When Roger Corman died on May 9 at age 98, the film world lost one of its great independent film legends. Over the course of his seven decade career, Corman directed over 55 films and received more than 500 producing credits, creating work that helped serve as the launchpad for major Hollywood stars and filmmakers like Peter Fonda, Frances Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Peter Bogdanovich, and Jonathan Demme. And yet, from his first film to his last, Corman remained true to his roots of low-budget, independent, lowbrow-yet-brilliant genre filmmaking.
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Corman was smart enough to attend Stanford University studying industrial engineering, but quit his first job in the field after only four days. Looking to go into the film industry, he worked his way up at 20th Century Fox from mail room messenger to story reader. But after he didn’t receive credit for the success of “The Gunslinger,...
Born in Detroit, Michigan, Corman was smart enough to attend Stanford University studying industrial engineering, but quit his first job in the field after only four days. Looking to go into the film industry, he worked his way up at 20th Century Fox from mail room messenger to story reader. But after he didn’t receive credit for the success of “The Gunslinger,...
- 5/14/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Roger Corman, the legendary B-movie filmmaker who directed, produced, and starred in upwards of 500 films over the course of a staggering eight decade-spanning career, has died. He passed away aged 98 this past Thursday at his home in Santa Monica, California.
In a statement posted on Roger’s Instagram to announce his passing, Corman’s wife Julie and daughters Mary and Catherine shared the following: “It is with profound sadness, and boundless gratitude for his extraordinary life, that we remember our beloved husband and father, Roger Corman. He passed away on May 9th, at home in Santa Monica, California, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife Julie and his daughters Catherine and Mary. He was generous, open-hearted and kind to all those who knew him. A devoted and selfless father, he was deeply loved by his daughters. His films were revolutionary and iconoclastic, and captured the spirit of an age.
In a statement posted on Roger’s Instagram to announce his passing, Corman’s wife Julie and daughters Mary and Catherine shared the following: “It is with profound sadness, and boundless gratitude for his extraordinary life, that we remember our beloved husband and father, Roger Corman. He passed away on May 9th, at home in Santa Monica, California, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife Julie and his daughters Catherine and Mary. He was generous, open-hearted and kind to all those who knew him. A devoted and selfless father, he was deeply loved by his daughters. His films were revolutionary and iconoclastic, and captured the spirit of an age.
- 5/13/2024
- by Jordan King
- Empire - Movies
Roger Corman, the pioneering producer and director, known affectionately as “the king of B movies,” passed away on May 9 at his home in Santa Monica, California. Corman had as much influence over modern Hollywood as Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese. And for good reason: Without him there likely wouldn’t even have been a Spielberg or Scorsese.
This maker of hundreds of low-budget horror, sci-fi, and exploitation films is to this day remembered by many, and rather unfairly, as a B-movie hack, but Corman’s aesthetic sensibilities have come to dominate the franchises we now call tent poles, and his protégés number among the most influential people in cinema. And he enjoyed every minute of it.
Corman came off as very humble, resembling no one so much as Mr. Rogers. He laughed at himself and his experiences frequently. Many of the movies that he made were ridiculous but they were knowingly so.
This maker of hundreds of low-budget horror, sci-fi, and exploitation films is to this day remembered by many, and rather unfairly, as a B-movie hack, but Corman’s aesthetic sensibilities have come to dominate the franchises we now call tent poles, and his protégés number among the most influential people in cinema. And he enjoyed every minute of it.
Corman came off as very humble, resembling no one so much as Mr. Rogers. He laughed at himself and his experiences frequently. Many of the movies that he made were ridiculous but they were knowingly so.
- 5/12/2024
- by Tom Elrod
- Slant Magazine
Roger Corman, the maverick producer of B-movies and iconoclastic subjects whose innovative low-budget enterprises launched the careers of numerous major filmmakers, died on Thursday at his home in Santa Monica. He was 98.
Corman’s career encompassed seven decades and more than 500 producing credits, including early work that launched the careers of major Hollywood figures such as Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern, Peter Fonda, Frances Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Peter Bogdanovich, Gale Anne Hurd, John Sayles, Ron Howard and Jonathan Demme. Yet Corman resented the commercial studio system, and as both producer and as a director himself, he pursued his cheap, no-frills filmmaking style at all costs, while using lowbrow genre tropes as a Trojan horse for socially conscious themes.
Over the years, Corman’s name has been most closely associated with the zany escapist enterprises often referred to as exploitation films, a term he abhorred. With producing credits such...
Corman’s career encompassed seven decades and more than 500 producing credits, including early work that launched the careers of major Hollywood figures such as Jack Nicholson, Bruce Dern, Peter Fonda, Frances Ford Coppola, Martin Scorsese, James Cameron, Peter Bogdanovich, Gale Anne Hurd, John Sayles, Ron Howard and Jonathan Demme. Yet Corman resented the commercial studio system, and as both producer and as a director himself, he pursued his cheap, no-frills filmmaking style at all costs, while using lowbrow genre tropes as a Trojan horse for socially conscious themes.
Over the years, Corman’s name has been most closely associated with the zany escapist enterprises often referred to as exploitation films, a term he abhorred. With producing credits such...
- 5/12/2024
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Jonah Hill has rounded out the cast of Outcome, the dark comedy that he wrote and is directing and starring in for Apple. Newcomers include Susan Lucci (All My Children), David Spade (The Wrong Missy), Laverne Cox (Orange Is the New Black), Kaia Gerber (Palm Royale), Roy Wood Jr. (The Daily Show) and Atsuko Okatsuka (The Intruder).
No word on the roles to be played by the new cast members. As previously announced, Keanu Reeves leads the ensemble of the Apple Original Film, which will also star Cameron Diaz and Matt Bomer.
Written by Hill and Ezra Woods, Outcome centers on Reef (Reeves), a damaged Hollywood star who must dive into the dark depths of his past to confront his demons and make amends after he is extorted with a mysterious video clip from his past.
An Apple Studios production, the film will be produced by Matt Dines, Ali Goodwin...
No word on the roles to be played by the new cast members. As previously announced, Keanu Reeves leads the ensemble of the Apple Original Film, which will also star Cameron Diaz and Matt Bomer.
Written by Hill and Ezra Woods, Outcome centers on Reef (Reeves), a damaged Hollywood star who must dive into the dark depths of his past to confront his demons and make amends after he is extorted with a mysterious video clip from his past.
An Apple Studios production, the film will be produced by Matt Dines, Ali Goodwin...
- 4/9/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Dennis Quaid is an icon, according to CinemaCon.
The annual convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners has zeroed in on the veteran star to receive this year’s Cinema Icon Award. Quaid will be honored during the Big Screen Achievement Awards, hosted by official presenting sponsor the Coca-Cola Company inside the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on April 11. The ceremony will also see trophies handed out to Amy Poehler (vanguard award), Lupita Nyong’o (star of the year), Shawn Levy (director of the year), Joseph Quinn (breakthrough performer of the year award) and Dan Stevens (excellence in acting award).
“From compelling dramas to exhilarating thrillers, Dennis Quaid’s remarkable career is a testament to his talent and versatility as an actor,” said Mitch Neuhauser, managing director of CinemaCon. “His ability to embody diverse characters has captivated audiences for decades with his dedication to crafting authentic portrayals. He is truly a Hollywood icon.
