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The following article is an excerpt from the new edition of “In Review by David Ehrlich,” a biweekly newsletter in which our Chief Film Critic and Head Reviews Editor rounds up the site’s latest reviews and muses about current events in the movie world. Subscribe here to receive the newsletter in your inbox every other Friday.

Well, 2024 is coming to an end, and what a year it’s been. So many things happened! Most of them were very, very bad — like “Madame Web.” But some of them were also kind of incredible and worth cherishing on their own magical terms — like “Madame Web.”

For 2024’s final edition of “In Review,” I thought that it could be a refreshing change of pace to focus on the latter category of things and highlight some of the random movie things that made me happy this year. The “Reggie” sequence in “Bad Boys: Ride or Die.

Nicolas Cage does not use the word “masterpiece” lightly. In fact, he tells us that he has never utilized that term before while describing one of his own films. Yet when he sat in a screening room with his manager to watch the first cut of Dream Scenario, a new startlingly original dark comedy he stars in, the actors was absolutely floored and called it a masterpiece on the spot. Also to his satisfaction, more folks are coming around to his point-of-view on this surrealist film from writer-director Kristoffer Borgli.

“The reason why I say it’s a masterpiece is because of its originality,” Cage explains. “I think Kristoffer did something here which is extremely unlike anything else that I’ve ever seen…. It coalesced in such a way where I felt it was a very pure expression [of the artist].”

It’s obviously a wonderful reaction for Cage, as is the reception...

Although Nicolas Cage has been known to star in just about any kind of project when attempting to pay off his now-infamous expensive tastes, he has also starred in some great movies that have gotten overlooked. These films include some dramedies of the early 2000s, such as Matchstick Men, The Weather Man and Lord of War. 2005’s Lord of War came from writer and director Andrew Niccol, who had previously penned the Jim Carrey movie The Truman Show and told the story of Yuri Orlov, played by Nicolas Cage, who became a gun runner and quickly rose to become a wealthy and notorious illegal arms dealer of worldwide conflicts.

Variety has revealed that a planned sequel from Niccol is now set to start filming in Morocco locations next March. The sequel’s producer, Karim Debbagh of Kasbah Films, has expressed his zeal to start production now that the writers’ and...

Nicolas Cage has become enmeshed in our collective cultural consciousness in a way that few stars have, particularly over the last decade as his distinctive meme-ready brand has grown. So it only seems natural for him to play a character who suddenly starts popping up in people’s dreams. Indeed, Kristoffer Borgli’s Dream Scenario presents a perfectly absurdist setup that allows Cage to flex his singular acting muscles in increasingly hilarious directions.

Mind you, this isn’t another “crazy Cage” role that the actor has become synonymous with in recent years. In Dream Scenario, he plays the defiantly unremarkable Paul Matthews, a schlubby professor of evolutionary biology at the fictional Osler University. Despite holding academic tenure and having an agreeable home life with his wife, Janet (Julianne Nicholson), and two daughters, Sophie (Lily Bird) and Hannah (Jessica Clement), Paul longs to be noticed on a grander scale. It’s...

Nicolas Cage and Nicholas Hoult starred together in a much better movie than Renfield. The Weather Man is a thought-provoking drama film about the complexities of life and relationships. The 2005 movie stars Nicolas Cage as David Spritz, a noteworthy Chicago weather forecaster who struggles with challenges in his personal and professional lives. The movie, directed by Gore Verbinski, explores the fragility of human existence against the backdrop of ever-changing weather patterns.

Spritz's career revolves around forecasting the weather, which serves as the primary metaphor for the unpredictable nature of his life in the movie. In the face of harsh adversity, Spitz is forced to navigate through numerous personal problems, including a troubled marriage, a distant relationship with his children, and the constant pressure of public scrutiny. Nicholas Hoult plays Mike, Spritz's son who finds himself in unusual and problematic situations because of his father in The Weather Man.

Related: Renfield...

Nicholas Hoult had to do something that few Hollywood people ever dream of: turn down Tom Cruise.

The “Renfield” star revealed that after initially being cast as the main villain in “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One” in January 2020, he had to part ways with production to finish Hulu series “The Great” Season 3. “Bad Boys” actor Esai Morales went on to replace Hoult in the blockbuster sequel.

“I screen-tested for ‘The Batman’ and didn’t get it. Screen-tested for ‘Top Gun,’ didn’t get it,” Hoult told The Guardian. “Then I got the call from Tom Cruise, ‘Hey, how about “Mission: Impossible”?’ Ok. Got it. Then I had to drop out because I was already attached to do some more of ‘The Great.'”

