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Thursday, January 26, 2017

Latest Movie News

Latest Movie News

Today in Movie Culture: A Perfect Companion to 'La La Land,' Retro 'Power Rangers' Trailer and More

Posted: 25 Jan 2017 11:00 PM PST

Here are a bunch of little bites to satisfy your hunger for movie culture:   Movie Comparison of the Day: For Fandor Keyframe, Dominick Nero suggests La La Land and Martin Scorsese's New York, New York are companion films:   Redone Trailer of the Day: The new Power Rangers trailer has been re-edited to fit the format and theme song of the old Mighty Morphin Power Rangers TV show (via /Film):    Prank of the Day: See electronics store shoppers freak out when Samara from The Ring climbs out of one of the televisions on display (via Fashionably Geek):   Reenacted Movie Scene of the Day: The person who redid scenes from Psycho and Titanic with cats is back...
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Marvel Bites: James Gunn Teases 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' Score; Bryan Singer Directing More 'X-Men'

Posted: 25 Jan 2017 10:00 PM PST

Today's roundup of Marvel entertainment brings out some big guns. Er, Gunns. Both James Gunn and Sean Gunn have some goodies for us. That and the latest on the X-Men universe small screen efforts below.    Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 Score  The Guardians of the Galaxy sequel is out in a few months, and you probably have to wait until then to hear the full score. But James Gunn and composer Tyler Bates shared the below video showing some of the music being recorded at Abbey Road Studios in London.   Rocket Raccoon in Avengers: Infinity War? James's brother Sean took to a different social media platform for his gifts. The first being a tease of a new Avengers: Infinity War logo displayed on his hat. The...
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The Best of Sundance 2017: 'An Inconvenient Sequel,' 'The Big Sick,' 'Wind River' and More

Posted: 25 Jan 2017 09:00 PM PST

There were a ton of worthwhile films that screened at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival, but which ones were our favorites? Over the next few days we'll tell you all about them, including when you'll be able to watch them either at your local theater or at home. An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power When you can see it: July 28, 2017 Watch our review: A bit more: Considering the constraints the current administration is putting on the climate crisis in terms of the distribution of information, films like this are incredibly essential for the conversation to continue moving forward. As dark and dismal as certain aspects of the Inconvenient Truth sequel are, there is a tremendous amount of hope coursing through its cinematic veins. Hope that what appeared to be an...
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RIP: Mary Tyler Moore Passes Away at 80

Posted: 25 Jan 2017 06:22 PM PST

Legendary actress Mary Tyler Moore has passed away at the age of 80, according to reports. "A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile," her publicist Mara Buxbaum said.  Moore was fearless and inspirational, and perhaps none more so than when she launched The Mary Tyler Moore Show in the early 1970s, with its progressive ideas of an independent woman taking charge of her own life and career from within a Minneapolis newsroom. That show, of course, was proceeded by Moore's time on The Dick Van Dyke Show, where most of America first fell in love with the spunky, take-charge actress. Moore, who was diagnosed...
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Michael Bay to Produce Dystopian Action Movie About China Taking Over America

Posted: 25 Jan 2017 06:00 PM PST

Michael Bay is not optimistic about the state of the world. At least it certainly seems that way based on the movies he's been making. 13 Hours was an angry blast against bureaucratic inaction. The Purge takes place in a nightmarish vision of a bloodthirsty, dystopian America. Even Optimus Prime, whose got optimism right in his name, becomes a bad guy in the next Transformers movie! But all of those movies are just setting the stage for what may be Bay's most zeitgest-prodding movie yet. It's called Little America and is set in a future where an unnamed U.S. President has bankrupted the nation, which leads to China calling in its debts and taking ownership of this dystopian America. That's just the scenario, though. The actual plot is basically a riff on John...
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Shane Black Will Keep His Kids-In-Action-Movies Streak Going With Jacob Tremblay 'The Predator'

Posted: 25 Jan 2017 04:30 PM PST

Fact: Nobody knows how to use child actors in action movies better than Shane Black. The Monster Squad writer has been doing it pretty much his whole career, but he's been on a particularly amazing streak these last few years. He's the one who paired Iron Man up with a mini Tony Stark (Ty Simpkins) in Iron Man 3. Some of the absolute best bits of The Nice Guys come from the hilarious and surprisingly endearing father-daughter relationship between Ryan Gosling and Angourie Rice. And now he's going to keep this trend going with The Predator. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Black has cast Jacob Tremblay, whose performance blew audiences away in Room, as the son of lead actor Boyd Holbrook in his highly anticipated reboot of the beloved sci-fi franchise. Not only...
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Sundance 2017: 'Patti Cake$,' 'Call Me By Your Name,' 'Get Out,' 'XX' and More

