For many of us, some movies represent key moments or periods in our lives. Maybe you saw a film on a night when something significant in your life happened. Maybe there was a movie or a group of movies that you saw with friends that always make you think about them. For me, the early movies of Kevin Smith will always make me think about college, and man, it just hit me college was a long ass time ago, because Mallrats is old as hell.

Kevin Smith recently had a mini-Mallrats reunion at a fan convention where he appeared with hetero-lifemate Jason Mewes alongside Brodie Bruce himself, Jason Lee. In the post on Instagram, Smith mentions that Mallrats is on the verge of turning 30 years old, which is insane and can’t be possibly be right because I can’t possibly be that old.

And yet, it’s true. Mallrats was released in 1995 which means 2025 will mark its 30th anniversary. It came out a year after Smith’s directorial debut with the indie darling Clerks. Mallrats was a huge opportunity for Smith to work with a major studio, one that he absolutely failed at because Mallrats bombed horribly in theaters.

However, it would become something of a cult classic by being discovered later on VHS by people like me and my friends in the dorms during my freshman year of college. That was the year that I first saw both Clerks and Mallrats. We rented those movies multiple times over the course of that year and after.

It’s not a stretch to say those movies, and Chasing Amy, which followed soon after, are the reasons I became obsessed with film and am writing about movies professionally today. A friend of mine even wrote a screenplay about that was about our freshman year of college, clearly inspired by Smith. It was god-awful, but it made us laugh.

But somehow, it’s been nearly three decades since I was in college. That doesn’t seem quite right, I can’t possibly be that old. Except, yeah, no, I’m actually that old. I’m old enough that two years ago I went to see Kevin Smith as part of his tour for Clerks III. I saw it with one of the college friends I made back then, as we both remembered an era that is much farther in the rearview mirror than it seemed at the time.

One thing that Smith doesn’t mention in the post is if we might ever see a Mallrats 2. The director has talked about wanting to make the film on more than one occasion, and there is a Mallrats 2 script in existence according to him. At one point it looked like Mallrats 2 was happening, and then Smith had this minor potentially fatal heart attack. He ended up shifting gears and making Clerks III, a movie inspired by the heart attack instead.

It's unclear what the current state of Mallrats 2, tentatively known as Twilight of the Mallrats actually is. The movie may still happen, though exactly when is anybody's guess.

Things have been quiet on the Kanye West front for the past couple of months, since the rapper decided to end his social media feud with ex-wife Kim Kardashian and her boyfriend Pete Davidson in order to become “a better human and a better dad.” Ye’s never been known to shy away from the spotlight — whether he’s making bold political statements, taking the music world by storm, or getting candid about parenting his four children. Something seems to have shifted lately though, and his friend Jason Lee opened up about how he’s changed since his troublesome online outbursts.

Kanye West hit a rough patch in late 2021 and early 2022 amid his divorce from Kim Kardashian. As the rapper was pleading for a reconciliation with the mother of his kids, she was moving on with Pete Davidson, who she contacted for NSFW reasons following her appearance on Saturday Night Live in October. West declared “civil war” on the comedian, making a number of threats and accusations against the couple, before choosing to “get better” for the sake of his kids. Hollywood Unlocked founder Jason Lee spoke to Complex about what’s changed for the jeen-yuhs star, including who’s calling the shots in Ye’s life:

It’s definitely good to hear that Kanye West has a strong support system surrounding him. Even as things continue to heat up between his ex-wife and the heavily tattooed actor, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West gave an indication of calmer waters in co-parenting when they attended their son’s soccer game together. 

Just because things are quiet now, though, doesn’t mean the past is all forgotten. Jason Lee referenced Ye’s political past, in which the pop culture icon donned a “Make America Great Again” cap in support of Donald Trump and even made a presidential run himself — moves that he admitted “embarrassed” his then-wife. Lee said he hopes to use his platform and Kanye’s to create a win-win situation:

The legal battle between Kanye West and Kim Kardashian isn’t over yet, and the rapper’s fourth divorce attorney recently stepped down, citing an “irreconcilable breakdown in the attorney-client relationship.” Viewers of The Kardashians on Hulu, however, haven’t seen a whole lot of the former couple’s struggles, as Season 1 episodes so far were filmed before the social media feud really kicked off. We’ll have to see if future episodes dig deeper into the events of early 2022, even as things are hopefully getting to a point where everyone can heal.

New episodes of The Kardashians are available for streaming each Thursday with a Hulu subscription. Be sure to check out our 2022 TV schedule for all the premieres coming to television and streaming.

NBC has always offered a strong lineup of comedy gold in its primetime block. Following the debuts of absolutely iconic comedies like Seinfeld, Frasier, Mad About You and Friends, lightning continued to strike for the network in 2005, but not just with Steve Carell’s The Office. That same year also saw the premiere of My Name is Earl, a show about a small-town thief using his lottery ticket winnings to right his wrongs ,while trying to be a better person in the process. Jason Lee’s sympathetic Earl, along with a great supporting cast of characters, endeared themselves to viewers — so much so that even 13 years later the actor still gets asked about it.

Not only does he get asked about My Name Is Earl’s abrupt cancellation after four seasons, he still gets the blame from many fans for the show ending on a cliffhanger. Not only did viewers not get to see our mustachioed TV hero finish making amends with everyone on his list, but there were some paternity questions that arose regarding the fathers of Joy’s sons. Speaking on The Nine Club podcast, Jason Lee discussed how often he’s still approached regarding the NBC hit:

Not only was the abrupt cancellation something that should embarrass NBC, not Jason Lee, but the actor said the situation was “really devastating.” Lee, who is well-known for appearing in Kevin Smith movies including Mallrats, Dogma, Clerks II and Jersey Girl, has gone on to a number of projects since he last portrayed Earl in 2009. His most recent TV jobs include voice work in The Harper House and We Bare Bears. But the sting left by the series finale of My Name Is Earl will likely never completely disappear for the fans. Lee recalled the day it all ended:

It’s crazy (and crazy scary) to think that something so successful and seemingly stable can be gone just like that! So what would have happened with Earl and his list if the show had continued for Season 5? Greg Garcia apparently tried to give fans some closure when his next project Raising Hope premiered in 2010. A news broadcast playing during the pilot featured the anchor saying that a small-time crook who was making amends had finally finished his list, before the TV was turned off. 

However, that’s not quite how the creator had planned to end the series. According to an Ask Me Anything session on Reddit a few years later, Greg Garcia revealed his plan for My Name Is Earl’s ending would actually have seen the title character coming to terms with never being able to finish the list when he learned about the chain reaction of good things said list had started. Why would you rob us of that, Jason Lee? (Just kidding.)

If you want to relive the good old days of Earl, Randy, Joy and Darnell, all four seasons of My Name Is Earl are available for streaming with a Hulu subscription. Also be sure to check out our 2022 TV Schedule to see what shows are premiering soon.

Over the course of the past 30-some-odd years, Jason Lee has gone from an up-and-coming skateboarder with boundless charisma to one of Kevin Smith’s most prolific collaborators to an actor who can hold his own in just about any role that is thrown his way. Stoner comedies, political thrillers, coming-of-age dramas about rock-and-roll bands on the rise, nothing is unthinkable for the versatile actor.

But, with so many performances throughout his career, settling on the best Jason Lee movies and TV shows isn’t the easiest of tasks, especially when you have to settle on 10 of the best examples of his work. We’re up to the challenge, though, and have put together this little list of great options and where you can find them streaming and by other means.

Almost Famous (2000)

Lying about his age and qualifications, 15-year-old aspiring rock reporter William Miller (Patrick Fugit) is hired by Rolling Stone magazine to go on tour with up-and-coming outfit Stillwater, which is going through an identity crisis as the group experiences their first real taste of success in the early 1970s.

