Movie News
If the summer box office is ever going to heat up, it’ll have to wait a while longer. In a weekend being led by holdovers, Sony’s “The Garfield Movie” looks to overtake “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” for first place on domestic charts.
The marketplace continues to be dire overall, but Sony is doing well for itself. The studio is also putting out the manga adaptation “Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle” through its anime banner Crunchyroll. Playing in 1,086 locations (including showtimes in a few Imax auditoriums), the high school sports film earned $1.9 million across Friday and preview screenings and looks to take sixth place on domestic charts. It’s just the latest example of how anime has found a niche but dedicated theatrical audience in North America. Not that stateside will make or break “Haikyu!!,” which released in its native Japan back in February and stands as the second-highest...
The marketplace continues to be dire overall, but Sony is doing well for itself. The studio is also putting out the manga adaptation “Haikyu!! The Dumpster Battle” through its anime banner Crunchyroll. Playing in 1,086 locations (including showtimes in a few Imax auditoriums), the high school sports film earned $1.9 million across Friday and preview screenings and looks to take sixth place on domestic charts. It’s just the latest example of how anime has found a niche but dedicated theatrical audience in North America. Not that stateside will make or break “Haikyu!!,” which released in its native Japan back in February and stands as the second-highest...
- 6/1/2024
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety - Film News
“The Garfield Movie” clawed its way to first place, overtaking last weekend’s champion “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” at the domestic box office.
This weekend (unlike last) wasn’t a nail-biter as “Garfield” effortlessly pulled ahead with $14 million from 4,108 theaters in its second weekend of release while “Furiosa” trailed in third place with $10.7 million from 3,864 venues in its sophomore outing. Now, Sony’s “The Garfield Movie” has grossed $51.5 million in North America and $152 million globally to date. It’s a solid showing for the $60 million-budgeted film. “Furiosa,” the fifth entry in Warner Bros. and director George Miller’s post-apocalyptic “Mad Max” series, has generated $49.6 million domestically. With a $168 million price tag, the R-rated tentpole has a much steeper path to profitability.
Though “Garfield” gets first-place bragging rights, it’s another terrible weekend at the box office with ticket sales a staggering 65% behind the same three-day period in 2023. As a result,...
This weekend (unlike last) wasn’t a nail-biter as “Garfield” effortlessly pulled ahead with $14 million from 4,108 theaters in its second weekend of release while “Furiosa” trailed in third place with $10.7 million from 3,864 venues in its sophomore outing. Now, Sony’s “The Garfield Movie” has grossed $51.5 million in North America and $152 million globally to date. It’s a solid showing for the $60 million-budgeted film. “Furiosa,” the fifth entry in Warner Bros. and director George Miller’s post-apocalyptic “Mad Max” series, has generated $49.6 million domestically. With a $168 million price tag, the R-rated tentpole has a much steeper path to profitability.
Though “Garfield” gets first-place bragging rights, it’s another terrible weekend at the box office with ticket sales a staggering 65% behind the same three-day period in 2023. As a result,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety - Film News
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"Dune: Part Two" may have been a bit of a bleak blockbuster, but compared to its predecessor, 2021's "Dune," it's positively refulgent. While the first movie spent a lot of time on exposition and establishing the rules of Denis Villeneuve's interpretation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel, "Part Two" signals that it's a much more action-packed and visually diverse affair right from the off.
As the film opens, we join a team of Harkonnen hunters on the barren plains of the planet Arrakis. The group are hunting Fremen, the native inhabitants of the desert planet who have recently been joined by Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson's Lady Jessica. After we witness the villainous cohort evade a potential sandworm attack by way of their anti-gravity packs — a peak sci-fi moment for cinematographer Greig Fraser — they suddenly come...
"Dune: Part Two" may have been a bit of a bleak blockbuster, but compared to its predecessor, 2021's "Dune," it's positively refulgent. While the first movie spent a lot of time on exposition and establishing the rules of Denis Villeneuve's interpretation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel, "Part Two" signals that it's a much more action-packed and visually diverse affair right from the off.
As the film opens, we join a team of Harkonnen hunters on the barren plains of the planet Arrakis. The group are hunting Fremen, the native inhabitants of the desert planet who have recently been joined by Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson's Lady Jessica. After we witness the villainous cohort evade a potential sandworm attack by way of their anti-gravity packs — a peak sci-fi moment for cinematographer Greig Fraser — they suddenly come...
- 6/2/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
After a three-year hiatus, “We Are Lady Parts” is back with a triumphant second season, filled with brilliant, catchy music, fantastical comedy sequences, and dynamite performances from the entire ensemble. Unlike a lot of contemporary filmmakers who make the jump from movies to TV, creator Nida Manzoor got to return to her roots after debuting a feature between seasons.
Season 2 (certified Fresh) finds Lady Parts — the all-female punk outfit composed of Amina (Anjana Vasan), Saira (Sara Kameela Impey), Aisha (Juliette Motamed), Bisma (Faith Omole), and manager Momtaz (Lucy Shorthouse) — enjoying a successful run of tours and an actual, engaged fan base. With their sights set on recording an album, the band faces financial struggles and a major opportunity that threatens to break them apart.
It’s been three years since “We Are Lady Parts” premiered, but Season 2 picks up shortly after Season 1. For writer/director Nida Manzoor, most of the...
Season 2 (certified Fresh) finds Lady Parts — the all-female punk outfit composed of Amina (Anjana Vasan), Saira (Sara Kameela Impey), Aisha (Juliette Motamed), Bisma (Faith Omole), and manager Momtaz (Lucy Shorthouse) — enjoying a successful run of tours and an actual, engaged fan base. With their sights set on recording an album, the band faces financial struggles and a major opportunity that threatens to break them apart.
It’s been three years since “We Are Lady Parts” premiered, but Season 2 picks up shortly after Season 1. For writer/director Nida Manzoor, most of the...
- 6/2/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Because of the 2023 WGA and SAG strikes, a lot of the initial conversations surrounding artificial intelligence in Hollywood has focused on whether A.I. will be used to produce film scripts or recreate performances. But the highly controversial technology is already being used behind the scenes on your favorite television shows, as a tool to help stimulate the creative process. On Saturday afternoon at the Atx TV Festival, a group of craft artists discussed the perils and premiums of AI on their industry, during a wide-ranging discussion on their respective programs.
“We’re very computer-heavy, software-heavy in my art department,” Seth Reed, the production designer on the acclaimed Apple series “For All Mankind,” said during the panel. “So for us, they’re all tools. There’s an AI component to these things [that can help.] It can add textures and do things that seem way beyond what a concept artist would do in Photoshop or whatever.
“We’re very computer-heavy, software-heavy in my art department,” Seth Reed, the production designer on the acclaimed Apple series “For All Mankind,” said during the panel. “So for us, they’re all tools. There’s an AI component to these things [that can help.] It can add textures and do things that seem way beyond what a concept artist would do in Photoshop or whatever.
- 6/2/2024
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Portraying a Marvel superhero is no easy feat. Not only do actors have the shoulder the expectations of millions and millions of rabid fans, but they have to try and maintain the physical standards of, well, superheroes. They don't just have to be fit, but have to be unrealistically muscular and lean, which leads to all kinds of intense dieting, harsh workouts, and possibly even steroid use. Sure, they often wear costumes that are specifically tailored to make them look extra ripped, but there are almost always scenes showing off a bit of skin, which means a whole lot of hard work behind-the-scenes.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, "Ant-Man" star Paul Rudd revealed that he had to undergo an extremely restrictive diet while training to play Scott Lang, a.k.a. the titular Ant-Man. That meant eating very specific foods with lots of protein and limiting his intake...
