1.
Montgomery, Alabama
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Montgomery /mɒntˈɡʌməri/ is the capital of the U. S. state of Alabama and is the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for Richard Montgomery, it is located on the Alabama River, as of the 2013 Census, Montgomery has a population of 201,332. It is the second-largest city in Alabama, after Birmingham, and is the 115th largest in the United States, the Montgomery Metropolitan Statistical Area had a 2010 estimated population of 374,536. It is the fourth-largest in the state and 136th among United States metropolitan areas, the city was incorporated in 1819 as a merger of two towns situated along the Alabama River. In February 1861, Montgomery was selected as the first capital of the Confederate States of America, until the seat of government moved to Richmond, Virginia, in May of that year. During the mid-20th century, Montgomery was a center of events and protests in the Civil Rights Movement, including the Montgomery Bus Boycott. Two ships of the United States Navy have been named after the city, Montgomery has also been recognized nationally for its downtown revitalization and new urbanism projects. It was one of the first cities in the nation to implement Smart Code Zoning, prior to European colonization, the east bank of the Alabama River was inhabited by the Alibamu tribe of Native Americans. The Alibamu and the Coushatta, who lived on the west side of the river, were descended from the Mississippian culture. This civilization had numerous chiefdoms throughout the Midwest and South along the Mississippi and its tributaries and its largest location was at Cahokia, in present-day Illinois east of St. Louis. The historic tribes spoke mutually intelligible Muskogean languages, which were closely related, present-day Montgomery is built on the site of two Alibamu towns, Ikanatchati, meaning red earth, and Towassa, built on a bluff called Chunnaanaauga Chatty. The first Europeans to travel through central Alabama were Hernando de Soto and his expedition, the next recorded European encounter occurred more than a century later, when an English expedition from Carolina went down the Alabama River in 1697. The first permanent European settler in the Montgomery area was James McQueen and he married a high-status woman in the Coushatta or Alabama tribe. Their mixed-race children were considered Muskogean, as both tribes had a system of property and descent. The children were considered born into their mothers clan. In 1785, Abraham Mordecai, a war veteran from a Sephardic Jewish family of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, the Coushatta and Alabama had gradually moved south and west in the tidal plain. By the time Mordecai arrived, Creek had migrated into and settled in the area, as they were moving away from Cherokee, when her people had to cede most of their lands after the 1813-14 Creek War, she joined them in removal to Indian Territory. Mordecai brought the first cotton gin to Alabama, the Upper Creek were able to discourage most European-American immigration until after the conclusion of the Creek War
2.
Auburn University
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Auburn University is a public research university in Auburn, Alabama, United States. Auburn was chartered on February 1,1856, as East Alabama Male College, in 1872, under the Morrill Act, it became the states first public land-grant university and was renamed as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama. In 1892, it became the first four-year coeducational school in Alabama, in 1960, its name was changed to Auburn University to acknowledge the varied academic programs and larger curriculum of a major university. In 1964, under Federal Court mandate, AU admitted its first African American student, Auburn is among the few American universities designated as a land-grant, sea-grant, and space-grant research center. The Alabama Legislature chartered the institution as the East Alabama Male College on February 1,1856 and its first president was Reverend William J. Sasnett, and the school opened its doors in 1859 to a student body of eighty and a faculty of ten. Auburns early history is linked with the Civil War and the Reconstruction-era South. Classes were held in Old Main until the college was closed due to the war, the campus was a training ground for the Confederate Army, and Old Main served as a hospital for Confederate wounded. It sits today on the next to Samford Hall. The school reopened in 1866 after the end of the Civil War, in 1872, control of the institution was transferred from the Methodist Church to the State of Alabama for financial reasons. Alabama placed the school under the provisions of the Morrill Act as a land-grant institution and this act provided for 240,000 acres of Federal land to be sold to provide funds for an agricultural and mechanical school. As a result, in 1872 the school was renamed the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama, under the Acts provisions, land-grant institutions were also supposed to teach military tactics and train officers for the United States military. In the late 19th century, most students at the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama were enrolled in the program, learning military tactics. Each county in the state was allowed to nominate two cadets to attend the free of charge. The universitys original curriculum focused on engineering and agriculture and this trend changed under the guidance of William Leroy Broun, who taught classics and sciences and believed both disciplines were important for growth of the university and the individual. In 1892, two events occurred, women were admitted to the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Alabama. Eventually, football replaced polo as the sport on campus. The college was renamed the Alabama Polytechnic Institute in 1899, largely because of Brouns influence, on October 1,1918, nearly all of Alabama Polytechnic Institutes able-bodied male students 18 or older voluntarily joined the United States Army for short-lived military careers on campus. The student-soldiers numbered 878, according to API President Charles Thach, the vocational section was composed of enlisted men sent to Auburn for training in radio and mechanics
3.
A Time to Kill (1996 film)
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A Time to Kill is a 1996 American crime drama film adaptation of John Grishams 1989 novel of the same name, directed by Joel Schumacher. Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Matthew McConaughey, and Kevin Spacey star, with Oliver Platt, Ashley Judd, Kiefer and Donald Sutherland, and Patrick McGoohan appearing in supporting roles. Set in Canton, Mississippi, the film involves the rape of a girl, the arrest of the rapists, their subsequent murder by the girls father. The film was a critical and commercial success, making $152 million at the box office. In Canton, Mississippi, two white supremacists, Billy Ray Cobb and Pete Willard, kidnap a ten-year-old African-American girl named Tonya. They violently rape and beat her and dump her in a river after a failed attempt to hang her, she survives. Tonyas father, Carl Lee Hailey, contacts Jake Brigance, a white lawyer, Brigance admits the possibility that the rapists will walk free. Carl Lee goes to the county courthouse and opens fire with an automatic rifle, Brigance agrees to defend Carl Lee. The rape and subsequent revenge killing gain national media attention, the district attorney, Rufus Buckley, decides to seek the death penalty, and presiding Judge Omar Noose denies Brigance a change of venue. Brigance seeks help from his team, law student Ellen Roark, close friend Harry Rex Vonner, and former mentor and longtime activist Lucien Wilbanks. The Ku Klux Klan begins to organize in the area, klansman Freddie Lee Cobb—Billy Rays brother—targets Brigance, burning a cross on his lawn and threatening his wife and daughter. When Brigance refuses to back down, Cobb kidnaps and assaults Roark, the presiding judge refuses Brigances request for a change of venue to a more ethnically diverse county, meaning that Carl Lee will have an all-white jury. Dispirited, Brigance tells Carl Lee that there is hope for an acquittal. Carl Lee replies that he had him as an attorney because even a racist jury would listen to a white man, as one of the bad guys. During closing arguments, a deeply shaken Brigance tells the jury to close their eyes and he describes, in slow and painful detail, the rape of a 10-year-old girl, recalling the story of Tonyas rape. He then asks the jury, in his comment, to now imagine shes white. After deliberation, a black child out of the courthouse and screams. Jubilation ensues amongst the supporters outside, the Klan, enraged, begins yelling in anger
4.
The Help (film)
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The Help is a 2011 American period drama film directed and written by Tate Taylor, and adapted from Kathryn Stocketts 2009 novel of the same name. The film features an ensemble cast that includes Jessica Chastain, Viola Davis, Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Octavia Spencer, the film and novel recount the story of young white woman and aspiring journalist Eugenia Skeeter Phelan. The story focuses on her relationship with two maids, Aibileen Clark and Minny Jackson, during the Civil Rights Movement in 1962 Jackson. The films casting began later that month, with principal photography following four months after in Mississippi, Touchstone Pictures released The Help worldwide, with a general theatrical release in North America on August 10,2011. The film was a critical and commercial success, receiving positive reviews, the Help received four Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, Best Actress for Davis, and Best Supporting Actress for both Chastain and Spencer, with the latter winning the award. The film also won the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, the story is set in Jackson, Mississippi, in 1963. Aibileen Clark is an African-American maid who works for Elizabeth Leefolt, aibileens best friend is Minny Jackson, a plain-spoken African-American maid known for her culinary skills who works for Hilly Holbrooks senile mother, Mrs. Walters. Eugenia Skeeter Phelan, a white woman, returns home after graduating from the University of Mississippi to discover that her mother, Charlotte, has fired Constantine. Much to her mothers chagrin, Skeeter aspires to be a writer, Minny eventually finds work with Celia Foote, wife of wealthy socialite Johnny Foote, Hillys former beau. Celia is starved for friendship due to Hillys efforts to ensure she remains a social pariah, Celia befriends Minny during cooking lessons and informs Minny that she is pregnant. Their relationship deepens after Celia miscarries, Skeeter submits a draft of her book to Harper & Row. Her editor, Elaine Stein, advises her that more maids stories need to be included, following the assassination of Medgar Evers and the arrest of Yule May, the maid hired by Hilly to replace Minny, more maids decide to offer Skeeter their insights. As the writing continues, Skeeter, Aibileen, and Minny worry that some maids, Minny, as a form of insurance, reveals the terrible awful thing” she did to Hilly. Minny predicts the story will keep the safe from retribution. With the book almost finished, Skeeter confronts her mother about Constantines firing, to save face, Charlotte fired Constantine and ordered her and Rachel to leave immediately. Rachel subsequently took Constantine to live with her in Chicago, Charlotte had every intention to bring Constantine back to Jackson, but Constantine died before she could do so. The book, published anonymously, is a success, Hilly does everything in her power to protect her reputation after reading about Minnys “terrible awful thing”. She becomes unhinged when a check from Celia for one of Hillys charitable works is made out to Two Slice Hilly and she drives intoxicated to the Phelan plantation to confront Skeeter and inform Charlotte about her daughters hippie ways
5.
Academy Award
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The various category winners are awarded a copy of a golden statuette, officially called the Academy Award of Merit, which has become commonly known by its nickname Oscar. The awards, first presented in 1929 at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, are overseen by AMPAS, the awards ceremony was first broadcast on radio in 1930 and televised for the first time in 1953. It is now live in more than 200 countries and can be streamed live online. The Academy Awards ceremony is the oldest worldwide entertainment awards ceremony and its equivalents – the Emmy Awards for television, the Tony Awards for theater, and the Grammy Awards for music and recording – are modeled after the Academy Awards. The 89th Academy Awards ceremony, honoring the best films of 2016, were held on February 26,2017, at the Dolby Theatre, in Los Angeles, the ceremony was hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and was broadcast on ABC. A total of 3,048 Oscars have been awarded from the inception of the award through the 88th, the first Academy Awards presentation was held on May 16,1929, at a private dinner function at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel with an audience of about 270 people. The post-awards party was held at the Mayfair Hotel, the cost of guest tickets for that nights ceremony was $5. Fifteen statuettes were awarded, honoring artists, directors and other participants in the industry of the time. The ceremony ran for 15 minutes, winners were announced to media three months earlier, however, that was changed for the second ceremony in 1930. Since then, for the rest of the first decade, the results were given to newspapers for publication at 11,00 pm on the night of the awards. The first Best Actor awarded was Emil Jannings, for his performances in The Last Command and he had to return to Europe before the ceremony, so the Academy agreed to give him the prize earlier, this made him the first Academy Award winner in history. With the fourth ceremony, however, the system changed, for the first six ceremonies, the eligibility period spanned two calendar years. At the 29th ceremony, held on March 27,1957, until then, foreign-language films had been honored with the Special Achievement Award. The 74th Academy Awards, held in 2002, presented the first Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, since 1973, all Academy Awards ceremonies always end with the Academy Award for Best Picture. The Academy also awards Nicholl Fellowships in Screenwriting, see also § Awards of Merit categories The best known award is the Academy Award of Merit, more popularly known as the Oscar statuette. The five spokes represent the branches of the Academy, Actors, Writers, Directors, Producers. The model for the statuette is said to be Mexican actor Emilio El Indio Fernández, sculptor George Stanley sculpted Cedric Gibbons design. The statuettes presented at the ceremonies were gold-plated solid bronze
6.
