(L to R) Roddy Piper and Keith David in ‘They Live’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
A lone drifter (Roddy Piper) stumbles upon a unique pair of sunglasses that reveal aliens are systematically gaining control of the Earth by masquerading as humans and lulling the public into submission.
After 6 years together, Mike’s (Jon Favreau) girlfriend leaves him, so he travels to LA to be a star. Six months on, he’s still not doing very well— so a few of his friends try to reconnect him to the social scene and hopefully help him forget his failed relationship.
Blonde Betty Elms (Naomi Watts) has only just arrived in Hollywood to become a movie star when she meets an enigmatic brunette with amnesia (Laura Harring). Meanwhile, as the two set off to solve the second woman’s identity, filmmaker Adam Kesher (Justin Theroux) runs into ominous trouble while casting his latest project.
Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) has a pleasant life with a nice apartment and a job stamping invoices at an electronics store. But at age 40, there’s one thing Andy hasn’t done, and it’s really bothering his sex-obsessed male co-workers: Andy is still a virgin. Determined to help Andy, the guys make it their mission to de-virginize him. But it all seems hopeless until Andy meets small business owner Trish (Catherine Keener), a single mom.
(L to R) Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in ‘La La Land’. Photo: Lionsgate.
Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail party gigs in dingy bars, but as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.
Carl Allen (Jim Carrey), a guy whose life is going nowhere, signs up for a self-help program based on one simple covenant: say yes to everything…and anything.
Cab driver Max (Jamie Foxx) picks up a man (Tom Cruise) who offers him $600 to drive him around. But the promise of easy money sours when Max realizes his fare is an assassin.
In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.
With the help of a talking freeway billboard, a “wacky weatherman” (Steve Martin) tries to win the heart of an English newspaper reporter (Victoria Tennant), who is struggling to make sense of the strange world of early-90s Los Angeles.
(L to R) Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo in ‘They Live’. Photo: Open Road Films.
When Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina (Rene Russo), a TV-news veteran.
On his first day on the job as a narcotics officer, a rookie cop (Ethan Hawke) works with a rogue detective (Denzel Washington) who isn’t what he appears.
In the middle of the Los Angeles ghetto, drugs, robberies and shootings dominate everyday life. During these times, Furious tries to raise his son Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) to be a decent person. Tre’s friends, on the other hand, have little regard for the law and drag the entire neighborhood into a street war…
When investigative reporter Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher (Chevy Chase) goes undercover to write a piece on the drug trade at a local beach, he’s approached by wealthy businessman Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson), who offers him $50,000 to murder him. With sarcastic wit and a knack for disguises, Fletch sets out to uncover Stanwyk’s story.
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
A petty thief posing as an actor (Robert Downey Jr.) is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role.
Three detectives (Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey) in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner.
Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a Los Angeles slacker who only wants to bowl and drink White Russians, is mistaken for another Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), a wheelchair-bound millionaire, and finds himself dragged into a strange series of events involving nihilists, adult film producers, ferrets, errant toes, and large sums of money.
Los Angeles, 1969. TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a struggling actor specializing in westerns, and stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), his best friend, try to survive in a constantly changing movie industry. Dalton is the neighbor of the young and promising actress and model Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who has just married the prestigious Polish director Roman Polanski (Rafał Zawierucha).
Fast-talking, quick-thinking Detroit street cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) has bent more than a few rules and regs in his time, but when his best friend (James Russo) is murdered, he heads to sunny Beverly Hills to work the case like only he can.
(L to R) Maurice Compte and Gerard Butler in ‘Den of Thieves’. Photo: STXfilms.
A gritty crime saga which follows the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.
NYPD cop John McClane’s (Bruce Willis) plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown for a serious loop when, minutes after he arrives at her offices Christmas Party, the entire building is overtaken by a group of terrorists. With little help from the LAPD, wisecracking McClane sets out to single-handedly rescue the hostages and bring the bad guys down.
Driver (Ryan Gosling) is a skilled Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. Though he projects an icy exterior, lately he’s been warming up to a pretty neighbor named Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her young son, Benicio (Kaden Leos). When Irene’s husband (Oscar Isaac) gets out of jail, he enlists Driver’s help in a million-dollar heist. The job goes horribly wrong, and Driver must risk his life to protect Irene and Benicio from the vengeful masterminds behind the robbery.
Private eye Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) lives off of the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-World War II Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband’s (Darrell Zwerling) extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together.
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1. ‘Heat’ (1995)
(L to R) Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer in 1995’s ‘Heat.’
Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
In honor of the new film, Moviefone is counting down the top 20 best buddy cop movies of all time.
Editorial Note: The criteria to be included on this list is that at least one of the two main characters in the film is either a current cop, a former cop, or a private detective.
(L to R) Kevin Hart and Ice Cube in ‘Ride Along’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
For the past two years, high-school security guard Ben (Kevin Hart) has been trying to show decorated APD detective James (Ice Cube) that he’s more than just a video-game junkie who’s unworthy of James’ sister, Angela (Tika Sumpter). When Ben finally gets accepted into the academy, he thinks he’s earned the seasoned policeman’s respect and asks for his blessing to marry Angela. Knowing that a ride along will demonstrate if Ben has what it takes to take care of his sister, James invites him on a shift designed to scare the hell out of the trainee. But when the wild night leads them to the most notorious criminal in the city, James will find that his new partner’s rapid-fire mouth is just as dangerous as the bullets speeding at it.
When a vengeful New York transit cop (Woody Harrelson) decides to steal a trainload of subway fares, his foster brother (Wesley Snipes), a fellow cop—tries to protect him.
When cops Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) join the secret Jump Street unit, they use their youthful appearances to go undercover as high school students. They trade in their guns and badges for backpacks, and set out to shut down a dangerous drug ring. But, as time goes on, Schmidt and Jenko discover that high school is nothing like it was just a few years earlier — and, what’s more, they must again confront the teenage terror and anxiety they thought they had left behind.
Jay Austin (Mark Harmon) is now a civilian police detective. Colonel Caldwell (Sean Connery) was his commanding officer years before when he left the military police over a disagreement over the handling of a drunk driver. Now a series of murders that cross jurisdictions force them to work together again. That Austin is now dating Caldwell’s daughter (Meg Ryan) is not helping their relationship.
Estranged half-brothers Jonny (Jason Momoa) and James (Dave Bautista) reunite after their father’s mysterious death. As they search for the truth, buried secrets reveal a conspiracy threatening to tear their family apart.
Detective Scott Turner (Tom Hanks) has three days left in the local police department before he moves to a bigger city to get some ‘real’ cases—not just misdemeanors. When Amos Reed (John McIntire) is murdered, Scott sets himself on the case, but the closest thing to a witness to the murder is Reed’s dog, Hooch, which Scott has to take care of—to avoid Hooch being ‘put to sleep’.
When Hong Kong Inspector Lee (Jackie Chan) is summoned to Los Angeles to investigate a kidnapping, the FBI doesn’t want any outside help and assigns cocky LAPD Detective James Carter (Chris Tucker) to distract Lee from the case. Not content to watch the action from the sidelines, Lee and Carter form an unlikely partnership and investigate the case themselves.
Unlike their heroic counterparts on the force, desk-bound NYPD detectives Gamble (Will Ferrell) and Hoitz (Mark Wahlberg) garner no headlines as they work day to day. When a seemingly minor case turns out to be a big deal, the two cops get the opportunity to finally prove to their comrades that they have the right stuff.
A private eye (Ryan Gosling) and an enforcer (Russell Crowe) investigate the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.
