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Steve Miller has re-recorded his 1976 rock anthem “Fly Like an Eagle” with help from musicians all around the world, including organist Ivan Neville (New Orleans, LA), drummer Franklin Vanderbilt (Los Angeles, CA), sitar player Prasad Rahane (Delhi, India), percussionist Rupak Dhamankar (Mumbai, India), guitarist Vasti Jackson (Hattiesburg, Mississippi), bassist Claire Finley (Key West, Fl), drummer Kátsica Mayoral (La Paz, Mexico), singer Quiana Lynell (New Orleans, LA), percussionist Baboulaye Sissokho (Dakar, Senegal) and guitarist Sofia Viola (Buenos Aires, Argentina).

It’s part of Playing For Change’s ongoing Songs Around The World project.

Woody Allen is a four-time Academy Award winner who has proved incredibly prolific in his decades-long career, writing, directing, and oftentimes starring in nearly a film a year for over 50 years. But how many of those are classics? Let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

After years as a joke writer and standup comic, Allen transitioned into filmmaking penning such screenplays as “What’s New Pussycat?” (1965) and starring in such titles as “Casino Royale” (1967). His first credit as a director was the comedically overdubbed Japanese spy thriller “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” (1966).

The Woody Allen as we know him emerged in 1969 with the farcical mockumentary “Take the Money and Run” (1969), made when he was 34 years old. The success of that film led to a string of critically acclaimed absurdist comedies, including “Bananas” (1971) and “Sleeper” (1973).

He established himself as an important filmmaker with the romantic...

The legendary Quincy Jones just passed away at the age of 91. And while he’ll be remembered for his work in the music industry, his TV credits and his not giving a fuck in interviews during his golden years, some folks on the internet have also been celebrating his contribution to a pop-culture franchise he had absolutely no hand in creating: Austin Powers.

Mike Myers’ swinging spy character just wouldn’t have been the same without the upbeat theme song that plays during the opening credits of all three movies. If you don’t believe me, try syncing up the beginning of any Austin Powers movie with, say, Nine Inch Nails, and see how shagadelic it is.

The track is called “Soul Bossa Nova,” and it was apparently composed by Jones in less time than it takes to watch an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.

As Jones told...

It is impossible to overstate Quincy Jones' influence on music and the music business throughout the second half of the 20th century. There wasn't a genre that Jones, who passed away yesterday at the age of 91, couldn't master as a composer, producer, performer, or all three. He kicked off his career playing trumpet for vibraphone god Lionel Hampton, served as trumpeter and music director for Dizzy Gillespie, and produced effervescent pop hits like "It's My Party" for Lesley Gore while expanding his range compositionally via jazz LPs and, perhaps most importantly, film music -- a field where the African-American artist stood out among a sea of white men.

Curiously, there isn't as much serious scholarship on the work of Jones, which is rather astounding considering his seismic 1970s and '80s impact as a producer for Michael Jackson on two of the top-selling LPs of all time ("Off the Wall...

Quincy Jones, producer of several of the best-selling albums of all time, died at his home in Bel Air on Sunday as per his publicist. Though his work covered all genres, Jones will forever be best known for helping coronate the King of Pop, Michael Jackson, by helping craft Jackson’s infectious and highly lucrative sound across three classic albums: Off the Wall, Thriller, and Bad. In 1985, he produced the “We Are The World” session, arguably the apex of 1980s pop music.

Jones, who in 1968 became the first African-American nominated for a Best Original Song Academy Award with “The Eyes of Love,” received an astonishing 80 Grammy nominations and 28 Grammy Awards throughout his career. His wins were for arranging, producing, and performing, and he won the 1988 Album of the Year prize for Back on the Block, an R&b-pop-hip hop cross-generational collaboration including artists like Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, Ice-t, Kool Moe Dee,...

The 1970s produced plenty of propulsive heist thrillers, helping to shape the crime genre for decades. Heist movies in the 1960s were typically classified by stylishness. Movies like Gambit, How to Steal a Million and Ocean's 11 presented a version of crime that was painless and suave. The following decade shook things up, reintroducing an element of danger that had been largely absent in the heist genre for years.

Some of the best heist movies ever made were produced in the 1970s, including Dog Day Afternoon and The Sting. Although these movies are just as funny as earlier films like The Italian Job or Take the Money and Run, they also have plenty of tension. The 1970s was the decade when heist movies started to balance humor and excitement, paving the way for later classics of the genre. The practical effects, clever plotting and great performances mean that these heist...

Steve Miller praised Eminem in a statement Friday after his band’s “Abracadabra” was interpolated in the rapper’s latest single “Houdini.”

