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Just taking Tom Hanks’ name feels like you’re talking about an old friend. He’s the quintessential nice guy, a Hollywood heavyweight. Everyone loves a classic like Forrest Gump or Saving Private Ryan, but there’s a treasure chest of gems in his filmography that don’t get nearly enough love.

Tom Hanks in Joe Versus the Volcano | Warner Bros.

This list won’t be about the obvious heavy hitters. Instead, we’re taking a closer look at the movies that flew under the radar or have faded into the background over the years.

12. Larry Crowne (2011)

Let’s start with a feel-good flick that’s just as unassuming as its leading man. In Larry Crowne, Tom Hanks, who also directed and co-wrote the screenplay with Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), stars as Larry, a perpetually cheerful retail worker fired for not having a college degree. So, naturally,...

Romantic comedy legend Meg Ryan is renowned for her work in classics like Sleepless in Seattle and When Harry Met Sally.

Meg Ryan in a black sequined dress at the 2021 amfAR Gala Los Angeles at Pacific Design Center on November 4, 2021, in West Hollywood, California (Credit: DFree / Shutterstock)

Coined “America’s Sweetheart” due to all of her movies on the big screen, it’s no surprise that Meg Ryan has a generous net worth of $85 million as of 2024.

Megan Ryan was 20 years old when she joined the cast of the CBS soap opera As the World Turns as Betsy Stewart with Scott Bryce as Craig Montgomery in 1982 (Credit: CBS)

Meg Ryan’s Early Days: From Soap Operas to Stardom

Meg Ryan started acting when she was 18 years old as Debby Blake in the 1981 American drama film Rich and Famous.

The following year, she made her memorable debut on a soap opera called As the World Turns.

With her quirky personality and perky smile, Meg Ryan reigned as queen of romantic comedies for over two decades after stumbling onto an acting career during her college years. Over the past 30 years, the blond-haired, blue-eyed actress has carved out a diverse and successful career, making her one of the most popular actresses of her time.

Ryan was born November 19, 1961, in Fairfield, Connecticut. After graduating high school, she majored in journalism at New York University, and began acting to earn extra money, adopting the name Meg Ryan (taken from her grandmother’s maiden name). Following appearances in TV commercials and her film debut in George Cukor‘s final film “Rich and Famous,” Ryan gained fame as half of one of the most popular soap opera super couples with her portrayal of Betsy Stewart Montgomery on “As the World Turns” from 1982-1984. Her successes led her to drop out of college...

There’s no crying in baseball, and there’s never too much eating in it either if you’re Tom Hanks.

The 1992 historical sports comedy A League of Their Own is a completely timeless and mostly fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (Aagpbl), and its contribution to the sport of baseball in the quotes department remains nearly unmatched: “There’s no crying in baseball,” “The hard is what makes it great” and “Did anyone ever tell you, you look like a penis with that little hat on?” are all bangers, and they’re all spoken by the fabricated boozehound Jimmy Dugan, played by Hanks.

A departure from his usual affable, fuckable everyman character, Hanks’ portrayal of the ball-scratching, long-pissing and hilariously ornery manager of the Rockford Peaches is one his best-ever comic roles specifically because it was so off-brand. During a chat with the Happy Sad Confused podcast,...

When people think of Tom Hanks, they tend to call to mind a decent, stalwart American whose against-all-odds heroics inspire them to persevere when facing their own travails. They think of "Saving Private Ryan," "Apollo 13," even "Toy Story" -- some of Hanks' best films, and ones that could've easily starred classic Hollywood actor James Stewart had he been thriving during Hanks' heyday.

There is, of course, more to Tom Hanks than this. Indeed, it often seems like people have memory-holed the star's zany, adult-skewing comedies like "Bachelor Party," "The Man with One Red Shoe," and "Volunteers." And what of the noble box-office misfires "Punchline," "Joe Versus the Volcano," and "Charlie Wilson's War?" Hanks can play a loser or a cad when called upon, which, if you've a firm grasp of film history, is as Jimmy Stewart as it gets.

Hanks contains multitudes, but if I were to pick one...

Nora Ephron is a celebrated name in the world of hard-hitting, emotional rom-coms, and most of the director’s works have made it into the list of classics. One of those include the 1998 film You’ve Got Mail, which became an instant hit.

Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan’s chemistry and the moving storyline made the movie a fan favorite for fluff lovers. However, times have changed and a recent Reddit comment left no stone unturned to diss the movie. The commentator was especially miffed at the ending which showcased a happy reunion between the leads, even after the male lead’s deceptions.

You’ve got a biased ending: The problem with Hea Tom Hanks in The Green Mile | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

Tom Hanks established himself as a true performer through his dramatic performances in films like The Green Mile and Forrest Gump. However, the actor once ruled the world...

Acclaimed stars like Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan have long reigned as the poster children for effortless chemistry in Hollywood. Appearing together in films like Joe Versus the Volcano and Sleepless in Seattle, Hanks and Ryan needed no publicity stunt or fake affair to spark romance in the films that they starred in.

