Paul Schrader hit Cannes this weekend with Competition title Oh, Canada, reuniting him with American Gigolo star Richard Gere in the role of a terminally ill documentarian who reveals secrets as his life nears its end.
Lead producer David Gonzales says the fact that the film was ready for a Cannes splash was a miracle on a number of fronts.
Development began just 18 months ago after Schrader learned that his good friend, writer Russell Banks, was suffering from cancer.
Schrader, who previously adapted Banks’ novel Affliction to the big screen, felt compelled to make a new film based on Banks’ penultimate 2021 book Foregone, which the writer had originally wanted to title ‘Oh, Canada.’
“He said, ‘This is my next film, I can see the film in my head.’ We’re going back to the end of 2022,” says Gonzales, who secured the rights.
Banks died in January 2023 as Schrader was mid-screenplay.
Lead producer David Gonzales says the fact that the film was ready for a Cannes splash was a miracle on a number of fronts.
Development began just 18 months ago after Schrader learned that his good friend, writer Russell Banks, was suffering from cancer.
Schrader, who previously adapted Banks’ novel Affliction to the big screen, felt compelled to make a new film based on Banks’ penultimate 2021 book Foregone, which the writer had originally wanted to title ‘Oh, Canada.’
“He said, ‘This is my next film, I can see the film in my head.’ We’re going back to the end of 2022,” says Gonzales, who secured the rights.
Banks died in January 2023 as Schrader was mid-screenplay.
- 5/18/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
The cinema of Paul Schrader has always felt like a confessional, all those dark rooms and troubled men, the registered Swiftie’s own tortured poets department. The confessional edges closer to the form in his latest film Oh, Canada, an august adaptation of Russell Banks’ 2021 novel Foregone that tells of a famous documentary filmmaker at the end of his days, divulging secrets of his past to an interviewer’s head-on camera. Might the old Calvinist be looking for a little more absolution? When Banks, a friend since the director’s adaptation of Affliction, died in 2023, Schrader was coming to the tail end of his own series of health scares––these included everything from hospitalizations for long Covid to the retina detaching from his right eye during the filming of Master Gardener. “If I’m going to make a film about death,” he recently admitted thinking to himself at the time,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Rory O'Connor
- The Film Stage
The Paul Schrader Renaissance began the moment “First Reformed” debuted to the director’s best reviews in at least 15 years, back in 2017. The spiritual trilogy formed around it — “The Card Counter” and “Master Gardener” — have fostered in a new generation’s mind this frankly narrow vision of what constitutes a Paul Schrader movie: men in rooms, pens across diaries, peculiar revenge plots.
It’s likely that audiences anticipating another drama in which a man’s profession comes dressed as the sick soul of America will be baffled by “Oh, Canada,” his newest feature now in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It’s based on Russell Banks’ 2021 novel “Foregone.” Those well-acquainted with Schrader’s half-century of cinema may find themselves on the edge of bafflement with this film, which uses the last will and testament of documentary filmmaker Leonard Fife (Richard Gere) as a trickle-down device for 55 years of guilt,...
It’s likely that audiences anticipating another drama in which a man’s profession comes dressed as the sick soul of America will be baffled by “Oh, Canada,” his newest feature now in competition at the Cannes Film Festival. It’s based on Russell Banks’ 2021 novel “Foregone.” Those well-acquainted with Schrader’s half-century of cinema may find themselves on the edge of bafflement with this film, which uses the last will and testament of documentary filmmaker Leonard Fife (Richard Gere) as a trickle-down device for 55 years of guilt,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Nick Newman
- Indiewire
Diaries are written in secrecy, free-flowing thoughts anchored to the page as if the ink could stop memories from vanishing through the hands of time. Filmmaker Paul Schrader understands the lingering, often quiet desperation of journaling like few filmmakers do. From “Taxi Driver” to “Master Gardener,” the director’s work returns time and time to a man sitting by a desk with only an open journal, his words, and a small lamp for company.
Continue reading ‘Oh, Canada’ Review: Richard Gere & Jacob Elordi Are Brilliant In Paul Schrader’s Moving Contemplation Of Legacy [Cannes] at The Playlist.
Continue reading ‘Oh, Canada’ Review: Richard Gere & Jacob Elordi Are Brilliant In Paul Schrader’s Moving Contemplation Of Legacy [Cannes] at The Playlist.
- 5/18/2024
- by Rafa Sales Ross
- The Playlist
Paul Schrader may have found a trick for cheating death: Just make more movies. Amid some serious health struggles over the past few years, the 77-year-old auteur and screenwriting legend has entered one of his most prolific phases.
“Every time I’m getting ready to die, I have a new idea,” Schrader says. “Then I think, ‘Oh well, I guess I can’t die yet. I have to write this.’ ”
Over a recent five-year stretch, Schrader wrote and directed what he describes as an accidental trilogy — First Reformed (2017) with Ethan Hawke, The Card Counter (2021) with Oscar Isaac and Master Gardener (2022) with Joel Edgerton — with each film involving a fresh spin on the “man alone in a room” archetype he invented nearly 50 years ago with his script for Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976). Schrader is now back again with a new feature, Oh, Canada, co-starring Richard Gere, Uma Thurman, Michael Imperioli,...
“Every time I’m getting ready to die, I have a new idea,” Schrader says. “Then I think, ‘Oh well, I guess I can’t die yet. I have to write this.’ ”
Over a recent five-year stretch, Schrader wrote and directed what he describes as an accidental trilogy — First Reformed (2017) with Ethan Hawke, The Card Counter (2021) with Oscar Isaac and Master Gardener (2022) with Joel Edgerton — with each film involving a fresh spin on the “man alone in a room” archetype he invented nearly 50 years ago with his script for Martin Scorsese’s Taxi Driver (1976). Schrader is now back again with a new feature, Oh, Canada, co-starring Richard Gere, Uma Thurman, Michael Imperioli,...
- 5/18/2024
- by Patrick Brzeski
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Hard to believe it has been 44 years since Paul Schrader and star Richard Gere last worked together on 1980’s seminal American Gigolo, a film that became not just a keystone in Gere’s celebrated career but also one for one Schrader’s as one of his earliest directorial credits. Of course he has written some of the great screenplays, particularly in his collaborations with Martin Scorsese on Raging Bull, The Last Temptation of Christ and Taxi Driver. But it is what interests him now a half century later as a writer-director that continues to fascinate.
In recent years that has included insular works like The Card Counter, Master Gardener and the critically acclaimed First Reformed. Now he has returned to more of what he labels a “mosaic,” in this case a movie made up of pieces of a life put under a cinematic microscope at different periods, all moving in...
In recent years that has included insular works like The Card Counter, Master Gardener and the critically acclaimed First Reformed. Now he has returned to more of what he labels a “mosaic,” in this case a movie made up of pieces of a life put under a cinematic microscope at different periods, all moving in...
- 5/17/2024
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
Sigourney Weaver is in talks to star in the upcoming Star Wars film, The Mandalorian & Grogu.
Word of Weaver’s involvement became public on Friday, first reported by The InSneider newsletter. Currently, her role and its scope are unknown, but given Weaver’s track record for starring in sci-fi hits, the casting feels appropriate.
The Mandalorian & Grogu was first announced this past January, and will see Pedro Pascal reprise the titular role that he originated with the 2019 Disney+ series The Mandalorian. N0w, making the jump to the big screen, the film will expand upon the show’s universe (which also spurred the spinoff series Ahsoka).
Jon Favreau, creator of The Mandalorian, will return to direct the film, which also marks the first feature-length Star Wars release since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy and chief creative officer Dave Filoni will produce, as will Favreau.