Loosely based on writer/director Cameron Crowe’s own experience, and one of the best movies based on true stories, Almost Famous is a love-letter to the bands, music critics, and groupies of the era, creating an enchanting experience that is both endearing and honest in its approach to the subject matter. Although Stillwater guitarist Russell Hammond (Billy Crudup) takes up much of the screen-time, frontman Jeff Bebe (Jason Lee) is an incredible character who gives the actor a chance to show his range as a musician afraid of getting too big too fast.

Stream Almost Famous on Showtime.
Rent/Buy Almost Famous on Amazon.
Buy Almost Famous on Blu-ray on Amazon.

My Name Is Earl (2005 - 2009)

After learning about the concept of karma following a seemingly random accident that cost him a winning lottery ticket, Earl Hickey (Jason Lee) goes on an odyssey that sees him make a list of his bad deeds and set out to right the wrongs of his life and make up for all the pain, suffering, and misfortune he brought into the lives of his family, friends, and anyone else who’s crossed his path.

The My Name Is Earl cast featured a who’s who of talent from the early 2000s that received a ton of praise throughout its initial run, with most of that turned towards Jason Lee. Today, some may still picture the small-time crook with a heart of gold whenever the actor’s name comes up. In his portrayal of the character, Lee was able to find humor, honesty, and humility despite playing a down-on-his-luck criminal.

Stream My Name Is Earl on IMDb TV.
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Chasing Amy (1997)

Upon meeting fellow comic book artist Alyssa Jones (Joey Lauren Adams), Holden McNeil (Ben Affleck) falls head over heels for her. But, there is just one thing standing in between Holden and his crush: Alyssa is a lesbian. Despite that, Holden does everything he can to make it work, even if it means breaking the bond shared with his best friend and creative partner, Banky Edwards (Jason Lee).

One of the most complicated of Kevin Smith’s movies, Chasing Amy (specifically the character of Banky Edwards) has a strange and outdated outlook on the LGBTQ+ community that is rather offensive at times. If you can look past that, you see a distressed and confused man who is doing anything he can to preserve the relationship he has with his best friend, even if that means upsetting everyone else in this romantic comedy.

Stream Chasing Amy on Cinemax.
Rent/Buy Chasing Amy on Amazon.
Buy Chasing Amy on Blu-ray on Amazon.

The Incredibles (2004)

Longing for the days before all superheroes were banned by the government, Mr. Incredible (Craig T. Nelson) gets his second shot at superstardom when he is forced to take on an evil robot. But upon arriving on the far-away island to vanquish the evil creation, Mr. Incredible, and the rest of his family, come in contact with a new, more powerful foe.

One of the best Pixar films, The Incredibles is full of fun and heart, which is one of the reasons it won two Academy Awards following its release. The other? Well, it could have something to do with the outstanding The Incredibles cast, which also included Holly Hunter, Samuel L. Jackson, and Jason Lee, who portrayed the superheroes’ overzealous superfan who becomes Syndrome, a powerful and obsessive villain hellbent on destruction.

Stream The Incredibles on Disney+.
Rent/Buy The Incredibles on Amazon.
Buy The Incredibles on DVD on Amazon.

Mallrats (1995)

After being dumped by their girlfriends, T.S. Quint (Jeremy London) and Brodie Bruce (Jason Lee) do what any guys would do: they go to the mall. While at the local center of commerce, the two friends encounter not only their ex-girlfriends, but also just about anyone and everyone else they wouldn’t want to run into in their current state.

If you want to know why Mallrats is one of Jason Lee’s best movies, just start playing it and then skip to some random spot in the 90-minute film (123-minutes if you’re watching the extended version). You are guaranteed to see everything from a conversation where Brody explains why Superman and Lois Lane aren’t a good match to a run-in with Stan Lee himself (the late comic creator’s Captain Marvel cameo makes this scene even better). 

Stream Mallrats on Peacock.
Rent/Buy Mallrats on Amazon.
Buy Mallrats on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Jay And Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

When Jay (Jason Mewes) and Silent Bob (Kevin Smith) discover that not only are their comic book likenesses, Bluntman and Chronic, are being turned into a feature film, but the pair won’t receive any royalties due to a shady business deal, they go on a cross-country trip to prevent the project from ever seeing the light of day.

Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is absolutely bonkers, even by Kevin Smith’s standards. This 2001 stoner comedy not only features the cast from Smith’s previous films reprising their roles, it also sees some actors, like Jason Lee, show up in two completely different roles. First, there’s Brodie Bruce, who tells the heroes about the whole film adaptation, and then Banky Edwards shows up in one of the best scenes of the movie, the one where Bob finally speaks and lays it all out.

Stream Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back on Cinemax.
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Buy Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Enemy of the State (1998)

When Thomas Reynolds (Jon Voight) realizes there is a video showing the assassination of a congressman, the corrupt NSA official does everything, and kills everyone in his way, to get ahold of the evidence. He soon turns his attention to Robert Dean (Will Smith), a Washington, D.C. lawyer who ends up with the footage after a run-in with an old college buddy.

The main storyline in Tony Scott’s 1998 political thriller Enemy of the State  wouldn’t get off the ground if were not for Jason Lee’s Daniel Zavitz, the researcher who first catches a glimpse of the murder when watching migratory birds on a fixed camera. He’s only in the movie for a hot minute, but Lee shows incredible range with his portrayal of a terrified man caught in the middle of a massive scandal.

Stream Enemy of the State on Tubi.
Rent/Buy Enemy of the State on Amazon.
Buy Enemy of the State on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Vanilla Sky (2001)

David Aames (Tom Cruise) is a young publishing magnate who has everything he thinks he needs in life: good looks, personal and professional success, and beautiful women who want to be with him. When a terrible accident takes nearly everything away from him, David begins to question reality while also trying to make sense of it.

Cameron Crowe’s mind-bending 2001 drama, Vanilla Sky, is incredibly ambitious with its sprawling narrative and eye-catching visuals, but at the center of the story is the drama between its main characters, who are played by Cruise, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, and Jason Lee, who plays Cruise’s on-screen best friend, Brian Shelby. The great thing about Brian is the fact you never really know where he stands and if he’s a good or bad friend, which is due to both Crowe’s writing and Lee’s dynamic performance.

Stream Vanilla Sky on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Vanilla Sky on Amazon.
Buy Vanilla Sky on Blu-ray on Amazon.

Monster House (2006)

After failing to convince his parents (and other neighbors) to help, D.J. Walters (Mitchel Musso) calls on his neighborhood friends to get to the bottom of the mystery surrounding the creepy house on his street that is supposedly possessed, in the well-received Monster House.

Along the way, the trio come in contact with various people who have a history with the house and its spirit habitant, including Bones (Jason Lee), D.J.’s babysitter’s cruel boyfriend. Although not in the movie all that long, Lee’s portrayal of a snot-nosed teenager having fun at others’ expense is incredible and helps add another level to the fairly creepy movie.

Stream Monster House on Netflix.
Rent/Buy Monster House on Amazon.
Buy Monster House on DVD on Amazon.

Raising Hope (2010 - 2013)

When the mother of his child (a notorious serial killer) is sentenced to death, James “Jimmy” Chance (Lucas Neff) becomes the baby’s primary caretaker. Not knowing what to do with a baby to keep it alive, the mild-mannered 20-something enlists his family, who are equally unqualified, to help out.

In addition to the main Chance family, which was portrayed by Martha Plimpton, Garret Dillahunt, and Cloris Leachman, Raising Hope also featured a number of other characters, some of which came from series creator Greg Garcia’s previous shows. One of these guest stars is none other than Jason Lee, who played an out-of-touch rock singer named Smokey Floyd. Lee shows up in a few episodes, and captures that same magic that made his turn on My Name Is Earl so good, but just not as wholesome as his other major TV role.

Stream Raising Hope on Hulu.
Buy Raising Hope on Amazon.

