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LL Cool J talked about his new album, “The Force,” collaborating with Eminem on the track “Murdergram Deux,” crediting Michael Jackson as a writer on the song “The Force,” learning to rap again, and much more during a track-by-track album special on his new SiriusXM channel, LL Cool J’s The Force Channel.

The Force ChannelAvailable until 10/3 at 3am ETListen on the App

Listen on the App

Featuring LL Cool J’s Rock the Bells Radio host Roxanne Shanté and a live audience, “LL Cool J ‘The Force’ Track-By-Track Album Special” premieres on LL Cool J’s The Force Channel on Friday, September 6, at noon Et and will be available to stream on the SiriusXM app (see more details below). During the show, LL went through his process working with Eminem.

“Me and Em actually went to Dr. Dre’s studio and recorded it out in LA,” LL Cool J said.

Production start scheduled for early 2024. Plot details remain under wraps.

Neon’s new sales division led by Kristen Figeroid is launching worldwide sales at AFM this week on They Follow, David Robert Mitchell’s sequel to his 2014 cult horror It Follows, with Maika Monroe reprising her role.

Monroe returns as Jay Height, who in the original survived a supernatural curse transmitted by sexual contact. Neon CEO Tom Quinn distributed that film when he led RADiUS and it grossed approximately $15m in North America.

They Follow is scheduled to commence shooting in early 2024 and plot details remain under wraps. It is...

With certain cinematic performances, we could not possibly fathom another actor in the same part. Only Bette Davis could have played Margot Channing in "All About Eve." Only Bruce Willis could have played John McClane in "Die Hard." Only Samuel L. Jackson could have played Jules in "Pulp Fiction." Of course, the reality is this isn't true. Countless actors audition and lose out on parts they would be perfect for all the time because of a variety of random reasons completely out of their control, yet when see a transcendent performance, we still believe the actor has performed magic in front of us. The filmmakers got the one person in the entire world made to play this particular character.

For me and many others, one such performance is James Stewart's Oscar-nominated turn as the titular character in Frank Capra's "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." The notion of Stewart as a folksy,...

Jon Nguyen on first meeting David Lynch: "In Poland, when he was making Inland Empire." Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

Connecting a Mr Smith in Boise, Idaho, to Winkie's diner, splitting Naomi Watts in two, a Bob Dylan memory turned into Jeanne Bates and Dan Birnbaum coming out of a bag, and The Cowboy Monty Montgomery in Mulholland Drive, the air in Eraserhead, a Blue Velvet moment, the lines of Lost Highway, David Lynch's daughters Lula (Laura Dern's name in Wild At Heart) and Jennifer (voice in The Alphabet, starring Peggy Lynch) as bookends, cinematographer Jason S on call to film Jon Nguyen, Rick Barnes and Olivia Neergaard-Holm's David Lynch - The Art Life - all this and more came into my conversation with one of the directors.

On Mr. Smith: "I think the only person that knows is David. Just as he's the only one who...

2Dark is the visceral new horror game by Alone in the Dark creator and famed pioneer of survival-horror games, Frédérick Raynal. The game is a grim journey of stealth and courage into the heart of corruption, offering a gritty and deceptively intricate new adventure of stealth and horror in which death is the only certainty.

The physical version of 2Dark will be available on March 17th with a whole host of premium content:

An exclusive version of the 2Dark game disk. The original soundtrack, as recorded by a symphony orchestra, remastered on a 21-track CD. A Steelbook color-themed to the game. An exclusive 2Dark artbook, “The Art of 2Dark” containing more than 100 illustrations and uncut behind-the-scenes details (only for PS4 and PC)

From the press release:

Plagued by a string of child abductions, darkness hangs over the once-picturesque city of Gloomywood like a curse. After witnessing the murder of his...

Close-Up is a column that spotlights films now playing on Mubi. Leo McCarey's The Awful Truth (1937) is showing February 13 - March 15, 2017 in the United Kingdom in the series The Rom Com Variations.Leo McCarey’s 1937 screwball classic The Awful Truth is the epitome of a sub-genre dubbed by philosopher Stanley Cavell the “comedy of remarriage.” In the film, husband and wife Jerry and Lucy Warriner (Cary Grant and Irene Dunne) succumb to their marital suspicions and embark on an easier-said-than-done divorce. He returns home from an unspecified dalliance, complete with fake Florida tan (ever the gentleman, he bronzes so as to save Lucy the embarrassment of getting asked why her husband looks pale after spending time in the sun), but upon his arrival, Lucy herself is nowhere to be found. She must be with her Aunt Patsy, Jerry assures his guests, that is until Aunt Patsy (Cecil Cunningham) shows up sans niece.

