I don't know what it's like where you are, but where I am, the weather's getting colder. And when outside gets cold, there's no place I'd rather be than inside somewhere, under a blanket and curled up with a book, or on the couch watching a good movie. Heck, it doesn't even need to be a good movie. A bad movie will do just fine if it's the kind of bad movie that's also kind of great.

Part of me wants to tell you that I'm not here to try to defend Roland Emmerich's 2009 disaster movie, 2012, with its overflowing cast of characters, fairly convoluted plot, and extremely long runtime (two and a half hours?!). Its 40% Critic score on Rotten Tomatoes seems fair to me, and the audience score isn't much better. I can't defend the ratings, but I still like watching this movie.

Like every two years or so, I get a hankering for it, the same way I do some other disaster movies I can't really defend. Honestly, when I recently saw that 2012 was streaming for free, I knew the odds were high that I already owned this movie on digital at some point. And I did, so I'm set, but if you want to revisit this movie and you haven't already secured your own copy on home video, as of this writing, you can watch it for free with ads on Tubi.

What 2012 Is About

Like many disaster movies, the plot of this one centers around the end of the world -- in this case, due to something involving the earth's core heating up and a sciency explanation I won't even try to paraphrase here (there's a helpful animated video courtesy of Woody Harrelson's conspiracy theorist character that makes it really simple to understand). All you need to know going in is that this is an apocalyptic situation that's affecting the whole world. And as you'll see in the first two-thirds of the film, major catastrophes unfold, from earthquakes to volcanic eruptions and all sorts of other nightmarish scenarios as a result of these natural disasters.

I'm going to be vague at this point, because it is quite suspenseful if you haven't seen it, but this is one of those disaster movies where there's a secret place only a small percentage of the earth's population is aware of or allowed to go to in order to survive the end of the world, and our heroes (and some not-so-heroes) are trying to get there.

Oh Yeah, And The Cast Is Fire

The cast for this movie is great. The main characters include Jackson Curtis (John Cusack), an author and father trying to protect his family, including his kids and his ex-wife (played by Amanda Peet). Oliver Platt plays the White House Chief of Staff, while Danny Glover plays the President and father to Thandiwe Newton's character, Laura Wilson. As I mentioned, Woody Harrelson makes an appearance as a science conspiracy guy who's not entirely wrong about the ideas he's raving about, while Chiwetel Ejiofor plays the actual scientist who advises the president.

2012 Isn't Perfect, But It Also Never Lets Me Down

Here's the thing. I do think Roland Emmerich (who co-wrote the film, in addition to directing) made a solid effort to try to make something more out of your standard disaster movie. There's just a lot going on in the film and with so many different characters brought in and out amidst what's happening with the main characters, it's kind of hard to feel invested in anything as much as I think I'm supposed to. I always find myself wishing I felt more about the characters and story by the end of the movie than I do, but it's not so bad that I regret watching it in the first place (and not so bad that I know I'll want to watch it again at some point in the future).

There are life-and-death scenarios happening left and right in 2012, all of which deliver the kind of visual spectacle we've come to know and appreciate from the director of Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow. From cities collapsing to lava raining down to John Cusack's character and his family outracing danger in a limousine, a camper, and more than one airplane, the chaos reigns in this one and doesn't let up. Best of all, if you don't already have this title in your digital library like I do, there are a few ways to see it:

• Watch 2012 on Tubi.
• Stream 2012 on Starz
• Buy 2012 on Amazon.

If you’re like me, you’ve seen Say Anything dozens of times and find ways to work Lloyd Dobler quotes into everyday life as much as possible. A long time ago, a friend of mine even asked if I’d ever stood outside of someone’s apartment with a boom box over my head. After explaining that doing something like that would probably be considered stalking in real life, I thought to myself, “That’s how iconic the boom box scene is for my generation.”

Reflecting on the scene, one would think that the famous moment – in which John Cusack's Lloyd plays “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel – would have been a fairly straightforward shot, but it was quite the opposite, according to director Cameron Crowe.

John Cusack Really Didn’t Like The Idea Of The Scene

As it was written for the film , John Cusack didn’t think it was the right thing for Lloyd to do, as Crowe recently told the New York Times, saying

So, Crowe and Kovacs acquiesced and went in a different direction, at least at first. The Jerry Maguire filmmaker continued,

I’m actually with Cusack on this – or, at least, I can see where he was coming from. I do think that Lloyd, who is one part Gen X-slacker icon and one part love fool in the movie, probably would just sit solemnly outside Diane Court’s window with the boom box playing next to him.

But Kovacs seemingly knew that the shot wouldn’t work, as Crowe explained, and he made an effort to subvert it. Said the director,

I also don’t think, as others don’t, that Lloyd would be playing a Peter Gabriel song for Diane (Ione Skye). In fact, the original song choice was “To Be A Lover” by Billy Idol. I’ve always thought that another song on the Say Anything soundtrack, “Within Your Reach” by The Replacements, would have been perfect. However, even if I think it’s a little out of character for the slacker part of Lloyd, the shot in the movie is right in line with the love fool.

Here’s How They Actually Got The Famous Moment

At the end of the final day of filming for the most iconic scene in Say Anything, Cameron Crowe tried one more time to get the legendary shot, telling the NYT,

Cusack gave in and agreed to try the shot, though he evidently wasn't very happy about. As it turns out, though, having the actor be disgruntled gave the character the pitch perfect emotional mode for the scene:

The perfect emotion, indeed. It’s a shot, not just a great music moment in a Cusack movie, but in film history, that will never be forgotten. It just goes to show that it’s never a bad idea to trust the vision of two legends like Cameron Crowe and Lazlo Kovacs.

Cameron Crowe’s Say Anything is so beloved that these days it’s thought of as one of the best romantic comedies and big movies that defined Gen X. But, something that became even bigger than the film itself is the scene where Lloyd Dobler, played by charismatic leading man John Cusack, shows up outside of Diane’s home while holding up a boombox as its blasts “In Your Eyes” by Peter Gabriel. Have you ever wondered how the scene, which is one of the most memorable moments of the ‘80s (and all time), actually came about?

Well, Crowe recently shared the story behind picking the song for Say Anything on Audible and Gunpowder & Sky’s The Film Makers. Let’s break down the story:

Cameron Crowe’s First Pick For The Say Anything Boombox Song, And John Cusack’s Hilarious Pick That ‘Didn’t Work’

While we had previously heard that an Elvis Costello song was almost in the movie’s big scene, Crowe shared the full journey on the Audible original. As he started:

At first, Crowe said he actually had Billy Idol’s “To Be A Lover” written in the script for the scene, but I understand why that didn’t make it into that romantic part of the movie. The writer/director then shared what his leading man had in mind with these words:

OK, so that Fishbone song is a jam, but that would have given the scene a totally different energy than the final scene has. Even though Crowe had eliminated those early options from the movie, the journey was far from over.

Crowe Also Tried To Get An Original Song Written For The Scene

Many beloved songs from ‘80s movies like Say Anything became famous as a result of filmmakers hiring songwriters to create original tracks, and that’s just what Crowe did next. As he continued:

While other movies surely could get away with having songwriting teams, such as for Kenny Loggins’ Top Gun music, but in the instance of Say Anything, this was a song Lloyd was playing for Diane, and it definitely makes more sense for it to be a song he and the audience might know rather than a completely new track.

How ‘In Your Eyes’ Ultimately Ended Up In Say Anything

That’s when the story brings us to “In Your Eyes.” Here’s what Cameron Crowe had to say about the moment he realized the Peter Gabriel song would go in the movie:

How sweet is it that Crowe actually found the right song on his own wedding tape? Picking the song actually came from a place of grounded romance, and one can really feel it when you watch the 1989 classic. When the song, which was originally released three years earlier, became part of the movie, it had a second life, reentering the Billboard Hot 100 following the movie’s release. And, it will of course always be tied to Cameron Crowe’s classic rom-com.

How fun is it to see what could have been though? Goes to show how important soundtrack decisions can be to the popularity and staying power of a scene and film.

The idea of “the tortured artist” is a familiar one. People often think of Van Gogh cutting off his ear, or Hemingway shooting himself as proof that a “true” artist needs to suffer in order to be “a genius.”

While I don’t necessarily agree with that sentiment, I will say that sometimes, suffering does create true art, and Brian Wilson, who unfortunately passed away recently at the age of 82, could be considered both a genius, as well as somebody who suffered. I say this because Wilson had schizoaffective disorder, which he battled for many years.

With his recent passing, which stars like John Cusack and Stephen King recently paid tribute to, I was reminded of one of the greatest music movies of all time, that being Love & Mercy. So, here's why Wilson's death makes me remember what a masterful and thoughtful biopic that movie was.

I Always Found The Dual Storytelling Of The Past And The Present To Be Really Effective

I recently wrote about how I wish we got a Steely Dan biopic, but my caveat was that I don’t think Donald Fagen would want people digging into his past or putting it up on a big screen.

I get it. Most people likely wouldn’t be comfortable with a dramatization of their lives knowing that both the good, but also the bad, would be laid bare for all to see. For instance, even though I’m highly anticipating Antoine Fuqua’s Michael Jackson biopic, I honestly don’t know just how in-depth it’s actually going to get, especially when it comes to the more controversial issues in Jackson’s life.

So, it was greatly refreshing to watch a biopic that truly digs deep into Brian Wilson, and not just one period of his life, but two very separate times in the musician’s existence. At one end, we have young, Pet Sounds-era Wilson, played by Paul Dano. In these sections of the film, we see his creative genius at work, but also the mental illness that is slowly creeping into his brain and making him both scared, but also depressed.

As a huge Beach Boys fan, I love seeing moments with Wilson’s brothers, Carl and Dennis (played by Brett Davern and Kenny Wormald, respectively), or his cousin, Mike Love (Jake Abel) just not understanding the creative direction Wilson was taking at the time. Because Pet Sounds is one of my favorite albums, this was all really informative and interesting to me.

However, I also really love the other section of the movie, which sees a much older, highly drugged up version of Wilson, played by John Cusack. In these scenes, we see him with his domineering and controlling therapist and legal guardian, Dr. Eugene Landy (played by Paul Giamatti). By melding these two very important moments in his life together to tell one story, it’s almost like Wilson was two completely different people throughout his life, which is a really interesting approach!

Paul Dano And John Cusack Both Have Brilliant Performances

I just mentioned how the film feels like it’s telling two separate stories, and it does, which is only possible due to the magnificent work of its two leads, Paul Dano and John Cusack.

The Dano sections are of the Brian Wilson that I know. What I mean is, as a huge fan of The Beach Boys of the ‘60s, this young, “genius” form of Wilson is the one that I’m most familiar with.

And, Dano does an excellent job of acting the part. The role requires a great deal of range because it involves both singing, as well as the requisite acting chops to make us believe that Wilson truly was suffering in this period of his life, which leads up to the later sections of the movie where we see a much older Brian.

This is where the film gets interesting, since Cusack doesn’t act anything like the Wilson we see in the past sections of the film. Cuscak’s Wilson is somebody who really isn’t all-there at all, and mostly walks around in a highly-medicated stupor.

It’s this part of his story that I’m unfamiliar with, as I haven’t listened to much of Wilson’s solo work. (But I mean to!) Cusack makes Wilson seem traumatized by the events of what happened in the past, and it’s a unique performance since I can both tell that this is the same person, but I also have to wonder if he’s this way because of his doctor, or because he just suffered so much from his mental illness. Speaking of which…

I Like That It Tackled Brian Wilson's Mental Illness Thoughtfully And With Tact

We once did an article about 20 honest movies about mental illness. And, while there are a lot of great picks on there, I would like to add Love & Mercy, since the film tackles Wilson’s mental illness thoughtfully and with tact.

While it doesn’t exactly spell out just what mental illness Wilson has, we watch his torment as he hears auditory hallucinations and struggles with trying to make his art, but also the war that is going on in his head, which isn’t helped by his use of drugs, like LSD.

We then see him in a later period of his life, and what mental illness has done to him by the ‘80s. Elizabeth Banks gives a wonderful performance as Wilson’s then-girlfriend-later-wife, Melinda Ledbetter, and she helps get him away from his doctor, who is using his power to be Wilson’s legal guardian.

All of this is woven expertly into the story. Sure, this could have been a musical biopic that simply went into the music itself, but it’s more than just that. It’s about Wilson’s mental struggles, and it does it in a way that is both open and honest.

I’m actually surprised that Wilson was okay with showing himself to be so vulnerable, but I really shouldn’t be, given how vulnerable he always allowed himself to be in his music. Speaking of which…

You Can't Go Wrong With The Music In This Film

Pet Sounds is easily in my top ten favorite albums of all time, so to have a movie that features music from that album really can’t be beaten.

Plus, I like that we actually get music from both periods of his life (though, primarily, we get the younger Wilson songs). The soundtrack is also quite dynamic, as the music in the film is trying to replicate Wilson’s auditory hallucinations, taking us on a journey through his mind in a way.

This is a fascinating approach, as you get a sense that Wilson’s music was both freeing, but also keeping him in captivity, which is not how I ever viewed The Beach Boys’ music before.

That might be why, even though it’s a musical biopic, I don’t know if I’d consider it one of the greatest, because the story seems like it’s less about the music, and more about what the music is actually doing to the man who is making it.

It’s an approach that I hope to see from other upcoming music biopics as well. However, there’s one last thing that I want to talk about when it comes to this movie.

Seeing Brian Wilson Himself In The End Credits Will Really Hit Differently Now That He's Gone

I, of course, was sad when I heard that Brian Wilson died, but the first thing I did was go onto YouTube and play the clip of Wilson that is in the end credits of this film, as it features him singing “Love & Mercy,” which is off of his 1988 self-titled album.

When I originally saw the film in the theater, this was the first time I had ever heard this song. I remember buying the Brian Wilson Presents Smile album years prior, so I was familiar with this similar, and yet different sounding Wilson from his later years. But, the look on his face really struck home for me, as he looked like a man who had seen his fair share, but somehow made it out to the other side.

Now that he’s gone, that scene and song hit differently.

It honestly looks like Wilson had spent his whole life searching for love and mercy, not just from others, but also from himself. Whenever I think of Wilson now, I’ll think of this song and scene, and fondly remember all the hours I spent staring up at my ceiling, listening to The Beach Boys.

Rest easy, Brian Wilson.

It’s easy to throw around the word “genius” when talking about some of the greatest artists of all time. But when it came to The Beach Boys' founding member Brian Wilson, that word was more than just a compliment - it was a fact. With a legacy in pop culture that spans decades, and inspired one of the best music movies of all time, the legendary musician behind songs like “God Only Knows,” as well as Pet Sounds, the bedrock album that spawned it, is remembered today in a bittersweet light; due to his passing at the age of 82.

Brian Wilson’s family announced his passing on social media, with a photo of him sitting on a bench, smiling. That upbeat image was accompanied by the Twitter announcement, which read as follows:

Those last three words have been the catchphrase of sorts for the eldest Wilson brother, thanks to a 1988 song of the same name. Originating from his time in a controversial therapy program, that tune’s name would also directly inspire the title for the 2014 historical drama Love & Mercy.

Featuring John Cusack and Paul Dano playing versions of Brian Wilson, and with Paul Giamatti’s role as Dr. Eugene Landy, the film alternates between the making of the album Pet Sounds, and said period of treatment. In a statement issued by Cusack, through his representatives, he honored the man’s passing with this fond remembrance:

For some, Love & Mercy is considered one of the best rock-n-roll biopics, which is thanks to its coverage of not only Brian Wilson’s musical process but his life and times outside of his career.

It’s certainly been a tough week for music lovers, as the loss of Wilson comes not too long after the death of Sly Stone, of Sly and the Family Stone fame. This fact was lamented in our next tribute, from The Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood:

Music aficionado and horror master Stephen King’s Threads account was also spotted as paying homage to this The Beach Boys icon. And in his offering, “The Life of Chuck” author said what we were all thinking:

With a musical style that gave rock-n-roll a sun-drenched Californian feeling, songs like “Surfin USA” and “California Girls” still feel like automatic plays in those warmer, beach friendly months. But musicians like The Velvet Underground’s John Cale are quick to remind us all that those radio hits are only the surface of what Brian Wilson had to offer:

Brian Wilson is no longer living on the mortal plain, but his work will persevere as long as there are stars above us. Which leads to what is perhaps the greatest tribute to the man’s musical legacy; a star studded performance of “God Only Knows” from 2015, celebrating the launch of BBC Music:

We here at CinemaBlend offer our deepest condolences, love, and mercy to the friends and family of Brian Wilson. God only knows what we'd be without his music.

Some actors excel in dramas, others in action flicks; but there are also others whose best work happens to be in some of the best romantic comedies of all time. Nothing against Hugh Grant, Meg Ryan, or Colin Firth’s more dramatic or action-oriented work, but let’s be real for a second and admit that Four Weddings and a Funeral, When Harry Met Sally, and Bridget Jones’s Diary, as well as their other work in the genre, is why they’re so beloved.

That said, here are 32 actors whose best roles are rom-coms…

Hugh Grant

With movies like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill, Love Actually, and Bridget Jones’s Diary to his name (and many, many more), it’s no wonder Hugh Grant’s name comes up rather frequently when discussing the best rom-coms ever made. Sure, his work in Paddington 2 and Remains of the Day is great, but the man knows how to anchor a romantic comedy with that signature charm and wit.

Renée Zellweger

Sure, Renée Zellweger won her two Oscars in dramas – Cold Mountain and Judy – but that doesn’t mean those were her best roles. Again, they were both great, but don’t hold a candle to her work as the titular character in Bridget Jones’s Diary or her star-making performance in Jerry Maguire. More than 20 years after first playing those iconic characters, Zellweger’s work is still received with heaps of praise.

Julia Roberts

One of the queens of the ‘90s rom-com, Julia Roberts bookended the final decade of the 20th century with legendary performances in Pretty Woman and Notting Hill. Those roles, which should be revisited annually if we’re being honest, helped pave the way for Roberts’ stellar career.

Meg Ryan

It’s impossible to put together a list of Meg Ryan’s best movies and not include the likes of When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle, and You’ve Got Mail, to name a few. The rom-com mainstay, who shared the screen with Tom Hanks, Billy Crystal, and Kevin Kline over the years, has given us unforgettable moments and more beloved characters than just about anyone.

Cameron Diaz

My Best Friend’s Wedding, There’s Something About Mary, The Holiday, The Sweetest Thing, and countless other romantic comedies made Cameron Diaz one of the biggest stars of the past 30 years. The actress has shown off her more dramatic roles in everything from Any Given Sunday and Being John Malkovich, but her performances in those rom-coms can’t be touched.

Drew Barrymore

Long before Drew Barrymore became one of the premier names in the world of daytime talk shows, she held it down in the rom-com circuit. Fever Pitch, Never Been Kissed, 50 First Dates, and The Wedding Singer are just some of Barrymore’s best romantic comedies. And while she does have a killer scene in the opening minutes of Scream, these are her most memorable performances.

Colin Firth

As much as we love watching Colin Firth play Mr. Darcy in Pride & Prejudice, his more modern take on the character in Bridget Jones’s Diary is the stuff of legend. Firth, a tremendous dramatic actor in his own right, has been a staple of the romantic comedy over the years thanks in part to those Bridget Jones movies, Mamma Mia!, and Love Actually. However, don’t let this take away from the greatness of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or The King’s Speech.

Billy Crystal

When Harry Met Sally is one of the first movies to come to mind whenever the topic of hilarious Billy Crystal movies comes up. Filled with some of the funniest lines (and others filled with heartbreak and emotion), Crystal’s work in the rom-com genre is absolutely fantastic, be it movies like America’s Sweethearts or Forget Paris. And The Princess Bride sort of counts, right?

Cary Grant

Few Hollywood leading men have a resume as great as Cary Grant, an actor who appeared in dozens of romantic comedies over the years. Charade, The Philadelphia Story, Holiday, and so many others have long cemented Grant’s place in the annuls of rom-com history, and those hilarious and heartfelt performances are still cherished many years after his death.

Charlie Chaplin

Charlie Chaplin was the king of the silent film and an actor who could do anything from drama to slapstick to romantic comedy better than just about every single one of his contemporaries. Chaplin’s 1931 rom-com, City Lights, helped define the genre and has been a benchmark for nearly 100 years.

Nia Long

Nia Long has so many great movies to her name, including Friday, Boyz n the Hood, Big Momma’s House, and Soul Food. This also includes some all-time great romantic comedies from the ‘90s like Love Jones, The Best Man, and Hav Plenty. Though her name doesn’t come up as much as it should, Long is still in a league of her own.

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton won an Oscar for her titular in Woody Allen’s Annie Hall, but the talented actress has several other iconic rom-coms to her name. Something’s Gotta Give, Manhattan, The Family Stone, and Baby Boom all show off the incredible skill and nuance of this once-in-a-generation actress. And this is coming from someone who thinks The Godfather is one of the top five movies of all time.

Audrey Hepburn

Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Charade, Sabrina, Roman Holiday, and My Fair Lady are all some of the funniest movies of the 20th century, and all happen to feature the unmatched talent of Audrey Hepburn in iconic roles. The late actress had a great number of dramatic roles over the years, but her charm and charisma seen in these rom-coms made her one of the all-time greats.

Constance Wu

Constance Wu has all kinds of great film and TV roles on her resume, but for some, she’ll always be remembered for her portrayal of Rachel Chu in Crazy Rich Asians. The massively popular romantic comedy about a Chinese-American NYU professor learning her boyfriend is a member of the richest and most powerful family in Singapore still hits more than a half-decade after its release.

Richard Gere

Though Richard Gere has killed it in dramas like An Officer and a Gentleman and musicals like Chicago, those performances don’t hold a candle to, at least culturally, to his role as Edward Lewis in Pretty Woman. Gere and co-star Julia Roberts would rekindle that spark less than a decade later with another great rom-com, Runaway Bride.

Reese Witherspoon

The Importance of Being Earnest, Sweeet Home Alabama, and Legally Blonde all allowed Reese Witherspoon to show off comedic skills in romantic comedies, and those roles remain some of her best. Sure, she won an Oscar for Walk the Line, but there’s no touching Elle Woods.

Henry Golding

Henry Golding had already had some success by the time he was cast as the uber-wealthy Nick Young in Crazy Rich Asians, but his performance in the 2018 romantic comedy sent him to the next level. He’s found success in movies like The Gentlemen and The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare since then, but his rom-com performance is still his best.

Eva Mendes

Eva Mendes has long killed it in comedies, romance movies, and romantic comedies. Take Hitch for example. The 2005 rom-com starring Will Smith as a professional “date doctor” who meets his match in Mendes’ character was so much fun and allowed the actress to show off all of her skills in a fun and meaningful way.

Sandra Bullock

While You Were Sleeping, Hope Floats, The Proposal, and Two Weeks Notice are just a few of Sandra Bullock’s all-time great romantic comedies. The Academy Award-winning actress has long been one of the best to attempt the genre, and she’ll have a long-lasting legacy because of those strong, vulnerable, and incredibly relatable characters.

Michael Ealy

Over the years, Michael Ealy has put together a crazy good filmography, one that is filled with medical dramas and thrillers, action flicks and comedies, etc. But let’s not forget all the great work he’s done in the world of romantic comedies. Kissing Jessica Stein, Think Like a Man, and About Last Night have all shown what the talented actor is working with.

Adam Sandler

Though not the prototypical romantic lead, there are so many great Adam Sandler rom-coms out there. From The Wedding Singer to Punch-Drunk Love and 50 First Dates to Spanglish there’s so much variety and fun to be had with his stellar filmography.

Jennifer Garner

13 Going on 30, anyone? Jennifer Garner became one of the queens of the rom-com with the release of her 2004 comedy about a young girl who is transformed into a 30-year-old magazine editor and undergoes a massive transformation (both physically and emotionally). She’s also appeared in other great comedies of the era like Ghosts of Girlfriends Past and Love, Simon, to name a few.