British Academy of Film and Television Arts
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The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is an independent charity that supports, develops and promotes the art forms of the moving image – film, television and game in the United Kingdom. David Lean was the founding Chairman of the Academy, the first Film Awards ceremony took place in May 1949 and honouring the films The Best Years of Our Lives, Odd Man Out and The World Is Rich. In 2005, it placed a cap on worldwide voting membership which now stands at approximately 6,500. BAFTA has offices in Scotland and Wales in the UK, in Los Angeles and New York in the United States and runs events in Hong Kong, amanda Berry OBE has been chief executive of the organisation since December 2000. Many of these events are free to online at BAFTA Guru. BAFTA runs a number of programmes across the UK, US. Launched in 2012, the UK programme enables talented British citizens who are in need of support to take an industry-recognised course in film. Each BAFTA Scholar receives up to £12,000 towards their annual course fees, since 2013, three students every year have received one of the Prince William Scholarships in Film, Television and Games, supported by BAFTA and Warner Bros. These scholarships are awarded in the name of in his role as President of BAFTA, since 2015, BAFTA has been offering scholarships for British citizens to study in China, vice versa. BAFTA presents awards for film, television and games, including entertainment, at a number of annual ceremonies across the UK and in Los Angeles. The BAFTA award trophy is a mask, designed by American sculptor Mitzi Cunliffe. Todays BAFTA award – including the mask and marble base – weighs 3.7 kg and measures 27 cm x 14 cm x 8 cm. BAFTAs annual film awards ceremony is known as the British Academy Film Awards, or the BAFTAs, in 1949 the British Film Academy, as it was then known, presented the first awards for films made in 1947 and 1948. Since 2008 the ceremony has held at the Royal Opera House in Londons Covent Garden. It had been held in the Odeon cinema on Leicester Square since 2000, the ceremony had been performed during April or May of each year, but since 2002 it has been held in February to precede the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Academy Awards, or Oscars. They have been awarded annually since 1954, the first ever ceremony consisted of six categories. Until 1958, they were awarded by the Guild of Television Producers and Directors, from 1968 until 1997, BAFTAs Film and Television Awards were presented together, but from 1998 onwards they were presented at two separate ceremonies. The Television Craft Awards celebrate the talent behind the programmes, such as working in visual effects, production
7.
Ryan Coogler
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Ryan Kyle Coogler is an American film director and screenwriter. His first feature film, Fruitvale Station, won the Grand Jury Prize and he also wrote and directed the seventh film in the Rocky film saga, Creed. Coogler was born on May 23,1986 in Oakland, California and his mother, Joselyn, is a community organizer, and his father, Ira Coogler, is a juvenile hall probation counselor. Both parents graduated from California State University, Hayward and he has two brothers, Noah and Keenan. His uncle, Clarence Thomas, is a third-generation Oakland longshoreman, Coogler lived in Oakland, California until age eight, when he moved to Richmond, California. During his youth, he ran track and played football and he went to Saint Marys College High School, a private Catholic school in Berkeley, California, and was good at math and science. He started his journey at Saint Marys College of California on a football scholarship as a redshirt wide receiver his freshman semester intending to study chemistry. While he was there, his English professor Rosemary Graham encouraged him to pursue a career in screenwriting, at Sacramento he majored in finance and took as many film classes as he could fit in with the rigors of college football. He then attended USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he made a series of short films, the film was developed and produced by Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker. Ive worked with a number of truly unique voices, true auteurs, Whitaker said of Coogler, the film was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival where it won the award for Best First Film. Time named him with Michael B. Jordan one of 30 people under 30 who are changing the world, Fruitvale Station grossed over $17 million worldwide after its theatrical run, and earned a score of 94% on Rotten Tomatoes. In July 2013, it was reported that MGM had offered Coogler to direct Creed, a spin-off-sequel of the Rocky films and this film, which was released on November 25,2015 in the United States, reunited Coogler with Michael B. Jordan, who played Apollo Creeds son Adonis, the film was praised across the board by critics. For the film, Coogler won the New Generation Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, in January 2013, Coogler said he was working on a graphic novel and a young adult novel about undisclosed subject matter. Coogler will also work with frequent collaborator Michael B. Jordan for a time in the upcoming film Wrong Answer. Coogler has worked since age 21 as a counselor with incarcerated youth at San Franciscos Juvenile Hall, following in the footsteps of his father and he is married to Zinzi Evans. Fruitvale Station Creed Black Panther Locks Fig Gap The Sculptor Ryan Coogler at the Internet Movie Database
8.
Fruitvale Station
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Fruitvale Station is a 2013 American biographical drama film written and directed by Ryan Coogler. The film stars Michael B. Jordan as Oscar Grant, Forest Whitaker is one of the films producers. Kevin Durand and Chad Michael Murray play the two BART police officers involved in Grants death, the names of the officers were changed for the film. Fruitvale Station debuted at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and it was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival where it won the award for Best First Film. The film was released in theaters July 12,2013 and it received critical acclaim upon its release and earned other awards. The film shows scenes of him and his girlfriend arguing about Grants recent infidelity and it later shows Grant unsuccessfully attempting to get his job back at the grocery store. He briefly considers selling some marijuana but in the end decides to dump the stash, Grant later attends a birthday party for his mother and tells her afterward that he will take the BART train to see fireworks and other New Years festivities in San Francisco. On the return train, Katie, a customer at the store where Grant used to work, recognizes Grant. A former inmate, from when Grant was in prison, then recognizes Grant and attempts to assault him, amid the chaos, Grants girlfriend calls and asks where he is, he assures her he is fine. In the end, after Grant is restrained on the station platform, Grant is rushed to a hospital but later dies. There is also footage of a gathering of people celebrating Grants life on New Years Day 2013 with the real-life, when you know somebody as a human being, you know that life means something. He was able to meet John Burris, the attorney for the Grant family, through a mutual friend and he also worked closely with the Grant family, after gaining their trust. In January 2011, Forest Whitakers production company was looking for new filmmakers to mentor. Coogler met Head of Production, Nina Yang Bongiovi, and showed her his projects, shortly after, he had a meeting with Whitaker, who decided to support Fruitvale. Coogler met with advisers of Sundance Screenwriters Lab and he developed the script with the help of Creative Advisors Tyger Williams, Jessie Nelson and Zach Sklar. The film received funding from the Feature Film Program and the San Francisco Film Society, Coogler had Michael B. Jordan in mind to play the role of Grant before writing the script. In April 2012, Jordan and Octavia Spencer joined the cast, Spencer also received a co-executive producer credit as she directly participated in funding the film and contacted investors when a deal was lost during the filming. Notable investors included Kathryn Stockett, author of The Help, a bestselling novel adapted as a successful film, in April 2012, Hannah Beachler signed on to serve as the films production designer
9.
Smashed (film)
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Smashed is a 2012 American drama film directed by James Ponsoldt, written by Ponsoldt and Susan Burke, and starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Aaron Paul. Winstead and Paul play a couple, Kate and Charlie Hannah. After a series of embarrassing incidents caused by her habit, Kate decides to get sober with the help of a coworker. The script was based on Burkes own experience of giving up alcohol at a young age. She and Ponsoldt wrote the script over six months, and the roles were cast in September 2011. The films US$500,000 budget was financed by independent investors including Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf and it was shot in Los Angeles in October 2011. It premiered at the 2012 Sundance Film Festival on January 22,2012 and was released by Sony Pictures Classics on October 12,2012, the film received positive reviews, with Winsteads performance receiving unanimous praise, and was nominated for several awards for her acting. Kate Hannah, a school teacher, arrives at work hungover. Asked by a student if she is pregnant, she pretends she is, then continues the lie to the school principal and her co-worker Dave reveals that he knows she has been drinking and she makes him swear not to tell anyone. Attending a party with her husband Charlie and his brother Owen, while leaving, she meets a woman who asks Kate for a ride. Kate is offered crack and the two get high together, the next morning, Kate wakes alone on the street. She finds her car and drives home, where Charlie acknowledges they both are alcoholics and they get intoxicated and have sex before Charlie passes out. Kate heads out alone to buy wine but is turned down by the cashier and she urinates on the floor because the bathroom door is locked, then steals a bottle of wine. Waking up, Kate realizes she has passed out again, at work, Dave, a recovering alcoholic, invites her to an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting. There, she befriends Jenny, who has chosen a passion for food, Kate decides to become sober and change her life. Dave drives Kate home, but bluntly makes a comment which upsets her. Kate is surprised the next day when she is thrown a baby shower by her colleagues and she reconciles with Dave, putting his comments behind them. At home, Kate is angry when it becomes clear Charlie told Owen and that night, she rebuffs Charlies sexual advances
10.
Snowpiercer
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Snowpiercer is a 2013 English-language Czech-Korean science fiction thriller film based on the French graphic novel Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette. The film is directed by Bong Joon-ho, and written by Bong, the film marks Bongs English-language debut, approximately 80% of the film was shot in English. The film stars Chris Evans, Song Kang-ho, Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, Octavia Spencer, Go Ah-sung, John Hurt, and Ed Harris. Evans stars as Curtis Everett, a member of the tail section passengers as they lead a revolution against the elite of the front of the train. Filming was done on train car sets mounted on gimbals at Barrandov Studios in Prague to simulate the motion of the train, Snowpiercer was well received by critics, and appeared on many film critics top ten film lists of 2014 following its international release. Praise was primarily directed towards its vision, direction, and performances, particularly Evanss, produced at a budget of $40 million, it remains as the most expensive Korean production ever. By 2031, elites inhabit the extravagant front cars and the scum inhabit the tail in squalid and brutal conditions. Under watch by Wilfords guards, they are brought only gelatinous protein bars to eat and kept in their place in the order by Minister Mason. Conspiring with his mentor Gilliam, Curtis Everett leads the tail passengers in a revolt that he plans will take all the way up to the engine. Overpowering the guards, they release security expert Namgoong Minsu and his clairvoyant daughter Yona from the car so as to disable the locks between cars. They take the car where insects are ground up to make their protein bars, instead, they are ambushed by a mass of masked men with hatchets led by Franco the Elder under Masons orders, after a bloody battle Curtis sacrifices his second-in-command Edgar to win the fight. They travel through several luxurious cars and arrive at a classroom, where the teacher expounds to the children and the rebels on the greatness of Wilford and the sacred engine. While distracted by the celebration of the New Year marking one circumnavigation of the globe, further back, Franco and Masons soldiers use the same distraction to kill the rebel army and many of the tail passengers. Franco executes Gilliam, and Curtis kills Mason in revenge, Curtis group continues forward, followed by Franco, leading to a violent fight in a sauna car during which Franco kills Grey and Tanya before Curtis and Namgoong seemingly kill him. Curtis confesses to him shortly after boarding the train, the tail passengers resorted to cannibalism to survive. He was nearly ready to kill infant Edgar when Gilliam offered his own arm instead, after years of disdain for Wilford, Curtis seeks to learn what Wilfords intentions were. Franco is revealed to have survived and makes his way toward the engine, Wilfords assistant Claude emerges from the engine, shoots Namgoong, and invites Curtis inside where he meets an aging Wilford. He explains the importance of using fear and chaos to maintain a necessary order, after letting Curtis experience being alone for the first time in seventeen years, Wilford asks Curtis to replace him
11.
Get on Up (film)
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Get on Up is a 2014 American biographical drama film about the life of singer James Brown directed by Tate Taylor and written by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth. The film was released on August 1,2014, get on Up is told using a nonlinear narrative through James Browns stream of consciousness, including asynchronous events and frequent breaks in the fourth wall. The film opens in 1993 with James Brown walking through a hallway as an audience chants his name. He hears the voices of people he knew throughout his life, the film then cuts to 1988 in Augusta, Georgia, James learns that his private bathroom in a strip mall he owns was used without his consent. As James confronts and then forgives the trespasser, James accidentally fires a shotgun, during the 1960s, James and his band decide to travel to Vietnam to show support to the black troops, where they put on a well-received show. In 1939, James is raised in the woods by his parents, whose marriage is fraught with financial struggles and physical abuse. Later he performs in a group, The Famous Flames, formed by Bobby Byrd, whose family sponsored his release from prison. James lives with the Byrd family and becomes lead singer of Bobbys group, in 1964, manager Ben Bart convinces them to let The Rolling Stones close The T. A. M. I. The Flames upstage the Stones, and, exiting the stage, James tells the Stones, in James childhood, Susie leaves Joe, and Joe threatens her with a gun and keeps James. Joe continues to abuse James until Joe joins the army, James is left living with and working for his Aunt Honey, who runs a brothel. At her home, he attends church and enjoys the choir, at the age of 17, James steals a suit, is arrested, and receives a five-to-thirteen-year prison sentence. In prison, James sees a group of singers performing and his enthusiastic reaction incites a riot wherein both he and one of the singers, Bobby Byrd, are injured. Bobby invites James into the Byrd household, years later, James joins Bobbys gospel group and they put on a show at a club as The Famous Flames, following a performance by Little Richard. Another flashback from Jamess childhood shows him and other black boys forced into a battle royal boxing match while a band plays, inspired by the funky band, James wins the match. In the 1950s, James and Bobby meet an agent from King Records, with whom The Flames record their first single, Please, Please, Please, King Records executive Syd Nathan initially mocks the song but appreciates Jamess vocals. Ben Bart becomes James manager, calling him the voice of the group. The records are labelled as James Brown and His Famous Flames, James and Bobby form a new band with Maceo Parker, Pee Wee Ellis, Nafloyd Scott, and Baby Roy. The Famous Flames singing group is also re-formed, replacing the members that quit, the Flames perform at the Apollo Theater to an excited audience
12.
The Divergent Series
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The Divergent Series is a feature film series based on the Divergent novels by the American author Veronica Roth. Distributed by Summit Entertainment and Lionsgate Films, the series consists of four science fiction set in a dystopian society. They have been produced by Lucy Fisher, Pouya Shabazian, and Douglas Wick and star Shailene Woodley and Theo James as lead characters Beatrice Prior and Tobias Eaton, the supporting cast includes Ansel Elgort, Zoë Kravitz and Miles Teller. The first film in the series was directed by Neil Burger, while the second, development began in 2011 following Summits acquisition of the film rights to the Divergent novel in partnership with production company Red Wagon Entertainment. The studios announced production on the following the first films strong performance in Thursday late-night screenings. They acquired film rights to the Allegiant novel in December 2013, the first installment, Divergent, grossed over $288 million worldwide, while the second installment, The Divergent Series, Insurgent, grossed over $297 million worldwide. Insurgent was also the first Divergent film to be released in IMAX 3D, the third installment, The Divergent Series, Allegiant, grossed $179 million. The first three films of the series have grossed over $765 million worldwide, in March 2011, Summit Entertainment picked up the rights for Divergent with Douglas Wick and Lucy Fishers production company Red Wagon Entertainment, while Lionsgate distributes the franchise. Neil Burger was announced as the director on August 23,2012, Evan Daugherty, who co-wrote the screenplay with Vanessa Taylor, said, I get hung up on the toughness of the movie but of equal importance is the love story between Tris and Four. Its inherently and inextricably linked to Tris character journey, There will be plenty of sexual tension and chemistry, but its important that all of that stuff doesnt just feel like its thrown in, but that it all helps Tris grow as a character. Daugherty further added, Its tricky because the book is a very packed read with a lot of big ideas, so, distilling that into a cool, faithful two-hour movie is challenging. Not only do you have to establish five factions, but you have to acknowledge that theres a sixth entity, which is the divergent, and you also have the factionless. So theres a world that really has to be out for the big screen… the movie is going to do it a little more efficiently. Author Veronica Roth said about the script of the film, Reading a script is an interesting experience. Id never read a script before, I was really impressed by how closely it stuck to the general plot line of the book. Initially, the budget of the film was $40 million but later Lionsgate increased it to $80 million due to the success of The Hunger Games. Analyst Ben Mogil said, Divergent is more similar to Hunger Games in that the company owns the underlying economics and the budget is more manageable. On December 16,2013, it was announced that Neil Burger, director of Divergent, on February 13,2014, it was announced that Robert Schwentke was offered the director position for the film and that Akiva Goldsman had been hired to re-write Duffields script
13.
Zootopia
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Zootopia is a 2016 American 3D computer-animated buddy comedy-adventure film produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It is the 55th Disney animated feature film, K. Simmons, Octavia Spencer, Alan Tudyk, and Shakira. The film received critical acclaim with praise directed toward its animation, voice cast, characters, humor, screenplay. Despite being the police academy valedictorian, Judy is relegated to parking duty by Chief Bogo, on her first day, she is hustled by Nick Wilde and Finnick, a con artist duo of foxes. The next day, Judy abandons parking duty to arrest Duke Weaselton, Bogo reprimands her, but an otter named Mrs. Otterton enters Bogos office pleading for someone to find her husband Emmitt, one of fourteen predators who have gone missing. When Judy volunteers and Assistant Mayor Dawn Bellwether praises the assignment, after determining Nick was the last one to see Otterton, Judy blackmails him into assisting her by covertly recording his confession to tax evasion. They track Otterton to a limousine owned by crime boss Mr. Big, at his home, Manchas mentions that Otterton had been yelling about night howlers. Moments later, Manchas himself turns savage and chases the pair, Judy saves Nick by trapping Manchas and calls the ZPD for help. When Bogo and other police arrive, however, Manchas has vanished, Bogo demands Judys resignation, but Nick reminds Bogo she still has 10 hours to solve the case. As they leave, Nick reveals to Judy that he was bullied as a child for being a fox, deciding there was no use in fighting prejudiced ideas about fox behavior, he became a con artist. Bellwether gives Judy and Nick access to the citys traffic-camera system and they discover Manchas was captured by wolves, which Judy surmises are the night howlers. Lionheart and those involved are arrested and Bellwether becomes the new mayor, Judy, praised for solving the case and now friends with Nick, asks him to join the ZPD as her partner. However, she upsets him at a conference by suggesting a biological cause for the recent savage behavior. TV network ZNN covers singer Gazelles peace protest and the police misconduct against predators, guilt-ridden over what happened, Judy quits her job. After she returns to Zootopia and reconciles with Nick, they confront Weaselton and they find Doug in a lab hidden in the subway tunnels, creating an illegal drug made from night howlers, which he has been shooting at predators with a dart gun. Judy and Nick are trapped in a pit after Nick refuses to abandon Judy when she is injured. Bellwether shoots a serum pellet at Nick to make him kill Judy, and frames a call to the ZPD, enraged, Bellwether threatens to frame Judy and Nick for the attacks like she framed Lionheart, but Judy has recorded Bellwethers confession. Bogo and the ZPD arrive and Bellwether is arrested, in the news coverage that follows, Lionheart denies knowledge of Bellwethers plot and states that his imprisonment of the savaged predators was doing the wrong thing for the right reason
14.
The Long Walk Home
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The Long Walk Home is a 1990 American historical drama film starring Sissy Spacek and Whoopi Goldberg, and directed by Richard Pearce. Set in Alabama, it is based on a screenplay about the Montgomery Bus Boycott by John Cork, the feature film is based on a short screenplay and film of the same name, written by John Cork, then a graduate student in directing at USC. He had submitted his script to the Cinema Department for consideration, while USC selected Corks script for production, the department assigned Beverlyn E. Fray, another student, to direct it. The short film won awards, including first place at the Black American Cinema Society. Cork, however, was unhappy with the project and unsuccessfully tried to block screenings of the short film. The film was expanded as a feature, Odessa and her family confront typical issues faced by African Americans in the South at the time, poverty, racism, segregation, and violence. The black community has begun a widespread boycott of the buses to end segregation. Miriam Thompson offers to give her a two days a week to ensure she gets to work on time and to lessen the fatigue her “long walk home” is causing. Around the city, some informal carpools and other systems are starting, as the boycott continues, tensions rise in the city. Blacks had been the majority riders on the buses. Miriams decision to support Odessa by giving her a ride becomes an issue with her husband, Norman Thompson, Miriam has to choose between what she believes is right or succumb to pressure from her husband and friends. After a fight with her husband, Miriam decides to follow her heart and she becomes involved in a carpool group to help other black workers like Odessa. In the films final scene, Miriam and her daughter Mary Catherine, who is the narrator of the story in flashback, join Odessa, by the time of the film, the bus was in poor condition. The filmmakers had it given a repaint and towed it by a cable for its scenes in the movie. It is now owned by the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Michigan, cinematographer John Bailey was to have made his directorial debut on this film but was replaced by Richard Pearce early into production. The film was released theatrically on December 21,1990, in the U. S. it gained another theatrical release in March 1991 after Miramax withdrew the film from its limited December 1990 release due to the heavy competition of the 1990 holiday season. After the films run, it was released to videocassette by Live Home Video in the United States. In 2002, the film was released twice on DVD by Platinum Disc and Artisan Entertainment, on January 29,2013, a new DVD was released by Lionsgate, under license from Miramax
15.
Whoopi Goldberg
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Caryn Elaine Johnson, known professionally as Whoopi Goldberg, is an American actress, comedian, author and television host. She has been nominated for 13 Emmy Awards for her work in television and is one of the few entertainers who has won an Emmy Award, a Grammy Award, an Oscar, and a Tony Award. She was the black woman in the history of the Academy Awards to win an acting Oscar. In the period drama film The Color Purple, her role was playing Celie. In the romantic fantasy film Ghost, Goldberg played Oda Mae Brown, in 1992, she starred as a pretend nun in the comedy Sister Act. From 1998 to 2002, she was co-producer of the game show Hollywood Squares. Since 2007, she has been the moderator of the television talk show The View. Caryn Elaine Johnson was born in Manhattan, New York City on November 13,1955, the daughter of Robert James Johnson, Jr. a clergyman, and Emma Johnson and she was raised in the Chelsea-Elliot Houses. Goldberg has described her mother as a stern, strong, and wise woman who raised her as a mother with her brother Clyde. She went to a local Catholic school, St Columbas when she was younger and her more recent forebears migrated north from Faceville, Georgia, Palatka, Florida, and Virginia. She dropped out of Washington Irving High School and she has stated that her stage forename was taken from a whoopee cushion, If you get a little gassy, youve got to let it go. So people used to say to me, Youre like a whoopee cushion, and thats where the name came from. According to the Jewish Chronicle, one suggests that her mother thought that the familys original surname was not Jewish enough for her daughter to become a star. According to an anecdote told by Nichelle Nichols in Trekkies, a young Goldberg was watching Star Trek, theres a black lady on TV and she aint no maid. This spawned lifelong fandom of Star Trek for Goldberg, who would ask for and receive a recurring guest-starring role on Star Trek. Between 1979 and 1981, she lived in East Germany, working in a number of theater productions, during her travels, she would smuggle various items into the country for the artists she stayed with. Goldberg trained under acting teacher Uta Hagen at the HB Studio in New York City and she first appeared onscreen in 1982 in Citizen, Im Not Losing My Mind, Im Giving It Away, an avant-garde ensemble feature by San Francisco filmmaker William Farley. Goldberg created The Spook Show, a show composed of different character monologues in 1983
16.
