Tuesday, November 25, 2025

THE RUNNING MAN (2025)

Written by Michael Bacall and Edgar Wright



Directed by Edgar Wright




Where & When: TCL Chinese Theatres, Hollywood, CA. November 17, 2025 4:15 PM



When "The Running Man", based on a story written by Steven King under the pseudonym "Richard Bachman", was first brought to the screen in 1987, it was a dystopian thriller that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger as a convicted criminal who must try to outrun gladiator-styled assassins on a depraved game show. But this movie (directed by actor, Paul Michael Glaser, best known for playing Detective Starsky in the 1970s television cop series, "Starsky & Hutch") was far removed from the novel which featured a dark, societal commentary theme, instead offering a more campy humor, action-adventure to further accommodate the popular star's screen persona. "The Running Man" was met with an indifferent reception from audiences and critics with King less than thrilled with this adaptation.

As a teenager, Edgar Wright had read the book and after seeing the movie, he was aware of how much was changed in style and tone. Now as a filmmaker, Wright has gotten the opportunity to put his own stamp on "The Running Man" and even has King's blessing who is a producer of this remake. With this updated version, he has approached the story to align closer to the source material while still putting his own distinctive spin to the movie. Far more adventurous and inventive than the original film, this visually pumped-up, "Running Man" still doesn't do enough to offer a compelling reason to take on this story again and the newly imagined conclusion is muddled and relentlessly excessive.

In a future America under totalitarian rule, Ben Richards (Glen Powell) and his wife, Sheila (Jayme Lawson) are living in Co-Op City, struggling to survive. Their baby daughter has become ill and since he has recently been fired from his job and effectively blacklisted, they cannot afford medicine for her. With very few options available, Ben decides to audition for a part on one of the violent game shows, despite his wife's objections. Run by the Government Network, the most popular program is "The Running Man", where a contestant can win one billion dollars if they survive for thirty days while being tracked down by the show's hunters who are to make sure they don't succeed. Even members of the viewing audience can participate in taking down a contestant and winning a cash prize for their efforts.

Ben, along with Tim (Martin Herlihy) and Jenni (Katy O'Brian), are selected to race for the prize while trying to stay alive for a month. Using his street smarts, plenty of disguises and the helpfulness of strangers, Ben covertly travels across New England, laying low and avoiding the trackers as best as he can. But it shouldn't be a real surprise that the show's producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin) is not exactly playing fair, taking steps to make sure he's in full control of the outcome of this game.

Reality television had not yet entered into our culture at the time of the first film, now an unavoidable genre that has not reached the point of gladiator-styled entertainment (for the moment). King's story was set in 2025 (which was written in 1982) so the future world Wright has created doesn't have to stray too far from our current times. But the director has not added anything particularly innovative to the film, relying on the tried and true elements of a Hollywood action-adventure flick. I don't think this was entirely up to Wright, as he mangaed to get a few oddball, comic situations in there but not enough to help this film stand out from the standard studio action fare.

Ben Richards is described by the people who encounter him as a very angry man, meaning, I guess, that he's dangerous and hostile. Managing to deliver the occasional scowl and raised voice, Powell just isn't able to convincingly maintain this hothead demeanor. The actor's good ole boy charm shines through, with him coming across more frustrated than angered. Powell does what he can but the tough guy persona really doesn't fit him well. There are fine turns by the supporting cast that include Coleman Domingo as the show's flashy host, Bobby T, Michael Cera as an isolated survivalist, Emilia Jones who becomes Ben's hostage and Lee Pace as the leader of the hunters.

Wright does manage to create some fun, thrilling moments that are expected involving heart-pounding chases, bone-crushing battles and massive explosions. But the outcome is much like his last film, "Last Night in Soho", a psychological thriller that begins promising with style and great momentum yet ultimately collapses under the weight of a convoluted ending. Unfortunately, this modern take on "The Running Man" is unable to get up to proper speed, only going so far before wheezing and running out of breath.

