Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide
''Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide'' was a book-format collection of movie capsule reviews that began in 1969, was updated biannually after 1978, and then annually after 1986. The final edition was published in September 2014. It was originally called ''TV Movies'', which became ''Leonard Maltin's TV Movies and Video Guide'', and then ''Leonard Maltin's Movie and Video Guide'', before arriving at its final title. Film critic Leonard Maltin edited it and contributed a large portion of its reviews. Features The book used a star rating system. The lowest rating was "BOMB", followed by one and a half stars, rising in half-star increments to a maximum of four stars, and frequently giving out two-and-a-half star (**1/2) reviews. The sole exception to this was '' Naked Gun : The Final Insult'', which was rated with two and one third stars out of four, referencing the film's title. Maltin did not cover direct-to-video films because of their great number (six released each week by 1994). M ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Leonard Maltin
Leonard Michael Maltin (born December 18, 1950) is an American film critic, film historian, and author. He is known for his book of film capsule reviews, '' Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide'', published from 1969 to 2014. Maltin was the film critic on ''Entertainment Tonight'' from 1982 to 2012. He currently teaches at the USC School of Cinematic Arts and hosts the weekly podcast ''Maltin on Movies''. He served two terms as President of the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, and votes for films to be selected for the National Film Registry. He has written books on animation and the history of film. He has also hosted numerous specials and provided commentary for several films. In 2021, he released his memoir, ''Starstruck: My Unlikely Road to Hollywood''. He received the Robert Osborne Award from Turner Classic Movies in 2022. Early life and education Maltin was born in New York City, the son of singer Jacqueline (née Gould; 1923–2012) and Aaron Isaac Maltin (1915–2002 ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Rhetorical Question
A rhetorical question is a question asked for a purpose other than to obtain information. In many cases it may be intended to start a discourse, as a means of displaying or emphasizing the speaker's or author's opinion on a topic. A simple example is the question "Can't you do anything right?" This question is not intended to ask about the listener's competence but rather to insinuate their lack of it. Forms Negative assertions A rhetorical question may be intended as a challenge. The question is often difficult or impossible to answer. In the example, "What have the Romans ever done for us?" (''Monty Python's Life of Brian'') the question functions as a negative assertion. It is intended to mean "The Romans have never done anything for us!" When Shakespeare's Mark Antony exclaims, "Here was a Caesar! When comes such another?" it functions as an assertion that Caesar possesses such rare qualities they may never be seen again. (''Julius Caesar'', Act 3, scene 2, 257) Rhetorical qu ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Cannonball Run II
''Cannonball Run II'' is a 1983 American action comedy film starring Burt Reynolds and an all-star cast, released by Warner Bros. and Golden Harvest. The film is the second installment of the ''Cannonball Run'' trilogy and a sequel to ''The Cannonball Run'' (1981). Like the first film, it is set around an illegal cross-country race. This marked the final feature film appearances of Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra. Their appearances, coupled with those of Sammy Davis Jr. marked the final on-screen appearance of the Rat Pack team. The film also marked the final film appearance of Jim Nabors before his death in November 2017. The film also featured Jackie Chan in his third Hollywood role. Plot Having lost the first Cannonball Run race, Sheik Abdul ben Falafel is ordered by his father, the King, to go back to America and win another Cannonball Run in order to "emblazon the Falafel name as the fastest in the world". When Sheik Abdul points out that there is no Cannonball Run that y ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Cannonball Run
''The Cannonball Run'' is a 1981 action-comedy film directed by Hal Needham, produced by Hong Kong firm Golden Harvest, and distributed by 20th Century-Fox. Filmed in Panavision, it features an all-star ensemble cast, including Burt Reynolds, Dom DeLuise, Roger Moore, Farrah Fawcett, Jackie Chan, Sammy Davis Jr. and Dean Martin. The film is based on the 1979 running of the Cannonball Baker Sea-to-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, an actual cross-country outlaw road race beginning in Connecticut and ending in California. It was the sixth-highest-grossing domestic film of 1981 and became the first installment of the ''Cannonball Run'' trilogy. It was followed by '' Cannonball Run II'' (1983) (which was far less successful at the box office and with critics) and '' Speed Zone'' (1989). This film and its sequel were the final film appearances of actor Dean Martin. It also featured Jackie Chan in his second Hollywood role. '' Cannonball'' (1976) and '' The Gumball Rally'' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Bonfire Of The Vanities (film)
''The Bonfire of the Vanities'' is a 1990 American satirical black comedy film directed and produced by Brian De Palma and starring Tom Hanks, Bruce Willis, Melanie Griffith, Kim Cattrall, and Morgan Freeman. The screenplay, written by Michael Cristofer, was adapted from the bestselling 1987 novel of the same name by Tom Wolfe. The film was panned by critics and underperformed at the box office, grossing just $15.6 million against its $47 million budget. The controversies surrounding the film were detailed in the 1991 book ''The Devil's Candy: The Bonfire of the Vanities Goes to Hollywood'', by Julie Salamon. Plot Sherman McCoy is a Wall Street bond trader who makes millions while enjoying the good life and the sexual favors of Maria Ruskin, a Southern belle gold digger. Sherman and Maria are driving back to Maria's apartment from JFK Airport when they take a wrong turn on the expressway and find themselves in the "war-zone" of the South Bronx. They are approached by t ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Bobby Deerfield
