It’s not necessarily that, in a pathetic version of Henry Hill’s childhood desire to be a gangster, I’ve “always wanted to attend a pitch forum.” But I’ve admittedly been curious to see how this particular part of the festival-film apparatus works and never had ready access; impelled by both that and ties of friendship, I went on my third day at this year’s Jeonju International Film Festival to the Jeonju Cinema Project pitching panel. Fellow Filmmaker writer and pal Blake Williams was one of the seven projects—four Korean, three international, with one finalist selected from each category—selected to pitch at […]
The post Jeonju 2024: Cinema Projects Past and Future first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Jeonju 2024: Cinema Projects Past and Future first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/9/2024
- by Vadim Rizov
- Filmmaker Magazine-Director Interviews
It’s not necessarily that, in a pathetic version of Henry Hill’s childhood desire to be a gangster, I’ve “always wanted to attend a pitch forum.” But I’ve admittedly been curious to see how this particular part of the festival-film apparatus works and never had ready access; impelled by both that and ties of friendship, I went on my third day at this year’s Jeonju International Film Festival to the Jeonju Cinema Project pitching panel. Fellow Filmmaker writer and pal Blake Williams was one of the seven projects—four Korean, three international, with one finalist selected from each category—selected to pitch at […]
The post Jeonju 2024: Cinema Projects Past and Future first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Jeonju 2024: Cinema Projects Past and Future first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 5/9/2024
- by Vadim Rizov
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
One of the downsides of streaming’s cord-cutting era has been how hard it is to stumble on a great movie midway through. You know the joy of which we speak. After a long day at work or school, a moment to unwind turns into discovering one of your favorite flicks, that one you’ve probably seen a hundred times, is playing right now on cable. And wouldn’t you know it, you’ve come across it right at your favorite bit.
Before you know it, you spend the next 90 minutes catching up on a film you already have half committed to memory. It’s a perhaps uniquely dated phenomenon, but a great one for those of us who have entire personal libraries of movies that we may never have seen from beginning to end. I spent years, for example, convinced Con Air started with Nic Cage enunciating, “I said...
Before you know it, you spend the next 90 minutes catching up on a film you already have half committed to memory. It’s a perhaps uniquely dated phenomenon, but a great one for those of us who have entire personal libraries of movies that we may never have seen from beginning to end. I spent years, for example, convinced Con Air started with Nic Cage enunciating, “I said...
- 5/7/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
The late, great Ray Liotta had a lot of memorable credits to his name throughout his career, but it's probably safe to say his best role was as Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas." In fact, we said just that when we ranked the actor's career right here. Acting against heavy hitters like Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci, Liotta had to essentially carry the entire movie — he's in practically every single scene and serves as the narrator and guide into the world of the mafia that Scorsese was presenting (adapted from the nonfiction book "Wiseguy" by Nicholas Pileggi). Henry is a gangster; a criminal; a violent man. In a lesser actor's hands, this character might be detestable. But Liotta is able to make us have sympathy for Henry; we're caught up in his story, and when the third act of the film brings the character to the lowest moments of his life,...
- 5/6/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
Diarra From Detroit is, at various points, a hard-boiled mystery, a quarter-life crisis comedy, a complicated love triangle (that’s occasionally a quadrangle), and an ensemble hangout show about a group of longtime friends. Some of these elements in theory make sense together — though in theory they should not all fit within the same series. But the reason Diarra, which debuted last week on the BET+ streaming service, is among this year’s most pleasant TV surprises is how much it all makes sense when you watch it.
Diarra Kilpatrick...
Diarra Kilpatrick...
- 3/28/2024
- by Alan Sepinwall
- Rollingstone.com
“When I was a kid, there was a gangster, real old school type,” recalls Oswald Cobblepot at the start of the trailer for The Penguin. Anyone who has seen a gangster flick before recognizes that kind of talk. Henry Hill, Tony Soprano, Michael Corleone — wiseguys love to wax poetic about the past.
It’s no secret that the classic Batman villain was a highlight of 2021’s The Batman, with director Matt Reeves taking a more grounded approach to the bird-themed character that removed the bright colors and gimmicks. The Penguin’s storyline in the movie focused on his rise through the mob and his spinoff series will continue that tale of ascendance, as Cobblepot works to fill the void in the Gotham underworld left in the wake of Carmine Falcone’s death.
But the Penguin isn’t the only mobster from the comics who will appear or be referenced on this gangster show.
It’s no secret that the classic Batman villain was a highlight of 2021’s The Batman, with director Matt Reeves taking a more grounded approach to the bird-themed character that removed the bright colors and gimmicks. The Penguin’s storyline in the movie focused on his rise through the mob and his spinoff series will continue that tale of ascendance, as Cobblepot works to fill the void in the Gotham underworld left in the wake of Carmine Falcone’s death.
But the Penguin isn’t the only mobster from the comics who will appear or be referenced on this gangster show.
- 3/22/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
While the versatile filmmaker Martin Scorsese has helmed various genres, the gangster drama is the one that put him on the map, starting with the Harvey Keitel and Robert De Niro starrer Mean Streets. The film’s success led to him being the master of the genre with films like Casino and The Irishman.
However, before he became the master of the genre, he was reportedly apprehensive about following through on one of his best films, Goodfellas. Scorsese was reportedly hesitant to tackle the genre again after Mean Streets and reportedly went to The Godfather star Marlon Brando, who surprisingly advised against pursuing it.
Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas Was His Return To Form Martin Scorsese in Dreams
Martin Scorsese has been making films since the ‘60s and debuted with Who’s That Knocking On My Door and struggled for a bit before finding his breakthrough with the gangster film Mean Streets.
However, before he became the master of the genre, he was reportedly apprehensive about following through on one of his best films, Goodfellas. Scorsese was reportedly hesitant to tackle the genre again after Mean Streets and reportedly went to The Godfather star Marlon Brando, who surprisingly advised against pursuing it.
Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas Was His Return To Form Martin Scorsese in Dreams
Martin Scorsese has been making films since the ‘60s and debuted with Who’s That Knocking On My Door and struggled for a bit before finding his breakthrough with the gangster film Mean Streets.
- 3/14/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
For Henry Hill, the appeal of becoming a mobster is simple. “They weren’t like anybody else. They did whatever they wanted,” he explains in the famous monologue at the start of Goodfellas. “They parked in front of hydrants and never got a ticket. When they played cards all night nobody ever called the cops.”
Hank might also add to the list that they get the best deals at the grocery store, something that happens to wiseguy Vinnie Antonelli in the comedy My Blue Heaven. Noticing an unattended pricing gun, Vinnie gives himself a huge markdown on a bunch of steaks. When the cashier totals the haul at less than $20, he’s too impressed with the $100 bill Vinnie handed him to call foul. Even the manager only stops Vinnie to give the former mobster a comment card, saying nothing of the steal of a deal that just occurred.
Hill doesn’t realize it,...
Hank might also add to the list that they get the best deals at the grocery store, something that happens to wiseguy Vinnie Antonelli in the comedy My Blue Heaven. Noticing an unattended pricing gun, Vinnie gives himself a huge markdown on a bunch of steaks. When the cashier totals the haul at less than $20, he’s too impressed with the $100 bill Vinnie handed him to call foul. Even the manager only stops Vinnie to give the former mobster a comment card, saying nothing of the steal of a deal that just occurred.
Hill doesn’t realize it,...
- 3/6/2024
- by Joe George
- Den of Geek
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As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a Funko Pop. Actually, that's entirely possible now, thanks to the Pop Yourself program available both in-store and online. But if you're not in the market to turn yourself into a vinyl collectible, maybe you'd like to collect the characters from one of Martin Scorsese's classic films, "GoodFellas."
Funko
Since "The Godfather" joined the roster of Funko POPs vinyl figures inspired by movies not too long ago, it only makes sense for another classic mob movie to get the same treatment. The "GoodFellas" Funko POPs give us pretty much every character that you'd want included. There's Ray Liotta as Henry Hill, before he got all coked out and paranoid, Robert De Niro as the enforcer Jimmy Conway, standing like a gentleman, and Joe Pesci as the mouthy and reckless Tommy De Vito,...
As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a Funko Pop. Actually, that's entirely possible now, thanks to the Pop Yourself program available both in-store and online. But if you're not in the market to turn yourself into a vinyl collectible, maybe you'd like to collect the characters from one of Martin Scorsese's classic films, "GoodFellas."
Funko
Since "The Godfather" joined the roster of Funko POPs vinyl figures inspired by movies not too long ago, it only makes sense for another classic mob movie to get the same treatment. The "GoodFellas" Funko POPs give us pretty much every character that you'd want included. There's Ray Liotta as Henry Hill, before he got all coked out and paranoid, Robert De Niro as the enforcer Jimmy Conway, standing like a gentleman, and Joe Pesci as the mouthy and reckless Tommy De Vito,...
- 2/19/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Ray Liotta’s Pivotal Role in Goodfellas Martin Scorsese’s films are known for their dynamic characters and memorable performances. Yet, within these acclaimed works, there are those that do not always make the headlines. One such example is Ray Liotta as Henry Hill in Goodfellas. Liotta’s nuanced portrayal is often overshadowed by his co-stars, but it is undeniable that his performance is the keystone of the film’s success. Playing Henry Hill in Goodfellas was a tall order, because the character had so many different facets, so many complicated layers, and Ray was in almost every scene of a long, tough shoot,...
- 1/17/2024
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
Martin Scorsese's "Goodfellas" turns 34 this year. The movie itself spans more than three decades, chronicling Henry Hill's (Ray Liotta) life as an associate in the New York mob — Hill's life story was first told to the public by the nonfiction book "Wiseguy" by Nicholas Pileggi, who co-wrote the "Goodfellas" script with Scorsese.
"Goodfellas" is a cinematic shot of adrenaline, cut with vivacious energy by Thelma Schoonmaker and scored with classic rock to reflect the anti-authority glamour of mid-20th century gangsters. No matter if you watch it in all its sprawling glory or just sample clips, it's enjoyable — nay, irresistible.
Since "Goodfellas" packs so many years into two-and-a-half hours, it has a huge cast. So much time has passed since "Goodfellas" premiered in theaters and left its mark on crime cinema that not all of these actors are still with us. Miraculously, though, quite a few of them...
"Goodfellas" is a cinematic shot of adrenaline, cut with vivacious energy by Thelma Schoonmaker and scored with classic rock to reflect the anti-authority glamour of mid-20th century gangsters. No matter if you watch it in all its sprawling glory or just sample clips, it's enjoyable — nay, irresistible.
Since "Goodfellas" packs so many years into two-and-a-half hours, it has a huge cast. So much time has passed since "Goodfellas" premiered in theaters and left its mark on crime cinema that not all of these actors are still with us. Miraculously, though, quite a few of them...
- 1/7/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Director Paul King does not qualify his newest movie as a traditional film production. Nor does he credit it as a Paul King “picture,” “joint,” or otherwise effort of industry. Instead, during the opening titles of Wonka, the movie is simply described as “a Paul King confection.” It’s a cute flourish for a movie about the most famous chocolate maker in cinema. It also proves surprisingly, and joyously, apt; for Wonka is indeed the sweetest thing you are likely to experience at a movie theater this holiday season. More impressive still, it doesn’t feel like teeth or brain rot either.
To be sure, in its best moments, Wonka is a pure sugar rush. It leaps and bounds alongside its characters as they dance across the surfaces of a nighttime sea; it also ascends as they do by way of a handful of balloons, floating ever upward toward a...
To be sure, in its best moments, Wonka is a pure sugar rush. It leaps and bounds alongside its characters as they dance across the surfaces of a nighttime sea; it also ascends as they do by way of a handful of balloons, floating ever upward toward a...
- 12/4/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
This article contains Pain Hustlers spoilers.
The opening moments of Pain Hustlers play a clever bit of reversal on audiences accustomed to watching movies “inspired by real events.” Driving a too-cool-for-school convertible across a vast southeastern bridge, Emily Blunt’s Liza Drake is introduced like many other cinematic devils. Here is a villain whose rise to a real-world throne of vice and corruption is so seductive, they’re going to spend the entire movie bragging about it to us. While Liza doesn’t quite reach the heights of Henry Hill’s opening gloats in Goodfellas—who famously began that movie by saying, “As long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster”—she is plenty prideful as her voiceover announces, “Throw the first stone, sure, but this is my story. And I did it for the right reasons.”
The audience is then bombarded with contradictory information from Liza’s colleagues,...
The opening moments of Pain Hustlers play a clever bit of reversal on audiences accustomed to watching movies “inspired by real events.” Driving a too-cool-for-school convertible across a vast southeastern bridge, Emily Blunt’s Liza Drake is introduced like many other cinematic devils. Here is a villain whose rise to a real-world throne of vice and corruption is so seductive, they’re going to spend the entire movie bragging about it to us. While Liza doesn’t quite reach the heights of Henry Hill’s opening gloats in Goodfellas—who famously began that movie by saying, “As long as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster”—she is plenty prideful as her voiceover announces, “Throw the first stone, sure, but this is my story. And I did it for the right reasons.”
The audience is then bombarded with contradictory information from Liza’s colleagues,...
- 10/31/2023
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
A movie’s central character needn’t be someone we admire, but he should probably be someone we’re drawn to, someone we vibe with in sympathetic fascination, who we feel we know and understand even as he crosses over to the dark side. Few movies have lived out that dynamic more cathartically than the underworld dramas of Martin Scorsese.
“Mean Streets,” the tale of low-rung Little Italy mobsters that Scorsese made 50 years ago (I think it’s still his greatest film), is about Harvey Keitel’s ladder-climbing numbers runner, but the most explosive character is Robert De Niro’s Johnny Boy, a self-destructive firecracker who doesn’t “give two shits about you, or nobody else,” a quality that would make him repellent if he weren’t so hypnotic. In “Taxi Driver,” De Niro’s Travis Bickle is a loner who can’t connect, but he connects with the audience in every frame.
“Mean Streets,” the tale of low-rung Little Italy mobsters that Scorsese made 50 years ago (I think it’s still his greatest film), is about Harvey Keitel’s ladder-climbing numbers runner, but the most explosive character is Robert De Niro’s Johnny Boy, a self-destructive firecracker who doesn’t “give two shits about you, or nobody else,” a quality that would make him repellent if he weren’t so hypnotic. In “Taxi Driver,” De Niro’s Travis Bickle is a loner who can’t connect, but he connects with the audience in every frame.
- 10/29/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Tracing the evolution of a fictional motorbike gang known as the Vandals, writer-director Jeff Nichols’s The Bikeriders takes its inspiration from a photobook of the same name by influential mid-20th-century photographer Danny Lyon. A major contributor to the “new realism” photography movement, Lyon lived alongside his leather-clad petrolhead subjects for months at a time, helping him create urgent, spontaneous images of their outlaw lifestyle that oozed authenticity. Unfortunately, those latter qualities are in short supply in the film, but the sheer exuberance of the story and the stylistic brio of Nichols’s direction often compensate.
The Bikeriders is narrated by Kathy (Jodie Comer), the girlfriend of fiercely committed young Vandals member Benny (Austin Butler). She relays the idiosyncrasies and transgressions of the gang from a slight remove as it evolves from a blue-collar fraternity and surrogate family to a nihilistic crime syndicate. As endearing as Kathy’s disapproving bemusement can be,...
