Tickets are now on sale for the return of our Movie Geek Live show, with Simon Brew, that’s in Birmingham this June.
While we’ve been juggling lots of other projects, Film Stories live shows had to go on the back burner for a little while. But we’re delighted to announce that they’re back, with our Movie Geek Live show returning to its home ground at the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham.
It’s a 90 minute show for film nerds, with me (Simon Brew) waffling on about movies, interviewing filmmaking guests live and in person, and then giving away some of the best/worst prizes of all time as well. These shows have been running since 2019 now, and this one is celebrating 50 issues of Film Stories magazine. Anyone who comes along and buys a ticket will get a free copy of the magazine too on the night.
While we’ve been juggling lots of other projects, Film Stories live shows had to go on the back burner for a little while. But we’re delighted to announce that they’re back, with our Movie Geek Live show returning to its home ground at the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham.
It’s a 90 minute show for film nerds, with me (Simon Brew) waffling on about movies, interviewing filmmaking guests live and in person, and then giving away some of the best/worst prizes of all time as well. These shows have been running since 2019 now, and this one is celebrating 50 issues of Film Stories magazine. Anyone who comes along and buys a ticket will get a free copy of the magazine too on the night.
- 5/30/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
The Fall Guy will be available to buy and rent from next week and the release will also include an extended cut.
Last week, we reported that David Leitch’s The Fall Guy was heading to streaming in the US only 17 days after it was released in cinemas. The film had a rough time financially and was considered a box-office disappointment for Universal Pictures.
The UK is now following behind with The Fall Guy available to buy and rent digitally from 3rd June. However, you also have the option to buy the film’s extended cut which includes “an additional 20 minutes of never-before-seen footage featuring more action, more laughs and more stunts,” according to the press release.
Based on an 80s TV show of the same name, The Fall Guy stars Ryan Gosling as stuntman Colt Seavers who goes on an action-packed adventure after the star of his ex-girlfriend Jody’s directorial debut goes missing.
Last week, we reported that David Leitch’s The Fall Guy was heading to streaming in the US only 17 days after it was released in cinemas. The film had a rough time financially and was considered a box-office disappointment for Universal Pictures.
The UK is now following behind with The Fall Guy available to buy and rent digitally from 3rd June. However, you also have the option to buy the film’s extended cut which includes “an additional 20 minutes of never-before-seen footage featuring more action, more laughs and more stunts,” according to the press release.
Based on an 80s TV show of the same name, The Fall Guy stars Ryan Gosling as stuntman Colt Seavers who goes on an action-packed adventure after the star of his ex-girlfriend Jody’s directorial debut goes missing.
- 5/28/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
A few words from Simon Brew, founder and editor of Film Stories, as we launch its 50th issue.
Forgive the indulgence, but if I can’t write you a note on a magazine’s 50th birthday, when can I?
In truth, I’ve had several versions of this article written. I’ve had a version that glossed over all the difficulties of making an independent film magazine. I’ve had a version that goes into the films we wanted to cover, but for reasons out of our hands, we couldn’t support. I’ve had a version that goes on for thousands of words about life making magazines when you’re not a publishing company.
Instead, you’re getting this version. I’m both proud and staggered, as well as knackered, to introduce issue 50 of Film Stories magazine. A film magazine that’s now the biggest in the UK at 168 pages,...
Forgive the indulgence, but if I can’t write you a note on a magazine’s 50th birthday, when can I?
In truth, I’ve had several versions of this article written. I’ve had a version that glossed over all the difficulties of making an independent film magazine. I’ve had a version that goes into the films we wanted to cover, but for reasons out of our hands, we couldn’t support. I’ve had a version that goes on for thousands of words about life making magazines when you’re not a publishing company.
Instead, you’re getting this version. I’m both proud and staggered, as well as knackered, to introduce issue 50 of Film Stories magazine. A film magazine that’s now the biggest in the UK at 168 pages,...
- 5/17/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
A Simple Favour 2 is moving forward at Prime Video, with director Paul Feig and stars Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively all making a return.
A Simple Favour did decent business relative to its outlay in 2018, grossing $97m worldwide on a $20m budget. Paul Feig directed the darkly comic mystery about a vlogger (Anna Kendrick) who investigates the disappearance of her elegant (and enigmatic) new best friend (Blake Lively).
A sequel has been in development for years; Simon Brew spoke to Feig about the first film on the Film Stories podcast in 2018 and discussed the sequel when Feig was our guest at a live podcast recording in 2022.
We also have a synopsis for the sequel, per Deadline:
In Part Two, we see the return of Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) as they head to the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman.
A Simple Favour did decent business relative to its outlay in 2018, grossing $97m worldwide on a $20m budget. Paul Feig directed the darkly comic mystery about a vlogger (Anna Kendrick) who investigates the disappearance of her elegant (and enigmatic) new best friend (Blake Lively).
A sequel has been in development for years; Simon Brew spoke to Feig about the first film on the Film Stories podcast in 2018 and discussed the sequel when Feig was our guest at a live podcast recording in 2022.
We also have a synopsis for the sequel, per Deadline:
In Part Two, we see the return of Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) as they head to the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman.
- 3/28/2024
- by Jake Godfrey
- Film Stories
The prop panel that Kate Winslet floated about on in James Cameron’s Titanic has sold at auction for a bank account-emptying $718,750.
When is a door not a door? When it’s a balsawood prop from James Cameron’s 1997 hit, Titanic. As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, this curious bit of movie memorabilia recently sold at auction for $718,750 – that’s more than £550,000 if you’re reading this in the UK.
The door was, of course, the bit of wreckage Kate Winslet famously clung to at the (spoiler alert) icy conclusion of James Cameron’s epic romance. The prop clearly struck a chord with bidders, given that it sold for considerably more than other bits of memorabilia sold at the same auction, many of which sound more immediately recognisable than a battered door.
Indiana Jones’ iconic whip from The Temple Of Doom sold for $525,000, while the Holy Grail from The Last Crusade...
When is a door not a door? When it’s a balsawood prop from James Cameron’s 1997 hit, Titanic. As noted by The Hollywood Reporter, this curious bit of movie memorabilia recently sold at auction for $718,750 – that’s more than £550,000 if you’re reading this in the UK.
The door was, of course, the bit of wreckage Kate Winslet famously clung to at the (spoiler alert) icy conclusion of James Cameron’s epic romance. The prop clearly struck a chord with bidders, given that it sold for considerably more than other bits of memorabilia sold at the same auction, many of which sound more immediately recognisable than a battered door.
Indiana Jones’ iconic whip from The Temple Of Doom sold for $525,000, while the Holy Grail from The Last Crusade...
- 3/26/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
Andrew Haigh’s brilliant, blistering drama All Of Us Strangers will hit digital platforms next week. More on that news below.
All Of Us Strangers is an early contender for the film of the year. Andrew Haigh’s drama is a brilliantly complex and devastating look at grief and Andrew Scott shines in the lead role.
Scott plays Adam, a struggling writer, who has a chance encounter with a fellow neighbour of an empty London tower block, Harry (Paul Mescal). As the two explore their undeniable connection, Adam also begins to visit his childhood home, where, much to his surprise, his parents are still living, despite having died some 30 years ago.
The film was critically acclaimed, with Scott’s performance particularly praised and rightfully so. Our own Simon Brew said this in his kind-of-review: “I think films like these come along a couple of times a decade if we’re...
All Of Us Strangers is an early contender for the film of the year. Andrew Haigh’s drama is a brilliantly complex and devastating look at grief and Andrew Scott shines in the lead role.
Scott plays Adam, a struggling writer, who has a chance encounter with a fellow neighbour of an empty London tower block, Harry (Paul Mescal). As the two explore their undeniable connection, Adam also begins to visit his childhood home, where, much to his surprise, his parents are still living, despite having died some 30 years ago.
The film was critically acclaimed, with Scott’s performance particularly praised and rightfully so. Our own Simon Brew said this in his kind-of-review: “I think films like these come along a couple of times a decade if we’re...
- 3/5/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Jason Statham will be protecting his bees on the telly, as The Beekeeper’s Sky Cinema debut is now confirmed in the UK.
It’s been quite lovely to report on The Beekeeper this year in particular, the action thriller starring Jason Statham where The Stath, well, keeps bees. As we’ve written several times on this site already this year alone, it’s a really good movie, with The Statham back to the kind of in-camera action that he built his career up on.