Word of Weaver’s involvement became public on Friday, first reported by The InSneider newsletter. Currently, her role and its scope are unknown, but given Weaver’s track record for starring in sci-fi hits, the casting feels appropriate.
The Mandalorian & Grogu was first announced this past January, and will see Pedro Pascal reprise the titular role that he originated with the 2019 Disney+ series The Mandalorian. N0w, making the jump to the big screen, the film will expand upon the show’s universe (which also spurred the spinoff series Ahsoka).
Jon Favreau, creator of The Mandalorian, will return to direct the film, which also marks the first feature-length Star Wars release since 2019’s Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Lucasfilm head Kathleen Kennedy and chief creative officer Dave Filoni will produce, as will Favreau.
- 5/11/2024
- by Jo Vito
- Consequence - Film News
This year’s 77th Cannes Film Festival will mark a meeting of the New Hollywood minds in France. Not only is George Lucas receiving the festival’s Honorary Palme d’Or, but filmmakers Francis Ford Coppola and Paul Schrader are in the official Competition for the first time in decades.
While Schrader has gone the route of Venice for his “lonely man in a room” trilogy — “First Reformed,” “The Card Counter,” and “Master Gardener” all premiered in Italy — he’s at Cannes this year with “Oh, Canada.” The lineup was confirmed this morning by Cannes festival director Thierry Frémaux. The contemplative drama about a tortured writer looking back on his years as a leftist who fled to Canada to avoid being drafted into the Vietnam War stars Jacob Elordi, Richard Gere, and Uma Thurman. Cue the flashbulbs for a buzzy Elordi red carpet moment. The “Euphoria” breakout was last seen...
While Schrader has gone the route of Venice for his “lonely man in a room” trilogy — “First Reformed,” “The Card Counter,” and “Master Gardener” all premiered in Italy — he’s at Cannes this year with “Oh, Canada.” The lineup was confirmed this morning by Cannes festival director Thierry Frémaux. The contemplative drama about a tortured writer looking back on his years as a leftist who fled to Canada to avoid being drafted into the Vietnam War stars Jacob Elordi, Richard Gere, and Uma Thurman. Cue the flashbulbs for a buzzy Elordi red carpet moment. The “Euphoria” breakout was last seen...
- 4/11/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Original Score Killers of the Flower Moon Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone Credit: AppleTV+
Weekly Commentary: It’s Ludwig Göransson taking home another Oscar for “Oppenheimer,” following his first win for “Black Panther.”
Next.
Will Win: “Oppenheimer” (Ludwig Göransson)
Could Win: “Killers of the Flower Moon...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Original Score Killers of the Flower Moon Leonardo DiCaprio and Lily Gladstone Credit: AppleTV+
Weekly Commentary: It’s Ludwig Göransson taking home another Oscar for “Oppenheimer,” following his first win for “Black Panther.”
Next.
Will Win: “Oppenheimer” (Ludwig Göransson)
Could Win: “Killers of the Flower Moon...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Weekly Commentary: “The Creator” has the advantage, but honesty, any film can win.
“Godzilla Minus One” is in the discussion and could be a cool choice for the Academy to make, similar to “Ex Machina.” However, don’t count out the power...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Visual Effects
Weekly Commentary: “The Creator” has the advantage, but honesty, any film can win.
“Godzilla Minus One” is in the discussion and could be a cool choice for the Academy to make, similar to “Ex Machina.” However, don’t count out the power...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling “Poor Things” – Willem Dafoe
Weekly Commentary: Another deathmatch between two movies — Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ sci-fi comedy “Poor Things.”
“Maestro” won big at the Makeup and Hair guild while “Poor Things” took home the BAFTA prize.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Makeup and Hairstyling “Poor Things” – Willem Dafoe
Weekly Commentary: Another deathmatch between two movies — Bradley Cooper’s Leonard Bernstein biopic “Maestro” and Yorgos Lanthimos’ sci-fi comedy “Poor Things.”
“Maestro” won big at the Makeup and Hair guild while “Poor Things” took home the BAFTA prize.
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Actor The Holdovers, Paul Giamatti, 2023. ph: Seacia Pavao / © Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection
Weekly Commentary: The realm of lead actor has been ruled by Cillian Murphy’s captivating portrayal in Nolan’s cinematic opus “Oppenheimer.” However, the final stretch of voting has seen two seasoned industry...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Actor The Holdovers, Paul Giamatti, 2023. ph: Seacia Pavao / © Focus Features / Courtesy Everett Collection
Weekly Commentary: The realm of lead actor has been ruled by Cillian Murphy’s captivating portrayal in Nolan’s cinematic opus “Oppenheimer.” However, the final stretch of voting has seen two seasoned industry...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Variety Awards Circuit section is the home for all awards news and related content throughout the year, featuring the following: the official predictions for the upcoming Oscars, Emmys, Grammys and Tony Awards ceremonies, curated by Variety senior awards editor Clayton Davis. The prediction pages reflect the current standings in the race and do not reflect personal preferences for any individual contender. As other formal (and informal) polls suggest, competitions are fluid and subject to change based on buzz and events. Predictions are updated every Thursday.
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Directing The Zone Of Interest, 2023. © A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection
Weekly Commentary: Christopher Nolan… in a walk. It’s not really worth going over any other potential upsets, but if you prefer — Jonathan Glazer for “The Zone of Interest.”
After a year hit with Hollywood...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Achievement in Directing The Zone Of Interest, 2023. © A24 / Courtesy Everett Collection
Weekly Commentary: Christopher Nolan… in a walk. It’s not really worth going over any other potential upsets, but if you prefer — Jonathan Glazer for “The Zone of Interest.”
After a year hit with Hollywood...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Rick Cosnett is joining the upcoming seventh season of 9-1-1 in a key recurring role. In its first season on ABC after its cancellation by Fox, the new season is set on a cruise ship with harrowing experiences ahead.
A recently released teaser trailer (you can watch it below) gives us a glimpse of what’s ahead. Having boarded a cruise ship during the Season 6 finale for a secret honeymoon vacation, Athena (Angela Bassett) and Bobby (Peter Krause) are at the center of the action when terrorists take over their ship.
Cosnett guest stars in a key arc as charismatic cruise director Julian Enes.
Per the premiere episode description: “Athena and Bobby set off on their honeymoon cruise, but when duty calls, their vacation is put on hold. Meanwhile, a fighter jet traps a civilian, and an unusual incident leaves a couple stuck together.”
The series also stars Jennifer Love Hewitt as Maddie Buckley,...
A recently released teaser trailer (you can watch it below) gives us a glimpse of what’s ahead. Having boarded a cruise ship during the Season 6 finale for a secret honeymoon vacation, Athena (Angela Bassett) and Bobby (Peter Krause) are at the center of the action when terrorists take over their ship.
Cosnett guest stars in a key arc as charismatic cruise director Julian Enes.
Per the premiere episode description: “Athena and Bobby set off on their honeymoon cruise, but when duty calls, their vacation is put on hold. Meanwhile, a fighter jet traps a civilian, and an unusual incident leaves a couple stuck together.”
The series also stars Jennifer Love Hewitt as Maddie Buckley,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
Paul Schrader‘s follow-up to “Master Gardener,” “Oh, Canada,” will be at the EFM at the Berlinale, but the auteur already has his eyes set on another picture. IndieWire reports that Schrader teased his next project at the Q&a at Roxy Cinema in NYC. And no, it’s not the script about a trauma nurse he optioned off to Elisabeth Moss for her to direct and star in.