Tate Taylor
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Tate Taylor is an American actor, screenwriter, film producer and director. He is best known for directing The Help, Get on Up, Taylor was born on June 3,1969 in Jackson, Mississippi, where he grew up. He attended preschool in Jackson with writer Kathryn Stockett, Taylor worked for 15 years in New York City and Los Angeles. Though he debuted as a film director in Pretty Ugly People, he was primarily an actor for most of his career. Taylor achieved mainstream success when he directed the film The Help and she gave him rights to make the film adaptation in June 2008, before the book was published. In addition to receiving positive reviews, the film was a major commercial success, earning more than $200 million worldwide. Taylor directed Get on Up, a biopic on the singer James Brown, starring Chadwick Boseman, though the film was well received critically, it was a commercial disappointment. Most recently he has directed The Girl on the Train, which received mixed reviews, Taylor resides on the Wyolah Plantation, an Antebellum plantation in Church Hill, Mississippi. Director Chicken Party Pretty Ugly People The Help Get on Up The Girl on the Train Actor Wannabe Winters Bone Tate Taylor at the Internet Movie Database
17.
Joel Schumacher
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Joel T. Schumacher is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for directing The Incredible Shrinking Woman, St. Elmos Fire, Batman Forever, A Time to Kill, Batman & Robin, Phone Booth, The Phantom of the Opera and The Number 23. Before he launched his career as a director, Schumacher also wrote the adaptation of The Wiz. Schumacher was born in New York City. His mother was a Swedish Jew, and his father was a Baptist from Knoxville, Tennessee, Schumacher studied at Parsons The New School for Design and The Fashion Institute of Technology in New York. After first working in the industry, he realized his true love was in filmmaking. Schumachers first screenplay was for the musical drama Sparkle in 1976 and he also wrote the screenplays for the 1976 low-budget hit movie Car Wash, 1978s The Wiz — an adaptation of the stage play of the same name — and a number of other minor successes. His film directorial debut was The Incredible Shrinking Woman in 1981, the Brat Pack films St. Elmos Fire and The Lost Boys were two of Schumachers biggest hits. Their style impressed audiences and their success allowed studios to trust him with ever-larger projects. He states in the commentary for St. Elmos Fire that he resents the Brat Pack label. Schumacher has directed two adaptations of John Grishams novels, The Client and A Time to Kill, Grisham personally requested that Schumacher return to direct A Time to Kill. Schumacher replaced Tim Burton as the director of the Batman film franchise when he directed Batman Forever in 1995, val Kilmer replaced Michael Keaton in the title role, despite a lukewarm critical reception, the film scored the highest-grossing opening weekend of 1995. It finished as the second highest-grossing film of the year in North America, after this success, Warner Bros. hired Schumacher to direct a sequel, Batman & Robin, in 1997. The film did not perform as well at the box office as its predecessors, Warner Bros. subsequently put the Batman movie series on hiatus, canceling Schumachers next planned Batman movie, Batman Unchained. On the DVD commentary, Schumacher has admitted that his movie disappointed fans of darker Batman adaptations, saying that the film was made intentionally marketable and kid-friendly. He claims to have been under pressure from the studio to do so, however, he admits full responsibility and, at one point. Schumacher is a devoted Batman fan himself, and has said he would have preferred an adaptation of the comic Batman. After back-to-back Grisham and Batman films, Schumacher decided to reinvent his career with darker, lower-budget fare like 8MM with Nicolas Cage, 8MM was entered into the 49th Berlin International Film Festival. In 1999, Schumacher also directed the video for Letting the Cables Sleep by English rock band Bush
18.
A Time to Kill (film)
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A Time to Kill is a 1996 American crime drama film adaptation of John Grishams 1989 novel of the same name, directed by Joel Schumacher. Sandra Bullock, Samuel L. Jackson, Matthew McConaughey, and Kevin Spacey star, with Oliver Platt, Ashley Judd, Kiefer and Donald Sutherland, and Patrick McGoohan appearing in supporting roles. Set in Canton, Mississippi, the film involves the rape of a girl, the arrest of the rapists, their subsequent murder by the girls father. The film was a critical and commercial success, making $152 million at the box office. In Canton, Mississippi, two white supremacists, Billy Ray Cobb and Pete Willard, kidnap a ten-year-old African-American girl named Tonya. They violently rape and beat her and dump her in a river after a failed attempt to hang her, she survives. Tonyas father, Carl Lee Hailey, contacts Jake Brigance, a white lawyer, Brigance admits the possibility that the rapists will walk free. Carl Lee goes to the county courthouse and opens fire with an automatic rifle, Brigance agrees to defend Carl Lee. The rape and subsequent revenge killing gain national media attention, the district attorney, Rufus Buckley, decides to seek the death penalty, and presiding Judge Omar Noose denies Brigance a change of venue. Brigance seeks help from his team, law student Ellen Roark, close friend Harry Rex Vonner, and former mentor and longtime activist Lucien Wilbanks. The Ku Klux Klan begins to organize in the area, klansman Freddie Lee Cobb—Billy Rays brother—targets Brigance, burning a cross on his lawn and threatening his wife and daughter. When Brigance refuses to back down, Cobb kidnaps and assaults Roark, the presiding judge refuses Brigances request for a change of venue to a more ethnically diverse county, meaning that Carl Lee will have an all-white jury. Dispirited, Brigance tells Carl Lee that there is hope for an acquittal. Carl Lee replies that he had him as an attorney because even a racist jury would listen to a white man, as one of the bad guys. During closing arguments, a deeply shaken Brigance tells the jury to close their eyes and he describes, in slow and painful detail, the rape of a 10-year-old girl, recalling the story of Tonyas rape. He then asks the jury, in his comment, to now imagine shes white. After deliberation, a black child out of the courthouse and screams. Jubilation ensues amongst the supporters outside, the Klan, enraged, begins yelling in anger
19.
John Grisham
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John Ray Grisham, Jr. is an American bestselling writer, attorney, politician, and activist best known for his popular legal thrillers. His books have been translated into 42 languages and published worldwide, John Grisham graduated from Mississippi State University before attending the University of Mississippi School of Law in 1981. He practiced criminal law for about a decade and served in the House of Representatives in Mississippi from January 1984 to September 1990 and his first novel, A Time to Kill, was published in June 1989, four years after he began writing it. As of 2012, his books have sold over 275 million copies worldwide, a Galaxy British Book Awards winner, Grisham is one of only three authors to sell 2 million copies on a first printing. Grishams first bestseller, The Firm, sold more than seven million copies. Eight of his novels have also been adapted into films, The Chamber, The Client, A Painted House, The Pelican Brief, Skipping Christmas, The Rainmaker, The Runaway Jury. Grisham, the second of five siblings, was born in Jonesboro, Arkansas, to Wanda Skidmore Grisham and his father worked as a construction worker and a cotton farmer, while his mother was a homemaker. When Grisham was four years old, his family settled in Southaven, DeSoto County, as a child, Grisham wanted to be a baseball player. Grisham has been a Christian since he was eight years old, after leaving law school, he participated in some missionary work in Brazil, under the First Baptist Church of Oxford. Although Grishams parents lacked formal education, his mother encouraged him to read and he drew on his childhood experiences for his novel A Painted House. Grisham started working for a nursery as a teenager, watering bushes for US$1.00 an hour and he was soon promoted to a fence crew for US$1.50 an hour. He wrote about the job, there was no future in it, at 16, Grisham took a job with a plumbing contractor but says he never drew inspiration from that miserable work. Through a contact of his fathers, he managed to work on a highway asphalt crew in Mississippi at age 17. It was during this time that an unfortunate incident got him serious about college, a fight with gunfire broke out among the crew causing Grisham to run to a nearby restroom to find safety. He did not come out until after the police had detained the perpetrators and he hitchhiked home and started thinking about college. His next work was in retail, as a salesclerk in a department store mens underwear section and he decided to quit but stayed when he was offered a raise. He was given another raise after asking to be transferred to toys, a confrontation with a company spy posing as a customer convinced him to leave the store. By this time, Grisham was halfway through college, planning to become a tax lawyer, he was soon overcome by the complexity and lunacy of it
20.
Never Been Kissed
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Reilly and James Franco in his film debut. Josie Geller is a copy editor for the Chicago Sun-Times who has never had a real relationship. One day, her editor-in-chief, Rigfort assigns her to report undercover at a school to help parents become more aware of their childrens lives. Her first day at South Glen South High School is miserable, Josie reverts to the old geek persona that ruined her first high school career. She also has an unfortunate run-in with three popular girls, and Guy Perkins, the schools most attractive, popular student. Josie loses hope, but is reassured when a kind-hearted nerd named Aldys befriends her, Aldys, who loathes Guy and his gang, invites Josie to join The Denominators, a group of intelligent students. Josie develops a crush on her English teacher, Sam Coulson, however, on the night of the prom, Billy arrives with another girl and both of them hurl eggs and insults at Josie, humiliating her and breaking her heart. One night while out driving with Aldys, Josie encounters Guy and his gang at a local hangout called The Court where promiscuity and underage drinking take place. Her managing editor Augustus Gus Strauss loses patience with Josie after a rival paper scoops The Court story and he arranges for her to wear a hidden camera, and soon the whole office becomes obsessed with her story. Josie confides in her brother Rob about her fears, Rob, who was their high schools most popular boy in his teens, urges her to let go of her old self and start anew. To help her, Rob enrolls as a student and becomes an instant hit and he then uses his influence to draw Josie into the cool crowd, much to the dismay of Aldys. Sam and Josie grow closer, but Sam struggles with his feelings as he thinks shes a student, Guy and Josie attend the prom as Rosalind and Orlando from Shakespeares As You Like It. Anita, Gus and Josies other co-workers watch through the camera and are overjoyed as she is voted prom queen, as Guy dances with Aldys as an alleged act of friendship, the mean girls attempt to dump dog food over Aldys. Outraged, Josie throws her away and reveals her true identity. She praises Aldys for her kindness and warns the students that ones persona in high school means nothing in the real world, Sam is hurt by her lies and states he wants nothing to do with her. Also angered is Rob, who as a student received a second chance at baseball. Josie, ultimately making amends, secures him a coaching job, Josie vows to give Gus a story and writes an account of her experience. In it, she admits shes never been kissed, describes the students of South Glen South, and avows her love for Sam and she writes she will stand in the middle of the baseball field and wait for Sam to come and kiss her
21.
Big Momma's House
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Big Mommas House is a 2000 American action comedy film directed by Raja Gosnell, written by Darryl Quarles and Don Rhymer, and starring Martin Lawrence as FBI agent Malcolm Turner. The majority of the film took place in Cartersville, Georgia, the prime shooting spots were Los Angeles and Orange County. The film is notable for being one of only four titles to be released on the EVD video format. It has garnered a significant cult following since its release, the film begins in an illegal underground dog-fighting arena in Korea, where an FBI agent, John Maxwell, has been identified. John is ordered to be killed by a Korean mob boss, suddenly, a group of FBI agents storm around the arena. Meanwhile, a criminal named Lester Vesco, who was serving a life sentence in prison for murder and armed robbery, escapes from his cell by killing the doctor. After Big Momma unexpectedly leaves town to help her ill friend within a couple of weeks, Malcolm and John sneak into her house to plant security cameras and tap the phones. Sherry later calls Big Mommas house and Malcolm disguises his voice as Big Momma in order to lure Sherry, the plan works, and Malcolm and John work together on a Big Momma disguise costume before Sherrys arrival the next day. The next day, Sherry arrives at Big Mommas house with her 10-year-old son, however, Malcolms inexperience with cooking and strange behavior prompt Sherry to believe that Big Momma might have gone senile. After Malcolm almost damages the suit during the night, he tries to back to the safe house where he. However, Sherry catches him on the porch, and Malcolm poses as a handyman after just barely hiding the suit in a bush. Malcolm and John repair the suit, and when Malcolm leaves town with Sherry, John searches the house for any trace of the money Lester had stolen from the bank. Malcolm also bonds with Trent when he defends him against the two guys who bullied Trent and kicked him off the court so they could play. Malcolm and Trent eventually beat the boys at basketball, amazing Nolan, Malcolm also begins to bond with Sherry and Trent by accompanying them on a fishing trip. After Malcolm returns to the house with John that evening, Nolan bursts in and tries to arrest Malcolm. Malcolm and John identify themselves and reluctantly recruit Nolan to help out, promising Nolan that Malcolm. Malcolm, Sherry, and Trent go to church, where the Reverend calls on Malcolm to give his testimony, while posing as Big Momma, Malcolm attempts to influence Sherry and Trent by giving them his testimony about the importance of not keeping secrets. While returning to Big Mommas house after mass, Malcolm pulls his gun on Big Mommas surprise birthday party, during the party that evening, the real Big Momma returns home prematurely, whom John tries to stall her
22.
