(Photo by © Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection)
Unless you had tremendous recall of all the bit roles in American Grafitti or The Conversation, the first time the world at large set their eyes on Harrison Ford was in the little indie that could: Star Wars. With no previous acting reference points for most audiences, Ford WAS Han Solo, the glumly debonair and seductive space rogue who gave a dash of modern cynicism to Star Wars’ populist mysticism, singing aliens, and laser swords.
Ford returned for The Empire Strikes Back, jumpstarting the best run of movies anybody had in the ’80s. None of his films this decade were Rotten, and nine of them are Certified Fresh — utter classics and masterpieces like Blade Runner, Return of the Jedi, and all three Indiana Jones movies. 1985’s Witness, in which Ford plays a steely detective protecting an Amish boy who’s seen a murder, garnered him his only Best Actor Academy Award nomination.
Ford’s ’90s highlights include The Fugitive (another box office smash and a Best Picture nominee), taking on the CIA analyst Jack Ryan role created by Tom Clancy in Patriot Games and Clear and Present Danger, and kicking off unruly passengers as the freaking President of the United States of America in Air Force One.
After a 19-year absence from the big screen, he, Steven Spielberg, and George Lucas brought Indy back for The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. The movie would go on to be designated Certified Fresh by critics, though it’s no secret critical and audience appreciation for the movie remains weak.
Since them, Ford has gamely returned to the roles that made him famous: Han in Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens and Deckard in Blade Runner 2049. Both movies would also be Certified Fresh, the first time Ford would have two consecutive CF films since the ’80s. And now we’re taking a look back we rank all Harrison Ford movies by Tomatometer! —Alex Vo
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(Photo by Marvel Studios / Disney, 20th Century Fox, Miramax, TriStar)
For their bravery, wit, general badassery, and unbroken spirit in the face of enormous challenges (be they gender discrimination or acid-hissing aliens), we pay tribute to 87 Fearless Movie Women Who Inspire Us.
How did we arrive at our top 87? With the help of a fearless panel of women critics made up of some of the best writers in the industry, including a few on the Rotten Tomatoes staff. Starting with a long list of candidates, they whittled down the list to an initial set of 72 amazingly heroic characters and ordered them, crowning the most fearless woman movie hero in the process. Want to know more about the ladies who voted? We included their bios at the end! Then, in addition to their contributions, which make up the bulk of the list, we also added a handful of more recent entries chosen by the RT staff.
The final list (you can watch every movie in a special FandangoNOW collection) gives compelling insight into which heroes have resonated through the years, women whose big-screen impact remains even as the times change. We have the usual suspects along with plenty of surprises (Working Girl, your day has come!), and the only way to discover them all is reading on for the 87 fearless women movie heroes — and groups of heroes — who inspire us!
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp.)
#1One of the appeals of science-fiction is the luxury to comment on modern issues and social mores, or even eschew them completely. Take a look at the diverse space crews in Star Trek, Sunshine, or Alien, where people are hired based on nothing but competence, and none have proven their competence under extreme pressure as well as Ellen Ripley. She’s tough, pragmatic, and cunning in Alien. Journey with Ripley into Aliens and we get to see her in a new light: mothering and nurturing with hints of deep empathy (Sigourney Weaver was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for this performance), which only makes the Xenomorph-stomping side of her even more badass.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp.)
#2And on the other side of the Sigourney spectrum, Weaver here plays Katharine, a particular kind of woman who’s nasty to the competition: other women. The object of her scorn is her secretary, Tess McGill (played by Melanie Griffith), who has her great ideas stolen by Katharine. The plucky Tess in turn pretends to be her boss’s colleague, and proceeds to shake things up in this corporate Cinderella story. Who doesn’t dream of one day suddenly arriving in a higher echelon of society? Of course, it’s what you do once you get there that’s important, and the glowing and tenacious Tess makes the most of it.
(Photo by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Marvel)
#3Hard-drinking, ass-kicking Valkyrie makes no apologies for her choices and draws solid boundaries. Sure, she’s flawed, but that’s what makes her successes so sweet. That she’s played by Tessa Thompson doubles the fun.
(Photo by Marvel/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)
#4Letitia Wright proved that a sister doesn’t have to sit in the shadow of her sibling simply because he’s king. Her Shuri has the smarts and the sass to cut her own path, making her technical genius essential not only to the Kingdom of Wakanda, but also the Avengers’ recent efforts to take down the tyrant Thanos.
(Photo by Fox 2000 Pictures)
#5Don’t ask us to choose a favorite among Hidden Figures’ Space Race heroines: Taraji P. Henson as Katherine G. Johnson, Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan, and Janelle Monáe as Mary Jackson. The Oscar-nominated drama tells the story of a real-life team of female African-American mathematicians crucial to NASA’s early space program.
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#6As Imperator Furiosa, Charlize Theron blazed a trail for enslaved post-apocalyptic cult wives in skimpy clothing – literally. With an assist from Max (Tom Hardy), soldier Furiosa set the road on fire to rescue her charges from madman Immortan Joe (Hugh Keays-Byrne), leader of the Citadel.
(Photo by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures/Lucasfilm Ltd)
#7Daisy Ridley gave girls everywhere – and full-grown women, in truth – a fresh new hero to adore when she debuted in Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Of humble origins, scrappy Rey overcomes her circumstances living as an orphan in a harsh environment to become an essential component in the Resistance. It helps, of course, that The Force is with her.
(Photo by Clay Enos/Warner Bros. Pictures)
#8Despite her superpowers and privileged background, Gal Gadot as Diana – princess of Themyscira and the Amazons, daughter of Queen Hippolyta and King of the Gods Zeus – retains her humility and a genuine care for humanity. She’s also the most rock solid member of DC’s boys club of Justice League superheroes.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox)
#9Come on…she’s Princess Leia. She leads the Rebel Alliance. She saves the galaxy again and again (with a little help from Luke, and Han, and Chewy). She eventually becomes a revered general, but from the very start – when she first confronts Darth Vader at the beginning of Episode IV – A New Hope – she shows a defiant, fiery nature that never dims. In her defining film role, Carrie Fisher brings impeccable comic timing to this cosmic princess.
(Photo by Roadside Attractions)
#10Before she was Katniss, Jennifer Lawrence was Ree, the role that made her a star and earned her the first of four Oscar nominations. A no-nonsense teenager, Ree dares to brave the dangers lurking within the Ozark Mountains to track down her drug-dealing father and protect her siblings and their home. With each quietly treacherous encounter, she shows depth and instincts beyond her years, and a willingness to fight for what matters.