“The Great” stars Hoult as Russian Emperor Peter III alongside Elle Fanning’s eponymous Catherine the Great. Hoult and Fanning both earned Emmy nominations for...

Dracula has made his way from the novel to the big screen, and it gives us chills to watch this horrendous persona in theatres, but ‘Renfield’ is an exception. Directed by Chris McKay, who is famous for ‘The Lego Movie’, ‘The Lego Batman Movie’, and ‘The Tomorrow War’, and with a cast that boasts Nicolas Cage, Nicholas Hoult, Brandon Scott Jones, and Ben Schwartz, ‘Renfield’ seems worth the hype it has created. Here are 5 reasons why you shouldn’t miss this movie:

Nicolas Cage as Dracula would be enough to make any movie a must-see! Hell Yes!

Watching Nicolas Cage as Dracula on the Big screen is the type of entertainment that you cannot miss. “Some call me The Dark One. Others, the Lord of Death. To most, I am Dracula,” he growls as he makes his dramatic entrance. It almost feels like he was Born to play this role.

Clockwise from upper left: Vampire’s Kiss (Hemdale Film Corp.), The Wicker Man (Screenshot: Warner Bros./YouTube), Moonstruck (MGM), Bad Lieutenant: Port Of Call New Orleans (First Look Media), The Weather Man (Paramount Pictures) Graphic: AVClub Lots of people love Nicolas Cage, but for very different reasons. To some cinephiles, he...

Renfield makeup artist Christien Tinsley has revealed the extreme lengths Nicolas Cage went to, to play Dracula.

In the new movie by director Chris McKay, Cage plays the vampire, while Nicholas Hoult portrays the title character, Dracula’s long-suffering assistant and henchman.

In an interview with Variety, Tinsley revealed they used 3D printing to craft Dracula’s famous fangs.

“This was the first film that I know of where we used 3D printing to do all the dentures,” Tinsley said. “We jumped in headfirst with 3D printing. We would scan Nic’s teeth and digitally sculpt them.”

Once the fake teeth were made, “We shaved Nic’s teeth down and the dentures were fitted so as not to impede on Nic’s speech and allow full freedom,” he said.

“Nic wanted to emote and annunciate properly, so it was important the veneers were thin.”

McKay recently claimed in an interview...

Renfield makeup artist Christien Tinsley has revealed the extreme lengths Nicolas Cage went to, to play Dracula.

In the new movie by director Chris McKay, Cage plays the vampire, while Nicholas Hoult portrays the title character, Dracula’s long-suffering assistant and henchman.

In an interview with Variety, Tinsley revealed they used 3D printing to craft Dracula’s famous fangs.

“This was the first film that I know of where we used 3D printing to do all the dentures,” Tinsley said. “We jumped in headfirst with 3D printing. We would scan Nic’s teeth and digitally sculpt them.”

Once the fake teeth were made, “We shaved Nic’s teeth down and the dentures were fitted so as not to impede on Nic’s speech and allow full freedom,” he said.

“Nic wanted to emote and annunciate properly, so it was important the veneers were thin.”

McKay recently claimed in an interview...

Nicolas Cage has denied that he went full method on the set of Renfield, in which he plays Dracula.

In the new movie, Cage, 59, plays the vampire, while Nicholas Hoult, 33, portrays the title character, Dracula’s long-suffering assistant and henchman.

Renfield director Chris McKay recently claimed in an interview that “whatever scene we did he [Cage] would still be 100 per cent living in that attitude after we stopped shooting”.

The director added: “So if he’s a little frosty in the scene he’s going to have a little bit of that between takes. But still up for whatever we were doing.”

At the New York City premiere on Tuesday (28 March), Cage told The Hollywood Reporter that he remembers things differently. “I just don’t have that recollection, I don’t know why Chris said that,” he said.

“I had a lot of laughs in between takes with both Chris McKay and Nick Hoult,...

Blame it on the fangs.

On the heels of Renfield director Chris McKay saying Nicolas Cage went method on the set while playing Dracula — the filmmaker told Insider “whatever scene we did he would still be 100 percent living in that attitude after we stopped shooting” — the veteran actor recalled his own version of events to The Hollywood Reporter at the film’s New York premiere.

“I just don’t have that recollection, I don’t know why Chris said that,” Cage said. “I had a lot of laughs in between takes with both Chris McKay and Nick Hoult, so maybe that was his experience, maybe because I still had the fangs in my mouth that made me speak a certain way, but that wasn’t my experience.”

