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Ten years ago, writer/director Jason Krawczyk brought the world the horror comedy He Never Died, which introduced viewers to a badass immortal character named Jack (played by Henry Rollins), who had been around for thousands of years. The follow-ups planned for that film haven’t made it into production, but now, Krawczyk is back with the action comedy Don’t Mess with Grandma (which was filmed under the title Sunset Superman), starring Michael Jai White. I had the chance to watch the movie several months ago and had a lot of fun with it (you can read my 8/10 review at This Link), and a larger audience will have the opportunity to enjoy it when it reaches the free streaming service Tubi on January 24th!

Don’t Mess with Grandma shows us what happens when a drunk Army ranger must fight off the vicious robbers who plan to loot the cabin belonging to his sweet,...

Nicole Kidman is renowned for her daring and provocative performances throughout her career. Here's a look at some of her raunchiest roles!Megaa Family AffairNetflix/YouTube

One of Nicole Kidman's most recent projects, Netflix's A Family Affair, released in June, sees the 57-year-old actress play the role of Brooke Harwood, a writer who starts dating her daughter's celebrity boss. The flick, which also features Zac Efron and Joey King, explores family dynamics while treating viewers with less scandalous scenes between Kidman and Efron.

BabygirlA23/YouTube

A CEO (Kidman), who has never experienced sexual pleasure during her marriage, develops an affair with a significantly younger intern (Harris Dickinson) in the erotic thriller Babygirl.

Although the costars had to record intimate scenes for the project, Dickinson spoke highly of Kidman as he called her "the most comforting, warm performer to work across from."

"She sets the tone on set, and she...

Nicole Kidman is one of the most recognizable actors in Hollywood today, and she has acted in numerous genres throughout her decades-long career, leading to her most recent success with the erotic thriller Babygirl. Kidman's breakout role was in the 1989 ocean thriller Dead Calm, and she gained even more attention for her roles in movies throughout the 1990s. Kidman has even starred in erotic thrillers before, such as Eyes Wide Shut, proving that she was a perfect casting choice for Babygirl, and Babygirl's positive reviews confirm this.

However, while some of Nicole Kidman's movies have fared very well with audiences and critics, garnering numerous award nominations and wins, some of her other movies have not been so successful. In fact, the recent success of Babygirl has helped Kidman break a negative Rotten Tomatoes streak from 2023 and 2024, which was the worst she had seen in over 10 years. Luckily, Babygirl is able...

Editor’s Note: This review was originally published during the 2024 Venice Film Festival. A24 releases “Babygirl” in theaters December 25.

The worst thing your partner could possibly say to you after sex, after you’ve said “I love you,” is the dreaded “love you.” No “I.” And that’s not the most demoralizing response Romy (Nicole Kidman) has for an amorous confession by her husband Jacob (Antonio Banderas) in “Babygirl,” writer/director Halina Reijn’s provocative erotic dramedy that begins and ends with an orgasm. One of them is faked, but in between, this perversely funny and absorbing new film explores the pleasure gap between men and women, and how our inability to talk about sex limits our ability to just do it.

And there’s lots of sex here, with Kidman going raw inside and out for one of her top performances in a career built on risk-taking. That’s...

The best Nicole Kidman movies and TV shows feature decades' worth of great releases that showcase the Australian actress' talents. After getting her start in smaller Australian films in the '80s, Kidman picked up her first major crossover role in the 1989 psychological thriller Dead Calm and this won her the attention of Hollywood, where her first big break came in the Tom Cruise action movie Days of Thunder in 1990. That led her on the path to becoming one of Hollywood’s top leading ladies.

Throughout her decades-long career, Nicole Kidman has won an Academy Award, BAFTA Award, Primetime Emmy Award, and several Golden Globes Awards. She was also the first Australian actor to ever earn the AFI Life Achievement Award in 2024. She has taken on roles in just about every genre imaginable, from comedies and biopics to action movies, superhero fare, and even musicals. Kidman has worked with famed directors Stanley Kubrick,...

January 2025 could mark a bleak month for very specific reasons, but in that month one can watch a nicely curated collection of David Bowie’s best performances. Nearly a decade since he passed, the iconic actor (who had some other trades) is celebrated with The Man Who Fell to Earth, Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence, The Linguini Incident, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, and Basquiat. (Note: watch The Missing Pieces under Fire Walk with Me‘s Criterion edition for about three times as much Phillip Jeffries.) It’s a retrospective-heavy month: Nicole Kidman, Cameron Crowe, Ethan Hawke, Paulin Soumanou Vieyra, Paolo Sorrentino, and Sean Baker are given spotlights; the first and last bring with them To Die For and Take Out‘s Criterion Editions, joining Still Walking, Hunger, and A Face in the Crowd.

“Surveillance Cinema” brings Thx 1138, Body Double, Minority Report, and others, while “Love in Disguise” offers films by Lubitsch,...

It was 1989 when Nicole Kidman first met Tom Cruise on a beach in Florida when her career started to take off. She was promoting her movie Dead Calm when she caught the attention of screenwriter Robert Towne.