PQube have announced they are teaming BigBen Interactive to release 2Dark, the visceral new horror game by Alone in the Dark creator and famed pioneer of survival-horror games, Frédérick Raynal, in the UK.

2Dark is a grim journey of stealth and courage into the heart of corruption, offering a gritty and deceptively intricate new adventure of stealth and horror in which death is the only certainty.

From the press release:

Plagued by a string of child abductions, darkness hangs over the once-picturesque city of Gloomywood like a curse. After witnessing the murder of his wife and abduction of his children, former detective Mr. Smith vows to find justice and bring an end to the misery.

Use your cunning to infiltrate Gloomywood’s bastions of cruelty. Investigate to uncover the secrets of the deranged psychopaths within, seek retribution for their crimes, and bring the captured children to safety. If only it were so simple…...

This week's episode of A&E's Leah Remini: Scientology and the Aftermath focused on the story of Aaron Smith-Levin, a Scientologist for 29 years who left the Church in 2014. Here are five things we learned from last night's show, courtesy of Mr. Smith-Levin's story.

1.Winning tax exemption from the Ira legitimized Scientology to some of its own followers

Like many longtime Church members, Smith-Levin joined as a child when his mother started taking courses and working for the organization. He told Remini that he distinctly remembers becoming actually invested...

Mr. Smith Goes To Hollywood: Interview with Douglas Smith discussing his rising film careerMr. Smith Goes To Hollywood: Interview with Douglas Smith discussing his rising film careerIngrid Randoja - Cineplex Magazine12/7/2016 11:46:00 Am

Douglas Smith owes Brendan Fraser a thank-you card.

The Toronto-born actor inadvertently landed his first film role, as the young Fraser, in 1999’s Blast From the Past.

“I was 12 years old and I was visiting my older brother Greg, who was shooting Small Soldiers on the Universal backlot, and the casting director thought I looked like Brendan Fraser and had me come in and audition for Blast From the Past,” says Smith on the line from New Mexico, where he’s in the middle of a cross-country road trip. “And a couple of weeks later I was on the set with Christopher Walken and Sissy Spacek — and I had no idea who they were — but I...

The biggest, most lavish hook-up between Hollywood and the Pentagon was this Anthony Mann-James Stewart collaboration, a morale & recruiting cheer for America's intercontinental bombing air force, the service that kept the peace by holding up our side of the balance of fear. Strategic Air Command Blu-ray Olive Films 1955 / Color / 1:66 widescreen (VistaVision) / 112 min. / Street Date October 16, 2016 / available through the Olive Films website / 29.98 Starring James Stewart, June Allyson, Frank Lovejoy, Barry Sullivan, Alex Nicol, Bruce Bennett, Jay C. Flippen, James Millican, James Bell, Rosemary DeCamp, Harry Morgan, William Hudson, Strother Martin, House Peters Jr. Cinematography William Daniels Film Editor Eda Warren Original Music Victor Young Written by Valentine Davies, Beirne Lay, Jr. Produced by Samuel J. Briskin Directed by Anthony Mann

Reviewed by Glenn Erickson

In the 1950s America was spending its enormous military budget on a fantastic array of advanced weapons technology, the most expensive of which was...

When Wall Street billionaires Gabriel Hammond, 37, and his brother, Daniel, 33, launched independent producer-distributor Broad Green Pictures two summers ago, Hollywood was skeptical about its prospects. In a time when even the Weinsteins are struggling to survive, it was a strange time to reinvent a dying economic model.

Now Broad Green is laying off around 6 percent of its staff, all of whom work in the publicity department, the company confirmed to IndieWire. Broad Green’s publicity head Adam Keen, a former Warner Bros. publicity exec, has resigned. Marketing and communications personnel are traditionally the first casualties of cutbacks in Hollywood.

The layoffs were unsurprising. Ken Kwapis’s Sundance comedy “A Walk in the Woods” starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte managed $30 million, but that couldn’t counterbalance films like Ramin Bahrani’s well-reviewed real estate thriller “99 Homes” ($1.7 million domestic) and Sarah Silverman’s depressive drama “I Smile Back” ($58K). Now, the...

When Wall Street billionaires Gabriel Hammond, 37, and his brother, Daniel, 33, launched independent producer-distributor Broad Green Pictures two summers ago, Hollywood was skeptical about its prospects. In a time when even the Weinsteins are struggling to survive, it was a strange time to reinvent a dying economic model.

Now Broad Green is laying off around 6 percent of its staff, all of whom work in the publicity department, the company confirmed to IndieWire. Broad Green’s publicity head Adam Keen, a former Warner Bros. publicity exec, has resigned. Marketing and communications personnel are traditionally the first casualties of cutbacks in Hollywood.

The layoffs were unsurprising. Ken Kwapis’s Sundance comedy “A Walk in the Woods” starring Robert Redford and Nick Nolte managed $30 million, but that couldn’t counterbalance films like Ramin Bahrani’s well-reviewed real estate thriller “99 Homes” ($1.7 million domestic) and Sarah Silverman’s depressive drama “I Smile Back” ($58K). Now, the...

Carnegie Hall today announced that Robert F. Smith has been elected as Chairman of Carnegie Hall's Board of Trustees. Mr. Smith-a trustee since 2013-succeeds Carnegie Hall's Acting Chairman Mercedes T. Bass. A longtime trustee, Mrs. Bass will continue to serve in a leadership role, resuming her position as a Vice Chair. Both Mr. Smith and Mrs. Bass will assume these posts effective immediately. Mr. Smith was elected today at a meeting of the Hall's trustees.

If you’re curious as to why we should give a damn what Kevin Smith thinks of Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, it’s worth noting that the director is a long-time comic fan and has been avidly tracking the film’s progress to the screen. Plus, he has worked with and is still close with one of the stars (Ben Affleck), and also has a working relationship with Warner Bros./DC Entertainment.

So, obviously he praised the hell out of the film, right?

Actually, no. In fact, Smith was refreshingly honest and forthright when outlining his many issues with the follow up to Man of Steel while discussing it on his podcast, Hollywood Babble-On.

The movie, I felt like, didn’t really have a heart. It was certainly fucking humorless. There was nothing funny going on in that world whatsoever, but it had lots of spectacle. Like you...

[[tmz:video id="0_78s8j7n1"]] Glenn "Big Dog" Robinson says he wants to end the beef with Stephen A. Smith once and for all -- In The Cage -- challenging the reporter to a Mma match ... and he's dead serious. The former NBA star joined the guys on the "TMZ Sports" TV show (airs tonight on FS1) -- to respond to an interview Smith did last week ... in which S.A.S. said he "despises" Robinson for being a hypocrite...

Own: Oprah Winfrey Network will premiere "Mrs. & Mr. Smith" on Saturday, March 26 at 10 p.m. Et/Pt immediately following "For Peete's Sake" in the network's popular Saturday night lineup. The one-hour special will follow the lives of NFL legend Emmitt Smith and wife Pat Smith and is produced by Pilgrim Media Group. Pat Smith was the first African American woman to win the Miss Virginia USA title and first runner-up of the 1994 Miss USA Pageant. She has dedicated her career to raising awareness about issues affecting women and children and currently serves as the CEO of Pat Smith Enterprises. She is also Founder and CEO of Treasure You(Tm) and Co-Founder of Pat and...

The creative minds behind Alone in the Dark have announced that their latest game, 2Dark, will be launching on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, to bring the thrills to console gamers.

Gloomywood Studios is hoping to scare you on your home consoles with 2Dark. The game was previously announced for PC, but today brings word it's coming out to the latest generation, with tweaks to make it optimized for each platform:

Gloomywood, the new development studio headed up by the Alone in the Dark® creative force Frédérick Raynal, today announced that its upcoming stealth-horror adventure game 2Dark will be coming to PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The title was previously announced for a release on PC and Mac.

Mr Smith’s quest to save missing children from the clutches of demented serial killers will be fully optimized for each release platform - for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 this means tailored controller...

The long road to freedom is so easily forgotten. That was a crack a friend made while watching Sam Smith claim to be the first openly gay person to win an Oscar. By now the blogosphere has made hay of Mr. Smith’s misinformed statement. But the corrections, including blogs published by The New York Times and The Hollywood Reporter, have not adequately addressed the specific claim. Thirty-one years ago at the 57th Academy Awards in 1985, I won the Oscar for best documentary feature for The Times of Harvey Milk. My filmmaking partner and co-winner, Richard Schmiechen, and

read more...

My name is Kamal Robinson (aka ReDef.), and I am a Baltimore born independent film maker and began my film making journey on the set of a low budget Indie in the Bronx, "A Mans Man" starring then rapper Loon (directed by Troy Reed & produced by Hanif Shabazz). Since then I went on to work as a production assistant on sets across the city, including Spike Lee's "Inside Man" and Nelson George's, "Life Support" starring Queen Latifah. I also worked on the hyper budgeted "I Am Legend", starring Will Smith. Thanks to a recommendation I was given the job of on set assistant to Mr. Smith, which I used as an opportunity to share my short films and...

Cleveland Cavs star J.R. Smith is officially off the hook in an alleged pizza joint attack -- with prosecutors saying he will Not be charged with a crime for allegedly attacking a heckler. J.R. was named in a police report filed by a 19-year-old man back in Nov. -- in which he claimed Smith choked him outside of a NYC pizza joint after he heckled the guy about being traded from the Knicks. Smith...

As a man who respects the sanctity of NFL Sundays, I entered Concussion with mixed emotions. Could Peter Landesman’s medical drama leave Roger Goodell’s regime nursing a black eye, or would the film be regarded as Hollywood propaganda? The research, stories, and statistics are all real, but the film’s power relies solely on execution – something Landesman muddies. Dr. Bennet Omalu’s pursuit of the American dream is uplifting, almost achieving a Disney-like magic, yet Landesman’s portrayal of the NFL’s evil empire only respects the good doctor’s point of view. It’s an important topic, but there’s a fair trial that’s missing here – even if such respect isn’t deserved.

Will Smith plays the famed Dr. Bennet Omalu, a Nigerian immigrant who seeks America’s greener pastures for a life of fulfillment. Instead, he finds himself at war with the NFL after uncovering...

Jason from Mnpp here with this week's edition of "Beauty vs Beast" bidding a... somewhat... sad farewell to a movie franchise that's been kicking for several years now. This weekend The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2 (gahhhh, that lumbering title) is released, surely set to stomp over the Thanksgiving competition box-office-wise with its stlylishly Fascistic boots. But do we still care? I was a big fan of the books and the movies have all been pretty good but man I am feeling Katnissed out at this point; I'm still not convinced Mockingjay couldn't have been just one movie.

But I've already got my tickets for Thursday's night's show, natch, just like most of the rest of you. We are too small to fight. As for this week's competition I'm putting up my two favorite casting decisions from book to screen, both of whom knocked these roles outta the park.

It.s that time of year again, folks, when serious films that mainstream thespians have worked really, really hard on to prove that they can actually act start to filter into cinemas. And the latest trailer for Concussion sees Will Smith stretching his ability to the limits all in the name of trying to get an Oscar nomination (and tell an important story, of course). And from the looks of things, he could do just that. Not too bad, Mr. Smith. I mean, the role of Dr. Bennet Omalu certainly possesses a number of traits that mean it is certainly awards season fodder. Not only is it a biopic, but it sees Will Smith deploying an accent, while his character is on a moralistic pursuit to reveal the true extent of the brain damage suffered by professional football players. Meanwhile, it will also help the actor.s cause that this...

After about 32 years of being a slavishly devout fan of Killing Joke, the job of reviewing their new studio album with any semblance of balanced objectivity is a tougher task than you might imagine. Those who have embraced the music, mythos and accompanying sensibility of Killing Joke tend to do so with a bug-eyed fervor that borders liberally on myopic zealotry. In short order, no other band matters nearly as much.

That was me for many a year. Sure, I listened to loads of different stuff, but no one touched Killing Joke. Not even close. Even their less salubrious moments -- say, their first divisively populist single, “Me or You?” or Jaz Coleman's beleaguered ersatz-prog opus, Outside The Gate -- still seemed a thousand times more intriguing than any contributions from the rest of the rock rabble, despite any inherent flaws or deviations from the script. Simply put, there...

We still love John Ford's bitter-sentimental look back at the lost Myth of the West. John Wayne and James Stewart are at least thirty years too old for their roles, but everything seems to be happening in a foggy reverie, so what's the difference, Pilgrim?  Great comedy and Lee Marvin's marvelous villain, plus the assertive 'print the Legend' message that's been hotly debated ever since. The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance Blu-ray Warner Home Video / Paramount 1962 / B&W / 1:85 widescreen / 123 min. / Street Date October 13, 2015 / 14.98 Starring John Wayne, James Stewart, Vera Miles, Lee Marvin, Edmond O'Brien, Andy Devine, Ken Murray, John Carradine, Jeanette Nolan, John Qualen, Willis Bouchey, Carleton Young, Woody Strode, Denver Pyle, Strother Martin, Lee Van Cleef Cinematography William H. Clothier Production Designer Eddie Imazu & Hal Pereira Film Editor Otho Lovering Original Music Cyril J. Mockridge Writing credits James Warner Bellah & Willis Goldbeck from a story by...

It’s that last scene in Mr. Smith Goes to Washington that gives even the most jaded person hope. With his voice hoarse, his lank hair falling into his eyes, senator Jefferson Smith (Jimmy Stewart) croaks, “Somebody will listen to me!” before fainting to the floor of the U.S. Senate chamber. Director

Frank Capra’s 1939 film casts Stewart as a naïve Boy Scout leader who’s chosen by his state’s corrupt leaders to fill a vacant Senate seat. But when the idealistic Mr. Smith learns he’s been set up to not just fail, but to be drummed out of office, he engages in a 23-hour filibuster, giving an impassioned speech about the power of honesty, decency and loving thy neighbour.

Yes it’s a hokey and awfully sentimental movie, but it’s also hugely entertaining and sends the message that the men and women who’ve been...

It’s an exciting day for 007 fans, as the new “Spectre” theme song “Writing’s On the Wall” by Sam Smith just hit the internet.

On the intriguing track, the “Stay With Me” crooner belts out, “If I risk it all, could you break my fall?” And it sounds like Mr. Smith is over the moon to be the latest artist to have the honor of singing Bond’s ditty.

Smith previously tweeted, “This is one of the highlights of my career. I am honored to finally announce that I will be singing the next Bond theme song.” Check the track!

Uggie: 'The Artist' dog star. Uggie, 'The Artist' scene-stealing dog star, has died The biggest non-human movie star of the 21st century, Uggie, whose scene-stealing cuteness helped to earn Michel Hazanavicius' The Artist the 2011 Best Picture Academy Award, has died. According to his official Facebook page, Uggie had been suffering from prostate cancer; he was euthanized last Friday, Aug. 7, '15. Born in 2002, Uggie was 13 years old. An announcement posted on Tuesday night, Aug. 11, on the Fb page Consider Uggie read: We regret to inform to all our friends, family and Uggie's fans that our beloved boy has passed away. We were not planning on posting anything until we healed a little more but unfortunately somebody leaked it to TMZ and they will be announcing it. In short, Uggie had a cancerous tumor in the prostate and is now in a better place not feeling pain.

"Trainwreck," the new Amy Schumer/Judd Apatow movie, examines the plight of one snarly woman as she exits her familiar world of sexual freedom and hangovers for a detour into serious romance. Though several eye-popping cameos and supporting performances buttress the film, Schumer's performance is the acting triumph of "Trainwreck." Without her shaky conscience and burgeoning sense of fulfillment, the movie's conventional story might feel staid. Thankfully, it's anything but. Schumer's performance marks a welcome addition to cinema's long line of strident, hilarious female protagonists. We're celebrating that lineage with a list: the 20 best female-driven comedies ever. Some are old and some are new, but all are marked by a degree of cosmopolitan fun and nerviness -- and the occasional slap from Cher. 20. "How to Marry a Millionaire" We remember Lauren Bacall as a glamor girl with a damning grimace, but let's start revising that narrative to include her chops as a comic force.

Nikki Reed, who played Rosalie Hale in the “Twilight” franchise, has been cast as Betsy Ross in the upcoming season of Fox’s “Sleepy Hollow,” TheWrap has confirmed. Reed will be a series regular. The supernatural drama has made repeated reference to the fact that Ross, who legend has it stitched the first American flag, was once the flame of main character Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison). “Think more Angelina Jolie than frumpy Martha Stewart — a kickass Mrs. Smith to Ichabod Crane’s Mr. Smith,” her character description reads. Season 2 of “Sleepy Hollow” ended with Crane and Lieutenant Abbie Mills (Nicole Beharie...

Sleepy Hollow is officially entering its Twilight years.

Nikki Reed, best known for portraying Rosalie Hale in the big-screen vampire saga, has been cast in the series regular role of Betsy Ross in Sleepy‘s upcoming third season, per The Hollywood Reporter.

RelatedFox Premiere Dates: Scream Queens‘ Big Bow, Bones/Sleepy Combo Lands October Launch and More

As TVLine previously reported, Sleepy‘s Betsy is going to be a little different from the one you might have read about in history class. When casting the role of the American flag’s first seamstress — and Ichabod’s ex-girlfriend — producers were looking...

We're going all the way back to 1996 at the red carpet for The Nutty Professor. Remember, the movie with Eddie Murphy in a fat suit? Jada Pinkett Smith gets flirty with her interviewer with hubby Will Smith right around the corner. "If I wasn't with Will. Me and you. I'd be with you," she jokingly tells her interviewer.  The director Tom Shadyac then tries to start some beef with Mr. Smith by implying he's trying to steal his lady.  The Fresh Prince star shows he's a good sport with a hearty laugh.  Channing Tatum, bald?! There's not a single hair to be found on the hunk's head for this pre-megastardom interview in 2004 for the...