Taking to social media after The Death of Slim Shady (Coup de Grace) single was released, the Rock Hall-inducted artist said he was “honored” that Eminem chose his 1982 hit for the similarly magic-themed single.

“There is a long chain of stories, poetry, lyrics, and musical roots that have crossed cultures and generations inspiring the whole world for hundreds of years and in all those lines of thought, music,...

[This story contains spoilers from the series finale of Billions, “Admirals Fund.”]

“Bobbie Sue took the money and run” is not exactly the same as saying “Bobby and Chuck took the money and run,” though “Sue” is not a bad nickname for the crusading lawyer played for seven seasons by Paul Giamatti. Still, the vibes are very much on point as Steve Miller Band’s “Take the Money and Run” played viewers out in the opening and closing moments of the series finale of Billions, which ended a seven-season run with one last signature heist and one last big score for basically every single character — everyone, except for late-game antagonist Mike Prince (Corey Stoll).

As often is the case with Billions, the final episode, “Admirals Fund,” pulls the curtain back on events from previous episodes, only to reveal that they did not play out exactly as the audience thought. It looked like the holy alliance of Chuck Rhodes (Giamatti...

Fred Gallo, a former assistant director on a slew of classic 1970s pictures who went on to become the president of production at Paramount, has died. He was 78 years old.

The Hollywood titan, who had worked on Oscar-winning gems like “The Godfather,” “Annie Hall” and “Rocky,” died on Sept. 7 at his Santa Ynez Valley home.

His family confirmed his passing, while Lee Rosenthal called him a “singular force in the industry.” Paramount and Nickolodean’s president of worldwide physical production said, in a statement obtained by TheWrap, that “beneath a formidable exterior was a big-hearted, one-man masterclass in filmmaking and production management.”

“Some of the most iconic movies of our time — ‘The Godfather,’ ‘Rocky’ and ‘Annie Hall,’ to name a few — are imprinted with Fred’s artistry,” Rosenthal stated. “He was a vestige of a time and place in Hollywood history, an early champion of inclusivity and a mentor to many.

Fred Gallo, who served as an assistant director on films including the Oscar best picture winners The Godfather, Rocky and Annie Hall before becoming a top production executive at Paramount Pictures, has died. He was 78.

Gallo died Sept. 7 after a long illness at his home in the Santa Ynez Valley, his family announced.

Gallo also earned producing credits on Floyd Mutrux’s American Hot Wax (1978), Martin Brest’s Going in Style (1979), James Caan’s Hide in Plain Sight (1980) and Lawrence Kasdan’s Body Heat (1981).

After a run as a production vice president at Warner Bros., Gallo joined Paramount in 1993. He was promoted to executive vp feature production management in 1996 and worldwide president of features production management in 2001, overseeing day-to-day physical production for the studio through his retirement in 2005.

“Fred was a singular force in the industry,” Lee Rosenthal, president of worldwide physical production for Paramount Pictures and Nickelodeon, said in a statement.

Lou Alexander, a comedian who worked the national nightclub circuit in the U.S. and Canada in the 1950s and 1960s before becoming an agent and manager, died earlier this month in Beverly Hills. He was 91 and no details on the cause were available, according to his friend, Jeremy Vernon.

Alexander grew up as the son of a burlesque comedian who worked the Catskills in the heyday of the famed “Borscht Belt.” Young Lou became part of the act at age 10, joining him in skits.

Later, teaming with high school friend Howard Storm – who went on to direct the films Bananas, Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Sex But Were Afraid To Ask, and Take The Money and Run – they worked the comedy circuit as Storm and Gale, playing rooms in the Miami area and building a cult following among national comedians who were impressed with their burlesque routines.

German broadcasters Zdf and ZDFneo are partnering with Berlin-based Pyjama Pictures to develop a high-end series about notorious scam artist Ruja Ignatova, also known as the Cryptoqueen and the most wanted woman on the planet.

Tentatively titled “Take the Money and Run,” the six-part series will tell the story of Ignatova, who shot to fame in 2014 with the launch of OneCoin, which she described as a cryptocurrency for the masses that promised enormous profits.

The Bulgarian-German Ignatova hyped the cryptocurrency at huge rallies and attracted millions buyers around the globe who invested billions of euros in OneCoin, believing claims that it would become the world’s biggest digital currency. Flush with cash, Ignatova threw lavish champagne parties and acquired luxury properties around the world. It was all a giant fraud, however.

Ignatova suddenly disappeared without a trace in 2017 after defrauding investors of an estimated $15 billion in what was described as...

