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Tag: jennifer-grey

‘Dirty Dancing’: New Sequel to Shoot This Year
(L to R) Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze in ‘Dirty Dancing’. Photo: Vestron Pictures.

Preview:
- ‘Hunger Games’ producers Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson have boarded the new ‘Dirty Dancing’ sequel.
- The movie will be a direct continuation of the 1987 film.
- Original star Jennifer Grey is aboard to appear in and also produce the movie.
Lionsgate is hoping to have the time of its life all over again.

While plans have been underway for a while now to a new, more official sequel to 1987 hit ‘Dirty Dancing’, the studio is adding the producing power of Nina Jacobson and Brad Simpson, who together have shepherded the ‘Hunger Games’ franchise to screens. They’re joining Jennifer Grey, who starred in the original alongside Patrick Swayze and will appear in and produce the new one.
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The aim is to have the movie shooting this year, but doesn’t currently appear to have a director aboard, as the new Lionsgate statement about the sequel doesn’t mention one.

Related Article: ‘Dirty Dancing’ is Headed for the Stage Via a New Musical Adaptation

What’s the story of the ‘Dirty Dancing’ sequel?

(L to R) Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in ‘Dirty Dancing’. Photo: Vestron Pictures.

We don’t yet know the exact story of the sequel –– though Grey’s return as Frances “Baby” Houseman, the character from the original suggests that we’ll see the story of a new young woman through her eyes.

‘Dying for Sex’ co-creator Kim Rosenstock has written the script.

‘Dirty Dancing’ sequel: Jennifer Grey talks

(L to R) Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in ‘Dirty Dancing’. Photo: Vestron Pictures.

Here’s what Grey said in a new statement about returning to the world of ‘Dirty Dancing’:

“The role of Baby has held a very deep and meaningful place in my heart, as it has in the hearts of so many fans over the years. I’ve long wondered where we might find Baby years later and what her life might be like, but it’s taken time to assemble the kind of people that I felt could be entrusted to build on the legacy of the original film… and I’m excited to say that It looks like the wait will soon be over!”

(L to R) Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in ‘Dirty Dancing’. Photo: Vestron Pictures.

Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Dirty Dancing’ Franchise:
- ‘Dirty Dancing‘ (1987)
- ‘Dirty Dancing‘ (1988 – 1989)
- ‘Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights‘ (2004)
- ‘Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life‘ (2007 – 2008)
- ‘Dirty Dancing‘ (2017)
- ‘The Real Dirty Dancing‘ (2019)
- ‘The Real Dirty Dancing‘ (2022)
Buy ‘Dirty Dancing’ Movies On Amazon
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January 30, 2026
‘Wish You Were Here’ Interview: Director Julia Stiles
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Opening in theaters on January 17th is the new romantic drama ‘Wish You Were Here,’ which is based on the novel of the same name by Renée Carlino and marks the directorial debut of actress Julia Stiles (‘The Bourne Identity’ and ‘Orphan: First Kill’). The film stars Isabelle Fuhrman (‘Orphan’), Mena Massoud (‘Aladdin’), Jennifer Grey (‘Dirty Dancing’) and Kelsey Grammer (‘X-Men: The Last Stand’).

Related Article: Julia Stiles and Isabelle Fuhrman Talk Prequel ‘Orphan: First Kill’

Director/Co-Writer Julia Stiles behind the scenes of the romance film ‘Wish You Were Here’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with actress turned filmmaker Julia Stiles about her work on ‘Wish You Were Here’, adapting the novel into a screenplay, achieving the right tone for the movie, her directing process, what she’s learned from watching other directors throughout her career, the pos-production process, casting her ‘Orphan: First Kill’ co-star Isabelle Fuhrman, and if she will direct again.

You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Julia Stiles, Isabelle Fuhrman, Mena Massoud, and Gabby Kono-Abdy.

Director/Co-Writer Julia Stiles talks ‘Wish You Were Here’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about the process of adapting the novel into a screenplay and why you wanted to direct this specific story?

Julia Stiles: I’ve been wanting to direct a movie for a long time, maybe a little shy about it, but was actively looking for the right story. Then this twenty-five-year-old actress and producer (Gabby Kono-Abdy) with a ton of chutzpah slid into my DMs and then also went through my agency, but said, “What about this book?” I fell in love with it. That was kind of the thing that nudged me towards being more confident that this was the story that I’m ready to tell. What drew me to it initially was a couple of things. It was sent to me during Covid, and I was taken by this desire that we all had at the time to connect with other human beings in real life and not digitally. So, there’s all the sort of rom-com elements of the movie where her mother and her friends are pressuring her to get on a dating app and find the perfect guy and get her life together that I found really humorous and kind of refreshing, but then also just fundamentally, it was that this is a story where the main characters are very young, but the love story is so much more mature and deeper than just that, and it doesn’t just look at love at first sight or that initial dating period. They do this thing where they play a game and kind of pretend that they’re an older couple looking back on their past. I thought, “Oh wow, that’s so powerful”, the idea that we should be so lucky to create a lifetime of memories with someone.