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#11You can’t have any fear when you’re going up against Hannibal Lecter – or at least you can’t show it. He’ll sniff it out from a mile away. But what’s exciting about Jodie Foster’s Oscar-winning portrayal of the young FBI cadet is the way she works through her fear, harnessing that nervous energy alongside her powerful intellect and dogged determination. Clarice Starling is a hero for every little girl who thought she wasn’t good enough.
(Photo by Universal Pictures)
#12Julia Roberts won a best-actress Oscar for her charismatic portrayal of this larger-than-life, real-life figure. Erin Brockovich is repeatedly underestimated because of the flashy way she dresses and the brash way she carries herself. But as a single mom who becomes an unlikely environmental advocate, she’s a steely fighter. What she lacks in book smarts, she more than makes up for with heart. Steven Soderbergh’s film is an inspiring underdog story.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox)
#13Jane Craig is the toughest, sharpest, most prepared woman in the newsroom at all times, but she isn’t afraid to cry to let it all out when the pressure gets too great. Writer-director James L. Brooks created this feminist heroine, this workplace goddess, but Holly Hunter brilliantly brings her to life. She’s just so vibrant. Even when she’s sitting still (which isn’t often), you can feel her thinking. And while two men compete for her attention, no man could ever define her.
(Photo by MGM Studios)
#14It would be easy to underestimate Marge Gunderson. Sure, she’s in a position of power as the Brainerd, Minnesota, police chief. But with her folksy manner – and the fact that she’s so pregnant, she’s about to burst – she’s not exactly the most intimidating figure. But in the hands of the brilliant Frances McDormand, she’s consistently the smartest and most fearless person in the room, and she remains one of the Coen brothers’ most enduring characters. You betcha.
(Photo by Marvel/Walt Disney Studios)
#15Danai Gurira plays Okoye, the leader of the Dora Milaje who specializes in spear fighting and strategic wig flipping. Of late, Okoye has been seen keeping company with Avengers.
(Photo by Miramax Films)
#16Things Bridget Jones is prone to: accidents, fantasizing about sexy coworkers, worrying about her weight, and running mad into the snow wearing tiger-print underwear. All totally relatable things, so it’s no surprise she’s the highest-ranked romcom heroine on this list. It also doesn’t hurt that, at their best, Bridget’s movies are what romantic comedies aspire to: They’re fun, cute, and just when it feels like everything’s about to fall apart, there’s the exhilarating little twist at the end that leaves watchers feel like they’re floating on air.
(Photo by Paramount Pictures)
#17It’s true that Cher is a little oblivious to the world at large, but she’s just so earnest and she tries so hard. She discovers a passion for doing good after successfully matchmaking a pair of teachers, and after a series of difficult lessons learned, she makes an honest effort to escape her privileged bubble and become a better person. Like we all should.
(Photo by MGM Studios)
#18Thelma and Louise, best friends who stick by each other no matter what. And when their girls’ getaway weekend quickly turns from frivolous to frightening, they find even deeper levels of loyalty to each other. Geena Davis and Susan Sarandon have an effortless chemistry with each other, and Ridley Scott’s intimate and thrilling film never judges these women for the decisions they make — or for the lengths to which they’ll go in the name of freedom.
(Photo by Warner Brothers)
#19Enduring racism, misogyny, and emotional, physical, and sexual violence, Celie (Whoopi Goldberg in her film debut) transcends her traumatic life in the rural South, finding friends, strength, and her own voice.
(Photo by Sony Pictures Classics)
#20As a transgender waitress, Marina constantly endures cruelty and confusion from the ignorant people around her. When the one man who loves her for who she truly is dies unexpectedly, she finds herself in the midst of an even more emotional, personal fight. Transgender actress Daniela Vega initially was hired as a consultant on Sebastian Lelio’s film; instead, she became its star, and A Fantastic Woman deservedly won this year’s foreign-language Oscar.
(Photo by TriStar Pictures)
#21Sarah Connor makes many want to be a better mother – or at least get to the gym and work on our triceps. The once-timid waitress crafts herself into a force of nature, a fearsome and visceral manifestation of pure maternal instinct. Played most memorably by Linda Hamilton in the first two Terminator movies, Sarah may seem unhinged, but she’s got laser-like focus when it comes to protecting her son, John, from the many threats coming his way.
(Photo by Miramax Films)
#22The return of blaxploitation queen, Pam Grier! What’s not to love? Especially in Quentin Tarantino’s killer love letter to South Bay Los Angeles. As Jackie Brown, Grier exudes classic cool with a tough exterior.
(Photo by Richard Olley/Columbia Pictures)
#23Jessica Chastain has made a career of playing quick-witted characters with nerves of steel. Nowhere is this truer than in her starring role in Kathryn Bigelow’s thrilling depiction of the hunt for Osama bin Laden. Maya is obsessively focused in her pursuit of the al Qaeda leader. She’s a confident woman who has to be extra prepared to survive in a man’s world. But when the mission is over and she finally allows some emotion to shine through, it’s cathartic for us all.
(Photo by Warner Brothers/ Everett Collection)
#24She’s the smartest kid in the class, regardless of the subject. The hardest worker, too. And she’s proud of those qualities, making her an excellent role model for girls out there with an interest in math and science. But Hermione isn’t all about the books. Over the eight Harry Potter films, in Emma Watson’s increasingly confident hands, Hermione reveals her resourcefulness, loyalty, and grace. She’s a great student but an even better friend.
(Photo by Columbia Pictures/ Everett Collection)
#25Howard Hawks’ celebrated screwball comedy benefited from a not-so-small change to the stage play it was based on: In the original The Front Page, Hildy Johnson was a male. But thanks to Rosalind Russell’s lively performance, as well as a few script changes she personally insisted upon, the character blossomed into an early icon of the independent working woman who’s not only just as effective at her job as her male counterparts, but also equally adept with a witty comeback.
(Photo by Walt Disney/ Everett Collection)
#26Elastigirl takes on all the trials of motherhood: She’s got hyper kids, a bored husband, and has to witness certain parts of her body unperkify. Elastigirl also just happens to be a superhero, with the fate of the world resting on her shoulders.
