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  • Josh Hartnett Starring in Oliver Stone’s ‘White Lies’

    (Left) Academy Award winning director Oliver Stone at the 82nd Academy Awards reception held in the Grand Lobby of the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, CA on Friday March 5, 2010. Credit/Provider: ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Josh Hartnett arrive on the red carpet of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    (Left) Academy Award winning director Oliver Stone at the 82nd Academy Awards reception held in the Grand Lobby of the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, CA on Friday March 5, 2010. Credit/Provider: ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S. (Right) Josh Hartnett arrive on the red carpet of the 96th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre at Ovation Hollywood on Sunday, March 10, 2024. Credit/Provider: Mike Baker / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Preview:

    • Oliver Stone has set up his first narrative film in a decade, called ‘White Lies’.
    • Josh Hartnett will star.
    • Leila George is also in the cast.

    After an absence from narrative filmmaking for a decade (though he has been busy with documentaries and being his usual, outspoken self), ‘Platoon’ and ‘JFK’ filmmaker Oliver Stone is back, and targeting something a little different from some of his past work –– a dysfunctional family drama.

    The director has Josh Hartnett and Leila George lined up to star in the movie, which is finally in production via a report from World of Reel.

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    We say “finally” because this is a project Stone has been trying to make for a couple of years now, with a previous incarnation falling apart despite Benicio del Toro aboard to star.

    Related Article: Josh Hartnett Talks ‘Fight or Flight’ and Shooting the Action Sequences

    What’s the story of ‘White Lies’?

    Josh Hartnett as Cooper and Ariel Donoghue as Riley in Warner Bros. Pictures’ crime drama thriller 'Trap,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Josh Hartnett as Cooper and Ariel Donoghue as Riley in Warner Bros. Pictures’ crime drama thriller ‘Trap,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Sabrina Lantos. Copyright: © 2024 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    The movie follows Jack Freeman (Hartnett), a child of divorce now repeating his parents’ mistakes in his own marriage and with his own children.

    Feeling trapped, he embarks on a lust-filled journey to free himself — only to find himself more lost than before. When he meets a woman, whose life is the opposite of his own, he begins an unexpected journey of rediscovery.

    ‘White Lies’: the director and star talk

    Three-time Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone (left) and wife Sun-jung Jung attend the 2010 Governors Awards in the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Hollywood, CA, Saturday, November 13. Photo: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.
    Three-time Oscar-winning director Oliver Stone (left) and wife Sun-jung Jung attend the 2010 Governors Awards in the Grand Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland in Hollywood, CA, Saturday, November 13. Photo: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

    Here’s Stone’s statement on his big return:

    “After nearly 10 years away from features, I feel really like I’m starting again, as when I made ‘Platoon’ and ‘Salvador’ in 1986. ‘White Lies’ will find its natural home because it’s an eternal story of love.”

    And here’s Hartnett on his feelings about the collaboration:

    “Oliver explores a universe in ‘White Lies’ that feels personal and entirely new material from a filmmaker I have long admired and am excited to work with.”

    Josh Hartnett stars in 'Fight or Flight'.
    Josh Hartnett stars in ‘Fight or Flight’.

    List of Josh Hartnett Movies and TV Shows:

    Buy Josh Hartnett Movies On Amazon

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  • Best Football Movies To Watch On Super Bowl Sunday

    Best Football Movies of All Time.
    Best Football Movies of All Time.

    “Are you ready for some Football?”

    Super Bowl LX is scheduled for Sunday, February 8th and it promises to be an unforgettable game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots.

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    However,  if you still need your football fix, Moviefone has compiled a list of 30 of the best football movies of all time for you to watch after the game.

    These football movies cover what happens both on and off the field, and best of all, every movie here is streaming right now, so you can get started watching any of them immediately.

    Let’s begin!

    Related Article: Tyriq Withers Talks ‘HIM’ Digital Release and Working with Marlon Wayans

    30. ‘The Blind Side‘ (2009)

    (L to R) Quinton Aaron and Sandra Bullock in 'The Blind Side.' Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
    (L to R) Quinton Aaron and Sandra Bullock in ‘The Blind Side.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

    The story of Michael Oher (Quinton Aaron) a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman (Sandra Bullock) and her family

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    29. ‘American Underdog‘ (2021)

    American Underdog tells the inspirational true story of Kurt Warner (Zachary Levi), who went from a stockboy at a grocery store to a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion, and Hall of Fame quarterback. The film centers on Warner’s unique story and years of challenges and setbacks that could have derailed his aspirations to become an NFL player – but just when his dreams seemed all but out of reach, it is only with the support of his wife, Brenda (Anna Paquin) and the encouragement of his family, coaches, and teammates that Warner perseveres and finds the strength to show the world the champion that he already is.

