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We've another bumper-sized edition of the Empire Podcast in store for you this week, folks, with a double whammy of top notch guests — so buckle up! Our first guest is legendary director Barry Levinson, who sat down with our very own Chris Hewitt on the eve of the release of his new gangster joint The Alto Knights to discuss working with Robert De Niro, Robert De Niro, aaaand Robert De Niro's dogs, as well as the life-changing impact Marlon Brando putting on a glove in On The Waterfront had on him as a young whippersnapper. [23:31 — 40:13 approx] Then, we also hear from Latvian indie animation hero Gints Zilbalodis, the director of this year's Oscar-winning animated movie Flow, in an exclusive excerpt from a recent Empire VIP Club event hosted by resident superfan Beth Webb. [59:44 — 1:13:04 approx]

Either side of those stellar chats, Chris is joined back in the podbooth by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer and,...

For cinematographer Joe Passarelli, it was a smooth transition going from the stop-motion “Anomalisa” (2015) to the live-action “The Actor” with director Duke Johnson. That’s because both films are formally bold, mind-bending tales about the search for identity.

“Anomalisa” explores Fregoli syndrome, where people appear as the same person in disguise, by marrying distinctive stop-motion designs with stylized action; “The Actor,” by contrast, tackles a variation of amnesia, where people appear as a troupe of actors playing multiple roles, with more dream-like theatricality.

Based on Donald E. Westlake’s surreal novel, “Memory,” Johnson’s newest film focuses on André Holland as a man who suffers from both long-term and short-term memory loss; he’s trying to get back to New York from a ’50s Midwestern town, but his only anchor in a shifting reality is the woman he befriends played by Gemma Chan. Holland’s continually refreshing blank slate is...

When director Duke Johnson sat down and watched Federico Fellini’s 1954 classic “La Strada,” he was immediately drawn to the iconic clown costume worn by Giulietta Masina. Now in his newest film, “The Actor,” a similar outfit is adorned by Edna (Gemma Chan) while out on an intimate date with Paul (André Holland).

“It’s these two people that feel like maybe they don’t fit into the world,” Johnson tells Variety. “With these two oddballs finding each other, the possibility of connection was the driving force. They’ve really hit it off.”

The moment takes place on Halloween night when Paul, still trying to piece together who he is after waking up with amnesia, goes out with Edna after the two meet at the cinema. Despite it being Halloween, you’d hardly be able to tell by looking at the men’s synonymous coats, making Edna’s hand-stitched blue clown costume immediately stand out.

Last Updated on March 17, 2025

Martin Scorsese is the quintessential New York filmmaker. Sure, some of his greatest films are set in New York, but that asthma kept him inside of a Little Italy apartment to do nothing but study cinema says a lot about how embedded the city is in his blood and his own movies. Now, Scorsese has listed more than 30 of the most essential New York films – and yes, he was modest enough to not list Mean Streets and Taxi Driver and Goodfellas and…

Check out Martin Scorsese’s list of 30+ greatest New York movies below:

Daybreak Express

The Naked City and Kiss of Death

Fourteen Hours

Cry of the City

A Double Life and The Marrying Kind

It Should Happen to You

On the Waterfront

The Wrong Man

Sweet Smell of Success

Shadows

Midnight Cowboy and Marathon Man

The French Connection

Bye Bye Braverman

Prince of the City...

New York icon Martin Scorsese is revealing his go-to films set in the Big Apple.

The auteur curated the screening series “Living, Breathing New York” for the Roxy Cinema, which features screenings of four of his favorite NYC movies out of a full list of Scorsese’s 32 favorite New York movies he’s created and which IndieWire is proud to share below.

“Living, Breathing New York” is curated by Scorsese in celebration of the new release of Olmo Schnabel’s NYC-set thriller, “Pet Shop Days,” which Scorsese executive produced. The film premieres March 15 at the Roxy Cinema in New York, and stars Dario Yazbek Bernal and Jack Irv as two lovers whose whirlwind romance sends them down a rabbit hole of drugs and depravity in Manhattan’s underworld. Willem Dafoe (who starred in Olmo Schnabel‘s father Julian Schnabel’s Vincent Van Gogh biopic “At Eternity’s Gate”), Emmanuelle Seigner, Peter Sarsgaard,...

Stanley R. Jaffe, the producer and studio executive who won an Oscar in 1980 for Kramer vs. Kramer and shepherded other acclaimed films like Fatal Attraction, Goodbye, Columbus and The Bad News Bears, died Monday. He was 84.

Jaffe died peacefully at his home in Rancho Mirage, his daughter Betsy Jaffe announced.

A son of Leo Jaffe, an executive who spent more than a half-century at Columbia Pictures, Jaffe also received an Academy Award nomination for Fatal Attraction (1987), which he produced alongside Sherry Lansing during their fruitful eight-year partnership at Jaffe-Lansing Productions.

At age 29, Jaffe was named executive vp and COO of Paramount Pictures in October 1969, becoming the youngest head of a major studio in Hollywood history. Before he departed as president in August 1971 to return to independent producing, he greenlighted such films as Love Story (1970) and The Godfather (1972), projects also championed by chief of production Robert Evans.

Jaffe returned to the...

A classic Marlon Brando movie that generated both critical acclaim and intense controversy is now available for a new generation of viewers to discover. Last Tango in Paris is streaming on Prime Video.

Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, Last Tango in Paris stars The Godfather's Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider. The drama follows a grieving American widower who enters a passionate but emotionally complex relationship with a young Parisian woman. The film pushed boundaries with its unfiltered depiction of intimacy, earning both critical acclaim and outrage upon its release.

RelatedMarlon Brando Starred in This 99% Fresh Gangster Movie 18 Years Before The Godfather (& It's Practically Flawless)

18 years before he led The Godfather, the legendary actor Marlon Brando starred in a gangster movie that maintains a 99% Tomatometer score.

Over the years, it has been re-evaluated through a modern lens, with many questioning whether its artistic merits outweigh the ethical concerns surrounding its production. Although...

Earning his second Best Actor Oscar 22 years after his first, Adrien Brody entered the history books as the first leading actor to win two statuettes on his first two attempts on Sunday.

He won for his role as an ingenious, haunted architect in Brady Corbet’s epic, following his win in 2003 for Roman Polanski’s biographical World War II drama “The Pianist.”

And by wining Best Actor on Sunday, Brody not only made history but also preserved his place among Oscar milestones. Had 29-year-old Timothée Chalamet won in the category for “A Complete Unknown,” he would have become the youngest Best Actor victor ever, beating Brody’s own record from 2003.

Brody is the 11th leading actor to win twice in the top category.

“Acting is a very fragile profession,” Brody opened his acceptance speech. “It looks very glamorous, and certain moments it is, but the one thing that I’ve...

One Hollywood celebrity who commands attention like no other is Marlon Brando. He wasn’t just an actor; he was a game changer who reshaped movies and acting with his powerful performances effortlessly. Brando’s acting style was rich and had a heavy influence from theatrics; his expressions were more prominent, and he would easily stand out when he came on screen.

His acting would add a whole new level of authenticity. From his rebellious role in The Wild One to his Oscar-winning performance as a dockworker in On the Waterfront, he didn’t just act in these roles—he became the characters he was playing. It was during the late ’60s and early ’70s when he was not getting a lot of roles due to poorly received films and his reputation for being difficult to work with—but the slump came to an end after he was given an...

Films With the Most Oscar Wins (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Oscars 2025: The 97th Academy Awards will be held in a few hours, and we are waiting with bated breath to see this year’s winners. We have already made our picks for the six main categories, but we will know the rest once the event occurs. But this article will reveal the movies with the most Oscars. Titanic and The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King are among the top films, while Oppenheimer took home seven significant awards last year, but some movies have won more than that. Scroll below for more.

This year, Emilia Perez is leading with the most nominations, followed by The Brutalist and Wicked. Zoe Saldana’s movie has 13 nods, while the other two movies are tied with 10 nominations. This year, the list has a diverse mix of genres, with fresh talent meeting established actors,...

Over its long history, the Oscars has changed how society views gay rights with Philadelphia, war veterans with The Best Years of Our Lives, Holocaust history thanks to Schindler’s List, whistleblowers with On the Waterfront and Native Americans in Dances With Wolves.

Sunday’s ceremony could add a significant entry to that list — and one with potentially even more tangible impact.

I’m Still Here — Walter Salles’ fact-based movie about a woman’s quiet resistance after her politician husband is disappeared by Brazil’s military dictatorship in 1971 — has been turbocharging political conversation in its home country since its release in the fall. If it wins a prize on March 2, the turn could help prompt the country’s liberal Supreme Court to come down on former leader Jair Bolsonaro and potentially even quash a revival of a far-right movement.

“The movie is already very unique in how it’s helped people...

Whether an in-joke among movie fans or broad references, director Quentin Tarantino has cemented his reputation over the past 30-plus years by being a walking repository of cinema history. He's arguably more knowledgeable than many film professors. And while these asides may allude to mainstream movies, his creative reinterpretations of other films' ideas often come with a wink and a nod to film geeks, requiring citations for those casual movie-watchers.

To call him a cinephile is an understatement. But in the eyes of one of the medium's greatest creators, Tarantino is "detestable." His harshest critic wasn’t even around to see his first film. Orson Welles predicted, or rather warned against, Tarantino’s style of movie-making. Near the end of his life, Welles observed that younger directors were "marinated" in movies to their detriment. He accurately anticipated the ascent of pop-culture-quoting meta-movies that rely on having an audience that has consumed thousands of films.

While some actors seem more impassioned towards the performance aspect of a film rather than cinema itself, Ryan Gosling isn't one of them. Along with his award-winning acting chops, the A-lister has a deep love for movies. During a recent interview, he finally revealed his favorite movie of all time to fans — and it's a decades-old classic with a poignant message that's as relevant today as it was when it debuted.

On the Waterfront is a 1954 melodrama starring legendary actor, Marlon Brando (The Godfather) and directed by Elia Kazan. It was a critical success, winning Oscars for Best Actor, Best Director, Best Supporting Actress, and Best Picture, among others. Even today, the film proves its timeless excellence with a nearly perfect 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. So, what exactly makes On the Waterfront such a worthwhile triumph to watch again and again?

Your Ratingclose10 stars9 stars8 stars7 stars6 stars5 stars4 stars3 stars...

On Saturday February 15 2025, NBC broadcasts Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward!

On the Waterfront Season 3 Episode 14 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward,” titled “On the Waterfront,” promises to be an exciting adventure for fans. Set to air on NBC, this episode features Bulldog teaming up with Jet and his daughter to explore the important topic of marine conservation at Hampton Beach. Viewers can expect to see how the team learns about protecting the ocean and its wildlife while enjoying the beautiful scenery of the beach.

In another part of the episode, TNT joins Jet and his daughter at Sebago Lake. This segment focuses on appreciating the simple joys of life by the water. As they engage in fun activities, they discover the beauty of nature and the importance of cherishing these moments. This heartwarming experience highlights the value of family and friendship while enjoying the great outdoors.

Season 3 Episode 14 of “Harlem Globetrotters: Play It Forward,” titled “On the Waterfront,” promises an exciting adventure filled with important lessons about marine conservation. This episode will air on Saturday, February 15, 2025, at 11:00 Am on NBC. Bulldog, Jet, and Jet’s daughter head to Hampton Beach, where they dive into the secrets of protecting the ocean and its creatures. Their journey will not only be educational but also fun, as they explore the beautiful coastal environment.

Meanwhile, TNT joins Jet and his daughter at Sebago Lake, where they discover the beauty of simple moments by the water. The trio learns to appreciate the little things in life, like the sound of waves and the warmth of the sun. This part of the episode highlights the importance of connecting with nature and cherishing every experience.

Additionally, Thunder will showcase his impressive vertical lift, adding an exciting twist to the episode. Viewers can...

“I was sure none of these people at the Actors Studio actually considered me an actor. I was a pretty boy, a real conventional kid who somehow had staggered into this mélange." - Paul Newman, The Extraordinary Life Of An Ordinary Man

For Montgomery Clift, there was Howard Hawks’ Red River...

In the entire history of the Academy Awards, only six Best Picture winners have been 100 minutes or less. It seems that traditional, Oscar-bait "prestige" pictures tend to run long, attracting Academy voters with their sheer volume. Extra-long films are also a little rare, though, as only five Best Picture Winners are 200 minutes or more. Additionally, a whopping 18 Best Pictures have been between 160 and 195 minutes, so voters clearly don't mind longer movies. Indeed, the average length of a Best Picture winner is 136 minutes. In terms of cinematic storytelling, that seems to be the sweet spot. 

Of course, Roger Ebert's adage needs to be mentioned. The famed critics once posited that no good movie is too long, and no bad movie is short enough. The actual length of a film doesn't really matter, so long as it's a quality picture, and it makes good use of its time. Personally, I feel...

"Oppenheimer" taking home Best Picture at the 2024 Oscars ceremony was more unusual than you might realize. As much as a WWII-era biopic about a bunch of white guys talking solemnly about Very Important Things qualifies as the ultimate dad movie, Christopher Nolan's film was also the first dyed-in-the-wool blockbuster to win Best Picture in two decades. Just as notably (but more relevant to our purposes here), "Oppenheimer" marked only the second time in that same period that Universal snagged the top prize at the Academy's annual awards show.

Take a step back and you'll notice that the biggest and oldest Hollywood studios, in general, began to win fewer and fewer Best Picture Oscars as the first quarter of the 21st century rolled along. Rather, this was the era in which the likes of indie-style producers and distributors such as Searchlight Pictures, A24, and Neon emerged as major players in the sometimes fun,...

Marlon Brando was so enraged at the Italian premiere of his film On The Waterfront, he walked out of the cinema where he was the star guest.

The insight into the fury of cinema’s legendary angry young man has come from a book about the 1950’s Italian film industry by an American couple living in Rome at the time and mixing in glamorous movie industry circles.

The Guardian reports that Hank Kaufman and Gene Lerner moved to the Italian capital in 1953 and soon befriended visiting stars. Their memoir Hollywood on the Tiber was published in Italian in 1982, and an English translation is now due for release.

The newspaper includes the story of how Brando was enraged to discover his voice had been dubbed by an Italian actor for the local version. His agent recalled him “staggering up from his seat as if from a heart attack, whispering: Get me out of here!

A great 1945 war movie called The Story of G.I. Joe led to Robert Mitchum's only Oscar nomination even though the celebrated actor deserved at least one more. Mitchum has starred in some of the best film noirs of all time, such as The Big Sleep (1978), Cape Fear (1962), and The Night of the Hunter (1955). Mitchum was so exceptional in his prime that Roger Ebert called him his favorite movie star. Despite his acclaim, Mitchum was only nominated for one Oscar in his career for 1945's The Story of G.I. Joe.

Mitchum's acting career left a legacy as a classic figure in both film noir movies and Westerns. He starred alongside John Wayne in the Western drama El Dorado (1966) and in the classic war film The Longest Day (1962). He first rose to prominence in 1944's Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo alongside Spencer Tracey and Van Johnson. Because of his overwhelming influence on...

Winning an Academy Award is one of Hollywood's greatest honors, and it often takes a lifetime's worth of work for actors, directors, filmmakers, or writers to finally get one. However, there have been rare instances where actors manage to skip the queue and jump straight into awards and accolades at extraordinarily young ages. While in many non-acting categories, it’s common for artists to work in Hollywood for decades before even gaining a nomination, it’s astonishing just how young some of the recipients have been.

Even though some extraordinary actors have yet to win Oscars, occasionally, the recipient's work is so impressive that the Academy took notice straight from the get-go and gave Oscars to incredibly young people. Sometimes, these wins have been so unprecedented that the actor has held on to their title as the youngest in their category for decades. As the youngest Academy Award winners ever,...

Since the first awards ceremony in 1929, the Academy Awards — colloquially known as the Oscars — have chosen the "best picture" in cinema every single year, with varying results. Still, a lot of the time, the Oscars at least gets it sort of right; to use a recent example, "The Shape of Water" is a good movie, but it was also competing against "Get Out" and "Lady Bird," so even a well-liked film like Guillermo del Toro's unexpected love story can spark a larger discussion about the Oscars and how they choose their winners. But I digress. Some of the historical best picture winners are (almost) universally beloved, with 99% ratings on Rotten Tomatoes.

With acclaimed films like "Moonlight" and "Schindler's List" not far behind on Rotten Tomatoes' ranking of every best picture winner in Oscars history (both movies have a 98% rating), the following four films are, apparently, pretty close to perfect.

When Steven Spielberg first heard John Williams’ shark music for Jaws – the menacing “dunh dunh dunh dunh” signalling the approach of the terrifying beast – he wasn’t blown away. He gave “dunh dunh” a “meh,” more or less.

That’s one of the revelations in the Oscar-contending documentary Music by John Williams, director Laurent Bouzereau’s exploration of the work of the maestro. Eventually, Spielberg came around, of course, recognizing the brilliance of the score that became integral to one of the great Hollywood blockbusters of all time. Alluding to the struggles he faced getting the motorized fish to function as intended, Spielberg says in the film, “His musical shark worked a lot better than my mechanical shark.”

Director Laurent Bouzereau

Bouzereau approached the documentary having absorbed Williams’s scores in his youth growing up in France. In the 1970s, a big Hollywood movie like Jaws came out in the U.

Quick Links Marlon Brando's Early Career and Last Gig The Marlon Brando Film Would Never Be Released

Critics and film historians alike widely consider Marlon Brando to be one of the greatest American actors of the 20th century. His filmography proves that with A Streetcar Named Desire, On the Waterfront, Julius Caesar, Apocalypse Now, and The Godfather, among numerous others. Brando died at age 80 in 2004, and you might be wondering about his final completed film. Was it a gritty gangster flick? Hardcore war piece? Or some other deep, dramatic picture? But if you said cheap, animated Spider-Man ripoff featuring Brando voicing an old lady that was never even released, you'd be absolutely right.

Yes, Marlon Brando's last movie role on this Earth was in the animated Big Bug Man. Set for a release in the mid-2000s, the movie was shelved and has never seen the light of day.

The Francis Ford Coppola masterpiece “The Godfather” (1972) has been voted the greatest Oscar Best Picture winner ever. The results are from a recent Gold Derby ballot cast by 29 of our film experts and editors, who ranked all 96 movie champs.

Ranking in second place is the Michael Curtiz classic “Casablanca” (1943). Following in third place is the powerful Steven Spielberg film “Schindler’s List” (1993). Rounding out the top five are Coppola’s “The Godfather Part II” (1974) in fourth place and Billy Wilder‘s “The Apartment” (196o) in fifth place.

At the bottom of the list of the Best Picture winners is “The Greatest Show on Earth” (1952) from Cecil B. DeMille. Just above that film in the rankings are “Cimarron” (1931) from Wesley Ruggles, “The Broadway Melody” (1929) from Harry Beaumont, “Crash” (2005) from Paul Haggis, and “Around the World in 80 Days’ (1956) from Michael Anderson.

Our photo gallery above features the full top 10. See the complete rankings of all 96 films below.

The Francis Ford Coppola masterpiece “The Godfather” (1972) has been voted the greatest Oscar Best Picture winner ever. The results are from a recent Gold Derby ballot cast by 29 of our film experts and editors, who ranked all 96 movie champs.

Ranking in second place is the Michael Curtiz classic “Casablanca” (1943). Following in third place is the powerful Steven Spielberg film “Schindler’s List” (1993). Rounding out the top five are Coppola’s “The Godfather Part II” (1974) in fourth place and Billy Wilder‘s “The Apartment” (196o) in fifth place.

The worst among 96 Best Picture winners is “The Greatest Show on Earth” (1952) from Cecil B. DeMille. Just above that film on the bottom of the rankings are “Cimarron” (1931) from Wesley Ruggles, “The Broadway Melody” (1929) from Harry Beaumont, “Crash” (2005) from Paul Haggis, and “Around the World in 80 Days’ (1956) from Michael Anderson.

Our photo gallery below features the full top 10. See the complete rankings of all 96 films below.

Marlon Brando transformed into all different kinds of people on the big screen. He was a dockworker in On the Waterfront, Shakespeare’s Mark Antony in Julius Caesar, and a temperamental and abusive drunk in A Streetcar Named Desire. But it was while he was preparing to become the mafia boss Vito Corleone in The Godfather that he decided to try a new role based in the real world: the founder of an ecological island resort in Tahiti. Playing pretend for so long gave him an edge of boundless confidence...

Actors are often lauded for their striking performances or contributions to the industry, but some become immortalized due to their works. Marlon Brando is one such name who is considered to have revolutionized acting and the entertainment industry.

The Godfather actor was as phenomenal onscreen as he was controversial off it. Matt Dillon got the golden opportunity to step into the shoes of his senior but soon came to regret his choice. However, the American Dreamer star didn’t shy away from the role due to the actor’s tricky past. Rather, it was his legacy that made things challenging.

The reason behind the hesitation: Not the past

Marlon Brando created waves in Hollywood, charming the audience with his god-like looks and moving performances. The A Streetcar Named Desire actor had innumerable hits, but his personal life was embroiled in controversies.

Marlon Brando in The Godfather | Credits: Paramount Pictures

Jessica Palud...

Marlon Brando is an icon of cinema. Whether you like him or not, he is undoubtedly one of the greatest and most talented actors we’ve ever seen. He had the pathos; he had the ability to take on the most complex of roles, and that earned him the status of a proper icon.

Well, that and his amazing roles, which include films such as The Godfather, Apocalypse Now, On the Waterfront, Last Tango in Paris, and many more.

But Brando’s private life was as dynamic as his career. The actor was known as a problematic person with a difficult personality, which made it hard to work with him on more than one occasion. All of this got even more difficult as Brando got older, and by the time he reached old age, more people wanted to avoid him than work with him.

And while Brando’s life deserves a whole series,...

2-time Oscar winner Marlon Brando had a historic run 70 years ago that has yet to be matched or replicated. Some of Marlon Brando's best movies came out of Hollywood's Golden Age, which took place from the late 1910s until the early 1960s. Although many of Brando's most prolific roles would arise in the 1970s in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather and Apocalypse Now, his performances as a leading man were just as impressive at the start of his acting career during the early 1950s.

Brando remains one of the few actors in Oscars history to win the Academy Award for Best Actor twice in his career. He is cemented among other great actors such as Jack Nicholson, Dustin Hoffman, Tom Hanks, Sean Penn, and Anthony Hopkins. Daniel Day-Lewis remains the only actor to have ever won the award for three separate performances. He also remains the third youngest...

From 2020 to 2022, Bruce Willis cranked out a huge number of movies, most of them low-budget sci-fi/action films that all went straight-to-video, and usually playing brief, supporting roles. The many films were, by and large, panned by critics and mocked by baffled fans, all of whom wondered by Willis didn't appear to have much on-camera dialogue, or why he wasn't the lead character. In three years, he appeared in 22 movies. 

In March of 2022, it was announced that Willis had been diagnosed with aphasia, a brain condition that affected his ability to speak and comprehend language. Many of the above fans expressed their deepest apologies, and even the Razzies, in a rare show of good taste, retraced Willis' Worst Actor nominations. Willis retired from acting because of his condition. In February 2023, Willis, now 69, was also diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia, and he remains in the care of his family. 

Willis, of course,...

From Al Pacino to Marlon Brando, the cast of The Godfather is full of bona fide screen legends who went on to appear in some of the greatest movies ever made. The Godfather was a massive box office success, becoming the highest-grossing film of all time, and it had universal acclaim from critics to match. It didnt just make its director Francis Ford Coppola a household name; it made household names of everyone in its sprawling ensemble.

Some of the actors in The Godfather were already big names. Robert Duvall had already appeared in To Kill a Mockingbird and James Caan had already starred in Brians Song. But most of the films cast members, like Talia Shire and Diane Keaton, got their big break from The Godfather itself. Today, The Godfather is remembered for having one of the most star-studded casts in film history but at the time, a lot of them were unknowns.

Plot: Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) and his symbiote pal Venom are on the run following the events of the last film being pursued by adversaries that are both human and not.

Review: Let’s face it – the Venom series has never exactly been a critical darling. Done on a relatively modest scale for Sony’s Spider-Verse and shackled by a PG-13 rating, this Tom Hardy-led franchise has, surprisingly enough, printed money for its home studio. While they’ve never risen above modest, turn-your-brain-off B-movie fare, they’ve been much better than other live-action Spider-verse offerings like Madame Web and Morbius. With this billed as The Last Dance for the character at Sony, does this short-lived franchise end on a high?

Here’s the thing – if you dug the other Venom movies, you’ll probably get a kick out of this one. It’s unapologetically a low-stakes superhero movie, reminiscent...

November 2024, Criterion Channel is set to deliver an exceptional lineup of films that will excite cinephiles and casual viewers alike. The month promises a rich exploration of genres, featuring a strong selection of Coen Brothers classics such as Blood Simple (1984) and The Big Lebowski (1998), along with their more recent works like A Serious Man (2009) and Inside Llewyn Davis (2013). Noir and crime enthusiasts will revel in an array of titles, including The Maltese Falcon (1941), Gilda (1946), and The Big Heat (1953), showcasing the genre’s iconic narratives and stylistic depth. International cinema also shines through with compelling French dramas like Fat Girl (2001) and Dheepan (2015), highlighting diverse storytelling from around the globe.

The lineup doesn’t shy away from classic drama, featuring timeless films like On the Waterfront (1954) and Seven Samurai (1954), which continue to resonate with contemporary audiences. Additionally, viewers can look forward to a variety of documentary and experimental films, including Wild Wheels...

Get ready to venture into the dark side of the California dream.

Production has started on East of Eden, the Netflix adaptation of the 1952 novel by Nobel Prize–winning author John Steinbeck.The seven-episode limited series, written and executive produced by Zoe Kazan, will film in several locations across New Zealand and will star Florence Pugh, who will also executive produce.

The new take on the classic novel continues the legacy of Zoe’s grandfather, Elia Kazan, who directed the 1955 East of Eden film starring James Dean.

“In the process of bringing this family saga to life, the resonance of my own familial connection to the material has not been lost on me,” Kazan told Netflix. “But it is Steinbeck’s writing — personal, shocking, profound, and...

With Janus possessing the much-needed restorations, Catherine Breillat is getting her biggest-ever spotlight in November’s Criterion Channel series spanning 1976’s A Real Young Girl to 2004’s Anatomy of Hell––just one of numerous retrospectives arriving next month. They’re also spotlighting Ida Lupino, directorial efforts of John Turturro (who also gets an “Adventures In Moviegoing”), the Coen brothers, and Jacques Audiard.

In a slightly more macroscopic view, Columbia Noir and a new edition of “Queersighting” ring in Noirvember. Gregg Araki’s Teen Apocalypse trilogy and Miller’s Crossing get Criterion Editions, while restorations of David Bowie-starrer The Linguini Incident, Med Hondo’s West Indies, and Dennis Hopper’s Out of the Blue make streaming debuts; and Kevin Jerome Everson’s Tonsler Park arrives just in time for another grim election day.

See the full list of titles arriving in November below:

36 fillette, Catherine Breillat, 1988

Anatomy of Hell, Catherine Breillat,...

Hollywood's Golden Age of Cinema can, for the most part, be categorized as the time before the New Hollywood Era of the 1970s began. In that stretch of time, cinema evolved in multiple ways. One genre in particular has evolved into more of a style rather than a genre, a type of crime film that existed more in the Golden Age of Hollywood. That's the gangster genre.

From the 1930s to the 1960s, there were various iterations of the gangster film. There are conventional gangster films like The Public Enemy, Scarface (1932), and Little Caesar that defined a genre. Then there are films like On the Waterfront or Touch of Evil that utilize specific stylistic elements of the gangster film to create a new kind of crime classic. With such a wide range of gangster films, there are definitely some more iconic than others.

Bullitt Brought Gangsters to Cop Thrillers Released:...

Some fictional characters are so intrinsically tied to the people who portrayed them that it's nearly impossible to picture anyone else in that role. Columbo, the disheveled detective who helped take down the bad guys on TV over three decades on the series of the same name, just couldn't be anyone but Peter Falk. That's like suggesting someone other than Alan Alda play the television version of Hawkeye on "M.A.S.H."! Dressed in an eternally-wrinkled, too-big trenchcoat and always chomping on a cigar, Falk brings both a unique appearance and performance to the character, looking and acting unlike any other cop on TV. Without Falk, "Columbo" may never have been successful, and it certainly wouldn't have been the same. Back when the series was first being developed, however, the people in charge had some very different performers in mind.

