James Gandolfini Page 6

It seems opportunist and downright lazy to suggest Michael R. Roskam's new crime-drama is a "fitting" final film for the late James Gandolfini. The Brooklyn-born actor, who died suddenly of a heart attack in Italy in 2013, delivered a ton of extraordinary performances in his career - not least in the excellent Enough Said - though as cousin Marv in the intense, brooding The Drop, his finest talents as an actor are clearly on show.

James Gandolfini [L] and Tom Hardy [R] in The Drop

The Drop focuses on Tom Hardy's Bob Saginowski, who funnels cash to local gangsters through his place of work. However, under the heavy hand of his employer (Ganfolfini), Bob finds himself at the center of a robbery gone and awry and a subsequent investigation digs deep into the neighbourhood's criminal underground.

Continue reading: 'The Drop' Features Tour-de-Force Performance From James Gandolfini

Tom Cruise, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Hugh Jackman and Emma Thompson were all on hand for Sunday night's Empire Awards in London, a lively and colourful event with most winners chosen by the magazine's readers. Cruise was named The Legend of Our Lifetime, while Schwarzenegger was crowned The Action Hero of Our Lifetime and Jackman picked up the Empire Icon Award.

There was also a flurry of high-profile premieres in London this past week. Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connelly, Emma Watson and Ray Winstone walked a watery-style carpet for Noah; Cameron Diaz, Leslie Mann and Kate Upton were on hand for The Other Woman; and Shailene Woodley, Kate Winslet and Theo James dazzled the fans for Divergent.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Hollywood Legends Hit London, As Do A Trio Of Big Premieres, While New Trailers Promise Tears, Laughs, Thrills And Chills

The trailer for The Drop - James Gandolfini's final movie before his untimely death last year - has rolled out online. Co-starring Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace, the crime-drama centers on Brooklyn's gangster underworld and particularly a bar owned by Gandolfini's Freddie that acts as a premises for criminal 'drops' of cash.

James Gandolfini in 'The Drop'

Freddie's cousin Ronnie, played by Hardy, works as a bartender, but a robbery upsets the fine balance of their lives.

Continue reading: James Gandolfini's Final Movie 'The Drop', With Tom Hardy [Trailer + Pictures]

On the same day as the nominations for this year's Academy Awards ceremony were revealed, the latest instalment of the ongoing awards season went by at the Barker Hanger in Santa Monica, California, where the 19th annual Critic's Choice Awards honoured the cast and crew of some of last's year's biggest and best films.

Gravity soared to success at the Critic's Choice Awards

The big winner on the night was the space thriller Gravity, which soared to success with seven wins by the end of the night. Among it's credits the film earned Alfonso Cuarón the award for Best Director and the award for Best Editing, shared with co-editor Mark Sanger. The film also earned Sandra Bullock the award for Best Actress In An Action Movie and was crowned as crowned the Best Sci-Fi/Horror Movie. The film also scored recognition for Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography and Best Score.

Continue reading: 'Gravity,' 'American Hustle' And '12 Years A Slave' Scoop Major Wins At Critic's Choice Awards: Full Nominees & Winners

Without making the tired, systematic glee-filled statement that ‘it’s Friday’ and ‘it’s time for fun’ - because most people have to walk their dogs and tidy the house on the weekend instead of drinking coffee and watching cooking programs – we’d like to alert you to the fact that it is, indeed, Friday.

Tom Hanks is Captain Phillips

But you can’t clean at night. That’s a fact. So what you’ll probably do is head to the pictures. You’ll sit in a chair, delve your paws into a box containing heated kernels of maize and stare blankly while a multitude of rich people, realising their dream jobs, entertain the millions who never will.

Continue reading: What Are You Seeing This Weekend? Captain Phillips, Escape Plan, Enough Said?

Robert De Niro has been hired to replace James Gandolfini in a new HBO mini-series Criminal Justice, following the death of The Sopranos star in June. De Niro will play a New York lawyer in the show, which Gandolfini had been developing based on the 2008 BBC series by Peter Moffat.

