New on Blu-ray: THE HI-LO COUNTRY (1998) Starring Billy Crudup, Woody Harrelson, Patricia Arquette & Penelope Cruz

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Product Description: Set in the rapidly vanishing "frontier" of post-WWII New Mexico, director Stephen Frears' latter-day western focuses on hard-living ranchhands Big Boy Matson (Woody Harrelson) and Pete Calder (Billy Crudup). Matson and Calder's friendship is strained when they both fall for beautiful Mona Birk (Patricia Arquette), wife of the foreman for local cattle baron Jim Ed Love (Sam Elliott). With Cole Hauser, Penélope Cruz.

Find out more about this DVD/Blu-ray release after the jump.

BRIAN AND MAGGIE Miniseries Trailer, Images and Poster

"Brian and Maggie" is a drama miniseries directed by Stephen Frears ("The Queen") from a script by British playwright James Graham ("Sherwood", "Brexit: The Uncivil War") based on the memoir "Why Is This Lying Bastard Lying to Me?" written by Rob Burley. The show stars Steve Coogan, Harriet Walter, Paul Clayton, Ross Armstrong, Tom Mothersdale, Emma Sidi and Karan Gill. "Brian and Maggie" premiered on January 29, 2025 on Channel 4 in the UK, and on October 5 on PBS in the US.

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WATCH ON APPLE TV+

Find out more about the miniseries after the jump.

New on Blu-ray & 4K: THE GRIFTERS (1990) - The Criterion Collection

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Product Description: A dark-hearted neonoir comes to a boil under the bright Los Angeles sun, in British director Stephen Frears’s rousing adaptation of the novel by dime-store bard Jim Thompson, a film that raises pulp to the realm of existential tragedy. A possessive mother (Anjelica Huston), her cynical son (John Cusack), and his scheming, seductive girlfriend (Annette Bening) are career swindlers circling one another in an elaborate emotional confidence game that grows increasingly perverse as love and trust turn to betrayal and Oedipal undercurrents rise to the surface. In Frears’s first Hollywood film, the ever-assured director and his trifecta of magnetic actors conjure a moody, unstuck-in-time vision of toxic Americana.

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New on Blu-ray: THE COMPLETE COMIC STRIP PRESENTS ... CHANNEL 4 FILMS (1982-2000)

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Product Description: THE NORTH AMERICAN BLU-RAY PREMIERE OF THE CULT HIT COMEDY SERIES! 24 EPISODES & SPECIALS ON 3 DISCS WITH 4+ HOURS OF BONUS FEATURES! They were the pioneering '80s comedy troupe - which included Rik Mayall, Adrian Edmondson, Dawn French, Nigel Planer, Peter Richardson and Jennifer Saunders - whose series of short films for Britain's Channel 4 led directly to THE YOUNG ONES, ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS and the entire UK alt-comedy movement. This 3-disc collection now presents all 3 seasons and 5 specials from The Comic Strip on Channel 4, including their legendary mockumentary BAD NEWS TOUR and its sequel MORE BAD NEWS featuring appearances by Lemmy, Ozzy Osbourne and Def Leppard, the classic MR. JOLLY LIVES NEXT DOOR - now scanned in 2K from a 16mm print - directed by two-time Oscar® nominee Stephen Frears, plus more than 4 hours of Special Features including an all-new documentary.

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STATE OF THE UNION Season 2 Trailer, Images and Poster

The second season of the British comedy series "State of the Union" has premiered on February 14, 2022 on SundanceTV. The new season stars Patricia Clarkson and Brendan Gleeson. Stephen Frears returns to direct from a script written by Nick Hornby.

Find out more about the series after the jump.

New on Blu-ray: THE QUEEN (2006) Starring Helen Mirren - Reissue

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Product Description: A revealing, witty portrait of the British royal family in crisis immediately following the death of Princess Diana. The setting for this fictional account of real events is no less than the private chambers of the Royal Family and the British government in the wake of the sudden death of Princess Diana in August of 1997.In the immediate aftermath of the Princess's passing, the tightly contained, tradition-bound world of the Queen of England clashes with the slick modernity of the country's brand new, image-conscious Prime Minister, Tony Blair.The result is an intimate, yet thematically epic, battle between private and public, responsibility and emotion, custom and action - as a grieving nation waits to see what its leaders will do.

