The VOD charts continue to reflect what may be a cultural trend. Theaters are driven by a very few franchises, while home viewing reflects a broad swath of genres, audiences, and interests — much as the theaters did in the late 20th century.

Theatrical grosses over Independence Day weekend were driven by “F9,” “The Boss Baby: Family Business,” and “The Forever Purge.” Together they grossed $65 million over four days, or 75 percent of the total box office. The revenue generated by streaming is unknown — but charts and tracking services reflect millions of viewers watching Chris Pratt save the world in Amazon’s “The Tomorrow War,” IFC’s comedy-horror adaptation of VR game “Werewolves Within,” and Steven Soderbergh’s small-time ’50s crooks in HBO Max’s “No Sudden Move.” In addition, four different, long-running films are at #1 on different charts.

Per a reported audience survey from Screen Engine’s PostVOD (which includes streamers...

Nicolas Cage is coming to Netflix for a new comedy series that explores the origins of swear words.

History of Swear Words is hosted by Oscar® and Golden Globe® winner Nicolas Cage.

"An education in expletives: the history lesson you didn’t know you needed," reads the logline from Netflix, which adds:

History of Swear Words, hosted by Nicolas Cage, is a loud and proudly profane series that explores the origins, pop culture-usage, science and cultural impact of curse words.

Through interviews with experts in etymology, pop culture, historians and entertainers, the six-episode series dives into the origins of “F**k”, “Sh*t”, “B*tch”, “D**k”, “Pu**y”, and “Damn”.

Guest stars in the series of specials include Joel Kim Booster, DeRay Davis, Open Mike Eagle, Nikki Glaser, Patti Harrison, London Hughes, Jim Jefferies, Zainab Johnson, Nick Offerman, Sarah Silverman, Baron Vaughn, and Isiah Whitlock Jr.

They will be...

UK filmmaker Alan Parker died aged 76 on Friday.

Tributes from across the industry have been paid to filmmaker Alan Parker, who died on Friday (July 31), aged 76.

Former colleagues talked warmly of Parker’s achievements as a filmmaker, his work for public bodies including the BFI and the UK Film Council, his loyalty to friends and his encouragement of young talent.

“Alan was my oldest and closest friend,” said producer David Puttman, Parker’s long-time collaborator with whom he first worked at Collett Dickenson Pearce (Cdp) in what was later called ‘the golden age of advertising’ in the 1960s. “I was...

Alan Parker photographed by another legend, Terry O'Neill, in this press still for "Angel Heart" (1987).

Sir Alan Parker has died at age 76. The esteemed British filmmaker was known for making highly diverse, acclaimed films. He had received two Oscar nominations for Best Director, the first for "Midnight Express" and the other for "Mississippi Burning". Parker made his feature film directorial debut in 1975 with "Bugsy Malone", an offbeat and inspired send up of old gangster movies starring a cast comprised of child actors including Jodie Foster. His other films include "Fame", "The Commitments", "Pink Floyd- The Wall", "Shoot the Moon", "Angela's Ashes", "Evita", "Angel Heart" and "Birdy". Parker had not directed a film since "The Life of David Gale" in 2003. As news of his death broke, tributes were paid by his peers in the entertainment industry including Andrew Webber, David Putnam and Barbara Broccoli.

For more click here.

Actors and directors took to social media to pay tribute to British director Alan Parker, who died Friday. The filmmaker behind “Evita, “The Commitments” and “Bugsy Malone” was 76.

Parker’s first feature film was 1976’s “Bugsy Malone.” He directed over 25 films, and his last film was “The Life of David Gale” starring Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslet. Parker received two Oscar nominations, one for “Midnight Express” and “Mississippi Burning.”

The British Academy of Film and Television Arts wrote, “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of BAFTA Fellow Alan Parker. As BAFTA-winning filmmaker, he brought us joy with Bugsy Malone, The Commitments, Midnight Express and many more.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber who remembered Parker for their collaboration on his adaptation of “Evita,” wrote, “Very sad to hear the news of Alan Parker’s death. My friend and collaborator on the Evita movie and one of the few directors to truly understand musicals on screen.

Innovative and acclaimed British director Alan Parker, died Friday, July 31, after a lengthy, but as yet undisclosed illness, according to Variety. He was 76.

Parker was nominated for two Best Director Oscars. One of those films was 1988’s Mississippi Burning, which highly dramatized the investigation of three murdered civil rights activists in 1964. The films starred Willem Dafoe and Gene Hackman, with the latter being nominated for Best Actor. Parker’s first Oscar nomination though came for the 1978 drama Midnight Express, another film based on true events. Oliver Stone won his first Oscar for the screenplay, which focused on Billy Hayes, who escaped a Turkish prison after being convicted of trying to smuggle hashish out of the country. Giorgio Moroder also won his first Oscar for composing the music. It was Parker’s second feature, and it was vastly different from his debut.

