DVD Empire

Gil Says Goodbye To C.S.I.

2008-07-16T14:16:00.003-04:00

Actor William Petersen has decided to end his stint as a permanent cast member on CBS’s hit forensic show, C.S.I., where he plays lead investigator Gil Grissom.

But just because Petersen is saying so-long as a full-time member of the cast, that doesn’t mean viewers have seen the last of Gil. Petersen remains one of C.S.I.’s executive producers, and has promised to return to the show for future episodes. Petersen’s final appearance as a full-time member of the cast will come in Episode 10 of the new season this Fall.

In the meantime, C.S.I. producers are looking to find a new “big name” lead for the show…with rumors that either Laurence Fishburne or Kurt Russell may be joining the cast. Reportedly, actor John Malkovich already turned down an offer.

George Carlin Dies

2008-06-23T07:45:00.004-04:00

One of the world's most beloved comedians, George Carlin, died yesterday - the result of heart failure after being taken to St. John's Health Center in Santa Monica complaining of chest pain.

Carlin is best known for his "Seven Words You Can Never Say On TV" bit, which landed him in jail back in 1972 on charges of disturbing the peace. The charges against Carlin were dropped, but a later Supreme Court ruling in 1978 said that the government could fine radio stations for the use of such language.

Carlin was also the first-ever host of Saturday Night Live; the winner of four Grammy Awards for Best Comedy Album; and a five-time Emmy nominee. Some of his more notable movie appearances include Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure, Jersey Girl, and as the voice of "Fillmore" in Cars.

George Carlin was 71 years old.

Special Effects Genius Stan Winston Dies

2008-06-17T13:10:00.004-04:00

Stan Winston, a Special Effects Oscar winner who was the man behind both the dinosaurs of Jurassic Park and the metal warrior of The Terminator, died Sunday after a prolonged battle with cancer.

Winston was currently working on a number of different projects, including next summer’s G.I. Joe and Terminator: Salvation movies. He was also working on James Cameron’s Avatar, due out Christmas 2009. Winston was also behind the special effects of this summer’s biggest hit, Iron Man.

Stan Winston was 62 years old.

Sydney Pollack Dies

2008-05-27T10:00:00.006-04:00

One of the most prolific directors in America, Sydney Pollack has died at the age of 73.

Pollack helmed some of Hollywood’s most memorable films, including Out of Africa, Tootsie, Absence of Malice, The Firm, Three Days of the Condor, and The Way We Were.

Pollack was also a notable character actor in his own right, turning in notable performances in such films as Husbands And Wives, Eyes Wide Shut, and Michael Clayton; as well as TV appearances in shows like Will & Grace and The Sopranos. His final screen appearance is in Made Of Honor.

Speed Racer Crashes & Burns

2008-05-12T10:43:00.003-04:00

It’s not even June yet, and already the 2008 Summer Movie season has its first casualty.

Speed Racer, the Wachowski Brothers big budget adaptation of the popular cartoon was only able to bring in a little over $20 million dollars in its opening weekend – barely squeaking out a second place finish at the box office, and almost assuring studio Warner Bros. that they won’t recoup the estimated $100 to $120 million budget of the movie.

The film was ravished with almost universal harsh reviews, although a few online reviewers gave positive nods.

Meanwhile, Iron Man continued to impress, finishing in the top spot again with a $50.5 million take this past weekend. Its current take stands at $177 million domestically, and over $276 million worldwide.

"Nowhere Man" Creator Herzog Dies

2008-05-08T09:48:00.004-04:00

If it wasn’t for the obituary in my latest issue of Variety, I wouldn’t even have known one of the entertainment industry’s best talents had passed away. And the truth of the matter is, sadly, most of you have never heard of Lawrence Hertzog.

But Lawrence was the mind behind one of TV’s best series (which most of you probably haven’t seen), Nowhere Man – a mix of action, science-fiction and paranoia that ranked right up there with The Prisoner and The Fugitive in terms of “watchablity”.

