News

While actor Lou Ferrigno may be best known for playing the titular Hulk on the CBS TV series The Incredible Hulkfrom 1977 to 1982, he’s now starring as a completely different type of “monster.” Ferrigno spoke with Variety about his role as a lone pig farmer living in the woods in the new horror-thriller movieThe Hermit.

"This guy, he’s kind of possessed. So you see the pain. You see the demons in him,” Ferrigno said. The actor, who was last seen in the 2022 Paramount+ miniseries The Offer, stars in The Hermit as a larger-than-life pig farmer whose mother taught him how to cook humans and turn them into jerky.

The film’s official logline reads: “Dragged on a vacation to the woods, two self-absorbed teens named Lisa (Supergirl’sMalina Weissman) and Eric (Anthony Turpel of That ‘90s Show) venture off trail, stumble across a farm, go in, see animal heads...

The 2017 R-rated comedy movie Father Figures is a creative road movie that follows two adult brothers as they attempt to find their biological dad. After learning that their mother had lied to them their entire lives, Kyle and Peter are determined to figure out who their father is and set off across the country to find him. Along the way, they meet various men who could potentially be their father, and the brothers bond over their various adventures, creating a tale that is both funny and, at times, heartfelt.

Though the R-rated comedy received a lackluster response from critics and audiences and was not financially successful upon release, streaming audiences are now reassessing the movie and are realizing just how funny it actually is. Father Figures' quirky and underrated plot is supported by a cast of A-list stars that includes seasoned comedy veterans and expert dramatic actors.

Actor

Role

Owen Wilson...

Given that the character is known for his wild rages and tendency to yell the phrase "Hulk smash!," it's curious that Kenneth Johnson's 1970s TV series "The Incredible Hulk" should be as melancholy as it is. Series protagonist David Banner (Bill Bixby) is depicted as a lonely, tragic figure, hating the fact that he, when enraged, turns into a green monster (played by superstar bodybuilder Lou Ferrigno). Indeed, in the TV show -- unlike the original Marvel comic books -- Dr. Banner first started experimenting with strength-giving radiation after he witnessed his wife die in a car crash. He had heard the stories of certain people summoning great strength in emergencies, and wanted to give himself that strength permanently, using it to fight off the trauma and sadness he always carried around.

Then, once he managed to accidentally give himself Hulk strength, it immediately divided Dr. Banner from the rest of society.

This August, Paramount+ is bringing you a lot of entertainment with the highly anticipated streaming release of the biographical film Bob Marley: One Love and a very weird but humorous and heartfelt film Sasquatch Sunset, which follows the daily lives of a Sasquatch family. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Paramount+ this month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 10 best films that are coming to Paramount+ in August 2024 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Airplane! (August 1)

Airplane! is a disaster absurdist comedy film written and directed by Jim Abrahams, David, and Jerry Zucker. Based on the 1957 drama film Zero Hour! by Arthur Hailey, Hall Bartlett, and John Champion, the 1980 film follows Ted Striker, a former pilot with a fear of flying as he finds himself in the impossible situation of landing a...

"The Fugitive" ran for four seasons on ABC from 1963 to 1967. The series followed Dr. Richard Kimble (David Janssen), a (you guessed it) fugitive accused of murdering his wife. Pursued across the country by lawman Philip Gerard (Barry Morse), he tries to prove his innocence by finding the real killer.

On one hand, "The Fugitive" is as episodic as you'd expect from a 1960s TV show. Each episode features Kimble in a different town with a new problem to solve. The backstory is also told via title sequence; the first episode, "Fear in a Desert City," is just another adventure for Kimble, not the murder, trial, and Kimble's escape the way it would be today. However, there's also some serialization with the story threads of Gerard hunting Kimble and Kimble hunting the real murderer, a one-armed man (Bill Raisch). These reach their conclusion in the finale, "The Judgment."

With such a simple and exciting premise,...

From left: Hulk (Courtesy of Universal Pictures); The Incredible Hulk (Courtesy of Universal Pictures) Graphic: The A.V. Club Some superheroes get multiple screen incarnations simply because they are challenging to capture cinematically. The Fantastic Four will be on their fourth iteration in 2025. The Punisher has been portrayed by four different actors,...

From left: Hulk (Courtesy of Universal Pictures); The Incredible Hulk (Courtesy of Universal Pictures)Graphic: The A.V. Club

Some superheroes get multiple screen incarnations simply because they are challenging to capture cinematically. The Fantastic Four will be on their fourth iteration in 2025. The Punisher has been portrayed by four different actors,...

Several characters from The Incredible Hulk are still missing from the MCU. Prior to the McU's Phase 4, the events of The Incredible Hulk were practically ignored, despite the film marking the only time Bruce Banner has had a solo adventure in the franchise. During the 2008 film, the second in Marvel Studios' shared universe, Edward Norton portrayed Banner, the scientist inflicted with a transformative condition after being exposed to lethal levels of gamma radiation, but the role was recast for The Avengers, which saw Mark Ruffalo become Bruce Banner, a.k.a. the Hulk, a role which he continues to portray in the current MCU.

While General Ross has had a background role in the MCU for a number of years, the Multiverse Saga confirmed the inclusion of several other characters from The Incredible Hulk. Harrison Ford will now play Ross, Tim Roth returned as Emil Blonsky, a.k.a. Abomination,...