"Columbo" was created by writers Richard Levinson and William Link, who first...

Six films make their 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray debut in the new Columbia Classics Volume 5 deluxe 4K disc set: more details here.

At the top end of collectable boxsets for the 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray format is the terrific range of Columbia Classics collections. Each of the boxes contain six films on the 4K disc format, as well as a deluxe book. Furthermore, the majority of films that have appeared in the sets haven’t enjoyed an individual release. Not so keen on that aspect, as it puts a sizeable financial barrier in the way of owning some films on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray.

For the minute though, I’ll concentrate on the latest set, Columbia Classics 4K Ultra HD Collection Volume 5, that’s now been confirmed for UK release.

The six films chosen for inclusion this time are All The King’s Men, On The Waterfront, A Man For All Seasons,...

Marlon Brando is a name that resonates deeply in the world of cinema. Often heralded as one of the greatest actors of all time, his influence and performances have shaped the landscape of Hollywood. From his explosive breakout role in “A Streetcar Named Desire” to his iconic portrayal of Vito Corleone in “The Godfather,” Brando’s career spanned decades and left an indelible mark on the film industry. This blog post will explore the pivotal moments and transformations in Marlon Brando’s life, showcasing how he became a legendary figure in acting.

Early Life and Acting Training at The Actors Studio

Marlon Brando’s upbringing in Omaha, Nebraska, was marked by a complex family dynamic. His father, a commercial artist with a penchant for alcohol, and his mother, an actress, created an environment filled with both inspiration and instability. This early exposure to the arts, coupled with personal hardships, played...

Throughout film history, countless actors have utilized the gangster genre as a launching pad to superstardom. In the early 1930s, James Cagney and Edward G. Robinson became A-list actors following their performances in The Public Enemy and Little Caesar. During the New Hollywood movement, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro entered the upper echelon of Hollywood stardom after their seminal performances in The Godfather and Mean Streets. Internationally, stars such as Jean Gabin and Alain Delon had lengthy careers within the gangster genre, routinely giving memorable performances in works such as Pp le Moko and Le Samoura.

Delivering iconic performances in a gangster movie provides actors with the opportunity to become a staple of the pop culture lexicon. Characters such as Vito Corleone, Michael Corleone, and Tommy DeVito remain popular among audiences decades after they first appeared on the silver screen. Marlon Brando as Terry Malloy in On the Waterfront,...

Crime dramas are one of the most important genres in the history of film, as it is impossible to look back at the history of the medium without thinking about all-time classics like The Godfather, The Maltese Falcon, On The Waterfront, or Taxi Driver. Crime films have often been at the foray of pushing the film industry forward in terms of incorporating explicit content on screen; even when Hollywood dealt with more serious censorship issues, crime films were able to hint at darker themes that many studios would traditionally shy away from.

Brian Cox thinks cinema is “in a very bad way,” with the Marvel and DC Universes partly to blame.

The legendary actor of stage and screen — who most recently garnered critical acclaim for his award-winning role in HBO’s Succession — spoke at an Edinburgh International Film Festival panel on Saturday. When asked about the recent critical success of globally popular TV shows, Cox cited the latest MCU installment Deadpool & Wolverine as a great example of cinematic “party time.”

“What’s happened is that television is doing what cinema used to do,” Cox told the audience of television’s originality. “I think cinema is in a very bad way. I think it’s lost its place because of, partly, the grandiose element between Marvel, DC and all of that. And I think it’s beginning to implode, actually. You’re kind of losing the plot.”

He discussed Ryan Reynolds and...

Every great screen performance expands the medium in its own way, giving audiences something to respond to, while offering fresh ideas to future actors. A select few can be said to have redefined the craft entirely: Orson Welles in “Citizen Kane,” Marlon Brando in “On the Waterfront,” Toshiro Mifune in “Rashomon” and Gena Rowlands in “A Woman Under the Influence.”

Rowlands died Wednesday at age 94, half a century after “A Woman Under the Influence” premiered at the New York Film Festival in 1974. Rowlands was the last to go from among a tight clique of titans — actors who transformed modern cinema: Peter Falk, Seymour Cassel, Ben Gazzara and, of course, Rowlands’ late husband, actor-director John Cassavetes.

Younger audiences who know Rowlands only as the memory-challenged older woman in “The Notebook” (directed by her son Nick Cassavetes) or for her Emmy-winning turn in “Hysterical Blindness” owe it to themselves to investigate her most important work,...

