John Goodman

John Goodman Joins Clint Eastwood in the Baseball Drama TROUBLE WITH THE CURVE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: February 8th, 2012 at 1:03 pm

The cast for the baseball drama Trouble with the Curve is shaping up to be quite impressive. Clint Eastwood first signed on to the pic to play a baseball scout going blind who decides to take his daughter on one last scouting trip. Amy Adams quickly joined the cast as Eastwood’s daughter, and recently Justin Timberlake—furthering his increasingly impressive film resume—signed on to play a former pitcher and current scout who takes a liking to Adams.  Now Variety reports that John Goodman has signed on to play “an old-school scout and longtime friend of Eastwood’s character who still believes in the man’s ability to spot talent.” Goodman makes a fantastic addition, and I’m becoming more and more interested in this project with each casting announcement.

Eastwood’s longtime producing partner Robert Lorenz is making his directorial debut with the drama, which was written by Randy Brown. Goodman recently wrapped two highly anticipated projects—Robert Zemeckis’ return to live-action Flight with Denzel Washington, and Ben Affleck’s next directorial effort Argo. He’s also set to soon reteam with Joel and Ethan Coen on the folk music pic Inside Llewyn Davis which also stars Timberlake.

International Trailer for PARANORMAN

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 12th, 2011 at 11:34 am

An international trailer for the stop-motion animated film ParaNorman has gone online.  The movie centers on a young boy named Norman (voiced by Let Me In‘s Kodi Smit-McPhee) who is able to see ghosts but it’s no big deal.  It becomes a bigger deal when his small town comes under attack from the un-dead and he must save the day by stopping a centuries-old curse.  The US teaser trailer is one of my favorite trailers of the year, and the international version is also good, but it’s more focused on introducing Norman and the plot.  The movie still looks like a lot of fun and it will be one worth keeping an eye on in 2012.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The film also features the voices of Casey Affleck, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, John Goodman, and Alex Borstein. ParaNorman opens in the US on August 17, 2012; it opens in the UK on September 14, 2012.

Over 40 New Images from EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: December 11th, 2011 at 9:30 am

A large batch of new images from the upcoming drama Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close has been released. The film is based on the novel by Jonathan Safran Foer and tells the story of a nine-year-old boy who sets out to find the lock that fits a key left to him by his father, who perished in the 9/11 attacks. I’m a big fan of the book so I’ve been looking forward to this one for quite a while. The cast is great and director Stephen Daldry has a pretty nifty track record, so I’m hoping everything comes together well. The pic has already started screening, but it’s under a strict embargo after the whole Girl with the Dragon Tattoo fiasco (plus Scott Rudin is also the producer of Extremely Loud).

Hit the jump to check out the images. The film stars Thomas Horn, Sandra Bullock, Tom Hanks, Max von Sydow, Viola Davis, Jeffrey Wright, and John Goodman. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close opens in limited release on December 25th, then expands nationwide on January 20th.

John Goodman and Missi Pyle Talk THE ARTIST, Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT, Pixar’s MONSTERS UNIVERSITY, EXTREMELY LOUD AND INCREDIBLY CLOSE, More

by Sheila Roberts    Posted: November 16th, 2011 at 11:46 am

John Goodman and Missi Pyle were intrigued when they were approached by director Michel Hazanavicius to play supporting roles in The Artist, his heartfelt and entertaining celebration of Hollywood moviemaking at its most magical. Missi Pyle plays Constance, an actress who is none too pleased when she’s upstaged by Hollywood’s reigning silent screen idol, George Valentin (Jean Dujardin). Goodman portrays Al Zimmer, the cigar-chomping mogul of Kinograph Studios, who walks the line between coddling and corralling his contract stars during the silent film era. In 1929, Kinograph is preparing to cease all silent film production as Hollywood transitions to talking movies, but some actors will prove more adept than others at making the change.

We sat down with Goodman and Pyle at a roundtable interview to talk about what attracted them to the unique project set during a pivotal moment in Hollywood history and told in a silent format. They told us what it was like playing characters that had no dialogue and where everything had to be conveyed visually, why they found the process liberating once they realized they didn’t have to worry about remembering their lines, and how shooting on location in Los Angeles helped inspire their performances. They also discussed what projects they have coming up next, including updates on Robert Zemeckis‘ Flight, Pixar’s Monster’s University, the Awards contender Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, whether or not Goodman will appear in Kevin Smith‘s Hit Somebody and more.

