James L Brooks

  • 25 February 2005

Occupation

Filmmaker

The Edge Of Seventeen Review

Very Good

An unusually realistic teen movie, this drama gets deep under the skin of its characters, breathing new life into the genre. First-time director Kelly Fremon Craig (who previously wrote the rom-com Post Grad) has created an involving film about a teenaged girl who is easy to identify with. The script may try too hard to explain away all of her darker emotions, but it's sharp and entertaining.

Hailee Steinfeld stars as Nadine, a 17-year-old in Portland, Oregon. On the fringe of the popular kids at school, she feels like a loser who doesn't deserve to live. And she can't cope with the fact that her best pal Krista (Haley Lu Richardson) has fallen for her irritatingly popular big brother Darian (Blake Jenner). It certainly doesn't help that her mother Mona (Kyra Sedgwick) is an emotional wreck, or that Nadine is being pursued by the class nerd Erwin (Hayden Szeto), because she's much more interested in bad boy Nick (Alexander Calvert). In need of someone to talk to, she turns to her grouchy history teacher Mr Bruner (Woody Harrelson), who refuses to indulge in her angst. But he's also the only person who actually listens to her.

Steinfeld is terrific in the role, bringing an endearing raw authenticity to a character who isn't hugely likeable. As Nadine ruthlessly insults everyone around her, Steinfeld quietly reveals the sensitive soul inside, which adds a blast of complexity to her scenes with the superbly restrained Harrelson, Sedgwick and Jenner. All of these relationships are difficult and often startlingly realistic, as is the depiction of high school peer pressure. As Nadine's classmates, Richardson has a wonderfully twisty role as her childhood bestie who has apparently betrayed her trust, while Szeto steals his scenes as the hilariously awkward Erwin.

Continue reading: The Edge Of Seventeen Review

Could There Be A Second Simpsons Movie?

By Charlotte Court in Movies / TV / Theatre on 31 October 2016

The Simpsons James L Brooks

Producer Jame L Brooks has cast some light on the question

Next year it will be ten years since The Simpsons’ movie graced international cinema screens and, amazingly, one of the show’s producers has hinted that the animated cartoon could be releasing a second movie at some point.

The Simpsons could be heading out for a second time to the big screen

The Simpsons Movie was a hit with fans and critics alike raking in over $525 million (£345 million) at the box office worldwide in 2007 and executive producer, James L Brooks has discussed the possibility of a sequel.

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James L. Brooks, Blake Jenner, Haley Lu Richardson, Hailee Steinfeld, Kelly Fremon Craig, Kyra Sedgwick and Hayden Szeto at the Photo Call For STX Entertainment's "The Edge Of Seventeen" held at The Four Seasons Hotel, Beverly Hills, California, United States - Saturday 29th October 2016

A number of the cast including Haley Lu Richardson, Blake Jenner, Hayden Szeto, Woody Harrelson and Hailee Steinfeld of The Edge Of Seventeen seen at the 2016 Toronto International Film Festival premiere held at Roy Thomson Hall - Toronto, Canada - Saturday 17th September 2016

'The Simpsons' Pays Tribute To Sam Simon In Latest Episode

By Ed Biggs in Movies / TV / Theatre on 18 March 2015

The Simpsons Matt Groening James L Brooks Al Jean

Sam Simon was one of the beloved show's first developers alongside Matt Groening and James L. Brooks.

The Simpsons’ has remembered its executive producer Sam Simon with a touching tribute on its most recent episode.

Simon, who passed away on March 8th following a battle with cancer, was credited variously as a co-developer and executive producer during his long association with the beloved animated series. The Sunday March 15th episode featured a black and yellow message at the end, saying “One of the greatest comic minds ever” followed by “Thank you, Sam”.

Image caption 'The Simpsons' paid tribute to one of its first developers Sam Simon

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James L. Brooks and Jack Nicholson - Celebrities courtside at the Los Angeles Clippers NBA basketball game against The Oklahoma City Thunder. The Thunder defeated the Clippers by the final score of 104-98 in game 6 of the Western Conference Semifinals at Staples Center in downtown Los Angeles - Los Angeles, California, United States - Thursday 15th May 2014

Sam Simon, Terminally Ill 'Simpsons' Co-Creator, Donating Entire Fortune To Charity Before Death

By Lauren James in Lifestyle / Showbiz on 29 July 2013

Matt Groening James L Brooks The Simpsons

The Simpsons creator Sam Simon, who expects to die as a result of colon cancer, will donate "tens of millions" to charitable causes.

He has spent years helping to bring laughter to millions, and now the co-creator of The Simpsons, Sam Simon's actions will benefit others once again. The 58 year-old writer-producer is battling colon cancer which he has been told is terminal however he plans to spend his final days benefitting the lives of humans and animals. Exactly how much time Sam has left is not known, but he doesn't have any children to benefit from his fortune so the needy will benefit from his entire financial legacy.

Simon has revealed that he earns "tens of millions" annually from popular cartoon The Simpsons royalties plans to donate his entire fortune to charity before he passes away, he tells The Hollywood Reporter. He's selected charities he feels strongly about and will make sure they receive the money he intends for them, including a Malibu dog rescue haven, animal charity PETA, Save the Children and marine charity, the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society. His own Sam Simon Foundation in Malibu is reportedly worth $23 million (£15m) and he feels strongly about shutting down roadside zoos and abusive animal shows. His foundation focusses attention on starving humans - who are given vegan food - and also looks after stray dogs.

Continue reading: Sam Simon, Terminally Ill 'Simpsons' Co-Creator, Donating Entire Fortune To Charity Before Death

How Do You Know Trailer

Since being cut from the USA softball team Lisa hasn't been having the best time of it, her relationship with her professional baseball pitcher boyfriend isn't as strong as she'd like and there's not much else going on in her life; until she meets George in a lift, George is instantly infatuated with the beautiful Lisa and so begins a love triangle, but who'll win out? The business man in the middle of a crisis or the baseball player?

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