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25 Best Movies of All Time Set In Los Angeles

A scene from 1988’s ‘Die Hard’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.

Los Angeles, also known as the “City of Angeles’, has appeared in many classic movies.

From comedies like ‘Swingers‘ and ‘Fletch‘, to heist movies like ‘Den of Thieves‘ or ‘Heat‘, noir films such as ‘Chinatown‘ and ”The Long Goodbye‘, futuristic sci-fi like ‘Blade Runner‘ or ‘They Live‘, and even holiday films such as ‘Die Hard‘ (Yes! ‘Die Hard’ is a Christmas movie!), LA has a long history of being featured in Hollywood movies.

The latest film to be set in Los Angeles is ‘Crime 101‘, which stars Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry, and opens in theaters on February 13th.
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In honor of the new film and Tinseltown, Moviefone is counting down the top 25 movies of all time that are set in Los Angeles.

Let’s begin!

Related Article: Chris Hemsworth and Halle Berry Talk New Crime Thriller ‘Crime 101’

25. ‘They Live‘ (1988)

(L to R) Roddy Piper and Keith David in ‘They Live’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

A lone drifter (Roddy Piper) stumbles upon a unique pair of sunglasses that reveal aliens are systematically gaining control of the Earth by masquerading as humans and lulling the public into submission.
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24. ‘Swingers‘ (1996)

After 6 years together, Mike’s (Jon Favreau) girlfriend leaves him, so he travels to LA to be a star. Six months on, he’s still not doing very well— so a few of his friends try to reconnect him to the social scene and hopefully help him forget his failed relationship.
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23. ‘Mulholland Drive‘ (2001)

Blonde Betty Elms (Naomi Watts) has only just arrived in Hollywood to become a movie star when she meets an enigmatic brunette with amnesia (Laura Harring). Meanwhile, as the two set off to solve the second woman’s identity, filmmaker Adam Kesher (Justin Theroux) runs into ominous trouble while casting his latest project.
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22. ‘Hail, Caesar!‘ (2016)

When a Hollywood star (George Clooney) mysteriously disappears in the middle of filming, the studio sends their fixer (Josh Brolin) to get him back.
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21. ‘The 40 Year Old Virgin‘ (2005)

Andy Stitzer (Steve Carell) has a pleasant life with a nice apartment and a job stamping invoices at an electronics store. But at age 40, there’s one thing Andy hasn’t done, and it’s really bothering his sex-obsessed male co-workers: Andy is still a virgin. Determined to help Andy, the guys make it their mission to de-virginize him. But it all seems hopeless until Andy meets small business owner Trish (Catherine Keener), a single mom.
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20. ‘La La Land‘ (2016)

(L to R) Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling in ‘La La Land’. Photo: Lionsgate.

Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, serves lattes to movie stars in between auditions and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a jazz musician, scrapes by playing cocktail party gigs in dingy bars, but as success mounts they are faced with decisions that begin to fray the fragile fabric of their love affair, and the dreams they worked so hard to maintain in each other threaten to rip them apart.
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19. ‘Yes Man‘ (2008)

Carl Allen (Jim Carrey), a guy whose life is going nowhere, signs up for a self-help program based on one simple covenant: say yes to everything…and anything.
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18. ‘Collateral‘ (2004)

Cab driver Max (Jamie Foxx) picks up a man (Tom Cruise) who offers him $600 to drive him around. But the promise of easy money sours when Max realizes his fare is an assassin.
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17. ‘Blade Runner‘ (1982)

In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.
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16. ‘L.A. Story‘ (1991)

With the help of a talking freeway billboard, a “wacky weatherman” (Steve Martin) tries to win the heart of an English newspaper reporter (Victoria Tennant), who is struggling to make sense of the strange world of early-90s Los Angeles.
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15. ‘Nightcrawler‘ (2014)

(L to R) Jake Gyllenhaal and Rene Russo in ‘They Live’. Photo: Open Road Films.

When Lou Bloom (Jake Gyllenhaal), desperate for work, muscles into the world of L.A. crime journalism, he blurs the line between observer and participant to become the star of his own story. Aiding him in his effort is Nina (Rene Russo), a TV-news veteran.
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14. ‘The Long Goodbye‘ (1973)

In 1970s Hollywood, Detective Philip Marlowe (Elliot Gould) tries to help a friend who is accused of murdering his wife.
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13. ‘Training Day‘ (2001)

On his first day on the job as a narcotics officer, a rookie cop (Ethan Hawke) works with a rogue detective (Denzel Washington) who isn’t what he appears.
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12. ‘Boyz n the Hood‘ (1991)

In the middle of the Los Angeles ghetto, drugs, robberies and shootings dominate everyday life. During these times, Furious tries to raise his son Tre (Cuba Gooding Jr.) to be a decent person. Tre’s friends, on the other hand, have little regard for the law and drag the entire neighborhood into a street war…
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11. ‘Fletch‘ (1985)

When investigative reporter Irwin “Fletch” Fletcher (Chevy Chase) goes undercover to write a piece on the drug trade at a local beach, he’s approached by wealthy businessman Alan Stanwyk (Tim Matheson), who offers him $50,000 to murder him. With sarcastic wit and a knack for disguises, Fletch sets out to uncover Stanwyk’s story.
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10. ‘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 (Robert Downey Jr.) is brought to Los Angeles for an unlikely audition and finds himself in the middle of a murder investigation along with his high school dream girl (Michelle Monaghan) and a detective (Val Kilmer) who’s been training him for his upcoming role.
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9. ‘L.A. Confidential‘ (1997)

Three detectives (Guy Pearce, Russell Crowe and Kevin Spacey) in the corrupt and brutal L.A. police force of the 1950s use differing methods to uncover a conspiracy behind the shotgun slayings of the patrons at an all-night diner.
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8. ‘The Big Lebowski‘ (1998)

Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a Los Angeles slacker who only wants to bowl and drink White Russians, is mistaken for another Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), a wheelchair-bound millionaire, and finds himself dragged into a strange series of events involving nihilists, adult film producers, ferrets, errant toes, and large sums of money.
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7. ‘Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood‘ (2019)

Los Angeles, 1969. TV star Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), a struggling actor specializing in westerns, and stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), his best friend, try to survive in a constantly changing movie industry. Dalton is the neighbor of the young and promising actress and model Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie), who has just married the prestigious Polish director Roman Polanski (Rafał Zawierucha).
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6. ‘Beverly Hills Cop‘ (1984)

Fast-talking, quick-thinking Detroit street cop Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) has bent more than a few rules and regs in his time, but when his best friend (James Russo) is murdered, he heads to sunny Beverly Hills to work the case like only he can.
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5. ‘Den of Thieves‘ (2018)

(L to R) Maurice Compte and Gerard Butler in ‘Den of Thieves’. Photo: STXfilms.

