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Jennifer Jason Leigh came from a showbiz family. Her father was Vic Morrow, a prolific film and TV actor who starred in the series "Combat!" Her mother was Barbara Turner who acted in many TV shows throughout the '50s and '60s, and who wrote the screenplays for "Petulia," "Cujo," "Georgia," and "Pollock." Leigh started attending acting workshops when she was still a teenager, studying with Lee Strasberg. At age 16, she started to land her first professional acting gigs, appearing in an episode of "Baretta," and in the film "The Young Runaways." In 1981, she caught the public's eye playing a young woman battling anorexia in the TV movie "The Best Little Girl in the World," but it wasn't until her role in 1982's "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" that the world took proper notice.

After that, Leigh was an actress to look out for. Her intense performances always lend...

What are the 10 worst movies of 2024? There has been some debate about whether you should write an article listing the “10 Worst Films of 2024.” For me, I think it’s imperative to keep studios in check. Yes, it was an excellent year for film, and you can read our ranking of “The 20 Best Movies of 2024” as well, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t a few cinematic experiences so awful they made you regret your most precious resource: time.

Yes, some misfires had their hearts in the right place. However, most were intentionally bad and ploys to steal your money and your sanity. Check out our list and let us know if you agree.

The 10 Worst Movies of 2024 10. Kraven the Hunter Aaron Taylor-Johnson in Kraven the Hunter (2024), one of the 10 worst movies of 2024! | Image via Sony Pictures

Directed by J. C. Chandor

Kraven the Hunter should have been fun, but the gory,...

Chris Pine's directorial debut, which he also stars in, has become a streaming success despite its dismal 22% Rotten Tomatoes score. Pine is perhaps best known for his franchise roles, starting with Captain Kirk in the Star Trek reboot movies, which include 2009's Star Trek, 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness, and 2016's Star Trek Beyond. From there, he also starred as Steve Trevor in the Dceu movies, 2017's Wonder Woman and its 2020 sequel, Wonder Woman 1984.

Outside of franchise fare, Pine first rose to prominence for his roles in romantic comedies, including The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement in 2004 and Just My Luck in 2006. From there, he was cast in Star Trek, but continued to appear in other possible franchise-starters, playing Cinderella's Prince in Disney's Into the Woods and Jack Ryan in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. In recent years, with Star Trek 4 taking forever and the Dceu being rebooted,...

A 24-year-old Ridley Scott movie has become a modern streaming hit. At the age of 86, Scott continues to work regularly in Hollywood as a director and producer. He is responsible for some truly iconic films over the course of his 60-year career spanning a variety of genres. He's worked extensively in science-fiction with Blade Runner and multiple installments in the Alien franchise, but he has also returned time and time again to the historical epic, which he is set to return to once more with the upcoming Gladiator II.

Last year, Scott released the divisive Napoleon, about the titular French emperor, a sprawling film with a number of standout battle sequences. Prior to that, Scott went even further back in time with The Last Duel (2021), which earned generally positive reviews but was a box office disappointment. Other notable historical epics he directed include Robin Hood (2010) and Kingdom of Heaven (2005), the...

Darren Barrenman uncovers a crime at the end of Poolman, and the movie can leave viewers with a number of questions. The 2023 film is the directorial debut of movie star Chris Pine, who also leads the Poolman cast as Barrenman. The movie also stars Jennifer Jason Leigh, DeWanda Wise, Danny DeVito, and Annette Bening. Poolman's poor reviews weren't a promising start, but it's managed to find a home and audience streaming on Hulu.

Poolman Darren Barrenman takes on detective work for the first time in his life when a woman named June Del Ray informs him that City Councilman Stephen Toronkowski has some shady dealings going on behind the scenes. Darren pursues Toronkowski, believing that he's part of a dealing going on with Teddy Hollandaise, a sketchy businessman. It turns out Teddy is actually doing business with a man named William Van Patterson. Darren finds William and June at William's...

Chris Pine's directorial debut, Poolman, features an all-star cast of iconic movie actors. The 2023 film pays homage to film noir movie classics like Chinatown, with a convoluted mystery plotline centered around Darren Barrenman, a poolman with an interest in local community issues. Darren gets tangled in a web of bizarre characters and corruption as he navigates a case he isn't really qualified to be investigating.

Though Poolmans reviews didnt amount to the same success as noir classics, the all-star cast may still appeal to audiences. Poolmans leading stars and supporting cast members include recognizable faces from iconic movies, shows, and franchises. Though some may only appear on-screen for brief scenes, the cast is impressive nonetheless.

Actors in Poolman

Character

Chris Pine

Darren

DeWanda Wise

June

Annette Bening

Diane

Danny DeVito

Jack

Stephen Tobolowsky

Stephen Toronkowski

Clancy Brown

Theodore Hollandaise

John Ortiz

Wayne

Ray Wise

William Van Patterson

Jennifer Jason Leigh...