It was Towne who first showed her film to Cruise. And both he and Tom Cruise were so impressed by her performance, and rightfully so, that they went on to recruit her as the leading lady opposite the Top Gun star in Days of Thunder.

Nicole Kidman in Babygirl | Credit: A24

This began a whirlwind romance between the co-stars, and they married each other a year later in 1990, a few months after Cruise’s divorce was finalized with his first wife Mimi Rogers. However, it was during this time that Nicole Kidman almost made the worst mistake of her life, which would continue to haunt her for the rest of her life.

Nicole...

Nicole Kidman has revealed that she was nervous to accept one of her most important roles. Kidman is a celebrated actor who first got her start in Australian projects including the cult movie BMX Bandits and the maritime thriller Dead Calm. She began to rise to fame in the 1990s, taking on projects such as Far And Away, Batman Forever, and To Die For. Over the course of her career, she has now earned five Oscar nominations with one win, 17 Golden Globe nominations with six wins, three Emmy nominations with two wins, and five BAFTA nominations with one win.

More contemporary Nicole Kidman movies have seen her taking on a variety of unique roles, including playing a villain in Paddington, having Zac Efron as a love interest in both The Paperboy and A Family Affair, joining a massive superhero franchise as Queen Atlanna in Aquaman and its sequel, and more.

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, star of the upcoming ‘erotic’ feature “Babygirl”, poses for a special issue of “The Hollywood Reporter“, wearing Gucci, Wempe, Bottega Veneta and a whole lot more, photographed by Alique:

Kidman began her acting career in Australia with the 1983 films “Bush Christmas” and “BMX Bandits”.

Her breakthrough came in 1989 with the thriller film “Dead Calm” and the miniseries “Bangkok Hilton”.

In 1990, she achieved international success with the action film “Days of Thunder”. She received greater recognition with lead roles in “Far and Away” (1992), “Batman Forever” (1995), “To Die For” (1995) and “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999).

In 2003, she won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for her portrayal of writer ‘Virginia Woolf’ in the drama film “The Hours” (2002).

Among her numerous feature films, Kidman received additional Academy Award nominations for her roles in the musical “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) and the dramas “Rabbit Hole” (2010), “Lion” (2016) and “Being the Ricardos” (2021).

Kidman's television roles include...

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If you are a horror fan then there is a big chance that you might have heard about the horror streaming service Shudder, and if you have its subscription you might be wondering what’s in store for you in December 2024. Don’t worry there is a host of new and old horror movies coming to the service in the upcoming month and we have listed the 10 best movies coming to Shudder in December 2024.

Coming Home in the Dark (December 1) Credit – MPI Media Group

Coming Home in the Dark is a psychological horror thriller film directed by James Ashcroft who also co-wrote the screenplay with Eli Kent. Based on the 1995 short story of the same name by Owen Marshall, the 2021 film follows a high-school teacher and his family on a road trip but they are soon captured by...

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, star of the upcoming feature “Babygirl”, poses for “L’Officiel” (USA) magazine, wearing Balenciaga, Omega, Ralph Lauren and a whole lot more, photographed by Matthew Brookes:

Kidman began her acting career in Australia with the 1983 films “Bush Christmas” and “BMX Bandits”.

Her breakthrough came in 1989 with the thriller film “Dead Calm” and the miniseries “Bangkok Hilton”.

In 1990, she achieved international success with the action film “Days of Thunder”. She received greater recognition with lead roles in “Far and Away” (1992), “Batman Forever” (1995), “To Die For” (1995) and “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999).

In 2003, she won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for her portrayal of writer ‘Virginia Woolf’ in the drama film “The Hours” (2002).

Among her numerous feature films, Kidman received additional Academy Award nominations for her roles in the musical “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) and the dramas “Rabbit Hole” (2010), “Lion” (2016) and “Being the Ricardos” (2021).

Kidman's television roles include “Hemingway & Gellhorn...

The all-horror streaming service Shudder has announced its full December 2024 lineup this week, with new originals, exclusives and catalogue titles headed our way next month.

Get ready to spend the ho-ho-horror days with new holiday special “Job Bob’s Christmas Carnage” and “The Haunted Season” from renowned author, producer, and filmmaker Kier-La Janisse. Read on for the full December 2024 lineup from Shudder…

Last Straw

Shudder Exclusive Film

Directed by Alan Scott Neal

Streaming On Shudder December 20

Available in US, CA

Synopsis

A rural roadside diner becomes the host of a maniacal killing spree – leaving a young waitress to clean up the mess. After hard-headed Nancy fires the staff at her dad’s diner, she decides to cover the last shift of the night by herself. Little does she know she is far from alone. The day is coming back to haunt her and when things begin to spiral out of control,...

AMC Networks’ Shudder has announced the titles that will be available on the streaming service next month. The Shudder December 2024 slate includes horror, thriller, and supernatural titles.

The December schedule includes the films A Creature Was Stirring and Last Straw, the series The Boulet Brothers’ Dragula Season 6, The Creep Tapes, The Haunted Season: To Fire You Come at Last, and Horror’s Greatest Season 2, and specials Joe Bob’s Christmas Carnage and Just Joe Bob.