The annual convention of the National Association of Theatre Owners has zeroed in on the veteran star to receive this year’s Cinema Icon Award. Quaid will be honored during the Big Screen Achievement Awards, hosted by official presenting sponsor the Coca-Cola Company inside the Colosseum at Caesars Palace on April 11. The ceremony will also see trophies handed out to Amy Poehler (vanguard award), Lupita Nyong’o (star of the year), Shawn Levy (director of the year), Joseph Quinn (breakthrough performer of the year award) and Dan Stevens (excellence in acting award).
“From compelling dramas to exhilarating thrillers, Dennis Quaid’s remarkable career is a testament to his talent and versatility as an actor,” said Mitch Neuhauser, managing director of CinemaCon. “His ability to embody diverse characters has captivated audiences for decades with his dedication to crafting authentic portrayals. He is truly a Hollywood icon.
- 3/28/2024
- by Chris Gardner
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Created by Sean Akins and Jason DeMarco, Toonami is a late-night programming block that helped introduce Japanese animated series to audiences in the West. First launched in 1997 on Cartoon Network, the block continues to this day on Adult Swim and is responsible for expanding the animated palate of multiple generations, myself included. Originally, Toonami was hosted by Moltar, a former supervillain from the 1966 animated series "Space Ghost" (not to be confused with "Space Ghost Coast to Coast"), but was replaced three years later by Tom (short for Toonami Operations Module). Tom wasn't just a host; he also came with his own lore and storyline from episode to episode, similar to the way the robots on "Mystery Science Theater 3000" also have backstories and character arcs.
Tom was a way to usher in a new era of Toonami, kicking off his transmission with an episode of "Sailor Moon R." Fans loved Tom,...
Tom was a way to usher in a new era of Toonami, kicking off his transmission with an episode of "Sailor Moon R." Fans loved Tom,...
- 3/9/2024
- by BJ Colangelo
- Slash Film
Dennis Quaid, seen above channeling his inner Randy Quaid in Deon Taylor’s The Intruder, will play a madman once more in the upcoming Paramount+ series “Happy Face.”
Variety reports this morning that Quaid will play the real-life serial killer known as “Happy Face” in the upcoming series, which also stars Annaleigh Ashford (“American Crime Story”).
The website details, “The series is inspired by the podcast of the same name from iHeartMedia and Melissa Moore, the book “Shattered Silence” written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook, and Moore’s true-life story.”
Here’s the official plot synopsis for the show: “Happy Face (Quaid) is an incarcerated serial killer who also is Melissa’s (Ashford) once-beloved father. After decades of no contact, he finally finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is...
Variety reports this morning that Quaid will play the real-life serial killer known as “Happy Face” in the upcoming series, which also stars Annaleigh Ashford (“American Crime Story”).
The website details, “The series is inspired by the podcast of the same name from iHeartMedia and Melissa Moore, the book “Shattered Silence” written by Moore with M. Bridget Cook, and Moore’s true-life story.”
Here’s the official plot synopsis for the show: “Happy Face (Quaid) is an incarcerated serial killer who also is Melissa’s (Ashford) once-beloved father. After decades of no contact, he finally finds a way to force himself back into his daughter’s life. In a race against the clock, Melissa must find out if an innocent man is...
- 2/16/2024
- by John Squires
- bloody-disgusting.com
Only three years before he was trapped in Arizona by a kingdom of tarantulas and a mere five years before he played James T. Kirk in Star Trek‘s first motion picture, William Shatner starred in the low budget thriller Impulse. And thanks to the team at Grindhouse Releasing, the world can finally witness another Shatner joint in all its restored 4k glory.
So does good ole’ Bill play the hero in this one? Uh no, not in the least. We get full on evil demented Shatner in the flesh. He portrays Matt Stone (not to be confused with the talented South Park creator), who is just your typical thumb-sucking, mini cigar chain-smoking, conniving, scheming faux financial investor. His prey are vulnerable and lonely women, who he exploits for their money with delusional promises of fortune, love and monogamous commitment. He’s a sociopath, a psychopath…all kinds of ‘paths.
So does good ole’ Bill play the hero in this one? Uh no, not in the least. We get full on evil demented Shatner in the flesh. He portrays Matt Stone (not to be confused with the talented South Park creator), who is just your typical thumb-sucking, mini cigar chain-smoking, conniving, scheming faux financial investor. His prey are vulnerable and lonely women, who he exploits for their money with delusional promises of fortune, love and monogamous commitment. He’s a sociopath, a psychopath…all kinds of ‘paths.
- 1/26/2024
- by Geof Capodanno
- bloody-disgusting.com
The African American Film Critics Association (Aafca) reveals its list of 2024 Special Achievement Honorees which includes Killers of the Flower Moon, Jamie Foxx and Datari Turner at Foxxhole productions, Fatima Robinson, head choreographer on The Color Purple 2024, and others were chosen for their contributions to the entertainment industry. These honorees will be celebrated at the organization’s 7th Annual Aafca Special Achievement Awards luncheon, taking place on Sunday, March 3rd in the Centennial Room at the Los Angeles Athletic Club in downtown Los Angeles.
Recipients of the Aafca Special Achievement Awards are carefully selected by a committee and chosen based on their contributions throughout their careers. These honorees represent talent both behind and in front of the camera, including executives, journalists, actors, crafts artists, and filmmakers.
The invitation-only luncheon will bestow honors upon the feature film Killers of the Flower Moon, which will receive the Stanley & Karen Kramer Social Justice...
Recipients of the Aafca Special Achievement Awards are carefully selected by a committee and chosen based on their contributions throughout their careers. These honorees represent talent both behind and in front of the camera, including executives, journalists, actors, crafts artists, and filmmakers.
The invitation-only luncheon will bestow honors upon the feature film Killers of the Flower Moon, which will receive the Stanley & Karen Kramer Social Justice...
- 1/11/2024
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
International Film Festival Rotterdam has revealed its selection of 16 feature film projects for the 41st edition of CineMart, running Jan. 28-31.
In Another Journey Without Women six chain-smoking know-it-alls embark on a tragi-comedic polar expedition in Greenland in 1918. The film is directed by Illum Jacobi, whose The Trouble With Nature appeared at IFFR in 2020. The film features Greenlandic actor Hans-Henrik Suersaq Poulsen in the lead role, alongside David Dencik and Claes Bang as the famed explorer Knud Rasmussen.
“Lucia,” directed by Irish filmmaker Aisling Walsh, concerns the talented but troubled daughter of author James Joyce. The director’s “Maudie” (2016), starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke, world premiered in Telluride.
In “Les Diplomates,” two diplomatic counterparts from Austria and Switzerland secretly negotiate the contours of history as the Eastern Bloc disintegrates – fueled by a petty personal grudge. The project is directed by Swiss filmmaker Andreas Fontana, whose eerie thriller “Azor” (2021) picked...
In Another Journey Without Women six chain-smoking know-it-alls embark on a tragi-comedic polar expedition in Greenland in 1918. The film is directed by Illum Jacobi, whose The Trouble With Nature appeared at IFFR in 2020. The film features Greenlandic actor Hans-Henrik Suersaq Poulsen in the lead role, alongside David Dencik and Claes Bang as the famed explorer Knud Rasmussen.
“Lucia,” directed by Irish filmmaker Aisling Walsh, concerns the talented but troubled daughter of author James Joyce. The director’s “Maudie” (2016), starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke, world premiered in Telluride.
In “Les Diplomates,” two diplomatic counterparts from Austria and Switzerland secretly negotiate the contours of history as the Eastern Bloc disintegrates – fueled by a petty personal grudge. The project is directed by Swiss filmmaker Andreas Fontana, whose eerie thriller “Azor” (2021) picked...