Films and television shows based on comic books are ubiquitous nowadays. In the 1970s, however, superhero fare wasn't exactly the drama mine it is now. We had the light and entertaining "Wonder Woman" TV series with Lynda Carter, and the campy and comedic "Batman" series with Adam West was in the rearview mirror. Comics were still mostly for kids, and we were years away from seeing Michael Keaton dramatically don the Batsuit. The genre wasn't taken particularly seriously.

In the mid-1970s, Universal got the rights to some of Stan Lee's Marvel comic book characters, including the Hulk. Though the resulting TV series "The Incredible Hulk" produced a two-hour pilot and had five subsequent seasons, not everyone was on board with the idea of a show about a man who gets mad and turns into a hulking green dude. Series writer, producer, and creator Kenneth Johnson wasn't interested at all at first,...

Disney+’s She-Hulk: Attorney at Law kicked off its season finale with a cold open that uncannily recreated the opening credits for TV’s The Incredible Hulk, which ran for five seasons on CBS and starred Bill Bixby and Lou Ferrigno.

Part of the reason the homage was so retro-perfect was because actual elements from the original series were incorporated into the filmmaking process.

More from TVLineWhy Madisynn Was Mia From She-Hulk Seasynn Finale: 'If I Had Known...'She-Hulk Director Talks Kevin Feige's Role in McU-Mocking Finale, Wanting [Spoiler] to Be Her 'Baby Yoda'Percy Jackson Disney+ Series Adds WWE...

This article contains She-Hulk finale spoilers

The green gloves were off in the She-Hulk finale, and after nine episodes of toxic masculinity, twerking with Megan Thee Stallion, and a lot of waiting for Charlie Cox’s Daredevil to arrive, it all culminated in this. October 13’s “Whose Show Is This?” delivered some of the wildest scenes to grace the MCU, but when we weren’t busy breaking the already broken fourth wall, we were canonizing forgotten Hulks.

It’s easy to forget that there have been a lot of actors who’ve played the mean, green, fighting machine. In the Marvel Cinematic Universe alone, there’s been Mark Ruffalo’s Bruce Banner/Incredible Hulk, who replaced Edward Norton’s brief stint from 2008’s The Incredible Hulk movie. Eric Bana starred in 2003’s Hulk before the MCU, but going back even further, we had the legends of Bill Bixby and...

Major spoilers ahead for "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law."

"She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" finally did what some of us have been waiting for since the series was first announced: We got our nod to the 1970s "The Incredible Hulk" TV series! In a finale that stuck the landing in a way that many Marvel Disney+ shows haven't been able to manage, this was an extra treat!

I have only the vaguest memories of the 1970s show, other than loving it as a tiny person and thinking that star Bill Bixby was just the coolest. However, I definitely remember the opening sequence for the show, which had its two-hour TV movie premiere in 1977 and ran for 80 episodes beginning in 1978. It had a sort of sad tone, following Bill Bixby's Dr. David Banner, who had been researching how people get superhuman abilities sometimes when they're under great duress. An accident occurs, and he...

"What did you do the Nick the Reindeer, he didn't do anything to you?!" Safier Entertainment has revealed an official trailer for a holiday comedy called Christmas vs The Walters, arriving in theaters + on VOD starting this November. Yet another instantly forgettable holiday movie to ignore. Shawnee Smith stars as perfectionist expectant mother Diane Walters, who spends each year planning the ideal Christmas holiday. When her husband is taken out of town on business and her eccentric doctor confines her to bed rest, she races against the clock to craft another memorable celebration. As she strives to create the perfect holiday, her loving but dysfunctional family falls apart around her. The ensemble cast also includes Dean Winters, Caroline Aaron, Betsy Beutler, Paris Bravo, Nate Torrence, Richard Thomas, Jack McGee, with Bruce Dern and Chris Elliott. This just doesn't look like it has anything new to offer at all, unfortunately. Here's...

Expanding Los Angeles-based distributor Safier Entertainment has acquired worldwide rights to the comedic holiday feature “Christmas Vs. the Walters” out of the Cannes Film Market.

The ensemble film is led by Oscar nominee Bruce Dern, “30 Rock” regular and “Oz” actor Dean Winters, “Saw” franchise star Shawnee Smith and Emmy-winning “Schitt’s Creek” star Chris Elliott.

Promised a wide theatrical release on Nov. 5 before heading to paid VOD and digital sell-through, the film is directed by genre helmer Peter D’Amato. He penned the script with Ante Novakovic.

“Christmas Vs. the Walters” sees Smith as the perfectionist expectant mother Diane Walters, who spends each year planning the ideal Christmas holiday. When her husband is taken out of town on business and her eccentric doctor confines her to bed rest, she races against the clock to craft another memorable celebration.

D’Amato and Novakovic also serve as producers with Rob Simmons of Jars Media Group...

The Brad Furman-directed crime thriller City of Lies has had quite a journey, but the Saban Films release finally hits theaters today before dropping on digital and on demand April 9.

Based on the book, LAbyrinth, by Pulitzer Prize-winning author Randall Sullivan and adapted by Christian Contreras, City of Lies follows the investigation into the infamous murder of iconic rap artist Christopher Wallace aka the hip hop legend Notorious B.I.G.

Oscar and Emmy winner Forest Whitaker stars as Jack Jackson, a journalist who teams up with LAPD detective Russell Poole (Johnny Depp), who spent nearly 20 years trying to solve the murder. The two of them try to find the truth. They explore why the case remains cold — and why a secret division of the LAPD is seemingly set on keeping it that way.