As you can see, Jason Lee has done a little bit of everything since breaking out as one of Hollywood’s go-to comedic actors 30 years ago. Though some of his all-time great movies, like Dogma and his various skate tapes, are hard to find, there’s a good chance we’ll soon see Lee again on the 2022 new movies schedule.

Nothing sounds nearly as cool as traveling the country with a rock band and writer and director Cameron Crowe actually does know what that is like from following Led Zeppelin for a Rolling Stone cover article in his teens. That journey would inspire 2000’s Almost Famous, an instant classic about a young aspiring journalist who joins fictional up-and-coming musicians on tour in the 1970s, with a Grammy-winning soundtrack as stellar as its cast.

The Academy Award-winning period piece would be a breakout hit for some (such as Kate Hudson), yet another glowing resume entry for others (like Philip Seymour Hoffman), or might be one movie you forgot Jimmy Fallon was in years before hosting The Tonight Show. However, every member from the cast of Almost Famous would bring something memorable to the story and most would go on to live up to the film’s title, even if some were already pretty close to fame to being with.

In celebration of two decades since the release of Almost Famous, we look back on the legacy it has led through the legacies it helped to create. The following are 14 of its main cast members, who they are they portrayed and how they have made a name for themselves since.

Patrick Fugit (William Miller)

After making his big screen debut as Cameron Crowe’s onscreen counterpart in Almost Famous, Patrick Fugit reunited with the filmmaker for 2011’s We Bought a Zoo and would additionally show up in other notable films (Saved!, First Man) and TV shows (Jason Bourne spin-off Treadstone, Robert Kirkman comic book adaptation Outcast on which he played the lead). He more recently voiced the character Owen in the hit video game The Last of Us: Part II and will star in the pilot for Thirtysomething(else), which focuses on the grown-up children of characters from the late 1980s drama Thirtysomething.

Kate Hudson (Penny Lane)

Other than being known as the grown-up child of Goldie Hawn and stepdaughter of Kurt Russell, Kate Hudson won a Golden Globe for playing a free-spirited, fictionalized version of band promoter Pennie Lane (with the spelling altered) in Almost Famous. 

She has also been known to associate with musicians in real life, too, having once wed The Black Crowes’ Chris Robinson and later dated Muse frontman Matt Bellamy amongst other rock star romances. The How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days star has led an eclectic acting career that will next include Music, the directorial debut of Sia, fantasy thriller Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, and Michael Shannon-led comedy Shriver, which is still currently filming.

Billy Crudup (Russell Hammond)

He has lent his voice to music onscreen twice as Stillwater’s lead guitarist in Almost Famous and alongside the late Anton Yelchin in Rudderless in 2014. You might also recognize Billy Crudup’s voice from those “priceless” Mastercard ads years ago. He also starred in two DC movies (Dr. Manhattan in 2009’s Watchmen and The Flash’s dad in 2017’s Justice League), portrayed lawyer Eric MacLeish in the 2016 Best Picture winner Spotlight, played the captain of a doomed colony vessel in Alien: Covenant, and recently scored an Emmy nomination for playing a slimy network executive in the Apple TV+ original The Morning Show.

Jason Lee (Jeff Bebe)

You might also recognize Jason Lee’s voice as Syndrome in The Incredibles or his face from his Golden Globe-nominated title role on sitcom My Name is Earl. Before playing Stillwater’s lead singer Jeff Bebe in Almost Famous, the skateboarder turned actor broke out as Brodie in 1995’s Mallrats by Kevin Smith, for whom Lee reprised his Chasing Amy character, Banky Edwards, a third time in 2019’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot. He also recently voiced a Sasquatch named Charlie on the Cartoon Network original We Bare Bears and its 2020 feature-length TV movie, which you could argue is a step up from playing Dave in the Alvin and the Chipmunks movies, and he also moonlights as a restauranteur in Denton, Texas.

Anna Paquin (Polexia Aphrodisia)

Her role as Flora McGrath in The Piano made her the youngest Best Supporting Actress Oscar recipient in history at 11 years old in 1994 and, in 2000, Anna Paquin had a tremendous year, both starring in Almost Famous as Polexia Aphrodisia and debuting as Rogue in X-Men. The Canadian actress also has a Golden Globe for the hit HBO vampire series True Blood and her most celebrated performance recently was as Robert DeNiro’s estranged daughter in The Irishman, despite having one line of dialogue. She has also appeared on the acclaimed Showtime drama The Affair and as a publicist for troubled celebrities in the Pop TV original series Flack.

Fairuza Balk (Sapphire)

Prior to playing Stillwater groupie Sapphire in Almost Famous, Fairuza Balk also had a notable child acting career, making her film debut as Dorothy in the twisted Return to Oz and later landing a scene-stealing role as teenage witch Nancy in The Craft. One of her more recent notable characters was a sex worker named Ginger on the third season of Ray Donovan and she will make her return to the world of the music business (on screen, at least) in Paradise City, a series spin-off of the 2018 film American Satan, which is now in post-production.

Noah Taylor (Dick Roswell)

Some modern audiences may recognize English actor Noah Taylor, who played Stillwater’s manager Dick Roswell in Almost Famous, as Mr. Bucket in Tim Buton’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory or as Phibs in Paddington 2. However, most people would more likely recognize him from his remarkable television as of late, which includes playing Locke on Game of Thrones, Daryl Sabini on period crime drama Peaky Blinders, and, most recently, on AMC’s DC Vertigo comic book adaptation Preacher, which is, believe or not, the second time he has portrayed Adolf Hitler.

Mark Kozelek (Larry Fellows)

Making his feature film debut in Almost Famous was Mark Kozelek, who played Stillwater bassist Larry Fellows - a very fitting role for him a he has made a career out out it. The musician only has four total acting credits to his name, including Cameron Crowe’s Vanilla Sky, leader of a band called Hot Tears in the Steve Martin-penned drama Shopgirl, and an appearing as himself against Michael Caine and Harvey Keitel in 2015’s Youth. Any other contribution of his to entertainment has been in the music department on various and films and TV shows or rocking out onstage or a recording studio.

John Fedevich (Ed Vallencourt)

It was actually per Mark Kozelek’s suggestion that John Fedevich, a studio session drummer since the late 1980s, got the part of Ed Vallencourt, Stillwater’s drummer. In fact, the musician has never been in a movie that did not also star his bass player friend Kozelek, including Almost Famous, a wordless reprisal of the Vallencourt role in Vanilla Sky, and playing the drummer for Hot Tears in Shopgirl. Fedevich is still active in the music business touring with various artists, including Billy Joel, to name one.

Michael Angarano (Young William Miller)

Michael Angarano’s career as a promising child actor was already on the up-and-up when he was cast as a younger version of William Miller and his career has since continued to evolve with no sign of stopping. He played the super-powered son of his Almost Famous co-star Kate Husdon’s stepfather, Kurt Russell, in Sky High, reprised his role as Eliot, Jack’s (Sean Hayes) son, on NBC’s reboot of Will & Grace more recently, and his stint as Jack Pearson’s younger brother on This Is Us earned him an Emmy nomination in 2019. He also appears in the second season of Hulu’s PEN15 and is pre-production for a CBS sitcom pilot called To Whom It May Concern.

Zooey Deschanel (Anita Miller)

Like her onscreen younger brother, Zooey Deschanel would become a sitcom star after playing Anita Miller in Almost Famous, after appearing in several other high-profile films, of course. The 40-year-old star of Elf, 500 Days of Summer, and M. Night Shyamalan’s infamous The Happening, who is also a singer for indie duo She and Him, retired her role as Jessica Day on New Girl after seven seasons in 2018 and recently reprised the voice of Bridget in Trolls World Tour. Otherwise, Deschanel has spent much of 2020 in quarantine with her beau, Property Brothers’ Jonathan Scott.