John Goodman Joins the Coen Brothers’ INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS; Anthony LaPaglia Signs on to Quentin Tarantino’s DJANGO UNCHAINED

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 31st, 2011 at 9:11 am

A couple of high-profile 2012 films just added some more great actors to their casts.  First up, Showbiz411 reports that John Goodman is set to reunite with the Coen Brothers for a sixth time for their upcoming drama Inside Llewyn Davis.  The story follows a young musician (played by Drive‘s Oscar Isaac) trying to make it in the 1960s Greenwich Village folk scene.  Carey Mulligan will co-star and a couple days ago we learned that Justin Timberlake had been offered a role.  There are currently no details on what role Goodman will play, but every time he teams up with the Coens, it works out pretty great.  Goodman will next be seen in the awards-season contenders The Artist and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close.

Hit the jump for casting news on Quentin Tarantino‘s Django Unchained.

Teaser Trailer for Stop-Motion Animated Film PARANORMAN

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: October 28th, 2011 at 11:37 am

The first trailer for the stop-motion animated film ParaNorman has been released. The film comes from LAIKA, the animation studio that brought us Coraline, and centers on a boy whose ability to talk to the dead comes in handy when his town is ravaged by zombies, ghosts, witches, moronic grown-ups, and a centuries-old curse. We don’t get any dialogue from this teaser, as it’s just a montage of scenes with Donovan’s appropriately titled “Season of the Witch” playing over the scenes. The images here are pretty spectacular, as expected, and I like the design of the characters. The tag of the trailer really got me as well. I’m excited to see more from this peculiar little fella.

Hit the jump to watch the trailer. The film features the voices of Kodi Smit-McPhee (Let Me In), Casey Affleck, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Leslie Mann, Jeff Garlin, John Goodman, and Alex Borstein. ParaNorman opens August 17th, 2012.

Warner Bros. Sets Release Date for Ben Affleck’s ARGO

by Jackson Cresswell    Posted: September 29th, 2011 at 1:31 pm

Earlier this month we brought you the first official synopsis of Ben Affleck’s new political/period drama Argo.  Then we saw a few set photos of Alan Arkin with Affleck who was looking fly in his wide-collared wardrobe complete with gold chain and chest hair a-poppin’.  The supporting cast—which includes names like Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, and Michael Parks—combined with the Affleck’s directing talent make Argo look like a must-see.  Now we know when we will see: According to Box Office Mojo, Warner Bros. has set the release date for September 14, 2012.  This release date follows yesterday’s release date news about another potential WB awards contender, Gangster Squad.

Hit the jump for the synopsis and my thoughts on the release date.

John Goodman Joins Denzel Washington in Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: September 28th, 2011 at 8:16 am

Director Robert Zemeckis has added one more name to his growing cast for Flight. John Goodman is the latest actor to board the pic, which will serve as Zemeckis’ first live-action film since 2000’s Cast Away. Denzel Washington stars as an alcoholic and drug-addicted pilot who safely lands a damaged plane and is quickly heralded as a hero. An investigation by the FAA reveals that the pilot was under the influence while flying, but decides to hide the evidence in order to solidify the Washington’s newfound hero status while the substance-troubled pilot tries to get his life together.

Deadline reports that Goodman will be playing “a friend of the pilot who helps him come to terms with his problems.” The actor joins a solid cast that includes Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, Kelly Reilly, and Brian Geraghty. Goodman can next be seen in the Stephen Daldry drama Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, and is currently filming Ben Affleck’s Argo. You can also catch the thesp on the small screen as he’s currently in the middle of a stint on NBC’s fantastic comedy Community. Shooting begins on Flight in Atlanta next month.

TIFF 2011: THE ARTIST Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 9th, 2011 at 3:49 pm

We owe a debt of gratitude to silent films.  That may seem like an obvious statement but today the films of that era are considered quaint, and to an extent they are.  The progress of cinema is to create an imitation of life and the world has sound.  But what if it didn’t?  What if the real-world was a silent movie and those who had thrived in that environment had their existence disrupted by the cacophony of noise and progress?  Michel Hazanavicius’ The Artist explores this idea but never in the weighty, heavy-handed manner.  It’s a silent movie about a silent movie star but rather than coming off as self-indulgent and irritatingly meta, The Artist is always playful with its conceit.  Its light-hearted attitude, thoughtful subtext, and a magnificent performance from star Jean Dujardin, makes for a engaging and uplifting love letter to silent cinema.

First Official Synopsis for Ben Affleck’s ARGO

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: September 1st, 2011 at 11:36 am

Ben Affleck’s Argo began shooting today.  The film has a killer cast that includes Affleck, Alan Arkin, Bryan Cranston, and John Goodman, Kyle Chandler, Rory Cochrane, Victor Garber, Richard Kind, and Michael Parks.  I don’t really care about press releases announcing that filming has commenced (what’s newsworthy is when it looks like filming will commence and then it doesn’t), but this press release includes the first official synopsis for the movie.  Check it out:

Based on true events, “Argo” chronicles the life-or-death covert operation to rescue six Americans, which unfolded behind the scenes of the Iran hostage crisis—the truth of which was unknown by the public for decades.  On November 4, 1979, as the Iranian revolution reaches its boiling point, militants storm the U.S. embassy in Tehran, taking 52 Americans hostage. But, in the midst of the chaos, six Americans manage to slip away and find refuge in the home of the Canadian ambassador. Knowing it is only a matter of time before the six are found out and likely killed, a CIA “exfiltration” specialist named Tony Mendez (Affleck) comes up with a risky plan to get them safely out of the country. A plan so incredible, it could only happen in the movies.