Shudder’s expanding library of films, TV series, and original content is available on most streaming devices in the US, Canada, UK, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand.

Last Straw Shudder December 2024 Highlights

Coming Home in the Dark – Streaming on December 1

A schoolteacher is forced to confront a brutal act from his past when a pair of ruthless drifters take his family and him on a nightmare road trip. Directed by James Ashcroft.

A Creature Was Stirring...

Here at JoBlo Horror Originals we talk a lot about gateway horror films. Depending on the generation you belong to, that can be a few different things. Kids of the 70s will always have Jaws as an introduction to horror and that movie is still a great way to introduce newer generations to the genre after almost 50 years. Two of my favorites from the 80’s, and two films that both my sons have seen, are The Gate and The Monster Squad. Again, both great and both still hold up as not only fun horror flicks but great ways to ease in the younger crowd. As a kid born in 1985, I am much more a child of the 90s so even if you hadn’t read the title of the video you clicked, you could probably guess that I saw Jurassic Park in theaters, it scared and enthralled me and made me want more.

The 1980s were a successful decade for the thriller genre, and produced plenty of hidden gems. Some of the best suspense-ridden movies in the history of cinema debuted during that period. The period opened with a disturbing masterpiece of fear with The Shining, and it proceeded to give the audience more cinematographic gems. While some 80s cult classic movies like The Blade Runner are still remembered and praised, others appear to be largely overlooked by today's public.

Perhaps they were overshadowed by bigger names when they first came out, or they simply faded into obscurity over the years. Like many subsequent underrated 90s thrillers, plenty of great representatives of this genre from the 1980s deserve a second look. Audiences, especially those who are attracted to the dark allure of psychologically disturbing and emotionally intriguing stories, deserve the opportunity to rediscover these hidden treasures.

Still of the Night (1982) Director: Robert Benton...

Nicole Kidman will be honored with the International Star Award at the Palm Springs International Film Festival.

The Film Awards will take place on Jan. 3, 2025, with the festival running from Jan. 2 to Jan. 13.

“Nicole Kidman once again showcases her unmatched talent for embracing bold and unexpected roles with remarkable ease. In Babygirl, she portrays a high-powered CEO whose life begins to unravel as she embarks on a dark, risky affair that threatens to shatter her carefully constructed world,” says Festival Chairman Nachhattar Singh Chandi. “For this tour de force performance, we are honored to present her with the International Star Award, an accolade that truly embodies Nicole Kidman.”

The actress previously received the International Star Award for Lion, for which she also received a best actress Oscar nomination. Past recipients of the award include Carey Mulligan, Michelle Yeoh, Penélope Cruz, Helen Mirren, Saoirse Ronan and Charlize Theron. Yeoh went on...

A Titanic star looks exactly like The Godfather's Marlon Brando in the first look at the new biopic, Waltzing with Brando. Written and directed by Bill Fishman, whose work includes cult classics such as Tapeheads and Car 54, Where Are You?, the upcoming biopic reportedly follows Marlon Brando between 1969 and 1974 when he was preparing for roles in The Godfather and Last Tango in Paris, while also collaborating with architect Bernard Judge to create a tropical retreat in Tahiti. Billy Zane, best known for his role as antagonist Cal Hockley in Titanic, stars as Marlon Brando.

Now, the first look at Billy Zane in the biopic has been revealed, and he looks exactly like Marlon Brando. Via Variety, the image shows Zane as Brando, who appears to be in character as Don Vito Corleone from The Godfather. Check out the image from Waltzing with Brando below:

What The Waltzing With Brando...

British actor Idris Elba (Luther, Hijack) will front a new BBC One documentary on the reality of knife crime in the U.K.

In recent years, the star has been vocal as an anti-knife crime activist and hopes the hourlong program, Idris Elba: A Year of Knife Crime (a working title), will spotlight solutions to solve the crisis. He will meet with young offenders, bereaved families, youth workers and the police in a bid to understand the uptick in knife crime across Britain.

The film will feature a meeting with U.K. prime minister Keir Starmer, who said that his government would commit to halving knife crime if elected, and a meeting with King Charles to discuss ways to solve the problem.

A BBC press release said: “Idris faced crossroads in his life as a teenager and knows how easy it would have been to go down a different path,...

Australian actress Nicole Kidman began her professional career in 1983 with an appearance in the holiday film "Bush Christmas," and followed it immediately with Brian Trenchard-Smith's very watchable teens-rule actioner "BMX Bandits." She was 16 at the time. Kidman was a striking screen presence, however, and she immediately began a busy career that hasn't slowed since. For six years, Kidman was all over Aussie TV and cinema, with the actress finally breaking into Hollywood in 1989 with her role in the taut thriller "Dead Calm." In 1990, she was cast opposite Tom Cruise in Tony Scott's "Days of Thunder," and her superstar status was cemented. She also began dating Cruise that year, and they married in 1990, staying one of Hollywood's most visible power couples for a decade. 

Kidman was drawn to a great variety of projects, appearing in costume dramas, comedies, FX-based blockbusters, Oscar bait nonsense, and bonkers experiments like "Dogville," "Fur,...