(Photo by Universal/courtesy Everett Collection)
#27Fans of the short-lived but beloved Fox sci-fi series Firefly were already familiar with Gina Torres‘ badassery as Zoe Washburne in Serenity. A veteran of the Unification War and second in command of the ship, Zoe is a strong and loyal ally who rarely pulls punches, whether she’s stating a controversial opinion or engaged in a literal fistfight. With her free spirit and deadly skills, it’s no wonder she became a fan favorite.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection)
#28Dolly Parton is a national treasure, and 9 to 5 allows her to light up the screen with her sparkling, charismatic personality. But while Doralee may seem like a sweet Southern gal, she’s got a stiff backbone and a sharp tongue, and she isn’t afraid to use them when she’s crossed. When she finally stands up to her sexist bully of a boss alongside co-workers Lily Tomlin and Jane Fonda, it’s nothing short of a revolution – one that remains sadly relevant today.
(Photo by Columbia Pictures/courtesy Everett Collection)
#29The story of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League is one that deserves to be told, and it’s Geena Davis‘ Dottie Hinson who grounds this fictional account. She’s a talented local player who becomes the star of the Rockford Peaches, and it’s her quick thinking that brings publicity to the sport. When her decision to play in the World Series leads to a spectacular finish, she also demonstrates a very human vulnerability, making her a strong but relatable heroine.
(Photo by Focus Features/courtesy Everett Collection)
#30Jane Austen’s classic heroine Elizabeth Bennet jumps off the page in the 2005 film starring Keira Knightley, who gives audiences an intelligent, down-to-Earth, sometimes literally dirty, but uncompromisingly steadfast leading lady.
(Photo by Everett Collection)
#31Never underestimate a sorority girl. They are organized and they know how to get what the want. In the case of Elle Woods, she goes after her law school goals with a smile on her face, a spring in her step, and an impeccably coordinated wardrobe. Reese Witherspoon is impossibly adorable in the role, with a potent combination of smarts and heart to shut down the naysayers who are foolish enough to judge her simply by her looks.
(Photo by Warner Bros./Courtesy Everett Collection)
#32Talk brashly and carry a big sword. As Tom Cruise’s character unravels a complex time travel sci-fi story, a constant in his fluctuating world is Rita Vrataski aka the killer Angel of Verdun. But Emily Blunt gives life to Rita beyond burgeoning love interest. She takes the lead and makes the movie just as much her’s.
(Photo by Marvel Studios)
#33When Nick Fury sent that mysterious intergalactic text message right before disappearing into dust at the end of Avengers: Infinity War, eager fans knew what was in store. As played by Brie Larson, Captain Marvel is one of the most powerful superheroes in the MCU — if not THE most powerful — and she’s in such high demand that she spends most of her time battling evil on other planets. She shows up when it counts, though, and she can rock a mowhawk like nobody’s business.
(Photo by Paramount /Courtesy Everett Collection)
#34Though hit hard by tragedy and seemingly insurmountable odds of surviving an alien invasion, mother and daughter duo Evelin and Regan Abbott prove their mettle in A Quiet Place.
(Photo by Paramount Pictures / Courtesy: Everett Collection)
#35Played first in film by the groundbreaking star of the Star Trek TV series, Nichelle Nichols, the role was passed on to Zoe Saldana in the 2009 reboot film. Uhura, the USS Enterprise chief communications officer, was a critical crew member throughout the franchise in both TV and film.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection)
#36Who can stand up to Hugh Jackman’s fierce Wolverine without flinching? His cloned daughter X-23. Dafne Keen imbued the preteen mutant, a.k.a. “Laura,” with a volatile mix of anger, despondency, obstinance, and hope – that we would very much like to see more of.
(Photo by 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection)
#37She’s Buffy. She slays vampires while juggling cheerleading and the SATs. But while Kristy Swanson gives the character a satricial bent, it’s the legendary TV adaptation that gives this character a lasting legacy. But the movie ain’t a bad place to start.
Over the last 40 years or so, Harrison Ford has amassed a lifetime gross in the billions – and he’s done it while kicking bad-guy tail as some of the most memorable cinematic heroes in history, including Han Solo, Indiana Jones, and Jack Ryan. He’s made a whole bunch of great movies along the way, too – and now that one of the best in the bunch is getting a long-awaited sequel with Blade Runner 2049, we thought this would be the perfect time to take a look back at some of the critical highlights from his illustrious filmography. It’s time for Total Recall!
Sigourney Weaver’s distinguished career includes three Oscar nominations, more than $2 billion in lifetime grosses, and roles in a pair of James Cameron-helmed sci-fi franchises — not to mention an impressively eclectic array of films that runs the gamut from serious dramas to ribald comedies and back again. This weekend, she’s back on the big screen with A Monster Calls, which expands into wide release, so we decided to pay tribute by taking a fond look back at some of her brightest critical highlights. It’s time for Total Recall!
Career advancement often has as much to do with who you know — and your gender — as the quality of your work. It’s a sad fact that’s handled with a light touch in Mike Nichols’ Working Girl, a sharply written, solidly cast romantic comedy starring Melanie Griffith as a secretary whose acumen for investment banking is ignored at her firm because she didn’t go to the right school. Using an injury to her boss (Sigourney Weaver) as an opportunity to make her move, she proves her hidden potential — while falling in love, of course, with an executive (Harrison Ford) who doesn’t know she’s “just a secretary.” Portions of the plot seem dated now, but in its day, Working Girl offered audiences a bright blend of screwball comedy and social commentary. As Rita Kempley wrote for the Washington Post, “This scrumptious romantic comedy with its blithe cast is as easy to watch as swirling ball gowns and dancing feet. But oh me, oh my, how much more demanding it is to be a fairy tale heroine these days.”
Rich with ambiguity, dark secrets, the looming threat of violence, and a hint of domestic dischord, Ariel Dorfman’s play Death and the Maiden couldn’t have been better suited for the Roman Polanski treatment if Polanski had written it himself. Starring Sigourney Weaver as Paulina Escobar, a woman whose haunting memories of imprisonment and rape are reawakened when her husband (Stuart Wilson) brings home a man she believes tortured her (Ben Kingsley), Maiden united one of Polanski’s strongest casts with some of his most familiar themes. Though it wasn’t one of his biggest financial successes, it signaled a critical return to form after the comparative disappointment of 1992’s Bitter Moon; Marc Savlov of the Austin Chronicle was one of the writers who offered praise, calling Death and the Maiden “a streamlined razor-ride of a movie: taut, riveting, and a psychological horror show that will leave nail-marks in your palms for days afterwards.”