The Bikeriders is narrated by Kathy (Jodie Comer), the girlfriend of fiercely committed young Vandals member Benny (Austin Butler). She relays the idiosyncrasies and transgressions of the gang from a slight remove as it evolves from a blue-collar fraternity and surrogate family to a nihilistic crime syndicate. As endearing as Kathy’s disapproving bemusement can be,...
- 10/25/2023
- by David Robb
- Slant Magazine
Spoilers for "Killers of the Flower Moon" follow.
Martin Scorsese is the great American filmmaker of his generation — and I don't just mean in nationality. The American Dream underpins Scorsese's films, whether unfolding in his hometown of New York City or the Oklahoma plains like his latest, "Killers of the Flower Moon." Based on David Grann's non-fiction novel, the film is set in 1920s Osage County, Oklahoma. The indigenous Osage tribe came into wealth upon discovering oil on their land — so white settlers murdered them to steal it. While ringleaders William King Hale (Robert De Niro) and Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) were prosecuted, they avoided life in prison. Mollie Burkhart (Lily Gladstone), Ernest's wife and poisoning victim, dies at the age of 50 without her family, while the Osage's wealth dries up. It's hardly a victory for justice, even if the tribe refuses to be forgotten by history.
This...
Martin Scorsese is the great American filmmaker of his generation — and I don't just mean in nationality. The American Dream underpins Scorsese's films, whether unfolding in his hometown of New York City or the Oklahoma plains like his latest, "Killers of the Flower Moon." Based on David Grann's non-fiction novel, the film is set in 1920s Osage County, Oklahoma. The indigenous Osage tribe came into wealth upon discovering oil on their land — so white settlers murdered them to steal it. While ringleaders William King Hale (Robert De Niro) and Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio) were prosecuted, they avoided life in prison. Mollie Burkhart (Lily Gladstone), Ernest's wife and poisoning victim, dies at the age of 50 without her family, while the Osage's wealth dries up. It's hardly a victory for justice, even if the tribe refuses to be forgotten by history.
This...
- 10/23/2023
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
A towering Robert De Niro, an against-type Leonardo DiCaprio and a magnetic Lily Gladstone shine in the director’s gripping account of a shocking episode in US history
There’s a perennial fascination in the films of Martin Scorsese with the notion of power – the structures of it, the layers to it, the flow of it. But it’s not so much the individual at the top of the ladder who seems to intrigue the director, but rather those a couple of rungs down. Characters such as dogged journeyman contract killer Frank Sheeran in The Irishman, or foot soldier Henry Hill in Goodfellas, clinging by his fingernails to the edge of the mob’s inner circle. And now, in Scorsese’s masterful adaptation of David Grann’s 2017 nonfiction book Killers of the Flower Moon, there’s hapless Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), the dull-edged nephew of machiavellian cattle rancher William Hale,...
There’s a perennial fascination in the films of Martin Scorsese with the notion of power – the structures of it, the layers to it, the flow of it. But it’s not so much the individual at the top of the ladder who seems to intrigue the director, but rather those a couple of rungs down. Characters such as dogged journeyman contract killer Frank Sheeran in The Irishman, or foot soldier Henry Hill in Goodfellas, clinging by his fingernails to the edge of the mob’s inner circle. And now, in Scorsese’s masterful adaptation of David Grann’s 2017 nonfiction book Killers of the Flower Moon, there’s hapless Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo DiCaprio), the dull-edged nephew of machiavellian cattle rancher William Hale,...
- 10/22/2023
- by Wendy Ide
- The Guardian - Film News
This article contains spoilers for "Killers of the Flower Moon."
Martin Scorsese, one of our finest living filmmakers, returns to a theme he's made his own for decades in "Killers of the Flower Moon" -- the American dream and the fallacy in its formation. This time, the focus is not on white men gaining wealth, fame, and power through less-than-scrupulous means, though there is still plenty of that happening, but there's a stronger emphasis on how the realization of the American dream often means ruin, death, and doom for communities of color.
In the film, we see this with the Osage Nation, a Native American tribe residing in present-day Oklahoma after being removed from Kansas by the U.S. government. The Osage found oil on their land in the early 20th century, which they retained the rights for, resulting in many members of the Osage Nation becoming rather wealthy. It's here...
Martin Scorsese, one of our finest living filmmakers, returns to a theme he's made his own for decades in "Killers of the Flower Moon" -- the American dream and the fallacy in its formation. This time, the focus is not on white men gaining wealth, fame, and power through less-than-scrupulous means, though there is still plenty of that happening, but there's a stronger emphasis on how the realization of the American dream often means ruin, death, and doom for communities of color.
In the film, we see this with the Osage Nation, a Native American tribe residing in present-day Oklahoma after being removed from Kansas by the U.S. government. The Osage found oil on their land in the early 20th century, which they retained the rights for, resulting in many members of the Osage Nation becoming rather wealthy. It's here...
- 10/20/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Tom Cruise loves chucking himself out of planes, but did you know he can actually fly them? The "Mission: Impossible" star has been a qualified pilot since 1994 and owns several aeronautic vehicles, including a P-51 Mustang that popped up in "Top Gun: Maverick." As he once told Hello magazine (via The Netline), "All I ever wanted to be was a pilot or an actor," affirming that he very much shares Pete Mitchell's need for speed (which should come as a shock to literally no one on the planet). But it's not just the "Top Gun" movies; 2017's "American Made" likewise saw Cruise hopping into a cockpit for a real-life crime story that cements the adage, "Truth is stranger than fiction."
Cruise stars in "American Made" as Barry Seal, a wannabe hotshot pilot who's working a cushy yet, for him, soul-draining gig flying commercial jets for Twa in the '...
Cruise stars in "American Made" as Barry Seal, a wannabe hotshot pilot who's working a cushy yet, for him, soul-draining gig flying commercial jets for Twa in the '...
- 10/11/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Tony Bennett accepted the boundaries of his universe.
In the last few decades of his life, the period of his greatest success, he never tried to do a Rick Rubin/Johnny Cash-style album of recent pop and rock hits tweaked to suit his voice. Instead, he transported the contemporary artists he worked with — Lady Gaga especially — to his preferred musical arena: the Great American Songbook classics of Johnny Mercer, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, the Gershwins, Harold Arlen, and so many more. Without seeing the cover, you’d never even know his “MTV Unplugged” album was an “MTV Unplugged” album just by listening to it. His last studio album, “The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern,” speaks to his appreciation of the craft of songwriting embodied by the entire Great American Songbook era, and how a singer can work in dialogue with that songwriter even decades after their death to create meaning.
In the last few decades of his life, the period of his greatest success, he never tried to do a Rick Rubin/Johnny Cash-style album of recent pop and rock hits tweaked to suit his voice. Instead, he transported the contemporary artists he worked with — Lady Gaga especially — to his preferred musical arena: the Great American Songbook classics of Johnny Mercer, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hart, the Gershwins, Harold Arlen, and so many more. Without seeing the cover, you’d never even know his “MTV Unplugged” album was an “MTV Unplugged” album just by listening to it. His last studio album, “The Silver Lining: The Songs of Jerome Kern,” speaks to his appreciation of the craft of songwriting embodied by the entire Great American Songbook era, and how a singer can work in dialogue with that songwriter even decades after their death to create meaning.
- 7/23/2023
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Ray Liotta’s performances live on, as the late actor received a posthumous 2023 Emmy nomination for his role in Apple TV+’s Black Bird drama.
Liotta, best known for his turn as hustler-turned-mob rat Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, died on May 26, 2022. He was 67 years old at the time.
