MOVIES

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and for some, this might be the first time you’re seeing family members and friends in a long time.

And most don't have nightmares afterward.

An iconic shot from ‘The Great Train Robbery’ has been quoted for more than a century in Hollywood, where guns are too often treated like toys.

Get your peppermint schnapps and hot cocoa ready, because Hallmark officially kicks off its annual Countdown to Christmas on Friday.

What do you know about the original "Halloween" movie?

Since Halloween only comes around once a year, you’ve got to get your Halloween film binge-watching in while you can.

If you’ve been on social media the past few days, then you’ve more than likely heard about the new TV show that people are binging on Netflix: “Squid Game.”

Did someone say Halloween movies?

"Dancing with the Stars" pro Cheryl Burke will quarantine for 10 days after testing positive for COVID-19. She broke the news on Instagram.

The first four "Star Trek" movies are getting an ultra-high-definition makeover for a new 4K box set to be released in September 2021.

Remember Marvel movies?

The documentary film festival is offering in-person and virtual screenings starting June 22.

While many Americans have a vast array of knowledge about Juneteenth, others don’t know as much about the holiday and the history behind it.

Get your popcorn ready!

Now that it may feel OK to venture out and into a movie theater after watching the latest flicks in the living room for more than a year, here’s a suggestion: See Disney’s “Cruella” in theaters on a really big screen.

I know it’s not quote Halloween yet, but I suggest we form a calming circle because the Sanderson Sisters are reuniting after 28 years.

ROANOKE, Va. – The Star City isn’t necessarily known for movie stars, but an aspiring filmmaker from Roanoke decided to capture his hometown on camera. Michael Fleming directed the short thriller film “Parallax,” which premiered at the Grandin Theatre earlier this month. Fleming shot the nine-minute film on a $300 budget in the Roanoke area, mostly at the Shell gas station on Electric Road near Tanglewood Mall. This was Fleming’s first film, and he is now submitting his movie to several film festivals. “You don’t see very many films being made in Roanoke, even short films,” Fleming said.

This image released by Disney-Pixar shows the character 22, voiced by Tina Fey, left, and Joe Gardner, voiced by Jamie Foxx, in a scene from the animated film "Soul." But with more than half of U.S. theaters closed, two of the biggest movies of the year — “Soul” and “Wonder Woman 1984” — will be going straight to streaming. — Also arriving Christmas Day is “Wonder Woman 1984,” Patty Jenkins' sequel to her barrier-breaking 2017 film. With Gal Gadot returning, “Wonder Woman 1984” fast-forwards from 1918 to the “greed is good” decade. — AP Entertainment Writer Mark Kennedy___Catch up on AP’s entertainment coverage here: https://apnews.com/apf-entertainment.

The Hallmark Channel is known for its cheesy but heartwarming Christmas movies. This year, the channel decided to diversify its casts by featuring its first openly gay lead couple. “I’m proud of everyone at Hallmark Channel for making the holiday table bigger and more welcoming and warmer this year,” Bennett told NBC News. The Hallmark Channel vowed in July to put more LGBTQ representation in its content following criticism that the movies lacked diversity. Back in August, the channel showed its first same-sex wedding in the movie “Wedding Every Weekend.”“The Christmas House” premiered on Nov. 22.

Let’s officially talk Halloween.

Starting at $99, movie lovers can rent out a whole auditorium at AMC Theatres to watch a movie. Anyone who wants to rent out a theatre can go to AMC’s website and fill out an online request form. In the form, you need to specify what movie you’d like to watch, the date you want to go and what AMC location you want to rent from. Prices vary from what movie you’d like to watch. Some of the available movies cost between $149-$349, excluding class, but most movies cost $99.

ROANOKE, Va. – The streets of Roanoke are a backdrop for a made-for-TV movie and one local native has the vision for it all. On Friday night, film crews shot at the Wells Fargo Tower Plaza for a movie that will air on Lifetime. “The Weekend” is a thriller about a young black woman abducted for her organs to be sold on the black market. Director Dylan Vox is a 2000 graduate of Roanoke County’s Cave Spring High School. This is his second movie shot in the Star City, and he said he’s proud to show off his hometown.