A gritty crime saga which follows the lives of an elite unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Dept. and the state’s most successful bank robbery crew as the outlaws plan a seemingly impossible heist on the Federal Reserve Bank.
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4. ‘Die Hard‘ (1988)

NYPD cop John McClane’s (Bruce Willis) plan to reconcile with his estranged wife is thrown for a serious loop when, minutes after he arrives at her offices Christmas Party, the entire building is overtaken by a group of terrorists. With little help from the LAPD, wisecracking McClane sets out to single-handedly rescue the hostages and bring the bad guys down.
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3. ‘Drive‘ (2011)

Driver (Ryan Gosling) is a skilled Hollywood stuntman who moonlights as a getaway driver for criminals. Though he projects an icy exterior, lately he’s been warming up to a pretty neighbor named Irene (Carey Mulligan) and her young son, Benicio (Kaden Leos). When Irene’s husband (Oscar Isaac) gets out of jail, he enlists Driver’s help in a million-dollar heist. The job goes horribly wrong, and Driver must risk his life to protect Irene and Benicio from the vengeful masterminds behind the robbery.
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2. ‘Chinatown‘ (1974)

Private eye Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) lives off of the murky moral climate of sunbaked, pre-World War II Southern California. Hired by a beautiful socialite (Faye Dunaway) to investigate her husband’s (Darrell Zwerling) extra-marital affair, Gittes is swept into a maelstrom of double dealings and deadly deceits, uncovering a web of personal and political scandals that come crashing together.
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1. ‘Heat’ (1995)

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

Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
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February 22, 2026
Best Julianne Moore Movies

Julianne Moore in ‘The Room Next Door’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Julianne Moore is one of the most talented and accomplished actresses of her generation.

Moore has been nominated for five Academy Awards for her work in ‘Boogie Nights,’ ‘The End of the Affair,’ ‘Far From Heaven,’ ‘The Hours‘ and ‘Still Alice,’ the last of which finally earned her an Oscar for Best Actress in 2015.

The actress has also appeared in such popular movies as ‘The Fugitive,”The Lost World: Jurassic Park,’ ‘The Big Lebowski,’ ‘Magnolia,’ ‘Hannibal,’ ‘Children of Men,’ ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love.,’ ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle,’ and ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and Part 2.’

Her new movie, ‘The Room Next Door‘ which was directed by Pedro Almodóvar and also stars Tilda Swinton, will be released in theaters on January 17th.

In honor of her latest film, Moviefone is counting down the 30 best movies of Julianne Moore’s impressive career, including ‘The Room Next Door.’

Let’s begin!

30. ‘Assassins‘ (1995)

(L to R) Sylvester Stallone and Julianne Moore in ‘Assassins’. Photo: Warner Bros.

Assassin Robert Rath (Sylvester Stallone) arrives at a funeral to kill a prominent mobster, only to witness a rival hired gun (Antonio Banderas) complete the job for him — with grisly results. Horrified by the murder of innocent bystanders, Rath decides to take one last job and then return to civilian life. But finding his way out of the world of contract killing grows ever more dangerous as Rath falls for his female target (Moore) and becomes a marked man himself.
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29. ‘Psycho‘ (1998)

A young female embezzler (Anne Heche) arrives at the Bates Motel, which has terrible secrets of its own. Although this version is in color, features a different cast, and is set in 1998, it is closer to a shot-for-shot remake than most remakes, Gus Van Sant often copying Alfred Hitchcock‘s camera movements and editing, and Joseph Stefano‘s script is mostly carried over. Bernard Herrmann‘s musical score is reused as well, though with a new arrangement by Danny Elfman and recorded in stereo.
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28. ‘Evolution‘ (2001)

A comedy that follows the chaos that ensues when a meteor hits the Earth carrying alien life forms that give new meaning to the term “survival of the fittest.” David Duchovny, Orlando Jones, Seann William Scott, and Julianne Moore are the only people standing between the aliens and world domination… which could be bad news for the Earth.
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27. ‘Nine Months‘ (1995)

When he finds out his longtime girlfriend (Moore) is pregnant, a commitment-phobe (Hugh Grant) realizes he might have to change his lifestyle for better or much, much worse.
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26. ‘Next‘ (2007)

Las Vegas showroom magician Cris Johnson (Nicolas Cage) has a secret which torments him: he can see a few minutes into the future. Sick of the examinations he underwent as a child and the interest of the government and medical establishment in his power, he lies low under an assumed name in Vegas, performing cheap tricks and living off small-time gambling “winnings.” But when a terrorist group threatens to detonate a nuclear device in Los Angeles, government agent Callie Ferris (Moore) must use all her wiles to capture Cris and convince him to help her stop the cataclysm.
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25. ‘Carrie‘ (2013)

(L to R) Chloë Grace Moretz and Julianne Moore in 2013’s ‘Carrie’. Photo: Sony Pictures Releasing.

A reimagining of the classic horror tale about Carrie White (Chloe Grace Moretz), a shy girl outcast by her peers and sheltered by her deeply religious mother (Moore), who unleashes telekinetic terror on her small town after being pushed too far at her senior prom.
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24. ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1‘ (2014)

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) reluctantly becomes the symbol of a mass rebellion against the autocratic Capitol.
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23. ‘The Hand that Rocks the Cradle‘ (1992)

A suburban family chooses seemingly sweet Peyton Flanders (Rebecca De Mornay) as their newborn’s nanny. Only much later does the infant’s mother, Claire Bartel (Annabella Sciorra), realize Peyton’s true intentions — to destroy Claire and replace her in the family. The nail-biting suspense builds quickly in this chilling psychological thriller about deception and bitter revenge.
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22. ‘Non-Stop‘ (2014)

Bill Marks (Liam Neeson) is a burned-out veteran of the Air Marshals service. He views the assignment not as a life-saving duty, but as a desk job in the sky. However, today’s flight will be no routine trip. Shortly into the transatlantic journey from New York to London, he receives a series of mysterious text messages ordering him to have the government transfer $150 million into a secret account, or a passenger will die every 20 minutes.
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21. ‘A Single Man‘ (2009)

The life of George Falconer (Colin Firth), a British college professor, is reeling with the recent and sudden loss of his longtime partner. This traumatic event makes George challenge his own will to live as he seeks the console of his close girl friend Charley (Moore), who is struggling with her own questions about life.
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20. ‘Maps to the Stars‘ (2014)

Julianne Moore in ‘Maps to the Stars’. Photo: Entertainment One Films.

