Madonna and Sean Penn were one of the biggest celebrity couples of the 1980s, but it didn’t work out for them. Despite their high profile, it seems like the reasons for their divorce are not widely discussed. Interestingly, Madonna wrote a song about a “destructive relationship” that seemed to resonate with Penn.
Madonna and Sean Penn met on the set of a famous music video
According to People, the Queen of Pop met Penn on the set of one of her defining music videos: “Material Girl.” Six months later, the two married on Madonna’s 27th birthday. Penn was 25 at the time.
At first, Madonna said their relationship was great because they shared the same temperament. Like many famous couples, they decided to play a couple onscreen. Together, they starred in the romantic comedy Shanghai Surprise, which became a notorious critical and commercial bomb.
Madonna was close to David Wolinski,...
Madonna and Sean Penn met on the set of a famous music video
According to People, the Queen of Pop met Penn on the set of one of her defining music videos: “Material Girl.” Six months later, the two married on Madonna’s 27th birthday. Penn was 25 at the time.
At first, Madonna said their relationship was great because they shared the same temperament. Like many famous couples, they decided to play a couple onscreen. Together, they starred in the romantic comedy Shanghai Surprise, which became a notorious critical and commercial bomb.
Madonna was close to David Wolinski,...
- 4/19/2024
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Sunday’s season (series?) finale of the HBO drama “The Idol” was the show’s best episode yet — but only a few reputations will survive this summer disaster.
Episode 5 saw characters put on some clothes and get out of pop star Jocelyn’s (Lily-Rose Depp) house for once. Director Sam Levinson (“Euphoria”) showed some of the visual dazzle for which he is famous, with long shots that were practically Kubrickian. Dirtball Svengali Tedros (Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye) received a measure of comeuppance, even as the show continued to affirm his alleged brilliance.
It was the best episode of “The Idol,” meaning it will be the worst episode of television this week. Shapeless, stupid and too performatively erotic and shocking, the five-episode collaboration among Levinson, music superstar Tesfaye and Reza Fahim is one of the worst shows ever made.
Also Read:
‘The Idol’ Finale Slammed by Viewers as ‘Confused,’ ‘Rushed,’ ‘Straight...
Episode 5 saw characters put on some clothes and get out of pop star Jocelyn’s (Lily-Rose Depp) house for once. Director Sam Levinson (“Euphoria”) showed some of the visual dazzle for which he is famous, with long shots that were practically Kubrickian. Dirtball Svengali Tedros (Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye) received a measure of comeuppance, even as the show continued to affirm his alleged brilliance.
It was the best episode of “The Idol,” meaning it will be the worst episode of television this week. Shapeless, stupid and too performatively erotic and shocking, the five-episode collaboration among Levinson, music superstar Tesfaye and Reza Fahim is one of the worst shows ever made.
Also Read:
‘The Idol’ Finale Slammed by Viewers as ‘Confused,’ ‘Rushed,’ ‘Straight...
- 7/3/2023
- by Carla Meyer
- The Wrap
In movies, the word “bomb” has always meant two things, generally at the same time. The first and most important definition of bomb is that a movie has lost a disastrous amount of money. Movies, in general, can’t afford to do that — they’re too expensive to produce. Bombs happen, but as a business model they’re not sustainable. A movie that bombs commercially has never been something to write off as a trivial matter.
The second definition of bomb, which is linked to the first (though not automatically), is that a film is spectacularly bad. It is, of course, not axiomatic that a movie that bombs commercially has failed as a work of art. There are movies we think of as classics that crashed and burned at the box office — like “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Blade Runner” or “Intolerance” or “The Long Goodbye.” It’s become almost...
The second definition of bomb, which is linked to the first (though not automatically), is that a film is spectacularly bad. It is, of course, not axiomatic that a movie that bombs commercially has failed as a work of art. There are movies we think of as classics that crashed and burned at the box office — like “It’s a Wonderful Life” or “Blade Runner” or “Intolerance” or “The Long Goodbye.” It’s become almost...
- 4/22/2023
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety Film + TV
Very few personalities in Hollywood are as controversial as Sean Penn. One of the most gifted actors of his generation, Penn’s also been a lightning rod for controversy, with his often antagonistic relationship with the press and sometimes misguided moves, such as his now infamous interview with drug baron El Chapo. Yet, he’s also a noted humanitarian, participating in rescue efforts in the wake of Hurricane Katrina and being a tireless advocate for Haiti following the 2010 Earthquake. He’s also been an outspoken supporter of Ukrainian president Zelensky.
In this episode of Wtf Happened to this Celebrity, we look at the scope of Sean Penn’s career. We chart his earlier days as perhaps the most talented young actor to emerge in the early eighties, stealing scenes in Taps and later becoming a star thanks to turns in movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, At Close Range,...
In this episode of Wtf Happened to this Celebrity, we look at the scope of Sean Penn’s career. We chart his earlier days as perhaps the most talented young actor to emerge in the early eighties, stealing scenes in Taps and later becoming a star thanks to turns in movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High, At Close Range,...
- 2/17/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
George Harrison said there was something frightening about the music and film industries. Starting in the early 1980s, George was a part of both. He was a famous musician and a film producer at his own HandMade Films.
George Harrison | Sonia Moskowitz/Images/Getty Images George Harrison navigated both the music and film industries
Obviously, George got his start as the guitarist of The Beatles. It was a hectic 10 or so years being a Beatle. The group achieved international success and became one of the most famous rock ‘n’ roll bands in history. However, it all came with a price. Beatlemania took its toll.
When The Beatles split, George released All Things Must Pass as a reaction to leaving the group. He never pursued a solo career and sort of fell into it.
By the late 1970s and early 1980s, George had become disenchanted with the music industry. They wanted...
George Harrison | Sonia Moskowitz/Images/Getty Images George Harrison navigated both the music and film industries
Obviously, George got his start as the guitarist of The Beatles. It was a hectic 10 or so years being a Beatle. The group achieved international success and became one of the most famous rock ‘n’ roll bands in history. However, it all came with a price. Beatlemania took its toll.
When The Beatles split, George released All Things Must Pass as a reaction to leaving the group. He never pursued a solo career and sort of fell into it.
By the late 1970s and early 1980s, George had become disenchanted with the music industry. They wanted...
- 2/6/2023
- by Hannah Wigandt
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Denis O’Brien, best known for producing the comedy Monty Python’s Life of Brian with former Beatle George Harrison, died December 3 in a Swindon, UK hospital. He was 80 and passed away from intra-abdominal sepsis, his daughter said.
O’Brien and Harrison’s Handmade Films had a hit right out of the box with the 1979 comedy Life of Brian, a semi-blasphemous story of a young Jewish-Roman man who is born on the same day and next door to Jesus, and is subsequently mistaken for the Messiah. It was banned in several locations or slapped with an X for its outrageous stunts, including a closing sing-along on the cross.
With Monty Python regulars Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Mochael Palin in the cast, the producers thought the film would at best lose money and be a tax write-off. Instead, it was a smash, leading them to explore other films.
O’Brien and Harrison’s Handmade Films had a hit right out of the box with the 1979 comedy Life of Brian, a semi-blasphemous story of a young Jewish-Roman man who is born on the same day and next door to Jesus, and is subsequently mistaken for the Messiah. It was banned in several locations or slapped with an X for its outrageous stunts, including a closing sing-along on the cross.
