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  • ‘About My Father’ – Robert De Niro and Sebastian Maniscalco

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    Opening in theaters on May 26th is the new comedy ‘About My Father,’ which was written by comedian Sebastian Maniscalco and loosely based on his own life.

    What is the plot of ‘About My Father?’

    Directed by Laura Terruso (‘Work It‘), ‘About My Father’ centers around Sebastian Maniscalco (played by himself), who is encouraged by his fiancée (Leslie Bibb) to bring his immigrant, hairdresser father, Salvo (Robert De Niro), to a weekend get-together with her super-rich and exceedingly eccentric family (Kim Cattrall, David Rasche, Anders Holm, and Brett Dier). The weekend develops into what can only be described as a culture clash, leaving Sebastian and Salvo to discover that the great thing about family is everything about family.

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    Who is in the cast of ‘About My Father?’

    Directed by Laura Terruso (‘Work It‘), ‘About My Father’ stars Sebastian Maniscalco (‘The Irishman’) as himself, Robert De Niro (‘Goodfellas,’ ‘Meet the Parents’) as Salvo Maniscalco, Leslie Bibb (‘Iron Man’) as Ellie, Kim Cattrall (‘Sex and the City’) as Tigger Collins, David Rasche (‘Burn After Reading’) as Bill Collins, Anders Holm (‘The Muppets Mayhem’) as Lucky Collins, and Brett Dier (‘Fresh’) as Doug Collins.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of traveling to Chicago, Illinois to speak in-person with Robert De Niro and Sebastian Maniscalco about their work on ‘About My Father,’ Maniscalco’s process of writing the screenplay, why De Niro wanted to play Salvo, the Oscar winner’s process, and if Sebastian was nervous about De Niro meeting his real-life father.

    Robert De Niro and Sebastian Maniscalco star in 'About My Father.'
    (L to R) Robert De Niro and Sebastian Maniscalco star in ‘About My Father.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with De Niro, Maniscalco, Leslie Bibb, Kim Cattrall, David Rasche, Anders Holm, Brett Dier, and director Laura Terruso.

    Moviefone: To begin with, Sebastian, can you talk about writing the screenplay, the inspiration you took from own relationship with your father, and what the process was like for you bringing this story to the big screen?

    Sebastian Maniscalco: So Austin Earl, who’s the co-writer, who really wrote a lot of the dialogue, I gave him the characters, what they would do and how they would do it. He really put it together and wrote some really fantastic scenes. So the characters are inspired from a culmination of different people and then we gave them different characteristics in each character. Austin really came up with some fantastic scenes. I provided the character detail, what they would say and how they would say it, and he wrote the dialogue. Just extracting the relationship that I have with my father and then paralleling that into a film, that was kind of the inspiration of writing the script. I wanted to tell a story about my relationship with my dad and also meeting my wife’s side of the family, and I just thought that was a good playground for comedy.

    MF: Mr. De Niro, what was your first reaction to Sebastian’s screenplay and what were some of the aspects of the character that you were really excited to explore on screen?

    Robert De Niro: Paul Weitz sent me the script. Paul had directed me in two movies and he was producing this. I read it and then I said, “Can we have a reading of it?” Which I do a lot just to, as I like to say, see if it’s lifted off the page a little. So we get a bunch of actors, not the actors who would be in it, but just actors who would want to read for the sake of it and help us. I met (director) Laura Terruso, and I liked her and she’s from that world. Both her parents are from Italy. Sebastian, his father, meeting him and all that, it all had a good foundation. So after the reading, I pretty much said, “Yeah, it’s good for me. I’d like to do it.”

    Robert De Niro as Salvo in 'About My Father.'
    Robert De Niro as Salvo in ‘About My Father.’ Photo Credit: Dan Anderson.

    Relate Article: ‘The Irishman’ Trailer Reveals Martin Scorsese’s Next Mob Story With Robert De Niro, Al Pacino

    MF: What was it like meeting with Sebastian’s father Salvo, and how did that help you prepare for this role?

    Robert De Niro: Well, Salvo, I saw through the script, through his eyes what he was, and then I met him. He was different with me, obviously but I still had questions for him about the script and so on. I liked him and I knew that there’s a lot of stuff we could do together, what’s written and also what’s not written. But there would be room since he knows the world, I know the world, and Laura does. There’s a way of having fun with this. So it was all good.