- 12/14/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Six film projects currently at development stage have been selected to take part in a workshop session as part of mylab+@Jogja next month. The six share a common characteristic of Indonesian co-production and a recurring theme of luminescence.
“This theme underscores the importance of having the distinctive light of Asian cinema arise from its own characteristics. The participants reflect the new hope of Asian cinema with a fresh and authentic perspective. With this kind of program I really hope Asian films continue to shine by their own characters and beauty throughout the world,” said Ifa Isfansyah, producer, director and festival director of the Jogja-netpac Asian Film Festival.
Selected from over 60 applications, the six include a mix of youth on the directing side and experience on the producing side
They include: “A Ballad of Long Hair” with director-scriptwriter Giovanni Rustanto, producer Annisa Adjam and co-producer Fran Borgia; “Carpet” (aka “Karpet”) (Malaysia) with director Mien.
“This theme underscores the importance of having the distinctive light of Asian cinema arise from its own characteristics. The participants reflect the new hope of Asian cinema with a fresh and authentic perspective. With this kind of program I really hope Asian films continue to shine by their own characters and beauty throughout the world,” said Ifa Isfansyah, producer, director and festival director of the Jogja-netpac Asian Film Festival.
Selected from over 60 applications, the six include a mix of youth on the directing side and experience on the producing side
They include: “A Ballad of Long Hair” with director-scriptwriter Giovanni Rustanto, producer Annisa Adjam and co-producer Fran Borgia; “Carpet” (aka “Karpet”) (Malaysia) with director Mien.
- 10/26/2023
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
More than two years have passed since it was announced that MGM, Bron, and Hidden Empire Film Group were teaming with director Deon Taylor to conjure up a reboot of the 1972 blaxploitation classic Blacula (watch it Here). Last night (and one year late), a 50th anniversary screening of Blacula was held at the Fine Arts Theater in Beverly Hills – and while promoting that event, Variety happened to include a long-awaited update on the Blacula reboot, saying the new film is slated for a Halloween 2024 release.
The new Blacula has been described as a “modern reimagining” of the original film, but Variety has also made it sound like it’s going to be a follow-up to Blacula and its sequel Scream Blacula Scream (watch that one Here). According to Variety, “the reboot picks up where the original saga left off, after the 1973 sequel Scream Blacula Scream, and will be set in...
The new Blacula has been described as a “modern reimagining” of the original film, but Variety has also made it sound like it’s going to be a follow-up to Blacula and its sequel Scream Blacula Scream (watch that one Here). According to Variety, “the reboot picks up where the original saga left off, after the 1973 sequel Scream Blacula Scream, and will be set in...
- 10/25/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Welcome to The B-Side from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between.
Happy Halloween! This year we discuss a legend: Roger Corman! As is tradition, our dear friend Gavin Mevius, talented editor and co-host of the incredible The Mixed Reviews Podcast. Be sure to listen to their podcast and support them on Patreon if you see fit!
Today we tackle three B-Sides: Not of This Earth, The Intruder, and Frankenstein Unbound.
We discuss Corman’s influence on New Hollywood and his enduring influence to this day, his indelible eye for talent both in front of (actors like Nicholson and De Niro got their starts in Corman films) and behind, and the directing career that could’ve been had The Intruder been a hit.
There’s talk of the other...
Happy Halloween! This year we discuss a legend: Roger Corman! As is tradition, our dear friend Gavin Mevius, talented editor and co-host of the incredible The Mixed Reviews Podcast. Be sure to listen to their podcast and support them on Patreon if you see fit!
Today we tackle three B-Sides: Not of This Earth, The Intruder, and Frankenstein Unbound.
We discuss Corman’s influence on New Hollywood and his enduring influence to this day, his indelible eye for talent both in front of (actors like Nicholson and De Niro got their starts in Corman films) and behind, and the directing career that could’ve been had The Intruder been a hit.
There’s talk of the other...
- 10/20/2023
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
It’s less the question if Claire Denis and Tindersticks are modern cinema’s greatest director-musician collaboration; it’s more a matter of how far above the competition they stand. But many of their soundtracks––as rich as any of the studio albums that make Tindersticks one of our greatest working bands––haven’t streamed, instead relegated to a (treasured) collection released in 2011. Completists sometimes have to rely on the films themselves: frontman Stuart A. Staples’ solo score for Let the Sunshine In and the band’s full assembly on Both Sides of the Blade have remained unreleased.
To promote forthcoming shows that juxtapose their soundtracks with Denis’ images––tickets are online if you’re in Paris or Lyon––Tindersticks have released a handful of soundtracks once only in the collection and the aforementioned scores for Sunshine and Blade. (The former veers between ethereal and jazzy; the latter sounds like a through-and-through horror film.
To promote forthcoming shows that juxtapose their soundtracks with Denis’ images––tickets are online if you’re in Paris or Lyon––Tindersticks have released a handful of soundtracks once only in the collection and the aforementioned scores for Sunshine and Blade. (The former veers between ethereal and jazzy; the latter sounds like a through-and-through horror film.
- 10/10/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
Gene Roddenberry's celebrated sci-fi TV series "Star Trek" debuted on September 8, 1966, and recently celebrated its 57th anniversary. Initially, "Trek" wasn't terribly popular, and only managed to make a third season thanks to a coordinated letter-writing campaign (a campaign that Roddenberry was accused of orchestrating and encouraging himself). It wouldn't be until after "Star Trek" was canceled in 1969 that its popularity would significantly begin to grow. Thanks to a sweet infinite syndication deal, "Star Trek" reruns were common, and a cult began to form. By the early 1970s, the first "Trek" conventions began to appear. Naturally, conventions were a great place for the show's stars and creators to congregate and share production stories with a rising tide of obsessives. Fans were able to talk to and get autographs from William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, Nichelle Nichols, Majel Barrett, Walter Koenig, George Takei, James Doohan, and Grace Lee Whitney, as...
- 9/26/2023
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
We might be entering the dog days of summer but Hulu isn’t slowing down. The streamer’s list of new releases for August 2023 is a pretty impressive collection of content.
The biggest Hulu original this month is season 3 of true crime comedy Only Murders in the Building on Aug. 8. This time around Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd are joining the already-stacked cast that features Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. This season’s central murder appears to take place at a theater (outside the building) but I think we’ll let it slide.
That’s far from the only worthwhile original in August as Aug. 2 sees the premiere of the third and final season of superb comedy Reservation Dogs. That will be followed by South Korean sci-fi series Moving on Aug. 9, Solar Opposites season 4 on Aug. 14, and A Murder at the End of the World on Aug. 29. Of course,...
The biggest Hulu original this month is season 3 of true crime comedy Only Murders in the Building on Aug. 8. This time around Meryl Streep and Paul Rudd are joining the already-stacked cast that features Steve Martin, Martin Short, and Selena Gomez. This season’s central murder appears to take place at a theater (outside the building) but I think we’ll let it slide.
That’s far from the only worthwhile original in August as Aug. 2 sees the premiere of the third and final season of superb comedy Reservation Dogs. That will be followed by South Korean sci-fi series Moving on Aug. 9, Solar Opposites season 4 on Aug. 14, and A Murder at the End of the World on Aug. 29. Of course,...
- 8/1/2023
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
Clockwise from top left: The Craft (Columbia Pictures), Malignant (Warner Bros. Pictures), Enys Men (British Film Institute), How To Blow Up A Pipeline (Neon)Photo: The A.V. Club
It’s the last full month of summer and Hulu is here to help you escape the heat with some refreshing new titles and genre favorites.