(L to R) Gregory Hines and Billy Crystal in ‘Running Scared’. Photo: MGM Entertainment Co.
Two street-wise Chicago cops (Billy Crystal and Gregory Hines) have to shake off some rust after returning from a Key West vacation to pursue a drug dealer (Jimmy Smits) that nearly killed them in the past.
New York detective John McClane (Bruce Willis) is back and kicking bad-guy butt in the third installment of this action-packed series, which finds him teaming with civilian Zeus Carver (Samuel L. Jackson) to prevent the loss of innocent lives. McClane thought he’d seen it all, until a genius named Simon (Jeremy Irons) engages McClane, his new “partner” — and his beloved city — in a deadly game that demands their concentration.
Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) is a henpecked family man. Mike Lowrey (Will Smith) is a footloose and fancy free ladies’ man. Both Miami policemen, they have 72 hours to reclaim a consignment of drugs stolen from under their station’s nose. To complicate matters, in order to get the assistance of the sole witness (Téa Leoni) to a murder, they have to pretend to be each other.
Ray Tango (Sylvester Stallone) and Gabriel Cash (Kurt Russell) are two successful narcotics detectives who can’t stand each other. Crime lord Yves Perret (Jack Palance), furious at the loss of income they have caused him, plots an elaborate revenge against them.
A case involving drug lords and murder in South Florida takes a personal turn for undercover detectives Sonny Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Ricardo Tubbs (Jamie Foxx). Unorthodox Crockett gets involved romantically with the Chinese-Cuban wife (Gong Li) of a trafficker of arms and drugs, while Tubbs deals with an assault on those he loves.
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
A petty thief (Robert Downey Jr.) posing as an actor is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role.
Somewhere in Los Angeles, the city of broken dreams, a stripper (Halle Berry) is murdered. Now, the private detective (Bruce Willis) she had hired and her ex-footballer boyfriend (Damon Wayans) are going to find her murderer, if they don’t kill each other first. But the more they dig, the deeper they become enmeshed in a web of extortion, blackmail and corrupt politics hidden beneath the surface of professional football.
A bounty hunter and former-cop (Robert De Niro) pursues a former Mafia accountant (Charles Grodin) who is also being chased by a rival bounty hunter (John Ashton), the F.B.I. (Yaphet Kotto), and his old mob boss (Dennis Farina) after jumping bail.
(L to R) Nick Nolte and Eddie Murphy in ’48 hrs.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
A hard-nosed cop (Nick Nolte) reluctantly teams up with a wise-cracking criminal (Eddie Murphy) temporarily paroled to him, in order to track down a killer (James Remar).
Moviefone’s 25 best movies of the first 25 years of the 21st Century.
Not only is 2025 coming to an end soon, but with it the first 25 years of the 21st century!
While the last 25 years have seen the rise of Marvel Studios and the fall of big screen comedies, it has also seen advances in filmmaking technology, seminal movies from groundbreaking directors and new and returning movie stars alike.
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As we leave behind the first quester of this century, Moviefone is counting down the 25 best movies of the first 25 years of the 21st century!
Set in the influential New York music scene of the early 60s, ‘A Complete Unknown’ follows 19-year-old Minnesota musician Bob Dylan‘s (Timothée Chalamet) meteoric rise as a folk singer to concert halls and the top of the charts – his songs and mystique becoming a worldwide sensation – culminating in his groundbreaking electric rock and roll performance at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965.
(L to R) Christian Bale, Amy Adams, and Bradley Cooper in ‘American Hustle.’ Photo: Sony Pictures.
A conman (Christian Bale) and his seductive partner (Amy Adams) are forced to work for a wild FBI agent (Bradley Cooper), who pushes them into a world of Jersey power-brokers and the Mafia.
(L to R) Leonardo DiCaprio and Jack Nicholson in ‘The Departed’. Photo: Warner Bros.
To take down South Boston’s Irish Mafia, the police send in one of their own to infiltrate the underworld, not realizing the syndicate has done likewise. While an undercover cop (DiCaprio) curries favor with the mob kingpin (Jack Nicholson), a career criminal (Matt Damon) rises through the police ranks. But both sides soon discover there’s a mole among them.
Oscar Isaac in ‘Inside Llewyn Davis.’ Photo: CBS Films.
In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, gifted but volatile folk musician Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) struggles with money, relationships, and his uncertain future.
Matt Damon in ‘The Martian’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
An idealistic FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.
In 1980s Beirut, Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm) is a former US diplomat who is called back into service to save a colleague from the group that is possibly responsible for his own family’s death. Meanwhile a CIA field agent (Rosamund Pike) who is working under cover at the American embassy is tasked with keeping Mason alive and ensuring that the mission is a success.
(L to R) Colin Farrell and Charlie Hunnam in ‘The Gentlemen’. Photo: STXfilms.
American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) has built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he’s looking to cash out of the business forever it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him.
Rooney Mara stars in ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) investigates the disappearance of a weary patriarch’s niece from 40 years ago. He is aided by the pierced, tattooed, punk computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara). As they work together in the investigation, Blomkvist and Salander uncover immense corruption beyond anything they have ever imagined.
Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Inherent Vice.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
In Los Angeles at the turn of the 1970s, drug-fueled detective Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) investigates the disappearance of an ex-girlfriend (Katherine Waterson).
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
A petty thief posing as an actor (Robert Downey Jr.) is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role.
(L to R) Rachel Weisz and Ralph Finnes in ‘The Constant Gardner’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Justin Quayle (Ralph Finnes) is a low-level British diplomat who has always gone about his work very quietly, not causing any problems. But after his radical wife Tessa (Rachel Weisz) is killed he becomes determined to find out why, thrusting himself into the middle of a very dangerous conspiracy.
Daniel Craig stars in ‘Layer Cake’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
When a seemingly straight-forward drug deal goes awry, XXXX (Daniel Craig) has to break his die-hard rules and turn up the heat, not only to outwit the old regime and come out on top, but to save his own skin.
A scene from the documentary ‘The Battered Bastards of Baseball’. Photo: Netflix.
Hollywood veteran Bing Russell creates the only independent baseball team in the country—alarming the baseball establishment and sparking the meteoric rise of the 1970s Portland Mavericks.
Christoph Waltz in ‘Inglourious Basterds.’ Photo: The Weinstein Company.
In Nazi-occupied France during World War II, a group of Jewish-American soldiers known as “The Basterds” are chosen specifically to spread fear throughout the Third Reich by scalping and brutally killing Nazis. The Basterds, lead by Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) soon cross paths with a French-Jewish teenage girl (Mélanie Laurent), who runs a movie theater in Paris which is targeted by the soldiers.
Brad Pitt in ‘Moneyball’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
The story of Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane’s (Brad Pitt) successful attempt to put together a baseball team on a budget, by employing computer-generated analysis to draft his players.
Denzel Washington in ‘Man on Fire’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Jaded ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Denzel Washington) reluctantly accepts a job as the bodyguard for a 10-year-old girl (Dakota Fanning) in Mexico City. They clash at first, but eventually bond, and when she’s kidnapped he’s consumed by fury and will stop at nothing to save her life.
Daniel Day-Lewis in ‘There Will Be Blood’. Photo: Paramount Vantage.
Ruthless silver miner, turned oil prospector, Daniel Plainview (Daniel Day Lewis), moves to oil-rich California. Using his son to project a trustworthy, family-man image, Plainview cons local landowners into selling him their valuable properties for a pittance. However, local preacher Eli Sunday (Paul Dano) suspects Plainview’s motives and intentions, starting a slow-burning feud that threatens both their lives.
