Movies

Ben Affleck was looking light on his feet this weekend next to J Lo, and it might have to do with his new Michael Jordan movie ... even though it's not quite a money-maker just yet.

The couple was spotted out Saturday grabbing a bite for lunch at the Beverly Hills Hotel, where they were both dressed up in snazzy duds -- BA was rocking a tan pullover sweater with jeans and matching sneakers to round out the ensemble. Nikes, specifically, mind you.

Jen, meanwhile, was wearing a Springtime colorful sun dress and some high-heeled boots.

It's Ben ya gotta focus on, though, 'cause the dude is absolutely radiating ... flashing a big smile to the paps who were shooting them and carrying a little extra pep to his step. The question ... what the heck is he so damn happy about considering his long grump streak???

Besides being married to Jennifer, he's got a lot to be cheery over ... including his latest flick, 'Air,' which hit theaters this week and which has garnered tremendous reviews and stellar word of mouth. By most accounts, it's 2023's first great flick and a crowd-pleaser.

The only (potential) problem is that 'Air' is not on pace to be a box office smash -- especially since it's up against Mario and co., which is taking the top spot this weekend by a mile.

Although his movie is on pace to rake in around $20 mil or so through Sunday -- depending on which projections you look at -- it reportedly cost a fortune to make ... around $90 mil, according to Variety. With that sorta budget, it's hard to say if Amazon Studios will recoup their investment in the short term ... but it's also hard to say what'll be considered a W here.

'Air' is Ben and Matt Damon's first project under their new production co., where they're sharing the wealth, and what's more ... this flick was made with a streaming-first mentality, even though it's hitting theaters initially. So, the formula for success on this one's wonky.

Chris Pratt took a lot of crap when he was announced as the voice of Mario for the new 'Super Mario Bros.' flick -- but now that the product is out ... the consensus is, he's aight.

The critics/amateur critics have sounded off on Twitter these past few days, weighing in on whether CP did the iconic video game character justice in the first animated feature-length film -- and from the looks of it, sounds like most everyone thinks he did a decent job.

Specifically, the term that keeps getting thrown around for his voice work is ... "fine."

As Polygon put it, Chris is "Aggressively Fine" as Mario ... and it would appear others feel the same. In other words, it ain't a groundbreaking performance ... nor does it move the needle in voice acting. But, the guy got the job done -- and wasn't distracting doing it.

If you're wondering what exactly he sounds like -- which has mostly been kept under wraps -- well, you can just go see it ... or look for snippets on Twitter. In either case, you'll see that Chris used a mash-up of accents ... mostly honing in on an Italian-American one that you might hear in Brooklyn. Throughout the film, he also slips into classic cartoonish Mario-isms.

While Chris might've been serviceable, the movie itself has gotten pretty awful reviews -- with some calling it soulless. Others, meanwhile, say it's a hoot ... especially for the kids.

Of course, all that matters to the studio heads are those box office numbers ... and so far, 'SMBM' is on its way to a stellar start. It's already on pace to hit $195 mil domestically through Sunday.

Heather Graham says she's A-OK with the fact that she doesn't have children ... something she feels like most women haven't been able to say up until recently.

The star dished her thoughts on the subject to People, telling them ... "I think we all have different paths. You just have to embrace the one that you're on. If, somehow, I had had kids, I'm sure that would've been cool."

She adds, "But at the moment, not having kids, I do feel free. And I get a lot of sleep. That is pretty great."

HG also had this to say about the notion of being able to own the fact one might not want little ones, especially as a woman ... "I do feel like as a woman, culturally, you're not allowed to say, 'I didn't want to have kids. Because it's like, what's wrong with you?'"

She finishes her thought by saying, "I think as a man it's like, oh yeah, cool, you didn't want to have kids. Now, women are getting more free to just make their own choices."

Graham says she believes if she was meant to have kids, she would've. Instead, she focuses on film/TV projects, which she says she views as her "little kids." She finishes by saying she's fulfilled with her life and happy with the journey she's chosen as an actress in Hollywood.

Jeremy Renner continues to amaze ... he's gone from an ever-so-close near-death experience to Six Flags ... in just a few months!

Jeremy took his fam to Six Flags on Good Friday ... and tooled around the park on a motorized scooter.

He posted the pics and video with the caption, "Leading the way Best I can Spring Break 2023!!!" ... adding, "Good Friday, made magic happen on the mountain with some of my amazing family!"

Jeremy's come back to the L.A. area where he's recovering at home ... this just three months after he was run over by a snowplow on New Year's Day. His injuries were massive ... more than 30 broken bones, a punctured liver, a collapsed lung and a lot more.

The 'Avengers' star described the pain and the enormity of the injuries to Diane Sawyer, and the animation that was created to show how he was run over is bone-chilling.

Jeremy said the snowplow began to slide, and he worried his nephew might be crushed between the plow and another vehicle, so he stepped out of the cab and put his foot on the track to look, only to fall to the ground. He believed his nephew might get crushed so he jumped back onto the track, but it was moving and sucked him under, running him over.

Harvey Weinstein took a trip from L.A. to New York after his conviction on the West Coast ... and he was flown out in first class on the D.A.'s dime.

Sources connected to the case tell TMZ ... Weinstein flew on a commercial airline Wednesday ... with investigators and medical personnel aboard. We're told he was seated in first, and the L.A. County D.A. is picking up the tab.

The D.A.'s Office tells us, "[Weinstein] was returned to New York via a method we typically use pursuant to our extradition agreement with New York."

For context -- the NY Department of Corrections and Community Supervision tells us he's been assigned to the Mohawk Correctional Facility to continue serving his sentence. He was originally at Wende Correctional, but after a review of his treatment needs, they made the switch.

According to its website, Mohawk specializes in sex offender treatment ... among other things.

As for having medical personnel on his flight, HW’s rep Juda Engelmayer tells us he received treatment prior to getting on the flight for medical issues he's had over the years.

It's Easter weekend, so it feels fitting to take a look at some actors that had their careers rise from the dead after going through a bit of a dry spell -- what a miracle!

We all know about Brendan Fraser and Ke Huy Quan's recent renaissance periods ... but do you remember Winona Ryder's fall from grace, only to get picked back up as Joyce from "Stranger Things?"

And, who could forget Mickey Rourke's tumultuous ride, going from acting to boxing -- only to end up taking home awards years later for his iconic role in "The Wrestler" ... a movie that made some parallels to his own life.

Of course, there was also child star Neil Patrick Harris, desperately looking to shake the Doogie Howser vibes and become something bigger ... or Natasha Lyonne's step back from the spotlight, only to return as a triple threat.

The two women accusing George Foreman of sexual abuse 45 years ago -- when they were minors -- want to hook him up to a polygraph ... challenging him to a lie detector test.

The boxer's alleged victims, Gwen Hunter and Denise Shipes, say George made them out to be liars and villains when he countersued them and accused them of extortion ... and they say they passed their own lie detector tests.

The accusers' attorney, Samuel Dordulian, tells TMZ ... Hunter and Shipes took their polygraph tests with one of the world's preeminent experts in the field, an examiner they believe George's legal team has routinely used for past cases, and they want Foreman to use the same person.

TMZ broke the story ... the women sued George back in August, claiming the pugilist was in his 20s when he groomed, and eventually sexually abused them when they were still underage. They say it all happened in the late 1960s and early 1970s.

Hunter detailed her allegations in a news conference three months after filing suit, saying ... "He asked me to remove my clothes, and if I didn't then my father would be fired, so I complied."

As we first reported ... George then filed a countersuit against Hunter, claiming she was intentionally dragging his name through the mud and flat-out lying to score a payday.

The accusers say they wanted to clear their names after George's countersuit, and they claim their lie detector tests show they're telling the truth ... and now they want Foreman to take one.

What's more, their attorney tells us he's in the process of bringing a separate defamation countersuit against George in response to what they say are baseless and harmful claims of extortion.

The timing of this all is worth noting ... in a few weeks, the "Big George Foreman" biopic is set for release.

Who knew Hollywood could breed such cute and fluffy bunnies?! Well, the proof lies here in these precious pics, and since tomorrow is Easter, go on with your bunny-self and scavenge through our celebratory bunny ear photos!

Singing sensations Mariah Carey and Celine Dion dressed to impress in their ear accessories ... Brooklyn Beckham and Nicola Anne Peltz Beckham are eggstremely cute in matching ears, and Reese Witherspoon served up a "who wore them better" ... between herself and her pup!

These stars are always "ear" for your entertainment! Check out our gallery and get down and festive with these Celebunnies!

William H. Macy has rocked his neighbor's world by massacring his trees ... so much so he's suffering great emotional distress and now the neighbor wants more than half a mil to make things right.

Pierce Brown lives next door to Macy, and while Pierce was on vacay, people who were working on Macy's property butchered trees that were squarely on Brown's land ... this according to a lawsuit filed by Brown.

Mr. Brown says the damage was devastating ... not only has it obliterated his privacy, presumably turning his house into a duck on a platter for all to see, but he says it's compromised the hillside ... a huge problem for folks who live in the hills of Hollywood.

Brown says after he got over the shock, he went and spoke with Macy, who acknowledge the misdeeds of his workers.

You'd think Barbie fans would be more than satisfied with the latest trailer for the Margot Robbie flick ... but some have a serious question for those who worked on the movie -- where's the freakin' Aqua song?!?!

That's right, fans are scratching their heads at this week's new look at Warner Brothers' "Barbie" -- with many calling the absence of Aqua's "Barbie Girl" a HUGE missed opportunity.

Check out the responses to the missing 1997 hit ... one says it'll be heartbreaking if the song doesn't make the cut.

Another fan points out, the trailer starts with Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, shouting out "Hi Barbie!" ... with Margot responding, "Hi Ken!" ... just like in the Aqua track.

When the movie was first announced, Ulrich Møller-Jørgensen -- manager for Aqua lead singer Lene Nystrøm -- said the track wouldn't be used but never explained why.

Of course, there's been a legal battle between Mattel and Aqua. The toy company filed suit against MCA Records back in 1997 for distributing the track -- Mattel was concerned it would hurt the brand. Aqua came out victorious in the end.

Even Barbie is controversial these days ... jeez.

Lizzo and Jack Black's cameos in the latest episode of "The Mandalorian" is a casting choice 'Star Wars' icon Billy Dee Williams can get behind -- and he gives us his thoughts as to why the team picked them for the series.

ICYMI, spoilers -- Lizzo and Jack can be found in Episode 6 of the Disney+ series' third season ... appearing in a scene as the queen and king of Plazir-15. And, of course, people went nuts.

Billy tells us he's backing the choice wholeheartedly -- pointing out how franchises are always coming up with new ways to grab a younger audience.

He sees it as good business and understands what the crew was thinking with Lizzo and Jack, even if die-hard fans of the series are the ones marking it as a dumb move.

It's debatable, but some online think the two just aren't believable in the 'Star Wars' universe ... because of how recognizable they are. The franchise has had a slew of cameos in the past, but some fans seem to have had enough -- looks like Billy sure hasn't.

BTW -- Christopher Lloyd also popped up in the same episode, but people weren't as concerned with an unscheduled visit from Doc.

It's Good Friday, and one thing we didn't give up for Lent was these killer snapshots of Meagan Good -- so take a look at the actress in all her glory!

The "Think Like a Man" and "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" star has been in the game since the early '90s ... and this collection of pics is giving some seriously good vibes!

Meagan might be known for living in the city as Camille Parks on Amazon's "Harlem," but she really loves soaking in the sun at the beach -- like she's doin' in this hot shot.

And, when she isn't stomping the yard, Meagan's posin' for the camera in her green workout fit. Watch out for those geese, though!

American actress Samantha Mathis was just 22 years old when she played the royal role of Princess Daisy -- the King of Dinohattan's highly intelligent daughter who ventures off to Brooklyn, NY with a deep passion for all things dinosaurs -- in the fantasy and super adventurous film "Super Mario Bros." back in 1993.

Mathis performed her reptilian brain persona alongside Bob Hoskins as the grumpy and practical Brooklyn plumber who loves his toolbelt, Mario, John Leguizamo as Mario's braver and younger brother who is quite intrigued by Daisy, Luigi, and the late Dennis Hopper who played the villainous, King Koopa.

"Oopsy-daisy!"

Here's a big shocker from señor Ben Affleck, who's breaking down his new movie, "Air" ... in perfect Spanish!!!

Ben threw social media into a tizzy Thursday as a lot of folks were shocked to learn he's bilingual ... despite the fact it's something of an open secret.

Ben sat down with El Cine En La Ser for an interview about his film ... explaining why Michael Jordan himself doesn't appear in the movie about his groundbreaking Nike contract.

If ya don't have the gift of gab en español, fear not, we did the translation, and Ben says there's not an actor in the world who could make an audience believe they're MJ, so the movie tells the story without focusing on Michael.

Still, Ben says he wouldn't have made the movie without Mike's blessing, which is why he had a sit down with the legend ... who told him the most important parts of the story were nailing 3 characters ... Howard White, George Raveling and MJ's own mother.

It's funny ... Ben says Jordan told him they had to get Viola Davis to play his mom, which Ben jokes is like asking someone to play basketball and they will only do so if MJ's on their team.

Ben's explained the same stuff in English, but it's impressive to hear him say it in Spanish -- which, btw, he learned in his youth ... pre-J Lo.

Lance Reddick's cause of death has been revealed as heart disease ... according to the late actor's death certificate.

The document, obtained by TMZ, lists Reddick's immediate cause of death as Ischemic Heart Disease as well as Atherosclerotic Coronary Artery Disease. The death cert also states Reddick was to be cremated.

TMZ broke the story ... Reddick, best known for his role in "The Wire" and the 'John Wick' movie franchise, was found dead at his Studio City home on March 17. At the time, law enforcement sources said his death appeared to be of natural causes.

We know Lance's wife, Stephanie, was the one who dialed 911 after finding him collapsed in the backyard.

Just before he died, Lance was doing a press tour for the "John Wick: Chapter 4" film ... and he even had an appearance scheduled on Kelly Clarkson's show for the week after he passed away.

Lance posted a selfie video just days before his sudden death at home with his pups, raising questions as to why he wasn't attending the 'Wick 4' premiere in New York City.

Lance's castmates honored him by wearing blue ribbons to the movie's premiere in Los Angeles, and Keanu Reeves shared some touching words about his friend.

Outside of 'John Wick,' Lance was also famous for his work in HBO's "The Wire" where he played Baltimore Police Department officer Cedrick Daniels in all 5 seasons of the show.

Throughout his career he racked up a ton of credits including shows like "Fringe," "Bosch," "Oz" and "Lost" ... he also appeared in films such as "Angel Has Fallen" and "Godzilla Vs. Kong."

Lance was 60.

Jeremy Renner's incredible recovery has him in high spirits, but just after his horrific snowplow accident, he worried he would live his life as a shell of a human being.

Jeremy tells his emotional story of coming back from the edge of life to a point where he is mobile again ... with the help of a walker.

He worried in the days following the accident he would live the rest of his life as a brain and a spine, but not much else.

The "Avengers" star teared up as he spoke with Diane Sawyer about the pain he suffered and how he felt so sorry that his family was suffering as well. Jeremy was on the verge of tears as he told Diane he told his family he was sorry in sign language.

He looks amazing ... it defies what he went through. Jeremy is looking forward and says he refuses to be haunted by the accident that almost took his life.

He still has a ways to go, but all signs point to a return to normal life, which has gotta include acting.