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This is our last filmmaking books column in 2023, and it’s a good one. Plus, you can watch for even more gems from recent months in our companion column running next month. As always, thanks for reading and supporting so many great authors and artists.

Opposable Thumbs: How Siskel & Ebert Changed Movies Forever by Matt Singer (G.P. Putnam’s Sons)

As an adolescent in the early 1990s, one of my Sunday night rituals was recording that week’s episode of “Siskel & Ebert”––it aired late-night in Buffalo, NY––and watching it the following day. The internet was in its infancy, so the reviews of Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert were both a lifeline to what was happening in film and a cinematic education. It is no exaggeration to say that I learned how to discuss movies thanks to Gene and Roger. For my generation, then, the release of...

This article contains spoilers for Ahsoka episodes 1 and 2.

It’s taken a while, but more than five years after the credits rolled on Star Wars Rebels, we’re finally getting some payoff for its cliffhanger ending in Dave Filoni’s Ahsoka on Disney+. The Rebels creator is effectively giving us a live-action season 5, while also gifting fans the long-awaited solo series for the talented Togruta.

Alongside Rosario Dawson taking the lead as Ahsoka, a mix of new and returning faces sees Rebels alumni David Tennant and Lars Mikkelsen reprise their roles, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Natasha Liu Bordizzo take over from previous voice actors, and the likes of Ivanna Sakhno and Ray Stevenson playing brand-new roles. Sadly for Stevenson, he didn’t get to see the breakout reaction to Baylan Skoll.

Ray Stevenson tragically passed away on May 21, 2023, just four days before his 59th birthday. No cause of death has been revealed,...

Kenneth Branagh's 2011 film "Thor" is one of the more unusually situated blockbusters in recent memory. It was the fourth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but only the second after Disney's purchase of Marvel Comics in late 2009. It was also only the second MCU film after Disney had announced that it would be making a series of superhero movies that would culminate in a massive Avengers crossover event, a novelty at the time. As such, a film made by a notably iconoclastic and theatrical director became a commercial experiment, a test to see if audiences would see a really weird-ass movie about extraterrestrial deities and unusual, ineffable other realms, provided it linked to a film they wanted to see in the future.

As a preview for things to come, or perhaps the beginning part of a larger puzzle, "Thor" functions well enough. As a standalone picture, it's odd, cheap-looking,...

Ray Stevenson, a versatile actor known for genre fare such as Punisher: War Zone, the Thor movies, HBO’s Rome and much, much more, has died. He was 58.

Born George Raymond Stevenson on May 25, 1964, in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, he harbored acting ambitions from an early age. He enrolled at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, from where he eventually obtained his graduate degree.

From there, he kicked off a career in British and European TV, starting with 1993’s A Woman’s Guide To Adultery, in which he had a small role as a journalist. He racked up credits in a number of TV series well known to audiences, including Peak Practice, Holby City and The Bill.

But on the small screen, his true big break was HBO’s Rome, in which he played the cheery, violent Titus Pollo. It raised his profile, and he began to score bigger parts both on TV and the big screen.

Ray Stevenson, the Irish actor who played the villainous British governor in “Rrr”, an Asgardian warrior in the “Thor” films, and a member of the 13th Legion in HBO’s “Rome”, has died. He was 58.

Representatives for Stevenson told The Associated Press that he died Sunday but had no other details to share on Monday.

Stevenson was born in Lisburn in 1964. After attending the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and years of working in British television, he made his film debut in Paul Greengrass’s 1998 film “The Theory of Flight”. In 2004, he appeared in Antoine Fuqua’s “King Arthur” as a knight of the round table and several years later played the lead in the pre-Disney Marvel adaptation “Punisher: War Zone”.

Read More: First Look At Rosario Dawson In ‘Star Wars: Ahsoka’ As New Trailer Drops

Though “Punisher” was not the best-reviewed film, he’d get another taste of Marvel...

