The Best Movies About Making Movies

They make films about a wide range of topics, like the conquest of space, war, among many others. These movies aren’t always movies about making movies, but in some cases, they make movies that are. You can learn a lot about filmmaking just by watching behind-the-scenes movies, even if they’re not always completely realistic. The following is a list of films that are about making films.

The Player (1992)
One of the best American satirists is Robert Altman, who knows how to work in that style. Tim Robbins stars as a film executive who murders a screenwriter, who happens to be his wife (portrayed by Cynthia Nixon). While you’re making a movie with the actual Julia Roberts and Bruce Willis, show business does not stop.

Barton Fink (1991)
That’s correct. We also have another Coen Brothers film here. Due to the quality of the movies “Hail, Caesar!” and “Barton Fink,” we had few alternatives. With Barton Fink, it’s not so much about the movies as it is about their last efforts. The film’s title character is a brash New York playwright who is given the opportunity to write a Hollywood-based film. It happens frequently that writers get writer’s block when their scripts don’t come up to their expectations. John Goodman’s neighbor may be more than meets the eye.

Get Shorty (1995)
Chill Palmer’s dream is to leave the criminal world and focus on filmmaking. Your screenplay may be promising, but you have a major debt to your boss, who has connections in the industry. Shorty is based on a novel by Elmore Leonard, meaning that there is drama and humor in addition to the violence in the film.

Sullivan’s Travels (1941)
Preston Sturges decided comedies should be very powerful, and here’s how he put it: In self-parody, the story follows a director who decides to make a “serious” social drama called “Sullivan’s Travels.” Finally, he comes to realize that a comedy is just as serious as any other movie.

Bowfinger (1999)
As a low-budget action filmmaker, you’re attempting to make a name for yourself in the industry. I’m flummoxed. Bobby Bowfinger is one of the members of the fake movie cast that Murphy plays in his movie. Finally, you cast the actor’s look-alike (Eddie Murphy) and finish filming. That is completely unrealistic, right? That is very unlikely. Still, it provides entertainment in the movie “Bowfinger”.

Ed Wood (1994)
The combination of “Ed Wood” and “Dolemite is My Name” is quite apt, because both films were made by the same two individuals. However, “Ed Wood” was very successful, given that it was made in the mid-1970s. Martin Landau was nominated for his role as Bela Lugosi in Ed Wood, even though Bela Lugosi died during the filming of the movie.

Hitchcock (2012)
It is widely accepted that Alfred Hitchcock is as eccentric as he is talented. People know Hitchcock regardless of what Frank Capra looked like. The story of the director-turned-filmmaker, Alfred Hitchcock, stars Anthony Hopkins in the lead role. During the making of the film, he and his wife, Alma, worked on “Psycho.”

Pain and Glory (2019)
Your self-biopic necessitates legitimacy acquired through genuine accomplishments. To keep things simple, let’s say Pedro Almodovar created “Pain and Glory” first. The aging director films frequent collaborator Antonio Banderas in his last movie. Although you should avoid making a de facto biopic, you may pat yourself on the back if you intend to make a biopic de facto.

Nomadland and the Community Behind the Movie

What Is Nomadland

Interested individuals might have heard the name Nomadland in recent times. After all, the movie has won a number of prestigious awards, with excellent examples being the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Actress. Furthermore, it is interesting to note that Nomadland has respectable numbers in a financial sense, seeing as how it managed to make more than $20 million on a $5 million budget.

Story-wise, it is focused on a woman named Fern, who loses her job at a US Gypsum plant in 2011 just a short while after losing her husband. As a result, she decides to sell most of her possessions, buy a van, and then survive by doing seasonal work while traveling around the United States. Fern is not a real person. However, she was very much inspired by real people. In fact, it should be mentioned that the movie Nomadland was based on the non-fictional book Nomadland: Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century, which was written after the author had spent a great deal of time living the same kind of life as her subjects.

What Inspired Nomadland?

There isn’t a single event that created the community of nomads in Nomadland. After all, the American middle class has undergone considerable corrosion over the course of decades. For proof, consider the fact that the percentage of American adults who are in a middle-income household has fallen from 61 percent in 1971 to 51 percent in 2019. Alternatively, if interested individuals want something more intuitive, consider the case of The Simpsons. Said show started up in the late 1980s and has continued into the present time. Initially, the titular family was on the lower end of average. Nowadays, a four-bedroom house on a single salary has become something to envy.

Having said that, if there is a single event that can be blamed, it would be the Great Recession of the 2010s. Essentially, the subprime mortgage crisis brought about a near-collapse of the global financial system. A lot of average people had their savings wiped out because of this. Even worse, a lot of average people winded up losing their jobs because of the economic uncertainties of the time, thus forcing them to make severe life changes to survive. Such was the case for a lot of the nomads in Nomadland.

Of course, there are some significant differences between these nomads and their pre-modern counterparts. For example, they tend to move about in much smaller numbers based on much more irregular routes. This makes sense because modern nomads survive by seeking seasonal as well as other temporary work opportunities, which are neither common enough nor regular enough to enable them to move about as entire communities. However, what is interesting is that modern nomads have nonetheless managed to form communities of their own. Something that is helped by the fact that they can keep in touch with one another even if they are physically apart thanks to modern telecommunications.

In any case, the prominence of Nomadland has resulted in a wide range of responses from a wide range of people. For example, there are those who have spoken up about how it matched their own lived experiences. Similarly, there are those who have become fascinated about a way of life that they never knew existed in the present time. As such, it is safe to say that Nomadland has had an impact on the cultural landscape of the United States.

Netflix Movies For The Family

Movies have always brought families together, and in our digital age, it’s important that you make time for the ones that love you most. Fortunately, there is a tremendous number of movies that can be enjoyed with the whole family. And there is no better place to watch movies than on one of the most popular streaming services: Netflix. From the list of family movies on Netflix by cinema blend, here is a list of four great movies on Netflix to watch as a family:

Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs (2009)

This movie came out in 2009, and it’s still a great choice for the whole family.

The movie begins in Flint’s hometown that prides itself on its sardines. Unwilling to follow in his father’s footsteps, Flint decides to become an inventor. One day, Flint creates a machine in an attempt to help the town, but something goes horribly wrong. Along the way, you’ll meet a talking monkey, a man baby and other wacky characters who’ll aid Flint in saving the town from danger.

If a good-natured inventor, wacky characters and heart filled moments are what you look for in a family movie, then Cloudy With A Chance Of Meat Balls has what you’re looking for.

The Croods (2013)

This movie tells the story of a family trying to survive in prehistoric times. There is plenty for everyone to enjoy in this family adventure filled with action and comedy.

With their home destroyed, the Croods are forced to go out in search of a new home. Along the way, they’ll see spectacular sights and meet eccentric strangers. However, their journey will not be without its dangers, and to overcome these dangers, they’ll need to put aside their disagreements to work together as a family.

This movie will show you that a family can overcome any odds when they come together. A movie of a family made for a family to enjoy together.

The Little Prince (2015)

A coming-of-age story that is sure to touch the hearts and minds of both kids and adults. There is plenty to love about this wonderful journey about what it means to be human.

Adapted from the popular novella titled The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, the movie follows a young girl in a grown-up world who is being prepared by her mother to live within it. But she eventually meets her neighbor, the aviator, who tells her the wondrous tale of The Little Prince.

This movie has a strong message for those of all ages. Not to mention that the story is brought to life with an animation style that will capture the imagination.

Benji (2018)

Pets are just as much a part of families as anyone else. No more is that fact true than in Benji. In this 2018 Netflix version of Benji, there is a family of two kids, a mom and an adorable terrier.

When the kids are kidnapped, it’s up to Benji to do everything to help the children that gave him a home when he needed one.

Families who cherish their pets will enjoy this heartwarming movie, so get ready to watch one of the most touching movies about a family and their dog.

The Perpetual Debate on the Book vs. the Film

As the Story Goes

“A picture is worth a thousand words.” Does this time-honored axiom hold up in modern cinema? We have watched through the decades as film-making has advanced ten-fold with improved CGI (Computer-Generated Imagery) and motion capture technologies. We have even seen classics such as Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” remade and retold in movies countless times since its creation in 1818, but to what end? Surely if you could capture the imagery kindled by a readers imagination on the big screen, we would have done it by now, no?
On the other hand, isn’t it much simpler to experience a story in vibrant colors and imagery without the tedious perusal of paragraphs on paragraphs of visual depictions and adjectives – not to mention keeping track of all of the names and references listed in longer novels?

The Bibliophile or the Cinephile

The Bibliophile

If you have read the book before you’ve seen the movie, already you’ve created a universe of your own imagining, and soared through the narrative arc creating personal meaning and memories of the tale. Each character’s name brings a face and a story of its own; the tragedy, adventure, or turmoil ascribed to them is the reader’s own. You walked with the hobbits through every step of the journey to Mordor, you stood in the court room alongside Atticus Finch, and you rode the dragons with Eragon. How can the experience of a theater buff possibly compare?

The Cinephile

From the movie-goers perspective, though, how could one enjoy a book if they’ve seen the story in IMAX 3D? You could spend a hundred pages to detail one frame of the final confrontation in Avengers: Endgame or almost any moment in James Cameron’s Avatar. The pace of the silver screen is much faster too – you can watch 3 movies in under 4.5 hours, but reading a novel can take days, and the book becomes less of a page-turner when you can see the twists coming (plus you don’t get the convenience of pre-popped popcorn and a large soda in your recliner at home). In addition, the farsighted demographic may have a bias in favor of the cinema

The Conclusion

Undoubtedly, the experience can be left up to the preference of the individual; though it seems more likely for an avid reader to go to see the movie than it is for a theater buff to pick the book up off the shelf. Directors of the silver screen are allowed to impart their own interpretation of a story to the viewer through the various scenes in a movie (whether including or excluding details of events), while novelists leave subjective context for the reader to create their own explication. So which do you prefer? Are you an avid filmaholic or a die-hard bibliomaniac?

How the Pandemic is Affecting Films and Television Shows

Without a doubt, this pandemic is impacting the film and television industry. Things will no longer be the same. On the more positive side, many production companies are adapting to the new normal, but this is not without a price.

In terms of costs, the movie and television industries have had to shell out a million or more dollars to address the pandemic issue. Some of these costs include actors being required to do daily testing, so they can safely interact with each other. Other expenses come from meticulously cleaning the set, which is a crucial part of the new protocol. Some producers are flying out actors and crew members to the production site via private plane to eliminate exposure. Because of these additional steps involved in shooting a movie or T.V. show, extra time is required to complete the work. As a result, this pandemic is turning out to be a costly endeavor for many in the entertainment industry.

Increase in Production Costs

The Halt in Production vs. The Show Must Go On


Under the pandemic, some production companies have given up taping altogether due to uncertainty. Some companies have temporarily halted filming until this whole thing has blown over. At the same time, other shows have taken to broadcasting from home without their audiences. For instance, shows like “The View” and “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert.” Nonetheless, there are production companies that are still filming and rehearsing by implementing the CDC’s safety protocols. These companies have taken on the old saying, “the show must go on.

Postponements of Box Office Hits

There were several feature films scheduled to come out this past summer. One such film is “No Time to Die,” the new James Bond movie. Studio executives have postponed the release of this feature-length film at least twice. This Bond film is a box office hit without a doubt, but due to Covid 19, postponements are a real problem. There were even talks of putting some of these films on streaming entertainment service companies; however, studios prefer the box office effect and opted to hold off the release. These executives are hoping people get cabin fever and rush back to theaters. Returning to the theater is a high stake gamble on their part. People may begin to enjoy streaming new movies from the comforts of their own home with a less expensive bucket of popcorn from the local store

With everything, there is always a silver lining. The Covid pandemic is impacting the whole world, and those in the film and television industry are no different. Many people who are home whether, by choice or misfortune, are binge-watching old and new shows, and those studios that are pushing through and embracing the new normal are the benefactors of this new captive audience. Indeed, the world will not likely go back to the way things were; all that can be done is to sit back and watch as a new way of doing cinema and television emerges.

Mike Banning isn’t finished with Gerald Butler

Some of the greatest movie franchises are trilogies. Lord of the Rings, the original Star Wars releases, and Back to the Future. When a trilogy just won’t cut it or a film franchise develops a cult following, Hollywood green lights another movie. Rambo and The Fast and The Furious franchise are perfect examples.

Now, you can add Gerard Bulter’s Mike Banning to the list. Recently, Millennium announced the fourth installment in the Fallen series Night Has Fallen.

The Series So Far

The franchise began in 2013 with Olympus Has Fallen. Mike Banning (Butler), a disgraced Secret Service Agent, thwarts a North Korean attack on the White House and the attempted assassination of the President of The United States.

In 2016, Butler reprising his role as Banning in London Has Fallen. This time, Banning and the President faced terrorists bent on revenge for a drone strike years before while attending a state funeral in London.

The most recent installment hit theaters in 2019. In Angel Has Fallen, Butler once again reprised the role of Mike Banning. Banning evaded law enforcement after being framed for an assassination attempt on the President. He eventually clears his name and becomes Director of the Secret Service at the end of the film.

The Future Of The Franchise

With no release date set, the next installment will film in various locations across Europe. With 2020 and the lockdowns in Europe limiting Hollywood’s ability to film, chances are production won’t start until 2021.

After the announcement of Night Has Fallen, the studio confirmed two more movies are in development. There are talks of a potential TV spin-off as well. This move by Millennium makes financial sense the series grossed roughly $521 million since 2013.

Where Will The Story Take Banning?

Questions remain about how this new installment will further the story of the aging Mike Banning. Many have compared Butler’s character to Matt Damon’s Bourne. While there are some similarities, the storylines are vastly different. One focuses on espionage, the other on protecting the President. It will be interesting to see how the studio handles the new installment and if they take a page out of the globe-trotting Bourne’s playbook.

In the end, will Butler hand the mantel over to a young fresh action star? Time will tell, but it is unlikely. Butler, while not an American, is about an All-American action hero as you can get. His star appeal is undeniable as he trends well with both men and women.

Ultimately Night Has Fallen will have to tackle a tough production schedule, fight a pandemic, and deal with an aging action hero. But, if anyone can do it, it will be Mike Banning’s, Gerald Butler.

The Impact Of COVID-19 On Hollywood May Become Permanent

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the Hollywood film sector. Theaters are closed, films are delayed and video streaming has significantly impacted the industry. Last year alone, more than $42 billion was made at the box office. More than 400,000 businesses and two million jobs are dependent on Hollywood. Numerous changes in the film industry began before the pandemic.

Fewer Americans are attending films and ticket sales have declined despite the investments in cinemas, audiovisual technology and comfort. The exclusive rights of theaters to films are challenged by streaming, downloading and sales available shortly after the initial release. Cinemas now have exclusivity for approximately two months less than during the past.

The reason is consumers now prefer streaming videos and SVoD services. The result is a decline in incentives for running movies in theaters for long periods of time. Studios are releasing movies exclusively for the services they provide, further decreasing the availability of films in theaters. In the past, between 20 and 25 films were released by the six major studios including Walt Disney, Universal and Paramount.

Today, the same studios are releasing fewer films. This signifies a shift in power. Films are being released and shown to the consumers by Amazon and Netflix. Hollywood can no longer rely on box office revenue due to digital content. Profits have become dependant on advertising revenue and subscriptions as opposed to releasing television series and movies.

Optimizing new releases for specific schedules, holiday weekends or primetime slots has become a thing of the past. Increased engagement is the current goal. Lost earnings have resulted in bundled subscriptions created to increase revenue. Nearly half of all tickets sold are at cinemas. With films released right to the consumers, the profit margin is threatened.

Theatrical releases have been bypassed leading to boycotts and disputes. The biggest impact is expected to hit independent theaters. The exclusive rights to movies are generally given to the major chains. Some people believe the cinema operators are consolidating to survive. Others are targeting consumers with loyalty programs based on important consumer data.

Technology is being used for the integration of communications systems to effectively target consumers attending the theater on a regular basis. The benefits are only available to the largest movie studios. Fewer films are now available, with the impact questioning the future of Hollywood. Disney has become important for the growth of the industry.

Despite the key six franchises only achieving revenue growth of 10 percent since 2000, Disney has more than doubled its share during the last 10 years. Financing movies has increased in risk due to COVI-19 due to the increased cost of insurance and health security. Raising capital is more difficult for smaller studios. This might result in a decrease in film diversity.

Distribution has been affected due to theater consolidation. Smaller studios may have to rely on alternative options for the promotion and funding of new films. Gaming companies and SVoD services are now enjoying a slice of the revenue once provided for Hollywood. Whether or not Hollywood will recover remains to be seen

Meghan Markle Carving New Path To Hollywood Following Brief Taste Of Royal Living

It hasn’t been easy for Harry and Meghan, but they are slowly adjusting to their new lives with baby Archie far away from Buckingham Palace and the U.K.’s long tradition of monarchy.

H and M Reinvent Themselves

The Duke, 35, and Duchess of Sussex, 38, ‘stepped back’ in January as senior members of the royal family to create a new destiny and a life of purpose. The pair are hoping to split their time between living on Vancouver Island and in sunny Los Angeles.

Before she married Prince Harry, Meghan Markle had a solid career in the television series called “Suits” in the role of Rachel Zane. She enjoyed acting, and rumor has it that the Duchess got quickly bored with the royal lifestyle. Now, away from the royal bubble, she hopes to regain her popular following as an up and coming star, and Harry fully supports her ambition.

With Energy Out Of The Gate

When Meghan and Harry got engaged, she suggested to the media that she was retiring from acting and welcomed a new change. She was excited to begin working with Harry as a team. She had been on “Suits” for seven years and had made her mark in the entertainment field.

Now, she had the opportunity to bring new energy and ideas with the prince to a global platform. She would take her new role seriously and with respect because her voice was now one that people were listening to. Meghan wanted to strike a proper note.

Her Royal Duties Weren’t Enough

The Duke and Duchess were photographed often by famous British royal photographer Arthur Edwards. He covered their every move in public and could see how Meghan had captured the hearts of the British people, but slowly, things started changing. A toxic relationship had developed between Harry and the media. He began shutting them out, and it was unusual to see his once normal, happy demeanor disappear.

Edwards blamed Meghan for Harry’s sudden coldness to everything royal. He believes that royal living just wasn’t enough for Meghan, and he says that the couple could not have it both ways, half in the U.K and the other half in the U.S.

The photographer says that being patrons of charities demand a lot of time and being immersed in a community and its people.

MM’s Job Is Truly Magical

Disney is called the Most Magical Place On Earth, and that appears to be where Meghan is headed. She nailed a great gig, and it looks like Harry set the wheels in motion for his partner.

The pair was on the red carpet of the “Lion King” premiere in July 2019. Harry mentioned to then Disney CEO Bob Iger about Meghan being available for voice-over work.

London sources say the actress already performed her role and did the voice-over before the couple’s six-week holiday break. It’s a win-win for everyone as she signed the Disney deal in return for a donation to the wildlife charity “Elephants Without Borders.”

The Greatest Films Of Great Actor Robert De Niro

Robert De Niro has been appearing in films since the 1960’s, and many of these are considered classics. While, it’s a difficult task to pick out the best films from an actor who has appeared in so many terrific ones, it’s also an enjoyable one. From oldest to most recent, here are the finest (arguably) Robert De Niro movies!

The Godfather: Part II (1974)

Although critics at the time this film came out thought that the story line featuring Robert De Niro, who played godfather Vito Corleone in his youth, slowed down the main plot featuring Al Pacino as Michael Corleone, over the years this film has come to be recognized as one of the best films in American cinema history. It also firmly established the powerful on-screen chemistry of De Niro and Pacino.

Taxi Driver (1976)

In Taxi Driver, De Niro plays a character who goes from slightly eccentric to full-blown violent. As with other characters, he gains sympathy even as he repulses, and his dark deeds become understandable. It’s hard to imagine many actors other than De Niro who would be able to play an individual who becomes an assassin for no good reason and still be able to portray him sympathetically.

The Deer Hunter (1978)

Released at a time when America was just beginning to try and process its national experience in Vietnam. The viewer sees De Niro’s character in his normal and happy youth, and then they see what happens to him as a result of serving in Vietnam. The before and after is a metaphor for the entire nation, and audiences felt like they were watching a real person who they knew in De Niro’s character.

Raging Bull (1980)

Filmed in black and white, this film is haunting. De Niro plays an aging boxer who becomes a comedian after he has been beaten to the pulp in the ring too many times. While his character is not likable, he earns the viewer’s respect for his perseverance.

The King of Comedy (1982)

This film explores the relationship between fans and celebrities, and it looks at the warped perceptions ordinary people often have of the famous. De Niro plays a part where he drifts to the wrong side of the line between being a fan and being a stalker, and he does it in his own inimitable way.

The Untouchables (1987)

Robert De Niro plays Al Capone in this film, and he even gained weight for the picture so that he could look even more intimidating. Even as his character is pursued by good cops played by Kevin Costner and Sean Connery, it’s De Niro’s performance, especially in the infamous baseball-bat scene, that stays with the viewer.

Goodfellas (1990)

This film is one of several where the combination of Martin Scorcese’s direction and De Niro’s acting, combined with a mafia-related script, yields an awesome film. The fast-pace and violence of this film captivates the viewer, and it’s impossible to look away from the first scene to the last. Although Ray Liotta’s character is the protagonist in this picture, De Niro’s performance is at its heart.

Cape Fear (1991)

In this film, De Niro plays a deranged ex-convict bent on getting revenge on the lawman who put him in jail. De Niro takes creepiness to another level in his portrayal of a bad guy who is persistent, cunning and obsessed. He’ll even go after his enemy’s teenage daughter.

Heat (1995)

With Al Pacino’s cop to De Niro’s robber, this film has two very strong leads. Even as De Niro plots bank robberies, you gain sympathy for him as you see him struggling with the challenges of running his crew and trying to have a relationship. This film also has one of the best gunfight scenes in film history.

Casino (1995)

As in Goodfellas, this film has De Niro and Joe Pesci playing gangsters who work together. In Goodfellas, however, the relationship is more volatile, and casino-manager De Niro is sometimes repelled by the disregard Pesci’s character shows for the boundaries. Set in 1970’s Las Vegas, this film sparkles.

Mark Hamill Isn’t Always Luke Skywalker

Mark Hamill

Most people look at Mark Hamill and can’t see past Luke Skywalker. Though his iconic role in the “Star Wars” franchise is one to remember, he’s been in many other movies. Here’s a look at the six best Mark Hamill movies.

1. Joker – Batman: Mask of the Phantasm

It may come as a surprise, but Hamill has been playing Joker for about 30 years. Hamill plays Batman’s adversary in “Batman: The Animated Series.” His voiceover work is stunning as he shows his wide voice range of acting between mayhem and evil.

2. Ted Mitchum – Brigsby Bear

Hamill jumped into show off his dramatic side in the indie drama/comedy “Brisby Bear.” He played an obsessive father raising his adult son as if he were still a child. The movie reveals Ted abducted the son as a baby. He and his wife raised the boy by watching the fictional series, “Brigsby Bear.” The adult son finds out the truth, and decides to make the series into a movie. The movie shows off Hamill’s sweet side so much that you forget he kidnapped the boy.

3. Professor James Arnold – Kingsman: The Secret Service

“Kingsman: The Secret Service” is a goofty, raunchy movie. Hamill played Professor James Arnold, a fun, edgy dude. The movie is wild and crazy, but provides a way for Hamill to show off his diverse acting skills.

4. Firelord Ozai – Avatar: The Last Airbender

Hamill gets to play the antagonist voiceover card again with Firelord Ozai in “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” As the main bad guy, Firelord Ozai tries to destroy nations and destroy anyone in his way. Hamill has a way to make people fall in love with, yet hate the villian. No one knows why, but Hamill is one of the best voiceover villainous characters out there.

5. Private Griff – The Big Red One

Hamill stepped away from the galaxy into a very serious 1980 war drama in “The Big Red One.” As Private Griff, a member in a squad of soldiers in Africa during World War II. He showed off his serious, dramatic side in this supporting role. Though it’s a smaller role, Hamill stands apart in this film. He was trying so hard to step away from his Skywalker role into something else. He succeeded.

6. Colonel Muska – Castle in the Sky

Enter another amazing showcase of Hamill’s voiceover acting. Hamill played Colonel Muska in Disney’s “Castle In The Sky” in 1986. Muska was an evil man who tried to take control over a castle in the sky. Though usually known for his “good guy” roles, Hamill turned the tables to play an animated antagonist. People say he’s so good at voicing Colonel Muska they often don’t even recogize him.