    MF: Finally, Sebastian, were you nervous about working with Mr. De Niro, starring in the film, or making such a personal movie?

    Sebastian Maniscalco: Yeah, I was nervous doing the movie. I was nervous during this whole process. A lot of anxiety, just questioning whether or not I could pull this off, memorizing lines, which I also found extremely difficult. I mean, I’m 50 this year and I’m like, man, it don’t come as fast as it used to. In my twenties, a script, give me the thing. Now I’m sitting there, okay, is this in there? I got to go over it, over and over again. So a lot of different new experiences for me in this whole process. But now that it’s over and I saw it, I was like, oh wow. Because during the thing, you don’t know what’s going on. Then when you see it all put together, you’re like, oh yeah. No, it’s good.

    Sebastian Maniscalco and Robert De Niro in 'About My Father.'
    (L to R) Sebastian Maniscalco and Robert De Niro in ‘About My Father.’ Photo Credit: Dan Anderson.

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    ‘About My Father’ was produced by Lionsgate, and Depth of Field, and opens in theaters on May 26th.

  • Adam Driver in Talks for ‘Heat’ Sequel

    Adam Driver in Sony's '65.'
    Adam Driver in Sony’s ’65.’

    There have been rumors for a while that Michael Mann would be re-visiting his classic 1995 crime thriller ‘Heat’, famous for its action and for the head-to-head criminal-vs-cop meetings of heist expert Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), and Det. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino).

    That looked to crystalize into more of a written form when he published a sequel novel, co-written with Meg Gardiner, last August, which has since gone on to become a bestseller.

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    And though that might have been the end of it, you could have predicted that that would never happen if a movie studio had anything to do with it.

    Cut to today, and now Deadline reports that Warner Bros., which distributed the original, is locking in a deal to make the book into a sequel. And Mann, who has Adam Driver starring in his latest film, about Italian sports car entrepreneur Enzo Ferrari, is now looking to cast the actor in the ‘Heat’ sequel.

    Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in 1995's 'Heat.'
    (L to R) Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in 1995’s ‘Heat.’

    What happens in ‘Heat’?

    Mann’s original film follows McCauley, who leads a group of professional bank robbers, taking down major scores around Los Angeles. But after their latest heist goes terribly wrong and ends up in homicide, Det. Hanna finds a clue and becomes obsessed with the case, determined to stop McCauley’s crew.

    Hanna and McCauley are competing against each other in a deadly cat-and-mouse game. Although they are on different sides of the law, they still find huge respect, recognition in each other’s troubled personal lives and they understand their competing motivations –– yet they won’t hesitate to do whatever they can to win the battle.

    Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer in 1995's 'Heat.'
    (L to R) Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer in 1995’s ‘Heat.’

    Related Article: Adam Driver, Nathalie Emmanuel and Forest Whittaker Head for ‘Megalopolis’

    How does ‘Heat 2’ tie in?

    ‘Heat 2’ as a book tells the story of everything that happens before and after to the principal characters. The book jumps between two time periods, the first following Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer in the original film) as he tries to evade the LAPD and Hanna following the bank robbery gone bad and moves forward into new territory in the tri-border zone and Southeast Asia.

    The second storyline takes readers back to Chicago in 1988 when McCauley, Shiherlis and their crew are taking scores on the West Coast, the U.S.–Mexico border, and in Chicago. At the same time, Hanna is cutting his teeth as a rising star in the Chicago police department chasing an ultraviolent gang of home invaders.

    The fallout from McCauley’s scores and Hanna’s pursuit cause unexpected repercussions in a parallel narrative.

    While development is at a relatively early stage, we can anticipate Mann heading back to the territory of one of his greatest hits in an interesting new way. And with Driver circling the lead, it’s even more exciting.

    Robert De Niro in 1995's 'Heat.'
    Robert De Niro in 1995’s ‘Heat.’

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    Buy Adam Driver Movies On Amazon

  • Movie Review: ‘Amsterdam’

    Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington in director David O. Russell's 'Amsterdam.'
    (L to R) Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington in director David O. Russell’s ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Studios.

    Opening in theaters on October 7th, ‘Amsterdam’ reveals David O. Russell’s talent for attracting quality actors, but also comes across as his weakest script and resulting movie in quite some time.

    ‘Amsterdam’ certainly doesn’t lack for either star power or quality character actors: around a central trio of Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington, Russell has built an ensemble that includes Robert De Niro, Andrea Riseborough, Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Rock, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Timothy Olyphant, Zoe Saldana, Rami Malek, Ed Begley Jr. and Taylor Swift.

    It’s the sort of cast that most filmmakers would sell their grandmothers to acquire, but unfortunately it’s a lot of impressive people in service of an underbaked narrative that is more about quirks and screwball comedy – until it isn’t.

    Bale plays Burt Berendsen, an idiosyncratic doctor with a glass eye and a complicated back brace who works to help World War I veterans like himself to feel whole again with prosthetics and other techniques.

    Christian Bale, John David Washington, and Margot Robbie in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    (L-R): Christian Bale, John David Washington, and Margot Robbie in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    John David Washington is Harold, Burt’s lawyer, but also his old war friend, who served with him in an integrated unit commanded by Ed Begley Jr. Immediately following the conflict Harold and Burt spent a few years in a bohemian throuple with a nurse named Valerie (Robbie), who also happened to be a rebellious trust fund hipster.

    The three spent their time in an artists’ loft in Amsterdam, living, loving and, in Valerie’s case, making art. But it didn’t last once they returned home.

    When Begley Jr.’s general dies – suspiciously, according to his daughter, played by Swift (who, yes, has the chance to sing briefly) – Burt and Harold are thrown into investigating what really happened to the military man. And that, in turn, brings them into contact with the likes of Saldana’s heroic nurse and a much wider conspiracy and fully reconnects them with Valerie.

    Before too long, Burt and Harold are framed for a crime themselves, and must work to clear their own names. That mission leads to them meeting De Niro’s hero general, a friend of Begley Jr.’s. He’s the pawn in the bigger plot, but comes to play a much important part, even if it is late in the film.

    Robert De Niro in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    Robert De Niro in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    With a seemingly compelling set-up, you might think that the movie would roll along merrily, bringing opportunities for slapstick humor, twists and turns. And it does – but there’s very little that is merry about this mess.

    A big problem is one of clashing tones, even within the main cast. While Bale (never one to pass up the chance to throw himself into an odd character, shed some weight and adopt a make-up prosthetic) and Robbie go full tilt with their quirky personas, Washington appears to have been dropped in from another film all together. He puts the “dead” into “deadpan”.

    Yes, people are not one type, yes, different personalities can work when portrayed on screen, but here it simply doesn’t blend, the oil/water combo leading to an awkward, distracting experience that clouds any possible benefit from the story.

    It’s such a frustrating experience, putting weirdness and silliness before narrative.

    As he weaves his mystery story, Russell loads up the movie with more and more side characters and only barely manages to make them all connect.

    Christian Bale and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    (L-R): Christian Bale and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    Though the writer/director clearly has a lot on his mind – personal freedom vs. responsibility, the joy of expression through art, life in the interwar period and the necessity of standing up to fascism – but it’s all mashed together into an ungainly stew of messages and madness.

    That final topic, the seemingly endless struggle against the forces of racist totalitarianism and power-hungry elites, is so watered down by everything that has come before that it lacks any real punch. It’s not so much a well-crafted allegory for life than it is a lesson driven home with all the subtlety of a carpenter using the world’s heaviest hammer.

    The cast does their best to keep it all afloat – Bale commits, of course, and Robbie brings her considerable charm to bear on the role of Valerie. All that really serves to do, though, is push Washington further into the background, a waste of his own considerable (if straight arrow) charisma.

    Others, such as Malik and Taylor-Joy barely get a chance to register, though there are a few who push through the noise, such as Alessandro Nivola as the confused, angry Detective Hiltz or Rock, who finds the funny in every line he’s given (his reaction upon discovering that Bale and Washington are looking to move a dead body is a fine example). Many are less real human beings and more collections of tics, such as Myers and Shannon as government agents.

    Rami Malek, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Margot Robbie in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    (L-R): Rami Malek, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Margot Robbie in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    In the movie’s defense, there are some typically superb examples of production and costume design, while cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki brings light and life to the whole thing. Russell and his editor Jay Cassidy try to keep the whole thing together, but the whole is most certainly less than the sum of its parts.

