Watch Out For These “O” Movies!

This iconic image is from one of the most imaginative, and darkest movies ever – and of course, it begins with an “O”!

My “Movies A-Z” hits hard right off the top, but don’t worry, there’s plenty of room for 007, Charlton Heston, Jennifer Aniston and “my boy Blue!”

Remember, these aren’t in any order, just a list of my most enjoyable “O” movies.

One of the most intense revenge thrillers of all time gets us started:

10 – “Old Boy”

This 2003 South Korean thriller was directed by Park Chan-wook. It’s the twisted story of a drunken Businessman who wakes up in a locked hotel room – where he is kept for 15 years before being suddenly released! Why? Well, check out the trailer:

The signature sequence in the film is a four minute hallway fight scene – our protagonist armed only with a hammer – and the camera tracks the entire fight without a single edit!

The late film critic Roger Ebert said that “Oldboy” was:

“a powerful film not because of what it depicts, but because of the depths of the human heart which it strips bare”.

Read more about this brilliant film, and other Asian classics, by clicking here:

https://johnrieber.com/2012/06/30/killer-assassins-hard-boiled-killers-death-by-hammer-classic-asian-thrillers/

Next up, one of three sci-fi films starring the legendary Charlton Heston!

9 – “The Omega Man”

Charlton Heston is “the last man alive” in this classic sci-fi film based on the novel “I Am Legend” by Richard Matheson. Here is the trailer:

Heston chose an african-american love interest in the 1971 film, quite daring for the time. It’s one of three great sci-fi-fi films he made in succession – see the other two here!

https://johnrieber.com/2016/09/23/cult-sci-fis-godfather-charlton-heston-omega-man-planet-of-the-apes-soylent-green-is-people/

Legendary Director Sergio Leone made many great films, but one was taken away of him, butchered by the studio, and of course it bombed upon release!

8 – “Once Upon A Time In America”

This 1984 masterpiece was taken away from the Director and drastically re-edited – here is the trailer:

An amazing blu-ray was finally released with the Director’s original cut of the film, which is much more hypnotic – for example, the longer cut begins with a scene in an opium den, as Leone was looking to create something much more hypnotic than just a gangster film…

Look for the blu-ray edition to see the complete Directors Cut!

Speaking of different cuts, try the “unrated” version of this hilarious comedy:

7 – “Old School”

One of the funniest comedies ever, thanks in part to “my boy Blue!”

There is so much to love about “Old School” , like the scene where Will Farrell shoots himself in the neck with a dart gun – check out the trailer:

This is one of the best films about college life – click here to see another one – that makes this a hilarious double bill:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/04/15/sex-togas-bluto-blue-schools-out-for-animal-house-and-old-school/

Director Steven Soderbergh is on a number of my alphabetical lists, for good reason – he has made so many great films – and huge smash hits as well:

6 – “Ocean’s 11”

Soderbergh lined up an amazing cast as he remade one of Frank Sinatra’s biggest hits – but gave hit his own “too cool for school” vibe – check out the trailer:

What a great new “Rat Pack!”

This movie showcased the best of Soderbergh’s filmmaking – an intricate plot and playful characters given a chance to have fun – for example, notice how Brad Pitt eats in so many of his scenes!

Time now to go “O” as in “007”!

5 – “Octopussy”

Roger Moore was on a roll at this time as James Bond 007 – and this is one of the more unique titles in the series – here is the trailer:

Most would consider this a “second tier” 007 film – enjoyable but not quite as good as Moore’s great “The Spy Who Loved Me”.

Roger Moore starred in some of the biggest hits in the 007 series – and he was a class act as well – see more about him here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/05/23/rip-roger-moore-007s-most-charming-james-bond-was-a-true-class-act/

Next up is a terrific , ultra low budget musical that shocked the movie world when it won an Oscar….

4 – “Once”

In 2006, this modest film told the story of a street singer who meets a woman who can play piano, and they make great music tougher – here is the trailer:

The film’s song “Falling Slowly” stunned the Academy Award audience by winning best original song – see more about this terrific film here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/11/19/best-modern-musicals-once-the-commitments-glen-hansards-musical-oscar/

From the sublime to the ridiculous!

3 – “Office Space”

In 1999, Jennifer Aniston was part of a great ensemble – not “Friends” but disgruntled office workers.

Here is the trailer:

Gary Cole was pitch perfect as the “boss from hell” – and Mike Judge’s satire became a cult sensation…

Another cult horror film from the 70’s is coming back again – but nothing will top the original:

2 – “The Omen”

In 1976, this movie shocked audiences as it told the story of a small boy who may be the spawn of Satan!

Here is the trailer:

Legendary Actor Gregory Peck gives gravitas to the horror story, and this movie is beautifully directed by Richard Donner for maximum scares – a real treat.

I end the “O” movies with my second favorite film of all time – a much-neglected masterpiece:

1 – “O Lucky Man!”

Actor Malcolm McDowell exploded onto the film scene with this performances in “If…” and Stanley Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange”:

He followed those up in 1973 with a story he conceived – the “Candide” tale of a young coffee salesman – check out the trailer:

This movie is brilliant for so many reasons: an incredible cast, amazingly inventive direction by Lindsay Anderson – who filmed most of the movie’s soundtrack live and shows it in the movie!