Directed by David Ayer – who we spoke to for a podcast special here – there’s much to enjoy with The Beekeeper, and hopes are high for a sequel too. Its solid box office returns on a modest budget certainly help in that department.
In the UK, the film was released by Sky Cinema into UK cinemas in early January. Sky is giving its cinema released films a 45 day theatrical window.
It’s been quite lovely to report on The Beekeeper this year in particular, the action thriller starring Jason Statham where The Stath, well, keeps bees. As we’ve written several times on this site already this year alone, it’s a really good movie, with The Statham back to the kind of in-camera action that he built his career up on.
Directed by David Ayer – who we spoke to for a podcast special here – there’s much to enjoy with The Beekeeper, and hopes are high for a sequel too. Its solid box office returns on a modest budget certainly help in that department.
In the UK, the film was released by Sky Cinema into UK cinemas in early January. Sky is giving its cinema released films a 45 day theatrical window.
- 3/5/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem and Paw Patrol sequels are both heading our way in 2026, courtesy of Paramount.
Paramount Pictures, which just announced it’s focusing on mid-budget movies, has set release dates for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 and Paw Patrol 3.
A sequel to Jeff Rowe’s excellent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem was in the works before the film was even released, but Paramount has now given the animated turtle sequel a release date.
We can expect to see Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo back on the big screen on 9th October 2026, as reported by The Wrap. Rowe is returning to helm the sequel.
A new animated series is also premiering this year on Paramount+ with the teenage turtles taking centre stage. Titled Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the series will see the film’s voice cast reprise their roles this summer, with...
Paramount Pictures, which just announced it’s focusing on mid-budget movies, has set release dates for Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem 2 and Paw Patrol 3.
A sequel to Jeff Rowe’s excellent Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem was in the works before the film was even released, but Paramount has now given the animated turtle sequel a release date.
We can expect to see Leonardo, Donatello, Raphael and Michelangelo back on the big screen on 9th October 2026, as reported by The Wrap. Rowe is returning to helm the sequel.
A new animated series is also premiering this year on Paramount+ with the teenage turtles taking centre stage. Titled Tales Of The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the series will see the film’s voice cast reprise their roles this summer, with...
- 2/29/2024
- by Maria Lattila
- Film Stories
Studiocanal launched a brand new official podcast – and the host might just be familiar to Film Stories listeners.
This is a bit of an odd story for me to write. Basically, well, because I’m in it. I’ll see how I get on.
The rather fine folks at Studiocanal have launched an official podcast, digging into the huge archive of movies under its stewardship. It’s arriving regularly, and as well as focusing on a movie of the month, there’s a broader exploration of other bits and bobs too.
Don’t take our word for it. Here’s Jamie McHale, the head of theatrical marketing at the studio: “We’re thrilled to be launching an official podcast to celebrate our incredible library of titles and upcoming theatrical releases. The in-depth analysis and regular features such as “Dream Double Bills” and “Hidden Gems” from Simon and his guests are...
This is a bit of an odd story for me to write. Basically, well, because I’m in it. I’ll see how I get on.
The rather fine folks at Studiocanal have launched an official podcast, digging into the huge archive of movies under its stewardship. It’s arriving regularly, and as well as focusing on a movie of the month, there’s a broader exploration of other bits and bobs too.
Don’t take our word for it. Here’s Jamie McHale, the head of theatrical marketing at the studio: “We’re thrilled to be launching an official podcast to celebrate our incredible library of titles and upcoming theatrical releases. The in-depth analysis and regular features such as “Dream Double Bills” and “Hidden Gems” from Simon and his guests are...
- 2/26/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
This article contains spoilers for Only Murders in the Building episodes 1 through 3.
Oftentimes in entertainment the oddest teams make the most compelling stories. When Hulu released the first three episodes of their new original series Only Murders in the Building last week, most people tuned in because they were intrigued by the prospect of seeing Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez combine their talents to take on the well-worn comedy/mystery genre. It wasn’t a surprise to see the first two men working together, as both Short and Martin are legends of the category, but throwing Gomez into the fire would seem at first glance like putting jam on a pork chop (an odd habit of one of my relatives).
Gomez got her start working in lighter fare on Wizards of Waverly Place as a teenage actress, but then prioritized making music and has become one of the...
Oftentimes in entertainment the oddest teams make the most compelling stories. When Hulu released the first three episodes of their new original series Only Murders in the Building last week, most people tuned in because they were intrigued by the prospect of seeing Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez combine their talents to take on the well-worn comedy/mystery genre. It wasn’t a surprise to see the first two men working together, as both Short and Martin are legends of the category, but throwing Gomez into the fire would seem at first glance like putting jam on a pork chop (an odd habit of one of my relatives).
Gomez got her start working in lighter fare on Wizards of Waverly Place as a teenage actress, but then prioritized making music and has become one of the...
- 9/7/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Some people have done astounding things in lockdown. They’ve written books, learned languages, got fit, taken to crafting, or they are scientists, key workers, people saving the world every day. Or just people surviving in the worst circumstances and not giving up. Hats off to them.
Others of us after a year of varying levels of lockdown aren’t doing quite so well. Apathy has set in. Cooking, eating and washing up feels like never ending Sisyphean torture. Wearing clothes other than pyjamas counts as an achievement. Leaving the house to go to shops feels like an activity that should warrant sponsorship. For some of us it’s all got a bit much.
So when Moxie, directed by Amy Poehler and based on the book by Jennifer Mathieu, landed on Netflix, we could just about be bothered to press play.
Thank god. Moxie is a movie that calls for...
Others of us after a year of varying levels of lockdown aren’t doing quite so well. Apathy has set in. Cooking, eating and washing up feels like never ending Sisyphean torture. Wearing clothes other than pyjamas counts as an achievement. Leaving the house to go to shops feels like an activity that should warrant sponsorship. For some of us it’s all got a bit much.
So when Moxie, directed by Amy Poehler and based on the book by Jennifer Mathieu, landed on Netflix, we could just about be bothered to press play.
Thank god. Moxie is a movie that calls for...
- 3/7/2021
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Some movies brave enough to tread where only pop songs and poems go, and try to capture all the drama, contradictions and happy, bubbly feelings that come along with romance and love. It’s high-time that we honor them and defend them against their unearned sappy reputations with the best romantic movies on Amazon Prime.
We’ve scoured Amazon Prime to find the best romantic movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here are the best romantic movies on Amazon Prime. Ok, some of them are perfectly sappy.
The Big Sick
Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily Gordon’s theatrical debut made big waves when it came out for the singularity of its vision and just how plain funny it is. Now Amazon gets to reap the benefits of producing a bonafide romantic indie hit by getting its exclusive streaming rights. The Big Sick is the real life story of comedian...
We’ve scoured Amazon Prime to find the best romantic movies available for your viewing pleasure. Here are the best romantic movies on Amazon Prime. Ok, some of them are perfectly sappy.
The Big Sick
Kumail Nanjiani and his wife Emily Gordon’s theatrical debut made big waves when it came out for the singularity of its vision and just how plain funny it is. Now Amazon gets to reap the benefits of producing a bonafide romantic indie hit by getting its exclusive streaming rights. The Big Sick is the real life story of comedian...
- 2/11/2021
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
This year marks a unique Thanksgiving, to be sure. With the pandemic carrying on, families and loved ones across the United States are testing out new ways to celebrate a national holiday that might be best described as food, football, and then, of course, more food. For some that means outdoor gatherings are the order of the day; for others it will mean the first time you might be cutting turkey while wearing a mask.
However you might wish to celebrate the holiday though, gathering with loved ones around a movie never goes out of style. For that reason, we’ve gathered the best Thanksgiving movies to choose from. Some of these films are truly beloved holiday classics, and others might be less obviously about Thanksgiving, even as they wear their affection for the holiday on their sleeves. And yet others still will offer the rare respite: a streak of...
However you might wish to celebrate the holiday though, gathering with loved ones around a movie never goes out of style. For that reason, we’ve gathered the best Thanksgiving movies to choose from. Some of these films are truly beloved holiday classics, and others might be less obviously about Thanksgiving, even as they wear their affection for the holiday on their sleeves. And yet others still will offer the rare respite: a streak of...
