Judd Hirsch

The Meyerowitz Stories (New And Selected) Review

Excellent

Noah Baumbach (Frances Ha) is on his way to becoming the new Woody Allen, which is a compliment. This film features an eclectic ensemble of A-listers coming together to play a hilariously neurotic Jewish New York family. The film is episodic and very entertaining as these people collide against each other. And their banter is wickedly funny, even when they're grappling with some very dark themes. It's also a rare chance to see Adam Sandler shine in a non-silly role.

He's at the centre of the story as Danny, who has just split from his wife and moved back in with his cantankerous father Harold (Dustin Hoffman) and his loveably goofy fourth wife Maureen (Emma Thompson). Everyone in this family has artistic tendencies, including Danny, his sister Jean (Elizabeth Marvel) and Danny's 18-year-old daughter Eliza (Grace Van Patten), who is heading off to university to study film. And then there's younger half-brother Matthew (Ben Stiller), who abandoned art to become a wealthy businessman in Los Angeles. Danny and Jean have always felt ignored in Matthew's presence, and this comes out into the open when they all gather to help take care of Harold when he ends up in hospital.

Continue reading: The Meyerowitz Stories (New And Selected) Review

The Meyerowitz Stories New And Selected Trailer

Harold Meyerowitz (Dustin Hoffman) is a celebrated New York artist, whose quick-temper and filter-less conversation has left him estranged from his entire family. But when an event comes up celebrating his work at the Museum of Modern Art, they return to enjoy the experience with him. Of course, he's a particularly embarrassing person to spend time with, given that he's never short of opinions or afraid to speak his mind and thus ends up coming across as the rudest person in the room at any public event.

Matthew Meyerowitz (Ben Stiller) is his diplomatic son, who has actually had a piece of Harold's art named after him, but there is also his less successful son Danny (Adam Sandler) and his awkward daughter Jean (Elizabeth Marvel), and all of them want to make the most out of their rare time with their father and his alcohol-loving wife Maureen (Emma Thompson).

It's particularly important for Danny to establish some kind of bond again, as his daughter Eliza (Grace Van Patten) is about to move away to college; he's proud, of course, because he was never able to get through college himself, but it's forcing him to release that the time he has left with his father is important.

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Judd Hirsch at the 54th New York Film Festival screening of 'Jackie' held at Alice Tully Hall, Lincoln Center, New York, United States - Friday 14th October 2016

Independence Day: Resurgence Review

Good

Two decades is a long time to wait for a sequel, especially one starring much of the original cast. (The record may go to the 32 years between Return of the Jedi and The Force Awakens.) But clearly filmmakers Roland Emmerich and Dean Devlin have long wanted to follow up their 1996 blockbuster hit Independence Day. The result is a big, fast sci-fi action thriller that lacks both the original movie's enjoyably raucous tone and its break-out star Will Smith.

After the events of 20 years ago, America has taken alien technology to heart, improving transportation and military defence, including creating a base on the moon to keep an eye out for returning tentacled baddies. Then an orb-shape ship appears, followed by a new mothership so large that it spans the entire Atlantic Ocean. President Lanford (Sela Ward) turns to the surviving heroes of the previous invasion for help: scientific expert David (Jeff Goldblum), former president Whitmore (Bill Pullman) and mad genius Brakish (Brent Spiner). Meanwhile, a young team of next-generation pilots dives into the fray, including Dylan (Jesse T. Usher playing Will Smith's now-grown son), Jake (Liam Hemsworth), Patricia (Maika Monroe as Whitmore's daughter and Jake's fiancee) and Charlie (Travis Tope).

The film is assembled in standard disaster movie style, quickly introducing characters and their personal little melodramas before throwing them into the mad chaos of this new invasion. Emmerich is an expert at this structure, using it to hugely entertaining effect from Independence Day to Godzilla, The Day After Tomorrow, 2014 and White House Down. So it's odd that this film feels so lifeless by comparison. The story rushes past at a breathless pace that never allows the characters or events to gain any real traction with the audience. The only sharp wit on hand this time comes from throwaway one-liners apparently improvised by Goldblum. And the action feels eerily derivative, rehashed from Emmerich's filmography with added elements from Star Wars and Apocalypse Now.

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Independence Day: Resurgence - Teaser Trailer

Everyone knows the tale of David Levinson and Captain Steven Hiller, the two men at the forefront of the last Alien invasion. Since that last fateful day, Levinson has worked tirelessly to protect the world and strengthen it from alien attacks, even using the technology they discovered on board the alien spaceship to counter their possible attack methods.

When the people of Earth learn that Aliens are on their way back to our planet, there's automatic hysteria and a hope that the newly installed space defences will help counter the attack. Whatever stringent plans David develops he, more than anyone, realises that it will probably not be enough to protect us.

Independence Day: Resurgence takes place twenty years after the original movie and sees many of the cast taking up the same role again. The film is directed by Roland Emmerich (known for The Day After Tomorrow, Godzilla and the first Independence Day movie.)

Video - David Ayer And Various Celebrities Pile Into The Premiere Of 'Fury' - Pt1

Almost everybody received a ticket to the New York premiere of 'Fury'. David Ayer, the film's director, snuck in almost unnoticed in the crowds. Jim Parrack, who appears in the film, was also there with his fiancé - 'Hunger Games' actress Leven Rambin.

Continue: Video - David Ayer And Various Celebrities Pile Into The Premiere Of 'Fury' - Pt1

The Geek TV Shows We're Not Afraid To Love

By George Percival in Movies / TV / Theatre on 03 August 2014

Adam Brody Game Of Thrones Chris O'Dowd Richard Ayoade Doctor Who Peter Capaldi George Takei Zachary Levi Mary McDonnell Judd Hirsch

Much of TV is now a geek's dream, we look at the shows loved by both geeks and the wider mainstream.

Geeks: once the deeply awkward and much-maligned members of society- ridiculed by Jocks and long stereotyped on TV and film as socially inept weaklings with a love of bow ties, thick-rimmed glasses and high-waisted slacks. But oh how things have changed. Ever since Adam Brody’s intensely loveable Seth Cohen appeared on screens in the mid noughties as the lonely, quick-witted, Death Cab For Cutie loving geek on The O.C, the tables have been well and truly turned. ‘Geek Chic’ prevails, the once laughable clothing choices of society’s most brainy and introverted have been re-appropriated by the masses. Everyone is falling over themselves to replicate a look that twenty years ago would have posited the wearer of such garments as a human punch-bag for meat-headed bullies.

Adam Brody Attends Premiere Adam Brody has been credited with helping makes geeks cool through his O.C character Seth Cohen

In the world of TV, sci-fi shows such as Star Trek and Stargate are geek staples but the recent role reversal of geeks as the cultural vanguard posits fantastical shows that would have more likely been derided several years ago as universally acclaimed hits. Game Of Thrones is arguably the biggest TV show in the world whilst The Big Bang Theory, which maintains the long-held geek stereotypes has made veritable superstars of its cast. Here then, is a list of those geeky TV shows that we just can’t get enough of.

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This Must Be The Place Trailer

Cheyenne is a soft-spoken, retired rockstar still wearing make-up and hairspray whilst living in Dublin and has been estranged from his Jewish father for 30 years. When he discovers that his father is dying in New York, he is determined to set out to put things right with him, but his journey is delayed by Cheyenne's aversion to flying; when he finally makes his way over, he is too late to see his father alive for the final time. He learns that his father was a victim of persecution in Auschwitz during the Holocaust of World War II and that he was once made to suffer public humiliation by the Nazi officer Aloise Muller. In a last bid to make peace with his father, Cheyenne sets out to kill Muller (who is currently hiding out in the States) whilst meeting several people along the way, including members of Muller's family. When he is finally led to Muller, he finds himself confronted with a difficult decision as he listens to his story and, eventually, he manages to mark out a new chapter in his retired life.

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Tower Heist Trailer

Josh Kovacs has been a resident in Queens for more than ten years; in that time, he has acquired and lived in one of New York City's most secured and lavish apartments. He works for the Wall Street billionaire Arthur Shaw, who just so happens to live above Josh, in a swanky penthouse flat, making him the wealthiest resident there.

One day, Arthur is convicted of stealing two billion dollars from his investors and he is placed under house arrest. The investors he stole from turn out to be Josh and his crew; Arthur has taken their pensions that they entrusted him to manage. Josh is forced to admit that his retirement fund was taken too.

Josh and his crew form a plan to take back their pension fund, which they think is hidden in Arthur's penthouse. They call upon a petty robber, Slide, to help them, who in turn hires his team of amateur thieves, to scout the penthouse. It turns out that the crooks know the layout of that particular apartment, so taking the two billion back should be a cinch, right?

Starring: Ben Stiller, Eddie Murphy, Matthew Broderick, Casey Affleck, Tea Leoni, Michael Pena, Gabourey Sidibe, Alan Alda, Nina Arianda, Judd Hirsch and Marcia Jean Kurtz

The Muppets Trailer

Underneath the famous Muppet Theatre, oil has been discovered. Tex Richman, an oilman, finds out and plans to demolish the theatre so he can start drilling. Walter, Gary and Mary are three friends who also happen to be huge fans of The Muppets. They plan to stage what they call 'The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever', so they can raise $10 million to stop the destruction of the Muppet Theatre.

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