It’s the last full month of summer and Hulu is here to help you escape the heat with some refreshing new titles and genre favorites.
- 7/31/2023
- by Robert DeSalvo
- avclub.com
During the Cannes Film Festival, 20 emerging producers from across Europe took part in European Film Promotion’s promotion and networking platform Producers on the Move. They had been selected by the 37 national film institutes that are members of Efp. Variety invited them to pitch their projects to our readers, which we present below.
Gentian Koçi, Albania
Project: “Cold Sun” (in development)
Director: Gentian Koçi
As he attempts to rebuild his life in his hometown after being freed from jail after serving a 25-year sentence for killing his wife, a man in his fifties falls in love with a woman in her forties and gradually realizes that this love is going to be his true prison.
Julie Esparbes, Belgium
Project: “The Dance of the Foxes”
Director: Valéry Carnoy
A coming-of-age story, about a 17-year-old boxer who, following an accident, will have to reinvent himself in a more sensitive way. Valéry Carnoy...
Gentian Koçi, Albania
Project: “Cold Sun” (in development)
Director: Gentian Koçi
As he attempts to rebuild his life in his hometown after being freed from jail after serving a 25-year sentence for killing his wife, a man in his fifties falls in love with a woman in her forties and gradually realizes that this love is going to be his true prison.
Julie Esparbes, Belgium
Project: “The Dance of the Foxes”
Director: Valéry Carnoy
A coming-of-age story, about a 17-year-old boxer who, following an accident, will have to reinvent himself in a more sensitive way. Valéry Carnoy...
- 5/30/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Briarcliff Entertainment has snapped up North American distribution rights from Concourse Media to Christian Swegal’s true crime thriller Sovereign, starring Nick Offerman, Dennis Quaid and Jacob Tremblay.
Swegal wrote and will direct later this year in Arkansas. A theatrical release during Q4 2024 is planned.
Based on real events, the story follows a father and son (Offerman and Tremblay) who identify as Sovereign Citizens, a group of anti-government extremists, as they venture across the country and find themselves in a standoff with a chief of police (Dennis Quaid) that sets off an intense manhunt with tragic consequences.
“Sovereign is a timely and captivating story and all of us at Briarcliff are looking forward to working with Christian, Nick, the Concourse team and this stellar cast on what will be a gripping ride for movie audiences,” said Tom Ortenberg, Briarcliff Entertainment CEO.
“We are beyond excited to be partnering with...
Swegal wrote and will direct later this year in Arkansas. A theatrical release during Q4 2024 is planned.
Based on real events, the story follows a father and son (Offerman and Tremblay) who identify as Sovereign Citizens, a group of anti-government extremists, as they venture across the country and find themselves in a standoff with a chief of police (Dennis Quaid) that sets off an intense manhunt with tragic consequences.
“Sovereign is a timely and captivating story and all of us at Briarcliff are looking forward to working with Christian, Nick, the Concourse team and this stellar cast on what will be a gripping ride for movie audiences,” said Tom Ortenberg, Briarcliff Entertainment CEO.
“We are beyond excited to be partnering with...
- 5/22/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
The technology of cinematography has undergone some of the most seismic shifts in film history this century, with what began in the 2000s as an almost entirely photochemical process transforming into the digitally captured, manipulated, and projected images of today. The art of cinematography, however — using light, color, and texture to express ideas and elicit emotional reactions from the audience — remains intact.
In 2017, IndieWire made a list of the best shot feature films of the century thus far; the list was updated in 2020, and what follows is the third and most extensive version of the list. It’s also the first to be spearheaded by the IndieWire Craft team, which has grown considerably since this list was first published. Ranking cinematography is, in some ways, a fool’s errand given the broad variety of genres, resources, and intentions encompassed by the films below, but these are 60 titles that IndieWire believes...
In 2017, IndieWire made a list of the best shot feature films of the century thus far; the list was updated in 2020, and what follows is the third and most extensive version of the list. It’s also the first to be spearheaded by the IndieWire Craft team, which has grown considerably since this list was first published. Ranking cinematography is, in some ways, a fool’s errand given the broad variety of genres, resources, and intentions encompassed by the films below, but these are 60 titles that IndieWire believes...
- 5/3/2023
- by Jim Hemphill, Chris O'Falt, Bill Desowitz and Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
Even when he’s not trying to be funny, laughter can be the first response that greets William Shatner. Some may think of him as a caricature. What Alexandre O. Philippe’s thoughtful, searching new documentary “You Can Call Me Bill” reveals, without ever being so blunt as to say as much, is that that laughter reveals more about us than about Shatner. About our inability to comprehend someone quite as complex, as defiantly irreducible, as the man who once was Captain Kirk.
Shatner may be pop culture’s greatest master of pontification, and there is no topic on which he doesn’t have thoughts. He’s expressed them before in the 2001 Peter Jaysen documentary “Mind/Meld”; in the 2011 documentary that he himself directed looking back at the legacy of “Star Trek” in its many different incarnations, “The Captains”; and as seen in Philippe’s new film, via poetry readings...
Shatner may be pop culture’s greatest master of pontification, and there is no topic on which he doesn’t have thoughts. He’s expressed them before in the 2001 Peter Jaysen documentary “Mind/Meld”; in the 2011 documentary that he himself directed looking back at the legacy of “Star Trek” in its many different incarnations, “The Captains”; and as seen in Philippe’s new film, via poetry readings...
- 3/17/2023
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit streaming platforms in the United States. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (Laura Poitras)
It is a fascinating thing to watch someone’s history of protest and addiction collide and conspire to hold a pharmaceutical company accountable and expose its parent family as reprehensible. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Laura Poitras profiles the renowned photographer and activist Nan Goldin and her fight through the AIDS and opioid crisis, but this is bigger than a biographical documentary. Through slideshows, interviews, and family videos, Poitras weaves a riveting, heartbreaking interconnected story of generational pain, its influence over the blurry boundaries between life and art. – Jake K-s.
Where to Stream: VOD
Close (Lukas Dhont)
Dhont’s sophomore feature offers no narrative or stylistic fireworks, but it captures feelings so fine and true they...
All the Beauty and the Bloodshed (Laura Poitras)
It is a fascinating thing to watch someone’s history of protest and addiction collide and conspire to hold a pharmaceutical company accountable and expose its parent family as reprehensible. Academy Award-winning filmmaker Laura Poitras profiles the renowned photographer and activist Nan Goldin and her fight through the AIDS and opioid crisis, but this is bigger than a biographical documentary. Through slideshows, interviews, and family videos, Poitras weaves a riveting, heartbreaking interconnected story of generational pain, its influence over the blurry boundaries between life and art. – Jake K-s.
Where to Stream: VOD
Close (Lukas Dhont)
Dhont’s sophomore feature offers no narrative or stylistic fireworks, but it captures feelings so fine and true they...
- 3/3/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
It is my experience that one gets a far richer, stranger cinema education in pursuing the careers of actors, that group defined first by (assuming luck shines upon them) two or three era-defining films and then so much that dictates their industry—pet projects, contractual obligations, called-in favors alimony payments, auteur one-offs, and on and on. Few embody that deluge of circumstance better than Michelle Yeoh and Isabelle Huppert, both of whom are receiving spotlights in March. The former’s is a who’s-who of Hong Kong talent, new favorites (The Heroic Trio), items we can at least say are of interest (Trio‘s not-great sequel Executioners), etc.