Bad Santa
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This was John Ritters last film appearance before his death on September 11,2003. The Coen brothers are credited as executive producers, the film was released in the United States on November 26,2003. The film was screened out of competition at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival, an unrated version was released on DVD on March 5,2004 and on Blu-ray Disc on November 20,2007 as Bad Santa. A directors cut DVD was released in November 2006, it features Zwigoffs cut of the film, a sequel, Bad Santa 2, was released worldwide on November 23,2016. Willie T. Soke and his dwarfed assistant Marcus Skidmore are professional thieves, at the mall, Willie is visited by Thurman Merman, a friendly but exceedingly naive and gullible, overweight boy who thinks Willie is really Santa. Thurman is a constant target of bullying by a gang of skateboarders. At a bar, Willie meets Sue, a woman with a Santa Claus fetish, Willie is harassed by a man in the bar, but Thurman intervenes. Willie gives Thurman a ride home, then enters the house where he lives with his senile grandmother. Thurman reveals that his mother died, and his father, Roger, is away exploring mountains until next year, Willie tricks Thurman into letting him steal from the house safe and a BMW owned by Roger. Bob informs Gin that he overheard Willie having sex with a woman in a dressing room – Gin starts to investigate. Willie goes to his room and sees it being raided, causing him to take advantage of Thurmans naivete and live in his house. The next day, Marcus gets angry at Willie for taking advantage of Thurman, Gins investigation of Willie includes visiting Roger, who indirectly reveals/learns that Willie is staying with Thurman illegally. He confronts Willie and Marcus at the mall, and takes them to a bar, there, he reveals that he has figured out their plan, blackmailing them for half of the cut to keep silent. Marcus tries to reason with Gin for a cut. Willie attempts to suicide by inhaling vehicle exhaust fumes. He gives Thurman a letter to give to the police, confessing all his misdeeds, Willie notices Thurmans black eye, which persuades him to make an example of the skateboarding bullies. He confronts and beats up the leader, frightening the other members into stopping their acts towards Thurman. Enraged at Gin for blackmailing him, Marcus and Lois set up a trap for Gin, Lois hits Gin with the car, then Marcus kills him via electrocution
23.
Spider-Man (2002 film)
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Spider-Man is a 2002 American superhero film directed by Sam Raimi. Exercising its option on just two elements from the acquisition, Sony hired David Koepp to create a working screenplay. Directors Roland Emmerich, Ang Lee, Chris Columbus, Jan de Bont, M. Night Shyamalan, Tony Scott, the Koepp script was rewritten by Scott Rosenberg during preproduction and received a dialogue polish from Alvin Sargent during production. Filming took place in Los Angeles, and New York City from January 8 to June 30,2001, Spider-Man premiered in the Philippines on April 30,2002, and had its general release in the United States on May 3,2002. It became a critical and financial success, for its time, it was the only film to reach $100 million in its first weekend, had the largest opening weekend gross of all time, and was the most successful film based on a comic book. With $821.7 million worldwide, it was 2002s third-highest-grossing film and is the 56th-highest-grossing film of all time, the film was nominated at the 75th Academy Awards ceremony for Best Visual Effects and Best Sound Mixing. Due to the success of the film, Columbia Pictures and Marvel released two sequels, Spider-Man 2 in 2004, and Spider-Man 3 in 2007, high-school senior Peter Parker is a school outcast and bully victim. On a school trip, he visits a genetics laboratory with his friend Harry Osborn. There, Peter is bitten by a genetically engineered super spider, shortly after arriving home, he becomes ill and falls unconscious. Meanwhile, Harrys father, scientist Norman Osborn, owner of Oscorp, is attempting to secure an important military weapons contract and he experiments on himself with an unstable performance-enhancing chemical. After absorbing the chemical, he goes insane, kills his assistant, the next morning, Peter discovers that he is no longer near-sighted, and his body has metamorphosized into a more muscular physique. At school, he finds that his body can produce webs from the wrists, brushing off his Uncle Bens advice that with great power comes great responsibility, Peter considers impressing Mary Jane with a car. He enters a wrestling tournament and wins his first match. When a thief suddenly raids the promoters office, Peter allows him to escape in revenge, moments later, he discovers that Ben has been carjacked and shot, dying in Peters arms. Overcome with anger and vengeance, Peter corners, subdues and tries to kill the carjacker, the thief attempts to flee, but trips and falls out a window to his death instead. Meanwhile, at Oscorps chief competitor Quest Aerospace, during a weapons test Norman kills several scientists, upon graduating, Peter begins using his abilities to fight crime, donning a costume and the persona of Spider-Man. J. Norman, upon learning Oscorps board members plan to sell the company, attacks them at the World Unity Fair, jameson quickly dubs the mysterious killer the Green Goblin. The Goblin offers Spider-Man a place at his side, but gives him time to think about it, meanwhile, after meeting Peter again, Mary Jane is followed by four men down an alley
24.
Coach Carter
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Coach Carter is a 2005 American biographical sports drama film directed by Thomas Carter. It is based on the story of Richmond High School basketball coach Ken Carter. The story was conceived from a screenplay co-written by John Gatins and Mark Schwahn, the film also recycles a handful of plot devices from another television series, The White Shadow, which director Carter also co-starred in. The ensemble cast features Rob Brown, Channing Tatum, Debbi Morgan, the film was a co-production between the motion picture studios of MTV Films and Tollin/Robbins Productions. Theatrically and for the video rental market, it was commercially distributed by Paramount Pictures. Coach Carter explores professional ethics, academics and athletics, the sports action in the film was coordinated by the production company ReelSports. On January 11,2005, the motion picture soundtrack was released by the Capitol Records music label. The film score was composed and orchestrated by musician Trevor Rabin, Coach Carter premiered in theaters nationwide in the United States on January 14,2005 grossing $67,264,877 in domestic ticket receipts. The film took in an additional $9,404,929 in business through international release for a worldwide total of $76,669,806. Preceding its initial screening in cinemas, the film was met with positive critical reviews. In 1999, Ken Carter takes over the coaching job for the basketball team at his former high school Richmond, having played on the team himself. Carter quickly sees that the athletes are rude and disrespectful, and are in need of discipline.3 grade point average, Carter also asks the school staff for progress reports on the players grades and attendance. He teaches them to play a brand of basketball. In the gym, Carter is faced by hostility from the players and one of them, Timo Cruz attempts to him but he stops him by putting his arm on his back. Cruz quits the team in anger along with two players, the previous season top scorers. Carter warns them that, if they are late for practice, then they will run suicides and he then orders them to do a series of suicides for one hour to improve their conditioning. Later, Carters son, Damien, decides to join the team, shocked, Carter asks why he did this, and Damien tells him that he wants to play for his father. Carter reluctantly agrees but holds his son to a set of standards than the rest of the team
25.
Win a Date with Tad Hamilton!
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Win a Date with Tad Hamilton. The name of Tad Hamilton has been seen as a cross between the names of screen idols Tab Hunter and George Hamilton, the film opens with a soldier and nurse getting out of two 1940-style cars in the middle of night. The nurse runs up to the soldier and the switches to reveal this to be a scene from a film. After seeing Tads house, Rosalee requests to go back to the hotel, as Pete is about to tell Rosalee about moving to Richmond she is surprised—as much as Pete is disappointed—by Tads sudden arrival to get to know her and have some of her goodness rub off on him. Though Rosalee is still cynical of him as he uses a line one of his films. During a phone call with his agent, Tad insists that he wants to turn over a new leaf, when he picks Rosalee up for a date he leaves a good impression on Rosalees father, who had studied hard for the encounter. He makes Tad swear not to break her heart or he will tear Tad to pieces with his vicious rhetoric, when the pair is in Tads hotel room, his agents appear and inform him that the director has decided to cast him in the film after all. Tad is overjoyed and convinces her to come to LA with him by using Petes six smile speech, on the plane when Tad fails to identify one of Rosalees smiles, he confesses his lie and she asks to go home. She runs to Piggly Wiggly and Petes house, then drives furiously towards Richmond to overtake her heartbroken friend, and, in a set-up similar to the opening scene, Rosalee and Pete get out of their cars and Pete, surrendering to cheesy romance, asks her to dance. The film opened in 2,711 venues on January 23,2004 and earned $7,320,066 in its weekend, ranking third in the North American box office. The film ultimately grossed $17,071,962 in North America, based on a $22 million budget, the film was a box office bomb. Win a Date with Tad Hamilton, on Rotten Tomatoes, the film received a 52% approval rating based on 145 reviews, with an average of 5. 6/10. The sites consensus states, Formulaic romantic comedy works better than it should thanks to a charming cast, metacritic reports a score of 52 out of 100 based on 35 reviews, indicating mixed or average reviews. Roger Ebert criticized that Duhamels character always seems more likeable than Graces, bosworths acting was praised for holding the film together. Stephen Holden regards the film as having a plot from the 1950s, Holden regards Bosworth as having the toughest part, showing Rosalees feet-on-the-ground optimism and innate wisdom easily. The film was released on VHS and DVD on April 20,2004, the DVD features 15 deleted scenes. Rose McGowan Special - Wilshire Some Days - Wheat More Bounce in California - Soul Kid #1 Why Cant I. at the Internet Movie Database Win a Date with Tad Hamilton, at Box Office Mojo Win a Date with Tad Hamilton. At Rotten Tomatoes Win a Date with Tad Hamilton
26.
