Marvel Boss 'Heartbroken' About Black Panther's Oscar Loss

Marvel Boss 'Heartbroken' About Black Panther's Oscar Loss

A decade after the injustice of The Dark Knight’s Best Picture snub, a superhero movie was finally nominated for the Academy Awards’ highest honor. That film was Marvel Studios’ Black Panther, a box office behemoth and cultural phenomenon that went on to collect three golden statues, but missed out on Best Picture. That was a disappointment to many, including Avi Arad, the former Marvel Studios CEO and Chairman and longtime Marvel producer. Speaking about Black Panther’s Oscar loss, Avi Arad said:

I was heartbroken that Black Panther didn’t get the Academy. It could have, but you know, [the voters] they always looked at superheroes like it was a ‘Yabba dabba doo’ kind of a thing versus something that mattered or something that was going to last.

Despite no longer being with Marvel Studios, Avi Arad was still rooting for Black Panther to get the win for Best Picture at the 2019 Academy Awards, so much so that he was heartbroken when the statue went to Green Book instead. Avi Arad clearly believed that Black Panther was deserving of the award, but as he told Deadline, he thinks that Academy voters still look at superheroes as some Fred Flintstone silliness that is beneath more traditional Oscar films.

That Academy bias against from superhero movies is well established, but the tide has slowly begun to turn, especially after The Dark Knight, with movies like Logan earning an Oscar nomination and Black Panther’s 7 nominations. Nevertheless, Avi Arad still seems to believe that some voters feel that superhero movies don’t matter and won’t stand the test of time.

You can certainly understand Avi Arad’s investment in comic book movies and desire to see them not only succeed, but also be recognized as art with value that is deserving of the kind of recognition that films considered more highbrow receive. Avi Arad has been working on Marvel projects for decades and believes in the brand.

Avi Arad was an executive producer on the beloved 90s X-Men animated series, and the 2000 X-Men film that began the comic book movie age. He’s had his hands in the genre’s highs like Spider-Man 2 and its lows like Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer. It must mean a lot to him to see the genre come so far, and it makes sense that he would want it to finally attain the respect and legitimacy that a Best Picture win rightfully or wrongly confers.

Alas, Black Panther did not win Best Picture, but it did win three other Oscars: Best Costume Design, Best Original Score and Best Production Design. Avi Arad wanted it to win more, but Best Picture was always a long shot and it is certainly a trend in the right direction. And he is far from the only one who is disappointed with how Best Picture turned out.

The night wasn’t a total loss though, far from it. Through his Avi Arad Productions, Avi Arad was a producer on Sony’s Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, which took home the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

The next Marvel film Avi Arad is a producer on is this summer’s Spider-Man: Far From Home, continuing the producer’s long tenure with the web-slinger. Far From Home hits theaters on July 5. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the biggest movies coming your way this year.

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6 Reasons Alita: Battle Angel Deserves A Sequel

6 Reasons Alita: Battle Angel Deserves A Sequel

Warning: Spoilers for Alita: Battle Angel are in play. If you haven't seen the film yet, please bookmark this article and come back once you're current.

While it hasn't set the world on fire at the box office, Alita: Battle Angel also hasn't done terribly for itself. So far, the movie has made nearly $400 million worldwide -- not enough that the film's overall profitability can't be brought into question. In addition, the Disney and Fox merger is now complete, and that feels like another factor that might work against this prospect. Still, there's no denying that a vocal corner of the internet would still like to see another adventure come to theaters in the near future. Despite the issues Alita: Battle Angel 2 might face, there are also reasons it should happen.

In the face of such odds, there are still reasons why this new Disney entertainment production force-to-be-reckoned-with should consider pursuing a second Alita: Battle Angel film. If you're a true believer in the battle angel's cause, or if you're sitting on the fence and waiting for a good case to be made for this fledgling franchise to take off, here are all the reasons Alita: Battle Angel should get another opportunity to tell more of its story.

People Want A Sequel

While Alita: Battle Angel has put in a solid effort at becoming a blockbuster hit, it still isn't a mega-success on the level of something like a Marvel Studios film. Yet, if you poke around on the internet, there's no shortage of people who want to take a return trip to the world of Iron City. With a built in overseas fanbase that's rabid for more material, the quicker a potential sequel to Robert Rodriguez's living breathing anime can be made will mean a better chance of retaining this strong following for another film. Which could also lead to more newcomers being brought to the fold as well.

Sequels Are An Easier Sell To Moviegoers

One of the major obstacles that Alita: Battle Angel had to overcome with its release this past February is the fact that it was somewhat of an unknown quantity to movie fans by and large. It's true there was a pre-programmed following comprised of people who'd read the original manga the film was based off of, but again, that's not enough to create the meteoric hit studios crave these days. By time this first film hits home video, there shouldl be more exposure given to Alita: Battle Angel's story, and with that a potential for even more fans hungry returning for future helpings. It wouldn't, and shouldn't be as hard to sell Alita: Battle Angel 2 – Zalem or Bust as it was this initial film.

The World Is Ripe For Exploring

Much like Alita's first exposure to the world that is Iron City, people witnessing this far-flung future's metropolis for the first time in Alita: Battle Angel were stunned by what they saw. As the film revealed to all, there is a broader universe to be explored, ranging from battles on the Moon to the floating sky city of Zalem. With the keen eye for detail that Robert Rodriguez has shown in his director's eye, as well as the scripting talents of James Cameron and Laeta Kalogridis laying out the setting that gave us Alita: Battle Angel's exhilarating finished product, seeing more of these surroundings through these particular lenses is a concept too wonderful to say no to. So maybe the studio shouldn't.

The Sequel Has Already Attracted Admirable Talent

Looking at the cast of Alita: Battle Angel, there is a list of notable stars that is pretty impressive. But amidst the already stacked deck that included Mahershala Ali, Jennifer Connolly, and Chrisoph Waltz playing in an anime- inspired playground are a couple of other actors that would be perfectly served by a sequel. In particular, more flashbacks involving Michelle Rodriguez's Gelda, as well as a presumed starring role for Edward Norton as Nova, the big bad/ultimate target of Alita, are the big hooks that could bring Alita; Battle Angel's second chapter into living color. This would raise the stakes and fill in key details regarding the character's past, as well as the history of the world at large, setting the scene for the final installment to be an all-out action masterpiece.

Production And Marketing Costs Could Be Lower

Blending practical sets and computer generated vistas, Alita: Battle Angel feels like the type of series that could very easily save itself some money in the future – as the basic bones of this world are already built. With Robert Rodriguez still retaining the physical sets used in the film, and the digital constructs for anything that wasn't physically crafted also being on stand-by, it shouldn't cost that much to return to a world that has already been built. Furthermore, with an audience more familiar with Alita: Battle Angel's potential as entertainment, even the marketing spend could be eased back, so as to save some room in the budget for any and all new worlds to conquer in Part 2. A lot of times sequels go bigger, but I'm not sure Alita 2 would have to, although there's a fine line between cheaper and cheap.

Thanks To The Perfect Cliffhanger, Alita: Battle Angel Sets Up For A Sequel

Any potential film series tends to set up a lot of the world the franchise will walk or sprint through in other installments during its first chapter. Alita: Battle Angel perfectly sets up the big tent of a story arc that the entire trilogy would cover, leaving the audience wanting more. By time the film's finale kicks in, you want to see Alita take her fight to Zalem, and witness her kick the series' big bad, Nova into the next solar system in climactic fashion. Most films wish they had a sign off as powerful as Alita: Battle Angel does; however,  not all of them get it.

So there you have it: the case for why Alita: Battle Angel deserves to continue on as a series. Of course, time will tell if this is all just a pipe dream or if the Disney and Fox juggernaut will put another bet on the battle angel supreme and her mission to bring down the sky city. Though if this film has a chance in Iron City of actually happening, it'll depend on the movie viewing public's demand.

As such, if you've not yet seen Alita: Battle Angel, or want to see it again, it's currently still in theaters. Also, if you've got an opinion on the fate of this franchise, share your feelings in the poll and comments section below!

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Even Though Zac Efron's Ted Bundy Movie Is Heading To Netflix, It's Getting An R-Rating

Even Though Zac Efron's Ted Bundy Movie Is Heading To Netflix, It's Getting An R-Rating

Netflix has had a weird history with rating its original movies, but now we know for certain that one of its big upcoming movies will be Rated R. The movie in question is Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile. Given the serial killer subject matter of the upcoming Netflix flick, an R rating for the Ted Bundy-based flick makes sense.

The MPAA has given Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile an R-rating and, as you can probably guess, one of the reasons cited is for “disturbing” content. More specifically, the MPAA says:

Rated R for disturbing/violent content, some sexuality, nudity and language.

While the R rating is not a giant surprise (or at least shouldn’t be given the subject matter), what is interesting is that the film has been rated at all.

We’ve reported previously on Netflix’s inconsistencies with rating its movies. Some flicks in the past have been given TV-MA or similar TV guideline-based ratings while some have been given MPAA ratings. It hasn’t always been consistent regarding whether or not a project has gotten a brief theatrical release, either.

However, just a couple of weeks ago, Netflix joined the MPAA. Hopefully, this means that a larger percentage of movies will actually be getting the types of ratings people in the U.S. are familiar with. I know it probably doesn't seem like a big deal given that Netflix has been letting people know whether or not something is "mature" content, but to me the fact that some projects have been rated more like TV projects while others have been rated like real movies made it clear that Netflix didn't really know what space it was occupying in the business.

By signing on with the MPAA, Netflix has shown that it sees its movies as competing with other movies and not with the stuff that cable and network TV is putting out. It also means the MPAA is now showing more of a willingness to work with Netflix, which has often been at odds with the movie industry at large.

Extremely Wickedy, Shockingly Evil, and Vile has dealt with some press recently for casting Zac Efron as a “hot Ted Bundy,” especially given the serial killer nature of the movie. However, Ted Bundy was notorious for being a good-looking guy while on death row long before Zac Efron was ever cast in the role. Plus, Netflix has already reminded people that if they are really looking for "hot" characters, there are plenty of other options on the streaming service.

It’s certainly a unique choice for Zac Efron at this point in his career to tackle a serial killer period drama. However, he has taken projects with an R rating before, most notoriously with the Rated R version of Baywatch. (Although the movie went on to be panned, the cast defended the move.)

Hopefully, Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile won’t suffer the same fate. Netflix, in fact, has had some struggles with producing critically-acclaimed content, although this past year’s Roma from Alfonso Cuaron was a notable exception.

Ultimately, 2019 should be an interesting year for the streaming service, and not just because it has joined the MPAA. You can catch Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil, and Vile sometime soon on Netflix. While we wait for an official date be sure to check out what is coming this month on Netflix.

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Hobbs And Shaw Just Re-Wrapped After Filming Some Major New Scenes

Hobbs And Shaw Just Re-Wrapped After Filming Some Major New Scenes

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson posts so many "wrap" photos he could stack them under a Christmas tree. (I'll see myself out.) He just wrapped Jumanji 3 and now he has announced another wrap for Hobbs & Shaw.

That Fast and Furious franchise spinoff is coming out August 2, not even three months from now, so it would be strange to see it just wrap filming this week. Dwayne Johnson previously shared an emotional wrap video in mid-February, when initial filming was complete. But it's common to head back to set for reshoots and "additional photography," and it looks like Hobbs & Shaw did just that for a few key scenes -- including a massive showdown with Idris Elba's criminal mastermind Brixton Lore.

Here's The Rock's first of three posts on re-wrapping Hobbs & Shaw, with this one teasing the fight ahead as the "Biggest showdown the FAST & FURIOUS franchise has ever seen":

After that, The Rock -- aka Pig Daddy? -- showed off his ride before filming one last scene for the movie.

Finally, he shared an official this-is-it production wrap post, sharing this photo to tease "a fun final touch for our movie":

Nice! Hobbs & Shaw takes place two years after The Fate of the Furious. Dwayne Johnson's "ice cold can of whup-ass" Luke Hobbs has to team up with "champagne problem" Jason Statham's Deckard Shaw to take down Idris Elba's former MI6 agent Brixton, who is now a "super-human" terrorist (aka "Black Superman"). Vanessa Kirby co-stars as MI6 field agent Hattie Shaw, who happens to be Deckard's sister, with Helen Mirren as Magdalene Shaw.

The official title of this thing is Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw, but that still sounds like a variety show to me. Hobbs & Shaw opens its can of whup-ass in theaters on August 2, as one of the many movies worth keeping track of in 2019.

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Apparently Avengers: Endgame's Second Half Is Mind-Blowing

Apparently Avengers: Endgame's Second Half Is Mind-Blowing

Thanks to the intense secrecy of Avengers: Endgame, fans know very little of what to expect when they eventually sit down to watch the film later this month. Spectacle and tears have been assured by the filmmakers and cast, but specific plot details are locked in the vault. We still only have broad statements to work off of, but fans are apparently in for a treat, because a source claims that the second half of Endgame is "mind-blowing."

In Avengers: Endgame, the surviving members of the team must band together and find a way to reverse the damage done to the universe by Thanos -- or at least get revenge on the Mad Titan. That's already one epic logline that promises drama and action, and fan theories have risen up to try and plug the various holes. People have pitched everything from time travel to Ant-Man jumping up Thanos' butt, but whatever it ends up being, it will be absolutely wild.

Endgame is projected to have a record-breaking domestic opening that could earn as high as $300 million. As we get closer to the release date, that number could change depending on the reviews of the film. While a bad review can hurt box office performance, Deadline doesn't think Endgame has to worry about bad reviews. A reliable source who has seen the movie told the publication that the second half of Endgame is mind-blowing.

Deadline doesn't go any more specific than that, but mind-blowing feels like it's an accurate word for Endgame based on what we know already. Marvel has been hyping that it pulled off all the stops for this one, and while I think being overhyped is generally a bad thing, all evidence so far suggests Endgame will be a movie to remember.

And it's not just shadowy industry insiders who like the film. Test audiences apparently loved it, too! Per co-director Joe Russo during an interview with BoxOfficePro, Endgame had one of the highest test scores of any Marvel movie.

We’re vigilant about using test audiences to tell us whether we’re on the right track or we’re making bad decisions. With Endgame, it had one of the most incredible audience responses in Marvel history. Irrespective of the length, it’s been consistently embraced by the test audiences.

Butts likely won't be leaving seats during Endgame's wild runtime of three hours. Expect a lot more hype over these next coming weeks and be careful of the leaks that will inevitable arrive online. Something tells me going in as dry as possible will yield the best experience for everyone.

We'll finally have all of our questions answered when Avengers: Endgame arrives in theaters on April 26. To learn all the information that we do know, here's our helpful guide.

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No, Keanu Reeves Is Not In Hobbs And Shaw

No, Keanu Reeves Is Not In Hobbs And Shaw

The new Fast and Furious spinoff movie already had an immense amount of star power thanks to the likes of Dwayne Johnson, Jason Statham, and Idris Elba, but last month a new rumor implied that the movie was going to be even bigger thanks to the addition of Keanu Reeves to the cast of Hobbs & Shaw. Unfortunately, it was not to be, as the John Wick star has not put the rumor to bed. He's not in the movie.

The rumor landed about a month ago and it claimed that the new film would reveal that Idris Elba's character, who is presented as the film's villain in the trailers, is actually working for an even bigger bad guy, who would be played by Keanu Reeves. While the role was being described as a significant one, it was also suggested that Reeves might only appear in a post-credits sequence that would set up a Hobbs and Shaw sequel.

While Reeves admits to Variety that there were conversations with the Hobbs & Shaw team, he is very clear that nothing happened and he's not in the film. According to Reeves...

I don’t know how that happened. I really honestly do not know how that happened… I’ve been contacted, but yeah, I have no idea how that part of the story happened.

So, while it sounds like the original rumor had some basis in fact, as Keanu Reeves apparently could have had a role in the new Fast & Furious spinoff, it wasn't strictly true because no deal was ever reached. Keanu has nothing but good things to say about Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham and it sounds like he'd love to work with them if the opportunity ever came along.

The idea of Keanu Reeves appearing in a Fast & Furious movie wasn't entire crazy on its face. The movie is being directed by David Leitch, who was one of the co-directors on the first John Wick film alongside Chad Stahelski.

It does make one wonder if the description of the character Reeves was rumored to play might then turn out to be true. Perhaps another A-list actor will be appearing in the film in the role of the power behind the throne.

While there have been a handful of times that people behind a new movie have outright lied in an attempt to prevent a reveal, it doesn't feel like that's the case here. Instead it seems that conversations behind-the-scenes got misinterpreted as a done deal when things were far from that.

While The Rock versus Keanu Reeves is certainly a big screen battle I'd love to see, it appears I'll have to wait for another time and another place. Although, now that Reeves is on board for a fourth John Wick movie, he may be too busy himself to fit into the Rock's equally busy schedule.

Hobbs & Shaw hits theaters August 2. John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum is in theaters now

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The 10 Best Morgan Freeman Movies, Ranked

The 10 Best Morgan Freeman Movies, Ranked

This is a tough list to make. The list of Morgan Freeman movies that stand out above all the rest. He has had so many great performances and played so many beloved characters over the years, is it even possible to break them down and pick a top ten?

Of course it is! For a man who didn’t really have his big break happen until he was 50 years old, Morgan Freeman has put together an amazing career. His dedication to acting shows in every role he takes and the world -- or at least Hollywood --is much better for it. He can be funny or serious and his God-like voice is both powerful and soothing.

So here it is, the best of the best – and it is the best of the best, his filmography was difficult to cull down, but in the end, we did and here are the choices!

10. Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves (1991)

This version of Robin Hood gets trashed these days, but unfairly so. It probably has something to do with Kevin Costner’s accent, which is admittedly terrible, but there are some amazing performances in the film, like Alan Rickman as the Sheriff Of Nottingham and certainly including Morgan Freeman’s role as Robin Hood’s faithful friend, Azeem.

Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves was a really big deal when it was released. Mel Brooks even made a parody of it, and though it doesn’t get much respect today, it’s worth a second watch if it’s been a while since you last saw it. Especially for the great cameo at the end that the movie managed to keep a secret from most people in those halcyon pre-Twitter, spoiler-free days.

9. Invictus (2009)

Morgan Freeman’s brilliant portrayal of South African President Nelson Mandela in this not-really-about-sports sports movie is what elevates Invictus. It doesn’t matter you don’t like sports movies, or rugby, this is a movie about redemption and overcoming the suffocating history of apartheid in South Africa.

Morgan Freeman’s co-star, Matt Damon, is also masterful in this film. Both were deservedly nominated for Oscars and Golden Globes for their performances. Clint Eastwood’s direction is, as usual, excellent and also elevates the performances, but it’s really all about Freeman’s performance as the beloved South African leader that keeps audiences entranced.

8. Driving Miss Daisy (1989)

Morgan Freeman credits Street Smart (below) as his breakout role, but for most audiences it was his performance as the chauffeur to Miss Daisy (Jessica Tandy) that really put him on the movie star map. Driving Miss Daisy won four Oscars and was nominated for another five, including Best Actor for Freeman, though he didn’t win.

Driving Miss Daisy is another example, like Robin Hood, of a performance and a film that is often overlooked today, but it’s a really well made film with wonderful acting performances from Jessica Tandy, who won an Oscar for her role as Miss Daisy and Morgan Freeman, as well as Dan Aykroyd, who were also nominated!

7. Street Smart (1987)

Morgan Freeman considers this his breakout role and he's also has said that Street Smart is his favorite movie that he has made (sorry Shawshank fans). In the film, Freeman plays a pimp named Fast Black who is suspected by the police of murder. Morgan Freeman’s co-star Christopher Reeve plays a struggling newspaper reporter who fabricates a story about a pimp the police believe is Fast Black and Fast Black believes is about him as well, setting up the conflict between Morgan and Reeve.

Street Smart resulted in Freeman’s first Oscar nomination and set him on the path to stardom. At age 50, it's remarkable this was the movie that really got his career going like gangbusters. It's hard to image there was a time when Morgan Freeman movies were the norm! Everyone can thank Street Smart for all the Morgan Freeman in our lives. Thank you Street Smart!

6. Batman Begins (2005)

Batman Begins is really just the best way to represent Morgan Freeman’s role as Lucius Fox, the loyal employee of Wayne Enterprises who works with Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) to develop and reconfigure all kinds of technology for Wayne’s alter ego, Batman in the Christopher Nolan directed Dark Knight Trilogy.