The best part about Halloween might be dressing up in a silly costume and loading up on pounds of your favorite candy, but for some, it’s all about watching endless hours of Halloween movies. That’s why Freeform is the hottest channel to visit during the month of October, because it has its annual “31 Nights of Halloween," and the network finally released its schedule of movies. The month-long marathon kicks off with the unofficial best Halloween movie ever created, “Hocus Pocus,” which stars Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker. Even though the film came out almost 30 years ago, millennials everywhere have given it a second life due to the nostalgia factor. Other classic Halloween films you’ll be able to watch include both “Addams Family” movies, “Beetlejuice,” “Ghostbusters” and “Casper.”Freeform didn’t forget about the kids.

Thinking that you’ve dried up the old Netflix cue when it comes to new shows and movies to watch? Here are a few suggestions if you’re looking for something new to watch this weekend. It kind of resembles another Netflix competition show, “Nailed It," in which amateur bakers are encouraged to just do their best. ‘Great British Baking Show’The tent is back, the tent is back! ‘American Barbecue Showdown’If you’re a fan of “Great British Baking Show,” then “American Barbecue Showdown” will be right up your alley.

CHRISTIANSBURG, Va. – The Sanderson Sisters are returning to the big screen! The 1993 Halloween-classic film will be playing at Christiansburg’s Starlite Drive-In Theater on Oct. 2 and 3. There will be one showing each night at 8:30 p.m.Gates open at 6:45 p.m. If you can’t make it out either night, don’t be too bummed. If you have Disney+ you can watch the 96-minute film wherever you are.

Fans of “Dirty Dancing” are in for a treat. Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer confirmed there will be a new “Dirty Dancing” movie starring Jennifer Grey, who played Baby in the 1987 original, Deadline reported. Grey is also executive producing the movie, according to Deadline. Officials haven’t said yet when the new “Dirty Dancing” movie will premiere. Parts of the original “Dirty Dancing” were filmed at Mountain Lake Lodge in Giles County.

ROANOKE, Va. – Imaging enjoying your popcorn while watching a movie on the big screen... in a Walmart parking lot. Walmart is transforming 160 of its store parking lots into contact-free drive-in movie theaters where people can safely gather to watch movies. Walmart is partnering with Tribeca Drive-in to make this happen. Starting in August, the drive-in tour will run through October. The company plans to make more information available at https://walmartdrive-in.com/ as the date approaches.

Since there’s likely to be a good chunk of people who will watch “Hamilton” over the weekend who’ve probably never seen it before, here is a quick rundown of what you need to know before experiencing the phenomenon. The “Hamilton” on Disney+ is a filmed version of the show, not a movie. It’s easy to call the version of “Hamilton” coming out on Disney+ a movie, but technically, it’s the stage version, filmed. An actual movie version of “Hamilton” will probably happen eventually, but this is a great way to really capture the magic of the stage version of the show. And because the people at Disney are incredibly smart, free trials of the streaming service have ended, so if you want to watch, you’re going to have to sign up.

Now more than ever it’s so important to lift up and amplify black artists and creators, which is why a new film festival was created to do just that. The inaugural Black Life Film Fest will take place Sept. 5, and luckily for people who are interested in watching the selected films, the film festival will happen virtually, from the comfort of your home. Swirl Films and Mansa Productions are producing the festival, and the people there are asking for short film submissions that fit any kind of category. From documentaries and comedies to drama or animation -- as long as the film shows the black experience, it is eligible for submission. To find out more information about how you can submit your short film, or just general details pertaining to the new festival, you can visit the website here.

SALEM, Va. A parking lot behind the Salem Civic Center will transform into a drive-in movie theater on Friday night. The Salem Parks and Recreation Department is hosting Frozen II.Gates open at 7:30 p.m. and the move will begin at dusk, around 9 p.m. Admission is free and the parking lot is limited to 50% capacity. Cars will face the entrance of Salem Memorial Ballpark, lined up in every other parking spot to ensure proper social distancing. Organizers ask guests to practice common sense social distancing and wear face coverings when theyre outside of their vehicles.

