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Palme d’Or-winning actor Caleb Landry Jones has reunited with both Luc Besson, his director on the 2023 action thriller “DogMan” and the upcoming “Dracula: A Love Tale,” and Peter Brunner, who directed him in the experimental 2008 drama “To the Night,” on a secret passion project they’ve been working on for several years.

“Down the Arm of God,” being unveiled for the first time, was co-written by Brunner and Landry Jones and is set and shot within the homeless community in Texas, where production will soon wrap. Besson is producing through EuropaCorp, while Landry Jones also produces alongside Christian Sosa and Jon Wroblewski via their Roosevelt Film Lab.

The film — which is being formally introduced to the industry by Kinology at the EFM in Berlin — follows a young pastor (Landry Jones) through a harsh winter in a small Texas town, where his mission to help the homeless is faced with resistance by his congregation,...

French filmmaker Luc Besson (“The Fifth Element”) is back after bringing us “Dogman” in 2023 with a surprise project heading to the European Film Market. This new movie, “June & John,” is a romantic comedy set in Los Angeles that stars newcomers Matilda Price and Luke Stanton Eddy.

Shot in L.A. during the 2020 lockdown with a phone should be a very different experience for audiences accustomed to Besson’s bigger adventures if you’re unfamiliar with the yearly event.

Continue reading ‘June & John’ Trailer: Luc Besson Shot A Secret L.A. Rom-Com With A Phone During The 2020 Lockdown at The Playlist.

"The future is the last unexplored territory where anything could happen!" Europacorp has revealed the official trailer for June & John, a romantic thriller secret project made by Luc Besson years ago during the start of the pandemic. This was shot by Luc Besson sometime after Anna (2019) and his other recent film DogMan (which opened last year). Variety describes it as a "secret project that he shot during the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020" that was apparently filmed entirely on a phone (it doesn't say iPhone or another?) in Los Angeles. I guess they had no budget & nothing to work with in 2020. Besson's June & John is described as a "love story for the ages" starring newcomers Matilda Price and Luke Stanton Eddy, featuring "at least one helicopter chase and an open-topped car driving into the sunset." This the story of John, a man of banal existence. John runs into a woman both beautiful and mysterious: June.

Almost three years after it was first announced and with radio silence since then, “June & John” — Luc Besson’s secret project that he shot during the Covid-19 lockdown of 2020 — has re-emerged with guns blazing (literally). Variety can exclusively reveal a trailer and posters for the feature that appear to take the French director back to the slick and stylized filmmaking that would first make his name.

“June & John,” which will have its market premiere at the European Film Market in Berlin on Thursday, is described as a “love story for the ages,” and stars newcomers Matilda Price and Luke Stanton Eddy. Kinology — which first introduced the project to buyers at the 2022 edition of Cannes — is handling sales and says several distributors have already committed to releasing the film in spring 2025.

The plot — which had remained under wraps until now — follows John, a young man stuck in a monotonous routine,...

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Person of Interest is a sci-fi crime drama series created by Jonathan Nolan. The CBS series follows Harold Finch, a mysterious, reclusive billionaire computer programmer who developed a technology that can predict terrorist acts. He soon realizes that the machine also predicts crimes and recruits John Reese, a former spy, to help stop them from happening. Person of Interest stars Jim Caviezel, Taraji P. Henson, Kevin Chapman, Michael Emerson, Amy Acker, and Sarah Shahi. So, if you loved the thrilling stories, intense crime drama, and compelling characters in Person of Interest, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Burn Notice (Hulu & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – USA Network

Burn Notice is a spy action thriller comedy-drama series created by Matt Nix. The USA Network series follows Michael Westen, a CIA spy who is suddenly dropped...

Léon: The Professional and Ronin actor Jean Reno is ready to take out the trash in The Butler, an upcoming action thriller from Dead in a Week: Or Your Money Back director Tom Edmunds. According to Variety, the project finds Reno dusting off a twisty revenge tale with over-the-top action and “upstairs/downstairs family drama.” Expect more casting announcements as the feature-length endeavor develops.

The Butler could become a hot ticket at Berlin’s EFM (European Film Market) festival next week, with principal photography arranged in Ireland for the early summer. As an esteemed member of the action genre’s old guard, Jean Reno is always ready to throw down in the face of danger. In The Butler, Reno plays a retired World War I commando who surrendered his fatigues for a quiet and orderly life as a family butler. Still, when mobsters disrupt his tranquil life to collect an unpaid debt,...

Jean Reno is attached to headline the action-thriller “The Butler,” directed by Tom Edmunds (“Dead in a Week: Or Your Money Back”). The stylish period film will deliver a fresh twist on the revenge thriller genre, combining high-octane action with upstairs/downstairs family drama.

Additional casting will be announced shortly.

Daniel Baur’s K5 Intl., whose recent films include Kevin Costner’s “Horizon: An American Saga,” has boarded “The Butler” as its international sales agent and will commence sales at Berlinale’s European Film Market. Principal photography is anticipated to commence in Ireland early summer 2025.