    But if Russell was intending to blend farce with fact (a title card at the start announces that “some of this actually happened, which feels more like a lazy stab at meaning than a commitment to anything real), he’s way off with this one.

    Coming from the director of ‘Silver Linings Playbook’, ‘Three Kings’ and ‘The Fighter’, it has the feeling of a filmmaker who never wants to be pigeonholed into one particular style or genre, but has this time settled for madcap and serious all at once. It doesn’t work.

    ‘Amsterdam’ is proof that even the highest wattage of star power can’t always supply the energy that a film needs. Especially once as poorly conceived and structured as this one.

    ‘Amsterdam’ receives 2.5 out of 5 stars.

    Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    (L-R): Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
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  • ‘Amsterdam’ Interview: Christian Bale Talks New Movie

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    Opening in theaters on October 7th is the third movie from Oscar-nominated director David O. Russell and Oscar-winning actor Christian Bale following ‘The Fighter’ and ‘American Hustle,’ entitled ‘Amsterdam.’

    Set in the 1930’s, the new movie stars Bale as Burt Berendsen, a doctor with a prosthetic eye, who along with his friends Harold Woodsman (John David Washington), a lawyer, and Valerie Voze (Margot Robbie), a nurse, become the prime suspects in the murder of US Senator Bill Meekins (Ed Begley Jr.).

    In addition to Bale, Robbie, and Washington, the movie also features an all-star cast that includes Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldana, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Timothy Olyphant, Andrea Riseborough, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alessandro Nivola, Rami Malek, Taylor Swift, and Robert De Niro.

    Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Christian Bale about his work on ‘Amsterdam,’ why he likes collaborating with filmmaker David O. Russell, how he creates a character, and what ‘Amsterdam’ means to him.

    Christian Bale and his wife, Sibi Blažić ​at the Los Angeles premiere of director David O. Russell's 'Amsterdam.'
    (L to R) Christian Bale and his wife, Sibi Blažić ​at the Los Angeles premiere of director David O. Russell’s ‘Amsterdam.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the player above to watch a video of our interview with Christian Bale about ‘Amsterdam.’

    Moviefone: To begin with, this is your third film with director David O. Russell, what is it about working with David that brings out the best in your performances?

    Christian Bale: He’s a real circular thinker and I love the way that he does think. He doesn’t forget a thing. He’s very passionate about what he does. We just have a good dynamic. I think it’s a good yin and yang. We complement each other. On this one we decided to get much more involved than any other previous project. We started putting this together, it was five, six years ago, and just building it right from nothing. I just enjoy working with him so much, and it’s always fun.

    You never know exactly what’s going to happen on the day. I wouldn’t call it improvisation so much, as he just likes you to know the character so much that he can chuck out different ideas. Sometimes I’d riff, but most of the time he’s chucking out lines or kicking me in the leg or something. It’s just something that creates a very lively, colorful, beautiful but unpolished look at humanity. He loves people. He loves people and characters and so do I, so telling stories with him is just a joy.

    Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    (L-R): Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Where does the creation of a character begin for you? Is it in the voice? Is it the hair, the facial hair, the accent? What is it?

    CB: I don’t know what I do. I don’t have any particular way of doing it. I make it up each time with every job. I begin each job going, “Oh my God, someone hired me again.” I don’t even know what I’m doing. I never really trained, so I don’t really have a particular technique. People often say, “Oh, Bale, he’s a method actor.” I’m not a method actor. I would’ve had to train to do that. I just do whatever is necessary for each and every day.

    But gradually all the bits and pieces come together. I don’t have a particular order. But, of course you’ve got the history, the mannerisms, the voice, the body language and the walk, and when you prep something as much as David and I did on this, that was what was great. David would suggest storylines and then ask me, “What do you think Burt would do with that?” I knew it well enough by that point that I’d be able to help him out. It really gives you a nice sense of freedom, of total ownership when you’re making the film.

    Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    (L-R): Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    MF: Finally, in the movie, Amsterdam is a very important place for the characters. Where is your Amsterdam?

    CB: Well, I mean, obviously in the film, Amsterdam is the halcyon days for these people, when life is as it is meant to be, and how they dreamed it to be, and what they’re striving for life to become like. For me it’s any moment when you’re totally dedicated to what you’re doing.