MF: The movie has both comedic and dramatic moments, can you talk about the challenges of balancing the right tone?

JS: I wanted to pull the audience in with the more humorous moments of levity with the family, with her family and her friends and her dumb job, and then also have this exciting first date with a guy, and then we kind of ease into the drama and the tragic love story. That was my intention, and I also really wanted ultimately for the movie to be hopeful. That was very important to me. Without being saccharine, my radar was up because there’s a tradition of movies like this and some are great, and then some can very much veer into the too sugary, and I just thought, “Okay, how do I keep this grounded in reality and something that we can relate to?”

Director/Co-Writer Julia Stiles behind the scenes of the romance film ‘Wish You Were Here’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

MF: Can you talk about your process as a director? Do you rehearse with the actors, do you storyboard your shots, and what was it like working with the rest of your crew?

JS: We had zero rehearsal time because that’s what happened, but I was confident enough with my actors. I think one of the things that I’ve discovered as an actress and now also as a director is that the camera loves spontaneity, so I’m of the ilk that you don’t want to over rehearse something because you want to capture the spontaneous thing that happens in real time. I was confident enough that my actors could do that, and they did. In terms of my crew, my DP and I had a shot list. We would get together every weekend and even in advance of being in production, go through each scene in each location, talk about different angles and how we wanted to shoot it, and we were very much a good team. We were very in sync about movie references. I remember reading a book about directing by David Mamet, and he had this one quote in it that was “Fail to prepare, prepare to fail.” So, I really went in there with a plan. Then I also had to, which I also enjoyed, be ready to pivot if we had obstacles or if the plan wasn’t going to work.

MF: As an actress, you have worked with many great directors throughout your career. How did your previous experience on sets with other filmmakers help prepare you to direct this movie?

JS: I think my whole career as an actress has been film school, and I realized I’ve absorbed so much just being on film sets for so long, but I did in pre-production reach out to a couple directors that I had worked with. I called Rodrigo Garcia, and I was like, “I cannot believe you hid the stress so well. You were so calm on set. You kept it from us.” He was like, “I did that on purpose because you don’t want the children to know how stressful your workday was. You want to keep the actors set up for success in terms of being relaxed.” Then I also called Doug Liman who directed ‘The Bourne Identity’, because there was this specific sequence on the sailboat and I knew that it was going to be challenging, and he’s directed a bunch of action movies, and he also has a sailboat. So, I asked him about filming on water, and I was just complaining about it. I was saying, “Oh, it’s really challenging, but this is part of being a director is working within a budget and time constraints and managing that.” He was like, “Remember this time, because when they start giving you more money, they start telling you what to do.” He was right.

MF: Do you think as an actress you now have a different appreciation for directors?

JS: Oh, a hundred percent. I feel like I want to call most of them and be like, “Oh my God.” Also, the next time I’m on a film set as an actress, I’m going to be super-duper reverent to my director. I understand now, it’s a lot to manage and everybody’s coming at you, but it’s also so exhilarating and energizing because you’re the one in the driver’s seat.

Isabelle Fuhrman as “Charlotte” in the romance film ‘Wish You Were Here’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

MF: You first worked with Isabelle Fuhrman as an actress on ‘Orphan: First Kill’, which is a very different type of performance than what she gives in this movie. What made you think she’d be right to play Charlotte?

JS: It is a very different role, and it’s the first time I think, really that we see her, or audiences can see her as a grown up and a leading lady in a romantic movie. But I was confident about it because I knew that as a leading lady and the main character of the film in every scene, working every day, having to pour your heart and soul into it and emote as much as this character does and go through such a transformation, that takes a lot of stamina. I saw her have that stamina on the set of ‘Orphan’ that she was a real workhorse and always dedicated and giving a hundred percent, even if it was exhausting.

MF: As a director, did you enjoy the post-production process?

JS: I did. I really loved it, and I think that might be my favorite part of it, working with my editor, Melody London. It’s just more relaxed. You have the footage there. You can take your time and really sew the quilt together or rearrange puzzle pieces and see experiment. It’s very creative and the final place where the story is told, and I found it enjoyable. I also loved putting music to the film that was special, and it’s also a more manageable schedule.

Director/Co-Writer Julia Stiles behind the scenes of the romance film ‘Wish You Were Here’, a Lionsgate release. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

MF: Finally, do you have plans to direct again in the future?

JS: I would love to direct again. I’m totally hooked. Again, I would love to, I hope I get to make a second movie. Also, creatively, I’m just surfacing from the whole process of making ‘Wish You Were Here’. It’s just opened a part of me. Now I’m thinking about what the next genre or story would be, so I’m looking.
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What is the plot of ‘Wish You Were Here’?

The film follows Charlotte (Isabelle Fuhrman), a woman searching for a spark in her life, who experiences a whirlwind night of romance with a man (Mena Massoud) she meets. The next morning, she discovers he is terminally ill and commits to helping him spend his remaining time meaningfully.