It’s not a lie that City of Lies went through a lot to make its way to the theaters.

IFC Films' new comedy, Last Call, is in theaters, on Digital and On Demand on March 19, 2021. To celebrate, we've got an exclusive clip from the movie that stars Jeremy Piven, Bruce Dern, Taryn Manning, Jamie Kennedy, Cathy Moriarty, Jack McGee, Zach McGowan and Cheri Oteri.

In the movie, a local success story and real estate developer, Mick (Jeremy Piven), returns home to his offbeat blue collar Irish neighborhood in the shadows of Philadelphia for a funeral and is obligated to stay to ensure his parents' ailing family business gets back on course. Amidst all of this, he grows closer to his childhood crush (Taryn Manning) who is also back in town, while enduring the constant ridicule from his old hometown crew. As Mick begins to reconnect with the neighborhood he grew up in, he finds himself at a crossroads when forced to either raze or resurrect the family bar.

Last...

"Did you forget where you came from?" IFC Films has revealed an official trailer for a dramedy titled Last Call, from filmmaker / producer Paolo Pilladi. The film's early working title was Crabs in a Bucket, which seems amusing but probably doesn't really describe the story well. A "success story" real estate developer returns to his old Philly neighborhood and ends up obligated to stay to help ensure his parents’ ailing family business gets back on course. While there, he must decide to raze or resurrect the family bar while dealing with other questions about his life and what to do next. The film stars Jeremy Piven, Taryn Manning, Bruce Dern, Zach McGowan, Jamie Kennedy, and Jack McGee. Doesn't look that great, but it does look like a sweet & funny middle-aged look at "going home" and reconnecting with your old neighborhood. Here's the official trailer (+ poster) for Paolo Pilladi's Last Call,...

Shawnee Smith (the Saw franchise), Dean Winters (30 Rock), Emmy winning actor Chris Elliott, and Oscar nominee Bruce Dern are set to star in Christmas vs The Walters, an indie holiday comedy from Jars Media Group, Sparkd Films, and Novakovic Brothers Films. Caroline Aaron (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Betsy Beutler (Last Call and Scrubs), Paris Bravo (Bad Therapy), Nate Torrence (She’s Out Of My League), Jack McGee (Moneyball), and Emmy winner Richard Thomas will also lead the ensemble cast.

Directed by Peter D’Amato, the film follows Diane Walters (Smith) who finds herself consumed with the year-long obsession of creating the perfect holiday for her family. While her husband Brian (Winters) gets sent to Texas on business, the expecting mother of two is ordered on bed rest by her eccentric doctor (Elliott) and has only 200 hours to pull it all together. She’s on a mission to make this holiday more...

Exclusive: IFC Films has picked up the U.S. and Canada rights to Paolo Pilladi’s comedy Last Call, which the filmmaker directed, produced and co-wrote. IFC is eyeing a theatrical release this year.

Pic follows Mick, played by Jeremy Piven, who is a local success story and real estate developer. He returns home to his offbeat blue collar Irish neighborhood in the shadows of Philadelphia for a funeral and is obligated to stay to ensure his parents’ ailing family business gets back on course. Amidst all of this, he grows closer to his childhood crush (Taryn Manning) who is also back in town, while enduring the constant ridicule from his old hometown crew. As Mick begins to reconnect with the neighborhood he grew up in, he finds himself at a crossroads when forced to either raze or resurrect the family bar.

The movie also stars two-time Oscar nominee Bruce Dern,...

With readers turning to their home viewing options more than ever, this daily feature provides one new movie each day worth checking out on a major streaming platform.

There’s not much subtlety in Ron Howard’s vibrant day-in-the-life dramedy “The Paper,” a movie that literally works up to dueling (both physically and morally) newspaper editors, played by Michael Keaton and Glenn Close, who tussle on the floor of their New York City paper’s printing plant as the press hums above them. But if certain narrative elements of the movie felt blunt back when it was made in 1994, they now impart important messages with the kind of force required to cut through today’s noise, especially as they apply to the necessity of a free press.

That’s not to say that Howard’s film — sandwiched between better-remembered outings “Far and Away” and “Apollo 13,” and often overlooked when...

With readers turning to their home viewing options more than ever, this daily feature provides one new movie each day worth checking out on a major streaming platform.

There’s not much subtlety in Ron Howard’s vibrant day-in-the-life dramedy “The Paper,” a movie that literally works up to dueling (both physically and morally) newspaper editors, played by Michael Keaton and Glenn Close, who tussle on the floor of their New York City paper’s printing plant as the press hums above them. But if certain narrative elements of the movie felt blunt back when it was made in 1994, they now impart important messages with the kind of force required to cut through today’s noise, especially as they apply to the necessity of a free press.

That’s not to say that Howard’s film — sandwiched between better-remembered outings “Far and Away” and “Apollo 13,” and often overlooked when...

Monday’s episode of 9-1-1 gave Buck a glimpse into his potential future — and he did not like what he saw.

Following another daring rescue, Buck proposed a group outing to celebrate, but the humble hero found himself drinking alone while everyone else was busy with their significant others. (Or in Eddie’s case, the pursuit of one.) This led Buck to strike up an unlikely friendship with a retired firefighter named “Red,” who never settled down and started and family because his life was consumed by his job.

More from TVLineTV Ratings: Prodigal Son Gets No Finale Bump,...

The star-studded 20 th Annual Emmys Golf Classic raised over $300,000 for the Television Academy Foundation.