    That’s when you’re so absorbed in what you’re doing that you can’t think of anything else. I get that kick out of acting. When I was allowed to before accidents, I used to get that out of motorcycles and racing them and stuff. I get that kick out of my family as well.

    Christian Bale stars in director David O. Russell's 'Amsterdam.'
    Christian Bale stars in director David O. Russell’s ‘Amsterdam.’
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  • Christian Bale Stars in First Trailer for David O. Russell’s ‘Amsterdam’

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    David O. Russell is a man who can certainly attract eclectic, impressive ensembles for his movies – and his latest, ‘Amsterdam’, is no exception. When Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington are just the tip of the casting iceberg, you know you’re in for an acting treat.

    Described as a ‘romantic crime epic’, Russell’s first film since 2015’s ‘Joy’ is a blend of fact and fiction as three close friends find themselves at the center of one of the most shocking secret plots in American history.

    Bale, Robbie and Washington are those three friends, a doctor, a nurse and an attorney who meet in Belgium and form a strong bond. When they witness a murder, Bale’s Burt is accused of the crime and will need help from his buddies and others to clear his name. Beyond that, the story is mostly a mystery, though largely seems to be an excuse for Russell – who wrote the script as well as directing – to indulge in some quirky caper goodness.

    It kicks off with the central trio wheeling a dead guy into a funeral home. “You have a dead white man in a box,” Chris Rock’s character says at the start of the trailer. “Not even a casket. It doesn’t even have a top on it.” As he wheels the container away, he laments: “Who do you think is going to get in trouble here?”

    Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    (L-R): Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

    The trio sets out to find someone, anyone (starting with Robert De Niro’s character, a friend of the victim who was killed “because of something monstrous he had seen”) to help them uncover the truth. Along the way, there are encounters with all sorts of odd characters and a quick-acting version of infamous painkiller morphine.

    There are shades of TV’s ‘Fargo’ here (not least thanks to the presence of Rock, who starred in the show’s most recent season), but the big appeal is in the astonishingly stacked cast that the director has rounded up.

    Bale, of course, is a repeat Russell collaborator, having appeared in ‘American Hustle’ and ‘The Fighter’, though he’s trumped by De Niro, who marks his fourth role in a movie for the director.

    Alongside the veterans, there is a batch of actors who make their Russell debuts for the sprawling ensemble of ‘Amsterdam’. Alessandro Nivola, Andrea Riseborough, Anya Taylor-Joy, Matthias Schoenaerts, Timothy Olyphant, Michael Shannon, Mike Myers, Zoe Saldaña, Rami Malek and even Taylor Swift showed up for this one (we’re hoping the latter had a good time shooting the movie, or there will be a very critical, well-written song in Russell’s future).

    ‘Amsterdam’ will make its way into theaters on November 4th.

    Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    (L-R): Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Christian Bale, John David Washington, and Margot Robbie in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    (L-R): Christian Bale, John David Washington, and Margot Robbie in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Rami Malek, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Margot Robbie in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    (L-R): Rami Malek, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Margot Robbie in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Zoe Saldana in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    Zoe Saldana in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Robert De Niro in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    Robert De Niro in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. © 2022 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.
    Christian Bale and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios' 'Amsterdam.'
    (L-R): Christian Bale and John David Washington in 20th Century Studios’ ‘Amsterdam.’ Photo courtesy of 20th Century Studios. All Rights Reserved.

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  • Movie References in The Weeknd’s After Hours You Never Noticed

    Movie References in The Weeknd’s After Hours You Never Noticed

    Since the November 2019 release of the music video “Heartless,” The Weeknd, real name Abel Tesfaye a noted cinephile who has cited David Lynch, David Cronenberg, Stanley Kubrick and Martin Scorsese as inspirations in the past, has crafted a deep cinematic narrative throughout the video elements of his fourth album After Hours. Along with the lyrical and visual narratives of the album itself, which tracks a man dubbed The Weeknd through a bad break-up, a hard look at his hedonistic lifestyle, and in the end some wistful wisdom as he starts to maybe group up a bit, the videos and live appearances to promote the album are also chock full of cinematic references. Take the title itself: After Hours evokes late night clubs, but from a cinematic point of view it immediately brings up visions of Martin Scorsese’s 1985 cult classic of the same name about a word processor named Paul who takes a late night trip to SoHo in New York City and can’t seem to ever get himself back home.

