Ray Liotta News

Jane Pickens Theater presents the following films in its November Mini-Fest November 4-5.

A true 'comic's comic,' Bobby Slayton, often referred to as 'The Pitbull of Comedy,' has been performing his own intense style of stand-up comedy for over 20 years, becoming one of the best known, respected, and energetic comics working today.

A native of Chicago, IL, Sebastian Maniscalco grew up with comedy in his blood. After earning a degree in Corporate Organizational Communications from Northern Illinois University, Sebastian realized his passion for stand-up comedy and moved out to Los Angeles. While working as a waiter at a Four Seasons in Beverly Hills, Sebastian spent every free night performing at local clubs, bowling alleys and bars.

Today we have a super-special DVD and Blu-ray overview as we take a look at and listen to five brand new Blu-rays hitting the shelves in October, including two stunning Blu-ray debuts of two of Quentin Tarantino's seminal 90s films - PULP FICTION and JACKIE BROWN. While Tarantino won his only Oscar to date for his screenwriting work on PULP - a credit he shared with co-storywriter Roger Avery - it is his studied, mature and delicate directorial work on JACKIE BROWN that won over many film fans who may have found a bit too much flash, pop, sizzle and razzmatazz in the packed-to-the-gills PULP. Although, if all the Tarantino tough guy talk and off-the-wall soundtrack selections are not quite your speed, we also have three early Halloween selections sure to send some shivers up your spine, with MANHUNTER, HANNIBAL and the recent remake of THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. While MANHUNTER was the movie-going public's first glimpse of what became the most beloved movie villain of all-time - the cannibalistic genius himself, Hannibal Lector - it was in a very different, completely different guise: noted stage and screen actor Brian Cox plays the role that eventually was made famous (and Oscar-winning) by Anthony Hopkins in the second film of the Hannibal Lector series, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS (by Jonathan Demme), just a few short years after Michael Mann's treatment of the original Thomas Harris novel, RED DRAGON. Of course, RED DRAGON was also made into a movie of the same name recently, directed by Brett Ratner and featuring an all-star cast comprising Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ralph Fiennes, Mary Louise Parker, Ed Norton, Harvey Keitel and many more. While many film fans certainly cite SILENCE as the finest Lector film - and it very well may be - my personal bias is for Ridley Scott's daring and gruesome 1999 hit, HANNIBAL, starring Hopkins alongside Julianne Moore in the role of Clarice Starling (made famous by Jodie Foster, who passed on the ultra-violent script), which is also finally getting the Blu-ray upgrade along with Mann's MANHUNTER. Then, there is the witty and disturbing remaining of one of the most scandalous and prurient torture porn films ever made - created long before that term was ever coined; in the age of Eli Roth and the SAW series - Wes Craven's harrowing horror revenge tale, THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT. Recent PROMISES, PROMISES on Broadway star Tony Goldwyn was a recent InDepth InterView participant and told me about how pleased he was with this remake and while it does not have the seedy voyeuristic bent of the original, it makes an impact in a new and equally entertaining way. Whether checking out one or all of these superb new Blu-ray releases you are assured a memorable movie experience, just as the temperatures begin to cool and you yearn for nights of warmth inside away from the elements.

Golden Globe(R) Award nominee Jennifer Love Hewitt will star in and executive produce Lifetime's new original one-hour series The Client List. Based on the network's hit 2010 original movie, The Client List will launch on Lifetime in 2012 with 10 episodes. In addition, the network has entered into a first look development deal for both series and movies with Hewitt's production company Fedora Films, it was announced today by Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager of Lifetime Networks. Hewitt's deal also includes her directing a future movie for the network.

Nominated for a Tony for Best Revival of a Play, the New York production drew a great deal of attention for the performers' extended period of nudity in the first act.

'Cogan's Trade', the film based on the 1974 novel of the same name, has announced some major casting news. According to the LA Times, Brad Pitt will play the title character who is investigating a heist initiated by a hustler (played by Ray Liotta) during a high-stakes poker game. Others who have been announced include Javier Bardem, James Gandolfini, Casey Affleck, and Mark Ruffalo.

Budd Friedman and Mark Lonow's world-famous Improv Comedy Club at Harrah's Las Vegas showcases a different marquee of acts each week. Guy Torry takes the stage tomorrow through Sunday, with supporting acts Larry Brown and Lachlan Patterson. Improv shows are at 8:30pm and 10:30pm every Tuesday through Sunday. Tickets are $29.05 (plus applicable taxes) or $44.95 (plus applicable taxes) for VIP tickets that include special seating, an Improv t-shirt and post-show meet-and-greet with the comics. Special two-for-one tickets are also available for locals. Tickets are available at Harrah's Box Office (702-369-5223) and online at www.harrahs.com.

A true 'comic's comic,' Bobby Slayton, often referred to as 'The Pitbull of Comedy', has been performing his own intense style of stand-up comedy for over 30 years, becoming one of the best known, respected, and energetic comics working today.

A true 'comic's comic,' Bobby Slayton, often referred to as 'The Pitbull of Comedy', has been performing his own intense style of stand-up comedy for over 30 years, becoming one of the best known, respected, and energetic comics working today.

The Side Splitters Comedy Club in Tampa is proud to present comedian Bobby Slayton January 6-8.

A true 'comic's comic,' Bobby Slayton, often referred to as 'The Pitbull of Comedy', has been performing his own intense style of stand-up comedy for over 30 years, becoming one of the best known, respected, and energetic comics working today.

Anchor Bay Films will release an unrated version of Steven R. Monroe's new take on Meir Zarchi's controversial classic, I Spit On Your Grave, October 8, 2010 beginning with late-night sneaks on Thursday, October 7 in select locations.

Ruskin Group Theatre presents ALL MY SONS, the multi-award winning classic by Arthur Miller.

Arrogant, washed-up big league pitcher Kenny Powers thought he'd scored a shot at a comeback in the majors, but the offer turned out to be bogus. Now, having left his North Carolina life behind, he's making a fresh start in a small Mexican town, where he can both nurse his wounds and bless the locals with his awesomeness. EASTBOUND & DOWN kicks off its seven-episode second season SUNDAY, SEPT. 26 (10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), with other new episodes debuting subsequent Sundays at the same time.

Anchor Bay Films will release an unrated version of Steven R. Monroe's new take on Meir Zarchi's controversial classic, I Spit On Your Grave, October 8, 2010 beginning with late-night sneaks on Thursday, October 7 in select locations.

Next month's Stand Up to Cancer TV special will feature several celebrity guests, including cancer survivors Christina Applegate and Maura Tierney, according to a report by TVGuide.com.

As reported previously, next month's Stand Up to Cancer TV special will feature several celebrity guests, including cancer survivors Christina Applegate and Maura Tierney. Accordig to Variety, an array of other Hollywood stars have signed on for the fundraiser, including: George Clooney, Gwyneth Paltrow, Will Smith, Denzel Washington, Billy Joe Armstrong, and Renee Zellweger.

Arrogant, washed-up big league pitcher Kenny Powers thought he'd scored a shot at a comeback in the majors, but the offer turned out to be bogus. Now, having left his North Carolina life behind, he's making a fresh start in a small Mexican town, where he can both nurse his wounds and bless the locals with his awesomeness. EASTBOUND & DOWN kicks off its seven-episode second season SUNDAY, SEPT. 26 (10:30-11:00 p.m. ET/PT), with other new episodes debuting subsequent Sundays at the same time.

Next month's Stand Up to Cancer TV special will feature several celebrity guests, including cancer survivors Christina Applegate and Maura Tierney, according to a report by TVGuide.com.