Sunday, November 16, 2025

2025 AFI FEST VIEWING DIARY

The 2025 AFI Film Fest was another amazing event where I got an early opportunity to see some of new films from across the globe that we will be seeing in theaters later this season and into next year. Here are reviews of a few of the films I saw over the five days of the festival:

Over fifty years ago, the writer Linda Rosenkrantz came up with a project she was conducting involving interviews with several subjects to describe what happened to them on an ordinary day. Her close friend, the photographer, Peter Hujar, one of the queer artists thriving in New York at the time, was asked to narrate a day of his life into a tape recorder. The project was never completed but a transcript of Hujar's conversations was discovered buried in files thirty years later by Rosenkrantz which she donated, including some of his papers, prints and contact sheets, to the Morgan Library in New York. A book was later published from this document in 2021. And then the filmmaker, Ira Sachs got his hands on this, feeling this was an important part of queer history that needed to be told, and set about making a movie based on the work. "Peter Hujar's Day" brings this moment back to life, in a way that fascinates yet still underwhelms, with Ben Whishaw as Hujar and Rebecca Hall as Rosenkrantz.

On December 18, 1974, a time when New York City was dirty, crime-ridden and very close to financial ruin, Hujar arrives at Rosenkrantz's East 94th street apartment to tell her about his day. He reveals meeting with an Elle magazine editor about photos from a job; set off to photograph Allen Ginsberg for an assignment, develops negatives, takes a nap and receives calls from friends, Susan Sontag and Fran Lebowitz. And while this might sound fairly routine, Hujar goes into vividly, colorful details, while holding nothing back, about his slightly neurotic, daily routines; dietary particulars; unvarnished opinions on the people he encounters and struggles trying to make a living as a freelance photographer.

And while "Peter Hujar's Day" is only seventy-six minutes long, the film still feels overextended, struggling to maintain momentum and energy through the extensive discourse. In an attempt to keep us visually engaged during Hujar's discussions, we change rooms in the apartment and head up to the roof of the building a couple of times yet the film still remains static. This is largely because we are not experiencing an actual conversation: just Hujar going on about what he thinks, which is exactly what he's been asked to do. Rosenkrantz might ask a question or interject a thought or two but the spotlight is completely on Hujar. This leaves Hall, always a commanding screen presence, with very little to do beyond simply nodding and looking deeply engaged. And the charismatic Whishaw does what he can as Hujar, revealing him to be an adept conversationalist with a charming eccentricity, but only has limited success in fully drawing us into his in-depth chatter. "Peter Hujar's Day" is not nearly as accomplished as Sachs' previous works ("Keep the Lights On", "Passages") yet the film still captures an intriguing atmosphere that's intimate and languid.

The latest from Jim Jarmusch, "Father Mother Sister Brother" is a familial comedy-drama that tells three separate stories from locations across the globe. The film, which won the Golden Lion Award at this year's Venice Film Festival, captures many of the complicated situations and long simmering tensions we can have within our families in a way that's intimate, caustic and amusing. We first meet siblings, Jeff (Adam Driver) and Emily (Mayim Bialik) in the car on the way to see their father (Tom Waits) in New Jersey. They haven't seen him since the passing of their mother. Emily is curious on how he's managing financially although Jeff admits he's sent him some money when he needed car repairs. When they arrive, their father is happy to see his children yet there's a tension and awkwardness throughout their visit. Next, we're off to Dublin where a popular writer (Charlotte Rampling) awaits the arrival of her two daughters, Timothea (Cate Blanchett) and Lilith (Vicky Krieps) for their annual gathering for tea. And while all live in the same city, the family only visits each other in person this time every year. Finally in Paris, Billy (Luka Sabbat) and Skye (Indya Moore) are faced with clearing out their family home, after their parents recently died in a plane crash, while looking back on their unorthodox childhood.

Since this is Jarmusch behind the camera, these stories are more loosely structured as character studies with no real plot. Skateboarders, tea, water and Rolex watches are some of the things that offer a subtle connection to each quirky vignette. And his impressive all-star cast is certainly able to deliver emotional clarity and understated depth of feeling to their characters. But I have to say, I'm surprised that "Father Mother Sister Brother" was selected as the big winner at Venice. It just doesn't feel like a feature by Jarmusch that displays the filmmaker at the peak of his powers, in fact if his name was not attached, I don't think this film would have received nearly as much attention. Settling on entertaining yet routine narratives, Jarmusch doesn't really push himself enough to instill more inventiveness in these fairly common family conflicts.

And the last film I saw at the fest was "The Testament of Ann Lee", the recent feature directed by Mona Fastvold, nominated for an Oscar last year for co-writing the period drama, "The Brutalist" with her partner, director Brady Corbet. The couple have teamed-up again on the screenplay of this riveting story of Lee, the founding leader of the Shakers, a religious sect that began during the 18th century. Fastvold has used their form of worship, which involves extreme bodily movements, to tell this story much like a musical, heightened with surreal imagery, to take this innovative bio-drama into unexpected and fascinating directions.

Born in Manchester, England, Lee (Amanda Seyfried) had a life of formidable hardships since her childhood, then through her marriage to Abraham (Christopher Abbott) where she gave birth and lost four children before each would reach the age of one year. She found solace when she joined a church run by the Wardleys (Scott Handy, Stacy Martin) which was notable for the parishioners to chant and dance as a way to rid their bodies of sin. It was believed that Lee's arrival was a sign of the second coming of God, becoming known as "Mother", and would begin a new religious movement that was referred to as the Shakers. Having traumatic experiences regarding sexuality in her life, Lee was convinced that in their faith sexual relations should be forbidden, even in marriage, as the only way to find true salvation. After several arrests and spending many days in jail for blasphemy, Lee decides to leave England and take her small group of committed followers to America for religious freedom and a fresh opportunity to share their faith. Yet their arrival to the New World is far from welcoming as Lee and her flock are met at various times with combative skepticism and horrific violence.

The film reveals how easily religions can take shape, through one individual's whims and personal worldview, to offer an adaptationist view of Christian theology. But you must have a compelling and charismatic individual at the center in order to convince followers that this is the true path to follow. Since women have rarely evangelized, many were certainly dubious of Lee's claims. Yet she was still able to influence a growing number of apostles through her passionate devout faith despite the impracticalities of her stern insistence of celibacy. Seyfried delivers a mesmerizing performance as a woman, docile yet tough, who uses her unwavering faith to create a sense of personal control and authority over her life. Let's be honest, this is still not readily offered to women in today's world yet was even less possible in Lee's time. With a beguiling, offbeat style, "The Testament of Ann Lee" examines a seemingly inconsequential woman, a name largely forgotten through male dominated history, and bringing forward the amazing story of what she was able to accomplish with limited leverage and steely self-possession.

Saturday, November 15, 2025

PARK CHAN-WOOK: AN AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE RESTROSPECTIVE


Park Chan-wook
, the South Korean filmmaker widely regarded as a leading figure in current world cinema, is having a retrospective at the American Cinematheque that will feature some highlights from his storied career. Many of Park's films, largely rooted in the crime-thriller genre, have become celebrated for their stylized camerawork, black humor, and brutal violence. 

Beginning November 16th, there will be an advance screening of his latest feature, the dark comedy-thriller, "No Other Choice", which will be followed by an in-person Q&A with Park and star, Lee Byung Hun at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica. The other screenings, which will be held at the Los Feliz 3 and Egyptian Theatres through December, will include his unofficial Vengeance Trilogy: "Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance", "Lady Vengeance" and "Oldboy", which is considered by many to be one of the greatest films ever made and helped introduce Park to a wide global audience. 

Originally intending to be become an art critic, Park decided to move into filmmaking after viewing the Alfred Hitchcock classic, "Vertigo". His feature film debut, "The Moon Is... the Sun's Dream" in 1992 and his follow-up five years later, "Trio" were not well received, and he has since tried to distance himself from these works. His breakthrough came (and what he considers his "first" film) with "Joint Security Area" in 2000, a riveting thriller involving deceit, misunderstanding and the senselessness of war (screening on December 6th at the Egyptian with Park in-person) which became one of the highest-grossing films in South Korean history. This was followed by other acclaimed works that include "Thrist", "I'm A Cyborg, But That's OK", the English-language film, "Snowpiercer", "Decision to Leave" (winning Park the 2022 Best Director prize at Cannes) and the celebrated erotic-thriller, "The Handmaiden" which be screened during this festival on December 5th. 

Please click below for details and to purchase tickets:

Park Chan-wook: An American Cinematheque Retrospective





Sunday, November 2, 2025

CHANTAL AKERMAN: AN AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE RESTROSPECTIVE


The American Cinematheque
will present a thorough retrospective of the renowned Belgian filmmaker, Chantal Akerman. The film that this bold and visionary artist is best known for is "Jeanne Dielman, 23 quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles" from 1975 which found its way to be ranked "the greatest film of all time" in Sight & Sound magazine's 2022 critics poll. This film will be screened to start the festival on November 2nd and will feature several of Akerman's early short films, her first feature film and first documentary on various dates through December.

A pioneer of cinematic modernism, Akerman's filming style focused on capturing ordinary life which tends to move at an unhurried pace. And while she didn't regard herself as a "feminist", Akerman always tried to transcend feminist aesthetics of the cinema in her work.