Sleepy Hollow fans, you’re going to be sew excited about this: The Fox supernatural drama is bringing Betsy Ross into the mix for Season 3, and she’s going to be a badass.

You’ll recall that the Colonial-era seamstress, whom legend says stitched together the first American flag, was first outed as one of Ichabod’s former lady friends at the end of Season 1. The show also made reference to the relationship midway through Season 2.

Related Sleepy Hollow Finale Post Mortem: Ep Talks [Spoiler]’s Death, Missing Horsemen and That Crucial Selfie

Seems like Ichabod omitted a few details...

As I mentioned way back on this post from 2008, as much as I’ve tried to branch out, my tastes are pretty narrow when it comes to reading material.

I’d love to say that I’m broadly well-read when it comes to the more celebrated books of the day, but it’s just not true. If you’re looking to engage in a discussion about today’s most incisive fiction, you’re much better off speaking with my wife (who works in publishing) than one such as I. Truthfully, I’ve pretty much lost my taste for fiction almost entirely. Unless I have some vested interest (like, say, I know the author or it’s about something near and dear to me), I usually cannot muster up the interest to crack the binding.

As a result, whenever I’m perusing through the aisles of a bookstore (when I can still find one,...

Now we know that all Mr. Smith had to do was tempt Neo with two hot girls

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Tomorrowland

Written by Brad Bird and Damon Lindelof

Directed by Brad Bird

USA, 2015

Unlike its Disneyland namesake, Tomorrowland is not a film for children of all ages. In fact, it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly who the target audience is for this disjointed sci-fi adventure. Too solemn for Tweens, too violent for youngsters, and too goofy for adults, Brad Bird’s film about hope and change is betrayed by a subpar script and questionable casting choices. Tomorrowland has fleeting moments of imagination and fun, but it’s hard to imagine anyone being inspired by this disappointing clunker.

Tomorrowland is the kid who was promised a future of rocket cars and jetpacks and all he got was this lousy t-shirt. Things start promisingly enough, as a bright-eyed boy named Frank drags his makeshift jetpack to the 1964 New York World’s Fair. Though his invention is ultimately rejected by a skeptical Mr.

'JFK' movie with Kevin Costner as Jim Garrison 'JFK' assassination movie: Gripping political drama gives added meaning to 'Rewriting History' If it's an Oliver Stone film, it must be bombastic, sentimental, clunky, and controversial. With the exception of "clunky," JFK is all of the above. It is also riveting, earnest, dishonest, moving, irritating, paranoid, and, more frequently than one might expect, outright brilliant. In sum, Oliver Stone's 1991 political thriller about a determined district attorney's investigation of the assassination of U.S. president John F. Kennedy is a slick piece of propaganda that mostly works both dramatically and cinematically. If only some of the facts hadn't gotten trampled on the way to film illustriousness. With the exception of John Williams' overemphatic score – Oliver Stone films need anything but overemphasis – JFK's technical and artistic details are put in place to extraordinary effect. Joe Hutshing and Pietro Scalia's editing...

Going into the City: Portrait of a Critic By Robert Christgau (Dey Street Books)

After a considerable dry spell, my reading life has significantly picked up (possibly due to a sorely unsolicited amount of "free time"). I’ve hungrily paged through some great books in the past few weeks like Nyhc: New York Hardcore 1980-1990 by Tony Rettman, A Drinking Life by Pete Hammill, Wake Me When It’s Over, the memoir of former Luna Lounge owner Rob Sacher, Diaries 86-89 by Miles Hunt (he of The Wonder Stuff) and, of course, Girl in a Band by Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth. Given my particular predilections, I’m obviously still a sucker for oral histories, tomes about NYC lore and good ol’ rock bios. What can I say? That’s just the type of crap I like.

So you can imagine, then, my enthusiasm upon learning about Going Into The City...

One of the top international sales agents, whose principals are the most well liked men in the industry are joining forces with the new kid on the block, Broad Green, a move which will enhance good will worldwide.

The company has acquired a 45% stake in Mister Smith Entertainment, David Garrett’s London-based licensing and distribution operation. The companies will be operating together at the upcoming 2015 Festival de Cannes, meeting with distributors, buyers, producers and filmmakers. "Making an alliance with a Us distributor seemed the next logical step for Mister Smith and Broad Green’s business philosophy and ethos are a great fit with ours," said Mr. Smith CEO David Garrett.

In a recent article The Hollywood Reporter states that "the partnership gives Broad Green the ability to maximize the foreign distribution of its internally developed film slate of wide releases and awards-oriented specialty platform releases and will also allow Broad Green to acquire worldwide rights on selected feature projects, with Mister Smith selling international. The move will also allow Mister Smith the ability to offer filmmakers equity and financing for productions."

