Billy Crystal

Academy Releases Trailer for 84th Annual Awards

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: January 5th, 2012 at 5:53 pm

In a new trailer, Josh Duhamel and Megan Fox team up at the behest of William Fichtner to track down a mysterious figure who has fallen “off the grid.”  While this might not seem too far fetched at the outset, it all turns a bit snarky when you realize it’s a trailer for the 84^th Annual Academy Awards. While it’s all very tongue-in-cheek and self-deprecating, there’s a certain sigh-factor to it. Even though you know who’s going to show up at the end as the team is looking for a man known only as “The Host,” it made me smile to see who was there waiting for them.

The 2012 Oscar nominations will be announced on Tuesday, January 24^th with the live awards show airing Sunday, February 26^th at 7pm EST on ABC. Hit the jump to check out the trailer.

TOP 5: SNOW WHITE AND THE HUNTSMAN, IMMORTALS, CARS 2, THE EXPENDABLES 2, Billy Crystal and Brian Grazer Take on 2012 Oscars

by Jason Barr    Posted: November 12th, 2011 at 12:49 pm

I’m going to bypass my usual opening paragraph musings this week and simply wish everyone a Happy Veterans Day weekend. Given that I don’t have any immediate family or friends who serve, I won’t claim to know the first thing about the sacrifices that each serviceman/woman and their respective families and friends are continually asked to make. I reap all of the benefits of their service without any of the concessions. As a result, I owe a debt of gratitude to each and every one of them.

In this week’s “Top 5″ installment you can find the first trailer for Snow White and the Huntsman, a cornucopia of interviews for Immortals and Cars 2, new set images from the set of The Expendables 2 featuring Jean-Claude Van Damme, and a look at the road that led Billy Crystal and Brian Grazer to the top of the 2012 Oscars. Hit the jump for a brief recap and link to each.

Billy Crystal to Host the 2012 Oscars

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: November 10th, 2011 at 2:19 pm

Earlier this week, the 2012 Oscars lost its producer and its host, and within the last 24 hours it has replaced both.  We previously reported that Brian Grazer would take over producing duties from Brett Ratner, and now Billy Crystal has tweeted (and Variety has confirmed) that he will be hosting.  Here’s what he said on Twitter (via @AwardsDaily):

“Am doing the Oscars so the young woman in the pharmacy will stop asking my name when I pick up my prescriptions. Looking forward to the show.”

Crystal is the safe choice the Academy needs after this recent debacle.  He’s hosted the show eight times before, and at last year’s disastrous ceremony he was one of the brief enjoyable moments.  The Academy obviously doesn’t want any more headaches when it comes to their self-congratulatory bash, and Grazer and Crystal will get the job done with no behind-the-scenes drama. [Update: We've been sent the full press release, which is now included after the jump.]

25 Years Later the THE PRINCESS BRIDE Cast Reunites

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: October 7th, 2011 at 8:31 pm

When it first arrived in theaters 24 years ago, The Princess Bride was well short of a box office smash. According to Prince Humperdinck, played by Chris Sarandon:

“They couldn’t quite figure out how to market it. They didn’t really know what they had.”

What they had was the definition of a cult classic, an inconceivably-well-put-together movie that would stand the test of time. There was a giant name Andre, a six-fingered man, princes and princesses, pirates and R.O.U.S.’s, miracle workers and albinos. What’s not to like? After more than two decades of having fans force them to repeat their famous lines, the cast of The Princess Bride reunited recently to reminisce. Hit the jump to check out what they had to say. Or don’t. As you wish.

Marisa Tomei to Play Billy Crystal and Bette Midler’s Daughter in US & THEM

by Jason Barr    Posted: September 14th, 2011 at 8:42 am

Marisa Tomei has signed on to join director Andy Fickman’s (You Again) family comedy Us & Them. Also starring Billy Crystal, Bette Midler and Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark‘s Bailee Madison, the pic pegs Crystal and Midler as old school grandparents who have a hard time finding a middle ground with their three modernized grandchildren. According to Variety, Tomei will take on the role of Crystal and Midler’s daughter, Alice, whose rocky relationship with her parents is ultimately addressed (and most likely smoothed out) as a result of her kids and parents learning to co-exist.

The project’s most recent script comes courtesy of City Slickers writers Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel. Production is set to get underway in Atlanta later this month. As for Tomei, she can next be seen alongside George Clooney, Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti, Evan Rachel Wood and Philip Seymour Hoffman in Clooney’s political drama The Ides of March which opens on October 7th.

D23 Animated Recap: BRAVE, MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, FRANKENWEENIE, and WRECK-IT RALPH

by Tommy Cook    Posted: August 21st, 2011 at 9:07 am

At the D23 Expo, Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar previewed their upcoming slate of animated films, showing exclusive footage with select cast and crew present. Among the highlights of the jam-packed panel: Pixar’s Brave and Monsters University, Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, and Disney’s November 2012 release Wreck-It Ralph (about an arcade video game bad guy) all screened exclusive new footage. For the bullet point highlights from the animated portion of the panel, hit the jump.  And for coverage on the live action portion of the panel, featuring The Muppets, John Carter, Oz: The Great and Powerful, and The Avengers, click here.

MONSTERS UNIVERSITY Preliminary Synopsis and Logo Revealed; Will Be Released in 3D

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: May 12th, 2011 at 3:32 pm

Back in April, we reported that the release date of Pixar’s Monsters, Inc. prequel Monsters University had been pushed back from November 2012 to June 21^st, 2013, and we also unveiled what appeared to be the official logo for the film. Well now Disney/Pixar has released the logline for the flick, as well as the full logo in color (the other one was black and white). The preliminary synopsis is as follows:

“Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan are an inseparable pair, but that wasn’t always the case. From the moment these two mismatched monsters met they couldn’t stand each other. Monsters University unlocks the door to how Mike and Sulley overcame their differences and became the best of friends.”

The film is said to take place in college, where Wazowski and Sullivan first meet. Disney also confirms that the film will be released in 3D (naturally). To be fair, the 3D for Pixar’s Up was fantastic, so I have no doubt that Monsters University will benefit. The film is being directed by Dan Scanlon, with Kori Rae producing. Billy Crystal and John Goodman are set to reprise their roles from the first film.

MONSTERS, INC. Sequel Titled MONSTERS UNIVERSITY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: March 29th, 2011 at 5:47 pm

Disney revealed today at CinemaCon that the official title to Pixar’s sequel to 2001’s Monsters, Inc. is Monsters University. While details on the film are, in true Pixar fashion, being held tightly under lock and key, the film is said to be a prequel. The rumored plot involves the tale of how Mike Wazowski (voiced by Billy Crystal) and James P. Sullivan (voiced by John Goodman) become best friends in college, at the University of Fear no less, after starting out as enemies.

No word on which cast members will return for the sequel besides Crystal and Goodman, but hopefully Steve Buscemi’s character Randall makes an appearance. Monsters University is currently slated for a November 2^nd, 2012 release.

Comedy Central and MTV Networks Announce the First Annual COMEDY AWARDS

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: January 10th, 2011 at 1:24 pm

It’s awards season, and while praiseworthy films like The Social Network and The King’s Speech are all critics and press can talk about, comedy is generally consistently overlooked at the Oscars. And while the Golden Globe offers an award for Best Musical or Comedy, it’s nearly impossible to compare the two evenly, and The Hollywood Foreign Press nominates laughless films like The Tourist in that category anyway. Well Comedy Central and MTV Networks have had enough of that nonsense. While laughter might be the best reward for any comedian, the two networks have decided to create The Comedy Awards, a broadcast awards event to honor the best comedy films, actors, TV series, digital content and stand-up acts. It’s about damn time.

More details on the new annual awards show can be found after the jump.

Ricky Gervais, Emily Blunt and Mickey Rooney Join THE MUPPETS; Plus New Images from Set

by Jake Horowitz    Posted: December 1st, 2010 at 7:06 pm

Would anyone following Jason Segel’s The Muppets be remotely surprised if it was announced that more people have joined the cast? Today, two more names have been added to the incredibly large list of high-profile celebrities appearing in the film. Also, along with the casting news comes a bunch of new photos from the set.

Ricky Gervais and Emily Blunt are the newest additions to the movie, with their roles being kept a secret. Hit the jump to see who they will be joining in this movie of which I have run out of adjectives to describe; as well as the images.

More Cameos Announced for Disney’s MUPPETS Movie including Alan Arkin, Billy Crystal, and Jean-Claude Van Damme

by Jake Horowitz    Posted: November 16th, 2010 at 11:08 am

Just when you think Disney’s Muppets movie has a great cast of key players and cameos, they go and add more to the mix. Among the new names are Alan Arkin, Billy Crystal…and Jean-Claude Van Damme?

Last week, we got our first look at the film, followed by the news of nine actors, including John Krasinski, Paul Rudd, and Ed Helms, joining the cast (although we later discovered that Jane Lynch was not attached to the film).  Then, yesterday, more set photos came along showing Amy Adams and Jason Segel smiling it up with the new muppet, Walter. Hit the jump to find out what these new roles will be, as well as the other’s previously announced.

CITY SLICKERS Writers Re-Teaming with Billy Crystal on New Comedy US & THEM

by John de Perczel    Posted: August 31st, 2010 at 6:50 pm

Fans of Billy Crystal and his comedy classic City Slickers have some news to be cheerful about. According to Deadline, Writers Lowell Gantz and Babaloo Mandel, who worked with Crystal on Slickers as well as Forget Paris and Father’s Day, with the actor again for upcoming film Us & Them. The film will be Crystal’s first lead role in nearly ten years, and is slated to be directed by Andy Fickman, of this Fall’s upcoming You Again. Crystal is also producing the film, which had been in development at Paramount for several years before being dropped. Fox picked it up in turnaround, and it is currently on fast-track as a co-production with Walden Media.

Crystal plays a grandfather charged with caring for his grandchildren for a week, who is confronted by the generational shift in parenting and the need to reconcile with his daughter. The plot seems like fertile ground for the kind of warm comedy Crystal does best, though Fickman’s family-friendly reputation seems likely to dull any edge it might have. As a huge fan of City Slickers, I’m hoping that Us & Them will have at least some of that film’s magic.

6 Movie Clips from THE TOOTH FAIRY Starring Dwayne Johnson, Julie Andrews, Ashley Judd and Stephen Merchant

by Steve 'Frosty' Weintraub    Posted: January 9th, 2010 at 6:28 pm

Opening on January 22 is Dwayne Johnson’s new family film The Tooth Fairy.  If you’re looking for another Rundown, this is definitely not for you.  But if you’ve enjoyed Johnson in films like Race to Witch Mountain and The Game Plan, this is another in the family friendly genre.  Here’s the synopsis:

Dwayne Johnson is The Tooth Fairy, also known as Derek Thompson, a hard-charging hockey player whose nickname comes from his habit of separating opposing players from their bicuspids. When Derek discourages a youngster’s dreams, he’s sentenced to one week’s hard labor as a real tooth fairy, complete with the requisite tutu, wings and magic wand. At first, Derek “can’t handle the tooth” – bumbling and stumbling as he tries to furtively wing his way through strangers’ homes…doing what tooth fairies do. But as Derek slowly adapts to his new position, he begins to rediscover his own forgotten dreams.

To help promote the film, we’ve been given six clips and they’re after the jump.  The Tooth Fairy also stars Julie Andrews, Ashley Judd, Stephen Merchant and Billy Crystal has a small cameo.

MONSTERS, INC. Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: November 19th, 2009 at 9:05 am

I opined when it came to Up that it’s hard to judge the Pixar canon because there are so few missteps, but when it comes to favorites, everyone’s got to have one. You have to at some point think of which one you love the most. It’s not like they’re your children. Though a case can be made for almost every single one of their films, the one that gets me the hardest, and the one that always works me over like a sap is Monsters Inc. My review of it after the jump.

Copyright ©2005 - 2012. All Rights Reserved. California web design