WatchMojo recently put together a list of the 10 best biopics, considering sports movies based on real-life people and teams. The list, which does not include documentaries, puts together a decent list that is a good start for prompting a discussion.
There are some good choices on the list, even including some nice surprises like Hurricane (1999), Chariots of Fire (1981), Remember the Titans (2000), 42 (2013), and Cinderella Man (2005). I doubt everyone will agree with the complete list, but everyone will agree with some of the films. Check it out.
It is difficult to argue with WatchMojo’s number one pick. But no Miracle (2004), Eight Men Out (1988), Brian’s Song (1971), Rudy (1993), Pride of the Yankees (1942), or We Are Marshall (2006)? What sports biopics would you add to the list? Leave your two cents in the comments.
This week, John Mellencamp joined Willie Nelson for a bluesy rendition of Nelson’s classic song about living the “Night Life.” The two appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert together, commemorating this weekend’s upcoming thirtieth anniversary of Farm Aid, which is being held in Chicago this year.
With some help from Nelson’s guitar Trigger along with Mickey Raphael on harmonica, Mellencamp and Nelson give a nice performance. Nelson wrote the song in the late 1950s when he was playing clubs at night in Texas, struggling to make a living. “Listen to the blues that they’re playin’ / Listen what the blues are sayin’.” The song holds up more than fifty years later. [2019 Update: Unfortunately, the video is not currently available on YouTube.]
One of my favorite Disney movies as a kid was The Jungle Book (1967), so I cannot help but be worried and excited that Disney is remaking the animated film as a live-action movie with CGI effects. On the other hand, the cast and the new teaser trailer make me think this new version of Rudyard Kipling’s story might just be a hit.
Iron Man director Jon Favreau directs the upcoming The Jungle Book film, which was written by Justin Marks. The actors selected to voice the various animals seem perfect: tiger Shere Khan is voiced by Idris Elba, panther Bagheera is voiced by Ben Kingsley, the bear Baloo is voiced by Bill Murray, the wolf Raksha is voiced by Lupita Nyong’o, the python Kaa is voiced by Scarlett Johansson, and the orangutan King Louie is voiced by Christopher Walken. The young boy Mowgli will be played by Neel Sethi.
Richard M. Sherman who wrote songs for the original The Jungle Book with his late brother Robert B. Sherman, is writing new songs for the new film. But we will still get to hear Bill Murray sing the original’s “The Bare Necessities.” Unfortunately, there are as of yet no reports that Christopher Walken will sing “I Wan’na Be Like You,” but I would think the movie must include it.
The Jungle Book is scheduled to hits theaters April 15, 2016. Disney also recently announced plans for a new Mary Poppins movie, which will be set twenty years after the original 1964 film with Julie Andrews and Dick Van Dyke.
Will you see The Jungle Book? Leave your two cents in the comments.
With the departures of David Letterman and Craig Ferguson from late-night television, the odds of catching an intelligent discussion on a late-night talk show decreased significantly. That is one reason why it was refreshing to see Stephen Colbert finally take over for Letterman, and his first week did not disappoint, with highlights that included a thoughtful conversation about grief and loss with Vice President Joe Biden.
Of course, we want to laugh and dance too. And the first week of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert did not disappoint in that category either.
For example, at the beginning of one episode the announcer (Colbert) exclaimed that one of the guests would be Troubled Waters, a Paul Simon tribute band. For those who stayed awake for the end, the “tribute band” did not disappoint, turning out to be made up of Paul Simon. Troubled Waters then performed “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” from Simon’s 1972 self-titled album.
On the performance of “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard,” Simon also received a little help from Colbert, who proved he not only can be thoughtful, he can sing, dance, and whistle. Check it out.
What do you think of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert so far? Leave your two cents in the comments.
Although some thought Tom Hiddleston, who plays Loki in the Marvel movies, was an unusual choice to play country music’s Hank Williams in a new biopic, you cannot argue that the actor strikes a similar look to the great country singer. Now, we get our first peak at the English actor as Williams in a clip from the upcoming movie I Saw the Light.
In the short clip below, we get Hiddleston singing “Move It On Over” as Hank Williams in the studio, as well as some additional footage of his portrayal. From one short clip, it is difficult to tell whether the movie is able to immerse us into believing Hank Williams is on the screen. But the clip is enough to make me want to see the movie. Check it out.
Among those who have been critical of the movie, including the choice of Hiddleston as the lead and of Marc Abraham as director, is Hank III. HitFlix liked Hiddleston, but not the movie, which is scheduled to open in limited release on November 27.
What do you think of Hiddleston as Hank Williams? Leave your two cents in the comments.
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