Either way, the role requires range for Cage who, after a career of iconic roles, steps into one of the most notable as...

The Nic(h)olases — Cage and Hoult — connected with the fans over the weekend in an Ama session on Reddit as the duo, who formerly played father and son in the underrated film, The Weather Man, promote their newest venture as master and servant in the horror comedy Renfield. The Nics were asked a wide range of questions, from their favorite soups to their favorite lesser-known roles.

A fan would inquire with Cage what other undead characters he would like to play now that he’s done both Ghost Rider and Dracula, and Cage was quick to answer,

“Ohh! Yeah! Jim Corrigan, the Spectre (old DC comic character). That would be a fun one. But that’s a hard one to pull off because he’s virtually invincible, he has no weakness. You need characters that have a kryptonite, that have a flaw, but he’s kinda unbeatable. But that would be a fun one.

Nicolas Cage thinks Nicholas Hoult is "wildly talented".The 59-year-old actor stars alongside Nicholas, 33, in 'Renfield' - the comedy-horror film directed by Chris McKay - and the Hollywood veteran has heaped praise on his co-star.Asked about his experience of working with Nicholas, he told Collider: "Nic is somebody that I've admired ever since I worked with him on 'The Weather Man', he played my son in that movie. And even that, even in his teenage years, I could tell he was wildly talented and gonna be the star that he's subsequently become. "So I was just happy to get back on set with him. "You know, it's been, I don't know, 13 to 15 years, but any chance I had, I just started throwing lines at him because I wanted to rehearse - we didn't get that much time to rehearse together. He had his hands full.

Los Angeles, March 26 (Ians) Hollywood star Nicolas Cage is open to returning as Dracula for a ‘Renfield’ sequel.

The 59-year-old actor relished putting his own spin on Bram Stoker’s iconic vampire creation for the new movie while the movie has also given him a chance to work with Nicholas Hoult again after first teaming up on ‘The Weather Man’, reports aceshowbiz.com.

“If there’s room for it. I mean, I’m happy with the time that I had to play Dracula for Universal in this film, and I’m very happy I got to support Nic. I’ve been wanting to work with him for a while again. You know, I enjoyed our time on ‘The Weather Man’. I think it plays beautifully. I think what he brought to this character is totally brand new, and I’m very happy to be a part of that,” he told...

Nicolas Cage would love to revisit Dracula for a 'Renfield' sequel.The 59-year-old actor loved putting his own spin on Bram Stoker's iconic vampire creation for the new movie, while the movie has also given him a chance to work with Nicholas Hoult again after first teaming up on 'The Weather Man'.Asked if he'd return for a follow up, he told Collider: "If there’s room for it. I mean, I'm happy with the time that I had to play Dracula for Universal in this film, and I'm very happy I got to support Nic."I've been wanting to work with him for a while again. You know, I enjoyed our time on 'The Weather Man'."I think it plays beautifully. I think what he brought to this character is totally brand new, and I'm very happy to be a part of that.

In spring 2022, Screen Rant was one of a select group of publications to visit the set of Universal's Renfield, where we had the chance to speak to Nicholas Hoult, who stars in the title role as Dracula's loyal henchman. In addition to his Emmy-nominated comedy performance on Hulu's The Great, Nicholas Hoult has made a name for himself in Hollywood through his eclectic slate of film roles from various franchises and genres. The actor has notably appeared in the zombie movie Warm Bodies as R, George Miller's Mad Max: Fury Road as Nux, and the black comedy horror movie The Menu as Tyler. As he takes the spotlight in Renfield, Hoult fittingly adds another eccentric horror-comedy to his accomplished resumé.

Directed by Chris McKay and based on an original idea from Robert Kirkman, Renfield is a horror comedy spin on the classic tale of Dracula set in modern-day New Orleans.

Recently, JoBlo was invited to visit the set of Chris McKay’s Renfield, a action-comedy-horror reimagining of the classic master-servant relationship the title character has with the Prince of Darkness himself, Count Dracula (played by Nicolas Cage). While on set, a bunch of us got the chance to talk to Nicholas Hoult about playing the iconic character, working with Cage, and his own take on the classic Dracula mythos. Here’s a transcript of the group interview we got to participate in with Hoult!

So, it sounds like your character goes through quite a journey.

Yeah. Yeah, I guess. In this film, we pick up with Renfield. He’s kind of been working for Dracula for probably around 100 years, just under 100 years or so. So, the Renfield that we’ve seen in–you know, from Bram Stoker’s novels and from previous films, he’s kind of been living in...

