News

After a month of Australian true crime titles, Jenn and I are spending April exploring supernatural true crime with a variety of Amityville texts. See also: The Amityville IP

We kicked things off last week with the original 1979 film, The Amityville Horror (listen). Now we’re turning our attention to the more DeFeo-centric text, Amityville II: The Possession (1982). Directed by Damiano Damiani from a script by Tommy Lee Wallace, the sequel acts as a prequel that purports to tell the original murders that were briefly explored in the first film.

While the real life case of Ronald DeFeo Jr is much less supernatural, it does involve a family annihilation. On the morning of Nov 13, 1974, the 23 year old stunned residents of Amityville, NY with the revelation that six of his family members had been shot to death in their beds.

The Possession explores the events leading up to the murders, but...

Amid the new trailers and announcements at CinemaCon, we also learned that a new Sylvester Stallone movie is still in the works. This isn't a movie starring, written by, or directed by Stallone: it's about Stallone. I Play Rocky, a biopic about the actor's struggles getting his breakout film Rockymade, is still in development at Amazon MGM Studios. MovieWeb reports that Oscar-winner Peter Farrelly is attached to direct the film.

Farrelly, who won Oscars for co-writing and producing Green Book, which he also directed, is set to take the director's seat for I Play Rocky, which will detail how struggling actor Stallone wrote and sold a script about a Philadelphia boxer to United Artists, and even convinced the studio to let him star in it, too. The film is set to be produced by veteran Hollywood hand Toby Emmerich (Game Night), while Peter Gamble is penning the script. Notably,...

Sylvester Stallone's "Rocky IV" is a remarkable movie. Released theatrically two years after Nicholas Meyer's nightmare-inducing Cold War classic "The Day After" aired on ABC, it gave moviegoers hope that the enmity between the United States and the Soviet Union could be resolved by two big lugs pounding the crap out of each other in a boxing ring. It was a foregone conclusion that Stallone's Philadelphia palooka would come out on top, but with glasnost unexpectedly on the global menu thanks to the newly elected General Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev, this felt like a righteous victory. Lo and behold, within six years, the bruising dream of "Rocky IV" would be realized, and the Soviet Union would be broken up into democratic republics. It was fun while it lasted.

"Rocky IV" was a forward-looking movie in another regard. With home computers on the rise, everyone figured it was only...

Joseph Wambaugh, whose experience as an LAPD officer enabled him to bring a warts-and-all realism to his novels about policing and the movies and TV shows like “Police Story,” died Friday in Rancho Mirage, Calif. He was 88.

The cause was esophageal cancer, a family friend told the New York Times.

Wambaugh’s work in novels such as “The New Centurions,” “The Blue Knight” “The Choirboys” and best seller “The Onion Field” rendered the flat, idealized portrait of the Los Angeles Police Dept. presented in “Dragnet” and “Adam-12” permanently outdated, and yet cops felt they understood him and got the way they talked, and they remained among his biggest fans over the course of his career as a novelist.

A highlight of Wambaugh’s relationship with Hollywood was the Harold Becker-directed feature “The Onion Field” (1979), with Wambaugh penning the screenplay based on his own true-crime novel. The book had faithfully...

Hollywood is full of what-ifs, and none are more fascinating than when big-name directors almost directed movies that went on to achieve massive success. These instances get viewers thinking about alternate histories and questioning if some of the biggest franchises of all time or the most inspirational sports movies would have had the same impact with a different director at the helm. There are plenty of movies that have left their mark on popular culture, and it’s impossible to know how they would have turned out with a different creative voice calling the shots.

Many of the best films of all time were almost directed by a different filmmaker, as greats like Steven Spielberg, Ridley Scott, and Quentin Tarantino have turned down more movies than they ever made. Iconic series like James Bond, Harry Potter, and Star Wars were offered to plenty of big-name directors who ultimately decided the project wasn’t for them.

When you purchase through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.

This January, Paramount+ is bringing you a ton of entertainment with the highly anticipated new film in the Star Trek universe alongside a great new series based on Sherlock by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Paramount+ this month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 8 best films coming to Paramount+ in January 2025 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Arrival (January 1) Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94% Credit – Paramount Pictures

Arrival is a sci-fi drama film directed by Denis Villeneuve from a screenplay by Eric Heisserer. Based on the 1998 short story titled Story of Your Life by Ted Chiang, the 2016 film follows Louise Banks, a linguistic expert tasked with interpreting the language of aliens who have come to Earth in a giant spaceship.

Dolph Lundgren and Carl Weathers were initially adversaries both on and off-camera in Rocky IV. In a recent interview, Lundgren explained why he felt Weathers was always sore about their characters' fight in the 1985 sports movie.

Speaking with Screen Rant during a Fan Expo panel, Lundgren shared how he didn't get to spend much time with Weathers before they were thrown into the ring together to shoot the fight between Ivan Drago and Apollo Creed. "Well, I didn't know Carl [before Rocky IV]. I knew Stallone because we boxed and trained together for six months, and he was my boss. We were in the ring six days a week, so you push each other around, you're sparring, and you get to know each other. But Carl, I didn't know," he explained. "When I first met him, we were shooting the fight of Apollo versus Drago in Las Vegas, and Carl showed up two days before.

Dolph Lundgren has beaten many tough and deadly opponents on screen, but his biggest victory has come in real life, as the Rocky and Expendables star has revealed that he is cancer-free after battling the disease for almost a decade. However, what makes this even more incredible is that the 67-year-old action star was given just two to three years to live in 2020.

Sharing a new video from his hospital bed where he was having what he believes to be the last cancer cells removed, the actor shared a message of hope and gratitude for the support he has received since he went public about his fight in 2023. He said in the video:

"Alright, here I am [at] UCLA, about to go in and get rid of that last tumor — and, since there are no cancer cells in my body anymore, I guess I'll be cancer-free, so I'm looking forward to this procedure.

Stars: Kris Kristofferson, Ernest Borgnine, Ali McGraw, Burt Young, Franklyn Ajaye, Brian Davies, Seymour Cassel, Cassie Yates | Written by Bill Norton | Directed by Sam Peckinpah

Directed by Sam Peckinpah, Convoy is a film that rides on the wave of the trucker and Cb radio craze of the 1970s. Based on the popular country song of the same name by C.W. McCall, the movie attempts to blend action, comedy, and social commentary into one wild, sprawling road adventure. However, its execution leaves much to be desired, and it often feels like it’s unsure of what kind of film it wants to be.

The story revolves around Martin “Rubber Duck” Penwald (played by Kris Kristofferson), a stoic and charismatic trucker who finds himself on the run from an overzealous sheriff named “Dirty” Lyle Wallace (Ernest Borgnine). Along the way, Rubber Duck inadvertently inspires a convoy of fellow truckers to follow him,...

Once Upon a Time in America, the epic period drama starring Robert De Niro in one of his most iconic mobster roles, is finally coming to Paramount+ on November 1, 2024. The film, released in 1984, was a critical and commercial failure in the United States, grossing a meager $5.5 million on a $30 million budget, but has since been acclaimed.

It was directed and co-written by Spaghetti Western legend Sergio Leone, best known for A Fistful of Dollars (1964), Once Upon a Time in the West (1968), and The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966). The film, which also stars James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Treat Williams, and Burt Young, has one of the longest runtimes in cinema.

The initial runtime of Once Upon a Time in America was 269 minutes, but it was reduced to 251 minutes during its screening at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. However, the standard runtime was eventually brought down to 229 minutes, while the American...

The movie starring Robert De Niro in what may be one of his finest mobster roles is coming to Paramount+. Once Upon a Time in America will begin streaming on the platform starting November 1, 2024. The 1984 gangster drama was directed by the late Sergio Leone, who wrote such iconic films as A Fistful of Dollars (1964) and Once Upon a Time in the West (1968).

Once Upon a Time in America also stars James Woods, Elizabeth McGovern, Joe Pesci, Treat Williams and Danny Aiello. It is Certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes with an 86% critic score and a 93% audience score.

Set in 1968, De Niro plays David Noodles Aaronson, who comes back to New York where he had once ruled the criminal underground in the 1920s. Woods plays Max, Noodles longtime partner, who is long gone. The story in the film is told mostly through flashbacks and shows Noodles journey from a child in a...

The late great country music legend Kris Kristofferson also boasted an impressive movie career filled with iconic roles. Although Kristofferson had already made it big with hits like Me and Bobby McGee, his major acting debut in 1972 signaled an important new dimension to his acclaimed career, and he continued acting consistently until shortly before his retirement in 2021. While Kristofferson sadly died in September 2024, aged 88, he left behind an impressive body of work in country music and on the big screen.

From his extraordinary acting debut in the cult classic Cisco Pike to his final role as country musician Blaze Foleys father in Ethan Hawkes insightful biopic Blaze, Kristofferson proved himself a talented actor capable of imbuing his roles with his real emotive power. With iconic portrayals in Westerns like Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid and the dramatic rollercoaster that was A Star Is Born, Kristofferson possessed a unique cinematic charm and undeniable onscreen charisma.

Prime Video’s “Killer Heat” is a new mystery thriller starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Nick Bali, a private investigator. It shows Nick traveling to Greece to investigate the shocking death of a wealthy man named Leo Vardakis. Nick is hired by Penelope, Leo’s identical twin brother’s wife. The film takes place entirely on a scenic island and relies on the moodiness of the setting as it unravels new bits of information. It seems heavily inspired by the Hollywood noir classics that redefined the genre conventions decades ago. Fans of Joseph Gordon-Levitt and movies like “Killer Heat,” featuring slow-burn mysteries, can check out this thriller on Prime Video.

This 2024 film is based on Jo Nesbø’s short story – “The Jealousy Man.” The film is directed by Philippe Lacôte, known for directing “Night of the Kings,” a critically acclaimed fantasy drama. Besides Gordon-Levit, the film also stars Shailene Woodley and...

John G. Avildsen's 1976 knockout film, Rocky was a certified hit when it was released. Nearly 50 years later, the film would go on to spawn one of the most recognizable film universes which is still expanding as a franchise producer confirmed development on Creed 4. However, it seems like Michael B. Jordan's Adonis Creed isn't the only one looking to get back in the Rocky franchise arena, as Sylvester Stallone is teasing a Rocky Balboa origin story.

Stallone recently opened up with a few details about a Rocky prequel show, claiming to have "a few pages" written about the teenage years of Rocky Balboa, as he meets his love interest in Talia Shire's Adrian. While Stallone's appearance on the Inspire Me podcast saw the actor compare his proposed show's vision and Disney's Lady and the Tramp, a Rocky prequel sounds more like a rewrite of the already long-established canon.

It may have been more than forty years since they fought each other in the ring in Rocky III, but Sylvester Stallone and Hulk Hogan have plenty of vivid memories, and lots of praise for each other. In a new Instagram post, Stallone shared a video of an interview with Hogan, recalling his experiences playing the wrestler Thunderlips for his fight scene in Rocky III. In the video, the WWE Hall of Famer voices his amazement that Stallone was able to hold his own physically in the ring, despite an obvious weight and height advantage Hogan had on him.

"He was like a buck-sixty (160) pounds, and I was like 320 pounds," Hogan says in the video. "He did everything, he did all his own stunts." The 71-year-old, who was 6' 7" at the time, admits he almost broke Stallone's collarbone with a kick, but admitted his toughness kept him in one piece,...

Hollywood icon and action movie superstar Sylvester Stallone is now working on bringing back one of his most iconic creations, Rocky, in a prequel project. The actor revealed that he is now writing the project while appearing on the Inspire Me podcast, saying that the script seems to write itself.

"The Rocky prequel is very near and dear to my heart. I wrote a few pages of it, and it just seems to write itself. Seeing Adrienne at 15, Rocky at 17, Paulie moving into a new neighborhood, Rocky's your bad boy. It's almost like Lady and the Tramp, but with real people. It's going to be wonderful."

Released way back in 1976, the first Rocky was written by and stars Sylvester Stallone as the title character. In the rags-to-riches story, Rocky Balboa, an uneducated, kind-hearted, working-class Italian American boxer, is given the once in a lifetime shot at the big time when...

Sylvester Stallone was a nobody when he, tired of being rejected and miscast, decided to write his own movie script. The script not only led to the making of one of the best sports drama films of all time, Rocky, but laid the foundation of a successful franchise, and made Stallone a worldwide superstar.

Sylvester Stallone as Rocky Balboa | Credit: MGM Studios

Now an established actor, screenwriter, and filmmaker, Stallone owes much of his success to the Rocky franchise, but neither the actor nor his fans are done with the story of Rocky Balboa. Having revealed his plans to make a prequel, the actor recently shared some tidbits about what he has been cooking. And his statement has fans convinced that it is another masterpiece in the making.

Sylvester Stallone Reveals His Plans for Rocky Prequel Sylvester Stallone in a still from Rocky III | Credit: MGM Entertainment

Sylvester Stallone has...

Sylvester Stallone is looking to explore more of the Italian Stallion's backstory in a planned Rocky prequel. The writer and actor has just shared a new update on the project, revealing that he's currently working on the script.

Stallone addressed the Rocky prequel in an interview with the Inspire Me podcast. He's just a few pages in at this point, though he teased different plot points that a prequel could naturally explore. That means not only detailing more of Rocky Balboa's life prior to the events of the first Rocky, but diving into more about the other characters of the classic film, such as Burt Young's Paulie and Talia Shire's Adrian. Stallone even hinted that the idea he has is reminiscent of the celebrated Disney movie Lady and the Tramp, albeit with human characters from Rocky rather than animated animals.

Related Carl Weathers Honored With Walk of Fame Star,...

The fourth installment in the titular film series, Rocky 4, was such a massive success that it went on to gross the title of the highest-grossing sports film of all time for over two decades. With an incredible overall plotline that was the perfect mix of emotions and actions, Sylvester Stallone immaculately made his return as Balboa after the smash hit success that was Rocky 3.

Rocky 4. | Credit: United Artists.

But while all the elements were ideally incorporated into the 1985 masterpiece, some parts still confused fans. For instance, the talking robot that Stallone’s Balboa gifts to his brother-in-law Paulie on his birthday. However, as unreasonable as including that character may have seemed to fans, the real reason behind Stallone’s choice is actually pretty emotional.

The Real Reason Sylvester Stallone Added a Talking Robot in Rocky 4

Being the writer and director of it himself, Sylvester Stallone made...

This July, Prime Video is bringing you a lot of entertainment with a sequel of a beloved film like My Spy titled The Eternal City and an animated sequel series to the comedy gold, which was the Sausage Party film titled Foodtopia. However, for the purposes of this article, we are only including the films that are coming to Prime Video this month and have a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score. So, check out the 7 best films that are coming to Prime Video in July 2024 with a 90% or higher Rotten Tomatoes score.

Animal House (July 1)

Rotten Tomatoes Score: 91%

National Lampoon’s Animal House is a classic comedy-drama film directed by John Landis from a screenplay co-written by Harold Ramis, Douglas Kenney, and Chris Miller. Inspired by National Lampoon stories written by Matty Simmons and Ivan Reitman, the 1978 film follows the story of freshmen Larry and Kent as they join a troublemaking...

Burbank, Calif., May 28, 2024 – Relive every punch from one of the most iconic and beloved sports drama franchises with the Rocky I-vi 4K Collection, newly remastered in stunning 4K Ultra HD. Sylvester Stallone stars in the greatest boxing saga of all time and triumphs as one of the most inspirational characters in cinematic history. Witness every epic, action-packed fight and unforgettable moment as Rocky punches his way to the top against impossible odds when the Rocky I-vi 4K Collection is released on July 16, 2024.

The Rocky I-vi 4K Collection includes the MGM feature films Rocky, Rocky II, Rocky III, Rocky IV, Rocky V and Rocky Balboa, along with the Rocky IV Ultimate Director’s Cut, Rocky Vs. Drago and the Rocky Balboa Director’s Cut. The collection contains a Blu-ray disc featuring the hour-long behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of the extended director’s cut of Rocky IV, Sylvester Stallone’s commentary...

The Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection 4K Uhd set will include all six of the original Rocky films and drops on July 16 for $119.99. Director's cuts of both Rocky IV and Rocky Balboa are included along with the six theatrical cuts. The Ultimate Knockout Collection will not include the three Creed spin-off movies.

Whether fans are Gonna Fly Now, or theyre hungry enough to have the Eye of the Tiger, a brand-new Rocky film collection has everyone covered. The Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection will drop later this summer, and it will collect all six of the original Sylvester Stallone-led sports dramas together in one 4K set for the very first time. In addition to the theatrical editions of Rocky I-v and Rocky Balboa, the Ultimate Knockout Collection also includes Rocky vs. Drago: The Ultimate Directors Cut and the directors cut of Rocky Balboa. Check out images of the Ultimate Knockout...

The Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Edition 4K Uhd set will include all six of the original Rocky films and drops on July 16 for $119.99. Director's cuts of both Rocky IV and Rocky Balboa are included along with the six theatrical cuts. The Ultimate Knockout Edition will not include the three Creed spin-off movies.

Whether fans are Gonna Fly Now, or theyre hungry enough to have the Eye of the Tiger, a brand-new Rocky film collection has everyone covered. The Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Edition set will drop later this summer, and it will collect all six of the original Sylvester Stallone-led sports dramas together in one 4K set for the very first time. In addition to the theatrical editions of Rocky I-v and Rocky Balboa, the Ultimate Knockout Edition also includes Rocky vs. Drago: The Ultimate Directors Cut and the directors cut of Rocky Balboa. Check out images of the Ultimate...

The Rocky movies are pretty synonymous with cinema. You’ve got every kind of movie you could want, the intimate Academy Award-winning underdog original and its closely knit sequel, the fun and cheesy spectacles of Rocky III and Rocky IV, the misguided attempt to recapture its roots with Rocky V, and the old war horse, broken down, one-last-fight inspiration of Rocky Balboa. The story behind the first movie is as engaging as the movie itself, which is why it will be the subject of a new movie from Peter Farrelly called I Play Rocky.

Blu-ray.com has unveiled that Warner Bros. Home Entertainment will now be releasing the Rocky series, sans Creed spin-offs, with the new 4K Ultra HD Rocky: Ultimate Knockout Collection. The set will encompass all versions of the commercially released films in Uhd, which includes both the theatrical version of Rocky IV and the recut Rocky Vs.

Looking back at the legendary Queen of Rock and Roll, and Grammy winner Tina Turner’s career, we can certainly agree that the late icon not only dominated the music industry but also portrayed her versatility in a few critically acclaimed projects. However, despite her serious acting aspirations, Turner felt limited by opportunities for Black women as well as the type of roles she was being offered.

The legendary Queen of Rock and Roll, Tina Turner | image: Philip Spittle/ Wikimedia Commons

Addressing how she was offered a leading role in Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple, featuring Whoopi Goldberg, who later scored an Academy Award nomination for her role, Tina Turner mentioned rejecting the part. However, in a surprising turn of events, the late legend noted accepting George Miller’s Mad Max sequel, Beyond Thunderdome.