- 11/21/2020
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
After publishing his first novel, Cold Storage, last year, famed screenwriter David Koepp — whose work includes such movies as Jurassic Park, Spider-Man, Mission: Impossible and War of the Worlds — is unleashing a new novella titled Yard Work this week exclusively through Audible, the online audio book and podcast platform owned by Amazon.
In a recent phone interview, Koepp told us that completing Cold Storage gave him a desire to keep working in the prose format, saying, “I really enjoyed writing prose and it was a delight after almost 30 years of writing movies, which have their own sets of rules about what you can do, just in terms of the medium. It was great to be able to write in a different format and get inside a character’s head a little bit more. I really enjoyed that.”
Read by Koepp’s good friend and collaborator Kevin Bacon, Yard Work touches...
In a recent phone interview, Koepp told us that completing Cold Storage gave him a desire to keep working in the prose format, saying, “I really enjoyed writing prose and it was a delight after almost 30 years of writing movies, which have their own sets of rules about what you can do, just in terms of the medium. It was great to be able to write in a different format and get inside a character’s head a little bit more. I really enjoyed that.”
Read by Koepp’s good friend and collaborator Kevin Bacon, Yard Work touches...
- 8/28/2020
- by Don Kaye
- Den of Geek
“Sydney Pollack said ‘everything’s a love story’, and it is. Everything is, if you think about it,” says Howard Deutch. He’s chatting to us ahead of the remastered Blu-ray release of Pretty In Pink which he directed from a script by John Hughes, first released some 34 years ago in 1986. It was Deutch’s feature directorial debut, one of several collaborations with Hughes and with his follow up Some Kind Of Wonderful (also written by Hughes) it arguably formed the apex of ‘80s teen romance as we know it.
Deutch is chatting to us via Zoom – the norm during lockdown – but for some reason we can’t get his camera to work. No wall of books to nose at, or Californian skies to envy, just a blank screen. But in a weird way perhaps it’s fitting – we’re flashing back to the ‘80s to recall the story of Pretty In Pink,...
Deutch is chatting to us via Zoom – the norm during lockdown – but for some reason we can’t get his camera to work. No wall of books to nose at, or Californian skies to envy, just a blank screen. But in a weird way perhaps it’s fitting – we’re flashing back to the ‘80s to recall the story of Pretty In Pink,...
- 6/17/2020
- by Rosie Fletcher
- Den of Geek
Demolition Man 2 may yet break free from its proverbial project cryoprison. That’s because Sylvester Stallone, who headlined the cheeky 1993 action/sci-fi cult classic, has dropped the intriguing news that the highly-hypothesized sequel is on the docket over at Warner Bros.
Stallone made the revelatory statement in a rather casual manner during a Q&a on his Instagram, answering a fan’s question about a potential Demolition Man sequel with a surprisingly potent—albeit brief—reveal of the project’s apparent position on the studio’s backlog. As Stallone answers of the sequel prospects:
“I think it’s coming. We’re working on it right now with Warner Brothers. It’s looking fantastic. So, that should come out, that’s going to happen.”
While that is the extent of Stallone’s sequel comment, it nevertheless adds fuel to the fire of Demolition Man 2, which has long been a topic of...
Stallone made the revelatory statement in a rather casual manner during a Q&a on his Instagram, answering a fan’s question about a potential Demolition Man sequel with a surprisingly potent—albeit brief—reveal of the project’s apparent position on the studio’s backlog. As Stallone answers of the sequel prospects:
“I think it’s coming. We’re working on it right now with Warner Brothers. It’s looking fantastic. So, that should come out, that’s going to happen.”
While that is the extent of Stallone’s sequel comment, it nevertheless adds fuel to the fire of Demolition Man 2, which has long been a topic of...
- 5/5/2020
- by Joseph Baxter
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Joseph Baxter Aug 23, 2019
Disney's live-action Lady and the Tramp will stream on Disney+, with Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux as the vocal leads.
Lady and the Tramp is yet another animated classic that Disney is turning into a live-action movie. The iconic original animated feature was released in 1955, adapted from Ward Greene’s Happy Dan, The Whistling Dog. The new version is set to premiere on the imminently-launching streaming service, Disney+, mixing live-action and CG, with Computer Chess’ Andrew Bujalski penning the script. Furthermore, Charlie Bean (The Lego Ninjago Movie) is directing.
Here's everything else we know about the movie:
Lady and the Tramp Remake Trailer
The first trailer for the live-action Lady and the Tramp remake is here!
Video of Lady and the Tramp | Official Trailer | Disney+ | Streaming November 12
And take a look at the adorable poster:
Lady and the Tramp Remake Release Date
Lady and the Tramp...
Disney's live-action Lady and the Tramp will stream on Disney+, with Tessa Thompson and Justin Theroux as the vocal leads.
Lady and the Tramp is yet another animated classic that Disney is turning into a live-action movie. The iconic original animated feature was released in 1955, adapted from Ward Greene’s Happy Dan, The Whistling Dog. The new version is set to premiere on the imminently-launching streaming service, Disney+, mixing live-action and CG, with Computer Chess’ Andrew Bujalski penning the script. Furthermore, Charlie Bean (The Lego Ninjago Movie) is directing.
Here's everything else we know about the movie:
Lady and the Tramp Remake Trailer
The first trailer for the live-action Lady and the Tramp remake is here!
Video of Lady and the Tramp | Official Trailer | Disney+ | Streaming November 12
And take a look at the adorable poster:
Lady and the Tramp Remake Release Date
Lady and the Tramp...
- 7/26/2018
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Jul 1, 2019
The summer of 1998 nearly had a third comet hitting the Earth movie - one that involved James Cameron...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Readers of a certain vintage may well recall the spectacular showdown of summer 1998. In the one corner, there was Mimi Leder’s thoughtful, more character-driven comet hurtling to Earth movie, Deep Impact. In the other, Michael Bay’s less thoughtful, less character-driven comet hurtling to Earth movie, Armageddon. Both snagged decent reviews. Both snagged good box office. As the turn of the century approached, cinema audiences were clearly in the mood to watch the world being torn apart by seemingly unstoppable forces from outer space.
What’s perhaps less known though than one of the highest profile blockbuster battles of the 1990s is that originally, there was a third film in the mix. In the much the same way that originally,...
The summer of 1998 nearly had a third comet hitting the Earth movie - one that involved James Cameron...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Readers of a certain vintage may well recall the spectacular showdown of summer 1998. In the one corner, there was Mimi Leder’s thoughtful, more character-driven comet hurtling to Earth movie, Deep Impact. In the other, Michael Bay’s less thoughtful, less character-driven comet hurtling to Earth movie, Armageddon. Both snagged decent reviews. Both snagged good box office. As the turn of the century approached, cinema audiences were clearly in the mood to watch the world being torn apart by seemingly unstoppable forces from outer space.
What’s perhaps less known though than one of the highest profile blockbuster battles of the 1990s is that originally, there was a third film in the mix. In the much the same way that originally,...
- 7/20/2018
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Jun 5, 2019
1992's Patriot Games was adapted from the Tom Clancy novel of the same name. Why, them, doesn't the poster say that?
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
The late Tom Clancy had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Hollywood adaptation of his movies. He sold the rights to The Hunt For Red October when he was just starting out as a writer, and ceded control over the project as a consequence. He was reportedly none-too-happy with the changes made to his story.
By the time we got to the second Jack Ryan movie reboot, The Sum Of All Fears, he was more sanguine. In fact, his DVD commentary to that film – a movie I really like, as it happens – is brilliant. He opens by introducing himself as the man who “wrote the book that they ignored," and pretty much lets rip from there. It’s in good humor,...
1992's Patriot Games was adapted from the Tom Clancy novel of the same name. Why, them, doesn't the poster say that?
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
The late Tom Clancy had a bit of a love-hate relationship with Hollywood adaptation of his movies. He sold the rights to The Hunt For Red October when he was just starting out as a writer, and ceded control over the project as a consequence. He was reportedly none-too-happy with the changes made to his story.
By the time we got to the second Jack Ryan movie reboot, The Sum Of All Fears, he was more sanguine. In fact, his DVD commentary to that film – a movie I really like, as it happens – is brilliant. He opens by introducing himself as the man who “wrote the book that they ignored," and pretty much lets rip from there. It’s in good humor,...