Frances McDormand (Elaine Miller)

Playing the overprotective Elaine Miller in Almost Famous was just one of the many stages of Frances McDormand’s portrayal of many kinds of mothers, including her Oscar-winning roles in 1996’s Fargo and Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri in 2017, among others. The 63-year-old actress will appear next as an free-spirited cross-country traveler in Nomadland, a trailblazing journalist in Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch, and as Lady MacBeth opposite Denzel Washington in the title role of her husband, Joel Coen’s, interpretation of Shakespeare’s 17th Century tragedy.

Jimmy Fallon (Dennis Hope)

Few remember Jimmy Fallon having the most successful career outside of his Saturday Night Live stint and eventually becoming a leading late night talk show host, but those are also the same people who might not have recognized him in his feature film debut as professional touring manager Dennis Hope in Almost Famous. While his acting career was, admittedly, underwhelming to most (from 2004’s Taxi and Fever Pitch the following year) before taking over Late Night from Conan O’Brien and later The Tonight Show from Jay Leno, he has done quite well lately by making cameos as himself, such as in Jurassic World, Amazon Prime’s darkly funny superhero satire The Boys, and the upcoming comedy Marry Me, starring Jennifer Lopez, which is expected for release in 2021.

Philip Seymour Hoffman (Lester Bangs)

Never one to underwhelm on screen was the great Philip Seymour Hoffman, who played real life music critic Lester Bangs in Almost Famous as well as countless other scene-stealers since the late 1980s, including Brandt in The Big Lebowski, Scotty J. in Boogie Nights, and his Oscar-winning performance in the title character of Capote. His final role was as undercover resistance leader Plutarch Heavensbee in The Hunger Games franchise, which he was mostly able to finish before he passed away of a heroin overdose in 2014. Hoffman was 46.

What do you think? Did the cast of Almost Famous indeed live up to the film’s title or do you believe they deserved better? Let us know in the comments and be sure to check back for additional information and updates on the Cameron Crowe classic, as well as even more inside looks at the cast members of your favorite movies and TV shows, here on CinemaBlend.

Created by Greg Garcia, My Name Is Earl ran for nearly 100 episodes on NBC and earned critical acclaim and commercial success throughout its four seasons. While it unfortunately never got a chance to finish its run in a proper fashion, the series served as a great showcase for Jason Lee, as well as his co-stars Ethan Suplee, Jaime Pressley, Nadine Velazquez, and Eddie Steeples. While it's a shame to know that we'll never get a proper conclusion to this series, the cast has gone to work on a number of intriguing high-profile projects in the years to follow. With that said, let's take a look at what the cast of My Name Is Earl is doing now.

Jason Lee (Earl Hickey)

As our titular protagonist, Earl Hickey, Jason Lee plays a petty criminal who wins big in the lottery but is struck instantly by a passing car, resulting in him learning the hard way about karma. In an effort to cleanse his history of misdeeds and do right by the universe, Earl makes a list of every bad thing he's ever done and vows to do good deeds to repay for their misfortunes.

While his Golden Globe-nominated performance became one of his most high-profile to date, Lee was already proven as an actor, notably with his roles in Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, A Guy Thing, Heartbreakers, Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back, Kissing A Fool, Almost Famous, and The Incredibles. In the years since the show began, Lee was notably seen in all four Alvin and the Chipmunks movies. He also voiced the title character in Underdog.

Additionally, Jason Lee starred in the short-lived series, Memphis Beat, and he can currently be heard in the animated series, We Bare Bears. Most recently, Lee was seen in Jay and Silent Bob Reboot and heard in We Bear Bears: The Movie. Outside of acting, Lee is the co-founder and co-owner of Stereo Skateboards, notably as he is a former skateboarder himself. He is also the co-owner of the restaurant Barley and Board. He also published a book of photography in 2016.

Ethan Suplee (Randy Hickey)

Playing Randy Hickey, Earl's loyal younger brother, Ethan Suplee played one of the lead roles in My Name is Earl. A prominent character actor on both the big and small screen, Suplee starred in Mallrats, Chasing Amy, Dogma, Boy Meets World, American History X, Remember the Titans, The Butterfly Effect, Blow, John Q, Road Trip, and Cold Mountain before he starred in this acclaimed sitcom.

Since the show concluded, Suplee has most notably been seen in Brothers, Unstoppable, The Wolf of Wall Street, Walk of Shame, True Story, Deepwater Horizon, and Motherless Brooklyn. He also played a main role in Jennifer Falls and a main character on Chance, while also playing recurring roles in The Ranch and Santa Clarita Diet. Most recently, Suplee starred in The Hunt and three episodes of NBC's Good Girls. Suplee also starred in Gossamer Folds, which is hitting the festival circuits.

Jaime Pressly (Joy Turner)

In the role of Joy Turner, Earl's ex-wife who marries his friend, Darnell, Jaime Pressly was outstanding in her Emmy-winning performance on My Name Is Earl. Previously a model, Pressly starred in Poison Ivy: The New Seduction, Not Another Teen Movie, Joe Dirt, and Tomcats before she starred in this NBC series.

In the years since the show came to an end, Pressly joined the main cast of the short-lived show, I Hate My Teenage Daughter, and joined the main cast of CBS' Mom back in 2014. The actress also appeared in episodes of Two and a Half Men, Raising Hope, and Rules of Engagement. She has also been seen in movies such as DOA: Dead Or Alive, I Love You, Man, The Oogieloves in the Big Balloon Adventure, Austin Found, and A Haunted House 2, and her voice is heard in Horton Hears a Who.

Eddie Steeples (Darnell Turner)

As Darnell Turner, Joy's new husband and Earl's good friend, despite impregnating his wife while he was married to her, Eddie Steeples played a lovable role on My Name Is Earl. Before he landed his part on this NBC series, Steeples was best known as the "Rubberband Man" from a series of OfficeMax commercials. He is also known for his roles in Akeelah and the Bee, Wristcutters: A Love Story, Torque, and I Know Who Killed Me.

Since his time on My Name Is Earl, Steeples starred in the horror film, Would You Rather, while also appearing in Home Alone: The Holiday Heist and Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Road Chip. He also played a recurring role in Raising Hope and a main cast role in The Guest Book. Up next, Steeples will be seen in the upcoming action-drama, Fallen Cards, and the short film, Hungry.

Nadine Velazquez (Catalina)

As Catalina, the beautiful housekeeper working at Earl and Randy's motel and the woman whom Randy has a crush on, Nadine Velazquez played one of the main characters on My Name Is Earl. Previously playing brief roles on Entourage and The Bold and the Beautiful, this show was Velazquez's first major role, notably as she turned down Prison Break to appear on it.

In the years since the series came to a close, Velazquez played prominent roles in The League and Major Crimes, while also playing recurring roles on Hart of Dixie and Real Husbands of Hollywood. The actress also starred in the short-lived series, Six, back in 2017-2018. She also appeared in episodes of CSI: NY, Scrubs, Hawaii Five-0, Arrested Development, and CSI: Miami. She also played prominent roles in War, Flight, Snitch, and Ride Along 2. She was last seen in 2019's A World Away.

Trey Carlisle (Earl Hickey, Jr.)

As Joy and Darnell's young son, Earl Hickey, Jr., Trey Carlisle was an adorable addition to My Name Is Earl. The show was easily the former child actor's most prominent role, though he also starred in a couple of episodes of All Of Us.

After the show wrapped, Carlisle mostly stopped acting. He can be seen in a couple of short films, Rising Sun and Outcast, from 2012 and 2015, respectively. The one-time actor did step behind-the-camera, however, for the short film History Lesson, which he wrote and directed in 2012. Carlisle also served as a second unit director on 2015's short film, Nobody's Perfect. Outside of these jobs, Carlisle has generally kept a low profile.

