In Memory of Terence Stamp (1938-2025)

Terence Stamp (1938-2025)

British actor Terence Stamp has died at the age of 87. He was best known for his roles as General Zod in the first two "Superman" films and Bernadette in "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert."

Born on 22 July 1938 in Stepney, East London, to a working-class family, Stamp initially attended a grammar school before embarking on a career in advertising. After winning a scholarship to study at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, he secured his first film role in "Billy Budd" in 1962. He later received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a Golden Globe for Most Promising Male Newcomer for the movie. Stamp subsequently starred in "The Collector," "Modesty Blaise," and "Far From the Madding Crowd," as he emerged as one of the most prominent icons of 1960s London. He had romantic relationships with supermodel Jean Shrimpton and actresses Brigitte Bardot and Julie Christie, the latter of whom was his co-star in "Far From the Madding Crowd."

In 1978, after being out of work for eight years, Terence Stamp jumped at the opportunity to play the malevolent Kryptonian General Zod in Richard Donner's "Superman" and its sequel, "Superman II." Stamp's role as Zod was not his only appearance in a DC Comics production, as decades later, he lent his voice to Jor-El in the 2000s TV series "Smallville."

Stamp appeared in several mainstream films during the 1980s, including "Wall Street," "Young Guns," "Legal Eagles," and "Alien Nation." He shared the screen with John Hurt and Tim Roth (making his debut) in director Stephen Frears' 1984 crime film, "The Hit."

In 1994, he impressed critics and audiences alike with his groundbreaking portrayal of trans woman and drag queen Bernadette Bassenger opposite Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce in the Australian road comedy "The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert," which earned him Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations. In 1999, he played Supreme Chancellor Valorum in "Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace," which he later described as a "dull experience." That same year, he was also one of the actors in the comedy "Bowfinger" opposite Steve Martin and Eddie Murphy. He also starred in Steven Soderbergh's crime thriller "The Limey," playing an English criminal who comes to the US to uncover the truth behind his daughter's death. For this role, he earned more recognition.

After appearing in "The Phantom Menace" and "The Limey," Stamp made further film appearances in "Red Planet," "The Haunted Mansion," and "Elektra," in which he played the blind sensei Sticks alongside Jennifer Garner as the eponymous Marvel Comics assassin.

In recent years, he appeared in films such as "Wanted," "Get Smart," "Yes Man," "Valkyrie," "Big Eyes," "The Adjustment Bureau," and "Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children." His last film role was in the 2021 psychological thriller "Last Night in Soho," directed by Edgar Wright. In addition to appearing on television and stage, Stamp also lent his voice to video games, such as "Halo 3" and "The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion."

Back to Home

In Memory of David Stratton (1939-2025)

 

David Stratton (1939-2025)

Dear moviegoers and fellow critics, it is with a heavy heart that I must convey the unfortunate news that has led us to this point. David Stratton, 85, a veteran film critic, writer, and lecturer known for his decades-long collaboration with Margaret Pomeranz on Australian television, has passed away. I never had the chance to meet him in person, but I wish I had because I would have loved to chat with him about his style of film critique.

David Stratton was born in England in 1939. He immigrated to Australia in 1963 as part of an initiative known as the 'Ten Pound Poms' migration scheme. His passion for film began in his youth and blossomed into a career that garnered acclaim from the industry's most renowned figures.

Between 1984 and 2004, he appeared alongside Margaret Pomeranz on SBS's "The Movie Show," using a format popularised by US film critics Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert. Together, the duo became a fixture of Australian culture, regularly appearing on screen to offer their opinions even though many viewers had no intention of watching the films in question. In particular, the disagreements between Strattom and Pomeranz proved memorable – to the extent that viewers identified as either a "David person" or a "Margaret person."

In 2004, Stratton and Pomeranz began hosting "At the Movies" on ABC, a role they held for a decade before stepping down in 2014.

In 2015, Stratton earned the title Member of the Order of Australia. However, among his many achievements, arguably the one he was most proud of was his lifelong battle against movie censorship, which he fought long after ceasing to appear on the Australian screen.

After 30 years of hosting TV programmes, 35 years teaching world cinema at the University of Sydney, and 33 years writing reviews for The Weekend Australian, Stratton announced his retirement in 2023 due to poor health.

Here is a clip of his infamous review of "The Castle."

Back to Home

In Memory of Julian McMahon (1968-2025)

Julian McMahon (1968-2025)

Australian actor Julian McMahon has died. He was 56. The actor rose to fame in the television series "Charmed," "Nip/Tuck," and "FBI: Most Wanted," but perhaps he is best known for his portrayal of the supervillain Doctor Doom in the original "Fantastic Four" duology.

McMahon was born in Sydney in 1968. He was the son of former Australian Prime Minister Sir William "Billy" McMahon. Despite coming from a political background, the actor always enjoyed being in the spotlight and has never followed his father's footsteps by entering politics or becoming a Liberal Party powerbroker. McMahon studied law at the University of Sydney. But his natural good looks secured him modelling gigs. He worked as a model in fashion hotspots such as London, Paris, and Milan until his father passed away in 1988. Following this, he left Europe to return to Australia. In the late 1980s, McMahon first appeared on the short-lived Seven Network soap opera "The Power and the Passion," playing Kane Edmonds. It marked his foray into acting. His next role was Ben Lucini in "Home and Away," which he played from 1990 to 1991.

He embarked on his feature film career with a role in the 1992 comedy "Exchange Lifeguards" (renamed in the US as "Wet and Wild Summer!") opposite Elliot Gould. He progressed to US television, appearing in shows such as "Another World," "Profiler," and "Will & Grace." Wider recognition came when he played the half-human, half-demon assassin Cole Turner in the hit supernatural series "Charmed," appearing in the show from 2000 to 2003, with a brief return in 2005. Later, he appeared in the racy medical drama "Nip/Tuck" as the arrogant plastic surgeon Dr. Christian Troy. From 2003 to 2010, the show lasted for six seasons and earned McMahon a Golden Globe nomination. In 2005 and 2007, he portrayed the Marvel supervillain Doctor Doom in the two films of the "Fantastic Four" franchise by 20th Century Fox.

The actor also appeared as special agent and team leader Jess LaCroix in the CBS crime drama "FBI: Most Wanted" for three seasons before exiting the show in 2022. His other film roles include "Chasing Sleep," "RED," "Faces in the Crowd," and "The Surfer."

McMahon was married three times. His first marriage was to Australian singer Dannii Minogue in 1994, and his second to actress Brooke Burns, with whom he has a daughter.