On Wednesday, Liotta received his posthumous Emmy nomination in the best supporting actor in a limited or anthology series or movie category for one of his final roles in the limited TV series for Apple Studios, where he played ex-cop Big Jim Keene.
Liotta’s daughter, Karsen, in a statement welcomed the posthumous recognition of her late father for one of his final roles. “I am so grateful to the members of the Television Academy for honoring my Dad with this nomination. He was so incredibly proud of his performance in Black Bird, and it would mean the world...
Liotta, best known for his turn as hustler-turned-mob rat Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese’s Goodfellas, died on May 26, 2022. He was 67 years old at the time.
On Wednesday, Liotta received his posthumous Emmy nomination in the best supporting actor in a limited or anthology series or movie category for one of his final roles in the limited TV series for Apple Studios, where he played ex-cop Big Jim Keene.
Liotta’s daughter, Karsen, in a statement welcomed the posthumous recognition of her late father for one of his final roles. “I am so grateful to the members of the Television Academy for honoring my Dad with this nomination. He was so incredibly proud of his performance in Black Bird, and it would mean the world...
- 7/12/2023
- by Etan Vlessing
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ray Liotta received a posthumous Emmy nomination for his role as Big Jim Keene in Dennis Lehane’s “Black Bird,” the Apple TV+ true crime series based on the real life of serial killer Larry Hall.
Liotta was nominated for best supporting actor in a limited series alongside his costar Paul Water Hauser, Richard Jenkins , Murray Bartlett, Joseph Lee, Young Mazino and Jesse Plemons..
Liotta joins the small list of actors who have received posthumous Primetime Emmy nominations, including last year’s nomination of Chadwick Boseman (“What If…?”), Norm MacDonald (“Nothing Special”) and Jessica Walters (“Archer”) and the previous nominations of Carrie Fisher (“Catastrophe”), Audrey Hepburn (“Gardens of the World With Audrey Hepburn”), Anthony Bourdain (Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”) and Fred Willard (“Modern Family”).
Liotta starred in “Black Bird” opposite Taron Egerton as his character’s son, Jimmy Keene, and Paul Walter Hauser as the infamous Larry Hall. The cast...
Liotta was nominated for best supporting actor in a limited series alongside his costar Paul Water Hauser, Richard Jenkins , Murray Bartlett, Joseph Lee, Young Mazino and Jesse Plemons..
Liotta joins the small list of actors who have received posthumous Primetime Emmy nominations, including last year’s nomination of Chadwick Boseman (“What If…?”), Norm MacDonald (“Nothing Special”) and Jessica Walters (“Archer”) and the previous nominations of Carrie Fisher (“Catastrophe”), Audrey Hepburn (“Gardens of the World With Audrey Hepburn”), Anthony Bourdain (Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown”) and Fred Willard (“Modern Family”).
Liotta starred in “Black Bird” opposite Taron Egerton as his character’s son, Jimmy Keene, and Paul Walter Hauser as the infamous Larry Hall. The cast...
- 7/12/2023
- by Sophia Scorziello
- Variety Film + TV
Clockwise from top left: Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (Disney), The Shining (Warner Bros.), Creed (Warner Bros.), Goodfellas (Warner Bros.)Graphic: AVClub
All hail the oner! Moviegoers love great acting, brilliant visual effects, a soaring score, and palpable chemistry between the stars, but few things wow an audience more than the single-take shot,...
All hail the oner! Moviegoers love great acting, brilliant visual effects, a soaring score, and palpable chemistry between the stars, but few things wow an audience more than the single-take shot,...
- 5/31/2023
- by Ian Spelling
- avclub.com
Pesci and Liotta in Goodfellas Goodfellas, 10pm, BBC2, Monday, May 29
Martin Scorsese's passion for filmmaking shows little sign of dwindling, with the 80-year-old's latest, Killers Of The Flower Moon, premiering in Cannes last week to critical acclaim. This classic from his back catalogue is adapted from the non-fiction work by Nicholas Pileggi and charts the rise and fall of two-bit wiseguy Henry Hill. It was Joe Pesci who took home the Oscar for his portrayal of Hill's loose cannon friend Tommy DeVito but this is ensemble work at its finest, with Ray Liotta perfectly cast as Hill alongside Robert De Niro as Jimmy Conway. Beyond the acting, the film thunders along at pace and features a soundtrack that's tough to beat.
Close To Vermeer, 9pm, BBC4, Tuesday, May 30
Jennie Kermode writes: What is it that makes the work of Johannes Vermeer so compelling? If you've never paid much attention to art,...
Martin Scorsese's passion for filmmaking shows little sign of dwindling, with the 80-year-old's latest, Killers Of The Flower Moon, premiering in Cannes last week to critical acclaim. This classic from his back catalogue is adapted from the non-fiction work by Nicholas Pileggi and charts the rise and fall of two-bit wiseguy Henry Hill. It was Joe Pesci who took home the Oscar for his portrayal of Hill's loose cannon friend Tommy DeVito but this is ensemble work at its finest, with Ray Liotta perfectly cast as Hill alongside Robert De Niro as Jimmy Conway. Beyond the acting, the film thunders along at pace and features a soundtrack that's tough to beat.
Close To Vermeer, 9pm, BBC4, Tuesday, May 30
Jennie Kermode writes: What is it that makes the work of Johannes Vermeer so compelling? If you've never paid much attention to art,...
- 5/29/2023
- by Amber Wilkinson
- eyeforfilm.co.uk
Movie soundtracks can elevate ordinary stories, adding depth and resonance to beloved films. The lasting impact of these soundtracks is evident in the instantly recognizable songs that continue to endure. Sometimes, the music becomes a movie’s highlight, compensating for weaker storylines or characters.
Classic movie musicals like West Side Story have stood the test of time, while films like The Bodyguard provided a platform for legendary artists to showcase their talents. The longevity of these soundtracks is often measured by their chart performance, reflecting their profound influence on generations.
The intertwining of music and cinema is a magical combination. The closing notes of The Breakfast Club, the era-defining mix of Dazed and Confused, and the genius of Prince in Purple Rain are just a few examples of the powerful synergy between sound and vision.
It is impossible to imagine certain movies without their iconic musical moments. Radio Raheem‘s...
Classic movie musicals like West Side Story have stood the test of time, while films like The Bodyguard provided a platform for legendary artists to showcase their talents. The longevity of these soundtracks is often measured by their chart performance, reflecting their profound influence on generations.
The intertwining of music and cinema is a magical combination. The closing notes of The Breakfast Club, the era-defining mix of Dazed and Confused, and the genius of Prince in Purple Rain are just a few examples of the powerful synergy between sound and vision.
It is impossible to imagine certain movies without their iconic musical moments. Radio Raheem‘s...
- 5/15/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
For crime movie fans, IMDb users have made finding the best of the genre easy. Classics like The Godfather and The Dark Knight are among their highest-rated films. Every film on this list made IMDb’s Top 100 movies, and none ranked lower than forty.
Our best crime movies list offers some unforgettable cinematic experiences – give them a shot if you haven’t already done so.
10 Best Crime Films of All Time, Ranked on IMDb The Departed (2006) – 8.5 The Green Mile (1999) – 8.6 The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – 8.6 Se7en (1995) – 8.6 Goodfellas (1990) – 8.7 Pulp Fiction (1994) – 8.9 The Godfather Part II (1974) – 9 12 Angry Men (1957) – 9.0 The Dark Knight (2008) – 9.0 The Godfather (1972) – 9.2 10 ‘The Departed’ (2006)
IMDb: 8.5/10 1.4M | Popularity: 182 | Top 250: #39 | Metascore: 85
Related: 10 Best Matt Damon Movies, Ranked by Viewers
Billy and Colin’s lives are intertwined in The Departed. Set on the streets of Boston, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Billy — an undercover cop infiltrating a crime syndicate. Matt Damon is Colin Sullivan — trying to infiltrate law enforcement from within.