Huppert’s series runs longer, and notwithstanding certain standards that have long sat on the channel it adds some heavy hitters: Hong’s In Another Country, Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate, Breillat’s Abuse of Weakness, Hansen-Løve’s Things to Come. And, of course,...
Huppert’s series runs longer, and notwithstanding certain standards that have long sat on the channel it adds some heavy hitters: Hong’s In Another Country, Cimino’s Heaven’s Gate, Breillat’s Abuse of Weakness, Hansen-Løve’s Things to Come. And, of course,...
- 2/22/2023
- by Nick Newman
- The Film Stage
It may not be particularly fair to say that this is a bit of a duff weekend, because there are indeed new wide and moderate releases. It’s just that very few of them are screening in advance for critics and therefore might be seen as less than. Can any of them topple Week 7 of “Avatar: The Way of Water”?
The one possibility is “Infinity Pool,” Brandon Cronenberg’s follow-up to his 2020 thriller, “Possessor,” which was stymied by the shutdown of movie theaters due to Covid. This one is equally enigmatic, though it has more of a name cast, including Alexander Skarsgård (“Big Little Lies”) and Mia Goth. Skarsgård plays a writer on a luxury vacation with his wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman from “Dopesick”) who becomes involved in a fatal accident that throws him into the locale’s world of horror and violence.
The one possibility is “Infinity Pool,” Brandon Cronenberg’s follow-up to his 2020 thriller, “Possessor,” which was stymied by the shutdown of movie theaters due to Covid. This one is equally enigmatic, though it has more of a name cast, including Alexander Skarsgård (“Big Little Lies”) and Mia Goth. Skarsgård plays a writer on a luxury vacation with his wife Em (Cleopatra Coleman from “Dopesick”) who becomes involved in a fatal accident that throws him into the locale’s world of horror and violence.
- 1/26/2023
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
Stars: Macarena Gómez, Sofía García, Ana Milán, Germán Torres | Written by David Hebrero, Javier Kiran | Directed by David Hebrero
Everyone Will Burn (Y todos arderán) begins with a text crawl that informs us that in 1980 the residents of Razas del Monte sacrificed a baby in the hopes it would prevent the apocalypse they believed was imminent. They’ve managed to keep it covered up, until now.
That’s replaced by a view of the countryside accompanied by the sound of tortured breathing. We see the immaculately dressed María José climb up to the edge of a bridge, ready to kill herself. As she does Lucia (Sofía García) a strange-looking little girl, dirty and dishevelled, walks up behind her and asks “Mama”? Since her suicide attempt is linked to the death of her son and those responsible, including the mayor’s son, managing to escape being prosecuted this has a strong effect on her.
Everyone Will Burn (Y todos arderán) begins with a text crawl that informs us that in 1980 the residents of Razas del Monte sacrificed a baby in the hopes it would prevent the apocalypse they believed was imminent. They’ve managed to keep it covered up, until now.
That’s replaced by a view of the countryside accompanied by the sound of tortured breathing. We see the immaculately dressed María José climb up to the edge of a bridge, ready to kill herself. As she does Lucia (Sofía García) a strange-looking little girl, dirty and dishevelled, walks up behind her and asks “Mama”? Since her suicide attempt is linked to the death of her son and those responsible, including the mayor’s son, managing to escape being prosecuted this has a strong effect on her.
- 9/21/2022
- by Jim Morazzini
- Nerdly
Argentina’s Rodrigo de la Serna leads the cast in the latest Paramount+ original film for Latin America, “El Salto de Papá,” based on the memoir of Argentine author-journalist Martin Sivak.
Daniela Goggi, who co-wrote the script with Andrea Garrote, will direct the pic which is set to begin shooting in Argentina in upcoming weeks. Vis, Paramount’s international studio, is producing the drama in association with two of Argentina’s leading producers, Infinity Hill and Rei Cine.
The film is one of multiple Paramount+ original projects underway in Latin America and Spain as the streamer seeks to rev up its local slate. Competition for premium culturally-specific content among streaming giants and studios in Latin America continues to heat up as they source more original productions locally. This June, at its U.K. launch, Paramount+ announced plans to commission more than 150 international originals by 2025.
De la Serna is best known for his role as Palermo,...
Daniela Goggi, who co-wrote the script with Andrea Garrote, will direct the pic which is set to begin shooting in Argentina in upcoming weeks. Vis, Paramount’s international studio, is producing the drama in association with two of Argentina’s leading producers, Infinity Hill and Rei Cine.
The film is one of multiple Paramount+ original projects underway in Latin America and Spain as the streamer seeks to rev up its local slate. Competition for premium culturally-specific content among streaming giants and studios in Latin America continues to heat up as they source more original productions locally. This June, at its U.K. launch, Paramount+ announced plans to commission more than 150 international originals by 2025.
De la Serna is best known for his role as Palermo,...
- 7/21/2022
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Atsuko Okatsuka has lined up her first comedy special, which will air on HBO and HBO Max, Variety has learned exclusively.
The special will tape this fall. The news comes just over a month after Okatsuka was named one of Variety‘s 10 Comics to Watch. She is a writer, actor, and stand up comedian currently based in Los Angeles.
”I’m so excited to work with HBO on what my family calls ‘an hour of you talking funny,'” Okatsuka said. “That’s what I’ll be doing. But normal enough so you know what I’m saying. I wrote this special when I realized that all the things that made me feel like a freak growing up were actually my superpowers. And I hope you’ll feel that way too after watching. This one’s for the weirdos, the lovers, those who got picked last or even first but...
The special will tape this fall. The news comes just over a month after Okatsuka was named one of Variety‘s 10 Comics to Watch. She is a writer, actor, and stand up comedian currently based in Los Angeles.
”I’m so excited to work with HBO on what my family calls ‘an hour of you talking funny,'” Okatsuka said. “That’s what I’ll be doing. But normal enough so you know what I’m saying. I wrote this special when I realized that all the things that made me feel like a freak growing up were actually my superpowers. And I hope you’ll feel that way too after watching. This one’s for the weirdos, the lovers, those who got picked last or even first but...
- 7/20/2022
- by Joe Otterson
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: The ensemble cast of Lionsgate’s prequel The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes keeps growing, and we’ve heard first that Nick Benson, Laurel Marsden, Lilly Cooper, Luna Steeples and Hiroki Berrecloth are joining the Francis Lawrence directed title opposite Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler and Josh Andrés Rivera.
The prequel is set years before Coriolanus Snow (Blyth) becomes the fierce President of Panem. The 18-year-old is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Zegler), the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their...
The prequel is set years before Coriolanus Snow (Blyth) becomes the fierce President of Panem. The 18-year-old is the last hope for his fading lineage, a once-proud family that has fallen from grace in a post-war Capitol. With the 10th annual Hunger Games fast approaching, the young Snow is alarmed when he is assigned to mentor Lucy Gray Baird (Zegler), the girl tribute from impoverished District 12. But, after Lucy Gray commands all of Panem’s attention by defiantly singing during the reaping ceremony, Snow thinks he might be able to turn the odds in their favor. Uniting their...
- 6/21/2022
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
A judge in Santa Maria, Calif., on Tuesday dismissed a rape case against film producer David Guillod, weeks after another judge threw out most of the charges against him.
Guillod was accused of raping or sexually assaulting six women, including actress Jessica Barth. But after a 10-day preliminary hearing in May, Judge James K. Voysey found that the accusations of four of the women were not credible enough to go to trial.