- 6/20/2018
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Jun 18, 2019
Believe it or not, Jurassic Park and Last Action Hero had a massive marketing war.
‘Leapin’ Lizards! $50 million’ screamed the headline of Daily Variety back on June 14, 1993, just over 26 years ago. It was reporting the then record-breaking box office opening weekend for Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, a film that would continue to dominate the box office for most of that summer. As Tom Pollock, chairman of Universal Pictures at the time noted, “This is a breakthrough picture for critics and audiences,” setting records that were “beyond belief."
Jurassic Park was surrounded by--and easily defeated--blockbuster movies headlined by big stars that summer season. There was Sylvester Stallone in Cliffhanger, Harrison Ford in The Fugitive, Tom Cruise in The Firm, Clint Eastwood in In The Line of Fire, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle, and Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes in Rising Sun.
Also, of course,...
Believe it or not, Jurassic Park and Last Action Hero had a massive marketing war.
‘Leapin’ Lizards! $50 million’ screamed the headline of Daily Variety back on June 14, 1993, just over 26 years ago. It was reporting the then record-breaking box office opening weekend for Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park, a film that would continue to dominate the box office for most of that summer. As Tom Pollock, chairman of Universal Pictures at the time noted, “This is a breakthrough picture for critics and audiences,” setting records that were “beyond belief."
Jurassic Park was surrounded by--and easily defeated--blockbuster movies headlined by big stars that summer season. There was Sylvester Stallone in Cliffhanger, Harrison Ford in The Fugitive, Tom Cruise in The Firm, Clint Eastwood in In The Line of Fire, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in Sleepless in Seattle, and Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes in Rising Sun.
Also, of course,...
- 6/19/2018
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew May 29, 2019
The box office disappointments of somewhat-liked films John Carter, The Lone Ranger, and Tomorrowland had big ramifications for Disney…
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Pretty much every movie studio in town is currently trying to follow the model that’s delivering year after year massive box office success for Disney. The company has streamlined radically over the past 20 years the number of theatrical releases it puts out and has instead centered its slate on expensive, thoroughly mitigated risks.
It’s well known now that the annual Disney slate will consist of fewer than 10 films. One will be a Star Wars project (minus the ocassional PR-necessitated gap), two or three will be Marvel movies, one from Pixar and one from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Add in one or three live-action remakes of animated movies, and that’s generally eight or nine of the compnay's cinematic...
The box office disappointments of somewhat-liked films John Carter, The Lone Ranger, and Tomorrowland had big ramifications for Disney…
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Pretty much every movie studio in town is currently trying to follow the model that’s delivering year after year massive box office success for Disney. The company has streamlined radically over the past 20 years the number of theatrical releases it puts out and has instead centered its slate on expensive, thoroughly mitigated risks.
It’s well known now that the annual Disney slate will consist of fewer than 10 films. One will be a Star Wars project (minus the ocassional PR-necessitated gap), two or three will be Marvel movies, one from Pixar and one from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Add in one or three live-action remakes of animated movies, and that’s generally eight or nine of the compnay's cinematic...
- 5/18/2018
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew May 28, 2019
The third Annabelle film is arriving a week earlier than anticipated, and has a descriptive new name.
The Annabelle series of horror movies is continuing, which is a pretty neat feat when you think about it. As the first Annabelle was a prequel to the supposedly true story in The Conjuring, while the second film was a prequel to the prequel. So were we getting a prequel to the prequel of the prequel? Well... not exactly. Rather, this appears to take place after both of the thus far released Conjuring films, but more on that in a moment.
Annabelle 3 will be arriving to a theater near you soon and now it has an official name. Annabelle 3 will be known as Annabelle Comes Home. That's a pretty fitting name, given what we know about the film's plot. Annabelle will indeed be coming home and taking up her rightful...
The third Annabelle film is arriving a week earlier than anticipated, and has a descriptive new name.
The Annabelle series of horror movies is continuing, which is a pretty neat feat when you think about it. As the first Annabelle was a prequel to the supposedly true story in The Conjuring, while the second film was a prequel to the prequel. So were we getting a prequel to the prequel of the prequel? Well... not exactly. Rather, this appears to take place after both of the thus far released Conjuring films, but more on that in a moment.
Annabelle 3 will be arriving to a theater near you soon and now it has an official name. Annabelle 3 will be known as Annabelle Comes Home. That's a pretty fitting name, given what we know about the film's plot. Annabelle will indeed be coming home and taking up her rightful...
- 4/30/2018
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Joseph Baxter Mar 27, 2019
The Angry Birds Movie 2 is arriving this summer, led by Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Bill Hader, Leslie Jones and Peter Dinklage.
The Angry Birds Movie 2 is coming this summer!
2016 predecessor The Angry Birds Movie may not have troubled the Oscars, but, with the film having grossed $352 million globally at the box office, we can’t imagine there’s too much disappointment. Moments of the film itself – which adapts Rovio’s global phenomenon of an app game – spark into a bit of life, which made the news that Sony Pictures Animation was working on a sequel not exactly surprising.
However, The Angry Birds Movie 2 will arrive under the purview of a first-time feature director in Thurop Van Orman, a writer from Adventure Time and The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. He worked off a script by Peter Ackerman, who also – in a major genre...
The Angry Birds Movie 2 is arriving this summer, led by Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Bill Hader, Leslie Jones and Peter Dinklage.
The Angry Birds Movie 2 is coming this summer!
2016 predecessor The Angry Birds Movie may not have troubled the Oscars, but, with the film having grossed $352 million globally at the box office, we can’t imagine there’s too much disappointment. Moments of the film itself – which adapts Rovio’s global phenomenon of an app game – spark into a bit of life, which made the news that Sony Pictures Animation was working on a sequel not exactly surprising.
However, The Angry Birds Movie 2 will arrive under the purview of a first-time feature director in Thurop Van Orman, a writer from Adventure Time and The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack. He worked off a script by Peter Ackerman, who also – in a major genre...
- 4/23/2018
- Den of Geek
Alec Bojalad Simon Brew Jan 2, 2020
Paramount knows a good thing when they see one, so the first trailer for A Quiet Place: Part II hints at sinister things to come.
A Quiet Place was a massive success story at the box office in 2018. The movie was directed by John Krasinski, who also co-wrote it with Bryan Woods and Scott Beck. So it is with great fanfare that Krasinski is returning as both the writer and director for the sequel.
A lot of elements in A Quiet Place remain unexplored, like the origin of the creatures, how much of the rest of the Earth is affected by them and other such story points, all of which could form the basis of a second movie. So where do we go from here? Well...
A Quiet Place 2 Trailer
The first full trailer for A Quiet Place Part II has arrived. Watch it here.
Paramount knows a good thing when they see one, so the first trailer for A Quiet Place: Part II hints at sinister things to come.
A Quiet Place was a massive success story at the box office in 2018. The movie was directed by John Krasinski, who also co-wrote it with Bryan Woods and Scott Beck. So it is with great fanfare that Krasinski is returning as both the writer and director for the sequel.
A lot of elements in A Quiet Place remain unexplored, like the origin of the creatures, how much of the rest of the Earth is affected by them and other such story points, all of which could form the basis of a second movie. So where do we go from here? Well...
A Quiet Place 2 Trailer
The first full trailer for A Quiet Place Part II has arrived. Watch it here.
- 4/10/2018
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Joseph Baxter Jan 3, 2020
Robert Downey Jr. leaves Tony Stark behind to star as Doctor Dolittle in the reboot movie, Dolittle.
The character of Doctor Dolittle hasn’t been on the big screen since the two hit movies starring (the recently-resurgent) Eddie Murphy arrived nearly 20 years ago. However, the timeless tale of the scientist who can talk to animals is ready start a new dialogue as star Robert Downey Jr.'s movie vehicle, Dolittle.
Dolittle, previously called The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle, presents Robert Downey Jr. as the titular hero as he embarks upon a Noah-like adventure with a whole host of animals to chat with.
The film, a production of Universal Studios, was directed by Academy Award-winner Stephen Gaghan. Downey Jr. served as executive producer on the project as well.
Dolittle Relase Date
Dolittle hits theaters on January 17.
The film was previously scheduled to arrive on April 12, 2019, but...
Robert Downey Jr. leaves Tony Stark behind to star as Doctor Dolittle in the reboot movie, Dolittle.