Our best crime movies list offers some unforgettable cinematic experiences – give them a shot if you haven’t already done so.
10 Best Crime Films of All Time, Ranked on IMDb The Departed (2006) – 8.5 The Green Mile (1999) – 8.6 The Silence of the Lambs (1991) – 8.6 Se7en (1995) – 8.6 Goodfellas (1990) – 8.7 Pulp Fiction (1994) – 8.9 The Godfather Part II (1974) – 9 12 Angry Men (1957) – 9.0 The Dark Knight (2008) – 9.0 The Godfather (1972) – 9.2 10 ‘The Departed’ (2006)
IMDb: 8.5/10 1.4M | Popularity: 182 | Top 250: #39 | Metascore: 85
Related: 10 Best Matt Damon Movies, Ranked by Viewers
Billy and Colin’s lives are intertwined in The Departed. Set on the streets of Boston, Leonardo DiCaprio plays Billy — an undercover cop infiltrating a crime syndicate. Matt Damon is Colin Sullivan — trying to infiltrate law enforcement from within.
- 4/30/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
Beloved by moviegoers for decades, the mafia film genre typically centers around key players that make up the world of organized crime in various contexts, locations, and cultures, with a sprinkle of family life and a generous serving of violence included in the storylines. The genre traces back to the early beginnings of film, but was popularized by directors like Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese in the 1970s and beyond.
Over the years, the mafia genre has continued to defy stereotypes and include elements from different film genres, like suspense or comedy. The latest mafia-related film, "Mafia Mamma," which hit theaters on April 14, presents a traditional look at the Italian mafia, with a refreshing, comedic tone delivered by Toni Collette and Monica Bellucci. In the film, Colette's character, Kristin, unexpectedly inherits her estranged grandfather's mafia empire in Calabria, Italy, and has to assume the role of mob boss...
Over the years, the mafia genre has continued to defy stereotypes and include elements from different film genres, like suspense or comedy. The latest mafia-related film, "Mafia Mamma," which hit theaters on April 14, presents a traditional look at the Italian mafia, with a refreshing, comedic tone delivered by Toni Collette and Monica Bellucci. In the film, Colette's character, Kristin, unexpectedly inherits her estranged grandfather's mafia empire in Calabria, Italy, and has to assume the role of mob boss...
- 4/20/2023
- by Alicia Geigel
- Popsugar.com
Biographical films are beloved by viewers, the Academy Awards, and Hollywood alike. Their dominance in the cinematic landscape is evidenced by the plethora of Best Picture winners. Numerous actors have been honored for bringing these historical figures to life on screen.
Biopics have been a mainstay in the movie-making industry for years, never failing to deliver both critically acclaimed success and box office hits. Although the genre has seen a surge in popularity over the past few years, its power remains undiminished. Recent additions to the biography genre from 2022 like ‘Thirteen Lives’ directed by Ron Howard and ‘Elvis’ starring Tom Hanks and Austin Butler are proof of this.
Hollywood biopics, from stories of celebrated musicians like Mozart to infamous mobsters like Henry Hill, stand as some of the most acclaimed films. Many directors and actors have seen their careers skyrocket after appearing in a successful biopic – taking it as an...
Biopics have been a mainstay in the movie-making industry for years, never failing to deliver both critically acclaimed success and box office hits. Although the genre has seen a surge in popularity over the past few years, its power remains undiminished. Recent additions to the biography genre from 2022 like ‘Thirteen Lives’ directed by Ron Howard and ‘Elvis’ starring Tom Hanks and Austin Butler are proof of this.
Hollywood biopics, from stories of celebrated musicians like Mozart to infamous mobsters like Henry Hill, stand as some of the most acclaimed films. Many directors and actors have seen their careers skyrocket after appearing in a successful biopic – taking it as an...
- 3/24/2023
- by Buddy TV
- buddytv.com
Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt are setting the record straight about the origins of "Ted Lasso." During a cast panel with Variety in celebration of the hit Apple TV+ show's third season, the show's co-creators were asked about the origin of the Ted Lasso character, and had a surprising answer.
Moderator and Actors on Actors host Jenelle Riley opened up the panel by asking about the inception of "Ted Lasso" as a character, referencing a story that's apparently been floating around the internet about co-creators and stars Brendan Hunt and Jason Sudeikis incorporating the character into sketch comedy early in their careers. "It's not true!" Sudeikis declared, before setting the record straight about exactly how the pair's early days working together at a theater in Amsterdam related to their eventual creation of the mustachioed Midwestern football coach.
The Ted Lasso Character Was Not Created In The '90s
"Brendan and...
Moderator and Actors on Actors host Jenelle Riley opened up the panel by asking about the inception of "Ted Lasso" as a character, referencing a story that's apparently been floating around the internet about co-creators and stars Brendan Hunt and Jason Sudeikis incorporating the character into sketch comedy early in their careers. "It's not true!" Sudeikis declared, before setting the record straight about exactly how the pair's early days working together at a theater in Amsterdam related to their eventual creation of the mustachioed Midwestern football coach.
The Ted Lasso Character Was Not Created In The '90s
"Brendan and...
- 3/23/2023
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Of the many celebrity deaths in recent years, Ray Liotta’s is certainly among the ones that hit movie fans the hardest. The actor died in May 2022 at 67 years old, leaving behind an impressive, beloved body of work. And as Liotta’s fans reflect on his legacy, it’s worth remembering that time he gave Bradley Cooper a hard time on The Place Beyond the Pines.
Ray Liotta starred in a wide variety of movies over the years
Liotta made his film debut in the 1983 drama The Lonely Lady starring Pia Zadora. And while he’d play a variety of roles over his nearly 40-year career, the actor became best known for playing tough guys. In fact, his best-known film remains Martin Scorsese’s 1990 hit Goodfellas, in which he plays gangster Henry Hill. That became the role that defined Liotta’s screen persona.
Over the years, Liotta would lean into his Goodfellas reputation,...
Ray Liotta starred in a wide variety of movies over the years
Liotta made his film debut in the 1983 drama The Lonely Lady starring Pia Zadora. And while he’d play a variety of roles over his nearly 40-year career, the actor became best known for playing tough guys. In fact, his best-known film remains Martin Scorsese’s 1990 hit Goodfellas, in which he plays gangster Henry Hill. That became the role that defined Liotta’s screen persona.
Over the years, Liotta would lean into his Goodfellas reputation,...
- 3/21/2023
- by Robert Yaniz Jr.
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Ray Liotta’s family and famous friends gathered on Friday to pay tribute to the late actor as he received a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The actor died in his sleep on May 26, 2022, while in production on an upcoming film, Dangerous Waters, in the Dominican Republic, but he was aware of the Walk of Fame honor prior to his death.
Liotta’s daughter, Karsen, spoke at the ceremony, and she shared exclusively with Et’s Will Marfuggi how much the honor meant to her father.
“It was a huge honor for him and he was proud of himself, as me and my whole family were,” she noted. “I know it was definitely very special to him and it was a monumental moment in his career.”
The proud daughter also said her dad would have been “surprised” by the outpouring of support following his death.
“I mean,...
The actor died in his sleep on May 26, 2022, while in production on an upcoming film, Dangerous Waters, in the Dominican Republic, but he was aware of the Walk of Fame honor prior to his death.
Liotta’s daughter, Karsen, spoke at the ceremony, and she shared exclusively with Et’s Will Marfuggi how much the honor meant to her father.
“It was a huge honor for him and he was proud of himself, as me and my whole family were,” she noted. “I know it was definitely very special to him and it was a monumental moment in his career.”