The legendary RZA joins hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss a few of his favorite movies.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

The Man With The Iron Fists (2012)

Cut Throat City (2020)

Kill Bill: Volume 1 (2003)

Kill Bill: Volume 2 (2004)

Cooley High (1975) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary

Car Wash (1976) – Larry Karaszewski’s trailer commentary

Grease (1978)

Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band (1978) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary

Gremlins (1984) – Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Tfh’s Mogwai Madness

Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom (2020) – Dennis Cozzalio’s best of 2020

The Devil You Know (2022)

The Last American Virgin (1982)

The Beastmaster (1982)

Porky’s (1981)

Sixteen Candles (1984)

The Breakfast Club (1985)

Fast Times At Ridgemont High (1982) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review

There Will Be Blood (2007)

Carmen Jones (1954)

An American In Paris (1951)

Singin’ In The Rain (1952) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

The Wizard Of Oz (1939) – John Badham’s trailer commentary

Is That Black Enough for You?!?...

Bertram van Munster and Elise Doganieri, the creators of long-running CBS series The Amazing Race are among the investors in Northern Irish animation company Retinize.

Retinize is run by CEO Phil Morrow, who worked with van Munster and Doganieri on ABC competition series Take The Money and Run, which was exec produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.

The company, which uses VR technologies to transform the 3D animation production process, has received $2.6M investment in a seed round led by Sure Valley Ventures.

Other investors include TechStart Ventures, Vgc Partners, Clarendon/Co-fund Ni and Adobe exec Ben Morrow.

The investment will be used to help the global rollout of its software product Animotive.

Phil Morrow said, “We are thrilled to have Sure Valley on board as our lead investor – they have a deep knowledge of the creative tech sector and what impressed us most was the time they took to really understand...

Here’s the thing about bank robbery movies: No one ever roots for the bank. The tellers rarely seem like real people; the institutions don’t need the money; the insurance companies take the hit. But even if our sympathies naturally gravitate toward the lawbreakers, seldom has the stick-up guy seemed more sympathetic than the one in director Abi Damaris Corbin’s Sundance-launched feature debut, “892,” based on a recent case in which the crime was really a cry for help.

On July 7, 2017, Brian Brown-Easley walked into a Wells Fargo in Marietta, Ga., and handed the clerk a note that said, “I have a bomb.” But what he meant was “I have a message.” Brown-Easley wasn’t looking to take the bank’s money. He demanded just $892.34 — the same amount that the Dept. of Veteran Affairs had withheld from his last disability check. But even more importantly, he wanted an audience,...

Our first episode back in the studio! Robert Weide discusses a few of his favorite movies with hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

How to Lose Friends & Alienate People (2008)

Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World (2010)

Mother Night (1996)

Woody Allen: A Documentary (2011)

Mort Sahl: The Loyal Opposition (1989)

Lenny Bruce: Swear to Tell the Truth (1998)

Marx Brothers in a Nutshell (1982)

W.C. Fields: Straight Up (1986)

Kurt Vonnegut: Unstuck in Time (2021)

It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (1963) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

Mary Poppins (1964)

The French Connection (1971) – Dennis Lehane’s trailer commentary, Mark Pellington’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing

The Magnificent Seven (1960) – Jesus Treviño’s trailer commentary

The Godfather (1972) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing

The Exorcist (1973) – Oren Peli’s trailer commentary

Patton (1970) – Rod Lurie’s trailer commentary

Mash (1970)

Short Cuts (1993) – Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review

Lenny...

Screenwriter Ed Solomon joins hosts Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss a few of his favorite movies.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Bill And Ted’s Excellent Adventure (1989) – Alex Kirschenbaum’s Bill & Ted character power rankings

Bill And Ted’s Bogus Journey (1991)

Bill And Ted Face The Music (2020)

Men In Black (1997)

The French Connection (1971) – Dennis Lehane’s trailer commentary, Mark Pellington’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings

No Sudden Move (2021)

A Night At The Opera (1935) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary

Mosaic (2018)

Take The Money And Run (1969)

Bananas (1971) – Robert Weide’s trailer commentary

Sleeper (1973)

Love And Death (1975)

Annie Hall (1977) – Robert Weide’s trailer commentary

Manhattan (1979)

And Now For Something Completely Different… (1971) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary

Blazing Saddles (1974) – John Landis’s trailer commentary, Dennis Cozzalio’s Blazing Saddles Thanksgiving

Klute (1971) – Katt Shea’s trailer commentary, Charlie Largent’s Criterion Blu-ray review

The Parallax View (1974) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary,...

The Steve Miller Band have unearthed a 1977 live album and concert film, out May 14th via Sailor/Capitol/UMe.