March has arrived, and there’s no lack of new streaming options this month. We’ve put together a curated guide to some of the best and most notable new movies streaming on everything from Netflix to HBO Max to Peacock this month, which runs the gamut from Oscar-contending features to blockbuster franchises to underseen gems. There’s a little something for everyone.

Check out our list of the best new movies to stream in March 2023 below.

Also Read:

Here’s What’s New on Netflix in March 2023 “Rango” Nickelodeon Pictures

Netflix – March 1

One of the great tragedies of last year was that Netflix pulled the plug on a new animated feature from Gore Verbinski, the filmmaker behind the first three “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies and offbeat cultish fare like “The Weather Man” and “A Cure for Wellness.” The news of a canceled Verbinski animated feature is only amplified if you revisit “Rango,...

Exclusive: WME has signed up-and-coming pools filmmaker Sam Hayes for representation.

Hayes soon will wrap post-production on his debut feature, Pools — a coming-of-age story about pool-hopping that he wrote, directed and produced, starring Odessa A’zion, Mason Gooding, Michael Vlamis, Ariel Winter, Tyler Alvarez, Francesca Noel and Suzanne Cryer. The film shot last summer in Chicago and will be represented for sales by UTA.

Hayes is a Chicago native who also recently executive produced Roswell, New Mexico star Michael Vlamis’ first feature Crossword, in which he stars alongside Aurora Perrineau and Harvey Guillén. He also penned the Halloween comedy Costumes Required with Black List writers Vlamis and Kyle Anderson, seeing it be optioned by Seth McFarlane’s Fuzzy Door Productions in 2020, with Nina Dobrev attached to produce and play a role. Rights to the project have subsequently reverted to Hayes, who will produce the film himself.

Hayes started his career...

Filmmaker Tom Gormican discusses his favorite films featuring… Nicolas Cage.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

Mandy (2018)

Pig (2021)

A History Of Violence (2005)

Lord of War (2005)

The Weather Man (2005)

Moonstruck (1987) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review

Vampire’s Kiss (1988)

Con Air (1997)

Face/Off (1997)

Leaving Las Vegas (1995)

Jerry Maguire (1996)

Adaptation (2002)

Raising Arizona (1987)

Wild At Heart (1990) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review

The Wizard Of Oz (1939) – John Badham’s trailer commentary

The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)

The Wicker Man (1973) – Mick Garris’s trailer commentary

The Wicker Man (2006)

Being John Malkovich (1999) – Marshall Harvey’s trailer commentary

The Family Man (2000)

Joe (2013)

Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans (2009) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

The Rock (1996) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s review

Operation Mad Ball (1957)

Bell, Book and Candle (1958) – Sam Hamm’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings

Valley Girl (1983) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review...

It’s a mouthwatering prospect, the cinematic event of the year so far. Nicolas Cage plays Nicolas Cage. Not just the ultimate treat for his fans, but a must-see for any movie lover.

The Unbearable Weight Of Massive Talent sees the incomparable Cage as a version of himself with his acting career on the slide and his relationship with his daughter heading in the same direction. Encouraged by his agent, he takes on an unlikely sounding job –a guest appearance at a millionaire’s party – but soon finds himself embroiled in a plot that involves gangsters, kidnapping and the CIA.

Playing his daughter is Lily Sheen, in her first ever feature film, and it’s directed by Tom Gormican who also co-wrote the script with Kevin Etten. Freda Cooper sat down with all of them and discovered that working with an actor who was playing himself was both the biggest...

[Editor’s Note: The following review contains spoilers for “Curb Your Enthusiasm” Season 11, Episode 1, “The Five-Foot Fence.”]

When we last saw Larry David, it wasn’t on “Curb Your Enthusiasm.” He was peering through his back window in the pages of The New York Times. Or he was reviving his “SNL” alter ego, Senator Bernie Sanders, from what appeared to be a chair in his home office. Or he was explaining the virtues of stay-at-home orders on behalf of the State of California. (“I basically want to address the idiots out there…” remains a timeless introduction.) As the coronavirus started to spread, one could argue Larry David was the first face of the pandemic — the curmudgeonly source of comfort for so many uneasy Americans, still searching for smiles in increasingly difficult times. In part, it was a title bestowed by timing: “Curb Your Enthusiasm” wrapped its tenth season in March 2020, so those watching weekly had Larry on the brain,...

AMC has ordered a stop-motion animation dramedy that hails from Steve Conrad and the team at “Robot Chicken” producer Stoopid Buddy Stoodios.