Following the actor's sudden death in Rome, it initially appeared as though HBO had put the project on the backburner, though, according to Deadline.com, the team were keen to continue in Gandolfini's honor. 

Deadline Hollywood's TV Editor Nellie Andreeva said the network wanted "a great actor whom Gandolfini would have wanted for the role and who would honour Gandolfini's memory with his performance," adding, "I hear their list consisted of one name only, Robert De Niro, who responded and came on board."

Continue reading: Criminal Justice: It's About Time Robert De Niro Turned To Television

Although rarely seen on the small screen, Robert De Niro has taken the late James Gandolfini’s place in HBO’s Criminal Justice. Gandolfini died after filming the pilot for the show, and will receive a posthumous exec producer credit when the show airs. The future of the series had been in serious doubt following Gandolfini’s tragic and unexpected passing.

Robert de Niro in The Family

However, De Niro has agreed to take on the character of Jack Stone in the show based on the 2008 BBC series of the same name. Deadline’s TV Editor, Nellie Andreeva, who revealed the news, said HBO wanted "a great actor whom Gandolfini would have wanted for the role and who would honour Gandolfini's memory with his performance". She added: "I hear their list consisted of one name only, Robert De Niro, who responded and came on board."

Continue reading: Robert De Niro Steps Into Criminal Justice To Replace James Gandolfini

Robert De Niro has been appointed as the lead actor in the upcoming HBO mini-series Criminal Justice, a seven-episode stretch that the late James Gandolfini was initially slated to star in. The passing of Gandolfini had left the project in limbo, however with the appointment of De Niro the show will continue to air as planned.

De Niro will now star in the crime drama in place of Gandolfini

HBO confrimed De Niro's appointment to The Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday, 25 September, adding that Gandolfini will be given a posthumous executive producer credit on the show. The mini-series is an American adaption of the hit 2008 BBC series of the same name, which was the brainchild Peter Moffat and starred Ben Whishaw and the late Pete Postlethwaite. The HBO version, which is being made in association association with BBC Worldwide Production, of the show will be initially directed by Steven Zaillian, with others stepping in as the series progresses. Moffat will serve as an executive producer on the HBO series.

Continue reading: Robert De Niro Steps In To Replace James Gandolfini On HBO's 'Criminal Justice'

‘Criminal Justice’ HBO will be continuing with plans to make a seven-part miniseries called ‘Criminal Justice’ that was originally meant to star the late actor James Gandolfini.

In late June of this year (2013) the 51 year, James Gandolfini, unfortunately passed away while on vacations with his son in Italy. Ever since then the show was thought to be completely disbanded but academy award-winning actor Robert De Niro has reportedly stepped in to take over the role with HBO remaining Gandolfini as an executive producer posthumously, according to Deadline.

‘Criminal Justice’ is based on Peter Moffat’s 2008 BBC series of the same name and is written by Richard Price. The first episode will be directed by Steven Zaillian, who has been closely attached to the project for the last four years.

Continue reading: Robert De Niro Replaces The Late James Gandolfini In HBO's Miniseries 'Criminal Justice'

James Gandolfini was remembered by his The Sopranos co-star Edie Falco in an emotional tribute to the late actor during Sunday (22 Sept.) night's 65th Annual Emmy Awards. In a ceremony that featured a number of memorials to fallen stars, Falco's appraisal of her on-screen husband was by far one of the most poignant of the night as she led the ceremony into a hushed remembrance of the acting great.

Falco and Gandolfini during one of their many domestic disputes

Falco, who played the long-suffering Carmela Soprano in the ever-popular series, fought back the tears as she remembered the late actor, who passed away in June aged 51. She remembered Gandolfini as a man of "tremendous warmth and heart" and who was "uniquely generous," being nothing like the character he will be best remembered for.

