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Cinema Retro has received the following press release from Kino Lorber Studio Classics:

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New York, NY -- December 8, 2020 -- Buck Rogers in the 25th Century, the '80s sci-fi classic TV series and 1979 theatrical feature starring Gil Gerard, is now available on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber Studio Classics. Buck Rogers: The Complete Collection, available on Blu-ray includes both seasons of the TV series plus the 1979 Theatrical Feature. The Theatrical Feature is also available individually on Blu-ray.

The Complete Collection comes packed with bonus features including the Pilot Episode (Awakening), 32 Episodes and Theatrical Version (First Time in HD), New Audio Commentaries for 11 Selected Episodes by Film/TV Historian Patrick Jankiewicz, Author of Buck Rogers in the 25th Century: A TV Companion, New Audio Commentary by Film Historians Steve Mitchell and Nathaniel Thompson (Theatrical Feature), New Interview with Co-Star Erin Gray, New Interview with

Exclusive: Karen McDermott, whose drama Lullabies of la Jaula earned her a Nicholl Fellowship for Screenwriting from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year, has signed with Apa.

An attorney-turned-English professor and poet, McDermott’s background as an advocate for abused women and children and her study of literature play an intricate role in her humanistic and literary writing style, the agency said. Her Nicholl-winning drama Lullabies of la Jaula exposes the cruelty of U.S. Immigration’s Family Separation Policy by tracing the journey of a vulnerable Mexican girl. Separated from her family during a desperate border crossing and held in a cage for migrant children, 14-year-old Dalia is determined to reunite with her mother. Throughout her ordeal, she finds inspiration in her only possession: a book of poetry by the imprisoned Spanish revolutionary Miguel Hernandez.

Lullabies of la Jaula also was a semifinalist in the 2019 Showtime/Tony Cox Screenwriting Competition,

Billy Bob Thornton took his method acting to the next level while making 2003's Bad Santa. The actor admits he got nearly blackout drunk for one particular scene. It seems that Thornton was drinking a lot at that time and admits he wasn't the easiest guy to deal with while making the now-classic Christmas movie. Co-star Tony Cox once asked Thornton if he was high while they were working. "Every day," replied the actor and Cox still doesn't know to this day if he was kidding.

In a new interview, Billy Bob Thornton admits, "I do have a method actor aspect to myself," before launching into his Bad Santa story. In the movie, Thornton plays department store Santa Claus Willie Soke, who just so happened to be an alcoholic. In one particular scene, Willie goes on a drunken rampage, which was apparently very real. Thornton explains.

"I drank about three

Billy Bob Thornton took a method style approach to his 2003 holiday classic Bad Santa.

The actor, 64, opened up about the making of the film during a sit-down interview on Entertainment Weekly‘s Couch Surfing. Thornton played Willie T. Stokes who reunites with his friend every year for a holiday con.

Posing as a Santa Claus at a mall, Stokes arrives drunk during a photocall with children looking to tell Santa about their Christmas lists. Thornton admitted he “was drunk” during the scene as a way to get into character.

“It’s so obvious. I drank about three glasses of red wine for breakfast.

Nantucket, Mass. — Adventure drama “The Peanut Butter Falcon” and Syria documentary “For Sama” emerged as the top winners at the 24th annual Nantucket Film Festival.

The festival, which concludes today, as ever put the emphasis on screenwriters and emerging talents. Director Paul Downs Colaizzo’s Sundance hit “Brittany Runs a Marathon” had a number of well-received screenings, as did Gavin Hood’s “Official Secrets.” Documentaries that played at the island getaway off the coast of Massachusetts included “It Started As a Joke,” “David Crosby: Remember My Name” and “We Are the Radical Monarchs.”

The festival’s annual screenwriter tributes went to female forces in the comedy realm. Leslie Dixon, the seasoned scribe behind “Mrs. Doubtfire” and the musical rendition of “Hairspray,” was recognized, as were five former and current women from the “Saturday Night Live” orbit: Jane Curtin, writer Anne Beatts, Heidi Gardner, Sudi Green and Sarah Schneider.

The

John Lennon and Yoko Ono had some serious swag back in the day, and now a piece of their stylish relationship can be yours ... if you've got an eye for 5-figure tracksuits.  John's tracksuit, worn during a 1970 trip to Denmark with Yoko, is going up for sale through the memorabilia company, Moments in Time -- and they're hawking this vintage getup for a cool $35,000. John's tracksuit actually has a pretty interesting story ... it comes from the collection of Yoko's ex-husband,

On the morning of January 27th, 1970, John Lennon glimpsed his future. He and Yoko Ono had just returned from a nearly month-long trip to Denmark, where Ono was visiting her daughter with her second husband, Tony Cox, and his new wife, Melinda Kendall. During one of many conversations there, the idea of “karma” was brought up and dissected, and Lennon still had those thoughts in his head when he awoke that January day in his Tittenhurst Park home.

Not long after waking up, he sat down at a piano and,

Welcome to this Christmas edition of Major League Wrestling, right here on Nerdly. I’m Nathan Favel and we have Court Bauer’s answer to Santa Claus when he asked if Court had been a good boy this year. Do you think Santa smacked him in the head when he just showed an hour episode of Mlw instead of answering the question? What if he asked Bad Santa? Does Tony Cox come with him? Screw it. Here comes The Monkees…Major League Wrestling. Santa didn’t bring me a delete button, so The Monkees get to stay…especially Peter Tork.

Match #1: Pco vs. Brody King – No Disqualification Match

My Take: 3.5 out of 5 – As a sound match this was no masterpiece, but as a great spectacle, this was a wild opener. Both of these guys are on their way to Ring of Honor for 2019, but they went out with a

21Cf Global Inclusion, which nurtures diverse voices and stories in front of and behind the camera, announced today that Tesia Walker has been selected as this year’s Fox Writers Lab Fellow. Out of the seventh annual group of Fox Writers Lab writers, she has landed a script development deal with Fox Broadcasting Company.

Originally from New York, Walker graduated from Columbia University’s Film M.F.A. program, where she won Best Teleplay Pilot for her drama script, The Border and received the Jesse Thompkins III Writing Fellowship. Her short film, Search Party, was awarded an HBO Production Grant, and also was a semi-finalist in NBC Universal’s 2016 Shorts Fest. Her pilot, The Line, was a recipient of the 2017 Showtime Tony Cox Screenplay Competition for Best One-Hour Teleplay.

The Fox Writers Lab (Fwl) program includes a four-month curriculum which writers re-write an original comedy or drama pilot script and

Billy Bob Thornton has returned to TV with the premiere of the second season of “Goliath,” the Amazon Studio’s legal series, for which Thornton won the Golden Globe as Best TV Drama Actor. As Billy McBride, a dishonored lawyer who has a grudge against his old law firm and gets his vengeance against them in Season 1, he now seeks exoneration for the son of a friend (Lou Diamond Phillips) who is being set up on a murder charge.

Although Thornton’s television work has been limited, he is no stranger to TV awards, having won another Golden Globe for his work in FX’s limited series “Fargo,” as well as an Emmy nom and a nomination from the Screen Actors Guild.

Still, his great fame has been his work in films, having won an Academy Award for his screenplay for 1996’s “Sling Blade,” as well as Oscar nominations for

The “Star Wars” films are full of secret cameos, soon-to-be-famous actors in small bit parts, and well-known faces behind alien masks and makeups. Here are 23 big names hidden throughout the franchise you might not have known about.

For more features and deep dives into the world of “Star Wars” and the culture surrounding it, be sure to check out IMDb’s “Star Wars” hub.

Daniel Craig (“The Force Awakens”)

It was something of a news item at the time, but James Bond slipped in a secret cameo in the first “Star Wars” film in a decade — as a stormtrooper. He’s the guard that Rei manages to Jedi mind trick into releasing her.

Bill Hader and Ben Schwartz (“The Force Awakens”)

You’d think the last thing a droid like Bb-8 would require is a voice, given that he’s a robot and speaks in bleeps and bloops. But to get the sound and personality just right, director J.J. Abrams enlisted comedians Bill Hader (formerly of “SNL”) and Ben Schwartz (well-known for playing Jean-Ralphio on “Parks and Rec”).

Thomas Brodie-Sangster (“The Force Awakens”)

“Game of Thrones” might have noticed a familiar First Order officer during shots of the bridge of the Starkiller Base. It was Jojen Reed, Bran Stark’s loyal friend, who also plays Newt in the “Maze Runner” franchise..

Rose Byrne (“Attack of the Clones”)

Before she was a mainstay of the “Insidious” movies alongside Patrick Wilson or had joined the “X-Men” franchise as CIA Agent Moira MacTaggert, Rose Byrne was one of the handmaidens serving Queen Amidala (Natalie Portman) in the “Star Wars” prequels. Specifically, she was Dormé, who accompanied Padmé to Coruscant to do government things.

Keira Knightley (“The Phantom Menace”)

Knightley wasn’t just any handmaiden in “The Phantom Menace” — she was the handmaiden. Serving as the decoy for the real queen, Knightley was the actress people thought was Amidala for half the movie, before Natalie Portman’s Padmé revealed her true identity.

Sofia Coppola (“The Phantom Menace”)

There really were a mess of these handmaidens. Before she was a full-time director, Sofia Coppola picked up a few small acting gigs, including the handmaiden Saché in “The Phantom Menace.” Just a few years after the 1999 movie, in 2003, Coppola would pick up a Best Director Academy Award nomination for “Lost in Translation.”

Joel Edgerton (“Attack of the Clones,” “Revenge of the Sith”)

Luke’s moisture-farming, humorless uncle Owen Lars was young once, but he was never not a guy who stood around a crappy homestead on Tatooine. In the prequel movies, the role was picked up by Joel Edgerton of “Loving” and “The Great Gatsby.”

Billie Lourd (“The Force Awakens”)

Billie Lourd sneaked into Lucasfilm’s revival of “Star Wars” as Lt. Connix, one of the Resistance fighters running tactical machinery in the base of General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher). Known for her hilarious turn as Chanel No. 3 on the horror-comedy series “Scream Queens,” she’s also Fisher’s daughter.

John Ratzenberger (“The Empire Strikes Back”)

Ratzenberger is best remembered as know-it-all postman Cliff Clavin from “Cheers,” or maybe his numerous voice roles in Pixar movies. In “The Empire Strikes Back,” Ratzenberger is one of the Rebel officers hanging around Echo Base on Hoth with Princess Leia and C-3Po (Anthony Daniels).

Tony Cox (“Return of the Jedi”)

In an Ewok suit, you’d never know Tony Cox appeared in “Return of the Jedi.” He wouldn’t really show off his acting chops until comedies like “Bad Santa,” where he was Billy Bob Thornton’s much-smarter mall-robbing accomplice and Christmas elf, and “Me, Myself and Irene.”

Dominic West (“The Phantom Menace”)

The prequel trilogy was filled with actors who would go on to do great things, but who were mostly filling small or background roles in the “Star Wars” universe. Dominic West‘s character in “The Phantom Menace” was an otherwise nondescript member of Queen Amidala’s palace guard — nothing so interesting as his later turn as Jimmy McNulty on HBO’s “The Wire.”

Julian Glover (“The Empire Strikes Back”)

Julian Glover‘s General Veers is probably the most competent officer available to Darth Vader as wanders the galaxy looking for the Rebels and Luke Skywalker. He’d be decidedly less competent as Grand Maester Pycelle on “Game of Thrones,” but decidedly more evil as Nazi collaborator Walter Donovan in “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.”

Richard Armitage (“The Phantom Menace”)

Blink and you’d miss Richard Armitage‘s small background role among the guards on Naboo. Although, it’s tough to recognize him without the lustrous locks Armitage sported in “The Hobbit” as Thorin Oakenshield, or the creepy teeth from his turn as killer Francis Dolarhyde in “Hannibal” Season 3 on NBC.

Deep Roy (“Return of the Jedi”)

It’s easiest to remember Deep Roy in the Johnny Depp-starring “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” since Roy played every orange oompa-loompa in that movie. In “Return of the Jedi,” he was both an Ewok and the puffy alien band member Droopy McCool in Jabba’s Palace. Deep Roy also worked on “The Empire Strikes Back,” acting as a stand-in for the muppet Yoda.

Simon Pegg (“The Force Awakens”)

Another secret cameo, Simon Pegg is covered in alien costume work as the junk dealer Unkar Plutt on Jakku. He’s the guy who gives Rei less than what her salvage is probably worth.

Bai Ling (“Revenge of the Sith”)

Bai Ling actually doesn’t appear in “Revenge of the Sith,” but she was supposed to. Her scene as Senator Bana Breemu was cut from the film. But there are things you definitely have seen her in, including “Crank: High Voltage,” “The Crow” and “Entourage.”

Peter Serafinowicz (“The Phantom Menace”)

Marvel Cinematic Universe fans will recognize Peter Seafinowicz for his turn as untrusting Nova Corps officer Garthan Saal in “Guardians of the Galaxy.” He didn’t appear in “The Phantom Menace,” but provided the gravely, frightening voice of Darth Maul (the rest of whom was played by Ray Park), as well as for a gungan warrior and a battle droid.

Harriet Walter (“The Force Awakens”)

Playing a Resistance medic who helps out Chewbacca, “Downton Abbey” alumna Harriet Walter gets a short but sweet cameo in “The Force Awakens.” She actually has one of the movie’s funnier moments as she talks to Chewie about how scary his ordeal must have been.

Treat Williams (“The Empire Strikes Back”)

When you’re Treat Williams, you can wander onto the set of “The Empire Strikes Back” and find yourself in the movie. Williams reportedly dropped by England’s Elstree Studios set, where the movie was being filmed, to visit Carrie Fisher. Apparently one thing led to another, and now Williams plays one of the Rebel troops running around Echo Base on Hoth.

Sally Hawkins (“The Phantom Menace”)

Before she was an Academy Award-nominated actress for her role in “Blue Jasmine,” Sally Hawkins was an extra in the giant celebration scene in “The Phantom Menace.” She admitted in an interview with Conan O’Brien that she’d never actually seen the movie, despite being in it.

Martin Csokas (“Attack of the Clones”)

The “Star Wars” movies have slipped a few notable actors into the voice roles of aliens. Martin Csokas is one — he provided the voice of the Geonosian alien Poggle the Lesser in “Attack of the Clones.” Fantasy fans probably know him better as the elf Celeborn, husband to Cate Blanchett’s Galadriel in “The Lord of the Rings.”

Keisha Castle-Hughes (“Revenge of the Sith”)

Sometime after Padmé’s term as queen had ended by “Revenge of the Sith,” the wise people of Naboo apparently elected another teenager queen: Queen Apailana, played by Keisha Castle-Hughes. Apailana is seen at Padmé’s funeral, and Castle-Hughes is known for “The Whale Rider” and appearing on “The Walking Dead.”

For more features and deep dives into the world of “Star Wars” and the culture surrounding it, be sure to check out IMDb’s “Star Wars” hub.

Read original story 24 Actors You Probably Didn’t Know Were in ‘Star Wars’ Movies (Photos) At TheWrap

And so, once again, that time of year is quickly creeping up on us. Christmas is only just around the corner and it will soon be time to dust off our Xmas movie DVDs and Blu-rays. This year, why not add another to your list as we have 3 copies of Bad Santa 2 to giveaway on Blu-ray.

Bad Santa is back to put the XXX into Xmas as Billy Bob Thornton returns as anti-festive hero Willie Soke. Far from bringing joy this Santa is fuelled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred and this Christmas Willie teams up again with his angry little sidekick, Marcus (Tony Cox), to knock off a Chicago charity on Christmas Eve.

Along for the ride is ‘the kid’ – cheery Thurman Merman (Brett Kelly), a 250-pound ray of sunshine who brings out Willie’s sliver of humanity. However things get complicated when the gang are joined by

Ladies, how would you react if a man – let alone an employer – asked you if you had bathed that day? You probably wouldn’t take too kindly to it, and may even assume this man was having some odd thoughts about you. This is what Kristen Wiig's Monica is going through in this exclusive clip for The Heyday Of Insensitive Bastards, which shows Wiig as a maid-for-hire in one of seven vignettes, and has been asked the question by Tony Cox's Mr. Chubbs.... Read More...

Keep up with the always-hopping film festival world with our weekly Film Festival Roundup column. Check out last week’s Roundup right here.

Lineup Announcements

– The Human Rights Watch Film Festival will be presented June 9 – 18, with 21 topical and provocative feature documentaries and panel discussions that showcase courageous resilience in challenging times. In an era of global advances by far-right forces into the political mainstream, assaults on the free press, and the rise of “citizen journalism,” festival organizers hope that the films in this year’s program can serve as inspiration and motivation for the audience, from seasoned activists to those searching for a role in local and global movements.

Now in its 28th edition, the Human Rights Watch Film Festival is co-presented by the Film Society of Lincoln Center and IFC Center. All screenings will be followed by in-depth discussions with filmmakers, film subjects, Human Rights Watch researchers, and special guests.