Aubrey Plaza's new dramedy with a 90% Rotten Tomatoes score tops a movies streaming chart. Starting her career in improv and sketch comedy, Plaza rose to prominence on Parks and Recreation as the sarcastic and deadpan April Ludgate, establishing her distinct comedic style. On television, Plaza has also showcased her range as a strait-laced lawyer in The White Lotus season 2, earning an Emmy nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series, and starred in the Marvel miniseries Agatha All Along.

In film, Plaza started with a supporting role in Edgar Wright's Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and graduated on to leading roles in independent films, such as the Sundance hit Safety Not Guaranteed. In addition to starring, she started producing with The Little Hours and Ingrid Goes West, both black comedies, and also expanded her range to thrillers, starring in Black Bear and Emily the Criminal, all of which screened at Sundance.

James Franco and Bryan Cranston's 2016 comedy Why Him? has found fresh popularity on streaming, despite its lowly Rotten Tomatoes score. Directed and co-written by Me Time's John Hamburg, the movie tells the story of a father who tries to stop his daughter's immature millionaire boyfriend from proposing to her. Featuring a cast that also includes Megan Mullally, Zoey Deutch, Griffin Gluck, and Keegan-Michael Key, the movie was a box office success, grossing almost $120 million against a production budget of $52 million, despite largely negative critical reviews.

Now, despite the movie's low Rotten Tomatoes score, and negative critical reception, it is enjoying new-found success on the streaming platform, Hulu. The site has Why Him? ranked at the No. 1 spot on its list of Top 15 Movies Today, for Friday, November 8, though which it achieved by beating out the rest of the top five, which includes successful movies such as the original Madagascar movie at No.

Poolman has set its streaming release date, and it is coming soon. Poolman is the directorial debut of Chris Pine, who is primarily known for his acting in films such as Wonder Woman, Star Trek and Into the Woods. The debut feature told the story of a poolman named Darren Barrenman whose days working for the pool of the Tahitian Tiki apartment in Los Angeles end up revealing truths about the city. Pine himself plays the lead role in Poolman, with a supporting cast that includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Danny DeVito, Annette Bening, John Ortiz, and Stephen Tobolowsky.

As per Collider, viewers can soon catch Poolman at home as the film sets its streaming release date. Poolman will be available to stream on Hulu starting on November 8. It will be the film's first streaming home since its theatrical release this past spring.

What This Means For Poolman Poolman Did Not...

Chris Pine had a laugh but wasn’t exactly thrilled when fans focused more on that scene in one flick than the gritty, R-rated action. The $120M epic delivered brutal battles, but what grabbed the internet’s attention? Pine’s brief full-frontal moment. Despite the blood and gore, fans zeroed in on his unexpected cameo.

Chris Pine as Edgin Darvin in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves | Credit: Paramount Pictures

Pine, ever the good sport, joked about the attention but admitted he wished people had talked more about the movie’s intense storytelling and less about his “junk.” It’s safe to say this flick gave audiences more than they bargained for—and Pine, well, he kept it classy.

Chris Pine’s Full-Frontal Scene in Outlaw King Stole the Spotlight Over Brutal Battles Chris Pine as Capt. James Kirk in Star Trek | Credit: Paramount Pictures

Chris Pine wasn’t exactly...

November 2024 brings a diverse array of movies and shows to Hulu, catering to a wide range of tastes and interests. From classic holiday films to gripping dramas and entertaining reality series, there’s something for everyone. Viewers can dive into beloved titles like A Christmas Carol (1984) and National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, perfect for getting into the holiday spirit. For fans of action and adventure, the month features iconic films such as Aliens, Ghost Rider, and the Chronicles of Narnia series. Those seeking laughter can enjoy comedies like Billy Madison, Happy Gilmore, and Grown Ups, while romantic and family-friendly options like La La Land and Elf add a touch of warmth. Additionally, Hulu is expanding its lineup with complete seasons of popular reality shows like Are You The One?, Hoarders, and Marriage Boot Camp. The month also includes special premieres, such as the 58th Annual CMA Awards and a series on The Stanford Prison Experiment,...

AGC Studios CEO Stuart Ford has called for a reset of the relationship between U.S. theatrical distributors and the independent production world, saying it is “the hot button issue of the moment”.

“If we want to return to a period of efficiency in the independent film world, there needs to be a collective solution to U.S. theatrical: how it’s done, what the economics of it are and how U.S. theatrical distributors interact with film owners, because I think that relationship is broken at the moment,” said Ford.

He was speaking on a panel exploring monetizing independent film at the Zurich Film Festival’s Zurich Summit industry event, alongside 30West Executive Vice President Maren Olsen, UTA agent Alex Brunner, Anton CEO Sébastien Raybaud and Katie Irwin, agent & Co-Head of International WME.

Ford was also in Zurich this year as the producer of Justin Kurzel’s The Order...