Ray Stevenson, the Northern Irish actor known for his numerous roles in projects like Thor, Dexter, Rrr, and The Three Musketeers (2011), has died. He was 58. Deadline reports that his representatives Independent Talent confirmed the news, but did not offer any further details surrounding his death.

George Raymond Stevenson was born on May 25th, 1964 in in Lisburn, Northern Ireland. His family relocated to England while he was a child, and he went on to graduate from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School when he was 29.

After appearing in a handful of European series and straight-to-tv movies throughout the 1990s, Stevenson made his film debut in 1998 opposite Helena Bonham Carter and Kenneth Branagh in Paul Greengrass’ comedy-drama The Theory of Flight. He also appeared in films such as The Book of Eli, The Other Guys, and Kill the Irishman before going on to star as Volstagg in Marvel’s Thor franchise, as...

Ray Stevenson, the actor behind memorable roles in Marvel’s Thor series, Rrr, Divergent, Vikings, and more, died Sunday in Italy. Details related to Stevenson’s passing are developing. However, the Italian newspaper La Repubblica says he was hospitalized on the island of Ischia while in production on the film Cassino on Ischia, directed by Frank Ciota.

In April, Stevenson embraced fans at Star Wars Celebration. In the upcoming Star Wars series Ahsoka, he plays one of the primary antagonists, Baylan Skoll. Like a kid waking up on Christmas morning to a tree packed with presents, Stevenson expressed his gratitude for playing in the Star Wars Universe by saying, “Getting to wield the light saber is just the best feeling in the world,” he said with a smile. “The first time they handed it to for the camera test, I couldn’t help myself, I made the noise.”

Many know...

Ray Stevenson, the burly British actor who starred as Volstagg in the Thor movies and as the brutally evil governor in the recent Oscar-winning Indian hit Rrr, has died. He was 58.

Stevenson died Sunday, four days shy of his birthday, his publicist Nicki Fioravante told The Hollywood Reporter. The Italian newspaper La Repubblica reported he had been hospitalized on the island of Ischia while in production on the film Cassino on Ischia, directed by Frank Ciota.

No other details of his death were immediately available.

The 6-foot-3 actor was an imposing presence onscreen and commanded attention when he took to the stage in April for a public appearance at Star Wars Celebration in London. He is one of the main antagonists in the upcoming Star Wars series Ahsoka.

“Getting to wield the light saber is just the best feeling in the world,” he said then. “The first time they handed...

Ray Stevenson, a veteran actor whose dozens of film and TV credits include Rrr, the Thor and Divergent films, Vikings and Star Wars animated series, died Sunday in Italy. He was 58. His reps at Independent Talent confirmed the news but did not provide details.

He most recently has been cast in historical drama 1242: Gateway to the West, taking over the lead role that originally was to be played by Kevin Spacey.

Stevenson played the main antagonist Scott Buxton in SS Rajamouli’s global box office smash Rrr and is known for playing Volstagg in Marvel’s Thor franchise and Othere in History’s Vikings. He also has voiced Gar Saxon in the animated Star Wars series The Clone Wars and Rebels and was set to join Rosario Dawson in Disney+’s upcoming The Mandalorian spinoff Ashoka.

Born on May 25, 1964, in Lisburn, Northern Ireland, Stevenson began his screen career in the early 1990s,...

Ray Stevenson, a towering and imposing character actor best known for starring roles in “Punisher: War Zone” and the “Rome” television show, has died at the age of 58. While his passing has been confirmed by his publicists, the cause of death is currently undisclosed.

George Raymond Stevenson was born in Lisburn, Ireland, on May 25, 1964. He was the second of three sons, and his father was a Royal Air Force pilot. He moved to England at the age of 8 and eventually attended the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He graduated at the age of 29. Stevenson had been a regular fixture at the movies and on television since the early 1990s.

His breakout movie role came in 1998’s “The Theory of Flight,” in which he played a gigolo tasked with helping Helena Bonham Carter’s character lose her virginity. His most notable big screen roles include the title role in Lexi Alexander...

Moviegoing kicked off again in the UK and France this week, with the former reopening cinemas on Monday and the latter on Wednesday. And so far, signs are very positive after roughly seven months of darkened screens in each market. Advance sales are strong and exhibitors in both are encouraged at the early results.

In the UK, all films in play on Wednesday are estimated to have grossed around £760K ($1.07M). This was the biggest day this week, up about 41% versus Tuesday. That’s largely attributable to Cineworld resuming operations at about 120 sites yesterday after opting to sit out Monday and Tuesday. The Wednesday gross is also roughly 9% over Monday. Through three days of the reopening process (which limits capacity to 50%), UK cinemas have taken in about £2M ($2.83M).

Sony’s Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway is the runaway leader with an estimated $850K through Wednesday. There’s clear appetite...

The feature debut by Béatrice de Staël and Léo Wolfenstein, a Tabo Tabo Films production, is currently shooting. Since 12 October, Béatrice de Staël and Léo Wolfenstein have been in South-West France shooting their feature debut, Vacances (lit. “Holidays”). The cast includes Géraldine Nakache, Béatrice De Staël herselfFriend[/link]) and Andranic Manet.Written by de Staël and Philippe Barassat, the story revolves around Marie, who is spending her holidays alone with her children for the first time, without her husband. One evening, feeling lost, Marie allows herself to fall for the charms of a young man with a magnetic charisma. Produced by Véronique Zerdoun for Tabo Tabo Films, Vacances...

Edward Norton went on the defensive after comedian and actress Janeane Garofalo accused him of costing her a role in David Fincher’s 1999 cult classic “Fight Club.” Garofalo joined Yahoo’s Build Series last week for an interview to promote her new film “Come As You Are” and revealed that she was nearly cast as Marla Singer opposite Norton and Brad Pitt in “Fight Club.” Singer is the film’s most prominent female character. Helena Bonham Carter played the role in the movie. Garofalo said Norton told Fincher she “didn’t have the chops” to play the role and instead lobbied for the director to cast his then-girlfriend Courtney Love.

“I was like, ‘Can I audition with him or for him?'” the actress said. “And I was told that he would like Courtney Love to do it, because he was dating her, but Brad Pitt said, ‘I’m not...

Helena Bonham Carter has made a habit out of playing fantastical, eccentric characters. The British actress has cut off heads as the zany Red Queen in "Alice in Wonderland," cursed helpless muggles as Bellatrix Lestrange in "Harry Potter," and even served up fresh, hot meat (not the good kind) pies as Mrs. Lovett in "Sweeney Todd." In "The Lone Ranger," which opens this week, she plays a woman who runs a brothel house.

But what about the woman behind these uniquely outrageous characters? Below, we run down 25 little-known facts about Bonham-Carter, including the roles she almost played and her side business that helps jazz up your jeans.

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1. She is the first cousin of Baroness Jane Bonham-Carter. She is also the great-granddaughter of H.H. Asquith who was British Prime Minister from 1908 to 1916.

2. She was denied admission to King's College, Cambridge University, but not because she was a bad student; the...

Updated: Ok, so I’ve had way to many emails from you guys pointing out that the Oscar form isn’t working for some of you this time around. I’ve put my best team of problem solvers on the issue and they can’t work it out, but 7 or 8 of you have told me it’s not working for you… so I presume there’s many more out there. To date we’ve had a little less entries than last time, so this problem is too much for me to ignore.

My only solution for now is for you to email your picks to editor@obsessedwithfilm.com. I will be collating results on Monday or Tuesday, so you’ve got a bit of time left to enter.

Now you’ve read our 1999 Academy Awards retrospective, here’s your chance to re-write history without the hassle of going back in...