Who is in the cast of ‘Wish You Were Here’?
- Isabelle Fuhrman as Charlotte
- Mena Massoud as Adam
- Jennifer Grey as Mom
- Kelsey Grammer as Dad
- Jimmie Fails as Seth
- Jordan Gavaris as Chucky
- Gabby Kono-Abdy as Helen
- Mike Carlsen as Jon Jon
‘Wish You Were Here’,opens in theaters on January 17th. Photo courtesy of Lionsgate.

Julia Stiles Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘The Devil’s Own‘ (1997)
- ‘10 Things I Hate About You‘ (1999)
- ‘Down to You‘ (2000)
- ‘Hamlet‘ (2000)
- ‘State and Main‘ (2001)
- ‘Save the Last Dance‘ (2001)
- ‘The Bourne Identity‘ (2002)
- ‘Mona Lisa Smile‘ (2003)
- ‘The Bourne Supremacy‘ (2004)
- ‘Edmond‘ (2006)
- ‘The Omen‘ (2006)
- ‘Dexter‘ (2006 – 2013)
- ‘The Bourne Ultimatum‘ (2007)
- ‘Silver Linings Playbook‘ (2012)
- ‘Jason Bourne‘ (2016)
- ‘Riviera‘ (2017 – 2020)
- ‘Hustlers‘ (2019)
- ‘Orphan: First Kill‘ (2022)
- ‘The Lake‘ (2022 – 2023)
- ‘Chosen Family‘ (2024)
Buy Julia Stiles Movies on Amazon
January 17, 2025
Movie Review: ‘A Real Pain’
(L to R) Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Opening in theaters November 1st is ‘A Real Pain,’ directed by Jesse Eisenberg and starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kieran Culkin, Will Sharpe, Jennifer Grey, Kurt Egyiawan, Liza Sadovy, and Daniel Oreskes.

Related Article: Jessie Eisenberg and Claire Danes Talk FX’s ‘Fleishman Is in Trouble’

Initial Thoughts

(L to R) Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Jesse Eisenberg has long been an acquired taste as an actor, but as a director, his second feature, ‘A Real Pain,’ shows tremendous growth from his 2022 debut behind the camera, ‘When You Finish Saving the World.’ While that film felt incomplete and abrasive in ways, ‘A Real Pain’ brings tremendous emotional sensitivity and a more focused wit to the story of two cousins traveling together to the land of their family’s heritage, and the issues that journey brings up.

Eisenberg also wrote and stars in the picture as the more grounded of the two characters, but the showcase performance is undoubtedly that of Kieran Culkin, who comes off his incredible run on ‘Succession’ to create a character here that is complex, irritating, endearing, and deeply wounded. ‘A Real Pain’ seems deceptively modest at first, but is a powerfully funny and poignant look at family, loneliness, depression, and heritage.

Story and Direction

(L to R) Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin on the set of ‘A Real Pain’. Photo by Agata Grzybowska, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) are cousins who were super-tight as kids but have drifted apart as adults. David is married, with a child and a solid but unglamorous job in tech, and anxiety-ridden. Benji is much looser, and living in what could best be described as a state of arrested development, although there’s ultimately more to it than that.

The two, who haven’t seen each other in years, meet at the airport for a flight to Poland, where they will tour both sites related to their family and the Holocaust thanks to money left to them by their late, beloved grandmother. From the start, Benji is much more devil-may-care, even smuggling weed aboard an international flight to David’s horror. Once they get to Poland and meet up with the rest of their tour group, Benji’s free-spiritedness manifests itself even more in ways both charming and exasperating, both to David and the group.

Jesse Eisenberg on the set of ‘A Real Pain’. Photo by Agata Grzybowska, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

Whether it’s berating the cerebral tour guide James (Will Sharpe) for not exhibiting more emotion at the sites they visit, or abruptly deciding not to sit in the paid-for first class section of the train (because of a sudden interest in human rights), or having the group enact a battle scene at a memorial in the middle of a park, Benji dominates the tour with his outsized personality and antics. That sets him at odds with the more reserved David, who struggles with issues of his own and is often embarrassed at his cousin’s behavior. But as more of their family history comes to light, the double meaning of the movie’s title emerges as well: yes, Benji is a real pain, but he’s also dealing with the real pain of mental illness, which has led him to some dark places that he and David must confront.

But while that sounds grim – and the movie does feature some heavy emotional moments – much of ‘A Real Pain’ is scathingly funny, again thanks to Benji’s interactions with the tour group and the world around him. It’s a tonal balancing act managed beautifully by Eisenberg’s sharp script and unfussy direction, and given resonance by a series of locations both lovely and somber in Poland, shot magnificently by Michel Dymek. In one particularly haunting sequence, the group travels through some lush countryside only to arrive at the real Majdanek concentration camp, the setting for one of the movie’s most quietly and almost overwhelmingly powerful scenes.

The Cast

(L to R) Will Sharpe and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

As we noted above, Jesse Eisenberg as an actor is not always everybody’s cup of tea: he’s specialized throughout his career I twitchy, neurotic, highly intellectual characters who often can’t see past their own anxieties. But following his nuanced work on the ‘Fleishman is in Trouble’ miniseries, Eisenberg here brings more gravitas and even playfulness to the role of David, who may not possess the same free spirit as his cousin but is working hard to be content with who he is.

Yet Eisenberg generously cedes the spotlight to his sparring partner Culkin, who just dominates the proceedings throughout the movie. His Benji is at first righteous, arrogantly self-confident, casually careless, and determined to push people’s buttons. But that hides a far deeper pain embedded in his very soul, which Culkin brings out masterfully as he slowly peels away Benji’s bravado and lets us see the frightened boy inside. It’s a masterful performance from an actor who’s truly coming into his own, effortlessly turning our exasperation with Benji into empathy and compassion.

Jennifer Grey in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

The supporting cast – which includes Jennifer Grey, Will Sharpe, and others – complete their assignments believably and humorously as the rest of the tour group that David and Benji are on, sketching out portraits of exactly the sort of people you’d meet on a trip like this and the way their interactions unfold, as they are briefly united as traveling partners and even friends who find themselves willing to share bits of themselves with complete strangers.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in ‘A Real Pain’. Photo Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

‘A Real Pain’ is the kind of “small” independent film (albeit released by Disney subsidiary Searchlight Pictures) that may seem humble in its scope but actually says something quite large about family history in every sense of the word. It’s also a poignant reminder of how important it is to learn where we come from and to stay in touch with the people we love, a theme that Eisenberg skillfully makes clear without being heavy-handed or cloying.

It’s also funny as hell, lovely to look at, and should be in the Oscars conversation for best supporting actor and best original screenplay at the very least. ‘A Real Pain’ is anything but as a movie, and is an encouraging vehicle for both the future directorial career of Jesse Eisenberg and the continuing evolution of Kieran Culkin as one of our stealth best actors.

‘A Real Pain’ receives 8.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the plot of ‘A Real Pain’?

When cousins David (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) embark on a tour of Poland as a tribute to their late grandmother, longstanding tensions and unresolved issues in their relationship and family history come to the surface.

Who is in the cast of ‘A Real Pain’?
- Jesse Eisenberg as David Kaplan
- Kieran Culkin as Benji Kaplan
- Will Sharpe as James
- Jennifer Grey as Marcia
- Kurt Egyiawan as Eloge
- Liza Sadovy as Diane
- Daniel Oreskes as Mark
- Ellora Torchia as Priya
Jesse Eisenberg on the set of ‘A Real Pain’. Photo by Agata Grzybowska, Courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, © 2024 Searchlight Pictures All Rights Reserved.

List of Jesse Eisenberg Movies and TV Shows:
- ‘The Village‘ (2004)
- ‘The Squid and the Whale‘ (2005)
- ‘Adventureland‘ (2009)
- ‘Zombieland‘ (2009)
- ‘The Social Network‘ (2010)
- ‘Rio‘ (2011)
- ‘30 Minutes or Less‘ (2011)
- ‘Now You See Me‘ (2013)
- ‘Rio 2‘ (2014)
- ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice‘ (2016)
- ‘Café Society‘ (2016)
- ‘Now You See Me 2‘ (2016)
- ‘Justice League‘ (2017)
- ‘Zombieland: Double Tap‘ (2019)
- ‘Fleishman Is in Trouble‘ (2022)
Buy Tickets: ‘A Real Pain’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Jessie Eisenberg Movies On Amazon
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November 2, 2024
‘Dirty Dancing’ Set For Stage Musical Adaptation
(L to R) Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in ‘Dirty Dancing’. Photo: Vestron Pictures.

Preview:
- 1987’s ‘Dirty Dancing’ is being adapted as a stage musical.
- Original writer Eleanor Bergstein is scripting with Tony winner Lonny Price directing.
- Price also appeared in the film alongside Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey.
Movies and TV shows have long been adapted into stage (and stage musical) versions, with examples including ‘Mean Girls,’ ‘Back to the Future,’ ‘The Color Purple’ and recent hit ‘Stranger Things.’

We can now add 1987 hit ‘Dirty Dancing’ to the list, as Lionsgate is turning the movie into a stage musical with the help of Eleanor Bergstein (who scripted the movie) and Lonny Price, who in addition to being a Tony-winning director, began his career as an actor and played Neil Kellerman in the film.
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What’s the story of ‘Dirty Dancing’?

(L to R) Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze in ‘Dirty Dancing’. Photo: Vestron Pictures.

The film saw Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) spending the summer at a Catskills resort with her family, where falls in love with the camp’s charismatic dance instructor, Johnny Castle (Patrick Swayze).

Against the wishes of her family and the camp’s authorities, Baby and Johnny keep seeing each other –– and dancing, while a jealous fellow dance frames him for theft.

With Bergstein writing the script, Emile Ardolino directed the movie.

‘Dirty Dancing’ became a big box office hit at the time and is a perennial favorite. It spawned a late, far less well-regarded sequel (‘Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights’ in 2004), a couple of short-lived TV adaptations and a TV movie in 2017. And not forgetting (though many people have) reality competition series ‘The Real Dirty Dancing’ in 2022.

Jonathan Levine is currently developing a new version for the big screen, with Grey attached.

The original soundtrack, created by Jimmy Ienner, yielded two multi-platinum albums and multiple singles. “(I’ve Had) The Time of My Life”, performed by Bill Medley and Jennifer Warnes, won the Oscar for Best Original Song, as well as the Golden Globe for Best Original Song and the Grammy Award for Best Pop Performance by a Duo or Group With Vocals.

There was also the chart-toppers “She’s Like the Wind” which was performed by Swayze and “Hungry Eyes” performed by Eric Carmen.

Related Article: ‘Stranger Things’ Prequel Play ‘The First Shadow’ Headed to London’s West End

‘Dirty Dancing’ Musical: The Writer and Studio Speak

(L to R) Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze in ‘Dirty Dancing’. Photo: Vestron Pictures.

Here’s what Bergstein had to say in a statement:

“In the years after I wrote and co-produced the original film ‘Dirty Dancing,’ I was grateful and astonished by the generations of audiences who responded with open hearts to the themes of honor and courage beneath the surface. Years later, sensing our audiences wanted to ‘be there’ while the story was happening, I wrote and co-produced a stage show. Its reception all over the world exceeded my sweetest dreams. Now we’ve come full circle, and with my old friend Lonny Price by my side, I’m returning to the stage with a reimagined version. Its hope is to be equal to the new world swirling around us while revisiting more fully and precisely the story I’d wanted to tell when I wrote my first lines. It’s my way of saying thank you to you all.”

And this was the comment from Jenefer Brown, Lionsgate Head of Global Products & Experiences:

“Dirty Dancing continues to be one of the most enduring and impactful titles in Lionsgate’s library. The important truths and themes present in Dirty Dancing are as relevant today as they were in 1987. We’re thrilled to create a live experience that honors the cultural significance and storytelling magic of the original film while inviting a new generation to fall in love with Dirty Dancing.”

When will the ‘Dirty Dancing’ musical arrive?

(L to R) Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in ‘Dirty Dancing’. Photo: Vestron Pictures.

The aim is for the show to kick off in 2025 with a major run in North America and ambitions to hit Broadway.

From there, there are plans to take the show abroad to Asia, Australia, Latin America and beyond.

Now, of course, we have to wonder if the stage show is a success, whether it’ll go the ‘Color Purple’ and ‘Mean Girls’ route and return to screens in musical movie form…

(L to R) Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey in ‘Dirty Dancing’. Photo: Vestron Pictures.

Other Movies and TV Shows in the ‘Dirty Dancing’ Franchise:
- ‘Dirty Dancing‘ (1987)
- ‘Dirty Dancing‘ (1988 – 1989)
- ‘Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights‘ (2004)
- ‘Dirty Dancing: The Time of Your Life‘ (2007 – 2008)
- ‘Dirty Dancing‘ (2017)
- ‘The Real Dirty Dancing‘ (2019)
- ‘The Real Dirty Dancing‘ (2022)
Buy ‘Dirty Dancing’ Movies On Amazon
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October 21, 2024
Eight Great Summer Vacation Movies

Meatballs

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Sometimes overlooked in favor of other “slobs vs. snobs” comedy classics from the same era, like Animal House and Caddyshack, this was Bill Murray’s first starring role, and the feature directorial debut for Ivan Reitman. Murray stars as Tripper, head counselor at Camp North Star, a bargain-basement summer camp in Ontario. Murray takes the lonely Rudy (Chris Makepeace) under his wing while still overseeing a group of oddball counselors-in-training as they have their own romances, pull pranks on the camp’s director, and take on wealthy Camp Mohawk in a yearly tournament. It’s ultimately a sweet story, without ever getting quite as crass as some of the era’s other films starring Saturday Night Live alumni. ‘Meatballs’ would turn out to be hugely successful, spawning three mostly unrelated sequels and countless knockoffs.

Wet Hot American Summer

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If ‘Meatballs’ saw plenty of lesser imitations, ‘The State’ alumni David Wain and Michael Showalter stepped up with a satirical take on summer camp movies. Although it bombed at the box office, it’s since become a cult classic, spawning two series on Netflix (one prequel and one sequel). There’s an amazing cast here, including Bradley Cooper, Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Amy Poehler, Judah Friedlander, Janeane Garofalo, Christopher Meloni, and David Hyde Pierce, plus other alumni from ‘The State,’ such as Ken Marino, Michael Ian Black, and Joe Lo Truglio. There’s a plot here about the camp putting on a talent show, counselors in love, and a falling piece of Skylab that threatens everyone’s lives, but it’s really just an excuse to see some stars and future stars show off some great comic chops.

Dirty Dancing

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For those that haven’t gotten around to seeing this classic, it’s easy to write off ‘Dirty Dancing’ as sappy romance. But that would be wrong. It’s an emotionally satisfying coming-of-age story about Frances “Baby” Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and her steamy summer romance with dancer Johnny (Patrick Swayze). The dancing is terrific, Grey and Swayze have terrific chemistry. Written by Eleanor Bergstein and based on her own summer trips to the Catskills, Baby’s adventure starts because she and her family are taking a summer vacation at Kellerman’s a tony resort. Baby sees hints of classism between some of the staff, and she finds herself drawn more to the working class staffers instead of the Ivy League-bound waiters. The film subversively gives Baby agency, letting her pick her own friends and make her own choices in her sex life; she has a summer fling with a sexy dancer and isn’t punished by fate for it. That was fairly groundbreaking in 1987, and is (sadly) might still be considered unusual in some corners even now.