Woody Allen

Woody Allen’s monologue in the opening minutes of Manhattan is honestly one of the best cinematic moments of the ‘70s and features some of Allen’s best writing. That’s saying something considering the writer-director-actor has been a part of so many great rom-coms over the years. Annie Hall, Midnight in Paris, Vicky Cristina Barcelona, and Hannah and her Sisters have made us laugh, cry, and feel everything in between over the past 50-plus years.

Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway’s name doesn’t come up in the rom-com discussion as much as it should, which is a shame considering the Oscar-winning actress has killed it in movies like The Princess Diaries, Ella Enchanted, Love & Other Drugs, and so many others. Yeah, she was great in Interstellar and Les Misérables, but there’s no denying her performances in these romantic comedies.

Morris Chestnut

Okay, Morris Chestnut was AMAZING in Boyz n the Hood with his portrayal of Ricky Baker, but the man has become a legend in the rom-com game over the past few decades. Two Can Play That Game, The Best Man, The Brothers, The Perfect Holiday, Breakin’ All the Rules are all classics, thanks in no small part to Chestnut’s performances.

Rachel McAdams

Rachel McAdams’ career has been full of swirling tales of romance like The Notebook, The Vow, and Disobedience, but some of her best work has been in romantic comedies. Wedding Crashers and Midnight in Paris quickly come to mind, but her best performance can be found in About Time, an incredibly emotional and hilarious story of love, loss, and second chances.

John Cusack

Look at the best John Cusack movies and you’ll see iconic rom-coms like High Fidelity, Say Anything, Serendipity, Better Off Dead, and America’s Sweethearts. The vulnerability and likeability of the Hollywood star have made those movies, and the beloved characters he plays in each of them, such gems over the years.

Kate Hudson

Kate Hudson is amazing when it comes to roles in romantic comedies, and few could come close to her batting average in the early-to-mid 2000s. How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, My Best Friend’s Girl, Something Borrowed, and A Little Bit of Heaven all come to mind in this regard.

Taye Diggs

Taye Diggs has done it all, but he’s excelled tremendously in the rom-com world. Movies like The Wood, The Best Man, Brown Sugar, and How Stella Got Her Groove Back have shown just how charming and funny the classically trained actor can be.

Ben Stiller

Though an unlikely leading man in the realm of romantic comedies, Ben Still has long excelled in the genre. Over the years, we’ve had sensational comedies like There’s Something About Mary, Along Came Polly, Keeping the Faith, and even Reality Bites that have allowed the comedian-actor-writer-director to show off what he’s working with, and it’s been great all along.

Jennifer Aniston

Jennifer Aniston will always be remembered for her portrayal of Rachel Green on Friends, but let’s not forget that she has also been a longtime staple of the romantic comedy genre. The Break-up, Wanderlust, Just Go With It, The Switch, Rumor Has It, and several others have been perfect movies for Aniston to show off her skills.

Patrick Dempsey

From Can’t Buy Me Love to Made of Honor and everything in between, Patrick Dempsey has been a tour de force in the world of romantic comedies. He’s done great work on TV and in big-screen dramas over the years, but he particularly excels in the rom-com genre.

John Cusack's characters have had some of the most insightful and philosophical lines of all time. Not to mention some of the funniest. In his best movies like Say Anything..., Better Off Dead, The Sure Thing, Hot Tub Time Machine, and many others, his characters always brought wisdom along with their absurdity in many cases. Here are some of John Cusack's best lines of all time.

"I'm not really making any plans. I'm just sort of letting the universe surprise me, right?" - Hot Tub Time Machine

In a lot of ways, Hot Tub Time Machine, and John Cusack's role in it is pretty meta. A star who first made his name in the '80s, just going with the flow.

"You know, junk food doesn't deserve the bad rap that it gets. Take these pork rinds for example. This particular brand contains two percent of the R.D.A. - that's Recommended Daily Allowance - of riboflavin." - The Sure Thing

Cusack's character Walter in The Sure Thing is, let's be honest, pretty obnoxious on the surface. Like many of his roles, Cusack still manages to make those quirks endearing and lovable.

"Gee, I'm real sorry your mom blew up, Ricky." - Better Off Dead

Lane Meyer doesn't have a whole lot go right for him in Better Off Dead, at least not at first. It's not fair to blame him for Ricky's mom blowing up though, even if he brought the gasoline to dinner.

"I don't want to sell anything, buy anything, or process anything as a career. I don't want to sell anything bought or processed, or buy anything sold or processed, or process anything sold, bought, or processed, or repair anything sold, bought, or processed. You know, as a career, I don't want to do that." - Say Anything...

John Cusack is one on of the most underrated romantic leads in the last few decades. His most notable role is probably Say Anything... and his most famous quote from the movie explains exactly what he doesn't want to do with his life.

"Thanks. I work at Kentucky Fried Chicken. I sell biscuits and gravy all over the Southland." - Grosse Pointe Blank

Martin Blank in Grosse Pointe Blank is one of Cusack's snarkiest characters, and that really says something. Every time he tries to explain what he does for a living at this high school reunion—or makes up something—it sounds like this. And some people believe him.

"Nobody's looking for a puppeteer in today's wintry economic climate" - Being John Malkovich

Being John Malkovich is one of Cusack's darkest comedies and his character has a disposition as wintery as the economic climate in the movie. It's really one of his best performances, despite the darkness.

"I have a great fear of tools. I once made a birdhouse in woodshop and the fair housing committee condemned it. I can't." - Better Off Dead

Lane spends a lot of time trying to get out of doing anything in Better Off Dead until Monique (Diane Franklin) gets him under her spell (for the better). She even gets him to pick up a tool and fix his car.

"The making of a great compilation tape, like breaking up, is hard to do and takes ages longer than it might seem. You gotta kick off with a killer, to grab attention. Then you got to take it up a notch, but you don't wanna blow your wad, so then you got to cool it off a notch. There are a lot of rules." - High Fidelity

Music means everything to Rob Gordon in High Fidelity. As such, one can never take making a mix tape lightly. There are rules that must be followed. The first one is to know exactly how to start one, as he lays out here.

"She gave me a pen. I gave her my heart and she gave me a pen." - Say Anything...

It's one of the most heartbreaking lines in '80s movie history. Lloyd gives Diane his heart and she gives him a pen to write her with after she dumps him. The moment, in the pouring rain, is just devastating.

"If I show up at your door, chances are you did something to bring me there." - Grosse Pointe Blank

It's pretty much impossible for Martin Blank to justify his occupation as an assassin, but you have to give him credit for trying and for being honest with the woman he loves.

"It's not easy getting rides. Do you know what I mean? I mean most people are real afraid to pick up hitchhikers. I mean you never know who you might pick up. I mean I could be some crazed slime ball. I mean a real deranged, violent psycho. You know what I mean? I mean a guy who would rip out your heart and eat it" - The Sure Thing

The Sure Thing was John Cusack's big, breakout role and in it, he shows a ton of his versatility. He's snarky, of course, and he's sweet, but he's also over the top and hilarious like the scene when he gets in the car and scares the you-know-what out of the nice driver.

"I got a question. If you guys know so much about women, how come you're here at like the Gas 'n' Sip on a Saturday night completely alone drinking beers with no women anywhere?" - Say Anything...

Lloyd Dobler may be immature and unsure of himself and where he's going in life, but he's still wise beyond his years in a lot of ways. He may be Gen X's ultimate slacker, but he's not as bad as the guys drinking behind the convenience store on a Saturday night.

"I knew this trip was a bad idea. Every time I hang out with you, man, it's some kind of disaster. I got guilted into coming on this trip and now I'm back in the freakin' '80s. And I hate this decade!" - Hot Tub Time Machine

This one is basically an inside joke from an actor who got his break in the '80s and in many ways is one of the most iconic stars of the decade. His career didn't end there, but it's hard to believe he looks back on that time in his career with anything but fondness.

"Look, Sergeant Pepper, I really need you to shut up about that." - Grosse Pointe Blank

Joan Cusack co-stars with her brother Grosse Pointe Blank and while she plays his able assistant, she really comes across a lot more like a big sister when she keeps reminding him and encouraging him to go to his high school reunion. He finally pushes back and asks her to stop. Luckily she doesn't.

"So, what am I gonna do now? Just keep jumping from rock to rock, for the rest of my life, until they're not any rocks left?" - High Fidelity

Rob Gordon may not have it all figured out, but at least he's self-aware enough that he has to make some changes. Sure, he's still figuring it all on, but he's on the right path, or on the right rocks, so to speak.

"That's right, they start me at the drive-up window and I gradually work my way up from shakes to burgers, and then one day my lucky break comes: the french fry guy dies and they offer me the job! But the day I'm supposed to start, some men come by in a black Lincoln Continental and tell me I can make a quick 300 just for driving a van back from Mexico!" - The Sure Thing

In a classic Cusack character moment, Gib goes way too far in explaining what will happen if he doesn't end up with Alison (Daphne Zuniga). Not that she's listening as she swims laps.

"She only speaks French, Roy. She doesn't speak imbecile" - Better Off Dead

Many of Cusack's characters, including Lane Meyer, might come across as chill, or even meek, but they are all willing to stand up for what is right when they are pushed too far. Like in this scene when the jock hits on his friend.

"Joe. She's written 65 songs... 65. They're all about you. They're all about pain." - Say Anything...

In Say Anything... one of Lloyd's best characteristics is his loyalty to his friends, especially his two female friends in the movie. One of whom is completely heartbroken over her breakup with Joe, and Joe just wants to taunt her, it seems. Lloyd begs him to stop.

"One night with me and she'll probably go blind with ecstasy. Poor creature. Gee, I hope she doesn't grab onto my leg and start crying once the date's over. What would I do?" - Better Off Dead

Lane Meyer's confidence might have been shaken after he was dumped at the beginning of the movie, but he regains it by the end and the scene of him psyching himself up for his date with Monique proves it.

"Hey, my brotha, can I borrow a copy of your 'Hey Soul Classics'?" - Say Anything...

Lloyd's relationship with his nephew isn't a major part of Say Anything... but the movie does a great job showing just how sweet he is to the kid. He even teaches him a little routine about a great tape, it seems.

"Likes to brag that he killed more men than cancer." - Con Air

While Con Air may not make a lot of sense, when you think about it too closely, you can't deny that the movie is awesome. It has some amazing characters and some amazing moments and while John Cusack isn't as over the top in his performance as some of the other cast members, he still has some great lines.

"I killed the president of Paraguay with a fork. How have you been?" - Grosse Pointe Blank

Martin Blank's relationship with his therapist, played by Alan Arkin, is pretty hilarious. As he tries to figure out how he is going to get through his reunion, he keeps freaking the doctor out with comments like this.

"I hired these guys for three days a week and they just started showing up every day. That was four years ago." - High Fidelity

Hey, at least they are loyal! Right? They are annoying, to be sure.

"No no no, I went the other road. Six figures, doing business with lead-pipe cruelty, mercenary sensibility." - Grosse Pointe Blank

Martin Blank's mix of confidence and nervousness is on full display when she meets his ex-girlfriend's intimidating father (who he is also contracted to eliminate). It's a great scene and highlights the ridiculous nature of the movie.

"Hey, I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I'm certainly not the dumbest. I mean, I've read books like 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being' and 'Love in the Time of Cholera,' and I think I've understood them. They're about girls, right? " - High Fidelity

Rob in High Fidelity is just so cheeky and this is a perfect example. The snarkiest of snark.

"You don't know how lucky you are being a monkey. Because consciousness is a terrible curse. I think. I feel. I suffer. And all I ask in return is the opportunity to do my work. And they won't allow it... because I raise issues." - Being John Malkovich

Cusack's character in Being John Malkovich is pretty dark, in most of the movie. Even when he's having a conversation with a monkey.

"I'm Lloyd, and we're gonna watch the movie 'Cocoon.' I've never actually seen it, but I heard it's very good, it makes you happy, that's a good thing. It's about a group of older people who go to outer space... hope I didn't give anything away there." - Say Anything...

Anyone who works at a publication like CinemaBlend can tell you how nervous we all get about spoilers in our articles.

"'The degree of civilization in a society can be judged by observing its prisoners.' Dostoevsky said that... after doin' a little time." - Con Air

Any truly great Cusack character is going to have a little philosophy for you. Even in Con Air.

"I am looking for a dare to be great situation." - Say Anything...

Lloyd doesn't have it all figured out, but he knows what he wants.

"I was sitting there alone on prom night, in a rented tuxedo, and my whole life flashed before my eyes. And I realized finally, and for the first time, that I wanted to kill somebody. So I figured since I loved you so much, it'd be a good idea if I didn't see you anymore." - Grosse Pointe Blank

When you are a contract killer, justifying things with people close to you is pretty much impossible, but Martin gets credit for trying, even if he's being a little too honest sometimes.

"What came first, the music or the misery? Did I listen to pop music because I was miserable? Or was I miserable because I listened to pop music?" - High Fidelity

This is a question we could all ask ourselves, right?

"Real smooth, Cliff." - 16 Candles

One of Cusack's earliest roles was in 16 Candles. The movie itself hasn't aged well for a number of reasons, and so it John Cusack's character. This is a pretty funny moment though, and a lot more innocent than the rest of it.

I’m a cinephile who enjoys regularly revisiting my favorite films, but director Stephen Frears’ High Fidelity is a movie that exists in a very special category for me in that I’ve probably watched it dozens of times. The characters and performances are wonderful and real (I always appreciate how I vacillate between loving and hating each of the protagonists), and it’s hilariously brutal emotional honesty help make it one of the all-time best romantic comedies.

But above all other brilliant qualities, its greatest strength is its soundtrack – which only makes sense given how important music is to the story. From Barry White to Bob Dylan to The Chemical Brothers, the movie finds a ideal song for every scene, and the official album is fittingly one of the best cinema-born mixtapes you’ll ever find. All that on the table, it’s a difficult task to rank the best of the best music moments in High Fidelity, but in an effort to honor John Cusack’s Rob Gordon and his habit of making Top 5 lists, I’ve attempted to do just that (albeit multiplied by three).

15. “The River” by Bruce Springsteen

The Bruce Springsteen cameo in High Fidelity is one of the film’s best moments, but The Boss is also at the heart of one of the great music moments. “The River” plays over the story of Rob’s relationship with Sarah Kendrew (Lili Taylor), and it provides a somber sound for the pairing born out of “collective loathing for the opposite sex.” It’s additionally fitting it’s a song about young love told with a bleak perspective.

14. “Seymour Stein” by Belle & Sebastian/ “Walking On Sunshine” by Katrina And The Waves

Here we have two songs that really tell us everything we need to know about Rob Gordon’s employees. First there’s Dick (Todd Louiso), the soft-spoken introvert who aims to add some chill vibes to the record store with “Seymour Stein” by Belle & Sebastian, but then in comes Barry (Jack Black) with his in-your-face attitude – and without a second thought the ditches the moody tunes for the burst of energy that comes packed with the ecstatic vibes of Katrina And The Waves’ “Walking On Sunshine.” It’s a textbook example of music being used to show instead of tell.

13. “I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Babe” by Barry White

“No woman in the history of the world is having better sex than sex you are having with Ian.” With that sentiment and Rob’s imagination generating a horrific nightmare, the only possible soundtrack choice here was a song by Barry White, and High Fidelity knocked it out of the park. White’s deep baritone voice and sultry lyrics are deeply associated with sex in pop culture, and “I'm Gonna Love You Just A Little More, Babe” is an ace accompaniment to the ridiculously passionate grinding on screen featuring Laura (Iben Hjejle) and Ian (Tim Robbins).

12. “Suspect Device” by Stiff Little Fingers

High Fidelity posits that the strongest relationships are built on “what you like, not what you are like,” and it’s wonderful to see that philosophy come to life with the use of “Suspect Device” by Stiff Little Fingers. Dick meets Anaugh Moss (Sara Gilbert) when she is on the hunt for a new punk record in the store, and it’s thanks to the song and a customer wondering if it’s the new Green Day album that the two music geeks/future item gets to share a moment of eye-rolling connection.

11. “Dry The Rain” by The Beta Band

I can’t explain why I love Rob using the record store speaker system for customer manipulation, but I really do. The man spends much of the movie in a crushed emotional state following his breakup and reflecting on past relationships, but when he puts on “Dry The Rain,” he does so with a special confidence – knowing that the song will immediately inspire browsers to check out EPs by The Beta Band. Really the only issue with this High Fidelity music moment is that it gets interrupted when Vince (Chris Rehmann) and Justin (Ben Carr) attempt a bit of shoplifting.

10. “Lo Boob Oscillator” by Stereolab

In the third act of High Fidelity, everything seems to be going swimmingly, as Rob and Laura are back together and happy… but then in walks Caroline Fortis (Natasha Gregson Wagner). From the very moment she enters the picture identifying Stereolab playing on the speaker system, she is immediately identifiable as trouble – and things don’t get better when Rob realizes she is a music columnist. “Lo Boob Oscillator” is a rad song, and it does the trick instigating a click.

9. “Who Loves The Sun” by The Velvet Underground

The sweet and pleasant “Who Loves The Sun” is a smart soundtrack choice for a revelatory moment in a film, and High Fidelity nails it. The Velvet Underground plays as Rob continues to reel from his breakup with Laura and feels compelled to revisit the most consequential romantic relationships in his life. He finds closure when he tries to call Alison Ashmore and discovers that she ended up marrying her “first” boyfriend, Kevin Bannister, and it’s a huge weight off of the protagonist’s mind.

8. “I Get The Sweetest Feeling” by Jackie Wilson

Rob begins High Fidelity pondering, “What came first: the music or the misery?” but the film finds the polar opposite emotion late with the incorporation of “I Get The Sweetest Feeling” by Jackie Wilson. So much of the movie is about heartbreak, but life becomes wonderful again when Rob and Laura get back together, and this soundtrack choice is an excellent celebration that lets the audience get in on the characters’ feelings.

7. “Oh! Sweet Nuthin'” by The Velvet Underground

High Fidelity features a number of brilliant rain-soaked sequences, and this won’t be the only one I mention in this ranking – but this is the first in the movie chronologically, and it’s a gut-punch. While “Who Loves The Sun” promotes some optimism in Rob’s life, The Velvet Underground’s “Oh! Sweet Nuthin'” punctuates the character’s lowest moment after he discovers that Laura and Ian have slept together – theoretically closing the door on their potential reunion.

6. “Baby, I Love Your Way” by Peter Frampton

All of the credit here goes to Lisa Bonet. Prior to meeting Dick and Barry at a bar, Rob is discouraged to hear the familiar sound of a Peter Frampton song, but the seductive performance by Marie de Salle (Bonet) successfully changes his mind – not to mention the minds of Dick and Barry. It’s a fantastic cover… though admittedly not the best cover to be found in the High Fidelity soundtrack (a hint at what’s still to come).

5. “Always See Your Face” by Love

One of the best songs about heartbreak on the High Fidelity soundtrack is ironically by Love, as “Always See Your Face” is an impeccable match for Rob’s post-breakup despair (key lyric: “Won’t somebody please/Help me with my miseries.”) I will always identify this trumpet-heavy track with what is one of my favorite exchanges in the movie, with Rob being asked, “Do you have soul?” and replying flatly, “That all depends.”

4. “The Inside Game” by Royal Trux

This track represents a ballsy move by the High Fidelity filmmakers. The movie needed a song so good that it would inspire Rob to create his own record – regardless of the individuals that produced it. In reality, “The Inside Game” is a song by the group Royal Trux, but it’s a fitting song for the personalities of hooligan skateboard kids Vince and Justin, and in the words of Barry, “it’s really fucking good.” It’s trippy, funky, and punk all at the same time, and understandably irresistible to Rob’s aspirations.

3. “I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)” by Stevie Wonder

Are Rob and Laura destined to stay together? The romantic in me wants to say yes – assuming that the protagonist can properly ignore his terrible instincts – and the use of Stevie Wonder’s “I Believe (When I Fall In Love It Will Be Forever)” as High Fidelity’s final song before the credits reinforces by belief. The fact that Rob uses the song to begin his new mixtape for Laura inspires hope that he is over his “shit for brains” era of constantly looking for something better and properly recognizes the incredible love he has in his life.

2. “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye

At this point, audiences everywhere know about the phenomenal musical skills of Jack Black, but those who didn’t back in 2000 when High Fidelity was first released got a powerful lesson. Rob’s desperation to not hear Barry perform ramps up anticipation for a comedic disaster in the movie’s third act, but then Black’s charisma completely flips the script with his rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On.” Even if it were all just covers, I would totally buy a Barry Jive And The Uptown Five album.

1. “Most Of The Time” by Bob Dylan

Back in 2009, I ranked this particular High Fidelity scene as the third best movie music moment of the 2000s, so let it be known that my love for it runs deep. When Rob is at his lowest point in the film, leaving Laura’s father’s funeral accepting the blame for everything that went wrong in his last relationship, “Most Of The Time” by Bob Dylan is a perfect pairing. It’s a song that’s actually about lost love, making it a match lyrically, but the slow strumming and Dylan’s melancholy voice syncs with the pouring rain and Rob’s devastation to make the sequence unforgettable.

High Fidelity isn’t currently available to stream on any subscription services, but it is available to digitally purchase and rent from outlets including Prime Video, Google Play, Apple, and Vudu. And if you need more John Cusack in your life, check out our guide celebrating his best films.

Romantic comedies are an art form that people undervalue. But not me, they’re my comfort genre. I have seen many of the best rom-coms throughout my life. I’ve seen highly rated romantic comedies that sweep you into the tale and ones that don’t quite understand the appeal of the genre.  Seeing so many has made me develop an admiration and appreciation for actors who excel in this film world. John Cusack is one of these actors. Some of the best John Cusack movies are romantic. 

Watching his romantic comedies has made him one of my favorite romantic leads. He built a collection of very entertaining and heartfelt romantic movies. A few of these films have become favorites in the genre. Let me praise Cusack for his ability to create authentic and swoon-worthy romantic leads. 

His Characters Love Hard 

Lloyd Dobler is the ultimate love-sick guy. He’s slightly obsessed with Diane Court (Ione Skye) and that makes him endearing. He’s head-over-heels, hopelessly in love with her. She’s a queen to him and he sees himself as only a lucky peasant to get to exist in her orbit. Say Anything is the best example of Cusack playing a love-sick boy. However, it’s far from his only film with this attribute. The whole premise of Better Off Dead is a boy who wants to die because his girlfriend dumps him. High Fidelity revolves around Rob, a man reexamining past relationships because of a recent breakup.

In most of those romances, Rob is the one who loses the girl. He’s madly in love with these women, but they aren’t sure about him. Rob later realizes that he’s the problem, not them. However, he often becomes very enamored with these women before things sour. I enjoy this aspect of Cusack’s characters because I often see gender stereotypes with male characters who are cool, aloof, and sometimes emotionally distant from their love interest. There is also a pattern of movies where the woman falls fast and the guy only realizes he loves her when she leaves him. I’ll take the hopelessly in love male character over the ones who only realize they love the girl or guy at the end. 

John Cusack Plays Imperfect Romantic Leads 

Another constant in many John Cusack romantic movies is that his characters are kind of a mess. Very few of these characters have their whole life figured out. Even characters, such as Martin Blank in Grosse Pointe Blank, who have some parts of their life perfectly together have troubles with love. In America’s Sweethearts, Eddie is a successful actor but still quite a mess. 

Having less-than-perfect romantic leads is not a new thing in romantic comedies, and I prefer these types of films. I don’t want picture-perfect male or female characters. I want characters who behave in ridiculous ways. This feels realistic. We have all become fools for love at some point in our lives. Messy romantic leads make love seem more attainable. You don’t need to be perfect to find love. 

His Characters Feel Genuine 

Cusack brings sincerity to his characters. You care about them because they genuinely seem to only want to find love and happiness. This gives his characters a likability factor even when they behave deplorably. He’s a contract killer in Grosse Point Blank but I wanted him to find a way to make it work with Debi (Minnie Driver). Rob often crosses the line into jerk territory in High Fidelity. However, he often pulls you back to his side.

It’s because Rob isn’t a bad person, just extremely flawed. Only an actor such as Cusack could sell these characters. He knows how to make them feel real and honest. 