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'After Hours' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘After Hours’ (right)

    Much like Paul, the videos find a man dubbed The Character (played of course by The Weeknd) in an endless journey through the darker parts of himself – and through a myriad of film references.

    “HEARTLESS”

    "Heartless" (left) and 'Casino' (right)
    “Heartless” (left) and ‘Casino’ (right)

    The Weeknd debuted his now signature red suit in the video for “Heartless,” directed by Anton Tammi, which itself is a reference to a suit worn by Robert De Niro in Scorsese’s 1995 film ‘Casino’. The video, shot in Las Vegas, features The Character and a friend (played by Metro Boomin) as they gallivant around Sin City, stumbling in a drug-induced haze like Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro in Terry Gilliam’s 1998 adaptation of Hunter S. Thompson’s 1971 novel Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas. He even worked this stumble into his performance at the Super Bowl LV Halftime Show.

    “BLINDING LIGHTS”

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'Blade Runner' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘Blade Runner’ (right)

    The video for his next single “Blinding Lights,” also directed by Tammi, there are even more film references. We see The Character steal a car and head back to Los Angeles, where, among other things, he dances in the 2nd Street Tunnel. This landmark of Los Angeles has been featured in countless films, including Ridley Scott’s 1982 film ‘Blade Runner.’ An adaptation of the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick (side note: the author is also referenced in the lyrics of “Snow Child,” with the line “give her Phillip K Dick”), the film is set in Los Angeles in November 2019 – the same month the video was released – and references to it will show up in a later video.

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'The Dark Knight' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘The Dark Knight’ (right)

    Much has been made of The Weeknd’s dancing throughout the promotion of After Hours being reminiscent of Joaquin Phoenix in ‘Joker,’ but in fact these videos are peppered with references to many cinematic Jokers, including the moment in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Dark Knight,’ where Heath Ledger gleefully hangs his head outside a stolen police car he’s driving.

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'Blue Velvet' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘Blue Velvet’ (right)

    Much of the vibe throughout the music videos and live performances for After Hours have a Lynchian feel to them and in “Blinding Lights,” there is a direct reference to David Lynch’s ‘Blue Velvet,’ where Dennis Hopper’s psychopath Frank Booth watches tormented torch singer Dorothy Vallens (Isabella Rossellini) croon the titular song. In “Blinding Lights,” The Character is mesmerized by the musical stylings of an unnamed singer played by Miki Hamano, whose voice literally lifts him off the ground.

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'Twin Peaks' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘Twin Peaks’ (right)

    We even get another hint of the Red Room from ‘Twin Peaks;’ in fact much of the eerie instrumental music that accompanies The Weeknd in the moments between videos and throughout the ‘After Hours’ short film have an Angelo Badalamenti vibe to them.

    "Blinding Lights" (left) and 'Joker' (right)
    “Blinding Lights” (left) and ‘Joker’ (right)

    Perhaps the most obvious reference in the video is his dancing, sometimes in the 2nd Street Tunnel, sometimes elsewhere throughout downtown Los Angeles, appears to be directly lifted from Joaquin Phoenix’s Joker as he dances to Gary Glitter’s “Rock and Roll Part 2” as he makes his way to make his late night debut in Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker.’

    AFTER HOURS short film

    'After Hours' (left) and 'The King of Comedy' (right)
    ‘After Hours’ (left) and ‘The King of Comedy’ (right)

    The After Hours short film, again directed by Tammi, takes place shortly after The Weeknd’s performance of “Blinding Lights” on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. The video begins as his set ends, The Character grinning like Rupert Pupkin at the end of Martin Scorese’s ‘The King of Comedy’ – itself a huge influence of Todd Phillips’s ‘Joker.’

    'After Hours' (left) and 'Jacob's Ladder' (right)
    ‘After Hours’ (left) and ‘Jacob’s Ladder’ (right)

    Tesfaye has stated influences on the short film also include Adrian Lyne’s psychological horror film ‘Jacob’s Ladder,’ which includes a scene where Tim Robbins is menaced by unknown forces in an empty subway station, Roman Polanki’s ‘Chinatown’ (the bandage on his nose), Claire Deni’s ‘Trouble Every Day,’ Andrzej Żuławski’s Possession, and Brian De Palma’s ‘Dressed to Kill.’