The series is titled “Mega City Smiths.” The story, unfolding via the stop-motion animation of baby dolls repurposed as a grown-up cast of characters, hinges on an investigation into the mysterious disappearance of fictional metropolis Mega City’s most famous magnate. Two intrepid detectives follow the case, rallying to fight against their city’s dangerous corruption, at a high cost to themselves and their families, all in pursuit of a gentler place to call home.

“Brilliant Creator. Iconic characters. Human, dramatic, hilarious storytelling. Unique visuals unlike anything seen on television — these are the components of a great AMC series, and they are vitally present here in Steve’s dazzling work,” said Dan McDermott, president of programming for AMC Networks’ Entertainment Group and AMC Studios. “’Mega City Smiths’ will...

What better way to kick off a new month than a look at the many movies coming to Hulu? Ok, if you don’t have a Hulu subscription you might need an alternative. Maybe this list will convince you to take one out, though (not that I’m there salesperson). But enough patter, let’s crack on with it.

Here’s every new film that arrived on July 1st:

12 and Holding (2006)

2001 Maniacs (2005)

52 Pick-Up (1986)

A Bridge Too Far (1977)

A Complete History of My Sexual Failures (2009)

A Kid Like Jake (2018)

A Mighty Wind (2003)

A Storks Journey (2017)

An Eye for a Eye (1966)

The Axe Murders of Villisca (2017)

The Bellboy (1960)

Beloved (2012)

Best In Show (2000)

Between Us (2017)

Beyond the Valley of the Dolls (1970)

Birdwatchers (2010)

Boogie Woogie (2010)

The Bounty (1984)

Brokedown Palace (1998)

Buffy, the Vampire Slayer (1992)

Bug (1975)

Buried (2010)

Cadaver (2009)

California Dreamin’ (2009)

Captain Kronos: Vampire Hunter (1974)

Catcher Was A Spy (2018)

The Catechism Cataclysm (2011)

Change of Plans (2010)

Cheech & Chong...

Paramount Pictures has tapped Steve Conrad to pen a film about the Adewumi family, who fled Nigeria after being threatened by Boko Haram, sources tell Variety.

Trevor Noah will produce through his Day Zero Productions banner, with State Street Pictures’ George Tillman Jr. and Bob Teitel.

The drama will tell the story of a Nigerian family that escaped terrorism in their home country, sought and received asylum in America, and — against all odds — found a welcoming new home in New York. Living in a homeless center on religious asylum, their 8-year-old son, Tani, won the 2019 New York State chess championship, despite only being introduced to the game two years prior. The drama will be culled from three books about the family that will be published this spring by the HarperCollins imprint W Publishing.

Conrad is a veteran scribe whose films include “The Weather Man,” “The Pursuit of Happyness” and “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.

There may not be any more eggnog to drink or mistletoe to stand under, but don’t despair — Hulu is coming in clutch with over 200 new titles arriving to the streaming service next month.

Ease into the new year by rewatching classics like “Beetlejuice,” “Heathers” and “Rain Man,” or snuggle up with a bowl of popcorn for family movies like “Shrek,” “Surf’s Up,” and “The Twilight Saga.” If reality TV is more your style, then you’re in luck, as a slew of favorites are set to make their Hulu debut this month including Season 7 of “Dance Moms,” Season 2 of “90 Day Fiancé,” and Season 10 of “American Pickers.” Starting out this year’s slate of Hulu originals, Season 2 of “Future Man” drops Jan. 11.

Find the complete list of this month’s new arrivals below and stream now on Hulu.com. Right now, the streaming service is knocking its monthly price...

Hulu’s slate of new titles arriving on the platform in January is here.

The second season of Hulu original “Future Man” will arrive on the service Jan. 11, while the Natalie Portman-Tessa Thompson science fiction film “Annihilation” will be available to stream on Jan. 4. The film is Alex Garland’s follow-up to “Ex Machina” and starred Portman, Thompson and Jennifer Jason Leigh as a group of scientists investigating a strange environmental phenomenon known as “the shimmer.”

Here’s the full list of what’s coming and going in January.

Also Read: Here's What You Can Stream With Your Amazon Prime Membership in January

Available Jan. 1

Atlanta: Complete Season 2 (FX)

The Detectorists: Complete Season 3 (Drg)

Dot.: Complete Season 2B (Universal Kids)

Saints & Sinners: Complete Seasons 1-3 (Bounce TV)

X Company: Complete Seasons 2&3 (Sony)

54 (1998)

10 Years (2011)

2 Days in the Valley (1996)

9 to 5 (1980)

A Charlie Brown Valentine (2002)

A Simple Plan (1998)

A...