Born in Brussels, Belgium, Akerman enrolled in INSAS, a Belgian film school, but dropped out during her first semester to make a short film, "Saute ma ville" in 1968. Akerman moved to New York City in 1971, staying for about a year, where she was exposed to the vibrant art scene that was happening during this period. She also met and began her long collaboration with French cinematographer, Babette Mangolte, who was living in the US at the time, making the documentary, "Hotel Monterey" and some short films.

Once back in Belgium, Akerman began working on her first feature film, "Je, Tu, Il, Elle" that focused on a young woman's unconventional sexuality which was a daring statement at the time. She would go on to make twelve feature films and sixteen documentaries and short films.

Sadly, Akerman ended her own life on October 5, 2015 in Paris, at the age of 65. Her last film prior to her passing was "No Home Movie", a documentary that featured a series of conversations she made with her beloved mother shortly before she died.

Please click below for the complete list of films and to purchase tickets:

Chantal Akerman: An American Cinematheque Retrospective



Saturday, November 1, 2025

2025 OUTFESTNEXT


After being sidelined for the last couple of years, Outfest, the non-profit organization that celebrates LGBTQ+ storytelling through film, education, and community, is beginning it's return with OutfestNEXT presented by HBO MAX. This film festival will be held for four days, November 6th through 9th, that will feature independent queer feature films, shorts and engaging conversations. The venues for the screening events will be held at the LGBT Center Renberg Theatre in Hollywood and the Look Dine-In Cinemas in Glendale.

Some highlights include "All That We Love", from director, Yen Tan, a heartfelt and poignant depiction of grief and what it means to start anew. Margaret Cho stars as a woman whose life begins to unravel after the death of her beloved dog. More complications begin with her estranged ex-husband (Kenneth Choi) coming back into her life, their free-spirited daughter (Alice Lee) plans on moving to another country and her best friend (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) who has recently lost his husband. From filmmaker, Lucio Castro is "Drunken Noodles", which tells the story of a young art student who has a series of unexpected intimate encounters. "Dust Bunny", the feature directorial debut from Bryan Fuller, a horror-thriller that involves an eight-year-old girl (Sophie Sloan) who hires her hitman neighbor (Mads Mikkelsen) to kill the vicious monster under her bed. Sigourney Weaver also stars. And Sydney Sweeney stars in "Christy", a sports drama about the life of former professional boxer Christy Martin from director, David Michôd.







The Legacy Spotlight is Greg Berlanti’s beloved classic "The Broken Hearts Club: A Romantic Comedy" with a 25th anniversary screening. The film tells the story of a close-knit group of gay friends who support each other as they search for love, deal with loss, and discover themselves. Dean Cain, Zach Braff, Timothy Olyphant, Justin Theroux and Billy Porter star.



Please click below for the complete list of films, events and to purchase tickets:

2025 OutfestNEXT

Saturday, October 25, 2025

MY VIEWING DIARY: PART SIXTEEN

"Daisy Kenyon" (1947)

After winning the Best Actress Academy Award for her turn as the harried mother in "Mildred Pierce", Joan Crawford's stagnant career was fully revitalized. One of the films she made after her win was "Daisy Kenyon", a melodramatic love triangle, that was daring at the time due to it's more pragmatic handling of these complicated emotional affairs. The infamous director, Otto Preminger was responsible for pushing as far he could go in this torrid story with the Motion Picture Production Code and later would go even further handling banned subjects in his movies.

Set in New York City shortly after the end of WWII, Crawford plays Kenyon, a commercial artist who is having an affair with Dan O'Mara (Dana Andrews), a smooth-talking, married lawyer. Fed up with waiting around for him and the empty promises of divorcing his wife (Ruth Warrick), Daisy informs Dan she has made other plans for dinner. As he's leaving her home, Dan runs into Daisy's new suitor, a war veteran widower named Peter Lapham (Henry Fonda). While Peter still misses his wife and Daisy is not over Dan, these two wind up getting married. After discovering her husband's affair with Daisy, she wants to file for divorce with full custody of their children. Dan asks Peter and Daisy to allow him to reveal the details of his former relationship with Daisy during the divorce trial. This request effects her marriage to Peter and the trial publicly damages her reputation.

