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CBS Studios and the BBC’s period drama series “King & Conqueror” has revealed additional cast members, including “The Crown’s” Luther Ford and “Game of Thrones” actor Joseph Mawle, as it begins production in Iceland.

According to its official plot description, “King & Conqueror” is “the story of a clash that defined the future of a country – and a continent – for a thousand years, the roots of which stretch back decades and extend out through a pair of interconnected family dynasties, struggling for power across two countries and a raging sea. Harold of Wessex and William of Normandy were two men destined to meet at the Battle of Hastings in 1066; two allies with no design on the British throne, who found themselves forced by circumstance and personal obsession into a war for possession of its crown.”

Additional cast members include Eddie Marsan, Juliet Stevenson, Jean-Marc Barr, Geoff Bell, Elliot Cowan,...

First published August 12th, 2022, on Substack and Patreon.

Don’t spend hours scrolling the menus at Netflix, Prime Video, and other movie services. I point you to the best new films and hidden gems to stream.

Movies included here may be available on services other than those mentioned, and in other regions, too. JustWatch and Reelgood are great for finding which films are on what streamers; you can customize each site so that it shows you only those services you have access to.

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published August 12th, 2022 both sides of the pond

Things are pretty awful everywhere, so please enjoy some light diversion in the form of the 2019 Irish fantasy comedy Extra Ordinary.

​​Instantly, Vanielle Blackhorse knew something was wrong — as if someone flipped a switch. Although she was born one year and 10 months after her sister, Valentina Blackhorse, most people assumed they were twins. It was more than a family resemblance; the sisters also had that type of deep connection associated with those who share a womb, including the ability to communicate without actually saying a word.

“We were so close to each other that if there was something wrong with her, I would know,” says Vanielle. “And she was the same:...

The Red Sea International Film Festival’s first edition, held at the moment of the onset of the Omicron Version of Covid was an all-out success. The graciousness of the people, the optimism of the youth who in five years have witnessed the doors of freedom opening to them, and beauty of the location and of the cross-cultural melange of filmmakers from around the world but most particularly from the Middle East and Africa were a delight to all who participated in the event.

More than 115 films from 65 countries include the competition focused on films from Asia, Africa and the Arab world. There are seven features from Saudi Arabia, and 27 Saudi films in total including the shorts. Of the Saudi short films, eight of 18 are by women, and in the Saudi feature film lineup , three of seven of the features are by female directors. The industry has a lot to uncover.Shivani Pandya

Shivani Pandya, the head of the festival who previously so successfully headed the Dubai Film Festival for its 14 year lifetime points out, “the Saudi market is growing and has huge promise. There is a population of more than 33 million people, and more than 2,400 screens are planned in the next few years alone. [There are also a growing number of international film projects shooting in the country, including horror movie Cello starring Jeremy Irons and upcoming Gerard Butler action pic Kandahar].”

I would like to add that 70 of the population in the Middle East is under 30 and in Africa 70 is under 25. This gives a very optimistic view of the future as the youth is eager to engage with the international world.

Watch from afar…

Aside from the Festival, there was the Souk (Market) with works in progress and pitching works yet to be begun. Although most of the American delegates slated to appear on some of the 10 panels designed by Paul Federbush opted out because of Omicron’s sudden unpredictable appearance, the French were there “en force” and the embassies of UK, Germany, Italy and France held opulent receptions for visitors to the festival.

Well, the British reception was not actually opulent. A busload of those who attended the festival was delivered to a heavily barbed-wire, concrete enclosed tennis court which resembled a prison yard where we were able to get alcoholic drinks and finger food from 7pm to 10pm when they closed it down and shepherded us all out. The next night the Germans invited us to a beautifully manicured lawn, poolside with delicious food and beer and wine and the following night the Italians invited us to an even more sumptuos feast in the compound for foreign visitors, with a gigantic grounds, food-laden tables offering pastas, desserts including gelatos, wine and no closing time. There the filmmakers whose films were shown at the festival to full houses or as works in progress in the Red Sea Souk for the film industry invitees met and mixed with the industry and Saudi citizens after the day’s back-to-back meetings. Congratulations were extended to the winners.

Red Sea Souk Winners

Red Sea Souk featured four days of industry talks, workshops, an active project market and networking sessions. All films in the Red Sea Souk were eligible for awards and were deliberated on by two separate juries for the Project Market and the Works-in-Progress to grant the Red Sea Souk Awards.

The market venue next to the main festival hub in Jeddah’s old quarter of Al Balad, hosting works in progress, one on one meettings and round table networking sessions was followed by the festival’s two-day Talent Days event. Running December 12 and 13, in partnership with the Mbc Group, the aim is to foster the next generation of Saudi film professionals. Yours truly gave the kick-off presentation introducing the audience to the international film circuit with pointers about how to get into the business of film pitching, marketing, buying and selling. Each participant received an online reproducton of the presentation with live links taking them where they will need to go as they embark upon their film careers.

“It’s specifically for amateur filmmakers,” says Red Souk manager Zain Zedan. ”We wanted to create a program to open doors for them, to create opportunities. It’s like a series of smaller souk events — talks, workshops, masterclasses, and so on,”

”There’s a lot of interest. The pool is huge here in Saudi and the Gulf area. There’s a lot of talent,” she adds.