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, "Ant-Man" star Paul Rudd revealed that he had to undergo an extremely restrictive diet while training to play Scott Lang, a.k.a. the titular Ant-Man. That meant eating very specific foods with lots of protein and limiting his intake...
- 6/2/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
"Family Guy" fans will often try to claim that the show's best years were its original three-season run, but I'd argue that the show's peak was somewhere around season 6. The series' comedic style had fully found its groove by this point, not to mention that it really started to lean into the Brian/Stewie duo episodes that everyone loves so much. Best of all, this was the beginning of the show's annual "Star Wars" parody specials.
For three years in a row, we got to enjoy a version of "Star Wars" where all the characters were acting like "Family Guy" characters. It not only created a really fun guessing game of "Who are they gonna pick to play X?" but gave the writers a chance to bring their neurotic observational humor into this familiar cinematic world. It's one thing for Peter to repeatedly groan while clutching his knee; it's another...
For three years in a row, we got to enjoy a version of "Star Wars" where all the characters were acting like "Family Guy" characters. It not only created a really fun guessing game of "Who are they gonna pick to play X?" but gave the writers a chance to bring their neurotic observational humor into this familiar cinematic world. It's one thing for Peter to repeatedly groan while clutching his knee; it's another...
- 6/2/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
"Dexter's Laboratory" changed the course of American TV animation. Like "Flapjack" after it, the cartoon gave many future legendary animators their start in the industry, from Craig McCracken and Butch Hartman to Rob Renzetti and one Seth MacFarlane. It also helped transform "The Powerpuff Girls" into a timeless hit.
The show started as a short in "What a Cartoon!" before becoming the very first Cartoon Cartoon. The man behind the show, Genndy Tartakovsky, has made hit after hit in a variety of genres and tones, from his influential "Star Wars: Clone Wars," to the devastatingly gory R-rated animated carnage of "Primal" or complex genre-bending tales of steampunk goodness like the criminally underseen "Unicorn: Warriors Eternal."
Much of Tartakovsky's style can be traced back to his work in "Dexter's Laboratory," from his use of silence to tell stories to his eye for iconography and imagery, along with his knack for pop culture references.
The show started as a short in "What a Cartoon!" before becoming the very first Cartoon Cartoon. The man behind the show, Genndy Tartakovsky, has made hit after hit in a variety of genres and tones, from his influential "Star Wars: Clone Wars," to the devastatingly gory R-rated animated carnage of "Primal" or complex genre-bending tales of steampunk goodness like the criminally underseen "Unicorn: Warriors Eternal."
Much of Tartakovsky's style can be traced back to his work in "Dexter's Laboratory," from his use of silence to tell stories to his eye for iconography and imagery, along with his knack for pop culture references.
- 6/2/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
IATSE, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, announced Saturday, June 1 that it has for now concluded the second of two scheduled weeks of Area Standards Agreement (Asa) negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). While no deal was reached, both parties agreed to continue negotiations later this month.
After not initially reaching a Basic Agreement with the AMPTP following negotiations, IATSE shifted attention onto the Asa, which covers film and TV workers outside of Los Angeles and consists of another 23 locals around the country. This all comes after IATSE’s 13 individual locals reached a tentative deal with the AMPTP on issues specific to their locals.
In a statement from IATSE, International President Matthew D. Loeb stated, “I want to thank the Asa Negotiating Committee for their thorough work to prepare for these negotiations. Their contribution helped ensure we have the momentum we need at the table.
After not initially reaching a Basic Agreement with the AMPTP following negotiations, IATSE shifted attention onto the Asa, which covers film and TV workers outside of Los Angeles and consists of another 23 locals around the country. This all comes after IATSE’s 13 individual locals reached a tentative deal with the AMPTP on issues specific to their locals.
In a statement from IATSE, International President Matthew D. Loeb stated, “I want to thank the Asa Negotiating Committee for their thorough work to prepare for these negotiations. Their contribution helped ensure we have the momentum we need at the table.
- 6/2/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
The president of IATSE told members Saturday that he is hopeful that a deal will be reached “soon” with the studios on a new agreement for 23 local unions around the country.
The union has been bargaining for the last three months on two contracts — the Basic Agreement and the Area Standards Agreement — that together cover about 70,000 crew workers nationwide.
The last two weeks of talks have been focused on the Area Standards Agreement, which covers about 20,000 workers in 23 locals, including major production centers like Georgia and New Mexico. Those talks wrapped up on Saturday without a tentative agreement — but more negotiation days are expected to be added later in June.
“I want to thank the Asa Negotiating Committee for their thorough work to prepare for these negotiations,” Matt Loeb, the international president of IATSE, said in a statement. “Their contribution helped ensure we have the momentum we need at the table.
The union has been bargaining for the last three months on two contracts — the Basic Agreement and the Area Standards Agreement — that together cover about 70,000 crew workers nationwide.
The last two weeks of talks have been focused on the Area Standards Agreement, which covers about 20,000 workers in 23 locals, including major production centers like Georgia and New Mexico. Those talks wrapped up on Saturday without a tentative agreement — but more negotiation days are expected to be added later in June.
“I want to thank the Asa Negotiating Committee for their thorough work to prepare for these negotiations,” Matt Loeb, the international president of IATSE, said in a statement. “Their contribution helped ensure we have the momentum we need at the table.
- 6/2/2024
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety - Film News
For every horror movie that turns into a massively profitable hit, there are plenty more that didn't light up the box office. In fact, they continue to be made with such frequency in part because their budgets are usually low enough that it's pretty easy to recoup expenses with anything other than a total disaster. Still, there are plenty of times when horror films don't perform as well as expected. Sometimes they are reassessed years after release with much more favorable results, and the horror genre is rife with box office flops that became cult classics and underrated "masterpieces."
But then you've got the true, out and out stinkers. The films that couldn't even keep up the pretense of being merely a disappointment, and led their studios to pull them from theaters prematurely in an effort not to send good money after bad. Their downfall could have been a result of controversy,...
But then you've got the true, out and out stinkers. The films that couldn't even keep up the pretense of being merely a disappointment, and led their studios to pull them from theaters prematurely in an effort not to send good money after bad. Their downfall could have been a result of controversy,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Audrey Fox
- Slash Film
"Prisoner of Azkaban" is easily the best movie in the "Harry Potter" franchise. Part of that's due to how it's adapting the best book from the source material, but it's also due to how high-effort it is. Director Alfonso Cuarón, who almost didn't even make this movie, is always going the extra mile with the way he chooses to frame a scene, and you can see that clearly when we get to watch Hermione's Time-Turner in action.
When Hermione spins the Time-Turner, a lesser director would've done a close-up on Harry and Hermione as the light changes around them. But Cuarón chose to move the camera backwards through time -- not just showing the lights moving through the windows, but three hours' worth of magical tomfoolery taking place in the infirmary room where Harry and Hermione are standing. The quick glimpses of patients going in and out of the room...