With Monty Python regulars Graham Chapman, John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, Terry Jones and Mochael Palin in the cast, the producers thought the film would at best lose money and be a tax write-off. Instead, it was a smash, leading them to explore other films.
- 12/9/2021
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
When Madonna first crossed over from music into movies, a lot of critics — and even some of her fans — wrote off her early efforts. Her film with then-husband Sean Penn, Shanghai Surprise, was D.O.A., and Who’s That Girl resulted in some scathing reviews for the singer. Writing in the Boston Globe, reviewer Jay […]
The post How Madonna Got Into Her Groove As ‘Evita’s’ Eva Peron appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
The post How Madonna Got Into Her Groove As ‘Evita’s’ Eva Peron appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 10/7/2021
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Academy Museum Reveals Launch Programs and Screenings for Fall, from Spike Lee to ‘The Wizard of Oz’
Finally, after years of delays, some caused by the pandemic, some not, the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on La Brea and Wilshire has revealed its launch schedule of live screenings and public programs to begin on opening day, September 30. The first three months brings over 115 film programs, panels, and events, beginning with two screenings of MGM musical “The Wizard of Oz” (1939) with live musical accompaniment by the American Youth Symphony conducted by Oscar perennial David Newman.
Among the continuing virtual programs leading up to the museum’s opening are a conversation with Oscar-winner Spike Lee and writer-director-producer Shaka King, and a 20th anniversary screening of “Y tu mamá también”. Clearly, the Academy Museum is launching at a time when inclusion and diversity are front and center for curators and programmers. “As with all of our exhibitions and initiatives,” stated Bill Kramer, Director and President of the Academy Museum, “we...
Among the continuing virtual programs leading up to the museum’s opening are a conversation with Oscar-winner Spike Lee and writer-director-producer Shaka King, and a 20th anniversary screening of “Y tu mamá también”. Clearly, the Academy Museum is launching at a time when inclusion and diversity are front and center for curators and programmers. “As with all of our exhibitions and initiatives,” stated Bill Kramer, Director and President of the Academy Museum, “we...
- 7/21/2021
- by Anne Thompson
- Thompson on Hollywood
The founder and program director of the Etheria Film Festival, Heidi Honeycutt, discusses her favorite films from women filmmakers with Josh and Joe.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Destroyer (1988)
Army of the Dead (2021)
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine recommendation
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Wonder Woman (2017)
The Dirty Dozen (1967) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
The Wild Bunch (1969) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Joe Dante’s review
The Women (1939) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
The Opposite Sex (1956) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Women (2008)
Halloween (1978) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary, Alex Kirschenbaum’s series and timeline power rankings, Randy Fuller’s wine recommendation
Valley Girl (1983) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
Valley Girl (2020)
The Wicker Man (1973)
The Wicker Man (2006)
Mandy (2018)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
Clueless (1995)
Legally Blonde (2001)
The Craft (1996)
Runaway...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Destroyer (1988)
Army of the Dead (2021)
The Howling (1981) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine recommendation
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Wonder Woman (2017)
The Dirty Dozen (1967) – Ed Neumeier’s trailer commentary
The Wild Bunch (1969) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Joe Dante’s review
The Women (1939) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary
The Opposite Sex (1956) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review
The Women (2008)
Halloween (1978) – Adam Rifkin’s trailer commentary, Alex Kirschenbaum’s series and timeline power rankings, Randy Fuller’s wine recommendation
Valley Girl (1983) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
Valley Girl (2020)
The Wicker Man (1973)
The Wicker Man (2006)
Mandy (2018)
Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s trailer commentary
Clueless (1995)
Legally Blonde (2001)
The Craft (1996)
Runaway...
- 7/13/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Thirty years ago this month, Madonna released one of the most fascinating records in her catalogue, I’m Breathless. Attached to her role as the nightclub singer/femme fatale in Warren Beatty’s 1990 film Dick Tracy, I’m Breathless wasn’t necessarily a proper solo album, but one of those “Music From and Inspired By the Film” projects that the world’s biggest pop stars always seem compelled to make (see also: Prince’s Batman or, more recently, Beyoncé’s The Lion King: The Gift). Meant to match Beatty’s...
- 5/26/2020
- by Jon Blistein
- Rollingstone.com
Hulu is out with its list of new content coming in July, and highlights include the “Veronica Mars” revival and the series premiere of the new “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” We also have the list of everything that’s being removed from the streaming service at the end of July.
Season 1-3 of the original “Veronica Mars” series will be available starting July 1, so you can brush up on all the background knowledge you’ll need to fully enjoy Season 4 when it drops July 26, with Kristen Bell returning the starring role as the title character after almost 15 years. Here’s everything we know about the revival so far.
The new Mindy Kaling-produced “Four Weddings and a Funeral” series comes July 31, with “Game of Thrones” star Nathalie Emanuel in the lead role. Original star Andie MacDowell will return as a guest star.
Also Read: Summer TV Premiere Dates: Here's...
Season 1-3 of the original “Veronica Mars” series will be available starting July 1, so you can brush up on all the background knowledge you’ll need to fully enjoy Season 4 when it drops July 26, with Kristen Bell returning the starring role as the title character after almost 15 years. Here’s everything we know about the revival so far.
The new Mindy Kaling-produced “Four Weddings and a Funeral” series comes July 31, with “Game of Thrones” star Nathalie Emanuel in the lead role. Original star Andie MacDowell will return as a guest star.
Also Read: Summer TV Premiere Dates: Here's...
- 6/17/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
Amazon Prime Video is out with its list of new titles coming in June, and it includes the new Jonas Brothers movie, “Chasing Happiness.” Featuring never-before-seen footage of the brothers’ younger years, the film offers long-time JoBros fans a personal look at Nick, Joe and Kevin’s journey to success, from a family struggling to make ends meet to their ascent to pop stardom. The Amazon Original is out June 4, just ahead of the band’s comeback album, “Happiness Begins,” out June 7.
Another June highlight is “Yardie,” which is directed by Idris Elba and set in ’70s Kingston, Jamaica and ’80s Hackney, London. “Yardie,” which will be released on June 17, centers on the life of a young Jamaican man named D who has never fully recovered from the murder of his older brother Jerry Dread. Dispatched to London where he reconnects with his childhood sweetheart, Yvonne and his daughter who...
Another June highlight is “Yardie,” which is directed by Idris Elba and set in ’70s Kingston, Jamaica and ’80s Hackney, London. “Yardie,” which will be released on June 17, centers on the life of a young Jamaican man named D who has never fully recovered from the murder of his older brother Jerry Dread. Dispatched to London where he reconnects with his childhood sweetheart, Yvonne and his daughter who...
- 5/17/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
In his 1972 essay “Notes on Film Noir”, film critic-turned-screenwriter/director Paul Schrader wrote on how the genre was “not defined…by conventions of setting and conflict, but rather by the more subtle qualities of tone and mood.” It’s a mood best described as ‘you’re screwed, pal.’
Cynicism has always been at the heart of film noir, a genre full of desperate characters clinging to the shadows of world that’s forgotten them. It’s a cynicism born out of post-War disillusionment and anxiety that spawned the genre’s heyday from the early-40s all the way through the mid-1950s when suddenly “Dragnet” and “Leave it To Beaver” were reaffirming America’s squeaky-clean Eisenhower-era view of itself.
But with the post-Watergate 70s and Cold War 80s came a new slew of anxieties as the genre evolved, this time with less Hollywood restrictions. That meant more sex, more violence,...
Cynicism has always been at the heart of film noir, a genre full of desperate characters clinging to the shadows of world that’s forgotten them. It’s a cynicism born out of post-War disillusionment and anxiety that spawned the genre’s heyday from the early-40s all the way through the mid-1950s when suddenly “Dragnet” and “Leave it To Beaver” were reaffirming America’s squeaky-clean Eisenhower-era view of itself.
But with the post-Watergate 70s and Cold War 80s came a new slew of anxieties as the genre evolved, this time with less Hollywood restrictions. That meant more sex, more violence,...
- 3/9/2018
- by Indiewire Staff
- Indiewire
DVD Review: "Hitler's S.S.: Portrait Of Evil" (1986) Starring John Shea, Bill Nighy And Tony Randall
By Doug Oswald
“Hitler’s SS: A Portrait of Evil” is a 1986 made-for TV movie telling the fictional story of Helmut (Bill Nighy) and Karl Hoffmann (John Shea), brothers who become a part of Hitler’s rise to power in Germany. The movie opens in 1931 as we meet the brothers, their family, friends and associates. Hoping they can sway and minimalize the radical elements through their intellect and character, Helmut and Karl willingly join the Nazi Party.
The Hoffmann brothers are eager participants in the Nazi party early on as their mother Gerda (Carroll Baker) provides worried commentary. Factory worker Karl joins the Sa while his university student brother Helmut is coaxed into joining the SS by fencing instructor Reinhard Heydrich (David Warner), much to the objection of his mentor and Jewish professor Ludwig Rosenberg (Jose Ferrer). Tony Randall is interesting appearing as a comic performer for the Nazis known as Putzi.
“Hitler’s SS: A Portrait of Evil” is a 1986 made-for TV movie telling the fictional story of Helmut (Bill Nighy) and Karl Hoffmann (John Shea), brothers who become a part of Hitler’s rise to power in Germany. The movie opens in 1931 as we meet the brothers, their family, friends and associates. Hoping they can sway and minimalize the radical elements through their intellect and character, Helmut and Karl willingly join the Nazi Party.
The Hoffmann brothers are eager participants in the Nazi party early on as their mother Gerda (Carroll Baker) provides worried commentary. Factory worker Karl joins the Sa while his university student brother Helmut is coaxed into joining the SS by fencing instructor Reinhard Heydrich (David Warner), much to the objection of his mentor and Jewish professor Ludwig Rosenberg (Jose Ferrer). Tony Randall is interesting appearing as a comic performer for the Nazis known as Putzi.
- 6/3/2017
- by nospam@example.com (Cinema Retro)
- Cinemaretro.com
A movie starring two famous actors who happen to be married in real-life: On paper, it sounds like it should be a sure-fire win. In reality? It’s not that simple.
It’s no wonder that famous couples might be hesitant to collaborate in a movie, even if it was guaranteed to smash the box office: Working with your spouse is hard, and it wouldn’t make it any easier to know that throngs of people would be examining the final product, looking for all possible glimpses into your personal life.
Occasionally, some famous couples have considered that possibility and decided,...
It’s no wonder that famous couples might be hesitant to collaborate in a movie, even if it was guaranteed to smash the box office: Working with your spouse is hard, and it wouldn’t make it any easier to know that throngs of people would be examining the final product, looking for all possible glimpses into your personal life.
Occasionally, some famous couples have considered that possibility and decided,...
- 4/3/2017
- by Drew Mackie
- PEOPLE.com
Thrillist "Why everyone was wrong about Warcraft" - the summer's most underrated movie?
Mnpp great moments in movie shelves hits Young Frankenstein
The Wrap looks at Colton Haynes winning an Hrc award. Why Colton, exactly?
Criterion Louis Garrel chooses movies from the Criterion closet. He likes Jacques Tati, Loves of a Blonde, and Amarcord among others
FlavorWire looks back at Madonna & Sean's Shanghai Surprise in its Bad Movie Night column
Telerama (in French) Alain Guirardie talks about his filmography - he thinks he can do better than Stranger by the Lake!
Sbs hilarious satire video on White Fragility in the Workplace
Slate pits Bad Moms against Ghostbusters because women have to be pitted against each other!
NY Times on current film restoration anxiety asking the following question which I swear is going to give me regular nightmares:
What happens to an art when its foundational medium disappears?
Today's Must Read...
Mnpp great moments in movie shelves hits Young Frankenstein
The Wrap looks at Colton Haynes winning an Hrc award. Why Colton, exactly?
Criterion Louis Garrel chooses movies from the Criterion closet. He likes Jacques Tati, Loves of a Blonde, and Amarcord among others
FlavorWire looks back at Madonna & Sean's Shanghai Surprise in its Bad Movie Night column
Telerama (in French) Alain Guirardie talks about his filmography - he thinks he can do better than Stranger by the Lake!
Sbs hilarious satire video on White Fragility in the Workplace
Slate pits Bad Moms against Ghostbusters because women have to be pitted against each other!
NY Times on current film restoration anxiety asking the following question which I swear is going to give me regular nightmares:
What happens to an art when its foundational medium disappears?
Today's Must Read...
- 8/31/2016
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Need to catch up? Check out last week’s Nashville recap here.
It’s hard to say which development requires a greater suspension of disbelief in this week’s Nashville: Juliette’s nomination for a Best Actress Academy Award (?!) or her snap realization that not only is Layla sleeping with Avery, Ms. Grant is on a vengeful tear to destroy everything the Shenandoah girl holds dear.
Hey, it’s not like there’s no precedent for a singer-turned-actress to nab a major award early in her acting career. But for every JHud-in-Dreamgirls and Cher-in-Moonstruck, there’s a Mariah-Carey-in-Sparkle and a Madonna-in-Shanghai Surprise.
It’s hard to say which development requires a greater suspension of disbelief in this week’s Nashville: Juliette’s nomination for a Best Actress Academy Award (?!) or her snap realization that not only is Layla sleeping with Avery, Ms. Grant is on a vengeful tear to destroy everything the Shenandoah girl holds dear.
Hey, it’s not like there’s no precedent for a singer-turned-actress to nab a major award early in her acting career. But for every JHud-in-Dreamgirls and Cher-in-Moonstruck, there’s a Mariah-Carey-in-Sparkle and a Madonna-in-Shanghai Surprise.
- 5/5/2016
- TVLine.com
Who needs a stunt man anyway? In the 19 years since Tom Cruise debuted as Ethan Hunt in the first Mission: Impossible, he's made a name for himself as one of Hollywood's biggest in-real-life daredevils.
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to re-live these incredible Mission: Impossible stunt moments performed by Cruise himself.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation review: Tom Cruise's spy series in need of rejuvenation
1. The Langley break-in - Mission: Impossible (1996)
Brian De Palma brought his customary directorial flair to the inaugural Mission, and the film's stand-out sequence saw Hunt and co infiltrate CIA headquarters via a precariously dangling wire.
Cruise did all this himself, even dropping coins into his shoes to level out his body. You can cut the tension with a knife.
2. Runaway train - Mission: Impossible (1996)
Mission's climax saw Hunt climb atop a train careening through the Channel Tunnel then taking down...
Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to re-live these incredible Mission: Impossible stunt moments performed by Cruise himself.
Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation review: Tom Cruise's spy series in need of rejuvenation
1. The Langley break-in - Mission: Impossible (1996)
Brian De Palma brought his customary directorial flair to the inaugural Mission, and the film's stand-out sequence saw Hunt and co infiltrate CIA headquarters via a precariously dangling wire.
Cruise did all this himself, even dropping coins into his shoes to level out his body. You can cut the tension with a knife.
2. Runaway train - Mission: Impossible (1996)
Mission's climax saw Hunt climb atop a train careening through the Channel Tunnel then taking down...
- 8/1/2015
- Digital Spy
Early word is that Sean Penn's The Gunman is shooting blanks. But surely it can't be worse than. Shanghai Surprise (1986) Director: Jim Goddard Stars: Sean Penn, Madonna, Richard Griffiths In 1930s China, a missionary nurse and a glow-in-the-dark tie salesman get involved in a quest to find a mythical stockpile of opium. Sometimes movies are so bad that you can't even fathom how they were created, but I know exactly how Shanghai Surprise...
- 3/18/2015
- by Jason Adams
- JoBlo.com
Madonna recently opened up about her newest blonde ambition: comedy. "I like the idea of me sitting on a chair with a table, maybe a drink or two, and just talking about my life," she said. "I'd say funny things and tell funny stories. It would be funny. Call it sit-down comedy." Some of Madonna's official attempts at comedy -- namely "Shanghai Surprise" and "The Next Best Thing" -- haven't been successful, but the superstar is easily one of the funniest interviewees still in the game today. She sits down for her first interview with Howard Stern this week, and if that doesn't produce the funniest celebrity banter of the year, we've been cheated. To celebrate Madonna's new album "Rebel Heart" (out today) and her general hilarity, let's take a look back at her funniest moments.
- 3/10/2015
- by Louis Virtel
- Hitfix
Something of his sad freedom
As he rode the tumbril
Should come to me, driving,
Saying the names
Tollund, Grauballe, Nebelgard,
Watching the pointing hands
Of country people,
Not knowing their tongue.
Out here in Jutland
In the old man-killing parishes
I will feel lost,
Unhappy and at home.
—Seamus Heaney, The Tollund Man
It ended, like all journeys do, in Solitude, a long way from any cinema. Solitude—or rather Zolitūde, in Latvian—is a suburb of Riga, four miles as the crow flies from the fancy Scandi-Gothic-Art Nouveau city centre; six miles on foot if the pedestrian avoids diversions. But by the time I reached Solitude on that cold December Saturday afternoon, however, my inadvertent divagations must have pushed the total to the ten-mile mark. I'd looked at maps prior to departing from my hotel, of course but deliberately didn't bring one along (not a fan); I don't...
As he rode the tumbril
Should come to me, driving,
Saying the names
Tollund, Grauballe, Nebelgard,
Watching the pointing hands
Of country people,
Not knowing their tongue.
Out here in Jutland
In the old man-killing parishes
I will feel lost,
Unhappy and at home.
—Seamus Heaney, The Tollund Man
It ended, like all journeys do, in Solitude, a long way from any cinema. Solitude—or rather Zolitūde, in Latvian—is a suburb of Riga, four miles as the crow flies from the fancy Scandi-Gothic-Art Nouveau city centre; six miles on foot if the pedestrian avoids diversions. But by the time I reached Solitude on that cold December Saturday afternoon, however, my inadvertent divagations must have pushed the total to the ten-mile mark. I'd looked at maps prior to departing from my hotel, of course but deliberately didn't bring one along (not a fan); I don't...
- 1/4/2015
- by Neil Young
- MUBI
We’ve reviewed every summer movie season since 1980 to find out which are the best, and which are the worst. Last week we posted our picks for the worst, and here we post our picks for the best.
2015 and 2016 may just be the most overthetop summer movie seasons yet. It seems like nearly every movie slated for a summer 2015 or 2016 release is heavily anticipated. Because of these impending summers of movie awesomeness, we’ve decided to take a look back at summer movie seasons of years past. The idea of the summer movie season is currently in full swing, but it didn’t catch on immediately. Hollywood had to do its fair share of experimenting to determine what types of films would be most successful. As a result, some summer movie seasons have been better than others. We’ve reviewed them all for you and ranked them from worst to best.
2015 and 2016 may just be the most overthetop summer movie seasons yet. It seems like nearly every movie slated for a summer 2015 or 2016 release is heavily anticipated. Because of these impending summers of movie awesomeness, we’ve decided to take a look back at summer movie seasons of years past. The idea of the summer movie season is currently in full swing, but it didn’t catch on immediately. Hollywood had to do its fair share of experimenting to determine what types of films would be most successful. As a result, some summer movie seasons have been better than others. We’ve reviewed them all for you and ranked them from worst to best.
- 9/15/2014
- by feeds@cinelinx.com (G.S. Perno)
- Cinelinx
Rocco Ritchie, Madonna’s son, dressed up like her ex-husband Sean Penn’s Fast Times at Ridgemont High character in an Instagram picture.
Rocco Ritchie Channels Sean Penn
Ritchie’s Jeff Spicoli costume included a Hawaiian shirt tied up around his waste to make it into a crop top. Though Ritchie’s hair isn’t quite as long as Penn’s was in the 1982 movie, he wore his blond locks similarly tussled for the homage to the actor.
Sean Penn in 'Fast Times'
“Jeff Spicoli is alive and well in the South of France! #boom #fuzzy,” Madonna captioned the picture of her 14-year-old son with director Guy Ritchie.
Madonna, who divorced from Penn in 1989 after 4 years of marriage, posted the snap as a tribute on Penn’s 54 birthday.
In the years since their split, Madonna and Penn have maintained a friendly relationship. Earlier this year, Penn brought his...
Rocco Ritchie Channels Sean Penn
Ritchie’s Jeff Spicoli costume included a Hawaiian shirt tied up around his waste to make it into a crop top. Though Ritchie’s hair isn’t quite as long as Penn’s was in the 1982 movie, he wore his blond locks similarly tussled for the homage to the actor.
Sean Penn in 'Fast Times'
“Jeff Spicoli is alive and well in the South of France! #boom #fuzzy,” Madonna captioned the picture of her 14-year-old son with director Guy Ritchie.
Madonna, who divorced from Penn in 1989 after 4 years of marriage, posted the snap as a tribute on Penn’s 54 birthday.
In the years since their split, Madonna and Penn have maintained a friendly relationship. Earlier this year, Penn brought his...
- 8/21/2014
- Uinterview
Here is last week’s caption pic winner. This week’s caption pic is at the bottom of the page.
Thanks to everyone for participating! The winner is …
“Those boots do not go with this outfit.”
Thanks to David for this week’s winning caption!
Weekend Birthdays! Allan Hyde (above) is 24, Chris Evert is 59, Ralph Fiennes is 51, and Chris Carmack is 33.
Speaking of Allan, here’s the Kickstarter for the film he wrote, “B”. “Sheltered by pulsating afro beats, a love story unfolds between the roadie, Mats, and the transsexual beauty, B.”
High Schoolers Staged A Massive Sit-In After Their Vice Principal Was Ousted Over Same-Sex Marriage
Why I Love Real, Honest to God Homophobes.
