breed," said Bearman as he accepted for the BAFTA-bound Terrio and Mendez. Adaptations are scary, he added. But in this case producer Chris Brigham, who encouraged him to write the Tony Mendez story after it became declassified in 1997, saying it would make a great movie, and Smokehouse's Grant Heslov and George Clooney, who optioned the material adapted by Chris Terrio, and...

In yet another surprise (though I guess there should be none by now with this film), "Argo" has picked up an interesting win en route to the Oscars. Journalist Joshua Bearman (article, "The Great Escape"), author Antonio Mendez (book, "The Master of Disguise") and screenwriter Chris Terrio ("Argo") have taken the USC Scripter Award over some heated competition. Most might have surmised that Tony Kushner and Doris Kearns Goodwin had the right combination to win such a prize, which recognizes adapted screenplays and their source material in a given year. Indeed, many of its past winners have erred on the side of...

Argo screenwriter Chris Terrio and authors Joshuah Bearman and Antonio J. Mendez won the 25th annual USC Libraries Scripter Award. The Scripters, which recognize the author and scribes of a produced literary work-to-film adaptation, were held at a gala ceremony Saturday night at USC’s Doheny Memorial Library. Terrio wrote the screenplay for Argo, which was based on the 2007 Wired article The Great Escape by Joshuah Bearman and by the 2000 memoir The Master of Disguise by Antonio J. Mendez. Photos: 2013 Oscar Snubs The trio beat out nominees Beasts of the Southern Wild (dramatist Lucy Alibar, who wrote

read more...

I'm so happy that "Perks of Being a Wallflower," an overlooked gem this awards season, received a nomination for the 25th annual USC Libraries Scripter awards which recognize both the screenwriters and the authors of a film. In the case of "Perks," Stephen Chbosky is being honored for writing the book and adapting his novel. He also directed but too bad he did not get a nod from the Directors Guild of America. Oh well. We'll find out the winner on February 9.

Here are the complete list of nominees; for winners/nominees of other award-giving bodies, click here:

"Argo": Screenwriter Chris Terrio, Joshuah Bearman, author of the article "The Great Escape," and Antonio J. Mendez, author of "The Master of Disguise."

"Beasts of the Southern Wild": Screenwriters Lucy Alibar and Benh Zeitlin, based on Alibar's play "Juicy and Delicious."

"Life of Pi": Screenwriter David Magee and novelist Yann Martel.

The cast of Ben Affleck's "Argo" will be honored at the 24th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (January 3 - 14) with the Ensemble Performance Award! And rightfully so! "Argo" is one of the best films of 2012 and features a splendid cast headed by Affleck and Bryan Cranston. Also featured in the ensemble for the Iran hostage drama are John Goodman, Clea DuVall, Scott McNairy, Tate Donovan, Victor Garber, Rory Cochrane, Christohper Denham, Kerry Bishe, Kyle Chandler and Chris Messina.

The cast of "Argo" will join fellow honorees Helen Hunt ("The Sessions"), Naomi Watts ("The Impossible"), and Robert Zemeckis ("Flight").

Related Posts:

"Argo" movie review

Ben Affleck interview for "Argo"

Bryan Cranston interview for "Argo"

Here's the full press release:

Palm Springs, CA (December 5, 2012) . The 24th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival (Psiff) will present the film Argo with its Ensemble Performance Award. Cast members from the film, including Ben Affleck,...

When .Gone Baby Gone. came out in 2007, I thought the idea of Ben Affleck, the director, was just a fluke. Sure, he created one of the finest films of that year, but how could a leading man who once dated Jennifer Lopez craft a thought-provoking film?

And then, .The Town. was released three years later, and I started paying attention. Affleck could be one of the best storytellers of his generation. Fast forward to now with his brilliant .Argo. and you can call me a believer. Yes, Affleck is a master storyteller.

From the informative opening credits to the humanistic ending, .Argo. is a well-told film about the Iran hostage crisis. For a political drama, this film has such levity that it might as well have been an action-packed rescue movie.

.Argo. opens with a five-minute vignette about the history of violence in the Middle East. Created like a Salvador Dali...

-- A movie about the 1979 Iranian hostage crisis probably doesn't sound like it would be a laugh riot – or should be – but that's just one of the many ways in which "Argo" is a glorious, gripping surprise.

Directing his third feature, Ben Affleck has come up with a seamless blend of detailed international drama and breathtaking suspense, with just the right amount of dry humor to provide context and levity. He shows a deft handling of tone, especially in making difficult transitions between scenes in Tehran, Washington and Hollywood, but also gives one of his strongest performances yet in front of the camera as the film's star.

It's exciting to see the confidence with which Affleck expands his ambition and scope as a filmmaker. His first two movies, "Gone Baby Gone" (2007) and "The Town" (2010), were both smart and suspenseful, but both were intimate crime thrillers set within the familiarity of his hometown of Boston.

Ben Affleck’s Argo tells the true-life tale of a CIA agent who posed as the producer of a science fiction epic to rescue six Americans trapped in Iran in 1979. Now, another filmmaker wants to tell you a different part the story — but he needs your help to finish it.

For six years, Judd Ehrlich has been working on a documentary called Science Fiction Land, and the Emmy-nominated filmmaker just launched a Kickstarter campaign to raise $50,000 to complete the project. The non-fiction flick takes its title from a proposed theme park to be built on the success of a sci-fi blockbuster,...

Chicago – In the latest HollywoodChicago.com Hookup: Film with our unique social giveaway technology, we have 50 pairs of movie passes up for grabs to the advance screening of the highly anticipated “Argo” from “The Town” director Ben Affleck!