Many Of These Characters Are Self-Aware 

Cusack doesn’t always play a golden boy in these romantic comedies. However, he does often play a character with self-awareness. He knows he makes mistakes and (mostly) understands his issues. Even if he doesn’t know his problems at the beginning, he realizes them by the end. Cusack also plays characters who reflect on their decisions. They are introspective. 

It’s that self-awareness that allows you to connect with them. You can forgive his behavior because you see that these characters understand their mistakes. The best way Cusack uses this introspection is in High Fidelity. By the end of the movie, Rob reflecting on his life allows him to undergo a personal evolution.

He Has Charming Chemistry With His Romantic Leading Ladies 

Not every Cusack romantic comedy has a stellar premise. However, he manages to make them work because of the effortlessness of the chemistry he creates with his leading lady. I credit a lot of my enjoyment of Must Love Dogs to Diane Lane and Cusack’s beguiling chemistry. They are a pair I would like to see co-star again.

He has similar captivating chemistry with Minnie Driver, Kate Beckinsale, Ione Skye, and many of his other romantic on-screen partners. 

John Cusack’s Characters Take You Through An Emotional Journey 

I think I mostly love Cusack as a romantic lead because he makes you invest in these characters. It’s not easy to sell them as individuals in a romantic movie. Often, I care about whether the couple ends up together. However, I don’t know if I necessarily would care about the characters if they weren’t involved in this complicated romantic dance.

Cusack leads by making you care about his characters, and then the romance. I wanted Lloyd and Diane to end up together. However, I also just wanted Lloyd to be all right. If that meant just continuing to work on his kickboxing career without Diane, then so be it. Although, we all know his world revolved around her, and he couldn’t truly be happy without her. 

It’s easy to make someone root for a couple, especially when played by actors with great chemistry, but harder to make them care about these characters as individuals.  

He Stars In Romantic Comedies That Actually Have Comedy 

Recently, I rewatched some of the movies on this list, and many of them are still quite funny. Sometimes the comedy comes from scene-stealers like Jack Black in one of his best movies, and other times it's from Cusack himself. He isn’t a bold, in-your-face comedian. 

However, Cusack is very funny. It’s the delivery of lines, the effortless way he goes between dorky and cool, and sometimes his facial expressions and movements. A lot of romantic leads are scholars in romance but fail the comedic elements. I can name a lot of romantic rom-coms, but I can only name a few actual funny ones. My favorite John Cusack romantic comedies are both. 

It’s been quite a while since Cusack has starred in a romantic comedy. Therefore, I think it’s safe to assume that element of his career has ended. It’s a shame. However, many of his romantic comedies remain enjoyable and fun, and highlight his brilliant romantic lead status. 

Growing up, I spent a lot of time watching random movies on TV. For a few hours after school and even longer during summer break, I would plant myself on the couch and just watch whatever was on. One of those movies I watched multiple times as a kid was Better Off Dead, the 1985 John Cusack movie about a teenager who becomes suicidal after being dumped by his girlfriend. 

I recently decided to go back and watch Better Off Dead for the first time in at least 20 years, and it was an eye-opening experience to say the very least. There were so many things I failed to pick up on as a kid (both nuanced and overt), and rewatching it as an adult felt like experiencing it for the first time all over again. Here are some thoughts I had after revisiting it all these years later.

First, I Had No Memory Of Better Off Dead Being A Black Comedy

As I said in the introduction, there was a lot about Better Off Dead that went over my head when I was a kid, including the film’s tone. All these years, I remembered Savage Steve Holland’s movie being just a normal ‘80s teen comedy about a high schooler trying to win back his ex-girlfriend by challenging her new boyfriend to a ski race. So, you can imagine how thrown off and stoked I was when I realized it is actually an absurd black comedy full of random and incredible jokes throughout.

The off-putting characters (like all the grown men trying to go on a date with Amanda Wyss’ Beth Truss), John Cusack’s Lane Meyer’s various suicide attempts, and all-around absurd tone of the movie all give Better Off Dead a strangely funny tone, making it a unique experience.

Lane's Mom's Lack Of Awareness Is Hilarious

Rewatching Better Off Dead, I couldn’t get enough of Lane’s mom Jenny Meyer, played masterfully by Kim Darby. Whether she’s trying to get her family to eat one of her monstrous culinary concoctions (more on those in a bit) or failing to pick up on various situations in her everyday life, she steals pretty much every scene she’s in, which is no easy task.

The strange quirkiness of Jenny adds so much to the movie, especially whenever she’s trying something out in the kitchen. The boiled bacon because her husband doesn’t like the grease, the raisin dessert because Lane likes raisins, and the “French” dinner for Monique Junot (Diane Franklin) are all objectively terrible, but she just can’t pick up on it. The best part is that she’s so nice and pleasant about it, you can’t hate on her for it.

The Claymation Cheeseburger Sequence Is So Absurd And Random

As was the case with One Crazy Summer, which came out the following year, Better Off Dead is full of animated sequences crafted by writer and director Savage Steve Holland. However, none hold a candle to the random yet great stop-motion sequence when one of Lane Meyer’s hamburgers comes to life and starts playing Van Halen’s “Everybody Wants Some” with a guitar that looks exactly like the one played by the late Eddie Van Halen. 

Everything about this scene is a romp of a good time. From Rocko (Chuck Mitchell) telling Lane how to build the patties (after putting out his cigar in a ball of meat and cleaning his fake tooth in a cup of coffee), to the Frankenstein sequence to bring the patty to life, to the claymation burger being a lifeguard for fries in a vat of hot grease, everything is all killer no filler in this nearly five minute-long sequence.

I Completely Forgot About Mr. Kerber Asking Lane's Permission To Take Beth On A Date

One of the most over-the-top recurring jokes throughout Better Off Dead is everyone being obsessed with Beth Truss. While it is Lane Meyer who is mostly pining over the girl who dumped him after six months of dating, everyone from Barney Rubble to Lane’s teacher, Mr. Kerber (Vincent Schiavelli) is also obsessed with the high schooler and wants to ask her out. I remember Lane and his ridiculous number of pictures of Beth, but I completely forgot about the part where Mr. Kerber asks Lane’s permission to date his ex.

This is clearly a joke in line with the overall tone of Better Off Dead, but I was not expecting for a teacher to hold a student behind in class just so that he could attempt to date another one of his students. Like, what? Add that to another aspect of the movie that wouldn’t fly with a PG rating today. 

I'm Still Trying To Figure Out The Obsession With Ski Movies In The 1980s

One thing I have never been able to figure out is the obsession with ski movies in the 1980s. It seems like there were dozens of comedies, dramas, and thrillers that involved skiing one way or another, including Better Off Dead. The trope, which has been parodied by It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, is something that I enjoy watching, but don’t really understand how it came to be.

I still can’t tell if Lane Meyer being admittedly pretty damn good on the slopes is something that is played earnestly or as a joke about skiing in teen comedies during this era. Sure, Lane isn’t going to be competing for a medal at the Winter Olympics, but his skills on the powder are something to behold.

Ok, I Have To Talk About The Movie Ending At Dodger Stadium

If you were to tell me that Better Off Dead, a movie primarily set in Northern California, would end with the hero and his love interest sitting atop a black Camaro at home plate at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, I wouldn’t know what to believe. But that happens. That actually happens. After winning the ski competition (and defeating Ricky Smith in a ski-pole sword fight), Lane and Monique go to Dodger Stadium (Monique is a massive Dodgers fan) where they share a kiss in the same spot Kirk Gibson would hit a tide-turning home run in the 1988 World Series a few years later.

As wild as that sounds, it only gets more over-the-top a few moments later when Johnny Gasparini (Demian Slade), the paperboy hounding Lane for his two dollars throughout the movie, is seen riding towards him on the diamond. Mind you, this is after the persistent youth flies over the side of a mountain. Talk about a very on-brand way to end this absurd movie.

Overall, I had a great time revisiting Better Off Dead all these years later, and the whole experience gave me a greater appreciation for the movie. While we probably won’t find any titles as ridiculous on the 2023 movie schedule, you can always revisit this gem with a Paramount+ subscription.

For quite some time, there have been actors who not only bring movies to life by acting on the big screen but also play a major role in crafting the stories. Over the years, multiple Best Picture winners have been written by talented thespians, who also happen to be accomplished wordsmiths. From stars who've pieced together films that would earn them their first Academy Award nominations to those penning passion projects, here are 32 successful actors who are also hit screenwriters.

Ben Affleck

In early 1998, Ben Affleck became one of the biggest stars in Hollywood after he and Matt Damon won the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting. The movie made the longtime friends -- who didn't always work together -- into overnight sensations. Since then, he’s written four additional films: Gone Baby Gone, Live by Night, The Town and The Last Duel, which he co-wrote with Damon.

Matt Damon

As mentioned, Matt Damon took home the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting in 1998. The movie, of course, also featured his Academy Award-worthy performance as a troubled young genius. Since then, he’s co-written two additional Gus Van Sant-directed scripts – Gerry in 2002, Promised Land in 2012 – as well as the Ridley Scott historical epic, The Last Duel, which he penned with Ben Affleck.

Jordan Peele

After finding success with Key & Peele, Jordan Peele turned to more behind-the-scenes work, serving as both a director and screenwriter. From his 2016 comedy, Keanu to 2022’s Nope and Wendell & Wild, Peele has cemented his legacy as one of the strongest voices in Hollywood. He won an Oscar for his Get Out screenplay in 2018 and produced two of the best horror movies in recent memory: Us and Candyman.

Tina Fey

Tina Fey will forever be remembered as one of the best Saturday Night Live cast members, and that experience allowed her to fine-tune her writing and acting skills. In addition to starring in movies like Baby Mama, Date Night and Muppets Most Wanted, Fey famously wrote the screenplay for Mean Girls, which is one of the best movies of the 2000s.

Sylvester Stallone

A handful of the best action movies of all time were written by none other than Sylvester Stallone, who has flexed his muscles in front of the camera and behind the scenes. All of the Rocky films (as well as Creed II) were written by Stallone, as were the Rambo flicks and pretty much most of his best big-screen ventures.

George Clooney

George Clooney has plenty of notable movies like Ocean’s Eleven, Syriana, Michael Clayton and even the over-the-top Batman & Robin. But the Academy Award-winning actor has also penned quite a few screenplays over the years, including the ones for Good Night, and Good Luck, The Ides of March, Leatherheads, The Monuments Men and Suburbicon.

Kristen Wiig

Two of the funniest movies of the past decade-and-a-half – Bridesmaids and Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar – not only featured the Saturday Night Live legend Kristen Wiig's on-screen talents, they were also co-written by the actress. And penning those screenplays alongside her was co-star Annie Mumolo.

Tyler Perry

In addition to being a committed philanthropist and all-around great guy, Tyler Perry is also an incredibly successful actor, movie producer, and screenwriter. Throughout his career, Perry has written multiple entries in the Madea film franchise as well as other films like A Jazzman’s Blues, Acrimony, and Why Did I Get Married?, to name a few.

Greta Gerwig

Greta Gerwig has become famous for her Barbie screenplay (which was co-written by Noah Baumbach), but that's only one of the great scripts written by the talented actress. In addition to starring in several dozen movies over the years, Gerwig also penned modern gems like Frances Ha, Lady Bird, Mistress America and Little Women.

Phoebe Waller-Bridge

In addition to being a talented actress with multiple scene-stealing performances in movies like Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny and Solo: A Star Wars Story, Phoebe Waller-Bridge is a talented writer. She created and penned the shows Fleabag and Killing Eve and received a partial writing credit for her contributions on No Time to Die.

Justin Theroux

Throughout his career, Justin Theroux has starred in movies like Mulholland Drive, Miami Vice and American Psycho. However, he also has some impressive screenwriting credits to his name. With work on Iron Man 2, Tropic Thunder, Rock of Ages and Zoolander 2, he has quite the body of work.

Emma Thompson

Emma Thompson is an actress with a great filmography, through which she's worked both in front of and behind the camera. In fact, Thompson has Academy Awards for  Best Actress (for Howards End) and Best Adapted Screenplay (for Sense and Sensibility). She’s also penned movies like Bridget Jones’s Baby, Last Christmas and the Nanny McPhee films.

Billy Bob Thornton 

Billy Bob Thornton is another actor who has won an Academy Award for writing, having scored a Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for his work on Sling Blade, which he also starred in and directed. Over the years, some of Thornton's best movies -- like One False Move, A Family Thing, The Gift and Daddy and Them were also written by the actor himself.

Emerald Fennell 

After finding success with acting roles in movies like Albert Nobbs, Anna Karenina and The Danish Girl, as well as shows like Call the Midwife and The Crown, Emerald Fennell turned her attention to writing and directing. Her feature film debut, Promising Young Woman, earned her a Best Original Screenplay Oscar. She also crafted the script for the drama film Saltburn.

Tom Hanks 

Tom Hanks is another Oscar winner with a number of screenwriting credits to his name. In addition to leading some of the best movies of all time, Hanks has also penned the screenplays for That Thing You Do, Larry Crowne and the 2020 World War II thriller Greyhound.

Kumail Nanjiani 

Kumail Nanjiani has starred in all kinds of movies over the years, with Eternals, Stuber and The Lovebirds being just a few of them. But Nanjiani also wrote the screenplay for The Big Sick, the 2018 romantic comedy inspired by the battles he and wife Emily V. Gordon faced early in their relationship.

Paul Rudd 

Paul Rudd not only starred in one of the best Marvel movies such as Ant-Man, he was also one the writers given credit for its screenplay (alongside Edgar Wright, Joe Cornish, and Adam McKay). But that wasn’t his first or last script, as Rudd contributed to Role Models and Ant-Man and the Wasp.

Ethan Hawke 

Throughout his career, Ethan Hawke has starred in movies like Reality Bites, Boyhood, First Reformed and The Black Phone, among many others. However, the actor has also written his fair share of screenplays as well, with everything from the second and third installments in the Before film franchise to the gripping biopic Blaze featuring his handiwork. 

 Angelina Jolie 

Over the years, Angelina Jolie has become an instantly recognizable face and name thanks to a number of wonderful performances. The actress has also a few screenwriting credits, including In the Land of Blood and Honey, First They Killed My Father and By the Sea.

Kenneth Branagh 

To some Kenneth Branagh is arguably better known as a screenwriter than actor. That's because he won Oscar for Best Original Screenplay for the semi autobiographical coming-of-age drama Belfast and received a nomination for his adaptation of Hamlet back in 1995. The Christopher Nolan collaborator has also written other films like Much Ado About Nothing, In the Bleak Midwinter, Listening and The Magic Flute.

Steve Coogan 

Steve Coogan is famous for his performances in the Night at the Museum movies, Tropic Thunder, 24 Hour Party People, and The Trip, but he’s also a talented writer. Over the years, Coogan has written movies like Philomena, The Lost King, The Parole Officer and Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa.

Sarah Polley 

After making a name for herself as an actress with roles in movies like Go, The Weight of Water and the underrated Dawn of the Dead remake, Sarah Polley turned her jumped into the writer/director seat. One of her most well-known scripts is probably 2022's Women Talking, which earned her an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay.

Seth Rogen 

Seth Rogen has written some of the comedies that defined the 2000s, such as Pineapple Express and Superbad, as well as more recent hits like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem. This is on top of appearing in all three of those movies, as well as other classics like The 40-Year-Old Virgin, which totally deserved its R rating.

Taylor Sheridan 

Taylor Sheridan is mostly known for crafting Sicario, Wind River, Hell or High Water and other riveting dramas. But the Yellowstone co-creator also had a decent acting career before making the big shift over the past decade. He appeared on shows like Sons of Anarchy and Veronica Mars.

Lake Bell 

In addition to appearing in movies like No Escape, No Strings Attached, It’s Complicated and Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Lake Bell has also written and directed a few projects throughout her career. There are the shorts Worst Enemy and El Tonto, which she followed up with feature-length films, In a World… and I Do… Until I Don’t.

Owen Wilson 

When talking about Wes Anderson's collaborators, few names come to mind as quickly as Owen Wilson, who has appeared in a number of the director’s films throughout his career. But on top of appearing in seven of Anderson’s movies, Wilson also helped write three of them: Bottlerocket, Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums.

Jason Segel 

When it comes to the movie sphere, Jason Segel is probably best known for his portrayal of Peter Bretter in the 2008 comedy Forgetting Sarah Marshall, but some might not know he also wrote it. After that, Segel penned three additional feature films: The Muppets, The Five-Year Engagement and Sex Tape.

Ricky Gervais

On top of creating and starring on TV shows like the original version of The Office, Episodes and Extras, Ricky Gervais has also written some popular movies throughout his career. The British actor and comedian has crafted The Invention of Lying, Special Correspondents, Cemetery Junction and David Brent: Life on the Road.

Woody Allen 

Throughout his career, which goes back the mid 1950s, Woody Allen has written, directed, and starred in dozens of movies, many of which are incredibly well-received. Over the years, Allen has won four Academy Awards, three of which were for Best Original Screenplay – Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters, and Midnight in Paris – on top of all kinds of other accolades. However, Allen has only appeared in four of his own movies the past 20 years.

John Cusack 

Not only did he star in some of the most iconic comedies of the 1980s, some all-time great ‘90s movies, and experience a great deal of success, John Cusack has written a handful of films throughout his career. This short list also happens to include some of his Cusack's best movies like High Fidelity and Grosse Pointe Blank. His other writing credits include War, Inc. and We Are Not Animals.

Rashida Jones 

Rashida Jones is perhaps best known for her roles on NBC comedy hits The Office and Parks and Recreation, but the actress has also written a few screenplays throughout her career. This includes Celeste and Jesse Forever, the 2018 documentary, Quincy, which is about her dad -- music legend Quicy Jones. She also has a story credit for Toy Story 4 and wrote “Nosedive,” one of the best Black Mirror episodes.

Tom McCarthy 

Tom McCarthy is best known for writing and directing Spotlight, the riveting journalism movie that won Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay at the 88th Academy Awards. But while he was in the process of becoming an award-winning filmmaker, McCarthy put together a decent acting resume that included a memorable turn on The Wire (during the final season), Meet the Parents, Good Night, and Good Luck, Syriana and Michael Clayton.

Each of these nearly three-dozen actors has quite the resume, both in terms of on-screen performances and written work, making them more than deserving of any and all praise.

Every once in a while, celebrity siblings - such as Ben and Casey Affleck or Dakota and Elle Fanning - end up sharing the screen together. Well, apparently it happens a little more often than just every once in a while, given the amount of examples we compiled below.

Jake And Maggie Gyllenhaal (A Dangerous Woman, Homegrown, Donnie Darko)

Oscar nominee Jake Gyllenhaal and his twice-nominated older sister, Maggie, are in three movies together: 1993’s A Dangerous Woman, 1998’s Homegrown (both were directed by their father, Stephen), and the eventual sci-fi cult classic, Donnie Darko, in 2001.

Jeff And Beau Bridges (The Fabulous Baker Boys)

Oscar winner Jeff Bridges and his older brother, Beau, also played siblings in The Fabulous Baker Boys - a 1989 comedy in which the titular musicians become rivals after teaming up with a beautiful aspiring singer (Michelle Pfieffer).

Kate And Rooney Mara (Urban Legends: Bloody Mary)

Kate Mara of the House of Cards cast led the 2005 straight-to-video slasher, Urban Legends: Bloody Mary, in which her younger sister, Nightmare Alley’s Rooney Mara, made her acting debut.

Sean And Chris Penn (At Close Range)

Future two-time Oscar-winner Sean Penn and his late younger brother, Chris (best known from the Reservoir Dogs cast) played siblings in the 1986 crime thriller, At Close Range, starring Christopher Walken as their criminal father.

Andrew, Owen, And Luke Wilson (Bottle Rocket, The Royal Tenenbaums) 

Owen Wilson and his younger sibling, Luke have also acted alongside their eldest brother, Andrew, in 1996’s Bottle Rocket and The Royal Tenenbaums from 2001 - both of which Owen also co-wrote with director Wes Anderson.

Chris And Luke Hemsworth (Thor: Ragnarok)

Chris Hemsworth has yet to star in anything with his little bro, Liam, but the Australian Marvel movie star’s older bother, Westworld star Luke, did show up in Thor: Ragnarok as a dramatized version of the God of Thunder, whom he is set to reprise (along with Matt Damon as “Actor Loki”) in Thor: Love and Thunder.

Dylan And Cole Sprouse (Various)

Twin brothers Dylan and Cole Sprouse (the latter of which went on to join the Riverdale cast) have shared the same role in several TV shows (most notably Grace Under Fire) and movies (such as Big Daddy with Adam Sandler) and have played siblings just as often, most famously as the title characters of The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, its spin-off The Suite Life on Deck, and 2011’s The Suite Life Movie.

Tia, Tamera, And Tahj Mowry  (Sister, Sister, Smart Guy, Seventeen Again)

Twin sisters Tia and Tamera Mowry have shared the screen with their little brother, Tahj, several times - most notably as guest stars on each other’s respective sitcoms, Sister, Sister and Smart Guy, and in the 2000 Showtime original movie, Seventeen Again.

James And Dave Franco (The Disaster Artist)

After years finding success in the business in separate projects, James Franco and his younger brother, Dave, played Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero of the infamous cult favorite, The Room, in the 2017 biopic, The Disaster Artist.

Hilary And Haylie Duff (Various)

Haylie Duff would appear on three episodes of her younger sister, Hilary’s, Disney Channel show, Lizzie McGuire, and provided the singing voice of Isabella Parigi in the theatrical spin-off before they both played a singing group on an episode of American Dreams, sisters in the 2006 rags-to-riches story Material Girls, and both leant their voices to the infamous animated movie Foodfight!, which was released in 2012.

Aly And AJ Michalka (Various)

Singer-songwriter duo Aly and AJ Michalka first shared the screen in the 2006 Disney Channel original movie Cow Belles as sisters, again in the MTV original Super Sweet 16: The Movie the next year as rivals, followed by three episodes of Aly’s CW series Hellcats in 2011 as half-sisters. Most recently, they appeared in the 2015 drama, Weepah Way For Now, as what appear to be fictionalized versions of themselves.

Dakota And Elle Fanning (I Am Sam, Taken)

Elle Fanning has portrayed a younger version of her older sister, Dakota, on two separate occasions: first in the 2001 drama I Am Sam and secondly in the Steven Spielberg-produced, Syfy original miniseries, Taken, in 2002.

Spencer And Abigail Breslin (Various)

Academy Award nominee Abigail and her older brother, Spencer, played siblings in both Raising Helen and The Princess Diaries 2: A Royal Engagement in 2004, played elves in The Santa Clause 3: The Escape Clause in 2006, and later played cousins in the 2014 crime drama, Perfect Sisters.

Jason And Justine Bateman (Arrested Development)

Justine Bateman played her real-life brother, Jason's, sibling in the 1986 TV movie Can You Feel Me Dancing? and a sex worker whom Jason’s Michael Bluth mistakes for his long-lost sibling on Arrested Development.

John, Joan, Ann, And Bill Cusack (Grosse Pointe Blank)

While beloved star John Cusack and his Academy-nominated sister, Joan, have appeared in more films together than most celebrity siblings can claim (including Say Anything… and High Fidelity), the only screen credit that they also share with both their sister, Ann, and brother, Bill, is 1997’s Grosse Pointe Blank, which John also co-wrote and produced.

Bill And Brian Doyle Murray (Various) 

Bill Murray and his older brother, Brian, are both Saturday Night Live veterans (although at different times) and have several classic movies in common - including Caddyshack, Scrooged, Ghostbusters II, Groundhog Day, and The Razor's Edge.

Ben And Casey Affleck (Good Will Hunting, Chasing Amy)

Years before casting him in his amazing directorial debut, Gone Baby Gone, Ben Affleck shared the screen with his younger brother and fellow Oscar winner, Casey, in Good Will Hunting (which Ben co-wrote with Matt Damon) and Kevin Smith’s Chasing Amy in 1997.

Macaulay And Kieran Culkin (Home Alone, Home Alone 2: Lost in New York)

Kieran Culkin (now more famous than ever since starring on HBO’s Succession) made his acting debut alongside his older brother (child megastar Macaulay Culkin) in 1990’s Home Alone cast as his cousin, Fuller - a role he would also reprise in the 1992 sequel.