Dear Phil Robertson: You Can’t Group Homosexuality with Terrorism and Bestiality and Then Use the Bible as Your Defense
The Vampire Diaries is about to get what I think might be its first recurring gay character (John,...
Thanks to everyone for participating! The winner is …
“Those boots do not go with this outfit.”
Thanks to David for this week’s winning caption!
Weekend Birthdays! Allan Hyde (above) is 24, Chris Evert is 59, Ralph Fiennes is 51, and Chris Carmack is 33.
Speaking of Allan, here’s the Kickstarter for the film he wrote, “B”. “Sheltered by pulsating afro beats, a love story unfolds between the roadie, Mats, and the transsexual beauty, B.”
High Schoolers Staged A Massive Sit-In After Their Vice Principal Was Ousted Over Same-Sex Marriage
Why I Love Real, Honest to God Homophobes.
Dear Phil Robertson: You Can’t Group Homosexuality with Terrorism and Bestiality and Then Use the Bible as Your Defense
The Vampire Diaries is about to get what I think might be its first recurring gay character (John,...
- 12/20/2013
- by snicks
- The Backlot
Prolific television and film director whose output included the internationally successful 1983 drama Kennedy
Jim Goddard, who has died aged 77, was among the most prolific and distinguished television drama directors of his generation. Bleak and violent atmosphere and vivid characterisation were the hallmarks of his more than 200 distinctive works over the course of four decades. His Kennedy (1983) was shown simultaneously on Us network television, in the UK and Germany, and achieved the highest recorded viewing figures to that date for a televised drama.
Goddard's work included the 13-part drama Fox (1980), Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983) and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1982), the early Channel 4 version of the RSC production. The power and visual immediacy of his directorial style owed as much to arthouse film as it did to his abilities as a painter. Indeed, he never forsook painting, which he studied at the Slade in London, or his love of set design,...
Jim Goddard, who has died aged 77, was among the most prolific and distinguished television drama directors of his generation. Bleak and violent atmosphere and vivid characterisation were the hallmarks of his more than 200 distinctive works over the course of four decades. His Kennedy (1983) was shown simultaneously on Us network television, in the UK and Germany, and achieved the highest recorded viewing figures to that date for a televised drama.
Goddard's work included the 13-part drama Fox (1980), Reilly: Ace of Spies (1983) and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby (1982), the early Channel 4 version of the RSC production. The power and visual immediacy of his directorial style owed as much to arthouse film as it did to his abilities as a painter. Indeed, he never forsook painting, which he studied at the Slade in London, or his love of set design,...
- 6/27/2013
- by Reg Gadney
- The Guardian - Film News
HBO is airing a documentary called Love, Marilyn, where celebrities ranging from Lindsay Lohan to Glenn Close (!) revisit the effect that Marilyn Monroe had on them.
Now, like you, I am a great custodian of pop culture history and want to enjoy such a love letter to the past, but something about this project annoys me. I’ve always felt that people aren’t nearly as obsessed with Marilyn Monroe as they are with what they think of Marilyn Monroe. It’s like people want to hear the words, “She was so beautiful, yet tragic, yet unknowable” tumble off their tongues. They love the mouthfeel of it. They think those words describe something, and they love condescendingly showering awe on the listless, tragic actress who still represents some mystical, feminine ideal in entertainment.
Why don’t we ever hear anyone say, “Marilyn takes an amazing photo, but she was hit-or-miss as an actress”? Instead,...
Now, like you, I am a great custodian of pop culture history and want to enjoy such a love letter to the past, but something about this project annoys me. I’ve always felt that people aren’t nearly as obsessed with Marilyn Monroe as they are with what they think of Marilyn Monroe. It’s like people want to hear the words, “She was so beautiful, yet tragic, yet unknowable” tumble off their tongues. They love the mouthfeel of it. They think those words describe something, and they love condescendingly showering awe on the listless, tragic actress who still represents some mystical, feminine ideal in entertainment.
Why don’t we ever hear anyone say, “Marilyn takes an amazing photo, but she was hit-or-miss as an actress”? Instead,...
- 6/17/2013
- by Louis Virtel
- The Backlot
We’re kind of loving the new indie smash, The Place Behind the Pines — the acting’s top shelf, blah, blah, but what’s really fab is that it stars super-steamy, real-life couple, Ryan Gosling and Eva Mendes. Which got us thinking…what are our favorite flicks starring off-screen lovebirds? The truth? It was a tough list to put together. Because, more often than not, actual lovers seem to have an awkward time reproducing their chemistry onscreen (Shanghai Surprise, anyone? Swing Shift? Maybe it’s just films with alliterative “S’” in their titles that suck). But sometimes it works. And when it does, it’s like lightening in a bottle. The palpable tension, the timing, that effortless romantic “thing” that can only come from a couple that’s actually madly in love — it can translate into an epic screen pairing! When done right, you almost feel like a voyeur sneaking...
- 4/4/2013
- by Tia Williams
- TheFabLife - Movies
Survivor: Philippines is getting more predictable each week, yet the show is entertaining the hell out of me. How? Well, the Matsing tribe is shaping up to be a bigger tragedy than the following items: 1) Gilda Radner's death at the age of 42; 2) the Hindenberg stuffed with three Exxon-Valdezes; 3) Jeff Probst's hunger for daytime TV acceptance. The Matsing losing streak is just spellbinding. It can't get any worse for these guys, but mysteriously, the show keeps getting better for us. Here are my five most ponder-worthy observations about last night's episode.
1. If your favorite tribe isn't Matsing, I don't understand.
Have you taken a close look at the Kalabaw and Tandang tribes? Because it hurts. Even a passing glance makes you realize they're filled with unlikable people. Abi-Maria is a huffy spazz, R.C. is self-impressed and condescending, Lisa Whelchel and Jeff Kent are downright antigay, Pete is melodramatic,...
1. If your favorite tribe isn't Matsing, I don't understand.
Have you taken a close look at the Kalabaw and Tandang tribes? Because it hurts. Even a passing glance makes you realize they're filled with unlikable people. Abi-Maria is a huffy spazz, R.C. is self-impressed and condescending, Lisa Whelchel and Jeff Kent are downright antigay, Pete is melodramatic,...
- 10/11/2012
- by virtel
- The Backlot
There has been a lot of talk about how great the summer of 1982 was for movies. And, boy, it really was. (Among the 1982 summer releases were "E.T.," "Blade Runner," "Tron," "The Road Warrior," "Rocky III" and "Poltergeist.") The summer of 1982 was so good, in fact, that for a movie writer covering these current August movies -- doldrums of August, even -- it's kind of depressing. (But, "ParaNorman" is great. I promise.)
The month of August has built itself quite an infamous reputation as one of the worst movie months of the year: The summer blockbusters have wrapped up and awards season has yet to start -- which leaves audiences with movies like "Total Recall." But 2012 is far from the worst movie August ever. So, in the spirit of 1982 being the best summer for movies, I present you with a case for the worst August in the history of movies: 1996.
Even in recent years,...
The month of August has built itself quite an infamous reputation as one of the worst movie months of the year: The summer blockbusters have wrapped up and awards season has yet to start -- which leaves audiences with movies like "Total Recall." But 2012 is far from the worst movie August ever. So, in the spirit of 1982 being the best summer for movies, I present you with a case for the worst August in the history of movies: 1996.
Even in recent years,...