Steve Miller Band Live! Breaking Ground: August 3, 1977, was recorded at the Cap Center in Landover, Maryland. “[It] captures the band right at the peak after The Joker, and in the middle of Fly Like an Eagle and Book of Dreams, a stream of hits,” Miller said in a statement. “We decided to call it Breaking Ground because that’s exactly what we were doing.”

The set has remained unreleased until now and...

Former Another World writer Jan Merlin died on September 20 in Los Angeles. He was 94.

Born on April 3, 1925, Merlin was a torpedo man aboard U.S. Navy destroyers during World War II. He studied acting at the Neighborhood Playhouse in New York and appeared in the ensemble in the original 1948 Broadway production of "Mister Roberts," starring Henry Fonda.

From 1950-54, Merlin starred as Roger Manning on the kids TV program Tom Corbett, Space Cadet, based on a comic strip.

He moved to Hollywood for a role in Six Bridges to Cross (1955), starring Curtis, then appeared with Mamie Van Doren in Running Wild (1955), with Dale Robertson in A Day of Fury (1956), with Tom Tryon in Screaming Eagles (1956) and with Ann Sheridan in Woman and the Hunter (1957).

In 1958-59, Merlin portrayed Lt. Colin Kirby on The Rough Riders, an ABC series set in the aftermath of the Civil War.

His credits also included the...

Steve Miller will place his biggest hits alongside a slew of previously unreleased tracks on a new box set, Welcome to the Vault, out October 11th via Sailor/Capitol/UMe.

The three-disc, one DVD collection will span Miller’s six-decade career and boast 38 previously unreleased recordings including demos, rehearsals, outtakes and live performances. The set will also feature five recently rediscovered Steve Miller Band tracks recorded in the Sixties and Seventies. To accompany the box set announcement, Miller shared an alternate version of his 1976 Number One single “Rock ‘N Me.

Woody Allen celebrates his 83rd birthday on December 1, 2018. The four-time Academy Award winner has proved incredibly prolific in his decades-long career, writing, directing, and oftentimes starring in nearly a film a year for almost 50 years. But how many of those are classics? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at 25 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.

After years as a joke writer and standup comic, Allen transitioned into filmmaking penning such screenplays as “What’s New Pussycat?” (1965) and starring in such titles as “Casino Royale” (1967). His first credit as a director was the comedically overdubbed Japanese spy thriller “What’s Up, Tiger Lily?” (1966).

SEEOscar Best Picture Gallery: History of Every Academy Award-Winning Movie

The Woody Allen as we know him emerged in 1969 with the farcical mockumentary “Take the Money and Run” (1969), made when he was 34 years old. The success of that film led to...

We’ve got questions, and you’ve (maybe) got answers! With another week of TV gone by, we’re lobbing queries left and right about shows including Titans, Legends of Tomorrow, The Resident and The Conners!

1 | Has Titans‘ Kory always been in a pantsuit? Or did we miss a quick wardrobe change?

2 | Really, SNL? (And so soon after this equally egregious typo?) And unless they had some deals we don’t know about, wouldn’t the Office alumni who begged host Steve Carell for a reboot (i.e. with a new cast) stand to make far more cash on a revival?...

British broadcaster Channel 4 has poached non-scripted commissioner Sean Doyle from Channel 5 as it looks to build a new slate of 8pm shows.

Doyle, who has been a commissioning executive at the Viacom-owned broadcaster since 2015, was described by Channel 4 Director of Programmes Ian Katz as the “brains behind many of Channel 5’s smartest commissions”.

Doyle was responsible for bringing back reality format The Bachelor to Channel 5, as broken by Deadline, as well as the revamp of classic dating format Blind Date, which was C5’s first major steps into the entertainment genre. He has also been responsible for originals such as social experiment Celebs in Solitary, produced by Sony-owned Stellify Media, and natural history series Wild Britain, produced by Plimsoll Productions.

He joins as Deputy Head of Features and Formats and will report to Head of Features and Formats Sarah Lazenby, who took on the new position earlier this summer.

John Landis made his first dent in Hollywood with this hilarious parody of Z-grade monster movies, and it was big enough to launch a film career. The kudos go to Landis’ comic monkey-man performance, wearing a Schockthropus ape suit by the 20 year-old self taught makeup whiz Rick Baker. Only monster movie fans will understand, but they’ll be charmed. This foreign edition is stacked with schlock-thropic extras.

Schlock

Blu-ray + DVD

Turbine Media Group

1973 / Color / Region Free / 1:78 widescreen (Blu-ray); 1:37 Academy (Ntsc DVD) / 79 min. / Available from Rakete Shop (De) / Street Date April 27, 2018 / Euros 29.99

Starring: John Landis, Saul Kahan, Eliza Garrett, Joseph Piantadosi, Enrica Blankey (Harriet Medin), Forrest J. Ackerman, Jack H. Harris, Donald F. Glut, John Chambers, Ivan Lepper.