National Lampoon’s Vacation

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This is another film that started a franchise, but the original version is still the best. Based on screenwriter John Hughes’ own National Lampoon story about a disastrous road trip, the movie focuses on the Griswold’s drive from Chicago to California for a visit to a thinly-veiled version of Disneyland called “Wally World.” Chevy Chase puts in a legendary turn as Clark, the increasingly obsessive patriarch of the Griswold clan. Clark is going to have a great road trip with his family whether they like it or not, and if he becomes Ahab in a station wagon, then so be it. Beverly D’Angelo hits just the right notes as Clark’s wife Ellen, as does Anthony Michael Hall and Dana Barron as their children Rusty and Audrey. Chase and D’Angelo would return for sequels, and it became a running joke that Rusty and Audrey would be recast in every subsequent film. This first adventure sees car trouble in the desert, an unwanted passenger, a temptress in a Ferrari, and a visit with Cousin Eddy (a reminder of when Randy Quaid was funny). It’s filled with laughs, but it will definitely make you think twice about future family road trips.

Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants

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Based on the best-selling YA novel by Ann Brashares, this is the story of four teen girls, best friends since childhood, who are about to spend their first summer apart. But before three of them leave town, the quartet go shopping and find a pair of jeans that magically fit each one of them. The four decide that they’ll share the pants for the summer, and while each of them have these mysterious jeans in their possession, their individual summers are upended. Blake Lively, America Ferrara, Alexis Bledel, and Amber Tamblyn play Bridget, Carmen, Lena, and Tibby (respectively). The movie captures the charm of the novel, in no small part because of the charisma and chemistry of the stars, and it’s ultimately a heartwarming tale about female friendships and the bonds young women make that can last a lifetime.

Girls Trip

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The annual Essence Music Fest takes place in New Orleans every 4th of July, and that’s the backdrop for Ryan Pierce’s (Regina Hall) attempt to reunite with three of her friends from college. Pierce is a bestselling author and lifestyle guru, poised to be “the next Oprah.” She’s scheduled to speak at the festival, so she invites her college friends to join her, in the hopes of rekindling their friendships. These other three have lives of their own now; Sasha (Queen Latifah) is a celebrity gossip blogger, Lisa (Jada Pinkett Smith) is a working single mother, and Dina (Tiffany Haddish) is still party-girl Dina, all these years later. These four actors are great together, but Tiffany Haddish is a revelation here, stealing the movie and never giving it back. The film isn’t afraid to remind us that women can and do party hard, but it doesn’t lose sight of these friends repairing burned bridges and reaffirming their love for each other.

Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar

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One of the casualties of quarantine is that this film didn’t get a proper theatrical release. That’s a shame, because as funny as this movie is, it would have been even more side-splitting with a big audience. Make no mistake, this movie is straight up bananas from beginning to end. Kristen Wiig and Annie Mumolo wrote the script and star as Star and Barb, two middle-aged best friends that talk a bit too much, they can be both clueless and timid, but once they hit Vista Del Mar, the movie all but explodes into mayhem. To describe too much would be to take away some of the stunningly insane jokes packed wall-to-wall across the entire film. But suffice to say you may never look at Jamie Dornan the same way again.

The Endless Summer

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This is one of the first and probably still the best surf movie ever made. Director Bruce Brown follows two surfers, Robert August and Mike Hynson, as they leave Southern California and travel to surf spots around the world, including South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Tahiti, Senegal, New Zealand, Hawaii, and Australia. Brown’s breezy narration is a far cry from the stiffer voices heard in most documentaries at the time, and it lends an inviting tone to the gorgeous cinematography of the both surf action and the local landscapes. This documentary might help non-surfers understand the appeal of surfing more than any other film ever made, and the idea of an “endless summer” means its welcome on any day of the calendar year.

June 7, 2021
‘Grey’s Anatomy’ Lands Supersized Season 15 Episode Order

ABC

This season of “Grey’s Anatomy” will be one for the books: ABC has ordered an additional three episodes of the series, bringing its total season 15 episode count to a whopping 25 installments.

According to TVLine, that’s tied for the second-most episodes ever aired during a season of “Grey’s,” following season three (which also clocked in at 25 episodes) and season two (which aired a jaw-dropping 27 installments). And the demand for so much “Grey’s” is definitely still there, with the long-running series currently holding the title of ABC’s most-watched program — a distinction it also enjoyed back in season 14, too.

The Ellen Pompeo drama shows no signs of slowing down, and will soon cross yet another major milestone off its bucket list: It is set to air its 332nd episode later this season, surpassing ER’s record as the longest-running medical drama in TV history. TVLine reports that that episode will feature a unique, winking twist: It won’t have any medical storylines.

