/FILMStoryboardMelissa McCarthy Wore Chris Farley's Actual Matt Foley Jacket During SNL TributeCurated by/FILMChris Farley was a comic genius. The "Saturday Night Live" comedian brought us incredible characters like the dancer auditioning for Chippendale's with Patrick Swayze, one of the Gap Girls, Todd O'Connor from Bill Swerski's Superfans, and of course, Matt Foley, the motivational speaker who lives in a van down by the river. Farley, who passed away from a drug overdose at the age of 33 in 1997, created the character with Bob Odenkirk.
/FILMStoryboardChristopher Nolan's Batman Begins Perfected A Batman Forever Deleted SceneCurated by/FILMIn the mid-90s, Michael Keaton decided to walk away from Batman after finding himself at odds with new franchise director Joel Schumacher. The "Lost Boys" director was brought in to replace Tim Burton after "Batman Returns" veered a little too sharply into Burton territory, and Keaton wasn't having it.
/FILMStoryboardEverything Everywhere All At Once Finally Passed Morbius At The Box OfficeCurated by/FILMIt's a good month for fans of "Everything Everywhere All At Once." Not only did the movie perform incredibly well at the Oscars, but now it has accomplished a feat that's increasingly rare for a mid-budget indie film: It surpassed a superhero movie at the domestic box office. Okay, so the superhero movie in question is "Morbius," which admittedly doesn't sound that impressive. After all, "Morbius" was the movie that somehow managed to bomb twice.
/FILMStoryboardChad Stahelski Finally Confirms The John Wick TimelineCurated by/FILMJohn Wick might be superhumanly capable of taking on armies of highly-trained enemies, but that doesn't mean he doesn't get tired. In fact, Keanu Reeves' ability to convey the physical toll that comes with his character's quest for vengeance has been a highlight of the "John Wick" movies — helping to humanize the titular assassin when he could all too easily come off as a blank-faced, unfeeling psychopath.
/FILMStoryboardThe Steven Spielberg Movie That Left His Kids Too Bored To FinishCurated by/FILMIt's fairly common for directors to spend years in-between projects, and one would think that finishing Stanley Kubrick's vision for 2001's "A.I. Artificial Intelligence" would call for a much-needed vacation. But in 2002, Steven Spielberg was on a roll. In the same year, he released two distinct films featuring two different, massive A-list stars. In June, Tom Cruise played the leading man in Spielberg's sci-fi blockbuster, "Minority Report."
/FILMStoryboardWhy Are There No Movies In The Star Trek Universe? An Investigation Curated by/FILMWhile "Star Trek" takes place in a technological utopia — a utopia wherein people can teleport great distances, live in holographic environs, or replicate any food or drink they should want — there still appears to be room for old media. While the characters on "Star Trek" are typically military officers, they are often careful to attend the theater to see plays, where Shakespeare might still be performed.
/FILMStoryboardWhy Star Trek: Enterprise Season 3 Was 'Uncomfortable' For John BillingsleyCurated by/FILMThe final episode of the second season of "Star Trek: Enterprise" and the first episode of its third season — titled "The Expanse" (May 21, 2003) and "The Xindi" (September 10, 2003), respectively — centered on a new "Star Trek" story arc about a mysterious spherical probe that appears over Earth and unleashed a deadly energy beam that destroys the state of Florida and kills seven million people. The attackers did not identify themselves, and Earth was not at war.
/FILMStoryboardDid Shazam! Fury Of The Gods Opening Weekend Box Office Kill The Franchise?Curated by/FILMIt's generally considered big news when a new superhero movie opens at the box office. This past weekend was no exception as "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" finally hit theaters, serving as a sequel to one of DC's most acclaimed movies. Unfortunately, Warner Bros. won't be poppin' champagne this time around, as the follow-up had an absolutely abysmal opening weekend, taking in far less than its predecessor on a larger budget. In short? This franchise is probably dead in the water.
/FILMStoryboardThe Mandalorian Decides Jetpacks Are Old And Busted, Introduces New Hotness Curated by/FILMIn the world of "Star Wars," Mandalorians are the embodiment of a good action figure. They don't need to be people, per se, just have a bunch of gadgets that both inform you of who they are and look cool. A flame thrower and a jetpack with a rocket launcher. Boba Fett didn't need more than that to become legendary in the minds of millions of Gen Xers back in the '80s. Those two accessories have become synonymous with Mandalorians, and we can't say we're surprised.
/FILMStoryboardTony Jaa Was Vin Diesel's 'Lucky Charm' On The Set Of XXX Curated by/FILMThere is not a more fearless action star on the planet than Tony Jaa. Ever since making his bone-bruising debut in the relentlessly entertaining "Ong-Bak: Muay Thai Warrior," Jaa's presence in a movie means you're in for full-tilt martial arts combat that's as punishing to film as it is exhilarating to watch.
/FILMStoryboardThe Batman's Kurt Cobain Imagery Was There From The Beginning Curated by/FILMThe first trailer for "The Batman," which launched at the inaugural DC FanDome event back in 2020, might be the most incredible trailer I've ever seen. At least, the trailer that got me the most excited to see a film. From the somber-toned needle drop of Nirvana's "Something In The Way," you could feel every skeptic be collectively converted. This was positioned to be a Batman unlike any other.
/FILMStoryboardAdam Driver's Dinosaur Movie 65 Got Buried At The Box Office – What Happened? Curated by/FILMSomewhat remarkably, pretty much ever since "Jurassic Park" hit theaters nearly 30 years ago, Universal Pictures has all but owned a monopoly on dinosaur blockbusters with that franchise. But why? Dinosaurs are not specific IP that any studio owns. So why haven't more people made dino-filled movies? Well, "A Quiet Place" writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods (read our interview with them here) swooped in to try and save the day in that regard with their latest film "65."
/FILMStoryboardOne Of Community's Best Jokes Took Three Whole Seasons To Pull Off Curated by/FILMOne of the best things about "Community" is the almost absurd level of care that seems to go into every moment of the show. For instance, one episode features a secret subplot where Abed helps deliver a baby entirely in the background. What's crazier is that the pregnant couple Abed helps was also featured in a season 1 episode (nine months earlier!) where Abed tells everyone to not use the condoms the school's been handing out. You can see them throwing the condom wrapper away in the background
/FILMStoryboardJohn Wick: Chapter 4 Review: The Greatest Modern Action Franchise Tops Itself Curated by/FILMYou've got to love a movie star who suffers for our sins. And while Tom Cruise snags the biggest headlines for his death-defying work in the "Mission: Impossible" movies, it's hard to watch "John Wick: Chapter 4" and not admire the anguish of Keanu Reeves. Alongside the most astonishing stunt ensemble in Hollywood, the universally beloved, charmingly stoic actor offers the perfect portrait of an action hero in constant physical and emotional pain.
/FILMStoryboardThe Mandalorian Season 3 Just Brought Back A Guest Star From The MCUCurated by/FILMAfter more than two years away, "The Mandalorian" has returned and, even if it didn't get off to the greatest start, season 3 has certainly found its way. Case in point, the third episode, titled "The Convert," did a lot of work for longtime "Star Wars" fans, taking us back to Coruscant for the first time in a long time. Even though Mando and Grogu only bookend this latest installment, it was one heck of a ride, and one that brought some familiar faces. One of those faces was Elia Kane...
/FILMStoryboardPercy Jackson Author Had God-Like Praise For Lance Reddick's Zeus PerformanceCurated by/FILMLance Reddick's death has left what feels like a sudden and instant hole in the film and TV industry. The actor is rightfully being remembered for his turns in everything from "John Wick," to "The Wire," to "The Eric Andre Show," but I think one of his most exciting roles was still ahead of him. The actor sadly passed away with several projects in the works, but one of the most highly-anticipated was "Percy Jackson & The Olympians," which wrapped filming on season 1 last month.
/FILMStoryboardSean Connery Felt Ian Fleming's Novels Missed A Key Ingredient Of James BondCurated by/FILMIt's no secret that despite generally being seen as the ultimate on-screen James Bond, Sean Connery had a rocky relationship with the character that made his career. Landing the role of 007 proved to be a double-edged sword for the actor, who at various points has seemed to resent his association with the franchise. Most infamously, he was heard to remark — per The Hollywood Reporter — that he had "always hated that damn James Bond" and would "like to kill him."
/FILMStoryboardLate Night With The Devil Will Restore Your Faith In Found Footage Horror MoviesCurated by/FILMWhen you're unfortunate enough to love found footage horror movies, you find yourself sorting through a lot of garbage. You trawl through the depths of the Prime Video horror section, desperately searching for that one hidden gem, the movie that will restore your faith in the format, the movie that captures the unsettling reality of "The Blair Witch Project" or the slow-burn terror of "Paranormal Activity."
/FILMStoryboardJenna Ortega's MCU Debut In Iron Man 3 Was Brief, But Meaningful Curated by/FILMTo state it outright, Shane Black's 2013 film "Iron Man 3" is one of the best films of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It was a film not about overpowering villains or the strength of forward-assault military tactics, but about wit and character. Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) spent a great deal of the film outside of his armor, mentally damaged by the trauma of fighting aliens during "The Avengers" (2012), requiring him to use his brains to solve a new crisis.
/FILMStoryboardAfter Martin Lawrence Hosted SNL, He Was Banned From NBC EntirelyCurated by/FILMThe cast of "Saturday Night Live" might be full of comedians with an improv background, but if there's one thing showrunner Lorne Michaels doesn't like it's... well, improv. If you've ever been lucky enough to visit studio 8H and see how things work behind-the-scenes, it's not all joking around. In fact, it's quite intense, with the production crew racing around on-stage between sketches to prep the next setup. All of which is overseen by Michaels who has been running the show since 1975...
/FILMStoryboardHow Star Trek: Deep Space Nine Bucked Franchise Norms With Dr. BashirCurated by/FILMEach "Star Trek" show is, despite its tendency to focus on starship and space station captains, an ensemble drama. Each series (the first two seasons of "Picard" notwithstanding) is about the workplace dynamic on board a space vessel, with characters of different backgrounds and personalities working together to solve crises. The characters may occasionally butt heads, but "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry (in)famously discouraged that sort of conflict...
/FILMStoryboardBrendan Fraser Deserves The World, But The Whale Deserved NothingCurated by/FILMBrendan Fraser is a performer I have loved for so long I cannot remember when he wasn't one of my favorite actors. Knowing that this multi-faceted performer has won the Oscar for Best Actor feels like something worth celebrating with the same intensity as watching the underdog team win the Super Bowl, but Fraser's win comes wrapped in the violent, grotesque embrace of Darren Aronofsky's "The Whale."
/FILMStoryboardMrs. Davis Is The Most Audacious New Science Fiction Series Since WestworldCurated by/FILMTrying to describe "Mrs. Davis," the new Peacock TV series from creators Tara Hernandez and Damon Lindelof, will be a tough hill to climb for any pop culture critic. I feel like I've settled on "The Lonely Island riffing on Neal Stephenson," but there's also shades of Chuck Jones, early Kurt Vonnegut, Lindelof's own "The Leftovers," and even the classic Vertigo comic book "Preacher." It's goofy until it's sincere, outrageous until it cuts to the bone, frustrating until it's not
/FILMStoryboardWhy The Rebel Alliance Fleet Is Being Decommissioned In The Mandalorian Curated by/FILMIn the first season of "The Mandalorian," Dr. Penn Pershing (Omid Abtahi) was still in the thrall of the Imperial Remnant and Moff Gideon as a science and cloning officer. He joined the Amnesty Program of the New Republic in a bid to be useful to the galaxy once more, as well as avoid a war tribunal. As his task in the Amnesty Program, he was given the job of inventorying items slated for destruction and decommission by the New Republic.
/FILMStoryboardChris Parnell's Biggest Challenge With Rick & Morty Is Remembering To Act Curated by/FILMActing is the art form of becoming someone else. Typically, it involves being on a set or location that helps an actor acclimate to their surroundings. But what if your surroundings are a recording studio, and the only thing you have to play off of is a microphone in front of you? Voice actors need to adapt to losing a handful of tools that thespians typically rely on.
/FILMStoryboardA Spike Scene In Buffy The Vampire Slayer Was So Cringey, Joss Whedon Rewrote ItCurated by/FILMBack in 2017, Marsters was interviewed by AV Club, who asked him about his "fondest memory of filming." Marsters referenced the episode where he acquired a soul — season 7, episode 2, entitled "Beneath You" — and the reason why was creator Joss Whedon's direction of a scene that hadn't gone so well.
/FILMStoryboardStar Trek: Picard's Todd Stashwick Yelled At Patrick Stewart And LivedCurated by/FILM/Film's Vanessa Armstrong interviewed Stashwick and asked him about that tense moment and if it's terrifying yelling at a living legend. The tongue-lashing that Shaw gives Picard is brutal, and even though everyone involved is a professional, it has to be weird yelling at Patrick Stewart. Stashwick totally nails the scene and chews poor Picard a new one, and he shared what it was like filming that shocking scene.
/FILMStoryboardQuentin Tarantino Doesn't Consider Jackie Brown Part Of His Cinematic UniverseCurated by/FILM"Jackie Brown" remains Quentin Tarantino's only departure from writing and directing his own films and, as such, it continues to stand just outside of the explosive, hyper-real universe he's created with all of his other features. Adapted from Elmore Leonard's 1992 novel "Rum Punch," Tarantino's follow-up after the unprecedented success of "Pulp Fiction" was intentionally crafted to fly right under the radar of the mainstream...
/FILMStoryboardArrowverse Producer Left Out Of The DC Reboot - Feels Like He 'Wasted His Time'Curated by/FILMWith the future of DC fast approaching, Arrowverse co-creator Marc Guggenheim has voiced his dissatisfaction with how the transition was handled. In a recent edition of his LegalDispatch newsletter, Guggenheim commented on the writers room brought together by Safran and Gunn, writing
/FILMStoryboardOne John Wayne Western Influenced Steven Spielberg More Than Any Other FilmCurated by/FILMSteven Spielberg is from the esteemed filmmaking group known as the Movie Brats. Their ranks include film giants such as Francis Ford Coppola, George Lucas, Brian De Palma, and Martin Scorsese. What made them so special? They learned about movies by watching movies. It set them apart from their predecessors, those who came up through the studio system, theater, or television, forced to adhere to traditional film conventions.