Cinematography: Robert E. Collins

Film Editor: George Folsey Jr.

Makeup Artist: Rick Baker

Original Music: David Gibson

Produced by George Folsey Jr., Jack H. Harris, James C. O’Rourke

Written and...

“There Are No Bananas In It”

By Raymond Benson

Woody Allen’s second feature film as director/writer/actor is ranked #69 on AFI’s 100 greatest comedies list… and it is indeed a very funny, zany picture (arguably one of Allen’s funniest) that today says more about the early 1970s than perhaps was intended at the time. But would millennials find Bananas funny in this day and age? Would they get the jokes? Can an audience that hasn’t “grown up” with Woody Allen movies get past what has been said about his personal life since the 1990s? I can’t answer those questions. But I can place Bananas within the context of when it was released and attest that it still makes me laugh.

At this point in his career, Allen was mostly interested in making low budget movies with little substance, but with lots of gags. He was...

Steve Miller has led many musical lives. First he was the guitar-wielding Space Cowboy who blew minds with the blues in the psychedelic San Fransisco of the late ’60s. Then he morphed into the laid-back Joker, crackin’ wise amid the slightly more self-serious singer/songwriters of the early ’70s. He graduated to full scale arena rocker in the middle of the decade with amped-up hits like “Rock ‘N Me” and “Take the Money and Run,” and by the ’80s songs like “Abracadabra” made him a video star on a nascent MTV. Now the icon is looking back on his remarkable musical journey with Ultimate Hits,...

Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex* (*But Were Afraid to Ask)

Blu-ray

Twilight Time

1972 / 1:85 / Street Date July 18th, 2017

Starring: Woody Allen, Gene Wilder, Tony Randall, Burt Reynolds

Cinematography: David M. Walsh

Film Editor: Eric Albertson

Written by Woody Allen

Produced by Jack Brodsky, Elliott Gould

Music: Mundell Lowe

Directed by Woody Allen

A how-to book for fledgling libertines, David Reuben’s bestselling Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask) was the kind of sex manual that could remain on the coffee table when the in-laws arrived. An everyman’s guide to the birds and the bees, it ambled through its range of racy topics, from sodomy, cunnilingus to, um, plastic surgery for the genitalia, with both commonsensical and alarmingly retrograde attitudes, dispensing its advice with all the excitement of an insurance agent’s visit. When Woody Allen was given the opportunity to adapt it,...

Robin Bell Aug 10, 2017

Woody Allen's Annie Hall is regarded as one of the best romantic comedies ever. We take a look back at a classic...

When writing about films that you love, it is very easy to begin with a preamble where you eulogise about the said film in a way that only discusses your feelings for it, and doesn't delve into and analyse the reasons why the film is so important. I will try to avoid that here and get straight to the point as to why Annie Hall is the greatest romantic comedy of all time. I feel this is the introduction the film requires - a little awkward, and wanting to analyse everything that little bit deeper.

Annie Hall breaks so many supposed 'rules' that films have. If you narrow that down to the rules of the romantic comedy then it completely obliterates them. In terms of the romantic comedy,...

Woody Allen finished his period drama for Amazon Studios, “Wonder Wheel,” on Tuesday. And on Wednesday, he decided to sit for his first-ever Facebook Live video interview, conducted by filmmaker Robert Weide, director of 2012’s “Woody Allen: A Documentary.” Allen discussed his latest movie, which stars Kate Winslet and Justin Timberlake, and also shared his thoughts on many of his previous films, most of which he believes were mishandled by distributors.

‘Manhattan’ Exclusive Trailer: Woody Allen’s Classic Rom-Com Gets a 4K Digital Facelift — Watch

“It’s always, ‘We’ll put this out in the summer because it will be counter-programming to all the big movies’ or ‘We’ll put this out in Easter,’” Allen said, adding that when his movies underperform, distributors always have an excuse at the ready. “There is always a story as to why their plan to really squeeze the last dollar out of the box...

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Take the Money and Run originally had a different ending that was cut by editor Ralph Rosenblum. What was it?

Woody is killed in a bloody gun ambush. Woody becomes president. Woody appears to tear a hole in the movie screen and “escapes” into the theater.