In “The Butler,” Reno takes on the role of a retired World War I commando who has traded a life of violence for the serene routine of a family butler. When mobsters arrive to collect on an unpaid debt, his tranquil world is torn apart, forcing him to confront his past in a pulse-pounding showdown.

In the mid-2000s, you could be forgiven for thinking action films had gotten a little stale. The genre tends to go in waves; whenever something hits in a big way, you get derivative, increasingly stale copies. Think about all the Die Hard rip-offs or the way every movie tried to copy The Matrix with bullet time and wire-work post-1999. Heck, we’re experiencing it right now with superhero movies and John Wick clones. Whenever this happens, it’s more-or-less left to international cinema to come along and shake us up with something different, done far outside the mainstream, to revitalize the genre. That happened in 2004, when a small movie from France, District 13, introduced Parkour to mainstream audiences.

So, what’s Parkour? Think of it as free running in an urban setting mixed with acrobatics and martial arts. It was founded by the star of District 13, David Belle, a Parisian...

Jason Statham has starred in some of the best action movies ever made, as well as some of the worst video game flops of all time. Through these highs and lows, the actor has probably gained plenty of wisdom, but he's also experienced some regrets. While speaking to Metro back in 2012, the "Crank" star revealed that he wishes that he wasn't synonymous with doing his own stunts, as it became expected he would always perform them. As he put it:

"I did 'Transporter' with Luc Besson and I ended up doing pretty much everything. So, from that day forth, it was a slippery slope to try and change things -- until I couldn't."

While Statham is still alive and well to share his stories, there are some stunts he wishes that he didn't do due to how dangerous and potentially life-ending they were. The actor hasn't come out...

Today, the streaming movie is a well-established phenomenon. A modern analogue of the dreaded direct-to-video film, streaming movies are epitomized by, say, a Will Ferrell and Reese Witherspoon romantic comedy that takes over Prime Video. Or perhaps Cameron Diaz's first film in 11 years which, while marred by terrible reviews, still manages to dominate Netflix. So, an action thriller from the second unit director of "Titanic?" That's surely got Netflix written all over it.

Interestingly enough, however, "Renegades," from filmmaker Steven Quale ("Final Destination 5"), did get a theatrical release back in 2017. It wasn't in the United States, but it was a theatrical release nonetheless. Unfortunately, when you spend the equivalent of $77.5 million on a film, you surely hope it will make more than $1.5 million at the box office, even if it only hits theaters in Germany and France. "Renegades" (also known as "American Renegades") saw a theatrical debut in...

As strange as it is, moviegoers are fascinated by the assassin. Paid handsomely for their skills of stealth, marksmanship, martial arts, and general wanton violence, these contract killers have been the focus of some of the most thrilling and emotionally provocative films ever made.

Maybe it's because many of these hit-people share many viewers' relationship to their own work -- a disdain for the spiritually emptying but financially necessary professions that command much of their life. Maybe it's because a criminal mastermind of this nature -- so devoid of humanity that they reduce human lives to zeros in a bank account -- reveals more about the world around them than any other character type.

Or maybe it's because we just like watching people fight with guns and swords. In any case, we've put together our own hit-list of flicks featuring them, ranked based on their quality, legacy, and depiction of these captivating killers.

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Tubi is one of the most popular streaming services, providing its viewers with entertainment for free. We have already compiled a list of the best movies coming to Tubi in February 2025, from our opinion and according to Rotten Tomatoes. So, the only thing left for us to do was compile a list of the best TV shows coming to the Fox-owned streaming service in February 2025.

Minx (February 1) Credit – Starz

Minx is a comedy-drama series created by Ellen Rapoport. The HBO Max and later Starz series is set in the 1970s, and it follows Joyce Prigger, a young feminist in Los Angeles who teams up with Doug Renetti, a shady adult entertainment publisher, to create an erotic magazine for women. Minx stars Ophelia Lovibond, Michael Angarano, Jessica Lowe, Oscar Montoya, Lennon Parham, Idara Victor, and Jake Johnson.

Sorry for Your Loss...

What are the greatest action movies of all time? It’s a controversial question, isn’t it? Any time any publication or site puts out a new list of what they consider the best action movies of all time, it can’t help but generate a ton of controversy. Nevertheless, we here at JoBlo have decided to throw our hats into the ring with a list we really hope generates some nostalgia among our viewers but also encourages them to seek out the movies on this list that they may not have seen. But first, some may wonder where superhero movies are on this list. Given how broad that genre is, we decided to stick to old-school action, so we have left them off the list, as they deserve their own ranking. There are also a few absences from the list, notably some Jackie Chan Hong Kong films (like Police Story...