Herzog was also a writer for such shows as 24, Profiler, La Femme Nikita, and Hart To Hart, among others.

Lawrence died of cancer on April 19th. He may not have been well known among TV fans, but his talents will certainly be missed.

An Ironclad Weekend

2008-05-05T14:54:00.003-04:00

Summer may not officially start until June 20th, but for millions of movie fans around the world, it started this past weekend as Iron Man raked in over $100 million at the U.S. box office, and over $200 million worldwide. In all, Iron Man proved to be the second biggest debut of a superhero franchise in history, falling short of only Spider-Man’s $114 million take back in 2002.

Iron Man received almost universally positive reviews, so it’s not known yet how much of an impact that had on the movie’s take. Speed Racer, which so far has gotten less-than-stellar reviews from those who have seen the film, opens this Friday. Its box office returns should put in perspective whether this will be a huge summer for Hollywood or if moviegoers are going to be more selective with how they spend their entertainment dollars.

Iron-fans can relax when it comes to wondering how long it will be before they see the hero on screen again – Marvel has already announced the sequel, due to hit screens in the Summer of 2010.

Snipes Headed For The Slammer

2008-04-25T15:39:00.008-04:00

The taxman cometh for actor Wesley Snipes, and the outcome isn’t good.

After being found guilty back on February 1st of three counts of willingly failing to submit his income taxes, the judge threw the book at him – charging Snipes with the maximum sentence, which was one year behind bars on each charge. Snipes will have to serve the time consecutively – resulting in a sentence of three years in prison.

Although Snipes read a statement before he was charged stating “I’m very sorry for my mistakes,” at no time did the word “taxes” cross his lips. “I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance," he added.

Snipes also owes and must pay $17 million in back taxes, $5 million of which he attempted to present to the court before his sentence was handed down. Although the judge could not take the money, an IRS representative was on hand to accept the payment.

Snipes legal team has stated they are planning to appeal. Wesley is currently free on bond until summoned to surrender to the authorities.

Del Toro To Helm "Hobbit" Movies

2008-04-25T15:04:00.003-04:00

In a decision that is bound to have fan-boys all over the world drooling, Director Guillermo Del Toro has been named as the new director of the upcoming “Hobbit” movies.

Prequels to the Lord of the Rings trilogy (directed by Peter Jackson, who is Executive Producing the “Hobbit” films), the two movies will be shot back-to-back in New Zealand over the next four years. New Zealand also served as the location for the Lord of the Rings shoot.

Del Toro is the director of such popular genre films as Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy, Blade II, and this summer’s Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

Charlton Heston (1924-2008)

2008-04-06T08:12:00.004-04:00

Iconic actor Charlton Heston passed away last night at his home in Beverly Hills. Heston had been in the advance stages of Alzheimer’s disease, which he publicly announced he had been diagnosed with back in 2002.

Heston appeared in over 100 movies, including his Oscar-winning performance as the title character in the epic Ben-Hur. Heston was also well known for his portrayal of Moses in The Ten Commandments, as well as astronaut George Taylor in Planet of the Apes. Other notable Heston films include The Greatest Show On Earth, Touch of Evil, El Cid, Soylent Green and Earthquake.

Heston was also very involved in politics, with his most notable public role being named president of the National Rifle Association in 1998, and giving a widely scrutinized speech in 2000 about gun rights when he held a musket in the air and proclaimed “I’ll give you my gun when you take it from my cold, dead hands.”

Heston also served as president of the Screen Actors Guild from 1966 to 1971. In 2003, he was the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

Heston is survived by his wife Lydia, whom he married in 1944, as well as a son and a daughter.

Charlton Heston was 83-years-old.

Seinfeld Okay After Crash

2008-04-03T13:38:00.003-04:00

It was no joke as comedian Jerry Seinfeld lost control of his 1967 Fiat BTM when the brakes failed to function.

Seinfeld was driving alone back to his home in East Hampton, NY, when the brakes went out on him. To avoid zooming into a busy intersection, Seinfeld swerved the car out of the way, flipping it over in the process. Amazingly, he walked away from the accident without injury.

Humor still firmly attached, Seinfeld was quoted as saying "Because I know there are kids out there, I want to make sure they all know that driving without braking is not something I recommend, unless you have professional clown training or a comedy background, as I do."

Director Anthony Minghella Dies

2008-03-18T10:57:00.007-04:00

Anthony Minghella, the Academy Award winning director of The English Patient, has died.

As of this writing, no cause of death has been released.

Minghella was also the director of such notable films as The Talented Mr. Ripley and Cold Mountain. He was also one of the executive producers for this year’s Oscar nominated hit, Michael Clayton.

Anthony Minghella was 54-years-old.

Patrick Swayze Has Cancer

2008-03-06T08:06:00.006-05:00

At first it seemed like one of those cruel internet rumors: Patrick Swayze, star of hit films as Ghost and Dirty Dancing, has pancreatic cancer and might have only five weeks to live. The source of the report was the National Enquirer, so many received it with some skepticism.

But as the day went on, the worst was confirmed – Swayze is indeed battling the deadly disease. However, sources close to the actor say reports that he may only have weeks to live are unfounded.

In a statement released by Swayze’s doctor, George Fisher, the physician was quoted as saying “Patrick has a very limited amount of disease and he appears to be responding well to treatment thus far. All of the reports stating the time frame of his prognosis and his physical side effects are absolutely untrue. We are considerably more optimistic."

However, even if Swayze’s health isn’t as grave as initially reported, pancreatic cancer is a serious battle – with statistics showing a survival rate of only 1 in 20 within five years of the disease’s detection.

On behalf of all Swayze’s fans, DVD Empire would like to send him our best wishes and hopes that Patrick will give this disease the ‘ol James Dalton “It’s my way or the highway” beatdown.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Patrick.

Oscars For Old Men

2008-02-25T08:01:00.002-05:00

There were no big surprises at the 80th Academy Awards, although some minor shockers came in the female categories, as French actress Marion Cotillard took home Best Actress for La Vie En Rose, while Brit Tilda Swinton got Best Supporting Actress for her role in Michael Clayton.

In fact, all four of the acting awards went to Europeans this year, as Daniel Day-Lewis captured his much-expected Best Actor Oscar for There Will Be Blood, and Spaniard Javier Bardem won Best Supporting Actor for No Country For Old Men.

Bardem’s trophy was only one of many for Joel and Ethan Coen’s dark film, as No Country For Old Men also went home with Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.

As for the Oscar ceremony itself, second-time host Jon Stewart seemed much more comfortable this time around – and while this year’s awards may not be among the most memorable, Stewart did nothing to embarrass himself, and even scored some points when he allowed Best Original Song winner Marketa Irglova to return to the stage to give an acceptance speech after she was abruptly cut off before a commercial break.

The only black mark on this year’s telecast was the inexcusable absence of the recently-passed Roy Scheider during the “In Memoriam” reel. Shame on you, Oscar.

Writer's Strike Ends

2008-02-13T09:49:00.004-05:00

Praise to the TV gods – the Writer’s Strike is finally over. But what does that mean for your favorite TV shows?

The good news is that your favorite daily and late night talk shows will be back up and running in no time. Programs like The Daily Show, The Tonight Show and Late Night With Conan O’Brien will all have their writing staffs back on duty as early as this week (David Letterman, of course, had already cut a deal with the WGA to use writers during the strike).

But what about your favorite primetime shows? Well, since it will take a good six weeks or more to get new episodes onto the air, the major networks have been deciding which shows to bring back this spring and which shows will just wait until the fall.

Shows that you won’t see coming back any time soon include 24 (which fans won’t see until January of 2009!), Heroes, Las Vegas, Chuck and Pushing Daisies. Shows that fans will see more of before summer gets here consist of Lost, The Office, Grey’s Anatomy and the various incarnations of C.S.I.

So while the strike is officially over, the effects are going to linger a little while longer for television viewers.

Chief Brody Shown The Way Home...

2008-02-11T07:20:00.000-05:00

DVD Empire is saddened to report the passing of one of our favorite actors: Roy Scheider – best known for his portrayal of Police Chief Martin Brody in Jaws.

Scheider, who was 75, died Sunday. Although the reason for his death was not released, the actor had been suffering from multiple myeloma for several years. It’s a cancer of the plasma cells that is incurable, but often treatable.

In addition to his performances in Jaws and its first sequel, Scheider was known for his roles in TV’s SeaQuest DSV, and the movies 2010 and Blue Thunder. He received two Oscar nominations during his career: one for Best Supporting Actor in 1971’s The French Connection; and one for Best Actor in 1979’s All That Jazz.

We’ll miss you, Roy. Heaven’s going to need a bigger boat.

Sopranos Big Winners At SAG Awards

2008-01-28T14:10:00.000-05:00

The Screen Actors Guild Awards were given out last night, and the big winner was The Sopranos, who took home the trophies for Best Ensamble Cast of a television drama, along with Best Actor and Best Actress nods for James Gandolfini and Edie Falco.

In the movie category, No Country For Old Men took home the SAG Award for Best Ensamble in a motion picture, while Daniel Day-Lewis (There Will Be Blood) and Julie Christie (Away From Her) took home Best Actor and Best Actress.

The biggest surprise of the evening was in the Best Supporting Actress category, where first-time nominee, but long-time actress Ruby Dee won for her rather small part in American Gangster.

For a complete list of the winners, CLICK HERE.

Heath Ledger (1979 - 2008)

2008-01-23T08:04:00.000-05:00

Actor Heath Ledger, known best for his Oscar nominated role in Brokeback Mountain and for his portrayal of The Joker in the upcoming Batman film, was found dead yesterday in his apartment in New York City. Ledger was only 28-years-old.

According to the New York Police Department, Ledger died of an overdose, although at press time all indications point to an accidental one. A report is due from the medical examiner later this week.

Ledger, who is a native of Perth, Australia, was widely considered as one of Hollywood’s best young talents and was also critically acclaimed for his performances in movies like Candy, Monster’s Ball and Ned Kelly.

Oscar Nominations Announced

2008-01-22T09:12:00.000-05:00

There Will Be Blood and No Country For Old Men led the pack of Oscar nominees this morning, in what is sure to be a tight race in almost every category. Both pictures nabbed 8 Oscar nominations, while the films Michael Clayton and Atonement were not far behind, with 7 nods each.

There Will Be Blood picked up nominations that included Best Picture, Best Actor (Daniel Day-Lewis)and Best Director (Paul Thomas Anderson); while No Country For Old Men got nominated for Best Picture, Best Supporting Actor (Javier Bardem), and Best Director (Joel Coen and Ethan Coen).

The complete list of nominees for Best Picture consists of Atonement, Juno, Michael Clayton, No Country For Old Men and There Will Be Blood.

The Oscar winners will be announced on February 24th.

For a complete list of the nominees, CLICK HERE.

Golden Globes Cancelled

2008-01-08T07:24:00.000-05:00

The 65th annual Golden Globe Awards have been cancelled, due to the continuing writer’s strike and the WGA’s confirmation that none of nominees would be crossing the picket lines to pick up their awards.

Instead, this year's awards will be announced during a one-hour press conference that is scheduled to be covered by NBC News this Sunday at 9pm EST. At press time, it was unclear whether the press conference would air on NBC, sister station MSNBC, or not at all.

Atonement Leads Golden Globe Nods

2007-12-13T10:24:00.000-05:00

The British World War II drama Atonement led the 2008 Golden Globe nominations, which were announced earlier this morning. Atonement is adapted from the Ian McEwan novel of the same name and tells the story of two lovers whose romance falls apart when the younger sister of the female half of the couple accuses the male of a horrendous crime.