When Hermione spins the Time-Turner, a lesser director would've done a close-up on Harry and Hermione as the light changes around them. But Cuarón chose to move the camera backwards through time -- not just showing the lights moving through the windows, but three hours' worth of magical tomfoolery taking place in the infirmary room where Harry and Hermione are standing. The quick glimpses of patients going in and out of the room...
- 6/2/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
You probably know that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) was the big bad of 2012's "The Avengers" and his role there is why he's still the defining villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not even Thanos can say he got his own TV series like Loki did! It's not just the God of Mischief being in the right place at the right time, though.
"Avengers" writer/director Joss Whedon overhauled Loki, turning the meek sad boy from 2011's "Thor" into a wickedly charismatic megalomaniac. Hiddleston took that change and ran with it, proving he can wield an evil grin as effectively as he can puppy dog eyes along the way. Every subsequent Loki appearance has been trying to meld the two characterizations; Loki's an evil bastard, but he does love his mum and big brother Thor (even if he loves himself a bit more).
Loki (really Hiddleston) holds the screen all on his own in "The Avengers.
"Avengers" writer/director Joss Whedon overhauled Loki, turning the meek sad boy from 2011's "Thor" into a wickedly charismatic megalomaniac. Hiddleston took that change and ran with it, proving he can wield an evil grin as effectively as he can puppy dog eyes along the way. Every subsequent Loki appearance has been trying to meld the two characterizations; Loki's an evil bastard, but he does love his mum and big brother Thor (even if he loves himself a bit more).
Loki (really Hiddleston) holds the screen all on his own in "The Avengers.
- 6/2/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Screen is running this regularly updated page with the latest film festival and market dates from across the world.
To submit details of or alter your festival dates, please contact us here with the name, dates, country and website for the event. Screen is also running a calendar for UK-Ireland film release dates here.
Ongoing
IndieLisboa International Film Festival, Portugal - May 23-June 2
Krakow Film Festival, Poland - May 26-June 2
Nippon Connection Film Festival, Germany - May 28-June 2
Mendocino Film Festival, US - May 30-June 2
Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, US - June 1-9
June
Lighthouse International Film Festival, US...
To submit details of or alter your festival dates, please contact us here with the name, dates, country and website for the event. Screen is also running a calendar for UK-Ireland film release dates here.
Ongoing
IndieLisboa International Film Festival, Portugal - May 23-June 2
Krakow Film Festival, Poland - May 26-June 2
Nippon Connection Film Festival, Germany - May 28-June 2
Mendocino Film Festival, US - May 30-June 2
Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, US - June 1-9
June
Lighthouse International Film Festival, US...
- 6/2/2024
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Back in 2018, "Dune" director Denis Villeneuve threw "Star Wars" fans into a tizzy (it doesn't take much these days) when he described his then-upcoming adaptation of Frank Herbert's seminal sci-fi novel as being like "'Star Wars' for adults." Of course, that's not really an insult to the franchise or its fans, because "Star Wars" creator George Lucas made no secret of the fact that "Star Wars" is intended for kids.
In fact, during a surprise appearance at Star Wars Celebration in 2017, he reiterated that the very first "Star Wars" installment, which would go on to be titled "A New Hope," was a "a film for 12-year-olds." Of course, that doesn't mean adults can't still find value in these sci-fi stories of heroism. But it also means that the franchise, from its inception, has always been molded to be appealing to children.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that...
In fact, during a surprise appearance at Star Wars Celebration in 2017, he reiterated that the very first "Star Wars" installment, which would go on to be titled "A New Hope," was a "a film for 12-year-olds." Of course, that doesn't mean adults can't still find value in these sci-fi stories of heroism. But it also means that the franchise, from its inception, has always been molded to be appealing to children.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that...
- 6/2/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Revered Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova and ace Indian soccer player Bhaichung Bhutia are among the subjects of projects selected at the inaugural edition of India’s Doc Film Bazaar.
The Bazaar has unveiled 15 projects that will participate in its Co-Production Market and the five films selected for its Work-in-Progress Lab.
As revealed by Variety, the market is a documentary-focused sister edition of the Film Bazaar that takes place in Goa annually in November. It will take place within the Mumbai International Film Festival for documentary, short fiction and animation (Miff). The Indian government-run Miff, which began in 1990, is separate from the privately managed Mami Mumbai Film Festival.
The 15 projects that are part of the Doc Bazaar all have a South Asian focus, but originate from various countries, including India, U.K., U.S., Russia, Switzerland and Nepal. The selected filmmakers will pitch their projects to international and Indian producers, distributors,...
The Bazaar has unveiled 15 projects that will participate in its Co-Production Market and the five films selected for its Work-in-Progress Lab.
As revealed by Variety, the market is a documentary-focused sister edition of the Film Bazaar that takes place in Goa annually in November. It will take place within the Mumbai International Film Festival for documentary, short fiction and animation (Miff). The Indian government-run Miff, which began in 1990, is separate from the privately managed Mami Mumbai Film Festival.
The 15 projects that are part of the Doc Bazaar all have a South Asian focus, but originate from various countries, including India, U.K., U.S., Russia, Switzerland and Nepal. The selected filmmakers will pitch their projects to international and Indian producers, distributors,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety - Film News
Bertrand Bonello’s head-spinning Henry James adaptation set in 1910 Paris, 2014 LA and an AI-controlled 2044 casts a dreamlike spell
The choking grip of artificial intelligence on humanity is the starting point for Bertrand Bonello’s wildly ambitious, century-spanning, French and English-language story of doomed romance, subconscious fears and pigeon-based symbolism. It’s a theme – AI, that is, not the pigeons – that has been thoroughly mined in cinema of late, perhaps not surprisingly. After all, AI poses one of the more significant threats to the future of humankind. It’s the dystopian sci-fi premise that – literally – writes itself, given half the chance. But the eponymous beast in this story is not AI, and Bonello’s approach to the subject is rather more eccentric and original. It’s certainly the most ambitious of his films, which include the fashion biopic Saint Laurent and The House of Tolerance, about a turn-of-the-century Parisian brothel.
Elliptical,...
The choking grip of artificial intelligence on humanity is the starting point for Bertrand Bonello’s wildly ambitious, century-spanning, French and English-language story of doomed romance, subconscious fears and pigeon-based symbolism. It’s a theme – AI, that is, not the pigeons – that has been thoroughly mined in cinema of late, perhaps not surprisingly. After all, AI poses one of the more significant threats to the future of humankind. It’s the dystopian sci-fi premise that – literally – writes itself, given half the chance. But the eponymous beast in this story is not AI, and Bonello’s approach to the subject is rather more eccentric and original. It’s certainly the most ambitious of his films, which include the fashion biopic Saint Laurent and The House of Tolerance, about a turn-of-the-century Parisian brothel.
Elliptical,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Wendy Ide
- The Guardian - Film News
Janhvi Kapoor plays a medical student with the prospect of a pro career in the game, with Rajkummar Rao as the husband who coaches her
Hindi cinema has thus far spent 2024 in retreat, its commercial failures compounded by a successful run of south Indian crowdpleasers. Timed with Kohli-like precision to arrive at the conclusion of the Ipl, this gentle cricket-themed romance may not be enough to overturn the prevailing industry narrative; it comes on like a brisk middle-order batter, fifty compiled after heavier hitters have gone for a duck. Yet director Sharan Sharma locates a palpable emotional heartbeat within the material while following a sound gameplan: deliver two hours of absorbing storytelling with admirable stars on solid form. Like the sport the film describes, this movie business is simpler than it often looks.