Rory And Kieran Culkin (Igby Goes Down)

In addition to playing Macaulay’s younger self in Richie Rich, the youngest Culkin brother, Rory, also played a younger version of Kieran as the title role in 2002's Igby Goes Down.

The Wayans Siblings (Various) 

Where do we start with the Wayans Siblings? Well, for instance, several of them (such as Damon and Kim Wayans) were a part of the In Living Color cast with star and creator Keenen Ivory Wayans, who later directed his younger brothers, Marlon and Shawn, in movies like White Chicks, the first two Scary Movie installments, and Little Man.

Zooey And Emily Deschanel (Bones)

In Season 5 of Bones, star Emily Deschanel’s sister (Zooey of the Elf cast fame and later the lead of the New Girl cast) guest starred as Temperance Brennan’s second cousin, Margaret Whitesell.

Fred And Ben Savage (Little Monsters, The Wonder Years, Boy Meets World)

After playing siblings in the family-friendly horror film, Little Monsters, in 1989, Ben Savage made a guest appearance on his older brother, Fred’s, hit dramedy, The Wonder Years, in 1990 and later returned the favor by inviting him to the Boy Meets World cast for an episode in 1998.

Charlie Sheen And Emilio Estevez (Various)

After making several movies together - including Young Guns, Men At Work, and Rated X (the latter two of which Emilio Estevez directed), Charlie Sheen (née Carlos Estevez) reunited with his brother on an episode of his hit sitcom, Two and a Half Men, in 2008.

Vanessa and Laura Marano (Saving Zoë)

Both of these talented ladies had guest appearances on Dexter at different times in the series’ run, but Vanessa Marano and her younger sister, Laura, did appear together in the 2019 mystery, Saving Zoë, as siblings torn apart by one’s unsolved murder.

Nat And Alex Wolff (The Naked Brothers Band, Mr. Troop Mom, Stella’s Last Weekend)

Hereditary’s Alex Wolff and his older brother, Peacock’s Joe vs. Carole cast member Nat Wolff, both debuted as fictionalized versions of themselves in Nickelodeon’s faux rockumentary, The Naked Brothers Band, its series continuation, and the 2009 TV movie Mr. Troop Mom before reuniting in 2018’s Stella’s Last Weekend, which was written and directed by their mother, Polly Draper.

Vera And Taissa Farmiga (Higher Ground, At Middleton, The Nun)

Scream Queens Vera and Taissa Farmiga, who are often mistaken for mother and daughter, played mother and daughter in 2013’s At Middleton after Taissa previously played her older sister’s younger self in Vera’s 2011 directorial debut, Higher Ground. However, interestingly, their characters in the 2018 Conjuring spin-off, The Nun, have no apparent familial ties.

Maude And Iris Apatow (Knocked Up, This Is 40, Funny People)

Euphoria’s Maude Apatow and her younger sister, Iris, have played siblings in 2007’s Knocked Up, its “sort-of sequel” This is 40 from 2012, and 2009’s Funny People - all three of which also starred their real mother, Leslie Mann, as their mother, and were written and directed by their father, Judd Apatow.

Dan And Sarah Levy (Schitt’s Creek)

While Annie Murphy plays co-creator Dan Levy’s on-screen sister in the Schitt’s Creek cast, Café Tropical owner, Twyla Sands, is played by his real-life sister, Sarah.

Mary-Kate, Ashley, And Elizabeth Olsen (How The West Was Fun)

After Full House made the Olsen Twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, household names and  before the Marvel movies made their younger sister, Elizabeth, an A-lister, all three of them appeared together in the ABC original TV movie How the West Was Fun in 1994.

Bill And Alexander Skarsgård (White Water Fury)

Years before his terrifying performance as Pennywise in It, Bill Skarsgård made his acting debut alongside his older brother, True Blood cast member Alexander, in the 2000 Swedish thriller, White Water Fury.

Blake And Robyn Lively (Simon Says)

Robyn Lively, star of 1989’s Teen Witch, shared the screen with her then up-and-coming half-sister, former Gossip Girl cast member Blake Lively, in a 2006 slasher flick called Simon Says, which also stars fellow ‘80s icon Crispin Glover.

Brian And Domhnall Gleeson (Mother!, Frank Of Ireland)

Despite plenty of years of experience between the them, it was not until 2017 when Star Wars star Domnhall Gleeson and his younger brother, Brian, shared the screen in Mother! before reuniting as co-creators and co-stars of the Amazon Prime original comedy Frank of Ireland - also starring their father, Brendan Gleeson.

Eddie And Charlie Murphy (Harlem Nights, Norbit)

Comedy icon Eddie Murphy worked behind the scenes a lot with his older brother, Charlie, who passed away in 2017, but the two would also share a few acting credits, - namely Eddie’s 1989 directorial debut Harlem Nights (also Charlie’s first movie), and in 2006’s Norbit, in which Charlie voiced a dog named Floyd.

Phylicia Rashad And Debbie Allen (The Cosby Show, Grey’s Anatomy, The Old Settler)

Phylicia Rashad and her younger sister, Emmy-winning dance legend Debbie Allen, have made guest appearances on each other’s shows - The Cosby Show, on which Rashad played Claire Huxtable, and Grey’s Anatomy, on which Allen plays Dr. Catherine Fox (née Avery) - and both starred in a 2001 TV movie called The Old Settler, which Allen also directed.

Ron And Clint Howard (Various) 

You can find Clint Howard in just about every movie directed by his brother, Ron Howard - including his feature-length directorial debut from 1977, Grand Theft Auto, which was also the brothers’ third time acting alongside each other after the 1963 film The Courtship of Eddie’s Father and a handful of episodes of The Andy Griffith Show.

Angelina Jolie And James Haven (Gia, Hell’s Kitchen, Original Sin)

Audiences probably remember Angelina Jolie’s brother, James Haven, better for other reasons than all the times he shared the screen with his younger sister - namely Gia and Hell’s Kitchen from 1998, and 2001’s Original Sin.

Jared And Shannon Leto (Various)

In addition to being bandmates with his young brother, Oscar winner Jared Leto, in 30 Seconds to Mars, Shannon Leto also shared the screen with him on a couple of episodes of My So-Called Life (on which Jared played the iconic Jordan Catalano) and through brief appearances in the movies Prefontaine from 1997, 1998’s Highway, and Sol Goode in 2003.

Chris And Scott Evans (Before We Go, Playing It Cool)

Former Captain America actor Chris Evans has a brother named Scott who has also appeared in two romantic-comedies from 2014 with his older sibling, called Before We Go (which Chris also directed) and Playing It Cool.

Sarah And Laura Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program, Bob’s Burgers, Masters Of Sex)

Comedian and actress Sarah Silverman and her sister, Laura, played heavily fictionalized versions of themselves as series regulars on The Sarah Silverman Program, made guest appearances on Showtime’s Masters of Sex together, and have recurred on Bob’s Burgers as Jimmy Pesto’s twin sons, Andy and Ollie.

Kevin, Nick, And Joe Jonas (Camp Rock Movies, Jonas)

Back when they were the biggest thing to come out of Disney Channel, Kevin, Nick, and Joe Jonas played three brothers in a band not named the Jonas Brothers in the Camp Rock movies, and later played themselves to more comedic effect in their own sitcom, aptly titled Jonas.

Looks like talent really does run in the family.

When thinking of who I would consider to be among the most likable, easily relatable, and consistently compelling actors in Hollywood, my mind tends to go toward John Cusack, who really can (and pretty much has) done it all, from romantic comedies like Say Anything to intense dramas like Runaway Jury. He, technically, has even done a comic book project, since Amazon Prime’s 2020 remake of the UK series Utopia centers around a coveted graphic novel, and someone once made a fake, late-‘90s-style trailer for Batman v Superman that imagines the Golden Globe nominee as Clark Kent. 

However, in reality, superhero movies have not found a place for yet Cusack, but I have few characters in mind for him in the event that the Marvel movies would reserve a spot for him, including one somewhat similar to one of his most acclaimed roles.

Controller

One of the most memorable and unique movies that John Cusack has starred in (hell, it has to be one of the most most unique movies ever conceived) is Being John Malkovich, from 1999. Written by Charlie Kaufmann and directed by Spike Jonze (with Oscar nominations earned by each), the surreal dramedy follows a puppeteer (Cusack) who gets the chance to give the ultimate puppeteering performance when he discovers a portal that sends him into the mind of actor John Malkovich and, eventually, allows him to assume his identity completely. Of course, the concept of mind control is not uncommon in the Marvel Comics universe, either.

For instance, Basil Sandhurst would grow up to become a serial control freak after spending much of his childhood ill and bed-ridden, and longing to have some authority over his life. This led to his development of a device called the “Slave Disc,” which allows him to control the mind of whomever he attaches a disc to, and becoming a recurring Iron Man villain under the apt title of “Controller.” Of course, since Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark is no longer alive in the Marvel Cinematic Universe continuity, perhaps John Cusack could be introduced in the role in the Ironheart TV show coming to Disney+.

Dog Logan 

Another strange, funny, and clever comedy from John Cusack’s filmography (which often pokes fun at the era of movies during which he became famous) is Hot Tub Time Machine from 2009. Cusack, Craig Robinson, and Rob Cordry play three hapless middle-aged men who (along with Clark Duke as Cusack’s nephew) get the chance to literally relive their glory days at a ski resort when the titular device magically sends them back to the 1980s. Of course, the concept of time travel is most definitely not uncommon in the Marvel Comics universe (or Marvel Multiverse, I could say).

In fact, the majority of time travelers found in Marvel Comics have either been cast or are very well established in the MCU already, meaning I had to dig deep to find a new one to introduce who was also fitting for an actor like John Cusack to play, based on his previous experience with jumping through history. One of the most fascinating and lesser-known characters I found was Dog Logan - a skilled hunter born in the late 1800s, but able to exist in various parts of history after discovering magical Time Diamonds. He also happens to be Wolverine’s brother, which would be an amazing subplot to explore when the X-Men movies are rebooted by Marvel Studios.

Beast

On the other hand, if I was John Cusack and I was considered for a role in Marvel Studios’ X-Men movies reboot, I think I would want to play a character that might be promised a little more shelf life. Well, when considering the actor’s onscreen reputation for being both soft spoken and down-to-earth in some instances (such as in High Fidelity), but also a badass force to be reckoned with other times (like when he played a hitman in Grosse Pointe Blank). When you put those two personas together, there is no better answer.

Dr. Henry “Hank” McCoy is one of the most valuable members of the X-Men team, due to his monstrous exterior and even more monstrous level of intellect that would earn him the name, Beast. The character has previously been portrayed in modern-day by Kelsey Grammer in X-Men: The Last Stand, and in his younger years by Nicolas Hoult - both of whom would bring their own unique spin to the role. I would love to see what new aspects John Cusack could bring to the part, which would be his first time undergoing quite the extensive make-up procedure.

Chameleon

Speaking of undergoing a dramatic transformation, while putting on blue skin and fur to be Beast would certainly be a trip, would it not be the ultimate fantasy of any actor to wear multiple new faces? If that is the opportunity that John Cusack would hope for in a Marvel movie (and one I think he could pull off with flying colors), I think he should look no further than starting his campaign to portray the first live-action iteration of the Chameleon. In fact, this is a job that could be up for grabs as we speak.

The elusive, shapeshifting Spider-Man villain (whose real name is Dmitri Nikolaievich Smerdyakov) is actually the half-brother of fellow Spidey enemy Sergei Kravinoff (better known as Kraven the Hunter), who is getting his own solo movie soon. So far, the only name on the casting list is Aaron Taylor-Johnson (also known for playing Quicksilver in a couple of MCU movies), meaning that John Cusack still has a shot to take that role, which I think would be really fun to see him play. Not to mention the fact that it would, technically, not be the first time he played a Russian (i.e. Dimitri in the 1997 animated classic, Anastasia).

Ben Parker 

I just now realized that most of my suggestions so far have been villains and, in retrospect, it is almost impossible for me to picture John Cusack as a definitive bad guy - not that he couldn’t. I mean, I am actually quite fascinated by the idea of him playing a foe, but I think I would rather see him show off his best skills in a Marvel movie as someone more likable and easily relatable. In fact, I have another Spider-Man character in mind for him to put on this very kind of performance.

I cannot be the only one who wishes we could have at least one moment to meet the MCU’s iteration of Peter Parker’s late uncle, Ben - something that the franchise’s recent experiments with inter-dimensional crossovers could make possible in a future Spider-Man installment. Hell, I would settle for a quick flashback, especially if it is the only way we can see John Cusack’s take. Plus, he and Aunt May actress Marisa Tomei have already done a couple of movies together (namely War, Inc. and Grace is Gone), meaning they already have the chemistry to come across as a believable couple.

Do these Marvel characters sound like a good fit for John Cusack to you? 

There is a good chance that you’ve seen one, two, or dozens of movies starring John Cusack over the years, even if you didn’t plan on it. If you flip through channels at any given time on any given day, you’re bound to run across something like High Fidelity, Con Air, or maybe even One Crazy Summer (if you’re lucky). But, this isn’t really a bad thing. In fact, spending a lazy afternoon with any one of those movies is time well spent, even if you’ve seen any number of Cusack’s films multiple times over the years.

But, what if you aren’t trying to catch one of those movies halfway through on cable and want to experience one of them the way they were meant to be seen? Fear not, as we have put together a list of the best John Cusack movies and how you can watch them streaming or through physical media…

High Fidelity (2000)

Stephen Frears’ 2000 romantic comedy, High Fidelity, which is based on Nick Hornby’s 1995 novel of the same name, follows Chicago record shop owner and hopeless romantic Rob Gordon (John Cusack) as he attempts to make sense of both his personal and professional life after being dumped by his longtime girlfriend Laura (Iben Hjejle). But, just as one door closes, another opens when he meets the bohemian musician Marie DeSalle (Lisa Bonet), giving Rob’s life new meaning. This budding relationship, however, is made all the more complicated when a tragedy brings Laura back into Rob’s life.

Stream High Fidelity on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy High Fidelity on Amazon.
Buy High Fidelity on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Say Anything (1989)

Cameron Crowe’s iconic ’80s coming-of-age story, Say Anything, centers on lovable slacker Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) and class valedictorian Diane Court (Ione Skye), as they navigate that brief yet pivotal period in life known as the summer between high school graduation and the start of college. Though the two are madly in love with one another, the reality of their different paths and the weight of the pressure applied by outside force, including Diane’s overbearing father, Jim (John Mahoney), may prove to be too much for the couple as they face a difficult situation.

Stream Say Anything on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Say Anything on Amazon.
Buy Say Anything on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Being John Malkovich (1999)

Directed by visionary filmmaker Spike Jonze and written by the talented Charlie Kaufman, the 1999 mind-bending dark comedy, Being John Malkovich, centers on Craig Schwartz (John Cusack), and out-of-work puppeteer whose life is on the brink of falling apart when he takes a job at a doctor’s office that leads to a rather unique discovery. At his new job (which is between the seventh and eighth floors of an office building) Craig discovers a portal that leads not to a new world or alternate universe but instead to the mind of actor John Malkovich. The bizarre story only gets crazier from there, especially after John Malkovich himself learns of the hidden door.

Stream Being John Malkovich on Peacock. 
Rent/Buy Being John Malkovich on Amazon.
Buy Being John Malkovich on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Identity (2003)

James Mangold’s 2003 movie, Identity, which is a modern-day take on Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None, follows a group 10 strangers (including John Cusack’s former cop and current limo driver Ed Dakota) as they weather a storm in a motel in the middle of the Nevada desert. In standard murder mystery fashion, the strangers begin to be picked off one by one, leading the survivors to try and get to the bottom of the deaths and find the murderer before it’s too late. 

Stream Identity on Tubi.
Rent/Buy Identity on Amazon.
Buy Identity on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil (1997)

Clint Eastwood’s 1997 adaptation of John Berendt’s book Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, follows journalist John Kelso (John Cusack) as he travels to Savannah, Georgia, where a high-profile murder trial is set to get underway. The more John learns of the mysterious case the more he becomes wrapped up in the drama surrounding it. The already delicate situation takes another turn when the young reporter becomes acquainted with Jim Williams (Kevin Spacey), the defendant in the case who claims to have shot and killed his former lover out of self-defense.

Rent/Buy Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil on Amazon.
Buy Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Eight Men Out (1988)

One of the best baseball movies that also happens to be one of the most tragic, Eight Men Out tells the story of the infamous 1919 Chicago White Sox who purposely lost the World Series after a group of gamblers offered them more than their greedy owner ever could: a decent amount of money. When the team is caught after the fact, star players Chick Gandil (Michael Rooker), Eddie Cicotte (David Strathairn), Shoeless Joe Jackson (D.B. Sweeney), who all went along with the plan, and Buck Weaver (John Cusack), who denied participation but failed to stop them, are given the moniker “The Black Sox” and are given lifetime banishments from professional baseball. 

Stream Eight Men Out on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Eight Men Out on Amazon.
Buy Eight Men Out on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Bullets Over Broadway (1994)

In Woody Allen’s 1994 dark comedy, Bullets Over Broadway, struggling playwright David Shayne (John Cusack) finds out that working with the mafia in 1920 New York isn’t the best way to go about making his big break, after making a deal with crime boss Nick Valenti (Joe Viterelli), who agrees to help David make his Broadway debut. With the financial backing from the mobster also comes some demands, including making his girlfriend the star of the show, a decision that makes the already messy situation even worse. 

Buy Bullets Over Broadway on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Serendipity (2001)

Peter Chelsom’s 2001 romantic comedy, Serendipity, follows Jonathan Trager (John Cusack) and Sara Thomas (Kate Beckinsale), two strangers who have a chance encounter in New York City at Christmastime. Instead of making a conscious effort to follow true love the pair leave their future up to chance. This doesn’t immediately pay off, but over the years the potential soulmates cannot stop thinking about one another, even as they prepare for their respective weddings. But, on the eve of exchanging their vows, the two decide to put their future in their own hands and seek each other out before it’s too late, in one of the best movies on Netflix.

Stream Serendipity on Netflix.
Rent/Buy Serendipity on Amazon.
Buy Serendipity on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Love And Mercy (2015)

In Bill Pohlad’s 2015 biographical drama, Love and Mercy, the story of Brian Wilson (a founding member of the iconic musical group The Beach Boys) is told over the course of two timelines: one set in the 1960s as Wilson (played by Paul Dano) withdraws from his bandmates and society, and a second set in the 1980s that follows Wilson’s (played by John Cusack) budding relationship with future wife Melinda Ledbetter (Elizabeth Banks). Both sections of the movie spend a great deal of time focusing on Wilson’s battle with mental illness and the way in which it shaped both his personal and professional relationships, and how he learned to overcome the pressures of fame.

Stream Love and Mercy on Hulu.
Rent/Buy Love and Mercy on Amazon.
Buy Love and Mercy on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Con Air (1997)

Simon West’s 1997 action thriller, Con Air, which is undoubtedly one of the most absurd movies of the late ‘90s, follows recently-paroled inmate (and former Army Ranger) Cameron Poe (Nicolas Cage) as he attempts to stop Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom (John Malkovich) and other inmates from flying to a non-extradition country after hijacking a prison transport plane. And, though he doesn’t have much help on the plane, Poe gets some assistance from U.S. Marshall Vince Larkin (John Cusack) who, besides Poe’s wife Tricia (Monica Potter) is perhaps the only person on the ground who doesn’t think he’s part of the coordinated attack. 

Stream Con Air on Showtime.
Rent/Buy Con Air on Amazon.
Buy Con Air on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Better Off Dead (1985)

The 1985 teen comedy Better Off Dead centers on Lane Meyer (John Cusack) as he is dumped by his girlfriend, Beth Truss (Amanda Wyss), so that she can be with Roy Stalin (Aaron Dozier), the captain of their high school ski team. Absolutely heartbroken by the tragedy that has fallen upon him, Lane becomes lost in a downward spiral of depression that is much more intense than the standard teen angst he’s used to dealing with. That all changes when he meets Monique Junot (Diane Franklin), a French exchange student whose honor he later defends the only way anyone in an ‘80s movie could: a ski race against Roy.

Buy Better Off Dead on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

One Crazy Summer (1986)

The 1986 romantic comedy One Crazy Summer (which was directed by Better Off Dead’s Savage Steve Holland), follows Hoops McCann as he spends the summer between high school and art school with his best friend’s family on Nantucket Island. Initially looking for inspiration to complete his art school application, Hoops soon finds himself falling head over heels for Cassandra Eldridge (Demi Moore). The movie has the same basic format of the previous Cusack-Holland collaboration, but instead of a ski race, One Crazy Summer ends with an epic boat race.

Stream One Crazy Summer on Kanopy.
Rent/Buy One Crazy Summer on Amazon.
Buy One Crazy Summer on DVD/Blu-ray on Amazon.

Honorable Mentions

Before you to yourself: “Hey, they didn’t include Stand By Me, that must be some kind of major oversight,” please note that is not the case. Cusack’s portrayal of Dennis “Denny” Lachance adds a great deal of emotional weight to the Stephen King adaptation, especially when you think about how the character’s death touched practically every character. But, with it being a supporting role (and minor at that), it is best included in the “Honorable Mentions” section. Other great Cusack movies that see him in a minor role or being a part of a large ensemble cast include The Thin Red Line and Adaptation.

Honestly, making a list of the best John Cusack movies was no easy task; not because there were a lack of titles to choose from but instead because there are so many. And though we don’t yet know when we’ll see John Cusack again, there are plenty of great upcoming 2021 movies to look forward to while we wait.

• Related: The Best Movies On Amazon Prime

Unsurprisingly, the actor who has appeared in the most Stephen King film and television projects to date is… Stephen King. From 1982 to the present, he has appeared in 15 different live-action takes on his writings, from Creepshow, to Pet Sematary, to IT: Chapter Two. He, however, is far from the only individual who has played parts in multiple adaptations and originals spurred from his imagination – and there are some actors who have done it quite a lot.

Reviewing the casts for all of the Stephen King movies and television projects we’ve seen going back to Brian De Palma’s Carrie (and not including cameos like the author’s), we’ve cultivated this select list of actors, including Misery's Kathy Bates, who have been in more King projects than just about anybody. To kick things off, let’s start with the top dog:

Matt Frewer (The Stand, Quicksilver Highway, Bag Of Bones, Desperation, Riding The Bullet)

While he has some actors nipping at his heels, Matt Frewer currently stands as the performer with the most Stephen King titles on his filmography – and that’s because he has starred in nearly all of the adaptations made by writer/director Mick Garris. Together they’ve only made one big screen King feature, 2004’s Riding The Bullet, but Frewer has worked with Garris on the TV takes of Bag Of Bones, Desperation, The Stand, and Quicksilver Highway (Note: Frewer is only in the half of Quicksilver Highway based on Clive Barker's "The Body Politic," as opposed to the half based on King's "Chattery Teeth," but we're going to count it anyway).

Henry Thomas (Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Desperation, Gerald's Game, Doctor Sleep)

Writer/director Mike Flanagan has made two Stephen King adaptations to date, and he’s brought Henry Thomas along for the ride both times – casting him in key antagonist roles in Gerald’s Game and Doctor Sleep. Prior to those films, however, he played a small part in the TV movie version of Desperation, and he has a co-starring role in the Nightmares & Dreamscapes episode “The End Of The Whole Mess.”

Steven Weber (The Shining, The Outer Limits, Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Desperation)

Steven Weber’s professional relationship with the work of Stephen King began in a tricky place, as he was cast as Jack Torrance in the 1997 miniseries adaptation of The Shining – but it started a successful run for the actor. One of his only two directing credits in his career comes from when he helmed the “Revelations Of 'Becka Paulson” episode of 1997’s The Outer Limits – in which he has a key supporting part – and he plays leads in both the TV movie Desperation and the "You Know They Got a Hell of a Band" episode of Nightmares & Dreamscapes (as a bonus, he also does a spectacular job as the narrator of the IT audiobook).