The Longest Day boasts one of the most iconic war movie ensembles ever assembled, rivaling even modern blockbusters like Saving Private Ryan. Featuring a star-studded cast with international talent, this 1962 film captures the intensity and historical significance of the D-Day landings. The camaraderie and talent displayed in The Longest Day's cast is a cinematic achievement that may never be replicated in today's film industry.

John Wayne's classic war movie The Longest Day still has one of the most war movie ensembles ever assembled. The Longest Day is often considered one of the greatest war movies about D-Day ever made and is right up there with other World War II classics such as Saving Private Ryan (1998). At 2 hours and 58 minutes long, The Longest Day offers a phenomenal depiction of the infamous D-Day landings at Normandy on June 6, 1944, a day that will always be remembered in American history.

While The...

Tim Blake Nelson is about to shoot a “spectacular” Western “Shoot” in Spain, directed by Guillermo Navarro. Guillermo Del Toro’s regular cinematographer, he already won an Academy Award for “Pan’s Labyrinth.”

“We have a great cast and a script written by British writer Ian Wilson. Westerns change, reflecting a cultural moment when it’s made. ‘Yellowstone,’ ‘Power of the Dog’… each generation needs to furnish its own take on film genres. This one is about the power of the gun as a corrupting force,” he reveals.

“It’s absolutely a current script, but it’s 100% true to its time. We are starting to shoot in November. The great thing about Westerns is that they require big vistas, but good Westerns don’t have to cost $100 million. We made ‘Old Henry’ for $1.2 million. It’s a way of having a superhero film with natural environments and no visual effects.”

There...

The iconic Criterion Collection has expanded into viral Closet trips, its streaming channel, and of course its staple 4k restorations on Blu-ray. Now, the Criterion Collection celebrates 40 years since its founding with a monumental 40-film box set including works from auteurs Agnès Varda, Spike Lee, Jean-Luc Godard, and Federico Fellini.

The box set, titled CC40, spans an eclectic selection of curated classic films that includes special features and essays. The collection encompasses the works “frequently chosen by the hundreds of filmmakers, actors, writers, and other movie-loving luminaries who have visited Criterion over the years, as documented in our popular Closet Picks video series,” per the official press release. “Neither a historical survey nor a top-40 compilation, this exciting, personal, unpredictable anthology reflects the cinematic joys and inspirations of the creative community that makes the Criterion Collection possible.”

The 40th anniversary Blu-ray box set includes films like “8½” (1963), “All That Jazz...

With nearly 1,700 titles in their catalog, it’s hard to discern where exactly to start when exploring the Criterion Collection. To celebrate their 40th anniversary, the company has now made it a bit easier as they’ve unveiled CC40, a 40-film, 49-disc collection retailing for around $640 that is now the new go-to gift for that budding cinephile in your life.

“This monumental forty-film box set celebrates forty years of the Criterion Collection by gathering an electrifying mix of classic and contemporary films, and presenting them with all their special features and essays in a deluxe clothbound, slipcased edition,” they note. “CC40’s eclectic selection includes the releases most frequently chosen by the hundreds of filmmakers, actors, writers, and other movie-loving luminaries who have visited Criterion over the years, as documented in our popular Closet Picks video series. Neither a historical survey nor a top-forty compilation, this exciting, personal, unpredictable anthology...

In László Benedek's 1953 crime drama "The Wild One," a young woman dancing with a member of the Black Rebels Motorcycle Club asks their leader, the pouty-lipped Johnny (Marlon Brando), what he's rebelling against, to which Johnny replies, unsmiling, "Whaddya got?" The most famous line of Brando's career up there with "I'm gonna make him an offer he can't refuse," it also might as well have been a mission statement for the notoriously temperamental, wild card actor.

Brando's career trajectory reflected his disposition. Where the 1950s saw him collecting accolades and awards left and right, the actor's ill-reputable conduct overshadowed practically everything he did onscreen in the decade that came after. It wasn't until the '70s that Brando's legacy as a screen icon was restored, even as he continued to try and sabotage himself with his unpredictable behavior and seeming apathy towards many of the films he worked on.

Less than four weeks before Eva Marie Saint (“On the Waterfront”) bested Claire Trevor (“The High and the Mighty”) in the 1955 Best Supporting Actress Oscar race, the pair were jointly defeated by Judith Anderson (“Macbeth”) in the Emmy category of Best Single Performance by an Actress. This made them the first of 63 women to compete for the top film and TV performance honors in a single year. Scroll through our photo gallery to find out who has followed in their footsteps.

Seventeen members of this group prevailed at the Oscars but lost at the Emmys while another 18 did the opposite. The only actress who has ever won both awards in a 12-month span is Holly Hunter (1993-1994 – Emmy: “The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom”; Oscar: “The Piano”). An even dozen women – from Lee Grant (1971; 1976-1977) to Olivia Colman (2019; 2020-2022) – each achieved such dual nominations on more than one occasion.