    “IN YOUR EYES”

    "In Your Eyes" (left) and 'Dial M for Murder' (right)
    “In Your Eyes” (left) and ‘Dial M for Murder’ (right)

    The video with possibly the most film references is “In Your Eyes,” in which The Character wordlessly stalks a young blonde woman à la Michael Myers in John Carpenter’s ‘Halloween.’ The horror movie infused video has nods to everything from Wes Craven’s ‘Scream’ to Dario Argento’s Suspiria to Alfred Hitchcock. At one point the woman takes refuge in a phone booth – à la ‘The Birds’ – and dials for help. Tammi, uses an ultra close-up of the keys, an homage to ‘Dial M For Murder,’ in which Hitchcock blonde Grace Kelly’s husband Ray Milland has hired someone to murder her.

    "In Your Eyes" (left) and 'The Terminator' (right)
    “In Your Eyes” (left) and ‘The Terminator’ (right)

    The woman then flees to a club titled After Hours – which uses the exact same lightbulb font as the Tech Noir club in James Cameron’s ‘Terminator,’ an idea that came early in the creative ideation for the video.

    “TOO LATE”

    "Too Late" (left) and 'The Neon Demon' (right)
    “Too Late” (left) and ‘The Neon Demon’ (right)

    The horror vibes continue in the video for “Too Late”, directed by Cliqua. After being decapitated at the end of the previous video, The Character’s head is found by two models on the side of the road. The world they inhabit feels akin to Nicholas Winding Refn’s psychological horror film ‘The Neon Demon,’ where the Los Angeles modeling scene is depicted as so bleak the models are literally eating each other alive. Tesfaye is a noted friend of director Refn.

    "Too Late" (left) and 'American Psycho' (right)
    “Too Late” (left) and ‘American Psycho’ (right)

    When the two discover that the head belongs to The Weeknd, they concoct a nefarious plan to bring him back to life. Laying newspapers on their floor and donning clear plastic rain gear à la Mary Harron’s adaption of Bret Easton Ellis’s yuppie black comedy American Psycho, the girls lure an unsuspecting male stripper (Ken XY) to their home in order to murder him and place The Character’s head on his body. Spooky.

    “SAVE YOUR TEARS”

    "Save Your Tears" (left) and 'Eyes Wide Shut' (right)
    “Save Your Tears” (left) and ‘Eyes Wide Shut’ (right)

    In the most recent video, “Save Your Tears” again directed by Cliqua, The Character is now performing for a masked crowd straight out of Stanley Kubrick’s ‘Eyes Wide Shut.’ After appearing at the American Music Awards with a fully bandaged face like the models, his face has now clearly been marred by plastic surgery (looking quite a bit like Jocelyn Wildenstein aka the Tiger Woman of NYC).

    "Save Your Tears" (left) and 'Batman' (right)
    “Save Your Tears” (left) and ‘Batman’ (right)

    As the video ends, there is one last Joker reference – this time with Jack Nicholson’s iteration. In the climax of Tim Burton’s ‘Batman,’ he pulls a gun on himself after forcing Vicki Vale (Kim Basigner) to dance with him. Like Nicholson’s Joker, when he pulls the trigger there’s no bullet; The Character’s gun shoots confetti, just like the Joker’s gun pops out a flag.

    Since these are just a few of the many references found throughout the music videos for After Hours (and in fact most of his music videos going back a decade), it’s only a matter of time before The Weeknd makes a feature film himself, or at least drops a link to his Letterboxd profile.

  • Watch Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Cheech Marin, and Jane Seymour in the trailer for ‘The War with Grandpa’

    Watch Robert De Niro, Christopher Walken, Cheech Marin, and Jane Seymour in the trailer for ‘The War with Grandpa’

    Robert De Niro has had a long and storied film career, often playing tough guys. But he may have finally met his match! In the trailer for ‘The War with Grandpa’ we see De Niro’s Ed take on his grandson Peter in a no-holds-barred fight over who will get the bedroom that used to belong to young Peter.