Jeffrey DeMunn (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, Storm Of The Century, The Mist)

Jeffrey DeMunn isn’t from Maine, as he grew up in Buffalo, New York, but it’s easy to imagine that his authentic accent is what keeps getting him roles in Stephen King movies. He’s been in all three of director Frank Darabont’s adaptations of the author's books – The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist – and he also has a supporting role in the excellent original TV miniseries Storm Of The Century, which premiered in 1999.

Cynthia Garris (Sleepwalkers, The Stand, The Shining, Riding The Bullet)

Like Matt Frewer, Cynthia Garris has also appeared in a number of Mick Garris’ Stephen King projects (she’s been married to the filmmaker since 1982), though her count is presently one behind her co-star's. She also has supporting parts in Riding The Bullet and The Stand, but she also plays the 217 Woman in the miniseries version of The Shining, and has a small part in the 1992 movie Sleepwalkers (which is based on an original King screenplay).

Eric Keenleyside (The Dead Zone, Dreamcatcher, Kingdom Hospital, 1922)

In terms of Stephen King adaptations, Eric Keenleyside is probably best known for his exceptionally ugly death in Lawrence Kasdan’s Dreamcatcher (where he dies on the toilet after pooping an alien), but he has a much more extensive history than that. He has been in three other King projects to date, as he preceded the 2004 film with a one-off performance in an episode of the 2002 Dead Zone television series, and he followed it with a part in the finale of Kingdom Hospital. More recently he played a supporting role in Zak Hilditch’s 1922.

Leon Rippy (Firestarter, Maximum Overdrive, 11.22.63, Under The Dome)

Leon Rippey’s first role in a Stephen King movie is super brief, as he plays an agent working for The Shop who gets blinded while trying to kidnap Drew Barrymore’s Charlie McGee in Mark L. Lester's Firestarter – but it proved to be the start of a cool trend. He is notably the last human character killed in King’s Maximum Overdrive, and more recently he had key supporting parts in the miniseries 11.22.63 and the television show Under The Dome.

Owen Teague (Cell, IT, IT: Chapter Two, The Stand)

There’s a debate to be had whether or not Owen Teague’s turn as Patrick Hockstetter in Andy Muschietti’s IT and IT: Chapter Two counts as one adaptation or two, but even beyond those blockbusters he has made a significant stamp in the world of Stephen King adaptations. He played private school student Jordan in Tod Williams’ Cell, and most recently portrayed Harold Lauder in the 2020 limited series version of The Stand.

Kathy Bates (Misery, Dolores Claiborne, The Stand)

Kathy Bates is the only actor to date who has won an Academy Award playing a Stephen King character (namely Annie Wilkes in Rob Reiner’s Misery), so it makes all kinds of sense that she would dip her toe back into those waters. She stars as the titular character in Taylor Hackford’s underappreciated Dolores Claiborne, and has an uncredited role as rebellious radio DJ Rae Flowers in the 1994 miniseries adaptation of The Stand.

John Cusack (Stand By Me, 1408, Cell)

John Cusack has experienced some real highs and lows in the world of Stephen King stories. Tod Williams’ Cell, in which he plays protagonist Clay Riddell, is a total mess, but he does some great work as paranormal investigator/author Mike Enslin in Mikael Håfström’s 1408, and has his extremely memorable role in one of the greatest King adaptations of all time: Rob Reiner’s Stand By Me.

William Sadler (The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, The Mist)

William Sadler has a special place on this list, as while he currently has three Stephen King movies on his filmography, he has a brand new one on the way. Like Jeffrey DeMunn, he’s starred in all of the Frank Darabont adaptations, playing three very different parts in The Shawshank Redemption, The Green Mile, and The Mist, but coming up in 2022 he will be a part of the ensemble featured in Gary Dauberman’s upcoming Salem’s Lot movie.

Bruce Davison (Tales From The Darkside, Apt Pupil, Kingdom Hospital)

It was back in 1984 that Bruce Davison first brought to life a Stephen King character, playing the world-changing protagonist of “Word Processor Of The Gods” when the short story was adapted as an episode of Tales From The Darkside. Years later he got the part playing Brad Renfro’s father in Bryan Singer’s Apt Pupil, and in 2004 he starred as the principal villain in King’s short lived TV series Kingdom Hospital.

Thomas Jane (Dreamcatcher, The Mist, 1922)

Like John Cusack, Thomas Jane’s track record in Stephen King movies would be fantastic if it weren’t for one extremely bad entry. In Jane’s case the regrettable title is Lawrence Kasdan’s Dreamcatcher, in which he plays one of the leads, but he’s excellent in both Frank Darabont’s The Mist and Zak Hilditch’s 1922, which are two of the better 21st century King adaptations.

Samantha Mathis (Salem's Lot, Nightmares & Dreamscapes, Under The Dome)

While Samantha Mathis has appeared in three Stephen King TV projects to date, only one of them has seen her play a character that actually originated from the author’s writings. In 2004 she played female lead Susan Norton in the miniseries remake of Salem’s Lot – but Dr. Alice Calvert, her part in Season 1 of Under The Dome, and Karen Evans, her role in “The Fifth Quarter” episode of Nightmares & Dreamscapes, were invented for the respective adaptations.

Ed Harris (Creepshow, Needful Things, The Stand)

Of all the actors on this list, Ed Harris’ history goes back the longest. After all, it was back in 1982 that he had a key part in the “Father’s Day” segment of George A. Romero’s Creepshow, and that was only the fourth Stephen King project produced in Hollywood. A little over a decade later he starred as hero Sheriff Alan Pangborn in Fraser C. Heston’s Needful Things, and after that he played the uncredited role of General Starkey in the 1994’s The Stand.

Other actors with four Stephen King credits: Anthony Ulc, Peter MacNeill

Other actors with three Stephen King credits: Ari Cohen, Bill Croft, Brian Libby, Campbell Lane, Chosen Jacobs, Conor Price, David Hughes, David Morse, Deborah Allen, Eric Woolfe, Frances Sternagen, Frank C. Turner, Janet Porter, Jason Davis, Joan Gregson, Joel Freckelston, Kandyse McClure, Laura Warner, Lee J. Campbell, Leslie Carlson, Michael Daingerfield, Michael O’Neill, Miguel Ferrer, Molly Atkinson, Nicholas Hamilton, Paul Butler, Stephen Bogaert, Terence Kelly, Tom Skerritt, William B. Davis

For a journey through the long history of Stephen King adaptations, check out my Adapting Stephen King column, and to see all of the projects that are on the horizon head on over to our Upcoming Stephen King Movies and TV guide.

We just lost a legend in Christopher Plummer. He was Sound of Music’s Captain Von Trapp, Up’s villainous explorer and Best Supporting Actor winner for Beginners, along with being a husband, father, friend and collaborator to those who knew him. Following news breaking of his passing on Friday, an outpouring of tributes were penned in memory of the late actor, including from his Maria, i.e. Julie Andrews, and recent co-star Knives Out’s Chris Evans.

His most famous co-star is undoubtedly the 85-year-old Julie Andrews, who shared the screen with Christopher Plummer for the timeless Sound of Music film back in 1965. The actors remained friends for the past 65 years, and following his death, Andrews released this statement via ABC News:

When the pair were interviewed back in 2015 by Vanity Fair, their dynamic was described as something of a “well-worn patter of an old married couple” as Julie Andrews also referred to the actor as “honeybun” and they looked back on 50 years of friendship. Although it's a somber day for the Mary Poppins actress, she has a breadth of memories to look back on with Christopher Plummer, and chiefly remembered their laughs and good times together.

Christopher Plummer is survived by his wife Elaine Taylor, and his one daughter, Amanda Plummer, who he had in 1957 with his first wife, Tammy Grimes. Along with his Sound of Music co-star, Captain America’s Chris Evans took to Twitter to share these words about the late talent:

What a sweet memory! Christopher Plummer had a short-lived, but key role in the whodunnit Knives Out, which became an Oscar nominee for Best Original Screenplay. In the 2019 movie, Plummer played the fallen patriarch to Evans’ Ransom. Knives Out’s writer/director Rian Johnson also shared this tribute:

Christopher Plummer was also an incredible character actor who never shied away from playing a great villain. Back in 1991, he played a Klingon adversary in Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country to the original cast. Sulu actor George Takei said the following on Twitter about his former costar’s passing:

John Cusack also shared his condolences, describing his impressions of the Oscar winner, who he worked with on 2005’s Must Love Dogs. In his words:

Pixar Animation also collaborated with Christopher Plummer on one of the studio’s most celebrated films, Up. Pixar’s Twitter account shared a sketch of his character, Charles F. Muntz, to remember him by:

Amazon Prime Video also paid tribute to Christopher Plummer’s career with an apt quote from Knives Out that the actor uttered before his character died in the murder mystery:

Christopher Plummer will be greatly missed, and here at CinemaBlend, we offer our deepest condolences to the late actor’s family, friends and fans. Before we say so long and farewell, let’s take a moment to remember the Captain and Maria’s Sound of Music dance:

It hasn't been an easy year in Hollywood as far as losing iconic actors, but Christopher Plummer will always live through his movies such as The Sound of Music.

Utopia is one of Amazon Prime Video’s latest original series. It follows a group of people in search of the comic book Utopia. For some, the comic book is just that, a comic book with an interesting story and unique characters, but for others, it’s the key to unlocking some of the earth’s biggest mysteries, such as the next deadly disease to hit the world. The Utopia cast includes a mixture of well-known actors, like John Cusack and Rainn Wilson, and a few newcomers.

Though you may not recognize some of the cast by name alone, many of this Amazon series’ cast have been on major movies and TV series like Euphoria, Scandal, and La La Land. If you need a refresher on where you’ve seen these familiar faces, well let us tell you.

Sasha Lane (Jessica Hyde)

Jessica Hyde is the main character in the Utopia comics. All the fans of it believe that she’s just a fictional character, but some soon discover that she's very much real, maybe even too real. Sasha Lane has been working consistently since 2016, appearing in various indie movies. A few movies that you may recognize her from are American Honey, The Miseducation of Cameron Post, Hearts Beat Loud, and the 2019 Hellboy.

Lane’s TV credits aren’t that long, but she recently appeared in the “Signs of Life” episode of the Amazing Stories reboot, and she will appear in the upcoming Loki series on Disney+.

Ashleigh LaThrop (Becky Todd)

Becky is a fan of the Utopia comics. She also has a rare disease and hopes that the comic may contain the key to curing her. She’s one of the original five characters who plan to meet at a San Diego Comic-Con style convention. She is also the love interest of Ian (Dan Byrd) and dubbed the nice one of the group. Ashleigh LaThrop has appeared in multiple episodes of many hit series. You may have seen her on The Kominsky Method, The 100, and The Handmaid’s Tale.

LaThrop also appeared on episodes of Bones, The Rookie, and Chicago P.D. Her most well-known movie credit is as Hannah in the Fifty Shades of Grey movies, specifically Fifty Shades Darker and Fifty Shades Freed.

Dan Byrd (Ian Ackerman)

Ian is one of the original five characters who agree to meet and try to bid on Utopia. He doesn’t quite believe that it’s really the key to saving humanity. He basically comes to the Comic-Con event to hang out with his online friends and finally meet the girl he loves, Becky. Dan Byrd is one of the more veteran actors in Utopia as he has a long list of screen credits. Byrd is one of the actors that you definitely probably seen in something at one point.

He appeared in the Sanda Bullock dramedy 28 Days, the Hilary Duff-Chad Michael Murray A Cinderella Story, and in Emma Stone’s Easy A. Dan Byrd was a series regular on Cougar Town, and Any Day Now. He appeared on episodes of popular series like Boston Legal, Heroes, Community, Mad Men, Scandal, The Good Doctor, and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

John Cusack (Dr. Kevin Christie)

Dr. Kevin Christie is a scientist trying to create genetic meat to help the world. He owns a big corporation that does things like create vaccinations. Utopia opens with Christie being accused of making meat that may be the source of children becoming sick. John Cusack has been acting since the 1980s, so he’s been in a ton of movies.

Some of Cusack’s most famous movies are Sixteen Candles, Better Off Dead, Stand by Me, Say Anything, Grosse Pointe Blank, and Con Air. He has also appeared in Anastasia, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, Being John Malkovich, High Fidelity, Adaptation, Love & Mercy, Hot Tub Time Machine and so many movies. Utopia is his first TV series that he’s appeared in as a series regular. He also appeared in an episode of Frasier and an episode of Doll & Em, but he hasn’t appeared on many other TV shows.

Desmin Borges (Wilson Wison)

Wilson is a conspiracy theorist who takes extra precaution to stay off the grid and away from the government. He’s one of the people that believes most in the power of The Utopia comic. Many will recognize Desmin Borges the most for his underrated role on You’re The Worst as Edgar.

Borges has also appeared in the movies Mr. Popper’s Penguins, Compliance, and Carrie Pilby. He’s also had guest appearances in the series Madam Secretary, Bull, Preacher, The Good Wife, Castle, and Law and Order: Special Victims Unit.

Javon Walton (Grant Bishop)

Grant is an original member of the group that agrees to meet at a Comic-Con. He’s a child but pretends to be an adult while online. He’s also the one who steals the Utopia comic. Javon Walton is only 14-years old, so he’s new to the world of acting. However, he had a recurring role on Euphoria. He played Ashtray, a child drug dealer.

He is also a boxing prodigy and a spokesperson for Under Armour. He’s a five-time Georgia state champion and a four-time USA Boxing SouthEast regional champion. Walton will also soon be voicing Pugsley Addams in The Addams Family 2.

Christopher Denham (Arby)

Arby is a hired hit-man. He’s a psychopath that lacks emotions and a basic understanding of them. He’s sent on a mission to retrieve Utopia and Jessica Hyde. He’s also trying to kill everyone who saw the Utopia comic. You may have seen Christopher Denham in Charlie Wilson’s War. He played Mike Vickers. He also appeared in popular and critically acclaimed movies Shutter Island, Argo, and Fast Color.

Denham has also appeared in the series Law & Order, Person Of Interest, The Following, The Good Wife, and Billions.

Jessica Rothe (Samantha)

Samantha is the leader of the original five. She organizes their meeting and seems to be a driving force in keeping them focused on their mission to obtain a copy of Utopia. Jessica Rothe is the lead in the Happy Death Day movie and its sequel. She also appeared in the movies Forever My Girl and La La Land.

Rothe also appeared in the TV series Happy Endings, Gossip Girl, Blue Blood, Chicago P.D, and she was a main character on MTV’s short-lived series Mary + Jane.

Rainn Wilson (Michael Stearns)

Michael Stearns is a man who believes that he may have the cure to save the children infected by this mysterious and deadly disease. If you’re a The Office fan, then you immediately recognize Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute. Wilson’s famous movie credits include Galaxy Quest, Almost Famous, Juno, The Boy, and voicing Lex Luthor in Batman: Hush and Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.

Wilson has also had TV roles on Six Feet Under, Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job, Adventure Time, Star Trek: Discovery, and Mom. He also appeared in episodes of Room 104, Reno 9!!, Entourage, Charmed, and Monk.

Cory Michael Smith (Thomas Christie)

Thomas Christie is the only biological son of Kevin Christie and his eldest child. He’s being groomed to run things if Kevin retires. Cory Michael Smith appeared in the 2013 Broadway show of Breakfast at Tiffany’s starring Emilia Clarke.

TV fans will most recognize Smith from his role as The Riddler in Gotham. He also appeared in the Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara romance-drama Carol. He portrayed astronaut Roger B. Chaffee in First Man. Smith also appeared in an episode of Olive Kitteridge. His Broadway credits also include Bright Star and Assassins. In Assassins, he played Lee Harvey Oswald.

Jeanine Serralles (Colleen Stearns)

Colleen is the very supportive wife of Michael. She often encourages him to try to get more people to take him seriously. Jeanine Serralles appeared in The Beatles-Vietnam War musical Across The Universe. She also played Joy in the Coen brothers’ Inside Llewyn Davis.

Serralles has also appeared in episodes of Bull, Person of Interest, and The Good Wife. She will appear in the much anticipated The Woman in the Window starring Amy Adams.

Calum Worthy (Ethan)

Ethan and his girlfriend Olivia (Maya Kazan) discover the Utopia comic book, and then they try to sell it to the highest bidder. Calum Worthy played Nick Godejohn in Hulu’s The Act. He’s also known for appearing in the battle rap comedy Bodied, and Corporate Animals. He also voiced a character in the series Solar Opposites, and he played Alex on American Vandal.

Worthy also was a series regular on Austin & Aly and appeared on episodes of Good Luck Charlie, Aquarius, Longmire, Smallville, and Psych.

Camryn Manheim (Artemis)

Artemis is someone from Jessica Hyde’s past and a character in the Utopia comics. Artemis is played by veteran actress Camryn Manheim, who many may remember for her role as Elenor Frutt in The Practice. She has appeared in Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion as Toby, Scary Movie 3, and The F**k it List.

Manheim has also appeared in Stumptown, The Magicians, Waco, Younger, and Harry’s Law. Her acting credits also include a lead role on Ghost Whisperer, and guest roles on Hannah Montana, How I Met Your Mother, The L Word, and Will & Grace.

The entire first season of Utopia is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video. Stream it here.

Netflix’s Top 10 list has given subscribers a great way to engage with content that a lot of other people care about. A lot of times this content ends up being Netflix Originals, movies like Spenser Confidential and Extraction or TV shows such as The Umbrella Academy. Yet, as users look for more traditional films on the platform, the subscription streaming service has kind of been a place for people to find middling or forgotten movies again. This week that means Robert Downey Jr. and Nicolas Cage movies that are around a decade old are finding new life on the streamer.

If you were to peruse Netflix’s Top 10 list right now, you’d find some original content like the fun rom-com Love, Guaranteed and the new season of Lucifer in the Top 10. Regardless, in the midst of that content both the Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifiniakis starrer from Todd Phillips Due Date and the Nicolas Cage and John Cusack-led The Frozen Ground are also in the Top 10.

Both movies have high-profile casts and came out several years ago, with Due Date hitting theaters in 2010 and The Frozen Ground coming out three years later in 2013. Both also have in common that they were not super well-received when they first came out. Neither are bad movies, per se, and both have middling reviews on aggregators like Rotten Tomatoes or IMDB. One major difference between the two movies is that Due Date was a wider release, The Frozen Ground never really got the chance to shine as it was sent to VOD in most places.

But like a lot of mediocre movies – and in fact despite Due Date making a profit at the box office -- neither were really part of the cultural vernacular until they randomly saw a resurgence on Netflix. It’s something the subscription streaming service has started to be notable for as it has become a little bit clearer about the ways people consume content in a binge-able format. If you are only paying $13 dollars a month for the content and just looking for something random to watch on a Tuesday night, suddenly something like Due Date, which is at the time of this writing a #5 hit on the streaming service, may seem like a pretty good proposition.

And if you haven’t seen The Frozen Ground, the #9 movie is about serial killer Robert Hansen, known as the Butcher Baker. I can absolutely see how it ties into some of Netflix’s other crime genre content, particularly its popular series Mindhunter. The fact that these movies, which may be movies people did not see during their original runs and may in some ways feel like new content, are gaining new light is honestly fascinating to watch.

If I had to hypothesize myself, I would probably have guessed that subscribers were using Netflix to watch old staples in genres like rom-coms or brand-spanking new originals, of course. But it seems that users’ tastes are more varied. They may be looking for more content that is new rather than old hot – even if it’s new to them and not new to the test of time.

This isn’t the first time this has happened, either. Earlier this summer, a Mark Wahlberg flop, Patriots Day, made Netflix’s Top 10 list. More recently, a Kevin James flop also dominated the Top 10.

As some perennial favorites like Marvel movies or franchises like Harry Potter have shifted to different streaming services, it makes sense that some of the most popular content on Netflix might end up being forgotten movies from the mid-aughts. But it does make me wonder if people will always be happy to settle for good enough.

Disney recently made headlines when news broke that it plans to remake a cult favorite. The R-rated 2000 film High Fidelity is set to get a family-friendly TV series makeover for the Mouse House's streaming service. The news has unsurprisingly made waves with fans of the film, as well as its star. John Cusack is speaking out about the remake, and he is not holding back:

John Cusack's less-than-enthusiastic response to the remake news (which originally broke courtesy of Deadline) came on Twitter, as fans expressed their own exasperated thoughts on it. Cusack actually quoted a fan's tweet to him, responding to them directly. The outspoken actor, who is known for having strong opinions on various topics, including baseball and politics, wasted little time speaking out on the divisive news.

John Cusack joins stars like Bette Midler, who have openly expressed their aggravation surrounding news that studios are remaking their beloved starring vehicles. Midler shared a similarly frustrated reaction when word began to spread surrounding a TV remake of the Halloween classic Hocus Pocus. John Cusack's candor is equally refreshing.

The original 2000 film, High Fidelity, was an adaptation of Nick Hornby's novel of the same name. In it, Cusack stars as lead character Rob Gordon, a music fan and record store owner with relationship problems. The remake will feature a similar storyline with a twist. The story will now feature a female protagonist.

John Cusack did not end his critical response to the High Fidelity remake with just one tweet. Responding to another Twitter user, Cusack took aim at the proposed nature of the remake's take on the cult classic by including a quote from his character in the movie:

The High Fidelity movie is two years shy of its 20th anniversary. Given the film's enduring popularity, interest in a remake was a foregone conclusion. Like many remakes that have gone before it, a controversial reaction to the decision to remake High Fidelity was to be expected. The good news is fans will always have the original film to relish.

Whether it is a remake, reboot, or revival, they all share one thing in common: all of them begin with the prefix "re-," so they are all following in the shadow of something that came before them. There is something that makes a revival far more innocent in its approach to nostalgic properties, though. Revivals usually include members of the original cast, which helps the audience feel like the new project has their blessing and active support. Right now, it does not seem like the High Fidelity TV remake can count John Cusack as such an endorser.

The High Fidelity remake is not the only TV show in the works. Check out our midseason and summer premiere guides to learn what other shows are coming soon to a small screen near you.

John Cusack has become a pretty big star over the years since his big break into showbiz as the leading man in 1989’s Say Anything, but his success has stayed on the big screen. Now, Cusack has come up with a couple of small screen projects that he would totally consider, and he would definitely be a fun addition to either. Here's what the actor had to say on a recent panel:

John Cusack revealed his two dream TV projects at the recent MegaCon in Orlando, and he really couldn’t have picked much better projects, at least in terms of shows he could drop in on with little fuss. Cusack could play a sketchy one-off character in need of legal help on Better Call Saul, or he could play a zombie just waiting for a crossbow bolt to the forehead on The Walking Dead. In fact, given that Better Call Saul is a prequel to Breaking Bad, and The Walking Dead may have sneakily established back in Season 2 that it is set in the same universe as Breaking Bad, I'm thinking John Cusack could even play the same character on both shows. Why not?

Part of the fun of Better Call Saul for Breaking Bad fans has been keeping an eye out for familiar faces to show up and reprise their roles. John Cusack could be a surprise in the best way for viewers who had been hoping for a big cameo. It wouldn't be a fix for anybody waiting for a look at Walt in his pre-meth kingpin days or Jesse dropping a "bitch" at anybody who crosses his path, but a Cusack cameo would be worth talking about.

Interestingly, John Cusack isn’t the only celebrity interested in appearing on The Walking Dead. Musician Chris Daughtry has been lobbying for a role on the zombie apocalypse series, and has even gone so far as to unsuccessfully audition. Former Pittsburg Steelers receiver Hines Ward played a walker who was killed in Season 3, and Anthrax legend Scott Ian donned the zombie makeup to be killed by Carl in Season 5. Even if Cusack doesn’t find a way onto the show a la Hines Ward or Scott Ian, perhaps his head could make a cameo a la Johnny Depp in Season 6.

John Cusack seemed to be spitballing ideas about television appearances, so Cusack fans shouldn’t count on seeing him on either Better Call Saul or The Walking Dead. Still, with both AMC series currently on hiatus, it’s fun to imagine all the possible ways that Cusack could land a role on one or both of the shows. To see what you can watch while you wait for the returns of Better Call Saul and/or The Walking Dead, check out our summer TV premiere schedule.

