Natasha Lyonne’s leading roles are pretty unconventional female characters. They have a rugged androgyny that comes naturally to the actress, but it’s not just Lyonne that gives them a sort of gender-transcendent quality. These characters break out of the traditional archetypes that most actresses are restricted by. In fact, they more closely resemble classic male […]

John Wayne once described himself as “just the paint for the palettes” of directors like John Ford and Howard Hawks, the filmmakers who steered him in films such as “Stagecoach” and “Red River.” Such modesty was characteristic of “The Duke,” whom Orson Welles described as one of the best-mannered actors in Hollywood. Yet Wayne was […]

“Reservoir Dogs” features a number of scenes that have seared into the brains of film lovers since it was released back in 1992. I know that for me it was the opening scene at the diner that made an impression, featuring discussions of Madonna’s “Like a Virgin” and the merits of tipping. I rented this […]

The “showbiz satire” movie is almost as old as the cinematic medium itself. From “Sullivan’s Travels” to “The Player” and most recently “Babylon,” a look at the darker, goofier, unglamorous, seedier side of moviemaking has become a perennial for Hollywood in more ways than one. Yet most of these films utilize an exaggerated effect to […]

The late author Douglas Adams succinctly wrote in his 1979 novel “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” that, “Space is big. You just won’t believe how vastly, hugely, mind-bogglingly big it is. I mean, you may think it’s a long way down the road to the chemist’s, but that’s just peanuts to space.” Adams wrote […]

When “Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back” was first released in theaters in 1980, fans were enraptured by the unique “look” of a certain background bounty hunter so much that he quickly elevated to fan favorite status. Not much was known about Boba Fett at the time — his backstory would later be […]

The board of governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences met today to discuss Andrea Riseborough’s Best Actress Oscar nomination for the little-seen film “To Leslie” today, and Variety now reports they’ve determined the nomination will stand. Riseborough will compete alongside Cate Blanchett, Michelle Yeoh, Michelle Williams, and Ana de Armas at […]

There are some movies whose legacy you can’t speak on without also mentioning the composers that gave them their signature sound. John Williams is just as vital to “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” as Steven Spielberg is. What would “The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly” even feel like without the great Ennio Morricone? In the same […]

After making a splash on the big screen, Gerard Butler’s “Plane” was bound to land on TVs around the world. The action-thriller, which our review called “a ’90s throwback that comes as a breath of fresh air, even if it’s not the most original air you’ve ever tasted,” has all the makings of a solid […]

After the decision to do so was announced earlier this month, Alec Baldwin has been charged with involuntary manslaughter in connection to the death of Halyna Hutchins. The actor is being accused by New Mexican authorities of acting with criminal negligence after a gun he operated, a Colt .45, shot a live round at the cinematographer […]