When I reviewed Bad Santa 2 here at We Are Movie Geeks, I wrote: “Thornton’s Willy is still an amusing, deadpan movie character with the power to shock, the perfect antidote to the usual saccharine Christmas confection. Whether he’s swigging booze, cussing at the children he has no patience with, or having rough sex in an alley (or bathroom), Willy epitomizes everything a street corner Santa shouldn’t be. Matching Thornton in terms of coarseness is Kathy Bates, but there is surprising depth to the relationship between mother and son, and much of their back and forth is side-splitting….” read the rest of my review Here

Billy Bob Thornton, Tony Cox and Brett Kelly reunite in Bad Santa 2 , the funniest, raunchiest and most inappropriate film of the year, releaseed on Est on February 14 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, DVD and VOD February 21. Fueled by cheap whiskey and greed,

Our resident VOD expert tells you what's new to rent and/or own this week via various Digital HD providers such as cable Movies On Demand, Amazon, iTunes, Vudu, Google Play and, of course, Netflix. Cable Movies On Demand: Same-day-as-disc releases, older titles and pretheatrical Nocturnal Animals (Tom Ford-directed drama; Jake Gyllenhaal, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson; rated R) Hacksaw Ridge (Mel Gibson-directed war drama; Andrew Garfield, Sam Worthington, Teresa Palmer, Hugo Weaving, Vince Vaughn; rated R) Manchester by the Sea (Oscar-begging drama; Casey Affleck, Michelle Williams, Kyle Chandler; rated R) Bad Santa 2 (comedy; Billy Bob Thornton, Kathy Bates, Tony Cox; rated R) Moonlight (Oscar-begging romantic...

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Fueled by cheap whiskey and greed, Willie Soke (Billy Bob Thornton), teams up once again with his angry sidekick, Marcus (Tony Cox), to knock off a Chicago charity run by curvaceous Diane (Christina Hendricks). As vulgar as this ensemble can get, the Blu-ray and 4K iterations, hitting shelves on February 21st, will boast unrated versions including deleted scenes not in the film! You can check out an... Read More...

Billy Bob Thornton returns as the worst Santa ever in Bad Santa 2, the sequel to the hilarious R-rated comedy set to make its Blu-ray, 4K Uhd, DVD and Digital HD debut on February 21st.

We have teamed up with Broad Green Pictures to offer three lucky readers each a copy of Bad Santa 2 Unrated on Blu-ray co-starring Tony Cox, Brett Kelly, Kathy Bates, and Christina Hendricks.

For a chance to be one of the lucky winners, simply fill out and submit the short entry form below. The odds of winning can be increased each and every day you stop back to enter again for as many days as the contest is open.

You must be a resident of the U.S. or Canada to enter.

Fueled by cheap whiskey, greed and hatred, Willie Soke (Billy Bob Thornton) teams up with his angry little sidekick, Marcus, to knock off

Billy Bob Thornton returns as the nastiest Jolly Old Saint Nicholas around in Bad Santa 2, headed to Digital HD on February 14th followed by 4K Uhd Blu-ray, Blu-ray and DVD a week later on February 21st.

Bad Santa 2 reunites Thorton with Tony Cox and Brett Kelly, then adds Christina Hendricks and Kathy Bates into the mix to round out the main cast. Whereas the original film made over $76 million at the worldwide box office, Bad Santa 2 is tracking at under $18 million.

The home video release of Bad Santa 2 brings a new unrated cut exclusively to the Blu-ray and 4K Blu-ray versions. The theatrical cut will also be included as a viewing option.

Bonus features on the high-def versions of Bad Santa 2 include:

That’s My Willie - an original animated series

Thurman Then & Now

Just Your Average Red Band Featurette

Jingle Balls – an adult version

As we head into the holiday season, Wamg brings you our list of the Best Non-Traditional Christmas Movies to watch after the Holiday ham, pretty presents, and multiple viewings of White Christmas, Home Alone and Miracle On 34th Street are a thing of Christmas Past.

Our choices are filled snarky mistletoe carnage and crafty comedy – Geek style. Santa Claus is coming to town in these “More Naughty Than Nice”. films.

We’ve made a list and checked it twice with our lineup of not just the 20 Best holiday films but the Top 21 Non-Traditional Christmas Movies. After the success of Krampus, we just had to add it!

We kick off our list with our Honorable Mention –

Jingle All The Way

Christmas; It’s the most magical time of the year. High powered businessman Howard Langston (Arnold Schwarzenegger), is hard at work taking last-minute orders from customers to whom he just can