Nobody plays an adorable nerd with unsuspected emotional depth quite like Ed Helms — which made him the ideal leading man for 2011’s Cedar Rapids, a tender comedy about a naive insurance agent who’s called into duty at the last minute when he’s asked to head out to the “big city” and represent his company at the all-important regional convention. As Helms’ girlfriend back home, Weaver didn’t get to join in any of the memorable, John C. Reilly-assisted debauchery that follows, but their relationship helped add poignant overtones to a film that Tom Long of the Detroit News described by saying, “Considering it has to do with infidelity, bribery, drugs, drinking, loutish behavior, fraud and prostitution, Cedar Rapids is really kind of a sweet movie.”
Starring Mel Gibson as a journalist whose hunger for a big story leads him into the heart of an Indonesian coup — and earns him a busted eye in the process — 1983’s The Year of Living Dangerously reunited Gibson with his Gallipoli director Peter Weir, earned Linda Hunt an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress (and for good reason: She played a half-Chinese dwarf named Billy Kwan), and gave Weaver the chance to have some high-stakes romance in an impeccably crafted war drama inspired by true events. “The Year of Living Dangerously is a flawed film,” wrote Dan Jardine of the Apollo Guide, “but it is richly textured and imbued with enough emotional and intellectual subtlety to make it a rewarding experience.”
It isn’t especially well-remembered today, despite a terrific cast that includes Morgan Freeman as a police lieutenant embroiled in a murder case that’s also being investigated by a TV reporter (Sigourney Weaver) and a janitor (William Hurt), but with that killer cast and a bit of expert late-period direction from Bullitt director Peter Yates, 1981’s Eyewitness is the sort of perfectly serviceable cat-and-mouse mystery thriller that’ll help you pass a painless 103 minutes on your next lazy Saturday afternoon. “Every scene develops characters,” mused Roger Ebert. “And they’re developed in such offbeat fidelity to the way people do behave that we get all the more involved in the mystery, just because, for once, we halfway believe it could really be happening.”
Sporting a blonde wig alongside Tim Allen and a heavily made-up Alan Rickman, Weaver helped parody the conventions of the sci-fi genre — as well as, you know, sci-fi conventions — in 1999’s Galaxy Quest, which sends the washed-up cast of a long-canceled TV show on a real-life space adventure. Funny and affectionate, Quest scored a $90 million box office hit while also earning accolades from critics like Film Threat’s Chris Gore, who called it “A hilarious spoof of Trek and Trek fandom” before pointing out, “While Galaxy Quest could have easily taken potshots at geeks, rather the film acts as more of a celebration of these sometimes misguided devotees.”
Dave is nothing if not laughably unrealistic — a temp agency owner (Kevin Kline) stands in for the President, hires an accountant to fix the federal budget, and dreams up a jobs bill that will provide work for anyone who wants it, making the First Lady (Weaver) fall for him along the way — but even in the go-go 1990s, it appealed to our best and brightest hopes for our elected leaders, and in today’s vituperative political climate, it’s more of a funny, warm ‘n’ cuddly fable than ever. Janet Maslin of the New York Times was certainly charmed during its original release, admitting that “In spite of this sogginess, and despite a self-congratulatory, do-gooder streak that the film discovers within Dave, this comedy remains bright and buoyant much of the way through.”
No film makes it to the screen as it’s originally envisioned by its writers, but Ghostbusters took a particularly circuitous journey: Originally, Dan Aykroyd planned to assemble it as a project for himself and John Belushi, with all sorts of big-budget shenanigans, and supporting roles for Eddie Murphy and John Candy. It was only after a ground-up rewrite by Aykroyd and Harold Ramis that Ghostbusters became the box office behemoth it was destined to be, racking up an an astounding $238 million tally throughout 1984 and 1985 — and a brilliant ensemble comedy offering memorable characters and quotable lines to a cast that included Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Rick Moranis, and (of course) Weaver as Dana Barrett, the concert cellist whose refrigerator happens to be a demonic gateway. Shrugged the Guardian’s Andrew Pulver, “What’s not to like?”
Weaver’s first leading role in a film turned out to be the one that would stick with her for decades: Ellen Ripley, the astronaut whose close-quarters encounter with a frighteningly smart (and lethal) space creature presages a centuries-long war for the fate of the human race. But as deliberately as it teased at the edges of a broader mythology, Alien also worked as a gripping, gleefully inventive standalone sci-fi action thriller. Calling it “A haunted-house movie set in space,” Salon’s Andrew O’Hehir wrote that it “also has a profoundly existentialist undertow that makes it feel like a film noir — the other genre to feature a slithery, sexualized monster as its classic villain.”
It seems absurd now, but for a time, execs at 20th Century Fox weren’t interested in a sequel to Ridley Scott’s Alien — they didn’t think it had been profitable enough to justify a second chapter — and even after James Cameron’s persistence earned Aliens a green light, a pay dispute between Sigourney Weaver and the studio almost threw the whole thing off the rails. And even after it officially got started, the production had more than its share of bumps in the road; everything from on-set strife to the sequel’s tonal shift (“more terror, less horror,” to paraphrase Cameron) had the potential to render Aliens just another unnecessary sequel. The end result, of course, was quite the opposite: Ripley’s action-packed return captivated audiences, dominating the box office for a solid month, and earned a near perfect score from critics, who showered it with praise as both a terrific follow-up (Dave Kehr of the Chicago Reader said it “surpasses the original,” while Combustible Celluloid’s Jeffrey M. Anderson called it “everything a sequel should be”) and a solid chunk of sci-fi in its own right (Empire Magazine’s Ian Nathan declared it “truly great cinema”).
(Photo by Larry Busacca / Staff / Getty Images)
Despite a recurring role on Mad Men and appearances in several films and TV shows, Alison Brie is probably best known for playing the sweet, bubbly, somewhat neurotic goody two-shoes Annie Edison on Community, the quirky and inventive sitcom that earned a massive cult following despite its almost annual struggle to stay on the air. Brie is one of the brightest talents to emerge from Community, and this week, she stars opposite Jason Sudeikis in Leslye Headland’s romantic comedy Sleeping with Other People, about two relationship-challenged friends who slowly discover they might be right for each other.
