Upon its release in 1986, Nelson Shin’s “The Transformers: The Movie” was massively influential — less as entertainment inspired by a popular line of children’s toys than one that was willing to kill off a major character in order to make room for new ones. The death of heroic Autobot leader Optimus Prime proved so […]

The roles played by Ewan McGregor have taken him far: to a galaxy far, far away (three “Star Wars” prequels and their small-screen follow-up, “Obi-Wan Kenobi”); to post-Bolshevik Revolution Russia (“A Gentleman in Moscow”); even to the bottom of the worst toilet in Scotland (“Trainspotting,” the second of four collaborations with filmmaker Danny Boyle). Yet […]

“In the nineties, there were hundreds of movies being made about Gen-Xers,” says Ed Burns. He should know: as the writer-director of “The Brothers McMullen,” “She’s the One” and “No Looking Back,” he was the one making them. After 30 years and a lot of growing up, he’s drawing a fresh pour from that well […]

Released in 1966, “The Marvel Super Heroes” is the great-grandfather of today’s Marvel Studios entertainment. Not just the first-ever series based on characters from Marvel, its cartoons were created by xerography — meaning images were photocopied from the comic books themselves and manipulated to appear fully animated. Only the show’s music, composed by Jacques “Jack” […]

Many movies have been made about soldiers whose skill set proves out of step once they re-enter the civilian world. Some of them treat those differences with empathy and insight; but more often than not, they leverage them for explosive, empty action sequences. “Rebel Ridge” mostly falls perfunctorily in the latter category. Written and directed […]

Over his almost 40-year career, RZA has proven himself a renaissance man a few times over: as a rapper, producer, songwriter, actor, filmmaker and author. On Aug. 30, the artist born Robert Diggs added “classical composer” with “A Ballet Through Mud,” his first orchestral score. It’s an achievement that he views as an act of […]

 For nearly 40 years, the Imagen Awards have shone a light on Latinos in film, television and streaming media.  But back in 1985, the first year for the ceremony, Imagen Foundation president Helen Hernandez remembers she and her team “trying to figure out who to honor, because there really wasn’t much out there.”  “We’re looking […]

Pop-culture collections have become a personal signifier unlike ever before, and physical media — especially Blu-rays and 4K discs — is no exception. Whether your library is meticulously curated or a clearinghouse for every title no matter how big or small, it tells a story about your interests, appetites, and general passion for entertainment. Moreover, […]

From 1972 to 1981, producers Larry and Alfonso “Fonce” Mizell helped create some of the most popular and recognizable recordings in the history of jazz. These include Donald Byrd’s “Black Byrd,” “Stepping Into Tomorrow” and “Places and Spaces;” Bobbi Humphrey’s “Blacks and Blues” and “Fancy Dancer;” Johnny Hammond’s “Gears;” Gary Bartz’s “Music Is My Sanctuary,” […]

After celebrating Global Entertainment Marketers with Variety’s first group of honorees, Leaders and Innovators in Physical Production was a natural next category for the Variety 10: For one group of luminaries to create a promotional campaign, another whole team of people, led by those on this list, has to make a project first. Several of […]

Of the many honors and recognitions he’s received over his more than 40-year career, a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame is not one that Tim Burton ever expected. But his reaction to the news perfectly matches the playful, macabre sensibility that has driven his 20 films to almost $4.5 billion in worldwide box […]