Posted: 25 Jan 2017 03:00 PM PST

The Sundance Film Festival continued without letup, despite a brutal snowstorm that blanketed Park City, Utah in winter weather. Many attendees started to pack up on Tuesday, but the intrepid journalists who remained have continued to watch movies and share their impressions. Here are some of the movies we've been hearing the most about for the past couple of days.   Patti Cake$: No big names? Not much budget? No problem! Geremy Jasper's film follows a young woman (Danielle McDonald) who dreams of hip hop stardom from behind the bar at a dingy dive in New Jersey. Reportedly, audiences have been delighted. WATCH: The hottest movie at #Sundance today was the New Jersey-set hip hop joint, PATTI CAKE$. Here are my thoughts. pic.twitter.com/7JaHbq9ZeU &mdash...
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Movie News: 'Doctor Strange' Director Rules Out Nothing for Sequel; James Wan Shares 'Aquaman' Cast Photo

Posted: 25 Jan 2017 01:30 PM PST

Doctor Strange 2: Scott Derrickson (above left), who cowrote and directed Doctor Strange to great success, including an Academy Award nomination, says: “I wouldn’t necessarily rule anything out" for the movie's sequel. "The alternate dimensions and possibilities of the multiverse that we set up with the first film already give limitless possibilities. What I will say is that the goal would not be to underutilize that, or to create something that was less innovative than the first Doctor Strange." [Coming Soon]   After school detention with the new Breakfast Club. With @PrideofGypsies @patrickwilson73 and Amber. #tableread pic.twitter.com/fzvKBLarNK — James Wan (@creepypuppet) January 25, 2017 Aquaman: Director James Wan shared a...
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'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Buzz: Mark Hamill and Director Rian Johnson React

Posted: 25 Jan 2017 12:00 PM PST

The eighth installment in the Star Wars saga now has an official title -- Star Wars: The Last Jedi -- and we've had a day to consider the implications of that title. While the title came as a surprise to almost everybody, two people had a little advance knowledge and have shared their feelings.. Mark Hamill, who will reprise his role as Luke Skywalker, says he was told the title while the movie was being made. In the Associated Press video below (via ScreenCrush), he gives his charming reaction.   The actor notes: "It's got a real samurai -- you know, it's straightforward and minimalist and I like that." George Lucas acknowledged the influence of Japanese master filmmaker Akira Kurosawa in this video.   While we're at it...
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Wednesday, January 25, 2017

Latest Movie News From Moviefone

Latest Movie News From Moviefone

Mandy Moore Teases Possible 'A Walk to Remember' Reunion

Posted:

2017 Annual Artios Awards - ArrivalsNow that "A Walk to Remember" is celebrating its 15th anniversary, fans may be getting a gift.

For those clamoring for a reunion, star Mandy Moore has good news: One is in the works. She dropped the intriguing tidbit during a Twitter Ask Me Anything on Wednesday when a user asked her about the possibility. She didn't say who would be involved, but her leading man, Shane West, seems like a safe bet.

It's hard to say what exactly a reunion would entail. A sequel of any kind seems all but impossible given that -- spoiler alert! -- Moore's character, Jamie, died at the end of the movie. On top of that, she and West are each busy starring in different TV series. Still, we can't blame them for wanting to figure out something given that they both loved working on the film.

West recently referred to the experience as "phenomenal" during an Entertainment Weekly interview, and Moore had glowing memories to share as well.

"It was the first time I'd ever had that kind of camp-like experience where you come home and cry when it's over and you're determined to keep in touch with everyone," she told EW. "It just gives me an all-encompassing warm feeling inside."

We'll see what they come up with and just hope it doesn't require tissues to wipe away our tears like the film did.

[via: Twitter; EW]

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'Friday Night Lights': Connie Britton, Kyle Chandler Insisted Their Characters Not Cheat

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Connie Britton and Kyle Chandler took their "Friday Night Lights" characters' marriage vows very seriously.

Though fictional, Tami and Eric Taylor had a marriage that many fans still consider the gold standard of relationship goals. And that wasn't an accident. Britton explained what made their partnership so special during an episode of Entertainment Weekly's Binge podcast, and part of it was her and Chandler's refusal to let either of their characters cheat.

"We were like, 'We're never letting the writers have us have an affair. If they try to do it, we're not going to do it,'" she said. "And we told them so."

That was just one of the things she said they felt "very strongly" about when they sat down to discuss their vision early on.

"What we thought would be really interesting and what we thought this would be the perfect format for on the show was to actually show what most couples go through which is just trying to be partners to each other and get through the day," she said. "They need each other and they also really love each other."

It's pretty simple when you think about it, and they nailed it. Coach and Principal Taylor forever.

[via: EW]

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'Game of Thrones': Maisie Williams Admits She's 'Scared' for the End

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74th Annual Golden Globe Awards - ArrivalsAs hard as it is for fans to face the fact that "Game of Thrones" is ending, it's even more so for Maisie Williams.

