Sideshow Bob first appeared on "The Simpsons" in the episode "The Telltale Head", merely as a background character on "The Krusty the Clown Show." That episode was significant, as it was also the first appearance of Krusty the Clown (Dan Castellaneta), Reverend Lovejoy (Harry Shearer), the bullies Dolph, Jimbo, and Kearny, and Apu (Hank Azaria).
Only a few episodes later, however, Sideshow Bob (Kelsey Grammer) would star in "Krusty Gets Busted", an episode that saw the TV sidekick framing his clown employer, Krusty, for armed robbery. It seems that Bob, a professionally trained actor, resented having to play second-fiddle to an ungrateful star, and wanted revenge. Ultimately, it was Bart (Cartwright) who figured out Bob's scheme and who exonerated Krusty. Bob began hating Bart and began plotting revenge from prison.
The palm tree-haired actor returned in "Black Widower", wherein he tries to marry and exploit Bart's aunt Selma (Julie Kavner...
Only a few episodes later, however, Sideshow Bob (Kelsey Grammer) would star in "Krusty Gets Busted", an episode that saw the TV sidekick framing his clown employer, Krusty, for armed robbery. It seems that Bob, a professionally trained actor, resented having to play second-fiddle to an ungrateful star, and wanted revenge. Ultimately, it was Bart (Cartwright) who figured out Bob's scheme and who exonerated Krusty. Bob began hating Bart and began plotting revenge from prison.
The palm tree-haired actor returned in "Black Widower", wherein he tries to marry and exploit Bart's aunt Selma (Julie Kavner...
- 10/4/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
"The Simpsons" is entering its 36th season this year, and if you're expecting any major changes to the longest running sitcom in television history, you probably aren't a fan of "The Simpsons" because nothing ever changes in Springfield. Aside from killing off a handful of characters (most notably Maude Flanders and Edna Krabappel) and retiring the Kwik-e-Mart proprietor Apu Nahasapeemapetilon (in response to criticism that he'd long been voiced by white actor Hank Azaria), the constantly quarreling middle-class brood and their motley crew of neighbors, coworkers, and classmates are virtually unchanged in appearance and temperament 30-plus years later.
Given how much our world has changed over this time frame, you might expect this to be kind of problematic. Well, it kind of is. When "The Simpsons" dropped Apu, they lost one of their few recurring characters of color, and the series has remained steadfast in its devotion to not creating...
Given how much our world has changed over this time frame, you might expect this to be kind of problematic. Well, it kind of is. When "The Simpsons" dropped Apu, they lost one of their few recurring characters of color, and the series has remained steadfast in its devotion to not creating...
- 10/3/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
All October long, Cracked is catching up with some of the greatest writers in Simpsons history to discuss the most beloved segments from the “Treehouse of Horror” series. From the cursed Monkey’s Paw to Krusto the Clown, we’re digging into the making of some real fan-favorites.
Season 34’s “Treehouse of Horror Xxxiii” features perhaps the most meta “Treehouse” segment ever: “Simpsons World.” It begins with a clip from the legendary “Marge vs. the Monorail,” in which Homer is explaining to his family how the monorail works. The scene goes on as normal until Marge discovers a family of possums living on the monorail, and just as Homer is about to utter the classic line, “I call the big one Bitey,” two frat dudes jump in and say the line with him. They then pour beer down Homer’s throat.
Play
It’s quickly revealed that this is a...
Season 34’s “Treehouse of Horror Xxxiii” features perhaps the most meta “Treehouse” segment ever: “Simpsons World.” It begins with a clip from the legendary “Marge vs. the Monorail,” in which Homer is explaining to his family how the monorail works. The scene goes on as normal until Marge discovers a family of possums living on the monorail, and just as Homer is about to utter the classic line, “I call the big one Bitey,” two frat dudes jump in and say the line with him. They then pour beer down Homer’s throat.
Play
It’s quickly revealed that this is a...
- 10/2/2024
- Cracked
As we’ve previously discussed, this past Sunday’s fourth-wall shattering season premiere of The Simpsons found Conan O’Brien hosting a black-tie premiere of the show’s A.I.-generated “series finale.” The audience of the Dolby-Mucinex Theater consisted of past celebrity guest stars, such as “Weird Al” Yankovic, Katy Perry and the entire starting lineup of Mr. Burns’ doomed softball team.
Some stars actually recorded lines for the episode, including Tom Hanks, Joel McHale and Seth Rogen (although Rogen only contributed his trademark chuckle) while pretty much everyone else remained totally silent. This meant a number of celebrities were likely totally unaware that their four-fingered doppelgangers were appearing on the show.
One such public figure was filmmaker/hockey jersey enthusiast Kevin Smith, who can be spotted in the crowd seated next to Britney Spears, who we assume is a close friend in real life as well. Not long after the show aired,...
Some stars actually recorded lines for the episode, including Tom Hanks, Joel McHale and Seth Rogen (although Rogen only contributed his trademark chuckle) while pretty much everyone else remained totally silent. This meant a number of celebrities were likely totally unaware that their four-fingered doppelgangers were appearing on the show.
One such public figure was filmmaker/hockey jersey enthusiast Kevin Smith, who can be spotted in the crowd seated next to Britney Spears, who we assume is a close friend in real life as well. Not long after the show aired,...
- 10/1/2024
- Cracked
The Simpsons is famous for being one of the longest-running animated American series ever made. However, the show recently aired an episode presented as a series finale. This has left fans wondering about the exact fate of the show.
Bart Is About To Celebrate A Very Special Birthday
The episode, “Bart’s Birthday,” starts with a special event presenting The Simpsons‘ big finale. Hosted by Conan O’Brien, who used to write for the series, it’s joked that many episodes from over the years had been attempts to end the series. However, a generative AI, HackGPT, is brought on to finally create a series finale.
The ensuing episode revolves around Bart’s upcoming birthday. However, strange changes are happening in town. Principal Skinner is retiring from Springfield Elementary. Homer accidentally kills Mr. Burns. Comic Book Guy and Kumiko are having a baby, with Kumiko already going into labor. It seems...
Bart Is About To Celebrate A Very Special Birthday
The episode, “Bart’s Birthday,” starts with a special event presenting The Simpsons‘ big finale. Hosted by Conan O’Brien, who used to write for the series, it’s joked that many episodes from over the years had been attempts to end the series. However, a generative AI, HackGPT, is brought on to finally create a series finale.
The ensuing episode revolves around Bart’s upcoming birthday. However, strange changes are happening in town. Principal Skinner is retiring from Springfield Elementary. Homer accidentally kills Mr. Burns. Comic Book Guy and Kumiko are having a baby, with Kumiko already going into labor. It seems...
- 10/1/2024
- by John Witiw
- TV Shows Ace
In its 36th season premiere, The Simpsons employed a brilliant meta gimmick, giving audiences a taste of what an A.I.-generated series finale of the show would look like. On one level, it worked as a surface-level parody of hackneyed television finales. On the other, it gave The Simpsons a way to dramatize the central question that’s been on every fan’s mind for at least two decades: Shouldn’t the show just end already?
The fact that “Bart’s Birthday” was able to address this meta concern in a way that felt new and inventive, while also not venturing too far outside the realm of what we've come to expect from an episode of The Simpsons, is a testament to the show’s current writing staff.
The 22-minute run time was absolutely jam-packed full of familiar characters, many of whom haven’t been seen on the show in years.
The fact that “Bart’s Birthday” was able to address this meta concern in a way that felt new and inventive, while also not venturing too far outside the realm of what we've come to expect from an episode of The Simpsons, is a testament to the show’s current writing staff.
The 22-minute run time was absolutely jam-packed full of familiar characters, many of whom haven’t been seen on the show in years.