A major box office disappointment is experiencing a small reprieve on the Max streaming service after its disastrous 2017 debut. "Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets" was written and directed by Luc Besson, and is an adaptation of the French comic series "Valérian and Laureline," by writer Pierre Christin and illustrator Jean-Claude Mézières. It stars Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne as special operatives tasked with maintaining order throughout space for the human race. While there is plenty of sci-fi spectacle on display in "Valerian," there's also a love story at the heart of the film, with Valerian chasing his sidekick despite her consistent refusal to indulge his romantic desires. After the pair are dispatched to the intergalactic city of Alpha, they uncover a dark threat to the city and must work together to save both Alpha and the rest of the universe.

Clearly a passion project for Besson, who...

These days, no matter how many Get Outs and Parasites we throw at them, Hollywood is reluctant to make any movie that isn’t part of a franchise. There was a time, however, when the bigwigs could be approached with a sequel idea and say, “Actually, that’s good enough to stand on its own.” They weren’t always right, but at least they could say it.

5 Die Hard

You might know that Die Hard is based on a book, 1979’s Nothing Lasts Forever, but did you know that it’s actually a sequel to 1966’s The Detective? That’s right: Die Hard is technically Die Hard 2. In fact, The Detective had already been adapted in 1968, and the star of that film, Frank Sinatra, had it written into his contract that he must be offered the starring role in any sequels. Fortunately, Die Hard was given the chance to develop...

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Nikita is one of those shows that kept its audience on the edge of their seat with its complicated characters and over-the-top storylines. Based on the 1990 film La Femme Nikita by Luc Besson, the CW series follows Nikita, a young woman who was trained by a rogue government agency known as Division. She escapes to start a new life, but Division kills the man she loves. She returns three years later to bring down the agency with some help from someone on the inside. Nikita stars Maggie Q, Shane West, Lyndsy Fonseca, Aaron Stanford, Tiffany Hines, Melinda Clarke, Xander Berkeley, Dillon Casey, and Noah Bean. So, if you loved the fun action set pieces, espionage thrills, and compelling characters in Nikita, here are some similar shows you should check out next.

Alias (Disney+ & Rent on Prime Video) Credit...

Content Warning: The following article contains mention of rape.

Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets may not be the most well-known movie, but the Valerian cast is certainly stacked with A-list talent. Based on the French science fiction comic series Valérian and Laureline and released in 2017, the movie takes place in the 28th century and centers on two operatives, Valerian (Dane DeHaan) and Laureline (Cara Delevingne) are tasked with traveling to the peaceful Alpha, the City of a Thousand Planets, to complete a mission. However, when an unknown force threatens the future of the entire universe, Valerian and Laureline must race against time to stop them.

Valerian had a hefty budget of over $177 million (via Box Office Mojo) and has the distinction of being both the most expensive independent movie and European movie ever made. Unfortunately, Valerian failed to make a splash at the box office, grossing just over $225 million worldwide,...

Exclusive: Quiver Distribution has taken North American distribution rights to the romantic end-of-days thriller When I’m Ready, starring Andrew Ortenberg, June Schreiner, Thalia Besson, Lauren Cohan, and Dermot Mulroney.

Quiver and Briarcliff will jointly oversee theatrical release which is set for Feb. 7, 2025 followed by a digital release on Feb. 14. Quiver will handle the home entertainment release of the Ortenberg written movie.

Directed by Andrew Johnson, When I’m Ready revolves around a young couple, Rose and Michael, on a road trip across the country during the last days before an extinction event, as asteroids threaten to wipe out all life on earth. While journeying to see the girl’s grandmother one last time before they perish, they fight to find meaning and adventure in the world’s final week. Along the way Rose and Michael encounter a rotating cast of lost souls from different backgrounds, each looking for something very different out of the end.

As far as modern action heroes go, one of the most enduring has certainly been Jason Statham, who’s headlined a slew of modestly budgeted action flicks that have made him one of the few genre staples left in the game. His career has been interesting, with him alternating smaller-scaled action flicks with bigger, tentpole event films, such as the Fast & Furious films and The Meg 1 & 2. Yet, the movie that established his persona wasn’t the Transporter films or any of his Guy Ritchie movies. Nope, instead, it was a small-scale but ambitious quasi-remake of the film noir classic D.O.A that put him on the map in a big way. That’s right, folks, it’s time to figure out Wtf Happened to Crank!

Jump back to 1997, when a young English director named Guy Ritchie released a little film called Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, which caused a sensation.

"All I wanna do is get in this thing...!" Holy Mondoshawan! Awesome! I want one. Adam Savage's Tested YouTube channel has posted their latest video - an in-depth examination of one of the most incredible sci-fi movie creations. While on a visit to the UK, Adam stopped by Propstore's UK headquarters - where he geeks out over a full-size, completely intact Mondoshawan costume from Luc Besson's The Fifth Element. Much like Adam, Fifth Element is one of my all-time favorites and shows up in my Letterboxd Top 4 picks often. These Mondoshawan alien creatures are some of my favorite designs ever – especially because they're these big, lumbering mechanical things yet are also the philosophical, wise rulers of the universe (who help guide Korben and Leeloo on their journey to save Earth). Apparently this was actually piloted by someone inside of the suit, and Adam dives into the mechanics of...

Schwarzenegger. Stallone. Van Damme. Gibson. Snipes. Ford. When you make a list of the most popular action heroes of all time, there’s another name that needs to be added to that list – Liam Neeson. Over the last sixteen years, he’s headlined a neverending series of action thrillers that have propelled him to a much higher echelon of fame than he’d ever been on before, with him only ever becoming an action star once he was fifty-six. Ultimately, it was all due to a low-budget, European-financed action flick, which came very close to going direct-to-video and reached theatres in Europe a full year before it opened in North America. That movie is Taken, and we’re going to tell you how it revitalized the career of a man who – at the time – was generally considered a top-tier character actor with limited box office appeal. That’s right – it...

After surging back from the pandemic with a 16% growth in 2023, France’s box office continued to grow in 2024 with €1.36 billion ($1.41 billion) grossed from 183.1 million admissions sold, a 0.5% year-on rise, according to Comscore and the National Film Board (Cnc).

While the increase may appear modest, it nevertheless solidifies France as Europe’s healthiest theatrical market, and one that shows the biggest signs of post-covid recovery even in a year that saw the country host the Olympic Games. Elsewhere in Europe, ticket sales dipped in 2024, per Comscore France.

The market share of French movies reached 44.4% compared to 36.7% for American movies, according to the Cnc, which notes that “it’s one of the highest level for local releases ever recorded.”

A wide-ranging duo of French movies beat Hollywood heavyweights to take the first two slots of this year’s box office chart: “A Little Something Extra” (“Un p’tit truc en plus”), a...

When Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets was announced, it felt like a potential triumph for science fiction cinema. With the visionary director Luc Besson at the helm, best known for his beloved sci-fi classic The Fifth Element, audiences were promised an extravagant space odyssey based on a series of groundbreaking French comic books. Besson’s ambitious goal was to build a cosmic saga with cutting-edge visuals, a sprawling narrative, and an impressive budget of nearly $200 million, making it one of the most expensive European films ever made. The movie boasted a star-studded cast including Dane DeHaan, Cara Delevingne, and Rihanna, and it had the look and feel of an epic new chapter in science fiction cinema. However, when Valerian hit theaters in 2017, the results were disappointing. While praised for its groundbreaking visuals and vast world-building, it failed to connect with mainstream audiences and ultimately suffered a massive financial blow.

After slowly returning to production in the wake of a restructuring, EuropaCorp, the company founded by “The Professional” director Luc Besson, is now fully back in action with several French and international films in the pipeline. These include the Snoop Dogg sci-fi movie “The Last Man,” and “Disorder,” a thriller starring Dylan Sprayberry (Teen Wolf”) and Thalia Besson who plays Geneviève in “Emily in Paris” season 4.

The banner, which is best known for its high voltage franchise movies such as “Taken,” “The Transporter” and the Scarlett Johansson movie “Lucy,” is also about to ramp up its output in the scripted TV space. EuropaCorp is nearing a deal with a Federation Studios label to team on the development and production of series based on its best known IP’s, Variety has learned. Although a “Lucy” spin-off was previously in development, it’s not believed to be part of the franchises that...

Natalie Portman was discovered while munching on pizza? (Photo Credit – Instagram)

Yes, This wasn’t to admire her love for pepperoni but to ask if she wanted to model. But young Natalie Portman? She wasn’t having it. She shot back, “No, but I would like an agent.” Seriously, she had ambition before most kids even knew what ambition meant.

This wasn’t just about pizza and models. Natalie Portman was on a mission, even as a kid. Born in Washington, D.C., she bounced around a bit before settling in Long Island, where she attended Solomon Schechter Day School. She studied ballet at the American Theater Dance Workshop and soaked up every creative opportunity she could get. Natalie was different. She wasn’t into being just another kid—she was a hustler with a goal and a serious drive.

That Revlon encounter was a turning point. Instead of taking the easy modeling gig,...

The following contains spoilers for "Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" season 1, episode 4, "Can't Say I Remember No At Attlin."

"Star Wars: Skeleton Crew" episode 4 once again brings Jod Na Nawood (Jude Law) and his adolescent castaway crew to a new planet, where we meet just enough new faces that they get a chance to make an impact. One key figure on the episode's planet, At Achrann, is Troik clan member Hayna (Hala Finley), who soon gains respect for Neel (voiced by Robert Timothy Smith) and his anti-violence streak. While Finley has a good few projects on her acting CV, film fans might perk up their ears even more when they see her father, Troik leader General Strix. 

If Strix looks familiar, you've probably paid attention to international cinema in the 1990s and 2000s. The general with a penchant for training child soldiers is played by none other than actor and filmmaker Mathieu Kassovitz,...

Thirty-one years after the arrival of their iconic album, Doggystyle, Snoop Dogg and Dr. Dre have teamed up once again. Today, Snoop’s new Dre-produced album, Missionary, has finally arrived.

Released via Death Row, Aftermath Entertainment, and Interscope, Missionary is a quintessentially Snoop affair, featuring refreshed G-Funk-esque beats, lyrical wordplay, reminiscences on Snoop’s upbringing, and exciting guest appearances by the likes of Sting, Eminem, 50 Cent, Method Man, Jelly Roll, the late Tom Petty, and many more.

Get Snoop Dogg Tickets Here

To that end, Missionary is packed with plenty of unexpected moments. On the Sting-featuring “Another Part of Me,” you get to hear the Police frontman deliver uncharacteristic lines like “From the jump on the run, man, I walk away/ I’m the one, give a fuck what they got to say.” On “Last Dance with Mary Jane,” Snoop and Jelly Roll trade stories about how they’ve “seen some things,...

Variety reports that Snoop Dogg is set to star in The Last Man, an original sci-fi movie written and directed by Luc Besson. While the pairing may seem like an odd one, Dogg and Besson have actually worked together before. Dogg voiced one of the main characters in Arthur and the Minimoys, which was released almost 20 years ago.

The plot of The Last Man is being kept under wraps. The only details refer to it as a post-apocalyptic tale believed to be inspired by The Planet of the Apes. It may also be connected to Dogg’s Last Man Standing song, released in 2009. “I’ve been a big fan of Snoop Dogg’s music ever since ‘Who Am I,’” said Besson in a statement. “We first met 20 years ago, and we’ve always wanted to work together again. We just needed the right project that would excite us both — and this is it,...

Snoop Dogg is set to add another feather to his cap by teaming up with Luc Besson for a sci-fi movie titled The Last Man, in which the rapper will star and serve as a co-producer.

Last month, Snoop teased that he was working on a film “in the vein” of Planet of the Apes — but with “dogs instead of apes.” This description matches up with today’s Variety report about The Last Man.

Besson will pen the screenplay, which is expected to take cues from his 1997 cult classic The Fifth Element by mixing sci-fi with comedy and action. Filming is scheduled to begin in 2025.

The Last Man is co-produced by Virginie Besson-Silla and Luc Besson for EuropaCorp with Snoop Dogg and Sara Ramaker through their Death Row Pictures banner.

“I’ve been a big fan of Snoop Dogg’s music ever since ‘Who Am I,'” said Besson. “We first met 20 years ago,...

Snoop Dogg will star in and co-produce Luc Besson’s next movie, an original sci-fi movie titled “The Last Man.”

Although the post-apocalyptic plot is under wrap, it may be connected in some ways to Dogg’s 2009 song “Last Man Standing.”

The project is penned by Luc Besson, who successfully dived in science-fiction with the 1997 cult movie “The Fifth Element” starring Bruce Willis, and then with “Lucy” starring Scarlett Johansson. The latter was a box office hit, grossing $469 million worldwide in 2014. Three years later, Besson then went on to direct the pricey “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets” which grossed $225.9 million worldwide. “The Last Man” will likely be in the same vein as “The Fifth Element,” blending science-fiction, comedy and action.

Dogg and Besson previously worked together almost 20 years ago on the animated feature “Arthur and the Minimoys.” Dogg voiced one of the main characters of the movie.

To celebrate the DVD and Blu-Ray boxset releases of Taken available now, we are giving one lucky winner a Blu-Ray boxset!

An action-packed prequel to the international blockbuster franchise Taken, this

series stars Clive Standen (Vikings) as Bryan Mills, a younger, hungrier version of the

iconic character played by Liam Neeson in the Taken films. Enjoy all 26 episodes from both

series of this hit television series on DVD and Blu-Ray.

A former Green beret, Bryan Mills becomes swept up in a quest for vengeance

after he fails to protect one of those closest to him. Recruited to join a group of CIA

operatives, Mills begins to hone his deadly skillset as he dives headfirst into dangerous

missions that test his courage, and push him to the edge.

Based on the Taken films by Luc Besson (Léon) and Robert Mark Kamen (The Karate Kid)

this TV series was developed by Luc Besson and English screenwriter,...

"Is life always this hard, or is it just when you're a kid??" Madman has revealed their brand new re-release trailer for the action classic Leon: The Professional, written & directed by Luc Besson, first released in late 1994. Also known as just The Professional in the US, this has gone on to become a cult classic with a ton of fans who absolutely love it. Celebrating its 30th Anniversary this year, Madman is releasing a new Blu-ray 4K Special Edition for anyone to add to their shelves. 12-year-old Mathilda is reluctantly taken in by Leon, a professional assassin, after her family is killed. An unusual relationship forms as she becomes his protégé and learns the assassin’s trade with him. This stars Jean Reno as Léon, Natalie Portman as Mathilda, Gary Oldman, Danny Aiello, Michael Badalucco, & Ellen Greene. I always like the little plant she has. Roger Ebert originally gave it...

Brit supermodel/actress Cara Delevingne is the star of the new Calvin Klein “Holiday 2024” campaign, photographed by Michael Bailey-Gates:

Delevingne played a mermaid in the 2015 fantasy film “Pan” and in 2016, co-starred as ‘Enchantress’, a villainess in “Suicide Squad”.

In 2016, she played in the feature “Kids in Love” as ‘Viola’…

…then co-starred in director Luc Besson’s film “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets”, released in July 2017.

Delevingne played ‘Annetje’ in the period romance film “Tulip Fever”…

…then the role of ‘Kath Talent’ in the feature “London Fields” and starred in the Amazon Prime Video fantasy steampunk series “Carnival Row” as ‘Vignette Stonemoss’.

Click the images to enlarge…...

Bridget Fonda is the daughter of Peter Fonda, the granddaughter of Henry Fonda, and the niece of Jane Fonda, so it only seemed natural that she would become an actor. She started appearing on stage as a girl and appeared in "Easy Rider" with her father when she was only five years old.

Fonda would go on to study method acting at the famed Lee Strassberg Theater. She started appearing in films only two years after graduating at NYU. Acting was in her blood and it seemed like she never considered doing anything else. From 1988 to 2002, Fonda appeared in dozens of high-profile Hollywood films, and was nominated for two Golden Globes and an Emmy. She retired unexpectedly in 2002 and hasn't been seen on screen since. Throughout the 1990s, however, Fonda was something of a cinematic "It" girl, appearing in raucous comedies, dramatic indies, intense crime films, and a few of Sam Raimi's productions.

Critically, European films are having a hell of a year. Euro cinema is well represented in this season’s Oscar race, with the likes of Jacques Audiard’s transgender crime musical Emilia Pérez, Edward Berger’s papal thriller Conclave, Coralie Fargeat’s body horror satire The Substance, Steve McQueen’s WW2 drama Blitz, Tim Fehlbaum’s historic thriller September 5, and Pablo Almodovar’s end-of-life drama The Room Next Door, are among the award frontrunners.

Commercially, it’s another story. On Thursday, the European Audiovisual Observatory (Eao), a research body, published its annual report on the theatrical performance of European movies worldwide. It’s not a pretty picture.

According to Eao, European films accounted for just 6 percent of worldwide ticket sales in 2023, compared to 56 percent for U.S. productions and 26 percent for Chinese films. Japan, thanks to the global success of anime, is close on Europe’s heels, with Japanese releases...

By any measure, The Fifth Element is wild. Written and directed by Luc Besson a man not known for cinematic restraint the movie is a giddy sci-fi explosion, smashing together a rip-roaring story, fully-committed performances from a stand-out cast, and enough visual flair to put most modern genre franchises to shame. It's a potent combination that makes the film gleefully entertaining if undeniably chaotic.

Set in 23rd-century New York City, The Fifth Element stars Bruce Willis as Korben Dallas, an ex-army major turned cab driver who unwittingly becomes part of a fight to protect Earth from an approaching evil after a strange woman named Leeloo accidentally falls into his cab. Milla Jovovich, Gary Oldman, Ian Holm, and Chris Tucker also star.

Director Luc BessonRelease Date May 9, 1997Cast Chris Tucker, Bruce Willis, Gary Oldman, Milla Jovovich, Ian HolmRating PG-13Runtime 126 minutesStudio(s) Columbia PicturesWriters Luc Besson, Robert Mark KamenGenres Sci-Fi, Action,...

Timothy West, the English star of stage and screen known for memorable turns in U.K. soaps “Coronation Street” and “EastEnders,” died on Tuesday. He was 90.

His children released a statement on Wednesday confirming the news. They said that West died “peacefully in his sleep” and was “with friends and family at the end.”

Born in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England on Oct. 20, 1934, West went on to have a long career on stage and screen. He was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company for three seasons in the ’60s, and throughout his life frequently played the leading roles in “Macbeth,” “Uncle Vanya” and “King Lear.”

His first big screen role came in 1975 with the TV series “Edward the Seventh,” in which he portrayed the titular king from the age of 23 until his death. From 1983 to 1990, he starred as patriarch Bradley Hardacre in the comedy drama “Brass,” and also appeared in...

Who doesn’t love a fun action movie? With John Wick and The Fast Saga changing the game for what audiences have come to expect from big-budget action movies, other movies are often relegated to second-class efforts. Luc Besson, the creator of The Transporter and Taken franchises, has cemented his own brand of action movie that has been around for decades. Partnering with co-writer and director George Huang, Besson has produced the new movie Weekend in Taipei, which mines the classic style of nineties-era action movies for a fun, brisk movie experience (check out our review Here).