When we asked Brie about her Five Favorite Films, she replied enthusiastically, “This is actually amazing, because I was recently thinking that whenever people ask me what my favorite movies are, I’m not prepared. So recently I did start to write down some things just for this situation, so I have them right here!” She also noted a running theme in her choices: “I feel like my reasoning is going to be similar; the theme – which I didn’t even realize until I wrote them down – was that there’s a strong female protagonist in all of them. It hadn’t even occurred to me.” With all of that in mind, here are Alison Brie’s Five Favorite Films.
The first one is Working Girl. I love that movie, and I think all the female characters in it are pretty amazing. I love watching Melanie Griffith’s transformation. Her wardrobe and her makeup is amazing, because it’s the ‘80s. It’s unbelievably awful; you can’t even believe that people used to think that was okay to dress that way, or that other people found it attractive. Joan Cusack is amazing in it. Her eye shadow is so blue; it’s horrifying, and you also can’t look away. Sigourney Weaver is a great villain in it, because she also has moments when you, I don’t know, you kind of like her… and then you don’t in the end, of course. But she’s a very interesting, strong character. Even her tone of voice and the way that she’s super sweet to everyone; it’s almost like Meryl Streep in The Devil Wears Prada before she did that. You know, kind of the bitch with the huge smile on her face. So I love that movie. If I turn on just the last five minutes, I burst into tears. [laughs] Joan Cusack stands up and is like, “She did it!” and that Carly Simon song comes on, and I just feel strong and inspired, and I always cry. It’s like a happy cry. I’m surprised that it still makes me cry, but I’m always just like, “Yes! This is incredible!”
This next one, there’s an actress tie-in. The next one is Alien. So, I clearly have a bit of a Sigourney Weaver fetish. I love the movie Alien. I wouldn’t say… I mean, I like sci-fi movies – I’m open to them – but I’m not a huge sci-fi buff, I guess. I really love watching the older sci-fi films that had the man-made special effects, the pre-CGI practical effects, and I think that Alien is one of the greatest examples of that. I think that movie is so cool. For the time when it was made, the effects, I think, hold up completely. You know, the scene with the alien popping out of the guy’s chest. It’s gripping. And also, it’s very dramatic as a film. It’s not as action-heavy as you might think it should be in your mind; because you’re setting up the whole thing, there’s a lot of silence. There’s a lot of people alone – you see them on their own. And obviously Sigourney Weaver is so incredible in it. I don’t think it was the first time I saw it, but the first movie that I saw in the Cinerama Dome at the Arclight was Alien, so I think it just cinematically took my breath away. You know, by that time, The Matrix is getting made, and you’re having these cooler effects and other things going on, and I still found it so admirable that something like that holds up and cinematically is so beautiful.
Broadcast News is next on the list. I’m a big Holly Hunter fan. I just think it’s a great movie; it’s funny, it’s sad, it’s interesting. It’s got that archetype of the ambitious news woman, you know? I like that she’s behind the scenes. It’s a character that I’ve never played in a movie. I think that I’m always waiting for that role; they all seem to go to Rachel McAdams. [laughs] You know, that inquisitive journalist who’s behind the scenes and is super feisty. We’ve done a couple episodes of Community where I got to sort of channel that energy. But it’s definitely a role I’ve always had my eye on, and Holly Hunter is such a singular actress in her style, and her voice is unique, and she’s such a petite woman; I think she carries her strength in an interesting way. She just emanates strength and confidence. She also has amazing crying scenes. It’s a great showcase of her acting.
The next one is The American President. I’ve been talking a lot about romantic comedies lately because of Sleeping with Other People, and you know, I’m listing all my favorite rom-coms, and you’re talking about When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and things like that, that could just as easily be on this list for me; I watch those movies all the time and love them. But I realized it took me a second to realize that The American President is a romantic comedy, because it has a political angle, and it’s got that [Aaron] Sorkin dialogue. But it’s directed by Rob Reiner, and ultimately it’s just a full-on love story between these two people that also has snappy banter and comedic scenes.
I think Annette Bening gives one of the best comedic performances of her career; she’s so specific. There’s a scene where, it’s like before her first date with the president, played by Michael Douglas, and she’s sitting in the office and she’s tapping her pen on the desk. The guy says to her, “What’s up? You got a hot date tonight?” and then she does this move where she goes to put the pen in a jar, and the whole jar falls over. There was something so effortless and so specific about that to me; it’s a moment that jumps out at me, in terms of making the work you’re doing funny, but still feeling in the moment. I don’t know how many times she shot that scene, but it looks so natural. When I watch it, I find it hard to believe that it wasn’t really an accident that she knocked over that jar, and that’s incredible. I love that movie, and I love Annette Bening. And her hair. And her shoulders, her shoulder muscles when she’s dancing with the president in that blue dress. These are all things I aspire to.
The final one is The Silence of the Lambs. I love dark movies, and I love thrillers. I don’t like horror movies because I get too scared. [laughs] I draw the line at thrillers; I like to think while I’m afraid. Obviously, great characters in that movie. The shots last for like a million years. Anthony Hopkins never blinks. Again, you just see the throughline; Jodie Foster’s character is obviously strong in that she’s dealing with this serial killer and she’s keeping up with everybody and her boss at the FBI. At the same time, she’s so vulnerable. It’s her vulnerability that enables her to have this connection with this psychopath. It’s a brilliant performance, and I just love that movie. It’s so good.
Ryan Fujitani for Rotten Tomatoes: Almost all of your choices are from around the same era, the late 1980s to early 1990s.
Alison Brie: I used to watch a lot of movies with my dad. I mean, he loved old, classic movies, but none of them are on my list, even though I watched a lot of them and loved them. But also, we would watch a lot of random movies from the ‘80s and ‘90s, because we kind of would just watch whatever was on cable, and my dad would go, “Oh my god, have you ever seen this movie? Oh, it’s great! We gotta watch it!” So I have this random lexicon of ‘80s and ‘90s movies that not everyone from my generation was watching, like Defending Your Life. I remember describing the plot to Donald Glover in our first season of Community and he was like, “Are you making this up?” I was like, “No!” [laughs] He was like, “And Meryl Streep is in it? And Albert Brooks? It sounds so weird.” Oh, it’s amazing.
Rotten Tomatoes: I’m pretty sure I discovered Defending Your Life for the first time on cable, too.
Brie: Yes! Because they used to play it on cable all the time! [laughs] And you’re just like, “Oh, yeah, this is perfect. This is what I want to watch after school. While I do my homework.” I’m a great multitasker.
Rotten Tomatoes: When you were talking about Broadcast News, you mentioned you were interested in playing the feisty, ambitious journalist type.