Click on my story to read so much more about this movie – and how it inspired a classic “Seinfeld” episode!

https://johnrieber.com/2013/03/22/o-lucky-man-malcolm-mcdowells-seinfeld-connection/

There you have it – ten great movies with an “O” – and you can click on my blog home page and see the previous films that have been highlighted from “A – N” as well!

Welcome To My Movie Countdown!

Kris Kristofferson opens his arms to all of you, fellow movie lovers, especially those who like classic cult movies!

Kris has ten great films to share, as I continue by “Movies A-Z” list of classic cult cinema!

Uh oh! Gene Hackman is so choked up about this list that I feel the need to explain: in doing my list of “Movies A-Z” – I found myself in a quandary with the letter “P” – I found ten classic cult from from a very specific period in Hollywood!

Cult “P” Movies From 1968-1975!

As you can see from this picture, Steve McQueen can’t wait to bust out and see my list as well – because he made this list…but sadly, I had to leave out more recent great films that begin with “P” – but there are ten great reasons why – these seven years (1968- 1975) gave us amazing movies!

So, in chronological order, here are ten great films that begin with the letter “P” – beginning in 1968 with a science fiction masterpiece!

10 – “Planet Of The Apes” – 1968

Charlton Heston and his fellow Astronauts crash land on another planet – a “planet of the apes!”

Here is the trailer:

This is one of the greatest science fiction films of all time – and of course, the single greatest “twist” ending of all time – written by “Twilight Zone’s” Rod Serling!

Charlton Heston had a “perfect storm” of sci-fi movies, including the movie that inspired Green Day to name their band! See that story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/09/23/cult-sci-fis-godfather-charlton-heston-omega-man-planet-of-the-apes-soylent-green-is-people/

That same year, Rock Superstar Mick Jagger shed his Rolling Stone image to star in a movie where he sat in a bathtub naked!

9 – “Performance” – 1968

This is a wild movie – check out the trailer:

“Performance” is notorious for including scenes of Jagger bathing with Keith Richards’ girlfriend – sparking a bitter feud – read that story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/07/26/mick-jaggers-naked-performance-keith-richards-girlfriend-feud-a-cult-classic-on-blu-ray-2/

We jump forward to 1971 now, the year that Clint Eastwood had three classic films, including his directorial debut:

8 – “Play Misty For Me” – 1971

Clint stars as a successful DJ who attracts a fan who becomes a crazed stalker – here is the trailer:

Jessica Walter is great as the deranged fan, and the bartender is played by legendary Director Don Siegel – who directed Clint TWICE that year – in “Dirty Harry” and “Play Misty For Me!”

See more about this trifecta of great cinema here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/01/12/clint-eastwoods-1971-triple-play-of-classic-films-dirty-harry-play-misty-for-me-the-beguiled/

Also in 1971, Al Pacino burst on the scene as a junkie hanging out in New York’s infamous “needle park”:

7 – “The Panic In Needle Park” – 1971

This raw movie about young drug addicts was filmed on location – here is the trailer:

Pacino would go on to star in “The Godfather” a year later – here is more trivia about his great cult movie:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/06/19/al-pacinos-a-junkie-a-scarecrow-classic-early-al-pacino-performances/

In 1972, “disaster” films were the rage, and none better that this great film with the classic tagline:

“HELL UPSIDE DOWN!”

6 – “The Poseidon Adventure” – 1972

What a great film – an ocean liner capsized on New Year’s eve, and the only way out is to climb UP to the bottom of the ship! Here is the trailer:

“The Poseidon Adventure” had an all-star cast – and won an Oscar for best song! See that video here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/06/18/celebrity-smackdowns-hell-upside-down-the-disastrous-duo-of-poseidon-adventure-and-towering-inferno/

That same year, Hackman starred in a gritty crime drama alongside Lee Marvin – a real slice of greenhouse cinema!

5 – “Prime Cut” – 1972

Hackman played a Kansas City Mobster who decides NOT to pay his Chicago mob bosses – who send Lee Marvin to collect what’s due!

Here is the trailer:

“Prime Cut” was Sissy Spacek’s movie debut, and she and Marvin get chased by a wheat harvester – this is a great action movie – see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/03/23/prime-cut-grindhouse-classic-gene-hackman-vs-lee-marvin/

Another 70’s action hero had a smash hit in 1973 with the true story of one of the world’s greatest prison escapes!

4 – “Papillon” – 1973

Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman star in the film, based on the best-selling autobiography by the French convict Henri Charrière.

The film’s title is French for “Butterfly,” referring to Charrière’s tattoo and nickname. Here is the trailer:

This film is amazing, as it documents what these prisoners endured as they tried to escape…a great film and McQueen has never been better. He was one of Hollywood’s biggest stars at the time – click here to see more of his great movies!

https://johnrieber.com/2015/12/02/hollywoods-coolest-star-steve-mcqueen-chicagos-most-amazing-stunt/

Director Sam Peckinpah released one of his greatest movies in 1973 – with two big Hollywood stars as well:

3 – “Pat Garrett & Billy The Kid” – 1973

Kris Kristofferson and James Coburn starred in this great film about the last days of the wild west – check out the trailer:

At the time, Peckinpah had a reputation as a wild man, so the cast took a picture with him in a hospital bed – and sent it to the movie studio!

Here are more wild stories about this legendary Director:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/02/21/the-wild-bunch-billy-the-kid-sam-peckinpahs-soup-tossing/

Now, one of my five favorite films of all time – courtesy of Director Brian DePalma and Singer/Songwriter Paul Williams!

2- “Phantom Of The Paradise” – 1974

DePalma’s updated “Phantom Of The Opera” wasn’t a hit at the time, but is now considered a masterpiece – check out the trailer:

A new blu-ray has a ton of great extras, including an in-depth conversation between Paul Williams, who starred in the film and wrote all the music, and Director Gillermo del Toro…you can see more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/27/cult-classic-phantom-of-the-paradise-guillermo-del-toro-talks-up-paul-williams-great-new-special-edition/

Finally, Jack Nicholson starred in a great European film directed Michelangelo Antonioni.

1 – “The Passenger” – 1975

This hypnotic road movie gave us a chance to see a different side of Jack Nicholson – here is the trailer:

While it was never announced officially, rumors have been flying for a few years now that Jack retired from film – if that’s the case, now is the time to go back and see great films like this – here is a list of some of his best – oh, and my “Jack” moment at the Cannes Film Festival!

https://johnrieber.com/2017/04/22/happy-80th-birthday-jack-nicholson-his-greatest-roles-my-jack-moment/

There you go – ten great films, all released between 1968 and 1975 – there are so many great films beginning with “P”, but these are classics from a specific era in film.

I you missed by previous lists, here are my “Movies A-F”:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/08/04/classic-movies-a-f-sixty-great-movies-with-one-thing-in-common-the-alphabet/

For all the rest, go to my home page and click “movies” and you will find every letter so far! Let me know if your favorite “P” film is actually “Hell, Upside Down!”

Get Our Of Your Sandbox! Movies With A “U” Are Here!

That’s right, Barbra Streisand’s got to get up and at ’em, because my list of “Movies A-Z” hits a “u”nique letter – and a wild group of films!

Here you go: an eclectic group of films that begin with a “U” – including a long-forgotten Streisand film, a disavowed Alfred E. Newman movie, and of course, Kurt Russell!

As always, these are not in a countdown order, just ten movies to enjoy! Or in the case of the first one, DISOWN!

10 – “Up The Academy!”

Did you know that the legendary Mad Magazine made a movie in 1980? And do you know they HATED IT?

Check out the trailer:

UP THE ACADEMY, 1980, ©Warner Brothers

Yes, Alfred E. Newman got into film, and the result was, as they say, “mixed!” This beloved magazine character may have bit off more than he could chew in this teen sex comedy…

UP THE ACADEMY, Ron Leibman, Hutch Parker, Ralph Macchio, Harry Teinowitz, Wendell Brown, 1980. ©Warner Brothers

According to wikipedia,

“The film was neither a commercial nor critical success when it was originally released, and was disowned by both the staff of Mad magazine and actor Ron Leibman (who, despite his sizable role, had his name completely removed from the credits and promotional material). Besides paying Warner Bros. $30,000 to remove all references to Mad from the film when it was released on home video, Mad’s publisher William Gaines issued personal handwritten apologies to every person that wrote the magazine to complain!”

Oops! As you can see, the magazine published a really scathing piece on their own film!

Well, another “adaptation from other source material” was much better received – even though the filmmakers took a non-fiction book and made up most of the story!

9 – “Under the Tuscan Sun”

This 2003 romantic comedy was based on the non-fiction bestseller by Travel Writer Frances Mayes. Here is the trailer:

The film is noticeably different than the original memoir. In the book, the real Frances Mayes buys a house with her fiancé in Tuscany – while in the movie, Diane Lane plays a woman abandoned by her husband who buys the Tuscany house on a whim in order to remake her life….it must have been OK with Mayes – since she co-wrote the film script!

Next up, an interesting cast in a classic “blaxploitation” movie!

8 – “Uptown Saturday Night”

This 1974 blaxploitation comedy was directed by Sidney Poitier, who also starred in the film along with Bill Cosby and Harry Belafonte.

The setup is simple: Steve Jackson and Wardell Franklin get robbed of their wallets containing a winning lottery ticket when they visit Madame Zenobia’s illegal nightclub – so they enlist help to get them back.

Here is the trailer:

As you can see from the trailer, Poitier plays the “uptight” friend, and you get a heavily-bearded Bill Cosby as well. According to IMDB, the roles of Steve and Wardell were written for Redd Foxx and Richard Pryor – but the studio felt they were not big box-office draws! Pryor ended up with a cameo.

If you are unfamiliar with the “blaxploitation” genre, click her to see the best from this great era of film:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/04/11/dolemite-hit-man-shaft-pam-grier-iconic-blaxploitation-stars-classic-cult-films/

Another major box office star of that era was in the midst of doing a trilogy of gritty westerns:

7 – “Ulzana’s Raid”

Burt Lancaster stars in this 1972 western as Indian War Chief Ulzana, who leads a small war party off the reservation bent on murder and terror, and the inexperienced young lieutenant who is assigned to track him down.