Thanks to its premiere at the Venice International Film Festival, Babygirl made waves ahead of its theatrical release and it helps that it boasts an all-star cast. Directed by Halina Reijn (Bodies Bodies Bodies), the Nicole Kidman-led erotic thriller centers on Romy, a high-powered CEO who finds herself entangled in a high-stakes affair with her much younger intern, Samuel (Harris Dickinson). Although Romy is mostly satisfied with her long-time marriage to Jacob (Antonio Banderas), something is missing when it comes to desire and sex. Hailed as one of the best erotic thrillers in years, Babygirl explores complex power dynamics.

Not only does the film feature an age-gap romance, but Babygirl plays with the characters' positions of power. While Kidman's Romy is in charge in the workplace, the ever-confident Samuel takes control elsewhere. The character-driven narrative easily makes Babygirl one of Nicole Kidman's best movies, though it also leaves ample room for Dickinson,...

Nicole Kidman in Dead Calm

Night Drive, Legend Extra, 11.30pm, Monday, September 23

A ride share driver who left the business world behind for a profession where he could relax and get to meet different people. A young passanger, alternately garrulous and quietly sulky, who is clearly up to her neck in something dodgy. An unlikely bond, developed over the course of a single night, which seems full of possibility. You might think you know where this is going, but shortly before the end there’s a shift of gears that will force you to rethink everything you’ve seen. A Frightfest favourite, Brad Baruh and Meghan Leon’s twisty little thriller is one wild ride, and a great way to spend your time.

Independence Day, Film4, 6.10pm, Tuesday, September 24

Before CGI was something you could make at home and alien invasion movies were ten a penny, Hollywood threw everything into...

Exclusive: Billy Zane has joined the cast of supernatural indie thriller The Evilry.

The Titanic and Dead Calm actor will join the likes of Brec Bassinger, Elena Kampouris, Dylan Walsh, Marissa Reyes, Evan Ross, Tony Pierce, and Teri Polo in the film, which is written and directed by Alexander Garcia.

There’s no information about Zane at this stage, as the film’s logline remains under wraps though we know it’s a coming-of-age story centered on a visiting relative who is harboring a dark secret. Last month, we told you Final Destination star Bassinger had been tapped as the lead.

Zane’s recent roles include playing Marlon Brando is Waltzing with Brando, while his existentialist dark comedy Int.Hallway/Night was acquired by Buffalo 8 during the Cannes Film Festival this year. He wrote and directed the pic. Further back, he starred in Titanic and had roles in Twin Peaks,...

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman, star of the new feature “Babygirl”, poses for “L’Officiel” (USA) magazine, wearing Balenciaga, Omega, Ralph Lauren and a whole lot more, photographed by Matthew Brookes:

Kidman began her acting career in Australia with the 1983 films “Bush Christmas” and “BMX Bandits”.

Her breakthrough came in 1989 with the thriller film “Dead Calm” and the miniseries “Bangkok Hilton”.

In 1990, she achieved international success with the action film “Days of Thunder”. She received greater recognition with lead roles in “Far and Away” (1992), “Batman Forever” (1995), “To Die For” (1995) and “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999).

In 2003, she won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for her portrayal of writer ‘Virginia Woolf’ in the drama film “The Hours” (2002).

Among her numerous feature films, Kidman received additional Academy Award nominations for her roles in the musical “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) and the dramas “Rabbit Hole” (2010), “Lion” (2016) and “Being the Ricardos” (2021).

Kidman's television roles include “Hemingway & Gellhorn...

Harrison Ford turned down the role of Dr. Alan Grant in Jurassic Park, which ended up going to Sam Neill. The ensemble cast of Jurassic Park allowed the film's concept and dinosaurs to shine without being dominated by major blockbuster stars. Ford rejecting the role of Alan Grant allowed the Jurassic Park series to grow into a $6 billion franchise without being reliant on his continued presence.

If Harrison Ford had not turned down a major movie role, cinema may have been changed forever. The iconic actor has appeared in more than four dozen big screen roles over the course of his career. Harrison Ford movies cover a wide variety of genres, ranging from more straightforward dramas and comedies such as American Graffiti, Working Girl, The Fugitive, and Witness (for which he was nominated for an Oscar) to imaginative genre exercises including Blade Runner and Cowboys & Aliens.

However, he is...

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman poses for “L’Officiel” (USA) magazine, wearing Balenciaga, Omega, Ralph Lauren and a whole lot more, photographed by Matthew Brookes:

Kidman began her acting career in Australia with the 1983 films “Bush Christmas” and “BMX Bandits”.

Her breakthrough came in 1989 with the thriller film “Dead Calm” and the miniseries “Bangkok Hilton”.

In 1990, she achieved international success with the action film “Days of Thunder”. She received greater recognition with lead roles in “Far and Away” (1992), “Batman Forever” (1995), “To Die For” (1995) and “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999).

In 2003, she won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for her portrayal of writer ‘Virginia Woolf’ in the drama film “The Hours” (2002).