Tom Hanks and Meg Ran in Sleepless in Seattle | image: TriStar Pictures

Instead, appearing at the press tour for the 1998 romantic comedy You’ve Got Mail, Tom Hanks revealed the secret behind their magical rapport that resulted in a natural connection and flawless chemistry. It seems, unlike modern-day stars like Sydney Sweeney, who orchestrated a fake affair to attract audiences, the duo needed no sensationalist strategies for film promotion.

A Glimpse into Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan’s Chemistry Without Drama

When you think of classic on-screen pairings, Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan are hard to overlook. Appearing...

Romantic comedy icon Meg Ryan said she loves the challenges that directing a feature film offers up and that since stepping behind the camera for both 2015’s Ithaca and 2023’s What Happens Later, it’s helped her to look at acting in a different light.

“I understand acting I think more now because of that,” Ryan told an audience at the Sarajevo Film Festival. “I think, as an actor, you’re a soloist in an orchestra. You don’t see the big picture. Your one small job is to play your emotional instrument and know yourself well and be available to your feelings, you know, and to get out of your way and try not to be too intellectual about expressing them.”

Since being a director, said Ryan, she’s learned that “other actors I’ve worked with have a different process.”

Ryan spoke to a packed audience for a...

Rom-com queen Meg Ryan charmed a packed house during an appearance at the Sarajevo Film Festival on Tuesday, reprising some of her iconic roles in movies including “When Harry Met Sally” and “You’ve Got Mail” while also opening up about her life and career in the movie business since turning 60.

“I don’t look at the downside very often. I am the luckiest person you’re ever going to meet,” she said. “I don’t have feelings like I’m being denied anything. I have a charmed existence and I work with incredible people.”

Ryan is appearing at the Bosnian fest to receive a lifetime achievement award and to present her latest film, “What Happens Later,” a romantic comedy that she directed, wrote and executive produced, and in which she stars opposite David Duchovny as ex-lovers who find themselves stranded by a snowstorm.

She’s also presenting a special screening...

Leonard Engelman, the esteemed makeup artist who worked on films including Rocky IV, The Princess Diaries, Batman & Robin and How the Grinch Stole Christmas and did Cher’s makeup for more than 30 years, has died. He was 83.

Engelman died Thursday at Northridge Hospital Medical Center, his wife of 42 years, artist Esther Engelman, told The Hollywood Reporter. The cause of death is unclear, she said.

The son of a Hollywood makeup artist, Engelman labored for a long time to convince the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to install a makeup branch, as those artisans had always been “at-large” members. And when it did so in 2006, he was elected its first governor. Later, he worked to have hairstylists added.

He also served as an Academy vice president and board member for many years.

Engelman received Emmy nominations in 1972 for an episode of Night Gallery and in 2001 for the miniseries Jackie Bouvier Kennedy Onassis,...

Can destiny be formed by the actors we admire on the big screen? For Michael Weatherly, the actor with a current net worth of $45 million, the answer is a booming ‘yes’! His role as Tony Dinozzo on the popular television series NCIS has made him widely recognized in the entertainment industry. In addition to his successful acting career, his charm & wit off-screen have earned him popularity among fans and other celebrities.

Michael Weatherly | Credit: Angela George/Wikimedia Commons

But imagine a young Weatherly who, like a true fan, is obsessed with Tom Hanks’ performances and unintentionally followed the Toy Story star into the acting world. Years later, after establishing his own acting career, Weatherly experienced a surreal twist of fate when he served drinks at Hanks’ party but someone mistakenly assumed him to be the waiter.

The Surprising Connection Between Michael Weatherly & Tom Hanks

You may know Michael Weatherly as...

Steven Spielberg’s 1981 film, Hook, is regarded as the best adaptation of J.M. Barrie’s Peter and Wendy. The film presented a different take on the children’s fairytale and provided a different experience than the other iterations. A popular rumor suggested that Tom Hanks was the first choice for the role of an older Peter Pan. However, the Philadelphia actor clarified that the story is different.

Robin Williams in Spielberg’s Hook

Hook focuses on the story of a lawyer played by the late Robin Williams, who learns that he is the older Peter Pan. When his kids are kidnapped by Captain Hook as revenge, he goes back to Neverland and joins forces with the Lost Boys and Julia Roberts’ Tinkerbell. Steven Spielberg’s iteration of the fairy tale initially divided the audiences but became a cult classic moving forward.

Was Tom Hanks the first choice to play Peter Pan in Hook?...

Plot: When Tommy Walcott is invited into a limo by famous actor Andy Samberg, his dull life takes a thrilling turn. Tommy is offered a chance to win a million dollars in a dark web reality TV show, where assassins from all over the world attempt to kill him for 30 days. The catch? He can’t be killed if he’s not entirely alone, leading him to recruit an unlikely team to help him survive.

Review: Jake Johnson is hilarious. After his breakout role as Nick Miller on Fox sitcom New Girl, Johnson has appeared alongside Tom Cruise in The Mummy, Chris Pratt in the Jurassic World franchise, and voicing Peter B. Parker in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse. While Johnson has written several films, including Digging for Fire, Win It All, and Ride the Eagle, he makes his directorial debut with the new film Self Reliance.