As with 2019’s sly charmer Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, everything starts with Rajkummar Rao and a bait-and-switch of sorts.
Hindi cinema has thus far spent 2024 in retreat, its commercial failures compounded by a successful run of south Indian crowdpleasers. Timed with Kohli-like precision to arrive at the conclusion of the Ipl, this gentle cricket-themed romance may not be enough to overturn the prevailing industry narrative; it comes on like a brisk middle-order batter, fifty compiled after heavier hitters have gone for a duck. Yet director Sharan Sharma locates a palpable emotional heartbeat within the material while following a sound gameplan: deliver two hours of absorbing storytelling with admirable stars on solid form. Like the sport the film describes, this movie business is simpler than it often looks.
As with 2019’s sly charmer Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, everything starts with Rajkummar Rao and a bait-and-switch of sorts.
- 6/2/2024
- by Mike McCahill
- The Guardian - Film News
Nearly six months after it opened theatrically in the U.S./Canada, Toho’s Oscar Special Effects-winning “Godzilla Minus One” is finally available at home.
As of Saturday June 1, the Takashi Yamazaki film is now available free for subscribers on Netflix. It is also on VOD for $5.99 as a 48-hour rental or $14.99 as a digital download on platforms like iTunes (where it is already #1), Fandango, and Amazon Prime VideoAmazon Prime[/link].
It is unheard of for a Saturday to be a VOD release date, and very unusual for Netflix. That suggests the contractual agreement between Toho and Legendary Pictures (the producers of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”), which called for delayed availability for the Japanese title, specifically set June 1 as the earliest for home release.
A six-month window for home release is unheard of these days. Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” had a four-month delay before hitting PVOD. Streaming came after seven months.
As of Saturday June 1, the Takashi Yamazaki film is now available free for subscribers on Netflix. It is also on VOD for $5.99 as a 48-hour rental or $14.99 as a digital download on platforms like iTunes (where it is already #1), Fandango, and Amazon Prime VideoAmazon Prime[/link].
It is unheard of for a Saturday to be a VOD release date, and very unusual for Netflix. That suggests the contractual agreement between Toho and Legendary Pictures (the producers of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”), which called for delayed availability for the Japanese title, specifically set June 1 as the earliest for home release.
A six-month window for home release is unheard of these days. Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” had a four-month delay before hitting PVOD. Streaming came after seven months.
- 6/2/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
In the "Futurama" episode "When Aliens Attack", Earth is invaded by the brutish -- and TV-obsessed -- Omicronians. It seems that their planet, Omicron Persei 8, was still receiving Earth TV signals broadcast from a millennium before, and they had become very involved in the hottest TV shows of 1999. The leader of the Omicronians, Lrrr (Maurice Lamarche), became incensed when a signal from his favorite show, "Single Female Lawyer," was unexpectedly interrupted, and he led a fleet of warships to Earth in response. How did the season finale of "Single Female Lawyer" turn out? Lrrr needed to know, or else he'd destroy the planet.
As is often the case when Earth is invaded, the President dispatched Zapp Brannigan (Billy West) to take care of the threat. "Futurama" fans will be able to tell you that this is always a bad idea, as Zapp Brannigan is a dumb, over-confident blowhard with no...
As is often the case when Earth is invaded, the President dispatched Zapp Brannigan (Billy West) to take care of the threat. "Futurama" fans will be able to tell you that this is always a bad idea, as Zapp Brannigan is a dumb, over-confident blowhard with no...
- 6/2/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Michael Myers of the "Halloween" franchise is the go-to example for a faceless slasher villain. In director John Carpenter's original 1978 picture, actor Nick Castle is credited not as playing "Michael Myers" but as "The Shape" — Michael is an extension of the shadows, stretching out to kill on pure instinct before receding back into the darkness where he belongs.
In that original "Halloween," five people are murdered by the Shape:
Michael's older sister Judith (Sandy Johnson) in the movie's opening flashback.
The offscreen Christopher Hastings, who Michael kills to steal clothes after he escapes the sanitarium.
Teenager babysitter Annie Brackett (Nancy Kyes), who has her throat garrotted and cut.
Bob Simms (John Michael Graham), who is dressed as a ghost for the holiday.
Lynda Van Der Klok (P.J. Soles), Bob's girlfriend who Michael ambushes by wearing his ghost costume.
Michael is a dispassionate killer; he slices Annie's neck with a quick strike,...
In that original "Halloween," five people are murdered by the Shape:
Michael's older sister Judith (Sandy Johnson) in the movie's opening flashback.
The offscreen Christopher Hastings, who Michael kills to steal clothes after he escapes the sanitarium.
Teenager babysitter Annie Brackett (Nancy Kyes), who has her throat garrotted and cut.
Bob Simms (John Michael Graham), who is dressed as a ghost for the holiday.
Lynda Van Der Klok (P.J. Soles), Bob's girlfriend who Michael ambushes by wearing his ghost costume.
Michael is a dispassionate killer; he slices Annie's neck with a quick strike,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Before she was one of America's most famous sitcom daughters, actor Sally Struthers made her primetime debut dancing on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," the variety show that's now best-remembered for featuring performances from some of the best musical acts of the '70s. The gig wasn't the flashiest thing in show biz, but it was enough to get Struthers on the radar of Norman Lear, the up and coming writer-producer who would soon take the nation by storm with "All in the Family."
In a retrospective interview with Closer Weekly in 2021, Struthers spoke about the fortuitous circumstances that eventually led to her casting in "All in the Family." As with many big breaks, it came hot on the heels of a rejection that stung. "I had just come off 'The Tim Conway Comedy Hour.' I should have been on all 13 weeks of it, but after the fifth show,...
In a retrospective interview with Closer Weekly in 2021, Struthers spoke about the fortuitous circumstances that eventually led to her casting in "All in the Family." As with many big breaks, it came hot on the heels of a rejection that stung. "I had just come off 'The Tim Conway Comedy Hour.' I should have been on all 13 weeks of it, but after the fifth show,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Australian actor tells BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs performers should be able to play any role they want
Australian actor Rebel Wilson has said the idea that “only straight actors can play straight roles and gay actors can play gay roles” is “total nonsense”.
The Pitch Perfect star, 44, spoke to radio presenter Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs and was asked if women can get away with different jokes compared with men. “I’ve definitely said a lot of edgy jokes, and said them sometimes in very public places like the Baftas,” she said.
Australian actor Rebel Wilson has said the idea that “only straight actors can play straight roles and gay actors can play gay roles” is “total nonsense”.
The Pitch Perfect star, 44, spoke to radio presenter Lauren Laverne on BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs and was asked if women can get away with different jokes compared with men. “I’ve definitely said a lot of edgy jokes, and said them sometimes in very public places like the Baftas,” she said.
- 6/1/2024
- by PA Media
- The Guardian - Film News
Right as generative AI was becoming the hot-button issue of last summer’s WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, Charlie Brooker, creator of beloved Netflix television anthology series “Black Mirror,” was ready to skewer the topic with his season 6 premiere, “Joan Is Awful.” Following a woman named Joan (Annie Murphy) as her life slowly unravels due to its constant depiction on an app called Streamberry, the episode delves into the slippery slope we’ve all signed up for by signing our data away to companies and computers with potentially dubious intentions. Released a month into the 2023 strikes, “Joan Is Awful” became a touchstone for artists raising alarms on the entertainment industry’s new investment into AI programs like ChatGPT and Midjourney.