    Here’s the official synopsis:

    Sixth-grader Peter (Oakes Fegley) is pretty much your average kid-he likes gaming, hanging with his friends and his beloved pair of Air Jordans. But when his recently widowed grandfather Ed (Robert De Niro) moves in with Peter’s family, the boy is forced to give up his most prized possession of all, his bedroom. Unwilling to let such an injustice stand, Peter devises a series of increasingly elaborate pranks to drive out the interloper, but Grandpa Ed won’t go without a fight. Soon, the friendly combatants are engaged in an all-out war with side-splitting consequences.

    Based on the award-winning book by Robert Kimmel Smith, The War with Grandpa is a hilarious family comedy featuring an all-star supporting cast: Christopher Walken, Uma Thurman, Rob Riggle, Cheech Marin, Laura Marano and Jane Seymour.

    ‘The War with Grandpa’ opens nationwide on October 9.

    20088957
  • New ‘Joker’ Trailer Follows Joaquin Phoenix’s Transformation Into the Infamous Villain

    New ‘Joker’ Trailer Follows Joaquin Phoenix’s Transformation Into the Infamous Villain

    Warner Bros.

    Joaquin Phoenix’s “Joker” is ready to kill you with laughter — literally.

    The final trailer has dropped for the dark, gritty drama from director Todd Phillips, which stars Phoenix as failed comedian Arthur Fleck. He’s a troubled soul — beaten down, made fun of, and constantly harassed until he begins to descend into madness.

    Dressed as a clown, he encounters violent thugs on the streets of Gotham City, leading to his transformation into a criminal mastermind.

    The film’s brooding tone has already been compared to Martin Scorsese’s “The King of Comedy” and “Taxi Driver.” (And in a nod to the former film, “Joker” features Robert De Niro as talk show host whom Arthur idolizes.)

    It’s definitely a different take on the superhero/villain genre than anything we’ve seen before.

    Zazie Beetz, Marc Maron, and Frances Conroy also star.

    “Joker” will make its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival this weekend. It will open in theaters October 4.

     

  • Robert De Niro and Shia LaBeouf to Star as Father and Son in ‘After Exile’

    Robert De Niro and Shia LaBeouf to Star as Father and Son in ‘After Exile’

    Robert De Niro; Shia LaBeouf
    Sony Pictures Classics; Lionsgate Premiere

    A partial film family has formed.

    Robert De Niro and Shia LaBeouf have joined the upcoming drama “After Exile” and will star as father and son, Deadline reports. They’ll portray characters based on real people. The script was written by Anthony Thorne and Michael Tovo, and it draws inspiration from Tovo’s life.

    Joshua Michael Stern (“Jobs”) will direct the film. It follows Mike Delaney (LaBeouf) as he reenters his old life after time in prison. He and his father, Ted Delaney (De Niro), another ex-con, try to keep Mike’s younger brother from getting into a life of drugs and crime. It’s said to be a story about the hard road to forgiveness and redemption.

    De Niro is a two-time Academy Award winner, earning the awards for his roles in “The Godfather Part II” and “Raging Bull.” More recently, he starred in “The Comedian,” and he’ll be seen in the much-anticipated upcoming films “Joker” and “The Irishman.” LaBeouf’s latest, “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” hit theaters this month, and he’ll next be seen in “Honey Boy,” which is loosely based on his own childhood. He’s also starred in films like “American Honey” and “Man Down.”

    “After Exile” comes from Pacifc Shore Films, with producers Anthony Thorne and Steve Snyder. Les Cohen will executive produce. Production is set to begin in Philadelphia in October.

    [via: Deadline]

  • ‘Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin’ Brings in Robert De Niro, Caitlyn Jenner

    ‘Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin’ Brings in Robert De Niro, Caitlyn Jenner

    The Roast of Alec Baldwin promo still
    Comedy Central/YouTube

    A star-studded lineup will be on hand to roast Alec Baldwin. 

    “The Comedy Central Roast of Alec Baldwin” revealed the celebrities who will sit on the dais to take (friendly) shots at the “30 Rock” alum.

    Robert De Niro, Blake Griffin, Caitlyn Jenner, Joel McHale, Debra Messing, Chris Redd and Jeff Ross will join roastmaster Sean Hayes to poke fun at the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning actor. More roasters will be announced at a later date.

    The event will tape at the Saban Theatre in Los Angeles on September 7 and will premiere on September 15 on Comedy Central.

    In a promo for the roast, Baldwin expresses his “generic reactions” to the roasters — a bit he taped before learning their identities.