Here is the trailer:

Lancaster was a huge star at the time, and he also made these two other westerns at that time – check out “Lawman” and “Valdez Is Coming” as well here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/05/15/valdez-is-coming-lawman-gun-blazing-burt-lancaster-western-revenge-double-bill/

Next up is a huge hit from 1980, with a cowboy theme – and with John Travolta dancing once again to the tagline:

“Hard Hat Days And Honkey Tonk Nights!”

6 – “Urban Cowboy”

In this modern western, young hick Cowboy John Travolta learns how to dance and find love in the big city…

How can you resist that hat or this trailer?

This film was a huge box office hit, and after “Saturday Night Fever” and “Grease”, confirmed that Travolta was a big big movie star…

And here is some trivia: Sissy Spacek and Michelle Pfeiffer were also considered for the co-star role that Debra Winger played.

5 – “Uncle Buck”

John Hughes directed this movie about what happens when you let John Candy babysit your kids!

Here is the trailer:

The scene where Macauley Culkin interrogates Candy through the mail slot gave John Hughes the idea for “Home Alone”!

John Candy made some great movies…

Next up is Clint Eastwood’s modern take on a classic western…

4 – “Unforgiven”

Clint Eastwood revisited the wild west with the revisionist western “Unforgiven”, which he starred in alongside Morgan Freeman and Gene Hackman. Here is the trailer:

The film took home the 1992 Academy Award for Best Picture, Clint Eastwood won the Best Director award as well, and Gene Hackman won the supporting Actor Oscar – it’s a modern classic.

With so many big hit movies like “The Way We Were” and “Hello, Dolly!” – did you know that Barbra Streisand also starred in this movie?

3 – “Up The Sandbox”

Here’s a Barbara Streisand film from 1972 I bet you never heard of! She stars as a wife who is bored with her day-to-day existence – so she creates a fantasy world for herself.

Here is the trailer:

Reportedly, the Actress loved the film and knew it was a departure for her fans. Here’s what Streisand said when the film was released:

“This story interests me more than anything else I’ve ever done. It’s a departure from the romances, slapstick comedies, and musicals I have worked on up till now”.

Next on our list is a great action film from one of my favorite Directors:

2 – “The Untouchables”

In 1987, Director Brian DePalma had a big hit with the story of Agent Elliott Ness and his dogged pursuit of Al Capone on the streets of Chicago – here is the trailer:

Sean Connery won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar, and Robert DeNiro gained a lot of weight to play Capone – a terrific action movie…here are some of my other favorite DePalma films:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/10/30/shocktober-day-30-brilliant-carrie-brian-depalmas-horror-classics-star-wars-connection/

We end my list of “U” films with a raucous comedy from 1980 that wasn’t a big hit when released, but has grown in statue over the years!

1 – “Used Cars”

Kurt Russell heads up a great cast – all about the slimy world of used car sales…here is the trailer:

Legendary character Actor Jack Warden plays two roles in the film, and the movie is great, “R”-rated fun!

Here is more trivia about the film:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/01/03/used-cars-escape-from-new-york-classic-80s-kurt-russell-snake-plissken/

So there you have it, ten ways to enjoy a film with a bit of “U” in it!

The Best Picture 2017! “The Shape Of Water!”

Director Guillermo Del Toro has made his Oscar-winning masterpiece. “The Shape Of Water” blew us away – and will do the same to Academy voters this year.

Fox Searchlight describes the film this way:

“An otherworldly fable set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment. Rounding out the cast are Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Doug Jones.”

Here is the trailer:

In many films with a “creature”, the Director teases the audience for long periods of time; not so here. Del Toro introduces his lead character early on, and Actress Sally Hawkins shows us the creature’s humanity, even as the film takes on a brutal tone…

The entire cast is terrific. As Guillermo del Toro said about Sally Hawkins:

“Not only was she the first choice, she was the only choice. I wrote the movie for Sally, I wrote the movie for Michael [Shannon]… Sally is, I wanted the character of Elisa to be beautiful, in her own way, not in a way that is like a perfume commercial kind of way. That you could believe that this character, this woman would be sitting next to you on the bus. But at the same time she would have a luminosity, a beauty, almost magical, ethereal.”

Each person brings a full range of emotion to their characters – Shannon is terrific as usual, as is veteran character Actor Richard Jenkins…

According to great trivia from the website IMDB, most of the characters were written with the actors in mind. Octavia Spencer said her character was reminiscent of a collaboration between her roles in The Help (2011) and Hidden Figures (2016), and that she “would have played the desk if Guillermo del Toro had asked me to”.

She is also looking at another Oscar nomination for her work in the film.

It’s important to note the film is “R” rated – for sexuality and violence, but the brutality of the cold war scenes are balanced out by warmth and humanity across multiple characters – this is the best film of the year, and bravo to Director Del Toro for matching his wild creativity with the warmth and heart that the film achieves…

Del Toro loves fantasy, and he’s a huge fan of Brian DePalma’s “Phantom Of The Paradise” – on this special edition blu-ray of the classic 1974 film, he even leads a lengthy conversation with the film’s star and composer Paul Williams…check it out here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/27/cult-classic-phantom-of-the-paradise-guillermo-del-toro-talks-up-paul-williams-great-new-special-edition/

If you want to see more of Sally Hawkins, she was nominated as Best Supporting Actress in 2013 for Woody Allen’s last great film “Blue Jasmine”:

See more about her work in that film here:

https://johnrieber.com/2013/09/01/blue-jasmine-best-film-of-2013-woody-allens-bumpy-road-to-brilliance/

Let me know if you’ve seen “The Shape Of Water!”