- 8/8/2012
- by The Huffington Post
- Huffington Post
Now hear this: I love Madonna. Always will. And that’s why I’m completely sensitive to her infuriating moments.
Recently, audio circulated of Madonna preparing for her new tour. In a short clip, she sings Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” as a mashup with her own, similar-sounding “Express Yourself,” as well as the pointed track “She’s Not Me.” Yes, it’s a cute and witty barb, one that’s meant as a gentle affront to Madonna’s heiress apparent Gaga, but I’m not laughing. I’m not exactly weeping either, but I’m more annoyed than titillated. It's just... not that funny? Or rather, too on the nose, petty, and not funny. For me, it’s of a piece with Madonna’s post-2005 career, a stretch where too much of her output and decision-making feels like the work of a canny assistant, someone who knows...
Recently, audio circulated of Madonna preparing for her new tour. In a short clip, she sings Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” as a mashup with her own, similar-sounding “Express Yourself,” as well as the pointed track “She’s Not Me.” Yes, it’s a cute and witty barb, one that’s meant as a gentle affront to Madonna’s heiress apparent Gaga, but I’m not laughing. I’m not exactly weeping either, but I’m more annoyed than titillated. It's just... not that funny? Or rather, too on the nose, petty, and not funny. For me, it’s of a piece with Madonna’s post-2005 career, a stretch where too much of her output and decision-making feels like the work of a canny assistant, someone who knows...
- 5/30/2012
- by virtel
- The Backlot
A new book about Ryan Gosling is coming out, and it's unfortunately not a picture-heavy sexual tell-all: It's the novelization of the Tumblr "Feminist Ryan Gosling," where authors caption Gosling's candid photos with quips about feminist ideals. Should be a pretty cute coffee table purchase. I want to know what sexy-posed Ryan thinks of Betty Friedan, personally.
We thought we'd celebrate the occasion with a look back at Mr. Gosling's ten hottest moments. It's a tall order, but also a buff one, thank God. Now, to you readers: Should I have included moments from Half Nelson or The Ides of March or The New '92 Mickey Mouse Club Croons the Hits of Marc Cohn. Hit me with the blowback and enjoy my ten selections below.
10. The slick and stripped-down perks of the upcoming movie Gangster Squad
I guess in the new movie Gangster Squad, Ryan Gosling wears hot gangster clothes...
We thought we'd celebrate the occasion with a look back at Mr. Gosling's ten hottest moments. It's a tall order, but also a buff one, thank God. Now, to you readers: Should I have included moments from Half Nelson or The Ides of March or The New '92 Mickey Mouse Club Croons the Hits of Marc Cohn. Hit me with the blowback and enjoy my ten selections below.
10. The slick and stripped-down perks of the upcoming movie Gangster Squad
I guess in the new movie Gangster Squad, Ryan Gosling wears hot gangster clothes...
- 5/22/2012
- by virtel
- The Backlot
Looking to be come a ” queen of all media “, pop icon Madonna has stepped behind the camera to direct her first feature film, W.E. ( maybe the first woman singer/star to do so since Barbra Streisand? ). Here she tackles two stories that intertwine several decades apart : a fictional young woman trapped in a loveless marriage to a wealthy NYC doctor in 1998 and the true life romance between Wallis Simpson ( like Madonna, a style icon ) and Edward, the Duke of Windsor ( the two form the title’s We ) during the 1930′s. Other films have mixed historical and fictional characters ( Ragtime, Time After Time ), while others have featured modern-day characters getting inspiration from the past ( Julie And Julia ), so does this new film put a fresh spin on these concepts? And after a spotty career acting in front of the camera ( for every Desperately Seeking Susan and Dick Tracy, there’s...
- 3/16/2012
- by Jim Batts
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Madonna Singer, songwriter, actress, director, producer, screenwriter, provocatrice, and all-around showwoman Madonna displays her Golden Globe for Best Original Song – Motion Picture for "Masterpiece," featured in the Madonna-directed W.E. In the above photo, Madonna is seen backstage in the press room at the 69th Annual Golden Globe Awards at the Beverly Hilton in Beverly Hills, CA, on Sunday, January 15, 2012. "Masterpiece" has music and lyrics by Madonna, Julie Frost, and Jimmy Harry. Throughout the Golden Globes ceremony, The Weinstein Company's big boss Harvey Weinstein got more closeups than Madonna, Elton John, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, host Ricky Gervais, and just about every other celebrity in attendance combined. The Weinstein Company's movies won a series of top awards: In addition to the Best Original Song for Madonna's E.W. ditty "Masterpiece," there were the following TWC winners: Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy...
- 1/19/2012
- by D. Zhea
- Alt Film Guide
A declawed Ricky Gervais, a near-sweep of the TV awards by cable programs, and a general spreading of the wealth among winners both big- and small-screen was the order of the day at Sunday’s 69th Golden Globe Awards. But before we turn the page on the annual kudos-fest, let’s take a look at the 10 Most Memorable Moments of a telecast that, in the words of its host, is “just like the Oscars…without all of that esteem.”
Ricky Gervais Puts Johnny Depp On The Spot | Gervais proved a surprisingly tepid presence for the majority of the telecast, but...
Ricky Gervais Puts Johnny Depp On The Spot | Gervais proved a surprisingly tepid presence for the majority of the telecast, but...
- 1/16/2012
- by Michael Slezak
- TVLine.com
Tom Cruise is an intense dude. We all know that. He's proved it time and time again, risking life and limb to prove how much he loves us, his filmgoing audience.
No character embodies this better than superspy Ethan Hunt, agent of the Impossible Mission Force (Imf) in the long-running "Mission: Impossible" film series. Hunt's Mo is to infiltrate, expose and take out the intricately crazy worlds of bad guys bent on doing bad stuff. Occasionally he'll get to wear one of those cool fake faces.
Here are nine of the coolest things Hunt's ever done, from the first installment in 1996 all the way to the newest entry, "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol."
Escape by Waterfall ('Mission: Impossible')
"You've never seen me very upset." Ah yes, the perfect intro to the crafty methodology of Ethan Hunt. With his entire team toast after a botched mission, the Imf agent...
No character embodies this better than superspy Ethan Hunt, agent of the Impossible Mission Force (Imf) in the long-running "Mission: Impossible" film series. Hunt's Mo is to infiltrate, expose and take out the intricately crazy worlds of bad guys bent on doing bad stuff. Occasionally he'll get to wear one of those cool fake faces.
Here are nine of the coolest things Hunt's ever done, from the first installment in 1996 all the way to the newest entry, "Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol."
Escape by Waterfall ('Mission: Impossible')
"You've never seen me very upset." Ah yes, the perfect intro to the crafty methodology of Ethan Hunt. With his entire team toast after a botched mission, the Imf agent...
- 12/20/2011
- by Max Evry
- NextMovie
Not long ago I poisoned you with a lengthy tribute to Madonna's 1986 fiasco Shanghai Surprise, and just yesterday I revisited five of Madonna's more tolerable moments in film with a perky countdown. Time to strike my original pose and get back to rancor: Here's a proper evisceration of Who's That Girl, the 1987 comedy starring Griffin Dunne and W.E.'s auspicious director. Is it a riot? Yes. Is it grimly bad? Yes. Is it anything else? Scary, sometimes.