(L to R) Luke Wilson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Gene Hackman, Ben Stiller, Anjelica Huston and Danny Glover in ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures.
Royal Tenenbaum (Gene Hackman) and his wife Etheline (Anjelica Huston) had three children and then they separated. All three children are extraordinary — all geniuses. Virtually all memory of the brilliance of the young Tenenbaums was subsequently erased by two decades of betrayal, failure, and disaster. Most of this was generally considered to be their father’s fault. “The Royal Tenenbaums” is the story of the family’s sudden, unexpected reunion one recent winter.
(L to R) Heath Ledger and Christian Bale in ‘The Dark Knight’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Batman (Christian Bale) raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) and District Attorney Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart), Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker (Heath Ledger).
(L to R) Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio star in ‘Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Los Angeles, 1969. TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a struggling actor specializing in westerns, and stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), his best friend, try to survive in a constantly changing movie industry. Dalton is the neighbor of the young and promising actress and model Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who has just married the prestigious Polish director Roman Polanski (Rafał Zawierucha).
Ryan Gosling in ‘Drive.’ Photo: Richard Foreman Jr.
Driver (Ryan Gosling) is a skilled Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. Though he projects an icy exterior, lately he’s been warming up to a pretty neighbor named Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her young son, Benicio (Kaden Leos). When Irene’s husband (Oscar Isaac) gets out of jail, he enlists Driver’s help in a million-dollar heist. The job goes horribly wrong, and Driver must risk his life to protect Irene and Benicio from the vengeful masterminds behind the robbery.
In honor of the new release, Moviefone is counting down every film Shane Black has either written or directed.
NOTE: For this list we are only including films where Black has a writing or directing credit, and not films where he only has a Story By credit or an acting credit.
When a young boy (Jacob Tremblay) accidentally triggers the universe’s most lethal hunters’ return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled scientist (Olivia Munn) can prevent the end of the human race.
Arnold Schwarzenegger in ‘Last Action Hero’. Photo: Sony Pictures Entertainment.
After his father’s death, a young boy (Austin O’Brien) finds solace in action movies featuring an indestructible cop (Arnold Schwarzenegger). Given a magic ticket by a theater manager, he is transported into the film and teams up with the cop to stop a villain who escapes into the real world.
Count Dracula (Duncan Regehr) adjourns to Earth, accompanied by Frankenstein’s Monster (Tom Noonan), the Wolfman (Carl Thibault), the Mummy (Michael Reid MacKay), and the Gillman (Tom Woodruff Jr.). The uglies are in search of a powerful amulet that will grant them power to rule the world. Our heroes – the Monster Squad are the only ones daring to stand in their way.
(L to R) Mark Wahlberg and LaKeith Stanfield in ‘Play Dirty’. Photo: Prime Video.
Expert thief Parker (Mark Wahlberg) gets a shot at a major heist, but to pull it off he and his team must outsmart a South American dictator, the New York mob, and the world’s richest man.
(L to R) Geena Davis and Samuel L. Jackson in ‘The Long Kiss Goodnight’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
Samantha Caine (Geena Davis) is a small-town schoolteacher and mom with no memory of her life before washing up on a beach eight years ago. After a car accident and a violent home invasion trigger flashes of her past, she discovers she used to be a deadly CIA assassin. Teaming up with a wisecracking private investigator (Samuel L. Jackson), Samantha must return to her old ways to take down the people who tried to erase her.
Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Iron Man 3’. Photo: Marvel Studios.
When Tony Stark’s (Robert Downey Jr.) world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
(L to R) Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe in ‘The Nice Guys’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
A private eye (Ryan Gosling) and an enforcer (Russell Crowe) investigate the apparent suicide of a fading porn star (Margaret Qualley) in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.
(L to R) Danny Glover and Mel Gibson in ‘Lethal Weapon’. Photo: Warner Bros.
A veteran cop (Danny Glover) and an unstable detective (Mel Gibson) become partners who must put their differences aside in order to bring down a heroin-smuggling ring run by ex-Special Forces.
(L to R) Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans in ‘The Last Boy Scout’. Photo: Warner Bros.
When the girl (Halle Berry) that detective Joe Hallenback (Bruce Willis) is protecting gets murdered, the boyfriend (Damon Wayans) of the murdered girl attempts to investigate and solve the case. What they discover is that there is deep seated corruption going on between a crooked politician and the owner of a pro football team.
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
A petty thief posing as an actor (Robert Downey Jr.) is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role.
Marlon Brando in ‘The Island of Dr. Moreau’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
A shipwrecked sailor (David Thewlis) stumbles upon a mysterious island and is shocked to discover that a brilliant scientist (Marlon Brando) and his lab assistant (Kilmer) have found a way to combine human and animal DNA—with horrific results.
Karen McCoy (Kim Basinger) is released from prison with nothing but the clothes on her back. Before being incarcerated Karen was the bank robber of her time, but now she wishes for nothing more than to settle down and start a new life. Unfortunately between a dirty parole officer, old business partners, an idiot ex-husband, and a new partner (Kilmer) she will have to do the unthinkable in order to save her son.
After the murder of his beloved wife, a man (Kilmer) in search of redemption is set adrift in a world where nothing is as it seems. On his journey, he befriends slacker Jimmy “The Finn” (Peter Sarsgaard), becomes involved in rescuing his neighbor Colette (Deborah Kara Unger) from her own demons, and gets entangled in a web of deceit full of unexpected twists and turns.
Simon Templar (Kilmer), is a thief for hire, whose latest job to steal the secret process for cold fusion puts him at odds with a traitor bent on toppling the Russian government, as well as the woman (Elizabeth Shue) who holds its secret.
Sir Robert Beaumont (Tom Wilkinson) is behind schedule on a railroad in Africa. Enlisting noted engineer John Henry Patterson (Kilmer) to right the ship, Beaumont expects results. Everything seems great until the crew discovers the mutilated corpse of the project’s foreman, seemingly killed by a lion. After several more attacks, Patterson calls in famed hunter Charles Remington (Michael Douglas), who has finally met his match in the bloodthirsty lions.
Warwick Davis in ‘Willow’. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
The evil Queen Bavmorda (Jean Marsh) hunts the newborn princess Elora Danan (Ruth Greenfield), a child prophesied to bring about her downfall. When the royal infant is found by Willow (Warwick Davis), a timid farmer and aspiring sorcerer, he’s entrusted with delivering her from evil.
An FBI man (Kilmer) with Sioux background is sent to a reservation to help with a murder investigation, where he has to come to terms with his heritage.
For over 40 years Val Kilmer, one of Hollywood’s most mercurial and/or misunderstood actors has been documenting his own life and craft through film and video. He has amassed thousands of hours of footage, from 16mm home movies made with his brothers, to time spent in iconic roles for blockbuster movies. This raw, wildly original and unflinching documentary reveals a life lived to extremes and a heart-filled, sometimes hilarious look at what it means to be an artist and a complex man.
Terrence McDonagh (Nicolas Cage) is a New Orleans Police sergeant, who receives a medal and a promotion to lieutenant for heroism during Hurricane Katrina. Due to his heroic act, McDonagh injures his back and becomes addicted to prescription pain medication. He then finds himself involved with a drug dealer who is suspected of murdering a family of African immigrants.