Weekend in Taipei follows DEA agent John Lawlor (Luke Evans) as he returns to Taiwan after fifteen years away. The last time he was there, he had a romance with criminal transporter Joey (Gwei Lun-mei). Lawlor is in town to pick up evidence to take down drug kingpin Kwang (Sung Kang). Unbeknownst to John,...

“Venom: The Last Dance” (Sony) was the default #1 with a $16.2 million gross. That’s an uninspiring number for the top spot, but the threequel now stands at $394 million worldwide and predecessor “Venom: Let There Be Carnage” totaled $507 million. “Dance” could do the same.

The modestly budgeted “Heretic” (A24) and “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” (Lionsgate) are battling for a #2 slot that won’t be certain until Sunday’s actuals come in. Both did around $11 million, a bit over projections.

However, the most noteworthy aspect of the box office on this post-election weekend is that the top 20 is so wildly eclectic that it’s quite possible even the most committed cinematic completist will never see them all.

That’s all the more strange with Veteran’s Day on Monday, making this a four-day weekend for many. Usually that encourages major studios to place their top films, but studios held back due...

“Weekend in Taipei” is a thrilling action movie that flashes back to the 1980s and combines family drama, foreign intrigue, and action. It was directed by George Huang and written by the famous action movie writer Luc Besson. The movie takes viewers on a thrilling ride through Taiwan’s busy streets and criminal underworld.

The main character is John Lawlor, a DEA agent played by Luke Evans, who goes to Taipei against his boss’s orders to complete a personal task. His goal was drug lord Kwang, who Sung Kang played scarily. This isn’t just another simple chase story, though. John meets up with Joey (Gwei Lun-Mei), an old friend now married to Kwang and has a teenage son named Raymond. This changes the story in a complicated way.

The story has many different parts, including a bad agent’s search for justice, a difficult love story, and the...

In 1982, Prince urged everyone to “Party like it’s 1999.” Aiming to party somewhere roughly in the middle of that timespan is “Weekend in Taipei,” a throwback in the sense that it recalls the unpretentious — if also unmemorable — pleasures of many boilerplate action movies released in the peak Vcr era. Luc Besson is both a co-writer and producer on this French-Taiwanese enterprise, which provides George Huang his first directorial feature in some time, 30 years after his very different debut, “Swimming With Sharks.”

With “Fast & Furious” alumni Luke Evans and Sung Kang as the male leads, this tale of a DEA agent venturing East to battle a crime syndicate raises expectations of flashy chase and fight scenes. Those are duly met, even if the script Huang and Besson have devised is flimsy stuff. These 100 minutes offer the kind of energetic, no-brainer fun you may remember little of the morning after — but...

It is almost fitting that George Huang’s Weekend in Taipei comes out nearly 30 years after his razor-sharp and ruthless black comedy, Swimming with the Sharks. You just have to wonder what took his son so long to make another movie. That biting, back-stabbing comedy still holds up and showcases the talents of a filmmaker who can embed comedy within any genre.

I mention this because Weekend in Taipei is a comedy wrapped in an action film. This doesn’t mean the movie’s tone is uneven or unsure of itself—far from it. While Huang’s script occasionally stumbles into a few tropes, like Luc Besson’s mysterious character arc or a Parent Trap-esque subplot, the experience is refreshing, super cool, funny, and ultimately one hell of a ride.

Luke Evans in Weekend in Taipei | Image via Ketchup Entertainment Related 6 Times Actors Nailed It as Zeus in Hollywood Weekend...

Weekend in Taipei debuts with a middling Rotten Tomatoes score. Directed by George Huang, with a script he co-wrote with Luc Besson, the new action film follows a DEA agent who falls in love with a Taipei-based transporter, though their relationship is cut short due to their involvement in crime and corruption cases, and 15 years later, they reunite during a fateful weekend in Taipei. The cast includes two Fast & Furious franchise stars, Luke Evans and Sung Kang, alongside Gwei Lun-mei, Wyatt Yang, Tuo Tsung-hua, Lu Yi-ching, and Patrick Lee.

Now, following its theatrical release in North America, the new action film has debuted with a middling Rotten Tomatoes score. Weekend in Taipei has debuted with a 50% score on Rotten Tomatoes with 12 reviews from critics, which could fluctuate as more come in. With fewer than 50 verified ratings from users, the movie doesn't yet qualify for an audience score.

What Weekend In Taipei...

Perhaps the most unexpected thing about Weekend in Taipei is its humor. I went into the film knowing there would be a lot of action, a sprinkling of romance, and a family plot, but the comedy sometimes through dialogue and sometimes situational took me by surprise. Immediately I knew this was a film that wasnt about to take itself so seriously, and I could get on board with that. Directed by George Huang from a screenplay by him and Luc Besson, Weekend in Taipei isnt without its faults, but its charming, well-shot, thrilling, and, above all, entertaining.