Driven by an intense need for fame and validation, members of a dysfunctional Hollywood family are chasing celebrity, one another and the relentless ghosts of their pasts.
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19. ‘I’m Not There‘ (2007)

Six actors (Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Marcus Carl Franklin, Richard Gere, and Heath Ledger) portray six personas of music legend Bob Dylan in scenes depicting various stages of his life, chronicling his rise from unknown folksinger to international icon and revealing how Dylan constantly reinvented himself.
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18. ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2‘ (2015)

With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin), and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) – Katniss goes off on a mission with the unit from District 13 as they risk their lives to stage an assassination attempt on President Snow who has become increasingly obsessed with destroying her. The mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.
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17. ‘The Lost World: Jurassic Park‘ (1997)

Four years after Jurassic Park’s genetically bred dinosaurs ran amok, multimillionaire John Hammond (Richard Attenborough) shocks chaos theorist Ian Malcolm (Jeff Goldblum) by revealing that he has been breeding more beasties at a secret location. Malcolm, his paleontologist ladylove (Moore) and a wildlife videographer (Vince Vaughn) join an expedition to document the lethal lizards’ natural behavior in this action-packed thriller.
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16. ‘The Fugitive‘ (1993)

Wrongfully convicted of murdering his wife (Sela Ward) and sentenced to death, Richard Kimble (Harrison Ford) escapes from the law in an attempt to find the real killer and clear his name.
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15. ‘Hannibal‘ (2001)

(L to R) Anthony Hopkins and Julianne Moore in ‘Hannibal’. Photo: MGM Distribution Co.

After having successfully eluded the authorities for years, Hannibal (Anthony Hopkins) peacefully lives in Italy in disguise as an art scholar. Trouble strikes again when he’s discovered leaving a deserving few dead in the process. He returns to America to make contact with now disgraced Agent Clarice Starling (Moore), who is suffering the wrath of a malicious FBI rival as well as the media.
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14. ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle‘ (2017)

When an attack on the Kingsman headquarters takes place and a new villain rises, Eggsy (Taron Egerton) and Merlin (Mark Strong) are forced to work together with the American agency known as the Statesman to save the world.
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13. ‘Safe‘ (1995)

Carol (Moore), a typical upper middle-class housewife, begins to complain of vague symptoms of illness. She “doesn’t feel right,” has unexplained headaches, congestion, a dry cough, nosebleeds, vomiting, and trouble breathing. Her family doctor treats her concerns dismissively and suggests a psychiatrist. Eventually, an allergist tells her that she has Environmental Illness.
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12. ‘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.
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11. ‘Far from Heaven‘ (2002)

In 1950s Connecticut, a housewife (Moore) faces a marital crisis and mounting racial tensions in the outside world.
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10. ‘The Room Next Door‘ (2025)

(L to R) Tilda Swinton and Julianne Moore in ‘The Room Next Door’. Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures.

Ingrid (Moore) and Martha (Tilda Swinton) were close friends in their youth, when they worked together at the same magazine. Ingrid went on to become an autofiction novelist while Martha became a war reporter, and they were separated by the circumstances of life. After years of being out of touch, they meet again in an extreme but strangely sweet situation.
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9. ‘May December‘ (2023)

Twenty years after their notorious tabloid romance gripped the nation, a married couple (Moore and Charles Melton) buckles under pressure when an actress (Natalie Portman) arrives to do research for a film about their past.
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8. ‘The Hours‘ (2002)

“The Hours” is the story of three women (Nicole Kidman, Moore, and Meryl Streep) searching for more potent, meaningful lives. Each is alive at a different time and place, all are linked by their yearnings and their fears. Their stories intertwine, and finally come together in a surprising, transcendent moment of shared recognition.
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7. ‘Still Alice‘ (2014)

Alice Howland (Moore), happily married with three grown children, is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. When she receives a devastating diagnosis, Alice and her family find their bonds tested.
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6. ‘Magnolia‘ (1999)

An epic mosaic of many interrelated characters in search of happiness, forgiveness, and meaning in the San Fernando Valley.
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5. ‘Children of Men‘ (2006)

(L to R) Clive Owen and Julianne Moore in ‘Children of Men’. Photo: Universal Pictures.

In 2027, in a chaotic world in which humans can no longer procreate, a former activist (Clive Owen) agrees to help transport a miraculously pregnant woman (Clare-Hope Ashitey) to a sanctuary at sea, where her child’s birth may help scientists save the future of humankind.
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4. ‘The Kids Are All Right‘ (2010)

Two women, Nic (Annette Bening) and Jules (Moore), brought a son and daughter into the world through artificial insemination. When one of their children reaches age, both kids (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson) go behind their mothers’ backs to meet with the donor (Mark Ruffalo). Life becomes so much more interesting when the father, two mothers and children start to become attached to each other.
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3. ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love.‘ (2011)

Cal Weaver (Steve Carell) is living the American dream. He has a good job, a beautiful house, great children and a beautiful wife, named Emily (Moore). Cal’s seemingly perfect life unravels, however, when he learns that Emily has been unfaithful and wants a divorce. Over 40 and suddenly single, Cal is adrift in the fickle world of dating. Enter, Jacob Palmer (Ryan Gosling), a self-styled player who takes Cal under his wing and teaches him how to be a hit with the ladies.
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2. ‘The Big Lebowski‘ (1998)

Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a Los Angeles slacker who only wants to bowl and drink White Russians, is mistaken for another Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), a wheelchair-bound millionaire, and finds himself dragged into a strange series of events involving nihilists, adult film producers, ferrets, errant toes, and large sums of money.
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1. ‘Boogie Nights‘ (1997)

Julianne Moore in ‘Boogie Nights’. Photo: New Line Cinema.

Set in 1977, back when sex was safe, pleasure was a business and business was booming, idealistic porn producer Jack Horner (Burt Reynolds) aspires to elevate his craft to an art form. Horner discovers Eddie Adams (Mark Wahlberg), a hot young talent working as a busboy in a nightclub, and welcomes him into the extended family of movie-makers, misfits and hangers-on that are always around. Adams’ rise from nobody to a celebrity adult entertainer is meteoric, and soon the whole world seems to know his porn alter ego, “Dirk Diggler”. Now, when disco and drugs are in vogue, fashion is in flux and the party never seems to stop, Adams’ dreams of turning sex into stardom are about to collide with cold, hard reality.
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February 5, 2025
Movie Review: ‘Drive-Away Dolls’
(L to R) Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

In theaters now is ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ starring Margaret Qualley, Geraldine Viswanathan, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, Bill Camp, Pedro Pascal, Joey Slotnick, C.J. Wilson, and Matt Damon.

Related Article: Geraldine Viswanathan, Margaret Qualley and Beanie Feldstein Talk ‘Drive-Away Dolls’

Initial Thoughts

With the Coen brothers taking some time off from each other after more than three decades of making films together, Joel Coen directed the eerie, intense ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ with Denzel Washington, while Ethan Coen has gone in a decidedly different – if also somewhat more familiar — direction.

Writing with his wife (and occasional Coens editor) Tricia Cooke, Ethan has come up with ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a combination of road movie, comedic caper, and lesbian romance that comes across in the style of earlier Coen brothers laughers like ‘Raising Arizona’ or ‘The Big Lebowski.’ But while the two leads have a sweet and even sexy chemistry, the laughs are only intermittent and the movie ends up as a trifle more than anything else.