Alan Parker had a special connection with music. He...

British director Sir Alan Parker — whose vast filmography included gangster flicks, musical projects, crime thrillers and comedies — has died, Variety reports. He was 76.

The British Film Institute confirmed Parker’s death Friday morning. An exact cause wasn’t given, but he reportedly died after a long illness.

We're deeply saddened to learn that British filmmaker Alan Parker passed away this morning. Also a former Chairman of the BFI, his works as director include Midnight Express, The Commitments and Angela's Ashes https://t.co/wuBtJvHG1b pic.twitter.com/TDEqyxWgWb

— BFI (@BFI) July 31, 2020

Over three decades,...

Sir Alan Parker, a British director known for “Evita,” “Mississippi Burning,” “Midnight Express” and “The Commitments,” has died, an individual with knowledge of his passing told TheWrap. He was 76.

Parker died on Friday after a long battle with an illness.

Parker was a two-time Oscar nominee for directing both “Midnight Express” and the racial drama “Mississippi Burning.”

Among some of Parker’s other iconic credits include “Bugsy Malone,” “Fame,” “Pink Floyd: The Wall,” “Angel Heart,” “Angela’s Ashes” and most recently “The Life of David Gale” in 2003.

Also Read: Olivia de Havilland, Last Survivor of 'Gone With the Wind,' Dies at 104

Parker received the Cbe in 1995 and was knighted in 2002. He’s also a founding member of the Director’s Guild in Britain and was also the chairman of the UK Film Council.

Parker got his start directing TV commercials in the late ’60s and early ’70s, coming up...

Acclaimed UK director Alan Parker, a towering figure in the UK industry, passed away this morning following a lengthy illness, the British Film Institute has confirmed.

Two-time Oscar nominee Parker was best known for directing classic films including Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning and The Commitments, as well as big-budget Madonna movie Evita.

Parker was a passionate supporter of the UK film industry and a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain. He was the founding Chairman of the UK Film Council in 2000, a position he held for five years, and prior to that he was Chairman of the BFI. He received a Cbe in 1995 and a knighthood in 2002. He was also an Officier des Arts et Letters (France).

Parker was born in Islington, London, February 14, 1944. He began his career in advertising as a copywriter but quickly graduated to writing and directing commercials. By the late 1960s...

His body of work includes Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Evita, Fame, Birdy, Angel Heart and Angela’s Ashes.

Acclaimed UK filmmaker Alan Parker died this morning (July 31) following a lengthy illness.

Parker was one of the UK’s most acclaimed and successful filmmakers, with a body of work including Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Mississippi Burning, The Commitments, Evita, Fame, Birdy, Angel Heart and Angela’s Ashes. His films won a combined 19 Baftas, 10 Golden Globes and 10 Oscars.

Parker was a passionate supporter of the UK film industry and was a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain,...

Veteran Metro Goldwyn Mayer executive Peter Oillataguerre has been named president of production for Spyglass Media Group.

Spyglass chairman and chief executive officer Gary Barber made the announcement Monday. Oillataguerre will report to Barber and run theatrical production including creative development, physical production and post production.

“Peter and I have worked together for nearly 20 years on a diverse slate of large-scale productions, global franchises and hit films,” Barber said. “He has a keen eye for commercial material and possesses an even temperament with a cool demeanor that keeps productions on track. Peter is the consummate producer and ideal leader to execute Spyglass’ film strategy.”

For nine years, Oillataguerre served as the president of physical production for MGM Studios where he was responsible for overseeing all aspects of physical production across the feature film and television units, including the James Bond films “Skyfall,” “Spectre” and “No Time To Die”; the revival...

In today’s film news roundup, “Bombshell” writer Charles Randolph and production designers William J. Creber and Roland Anderson are set for honors and Abrams Agency opens a London office.

Award Winners

Charles Randolph has been named the recipient of the Writers Guild of America West’s 2020 Paul Selvin Award in recognition of his script for “Bombshell.”

Randolph will be honored at the 2020 Writers Guild Awards West Coast ceremony on Feb. 1 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif.

“Charles Randolph’s masterful screenplay has turned a challenging and significant cultural moment into a deeply captivating human drama,” said WGA West President David A. Goodman. “His work illustrates that the experience of standing up to abuse transcends the barriers of partisanship and political affiliation. The Wgaw is proud to honor him for this outstanding script.”

“Bombshell” recaps the sexual harassment scandals at Fox News that led to the departure of Roger Ailes.

“Bombshell” screenwriter Charles Randolph will receive the Writers Guild of America West’s 2020 Paul Selvin Award, the Writers Guild announced Wednesday.

Randolph’s screenplay will be honored at the 2020 Writers Guild Awards West Coast ceremony on Feb. 1 at the Beverly Hilton.