The site adds that that gimmick may tie into the introduction of a multi-episode arc featuring Jennifer Grey. Though no details have been revealed about Grey’s “Grey’s” character just yet, she’s rumored to be playing the mother of Jo (Camilla Luddington).

Sounds like there’s plenty for fans to look forward to in the coming months. “Grey’s Anatomy” returns from its midseason hiatus on January 17.

[via: TVLine]

January 7, 2019
Jennifer Grey Joins ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ for Midseason Arc

Amazon

Jennifer Grey is returning to TV: The “Red Oaks” actress is set to appear on “Grey’s Anatomy” in a mysterious midseason arc.

TVLine has the scoop that Grey will be joining the long-running medical drama for an unspecified stint sometime during the second half of season 15. ABC confirmed the news, though they declined to provide any additional details about Grey’s character or the length of her arc.

According to TVLine, one possibility is that Grey could be playing the estranged mother of Camilla Luddington‘s character, Jo. Luddington previously told the site that Jo’s mysterious, as-yet-unseen parents would be making an appearance on the show sometime this season.

Grey’s role on “Grey’s” (sheesh, this is getting confusing) will mark the second time someone from her family has appeared on the series. Her father, actor Joel Grey, previously starred in a season six episode as an Alzheimer’s patient and former teacher of Izzie’s (Katherine Heigl), who Izzie helps spring from a nursing home. Here’s hoping his daughter’s part is equally juicy.

“Grey’s Anatomy” will return from its midseason hiatus on January 17. Keep your eyes peeled for a real-life Grey to pop up soon.

[via: TVLine]

December 13, 2018
12 Things You Never Knew About ‘Dirty Dancing’

Hard to believe, but “Dirty Dancing” never reached higher than No. 2 on the box office chart. (It kept losing to “Stakeout.”) Yet 30 years after the Jennifer Grey–Patrick Swayze romance’s release (on August 21, 1987), “Dirty Dancing” seems more popular than ever.

Long after the movie became a worldwide smash and sold tens of millions of copies of two soundtrack albums, there’s still the current touring stage show and this past spring’s TV remake. When the film turned 25, we learned plenty about its untold history. Still, there are some “Dirty” secrets left to tell.
1. Producer/screenwriter Eleanor Bergstein may have based much of “Dirty Dancing” on her own teenage vacations at resorts in New York’s Catskill mountains, but it’s not clear how accurate her memory of those days was. When scouting locations in Virginia, she was asked if they resembled the mountain resorts of her youth. She replied that she didn’t remember because “I was always looking at boys.”

2. Bergstein had been a dance instructor herself. “I was a teenage mambo queen,” she said in 2015, “which was our alternate title if we lost ‘Dirty Dancing.’” Apparently, there was some concern that potential moviegoers would see that title and expect the film to be porn.
3. The soundtrack came from Bergstein’s own collection of vintage 45s. She used the old singles as temporary tracks while the dancers were learning their steps, and the filmmakers just decided to keep them and license the rights. Wise move.

4. One exception: “She’s Like the Wind.” Sung by Swayze, it sounded to most moviegoers like a new tune, but the ballad was actually composed for his pre-fame film “Grandview U.S.A.” in 1984 and never used.
5. Years after he played Dr. Houseman, Jerry Orbach recalled that the producers were unwilling to meet his asking price, so he agreed to a reduced salary in return for percentages of the movie’s profits and its music sales. Both ended up being worth so much that he called it the best deal he ever negotiated.

6. The movie’s $5 million budget was so meager, Bergstein said in 2006, that one day on the set, she had to help feed the crew. “There I was, feeding the extras peanut butter and crackers because we couldn’t afford catering. I’d wade through them and get up on a chair and tell them: ‘You are the heart and soul of this movie.’ And then I’d lock them in, in case they ran away.”
7. Personality clashes between Swayze and Grey, which dated back to their failure to get along while making 1984’s “Red Dawn,” continued on the “Dirty Dancing” set. Filming the rehearsal montage where Johnny runs his hand down Baby’s arm, Grey couldn’t stop laughing, which irritated Swayze. They were supposed to be playing the scene for serious drama, but eventually, the filmmakers gave up and kept the muffed takes, resulting in one of the movie’s most beloved sequences.

8. Jane Brucker, who played Baby’s sister Lisa, composed her hilariously awful talent show song (Hawaiian misfire “Hula Hana”) herself, and she did it on the spot. “They wanted to do a song from ‘South Pacific,’ and they couldn’t get the rights to it.” Brucker tells Moviefone. “They said, ‘You have to write something or we have to cut it.’ [Choreographer] Kenny Ortega helped me make it Hawaiian.”
9. After rehearsing the number, she was told there might not be time to shoot it. At the end of the day, however, “I got one set-up. I had two takes to get it right.” An accomplished jazz singer, Brucker had to sing off-key on purpose. The number stayed, but it took 20 years for Brucker to get songwriting credit for it. Not until the song was reused in the stage musical did Brucker succeed in her legal battle to earn royalties from “Hula Hana.” Which, she says, provide her to this day with “a steady income.”