The history of cinema is replete with stories of the great lengths actors have gone to in order to nail their performances, from living as characters outside of their scenes to undergoing massive physical transformations and everything in between. Nicole Kidman is as dedicated to her craft as anyone, and in one particular sex scene, she let co-star John Cusack toss her around.

The two costarred in 2012’s The Paperboy, and when director Lee Daniels interviewed Kidman for Interview, he brought up the rough sex scene in question. He said he was worried for her because Cusack was throwing her around "like a mop." In response to his concern, the 48-year-old actor replied:

The next day, Kidman showed up on set brandishing a new array of bruises as a reminder of the previous day’s encounter. But again, she pushed off any injury as in service of a larger goal, of making the movie as good and authentic as they possibly could. She continued:

So maybe Nicole Kidman wound up with a few extra bumps and scrapes than she could have, had she spoken up, but she had a very good reason. John Cusack could, of course, have dialed back the rigor of her performance, or Lee Daniels could have stepped in to put a stop to a scene that could have gone too far. But Kidman, as a veteran performer of more than 70 roles, knew that it could have hindered the overall movie, and was willing to endure a handful of purple welts in service of the larger goal.

Whether or not it was all worth it remains a matter of opinion, as The Paperboy, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2012, received mixed reviews at best. However, out of everything, it is Kidman’s performance that has garnered the most praise for her risk taking and playing against her usual type. In the 1960s set film she plays a woman obsessed with a death row inmate, who tries to prove his innocence with the help of two reporters (Matthew McConaughey and Zac Efron). It’s a sexually and racially charged film, and Kidman pees on Zac Efron, so there’s that.

We'll see Nicole Kidman on screen next in just a litle bit, as the mystery thriller Secret in Their Eyes opens on November 20.

The ensemble cast of Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction is easily one of the most iconic of the modern era. From the comeback kid named John Travolta, to the long hair-sporting Eric Stoltz, every single person in the movie is incredibly memorable and puts their own personal stamp on the material. But what if the cast were completely different? Well, now we have Tarantino's original cast wishlist to tell us what could have been:

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This fantastic piece of cinematic history was posted by a Reddit user named PCchongor - and while not all of the amazing characters from Pulp Fiction are listed here, it gives us a wonderful glimpse into Quentin Tarantino's mind. For example, it appears that he really would have been happy casting Gary Oldman in any of the movie's roles - although learning that makes it kind of weird that the two men have never managed to work together.

On that note, though, it's actually great to look at this list and notice the number of people who did go on to work with Tarantino on one of his films. Jennifer Jason Leigh may have missed out on playing either Honey Bunny or Jody, but this year she will be seen as the female lead in The Hateful Eight. And then there's the trio of Michael Keaton, Pam Grier, and Bridget Fonda - all of whom wound up going on to star in the writer/director's Pulp Fiction follow-up, Jackie Brown.

But what if some of Quentin Tarantino's wishes, as seen on this paper, had been granted? Scheduling conflicts wound up taking Michael Madsen away from Pulp Fiction, but had he taken the role it would have been interesting to see the Vega Brothers become twins. I also find myself fascinated by the idea of John Cusack playing Lance. I find myself hoping that somebody in the future can try and get Cusack on video doing a line reading as the long-haired, heroin dealing scumbag.

Also, if you look closely enough at the top right corner, you will see that Warren Beatty would have been Tarantino's top selection to play The Wolf had Harvey Keitel been unavailable. Another perfect bit of casting for our imaginations.

Looking at this list, are there any characters that you think should have been played by one of Tarantino's other choices? Or do you think that the cast is perfect as is? Which of the many possibilities fascinates you the most? Hit the comments section with your thoughts!

When you're good at what you do, demand can only grow for your skills. Just ask any Hollywood actor who has made it big in the business, and they'll tell you that when success hits, the offers typically are only eclipsed by the budgets attached to them. But be careful, because all it takes is one big dud to knock you back, and a couple to take you off the A-list entirely.

This list of 10 stars can all attest to that fact, as they once had the keys to the kingdom – until reality snatched the keys right back.

Eddie Murphy

The Rise: Throughout the 80's and 90's, Eddie Murphy seemed to be able to balance his hits with his losses. For every misfire like Boomerang and Vampire In Brooklyn, there were still hits like Bowfinger and Dr. Doolittle. Perhaps his biggest hit in his later career is, of course, The Nutty Professor -- where he played almost the entire Klump family to a hysterical degree.

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back: If The Adventures Of Pluto Nash was a warning shot, Norbit was the iceberg that finally sunk Murphy's career. Despite being a financial draw, it was widely panned as a dud by critics and crowds alike. Worse still, it lead to Murphy's backslide into a spate of sentimental comedy films that couldn't even make their small budgets back.

The Fallout: Basically, Eddie Murphy only has one option at this point, and he's taking his sweet time getting Beverly Hills Cop 4 into production. Maybe his time in movie hell has inspired him to take a little more care in choosing his projects, as Tower Heist helped boost his profile a little. Still, you can bet that Beverly Hills Cop 4 is probably going to come in on a budget akin to Ride Along, so as to maximize the profit output.

John Travolta

The Rise: John Travolta was lucky enough to have two rises in his career. The first was, naturally, through his days of Welcome Back Kotter and Saturday Night Fever; with the second being thanks to Quentin Tarantino's casting of the fallen legend in Pulp Fiction.

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back: Battlefield Earth. In the early days of the public's education on Scientology, Travolta spearheaded production on this L. Ron Hubbard opus of crap. As if throwing his weight behind the film as its producer wasn't bad enough, he hammed it up as Terl, the film's head villain. The less said about that, the better; but YouTube is probably lousy with montages of the film’s "best" bits.

The Fallout: Doomed to a life of cameos, Disney ensemble pictures (Wild Hogs), and direct-to-video films you probably haven't heard of (The Forger), John Travolta's star has once more faded into a haze of obscurity. Though he manages to make a name for himself, whether he likes it or not, as a bit of a professional gaffe maker. Now would be a good time to push The Vega Brothers into fruition.

Drew Barrymore

The Rise: Drew Barrymore, much like John Travolta before her, had a huge career that took a slight nosedive after some troubled times. Nothing that a late 90's renaissance couldn't revive, though, with her appearance in Wes Craven's Scream bringing her career back in a rather bloody fashion. Riding a decent wave of hits and misses after that film's release, she since has came crashing down hard.

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back: Ever hear of a movie called Big Miracle? It wouldn't be surprising if you had, because it's run on HBO quite a few times. But have you ever watched it? Apparently, not a lot of people did, because Drew Barrymore's fairly reliable star power didn't draw enough people to see this whale of a tale in its box office release. But do you know what did manage to draw in a lot of money, through some feat of dark advertising magic? Blended. Call it an Adam Dandler-driven fluke

The Fallout: So far, it looks like Drew Barrymore has two options that are available to her struggling career at this point: she can hitch her star permanently to Adam Sandler, and join the Happy Madison menagerie, or she can make more off-the-radar films like she did before Scream. So don't be surprised if she has a cameo in The Ridiculous Six to complement her current project, Miss You Already.

Taylor Kitsch

The Rise: A starring role in Friday Night Lights brought Taylor Kitsch into the forefront of Hollywood's attention. This only grew with a bit part in X-Men Origins: Wolverine as Gambit bringing him the spotlight that made Hollywood stand up and decide that Kitsch was their new "it guy."

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back: It's a tie, because John Carter and Battleship delivered a one/two punch of career hemlock to Kitsch's rising star. One film looked like too much of a Michael Bay rip off, and one film was sold so horribly that not even genre fans could save it. Actual quality of either picture aside, two big-budget bombs in one summer does a lot to crush a burgeoning career.

The Fallout: Taylor Kitsch is actually not doing to bad, as he's made good friends at HBO – thanks to not only a dramatic performance in The Normal Heart, but also his status as one of the new leads on True Detective's second season. The remake of The Raid might help repair some of the damage (if he gets a role, as rumored), but with his career already in the "I'm making under the radar animation films" phase, it needs to be really good.

Michael Cera

The Rise: Michael Cera started as a pretty experienced child actor, doing everything from voiceover work on The Berenstain Bears, as well as films like Frequency. The big time came a calling after Arrested Development became a newly minted comedy hit, with Cera's awkward George Michael helping him transfer into equally awkward roles in Superbad and Juno.

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back: For as good of a movie as it was, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was a certified box office disaster, finding itself unable to break even after tax rebates were cashed in to make the actual spend on the film look much smaller. You could easily say that Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist and Year One played a part in Cera's box office demise, but Scott Pilgrim vs. The World was his big starring role, and the public let it fall flat.

The Fallout: Every now and then, Seth Rogen and friends will throw Michael Cera a bone, through a cameo in This Is The End as well as a role in the upcoming animated picture, Sausage Party. Other than that, he's been doing short films and indies that have made a small splash, as well as returning to his awkward role as George-Michael in the revival series of Arrested Development. But his leading-man days appear to be done.

Sylvester Stallone

The Rise: With Rocky lighting the firework that was Sylvester Stallone's career, the 70's and 80's were extremely good to the Italian Stallion. With action and comedy being his two main wheelhouses, the man introduced us all to the previously mentioned boxing sensation, as well as war veteran turned one man killing machine Rambo. Times were very good to Stallone.

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back: Judge Dredd was, hands down, the nadir of Stallone's career, at least on paper. While the film eventually became somewhat of a camp classic, it was a huge blow to the industry's confidence in the leading man’s star power. Even worse, Stallone fell into the same trap John Travolta did with Battlefield Earth, and made a couple films through shady production shingle, and infamous money pit, Franchise Pictures.

The Fallout: Sylvester Stallone has managed to settle into a niche of low expectations, with the occasional hit that'll keep him going for a little longer. Rocky Balboa, Rambo, and The Expendables all made some nice-sized spikes in his star power, but ultimately Stallone's just not the draw that he used to be. Even that recent spike has seen some decline, with The Expendables 3 being savaged every which way (especially at the box office, where it matters most).

Katherine Heigl

The Rise: The transition from teen sensation to grown-up celebrity is a hard one, yet somehow Katherine Heigl made the jump with very little friction. Thanks to Bride Of Chucky’s success, as well as her tenure on Grey's Anatomy, film roles started to become more and more prevalent, with Knocked Up being her huge breakout hit.

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back: After a lot of ego problems between her and her Grey's Anatomy family, as well as some choice words about how "sexist" Knocked Up was against her character, Heigl's backslide was a combination of PR nightmares and diminishing returns. Movies like Killers, Life As We Know It and The Ugly Truth were – well, ugly. But no project signified both pitfalls as great as the disastrous Janet Evanovich adaptation, One For The Money.

The Fallout: Katherine Heigl's profile has been moderately visible, with smaller films on her resume and a starring role on State Of Affairs being her current claims to fame. Yet her film career isn't as bright as it once was, and we’re not sure it ever will be again.

Kristen Stewart

The Rise: Another child star who hit it big, Kristen Stewart went from running scared with Jodie Foster in Panic Room to running through the woods with then-boyfriend Robert Pattinson in The Twilight Saga. Like or hate the films, the teen romance franchise shot her star into the stratosphere, and built on a carefully crafted foundation she'd constructed over the years.

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back: That foundation apparently wasn't strong enough to continue her success past The Twilight Saga’s conclusion, as Snow White And The Huntsman was nowhere near as huge as the sparkling success she was experiencing concurrent to the release of Universal's attempted franchise launch. Not only did this performance stunt the development of the sequel, it also hurt Stewart's career after some personal drama came to the forefront.

The Fallout: Kristen Stewart has always had one toe dipped in the indie film pond, and after the aftermath of Snow White And The Huntsman, that's basically all she's been doing ever since. A huge franchise just doesn't seem in the cards, because audiences proved that they don't buy her as a viable lead. While she might never have another franchise to head up, she's doing decently for herself in the small film circuit, especially when she became the first American to win a Cesar Award. You don’t always have to be the lead, after all.

John Cusack

The Rise: With a career that spans more than 20 years, ranging from teen 80's comedies to underrated thrillers and romantic comedies, John Cusack has an impressive range of films on his record. He's also one of those rare actors who can age gracefully, switching gears as naturally as he can hold a boombox outside Ione Skye's window. He rose to fame with Better Off Dead in 1985, and stayed on top for a long, long time.

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back: In more recent years, John Cusack has made himself comfortable with more smaller-scale films, and the project to blame is most assuredly Roland Emmerich's 2012. With a plot more ridiculous and ham-fisted than any previous Emmerich disaster, 2012 rides a wave of disaster porn and pseudo science that even the most forgiving audiences found laughable.

The Fallout: In recent years, Cusack has been working with low budget films that either find themselves completely forgotten, or succeeding with a weak-tea temperament. The most high profile roles he's scored have been in films with Lee Daniels (The Butler) and David Cronenberg (Maps to the Stars), which has kept him in public view. But he skipped the second Hot Tub time Machine. And the Stephen King adaptation, Cell, probably the highest profile project in Cusack's queue, isn’t going to be the actor’s return ticket to the big leagues unless it hits big.

Nicholas Cage

The Rise: Perhaps the most interesting career on this list, Nicolas Cage made a name for himself by playing to a cross-section of roles that flexed both his serious acting chops, as well as his naturally weird personality. Much like his idol, Elvis Presley, Cage had cultivated a persona as a performer as well as an enigmatic eccentric, and he's got the Academy Award to prove it.

The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back: Cage’s career is hard to pin down. He was making Face/Off at one moment and National Treasure in the next, with plenty of time to make The Weather Man in the interim. Cage seemed to have a good racket going for him. Then, The Wicker Man happened, and faster than you could say, "BEES," Nicholas Cage amped up the weird factor and scaled back on reality. He really hasn’t returned.

The Fallout: As crazy as his choices may have looked, Cage has maintained a steady stream of work that's kept him in the public eye. While he hasn't always made the best choices, he's certainly made interesting choices that don't look like they cost their respective studios all that much to produce. Sadly, this has diluted the "Cage" brand, making films like The Croods 2 or National Treasure 3 the only shot Cage really has at leading a huge budget picture -- and even then, those films aren't guaranteed.

So what have we learned today? If anything, it could be said that the greatest lesson of today's examination into the rise and fall of big name stars is not only to choose your projects wisely, but to know how to balance said projects in accordance with your true talents. Maybe you shouldn't take two high profile projects in one year, even if they seem like a sure fire hit. Perhaps you should pay your taxes, so you don't have to take every remake of a Christian blockbuster that comes along. Or maybe, you should just realize that the job of an actor isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. So before you get into the business, or before you choose that next project after your appearance in a Marvel comic book movie, keep in mind these 10 profiles, and the career mistakes they have made.

John Cusack has made some interesting choices in the past decade of his career. For every Maps To The Stars boosting him up, there's a Dragon Blade to take him down, and a project like Cell that plants him firmly in the middle of the Hollywood star system. Not content to sit on his laurels, Cusack has another film coming our way, and pretty soon too. Watch the trailer for the Brian Wilson biopic Love & Mercy below, and see where you think this film hits on the Cusack Scale.

Many thanks to the film’s official YouTube channel, the trailer for Love & Mercy has been shared for all to see, and it looks like it has a fair amount of promise. Co-starring Paul Dano as the younger incarnation of the rock idol who helped make The Beach Boys what they were best known for, Love & Mercy tells the story of both Brian Wilson's mental deterioration during the recording of Pet Sounds, as well as his 1982 battle against his therapist/collaborator (Paul Giamatti) with the help of a Cadillac saleswoman (Elizabeth Banks) he'd recently met. Both narratives will flow into each other, and from the looks of this trailer, that might be the first issue the film has to overcome.

While Dano and Cusack are excellent performers on their own, it's the fact that they'll have to be playing off of each other's unique styles that makes you wonder how well this rather thin trailer for Love & Mercy is really selling the film. Clocking in at only a little over a minute, the trailer breezes through its subject with the informational content of a commercial more than a full-fledged trailer, and considering this film's coming out at the beginning of June, it's not hard to see how this film could be very easily buried in the summer 2015 crush.

However, when all four actors advertised in Love & Mercy are on their top form, a film could really shine. Not to mention, if this film was actually a gem waiting to be discovered, it wouldn't be the first time that a legitimately good movie would be buried by horrible marketing skills. The words John Carter still send chills down Disney executive's spines. While this trailer is a short glimpse into a story that's as complex as it is legendary, it doesn't necessarily spell "instant disaster." Not to mention, the Love & Mercy trailer does manage to nail the one thing that any Beach Boys biopic needs to remember to honor: the legendary music.

Love & Mercy hits theaters on June 5th.

Through their careers, John Cusack, Jackie Chan and Adrien Brody have each experienced high levels of acclaim and box office success, but what happens when they all come together to make a movie in China? The result is Dragon Blade, the first trailer for which was just released online.

Written and directed by Daniel Lee, Dragon Blade is set in China in the year 48 BC. Jackie Chan plays Huo An, a commander with a 1,000-soldier army who teams up with a Roman general named Lucius (John Cusack) to try and protect the borders of China from external invaders. Unfortunately, the blood-thirsty Tiberius (Adrien Brody) has a score to settle with Lucius, and heads his direction with an army of 100,000.

I'm sure that part of it has to do with the fact that this trailer (via Webzine Check) feels like it was hastily cut together, but I can't say that I have a tremendous amount of confidence in the quality of Dragon Blade. There are scenes clearly set against fake backdrops, a bit of over-dramatic screaming, a good amount of stilted dialogue, and worst of all I'm just having a really hard time seeing John Cusack as a Roman soldier. Of course, this is just a preview and the final product could be miles and miles better, but this really isn't doing much to give me confidence.

Whether or not we will actually get to see Dragon Blade for ourselves is a whole other question entirely. Back in November we learned that the film was being sold at the American Film Market, but at this point it doesn't seem like the project has managed to find distribution. Instead, it's only release strategy currently is a simultaneous release in mid-February in both China and Singapore next year. That being said, I'm sure it will find its way to us eventually. The names John Cusack, Adrien Brody, and Jackie Chan certainly don't hold the same kind of weight that they did around 15 years ago when they were attached to movies like High Fidelity, The Pianist and Rush Hour, but there are still American audiences out there who will pay to see them work.

Sadly, if Dragon Blade doesn't wind up coming out here in the United States, you might have a little trouble getting a nice quality fix from any of the three stars. Chan is currently working on Renny Harlin's Skiptrace, which doesn't have a release date yet; Cusack has finished production on an adaptation of Stephen King's Cell; and Brody may be seen alongside Salma Hayek in the thriller Septembers of Shiraz. Hopefully one or all of those movies can be a big hit and get their respective stars back on track.

Some actors can pull off any person in any time period with chameleon like precision, while others can't even pretend to be anyone but themselves. Granted, these two extremes are the most fun to watch, but the people that tend to be overlooked are those who can pull off one or two different time periods adequately, while mostly playing to their strengths throughout their career. Judging by the latest poster for Dragon Blade, it looks like John Cusack belongs to two of the three camps, but it's hard to tell which one he falls into more often than not.

This debate has been sparked by Collider, who reported in with this new poster from the American Film Market. Not only is John Cusack along for the ride, but Academy Award winner Adrian Brody and famed martial arts/comedy actor Jackie Chan are also on board. Dragon Blade is listed as simply being about, "a missing legion of Roman soldiers that traveled into China in 48 B.C." So that explains the armor, the swords, and Jackie Chan... but it doesn't explain what to expect from John Cusack, or either of his co-stars, for that matter.

Horrible Photoshop job aside, it's kind of weird seeing John Cusack in a Roman's armor. Playing Edgar Allen Poe in The Raven is one thing, (and frankly Cusack was pretty good playing the morose writer in a film that was more grounded than expected), but playing a Roman centurion, who will probably have to use that sword in battle... now that's something we're not completely ready to believe. At the same time, however, we're not ready to write it off.

Again, the amateur job the poster has done in selling Dragon Blade has us less convinced than anything else, as John Cusack is a pretty capable actor when given the right material. While Dragon Blade screams the complete opposite vibe, you do have to keep in mind that the American Film Market event is home to a lot of posters like these. This is largely because most films marketed at AFM are still in early days of development/production, meaning that there isn't going to be a ton of official photographic material to speak of. But to answer the question, if the poster is any indication of how serious this film has taken its production process, then yes... things are going to get awkward. Like Colin Farrell in Alexander awkward.

Still, John Cusack deserves better, guys. While his output as of late hasn't reached anywhere near the heights he's seen in his career, he still has some interesting projects that come out every once and a while. If you don't believe us, then take a look at his next big project, David Cronenberg's Hollywood roast Maps To The Stars, which will be released on February 27, 2015. Meanwhile, The Eagle will meet The Dragon (whatever that means) when Dragon Blade is released next year.

Yesterday, we learned that NBC was putting together yet another TV series idea based on a classic film. This time around, the network wants to turn Say Anything into a TV show. However, the original cast and crew who shot the movie are none too pleased about Say Anything’s new premise and TV potential. Both director Cameron Crowe and actor John Cusack have spoken out to say they won’t be touching the new Say Anything project with a ten-foot pole.

After hearing about NBC’s big announcement, Crowe took to Twitter to exclaim his disdain over what NBC wants to do with his directorial debut.

John Cusack was also asked about the project via social media. Cusack played Lloyd Dobbler in the original film, the romantic, hopeful just-graduated high school student who falls for Diane. His character will be a key part of the updated Say Anything, but the man is adamant he will stay as far away from the new project as possible.

NBC’s latest project will pick up ten years from the events in the original movie. Despite the fact that the movie was originally released in 1989, the new Say Anything will be set in the present day. The central plotline will follow Lloyd Dobbler, who has long since been dumped by Diane. Lloyd finds out Diane is returning to town and there might just be some hope for the relationship. It’s not the worst premise I’ve ever heard the network come up with, but if Cusack and Crowe have their way, the potential series will not come to fruition.

Movies becoming TV projects have been a big trend recently. NBC already has About a Boy on the network, and a Real Genius remake is in the works. Big and Minority Report might also be returning via TV. Whether or not Crowe and co. are happy about it, movies are owned by the studios that finance them, not the directors and actors who create them. The studios ultimately get to decide what happens to each property, whether or not everyone involved with the original movie agrees. Clearly, this latest trend is a divisive one in the industry, but, ultimately, each of the remakes will live and die by their own merit or lack thereof.

Romance on TV has seen the highs of Moonlighting and the lows of Dating Naked, and it’s impossible to tell where NBC’s newest project will land on the spectrum. The network is developing a small screen sequel for Cameron Crowe’s directorial debut Say Anything…, the latest in a growing line of WTF throwback projects happening all over the TV landscape. This is pretty sacred ground, and it doesn’t appear that Crowe is currently involved at all, but let’s hold off a little while before playing “Stop! In the Name of Love” on our boomboxes.

NBC has given a script commitment plus penalty to the Say Anything... project, which will be set in the present day. Yet it will somehow pick up only ten years after the original film, according to Deadline, even though the movie came out in 1989. Lloyd, originally played by John Cusack, “has long since been dumped by Diane and life hasn’t exactly turned out like he thought.” But this isn’t just a character study involving only half of a great cinematic couple. Diane, played by Ione Skye in the film, is coming back to town for some reason, and Lloyd sees the conquest of getting her back as a chance to turn his life around. Not exactly breaking new ground on a story level, but it's not as shabby as a straight remake either.

The pilot will be written by Justin Adler, who was a co-executive producer for the wildly inventive and underappreciated Better Off Ted, while also working with the production teams of Samantha Who? and The Larry Sanders Show. He’s part of the silver lining here, as I think he’ll be able to pull off an amusing take on the material, but that doesn’t necessarily warrant its existence. 20th Century Fox and Aaron Kaplan’s Kapital Entertainment are behind it, with the latter formerly invested in shows like Terra Nova and the terrible Americanized version of The Inbetweeners, and they're currently backing series like The Mysteries of Laura and The Neighbors.

A few years ago, Crowe himself was talking about making a sequel to Say Anything…, and that it was his only project that he would consider going that route with. It’s a damned shame that his vision will be usurped by others, though it’s entirely possible that he may get on board with it in some form in the future. The pilot doesn’t have a director yet…

NBC already has a small screen reboot of Problem Child in the works for some reason, along with one based on Real Genius. What do you guys think about a Say Anything… sequel joining them?