With characters always being killed off left and right on the show, only some will make it till the end and others' ends will come much sooner. Whatever happens for Williams' character, Arya Stark, the actress feels torn about inevitably saying goodbye. During a visit to the British daytime show "This Morning" to promote her new film, "iBoy," she admitted as much, saying that it's "really strange."

After being cast as Arya at age 12, Williams has spent most of her career working on the HBO hit series. Leaving it behind will be a big adjustment, even if it does open her up other opportunities.

"It's exciting thinking, 'Oh, I can do whatever I want with my career and I don't have any ties,'" she said during the interview. "But it's also really scary because that's been my safety blanket."

Unfortunately for spoiler-loving fans, she wouldn't give any hints about when Arya's last day may come, but she did offer a few teases.

"Everyone gets their trials and everyone gets their tribulations," she said. "Particularly for Arya, there's some really high points, there's some really low points, too."

We'll find out what that means when "Game of Thrones" Season 7 premiers this summer.

[via: This Morning; h/t: Time]

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'A Walk to Remember' Stars Mandy Moore, Shane West Revisit Film for 15th Anniversary

Posted:

It has officially been 15 years since "A Walk to Remember" hit theaters, making it the perfect time for stars Mandy Moore and Shane West to take a walk down memory lane.

The two actors opened up to Entertainment Weekly about making the 2002 hit teen romance, and what they had to say was as sweet as the film itself. Moore revealed that a part of her "fell in love" with her co-star, and they also explained why they made such a great on-screen pair.

"Shane was so cool. Everything about him -- the way he dressed, the little cigarettes that he smoked, and the music he listened to," Moore told EW. "He was the character to me and there was definitely a part of me that absolutely fell in love with him."

West also saw how different they were and explained how fitting that was considering their characters' unlikely relationship.

"It was kind of perfect the way we came into the project because she was coming from this pop background at that time -- she had her song 'Candy,' and a role in the 'Princess Diaries' -- and for me I was into punk rock and so it was like completely opposites attract, or opposites are forced together to work," he said.

It's no wonder they managed to make so many people cry -- an impressive feat considering Moore was starring in her first major role and very nervous, as both she and West noted. They're both seasoned pros now, though. Moore currently stars in NBC's new hit drama "This Is Us," and West is a regular in the supernatural series "Salem."

Does anyone else feel super old now?

[via: EW]

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Just Press Play on First Teaser for Netflix's YA Mystery '13 Reasons Why'

Posted:

This is the story of Hannah's life. Or more specifically, why it ended.

The first teaser for Netflix's upcoming YA mystery series "13 Reasons Why" is here, debuted by pop star Selena Gomez on her Instagram (Gomez is a producer). The video also announces the premiere date, which is March 31.

The show is based on a bestselling YA novel, of course, like seemingly all Hollywood projects. High school teen Clay (Dylan Minnette) receives a box of recordings from his classmate Hannah (Katherine Langford), who committed suicide two weeks prior. The recordings name 13 people who helped drive Hannah to kill herself.

A peek at a passion project I've been working on with @Netflix. @13ReasonsWhy arrives 3/31.

A video posted by Selena Gomez (@selenagomez) on

The teaser is certainly haunting, as we see glimpses of those people -- some looking regretful, others defiant. "Spotlight" director Tom McCarthy directed all 13 episodes, and the cast boasts Kate Walsh, Derek Luke, and Brian d'Arcy James.

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Hollywood Remembers Mary Tyler Moore: 'She Turned the World on With Her Smile'

Posted:

Mary Tyler MooreMary Tyler Moore's smile will live on in the hearts of her family, fans, and fellow actors.

The TV legend passed away today at the age of 80, and tributes began pouring in immediately on social media as actors and celebrities remembered the trailblazing Moore. Her "Mary Tyler Moore Show" co-star Ed Asner tweeted:

"Star Trek" actor George Takei mentioned Moore's famous, luminous smile:

Leslie Moonves, CBS Corp. chairman and CEO, honored the star of two of the network's most revered classic sitcoms, "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and her eponymous comedy. In a statement, he said, "Mary Tyler Moore was a once-in-a-generation talent. She will be long remembered as a gifted actress, television pioneer and a role model to so many. CBS has lost one of the very best to ever grace our airwaves and our industry has lost a true legend and friend."

Other celebrities tweeted their sorrow at Moore's death, many mentioning how she pioneered roles for women on television:

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How Christina Ricci's 'Really Specific Vision' Brought Zelda Fitzgerald to Life

Posted:

Christina Ricci in Z THE BEGINNING OF EVERYTHINGIt's a role Christina Ricci thought suited her to a Z.

For nearly a century, Zelda Fitzgerald has been a subject of enduring fascination, as the ultimate muse of the Jazz Age, a woman whose high living and high spirits fueled the much revered writings of her novelist husband F. Scott Fitzgerald and who danced with spilling champagne flutes upon café society tabletops at home and abroad as the living incarnation of the American flapper.

