fight news
Edward Norton's Best Performances, From Fight Club to Glass Onion – Collider
The three-time Oscar nominee has tried on many hats.
Since his big screen debut in 1996's Primal Fear, Edward Norton has given audiences a number of affecting, high-quality performances. A versatile actor who clearly enjoys challenging himself and experimenting with different characters and genres, he's been around the block walking in many different shoes. Having received three Oscar nominations for wildly different portrayals in Primal Fear, American History X, and Birdman, Norton is among the elite cinematic performers of his generation. With his inclusion in Rian Johnson's ensemble sequel, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, it's only fitting to reflect on some of the actor's finest films and performances.
When the courtroom thriller Primal Fear was released in April 1996, audiences had never heard of Edward Norton. But the 26-year-old from Boston, much like the young man he portrays in the film, had viewers eating out of the palm of his hand from day one. Holding his own with screen veteran Richard Gere in playing an altar boy accused of murdering an archbishop, Norton pulled off a multilayered performance within a performance. The film's twist ending, simultaneously pulling the rug out from Gere's overly confident attorney and the audience, is a testament to the young newcomer's persuasive abilities as an actor. Norton would take the awards circuit by storm that year in securing a Golden Globe and Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor. Not bad for your film debut.
Just two years after wowing audiences in Primal Fear, Norton gave what's perhaps his most raw and unnerving performance to date in Tony Kaye's drama. He plays Derek, a formerly imprisoned neo-Nazi seeking a path to redemption in preventing his younger brother, Danny (Edward Furlong), from succumbing to racial hatred. While far from comfortable viewing, the film works largely because of Norton's stellar work. He brings a level of authenticity and empathy to Derek, a tragic man whose intelligence, conscience, and soul have been hijacked by rage and prejudice. American History X would bring the actor his second Oscar nomination, firmly establishing him as a powerhouse to be reckoned with.
While David Fincher's Fight Club was initially met with a certain amount of bewilderment, it went on to become one of the definitive cult classics of the '90s. With the film's biting, satirical take on consumer culture and antisocial behavior, it effectively holds an unsettling mirror up to audiences. The narrative is largely propelled by Norton's deadpan, nihilistic, yet oddly insightful musings about the flaws inherent in society and individuals. Like Primal Fear, Fight Club's twist ending arrives with a bang, gleefully disorienting viewers and forcing them to reconsider what they've been watching the previous two hours. From beginning to end, Norton's committed performance takes audiences on a wild ride that, while at times disturbing, is full of wonderfully irreverent and darkly hilarious social commentary that still resonates 23 years later.
Directed by the always-assured Spike Lee and written by Game of Thrones showrunner, David Benioff (who adapted his own novel), 25th Hour spends a solemn and introspective day in the life of Monty (Edward Norton). On the cusp of spending seven years in prison for dealing drugs, Monty spends his final day as a free man with family, friends, and his girlfriend. Lee's film touches on many ideas and themes revolving around regret, fate, and a tremendous sense of loss and aimlessness in the immediate aftermath of 9/11. Monty is one of Norton's most somber and frustrated characters, who spends much of the film ruminating on and reckoning with his past choices and actions. While the film predictably doesn't have a happy ending, it's the melancholic journey and Norton's nuanced performance that count in making it one of the more memorable films in his wheelhouse.
Ridley Scott's epic crusade-centric film is an often overlooked gem among his body of work. A meditative and thoughtful examination of religiosity and the moral qualms it presents, Kingdom of Heaven focuses on Balian (Orlando Bloom), a young man struggling through a crisis of faith amid warfare between Christians and Muslims in the 12th century. After journeying to the Holy Land, he finds comfort and solace through the brief but powerful guidance of King Baldwin (Edward Norton). It's one of Norton's most sensitive, subtle, and understated performances. A leper who dons a facemask to conceal his condition, we never see Baldwin's face, but the actor's turn as the empathetic and philosophical leader is one of the film's hallmarks nonetheless. He serves as the beating heart of Balian's conscience as the newly-knighted protagonist navigates treacherous waters of self-discovery and redemption.
In yet another quietly affecting performance, Norton plays Eduard Abramovich in Neil Burger's film that's based on a short story by Steven Millhauser. Set in Vienna in the late 19th century, The Illusionist tells the story of a magician who attempts to transcend class boundaries by reconnecting with a woman he knew in childhood. Perhaps largely remembered as being released alongside Christopher Nolan's The Prestige, also set in the world of magicians during the same era, the film explores classical themes in its depiction of the fraught nature of forbidden love. Featuring a battle of wits between Norton's Eduard and Rufus Sewell's Prince Leopold over the affection of the latter's soon-to-be-wife, Sophie (Jessica Biel), the film is loosely inspired by the Mayerling Incident that saw the murder-suicide of an Austrian heir to the throne and his lover. Like The Prestige, The Illusionist is full of twists and turns, warranting repeat viewings.
An unorthodox tale of two young and precocious lovers who run away in 1965, Wes Anderson's Moonrise Kingdom was a critical darling and commercial success upon release. Featuring an ensemble cast of A-list performers, Anderson's characteristically quirky coming-of-age film includes Edward Norton as Scout Master Ward, an equally competent and hapless by-the-book leader. Ward spends much of the film wringing his hands over his Scout, Sam (Jared Gilman), who has vanished alongside his crush, Suzy (Kara Hayward). While not his first venture into comedy, Norton brings the perfect amount of sincerity to the character and Anderson's film as a whole, proving that he can go toe-to-toe with seasoned comedic actors like Bill Murray and Frances McDormand. The usual dry wit and deadpan humor associated with the filmmaker's aesthetic was a perfect fit for the actor's sensibilities, so it's no surprise that Norton would go on to be a regular player in Anderson's films with subsequent appearances in The Grand Budapest Hotel, Isle of Dogs, and The French Dispatch. According to Norton, he was so eager to work with Anderson that he received a mere $4,200 for his work on Moonrise Kingdom.
Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's film is one of modern cinema's most thrilling showcases of top-notch acting and technical mastery complementing one another. The story of a washed-up film actor, Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton), who hopes to reinvent himself and his career by staging a revival of a Raymond Carver play, Birdman is chock-full of great performances. Edward Norton plays the arrogant yet undeniably talented Mike Shiner, a veteran of the stage who throws a wrench into Riggan's play with his domineering approach to method acting. Shiner is perhaps the film's most magnetic and memorable character, with Norton consistently chewing the scenery around his co-stars and hilariously highlighting the absurd, pretentious tendencies that can fuel an actor's sense of self-importance, much to the detriment of those in his performative circle. Norton would receive his third Oscar nomination for his portrayal of the endlessly unlikeable but always watchable stage performer whose biggest fan is himself.
Edward Norton starred in, produced, wrote, and directed this noir crime thriller which also stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, and Bruce Willis. The actor's second directorial effort is set in the 1950s, revolving around Detective Lionel Essrog as he scours the city in search of those responsible for killing his friend and mentor. Motherless Brooklyn gave Norton yet another opportunity to tackle a leading role. Highly intelligent and afflicted with Tourette syndrome, this character provided Norton with new and unique challenges as an actor without seeing him venture into showy territory. He keeps the character grounded and believable, resisting the possible temptation to outshine his co-stars. With the film treading through relatively familiar territory regarding narrative, genre, and setting, it doesn't necessarily give audiences anything they haven't seen in some capacity. But nonetheless, Motherless Brooklyn is an ambitious film that leans more heavily on characters than thrills and action.
Rian Johnson's highly anticipated sequel to his 2019 hit, Knives Out, has finally hit Netflix after a brief theatrical run in November. In his second cinematic outing, Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) seeks to uncover another murder mystery – and billionaire tech CEO Miles Bron (Edward Norton) is at the center of it. Much like its predecessor, and arguably even more so, Glass Onion satirically delves into the nature of greed, deception, and manipulation for the sake of self-interest. Norton's Miles is center stage as a pompous man hosting a murder mystery party at his titular estate, to which Blanc secures an invitation along with a host of characters who are all too familiar in our contemporary digital age. Once again, working within an impressive ensemble of performers, Norton chews up the scenery as a man with an inflated sense of self-importance and is more than a little suspicious of Blanc's presence and intentions.
Boxing News 24
Ryan Garcia will take a confidence-builder fight on December 2nd against little-known lightweight Oscar Duarte live on DAZN in San Antonio, Texas.
This will be Ryan’s first fight with his new trainer Derrick James, and it’ll be interesting to see if he fires him immediately after if he loses or fails to shine.
Duarte has an 11-fight winning steak since losing in 2018, albeit against obscure fighters with poor records.
In looking at some of Duarte’s fights, he’s very, very slow in hand & foot, and and should be an easy win for Ryan. Despite never having beaten anyone of note during his ten-year professional career, Duarte is ranked #10 at lightweight.
Duarte has a little bit of power, but his glacially slow hand speed will make him an easy mark for Ryan.
It’s a good idea for Ryan’s December 2nd fight not to be placed on PPV because he’s coming off a KO loss, and his opponent is a guy that most boxing fans have never heard of.
Golden Boy boss Oscar De La Hoya says Ryan’s next fight after the rebuilding match against Duarte could be a big one in early 2024. Oscar is interested in having Ryan challenge WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez for his title in February.
If not Teo, De La Hoya has another fight, which could be for the WBA 140-lb belt against Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero if he’s still holding the title by then. Rolly is a more winnable fight for Ryan, but even that match-up would still be viewed as a long shot.
In the leaked sparring video, Ryan was getting shelled by Rolly, and it wasn’t pretty to watch. It was worse than what Tank Davis did to Ryan, as he seemed to be taking it easy on him until knocking him out with a body shot last April.
De La Hoya calls this a “proper fight” for the 25-year-old social media star Ryan Garcia, which some would argue is code talk to mean mismatch.
The 27-year-old Duarte’s only career defeat came against Adrian Estrella, a fighter who was destroyed in four rounds by Subriel Matias and in one round by Shohjahon Ergashev.
This is the first fight for the Golden Boy-promoted light welterweight contender Ryan (23-1, 10 KOs) since he was knocked out last April by Gervonta Davis.
“Here you have a guy who’s coming off eleven knockouts in a row,” Golden Boy chief honcho Oscar De La Hoya told Mike Coppinger about Ryan Garcia’s little-known opponent Oscar Duarte for his comeback fight on December 2nd on DAZN.
“There’s a guy who’s a power puncher who’s going to come forward and make Ryan fight. It’s the proper fight after a knockout loss to Gervonta.”
“I would love to talk to Bob to see what’s going on with him and Teofimo,” said De La Hoya about his interest in speaking with Top Rank boss Bob Arum about putting a fight together between WBO light welterweight champion Teofimo Lopez and Ryan Garcia for Super Bowl weekend for February 10th, 2024.
RYAN GARCIA, INTERNATIONAL BOXING STAR AND SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD CONTENDER:
“Everything I’ve got, I’ve thrown into this fight. It’s like, for the first time in forever, I’m all in. You know, 2021 was that year that kinda knocked me down. Then 2022 rolls in, switches things up for me, and bam, 2023 opens my eyes. I’m on a mission to reclaim everything, with this laser-like focus, and that’s where I’m drawing my confidence from.”
OSCAR DUARTE, SUPER LIGHTWEIGHT WORLD CONTENDER:
“Hey everyone, good afternoon. Super pumped to be here, just soaking up every second. This was once just a dream, now it’s my reality. Come this Saturday, you’ll see the best of me. Got an amazing team backing me up, and this Saturday, I’m all set for a victory.”