Back to Home

In Memory of Michael Madsen (1957-2025)

Michael Madsen (1957-2025)

The gravel-voiced character actor Michael Madsen, who often played sneering tough guys in Quentin Tarantino's films, such as "Reservoir Dogs" and "Kill Bill," died. He was 67. Marsden has racked up dozens of screen roles in an acting career of more than 40 years. However, he most frequently collaborated with Tarantino, who selected him for roles, such as a deranged thief in "Reservoir Dogs" and a washed-up hitman in the two "Kill Bill" movies.

Born in Chicago on September 25, 1957, Michael is the son of a firefighter and a filmmaker. Virginia Madsen, an Oscar-nominated actress, was one of his siblings. His professional journey began at Chicago's renowned Steppenwolf Theatre, where he honed his craft under the mentorship of John Malkovich. This experience opened the door to minor film roles, such as "WarGames" and "The Natural." Madsen's subsequent breakthrough came with the low-budget crime thriller "Reservoir Dogs," a film that launched Tarantino's career and contributed to the transformation of the Sundance Film Festival from a small-scale event to a major Hollywood hotspot. 

His performance as the psychotic and trigger-happy Mr. Blonde secured Madsen an everlasting place in film history. He famously played Budd, a former elite assassin who eventually finds himself working as a low-rent bouncer and living in a trailer, in "Kill Bill: Volumes 1" and "2," which allowed him to showcase his dramatic talents.

Madsen collaborated with Tarantino on the violent western "The Hateful Eight" and "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood."

Madsen also appeared in other films, such as "The Doors," "Thelma & Louise," the family film "Free Willy," "Donnie Brasco," the 2002 Bond movie "Die Another Day," "Sin City," and "Scary Movie 4." Additionally, Marsden has voiced characters in video games such as "Grand Theft Auto III," the "Dishonored" series, and "Crime Boss: Rockay City."

Back to Home

In Memory of Kenneth Colley (1937-2025)

Kenneth Colley (1937-2025)

The English film and television actor Kenneth Colley has died. He was 87. People mostly remember him for playing Admiral Piett, an Imperial officer in command of Darth Vader's flagship in the two "Star Wars" movies, "The Empire Strikes Back" and "Return of the Jedi." The actor's agent confirmed that he had died peacefully in his home in Kent, UK, after falling ill with pneumonia following a bout of COVID-19.

At the start of his career, he had roles in episodes of "The Rivals of Sherlock Holmes," "Special Branch," "The Sweeney," and "Pennies from Heaven." Colley became part of the "Star Wars" saga in 1980, when he played one of Darth Vader's Imperial officers in "The Empire Strikes Back." In 1983, the actor would reprise his role in "Return of the Jedi." In later years, Colley returned to voice the character in the 2012 animated TV movie "Lego Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Out."

Additionally, Colley played Jesus in the 1979 Monty Python film "Life of Brian" and appeared in numerous productions by director Ken Russell. Colley also starred in other movies, including Clint Eastwood's "Firefox," "War and Remembrance," "Measure for Measure," "Return to Waterloo," "The Whistle Blower," "The Plot to Kill Hitler," and "The Rainbow." In 2007, he directed the horror movie "Greetings," which featured Kirsty Cox, Henry Dunn, and Ben Shockley.

May the force be with you, Kenneth.

Back to Home

In Memory of Lalo Schifrin (1932-2025)

Lalo Schifrin (1932-2025)

Lalo Schifrin, the composer behind the memorable theme for "Mission: Impossible" and film scores like "Cool Hand Luke," "Bullitt," and "Dirty Harry," died on June 26, 2025. He was 93.

An Argentinian by birth, Schifrin was among the first to blend jazz and rock to create music for film and television. Over the decades, he has produced a wealth of music, numerous films, TV shows, and more than 40 TV movies and miniseries. However, his most notable contribution was perhaps the instantly recognisable theme tune to the television series "Mission: Impossible." In 1968, the soundtrack became a bestseller, and the theme peaked at #41 on the Billboard Pop Charts, earning two Grammy Awards. Years later, the song appeared in the "Mission: Impossible" film series starring Tom Cruise. Schifrin composed music scores for movies like "The Cincinnati Kid," "Cool Hand Luke," "Bullitt," "THX 1138," "Enter the Dragon," "The Four Musketeers," "Rollercoaster," "The Amityville Horror," "The Osterman Weekend," "Rush Hour" and its two sequels, "Tango," and "Bringing Down the House" and has been nominated for six Oscars. He even scored films that starred Clint Eastwood, such as the "Dirty Harry" series.

In 2018, he received an honorary Oscar, becoming only the third composer to do so.

Back to Home

In Memory of Val Kilmer (1959-2025)

Val Kilmer (1959-2025)

Val Kilmer, the renowned actor known for his roles in "Top Gun," "The Doors," "Tombstone," and "Batman Forever," has died. He was 65. His daughter, Mercedes, told the US media that the actor had passed away from pneumonia.

Kilmer was born in Los Angeles to a middle-class family on December 31, 1959. He was the youngest student admitted to the Juilliard School acting program. His first roles were "Top Secret!" and "Real Genius." However, his breakthrough performance came in "Top Gun," where he played the arrogant naval pilot Iceman alongside Tom Cruise.

In 1991, he established himself as a leading man by portraying the legendary rock star Jim Morrison in Oliver Stone's biopic "The Doors." He followed it up with a star-studded run of '90s films, which included "Tombstone," "True Romance," and "Heat" opposite Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. In 1995, Kilmer received the biggest challenge of his acting career when he replaced Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader in "Batman Forever." The film grossed at the box office but received mixed reviews, and Kilmer declined to appear in the next Batman movie. Instead, he starred as the master criminal and master of disguise in 1997's "The Saint," based on the books by Leslie Charteris, which also inspired the 1960s TV series starring Roger Moore. In 1998, he also voiced Moses and God in the DreamWorks animated movie "The Prince of Egypt." With several films, such as "The Island of Dr. Moreau" and "Red Planet," underperforming and his reputation for being difficult on set, Kilmer's stardom began to falter.

Throughout the 2000s, he primarily worked in smaller indie films, including "The Salton Sea" and "Kiss Kiss Bang Bang" opposite Robert Downey Jr., as well as in supporting roles in larger films, such as Oliver Stone's "Alexander" and "Deja Vu." He starred as John Holmes, a porn star, in "Wonderland" and appeared with Nicolas Cage in "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans."

In later years, he faced health issues and was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014. Though he recovered after several surgeries, his voice was never the same. Kilmer starred in several direct-to-video films, but another actor dubbed his character's voice. In 2021, he did a retrospective on his career in the documentary "Val." But his last appearance on the big screen is back where it all started, a cameo role alongside Tom Cruise in 2022's "Top Gun: Maverick."

Kilmer was married to British actress Joanna Whalley, with whom they had co-starred in movies like "Willow" and "Kill Me Again." The couple had two children. Their names were Mercedes and Jack. But after eight years of marriage, they divorced.

