Moviefone Editorial

Tag: natural born killers

Best Robert Downey Jr. Movies

Robert Downey, Jr. accepts the Oscar® for Actor in a Supporting Role during the live ABC telecast of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Credit/Provider: Trae Patton ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Robert Downey Jr. is one of the most beloved and talented actors of his generation.

After recently winning a Golden Globe and a Critics Choice Award, Downey finally scored a Best Supporting Actor Oscar at the 96th Academy Awards for his work on ‘Oppenheimer.’

Best known for his work as Tony Stark in ‘Iron Man‘ and the MCU movies, Downey Jr. has also appeared in such popular movies as ‘Weird Science,’ ‘Back to School,’ ‘Less Than Zero,’ ‘Chaplin,’ ‘Natural Born Killers,’ ‘Bowfinger,’ ‘Zodiac,’ ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang‘ ‘Tropic Thunder‘ and ‘Sherlock Holmes.’

In honor of his recent Oscar win, Moviefone is counting down the top 30 movies of Robert Downey Jr.’s long and impressive career.

Let’s begin!

30. ‘Due Date‘ (2010)

(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).
38944

29. ‘Two Girls and a Guy‘ (1997)

Two women (Natasha Gregson Wagner and Heather Graham) confront their boyfriend (Downey Jr.), a two-timing actor who professed eternal love to each.
5965

28. ‘Air America‘ (1990)

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.
16136

27. ‘Charlie Bartlett‘ (2008)

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.
26478

26. ‘The Judge‘ (2014)

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.
63015

25. ‘U.S. Marshals‘ (1998)

(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.
5818

24. ‘Soapdish‘ (1991)

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).
14125

23. ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming‘ (2017)

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.
20082370

22. ‘Weird Science‘ (1985)

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.
12120

21. ‘Short Cuts‘ (1993)

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.
8524

20. ‘Iron Man 3‘ (2013)

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.
52353

19. ‘Chef‘ (2014)

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.
62358

18. ‘Captain America: Civil War‘ (2016)

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.
65108

17. ‘Home for the Holidays‘ (1995)

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.
1797

16. ‘Back to School‘ (1986)

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.
1002168

15. ‘The Avengers‘ (2012)

2012’s ‘The Avengers.’ Photo: Marvel Studios.

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!
33907

14. ‘Natural Born Killers‘ (1994)

Two victims of traumatized childhoods (Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis) become lovers and serial murderers irresponsibly glorified by the mass media.
1074

13. ‘Bowfinger‘ (1999)

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.
6428

12. ‘Wonder Boys‘ (2000)

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.
7135

11. ‘Avengers: Infinity War‘ (2018)

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.
20083432

10. ‘Zodiac‘ (2007)

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.
23059

9. ‘Good Night, and Good Luck.‘ (2005)

David Strathairn as Edward R. Murrow in ‘Good Night, and Good Luck.’ Photo: Warner Independent Pictures.

The story of journalist Edward R. Murrow’s (David Strathaim) stand against Senator Joseph McCarthy’s anti-communist witch-hunts in the early 1950s.
23166

8. ‘Less Than Zero‘ (1987)

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.
16357

7. ‘Sherlock Holmes‘ (2009)

(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.
35683

6. ‘Chaplin‘ (1992)

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.
7543

5. ‘Avengers: Endgame‘ (2019)

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.
P4hIwBTPRnwELWrG1VOML2

4. ‘Tropic Thunder‘ (2008)

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.
34885

3. ‘Iron Man‘ (2008)

Robert Downey Jr. in ‘Iron Man.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

After being held captive in an Afghan cave, billionaire engineer Tony Stark (Downey Jr.) creates a unique weaponized suit of armor to fight evil.
24396

2. ‘Kiss Kiss Bang Bang‘ (2005)

(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…
24734

1. ‘Oppenheimer‘ (2023)

Robert Downey Jr is Lewis Strauss in ‘Oppenheimer,’ written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

The story of J. Robert Oppenheimer‘s (Cillian Murphy) role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.
1tOJVQRXmFcGn2lZ7Th6l7 SthZl9DM

April 3, 2024
Oliver Stone Criticizes ‘John Wick’ Movies and More
(Left) Three-time Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone and wife Sun-jung Jung attend the 2010 Governors Awards in the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Hollywood, CA, Saturday, November 13. Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.