Brie: Absolutely, yes! I’m searching for that role to do, 100 percent. I’ll just keep putting it out there. They make movies like that every few years. I watch a movie like The Paper with Michael Keaton and Robert Duvall, and I’m like, “If I could be the Keaton in that, it’d be great!” [laughs] I’m just dying to play a journalist. I don’t know why. I like fast-paced characters who are super smart, smarter than myself, and way more into current events than I am.
Rotten Tomatoes: There aren’t a lot of romantic comedies these days that are written and/or directed by women, but Sleeping with Other People was both written and directed by a woman. Is it a noticeably different experience for you?
Brie: It’s tough because feminism is a very hot topic in our industry today, so that tends to be the focus, but not having worked with a lot of women, I can really only speak to it being a singular experience because of Leslye Headland specifically. Definitely, I had a different experience working with Leslye than with other directors I’ve worked with, because she’s written the material, because the material is so personal to her, because her voice is so strong and so specific and so frank. She has such a candid way of sharing her life, as the characters do, and as a director, she’s so emotionally connected to the actors throughout the whole process. So that was very different for me. It definitely felt like she was in the trenches with me, and we were feeling what was going on with the character together. And, of course, at the same time, she’s got her eye on it from the outside.
Sleeping with Other People opens today in limited release.
Han Solo. Indiana Jones. Rick Deckard. Jack Ryan. Harrison Ford has carved himself a niche by excelling in roles as the handsome rascal, the man on the run, the humble protector of American ideals. Few other Hollywood stars have launched as many franchises as Ford and soon, at the sprightly age of 65, he’ll return to one of the most iconic roles of his career: the fedora-wearing, bullwhip-cracking, dashing archaeologist Dr. Henry “Indiana” Jones.
Here, we count down Harrison Ford’s best-reviewed films outside of the Indiana Jones franchise and the memorable characters that he played in each celebrated film. And while he had small roles in such lauded films as American Graffiti (97%), The Conversation (98%), and Apocalypse Now (98%), we’re focusing here on his starring roles – the characters that helped make Ford one of Hollywood’s most enduring leading men. And don’t forget to check out Harrison Ford’s full celebrity profile.
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10. Jack Ryan in Patriot Games Tomatometer: 78% Although he took over the role of Jack Ryan from Alec Baldwin, who portrayed the history professor-turned-CIA agent in 1990’s The Hunt for Red October, Ford assumed the character for two sequels — and arguably stole the character from Baldwin in the process. In Patriot Games, the newly retired Ryan thwarts an IRA attack while in London, unwittingly provoking the…ire of an Irish terrorist. Best quote: Jack Ryan to IRA member Paddy O’Neil (Richard Harris), after his family has been attacked: “I don’t give a s— whether you did it or not, and neither will anyone else. But I will put such a stranglehold on your gun money that you’ll be out on the street throwing rocks. I will f—ing destroy you. I will make it my mission in life.” Video (NSFW) |
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9. President James Marshall in Air Force One Tomatometer: 78% Introducing Hollywood to Kazahkstan long before Borat was unleashed on the world, Wolfgang Petersen’s airborne thriller pitted hijackers from the former Soviet republic against the President of the United States. Unfortunately for those hijackers (and for one turncoat Cabinet member), that President is Harrison Ford, and he’s got an Executive Order or two to deliver — with his fists! Best quote: Pushing Egor Korshunov (Gary Oldman) to his death from Air Force One: “Get off my plane!” Video |
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8. Jack Ryan in Clear and Present Danger Tomatometer: 80% Ford reunited with director Philip Noyce two years after Patriot Games to resume the character of Jack Ryan, who is now moving up in the CIA. However, moving up means becoming embroiled in shady dealings between the U.S. government, Cuban drug cartels, and some of his fellow agents; when blood is shed on both sides of an unsanctioned black ops mission, Ryan puts ambition aside to blow the whistle on the President’s dirty deeds. Best quote: Jack Ryan to President Bennett (Donald Moffat), who’s just proposed he take part in a government cover-up and sully his dead mentor’s name — the “Potomac two-step”: “I’m sorry, Mr. President. I don’t dance.” Video |
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7. Jack Trainer in Working Girl Tomatometer: 81% Even in his lighter films, Ford played it straight. As Jack Trainer, the male object of desire in Mike Nichols’ corporate climbing romantic comedy, Ford is a man stuck between two women: Sigourney Weaver’s power broker, and Melanie Griffiths’ working class beauty. With a roguish charm, he fends off Katharine’s advances and succumbs to Tess as every leading man should: by deferring to her brilliance. Best quote:
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6. Rusty Sabich in Presumed Innocent Tomatometer: 91% Prosecutor Rusty Sabich has gotten beyond a recent affair with a co-worker (Greta Scacchi) — until she winds up dead. Investigating her murder leads to a whole mess of city-level politics and scandal… but the real shock is waiting at home in a final act twist, courtesy of novelist Scott Turow and conspiracy flick director Alan J. Pakula. Best quote: “I’m going to need a lawyer, a very, very good lawyer, an expensive lawyer.” |
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5. Dr. Richard Kimble in The Fugitive Tomatometer: 93% In the thick of his most prolific and successful period, Ford took on the role of Dr. Richard Kimble, a surgeon wrongfully accused of killing his wife. On the lam from a U.S. Marshall (the Oscar-winning Tommy Lee Jones), he follows the trail of a mysterious one-armed man in order to prove his innocence — and makes us believe the good doctor is as resourceful, canny, and elusive as MacGyver himself. Best quote: “It wasn’t me. It was the one-armed man.” Video |
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4. Han Solo in Star Wars Tomatometer: 95% How do you describe the innate coolness of Han Solo? The loner space cowboy with a Wookie for a BFF epitomized an unruffled, rascally spirit that came to define Ford”s most memorable youthful roles. Sparring with Jabba the Hutt (and with his own conscience), Han ditches the smuggler’s life to join Luke and Leia in the rebel cause in Episode IV — and becomes one of the most-worshipped heroes in pop culture history. Best quote: “Traveling through hyperspace ain’t like dusting crops, boy!” Video |
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3. Captain John Book in Witness Tomatometer: 96% Ford’s lone Oscar nomination came thanks to this 1985 undercover cop-in-Amish-land thriller. Go figure. As police Captain John Book — who’s not above laying into a few punk kids on the behalf of the Pennsylvania Dutch — Ford is many things: brutish, protective, handy with a hammer. Plus, his romance with Kelly McGillis is the right kind of wrong. Best quote: Eli Lapp, on Book’s impending smackdown of local toughs: “It’s not our way.” Video |
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2. Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back Tomatometer: 97% Han Solo, one of Ford’s major career-defining roles, had plenty of his own character-defining moments in Episode V. Three years after helping the Alliance destroy the Death Star, Han is getting antsy — and plans to take off on his own again. But there’s that pesky problem of his… increasing loyalty to the cause and to his friend, Luke Skywalker, who he saves from freezing to death only to get trapped in a double-cross by Lando Calrissian. All of which leads to two of Han Solo’s most memorable achievements: heating things up with Princess Leia, then getting frozen in a chunk of carbonite. Best quote: Princess Leia: “I love you.” Han Solo: “I know.” Video |
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1. Rick Deckard in Blade Runner: The Final Cut Tomatometer: 97% In the year 2019, ex-cop Rick Deckard (Ford) is summoned out of retirement to hunt and kill a group of rogue “replicants” — bioengineered androids who’ve proven unstable and deadly — and so begins one of Harrison Ford’s most celebrated, if decidedly darker, roles. He filmed Blade Runner directly after playing Han Solo in The Empire Strikes Back and Indiana Jones in Raiders of the Lost Ark, and resumed those characters immediately after, in Return of the Jedi and Temple of Doom. But it was a smart departure for Ford — and, decades later, earned him enduring cult status. Best quote: “All he’d wanted were the same answers the rest of us want. Where did I come from? Where am I going? How long have I got? All I could do was sit there and watch him die.” Video |
Did you know that Jessica Simpson will soon be starring in a (semi-)remake of Mike Nichols‘ "Working Girl"? Yep, she’ll be co-starring with a bunch of interesting folks, too. Scott Marshall ("Keeping Up with the Steins") is directing.