Netflix‘13th’Directed by Ava DuVernay (she’ll come up again in this list), the documentary shows you how America changed after the 13th Amendment, which abolished slavery, but also kickstarted the prison boom in America. ‘Moonlight’This Oscar-winning picture tells the story of a young black gay man living in Miami. chronicles the Central Park Five, a group of young black teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of a crime they didn’t commit. The documentary tells the story of the days of protests, unrest and riots that followed. It’s a great film that shows how two different groups of people can react to fatal police shootings.

LYNCHBURG, Va. Venue Cinemas in Lynchburg will soon hold weekly drive-in movies in their parking lot. According to their Facebook, they are still working out some of the details. They say as of now, they plan to show movies Fridays and Saturdays. Depending on the response they could add more days.

Luckily for us, there are tons of films that have gone on to become major movie franchises, with sequel after sequel bringing back some of the most beloved characters of all time. So, if you want to take a break from binging “The Office” for the 10th time and want to dig in to some classics, consider watching these movie franchises from front to back. ‘Star Wars’Writer and director George Lucas created a movie about a team of rebels fighting evil in a galaxy far, far away, and it’s gone on to become one of the most influential movie franchises of all time. ‘Toy Story’A lot of the movie franchises are for teens and adults, but the “Toy Story” movies are great because the entire family can enjoy them. ‘Marvel’Anyone who has gone to see a Marvel movie knows that there are a ton of them.

Will anything ever compare to the antics of Joe Exotic, Doc Antle or Carole Baskin, of “Tiger King” fame? But we have to assume you’ve finished the show by now, which leads us to this next question: What will you watch next? The following five recommendations seem to be just as crazy as “Tiger King” -- not necessarily the same brand of crazy, but on par when it comes to unbelievability, like, “How can this possibly be real?”(OK, and from the sounds of it, No. 5 miiiiight be the same genre as “Tiger King.”)Anyway, to compile this list, we asked around and brainstormed ourselves. I’ll never get those two hours back.”Those weren’t exactly ringing endorsements, but we thought it was worth a mention.

We asked around for some of the best parent-endorsed picks when it comes to Netflix offerings. So, not only are you providing good entertainment for your kids, but you’re instilling a love of classic rock, as well. Although this one isn’t new or new to Netflix, we were surprised just how many parents hadn’t seen this one yet. "Masha and the Bear""My kids think this is the funniest show ever," one father of three said. I’m not suggesting you plop your kids down in front of a screen all day -- or even every day.

Thanks to the power of video on demand with streaming services Amazon Prime and Apple TV, most of the movies that planned on hitting theaters during this time are now available to watch from the comfort of your own couch. The movie tells a story of a modern world run by mythical creatures who use magic to do amazing things. ‘Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker’The final installment of the “Star Wars” movies already hit theaters around the holidays, but it’s now available to buy digitally so you can watch it at home. Since the rest of the “Star Wars” movies are on Disney+, we wouldn’t be surprised to see it pop up there soon. It’s a psychological thriller that probably isn’t for everyone, but it is available to purchase and watch at home.

Awards season is in full swing as the 92nd annual Academy Awards take place this weekend. Leading with the most Oscar nominations is “Joker,” with 11 nominations in total. “The Irishman,” “1917” and “Once Upon a Time...in Hollywood” each received 10 nominations. What or who do you think will win? Let us know what you think in the comments or by voting in the polls below.

Luckily, you don’t need to go digging through old DVDs to watch a few romantic comedies on Valentine’s Day. ‘Monster-In-Law’This is another mid-2000s romantic comedy that is just as funny today as it was when it premiered more than a decade ago. It’s a refreshing take on the romantic comedy genre, and pretty relatable to a lot of young women. ‘A Cinderella Story’There is no better teen romantic comedy than “A Cinderella Story,” and that’s just a fact. It’s a classic romantic comedy plot, but the performances by Wong and Park really make this one shine.