Although a handful of educational institutions across Saudi, such as Effat University, have started to offer filmmaking related courses there is no official film school in the country as yet, making events like Talent Days all the more important for youngsters wanting to go into film.

The event assumes a relatively low knowledge base with a trio of workshops tackling how the international film industry works; film criticism, covering both how to critique a film and how to receive criticism, and post-production.

In case you didn't know, there's a One Direction edition of the popular Heardle game, and it's the perfect way for Directioners to test their knowledge! If you haven't played Heardle yet, it's pretty simple: you're given the first few seconds of a song, and you have to try to guess the track in the shortest amount of time possible. You get one second to start and can continue adding seconds to the clip until you get it.

If you know the beginnings of songs, this should be easy! That's why we put together a cheat sheet of the opening lyrics to all of One Direction's songs. However, bear in mind that not every song's opening will have lyrics, so you really have to know those intro notes.

The list below contains all of the songs from One Direction's discography - from "Up All Night" to "Made in the A.

The shortened in-person Berlin Film Festival (Feb. 10-16) has revealed a raft of high profile shows that will participate in keenly anticipated annual fixture Berlinale Series.

The strand opens with Amazon Prime Video Argentinian spy series “Yosi, the Regretful Spy” and also includes HBO Max Swedish friendship comedy series “Lust”; Lone Scherfig’s TV2 Danish maternity ward-set “The Shift”; Czech Television, Arte drama “Suspicion” from Czech Republic and France; British Sky supernatural thriller “The Rising”; Channel 2 Iceland police drama “Black Sand”; and from France’s Club illico, comedy-drama “Last Summers of the Raspberries.”

Films selected for the youth-focused Generation Kplus strand include “The Hill of Secrets” (South Korea); “Waters of Pastaza” (Portugal); “Moja Vesna” (Slovenia/Australia); “My Small Land” (Japan); “The Realm of God” (Mexico); “The Apple Day” (Iran); “Shabu” (Netherlands) and “Boney Piles” (Ukraine).

Films selected for the Generation 14plus strand include “Alis” (Colombia/Chile/Romania); “Bubble” (Japan...

Afternoon all, it’s nearly Christmas but we’re not slowing down. Here’s Max Goldbart with your weekly dose of international news and analysis from the International Insider. To get this sent to your inbox every Friday, sign up here.

Red Sea Roving Reporter

Saudi Film Fest underway: Deadline’s very own Diana Lodderhose was our roving reporter at the inaugural Red Sea International Film Festival (Rsiff) this week, in Saudi Arabia’s port city of Jeddah. Few events have garnered as much industry chatter as this one, which marks the country’s first ever film festival. Saudi Arabia is largely seen as one of the most conservative and politically repressive countries in the world and only lifted its 35-year-old religion-related ban on cinema in 2018, the same year it eventually allowed women to drive. Read about Diana’s travels from London to Jeddah here.

What went down?: The...

Saudi Arabia’s nascent film industry is in the spotlight this week thanks to the inaugural edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival in Jeddah, which runs until December 15.

Few international productions had ventured into the Saudi desert to shoot prior to this year, which saw the first real influx of high-profile projects, such as the Gerard Butler action pic Kandahar and $100M action blockbuster Desert Warrior.

Another film to have based itself in Saudi is Cello, the Jeremy Irons and Tobin Bell-starring English and Arabic-language horror from Saw filmmaker Darren Lynn Bousman.

But how did this seemingly American project end up filming in the Kingdom? And for those involved – with the crew being a truly international gang – how was that experience? Producer Lee Nelson of Envision Media Arts reveals all below.

Deadline: How did Cello end up shooting in Saudi Arabia?

Lee Nelson: The project was...

There is huge investment in the Saudi locations infrastructure but what is the reality on the ground?

If you build it, will they come? Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in creating a world-class locations hub. But what is the reality of shooting in this vast country of which little is still known?

Less than four years after it lifted its ban on cinemas, Saudi Arabia’s aim of becoming the Middle East’s foremost filming location seems to be bearing fruit with two major Hollywood movies shooting in the country. The cameras have just started rolling on Thunder Road’s...

In our fifth edition of Arab Stars of Tomorrow, Screen International puts the spotlight on six emerging Middle Eastern and North African talents.

In our fifth edition of Arab Stars of Tomorrow, Screen International puts the spotlight on six emerging Middle Eastern and North African talents in the fields of acting and directing.

This year’s selection features Egyptian actress Bassant Ahmed, Kuwaiti filmmaker Maysaa Almumin, Emirati actor Khalifa Al-Jassem, Tunisian actress Zbeida Belhajamor, Saudi director Sara Mesfer and Sudanese actor Mustafa Shehata.

For the third year running, the edition has been organised in cooperation with the Cairo International Film Festival.

Afternoon International Insiders, Max Goldbart here. It’s been another busy week but don’t worry, we’ve got you covered with all the latest news and analysis. To get this sent to your inbox every Friday, sign up here.

American Film Market Trends

Solid packages: It’s hard to recall an AFM that had as many solid packages as this one. The emergence from Covid lockdowns and the lack of a market in Toronto this year have helped boost the offering. Since we were last in your inbox, we’ve also broken news of buzzy new projects from Martin McDonagh, Daisy Ridley (pictured) and Mathieu Kassovitz, and Guy Ritchie and Jake Gyllenhaal. Yesterday, we announced a new UK road trip from arthouse director Carol Morley which has Jane Campion aboard as an exec-producer. AFM has traditionally been known for its brawn, and while that is available this market, what stands out is the number of prestige dramas. Buyers we’ve spoken to have been particularly high on the scripts for movies like Firebrand and Lee.