Oscar Nominations 2017!

Yes, the 2017 Academy Award nominations were announced today, and here are some exciting things to share:

The Year Of Great Women In Front Of And Behind The Camera!

Actor/Director Greta Gerwig was nominated as Best Director and Best Screenplay for the terrific “Lady Bird”, which also received nominations for Best Picture, Actress and Supporting Actress.

“Lady Bird” was one of my top three films of the year – bravo to Gerwig, Saoirse Ronan and Laurie Metcalf for a terrific film!

Double Nominee Mary J. Blige!

Mary J. Blige was also double nominated, as Best Supporting Actress in “Mudbound” as well as for best original song. Bravo Mary!

“The Shape Of Water” led the way in 2017, garnering 13 nominations, including Best Picture, Director, Actress, Supporting Actress and Supporting Actor….bravo to them all!

“The Shape Of Water” is a masterpiece, and worthy of all these honors.

Here is the trailer for the film, as well as a look at the great cast and Director Guillermo Del Toro:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/12/26/the-shape-of-water-guillermo-del-toros-masterpiece-the-best-film-of-2017/

Speaking of the best films of 2017:

Actor/Director Joran Peele became only the third person in Oscar history to pull of an amazing feat, as Deadline.com reports:

“Jordan Peele’s Get Out scoring noms for directing, writing and Best Picture, as well as an acting nom for star Daniel Kaluuya. For Peele, he becomes only the third person to be nommed in those categories with his first film. Greta Gerwig nearly pulled off the same feat with directing and screenplay noms for Lady Bird, though she wasn’t a producer on the A24 pic, which did get a Best Picture nom.”

The film also scored a Best Actor nomination for Daniel Kaluuya – these are somewhat unusual for a horror film, but very well deserved!

Here is a closer look at the film, along with the trailer:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/03/06/get-out-and-get-to-a-theater-jordan-peele-shocks-you-with-the-best-film-of-2017/

Also of note:

Christopher Plummer becomes the oldest Actor ever nominated! As Deadline notes:

“Christopher Plummer, who stepped into the role of J. Paul Getty in November following sexual allegations against Kevin Spacey in All the Money in the World, was nominated this morning for Best Supporting Actor. The nomination, which — at 88 — also makes him the oldest actor ever to be nominated (Gloria Stuart was 87 in Titanic in 1998). He had been nominated before in 2012 and won for Supporting Actor for Beginners and became the oldest winner of an Oscar at 82 at the time.”

So there are some interesting nominations to share – congrats to all of the nominees…here is the complete list of this year’s nominations:

Best Picture

Call Me By Your Name
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Get Out
Lady Bird
Phantom Thread
The Post
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best actress

Sally Hawkins, The Shape Of Water
Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Margot Robbie, I, Tonya
Saoirse Ronan, Lady Bird
Meryl Streep, The Post

Best actor

Timothee Chalamet, Call Me By Your Name
Daniel Day-Lewis, Phantom Thread
Daniel Kaluuya, Get Out
Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Denzel Washington, Roman J Israel, Esq

Best supporting actress

Mary J Blige, Mudbound
Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Lesley Manville, Phantom Thread
Laurie Metcalf, Lady Bird
Octavia Spencer, The Shape of Water

Best supporting actor

Willem Dafoe, The Florida Project
Woody Harrelson, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Richard Jenkins, The Shape Of Water
Christopher Plummer, All the Money in the World
Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best director

Dunkirk – Christopher Nolan
Get Out – Jordan Peele
Lady Bird – Greta Gerwig
Phantom Thread – Paul Thomas Anderson
The Shape of Water – Guillermo Del Toro

Best adapted screenplay

Call Me By Your Name – screenplay by James Ivory
The Disaster Artist – screenplay by Scott Neustadter & Michael H Weber
Logan – screenplay by Scott Frank & James Mangold and Michael Green; story by James Mangold
Molly’s Game – written for the screen by Aaron Sorkin
Mudbound – screenplay by Virgil Williams and Dee Rees

Best original screenplay

The Big Sick – written by Emily V Gordon & Kumail Nanjiani
Get Out – written by Jordan Peele
Lady Bird – written by Greta Gerwig
The Shape of Water – screenplay by Guillermo del Toro & Vanessa Taylor; story by Guillermo del Toro
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri – written by Martin McDonagh

Best foreign language film

A Fantastic Woman (Chile)
The Insult (Lebanon)
Loveless (Russia)
On Body and Soul (Hungary)
The Square (Sweden)

Best original song

Mighty River, Mudbound (Mary J Blige)
The Mystery of Love, Call Me By Your Name (Sufjan Stevens)
Remember Me, Coco (Kristen Anderson Lopez and Robert Lopez)
Stand Up for Something, Marshall (Common & Diane Warren, sung by Andra Day)
This Is Me, The Greatest Showman (Benji Pasek & Justin Paul)