There aren’t many people who would want to go toe to toe with Keanu Reeves’ assassin character from the ‘John Wick’ franchise. But director Oliver Stone sounds like he’s spoiling for a fight –– or a war of words, at least.

Speaking to Variety at the Transilvania International Film Festival where he was picking up a lifetime achievement award, Stone was unflinching in his criticism of the action movies where Reeves cuts a swathe through various enemies.
f9HakKt6vPZWClZUV638w3
Stone on ‘John Wick’

Here’s what Stone had to say about the ‘Wick movies:

“I saw ‘John Wick 4’ on the plane. Talk about volume. I think the film is disgusting beyond belief. Disgusting. I don’t know what people are thinking. Maybe I was watching ‘G.I. Joe’ when I was a kid. But Keanu Reeves kills, what, three, four hundred people in the f*****g movie. And as a combat veteran, I gotta tell you, not one of them is believable. I realize it’s a movie, but it’s become a video game more than a movie.”

It might sound surprising coming from the director of violent movies such as ‘Natural Born Killers’, ‘Platoon’ and the writer of 1983’s ‘Scarface’, but then much of his filmography has been about the horrors of such actions.

Stone was also vocal when it came to his feelings about modern movies’ style:

“How many cars can crash? How many stunts can you do? What’s the difference between ‘Fast and Furious’ and some other film? It’s just one thing after another. Whether it’s a super-human Marvel character or just a human being like John Wick, it doesn’t make any difference. It’s not believable.”

He’s also angry about the way movies are made these days:

“When they make movies now, they want to think about how do we market it, who’s going to watch it? Of course, that’s a consideration. But it becomes the sole consideration. You really have to have a bigger and bigger hit, which ruins the business because it makes the margins bigger, and of course that makes the cost of the film bigger.”

Keanu Reeves as John Wick in ‘John Wick: Chapter 4.’ Photo Credit: Murray Close.

Going nuclear

In his own career, Stone hasn’t enjoyed as much success as his 1980s and 1990s heyday, with his dramatic movies failing to connect with audiences and struggles to get documentaries made as he’s increasingly seen as a contrarian.

Most recently, Stone had to fight to make a documentary called ‘Nuclear Now’ about how nuclear power has been unfairly vilified (despite the likes of events such as Hiroshima and Chernobyl).

Here’s what he said about the frustrations of the new documentary:

“It was rejected. It was rejected at birth. No financing. No company wanted to do it. No Netflix. It’s crazy. People in showbiz are idiots. They just go with the trend; they just go with the fashion — it’s a fashion business.”

Academy Award winning director Oliver Stone (right) presents director Jacques Audiard, “A Prophet (Une Prophete)” (left) with a certificate of nomination for the 82nd Academy Awards at a Foreign Language Film Award reception held in the Grand Lobby of the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, CA on Friday March 5, 2010. The Academy Awards for outstanding achievements of 2009 will be presented on Sunday, March 7, 2010. Credit/Provider ©A.M.P.A.S. ©A.M.P.A.S. All rights reserved.

Other Movies Similar to ‘John Wick: Chapter 4:’
- ‘Point Break‘ (1991)
- ‘Speed‘ (1994)
- ‘The Matrix‘ (1999)
- ‘The Matrix Reloaded‘ (2003)
- ‘The Matrix Revolutions‘ (2003)
- ‘Ip Man‘ (2010)
- ‘Ip Man 2‘ (2011)
- ‘Man of Tai Chi‘ (2013)
- ‘John Wick‘ (2014)
- ‘Ip Man 3‘ (2016)
- ‘Atomic Blonde‘ (2017)
- ‘John Wick: Chapter 2‘ (2017)
- ‘John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum‘ (2019)
- ‘Ip Man 4: The Finale‘ (2020)
Buy ‘John Wick’ Movies On Amazon

‘John Wick: Chapter 4’ is produced by Lionsgate, Thunder Road and 87Eleven, and scheduled for release on March 24th.
June 20, 2023
Tom Sizemore Dies at Age 61
(L to R) Vin Diesel, Tom Sizemore and Tom Hanks in Steven Spielberg’s ‘Saving Private Ryan.’

