We mourn the loss of actor Robert Vaughn, whose silky charm made him the perfect choice to play the role of the second most famous spy character created by Ian Fleming: Napoleon Solo on the 1960’s television series “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.”
He was also one of the original “Magnificent Seven,” the one with a Southern accent and a drinking problem.
He also appeared in “Bullitt” and “The Towering Inferno,” and played the villain in “Superman III.”
Happy fall! Here’s some of the most intriguing and exciting of what’s coming to theaters.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 9
“Sully”
Tom Hanks plays “Sully” Sullenberger, the heroic pilot who saved all of his passengers when he made an emergency landing on the Hudson River. Clint Eastwood directed.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 16
“Snowden”
Who better than cinema-of-paranoia director Oliver Stone to tell the story of Edward Snowden? Joseph Gordon-Levitt plays the NSA contractor-turned leaker, and Zachary Quinto plays journalist Glenn Greenwald.
“Bridget Jones’s Baby”
Renee Zellweger is back as the romantic comedy heroine, here not sure whether her ex (Colin Firth) or a possible new boyfriend (Patrick Dempsey) is the father of her baby.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 23
“Storks”
Jennifer Aniston, Andy Samberg, and Key and Peele provide voices for this animated story about storks who have to make sure a baby is delivered to the right home.
“The Dressmaker”
A woman returns to the town that treated her badly to show them how wrong they were. Kate Winslet and Liam Hemsworth star.
“Queen of Katwe” Director Mira Nair brings us the real-life story of a young African girl who became a chess champion. Lupita NYong’o plays her mother.
“The Magnificent Seven”
First it was “The Seven Samurai.” Then, “The Magnificent Seven” with Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen and an unforgettable Elmer Bernstein score. There was also a television series. This remake stars Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, and Ethan Hawke.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 30
“Deepwater Horizon”
Mark Wahlberg, Kurt Russell, and John Malkovich star in the story of the explosion of a BP oil rig that led to the worst oil spill in US history.
“Miss Peregrine’s Home For Peculiar Children”
A sort of “Avengers” crossed with “Harry Potter” and a bit of “X-Men,” this film based on the best-selling series of books is about a school for children with special powers.
Actor Nate Parker directed and stars in this powerful festival favorite about the slave rebellion led by Nat Turner.
“The Girl on the Train”
The Paula Hawkins best-seller about an alcoholic woman who becomes caught up in the disappearance of a young woman she watched from a commuter train stars Emily Blunt.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 14
“The Accountant”
Ben Affleck stars in a thriller about a man on the autism spectrum who has been cooking the books for gangsters.
“Mr. Church”
Eddie Murphy takes on a serious role as a cook who cares for a dying woman and her daughter in a film from “Driving Miss Daisy” director Bruce Beresford.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 21
“American Pastoral”
Philip Roth’s 1997 novel, set in the political upheavals of the 1960’s, is about a man who embraced and exemplified traditional notions of success only to have his daughter challenge everything he believes and trusts.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 28
“Inferno”
Tom Hanks is back as Robert Langdon, once again off to save the world, this time teamed up with “Rogue One’s” Felicity Jones.
FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 4
“Trolls”
Justin Timberlake, Anna Kendrick, James Corden, John Cleese, Kunal Nayyar, and Gwen Stefani lend their voices to this colorful musical about those cute little creatures with the tufts of hair.
Trailer: The Magnificent Seven (and the Earlier Versions)
Posted on April 29, 2016 at 3:10 pm
Denzel Washington, Vincent D’Onofrio, Matt Bomer, Ethan Hawke, Vinnie Jones, Peter Sarsgaard, and Chris Pratt star in the remake of “The Magnificent Seven,” and they’ve released a teaser trailer:
This is a good reminder to catch up on the two earlier versions, both excellent. The 1960 all-star Western with Steve McQueen, Yul Brynner, James Coburn, and Charles Bronson has one of the best-remembered scores of all time, by Elmer Bernstein.
It was based on the brilliant “Seven Samurai” from director Akira Kurosawa.