The character of Doctor Dolittle hasn’t been on the big screen since the two hit movies starring (the recently-resurgent) Eddie Murphy arrived nearly 20 years ago. However, the timeless tale of the scientist who can talk to animals is ready start a new dialogue as star Robert Downey Jr.'s movie vehicle, Dolittle.
Dolittle, previously called The Voyage of Doctor Dolittle, presents Robert Downey Jr. as the titular hero as he embarks upon a Noah-like adventure with a whole host of animals to chat with.
The film, a production of Universal Studios, was directed by Academy Award-winner Stephen Gaghan. Downey Jr. served as executive producer on the project as well.
Dolittle Relase Date
Dolittle hits theaters on January 17.
The film was previously scheduled to arrive on April 12, 2019, but...
- 12/14/2017
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Oct 11, 2019
After Addams Family Values struggled at the box office, another film still followed a few years later. But Addams Family 3 this was not...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
In a better world Addams Family Values would have got both the rich acclaim and enormous box office it merited in 1993. A deliciously playful sequel, it’s 94 minutes of tightly put together comedy, with a bunch of performers that come close to defining "perfectly cast." Christina Ricci, clinging to a fence as she’s threatened with the Harmony Hut, remains a comedy highlight of 1990s cinema.
But the film didn’t really hit. As much as it was liked, its box office was less than half of the original. It was released the week before Mrs. Doubtfire in the Us, and it was the latter that became the widely seen family comedy of Christmas 1993. Addams Family Values...
After Addams Family Values struggled at the box office, another film still followed a few years later. But Addams Family 3 this was not...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
In a better world Addams Family Values would have got both the rich acclaim and enormous box office it merited in 1993. A deliciously playful sequel, it’s 94 minutes of tightly put together comedy, with a bunch of performers that come close to defining "perfectly cast." Christina Ricci, clinging to a fence as she’s threatened with the Harmony Hut, remains a comedy highlight of 1990s cinema.
But the film didn’t really hit. As much as it was liked, its box office was less than half of the original. It was released the week before Mrs. Doubtfire in the Us, and it was the latter that became the widely seen family comedy of Christmas 1993. Addams Family Values...
- 11/15/2017
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Jan 14, 2020
Supernova is a movie with a messy story behind it, not to mention one of the weirdest sex scenes in movie history.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Supernova is a film that started promisingly. Originated in 1990 under the title of Dead Star, the idea – as pitched by writer William Malone – would be for something akin to Dead Calm, just in space. Dead Calm is a great choice of influence too, with Phillip Noyce’s out-on-the-water thriller using isolation expertly, as Billy Zane puts in one of his best, and most menacing, screen performances.
Dead Star was set to follow a similar idea, and that meant a modest budget at most – around $6 million was cited – would be needed to tell the story of alien artifacts being brought back to Earth. Fun fact: H.R. Giger duly did some concept art work to help promote the script.
Supernova is a movie with a messy story behind it, not to mention one of the weirdest sex scenes in movie history.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Supernova is a film that started promisingly. Originated in 1990 under the title of Dead Star, the idea – as pitched by writer William Malone – would be for something akin to Dead Calm, just in space. Dead Calm is a great choice of influence too, with Phillip Noyce’s out-on-the-water thriller using isolation expertly, as Billy Zane puts in one of his best, and most menacing, screen performances.
Dead Star was set to follow a similar idea, and that meant a modest budget at most – around $6 million was cited – would be needed to tell the story of alien artifacts being brought back to Earth. Fun fact: H.R. Giger duly did some concept art work to help promote the script.
- 10/9/2017
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Dec 19, 2019
Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange was unavailable in the UK for nearly three decades. And yet it was never banned...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Throughout much of the 1980s and early 1990s, there were two films that many film nerds wanted to get their hands on, but in the UK at least, they couldn’t. For The Exorcist and A Clockwork Orange were arguably the two highest profile films that, for much of VHS’ popularity, you simply weren’t able to rent or buy on tape in the UK. As such, an under the counter industry in illegal, poor quality copies was booming, while many cinemas traded off late night shows of The Exorcist, where the film could still be seen freely.
Yet not on VHS. Warner Bros opted, in the midst and aftermath of the video nasty scandal in the UK in the early 1980s,...
Stanley Kubrick's A Clockwork Orange was unavailable in the UK for nearly three decades. And yet it was never banned...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Throughout much of the 1980s and early 1990s, there were two films that many film nerds wanted to get their hands on, but in the UK at least, they couldn’t. For The Exorcist and A Clockwork Orange were arguably the two highest profile films that, for much of VHS’ popularity, you simply weren’t able to rent or buy on tape in the UK. As such, an under the counter industry in illegal, poor quality copies was booming, while many cinemas traded off late night shows of The Exorcist, where the film could still be seen freely.
Yet not on VHS. Warner Bros opted, in the midst and aftermath of the video nasty scandal in the UK in the early 1980s,...
- 10/4/2017
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Jun 7, 2019
The Goonies blend of adventure and horror helped set the tone for the recent adaptation of Stephen King's It.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
The recent movie adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, It was a massive critical and commercial success The book had already provided the source material for one production that scared the lights out of a generation – who can forget Tim Curry’s take on Pennywise the clown? – and the new film successfully repeated the trick, so much so that clowns reported a decline in business.
It was when Mark Kermode reviewed the film on the Kermode & Mayo Film Review program, though, that he described the new It movie not as a horror, but an adventure horror. And the inevitable line was drawn back to The Goonies. The overlaps are clear. A group of young misfits find themselves in an adventure filled with peril,...
The Goonies blend of adventure and horror helped set the tone for the recent adaptation of Stephen King's It.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
The recent movie adaptation of Stephen King’s novel, It was a massive critical and commercial success The book had already provided the source material for one production that scared the lights out of a generation – who can forget Tim Curry’s take on Pennywise the clown? – and the new film successfully repeated the trick, so much so that clowns reported a decline in business.
It was when Mark Kermode reviewed the film on the Kermode & Mayo Film Review program, though, that he described the new It movie not as a horror, but an adventure horror. And the inevitable line was drawn back to The Goonies. The overlaps are clear. A group of young misfits find themselves in an adventure filled with peril,...
- 9/21/2017
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Jun 7, 2019
1991's City Slickers was an Oscar-winning comedy success. It wasn't an easy production.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Sandwiched between the two big tentpole blockbuster hits of summer 1991 was a genuine sleeper surprise. While it had long been pre-ordained that the Arnold Schwarzenegger-headlined Terminator 2: Judgment Day would rule the summer season with the Kevin Costner-starring Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, what few saw coming was a film called City Slickers.
It came from the pen of Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, the comedy-writing team who scripted 1989’s brilliant Parenthood. They co-wrote the film with Billy Crystal (uncredited), who also conceived the idea for the film. And as with most unlikely successes, it had a bit of a history to it.
Crystal came to the idea in the aftermath of his success in When Harry Met Sally, which led to some of...
1991's City Slickers was an Oscar-winning comedy success. It wasn't an easy production.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Sandwiched between the two big tentpole blockbuster hits of summer 1991 was a genuine sleeper surprise. While it had long been pre-ordained that the Arnold Schwarzenegger-headlined Terminator 2: Judgment Day would rule the summer season with the Kevin Costner-starring Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, what few saw coming was a film called City Slickers.
It came from the pen of Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel, the comedy-writing team who scripted 1989’s brilliant Parenthood. They co-wrote the film with Billy Crystal (uncredited), who also conceived the idea for the film. And as with most unlikely successes, it had a bit of a history to it.
Crystal came to the idea in the aftermath of his success in When Harry Met Sally, which led to some of...
- 8/8/2017
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Jul 3, 2019
Forrest Gump was a huge hit, but it's worth remembering just what a massive, massive gamble it was. Here's just a slice of that story...
Few major Hollywood blockbusters of the 1990s can lay claim to being some kind of cultural phenomenon, but surely Forrest Gump can. Love or loathe the film, its dialogue has slipped into everyday language, it has inspired spin-off restaurant franchise, and it’s one of the top grossing films of the decade. Oh and it won a bunch of Oscars, including a second consecutive Best Actor win for Tom Hanks.
It’s often said though that the most successful films have tumultuous behind the scene stories. I remember when Richard Donner directed Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas in Assassins (based on a heavily butchered script by the pre-Matrix Wachowskis), and it was widely reported that the shoot was a calm and very pleasurable one.