Voysey took note of text messages in which one alleged victim said, after the alleged rape, that she was looking forward to “dinner and some cuddles” with Guillod. Another alleged victim, Guillod’s assistant, was seen flirting with him and cuddling with him the day after the alleged rape.
“Those behaviors tell the court she didn’t think she was raped the night before,” Voysey said at the hearing on May 23. “She would never have done those things.
Guillod was accused of raping or sexually assaulting six women, including actress Jessica Barth. But after a 10-day preliminary hearing in May, Judge James K. Voysey found that the accusations of four of the women were not credible enough to go to trial.
Voysey took note of text messages in which one alleged victim said, after the alleged rape, that she was looking forward to “dinner and some cuddles” with Guillod. Another alleged victim, Guillod’s assistant, was seen flirting with him and cuddling with him the day after the alleged rape.
“Those behaviors tell the court she didn’t think she was raped the night before,” Voysey said at the hearing on May 23. “She would never have done those things.
- 6/14/2022
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety Film + TV
Variety has named its 10 Comics to Watch for 2022. This year’s honorees will be profiled in the July 20 issue of Variety and be honored at this year’s Just for Laughs Comedy Festival, held in Montreal July 13-31. There will be a panel and cocktail reception held on July 29, followed by a performance showcase July 30.
Variety has been presenting the 10 Comics to Watch list since 2000 and has included such names as Tiffany Haddish, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt and Quinta Brunson.
The list is comprised of stand-up comedians, writers and content creators selected by a panel that includes Variety editors and those in the comedy community that scout, book, cast and represent comics.
Says Christine Walters, creative director, Just For Laughs ComedyPRO and ComedyCON: “We look forward to welcoming the hilarious new class of Variety 10 Comics to Watch in this, our 40th anniversary year of the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal.
Variety has been presenting the 10 Comics to Watch list since 2000 and has included such names as Tiffany Haddish, Kumail Nanjiani, Patton Oswalt and Quinta Brunson.
The list is comprised of stand-up comedians, writers and content creators selected by a panel that includes Variety editors and those in the comedy community that scout, book, cast and represent comics.
Says Christine Walters, creative director, Just For Laughs ComedyPRO and ComedyCON: “We look forward to welcoming the hilarious new class of Variety 10 Comics to Watch in this, our 40th anniversary year of the Just For Laughs Festival in Montreal.
- 6/3/2022
- by Jenelle Riley
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Dark Dreams Entertainment, the production company owned by Magic Mike and I Am Number Four star Alex Pettyfer, has received backing from an angel investor and has set a three-picture deal with UK, LA and Buenos Aires-based production firm Infinity Hill.
Dark Dreams, which Pettyfer steers with his manager-producer James Ireland, has had “substantial” backing from Magnus Rausing, heir to the multi-billion euro Tetra Laval fortune. Rausing has acquired a stake in Dark Dreams and will take a place on the company’s board as an executive. We understand the Swedish heir has quietly supported films in the past but this is his first investment to be made public.
The three-picture pact with Infinity Hill covers projects Blurred, a Paris-set thriller from writer-director Ben Cookson (Waiting For Anya), which is set to star Pettyfer; an adaptation of the Craig Clevenger novel The Contortionist’s Handbook; and The Weekend, a...
Dark Dreams, which Pettyfer steers with his manager-producer James Ireland, has had “substantial” backing from Magnus Rausing, heir to the multi-billion euro Tetra Laval fortune. Rausing has acquired a stake in Dark Dreams and will take a place on the company’s board as an executive. We understand the Swedish heir has quietly supported films in the past but this is his first investment to be made public.
The three-picture pact with Infinity Hill covers projects Blurred, a Paris-set thriller from writer-director Ben Cookson (Waiting For Anya), which is set to star Pettyfer; an adaptation of the Craig Clevenger novel The Contortionist’s Handbook; and The Weekend, a...
- 5/31/2022
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Amy Schumer, James Acaster, Jimmy O. Yang and many other comedians have joined the lineup of Just for Laughs Montreal’s 40th anniversary festival. The news comes ahead of the launch for tickets of the event, which goes live Wednesday.
Schumer, Acaster, Yang, Jimmy Carr, Dara Ó Briain, Debra Digiovanni, Jacqueline Novak, Katherine Ryan, Maria Bamford, Fortune Feimster will all perform concert shows over the course of the almost three-week long Canadian comedy festival. In addition, Rick Mercer will host a special concert spotlighting Canadian comics. They join previously announced performers, who include John Mulaney and Hasan Minhaj.
Just for Laughs also announced a special gala celebrating the festival’s 40th anniversary, as well as several club shows, a podcast reading for Hesseltine and Rayna Greenberg’s comedy show “Girls Gotta Eat” and programming for the Off-jfl spin-off festival.
The festival also released the dates for its 26th annual New Faces series,...
Schumer, Acaster, Yang, Jimmy Carr, Dara Ó Briain, Debra Digiovanni, Jacqueline Novak, Katherine Ryan, Maria Bamford, Fortune Feimster will all perform concert shows over the course of the almost three-week long Canadian comedy festival. In addition, Rick Mercer will host a special concert spotlighting Canadian comics. They join previously announced performers, who include John Mulaney and Hasan Minhaj.
Just for Laughs also announced a special gala celebrating the festival’s 40th anniversary, as well as several club shows, a podcast reading for Hesseltine and Rayna Greenberg’s comedy show “Girls Gotta Eat” and programming for the Off-jfl spin-off festival.
The festival also released the dates for its 26th annual New Faces series,...
- 5/25/2022
- by Wilson Chapman
- Variety Film + TV
Stars: Cameron Monaghan, Frank Grillo, John Malkovich, Sasha Luss, Lilly Krug, Ash Santos, James C. Burns, Dat Phan | Written by David Loughery | Directed by Luis Prieto
Thirteen years after his last screenplay credit, writer David Loughery, who wrote blockbuster 90s action films like Passenger 57 and The Three Musketeers, returned to movies with Lakeview Terrace in 2008, and since then he seems to have specialised in films that feature characters with ulterior motives, who aren’t who they think you are; and with Obsessed he almost single-handedly looked to revive the low-budget thriller genre that was so prevalent during the era he last penned scripts for Hollywood. That determination continued with his scripts for films like Penthouse North and The Intruder; in 2020 he spiced things ups throwing in some eroticism with the script for Fatale and now comes Shattered, which takes the genre to its Basic Instinct-style roots. Though to be...
Thirteen years after his last screenplay credit, writer David Loughery, who wrote blockbuster 90s action films like Passenger 57 and The Three Musketeers, returned to movies with Lakeview Terrace in 2008, and since then he seems to have specialised in films that feature characters with ulterior motives, who aren’t who they think you are; and with Obsessed he almost single-handedly looked to revive the low-budget thriller genre that was so prevalent during the era he last penned scripts for Hollywood. That determination continued with his scripts for films like Penthouse North and The Intruder; in 2020 he spiced things ups throwing in some eroticism with the script for Fatale and now comes Shattered, which takes the genre to its Basic Instinct-style roots. Though to be...
- 5/16/2022
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
The Devil made off with Ben and Ciara's newborn son! Craig left town while Leo sought his revenge. And Tr tried to lure Paulina away as the walls closed in on him.
Our TV Fanatics, Jack and Christine, are joined by Horizon from MyHourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum to debate the Devil's plan for baby Weston, if Sonny has feelings for Leo, if Abe should give Paulina another chance, and who deserves to be Days of Our Lives' Performer of the Week?
Devil Allie helped deliver Ciara and Ben's baby and then stole him. React!