Though she would not live to see 50, Zelda Fitzgerald's life, gin-soaked antics, and turbulent marriage would gradually be elevated to legendary status, symbolic of both spirited excess and proto-feminist defiance, until she emerged as a bona fide 20th century icon.

Now Ricci, who, as a popular actress since her childhood years, is no stranger to living life in the public eye -- though not with nearly Zelda's level of wild abandon -- teams with Amazon Studios for "Z: The Beginning of Everything." Premiering in full on January 27th, the ten-episode series, with Ricci serving as both executive producer and leading lady, offers a look at the prototypical jazz baby with fresh eyes, simultaneously bringing her down to earth while shedding light on just how much of a societal status quo-shattering force she ultimately was, as Ricci reveals in conversation with Moviefone.

Moviefone: When did Zelda Fitzgerald hit your radar for the first time?

Christina Ricci: I don't know when I first heard of Zelda. But the book that the show's based on, "Z: A Zelda Fitzgerald Novel," by Therese Fowler, is a book that I discovered; I think it was on a bestseller list or something in a magazine, or must-have summer reading or something. So I read it, and I absolutely just loved it. I loved how intimate Therese made the story. I love how accessible and sort of modern Zelda's voice was. I just thought it was something really worth telling, a story worth telling.

She's been a figure of fascination for generations, of both women and men. What do you think is the secret of her ongoing allure and the appeal of her story?

I think she really was a person out of time. It's like she was out of place in the time period she was. It's almost like a mistake happened in the universe, and she was born, like, 60 years too early or something, or 70 years too early, or 80 years too early. Because, I think, that it's taken that many generations for us finally to evolve, and women who understand her behavior, women who are like her.

I think that the fascination, and why it's now all kind of coming to a head with her, is that she's finally relatable. I think before, her behavior was just too bizarre, because the rest of us hadn't gotten there yet.

On the most personal level, what was that thing about Zelda that really resonated with you, that you felt you got, or that you related to particularly?

I think the thing that I always love about, one through-line I think, when you read about really fantastic women in history, strong women, women who struggled, is there seemed to be this strength in, realizing a situation they were in, but making the best of it. That's a real survivor. Somebody who was able to turn their situation into something palatable or even enjoyable. What I loved about Zelda is that she made the best out of her situation. She was always herself and just couldn't help it.

Her love story with F. Scott Fitzgerald has become legend. What was, to you, the challenge or the joy of making that story real and making it relatable for the modern audience?

That wasn't such a conscious thing. You put two actors in parts, and you write scenes for them and they're in love, and you hope it works. David [Hoflin] was cast very late. We didn't rehearse at all. I think we just really lucked out. David and I get along really well. We worked really well together. Both of us are child actors, and I think it's that kind of comfort on screen and on set that allows us then the space to really work on the chemistry.

We see her early struggle rebelling against the world in which she's raised. We all do that to a degree as we come up. You came up in Hollywood, which is probably an interesting world to rebel against. Did you find yourself at any point in your life wanting to move in different directions than the world you lived in was telling you to move in?

You mean do something other than be an actress?

Or just maybe even be an actress in a different way than the system was trying to tell you to be an actress, or the kinds of roles they were telling you to play.

Yeah. I've never been very good at doing things that don't occur to me naturally. I think I'm very much like Zelda, in that I have a hard time not being myself. So yeah, I've definitely felt at a certain point that I was supposed to become something different, but I tried really hard, and I couldn't. I think it's almost, in trying really hard that I did my career a lot of damage. Because you should always be the thing that makes you special, the thing that no one else can do, but you can do.

What was the creative reward of shepherding this project as a producer? Was there a particular territory that you gave extra attention in that role?

I love filmmaking. I love movies. I've been on sets my entire life. I'm obsessed with the process. I'm obsessed with the nuance of story, with performance, every aspect of it. So for me, it was just ... I wanted to see this told, and I wanted to see it told the right way. Quote-unquote, the right way, according to me.

You are a producer!

I have a very strong opinion, generally, about everything. I had really specific vision for this.

Do you feel there's a very specific takeaway for a generation that's going to discover Zelda Fitzgerald for the first time through this series? Do you think that there's a really apt metaphor for today's times to draw from her?

It's a person and a life, so I think there are many lessons to be learned from this, as many as she learned in her lifetime. I think it's a story worth telling now, because I think it's important that we, as women, don't forget what the world was like for us in the past. I think it's important that we realize we have something to protect, and more to fight for. I think it's a great story. It's a great story to really show how far we've come. Because her life wouldn't have been tragic if she was alive today. She would have had recourse.

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Mary Tyler Moore, Television Icon, Dead at Age 80

Posted:

USA: Onstage at Broadway Barks 14Mary Tyler Moore, the pioneering television icon, died today at the age of 80.

Earlier, TMZ reported that the actress was in grave condition at a Connecticut hospital after being on a respirator for over a week, and family members were arriving to say goodbye.