Included in the nominations for Atonement are ones for Best Motion Picture (Drama); Best Actress (Keira Knightley); Best Actor (James McAvoy); Best Supporting Actress (Saoirse Ronan); and Best Director (Joe Wright).

Also nominated for Best Picture (Drama) were the films American Gangster; Eastern Promises; The Great Debaters; Michael Clayton; No Country For Old Men; and There Will Be Blood. The nominees for Best Picture (Comedy or Musical) consisted of Across The Universe; Charlie Wilson’s War; Hairspray; Juno; and Sweeney Todd.

In the television categories, FX Network’s Damages and the HBO film Longford led the way, with four nominations each. Damages’ nominations included ones for Best Television Series (Drama) and Best Actress (Glenn Close); while Longford’s nods included ones for Best Made For Television Mini-Series or Motion Picture and Best Actor (Jim Broadbent).

The Golden Globes will be presented on Sunday, January 13th on NBC. Click HERE for the full list of this year’s nominees.

National Board Names "No Country" Best Picture

2007-12-06T14:39:00.000-05:00

The National Board of Review has named directors Joel and Ethan Coen's No Country For Old Men as the best film of 2007.

In the first major awards ceremony of the season, awards also went out to George Clooney as Best Actor for Michael Clayton; Julie Christie as Best Actress for Away From Her; and Tim Burton as Best Director for Sweeney Todd.

Best Animated Film went to Ratatouille, while Body Of War won Best Documentary.

While the National Board awards can be a good indication of what the Academy Award nominees could be, they haven't - at least in recent years - been a good indicator of who will win the Oscar for Best Picture.

The last time the National Board winner matched the Oscar winner for Best Picture was in 1999, when American Beauty won both awards.

Writers Strike Looming

2007-11-02T10:21:00.000-04:00

If you thought re-runs were bad in the summer, you ain't seen nothing yet.

The Writers Guild of America met last night and agreed to recommend to their union leaders that they go on strike. The strike could begin as early as Monday, although there is room for some last-minute negotiating at the bargain table this weekend.

What would a strike mean for you, the television viewer? Well, a lot more reality-based shows like Dancing With The Stars and American Idol. It could also mean some of your favorite shows will suddenly vanish and go into re-run mode, since few have completed filming their full compliment of shows for the television season. Other shows, like FOX's upcoming Season 7 of 24 and ABC's Season 4 of Lost may not hit airwaves at all for a while, since only about 1/3rd of those seasons' episodes have been shot to this point.

Obviously, the longer a strike goes on, the more impact it has. Movie-goers won't immediately notice the impact of the strike, but an ongoing strike will mean new movies won't be produced.

The major dispute of the WGA is over how DVD and Internet profits are divided.

And if things weren't bad enough, a possible strike by the Screen Actors Guild is possible in June of 2008, and the Directors Guild contract expires not long after that.

24 Preview

2007-10-25T08:07:00.001-04:00

Can't wait for 24 to return this January? We've got a sneak preview for you...but beware, major spoliers ahead!

Jack's on trial, the country is under attack (again!), and an old friend from the past may be Jack Bauer's deadliest enemy yet.

Click below to see the Season 7 trailer!

Tick, tick...tick, tick...

Jack Bauer In Jail?

2007-09-26T15:44:00.000-04:00

Actor Kiefer Sutherland faces possible jail time after being arrested for the second time on charges of driving while under the influence.

Sutherland was arrested early Tuesday morning after being spotted making an illegal U-turn by police. After failing a Breathalyzer test, Kiefer was arrested and booked. He posted bond at $25,000 and is scheduled to appear in court on October 16th.

Since Sutherland is already on probation from a first offence in 2004, he not only faces charges associated with the DUI, but charges of violating his probation. Under California law, the punishment for violating probation is a mandatory five days in jail.

Where's Chloe O'Brian when you need her?!