Most of the cast from J.J. Abrams' previous two Star Trek movies returned for Star Trek: Beyond, but the film introduced some new faces to the franchise as well. Beyond picks up with the USS Enterprise in the middle of their five-year mission, as Captain James T. Kirk (Chris Pine) and his crew get pulled into a rescue mission that quickly turns deadly. After an ambush from Idris Elba's Krall, Kirk and his crew find themselves stranded on the planet Altamid and must work together to stop Krall from destroying the Federation.

The first of J.J. Abrams' Star Trek films, Star Trek (2009), helped launch the careers of its cast into another level of stardom. By 2016 when Star Trek Beyond was released, many of its cast members had already risen to near superstardom status. From blockbuster franchises to prestige television to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the careers of...

Chris Pine should return to the Star Trek franchise, but I don't think he should necessarily return as Captain James T. Kirk. Chris Pine began his journey into the final frontier in JJ Abrams' Star Trek (2009), playing a character many thought would only ever belong to William Shatner. Pine brought Kirk's humor, bravery, and selflessness back to life after Shatner's last on-screen appearance as the good captain in 1994's Star Trek: Generations. Pine went on to star in two more reboot films, Star Trek: Into Darkness in 2014 and Star Trek: Beyond in 2016.

Since then, Chris Pine hasn't reappeared in any Star Trek timeline, neither movie nor TV show. However, in his time back on Earth, Pine has dipped his toes into other areas of the entertainment industry by writing, directing, and producing projects. In 2023, Pine wrote, directed, produced, and starred in his film Poolman. All of this happened as the...

Chris Pine has joined the cast of Italian drama The Kidnapping of Arabella by Carolina Cavalli, as it begins shooting in northern Italy this week.

The movie stars Benedetta Porcaroli as a young woman convinced she is the wrong version of herself, until she meets a 7-year-old girl who makes her change her mind.

It marks Cavalli’s second feature after the well-received debut Amanda, which also starred Porcaroli, this time in the role of an isolated woman who tries to reconnect with a childhood friend.

That film premiered to acclaim in Venice’s Orizzonti Extra lineup in 2022, and then screened in Toronto.

That same year, Pine was in Venice with Olivia Wilde’s Don’t Worry Darling. His credits in between times include Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves and Poolman.

The Kidnapping of Arabella is produced by Elsinore Film and The Apartment, a Fremantle company. The...

Chris Pine has joined the cast of The Kidnapping of Arabella, the upcoming feature from Italian director Carolina Cavalli (Amanda). The Star Trek and Wonder Woman actor will headline the film, alongside Italian actress Benedetta Porcaroli (Netflix’s Baby).

Production starts this week in northern Italy, shooting between Veneto and Emilia Romagna.

The Kidnapping of Arabella tells the story of Holly (Porcaroli), an Italian woman who is convinced that she is the wrong version of herself until she meets a 7-year-old girl who makes her change her mind.

Pine is coming off his directorial debut, Poolman, which was a critical and commercial flop. That film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, saw Pine direct himself in a spoof of 1974’s Chinatown, playing a down-on-his-luck pool technician in Los Angeles who discovers a water heist. The film was panned by critics, with The Hollywood Reporter writing that...

Last year’s edition of TIFF had an unusually large number of movie premieres that were directed by famous actors. A cynical way of explaining this is that, as the guild strikes were happening, actors could walk the red carpet at the fest if they presented films they directed rather than merely acted in. The movies were a mixed bag. Chris Pine’s Poolman was a disaster, while Michael Keaton’s Knox Goes Away was underrated and unfairly neglected by critics.

But, by far, the best movie there directed by an actor was Anna Kendrick’s true crime tale, Woman of the Hour. An impressively made debut, with a mastery of the craft and gritty vibe one might not have expected from the famously sunny star, it was snapped up by Netflix in a pricy deal. Surprisingly, the streamer held on to the film for a while, but it looks...

Leading US producer Stacy Sher provided an optimistic take on the outlook for the film industry at the Locarno Film Festival today (August 9), insisting that audiences still want to connect with original stories.

Sher, whose producer credits include Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight as well as Steven Soderbergh’s Out of Sight and Erin Brockovich, took part in an in conversation event the day after being presented with Locarno’s Raimondo Rezzonico Award.

“When I started in the late 80s, people said to me, ‘You missed it. It’s over. The best of the film industry is behind you,...

“We did 11 hours to Munich, two hours to Milan, and then a two-hour drive,” veteran producer Stacey Sher explained this afternoon as she sat weary-eyed in a glass hotel suite at the Locarno Film Festival.

There are no direct flights from Los Angeles to the quaint Swiss town where Sher will be the guest of honor as she receives the festival’s Raimondo Rezzonico Award for career achievement.