10. The long-gestating stage musical version, which Bergstein mounted in Australia and on London’s West End a decade ago, finally reached America as a touring production in 2014. It never made it to Broadway, but it’s about to start its fourth year on the regional circuit.
11. The film crew snickered when Swayze said, “Nobody puts Baby in a corner.” No one expected that to become the movie’s most iconic line.

12. The Office” regular Melora Hardin as Baby. It lasted 11 episodes.

August 21, 2017
‘Ferris Bueller’s Day Off’: 10 Things You (Probably) Didn’t Know About This ’80s Classic

Alan Ruck, who played Cameron Frye in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off,” once had an idea for a sequel that would have been set decades later, with an ancient Ferris breaking Cameron out of the rest home for one last day of fun. It doesn’t seem that far-fetched anymore, given that 30 years have already passed since the teen comedy’s release on June 11, 1986.

The John Hughes classic continues to have an outsized impact on pop culture; even this year’s superhero hit “Deadpool” featured a “Ferris” shout-out. Yet there are still things you may not know about Ferris, Sloane, and Cameron’s epic day of hooky in Chicago — who almost starred in it, what was left out, and its various life-imitates-art moments. So fire up your friend’s father’s Ferrari as we fly through these forgotten Ferris factoids.
1. Hughes (pictured left) wrote the script in a week, trying to get it done before the onset of a Writers Guild strike.

2. Matthew Broderick was Hughes’s first choice for Ferris; nonetheless, the filmmakers considered John Cusack, Michael J. Fox, Tom Cruise, and the then-little-known Jim Carrey.
3. Hughes refused to cast his regular leading lady Molly Ringwald as Sloane, arguing the part was too small for her. He was impressed, however, with Mia Sara‘s air of maturity, even though she was just 18.

4. Alan Ruck was 29 when cast as high school senior Cameron. He remains grateful to Hughes’s “Breakfast Club” star Emilio Estevez for turning down the role that made Ruck’s career.
5. Ferris and Cameron’s camaraderie came easily to Broderick and Ruck, who had co-starred on Broadway in “Biloxi Blues.” Ruck’s pushy, authoritative telephone voice when he’s imitating Sloane’s father is actually his impression of “Biloxi” director Gene Saks.

6. Cameron’s Detroit Red Wings jersey with Gordie Howe’s No. 9 on the back was Hughes’s tribute to the hockey icon of his youth. In fact, he got Howe himself to send him the jersey used in the film.
7. Some of the parade scenes were staged for the film, but the close-ups of Ferris performing “Twist and Shout” required Broderick to crash an actual parade, Ferris-style.

8. Left on the cutting room floor were all the scenes of Ferris and Jeanie’s (Jennifer Grey) kid brother and sister. Never filmed was a scene that would have had the three school-ditching teens visit a strip club.
9. The film cost a mere $5.8 million to make. It earned back $70.1 million to become the 10th-biggest hit of 1986.

10. Lyman Ward and Cindy Pickett, who played Ferris and Jeanie’s parents, met on the “Ferris” set, fell in love, and got married in real life. They played a couple again in the 1992 horror movie “Sleepwalkers.”

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June 10, 2016
‘Dirty Dancing’ Musical Starring Abigail Breslin Coming to ABC

Beloved ’80s flick “Scream Queens”) has been tapped to play the female lead in ABC’s version of what’s being dubbed “a reimagining” of the 1987 film, which starred Jennifer Grey and Patrick Swayze.

“Dirty Dancing” featured the sheltered Frances “Baby” Houseman (Grey) meeting bad boy dance instructor Johnny Castle (Swayze) at a resort in the Catskills in the 1960s. The unlikely duo fall hard for each other while Baby learns some killer dance moves — and also learns how to stand up to her strict parents.

According to Variety, ABC has been working on adapting the film “for quite some time,” and began casting a year ago, searching for the perfect leads. Swayze’s part has yet to be filled, though Variety notes that “there is a wish list of high-profile talent.”

This will be ABC’s first foray into the lucrative TV musical game, though unlike competitors NBC (“The Sound of Music Live!,” “Peter Pan Live!,” “The Wiz Live!”) and Fox (January’s “Grease Live”), this program will not be live, but rather a pre-taped movie musical. (Fox will also attempt a similar strategy when it airs a “Rocky Horror Picture Show” remake starring Laverne Cox sometime in 2016.)

There’s some big talent behind the scenes of ABC’s adaptation, including Jessica Sharzer (“American Horror Story,” “The L Word”), who will write the screenplay, and Wayne Blair (“The Sapphires”), who will direct. Allison Shearmur (“The Hunger Games,” “Cinderella”), who wrote a 2004 stage musical based on “Dirty Dancing,” will executive produce alongside Eleanor Bergstein, who penned the original film’s screenplay. “Hamilton” choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler will serve in that role again on this project, and Adam Anders and Peer Astrom (“Glee”) are writing the music.

We’re looking forward to seeing how this all comes together. Stay tuned for more.

[via: Variety]

Photo credit: Getty Images

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December 8, 2015