Tom Sizemore, an actor known for his gruff style and hard-nosed characters, died on Friday.

Sizemore’s manager, Charles Lago announced his passing in a statement:

“It is with great sadness and sorrow I have to announce that actor Thomas Edward Sizemore aged 61 passed away peacefully in his sleep today at St Joseph’s Hospital Burbank,” the actor’s manager Charles Lago said in a statement. “His brother Paul and twin boys Jayden and Jagger were at his side. The Sizemore family has been comforted by the hundreds of messages of support and love shown to their son, brother and father. They are asking for privacy during this difficult time and I am asking for those wishes to please be respected.”

Sizemore was born on Nov. 29, 1961, in Detroit. After graduating from Wayne State University in Detroit with a bachelor’s degree in theater in 1983, he earned a master’s in the subject from Temple University in 1986. Three years later, he kicked off his acting career, making his debut on TV, in ‘Gideon Oliver,’ and on film, in ‘Lock Up,’ which starred Sylvester Stallone.
2962
Related Article: 15 Things You (Probably) Never Knew About ‘Natural Born Killers’

What movies was Sizemore known for?

Though ‘Lock Up’ wasn’t a box office success, Sizemore had a few other roles already in the can, including ‘Born on the Fourth of July’, ‘Blue Steel’ and ‘Pen & Teller Get Killed’.

Other notables on his resume include ‘Heat,’ ‘The Relic,’ ‘Back Hawk Down’, ‘Bringing Out the Dead’, ‘Enemy of the State’, ‘Natural Born Killers’, ‘Passenger 57’, ‘Devil in a Blue Dress’ and ‘Point Break’.

His most famous role was in Steven Spielberg’s ‘Saving Private Ryan’ as Sgt. Mike Horvath, the loyal second-in-command to Tom Hank’s Captain Miller. And Spielberg was far from the only top-level director to employ the actor’s services –– he also worked for Michael Mann, Ridley Scott, Oliver Stone and more.
60592
Yet outside of his acting work –– which was also filled with a variety of B-movies and straight-to-video appearances, his personal life was a whirlwind of drug abuse, lawsuits, accidents and stints in rehab.

“I should have been dead many times over, and honestly, I didn’t know that I was going to come back from the bottom I dropped to,” Sizemore told Deadline in a 2011 interview. “The fact that I’m now sober over two years — and that I’m acting as much as I did before — proves that people can overcome obstacles even when they’re sure they can’t.”

The actor suffered a brain aneurysm as a result of a stroke on February 18th and had been on life support in a coma since then.

Sizemore is survived by his mother, his twin sons, his brother Paul, his half-sister, Katherine Sizemore, and his half-brother, Charles Sizemore.

Paul Sizemore said this about his sibling:

“I am deeply saddened by the loss of my big brother Tom. He was larger than life. He has influenced my life more than anyone I know. He was talented, loving, giving and could keep you entertained endlessly with his wit and storytelling ability. I am devastated he is gone and will miss him always.”

(L to R) Matt Damon, Max Martini, Barry Pepper, and Tom Sizemore in Steven Spielberg’s ‘Saving Private Ryan.’

Tom Sizemore Movies:
- ‘Lock Up‘ (1989)
- ‘Born on the Fourth of July‘ (1989)
- ‘Blue Steel‘ (1990)
- ‘Flight of the Intruder‘ (1991)
- ‘Guilty by Suspicion‘ (1991)
- ‘Point Break‘ (1991)
- ‘Harley Davidson and the Marlboro Man‘ (1991)
- ‘Passenger 57‘ (1992)
- ‘True Romance‘ (1993)
- ‘Striking Distance‘ (1993)
- ‘Wyatt Earp‘ (1994)
- ‘Natural Born Killers‘ (1994)
- ‘Strange Days‘ (1995)
- ‘Devil in a Blue Dress‘ (1995)
- ‘Heat‘ (1995)
- ‘The Relic‘ (1997)
- ‘Saving Private Ryan‘ (1998)
- ‘Enemy of the State‘ (1998)
- ‘Bringing Out the Dead‘ (1999)
- ‘Play It to the Bone‘ (1999)
- ‘Get Carter‘ (2000)
- ‘Red Planet‘ (2000)
- ‘Pearl Harbor‘ (2001)
- ‘Black Hawk Down‘ (2002)
- ‘Big Trouble‘ (2002)
- ‘Dreamcatcher‘ (2003)
Buy Tom Sizemore Movies On Amazon
March 5, 2023
15 Things You (Probably) Never Knew About ‘Natural Born Killers’

Warner Bros.