In a statement, her rep said, "Today, beloved icon, Mary Tyler Moore, passed away at the age of 80 in the company of friends and her loving husband of over 33 years, Dr. S. Robert Levine. A groundbreaking actress, producer, and passionate advocate for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Mary will be remembered as a fearless visionary who turned the world on with her smile."

Moore has battled Type I diabetes since the age of 33, a diagnosis which led her to be an advocate for diabetes and stem cell research. She also underwent surgery for a benign brain tumor in 2011.

The actress was a television legend, first on "The Dick Van Dyke Show" and then her eponymous sitcom. She also performed on stage and in movies, earning an Academy Award nomination for "Ordinary People."

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Sean Astin's Role in 'Stranger Things' Season 2 Revealed

Posted:

North Hollywood Cinefest - Opening NightRomance is coming to "Stranger Things" Season 2 -- just maybe not the way fans hoped.

Shippers were cheering for single mom Joyce (Winona Ryder) and police chief Hopper (David Harbour) to get together last season on the hit Netflix drama. Unfortunately, it seems someone is going to step in the middle of that: Sean Astin.

The "Goonies" actor joined Season 2 as a high school classmate of Hopper and Joyce, Bob Newby, described as a "kindhearted former nerd" who works at Radio Shack. And on the Fan2Sea Comic Con Cruise, Harbor revealed, "He's Winona's new boyfriend -- much to the chagrin to the Chief of Police."

Harbour also teased that the supernatural show picks up a year later, and that the "Justice for Barb" movement isn't dead (though she is). "He question and the feelings that Nancy has that no one ever cares about her friend Barb, are very much present in the beginning of the season."

"Stranger Things" Season 2 premieres sometime later this year on Netflix.

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Oscars 2017: Best Picture Nominees Get Hilarious 'Honest Titles' Posters

Posted:

Sometimes the truth hurts, but in this case it is laugh-out-loud perfect. Yesterday, nine films were officially honored with 2017 Academy Award nominations for Best Picture, and College Humor just tweaked their titles to be a bit more straightforward. The site also shared posters for each new-and-improved Best Picture contender, adding one bonus poster for a Best Animated Feature nominee.

Here are the Best Picture nominees:

"Arrival"
"Fences"
"Hacksaw Ridge"
"Hell or High Water"
"Hidden Figures"
"La La Land"
"Lion"
"Manchester by the Sea"
"Moonlight"

And here are their new titles and posters:

Some of those are almost too dead-on. Head to College Humor for their bonus poster for "Zootopia."

This is not the first time they have done this. Check out honest titles and posters for the 2016 nominees (the one for Leo and "The Revenant" is classic), and also the 2015 nominees.

Here is the full list of 2017 nominations. The Oscars ceremony airs live Sunday, Feb. 26 on ABC, with first-time host Jimmy Kimmel probably joking about the above titles as well.

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Constance Wu: Casey Affleck's Oscar Win Will Be 'a Nod to Trump'

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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Hosts an Official Academy Screening of MANCHESTER BY THE SEAConstance Wu, best known for her role as mom Jessica Huang on ABC's "Fresh Off the Boat," is upset about Casey Affleck's Best Actor Oscar nomination for "Manchester by the Sea."

She doesn't appear to have an issue with the film itself, she's frustrated because Affleck had been the focus of sexual harassment allegations, but whatever he did or did not do was never brought up for serious discussion, and it never got in the way of his awards campaign. (In 2010, Affleck settled sexual harassment lawsuits filed by two women -- a producer and cinematographer -- from the set of his Joaquin Phoenix mockumentary "I'm Still Here.")

To Wu -- and others who have brought up the allegations -- Affleck got a free pass, and he'll probably ride that free pass to the podium.

The 22nd Annual Critics' Choice Awards - ArrivalsThe 2017 Oscar nominations were released Jan. 24, and right afterward Wu tweeted her strong reactions. She's not taking the posts down either, even after admitting she was told it would be better for her career not to go there.


A lot more people know Casey Affleck than Constance Wu, and that stardom has power. But she is not the only one to wonder why some people aren't even questioned about their pasts, while others are ostracized for alleged behavior. (Nate Parker's 1999 rape scandal -- he was found not guilty, but it's complicated -- and its affect on his 2016 film "Birth of a Nation" have been referenced a lot in comparison. But, heck, Katherine Heigl stopped getting work just for daring to criticize "Knocked Up," and she still can't get through interviews without being asked about allegations that she's "difficult.")

This is Affleck's second nomination, after his Best Supporting Actor nod for 2007's "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford." Asked by Entertainment Weekly to compare the two experiences, he said, "I just didn't know jack back then — I wasn't smart enough to appreciate what it really means to have all these people who you've seen forever and admired as actors and artists to acknowledge you. I wasn't able to take that in and appreciate what was good about that moment. This just feels a bit calmer and better and deeper and nicer."