Back to Home

Winners of the 97th Academy Awards

Now, here are the winners of the 97th Academy Awards.

This year's Oscars had 23 categories, and the biggest winner was Anora. It won Best Picture (which the award should have been for Wicked), Best Director, Best Actress, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing. As I predicted, Wicked won Best Costume Design, and Dune: Part Two won Best Visual Effects. However, I didn't expect The Wild Robot to lose the Best Animated Feature award to the now-obvious contender, Flow. I enjoyed watching the ceremony.

Best Visual Effects

Dune: Part Two - Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, and Gerd Nefzer

Best Film Editing

Anora - Sean Baker

Best Costume Design

Wicked - Paul Tazewell

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

The Substance - Pierre-Oliver Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarseli

Best Cinematography

The Brutalist - Lol Crawley

Best Production Design

Wicked - Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Best Sound

Dune: Part Two - Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett, and Doug Hemphill

Best Original Song

"El Mal" from Emilia Pérez - Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard

Best Original Score

The Brutalist - Daniel Blumberg

Best Animated Short Film

In the Shadow of the Cypress - Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi

Best Live-Action Short Film

I'm Not a Robot - Victoria Warmerdam and Trent

Best Documentary Short Film

The Only Girl in the Orchestra - Molly O'Brien and Lisa Remington

Best Documentary Feature Film

No Other Land - Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, and Yuval Abraham

Best International Feature Film

I'm Still Here (Brazil) in Portuguese - Directed by Walter Salles

Best Animated Feature Film

Flow - Gints Zilbalodis, Ron Dyens, Matiss Kaza, and Gregory Zalcman

Best Adapted Screenplay

Conclave - Peter Straughan; based on the novel by Robert Harris

Best Original Screenplay

Anora - Sean Baker

Best Supporting Actress

Zoe Saldana - Emilia Pérez as Rita Mora Castro

Best Supporting Actor

Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain as Benji Kaplan

Best Actress

Mikey Madison - Anora as Anora "Ani" Mikheeva

Best Actor

Adrien Brody - The Brutalist as László Tóth

Best Director

Sean Baker - Anora

Best Picture

Anora - Alex Cocos, Samantha Quan, and Sean Baker, producers

Honorary Awards

Quincy Jones

Juliet Taylor

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

Richard Curtis

Back to Home

In Memory of Gene Hackman (1930-2025)

Gene Hackman (1930-2025)

The actor Gene Hackman died in 2025. He was 95. The two-time Oscar-winning veteran actor was reportedly found dead in his home in New Mexico with his wife and dog. The cause of their deaths was unknown. An intense character actor with a storied career spanning five decades, he was best known for his subtle performances in movies like "The French Connection" and "Unforgiven."

As a teenager, Hackman lied about his age to join the Marines, where he served for nearly five years. After the military, he lived and worked in New York. He majored in journalism and television production at the University of Illinois before deciding to relocate to California to fulfil his dream of acting. Hackman attended the Pasadena Playhouse in California, where he befriended a young Dustin Hoffman. In 1963, he returned to New York and appeared in off-Broadway productions and minor television roles. His movie acting career began in the 1960s, starting with "Lilith" opposite Warren Beatty. Fascinated by his performance, Beatty cast him as his brother, Buck Barrow, in "Bonnie & Clyde." It earned him his first Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He even scored a nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his role in "I Never Sang for My Father" in 1971. It is the same year that Hackman played the gruff New York detective, Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle, in director William Friedkin's "The French Connection" that cemented his status as a leading man. It won him an Oscar for Best Actor. He reprised his role in "The French Connection II" in 1975. Hackman continued being a box office staple, appearing in films like "The Poseidon Adventure," "The Conversation," and "Night Moves."

Aside from playing tough guys, Gene also had a knack for comedy in "Young Frankenstein" and villainy as Superman's archnemesis Lex Luthor in 1978's "Superman: The Movie" and its 1980 and 1987 sequels. He also enjoyed another successful decade in the 80s, especially for his role in "Mississippi Burning," for which he earned another Best Actor Oscar nomination. In 1992, Hackman portrayed the violent sheriff, Bill Daggett, in Clint Eastwood's western "Unforgiven," which earned him another Oscar, this time as Best Supporting Actor. Hackman also appeared in movies like "Hoosiers," "The Firm" opposite Tom Cruise, "The Quick and the Dead," "Crimson Tide" with Denzel Washington, "Get Shorty" with John Travolta, "The Birdcage" with Nathan Lane and Robin Williams, and "Enemy of the State" with Will Smith.

He continued to work in the early 2000s and attracted audiences with "The Royal Tenenbaums." For the first and only time, he and former flatmate Dustin Hoffman appeared on screen together in "Runaway Jury." His last film role was as Monroe Cole in "Welcome to Mooseport" in 2004, after which he retired from acting and settled into a quieter life in New Mexico. In 2002, Hackman accepted a Lifetime Achievement Award for his accomplishments in Hollywood.

Back to Home

97th Academy Awards

Broadcast Date: 3rd March 2025 - Australia

Hello everyone. After being postponed twice by the LA fires, the 2025 nominations for the 97th Academy Awards are finally here. Conan O'Brien will host this year's ceremony. Leading up the categories this year is the international film from France, Emilia Pérez.

Best Visual Effects

Alien: Romulus - Eric Barba, Nelson Sepulveda-Fauser, Daniel Macarin, and Shane Mahan

Better Man - Luke Millar, David Clayton, Keith Herft, and Peter Stubbs

Dune: Part Two - Paul Lambert, Stephen James, Rhys Salcombe, and Gerd Nefzer

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes - Erik Winquist, Stephen Unterfranz, Paul Story, and Rodney Burke

Wicked - Pablo Helman, Jonathan Fawkner, David Shirk, and Paul Corbould

Best Film Editing

Anora - Sean Baker

The Brutalist - Dávid Jancsó

Conclave - Nick Emerson

Emilia Pérez - Juliette Welfling

Wicked - Myron Kerstein

Best Costume Design

A Complete Unknown - Arienne Phillips

Conclave - Lisy Christl

Gladiator II - Janty Yates and Dave Crossman

Nosferatu - Linda Muir

Wicked - Paul Tazewell

Best Makeup and Hairstyling

A Different Man - Mike Marino, David Presto, and Crystal Jurado

Emilia Pérez - Julia Floch Carbonel, Emmanuel Janvier, and Jean-Christophe Spadaccini

Nosferatu - David White, Traci Loader, and Suzanne Stokes-Munton

The Substance - Pierre-Oliver Persin, Stéphanie Guillon, and Marilyne Scarseli

Wicked - Frances Hannon, Laura Blount, and Sarah Nuth

Best Cinematography

The Brutalist - Lol Crawley

Dune: Part Two - Greig Fraser

Emilia Pérez - Paul Guilhaune

Maria - Ed Lachman

Nosferatu - Jarin Blaschke

Best Production Design

The Brutalist - Production Design: Judy Becker; Set Decoration: Patricia Cuccia

Conclave - Production Design: Suzie Davies; Set Decoration: Cynthia Sleiter

Dune: Part Two - Production Design: Patrice Vermette; Set Decoration: Shane Vieau

Nosferatu - Production Design: Craig Lathrop; Set Decoration: Beatrice Brentnerová

Wicked - Production Design: Nathan Crowley; Set Decoration: Lee Sandales

Best Sound

A Complete Unknown - Tod A. Maitland, Donald Sylvester, Ted Caplan, Paul Massey, and David Giammarco

Dune: Part Two - Gareth John, Richard King, Ron Bartlett, and Doug Hemphill

Emilia Pérez - Erwan Kerzanet, Aymeric Devoldère, Maxence Dussère, Cyril Holtz, and Niels Barletta

Wicked - Simon Hayes, Nancy Nugent Title, Jack Dolman, Andy Nelson, and John Marquis

The Wild Robot - Randy Thom, Brian Chumney, Gary A. Rizzo, and Leff Lefferts

Best Original Song

"El Mal" from Emilia Pérez - Music by Clément Ducol and Camille; Lyrics by Clément Ducol, Camille, and Jacques Audiard

"The Journey" from The Six Triple Eight - Music and Lyrics by Diane Warren

"Like a Bird" from Sing Sing - Music and Lyrics by Abraham Alexander and Adrian Quesada

"Mi Camino" from Emilia Pérez - Music and Lyrics by Clément Ducol and Camille

"Never Too Late" from Elton John: Never Too Late - Music and Lyrics by Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Andrew Watt, and Bernie Taupin

Best Original Score

The Brutalist - Daniel Blumberg

Conclave - Volker Bertelmann

Emilia Pérez - Clément Ducol and Camille;

Wicked - John Powell and Stephen Schwartz

The Wild Robot - Kris Bowers

Best Animated Short Film

Beautiful Men - Nicolas Keppens and Brecht Van Eslande

In the Shadow of the Cypress - Shirin Sohani and Hossein Molayemi

Magic Candies - Daisuke Nishio and Takashi Washio

Wander to Wonder - Nina Gantz and Stienette Bosklopper

Yuck! - Loic Espuche and Juliette Marquet

Best Live-Action Short Film

A Lien - Sam & David Cutler-Kreutz

Anuja - Adam J. Graves and Suchitra Mattai

I'm Not a Robot - Victoria Warmerdam and Trent

The Last Ranger - Cindy Lee and Darwin Shaw

The Man Who Could Not Remain Silent - Nebojša Slijepčević and Danijel Pek

Best Documentary Short Film

Death by Numbers - Kim A. Snyder and Janique L. Robillard

I Am Ready, Warden - Smriti Mundhra and Maya Gnyp

Incident - Bill Morrison and Jamie Kalven

Instruments of a Beating Heart - Ema Ryan Yamazaki and Eric Nyari

The Only Girl in the Orchestra - Molly O'Brien and Lisa Remington

Best Documentary Feature Film

Black Box Diaries - Shiori Itō, Eric Nayari, and Hanna Aqvilin

No Other Land - Basel Adra, Rachel Szor, Hamdan Ballal, and Yuval Abraham

Porcelain War - Brendan Bellomo, Slava Leontyev, Aniela Sidorska, and Paula DuPré Pesmen

Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat - Johan Grimonprez, Daan Milius, and Rémi Grelley

Sugarcane - Julian Brave NoiseCat, Emily Kassie, and Kellen Quinn

Best International Feature Film

Emilia Pérez (France) - Directed by Jacques Audiard

Flow (Latvia) - Directed by Gints Zilbalodis

The Girl with the Needle (Denmark) in Danish - Directed by Magnus von Horn

I'm Still Here (Brazil) in Portuguese - Directed by Walter Salles

The Seed of the Sacred Fig (Germany) in Persian - Directed by Mohammad Rasoulof

Best Animated Feature Film

Flow - Gints Zilbalodis, Ron Dyens, Matiss Kaza, and Gregory Zalcman

Inside Out 2 - Kelsey Mann and Mark Nielsen

Memoir of a Snail - Adam Elliot and Liz Kearney

Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl - Nick Park, Merlin Crossingham, and Richard Beek

The Wild Robot - Chris Sanders and Jeff Hermann

Best Adapted Screenplay

A Complete Unknown - James Mangold and Jay Cocks; based on the book Dylan Goes Electric! by Elijah Wald

Conclave - Peter Straughan; based on the novel by Robert Harris

Emilia Pérez - Jacques Audiard; in collaboration with Thomas Bidegain, Léa Mysius, and Nicolas Livecchi; based on the opera libretto by Jacques Audiard

Nickel Boys - RaMell Ross and Joslyn Barnes; based on the novel The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead

Sing Sing - Screenplay by Greg Kwedar and Clint Bentley; story by Greg Kwedar, Clint Bentley, Clarence Maclin, and John "Divine G" Whitfield; based on the book The Sing Sing Follies by John H. Richardson

Best Original Screenplay

Anora - Sean Baker

The Brutalist - Brady Corbet and Mona Fastvold

A Real Pain - Jesse Eisenberg

September 5 - Moritz Binder and Tim Fehlbaum; co-written by Alex David

The Substance - Coralie Fargeat

Best Supporting Actress

Monica Barbaro - A Complete Unknown as Joan Baez

Ariana Grande - Wicked as Galinda "Glinda" Upland

Felicity Jones - The Brutalist as Erzsébet Tóth

Isabella Rossellini - Conclave as Sister Agnes

Zoe Saldana - Emilia Pérez as Rita Mora Castro

Best Supporting Actor

Yuri Borisov - Anora as Igor

Kieran Culkin - A Real Pain as Benji Kaplan

Edward Norton - A Complete Unknown as Pete Seeger

Guy Pearce - The Brutalist as Harrison Lee Van Buren Sr.

Jeremy Strong - The Apprentice as Roy Cohn

Best Actress

Cynthia Erivo - Wicked as Elphaba Thropp

Karla Sofia Gascón - Emilia Pérez as Emilia Pérez/Juan "Manitas" Del Monte

Mikey Madison - Anora as Anora "Ani" Mikheeva

Demi Moore - The Substance as Elisabeth Sparkle

Fernanda Torres - I'm Still Here as Eunice Paiva

Best Actor

Adrien Brody - The Brutalist as László Tóth

Timothée Chalamet - A Complete Unknown as Bob Dylan

Colman Domingo - Sing Sing as John "Divine G" Whitfield

Ralph Fiennes - Conclave as Cardinal Thomas Lawrence

Sebastian Stan - The Apprentice as Donald Trump

Best Director

Sean Baker - Anora

Brady Corbet - The Brutalist

James Mangold - A Complete Unknown

Jacques Audiard - Emilia Pérez

Coralie Fargeat - The Substance

Best Picture

Anora - Alex Cocos, Samantha Quan, and Sean Baker, producers

The Brutalist - Nick Gordon, D.J. Gugenheim, Andrew Lauren, Trevor Matthews and Brian Young, producers

A Complete Unknown - Fred Berger, James Mangold, and Alex Heineman, producers

Conclave - Tessa Ross, Juliette Howell, and Michael A. Jackman, producers

Dune: Part Two - Mary Parent, Cale Boyter, Tanya Lapointe, and Denis Villeneuve, producers

Emilia Pérez - Jacques Audiard, Pascal Caucheteux, Valérie Schermann, and Anthony Vaccarello, producers

I'm Still Here - Maria Carlota Bruno, Martine De Clermont-Tonnerre, and Rodrigo Teixeira, producers

Nickel Boys - Joslyn Barnes, Dede Gardner, Jeremy Kleiner, and David Levine, producers

The Substance - Tim Bevan, Coralie Fargeat, and Eric Fellner, producers

Wicked - Marc Platt, producer

Honorary Awards

Quincy Jones

Juliet Taylor

Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award

Barbara Broccoli and Michael G. Wilson

Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award

Richard Curtis

Make sure you let me know who the winners are. My predictions for the winners of the following categories are

Best Visual Effects - Dune: Part Two

Best Production Design - Dune: Part Two

Best Costume Design - Wicked

Best Cinematography - Dune: Part Two

Best Animated Feature for The Wild Robot

Best Actor - Timothée Chalamet for A Complete Unknown

Best Director - James Mangold for A Complete Unknown

Best Picture - Wicked

Back to Home

In Memory of David Lynch (1946-2025)

David Lynch (1946-2025)

The acclaimed film director David Lynch has died. He was 78 years old. His family announced his death on his Facebook account. He suffered from emphysema from years of smoking when he announced his diagnosis in 2024. Known for his dark, unsettling, and surrealistic vision, Lynch was responsible for movies such as "Blue Velvet" and "Mulholland Drive" and is the co-creator of the landmark television series "Twin Peaks." Lynch's opulent, unsettling, and unfathomable works, packed with dream sequences and quirky visuals, have positioned him as a master of surrealism and one of the most original filmmakers of his time.

A native of Missoula, Montana, Lynch began his career in painting before turning to short film in the 1960s. In 1977, Lynch made his name with "Eraserhead," his first full-length movie, a chilling, darkly humorous work that became an unsettling staple of the midnight cinema circuit. His unconventional and uncompromising style quickly attracted the attention of Hollywood and the international film industry.

It was then that Mel Brooks appointed Lynch to write and direct "The Elephant Man," a strange and poignant biopic about a hideously deformed sideshow freak who is thrust into the limelight and becomes a national celebrity in Victorian England. The movie received eight Oscar nominations, including Lynch's first for Best Director. Unfortunately, he failed to achieve the same success with his 1984 adaptation of Frank Herbert's expansive sci-fi novel "Dune." It was a massive box-office bomb, produced on a $40 million budget over an excruciating three-year shoot. In later years, the film would receive a cult following. After that debacle, Lynch bounced back with two movies that defined his signature style, including the provocative neo-noir mystery thriller "Blue Velvet" and the sexy, violent road movie "Wild at Heart."

In 1990, Lynch and Mark Frost launched the supernatural murder-mystery series "Twin Peaks," breaking new ground for things not shown on television. The show lasted two seasons, spawning the film prequel "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me." Twenty-five years later, the show returned for a limited third season, thanks to the enduring affection of a dedicated fanbase. Later in his career, he helmed more films such as "Lost Highway," "The Straight Story," "Mulholland Drive," and "Inland Empire." In 2022, Lynch made a cameo appearance as another legendary director, John Ford, in Steven Spielberg's autobiographical movie "The Fabelmans." In 2019, after being nominated four times, Lynch received an Honorary Oscar Award for lifetime achievement.

The whole world is going to miss his style.

Back to Home

In Memory of Kris Kristofferson (1936-2024)

Kris Kristofferson (1936-2024)

Kris Kristofferson, the Hollywood actor and legendary country musician, has died at the age of 88. His family confirmed his passing.

While his music career began in the late 1960s, Kristofferson turned to acting. Starting in the early 1970s with films such as "The Last Movie," "Cisco Pike," "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid," and "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." However, his significant role in his film career was as a washed-up country musician in the 1976 version of "A Star Is Born." He went on to appear in "Semi-Tough," "Convoy," the box office misfire "Heaven's Gate," the 2001 remake of "Planet of the Apes," and the last two "Blade" films. His final movie role was Edwin Fuller in Ethan Hawke's 2018 biopic "Blaze," which focuses on the life of country musician Blaze Foley.

Back to Home

In Memory of Maggie Smith (1934-2024)

Maggie Smith (1934-2024)

The Oscar-winning British actress Dame Maggie Smith, best known for her roles in the "Harry Potter" film series and "Downton Abbey," has died. She was 89 years old. Her sons, actors Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, announced her passing to the press.

Born on 28th December 1934 as Margaret Natalie Smith in Ilford, Essex, she was the daughter of a pathologist. The family moved to Oxford as war approached, and young Maggie attended the Oxford School for Girls. Smith began her theatrical career as a prompt girl and understudy at the Oxford Repertory. At one point, she suggested that no one in her company ever got sick, so Smith never went on stage during her time there. In 1955, her company relocated to a small theatre in London where she caught the attention of an American producer, Leonard Stillman, who cast her in a revue, New Faces, which opened on Broadway in June 1956. Between 1957 and 1958, Smith held the lead comedian role in the London revue "Share My Lettuce." She soon became a regular at London's Old Vic Theatre.

In 1956, Smith made her first film appearance in an uncredited part in "Child in the House." Two years later, she earned a BAFTA nomination for Best Newcomer for the 1958 melodrama "Nowhere to Go," in which she portrayed a girl who hides an escaped convict. In "The VIPs," Smith almost upstaged Richard Burton when sharing a pivotal scene with the Welsh actor. Subsequently, in 1963, she received an offer from actor Laurence Olivier to play Desdemona opposite his titular character in the stage version of Othello at the National Theatre. Two years later, the play became a film adaptation with the original cast, for which Smith received an Academy Award nomination. However, it was in 1969 that she played the role that catapulted her into international fame, that of the unconventional schoolteacher in "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie," for which she received an Oscar for Best Actress.

For two more years, the actress continued her association with the National Theatre, including a role as Mrs Sullen in the Restoration comedy "The Beaux' Stratagem" in Los Angeles. She received another Best Actress Oscar nomination for her performance as Aunt Augusta in George Cukor's 1972 film "Travels with My Aunt." In 1978, she won a second Academy Award, this time for Best Supporting Actress, for her performance in Neil Simon's "California Suite." She appeared in the ensemble murder mystery parody "Murder by Death" and the Agatha Christie adaptation "Death on the Nile," along with the sequel "Evil Under the Sun," both starring Peter Ustinov as Hercule Poirot. By the 1980s, she had a string of unforgettable film roles and more accolades, including BAFTAs for "A Private Function" and "A Room With A View," the latter of which earned her a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination. She also appeared in "Bed Among The Lentils," one of the episodes of Alan Bennett's "Talking Heads" series for the BBC.

In 1990, Smith became Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire by the Queen and was known as Dame Maggie Smith. Afterwards, she appeared in Steven Spielberg's "Hook" as the elderly Wendy Darling to the dismissive Mother Superior opposite Whoopi Goldberg in the two "Sister Act" movies. She also appeared in "The Secret Garden," "Richard III," "The First Wives Club," "Washington Square," and "The Last September."

At the turn of the century, she played Betsey Trotwood in the BBC adaptation of "David Copperfield," for which she received a BAFTA and an Emmy nomination. In 2001, she achieved the peak of her worldwide fame when she played in what would become her most well-known role as Professor Minerva McGonagall, the shape-shifting Hogwarts teacher in "Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone." Smith continued to bring her magic to the character in seven more films in the franchise. That same year, she starred in Robert Altman's English country house drama "Gosford Park," which earned her final Oscar nomination. During the shooting of "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" in 2007, Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer but recovered after two years of treatment.

She again won acclaim on both sides of the Atlantic for her performance as the sharp-tongued Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, in Julian Fellowes's hit British period drama "Downton Abbey." The show ran for six seasons and won Smith three of her four Emmys and a Golden Globe. It spawned two films, the second of which came out in 2022 and was Smith's last appearance as the beloved character. Over the past several years, she has continued to work, appearing in films like "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel," "Quartet," and "The Lady in the Van." Her last film role in 2023 was opposite Kathy Bates and Laura Linney in "The Miracle Club."

Smith was twice married, once to actor Robert Stephens before they divorced in 1974 and again to playwright Beverley Cross, from 1975 until he died in 1998.

Back to Home

In Memory of James Earl Jones (1931-2024)

James Earl Jones (1931-2024)

Fellow bloggers and Star Wars fans, I have unfortunate news that will devastate you. The legendary actor James Earl Jones, the iconic voice of Darth Vader, has died. He was 93. His commanding presence has captivated audiences on stage and screen for seven decades. The actor's distinctive, powerful, booming voice left a lasting impression, breathing life into his notable roles, such as Vader in the "Star Wars" movie franchise and Mufasa in "The Lion King." I admired him so much that I often imitated his characters and remembered his lines as I thought about becoming a voice actor. For me, it was sad to lose him.

Jones was born in Arkabutla, Mississippi, and raised by his mother and grandparents. He had a severe stutter as a child, and he said he spent most of his childhood unable to speak because of it. It was not until his teen years that Jones gained his famous voice with the help of a high school teacher after overcoming his stammer. It was at the University of Michigan, from which he graduated in 1955 after two years in the army, that Jones discovered his love for acting. In 1957, he made his Broadway debut, after which he embarked on a career as a Shakespearean actor.

His first screen role was as Slim Pickens' young, trim flight crew member in Stanley Kubrick's black comedy "Dr. Strangelove." In 1968, he played boxing champion Jack Johnson in a stage production of "The Great White Hope," which netted him a Tony Award. Two years later, he would reprise the role in the screen adaptation, which later earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Actor, thereby becoming the second black actor, following Sidney Poitier, to be honoured. He also starred in the 1974 romantic comedy-drama "Claudine." However, his career changed forever when he gained international fame as the ominous voice of Darth Vader in "Star Wars." Initially, Jones wasn't the first choice to voice the intimidating Sith Lord, as George Lucas thought of Orson Welles, whom he realised was too recognisable and distracting for the character, as he needed someone with the right sinister voice. This role secured him a position in pop culture and allowed his voice to become one of the most iconic in the world. He continued voicing the character in subsequent Star Wars movies and the animated TV series "Star Wars Rebels."

Bodybuilder Dave Prowse, who portrayed the physical form of Darth Vader and wore the costume, claims he never knew James Earl Jones dubbed over his voice. However, Jones did not want to receive credit until the third instalment. Jones also appeared in notable films like "Conan the Barbarian" (with Arnold Schwarzenegger), "Matewan," "Coming to America" (with Eddie Murphy), "Field of Dreams" (with Kevin Costner), and "The Sandlot," and has a recurring role as Admiral Greer in "The Hunt for Red October," "Patriot Games," and "Clear and Present Danger." In 1994, Jones lent his voice as Mufasa in Disney's animated mega-hit "The Lion King." He would reprise the role 25 years later in the live-action remake, the only actor from the original voice cast to do so.

Jones was also a familiar face on television, playing the older Alex Haley in the miniseries "Roots: The Next Generation," and won one of his two Emmys for the leading role in the US drama "Gabriel's Fire." He was also one of the earliest guest stars of "Sesame Street" and occasionally lent his voice to a few episodes of "The Simpsons." Jones even lent his comedic chops in a guest role as himself in the sitcom "The Big Bang Theory." His voice also became a trademark of the Cable News Network when he recorded the promo "This is CNN" for the network.

In 2011, he received an Honorary Oscar. His last live-action movie was "Coming 2 America," in which Jones reprised his role as King Jaffe Joffe. By 2022, Jones stepped down as Darth Vader and cut a deal with Lucasfilm that allowed the studio to replicate his voice for the "Obi-Wan Kenobi" miniseries for Disney+. All subsequent roles of Darth Vader will use the Respeecher in this fashion.

Jones, wherever you are, you gave us a memorable voice, and we'll miss you for that. May the force be with you.

Back to Home

In Memory of Bob Newhart (1929-2024)

Bob Newhart (1929-2024)

On July 18, 2024, legendary comedian and actor Bob Newhart died. He was 94 years old. His publicist confirmed through a statement in a news article that Bob died following a battle with a series of short illnesses. He's most famous for shows like "Newhart" and "The Bob Newhart Show," but over the past 50 years, he's appeared in countless projects.

Originally an accountant who took up comedy, Newhart became famous in the 1960s for his dry observational humour and quirky delivery. In 1961, he won two Grammys for Best New Artist and Album of the Year for his breakout album, "The Button-Down Mind of Bob Newhart," which he recorded over several days in Houston before Newhart had any stand-up experience. He quickly moved on to television, becoming a household name with his own NBC variety series, "The Bob Newhart Show," in 1961, and went on to star in his sitcom, also called "The Bob Newhart Show," on CBS from 1972 to 1978. The actor had another popular sitcom, "Newhart," which lasted from 1982 to 1990.

Newhart has appeared in several movies, including "Catch-22," "In And Out," "Legally Blonde 2," "Elf" (in which he played Will Ferrell's diminutive adoptive father), and "Horrible Bosses." Throughout his career, he received nine Emmy nominations. But it wasn't until 2013 that he won a single acting Emmy for the role of Professor Proton in "The Big Bang Theory" in the Outstanding Guest Actor category. Newhart didn't retire and continued to appear on TV in recent years in "Big Bang" and "Young Sheldon," as well as "Hot in Cleveland" and "The Librarians."

In addition to appearing in films and shows since the '60s, Newhart lends his voice to animated projects, most notably as the voice of Bernard in Disney's "The Rescuers" and its sequel "The Rescuers Down Under," and even a guest spot in an episode of "The Simpsons."

Back to Home

In Memory of Shelley Duvall (1949-2024)

Shelley Duvall (1949-2024)

Shelley Duvall, the actress most famous for her role with Jack Nicholson in "The Shining," is dead. She was 75 years old.

Duvall attended junior college in her hometown of Houston before being discovered by some of director Robert Altman's crew at a party she was hosting. They brought her to Altman, who chose her to play teen temptress and Astrodome tour guide Suzanne Davis in "Brewster McCloud." Over the years, the childlike actress has worked with Altman, portraying characters in films like a mail-order bride in "McCabe and Mrs. Miller," a woman who has a fling with Keith Carradine's Mississippi bandit in "Thieves Likes Us," the hot-pants-loving L.A. groupie in "Nashville," Mrs. Francis Cleveland, the wife of President Grover Cleveland, in "Buffalo Bill and the Indians, or Sitting Bull's History Lesson," and "3 Women." In 1980, Duvall portrayed the iconic comic strip character Olive Oyl, the strong-willed damsel in distress, in Altman's live-action adaptation of "Popeye" opposite Robin Williams. That same year, she co-starred with Jack Nicholson as Wendy Torrance, the tormented wife and mother in Stanley Kubrick's famous movie adaptation of Stephen King's "The Shining." During the making of the film, Kubrick, a well-known perfectionist, was known for being difficult on the actress, with one harrowing scene reportedly shot in 127 takes.

She also appeared in "Annie Hall," "Time Bandits," and "Roxanne." In the 1990s, her acting roles dwindled, with Jane Campion's "The Portrait of a Lady" picking up the slack, and she fell from the public eye in 2002. While on a hiatus from acting, Duvall appeared in an interview on Dr Phil McGraw's talk show in 2016, where she disclosed that she struggled with mental illness. In 2022, after two decades away from acting, she returned to star in the horror film "The Forest Hills," which turned out to be her last.

Back to Home

In Memory of Donald Sutherland (1935-2024)

Donald Sutherland (1935-2024)

The veteran film and television actor Donald Sutherland, whose career spanned five decades, from "M*A*S*H" to "The Hunger Games," has died. He was 88 years old. His son, actor Kiefer Sutherland, confirmed his death on Thursday.

Born in St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, on July 17, 1935, Sutherland began working as a disc jockey at his local radio station at age 14. Originally an engineering student at the University of Toronto, Sutherland moved to England, where he started acting in school plays. In 1956, Sutherland began studying acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Arts. He then began appearing in West End plays and took minor roles in British film and television. Sutherland moved to Los Angeles and continued to drift until a series of war movies changed his trajectory. His first film in America was "The Dirty Dozen," where he played a psychopathic officer impersonator, Vernon Pinkley.

In 1970, both "Kelly's Heroes" and "M*A*S*H" premiered. The latter was a huge hit and spawned a successful TV series that thrust Sutherland into the spotlight. Sutherland's A-list status peaked in the 1970s as he starred in films by the best directors of the decade, although they didn't always do their best work with him. One of his best performances was that of a detective in Alan Pakula's "Klute." It was during the shooting of "Klute" that he met his co-star, actress Jane Fonda, with whom he had a three-year relationship. His next big film was Nicolas Roeg's psychological thriller "Don't Look Now," followed by the international spy comedy "S*P*Y*S" in 1974 and "Day of the Locust" in 1975. As his acting career took off, Sutherland acted in another big-budget war movie, "The Eagle Has Landed" with Michael Caine and Robert Duvall in 1976, and subsequently had a small part in John Landis' 1977 farce "The Kentucky Fried Movie," written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker, who later became directors of "Airplane!"

In 1978, Sutherland starred in three diverse movies, such as "The Great Train Robbery," a heist comedy with Sean Connery and Lesley-Anne Down, the horror-thriller remake "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" with Brooke Adams and Jeff Goldblum, and the much-loved early-'60s fraternity comedy "National Lampoon's Animal House," also directed by Landis. In the latter, he had a supporting but crucial part as a stoned professor of English literature. Following his star turn in the 1980 comedy "Nothing Personal" with Suzanne Somers from "Three's Company," Sutherland's next film was to be one of his greatest. In "Ordinary People," a generational drama that marked Robert Redford's directorial debut, which won four Oscars, including Best Picture, he played Calvin Jarrett, a man grieving for one son and coping with another's suicide attempt.

Throughout the 1980s, Sutherland continued to act in films. In 1991, he portrayed an imprisoned pyromaniac who aids investigators by saying that the arsonist they are hunting must also be a firefighter in Ron Howard's firefighter drama "Backdraft." In the 1990s, Sutherland appeared in such movies as "JFK," "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," and "Six Degrees of Separation." In 1995, he received an Emmy and a Golden Globe for playing Russian Colonel Mikhail Fetisov in HBO's serial-killer thriller telemovie "Citizen X," co-starring Stephen Rea and Max von Sydow. In the same year, he had a supporting role in Wolfgang Petersen's viral outbreak film "Outbreak" alongside Dustin Hoffman, Rene Russo, and Morgan Freeman.

He also scored an Emmy nomination for his lead role in Lifetime's 2006 miniseries "Human Trafficking," in which he co-starred with Mira Sorvino and Robert Carlyle. Sutherland kept appearing in "A Time to Kill," "Shadow Conspiracy," "Fallen," "Instinct," "The Italian Job (2003)," "Cold Mountain," "Fierce People," "Pride and Prejudice (2005)," and "Horrible Bosses." However, his next role would be his best-known. In 2012, Sutherland took on the role of President Coriolanus Snow in "The Hunger Games," which he then reprised in the sequels "Catching Fire" and "Mockingjay Parts 1" and "2" as the main antagonist. The films based on Suzanne Collins's YA novels were international hits. They broke box office records and catapulted their lead actress, Jennifer Lawrence, to stardom. For the rest of his life, Sutherland continued to appear in films, such as "Ad Astra" and "Moonfall," while also making several appearances on the small screen.

Sutherland was married three times and fathered five children. Three of them, including Kiefer, would follow in their father's footsteps as actors. Although he never received an Oscar nomination, he won an Honorary Oscar in 2017.

Back to Home

In Memory of Morgan Spurlock (1970-2024)

Morgan Spurlock (1970-2024)

Morgan Spurlock, the man behind the fast food documentary "Super Size Me," has died after a private battle with cancer. He was 53. Spurlock's career as a director has been varied and erratic. His documentary changed people's minds about fast food and how it affects them. It also prompted many outlets to improve their healthier options.

A native of Parkesburg, West Virginia, the future filmmaker grew up in Beckley, where he attended Woodrow Wilson High School. He completed his studies at New York University in 1993.

In his first movie, "Super Size Me," Spurlock examines obesity and unhealthy food choices in America by experimenting on himself and chronicling the effects of an all-fast-food diet. He ate only McDonald's for a month with dozens of Big Macs and Chicken McNuggets and drank gallons of cola. This unhealthy diet gained him 25 pounds of weight, and he claims that it has damaged his liver. McDonald's described Spurlock's eating habits as "unrealistic," but after the controversy surrounding the film, they scrapped their supersized portions. However, the film earned the Best Documentary Feature Oscar nomination and the first Writers Guild of America Award for Best Documentary Screenplay.

His success with "Super Size Me" encouraged Spurlock to make several documentaries.

Back to Home

In Memory of Richard M. Sherman (1928-2024)

 

Richard M. Sherman (1928-2024)

Richard M. Sherman, half of the famous Oscar-winning songwriting duo the Sherman Brothers and co-writer of such iconic Disney songs like "Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious" for "Mary Poppins" and the title theme from It's a Small World, has passed away at the age of 95.

Born in New York City on June 12, 1928, Richard and his brother would go on to follow in the footsteps of their Tin Pan Alley songwriter father, Al Sherman. After years of moving around the country, the Sherman family settled in Beverly Hills in 1937. Richard was a student at Beverly Hills High School before his studies in music at Bard College. He joined the United States Army, and from 1953 to 1955, he conducted the Army Band and Glee Club. Their success with early tunes like "Gold Can Buy You Anything But Love" and "Tall Paul" caught the eye of Walt Disney. Walt would recruit the Sherman Brothers as staff songwriters for his studio, and their first assignment was to write a song for the TV movie "The Horsemasters." Shortly after, they would collaborate on such movies as "The Absent-Minded Professor," "The Parent Trap," "Summer Magic," "The Sword in the Stone," "Mary Poppins," "That Darn Cat!," "Winnie the Pooh and the Honey Tree," "The Jungle Book," "The Happiest Millionaire," "The Aristocats," and "Bedknobs and Broomsticks." They eventually wrote over 200 songs for 27 films and 24 television productions.

The Sherman Brothers wrote some of the most recognisable and popular songs of all time for the Disney theme park rides, including "There's a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow," "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room," and "It's a Small World." They also wrote songs for EPCOT and Tokyo Disneyland. In addition to Disney, the Sherman Brothers worked on other movies, including "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," "Snoopy Come Home," "Charlotte's Web," "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer," "Huckleberry Finn," and "The Skipper and the Rose."

In 1990, both Richard and his brother were named Disney legends. They were honoured with induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2005 and the National Medal of the Arts in 2008. When Robert died in 2012, Richard continued to work. He penned new lyrics for the 2016 live-action remake of "The Jungle Book," wrote three new songs for "Christopher Robin," and composed a new song for the animated short film "Mushka" by Disney legend Andreas Deja in 2023.

In 2023, Richard returned to Walt Disney's office to record a new version of "Feed the Birds" from "Mary Poppins" for "Once Upon a Studio," a short film celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Walt Disney Company. Richard and Robert often played the same song for Walt on Friday afternoons.

Back to Home

In Memory of Dabney Coleman (1932-2024)

Dabney Coleman (1932-2024)

Dabney Coleman, who had a reputation for playing dishonest characters with no redeeming qualities in films like "9 to 5" and "Tootsie," has died. He was 92 years old.

He was born on 3rd January 1932 in Austin, Texas, USA. Coleman attended the Virginia Military Institute and the University of Texas School of Law. After serving in the military, he embarked on a career in the entertainment industry. In 1961, Dabney landed his first acting gig in an episode of "Naked City," according to IMDb. He went on to appear in such series as "Ben Casey," "Dr. Kildare," "The Alfred Hitchcock Hour," "The Outer Limits," "Hazel," "I Dream of Jeannie," and "The Fugitive," before recurring as Leon Bessemer, Mario Thomas' neighbour and obstetrician in the first season (1966-1967) of "That Girl." Dabney took the lead role in Norman Lear's soap opera "Mary Hartman, Mary Hartman" as Merle Jeeter. He continued that role after the programme was re-titled "Forever Fernwood."

In 1980, Coleman achieved his breakthrough role as a rapacious manager who seeks sexual favours from secretaries, with Jane Fonda, Dolly Parton, and Lily Tomlin helping to pay the price in the workplace comedy "9 to 5." The following year, Coleman would reunite with Jane Fonda in one of his rare sympathetic roles as her dentist boyfriend in the drama "On Golden Pond." In 1982, he reverted to his boorish performances as a chauvinistic TV director in "Tootsie." Dabney also played a tough computer programmer in "WarGames" and a lisping pornographer in "Dragnet." His other films include "The Trouble with Girls," "Downhill Racer," "The Towering Inferno," "North Dallas Forty," "How to Beat the High Co$t of Living," "Melvin & Howard," "Modern Problems," "Young Doctors in Love," "Cloak & Dagger," "The Muppets Take Manhattan," "Short Time," "Meet the Applegates,""The Beverly Hillbillies," "Amos & Andrew," "You've Got Mail," "Inspector Gadget," "Stuart Little," etc.

On TV, he had a memorable turn as an insensitive talk show host on NBC's "Buffalo Bill," which only ran for 26 episodes in 1983 and 1984. Still, it attracted a devoted following over the years for Coleman's gruff portrayal. However, Coleman gave a somewhat more sanitised and humane performance in "The Slap Maxwell Story," which aired on ABC from 1987 to 1988, while retaining his sharp wit as a fedora-wearing sports journalist. Coleman also provided the voice of Principal Prickley in the Disney animated series "Recess." He even appeared in the HBO drama "Boardwalk Empire" as a former Atlantic City power broker with a fondness for young girls.

Back to Home