At the time it was released, “Natural Born Killers” was considered one of the most controversial movies ever made. Based on a story by then-newcomer Quentin Tarantino, the film unapologetically depicted a pair of serial killers and the media blitz that they attract, turning upside down the relationship between real and on-screen violence with a brutal satire that only someone like Oliver Stone had the commercial and creative muscle to pull off. Today it remains a galvanizing look at the way that media controls and exploits real-life tragedy for ratings, while also serving as an absolutely singular triumph of technique. As the film celebrates its 25^th anniversary, Moviefone looks back at the unique and sometimes troubled production, remembering a time when major studios took big chances with ambitious filmmakers on stories that didn’t merely transport audiences but challenged them to examine and reconsider the world around them.

1. Quentin Tarantino sold producers Jane Hamsher and Don Murphy an option for his “Natural Born Killers” script for $10,000 after he was unable to direct the film himself for $500,000. When Oliver Stone signed on, he, David Veloz and associate producer Richard Rutowski heavily overhauled Tarantino’s script, which is why he retains only Story By credit on the film.

2. Stone initially wanted to make a gritty, violent action film that offered a logistical reprieve after the challenges of his film “Heaven & Earth.” But a number of high-profile court cases that dominated the news during that time (including the O.J. Simpson case and the Tonya Harding/Nancy Kerrigan incident) prompted him to transform the would-be road movie into a commentary about the dangerous role of the media in Americans’ daily lives.

3. Although many real-life murderers and serial killers inspired different aspects of the story and characters, Stone was perhaps most strongly influenced by Arthur Penn’s “Bonnie & Clyde,” and in particular the film’s then-innovative editing techniques, which used footage from different cameras shooting simultaneously at different speeds.

4. Tom Sizemore revealed that Stone would play African tribal music at high volumes in between takes in order to keep up a level of manic energy on set.

Warner Bros.

5. Cinematographer Robert Richardson broke his finger and a replacement cameraman cut his eye shooting the scene where Mallory runs into the wire mesh and knocks herself out. Juliette Lewis also broke Sizemore’s nose in the scene where she slams his character Jack Scagnetti into a wall.

6. Coca-Cola was reportedly furious to discover what the movie was about after their famous commercial featuring the polar bears was used twice prominently as cutaways.

7. In the scenes involving rear projection, the background footage was shot prior to principal photography, edited together and projected live at the location behind the actors and actresses.

8. The scene where Mickey (Woody Harrelson) and Mallory are apprehended at the drug store was purposely filmed in a way to evoke the Rodney King incident.

9. Oliver Stone used more than 150 rattlesnakes, some real and others fake, for the scene where Mickey and Mallory walk through the field of snakes. Since the scene was filmed at night, the snakes were colder and therefore more sluggish — if not sleeping — and therefor less dangerous to the actors.

10. Ashley Judd appears in a deleted scene as a sorority girl who is the only survivor of one of Mickey and Mallory’s killing sprees. Mickey questions her on the stand before stabbing her to death with a pencil.

Warner Bros.

11. The prison riot was shot at Stateville Correctional Center in Joliet, Illinois. Eighty percent of the inmates there were detained for violent crimes, but they were allowed to participate in the riot scenes with rubber weapons.

12. Stone and Richardson use eighteen different film formats on screen throughout the film.

13. Shooting of the film only took 56 days, but editing it took another 11 months. The finished film features almost 3000 cuts, which is almost four time as many as average.

14. The film was banned in several foreign countries upon its initial release, including in Ireland. The bans were later lifted.

15. The film became a lightning rod for controversy after author John Grisham helped bankroll a court case against Stone and the filmmakers when a young woman named Sarah Edmondson and her boyfriend dropped acid and went on a shooting spree after watching the film. Although the case was initially dropped on the grounds that filmmakers are protected by First Amendment rights to freedom of speech, an appellate court overturned the ruling; Hollywood held its breath for more than four years to see whether the court would find the filmmakers responsible for inciting violence. But the case was fully dismissed in March of 2001.