Tom Hanks is opening up about working with Meg Ryan!

The 67-year-old actor and the 62-year-old actress worked together on multiple projects, which includes You’ve Got Mail, Sleepless in Seattle, Ithaca, Joe Versus the Volcano and Everything Is Copy.

For You’ve Got Mail‘s recent 25 year anniversary on December 18th, an old interview resurfaced where the actor talked about the chemistry between him and his co-star.

Keep reading to find out more…

“It’s just a natural thing,” he told Et. “It’s like, why are we friends with the people that we’re friends with?”

“I must say, Meg and I are not real close pals,” he shared at the time. “We see each other every now and again. It’s like, we don’t hang out for coffee. … But when we pick up, we just pick up where we left off and it’s an effortless thing that...

With its uniquely ’90s title and concept (thanks to America Online), You’ve Got Mail has now reached the 25-year anniversary mark. It marked the third collaboration between Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan, following the acclaimed Sleepless in Seattle, which itself followed the less-acclaimed Joe Versus the Volcano. But, by the time Hanks and Ryan agreed to star in You’ve Got Mail, the chemistry they’d shared in the previous two films had earned them comparisons to some of the great couples from Hollywood’s Golden Age, including the gold standard of Spencer Tracy and Audrey Hepburn. While Hanks might not have thought that was the proper comparison, he couldn’t deny that he and Ryan shared something special on the screen. (Click on the media bar below to hear Tom Hanks) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Tom-Hankstraceyhepbuun.mp3

You’ve Got Mail is available on DVD, Blu-Ray, and most digital platforms.

Julia Roberts is an icon of the romantic-comedy genre, but there’s one famous rom-com the Oscar-winner happened to turn down: Nora Ephron’s 1998 classic “You’ve Got Mail.” Roberts revealed the scoop during a recent appearance on Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live.”

Ephron’s film memorably paired Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the story of business rivals unaware they are falling in love with each other online. “You’ve Got Mail” marked the third Hanks-Ryan romantic comedy after “Joe Versus the Volcano” (1990) and “Sleepless in Seattle” (1993), the latter title also being directed by Ephron. Had Roberts taken the role, it would’ve extended her 1990s rom-com streak that already included hits like “Pretty Woman” (1990), “Notting Hill” (1999) and “My Best Friend’s Wedding” (1997).

Asked by a fan to name some roles she has turned down in career, Roberts stressed that she does not regret any of her choices. She said any...

(Clockwise from bottom left:) Tom Hanks in Cast Away (Courtesy of Photofest), Saving Private Ryan (Paramount Pictures), A Beautiful Day In The Neighborhood (Sony Pictures Entertainment), Big (20th Century Fox), Toy Story (Courtesy of Mubi)Graphic: The A.V. Club

Few Hollywood stars are more beloved than Tom Hanks, whose screen...

It was back in June of last year that we learned HBO Max had pulled the plug on the Ridley Scott-produced sci-fi series “Raised by Wolves,” cancelling the show after just two seasons. The series was subsequently pulled from HBO Max entirely, with promised plans to license the series (and others) to third-party free ad-supported streaming television (Fast) channels.

Making good on that promise, Bloody Disgusting has learned that “Raised by Wolves” has now found a new home at The Roku Channel, alongside HBO Max’s “Westworld.”

“Raised by Wolves” is now available for streaming on The Roku Channel as part of this week’s launch of 14 Warner Bros. branded linear channels, which include…

WB TV All Together: With stories that feel like home and characters who feel like family, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Programming includes Head of Class, Better With You, Eight is Enough and more.

One of the biggest free streaming services on the market is adding to its selection of linear free ad-supported TV (Fast) channels. The Roku Channel has announced it will be bringing on 14 new channel selections from Warner Bros. Discovery.

Watch Now $0 / month roku.com

Some of the content on these channels will be quite familiar to viewers, especially if they also have an HBO Max subscription. Series like “Westworld,” “Cake Boss” and “F-Boy Island,” as well as blockbuster movies will be available to Roku Channel customers now, along with thousands more hours of free streaming courtesy of Wbd.

The new additions to Roku Channel from Wbd include:

WB TV All Together: With stories that feel like home and characters who feel like family, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. Programming includes “Head of Class,” “Better With You,” “Eight is Enough” and more.

WB TV At the Movies: Grab...

Many of the shows that have been dropped from HBO Max streaming are now on the 13 new WB-themed Roku channels, the streaming hardware and software maker announced on Tuesday. WB TV Watchlist will now be home to sci-series “Westworld” and “Raised by Wolves” as well as “La Femme Nikita.”

HBO Max revealed in December that they would be licensing shows including “Westworld” to third-party Fast services. Roku has its own Fast service, the Roku Channel, and hosts third-party channels through a channel store.

There’s enough WB content for 13 Roku channels, some of which are dedicated to family programming, true crime, pets, reality TV series, and do-it-yourself.

Also Read:

‘Westworld’ and Other Shows Pulled by HBO Max to Be Licensed to Free Ad-Supported Streamers

Here is the full list:

WB TV All Together: Programming includes family-friendly TV hits “Head of Class,” “Better With You,” and “Eight is Enough.”