“Argo,” which opens on Oct. 12, 2012 and is rated “R,” stars Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Chris Messina, Kyle Chandler, Taylor Schilling, Zeljko Ivanek, Clea DuVall, Adrienne Barbeau, Tate Donovan, Titus Welliver, Victor Garber, Bob Gunton and Rory Cochrane from director Ben Affleck and writer Chris Terrio based on the article by Joshuah Bearman.

To win your free “Argo” passes courtesy of HollywoodChicago.com, just get interactive with our unique Hookup technology below. That’s it! This screening is on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2012 at 7 p.m. in downtown Chicago. The more social actions you complete, the more points you score and the higher yours odds of winning! You must be 17+ to win this “R”-rated Hookup.

Try to wrap your head around this: A movie is being made about the story of a fake movie studio producing a fake movie with a fake crew, all concocted to spring Us diplomats out of imprisonment from a hostile government. If it sounds a bit confusing, that's the point; this is real CIA business we're talking about here.

The first photo of Ben Affleck in his next directorial feature, "Argo," has been released by Warner Bros., the actual studio putting out this actual feature. The film features the story of the unusual CIA plot to free hostages taken by the Iranian government in 1979: spymaster Tony Mendez created the fake "Studio Six," with Hollywood offices and employees and the works, in order to pitch to the Iranians that the diplomats they had taken hostage were actually just Canadian film workers out on location.

The plan, Mendez wrote in his 2000 memoir,...

Let’s face it. We can’t hide it. We all have those movies that we like that others would shun. These are guilty pleasures: the ones that aren’t that great but we love for some reason or another. Here are mine. Be sure to list yours in the comments, if you’d like.

Last Action Hero (1993)

Rotten Tomatoes: 38%

Actors: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Austin O’Brien, F. Murray Abraham, Art Carney, Charles Dance

Director: John McTiernan/Writers: Shane Black and David Arnott

Here’s the thing: I will defend this movie’s concept till Doomsday. A movie about a kid with a magic ticket that gets pulled into an Arnold Schwarzenegger movie? Genius concept. Yes, the kid is annoying. Yes, the movie doesn’t reach the heights of a McTiernan/Black team-up as well as one might think. It’s interesting to note that McTiernan isn’t working as much...

Kurt here with a new Cinema de Gym, the first to focus on a movie I never knew existed before my cardio session. Is everyone familiar with Opportunity Knocks? It's a 1990 comedy noteworthy for being the breakout film for SNL alum Dana Carvey. With his straw-blonde hair styled into what I remember to be an almost-mullet, Carvey plays Eddie Farrell, a California con man whose slovenly style (oversized shirts, khakis with sneakers) is used to convey an enviably carefree outlook (as opposed to Steve Carrells's version of the same style in this week's Crazy, Stupid, Love., which is used to convey unenviable cluelessness). I entered the movie just as it was starting (another first), and got to see the unremarkable opening credits blip onto the screen as Carvey strutted down the street in his lazy dude's attire. There was no telling why he was carrying a potted plant.

Turns out...

Hi there friends. Brian Gallagher here with this week's look at all of the news that wasn't exactly fit for print. There's a lot to get through this week so lets start off with one of the coolest outdoor ads I've ever seen, for the hit AMC TV series Mad Men.

Mad Men Skyscraper Ad - via Ads Of the World

Along with being one of the best shows anywhere on TV, Mad Men has a wonderful opening credit sequence, which features an animated man jumping off a skyscraper. I'm surprised this hasn't happened sooner, but New Zealand ad agency DraftFCB has turned a real skyscraper into a wonderful ad for the show, which will start airing on New Zealand's Prime network this month. Take a look at this innovative ad below.

Awesome. I wonder if any New Zealand residents who aren't familiar with the show will actually think some...

The Spider-Man musical punchlines have not yet subsided, and I doubt they will before 2010 ends at this rate. "Break a leg" references and Green Goblin involvement behind the scenes have been the most popular choices today.

Also trending today was Lindsay Lohan after a Betty Ford Center employee accused the actress of battery and was subsequently fired for sharing confidential information with the press. Scope out some reactions after the jump, along with an update on what Russell Brand did with his new 3-D TV.

I'm @brianwarmoth, and this is Twitter-Wood for December 22, 2010.

Twitter Pic of the Day:

@alyankovic Road reflectors… or subliminal advertising from Big Tobacco? http://twitpic.com/3ighi7

-"Weird Al" Yankovic, Musican/Writer/Actor ("Uhf," "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story")

@rustyrockets I bought an HD 3d TV for Christmas. I now have an incredibly vivid transvestite in the living room.

-Russell Brand, Actor ("Get Him to the Greek,...

So who in Twitter-Wood is thankful for Howard Stern sticking it out for another five years with Sirius Radio? Well, John Stamos, Neil Patrick Harris and Brent Spiner for starters. Much of our feed breathed a collective sigh of relief this morning when news of Stern's renewed deal broke.

As for Seth Meyers, I don't know how he felt about the Stern announcement, but he was appreciative of Mindy Kaling's congratulatory tweet today after he made headlines as the next White House Correspondents' Association Dinner host. His reaction, along with Greg Mottola on "Superbad 2," Jon Favreau on doing the Soulja Boy dance and David Slade on "Eclipse" await you after the jump

I'm @brianwarmoth, and this is Twitter-Wood for December 9, 2010.

Twitter Pic of the Day:

@JohnStamos not many people can say they are the absolute best at what they do!! congrats to howard stern on his new deal with http://twitpic.