Best animated feature

Boss Baby
The Breadwinner
Coco
Ferdinand
Loving Vincent

Best documentary feature

Abacus
Faces Places
Icarus
Last Men in Aleppo
Strong Island

Best documentary short

Edith + Eddie
Heaven Is a Traffic Jam on the 405
Heroin(e)
Knife Skills
Traffic Stop

Best original score

Dunkirk
Phantom Thread
The Shape of Water
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Best cinematography

Blade Runner 2049
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
Mudbound
The Shape of Water

Best costume design

Beauty and the Beast
Darkest Hour
Phantom Thread
The Shape of Water
Victoria and Abdul

Best make-up and hairstyling

Darkest Hour
Victoria and Abdul
Wonder

Best sound editing

Baby Driver
Blade Runner 2049
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Best sound mixing

Baby Driver
Blade Runner 2049
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water
Star Wars: The Last Jedi

Best animated short

Dear Basketball
Garden Party
Lou
Negative Space
Revolting Rhymes

Best live action short

DeKalb Elementary
The Eleven O’Clock
My Nephew Emmet
The Silent Child
Watu Wote/All of Us

Best production design

Beauty and the Beast
Blade Runner 2049
Darkest Hour
Dunkirk
The Shape of Water

Best visual effects

Blade Runner 2049
Guardian of the Galaxy Vol 2
Kong: Skull Island
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
War for Planet of the Apes

Best film editing

Baby Driver
Dunkirk
I, Tonya
The Shape of Water
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

Movie fans have a reason to celebrate – it was Burt Reynolds’ birthday!

As he himself would say:

“We’re about to make film history, right here… on videotape.”

Burt Reynolds was born on February 11, 1936 – he grew up in Riviera Beach, Florida, right next to Palm Beach. His father, Burt Sr., eventually became Chief of Police!

Reynolds worked as a stuntman – as well as small tv and movie roles, before starring in several TV shows in the 60’s, which led to work in movie westerns….

Then, in 1972 he starred in one of the most acclaimed and controversial films ever – and it propelled him to stardom…

Deliverance.

The story of four men who decide to take a river rafting trip through the backwoods of Georgia…with Reynolds as the “tough as nails” adventurer who doesn’t think the others are up to it:

Lewis: Can that chubby boy handle himself?
Ed: Bobby? He’s rather well thought of in his field, Lewis.
Lewis: Insurance? I never been insured in my life. There’s no risk.

“Deliverance” was one of the most iconic films of the 70′s, nominated for Best Picture, and it has the iconic movie line:

“Squeal like a pig!”

If you haven’t seen this brilliant movie, check out new blu-ray and DVD versions that have documentaries and commentary attached, and they are all worth viewing – and of course, there are the “dueling banjos!”

I posted a story recently about the casting of this film, when it was revealed that Marlon Brando and Jack Nicholson were considered for it! See more here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/09/20/squeal-like-a-pig-marlon-brandos-deliverance-cult-classic-casting-coup/

His breakout performance in Deliverance in 1972 made Reynolds a star. The same year, Reynolds gained even more notoriety when he posed naked in the April issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine – a landmark moment in publishing.

Burt’s Sexy Centerfold!

Yes, Reynolds shocked the entertainment world when he posed nude in Cosmopolitan magazine – as their centerfold!

Reynolds later claimed the centerfold in Cosmopolitan hurt the chances for Deliverance at the Oscars – and the film’s stars, including himself, didn’t get Academy Award nominations because of it. Regardless, this cemented his place as a 70’s Superstar, leading to a number of huge box office hits, like this one:

The Longest Yard

This 1974 classic stars Reynolds as a pro football Quarterback who gets in trouble with the law and ends up in a grimy prison, run by Eddie Albert…

Check out the trailer:

This was a perfect role for him: not only was he the biggest star in the world at the time, but Reynolds was a great football player, first for Florida State University and then was drafted by the Baltimore Colts!

Reynolds plays Paul Crewe, a pro football player-turned-convict – who organizes a team of inmates to play against a team of prison guards. That’s right: convicts versus GUARDS!

Paul Crewe: You know what my problem has been all my life? I’ve always had my shit together. Always. My problem’s been I couldn’t lift it.

“The Longest Yard” is one of the best sports movies ever, and Burt was great.

Half A ‘Stache!

Reynolds had a great sense of humor, as evidenced when he went on The Tonight Show and shaved half his mustache off for a stunned Johnny Carson!

He was also a gifted comic actor, as evidenced by the arrow through his head – and he used that goofy humor to good box office effect in action comedies like this one:

Fuzz!

Police in Boston search for a mad bomber trying to extort money from the city. The cops in charge of finding this “mad bomber” are Burt Reynolds, Racquel Welch and Tom Skerritt.

According to IMDB, Raquel Welch did not like Burt Reynolds because of unsavory comments he made while they were filming “100 Rifles” together.

So, in “Fuzz” Welch insisted that she not have any direct scenes with Reynolds! The closest they get is during an interrogation scene. Still, the movie was a huge hit, in large part because of Reynolds and his comic ability.