“It was really odd,” Brooker said in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “So, I must have written it in June-July in 2022. When we shot it, it was September-October.
“It was really odd,” Brooker said in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter. “So, I must have written it in June-July in 2022. When we shot it, it was September-October.
- 6/1/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Method acting is a controversial topic, mostly due to the bad rep this kind of preparation has gotten due to the ridiculous things someone like Jared Leto does or the absurd physical transformations actors like Christian Bale go through. But not all extensive acting prep requires an actor living as their character. Sometimes, it's just weeks or months of research that get tossed out the window on a whim if the director has something different in mind.
Still, when you hear about the lengths an actor goes to in order to prepare for a role, you don't normally hear it being said about Santa Claus. It's true, though: Kurt Russell is so committed to the art of cinema he gives Santa the kind of preparation and research normally reserved for the work of William Shakespeare.
Speaking with Business Insider in 2020, "The Christmas Chronicles" director Chris Columbus said that Russell wrote...
Still, when you hear about the lengths an actor goes to in order to prepare for a role, you don't normally hear it being said about Santa Claus. It's true, though: Kurt Russell is so committed to the art of cinema he gives Santa the kind of preparation and research normally reserved for the work of William Shakespeare.
Speaking with Business Insider in 2020, "The Christmas Chronicles" director Chris Columbus said that Russell wrote...
- 6/1/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Richard Linklater and Glen Powell love movies. Making them and talking about them. In a recent promotional video posted by Netflix on X, formerly known as Twitter, the “Hit Man” screenwriting duo went through some of their favorite films for any given situation. When asked of his favorite Scorsese film, Linklater said, “‘Raging Bull’ was in that top slot for a couple decades before ‘Goodfellas’ kind of knocked it off.”
Later, when asked of films he can quote every line of, the director again referenced “Goodfellas,” saying he could recite “some version of it” and “can act every role.”
When thinking of films they’re embarrassed they hadn’t seen, Powell referenced a recent screening of their film “Hit Man.” He said, “I feel like we discovered this the other night when people were asking inspirations for the movie and they say ‘This kind of feels like ‘Grosse Pointe Blank’ and I was like,...
Later, when asked of films he can quote every line of, the director again referenced “Goodfellas,” saying he could recite “some version of it” and “can act every role.”
When thinking of films they’re embarrassed they hadn’t seen, Powell referenced a recent screening of their film “Hit Man.” He said, “I feel like we discovered this the other night when people were asking inspirations for the movie and they say ‘This kind of feels like ‘Grosse Pointe Blank’ and I was like,...
- 6/1/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
The final episode of the third season of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" was called "The Best of Both Worlds", and it is often celebrated as one of the best episodes of the series. Notably, the episode ended on a humdinger of a cliffhanger, revealing that Captain Picard (Patrick Stewart) had been assimilated by the Borg. Trekkies had to wait until September 24 to see the conclusion.
This two-parter kicked off a long-standing "Star Trek" tradition of ending every season of every show with a notable cliffhanger. The remaining "Next Generation" seasons always left viewers with something to anticipate through the summer. There was an exception at the end of the first season of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," which ended on a usual note, but the show's second season opened with an unprecedented three-part episode, so it feels like it counts.
The finale of the first season of "Star Trek: Voyager...
This two-parter kicked off a long-standing "Star Trek" tradition of ending every season of every show with a notable cliffhanger. The remaining "Next Generation" seasons always left viewers with something to anticipate through the summer. There was an exception at the end of the first season of "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine," which ended on a usual note, but the show's second season opened with an unprecedented three-part episode, so it feels like it counts.
The finale of the first season of "Star Trek: Voyager...
- 6/1/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Martin Starger, the first president of ABC Entertainment who went on to produce such films as “Sophie’s Choice” and Robert Altman’s “Nashville,” has died. He was 92.
Starger died of natural causes Saturday in his Los Angeles home, his niece, casting director Ilene Starger, announced.
Starger was born May 8, 1932, in the Bronx, N.Y. He attended the City College of New York, where he received a degree in motion picture techniques. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and was assigned to the Signal Corps Motion Picture Location. He served as a motion picture photographer at the U.S. Army’s film production studio. He was sent to U.S. Army Headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii, and worked there in all phases of motion picture production. He wrote, directed, photographed and edited documentary and feature films for television, the Department of Defense and newsreels.
After his service, Starger spent several...
Starger died of natural causes Saturday in his Los Angeles home, his niece, casting director Ilene Starger, announced.
Starger was born May 8, 1932, in the Bronx, N.Y. He attended the City College of New York, where he received a degree in motion picture techniques. He was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1953 and was assigned to the Signal Corps Motion Picture Location. He served as a motion picture photographer at the U.S. Army’s film production studio. He was sent to U.S. Army Headquarters in Honolulu, Hawaii, and worked there in all phases of motion picture production. He wrote, directed, photographed and edited documentary and feature films for television, the Department of Defense and newsreels.
After his service, Starger spent several...
- 6/1/2024
- by Selena Kuznikov
- Variety - Film News
Spoiler Alert: This story discusses major plot points, including the ending for “Young Woman and the Sea,” currently playing in theaters.
While Joachim Rønning read the script for “Young Woman and the Sea,” he made little notes as he went along. When he reached the end, his first thought was, “This is amazing.” His next thought was: How could he possibly capture what he had just read on screen?
“Young Woman and the Sea” tells the story of Trudy Ederle, played by Daisy Ridley, who in 1926 became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. But a case of measles – which nearly killed her and left her with severe hearing loss, stood in her way, along with sexism. Yet, she overcame the odds. Rønning’s challenge was balancing backstory with motivation, going on the journey with the character, and then being there as she achieves that goal.
The filmmaker...
While Joachim Rønning read the script for “Young Woman and the Sea,” he made little notes as he went along. When he reached the end, his first thought was, “This is amazing.” His next thought was: How could he possibly capture what he had just read on screen?
“Young Woman and the Sea” tells the story of Trudy Ederle, played by Daisy Ridley, who in 1926 became the first woman to swim across the English Channel. But a case of measles – which nearly killed her and left her with severe hearing loss, stood in her way, along with sexism. Yet, she overcame the odds. Rønning’s challenge was balancing backstory with motivation, going on the journey with the character, and then being there as she achieves that goal.
The filmmaker...
- 6/1/2024
- by Jazz Tangcay
- Variety - Film News
As a child actress in film and television, Gaby Hoffmann was known for roles that leaned, as she called it in a recent interview with The Independent, “punchy” and “precocious.” Being a kid of New York City in the ‘80s, surrounded by parents who were actors and their artist friends, perhaps she was always destined to have a unique sense of freedom in her presence. Starring in the recent Netflix miniseries “Eric” with Benedict Cumberbatch, which takes place in ‘80s New York City, Hoffmann plays a mother whose son has gone missing. Stepping back into the past has made Hoffmann reflect on some of the choices she’s made during her career, like giving up acting for college.
“I knew it wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction,” she said of eventually returning to the profession. “Or something I was doing because I had done it and didn’t know what else to do,...
“I knew it wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction,” she said of eventually returning to the profession. “Or something I was doing because I had done it and didn’t know what else to do,...