WB...

A number of great movies are leaving HBO Max at the end of March, so it’s time to prioritize these titles in your queue. Filmmaker James Gunn’s sequel/soft reboot “The Suicide Squad” will depart the streaming service on March 22 after first hitting HBO Max the same day it was released in theaters back in 2021. Similarly, “Space Jam: A New Legacy” was whisked away on March 1 after also getting a day-and-date release in 2021 (sorry/not sorry if you missed it).

You also only have until March 7 to stream “Just a Boy From Tupelo: Bringing Elvis to the Big Screen,” a short documentary on the making of the Oscar-nominated biopic “Elvis.”

Other noteworthy films leaving HBO Max this month include “The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford,” “Contagion,” the extended version of “Dances with Wolves,” “Ghostbusters,” “Four Weddings and a Funeral,” “Love & Basketball” and “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping.

Animation legend Genndy Tartakovsky joins Josh Olson and Joe Dante to discuss his favorite silent sequences from great movies.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Infested (2002)

Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) – Brian Trenchard-Smith’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

The Godfather (1972) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings

Apocalypse Now (1979) – Josh Olson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

Hotel Transylvania (2012)

A Fistful of Dollars (1964) – John Badham’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray reviews

Once Upon A Time In The West (1968) – John Landis’s trailer commentary

The Birds (1963) – Eli Roth’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairings, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray review

The Good, The Bad And The Ugly (1966) – Ernest Dickerson’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Blu-ray reviews

Conan The Barbarian (1982)

Conan The Destroyer (1984)

The Hudsucker Proxy (1994)

The Party (1968) – Michael Lehmann’s trailer commentary

The Pink Panther...

Nothing screams "must-see" quite like a new Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks collaboration. They're the dream duo of modern American cinema, the closest thing we have to a Frank Capra-James Stewart tandem. They've made five films together, and all but one ("The Terminal") are legitimately great.

The only baffling element of their creative partnership is that it didn't happen sooner. Hanks was in his 40s and Spielberg in his 50s when they came together for 1998's devastating World War II epic "Saving Private Ryan." If you're wondering what took so long, Spielberg is right there with you. If the two-time Academy Award-winning filmmaker had been able to swing it, he would've loved to direct Hanks in 1993's "Philadelphia."

Hanks Finally Proves His Worth As A Dramatic Actor

The Jonathan Demme-directed drama about Andrew Beckett (Hanks), a gay corporate lawyer who teams up with an initially homophobic prosecutor,...

In the summer of 1989, Touchstone Pictures — a subsidiary of Disney — began filming what would go on to become the biggest romantic comedy hit of all-time (at least by total number of tickets sold). It was also the third-highest grossing film of 1990 and catapulted eventual Oscar nominee Julia Roberts to global fame.

The film was, of course, “Pretty Woman,” a formerly dark and gritty tale about a down-and-out sex worker and the rich businessman who hires her for a week.

More than thirty years later, the film remains a high point of both ’90s-era studio filmmaking in general (it’s difficult to picture Disney taking a Sundance Labs script and turning it into a broadly-appealing story about “a hooker with a heart of gold” ever again) and the romantic comedy in particular. It not only established Roberts as a star, but the very concept that — even in a story that hinges on two people mixing,...

LeBron James might be out of the NBA playoffs, but he’s still angling to be a big part of the summer entertainment season. That’s because HBO Max’s list of new releases for July 2021 is highlighted by a very special sequel.

Space Jam: A New Legacy premieres on July 16. will find LeBron teaming up with the Looney Tunes in a Warner Bros. IP-extravaganza. Can ‘Bron and the Looney Tunes beat the Goon Squad before Warner Bros.’ server steals LeBron “Bronny” Jr.’s soul (or something)? Let’s hope so. The two other major WB releases this month, No Sudden Move and Tom and Jerry in New York, both come to HBO Max on July 1.

HBO Max is also bringing some fun TV shows to its stream this month. The long-awaited Gossip Girl revival premieres on July 8. That will be followed by Mike White’s satirical limited series The White Lotus...

This Rick And Morty review contains spoilers.

Rick and Morty Season 5 Episode 2

Man, Rick and Morty is a weird fucking show.

I know I’m stating the obvious here but I mean it’s weird on a fundamental storytelling level because, the thing is, under all the sci-fi madness, there’s meant to be a gooey sitcom center to this series and sitcoms usually want you to care a lot about their characters. You’re supposed to get emotional highs and lows from them and want them to succeed. In short, you’re supposed to love them.

“Mortyplicity” is one of those Rick and Morty episodes that very loudly and clearly tells you that you should not be invested in these characters’ lives. You’re supposed to love them, in a way, but that way is as cynical, wisecrack-spouting, sci-fi comedy vehicles. However, you’re not really supposed to invest...