From The Hollywood Reporter: "The story follows a young woman (Simpson) who becomes the unwitting pawn of two ruthless business executives in their bid to usurp and replace the head of an international conglomerate." (Click here for the full story.)
Ms. Simpson’s co-stars will include Luke Wilson, Rachael Leigh Cook, Penelope Ann Miller, Andy Dick, Willie Nelson and Larry Miller.
In this week’s Ketchup, we had a first glimpse of Keith Richards in the third "Pirates of the Caribbean" (only for the photo to be removed at the studio’s request), and the first official "Transformers" trailer appeared.
Also, James Franco discusses "Spider-Man 3," Doug Jones does likewise with "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," and a young Michael Myers has been cast for the next "Halloween." Read on.
This week’s most popular news:
First Pic of Keith Richards as Jack Sparrow Senior!
Johnny Depp used him as inspiration for "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl." He was supposed to pop up in "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest," but didn’t. And now he’s guaranteed to appear in "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End." We now have a picture to prove it! (Note: picture removed at studio’s request)
Trailer Bulletin: "Transformers," Honestly!
A few days back I teased my fellow movie freekz into thinking the brand-new "Transformers" teaser was available for viewing. It was a dirty trick, but I was in that kind of mood at the time. But in order to make it up to all you Tomato-patchers, I now offer you the real and true link. I swear. I just watched the trailer myself! Click here for the flipbook.
Franco Talks "Spidey 3" … and Probably Not "Spidey 4"
We’ve been hearing a lot of the same stuff from the "Spider-Man" principals about how they’d all been signed for three-picture deals, which is why you don’t hear much concrete buzz about a "Spider-Man 4," etc. etc. And now James Franco has chimed in…
Doug Jones Exposes Silver Surfer: No CGI?
Exhausted from doing a day of "Pan’s Labyrinth" press immediately following his last night shoot for "Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer," Doug Jones was giddy to talk about his latest costumed character. Some thought Silver Surfer would be a CGI motion capture gig, but it is not.
The New Michael Myers Has Been Cast!
No, not the spooky "Halloween" stalker who wears a mask throughout the story … the kid! Yep, Rob Zombie has chosen a diminutive devil named Daeg Faerch to play the youthful version of the legendary babysitter killer.
Third and final?
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It’s no secret that Helen Mirren and "The Queen" are primed to reap big time this awards season, but are the Hollywood Foreign Press and their Oscar-influencing Golden Globes headed towards indie-land and the art house?
Maybe, maybe not. But the fact is that in recent years, the HFPA has begun to trend away from Oscar-type nominees in favor of those critical darlings — gilding Felicity Huffman Best Actress last year for "Transamerica" and agreeing with (most) critics that "Brokeback Mountain" deserved top honors. The year before, the Golden Globes for Best Comedy and Screenplay went to "Sideways," another favorite across the board among many prominent critical groups (including the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, the New York Film Critics, and more).
2004’s critical fave, "Sideways"
Variety’s Steve Chagollan writes that this trend is partly due to an evolution within the HFPA, a collection of 90-odd film journalists representing markets all over the world, whose awards voting have historically been both influential and eccentric. The HFPA’s membership has been increasingly younger, says Chagollan, and their voting responsibilities subsequently taken more seriously; whereas many Academy (Oscar) voters are film industry professionals with less time to spend watching "For Your Consideration" screeners or attending screenings, HPFA voters — journalists covering said films — see "99 percent of the films, if not 100 percent."
So will the Golden Globes start mirroring the preferences of critics? And how will such a trend affect the composition of the Oscars, which historically take at least some cues from the nominations/winners of the Globes?
Ken Watanabe in Best Pic contender "Letters From Iwo Jima"
This week a handful of critics associations weighed in with their end-of-year honors, with a few notable patterns. As expected, there were some disparities: both the LA Film Critics Association and the National Board of Review named Clint Eastwood‘s "Letters From Iwo Jima" as the year’s Best Picture, while the New York and Washington D.C. critics went regional with "United 93." Bostonian critics went the homegrown route as well, picking Martin Scorsese‘s "The Departed" for the top honor.
There was a bit more consensus choosing Best Director, as four of six lists named Scorsese (NY, DC, Boston, and the NBoR); California critics in LA and San Francisco went with Paul Greengrass for "United 93."
But when it came to naming the year’s best performances, there’s even more agreement. Five of the six groups chose Forest Whitaker as Best Actor for his portrayal of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in "The Last King of Scotland," a Fox Searchlight release filmed for a paltry $6 million.