- 6/1/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
"Enter The Dragon" may be one of the best martial arts films of all time, but the Bruce Lee-led project didn't exactly come together easily. Over 50 years after its release, the lore surrounding the movie's fraught creation is by now stacked higher than a pile of guys taken down by super-skilled fighter Lee (played by the late actor with the same last name). Among the anecdotes surrounding its production? Behind-the-scenes fights, recasts, a minuscule budget, script problems, and more.
"The whole budget was $450,000," associate producer Andre Morgan told the BBC last year, paring down the already shockingly small $850,000 number that's commonly cited. Morgan was confident in his number, saying, "Remember, you heard it from somebody that was there. I prepared the budget; I signed the budget." The shoestring budget didn't get in the way of the movie's success; in theaters, it earned over $100 million worldwide according to the BBC piece,...
"The whole budget was $450,000," associate producer Andre Morgan told the BBC last year, paring down the already shockingly small $850,000 number that's commonly cited. Morgan was confident in his number, saying, "Remember, you heard it from somebody that was there. I prepared the budget; I signed the budget." The shoestring budget didn't get in the way of the movie's success; in theaters, it earned over $100 million worldwide according to the BBC piece,...
- 6/1/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
"The Fall Guy" might have kicked off the summer box office season in disappointing fashion, but there's no doubt Ryan Gosling's latest outing is a spectacular time at the movies. Regardless of the film's commercial performance, Gosling and his co-star, Emily Blunt, delivered on the chemistry and charisma, making for a positive critical response that the pair, and director David Leitch, can be proud of.
But then, Gosling never really fails to bring the charisma. On his journey from child actor to movie star, his wry charm has never wavered. Now, his role as Ken in 2023's mega-hit "Barbie" has seemingly endeared him to a whole new generation, culminating in his standout performance of "I'm Just Ken" at the 2024 Oscars. But it's arguably when balancing his playful, roguish side with his more serious dramatic sensibilities that Gosling is at his best.
Fans of the actor might well cite his...
But then, Gosling never really fails to bring the charisma. On his journey from child actor to movie star, his wry charm has never wavered. Now, his role as Ken in 2023's mega-hit "Barbie" has seemingly endeared him to a whole new generation, culminating in his standout performance of "I'm Just Ken" at the 2024 Oscars. But it's arguably when balancing his playful, roguish side with his more serious dramatic sensibilities that Gosling is at his best.
Fans of the actor might well cite his...
- 6/1/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Rebecca Ferguson is quickly becoming a titan of the entertainment industry and she’s embracing it. She’s starred in blockbuster franchises like “Mission Impossible” and “Dune,” runaway hits like the musical “The Greatest Showman,” and is now — along with her lead role on the show — taking on the position of executive producer on the Apple TV+ smash “Silo.” In a recent interview on the “Unwrapped” podcast, Ferguson shared how her declining the role of Juliette Nichols led to her being brought on to the larger production team.
“They’re asking for a big dedication here,” Ferguson said of being offered the part. “It’s asking for me to do four seasons of a show. I need to be yearning for this. And there were a couple of things that I wasn’t really loving. So I turned it down and then they came back and they were like, what...
“They’re asking for a big dedication here,” Ferguson said of being offered the part. “It’s asking for me to do four seasons of a show. I need to be yearning for this. And there were a couple of things that I wasn’t really loving. So I turned it down and then they came back and they were like, what...
- 6/1/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Spoilers ahead for "Coherence."
There are movies often cited as being confusing or mind-melting, like "Inception" or "Memento," which really aren't that complicated. Then there's something like "Primer," which requires detailed diagrams and hours-long YouTube explainers to begin to unravel its web of twists and turns. Sitting happily in the middle is James Ward Byrkit's "Coherence," one of the best sci-fi films of the past decade and a movie that is complex and mild-melting yet not so complex that it's hard to follow.
The film begins with an alluring premise of four couples meeting at a friend's house for dinner on the night a comet is passing by the Earth. While they all have messy relationships to navigate, the comet causes quantum decoherence, creating split realities and allowing the guests' alternate selves to intrude into their reality, and vice-versa. It's a concept that allows for plenty of twists while also allowing for simplicity,...
There are movies often cited as being confusing or mind-melting, like "Inception" or "Memento," which really aren't that complicated. Then there's something like "Primer," which requires detailed diagrams and hours-long YouTube explainers to begin to unravel its web of twists and turns. Sitting happily in the middle is James Ward Byrkit's "Coherence," one of the best sci-fi films of the past decade and a movie that is complex and mild-melting yet not so complex that it's hard to follow.
The film begins with an alluring premise of four couples meeting at a friend's house for dinner on the night a comet is passing by the Earth. While they all have messy relationships to navigate, the comet causes quantum decoherence, creating split realities and allowing the guests' alternate selves to intrude into their reality, and vice-versa. It's a concept that allows for plenty of twists while also allowing for simplicity,...
- 6/1/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
It’s been nearly two years since “Industry” last aired, but the Season 3 premiere wastes no time getting the hot young bankers of London’s high finance world back into trouble. On Friday night in Austin, TX, HBO presented the first episode in its entirety at the Atx Television Festival, and the nearly full theater was whipped into a frenzy by the time the credits rolled. Multiple gasps were heard throughout the hourlong screening — the causes of which will not be spoiled here — and, especially lucky for the fans in the theater, co-creators Konrad Kay and Mickey Down were on-hand for post-show Q&a to help talk through select scenes and prepare viewers for what’s coming up next.
“We do want it to be super intense,” Kay said from the stage.
“Episode 2 is just intense, intense, intense, intense,” Down said. “Episode 3 they go to Switzerland [and take a little break], and then it’s just incredibly intense again.
“We do want it to be super intense,” Kay said from the stage.
“Episode 2 is just intense, intense, intense, intense,” Down said. “Episode 3 they go to Switzerland [and take a little break], and then it’s just incredibly intense again.
- 6/1/2024
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Critic, podcaster, and film journalist Scott Wampler passed away on May 31 due to unknown causes, as shared by his “Kingcast” co-host Eric Vespe on Friday.
But, as sad as his passing is, we expect that Scott Wampler wouldn’t want tears. He would want you screaming. He would want you wailing in agony, convulsing in terror, blood shooting out of every orifice. He would want you laughing until you cried, thinking in ways that didn’t make your brain hurt, and engaging with one another cause he knew that it’s the only way to make sense of this silly, scary world.
He spent his professional life making genre entertainment, particularly horror, accessible to the masses and sharing his passion with not just outsized glee, but downright fervor. He loved movies and television that made you squirm and he made us love them too. He found beauty and art in...
But, as sad as his passing is, we expect that Scott Wampler wouldn’t want tears. He would want you screaming. He would want you wailing in agony, convulsing in terror, blood shooting out of every orifice. He would want you laughing until you cried, thinking in ways that didn’t make your brain hurt, and engaging with one another cause he knew that it’s the only way to make sense of this silly, scary world.
He spent his professional life making genre entertainment, particularly horror, accessible to the masses and sharing his passion with not just outsized glee, but downright fervor. He loved movies and television that made you squirm and he made us love them too. He found beauty and art in...