Broad Green’s upcoming slate includes "Eden," A Walk in the Woods," "99 Homes,""Learning to Drive" as well as Terrence Malick's 3 latest projects. An impressive selection of films for a company that was founded just a year ago.

The Malick slate includes Bgp’s IMAX partnership for the larger-than-life documentary experience "Voyage of Time," a celebration of our planet from the birth of the universe.

It also features Berlin Film Festival acquisition of the "Knight of Cups,"starring Christian Bale, about a screenwriter drifting through a surreal haze in the City of Angels, as well as an untitled future project currently in post-production, starring Ryan Gosling, Rooney Mara, and Michael Fassbender.

“All of us at Broad Green share Malick’s passion for film and to partner with him on his next three projects is a dream come true,” said Gabriel Hammond, CEO of Bgp, and Daniel Hammond, Bgp Chief Creative Officer.

On the other hand Mister Smith's upcoming slate includes Dan Fogelman's directorial debut "Danny Collins," the Jesse Owens biopic "Race" and Russell Crowe’s directorial debut "The Water Diviner."...

It's fair to say that Focus is the best Will Smith film in what seems like several decades. It's equally fair to say that's not exactly saying very much. Still, this quirky con-man flick is actually loads of fun, due to a strong performance by Mr. Smith, and an even stronger turn by Margot Robbie. She's the lynchpin of the film, perfectly attenuated to the circuitous plot. She's the most distracting thing in a story about distractions, and helps make the work something more than just another silly confidence-man ploy. Robbie's good, yet I churlishly wish larger audiences got to see her in Z for Zachariah first after her breakthrough role in The Wolf of Wall Street. Yes, she smoulders in Focus, but that's...

[Read the whole post on twitchfilm.com...]...

Warner Bros. Pictures

Will Smith seems determined to prove that there’s life after After Earth, in his career at least. Following his lacklustre M. Night Shyamalan team-up that went the way every M. Night Shyamalan film has in the past decade, he’s set to return to screens next week in Focus, take aim as Deadshot in the Suicide Squad adaptation, and now go on the run in a Fugitive-fashioned action thriller, Bounty, which he’s also set to produce.

Sharing absolutely no connection with the last choice chocolate at the bottom of the selection box, Bounty is being written by Sascha Penn and will see Smith as a man wrongfully imprisoned for a murder he had no part in, only to escape in an effort to prove his innocence. Out on the run and desperate to clear his name, things are made all the more tricky when the...

Kicking off the weekend a bit early, Kim and Khloe Kardashian hit up the Sam Smith show at the Forum arena with Kendall Jenner and Cara Delevingne last night (January 29).

The “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” starlets and their English model pal snapped up plenty of photographs from their primo balcony seats as they watched the “Stay With Me” hitmaker captivate the sold out crowd.

And once the concert was over, all four ladies headed back stage to congratulate Mr. Smith on his fabulous show as well as his handful of Grammy nominations. And of course, there were plenty more selfies!

Things have changed quite a bit for Sam Smith since he became an international singing sensation, and the “I’m Not the Only One” crooner is featured in the Legacy Project edition of GQ magazine.

Smith noted that he loves creating beautiful songs because it’s better than the alternative- “Make music so you don't have to go to therapy or rehab.” As for his inspirations, Sam explained, “I'm going through a little bit of an obsession at the moment with Frank Sinatra; 2015 is a hundred years since Frank was born.”

To that end, Mr. Smith shared that he sang Sinatra during his first singing lesson- “Yeah, I did ‘Come Fly with Me.’ I was, like, 10 years old. Then, the first album I ever bought was Amy Winehouse's Frank. And my label is Capitol Records, where Sinatra used to record. I envy the competition that people like Sinatra would have had—you know,...

Celebrating their 2015 Music Issue, the team at V magazine recruited Sam Smith and Fka Twigs for their own cover versions.

The feisty rapper is barely covered up in her pose, while Mr. Smith looks hunky in a scoop-neck top that exposes his chest mane. In her interview, Twigs slams the “alternative R&B” label placed on her music- “If I say ‘alternative red’ to you, it’s not red, is it? ‘Alternative R&B’ is patronizing to R&B.”

“R&B is R&B — it doesn’t need an alternative. There are plenty of artists now experimenting with electronic music, manipulating sounds. We can make a train into a synth. We can make drips into hi-hats. I can record sounds on my phone and make a song out of a city. I don’t know what that has to do with R&B.”...