Continue reading: Edie Falco Gives Moving Tribute To James Gandolfini At Emmy Awards

Cory Monteith has been given a send-off by fans and the TV industry who honored the late Glee star with a heartfelt and poignant tribute during last night's Emmy awards. Monteith will be remembered in a special tribute episode during Glee's return to television next month but the Emmys gave actress and Cory's co-star Jane Lynch a chance to say a few words about her lost friend.

Cory's Death Came As A Nasty Shock To Those Who Loved Him And The Show.

Lynch, who plays the sports coach on the popular high school musical series, took to the stage during a special 'in memoriam' segment to share photos of the 31 year-old who passed away last month as well as say a few words about his life.

Continue reading: Cory Monteith Remembered In Tearful Emmys 'In Memoriam' Tribute [Video]

This week's biggest story is that Ben Affleck will play Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) in the upcoming Man of Steel sequel, opposite Henry Cavill's Clark Kent (aka Superman). There's no word on the plot or the title of the new film, which is scheduled for release in the summer of 2015. Word has it that the two superheroes will be at odds with each other, setting up some big battles between them. Read all about the epic prospect here.

On Tuesday night, London hosted the world premiere of the new One Direction movie This Is Us, and the screams of pre-pubescent girls could be heard miles away from Leicester Square as the boy band, their manager Simon Cowell and a range of starry guests turned up to walk the red carpet. The film opens next week and you can look at photos from the event here.

Continue reading: A Week In Movies: Ben Is Batman, One Direction Deafens London, Disney Humanises Bears

The trailer has been released for Enough Said; a rom-com that will bear a more potent poignancy for those who were fans of the late James Gandolfini, star of The Sopranos. The actor died in June after an unexpected heart attack, whilst on holiday in Rome, but his death didn't mean he couldn't keep entertaining post-humously.

Watch The Enough Said Trailer:

Continue reading: 'Enough Said' Trailer Released: James Gandolfini's Final Comedy Looks Warm, Smart And Funny

The official poster for James Gandolfini’s last film, Enough Said, has been released. It sees Gandolfini alongside his co-star in the movie, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and takes on a poignant new light in the wake of the Sopranos star’s recent death.

Consistantly reffered to as generious, loving and caring, Gandolfini in a grey t-shirt, smiling, with a world-class beard makes this writer stutter somewhat. It’s difficult and amazing in equal measure to see the great man excelling at the thing he always did best.

Gandolfini suddenly died from a heart attack in June while on holiday in Rome with his 13-year-old son. Louis-Dreyfus has opened up on what it was like to work with the late star. "I think people will just really freak out seeing his performance," the actress told BBC News.

Continue reading: Heartbreaking Poster Of 'Enough Said' Released, James Gandolfini's Last Movie

Alec Baldwin has vowed never to return to Twitter after deleting his account last week for an expletive filled rant directed at Daily Mail reporter George Starker. The '30 Rock' actor took exception to the journalist's claims that his wife Hilaria Thomas was tweeting during the funeral of Sopranos' star James Gandolfini.

James Gandolfini Has Vowed Never To Return To Twitter

When asked by Vanity Fair if he'll ever return to Twitter, Baldwin responded, "Never," adding, "I went to Jimmy Gandolfini's funeral, and when I was there I realized Jimmy Gandolfini didn't have Twitter. Jimmy Gandolfini was so beloved as a person, and he was so admired as an actor, and he didn't give a [expletive] about social media." 

Continue reading: Alec Baldwin: If Gandolfini Didn't Use Twitter, Neither Do I!

The last of the formalities around James Gandolfini’s death last month are being taken care of – including the actor’s will. Turns out, the big-hearted actor was generous to the end, especially with his friends and family. Gandolfini’s will was filed in Manhattan Surrogate’s Court yesterday (Tuesday, July 2). Apparently The Sopranos actor left millions to friends and family – as you might expect. But he also gifted large sums of money to his secretary and PA, among others.

Gandolfini endowed his family, his close friends and even some employees.

