With the summer movie season warming up, we revisit some of the great movies of the action/comedy genre… because, honestly, nothing is better than getting the one-two punch of a little bit of comedy wrapped up in your action flick (or is it action in your comedy?). Check out Movie Crunch’s picks for best action-comedy movies. What’s your favorite? Read the rest of this entry »

It was the “me” decade – the 1980s. And yes, despite the fact that we were self-absorbed during the 80s, we did take time to stop and enjoy some of the best comedies ever to hit the big screen. Check out Movie Crunch’s picks for the 21 Greatest Comedies of the 80s: Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s get nostalgic… and take a look at some of the funniest movies from back in the day… the 1970s that is. Whether you liked the intellectual humor of Annie Hall or the straight-up hilarity of Monty Python flicks, there’s something for everyone on our rundown of the 10 greatest comedies of the 70s. Read the rest of this entry »

BikiniBuys.com runs down their top 10 Hottest Bikini Movie Moments in a great list that includes such favorites as Salma Hayek in “From Dusk Till Dawn” and Phoebe Cates in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High.”

Check out the list of hottest bikini movie moments – did they get it all right (we applaud them for thinking outside the box, so to speak, for their Varsity Blues entry)… or is something missing? Read the rest of this entry »

Moviefone.com asked readers to rank their favorite movie presidents in an online poll. You can check out the results at the Moviefone.com site, but this is how the top 5 Best Movie Presidents in the poll shook out: Read the rest of this entry »

To follow up on the last list, 10 Movies to Look Forward to in 2008, here are 15 movies that might do well in 2008, either due to buzz, merit, or some indefinable quality.

There are a few more movies releasing in 2008 that might do well, but it’s tough to say. Here are my guesses.

1. 10,000 BC. [Mar 7] The 10,000 BC story sounds utterly boring and unoriginal, the cast is mostly unknown, but the CGI prehistoric animals look really good.

2. Don’t Mess With the Zohan. [Jun 6] Personally, I think this Adam Sandler flick (written by him and the superhot producer Judd Apatow) has far more potential than Ben Stiller’s Tropic Thunder, but seems to be getting less buzz. Maybe it’s too soon to tell.
3. Indiana Jones 4: Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Does the title sound cheesy or what? And it’s been a loooong time since the last one. Do we need another? I like Harrison Ford a great deal, but Indy was one of my least fave characters of his. Still, this might do well, even without Sean Connery.
4. Iron Man. [May 2] I’ve never been a big fan of Robert Downy Jr, and the trailer for Iron Man is hardly impressive in terms of special effects. But Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Samuel L. Jackson, Stan Lee and Ghostface Killah are some of the cast members. Could be big, and it opens well before summer blockbuster season.
5. James Bond 22. [Nov 7] Daniel Craig is my absolute least favorite James Bond, but this untitled 22nd film in the franchise also boasts the terrific Dame Judi Dench and Giancarlo Giannini. And apparently some people like Craig.
6. Journey 3-D. [Jul 11] Anytime a movie boasts 3-D, I’m already leery, but there’s buzz about this, and Brendan Fraser is in it. It’s up against some heavy competition on or around opening day, though.
7. Rambo IV. [Jan 25] Does Sly Stallone still have it? We’ll see soon. The last one was 20 years ago, but this one is written and directed by Sly.
8. Starship Dave. [May 30] Once, long ago, Eddie Murphy could do no wrong. But after Norbit, I’m afraid to see his movies. But there are miniature aliens and a spaceship in this.
9. South of the Border. [Aug 8] This is star-studded comedy [Drew Barrymore, Salma Hayek, Piper Perabo, Jamie Lee Curtis, Edward James Olmos, Andy Garcia, George Lopez, Cheech Marin], but director Raja Gosnell has only directed a few movies and they were serious stinkers. Though he did edit Home Alone, Pretty Woman, Mrs. Doubtfire, and Nine Months. Then again, this one revolves around a lost, ritzy Beverly Hills chihuaha.
10. The Incredible Hulk. [Jun 13] On second thought, no. I don’t think Ed Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, and William Hurt can do anything for this. And wasn’t there a Hulk movie not so long ago with really crappy CGI?
11. The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor. [Aug 1] It’s tough to say whether this third Mummy installment starring Brendan Fraser, Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh (as an evil wizard) has a chance. It might be good, but how many people will drop money to see it in the theaters?
12. The Spiderwick Chronicles. [Feb 15] This looks like it could be a lot of fantasy fun for the family, and it starts well before the blockbuster season. Could become another fantasy classic with cool CGI, but I think that’d be even without Seth Rogen, Nick Nolte, Martin Short, Andrew McCarthy and Joan Plowright.
13. WALL-E. [Jun 27] I haven’t a clue what this one is about, other than it’s an animated movie from Pixar, directed Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo), and there’s a 700-year old robot. Maybe, maybe not.
14. Wanted. [Jun 27] The only reason I’m mentioning this movie is because it’s based on a graphic novel. Oh yeah, and it stars James, McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Common, Terence Stamp, and Angelina Jolie. Might be big, might bomb.
15. What Happens in Vegas. [May 16] This is another big maybe starring Cameron Diaz, Ashton Kutcher, Queen Latifah, Rob Corddry and others.

The 2008 movie year is really looking up, with a lot of potential blockbusters. It’s always tough to guess at which ones will do well, so I’ve split my list into two: definite box office hits and “maybe” hits. The first list is below, and the second one will follow in a day or two. Note that the list is sorted alphabetically, so get off my back about “what? this is better than that.”

These are my guesses as to which flicks will do well in the box office, based on the buzz and regardless of merit. Note, also, that some of the video clips below are fan trailers.

1. Cloverfield. [Jan 18; Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas] Cloverfield’s trailers so far come across as a bunch of unknown actors in a mysterious monster flick. Doesn’t excite me, but everyone else seems to be wetting themselves. It is a J.J. Abrams’ film, but I’m waiting for Star Trek. I’m seriously thinking it’s a Godzilla/ Gojira or Mothra type of flick – in which case it’ll be a dud. It’s too soon since the last one, and Mothra just isn’t big box office. Or it could be something really original. And scary.

2. Get Smart. [Jun 20; Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne "Rocky" Johnson, Alan Arkin, Terence Stamp.] I can only take Steve Carell characters in small doses – kind of like when Will Ferrell does his loud-mouth characters in movies. But it is Steve Carell, and he’s hot right now, even if he did do Evan Almighty. (What do you want a bet there’ll be a third in that series?) A good Get Smart remake has a lot of potential across a few generations of moviegoers, and Carell does seem suited for the role.

3. Hancock. [Jul 2; Will Smith, Jason Bateman, Charlize Theron, Lauren Hill.] Will Smith can’t seem to lose these days, even if he was declared one of the more overpaid actors. Maybe his reign is just starting to end, but he’s got several good years left before he’ll switch to directing. In Hancock, he’s a down and out superhero. Also known as Tonight He Comes.

4. Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. [Nov 21; Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Watson, Daniel Radcliffe, Alan Rickman, Maggie Smith, Robbie Coltrane.] How could this possibly lose? Harry and the gang could all wear garbage bags on their heads and jump around speaking in tongues and fans would probably still go spend their money. Just kidding. If you’ve seen the previous installments, you’re saving your pennies for this one – and for Deathly Hallows in 2010.

5. Hellboy 2: The Golden Army. [Jul 11; Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Jeffrey Tambor.] Love Hellboy or hate it, Hellboy 2 is going to kick ass, both on film and probably in the box office. I’m always into cult films of this type, and whether or not anyone else liked it, I loved Ron Perlman as Hellboy.

6. Star Trek XI. [Dec 25; Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Winona Ryder, Leonard Nimoy.] Trekkies, Trek fans, and the mildly interested are all waiting with baited breath for this long-overdue sequel/ prequel – even without William Shatner. (I always went to see Spock anyway.) That’s all I know about it, but hey it’s Star Trek. And hopefully another TV series will be revealed soon, too.

7. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian. [May 16; Liam Neeson, Ben Barnes, Tilda Swinton (rumored).] Sure, it’s based on the third book instead of the second one (which will be a movie next) but The Chronicles of Narnia is a classic series enjoyed by generations. This series, when complete, will no doubt be another legendary fantasy movie series. I missed the first installment, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, but I’ll grab the DVD and watch it before Prince Caspian comes out.

8. The Dark Knight. [Jul 18; Christian Bale as the Joker, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, Eric Roberts, Aaron Eckhart, Anthony Michael Hall.] As someone in the comics world is known for saying, “enuff said.” (Gawd, my memory is bad.) Ok, maybe not, but it’s a Batman movie, and there’s enough momentum from Christian Bale’s last Batman flick for this to be one of the biggest blockbusters of 2008. Bale is without a doubt my favorite Batman of all time, primarily because Bruce Wayne and Batman were not separated: they are one and the same person. That and the fact that Batman Begins was so much grittier than its predecessor. It’s much truer to Batman’s origins in the comic books.

9. The Love Guru. [Jun 20; Mike Myers, Justin Timberlake, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Ben Kingsley, Samantha Bee.] Admit it. You’re craving another movie with Mike Myers – probably the most successful SNL alumnus ever. Well, I despise Justin Timberlake, who I think is overpraised for his mediocre musical talent (is he even an actor?). But Ben Kingsley is in this, for crying out loud. Yeah, in a comedy.

10. Tropic Thunder. [Jul 11; Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Jack Black, Nick Nolte.] I love Ben Stiller but even though this is a comedy, it’s also kind of a war movie – something I’ve never, ever, ever been into. Show me a war movie and I’ll show you a boring pile of political propaganda (most of the time). On the other hand, Ben Stiller is acting and directing, so something good might come out of it. It’s opening the same day as Hellboy 2, and followed by The Dark Knight, so it’s hard to say how it’ll do. [Sorry, no trailer yet.]

11. Sex and the City: The Movie. [Added Sun Dec 30th] [May 30; Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon, Kristin Davis, Chris Noth.] I somehow completely forgot about Sex and the City: The Movie, so I’ve added it to the end of this list. The movie will no doubt be a big hit, purely on the basis of the popularity of the HBO TV series about four New York City women whose sex lives we learned about and whose antics we grew to enjoy. (I only ever watched the show because of super cute Kristin Davis, hoping she’d get naked. She apparently did, eventually, but I missed that episode.) They’re already talking sequels for the movie, which will probably also be big hits as well.

Christmas 2007 is gone, but the holiday season has a bit of time left yet and everyone has their own way to celebrate the “festive” season. I, like many people, enjoy watching movies associated with Christmas (despite intensely disliking a once-a-year holiday where you’re supposed to be nice to people you don’t like).

This is merely my own personal short list – ordered alphabetically – of either “Christmas” movies I’ve seen many times or which are on my shortlist to see.

1. A Christmas Carol. Released Dec 16, 1938. Starring Reginald Owen, Gene Lockhart, Kathleen Lockhart, Terry Kilburn. One of the classic “Ebenezeer Scrooge” movies.

2. Christmas Vacation. Released Dec 1, 1989. Starring Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Juliette Lewis, Johnny Galecki, John Randolph, Diane Ladd, Randy Quaid, Doris Roberts. How can you not like the Griswolds and the zaniness of their family Christmas?
3. Die Hard. Released Jul 15, 1988. Starring Nicolas Cage, Bonnie Bedelia. Not released in December but an Xmas flick still the same.
4. Home Alone. Released Nov 16, 1990. Starring Macaulay Culkin, Joe Pesci, John Heard, Catherine O’Hara, John Candy. A modern classic of kookiness and fun for the holidays.
5. How the Grinch Stole Christmas. Released Dec 18, 1966 (made for TV, animated). Narrated by horrormeister Boris Karloff. This one is so much more fun for the family than the scary 2000 live-action version with Jimmy Carrey.
6. It’s a Wonderful Life. Released Jan 7, 1947. Starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, Lionel Barrymore. This is it, the classic, and my favorite Xmas flick, as well as tops in my favorite Jimmy Stewart movies. Directed by Frank Capra, father of Frank Capra, Jr.
7. Miracle on 34th Street. Released May 4, 1947. Starring Maureen O’Hara, Gene Lockhart, Natalie Wood. Is this Santa real as he claims, and has to defend himself in court?
8. The Family Man. Released Dec 22, 2000. Starring Nicolas Cage, Tea Leoni, Don Cheadle, Jeremy Piven, Saul Rubinek. Despite being an original story, it’s strongly reminiscent of It’s a Wonderful Life.
9. The Nightmare Before Christmas. Released Oct 29, 1993 (animated). Voices by Danny Elfman, Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, Paul Reubens. It’s a bit creepy for Christmas, but hey, it’s directed by Tim Burton.
10. The Sound of Music. Released Mar 29, 1965. Starring Julie Andrews, Christopher Plummer. Not sure why it’s such a big Xmas flick as I can’t sit through a whole showing, but I’ve listed it for a dear young friend who loved it and passed away during this season many years ago.

That’s my list, love it or hate it. Maybe some of the new crop of Christmas week movie releases will have place on a “classics” list someday.

Here’s a bit of a collection of craziness that Hollywood celebs have been noted for lately. Are these signs that Hollywood is screwed up or is this normal? Read on and decide for yourself if there’s a trend or celebs are just being called out more often.

1. Pulling a “Winona Ryder” and only stealing a lighter (Britney Spears).
2. Not showing up in court (Britney Spears, R. Kelly, Daniel Baldwin). Though R. Kelly and Daniel Baldwin had legitimate reasons.
3. Being a male gold-digger (Larry Birkhead, Kevin Federline, Casey Aldridge?).
4. Sleeping with people other than their spouses. Oh wait, that’s “normal”,
5. Flashing their privates on purpose (Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Christina Aguilera, etc.)
6. Pregnant (nearly everyone), pregnant at 16 (Jamie Lynn Spears), or pregnant in jail (Jessica Sierra).
7. Possibly facing statutory rape charges (Casey Aldridge, Jamie Lynn Spears’ baby daddy).
8. In jail for a DUI charge on their birthday (Kiefer Sutherland).
9. Having to have their kids drug-tested (Britney Spears).
10. Wandering around half naked with white powder on their nostrils (Amy Winehouse).
11. Suffering botched plastic surgery (Tara Reid, Michael Jackson, etc.).
12. Suffering from weight problems (Chastity Bono, Kirstie Alley, etc.) or anorexia.
13. Getting married to several losers in a row (Pam Anderson).
14. Being a really dumb blonde (Paris Hilton, Nicole Richie, Elizabeth Hasselbeck).
15. Saying really dumb things in public (too many to list all, but Michael Richards, Mel Gibson, Sherri Shepherd, etc.)
16. On the run from tax evasion charges.
17. Doing really bad movies (too many to list).
18. Doing really bad reality shows (Landers twins). Wait, they’re all bad,
19. Wearing really bad wigs (Christina Ricci, Katie Holmes). Ok, it’s not officially a crime.
20. Having reunion tours (Spice Girls) and thinking anyone cares. Unless you’re Led Zeppelin.
21. Filming naked with Philip Seymour Hoffman (NSFW).

Talk about excessive lifestyles (and I didn’t even mention celebrity sex tapes and attacking or running over paparazzi). I don’t remember such a high percentage of stars behaving like this ever. Or maybe they’ve always been like this but didn’t get busted for it, like Michael J. Fox says. Well, I guess everyone can’t be like Denzel Washington and donate a million dollars to a school.