Tina Turner Turned Down Steven Spielberg’s The Color Purple

Debuting with Ken Russell’s 1975 film Tommy,...

Clockwise from top left: Eileen (Neon), Sympathy For The Devil (Rlje Films), The Promised Land (Magnolia Pictures), Ferrari (Neon)Image: The A.V. Club

As the summer movie season gets ready to kick off in theaters, Hulu highlights some A-list stars in indie films for its May calendar. In Eileen, Anne Hathaway...

Since 1994, paying tribute to the artists and filmmakers who died in the past year has become an annual segment at the Oscars. Arguably the most emotional segment of the Night, the In Memoriam section of 2024 kicked off with the remembrance of Alexei Navalny. Other notable names that were honored in the Award ceremony included Matthew Perry, Richard Lewis, Glenda Jackson, Tina Turner, Robbie Robertson, and Ryuichi Sakamoto.

However, like each year, several deceased figures were left out of the montage, which involved many prominent figures, including John Wick Star Lance Reddick, which has caused fans to outburst.

In Memoriam | Oscars

Fans Furious Over Lance Reddick and Other Notable Figures’ Snub From In Memoriam

The Academy is no stranger to leaving out beloved figures from the segment, with Anne Heche and Charlbi Dean being left out in 2023, and 2024 was no different. 2023 saw many notable figures leaving the world behind, which was hard to grasp for fans,...

The In Memoriam segment of the 96th Academy Awards on Sunday night paid a moving tribute to several stars and movie industry folk who have died over the last year — but, as ever, social media was quick to point out the more glaring omissions.

During the telecast, the In Memoriam segment featured Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and his son Matteo performing a moving rendition of “Con te partirò” as pictures of talent who have died flashed on the stage behind them. The segment opened with a tribute to the late Russian political activist Alexei Navalny, who died last month in prison in controversial circumstances.

“You’re not allowed to give up,” Navalny says in a clip from the film Navalny, which won best documentary feature at the 2023 Academy Awards. “If they decide to kill me, it means we are incredibly strong.”

The segment also featured brief photo tributes to the likes of Matthew Perry,...

Oppenheimer blew up the 96th Academy Awards, taking a dominating seven trophies including Best Picture on Sunday at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. Poor Things was next with four, and The Zone of Interest was the only other film to score multiple statuettes.

Oppenheimer’s Universal Pictures snagged the most Oscars by distributor (also seven), followed by Poor Things-driven Searchlight with five (including the Documentary Short winner The Last Repair Shop) and A24 and Toho with two apiece.

See the full lists of winners by movie and studio below.

Related: 2024 Oscars: The Biggest Moments, Snubs And Surprises

After a delayed start due to protests outside the venue, the Jimmy Kimmel-hosted 2024 Oscars didn’t exactly spread the wealth, with only the three films and four distributors taking multiple awards spread over 23 categories. Three Best Picture nominees — Maestro, Past Lives and, surprisingly, Killers of the Flower Moon — went home empty-handed,...

Andrea Bocelli performed a rendition of the song “Time to Say Goodbye” with his son Matteo Bocelli to accompany the Academy’s annual obituary section. Perhaps mindful of previous years, in which eagle-eyed viewers have jumped on omissions, this year’s “In Memoriam” — which began with footage of the recently deceased Russian opposition leader and subject of last year’s winning documentary Navalny — seemed comprehensive but at the same time not enough.

Related: ‘Oppenheimer’ Wins Best Picture Oscar & Six Others; Emma Stone & Cillian Murphy Take Lead Acting Prizes – Full List

Beloved actors Lance Reddick, Treat Williams, Apocalypse Now’s Frederic Forrest, Rocky’s Burt Young all relegated to a fine print reference at the end, along with such writers as Norman Lear and No Country for Old Men’s Cormac McCarthy. Also given afterthought treatment were Kenneth Anger, Terence Davies, Carl Davis, David McCallum, Sinead O’Connor and Paolo Taviani in...

Cillian Murphy won the Best Actor Oscar this evening for his riveting turn in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. After five collaborations with Nolan, this was Murphy’s first time in a lead role in one of the director’s films — nabbing him his first-ever Oscar nomination, and the first win in the Best Actor category for an Irish-born actor. In a shout-out to his homeland from the Dolby stage, Murphy said, “I’m a very proud Irishman standing here tonight.”

He also thanked Nolan and producer Emma Thomas: “It’s been the wildest, most exhilarating, most creatively satisfying journey you’ve taken me on for the last 20 years. I owe you more than I can say.”

To all the cast and crew, he added, “You guys carried me through.”

In closing, Murphy said, “We made a film about the man who created the atomic bomb, and for better or for worse,...

The In Memoriam section of the Academy Awards is always one of the most emotional moments of the show. This year was no exception, as the 96th Oscars celebrate the performers, filmmakers and artisan talents who died in the past year. The In Memoriam segment kicked off with a remembrance of Alexei Navalny, the political prisoner who died Feb. 16 and was profiled in last year’s documentary feature winner “Navalny.”

The names unfurled onscreen was Andrea Boccelli and his son, Matteo, sang “Time to Say Goodbye.”

Every year, the Academy leaves a few beloved names out of the montage, causing anger among some viewers. Though a much longer list is presented on the Oscars.org website, outrage over who makes it onscreen is part of the Oscar-watching tradition.

Read more: All the 2024 Oscar winners

This year several beloved late performers and filmmakers didn’t make the main segment, including Treat Williams,...

Created by Sylvester Stallone, Rocky is regarded as the most decorated heavyweight champion boxing franchise in cinematic history. Loosely based on the career of professional pugilist Chuck Wepner, the franchise follows the life and career of Rocky Balboa (Stallone), an Italian-American loanshark and aspiring boxer from Philadelphia who gets a shot at glory by fighting Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) in a championship bout.

Upon winning the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1977, Rocky spawned a mega-successful movie franchise that continues today with the Creed series. To date, there have been nine total movies in the extended Rocky franchise, with Creed IV expected to extend the legacy when Michael B. Jordan returns to the ring and director's chair for the upcoming sequel. Although Stallone recently shared the sad news that Rocky 7 has been canceled (via Screen Rant), there's no better way to honor the recent passing of Carl Weathers than to retrace Rocky's entire chronology.

Oppenheimer won the marquee Cast in a Motion Picture prize as the 30th annual SAG Awards were presented Saturday, and its star Cillian Murphy might have wrestled Oscar front-runner status away from Paul Giamatti by taking the trophy for Male Actor in a Leading Role.

Lily Gladstone was cemented as the favorite for the Best Actress Oscar, winning Female Actor in a Leading Role for Killers of the Flower Moon at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles in a ceremony streaming live on Netflix for the first time.

Related: Lily Gladstone Calls For Compassion In Emotional Speech After Historic SAG Awards Win

Robert Downey Jr won the Male Actor in a Supporting Role for Oppenheimer in a mini-upset. But the evening’s first film award wasn’t much of a surprise as Da’vine Joy Randolph continued her awards-season dominance with a Supporting win for The Holdovers.

Related: “Your Solidarity Ignited Workers Around The World,...

Carl Weathers' role as Apollo Creed in the Rocky series made him a timeless figure, bringing him a degree of immortality. Apollo's presence in the series, both in life and death, has been as powerful as that of Sylvester Stallone's Rocky Balboa. Apollo's legacy lives on through his son in the Creed film series, which explores the lasting repercussions of his death.

Carl Weathers was so closely identified with the role of Apollo Creed in the Rocky film series throughout his career that when Weathers died at the age of 76, it was as if Apollo died a second time. While Weathers successfully reinvented himself as a television director and veteran character actor in his later career, the actor achieved timelessness through the Rocky series, in which he was 28 when the first Rocky film was released in 1976.

As the Rocky film series, in which Weathers appears opposite titular series star...

Some movie characters are so intertwined with the actors who play them that recasting them would be sacrilegious. Actors like Sylvester Stallone, Jim Carrey, and Audrey Hepburn have created iconic characters through their unique performances. Characters like Rocky Balboa, The Dude, and Holly Golightly would not work without the actors who brought them to life.

Some movie characters are so intrinsically linked to the people who play them that they only work because of their actors and to even think about recasting them would be sacrilegious. Sometimes a movie character is written with a particular actor in mind to play the part and they can be imbued with the performer's mannerisms, personality, and characteristics to such a point that the character no longer works if they are not playing the part. Often this is due to the actors writing the part for themselves, being an important aspect of their development,...

FanDuel is "adjusting" their Super Bowl Lvxiii campaign featuring Carl Weathers following the actor's death. Weathers was an iconic talent with a profound impact on and off the screen. FanDuel's original ad features Weathers and four-time Super Bowl champion Rob Gronkowski.

Following the death of The Mandalorian co-star Carl Weathers, FanDuel revealed their intention to adjust their Super Bowl Lvxiii campaign featuring the late actor. The online gambling company made the announcement after learning that Weathers passed away in his sleep at the age of 76. FanDuel said in a statement posted to their official X, formerly Twitter, account. The post reads as follows:

"We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Carl Weathers. Throughout his life, Carl was an iconic talent who had a profound impact on the people he worked with on and off the screen. FanDuel was fortunate to have had an opportunity to work with...

It's been almost 50 years since "Rocky" first arrived in 1976, and in that time the franchise has changed dramatically. The "Rocky" saga has now grown beyond original star Sylvester Stallone, with Michael B. Jordan's "Creed III" barely mentioning the man who birthed the now legendary film series. Whatever you think about that, everyone can surely recognize the staying power of the "Rocky" movies, which have formed part of our pop cultural history for the better part of a half century.