Naturally, the biggest part of Gandolfini’s modest fortune will go to his family – wife Deborah Linn and his two children, 8-month-old Liliana Ruth and 13-year-old Michael. It was the elder boy, who unfortunately found his father’s body last month, while the two were on a family vacation in Italy. Michael will get the bulk of the actor’s estate, when he turns 21, the New York Post reports. Said fortune was apparently estimated at around $70 million when Gandolfini died on June 16.

Continue reading: Late Actor's Will Entitles Gandolfini's Children, Friends And Even His PA To Generous Benefits

Rip This Joint! Despite what many of the critics had anticipated, The Rolling Stones made their debut at the Glastonbury Festival on Saturday with a blistering set that scored five-star reviews across the board. Mick Jagger put the current crop of rock frontmen to shame with an energetic and high-octane performance - now that's how you do it. Read more about The Rolling Stones Glastonbury performance.

Hound Dog! Are Riley Kough and Robert Pattinson a thing? According to reports in Tinsel Town, the Twilight actor has stated dating the granddaughter of a certain Mr Elvis Presley. The dirty dog. Read on to find out more about the unlikely coupling.

Continue reading: A Week In News: Stones Rock Glastonbury, Pattinson Dating Elvis' Granddaughter, Bale Bails On Batman!

When he hit back at a reporter that alleged his wife, Hilaria Baldwin, was Tweeting during the funeral of James Gandolfini, Alec Baldwin could have done with choosing his words a little better when he referred to a Daily Mail reporter as “toxic little queen” and wrote on his now deleted Twitter page; “[I'd] put my foot up your f---ing ass, George Stark, but I'm sure you'd dig it too much."

As you would expect, this has caused quite the backlash against Baldwin and he was forced to defend himself, and although he seemed to back himself up in his defence statement, it doesn't excuse his initial comment, which was a clear reference to Stark's sexuality.

Alec attended the funeral of Gandolfini on Thursday (June 27)

Continue reading: So, Is Alec Baldwin A Homophobe? Actor's Response Helps His Defence But Contradicts His Twitter Statement

Sleep Well, Tony: James Gandolfini, the actor who took dramatic television performances to a new level as Tony Soprano in The Sopranos, died this week aged 51. Gandolfini won three Emmy Awards for the long-running HBO series and will be sadly missed in both the film and television world.

North, East, South, West: So Kim Kardashian and Kanye didn’t call their kid Kaidence. Phew. You can all breathe a massive sigh of relief now - but make sure you’re sitting down for this one. The girl’s name is North. 

Continue reading: A Week In News: James Gandolfini Dead, Kim And Kanye’s Baby Name, World War Z’s Box Office Success

James Gandolfini was one of the most celebrated actors of his generation. He has, in light of his tragic and unexpected death following a heart attack, been called the father of the box set culture – his performance as the matriarchal mobster Tony Soprano is celebrated as the greatest TV character of all time.

He was simply brilliant as Tony

And Sopranos, in turn, is celebrated as the greatest TV show of all time. Its creator, David Chase, worked closely with Gandolfini and saw him rise to prominence as an actor, and he’s opened up on his time with the late actor. "He didn't shape the storyline and he didn't shape the writing, but he taught me a hugely important lesson about the character on the first day of shooting,” he explained in an interview with Long Island Newsday. We were soulmates. We were close in the beginning and the more it became a huge battleship, a corporation and a huge undertaking, the less time we actually saw each other, the less time we spent together discussing creative things.”

Continue reading: Sopranos Creator David Chase On James Gandolfini – Tony Soprano

James Gandolfini tragically passed away without warning on Wednesday 19 June whilst holidaying with his son in Rome, Italy. As per the New Jersey-native's family's request, the Sopranos star's body was flown back to America on Sunday (June 23) so he could be laid to rest, with the date for his funeral set for Thursday, June 27.

The TV great, who has been remembered fondly by his contemporares in the entertainment business and beyond since his passing, will be buried at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in upper Manhattan, with the service taking place at around 10am. Further services are set to be held across the country so fans can pay their respect to the actor, and his Manhattan funeral will be attended by close friends, family and co workers, with many of his Sopranos co-stars expected to pay their respects at the traditional Catholic ceremony.