Noah Crawford (Young Earl)

As a younger version of Earl seen in flashbacks, Noah Crawford appeared regularly throughout My Name Is Earl's four-season run. The show was the former child actor's first role. Following in time on the series, Crawford notably joined the main cast of Nickelodeon's short-lived How To Rock. He was also seen in episodes of True Jackson, VP, K.C. Undercover, Rizzoli & Isles, The Real O'Neals, Bizaardvark, and Pair of Kings. He also starred in films like Land of the Lost and The Killer Inside Me and he played a lead role in 2013's TV movie, Swindle. Additionally, in 2016, Crawford, wrote, directed, starred in, and produced the fantasy/sci-fi short film, From Darkness His Name.

Louis T. Moyle (Dodge Hickey)

As Dodge Hickey, the oldest son of Joy, Louis T. Moyle was a constant presence throughout My Name Is Earl's run. Outside of this show, Moyle was only seen in one episode of Shark. It appears that the child actor left acting shortly after the NBC series came a close. He has kept a low profile since.

Dale Dickey (Patty)

As Patty, a middle-aged sex worker living in the county, Dale Dickey played a memorable recurring role in My Name Is Earl. A veteran actress with a great deal of experience on the stage and screen, Dickey appeared in episodes of The X-Files, Christy, Frasier, CSI, ER, Gilmore Girls, and Ugly Betty before and during her time on the NBC sitcom.

In the years since, Dickey's been seen on Breaking Bad, Raising Hope, The Middle, Sons of Anarchy, 2 Broke Girls, Shameless, and Grey's Anatomy. She also played recurring roles on Raising Hope, Justified, Claws, and Unbelievable, and she was seen in several episodes of Vice Principals. Dickey gained attention, including an Independent Spirit Award nomination, for her performance in Winter's Bone. She also appeared in Super 8, Iron Man 3, Hell or High Water, and, recently, Palm Springs. Next, she stars in Sean Penn's Flag Day.

Gregg Binkley (Kenny James)

As Kenny James, a former victim of Earl's childhood bullying, Gregg Binkley played a recurring role throughout all four seasons of My Name Is Earl. Prior to this performance, Binkley was seen in guest spots on Gilmore Girls, Malcolm in the Middle, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, The Drew Carey Show, Full House, and more.

Since his time on the show, Binkley appeared in State of Play, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel, and Cafe Society. He also played a prominent role in Raising Fox. On television, Binkley has starred in Hitting the Brakes, Kirby Buckets, and Diary of a Future President. His most recent role was in Finding Love in Quarantine. The actor also wrote for Dads in Park and directed episodes of The Beverlys.

Mike O'Malley (Stuart Daniels)

As Stuart Daniels, an incompetent police officer, Mike O'Malley played a recurring role throughout My Name Is Earl. Best known as the host of the Nickelodeon game show Guts and the star of Yes, Dear, O'Malley is a comedian/actor with a great deal of acting experience on television.

In addition to his role on My Name Is Earl, he appeared Parenthood, Justified, Parks and Recreation, Raising Hope, The Good Place, Get Shorty, The Morning Show, and Wayne. He also played a prominent role in Glee, for which he was Emmy-nominated. O'Malley was also a writer and creator of the Starz series, Survivor's Remorse, and he starred in films like Eat, Pray, Love, Cedar Rapids, R.I.P.D., Concussion, and Sully. He's currently playing a main role in Snowpiecer, based on the film of the same name. He also co-wrote the musical Escape to Margaritaville with Greg Garcia.

Billy Gardell (Jeff Hoyne)

In the role of Jeff Hoyne, another incompetent police officer, Billy Gardell was seen throughout the third and fourth seasons of My Name Is Earl. The comedian previously played recurring roles in Yes, Dear, Lucky, The Practice, and Judging Amy before he signed onto this sitcom.

Since then, he's been notably seen in the popular series, Mike & Molly, alongside Melissa McCarthy, which ran from 2010 through 2016. He picked up roles in Sullivan & Son, Sun Records, Phineas & Ferb, Angie Tribeca, and Young Sheldon before he landed a new television series with CBS' Bob Hearts Abishola, which premiered last year. He also starred in films like Jersey Boys, Undrafted, and Once Upon a Time in Venice. He also provided the voice of Santa in the TV special, Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas. Additionally, Gardell previously hosted the short-lived game show series, Monopoly Millionaires' Club.

Alyssa Milano (Billie Cunningham)

Playing Billie Cunningham, a criminal once married to Earl, Alyssa Milano appeared throughout the third season of My Name Is Earl. Best known for her roles on Who's the Boss? and Charmed, she also starred in Melrose Place for a number of seasons. She has kept working on television and the big screen, notably with lead roles in Insatiable and Mistresses, as well as roles in Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later, Romantically Challenged, New Year's Eve, Hall Pass, and Little Italy, to only name a few. Nowadays, she's known for her prominent activism work. Milano is also soon set to be seen in the upcoming series, The Now.

Who was your favorite My Name Is Earl character/star? Let us know in the comment section below!

It's pretty easy to argue that Jason Lee's Brodie Bruce is the best part of Kevin Smith's Mallrats, so it only makes sense that he would be included amongst the group of actors reuniting for the upcoming sequel, Mallrats 2. That being said, the announcement about the star's agreement to be in the movie is still the best one we've seen yet.

Post by Kevin Smith.

As you could probably tell, this post comes to us from Kevin Smith's personal Facebook account, and is a direct reference to one of the original Mallrats' greatest moments. Lee is now the sixth actor to join the cast of Mallrats 2, as he will be joining Smith (as Silent Bob), Jason Mewes (as Jay), Michael Rooker (as Jared Svenning), Shannen Doherty (as Rene) and Stan Lee (as himself). As the director notes in his message, there are still six more stars he plans to bring aboard before he believes his sequel cast to be complete.

For those that don't quite get the chocolate pretzel presence in the image above - meaning that you've never seen Mallrats or haven't seen it in a while - the reference is to a joke in the first film that saw the concept of the "stink palm" enter the cultural lexicon. Rather than just explaining what it is here, however, I'll let the infamous Brodie Bruce do it for me instead:

So who are the remaining six actors that Kevin Smith plans on recruiting for Mallrats 2? Thinking about the first film, some choices seem natural, and I would make a guess that the remaining lineup includes Jeremy London's T.S. Quint, Claire Forlani's Brandi, Joey Lauren Adams' Gwen, Renée Humphrey's Tricia, Ethan Suplee's Willam, and Ben Affleck's Shannon. But will all of them wind up being game or have the time to be a part of the project? Given the rate that Smith is announcing his recruits, it may not be long before we get answers.

Of course, what's fascinating about this whole process is the fact that Mallrats 2 isn't really even close to being Kevin Smith's next project. When the director first teased the project's existence earlier this month, it was notably and the end of a long list of movies he plans to make before it. This includes Clerks III (which is scheduled to shoot in May), the hockey dramedy Hit Somebody (which will be filming between September and December); and then the Canadian horror comedy Moose Jaws (which is on tap for February of next year). So while all this casting is exciting, it may be wise to not expect to see this movie any time before 2017.

Typecasting can become the bane of an actor's existence. When a star proves that they can do something very well, Hollywood has a habit of exploiting this particular talent until audiences are entirely sick of it and move on to something else. It's this exact trap that Norman Reedus fell into back in the early '00s, when he found himself constantly playing murderers and criminals. It got so bad, in fact, that he eventually started thinking that it was all the industry had to offer him. As a result, when offered the the male lead in the 2001 romantic con-artist comedy Heartbreakers he was actually convinced that the part would require him to rape and kill Jennifer Love Hewitt.

This strange little tidbit comes to us from an interview that the Walking Dead star recently did with GQ, part of which was dedicated to discussing the early years of Reedus' career. Discussing the fact that he's never been seen as a guy who could star alongside Jennifer Love Hewitt in a romantic comedy, the actor revealed that he actually once almost had the chance, but would up completely confused about the part due that all of the violent roles that he had been playing around that time (in movies like The Boondock Saints and Six Ways To Sunday). Said Reedus,

Reedus was then asked if he now looks back at that situation and realizes how crazy it was, and while he does now understand it on that level now, he added that he was truly convinced of it back in 2000/2001:

Those of you who have seen Heartbreakers have probably already figured out that the role Reedus was offered was the one that eventually went to Jason Lee - and in retrospect it's probably a part that he doesn't have too much regret. Upon release, the film got a rather middling response from critics, and it never really took off at the box office either. Made for a reasonable reported $35 million, it only managed to bring in $57.7 million worldwide.