Summer is officially here and with it comes a surfeit of new movies and television shows available on HBO Max. Next month, the WarnerMedia streaming service will debut the long-awaited sequel to “Space Jam” with Lebron James taking the baton from Michael Jordan and the latest heist movie from Oscar-winning director Steven Soderbergh. But while those titles arrive, others depart, including “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” and “In the Heights.”

Ahead, highlights of the month ahead on HBO Max, plus the full list of July programming.

“No Sudden Move” (July 1): Directed by Steven Soderbergh and starring Don Cheadle, Benicio Del Toro, David Harbour, Kieran Culkin, Jon Hamm, Ray Liotta, and “Uncut Gems” breakout Julia Fox, among others, the heist thriller is set in 1950s Detroit and “enters on a group of small-time criminals who are hired to steal what they think is a simple document. When their plan goes horribly wrong,...

John Patrick Shanley, the Oscar and Pulitzer Prize-winning writer, is best known for writing the scripts for the Cher/Nicolas Cage romance Moonstruck and for writing and directing two very different movies: 1990’s Joe Versus the Volcano and 2008’s Doubt. But Shanley re-entered the zeitgeist last year with his absolutely bonkers romantic drama Wild Mountain Thyme, […]

The post ‘The Twinkle Brothers’: ‘Wild Mountain Thyme’ Director Tackling Whimsical Movie About Two Rival Restaurant Owners appeared first on /Film.

“Moonstruck” and “Wild Mountain Thyme” writer John Patrick Shanley is no stranger to complicated family dynamics.

The Oscar and Pulitzer-winning author will explore sibling rivalry with “The Twinkle Brothers.” The upcoming comedy, which Shanley will write and direct for Rivulet Media, recounts a story told by avuncular café owner Mordecai, who, when tasked with the responsibility of looking after his precocious six-year-old granddaughter Rita for an afternoon, spins her a yarn about Freddie and Miguel, two insanely competitive brothers from Puerto Rico. They move to New York and end up with rival restaurants directly across the street from one another. The brothers stop at nothing to be the best on the block, ratcheting up the competition to the delight of their neighbors who are treated to bizarrely spectacular light shows, dueling Santas, and seemingly endless plates of delicious and comforting food. Casting is underway with filming to begin in New York this fall.

It was 31 years ago when cinematographer Stephen Goldblatt first met playwright John Patrick Shanley. At that point in his career, Goldblatt had photographed “The Hunger,” “Young Sherlock Holmes,” and the first two “Lethal Weapon” movies. Shanley, who had won an Oscar for writing 1987’s “Moonstruck,” needed a trained eye to lens his first film as a director. It was an offbeat romantic comedy about a terminally ill man, played by Tom Hanks, who agrees to leap into a volcano to assuage island gods.

“‘Joe Versus the Volcano’ was a wonderful experience for me,” Goldblatt said to TheWrap. “John was such an imaginative director and I think the film was well ahead of its time. We got on great together and stayed friends over these years.”

Goldblatt was born in South Africa and raised in London. Now 75, he makes his home in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. A couple years ago,...

We all enjoy movies that, if we had to write a review, we’d pan. Mine range from ’60s musical “Bye Bye Birdie” to Richard Curtis’ “Love Actually,” which has become a family Christmas staple. (That scene between Laura Linney and Rodrigo Santoro? Awful.)

During my ’80s stint at Film Comment Magazine, we published several directors’ guilty pleasures, from Michael Powell to Stephen King, as well as John Waters’ list of high-end art films, which included both Pier Paolo Pasolini’s “Teorema” and Woody Allen’s “Interiors.”

The latest entry to my guilty pleasures list is Bronx-born playwright John Patrick Shanley’s “Wild Mountain Thyme,” a sublimely over-the-top, candy-cane romance that makes no sense whatsoever. It’s possible to imagine that a canny mainstream Hollywood director like Norman Jewison could have transformed Shanley’s adaptation of his 2014 Tony-nominated play “Outside Mullingar” (written after he turned 60 and inspired by his family...

We all enjoy movies that, if we had to write a review, we’d pan. Mine range from ’60s musical “Bye Bye Birdie” to Richard Curtis’ “Love Actually,” which has become a family Christmas staple. (That scene between Laura Linney and Rodrigo Santoro? Awful.)

During my ’80s stint at Film Comment Magazine, we published several directors’ guilty pleasures, from Michael Powell to Stephen King, as well as John Waters’ list of high-end art films, which included both Pier Paolo Pasolini’s “Teorema” and Woody Allen’s “Interiors.”

The latest entry to my guilty pleasures list is Bronx-born playwright John Patrick Shanley’s “Wild Mountain Thyme,” a sublimely over-the-top, candy-cane romance that makes no sense whatsoever. It’s possible to imagine that a canny mainstream Hollywood director like Norman Jewison could have transformed Shanley’s adaptation of his 2014 Tony-nominated play “Outside Mullingar” (written after he turned 60 and inspired by his family...

Birds & Bees: Shanley Returns with Shopworn Romance

Director John Patrick Shanley returns with his third feature Wild Mountain Thyme, based on his own 2014 Broadway play Outside Mullingar. An old-fashioned outfit tinged with the kind of weirdness displayed in his own directorial debut Joe Versus the Volcano (1990), this rural romance set in the Republic of Ireland leaves much to be desired thanks to questionable casting and some off-putting accent work which tends to grate and distract, but it’s not for lack of trying as regards its leads Emily Blunt and Jamie Dornan.

What perhaps worked best on stage as far as suspension of disbelief sails directly into archaic and leaden narrative tactics and unfortunately can’t create enough authenticity to allow an audience to settle into a simple mutating into something increasingly strange.…...

John Patrick Shanley won an Oscar for “Moonstruck,” his bittersweet and whimsical romantic comedy about a pair of star-crossed lovers who find themselves inextricably drawn together.

More than 30 years later, Shanley is offering another look at love, examining both its irresistible pull and its inherent danger, with “Wild Mountain Thyme.” The film, which opens in theaters and on-demand on Dec. 11, stars Jamie Dornan as Anthony, a shy farmer who has caught the eye of his headstrong neighbor Rosemary (Emily Blunt). Their tentative romance unfolds as the fate of Anthony’s farm hangs in the balance — his father (Christopher Walken) is threatening to leave the family homestead to an American nephew (Jon Hamm). Shanley directs in addition to writing the script, which is an adaptation of his play, “Outside Mullingar.”

Shanley, whose work also includes “Doubt” and “Joe Versus the Volcano,” spoke to Variety about his difficulty getting studios interested in “Wild Mountain Thyme,...

Time and time again during this year’s pandemic, movie studios have had to make the best of a bad situation. HBO Max’s list of new releases for December 2020 comes along with the most extreme example yet.

WarnerMedia undoubtedly had big plans for Wonder Woman 1984 when it scheduled it for a holiday release last year. After moving it to the summer, however, the conglomerate had to delay its theatrical release time and time again. Now HBO Max is the lucky winner of the saga, as it gets to premiere the long-awaited sequel on its servers on Dec. 25.

While Wonder Woman 1984 is definitely the headline this month, there are some other intriguing streaming options for HBO Max in December. The month plays host to a whole host of high-powered documentaries like Heaven’s Gate: The Cult of Cults (Dec. 3), Alabama Snake (Dec. 9), and the Tiger Woods documentary Tiger (Dec.

Just like Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and Disney Plus, HBO Max is adding a ton of great new titles to give you some festive treats this holiday season. The Warner streaming service’s December haul isn’t necessarily full of Christmas content – there’s a lot of that already available – but there are definitely a ton of must-see films and TV shows on the lineup, so let’s take a look at the highlights.

December 1st brings a glut of newly licensed titles, including everything from horror prequel Annabelle: Creation to the original Westworld movie. In terms of franchises, you’ll be able to find a bunch of The Crown films, some Final Destinations and the whole Free Willy trilogy on the site next month. And if you’re looking to chow down on some of the best movies around, you won’t be disappointed. Just a few of the acclaimed...

With her quirky personality and perky smile, Meg Ryan reigned as queen of romantic comedies for over two decades after stumbling onto an acting career during her college years. Over the past 30 years, the blond-haired, blue-eyed actress has carved out a diverse and successful career, making her one of the most popular actresses of her time.

Ryan was born November 19, 1961, in Fairfield, Connecticut. After graduating high school, she majored in journalism at New York University, and began acting to earn extra money, adopting the name Meg Ryan (taken from her grandmother’s maiden name). Following appearances in TV commercials and her film debut in George Cukor‘s final film “Rich and Famous,” Ryan gained fame as half of one of the most popular soap opera super couples with her portrayal of Betsy Stewart Montgomery on “As the World Turns” from 1982-1984. Her successes led her to drop out of college...

The last time John Patrick Shanley was behind the camera it was for the 2008 religious drama “Doubt,” which landed him an Oscar nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay and garnered four acting nominations for Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams, and Viola Davis. For “Wild Mountain Thyme,” Shanley’s first movie in 12 years, the writer-director is traveling down a much lighter path and returning to the romantic charms of his scripts for “Joe Versus the Volcano” and “Moonstruck,” the latter of which won him the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.

The official synopsis from Bleecker Street for “Wild Mountain Thyme” reads: “John Patrick Shanley, who created the classic ‘Moonstruck,’ brings his sweeping romantic vision to Ireland with ‘Wild Mountain Thyme.’ The headstrong farmer Rosemary Muldoon (Emily Blunt) has her heart set on winning her neighbor Anthony Reilly’s love. The problem is Anthony (Jamie Dornan) seems to have inherited a family curse,...

For a film actor, one of the keys to a long and successful career is choosing your roles wisely. Sure, plenty of young actors have had to make some bad movies on their way to stardom — just ask Tom Hanks about Joe Versus the Volcano or Jason Bateman about Teen Wolf Too — but the [...]

The post For Bruce Willis, Every Film He Does Is A Smash … Or A Smashed Pumpkin appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.

The director of Arlington Road, The Mothman Prophecies, Pearl Jam’s Jeremy and many more reflects on his career and some of the movies that made him.

Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode

Arlington Road (1999)

The Mothman Prophecies (2002)

Firewall (2006)

The Orphanage (2007)

Nostalgia (2018)

Avatar (2009)

Titanic (1997)

Chef (2014)

The Laundromat (2019)

Honeymoon In Vegas (1992)

Demonlover (2003)

Under The Sand (2000)

Mulholland Dr. (2001)

Under The Skin (2013)

The Great Beauty (2013)

Slap Shot (1977)

Network (1976)

Straw Dogs (1971)

The Pawnbroker (1964)

Star Wars (1977)

The Exorcist (1973)

Jaws (1975)

The World’s Greatest Athlete (1973)

All The President’s Men (1976)

Liquid Sky (1982)

The Brother From Another Planet (1984)

City Of Hope (1991)

Stop Making Sense (1984)

Snowpiercer (2013)

The Flintstones (1994)

Matinee (1993)

Batman (1989)

Transformers (2007)

A History Of Violence (2005)

Heaven Can Wait (1978)

Here Comes Mr. Jordan (1941)

Psycho (1960)

Psycho (1998)

Mandy (2018)

Phantom Thread (2017)

Magnolia (1999)

Boogie Nights (1997)

The Master (2012)

There Will Be Blood (2007)

The Mustang (2019)

Inherent Vice (2014)

The New World (2005)

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly (2007)

The Last Word (2017)

Cocaine Cowboys (2006)

The Burglar (1957)

What Lies Beneath...

Lots of working folks can certainly relate to the chorus of that 1980s pop classic from Huey Lewis and the News: “Takin’ what they’re givin’, cause’ I’m workin’ for a livin’!”. That’s especially true of the somewhat “softer’ occupations, more white than blue-collar, namely the office “drone”. The “cubicle” life has birthed a “more popular than ever” TV sitcom classic, appropriately titled “The Office”. Of course, the movies have explored the travails of the “pencil pushers”, most famously in the Oscar-winning Billy Wilder classic The Apartment (also a great “rom-com”), the opening scenes of Joe Versus The Volcano (that fluorescent flicker), and the cult fave Office Space (a box office dud that found its fans via TV and home vid). This week’s new release isn’t going for relatable laughs. It’s a truly toxic workplace that, until recently, was a largely unknown part of the entertainment industry.

Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we explore movies from established stars that flopped at the box office, have been forgotten by time, or remain hidden gems. These aren’t the films that made them famous or kept them famous. These are the other ones.

Today, we get animated! Ahead of The Film Stage Show’s Toy Story 4 review, we dive into the B-Sides of the voices behind Woody and Buzz, Tom Hanks and Tim Allen. Conor O’Donnell and myself talk The Man With One Red Shoe, Joe Versus The Volcano, Big Trouble, and Redbelt. It’s a wide variety that speaks to the diversity of these two talented performers. As always, much more is covered and referenced.

Click here for some interesting perspective on the philosophy behind Joe Versus The Volcano, or here for the book The Devil’s Candy: The Anatomy Of A Hollywood Fiasco,...

Jamie Dornan (“Fifty Shades of Grey”) and Holliday Grainger (“Animals”) have been tapped to star in John Patrick Shanley’s romance “Wild Mountain Thyme,” an adaptation of his Tony-nominated 2014 play “Outside Mulingar.”

HanWay Films has acquired the international sales rights and will commence sales at Cannes, with CAA Media Finance handling the North American rights.

“Wild Mountain Thyme,” Shanley’s love letter to his ancestral homeland, is set against the breath-taking landscapes of rural Ireland, where everyone is half mad with loneliness or love, and the weather is terrible. Dornan and Grainger will play obstinate star-crossed lovers, whose families are caught up in a feud over a hotly contested patch of land that separates their two farms.

Acclaimed playwright, screenwriter and director Shanley is the author of more than 23 plays, including his 2005 Tony and Pulitzer-winning drama “Doubt,...

She's Meg Ryan, the Queen of Rom-Coms. The 57-year-old actress rose to fame thanks to her leading role in the 1989 cult film When Harry Met Sally..., co-starring Billy Crystal, written by the late Nora Ephron and directed by Rob Reiner. In the film, Ryan and Crystal play a pair who navigate the awkwardness of maintaining a platonic relationship despite his attraction to her.  A year later, Ryan starred opposite Tom Hanks in the romantic comedy Joe Versus the Volcano. In 1993, the two reunited for Sleepless in Seattle, directed by Ephron, which turned out to be a bit hit. The two reunited and played romantic love interests again in the 1998 film You've Got Mail,...

Twenty-five years ago, moviegoers fell in love with Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan as two strangers searching for a soulmate in “Sleepless in Seattle.” As the romantic-comedy by director Nora Ephron marks its silver anniversary, Fathom Events and Sony Pictures Entertainment are bringing the enchanting film back to cinemas nationwide for two days only.

Tickets to “Sleepless in Seattle” are now available at www.FathomEvents.comor at participating theater box offices.

The Fathom Spotlight Series will present the 1993 box-office smash – along with a brand-new introduction by Meg Ryan and producer Gary Foster – in nearly 400 movie theaters nationwide for two days only: Sunday, December 2, at 1:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., and Wednesday, December 5, at 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. (all local times).

On its release, Roger Ebert praised “Sleepless in Seattle” as a film “so warm and gentle I smiled the whole way through,” and audiences couldn...

In today’s film news roundup, Tom Berenger is starring in a new crime thriller, Freestyle Digital buys “Madhouse Mecca,” and “Sleepless in Seattle” is returning for two nights.

Castings

Tom Berenger (“Platoon”) will star in the independent thriller “Allagash” from writer/director John Barr, Variety has learned.

“Allagash” marks the feature-length directorial debut for Barr following his short film, “His Lover,” adapted from the Andre Dubus short story by the same title. Suza Horvat is producing, and Paul Casale Jr., Jeff Stearns, and Dan Murphy are executive producing.

Berenger will play a retired veteran who, while hunting in the northern territory of Maine, stumbles across a dead woman and a large sum of money. Events spiral out of control when a group of criminals searching for the money encounter him, setting up a test of will and survival. Shooting is slated to begin early next year in northern Maine.

This article marks Part 15 of the 21-part Gold Derby series analyzing Meryl Streep at the Oscars. Join us as we look back at Meryl Streep’s nominations, the performances that competed with her at the Academy Awards, the results of each race and the overall rankings of the contenders.

On the heels of the spectacular box office success of “The Devil Wears Prada” (2006), Meryl Streep was more a household name than ever. Even teens and twentysomethings who weren’t terribly familiar with Streep’s body of work could now instantly identify the actress who made Miranda Priestly a big screen icon. She quickly hopped aboard three projects for 2007, all of which screamed ‘Oscar contender’ on paper and unfortunately, all of which underperformed upon release.

First, there was “Evening,” a supremely sleepy drama which, despite the presence of heavyweights including Streep, Glenn Close, Claire Danes and Vanessa Redgrave, failed to leave...

It’s a wonder movie from the 1930s, a political fantasy that imagines a Utopia of peace and kindness hidden away in a distant mountain range — or in our daydreams. Sony’s new restoration is indeed impressive. Ronald Colman is seduced by a vision of a non-sectarian Heaven on Earth, while Savant indulges his anti-Frank Capra grumblings in his admiring but hesitant review essay.

Lost Horizon (1937)

80th Anniversary Blu-ray + HD Digital

Sony

1937 / B&W / 1:37 Academy / 133 min. / Street Date October 3, 2017 / 19.99

Starring: Ronald Colman, Jane Wyatt, Edward Everett Horton, John Howard, Thomas Mitchell, Margo, Isabel Jewell, H.B. Warner, Sam Jaffe, Noble Johnson, Richard Loo.

Cinematography: Joseph Walker

Film Editors: Gene Havelick, Gene Milford

Art Direction: Stephen Goosson

Musical director: Max Steiner

Original Music: Dimitri Tiomkin

Written by Robert Riskin from the novel by James Hilton

Produced and Directed by Frank Capra

Frank Capra had a way with actors and comedy...

“May you live to be a thousand years old, sir.” Still the most widely unheralded great movie on the books, John Patrick Shanley’s lightweight/profound fable is an unmitigated delight. See Tom Hanks at the end of the first phase of his career plus Meg Ryan in an unacknowledged career highlight. How can a movie be so purposely insubstantial, and yet be ‘heavier’ than a dozen pictures with ‘big things to say?’

Joe Versus the Volcano

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1990 / Color / 2:35 widescreen / 97 min. / Street Date June 20, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99

Starring Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Lloyd Bridges, Robert Stack, Abe Vigoda,

Dan Hedaya, Barry McGovern, Amanda Plummer, Ossie Davis

Cinematography Stephen Goldblatt

Production Designer Bo Welch

Film Editors Richard Halsey, Kenneth Wannberg

Original Music Georges Delerue

Produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall, Steven Spielberg and Teri Schwartz

Written and Directed by John Patrick Shanley

I think I found...

Cars! Cars! Cars! What climate accord, when we’re celebrating the internal combustion engine! One of the best of the breezy ’70s action comedies, this cross-country road race picture gave us early looks at Gary Busey and Raul Julia in the midst of an always-amusing ensemble of car crazies, out to go from Manhattan to the Pacific in less than two days, at speeds up 175 mph! No 55 speed limit, no catalytic converters!

The Gumball Rally

Blu-ray

Warner Archive Collection

1976 / Color / 2:40 widescreen / 107 min. / Street Date June 13, 2017 / available through the WBshop / 21.99

Starring: Michael Sarrazin, Raul Julia, Norman Burton, Gary Busey, John Durren, Susan Flannery, Harvey Jason, Steven Keats,

Tim McIntire, Joanne Nail, J. Pat O’Malley, Tricia O’Neil, Nicholas Pryor, Vaughn Taylor, Wally Taylor, Colleen Camp, Lazaro Perez, Med Flory, Lauren Simon, .

Cinematography: Richard C. Glouner

Film Editors: Stuart H. Pappé Gordon Scott, Maury Wintrobe

Original Music: Dominic Frontiere

Written by Chuck Bail,...