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    28. ‘Radio‘ (2003)

    High school football coach Harold Jones (Ed Harris) befriends Radio (Cuba Gooding Jr.), a mentally-challenged man who becomes a student at TL Hanna High School in Anderson South Carolina. Their friendship extends over several decades where Radio transforms from a shy tormented man into an inspiration to his community.

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    27. ‘Gridiron Gang‘ (2006)

    Under the leadership of their counselor (Dwayne Johnson), teenagers at a juvenile detention center gain selfesteem by playing football together.

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    26. ‘All the Right Moves‘ (1983)

    Sensitive study of a headstrong high school football star (Tom Cruise) who dreams of getting out of his small Western Pennsylvania steel town with a football scholarship. His equally ambitious coach (Craig T. Nelson) aims at a college position resulting in a clash which could crush the players dreams.

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    25. ‘The Underdoggs‘ (2024)

    (L to R) Snoop Dogg as Jaycen "2 J's" Jennings and Mike Epps as Kareem in director Charles Stone III's 'The Underdoggs,' an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Jacob Kemp. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (L to R) Snoop Dogg as Jaycen “2 J’s” Jennings and Mike Epps as Kareem in director Charles Stone III’s ‘The Underdoggs,’ an Amazon MGM Studios film. Photo credit: Jacob Kemp. © 2024 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Jaycen ‘Two Js’ Jennings (Snoop Dogg) is a washed-up former pro football star who has hit rock bottom. When he is sentenced to do community service coaching the Underdoggs, an unruly pee-wee football team in his hometown, he sees it mostly as an opportunity to rebuild his public image. But in the process, he may just turn his life around and rediscover his love of the game.

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    24. ‘The Longest Yard‘ (2005)

    Pro quarterback Paul Crewe (Adam Sandler) and former college champion and coach Nate Scarboro (Burt Reynolds) are doing time in the same prison and are asked to put together a team of inmates to take on the guards. Crewe enlists the help of Scarboro to coach the inmates to victory in a football game fixed to turn out quite another way.

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    23. ‘The Program‘ (1993)

    Several players from different backgrounds try to cope with the pressures of playing football at a major university. Each deals with the pressure differently some turn to drinking others to drugs and some to studying.

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    22. ‘The Best of Times‘ (1986)

    A smalltown loser (Robin Williams) determines to have one more shot at the big time by winning a football game.

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    21. ‘Varsity Blues‘ (1999)

    In small-town Texas, high school football is a religion, 17-year-old schoolboys carry the hopes of an entire community onto the gridiron every Friday night. When star quarterback Lance Harbor (Paul Walker) suffers an injury, the Coyotes are forced to regroup under the questionable leadership of John Moxon (James Van Der Beek), a second-string quarterback with a slightly irreverent approach to the game.

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    20. ‘The Longest Yard‘ (1974)

    Burt Reynolds in 1974's 'The Longest Yard.' Photo: Paramount Pictures.
    Burt Reynolds in 1974’s ‘The Longest Yard.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

    A football player-turned-convict (Burt Reynolds) organizes a team of inmates to play against a team of prison guards. His dilemma is that the warden (Eddie Albert) asks him to throw the game in return for an early release but he is also concerned about the inmates lack of self-esteem.

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    19. ‘The Waterboy‘ (1998)

    Bobby Boucher (Adam Sandler) is a water boy for a struggling college football team. The coach (Henry Winkler) discovers Boucher’s hidden rage makes him a tackling machine whose bone-crushing power might vault his team into the playoffs.

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    18. ‘Jerry Maguire‘ (1996)

    Jerry Maguire (Tom Cruise) used to be a typical sports agent willing to do just about anything he could to get the biggest possible contracts for his clients plus a nice commission for himself. Then one day he suddenly has second thoughts about what he’s really doing. When he voices these doubts he ends up losing his job and all of his clients save Rod Tidwell (Cuba Gooding Jr.) an egomaniacal football player.

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    17. ‘Invincible‘ (2006)

    Inspired by the true story of Vince Papale (Mark Wahlberg), a man with nothing to lose who ignored the staggering odds and made his dream come true. When the coach of Papale’s beloved hometown football team hosted an unprecedented open tryout, the public consensus was that it was a waste of time – no one good enough to play professional football was going to be found this way.

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    16. ‘Leatherheads‘ (2008)

    A light hearted comedy about the beginnings of Professional American Football. When a decorated war hero (George Clooney) and college all star (John Krasinski) is tempted into playing professional football. Everyone see the chance to make some big money, but when a reporter digs up some dirt on the war hero… everyone could lose out.