''Bobby Deerfield'' is a 1977 American romantic drama film directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Al Pacino and Marthe Keller. Based on Erich Maria Remarque's 1961 novel '' Heaven Has No Favorites'', it is about a famous American race car driver on the European circuit who falls in love with an enigmatic Swiss woman who is terminally ill. Pacino was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor – Motion Picture Drama. The movie uses clips from the 1976 Formula One season. Plot Formula One auto racer Bobby Deerfield is a calculating, control-obsessed loner who has become used to winning the checkered flag on the track. But when he witnesses a fiery crash that kills a teammate and seriously wounds a competitor, he becomes unsettled by thoughts of death. During a visit to the survivor, Deerfield's world is further set askew when he meets Lillian Morelli, a quirky, impulsive woman who is racing against time after being diagnosed with terminal cancer. Cast * Al Pacino a ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Best Of The Best (1989 Film)
''Best of the Best'' is a 1989 American sports film directed by Bob Radler, and produced by Phillip Rhee, who also co-wrote the story and co-stars in the film. The film starred Eric Roberts, James Earl Jones, Sally Kirkland, Simon Rhee and Chris Penn. The plot revolves around a team of American martial artists facing a team of South Korean martial artists in a tournament. Several subplots pop up in the story — moral conflicts, the power of the human spirit triumphing over adversity and the meaning of life are some themes. Set and filmed in Los Angeles, California, and Seoul, South Korea, between February 13 and April 6, 1989, ''Best of the Best'' was released on November 10, 1989. The film has spawned three sequels: '' Best of the Best II'' (1993), '' Best of the Best 3: No Turning Back'' (1995), and '' Best of the Best 4: Without Warning'' (1998). Phillip Rhee portrays Tommy Lee in all four films, produced all of them, directed the third and fourth films, and co-wrote the fir ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Benchwarmers
''The Benchwarmers'' is a 2006 American sports-comedy film directed by Dennis Dugan, written by Allen Covert and Nick Swardson, and produced by Adam Sandler and Jack Giarraputo. The film stars Rob Schneider, David Spade, Jon Heder, Jon Lovitz, Craig Kilborn, Molly Sims, and Tim Meadows, with Swardson, Erinn Bartlett, Amaury Nolasco, Bill Romanowski, Sean Salisbury, Matt Weinberg, John Farley, Reggie Jackson, and Joe Gnoffo in supporting roles. It tells the story of three nerds and a billionaire forming a titular baseball team to take on Little League teams. Produced by Sandler's production company Happy Madison Productions in association with Revolution Studios, ''The Benchwarmers'' was released in the United States on April 7, 2006, by Columbia Pictures. The film was met with negative reviews. A direct-to-video sequel titled ''Benchwarmers 2: Breaking Balls'' was released in January 2019. Plot Gus Matthews, Richie Goodman, and Clark Reedy are adult " nerds" who spent ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Battlefield Earth (film)
''Battlefield Earth'' is a 2000 American science fiction film based on the 1982 novel of the same name by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard. It was directed by Roger Christian from a script by Corey Mandell and J. David Shapiro, starring John Travolta, Barry Pepper, and Forest Whitaker. The film follows a human rebellion against the alien Psychlos, who have ruled Earth for 1,000 years. Travolta, a Scientologist, began adapting ''Battlefield Earth'' in the mid-1990s. He was unable to obtain major studio funding because of concerns regarding the script and its connections to Scientology. In 1998, it was picked up by the independent production company Franchise Pictures, which specialized in rescuing pet projects. Production began in 1999, largely funded by the German distribution company Intertainment AG. Travolta, as co-producer, also contributed millions of dollars; he envisioned ''Battlefield Earth'' as the first in a two-part adaptation of the book, as it only covers th ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Ecks Vs
{{disambiguation ...
Ecks may refer to: * X, a letter of the Latin alphabet * Sumach Ecks (born 1978), American musician and yogi * Ecks, a boss character in the 2024 Nintendo Switch game '' Mario & Luigi: Brothership'' * Jeremiah Ecks, a character in the film '' Ballistic: Ecks vs. Sever'' See also * Eck (other) * X (other) X is the 24th letter of the English alphabet. X may also refer to: Art, entertainment, and media Fictional entities * X (Dark Horse Comics), a character and its namesake series * X (''Mega Man''), protagonist of the ''Mega Man X'' video ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Anything Else
''Anything Else'' is a 2003 American romantic comedy film written and directed by Woody Allen, produced by Letty Aronson, and starring Allen, Jason Biggs, Stockard Channing, Danny DeVito, Jimmy Fallon, and Christina Ricci. The film premiered as the opening night selection of the 60th Venice International Film Festival. It was released theatrically in the United States on September 19, 2003, to mixed reviews. Plot Jerry Falk, an aspiring writer living in New York City, has a girlfriend, Brooke. He falls in love with Amanda and has an affair with her. Brooke learns of Jerry's infidelity and leaves him, while Amanda leaves her own boyfriend for Jerry. Jerry turns to aging, struggling artist David Dobel, who acts as his mentor, which includes trying to help sort out Jerry's romantic life. Dobel says that when he told a cab driver of all his anxieties and phobias in life, the cab driver told him, "It's like anything else". Dobel tries to convince Jerry that his manager is only hol ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Woody Allen
Heywood Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American filmmaker, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades. Allen has received many List of awards and nominations received by Woody Allen, accolades, including the most nominations (16) for the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. He has won four Academy Awards, ten British Academy Film Awards, BAFTA Awards, two Golden Globe Awards and a Grammy Award, as well as nominations for a Primetime Emmy Award, Emmy Award and a Tony Award. Allen was awarded an Golden Lion, Honorary Golden Lion in 1995, the BAFTA Fellowship in 1997, an Palme d'Or, Honorary Palme d'Or in 2002, and the Golden Globe Cecil B. DeMille Award in 2014. Two of his films have been inducted into the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. Allen began his career writing material for television in the 1950s, alongside Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner, Larry Gelbart, and Neil Simon. He also published several books o ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |