Posts

Updated for February 8: The Oscar nominations are out and Disney dominated with “Encanto” and “Raya and the Last Dragon,” and Pixar’s “Luca.” This marks the first time that Disney has had two in contention since 2016 and the first time it’s had three since 2012. The other two slots were taken by “The Mitchells vs. The Machines” (Netflix/Sony), and the acclaimed documentary “Flee” (Neon/Participant), which also scored historic noms in the doc and international categories....

“Dune” marks a return to form for an ultra-prolific legend who reliably does his best work on movies capable of matching the bombast he always brings to them. “Don’t Look Up” offers another chance to celebrate a rising star in this field, his latest score bringing a sense of elegance and cohesion to a satire that falls a bit short on both. “Parallel Mothers” finds a virtuoso at the top of his game, “Encanto” makes it clear that we need to talk about Franco (as in Germaine, not “Rock Me Amadeus”), and “The Power of the Dog” confirms that a generational talent is becoming one of the greatest to ever do it....

“It’s very complicated for me to talk about [‘The Nightingale’], because we haven’t found any solutions right now,” Laurent said during a recent interview with IndieWire. The film, originally set for release in December 2021, was already in pre-production and just five days out from its production start date when the pandemic hit in March of last year. After production was shut down, Sony pushed the film’s release date to December 21, 2022, but it has yet to resume production....

“You know when you think something is going to be funny and you say it and then you panic about it? That’s what I did,” Bettany said on “Good Morning America” ahead of the finale’s airing. “Fans started guessing who it might be. They were guessing people like Benedict Cumberbatch or Patrick Stewart. I was thinking, ‘God, that’s a good idea and they’re gonna be so disappointed when they find out it’s me....

So are interviews with Anderson himself. In conversation, the filmmaker veers from self-effacing humor to genuine appreciation for the medium he holds dear. “Licorice Pizza” inhabits both of those qualities. Partly inspired by Anderson’s long-time friend and producer Gary Goetzman, it follows a troublemaking teenager (Cooper Hoffman) and his unconventional friendship with a similarly wayward young woman (Alana Haim). As the pair careen through a series of ill-conceived odd jobs against the backdrop of the San Fernando Valley, the movie becomes an immersive, soul-searching portrait of reckless youth as only Anderson could conceive it....

“Mr. Boseman is without question an American treasure and his accolades go on and on,” the most-signed petition states. “It is only fitting that his work is honored in the same place that birthed him. As fellow citizens go about their day they should have a face that sees all people as equal. That sees all citizens regardless of outward appearance as a member of the Anderson community.” The Confederate statue in Anderson, South Carolina, has been at the center of controversy since the murder of George Floyd in May....

The first date of particular import arrives May 12, which serves as the deadline for Primetime programming which aired within the June 1, 2021 – May 31, 2022 eligibility window to submit their entries for Emmy consideration. Just two and a half weeks later comes the official end of the eligibility window and the beginning of Emmy season in earnest. June will consist of non-stop campaigning through the beginning of Phase 1 voting, which starts June 16 and closes June 27....

But the truth is, Black directors and cinematographers have always found ways to shoot Black skin glamorously. Barry Jenkins’ Best Picture winner “Moonlight,” shot by his frequent collaborator James Paxton, was released just the year before, with its purple and blue hues making every Black face look like a rich oil painting. From the work of Julie Dash and Spike Lee to the more contemporary Dee Rees and Ryan Coogler, we can pull a plethora of images capturing all the nuances of dark skin....

Of course, before “Moonlight” changed the game in so many ways — for Black films, queer films, and indie films — the story was very different. There was the head-scratching omission of Todd Haynes’ “Carol” from 2015’s Best Picture nominations, despite the film earning six other nods and there being only eight films in the running out of a potential 10. That year, Eddie Redmayne was nominated for portraying a trans woman in “The Danish Girl,” after Jared Leto had won for doing the same thing in “Dallas Buyers Club” the year before....

“Most directors have horrible last movies,” Tarantino said (via MovieMaker). “Usually their worst movies are their last movies. That’s the case for most of the Golden Age directors that ended up making their last movies in the late ’60s and the ’70s, then that ended up being the case for most of the New Hollywood directors who made their last movies in the late ’80s and the ’90s.” Tarantino pointed to “Bonnie & Clyde” director Arthur Penn as an example, noting, “I’m not a super huge fan of this director, but the fact that Arthur Penn’s last movie is ‘Penn & Teller Get Killed’ is a metaphor for how crummy most of the New Hollywood directors’ last, last films were....

Book-to-film adaptation is a complex, and often misunderstood, art form. On the surface, it might seem like making a movie based on a story that already exists is somehow easier than starting from scratch. But taking someone else’s work of art, which already stands on its own, and making it into something new is a daunting task. For those who are up for the challenge though, it can also be exhilarating....

The film is being produced and financed MRC Non-Fiction, a division of MRC, which is currently engaged with IndieWire parent company PMC in a joint venture partnership. Per the official synopsis: “The film reflects on what Rudy Giuliani once represented to most Americans: a man whose steady response to the attacks of September 11th, 2001 transcended partisan politics and transformed him into a national hero, and explores how the man christened ‘America’s Mayor’ fell from grace and into a downward spiral that’s marred his once venerable reputation....

Last week, Samsung announced a fresh lineup of new products that includes its new and improved flip phone (remember those?). The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 — which will be available on August 27 but you can pre-order them now — are described as the “world’s first foldable phone” featuring an uninterrupted viewing display. The Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 are water-resistant (IPX8 rating), foldable smartphones that won’t get damaged in up to 5’ of water (for up to 30 minutes)....

For one, Schrader said he consulted with a number of colleagues and collaborators on the finished product, including Martin Scorsese, who directed his screenplay of “Taxi Driver.” “Here’s what happened. I was editing. My editor is in New Jersey and my assistant editor is in Tennessee, so we’re all editing virtually. And I had four major dialogue scenes between my principal characters that I had not shot,” Schrader said. “Then I was able to screen virtually the film for a number of people I respect, like Scorsese, who is the executive producer, like [filmmaker and programmer] Kent Jones and other people....

Listen to the full episode below. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.

“‘The Rock.’ Car chase: Sean driving and I’m alone filming him,” Bay writes. “He slams the brakes; my head hits the window. He says, ‘You OK?’ I say, ‘No, the Disney folks are here to kick my butt for being two days over schedule.’ Sean, with that sly look, says, ‘You want me to help?’ Cut to: Having lunch with the Disney execs in a third-grade classroom, sitting at tiny tables and chairs....

“I also look back to that interview in 2018 where I comment that I would keep working with James,” Rogen told The Times, “and the truth is that I have not and I do not plan to right now.” When asked if the allegations against Franco affected their personal relationship as much as their professional relationship, Rogen responded, “I don’t know if I can define that right now during this interview....

The dash of context that follows makes it clear that the Sheppards have already survived a marathon to get to this moment, and that directors Tone Grøttjord-Glenne and Corinne van der Borch could have made an exultant (if harrowing) film about the unique hurdles these girls cleared on their way to becoming unlikely track stars. But this movie isn’t about that part of their lives, perhaps because Grøttjord-Glenne and van der Borch weren’t there to film it....

“Star Wars” producer Kathleen Kennedy reflected on 2018’s prequel film “Solo: A Star Wars Story,” which dove into the origin story for Han Solo, played by Alden Ehrenreich as a precursor to Harrison Ford’s iconic iteration of the character. The film was plagued with reshoots after co-directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller unexpectedly left the film due to creative differences. Lead star Ehrenreich reportedly also was highly encouraged to work with an acting coach on set....

The movie’s hypnotic power works in tandem with a simple narrative arc — a fallen king, the noble son rising from the ashes to set things right, the usual jam. The animation invites readymade comparisons to two earlier stalwarts of the genre, “Fantastic Planet” and “Yellow Submarine,” owing enough to those precedents that it may as well be conceived on a grid. At the same time, the movie radiates with a refreshing energy, pushing the boundaries of the animated form even by its own hallucinogenic standards....