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Bill Maher Calls Moviefone, Arianna Huffington Answers (VIDEO)

By John Sellers (Subscribe to John Sellers's posts), Posted Feb 15th 2011 9:00PM
Filed under: Video

This past Friday on his HBO talk show, Bill Maher called 777-FILM -- aka Moviefone -- to see if anything has changed now that Arianna Huffington is running the show.

The funny gag replaces the familiar voice of Mr. Moviefone with that of Arianna Huffington herself. Check out the clip from 'Real Time with Bill Maher' below -- and tune in to the show on Fridays at 10PM.
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Cameron Crowe on 'Almost Famous,' 'Say Anything ...' and Where He Keeps the Boom Box

By John Sellers (Subscribe to John Sellers's posts), Posted Feb 10th 2011 2:00PM
Filed under: Celebrity Interviews, Features, Best Movies Ever, Blu-ray DVDs
The news that Cameron Crowe is back in action on the set of a movie made us happier than Spicoli eating pizza in class. Throw in that the director sent lead actor Matt Damon a mix CD to play while reading the initial script, and we have high hopes that 'We Bought a Zoo' might be another Crowe classic.

Music is a main character in Crowe's best films, and that was never more evident than in 2000's 'Almost Famous' (a tricked-out "director's cut" version of which has recently been released on Blu-ray). Next month, we'll be counting down a list of the best music scenes in movies (check back in March!), and that film's legendary 'Tiny Dancer' sing-along charts very high, as does the boombox serenade from 'Say Anything ...' So, we naturally jumped at an offer to interview Crowe, via email, about how he harnesses the power of music in his films.

And we're so glad we did, because now we can always say that Cameron Crowe emailed us from a Home Depot. Here's how he prefaced his reply to our questions:

Thanks, and I'm honored! Writing you now from the set of our new movie 'We Bought A Zoo' ... having fun, shooting a scene today at a Home Depot in Thousand Oaks. I am surrounded with wood, and batteries. Hope this translates to some smokin' answers to your fine questions ...


Read on for the full interview, including anecdotes about the unforgettable scenes involving 'Tiny Dancer' and 'In Your Eyes.' And keep refreshing your browsers in March for our list of the 50 best music scenes in movie history.
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'The Matrix 4' and '5': Are the Rumors True?

By John Sellers (Subscribe to John Sellers's posts), Posted Jan 24th 2011 5:35PM
Filed under: Movie News, Sci-Fi, Cinematical
Even though this may well turn out to be just another cleverly orchestrated Keanu Reeves meme, the Internet is abuzz today with reports that the actor revealed to a group of London students that two more installments in 'The Matrix' franchise may be on the way -- in 3D, no less.

Now, before you start annoying all your friends by whipping out that lame "There is no spoon" quote again, consider that the original source -- an anonymous Ain't It Cool News reader going by "El-Nino" -- is questionable to the extreme and that Entertainment Weekly has already debunked the news. Still, we have to wonder if there isn't something to the rumors, given that the 'Matrix' franchise raked in more than $1.5 billion.

But after the debacles that were 2003's 'The Matrix Reloaded' and 'The Matrix Revolutions,' the two disjointed follow-ups to the truly groundbreaking 1999 original, the biggest question may be whether Reeves and the Wachowski brothers should expect anyone to care.

So, what do you think of this very intriguing and probably not true development? While you're contemplating, check our our pick for the best moment from 'The Matrix' trilogy below, and if you dare, click here to feast your eyes on the worst.
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Ricky Gervais at the Golden Globes 2011: Mean or Hilarious? [Poll]

By John Sellers (Subscribe to John Sellers's posts), Posted Jan 17th 2011 1:00AM
Filed under: Hot Topic, Golden Globes News, Awards
Just four minutes into the Golden Globes telecast, host Ricky Gervais had already taken generous jabs at Charlie Sheen, anyone who had anything to do with 'The Tourist,' certain potentially closeted members of the Church of Scientology, the airbrushed cast of 'Sex and the City 2,' and Cher -- not to mention his very employers, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association itself.