The proud daughter also said her dad would have been “surprised” by the outpouring of support following his death.
“I mean,...
- 2/25/2023
- by Brent Furdyk
- ET Canada
Actor Ray Liotta will receive a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, honouring almost 50 years of amazing work in TV and on film. After his turn in the 1986 film ‘Something Wild’, playing Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese’s ‘Goodfellas’ was the moment that many cinephiles first discovered his charms.
Talking about the moment he knew that Liotta was the perfect choice for Hill Scorsese says it wasn’t during casting, or even on set, but when the two crossed paths ahead of the beginning of production, reports Variety.
“We were thinking about just a few actors to play Henry Hill, and Ray was one of them,” Scorsese tells Variety.
“I had one concern. I knew that he could handle a role like the one he had in ‘Something Wild,’ but here he would have to carry the whole picture. He had to look like he could have come out of that world,...
Talking about the moment he knew that Liotta was the perfect choice for Hill Scorsese says it wasn’t during casting, or even on set, but when the two crossed paths ahead of the beginning of production, reports Variety.
“We were thinking about just a few actors to play Henry Hill, and Ray was one of them,” Scorsese tells Variety.
“I had one concern. I knew that he could handle a role like the one he had in ‘Something Wild,’ but here he would have to carry the whole picture. He had to look like he could have come out of that world,...
- 2/25/2023
- by News Bureau
- GlamSham
Ray Liotta was on an emotional high while filming “Cocaine Bear,” according to Elizabeth Banks.
The late “Goodfellas” actor, who unexpectedly died in his sleep in May 2022, wowed the “Cocaine Bear” cast and crew as production wrapped, delivering a moving speech about what production in Ireland meant to him.
“He wrapped his last scene, and he was covered in blood and guts — and then he gave this beautiful speech,” Banks told Esquire. “He said, ‘I’m adopted. My last name’s Liotta, and because of my career, everybody assumes I’m Italian, but I recently found out that I am actually mostly Irish.’ And we’re in Ireland.”
Banks continued, “He said, ‘So this trip has been so special to me because I didn’t understand the connection that I actually had to this place and to the Irish people. And everybody’s been so nice.’ I could tear up...
The late “Goodfellas” actor, who unexpectedly died in his sleep in May 2022, wowed the “Cocaine Bear” cast and crew as production wrapped, delivering a moving speech about what production in Ireland meant to him.
“He wrapped his last scene, and he was covered in blood and guts — and then he gave this beautiful speech,” Banks told Esquire. “He said, ‘I’m adopted. My last name’s Liotta, and because of my career, everybody assumes I’m Italian, but I recently found out that I am actually mostly Irish.’ And we’re in Ireland.”
Banks continued, “He said, ‘So this trip has been so special to me because I didn’t understand the connection that I actually had to this place and to the Irish people. And everybody’s been so nice.’ I could tear up...
- 2/24/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Martin Scorsese Recalls the Moment He Knew Ray Liotta Was Perfect to Play Henry Hill in ‘Goodfellas’
On Feb. 24, Ray Liotta will receive a posthumous star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, honoring almost 50 years of amazing work in TV and on film. Following his turn in Jonathan Demme’s 1986 film “Something Wild,” playing Henry Hill in Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” was the moment that many moviegoers first discovered his complex, sometimes contradictory charms. When asked about the moment he knew that Liotta was the perfect choice for Hill — a character that was slick, confident, effortlessly charming, but with an edge of danger that made him fearsome and attractive at the same time — Scorsese says it wasn’t during casting, or even on set, but when the two crossed paths ahead of the beginning of production.
“We were thinking about just a few actors to play Henry Hill, and Ray was one of them,” Scorsese tells Variety. “I had one concern. I knew that he could handle...
“We were thinking about just a few actors to play Henry Hill, and Ray was one of them,” Scorsese tells Variety. “I had one concern. I knew that he could handle...
- 2/24/2023
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
Cocaine Bear is a film worthy of its title, and perfectly constructed to feel like the kind of cult horror movie you’d find on a dusty VHS tape somewhere in a stoner’s basement. It’s bloody and grotesque, at times quite dark, but also surprisingly endearing. Any worry that actor and filmmaker Elizabeth Banks’s third feature wouldn’t live up to its gloriously stupid title is misplaced.
The fact that Cocaine Bear is based on a true story isn’t particularly relevant beyond its initial hook. The real Cocaine Bear – a dead 175-pound male nicknamed Pablo Eskobear – was discovered in the Chattahoochee National Forest during the mid-Eighties. His body was surrounded by 40 opened plastic containers with traces of cocaine, supposedly tossed from a plane by convicted smuggler Andrew Thornton. Thornton had attempted to parachute down to Earth with his spoils, only to die in the attempt – his...
The fact that Cocaine Bear is based on a true story isn’t particularly relevant beyond its initial hook. The real Cocaine Bear – a dead 175-pound male nicknamed Pablo Eskobear – was discovered in the Chattahoochee National Forest during the mid-Eighties. His body was surrounded by 40 opened plastic containers with traces of cocaine, supposedly tossed from a plane by convicted smuggler Andrew Thornton. Thornton had attempted to parachute down to Earth with his spoils, only to die in the attempt – his...
- 2/23/2023
- by Clarisse Loughrey
- The Independent - Film
Ray Liotta will be posthumously honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at a special ceremony taking place next Friday, Feb. 24 at 12:30 p.m. Pt.
Liotta’s daughter, Karen, will accept the star on her father’s behalf, while Elizabeth Banks and Taron Egerton will pay tribute to the late actor. The event will be live-streamed, and the ceremony will coincide with the release of one of Liotta’s final film roles, Cocaine Bear (which Banks directed).
“Ray Liotta’s all-around career made him a triple...
Liotta’s daughter, Karen, will accept the star on her father’s behalf, while Elizabeth Banks and Taron Egerton will pay tribute to the late actor. The event will be live-streamed, and the ceremony will coincide with the release of one of Liotta’s final film roles, Cocaine Bear (which Banks directed).
“Ray Liotta’s all-around career made him a triple...
- 2/17/2023
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese are the most famous working directors of the last several decades, but that doesn't mean that they're in competition. In fact, the two filmmakers are fans of each other's work. Spielberg is particularly fond of Scorsese's 1990 mob movie, the widely acclaimed modern classic, "Goodfellas." And who can blame him? What's not to like? But "Goodfellas" is more than just a good movie to Spielberg — it's a master class in directing.
"Henry Hill, Jimmy the Gent, Tommy DeVito, Paulie, Karen, Billy Batts, the Lufthansa heist ... all someone has to do is mention some of these names and I get the sudden and irresistible urge to watch Martin Scorsese's 'Goodfellas' again," the director reminisced in an interview with Variety. "I've lost count of how many times I've experienced this epic cinematic masterpiece, which includes a brilliant screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, and one...
"Henry Hill, Jimmy the Gent, Tommy DeVito, Paulie, Karen, Billy Batts, the Lufthansa heist ... all someone has to do is mention some of these names and I get the sudden and irresistible urge to watch Martin Scorsese's 'Goodfellas' again," the director reminisced in an interview with Variety. "I've lost count of how many times I've experienced this epic cinematic masterpiece, which includes a brilliant screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, and one...
- 2/7/2023
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
Goodfellas is right up there with one of the greatest mob stories ever told. But many people hold it to an even higher degree as one of the greatest movies ever made. Recently, Steven Spielberg wrote a short guest essay for Variety on why the movie, made by his peer, Martin Scorsese, is not only one of his favorite movies but he also feels it’s a masterclass in filmmaking.