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DVD & Blu-ray: QUIZ (2020) Miniseries Starring Michael Sheen and Matthew Macfadyen

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Product Description: The incredible true story of the biggest game show scandal in UK history. When a simplistic, ‘question and answer’ quiz show, ‘Who Wants to be a Millionaire?’, goes on the air in the UK. the nation is gripped. As the show’s ratings grow, so does Diana Ingram's desire to be in the hotseat with the chance of winning the biggest cash prize in history. When her husband Charles, an eccentric army man, makes it onto the show, he causes a major scandal after being caught cheating his way to winning £1 million.

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DVD & Blu-ray: THE HIT (1984) Starring Terence Stamp, John Hurt and Tim Roth

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Product Description: Terence Stamp is Willie, a gangster's henchman turned "supergrass" (informer) trying to live in peaceful hiding in a remote Spanish village. Sun-dappled bliss turns to nerve-racking suspense, however, when two hit men—played by a soulless John Hurt and a youthful, loose-cannon Tim Roth—come calling to bring Willie back for execution. This stylish early gem from Stephen Frears boasts terrific hard-boiled performances from a roster of England's best actors, music by Eric Clapton and virtuoso flamenco guitarist Paco de Lucía, and ravishing photography of its desolate Spanish locations—a splendid backdrop for a rather sordid story.

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QUIZ (2020) Miniseries Trailers, Images and Poster

"Quiz" is a British drama miniseries directed by Stephen Frears ("The Queen", "Philomena") and written by James Graham ("Brexit: The Uncivil War ", "The Crown") based on Graham's play of the same name and the book "Bad Show: the Quiz, the Cough, the Millionaire Major" by Bob Woffinden and James Plaskett.

The series is based on the true story of the cheating scandal where Charles Ingram (Matthew Macfadyen), his wife (Sian Clifford) and Tecwen Whittock (Michael Jibson) worked together to cheat on the British Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? game show in the 2001. The cast also features Aisling Bea, Michael Sheen, Helen McCrory and Elliot Levey.

"Quiz" premiered on April 13, 2020 on ITV in the UK, and on May 31, 2020 on AMC in the U.S.

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A VERY ENGLISH SCANDAL Trailers, Featurettes, Images and Poster

"A Very English Scandal" is a three-part BBC miniseries directed by Stephen Frears ("The Queen") based on the novel "A Very English Scandal: Sex, Lies and a Murder Plot at the Heart of the Establishment" written by John Preston.

Hugh Grant stars as Jeremy Thorpe, member of Parliament in the 1960s and 1970s, who was accused of conspiracy to murder his gay ex-lover (Ben Whishaw) in order to protect his political career. He was forced to stand trial in 1979. Alex Jennings, Flora Montgomery, Patricia Hodge, Naomi Battrick, Morgan Watkins, Alice Orr-Ewing and Monica Dolan co-star.

"A Very English Scandal" premiered on BBC One on May 20, 2018, and on Amazon Prime on June 29, 2018. The miniseries received mostly positive reviews from critics.

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New on DVD and Blu-ray: VICTORIA AND ABDUL (2017) Starring Judi Dench

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Product Description: The extraordinary true story of an unexpected friendship in the later years of Queen Victoria's (Academy Award winner Judi Dench) remarkable rule. When Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal), a young clerk, travels from India to participate in the Queen's Golden Jubilee, he is surprised to find favor with the Queen herself. As the Queen questions the constrictions of her long-held position, the two forge an unlikely and devoted alliance with a loyalty to one another that her household and inner circle all attempt to destroy. As the friendship deepens, the Queen begins to see a changing world through new eyes and joyfully reclaims her humanity.