This week on Comics Corner... Reunited and it feels so good! Hellboy returns to the B.P.R.D and just in time, because demons have plans for all of mankind and, spoiler alert, they don't want to hug them to death! Also: RoboCop: Citizens Arrest #3, Babyteeth #11, Monstress #17, Invader Zim #31, The Weather Man #1, 30 Days of Night #6, The Magic Order #1, and September Mourning Vol.1.

Bprd: The Devil You Know #7: "Hellboy reunites with Abe Sapien as demons gather in New York to enslave all that remains of mankind.

*Hellboy rejoins the B.P.R.D. after 17 years away!

Creators

Writer: Mike Mignola, Scott Allie

Artist: Sebastian Fiumara

Colorist: Dave Stewart

Cover Artist: Mike Mignola, Max Fiumara

Genre: Horror

Publication Date: June 13, 2018

Format: Fc, 32 pages; Ongoing

Price: $3.99

Upc: 7 61568 00185 3 00711."

For more information, visit Dark Horse Comics.

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RoboCop: Citizens Arrest #3: "When Alex Murphy, the original RoboCop, appears to side against Ocp, news...

Call Me By Your Name, Insecure and Apple tied for the most wins at the eighth annual Guild of Music Supervisors Awards, held at the Ace Hotel in Los Angeles Thursday night. Each earned two of the fifteen awards handed out. 

Big Little Lies, 13 Reasons Why and Pitch Perfect 3 were among the other big winners for their musical contributions to television and film.

The Guild of Music Supervisors also honored music supervisor Becky Mancuso-Winding with the Legacy Award for her work on films like Backdraft and The Weather Man, as well as English musician Yundblud as a Spotlight Artist. 

A...

The Complete Works Ep. 44 The Complete Works is an in-depth, introspective, and, quite frankly, insane idea – FilmBook contributor Mike Smith and his co-host Mike DeCriscio are going to take a look at every film in the filmography of Nicolas Cage, one crazy screaming scene at a time. This week, Mike and [...]

Continue reading: The Complete Works Ep. 44: Nicolas Cage – The Weather Man (2005)...

Welcome to another edition of Over/Under Movies, the podcast in which we choose one overrated film and one underrated film — similar in tone, genre, style, or however we may see fit — and we discuss them.

I’m joined by my co-host Oktay Ege Kozak for another entry in our Director’s Series, where the films we discuss don’t necessarily match up thematically, but the through-line lies in the films’ director.

Continue reading Podcast: Over/Under Movies Sinks ‘Pirates Of The Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl’ & Shines On ‘The Weather Man’ at The Playlist.

Jason Isaacs as Dr. Volmer in A Cure for WellnessIt starts with a whispered melody. It will send frissons of familiarity, of a kind of upsetting longing for clarity. You know that song the odd English girl is singing, but you can't place it. Neither can Lockhart (Dane DeHaan, who they might have called Lockjaw, as he can barely seem to spit his words out), which is what draws him into the guts of a mystery. And it draws the film into a slithering spiral, compels us to observe an autopsy of modern horror. What half-remembered giallo fugue is Gore Verbinski spooning up for us like medicine, pinioned to our chairs like one of the zombie patients in the film’s sinister clinic? A puzzle picture, a conspiracy thriller, a kind of baroque classical nightmare, A Cure For Wellness is too sturdy, busy and sure of itself to be much of a horror film.

Director Gore Verbinski refuses to be defined by a single genre. He may be best known for the first three parts of the Pirates of the Caribbean action-adventure franchise, but his credits also include the surprisingly complex animated film Rango, bleak comedy The Weather Man, and crime caper The Mexican. Verbinski’s first massive hit, however,... A Cure For Wellness, Knows What You’re Most Afraid Of">Read more »...

Director Gore Verbinski refuses to be defined by a single genre. He may be best known for the first three parts of the Pirates of the Caribbean action-adventure franchise, but his credits also include the surprisingly complex animated film Rango, bleak comedy The Weather Man, and crime caper The Mexican. Verbinski’s first massive hit, however,... A Cure For Wellness, Knows What You’re Most Afraid Of">Read more »...

Director Gore Verbinski refuses to be defined by a single genre. He may be best known for the first three parts of the Pirates of the Caribbean action-adventure franchise, but his credits also include the surprisingly complex animated film Rango, bleak comedy The Weather Man, and crime caper The Mexican. Verbinski’s first massive hit, however,... A Cure For Wellness, Knows What You’re Most Afraid Of">Read more »...

Gore Verbinski first attracted wide attention for directing The Ring – one of the few examples of a successful foreign horror remake. Now, after 15 years of directing blockbusters (and also The Weather Man), he’s returned to the stage of psychological thrillers with A Cure for Wellness, opening this weekend. We spoke with the director about the recurring motifs in his films, and particularly his latest, the design of the locations, how the film acts as a reverse Sleeping Beauty, and more.

The Film Stage: Water is a recurring motif or element in a lot of your films.

Gore Verbinski: Yeah, you’re referring to Rango and The Ring and Pirates… god knows what else. That is strange, isn’t it? It’s a beautiful metaphor for so many things — for birth and catharsis and drowning and baptism and purification. In A Cure for Wellness, it’s the idea that Volmer [Jason Isaac’s character] is diagnosing modern man,...

It’s a brand new year, and Fox’s A Cure For Wellness is ready to get freaky with it. In a collection of five New Year’s Day-themed promos, the horror film from director Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean 1-3, Rango) promises an unsettling, demented psychological scarefest to ring in 2017 with.

Focused on how “we promise to improve ourselves, but we never do” with each new year, the first new promo demands that you “stop treating the symptom” and “take the cure” through these visually-maddening looks into this disturbing new mind-trip. The other four teasers focus on our failure to lose weight, “relief from pain relief,” weight loss again and failed resolutions in general.

If you’ve kept up with the marketing, these promos don’t provide anything new. Still, it’s a nifty, inspired way to highlight the recently passed holiday, and another chance to delve into this maddening new film,...

After viewing 35 minutes of A Cure For Wellness and seeing the new trailer a few weeks ago, I sat down with director Gore Verbinski to discuss the new horror thriller. I showered some praise to The Weather Man before diving into the themes of A Cure For Wellness, as well as what his intentions are for us to takeaway when it's over, including a cue taken from Steven Spielberg. First of all, I... Read More...

Well before he starred in a series of low-rent Dtv thrillers and memes, Nicolas Cage, now smugly considered an icon of unintentional comedy by so many, used to make mainstream studio comedies pretty regularly. The early ’90s in particular saw a spate of innocuous Cage yukfests (Honeymoon In Vegas, Guarding Tess, Trapped In Paradise), and Army Of One is arguably his first broad comedy since those days, considering the darkness and anguish that run through the likes of Adaptation or The Weather Man. Even this return to outright wackiness finds Cage pretty far afield from his ’90s rom-coms, as he plays real-life crackpot Gary Faulkner, a Colorado man who in the years following 9/11 set off for Pakistan intending to accomplish what the U.S. government couldn’t: capture Osama Bin Laden.

Faulkner’s story has been adapted by director Larry Charles, whose experience directing Sacha Baron Cohen comedies ...

Gore Verbinski has quietly amassed an interesting CV of projects, ranging from character studies like “The Weather Man” to caper pictures like “The Mexican” to five movies with Johnny Depp (including the animated “Rango“). Now he’s returning to horror/thriller territory (I bet you forgot Verbinski also helmed “The Ring“) with “A Cure For Wellness,” which might ruin your next spa date.

Continue reading Dane DeHaan & Mia Goth Take ‘A Cure For Wellness’ In First Trailer For Gore Verbinski’s Thriller at The Playlist.

Summer is winding down, which means the fall TV season is gearing up (we’ll have a preview guide for you soon enough). Accordingly, Netflix has announced the latest infusions of action, comedy, and Marvel-ousness to its original content slate, while also promoting its newest cinematic and network acquisitions. The biggest news is the premiere of Luke Cage, which will burst onto the platform on September 30. You can also catch Narcos season two and Longmire season five, in addition to stand-up specials from Cedric The Entertainer and Iliza Shlesinger. On the movie end of the spectrum, viewers can look forward to answering the question of how it got burnt with The Wicker Man remake, or hold their own Shark Week with all of the Jaws movies.

Finally, we regret to inform you that you have mere days to watch Hardball, Lilo & Stitch, The Weather Man (it’s a ...

True to independent films, Dances with Films film festival will be celebrating its 19th year and sharing the festival week with the Los Angeles Films Festival in June.

Over 100 independent films will be shown from June 2nd through June 12th at the family Hollywood’s Tcl Chinese Theaters.

The festival based solely on merit and discoverability and mandating that all competitive films have no known actors, writers, directors or producers.