Story and Direction

(L to R) Actor Margaret Qualley, actor Geraldine Viswanathan and director/writer/producer Ethan Coen on the set of ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

Jamie (Margaret Qualley) and Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) are two young women who are part of Philadelphia’s lesbian community circa December 1999. Jamie is spur-of-the-moment, unfiltered, and endlessly horny, wrecking her latest relationship with cop Sukie (Beanie Feldstein) when she is caught cheating on her. Marian, on the other hand, is uptight and generally unhappy with her life, which Jamie sees as a cue that her friend needs to get out in the world and get some action.

The two decide to reboot their lives with a road trip to Tallahassee, Florida, where Marian wants to do some reading and bird-watching while Jamie wants to stop at every lesbian bar they can find along the way and get them both laid. The pair hit the road in a one-way rental courtesy of drive-away agency operator Curlie (Bill Camp) – except that Curlie has given them the wrong car.

Unbeknownst to the ladies, the trunk contains cargo both strange and decidedly illegal, and the two women find themselves soon pursued by two goons (C.J. Wilson and Joey Slotnick) sent in hot pursuit by their boss (Colman Domingo), who answers to an even higher, more sensitive authority. How Jamie and Marian deal with the situation could either shatter their friendship, end their lives, or both.

(L to R) Actor Geraldine Viswanathan, actor Margaret Qualley, and director/writer/producer Ethan Coen on the set of ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

As one might ascertain, ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ (the original title, ‘Drive-Away Dykes,’ was deemed not marketable by the studio) sounds a lot like it’s in the vein of the deadpan, surreal comedies that Joel and Ethan Coen were perhaps best-known for during their 34 years of making films together. While the siblings have made more somber films together as well, like the brilliant ‘No Country for Old Men,’ as well as drama/comedy hybrids like ‘Fargo’ and ‘A Serious Man,’ it’s their zanier work like ‘Raising Arizona,’ ‘The Big Lebowski,’ and ‘O Brother Where Are Thou?’ that audiences arguably associate most with them.

‘Drive-Away Dolls’ is squarely in the latter tradition, with a slightly different spin. In addition to directing (this is Ethan’s first narrative feature on his own, following a 2022 Jerry Lee Lewis documentary), Ethan also wrote the script with his wife Tricia Cooke, who identifies as queer. Perhaps the freshest aspect of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ is that its leads, Jamie and Marian, are not solely characterized by their sexuality; yes, the movie features a heaping of sex, and Jamie is determined to get some nookie for both herself and Marian, but it’s not the driving factor of the story or part of its overall themes. It’s just part of who they are.

The relationship between Jamie and Marian is at first caustic, of course – these two couldn’t be more opposite – but it soon unveils a sweeter undertone as they (somewhat predictably) begin to realize that their feelings for each other run deeper than suspected. Qualley and Viswanathan are great together in that regard, and the strongest element of the movie. But the plot – a mishmash of ‘60s and ‘70s road trip B-movies with a dash of psychedelia – is so slight, the ultimate mystery so silly, and the humor so intermittent that ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ ends up feeling like a lark more than anything else. It has its fun moments, but it dissolves from one’s mind the minute it’s over.

Characters With No Names

(L to R) Colman Domingo as “The Chief”, C.J. Wilson and Joey Slotnick as “The Goons” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features

Part of the problem with ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ is that it feels almost like a rough draft version of a Coen brothers film (since Cooke, a film editor by trade, frequently edited the movies made by her husband and brother-in-law, she was an integral part of that process as well). The Coens’ comedies are often fizzy in nature, but the best of them have had either incredibly compelling characters or either a darker or more emotional underpinning that helped turn them into classics.

There’s little of that in ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ outside of the chemistry between Qualley (who looks a lot like her mom, Andie MacDowell, in this film) and Viswanathan, both of whom have great timing, highly expressive faces and effortless presence. Qualley is particularly strong here. But once you get beyond them, the rest of the characters are barely sketched in.

Pedro Pascal stars as “The Collector” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

Most of them don’t even have names, in fact. Domingo, always excellent, is just called the Chief; his goons are literally listed as The Goons in the credits. A cameoing Pedro Pascal is known simply as the Collector (there are a couple of other cameos as well, from Matt Damon and a star we won’t name). We’re always a little suspicious when we see cast lists like this: it’s often a clear sign that these characters are nothing more than stock figures, and little attempt is made to give them any more depth than that (the Goons’ scenes together – one of them constantly yammering and the other mostly silent – also feel like reheated leftovers from two similar characters in ‘Fargo,’ played in that film by Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare).

But that’s the nature of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’: it’s so sketchily pulled together that despite the warmth of its leads and a few fleeting jokes than land well, it feels like half the movie is missing in a way. And in one sense, it is.

Final Thoughts

(L to R) Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian”, Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Beanie Feldstein as “Sukie” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

The Coen brothers have made some of the most memorable movies of the last 40 years, from their still-stunning debut ‘Blood Simple’ to some of the later masterpieces we mentioned earlier. But from the two narrative movies we’ve seen them make separately – Joel’s ‘Macbeth’ and Ethan’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ — it seems like they have very different sensibilities. Based on watching the latter, it almost seems that Ethan needs his brother’s sense of gravitas to balance out his goofier impulses.

We certainly admire the lead performances and the film’s successful attempt to make a queer-centric movie that doesn’t feel like exploitation (not the good kind) or heavy-handed social commentary. But we wish those were in service of something that was funnier in a more organic way and less of a one-dimensional pastiche.

‘Drive-Away Dolls’ receives 5.5 out of 10 stars.
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What is the Plot of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’?

This comedy caper follows Jamie (Margaret Qualley), an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) who desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.

Who is in the cast of ‘Drive-Away Dolls’?
- Margaret Qualley as Jamie
- Geraldine Viswanathan as Marian
- Beanie Feldstein as Sukie
- Colman Domingo as Chief
- Pedro Pascal as Santos
- Bill Camp as Curlie
- Matt Damon as Senator Channel
- Joey Slotnick as Arliss
(L to R) Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

Other Ethan Coen Movies:
- ‘Blood Simple‘ (1984)
- ‘Raising Arizona‘ (1987)
- ‘Miller’s Crossing‘ (1990)
- ‘Barton Fink‘ (1991)
- ‘The Hudsucker Proxy‘ (1994)
- ‘Fargo‘ (1996)
- ‘The Big Lebowski‘ (1998)
- ‘O Brother Where Art Thou‘ (2000)
- ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There‘ (2001)
- ‘Intolerable Cruelty‘ (2003)
- ‘The Ladykillers‘ (2004)
- ‘No Country for Old Men‘ (2007)
- ‘Burn After Reading‘ (2008)
- ‘A Serious Man‘ (2009)
- ‘True Grit‘ (2010)
- ‘Inside Llewyn Davis‘ (2013)
- ‘Hail, Caesar!‘ (2016)
- ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs‘ (2018)
- ‘Jerry Lee Lewis: Trouble in Mind‘ (2024)
Buy Tickets: ‘Drive-Away Dolls’ Movie Showtimes

Buy Coen brothers Movies on Amazon
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February 24, 2024
Every Coen brothers Movie, Ranked

(L to R) Best Director winners Ethan and Joel Coen backstage during the 80th Annual Academy Awards at the Kodak Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, February 24, 2008. Credit/Provider: Matt Petit / ©A.M.P.A.S. Copyright: ©A.M.P.A.S.