Weekend In Taipei

Director George HuangRelease Date November 1, 2024Studio(s) EuropaCorpDistributor(s) Ketchup EntertainmentWriters George Huang, Luc BessonCast Erin Adele Clark, Tjarret Yong, Tou Tsung-Hua, Lu Yi-ching, Virginia Chien, Zach Ireland, Pernell Walker, Wyatt Yang, Gwei Lun-mei, Patrick Lee, Luke Evans, Sung KangCharacter(s) Airport Counter Clerk, Joey's grandmother, Bolo, Charlotte Fields, Kwang,...

Quentin Tarantino has done a bit of everything in his career as director, producer, and writer, but hes best known for his work on film, and one of his most acclaimed works almost became a TV miniseries for the weirdest reason. Quentin Tarantinos movies stand out for their heavy use of blood and violence, but also for his undeniable screenwriting talent, with most praise going towards the way he writes dialogue. Throughout his career, Tarantino has explored different genres, even going as far as to tell alternate versions of historical events.

Falling into that category is Inglourious Basterds, in which Tarantino explores an alternate version of World War II and Adolf Hitlers fate. Inglourious Basterds follows two storylines with the same goal: kill as many Nazis as possible, including Hitler. Inglourious Basterds was a critical and commercial success, winning multiple awards and becoming one of Tarantinos best works. However, Inglourious Basterds...

It’s not that clear cut that Sony’s Venom: The Last Dance will take No. 1 in its third weekend; the movie looking to do around $12M. Exhibitors are betting that A24’s Heretic could do as much, if not more. A24 projections are at $8M at 3,200 theaters for the Hugh Grant horror movie directed by A Quiet Place architects Scott Beck and Bryan Woods.

Heretic, which made its world premiere at TIFF, follows two young Mormon missionaries, who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The R-rated movie counts 94% certified fresh reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. There were some sneaks in Salt Lake City, Ut, but overall previews kick off Thursday at 7Pm. The target is young folks, 18-34.

Venom 3 had a very good second Tuesday on Election Day of $3.3M,...

Plot: On a deep undercover assignment in Taipei, DEA agent John Lawlor was doing everything right… until he fell in love with his informant, beautiful Josephine “Joey” Kwang, one of the Asian underworld’s best transport drivers. Compromised and cover blown, John was forced to flee. Now, years later, John is back in Taipei for the weekend. But is he here to finish the job? Or to win back Joey’s love?

Review: Luke Evans is one of those actors who I always thought deserved to star in an action franchise. His James Bond-esque good looks and debonair stature made him a natural in The Hobbit franchise and The Fast Saga. Having appeared in supporting roles over the last few years, his last significant lead being 2017’s Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, Evans makes a case for headlining more action vehicles with Weekend in Taipei. Co-written by The Transporter and Taken creator Luc Besson,...

Hollywood director Baz Luhrmann has spent over 30 years developing a film about the legendary Joan of Arc. The project is finally moving forward after Luhrmann secured backing from Warner Bros. The historical epic will focus on themes of empowering youth and societal change that still resonate today.

Luhrmann hopes to refresh the iconic story of Joan of Arc for contemporary times. He will draw from Thomas Keneally’s novel “Blood Red, Sister Rose” for source material. The film aims to portray Joan not just as a religious figure, but as a teenage girl who must find her identity during a time of war.

Joan of Arc led the French army to a major victory against English forces at Orléans in 1429 at a young age. Tragically, she faced execution for heresy just two years later. Luhrmann sees parallels between the challenges Joan faced and issues important to youth today. He wants...

Baz Luhrmann’s upcoming Joan of Arc movie has been in the works for decades.

“This is something he’s talked about for 30 years,” his wife and creative partner Catherine Martin told me Saturday at the Lacma Art+Film Gala, where Luhrmann was honored alongside sculptor Simone Leigh.

The teenaged Joan of Arc became a heroine after leading the French army to victory in Orléans in 1429 before being burned at the stake in 1431. Warner Bros. confirmed in September that Luhrmann was taking on the epic tale of France’s national heroine and saint Joan of Arc.

The film is based on “Blood Red, Sister Rose,” the 1974 novel about Joan of Arc by “Schindler’s List” author Thomas Keneally.

“I almost did Alexander the Great and then at one point I was going down the road on Napoleon, but more than ever, I realized I was waiting for the right time to...

George Huang is back in the director's chair after a little over 20 years and is bringing Sung Kang with him in Weekend in Taipei. Huang had first broken out with the 1994 Hollywood satire Swimming with Sharks, which he wrote, directed and was the dialogue editor and sound effects editor, though after helming the romantic comedy Trojan War and sci-fi thriller How To Make a Monster, he would largely put directing on hold. He would, however, continue to work behind the scenes in a variety of capacities, including as a creative consultant on multiple Robert Rodriguez movies.

Kang has been on a steady rise to fame since his breakout turn in Justin Lin's Better Luck Tomorrow as Han Lue, a role that, thanks to Lin, he would carry on into the Fast and Furious franchise beginning with Tokyo Drift and has played all the way through the current films, save...