We’re going over seven Disney villain deaths that we think are the worst, and we want you to choose which one you think tops them all. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs - 1937 (Walt Disney Animation Studios)1. The Little Mermaid - 1989 (Walt Disney Animation Studios)2. The Hunchback of Notre Dame - 1996 (Walt Disney Animation Studios)3. RELATED: Take your love for Disney villains on the goWe took care of the hard part.

(High Speed Internet)Now let’s get to the most popular Netflix show for each state this year. If you’re wondering how the website got the data, the team said it compiled a list of the most popular shows on Netflix in 2019. (High Speed Internet)“The Umbrella Academy,” by the way, was America’s overall most popular Netflix show in 2019. “Black Mirror” and “The Haunting of Hill House” were the most popular Netflix shows in eight and six states, respectively. Hulu also keeps shows around longer than Netflix.”Hulu also has a live streaming service called Hulu + Live TV.

Whether you’re a fan of “Star Wars” or not, we’re sure you have fallen prey to the baby Yoda craze that is sweeping social media. Thus, the baby Yoda craze was born, but we’re not complaining. Well, we’ve scoured the web looking for the best baby Yoda memes the internet had to offer. Every single baby Yoda meme has been me like HOWWW pic.twitter.com/z4yLusRgYv — scandal (@eskandalowithak) November 29, 201921. We know the internet is full of other baby Yoda memes, so share your favorite in the comments below.

1” won album of the year at the Latin Grammys in 2006. He helped the former Fifth Harmony member, who didn’t attend the show, win her first pair of Latin Grammys before she’s even won a Grammy Award. Like Bad Bunny, Daddy Yankee earned a nomination in one of the urban categories: best urban fusion/performance. “Thank you so much.”The Latin Grammys kicked off its 20th anniversary show with a festive performance highlighting various sounds from the genre as 20 artists united onstage to honor Latin music. Other performers included Luis Fonsi, Ozuna and Residente, who extended his record as the most decorated artist in the history of the Latin Grammys to 25 wins.

NEW YORK, NY – Spike Lee will receive Film at Lincoln Center's 46th Chaplin Award. Lincoln Center announced Thursday that the 62-year-old filmmaker will be honored in its annual fundraising gala on April 27. For its 50th anniversary last year, Lincoln Center skipped a Chaplin Award honoree and instead hosted a special gala that featured Martin Scorsese, Pedro Almodovar, Tilda Swinton and others. The four previous Chaplin Award winners were Helen Mirren, Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Robert Redford. Lee's last film, "BlacKkKlasman" was nominated for six Oscars including best picture.

LOS ANGELES, CA – Annette Bening will receive AARP the Magazine's lifetime achievement honor at the Movies for Grownups Awards next year. The magazine announced Tuesday that Bening will accept the career achievement award at the ceremony on January 11, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California. The 19th annual Movies for Grownups Awards will air January 19 on PBS. Bening won Golden Globe awards for best actress for the 2004 film "Being Julia" and 2010's "The Kids Are All Right." Previous career achievement honorees include Shirley MacLaine, Michael Douglas, Morgan Freeman, Kevin Costner and Robert De Niro.

That's exactly what co-directors/co-writers Rich Moore and Phil Johnson have masterfully achieved with their new animated feature "Ralph Breaks the Internet," the long-anticipated sequel to the 2012 Oscar-nominated blockbuster "Wreck-It Ralph." In "Ralph Breaks the Internet," opening Wednesday in theaters nationwide, we find Wreck-It Ralph and Vanellope within the 8-bit video game arcade from the first movie, until a crucial component breaks on her "Sugar Rush" game. While "Ralph Breaks the Internet" is big on comedy and action, Moore and Johnston astutely took the opportunity to use the film to address the ever-growing problem of the vitriol people encounter on social media. The directors felt that including a scene about Ralph being cyberbullied on social media was an absolute necessity. "We said, 'We don't want to just show good things about the internet and what's fun about the internet and what are the positive things.'