“Charles Randolph’s masterful screenplay has turned a challenging and significant cultural moment into a deeply captivating human drama,” Wgaw President David A. Goodman said in a statement. “His work illustrates that the experience of standing up to abuse transcends the barriers of partisanship and political affiliation. The Wgaw is proud to honor him for this outstanding script.”

Also Read: Charlize Theron Calls Megyn Kelly's Reaction to 'Bombshell' 'Validating' After Oscar Nomination

Randolph added: “I’m moved to receive the Selvin. Since ‘Citizen Kane,’ screenwriters have told stories based on real people who frustrate easy labels and I’m proud to be the member of...

The rise and crash of WeWork and its founder Adam Neumann is getting the big-screen treatment from Blumhouse and Universal.

Screenwriter Charles Randolph, who won an adapted screenplay Oscar for “The Big Short,” is on board to write the film.

The troubled shared-workplace startup pulled the plug on an initial public offering in September after investors raised questions against its mounting losses. It accepted a bailout from SoftBank in October.

Blumhouse will produce and is adapting the movie from Katrina Brooker’s reporting and upcoming book, to be published by W. W. Norton, on the intertwined lives and ambitions of Neumann and SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son. Brooker is a senior contributing writer for Fast Company. She has conducted in-depth interviews with Neumann and dozens of sources within SoftBank and WeWork, and written stories on the fallout of WeWork’s Ipo.

Randolph will also produce. He penned the script for Jay Roach’s upcoming “Bombshell,...

Amazon Prime Video has confirmed that five original shows will be debuting new episodes on the streaming service in September. Among these are the first seasons of the groundbreaking animated series “Undone,” which will be available in both 4K and Hrd, and the German import “Chris Tall Presentes,” an unscripted series starring the comedian. Another animated series, “Niko And The Sword of Light,” returns for a sophomore season. And “Transparent” will sign off with a sung finale.

The Amazon original film “Late Night” will start streaming justt a few months after its successful theatrical run. Mindy Kaling both wrote and starred in this wry look at the world of TV, with Emma Thompson stealing scenes as the beleaguered host of a failing talk show.

Below is the full schedule of everything that is coming to Amazon Prime Video in September 2019. Unlike Netflix, Amazon does not disclose the shows and movies...

If you’re looking for movies to watch in September, Amazon Prime will let you have a Max Rockatansky marathon. “Mad Max” movies “The Road Warrior” and “Beyond Thunderdome” are among the titles hitting the service next month. If you’re looking for something new, on the other hand, the rotoscope original series “Undone,” about a young woman’s journey to prevent the death of her father by manipulating time, will be available for streaming on the 13th.

As for other options, you can get caught up in a web of Pentagon intrigue with Kevin Costner and Gene Hackman in “No Way Out.” Disco dance to the Bee Gees with John Travolta in “Saturday Night Fever.” Curate your own Reese Witherspoon double feature with “Election” and “Legally Blonde.” Snack on popcorn while watching the daring corn silo scene in “Witness.” Take a Martian vacation with Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Total Recall.

Amazon is out with its list of new additions coming to Prime Video next month, and you’ll want to mark your calendar for the epic musical finale of “Transparent,” coming Sept. 27.

“Chris Tall Presents…” — the first unscripted German Amazon Original which features six episodes of the comedian performing stand-up and introducing his friends as guests — will premiere at a date still to be determined. The same is the case for “Family Man,” a new Amazon Original series which, according to the streaming giant, tells the story of a middle-class man who works for a special cell of the National Investigation Agency.

Other Prime Originals include the first seasons of “El Corazón de Sergio Ramos,” about the Spanish soccer player, and the animated series “Undone.” “Rango,” “Legally Blonde” and “Saturday Night Fever” are among some of the already released movies that will now be available on Prime.

The following is a slightly re-edited version of a piece that ran during the early days of my blog, Sergio Leone and the Infield Fly Rule, posted on April 3, 2007, in which I took some time to acknowledge one of my favorite movie stars, the inimitable force of nature known as Patsy Kelly. Eleven years ago Netflix was yet to become the powerhouse force in streaming home entertainment that it now incarnates; it was still a strictly DVD-by-mail service that allowed as many as three DVDs at once to sit on your shelf for as long as you wanted, until such time as you said “I’ve never gonna watch these” and decided to send the back for three others in your ridiculously long queue. (The normalization of the word “queue” may have been Netflix’s great contribution to American culture during this time.) In those days, Netflix also allowed you...

By Dawn Dabell

Can it really be 25 years since the release of The Commitments? An acclaimed hit with audiences and critics alike when first seen, it quickly grew in stature into something of a modern classic and has remained perennially popular ever since. It has also inspired touring bands, a major stage production and a few million sub-standard karaoke renditions of the iconic Mustang Sally (and other ditties) in pubs up and down the land.