Who runs the world?: As the market draws to a close, that leads us to another interesting – and positive – trend, which also counters the AFM norm: the number of strong female-fronted packages. Between Lee, Firebrand, MindFall, Ballerina, Role Play, Beth And Don, Everything Everywhere All At Once, and Mamma Mafia, rarely can there have been as many female-fronted projects leading the slates of the major sellers. Now we wait for the deals to drop.

Climate Content Pledge

Cop-in: David Attenborough may have been appearing on TV screens for nigh on seven decades, but until now the question of what television can do to help combat global warming was on the fringes. That all changed at this week’s Cop 26 in Glasgow, as 12 UK networks signed up to a Climate Content Pledge, which includes an uprooting of commissioning processes to consider climate themes and a doubling down on shows that help audiences understand how the world can reach net zero.

‘Collective responsibility’: Signatories to the pledge include the heads of the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 along with Discovery and Sky in the UK. Speaking at Cop, C4 CEO Alex Mahon said broadcasters have a “collective responsibility” and can use their different programming strengths to reach more audiences. Those strengths equate to quiz shows and entertainment for ITV, sport for Sky and, according to former scientist Mahon, Celebrity Trash Monsters for C4. UK TV truly is the home of plurality.

Middle Eastern In The Spotlight

Strike while the Irons is hot: Andreas had the exclusive on production wrapping on Cello this week, a Jeremy Irons and Tobin Bell horror that is the first in a new wave of English-language projects looking to film in Saudi Arabia, which has been ramping up its film and TV ambitions. Only a handful of sizable English-language movies have shot in the country in recent decades. The Russo Brothers’ Cherry was the biggest back in 2019 but the number of productions is growing as investment increasingly flows in and out of the controversial state, which remains a lightning rod for debate due to the murder of Jamal Khashoggi and human rights abuses. Oh and something about a UK football team.

Growing interest: Among productions to shoot in the country recently are a Discovery Channel documentary on the AlUla region, narrated by Irons, and an AlUla brand campaign commercial directed by Bruno Aveillan. National Geographic is due to film two programs on the region and the area has seen multiple travel programs. This month, production is due to get underway on the Gerard Butler action-thriller Kandahar from Thunder Road, which will be one of, if not the biggest, English-language movies to shoot in the country. It’s all happening. At the Cannes Film Festival this year, Saudi officials were touting the striking AlUla valley, new production facilities and the country’s film and TV tax rebate of 35%. The nation is due to host its first major film festival next month, the Red Sea International Film Festival. Definitely one to keep an eye on.

Midas Man on ice

Help!: Another hot one from Andreas this week, who had the scoop on one of the most talked about films of the moment, Midas Man, pausing production, with director Jonas Åkerlund unlikely to continue. Åkerlund is “taking a break”, according to the production, with sources indicating he is unlikely to return. More likely to come on this one as the Brian Epstein biopic seeks a new director.

New Look BBC Comedy Team

Petrie Dish: BBC Comedy Director Jon Petrie (pictured), the most powerful person in UK comedy commissioning, unveiled his new-look team this week, picking producers from some of the nation’s biggest shows in his first major intervention since taking over from Shane Allen in September. In comes Trying’s Emma Lawson, E4’s Navi Lamba and Stath Lets Flats producer Seb Barwell (temporarily), as the seven-strong team is firmed up. Petrie’s move reassembles a team that was decimated last year with a spate of departures, as his predecessor Allen, Head of Comedy Kate Daughton and Commissioning Editors Sarah Asante and Alex Moody all departed within a few weeks of each other.

Russian Out Of Space

The Challenge: Don’t miss Diana Lodderhose’s exclusive sit-down with Russian director Klim Shipenko and actor Yuliya Peresild, who last month became the first film crew to shoot scenes in Outer Space for upcoming film The Challenge. Well worth your time.

Essentials...

Darren Lynn Bousman is known by many as the director behind much of the "Saw" franchise, the horror musicals "Repo! The Genetic Opera," and "The Devil's Carnival," as well as the immersive events like "The Tension Experience" and "One Day Die." His latest project, a horror movie titled "Cello" starring Jeremy Irons and Tobin Bell, has wrapped production in Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic. The film is written by Turki Al Alshikh, the Chairman of General Authority for Entertainment in Saudi Arabia and the Chairman of...

The post Darren Lynn Bousman's Upcoming Horror Movie, Cello, Starring Jeremy Irons and Tobin Bell Has Wrapped Production appeared first on /Film.

Exclusive: Here’s an interesting one. Production has just wrapped on Cello, an under-the-radar English- and Arabic-language horror movie shot in Saudi Arabia by Saw filmmaker Darren Lynn Bousman.

Oscar winner Jeremy Irons (House of Gucci) and Saw star Tobin Bell lead cast alongside Syrian actor Samer Ismail (The Day I Lost My Shadow) and Saudi actress Elham Ali (Ashman), in the story of an aspiring cellist who learns that the cost of his brand-new cello is a lot more insidious than he first thought. Pic is scripted by Turki Al Alshikh, based on his novel.