- 9/30/2024
- Cracked
The season 36 premiere of "The Simpsons" feels a lot like an April Fool's episode, in that its entire premise is a meta joke about the show's longevity. "Bart's Birthday" is framed as a ceremony hosted by "Simpsons" alum Conan O'Brien, which starts off with him explaining how Fox has been trying to cancel "The Simpsons" since day one. He shows us a few potential series finales that supposedly almost happened: one where Homer really does die when falling down the Springfield Gorge, one where a skiing Homer gets brutally split in half when he crashes into a tree, and one where he accidentally blows up the entire town.
The main segment revolves around Conan tasking an AI machine to write the perfect series finale for modern "Simpsons," with terrible results. Almost every character is given a rushed happy ending, most of them with strong spinoff potential, while a confused Bart...
The main segment revolves around Conan tasking an AI machine to write the perfect series finale for modern "Simpsons," with terrible results. Almost every character is given a rushed happy ending, most of them with strong spinoff potential, while a confused Bart...
- 9/30/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
The adult-animated sitcom The Simpsons just blew fans away with a series finale tease. While the showrunners have spoken about different episodes at this year’s Comic Con, the season 36 premiere seemed to have indicated that the show was going to end after all. However, that was not the case.
The season premiere included cameos from Conan O’Brien, John Cena, and more, with a narrative structured like a highlight reel. O’Brien mentioned in the episode that the show would end and that a generative AI device known as Hack-gpt would be writing the series finale. However, the end of the episode revealed that it was a fake-out.
The Simpsons Did Not End With The Season 36 Premiere A still from The Simpsons | Credits: Fox
The season 36 premiere of The Simpsons shocked fans with an opening that indicated that this would be the series finale of the show. Beginning with a...
The season premiere included cameos from Conan O’Brien, John Cena, and more, with a narrative structured like a highlight reel. O’Brien mentioned in the episode that the show would end and that a generative AI device known as Hack-gpt would be writing the series finale. However, the end of the episode revealed that it was a fake-out.
The Simpsons Did Not End With The Season 36 Premiere A still from The Simpsons | Credits: Fox
The season 36 premiere of The Simpsons shocked fans with an opening that indicated that this would be the series finale of the show. Beginning with a...
- 9/30/2024
- by Nishanth A
- FandomWire
Spoiler Alert: Details follow for Season 36, Episode 1 of “The Simpsons,” “Bart’s Birthday,” which aired September 29 on Fox.
“The Simpsons” kicked off its Season 36 premiere on Sunday with what the show dubbed its “series finale.” Hosted by an animated version of former “Simpsons” writer Conan O’Brien, the episode opened with “The Simpsons” characters and other notables entering a Dolby Theatre-esque venue to celebrate the show’s ending.
“It’s such an honor to be with you all for the series finale of ‘The Simpsons,'” O’Brien said in his opening monologue. “I knew I was the right man for the job because I’ve hosted the last episode of three of my own shows and counting… Well, it’s true. Fox has decided to end the Simpsons. This show was such a special part of my early career, so being here means the world to me. Also. I left...
“The Simpsons” kicked off its Season 36 premiere on Sunday with what the show dubbed its “series finale.” Hosted by an animated version of former “Simpsons” writer Conan O’Brien, the episode opened with “The Simpsons” characters and other notables entering a Dolby Theatre-esque venue to celebrate the show’s ending.
“It’s such an honor to be with you all for the series finale of ‘The Simpsons,'” O’Brien said in his opening monologue. “I knew I was the right man for the job because I’ve hosted the last episode of three of my own shows and counting… Well, it’s true. Fox has decided to end the Simpsons. This show was such a special part of my early career, so being here means the world to me. Also. I left...
- 9/30/2024
- by Michael Schneider
- Variety Film + TV
This Sunday, 6 October 2024, at 8:00 Pm, Fox presents a new episode of “The Simpsons” titled “The Yellow Lotus.” This season 36 episode promises a blend of humor and unexpected twists as the beloved Simpson family embarks on a vacation at a luxurious resort. However, their getaway takes a dark turn when they unexpectedly encounter the theme of death, leading to a unique and comical exploration of life’s fragility.
As Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie settle into their high-end surroundings, the family finds themselves caught in a series of unusual events that force them to confront mortality in their own quirky way. True to the show’s signature style, viewers can expect a mix of laugh-out-loud moments, poignant reflections, and satirical commentary on modern life and the concept of luxury.
“The Yellow Lotus” is sure to entertain long-time fans and newcomers alike, reminding everyone that even amidst the chaos and humor,...
As Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie settle into their high-end surroundings, the family finds themselves caught in a series of unusual events that force them to confront mortality in their own quirky way. True to the show’s signature style, viewers can expect a mix of laugh-out-loud moments, poignant reflections, and satirical commentary on modern life and the concept of luxury.
“The Yellow Lotus” is sure to entertain long-time fans and newcomers alike, reminding everyone that even amidst the chaos and humor,...
- 9/29/2024
- by Jules Byrd
- TV Everyday
Simpsons fans are currently mourning the imminent loss of the popular mobile game The Simpsons: Tapped Out, following the news that EA will wipe everyone’s pocket-sized Springfields from existence early next year. In retrospect, Tapped Out may have been the most consistently popular of all Simpsons games, engaging fans for over a decade, and raking in over $100 million thanks to its controversial “freemium” format, but it was hardly the first video game to feature America’s favorite cartoon family.
Back in 1991, just two years after the series premiered, the Simpsons made the leap to the world of gaming, in the form of a beat-‘em-up arcade game simply called The Simpsons. It was way more fun than Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge.
Predating the North American release of the Nintendo game Bart vs the Space Mutants by “a month” (although some sources claim that Space Mutants actually came out slightly...
Back in 1991, just two years after the series premiered, the Simpsons made the leap to the world of gaming, in the form of a beat-‘em-up arcade game simply called The Simpsons. It was way more fun than Lee Carvallo's Putting Challenge.
Predating the North American release of the Nintendo game Bart vs the Space Mutants by “a month” (although some sources claim that Space Mutants actually came out slightly...
- 9/28/2024
- Cracked
As TV fanatics gear up for another action-packed fall season, we’re geeking out about all the shows coming to our screens — both returning and new.
Doctor Odyssey is an interesting twist on the standard medical drama geared up to entertain today’s eclectic TV audience with a new premise.
While we’ve had plenty of medical mysteries over the years, Doctor Odyssey will be the story of a second-chance doctor solving medical cases aboard a luxury cruise boat.
(Disney/Tina Thorpe)
Is that unique, or is it taking an already-done trope and trying to give it a new wig?
Doctor Odyssey: Knock-Off or Unique Premise?
News of Doctor Odyssey’s creation has been tight-lipped leading up to its ABC premiere on Thursdays at 9/8C starting September 26.
Unlike other shows, like High Potential, which aired promos months ahead of their releases, Doctor Odyssey kept its secrets tight until just a month ago.
Doctor Odyssey is an interesting twist on the standard medical drama geared up to entertain today’s eclectic TV audience with a new premise.
While we’ve had plenty of medical mysteries over the years, Doctor Odyssey will be the story of a second-chance doctor solving medical cases aboard a luxury cruise boat.
(Disney/Tina Thorpe)
Is that unique, or is it taking an already-done trope and trying to give it a new wig?
Doctor Odyssey: Knock-Off or Unique Premise?
News of Doctor Odyssey’s creation has been tight-lipped leading up to its ABC premiere on Thursdays at 9/8C starting September 26.
Unlike other shows, like High Potential, which aired promos months ahead of their releases, Doctor Odyssey kept its secrets tight until just a month ago.