Unemployed Jimmy Rabbitte (Robert Arkins) dreams of being a band manager, and places an ad in the local paper – “Have you got soul? If so the world’s hardest working band is looking for you.” Various losers, opportunists and drop-outs turn up at his door to audition, but bit by bit he manages to put together an inexperienced band comprising ten members: men, women, backing singers, guitarists, saxophonists, a drummer and an unlikely lead vocalist...

A movie twist done right is a rare pleasure: the cherry on top of the cinematic sundae, if you will. It conjures a sense of immediacy and pleasurable disequilibrium, compelling viewers to question all the information they’ve absorbed up until that point. Conversely, when a movie twist is sloppily executed or poorly thought-out, it can seem like the cheapest of gimmicks: a manipulative “gotcha!” moment that exists for no other reason than providing the viewer with an involuntary and fleeting thrill. In a film like David Fincher’s “Fight Club,” the major twist that defines the film’s final act is ultimately integral to the movie’s themes about fractured identity and mental instability. In a movie like Alan Parker’s “The Life of David Gale,” the twist that ends the movie merely exists to cap a narrative that’s already become howlingly ludicrous, adding no substance or context to the story at hand.

"Directors do not improve with age", says Alan Parker, as he also chats about turning down Harry Potter...

Across Sir Alan Parker's career, he's made some very strong films. Birdy, The Commitments, Mississippi Burning, Fame, Angel Heart and Bugsy Malone instantly spring to mind. And heck, we've got a soft spot for The Road To Wellville, too.

However, Parker hasn't directed a movie since 2003's The Life Of David Gale. And he's now told the Bari International Film Festival that he has no plans to direct another. "Directors do not improve with age, they repeat themselves", he said during a session at the festival. "And while there are exceptions, their work generally does not get any better. This is the reason why I have decided not to make any more films".

He also added that the last screenplay that he penned "was the best thing I've ever created", but...

Hunger Games DoP Tom Stern and 12 Years a Slave cinematographer Sean Bobbitt among those chosen for jury duty.

The 21st Camerimage, the International Film Festival of the Art of Cinematography (Nov 16-23), has revealed the competition jurors who will judge entries at this year’s event in Bydgoszcz, Poland.

Jury members of the main competition jury are:

Tom Stern, cinematographer (Million Dollar Baby, Gran Torino, The Hunger Games);Ed Lachman, cinematographer (Erin Brockovich, The Virgin Suicides, I’m Not There);Todd McCarthy, journalist and film critic;Denis Lenoir, cinematographer (Paris, je t’aime, Righteous Kill, 88 Minutes);Adam Holender, cinematographer (Midnight Cowboy, Smoke, Fresh);Timo Salminen, cinematographer (The Man Without a Past, La Havre, The Match Factory Girl);Franz Lustig, cinematographer (Don’t Come Knocking, Land of Plenty, Palermo Shooting);Jeffrey Kimball, cinematographer (Top Gun, Mission: Impossible II, The Expendables).Polish Films Competition

Jost Vacano, the cinematographer behind several Paul Verhoeven films including Total Recall, RoboCop and [link...

Great Gatsby was only made in 3D to get the money back on a $120m movie, Bugsy Malone director tells Kirsty Wark

Sir Alan Parker has dismissed 3D films as a marketing gimmick and said he is unlikely to direct any more movies – but would consider working in TV, where "the very best work is being done".

Parker said that big budget films were made in 3D because the Hollywood studios thought that was necessary to make it appealing to a mainstream audience.

"Everything has to be 3D if it is over a certain amount of money from a marketing point of view," he said, during an interview with journalist and presenter Kirsty Wark at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity on Wednesday. "From a creative point of view it is rubbish. Absolute nonsense."

He added: "For instance Gatsby, why on earth was that 3D? Well the reason was...

You're at a bar and some fictional movie character comes up and introduces her or himself. How long will it take before the subsequent conversation trends toward anything other than some form of, "But, seriously, what's your real name?"

And that's how we created this collection of the 25 worst movie character names ever. If the answer to the above hypothetical scenario was "30 seconds flat," that character made our highly-researched, scientifically-ranked list.

We've brought this feature back to the forefront in honor of Will Smith's turn as Cypher Raige in "After Earth." Yes, that's right — his name is "Cypher Raige." If you know of even worse character names than that — and that of those in the list below — hit us up in the comments.

25. Jack Reacher (Tom Cruise), 'Jack Reacher' (2012)

24. Jericho Cane (Arnold Schwarzenegger), 'End of Days' (1999)

23. Cady Heron (Lindsay Lohan), 'Mean Girls' (2004)

22. Jonah Hex...

Actor Gabriel Mann has signed with Jeff Berg’s Resolution Entertainment. He was at Apa. Mann co-stars as tech billionaire Nolan Ross on the ABC drama Revenge. He will next be seen in Diego Luna’s Chavez, a biopic of civil-rights activist Cesar Chavez. His previous credits include features The Bourne Identity, The Bourne Supremacy, The Life Of David Gale and a recurring role on Mad Men. Mann continues to be managed by Van Johnson and repped by attorney Allison Binder.