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    15. ‘HIM‘ (2025)

    Marlon Wayans is Isaiah (back, pointing) and Tyriq Withers is Cam (foreground) in 'HIM', directed by Justin Tipping. Photo: Universal Pictures.
    Marlon Wayans is Isaiah (back, pointing) and Tyriq Withers is Cam (foreground) in ‘HIM’, directed by Justin Tipping. Photo: Universal Pictures.

    After suffering a potentially career-ending brain trauma, Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) receives a lifeline when his hero, legendary eight-time Championship quarterback and cultural megastar Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), offers to train Cam at Isaiah’s isolated compound that he shares with his celebrity influencer wife. But as Cam’s training accelerates, Isaiah’s charisma begins to curdle into something darker.

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    14. ‘Necessary Roughness‘ (1991)

    When the Texas Southern Armadillos football team is disqualified for cheating and poor grades, the University is forced to pick from a team that actually goes to school. Will they even win a single game?

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    13. ‘North Dallas Forty‘ (1979)

    A semi-fictional account of life as a professional football player. Loosely based on the Dallas Cowboys team of the early 1970s.

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    12. ‘80 for Brady‘ (2023)

    Inspired by the true story of four best friends (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, Rita Moreno and Sally Field) living life to the fullest when they take a wild trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI to see their hero Tom Brady play.

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    11. ‘Draft Day‘ (2014)

    At the NFL Draft, general manager Sonny Weaver (Kevin Costner) has the opportunity to rebuild his team when he trades for the number one pick. He must decide what he’s willing to sacrifice on a life-changing day for a few hundred young men with NFL dreams.

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    10. ‘The Replacements‘ (2000)

    Keanu Reeves in 'The Replacements'. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.
    Keanu Reeves in ‘The Replacements’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

    Maverick old-guard coach Jimmy McGinty (Gene Hackman) is hired in the wake of a players’ strike to help the Washington Sentinels advance to the playoffs. But that impossible dream hinges on whether his replacements can hunker down and do the job, including washed up Quarterback Shane Falco (Keanu Reeves). So, McGinty dusts off his secret dossier of ex-players who never got a chance (or screwed up the one they were given) and knits together a bad-dream team of guys who just may give the Sentinels their title shot.

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    9. ‘Brian’s Song‘ (1971)

    Based on the real-life relationship between teammates Brian Piccolo (James Caan) and Gale Sayers (Billy Dee Williams) and the bond established when Piccolo discovers that he is dying.

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    8. ‘Heaven Can Wait‘ (1978)

    Joe Pendleton (Warren Beatty) is a quarterback preparing to lead his team to the Super Bowl when he is almost killed in an accident. An overanxious angel plucks him to heaven only to discover that he wasn’t ready to die, and that his body has been cremated. A new body must be found, and that of a recently-murdered millionaire is chosen. His wife and accountant—the murderers—are confused by this development, as he buys the L.A. Rams in order to once again quarterback them into the Super Bowl.

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    7. ‘Wildcats‘ (1986)

    Molly (Goldie Hawn) is a high school track coach who knows just as much about football as anyone else on the planet. When a football coach’s position becomes vacant, she applies for the job, despite snickers from fellow staff members and her former husband.

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    6. ‘We Are Marshall‘ (2006)

    When a plane crash claims the lives of members of the Marshall University football team and some of its fans, the team’s new coach (Matthew McConaughey) and his surviving players try to keep the football program alive.

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    5. ‘The Last Boy Scout‘ (1991)

    (L to R) Bruce Willis and Damon Wayans in 'The Last Boy Scout'. Photo: Warner Bros.
    (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.

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    4. ‘Rudy‘ (1993)

    Rudy (Sean Austin) grew up in a steel mill town where most people ended up working, but wanted to play football at Notre Dame instead. There were only a couple of problems. His grades were a little low, his athletic skills were poor, and he was only half the size of the other players. But he had the drive and the spirit of five people and has set his sights upon joining the team.

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    3. ‘Friday Night Lights‘ (2004)

    A small, turbulent town in Texas obsesses over their high school football team to an unhealthy degree. When the star tailback, Boobie Miles (Derek Luke), is seriously injured during the first game of the season, all hope is lost, and the town’s dormant social problems begin to flare up. It is left to the inspiring abilities of new coach Gary Gaines (Billy Bob Thornton) to instill in the other team members — and, by proxy, the town itself — a sense of self-respect and honor.

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    2. ‘Remember the Titans‘ (2000)

    After leading his football team to 15 winning seasons, coach Bill Yoast (Will Patton) is demoted and replaced by Herman Boone (Denzel Washington) – tough, opinionated and as different from the beloved Yoast as he could be. The two men learn to overcome their differences and turn a group of hostile young men into champions.