Popular and dashing American singer Nick Rivers (Kilmer) travels to East Germany to perform in a music festival. When he loses his heart to the gorgeous Hillary Flammond (Lucy Gutleridge), he finds himself caught up in an underground resistance movement. Rivers joins forces with Agent Cedric (Omar Shariff) and Flammond to attempt the rescue of her father, Dr. Paul, from the Germans, who have captured the scientist in hopes of coercing him into building a new naval mine.
Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun: Maverick.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
After more than thirty years of service as one of the Navy’s top aviators, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot and dodging the advancement in rank that would ground him. When he finds himself training a detachment of TOPGUN graduates for a specialized mission the likes of which no living pilot has ever seen, Maverick encounters Lt. Bradley Bradshaw (Miles Teller), call sign: “Rooster,” the son of Maverick’s late friend and Radar Intercept Officer Lt. Nick Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), aka “Goose.” Facing an uncertain future and confronting the ghosts of his past, Maverick is drawn into a confrontation with his own deepest fears, culminating in a mission that demands the ultimate sacrifice from those who will be chosen to fly it.
Clarence (Christian Slater) marries hooker Alabama (Patricia Arquette), steals cocaine from her pimp, and tries to sell it in Hollywood, while the owners of the coke try to reclaim it.
Batman (Kilmer) must battle a disfigured district attorney and a disgruntled former employee with help from an amorous psychologist and a young circus acrobat (Chris O’Donnell).
When teenage geniuses Mitch Taylor (Gabriel Jarret) and Chris Knight (Kilmer), working on an advanced laser project, learn that the military wants to use it as a weapon, they decide to thwart the plan.
Val Kilmer in ‘Spartan’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
U.S. government agent Scott (Kilmer) is assigned to rescue the daughter of a high-ranking government official. As willing as he is to bend the rules to get things done, though, Scott is shocked to find that others are willing to go even further to protect a political career.
A petty thief posing as an actor (Robert Downey Jr.) is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role…
Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
Legendary marshal Wyatt Earp (Kurt Russell), now a weary gunfighter, joins his brothers Morgan (Bill Paxton) and Virgil (Sam Elliot) to pursue their collective fortune in the thriving mining town of Tombstone. But Earp is forced to don a badge again and get help from his notorious pal Doc Holliday (Kilmer) when a gang of renegade brigands and rustlers begins terrorizing the town.
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
For Lieutenant Pete ‘Maverick’ Mitchell (Tom Cruise) and his friend and co-pilot Nick ‘Goose’ Bradshaw (Anthony Edwards), being accepted into an elite training school for fighter pilots is a dream come true. But a tragedy, as well as personal demons, will threaten Pete’s dreams of becoming an ace pilot.
Val Kilmer in ‘Spartan’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Preview
Val Kilmer has died at the age of 65.
He was famous for many projects including ‘Top Gun’ and ‘The Doors.’
Kilmer was also part of the select number who have played Batman.
Val Kilmer, a talented actor known for his boyish good looks but chameleonic abilities, has died. He was 65, and had been diagnosed with throat cancer several years ago.
George Cosmatos, who directed Kilmer in ‘Tombstone,’ told the L.A. Times this about the actor in 1993:
“He works harder than most actors to make it look believable. He’s in the ranks of the great actors in America like Pacino or De Niro.”
Val Kilmer in the documentary ‘Val’. Photo: Prime Video.
Val Edward Kilmer, part Cherokee, Irish, German and Swedish, was born on New Year’s Eve 1959 in the Los Angeles suburb of Chatsworth. His father was an aerospace engineer and real estate developer and his mother a housewife — they would end up divorcing when he was 9 — and he had one older brother, one younger.
Wesley, his younger sibling, suffered an epileptic seizure and drowned in a swimming pool at the family home that his father had bought from Western movie legends Roy Rogers and Dale Evans. At the time, Kilmer was about to leave to study acting at Juilliard in New York; he was 17 and the youngest person to be admitted to the school’s drama division.
“It was quite an emotional time for me, and in a way, the extremely high standards and the activity of the school I’m sure were good for me, because I was forced to really challenge myself about my very life, you know — what I believe about life and death.”
Val Kilmer: Film Career
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Tom Cruise in ‘Top Gun’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
After reportedly turning down a role in Francis Ford Coppola’s ‘The Outsiders,’ Kilmer broke out with the lead in 1984 spy spoof ‘Top Secret!,’ in which he played a rock star and sang his own songs.
Following his turn as a brainy college student in the underrated, fondly remembered 1986 sci-fi comedy, ‘Real Genius,’ he became a major star, appearing with Tom Cruise in the worldwide hit ‘Top Gun.’
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He met future wife Joanne Whalley, on the set of Ron Howard’s fantasy film ‘Willow,’ and then appeared with her in ‘Kill Me Again’ in 1989. They would be married from 1988 until their divorce in 1996.
A wide variety of roles followed; Kilmer refusing to simply coast as a handsome movie star.
Frankenheimer, the second director to work on completing the film, reportedly said this:
“There are two things I will never ever do in my whole life. The first is that I will never climb Mt. Everest. The second is that I will never work with Val Kilmer ever again.”
His role as Doc Holliday in 1993’s ‘Tombstone’ was hailed one of his best performances, and in 1995, he appeared in ‘Heat’ alongside Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. For Oliver Stone, he memorably portrayed musician Jim Morrison in ‘The Doors.’
Val Kilmer in ‘Batmen Forever’. Photo: Warner Bros.
After the mid-1990s, the studio roles dwindled amidst his reputation as difficult and combative, and he appeared mostly in independent films and supporting roles such as Stone’s poorly-reviewed ‘Alexander.’
For his acting swan song, he made an emotional, impactful return as Iceman in ‘Top Gun: Maverick,’ working with Cruise in one of the movie’s best scenes.
Val Kilmer Reflects
Val Kilmer in the documentary ‘Val’. Photo: Prime Video.
Talking to The Hollywood Reporter to publicize ‘Val,’ the documentary about his varied career, he said the following about his career:
“I was too serious. I’d get upset when things like Oscars and recognition failed to come my way. I would like to have more Oscars than anybody. Meryl Streep must feel pretty good, you know? It must feel nice to know that everyone loves her. It’s about being loved.”
His memoir, ‘I’m Your Huckleberry,’ named for a line in ‘Tombstone,’ was published in 2020.
Kilmer lived for many years on a ranch in New Mexico, where he continued to own land after selling off most of the ranch. He also painted and helped oversee theater programs for high-schoolers to perform Twain and Shakespeare.
He doesn’t have to worry about being fondly regarded.
Kilmer is survived by daughter Mercedes and son, Jack.
(L to R) Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer in 1995’s ‘Heat.’
Have you ever watched a movie and just thought it was okay? You didn’t hate it, but you didn’t love it either.
But then on a second viewing, maybe on TV, you realized that you loved the movie and that it has really grown on you and become one of your favorites. That happens all the time because motion pictures are truly a living and breathing artform. This is why we have phrases like: “Cult Classics” or “Rewatchable Movies”.
In that spirit, Moviefone is counting down the 30 most underrated movies of all time, which includes films that got better on a second watch or just deserve more attention than they have previously received.
(L to R) Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Kevin Kline and Alan Rickman in ‘The January Man’. Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Nick (Kevin Kline) and Frank (Harvey Keitel) Starkey were both policemen. A scandal forced Nick to leave the force, now a serial killer has driven the police to take him back. A web that includes Frank’s wife (Susan Sarandon), bribery, and corruption all are in the background as Nick tries to uncover the secret of where the killer will strike next, and finally must lay a trap without the police.
Jason Statham in ‘Homefront’. Photo: Open Road Films.