In our ongoing 'get to know The Film Experience community' project, here's another Reader Spotlight. This time we're talking to Tony who grew up overseas and now lives in Texas. He sent me the nicest note once about the site that really cheered me up on a down day.

What's your first movie memory?

Tony: I spent my entire childhood watching Disney movies. It was literally everything I did when I wasn't in school. They were mostly dubbed in French so it was a little bit of a revelation to rediscover them in English when I grew up. But my very first movie memory that I can recall semi-vividly is watching The Beauty and the Beast with my cousins. I was so captivated that I had to move to a different row in the movie theatre to sit away from my cousins because they were distracting me so much. 

I love it.

"Reader Appreciation Month" continues. Get to know The Film Experience community! Today we're talking to the very delightful and smart Lynn Lee who has her own blog where she muses on film & tv.

When did you start reading The Film Experience?

Lynn: I think around 2005. I remember our mutual friend Nick Davis hooked me on to Tfe, and I've been reading it ever since. You bring such great insight, without a speck of pretentiousness, into such a wide range of films. And I love the variety of content on the site - the reviews, the links and blogathons, the first line/last shot series, and of course your raging actressexuality. 

Awww thanks. That last part I can do nothing about. It's just who I am! So, what's your first movie memory?

Lynn: The first movie I remember watching at home, over and over again, was The Sound of Music. I loved it,...

From Bugsy Malone to Midnight Express to Fame, the director Alan Parker has had an amazing career. Now Bafta is giving him a lifetime achievement award

'I turn on the TV sometimes, start watching something and think: 'This seems quite good, a bit familiar.' Then I realise … It's one of my movies. It's a pretty odd feeling." Alan Parker is in reflective mood: the onetime scourge of all that is arty, self-indulgent and non-commercial has, to all appearances, mellowed. Not only because he has just been named as the recipient of this year's Bafta fellowship (the academy's lifetime achievement award), but also because he has been spending a lot of time working on his own website: collating pictures, writing production histories, reproducing cartoons; generally archiving his life's work.

"I'm quite proud of what I've done," he says. "It's the first time for a long while that I've started thinking...

The varied and brilliant career of the director of Bugsy Malone and Fame is to be celebrated by a Bafta fellowship

From the custard pie guns of Bugsy Malone to the legwarmers of Fame; from the prison brutality of Midnight Express to the unalloyed musical joy of The Commitments – the career of Alan Parker in all its variety and brilliance is to be celebrated by a Bafta fellowship next month.

Parker, 68, follows in the footsteps of Martin Scorsese, Stanley Kubrick and Elizabeth Taylor in receiving the honour. It is the British Academy of Film and Television Arts' equivalent to a lifetime achievement award, but the director is not worried about the signals that accepting such an award might send.

"I'm honoured by the award – flattered, really," he said on Tuesday. "A lot of people deserve it more than I do. I know film-makers who have refused these sort of things,...

London – The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) is to present filmmaker Alan Parker with the Academy Fellowship at the Ee British Academy Film Awards ceremony in February. Parker's 40-year filmmaking career includes directing Madonna in Evita and The Life of David Gale, starring Kevin Spacey and Kate Winslet. Photos: The Top European Media and Entertainment Industry Stories of 2012 Martin Scorsese received the fellowship at the film awards in 2012. BAFTA chairman John Willis described Parker as "a hugely distinctive filmmaker, and a man of uncompromising vision and personality." Willis also noted that the 19 BAFTA awards

read more...

“Movies do not change anything…”Werner Herzog says calmly into the microphone surrounded by the scarlet and black colours of Qtv radio’s studio. The interviewer, Jian Ghomeshi, is momentarily stunned and repeats Herzog’s statement in search of an explanation. Ghomeshi’s surprise is understandable. In front of him sits arguably one of the most respected directors alive today, so much so, his films are considered some of the finest in recent film history by cinema goers and critics alike. However, Herzog’s statement is, as always, no off the cuff remark. He effortlessly articulates his point in his distinct and captivating German accent. The point he makes in regard to one of his more recent films ‘Into the Abyss’ (a film about the death penalty in the United States) is that the notion that films can evoke effective change is exaggerated and change can only come about through political debate and media outlets,...

With six Oscar nominations by the age of 35, it's nice to see Kate Winslet falling on her lovely, intelligent, earnest face once in a while

One thing to be said for Contagion is that it's unlikely to bring Kate Winslet another award. Alternatively, there might be an award for anyone who can come up with a good reason why she made Contagion, a picture that takes a vast subject and reduces it to amazing banality. Yes, it is by the same Steven Soderbergh who made Sex, Lies and Videotape, and if you recall the journal he wrote about the making of that film, and the brave new world of independent projects he foresaw, this is a sad comedown.