The Bourne franchise, at least with Matt Damon and director Paul Greengrass (Green Zone, Bourne 2 and 3, Flight 93, Bloody Sunday, The Theory of Flight), seemed to be on permanent hold (until, of course, the inevitable reboot with a younger actor and a different director), but that might not be the case anymore. Deadline broke the news earlier today that screenwriter-director Tony Gilroy (Duplicity, Michael Clayton) has signed on to write a treatment for a fourth entry in the Bourne Franchise, tentatively titled The Bourne Legacy.

When The Bourne Ultimatum came out, Damon and Greengrass made it clear that they were done with the franchise. The trilogy completed, the circle, closed, etc., etc., etc., but with Damon and Greengrass' last film, Green Zone, a fictionalized take on the hunt for weapons of mass destruction in post-war Iraq (circa 2003), a bomb (no one, regardless of their political beliefs wanted to see anoother Iraq War-set film,...

Robert here, continuing my series on important contemporary directors. I feel sorta bad featuring Paul Greengrass just a week after his most divisive film. What's interesting about that film is how both the pro and the con arguments seem to be in agreement on what the film is, just their reaction to it differs. But more on that later. First...

Maestro: Paul Greengrass

Known For: Historical recreations and Bourne movies.

Influences: Independent film, activist film, documentaries.

Masterpieces: United 93

Disasters: None

Better than you remember: Everything here seems on the up-and-up.

Box Office: over 220 mil for The Bourne Ultimatum

Favorite Actor: You guessed it, Matt Damon.

In order for you to properly experience this post grab both sides of your monitor and shake it vigorously; up down, side to side, every which way. More and more. Just shake the bejesus out of it. There, now doesn't this piece feel gritty and realistic?...

The Oscar nominated British director Paul Greengrass seems drawn to "issue" movies. His feature directorial debut was the disease-of-the-week movie The Theory of Flight (1998), and he found acclaim with the explosive Bloody Sunday (2002) and the gripping, grueling United 93 (2006), though none of those exactly resulted in a bonanza of ticket sales. He seemed to come closer to his true calling with the second two Bourne films, The Bourne Supremacy (2004) and The Bourne Ultimatum (2007), bringing his gift for tense action as well as uncommon intelligence to a pair of summer action films. If there were any "issues" in those movies, they were buried deep in the kinetic plots.

Now we find Greengrass at a crossroads. Clearly the issue movies bring more glory and more personal satisfaction, but the action movies bring in happier customers and more riches. It's a conundrum many artists have faced since the days of Sullivan's Travels (1941), when...

6. The Theory of Flight: A man who attempts human flight off a public building is forced, via community service, to care for a woman with a terminal disease (Helena Bonham Carter). She wants him to de-flower her before she dies.

5. Imaginary Barry: A movie still in development about a jackass who dies, but is forced to fulfill a community service obligation to be an imaginary friend before he can pass on to heaven.

4. A Walk to Remember: A bad boy high-school student (Shane West) must join the school's drama club as part of his community service obligation, where he falls in love with a virgin.

3. 30 Days: A white kid from an affluent suburb and a black kid from the inner city must do labor in each other's communities for 30 days.

2. The Mighty Ducks: A hotshot lawyer (Emilio Estevez) is forced to coach a pee-wee hockey team after he's arrested for a DUI.

Following the first day of filming on director Kenneth Branagh’s long awaited “Thor” adaptation, several of the cast members are already enthusiastically talking about their experiences on the set. Ray Stevenson was particularly boisterous when speaking about his role as Volstagg — the powerful and rather obese member of the Warriors Three — during the premiere for “The Book of Eli”

“Oh, I've got a huge fat suit, I'm going to be shedding a lot of pounds in that thing,” said Stevenson during an interview with About.com. “It's just great fun and Kenneth Branagh is fantastic!” Stevenson also spoke at length about the mythology and tone of the movie.

“It's basically the ‘Thor’ comic book.,” related Stevenson. “It's definitely the Marvel comic book. The origins of the Norse legends. What is actually behind the Norse legends is what's explored in the Marvel comic book. The existence of Asgard and the Nine Realms.