The new year is almost here and that means it's time for one of Netflix's ceremonial killing sprees. The streaming service is taking out its big, streamy chainsaw and dicing up some of your favorite films. Come January 1, these classics will be gone. De-Netflixed. De-available from The Big Red Website. So snatch them up and at least pretend to watch them so that you don't look dumb when a bow-tied homosexual approaches you at a New Year's party with his quips about "Kramer Vs. Kramer." He needs validation and your genuine, informed laughter will appease him.  Here are the 11 most important titles to stream before 2015. "Titanic" Kate Winslet at her most Alex Kingston. Leonardo DiCaprio at his most Jodie-Foster-at-age-14. Iceberg at its most January Jones.  "12 Angry Men" Though Henry Fonda is a towering film icon, it is shocking how almost none of his films are discussed anymore. Maybe "The Grapes of Wrath...

He’s always been known for his furry face so when Kevin Smith shaved off his beard on Monday (October 27) it was quite the sight.

The “Chasing Amy” mastermind initially posted a photo of himself with his man fuzz fully intact, along with the caption, "This is my magic beard. Enjoy it now: tomorrow, I am going to shave it off for @YogaHosers. And #Cbm is on in 1 hour!"

And two days later, Smith shared a shot of his shorn face, rendering himself nearly unrecognizable.

Kevin wrote, "Look at this goofy spa. This is me, beardless, for the @YogaHosers green screen shoot. #FaceBrazilian."

Mr. Smith’s new comedy “Yoga Hosers,” starring Johnny Depp, Justin Long and Haley Joel Osment, is slated to hit theaters on June 1, 2015. Per the synopsis, “Two teenage yoga enthusiasts team up with a legendary man-hunter to battle with an ancient evil presence that is threatening their major party plans.

Chicago – When sequels are made, they are rarely better than the original and often have different cast members. “Dolphin Tale 2” defies both of those conventions, and the returning cast delivers the goods – including Ashley Judd, Morgan Freeman, Harry Connick Jr., and the teenage actors Nathan Gamble and Cozi Zuehlsdorff.

Both 17-year-old actors are experienced veterans in show business, and both began when they were eight years old. The first “Dolphin Tale” film was Zuehlsdorff’s debut, and Gamble had his first movie role in the Best Picture Oscar nominated “Babel” in 2006. Zuehlsdorff can also be found on the Disney Channel’s “Mighty Med” TV series, and Gamble had kid roles in “Marley and Me” and “The Dark Knight.”

Cozi Zuehlsdorff and Nathan Gamble of ‘Dolphin Tale 2’

Photo credit: Warner Bros.

The two bright and intelligent actors sat down to talk with HollywoodChicago.com, regarding “Dolphin Tale 2” and their careers,...

Kevin Smith made a name for himself in the world of comedy with gems like Clerks and Chasing Amy.  While he may be spreading his wings with Tusk, the man remains as funny as he ever was. Instagram is all fun and games until you get stuck in the floor, which Mr. Smith is more than happy to tell us about via crude animation and a barrage of Winnie the Pooh references.   (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js =...

The "Stay" singer blows our mind with his latest performance.

Can Sam Smith just do all the covers from now on?

The "Stay" singer recently performed a gorgeous, acoustic rendition of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car" for BBC Radio 1's Live Lounge. We didn’t know it was possible to improve on the 1988 original, but leave it to Mr. Smith to completely nail it. Seriously, we can’t. stop. listening.

Earlier this summer, Smith got everyone's attention with his cover of Whitney Houston’s "How Will I Know." It takes a brave soul—man or woman—to cover Whitney, but the UK singer did not disappoint.

Pics: Kim Kardashian's Sexiest Selfies

Kim Kardashian West (aka the queen of the selfie) also stopped by BBC’s Radio 1 breakfast show during her nearly-topless tour de UK and gave her professional opinion on Smith’s selfie-taking skills.

"His skin looks flawless, he's looking into the camera, I think people...

Reviews are pouring in for the eighth season premiere of "Doctor Who" and the debut of the new Doctor Peter Capaldi. Critics have generally praised the episode, online reaction however has proven more divided.

The performances of both Capaldi and co-star Jenna Coleman were well-regarded, as was director Ben Wheatley's darker visual elements and the final sequences which included two surprises. The episode's extra-roomy 75-minute runtime also allowed for strong character moments such as the restaurant scene with the two leads.

On the other hand the script, especially the main plot involving a dinosaur and robots, wasn't as well received and several reactions labelled it too thin to justify the longer runtime. The first half-hour in particular has come under fire, especially the deliberately slower pacing which marked a stark change of tone following the sheer franticness of Smith's final season.

The division among fans is also present in online reactions.