In Batman Begins, Freeman’s character has been demoted in Bruce’s absence. He is stuck in the Applied Sciences division where the current bosses think he’ll be out of the way, but it turns out that it’s the perfect position for Fox to help Bruce Wayne/Batman. Morgan Freeman’s signature calm-but-firm demeanor is perfect for the loyal and dedicated Fox and his inclusion in the film, while it may be fleeting, is perfect.

5. Glory (1989)

Glory is an incredible and powerful movie. It toes the line between being important and fun brilliantly and Morgan Freeman’s role is critical to that. Freeman understood how important a movie like Glory was from the beginning and he gives it his all in his performance. Glory, believe it or not, was the first time, even in 1989, that many people ever heard the story of African-American soldiers fighting for the Union during the Civil War.

While all the actors in the film played their roles well, not surprisingly it was the two African-American leads, Morgan Freeman and Denzel Washington, who were at the heart of this cast. Washington won a richly deserved Academy Award for his performance as a disillusioned private under Mathew Broderick’s command and it would have been perfectly acceptable had Freeman won one too.

4. Seven (1995)

Seven, was a big film for a lot of big stars. While it wasn’t Brad Pitt’s breakout role, it was the first time he was taken seriously as a lead actor. The movie is, however, Gwyneth Paltrow’s breakout role and behind the both of them, like a rock keeping calm in a sea of crazy, is Morgan Freeman's Detective Somerset.

Directed by David Fincher, the film is masterful and Morgan Freeman excels in his performance as a detective on his last case, catching a serial killer. That is the kind of role (and trope) that many actors would phone in or overact in, but not Freeman, he doesn’t overplay the “I gotta get out of here” vibe, but you can feel the pain in his character as he deals with one last psychopath.

3. Unforgiven (1992)

In Unforgiven, Morgan Freeman plays sharpshooter Ned Logan, a loyal and longtime friend to Clint Eastwood’s Will Munny in this epic western. Logan joins up with Munny to help a young man called “The Schofield Kid” track down a gang a vial cowboys accused of torturing a prostitute.

In a film filled with some of the best actors of their day, including Clint Eastwood (who also directed), Gene Hackman, and Richard Harris, Morgan Freeman more than holds his own with his brilliant performance. In fact, Unforgiven might just be his best performance that he WASN’T nominated for any major awards for.

2. The Shawshank Redemption (1994)

Ah yes, that TNT Sunday afternoon special. A movie so important, you can find it somewhere on cable at almost any time of the day or night, every single day. If you took a poll on the street of people asking them for their favorite Morgan Freeman movie, it’s a safe bet that The Shawshank Redemption would far and away be the most popular answer. For a movie that was a disappointment at the box office, that is pretty amazing.

Freeman plays Red, a man whose been in jail for a long time when Andy Dufresne, played by Tim Robbins arrives after he is sentenced to life for murdering his wife and the man she was having an affair with. Red mentors Andy and their friendship grows. It’s a wonderful movie and Morgan Freeman’s portrayal of the convicted criminal with a heart of gold made millions of Gen Xers and Millennials who grew up watching the movie on cable consider Freeman one of the most beloved actors of all-time.

1. Million Dollar Baby (2004)

If you are counting, Million Dollar Baby is the third time a Morgan Freeman performance in a Clint Eastwood-directed film is on the list. It has been one heck of a partnership over the years, to say the least. Million Dollar Baby and its story of redemption is everything viewers could want from a serious and personal movie.

The acting in the movie, by Eastwood, Hilary Swank, And Freeman are as good as you will find in any movie, anywhere, in any time in Hollywood history. It’s a masterclass by all three and it makes even this sad, tragic story a true joy to watch.

It’s amazing to think of how many other movies and performances aren’t on this list also. Great films like The Power Of One and Lean On Me or powerful films like Amistad. Morgan Freeman’s remarkable career also, of course, includes his stellar voice over work in documentaries like March Of The Penguins.

At 81-years-old, Morgan Freeman is still going, still playing roles that audiences will appreciate for years to come. He is truly a remarkable actor.

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