August 27, 2019
My Empire of Sound: Looking Back at the Soundtrack Work of Trent Reznor

Sony/A24

For an artist whose work seems to have been inspired by a lot of unhappy feelings, Trent Reznor has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success. The musician and artist established himself in the late 1980s and 90s with the singular and hugely influential group Nine Inch Nails, which led to becoming a producer for other artists, and eventually, an inspiration to filmmakers. Unsurprisingly, that led to a new direction for his career, composing music directly for the films of auteurs like David Fincher and Ken Burns. To commemorate his 54^th birthday on May 17, Moviefone takes a look at his movie and television-related work that have become part of the pop cultural firmament.

Warner Bros.

“Natural Born Killers” (1994)

Reznor had already become a fixture in the musical landscape by 1994 when he was hired by Oliver Stone to create a backdrop for the director’s film about a pair of serial killers who become media darlings. Though he created only one original track for the soundtrack, he produced the rest of the soundtrack album, suggesting to Stone an album that was mirrored the film’s unique editing style as a “collage of sound,” featuring everything from hip-hop to world music.

CIBY 2000

“Lost Highway” (1997)

Reznor’s second produced soundtrack was for David Lynch, who enlisted him to weave together a score by longtime Lynch composer Angelo Badalamenti with classic bossa nova, electro industrial rock, and of course a handful of tracks from the NIN frontman himself, including the stone cold classic “The Perfect Drug” (which Reznor finally started performing live just recently).

Columbia Pictures

“The Social Network” (2010)

It was almost a decade and a half before Reznor ventured into proper film composition, sparking a collaboration with creative confederate Atticus Ross that would continue throughout the rest of his career. Juggling moody ambient pieces with more propulsive, dance floor adjacent tracks, he captures the feverish energy of Fincher’s story of how Mark Zuckerberg created Facebook.

Columbia Pictures

“The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” (2011)

Reznor wasted no time jumping right back into an incredibly fruitful partnership with Fincher on his adaptation of Stieg Larsson’s bestseller of the same name. In the same family as his “Social Network” score but decidedly more ominous, Reznor’s music provided the perfect accompaniment for this twisted, sometimes violently sadistic murder mystery.

20th Century Fox

“Gone Girl” (2014)

Reznor’s third score for Fincher is, like the film it accompanies, an exercise in misdirection, as the perspectives of Nick (Ben Affleck) and Amy Dunne (Rosamund Pike) fight to tell a fractured truth. Reznor’s textured, ambient music evokes the likes of Brian Eno as he hints at both a fairytale romance and a brutally dysfunctional marriage.

Lionsgate

“Patriots Day” (2016)

Peter Berg’s film about the Boston Marathon bombing needed little emotional amplification from a score, which may account for why Reznor’s themes are much lighter and more delicate than some of his other work. He nevertheless captures the haunting loss of that tragic incident and the chaos that ensued in its wake.

PBS

“The Vietnam War” (2017)

Ken Burns’ documentaries are always so thoughtful and detailed that they require the exact right music to make them a riveting experience. Drawing not upon the music of the era but his own instincts, Reznor and Ross offer some thoughtful melancholy music to represent the political morass that America got itself into, and eventually, the personal tragedy of lives destroyed and lost as a consequence of the country’s crisis of leadership.

A24

“Mid90s” (2018) – Reznor only created a handful of tracks for Jonah Hill’s directorial debut (totally around 15 minutes), the story of a skateboarding-obsessed kid who comes of age among his peers. Reznor skillfully flirts with a sense of limitless optimism and also the melancholy onset of maturity as Hill’s protagonist goes through formative moments that prepare him for adulthood — sometimes way before he should be ready.

Netflix

“Bird Box” (2018)

Director Susanne Bier does an incredible job making this Sandra Bullock film’s premise — a force that makes people go insane and commit suicide — feel believable and real. But it’s Reznor and Ross’ work on the score that solidifies the increasingly unsettling feeling audiences have as they discover what’s happening, and are forced to watch Bullock’s character try and figure out how to fight back against an enemy that she cannot see and doesn’t know how to defeat.

May 17, 2019