See more about Raquel, Burt and their legendary catfight here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/07/18/raquel-welch-dinosaur-slayer-burt-reynolds-feud-seinfeld-catfight-a-million-reasons-to-love-this-iconic-sex-kitten/

Reynolds went on to star in some of the biggest hits of the 70’s, like these “good ol’ boy” action thrillers:

Both are now on blu-ray, so you can relive the wild days of the 70’s yourself! You can see more about these films, including their trailers, here:

https://johnrieber.com/2015/02/22/suck-down-some-white-lightning-hicksploitation-burt-reynolds-gator-good-ol-boy-action-classics/

Reynolds made many hit comedies as well, like the action spectacle “Smokey And The Bandit”. During the first half of the 1990s, he was the star of the CBS comedy “Evening Shade”, for which he won an Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series (1991).

Modern movie fans will recognize him for this masterpiece:

Now, an important word from Jack Horner!

Reynolds starred in “Boogie Nights” as Adult Film Director Jack Horner, who offered some words about how complex and expensive moviemaking can be…

Jack Horner: Before you turn around, you’ve spent maybe 20, 25, 30 thousand dollars on a movie!

Boogie Nights!

This is, quite simply, one of the best movies ever made, pure and simple – and one of Reynolds’ best performances.

“We’re about to make film history, right here… on videotape.”

Paul Thomas Anderson directed this epic look at the rise of a adult film superstar, and his journey through the changing world of porn, from the “innocent” days of the 70’s into the drug-fueled 80’s.

Inspired by the tragic story of John C. Holmes – aka “Johnny Wadd”, Mark Wahlberg does an amazing job as Eddie Adams, who is “discovered” by an adult movie Director – due to his “unique” talent – and overnight becomes porn superstar Dirk Diggler!

Adult Film Director Jack Horner Knows What Sells!

Reynolds put it all out there as the Veteran Film Director, which lines like this:

Jack Horner: I got a feeling that behind those jeans is something wonderful just waiting to get out.

Burt Reynolds was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance and took home a Golden Globe Award. He was considered a front-runner for the Supporting Oscar, but ultimately lost to Robin Williams, for “Good Will Hunting”. I can watch this movie any day of the week…a masterpiece.

Time to watch some Burt and celebrate his birthday!

Producer Jack Waltz Will See You Now!

One of the great movie locations for “The Godfather” was movie mogul Jack Waltz’s Beverly Hills estate: it’s home to the most shocking scene in the movie!

My wife Alex read that the mansion was close to where we live, and as it turns out, she was right – it was less than two miles away from us!

We drove by, and Alex was so excited when she realized that behind this simple front entrance was the legendary Jack Waltz estate! Here’s an aerial view of what lies behind the gate:

The exterior of Woltz’s mansion was also used as Whitney Houston’s estate in the film “The Bodyguard”. It’s an enormous Beverly Hills estate located just north of Sunset Boulevard and The Beverly Hills Hotel. The address is 1011 North Beverly Drive.

This magnificent estate was built in the 1920s, and had once been owned by William Randolph Hearst. It has sold several times in the past few decades, and was listed for sale at more than $115-million!

The Infamous “Horse Head” Scene!

Of course, this is the estate where Producer Jack Waltz refuses to grant Don Corleone just one favor: to let Johnny Fontaine star in his new war picture. The next morning, Waltz woke up with someone else in his bed with him…

Yes, he woke up with his triple crown-winning horse, Khartoum, in his bed – well, the head at least!

And It Was Real!

This is some of the best “Godfather” trivia. During rehearsals, a false horse’s head was used for the bedroom scene. For the actual shot, a real horse’s head was used, acquired from a dog-food factory. According to John Marley, his scream of horror was real – because it was all a secret: no one told him that a real head was going to be used!

“I’ll make him an offer he can’t refuse.”

This is probably the most iconic line EVER from a movie…and yes, from the greatest film ever made…so my only question is this: did “The Godfather” read that line from a cue card?

Yes, He Probably Did!

Look at this behind-the-scenes picture, from the filming of the movie…priceless! Robert Duvall holds cue cards for Marlon Brando to read – just one of the many legendary tales of making “The Godfather”!

There are SO MANY incredible stories about the making of the film, starting with the behind-the-scenes antics of Marlon Brando!

Brando’s Transformation!

Marlon Brando wanted to make Don Corleone “look “like a bulldog,” so he stuffed his cheeks with cotton wool for his audition.

For actual filming, Brando wore a mouthpiece made by a dentist; this appliance is on display in the American Museum of the Moving Image in Queens, New York.

If you really want to immerse yourself in this film, there is the perfect way to do it!

The Epic Godfather On Blu-Ray!

Thanks to a phenomenal effort by Paramount home video, you can now go deep, deep, DEEP into the history of “The Godfather”…like this blu-ray release, an amazing collection including all three films, plus hours and hours of extras!

Here are just some of the extras that are included:

“The Masterpiece That Almost Wasn’t,” reviewing in detail much of what has been said about Paramount’s mistreatment of Coppola, about casting fights (Steve McQueen as Michael?), about the studio’s assumption they were getting a quick-and-dirty B-movie, and about producer Robert Evans’ determination to keep his choice of director and unlikely actors under his wing.

“Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.”

There are so many great lines from the film – as well as great stories about the making of the movie, especially about the iconic cast: Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, James Caan, Robert Duvall, Diane Keaton and John Cazale.

James Caan Is Hot-headed Sonny!

Of course, James Caan also became a star as the hot-headed Sonny, who gets set up by his brother-in-law at a toll booth in Jersey…

Here’s a behind-the-scenes picture of the bullet angles for the blood squibs that have been put on Sonny’s face…

How Francis Ford Coppola tricked Marlon Brando

Paramount executives were adamant that Brando not be hired to play Vito Corleone because of the actor’s reputation for problems on set. Finally, they relented by providing conditions that they thought could never be met, including that Brando give them a screen test.

Director Francis Ford Coppola told Brando he wanted to test equipment and get a sample take, very carefully not phrasing the filming as a screen test. When the take had been filmed, even Brando was happy with it, saying he thought he’d gotten the appearance of being “mean-looking, but warm underneath.” In later years, Brando said he’d known all along it was a screen test.

There are many more great anecdotes about the film HERE:

http://www.csmonitor.com/Books/2012/0202/The-Godfather-10-behind-the-scenes-stories-about-the-making-of-the-classic-films/How-Francis-Ford-Coppola-tricked-Marlon-Brando

Last year, The Tribeca Film Festival had an incredible cast reunion event:

I would have loved to hear that conversation! You can read more about it here:

https://johnrieber.com/2017/04/30/tribecas-the-godfather-reunion-great-film-trivia-deniro-pacino-keaton-coppola/

Let me know if you’ve ever had the chance to visit Jack’s place!

All Hail Queen!

Freddie Mercury and Queen scored a huge upset at the 2019 Golden Globe Awards, winning best dramatic motion picture AND Best Actor for Rami Malek – bravo to them all for surprising the entertainment industry with their win!

The “Bohemian Rhapsody” Upset!

Yes, it was an upset, although reporting had suggested that the Hollywood Foreign Press REALLY loved the film, and Malek’s performance of the flamboyant singer…

Expectations were that “A Star Is Born” would win the top prizes, but it’s important to note two things: first of all, both films were huge hits, both with critics and audiences alike…

It’s also important to point out that the HFPA is less predictive of the Academy Awards than two other awards: the Screen Actors Guild and Producers Guild have been the most accurate in predicting Oscar winners, so stay tuned for who wins there in the next few weeks…

That said, it was a huge victory for a film that celebrates the music of Queen and the life of Freddie Mercury – and why not? They are Queen!

“Is This The Real Life? Is This Just Fantasy?”

The opening line from one of the greatest rock songs of all time…from a band who was once hugely under appreciated and now is known as one of the greatest of all time!

God Save The Queen!

Who’s kidding who? Queen is now one of music’s most wildly entertaining bands and they will live forever, thanks to great live performances like this – “We Are The Champions” from Live Aid in 1985 :

Freddie Mercury was one of the most unique – and beloved – singers in all rock history. Those of us who grew up in the US really don’t know the depth of this fanbase in the UK…here is another example – three different live versions of “Tie Your Mother Down” all tied together into one amazing video:

I have posted stories about Queen in the past, and wanted to look back at those musical moments that will last forever – beginning with perhaps their most famous work:

“Bohemian Rhapsody!”

Talk about a mini-opera! The brilliant song has been parodied – and honored – in many movies and TV shows. The album it came from was “A Night At The Opera”, a unique masterpiece that showed the amazing range of the band…

“Bohemian Rhapsody” was written by Freddie Mercury, written down “in blocks” (using note names instead of sheets) on a phone book. The other band members recorded their parts, with no idea how their tracks would be used. According to Wikipedia, the operatic section was originally intended to be only a short interlude of “Galileos” that connected the ballad and hard rock portions of the song!

In case you forget just how great the song – and the music video are – well, then feast your eyes on it again:

“A Night At The Opera” is a wildly entertaining album, and you can see my track-by-track breakdown here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/02/23/queens-brilliant-night-at-the-opera-freddie-mercurys-musical-madness/

Of course, Queen had a long and successful career full of hits like “We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions”, “Somebody To Love” and “Radio Gaga”, but I love one song in particular:

“Flash!”

The cult film “Flash Gordon” will also be remembered for the terrific theme song that was a pure a “Queen sound” as you can get…and did you know that this guy was behind the creation of “Star Wars”?

Yes, if there hadn’t been a “Flash Gordon” serialized movie from the “good old days”, George Lucas wouldn’t have created this movie!

How is that possible! Well, it is! Read how “Flash Gordon” led to “Star Wars” by reading my story here:

https://johnrieber.com/2014/04/05/how-flash-gordon-created-star-wars-sam-jones-the-original-han-solo/

And of course, one of Queen’s greatest songs was co-written with this guy!

“Under Pressure!”

David Bowie’s collaboration with Queen on the classic hit “Under Pressure” was a story of wine-quelled madness, which you can read about here:

https://johnrieber.com/2016/01/16/david-bowie-meets-queen-the-brilliant-wine-fuelled-madness-of-under-pressure/

Leave me a message and tell me what your favorite Queen song is!