Not well received at the time of its initial release, "Daisy Kenyon" has been reevaluated by modern audiences, giving the film a newfound respect. Neither Andrews or Fonda really cared for the script yet fulfilled their contractual obligations, still providing solid performances. But this is actually Crawford's opportunity to deliver a star turn with plenty of her usual hard-boiled flair and monumental emoting. She had wanted to buy the rights years before but was beat out by 20th Century Fox and campaigned hard to get to play the lead. Considering the restrictions of the era, Preminger managed to make "Daisy Kenyon" feel modern with credible characters reacting to challenging love situations believably and honestly.



"Dead Man" (1995)


"Dead Man" is Jim Jarmusch's version of a western; a dark, trippy and surreal adventure involving a meek, soft-spoken man who ends up becoming a wanted, gun-toting outlaw. Johnny Depp plays William Blake who we meet on a train heading to the frontier town of Machine from Cleveland. Selling everything he owns to get there for an accounting position he had been promised at the Dickinson metal shop, Blake discovers there is no job available with the owner (Robert Mitchum in his final film role) showing him to the door at gunpoint. Broke and homeless, the mild mannered Blake encounters Thel (Mili Avital), a lovely former working girl now making a living selling paper flowers, and offers him to stay with her for the night. But they are interrupted by Charlie (Gabriel Byrne), her former lover, who is not thrilled with this situation. Bullets soon fly across the room ending with Thel murdered by Charlie and (in self-defense) Blake shoots him dead. As Charlie happens to be the son of Dickinson, the distraught businessman sets a bounty out on Blake, wanted dead or alive, and hires a posse of outlaws (Lance Henriksen, Michael Wincott and Eugene Byrd) to track him down. On the run, a wounded Blake encounters a Native American named Nobody (Gary Farmer) who helps heal him and believes he's the reincarnation of the English poet, William Blake.

The filmmaker has no interest in the deeply embedded, nonsense found in many Hollywood westerns where most white men were the virtuous heroes while the Native Americans are nothing more than blood-thirsty primitives. In "Dead Man", the Natives are presented as humane and enlightened with the pale faces appear unpredictably crazed and dangerous. And since this is a Jarmusch film, this quirky western features offbeat comedic moments, unhurried pacing and sudden bursts of bloody violence. Shot in crisp black & white by cinematographer, Robby Müller and with a rousing original musical score by rocker, Neil Young, "Dead Man" is far from top-notch Jarmusch. Yet the film still manages to engage with an eccentric sense of style and unsettling mood.



"Marty" (1955)

I had avoided for years watching "Marty", the story of a lonely butcher seeking love and companionship, despite the film winning the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the Oscar for Best Picture back in 1955 (one of only four films that managed to accomplish this feat). Despite all the acclaim I remained hesitant, feeling like it would be nothing more than an overwrought melodrama. But I recently gave in and finally watched "Marty". Now I must admit I made a huge misjudgment about this film. With a poignant screenplay by Paddy Chayefsky (another Oscar winner) and some outstanding naturalistic performances, "Marty" is a well-crafted and expressive small-scale drama filled with grand, complex human emotions.

Working as a butcher in the Bronx, Marty Piletti (Ernest Borgnine) is continuously scolded by the nosy neighborhood women that he should be ashamed for not settling down and getting married. But it's not like he hasn't tried meeting a nice girl. Tending to be shy and socially awkward, this makes dating very difficult for Marty. With his brothers and sisters already off and married, Marty is still living at home with their mother (Esther Minciotti) who worries about her son. One evening, with Marty at home and no plans on going out, Teresa pushes him to go dancing.

Reluctantly, Marty heads out to a dancehall with his also-single, best friend, Angie (Joe Mantell) with the hope they might meet some women. Marty runs in to Clara, (Betsy Blair) a high school teacher crying after being dumped by her blind date. They spend the evening together talking with these two lonely people making a deep emotional connection. But his friend and mother, feeling Clara is not good enough for him, both encourage him to move on and keep looking for a more suitable mate. Marty is left with a struggle between following his heart or listening to people he thinks knows what's best for him.

"Marty" began as a teleplay in 1953 during the early days of television with Rod Steiger playing the title role. For the film, Chayefsky expanded the script and after Steiger declined to take part, Borgnine took over playing Marty, going on to win the Academy Award for Best Actor and become a movie star. Borgnine and Blair have a lovely chemistry as two people, isolated and assuming they're unattractive, helping each other to feel less alone and desirable. After directing hundreds of hours of live television, Delbert Mann got his first opportunity to direct a feature film with "Marty". Having only sixteen days to shoot and a very low budget, Mann used his experience to craft an economical yet substantial drama and would receive the Best Director Oscar for his efforts. Please don't make my mistake: "Marty" is a beautifully moving film filled with absorbing passion and unfortunate heartbreak that should be sought out and seen.