- 6/1/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
The story of Dave Bautista's Hollywood career is the story of him trying to prove he's not your average wrestler-turned-actor. To be fair, Bautista's best movies really do suggest he has the talent to take his acting career beyond the tough-man roles so many former grapplers come to embody. He proved that he has potential with his role as Sapper Morton in "Blade Runner 2049," and then followed through on that promising turn with his performance as Leonard in 2023's "Knock at the Cabin." But despite charting a diverse filmography and being recognized as the best wrestler-turned-actor by his "Glass Onion" director Rian Johnson, it's always seemed like Bautista has wanted more.
Though he claims to have proven himself with "Knock at the Cabin," that doesn't mean he's done demonstrating his talents. This year, we've seen him finally given more to do in Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" duology...
Though he claims to have proven himself with "Knock at the Cabin," that doesn't mean he's done demonstrating his talents. This year, we've seen him finally given more to do in Denis Villeneuve's "Dune" duology...
- 6/1/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Although the current state of the "Scream" franchise is a giant mess, it's worth remembering that merely a few years ago, its future seemed as bright as ever. 2022's "Scream" was a clear-cut hit at the box office, and it successfully introduced a whole new generation of characters who could be chased around with a knife for many installments to come. "Scream 5" not only did all this while keeping Sidney and Gale in the fold, but it also set the groundwork for the return of Kirby (Hayden Panettiere).
Despite being a fan favorite in "Scream 4," Kirby was tragically left for dead near the end of the movie. How'd she die? Well, she made the tragic mistake of trusting her potential love interest Charlie (Rory Culkin), trying to save him from Ghostface when she should've been saving herself. The good news is that Kirby was soon avenged by her supportive,...
Despite being a fan favorite in "Scream 4," Kirby was tragically left for dead near the end of the movie. How'd she die? Well, she made the tragic mistake of trusting her potential love interest Charlie (Rory Culkin), trying to save him from Ghostface when she should've been saving herself. The good news is that Kirby was soon avenged by her supportive,...
- 6/1/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
(Welcome to Tales from the Box Office, our column that examines box office miracles, disasters, and everything in between, as well as what we can learn from them.)
"2020 at the box office will be known as the 'year of the asterisk,' with virtually every known measure and metric for box office performance being completely rethought and recalibrated." These were the words of Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian speaking to CNN in October 2020. At that time, the industry was contending with a months-long, global shutdown, with movie theaters on life support as the pandemic raged on. Yes, every title released in 2020 will always come with an asterisk but even with that, one movie had to come out on top during Hollywood's lost year. That movie was "Bad Boys for Life."
Action director extraordinaire Michael Bay helmed 1995's "Bad Boys" and 2003's "Bad Boys II," with the first film ranking...
"2020 at the box office will be known as the 'year of the asterisk,' with virtually every known measure and metric for box office performance being completely rethought and recalibrated." These were the words of Comscore senior media analyst Paul Dergarabedian speaking to CNN in October 2020. At that time, the industry was contending with a months-long, global shutdown, with movie theaters on life support as the pandemic raged on. Yes, every title released in 2020 will always come with an asterisk but even with that, one movie had to come out on top during Hollywood's lost year. That movie was "Bad Boys for Life."
Action director extraordinaire Michael Bay helmed 1995's "Bad Boys" and 2003's "Bad Boys II," with the first film ranking...
- 6/1/2024
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Like her fellow documentarian Frederick Wiseman, Claire Simon is drawn to institutions, and the human flow that keeps them running. Where many of Wiseman’s films favor a big picture, a systemic view, Simon often works in more intimate close-up, picking out faces and personalities from a larger institutional community. That warmly sociable approach serves the veteran French filmmaker well in “Elementary,” the latest of several Simon documentaries to be set in and around a place of learning — in this case, a diversely attended public elementary school in the outer-Paris suburb of Ivry-sur-Seine, also the backdrop for her 2018 high-school portrait “Young Solitude.”
Looking on with keen attention but little obstruction as the school’s staff and student body negotiate daily challenges of education, communication and conflict, “Elementary” is a gentle, good-humored film, but not a toothless one — making as it does an unspoken but resonant plea for France’s squeezed...
Looking on with keen attention but little obstruction as the school’s staff and student body negotiate daily challenges of education, communication and conflict, “Elementary” is a gentle, good-humored film, but not a toothless one — making as it does an unspoken but resonant plea for France’s squeezed...
- 6/1/2024
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety - Film News
Ah, the "Saw" franchise. What started off as a tight little low-budget horror film blossomed into an entire saga that ushered in what some folks consider to be the "torture porn" era of horror movies. The "Saw" franchise is actually somehow still kicking — after the not-very-good "Spiral: From the Book of Saw," the series rebounded nicely with last year's surprisingly good "Saw X." A new sequel, "Saw XI," is on the way, due out next year. Why do they keep making these movies? The answer is simple: people keep watching them. There was a time when Lionsgate had a new "Saw" movie ready to go almost every Halloween season, and that approach brought out the crowds. It got to the point where they adopted the clumsy tagline "If it's Halloween, it must be Saw."
While audiences have continued to turn out for "Saw" and its many death traps, critics haven't...
While audiences have continued to turn out for "Saw" and its many death traps, critics haven't...
- 6/1/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
The conventional wisdom when it comes to the early days of cinema is that five major studios — Paramount, Fox, Universal, MGM, and Warner Bros. — were responsible for key innovations of Hollywood filmmaking, such as the star system, the birth of the feature film, and the creation of nationwide and international distribution networks. In fact, the now largely forgotten Vitagraph Studios did all of these things before the five majors even existed, but the company’s ultimate demise and sale to Warner Bros. in 1925 (where it was renamed Vitaphone and created as an independent unit to produce early sound shorts) led to its near erasure from mainstream film history.
While intrepid souls like film historians Andrew A. Erish and Anthony Slide have tried to raise and sustain awareness of Vitagraph’s contributions, their efforts have often been impeded by the scarcity of the films themselves — even for those of us interested in Vitagraph’s output,...
While intrepid souls like film historians Andrew A. Erish and Anthony Slide have tried to raise and sustain awareness of Vitagraph’s contributions, their efforts have often been impeded by the scarcity of the films themselves — even for those of us interested in Vitagraph’s output,...
- 6/1/2024
- by Jim Hemphill
- Indiewire
If you thought "Loki" season 2 was confusing, you're not alone: the cast of the Marvel show probably did too, thanks to some purposeful misdirection – or, as executive producer Kevin Wright explained it to Marvel.com, outright lying – that went on behind the scenes during a key moment in production.
The lies in question related to episode 4 of the show's second season, a complicated, climactic chapter that features several key power changes and plenty of mortal peril. In it, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) "prunes" a version of himself from the past, and Brad Wolfe (Rafael Casal) is compelled to prune Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), too. The episode ends with the group of timeline-hoppers trying to enact their master plan to save the universe: Victor Timely (Jonathan Majors) steps outside of the Tva's headquarters, attempting to fix the out-of-control Temporal Loom that's threatening to destabilize. Only, it doesn't work: Timely explodes into ribbons of spaghetti-like material,...
The lies in question related to episode 4 of the show's second season, a complicated, climactic chapter that features several key power changes and plenty of mortal peril. In it, Loki (Tom Hiddleston) "prunes" a version of himself from the past, and Brad Wolfe (Rafael Casal) is compelled to prune Renslayer (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), too. The episode ends with the group of timeline-hoppers trying to enact their master plan to save the universe: Victor Timely (Jonathan Majors) steps outside of the Tva's headquarters, attempting to fix the out-of-control Temporal Loom that's threatening to destabilize. Only, it doesn't work: Timely explodes into ribbons of spaghetti-like material,...