Raising the Bar (2008 TV series)
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Raising the Bar is an American legal drama, which ran on TNT network from September 1,2008 to December 24,2009. Raising the Bar was originally announced to be joining TNT as a new series in January 2008 and it came to TNT through ABC Studios and Steven Bochco served as executive producer, with Jesse Bochco as co-executive producer and David Feige as supervising producer. After completing its first season of 10 hour-long episodes in November 2008, the series was renewed for a 15-episode second season, the show was canceled after season 2. It was the biggest audience ever for a launch on basic cable. Following the premiere, ratings evened out to around 5.5 million viewers per episode, for calendar-year 2008 on a first-run basis, the series delivered 1.37 million viewers in the 18–49 demographic, garnering mixed reviews. TNT confirmed to E. Online on November 30,2009 that the series would not be renewed for a third season, the final three episodes were burned off marathon style on Christmas Eve night. Raising the Bar at the Internet Movie Database Raising the Bar at TV. com
27.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
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CSI, Crime Scene Investigation is a procedural forensics crime drama television series that premiered on CBS October 6,2000. The series, starring William Petersen, Marg Helgenberger, Laurence Fishburne, Ted Danson, the series concluded on September 27,2015, after 15 seasons, with a feature-length finale titled Immortality. The team is led by Gil Grissom, a socially-awkward forensic entomologist. Grissoms second-in-command, Catherine Willows, is a mother with a cops instinct. Born and raised in Vegas, Catherine was a stripper before being recruited into law enforcement, following Grissoms departure during the ninth season of the series, Catherine is promoted to Supervisor. After overseeing the training of new investigator Raymond Langston, Willows is replaced by D. B, Russell, and recruited to the FBI shortly thereafter. Russell is a man, a keen forensic botanist and a veteran of the Seattle Crime Lab. In the series season, Russell is reunited with his former partner Julie Finlay. During the 1990s, Anthony Zuiker caught producer Jerry Bruckheimers attention after writing his first movie script, Zuiker was convinced that there was a series in the concept, Bruckheimer agreed and arranged a meeting with the head of Touchstone Pictures. The studios head at the time liked the script and presented it to ABC, NBC and Fox executives. The head of development at CBS saw potential in the script, and the network had a pay-or-play contract with actor William Petersen. The networks executives liked the pilot so much that they decided to include it in their 2000 schedule immediately, airing on Fridays after The Fugitive. Initially it was thought that CSI would benefit from The Fugitive, which was expected to be a hit, formerly a co-production with the now-defunct Alliance Atlantis Communications, that companys interest was later bought by the investment firm GS Capital Partners, an affiliate of Goldman Sachs. CBS acquired AACs international distribution rights to the program, though the non-US DVD distribution rights did not change, the series is currently in syndication, and reruns are broadcast in the U. S. on the Spike and TV Land cable networks. The show has aired in reruns on the USA Network since January 14,2011, the CSI catalog has been exclusive to the whole NBC Universal portfolio since September 2014. Occasionally, the cast would still shoot on location in Las Vegas, other California locations include Verdugo Hills High School, UCLAs Royce Hall, Pasadena City Hall, and California State University, Los Angeles. While shooting took place primarily at Universal Studios in Universal City, California, CSIs theme song was, since season one, Who Are You, written by Pete Townshend with vocals by lead singer Roger Daltrey of The Who. In certain countries, to music licensing fees, a unique theme was used instead
28.
The Big Bang Theory
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The Big Bang Theory is an American television sitcom created by Chuck Lorre and Bill Prady, both of whom serve as executive producers on the series, along with Steven Molaro. All three also serve as head writers, the show premiered on CBS on September 24,2007. The series tenth season premiered on September 19,2016, in March 2017, the series was renewed for two additional seasons, bringing its total to 12, and running through the 2018–19 television season. The geekiness and intellect of the four men are contrasted for comic effect with Pennys social skills, the structure of the original, unaired pilot, developed for the 2006–07 television season, was substantially different from the series current form. The only characters retained in both pilots were Leonard and Sheldon, who are named after Sheldon Leonard, althea was a character featured in both pilots and the first series episode. Sheldon and Leonard meet Katie after she breaks up with a boyfriend and they invite her to share their apartment, Test audiences reacted negatively to Katie, but they liked Sheldon and Leonard. The original pilot used Thomas Dolbys hit She Blinded Me with Science as the theme song, the series was not picked up, but the creators were given an opportunity to retool the show and produce a second pilot. They brought in the remaining cast and retooled the show to its final format, the original unaired pilot has never been officially released, but it has circulated on the Internet. On the evolution of the show, Chuck Lorre said, We did the Big Bang Pilot about two and a half ago, and it sucked. But there were two things that worked perfectly, and that was Johnny and Jim. We rewrote the thing entirely and then we were blessed with Kaley and Simon, as to whether the world will ever see the original pilot on a future DVD release, Lorre said, Wow, that would be something, we will see. The first and second pilots of The Big Bang Theory were directed by James Burrows, the reworked second pilot led to a 13-episode order by CBS on May 14,2007. Prior to its airing on CBS, the episode was distributed on iTunes free of charge. The show premiered on September 24,2007, and was picked up for a full 22-episode season on October 19,2007, the show is filmed in front of a live audience, and is produced by Warner Bros. Production was halted on November 6,2007, due to the Writers Guild of America strike, nearly three months later, on February 4,2008, the series was temporarily replaced by a short-lived sitcom, Welcome to the Captain. The series returned on March 17,2008, in a time slot. After the strike ended, the show was picked up for a season, airing in the 2008–2009 season. With increasing ratings, the received a two-year renewal through the 2010–11 season in 2009
29.
Wizards of Waverly Place
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Wizards of Waverly Place is an American fantasy teen sitcom which ran from October 12,2007 to January 6,2012 on Disney Channel. The series was created by Todd J. Greenwald, and stars Selena Gomez, David Henrie, further main cast includes Jennifer Stone, Maria Canals Barrera, and David DeLuise. The series won Outstanding Childrens Program at the 61st Primetime Emmy Awards in 2009, a film adaptation of the series, Wizards of Waverly Place, The Movie, premiered as a Disney Channel Original Movie on August 28,2009. The film adaptation won Outstanding Childrens Program at the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards earning the series its second consecutive Emmy, the farewell season won Outstanding Childrens Program at the 64th Primetime Emmy Awards bringing the franchises total to three Emmy awards. Wizards of Waverly Place ended with 106 episodes over four seasons and its series finale averaged nearly 10 million viewers, which made that episode the most-watched series finale in Disney Channels history. On March 15,2013, The Wizards Return, Alex vs. Alex premiered as a television special. Wizards of Waverly Place chronicles the adventures of the Russo Family, the Russos live on Waverly Place in Manhattans Greenwich Village, above a sandwich shop which they own and run. The family consists of siblings Alex, Justin, and Max, the three teenagers are wizards and live with their Italian father, Jerry, a former family wizard, and their mortal Mexican mother, Theresa. Because of this, Jerry tries to teach his children to not become dependent on magic, since one of them gets to keep their powers, though, Jerry also gives his children wizard lessons. The storage room of the Russo familys sub station is a wizards lair, in the lair is a Portal which allows them to visit the wizard world, and other creatures to visit them. The headmaster of the council, Professor Crumbs, regularly pays visits to the Russo home. The Russo siblings attend Tribeca Preparatory School and constantly encounter their Old West style principal, because they live in the mortal world, the Russos are required to keep the existence of wizardry a secret. Even so, Alexs best friend, Harper Finkle, discovers the secret in Season 2s episode Harper Knows, Selena Gomez as Alex Russo David Henrie as Justin Russo Jake T. Justin takes Alex and Max on a cruise to Hawaii aboard the SS Tipton when he wins tickets and he pretends to be a doctor to impress London Tipton while Alex uses magic to bring Harper on the ship. During the cruise, Alex pulls a prank on Justin that turns him blue while Hannah Montana boards the ship to attend a concert in Hawaii, leading Cody to try to get tickets for himself and Bailey. The Disney Channel Original Movie, based on the series, premiered on August 28,2009 on Disney Channel. Wizards of Waverly Place, The Movie was filmed in Puerto Rico in the caribe Hilton hotel, Los Angeles, the movie received 11.4 million viewers on its premiere, making it the second-most-viewed DCOM premiere in the US after High School Musical 2. It was the 7th most watched basic cable telecast in 2009 and it won a Primetime Emmy Award in 2010 for Outstanding Childrens Program
30.
Grounded for Life
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Grounded for Life is an American television sitcom that debuted on January 10,2001, as a mid-season replacement on the Fox Network. It was created by Mike Schiff and Bill Martin and it ran for two seasons on the network until being cancelled only two episodes into its third season. It was immediately picked up for the rest of the season by The WB. The show starred Donal Logue and Megyn Price as Sean and Claudia Finnerty, the show also stars Kevin Corrigan, Bret Harrison, and Richard Riehle. The show, set in an Irish neighborhood of Staten Island, one of the central aspects of the show is that Sean and Claudia Finnerty had their first child and got married when they were only 18 years old. Thus, although their eldest is a daughter, the parents are themselves relatively young. The show features a style of storytelling, often starting with a scene at the end of the story or sometimes in the middle. Its main concepts are an Irish/Italian Catholic family with one daughter, the opening sequence is set to a guitar theme, performed by the band Ween, that also serves as the music between scenes. The first sequence, used for the first 11 episodes of Season 1, from the twelfth episode onwards, it showed a mix of scenes from Season 1. The sequence was updated each year to include scenes from the current season, the opening sequence was later truncated, as cast names were shown after the sequence, over the episode itself. Music is important in the production of the series, as musical cues introduce, episodes are also named after songs or are a play on song names or lyrics. Each episode has different music in the opening sequence, differing at the end of the sequence. Two episodes from Season 3, Oh, What a Knight and Part-Time Lover, did not air on primetime, Donal Logue and Megyn Price portrayed Sean and Claudia Finnerty, a Staten Island couple who were married and expecting by age 18. Sean was an electrician in the underground of the New York subway, by their early 30s, Sean and Claudia had three children. Lily is a selfish, spoiled brat who seeks male attention, often turning to dorky next-door neighbor, Brad OKeefe and she also dated the drummer of Sean and Eddies band, Dean Peramotti, they went steady until she cheated on him with Brad. Lily is ragingly jealous of her mother, Claudia, fearing that Claudia is hotter than she, Lily has been drunk on several occasions, including a college party at which she bumped into Claudia and they arranged to keep it from Sean. Lily blames all her problems on her parents, mostly on the grounds that they had her so young, Lily was shocked to discover she was born before her parents were married, but later realized she was proof of their love. Jimmy, the second Finnerty child and first son, is the black sheep
31.
ER (TV series)
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It was produced by Constant c Productions and Amblin Television, in association with Warner Bros. ER follows the life of the emergency room of fictional County General Hospital in Chicago, Illinois. The show became the longest-running primetime medical drama in American television history and it won 23 Primetime Emmy Awards, including the 1996 Outstanding Drama Series award, and received 124 Emmy nominations, which makes it the most nominated drama program in history. ER won 116 awards in total, including the Peabody Award, in 1974, author Michael Crichton wrote a screenplay based on his own experiences as a resident physician in a busy hospital emergency room. The screenplay went nowhere and Crichton focused on other topics, in 1990, he published the novel Jurassic Park, and in 1993 began a collaboration with director Steven Spielberg on the film adaptation of the book. Crichton and Spielberg then turned to ER, but decided to film the story as a pilot for a television series rather than as a feature film. Spielbergs Amblin Entertainment provided John Wells as the executive producer. The script used to shoot the pilot was virtually unchanged from what Crichton had written in 1974. Because of a lack of time and money necessary to build a set, the episode of ER was filmed in the former Linda Vista Hospital in Los Angeles. After Spielberg had joined as a producer, NBC ordered six episodes, ER premiered opposite a Monday Night Football game on ABC and did surprisingly well. Then we moved it to Thursday and it just took off, ERs success surprised the networks and critics alike, as David E. Kelleys new medical drama Chicago Hope was expected to crush the new series. Crichton remained executive producer until his death in November 2008, although he was credited as one throughout that entire final season. Wells, the other initial executive producer, served as showrunner for the first three seasons. He was one of the shows most prolific writers and became a director in later years. Lydia Woodward was a part of the first season production team and she took over as showrunner for the fourth season while Wells focused on the development of other series, including Trinity, Third Watch, and The West Wing. She left her executive position at the end of the sixth season. Joe Sachs, who was a writer and producer of the series, believed keeping a commitment to medical accuracy was important, Wed bend the rules. A medication that would take 10 minutes to work might take 30 seconds instead, a 12- to 24-hour shift gets pushed into 48 minutes
32.