The film, shot on location in Saudi Arabia and the Czech Republic, heralds from The Ice Road producer Lee Nelson of Envision Media Art. Exec producers include Sultan Al Muheisen and Niko Ruokosuo of Saudi outfit Alamiya and David Tish for Envision Media Arts. The movie was financed by Saudi firm Rozam Media, which...

The North American rights to The Diaries of Alan Rickman have been sold to Sarah Crichton at Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan, it was announced Sunday.

The book, which was bought in auction from Natalie Galustian at Dhh Literary, will consist of 27 volumes worth of diary entries written by the late actor. The diaries will be edited by Alan Taylor into a single volume.

Simon Thorogood, Editorial Director at Canongate, has acquired World English language rights.

“Which is your favorite Alan Rickman? Jamie in Truly Madly Deeply, Hans Gruber in Die Hard, on stage as Elyot in Private Lives? ...

The North American rights to The Diaries of Alan Rickman have been sold to Sarah Crichton at Henry Holt and Company, an imprint of Macmillan, it was announced Sunday.

The book, which was bought in auction from Natalie Galustian at Dhh Literary, will consist of 27 volumes worth of diary entries written by the late actor. The diaries will be edited by Alan Taylor into a single volume.

Simon Thorogood, Editorial Director at Canongate, has acquired World English language rights.

“Which is your favorite Alan Rickman? Jamie in Truly Madly Deeply, Hans Gruber in Die Hard, on stage as Elyot in Private Lives? ...

Vanessa Morgan has found her happily ever after.  The Riverdale actress married professional baseball player Michael Kopech on Saturday, E! News can confirm. Morgan, 27, and Kopech, 23, exchanged vows in front of their closest family and friends, including members of the Riverdale cast, during an intimate ceremony at the Historic Walton House in Homestead, Florida. Skeet Ulrich, Drew Tanner and Madelaine Petsch were among those who witnessed their CW co-star walk down the aisle to the song "Truly Madly Deeply" by Yoke Lore. About 40 guests attended. The bride's sister's Celina served as her maid of honor. "We both knew the first day we...

On Aug. 6, 1999, Buena Vista unveiled M. Night Shyamalan's breakout hit The Sixth Sense in theaters. The film went on to be nominated for six Oscars at the 72nd Academy Awards, including best picture. The Hollywood Reporter's original review is below: 

Alternatively chilly and chilling, The Sixth Sense is a psychological thriller that relies on the psychological as its primary scare tactic rather than CGI overload. 

Summoning the spirit of The Omen and Truly Madly Deeply, the picture is probably too quietly purposeful and deliberately paced (read: slow) for the cheap-thrills, fright-night set. But writer-director M....

On Aug. 6, 1999, Buena Vista unveiled M. Night Shyamalan's breakout hit The Sixth Sense in theaters. The film went on to be nominated for six Oscars at the 72nd Academy Awards, including best picture. The Hollywood Reporter's original review is below: 

Alternatively chilly and chilling, The Sixth Sense is a psychological thriller that relies on the psychological as its primary scare tactic rather than CGI overload. 

Summoning the spirit of The Omen and Truly Madly Deeply, the picture is probably too quietly purposeful and deliberately paced (read: slow) for the cheap-thrills, fright-night set. But writer-director M....

Australian artist Darren Hayes was in his early twenties when he gained fame for his buttery smooth vocals on tracks like "Truly Madly Deeply," "I Want You" and "I Knew I Loved You" for the late '90s pop duo, Savage Garden. Darren shared the stardom on Savage Garden with his contemporary counterpart, Daniel Jones, and produced two pop albums on Columbia records ... one self-titled record, "Savage Garden," in 1997 and the 1999 follow up album, "Affirmation.

February 21, 2019 would have been the 73rd birthday of acclaimed actor Alan Rickman, who left us too soon in 2016 from pancreatic cancer. Rickman came from a working-class background and considered acting and drama school too impractical a choice as a career. He excelled in art and painting as a teen which led to him studying at the Royal Academy of Art and later starting his own design firm. At the age of 26 he decided to change course and applied to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts to which he was accepted.

SEEBruce Willis movies: 15 greatest films ranked from worst to best

Upon graduation Rickman began working steadily on the British stage. While he played a variety of roles it wouldn’t be until about a decade later that he would find the role that would gain him huge attention in both London and the Us. That role would be as Valmont...

February 21, 2019 would have been the 73rd birthday of acclaimed actor Alan Rickman, who left us too soon in 2016 from pancreatic cancer. Rickman came from a working-class background and considered acting and drama school too impractical a choice as a career. He excelled in art and painting as a teen which led to him studying at the Royal Academy of Art and later starting his own design firm. At the age of 26 he decided to change course and applied to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts to which he was accepted.

Upon graduation Rickman began working steadily on the British stage. While he played a variety of roles it wouldn’t be until about a decade later that he would find the role that would gain him huge attention in both London and the Us. That role would be as Valmont in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of “Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

It’s nearly impossible to imagine the Harry Potter film franchise without Alan Rickman, but the man who brought Professor Severus Snape to life on the screen wasn’t always pleased with how his character was handled, according to a collection of letters that were released for auction by Neil Pearson Rare Books.

Included in the archive of 38 boxes filled with correspondences, photos, fan mail, film scripts and entries from diaries belonging to Rickman, was a note from producer David Heyman thanking the late actor for his work on the second movie in the Harry Potter franchise, 2002’s The Chamber of Secrets.