The Oscars will be awarded Sunday, Feb. 26 on ABC.

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Dan Aykroyd Honors Former Fiancée Carrie Fisher: 'I Hope She Kept My Ring'

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Saturday Night LiveCarrie Fisher was beloved by many, but she was only married once -- to musician Paul Simon. They dated off and on from 1977 to 1983, then were married from 1983-1984, and dated again after the divorce. Before her marriage, though, Fisher was briefly engaged to Dan Aykroyd.

Aykroyd and Fisher met at "Saturday Night Live" (which she hosted in 1978), then worked together on the 1980 comedy classic "The Blues Brothers."

Fisher died in late December 2016 at age 60, and Empire magazine is honoring her with a 24-page farewell in its March issue, including tributes from people who knew her well, including Dan Aykroyd.

Here's an excerpt from his beautiful tribute to "one of the most brilliant and hilarious minds of our eon":

"I grew up as a simple Catholic kid from a government family in Hull, Quebec, so you can imagine how much of a privilege and honour it was for me to have known this one-off, broke-the-mould woman as a great friend. When we were both in our twenties, Carrie and I associated as intimates, occasionally co-habiting in her New York apartment, Hollywood Cottage and Debbie's [Reynolds] house.

I met Carrie at Saturday Night Live. She and John Belushi became instant pals. I remember how much she made him laugh. Later, while filming Blues Brothers, Carrie and I fell in love and during the shoot she moved in with me into a penthouse suite in the futuristic, aluminium-clad Astro Tower, which I knew to apologise for. Carrie had the most refined eye for art and design.

While in Chicago we obtained blood tests for compatibility from an East Indian female doctor. Contemplating marriage, I gave Carrie a sapphire ring and subsequently in the romance she gave me a Donald Roller Wilson oil painting of a monkey in a blue dress next to a tiny floating pencil, which I kept for years until it began to frighten my children. One of the most brilliant and hilarious minds of our eon, Carrie would say things like: "I love tiny babies. When they cry they turn red and look like screaming tomatoes." OR "This romance is finished the second you let out even a threep. I'll be sick for a year." AND "You have a jawline, hold your chin up otherwise you look like a tuna." From then on I would identify myself on the phone as Tuna Neck.

[...] The romantic relationship ended the weekend of our final evacuation from Chicago by Lear 24 with Judy and John Belushi to our homes in Martha's Vineyard. It was night. Judy and John went home. Carrie and I went home to a house which Judy had purchased for me but unseen by me until the moment of our arrival. It was a fixer-upper, mid-century oil-guzzler, albeit designed by Hideo Sasaki. Carrie said, "It looks like it was abandoned by Fred and Wilma Flintstone." The next morning she asked me to drive her to the airport and she flew to New York. Architectural reservations notwithstanding, Carrie wasn't shallow, we had a great time. She was also in love with Paul Simon. She married him but I hope she kept my ring."

Read the full tribute. We hope she kept the sapphire ring, too, but what happened to that oil painting of the monkey in the blue dress?

Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, died within one day of each other -- the "Star Wars" icon on Dec. 27, then the "Singin' in the Rain" legend on Dec. 28 at age 84, after suffering a stroke.

[via: Empire]

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'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Director Shares Photo in Editing Room

Posted:

Tease you, he will.

"Star Wars: The Last Jedi," the artist formerly known as Episode VIII, is currently in post-production for its December 15, 2017 release. Director Rian Johnson celebrated the announcement of the film's official title by sharing a behind-the-scenes photo in the editing bay.

Scour this image for any clues you can glean:

Felt so good to drop this into the cut this morning.

A photo posted by Rian Johnson (@riancjohnson) on

It's not exactly flashy, but this photo -- and a hallway shot Johnson shared last week -- illustrate how so much of the sausage is made in regular office space. Plus, we get a sneak peek of the opening crawl and a reminder that R2-D2 is still at the center of the story.

Episode VIII's title was just revealed on Monday, Jan. 23, and Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) shared his approval. "The Last Jedi" arrives in theaters on December 15. The still untitled Episode IX, directed by "Jurassic World" helmer Colin Trevorrow, is scheduled for 2019.

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Netflix Picked Up Some Great Titles at Sundance 2017, Including 'To the Bone'

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Keanu Reeves and Lily Collins appear in To the Bone by Marti Noxon, an official selection of the U.S. Dramatic Competition at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | photo by Gilles Mingasson.If you want a sneak peek of what you'll be binging in the next year, check out the lengthy list of titles Netflix just picked up at the 2017 Sundance Film Festival.

The festival is not over, so more will probably be added to the lineup, but the streaming service has been wearing its wallet on the outside, buying eight titles so far, Variety reports -- five documentaries and three features.

The most recent feature, as of Jan. 24, is "To the Bone," starring Lily Collins as a 20-year-old anorexic woman who tries to get the medical help she needs, with Keanu Reeves as her doctor; the supporting cast includes Carrie Preston, Lili Taylor, and Alex Sharp. The deal was estimated at $8 million, allowing the streaming site to show the movie around the world.

Netflix also picked up the opening night comedy-thriller "I Don't Feel At Home in This World Anymore," starring Melanie Lynskey as a disillusioned nursing assistant, and co-starring Elijah Wood. Netflix also landed "The Incredible Jessica James," with "The Daily Show" star Jessica Williams playing an aspiring playwright in New York City who struggles to get over a breakup. According to Deadline, the movie will be branded as a Netflix original film and launch globally this year to Netflix viewers in 190 countries.

In terms of documentaries, the streaming site won an intense bidding war for "Icarus," Variety reports, a documentary examining the Russian doping scandal. The $5 million deal was said to be the biggest ever for a nonfiction film. Netflix plans to give "Icarus" an awards push and release it simultaneously on its streaming service. Netflix also won a bidding war for "Nobody Speak: Hulk Hogan, Gawker and Trials of a Free Press." The title tells you what that one is about, and it will surely be a big talking point when bingers get their hands on it. Netflix also picked up the environmental doc "Chasing Coral," among others.

Sundance continues until January 29, so you never know what might be next. But you can probably count on Netflix and chilling with a few of those titles in the coming months.

[via Variety, Deadline]

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21 Times Shonda Rhimes Ruined Our Lives

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Shonda Rhimes is the primary reason you'll find us curled up in the fetal position, sobbing uncontrollably in front of our TVs on select Thursday nights. Yet, we keep coming back for more "Grey's Anatomy," "Scandal," and "How to Get Away With Murder." MAY THEY NEVER END.

To celebrate the return of TGIT, we're counting down all the times Shonda Rimes has made us consider therapy.

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Aaron Paul Wants His 'Better Call Saul' Cameo as Much as You Do

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Aaron Paul THE PATH Season 2Aaron Paul wants you to get sucked into "The Path." In a good, non-cult-y way, of course.

Launching its second season on January 27th, the Hulu drama is set in the world of the fictionalized religion known as Meyerism, where, after a season of coming to grips with a faith-breaking spiritual awakening, Paul's character Eddie Lane finally found the fortitude to break away from the movement, even as he had to walk away from his still zealous wife (Michelle Monaghan) and kids.

Now, Eddie's finding his way in an unpredictable landscape outside of Meyerism while still trying to stay tethered to the family he left behind. It's a scenario not unfamiliar to Paul, who reveals to Moviefone that, not only does he have real-world friends who've confided their own similar struggles to him, he also understands what it meant to leave the praised and adored phenomenon "Breaking Bad" to enter an uncertain future -- but one he now seems to have well in hand.

Moviefone: The subject matter here is so interesting and unique -- as you got into Season 2, what were the fascinating things you were learning, not just about where the show was going, but where the creative team was drawing real inspiration from?

Aaron Paul: They were pulling from a lot of different areas around this world, around these different movements, and religions, cults. What I really loved about it, obviously, I have to point out what my character's journey is going through: I just love that he is stepping foot outside of the reality he called home for so many years, so he's back to where he started.

He knows what life is like on the outside, unlike Sarah. She was born into the movement, so this is all she knows. So maybe that's why he has this sort of aha awakening moment saying, you know what, everything we're preaching is bullsh*t. It's all lies.

So we all saw his journey from Season 1, just living a life of lies. Does he open up about what he's feeling, knowing that he will lose his family? Or does he just keep everything buried and just sort of go on with those movements? I just love that he's outside of the pearly gates that he called home, and just trying to come to terms with his new reality.

What's been interesting for you in playing that crisis of faith, now that he's out? Because that's got to be both freeing and terrifying for him.

It is freeing and terrifying. I feel like the new kid in school every time I come to work. The Meyerism, Meyerists are there at work on stage. I'm so detached. It feels a little off, which is great for me as an actor. It's nice to put myself, truly, in those shoes. For me, it's been so fun just to live on the outside. Getting back to his old reality. Running into old friends, new flings. It's an interesting world.

Since viewers have gotten a chance to watch this show, have people come up to you and almost felt compelled to tell you their experiences with cults or similar sorts of organizations?

Yeah, it's actually been quite amazing and beautiful -- and heartwarming, in a way. I've had endless amounts of people, especially in Los Angeles, come up to me, because they feel so connected to my character's journey, so they feel like they want to just talk to someone about it. Maybe a stranger that they feel connected to about it.

Endless amounts of strangers opening up to me about their journeys of certain movements/cults, and just saying, "Thank you. I know what your character is going through. I stood up and said to my family that I just don't believe in what we're selling. Hear me out here. This is why I don't believe it." And they see their family members just shut down and just turn their backs. Not even slowly, just quickly just shun them.

A lot of these people come up to me, they thought, "Well, my family wouldn't turn their back on me. They love me." But no. That's so, so scary that these movements have such a tight grip on families. That's one of the reasons why I'm so proud to be a part of a show like this that's not afraid to tell this sort of story.

I'm sure, probably unintended, but there's almost now a sociopolitical allegory to it, too. You see these same kinds of estrangement over political allegiances today in our country.

It's a crazy time we're living in. We're so split. No matter what side you're on, you're pointing fingers at the other side in such a passionate way. There's no sort of talking through it. Trying to understand the other side's point of view is, obviously ... Each side wants change, but it's just an interesting time.

After your experience on "Breaking Bad," what did that do to you as far as your thoughts on the kinds of things you wanted to do next, having that on your resume, after all the accolades that the show got and the love it got from the audience? Did that affect the way you saw your career going forward?

I think, at the beginning of my career, we all aspire to do good work, good material. We want to be a part of a good story. We want to tell that story. But, at the beginning of my career, I just wanted to work in general. You just want to act, build your resume, get better jobs, build your career. But with "Breaking Bad," we were so blessed to be a part of such a special show for so many years. It really just kicked open doors for everyone involved.

So I think you just approach your career after "Breaking Bad" in a more delicate way. It's hard because you're a part of something so incredibly special, and the world knows it's special. They're going to be looking at you, OK, what's your next move? So I just wanted to be a part of interesting stories. I've always wanted to be a part of that.

So you've just got to kind of stick to your guns in that way. Stay away from any sort of cash grab you can. If you want longevity in this business, you've got to just listen to your gut. Don't spend your money. Be smart. And know, with acting, you're unemployed the moment they say cut and say, "That's a wrap." You may have some things lined up. You've just got to be smart.

It seems inevitable that you're going to get a call from Vince Gilligan and Peter Gould at some point to do something with "Better Call Saul." Are you looking forward to hearing what they come up with when they call you?

Oh, absolutely. It's a dream come true, and it hasn't even happened yet. Maybe it won't even happen, I don't know. But I'm such a big fan of that show, of course, for obvious reasons. It's just brilliant. I watch the show, and especially in this last season, seeing all of these great cameos pop up, throwbacks from the pilot, like Krazy-8, Max Arciniega, who's a dear friend of mine. I saw him show up. It's so beautiful getting a deeper look at these backstories. So yeah, of course. It'd be nice to have more layers revealed for this character that I love so deeply.

What haven't you done yet that you're really dying to do?

I look at Eleven from "Stranger Things"; Millie Bobby Brown is just so brilliant, but also another tortured character. I gravitate towards characters with conflict, characters that are going through a lot. She just does it so beautifully. Also, she has special powers. So I think that would be fun. A character with special powers. I would like to fly. Why not?

Been in to talk to Marvel yet?

Exactly! I don't know -- I love it all!

Being a person who's attracted to those kind of conflicted characters, do you have a pretty peaceful life away from work?

I do. I think that's what it is because I have a beautiful family. I'm so blessed to call Lauren my bride. I'm happily married. I don't know. I love going to work and feeling heavy emotions. Feels like I'm doing something. For me, it's just fun to portray a gamut of stories. It doesn't have to be torturous and drag through the heart. It's just more fun.

Do you have a couple projects in your back pocket that you're developing as a producer?

Not for myself -- not for myself to act; definitely for myself in general. We have some great projects in the works. Some things set up at many different places, which we're very excited about. Yeah, it's so fun. All of it's so fun. I really got a big taste of it with "BoJack [Horseman]," and now with "The Path." I get almost as much joy -- not as much, but almost as much joy -- developing and creating stories. For me, it's a little bit more fun really being inside of those stories as a character.

I know in my 20-odd years in Los Angeles, I've seen friends get sucked into, not necessarily always cults, but some bigger system that they've given themselves over to. It's been interesting, sometimes sad, sometimes "wow" to see these things happen. Have you had those experiences with friends of yours since being here?

Not so much. But I do have an experience of two buddies of mine, separate group of friends, who have been a part of a movement their entire life. Separately, they have come up to me, and this is the first time they have ever talked to me about their movement. Never opened up one time. Never mentioned it. I always knew they were within a certain movement.

They just said, "I love your journey you're going through on 'The Path.' I feel that journey." But, they tell me, they refuse to open up to their family, because they know that they will lose their family, and obviously they don't want that to happen.

So they were in Eddie's shoes in Season 1: "I'm just going to decide to just go through the day-to-day motions, fine. Wake up, go to whatever their family's a part of, and just know, deep down, I don't believe in it, but I'd rather not believe in it and still do my day-to-day reality, and still have my family." They know if they say anything, their families just would turn their backs.

So that was so interesting that my show sort of allowed that door to just open up just enough for them to feel they had the courage to just talk to me about such a heavy thing, because that's their life. They trust in me with that. I think it's a beautiful thing. Also, a little sad.

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