None of this could have happened without the first entry in the saga, of course. "Rocky" introduced the world to the scrappy Southpaw from South Philly, who led a film that was remarkable for its realism and affecting performances. Much of that was down to Stallone who, having written the script during a particularly challenging time in his personal life, insisted on starring in the film, only to wow audiences...

Carl Weathers, known for his iconic roles in Rocky and The Mandalorian, has passed away at 76. He was an exceptional human being who left an indelible mark on the world. Weathers began his career as a professional football player before pivoting to acting. His breakthrough role came as Apollo Creed in the Rocky franchise. Weathers had a diverse range of roles, showcasing his strength, integrity, and depth. He was also respected for his work behind the camera and his advocacy for education and the arts. Thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and fans.

Carl Weathers, known for his iconic roles in Rocky and the Star Wars franchise's The Mandalorian, has died at the age of 76. In a statement, his family broke the news, saying:

“We are deeply saddened to announce the passing of Carl Weathers. He died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, February 1st, 2024. … Carl was an...

Netflix generates more contemporary content than anyone, but they’re dipping into the past to curate the great movies from the ’70s. These are the films that people like myself discovered as kids in the early days of when HBO premiered on cable. Bravo, I say. Here’s the preliminary list.

Alice Doesn’T Live Here Anymore

A widowed singer and single mother starts over as a diner waitress in Arizona, befriending her coworkers and romancing a ruggedly handsome rancher.

Director: Martin Scorsese

Writer: Robert Getchell

Producers: Audrey Maas, David Susskind

Key Cast (Alphabetical): Ellen Burstyn, Jodie Foster, Diane Ladd, Alfred Lutter, Harvey Keitel, Kris Kristofferson, Vic Tayback

Distributed By: Warner Bros. Discovery

Initial Release Date: December 9, 1974

At the 47th Academy Awards, Burstyn won Best Actress

Black Belt Jones

High-kicking Black Belt Jones is dispatched to take down a group of Mafia goons trying to muscle in on a downtown karate studio.

1974 was quite a year for cinema; 50 years later, Netflix (of all places) is celebrating the golden jubilee.

In recognition of the anniversary, the streamer on Wednesday launched a new, dedicated content row (and direct URL link) with the first films being honored under its new “Milestone Movies: The Anniversary Collection” banner. Each of the 14 films came to Netflix this month by way of Warner Bros., Paramount, or Sony — the distributors that license content to Netflix.

The 1974 collection includes “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” “Black Belt Jones,” “Blazing Saddles,” “California Split,” “Chinatown,” “The Conversation,” “Death Wish,” “The Gambler,” “The Great Gatsby,” “It’s Alive,” “The Little Prince,” “The Lords of Flatbush,” “The Parallax View,” and “The Street Fighter” (“Gekitotsu! Satsujin ken”).

Netflix doesn’t plan to stop with disco’s heyday. In April, the streaming service will do the same for films from 1984 (turning 40); July will celebrate 1994 movies (turning 30); and in October...

(Welcome to Did They Get It Right?, a series where we look at Oscars categories from yesteryear and examine whether the Academy's winners stand the test of time.)

With all the milestones that have occurred throughout the 95-year history of the Academy Awards, there are still plenty of accomplishments that have not transpired. No Black woman has ever been nominated for Best Director, and no Black person has ever won that category. No animated film has ever won Best Picture, and no documentary has ever been nominated. I do believe all of these things will eventually happen in the future. As the diversity of the industry steadily increases and Academy membership gradually expands, these sorts of things must happen as time moves on.

But there is one thing I remain skeptical about when it comes to Oscars milestones. It has nothing to do with representation, nor does it have to...

Like the Italian Stallion, the "Rocky" films have seen some real highs and lows. Now spanning almost 50 years, it's a franchise that offers boundless entertainment, even at its most baffling. These movies are also formulaic to a "T." Even if you've yet to watch a single one, you probably already know what to expect: Rocky Balboa -- or Adonis Creed -- will be down on his luck when he's presented with a new opportunity to prove himself in the boxing ring. Or he'll be riding high only to get knocked flat on his ass and have to pick himself back up. Cue the training montage. It's predictable, but damn if it doesn't work like gangbusters, time and time over.

For the most part, the titles of the "Rocky" films are numerically ordered, which makes it pretty easy to figure out which one to watch after which. The only outlier is "Rocky Balboa,...

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Rocky and Creed.

The Rocky and Creed franchises are the highest-grossing boxing movie series, earning a combined $1.8 billion at the worldwide box office from 1976 to 2023. Sylvester Stallone has appeared in every installment of the Rocky and Creed franchises except for the most recent film, Creed III, which leaves fans uncertain about his return in future films. The Rocky and Creed movies can be watched in chronological order according to their release year, providing a straightforward way to experience the entire franchise for new viewers.

The Rocky and Creed joint franchises span across five decades and collectively make up the greatest boxing movie franchise of all time. The franchise was spearheaded by Sylvester Stallone's groundbreaking 1976 original film, which he wrote, starred in, and received two Academy Award nominations for Best Actor and Best Original Screenplay. The success of the original film inspired four sequels throughout the 1970s and 1980s,...

It's a miracle Peter Berg's "Hancock" exists at all.

The revisionist Will Smith superhero flick began life in 1996 as a spec screenplay by Vy Vincent Ngo called "Tonight, He Comes." The tale of a surly, alcoholic antihero was way ahead of its time; it was a refutation of comic book movies that weren't being made in the absurd volume we're seeing today. It was also startlingly original, which prompted no less an A-lister than Tony Scott to acquire it as a potential directing project. It was one of the hottest scripts in Hollywood, and, for six solid years, it went absolutely nowhere.

"Tonight, He Comes" nearly went before cameras in the early 2000s under the direction of Michael Mann, then nearly came to fruition with the likes of Jonathan Mostow and Gabriele Muccino at the helm. Vince Gilligan and John August were brought in to rework the script in...

Actor who found fame, and an Oscar nomination, as the roguishly endearing Paulie in the 1976 film Rocky

In the late 1960s, Burt Young dashed off a letter to Lee Strasberg, who ran the Actors Studio in New York, hoping to be taken on as a student. “Seriously, Lee, I don’t know if acting has anything for me, or vice versa, but I’m treading water,” he wrote. “So see me.”

The letter was intended to curry favour with a woman whom Young was trying to impress, and whose dream it was to study with Strasberg. Both she and Young were invited to audition. She quit after drying up during her first acting class but Strasberg was impressed by the stubby, paunchy Young, telling him: “You have huge tension about you. I feel you’re an emotional library.”...

Rocky star Burt Young died on Wednesday at 83 years old.

“Burt was an actor of tremendous emotional range,” wrote his manager Lynda Bensky in a statement following Young’s death. “He could make you cry and he could scare you to death. But the real pathos that I experienced was the poignancy of his soul. That’s where it came from.”

Young was born in Queens, New York, in 1940 and grew up in the tough Corona area before switching school districts.

He enlisted in the Marines at the age of 16 and has since admitted to his father “fibbing my age to get me in,” as he wrote in the foreword to Corona: The Early Years.

It was during his time in the Marines that he became interested in boxing, a sport that he pursued professionally for a brief time.

His breakout role as Paulie Pennino in Rocky earned him an Oscar nomination for supporting actor.

Burt Young, best known for his riveting portrayal of Paulie in the iconic “Rocky” films, passed away on October 8th in Los Angeles at the age of 83. His passing was confirmed by his devoted daughter, Anne Morea Steingieser.

The actor, originally from Queens, exhibited a rugged charm that landed him roles in more than 160 films and TV shows, from gritty crime dramas like “Chinatown” and “Once Upon a Time in America” to the poignant portrayal of Paulie, the brother of Adrian and Rocky’s loyal friend. This particular role would garner him an Academy Award nomination, showcasing his ability to infuse a tough exterior with a deep-seated vulnerability.

Lee Strasberg, the legendary acting teacher, once described Young as a “library of emotions.” This sentiment perfectly captures the depth and versatility that Burt Young brought to the big screen. Even when he embodied a criminal or thug, Young never settled for one-dimensional characterizations.

Heartfelt tribute: Stallone honors his Rocky co-star Burt Young, who sadly passed away at the age of 83 Strong bond: Stallone and Young shared the screen in six Rocky movies, making their partnership legendary. Emotional farewell: Stallone's tribute on Instagram pays homage to the late actor, reflecting their special connection.

Sylvester Stallone pays tribute to his Rocky co-star Burt Young after the Paulie actor passes away at the age of 83. Stallone made movie history with 1976’s crowd-pleasing hit about an unknown Philadelphia boxer getting the chance of a lifetime when he’s picked to fight the heavyweight champion of the world. Supporting Stallone was a strong cast of character actors, including Young as Paulie Pennino, the gruff alcoholic brother of Rocky’s shy love interest Adrian (Talia Shire).

Thursday sadly brings the news that Young has passed away at the age of 83, and Stallone has taken to Instagram to pay tribute to the late Paulie actor.

Burt Young, the actor best known for playing Paulie alongside Sylvester Stallone in the Rocky film franchise, has died. He was 83. His passing was confirmed to the New York Times by his daughter, Anne Morea Steingieser, who revealed he died on October 8 in Los Angeles, California. A cause of death has not been shared. Stallone took to Instagram to share a tribute to his former co-star, writing, “To my Dear Friend, Burt Young, you were an incredible man’s and artist, I and the World will miss you very much…Rip.” View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sly Stallone (@officialslystallone) Young, who served in the Marine Corps from 1957 to 1959, where he also boxed regularly, made his career playing tough-talking, Italian-American characters. His most memorable role came as Paulie, the best friend (and future brother-in-law) to Stallone’s Rocky, appearing in the first six Rocky films. His performance...