Cedric the Entertainer Hosts 20th Emmys Golf Classic

Proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the nonprofit Foundation’s renowned educational programs.

Television stars, entertainment industry executives, Television Academy Foundation leadership and corporate partners competed in the golf tournament at the Wilshire Country Club in Los Angeles, California, on Monday, Oct. 28.

Hosted for the third consecutive year by Cedric the Entertainer ( The Neighborhood), the event included competitors from some of television’s top shows: Anthony Alabi ( Raven’s Home; Family Reunion), Philip Boyd ( The Haves and the Have Nots), Andy Buckley ( Shameless), Matt Corboy ( Ryan Hansen Solves Crimes on Television), Matt Craven ( Unspeakable; Sharp Objects), Patrika Darbo ( Aunt Cissy; Indoor Boys), Arturo Del Puerto ( For All Mankind), Pat Finn ( The Middle), Terry Gannon (NBC Sports and the Golf Channel), Max Greenfield ( The Neighborhood), Brennin Hunt ( Rent: Live...

Stars: Jean-Claude Van Damme, Roger Moore, James Remar, Janet Gunn, Jack McGee, Aki Aleong, Abdel Qissi, Louis Mandylor | Written by Frank Dux, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Steve Klein, Paul Mones | Directed by Jean-Claude Van Damme

Ah, 1996. The year that gave us Fargo, Scream, From Dusk till Dawn, The Craft and The Frighteners. It also gave us Daylight, with Stallone, Barb Wire with Pamela Anderson, Eraser with Arnie and… The Quest, with Jean-Claude Van Damme, who also directed it. The Quest. You remember this, right? I mean… at a time when action-stars were squeezing the last drops of sweat and tears from the action-movie genre that hit massive heights in the 80s, Van Damme joined them. He wrote, directed and, of course, starred in this movie, a movie that also starred Roger Moore. Yes, Roger Moore. James Bond. The Saint. Roger bloody Moore! I mean, Roger would say that The Quest was...

The cast is rounding out for the upcoming Paulo Pilladi-directed comedy, Crabs In a Bucket, which was also written by Pilladi, alongside Greg Lingo. The pair are new on the scene, but have certainly gotten a solid cast to lead their story along. The cast includes Taryn Manning (Orange is the New Black), Zach McGowan (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Jamie Kennedy (the Scream movies), Bruce Dern (Nebraska), Jack McGee (The Fighter), Chris Kerson (True Detective), and Jeremy Piven (Entourage).

Deadline reports the following synopsis for the film:

The plot follows real estate developer Mick (Piven), who returns to his offbeat Philly childhood neighborhood for his mother’s Irish wake and discovers he’s been willed their ill-fated pub that his sleazy boss, Mr. Delvecchio (Pastore), wants to raze to gentrify the neighborhood. As Mick reconnects with his father Laurence (McGee) and deadbeat brother Dougal (McGowan), his old cronies remind him that...

Exclusive: Golden Globe-winning Entourage alum Jeremy Piven, Oscar nominee Bruce Dern, Taryn Manning of Netflix’s Orange Is the New Black, Zach McGowan and Jamie Kennedy are attached to star in Crabs in a Bucket, an indie comedy from Future Proof Films, Cornell Ventures, and Jars Media Group.

Paolo Pilladi is directing the film from a script he wrote with Greg Lingo. Additional cast includes Jack McGee, Jason James Richter, Royce Johnson, Chris Kerson, Lauren Francesca, Betsy Beutler, Peter Patrikios, Natasha Coppola-Shalom, and Garry Pastore.

The plot follows real estate developer Mick (Piven), who returns to his offbeat Philly childhood neighborhood for his mother’s Irish wake and discovers he’s been willed their ill-fated pub that his sleazy boss, Mr. Delvecchio (Pastore), wants to raze to gentrify the neighborhood. As Mick reconnects with his father Laurence (McGee...

Writers In Treatment, supporting recovery and the arts, is proud to announce this year’s honoree of the 10th Experience, Strength and Hope Award, TV and film star Jodie Sweetin.

Best known as the precocious middle daughter on ABC’s Full House, today she continues to shine on and off screen and can be seen reprising her role as Stephanie Tanner in the Netflix reboot “Fuller House”.

The event will take place on Thursday, February 28, 2019 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Hosting this year’s award show is six-time Emmy Award nominee and environmentalist, Ed Begley Jr. Headlining the evening is comedian and star of Showtime and HBO comedy specials, Mark Schiff. The evening includes special appearances by Golden Globe winner Joanna Cassidy and past recipient Mackenzie Phillips. Tony Denison, star of TNT’s “Major Crimes,” will be presenting the annual Reel Recovery Film Festival “Audience Favorite Award...

With his buoyant air of all-American optimism and innate decency, Denzel Washington is well cast (by helmer George C. Wolfe) as Hickey, the long-awaited bearer of false hope, comforting lies, and unlimited free booze to the washed-up losers who patronize Harry Hope’s no-hope saloon. When the thesp sweeps down the aisle and onto the stage wearing a snazzy suit and a 100-watt smile, the whole theater warms up.

The huge ensemble cast (19 strong) presents a cross-section of some of the best character actors in the business. At center stage is the saloon keeper Harry Hope, played with worn-out Irish dignity and a bit of a warm brogue by Colm Meaney, who generously treats his bedraggled patrons to free drinks and lets them sleep it off in their chairs.

It’s 1912 in New York City, a hard place to survive when you’re down and out. But this shabby neighborhood...

To celebrate the 40th anniversary of the classic TV series "The Incredible Hulk", Cinema Retro's Ernie Magnotta sat down for an extensive discussion with the show's creator Kenneth Johnson.

By Ernie Magnotta

Dr. David Banner—physician, scientist…searching for a way to tap into the hidden strengths that all humans have. Then, an accidental overdose of gamma radiation alters his body chemistry. And now, when David Banner grows angry or outraged, a startling metamorphosis occurs.

The creature is driven by rage and is pursued by an investigative reporter. The creature is wanted for a murder he didn’t commit. David Banner is believed to be dead. And he must let the world think that he is dead until he can find a way to control the raging spirit that dwells within him.

Kids who grew up in the 1970s remember that narration well. Every Friday night at 9pm (until it...

Silver Skies debuts on DVD, Amazon and iTunes April 4th

When Dana Jung reviewed Silver Skies here at We Are Movie Geeks, he wrote “.…. there’s no better way to spend a couple of hours than skipping down memory lane with the old friends of Silver Skies.” Read all of Dana’s review Here

And read my interview with Silver Skies director Rosemary Rodriguez Here

With humor and compassion, Silver Skies chronicles the unexpected developments that occur when a group of eccentric seniors have their lives turned upside down by the sale of their beloved apartment complex. A refreshingly original story about getting older and trying to hold tight to the American Dream, the film features a cast of much-loved screen icons: George Hamilton, Valerie Perrine, Barbara Bain, Jack McGee, Alex Rocco, Mariette Hartley, Jack Betts, and Howard Hesseman. Far from playing their usual roles, however, the actors fully inhabit...

The firefighters are back in action. The cast and writers from FX's cancelled series Rescue Me recently reunited in Austin for the Atx Television Festival, reports The Hollywood Reporter.

The drama follows a group of New York City firefighters in the years following 9/11. The cast included Denis Leary, Mike Lombardi, Steven Pasquale, Andrea Roth, Daniel Sunjata, John Scurti, Callie Thorne, and Jack McGee. The series ran for seven seasons between 2004 and 2011.

Read More…...

'The Fighter' movie: Mark Wahlberg as boxer Micky Ward. 'The Fighter' movie review: 'Smart' filmmaking from a business standpoint David O. Russell's The Fighter is a smart film; smart in the way it's constructed and executed as a means to appeal to a wide audience. People tend to like sports movies. They also tend to like movies where the good guys win and where the hardships the characters go through can all get tidily worked out by the time the credits start rolling. The Fighter is smart from a business standpoint. That also means Scott Silver, Paul Tamasy, and Eric Johnson's screenplay is predictable and much too “safe” as well. Russell and the screenwriters don't tread any new territory; in fact, they don't even try. On the positive side, The Fighter offers several solid performances that make up for some of what's lacking elsewhere. 'The Fighter'...

Silver Skies screens Sunday November 8th at 6:45pm at The Tivoli Theater as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival. The film’s director, Rosemary Rodriguez, will be in attendance and will receive Sliff’s ‘Women in Film’ Award.Ticket information for the event can be found Here

Review by Dana Jung.

Today, more than ever, with our shortened attention spans, inundation by multi-media delivery systems, and almost obsessive need for instant information, it is easy to forget the wonderful actors of the 1960s, 70s, and 80s who inspired and influenced us. So many great moments created by sometimes iconic performers live on in the movies and television of certain eras. From Mr. Spock to Archie Bunker, Annie Hall to James Bond, or Mrs. Peel to Lieutenant Columbo, these and other memorable characters fueled everything from fashion choices to sexual fantasies. That’s why the new...

Silver Skies screens Sunday November 8th at 6:45pm at The Tivoli Theater as part of this year’s St. Louis International Film Festival. The film’s director, Rosemary Rodriguez, will be in attendance and will receive Sliff’s ‘Women in Film’ Award.Ticket information for the event can be found Here

With humor and compassion, Silver Skies chronicles the unexpected developments that occur when a group of eccentric seniors have their lives turned upside down by the sale of their beloved apartment complex. A refreshingly original story about getting older and trying to hold tight to the American Dream, the film features a cast of much-loved screen icons: George Hamilton, Valerie Perrine, Barbara Bain, Jack McGee, Alex Rocco, Mariette Hartley, Jack Betts, and Howard Hesseman. Far from playing their usual roles, however, the actors fully inhabit characters of real complexity: Long-time pals Phil and Nick (Hamilton and McGee) tenderly...

The St. Louis International Film Festival has announced the films nominated for the Awfj Eda Awards.

Awfj will partner once again with Sliff to recognize the Best Female-Directed Narrative Feature and Best Female-Directed Documentary. The 24th Annual Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival will be held Nov. 5-15, 2015. Check out the full lineup here.

Here’s a glimpse of the films that have been selected:

Narratives

Fidelio: Alice’S Odyssey – Lucie Borleteau (France)

A rare woman in the man’s world of seafaring, 30-year-old Alice signs on as a replacement engineer on the freighter Fidélio. Although she loves her job and does it well, Alice remains a woman even when wearing greasy blue overalls, and there’s some doubt that the all-male crew will remain totally insensitive to her charms. The situation has further complications: Alice has a fiancé back on shore, but when she discovers that the Fidélio is captained by Gaël,...

I had the pleasure of speaking with writer and director Rosemary Rodriguez in midtown Manhattan two days before her film "Silver Skies" will have its United States premiere at the Woodstock Film Festival on Saturday October 3.

Rosemary Rodriguez wrote and directed the feature, "Acts of Worship, "which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, was nominated for two Independent Spirit Awards, including the John Cassavetes Award for Best Feature. Her episodic TV work includes "Empire," "The Good Wife," (where she is a regular director), "Manhattan," "Rake," "Elementary" and "Vegas." She is currently directing the new Marvel series on Netflix, "Jessica Jones."

"Silver Skies," Rosemary’s second feature, chronicles a group of seniors whose lives turn upside down when their Los Angeles apartment complex threatens to be sold out from under them.

We began our conversation talking about the evolution of "Silver Skies."

Rodriguez : It took about ten years. I ended up going to the MacDowell Colony with an outline for "Silver Skies" and wrote the script while I was there. Then, when I directed a "Law and Order" episode, I hit it off with (star) Dennis Farina and he loved the script. He helped to get the movie made. Fast forward almost two years later I called Dennis and told him we got the money. We picked the start date, and then he passed away two weeks later. I was devastated when he passed away. But then things fell in place. Fred Roos and Arthur Sarkissian came to the reading of the script, and they said, ‘let’s do this movie.’ The movie is dedicated to Dennis. He was my guardian angel.

Kouguell: In "Silver Skies," the theme of ageism is tackled straight on. The characters in this ensemble piece are threatened with the possible loss of their homes and livelihood. You describe "Silver Skies" as very personal and inspired by your parents’ aging. The characters of Nick and Phil are inspired by your father, who was a bookie in Boston, and the character, Eve, by your mother.

Rodriguez : Valerie Perrine’s character always has flowers; that was my mother. I watched my parents get old when I was still young. I saw how their relationships changed. You think logic would say life would get easier when you get older, but the emotional truth is that life still happens on its own terms. I think seniors don’t have a voice in this world. These are people who want to have sex. They want to work. They want to spend money. Make money. Have money.

Kouguell: You don’t shy away from thought-provoking issues, facing this generation, including the sexual assault of one female character and another main character’s choice she made of personal survival that causes the death of her spouse.

Rodriguez : My role model for directors is Robert Altman. His movies were a slice of life. The ironic thing about being a human being on this planet is that you have no idea what is going to happen next. The movie is real life. You’re going on a roller coaster ride; there are parts you’re laughing because life is like that, and then the rug gets pulled right out from under you.

The issues women go through, and with this female character with her husband abusing her, and feeling guilty over surviving, doing whatever she had to survive, whatever way she needed to behave was maybe ‘not as a good girl’ would, and coming to terms with that. Sexual abuse to elders is real. Elder abuse is real. I wanted to bring that issue in, as well as bring in that feminist message in there.

Kouguell: In "Silver Skies," the trepidation and excitement of newfound love is complicated by raw emotion as seen in one character’s personal and financial insecurities with a recent widow.

Rodriguez : Love doesn’t stop people at a certain age, it doesn’t stop their desires. It doesn’t matter what age we are. To work with these wonderful actors and Alex Rocco in particular -- he was just like a teenage boy when doing his scenes with Valerie Perrine, saying: “I’m used to playing killers, I’m not used to playing lovers.”

(Alex Rocco passed away July 18 of this year.)

Rodriguez : The recent memorial for Alex was on the racetrack: “Friends of Rocco” – it was the seventh race, it was dedicated to him. I loved him dearly. I miss him dearly. It was intended as a celebration of this wonderful man. His character reminds me of my dad. As I told my dad when it became clear he had to retire, I told him, “You always wanted to go out a winner.”

Kouguell: The film stars Barbara Bain, George Hamilton, Jack McGee, Valerie Perrine, Mariette Hartley, Howard Hesseman, Jack Betts, and Alex Rocco. Did they have any input into the script?

Rodriguez : They definitely did. They stuck to the script a lot. I’m a big collaborator; I want to hear what people have to say. In the film George Hamilton’s character is in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Jack McGee’s brother, George Hamilton’s mother, and my dad, all had Alzehimer’s and we shared our respective experiences to further develop George’s character. In a way it was a tribute for George to his mother, for Jack to his brother, and mine to my father.

Kouguell: You’ve earned great success as a director on "The Good Wife." How has directing television influenced your work as a director on "Silver Skies"?

Rodriguez : I can work efficiently and quickly, and in television that’s some of the skill set that gets developed. My instincts are very sharp. The idea out there is that we’re less creative working in television, but the real truth is we’re under such pressure that we can make decisions quickly, and also go with your heart and instincts. It’s very quick and very satisfying, and of course millions of people see your work in a shorter window of time and that is opposite of a movie.

Kouguell: Currently, you are the 4th Vice President of the Directors Guild of America. Although there is more media attention on the low percentage of women directors getting work in the industry, the numbers are still not rising fast enough.

Rodriguez : The DGA works very hard and we all work hard to address the issue of diversity. It’s been a problem for many years. My involvement in the DGA is reflective of how much the DGA cares about women directors and minority directors, and wants to get us out there. It’s a benefit to the Guild. There’s a lot of content there now and opportunity for diversity. I want to be meeting with you in a few years when this isn’t an issue any more; where there are not “female directors” – that there are just great storytellers and that we don’t have to separate each other.

Kouguell: Some final words about "Silver Skies"?

Rodriguez: The way these actors enriched my life was unexpected and so profound. These are people with 50 and 60-year careers in a tough industry. These actors showed up and put their hearts in these characters. They’re artists. They were there for the love for what they do. They just loved the characters. They had beautiful chemistry together. We are part of each other’s lives. I never could give back to them what they gave to me.

"Silver Skies" premieres at the Woodstock Film Festival on Saturday, October 3. http://www.woodstockfilmfestival.com/

Award-winning screenwriter and filmmaker, Susan Kouguell teaches screenwriting at Purchase College Suny, and presents international seminars on screenwriting and film. Author of Savvy Characters Sell Screenplays! and The Savvy Screenwriter, she is chairperson of Su-City Pictures East, LLC, a consulting company founded in 1990 where she works with writers, filmmakers, and executives worldwide. www.su-city-pictures.com, http://su-city-pictures.com/wpblog...

Network: CBS

Episodes: 15 (half-hour)

Seasons: One

TV show dates: October 30, 2014 -- July 11, 2015

Series status: Cancelled

Performers include: Tyler Ritter, Laurie Metcalf, Jack McGee, Jimmy Dunn, Joey McIntyre, and Kelen Coleman.

TV show description:

This multi-camera sitcom revolves around about a close-knit, sports-crazed family from Boston, the McCarthys.

Athletically challenged 29-year-old son Ronny (Tyler Ritter) gets a great opportunity to move to Rhode Island where he can join the singles scene and hopefully find a great guy to be his partner. His distraught mother, Marjorie (Laurie Metcalf), isn't upset that her favorite son is gay, but that he wants to leave Boston and his family.

Read More…...

It certainly didn't look good when CBS dropped their sitcom The McCarthys from the schedule. Today, we learned that the TV series has been cancelled, leaving four episodes unaired.

The McCarthys revolves around sports-crazed family from Boston. Athletically-challenged and gay son Ronny (Tyler Ritter) plans to finally move away to start his own life. Those plans are thrown into turmoil when his basketball coach dad (Jack McGee) offers him a job as assistant coach -- much to the dismay of Ronny's siblings. The sitcom also stars Laurie Metcalf, Jimmy Dunn, Joey McIntyre, and Kelen Coleman.

(more…)...

It looks like The McCarthys will be moving to TV heaven. Hey, maybe they'll live next door to The Millers? CBS has yanked The McCarthys, the freshman drama starring Laurie Metcalf and Joey McIntyre, from its schedule early. According to The Futon Critic, the show was set to air on Thursday, Feb. 5 and Thursday, Feb. 12, but has been replaced by The Big Bang Theory reruns. The comedy as set to hit the bench on Thursday, Feb. 19 to make way for the Two and a Half Men finale with the new Thursday schedule being The Big Bang Theory, The Odd Couple, a Big Bang Theory rerun and Mom. The McCarthys was created by Brian Gallivan and also starred Tyler Ritter, Kelen Coleman, Jimmy Dunn and Jack McGee. The series...

CBS hasn't cancelled The McCarthys but fans aren't going to be able to find any new episodes on the schedule.

The McCarthys revolves around sports-crazed family from Boston. Athletically-challenged and gay son Ronny (Tyler Ritter) plans to finally move away to start his own life. Those plans are thrown into turmoil when his basketball coach dad (Jack McGee) offers him a job as assistant coach -- much to the dismay of Ronny's siblings. The sitcom also stars Laurie Metcalf, Jimmy Dunn, Joey McIntyre, and Kelen Coleman.

(more…)...

CBS continues to look for new hit sitcoms. Last year's The Crazy Ones, Bad Teacher, We Are Men, and Friends With Better Lives were all cancelled while Mom and The Millers survived. How will The McCarthys stack up in the ratings? Will it be cancelled too or renewed for a second season? We'll have to wait and see.

The McCarthys revolves around sports-crazed family from Boston. Athletically-challenged and gay son Ronny (Tyler Ritter) plans to finally move away to start his own life. Those plans are thrown into turmoil when his basketball coach dad (Jack McGee) offers him a job as assistant coach -- much to the dismay of Ronny's siblings. The sitcom also stars Laurie Metcalf, Jimmy Dunn, Joey McIntyre, and Kelen Coleman.

The ratings are typically the best indication of a show's likelihood of staying on the air. The higher the ratings...

Despite attracting poor ratings, CBS has ordered two more episodes of The McCarthys. This brings the first season tally to 15 installments.

The McCarthys revolves around sports-crazed family from Boston. Athletically-challenged and gay son Ronny (Tyler Ritter) plans to finally move away to start his own life. Those plans are thrown into turmoil when his basketball coach dad (Jack McGee) offers him a job as assistant coach -- much to the dismay of Ronny's siblings. The sitcom also stars Laurie Metcalf, Jimmy Dunn, Joey McIntyre, and Kelen Coleman.

While two more episodes is good news for fans of the series, the show is still very likely to be cancelled by spring. It's currently averaging a 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 6.53 million viewers. The McCarthys is the network's lowest-rated sitcom by far and has numbers well below those of The Millers -- a...

CBS recently unveiled their newest Thursday night sitcom -- The McCarthys. How is doing? Is it a comedy hit or a flop? Will it last or could it be cancelled soon?

The McCarthys revolves around sports-crazed from Boston. Athletically-challenged and gay son Ronny (Tyler Ritter) plans to finally move away to start his own life. Those plans are thrown into turmoil when his basketball coach dad (Jack McGee) offers him a job as assistant coach -- much to the dismay of Ronny's siblings. The sitcom also stars Laurie Metcalf, Jimmy Dunn, Joey McIntyre, and Kelen Coleman.