Continue reading Paul Schrader’s New Script He’s Writing Is About A “Sexual Obsessor” at The Playlist.
Continue reading Paul Schrader’s New Script He’s Writing Is About A “Sexual Obsessor” at The Playlist.
- 2/22/2024
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
The specter of death was all around Paul Schrader as he wrote and filmed “Oh Canada,” starring Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi. The new film, being sold by Arclight Films at the European Film Market, centers around the last days of documentary filmmaker Leonard Fife and is based on the Russell Banks’ novel “Foregone.” Schrader was a longtime pal of Banks since Schrader directed the adaptation of Banks’ acclaimed “Affliction” in 1989. Banks died in January 2023 as Schrader was working on the “Canada” screenplay. “We corresponded up to almost the end,” says Schrader. “My health was bad too.” He contracted Covid-19 and endured subsequent respiratory issues that led to hospitalization.
“We were all dealing with mortality issues as Leonard does in the film. You get to the point where you wonder how many bullets you have left in the gun,” the veteran filmmaker says.
Schrader and Banks’ Fife is an enigmatic...
“We were all dealing with mortality issues as Leonard does in the film. You get to the point where you wonder how many bullets you have left in the gun,” the veteran filmmaker says.
Schrader and Banks’ Fife is an enigmatic...
- 2/16/2024
- by Stephen Rodrick
- Variety Film + TV
Arclight Films has boarded Paul Schrader’s “Oh, Canada” starring Jacob Elordi and Richard Gere, and will launch sales at the upcoming European Film Market.
Along with Elordi and Gere, who worked with Schrader on his cult movie “American Gigolo” more than 40 years ago, the cast of “Oh Canada” also includes Michael Imperioli and Uma Thurman. WME Independent is co-repping domestic rights with Gonzales.
“Oh, Canada” is based on the 2021 searing novel “Foregone,” written by bestselling author Russell Banks. The film depicts the story of famed documentary filmmaker Leonard Fife, an American leftist who fled to Canada as a young man to avoid the Vietnam War draft.
“As Fife battles cancer in Montreal during his twilight years, he agrees to a final interview,” the film’s synopsis reads. “Intent on revealing his long-guarded secrets and demystifying his mythologized life, Fife’s shocking confession unfolds amidst the presence of his wife,...
Along with Elordi and Gere, who worked with Schrader on his cult movie “American Gigolo” more than 40 years ago, the cast of “Oh Canada” also includes Michael Imperioli and Uma Thurman. WME Independent is co-repping domestic rights with Gonzales.
“Oh, Canada” is based on the 2021 searing novel “Foregone,” written by bestselling author Russell Banks. The film depicts the story of famed documentary filmmaker Leonard Fife, an American leftist who fled to Canada as a young man to avoid the Vietnam War draft.
“As Fife battles cancer in Montreal during his twilight years, he agrees to a final interview,” the film’s synopsis reads. “Intent on revealing his long-guarded secrets and demystifying his mythologized life, Fife’s shocking confession unfolds amidst the presence of his wife,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Following The Film Stage’s collective top 50 films of 2023, as part of our year-end coverage, our contributors are sharing their personal top 10 lists.
From an industry standpoint, 2023 was eventful. We witnessed concurrent strikes, widespread film festival upheaval, Universal besting Disney at the box office, and much more. (I recommend Matt Belloni’s The Town podcast to keep up with this side of town.) On the indie biz side, this was a year in which I saw two small films succeed utilizing a method I long thought dead (or at least on life support): that being good old-fashioned four-walling. Al Warren’s Dogleg and Case Esparros’ The Absence of Milk in the Mouths of the Lost both captured the momentum of cross-country film touring with in-person Q&As. Distributor Utopia has mounted a similar touring strategy for Sean Price Williams’ directorial debut The Sweet East.
When it comes to the films themselves,...
From an industry standpoint, 2023 was eventful. We witnessed concurrent strikes, widespread film festival upheaval, Universal besting Disney at the box office, and much more. (I recommend Matt Belloni’s The Town podcast to keep up with this side of town.) On the indie biz side, this was a year in which I saw two small films succeed utilizing a method I long thought dead (or at least on life support): that being good old-fashioned four-walling. Al Warren’s Dogleg and Case Esparros’ The Absence of Milk in the Mouths of the Lost both captured the momentum of cross-country film touring with in-person Q&As. Distributor Utopia has mounted a similar touring strategy for Sean Price Williams’ directorial debut The Sweet East.
When it comes to the films themselves,...
- 1/9/2024
- by Caleb Hammond
- The Film Stage
321 films are in contention for this year’s Academy Awards, while 265 features are eligible in the best picture category, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on Monday as it released its annual “reminder list” for members.
To be eligible in the general categories, films (meaning a runtime of more than 40 minutes) must open in a commercial theater in at least one of the following areas: Los Angeles County; the city of New York; the Bay Area; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and Atlanta, Georgia, between Jan. 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2023. Additionally, it must complete a minimum qualifying run of seven consecutive days in the same venue.
To be eligible for the best picture category specifically, the movies must be eligible for the general entry and have “submitted a confidential Academy Representation and Inclusion Standards entry form.” Additionally, the film must meet two of the four standards required, in addition to the theatrical component.
To be eligible in the general categories, films (meaning a runtime of more than 40 minutes) must open in a commercial theater in at least one of the following areas: Los Angeles County; the city of New York; the Bay Area; Chicago, Illinois; Miami, Florida; and Atlanta, Georgia, between Jan. 1, 2023 and Dec. 31, 2023. Additionally, it must complete a minimum qualifying run of seven consecutive days in the same venue.
To be eligible for the best picture category specifically, the movies must be eligible for the general entry and have “submitted a confidential Academy Representation and Inclusion Standards entry form.” Additionally, the film must meet two of the four standards required, in addition to the theatrical component.
- 1/8/2024
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Searching for and listening to movie soundtrack music for the year is an active quest of curiosity, discovery, and collage. For those fatigued and pushing through the chilliest season, I hope this mix can provide both energy and warmth, as it did to me in making it.Trends in film music over the last decade are continuing strong in 2023, particularly in the ambition of independent auteurs using complex and unusual scoring. The foundation for this mix is Angela Schanelec's beautiful and aptly titled Music, which provides both diegetic and non-diegetic moments to guide us. Samples range from The Old Oak, in which classical choral choir meets Syrian guitar and words of hope that now hit harder than ever, to a mix of sentimental strings courtesy of the legendary Joe Hisaishi. Abstract experimental sounds by two completely different kinds of artists—Harmony Korine and Thomas Newman—are mixed with sliced...
- 1/4/2024
- MUBI
At 77 years young, Paul Schrader is really in a considerable renaissance period. He was undoubtedly in the wild and lost in the woods there for a few years, but he returned to his “Taxi Driver” roots and a style of minimalism he always professed to love but never actually attempted with “First Reformed” (2017), which paid off with huge dividends. Every film he’s directed since “The Card Counter” and “Master Gardener” has shown a filmmaker totally rejuvenated in his old age.
Continue reading Paul Schrader Calls Joaquin Phoenix “Bland” & Throws DiCaprio’s ‘Killers Of The Flower’ “Idiot” Character Under The Bus at The Playlist.
Continue reading Paul Schrader Calls Joaquin Phoenix “Bland” & Throws DiCaprio’s ‘Killers Of The Flower’ “Idiot” Character Under The Bus at The Playlist.
- 1/1/2024
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
Let’s get to the new and then get to the semi-old, something we missed back in the day. Indiewire recently invited over 35 filmmakers to participate in a list of their favorite films of 2023. One of the filmmakers is the always-controversial Paul Schrader, who has named “Master Gardener” his own movie, one of his fave films of 2023.
Schader’s list in order goes like this:
Master Gardener Oppenheimer Barbie American Fiction Maestro Fallen Leaves Leave the World Behind Last Summer
Read More: Paul Schrader Reveals Quentin Tarantino’s ‘The Movie Critic’ Will Recreate & Reimagine ’70s Films Like ‘Rolling Thunder’
Gotta love that he put it above Christopher Nolan and Greta Gerwig’s highest-grossing films of 2023 movies.
Continue reading Paul Schrader Says Elisabeth Moss Will Direct His “Feminine” Script & Names His Own ‘Master Gardener’ One Of 2023’s Best Films at The Playlist.
Schader’s list in order goes like this:
Master Gardener Oppenheimer Barbie American Fiction Maestro Fallen Leaves Leave the World Behind Last Summer
Read More: Paul Schrader Reveals Quentin Tarantino’s ‘The Movie Critic’ Will Recreate & Reimagine ’70s Films Like ‘Rolling Thunder’
Gotta love that he put it above Christopher Nolan and Greta Gerwig’s highest-grossing films of 2023 movies.
Continue reading Paul Schrader Says Elisabeth Moss Will Direct His “Feminine” Script & Names His Own ‘Master Gardener’ One Of 2023’s Best Films at The Playlist.
- 1/1/2024
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
Though Master Gardener is appearing on best-of-2023 lists, Paul Schrader isn’t slowing down or resting on laurels. In October he finished shooting his 24th feature Oh, Canada, an adaptation of the novel by his friend (and Affliction writer) Russell Banks starring Richard Gere, Jacob Elordi, Uma Thurman, and Michael Imperioli. An American Gigolo reunion in the midst of Schrader’s late-career hot streak is enough to vault that into upper echelons of most-anticipated 2024 features, but excitement is doubled by a recent interview in Le Monde where arguably his greatest film gets invoked: “It’s the first time, since Mishima, that I’ve made a puzzle film. Or an assembly of scattered memories, heterogeneous formats, fragments.” And despite wrapping two months ago, a 91-minute cut (retaining every scene shot over 17 days) is already finished, now only awaiting a score by the group Phosphorescent.
But when do we see it? Schrader thinks Oh,...
But when do we see it? Schrader thinks Oh,...
- 12/29/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Following The Film Stage’s collective top 50 films of 2023, as part of our year-end coverage, our contributors are sharing their personal top 10 lists.
After 2022 left me feeling a bit out in weeds in regards to film culture, I came into 2023 a pessimist and left with a rejuvenated belief that the movies are, indeed, back. This year was overflowing with riches, to the point where even up until this very moment I’m mentally swapping in and out some titles for the list you’re about to see of my annual favorites.
There’s just too many gems I don’t want to leave behind, and they came in all shapes and sizes. From some of my favorite directors making highly anticipated returns (including one for their final feature) to filmmakers I’ve always been cold on for the first time making something that has nestled its way into my heart...
After 2022 left me feeling a bit out in weeds in regards to film culture, I came into 2023 a pessimist and left with a rejuvenated belief that the movies are, indeed, back. This year was overflowing with riches, to the point where even up until this very moment I’m mentally swapping in and out some titles for the list you’re about to see of my annual favorites.
There’s just too many gems I don’t want to leave behind, and they came in all shapes and sizes. From some of my favorite directors making highly anticipated returns (including one for their final feature) to filmmakers I’ve always been cold on for the first time making something that has nestled its way into my heart...
- 12/22/2023
- by Mitchell Beaupre
- The Film Stage
Following The Film Stage’s collective top 50 films of 2023, as part of our year-end coverage, our contributors are sharing their personal top 10 lists.
Many of the most memorable moments of my life have revolved around cinema. (Let’s not debate whether that is a good thing.) And 2023 was no exception. There was a twentieth-anniversary screening of the mesmerizing Mulholland Drive at Buffalo’s North Park Theatre featuring a performance from the remarkable Rebekah Del Rio. That was a biggie, but many of my most indelible 2023 cinema memories include my children. In July, my wife and our two kiddos had a rare group cinema outing to Barbie on its opening day, and I have rarely seen my then-eight-year-old daughter more genuinely excited to dance the night away. A few weeks earlier my son was similarly pumped for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny—his first (and only) chance to see...
Many of the most memorable moments of my life have revolved around cinema. (Let’s not debate whether that is a good thing.) And 2023 was no exception. There was a twentieth-anniversary screening of the mesmerizing Mulholland Drive at Buffalo’s North Park Theatre featuring a performance from the remarkable Rebekah Del Rio. That was a biggie, but many of my most indelible 2023 cinema memories include my children. In July, my wife and our two kiddos had a rare group cinema outing to Barbie on its opening day, and I have rarely seen my then-eight-year-old daughter more genuinely excited to dance the night away. A few weeks earlier my son was similarly pumped for Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny—his first (and only) chance to see...
- 12/20/2023
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
As Martin Scorsese once said, “Music and cinema fit together naturally. Because there’s a kind of intrinsic musicality to the way moving images work when they’re put together. It’s been said that cinema and music are very close as art forms, and I think that’s true.” Indeed, the right piece of music––whether it’s an original score or a carefully selected song––can do wonders for a sequence, and today we’re looking at the 20 films that best expressed that notion in 2023.
From seasoned composers to accomplished musicians, as well as a smattering of soundtracks, each perfectly transported us. Check out our rundown of the top 20, which includes streams to each soundtrack in full where available.
20. Infinity Pool (Tim Hecker)
19. Knock at the Cabin (Herdís Stefánsdóttir)
18. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Lorne Balfe)
17. Passages (Various Artists)
16. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Daniel Pemberton)
15. Master Gardener...
From seasoned composers to accomplished musicians, as well as a smattering of soundtracks, each perfectly transported us. Check out our rundown of the top 20, which includes streams to each soundtrack in full where available.
20. Infinity Pool (Tim Hecker)
19. Knock at the Cabin (Herdís Stefánsdóttir)
18. Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One (Lorne Balfe)
17. Passages (Various Artists)
16. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Daniel Pemberton)
15. Master Gardener...
- 12/19/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Our Pmc sister website Variety is reporting that the motion picture academy has named 149 movies as eligible for Best Original Score at the 2024 Oscars. See the complete list below of every score currently on the ballot for the music branch. A total of 15 will be announced this Thursday, December 21, on the Oscar short list. A final five will be revealed on January 23 as the the actual nominees.
SEEOscars 2024: Which 94 tunes are eligible for Best Original Song?
Gold Derby has been offering you the opportunity to predict the Best Original Score category for the past few weeks. Among some of the surprise omissions: “Asteroid City,” “Flora and Son,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Wonka.” Each film used too much non-original music to remain qualified.
According to our most current Gold Derby odds with over 6,800 people predicting, here are the scores ranked in the top 10:
1. “Oppenheimer” – 71/20 odds
2. “Killers of the Flower Moon...
SEEOscars 2024: Which 94 tunes are eligible for Best Original Song?
Gold Derby has been offering you the opportunity to predict the Best Original Score category for the past few weeks. Among some of the surprise omissions: “Asteroid City,” “Flora and Son,” “The Little Mermaid” and “Wonka.” Each film used too much non-original music to remain qualified.
According to our most current Gold Derby odds with over 6,800 people predicting, here are the scores ranked in the top 10:
1. “Oppenheimer” – 71/20 odds
2. “Killers of the Flower Moon...
- 12/17/2023
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Every year, come December, cinephiles anticipate the top 10 lists of various publications, critics, and filmmakers. Cahier du cinema kicked things off in 2023, but now it’s John Waters‘ turn to reveal his favorite movies of the year. And like the legendary film mag, Waters’ choices never disappoint; a provocative mix that almost always veers French. Vulture supplies the Waters top 10 list this year, so what sits atop the cult auteur’s list for 2023?
Continue reading John Waters’ Top 10 Films Of 2023 List Includes ‘Beau Is Afraid,’ ‘A Prince,’ ‘Master Gardener’ & More at The Playlist.
Continue reading John Waters’ Top 10 Films Of 2023 List Includes ‘Beau Is Afraid,’ ‘A Prince,’ ‘Master Gardener’ & More at The Playlist.
- 12/7/2023
- by Ned Booth
- The Playlist
John Waters isn’t afraid to name Ari Aster’s existential dark comedy “Beau Is Afraid” as the best film of 2023.
The “Pink Flamingos” director shared his annual list of favorite movies of the year with Vulture, crowning the A24 film as his number one pick.
“A superlong, super-crazy, super-funny movie about one man’s mental breakdown with a cast better than ‘Around the World in 80 Days’: Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone, Parker Posey, Nathan Lane, and Amy Ryan,” Waters wrote. “It’s a laugh riot from hell you’ll never forget, even if you want to.”
Pierre Croton’s “A Prince,” Paul Schrader’s “Master Gardener,” “Fallen Leaves,” “Do Not Expect Too Much of the End of the World,” “Last Summer,” and “Strange Way of Life,” the short film directed by Pedro Almodóvar, were all included in Waters’ list. The director additionally included Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” which Waters...
The “Pink Flamingos” director shared his annual list of favorite movies of the year with Vulture, crowning the A24 film as his number one pick.
“A superlong, super-crazy, super-funny movie about one man’s mental breakdown with a cast better than ‘Around the World in 80 Days’: Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone, Parker Posey, Nathan Lane, and Amy Ryan,” Waters wrote. “It’s a laugh riot from hell you’ll never forget, even if you want to.”
Pierre Croton’s “A Prince,” Paul Schrader’s “Master Gardener,” “Fallen Leaves,” “Do Not Expect Too Much of the End of the World,” “Last Summer,” and “Strange Way of Life,” the short film directed by Pedro Almodóvar, were all included in Waters’ list. The director additionally included Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” which Waters...
- 12/7/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
One of our favorite traditions in best-of-the-year festivities is a lineup that tends to find a more interesting path than any guilds or critics groups. The wonderfully eccentric John Waters, whose tastes always includes a mix of the unexpected and underseen, hasn’t let us down with his top 10 films of 2023.
Published at Vulture, where one should click over to read thoughts on each, his top 10 is capped by Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid. Other selections include Paul Schrader’s Master Gardener, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, plus the latest from Pedro Almodóvar, Aki Kaurismäki, Radu Jude, and Catherine Breillat, as well as the overlooked Full Time.
Check out the list below, along with our reviews where available.
1. Beau Is Afraid (Ari Aster)
2. A Prince (Pierre Creton)
3. Master Gardener (Paul Schrader)
4. Full Time (Éric Gravel)
5. Last Summer (Catherine Breillat)
6. Sparta (Ulrich Seidl)
7. Fallen Leaves (Aki Kaurismäki)
8. Strange Way of Life...
Published at Vulture, where one should click over to read thoughts on each, his top 10 is capped by Ari Aster’s Beau Is Afraid. Other selections include Paul Schrader’s Master Gardener, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer, plus the latest from Pedro Almodóvar, Aki Kaurismäki, Radu Jude, and Catherine Breillat, as well as the overlooked Full Time.
Check out the list below, along with our reviews where available.
1. Beau Is Afraid (Ari Aster)
2. A Prince (Pierre Creton)
3. Master Gardener (Paul Schrader)
4. Full Time (Éric Gravel)
5. Last Summer (Catherine Breillat)
6. Sparta (Ulrich Seidl)
7. Fallen Leaves (Aki Kaurismäki)
8. Strange Way of Life...
- 12/7/2023
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Rotterdam Film Festival Sets ‘Head South’ As Opening Film
Jonathan Ogilvie’s post-punk, coming-of-age comedy Head South has been announced as the opening picture of the 53rd International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), running from January 25 to February 4. The festival has also teased a handful of early selections. They include Indian filmmaker Ishan Shukla’s dystopian, sci-fi animation Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust and U.S. director Billy Woodberry’s biodoc Mário, about African independence activist Mário de Andrade, which will both world premiere. Further confirmations include European premieres for Amanda Kramer’s So Unreal and Ann Hui’s Elegies as well as Omar Hilal’s Voy! Voy! Voy!, which is Egypt’s Oscar entry this year. The festival will unveil its full line-up on December 18.
Paul Schrader To Be Feted At Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Avellino Festival
U.S. director and screenwriter Paul Schrader will be honored with a Lifetime...
Jonathan Ogilvie’s post-punk, coming-of-age comedy Head South has been announced as the opening picture of the 53rd International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), running from January 25 to February 4. The festival has also teased a handful of early selections. They include Indian filmmaker Ishan Shukla’s dystopian, sci-fi animation Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust and U.S. director Billy Woodberry’s biodoc Mário, about African independence activist Mário de Andrade, which will both world premiere. Further confirmations include European premieres for Amanda Kramer’s So Unreal and Ann Hui’s Elegies as well as Omar Hilal’s Voy! Voy! Voy!, which is Egypt’s Oscar entry this year. The festival will unveil its full line-up on December 18.
Paul Schrader To Be Feted At Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Avellino Festival
U.S. director and screenwriter Paul Schrader will be honored with a Lifetime...
- 11/23/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
by Cláudio Alves
If you've read my thoughts on Decision to Leave, you might have realized I'm obsessed with wallpaper as set design. Indeed, one of these days, I might do a Top Ten best wall coverings in Park Chan-wook's filmography, for he remains the king of wallpaper cinema. Not that the Korean master is the only cineaste to dip their toes into these pools of scenographic goodness. Recently, one can think of the nauseating renovations in Zone of Interest, the autumnal florals in Killers of the Flower Moon, Priscilla's pretty pastels, and Cobweb's domestic nightmare.
Still, in 2023, one film utilized wallpaper like no other – Paul Schrader's Master Gardener, with sets designed by Ashley Fenton…...
If you've read my thoughts on Decision to Leave, you might have realized I'm obsessed with wallpaper as set design. Indeed, one of these days, I might do a Top Ten best wall coverings in Park Chan-wook's filmography, for he remains the king of wallpaper cinema. Not that the Korean master is the only cineaste to dip their toes into these pools of scenographic goodness. Recently, one can think of the nauseating renovations in Zone of Interest, the autumnal florals in Killers of the Flower Moon, Priscilla's pretty pastels, and Cobweb's domestic nightmare.
Still, in 2023, one film utilized wallpaper like no other – Paul Schrader's Master Gardener, with sets designed by Ashley Fenton…...
- 10/29/2023
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
Hulu Unveils List of Titles Coming In November 2023: 'The Holiday,' 'Shallow Hal,' 'Twister' & More!
Hulu has released it’s full list of what will be added to it’s library throughout the month of November 2023!
The streaming service revealed all of the TV shows and movies that are coming to it’s platform, including quite a few fan favorite movies and some holiday features as the holiday season kicks off.
Get more info inside…
Among the movies being added include The Holiday, The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Pacific Rim, Shallow Hal, Twister, Men in Black, Armageddon and many more.
On the television side, Hulu will be adding the new original series Black Cake and Drive with Swizz Beatz, season two of Arthdal Chronicles, LA Law, Wahlburgers season five, and Spellbound season 1B.
There will also be many Christmas movies from Hallmark and A&e being added!
Keep reading below to see the complete list of what’s being added to Hulu in November 2023…
November 1
Arthdal Chronicles...
The streaming service revealed all of the TV shows and movies that are coming to it’s platform, including quite a few fan favorite movies and some holiday features as the holiday season kicks off.
Get more info inside…
Among the movies being added include The Holiday, The Wedding Singer, The Waterboy, Pacific Rim, Shallow Hal, Twister, Men in Black, Armageddon and many more.
On the television side, Hulu will be adding the new original series Black Cake and Drive with Swizz Beatz, season two of Arthdal Chronicles, LA Law, Wahlburgers season five, and Spellbound season 1B.
There will also be many Christmas movies from Hallmark and A&e being added!
Keep reading below to see the complete list of what’s being added to Hulu in November 2023…
November 1
Arthdal Chronicles...
- 10/19/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Jacob Elordi continues to burnish his indie film credentials between seasons of “Euphoria.” This fall season has seen the young actor appear in several buzzy festival hits, including Emerald Fennel’s “Saltburn” and Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla.” And with a slate of projects that includes a meaty role opposite Richard Gere in Paul Schrader’s upcoming drama “Oh Canada,” Elordi does not appear to be slowing down any time soon.
IndieWire caught up with Elordi on the red carpet of the New York Film Festival, where he was on hand to promote his turn as Elvis Presley in “Priscilla.” The role recently catapulted Austin Butler to stardom after his acclaimed performance in Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” but Elordi avoided the distraction of watching other actors play the rock legend.
“Not portrayals, no,” Elordi said when asked if he spent time watching other cinematic takes on Elvis. “I tried to stay...
IndieWire caught up with Elordi on the red carpet of the New York Film Festival, where he was on hand to promote his turn as Elvis Presley in “Priscilla.” The role recently catapulted Austin Butler to stardom after his acclaimed performance in Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” but Elordi avoided the distraction of watching other actors play the rock legend.
“Not portrayals, no,” Elordi said when asked if he spent time watching other cinematic takes on Elvis. “I tried to stay...
- 10/7/2023
- by Christian Zilko and Vincent Perella
- Indiewire
Decades after he began his career, experiencing all of the ups and downs, it’s clear that filmmaker Paul Schrader is seemingly doing some of the best work he’s ever done late in life. “First Reformed,” “The Card Counter,” and “Master Gardener” are all films that prove Schrader still has a distinct voice in the filmmaking community. And apparently, he is putting together the pieces for what could be his final film, “Oh, Canada.”
Read More: Paul Schrader Calls ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ “Tiresome Claptrap,” Says AI Could’ve Written The Script
According to Paul Schrader’s recent Facebook post, the filmmaker has confirmed that he is starting rehearsals for his next film, “Oh, Canada,” which will star Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi.
Continue reading ‘Oh, Canada’: Paul Schrader Confirms New Film Will Star Richard Gere & Jacob Elordi at The Playlist.
Read More: Paul Schrader Calls ‘Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part One’ “Tiresome Claptrap,” Says AI Could’ve Written The Script
According to Paul Schrader’s recent Facebook post, the filmmaker has confirmed that he is starting rehearsals for his next film, “Oh, Canada,” which will star Richard Gere and Jacob Elordi.
Continue reading ‘Oh, Canada’: Paul Schrader Confirms New Film Will Star Richard Gere & Jacob Elordi at The Playlist.
- 9/11/2023
- by Charles Barfield
- The Playlist
Directed by Oscar nominee Paul Schrader based on his original script, Master Gardener follows Narvel Roth (Joel Edgerton), the meticulous horticulturist of Gracewood Gardens. He’s as much devoted to tending the grounds of this beautiful and historic estate, to pandering to his employer, the wealthy dowager Mrs. Haverhill (three-time Oscar nominee Sigourney Weaver). When Mrs. Haverhill demands that he take on her wayward and troubled great-niece Maya (Quintessa Swindell) as a new apprentice, chaos enters Narvel’s spartan existence, unlocking dark secrets from a buried violent past that threaten them all.
Master Gardener is available on Blu-ray and DVD on September 5.
Enter for your chance to win a Blu-ray of Master Gardener, courtesy of Magnolia Home Entertainment. Two (2) winners will be selected at random.
Here’s how to enter:
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Master Gardener is available on Blu-ray and DVD on September 5.
Enter for your chance to win a Blu-ray of Master Gardener, courtesy of Magnolia Home Entertainment. Two (2) winners will be selected at random.
Here’s how to enter:
Step 1: Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Step 2: Tweet this message:
I want to win a Blu-ray...
- 8/27/2023
- by Slant Staff
- Slant Magazine
There are no atheists in foxholes and — generally speaking — there are no grifters in gimp bondage. Critics of contemporary Christianity are quick to point out that sects of the faith are filled with so-called “priests” who lie, scam, embezzle, and abuse their followers in the name of enriching themselves. But tie one of them up and threaten to kill him and you’ll see his true nature revealed. Anyone who keeps preaching their Biblical virtues when their physical safety is on the line is probably sincere about it.
That uncomfortable fact becomes apparent to Marie (Babetida Sadjo) when she kidnaps the man who haunts her dreams in “Our Father, the Devil.” Despite a brutal childhood in war-torn Africa, Marie has built a respectable life for herself as the head chef at an upscale French nursing home. But when the seemingly perfect Father Patrick (Souléymane Sy Savané) arrives and starts preaching to her affluent residents,...
That uncomfortable fact becomes apparent to Marie (Babetida Sadjo) when she kidnaps the man who haunts her dreams in “Our Father, the Devil.” Despite a brutal childhood in war-torn Africa, Marie has built a respectable life for herself as the head chef at an upscale French nursing home. But when the seemingly perfect Father Patrick (Souléymane Sy Savané) arrives and starts preaching to her affluent residents,...
- 8/22/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Cillian Murphy is telling “Oppenheimer” fans to not hold their breath for deleted scenes.
The lead actor told Collider in the below video that Christopher Nolan’s film — just like any of the director’s other work — will not have deleted scenes or a director’s cut that surface.
“There’s no deleted scenes in Chris Nolan movies,” Murphy said, citing that “Oppenheimer” is no exception. “That’s why there are no DVD extras on his movies because the script is the movie. He knows exactly what’s going to end up. He’s not fiddling around with it trying to change the story. That is the movie.”
Nolan similarly echoed the sentiment to MTV in 2012 while promoting “The Dark Knight Rises,” saying, “I tend to try and weed things out on paper because it’s crazy expensive to shoot things that aren’t going to be in the film.
The lead actor told Collider in the below video that Christopher Nolan’s film — just like any of the director’s other work — will not have deleted scenes or a director’s cut that surface.
“There’s no deleted scenes in Chris Nolan movies,” Murphy said, citing that “Oppenheimer” is no exception. “That’s why there are no DVD extras on his movies because the script is the movie. He knows exactly what’s going to end up. He’s not fiddling around with it trying to change the story. That is the movie.”
Nolan similarly echoed the sentiment to MTV in 2012 while promoting “The Dark Knight Rises,” saying, “I tend to try and weed things out on paper because it’s crazy expensive to shoot things that aren’t going to be in the film.