Michael Gandolfini, James' 13-year-old son, was the person who found Gandolfini following his death, discovering his collapsed body in their hotel suite at the Boscolo Exedra Hotel. He quickly alerted authorities and his father was rushed to Policlinico Umberto I hospital where he was pronounced dead on arrival, with paramedics trying in vain to resuscitate the 3-time Emmy-winning actor. "The resuscitation maneuvers, including heart massage, continued for 40 minutes and then, seeing no electric activity from the heart, this was interrupted and we declared James dead," Dr. Claudio Modini told reporters on Friday (June 21).

Continue reading: Date Set For James Gandolfini's Funeral In Manhattan

Following Sopranos actor James Gandolfini’s death and the subsequent wave of condolenses from across the entertainment world and beyond, on Sunday night his body was transported back to the U.S. from Rome, Italy, where Gandolfini diedр E!Online reports. A spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey made the announcement that a plane carrying Gandolfini's body landed at Newark Liberty International Airport at 9:45 p.m. Sunday, and the actor's remains left the airport for a funeral home in New Jersey at 11:20 p.m. Since the announcement last week, fans and colleagues of Gandolfini have expressed their grief and posted tributes on various social media outlets.

Gandoflini’s family has also issued a statement, via a spokesperson, saying: "On behalf of the Gandolfini family, I would like to thank the Italian authorities for all the assistance they have rendered in expediting the formalities necessary to repatriate James Gandolfini's remains to the United States.”

Michael Cobold, on behalf of the family, continued: "It has been our privilege to be guests in your beautiful country, despite the difficult circumstances. We sincerely thank you."

Continue reading: The Body Of James Gandolfini Returns Home After The Actor Passed Away In Italy

James Gandolfini, the actor who played the the complex, unforgettable Tony Soprano on The Sopranos – a show that many have called the best television drama of all time – had other roles as well. Gandolfini played a huge variety of characters – from the calculating, conflicted mobster of The Sopranos, to a regular old thug in Killing Them Softly, to the voice of the impulsive wildling Carol in Where The Wild Things Are.

While Tony Soprano is usually cited as Gandolfini’s best and most memorable cgaracter, the actor managed to inject a sense of stability and wisdom into all of his characters, even the most ruthless ones. Even his most minor roles bore the stamp of James Gandolfini, without creating the sense that one is watching an actor playing a part – probably just the character, having randomly wondered on set. The 2001 Brad Pitt title The Mexican, if nothing else, instantly brings to mind Gandolfini’s Winston Baldri – a manipulative sociopathic killer, who none the less gives the heroine some invaluable advice and manages to fall in love and subsequently lose that love – all in the space of half an hour. Bringing this kind of complexity to a small supporting role might have been a challenge for another actor, but Gandolfini pulls it off easily enough for us to forget that he is an actor and Winston Baldri is just a character.

Continue reading: Why James Gandolfini Should Be Remembered As More Than The Unforgettable Tony Soprano

The news of Sopranos actor James Gandolfini’s death came suddenly and unexpectedly this week. They were made even more surprising by the fact that the last news of the revered actor before the announcement of his death was that Gandolfini was happy, healthy and enjoying a father/son holiday in Rome with his 13-year-old boy, according to the New York Daily News. Some photos have even been snapped of the actor enjoying a meal in Rome’s Piazza Santa Maria. The photo was snapped by a nearby American tourist on Tuesday and shows Gandolfini enjoying his el fresco dinner, while tourists stroll past in the background.

Just five days earlier, Gandolfini was excitedly planning the vacation to celebrate his son’s eighth-grade graduation. At the graduation party, Gandolfini “was amazing as usual,” Marini told the Daily News. “He seemed very healthy to me — walking around, laughing, smiling, showing his little baby girl to everybody.” That appearance continued throughout the trip, until he collapsed and died in a matter of hours on Wednesday night. He was found by his son and, despite the fast reaction and the paramedics’ efforts, he was pronounced dead on arrival. An autopsy, aimed at determining whether Gandolfini’s sudden passing has anything to do with his party habits from the past, is still pending.