FLOYD SCHOFIELD, WBA LIGHTWEIGHT INTERNATIONAL TITLEHOLDER:
“Hey folks, I’m just stoked about this opportunity. Huge shoutout to Golden Boy, Cameron Davies, and my dad – they’re the reason I’m here. I see Saturday as a stepping stone to blast my name across the 135 division. Expect a show with some serious fireworks this Saturday. Thank you!”
OSCAR DE LA HOYA, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS:
“This fight card? It’s just jam-packed with insane talent we’ve been scouting and grooming to be the next wave of world champs. Trust me, you don’t wanna skip this one.”
BERNARD HOPKINS, PARTNER OF GOLDEN BOY PROMOTIONS:
“This is it, the big moment. As we wrap up 2023 and head into 2024, it’s time for our fighters to step up, show they’re top dog material. They’ve got this shot to show they’re main event material.”
The co-main event sees Ohara “Two Tanks” Davies (25-2, 18 KOs) from London, jumping into the American ring for the first time as a Golden Boy fighter. He’s up against Venezuela’s El Tigre, Ismael Barroso (24-4-2, 22 KOs), in a 12-round skirmish for the WBA Super Lightweight Interim World Championship.
Now, for a dash of rising stardom: Floyd “Kid Austin” Schofield (15-0, 11 KOs) of Austin, Texas, is defending his WBA Lightweight International Champion title. He’s squaring up against Ricardo “Explosivo” Torres (17-7-3, 12 KOs) from Tijuana, Mexico in a 10-rounder that’s sure to spark fireworks. Remember Schofield’s last fight, a genuine thriller against Haskell Rhodes? Expect that level of excitement, presented by Davies Entertainment.
Shane Mosley Jr. (20-4, 11 KOs), the NABO Middleweight Champion, is gearing up for a showdown with Joshua Conley (17-5-1, 11 KOs) from San Bernardino in a 10-round battle. Fresh off his knockout victory over D’Mitrius Ballard, Mosley Jr. is all set to turn up the heat.
Let’s not forget Houston’s own Darius Fulghum (8-0, 8 KOs), a knockout artist ready to dazzle his home crowd in an eight-round light heavyweight fight. He’s facing Pachino “Chino” Hill (8-4-1, 6 KOs) of Davenport, Iowa. With this being Fulghum’s sixth fight in 2023, he’s proving to be one of boxing’s most active up-and-comers.
Kicking things off, Golden Boy Fight Night: Garcia vs. Duarte Prelims will stream on Golden Boy’s YouTube Channel. Asa “Ace” Stevens (5-0, 2 KOs) from Waianae, Hawaii, is set for a four-round super bantamweight scrap with Dominque Griffin (5-5-2, 2 KOs) of Irving, Texas. And, Gael “El Terror” Cabrera (2-0, 1 KO), the former Mexican Olympian, steps back into the ring for a four-rounder against Alejandro Dominguez (2-0, 1 KO) from Las Vegas, Nevada. Plus, Sean Garcia (5-0, 2 KOs) of Victorville, California, is ready to impress in a four-round bout against an opponent to be revealed.
A: Oh, it’s stacked:
Boxing News 24 » Garcia vs. Duarte: Start Time, TV Schedule, Ring Walks
Jake Paul and Tommy Fury get heated in their faceoff and push each other in the ring. (1:28)
After the multiple disappointments of fights failing to materialize last year, 2023 is already shaping up to be an improvement for boxing, with some exciting matchups on the horizon. Some fights have been officially announced. Others are very close to being finalized.
But what are the top fights in the months ahead? From Jake Paul vs. Tommy Fury to Ryan Garcia vs. Gervonta Davis and the first heavyweight fight for the undisputed championship in the four-belt era, ESPN marks your calendar for dates not to be missed.