While Reedus hasn't really moved on from playing violent characters, now he has found some extreme success while doing it, most notably starring as the fan-beloved Daryl on The Walking Dead. Still, what if that one role could have changed everything for his career and put him on a completely different path. Perhaps today he would be healing people on Grey's Anatomy instead of slaughtering zombies.

Jason Lee may be making a return to network television, this time for a drama at CBS. The actor, who transitioned from comedy to drama when he made the jump to cable for TNT's Memphis Beat, has been tapped to star in CBS' pilot Second Sight, which is an adaptation of Paula Milne's British crime drama, starring Clive Owen.

Second Sight follows Tanner, the lead detective of the New Orleans Police Department, who's trying to conceal an ocular disorder, which causes him to have "horrifying, visually stimulating anxiety dreams and hallucinations." He's been assured that this condition won't eventually lead to blindness. In the meantime, the hallucinations side effect may help him in the work he does as a law enforcer.

TVLine says Jason Lee has signed on to play the lead role of Tanner. The pilot is executive-produced by CSI's Carol Mendelsohn, along with Michael Cuesta, who not only co-wrote the script, but is also directing. Original series creator Paula Milne is also credited as an executive producer.

Not only does this project sound like a good fit for CBS, where crime procedurals tend to thrive, but it also sounds like an interesting role for Jason Lee. The actor has done dramatic work before, and we saw some of his serious side in Memphis Beat, but he's better known for his comedic work, which includes a starring role in My Name is Earl, not to mention plenty of funny movies, including Mallrats, The Incredibles and the under appreciated Big Trouble. We'll have to wait and see if this one makes it to series.

Wait, there was a second Alvin and the Chipmunks movie? And it made more money than the original one? And they’re making another film?!

Consider me blessed. I have two young sons, and they haven’t made me watch either Chipmunks film, which means I’ll probably be able to dodge this bullet when it comes out on Dec. 16. But for those of you out there patiently awaiting the further adventures of Alvin, Simon and Theodore -- you know, besides Jason Lee and his agent -- we have the first full trailer for Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip Wrecked (courtesy of Apple.com):

Love the Titanic joke. I think the only way I’d see Chip Wrecked is if someone told me the boat carrying Alvin and his crew strikes an actual iceberg, and the film’s second half mirrors the ends of James Cameron’s Oscar winner. And what’s with the tagline? “Munk Yourself.” That’s supposed to mean “Fuck Yourself,” right? Is that what the studio is telling us to do?

So why, you might ask, are we being asked to endure more Alvin? I think back to Field of Dreams, which taught us, “If you build it, they will come.” Audiences have turned out in droves to support the first two films, which earned $217.3 million and $219.6 million, respectively. It’s a no-brainer for 20th Century Fox. Shouldn’t it be a no brainer for people to demand better entertainment, though?

It's easy to understand why movie studios keep making bad movies. They'll do it as long as there's something in it for them. Corporations are in the business of making money, it's their nature. What's more disappointing is the way in which so many big name Hollywood actors continue to participate in their continual cash grab. Ashton Kutcher and Katherine Heigl couldn't have possibly thought Killers would be good, did they? We suspected it would be terrible and we didn't even have the script. They knew what they were doing.

One or two missteps is understandable, but for some Hollywood stars making bad movies has become a habit. It's a bad habit they've embraced wholeheartedly because, presumably, they simply don't care. They're more interested in using their celebrity to lighten your wallet and enrich themselves in the short term, than in taking the long term risk required to develop a reputation for making something good. Audiences will catch on to their scam eventually, but in the meantime they're only a step or two above the beggar harassing passing pedestrians on your street corner. These cinematic carpetbaggers will keep right on holding their hand out as long as we continue putting money in it. Enough. We're ending it now by identifying the worst offenders. Put these actors on your ignore list. We're pretty sure that, whether or not they once did, these celebrities no longer care about movies. It can't be an accident that everything they do ends up being trash.

Ashton Kutcher

Ashton Kutcher has been in fourteen movies and never received a positive Rotten Tomatoes score. Not once. Ashton Kutcher has never been in anything good. Even if critics were wrong about two or three of them (and I'd say they were very wrong about The Butterfly Effect) that's still an impressive feat of awful. Something like that doesn't happen by accident, especially this far into Kutcher's filmography. These days, for unfathomable reasons, he's a big star. That means he doesn't have to do Killers, he chooses to do Killers.

Fourteen movies in to what passes for his acting career it's clear that not only does Ashton Kutcher suck, he's doing it on purpose. Ashton Kutcher is on a one man crusade to destroy the movie business by churning out one What Happens in Vegas after another. His career is a littered trail of recycled plot devices, horrible acting choices, and excessive mugging for the camera. When he's not busy banging the supernaturally de-aging Demi Moore or tweeting, he's content to cash paychecks for doing whatever shit lands in front him and happens to pay something. Or maybe he's really just this stupid. Whether through deliberately heinous choices or wholesale incompetence, it seems clear that Ashton Kutcher doesn't care about movies, all he cares about his stealing money from your wallet.

Kate Hudson

Little girls dream of growing up to be Julia Roberts. They dream of Liz Taylor being fawned over by Richard Burton, of Rita Hayworth and her movie star hair, of Audrey Hepburn and her graceful cigarette holder. They dream of being leading ladies, starring opposite handsome A-list men in the biggest, most widely-seen summer blockbusters Hollywood has to offer. Kate Hudson was undoubtedly one of those starry-eyed girls. Growing up the daughter of Goldie Hawn, she must have always seen herself as a future starlet, which is why her Oscar-nominated performance in Almost Famous seemed a wonderful hint of things to come. In his review, Roger Ebert famously spent an entire paragraph gushing about how brilliant she was in the Humble Pie scene. And then it all imploded.

After The Four Feathers and How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days, one of which tried, one of which was vaguely watchable, Kate Hudson opened a horrifying bag of mediocre, community college garbage culminating in the putrescent-ly abysmal quadrilateral Bride Wars, My Best Friend's Girl, Fool's Gold and that one about Dupree. In the ten years since Penny Lane, she's gone from a rising star to the embodiment of lowest common denominator bullshit. Sure, Julia Roberts did the whole My Best Friend's Wedding thing now and again, but that was between the Erin Brokovich's. But alas, 2010 brings the release of the upcoming Killer Inside Me, her first real effort in eight years. It may well usher in her first positive reviews in a decade, then again, it may be the start of a long, painful trek into 3A.M. IFC re-runs. But hey, at least most of those try harder than Raising Helen.

Katherine Heigl

Katherine Heigl became a star after landing a perfectly written role as part of one of the best ensemble casts ever assembled in Knocked Up. It made her a movie star. She responded by biting the hand that fed her, trashing the movie that made her a viable lead, and then promptly leaped into making a series of unforgivably horrible romantic comedies on some sort of mad, lunatic quest to become the new Kate Hudson. But at least Kate Hudson doesn't hate Almost Famous.

Katherine Heigl has only ever been in one good film, yet it's the only one she doesn't like. That says all you need to know about her career, her choices, her risk-free performances. She only has one character, and it's the same uptight, buzzkill she played in Knocked Up. Apatow managed to make that work for his film, but now we've been forced to watch that character go to weddings, ruin Gerard Butler's promising career as a radio shock jock, and play spy with Ashton Kutcher. She only has one character and she seems content to milk that bitch for all she's worth. Judging from Killers' box office totals, it's not worth much. By trashing Knocked Up Heigl made it clear that she's not interested in making good movies. She's only interested in playing a horrible, fucked out cliché until there's no money left in doing it; and that's The Ugly Truth.

