Category: Actors (Page 1 of 340)

Succession - sarah-snook-kieran-culkin-jeremy-strong

“Succession” returns to HBO for fourth and final season

March 29, 2023 / Staff

It’s always refreshing to see excellent television shows wrap up there series before the show gets stale. “Succession” has been a big hit for HBO, but we saw last year that the cycle of conflict started to settle into a somewhat predictable pattern. Of course the show still packs quite a punch, and consistently delivers plot twists to keep viewers on their toes, but how many storylines can you create around family strife?

A final season also helps to generate buzz, and the first episode generated great rating according to HBO:

The season four debut of SUCCESSION garnered 2.3 million viewers across HBO Max and linear telecasts, marking a series high. Total viewing for Sunday night was up 62% compared to last season’s premiere (1.4M) and 33% compared to last season’s finale (1.7M), with season 3 episodes going on to average 7.2 million viewers per episode across platforms. Viewership figures are based on Nielsen and first party data.

The battle between Logan Roy (Brian Cox) and his three of his children is heating up as Kendall (Jeremy Strong), Siobhan (Sarah Snook) and Roman (Kieran Culkin) team up to do their own thing in the media business. Meanwhile, first-born Connor (Alan Ruck) continues to be a clown with his pathetic presidential campaign. The first episode was packed with drama as the kids find themselves in a bidding war with Logan.

This fourth and final season should end up being memorable, as opposed to a show like Showtime’s “Billions” which was equally brilliant in the early seasons but then hung around way to long, becoming a caricature of itself in recent seasons.

Actors, Actresses, TV, TV Dramas

Alan Ruck Billions Brian Cox HBO Jeremy Strong Kieren Culkin Sarah Snook Succession

640 Screenshot Diane Keaton in Annie Hall

Movie Flashback: Does “Annie Hall” (1977) Hold Up Over 45 Years Later?

February 26, 2023 / John Fever

It’s always interesting to rewatch an old film and get a sense of how it holds up. Can you enjoy it as much after all these years? Many classics hold up remarkably well, but that’s not always the case.

“Annie Hall,” directed by Woody Allen and released in 1977, is widely regarded as one of the most influential and important films of the 20th century. The film stars Woody Allen and Diane Keaton along with an excellent supporting cast. The film follows the story of Alvy Singer (Allen), a neurotic New York comedian, and his relationship with Annie Hall (Keaton), an aspiring singer. Many have claimed that the story is semi-autobiographical, though Allen has denied this while Keaton has acknowledged that some of the interactions between Alvy and Annie are similar to her brief, off-screen relationship with Allen.

Diane Keaton as Annie Hall

The film won four Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Actress for Diane Keaton’s portrayal of Annie Hall. Keaton’s Annie Hall is quirky, endearing, and struggling to find her place in the world. She delivers a brilliant performance worthy of her Oscar, and creates one of those iconic characters frozen it time that we can all fall for again and again. Her performance alone makes it easy to recommend this film to anyone who loves movies.

Classic Romantic Comedy

Some consider “Annie Hall” to be a defining film of the romantic comedy genre, even if the story doesn’t get wrapped in a nice, romantic bow at the end of the film. The story highlights the ups and downs of the relationship between Alvy and Annie. As the film progresses, the relationship between Alvy and Annie begins to deteriorate, with Alvy becoming increasingly neurotic and insecure, and Annie seeking personal fulfillment outside of the relationship. The film ends with Alvy reflecting on the lessons he has learned from his relationship with Annie, though viewers can question whether he learned anything at all.

Actors, Actresses, Movie Comedies, Movies

Annie Hall Carol Kane Diane Keaton movie flashback Oscars Shelley Duvall staff pick Woody Allen

Burt Reynolds and Julianne Moore in Boogie Nights

Looking back at the wild and sexy “Boogie Nights” (1997)

October 9, 2022 / John Fever

“Boogie Nights” is Paul Thomas Anderson’s masterpiece, and it’s not a close call when compared to the rest of his catalogue. Critics loved “There Will Be Blood,” but that film is too long, painfully boring and grossly overrated, saved partly by Daniel Day-Lewis’s typically memorable performance.