- 9/26/2024
- by Sara Trimble
- TVfanatic
Ben Stiller is due to produce and star in the pickleball comedy 'The Dink'. The 58-year-old actor will appear alongside 'New Girl' star Jake Johnson, 'Step Brothers' actress Mary Steenburgen, 'The Truman Show' actor Ed Harris and former tennis champion Andy Roddick in the upcoming flick, which follows a washed-up tennis pro (Johnson) as he finally relents and plays pickleball in an effort to save a club in crisis and earn his father's respect. As well as starring in the comedy, the 'Zoolander' actor's production company Red Hour Films will be collaborating with Rivulet Films on the movie.Stiller was last seen in the comedy-drama 'Nutcrackers' where he played a workaholic who leaves the city and travels to rural Ohio to care for his four orphaned nephewsThe movie marked Stiller's first film role in seven years, and previously revealed the...
- 9/26/2024
- by Alex Getting
- Bang Showbiz
Movie parodies are obviously a huge part of what makes The Simpsons tick, whether it’s subtle nods to cinematic classics, or more obvious homages to mainstream pop-culture staples. But for those fans who grew up watching the show, viewing the parodies often preceded seeing the actual movies being parodied.
Like, a lot of us saw “The Shinning” before we ever watched The Shining. And when we did finally catch up with it, we were surprised to learn that it doesn’t end with Jack Torrance watching the Tony Awards.
It’s not like there were any huge plot twists in The Shining that were given away by the Treehouse of Horror parody, but over on Reddit, Simpsons fans have been sharing some of the most famous movie moments that were spoiled for them by the show.
The biggest twist that The Simpsons blew for young viewers, according to the comments,...
Like, a lot of us saw “The Shinning” before we ever watched The Shining. And when we did finally catch up with it, we were surprised to learn that it doesn’t end with Jack Torrance watching the Tony Awards.
It’s not like there were any huge plot twists in The Shining that were given away by the Treehouse of Horror parody, but over on Reddit, Simpsons fans have been sharing some of the most famous movie moments that were spoiled for them by the show.
The biggest twist that The Simpsons blew for young viewers, according to the comments,...
- 9/23/2024
- Cracked
The Simpsons fans, we’ve got a fresh off the press preview for the new Season 36 Episode 1 episode titled Bart’s Birthday!
Find out everything you need to know about the Bart’s Birthday episode of The Simpsons, including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!
The Simpsons Bart’s Birthday Season 36 Episode 1 Preview
The upcoming episode of “The Simpsons,” titled “Bart’s Birthday,” promises to be a memorable one. Airing on Fox at 8:00 Pm on September 29, 2024, this episode revolves around Bart as he celebrates what could be the most shocking birthday party of his life. The stakes are high, and it seems that this celebration might just change the lives of everyone in Springfield forever.
In this episode, Bart’s usual antics take a surprising turn as he plans a birthday party that goes beyond the typical cake and presents. The storyline hints...
Find out everything you need to know about the Bart’s Birthday episode of The Simpsons, including a full preview, videos, release date, cast information and how to watch!
The Simpsons Bart’s Birthday Season 36 Episode 1 Preview
The upcoming episode of “The Simpsons,” titled “Bart’s Birthday,” promises to be a memorable one. Airing on Fox at 8:00 Pm on September 29, 2024, this episode revolves around Bart as he celebrates what could be the most shocking birthday party of his life. The stakes are high, and it seems that this celebration might just change the lives of everyone in Springfield forever.
In this episode, Bart’s usual antics take a surprising turn as he plans a birthday party that goes beyond the typical cake and presents. The storyline hints...
- 9/22/2024
- by News
- TV Regular
One of the most inadvertently problematic episodes of The Simpsons found Homer reluctantly taking his family on a trip to New York City, purely in order to recover his car, which Barney abandoned at the bottom of the World Trade Center. Because of the Twin Towers’ prominent role in the story, “The City of New York vs Homer Simpson” was temporarily pulled from syndication in the wake of the September 11th attacks, thus costing the crab juice industry millions of dollars-worth of free advertising.
While Homer may have hated New York with a fiery passion (owing to a bad experience he had as a teenager) that sentiment clearly wasn’t shared by the Simpsons’ staff, who went to great efforts to recreate Manhattan’s urban landscape in cartoon form — from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, to the Statue of Liberty, to Mad Magazine’s head office, which we assume looked...
While Homer may have hated New York with a fiery passion (owing to a bad experience he had as a teenager) that sentiment clearly wasn’t shared by the Simpsons’ staff, who went to great efforts to recreate Manhattan’s urban landscape in cartoon form — from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, to the Statue of Liberty, to Mad Magazine’s head office, which we assume looked...
- 9/21/2024
- Cracked
Ryan Murphy’s new medical drama Doctor Odyssey is already breaking records, and it hasn’t even premiered. The trailer for the new series broke records after it went viral on social media. It also teased a possible theory about the show’s premise.
Unprecedented Record
According to Deadline, the new trailer for Doctor Odyssey set a new record for fall premieres. Within the first 48 hours, the trailer attracted 77.8 million views and went viral on social media. The ABC series set a record for having the most views for a new broadcast, which hasn’t even aired yet.
NBC’s drama This Is Us, which starred The Young and the Restless alum Justin Hartley (ex-Adam), held the previous record. This new ABC medical drama feels more like a primetime soap. Doctor Odyssey stars Joshua Jackson and Don Johnson. They suck viewers in with their good looks and charm. There’s...
Unprecedented Record
According to Deadline, the new trailer for Doctor Odyssey set a new record for fall premieres. Within the first 48 hours, the trailer attracted 77.8 million views and went viral on social media. The ABC series set a record for having the most views for a new broadcast, which hasn’t even aired yet.
NBC’s drama This Is Us, which starred The Young and the Restless alum Justin Hartley (ex-Adam), held the previous record. This new ABC medical drama feels more like a primetime soap. Doctor Odyssey stars Joshua Jackson and Don Johnson. They suck viewers in with their good looks and charm. There’s...
- 9/20/2024
- by Chanel Adams
- Soap Hub
King of the Hill star and Strickland Propane salesman Hank Hill’s most firmly held food belief is that, when hosting a barbecue, the grill master must use a clean-burning fuel so that his guests can “taste the meat, not the heat.” Once Hank learns about this grill gaffe, the animation department is going to tase his boot in their ass.
The many advertised advantages of propane over other grill fuels are basically the Ten Commandments on King of the Hill — the holy gas does not alter or mask the flavors of the meat and its seasoning, it has exceptional ease of use and it doesn’t leave soot under Bobby’s fingernails like that filthy devil rock that Luanne so thoughtlessly introduced to the Hill house. And, most importantly, exclusively grilling with the clean-burning gas prevents the other members of the Hill family from invoking the wrath of the...
The many advertised advantages of propane over other grill fuels are basically the Ten Commandments on King of the Hill — the holy gas does not alter or mask the flavors of the meat and its seasoning, it has exceptional ease of use and it doesn’t leave soot under Bobby’s fingernails like that filthy devil rock that Luanne so thoughtlessly introduced to the Hill house. And, most importantly, exclusively grilling with the clean-burning gas prevents the other members of the Hill family from invoking the wrath of the...
- 9/18/2024
- Cracked
In its nearly 35 years on the air, The Simpsons has hit so close to home so many times that even the show’s writers can’t help but feel that Reverend Lovejoy’s model train passengers can see a sad man on the other side of the screen as well.
When Matt Groening originally designed the first family of Fox animation back in the late 1980s, he based Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson on his own family growing up, as shown in the characters’ names — Homer and Margaret were the Christian names of Groening’s father and mother, and Lisa and Maggie are his two younger sisters. Groening settled on calling the hell-raising oldest son “Bart” because it was an anagram of the word “brat,” and because it would be a little too self-involved for the Simpsons creator to name the coolest character after himself.
And so, with...
When Matt Groening originally designed the first family of Fox animation back in the late 1980s, he based Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie Simpson on his own family growing up, as shown in the characters’ names — Homer and Margaret were the Christian names of Groening’s father and mother, and Lisa and Maggie are his two younger sisters. Groening settled on calling the hell-raising oldest son “Bart” because it was an anagram of the word “brat,” and because it would be a little too self-involved for the Simpsons creator to name the coolest character after himself.
And so, with...
- 9/17/2024
- Cracked
When Electric Light Orchestra made their Madison Square Garden debut on Feb. 11, 1977, they were near the zenith of their popularity due to a string of hits over the previous couple of years that included “Livin’ Thing,” “Rockaria!,” “Do Ya,” “Strange Magic,” and “Evil Woman.” But most critics were underwhelmed. “A typical Elo tune consists of doggerel affixed to a big, fat melody and repeated over and over again,” New York Times critic John Rockwell observed in his writeup of the show. “It’s all a little boring (to this listener...
- 9/17/2024
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
“Nutcrackers” has found its home.
The Ben Stiller-led comedy from director David Gordon Green, which charmed audiences at the Toronto International Film Festival (where it was the opening night event), has been picked up by Hulu, TheWrap has confirmed. Acquired in an eight-figure deal, Hulu plans to release the movie this Christmas.
The movie also stars Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker and Toby Hussles, along with real-life siblings Homer, Ulysses, Atlas and Arlo Janson. The brothers play siblings that Stiller’s character is forced to take care of after his sister dies in a car accident.
Rivulet’s Rob Paris and Mike Witherill, and Rough House’s Nate Meyer are producers. Leland Douglas wrote the script. UTA Independent Film Group reps WW rights on the film. Rivulet Films fully financed, and Rough House developed it with Douglas.
This is Stiller’s first leading role since 2017’s “The Meyerowitz Stories...
The Ben Stiller-led comedy from director David Gordon Green, which charmed audiences at the Toronto International Film Festival (where it was the opening night event), has been picked up by Hulu, TheWrap has confirmed. Acquired in an eight-figure deal, Hulu plans to release the movie this Christmas.
The movie also stars Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker and Toby Hussles, along with real-life siblings Homer, Ulysses, Atlas and Arlo Janson. The brothers play siblings that Stiller’s character is forced to take care of after his sister dies in a car accident.
Rivulet’s Rob Paris and Mike Witherill, and Rough House’s Nate Meyer are producers. Leland Douglas wrote the script. UTA Independent Film Group reps WW rights on the film. Rivulet Films fully financed, and Rough House developed it with Douglas.
This is Stiller’s first leading role since 2017’s “The Meyerowitz Stories...
- 9/13/2024
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Exclusive: Nutcrackers opened the Toronto Film Festival and now is poised to become the first splashy acquisition deal on the ground since the festival began. Hulu is in final talks to pay eight figures for the family comedy directed by David Gordon Green and starring Ben Stiller, Linda Cardellini, Edi Patterson, Tim Heidecker and Toby Hussles. Producers are Rivulet’s Rob Paris and Mike Witherill, and Rough House’s Nate Meyer. Hulu will release it for Christmas.
The Leland Douglas-scripted comedy stars Stiller as a work-obsessed city slicker who is forced to move to rural Ohio to take care of his sister’s children after her sudden passing. To his astonishment, these blue-collar kids are skilled ballet dancers, and he finds an outlet for their endless energy. What begins as a short trip to find them foster care turns into a gradual realization that this is where he belongs.
Newcomers and real-life siblings Homer,...
The Leland Douglas-scripted comedy stars Stiller as a work-obsessed city slicker who is forced to move to rural Ohio to take care of his sister’s children after her sudden passing. To his astonishment, these blue-collar kids are skilled ballet dancers, and he finds an outlet for their endless energy. What begins as a short trip to find them foster care turns into a gradual realization that this is where he belongs.
Newcomers and real-life siblings Homer,...
- 9/12/2024
- by Mike Fleming Jr
- Deadline Film + TV
Despite three millennia passing since it was written, Homer’s “Odyssey” remains one of the most timeless tales ever told by man. As such, director Uberto Pasolini wanted to explore that concept in “The Return,” an adaptation of the final third of the story that has no gods or monsters, only humanity.
“To me, it was important to keep the focus on storytelling about the human emotions, the psychology of the humans, the difficulty of being human, the difficulty of being a good human. And that would have been difficult if every action, or most actions, of our characters were influenced or managed by the gods, as Homer has it in his poem,” Pasolini said at TheWrap’s 2024 TIFF Studio sponsored by Moët & Chandon and Boss Design.
In “The Return,” Ralph Fiennes plays Odysseus as he finally returns home 20 years after heading off for war and facing a perilous...
“To me, it was important to keep the focus on storytelling about the human emotions, the psychology of the humans, the difficulty of being human, the difficulty of being a good human. And that would have been difficult if every action, or most actions, of our characters were influenced or managed by the gods, as Homer has it in his poem,” Pasolini said at TheWrap’s 2024 TIFF Studio sponsored by Moët & Chandon and Boss Design.
In “The Return,” Ralph Fiennes plays Odysseus as he finally returns home 20 years after heading off for war and facing a perilous...
- 9/12/2024
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
In The Return, a soldier comes home after being away for many years at war, looking haggard and exhausted. His friends don’t recognize him, he has a difficult time readjusting to society and even his wife doesn’t seem to know who he is. It seems a fairly familiar story, except that the main characters’ names are Odysseus and Penelope, the setting is the island of Ithaca and the war took place in Troy. Yes, this film — receiving its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival before a theatrical release later this year — is an adaptation of a section of Homer’s The Odyssey.
But don’t expect appearances by gods or goddesses or mythological creatures created by the likes of Ray Harryhausen. Rather, director/co-screenwriter Uberto Pasolini (Still Life, Nowhere Special) strips the tale to its bare essentials, resulting in a stark, solemnly paced experience that viewers...
But don’t expect appearances by gods or goddesses or mythological creatures created by the likes of Ray Harryhausen. Rather, director/co-screenwriter Uberto Pasolini (Still Life, Nowhere Special) strips the tale to its bare essentials, resulting in a stark, solemnly paced experience that viewers...
- 9/11/2024
- by Frank Scheck
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
After Donald Trump’s debate performance last night, which found the former Home Alone 2: Lost in New York star ranting and raving about imaginary problems (some of which involving immigrants in a city literally named “Springfield”), naturally people’s minds drifted to The Simpsons.
Specifically, viewers likened Trump’s geriatric outrage to the famous meme depicting a news clipping of Grampa Simpson yelling at a cloud. This excerpt from a Season 13 episode has become social media’s defining image of impotent elder rage targeting nonexistent threats.
Longtime Simpsons writer Al Jean even felt compelled to deploy the meme for the very first time, following years of self-restraint, claiming, “I think now is the time.”
Even wilder, Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz implicitly compared Trump to the Grampa Simpson meme by telling ABC News that the “angry” and “unhinged” former president reminded him of “an old man yelling at the clouds.
Specifically, viewers likened Trump’s geriatric outrage to the famous meme depicting a news clipping of Grampa Simpson yelling at a cloud. This excerpt from a Season 13 episode has become social media’s defining image of impotent elder rage targeting nonexistent threats.
Longtime Simpsons writer Al Jean even felt compelled to deploy the meme for the very first time, following years of self-restraint, claiming, “I think now is the time.”
Even wilder, Vice Presidential candidate Tim Walz implicitly compared Trump to the Grampa Simpson meme by telling ABC News that the “angry” and “unhinged” former president reminded him of “an old man yelling at the clouds.
- 9/11/2024
- Cracked
Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey are foundational works of Western literature, yet they are seldom adapted for the screen today. The Iliad was last made into a mainstream Hollywood blockbuster in 2004’s “Troy.” But you must go back to 1954 to find an equivalent for The Odyssey in “Ulysses” starring Kirk Douglas. Since then, The Odyssey has had some notable television adaptations: 1968’s Italian production “Odissea” (with Bekim Fehmiu and Irene Papas), 1997’s American production “The Odyssey” and 2013’s French production “Odysseus”.
Continue reading ‘The Return’ Review: Ralph Fiennes & Juliette Binoche Lead Deeply Satisfying Retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey [TIFF] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘The Return’ Review: Ralph Fiennes & Juliette Binoche Lead Deeply Satisfying Retelling of Homer’s The Odyssey [TIFF] at The Playlist.
- 9/10/2024
- by Ankit Jhunjhunwala
- The Playlist
When The Simpsons debuted in 1989, its arrival coincided with another major development: the creation of the World Wide Web, which helped expand the internet into something that became a part of everyday life. Although the internet’s expansion wasn’t fully realized until 1993, newsgroups started becoming a popular way for people (initially college students) to discuss their shared interests.
One of these newsgroups was alt.tv.simpsons, which originated in March 1990, a mere four months after the show’s premiere. It quickly gained popularity as fans would watch the show together and share their favorite Simpsons jokes and quotes. They would also, of course, share their opinions on each episode. And around Season Four, these opinions began to turn more critical — something even the show’s writers took notice of. “We thought we’d find some praise there. We were wrong,” former writer Josh Weinstein recently tweeted about the newsgroup.
One of these newsgroups was alt.tv.simpsons, which originated in March 1990, a mere four months after the show’s premiere. It quickly gained popularity as fans would watch the show together and share their favorite Simpsons jokes and quotes. They would also, of course, share their opinions on each episode. And around Season Four, these opinions began to turn more critical — something even the show’s writers took notice of. “We thought we’d find some praise there. We were wrong,” former writer Josh Weinstein recently tweeted about the newsgroup.
- 9/10/2024
- Cracked
When most people picture the classic tale of The Odyssey, what comes to mind are legendary beasts, miracles performed by gods, and fantastical voyages across the sea. But Uberto Pasolini’s new film The Return sets sail on a different course. It home sin only on the part of Homer’s epic poem where Odysseus at last reaches his destination of Ithaca after twenty years away at war.
We learn Odysseus fought bravely alongside other Greeks to vanquish the city of Troy. But the journey home proved an even greater challenge, with harrowing encounters with monsters and deities that delayed his family’s reunion for years more. Now at last a beaten man washes ashore on the island shores he once knew as king. But the kingdom he left behind has fallen into disarray.
The long-waiting and loyal Penelope struggles to govern in his absence, her rule continually under threat...
We learn Odysseus fought bravely alongside other Greeks to vanquish the city of Troy. But the journey home proved an even greater challenge, with harrowing encounters with monsters and deities that delayed his family’s reunion for years more. Now at last a beaten man washes ashore on the island shores he once knew as king. But the kingdom he left behind has fallen into disarray.
The long-waiting and loyal Penelope struggles to govern in his absence, her rule continually under threat...
- 9/10/2024
- by Shahrbanoo Golmohamadi
- Gazettely
Toronto film festival: The English Patient co-stars come together for Uberto Pasolini’s new take on The Odyssey, a handsome misfire
There are no sirens, cyclops or six-headed monsters in Uberto Pasolini’s adaptation of The Odyssey. His film, The Return, skips most of the great big adventure at sea from Homer’s epic poem, which was previously translated to the big screen in 1955’s Ulysses starring Kirk Douglas.
Instead, Pasolini’s handsome, sombre and meditative take homes in on Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche’s faces. The camera loves them. It barely leaves them, watching for the light from the setting sun or crackling fire as it searches across their weary brows or sullen cheeks, or when a painterly circle of smoke orbits their heads like thrones.
There are no sirens, cyclops or six-headed monsters in Uberto Pasolini’s adaptation of The Odyssey. His film, The Return, skips most of the great big adventure at sea from Homer’s epic poem, which was previously translated to the big screen in 1955’s Ulysses starring Kirk Douglas.
Instead, Pasolini’s handsome, sombre and meditative take homes in on Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche’s faces. The camera loves them. It barely leaves them, watching for the light from the setting sun or crackling fire as it searches across their weary brows or sullen cheeks, or when a painterly circle of smoke orbits their heads like thrones.
- 9/9/2024
- by Radheyan Simonpillai in Toronto
- The Guardian - Film News
The true pits of ’90s nostalgia are maybe here, as we’re in the year 2024 arriving at an attempt to hype an English Patient reunion. Yes, that’ll be music to the ears of people who loved a Miramax heyday including that notoriously lugubrious Best Picture winner. Certainly there’s nothing wrong with seeing Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche acting together again, the capable thespians they both are, but when the content of their reunion draws specific memories of a certain kind of dull prestige-filmmaking period, you’re deeply in trouble.
The film in question, The Return, serves as an adaptation of the last third of Homer’s Odyssey, where Odysseus (Fiennes) is long past the high-seas adventure part of his journey and rather stuck in a kind of limbo in his homeland of Ithaca; returned but not reclaimed. His queen Penelope (Binoche) is being pressured by followers to pick a new king,...
The film in question, The Return, serves as an adaptation of the last third of Homer’s Odyssey, where Odysseus (Fiennes) is long past the high-seas adventure part of his journey and rather stuck in a kind of limbo in his homeland of Ithaca; returned but not reclaimed. His queen Penelope (Binoche) is being pressured by followers to pick a new king,...
- 9/9/2024
- by Ethan Vestby
- The Film Stage
Over The Simpsons’ 35 seasons and counting, the show has made numerous political jabs and jokes about the rich and powerful, but not during the Season Seven masterpiece episode “Two Bad Neighbors” — those punches were personal.
In a vacuum, you can understand why a current or former U.S. president belonging to the Republican party probably wouldn’t count The Simpsons among his favorite shows. Though Simpsons writers aren’t all bleeding-heart liberals — all-time great John Swartzwelder was famously much more of a Dale Gribble than a Lisa Simpson — The Simpsons has made no secret of their disdain for the kind of social conservatism that characters like Ned Flanders consistently embody (especially in recent seasons), and the series has a long tradition of mocking the Oval Office and the curmudgeonly conservatives who occasionally inhabit it.
However, the feud between The Simpsons and the late president George H.W. Bush wasn’t actually started by The Simpsons.
In a vacuum, you can understand why a current or former U.S. president belonging to the Republican party probably wouldn’t count The Simpsons among his favorite shows. Though Simpsons writers aren’t all bleeding-heart liberals — all-time great John Swartzwelder was famously much more of a Dale Gribble than a Lisa Simpson — The Simpsons has made no secret of their disdain for the kind of social conservatism that characters like Ned Flanders consistently embody (especially in recent seasons), and the series has a long tradition of mocking the Oval Office and the curmudgeonly conservatives who occasionally inhabit it.
However, the feud between The Simpsons and the late president George H.W. Bush wasn’t actually started by The Simpsons.
- 9/8/2024
- Cracked
When he introduced the world premiere of “The Return” at the Toronto Film Festival on Saturday night, director Uberto Pasolini pointed out that nobody has made a film adaptation of Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey” since 1955, when Italian director Mario Camerini made a version with Kirk Douglas as Odysseus. He skipped over a couple of other versions as well as works by Theo Angelopoulos and the Coen brothers that borrowed elements from Homer’s tale, but the point remains: One of the first great works of Western literature is not marketable IP these days.
But it’s still a hell of a tale, as “The Return” proves. The film leaves out the first two-thirds of the book, the part that includes the cyclops and the Sirens and the six-headed sea monster and lots of meddling by the gods. Instead, it sticks with the final section in which Odysseus returns...
But it’s still a hell of a tale, as “The Return” proves. The film leaves out the first two-thirds of the book, the part that includes the cyclops and the Sirens and the six-headed sea monster and lots of meddling by the gods. Instead, it sticks with the final section in which Odysseus returns...
- 9/8/2024
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
One of the buzziest titles premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival this year is “Nutcrackers,” and for good reason. Not only is “Nutcrackers” Ben Stiller’s first starring role in a movie since 2017’s “The Meyerowitz Stories,” but it is also director David Gordon Green’s first non-horror movie since 2017’s underrated “Stronger.”
But from where did “Nutcrackers,” the story of a workaholic (Stiller) who has to travel to rural Ohio to look after his recently orphaned nephews after his sister dies in a car accident, originally stem?
From real life, actually.
At TheWrap’s 2024 TIFF Studio sponsored by Moët & Chandon and Boss Design, Green told TheWrap editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman that he visited his friend Carrie, who is the real-life mother of the four boys in the movie, on their farm and had the idea to make a movie about her family. “And maybe a year ago, we...
But from where did “Nutcrackers,” the story of a workaholic (Stiller) who has to travel to rural Ohio to look after his recently orphaned nephews after his sister dies in a car accident, originally stem?
From real life, actually.
At TheWrap’s 2024 TIFF Studio sponsored by Moët & Chandon and Boss Design, Green told TheWrap editor-in-chief Sharon Waxman that he visited his friend Carrie, who is the real-life mother of the four boys in the movie, on their farm and had the idea to make a movie about her family. “And maybe a year ago, we...
- 9/7/2024
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Ben Stiller takes on a new kind of role in Nutcrackers—one requiring heart, humor, and humanity rather than his usual neurotic city dweller. Director David Gordon Green, known for insightful indies and contemporary retellings of horror classics, takes us to rural Ohio. There, Stiller’s real estate executive Michael reluctantly cares for his late sister’s four boys on their quirky farm after tragedy strikes.
Michael seems ill-suited for farm life with the boisterous brothers playing by their own rules since mom passed. Their bond remains, yet grief goes unspoken. As an outsider, Michael troubles finding the balance between laughter and loss exploring this family. Through it all, the young actors shine in their first feature, portraying siblings simply as siblings—loving, lively, and learning together through it all.
Green acknowledges classics like The Bad News Bears, giving a new generation adventures free from cynicism. In Nutcrackers, he rediscovers...
Michael seems ill-suited for farm life with the boisterous brothers playing by their own rules since mom passed. Their bond remains, yet grief goes unspoken. As an outsider, Michael troubles finding the balance between laughter and loss exploring this family. Through it all, the young actors shine in their first feature, portraying siblings simply as siblings—loving, lively, and learning together through it all.
Green acknowledges classics like The Bad News Bears, giving a new generation adventures free from cynicism. In Nutcrackers, he rediscovers...
- 9/7/2024
- by Shahrbanoo Golmohamadi
- Gazettely
Juliette Binoche says it was "joyful" to reunite on screen with Ralph Fiennes, 28 years after 'The English Patient'.The pair have teamed up for 'The Return', Uberto Pasolini’s retelling of Homer’s 'Odyssey' and Juliette jumped at the chance to work with her former co-star again.She told The Hollywood Reporter: "We remained friends, throughout all those years, since 'The English Patient'. So it was just joyful to be able to reconnect onscreen. Ralph is not lying down this time, but I think Penelope is a kind of nurse, for being so patient of this ‘new patient’ who comes back to Ithaca.”Ralph plays Odysseus, who arrives home to his kingdom Ithaca after 20 years away at war, to find his wife, Penelope (Binoche) a prisoner in her own home, fighting off suitors who want to marry her and rule Ithaca.Ralph said: "Friendship isn’t always about working together.
- 9/7/2024
- by Colette Fahy 2
- Bang Showbiz
It’s been nearly 30 years since Juliette Binoche peeled a plum and slipped it into Ralph Fiennes’ mouth.
That’s the first scene between the actors in The English Patient (1996), with Binoche playing Hana, the nurse to Fiennes’ titular character, a severely burned and bedridden patient with a mysterious past. The rest, of course, is history. Anthony Minghella’s literary epic became a cinematic phenomenon, earning $232 million worldwide — still the highest-grossing film in the history of Miramax — and dominated the 1997 Academy Awards, taking nine Oscars, including those for best film and for Binoche, best supporting actress. Seinfeld even did an episode about the movie.
Now, Binoche and Fiennes have finally reunited onscreen in The Return, which has its world premiere on Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Toronto Film Festival (Bleecker Street is releasing across North America on Dec. 6, with HanWay Films selling the movie worldwide). Directed by Uberto Pasolini (Still Life,...
That’s the first scene between the actors in The English Patient (1996), with Binoche playing Hana, the nurse to Fiennes’ titular character, a severely burned and bedridden patient with a mysterious past. The rest, of course, is history. Anthony Minghella’s literary epic became a cinematic phenomenon, earning $232 million worldwide — still the highest-grossing film in the history of Miramax — and dominated the 1997 Academy Awards, taking nine Oscars, including those for best film and for Binoche, best supporting actress. Seinfeld even did an episode about the movie.
Now, Binoche and Fiennes have finally reunited onscreen in The Return, which has its world premiere on Saturday, Sept. 7 at the Toronto Film Festival (Bleecker Street is releasing across North America on Dec. 6, with HanWay Films selling the movie worldwide). Directed by Uberto Pasolini (Still Life,...
- 9/6/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
No doubt, the Janson brothers — Homer, Ulysses, Atlas and Arlo — are lovely, well-behaved kids in real life. Few would say the same about the undisciplined orphans these four boys play in director David Gordon Green’s odd-choice Toronto Film Festival opener, “Nutcrackers”: a near-feral wolfpack who depend on their uptight uncle, Michael Maxwell (Ben Stiller), to spare them the indignity of an orphanage after their parents die in a car accident.
A big-city, fancy-shoes sort of guy, Michael shows up at his late sister’s farmhouse driving a yellow Porsche and promptly steps in a fresh pile of dung. Christmas is right around the corner, and Michael has committed a few days to sorting out the estate — a task that includes trying to get the Kicklighter boys adopted. Then it’s back to Chicago, where a career-defining real estate deal is about to close.
“When I wake up tomorrow,...
A big-city, fancy-shoes sort of guy, Michael shows up at his late sister’s farmhouse driving a yellow Porsche and promptly steps in a fresh pile of dung. Christmas is right around the corner, and Michael has committed a few days to sorting out the estate — a task that includes trying to get the Kicklighter boys adopted. Then it’s back to Chicago, where a career-defining real estate deal is about to close.
“When I wake up tomorrow,...
- 9/6/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
The Toronto Film Festival kicked off its 2024 edition on a slightly different note Thursday, featuring a live-action holiday family comedy, Nutcrackers, starring Ben Stiller in his first toplining feature role in seven years.
The movie, directed by David Gordon Green and written by Leland Douglas, follows Stiller as a Chicago real estate exec who must oversee his four wild, rambunctious nephews on their Ohio farm after their parents tragically die.
Green said he took on the project because he had “taken on a dark run of movies” with the Halloween pics and last year’s The Exorcist: Believer.
Related: ‘Nutcrackers’ TIFF Red Carpet Premiere Photos: Ben Stiller & More
“We’re in a comedic drought,” said Green about big-screen comedies, which have been sidelined to streaming. By hopefully doing more of them, Green said he wants to “feed my intuition as an artist and what an audience has an appetite for.
The movie, directed by David Gordon Green and written by Leland Douglas, follows Stiller as a Chicago real estate exec who must oversee his four wild, rambunctious nephews on their Ohio farm after their parents tragically die.
Green said he took on the project because he had “taken on a dark run of movies” with the Halloween pics and last year’s The Exorcist: Believer.
Related: ‘Nutcrackers’ TIFF Red Carpet Premiere Photos: Ben Stiller & More
“We’re in a comedic drought,” said Green about big-screen comedies, which have been sidelined to streaming. By hopefully doing more of them, Green said he wants to “feed my intuition as an artist and what an audience has an appetite for.
- 9/6/2024
- by Anthony D'Alessandro and Natalie Sitek
- Deadline Film + TV
Ben Stiller just got his comedy mojo back in the most unexpected of places.
Nutcrackers, the official opening-night film of the 2024 Toronto Film Festival, is not the kind of movie you expect to see at serious film festivals, which tend to go for darker or less obviously commercial fare. So it is a bit of a surprise to see TIFF launching with a purely entertaining and heartwarming family holiday movie that will make you laugh, cry and walk out feeling good. Nothing wrong with that.
This is the kind of movie Hollywood used to deliver all the time but has clearly forgotten how to make — until now. Among the inspirations for director David Gordon Green were The Bad News Bears, Six Pack, Uncle Buck and Overboard. You might expect John Hughes was back from the dead, along with this genre. I would go back even further to the ’50s and ’60s,...
Nutcrackers, the official opening-night film of the 2024 Toronto Film Festival, is not the kind of movie you expect to see at serious film festivals, which tend to go for darker or less obviously commercial fare. So it is a bit of a surprise to see TIFF launching with a purely entertaining and heartwarming family holiday movie that will make you laugh, cry and walk out feeling good. Nothing wrong with that.
This is the kind of movie Hollywood used to deliver all the time but has clearly forgotten how to make — until now. Among the inspirations for director David Gordon Green were The Bad News Bears, Six Pack, Uncle Buck and Overboard. You might expect John Hughes was back from the dead, along with this genre. I would go back even further to the ’50s and ’60s,...
- 9/6/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
With franchises now being the bread and butter of movie studios, nostalgia driving a new gold rush, and animation always being a reliable bet for studios, it's rather surprising that we still haven't had a sequel to "The Simpsons Movie." The first film remains a fantastic movie, a best-case scenario for bringing a cultural phenomenon from TV to the big screen and having the show continue rather than end with a big blockbuster finale. It should be noted, though, that it's not for lack of trying that we haven't gotten a sequel.
One of the biggest issues with "The Simpsons Movie" is its villain, a one-off character that feels a bit random considering there are already characters perfectly suited for the role of a big movie supervillain right there in the show — including one that almost made it into the film. Now, over 15 years after the "Simpson Movie" hit theaters,...
One of the biggest issues with "The Simpsons Movie" is its villain, a one-off character that feels a bit random considering there are already characters perfectly suited for the role of a big movie supervillain right there in the show — including one that almost made it into the film. Now, over 15 years after the "Simpson Movie" hit theaters,...
- 9/5/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Glenn Close has been nominated for eight Academy Awards, and is currently going viral for her work in Lee Daniels’ exorcism flick The Deliverance, but amongst Simpsons fans, the Fatal Attraction star is perhaps best known for voicing Homer’s mom. Mona Simpson was properly introduced in Season Seven’s “Mother Simpson,” which was easily one of the show’s most tearjerkingest episodes.
As you may recall, Homer discovers that his mom isn’t dead, as he originally believed; she’s really a fugitive from the law, due to her Weather Underground-esque activism in the 1960s.
Mona inarguably fleshed the world of The Simpsons for the better, adding emotional nuance to Homer’s character, and providing Lisa with a familial role model. And Close’s touching performance is a big reason why Mona was such a welcome addition to the show.
According to the episode’s DVD commentary, the cast...
As you may recall, Homer discovers that his mom isn’t dead, as he originally believed; she’s really a fugitive from the law, due to her Weather Underground-esque activism in the 1960s.
Mona inarguably fleshed the world of The Simpsons for the better, adding emotional nuance to Homer’s character, and providing Lisa with a familial role model. And Close’s touching performance is a big reason why Mona was such a welcome addition to the show.
According to the episode’s DVD commentary, the cast...
- 9/4/2024
- Cracked
We’ve long been in the midst of a reimagining of Greek myth — these can be conscious of the original setting of the stories of Hesiod and Homer, as is from Emily Wilson’s searing translation of “The Iliad,” as well as the somewhat less faithful raft of novels taking marginalized characters in Greek myth as their protagonists and the platforming perfection of “Hades.” But likewise, the jazz funeral that is “Hadestown,” the apotheosis of fanfic and webcomics that is “Lore Olympus,” and now, several different films and TV shows all play with the Greek gods using bits of our own contemporary context.
The latest entry in the pantheon, Charlie Covell’s “Kaos,” has a surface layer of Gen-z hedonism in its look and style — Zeus (Jeff Goldblum) in a tracksuit, throwing tantrums in a golden palace. But the idea of the Greek Gods as disappointing dads in Hawaiian shirts...
The latest entry in the pantheon, Charlie Covell’s “Kaos,” has a surface layer of Gen-z hedonism in its look and style — Zeus (Jeff Goldblum) in a tracksuit, throwing tantrums in a golden palace. But the idea of the Greek Gods as disappointing dads in Hawaiian shirts...
- 9/4/2024
- by Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
“I’ve never worked with a hog before,” Ben Stiller says. “So when they started making crazy sounds, I’m like, ‘Wait a minute! Am I safe?’” At this, Stiller squeals and snorts like an irate pig, mimicking the scene-stealing sows from his new comedy “Nutcrackers.”
Stiller had to be ready for anything when it came to making the low-budget indie about a workaholic real estate developer who becomes a guardian to his unruly nephews after their parents die. That openness started with his co-stars, Homer, Ulysses, Arlo and Atlas Janson, four brothers who range in age from 5 to 13, who’d never been on a film set. Instead of a Hollywood soundstage, the movie was shot on their family’s Ohio farm, a rural homestead filled with chickens, goats and, yes, hogs. Clearly, Stiller wouldn’t be spending time relaxing in a trailer or enjoying other movie star perks.
“When I called Ben,...
Stiller had to be ready for anything when it came to making the low-budget indie about a workaholic real estate developer who becomes a guardian to his unruly nephews after their parents die. That openness started with his co-stars, Homer, Ulysses, Arlo and Atlas Janson, four brothers who range in age from 5 to 13, who’d never been on a film set. Instead of a Hollywood soundstage, the movie was shot on their family’s Ohio farm, a rural homestead filled with chickens, goats and, yes, hogs. Clearly, Stiller wouldn’t be spending time relaxing in a trailer or enjoying other movie star perks.
“When I called Ben,...
- 9/3/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Richard Gere and Alejandra Silva’s love story is a blend of Hollywood romance and international charm. The couple first met in 2014 at a hotel in Positano, Italy. Gere was staying there, and Silva was managing the property, a family business. Their connection was instant. Despite their 33-year age difference, they quickly fell for each other. By 2015, they were officially a couple. Gere and Silva married in a secret civil ceremony in April 2018.
Alejandra Silva and Richard Gere at the Filming Italy Venice Award | Stefania D’Alessandro/WireImage; Annalisa Ranzoni/Getty Images
Ten years after meeting, Gere and Silva are back in Italy for the Venice Film Festival. The pair walked the red carpet at the Wolfs premiere on Sunday, September 1. The action comedy film brings together Brad Pitt and George Clooney. They portray professional fixers who must work together despite their typical roles as lone wolves. Although Gere doesn’t appear in Wolfs,...
Alejandra Silva and Richard Gere at the Filming Italy Venice Award | Stefania D’Alessandro/WireImage; Annalisa Ranzoni/Getty Images
Ten years after meeting, Gere and Silva are back in Italy for the Venice Film Festival. The pair walked the red carpet at the Wolfs premiere on Sunday, September 1. The action comedy film brings together Brad Pitt and George Clooney. They portray professional fixers who must work together despite their typical roles as lone wolves. Although Gere doesn’t appear in Wolfs,...
- 9/2/2024
- by Ali Hicks
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
It was a role that solidified Richard Gere as one of Hollywood’s most dashing leading men, but the actor has admitted he hasn’t watched his performance in Pretty Woman for a long time.
The star spoke at a master class at the 81st Venice Film Festival on Sunday on the art and craft of cinema through acting, screenwriting, lighting, scoring and dubbing.
To kick off the conversation, it was noted that Gere celebrated his 75th birthday on Saturday, so the capacity crowd erupted with cheers of “Happy Birthday,” after which he dutifully thanked everyone.
The personal touches continued throughout the master class as the actor was shown a clip from his first film role, Days of Heaven (1978), which he admitted made him “so emotional.” He swiftly pointed out his son, Homer, and asked him to stand up for the audience. “I think I’m only a little bit...
The star spoke at a master class at the 81st Venice Film Festival on Sunday on the art and craft of cinema through acting, screenwriting, lighting, scoring and dubbing.
To kick off the conversation, it was noted that Gere celebrated his 75th birthday on Saturday, so the capacity crowd erupted with cheers of “Happy Birthday,” after which he dutifully thanked everyone.
The personal touches continued throughout the master class as the actor was shown a clip from his first film role, Days of Heaven (1978), which he admitted made him “so emotional.” He swiftly pointed out his son, Homer, and asked him to stand up for the audience. “I think I’m only a little bit...
- 9/1/2024
- by Lily Ford
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Richard Gere celebrated his 75th birthday with hyped-up fans at a masterclass hosted by Cartier at the Venice Film Festival and revealed some behind-the-scenes on the filming of his 1990 hit movie “Pretty Woman” which catapulted Julia Roberts into star status.
Reacting to a clip of his steamy piano scene with Roberts, Gere laughed and blushed about his palpable chemistry with the actor.
“No chemistry,” he laughed. “I mean, this actor and this actress, obviously, had no chemistry between them… I haven’t seen that in a long time, too. It was a sexy, sexy scene.”
Gere then went on to share that the scene had been improvised. “This was never in the script. … We didn’t know how we would use it later. It ended up being integral to the film,” said Gere, who also joked that he “was playing a character that was almost criminally underwritten. It was basically...
Reacting to a clip of his steamy piano scene with Roberts, Gere laughed and blushed about his palpable chemistry with the actor.
“No chemistry,” he laughed. “I mean, this actor and this actress, obviously, had no chemistry between them… I haven’t seen that in a long time, too. It was a sexy, sexy scene.”
Gere then went on to share that the scene had been improvised. “This was never in the script. … We didn’t know how we would use it later. It ended up being integral to the film,” said Gere, who also joked that he “was playing a character that was almost criminally underwritten. It was basically...
- 9/1/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
As many American moviegoers know, Fandango is a key platform for purchasing movie tickets. While it may not have every film, it covers most of your needs. Fandango also tracks the movie market closely, often releasing lists based on the popularity of various titles and characters. Recently, they shared their list of the 10 most anticipated movies for the fall season, and we’re excited to present this important list to you.
In this article, we’ll dive into the details by ranking the top 10 most anticipated fall movies, starting from the 10th spot and working our way up to the most anticipated film. We hope you find the list enjoyable and insightful!
10. The Return
Although this movie won’t hit theaters until later this year, it will make its premiere in Toronto this September. Featuring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, it offers a fresh perspective on the story of Odysseus from Homer’s The Odyssey.
In this article, we’ll dive into the details by ranking the top 10 most anticipated fall movies, starting from the 10th spot and working our way up to the most anticipated film. We hope you find the list enjoyable and insightful!
10. The Return
Although this movie won’t hit theaters until later this year, it will make its premiere in Toronto this September. Featuring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche, it offers a fresh perspective on the story of Odysseus from Homer’s The Odyssey.
- 8/30/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Comic Basics
As American filmgoers will know, Fandango is one of the most important places you need to go to if you want to buy movie tickets. They don’t have everything, but they will satisfy the majority of your needs. At the same time, Fandango also closely follows the movie market, which is why it often releases relevant lists related to the popularity of certain titles or characters based on the numbers they are able to collect. Recently, the company has provided us with a list of the 10 most anticipated fall movies, and we have decided to report on that important list in this article.
Of course, since this is indeed an important list, we have decided to report on it, so we are going to bring you the results by listing the top 10 most popular movies on this list, from 10th to first place, with the first one being the most popular title.
Of course, since this is indeed an important list, we have decided to report on it, so we are going to bring you the results by listing the top 10 most popular movies on this list, from 10th to first place, with the first one being the most popular title.
- 8/30/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
The Simpsons has obviously changed in a number of ways over the past 35 years, from the evolving animation style, to the shifting voice cast, to the fact that they’re probably not going to be making any more jokes about the controversial racial politics of cartoon magnate and theme park founder Roger Meyers Sr.
The show also used to regularly feature cutaway gags, in which the primary narrative is interrupted with flashbacks, daydreams or scenes in alternate locations that serve as punchlines to something the characters have been discussing — such as Homer’s vision of attending Maggie’s wedding with two vending machines on each arm, or the brief shot of Springfield Elementary’s Lunchlady Doris feeding old gym mats into a meat grinder.
But while this was once a staple of the show’s storytelling technique, that’s no longer the case, mostly thanks to Family Guy.
The topic...
The show also used to regularly feature cutaway gags, in which the primary narrative is interrupted with flashbacks, daydreams or scenes in alternate locations that serve as punchlines to something the characters have been discussing — such as Homer’s vision of attending Maggie’s wedding with two vending machines on each arm, or the brief shot of Springfield Elementary’s Lunchlady Doris feeding old gym mats into a meat grinder.
But while this was once a staple of the show’s storytelling technique, that’s no longer the case, mostly thanks to Family Guy.
The topic...
- 8/28/2024
- Cracked
On Wednesday August 28 2024, PBS broadcasts Odysseus Returns!
Season 1 Episode Summary
The upcoming episode of “Odysseus Returns” promises to be an exciting journey into the past. Titled “Makis Metaxas Discovers the Home of King Odysseus,” this episode will explore the remarkable findings of archaeologist Makis Metaxas. His discovery has sparked interest not only in Greece but also around the world.
Metaxas has uncovered what he believes to be the legendary home of Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s epic tales. This revelation could change the way people think about ancient Greek history and mythology. The episode will delve into the details of the excavation and the evidence that led Metaxas to this significant conclusion.
However, the excitement surrounding this discovery is not without its challenges. A storm of controversy has arisen, with some experts questioning the validity of Metaxas’ claims. The episode will highlight the debates and discussions within the archaeological community.
Season 1 Episode Summary
The upcoming episode of “Odysseus Returns” promises to be an exciting journey into the past. Titled “Makis Metaxas Discovers the Home of King Odysseus,” this episode will explore the remarkable findings of archaeologist Makis Metaxas. His discovery has sparked interest not only in Greece but also around the world.
Metaxas has uncovered what he believes to be the legendary home of Odysseus, the hero of Homer’s epic tales. This revelation could change the way people think about ancient Greek history and mythology. The episode will delve into the details of the excavation and the evidence that led Metaxas to this significant conclusion.
However, the excitement surrounding this discovery is not without its challenges. A storm of controversy has arisen, with some experts questioning the validity of Metaxas’ claims. The episode will highlight the debates and discussions within the archaeological community.
- 8/28/2024
- by US Posts
- TV Regular
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