Best known as one of the enduring names of American independent cinema, Sher’s credits include 90s classics such as Pulp Fiction (1994), Get Shorty (1995), Matilda (1996), Gattaca (1997), and Out of Sight (1998). She has also produced series like Reno 911! and the Emmy award-winning Mrs. America (2020). In 2021, she produced the 93rd Academy Awards ceremony alongside Steven Soderbergh.

Twice nominated for the Best Picture Oscar with Erin Brockovich and Django Unchained — both of which will screen this week in Locarno — Sher’s most recent credits...

Veteran producer Stacey Sher still has love for critically-maligned “Poolman” directed by Chris Pine.

“It’s a gorgeous film. Chris made the movie he set out to make. He believed in it and I believed in Chris. I still do. He’s a really gifted filmmaker.”

Following its Toronto premiere, Pine’s film became one of the worst-reviewed titles last year, with Variety’s Owen Gleiberman calling it “not only the worst film I saw during the fall festival season but would likely be one of the worst films in any year it came out.”

But Sher believes you have to always support your director.

“Yes – if you believe in that person. Quentin Tarantino may have said that to me a long time ago: ‘The reviews of your movies aren’t written the weekend they come out. They are written 10, 20, 30 years after they come out. It’s all about how they endure.

Chris Pine is right - Star Trek 4 should focus on story and characters, not action and explosions. Going smaller is better for Star Trek 4 and let personal stakes be the focus of the film. The final chapter of Pine's Star Trek crew should be about the characters and their friendship.

I agree with Chris Pine: Star Trek 4 should scale down. Pine has opined that Star Trek 4 would be better as a modestly budgeted film that focuses more on story and character development than action and explosions. Pine headlined three J.J. Abrams-produced Star Trek blockbusters as Captain James T. Kirk. Since then, Pine has become a director himself; although his debut film, Poolman, didn't get a warm critical reception, Chris' instincts about Star Trek 4 are still on the money.

J.J. Abrams' Star Trek (2009) was a shot in the arm the franchise needed. Abrams'...

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between.

Today we talk about the best Chris – Chris Pine of course! Our B-Sides include Small Town Saturday Night, People Like Us, The Finest Hours, Outlaw King, All The Old Knives, and Poolman. It’s a packed episode! And it’s just Conor and I, ripping it up like the old days.

A lot of the conversation revolves around how charming Pine is. There’s also discussion of that underwhelming ending of The Finest Hours, what about Small Town Saturday Night resonates with young filmmakers, the brave opening of Outlaw King, the old-fashioned crackle of All The Old Knives (and that incredible restaurant location), and the lackluster direction of People Like Us.

Questions are asked such as: Is...

In the wise words of Paul Mescal, “I’m a big advocate for men wearing shorter shorts.” The Normal People star, decked out in his own shorts ensemble, has been a hot topic in recent weeks for his comments about the summer fashion staple to GQ at the Gucci spring/summer 2025 show in Milan.

Men opting for a formal short certainly isn’t a new idea — Pharrell Williams, arguably the king of red carpet shorts, has spent roughly the past decade favoring the clothing item. However, between summer premieres and European fashion weeks, shorts continue to take center stage for some stars.

With styles ranging from Mescal and his effortlessly cool Milan Fashion Week ensemble to Pedro Pascal and his head-turning 2023 Met Gala look to Williams’ slew of fashionable shorts-centric looks, these are some of the celebrities who aren’t afraid to wear a good pair of shorts.

Paul Mescal...

Poolman is an empty film.

Darren Barrenman (Chris Pine) is an emotionally stunted man with a short attention span and a bee in his bonnet: conspiracy theories concerning local government planning decisions. Its a premise that could draw you in to watching a quirky comedy mystery. The only mystery is why anyone would stay to the end of Poolman. When he is not cleaning the single small pool outside of a block of condos, 'Db' is making a nuisance of himself petitioning council meetings over planning, public transport and reptoid involvement. About halfway through the film he is approached by an enigmatic woman with a proposal.

June Del Rey puts in a good performance as the femme fatale DeWanda Wise: alluring and dangerous. A subtle and knowing performance by Jennifer Jason Leigh as Susan Kerkovich, Barrenman's girlfriend, along with the two small supports by Clancy Brown and Ray Wise,...

U.S. producer Stacey Sher — whose credits include Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp Fiction,” “Django Unchained” and “The Hateful Eight” as well as Steven Soderbergh’s “Erin Brockovich,” “Out of Sight” and “Contagion” — will be honored by the Locarno Film Festival with its Raimondo Rezzonico Prize, which celebrates a producer who epitomizes the indie ethos.

“Few producers can claim that their films not only drastically altered the landscape of American independent filmmaking, but also seemed to define the tenor of an entire decade,” the prominent Swiss fest dedicated to international indie cinema said in a statement. It noted that Sher – with her producing partners Danny DeVito and Michael Shamberg – shepherded “such paradigmatic films of the 1990s” as “Pulp Fiction” (1994); “Get Shorty” (1995); “Matilda” (1996); “Gattaca” (1997); and “Out of Sight” (1998).