Meanwhile, Gandolfini’s fans and colleagues have been flocking to express their grief and give their condolences. Edie Falco, who played the suburban wife of Gandolfini’s character on the Sopranos, had this to say about him: “My heart goes out to his family, as those of us in his pretend one hold on to the memories of our intense and beautiful time together.”

Continue reading: The Final Days Of James Gandolfini Showed No Sign Of Trouble

The news that Sopranos star James Gandolfini had died of a heart attack aged 51 seemed to transcend the usual reaction to a celebrity death. There were no quick jokes, just heartfelt tributes, none more so than from those who knew the Jersey-born actor.

Edie Falco, who shared one of the most famous, devastating and believable on-screen partnerships in TV history, issued a statement. “The love between Tony and Carmela was one of the greatest I’ve ever known,” she said. “My heart goes out to his family, as those of us in his pretend one hold on to the memories of our intense and beautiful time together.” Jamie-Lynn Sigler, who played Tony’s daughter Meadow sent her best wished. “This news has left me heartbroken,” she said. “I spent 10 years of my life studying and admiring one of the most brilliant actors, yes, but importantly one of the greatest men. I treasure my memories with him and feel so honored that I was an up-close witness to his greatness.”

Gandolfini died in Italy, while on holiday with his family and family friend Carole Marini. “There was no sign of trouble,” said Marini, wife of “Dancing with the Stars” veteran Gilles Marini. “For us, it was a shock.” His heart attack was followed by a desperate 40-minute survival effot, alas, to no avail. “The patient was considered dead on arrival,” said Dr. Claudio Modini, the emergency room chief. Sky Atlantic will be showing four classic Sopranos episodes tomorrow (Friday, June 21) in honour of the great actor.

Continue reading: James Gandolfini Recives Tributes From Family And On Screen Family

Since Anchorman 2 was confirmed, then delayed, then re-confirmed, then given an official trailer not so long ago, every time one of the cast members gives an interview, attention inevitably turns to the sequel of the 2004 comedy monolith.

So when Steve Carell spoke to The Sun about Despicable Me 2 – the upcoming animated sequel – he ended up talking more about Brick Tamland than Gru. When asked if Anchorman: The Legend Continues", which will be out in December, will be just as funny as the first, Carell replied: “It’s hard to say. I don’t want to overhype it, but I think it will be really funny.” He’s probably right not to hype it too much, as the fans will be doing that for him.

“We were in Atlanta for two months. Just imagine being with your friends for two months and laughing hard every day when you go to work,” he explained on his ‘job’. “That’s a great way to spend some time.” Carell also took the time to pay tribute to James Gandolfini, who tragically passed away aged 51 from a heart attack. “It’s a huge loss. My thoughts go to his family. He was a great guy, really sweet, generous, kind and obviously a great actor. We were supposed to do something next year. It’s a big shock.”

Continue reading: Steve Carell On Anchorman 2 And James Galdolfini's Passing

The passing of James Gandolfini, the man who brought Tony Soprano to life on the massively successful HBO series The Sopranos, has sent shockwaves across the online community and elsewhere as fans of the actor have come out in force to give their respects to the fallen acting great. The likes of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Mark Ruffalo, John Cusack and Sopranos creator David Chase are among those who have since come forward to pay their respects to the attention-shy star, each speaking in the highest esteem for the actor.

Gandolfini was notoriously personal and attention shy, rarely giving interviews and avoiding many major productions because he was wary of the exposure he'd get and of the demanding work hours usually required. But Gandolfini was by no means a lazy man, nor did he lack the acting ability that could have seen him become one of the most acclaimed actors fo the last ten years - not that his portrayal of Tony Soprano has earned him anything other than praise. But James Joseph Gandolfini, Jr. was never in the acting game for praise, only for a love of the art he eventually became increasingly disenfranchised with. The actor famously quipped about acting, "It is an odd way to make a living. Putting someone else's pants on and pretending to be someone else is occasionally, as you grow older, horrifying."

Understandably, people from across the entertainment business and from even further afield have paid their respects to James in some way or another. David Chase, creator of The Sopranos, called Gandolfini "a genius" and "his partner and brother," in a statement made after the announcement of his death, with New Jersey Governor Chris Christie going on to call Gandolfini "a New Jersey treasure."

Continue reading: The Modest Life Of James Gandolfini; TV Icon And "New Jersey Treasure"

The greatest TV show of all time has another prestigious accolade to boast of, as The Writers Guild of America considers it the best written show of all time.

It tops a list that contains the likes of Mad Men, The Wire, Breaking Bad and older hits like The Twilight Zone, M.A.S.H and All In The Family. Airing from 1999 to 2007, The Sopranos redefined the genre of drama, placing viewers in a world of crime and extortion, while simultaneously exploring the intricacies of family life and the human condition. James Gandolfini was lauded for his extraordinary turn as Tony Soprano, and has only sporadically acted since his mammoth 6-season role as the New Jersey crime lynchpin. On Metacritic, The Sopranos rarely got an overall season rating, apart from the last, which managed a whopping 96%. It’s a good list for Mad Men too, which is the highest ranked show that is currently on the air. The AMC show has been increasingly popular over the years, and is currently in its fifth season.

Some controversies, though; The Wire – considered, like The Sopranos, to be one of the best – only just made the top 10, while The Simpsons, which has managed an unprecedented 25 seasons, didn’t. Louis C.K’s Louie, which challenges the conventions of traditional writing, is way down at #99; a surprise considering the critics have called it one of the best comedies of its generation. And of course, there were a few notable exceptions too, with more modern series taking up the majority of the list.

Continue reading: It’s Yet Another Honour For The Sopranos – Writer’s Guild Considers It The Best Ever

One good thing to come out of SXSW this year (well, depending who you ask, of course), was The Incredible Burt Wonderstone. The Don Scardino-directed flick tells the story of a couple of childhood friends, whose friendship grows based on their shared love of magic, until they eventually grow up to become a world-famous magician duo. If that synopsis isn’t enough, the cast of Burt Wonderstone should certainly impress you – starring Steve Carell and Jim Carrey, the film also features names like Olivia Wilde, Steve Buscemi and James Gandolfini.

Burt Wonderstone premiered to a discerning crowd at the opening day of South By South West and the cast used the huge music, film and technology forum to have some fun. Jim Carrey decided to show up to the premiere in a red jacket and silver shoes in the style of his character. In light of the movie’s release, Carrey also commented on the strange relationship he’s had with magic: "I've always had this weird relationship with magic. I think it's fascinating and yet it annoys me because I can't figure it out." Well, let’s hope he can at least fake it convincingly.

The Incredible Burt Wonderstone hits theatres on March 15. In the mean time, you can catch the film trailer below.

Continue reading: Incredible Burt Wonderstone Premiered At The Opening Of SXSW This Week

Steve Carell is probably still funny to 14 year olds, and that's great. He's still got a market and he's still making plenty of movies, and plenty of money from them, so good on him. Once again however, his latest role looks abysmal. He's playing the eponymous magician of The Incredible Burt Wonderstone.

Having been enamoured as a child by television magicians he, along with his best friend Anton Marvelton (Steve Buscemi), makes it his career. Making it to be Las Vegas stars, eventually their act slowly goes down the pan, facing fierce competition from a long haired, dip-dyed street magician named Steve Gray, played by Jim Carrey (recently said to be the planet's funniest person by Judd Appatow). As the latest trailer shows, their gradually competing acts are something of a parody of the likes of David Blaine. However, Burt Wonderstone manages to enlist the help of the man that inspired him in the first place: Rance Holloway, played by the brilliant Alan Arkin. 