Mubi is showing Kelly Reichardt's newly restored debut River of Grass (1994) globally August 5 - September 3, 2016. In the United States and United Kingdom, more films by the director are also playing.“You meeting someone here tonight, Cozy?”“Nah, I just had the urge to get out.”“Yeah? I had the urge to drink. So it’s fate.”— Lee and Cozy, River of Grass “The wind’s not gonna be kind tonight.”— Solomon Tetherow, Meek’s Cutoff Kelly Reichardt’s is a cinema of misfits and margins. Of survival and getting by. In her debut feature, River of Grass (1994), a romantic naïf and her drifter boyfriend go on the run for a crime they’re convinced they’ve committed. In Old Joy (2006), a contentedly married man and soon-to-be father agrees to a road trip with an old pal, only to realize that the two are on divergent paths: the latter, frustrated by everyday pressures,...

Chicago – He is one of the most prolific American directors of the modern cinema era, and has also forged a career as stand-up comedian, actor, playwright and screenplay artist. He is Woody Allen, and he walked the Red Carpet at the Chicago History Museum on July 21st, 2016, for his new film ‘Café Society.’

The film is his 47th feature film as writer/director, from “What’s Up, Tiger Lily” (1966) to the present day, and highlights Allen’s strengths as an artist. “Café Society” is filled with romance, heartbreak and the glamour of 1930s Hollywood, and features Steve Carrell, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Blake Lively, Corey Stoll and Parker Posey. It is schedule for nationwide release on July 29th, 2016

Woody Allen’s Latest Film is ‘Café Society, Releasing Nationwide on July 29th, 2016

Photo credit: Joe Arce of Starstruck Foto for HollywoodChicago.com

Woody Allen was born Allen Stewart Konigsberg in Brooklyn,...

This Friday, Café Society, the latest release from writer/director/comic godhead Woody Allen, waltzes into theaters — the 47th feature Allen has directed over a career spanning 50 years. (Yes, we're counting New York Stories.) He's had box-office successes and outright bombs, Oscar-winning masterpieces and critically panned duds. But regardless of his movies' receptions (and the reoccurring rumors about his personal life), he's managed to pump out a film a year with impressive regularity. Some key elements have stayed the same — once a jazz clarinet slinks onto the soundtrack, audiences know exactly who they're dealing with.

This Friday, Café Society, the latest release from writer/director/comic godhead Woody Allen, waltzes into theaters — the 47th feature Allen has directed over a career spanning 50 years. (Yes, we're counting New York Stories.) He's had box-office successes and outright bombs, Oscar-winning masterpieces and critically panned duds. But regardless of his movies' receptions (and the reoccurring rumors about his personal life), he's managed to pump out a film a year with impressive regularity. Some key elements have stayed the same — once a jazz clarinet slinks onto the soundtrack, audiences know exactly who they're dealing with.

Steve Miller says the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, like the stoner robbers of his hit “Take the Money and Run,” are trying to rip people off. During his induction to the Hall on Friday in Brooklyn, Miller gently critiqued the organization’s nomination process and slowness to induct women artists. Backstage, though, he really brought the heat. Because you know what other women he thinks the Hall is disrespecting? The wives of the guys in his band: The Steve Miller Band. “When they told me I was inducted they said, ‘You have two tickets — one for your wife and one.

Asghar Farhadi‘s films don’t strike me as having much of a cinematic precedent, which is not at all to suggest they aren’t “cinematic.” Consider, rather, the fact that his master’s thesis concerned world-class dramatist Harold Pinter, and think of his screenplays’ dramatic properties — an incident, an involved party, the people around him or her, and further incidents that will then gradually, inevitably emerge. Perhaps I consider him a great, great writer first and a very great visual strategist second, or simply take those roles as 1a and 1b, respectively.

In short: it’s little surprise that his Sight & Sound list is filled with movies about families and their calamitous issues (sometimes “just” emotional), or at least movies heavily concerned with the reverberations of actions. It’s also a fine collection of cinema as is, save for Sun Yu‘s The Road, which I’m only excluding...

As the rumors swirl when it comes to the line-up for the 69th Cannes Film Festival, today brings confirmation of one specific title. The festival announced today that Woody Allen‘s latest feature Café Society — which Amazon Studios is expected to release this summer — will open the event as an out-of-competition title, marking the third time one of his films has done so.

Led by Kristen Stewart (who we expect to also show up with Olivier Assayas‘ Personal Shopper) and Jesse Eisenberg, the announcement also comes with an official logline (following last week’s details from cinematographer Vittorio Storaro) and the first still, seen above. Check out the press release below in full and return for our review.

The 69th Festival International du Film de Cannes will launch with a screening of Woody Allen’s new film, Café Society, on Wednesday 11 May in the Palais des Festivals’s Grand Théâtre...