Whitaker in "The Last King of Scotland;" Mirren in "The Queen"
More impressively, all six groups chose awards season-dominatrix Helen Mirren as their unanimous Best Actress pick for her role as Queen Elizabeth II in "The Queen," a well-performing Miramax acquisition filmed for an estimated $15 million.
Other critics picks that could translate into Golden Globes are Al Gore‘s global warming flick, "An Inconvenient Truth" (picked as Best Documentary by four of the six groups) and Guillermo del Toro‘s Spanish language fantasy "Pan’s Labyrinth," which garnered three groups’ awards for Best Foreign Film and two for Guillermo Navarro’s cinematography. Both are modestly budgeted, by Hollywood standards — with "Pan" estimated at $14.5 million and "Truth" at a cheap $1 million.
The HFPA will announce its nominations this Thursday, with the awards ceremony broadcast live on January 15, 2007.
ELSEWHERE IN INDIE NEWS THIS WEEK:
InDigEnt To Cease Production in January
Fairuza Balk in InDiGent’s "Personal Velocity" (2002)
Even tiny budgets are too high if there’s a low rate of return. InDigEnt, the company that brought you such films as "Tape" and "Pieces of April," will shut down in January. Producer-Director Gary Winick said the company, which championed edgy projects shot on digital for generally under $1 million, was still having trouble getting backing for projects. "The studios want the ‘Capotes’ and the ‘Sideways,’" he said. "They want the $8-million film to make a $100 million instead of the $1 million to make $10 (million). That’s the problem." InDigEnt, short for Independent Digital Entertainment was founded in 1999; Winick’s latest project is "Charlotte’s Web."
Kelly Says "Southland Tales" Cuts Completed
Sarah Michelle Gellar as a porn star on a date with destiny in "Southland Tales"
It looks as if "Southland Tales," Richard Kelly‘s followup to "Donnie Darko," will see the light of day after all. A 160-minute cut of the film had a disastrous premiere at Cannes, but Kelly said he’s trimmed nearly a half hour from "Southland" and kept some sense of narrative cohesion as well. "We still have some visual-effects work to do, but expect a release date and a trailer soon," Kelly wrote on his MySpace blog. "Expect some big announcements soon!" The film, a sci fi/fantasy/musical/comedy, stars Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Justin Timberlake, and half the population of California. It will likely hit theaters in April of next year.
Von Trier Pioneers New Cinematic Concept: Find The Mistakes
"Manderlay" is 49 percent on the Tomatometer: where was the ‘lookey’ then?
With the creation of Dogma 95, Danish auteur Lars Von Trier challenged filmmakers to make movies with more purity and no special effects. Now he’s issuing a challenge to audiences: find the mistakes. In his latest, "The Boss of It All," Von Trier says he’s created a new concept, "lookey," in which intentional mistakes have been placed into the film. But that’s not all: the first Dane to find all the mistakes wins 30,000 Danish kroner (roughly equivalent to $5,300). Von Trier is best known for "Breaking the Waves" and "Dogville"; the trailer for "The Boss of All" is online here.
Tomatometers For Last Week’s Limited Releases
Opening last week in limited release: "Bergman Island," a feature-length interview with Ingmar Bergman, arguably the world’s greatest living director, is at 83 percent with six reviews; "Days of Glory," an Algerian World War II film, is at 80 percent with 15 reviews; the Argentine import "Family Law," about the trials and tribulations of a father-son relationship, is at 76 percent with 17 reviews; "Screamers," a doc about System of a Down’s efforts to stop genocide, is at 75 percent with eight reviews; "The Empire in Africa," a doc about civil war in Sierra Leone, is at 63 percent with eight reviews; "Off the Black," starring Nick Nolte as an alcoholic baseball umpire, is at 61 percent with 23 reviews; "Ever Again," a doc about contemporary anti-Semitism, is at 54 percent with 13 reviews; and "Inland Empire," David Lynch‘s latest assault on cinematic convention starring Laura Dern, is at 53 percent with 30 reviews.
"Days of Glory"’s cast, whose five leading actors shared this year’s Cannes honors
Top Performing Limiteds
"Volver" held onto the top spot in last week’s indie box office battle. Pedro Almodovar‘s meditation on womanhood made $8,450 per screen in 44 theaters, pushing its six-week total to $2.76 million. The runner up was Jean-Luc Godard‘s nouvelle vague classic "Two or Three Things I Know About Her," which raked in $5,905 on one screen; it’s made $57,700 in its four weeks in re-release. In third was the debut "Screamers," at $5,902 per on four screens, for a total of $23,609. Rounding out the top five were "The History Boys," which made $4,036 per on 50 screens (its total is $500,432 in three weeks of release); and "Flannel Pajamas," which took in $3,994 on one screen, for a total of $49,279 in four weeks since its debut.
Carmen and Penelope, women on top (of the indie box office)
In this week’s Ketchup, Rotten Tomatoes counted down the best reviewed horror films just in time for Halloween, "Spider-Man 3" has another villain onboard, and "Superman" will return again.
Also, to the surprise of no rational human being, "Saw 4" is in the works for October of next year, and the studio behind 1982’s "Time Bandits" is experiencing the increasingly common affliction known as "remake-itis." Read on for more.
This Week’s Most Popular News:
RT’s Top 20 Halloween Movie Countdown, Part 4
Happy Halloween! We’ve been counting down the Top 20 Halloween flicks and today we unveil the number one best-reviewed in horror and suspense cinema, so without further ado…
Scoop on a FOURTH "Spider-Man 3" Villain?
It was Villain Overkill that helped to kill the Burton/Schumacher "Batman" series — but somehow we don’t expect the same thing to happen with Sam Raimi’s "Spider-Man 3" — we hope.
Early Buzzings of a "Superman" Sequel
So now that it’s been established that "Superman Returns" was a "hit," but certainly no sort of "mega-hit," we can now start talking about sequels. And it looks like director Bryan Singer might have a smaller budget than previously planned.
Stunning News! "Saw 4" Next October!
What with "Saw 3" doing such amazing business over its first three days of release, it should come as absolutely no surprise whatsoever that Lionsgate has announced plans for "Saw 4" — and considering what happens at the end of Part 3, I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s curious to see where THIS sequel heads.
Anyone Interested in a "Time Bandits" Remake?
Today’s daily remake news? Someone wants an all-new version of Terry Gilliam’s "Time Bandits" to get made. I know, I know; I feel the same way you do.
In Other News:
