Starring as the title character on The Flash is hard work and, having done it for five years now, it’s easy for Grant Gustin to get lost in the grind of long days and grueling shoots. But every time he gets to meet fans of the show, especially at big events like Comic-Con, he’s reminded that all of the hard work is totally worth it. (Click on the media bar below to hear Grant Gustin)
Now that we’re into the second half of October, it’s time for the Halloween-inspired movies to show up in theaters. And which movie is more Halloween-inspired than Halloween? Jamie Lee Curtis returns to the role that helped make her famous some 40 years ago, Laurie Strode. And, in a case of fiction mirroring the real-life world outside, her character is determined to deal with her past traumas head-on so she can move on with her life.
In its third season, This Is Us fans are still as passionate about the show as they were when it began. That, of course, is great news for Justin Hartley, who plays Kevin Pearson on the NBC drama. It means he’ll probably have a lot more encounters with viewers, and he told us those are some of the most incredible experiences he’s ever had. (Click on the media bar below to hear Justin Hartley)
Ansel Elgort’s charismatic performance in Baby Driver was one of 2017’s cinematic highlights, and this time out he’s delving into the psychological thriller genre in Jonathan. Elgort plays two brothers who live completely separate existences all within the same body (one person spends his waking hours during the day and the other is conscious during the evening). Their unique dynamic takes a turn for the worse after they become involved with the same woman (The Bad Batch’sSuki Waterhouse). With its blend of sci-fi and suspense elements, Jonathanhas the makings of a solid and compelling tale.
The picture, which co-stars Patricia Clarkson (The Bookshop), marks the feature writing and directing debut of Bill Oliver. Check out the trailer below and tell us what you think!
Melissa McCarthy trades in the humor for drama in Can You Ever Forgive Me?, as she plays late author Lee Israel (the picture is based on her memoir). Israel carved out a successful career as a writer, but when her career started to wane and the proverbial writing jobs started to dry up, she became a literary forger. The project is directed by Marielle Heller, who received acclaim back in 2015 for her debut feature The Diary of a Teenage Girl.
McCarthy hopes Israel’s story will have a resounding effect on moviegoers. “I hope (we) are reminded that the people that we pass all the time on the street that we don’t notice and that seem invisible maybe (we) should look up and actually see them,” said McCarthy. “You don’t know when they’re amazingly talented or just needs someone to see them. I think everybody needs to be seen by someone.”
Click on the media bar to hear the actress talk about Israel’s career as a writer and her friendship with Jack Hock (played by Richard E. Grant):
Can You Ever Forgive Me? opens in select theaters October 19.
Crazy Rich Asians, which exceeded expectations with a worldwide gross of $228 million (it made $171 domestically), hits Blu-ray and DVD on November 20, with a digital release set for November 6.
Based on Kevin Kwan’s bestseller, Crazy Rich Asians centers on Rachel Chu (Constance Wu), a woman who’s shocked to discover that boyfriend Nick Young (Henry Golding) comes from a ridiculously wealthy family. Rachel’s travel to Singapore to attend the wedding of Nick’s best friend leads to complications thanks to the family’s disapproving matriarch (Michelle Yeoh). Gemma Chan, Ken Jeong, and Awkwafina round out the ensemble. Although the film received a substantial offer from Netflix, director Jon M. Chu was determined to release the film on the big screen, and it ended up being the perfect gamble.
Special features on the Blu-ray include commentary from director Jon M. Chu and novelist Kevin Kwan, deleted scenes, a gag reel and the featurette “Crazy Rich Fun” (the DVD’s sole extra is the featurette).
Sara Paxton (The Innkeepers, Aquamarine) co-stars with Hugh Jackman in director Jason Reitman’sThe Front Runner. The political drama centers on Senator Gary Hart (Jackman), a rising politician who was favored to receive the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination until his affair with Donna Rice (Paxton) was exposed. Reitman received acclaim earlier this year with Tully(both Mackenzie Davis and Charlize Theron delivered excellent work), and releasing two first rate films in a year would definitely be a feather in his cap.
For Paxton, her road to The Front Runner began in synchronistic fashion. “A year before I got the script, I had been listening to this podcast in my car while I was driving and the story was about Gary Hart and Donna Rice and the whole scandal,” said Paxton. “I was like ‘this is a fascinating story, why didn’t I know about this? Why aren’t more people talking about this?’ And then when I got the script a year later, I was so excited.”
Click on the media bar to hear Paxton talk about the relevance behind The Front Runner:
Cedric the Entertainer’s new CBS show, The Neighborhood, would appear to be a show about race relations, since its premise finds Max Greenfield’s character moving into a predominantly African-American community in Los Angeles. However, Cedric the Entertainer told us it’s about much more than that, because it also takes on generational issues, especially when it comes to built-in biases that older people tend to acquire over the years. (Click on the media bar below to hear Cedric the Entertainer)
The Neighborhood airs Monday nights at 8/7c on CBS.
As we’ve seen over and over again, the comic book fans are always quick to criticize when a movie — or even a character within a movie — doesn’t live up to the expectations they had, based on the comics. Co-starring in Venom as Anne Weying, Eddie Brock’s fiancee (who — spoiler alert — becomes She-Venom), Michelle Williams was aware of the fans’ expectations, but felt she had it easy compared to her co-star, Tom Hardy.
Last week, Kelly Clarkson told us that each new season’s talent makes The Voice feel like a completely different show. Adam Levine is willing to take it one step further, though. Levine, who’s been on every season since the show’s inception, told us that every new combination of coaches changes the show in profound ways, because of the different kinds of chemistry that develop between him, Blake Shelton (who’s also been on every season), and the newer coaches. (Click on the media bar below to hear Kelly Clarkson)
The Voice airs Monday and Tuesday nights at 8/7c on NBC.
Starring as the title character on The Flash is hard work and, having done it for five years now, it’s easy for Grant Gustin to get lost in the grind of long days and grueling shoots. But every time he gets to meet fans of the show, especially at big events like Comic-Con, he’s reminded that all of the hard work is totally worth it. (Click on the media bar below to hear Grant Gustin)