Among her numerous feature films, Kidman received additional Academy Award nominations for her roles in the musical “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) and the dramas “Rabbit Hole” (2010), “Lion” (2016) and “Being the Ricardos” (2021).

Kidman's television roles include “Hemingway & Gellhorn” (2012), “Big Little Lies” (2017–2019), “Top of the Lake: China Girl...

The ocean serves as the ultimate setting for suspenseful thriller movies, ranging from shark attacks to psychological encounters. Films like Dead Calm and Sea Fever showcase the ocean as a character, shifting from therapeutic to threatening. The Abyss and Jaws use the ocean's vastness to create tension, showcasing the fear and danger that lurks beneath the surface.

Throughout the years, the intimidating vastness of the ocean has captivated filmmakers and audiences alike. Its mystery and the creatures it holds (both fictional and real) help it serve as one of the most terrifying and suspenseful settings for some of the best thriller movies ever released.

These ever-present bodies of water help audiences explore from the best action movies to the worst claustrophobic nightmares. Shark attacks, pirating, or even psychologically-filled encounters all happen within the best thrillers that take place on the ocean.

Related 10 Most Underrated Psychological Thrillers From The 2010s

The...

In previous episodes of The Best Movie You Never Saw, I’ve talked a little bit about how much I like the eighties and nineties actor Tom Berenger. From Platoon through Shoot to Kill and The Substitute, he was a great character actor with some serious action chops. Were he to have come along in another era, he could have easily been an action star in the vein of Liam Neeson or Gerard Butler, but in his heyday, audiences seemed to prefer larger-than-life heroes. Yet, some of his movies proved to be modestly successful, and one of the more intruding examples is the 1993 movie Sniper, which is probably the best movie you ever saw that got nine sequels.

In it, Berenger plays Master Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Beckett, a legendary sniper with many confirmed kills under his belt. His work nowadays is embroiled in the war on drugs, with him having...

Nicole Kidman stars in the age-gap romance Babygirl, continuing a trend in her career. Babygirl explores power dynamics in a forbidden romance. Age-gap romances, like in Babygirl, are a rising trend in Hollywood despite controversies.

Nicole Kidman is starring in another romance movie in 2024, and with it, shes creating the weirdest trend of her career. Nicole Kidman rose to fame when she starred in the 1989 thriller Dead Calm, after which she became one of the biggest and most beloved actresses of the 1990s. Despite some not-so-memorable projects in the 2000s and 2010s, Kidman is still one of the most popular actresses of her generation, starring in movies of different genres but lately, she has been creating a very specific trend in her career.

Kidmans most recent hit is Being the Ricardos, which earned her an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress, followed by the critically acclaimed The Northman. Kidman reprised...

Nicole Kidman's latest Netflix movie, A Family Affair, is popular, but her best recent film, The Northman, was a box office flop. The Northman, with a 90% critics score, was praised for its performances, but failed to find an audience amidst other releases. Kidman's next Netflix movie, Spellbound, has the potential to redeem A Family Affair's reception and join The Northman as a recent success.

Nicole Kidmans latest Netflix movie, A Family Affair, has been a hit with the audience, and while its entertaining, it only makes me mad that her best movie in recent years was a major flop. Nicole Kidman got her big break in 1989 with the thriller Dead Calm, and thanks to it, she became one of the biggest stars of the 1990s. Although she had some not-so-notable projects in the 2000s and 2010s, Nicole Kidman continues to be quite popular with the audience, and she...

Netflix's A Family Affair star Nicole Kidman has long faced allegations of undergoing plastic surgery.

57-year-old Kidman has had a long and stellar acting career since her breakout role in 1989's Dead Calm. The actress has received five Oscar nominations over the years, including one win for the 2003 psychological drama The Hours.

Nicole Kidman Responds to Plastic Surgery Allegations Read full article on The Direct.

Known for iconic roles, Sam Neill's horror career is largely overlooked, but his chilling performance in "Omen III" is unforgettable. Neill's ability to bring subtle terror to psychotronic horror films sets him apart from other actors in the genre. Despite underrated performances in cult classics like "Event Horizon," Neill's horror legacy is often overshadowed by his mainstream success.

Although he's one of the most distinctive and respected actors of the past few decades, Sam Neill's horror movie career largely flies under the radar. Like many movie fans, I became familiar with Neill following his starring turn in Steven Spielberg's 1993 blockbuster, Jurassic Park. However, while his performance as paedophobic paleontologist Alan Grant remains a career highlight, it's become increasingly clear that there's more to Neill's resume than running away from dinosaurs.

Born in Northern Ireland in 1947, Neill first rose to prominence with a series of acclaimed roles in the...

by Mark Brinkerhoff

The early ‘90s were a peculiar period in the ascendant career of young Nicole Kidman. Hot off her breakthrough in Dead Calm (1989), Hollywood poached her quickly, (mis)casting her in a series of prominent but mostly forgettable, largely thankless roles—from Days of Thunder (1990) and Billy Bathgate (1991) to Far and Away (1992) and My Life (1993). In between, her real claim to fame (for a time) was bagging Hollywood’s biggest star, not necessarily popping on screen. Or at least that’s how I viewed her in the fall of 1993, when the Harold Becker-directed, Aaron Sorkin-penned Malice was released in theaters…...