What's the funniest movie you've ever seen? According to the Writers Guild of America, it's Woody Allen and Marshall Brickman's "Annie Hall."  That's the top of its just-released ranking of the 101 funniest screenplays, and Woody Allen appears several more times on the list: "Sleeper" (60), "Bananas" (69), "Take the Money and Run" (76), "Love and Death" (78), "Manhattan" (81), and "Broadway Danny Rose" (92). Harold Ramis made five appearances on the list, with "Groundhog Day" (3), "National Lampoon's Animal House" (10), "Ghostbusters" (14), "Caddyshack" (25), and "Stripes" (88). And Mel Brooks had "just" three screenplays on the list but they all ranked highly: "Young Frankenstein" (6), "Blazing Saddles" (8), and "The Producers" (12). He's also credited with "The Big Lebowski" (13), but he didn't write that, so I'm sure the WGA will correct its error shortly. (The Coen Brothers, who did write it, also appear at number 23 with "Raising Arizona" and 86 with "Fargo.") The most recent movie to make the list is 2011's "Bridesmaids...

Woody Allen's groundbreaking 1977 comedy Annie Hall triumphed over 100 other films – including a handful of the director's other works – to land at Number One on the Writers Guild of America's list of the 101 Funniest Screenplays. The comedy's Allen- and Marshall Brickman-penned script beat out a Top Five that included 1959's Some Like It Hot (Number Two), 1993's Groundhog Day (Three), 1980's Airplane! (Four) and 1982's Tootsie.

In total, Allen placed seven scripts on the 101 Funniest Screenplays list, with Sleeper, Bananas, Take the Money and Run, Love and Death, Manhattan...

Read More: The 25 Best Comedies Of The 21st Century So Far The Writers Guild of America has weighed in on the funniest films of all time, putting together a list of 101 features they consider to be the best comedies the movie business has ever offered. The awards for the 101 funniest screenplays were announced at Hollywood's Arclight Cinema Dome over a two-hour discussion panel hosted by Rob Reiner. The WGA East announced the winners in New York at the New School Auditorium in Greenwich Village. Woody Allen's Oscar-winning screenplay for "Annie Hall" topped the list, though it was just one of seven titles by the writer-director that was included on the list. Allen's other entries included "Sleeper," "Bananas," "Take the Money and Run," "Broadway Danny Rose," "Love and Death" and "Manhattan." "Some Like it Hot," "Groundhog Day," "Airplane!" and "Tootsie" rounded out...

Perhaps the most subjective genre in cinema, the same comedy can cause one viewer to have tears of laughter and another to not crack a smile. So, while knowing there can be no definitive list of the finest in the genre, the Writers Guild of America attempted to narrow down the 101 funniest screenplays. Noting the distinction from the best in the genre, these 101 films should simply produce the most laughs.

Topping the list is Woody Allen‘s Best Picture-winning Annie Hall, a choice difficult to argue with. Rounding out the top five were Some Like it Hot, Groundhog Day, Airplane! and Tootsie, while films from the Coens, Stanley Kubrick, Wes Anderson, and Edgar Wright were also mentioned. There are also some genuine head-scratching inclusions, including The Hangover at 30, and, as much as I enjoy the film, Bridesmaids nearly making the top 15, but overall, if one is looking to brighten their mood,...

Do you enjoy special-effects laden blockbusters? How about gritty crime dramas? Or biting comedies? The New Hollywood movement helped to make all of these possible in mainstream cinema.

New Hollywood is less a trend about the kinds of films that were produced and more about the people making them. The New Hollywood movement was about a new generation of filmmakers who came of age in the 60’s and went on to define filmmaking in the 70’s. These are filmmakers who went against tradition to push film to new heights and explore new genres and ideas. New Hollywood is the passing of the torch from the classic era of filmmaking to the modern era. It showed us both how great intimate character-focused dramas could be, but it also expanded the possibilities of what film could be, giving birth to the blockbuster. The New Hollywood movement is the foundation upon which current cinema is based.

Chicago – Actor Sam Eliott will make you smile. The distinctive voice, his famous mustache and his character presence in a film or TV show increases any potential in the production. He recently was in Chicago with director Paul Weitz, as they teamed up in the film “Grandma,” starring the incomparable Lily Tomlin.

“Grandma” has a very unique premise. Tomlin is the title character of Elle, who is visited by her granddaughter Sage (Julia Garner). The girl is seeking an abortion, and her feminist poet grandmother seems like the right fellow traveler on her way to the procedure. Sam Elliott portrays Karl, Elle’s ex-husband – she left him for a same sex partner – who harbors a resentment toward circumstances in their relationship. The two meet along the way to the clinic, and the resentment boils to the surface.

Lily Tomlin and Sam Elliott in ‘Grandma’

Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics

Sam Elliott...