Forrest Gump was a huge hit, but it's worth remembering just what a massive, massive gamble it was. Here's just a slice of that story...
Few major Hollywood blockbusters of the 1990s can lay claim to being some kind of cultural phenomenon, but surely Forrest Gump can. Love or loathe the film, its dialogue has slipped into everyday language, it has inspired spin-off restaurant franchise, and it’s one of the top grossing films of the decade. Oh and it won a bunch of Oscars, including a second consecutive Best Actor win for Tom Hanks.
It’s often said though that the most successful films have tumultuous behind the scene stories. I remember when Richard Donner directed Sylvester Stallone and Antonio Banderas in Assassins (based on a heavily butchered script by the pre-Matrix Wachowskis), and it was widely reported that the shoot was a calm and very pleasurable one.
- 5/15/2017
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Nov 13, 2019
We consider why Beauty and the Beast remains Disney’s finest animated feature film to date…
This article comes courtesy of Den of Geek UK.
The current trend in the corridors of Disney, as you probably well know, is to take some of its classic animated movies--lots of them actually--and turn them into live-action films in various guises. It's had success with this too. And few have been more successful than Bill Condon's slavish, and uninspired, remake of Beauty and the Beast. The first Disney Renaissance film to make the jump to "live-action," it paved the way for Aladdin and The Lion King in 2019.
Enjoy a Free Trial of Disney+, courtesy of Den of Geek!
For me though, the 1991 animated version is a flat-out classic, and the new version inevitably doesn’t top that. But what about it makes it so special for me? You might just regret asking that.
We consider why Beauty and the Beast remains Disney’s finest animated feature film to date…
This article comes courtesy of Den of Geek UK.
The current trend in the corridors of Disney, as you probably well know, is to take some of its classic animated movies--lots of them actually--and turn them into live-action films in various guises. It's had success with this too. And few have been more successful than Bill Condon's slavish, and uninspired, remake of Beauty and the Beast. The first Disney Renaissance film to make the jump to "live-action," it paved the way for Aladdin and The Lion King in 2019.
Enjoy a Free Trial of Disney+, courtesy of Den of Geek!
For me though, the 1991 animated version is a flat-out classic, and the new version inevitably doesn’t top that. But what about it makes it so special for me? You might just regret asking that.
- 3/17/2017
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew May 31, 2019
The first day of production on Dead Poets Society was such a disaster, its sets were burned down...
One of the late Robin Williams' most beloved films is Peter Weir's Dead Poets Society. In the movie, Williams played John Keating, the unorthodox teacher at a 1959 boys prep school. Even just writing those words makes me want to stand on a table and proclaim "oh captain my captain."
As with many loved movies though, there's a story or two lying behind the success of Dead Poets Society (a movie that Dustin Hoffman was once upon a time going to star in and direct). In particular, after one day of shooting, it looked like the film wasn't going to happen at all. As screenwriter Tom Schulman told From Script To Screen at the University Of California, Revenge Of The Nerds director Jeff Kanew was set to direct at one stage,...
The first day of production on Dead Poets Society was such a disaster, its sets were burned down...
One of the late Robin Williams' most beloved films is Peter Weir's Dead Poets Society. In the movie, Williams played John Keating, the unorthodox teacher at a 1959 boys prep school. Even just writing those words makes me want to stand on a table and proclaim "oh captain my captain."
As with many loved movies though, there's a story or two lying behind the success of Dead Poets Society (a movie that Dustin Hoffman was once upon a time going to star in and direct). In particular, after one day of shooting, it looked like the film wasn't going to happen at all. As screenwriter Tom Schulman told From Script To Screen at the University Of California, Revenge Of The Nerds director Jeff Kanew was set to direct at one stage,...
- 2/28/2017
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Nov 13, 2019
Fantasia, for all its merits, isn't many people's favorite Disney film. But in the early '90s, it became the biggest selling VHS ever...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
I don’t think I’m going out on much of a limb to suggest that everyone has a favorite Disney animated movie. Mine is Beauty and the Beast, for an abundance of reasons, not least that it caught me off guard and I wasn’t really expecting the utter treat I got. Yours is likely different.
But also, for all its merits, there are few people, I’d suggest, who list Fantasia as their top choice. Sure, I believe lots of people admire it, and there are segments of the film that remain cherished: "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice" sequence is an obvious standout. It’s also bold, ambitious and full of beautiful work. Yet...
Fantasia, for all its merits, isn't many people's favorite Disney film. But in the early '90s, it became the biggest selling VHS ever...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
I don’t think I’m going out on much of a limb to suggest that everyone has a favorite Disney animated movie. Mine is Beauty and the Beast, for an abundance of reasons, not least that it caught me off guard and I wasn’t really expecting the utter treat I got. Yours is likely different.
But also, for all its merits, there are few people, I’d suggest, who list Fantasia as their top choice. Sure, I believe lots of people admire it, and there are segments of the film that remain cherished: "The Sorcerer’s Apprentice" sequence is an obvious standout. It’s also bold, ambitious and full of beautiful work. Yet...
- 2/23/2017
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Mar 20, 2019
When Basic Instinct hit big, Hollywood went hunting for erotic thrillers, and it found some that kept the romance flowing.
When a movie hits big out of the blue, it’s unwritten Hollywood law that the imitators aren’t too far behind. That’s why when after American Pie brought raunchy teen comedies back to prominence in 1999, the box office was flooded with similar fare for years. The Blair Witch Project, meanwhile, hit out of nowhere, and found footage horror didn't really taper off until 15 years later. The late Wes Craven even wryly noted just how quickly Hollywood had cashed in on the success of 1996’s Scream when the spoof Scary Movie popped out the year after.
Going back to 1992, though, and it was the turn of the erotic thriller to enjoy its resurgence. Paul Verhoeven’s controversial Basic Instinct, off the back of a $3 million budgeted Joe Eszterhas screenplay,...
When Basic Instinct hit big, Hollywood went hunting for erotic thrillers, and it found some that kept the romance flowing.
When a movie hits big out of the blue, it’s unwritten Hollywood law that the imitators aren’t too far behind. That’s why when after American Pie brought raunchy teen comedies back to prominence in 1999, the box office was flooded with similar fare for years. The Blair Witch Project, meanwhile, hit out of nowhere, and found footage horror didn't really taper off until 15 years later. The late Wes Craven even wryly noted just how quickly Hollywood had cashed in on the success of 1996’s Scream when the spoof Scary Movie popped out the year after.
Going back to 1992, though, and it was the turn of the erotic thriller to enjoy its resurgence. Paul Verhoeven’s controversial Basic Instinct, off the back of a $3 million budgeted Joe Eszterhas screenplay,...
- 2/3/2017
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew May 17, 2019
The 2000s were a decade when medium and small-budgeted movies could do big business before being forgotten. We look back as to why.
By the end of the 2000s, getting number one at the American box office was a valuable marketing commodity. As such, studios pumped more and more money into making sure they at least had a great opening weekend for their product.
The consequence of this was that it was harder and harder for smaller, quirkier films to take a brief spot in the sun. Certainly toward the second half of the decade, it seems that the number one movie each week was pre-ordained in a marketing meeting somewhere.
Still, there were some films that have since fallen out of public view that clawed their way to number one. How many of these do you remember?
Eye of the Beholder
January 2000, One Week
Based on...
The 2000s were a decade when medium and small-budgeted movies could do big business before being forgotten. We look back as to why.
By the end of the 2000s, getting number one at the American box office was a valuable marketing commodity. As such, studios pumped more and more money into making sure they at least had a great opening weekend for their product.
The consequence of this was that it was harder and harder for smaller, quirkier films to take a brief spot in the sun. Certainly toward the second half of the decade, it seems that the number one movie each week was pre-ordained in a marketing meeting somewhere.
Still, there were some films that have since fallen out of public view that clawed their way to number one. How many of these do you remember?
Eye of the Beholder
January 2000, One Week
Based on...
- 5/15/2015
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Jun 6, 2019
Here's our tribute to Con Air: a story of Nicolas Cage, a plane and a toy bunny...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
"Break out the fine china, chill the lemonade, tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree. Cos this boy's coming home to his ladies. Coming home forever."