Spielberg mentions that all you need to do is mention the name of one of the characters from the film and that puts him in the mood to watch the gangster epic. He elaborates, “It’s no longer a guilty pleasure to sit for 2 hours and 26 minutes, but rather a master class for any aspiring filmmaker who wants to see a breathtaking balancing act of multiple storylines, timelines, shocking violence and violent humor. The film has an intoxicating energy expressed not only through masterful editing,...
Spielberg mentions that all you need to do is mention the name of one of the characters from the film and that puts him in the mood to watch the gangster epic. He elaborates, “It’s no longer a guilty pleasure to sit for 2 hours and 26 minutes, but rather a master class for any aspiring filmmaker who wants to see a breathtaking balancing act of multiple storylines, timelines, shocking violence and violent humor. The film has an intoxicating energy expressed not only through masterful editing,...
- 12/29/2022
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
This essay is one of several contributed by filmmakers and actors as part of Variety’s 100 Greatest Movies of All Time package.
Henry Hill, Jimmy the Gent, Tommy DeVito, Paulie, Karen, Billy Batts, the Lufthansa heist … all someone has to do is mention some of these names and I get the sudden and irresistible urge to watch Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” again. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve experienced this epic cinematic masterpiece, which includes a brilliant screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, and one of cinema history’s greatest acting ensembles: De Niro, Pesci, Liotta, and some of the most memorable supporting roles ever — from Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Imperioli, Chuck Low and Tony Darrow to Catherine and Charles Scorsese … there are no background performances in “Goodfellas.”
It’s no longer a guilty pleasure to sit for 2 hours and 26 minutes, but rather a master class...
Henry Hill, Jimmy the Gent, Tommy DeVito, Paulie, Karen, Billy Batts, the Lufthansa heist … all someone has to do is mention some of these names and I get the sudden and irresistible urge to watch Martin Scorsese’s “Goodfellas” again. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve experienced this epic cinematic masterpiece, which includes a brilliant screenplay by Nicholas Pileggi and Scorsese, and one of cinema history’s greatest acting ensembles: De Niro, Pesci, Liotta, and some of the most memorable supporting roles ever — from Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Imperioli, Chuck Low and Tony Darrow to Catherine and Charles Scorsese … there are no background performances in “Goodfellas.”
It’s no longer a guilty pleasure to sit for 2 hours and 26 minutes, but rather a master class...
- 12/21/2022
- by Steven Spielberg
- Variety Film + TV
Elizabeth Banks isn’t sniffing around the truth when it comes to just how powerful “Cocaine Bear” will be.
The director became attached to the script based on the true story of a bear that ingested millions of dollars worth of cocaine during a 1985 botched drug smuggling operation that crash landed into a forest in Georgia. The real bear died of an overdose, but in the upcoming “Cocaine Bear” film, it goes on a killing rampage while searching for its next fix. Keri Russell, Brooklynn Prince, and Christian Convery are the bear’s unsuspecting victims, while O’Shea Jackson Jr., Alden Ehrenreich, and Ray Liotta (in his final film role) portray drug dealers. Liotta died at age 67 in May 2022.
“No matter who you are in life, even if you’re Henry Hill [Liotta’s character in ‘Goodfellas’], if you meet a bear that’s high on cocaine, you are the underdog in that situation,” Banks told...
The director became attached to the script based on the true story of a bear that ingested millions of dollars worth of cocaine during a 1985 botched drug smuggling operation that crash landed into a forest in Georgia. The real bear died of an overdose, but in the upcoming “Cocaine Bear” film, it goes on a killing rampage while searching for its next fix. Keri Russell, Brooklynn Prince, and Christian Convery are the bear’s unsuspecting victims, while O’Shea Jackson Jr., Alden Ehrenreich, and Ray Liotta (in his final film role) portray drug dealers. Liotta died at age 67 in May 2022.
“No matter who you are in life, even if you’re Henry Hill [Liotta’s character in ‘Goodfellas’], if you meet a bear that’s high on cocaine, you are the underdog in that situation,” Banks told...
- 12/16/2022
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
As a member of the legendary writing staff of NBC's "Your Show of Shows" in the 1950s, Mel Brooks played a key role in pushing the formal boundaries of television comedy, so it stands to reason that he would be equally adventurous behind the lens of a film camera. Taking his cues from such pioneering entertainments as Orson Welles' "Citizen Kane" and H.C. Potter's "Hellzapoppin'," Brooks played broadly to viewers, occasionally breaking the fourth wall to get them involved in the front. He does this multiple times in "Blazing Saddles:" in one instance, he has Harvey Korman's Hedley Lamarr pause his direct-to-camera scheming to ponder to the audience, "Why am I asking you?" There's also the moment where the film's climactic melee crashes into the set of a Busby Berkeley musical, prompting Slim Pickens to blurt out "P*** on you, I'm working for Mel Brooks" before...
- 12/6/2022
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Nicole Kidman bid big during a performance of “The Music Man” on Broadway. Following Saturday’s production of the play, the cast — including lead, Hugh Jackman — participated in an auction to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
“The generosity emanating from #NicoleKidman leaves me speechless! You Are amazing. Thank you for your friendship and support! @MusicManBway @NicholastheWard @Bcefa,” the 54-year-old actor captioned the video featuring the moment on his Twitter.
The generosity emanating from #NicoleKidman leaves me speechless! You Are amazing. Thank you for your friendship and support! @MusicManBway @NicholastheWard @Bcefa pic.twitter.com/ZMUsgdIqAU
— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) November 27, 2022
In the video, the actor stands on stage next to another co-star who is calling out numbers during an auction for Jackman’s hat. In a surprise turn of events, a member of the audience bids 100,000.
Jackman and the other actors begin to clap, before everyone realizes that the big bidder was in fact Kidman.
“The generosity emanating from #NicoleKidman leaves me speechless! You Are amazing. Thank you for your friendship and support! @MusicManBway @NicholastheWard @Bcefa,” the 54-year-old actor captioned the video featuring the moment on his Twitter.
The generosity emanating from #NicoleKidman leaves me speechless! You Are amazing. Thank you for your friendship and support! @MusicManBway @NicholastheWard @Bcefa pic.twitter.com/ZMUsgdIqAU
— Hugh Jackman (@RealHughJackman) November 27, 2022
In the video, the actor stands on stage next to another co-star who is calling out numbers during an auction for Jackman’s hat. In a surprise turn of events, a member of the audience bids 100,000.
Jackman and the other actors begin to clap, before everyone realizes that the big bidder was in fact Kidman.
- 11/27/2022
- by Sarah Curran
- ET Canada
Sammy Gravano is reflecting on the old days. “I grab him in a bear hug, the [van] door comes flying open, guys come running out,” he says, sitting back in a leather armchair, his voice gravelly. But Gravano isn’t reminiscing about some rough-and-tumble prank from his youth; he’s recounting the kidnapping and gangland slaying of Philadelphia gangster John “Johnny Keys” Simone forty years ago. Gravano is Salvatore “Sammy the Bull” Gravano, the onetime underboss of New York’s notorious Gambino crime family, and these days, he’s giving up...
- 11/9/2022
- by Andrew Burton
- Rollingstone.com
Exclusive: Amazon Studios and George Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smokehouse acquired in a six-against seven-figure deal screen rights to Hot Dog Money: Inside the Biggest Scandal in the History of College Sports. Book was written by Guy Lawson, whose Rolling Stone article “Arms and the Dudes” became the Todd Phillips’ movie War Dogs at Warner Bros, whose New York Times Magazine article “Ice Pack” has been adapted for Will Ferrell at Sony, his Rs article Oxy-Gen is being adapted at MGM for Pete Davidson, and other true-crime reporting spread around town.