- 12/7/2011
- Movieline
George Harrison died 10 years ago today. His great friend, motor-racing legend Jackie Stewart, recently tried to express what this loss still meant to him.
Stewart was speaking in a documentary by Martin Scorsese charting Harrison's life and death (George Harrison: Living in a Material World). Stewart explained how the world of motor-racing had forced him to experience grief at first hand many times, but how the loss of the Beatles' lead guitarist had somehow left a deeper and longer-lasting wound than all of these.
And Stewart added, "And I wasn't even one of his closest friends. I bet if you were to ask dozens of people, they would say the same thing."
Stewart's words are testament to the scope of interest and influence Harrison enjoyed in his life. Far from being just "the Quiet Beatle",
Harrison took paths encountering everything from Eastern mysticism to motor-racing, via film production and even gardening.
Stewart was speaking in a documentary by Martin Scorsese charting Harrison's life and death (George Harrison: Living in a Material World). Stewart explained how the world of motor-racing had forced him to experience grief at first hand many times, but how the loss of the Beatles' lead guitarist had somehow left a deeper and longer-lasting wound than all of these.
And Stewart added, "And I wasn't even one of his closest friends. I bet if you were to ask dozens of people, they would say the same thing."
Stewart's words are testament to the scope of interest and influence Harrison enjoyed in his life. Far from being just "the Quiet Beatle",
Harrison took paths encountering everything from Eastern mysticism to motor-racing, via film production and even gardening.
- 11/29/2011
- by Caroline Frost
- Huffington Post
Animation Magazine Have you heard that Steve Jobs wanted Aaron Sorkin to write a Pixar movie? It's be more interesting if he wrote a movie about Pixar. How would his sharp sometimes cynical wit mesh with Pixar's self-promoted internal cheer as the happiest workplace on earth?
Towleroad I say a few words about Pedro Almodóvar's latest
IndieWire interviews Elena Anaya on her role in The Skin I Live In. *mild spoiler alert*
New York Times "The Formula of Melodrama" brought on by Almodóvar's gripping The Skin I Live In.
My New Plaid Pants more pics from the set of Steven Soderbergh's flesh fest Magic Mike plus Ja's hilarious commentary.
Gold Derby finds fun elected trivia about Meryl Streep's upcoming nomination for The Iron Lady (what do you mean "if")
Awards Daily pontificates about Olivia Colman's Oscar chances for Tyrannosaur. I saw the movie much earlier this...
Towleroad I say a few words about Pedro Almodóvar's latest
IndieWire interviews Elena Anaya on her role in The Skin I Live In. *mild spoiler alert*
New York Times "The Formula of Melodrama" brought on by Almodóvar's gripping The Skin I Live In.
My New Plaid Pants more pics from the set of Steven Soderbergh's flesh fest Magic Mike plus Ja's hilarious commentary.
Gold Derby finds fun elected trivia about Meryl Streep's upcoming nomination for The Iron Lady (what do you mean "if")
Awards Daily pontificates about Olivia Colman's Oscar chances for Tyrannosaur. I saw the movie much earlier this...
- 10/13/2011
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
HollywoodNews.com: “This Must Be the Place,” an odd movie by Paolo Sorrentino, has gone to the Weinstein Company. Sean Penn has a kind of grand performance,but the movie is very weird and doesn’t quite work. I told you on May 20th that TWC was interested in it, But then nothing happened. See this link:
http://www.showbihttp://www.hollywoodnews.com/wp-admin/media-upload.php?post_id=61054&type=image&TB_iframe=1z411.com/2011/05/20/sean-penn-ryan-gosling-take-center-stage-at-cannes
Penn plays a retired 80s rocker who looks sort of like The Cure’s Robert Smith. He lives in an Irish castle with his idiosyncratic wife (Frances McDormand) and makes friends with a young woman who is played by Bono’s real life daughter. Penn talks in a high voice like Michael Jackson. Then it turns out his father, a Holocaust survivor, is dying in Brooklyn. So he goes to Brooklyn, where everyone is Orthodox...
http://www.showbihttp://www.hollywoodnews.com/wp-admin/media-upload.php?post_id=61054&type=image&TB_iframe=1z411.com/2011/05/20/sean-penn-ryan-gosling-take-center-stage-at-cannes
Penn plays a retired 80s rocker who looks sort of like The Cure’s Robert Smith. He lives in an Irish castle with his idiosyncratic wife (Frances McDormand) and makes friends with a young woman who is played by Bono’s real life daughter. Penn talks in a high voice like Michael Jackson. Then it turns out his father, a Holocaust survivor, is dying in Brooklyn. So he goes to Brooklyn, where everyone is Orthodox...
- 9/22/2011
- by Roger Friedman
- Hollywoodnews.com
London, Sept 10: A new film about George Harrison has hinted that the Beatles star had an affair with Madonna, and she was just one of his many conquests of other men's wives.
More than one source suspects that he had a heavy flirtation with Madonna on the set of the 1986 film Shanghai Surprise, despite the presence of her first husband Sean Penn.adonna, who was at the time deeply unhappy with Penn, had said that she found Harrison, who was executive producer of the film, 'very understanding and sympathetic'.
He came to see them filming in Macau, and also met her several times in London before and after.
More than one source suspects that he had a heavy flirtation with Madonna on the set of the 1986 film Shanghai Surprise, despite the presence of her first husband Sean Penn.adonna, who was at the time deeply unhappy with Penn, had said that she found Harrison, who was executive producer of the film, 'very understanding and sympathetic'.
He came to see them filming in Macau, and also met her several times in London before and after.
- 9/10/2011
- by Anita Agarwal
- RealBollywood.com
Giuseppe Cacace/Afp/Getty Images Singer and film director Madonna boards a boat during the 68th Venice Film Festival on September 1, 2011.
Madonna unveiled her new film at the Venice International Film Festival, a drama about Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee for whom Britain’s Edward VIII abdicated his throne in 1936 in order to marry.
“Would I ever give up my throne for a man or a woman?” she wondered aloud at a press conference. “I think I could have both,...
Madonna unveiled her new film at the Venice International Film Festival, a drama about Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee for whom Britain’s Edward VIII abdicated his throne in 1936 in order to marry.
“Would I ever give up my throne for a man or a woman?” she wondered aloud at a press conference. “I think I could have both,...
- 9/1/2011
- by Dean Napolitano
- Speakeasy/Wall Street Journal
Just as news of an actor excitedly announcing that they've got a definitely-not-a-vanity-project album on the way is generally greeted with a reaction somewhere between mockery and outright terror, news of a musician moving into the movies is rarely a good thing. But all in all, pop megastar Madonna's made a better attempt than most. Sure, there have been disasters, films like "Shanghai Surprise" and "Body of Evidence" and "Swept Away," but there have also been hits and well-received pictures, like "Desperately Seeking Susan" and "Evita." But more than just the occasional acting gig, she wants to direct. Things didn't…...
- 9/1/2011
- The Playlist
Last night while Lady Gaga was living through an entire MTV Vma evening as "Jo Calderone" her male alter ego, I began to wonder if she could ever transfer to the big screen? In the past I'd always dismissed the notion but I think she pulled off that bit of theater last night. At the very least she sure is committed. And doesn't it seem that every major pop star eventually tries the silver screen. Britney Spears, who was also honored last night, did. Remember Crossroads? She didn't. For every Cher or Justin Timberlake who make a real honest go of it, there are dozens and dozens of musicians that fail at it or do okay but move on any way and their efforts are, generally speaking, quickly forgotten.