- 8/6/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
The man who wrote “Transcendental Style in Film: Ozu, Bresson, Dreyer” was apparently unimpressed with “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One.”
Paul Schrader took to his always-colorful Facebook page to write a terse review of Christopher McQuarrie’s latest Tom Cruise blockbuster. The “Master Gardener” director was not a fan of the blockbuster’s script, which he saw as indiscernible from AI writing. (Not to mention the movie’s main villain is a godlike AI.)
“‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning.’ Such tiresome claptrap,” Schrader wrote. “There’s no reason that AI, given the correct prompts, could not have written this script.”
While Schrader invoking AI is hardly a compliment, he has been more supportive of computers writing scripts than most of his peers. The Oscar nominee has frequently spoken about what he sees as the potential for AI to replace screenwriters on supposedly lowbrow Hollywood entertainment.
“It’s apparent that...
Paul Schrader took to his always-colorful Facebook page to write a terse review of Christopher McQuarrie’s latest Tom Cruise blockbuster. The “Master Gardener” director was not a fan of the blockbuster’s script, which he saw as indiscernible from AI writing. (Not to mention the movie’s main villain is a godlike AI.)
“‘Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning.’ Such tiresome claptrap,” Schrader wrote. “There’s no reason that AI, given the correct prompts, could not have written this script.”
While Schrader invoking AI is hardly a compliment, he has been more supportive of computers writing scripts than most of his peers. The Oscar nominee has frequently spoken about what he sees as the potential for AI to replace screenwriters on supposedly lowbrow Hollywood entertainment.
“It’s apparent that...
- 8/5/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSEvil Does Not Exist.The Venice Film Festival has unveiled its full lineup, featuring new films from Ryusuke Hamaguchi, Sofia Coppola, and Yorgos Lanthimos in competition, alongside buzzy titles like David Fincher’s The Killer and Michael Mann’s Ferrari.There's lineup news from Toronto as well. So far, TIFF has revealed its opening night selection, Hayao Miyazaki’s The Boy and the Heron (better original title: How Do You Live?), as well as its gala, special, Platform, and nonfiction presentations. On the docket are new films from Raoul Peck, Kitty Green, Atom Egoyan, and Richard Linklater, among others. The Platform section will open with Kristoffer Borgli's Dream Scenario, starring Nicolas Cage; he portrays an academic who begins appearing in people's dreams.Dream Scenario.REMEMBERINGPee-wee's Big Adventure.Comedian and actor Paul Reubens—best...
- 8/2/2023
- MUBI
Berlin-based sales agent M-Appeal has sold “Evil Does Not Exist,” which will world premiere in Competition at the Venice Film Festival, to France, Italy and Spain. The film is directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, whose “Drive My Car” won the Oscar for International Film, was Oscar nominated for Best Picture, and earned him Oscar nominations for Directing and Adapted Screenplay last year.
“Drive My Car” premiered in Cannes Competition in 2021, winning four prizes including Best Screenplay.
Hamaguchi’s “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” which also premiered in 2021, won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlinale.
“Evil Does Not Exist” has been co-acquired by Tucker and Teodora for Italian distribution. Tucker is specialized in Asian cinema and it handled “Drive My Car” and “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” and achieved great theatrical successes with those. Teodora is the distributor of prestigious art house films, such as recent Palme d’Or...
“Drive My Car” premiered in Cannes Competition in 2021, winning four prizes including Best Screenplay.
Hamaguchi’s “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” which also premiered in 2021, won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize at the Berlinale.
“Evil Does Not Exist” has been co-acquired by Tucker and Teodora for Italian distribution. Tucker is specialized in Asian cinema and it handled “Drive My Car” and “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” and achieved great theatrical successes with those. Teodora is the distributor of prestigious art house films, such as recent Palme d’Or...
- 7/24/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Not everyone scored a ticket to “Barbie” this weekend, and that included Paul Schrader, who shared on Facebook over the weekend that all showings of the Gerwig-directed movie in his area were sold out Saturday and Sunday. Schrader reported back on Sunday that he saw “Sound of Freedom,” Angel Studios’ child-sex-trafficking drama starring Jim Caviezel, instead. And Schrader joins the many audience members turning out for the film, which in just over two weeks of release has now grossed $124 million.
The “Master Gardener” and “First Reformed” filmmaker shared his thoughts on what’s perceived by some as a conservative, faith-oriented movie. Caviezel stars in the true story as government agent Tim Ballard, who embarks on a mission to rescue children from sex traffickers in Colombia.
“Sound Of Freedom. Interesting film, more interesting phenomenon. It’s simplistic, schematic and effective in the Hollywood tradition of “message” movies–but is not “Christian” per se.
The “Master Gardener” and “First Reformed” filmmaker shared his thoughts on what’s perceived by some as a conservative, faith-oriented movie. Caviezel stars in the true story as government agent Tim Ballard, who embarks on a mission to rescue children from sex traffickers in Colombia.
“Sound Of Freedom. Interesting film, more interesting phenomenon. It’s simplistic, schematic and effective in the Hollywood tradition of “message” movies–but is not “Christian” per se.
- 7/24/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Paul Schrader is officially a reformed Christopher Nolan head.
The “Master Gardener” and “Card Counter” director took to his personal Facebook, where he regularly posts candid one-offs musing on current cinema and politics, to share his very high praise for Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
“Oppenheimer. The best, most important film of this century. If you see one film in cinemas this year it should be Oppenheimer. I’m not a Nolan groupie but this one blows the doors off the hinges,” wrote Schrader, sharing a picture of him with Nolan.
When asked by a commenter whether “Oppenheimer” is worth what will be for many a long drive to see it in Nolan’s preferred format of IMAX 70mm, Schrader replied, “Worth the trip.”
Schrader’s reaction resonates with other first reactions out of the film’s recent premieres in Paris and London — with the cast walking out of the latter before...
The “Master Gardener” and “Card Counter” director took to his personal Facebook, where he regularly posts candid one-offs musing on current cinema and politics, to share his very high praise for Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
“Oppenheimer. The best, most important film of this century. If you see one film in cinemas this year it should be Oppenheimer. I’m not a Nolan groupie but this one blows the doors off the hinges,” wrote Schrader, sharing a picture of him with Nolan.
When asked by a commenter whether “Oppenheimer” is worth what will be for many a long drive to see it in Nolan’s preferred format of IMAX 70mm, Schrader replied, “Worth the trip.”
Schrader’s reaction resonates with other first reactions out of the film’s recent premieres in Paris and London — with the cast walking out of the latter before...
- 7/18/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Paul Schrader might not have seen the memes, but the Oscar winner is calling “Asteroid City” the most Wes Anderson film ever.
The “Master Gardener” director took to Facebook to praise Anderson’s “Asteroid City,” comparing it to Alain Resnais’ surreal 1961 French New Wave classic “Last Year at Marienbad.”
“The most Wes Anderson film Wes Anderson has made. And for that reason, the best,” Schrader wrote of “Asteroid City,” now in theaters. “He has distilled his design-driven anti-empathy film style to its essence. It’s hard to find a comparable film. The one that comes to mind is ‘Last Year at Marienbad.'”
Schrader added, “I’m heartened that it opened so well, though not quite sure why.”
Fellow auteur Guillermo del Toro similarly took to Twitter to express his admiration for Anderson’s vision.
“Unique signature – What started as an Ashby-esque rhythm and a Demy-esque image design mix, has evolved,...
The “Master Gardener” director took to Facebook to praise Anderson’s “Asteroid City,” comparing it to Alain Resnais’ surreal 1961 French New Wave classic “Last Year at Marienbad.”