Jason Lee

For awhile, Jason Lee's career seemed promising. Then he stopped doing low-budget Kevin Smith movies and decided to grab a couple of paychecks. He never stopped grabbing them. When spouting Smith's genius dialogue or wearing a mustache and rocking out for Cameron Crowe in Almost Famous, Lee seemed like a talented up and comer, but when he finally dove into big time Hollywood films he did so without a filter. Lee seemed to take anything and everything that went across his desk. His fans tried to stay with him, give him the benefit of the doubt, but it really all fell apart with Alvin and the Chipmunks. There's just no way to defend a movie about singing rodents.

I'm not sure what happened to the fast-talking flim-flam man we used to see in cool, edgy indie movies in which heteros date lesbians or angels shoot up the Catholic Church, but I miss him. These days the real Jason Lee can only be found on television, playing up southern clichés in whatever network show needs someone with an accent. On film, he's a lame cartoon who seems as though he's only in it for the money. You can only try to convince yourself Stealing Harvard is funny for so long, before you come to the awful truth: The Jason Lee we knew, the Jason Lee who seemed to care, is long gone.

Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez has always been more of a marketing gimmick than an artist. She started her career as a Fly Girl on In Living Color and in her heart maybe that's still all she really is. Jennifer Lopez cares about dancing, maybe she even cares about music, I don't know (though her albums suggest otherwise). But no one who willingly stars in The Back-Up Plan cares about movies. Or children. Or expectant fathers who may be permanently scarred by the experience.

Jennifer Lopez made a couple of good movies once. Then she realized she could make more money by being in The Wedding Planner and making that same movie over and over and over again, cynically profiting off the emotions of easily swayed, romance-starved, female audiences. On the rare occasion since that she's done anything else, it's usually as a favor to someone she's dating. Gigli, terrible though it is, was at least a diversion from the standard J.Lo formula. But I have to think she only did Gigli because she was dating Ben Affleck, not because she genuinely believed in the project. Jennifer Lopez has been content for years now to be nothing beyond a lowest common denominator rom-com factory. She's been at it so long, that even her pliable, tractable, rom-com audience is getting tired of it. You can only Monster-in-Law people for so long.

Chris Rock

Chris Rock is Michael Jordan. He's Katie Couric, Jesse 'The Body' Ventura, Joaquin Phoenix and about a thousand other virtuosos who sadly found out unparalleled talent in one field doesn't automatically translate to success in another. You see, Chris Rock is one of the greatest stand-up comedians ever. With all apologies to Bruce, Pryor and Carlin, I would even listen to arguments on why he's the single greatest comedian of all-time. Rocking the mic like a vandal, he's pompous and deadly, coarse, yet ultimately smooth, like sandpaper polished with honey. But none of his astounding vocal talents work on the Big Screen.

In fact, just as MJ's superior height to quickness ratio expanded his strike zone, all the things which make Rock such a brilliant comedian doom him to an endless stream of B-movies. The charisma, the swagger, the knack to always appear confident and in control, these traits come across as awkward and needy when a one man show expands to interact with real actors. You can't talk at the camera; you can't win it over with rants or make it think with biting social commentary. You can only let it watch, hope it all works out in the end. He knows it. We know it. But he keeps making movies anyway. I get it. Tinsel Town has more flair than The Apollo, but even Bo Jackson knows, in the end, it's better to be Michael Jordan.

Brendan Fraser

I get the feeling there are people pitching movie ideas for cartoons, but somewhere in the creative (term used loosely) process the whole thing gets mangled and the idea turns from cartoon into live action movie. All of a sudden the studio needs someone to star in something utterly ridiculous. Who do you think the first guy they call is? Brendan Fraser of course.

No guy has played more idiotic, awful, doofus, unintentionally silly rolls than Mr. Dudley Do-Right. Consider his turns in George of the Jungle, Bedazzled, Monkeybone, anything Mummy-related, and of course the recent animal-centric disaster Furry Vengeance (not a porno). The best part about the last one is that a whole new generation of kids gets to associate Fraser with stinking up the big screen. Even when he's is tried to get serious of late (Extraordinary Measures), it's been awful.

Sure, every couple of years the guy pulls out a Journey to the Center of the Earth or accidentally shows up in something other people made watchable (Crash). But the bottom line is: this guy hates movies and the stupider the concept, the more people can picture him in the role.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson

It all went to hell the minute he stopped calling himself “The Rock”. The most frustrating thing about Dwayne Johnson's filmography is that he could have become an icon. It was all right there in front of him. After doing The Rundown it seemed clear that The Rock was well on his way to becoming the new Arnold Schwarzenegger. The opportunity was there. So what did he do? Someone told him he was funny. Worse, apparently Dwayne decided he was Sponge Bob funny and abandoned action movies in favor of doing an unending string of kids movies, where he chased paycheck after paycheck, after paycheck and lost any of the badass credibility he'd built up after years flexing muscles.

The thing is that even now, he could easily turn it around, if he wanted to. The Rock's legitimately talented as both a comedic performer and action star. All he has to do is stop doing kids movies and take any one of the numerous, far more respectable opportunities he's almost certainly offered on a regular basis. Instead he chooses to put on cheap, pipe-cleaner wings and do The Tooth Fairy. He gleefully shits all over Witch Mountain. Maybe it's time we all gave up on his potential and decided to Get Smart. He has.

Matthew McConaughey

McConaughey came close to redeeming himself with his role as an overly concerned agent in Tropic Thunder, but let's face it, anyone could have hit that role out of the park. If you take that out of the equation it's been more than eight years since McConaughey has done anything worth seeing and even that was basically a bit part in the underseen horror movie Frailty.

These days McConaughey has willingly become a parody of himself. He's the hillbilly Hollywood calls when they need a borderline retard to take his shirt off. He does bad romantic comedies with actresses who have also become parodies of themselves. He does sappy, shitty movies with McG. Nobody's going to take him seriously because he doesn't seem to take himself, or the crap he does seriously. Maybe he's the consumate professional on set, who knows, but any time you see a Matthew McConaughey disaster it's impossible not to think that between takes he retired to his trailer, stripped of his pants, and dragged out those infamous bongos.

Eddie Murphy

Back in the '80s, Eddie Murphy was the definition of star. His stand-up act was truly hysterical (Eddie Murphy Raw is still considered one of the greatest recorded performances of all time), he was a standout on Saturday Night Live, and he continually put out some of the greatest comedies of the decade, from Trading Places to Beverley Hills Cop, 48 Hrs. to Coming To America. Then he decided to flush it all down a toilet.

Unlike Sandra Bullock, who received an Oscar despite appearing in one of the year's worst films, Murphy is one of the few actors who has seen his lack of interest in quality come back to bite him in the ass. The general consensus is that his performance in Norbit turned off the Academy to such an extreme degree that they refused to award his work in Dreamgirls. And, really, can you blame them? Norbit was just one example from the last 20 years of Murphy not giving a shit what he puts his name to. Daddy Day Care, The Haunted Mansion, Meet Dave, I Spy, Showtime… the list is endless. There is no doubt that Murphy has the skills to make another great film, talent like that just doesn't disappear. Yet he'd rather make The Adventures of Pluto Nash.

We've pointed our bony finger of shame at those who deserve it, now take a moment to honor Hollywood's best and brightest with our list of 20 Actors Who Deserve Your Support.

Welcome back to FlixWorthy, your weekly guide to Netflix streaming. Each Monday FlixWorthy dives headfirst into Netflix's streaming catalogue and surfaces with a handful of new or notable selections for your amusement and edification. Sometimes it'll be classics, sometimes it'll be little-seen gems, sometimes it'll be shows you might have missed, and sometimes...sometimes it'll be crap so awful it simply has to be seen to be believed. Here's what's FlixWorthy this week, kids.