Phil Broker (Jason Statham) is a former DEA agent who has gone through a crisis after his action against a biker gang went horribly wrong and it cost the life of his boss’ son. He is recently widowed and is left with a 9-years-old daughter (Izabela Vidovic), Maddy. He decides to quit the turbulent and demanding life of thrill for Maddy’s sake and retires to a small town. His daughter fights off a boy who was bullying her at school and this sets in motion a round of events that end in his direct confrontation with the local Meth drug lord (James Franco). His past history with the biker gang also enters the arena, making matters more complex. But he has a mission in his mind to protect his daughter and he is ready to pay any cost that it demands.
(L to R) Kurt Russell and Adrienne Barbeau in ‘Escape from New York’. Photo: AVCO Embassy Pictures.
In a world ravaged by crime, the entire island of Manhattan has been converted into a walled prison where brutal prisoners roam. After the US president crash-lands inside, war hero Snake Plissken (Kurt Russell) has 24 hours to bring him back.
(L to R) Meg Ryan and Russell Crowe in ‘Proof of Life’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
Alice (Meg Ryan) hires a professional negotiator (Russell Crowe) to obtain the release of her engineer husband (David Morse), who has been kidnapped by anti-government guerrillas in South America.
Scarlett Johansson in ‘Lucy’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
A woman (Scarlett Johansson), accidentally caught in a dark deal, turns the tables on her captors and transforms into a merciless warrior evolved beyond human logic.
Michael Fassbender in ‘Steve Jobs’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Set backstage at three iconic product launches and ending in 1998 with the unveiling of the iMac, Steve Jobs (Michael Fassbender) takes us behind the scenes of the digital revolution to paint an intimate portrait of the brilliant man at its epicenter.
Matt Damon in ‘The Martian’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
(L to R) Taye Diggs and Samuel L. Jackson in ‘Basic’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
A DEA agent (John Travolta) investigates the disappearance of a legendary Army ranger drill sergeant (Samuel L. Jackson) and several of his cadets during a training exercise gone severely awry.
(L to R) Colin Farrell and Charlie Hunnam in ‘The Gentlemen’. Photo: STXfilms.
American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) has built a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he’s looking to cash out of the business forever it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail in an attempt to steal his domain out from under him.
An idealistic FBI agent (Emily Blunt) is enlisted by a government task force to aid in the escalating war against drugs at the border area between the U.S. and Mexico.
Nikolaj Coster-Waldau in ‘Shot Caller’. Photo: Saban Films.
A newly-released prison gangster (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) is forced by the leaders of his gang to orchestrate a major crime with a brutal rival gang on the streets of Southern California.
A frustrated man (Gerard Butler) decides to take justice into his own hands after a plea bargain sets one of his family’s killers free. He targets not only the killer but also the district attorney (Jamie Foxx) and others involved in the deal.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt in ‘Brick’. Photo: Focus Features.
After a phone call from his ex-girlfriend, teenage loner Brendan Frye (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) learns that her dead body was found. Vowing to solve her murder himself, he must infiltrate high-school cliques that he previously avoided. His search for the truth brings him before some of the school’s roughest characters.
Cast of 2010’s ‘The Losers’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
On a mission deep in the Bolivian jungle, a team of elite commandos finds itself on the receiving end of a lethal betrayal. Now presumed dead, the men join forces with a mysterious operative named Aisha (Zoe Saldaña) to hunt down their enemy and even the score.
(L to R) Tom Hanks and Phillip Seymour Hoffman in ‘Charlie Wilson’s War.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
The true story of Texas congressman Charlie Wilson’s (Tom Hanks) covert dealings in Afghanistan, where his efforts to assist rebels in their war with the Soviets had some unforeseen and long-reaching effects.
(L to R) Denzel Washington and Jodie Foster in ‘Inside Man’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
When an armed, masked gang enter a Manhattan bank, lock the doors and take hostages, the detective (Denzel Washington) assigned to effect their release enters negotiations preoccupied with corruption charges he is facing.
(L to R) Colin Farrell as Detective James ‘Sonny’ Crockett and Jamie Foxx as Detective Ricardo ‘Rico’ Tubbs in ‘Miami Vice.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
A case involving drug lords and murder in South Florida takes a personal turn for undercover detectives Sonny Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Ricardo Tubbs (Jamie Foxx). Unorthodox Crockett gets involved romantically with the Chinese-Cuban wife (Gong Li) of a trafficker of arms and drugs, while Tubbs deals with an assault on those he loves.
Cast of 2010’s ‘Takers’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
A seasoned team of bank robbers, including Gordon Jennings (Idris Elba), John Rahway (Paul Walker), A.J. (Hayden Christensen), and brothers Jake (Michael Ealy) and Jesse Attica (Chris Brown) successfully complete their latest heist and lead a life of luxury while planning their next job. When Ghost (T.I.), a former member of their team, is released from prison he convinces the group to strike an armored car carrying $20 million. As the “Takers” carefully plot out their strategy and draw nearer to exacting the grand heist, a reckless police officer inches closer to apprehending the criminals.
(L to R) Tom Sizemore and Nicolas Cage in ‘Bringing Out the Dead’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
Once called “Father Frank” for his efforts to rescue lives, Frank Pierce (Nicolas Cage) sees the ghosts of those he failed to save around every turn. He has tried everything he can to get fired, calling in sick, delaying taking calls where he might have to face one more victim he couldn’t help, yet cannot quit the job on his own.
(L to R) Anna Kendrick and Ben Affleck in ‘The Accountant.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
As a math savant (Ben Affleck) uncooks the books for a new client, the Treasury Department closes in on his activities and the body count starts to rise.
Oscar Isaac in ‘Inside Llewyn Davis.’ Photo: CBS Films.
In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, gifted but volatile folk musician Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) struggles with money, relationships, and his uncertain future.
(L to R) Danny Glover, Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn and Kevin Costner in ‘Silverado’. Photo: Columbia Pictures.
Four unwitting heroes (Kevin Kline, Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner and Danny Glover) cross paths on their journey to the sleepy town of Silverado. Little do they know the town where their family and friends reside has been taken over by a corrupt sheriff (Brian Dennehy) and a murderous posse. It’s up to the sharp-shooting foursome to save the day, but first they have to break each other out of jail, and learn who their real friends are.
Mel Gibson in ‘Edge of Darkness.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
As a seasoned homicide detective, Thomas Craven (Mel Gibson) has seen the bleakest side of humanity. But nothing prepares him for the toughest investigation of his life: the search for his only daughter Emma’s killer. Now, he is on a personal mission to uncover the disturbing secrets surrounding her murder, including corporate corruption, government collusion and Emma’s own mysterious life.
Edward Norton in ‘Motherless Brooklyn’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
New York City, 1957. Lionel Essrog (Edward Norton), a private detective living with Tourette syndrome, tries to solve the murder of his mentor and best friend (Bruce Willis), armed only with vague clues and the strength of his obsessive mind.
Jon Hamm in ‘Confess, Fletch.’ Photo courtesy of Miramax.
The roguishly charming and endlessly troublesome Fletch (Jon Hamm) becomes the prime suspect in a murder case while searching for a stolen art collection. The only way to prove his innocence? Find out which of the long list of suspects is the culprit – from the eccentric art dealer (Kyle MacLachlan) and a missing playboy (John Behlmann) to a crazy neighbor (Annie Mumolo) and Fletch’s Italian girlfriend (Lorenza Izzo). Crime, in fact, has never been this disorganized.