Hollywood’s beauty queen Nicole Kidman has been thoroughly successful throughout her more than forty-year-old and counting career, scoring roles in nearly every genre there is, including the superhero ones as well. Decades before starring in Dceu’s Aquaman film series, she also scored the role of Dr. Chase Meridian alongside Val Kilmer’s Caped Crusader in 1995’s Batman Forever.

Nicole Kidman. | Credit: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons.

But, surprisingly enough, she was never supposed to get cast in that movie because the role was written for someone else. However, she eventually ended up making her way into the movie and it was all because of the film’s director, Joel Schumacher, who was so obsessed with working with her that he cast her in the role despite claiming she was not fit to play the seductive doctor!

Nicole Kidman was in Val Kilmer’s Batman Forever Because of Joel Schumacher

Back in the early 1990s,...

Nicole Kidman and Tom Cruise were once the Hollywood “it” couple. They were married for 11 years after meeting on a movie set, but soon realized that their marriage was not going to last forever. They divorced in 2001.

Nicole Kidman in Days of Thunder

It’s quite sad to see famous couples breaking up, but Kidman and Cruise remained good pals who share mutual respect and love for each other. The actress even acknowledged her ex-husband in a recent event.

Nicole Kidman Makes A Heartwarming Reference To Tom Cruise In Her Acceptance Speech

Nicole Kidman received a 49th AFI Life Achievement Award on Saturday as the actress and her colleagues relive the journey of her career in Hollywood. She gave a moving speech that chronicled the joys and the sorrows of being a celebrity as well as forging relationships with her costars.

Suggested“You won’t have a career, you’re...

“I think it was Andy Warhol who said, “Make art and let others decide whether it is good or bad. But while they are deciding, make some more”.

That was the line with which Nicole Kidman ended her 15-minute acceptance speech after Meryl Streep had presented her with the 49th AFI Life Achievement Award.

That is something that seems entirely appropriate for Kidman, who doesn’t seem to stop “making art,” taking risks at every turn, telling stories through her power not just as an actor, but also a producer dedicated to bringing those stories to screens big and small. At 56, she is on the younger side of the previous 48 recipients of this very high honor, the first Australian to receive it. And someone very much in the middle of creating those life achievements that led to last night’s honor at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, where a large...

“Film is forever.”

Nicole Kidman, the 49th recipient of the prestigious AFI Life Achievement Award, made her acceptance speech on the Dolby Theatre stage on Saturday, April 27 about the filmmakers who’ve shaped her career — and her love for movies and storytelling.

The Academy Award-winning actress was joined by presenters including her “Big Little Lies” co-stars Reese Witherspoon and Meryl Streep, a past AFI recipient who handed Kidman the honors at the night’s end. “Can I just say, Meryl Streep? I just loved you. I always loved you. I don’t know what it is. You’re a beacon of excellence and warmth and generosity, and you’ve been my guiding light. To see this from you, you have no idea. My husband can attest, my parents can attest, it’s always been you, and no one can touch you.”

Kidman’s opening remarks set the tone for a...

Nicole Kidman has captivated audiences with her spellbinding acting for over 40 years and has excelled in theatre, film, and television. Not only is she an accomplished producer but a five-time Academy Award nominee. Her role as Virginia Woolf in The Hours (2002) earned her the Oscar for Best Actress in 2002.

Born in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1967, she began her career in Australia as a teenager with roles in Bush Christmas (1983) and BMX Bandits (1983). Her performance in Dead Calm (1989) would grab the attention of Hollywood, and Tom Cruise, casting her in her breakout role as neurologist Dr. Claire Lewicki, in Days of Thunder (1990).

Her trajectory to establishing herself among Hollywood’s A-List continued as she starred alongside Cruise again in Far and Away (1992), mastered her comedic acting chops as an aspiring television personality in Gus Van Sant’s black comedy, To Die For (1995), and portrayed another doctor in the superhero film Batman Forever (1995), opposite Val Kilmer.

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman poses for Vogue” (Australia) magazine, wearing Gucci, Cartier and Gentle Monster, photographed by Steven Klein:

Kidman began her acting career in Australia with the 1983 films “Bush Christmas” and “BMX Bandits”. Her breakthrough came in 1989 with the thriller film “Dead Calm” and the miniseries “Bangkok Hilton”.

In 1990, she achieved international success with the action film “Days of Thunder”. She received greater recognition with lead roles in “Far and Away” (1992), “Batman Forever” (1995), “To Die For” (1995) and “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999).

In 2003, she won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for her portrayal of writer ‘Virginia Woolf’ in the drama film “The Hours” (2002). Among her numerous feature films, Kidman received additional Academy Award nominations for her roles in the musical “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) and the dramas “Rabbit Hole” (2010), “Lion” (2016) and “Being the Ricardos” (2021).

Kidman's television roles include “Hemingway & Gellhorn” (2012), “Big Little Lies” (2017–2019), “Top of the Lake: China Girl” (2017), “The Undoing...