“Meanwhile her credits this century are no less impressive,” the statement added, “given that they include an expansion and deepening of her collaborations with Tarantino and Steven Soderbergh,...

US producer Stacey Sher will be presented with the Raimondo Rezzonico Award at this year’s Locarno Film Festival.

Sher has more than two dozen producer credits including Quentin Tarantino’s Django Unchained and The Hateful Eight as well as Steven Soderbergh’s Out of Sight and Erin Brockovich.

She has also produced TV shows like Reno 911! and the Emmy award-winning Mrs. America. She was also responsible, with Soderbergh, for the production of the 93rd Academy Award ceremony.

Most recently, Sher produced the upcoming A24 thriller, Heretic, starring Hugh Grant, and Chris Pine’s directorial debut, Poolman.

Giona A. Nazzaro,...

Dungeons and Dragons have withstood a strong fan following over the years after its debut as a fantasy role-playing game in 1974. Even though the original trilogy couldn’t add much magic to strengthen the franchise, many anticipated that Chris Pine’s Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves could potentially launch it.

Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves | Paramount Pictures

Although the movie fell short of expectations, a beam of hope was still there when a live-action TV show was announced to be in the works in 2023. However, a new report gives a disappointing update which makes one wonder about its future.

Live-Action Dungeons and Dragons TV Show is Not Going Forward at Paramount+

After the arrival of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (2023) on the big screen, many hoped that Paramount+ would be moving forward with the small-screen attempt at the live-action Dungeons & Dragons series. However, things are looking...

Ray Wise portrayed Liko in Tng & Arturis in Voyager, showcasing his range in the Star Trek franchise. Wise's memorable role in Twin Peaks as Leland Palmer is just one example of his extensive acting career. Numerous actors from Twin Peaks, such as Carel Struycken and Michael J. Anderson, have also appeared in Star Trek episodes.

Twin Peaks actor Ray Wise portrayed two different characters in the Star Trek franchise. Wise's first Star Trek appearance came in Star Trek: The Next Generation season 3, episode 4, "Who Watches the Watchers," in which he plays Liko, a member of a Vulcan-like species being observed by the United Federation of Planets. In Star Trek: Voyager season 4, episode 26, "Hope and Fear," Wise portrayed Arturis, a member of an unnamed species designated Species 116. Ray Wise is most known for his role in Twin Peaks and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me as Leland Palmer, the father...

This is a slow weekend in an already slow summer movie season, so it’s the perfect time to catch up with spring’s best horror release and a handful of new indies that are debuting on digital platforms.

The contender to watch this week: “The First Omen“

At a time when many franchises are slowly cratering, “The First Omen” has turned out to be one of 2024’s biggest surprises. Arkasha Stevenson‘s handsome and terrifying prequel depicts the events right before Demian, the Og Antichrist, came around. If that sounds unnecessary, it is — and yet the film’s quality absolutely justifies its existence. “The First Omen” is still playing in a smattering of theaters, having grossed $53.7 worldwide, but now it’s available for $19.99 on VOD.

Other contenders:

“Gasoline Rainbow”: Mubi is having a major year, with two buzzy Cannes titles — “The Substance” and “The Girl with the Needle...

Poolman tells the story of Darren Barrenman (Chris Pine), a native Los Angeleno who spends his days looking after the pool of the Tahitian Tiki apartment block and fighting to make his hometown a better place to live. When he is tasked by a femme fatale to uncover the truth behind a shady business deal, Darren enlists the help of his friends to take on a corrupt politician and a greedy land developer. His investigation reveals a hidden truth about his beloved city and himself. The film also stars Annette Bening, Danny DeVito, Jennifer Jason Leigh, DeWanda Wise, Stephen Tobolowsky, Clancy Brown, John Ortiz and Ray Wise.

Directed By Chris Pine

Written By Chris Pine & Ian Gotler

Starring Chris Pine, Annette Bening, DeWanda Wise, Stephen Tobolowsky, Clancy Brown, John Ortiz, Ray Wise, with Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Danny DeVito

Produced By Chris Pine, Ian Gotler, Stacey Sher, and Patty Jenkins

Executive Produced By Stuart Ford,...

If you’ve been keeping up with distribution news recently, there’s been one name you’ll have seen pop up again and again: Vertical.

Since the pandemic, the bottom has fallen out of the film business, with more quality indie packages hitting the marketplace than there are distributors willing to take them on. Stepping up, in the years since, to offer many of them a home, is this indie distributor, which appears to be in the midst of its biggest year yet.

Founded in 2012 by Rich Goldberg and Mitch Budin, Vertical comes from humble beginnings, according to partner Peter Jarowey, who notes that the team at one point operated out of “a literal broom closet.” Initially working to establish itself as a resource in securing ancillary revenue for indies, the company has of late has become a theatrical player in its own right. Aspiring from the beginning to be a purveyor of “commercial,...