This poll is no longer available.

The internet has democratized information, which means you can't scare anyone with urban horror stories - like the one about an adoption agency that re-adopts kids for a ransom price. Fortunately, there are movies like Reclaim that come along ready to scare the bejesus out of any would-be parent thinking of adoption. Beware – your Third World child might just be bait to allow John Cusack to capture and torture you!

Cusack, who still deserves his own Taken, is probably paying some gambling debts by appearing in films like this, The Prince and The Bag Man. Here, he's a mysterious loner who gets too close to a married couple played by Ryan Phillipe and Rachel Lefevre on their vacation. Suddenly, the child is gone! Maybe the cops could help. Or maybe the adoption agent (Academy award nominee Jacki Weaver) is in on it...and there is no adoption agency! ADOPTCEPTION!

It's amazing how there's this little universe out there of movies that keep guys like Cusack and Phillipe out of mainstream cinema. Heck, it's almost as if Luis Guzman just stepped out of his role as a cop in the recent In The Blood to play the same character in here. On one level, you're tickled to see Cusack fire guns in movies like Drive Hard (particularly if director Brian Trenchard-Smith brings his A-game). But again, it's unusual to see him scowling through a role that a less dynamic actor could knock out of the park.

All that being said, "You bought our daughter on the black market?" is not only one of the all-time greatest guilt trips in wife history, but a great hook for a movie. Reclaim is going to have tropical locations, harried parents, chases (some in cars), fights, and a couple of big stars. And while it's not a big role, you're also going to get the wonderfully wicked Weaver chewing scenery in her duplicitous adoption role. This movie can only be so bad, really.

Reclaim is coming from director Alan White, who debuted with 1999's Erskineville Kings, which actually features a pre-Wolverine Hugh Jackman and a young Joel Edgerton. That's right, as you can tell, Jackman was already a mega-hottie at that point:

No awkward period there. So far, all of White's films have been a bit smaller, so this is his shot at the big time. Reclaim opens in select theaters on September 19th, while also arriving on VOD. Hopefully, one of those theaters selected will be near you!

While actors Robert De Niro and John Cusack are still hot commodities in Hollywood, their bigger films have been balanced in recent years by a handful of indie films, usually in the crime and thriller genres. I have to admit, I had no idea that David Grovic’s directorial debut The Bag Man even existed, but now we have a trailer for it, and it looks almost exactly like what you’d expect it to be, if not a tad flashier and less direct-to-DVD.

Via IndieWire, this trailer partly documents one of the goofiest hairdos of De Niro’s career. Not in the beginning, when he’s making me hungry by using foodstuffs as a blueprint for the mini-heist he’s hiring Cusack to perform. But once the assumed double crossing starts happening and the pressure is on, his hair expands. In fact, take a bigger peek at that big old head of hair in the still below.

Cusack is forced to go to a shitty motel – by the by, the film originally went under the title Motel – to pick up a mystery bag for De Niro. What I’m assuming is supposed to be a routine grab-and-go is made complicated by the appearance of a femme fatale dressed as Wonder Woman, played by Brazilian up-and-comer Rebecca Da Costa. She may or may not know something about the bag, but it is quickly confirmed she is on the run from a bunch of men who want to kill her. And instead of leaving her to take a couple of bullets, Cusack takes her under his gun-blasting wing and the two make a run for it, leaving De Niro’s crime boss more than a little peeved.

I’m not sure if it was a Taxi Driver in-joke or anything, but it was particularly cheesy when De Niro blurts out, "Who do you think you’re talking to? You don’t talk to me. I talk to you." It’s so close to, "You talking to me?" that it seems impossible to be unrelated.

There’s also a poster to go along with the trailer, but it’s of the Photoshopped variety that doesn’t do much for the imagination. I do like the neon-lit title, however.

So it’s probably just like every run-of-the-mill thriller that also co-stars Crispin Glover and Sticky Fingaz, but there’s something about it that makes me know I’ll end up watching The Bag Man as soon as I can. Cusack and De Niro on opposite ends of the same slimy side of the road just sounds like a good time to me. You might be able to find it during its limited theatrical run starting February 28, while others will have to wait until it nabs a home release. Thankfully we'll be able to see them later this year in more acclaimed films, as Cusack is rumored to play a part in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1, while De Niro will train Roberto Duran in the upcoming biopic Hands of Stone.

Adult World is the latest film from Emma Roberts, and the new trailer has debuted. It's one of Roberts’ bigger roles as she takes center stage as Amy, an aspiring writer struggling to put a career together despite a combination of unemployment and post-millennial cluelessness, eventually swallowing her pride to work at an adult bookstore. The film, which premiered last year at the Tribeca Film Festival, is slated for a limited and VOD release next month, courtesy of IFC films, and the above trailer gives us our first look, offering a preview of the general vibe of the movie.

The phrase "we should have pity on Emma Roberts" shouldn’t really exist, given that she’s a beautiful young woman who is no-doubt financially set for life due to a busy, and prolific body of work and a star-studded heritage. But it hasn’t been easy moving from the kiddie pictures of her youth like Nancy Drew and Hotel For Dogs to adult fare. It’s hard enough to find a decent, well-written part for an actress at any age, and she’s still got to fight the inherent bias against her own lineage. To that end, her decisions have mostly revolved around working in the independent film world, taking on work from hungry young directors and avoiding the bubbleheaded girlfriend parts and empty-headed pilots her peers eagerly snap up.

And that too has backfired. Roberts’ CV is filled with movies like The Art Of Getting By and Lymelife, pictures with decent casts and solid indie pedigree that play to silent festival audiences before being dumped into a handful of theaters before an undistinguished DVD release. Roberts’ career may be on the upswing with last year’s double-whammy of a standout role in American Horror Story and We’re The Millers, but those are ensemble roles meant to stabilize her career, not boost it. She even bothered to swallow her pride and take one of those thankless girlfriend roles. Unfortunately, it was in Empire State, which, despite starring Liam Hemsworth and Dwayne Johnson, was literally in theaters for about five days, and probably nowhere near you.

Courtesy of Yahoo, the Adult World footage showcases John Cusack’s role as revered writer Rat Billings, who takes Amy under his wing, usually as he’s nursing a drink. It also reveals parts for Cloris Leachman as the porn clerk and Roberts’ American Horror Story co-star Evan Peters (soon to be seen in X-Men: Days Of Future Past) as her super-convenient love interest. Sadly, it leaves out Shannon Woodward as the sassy best friend, but "sassy best friend" is probably one indie cliché too many for this teaser. At times, the movie captures the dreadfulness of being an artist in a dead-end town, but, like the trailer, it too-often leans on sitcom humor and Roberts’ own flailing gawkiness. It also gives away quite a bit of the story, so if you’re a hardcore Emma Roberts fan, you might want to hold off on clicking play. You can visit Adult World this Valentine's Day in select theaters.

It’s so easy to flip opinions as someone who writes entertainment news. Back when Eugenio Mira’s thriller Grand Piano was first announced, I was part of the crowd calling it "Speed on a piano bench," as the synopsis is a fairly simple one. But following the release of the film’s Spanish trailer and successful festival run, this film is back within my good graces, and the English language trailer seen above further proves that it’s right in tune with overcoming expectations. I guess I wasn’t expecting a Brian De Palma film by way of Italian giallo, with a healthy sprinkling of those Tom and Jerry and Looney Tunes shorts where the characters played concert piano. But then who is?

For Grand Piano, Elijah Wood continues earning his indie cred as Tom Selznick, a master pianist who is making his comeback performance after previously suffering a mental setback. While he’s extremely nervous about flubbing the show, his nerves are sharpened even more by the presence of an assassin in the crowd who threatens the life of Tom and his family should the performance not be flawless. If Tom makes one mistake, he dies. If he tries to make anyone aware of his predicament, his wife (Kerry Bishé) dies. Stage fright has never seemed quite as dangerous before, or as twisty-turvy as Mira’s constantly fluid direction.

John Cusack is playing the villain, in a role that reminds me of Keifer Sutherland’s voiceover performance in Joel Schumacher’s Phone Booth – and few things actually remind me of that movie – and I hope he found a way to give the character more than one dimension, as hearing a constant stream of terse threats could run out of steam pretty quickly. But at just 90 minutes, I’m not sure he’ll even have enough time to overstay his welcome. Is it wrong that I hope he actually shoots Elijah Wood through the head by the end of it?

With a few other recognizable faces in the crowd, including Don McManus (Parkland), Dee Wallace (E.T.) and Alex Winter (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure), Grand Piano will hopefully also embrace the piano as a secondary character, allowing music to guide the scenes. This is the first of Mira’s three films that he won’t be serving as a composer for, and hopefully that means we get a full orchestral soundscape instead of painfully obvious "tension music."

As with Wood’s other recent thriller, the downright sadistic and mostly terrifying Maniac remake, I want to feel slightly uneasy from the very first scene in Grand Piano, but I’ll have to wait until its release on March 7 to figure it out. Our Spanish-speaking audience will enjoy the original trailer below, which features some footage not seen in the one above, courtesy of Coming Soon.

We were onboard whenever Bruce Willis signed on to be a bad guy for Emmett/Furla/Oasis Films’ action thriller The Prince, and it appears we weren’t alone, as the cast has all at once grown by six. Let’s get a roll call going. The film has added John Cusack, Jason Patric, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson, Johnathon Schaech, Gia Mantegna and South Korean pop star Rain. A lot of actors, but seemingly just the right mix of big names and musicians-turned-actors.

Deadline reports The Prince will follow Patric as Paul, a retired Las Vegas mob tough guy – and isn’t it a strange world we live in where Patric is old enough to play a retired anything – whose family life is interrupted when he’s forced to go back to the bright lights of the city to try and find his missing daughter. Along the way, he has to deal with some of the enemies his former life granted him. Willis will play Omar, a ruthless mug who has waited years for Paul’s return. Cusack will play Paul’s best friend, who I assume accompanies him on his trip, while Schaech will play a drug dealer nicknamed "The Pharmacist." There’s no word on what role the rest of the cast would be playing.

This is all pretty big news, as the film is reportedly only supposed to coast Emmett/Furla/Oasis around $15 million. I wonder if a few of them are paying favors forward. I don’t assume that Rain or Mantegna is asking for big bucks, but I’d previously assumed most of that money was going into Willis’ pocket. One has to wonder what director Brian A. Miller will have left to work with as far as a production budget, though it’s possible South Korea’s Union Investment Partners upped the budget when they joined as co-producers and co-financiers.

Cusack, who gave his best Richard Nixon in Lee Daniels’ The Butler, will soon be seen by limited audiences in the thriller Grand Piano and David Cronenberg’s offbeat drama Maps to the Stars, and by everyone in the world with The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1, which he is currently filming. He’s also set to star in the Stephen King adaptation Cell, which is finally moving forward.

Patric, who starred in Miller’s latest film The Outsider, recently finished filming the horror The Confines and will be seen next year in the western thriller The Last Duane. Jackson, who was in Miller’s 2010 crime drama Caught in the Crossfire, stars with Cusack in the true crime thriller The Frozen Ground and Escape Plan with Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Schaech, who starred in Showtime’s Ray Donovan, recently finished filming Renny Harlin’s Hercules: The Legend Begins, and stars in Takashi Shimizu’s haunted plane horror 7500. Mantegna also starred in The Frozen Ground, and will soon be seen in Allison Burnett’s drama Undiscovered Gyrl.

Production for The Prince begins next week in Mobile, Alabama.

Last Halloween was the first and last time we got any casting news on the upcoming feature adaptation of Stephen King’s Cell, as John Cusack signed on for the lead role. It’s been a year, but the wait was worth it, as Samuel L. Jackson will fill another starring role for the Benaroya Pictures and Genre Company production. When you've absolutely, positively got to kill every suddenly homicidal maniac in the world, accept no substitutes.

Cell, a 2006 bestseller, takes place in a world going through a few changes as much of the world’s population is turned into bloodthirsty pod people following the transmission of a brainwashing signal over any cell phone in use all over the globe. Deadline reports Jackson will play engineer and former soldier Tom McCourt, who teams up with Clay Riddell (Cusack) and an uncast teenage girl named Alice to try and survive in the suddenly ever-dangerous world as they search for Clay’s son. The film will probably share the dim tone of AMC’s The Walking Dead, but without all the boring exposition and thin characters. And if anything sounds better than watching Samuel L. motherfuckin’ Jackson going around killing quasi-zombies, it’s probably an impossibility.

Cell will be directed by Tod Williams of Paranormal Activity 2 fame, from a script he co-wrote with The Last House on the Left screenwriter Adam Alleca. Not exactly the most highbrow guys that Jackson has worked with, but hopefully they’ve given the at-times sloppy source material a good polishing. The novel features one of the more amazing opening sequences in genre history, and I can’t wait to see Cusack wide-eyeing his way through it all.

This won’t be the first time Jackson and Cusack co-star in a King adaptation, as they were both in Mikael Håfström’s underseen 2007 horror mystery 1408>, though Jackson’s role was limited to one major scene. I can’t wait to see them share the screen together for most of a feature.

It’s hard to think of an actor busier than Jackson these days. When he isn’t appearing as Nick Fury in all things Marvel, he can be seen in Spike Lee’s upcoming Oldboy remake and José Padilha’s RoboCop reboot. He’s currently filming Matthew Vaughn’s adaptation of the comic miniseries The Secret Service and Kyle Newman’s assassin comedy Barely Lethal, and he’ll star as the President of the United States in Jalman Helander’s actioner Big Game. Why isn’t he the President in every movie?

Cell will be marketed at AFM this week, so there’s no telling when production is scheduled to begin. Until then, have you been to any haunted hotel rooms lately?

Hot Tub Time Machine was one of the last movies put out by MGM before the company went bankrupt, and looking at the box office receipts it's not hard to see why. Despite having a great cast that included names like John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Craig Robinson and Clark Duke, the comedy managed to bank only $50 million domestically on a $36 million budget, opening at number three on its opening weekend behind the newly released How To Train Your Dragon and Alice in Wonderland in its fourth week. Numbers like that don't typically warrant sequels, yet we're having the discussion anyway, apparently.

The Hollywood Reporter has word that MGM is now putting together pieces to make a follow-up to Hot Tub Time Machine. While John Cusack is not involved with the project at this time, the three other main stars have all been in talks with the studio and there's a possibility that Corddry will be working on a script with Steve Pink, the director of the last film (who is also in talks to return). Apparently they've been secretly developing the movie over the last few months, but "sources caution that deal-making is in an early stage and could fail." The trade adds that should everything work out, however, the film could be fast-tracked by MGM.

I liked the first film well enough, but I'm not entirely sure where the story goes from where the last movie ended (with Corddry staying behind and becoming a millionaire by "inventing" Google - or Lougle). The last film was a send-up of 80s movies, so maybe the sequel could head to the 90s?

Viewed from a certain angle, the 2007 John Cusack/ Stephen King collaboration, 1408, was a raging success. It grossed more than one hundred and thirty million dollars worldwide, and it actually got well above average reviews. In fact, it almost broke 80% on Rotten Tomatoes. Viewed from another angle, however, 1408 was a gigantic disappointment. When two people as talented as Cusack and King get together, the final product should be more than a halfway decent horror movie most people vaguely remember. Luckily, the two will now have another shot at getting it right.

Cusack has officially boarded Genre Company’s adaptation of King’s bestselling novel Cell. The screenplay for the psychological horror thriller was written by the author himself in collaboration with Last House On The Left scribe Adam Alleca. The story follows a father who is desperately searching for his family after an unexpected pulse broadcast over the global cell phone network changs people and upends the entire world.

According to Screen Daily, financing has already been arranged by Cargo Entertainment, and the film’s international rights are currently being shopped. That forward progress, coupled with all the talent involved, should lead to a relatively quick start time and hopefully, to a creepy movie most of us put on a little more often than 1408.

Both Cusack and King have given us wonderful films before. There’s no reason to think both can’t find that magic again.

Emma Roberts has found a pair of co-stars in director Scott Coffey's Adult World. While she's been alone on the project for nearly an entire year now, Deadline has learned that John Cusack and Evan Peters have both signed on for roles in the movie.

The story follows Amy Anderson (Roberts), a 21-year-old young woman who has recently graduated from college with a degree in poetry. Though she has great confidence that she will be the next great writer, the economic downturn mixed with her unpaid student loans cause a financial problem and she is not only forced to move back in with her parents, but also get a job at a local adult book store called "Adult World" (hence the title). The website reports that Peters will be playing a character named Manny, however, the article doesn't explain who he is. Cusack, on the other hand, will be a famous poet named Rat Billings who is Amy's idol "was one of the greatest poets of the early ’90s." The script was written by Andrew Cochran.

In a statement, TreeHouse Pictures president Justin Nappi said, "Adult World examines the contemporary state of post-graduate life in America. This is a smart satirical comedy that will resonate with a lot of people." The film is only the second movie that Coffey has directed, the first being 2005's Ellie Parker, starring Naomi Watts.

John Cusack will next be seen in James McTeigue's The Raven, which arrives in theaters this April, while Peters recently starred in the first season of American Horror Story.

Back in April of 2010, it looked as though Ethan Hawke was going to be reteaming with Sean and Bryan Furst - the producers of the vampire flick Daybreakers - for the action thriller The Numbers Station. Since then news about the project has been slim, with the exception of news that broke in September of last year, announcing that Malin Akerman had joined the cast as well. Fast forward a year and while Akerman is attached, it looks like Hawke has been replaced.

Variety is reporting that John Cusack has been cast to star in The Numbers Station. Directed by Danish filmmaker Kasper Barfoed (The Candidate) and written by F. Scott Frazier, the movie is about a "disgraced black-ops agent" who is reduced to playing bodyguard to a code operator for a secret CIA broadcast station. While the article doesn't say it, one can assume that the drama begins when the outpost falls under attack. The film is scheduled to go into production next month.

Cusack has a fairly heavy upcoming schedule, with The Factory bowing in December and The Raven, Limbo, The Paperboy, and The Frozen Ground all coming out in 2012. The actor's last film was the Steve Pink comedy Hot Tub Time Machine.

This project sounds like pretty standard action fare, but I will say that I do like John Cusack in the role better than Ethan Hawke. Nothing against Hawke - he's a fine actor - but any time I get to be reminded of Cusack movies like Grosse Pointe Blank I see it as a win.

John Cusack and Johnny Knoxville are two people I would never expect to see listed together, unless it was on a list of People I Would Never Expect to See Listed Together. Nevertheless, the unlikely has become reality, because THR says the pair have both signed on for Carnaval, a new comedy to be directed by Josh Stern.

As the title suggests, Carnaval will be set amidst Rio de Janeiro's annual epic festival. Cusack will play a sports agent who is sent to Rio to try and sign an incredibly talented local soccer player. He's got a lot on the line: if he makes the deal, he will inherit the entire agency for which he works. Knoxville will play a friend of Cusack's character who tags along for the ride, then winds up unwittingly boning the soccer star's girlfriend. Shouldn't be a problem, right? What happens in Carnaval, stays in Carnaval.

The script was originally written by a dude named David Styne, himself a former agent. Clearly Styne subscribes to the "write what you know" philosophy. Director Stern then came along and did a rewrite pass on the script. Those guys should totally form a law firm. "Styne and Stern: A Name You Can Trust."

The core concept is pretty basic, but the dynamic between Cusack and Knoxville could be fun. Also, Carnaval will be shooting this January in Rio de Janeiro, so it should have some great scenery if nothing else. Of course, if The Hangover Part II proved anything, it's that exotic locales won't make up for an underwhelming script. We'll just have to wait and see.

By now we should have all come to terms with the fact that rappers inevitably will turn their careers toward acting. Ices Cube and T have managed some pretty strong careers, and Ludacris and Common aren’t doing too bad for themselves either. Their colleague Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson has been making a bid for an acting career since his debut in the autobiographical Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in 2005. Though he already has three films in post-production under his Cheetah Vision production company, Cent has added The Frozen Ground to his growing list of upcoming films.

Frozen Ground is set in 1970s-80s, Alaska where notorious serial killer Robert Hansen murdered 17 prostitutes and/or strippers, and was better known as “Butcher Baker”. Cent will play a pimp who undoubtedly will be losing girls and looking for revenge and money, though the specifics of his role have not been released beyond that he’ll have a “significant role” according to the Anchorage Daily News. Cent’s partner at Cheetah Vision Randall Emmett will be producing the film.

The rapper will be joining Nicolas Cage who has taken the lead as a State Trooper investigate the Butcher Baker case. The Butcher himself will be played by John Cusack, who rarely gets to step up and play the bad guy. And Vanessa Hudgens, of High School Musical and Sucker Punch quasi-fame, will be baring skin again as one of the would-be victims who managed to escape.

Emmett says that Cent has moved a bunch of tour dates around to make sure he can be committed to the film, a gesture that proves he actually does care about making his career as an actor work and isn’t just there for a quick dollar. Get used to seeing him on screen, we’re going to get a lot of it in the next couple of years.

Vanessa Hudgens seems to be making career choices that push her away from the High School Musical fandom and into darker territory. Among her recent film credits is Sucker Punch, and now it appears she’ll be playing the potential victim of a serial killer.

Deadline got the exclusive on the story at TIFF, posting that Hudgens has been cast to star alongside Nicolas Cage and John Cusack in Frozen Ground, a film based on the true story about Alaskan serial killer Robert Hansen. Cusack will play Hansen, a killer who kidnaps women, sets them loose in the Alaskan wilderness and then hunts them down and kills them. Hudgens has been cast to play the only victim who managed to escape. Nicolas Cage is set to play the State Trooper for finds her and helps her bring Hansen to justice.

I hate the thought of John Cusack as a bad-guy. And by hate, I mean love. There’s always something a shade or two creepier in a villain played by an actor typically known for being the nice guy. As for Hudgens as the victim, this could be a true test of her acting chops. This role sounds like it'll be a challenging one. It will be interesting to see if she can continue shed her Disney-teen image and take on a real dramatic performance.

Frozen Ground begins shooting next month in Anchorage, Alaska.

When Tobey Maguire and Zac Efron were first cast together in Lee Daniels' upcoming drama The Paperboy, I assumed the strong resemblance meant they'd be playing the central pair of bothers who investigate a murder in their Florida hometown. When Maguire then dropped out thanks to conflicts in his schedule for The Great Gatsby, I wondered how they'd find someone else with those massive blue eyes to replace him (Jake Gyllenhaal, are you there?) Turns out, like some misled detective in a mystery story, I was headed the wrong direction entirely.

Variety reports that John Cusack has replaced Maguire in the film, and of course, he's not playing the brother at all, but the death row prisoner the two brothers are investigating as possibly being innocent. Though Matthew McConaughey has been attached to the film since May, he's still in negotiations for his role, along with Nicole Kidman, who would replace Sofia Vergara as a mysterious woman who writes letters to men on death row. The film will be the long-awaited follow-up from Lee Daniels after Precious, the runaway indie success that earned him an Oscar nomination and amnesty from his awful previous film Shadowboxer. I'd say that the caliber of cast flocking to Paperboy indicates there's something much stronger here, but then, Shadowboxer featured Helen Mirren and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, so you really never know.

Truthfully, I'm excited to see what Daniels brings out of this, an adaptation of a fairly standard-sounding crime novel that still might have some tricks up its sleeve. Filming begins later this summer, and if they're going to be on location in Florida, god help them-- I'd even keep New York City summer weather over that swamp.

Amanda Seyfried's schedule is plenty packed these days, filming the futuristic thriller Now opposite Justin Timberlake, signing on recently for the kidnapping revenge film Gone, and getting ready to open her revisionist take on Red Riding Hood with director Catherine Hardwicke. But has she made room for one more movie in her lineup, to shoot in Boston this April?

According to Boston film production sources (via Bleeding Cool) she has. They're hearing that director Patrick Alessandrin will be in the area come April to shoot The Bullet, which has Amanda Seyfriend and John Cusack on board to star. Here's the only information available about the plot:

No word on whether Cusack will play the killer-- an interesting change of pace I'd actually be interested to see-- or just another one of the victims. Also no confirmation of whether or not the movie is as much of a Saw knockoff as it sounds right now. Both Seyfriend and Cusack have been known to make their share of garbage among actually good movies-- Cusack more than ever these days-- and Alessandrin's one major credit is B-13: Ultimatum, the sequel to the French action film that garnered relatively good reviews.