Hollywood star Nicole Kidman has completed 40 years in the world of films and she celebrated it on social media. The 56-year-old actress shared a heartwarming video of her first role at 14 in ‘Bush Christmas’, which was released in 1983.

“This 14-year-old girl could never have predicted all the talented people she would work with and the many different characters she would play,” Kidman wrote in the caption.

Kidman gained the spotlight with her portrayal of Rae Ingram in ‘Dead Calm’ in 1989. Since then, she has worked with prestigious directors such as Jane Campion, Sofia Coppola, Baz Luhrmann, Sydney Pollack, Aaron Sorkin and Stanley Kubrick.

In recognition of her outstanding contributions to cinema, the American Film Institute (AFI) bestowed upon Kidman its Life Achievement Award on April 27, reports aceshowbiz.com.

The actress is the first Australian to receive this honour. Kidman has earned numerous accolades over the years, including five Academy Award...

Apples Never Fall on Peacock brings Liane Moriarty's family drama to life with a star-studded cast and captivating storytelling. Sam Neill shines as patriarch Stan Delaney, portraying a complex character with depth and vulnerability in the series. Annette Bening stars opposite of Neill, and the rest of the cast brings the Delaneys to the small screen with an impressive amount of talent.

Apples Never Fall is the latest TV adaptation of Liane Moriarty's best-selling novels, and the Peacock series has an all-star cast bringing the book's story to life. Like the novel it's based on, Apples Never Fall follows the tennis-loving Delaney family in two timelines: before and after their mother vanishes. Joy Delaney's sudden disappearance dredges up the secrets and trauma within the seemingly perfect family, forcing the Delaney siblings to question everything they believe about their own parents.

The cast of Apples Never Fall brings the...

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman poses for the 60th anniversary issue of “Vogue” (Australia), wearing Chanel, Givenchy, Galliano and Schiaparelli, photographed by Inez van Lamsweerde + Vinoodh:

Kidman began her acting career in Australia with the 1983 films “Bush Christmas” and “BMX Bandits”. Her breakthrough came in 1989 with the thriller film “Dead Calm” and the miniseries “Bangkok Hilton”.

In 1990, she achieved international success with the action film “Days of Thunder”. She received greater recognition with lead roles in “Far and Away” (1992), “Batman Forever” (1995), “To Die For” (1995) and “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999).

In 2003, she won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for her portrayal of writer ‘Virginia Woolf’ in the drama film “The Hours” (2002). Among her numerous feature films, Kidman received additional Academy Award nominations for her roles in the musical “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) and the dramas “Rabbit Hole” (2010), “Lion” (2016) and “Being the Ricardos” (2021).

Kidman's television roles include “Hemingway & Gellhorn” (2012), “Big Little Lies” (2017–2019), “Top of the Lake: China Girl...

While the Marvel Universe continues to chug along and James Gunn attempts to resuscitate the DC universe into something worth watching, we will yet again go back to the world of graphic novels for our inspiration on book vs movie. It’s really a very untapped realm as there are so many good horror comics out there, many without adaptations yet. The ones that have been adapted are very fun and interesting. Today is the mostly forgotten early 2000s movie From Hell (watch it Here), which is based on the stunning and epic graphic novel from famed wizard and all-around cranky dude Alan Moore. Like many graphic novels, the journey to page and then screen was a long and arduous one. It is based on the very real killings in Whitechapel that were later attributed to Jack the Ripper. While both have a lot of truths to them along with...

If you’ve been keeping up with The Test of Time, you have probably learned what the rules are in terms of what we tackle. Those rules, of course, are that there are no rules whatsoever and we cover whatever sounds good or we think would be an interesting topic. In the Mouth of Madness (watch it Here) came out in Italy in late 1994 and that means, gulp, that movie is now 30 years old. It came during an interesting time in the master of horrors career when he was running flop after flop and being disappointed by studios interference and stars that weren’t willing to be true collaborators. It’s the ending of a loose trilogy and in some people’s estimation his last great film. Is In the Mouth of Madness a tale that stands the Test of Time, or should it be put in the bargain bin...

Noted Hollywood publicist Mickey Cottrell passed away on January 1, 2024, at the age of 79. He was known throughout the 1990s for his advocacy of independent film, his knowledge of queer history, and his wild blowout parties. He promoted films like Jonatha Couette's "Tarnation," Wim Wenders' "Wings of Desire," and Philip Noyce's "Dead Calm," as well as "Weekend," "Querelle," and "Earth Girls Are Easy." 

Cottrell was so well-liked in the industry, and such an outsize character, that he would occasionally appear in films. In fact, he has several dozen acting credits to his name, many of them in indie queer films. He played a corpse in John Cameron Mitchell's "Shortbus," a barfly in "The Fluffer," and a mincing French aristocrat in league with demons in "Hellraiser: Bloodline." He was also the one who got to say "Your stupid minds! Stupid! Stupid!" in Tim Burton's "Ed Wood." His first acting...

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman poses for the February 2024 issue of “Vogue” (Australia) magazine, wearing Gucci, Cartier and Gentle Monster, photographed by Steven Klein:

Kidman began her acting career in Australia with the 1983 films “Bush Christmas” and “BMX Bandits”. Her breakthrough came in 1989 with the thriller film “Dead Calm” and the miniseries “Bangkok Hilton”.