Lawson spent two years working secretly with Marty Blazer, the ex-manager whose cooperation as a confidential informant with the FBI resulted in a 2017 ESPN live broadcast with prosecutors from the Southern District of New York successfully bringing charges against managers, coaches and schools for corruption in the NCAA. It’s similar to what Nick Pileggi had with Henry Hill...
Lawson spent two years working secretly with Marty Blazer, the ex-manager whose cooperation as a confidential informant with the FBI resulted in a 2017 ESPN live broadcast with prosecutors from the Southern District of New York successfully bringing charges against managers, coaches and schools for corruption in the NCAA. It’s similar to what Nick Pileggi had with Henry Hill...
- 11/7/2022
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
"As far back as I can remember, I always wanted to be a gangster." A shot at the mob life was Henry Hill's dream, but once was enough for Ray Liotta.
Enough "Goodfellas" alums show up on "The Sopranos" that you can make a drinking game out of it. Obviously, Lorraine "Karen Hill" Bracco and Michael "Spider" Imperioli are in the main cast as Dr. Melfi and Christopher Moltisanti. Frank "Billy Batts" Vincent also appears during the final two seasons as New York boss Phil Leotardo. Still there are four glaring absences: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Paul Sorvino, and Ray Liotta.
De Niro was who Chase first had in mind for Tony Soprano, but the actor has never even watched the series. Joe Pesci was also semi-retired from acting during the show's run, while Sorvino felt the series was "defamatory" towards Italians. Liotta was the only one explicitly offered a part,...
Enough "Goodfellas" alums show up on "The Sopranos" that you can make a drinking game out of it. Obviously, Lorraine "Karen Hill" Bracco and Michael "Spider" Imperioli are in the main cast as Dr. Melfi and Christopher Moltisanti. Frank "Billy Batts" Vincent also appears during the final two seasons as New York boss Phil Leotardo. Still there are four glaring absences: Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, Paul Sorvino, and Ray Liotta.
De Niro was who Chase first had in mind for Tony Soprano, but the actor has never even watched the series. Joe Pesci was also semi-retired from acting during the show's run, while Sorvino felt the series was "defamatory" towards Italians. Liotta was the only one explicitly offered a part,...
- 10/16/2022
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
There’s no shortage of incredible things video games let us do. The best games often allow us to enjoy experiences that would be impossible or deadly in real life. Maybe that’s why crime games have always been so strangely appealing.
As some of the best and biggest TV shows, movies, and books have proven, we are often more fascinated with the world of crime than many of us are willing to admit. Of course, there are limits to what those mediums can offer. We can watch Tony Soprano and Henry Hill live out that life we’re strangely fascinated with, but we have to check our darker desires to participate at the door before we go on a guided tour through that lifestyle.
That’s where crime video games come into play. They alone allow us to experience the highs of the world of crime without having to...
As some of the best and biggest TV shows, movies, and books have proven, we are often more fascinated with the world of crime than many of us are willing to admit. Of course, there are limits to what those mediums can offer. We can watch Tony Soprano and Henry Hill live out that life we’re strangely fascinated with, but we have to check our darker desires to participate at the door before we go on a guided tour through that lifestyle.
That’s where crime video games come into play. They alone allow us to experience the highs of the world of crime without having to...
- 9/24/2022
- by Matthew Byrd
- Den of Geek
First published August 12th, 2022, on Substack and Patreon.
Don’t spend hours scrolling the menus at Netflix, Prime Video, and other movie services. I point you to the best new films and hidden gems to stream.
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published August 12th, 2022 both sides of the pond
Things are pretty awful everywhere, so please enjoy some light diversion in the form of the 2019 Irish fantasy comedy Extra Ordinary.
Don’t spend hours scrolling the menus at Netflix, Prime Video, and other movie services. I point you to the best new films and hidden gems to stream.
Movies included here may be available on services other than those mentioned, and in other regions, too. JustWatch and Reelgood are great for finding which films are on what streamers; you can customize each site so that it shows you only those services you have access to.
When you rent or purchase a film through the Prime Video and Apple links here, I get a small affiliate fee that helps support my work. Please use them if you can! (Affiliate fees do not increase your cost.)
published August 12th, 2022 both sides of the pond
Things are pretty awful everywhere, so please enjoy some light diversion in the form of the 2019 Irish fantasy comedy Extra Ordinary.
- 9/11/2022
- by MaryAnn Johanson
- www.flickfilosopher.com
On May 26, 2022, the world lost one of the best actors in Hollywood. Unfortunately, the Goodfellas and Black Bird actor passed away during his sleep while filming Dangerous Waters. Liotta left a legacy of incredible acting behind that all started thanks to his memorable turn as Henry Hill in Goodfellas. Next, however, Liotta starred in Field of Dreams with Kevin Coster before his iconic role in the Martin Scorsese feature. The film follows Iowa farmer Ray, who builds a baseball field on his land after hearing a mysterious voice in his cornfield saying, “If you build, he will come.”
Kevin Costner Speaks About Ray Liotta’s Battin Practice As Shoeless Joe In Field of Dreams...
Kevin Costner Speaks About Ray Liotta’s Battin Practice As Shoeless Joe In Field of Dreams...
- 9/6/2022
- by Jeffrey Bowie Jr.
- TVovermind.com
Time has been kind to Alfred Hitchcock's "Vertigo." Dismissed as dull and middling by the critics of 1958, "Vertigo" was named the greatest film of all time by Sight & Sound in 2012. Experimental films can take a while to receive due praise, and "Vertigo" is definitely one of Hitchcock's more experimental films. He even invented a whole new type of shot for it.
In the film's opening, Scottie Ferguson (James Stewart) is hanging off a skyscraper and glances stories down to the alleyway beneath. When he does, the shot distorts and the buildings on opposite sides of the alley seem to stretch. The effect was achieved by mounting a camera on a dolly track and then zooming in on the lens while moving the dolly backward. As a result, the subject of the shot remained in focus while the background of the frame distorts. While this camera trick is most accurately called a "dolly zoom,...
In the film's opening, Scottie Ferguson (James Stewart) is hanging off a skyscraper and glances stories down to the alleyway beneath. When he does, the shot distorts and the buildings on opposite sides of the alley seem to stretch. The effect was achieved by mounting a camera on a dolly track and then zooming in on the lens while moving the dolly backward. As a result, the subject of the shot remained in focus while the background of the frame distorts. While this camera trick is most accurately called a "dolly zoom,...
- 8/19/2022
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
The publication of Heat 2 this week marks writer-director Michael Mann’s debut as a novelist, expands the mythology of perhaps his most beloved film, and becomes the first major release of the publishing imprint he set at William Morrow six years ago.
From the TV series Miami Vice and Crime Story to his feature debut Thief, to the Tom Cruise-Jamie Foxx thriller Collateral and the 1995 Al Pacino-Robert De Niro drama classic Heat, Mann’s crime procedurals are informed by an intimate knowledge of cops and robbers that breathes life and multi-dimensional characters with empathy to go with the violence in lawbreaking.
That is the same thing that Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo did with The Godfather films, David Chase for his The Sopranos series, and Martin Scorsese for Goodfellas and Casino, the other crime high-water marks of the last half century. What is interesting here is the difference in...
From the TV series Miami Vice and Crime Story to his feature debut Thief, to the Tom Cruise-Jamie Foxx thriller Collateral and the 1995 Al Pacino-Robert De Niro drama classic Heat, Mann’s crime procedurals are informed by an intimate knowledge of cops and robbers that breathes life and multi-dimensional characters with empathy to go with the violence in lawbreaking.
That is the same thing that Francis Ford Coppola and Mario Puzo did with The Godfather films, David Chase for his The Sopranos series, and Martin Scorsese for Goodfellas and Casino, the other crime high-water marks of the last half century. What is interesting here is the difference in...
- 8/10/2022
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
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