A clash between the best two heavyweights in the world, and perhaps the best heavyweight world champions since the Klitschko brothers (Wladimir and Vitali) reigned, is likely to be the biggest fight of 2023. Boxing suffered from fights not getting made last year, but this one — dare we say it — seems likely to get made and will determine the legacies of both these skilled and clever boxers.
Both have achieved so much in their careers, but what they do on April 29 will be what they are remembered for most. This fight is the first to have all major four heavyweight belts on the line and will create boxing’s first undisputed world champion since Lennox Lewis in 1999 (three-belt era).
Usyk’s slick movement and quick hands could unsettle Fury, but Fury’s long jab and heavier punches (if he can land them) could leave Usyk flat out like Deontay Wilder.
It was a pleasant surprise to see this fight get made given the obstacles — rival promoters and broadcasters, egos and unbeaten records — and it could be the start of a series of megafights at lightweight.
As well as popularity — they have nearly 13 million followers on Instagram between them — these two American rivals are supremely talented. Davis has skills, power (he has stopped 26 of his 28 opponents) and tactical intelligence, while Garcia has lightning-fast hands with a six-inch height advantage.
Devin Haney holds all the belts, but this matchup is almost as important as Haney-Vasiliy Lomachenko. When the fight was announced, Garcia perfectly summarized this encounter: “Boxing needs this fight right now. It’s time for us to get back to what made this sport so great for the fans: Glamourous fights in places like Las Vegas, grudge match storylines, and most importantly — the best fighting the best.”
Be sure to find time to watch the Taylor vs. Serrano rematch.
Taylor, who lives and trains in Connecticut, has yet to box in her home nation since turning professional more than six years ago. When she steps out at a yet-to-be-confirmed venue in Dublin that night, the roof will lift (presuming the fight doesn’t occur at an outdoor venue like Croke Park). Taylor’s decision over Serrano last year lived up to expectations of it being the biggest fight in the history of women’s professional boxing. Who wouldn’t want a rematch?
Anthony Joshua doesn’t hide his emotions while discussing his split-decision loss to Oleksandr Usyk.
Haney, the undisputed lightweight champion, believes he is the man of the moment, the younger champion looking to make this his era.
Lomachenko, 34, was winning Olympic gold medals when Haney was nine years old and is definitely in the last throes of his career. It’s yet to be seen whether Haney can come close to showing the dazzling technique and skills Lomachenko has in lighting up boxing, winning world titles from featherweight up to lightweight.
With war raging in his homeland Ukraine, Lomachenko could understandably be distracted and slowed by the passing of time and a long career. Haney sees this as an opportunity to establish himself as one of boxing’s biggest names.
Get exclusive access to thousands of premium articles a year from top writers.
• NBA mock draft: A new No. 1 »
• How 30 MLB teams can make ’24 better »
• 40 best football recruiting classes »
More ESPN+ content »
The two former super middleweight champions almost got their fight started early during a recent news conference to announce the event. The animosity will only intensify toward fight night, ensuring a healthy interest in the nontitle encounter. This clash, between the best 168-pounders not named Canelo Alvarez, will be decided by whether Plant’s slick boxing skills can defuse Benavidez’s big-punching power and volume.
Plant is in form after his stunning KO of Anthony Dirrell in October catapulted him back to the No. 3 spot in the division after losing to Alvarez in November 2021, and he will be Benavidez’s best opponent yet.
To go straight into a world junior featherweight title fight in his first outing at the new weight class is a bold move by Inoue. To do it against Fulton is even bolder.
Fulton, 28, from Philadelphia, is ESPN’s No. 1 boxer at 122 pounds. As a seasoned campaigner in the division who throws a prodigious number of punches, he represents a big risk for Inoue. Inoue became undisputed bantamweight champion in December and is chasing a world title belt in a fourth division, a feat that would surely deserve universal recognition — or confirmation — as the world’s best pound-for-pound fighter.