The series debuted on October 30th to a 1.7 rating in the 18-49 demographic with 8.08 million viewers. Last week's dropped to a 1.5 in the demo and 6.67 million.

While those might be acceptable numbers for a sitcom on NBC, they are disappointing for...

Tyler Ritter is carrying on his family's name as part of The McCarthys on CBS. Tyler's turn as the golden child of a close-knit Boston family reminds us how much we loved his dad John.

"I don't consciously say [to myself], what would my dad do in this situation, or how would he look doing something,'" he told Et of carrying his father's comedy legacy. "I do think just naturally I bring some of his elements to the table, without even trying."

Watch: Tyler Ritter Continues a Family Tradition With 'The McCarthys'

It's been 11 years since John Ritter died suddenly from a torn aorta, but Tyler says he learned a lot from his dad watching star in TV series such as Three's Company and 8 Simple Rules.

"My dad would always say to me, 'Ask me how many times I've been late to work or an audition,'" he recalls. "I, of course...

Title: The Wolves of Savin Hill Writer/Director: John Beaton Hill Starring: David Cooley, Brian Scannell, Kurt Fuller, Jack McGee, Michael Massee, Paul Carafotes, Tim DeZarn, Tonya Cornelisse, Megan Davis, Suzanne Willard, Jordan Van Vranken, Marco Verdier, Jason Oliver, Tiprin Mandalay, Nicole Haddad, Rick Dano, Jack Millard, John Beaton Hill You wouldn’t know that “The Wolves of Savin Hill” started out as a screen reel project, but this indie drama surpasses its original intent and becomes a full-fledged film about the psychology of doubt and how guilt and secrets revolving around one incident can dissolve friendships and lives. The film focuses on Tom and Sean (David Cooley, Brian Scannell, respectively) who, [ Read More ]

The post The Wolves of Savin Hill Movie Review appeared first on Shockya.com.

Brian Gallivan's new comedy “The McCarthys” revolves around a gay man named Ronny in Boston who's surrounded by a sports-obsessed family. It's a situation Gallivan knows well, having grown up in the same circumstances himself. But Gallivan, a veteran of lamentably canceled ABC series “Happy Endings,” cautions that the new series — which stars Tyler Ritter, Joey McIntyre, Laurie Metcalf and Jack McGee, and premieres Thursday at 9:30 p.m. — isn't a carbon copy of his own experience. Also read: ‘The McCarthys’ Review: CBS's New Family Comedy Is a Slam Dunk “Any press opportunity, my mother says, ‘Tell them I'm not like.

If this were 1994, The McCarthys would be a groundbreaking sitcom. Set in Boston — or Baaaaah-stun — it's about a sports-obsessed Irish-American family. The patriarch, high-school basketball coach Arthur McCarthy (Jack McGee), hires his gay son Ronny (Tyler Ritter) to be his assistant coach after the previous occupant of the job unexpectedly dies. (Well, maybe not unexpectedly; the recently deceased's name was "Fatty" McFadden, and he was quite fat, you see. This is the source of much mirth.) Complications ensue.The McCarthys carries itself like a genial sitcom that just wants to have a good time, but its view of pretty much every category of human beings is tediously constricted. Arthur and his two eldest sons, Sean (Jimmy Dunn) and Gerard (Joey McIntyre), bond over sports, sports, sports. The only sister in the clan, Jackie (Kelen Coleman), is into guys, and tangentially into sports as a way to meet guys.

The McCarthys CBS Premieres: Oct. 30 Airs: Thursdays at 9:30pm Et/Pt Who’s In It? Tyler Ritter, Jack McGee, Laurie Metcalf, Jimmy Dunn, Joey McIntyre What’s It All About? The McCarthys are a tight-knit Boston family and are therefore loud, obnoxious, sports-obsessed and closed-minded. Middle child Ronny (Ritter) is gay, civilized, sports-ignorant but Wicked Book Smaaht and therefore something of the family’s black sheep. When Ronny wants to move away, his father (McGee), head coach of a high-school basketball team, hires him to be an assistant coach. Crazy, right? It’s also infuriatingly bad. We’d rather listen to New Kids on the … Continue reading →

The post CBS should blacklist “The McCarthys” appeared first on Channel Guide Magazine.

Starring: Tyler Ritter, Jack McGee (“Common Law”), Laurie Metcalf (“Roseanne,” “Getting On”), Joey McIntyre (“The Hotwives of Orlando”), Jimmy Dunn and Kelen Coleman (“The Newsroom”) Genre: Multi-camera comedy Premiere Date: Thursday, October 30, 9:30 p.m., CBS (CTV in Canada) Direct Competition: “A to Z” (NBC), “Gracepoint” (Fox), “Scandal” (ABC), “Reign” (CW) Premise (in 140 characters or less): A Boston-bred, Irish […]...

We finally had our first network cancellation of the fall season last week, when ABC dropped the ax on "Manhattan Love Story." Had the Alphabet waited one more week, we'd have made it through the first season in a while where all the new fall shows got to debut before one was canceled. But that was not to be, and instead we have our final new network fall show (with plenty more on the bench for midseason, or whatever the broadcast nets are willing to call it these days) coming up this week, along with a new cable comedy. Both, oddly, feature Jack McGee in a supporting role (the result of cable and network shows often filming on different schedules), and that — along with the fact that I don't feel strongly about either one at this stage — is enough excuse to put them together in the same post for a...