With a huge presence in front of and behind the camera, Branagh's fingerprints are all over "Murder on the Orient Express," including the area of songwriting, a place he's only ventured to once before. Now, with "Murder on the Orient Express," Branagh has put his pen to paper once again for the lyrics to "Never Forget," the haunting end credits song for which Doyle wrote the music. In a phone conversation with the actor-filmmaker this week, Branagh discussed "Never Forget," an ethereal ballad sung by his co-star Michelle Pfeiffer. The song serves as an elegy for the tragic loss of a character at the heart of the film's narrative. "It reminded me of moments in my youth when I used to hear my granny get upset," Branagh recalled.

In a recent phone conversation from Chicago with Schumann and Miles Teller, who plays the soldier in the film, the answer is simple. "I think, 'Welcome home' is the best thing you can say to anybody," Schumann said. Teller added that there are other ways to respond to veterans, too; something that he gained insight by working on the film. Teller realizes that sometimes asking about military service is a difficult subject to broach with veterans, particularly for those who served in wars prior to Iraq and Afghanistan. Hall, who also tapped into the nerve of the subject matter with his Oscar-nominated screenplay for "American Sniper," very much did the same with "Thank You for Your Service," Schumann said.

"As for 'Thank You for Your Service,' the depiction of what David Finkel did in the book was so frustratingly harrowing to me. Opening in theaters nationwide on Friday, "Thank You for Your Service" tells the compelling true-life story of Army Staff Sgt. "I think the effects of war are a battle of their own, in as much as the war continues to echo in, around and in front of these veterans," Hall said. At a certain point it's up to society to find a welcome these guys back in, because it's not just the VA," Hall said. Sometimes, Hall said, soldiers have been affected by war in ways most people wouldn't expect.

It's a Friday afternoon -- exactly one week before his new film "American Assassin" is slated to open in theaters nationwide -- and actor Dylan O'Brien is waiting patiently to attend the premiere of the film in St. Paul, Minnesota. For "American Assassin," the actor said he informed himself of who Mitch Rapp was in reverse, essentially, since he didn't read any of Flynn's work before he got the role. "The script was my first introduction to the role, then obviously I did my research and read about all of the books and the character," O'Brien recalled. O'Brien, 26, said that readers of the "American Assassin" novel will notice changes from the page to the screen adaptation, mostly because of the shift in time periods. She was so happy and so grateful just to come to the set to see the story brought to life.

She will return as the newly-revived Elektra in Marvel's superhero mashup "The Defenders, " and in a pivotal role opposite Ryan Reynolds and Samuel L. Jackson in the high-energy action comedy "The Hitman's Bodyguard." In a phone conversation from Los Angeles Tuesday, Yung said she's certain her role in "Daredevil" and reprisal of it in "The Defenders" had something to do with her being cast in "The Hitman's Bodyguard," but not necessarily for the kick-butt skills she's known for. Yung stars in "The Hitman's Bodyguard" as Amelia Roussel, a French Interpol agent once romantically involved with ex-CIA Agent Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds). Elodie Yung in "The Hitman's Bodyguard"The problem with the transport is Bryce is still in a personal and professional tailspin from the breakup with Amelia. Perhaps the biggest departure on "The Hitman’s Bodyguard" from Yung's previous work was not only that the film was a comedy, but that she had a chance to help create the laughs.

Evil Dead. " Campbell also recounts his work on such television series as "Burn Notice" and "Ash vs. Evil Dead" merchandise. ); and a before that, more action figures from "Evil Dead II" and "Ash vs. Evil Dead."

The pursuit of happiness is right there in the Declaration of Independence. So on this Independence Day has our critic David Edelstein found happiness at the movies? He reports on the latest offerings, including "Independence Day: Resurgence," "Free State of Jones," "The Legend of Tarzan" and "The BFG."

Hollywood’s hottest movies for the second half of 2014 Contributing editor at fandango.com Erik Davis joins “CBS This Morning: Saturday” with a sneak peak at some of Hollywood’s most anticipated films for the rest of the year.