And then the gloves really came off.

When introducing Robert Downey Jr. midway through the three-hour telecast, Gervais said, "He has done all those films, but many of you in this room probably know him best from such facilities as the Betty Ford Clinic and the Los Angeles County Jail."

This dig earned him this instantly classic rejoinder from Downey Jr.: "Aside from the fact that it's been hugely mean-spirited, with mildly sinister undertones, I'd say the vibe of this show is pretty good so far, wouldn't you?" Downey Jr. might as well have been speaking for Steve Carell, Tim Allen and everyone else who became the butt of a joke over the course of the night.

Before we continue, take a look at Gervais' hilariously harsh opening monologue after the jump.
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Stephen Tobolowsky: 9 Awesome Facts About the Ultimate 'That Guy' Actor

By John Sellers (Subscribe to John Sellers's posts), Posted Dec 10th 2010 12:00PM
Filed under: Celebrity Interviews, Announcements

You would be hard-pressed to find a Hollywood actor who has appeared in more movies and TV shows over the past 20 years than Stephen Tobolowsky. In fact, we dare you to try.

The 59-year-old actor -- best known for playing tenacious insurance salesman Ned Ryerson in the 1993 comedy 'Groundhog Day' and who has more recently stolen scenes in on the TV shows 'Deadwood' and 'Glee' -- has amassed some 200 credits since appearing in his first legitimate production, the 1983 made-for-TV movie 'Cocaine and Blue Eyes,' which starred none other than O.J. Simpson.

But Moviefone is also interested in Tobolowsky because, in his spare time, he has established himself as a stand-out humor writer and master storyteller -- as fans of his Slashfilm podcast The Tobolowsky Files know well. This past summer, The Awl featured his excellent two-part essay about auditions, and in 2012 Simon & Schuster will publish his memoir.

All of this makes us extremely happy to announce that Tobolowsky has joined the Moviefone fold as a columnist. But before you read the first installment of his semi-regular humor column, Stephen Tobolowsky Is The Best Expert Moviefone Could Find, let's find out a bit more about him.

9 Awesome Facts About Stephen Tobolowsky


1. He told us in a recent phone interview that, in 1976, when deciding which coast to relocate to from his hometown of Dallas, Texas, in order to pursue acting, he chose Los Angeles because "it was better to be poor in Los Angeles than New York because the weather was better."
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'African Cats' Trailer: Cuteness Overload!

By John Sellers (Subscribe to John Sellers's posts), Posted Dec 9th 2010 11:00AM
Filed under: Trailers and Clips

Few things in this world are cuter than a lion cub. Well, how about two lion cubs? And five cheetah cubs?

Cat lovers everywhere, you can thank us later for presenting the trailer for 'African Cats,' a Disney documentary that will arrive in theaters on April 22, 2011.
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Musicians on Movies: Mark Mothersbaugh of Devo

By John Sellers (Subscribe to John Sellers's posts), Posted Dec 7th 2010 12:00PM
Filed under: Celebrity Interviews, Features, Cinematical


Everyone knows the art-punk band Devo and its hugely catchy 1980 hit 'Whip It' -- not to mention those dork-tastic flowerpot helmets. But the old-school Ohio rockers have also left a lasting footprint in Hollywood through its movie-friendly music.

In particular, bespectacled frontman Mark Mothersbaugh has composed the scores for dozens of films, including such diverse gems as 'Dumb and Dumber,' the first four Wes Anderson features, and the 2010 documentary 'Catfish.' So we figured he'd be the perfect inaugural subject of our new recurring feature, Musicians on Movies.

Mothersbaugh recently took a break from promoting 'Something for Everybody,' Devo's first album in 20 years, to e-mail us the five movies he would have liked to have scored.
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