Every season on iZombie, there’s one brain that stands out above the rest. This year’s memorable noggin comes during this Monday’s episode (The CW, 9/8c) when the undead heroine feeds off a hopeless romantic. Suddenly, the medical examiner’s life becomes a romantic comedy movie, complete with meet-cutes set to a popular ’90s love song.

“It’s one of my favorite [episodes]. It’s a two-parter episode, so we get a lot of” this particular brain and its accompanying movie tropes, star Rose McIver previewed during TVLine’s set visit. “We see things in slow motion… It makes...

We pay tribute to the film stars and directors from around the world who sadly passed away in 2016.Hector BabencoArgentine-born Brazilian director Hector Babenco died on July 13 at 70-years-old.He found international success with Brazilian slum drama Pixote (1981), going on to make Kiss Of

We pay tribute to the film stars and directors from around the world who sadly passed away in 2016.

Hector Babenco

Argentine-born Brazilian director Hector Babenco died on July 13 at 70-years-old.

He found international success with Brazilian slum drama Pixote (1981), going on to make Kiss Of The Spider Woman (1985), for which he earned a best director Oscar nominee and William Hurt earned an Oscar win for best actor.

Babenco went on to direct Meryl Streep and Jack Nicholson in Ironweed (1987) and Tom Berenger and John Lithgow in At Play In The Fields Of The Lord (1991).

After undergoing cancer treatment in the 1990s, he returned to the director’s chair for films including Brazilian prison...

As YouTube viewers the globe over fall fully into the Halloween spirit, the video giant is taking note of some of the content that tends to thrive this time of year. In the same way that Nat King Cole’s The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire) and Mariah Carey’s holiday classic All I Want For Christmas Is You see an uptick in viewership in December -- and Stevie Wonder’s I Just Called To Say I Love You and Savage Garden’s Truly Madly Deeply are popular come Valentine’s Day -- certain tunes seem tailor made for Halloween.

YouTube pored through its data to determine the 10 tracks that see the highest increase in plays on October 31 -- as compared to average viewership throughout the rest of the year.

Visit Tubefilter for more great stories.

The star and director of Star Wars: The Force Awakens are joining forces again. Daisy Ridley, who played heroine Rey in last year’s top-grossing film, is in talks to star in Kolma, a fantasy thriller that J.J. Abrams is producing for Paramount Pictures. Marielle Heller (The Diary of a Teenage Girl) is on to direct and will do a pass on the script before it gets up and running. The project has been at Paramount for at least a decade. In the vein of Truly Madly Deeply, the…...

Today all of our hearts broke as we learned of the passing of the iconic actor, Alan Rickman.

Many of us knew him best as the villainous Professor Snape in the Harry Potter films, and while we’re mourning the beloved actor, it’s so heartwarming to see the outpouring of love from his co-stars in the films, includingDaniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and the author herself, J.K. Rowling.

His death comes as a shock, as he was enduring a secret battle with cancer. The actor who also starred in films such as Die Hard, Truly Madly Deeply, and Love, Actually, will forever be remembered. Here are some of the beautiful words and memories being shared by the people who worked with him, and who knew the sweet man behind the scowling Professor Snape.

There are no words to express how shocked and devastated I am to hear of Alan Rickman's death.

The great Alan Rickman, who died at age 39 after a short battle with cancer, has had unforgettable roles in Die Hard, Sense and Sensibility, Truly Madly Deeply, and the Harry Potter series. But I'd argue that millennials first became obsessed with him after watching one of his under-discussed roles of the late '90s.   The role is Metatron, and the movie is Dogma. I saw Dogma at age 13, and that's exactly the age when many millennials discovered the droll, sinister, but undeniably bad-ass screen presence of Alan Rickman. As one of God's spokespeople in the Catholicism-spoofing comedy, he's both downtrodden and wryly cool. You trusted him as a voice of reason in a movie that dared to throw an actual shit monster at you. Dogma is also irreverent and playfully philosophical in a way that appeals specifically to, say, teens who are learning to defy their parents' staid beliefs for the first time.

(Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP, File)

The world has lost British great, Alan Rickman. The actor sadly died at the age of 69.

From the AP:

Rickman’s family said Thursday that the actor had died after a battle with cancer.

Born to a working-class London family in 1946 and trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Rickman was often cast as the bad guy; with his rich, languid voice he could invest evil with wicked, irresistible relish.

His breakout role was as scheming French aristocrat the Vicomte de Valmont in an acclaimed 1985 Royal Shakespeare Company production of Christopher Hampton’s “Les Liaisons Dangereuses.”

Film roles included the psychopathic villain Hans Gruber who tormented Bruce Willis in “Die Hard” in 1988; a deceased lover who consoles his bereaved partner in 1990’s “Truly Madly Deeply”; the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham in “Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves” in 1991; and a wayward husband in 2003 romantic comedy “Love Actually.