But that's not Winslet's fault. Perhaps she did this confident no prizes would be offered. For I take her to be a reasonable, good-humoured actor who knows in her heart how silly...

This has been on itunes for a bit, but buzz is just so big on this movie I had to post it now! The Artist is a silent b&w movie, recreating the style of the ‘20s with a story indeed set then too, about a big star and his lover. Praise has been pretty unanimous since Cannes, with Best Actor that festival going to headliner Jean Dujardin – basically the equivalent of Clooney, Pitt and Damon rolled into one in France, in terms of star quality. Check out the trailer below – nice use of music from The Life of David Gale – and look out for the movie over the coming months. Rumour has it it could be in line for a Best Picture nomination…….

If you were to imagine a B-version of Goodfellas in the world of politics, you’d get Casino Jack. George Hickenlooper‘s final film is a a hit-and-mess tale of rise and fall. The story of Jack Abramoff should have been an epic. Abramoff’s story has been served in an enjoyable enough fashion, but it never reaches its fullest potential. This is a fun, minor film at best.

The film chronicles the rise and fall of the D.C. lobbyist and his minions. Here Abramoff being portrayed in an almost lampoonist fashion by Kevin Spacey. Most of the past decade has been a rough and disappointing one for Spacey, after the 1990s seemed made just for him. His filmography got filled with much beloved gems, but then, slowly but surely, got saddled with total mediocracy: Pay it Forward, K-Pax, The Life of David Gale and, who could forget, Edison Force.

Peep Show, Robert's Web, the end of Merlin, a repeat for Sherlock, and the conclusion of The Trip. Meet our UK TV round-up of what's coming...

After a couple weeks' break, we play catch-up this week with new programme starts, say goodbye with series finales, and hello once more to a very welcome return visit. All coming up in the next seven days on UK telly.

Last week, the excellent Peep Show, starring David Mitchell and Robert Webb, aired the first episode of its seventh series. Mark is now a dad, although a reluctant one initially, and there's evidence of plenty left in the tank for the show, even at this great running distance, as you can see in our review of the premiere here. The series continues on Channel 4 tonight, Friday, December 3rd at 10:00pm and if you want to catch up, you can watch episode 1 here.

Ask Rhod Gilbert, Alan Davies in Whites, Harry & Paul return, the end of This Is England '86 and a lot more besides in our UK TV round-up!

Comedy veterans return, the new guard challenges, and a freshly peeled sitcom is brewing on the burners. Plus, a brilliant little bit of geek film lovers' animation wraps up the next seven days of telly goodies.

Ask Rhod Gilbert is new to BBC1 and airs Monday at 10:35pm. The first of an eight episode run sees the stand-up comedian answer questions, from the considered to the ridiculous, with the help of guest comedians and other personalities joining regulars Greg Davies and Lloyd Langford.

Another new series, this time on BBC2, is Whites, starring Alan Davies as a country house hotel chef. A similar role was this TV fan's favourite performance by Lenny Henry in Chef! (apart from the wonderful Christmas fantasy flick,...

Chicago – What’s more depressing than a Hollywood blockbuster regurgitating cliches? A foreign film clearly inspired by those cliches, that’s what. Shin-yeon Won’s 2007 Korean thriller “Seven Days” fuses the worst stylistic excesses of Michael Bay and Tony Scott with the plot of a particularly ludicrous “CSI” episode. An American remake would not only be unnecessary, but throughly redundant.

The film’s biggest selling point for American audiences is its leading lady, Yunjin Kim, best known as Sun Kwon on “Lost.” Kim was a last-minute addition to the project after the original star quit, and her presence will undoubtedly make this picture somewhat of a curiosity piece, though it certainly won’t cheer up “Lost” fans already reeling from disappointment caused by the recent Emmy Awards snubbing. Though Kim is featured in nearly every scene, she can barely keep up with the jittery camerawork and frantic editing that routinely obscure her performance.

The first trailer for Edward Zwick's upcoming romantic comedy "Love and Other Drugs has debuted online, and you can check it out after the jump. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal and Anne Hathaway.

Based on the book "Hard Sell: The Evolution of a Viagra Salesman" by Jamie Reidy, "Love and Other Drugs" follows a drug salesman who falls for a woman who won't let anyone or anything tie her down.

Charles Randolph ("The Interpreter," "The Life of David Gale") wrote the screenplay with Zwick, whose credits include "Defiance" and "Blood Diamond." "Love" is set to open in theaters Nov. 24, 2010.

Frank Skinner's Opinionated, 30 Rock, Charlie Brooker and the UK bow for The Prisoner lead this week's TV highlights. Plus lots of movies too...

Frequenters of the site will be aware that we're friends of the comedians and often voice our appreciation of anything that can give us a giggle. News and current events usually don't. So, we welcome the arrival of Frank Skinner's Opinionated tonight, Friday, April 16th at 10:00pm on BBC2, a show that brings guest comedians to studio audiences around the country to talk about topical stuff. We're of the mind that if you can't laugh, you'd often cry at today's goings on, so any help in that area is promptly ticked on our telly timetables.

On Saturday, April 17th, a show that is perhaps unwise to be shown in pubs will air at 9:30pm on ITV. We say that as it's the reimagining of The Prisoner,...

Today's collection is a complete, eight-page look at all of the preliminary 2011 Oscar Contenders I've featured over the week in one complete post. There are a few I'll be adding, such as yesterday's Welcome to the RIleys suggestion and hopefully a few more documentaries, before the doors to the new "The Contenders" section opens up in April, but until then this is your one-stop-shop.

As we move along add any thoughts or films you think should be added in the comments below or send me an email directly if you have thoughts on additional contenders or news on any of those on this list. Your suggestions are welcomed and encouraged.

127 Hours Release Date: Release date not yet set Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures Directed By: Danny Boyle Cast: James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara Quick Thoughts: Directed by Danny Boyle whose last film, Slumdog Millionaire, racked up eight Oscars including Best Picture,...

Part three arrives and it comes with 20 more films to keep an eye on this year as potential Oscar candidates. If you missed parts one and two, the links for both of those can be found on the bottom of page two of this post.

With today's list of films it brings the total previewed thus far to 60 early Oscar contending films and already one reader has sent in a potential new candidate I am looking into further to see if the list again will grow from it's current total of 73 films to 74 and what may amount to a fifth film for Helen Mirren. With no films this year for Meryl Streep, it looks like Mirren is stacking the deck.

I will again remind you, this is merely a guide to potential nominees, not a guarantee, not a lock, but simply films that could potentially go on to be remembered at the year-end Oscar race.

Dir: Kirk Jones            Cast: Robert DeNiro, Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, Kate Beckinsale Frank Goode has spent his whole life making rubber coating for the telephone wires that run alongside America's railways. This has had two major consequences: firstly, he has developed an illness from decades of breathing in noxious fumes; secondly, he barely knows his own four middle-aged children. Both of these things come to light in the weeks following his wife's death; and so it is fair to say that Frank has been granted a rare and precious window to peer inside his own past and find out where he lost his way. As his four children make their excuses to avoid visiting him for a reunion dinner, Frank decides to head out on an ill-advised (in fact downright forbidden as far as his doctor is concerned) road trip to surprise his unwitting cubs in their natural surroundings. In...

In early 2003, at a moment when the death penalty was in the news because DNA tests were proving so many death-row inmates were actually innocent of the crimes for which they were scheduled to die, I reviewed a forgettable film called The Life of David Gale, which was about the death penalty. I wrote something to the effect that the film couldn't have been timelier if it had been about a president rushing us into an unjustified war -- even as we were days away from the disaster that was Shock and Awe. I was working for a Gannett newspaper at the time, which was already beginning to feel the first tremors of what would be the sinkhole that print journalism has become. When my review ran, I received a couple of phone calls from angry readers, who wanted to know...

Angelina Jolie is set to play the infamous Patrizia Reggiani in Ridley Scott’s yet to be titled Gucci film. The formidable Italian fashion house was brought to worldwide attention by icons such as Grace Kelly, Audrey Hepburn and Jackie Kennedy but the movie will focus on the internal strife that threatened to destroy the company. It’s a tale of greed and corruption which culminated in the murder of Maurizio Gucci, grandson of Gucci founder Guccio.

Maurizio’s murder came during a period of turmoil for the company in the early 1990’s when it stood on the brink of bankrupcy, mainly due to a Godfather-sized power struggle between members of the family. Two years later the ex-wife of Maurizio was found guilty of having him wacked by a hired hitman and sentenced to 29 years in prison.

Jolie is playing the ex-wife, Patrizia Reggiano, and I’d imagine will relish the opportunity.

Alan Parker is in negotiations to write and adapt the film adaptation of Jamila Gavin's award-winning book The Coram Boy, which Scott Rudin and Allison Owen are producing for Miramax Films.

Set in 18th century England, Coram is about two orphans -- one rescued from an African slave ship, the other the abandoned son of the heir to a great estate -- who get a second chance at life in a home for deserted children. The book won the Whitbread Award for British children's literature.

A stage version of the novel recently opened on Broadway to critical acclaim and also is a hit in London at the National Theatre.

Parker most recently directed 2003's The Life of David Gale. He wrote and directed the adaptation of Frank McCourt's autobiography Angela's Ashes and the musical Evita and helmed The Commitments, based on a novel by Roddy Doyle.

Parker is repped by UTA, ICM London and attorney Alan Wertheimer.

Cecil B. DeMille liked it so much he made it twice. Now, almost half a century later, Paramount Pictures is contemplating remounting The Ten Commandments yet again. It would be the third time around for the studio, which had a hand in the tale's previous incarnations. Mark Gordon is already on board to produce, and screenwriter Charles Randolph is about to meet with the studio about writing the biblical epic. While a new Moses movie could tap into some of the same religious fervor that blessed Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ at the boxoffice, Gordon and Randolph are believed to be interested in fashioning a serious, research-based treatment of the subject. Released in 1923, the first Commandments was a silent, mixed black-and-white footage with early Technicolor film and featured Theodore Roberts and Charles de Rochefort. DeMille revisited the epic as a 1956 feature starring Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Anne Baxter. That film was nominated for seven Academy Awards including best picture. Repped by CAA, Randolph's credits include Alan Parker's The Life of David Gale and The Interpreter, the Sydney Pollack-helmed feature starring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn, which Randolph co-wrote with Scott Frank. Gordon's current projects include King Tut, Casanova, The Guide, The First Olympics and Killing Pablo. He also produced the recent hit The Day After Tomorrow.

Cecil B. DeMille liked it so much he made it twice. Now, almost half a century later, Paramount Pictures is contemplating remounting The Ten Commandments yet again. It would be the third time around for the studio, which had a hand in the tale's previous incarnations. Mark Gordon is already on board to produce, and screenwriter Charles Randolph is about to meet with the studio about writing the biblical epic. While a new Moses movie could tap into some of the same religious fervor that blessed Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ at the boxoffice, Gordon and Randolph are believed to be interested in fashioning a serious, research-based treatment of the subject. Released in 1923, the first Commandments was a silent, mixed black-and-white footage with early Technicolor film and featured Theodore Roberts and Charles de Rochefort. DeMille revisited the epic as a 1956 feature starring Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Anne Baxter. That film was nominated for seven Academy Awards including best picture. Repped by CAA, Randolph's credits include Alan Parker's The Life of David Gale and The Interpreter, the Sydney Pollack-helmed feature starring Nicole Kidman and Sean Penn, which Randolph co-wrote with Scott Frank. Gordon's current projects include King Tut, Casanova, The Guide, The First Olympics and Killing Pablo. He also produced the recent hit The Day After Tomorrow.

CANNES -- IM Internationalmedia, producers of Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, will host one of Cannes' most anticipated parties Saturday, but the indie production and sales group had reason to celebrate Wednesday when it announced a return to profits following a year of cost-cutting. IM booked a net profit of €1.1 million ($1.3 million) in the first quarter of this year, compared with a €5.7 million loss over same period last year. This is the second straight positive quarter for IM and marks a reversal after a long period of loss-making. Sales were also strong, up 21% to €80.6 million ($92.6 million), boosted by the domestic releases of National Security, Dark Blue, Basic and The Life of David Gale.

Scribe Charles Randolph has been tapped to adapt the novel St. Agnes' Stand for DreamWorks Pictures. The project, originally penned by author Tom Eidson, has Martin Scorsese attached to direct. Randolph will pen a screenplay based on the 1860s-set story of a reluctant hero, Nat Swanson, who is on the run from a mob of Texas cowboys after having killed one of their own. While on the run, he helps save a nun and a group of seven orphans from being attacked by Apache Indians. Steven Spielberg is said to have a keen interest in Agnes. No producers are attached, sources said. DreamWorks could not be reached for comment. Randolph is repped by CAA, Margaret Riley Management and attorney Craig Emanuel at Loeb & Loeb. His other credits include the Kevin Spacey starrer The Life of David Gale for Universal Pictures.

Kate Winslet's estranged husband James Threapleton is happier since splitting with the movie star - he now gets to see his baby daughter Mia. Jim flew into Austin, Texas to look after his 13-month-old daughter, while Kate filmed her latest movie The Life Of David Gale. Acquaintances predicted that he would confront Kate about the romantic weekend she spent with director Sam Mendes, who she is now dating. However, despite Kate initially not wanting to see him, the atmosphere gradually thawed as they played with Mia, who is learning how to walk. Jim says, "Life was rough, living with a movie star. I'm much happier now. It's hard when you have an ex-wife who is this busy and successful. Kate was always travelling and Mia would be with her. I'm actually seeing more of my daughter since we split." And after splitting with the movie star following Kate's pronouncement that the marriage had broken down "irretrievably," Jim is now enjoying his life again. He adds, "My relationship with Kate is perfect now. Everything is going according to plan with the divorce and we have agreed to be friends. We are structuring our lives around Mia and that is something I'm enjoying very much."...