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5 Clips from FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS Starring Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant

Meryl Streep and Hugh Grant star in the biopic "Florence Foster Jenkins" which tells the story of the titular protagonist, a New York heiress (Streep) who dreamed of becoming an opera singer, despite having a terrible singing voice, while her "husband" and manager (Grant) spares no expense to shelter her from the truth. Simon Helberg, Rebecca Ferguson, John Kavanagh and Nina Arianda co-star. "Florence Foster Jenkins" is now in theaters.

Watch the clips after the jump.

FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS Trailer, Featurette and Posters

Paramount has released the official trailer, a featurette and four posters for the biopic "Florence Foster Jenkins".

A comedy, but a true story, nonetheless, the film is directed by Stephen Frears ("The Queen", "Philomena") and it stars Meryl Streep as the titular protagonist, a New York heiress who dreamed of becoming an opera singer, despite having a terrible singing voice, while her "husband" and manager, St. Clair Bayfield (Hugh Grant), an aristocratic English actor, was determined to protect his beloved Florence from the truth.

The cast also features Simon Helberg, Rebecca Ferguson, John Kavanagh and Nina Arianda.

"Florence Foster Jenkins" opens in theaters on August 12th.

Check out the trailer, featurette and posters after the jump.

THE PROGRAM Trailer, Images and Posters

The first trailer, images and posters for the Lance Armstrong biopic "The Program" have been released online. Directed by Stephen Frears ("The Queen"), the film stars Ben Foster as the famous cyclist and it chronicles his battle with cancer and triumphant return to official competitions, followed by the investigation that ultimately resulted in having the Tour de France victories taken away from him.

The script was written by John Hodge ("Trainspotting") based on the book "Seven Deadly Sins" written by Irish sport journalist David Walsh who exposed Armstrong and is played by Chris O'Dowd in the movie. The cast also features Lee Pace, Jesse Plemons, Guillaume Canet, Laura Donnelly and Dustin Hoffman.

"The Program" premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. There is no U.S. release date set. The film opens across Europe throughout October.

Check out the trailer, images and posters after the jump.

DVD & Blu-Ray: PHILOMENA Starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan

Product Description: When she fell pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena Lee (Judi Dench) was sent to the convent to be looked after as a fallen woman. She cared for her baby for three years until the Church took him from her and sold him, like countless others, to America for adoption. Coerced into signing a document promising never to attempt to see her child again, she nonetheless spent the next fifty years secretly searching for him, unaware that he was searching for her from across the Atlantic.

Read more about the movie and special features after the jump.

In Theaters: THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE, DELIVERY MAN, PHILOMENA

Movies opening this week in theaters:

• THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE (Lionsgate / PG-13 / Wide)
• DELIVERY MAN (Walt Disney Pictures / PG-13 / Wide)
• PHILOMENA (The Weinstein Company / PG-13 / Limited)

Synopses, details, critical reception, trailers, clips and more after the jump.

PHILOMENA Trailer, Clips & Featurette - Judi Dench, Steve Coogan

As the release date for the drama "Philomena" starring Judi Dench and Steve Coogan fastly approaches, here is are a new trailer, 5 movie clips, a viral clip and a making of featurette. The film is directed by Stephen Frears ("The Queen") and it's based on the 2009 investigative book by BBC correspondant Martin Sixsmith.

The film has had some problems with the MPAA which initially rated it R for language. This prompted the release of a biting Funny Or Die viral clip in which Dench reprises the role of M from the James Bond franchise and instructs agent 002 (Coogan) to use his special skills to convince the MPAA to lower the rating to a PG-13. Eventually, the Weinstein Company won their ratings appeal and now "Philomena" is rated PG-13. Unfortunately, the Funny or Die clip is no longer available on their website, but a teaser clip is, so I've posted that one here. I suppose that the MPAA asked for the clip to be taken down once the appeal was won. Too bad, because it was really funny.

"Philomena" opens in select theaters across the US on November 22nd.

Watch the trailer, clips and featurette after the jump.

CASTING NEWS: Dwayne Johnson, Javier Bardem, Will Smith, Lee Pace

Dwayne Johnson ("Fast & Furious 6") has been working on a lot of projects lately. So, it's no surprise that we have news about another project of his. Johnson is set to lead an adaptation of the best-selling memoir "Not Without Hope" written by Nick Schuyler. Schuyler and three of his friends embarked on a deep-sea fishing trip which ended in disaster when the four made a mistake which capsized their boat. "The days that followed would find the four friends in the middle of a storm clinging to the overturned boat – facing hypothermia, hunger, and dehydration in a grueling fight to survive. Not Without Hope is a harrowing, yet inspiring tale of courage, sacrifice, and friendship." Nick Schuyler is a former football player and personal trainer.

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Javier Bardem ("Skyfall") is in negotiations with Warner Bros. to star in a new adaptation of "Peter Pan". The film, simply titled "Pan" is to be directed by Joe Wright ("Anna Karenina", "Atonement") and has been written by Jason Fuchs ("Ice Age: Continental Drift"). Bardem has been offered the role of the villain, Blackbeard the pirate. The story will center on the orphan Peter Pan who is taken to Neverland and becomes the saviour of the natives by leading a rebellion against the pirates led by Blackbeard.

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Will Smith ("Men in Black") is set to star in the adventure film "The City That Sailed" which will be directed by Shawn Levy ("Night at the Museum"). The film is scripted by Audrey Wells ("The Game Plan") and the story will focus on "a father and daughter on the island of Manhattan as it breaks loose and sails across the Atlantic Ocean." In the meantime, Shawn Levy is busy preparing to shoot "Night at the Museum 3", while Smith is also set to star opposite Margot Robbie in "Focus".

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Lee Pace ("The Hobbit" trilogy) will join Stephen Frears' untitled Lance Armstrong biopic. The film is an adaptation of journalist David Walsh's book "Seven Deadly Sins: My Pursuit of Lance Armstrong". John Hodge ("Trance") has written he screenplay. The film stars Ben Foster ("3:10 to Yuma") as Armstrong, but there are not details about what role Lee Pace will play. The cast also includes Chris O'Dowd ("Bridesmaids"), Jesse Plemons ("Breaking Bad") and Guillaume Canet ("Jeux d'enfants").

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New Images: WILD, LANCE ARMSTRONG BIOPIC, MAGIC IN THE MOONLIGHT, BLACK SEA

You can check out the pictures and read the synopses after the jump. Here is a short description of the new images :

• The first image for the drama "Wild" based on Cheryl Strayed's best-selling memoir and starring Reese Witherspoon, Laura Dern, Thomas Sadoski, Michiel Huisman, W. Earl Brown, Gaby Hoffman and Kevin Rankin. No release date available.
  
  
• The first image from the Untitled Lance Armstrong biopic starring Ben Foster as Armstrong and directed by Stephen Frears ("The Queen"). No release date available.
  
  
• The first two images from Woody Allen's new film "Magic in the Moonlight" starring Emma Stone, Colin Firth, Marcia Gay Harden, Jacki Weaver, Hamish Linklater, Eileen Atkins, Simon McBurney, Erica Leerhsen, Catherine McCormack and Paul Ritter. No release date available.
  
  
• The first three images from Kevin Macdonald's upcoming submarine thriller "Black Sea" starring Jud Law, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, Jodie Whittaker, Karl Davies and Daniel Ryan. No release date available.
  
  

Check out the images (click to enlarge) and synopses after the jump.

2013 Venice Film Festival Award Winners

The winners for the 70th Venice Film Festival have been announced. The Golden Lion award for Best film went to Gianfranco Rosi for the documentary "Sacro Gra". "Pineapple Express" director David Gordon Green's new movie "Joe" starring Nicolas Cage did not leave empty handed. The drama took home the Best Young Actor award for Tye Sheridan's performance. Also, Steve Coogan and Jeff Pope won the Best Screenplay award for Stephen Frears' "Philomena" starring Judi Dench.

Read the full list of winners after the jump.