"Galaxy Quest" was far from the most famous Alan Rickman movie, but it may feature his most autobiographical role. As Alexander Dane, a classically trained Shakespearean actor (who's constantly boasting of the five curtain calls he received for playing Richard III) forever typecast as the alien warrior he played on a cult classic TV show, Rickman was riffing not only on Leonard Nimoy's difficult relationship with Mr. Spock from "Star Trek," but also on the strange and wonderful nature of his own career. Rickman, who died today at 69 from cancer, studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts, and gained acclaim for his role as the Vicomte de Valmont in the 1985 Broadway production of "Les Liaisons Dangereuses." And while he did spectacular and nuanced work in more highbrow films like "Sense and Sensibility" and "Truly Madly Deeply," the bulk of his fame came from a pair of genre pieces: the first "Die Hard,...

While the movie world celebrated the finest in the year's achievements with the Oscar nominations unveiled this morning, underpinning it all was a sense of sadness as acclaimed and beloved British actor Alan Rickman has passed away at the age of 69. The actor first earned attention for his work on the stage, breaking out with this Tony-nominated turn as Valmont in "Les Liaisons Dangereuses." Hollywood followed, and two years later, Rickman took the role of a lifetime as Hans Gruber in "Die Hard," crafting one of the big screen's all time best villains. Roles in "Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves" and "Rasputin" also brought him attention, but Rickman reached a new generation of fans thanks to his performance as Professor Snape in the "Harry Potter" franchise. But it's really the range of his roles that truly made Rickman stand out. His performances in "Michael Collins," "Truly Madly Deeply," "Love Actually,...

Alan Rickman. Alan Rickman dead at 69: Professor Snape in 'Harry Potter' movies Alan Rickman, best known for his role as Professor Snape in the Harry Potter movies, died of cancer on Jan. 14, '16. Rickman (born on Feb. 21, 1946, in London) was 69. Rickman first played Professor Severus Snape – who looks like a villain, walks like a villain, and talks like a villain, but who turns out to be anything but – in Chris Columbus' Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001). One of many British stage and screen stars featured in the franchise toplining Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint, Rickman would remain part of the Harry Potter gang until the final installment, David Yates' Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 (2011). Alan Rickman movies Beginning with the Bruce Willis actioner Die Hard (1988), in which he plays the leader of a criminal gang, Alan Rickman was featured in nearly 50 movies.

British actor Alan Rickman, whose career ranged from the Royal Shakespeare Company to the Harry Potterfilms, has died. He was 69.

Rickman's family said Thursday that the actor had died after a battle with cancer.

Trained at the prestigious Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Rickman was often cast as the bad guy; with his rich, languid voice he could invest evil with wicked, irresistible relish.

His breakout role was as scheming French aristocrat the Vicomte de Valmont in an acclaimed 1985 RSC production of Christopher Hampton's Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

Film roles included the villain Hans Gruber in Die Hard in 1988; a deceased lover who consoles his bereaved partner in 1990's Truly Madly Deeply; the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves in 1991; and a wayward husband in 2003 romantic comedy Love Actually.

Millions know him from the Potter films, in which he played the Dark Arts teacher Severus Snape,...

Heartbreaking. Alan Rickman, one of the UK's most treasured showbiz mainstays has passed away at the age of 69. Though he occassionally dabbled in directing (The Winter Guest and A Little Chaos) he was best known as an actor of stage, tv, and big screen.  He's inarguably best known and beloved for the many years as Professor Snapes in the Harry Potter series. But for me, his career always makes me nostalgic for the early 90s. His career was energized by the success of Die Hard which led to a bunch of movies. 

When I saw Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991) I was shocked that any film could contain so many performances that were all over the map in terms of quality - a chaos of acting styles and fumbles but he was always fun hamming it up as the Sherrif of Nottingham. I immediately typecast him as a villain. A...

Alan Rickman, the British actor who played the iconic baddie in Die Hard and brought to life the rigid and rueful Severus Snape in the Harry Potter films has died. He was 69. Rickman's family confirmed the death on Thursday, according to multiple media outlets. The Golden Globe-winner and two-time Tony Award-nominee was battling cancer. Rickman, who worked on both stage and screen, is survived by his wife Rima Horton, whom he wed in 2012 after a 40-year romance. The actor spent several years in the Royal Shakespeare Company after graduating from college in London. His turn as the wicked and iconic...

Read More: The Ten Biggest Surprises of the 2015 BAFTA Nominations The British Academy of Film and Television Arts in Scotland (BAFTA Scotland) has just announced the three recipients of the Outstanding Contribution awards. The British Academy Scotland Awards is one of the most important film nights for the tartan nation. On top of the three Outstanding Contribution awards, the evening will be comprised of awarding 17 trophies to this year's deserved list of films, actors and directors. Bill Paterson ("Truly Madly Deeply," "The Witches" and "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People") will receive the award for Outstanding Contribution to Film and Television. The Outstanding Contribution to Broadcasting award will go to Dorothy Bryne (Head of News and Current Affairs at Channel 4 and award-winning editor), while the Outstanding Contribution to Craft award will go to David Balfour ("Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet...

The trailer for Extraordinary Tales has arrived. Based on some of Edgar Allan Poe's most notable works, Extraordinary Tales is narrated by Guillermo del Toro along with other iconic artists. Also: more details on A&E's The Enfield Haunting, Diamond Select Toys at Nycc, and release details for Dark Awakening.

Extraordinary Tales: "A film anthology of five of Edgar Allan Poe’s best-known stories, each told in a unique graphic style and featuring some of the most beloved figures in horror film history. Adapting the look and variety of a classic horror anthology, Extraordinary Tales offers heart-pounding takes on The Tell-Tale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Fall of the House of Usher, The Facts in the Case of Mr. Valdemar, and The Masque of the Red Death. Each tale is given a unique animated look, inspired by sources as diverse as classic Hollywood black-and-white monster films,...