Okay, so that doesn’t point out that his plan is to use a fake movie as cover for the operation, but that’s the hook.  Affleck co-wrote the script with Good Night and Good Luck. screenwriter Grant Heslov.  Hit the jump for the full press release which includes a rundown of the behind-the-camera talent.

Check Out This Sneak Peek of John Goodman from Season Three of COMMUNITY

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: August 29th, 2011 at 10:03 am

The new season of Community is less than a month away, and with the September 22nd premiere inching closer, NBC has just unveiled a sneak peek at John Goodman’s arrival at Greendale Community College. With the sitcom Roseanne being such a huge part of Goodman’s career, his presence on television is nothing new, but since he’s become such a high caliber film actor, I’m glad to see that he’ll still return to his comedy series roots for some fun on a great series like Community. And from the looks of this clip, it sounds like he’s going to make Dean Pelton’s life a living hell. See what I’m talking about after the jump.

Impressive Trailer for Cannes Sensation THE ARTIST

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: August 25th, 2011 at 1:34 pm

Michel Hazanavicius’s The Artist is a loving tribute to the twilight years of the silent movie era.  The story revolves around a silent film star who falls in love with a young extra who eventually becomes a movie star.  And The Artist is a silent movie.  In 2011.  That’s just awesome and judging by the glowing response out of the Cannes Film Festival, the movie works.  The Weinstein Company picked up the film and has put some serious faith in their marketing team to sell a movie where no one talks.  In 2011.  That’s going to be jarring for modern audiences (and the leads aren’t American movie stars!  Bonus!) but I can’t wait to check out this movie at TIFF.

Hit the jump to check out the trailer.  The Artist hits theaters on November 23rd.

THE BIG LEBOWSKI Limited Edition Blu-ray Review

by Andre Dellamorte    Posted: August 6th, 2011 at 3:20 am

It’s strange to have watched the cult of The Big Lebowski grow since release. The film was Joel and Ethan Coen’s follow-up to Fargo, which was an academy award-winning crime drama with a funny center. After the disastrous The Hudsucker Proxy (which has also gained a cult following) Fargo put the boys back in good graces, but the story of Jeff “The Dude” Lebowski (Jeff Bridges), and the kidnapping that turns him into amateur sleuth with sidekick Walter Sobchek (John Goodman) was greeted as a sophomore slump. Now it’s revered as a masterpiece. Our review of the limited edition Blu-ray of The Big Lebowski follows after the jump.

John Goodman Joins Season Three of COMMUNITY

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: July 25th, 2011 at 4:48 pm

As we reported earlier, season three of NBC’s Community began filming today (where a perfectly self-deprecating banner welcomed the cast and crew back to set). Kenneth Williams (Omar from The Wire) recently signed on to join the cast for the upcoming season, and now there’s another new addition: John Goodman. Vulture reports that Goodman will play the vice dean of Greendale Community College’s School of Air Conditioning Repair (because air-conditioning repairmen have to be trained somewhere).

Series creator Dan Harmon revealed that the air conditioning repair unit is the school’s only national-renowned program, and holds itself in higher regard to the rest of campus. The mastermind of one of the best shows on television also confirmed that Goodman will be sharing some sure-to-be fantastic screen time with Jim Rash’s Dean Pelton.

Casting Call: Nicole Kidman in Talks for THE PAPERBOY as Tobey Maguire Drops Out, John Goodman Joins Ben Affleck’s ARGO

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: June 27th, 2011 at 1:52 pm

We’ve got a couple more casting stories for you today. First up, Nicole Kidman is now in talks to join the cast of Lee Daniels’ (Precious) adaptation of Pete Dexter’s novel The Paperboy. THR reports that Kidman would replace Sofia Vergara, who was forced to drop out after Tobey Maguire’s exit from the project shifted the schedule, imposing on her Modern Family shoot. Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron are apparently still attached to star in the film, which centers on the slacker son of a newspaper editor in Florida, who gets wrapped up in investigating a murder case. Filming is set to begin later this summer.

Hit the jump for the news of John Goodman joining Ben Affleck’s directorial vehicle Argo, as well as a synopsis for the novel The Paperboy.

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