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Film directors are the masterminds behind the magic, the real wizards of the silver screen. While actors may get all the glory, it’s the directors who pull the strings, calling the shots (literally) and shaping the stories we love. From the old-school legends who defined cinema to the fresh talents shaking things up today, the film industry has been home to some of the most iconic filmmakers in history.

Some directors are known for their jaw-dropping action sequences, others for their mind-bending storytelling, and a few for making us cry into our popcorn. Whether it’s Steven Spielberg’s heartwarming adventures, Quentin Tarantino’s blood-soaked brilliance, or Christopher Nolan’s brain-busting timelines, each director brings something unique to the table. Here are 30 legendary directors from all over the world who spellbind us with their craft.

30. Francis Ford Coppola Francis Ford Coppola in The Godfather Part III (Credits- Paramount)

Francis...

After the success of "The Godfather" in 1972 and the even larger success of "The Godfather Part II" in 1974, writer/director Francis Ford Coppola was done with the series. He felt that the stories of Vito Corleone and his son Michael (Al Pacino) had been told. Coppola told a complex Shakespearean drama about a man's loyalty to his mob-leading family, and how that seemingly honorable quality undercut his desire to live a normal life. Michael was granted power in the mob as a result, and as he rose through the ranks, he lost his soul. In his more lucid moments, he was at peace with that. 

Coppola was finished, but Paramount wanted to keep going, knowing that the "Godfather" movies weren't just prestige pictures, but major blockbusters. In that way that studios have, Paramount wanted to put a stool down next to "The Godfather" and milk it for all it was worth.

Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Spike Lee, Diane Lane and more sang the praises of Francis Ford Coppola at the 50th AFI Lifetime Achievement Award tribute event Saturday night at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood.

Spielberg called Coppola “peerless” while Lucas said, “You’re our hero, Francis, the first university student to make it in the industry.” Son Roman Coppola was also on hand, as was Gia Coppola, while Sofia Coppola shared a pre-taped video interview with her father.

Throughout the emotional evening, Coppola was celebrated as a true Hollywood outsider who made the system work for him and someone who launched dozens of careers, as with the cast of his 1983 film “The Outsiders.” Here are some of the highlights from the ceremony:

Steven Spielberg moved Coppola to tears

In his moving tribute to his longtime friend, Spielberg had his fellow filmmaker...

As Francis Ford Coppola received AFI’s 50th Life Achievement Award, Adam Driver praised his fearless approach to cinema.

During Saturday’s gala at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles, the actor paid tribute to “one of my cinematic heroes” and his big swing with last year’s Megalopolis, which Coppola self-funded after first conceiving the idea in 1983.

“A theater director who brought his process to film and revolutionized how we think about cinema, and certainly how we make it,” said Driver. “His movies, for some, are the yardstick to be measured by, and at the very least, examples of the possibilities in film, like in my opinion, Megalopolis.”

Recalling “the best piece of direction I ever heard” that came from the first day of filming Megalopolis, Driver said Coppola told the room, “We’re not being brave enough.”

Putting that piece of advice into the context of Coppola’s storied career,...

Although Robert De Niro was passed over for The Godfather, his starring role in the sequel turned out to be the offer he couldn’t refuse.

While paying tribute to director Francis Ford Coppola with the AFI Life Achievement Award, he and co-star Al Pacino reminisced about their time with the filmmaker on his seminal mafia film franchise.

“Francis, thank you for not casting me in The Godfather,” said De Niro during Saturday’s gala at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. “It was the best job I ever, never got. And it meant I was available for The Godfather Part II. Francis, you changed my career, you changed my life. We’re all here tonight because of you. We love you.”

Following Pacino’s breakout performance as Michael Corleone in 1972’s adaptation of Mario Puzo’s book, the 1974 sequel followed the parallel paths of father and son with De...

The first celebrity to take to the Dolby Theatre stage to celebrate filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola becoming the 50th recipient of the AFI Life Achievement Award was an actor that has actually never worked with the iconic director. Still, Morgan Freeman, himself an AFI Life Achievement Award winner in 2011, set the tone for what the rest of Coppola’s colleagues and family members would highlight from his storied career.

“Francis Ford Coppola is still the independent filmmaker, believer of dreams on a dime, teller of tales that cost and lost millions,” said Freeman. “But tonight, fuck the bankers and the backers. We’re here to celebrate art.”

Though she was not at the event in person, his daughter Sofia Coppola, an Oscar-winning filmmaker in her own right, filmed a retrospective interview with the AFI honoree that served as a framework for the event.

One of the first films to get...

Francis Ford Coppola was celebrated Saturday night at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles as he received the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award, the highest recognition from the American Film Institute. The evening brought together many of Hollywood’s most respected names, including Steven Spielberg, George Lucas, Robert De Niro, Al Pacino, Harrison Ford, Adam Driver, Morgan Freeman, and Spike Lee.

Spielberg and Lucas, who share decades-long friendships with Coppola, presented the award. Spielberg, recalling their first meeting in 1967, praised Coppola’s openness and creative fearlessness. “On one hand, you are a warrior for independent artists,” Spielberg said. “But also, and always, you’re fearless in how open you are to ideas, opinions and inspiration.” He described watching an early five-hour cut of Apocalypse Now with other filmmakers, highlighting Coppola’s willingness to invite feedback and collaborate in the creative process.

“You have taken what came before and redefined the canon of American film,...

The Sopranos creator David Chase once questioned whether James Gandolfini had the right presence to portray the troubled mob boss Tony Soprano, according to a new book excerpt. Jason Bailey’s Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend explores the casting process that ultimately led to one of television’s most iconic performances.

Nancy Sanders, one of Gandolfini’s managers, recalled in the excerpt that after reading the pilot script for The Sopranos, she immediately thought of Gandolfini for the role. “I went, ‘Oh my God, I think I have Tony Soprano,’” Sanders said. However, Chase expressed a hesitation after reviewing Gandolfini’s acting reel.

“Alright, here’s the deal,” Chase told Sanders. “I think he’s brilliant. I have one concern, and that is: Is he threatening enough?” Sanders, surprised by the comment, responded with confidence. “David, if your only concern is is he threatening enough… If you said to me,...

The American Film Institute paid tribute to Francis Ford Coppola on Saturday with its 50th Life Achievement Award.

Performers like Elle Fanning and Andy Garcia; fellow filmmakers like Ron Howard, Spike Lee and George Lucas; as well as top brass such as Michael Barker and Ted Sarandos, among many others, were in attendance to celebrate the Godfather director during a gala at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.

“Francis Ford Coppola is a peerless artist – one who has created seminal works in the canon of American film, and has also inspired generations of filmmakers who now embody his artistry and his independent spirit,” said Kathleen Kennedy, Chair of the AFI Board of Trustees. “AFI is honored to present him with the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award.”

Related: Francis Ford Coppola’s Career In Photos, From ‘Apocalypse Now’ To ‘The Godfather’

The Life Achievement Award is AFI’s highest esteem for a career in film.

Francis Ford Coppola, one of Hollywood's most important living directors, is set to receive the Life Achievement Award from the AFI in their upcoming ceremony. Taking place at the Dolby Theater in Los Angeles on April 26, the event, titled "The 50th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Francis Ford Coppola," will be televised on TNT, although no official air date has yet been announced. However, what has been confirmed is that the prestigious award will be handed to Coppola by two Hollywood legends who happen to be very close to the director: Steven Spielberg and George Lucas.

As reported by IndieWire, the American Film Institute selected Coppola to be the next recipient of the prestigious award. Lucas and Spielberg will join other incredibly important guests such as Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Dustin Hoffman, Robert De Niro, Adam Driver, Spike Lee, Al Pacino, Ralph Macchio, C. Thomas Howell and Diane Lane,...

Francis Ford Coppola is about to trade in his Razzie Award for an AFI Life Achievement Award.

The five-time Oscar winner has been named the 50th recipient of the American Film Institute's most prestigious honor. It couldn't come at a better time. Earlier this year, the 86-year-old filmmaker "won" the Worst Director Razzie for directing Megalopolis, his big-screen gamble that failed to connect with audiences.

Coppola's directing buddies George Lucas and Steven Spielberg will present the trophy on April 26. The televised special, titled The 50th AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Francis Ford Coppola, will air on TNT with an encore on TCM at a later date.

The swanky tribute will take place at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, with other A-list guests and presenters including Gia Coppola, Roman Coppola, Robert De Niro, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Dustin Hoffman, Ron Howard, C. Thomas Howell, Diane Lane, Spike Lee,...

When Francis Ford Coppola receives the AFI Life Achievement Award in Hollywood on Saturday, he will be supported by an A-list group of friends, family and former collaborators.

The American Film Institute announced on Tuesday that George Lucas and Steven Spielberg will present the 50th AFI Life Achievement Award to the famed filmmaker at the Dolby Theater. Gia and Roman Coppola, Robert De Niro, Adam Driver, Harrison Ford, Morgan Freeman, Dustin Hoffman, Ron Howard, C. Thomas Howell, Diane Lane, Spike Lee, Ralph Macchio and Al Pacino will also be among the presenters and guests taking part in the event.

“There is only one Francis Ford Coppola,” AFI president and CEO Bob Gazzale said in a statement. “And it is AFI’s honor to gather the art and entertainment communities, along with his family, friends and colleagues to celebrate cinema — all of it and the very best of it.”

The AFI Life Achievement Award...

Al Pacino is the Oscar-winning actor who has starred in dozens of classics throughout his nearly 50 year career, from his star-making breakthrough in "The Godfather" (1972) to his late-career triumph in "The Irishman" (2019). Tour through our photo gallery of Pacino's 25 greatest films, ranked worst to best.

Though an acting legend, it took Pacino 20 years and eight nominations to finally cash in his Oscar I.O.U. for "Scent of a Woman". Prior to that he competed for "The Godfather", "Serpico", "The Godfather, Part II", "Dog Day Afternoon", "... And Justice for All", "Dick Tracy" and "Glengarry Glen Ross", but he didn't win any of those bids.

Surprisingly, his 1992 noms for "Scent of a Woman" and "Glengarry Glen Ross" were followed by a long Academy drought, despite additional critically acclaimed performances in "Heat" (1995), "Donnie Brasco" (1997), "The Insider" (1999) and "Insomnia" (2002). During that time, he became a TV favorite with Emmy-winning turns in "Angels in America...

Directors are the unsung maestros of moviemaking—the ones pulling the strings while the stars soak up the spotlight. Sure, actors get the glory, but it’s the person behind the lens who orchestrates every frame, decides every shot, and shapes whether a movie becomes a masterpiece or a mess.

But every now and then, the minds behind the magic step out from behind the camera and into the spotlight. Sometimes it’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo, other times they go full Clint Eastwood and headline their own films. Whether it’s a cheeky Easter egg, a symbolic gesture, or just plain “hey, they’re great on screen too,” these cinematic geniuses know how to steal the scene—even when it’s not their job to.

In this list, we are diving into 15 directors who not only brought their vision to life but even sneaked in a little screen time of their own,...

Are you ready to get groovy, baby? Cause Netflix is about to spin the clock back to 1975 for a month-long screening series held at its Egyptian Theatre in Los Angeles this upcoming May. Titled “1975: Fifty Is the New Hollywood,” this event aims to celebrate the 50th anniversary of what many consider the year that changed cinema forever, with films like Steven Spielberg’s “Jaws,” Mel Brooks’ “Young Frankenstein,” and Francis Ford Coppola‘s Oscar-winning “The Godfather Part II” all being released within the same 12-month span.

1975 marks the highpoint of the New Hollywood era, with gifted established filmmakers like Robert Altman, Akira Kurosawa, John Cassavetes, and Stanley Kubrick all going out on a limb to make their masterworks and newcomers like Spielberg, Coppola, Martin Scorsese, and Brian De Palma breaking through in ways that would forever alter the business and creative spirit of filmmaking. International cinema also introduced the world to the unconventional,...

With Paul Feig’s highly anticipated sequel to the beloved 2018 film “A Simple Favor” going abroad, it seems that chaos has charted an international flight.

Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively reprise their respective roles for “Another Simple Favor,” with Lively’s character Emily getting remarried in Italy seven years after the events of the first film. The official synopsis reads: “Stephanie Smothers (Kendrick) and Emily Nelson (Lively) reunite on the beautiful island of Capri, Italy, for Emily’s extravagant wedding to a rich Italian businessman. Along with the glamorous guests, expect murder and betrayal to RSVP for a wedding with more twists and turns than the road from the Marina Grande to the Capri town square.”

Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Elizabeth Perkins, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell, Elena Sofia Ricci, Henry Golding, and Allison Janney co-star.

“Another Simple Favor” opened the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival with its world premiere. Feig directs and produces the film,...

The Academy Awards are an odd tradition. Every year, voters from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (becoming one of these voters is itself a somewhat mystified bureaucratic nightmare) nominate and award feature films in a number of categories.

Even ignoring the flaws in the process -- such as potential mis-categorization (see co-leads Zoe Saldaña and Kieran Culkin breezing their way to Oscar wins by competing as "supporting actors") -- the prestige and preeminence of the Oscars gives way to a false air of objectivity regarding its honorees. It creates the illusion that winning films are inarguably the best, rather than the beneficiaries of the aggregation of the subjective opinions of a relatively small and unavoidably biased stable of Hollywood elites.

This is all to say, while the Academy Awards are a lot of fun, they are simply unable to honor every film that deserves an award. Below,...

Bollywood Mascot: Veteran actor Robert De Niro is set to be honored with the coveted Honorary Palme d’Or at the 78th Cannes Film Festival, scheduled to begin on May 13, 2025. This recognition is a celebration of his extraordinary career that has not only shaped Hollywood but also left a lasting mark on international cinema.

The award will be presented during the festival’s grand opening ceremony, where the world’s leading filmmakers, actors, and cinema enthusiasts will gather to honor a man whose legacy transcends generations. Known for his transformative performances and iconic roles in films like Taxi Driver, Raging Bull, The Godfather Part II, and Goodfellas, De Niro remains one of the most influential actors of all time.

Cannes holds a special place in De Niro’s journey. His film Taxi Driver won the Palme d’Or in 1976, marking one of the most significant milestones in his early career.

The Cannes Film Festival is set to dazzle with an unforgettable opening night, highlighting none other than Hollywood legend Robert De Niro. This year, the festival has revealed that De Niro will be honored with the prestigious honorary Palme d’Or at the opening ceremony of its 78th edition on May 13, 2025.

Robert De Niro and Kathrine Narducci in The Alto Knights (2025) | Image via Warner Bros. Discovery

This accolade celebrates his remarkable contributions to the world of cinema. But the excitement doesn’t stop there. On May 14, De Niro will take the stage at the Debussy Theatre for an exclusive masterclass, giving festival-goers a rare opportunity to delve into the creative mind of one of the industry’s most celebrated icons. It’s a chance to gain insights from a true legend, an event not to be missed.

Robert De Niro’s 78th Cannes appearance will be special Robert De Niro...

Robert De Niro will be among the tributes at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. The beloved actor/director/producer will receive the coveted honorary Palme d’Or for lifetime achievement during the opening ceremony on May 13.

De Niro formerly presided over the Cannes jury in 2011 and iconically starred in Martin Scorsese’s 1976 Palme d’Or winner “Taxi Driver” and “The King of Comedy,” which opened the festival in 1983. De Niro returned most recently to the Croisette for another Scorsese collaboration with “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

“There are faces that stand in for the 7th Art, and lines of dialogue that leave an indelible mark on cinephilia. With his interiorized style, which surfaces in a gentle smile or a harsh gaze, Robert De Niro has become a cinematic legend,” the official announcement for De Niro’s honor at the 78th annual festival reads.

De Niro said in a press statement, “I...

Robert De Niro will be honored at this year’s Cannes Film Festival with an honorary Palme d’Or for lifetime achievement. He will receive this award at the opening ceremony of the 78th festival 14 years after he presided over the jury in 2011. The ceremony will be held on May 13, 2025. The next day, he will hold a masterclass at the Debussy Theatre.

“I have such close feelings for Festival de Cannes…” De Niro said in a Monday statement. “Especially now when there’s so much in the world pulling us apart, Cannes brings us together — storytellers, filmmakers, fans and friends. It’s like coming home.”

De Niro started his career with a young Brian De Palma on early gems “Greetings,” “The Wedding Party” and “Hi, Mom!” (He would reunite with De Palma years later on “The Untouchables”). In 1973, he would star in Martin Scorsese’s “Mean Streets,” which would start...

A new month for you means many new movies and series on Netflix. Your favorite streamer starts every month strong, and April is no different. There are older movies to see, new thrillers, and anything you might want to watch.

Heck, there are even the first Smokey and the Bandit films. Have they aged well? You will have to watch them for yourself and judge.

There are also several films that are just silly fun. That makes sense as the month starts with April Fools Day. If you can't watch something funny then, when can you?

Four movies that are new to Netflix in April you need to watch this weekHeat

This film seemed too contrived, at least as far as the cast was concerned. How could it not be a hit when viewers got to see Al Pacino and Robert De Niro together for the first time? They were...

In Frank Oz's 2001 film "The Score," Robert De Niro plays Nick, a master safe-cracker who is approached by a thief named Jack (Edward Norton) about a potentially lucrative heist. This is all suspicious from the jump, however, as Nick is usually recruited for heists by his fence and longtime associate Max (Marlon Brando). Jack seems to want to take control of the situation, which Nick doesn't care for. Like all the best heist movies, "The Score" is mostly a procedural, detailing how Nick and Jack plan to break into a safe that contains a valuable golden scepter. Cleverly, rather than crack the safe in a traditional fashion, Nick thinks to drill a hole in its top, fill it with water, and then lower a small bomb inside. The detonation will cause the water to expand and the door to blow off the safe. It's just physics.

Despite starring Brando and De Niro,...

“The Alto Knights,” a crime thriller starring dueling Robert De Niros, made moviegoers an offer they easily refused.

The Warner Bros. film was D.O.A. over the weekend with $3.2 million at the domestic box office, one of the worst-ever starts for a major studio release. “The Alto Knights” also cratered overseas, earning $1.8 million for a bleak worldwide tally of $5.1 million. With a price tag above $45 million before marketing is taken into account, “The Alto Knights” is already one of the year’s biggest misfires.

Box office watchers, however, aren’t exactly scratching their heads to figure out what went wrong. They believe “The Alto Knights” hails from a genre — mobster movies — that’s been sleeping with the fishes for decades. Then critics rebuked the film, which landed a poor 37% on Rotten Tomatoes. Audiences, at least the few people who checked the film out, were kinder, giving it a “B” grade on CinemaScore exit polls.

This article mentions self-harm.

Robert De Niro has starred in some of the greatest movies ever made, and even after 60 years, his career has no end in sight. From The Godfather: Part II to The Irishman, De Niro never turns in a bad performance, and in the early 1970s, De Niro made a name for himself by pairing up with director Martin Scorsese. However, it was the actor's team-up with director Michael Cimino for the film The Deer Hunter that was a game-changer in a world coping with the Vietnam War.

The Deer Hunter follows three working-class men before, during, and after serving in the Vietnam War. Mike Vronsky, Steven Pushkov, and Nikanor "Nick" Chevotarevich are Russian-Americans who live in a small steel mill town of Claritan, Pennsylvania. The film begins with Steven's wedding, taking place a mere couple of days before he ships off to Vietnam with Mike and Nick.

Between 1971 and 1983, a new Al Pacino performance was an event ... most of the time. No one was excited to see Pacino follow up the supercharged "Cruising" by playing a stressed-out papa in Arthur Hiller's abominable 1982 family dramedy "Author! Author!" Other than that, there was always the promise of greatness with Pacino, whether presented in the form of "Panic in Needle Park" or "Scarface." And when your peak is "Dog Day Afternoon" and/or "The Godfather Part II," that's pure, transcendent craft.

There was, however, a growing sense with Pacino around the time he did the controversial "Scarface" that the actor was eschewing nuance and depth for scenery-devouring showmanship. His Tony Montana was the culmination of a tendency towards growling and gesticulating (which began in films like "...And Justice for All" and "Cruising"), topped off with a thick Cuban accent. It's a towering performance, but it's also one that proved difficult for him to shed.

The 1970s is arguably the greatest decade in cinema history, at least in terms of American cinema. Aside from the New Hollywood movement giving rise to many of the most legendary filmmakers audiences know today, there was also an abundance of great movies coming out in various genres. In most cases, there are up-and-coming actors and directors working together to make a great film. Sometimes, Classical Hollywood era directors would make a film here and there that audiences really enjoy but then go on to forget. It's not as though these films aren't great; it's just that there were so many iconic films coming out during the decade, that a few gems would get left behind in peoples' memories. More often than not, these films would team up a rising star with a respected director and the result would be pure gold. However, because the big new names weren't attached,...

Robert De Niro’s returns to the mob movie genre with “The Alto Knights,” and it’s hitting theaters on Friday.

De Niro pulls double duty in the biographical drama, as he stars two of New York’s most notorious crime bosses, Frank Costello and Vito Genovese. The film serves as a 360 moment for De Niro, as Costello was the inspiration behind “The Godfather” character Don Vito Corleone. De Niro starred as the young Vito in “The Godfather Part II.”

The film was written by Nicholas Pileggi (“Goodfellas”) and directed by Barry Levinson. Here’s everything you need to know about how to watch below.

When does “The Alto Knights” come out?

“The Alto Knights” comes out Friday, March 21.

Is “The Alto Knights” in theaters?

Yes, “The Alto Knights” will premiere in theaters on Friday, March 21. Check the listings below for showtimes.

AMC Theaters Regal Theaters Cinemark Theaters Landmark Theaters...

Robert De Niro stars opposite himself in Barry Levinson’s period mob drama – but has the unusual casting undermined a solid gangster movie?

The week The Alto Knights – Barry Levinson’s zeitgeist-defying gangster drama – hits cinemas, the only media anyone is talking about is Netflix’s Adolescence. That, or how much they hate Snow White. Inside of us are two wolves, et cetera, et cetera.

But while Disney’s latest live-action remake looks like exactly the kind of risk-averse, straight-down-the-middle offering guaranteed to put family bums on cinema seats, Adolescence and The Alto Knights both promise something a little quirkier from a filmmaking point of view. The former shot each of its four hour-long episodes in a single take; Levinson’s film copy-pastes Robert De Niro to play both leads. If I were being ungenerous, I’d describe both as ‘stunt filmmaking’ – the kind of technical wizardry designed to help...

The beloved “Star Wars” sequel “The Empire Strikes Back” is set to open this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival on April 24, with director George Lucas presenting the film for its 45th anniversary.

“’The Empire Strikes Back’ is like ‘The Godfather Part II.’ Yes, technically, they’re sequels, the second movie in a series. But they are so much more,” TCM’s primetime anchor Ben Mankiewicz said in a statement. “The first ‘Star Wars’ picture in 1977 ignited a new era in Hollywood and turned a generation of young people into passionate movie fans for life. Then, somehow, three years later, along comes ‘Empire,’ which might even be better. It’s a stunning accomplishment and surely stands one of the great achievements in the history of film.”

Additional titles that will screen at this year’s TCM Classic Film Festival include “The Fabulous Baker Boys,” “The Lady Eve,” “Cinderella,” “Apocalypse Now,...

Robert De Niro has been a consistent presence in mob movies for the past five decades. One of his first Mafia movies was 1973's Mean Streets, which marked De Niro's first of several collaborations with Martin Scorsese and is considered by many to be one of the greatest gangster movies ever made. The following year, De Niro played a younger Vito Corleone in Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather Part II, and won an Academy Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role, his first of eight Oscar nominations over his illustrious career.

Over the years, De Niro has collaborated with Scorsese on many more mob movies, including Goodfellas and Casino, both of which were co-written by Nicholas Pileggi based on his nonfiction books, and frequently rank among the greatest Mafia movies ever made. Other mob movies that De Niro has starred in over the years include Sergio Leone...

George Lucas is presenting a special 45th anniversary showing of The Empire Strikes Back at this year's TCM Classic Film Festival. This year is a big one for Star Wars; the 20th anniversary of Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith, the 10th anniversay of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, and the 45th anniversary of The Empire Strikes Back.

Per Variety, George Lucas is set to present a special anniversary showing of The Empire Strikes Back at the TCM Classic Film Festival on April 24. "The Empire Strikes Back is like The Godfather Part II. Yes, technically, they’re sequels, the second movie in a series. But they are so much more,” TCM’s primetime anchor Ben Mankiewicz said in a statement. "The first Star Wars picture in 1977 ignited a new era in Hollywood and turned a generation of young people into passionate movie fans for life. Then, somehow,...

If you’re going to take a shot at the king, you’d better not miss.

That aphorism, credited to everyone from Ralph Waldo Emerson to Omar on “The Wire,” could be one of the unspoken Cosa Nostra credos in “The Alto Knights,” a dense yet fiercely compelling gathering of some of the heaviest hitters in the contemporary gangster genre: “Goodfellas” screenwriter Nicholas Pileggi, “Bugsy” director Barry Levinson and acting icon Robert De Niro in a dual role. That latter stunt makes for a novel hook — one-upping the Pacino-De Niro sit-down in “Heat” by serving up double De Niro as underworld friends-turned-rivals Frank Costello and Vito Genovese, both of whom he embodies beneath heavy makeup.

The movie abruptly kicks off in 1959, with a botched execution in the lobby of Frank’s New York apartment building — a tense, effective scene that finds Levinson operating like the old pro. The rest is narrated from the distant future,...

It’s rare to see a film in which not a single interesting thing happens over the course of its entire running time. Not only is that true of Barry Levinson’s “The Alto Knights,” but this tired-as-hell mafia story — which wouldn’t merit so much as a footnote in the history of mob cinema if not for the gimmick of casting Robert De Niro as real-life crime boss Vito Genovese and his best frenemy Frank Costello — seems totally at peace with it.

From the moment it starts, Levinson’s first theatrical feature since 2015’s “Rock the Kasbah” is comfortably entombed in the same deep sense of resignation that inspires its main character to get out of the game. Frank Costello knows that his era in the underworld has come to a close, and he narrates the limp saga of his own life as if it were already irrelevant. As...

Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, the second film in the initial Star Wars trilogy, will open the 16th annual TCM Classic Film Festival on Thursday, April 24, and on board to present the film will be director George Lucas, Turner Classics Movies announced.

Celebrating its 45th Anniversary, the gala presentation and opening night launches a weekend fest showcasing exclusive programming themed around “Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film.”

“The Empire Strikes Back is like The Godfather Part II,” said Ben Mankiewicz, TCM Primetime Anchor and Official Host of the TCM Classic Film Festival. “Yes, technically, they’re sequels, the second movie in a series. But they are so much more. Empire not only dazzled and delighted Star Wars fans, it pushed the boundaries of moviemaking, further deepening its characters and expanding the most popular cinematic universe of all time.”

Continued Mankiewicz, “The first Star Wars picture in 1977 ignited a new...

“Impressive. Most Impressive.”

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) has revealed Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, the second film in the Star Wars trilogy, will open the 16th annual TCM Classic Film Festival on Thursday, April 24th. Celebrating its 45th Anniversary, the gala presentation will bring visionary director George Lucas to present the film. The opening night launches an exhilarating weekend in the heart of Hollywood, showcasing exclusive programming themed around “Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film.”

“The Empire Strikes Back is like The Godfather Part II. Yes, technically, they’re sequels, the second movie in a series. But they are so much more. Empire not only dazzled and delighted Star Wars fans, it pushed the boundaries of moviemaking, further deepening its characters and expanding the most popular cinematic universe of all time,” said Ben Mankiewicz, TCM Primetime Anchor and Official Host of the TCM Classic Film Festival. “The first Star...

The 2025 TCM Classic Film Festival is opening with a flex of galactic muscle: “The Empire Strikes Back,” celebrating its 45th anniversary, will kick off the 16th edition of the festival presented by Turner Classic Movies in Los Angeles on Thursday, April 24. And even better, The Maker himself, George Lucas, will be in attendance to introduce it.

It’ll be an opening turbolaser salvo for a whole weekend of films revolving around the theme “Grand Illusions: Fantastic Worlds on Film,” brilliantly overseen once again by longtime festival director, Genevieve McGillicuddy. Other films in that otherworldly lineup include “Spirited Away,” “The Incredible Shrinking Man,” “Mothra,” and “Earth vs. the Flying Saucers.”

The festival will run the entire weekend, centered as always at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, which offers special rates for festival attendees, with screenings at the neighboring Tcl Chinese Theatre IMAX, the Tcl Chinese 6, the Egyptian, and the El Capitan.

Michelle Pfeifer...

Sharon Stone is throwing stones at “Another Simple Favor.”

Director Paul Feig’s sequel film stars Blake Lively and Anna Kendrick, reprising their roles from 2018’s “A Simple Favor.” However, Stone claims she, too, was part of the ensemble cast.

“I Loved being cast and removed from my role unexpectedly for no reason at all Loved it,” Stone wrote to an E! News Instagram reel about the film. Stone was in talks for the role that later went to Elizabeth Perkins. A source close to production confirmed that Stone was never actually cast in the film; the deal did not go through due to budget issues. IndieWire has additionally reached out to representatives for Amazon MGM Studios and Stone.

The rest of the ensemble includes Andrew Rannells, Bashir Salahuddin, Michele Morrone, Alex Newell, Elena Sofia Ricci, Henry Golding, and Allison Janney.

“Another Simple Favor” premiered at SXSW as the opening night film.

Netflix continues to deliver crowd and critic-pleasing action movies, with last year’s The Shadow Strays being one of the main contenders. Now, director Timo Tjahjanto has taken to social media to offer an exciting update, with the filmmaker revealing that he is working on the script, and that the follow-up will take inspiration from one of the best sequels of all time.

Written and directed by Timo Tjahjanto, The Shadow Strays landed on Netflix in October last year and is led by Aurora Ribero as the assassin known as 13, a 17-year-old trained killer who is under suspension after a failed mission in Japan. Away from the violence, she builds a conscience when she meets Monji, an 11-year-old boy who lost his mother to a crime syndicate. When Monji is captured, 13 is hellbent on setting a path of destruction to rescue the boy, including going against her mentor and the organization who hires her,...

The overwhelming number of sequels, reboots, and remakes in Hollywood has been the topic of much discourse these past few years. Viewers and critics complain about what is a perceived increase in continuations of pre-existing intellectual properties and a concurrent decrease in originality. Sequels have become culturally synonymous with a lower caliber of movies. The second installment of a franchise is a sure way to make popcorn money, but not a way to attract prestige. Thus, when it comes to the Academy Awards, the institution primarily associated with recognizing the highest echelon of film, there are not many sequels that can say they have competed for the show's top prize.

While technically 10 sequels have been nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars, only two have ever won: The Godfather Part II in 1974 and The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King in 2003. What exactly is it about sequels that makes them anti-Oscar bait,...

On Tuesday March 11 2025, NBC broadcasts Late Night With Seth Meyers!

Robert De Niro; Kaitlin Olson; Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Season 12 Episode 72 Episode Summary

The upcoming episode of “Late Night With Seth Meyers” promises an exciting lineup that includes actor Robert De Niro, actress Kaitlin Olson, and author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. This episode will air on NBC and is sure to bring a mix of entertainment and insightful conversation.

Robert De Niro, a legendary figure in Hollywood, is known for his powerful performances in films like “Taxi Driver” and “The Godfather Part II.” His presence on the show is highly anticipated, as he often shares fascinating stories from his long and successful career. Fans can expect to hear about his latest projects and perhaps some behind-the-scenes anecdotes that only he can provide.

Kaitlin Olson, beloved for her roles in comedies such as “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” and “The Mick,” will also join the discussion.

Al Pacino spent time with some old friends, attending a 50th anniversary screening of “Dog Day Afternoon” at the American Cinematheque’s Aero Theatre — those friends being the other collaborators he misses from making the classic bank-robbery-gone-wrong drama a half-century ago.

The avuncular Pacino also made a lot of new friends at the Aero, with Tuesday’s capacity crowd reveling not just in his tales of making “Dog Day Afternoon” but assorted takes on other aspects of his career.

“Let’s just say it’s always a 50-year anniversary, you know,” Pacino said with a chuckle. “I mean, I did ‘The Godfather’ — it was 50 years; people celebrated — and I did ‘The Godfather Part II,’ which you got another, but I’m due on this one.”

The 84-year-old acting giant was pinned down on what he now considers the favorite role of his career (spoiler: it’s not one of the...

Although long-running franchises have become a seemingly permanent part of our current cinematic landscape, there's an argument to be made that even the most consistently high-quality series are subject to diminishing returns. The question of whether a sequel can match or surpass an original is still a topic of debate, and it's one that reaches all the way back to an era when sequels were hardly as common as they are now. While the debate makes sense on the surface — after all, on paper, how can any sequel be as fresh and unique as an original? — it's perhaps based on the wrong question. Maybe, despite all the constant franchise rankings and the like, we shouldn't be asking whether a sequel surpasses its predecessor, but rather what new depths and richness are brought to the material that enhances the franchise as a whole.

It's through that lens that I view 1975's "French Connection II,...

There’s nothing inherently wrong with making sequels, as sometimes returning to a popular franchise to tell a new story can result in great success. Some sequels, such as The Empire Strikes Back, Aliens, The Dark Knight, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, The Godfather: Part II, and Dune: Part Two aren’t only considered to be superior to their predecessors; they could be listed on legitimate lists of the best films ever made.

Sean Baker became the first filmmaker to win four Academy Awards for the same movie, achieving victories in directing, producing, writing, and editing for Anora. No director before him had accomplished this in a single night, placing him in a category all his own at the 97th Academy Awards.

Previous filmmakers had come close but fell short of reaching the four-award mark for one film. Francis Ford Coppola won three Oscars in 1974 for The Godfather: Part II, while Alfonso Cuarón and Chloé Zhao each took home two for Roma and Nomadland, respectively. Bong Joon-ho claimed four trophies for Parasite in 2020, but one was awarded to South Korea rather than him directly. Walt Disney won four Oscars in 1954, though for separate projects.

Baker’s success with Anora reflected a broader trend in the Academy recognizing independent filmmakers who take on multiple roles in their projects. Jacques Audiard, the director of Emilia Pérez,...

So many of the greats had come close.

Francis Ford Coppola had a good shot at doing it.

Alfonso Cuarón and Chloé Zhao got halfway to doing it.

Walt Disney needed a whole bunch of movies to do it.

Bong Joon Ho nearly did it.

But until Sunday, no filmmaker had done it — it: won four Academy Awards for the same movie.

That’s exactly what Sean Baker pulled off when he landed Oscars for producing, directing, writing and editing the original film Anora on Sunday.

How is it that this had never happened in the 96 previous Academy Awards ceremonies, with all the greats that had come before? Well, Walt Disney won four Oscars in 1954 — for four different films.

Cuarón and Zhao landed four nominations each in 2019 and 2021, respectively, for their films Roma and Nomadland…but won only two apiece.

Coppola took home three prizes in 1974 for The Godfather: Part II...

Was Martin Scorsese’s Name Suggested For The Godfather Part II? ( Photo Credit – Wikimedia )

Few films have left as lasting an impact on cinema as The Godfather series. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the trilogy redefined the gangster genre with its artistic brilliance. The first installment, released in 1972, became an instant classic, featuring powerhouse performances from Marlon Brando, Al Pacino, and James Caan.

The film’s success paved the way for The Godfather Part II (1974), which was both a sequel and a prequel, following Michael Corleone’s continued rise to power while also chronicling Vito Corleone’s early years, played by a young Robert De Niro. Besides the brilliance of the cast, the movies are also hailed for the work of director Francis Ford Coppola. However, rumors have long circulated that Coppola, at one point, wanted Martin Scorsese to direct the sequel, and now the sequel’s star, Robert De Niro,...

As far as crime movies go, 1990's "Goodfellas" remains the gold standard as one of the best mob movies ever made. The film offered a more humanistic perspective into the world of organized crime through the eyes of aspiring mobster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta). With this focus, "Goodfellas" offered a look at how the dangers and vices of crime impacted domestic lives, influencing the entire genre. Fortunately, for fans of "Goodfellas," there are plenty of crime movies to check out that share similar themes and sensibilities.

From sagas spanning generations of mobster families to classic rises to illicit power, there are countless crime movies like "Goodfellas." Many of these movies even share major cast members and the behind-the-scenes crew, bringing another level to these visible similarities. While each of these crime films stand proudly on their own, they also share DNA with Martin Scorsese's 1990 enduring crime story. 

Here are the 15 best movies like "Goodfellas.

Netflix’s latest political thriller, Zero Day, is one of the most star-studded small-screen ventures released this year, chock-full of A-list actors. Setting aside the narrative, which is intriguing enough to keep the viewers hooked anyway, the sheer star power is bound to make you binge the whole series in one go irrespective of whether you like political thrillers or not. Zero Day focuses on the aftermath of a cyberterrorism incident, which leads to the creation of a special commission with the power to negate people’s right to freedom. Abuse of such power to suppress opposing voices raises concerns about the rise of fascistic tendencies, a fear that manifests itself when the truth is finally revealed about the attack being orchestrated by the very elected officials entrusted to serve the people themselves. Needless to say, a gripping narrative such as this needs backing up with strong acting, and the...

Many fans will recall Harrison Ford's earliest roles and think first of his part in George Lucas' American Graffiti or how he briefly appears in Apocalypse Now. However, there is a clear connection between Harrison Ford and multiple "movie brats" of the '70s. Having worked with three out of five of them pretty early on in his career, Ford's success can be attributed to many of those roles. As the iconic characters Han Solo and Indiana Jones, he cemented his place as a movie star in Hollywood and would go on to have a lavish career as one of the top actors in cinema. The role that really changed his life was Han Solo in Star Wars. Before that, he seemed stuck playing supporting characters with no great star power. By playing one of the greatest supporting characters ever, he showed studios he had the ability to lead the way.