Horizon: No question, the visuals, and atmosphere were terrific. When clueless Ciara finally learned the truth about "Allie," there was a flame from the fireplace burning behind her.
This storyline has always given me the creeps, but Allie was especially creepy as she pretended to be caring when in fact, she was advancing her sinister plans.
Our TV Fanatics, Jack and Christine, are joined by Horizon from MyHourglass, a Days of Our Lives fan forum to debate the Devil's plan for baby Weston, if Sonny has feelings for Leo, if Abe should give Paulina another chance, and who deserves to be Days of Our Lives' Performer of the Week?
Devil Allie helped deliver Ciara and Ben's baby and then stole him. React!
Horizon: No question, the visuals, and atmosphere were terrific. When clueless Ciara finally learned the truth about "Allie," there was a flame from the fireplace burning behind her.
This storyline has always given me the creeps, but Allie was especially creepy as she pretended to be caring when in fact, she was advancing her sinister plans.
- 5/8/2022
- by Christine Orlando
- TVfanatic
Hey, everyone! Last Friday, we celebrated all the fun independent horror that was released throughout the 1980s (you can read that piece Here), and before we examine the ’90s indie horror scene tomorrow, I thought I’d take today to celebrate a few more underappreciated indie genre gems from the ’80s that are currently available to stream on Shudder’s platform. When it comes to movies from this decade, there are so many titles that get endless love, so I thought it would be fun to put the spotlight on five movies that I would consider to be underappreciated, but very much worth checking out if you’re a horror fan who enjoys offbeat horror stories.
Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker
The thing I love about Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker is that it feels like someone watched Friday the 13th and they were like, “What if we do some variation on this story,...
Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker
The thing I love about Butcher, Baker, Nightmare Maker is that it feels like someone watched Friday the 13th and they were like, “What if we do some variation on this story,...
- 4/15/2022
- by Heather Wixson
- DailyDead
Exclusive: Indonesian director Joko Anwar (Impetigore) is preparing to make his English-language debut with Fritzchen, an adaptation of the classic short story by Charles Beaumont that is in development at Village Roadshow.
While the story published in Orbit magazine in 1953 (and later in Beaumont’s anthology Yonder) examines a boy’s encounter with a strange creature on the beach, blending elements of sci-fi and horror, details with regard to the film’s plot are being kept under wraps. Michael Voyer (The Broodmare) is adapting the script, with David Kopple on board to produce for Entertainment 360. Village Roadshow recently optioned the short story and will serve as the project’s financier.
Beaumont was an acclaimed science fiction writer best known for penning such Twilight Zone episodes as “The Howling Man,” “Static,” “Miniature,” “Printer’s Devil” and “Number Twelve Looks Just Like You.” He also wrote the screenplays for films including Brain Dead,...
While the story published in Orbit magazine in 1953 (and later in Beaumont’s anthology Yonder) examines a boy’s encounter with a strange creature on the beach, blending elements of sci-fi and horror, details with regard to the film’s plot are being kept under wraps. Michael Voyer (The Broodmare) is adapting the script, with David Kopple on board to produce for Entertainment 360. Village Roadshow recently optioned the short story and will serve as the project’s financier.
Beaumont was an acclaimed science fiction writer best known for penning such Twilight Zone episodes as “The Howling Man,” “Static,” “Miniature,” “Printer’s Devil” and “Number Twelve Looks Just Like You.” He also wrote the screenplays for films including Brain Dead,...
- 4/4/2022
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Spider-Man: No Way Home was runaway champion.
Overall box office in Argentina nearly trebled in 2021 although market share for local films dropped 93% as ticket sales of mostly Hollywood titles led by Spider-Man: No Way Home made big gains.
Latest data from Argentina’s film body Incaa revealed that while local box office fell 81% year-on-year from Ars 452.3m (Usd $4.3m) to Ars 82.08m and market share plunged from 23.14% in 2020 to 1.47% last year, box office for Hollywood, international and festival selections was a different story.
That number climbed 266% from Ars 1.49bn (Usd $14.3m) in 2020 to Ars 5.49bn (Usd $52.47m) last year.
And...
Overall box office in Argentina nearly trebled in 2021 although market share for local films dropped 93% as ticket sales of mostly Hollywood titles led by Spider-Man: No Way Home made big gains.
Latest data from Argentina’s film body Incaa revealed that while local box office fell 81% year-on-year from Ars 452.3m (Usd $4.3m) to Ars 82.08m and market share plunged from 23.14% in 2020 to 1.47% last year, box office for Hollywood, international and festival selections was a different story.
That number climbed 266% from Ars 1.49bn (Usd $14.3m) in 2020 to Ars 5.49bn (Usd $52.47m) last year.
And...
- 2/4/2022
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSHong Sang-soo's The Novelist's Film (2022)The competition slate has been announced for this year's Berlinale, featuring the latest by Hong Sang-soo, Claire Denis, Rithy Panh, Phyllis Nagy, Ulrich Seidl, and more. Find the rest of the lineup here. In an interview with Variety, executive Mariette Rissenbeek and artistic director Carlo Chatrian discuss their plans for the festival to be an in-person event. Actor Michel Subor has died at the age of 86. Subor captivated audiences with his performances in films like Jean-Luc Godard's Le petit soldat (1960)—he also was the narrator for François Truffaut's Jules and Jim (1962)—and a number of films by Claire Denis, from Beau travail (1999) and L'intrus (2004) to White Material (2009) and Bastards (2013). We recommend reading Yasmina Price's excellent essay on L'intrus and Subor's distinct historiography as an actor. Recommended VIEWINGThe...
- 1/19/2022
- MUBI
Michel Subor, a French actor who rose to international acclaim for his lead performance in Jean-Luc Godard’s 1963 feature “Le Petit Soldat” and his narration for François Truffaut’s 1962 romance “Jules et Jim,” died on Monday in a French hospital following a car accident. He was 86 years old.
News of Subor’s death was shared by director Claire Denis on her Instagram and reported by the daily French newspaper Libération. Subor and Denis had collaborated numerous times over the past decades, with their partnership beginning with Subor’s performance in Denis’ 1999 feature “Beau Travail.”
“Michel Subor, the big little soldier is dead,” Denis wrote. Her words have been translated from French. “Our Bruno, the commander.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Claire Denis (@clairedenis6)
Born Mischa Subotzki in Paris, France on Feb. 2, 1935, Subor was raised by parents who had immigrated from the Soviet Union a few years earlier.
News of Subor’s death was shared by director Claire Denis on her Instagram and reported by the daily French newspaper Libération. Subor and Denis had collaborated numerous times over the past decades, with their partnership beginning with Subor’s performance in Denis’ 1999 feature “Beau Travail.”
“Michel Subor, the big little soldier is dead,” Denis wrote. Her words have been translated from French. “Our Bruno, the commander.”
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Claire Denis (@clairedenis6)
Born Mischa Subotzki in Paris, France on Feb. 2, 1935, Subor was raised by parents who had immigrated from the Soviet Union a few years earlier.
- 1/18/2022
- by J. Kim Murphy
- Variety Film + TV
One of the most fruitful collaborations in cinema history has been between Claire Denis and Stuart Staples’ band Tindersticks. After working together on a number of films––Nénette et Boni, Trouble Every Day, The Intruder, 35 Shots of Rum, White Material, Bastards, and High Life––their latest team-up comes with Fire.
Led by Juliette Binoche, Vincent Lindon, Mati Diop, Grégoire Colin, Bulle Ogier, Issa Perica, and Binoche’s daughter Hana Magimel, the love-triangle romance is one of 2022’s most-anticipated. As our first real preview, Tindersticks have unveiled the closing song as well as revealing it’ll premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 12.