These two featherweights are the least well-known boxers on this list, but what they lack in star appeal, they make up for in entertainment value. After being plucked from the domestic scene in their home countries, both pulled off shocking wins at an elite level and produced fireworks in recent fights.
Wood’s last-gasp, 12th-round knockout of Michael Conlan was voted ESPN’s fight of the year and KO of the year for 2022. The English boxer also produced a last round KO win to capture the WBA belt against Can Xu in July 2021. Lara stopped Josh Warrington — who was ESPN’s No. 1 featherweight — in February 2021. Lara added two early stoppage wins last year. It has all the ingredients to be an eventful fight.
Alvarez needs a dominant performance to silence critiques that he’s sliding after a brilliant career, winning world titles in four different weight classes. After losing by decision to Dmitry Bivol for the light heavyweight title last May, followed by a decision win in his trilogy fight against Gennadiy Golovkin at 168 pounds, Alvarez will return to defend his four world title belts against Ryder, the mandatory challenger who will have to pull off one of the biggest shocks in boxing history to win.
It is one of the least competitive matchups on this list, but it will be intriguing to see what sort of form Alvarez is in after surgery on his left hand and a confidence-denting defeat that has seen his position in the pound-for-pound rankings take a tumble. Details of the fight have yet to be confirmed.
This fight is about how Joshua responds to back-to-back decision losses to Usyk and the upheaval in his training arrangements. Joshua’s frank and confused outburst in the ring in the immediate aftermath of losing to Usyk for a second time only adds to the doubts around whether Joshua can regain the form that saw him reign as WBA, IBF and WBO world champion. But Franklin looks like an accommodating opponent.
Stevenson is a talented boxer, but his lack of punching power and relatively unknown opponent means his fight will not attract as much attention as his lightweight rivals Haney, Garcia and Davis. But this is a solid first step at lightweight for Stevenson, who unified world titles against good opponents at junior lightweight. A fight against the winner of Haney-Lomachenko is a good incentive for Stevenson to look good — and a KO victory would help.
Okay, so this is the bottom of the pile, but for many, this crossover event will be the No. 1 fight of 2023 to follow and tune in to based on entertaining value alone. Paul is better known than many current champions, even if he has just six professional fights, with no amateur boxing pedigree.
The YouTube star appeals to demographics that Terence Crawford, Inoue, Errol Spence Jr. and Canelo can’t reach. Tommy Fury is a reality TV star from the UK, half-brother of world heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, but also a professional boxer taking the sport seriously.
The storylines behind the fight will ensure it generates good pay-per-view numbers, with many intrigued to see if Paul can continue his impressive adventure in professional boxing, during which he has silenced all criticism that he is out of his depth. But Fury will be his toughest test yet.
-
fight news3 months ago
10 Facts You Probably Didn't Know About “Fight Club” (1999) – High On Films
-
fight news Canada6 months ago
Fight News 2023: Exciting Matchups
-
fight news3 weeks ago
woodbury minnesota, woodbury schools, woodbury,East Ridge High School, racist attack, racist school attack, racism, South Washington County Schools,Principal Jim Smokrovich, Shanka Gessod – CBS Minnesota
-
fight news3 months ago
Movies in North Texas theaters on Sept. 1 and coming soon – The Dallas Morning News
-
fight news5 months ago
2023 Detroit Lions Name Bracket Tournament: Round 1, Part 3 – Pride Of Detroit
-
fight news5 months ago
Kota Miura vs. Joker Fight Club: Date, start time, TV channel and live … – dazn.com
-
fight news5 months ago
Frank Warren drops 'game-changer' Tyson Fury next fight hint after Oleksandr Usyk update – Manchester Evening News
-
fight news5 months ago
Boxing News, Results, Schedule, Rankings » Fightnews.com™ – Fight News