Harlan Ellison: Dreams with Sharp Teeth

(2008, Not Rated, 96 min.)

If you aren't familiar with writer Harlan Ellison, you'll get a perfect introduction in the opening moments of Dreams with Sharp Teeth. Comedian and long-time friend Robin Williams asks Ellison if it's true that he once mailed a dead gopher to a publishing house. The response: "Absolutely true." What follows is a documentary profile of the outspoken writer through interviews, archival footage, and readings of his stories. Writers including Neil Gaiman, Peter David, Ron Moore, and Josh Olson put in cameos to discuss their friendship with Ellison and his influence on their work, but quite frankly the star attraction is the man himself. Prolific, passionate, and abrasive, Ellison is as distinctive as his body of work, and the personality that has won him both legions of fans and cadres of bitter enemies is on full display in Dreams with Sharp Teeth. It's clear that writer-director Erik Nelson (Grizzly Man) is an Ellison fan, so it's disappointing that the film doesn't delve deeper into the controversies surrounding the writer, but Ellison's fascinating personal history and love-him-or-hate-him personality carry the weight of the film well.

Double-Feature It With...

Trumbo

(2007, Rated PG-13, 96 min., HD)

Before discovering this documentary, my knowledge of Dalton Trumbo was limited to recognizing his impressive list of screen credits and his blacklisting by HUAC. Based on a play by Dalton's son Christopher, Trumbo is an engrossing look at the fearless writer responsible for Spartacus and Johnny Got His Gun. Trumbo combines the usual mix of interviews and historical footage with readings of Trumbo's letters by actors including Joan Allen, Brian Dennehy, Paul Giamatti, and Donald Sutherland.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

(1988, Rated PG, 110 min.)

Pretty much the only entertaining parts of this week's Oscars were the ones involving Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin. If Hollywood's big night has left you craving some vintage Martin, Netflix has added Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to their streaming catalogue. Directed by Frank Oz, Scoundrels stars Martin and Michael Caine as rival con men who face off over a wager to see who can swindle away the fortune of a wealthy heiress in the French Riviera. As you'd expect of the pairing of Martin and Caine, the film is a mixture of wit and slapstick, and it's great fun watching the two spar and undercut each other's plans (although it would be better if Caine delivered a monologue involving tangerines at some point). Weirdly, the film was originally intended as a project for Mick Jagger and David Bowie. All due respect to Bowie's fine performance in Labyrinth, but I think we're all better off that that version of the film never happened.

Double-Feature It With...

Roxanne

(1987, Rated PG, 107 min.)

In Roxanne, Martin steps from con man to the other side of protecting and serving as a small-town firefighter gifted (or cursed) with a prominent proboscis. Putting a modern spin on Cyrano de Bergerac, Roxanne sees Martin's C.D. Bales fall for Daryl Hannah and use a handsome buddy to seduce her by proxy. He also fends off several bullies using a tennis racquet at one point, which is awesome.

Mallrats

(1995, Rated R, 96 min.)

Ah, Mallrats. Before Jersey Girl came along, Mallrats was the easiest target for Smith detractors, the ugly middle child between the better-respected Clerks and Chasing Amy. Mallrats will always hold a special place in my heart, however, because it was the first Smith movie I ever saw, and a regular staple of my friends' weekend viewing habits throughout college. Broader in both scale and comedy than Clerks, Mallrats starred Jeremy London as the lovestruck and recently dumped TS Quint, and introduced the world to the awesomeness of Jason Lee, back before he broke our hearts with the Chipmunks movies. TS and also-dumped buddy Brodie (Lee) wander the retail wasteland that is the local mall, running across View Askewniverse stalwarts such as Jay and Silent Bob, discussing superhero sex organs with Stan Lee, and speculating about the dubious merits of getting busy in the back of a Volkswagen. Mallrats isn't as notable as Clerks or Chasing Amy, but neither is it as ridiculous as Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back. It's just good, silly fun from the days before Smith was making "real" movies starring Bruce Willis. I'll take Mallrats over Cop Out any day of the week.

Double-Feature It With:

The Breakfast Club

(1985, Rated R, 92 min.)

Maybe it's just because the John Hughes montage during the Oscar made me nostalgic, but any excuse to rewatch The Breakfast Club is a good excuse to rewatch The Breakfast Club. Like many other filmmakers of his generation, Smith was heavily influenced by Hughes' teen films. Why not pair up vintage Smith with what is arguably Hughes' masterpiece?

House of 1,000 Corpses

(2003, Rated R, 88 min., HD)

There's no question that Rob Zombie has become a powerful player in the modern horror landscape. How you feel about that will determine whether or not you're excited that Zombie's House of 1,000 Corpses has turned up in Netflix's streaming library. This was the film that established Zombie as a writer-director, instead of just "that hairy guy from White Zombie." Inspired by old-school horror and exploitation movies, Corpses is a violent and gory throwback that tosses two couples into the midst of an urban legend that proves to be all too true. All the standard horror elements are here: hapless travelers, a bugfuck crazy family of psychopaths, and an array of insides becoming outsides in spectacular fashion. Granted, horror movies don't always review well, but the 17% fresh rating on RottenTomatoes probably won't lure in many sightseers who aren't already Zombie fans. Regardless of your opinion on the Halloween remakes, the path to them began here.

Double-Feature It With:

The Evil Dead

(1981, Not Rated, 85 min.)

Depending on whether you actually enjoyed House of 1,000 Corpses, Evil Dead will either be a complementary cult classic or a revivifying antidote. Either way, Sam Raimi's definitive "cabin in the woods" flick is chock full of win. (Available until April 1, 2010)

The Call of Cthulhu

(2005, Not Rated, 47 min.)

I remember this film getting a lot of buzz a few years ago, but I never got around to seeing it. Lovecraft has always been damn near impossible to get right on the big screen, but the filmmakers behind Call of Cthulhu decided to try something new by trying something old. The Call of Cthulhu is presented as if it's an actual relic from the 1920s, a low-budget affair delivered in silent-film style and black and white. By all accounts, the short film is very faithful to the Lovecraft story from which it draws its name and inspiration, and at 47 minutes, it's an easy way to kill a lunch or laundry break. Until Guillermo del Toro eventually gets around to making At the Mountains of Madness, this might just be your best bet for cinematic Lovecraft.

Double-Feature It With:

From Beyond

(1986, Unrated, 85 min.)

Del Toro isn't the only filmmaker determined to crack the Lovecraft nut. Stuart Gordon has been doing his best to bring the writer's works and style to the big screen since 1985's Re-Animator. Gordon regular Jeffrey Combs stars a scientist meddling in things he shouldn't, all loosely based on a Lovecraft short story of the same name. If I had my druthers, I'd actually suggest pairing Call of Cthulhu with Gordon's Dagon, but it isn't available streaming.

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I get all excited when I see that something is filming in my neighborhood. Yes, I live in Manhattan, where not a day goes by without a film shoot, but there's still a joy in seeing the place where you ride your bike on the big screen. So the new thriller Columbus Circle, with its story about an upscale Manhattan apartment building and title referring to the location of my Whole Foods, sounds like exactly the kind of set I will complain about for months when it blocks traffic, and then be happy to see on the screen.

Except that it's filming in Los Angeles. And that's no fun at all. So now it's up to the cast-- Selma Blair, Amy Smart, Jason Lee, Giovanni Ribisi and Kevin Pollak-- to make the whole thing worth watching. THR writes that Blair will play a reclusive heiress wrapped up in a homicide investigation, led by Ribisi's character. Smart and Lee play a couple that moves in next door, the apartment where the murder was committed.

George Gallo, who wrote Bad Boys, is directing the script he co-wrote with Pollak. It's weird how many people in this cast are former rising stars from the 90s-- almost as weird as filming a movie called Columbus Circle in Los Angeles. But I guess that's Hollywood for you, recycling actors and New York backlots with equal aplomb.