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    1. ‘Any Given Sunday‘ (1999)

    (L to R) Jamie Foxx, Al Pacino and Denis Quaid in 'Any Given Sunday'. Photo: Warner Bros.
    (L to R) Jamie Foxx, Al Pacino and Denis Quaid in ‘Any Given Sunday’. Photo: Warner Bros.

    A star quarterback (Dennis Quaid) gets knocked out of the game and an unknown third stringer (Jamie Foxx) is called in to replace him. The unknown gives a stunning performance and forces the ageing coach (Al Pacino) to reevaluate his game plans and life. A new co-owner/president (Cameron Diaz) adds to the pressure of winning. The new owner must prove herself in a male dominated world.

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  • New JFK Movie ‘Assassination’ Lands Barry Levinson To Direct

    Director Barry Levinson.
    Director Barry Levinson. Photo: Golden Globes.

    Preview

    • Barry Levinson is going to direct ‘Assassination,’ a new film about the murder of President John F. Kennedy.
    • Writer David Mamet was initially set to direct the picture himself before stepping aside.
    • Starring Al Pacino, Viggo Mortensen, and others, the movie will focus on the theory that JFK was taken out by members of the Mafia.

    The murder of President John F. Kennedy, along with one of the major conspiracy theories about who was behind it, is coming back to the big screen for the first time in over 30 years.

    Announced earlier this year at the Cannes Film Festival, the movie ‘Assassination’ has landed a director in Barry Levinson, according to Deadline.

    David Mamet, who wrote the screenplay with Nicholas Celozzi, was slated to direct the film, but has now stepped away from that role and turned it over to Levinson. The latter is known for films like ‘Good Morning, Vietnam,’ ‘Bugsy,’ and ‘Rain Man,’ as well as more recent efforts like the Hulu miniseries ‘Dopesick,’ on which he executive produced and directed two episodes.

    Who is in the cast?

    Al Pacino at the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.
    Al Pacino at the 94th Oscars® at the Dolby Theatre at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022.

    Levinson will oversee a cast that includes Al Pacino, John Travolta, Viggo Mortensen, Shia LaBeouf, and Courtney Love. Pacino will play Tony Accardo, a powerful figure in the Mafia’s Chicago organization, known as the Chicago Outfit.

    And yes, in case you didn’t get the hint from that casting, ‘Assassination’ will focus on the theory that the Mafia, specifically Chicago boss Sam Giancana, was behind the murder of JFK in Dallas on November 22, 1963.

    According to speculation, the Mafia wanted revenge after supposedly helping to get Kennedy elected, only to see his administration go after organized crime with increased fervor.

    Related Article: 20 Best John Travolta Movies of All Time

    Standing in the shadow of ‘JFK’

    Kevin Costner as Jim Garrison in director Oliver Stone's 'JFK.'
    Kevin Costner as Jim Garrison in director Oliver Stone’s ‘JFK.’

    The last major American motion picture to chronicle the assassination of President Kennedy and present it as the result of a massive conspiracy was Oliver Stone’s 1991 masterpiece, ‘JFK.’

    The film, which was nominated for Best Picture, starred Kevin Costner as New Orleans district attorney Jim Garrison, who attempted to prove that alleged lone gunman Lee Harvey Oswald did not shoot the president and was instead the fall guy for a plot – a coup d’état — that reached into the upper echelons of the CIA and the U.S. military.

    Stone’s movie downplayed the involvement of the Mafia, suggesting that organized crime was at best a supporting player in the conspiracy. The controversial film launched a debate and outcry that actually led to the release of nearly all classified files related to Kennedy’s murder by 2017.

    Since the release of ‘JFK,’ only a few fleeting films, such as ‘Ruby’ (1992), Stone’s own ‘Nixon’ (1995), and Martin Scorsese’s ‘The Irishman’ (2019), have touched on the idea that others beside Oswald were behind the death of Kennedy.

    As for ‘Assassination,’ this marks the third time that Levinson and Mamet have worked together, with Levinson directing 1997’s ‘Wag the Dog’ from Mamet’s script and executive producing the writer-director’s 2013 HBO movie ‘Phil Spector.’

    Levinson has also directed Pacino in three earlier pictures, including ‘The Humbling,’ ‘You Don’t Know Jack,’ and ‘Paterno.’ There’s no word yet on when filming for ‘Assassination’ will begin, pending the resolution of the current SAG-AFTRA strike, and no release date or distributor has been set.

    Oscar® nominee, Al Pacino arrives on the red carpet of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 9, 2020.
    Oscar® nominee, Al Pacino arrives on the red carpet of The 92nd Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 9, 2020.

    Movies Similar to ‘Assasination’:

    Buy Barry Levinson Movies On Amazon

  • 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.
    (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.

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    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.'
    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.
    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:’

    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.

  • 15 Things You (Probably) Never Knew About ‘Natural Born Killers’

    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 25th 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.