Legendary producer Steve Tisch joined the Dwf esteemed Advisory Board last festival season. One of the most successful producers in the motion picture industry, Steve has produced such films as Risky Business, The Pursuit of Happyness, The Weather Man, Seven Pounds, Knowing, The Taking of Pelham 123, The Back-Up Plan, and Hope Springs. A pantheon of industry heavyweights, Dwf’s Advisory Board also includes: Cindy Cowan, Jonathan Dana, Steve Elzer, Kevin Kasha, Eriq La Salle, Michael Lehmann, Mike Macari, Valerie McCaffrey,...

As part of a new series in which we offer careers advice to people in the movie business, we run through the remaining options open to the yelling icon

The 1980s: smooth transition from teen flick bit-parter to ironic-funny leading man. The 90s, too. Your reboot as a boggle-eyed action hero (The Rock, Face/Off, Con Air) was a stroke of genius. From time to time, when you channel your famed eccentricity into your work, it still hits home. Bringing out the Dead, Adaptation, The Weather Man, Bad Lieutenant, Kick-Ass – loving your work.

Continue reading...

It was August, 2005. I knocked on the double door at the Four Seasons. It opened almost immediately. "Hi, I'm Nic," he said, hand outstretched. Nicolas Cage wasn't who I expected him to be. Like all actors, he was smaller and trimmer in person than he appeared on-screen. Neatly dressed in an Armani suit, Cage also displayed none of the manic fervor in real life as had become his signature on-screen. He was thoughtful, well-spoken and incredibly literate in all seven arts. It's an infrequent experience that you leave an interview feeling you've just met someone that you could hang out with regularly, but I got that with Nic Cage, in spades. He was endlessly fascinating, but also kind of a regular guy. Another of my favorite chats I count myself lucky to have been part of.

Nicolas Cage: Lord Of The Nerds

By

Alex Simon

It’s an inevitable...

Nicolas Cage has a formidable reputation, which is unsurprising given that he has been performing onscreen since 1981, but that was long before the internet got hold of him and his work. Now, in the fourth decade of a distinguished career, the Academy Award winner and his back catalogue are the inspiration for a range of ‘memes’ based on everything from his hair, to his tendency to deliver performances that seem to be somewhat off-the-wall.

He may not have enjoyed much box office success in recent years, but Nicolas Cage has a very devoted fan base that have a particular appreciation for projects and scenes in which he has a chance to go ‘Full Cage.’ This usually involves making some scary faces – often with wide eyes and a ghoulish grin – shouting very loudly, and gesticulating wildly. There may be screaming involved, and another person is very often the focus of his menace.

Sony Pictures has picked up a pitch from director Gore Verbinski and writer Steve Conrad, who previously teamed on 2005's Nic Cage film "The Weather Man," for an untitled project which has been nicknamed "Driverless Car Race".

The story is described as a large-scale action-adventure that centers on a transcontinental race with driverless cars. Starting out as a beta test between competing software companies to spearhead a driverless car initiative, it quickly takes an unexpected turn as the test becomes a major race from Paris to Beijing.

The focus will be on the everyday people who are passengers in these autonomous cars who try to take control of the experiment as these vehicles go off-road and off the grid. In a statement, Verbinski says:

"Essentially, we are going to take the funniest comedic actors of this generation and slowly unleash them as we examine the very notion of 'passengers' who fundamentally cannot remain passive.

New Regency may have cancelled Gore Verbinski's North Korea-set thriller starring Steve Carell, but The Lone Ranger director has several other projects in the works, and Sony has just picked one of them up. Deadline is reporting that the studio has acquired an untitled pitch from screenwriter Steve Conrad (The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, The Weather Man), with Verbinski set to direct. While the film doesn't have a title yet, it's being referred to as the Driverless...

We might as well all pack up and go home, because at the moment the bad-guys are winning. The repercussions of Sony.s hacking are now starting to be felt around the movie industry, as New Regency has announced that work on Steve Carell.s potential new film set in North Korea had now been stopped. At the time of its cancellation, the project was being developed for Gore Verbinski to direct with Steve Carell was going to play the lead. Steve Conrad, who has previously written The Weather Man, The Pursuit Of Happyness and The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, had scribed what's been described as a paranoid thriller. In fact, production had already been pencilled in for March. But the recent hacking of Sony and the consequent threats to any screening of The Interview has led New Regency to decide that there wasn.t any point in making...

Back in April, Gore Verbinski signed a multiyear deal between New Regency and his Blind Wink Productions, and the first three movies from that deal have been announced. Deadline is reporting first Verbinski will direct an untitled paranoid thriller from a script by Steve Conrad (The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty, The Weather Man), and it will star Steve Carell. Production on it will begin in March of next year, and then the director will shoot his next two films back-to-back. One is a horror...