Exclusive: Vertical has acquired U.S. rights from AGC Studios to The Order, a dramatic thriller directed by Australia’s Justin Kurzel (Macbeth), on which we were first to report. Starring Jude Law (Firebrand), Nicholas Hoult (X-Men franchise), Tye Sheridan (The Card Counter), Jurnee Smollett (Birds of Prey) and more, the film will will have an exclusive release in theaters nationwide later this year.

Written by Oscar and BAFTA nominee Zach Baylin (King Richard), the film adapts Kevin Flynn and Gary Gerhardt’s book The Silent Brotherhood, chronicling the escalating crimes of the titular white supremacist domestic terror group. It’s set in 1983, when a series of increasingly violent bank robberies, counterfeiting operations, and armored car heists frightened communities throughout the Pacific Northwest. As baffled law enforcement agents scrambled for answers, a lone FBI agent (Law), stationed in the sleepy, picturesque town of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, came to believe...

"Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes" Evolution continues to move backwards in the latest sequel “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes.” New cast, new director, is the film worth your time and money? Owen Teague, Freya Allen, and Kevin Durand star. (See review below) "Poolman" Chris Pine directs his first film but is

The post Movie Reviews: “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” & “Poolman” appeared first on Manny the Movie Guy.

The annual celebration of Mom brightened things up at the summer box office, with the first movie to open over $50 million since March. Read on for the weekend box office report.

The hopes for the summer box office were almost dashed by the poor showing of season opener “The Fall Guy” last weekend, so fortunately, this weekend didn’t follow suit. Of course, the big winner for the weekend was 20th Century’s franchise sequel “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes,” which came into the weekend with a Rotten Tomatoes score of 80% Fresh, on par with “The Fall Guy.”

After making $6.6 million in Wednesday and Thursday previews and $22.2 million on Friday (including those previews), Disney has estimated “Apes” to open with $56.5 million, which is slightly higher than the $56.2 million opening for “War for the Planet of the Apes” in 2017.

See Grab the popcorn and sound off in our movie...

Tune in for an exciting episode of “Entertainers: With Byron Allen” airing at 4:30 Am on Sunday, May 19, 2024, on ABC. In this star-studded installment, host Byron Allen welcomes a lineup of talented performers from various corners of the entertainment industry.

Fans of “The Fall Guy” will be thrilled to see Hannah Waddingham and Winston Duke on the show, as they discuss their latest projects and share insights into their careers. Additionally, Brian Tyree Henry, known for his role in “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire,” joins the conversation to provide behind-the-scenes anecdotes and updates on his upcoming ventures.

The episode also features appearances by Jennifer Jason Leigh and DeWanda Wise, who share insights into their collaboration on “Poolman.” Plus, viewers can look forward to interviews with Eiza González, Carrie Coon, Paul Kim, Lili Taylor, Dev Patel, Becky G, and Marques Houston, each bringing their unique perspectives and experiences to the table.

Chris Pine is opening up about not landing the role of Ryan Atwood in The O.C. due to his bad acne at the time.

In Welcome to The O.C.: An Oral History, which was released in honor of the show’s 20th anniversary, casting director Patrick Rush revealed that the Star Trek star did not get the lead part in the Fox show because of his skin problems.

During an appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast ahead of the release of Pine’s directorial debut, Poolman, host Josh Horowitz asked him if bringing up how he lost the role due to his acne was Ptsd or a sour point for him.

“No — I mean, it’s a part of my life. Look, do I wish…? The man didn’t have to talk about it. I mean, it’s his prerogative,” the Wonder Woman star said. “I...

Chris Pine hopes he just found Luca Guadagnino’s next project: Disney’s “Princess Diaries 3.”

The actor and “Poolman” director proposed collaborating with the “Challengers” director for the third franchise installment during Entertainment Weekly’s Role Call Youtube series.

“‘Princess Diaries 3,’ where is it?’ Have you been reading my diary?” Pine quipped when revisiting his past roles. “I don’t know. I haven’t heard anything about it.”

However, Pine did have his own pitch for the film.

“You know, like, what it would be? It would be like a Luca Guadagnino film,” Pine said. “[If he] directs ‘Princess Diaries 3,’ now that is fucking fire.”

Of course, “Princess Diaries 3” would have to come after Guadagnino’s “Separate Rooms” with Lea Séydoux and Josh O’Connor. Guadagnino is also debuting “Queer” at Cannes 2024.

Pine hasn’t been publicly linked to the next “Princess Diaries” film, but his role in the 2004 sequel proved to be...

It’s an indie grab bag and a fun one this weekend with the widely pummeled TIFF-premiering Poolman, (the people will decide), Jamie Foxx in comedy Not Another Church Movie, and Eric Bana’s Force of Nature: The Dry 2 sequel. Mubi and Strand Releasing are testing the market with limited openings Gasoline Rainbow and A Prince. A24 begins a slow rollout of I Saw The TV Glow.