Paul Newman in ‘The Verdict’. Photo: 20th Century-Fox.
Frank Galvin (Paul Newman) is a down-on-his-luck lawyer and reduced to drinking and ambulance chasing, when a former associate reminds him of his obligations in a medical malpractice suit by serving it to Galvin on a silver platter—all parties are willing to settle out of court. Blundering his way through the preliminaries, Galvin suddenly realizes that the case should actually go to court—to punish the guilty, to get a decent settlement for his clients… and to restore his standing as a lawyer.
(L to R) Colm Meaney, Daniel Craig, and George Harris in ‘Layer Cake.’ Photo: Columbia Pictures.
When a seemingly straight-forward drug deal goes awry, XXXX (Daniel Craig) has to break his die-hard rules and turn up the heat, not only to outwit the old regime and come out on top, but to save his own skin.
Peter Fonda in ‘Ulee’s Gold’. Photo: Orion Pictures.
Third-generation Florida beekeeper Ulee Jackson (Peter Fonda) may have gotten out of Vietnam alive but he left a part of himself behind. Now he methodically tends his bees carefully, provides for his two grandchildren and keeps his emotions at bay. But when a long-buried secret threatens Ulee’s business and family, he is forced to break through his emotional walls and confront the terror of his wounded spirit.
Christopher Walken in ‘King of New York’. Photo: New Line Cinema.
A former drug lord (Christopher Walken) returns from prison determined to wipe out all his competition and distribute the profits of his operations to New York’s poor and lower classes in this stylish and ultra violent modern twist on Robin Hood.
(L to R) Rooney Mara and Daniel Craig in ‘The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.’ Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.
Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig) investigates the disappearance of a weary patriarch’s niece from 40 years ago. He is aided by the pierced, tattooed, punk computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara). As they work together in the investigation, Blomkvist and Salander uncover immense corruption beyond anything they have ever imagined.
(L to R) Rachel Weisz and Ralph Finnes in ‘The Constant Gardner’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
Justin Quayle (Ralph Finnes) is a low-level British diplomat who has always gone about his work very quietly, not causing any problems. But after his radical wife Tessa (Rachel Weisz) is killed he becomes determined to find out why, thrusting himself into the middle of a very dangerous conspiracy.
(L to R) Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans in ‘The Last Boy Scout’. Photo: Warner Bros.
When the girl (Halle Berry) that detective Joe Hallenback (Bruce Willis) is protecting gets murdered, the boyfriend (Damon Wayans) of the murdered girl attempts to investigate and solve the case. What they discover is that there is deep seated corruption going on between a crooked politician and the owner of a pro football team.
In 1980s Beirut, Mason Skiles (Jon Hamm) is a former US diplomat who is called back into service to save a colleague from the group that is possibly responsible for his own family’s death. Meanwhile a CIA field agent (Rosamund Pike) who is working under cover at the American embassy is tasked with keeping Mason alive and ensuring that the mission is a success.
Christopher Lambert as Connor MacLeod in 1986’s ‘Highlander.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
He fought his first battle on the Scottish Highlands in 1536. He will fight his greatest battle on the streets of New York City in 1986. His name is Connor MacLeod (Christophe Lambert). He is immortal.
Jean-Claude Van Damme in ‘Timecop’. Photo: Universal Pictures.
An officer (Jean-Claude Van Damme) for a security agency that regulates time travel, must fend for his life against a shady politician (Ron Silver) who has a tie to his past.
Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Inherent Vice.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
In Los Angeles at the turn of the 1970s, drug-fueled detective Larry “Doc” Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) investigates the disappearance of an ex-girlfriend (Katherine Waterson).
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Derek Luke in ‘Spartan’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
US government agent Scott (Val Kilmer) is assigned to rescue the daughter (Kristen Bell) of a high-ranking government official. As willing as he is to bend the rules to get things done though, Scott is shocked to find that others are willing to go even further to protect a political career.
(Right) Gerard Butler in ‘Den of Thieves’. Photo: STXfilms,
A gritty crime saga which follows the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.
(L to R) Sean Penn and Gary Oldman in ‘State of Grace.’ Photo: Orion Pictures.
Hell’s Kitchen, New York. Terry Noonan (Sean Penn) returns home after a ten-year absence. He soon reconnects with Jackie (Gary Oldman), a childhood friend and member of the Irish mob, and rekindles his love affair with Jackie’s sister Kathleen (Robin Wright).
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. in director Shane Black’s ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.’
A petty thief posing as an actor (Robert Downey Jr.) is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role.
Denzel Washington in ‘Man on Fire’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Jaded ex-CIA operative John Creasy (Denzel Washington) reluctantly accepts a job as the bodyguard for a 10-year-old girl (Dakota Fanning) in Mexico City. They clash at first, but eventually bond, and when she’s kidnapped he’s consumed by fury and will stop at nothing to save her life.
John Cusack in ‘Grosse Pointe Blank’. Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.
Martin Blank (John Cusack) is a hitman for hire. When he starts to develop a conscience, he botches a couple of routine jobs. On the advice of his secretary (Joan Cusack) and his psychiatrist (Alan Arkin), he decides to attend his ten-year high school reunion in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.
(L to R) Luis Guzmán and Terence Stamp in ‘The Limey’. Photo: Artisan Entertainment.
‘The Limey’ follows Wilson (Terence Stamp), a tough English ex-con who travels to Los Angeles to avenge his daughter’s death. Upon arrival Wilson goes to task battling Valentine (Peter Fonda) and an army of LA’s toughest criminals hoping to find clues and piece together what happened. After surviving a near-death beating, getting thrown from a building and being chased down a dangerous mountain road, the Englishman decides to dole out some bodily harm of his own.
(L to R) Robert De Niro and Charles Grodin in ‘Midnight Run.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.
A bounty hunter (Robert De Niro) pursues a former Mafia accountant (Charles Gordon), who embezzled $15 million of mob money. He is also being chased by a rival bounty hunter (John Ashton), the F.B.I. (Yaphet Kotto), and a mob boss (Dennis Farina) after jumping bail.
Denzel Washington in ‘The Mighty Quinn.’ Photo: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer.
Police chief Xavier Quinn (Denzel Washington) investigates the gruesome murder of Donald Pater, one of the wealthiest residents on a Caribbean island. He was found decapitated in his Jacuzzi. Although the local political establishment especially crooked Governor Chalk (Norman Beaton) insists that smalltime thief Maubee (Robert Townsend) is responsible, Xavier has his doubts. This view is complicated by the police chiefs personal history with Maubee. The men have been friends since childhood.
(L to R) Alan Arkin and Peter Falk in ‘The In-Laws.’ Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.
In preparation for his daughter’s wedding, dentist Sheldon Kornpett (Alan Arkin) meets Vince Ricardo (Peter Falk), the groom’s father. Vince, a manic fellow who claims to be a government agent, then proceeds to drag Sheldon into a series of chases and misadventures from New York to Central America.
Ryan Gosling in ‘Drive.’ Photo Credit: Richard Foreman Jr. SMPSP.
Driver (Ryan Gosling) is a skilled Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. Though he projects an icy exterior, lately he’s been warming up to a pretty neighbor named Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her young son, Benicio (Kaden Leos). When Irene’s husband (Oscar Isaac) gets out of jail, he enlists Driver’s help in a million-dollar heist. The job goes horribly wrong, and Driver must risk his life to protect Irene and Benicio from the vengeful masterminds behind the robbery.
Beyond Fest runs September 25th – October 9th, 2024.
