-
Bryan Cranston used to be known as "the dad from Malcolm in the Middle" before he was cast in AMC's Breaking Bad, won three Emmys, and became Hollywood's latest go-to character actor (take a seat, Mark Strong).
In 2011 alone, Cranston has appeared as a detective in March's The Lincoln Lawyer, as a high school principal's husband in the drama Detachment (which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in April), and will appear as Julia Roberts' lousy husband in this weekend's Larry Crowne. He also has a role in September's action thriller Drive. All that in addition to a fourth season of the excellent Breaking Bad.
He'll be equally visible in 2012. Cranston has already shot roles in the George Lucas–produced, World War II biopic Red Tails (which may finally see release in early 2012) and the sci-fi epic John Carter. He's also lined up roles as the villain in the Total Recall remake and as the mayor of Los Angeles in Rock of Ages. Now Cranston has added two more roles as well.
what roles has he added? >> Posted 06.30.11 by Ryan -
Summer 2011 is filled with sequels, spin-offs, and reboots. That's right, as exciting as the season's blockbusters may seem, we're being inundated with one of the most unoriginal summers the movies have ever seen. Within that context, though, which movies rise above the "Yeah, we phoned this one in" benchmark? Find out with our patent-pending originality meter.
From 1 to 10, where do these releases register? >>
Posted 06.30.11 by reelz -
A man knocked hard by job loss and worried about his economic fate — not exactly a premise that seems relatable to an A-list actor like Tom Hanks. Turns out, it is. As Hanks tells Hollywood Uncensored host Sam Rubin, after the cancellation of his TV show Bosom Buddies, he was an unemployed actor with a family to support. There were a few guest roles here and there, including one on Happy Days, but nothing solid on the horizon... Until, as he puts it, he got the lead role in "Opie Cunningham's movie" (Splash).
That experience was part of the reason he signed on to produce as well as star in this week's Larry Crowne — a "small, personal" movie it wasn't easy to find backing for. For more of Hanks' conversation about Larry Crown, including how he recruited Julia Roberts to star in the movie, and his take on press junkets (which he calls Celebrity Mule Trains), tune in tomorrow, June 30, at 10PM ET / 7PM PT, or catch one of Hollywood Uncensored's encore showings.
Posted 06.29.11 by reelz -
Academy Award–winning actor Tom Hanks hadn't written and directed a movie since 1996's That Thing You Do!, but the upcoming comedy Larry Crowne sees Hanks directing himself as the title character from a script he co-wrote with Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding). While only his second directorial effort, Hanks told BANG Showbiz at the London Premiere that he wasn't nervous about directing the movie.
I was worried about less things because my powers of communication, my skills of talking to all the department heads were a little bit better than last time around. It's such a personal thing that I can't really delineate between the work and the social aspect of making the movie. We had a great time, we were around great people.
watch the trailer >> Posted 06.14.11 by Ryan -
Tom Hanks re-teams with Julia Roberts in the rom-com Larry Crowne, which he also directs and helped write the screenplay for. Hollywood's Top Ten, the show where movie fans control the countdowns, wants you to pick the Top 10 Tom Hanks movies — and there are plenty to choose from for this actor with 2 Oscar wins and 3 other Academy Award nominations. Vote now for your favorites, then tune in to see if your picks make the cut.
Vote for your Top 10 Tom Hanks Movies >>
Posted 06.09.11 by reelz -
With more than 30 leading lady roles in her filmography, Julia Roberts returns to the big screen this summer in the rom-com Larry Crowne. Hollywood's Top Ten, the show where movie fans control the countdowns, wants you to pick the Top 10 Julia Roberts movies. Vote now for your favorites, then tune in to see if your picks make the cut.
Vote for your Top 10 Julia Roberts Movies >>
Posted 06.09.11 by reelz -
Today's Challenge: Tom Hanks plays a man who, after being downsized from his company, heads to community college and meets a colorful group of outcasts in this summer's Larry Crowne. Joel McHale stars in the sitcom Community, as a lawyer who goes to community college after being disbarred and forms a study group with a lovable group of misfits. Can you find a movie link between these very different actors who have been cast in very similar roles?
Our first Facebook movie game, ClusterFlick, plays off that old "six degrees of separation" theory — you know, the one that has a certain Kevin at the center of the Hollywood universe. It's easy to play, but not so easy to win. The goal is to use the major cast of movies to get from Point A to Point B in the smallest number of moves.
Play ClusterFlick >>
Posted 06.05.11 by reelz -
It's been a long, brutal winter in most parts of the country, so it's no surprise that even Hollywood is looking to get a jump on summer. The rollout of blockbuster movies starts this Friday, a full month before the Memorial Day Weekend.
As you'd expect (and hope), the mix of movies being offered up is heavy on the Action/Adventure movies (11) and Comedies (10). There's also plenty of offerings for Kids/Families (8). What's new this year is the addition of more R-rated comedies, thanks in no small measure to The Hangover's runaway success two summers back. Along with it's sequel, see what else is playing this summer — complete with trailers and photo galleries.
See the 2011 Summer Movie Guide >>
Posted 04.25.11 by reelz -
The first look audiences got of Universal Pictures' upcoming comedy Larry Crowne was a preview clip aired a couple weeks ago on Jimmy Kimmel Live during an interview with Tom Hanks. The movie, directed and co-written by Hanks with Nia Vardalos (My Big Fat Greek Wedding), follows Hanks as a man recently fired from his job who begins to take college courses, with Julia Roberts as one of his professors, or so says the movie's synopsis.
Until he was downsized, affable, amiable Larry Crowne (Hanks) was a superstar team leader at the big-box company where he's worked since his time in the Navy. Underwater on his mortgage and unclear on what to do with his suddenly free days, Larry heads to his local college to start over. There he becomes part of a colorful community of outcasts, also-rans and the overlooked all trying to find a better future for themselves...often moving around town in a herd of scooters. In his public-speaking class, Larry develops an unexpected crush on his teacher Mercedes Tainot (Roberts), who has lost as much passion for teaching as she has for her husband. The simple guy who has every reason to think his life has stalled will come to learn an unexpected lesson: when you think everything worth having has passed you by, you just might discover your reason to live.
Watch the trailer >> Posted 03.16.11 by Ryan -
Universal Pictures' upcoming comedy Larry Crowne has a lot going for it: a July release date, two Academy Award-winning lead actors (Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts), Hanks directing and co-writing with Nia Vardalos (writer and star of My Big Fat Greek Wedding), and a supporting cast that employs most of Hollywood. What it doesn't have, so far, is a trailer.
Hanks attempted to alleviate that by appearing on Jimmy Kimmel Live and showing a preview clip from the movie (instead of a trailer), which shows an early meeting between Hanks' title character and Roberts. In the movie, Hanks has been fired from his job and is starting over by taking college courses, one of which is taught by Roberts. But don't take it from us, let Hanks tell you himself in the clip's introduction.
watch the clip >> Posted 03.02.11 by Ryan