If the news is even true-- it's hard to confirm information on sites like this, and Bleeding Cool doesn't know anything more than we do-- we might have a bizarre Seyfried/Cusack pairing to look forward to, and also some questions about what was supposed to be Alessandrin's next project, Ten with Bruce Willis. We'll let you know if we figure out more.

I leaned a number of new things about Crispin Glover while at the Hot Tub Time Machine junket in Lake Tahoe. First off, he’s a successful commercial actor, but also pursuing some personal passion projects on the side. Secondly, the guy is poised to the max. Lastly, damn, Glover’s got gorgeous hair.

There’s a good chance you didn’t even know Glover was in Hot Tub Time Machine. John Cusack, Rob Corddry, Clark Duke and Craig Robinson are featured on the posters and in the trailers, but it’s Glover who’s got one of the most memorable running gags throughout the film. He plays Phil, the hotel bellhop who escorts the gang to their room and the same guy who did so back in 1986. When we meet Phil at the beginning of the film, he’s missing a little something, an arm. But after some hot tub time traveling, we meet the 1986 version of Phil and he’s fully limbed. You know what that means; he’s eventually losing that arm.

Not only did Glover dish on the physicality of his role, but he also addressed his involvement in another little time travel film, Back to the Future. Then there are Glover’s plans for the future. His dedication to use his mainstream work to finance his own films have led him to the Czech Republic where he’s building his own sets. Will It Is Mine be next on his agenda? Find out that and more below.

How’d you get involved with this movie?

I got a message from my agent that they’re interested in meeting with me, with John Cusack and his co-producer for lunch. I got the script that was the existing script at the time and they let me know that they’d only gotten the script two weeks before and that there was this time limitation that they had to do it and there was a release date that was already set and if they didn’t say to do it then, it just wouldn’t be done at all. They did it and it was apparent that there was a lot of reworking that would happen. I had a good time working on the film and I’m very happy to be in it. All of the people were nice to work with. They’re funny and it feels like the film has a good humor.

Did you get to do much adlibbing?

Oh, yeah! A lot of the things that were in the screenplay are there, but it was done in a slightly different fashion than it was written – as it was written in the screenplay …, which would be improvisation. [Laughs]

Your character is part of this great running gag, which would likely have its limits when it comes to improvisation. How much leeway did you get?

There was a fair amount of leeway, but also the things were being changed as we were shooting. Like the elevator sequence that’s in the film, that wasn’t something that was originally written in, but it became apparent that we really needed to have three times where we saw that. We were looking for something that would be visually interesting and that I felt I could play and there were different possibilities of that happening and that’s what we came to agree as being a good thing to do. Another thing that wasn’t in the script was when I come back at the very end. Even when I first read the script when I met with John Cusack and Grace Lower, the first time, I thought it seemed like there should be a payoff for the character. Luckily there was a good energy about going into it and didn’t feel restrictive.

Did Steve ever say to you that one of the reasons he wanted you in the film was as an homage to Back to the Future?

Nobody said that to me, but I’m assuming it was thought. [Laughs] It seemed fairly evident. But nobody actually did say that. Nobody at all, but I figured. It made sense that that had something to do with it.

Phil seems like a victim of his own destiny; he’s going to lose that arm. Do you believe in destiny?

Well, I like to believe that it’s good to like what you’re doing. That’s important therefore whatever it is that your destiny is, if you’re liking it then it’s okay. If you’re not liking it then that isn’t okay. It’s bad if you start comparing yourself with other people as opposed to what it is that you’re interested in doing. I’ve been touring around with my own films that I’ve been self-financing and self-distributing and I really like doing that. It’s a lot of work, it’s not easy to do, but I like doing it and then I’ve been funding these films with the films that I’m acting in. I started really doing that in about 2001, but in a certain way, it actually made me appreciate acting in corporate films more than I ever had before and it made me more grateful about the whole thing.

Do you have a selection process when these roles come your way? How do you react to a role like this?

It was a pretty easy decision that it was a good thing to do. There are some films that I haven’t done and at this point now, I would feel like if I can’t make it work on some level then I wouldn’t want to do it. But usually I feel like I can make it work. Not always. There’ve been a couple of things in the last few years that I did not feel like I could make work. But, for the most part, if something comes along and it fits within my quote, which is important for me to adhere to, then it seems like a good thing to do. This film, which I did within, I think, six months of Alice and Wonderland. They’re coincidentally out in the same month. Both of them were just very easy decisions of ‘Is this a good thing to do?’ and I had a really good time working on both of them. And of course Alice in Wonderland is doing really well at the box office and it feels like this film has potential to do quite well as well so I’m happy about it, I’m happy to be in both. And they’re both quite divergent from one another. There’s very different kinds of characters. I don’t know if any of you have seen Alice in Wonderland, but you can see that I’m playing a very different kind of person than I play in this and they were done within a very short time period of each other.

What self-projects are you working on now?

I own property in the Czech Republic and it’s a historical piece of property that was built in the 1600’s. I bought it about six years ago. Next to it is horse stables that I’ve been making into small soundstages. I like to shoot my films on sets and there have been a couple of different variations of what I was planning to do next, but I’ve been getting that whole thing set up to start shooting. My father’s an actor and he and I have never acted together and I’m thinking of doing a screenplay for he and myself to play a series of fathers and sons, so that’s what I’m planning to do next.

What happened to It Is Mine?

It will be another film that I’ll shoot at some point in the future, but both What Is It? and Everything is Fine!, which are parts one and two of what will be a trilogy of films ending with It Is Mine, I had set out when I made those films to make very simple movies, but I had never produced a film or financed a film before those films and now in hind sight after actually having gotten to the point of having two feature 35mm print films, I understand what is genuinely, a simple production and neither one of those films are simple productions. I know what I need to do in the Czech Republic, which is a different country, a different language. I have to make genuinely simple productions for a little while and build myself up to making more complex productions and It Is Mine is actually a far more complex production than either What Is It? or Everything is Fine!. I want to do that right when I get to it, but there’s no rush for me to need to do that in terms of what the trilogy is. I can wait a while and I would like to do a number of simpler productions before I return to the trilogy. I’d also like to visit other thematic elements. There’s certain theme that runs though the trilogy and I would like to go away from that theme to work on slightly different things.

Will you ever release the first two on DVD?

I don’t have plans to do that. I still tour with the films and people can find out where I’m going to be with which film on crispinglover.com and they can sign up and a news letter will go out to them and I already have a show booked in Milwaukee that’s coming. I haven’t’ been very aggressive about booking because I’m doing a lot of stuff with Alice in Wonderland and this film, but starting in spring and summer, I’m going to be touring again. That’s my main interest for those two films on how to recoup my investments. I’m protective of the films for different reasons. I like having the Q&As that I do after the films. I don’t necessarily want them at this point in time to be out digitally and I feel like things could be taken out of context and comments can be made that most of the actors in What Is It? have down syndrome and I just don’t want things taken out and put out on the internet in ways that I’m not comfortable with. Maybe at some point I’ll feel like that, but there are different reasons why I don’t want to put them out in that way and, at some point, that could change. This next film that I’m planning to do with my father would be the first film that I would at least consider distributing in a more normalized fashion than kind of the vaudeville way I’ve been distrusting these two films. But these two films it’s been appropriate to distribute them that way and I enjoy doing the show. I’m still planning to continue to work with these films for a number of years to come and I’ve been doing it since 2005, so it’s been a long time and a lot of work, but I’m very glad to be doing it.

These Q&As are very lengthy. You really get to know the audience and they get to know you. Are you ever surprised by who is drawn?

Yeah, that’s definitely happens. They both get into taboo areas and I don’t consider them family films at all and no one under 18’s allowed; they’re not children films. They’re strictly for adults but I get families coming to the films, which is always strange to me, but then they ask questions and they’re happy to be there. I know I get all kinds of people and it’s interesting. It does surprise me in a certain way the variation of people that we get.

And the reactions are positive.

Yeah, when I do the Q&As, particularly after What Is It?, not so much after Everything is Fine!, people can get very upset with What Is It?. There are things that can make people uncomfortable. I would say a majority of the audience doesn’t get upset. It depends on what the order of the questions are. If it starts out with a more, what I call an aggressive question, the tone of the questioning can tend to be more aggressive and the reverse is true that if they’re, what I call easier questions, that people get intimidated in the group element. I’m open to the more aggressive questions and if I feel like it’s become too easy, I actually ask for the questions of people who are maybe upset or they feel like they’re going to go home and write some angry thing on the Internet. I’d rather them ask me the question because the purpose is to have these kind of forums where people can talk. My experience that people by and large have a really good time. It seems like 95% of the audience, to me, really enjoys it and then there’s some people that leave before the show’s over, but it really isn’t a large about of people. In What Is It? maybe of the two hundred-person audience three or four at the most will walk out.

You mentioned three scenarios about your character losing his arm. Was there anything you filmed that didn’t make it into the final cut?

There were takes that we talked about for the scenario, but everything we shot was in the film. There’s like portions of scenes that are edited out, lines, which is normal but everything that I shot in the film is in there.

Scenario-wise, what other ways did you guys come up with?

I think that one that was written with a truck that was backing up, a car tire being changed, there was a concept of a military device that was an amputation device. Something like that. But the one that really seemed to be the most applicable and visually interesting to pull off was the elevator thing. That wasn’t originally in there and it seemed like a visual scenario to be able to play.

What was the physical comedy like for you in this movie?

Well, I actually – my finger got crushed. I have most of the feeling back. [Laughs] I actually lost a little. The nerve got crushed because the elevator it was a combination of an old-fashioned elevator and new elevator. It was rigged, my finger got stuck in the thing and they didn’t know I was saying stop. They thought I was acting! But everything worked out alright. But, I generally don’t try to play comedy for comedy, there’s that adage which I like to follow, play comedy like tragedy and tragedy like comedy. I think in this culture playing comedy like tragedy is pretty well understood, but what doesn’t happen so much is playing tragedy like comedy and a lot of my favorite performances have been actors or actresses that do that, but that’s a rare thing to do. Usually the performances that get Academy Awards are films where tragedy’s played like tragedy and there’s less of a dynamic of range for that. But usually in either case it’s about the character figuring out what the character wants and needs and going after that in the scene. Like the elevator scene, it was clear that at first I was just going to get this luggage and then I was trying to get out of having my arm cut off.

If you could time travel back to a specific year, what year would it be and why? And what would you change?

It’s a varied question because just in terms of like aesthetics I kind of like the idea of going to Europe just before WWI before all of the destruction of the architecture. I like architecture and I’d like to see what the various cities looked like at that time. I like the idea of going to the 1800s or the middle ages. They seem like interesting places or times, but also it would be disconcerting if you got stuck in that time period in the 1500s and then got the Bubonic Plague. That would be really bad. [Laughs] And in terms of what I would change, I guess, personally, there’s a book I read around the year 2000 called How To Win Friends and Influence People, which is a great book by Dale Carnegie, and something that I learned from that book that I didn’t really understand was about not proving people wrong. I went to an academic school where logic was considered a very good thing and if you had debates or logical arguments, if somebody said A doesn’t equal C and then you say, well, A equals B and B equals C, therefore A equals C, and then everyone would say, ‘Well, okay that’s logical,’ and everyone would be happy about it. But in real world application it’s like if you do that to somebody they can really get upset. I tended toward doing that kind of thing up until I read this book around the year 2001 or so, so I would have liked to have read that when I was like 15 or something. It’s a good book with good lessons.

So you have the film you want to shoot with your father, but is there anything else you have coming up?

I’m in a film that comes out later this year called Mr. Nice and I’m in a Drunk History episode that’s going to be on HBO I think. I’m Edison and John C. Reilly’s Tussle. Those things are well done and I like that the general concept of that where you get somebody really drunk to the point that they’re just about to vomit, in fact they do vomit, and then they tell this piece of history. But what’s great about it is that it actually is probably about as accurate as anybody that’s telling history from a sober point of view because it’s always going to be wrong, but in the midst of that, there’s an emotional truth that comes out which I appreciated.

You guys are sort of pantomiming what the person is saying. How long does it take to nail that down?

It was pretty simple really. It was just listening to it, becoming familiar with it. They play it and then you just kind of speak it at the same time the person’s speaking it. That part of it wasn’t really very difficult. We shot it in a single day. They’re only about seven or ten minutes or something like that. John C. Reilly is the protagonist and I’m kind of the antagonistic character so I was there for just a number of hours It was less than a day for John and less than four hours for my side, but it was fun. I’m glad I got to do that.

You’ve seen Roland Emmerich blow up the world before but, he’s never been quite this thorough. This time he’s blowing humanity up into even littler pieces than usual and odds are you’ll be suckered into buying a ticket to see how much CGI it takes to make a modern disaster movie. The answer to that question is: a lot.

So admit it, you’re seeing 2012. But by now you’ve heard enough from us on the subject of globally scaled mass murder. It your turn. After you see 2012 come back here and tell the world what you thought of Emmerich’s latest disaster movie. Sound off in our comments section, share your opinion on our message board, by talking back to us on twitter, and most importantly (since it’s the entire point of this post), by casting your vote in the official CB 2012 Poll below. Tell the world what you think of 2012!

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Amanda Peet is really dying to do a romantic comedy with John Cusack. She's made three movies with him, starting with 2003's Identity and now 2012, but they always seem to be trying to avoid getting killed, whether it's from a mysterious murderer or the world completely falling apart.

In 2012, Peet and Cusack play a divorced couple who wind up on the run together when the world, quite, literally, begins to end. Along with her new husband (Tom McCarthy) and their two kids, Peet and Cusack go from California to the Himalayas to try to survive, and also rekindle a little bit of romance in the process. Maybe this is all a prequel for their inevitable romantic comedy after all.

Read below for our roundtable interview with Peet, talking about being an actor from a family of doctors, whether or not she believes in the 2012 prophecies, and how, sometimes, the director is smarter than the actor. 2012 opens this Friday.

Prior to doing this film, were you familiar with the Mayan calendar on the 2012 date?

No. I had heard of it, but I wasn’t really familiar with it. It was just kind of a concept over there.

Do you give any credence to that?

I feel like there’s enough to worry about.

Does it have anything to do with you believing in facts rather than something that’s way out there? Is that your personal makeup or something?

Science was more the thing in my family. I’m sure that my sister and brother-in-law would think that I was crazy if I started talking about my fear of 2012.

John Cusack seems to be a favorite person for you to work with? Do you get cast as a pair?

Well, it’s a big honor for me. That’s for sure. I think it’s just a coincidence, really. I mean, I’m mad for him, and I think he’s a genius. So every time he has been cast in something that I’m in, I think that I can’t really believe my good fortune. I remember when Identity was the first movie we did together, and I was traveling in Vietnam and I got a fax from my agent. I was actually cast before he was. They said, “Oh, it’s going to be John Cusack.” And I almost keeled over and fell down wherever I was. I was such a crazy, psycho fan of his that I couldn’t even speak when I first met him. I was just a bumbling imbecile, and it’s taken me just about this long before I can actually look him in the eye and say good morning and not spill my coffee or make a fool of myself one way or the other.

So you figure the rapport is finally working now?

Well, obviously my dream would be to do a romantic comedy with him because I would just love that. But I’m just fine with what we’ve done so far. Hopefully, there’ll be another one soon.

Did you get to do any stunts that we didn't see?

I did lean out of a moving airplane in a harness to reach for John’s hand while Roland [Emmerich] was in a helicopter filming me. I did have that moment where I said to myself, “You’ve come a long way from your Skittles commercial.”

Do you see any more action movies in your future? Was it a joy to do this?

I liked it a lot. I fear that Roland has ruined me because he’s so gentle and lovely. It’s really weird. How does he stay like that? I don’t understand. Like I don’t understand how someone’s not a tyrant who’s the boss of so many people and so much production. So I probably would be really scared to do something really big with somebody else because I’d be really scared they’d be like, “Lose some weight! And run faster!”

What is Roland like when he's working with you and also managing all the explosions in the background?

Just so gentle and intimate and the same as if I’m working on some small character driven independent movie. Just comes crouches in and says, “You’re not there yet.” I mean, it’s just bizarre. If I were him, I’d just do it through a bullhorn, like, “You suck. Let’s go again.”

Does he allow you to input, collaborate?

Yeah, yeah. He’s not super strict about the dialogue. He is really a master in terms of how to calibrate this kind of story and how much to bring to light whether something is fully logical or not. I mean, he’s aware of everything. So we’ll say, “We’re watching California go into the ocean then we’re making a joke seven pages later. We shouldn’t do that. It’s not logical.” And he’d say, “I know, but this kind of movie, this is how you do this. And this is the time where you give the audience like a really scary side moment that’s still and this is the time where you just keep going and don’t let the audience focus.

The dialogue in this film is better than some of the previous ones. Have you seen him growing or getting more from actors?

To some extent. But most of it was on the page. I think he’s very into the character portion of the story because I think he thinks that no matter how big he gets, it’s not gonna work. It’s not gonna be awesome unless you’re with the tiny civilian family and their dynamic. It’s gonna be hollow.

What was it like filming the water scene? Because I know in some places they make it freezing cold.

No, it was kind of like lukewarm. So when you first got in, it kind of felt warm. And in the beginning, I was like, “I don’t need a wet suit” because I was just like, "Oh that’s going to be annoying to have a wet suit on. I don’t want that on my skin." And then within a half an hour, I was like, “Can someone get that wet suit?” I was freezing for some reason after a little while.

But that’s a perfect example of Roland. Sometimes I would be a crazy person about scheduling and when I was going home and trying to talk to the first AD, “How long is this day going to be” and blah, blah. And I saw the schedule and it said that we were going to be in the tanks and the next day, we were going to do something else. And then we were coming back to the tanks two days later. So I marched up to Roland and the first AD and I was like, “I don’t understand. Why are in the tanks and all the production’s here and the trucks and everything and we’re gonna go somewhere else and then come all the way back here? It doesn’t make any sense.” Then Roland just looked at me and said, “Do you want to be in the tanks for two days straight?” And I was like, “No.” And he was like, “That’s why.” So he’s just very considerate about things that I just don’t believe that other directors on this scale would think [of].

You grew up in a family of doctors and scientist people. Were you..

Yeah, I’m like a weirdo.

What’s it like when you said, “I’m going to go off and be an actor”?

It’s like I’m a freak.

How long did it take for you to prove that this wasn’t going to end with you in a ditch somewhere?

AP: A long time. A long time. Or that I wasn’t just going to be a drug addict person cavorting around in parties in a very short dress or something.

Was there a role in particular that convinced your family that you finally made it?

I mean, my mom is like, “Who’s Bruce Willis?” I remember when I got Seinfeld, I got Seinfeld before Jack & Jill and The Whole Nine Yards, which I consider to be my break, and she literally didn’t know who Seinfeld was. It was kind of like, “Guys! I’m getting famous!” My sister is a little more with it, so she would be more excited. But yeah, there were no people in showbiz in my family in this generation or the next generation. So yeah, I’m a little bit of a freak show.

You haven’t played that many doctors though.

No, but I do call them every now and then. Even at the end of Studio 60, when Sorkin was writing about the birth of the baby and stuff, I always called them. I think we were even dealing with the tourniquet in 2012, I called them all the time and they were just like, “Jesus Christ, please.”

Because if you got it wrong, they would be upset?

Yeah, right. My personal shame in terms of getting it right. But they’re really sweet. They usually answer my calls even though I’m sure it’s incredibly annoying.

Are you going to do the stage again?

I hope so, if they’ll have me. I have terrible stage fright. Do you guys know Sarah Paulson? She’s like my best friend who was on Studio 60. Whenever one of us does a play, for the first, all through previews and then probably for about two weeks after opening night, we just call each other and we’re like, “Why the fuck did you let me do this? Why? I’m serious!” It’s just not fun at all. It’s torture, just torture. When you wake up in the morning, your stomach already hurts. It’s like you don’t even have a moment where you don’t have butterflies. It’s like constant terror.

What do you want to do next? What’s on your schedule that you’re really excited about?

Well, I worked with Nicole Holofcener, so that was a dream of mine. Now I can leave the business because I worked with Catherine Keener. So that movie is coming out in the spring and it’s called Please Give.

It's been a LONG time since we last reported about Sam Mendes' adaptation of Vertigo Comics' Preacher (we're talking January here), but with a subject so enticing and blasphemous, it only takes the mention of the project by a celebrity to get our attention. So guess what happened?

John Cusack, in an interview with io9 to promote 2012, casually mentioned that he would be interested in doing the project, should he be asked. How casual are we talking? The interviewer brought up comic book movies, he didn't actually know the title of the comic - he referred to it as a comic about "a vampire and a killer...on the road" - and would really only do it if he could get one of the main roles. Otherwise, he is totally on board.

This isn't exactly shattering news, but it is nice to see that the project is still humming in Hollywood. The adaptation has a great backing team in Mendes (coming off the Oscar winning Revolutionary Road and the mediocre Away We Go) and John August (writer of Big Fish and the under-appreciated Go), and Cusack may even be the perfect man for the role of Jesse Custer. After all, this is the actor who has made a career out of being the good guy with a bad side, and what is that if not a possessed preacher who kills his entire congregation?

I've got a spoiler for you: the world doesn't end in 2012. Well, maybe the world ends, but it doesn't take humanity-- and that probably includes John Cusack and his family-- with it. Bummer, right? Not that it was at all reasonable to expect Roland Emmerich's movie to go full Deep Impact and obliterate the entire planet, but given that he's hinted that this is his last disaster movie, I thought maybe he'd want to go out with a bigger bang than usual.

Anyway, how do I know all of this? Adam Lambert told me, of all people. His video for the movie's main track "Time for Miracles" has leaked on to YouTube (via Movieline), and while it contains a lot of the explosion footage we've been seeing for weeks, the end includes shots that can only come from the ending, including people walking out of some kind of storage container into the sunrise, and John Cusack kissing Amanda Peet (though who knows, maybe they do that while running away from a fireball). Of course I don't really know that this is how the film ends-- it could all be a mid-third-act red herring to convince us the world has been saved, and then BOOM! Tidal wave. But I'm putting my bets on walking out of this two-and-a-half-hour monster with a happy ending.

Check out the video below, and if you can't tolerate the caterwauling, skip to the last 20 seconds or so for the new footage.

Time For Miracles

There are so many unbelievable things to see in the new trailer for 2012. John Cusack yells a line so cliché, it’s ridiculous (“When they tell you not to panic, you run!”), John Cusack drives through a falling building with his limo. Roland Emmerich tries his hand at political commentary by having a beefed up Austrian actor play the governor. It’s all too good/awful to be true.

The new trailer can be checked out in high-res on YouTube, and it’s a doozy. It’s pretty much the exact same footage that was shown at Comic-Con. Then, Emmerich said that what he was showing us was still “in its beginning stages” with few effects completed. This doesn’t look much better. But unfortunately, even 10,000 BC tripled its budget, so it looks as though Emmerich will continue making movies like this for a long time. Or til 2012.

Check out the new trailer in HD here or embedded below.

Nobody knows what to expect from director Roland Emmerich. Independence Day is disaster movie gold, but he follows that up with the unintentionally laughable Godzilla. Emmerich redeems himself with The Patriot but goes on a downward spiral with The Day After Tomorrow and 10,000 BC. Everyone wants to know; can Emmerich return to his glory days with 2012? Sadly, after watching this clip posted on MTV, I don’t have high hopes.

According to the ancient Mayan calendar, the world will end on December 21, 2012, but not if John Cusack has anything to do with it. In this clip, Cusack’s character, Jackson Curtis, must do whatever it takes to keep his family and friends alive as their plane goes down.

Someone must have forgotten to tell Emmerich that special effects don’t make up for poor dialogue. To make matters worse, these special effects don’t look so special. Lastly, doesn’t the pilot sound exactly like Peter Stormare’s Lev Andropov in Armageddon?