“The most Wes Anderson film Wes Anderson has made. And for that reason, the best,” Schrader wrote of “Asteroid City,” now in theaters. “He has distilled his design-driven anti-empathy film style to its essence. It’s hard to find a comparable film. The one that comes to mind is ‘Last Year at Marienbad.'”
Schrader added, “I’m heartened that it opened so well, though not quite sure why.”
Fellow auteur Guillermo del Toro similarly took to Twitter to express his admiration for Anderson’s vision.
“Unique signature – What started as an Ashby-esque rhythm and a Demy-esque image design mix, has evolved,...
- 6/20/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
At the top of this week’s streaming heap is a movie from one of Hollywood’s renegades, someone whose blunt Facebook posts prompt the studios distributing his films to ask him to please shut the hell up. I’m talking, of course, about the one and only Paul Schrader. He’s not the only A-list director with a new release available, though. This list is loaded with them.
The contender to watch this week: “Master Gardener”
It’s hard to believe that Paul Schrader’s nearly 50-year career has only netted him one Oscar nomination (for writing 2017’s “First Reformed”). He still has time. “Master Gardener” is Schrader’s latest provocation, starring Joel Edgerton as a former white supremacist having an affair with the widow (Sigourney Weaver) whose immaculate garden he maintains. The film doesn’t rise to the heights of the director’s best work, but it nonetheless...
The contender to watch this week: “Master Gardener”
It’s hard to believe that Paul Schrader’s nearly 50-year career has only netted him one Oscar nomination (for writing 2017’s “First Reformed”). He still has time. “Master Gardener” is Schrader’s latest provocation, starring Joel Edgerton as a former white supremacist having an affair with the widow (Sigourney Weaver) whose immaculate garden he maintains. The film doesn’t rise to the heights of the director’s best work, but it nonetheless...
- 6/10/2023
- by Matthew Jacobs
- Gold Derby
Writer and director Paul Schrader is notorious for fleshing out characters, especially male ones, that have something extremely intense burning inside them. Some theorists put his films in special categories, and his new film Master Gardener is said to be the third of his Man in a Room trilogy. The characters in his films often have a dark past, and their present is filled with loneliness, a feeling that is masked by a stoic demeanor. In Master Gardener, Schrader has yet again created an atmospheric, layered drama that has at its center the same masculine figure that he is so well known for. A seemingly principled man with a past that haunts him and the chance of redemption coming in the form of a feminine spirit. Schrader, who is the writer of films such as the explosive urban character study Taxi Driver, American Gigolo and Mishima, among others, has tried...
- 6/8/2023
- by Ayush Awasthi
- Film Fugitives
(Welcome to Under the Radar, a column where we spotlight specific movies, shows, trends, performances, or scenes that caught our eye and deserved more attention ... but otherwise flew under the radar. In this edition: Paul Schrader is back and as provocative as ever with "Master Gardener," "Unrest" meets politics and philosophy in the middle, and "Land of Gold" puts a new spin on road trip movies.)
We should probably address the elephant in the room, right? The longer this writers' strike marches on, the clearer it becomes that we've reached a pivotal inflection point in this industry. Writers, the lifeblood of the entire moviemaking business, are rightfully fed up with a studio system that has progressively disenfranchised the most vulnerable (and irreplaceable) creative talent. As much as top-level studio executives forced the hands of writers through unfair wages, the insidious practice of "mini-rooms," and the worrisome possibilities involving A.I.
We should probably address the elephant in the room, right? The longer this writers' strike marches on, the clearer it becomes that we've reached a pivotal inflection point in this industry. Writers, the lifeblood of the entire moviemaking business, are rightfully fed up with a studio system that has progressively disenfranchised the most vulnerable (and irreplaceable) creative talent. As much as top-level studio executives forced the hands of writers through unfair wages, the insidious practice of "mini-rooms," and the worrisome possibilities involving A.I.
- 6/1/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Welcome, one and all, to the latest episode of The Film Stage Show! Today, Brian Roan, Robyn Bahr, and Bill Graham are joined by Diana Drumm to discuss Paul Schrader’s Master Gardener, now in theaters.
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Enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. For a limited time, all new Patreon supporters will receive a free Blu-ray/DVD. After becoming a contributor, e-mail podcast@thefilmstage.com for an up-to-date list of available films.
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, or stream below.
The Film Stage Show is supported by Mubi, a curated streaming service showcasing exceptional films from around the globe. Every day, Mubi premieres a new film. Whether it’s a timeless classic, a cult favorite, or an acclaimed masterpiece — it’s guaranteed to be either a movie you’ve been dying to see or one you’ve...
- 5/31/2023
- by Brian Roan
- The Film Stage
The live-action remake made a total of £6.9m including bank holiday Monday
RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (May 19-May 21)Total gross to date Week 1. The Little Mermaid (Disney) £5m £5m 1 2. Fast X (Universal) £2.2m £10.9m 2 3. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (Disney) £1.6m £32.3m 4 4. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Universal) £290,897 £52.4 8 5. Hypnotic (Warner Bros) £187,503 £238,150 1
Disney’s The Little Mermaid topped the UK-Ireland box office this weekend, opening with just under £5m.
The live-action remake took in another £1.9m on bank holiday Monday to bring its total to £6.9m. Directed by Rob Marshall and starring Halle Bailey, The Little Mermaid opened in 732 locations...
RankFilm (distributor)Three-day gross (May 19-May 21)Total gross to date Week 1. The Little Mermaid (Disney) £5m £5m 1 2. Fast X (Universal) £2.2m £10.9m 2 3. Guardians Of The Galaxy Vol. 3 (Disney) £1.6m £32.3m 4 4. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (Universal) £290,897 £52.4 8 5. Hypnotic (Warner Bros) £187,503 £238,150 1
Disney’s The Little Mermaid topped the UK-Ireland box office this weekend, opening with just under £5m.
The live-action remake took in another £1.9m on bank holiday Monday to bring its total to £6.9m. Directed by Rob Marshall and starring Halle Bailey, The Little Mermaid opened in 732 locations...
- 5/30/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
A24’s Julia Louis-Dreyfus-starrer You Hurt My Feelings will top an estimated $1.7 million in limited nationwide release for the four-day holiday weekend, at the high end of expectations on 912 screens. That puts it at no. 8 at a domestic box office where Little Mermaid is making all the waves.
Breakdown: Friday – $474k; Sat. – $481k; Sun. – $443k; Mon. – $377k.
The relationship comedy by writer-director Nicole Holofcener is 95% critic certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. The Rt audience score is lower (at 62%). But according to PostTrak, nearly 80% of viewers are positive with a definite/probably recommend. Word of mouth is good at regional arthouse theaters in particular where it’s doing strong crossover business. AMC Lincoln Square is the pic’s top performer along arthouses from the Jacob Burns Center in New York (in the top five) to the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville. The Alamo Brooklyn, Music Box in Chicago, Avalon in Washington,...
Breakdown: Friday – $474k; Sat. – $481k; Sun. – $443k; Mon. – $377k.
The relationship comedy by writer-director Nicole Holofcener is 95% critic certified Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. The Rt audience score is lower (at 62%). But according to PostTrak, nearly 80% of viewers are positive with a definite/probably recommend. Word of mouth is good at regional arthouse theaters in particular where it’s doing strong crossover business. AMC Lincoln Square is the pic’s top performer along arthouses from the Jacob Burns Center in New York (in the top five) to the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville. The Alamo Brooklyn, Music Box in Chicago, Avalon in Washington,...
- 5/28/2023
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
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