I sat down with Oscar-winning screenwriter, actor, director and musician Billy Bob Thornton for Venice Magazine in October of 2001. He had a slate of very diverse projects he was promoting: his first solo music album, "Private Radio," as well as the films "Monster's Ball," "Bandits," and "The Man Who Wasn't There." My strongest memory is of Thornton's quiet intensity and an undercurrent of Southern affability, which came out once he decided you were okay. He seemed to feel that way about me after I shared with him my idolatry of legendary filmmaker Fred Zinnemann, something we shared. I also remember his unusual diet, when our lunch was served. Thornton got the biggest plate of sliced papaya I've seen to date, artfully presented. I got a seafood salad. He looked at my plate, smiled, and told me about the horrible shellfish allergy he'd been saddled with all his life, and how...

The countdown to finding out A's identity is just weeks away, although let's be real -- will "Pretty Little Liars" really tell us who Rosewood's resident stalker is, or will this be Ezra Fitz / Toby Cavanaugh / Mona Vanderwaal / every other character ever all over again? Only time will tell. Either way, "Pll" is ramping up its secret spillage, so get caught up with the latest in our recap. Spoiler alert: the liars remain confused about literally everything.

Ali Drugs Her Dad (#Casual), Charles Dilaurentis Gets Really Enthused About His Birthday

Remember last week when Charles Dilaurentis wrote his dad that creepy note and was like "Lol, I'm alive!" Well, poor Mr. Dilaurentis is deeply traumatized, and decides he should probably flee Rosewood to protect his himself. Uhm, yes, that is a great idea. The first great idea that's ever been on this show. But of course Alison ruins everything, drugs her dad with sleeping pills,...

Made entirely with CG, Night of the Living Dead: Darkest Dawn will premiere at Walker Stalker Fan Fest in July. Also in this round-up: release details for Wave 7 of Funko's Comic-Con 2015 exclusive figures and The Sender and Student Bodies Blu-rays.

Night of the Living Dead: Darkest Dawn: "Night Of The Living Dead: Darkest Dawn is a new fully CG take on the 1968 classic, “Night of the Living Dead.” This is the story of a group of survivors fighting to stay alive when a mysterious plague unleashes the undead on New York City. Barricaded in an abandoned apartment building, the characters from the original film face new terror and question each other’s compassion and sense of humanity as they fight to stay alive against the army of the walking dead...It was directed by Krisztian Majdik, Zebediah Y. Desoto, and written by David Schwartz, Zebediah Y. De Soto, Jib Polhemus,...

All week long our writers will debate: Which was the greatest film year of the past half century. Click here for a complete list of our essays. How to decide in the grand scheme of things which film year stands above all others? History gives us no clear methodology to unravel this thorny but extremely important question. Is it the year with the highest average score of movies? So a year that averages out to a B + might be the winner over a field strewn with B’s, despite a few A +’s. Or do a few masterpieces lift up a year so far that whatever else happened beyond those three or four films is of no consequence? Both measures are worthy, and the winner by either of those would certainly be a year not to be sneezed at. But I contend the only true measure of a year’s...

April showers bring… Quotes of the Week, of course!

RelatedMay Sweeps Scorecard 2015: Weddings, Deaths, Breakups, Sex, Resurrections, Firings and More!

Yep, we’ve scanned the last seven days of small-screen activity for the best zingers, one-liners, retorts and more.

This time around we’ve got a Momzilla-to-be on Nashville, dental puns on Mom, discussions of race on SNL and Community, double doses of The Comedians and S.H.I.E.L.D. and much more!

So click through the gallery below for the full rundown — then hit the comments to share your thoughts and share any goodies we inevitably missed!

Kids, they grow up so fast… and become junior spies?

On Wednesday night’s The Americans, Paige confronted her parents about what they’re hiding and — shocker! — Elizabeth and Philip actually told her about their espionage-filled lives.

RelatedThe Americans Renewed for Season 4

Offscreen, her portrayer Holly Taylor was as desperate as her alter ego for the truth to come out. “I just wanted her to find out already so she can be a spy!” she tells TVLine. “That’s like my main goal. So I was so excited when I saw this script.”

“I just think it would be so much fun,...

The 2015 Atx Television Festival (June 4-7) is beefing up its schedule with eight new panels, including a farewell to FX’s long-running drama Justified and an in-depth conversation with Friends creator Marta Kauffman.

RelatedGilmore Girls Reunion Scoop: Atx Fest Reteams Lauren Graham, Alexis Bledel and Amy Sherman-Palladino

The Justified panel will find series creator Graham Yost discussing his experiences during the FX drama’s six-season run — the series finale airs April 14 — alongside still-to-be-announced producers and cast members.

Additionally, Kauffman will use the “Conversations with Marta Kauffman” panel to discuss her extensive television career, from broadcast (Friends) to cable (Dream On...