In 1990, she achieved international success with the action film “Days of Thunder”. She received greater recognition with lead roles in “Far and Away” (1992), “Batman Forever” (1995), “To Die For” (1995) and “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999).

In 2003, she won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for her portrayal of writer ‘Virginia Woolf’ in the drama film “The Hours” (2002). Among her numerous feature films, Kidman received additional Academy Award nominations for her roles in the musical “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) and the dramas “Rabbit Hole” (2010), “Lion” (2016) and “Being the Ricardos” (2021).

Kidman's television roles include “Hemingway & Gellhorn” (2012), “Big Little Lies” (2017–2019), “Top of the Lake: China Girl...

Expats is a new drama series based on the book "The Expatriates" and follows the lives of American expatriates in Hong Kong. The series features a talented cast including Nicole Kidman, Ji-young Yoo, and Sarayu Blue. The characters' lives become intertwined, leading to drama and conflict as their perspectives are brought to the forefront.

Amazon Prime Video’s new drama Expats includes a cast of seasoned stars and talented newcomers, whose acting contributes to making the TV series an apt adaptation of the book it’s based on, 2016’s The Expatriates by Janice Y. K. Lee. Debuting on Amazon Prime Video in January 2024, Expats is directed by Lulu Wang, better known for the 2019 critically acclaimed The Farewell. Expats has Nicole Kidman among its producers, making it the eighth project in which the Australian-American star simultaneously covers the roles of actor and producer in the series.

Set in Hong Kong, Expats...

Mickey Cottrell, the PR executive who specialized in the indie film business and worked both as an actor and a producer, died on New Year’s Day at the Motion Picture & Television Fund in Woodland Hills. He was 79.

His death was confirmed by his sister, Suzie Cottrell-Smith, who told Deadline he suffered from Parkinson’s disease. Cottrell experienced a stroke in 2016 and had gone to live with his sister in Arkansas before returning to Los Angeles in 2019.

Cottrell was born September 4, 1944, in Springfield, Il, and spent part of his childhood in Monroe, LA. At age 8, he moved with his family to Little Rock, Ar, where he grew up. He attended the University of Arkansas and spent more than 30 years in the film and PR industries, co-owning multiple firms including most recently Inclusive PR, repping pics including Bill Cunningham: New York, Stones in Exile, Ballets Russes, Down to the Bone,...

Mickey Cottrell, a veteran publicist for independent films known as a champion of filmmakers and actors, died Monday at the Motion Picture Hospital in Woodland Hills, his sister Suzy Cottrell confirmed. He was 79.

Cottrell had returned to Los Angeles in 2019 after living with his sister in Arkansas while he recovered from a stroke he suffered in 2016.

His sister remembered him on Facebook, writing, “My adorable, fun, critical, foodie, particular, brilliant, loving brother passed on to the next life early on New Year’s Day. He was smiling when he died. Mickey Cottrell will be missed by many.”

A fixture at film festivals, he was remembered by friends on Facebook as a generous and sassy raconteur, a devoted mentor, the “life of the party” who threw star-studded Sundance parties in the 1990s and an expert on gay Hollywood history.

Cottrell also acted in numerous small roles over the years, including turns...

One of the great things about working for JoBlo is that, over the years, I’ve had the pleasure to speak with some of my heroes. Being a child of the eighties, I tend to be most fascinated by the people I grew up watching. So, speaking to Sylvester Stallone, Mel Gibson and the great Don Johnson have consistently ranked with my fondest moments here with the site. Of course, one of the guys I’ve always wanted to talk to was the great Pierce Brosnan.

Given that I’m the guy behind James Bond Revisited, one could easily imagine why he was a bucket list interview of mine. However, beyond his work as 007, I’m still a fan, particularly of his movie The Matador, one of my favorites. Pierce has a new film out the week called Fast Charlie, which features him once again playing a hitman who’s...

Oscar-winning actress Nicole Kidman poses for "Vanity Fair" magazine, with a provocative cover photographed by Maurizio Cattelan and Pierpaolo Ferrari, that stands alongside Kidman’s numerous photo shoots for the publication over the years:

Kidman began her acting career in Australia with the 1983 films “Bush Christmas” and “BMX Bandits”.

Her breakthrough came in 1989 with the thriller film “Dead Calm” and the miniseries “Bangkok Hilton”.

In 1990, she achieved international success with the action film “Days of Thunder”.

She received greater recognition with lead roles in “Far and Away” (1992), “Batman Forever” (1995), “To Die For” (1995) and “Eyes Wide Shut” (1999).

In 2003, she won the ‘Academy Award’ for ‘Best Actress’ for her portrayal of writer ‘Virginia Woolf’ in the drama film “The Hours” (2002).

Among her numerous feature films, Kidman received additional Academy Award nominations for her roles in the musical “Moulin Rouge!” (2001) and the dramas “Rabbit Hole” (2010), “Lion” (2016) and “Being the Ricardos” (2021).

Kidman's television roles...