Preview:
Beyond Fest is back in Los Angeles for its 12 year later this month.
‘Salem’s Lot,’ ‘The Brutalist’ and more will receive premieres.
Filmmakers including Sam Raimi, Shane Black and more will present retrospectives.
Now entering its 12th year, the highest-attended genre film festival in the US, Beyond Fest is back offering even more exciting screenings and talks with filmmakers.
The event, which has brought first looks at new movies and more to fans for years, is back this month, boasting 82 features, including 16 World Premieres, 4 International Premieres, 1 North American Premiere, 3 US Premieres, and 25 West Coast Premieres.
(L to R) Danny Glover and Mel Gibson in ‘Lethal Weapon’. Photo: Warner Bros.
This year’s event runs between September 25th – October 9th.
In partnership with the American Cinematheque and presented exclusively by distributor NEON, Beyond Fest will screen at the Egyptian Theatre, Aero Theatre, Los Feliz 3, and Vista Theatre.
Here’s what Head of Programming Evrim Ersoy has to say about this year’s fest:
“Combining a celebration of cinema whilst firmly focusing our gaze on the next generation of filmmakers has always been at the heart of the Beyond Fest. And this year we have even more opportunity to bring together the full spectrum of genre filmmaking to the community that is at the core of everything we do: from Kiyoshi Kurosawa to Brady Corbet, Jennifer Kent to Sam Raimi, we have created a program that embraces all corners of the cinematic spectrum.”
What could I see at the 2024 Beyond Fest?
2024’s Salem’s Lot. Photo: Warners Bros.
In its inimitable style, Beyond Fest is blending exciting new movies with the chance to experience old favorites and listen to the people who made them.
(L to R) Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis in ‘Due Date.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Peter Highman (Downey Jr.) must scramble across the US in five days to be present for the birth of his first child. He gets off to a bad start when his wallet and luggage are stolen, and put on the ‘no-fly’ list. Peter embarks on a terrifying journey when he accepts a ride from an actor (Zach Galifianakis).
Air America was the CIA’s private airline operating in Laos during the Vietnam War, running anything and everything from soldiers to foodstuffs for local villagers. After losing his pilot’s license, Billy Covington (Downey Jr.) is recruited into it, and ends up in the middle of a bunch of lunatic pilots, gun-running by his friend Gene Ryack (Mel Gibson), and opium smuggling by his own superiors.
Awkward teenager Charlie Bartlett (Anton Yelchin) has trouble fitting in at a new high school. Charlie needs some friends fast, and decides that the best way to find them is to appoint himself the resident psychiatrist. He becomes one of the most popular guys in school by doling out advice and, occasionally, medication, to the student body.
A successful lawyer (Downey Jr.) returns to his hometown for his mother’s funeral only to discover that his estranged father (Robert Duvall), the town’s judge, is suspected of murder.
(L to R) Joe Pantoliano, Tommy Lee Jones and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘U.S. Marshalls.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
U.S. Marshal Sam Gerard (Tommy Lee Jones) is accompanying a plane load of convicts from Chicago to New York. The plane crashes spectacularly, and Mark Sheridan (Wesley Snipes) escapes. But when Diplomatic Security Agent John Royce (Downey Jr.) is assigned to help Gerard recapture Sheridan, it becomes clear that Sheridan is more than just another murderer.
Celeste Talbert (Sally Field) is the star of the long-running soap opera “The Sun Also Sets.” With the show’s ratings down, Celeste’s ruthlessly ambitious co-star, Montana Moorehead (Cathy Moriarty), and the show’s arrogant producer, David Seton Barnes (Downey Jr.), plot to aggravate her into leaving the show by bringing back her old flame, Jeffrey Anderson (Kevin Kline), and hiring her beautiful young niece, Lori Craven (Elisabeth Shue).
Following the events of ‘Captain America: Civil War,’ Peter Parker (Tom Holland), with the help of his mentor Tony Stark (Downey Jr.), tries to balance his life as an ordinary high school student in Queens, New York City, with fighting crime as his superhero alter ego Spider-Man as a new threat, the Vulture (Michael Keaton), emerges.
Two unpopular teenagers, Gary (Anthony Michael Hall) and Wyatt (Ilan Mitchell-Smith), fail at all attempts to be accepted by their peers. Their desperation to be liked leads them to “create” a woman via their computer. Their living and breathing creation is a gorgeous woman, Lisa (Kelly LeBrock), whose purpose is to boost their confidence level by putting them into situations which require Gary and Wyatt to act like men.
Many loosely connected characters cross paths in this film, based on the stories of Raymond Carver. Waitress Doreen Piggot (Lily Tomlin) accidentally runs into a boy with her car. Soon after walking away, the child lapses into a coma. While at the hospital, the boy’s grandfather tells his son, Howard (Bruce Davidson), about his past affairs. Meanwhile, a baker starts harassing the family when they fail to pick up the boy’s birthday cake.
Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Iron Man 3.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
When Tony Stark’s (Downey Jr.) world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.
When Chef Carl Casper (Jon Favreau) suddenly quits his job at a prominent Los Angeles restaurant after refusing to compromise his creative integrity for its controlling owner, he is left to figure out what’s next. Finding himself in Miami, he teams up with his ex-wife (Sofia Vergara), his friend (Downey Jr.) and his son (Emjay Anthony) to launch a food truck. Taking to the road, Chef Carl goes back to his roots to reignite his passion for the kitchen — and zest for life and love.
Following the events of ‘Age of Ultron,’ the collective governments of the world pass an act designed to regulate all superhuman activity. This polarizes opinion amongst the Avengers, causing two factions to side with Iron Man (Downey Jr.) or Captain America (Chris Evans), which causes an epic battle between former allies.
After losing her job, making out with her soon to be ex-boss, and finding out that her daughter plans to spend Thanksgiving with her boyfriend, Claudia Larson (Holly Hunter) has to face spending the holiday with her family. She wonders if she can survive their crazy antics.
Self-made millionaire Thornton Melon (Rodney Dangerfield) decides to get a better education and enrolls at his son Jason’s (Keith Gordon) college. While Jason tries to fit in with his fellow students, Thornton struggles to gain his son’s respect, giving way to hilarious antics.
When an unexpected enemy emerges and threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster. Spanning the globe, a daring recruitment effort begins!
Two victims of traumatized childhoods (Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis) become lovers and serial murderers irresponsibly glorified by the mass media.
On the verge of bankruptcy and desperate for his big break, aspiring filmmaker Bobby Bowfinger (Steve Martin) concocts a crazy plan to make his ultimate dream movie. Rallying a ragtag team that includes a starry-eyed ingenue, a has-been diva and a film studio gofer, he sets out to shoot a blockbuster featuring the biggest star in Hollywood, Kit Ramsey (Eddie Murphy) — only without letting Ramsey know he’s in the picture.
Grady (Michael Douglas) is a 50-ish English professor who hasn’t had a thing published in years—not since he wrote his award winning ‘Great American Novel’ 7 years ago. This weekend proves even worse than he could imagine as he finds himself reeling from one misadventure to another in the company of a new wonder boy (Tobey Maguire) author.
As the Avengers and their allies have continued to protect the world from threats too large for any one hero to handle, a new danger has emerged from the cosmic shadows: Thanos (Josh Brolin). A despot of intergalactic infamy, his goal is to collect all six Infinity Stones, artifacts of unimaginable power, and use them to inflict his twisted will on all of reality. Everything the Avengers have fought for has led up to this moment – the fate of Earth and existence itself has never been more uncertain.
Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Zodiac.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.
A cartoonist (Jake Gyllenhaal) teams up with an ace reporter (Downey Jr.) and a law enforcement officer (Mark Ruffalo) to track down an elusive serial killer.
Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Less Than Zero.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.
A college freshman (Andrew McCarthy) returns to Los Angeles for Christmas at his ex-girlfriend’s (Jami Gertz) request, but discovers that his former best friend (Downey Jr.) has an out-of-control drug habit.
(L to R) Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Sherlock Holmes.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
Eccentric consulting detective Sherlock Holmes (Downey Jr.) and Doctor John Watson (Jude Law) battle to bring down a new nemesis (Mark Strong) and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy England.
Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Chaplin’ Photo: TriStar Pictures.
An elderly Charlie Chaplin (Downey Jr.) discusses his autobiography with his editor (Anthony Hopkins), recounting his amazing journey from his poverty-stricken childhood to world-wide success after the ingenious invention of the Little Tramp.
Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.
After the devastating events of ‘Avengers: Infinity War,’ the universe is in ruins due to the efforts of the Mad Titan, Thanos (Josh Brolin). With the help of remaining allies, the Avengers must assemble once more in order to undo Thanos’ actions and restore order to the universe once and for all, no matter what consequences may be in store.
Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Tropic Thunder.’ Photo: DreamWorks Pictures.
Ben Stiller, Jack Black and Downey Jr. lead an ensemble cast in ‘Tropic Thunder,’ an action comedy about a group of self-absorbed actors who set out to make the most expensive war film. After ballooning costs force the studio to cancel the movie, the frustrated director refuses to stop shooting, leading his cast into the jungles of Southeast Asia, where they encounter real bad guys.
(L to R) Val Kilmer and Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang.’ Photo: Warner Bros.
A petty thief posing as an actor (Downey Jr.) is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role…
The rise in the genre’s popularity is a result of box office successes like Kenneth Branagh’s Hercule Poirot series, including ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ and ‘Death on the Nile,’ and director Rian Johnson‘s ‘Knives Out,’ and its new sequel, ‘Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery,’ which is currently in theaters and premieres on Netflix December 23rd.
In honor of ‘Glass Onion’s release, Moviefone is counting down the 25 greatest mystery movies of all time!
Without further ado, grab your detective hat and let’s begin!
Lake Tahoe, 1969. Seven strangers, each one with a secret to bury, meet at El Royale, a decadent motel with a dark past. In the course of a fateful night, everyone will have one last shot at redemption. Starring Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, and Chris Hemsworth.
On a long-awaited trip to Europe, a New York City cop (Adam Sandler) and his hairdresser wife (Jennifer Aniston) scramble to solve a baffling murder aboard a billionaire’s yacht.
In a world where people collect pocket-size monsters (Pokémon) to do battle, a boy (Justice Smith) comes across an intelligent monster (Ryan Reynolds) who seeks to be a detective.
Eccentric consulting detective Sherlock Holmes (Robert Downey Jr.) and Doctor John Watson (Jude Law) battle to bring down a new nemesis and unravel a deadly plot that could destroy England.
When Claire Spencer (Michelle Pfeiffer) starts hearing ghostly voices and seeing spooky images, she wonders if an otherworldly spirit is trying to contact her. All the while, her husband (Harrison Ford) tries to reassure her by telling her it’s all in her head. But as Claire investigates, she discovers that the man she loves might know more than he’s letting on.
Stephanie (Anna Kendrick), a dedicated mother and popular vlogger, befriends Emily (Blake Lively), a mysterious upper-class woman whose son Nicky attends the same school as Miles, Stephanie’s son. When Emily asks her to pick Nicky up from school and then disappears, Stephanie undertakes an investigation that will dive deep into Emily’s cloudy past.
Keller Dover (Hugh Jackman) faces a parent’s worst nightmare when his 6-year-old daughter, Anna (Erin Gerasimovich), and her friend go missing. The only lead is an old motorhome that had been parked on their street. The head of the investigation, Detective Loki (Jake Gyllenhaal), arrests the driver, but a lack of evidence forces Loki to release his only suspect. Dover, knowing that his daughter’s life is at stake, decides that he has no choice but to take matters into his own hands.
After Regina Lampert (Audrey Hepburn) falls for the dashing Peter Joshua (Cary Grant) on a skiing holiday in the French Alps, she discovers upon her return to Paris that her husband has been murdered. Soon, she and Peter are giving chase to three of her late husband’s World War II cronies, Tex (James Coburn), Scobie (George Kennedy) and Gideon (Ned Glass), who are after a quarter of a million dollars the quartet stole while behind enemy lines. But why does Peter keep changing his name?
World War II soldier-turned-U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels (Leonardo DiCaprio) investigates the disappearance of a patient from a hospital for the criminally insane, but his efforts are compromised by troubling visions and a mysterious doctor (Ben Kingsley).
Directed by Robert Altman, in 1930’s England, a group of pretentious rich and famous gather together for a weekend of relaxation at a hunting resort. But when a murder occurs, each one of these interesting characters becomes a suspect.
Kermit and Fozzie are newspaper reporters sent to London to interview Lady Holiday (Diana Rigg), a wealthy fashion designer whose priceless diamond necklace is stolen. Kermit meets and falls in love with her secretary, Miss Piggy. The jewel thieves strike again, and this time frame Miss Piggy. It’s up to Kermit and Muppets to bring the real culprits to justice.
With his wife’s (Rosamund Pike) disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man (Ben Affleck) sees the spotlight turned on him when it’s suspected that he may not be innocent.
A private eye (Ryan Gosling) and a thug (Russell Crowe) investigate the apparent suicide of a fading porn star in 1970s Los Angeles and uncovers a conspiracy.
This English-language adaptation of the Swedish novel by Stieg Larsson follows a disgraced journalist, Mikael Blomkvist (Daniel Craig), as he investigates the disappearance of a weary patriarch’s niece from 40 years ago. He is aided by the pierced, tattooed, punk computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander (Rooney Mara). As they work together in the investigation, Blomkvist and Salander uncover immense corruption beyond anything they have ever imagined.
Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer (Kevin Spacey) whose crimes are based on the “seven deadly sins” in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the next. The seasoned Det. Sommerset (Morgan Freeman) researches each sin in an effort to get inside the killer’s mind, while his novice partner, Mills (Brad Pitt), scoffs at his efforts to unravel the case.
Leonard Shelby (Guy Pearce) is tracking down the man who raped and murdered his wife. The difficulty of locating his wife’s killer, however, is compounded by the fact that he suffers from a rare, untreatable form of short-term memory loss. Although he can recall details of life before his accident, Leonard cannot remember what happened fifteen minutes ago, where he’s going, or why.
A teenage loner (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) pushes his way into the underworld of a high school crime ring to investigate the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend (Emilie de Ravin).
In 1935, when his train is stopped by deep snow, detective Hercule Poirot (Albert Finney) is called on to solve a murder that occurred in his car the night before.
A petty thief (Robert Downey Jr.) posing as an actor is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role…
When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate. From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death.
Clue finds six colorful dinner guests (Eileen Brennan, Madeline Kahn, Christopher Lloyd, Michael McKean, Martin Mull, and Lesley Ann Warren) gathered at the mansion of their host, Mr. Boddy (Lee Ving) — who turns up dead after his secret is exposed: He was blackmailing all of them. With the killer among them, the guests and Boddy’s chatty butler (Tim Curry) must suss out the culprit before the body count rises.