- 6/1/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
After weeks of teasing an upcoming appearance in a mystery Marvel movie, actor Giancarlo Esposito’s role in the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been revealed. Well, mostly. In a new report about reshoots for the upcoming “Captain America: Brave New World,” a film starring Anthony Mackie, THR reveals that Esposito’s secret role is in that film. Not much else is known, including who the actor actually plays, but his role is said to be villainous and rumored to be something more like a cameo.
Continue reading Giancarlo Esposito’s Marvel Role Revealed: A Villain In ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ at The Playlist.
Continue reading Giancarlo Esposito’s Marvel Role Revealed: A Villain In ‘Captain America: Brave New World’ at The Playlist.
- 6/1/2024
- by Edward Davis
- The Playlist
One weird thing that happens with long-running franchises is that they eventually reach a point where the creatives leading the new movies grew up as fans of the old ones. Sometimes this is a bad thing — it arguably leads to an increase in lazy fan-service at the expense of any bold, innovative creative decisions — but other times it just makes the whole thing feel even more exciting. To know that the new people in charge truly care about the lore can go a long way in keeping viewers on board.
Even outside the writing and the directing department, it's fun when the actors involved love the series, as was the case with "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" star Anya Taylor-Joy. Although it doesn't sound like she's a die-hard fan of the original "Mad Max" films from the '70s and '80s, she does clearly have a ton of respect for "Mad Max: Fury Road,...
Even outside the writing and the directing department, it's fun when the actors involved love the series, as was the case with "Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga" star Anya Taylor-Joy. Although it doesn't sound like she's a die-hard fan of the original "Mad Max" films from the '70s and '80s, she does clearly have a ton of respect for "Mad Max: Fury Road,...
- 6/1/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
The indigenous Yanomami tribe living in the Amazon rainforest on the border between Brazil and Venezuela is dwindling. Only 35,000 remain. They live extraordinary lives that some might classify as primitive, as they exist primarily without any modern technology. They live off the land, so to say, hunting and gathering their food, traveling on foot, and living in houses made of natural materials, without electricity or material comforts. They essentially live as if the past 500 years of humanity, or maybe 2500 for that matter, did not happen.
Continue reading <strong>‘The Falling Sky’ Review: Documentary About An Indigenous Tribe Is An Ecological Parable [Cannes]</strong> at The Playlist.
Continue reading <strong>‘The Falling Sky’ Review: Documentary About An Indigenous Tribe Is An Ecological Parable [Cannes]</strong> at The Playlist.
- 6/1/2024
- by Ankit Jhunjhunwala
- The Playlist
Brian Levant's 1994 film version of "The Flintstones" is a classic example of how major studio blockbusters, no matter now successful, can vanish entirely from the public consciousness. "The Flintstones" is rarely regarded in 2024, often seen only as footnote in its actors' careers, or perhaps a whimsical blunder not worth remembering. Those of us alive in 1994 recall the massive advertising glut that came with "The Flintstones," as well as the toy tie-ins, the magazine covers, the Universal Studios attractions, the Williams pinball machine. "The Flintstones" was a studio tentpole writ large, boasting a beloved, decades-old IP and a dazzling cast of celebrities; John Goodman, Rick Moranis, Rosie O'Donnell, and Elizabeth Taylor appeared, while the film boasted cameos from Laraine Newman, Jay Leno, and the B-52's.
Notably, "Jurassic Park" cinematographer Dean Cundey shot the film, while "Jurassic Park" Michael Lantieri similarly served as SFX supervisor. Everything was super-slick and polished nearly to death.
Notably, "Jurassic Park" cinematographer Dean Cundey shot the film, while "Jurassic Park" Michael Lantieri similarly served as SFX supervisor. Everything was super-slick and polished nearly to death.
- 6/1/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Ernest Cole, the first Black freelance photographer in South Africa, is known today for his contribution to documenting the Apartheid in the 1960s and racial attitudes in America in the 1970s. Born in 1940, he grew up in segregated South Africa before moving to the United States in his youth to evade persecution for his work. He died in 1990 in New York City, in a state of near homelessness, vagrancy, and ignominy.
Continue reading ‘Ernest Cole: Lost and Found’ Review: An Engrossing Portrait Of A Norm-Shattering Photographer [Cannes] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Ernest Cole: Lost and Found’ Review: An Engrossing Portrait Of A Norm-Shattering Photographer [Cannes] at The Playlist.
- 6/1/2024
- by Ankit Jhunjhunwala
- The Playlist
Tom Savini. Rick Baker. Dick Smith. Rob Bottin. Ve Neill. Stan Winston.
The world of special effects makeup often feels like a dying art, with studios and streamers increasingly pursuing CGI and digital FX over practical artistry. Now, there is absolutely room for both styles and different films call for different methods, but gone are the days where the average moviegoer can recognize the name of a special effects makeup artist. Diehard fans are, of course, the exception to the rule, and there's at least one name that horror fanatics all know by heart and are stoked as hell to see on an end credits crawl: Steven Kostanski.
For the uninitiated, Steven Kostanski is one of the most fascinating voices in genre cinema working today. His films "The Void" and "Psycho Goreman" are both well-loved favorites, he finally gave the "Leprechaun" franchise a solid film with "Leprechaun Returns," and Kostanski's...
The world of special effects makeup often feels like a dying art, with studios and streamers increasingly pursuing CGI and digital FX over practical artistry. Now, there is absolutely room for both styles and different films call for different methods, but gone are the days where the average moviegoer can recognize the name of a special effects makeup artist. Diehard fans are, of course, the exception to the rule, and there's at least one name that horror fanatics all know by heart and are stoked as hell to see on an end credits crawl: Steven Kostanski.
For the uninitiated, Steven Kostanski is one of the most fascinating voices in genre cinema working today. His films "The Void" and "Psycho Goreman" are both well-loved favorites, he finally gave the "Leprechaun" franchise a solid film with "Leprechaun Returns," and Kostanski's...
- 6/1/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
"I will not waste chalk." This is the first phrase eternal troublemaker Bart Simpson wrote on an animated blackboard in the opening credits of the second-ever episode of "The Simpsons." That was in January 1990, and though the seminal cartoon sitcom's "chalkboard gags" (as they'd soon be known) have ebbed and flowed in frequency over the years, it's safe to say that Bart has, by now, written thousands of words on that same old dusty board.
The typical, classic "Simpsons" chalkboard gag is written in Bart's voice –- unapologetic and ornery, as if he's blowing a giant raspberry in the face of authority. In the decades since the visual joke caught on, though, the chalkboard gags have become more meta and at times offered knowing winks at the state of the world that clearly come directly from the show's writers' room. In "The Simpsons Movie," for example, Bart writes "I will not illegally download this movie.
The typical, classic "Simpsons" chalkboard gag is written in Bart's voice –- unapologetic and ornery, as if he's blowing a giant raspberry in the face of authority. In the decades since the visual joke caught on, though, the chalkboard gags have become more meta and at times offered knowing winks at the state of the world that clearly come directly from the show's writers' room. In "The Simpsons Movie," for example, Bart writes "I will not illegally download this movie.
- 6/1/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
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