Simon Pegg chats to us about rom coms, Man Up, writing, Tintin 2, visiting Andy Serkis on The Jungle Book set, directing, and more...

Before he heads off to make the next Star Trek film, Simon Pegg is back in UK cinemas this weekend for the really rather good romantic comedy, Man Up. He co-stars with Lake Bell in the movie, and ahead of its release, he spared us some time to chat about the film, and what he's up to next...

It's an interesting sign of the times that BBC Films, which started out making movies that couldn't be made really, back with Truly Madly Deeply....

Another South Bank movie!

True. Back then, BBC Films was making niche films that were struggling to get made anywhere else. And here, with Man Up, a rom com seems to have become one of those niche films.

Absolutely, yeah. You make a very good point.

Alan Rickman chats to us about directing, Anthony Minghella, movie villains and A Little Chaos...

"Where does Den Of Geek come from as a title?", asked Alan Rickman as I settled into my seat to interview him for his second film as director, A Little Chaos. I don't usually write one of those setting the scene preambles for interviews, but there was something really quite special about hearing Alan Rickman's voice in person for the first time.

In truth, as I walked through the door, I had no idea what to expect. Would Rickman be curt? Frosty? Would he want to cut out my heart with a spoon?

None of the above. He was as you'd hope: both brilliant, and Alan Rickman. And here's how the interview went...

I've travelled down from the Midlands for this interview, and been walking through London this morning. And I've walked past lots...

It’s an institution, in the best possible sense of the word. And nowadays it’s impossible to think of “the Beeb” without thinking of its filmmaking arm. This week BBC Films celebrated its 25th birthday, a quarter of a century of British independent filmmaking during which it has developed and produced over 250 films. The anniversary comes just a month after it won the Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema award at the BAFTAs. From its first film, Anthony Minghella’s "Truly Madly Deeply" in 1990, just a smattering of the back catalogue reflects the quality of its output, much by directors nurtured at the start of their filmmaking careers: "Jude" (Michael Winterbottom), "Twenty Four Seven" (Shane Meadows), "Billy Elliot" (Stephen Daldry), "Last Resort" and "My Summer of Love" (Pawel Pawlikowski), "Eastern Promises" (David Cronenberg), "The Duchess" (Saul Dibb), "An Education" (Lone...

Ricky Gervais, James Marsh, Armando Iannucci films on slate.

BBC Films has revealed details of its upcoming slate, which includes new projects from Ricky Gervais, Armando Iannucci, James Marsh and Ritesh Batra.

The slate of projects was revealed during an event in London to celebrate the 25th birthday of BBC Films, whose first first theatrical production, Truly Madly Deeply, directed by Anthony Minghella, was released in 1990.

As previously reported, Ritesh Batra (The Lunchbox) will direct an adaptation of Julian Barnes’ Man Booker Prize winning novel The Sense of an Ending.

The adaptation is the debut screenplay of award-winning playwright Nick Payne and tells the story of Tony Webster, whose comfortable world is rocked to its foundations by the emergence of an explosive letter from his careless youth.

David Thompson will produce for Origin Pictures.

Rafe Spall is confirmed for Swallows and Amazons, a reinvention of Arthur Ransome’s classic. Written by Andrea Gibb, the film will...

Producer Samuel Goldwyn Jr. died Friday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center of congestive heart failure in Los Angeles. He was 88.

Born Sept. 7, 1926, Goldwyn was the son of actress Frances Howard and the Hollywood Golden Age movie mogul Samuel Goldwyn, a founder of Paramount Pictures. Goldwyn Jr. followed in his father’s footsteps and founded the independent film companies The Samuel Goldwyn Company and Samuel Goldwyn Films.

Also Read: Hollywood’s Notable Deaths of 2015 (Photos)

Goldwyn was known for fostering young moviemaking talent, including Ang Lee (“The Wedding Banquet”), Anthony Minghella (“Truly Madly Deeply”) and Kenneth Branagh (“Henry V”), and is even...

Celebs always look stylish when they hit the red carpet, but only a true fashionista can transition her style from Hollywood glam to everyday chic! Jessica Alba looked cute and casual as she ran errands in Los Angeles, sporting Seafarer flared jeans, a Transmission Keith Richards tank and a black Rebecca Minkoff silk jacket. The "Sin City" star accessorized her look with a leopard Saint Laurent clutch and Gypsy 05 pom pom keychain. Get Jessica's look with these Express jeans, this Forever 21 tee and this Loft blazer. Kendall Jenner showed off edgy style in New York City, rocking a white gown from Stone Cold Fox over an American Apparel striped romper. The reality starlet paired her effortless ensemble with black Celine slip ons and a matching Celine "Nano" bag. Get Kendall's look with this Dosa wrap dress and these Zandy Shoes slip ons.Emma Stone looked sexy and sophisticated as she stepped out in Venice,...

Birthday shoutouts go to Timothy Olyphant (above), who is 46, Bronson Pinchot is 55, Mindy Cohn is 48, Tony Goldwyn is 54, and Jane Wiedlin is 56. Here’s my favorite Jane jam.

Florida Lawmaker: Common Core Will Turn ‘Every One Of Your Children’ Gay

Adam Carolla: The gay mafia is real

Jim Halterman talks to Matt Bomer about his life-changing The Normal Heart experience: “I’m still not ready to let go.”

Ryan Murphy on the “sex choreography” of The Normal Heart. “Mark, I believe, had never kissed a guy, ever, on camera,” he said. “And he had certainly never had that level of sexuality. And I don’t think Matt had either. So I had a gay actor [Bomer] and a straight actor. And they were both terrified. But I just threw them into it.”

Federal Judge Strikes Down Pennsylvania Same-Sex Marriage Ban.

And the best part …

Has Rick Santorum's head exploded yet!

News Simon Brew 13 Nov 2013 - 06:56

Remember the Patrick Swayze-Demi Moore movie Ghost? A spin-off TV show is in the works...

A smash hit back in 1990, and winning an Oscar for Whoopi Goldberg, Jerry Zucker's supernatural romance Ghost has endured really rather well. While clearly no match for the Alan Rickman-Juliet Stevenson headlined Truly Madly Deeply, the film has gone on to become a major musical, and its next stop is to become a television pilot.

It's being reported that Akiva Goldsman and Jeff Pinkner have the job of putting together a pilot episode of Ghost for Paramount TV. It's still early stages, and the last time Paramount TV tried to develop one of its features into a small screen project, Beverly Hills Cop didn't get picked up. Still, Ghost may yet hit the target, and we'll no doubt find out in due course...

The Hollywood Reporter.

Odd List Simon Brew Ryan Lambie 19 Sep 2013 - 07:20

From dramas to action and everything in between, here's our pick of 20 underrated films from 1990...

Think back to the big films of 1990, and you'll probably immediately come up with things like Ghost, the year's top-grossing film, or maybe Home Alone, which made a star out of the young Macaulay Culkin.

If you're into sci-fi or action, you might pluck Total Recall, Back To The Future Part III or even Die Hard 2 out of your memory banks. But what about all those movies that didn't make it into the year's top 10 ranking films? As ever, there's a huge number of duds and forgettable flops, but there were plenty of films that were wrongly overlooked, too.

That's where this list comes in, which aims to shed a bit of light on 20 films that were either unfairly overlooked by audiences at the time, or...

Odd List Simon Brew Ryan Lambie

From dramas to action and everything in between, here's our pick of 20 underrated films from 1990...

Think back to the big films of 1990, and you'll probably immediately come up with things like Ghost, the year's top-grossing film, or maybe Home Alone, which made a star out of the young Macaulay Culkin.

If you're into sci-fi or action, you might pluck Total Recall, Back To The Future Part III or even Die Hard 2 out of your memory banks. But what about all those movies that didn't make it into the year's top 10 ranking films? As ever, there's a huge number of duds and forgettable flops, but there were plenty of films that were wrongly overlooked, too.

That's where this list comes in, which aims to shed a bit of light on 20 films that were either unfairly overlooked by audiences at the time, or have faded rapidly from general discussions about cinema.

The Nixon director's new American history series sees him follow in the footsteps of Alfred Hitchcock, David Lynch and Steven Spielberg

The title of Oliver Stone's Untold History of the United States, the 10-part documentary series that starts its UK run this Friday (Sky Atlantic, 9pm), is carefully calculated to maximise on the celebrity of the film director, possibly surprising viewers at finding such a big-screen name in the small-screen listings.

Stone's attempt to correct what he sees as Us-centric teaching of 20th-century history in American schools is full of arresting connections – sauerkraut was renamed liberty cabbage in the Us during the first world war and french fries became freedom fries during the "war on terror" – and the British screening of his series is subject to its own intriguing connection: this week's announcement that the American drama Bates Motel has been bought for broadcast in the UK by the Universal Channel.

With Merlin casting its final spell on BBC One last Christmas, the team behind the fantasy-adventure series is getting to work on its latest fantasy project, Atlantis. Shooting starts next month in Wales and Morocco on the 13-part BBC One drama series created by Merlin writer Howard Overman and exec produced by Overman and Merlin creators Johnny Capps and Julian Murphy. The ambitious project is set in the mythical city of Atlantis, and re-imagines Greek myths and legends for a new generation. Mark Addy (The Syndicate, Game Of Thrones), Juliet Stevenson (The Hour, Truly Madly Deeply), Sarah Parish (Mistresses), Robert Emms (War Horse), Jemima Rooper, Jack Donnelly and Aiysha Hart star. Atlantis will begin airing in Merlin‘s old BBC One timeslot on Saturday nights in the fall. Bethan Jones is exec producing for Doctor Who producer BBC Cymru Wales.

As the scary film marathons go away until next Halloween, how about a marathon of friendly ghosts movies in celebration of Dia De Los Muertos aka Day of the Dead? Here is a list of 12 movies about ghosts who merely want to communicate rather than give you the ghoulies.

The November 1st holiday brings together families to celebrate their deceased loves ones with visits to their graves with gifts and decorations such as sugar skulls and marigolds. The festivities coincide with the Catholic holidays of All Saints’ Day or All Souls Day (November 2).

Unlike Halloween, the day celebrates past loved ones with colorful crafts so to get in the mood, here are 12 ghost friendly movies to celebrate the friendlier side of the season (in no particular order).

Truly Madly Deeply (1990) Alan Rickman and Juliet Stevenson star in

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