Titus (TV series)
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Titus is an American dark comedy sitcom that debuted on Fox in 2000. The series was created by its star, Christopher Titus, Jack Kenny, Titus plays an outwardly childish adult, who owns a custom car shop. Titus began doing comedy when he was 18, after two years of relatively normal comedy bits, his act soon began to evolve to focus around his family, particularly his fathers heart attacks and his mothers mental illness. One night while performing, an assistant to a Fox executive was in the audience, knowing he had a deal with Fox, Titus wanted Dad is Dead to be the pilot. After the series ended, Titus commented that, if one watches Norman Rockwell is Bleeding, and then Dad is Dead, episodes were blocked and rehearsed extensively, and shot on Friday every week. The cast also had different methods of working, being a comedian, Titus knew where the punchline would be and never explored anything else. Zack Ward had difficulty finding the joke during rehearsals, but Kenny realized that he was looking for where the joke could be, Watros asked Titus to point out where the joke was, and promised to hit her marks. During breaks in rehearsal, Shatraw would work by himself on set, the season two episode The Last Noelle is one of Tituss favorites, and is based on his relationship with an abusive ex-girlfriend. Cynthia Watros was the first person to audition for the role of Erin, steve Carell and Zack Ward both auditioned for Tommy, Carell lost out to David Shatraw, while Ward was soon cast as Tituss brother, Dave. After a number of auditions for Tituss father Ken, Stacy Keach was cast after Titus admitted Keach intimidated him, before his passing, Christophers real father, Ken Titus, would give tips to Keach on how to better portray him. Titus also admitted that, even with the driest line the writers could invent and this often upset Titus because Keachs set-up would be funnier than Tituss punchline. Hargrove has also commented that Keach could get a response with just a look. Had The Protector aired in order, viewers would have seen the real reason behind Amys asocial, criminal behavior. This is also confirmed by these episodes production codes, which puts The Wedding in between Tommys Girlfriend II and Hard Ass, on a Sirius Radio interview on Raw Dog 104, Titus said the show got canceled due to an argument with executives. They wanted to split up Titus and Erin because the show Dharma & Greg had done similar and their ratings went up. Titus refused, because not only was he still married to his wife, Erin Carden. Upon Tituss refusal, on-air promotion ceased and the show was soon canceled, in another radio interview, he claimed the show was also taken down for its content and being too edgy. As of May 2010, Christopher Titus was reportedly in negotiations with the Fox network to start up a new series again, in March 2014, Titus posted on his Facebook page that the revival project was shut down due to legal issues with 20th Century Fox and limited funding
33.
Becker (TV series)
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Becker is an American sitcom that ran from 1998 to 2004 on CBS. Despite everything, his patients and friends are loyal because Becker genuinely cares about them, the series was produced by Paramount Network Television. The show revolved around Becker and the things that annoyed him, the relationships between Becker and Reggie formed the key plots of many episodes. The show tackled more serious issues as well, such as race, homosexuality, Cerebral AVM, Paramount had Terry Farrell written out of Star Trek, Deep Space Nine so that she could appear in Becker as Ted Dansons love interest. According to Farrell, the plan was for them to have a relationship with romantic tension over the course of the show. However, the producers worried that this would be compared to Sam and Dianes relationship on Cheers. At the end of four, Nancy Travis was introduced for a short arc playing Chris. Chris was a cheerful and optimistic character, the opposite of Becker, the season ended with a cliffhanger as Reggie kissed Becker and then left. However, Farrell was dropped at the end of season four, creator and EP David Hackel and Farrell have both stated that it had nothing to do with Farrell supporting the cast in claims for a promised pay rise after season three. Dr. John Becker is a Harvard Medical School graduate who runs a medical practice. He is frequently annoyed by such as a flickering street lamp, noisy neighbors. Becker is pessimistic and superstitious, believing that just about everything brings him bad luck, always trying to quit smoking, Becker hides a packet of cigarettes in the cash register of the diner where he hangs out to control his intake and keep his habit from Margaret. An atheist, because he cant accept a God who lets bad things happen and he has been divorced twice and is very stingy. Becker is politically liberal, though he hates political correctness, despite his gruff nature, Becker exhibits moments of kindness and shows the utmost professionalism in dealing with his patients, accepting gifts from those who cant pay. Danson, whose hair had gone completely white, dyed his hair brown to match his appearance as Sam Malone on Cheers. Margaret Wyborn – Becker’s nurse and office manager, and one of the few people who can tolerate Becker, Margaret is a figure to Becker. She is married, at best rockily, to the often mentioned but never-seen Lewis and she once thought about becoming a singer instead of a nurse. Margaret is a Christian, specifically a Baptist, and often quotes the Bible, Margaret is generally the most level-headed character and acts as the voice of reason
34.
30 Rock (TV series)
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30 Rock is an American satirical television sitcom created by Tina Fey that ran on NBC from October 11,2006, to January 31,2013. The series, loosely based on Feys experiences as head writer for Saturday Night Live and this series is produced by Broadway Video and Little Stranger, Inc. in association with NBCUniversal. 30 Rock episodes were produced in a setup, and were filmed in New York. The pilot episode premiered on October 11,2006, and seven seasons followed, tonally,30 Rock uses surreal humor to parody the complex corporate structure of NBC and its then parent company General Electric. Television critic Todd VanDerWerff of The A. V, club once remarked that it usually adopts the manic pacing of a live-action cartoon. The show was influential in its use of smash cuts, sudden. 30 Rock also became known for its dedication to making these extremely elaborate,30 Rock received critical acclaim throughout its run, winning several major awards, and achieving the top ranking on myriad critics year-end best of 2006-2013 lists. On July 14,2009, the series was nominated for 22 Primetime Emmy Awards, over the course of the series, it was nominated for 103 Primetime Emmy Awards and won 16, in addition to numerous other nominations and wins from other awards shows. Despite the high praise, the series struggled in the ratings throughout its run, today,30 Rock is regarded as a landmark series. Its series finale in particular has been named as one of the greatest in history by several publications. In 2013, the Writers Guild of America named 30 Rock the 21st best-written television series of all time, in 2002, Fey was the head writer and a performer on the television show Saturday Night Live. She pitched the show that became 30 Rock to NBC, originally as a sitcom about cable news, NBC Entertainment president Kevin Reilly felt that Fey was using the news setting as a fig leaf for her own experience and encouraged her to write what she knew. The show was reworked to revolve around an SNL-style sketch show. After being presented to Reilly once more, the show was set to air during the 2005–2006 television season, eventually, Lewis gave in just a month before his retirement, and Melcher backed down. Filming was postponed due to Tina Feys first pregnancy, during the 2004–2005 pilot season, a pilot was announced named Untitled Tina Fey Project. The 30 Rock pilot focused on the boss of a variety show who must manage her relationships with the shows volatile star and its charismatic executive producer. The storyline evolved into one that dealt with a writer of a variety show who dealt with both of the stars, as well as the shows new network executive. 30 Rock was officially given the light to air May 15,2006
35.
Dharma & Greg
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Dharma & Greg is an American television sitcom that aired from September 24,1997, to April 30,2002. The show starred Jenna Elfman and Thomas Gibson as Dharma and Greg Montgomery, the series was co-produced by Chuck Lorre Productions, More-Medavoy Productions and 4 to 6 Foot Productions in association with 20th Century Fox Television for ABC. The shows theme song was written and performed by composer Dennis C. Brown, created by executive producers Dottie Dartland and Chuck Lorre, the comedy took much of its inspiration from culture-clash fish out of water situations. The show earned eight Golden Globe nominations, six Emmy Award nominations, Elfman earned a Golden Globe in 1999 for Best Actress. Free-spirited yoga instructor/dog walker Dharma Finkelstein and straight-laced lawyer Greg Montgomery marry on their first date despite being complete opposites and their conflicting views lead to comical situations. Ivy League Greg was raised by wealthy, conservative parents, after graduation from Harvard and Stanford, he went to work with the U. S. Attorneys Office as a federal prosecutor in San Francisco. He then meets Dharma, who was raised by hippie parents and they fall in love immediately and elope. Despite being totally different, their parents learn to tolerate each other. Jenna Elfman as Dharma Freedom Montgomery, née Finkelstein, Gregs wife and she is overly cheerful and sensitive, but she is also more compassionate and forgiving than most people. Despite her trust in the goodness of people and persistent good intentions and she understands the real world, employs sarcasm and receives it well. Dharma perseveres in expressing her personality and her identity even in the face of an overwhelmingly opposing world, Dharma encourages Greg to seek happiness rather than fret about practical issues like money. She is named after the concept of dharma in Indian philosophy, a Native American friend of her fathers gave her the name Crazy Mans Daughter. She addresses both of her parents by their first names, Thomas Gibson as lawyer Gregory Clifford Greg Montgomery, Dharmas husband. He is an upright, uptight, decent, though sometimes surprisingly open-minded man, Greg grew up in a conservative Republican family. Gregs life was hopelessly banal before he met Dharma and married her on their first date, since then, he has played straight man to the antics of his eccentric wife. Though his relationship with Dharma has been rocky at times, Greg has never shown to regret their marriage. He is an alumnus of elite schools, Phillips Exeter Academy, Harvard University, Susan Sullivan as Katherine Kitty Montgomery, Gregs extravagant mother. In the beginning of the first season Kitty was generally represented as a manipulative, despite their vast differences, she recognizes Dharmas place in their familys life, once telling her We both know youre not the girl I would have picked for Greg
36.
Mom (TV series)
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Mom is an American sitcom that premiered on September 23,2013, on CBS. The series was created by Chuck Lorre, Eddie Gorodetsky, and Gemma Baker and it stars Anna Faris and Allison Janney in lead roles as dysfunctional mother/daughter duo Christy and Bonnie Plunkett. Sadie Calvano, Blake Garrett Rosenthal, Matt L. Jones, Spencer Daniels, Nate Corddry, French Stewart, William Fichtner, Beth Hall, Jaime Pressly, the series has received positive reviews throughout its run. The show has garnered multiple nominations at the Critics Choice Television Awards. The show has received high ratings, which rose from the first to second season with an average viewership of 11.79 million. CBS renewed the series for a season, which premiered on November 5,2015. On March 25,2016, the series was renewed for a fourth season, on March 23,2017, CBS renewed the series for a fifth season. Her mother Bonnie Plunkett is also a drug and alcohol addict. Christys daughter, Violet, who was born when Christy was 16, has become a teen mother by her boyfriend. Christy also has a son, Roscoe by her ex-husband, Baxter. As the show progresses, added themes of real-life issues such as alcoholism, teen pregnancy, cancer, homelessness, gambling addiction, domestic violence, death, drug addiction, relapse and overdose. Anna Faris as Christy Jolene Plunkett, a mother who has gone a year without drinking and is still struggling with addiction. Now sober, she strives to be an example to her son Roscoe, and regain the trust of her daughter Violet. In addition, she is trying to out the rough edges in her relationship with her mother Bonnie, who never learned to play her role well. Allison Janney as Bonnie Plunkett, Christys mother, a joyful if cynical recovering addict who is now grateful with life and she tries desperately to regain the love and trust of her daughter, whom she was unable to properly nurture as a child. A single mother, she preferred to party and drink rather than stay home, sadie Calvano as Violet Plunkett, Christys daughter and older half-sister of Roscoe. During season 2, after a brief downward spiral of bad behavior, Violet gets engaged to Gregory Munchnik, a professor at her university. Nate Corddry as Gabriel, the manager of the restaurant where Christy works and he is a hardworking, competent manager, but often put in his place by his subordinates, particularly Chef Rudy
37.