Which got me to thinking about Shanghai Surprise, which opened 25 years ago on this very day. No joke!
Madonna and Sean Penn,...
Which got me to thinking about Shanghai Surprise, which opened 25 years ago on this very day. No joke!
Madonna and Sean Penn,...
- 8/29/2011
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Ever since Bing Crosby starred in the 1930 film "King of Jazz," countless musicians have tried, with varying degrees of success, to parlay their musical ability into a side career in film.
The following list -- dug up in honor of this Sunday's Video Music Awards on MTV -- is proof that not all musicians are created equal when it comes to their acting abilities.
For every Mariah Carey in "Precious," you can find a Mariah Carey in "Glitter," but these 40 artists have shown that they can, at least some of the time, create memorable roles and transcend their musical careers. Sometimes, they even win Oscars.
40. Madonna
During the nascent years of MTV, no female artist had more influence visually than the Material Girl, whose mix of eye-popping fantasy and gritty urban realism videos continue to influence a generation of vocalists. Despite a Best Actress Golden Globe for 1996's "Evita," the...
The following list -- dug up in honor of this Sunday's Video Music Awards on MTV -- is proof that not all musicians are created equal when it comes to their acting abilities.
For every Mariah Carey in "Precious," you can find a Mariah Carey in "Glitter," but these 40 artists have shown that they can, at least some of the time, create memorable roles and transcend their musical careers. Sometimes, they even win Oscars.
40. Madonna
During the nascent years of MTV, no female artist had more influence visually than the Material Girl, whose mix of eye-popping fantasy and gritty urban realism videos continue to influence a generation of vocalists. Despite a Best Actress Golden Globe for 1996's "Evita," the...
- 8/24/2011
- by Jason Newman
- NextMovie
Five Highly Romantic Movies That Are Also Disgusting On the 25th anniversary of The Fly, we feel so lovey-dovey we could throw up. By Andrew Osborne Twenty-five years ago, film fans were shaken by an onscreen romance at once captivating and disgusting. But enough about Shanghai Surprise. In honor of the silver anniversary of David Cronenberg's grotesquely romantic reimagining of the horror classic The Fly, here are our picks for the five most disgusting romantic movies of all time. 1. The Fly (1986) Al Hedison's human-insect hybrid screaming "Help me!" in the original Fly is one of cinema's most enduring images of horror, because... I mean, seriously, what's worse than being a tiny mutant on the verge of being devoured by a spider? But while David Cronenberg's remake definitely amplified the grossness (with Jeff Goldberg's "Brundlefly" vomiting acid onto the appendages [...]...
- 8/15/2011
- by Andrew Osborne
- Nerve
I tried so hard to find an Oprah-themed Bad Movie We Love this week. Bad news, my darlings: they're all not good enough. Beloved is too boring, Native Son is too serious, and The Color Purple is too funny. (Trust me.) So I rallied and made big choices. This week I'm commemorating Tree of Life star Sean Penn's filthy past and Oprah's biggest finale guest: the ineffable, the insufferable, La Sleaza Bonita herself, Madonna. Read: This Is A Great Day. And the movie is a legend among awful, latrine-stink cinema, a rancid little misfortune cookie called Shanghai Surprise. Or as I prefer to call it: Not-So-Fast Times with Frigid Wife.
- 5/25/2011
- Movieline
With Jessica Alba just being nominated four times for Razzie Awards, I wonder: Who's had the most Razzie nominations—and did they win any? —Heather in North Carolina, via the inbox If you're thinking, say, Mariah Carey or Paris Hilton—and, really, who wouldn't?—I have some surprising news. You're wrong... When it comes to bad movies and even worse actress performances, the most-razzed honor goes to none other than Madonna. She has earned roughly 15 nominations and won at least nine times for gems including Swept Away, Body of Evidence and Shanghai Surprise. On the male side, Razzie loves to throw dubious honors on Sylvester Stallone, who has scored...
- 1/30/2011
- E! Online
The definitive couple of the 80s?
It was 25 years ago today that Madonna and Sean Penn were married in Malibu. It was Madonna's birthday (she was turning 27). Sean's birthday was the following day (he was turning 25). She was the new queen of pop ("Dress You Up", the final hit single from Like a Virgin was hitting the charts) and he was the critics darling of young actors, consistently winning praise for both his comedy work (Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and drama (The Falcon and the Snowman)... Oscar voters, often slow on the draw, waited another 10 years to nominate him.
Paparazzi helicopters descending on their wedding like an invading army. The following year their movie collaboration Shanghai Surprise was released. Critics swarmed like an angry hive. Whenever paparazzi bugged Madonna, Sean raged like a...
Well you get the point. What a ruckus they always caused.
Their marriage didn't last...
It was 25 years ago today that Madonna and Sean Penn were married in Malibu. It was Madonna's birthday (she was turning 27). Sean's birthday was the following day (he was turning 25). She was the new queen of pop ("Dress You Up", the final hit single from Like a Virgin was hitting the charts) and he was the critics darling of young actors, consistently winning praise for both his comedy work (Fast Times at Ridgemont High) and drama (The Falcon and the Snowman)... Oscar voters, often slow on the draw, waited another 10 years to nominate him.
Paparazzi helicopters descending on their wedding like an invading army. The following year their movie collaboration Shanghai Surprise was released. Critics swarmed like an angry hive. Whenever paparazzi bugged Madonna, Sean raged like a...
Well you get the point. What a ruckus they always caused.
Their marriage didn't last...
- 8/17/2010
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
We enter our second episode of this 13 week miniseries still armed with a relatively scant amount of useful information. There are however, just enough insights to tantalize in to us wanting to find out a bit more about these individuals and their predicament. In last weeks closing scene, as the camera pulled out from the town, we find that our Hotelies are in a ghost town that is in an impossibly desolate surrounding. Even if they can escape the town, there is little chance they can get back to civilization. The pan out gives us no clue as to just where on earth (if indeed they are on earth) they might be.
Is Janet a killer?
Janet (Daisy Betts) Persons Unknown
Credit: NBC
Last week Janet was left with a fortune cookie that indicated if she killed her neighbor she could go free. This fortune foreshadows a choice Janet will...
Is Janet a killer?
Janet (Daisy Betts) Persons Unknown
Credit: NBC
Last week Janet was left with a fortune cookie that indicated if she killed her neighbor she could go free. This fortune foreshadows a choice Janet will...
- 6/15/2010
- by Donald A. Salerno
Looking to discuss the latest episode of CBS' fantastic reality series The Amazing Race? Head over to the Los Angeles Times/Show Tracker to read my latest piece, entitled "The Amazing Race: Shanghai Surprise," where you can read my take on the latest episode, noodles, non sequiturs, lousy taxi drivers, Ping Ping, and much more. Sound off in the comments section and be sure to come back next week as I'll be discussing each episode of The Amazing Race all season long. Next week on the season's penultimate episode of The Amazing Race ("They Don't Even Understand Their Own Language"), Caite gets closed in at a market; Dan and Jordan nearly come to blows with their taxi driver.
Read the full article at Televisionary (http://www.televisionarytv.com).
Read the full article at Televisionary (http://www.televisionarytv.com).
- 4/26/2010
- by Jace
- Televisionary
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