Action cinema changed in 1999. The release of The Matrix unleashed a torrent of imitators, but also altered fundamentally the editing of movies in the genre. This came with a price. Action sequences became harder to follow. Character was relegated. The old style idea of pitting a movie star against some peril in extraordinary circumstances was seemingly less tempting. The Matrix had started something.
Well, that, or everyone just watched Con Air, and figured they couldn't top it. Because in truth, how could they? It remains one of the most quotable, enjoyable and wildly entertaining blockbusters of the 1990s.
Here's our tribute to Con Air: a story of Nicolas Cage, a plane and a toy bunny...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
"Break out the fine china, chill the lemonade, tie a yellow ribbon round the old oak tree. Cos this boy's coming home to his ladies. Coming home forever."
Action cinema changed in 1999. The release of The Matrix unleashed a torrent of imitators, but also altered fundamentally the editing of movies in the genre. This came with a price. Action sequences became harder to follow. Character was relegated. The old style idea of pitting a movie star against some peril in extraordinary circumstances was seemingly less tempting. The Matrix had started something.
Well, that, or everyone just watched Con Air, and figured they couldn't top it. Because in truth, how could they? It remains one of the most quotable, enjoyable and wildly entertaining blockbusters of the 1990s.
- 4/8/2015
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Dec 11, 2019
Spielberg's Hook boasted a star cast, a prime release slot, and was set to be the big hit of 1991. So, what happened?
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
If you've never quite warmed to Hook, then you're not alone. Its director, Steven Spielberg, apparently isn't much of a fan of it either. In fact, let's leave the "apparently" out of it. In an interview with the Kermode & Mayo radio show while promoting the film Lincoln, he was pretty candid. "I want to see Hook again," he told them. "I still don't like that movie. I'm hoping some day I'll see it again and perhaps like some of it."
Hook was something of a disappointment all around. TriStar Pictures gambled heavily on the film - not that it appeared much of a gamble on the surface - and the then-depressed film industry was looking to the...
Spielberg's Hook boasted a star cast, a prime release slot, and was set to be the big hit of 1991. So, what happened?
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
If you've never quite warmed to Hook, then you're not alone. Its director, Steven Spielberg, apparently isn't much of a fan of it either. In fact, let's leave the "apparently" out of it. In an interview with the Kermode & Mayo radio show while promoting the film Lincoln, he was pretty candid. "I want to see Hook again," he told them. "I still don't like that movie. I'm hoping some day I'll see it again and perhaps like some of it."
Hook was something of a disappointment all around. TriStar Pictures gambled heavily on the film - not that it appeared much of a gamble on the surface - and the then-depressed film industry was looking to the...
- 3/12/2015
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew May 30, 2019
Is the named director of a film the one who's actually been calling the shots? Here are 11 where a 'ghost director' may have been involved.
It's not that uncommon for a director to take their name off a film, and to leave the moniker Alan Smithee or whatever the current equivalent is behind. However, what's considerably rarer is when a film is released under the name of one director, but it's later revealed or rumored that, actually, other hands were at work, either for a solid chunk or even the entirety of a production. That a film was, for want of a better phrase, "ghost directed."
Granted, some of these stories that we're about to tell have little chance of ever being fully confirmed, but here are some examples of where the helmer of a film has been called into question. They range from instances of the...
Is the named director of a film the one who's actually been calling the shots? Here are 11 where a 'ghost director' may have been involved.
It's not that uncommon for a director to take their name off a film, and to leave the moniker Alan Smithee or whatever the current equivalent is behind. However, what's considerably rarer is when a film is released under the name of one director, but it's later revealed or rumored that, actually, other hands were at work, either for a solid chunk or even the entirety of a production. That a film was, for want of a better phrase, "ghost directed."
Granted, some of these stories that we're about to tell have little chance of ever being fully confirmed, but here are some examples of where the helmer of a film has been called into question. They range from instances of the...
- 3/1/2015
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Jul 14, 2019
James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger scored a big hit with True Lies. And yet, despite rumors, they never made True Lies 2...
Upon its release in 1994, James Cameron's True Lies was said to be the film to put whatever nails needed putting in the coffin of the James Bond series. It was an easy conclusion to reach at the time, not least because 007 had been in limbo since 1989's Licence To Kill. Of course 1995's GoldenEye would, not for the last time, see Bond reinvent itself to cope with more modern threats (as Daniel Craig's Bond did in the Jason Bourne era and again post-The Dark Knight).
True Lies, however, was all set up to launch a brand new spy series. It gave Arnold Schwarzenegger a slightly different role and Cameron proved that he was the director who could get the most out of him.
I...
James Cameron and Arnold Schwarzenegger scored a big hit with True Lies. And yet, despite rumors, they never made True Lies 2...
Upon its release in 1994, James Cameron's True Lies was said to be the film to put whatever nails needed putting in the coffin of the James Bond series. It was an easy conclusion to reach at the time, not least because 007 had been in limbo since 1989's Licence To Kill. Of course 1995's GoldenEye would, not for the last time, see Bond reinvent itself to cope with more modern threats (as Daniel Craig's Bond did in the Jason Bourne era and again post-The Dark Knight).
True Lies, however, was all set up to launch a brand new spy series. It gave Arnold Schwarzenegger a slightly different role and Cameron proved that he was the director who could get the most out of him.
I...
- 2/4/2015
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Oct 8, 2019
It's not quite a mystery solved, but screenwriter Daniel Waters once explained where Demolition Man's three sea shells came from...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
There's an argument that suggests the closest Sylvester Stallone ever really came to playing Judge Dredd wasn't in the 1995 film of the same name, but in his earlier sci-fi action film, Demolition Man. It's not a brilliant argument, but it's an argument nonetheless.
We've had an awful lot of time since Demolition Man, which co-starred Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, and the late Nigel Hawthorne. But one of the residing mysteries of it centers on, well, is the toilet. More specifically, the three sea shells that have replaced toilet paper in the future.
Whilst we're no closer to working out how the three sea shells work, we do now know where the idea came from. They were the creation of screenwriter Daniel Waters,...
It's not quite a mystery solved, but screenwriter Daniel Waters once explained where Demolition Man's three sea shells came from...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
There's an argument that suggests the closest Sylvester Stallone ever really came to playing Judge Dredd wasn't in the 1995 film of the same name, but in his earlier sci-fi action film, Demolition Man. It's not a brilliant argument, but it's an argument nonetheless.
We've had an awful lot of time since Demolition Man, which co-starred Wesley Snipes, Sandra Bullock, and the late Nigel Hawthorne. But one of the residing mysteries of it centers on, well, is the toilet. More specifically, the three sea shells that have replaced toilet paper in the future.
Whilst we're no closer to working out how the three sea shells work, we do now know where the idea came from. They were the creation of screenwriter Daniel Waters,...
- 12/9/2014
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Jun 14, 2019
We look at how Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves came to be, what worked, and what didn't.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
It tends to be a forgotten fact that, in the late 1980s, there were actually three competing Robin Hood projects fighting for a greenlight. A trio of separate scripts were being developed by Tristar Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and Morgan Creek Productions, and the only one that would go forward to become a movie would, ultimately, be the Robin Hood screenplay that Kevin Costner decided he wanted to make.
Of the three, the Tristar project was apparently barely in the running. But for a long time, it looked as if 20th Century Fox would win this particular race. It had a director on board, with John McTiernan – hot off the back of Die Hard and in the midst of The Hunt For Red October...
We look at how Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves came to be, what worked, and what didn't.
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
It tends to be a forgotten fact that, in the late 1980s, there were actually three competing Robin Hood projects fighting for a greenlight. A trio of separate scripts were being developed by Tristar Pictures, 20th Century Fox, and Morgan Creek Productions, and the only one that would go forward to become a movie would, ultimately, be the Robin Hood screenplay that Kevin Costner decided he wanted to make.
Of the three, the Tristar project was apparently barely in the running. But for a long time, it looked as if 20th Century Fox would win this particular race. It had a director on board, with John McTiernan – hot off the back of Die Hard and in the midst of The Hunt For Red October...
- 12/8/2014
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Jun 21, 2019
RoboCop's extensive list of prime directives in RoboCop 2 includes one aimed squarely at Orion Pictures...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
If you're opening this piece expecting a prolonged defense of RoboCop 2, you're not going to get it. We've tried lots of times to really like the film, but it just doesn't hang together, nor does it come anywhere near close to matching the original.