Comedy Central
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Comedy Central is an American basic cable and satellite television channel owned by Viacom Global Entertainment Group, a unit of the Viacom Media Networks division of Viacom. The channel carries comedy programming, in the form of original and syndicated series and stand-up comedy specials, as well as feature films. The international channels are operated by Viacom International Media Networks, as of February 2015, approximately 93,992,000 American households receive Comedy Central. On November 15,1989, Time Warner, owners of HBO, on April 1,1990, Viacom launched a rival channel called Ha. that featured reruns of situation comedies and some original sketch comedy. The Comedy Channels programs were broadcast from the HBO Downtown Studios at 120 East 23rd Street in Manhattan, the format prior to the merger with Ha. In the early days, certain hours of the day when clips were shown without host segments were dubbed Short Attention Span Theater, in 1990, hosts under this title, Jon Stewart and Patty Rosborough, were introduced. Comedian Marc Maron also hosted the series, Viacom bought out Time Warners half in April 2003 for $1.23 billion. LLC, the subsidiary that owned Ha. and Viacoms original half of the network, with the exception of the cult favorite Mystery Science Theater 3000, the channel had a relatively small viewership. A notable early success was Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher, which after showing promise on Comedy Central was quickly snapped up by ABC. Additionally, The Daily Show had got its start with original host Craig Kilborn, dr. Katz, Professional Therapist was also a notable original program from this era, as well as the game show Win Ben Steins Money. Successful non-original programming included Canadian comedy group The Kids in the Hall and British shows such as the U. K. edition of Whose Line Is It Anyway. some later seasons of AbFab, as it was informally known, were partially financed by Comedy Central. Comedy Central also had the rights to broadcast reruns of Seattles Almost Live. The channel made a breakthrough when South Park premiered in 1997, being the first major basic cable show to carry the TV-MA rating for mature audiences, the show was too controversial to be picked up by a mainstream network. As word of mouth spread, the number of people who requested that Comedy Central be added to their cable providers increased, on November 13,2000, Comedy Central introduced a modernized version of its globe logo, by straightening the buildings and removing the transmitter. The management of the said that the transmitter of the 1991 logo was said to communicate the 1950s broadcast era. In 2002, Comedy Central Records was formed as a means of releasing albums by comedians that have appeared on the network, since 2003, Comedy Central has created a tradition of roasting comedians in the style of the New York Friars Club roasts. During these roasts, friends of the roastee, along other comedians, take turns making fun of the roastee, the other roasters. The success of South Park, despite its mature content, encouraged the network to continue to push the limits on adult language, every Saturday and Sunday morning at 1 a. m
38.
Halfway Home (TV series)
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Halfway Home is an American comedy series that aired on Comedy Central in Spring 2007. After airing 10 episodes, on June 20,2007 costar Regan Burns confirmed that the show had ended, on its official website, Halfway Home is described as an improvised half-hour show featuring the daily exploits of five ex-cons living together in a residential rehab facility. Carly Barzac is an ex-convict for drug trafficking and she has a bad relationship with her parents, and had to hire actors to pretend to be her parents on Parents Day. She has set the record for pogo-sticking. Carlys years of use have severely hindered her cognitive abilities, leaving her ditzy and, according to an online intelligence test. When she goes sober her IQ skyrockets, this led to her gaining the highest score ever on the GED test in the state of California, unfortunately, this also leaves her irritable and violent, to the point where giving her more pot becomes the only option. Kenny Carlyle is the house supervisor and he is the stereotypical sensitive counselor who enforces the rules, while being known to break them on occasion. He has no formal training regarding rehabilitation or psychology and he has apparently been working at the Crenshaw Halfway House for fifteen years. Kenny hopes to pursue a career but lacks the talent. Serenity Johnson is an ex-convict for armed robbery and she is very aggressive and hostile, threatening other housemates with violence, no matter what terms she is on with them. She has a relationship with her mother, a beautician. She had aspirations of fame when she was interviewed for a television show, eulogio Pla was convicted for prostitution, his prison file describes him as sex to get what he wants. He comes from a long line of prostitutes and is the only one in the family to have been arrested. Eulogio seems to have some skills as a beautician and he fixes Carlys hair after Alan burns half of it off and, also, gives Dels delinquent nephew, Hubble a near-complete makeover. Alan Shepard is an ex-convict for arson, described as the house narc who has an obsession with fire. Alan married a woman after she lied and told him she was pregnant, always belittling everything about you, including the size of your penis. And by live with them, I mean share the same zip code, at times, though, he will try to get along with the other housemates, to varying degrees of success. He considers Kenny to be his best friend and thinks of himself as Kennys second in command, sebastian C-Bass Yates is an ex-convict for internet fraud
39.
Ugly Betty
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Ugly Betty is an American comedy-drama television series developed by Silvio Horta, which was originally broadcast on ABC between 2006 and 2010. It revolves around the character Betty Suarez who, despite her lack of style, the series is based on Fernando Gaitáns Colombian telenovela Yo soy Betty, la fea, which has had many other international adaptations. It was produced by Silent H, Ventanarosa, and Reveille Productions partnered with ABC Studios and executive produced by Salma Hayek, Silvio Horta, Ben Silverman, Jose Tamez, and Joel Fields. The pilot was filmed in New York, seasons one and two were filmed in Los Angeles and seasons three and four in New York City, during its first three seasons, it aired on Thursday nights, where it was mostly successful. However, viewership dropped significantly in the third season, particularly in the important 18–49 age group. In October 2009, the series was moved to Fridays, where it had trouble finding an audience, since the shows cancellation, it has gained a cult following. With the end of the series, there was talk of a push by Ana Ortiz and America Ferrera for an Ugly Betty movie. Two years later, on May 16,2006, ABC announced that Ugly Betty would be part of the 2006–2007 North American season lineup as a weekly hour-long series, the initial order was for 13 episodes. ABC also allowed its affiliates to show free off-air screenings to the public at various events ahead of the shows debut, in addition the network screened the debut episode on the web and made the episodes available for download on iTunes after their initial airings on January 5,2007. The encore episodes also have run on ABC Family and SOAPnet, on October 13,2006, ABC ordered a full season pick-up for the series, beyond the original 13 ordered at the May Upfronts due to its premiere ratings. ABC originally announced 22 episodes for the season 1, but increased the number of episodes by one to 23, the season finale is the episode called East Side Story. On March 21,2007, ABC renewed the series for a second season, although he joined NBC as their new entertainment head, Ben Silverman remained co-executive producer on the show, but in a limited role. In November 2007, the cast of the series made headlines when they threw their support behind the 2007 Writers Strike by joining them on the line in solidarity. On February 11,2008, ABC picked up Ugly Betty for the 2008–09 television season, unfortunately on the day the renewal was announced, two of the shows executive producers, Marco Pennette and James Hayman, were let go. The departure of Pennette and Hayman added to the constant off-camera turnovers on the series, including the exiting or firing of five writers. In a Q&A from TV Guide, Michael Ausiello criticized the decision, saying that someone saw fit to fix what wasnt broken and praised the two men for writing several of the shows best episodes. As a result of the strike, creator Silvio Horta delayed plans for a musical episode, Four days later on February 16,2008, ABC picked up Ugly Betty for the 2008–09 television season. On March 12,2008, Horta inked a two-year, seven-figure deal with ABC Studios, on April 17,2008, the shows podcast, which was usually presented in audio and hosted by stars Urie and Newton, became available on video for the first time
40.
Del Shores
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Del Shores is an American film director and producer, television writer and producer, playwright and actor. The first play Shores wrote was Daddys Dyin, Whos Got the Will, which saw a 1987 debut in Los Angeles. The comedic play was adapted for the 1990 film Daddys Dyin, Shores wrote the screenplay and executive produced the feature. Perhaps Shores best known play is his fourth, Sordid Lives, the comedy centered on the Texan Ingram family and touched on LGBT themes. In 1999 Shores wrote and directed the screen version of Sordid Lives, eight years later Shores produced 12 prequel episodes of Sordid Lives, The Series which aired on American LGBT-interest cable channel Logo. In 2010, Shores debuted his play Yellow at the Coast Playhouse in West Hollywood, during that time, Shores lost his Hollywood Hills home to foreclosure. Shores has two daughters Caroline and Rebecca from a marriage to Kelley Alexander. He married his partner Jason Dottley in 2003 and they remarried in a state where same-sex weddings are recognized in 2008, in 2011 Shores announced on his Facebook page that he and Dottley were divorcing. Daddys Dyin, Whos Got the Will. A, official website Del Shores at the Internet Movie Database
41.
Beth Grant
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Beth Grant is an American character actress known for often playing conservatives, religious zealots, or sticklers for rules. Since 2012, she has been a regular on the television comedy The Mindy Project portraying the role of Beverly Janoszewski. She has appeared in the films No Country for Old Men, Speed, Donnie Darko, The Artist, Childs Play 2, Rain Man, Flatliners, Little Miss Sunshine, Sordid Lives, Dear Lemon Lima, Bad Words and Jackie. Grant was born on September 18,1949 in Gadsden, Alabama and she grew up in Kenansville, North Carolina. Her father was a poultry specialist and salesman and her mother worked as a manager for the North Carolina Employment Security Commission and was an activist for the Equal Rights Amendment. Grant credits her mother for providing the inspiration to become an actress and she graduated from East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina with a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Acting and Directing in 1973 and then travelled to New York to pursue a career in acting. She has appeared in dozens of films, including three Oscar Best Pictures, Rain Man, Speed, To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything, Grant guest starred as Gillian, Brady Kellys mother, in the third season of the acclaimed sitcom Husbands. Inspired by Mindy Kaling, Grant is also in the process of writing a Broadway musical and she is married to actor Michael Chieffo and has one daughter. Grant lives with her family in the neighborhood of Valley Village, ovation Awards 2010, Won the award for Lead Actress in a Play for the role of Grace in the Colony Theatre Company production of Grace & Glorie Beth Grant at the Internet Movie Database
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Get On Up (film)
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Get on Up is a 2014 American biographical drama film about the life of singer James Brown directed by Tate Taylor and written by Jez and John-Henry Butterworth. The film was released on August 1,2014, get on Up is told using a nonlinear narrative through James Browns stream of consciousness, including asynchronous events and frequent breaks in the fourth wall. The film opens in 1993 with James Brown walking through a hallway as an audience chants his name. He hears the voices of people he knew throughout his life, the film then cuts to 1988 in Augusta, Georgia, James learns that his private bathroom in a strip mall he owns was used without his consent. As James confronts and then forgives the trespasser, James accidentally fires a shotgun, during the 1960s, James and his band decide to travel to Vietnam to show support to the black troops, where they put on a well-received show. In 1939, James is raised in the woods by his parents, whose marriage is fraught with financial struggles and physical abuse. Later he performs in a group, The Famous Flames, formed by Bobby Byrd, whose family sponsored his release from prison. James lives with the Byrd family and becomes lead singer of Bobbys group, in 1964, manager Ben Bart convinces them to let The Rolling Stones close The T. A. M. I. The Flames upstage the Stones, and, exiting the stage, James tells the Stones, in James childhood, Susie leaves Joe, and Joe threatens her with a gun and keeps James. Joe continues to abuse James until Joe joins the army, James is left living with and working for his Aunt Honey, who runs a brothel. At her home, he attends church and enjoys the choir, at the age of 17, James steals a suit, is arrested, and receives a five-to-thirteen-year prison sentence. In prison, James sees a group of singers performing and his enthusiastic reaction incites a riot wherein both he and one of the singers, Bobby Byrd, are injured. Bobby invites James into the Byrd household, years later, James joins Bobbys gospel group and they put on a show at a club as The Famous Flames, following a performance by Little Richard. Another flashback from Jamess childhood shows him and other black boys forced into a battle royal boxing match while a band plays, inspired by the funky band, James wins the match. In the 1950s, James and Bobby meet an agent from King Records, with whom The Flames record their first single, Please, Please, Please, King Records executive Syd Nathan initially mocks the song but appreciates Jamess vocals. Ben Bart becomes James manager, calling him the voice of the group. The records are labelled as James Brown and His Famous Flames, James and Bobby form a new band with Maceo Parker, Pee Wee Ellis, Nafloyd Scott, and Baby Roy. The Famous Flames singing group is also re-formed, replacing the members that quit, the Flames perform at the Apollo Theater to an excited audience