Happy 2016! Here’s What’s Coming to Theaters This Year
Posted on January 1, 2016 at 8:00 am
Happy new year! Here’s some of what we’re looking forward to seeing in theaters in 2016. As usual, we have sequels, remakes, superheroes, movies based on best-selling books, and movies based on real-life stories. And, as usual, what I look forward to most is knowing that a year from today I will be a fan of movies and performers and writers and directors I do not yet know anything about. Can’t wait to meet them. (All release dates subject to change)
January
Norm of the North (looks kind of like “Happy Feet” crossed with “Madagascar?”)
February
Hail Caesar! (The Coen brothers take on the golden age of Hollywood)
Zoolander 2 (Blue Steel! This time with Benedict Cumberbatch!)
Race (the story of Olympic champion and American hero Jesse Owens)
March
Knight of Cups (from Terrence Malick, so it will be beautiful and opaque)
Me Before You (based on the best-seller about a young woman who is hired to help a wealthy young man who is paralyzed following an accident)
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Tina Fey and Margot Robbie star in this fact-based story of a war correspondent)
Zootopia (animated comedy about a city of animals)
My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (even Greekier and weddingier!)
April
Keeping Up with the Joneses (Jon Hamm, Isla Fisher, and Zach Galifianakis star in a comedy about suburbanites who suspect their neighbor might be a spy)
The Boss (Melissa McCarthy is a bad boss gone rogue)
Barbershop: The Next Cut (Ice Cube and the gang are back for more haircuts, trash talk, and potential apple juice theft)
Everybody Wants Some (“Boyhood” director Richard Linklater follows up his classic “Dazed and Confused” with some some dazed and confused 80’s jams — in both senses of the word)
The Jungle Book (live-action re-telling of the Rudyard Kipling classic story of a boy raised by animals)
Keanu (Key and Peele play “blerds” (“black nerds” who must save a kitten, with Method Man, Nia Long, and Will Forte)
Mother’s Day (from the same folks who brought you all-star dramedies about New Year’s Day and Valentine’s Day)
Nine Lives (Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Garner star in a story about a man who is trapped in the body of the family’s cat)
Captain America: Civil War (Cap is back. So is the Winter Soldier.)
Going in Style (remake of the comedy heist film about an over-the-hill mob, starring Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, and Christopher LLoyd — and Ann-Margret)
The Free State of Jones (Matthew McConaughey and Gugu Mbatha-Raw star in this fact-based story of a farmer married to a former slave who rebelled against the Confederacy during the Civil War)
Money Monster (Jodie Foster directs George Clooney and Julia Roberts in the story of a television investing guru held hostage on the air)
Snowden (Oliver Stone directs Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the story of the notorious former NSA contractor seen by some as a traitor and some as a heroic whistleblower)
The Angry Birds Movie (ever wonder how the birds got so angry?)
X-Men: Apocalypse (more mutants!)
June
Now You See Me 2 (that rich guy is not happy about the magicians stealing his money)
Finding Dory (Nemo and Marlin must take another journey)
July
The BFG (Roald Dahl’s classic story stars Mark Rylance from “Bridge of Spies”)
The Secret Life of Pets (what do they do all day when we’re at work?)
Ghostbusters (Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, and Kate McKinnon probably get slimed)
Lala Land (Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone in a musical from “Whiplash” writer/director Damien Chazelle)
August
Ben-Hur (Jack Huston and Rodrigo Santoro star in this remake of the Charlton Heston classic)
Kubo and the Two Strings (the latest from LAIKA)
September
The Magnificent Seven (remake of the classic western with Denzel Washington, Chris Pratt, Ethan Hawke, and Matt Bomer)
Masterminds (Zach Galifianakis and Kristen Wiig star in this fact-based story of some very dumb criminals)
Casting News: The Next James Bond Villain and a Remake of a Classic Western
Posted on December 5, 2014 at 10:10 pm
Just ten more months until the next James Bond film! Daniel Craig will return as 007, and he will be joined by Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz, along with “Guardians of the Galaxy” star Dave Bautista, Andrew Scott (Moriarty to Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock) and Monica Bellucci.
Just as intriguing, it seems they’re working on a remake of one of the all-time Western classics, The Magnificent Seven (itself a remake of Seven Samurai). The cast for the new version may include Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt. Two excellent choices, five more to go. Plus, who will play the Eli Wallach role?
(itself a remake of 
). The cast for the new version may include Denzel Washington and Chris Pratt. Two excellent choices, five more to go. Plus, who will play the Eli Wallach role?