At the time it was being made, Orion Pictures, which was backing the film, was in deep trouble. So much trouble in fact that RoboCop 2 was the film that needed to be a big hit to save the studio. It wasn't, and within a couple of years, Orion was no more. While it would put RoboCop 3 into production, it wouldn't be around to release it.
The first RoboCop was relatively off the radar, and wasn't...
RoboCop's extensive list of prime directives in RoboCop 2 includes one aimed squarely at Orion Pictures...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
If you're opening this piece expecting a prolonged defense of RoboCop 2, you're not going to get it. We've tried lots of times to really like the film, but it just doesn't hang together, nor does it come anywhere near close to matching the original.
At the time it was being made, Orion Pictures, which was backing the film, was in deep trouble. So much trouble in fact that RoboCop 2 was the film that needed to be a big hit to save the studio. It wasn't, and within a couple of years, Orion was no more. While it would put RoboCop 3 into production, it wouldn't be around to release it.
The first RoboCop was relatively off the radar, and wasn't...
- 11/18/2014
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Kayti Burt Jun 3, 2019
Besides Good Omens, what other Neil Gaiman adaptations are heading (or not heading) to TV and film screens near you?
Who doesn't love a good Neil Gaiman adaptation? The British author is prolific, yet still manages to maintain a consistent quality and eccentricity in his work. With both American Gods and Good Omens currently enjoying TV adaptations, with Gaiman involved in their creation in some capacity, it's a great time to be a Gaiman fan.
read more: Good Omens TV Series Review (Spoiler-Free)
A bumper harvest of Neil Gaiman-penned projects are currently in development, and due to arrive on the big and small screen and elsewhere in the next few years. Let's take a look at what has a release date, what is in development, and what might never come to be...
Neil Gaiman Movie Adaptations
Sandman - Development Hell
It's meant with no disrespect...
Besides Good Omens, what other Neil Gaiman adaptations are heading (or not heading) to TV and film screens near you?
Who doesn't love a good Neil Gaiman adaptation? The British author is prolific, yet still manages to maintain a consistent quality and eccentricity in his work. With both American Gods and Good Omens currently enjoying TV adaptations, with Gaiman involved in their creation in some capacity, it's a great time to be a Gaiman fan.
read more: Good Omens TV Series Review (Spoiler-Free)
A bumper harvest of Neil Gaiman-penned projects are currently in development, and due to arrive on the big and small screen and elsewhere in the next few years. Let's take a look at what has a release date, what is in development, and what might never come to be...
Neil Gaiman Movie Adaptations
Sandman - Development Hell
It's meant with no disrespect...
- 9/12/2014
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew May 24, 2019
We look at the acting talent that's been cast in a major comic book movie role, only for everything to fall apart...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Sometimes, as seems to be the case with every Marvel movie, lots of actors are linked with a role, in what seems to amount to a public audition process. But there have been many instances in the past where someone has been offered the role in a comic book movie, often even signing the deal, yet it never came to pass.
So while this article isn't going to talk about those who got down to the shortlist, it will focus on the people who got the job as a comic book character, but never got to play them. Here we go...
Marlon Wayans - Robin
Hot off the success of the original Batman movie back in 1989, Warner Bros...
We look at the acting talent that's been cast in a major comic book movie role, only for everything to fall apart...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Sometimes, as seems to be the case with every Marvel movie, lots of actors are linked with a role, in what seems to amount to a public audition process. But there have been many instances in the past where someone has been offered the role in a comic book movie, often even signing the deal, yet it never came to pass.
So while this article isn't going to talk about those who got down to the shortlist, it will focus on the people who got the job as a comic book character, but never got to play them. Here we go...
Marlon Wayans - Robin
Hot off the success of the original Batman movie back in 1989, Warner Bros...
- 3/24/2014
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Aug 26, 2019
Not all publicity is good publicity, as Coca Cola found out in Natural Born Killers, a film that changed the way brands worked with movies.
In Jane Hamsher's excellent book, Killer Instinct, the producer charts the difficult path she and Don Murphy had in bringing Natural Born Killers to the big screen. Natural Born Killers was, of course, originally a Quentin Tarantino screenplay, one that changed dramatically when Oliver Stone signed up to direct the movie.
Tarantino sold the rights to the movie for $10,000 after he'd tried to set the project up himself--this was before the Oscar-winning success of Pulp Fiction--and he would regret the decision. That said, rumors that he held animosity toward Stone himself were just that. In interviews since, Tarantino has always been respectful toward the Platoon director.
Back to Killer Instinct though: There are a couple of passages in the book...
Not all publicity is good publicity, as Coca Cola found out in Natural Born Killers, a film that changed the way brands worked with movies.
In Jane Hamsher's excellent book, Killer Instinct, the producer charts the difficult path she and Don Murphy had in bringing Natural Born Killers to the big screen. Natural Born Killers was, of course, originally a Quentin Tarantino screenplay, one that changed dramatically when Oliver Stone signed up to direct the movie.
Tarantino sold the rights to the movie for $10,000 after he'd tried to set the project up himself--this was before the Oscar-winning success of Pulp Fiction--and he would regret the decision. That said, rumors that he held animosity toward Stone himself were just that. In interviews since, Tarantino has always been respectful toward the Platoon director.
Back to Killer Instinct though: There are a couple of passages in the book...
- 12/11/2013
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Nov 24, 2019
Just a silly comedy? There might be more to Mrs. Doubtfire than it's given credit for...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
This article contains spoilers for Mrs. Doubtfire.
If you dig through the box office takings for the films of Robin Williams, then - taking aside his supporting performance in Night At The Museum - his most lucrative movie at the Us box office remains 1993's Mrs. Doubtfire. Inflation-adjusted, it tops the list.
The movie was released in the aftermath of Disney's record-breaking Aladdin (and followed the fascinatingly flawed Toys), and in the years that followed, Williams would enjoy a bunch of further hits, including the likes of Jumanji, The Birdcage (two films that passed $100 million at the Us box office on the same weekend), Patch Adams, and Flubber. He'd nab an Oscar in the midst of that run for Good Will Hunting,...
Just a silly comedy? There might be more to Mrs. Doubtfire than it's given credit for...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
This article contains spoilers for Mrs. Doubtfire.
If you dig through the box office takings for the films of Robin Williams, then - taking aside his supporting performance in Night At The Museum - his most lucrative movie at the Us box office remains 1993's Mrs. Doubtfire. Inflation-adjusted, it tops the list.
The movie was released in the aftermath of Disney's record-breaking Aladdin (and followed the fascinatingly flawed Toys), and in the years that followed, Williams would enjoy a bunch of further hits, including the likes of Jumanji, The Birdcage (two films that passed $100 million at the Us box office on the same weekend), Patch Adams, and Flubber. He'd nab an Oscar in the midst of that run for Good Will Hunting,...
- 11/19/2013
- Den of Geek
Simon Brew Sep 11, 2019
While it's over 20 years old, time has been unusually kind to the hacker caper thriller Sneakers...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Proverbial cards on the proverbial table: I love Sneakers. I'm a big fan of caper movies at the best of times, but this one's always been a favorite. There's an easy charm, an absence of nastiness, and a sheer sense of fun in here that's always appealed to me. Plus, it doesn't matter how many times I watch it, it doesn't feel dated, even though it clearly is.
However, I've got to share two problems first. I don't like to start on negatives, but these moments really get me every time, and very slightly sully an otherwise stupendous Sneakers soup. Guttingly, both moments involve Ned Rierson himself, the marvellous Stephen Toblowsky, in a cameo role that pops up towards the end of the film.
While it's over 20 years old, time has been unusually kind to the hacker caper thriller Sneakers...
This article comes from Den of Geek UK.
Proverbial cards on the proverbial table: I love Sneakers. I'm a big fan of caper movies at the best of times, but this one's always been a favorite. There's an easy charm, an absence of nastiness, and a sheer sense of fun in here that's always appealed to me. Plus, it doesn't matter how many times I watch it, it doesn't feel dated, even though it clearly is.
However, I've got to share two problems first. I don't like to start on negatives, but these moments really get me every time, and very slightly sully an otherwise stupendous Sneakers soup. Guttingly, both moments involve Ned Rierson himself, the marvellous Stephen Toblowsky, in a cameo role that pops up towards the end of the film.
- 8/29/2013
- Den of Geek
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