Despite having an impressive cast (Olivia Wilde and James Gandolfini also appear), from initial views of the trailer, it looks pretty terrible. We might be eating our words come March 15, 2013, and we'll happily do so, but it looks unlikely. Take a look at the trailer to decide for yourself: 

Continue reading: Steve Carrell, Jim Carrey And Alan Arkin's New Trailer For The Incredible Burt Wonderstone

The highlight of this week’s movie releases is, unarguable. This is the time of year that many major releases come smothered in a blanket of ‘will it / won’t it’ chatter, with regards to Oscar nominations. The run-up to the release of the Brad Pitt-starring Killing Them Softly has been muted, though and it looks as though the Academy might be glossing over this particular mob tale.

Of course, gangster stories, in themselves, are nothing new in Hollywood but Killing Them Softly is showing signs of being one of the better ones. The perfect mix of dark drama and dark humour, Pitt leads a stellar cast, including James Gandolfini, and Ray Liotta (gangster movie essentials, no?) and director Andrew Domink has wooed the critics, thus far, causing Andrew O’Hehir of Salon.com to comment “It has a weird, buzzing, intense quality that has burrowed its way deep into my brain like some invasive sci-fi organism.” It remains to be seen, though, whether the folk over at the Academy decide it’s worthy of a nod.

Watch the trailer for Killing Them Softly

Continue reading: Hot Tickets! This Weekend’s US Movie Releases, Killing Them Softly, The Collection, Universal Soldier, Craptastic (Addicted To Fame)

The new trailer for Osama bin Laden takedown movie Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow came out yesterday (October, 11 2012).

The movie, from Hurt Locker creator Kathryn Bigelow, follows the decade-long hunt for the Al Qaeda chief, which culminated in the death of the supposed mastermind of 9/11. This dramatic trailer shows the C.I.A plotting leading up to the events, as well as the lead female character, Jessica Chastain, who takes the central role alongside Joel Edgerton, Chris Pratt and Kyle Chandler in the tense drama. Sopranos lead James Gandolfini is the former CIA chief Leon Panetta and Mark Strong is a CIA official who voices the agency’s frustration at not finding the man behind the terrorist attacks in New York. The film is set for a December release in the U.S, hitting cinemas on the 19th of that month, whilst UK film fans will have to wait until a month after Christmas, as it doesn’t cross the pond until January 26, 2013.

Bigelow won Best Achievement in Directing and Motion Picture for The Hurt Locker, beating out film giant, and ex-husband, James Cameron in the process, whose fantasy epic Avatar was expected to clean up at the awards. Her latest offering won’t be out in time to be recognised by the next Academy Awards, but you can expect her to be in the running come 2014.

Of course, comparing David Chase's big screen offering 'Not Fade Away' with his magnum opus 'The Sopranos' would be futile, though many will be unable to sit through the saga of mobsters and violence in New Jersey without sparing a thought for James Gandolfini and Tony Soprano; partly because Gandolfini stars in the new movie.

The movie - which premiered at the New York Film Festival this week - is essentially a coming-of-age story set in the early 1960s, when rock music and rebellion became truly intertwined. The plot centers on an aspiring singer-songwriter named Douglas (John Magaro) and his traditionally minded father, played by Gandolfini. The 51-year-old isn't the only Sopranos alumni to join Chase on 'Not Fade Away' - Steve Van Zandt served as music supervisor on the movie and taught the actors to play hits by The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and The Kinks during a three-month musical "boot camp", reports Reuters. Van Zandt, a guitarist in Bruce Springsteen's famed E Street band, played mobster Silvio Dante on HBO's hit television series, which ended five years ago. Speaking at a press briefing in New York, the musician said of the cast, "They're a band now. They could perform at a party tonight.It took me, like, 10 years to learn what they learned in three months."

Early reception to the film has been positive, with The Hollywood Reporter's David Rooney writing, "In his first feature, David Chase returns to the New Jersey suburbs to cast a bittersweet glance back at the rock-fueled restlessness of the Sixties." ScreenCrush's Matt Singer focused his praise on filmmaker Chase, calling him, "the total package: a visual storyteller with a great ear for dialogue."