Joel and Ethan Coen, better known as the Coen brothers, practically created their own genre and are one of the most acclaimed and celebrated directing teams of all time!

Beginning their career with modern classics like ‘Blood Simple,’ ‘Raising Arizona,’ and ‘Miller’s Crossing,’ the brothers went on to direct such beloved films as ‘The Big Lebowski,’ ‘O Brother Where Art Thou,‘ ‘Burn After Reading,’ and the Oscar-winning ‘Fargo‘ and ‘No Country for Old Men.’

In 2021, Joel Coen directed his first film without his brother, ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth,’ starring Denzel Washington. Now, opening in theaters on February 23rd is Ethan Coen’s new solo directing effort entitled ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ which stars Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan.

In honor of Ethan Coen’s new film, Moviefone is counting down every film the Coen brothers have ever directed together or apart.

NOTE: For this list we are only including the Coen Brothers full-length feature films, both together and solo, but we are not including their documentaries or participation in anthology movies like ‘Paris, je t’aime.’

Let’s begin!

20. ‘Intolerable Cruelty‘ (2003)

(L to R) George Clooney and Catherine Zeta-Jones in ‘Intolerable Cruelty.’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

A revenge-seeking gold digger (Catherine Zeta-Jones) marries a womanizing Beverly Hills lawyer (George Clooney) with the intention of making a killing in the divorce.
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19. ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs‘ (2018)

Tim Blake Nelson is Buster Scruggs in ‘The Ballad of Buster Scruggs,’ a film by Joel and Ethan Coen. Photo: Netflix.

Vignettes weaving together the stories of six individuals in the old West at the end of the Civil War. Following the tales of a sharpshooting songster (Tim Blake Nelson), a wannabe bank robber (James Franco), two weary traveling performers (Zoe Kazan and Jefferson Mays), a lone gold prospector (Tom Waits), a woman traveling the West to an uncertain future (Tyne Daly) and a motley crew of strangers undertaking a carriage ride.
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18. ‘A Serious Man‘ (2009)

Michael Stuhlbarg in ‘A Serious Man.’ Photo: Focus Features.

It is 1967, and Larry Gopnik (Michael Stuhlberg), a physics professor at a quiet Midwestern university, has just been informed by his wife, Judith (Sari Lennick) that she is leaving him. She has fallen in love with one of his more pompous acquaintances, Sy Ableman (Fred Melamed).
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17. ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There‘ (2001)

(L to R) Billy Bob Thornton and James Gandolfini in ‘The Man Who Wasn’t There.’ Photo: USA Films.

A tale of murder, crime and punishment set in the summer of 1949. Ed Crane (Billy Bob Thornton), a barber in a small California town, is dissatisfied with his life, but his wife Doris’ (Frances McDormand) infidelity and a mysterious opportunity presents him with a chance to change it.
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16. ‘The Ladykillers‘ (2004)

Tom Hanks in ‘The Ladykillers.’ Photo: Touchstone Pictures.

An eccentric if not charming Southern professor (Tom Hanks) and his crew pose as a band in order to rob a casino all under the nose of his unsuspecting landlord, a sharp old woman (Irma P. Hall).
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15. ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth‘ (2021)

Denzel Washington in ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth.’ Photo: A24.

From Academy Award©-winning filmmaker Joel Coen comes the propulsive, boldly cinematic ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth,’ starring Oscar-winners Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand as the devious, ill-fated “Macbeth” and “Lady Macbeth.” An original, striking reimagining of the classic Shakespearean tale portrayed in sumptuous black-and-white cinematography, ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ finds the titular general and his loyal wife older and warier, desperately striving against a merciless ticking clock as they attempt to seize upon a final opportunity for power. In the chaos that ensues, their grasp on the throne unravels, terror mounts and regret enshrouds every inch of their wretched world.
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14. ‘Barton Fink‘ (1991)

(L to R) John Turturro and Jon Polito in ‘Barton Fink.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

A renowned New York playwright (John Turturro) is enticed to California to write for the movies and discovers the hellish truth of Hollywood.
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13. ‘Blood Simple‘ (1984)

Frances McDormand in ‘Blood Simple.’ Photo: Circle Films.

The owner of a seedy smalltown Texas bar (Dan Hedaya) discovers that one of his employees (John Getz) is having an affair with his wife (Frances McDormand). A chaotic chain of misunderstandings lies and mischief ensues after he devises a plot to have them murdered.
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12. ‘O Brother Where Art Thou‘ (2000)

(L to R) John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson and George Clooney in ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’ Photo: Buena Vista Pictures Distribution.

In the deep south during the 1930s three escaped convicts (George Clooney, John Turturro and Tom Blake Nelson) search for hidden treasure while a relentless lawman (Daniel von Bargen) pursues them. On their journey they come across many comical characters and incredible situations. Based upon Homer’s Odyssey.
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11. ‘Raising Arizona‘ (1987)

(L to R) Holly Hunter and Nicolas Cage in ‘Raising Arizona.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

When a childless couple (Holly Hunter and Nicolas Cage) decide to help themselves to one of another family’s quintuplets their lives become more complicated than they anticipated.
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10. ‘No Country for Old Men‘ (2007)

Javier Bardem in ‘No Country for Old Men.’ Photo: Miramax Films.

Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) stumbles upon dead bodies, $2 million and a hoard of heroin in a Texas desert, but methodical killer Anton Chigurh (Javier Bardem) comes looking for it, with local sheriff Ed Tom Bell (Tommy Lee Jones) hot on his trail. The roles of prey and predator blur as the violent pursuit of money and justice collide.
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9. ‘Fargo‘ (1996)

Frances McDormand in ‘Fargo.’ Photo: Working Title Films.

Jerry (William H. Macy) a small-town Minnesota car salesman is bursting at the seams with debt but he’s got a plan. He’s going to hire two thugs (Steve Buscemi and Peter Stormare) to kidnap his wife (Kristin Rudrüd) in a scheme to collect a hefty ransom from his wealthy father-in-law (Harve Presnell). It’s going to be a snap and nobody’s going to get hurt until people start dying. Enter Police Chief Marge (Frances McDormand), a coffee-drinking parka-wearing and extremely pregnant investigator who’ll stop at nothing to get her man. And if you think her smalltime investigative skills will give the crooks a run for their ransom, you betcha.
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8. ‘True Grit‘ (2010)

Jeff Bridges in ‘True Grit.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

Following the murder of her father by a hired hand, a 14-year-old farm girl (Hailee Steinfeld) sets out to capture the killer. To aid her she hires the toughest US Marshal she can find, a man with true grit, Reuben J Rooster Cogburn (Jeff Bridges).
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7. ‘Drive-Away Dolls‘ (2024)

(L to R) Margaret Qualley as “Jamie” and Geraldine Viswanathan as “Marian” in director Ethan Coen’s ‘Drive-Away Dolls,’ a Focus Features release. Credit: Wilson Webb / Working Title / Focus Features.

Jamie (Margaret Qualley), an uninhibited free spirit bemoaning yet another breakup with a girlfriend, and her demure friend Marian (Geraldine Viswanathan) desperately needs to loosen up. In search of a fresh start, the two embark on an impromptu road trip to Tallahassee, but things quickly go awry when they cross paths with a group of inept criminals along the way.
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6. ‘Hail, Caesar!‘ (2006)

Channing Tatum in ‘Hail, Caesar!’ Photo: Universal Pictures.

When a Hollywood star (George Clooney) mysteriously disappears in the middle of filming, the studio sends their fixer (Josh Brolin) to get him back.
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5. ‘The Hudsucker Proxy‘ (1994)

(L to R) Jennifer Jason Leigh and Tim Robbins in ‘The Hudsucker Proxy.’ Photo: Warner Bros.

A naive business graduate (Tim Robbins) is installed as president of a manufacturing company as part of a stock scam.
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4. ‘Millers Crossing‘ (1990)

1990’s ‘Miller’s Crossing.’ Photo: 20th Century Fox.

Set in 1929, a political boss (Albert Finney) and his advisor (Gabriel Byrne) have a parting of the ways when they both fall for the same woman (Marcia Gay Harden).
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3. ‘Burn After Reading‘ (2008)

Brad Pitt in ‘Burn After Reading.’ Photo: Focus Features.

When a disc containing memoirs of a former CIA analyst (John Malkovich) falls into the hands of gym employees, Linda (Frances McDormand) and Chad (Brad Pitt), they see a chance to make enough money for Linda to have life-changing cosmetic surgery. Predictably, events whirl out of control for the duo, and those in their orbit.
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2. ‘Inside Llewyn Davis‘ (2013)

Oscar Isaac in ‘Inside Llewyn Davis.’ Photo: CBS Films.

In Greenwich Village in the early 1960s, gifted but volatile folk musician Llewyn Davis (Oscar Isaac) struggles with money, relationships, and his uncertain future.
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1. ‘The Big Lebowski‘ (1998)

Jeff Bridges in ‘The Big Lebowski.’ Photo: Paramount Pictures.

Jeffrey ‘The Dude’ Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), a Los Angeles slacker who only wants to bowl and drink White Russians, is mistaken for another Jeffrey Lebowski (David Huddleston), a wheelchair-bound millionaire, and finds himself dragged into a strange series of events involving nihilists, adult film producers, ferrets, errant toes, and large sums of money.
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February 21, 2024
Jeff Bridges Teases Return of His ‘Big Lebowski’ Character, the Dude

Gramercy Pictures

The Dude might be due for a return.

“The Big Lebowski” star Jeff Bridges had a surprise for fans on Thursday, Jan. 24. He posted a video on Twitter that showed him dressed as his memorable slacker character, alongside a caption teasing something more to come. Bridges told fans to “stay tuned,” and the video highlighted the date Feb. 3, 2019.

https://twitter.com/TheJeffBridges/status/1088481555582996480

The date listed happens to be Super Bowl Sunday, as Entertainment Weekly pointed out. With that being the case, it seems likely that the video Bridges shared is a clip from a commercial that will air during the game. Many fans acknowledged this possibility in their replies to the video, but that didn’t stop them from wishing there was more to it — namely, an upcoming sequel.

This better not be just to promote a Super Bowl commercial!! pic.twitter.com/Fb8h76CYvY

— Is_It_Just_Me (@Is_It_Just_Me1) January 24, 2019

https://twitter.com/FlexoFGC/status/1088508979573968896

https://twitter.com/TheGrindedGear/status/1088482849479688192

Clearly, the 1998 crime comedy remains as popular as ever. Even if fans don’t get the sequel announcement they’re hoping for, though, we suspect they’ll be happy to see the Dude again. Thirty seconds is better than none, man.

[via: Jeff Bridges/Twitter; h/t: EW]

January 24, 2019
Watch The Dude Get a ‘Queer Eye’ Makeover in ‘The Big Lebowski’ Mashup

He’s out of his element!

The Dude has been abiding for 20 years now. Queer Eye” reboot.

The result: “Queer Eye for Lebowski.” It’s perfect. But that’s just, like, our opinion, man.

Here’s the mashup:They also cleverly added some “Fearless” scenes of Jeff Bridges looking less Dude-ish, along with Isabella Rossellini. That’s another awesome Jeff Bridges movie.

Keep celebrating 20 years of The Dude (and Walter, and Donny, and Jesus) by checking out a bunch of “Big Lebowski” trivia. Here’s a pretty relevant tidbit: “The majority of The Dude’s outfits were supplied by Jeff Bridges himself. He even reused a shirt he previously wore in 1991’s ‘The Fisher King.’” Still another awesome Jeff Bridges movie. The man wins.

As for The Fab 5, Netflix will bring them back for “Queer Eye” Season 2, but no official premiere date has been released yet.

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May 21, 2018
‘The Hero’ Star Sam Elliott Knows Why He’s Having a ‘McConaissance’ Right Now

Sam Elliott‘s played the hero many times on screen, but his performance in the film “The Hero” — where he plays a journeyman actor taking a long, hard look at his life — will likely be remembered as a career-high.

At 72, Elliott’s already enjoyed a rich and often varied Hollywood career in both film and television, beginning with an early role in “Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid” and a star-making turn in the 1976 beachside drama “Lifeguard.” He went on to have a steady string of TV and film roles throughout the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s, including “The Shadow Riders,” “The Quick and the Dead,” “Conagher, “Buffalo Girls,” and “Tombstone“).

Along the way, Elliott would have opportunities to make a dramatic impact with roles outside the Western box including several that showcased his considerable acting skills, like “Mask” and the Civil War drama “Gettysburg”; rough and rowdy action flicks like “Road House,” and comic book fare like “Hulk” and “Ghost Rider.” And his signature mustache and deeply resonant and distinctive voice were elevated to iconic status with his appearance as the narrating Stranger in the Coen brothers’ cult sensation “The Big Lebowski.”

Thanks to the final season of FX’s “Justified,” where he played the main baddie, Elliott has found himself with a career renaissance, which he sat down with Moviefone to have a very candid discussion about.
Moviefone: Obviously, people are going to see what they think is some of Sam Elliott in this guy. Tell me the diversions. Tell me what you related to in Lee Hayden, but what is entirely different from your own experience.

Sam Elliott: Number one, if it was me, it’d be a documentary, and it’s not, clearly. There’s four primary elements that are most glaringly not me: one of them is that I’m still married to Katharine [Ross] for 33 years, after knowing her for 39 years. I have a close, loving relationship with my daughter Cleo -– I see her all the time, and was primarily there when she was growing up; I don’t smoke dope; and I don’t have cancer. So beyond those, there’s a lot of similarities.

What resonated with you about those similarities? As you delved into Lee, what did you have a lot of empathy for?

I had a lot of empathy, I think, because I understood where he was going after he got the diagnosis in the beginning, and realized that time was going to be short, and he had a big mess to clean up with his family, primarily. Also, to have to deal with the fact that his career was pretty much what it was.

The rest of it was all in his head, which kept revisiting him in the form of the dreams. He fucked up his career, doing whatever he did, whatever it was that made him lose his connection to his daughter, whatever made him get divorced from his wife, and why ever it was he never went beyond that one film that he talks about -– that’s it.

I think that at his core, Lee was a decent guy. I think the things that he spoke of at the awards ceremony were from his heart and soul, and that resonated completely with me what he was talking about in there. I happen to believe that he was telling the truth in there.

From your perspective, what has it taken to survive and to thrive in Hollywood for as long as you’ve been able to?

Persistence, hard work, being a decent person, treating people right, and doing your job when you get an opportunity to do it.

You’ve been doing your job pretty well for all these years, and all of a sudden, we’re in this great Sam Elliott Renaissance Period.

Crazy!

Did you see it coming? Was it part of a strategic plan?

No, came totally out of left field. There was a succession of jobs that came, and I’m not sure where it started: whether it was at “Grandma,” whether it was maybe at “Parks and Rec,” could have been at “Robot Chicken,” I don’t know… Then “Justified” came along –- it’s very bizarre!

Do you feel that you’re a better actor now than you were when you began in Hollywood?

Yes, no question. No question. I think time and grade is the teacher in any field. I just think the longer you’re there, the better you get. Unless you’re an athlete -– you start wearing out.

It’s been great to see you in a lot of very different kinds of roles lately, including your first sitcom. What’s been fun about “The Ranch” for you?

It’s totally different. New ground to plow. At 72, at almost 50 years in the business, to be able to go and do a four-camera show in front of a live audience on Fridays. We pre-tape on Thursdays, Friday’s a live audience. Just that experience alone… But to be working with Ashton Kutcher and Daniel Masterson on the set, Debra Winger as well, and Jim Patterson and Don Reo and these genius writers that are on this writing staff.

We do a script every week. And from Monday, the table read, we get our new script on Fridays after the taping. Monday we do a table read and a blocking rehearsal. Monday night, they rewrite. Tuesdays we rehearse. Tuesday night, they rewrite. Wednesdays we rehearse. Wednesday night, they rewrite. Thursdays we start shooting, and they’re, at the same time, rewriting. Friday is the taping night in front of the audience. All the writers are on the set — watching it and rewriting between takes. So the learning curve is a monster, and it’s daunting in front of a live audience for me.

Had it been a while?

I’ve never worked in front of a live audience. The great reward in front of a live audience is you hear people laughing. That part is a lot of fun.
Lee had one movie that he was proud of. You, I’m sure, have many. If somebody discovers you for the first time through “The Hero,” what films of yours would you like to point people to if they were interested at looking at highlights from your filmography?

A lot of my favorite parts are character parts. They’re not like leading roles by any means. Whether it’s “Mask” or “Road House” or “The Big Lebowski,” or “Gettysburg,” there are things about a lot of different films that stand out for me.

In terms of lead, maybe “Conagher,” something like that. Only because it’s something that I did with Katharine. It was something that Louis L’Amour told me that he thought Katharine and I should do. In fact, we did the adaptation of the book. I produced. It was very successful at the time that we did it with TNT. That probably would be a highlight, for sure.

When you started out, did you think of yourself as a character actor? Or were you thinking leading man when you got into it?

I wasn’t thinking about anything other than acting and wanting a good part. I never thought about it in terms of character and leading man. Still don’t.

What do you love, after all this time? What are the same things that you love about the industry and Hollywood, and what are the sort of new things that even at this stage you’re discovering you love?

I think just going to work. I think the work of it is the thing I most love. It’s the doing of it. I’m completely amazed from day to day about this whole digital effect that it’s had on the game, that it can move at the pace that it moves.

It’s like instant gratification. It’s like, “How was it?” “I don’t know -– let’s look.” Everybody’s walking around with their little screens like this, sitting at the monitor, instant playback. No lab to go to. No lab report to wait for. No opening up the can and exposing the film to the light and losing it, and having it come back. Incredible.

It’s your next frontier.

It’s incredible. Never going to be my frontier. All I do with my cell phone is answer it and talk on it and I text on it. That’s as deep as I’m going to go.

“The Hero” opens in select cities Friday.

June 8, 2017
Jon Polito, Character Actor and Coen Brothers Star, Dies at 65

Jon Polito, a ubiquitous character actor known on screens both big and small, especially for his work in Coen brothers films, has died. He was 65.

Polito’s wide-ranging career included a whopping 217 acting credits, per his IMDb page, highlighted by his appearance in Coen brothers classics like “The Big Lebowski,” “Miller’s Crossing,” “Barton Fink,” “The Hudsucker Proxy,” and “The Man Who Wasn’t There.” He also starred on the first two seasons of “Homicide: Life on the Street,” and reprised his role of detective Steve Crosetti for a 2000 TV movie.

The Italian-American actor’s eclectic arsenal of characters often included cops and quirky criminals, though Polito said in a 2005 interview that he wasn’t bothered by playing such similar roles, provided there was some range to the characters. “I don’t mind typecasting, but I will not do the same thing over again,” he said.

That range was expressed throughout his career, like his television work on series such as “Modern Family” (on which he starred as recently as this year, playing the recurring role of Jay’s business nemesis, Earl Chambers, the owner of Closets Closets Closets Closets), “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia,” “Seinfeld,” “The Drew Carey Show,” “Gilmore Girls,” “Bunheads,” “Judging Amy,” “Scrubs,” “Desperate Housewives,” “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” “Ghost Whisperer,” “American Dad!,” and “Comedy Bang! Bang!,” among many, many others.

His film credits, totaling more than 100, included roles in “The Freshman,” “The Rocketeer,” “The Crow,” “The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle,” “View From the Top,” “The Honeymooners,” “Flags of Our Fathers,” “American Gangster,” “Gangster Squad,” and “Big Eyes.”