The widest release on 1,180+ screens is Briarcliff’s Not Another Church Movie directed by Johnny Mack, starring Jamie Foxx, Vivica A. Fox, Kevin Daniels and Mickey Rourke. Daniels is Taylor Pherry (silent p), an ambitious young man on a holy mission from God (Foxx) — to tell his family’s stories and inspire his community. But the Devil (Rourke) has plans of his own.

Vertical’s Poolman at 160+ locations is Pine’s directorial debut andhe also stars as Darren, a native Angeleno who...

Plot: A spacey pool cleaner (Chris Pine) discovers a plot to steal water from Los Angeles during a drought.

Review: (Note – Poolman Was Reviewed At TIFF 2023) In the fourteen years I’ve been covering TIFF, I’ve seen only a handful of movies that I’d say were shockingly bad. The Mickey Rourke/ Megan Fox/ Bill Murray dud Passion Play comes to mind. Poolman ranks with the worst movies I’ve ever reviewed at JoBlo. It’s a stunningly unfunny comic noir vanity project for star Chris Pine, who also directed and co-wrote the film. That it was made at all is a testament to the power of celebrity, as it has already become notorious at the festival for the amount of walkouts taking place at the screenings.

So why is Poolman so awful? It comes down to the screenplay and Pine’s grating lead performance as a kind of...

With many starring roles, including the “Star Trek” and “Wonder Woman” franchises, Chris Pine is obviously leading man material. But the actor recently went behind the camera for his directorial debut, “Poolman,” a comedy-mystery that he co-wrote and stars in alongside Annette Bening, DeWanda Wise, Ariana DeBose, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Danny DeVito, and more.

Premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, it’s a film that Pine is exceptionally proud of, but it was savaged with negative reviews at the time (it currently sits at 19% on Rotten Tomatoes).

Continue reading Chris Pine Talks Negative Reviews Of ‘Poolman’ & Says He Knows Nothing About ‘Star Trek’ That Isn’t Public at The Playlist.

Chris Pine is done wading through the bad reviews for his directorial debut “Poolman.” Pine co-wrote, directed, and starred in the comedy noir film that debuted at TIFF 2023. In Pine’s words, the feature was “fucking panned” by critics there, which led to a “real come-to-Jesus moment” for the actor.

“I watched my film. After the reviews in Toronto I was like maybe I did make a pile of shit,” Pine said during the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast (which you can watch below). “I went back and watched it. I fucking love this film. I love this film so much.”

Pine pointed to how the criticisms of his feature directly contradicted the “joyful” quality of the film itself. “When the film came out at Toronto and just got fucking panned … I tried to make a joyful film,” Pine continued. “With so much joy behind it, to then be met with...

Danny DeVito and Rhea Perlman don’t need to live together to make their marriage work. In fact, even though they have lived separately for years they are seemingly closer than ever. The It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia actor opened up the couple’s unconventional marriage in an interview with Fox News Digital, where he was promoting his new comedy film Poolman, which opens in theaters today, Friday, May 10. “We’re doing great,” DeVito said of his relationship with his former Taxi co-star. “We’re sharing our granddaughter, our new granddaughter, and we see each other all the time.” DeVito and Perlman, who played boyfriend and girlfriend in Taxi and married parents in 1996’s Matilda, tied the knot in 1982. They went on to have three children: Lucy Chet DeVito, Grace Fan DeVito (born March 1985), and Jacob Daniel DeVito (born October 1987). They are also grandparents to Sinclair Lucille DeVito, who turned one back in March.

You can now watch Poolman only in theaters.

It’s nearly impossible to overemphasize positive thinking as a film critic. In fact, we are trained to forgo any suppression of negative emotions or experiences and embrace them so we can look at films with a critical eye. However, Chirs Pine is a likable actor that you want to root for Poolman. Yet, it was nearly impossible to sit through whenever I tried to watch his freshman film.

God bless the few brave souls who enjoyed Pine’s directorial debut over the festival circuit. Yes, it’s wonderful to have an optimistic perspective on life. And yes, we should all try to look at life like a glass half full. However, I’m worried those few have such a positive outlook on life that it borders on toxic.

Perhaps that is the only explanation of how such a dull, incoherent, and...

Chris Pine has a glorious career in Hollywood as an actor but when he tried to direct a movie, the expected wonders from the Wonder Woman 1984 star, just fell short. Pine directed the 2023 movie Poolman under the banners of Vertical Entertainment starring himself in the lead.

Chris Pine in Poolman

Pine’s Poolman was a critical disaster, met with negative reviews as it failed to impress both the audience and critics. However, the actor/director still believes that he has done something good with the movie refusing to accept the harsh criticism.