On the other hand, “Boogie Nights” is even more ambitious and provides a much more enjoyable experience as PTA explores the seedy world of the porn industry in the late 70s and early 80s. Like all his movies, the film is visually spectacular as PTA recreates the tacky world of the period, while introducing us to a series of memorable characters caught up in the wild world of porn. Unlike many of PTA’s other films, however, “Boogie Nights” also tells a coherent story that skillfully weaves together the lives of his characters and holds the audience’s attention through the end.

I recently re-watched the film for the umpteenth time and came away with several impressions:

Comeback Role for Burt Reynolds

The casting decisions here are flawless, and it all starts with Burt Reynolds as Jack Horner, the porn director who wants to be taken seriously as a filmmaker. Jack lives in a large, mid-century modern house with a large pool and bar in the back. It’s perfect for parties and porn shoots and just big enough for some of his regular actors and actresses to live there. Burt was 61 when he shot this film, sporting a salt & pepper hair piece and beard. He’s older and looks distinguished but still has sex appeal and loads of charisma. Jack serves as a sort of father-figure to the younger actors and actresses and Burt’s understated and nuanced portrayal of Jack is critical to this film. With that context, it was quite shocking to learn that Burt hated working with PTM and disliked the film.

The plot follows the rise and fall of a young, well-endowed kid who dreams of being a star. Mark Wahlberg does a fine job playing Eddie. He’s a sweet and friendly kid working as a dishwasher in a club in the Valley when Jack discovers him. He then takes on the stage name of Dirk Diggler, joining the band of misfits starring in Jack’s films.

Actors, Actresses, Directors, Movies

90s movies Alfred Molina Boogie Nights Burt Reynolds Don Cheadle Heather Graham John C. Reilly Julianne Moore Matt Wahlberg Melora Walters Nicole Ari Parker Paul Thomas Anderson Philip Baker Hall Philip Seymour Hoffman porn industry Robert Ridgley staff pick Thomas Jane

Screenshot George Clooney and Tom Wilkinson in Michael Clayton 2007

Staff Pick: “Michael Clayton” (2007)

August 6, 2022 / John Fever

“Michael Clayton” is a slow burn, with an ending that delivers quite a punch. It’s the type of film that many love but doesn’t fit neatly into the modern economics of Hollywood. Studios rarely make dramas like this for broad theatrical release anymore.

George Clooney plays Michael Clayton, a middle-aged lawyer who works for a large law firm as its fixer. He cleans up messes for clients who get into trouble – stuff like accidents, domestic issues, etc. He’s also having his own problems as he tries to dig out of debt from a restaurant venture gone bad due to his alcoholic brother.

Clayton gets pulled into a crisis when the firm’s top litigator Arthur (Tom Wilkinson), threatens to blow up the firm’s largest case by exposing how the client chemical company (fictional U-North) knew its product was killing people. Arthur is a brilliant but troubled lawyer with mental health issues, He strips naked during a deposition while declaring his love for the lead plaintiff, a young, pretty woman from a farm in the Midwest.

The cast in this legal thriller is excellent. Clooney delivers one of his best performances as Michael, playing it straight and leaving aside the playful attitude we see in so many of his popular performances. He’s right out of central casting as the middle aged, big firm lawyer who is doing his best to remain calm as he deals with Arthur and his own issues.

Wilkinson, on the other hand, is brilliant as the manic Arthur who feels liberated by his decision to finally come clean about his client’s misconduct after grinding on the class-action lawsuit for years. He gives us some of the most memorable scenes of the film.

Actors, Actresses, Movie Dramas, Movies

crime thrillers George Clooney Michael Clayton Michael O'Keefe staff pick Sydney Pollack Tilda Swinton Tom Wilkinson Tony Gilroy