Monday, October 13, 2025

DIANE KEATON (1946 - 2025)


I am shocked and sadden about the passing of Diane Keaton, the Oscar-winning actress who dazzled audiences with her many screen performances. It was announced that the Los Angeles born and raised actor had died on October 11th at the age of seventy-nine with no cause has been disclosed to date. With a charming quirkiness, self-deprecating wit and an eccentric, spontaneous spirit, Keaton brought to mind the classic screwball movie comedian while still capturing a unique modern sensibility. And the distinctive wardrobe she wore off screen which usually consisted of tailored menswear, extra wide belts and a bowler hat made Keaton become a style icon. 

Born Diane Hall, she had gotten into theater during high school which sparked her interest in pursuing acting as a career. She briefly attended college in Santa Ana before dropping out and heading to New York. Discovering there was already a "Diane Hall" in the Actors' Equity Association, she took her mother's maiden name of "Keaton" as her stage name. Her first stage opportunity came when she was cast as part of the ensemble in the original Broadway production of "Hair" with Keaton famously declining to appear nude on stage even with the offer of a fifty dollar bonus. But Keaton's career would take off in 1969 after meeting Woody Allen and being cast in his play, "Play it Again, Sam". The comedy would earn Keaton a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Play. Heading back to Los Angeles, she would appear in several television sitcoms, dramas and commercials.

Keaton's first significant film role was as Kay Adams-Corleone in "The Godfather" with director, Francis Ford Coppola casting her after noticing the actress in her 1970 film debut, "Lovers and Other Strangers". The film was a critical and box-office success, winning the Academy Award for Best Picture. Keaton would appear in the film's sequel two years later (also winning Best Picture) with her role far more substantial.

In 1972, Keaton co-starred with Allen in the film version of "Play it Again, Sam", directed by Herbert Ross. Once Allen decided to begin to direct his screenplays, he cast Keaton (who had a brief romantic relationship with him and remained life-long friends) in many of his features beginning with "Sleeper" in 1973 and "Love and Death" two years later. Allen has said that the character of "Annie Hall" was inspired by Keaton and the film would become a big box-office hit and received wide critical acclaim, winning four Academy Awards including Best Actress for Keaton and Best Picture. She would appear in his other films, "Interiors", "Manhattan" and "Manhattan Murder Mystery".

Other notable films that starred Keaton include the dramas, "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" (where she played against type as a schoolteacher for deaf children who at night hung out at bars to pick-up men), "Reds" (receiving a Best Actress Oscar nomination), "Shoot the Moon" and comedies, "Crimes of the Heart", "Baby Boom", a remake of "Father of the Bride" and the sequel. Keaton soon turned her attention to directing, first music videos, episodes of drama series and two films for television before making a documentary feature, "Heaven" in 1987 about the possibility of an afterlife. Her first feature film as a director was in 1995 with "Unstrung Heroes", a '60's set comedy-drama about a boy dealing with his mother struggling with cancer with Andie MacDowell and John Turturro. She would also direct and co-star in the 2000 comedy (featuring a screenplay by Nora and Delia Ephron), "Hanging Up" with Meg Ryan and Lisa Kudrow.

Keaton continued to perform as an actor appearing in "The Godfather Part III", "Marvin's Room" (where she received another Best Actress Oscar nomination), "The Family Stone", "Mad Money", "Book Club", "Something's Got to Give" (receiving her final Best Actress Oscar nomination) and "The First Wives Club", the popular box-office smash with Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler which has developed a cult following. Keaton's final screen appearance was last year in the comedy, "Summer Camp" which she co-starred with Kathy Bates and Alfre Woodard.

Keaton was actively involved in the art scene in Los Angeles, particularly photography, and restoring then selling landmark homes throughout the area. And while she was involved in several high profile romances which included Allen, Al Pacino and Warren Beatty, Keaton was never married. She is survived by her two children, Dexter and Duke Keaton who were adapted when she was in her 50's.

Not all of the movies that Keaton appeared in were well received or memorable but the actress was consistently pointed as the highlight of any given film, praising her gift for an offbeat approach to her characters while remaining authentic with every performance. Diane Keaton was a true original and her remarkable artistry will absolutely be missed.