Chris Pine Refused to Believe the Brutal Criticism of Poolman

Chris Pine in Poolman

Chris Pine ventured out from being an actor to have a taste of film direction with his directorial debut Poolman. The movie was essentially intended to be a huge comical relief blended with a mysterious tone. However, at the premiere of Poolman at the...

Bad reviews? Bah, says Chris Pine, who is ignoring the brickbats thrown at his directorial debut, Poolman.

“It’s forced me to double down on joy,” Pine told host Josh Horowitz on Thursday’s Happy Sad Confused podcast. “As an actor… fundamentally it’s about play, right? What we do is essentially become children for hours a day and make believe.” He added, “There’s an impish quality to it that I don’t ever want to lose.”

Poolman shows Pine as a down-on-his luck pool technician in Los Angeles who discovers a water heist. It was, to be kind, not well-received.

Pine said the bad reviews became “a real come to Jesus moment for me, in terms of seeing how resilient I am.”

Moreover, he wasn’t particularly surprised by them. He did allow that it was hard to reconcile having made a project “with so much joy behind it,...

Chris Pine said this week the development and release of his directorial debut Poolman was “the best thing to ever happen to me” despite the movie’s nearly universal bad reviews.

“It’s forced me to double down on joy,” Pine told host Josh Horowitz on Thursday’s episode of the Happy Sad Confused podcast. “As an actor…fundamentally it’s about play, right? What we do is essentially become children for hours a day and make believe,” he said, adding: “There’s an impish quality to it that I don’t ever want to lose.”

Poolman, which debuted at Toronto International Film Festival last fall, follows Pine as a down-on-his luck pool technician in Los Angeles who discovers a water heist in a spoof of 1974’s Chinatown. The film was panned by critics, with The Hollywood Reporter writing that the project “goes tonally off the rails from the start...

Chris Pine earned some of the worst reviews of his career for “Poolman,” a Los Angeles-set comedy mystery in the vein of “Chinatown” that Pine directed, co-wrote and starred in. The movie is Pine’s feature directorial debut, but it got eviscerated by critics when it premiered at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival. Variety critic Owen Gleiberman called it an “absurdist disaster,” for instance.

Making the press rounds to support the “Poolman” theatrical release, Pine stopped by the “Happy Sad Confused” podcast and refused to believe that he made a complete dud of a movie.

“Criticism as an actor is just a part of the game, but there’s a lot of stuff to hide behind,” Pine said. “There’s the director and the writer and the release pattern, etc. As an actor you come on set and you do your dance and you go off and by...

Auditioning for J.J. Abrams was fun for Chris Pine. Acting with a capital A, talking phasers and battleships. Pine initially didn't think he was good enough for Star Trek. J.J. Abrams made the audition fun and reactive. Playing Captain Kirk in Star Trek launched Pine's career to new heights, leading to other major roles in Hollywood.

Chris Pine fondly recalls his audition with J.J. Abrams to become Captain James T. Kirk in Star Trek (2009). Pine became the first actor besides WIlliam Shatner to play the iconic Captain of the Starship Enterprise, a role he reprised in two sequels, 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness and 2016's Star Trek Beyond. Star Trek launched Pine's career to another level. Chris went on to star in Wonder Woman, Hell or High Water, Dungeons and Dragons, and Pine is now the co-writer and director of the new film, Poolman.

In an interview with...

Eight years after the last Star Trek film, Chris Pine is among the many who would like to know if there’s another voyage planned.

Pine is making the rounds to promote his new film, Poolman, and didn’t have anything to share on when the space franchise may be refreshed.

“I honestly don’t know,” Pine told Business Insider this week when asked about a new Star Trek. “There was something in the news of a new writer coming on board. I thought there was already a script, but I guess I was wrong, or they decided to pivot. As it’s always been with Trek, I just wait and see.”

Pine was clear that communication from Paramount about the franchise has been fairly minimal ever since the release of Star Trek Beyond in 2016.

While television and streaming have lots of Star Trek projects, there has been no movement on a film.

Chris Pine was taken by surprise when news hit that Steve Yockey, creator of the Max series “The Flight Attendant,” had signed on to write the script for “Star Trek 4.” Why? “I thought there was already a script,” the actor recently told Business Insider during an interview on his “Poolman” press tour.

Pine’s not wrong, as a potential “Star Trek 4” has gone through multiple iterations in the years since the 2016 release of “Star Trek Beyond.” Pine took on the role of Captain Kirk in J.J. Abrams’ 2009 franchise reboot “Star Trek,” and reprised the character in 2013’s “Star Trek Into Darkness” and 2016’s “Beyond.” Variety exclusively reported in March that Paramount Pictures remained committed to making a fourth “Star Trek” film to be headlined by Pine and his co-stars.

The actor’s fellow “Star Trek” cast members include Zachary Quinto (as Cmdr. Spock), Zoe Saldaña (as Lt.