Director John McNaughton, who worked with Polito on “Homicide” and other TV projects, remembered his friend in a Facebook post, writing, “Jon was a born actor and will be deeply missed by his legion of friends, fans, family and of course his long time partner, Darryl Armbruster to whom I send my condolences. R.I.P. old pal.”

Polito passed away after battling cancer for several years. He is survived by his husband, Armbruster

[via: The Hollywood Reporter, John McNaughton]

Photo credit: Getty Images

September 2, 2016
David Huddleston, ‘The Big Lebowski’ Actor, Dies at 85

Character actor David Huddleston, whose most iconic role was the titular character in cult classic “The Big Lebowski,” has died. He was 85.

Huddleston’s wife, Sarah Koeppe, confirmed her husband’s passing, telling the Los Angeles Times that Huddleston had died Tuesday in Santa Fe, New Mexico of advanced heart and kidney disease. The pair had been married for 32 years.

After serving in the Air Force and attending drama school on the G.I. Bill, Huddleston began a prolific career as a character actor on stage, on television, and in movies, though his biggest break came late in his career, with 1998’s “Lebowski.” Though he only had a handful of scenes in the flick, Huddleston made the part count, especially in his interactions with Jeff Bridges’s The Dude. “Lebowski” was a bit of a flop when it first debuted, but has become a revered comedy in the years since, cementing Huddleston’s place in Hollywood history.

In addition to that iconic flick, Huddleston also appeared in films including comedy classic “Blazing Saddles” (which he once said was “probably the most fun I have ever had on a set”), “Capricorn One,” the titular role in 1985’s “Santa Claus: The Movie,” and 2005’s “The Producers.” His stage credits include “1776” (his “crowning achievement,” according to his wife), “The Music Man,” and “Mame.”

His television work featured roles on series such as “The Wonder Years” (for which he earned an Emmy nomination for his recurring role as the grandfather), “Walker, Texas Ranger,” “Murder, She Wrote,” “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” “The West Wing” (in which he played a Republican senator), “Gilmore Girls” (playing Stars Hollow mayor Harry Porter), “The Wild Thornberrys,” and “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (a memorable appearance in the 2009 Christmas special, playing Frank’s former business partner who gets even with the gang).

Huddleston served on the national board of the Screen Actors Guild for more than 10 years, and the organization honored his passing with a statement.

“David Huddleston was a uniquely gifted actor and a proud unionist,” said SAG-AFTRA President Gabrielle Carteris. “He will be forever remembered for his service to our union and the countless characters he brought to life on screen. Our deepest condolences go out to his family and loved ones.”

“Things were not important to him — people were,” Koeppe told the Los Angeles Times of her husband. “He loved entertaining and would rather sit down and talk with someone over dinner.”

[via: Los Angeles Times, h/t Variety]

Photo credit: Getty Images

August 5, 2016
Top Movies That Totally Flopped at the Box Office
Ah, youth. The days when you reveled in your dorm room and feasted on delicacies like hair dryer-warmed pizza or ramen gently braised over a light bulb. Your bank account might’ve been empty, but you still managed to feed your soul with the deepest of lessons: Money isn’t everything.

And you weren’t alone when enlightenment struck. Since Hollywood’s golden age, plenty of movies that had hard-knock openings later blossomed into beloved cinematic staples or legit cult classics. Here are just a few, in all their flop-to-favorite glory.

‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1946)

Unthinkable as it seems, “It’s a Wonderful Life” was not having a very wonderful life at all in 1946. Though award season was kind to the movie, audiences just weren’t feeling its darker themes, and RKO Pictures wasn’t feeling the money — “Life” lost about $525,000 at the box office.

Ultimately, this James Stewart-flavored slice of Americana owes its iconic status to two big “Fs”: flukes and forgetfulness. In 1974, National Telefilm Associates straight-up forgot to renew the movie’s copyright, which landed the film in the public domain and opened the floodgates for just about any cheapskate distributor or network to air the flick or release it on home video without paying royalties. After a while, you couldn’t sled down a hill during the holiday season without bumping in to George Bailey. As Frank Capra himself told The Chicago Tribune in 1985, “It’s the damnedest thing …”

‘The Big Lebowski’ (1998)

The box office slaughter: In 1998, “The Big Lebowski” was basically a gutterball when it debuted with a $5.5 million opening on a $15 million budget. Outlets like Variety called it “hollow and without resonance.”

The cult-tastic happy ending: Every college sophomore you’ve ever known can quote every single line of dialogue from this movie. Oh, and the movie has its own religion — yes, ordained Dudeist priests are legally allowed to preside over wedding ceremonies in the United States.

It. Has. Its. Own. Religion.

The Dude doesn’t just abide; the Dude wins.

‘Blade Runner’ (1982)

Are opening-weekend losses to the tune of $6.5 million worth being listed on the National Film Registry? That’s the question “Blade Runner” has to ask itself when it wakes up every morning. Nowadays, movie buffs and midnight theaters worship at the altar of the seminal sci-fi’s impeccable production design, heady narrative, and deeply influential neo-noir tone. But in the summer of 1982, “E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial” and “Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan” ate Ridley Scott‘s synth-infused, neon-soaked lunch. Somewhere, Harrison Ford wiped away his tears with $1,000 bills.

‘Fight Club’ (1999)

Apparently, audiences in 1999 took the whole “You do not talk about Fight Club” thing a little too seriously — the theatrical silence was deafening as David Fincher‘s brutal, anti-consumerism satire bled out $26 million at the box office.

But if the box-office numbers are a schlubby, IKEA-obsessed Jack, the home video market turned out to be the movie’s uber-sexy Tyler Durden when Fox raked in more than $100 million in video sales. Like the man said, “You are not your job. You are not your khakis. You are not your box office receipts.”

Something like that, anyway.

‘The Wizard of Oz’ (1939)

“Waterworld.” “Green Lantern.” “The Wizard of Oz.” “John Carter.”

“One of these things is not like the other/One of these things just doesn’t belong,” you sing to your computer screen as everybody looks at you like you’re a weirdo. But you’d be oh-so-strangely wrong — all of these things are the same.

Just like its mega-flop friends, “Wizard” was a mega-budget fantasy — Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s highest budgeted film ever, in 1939 — with through-the-roof expectations from its studio. And just like the much more recent “Green Lantern” and “John Carter,” those factors got stirred into a cocktail of immense disappointment as MGM saw $1.1 million dollars — the equivalent of almost $19 million in 2016 — blow down the Yellow Brick Road.

The difference is, no one’s going to buy commemorative “Waterworld” porcelain plates with Kevin Costner‘s mug on them in 70 years. But your aunt already has eight of them emblazoned with Judy Garland — they just go so well with the Toto Christmas ornament and the Tin Man throw blanket and the Wicked Witch of the West tote bag.

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June 6, 2016