Titled Both Sides of the Blade, it’s part of their new greatest-hits collection Past imperfect : the best of tindersticks ’92 – ‘21, which is set for release on March 25. The music video for this rather beautifully somber track, depicting a woman shaving in front of a mirror,...
Led by Juliette Binoche, Vincent Lindon, Mati Diop, Grégoire Colin, Bulle Ogier, Issa Perica, and Binoche’s daughter Hana Magimel, the love-triangle romance is one of 2022’s most-anticipated. As our first real preview, Tindersticks have unveiled the closing song as well as revealing it’ll premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival on February 12.
Titled Both Sides of the Blade, it’s part of their new greatest-hits collection Past imperfect : the best of tindersticks ’92 – ‘21, which is set for release on March 25. The music video for this rather beautifully somber track, depicting a woman shaving in front of a mirror,...
- 1/18/2022
- by Leonard Pearce
- The Film Stage
Director Natalie Meta takes an abstract approach to her second feature film The Intruder (El Prófugo). Based on a book of the same name by C.E. Feiling, Meta walks a fine line between the psychological and the spiritual but because the film doesn’t elaborate on either view, the movie lingers in a limbo while the audience tries to get to the bottom of what’s happening without losing interest.
Ines (Érica Rivas) and her annoying boyfriend Leopoldo (Daniel Hendler) are on their way to a resort for a vacation. She’s scared of flying, so her boyfriend gives her a pill to calm herself down. Ines has some strange and violent dreams on the flight but wakes up to reality which soon slaps her in the face. While in the hotel room, Leopoldo and Ines have an argument where he constantly pressures her into revealing what she said and...
Ines (Érica Rivas) and her annoying boyfriend Leopoldo (Daniel Hendler) are on their way to a resort for a vacation. She’s scared of flying, so her boyfriend gives her a pill to calm herself down. Ines has some strange and violent dreams on the flight but wakes up to reality which soon slaps her in the face. While in the hotel room, Leopoldo and Ines have an argument where he constantly pressures her into revealing what she said and...
- 12/16/2021
- by Valerie Complex
- Deadline Film + TV
Latin America has submitted 15 contenders in the Academy Awards’ international feature category this time, not quite as big a haul as last year’s tally of 18.
Leading the hopefuls is Mexico’s “Prayers for the Stolen,” the fiction debut of Tatiana Huezo, one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch in 2022. Her tale follows three girls as they come of age in a remote village afflicted by the drug trade and human trafficking. The Cannes Un Certain Regard winner is now streaming on Netflix, which is putting all its promotional heft behind it. The film’s producers are Jim Stark (“Coffee and Cigarettes”) and Nicolas Celis, the latter a key producer of Mexico’s first-ever international feature Oscar winner, “Roma,” by Alfonso Cuarón.
Huezo’s 2016 documentary, “Tempestad,” represented Mexico at the 90th Academy Awards. Since 1957, when Mexico started participating in the Oscars, 10 of its entries have been nominated, culminating in “Roma’s” win in 2019.
Chile,...
Leading the hopefuls is Mexico’s “Prayers for the Stolen,” the fiction debut of Tatiana Huezo, one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch in 2022. Her tale follows three girls as they come of age in a remote village afflicted by the drug trade and human trafficking. The Cannes Un Certain Regard winner is now streaming on Netflix, which is putting all its promotional heft behind it. The film’s producers are Jim Stark (“Coffee and Cigarettes”) and Nicolas Celis, the latter a key producer of Mexico’s first-ever international feature Oscar winner, “Roma,” by Alfonso Cuarón.
Huezo’s 2016 documentary, “Tempestad,” represented Mexico at the 90th Academy Awards. Since 1957, when Mexico started participating in the Oscars, 10 of its entries have been nominated, culminating in “Roma’s” win in 2019.
Chile,...
- 12/13/2021
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Last fiscal year expenditure was $25bn.
Disney intends to spend $33bn on content in fiscal year 2022 in the latest example of how the streaming wars have pushed expenditure to unprecedented levels.
According to the company’s annual report filed with the Securities And Exchange Commission last fiscal year’s spend was $25bn. The fiscal year starts on October 1.
The filing said Disney plans to release around 50 titles for theatrical release and direct-to-consumer, which includes the company’s centrepiece platform Disney+ as well as Hulu, in the coming year.
The $33bn includes the company’s director-to-consumer platforms, theatrical, and linear TV...
Disney intends to spend $33bn on content in fiscal year 2022 in the latest example of how the streaming wars have pushed expenditure to unprecedented levels.
According to the company’s annual report filed with the Securities And Exchange Commission last fiscal year’s spend was $25bn. The fiscal year starts on October 1.
The filing said Disney plans to release around 50 titles for theatrical release and direct-to-consumer, which includes the company’s centrepiece platform Disney+ as well as Hulu, in the coming year.
The $33bn includes the company’s director-to-consumer platforms, theatrical, and linear TV...
- 11/25/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Argentinian filmmaker aiming for start of production in second half of 2022.
Natalia Meta, director of Argentina’s international feature film Oscar submission The Intruder (El Profugo) is reteaming with stars Erica Rivas and Daniel Hendler on political drama The Spirit Of The Law.
Meta told Screen she hopes to commence production in the second half of 2022. Rivas will play a congresswoman fighting to pass a law for women’s rights when she is accused of sexual harassment.
The filmmaker is producing through her company Picnic Producciones and is in the process of putting together the financing. She said the title,...
Natalia Meta, director of Argentina’s international feature film Oscar submission The Intruder (El Profugo) is reteaming with stars Erica Rivas and Daniel Hendler on political drama The Spirit Of The Law.
Meta told Screen she hopes to commence production in the second half of 2022. Rivas will play a congresswoman fighting to pass a law for women’s rights when she is accused of sexual harassment.
The filmmaker is producing through her company Picnic Producciones and is in the process of putting together the financing. She said the title,...
- 11/24/2021
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
The first screenings in the programme are the Oscar entries for Luxembourg, Ukraine, Panama, Netherlands and Algeria.
Screen International is hosting an exclusive series of online screenings focused on the international feature awards race.
This initiative is designed to enable each country to organise an event around their submission.
The first screenings in the programme are the Oscar entries for Luxembourg (Io Sto Bene), Ukraine (Bad Roads), Panama (Plaza Catedral), Netherlands (Do not Hesitate) and Algeria (Heliopolis). More titles will be added during this year’s awards season.
Sign up for the screenings here
For the second year, Screen is partnering with Archipel Market,...
Screen International is hosting an exclusive series of online screenings focused on the international feature awards race.
This initiative is designed to enable each country to organise an event around their submission.
The first screenings in the programme are the Oscar entries for Luxembourg (Io Sto Bene), Ukraine (Bad Roads), Panama (Plaza Catedral), Netherlands (Do not Hesitate) and Algeria (Heliopolis). More titles will be added during this year’s awards season.
Sign up for the screenings here
For the second year, Screen is partnering with Archipel Market,...
- 11/19/2021
- by Screen staff
- ScreenDaily
Exclusive: Michael Ealy is set as a lead opposite Kristen Bell and Tom Riley in Netflix’s eight-episode limited series The Woman in the House, from Gloria Sanchez Productions. The series is expected to premiere in early 2022.
Created by Rachel Ramras, Hugh Davidson and Larry Dorf, who also serve as co-showrunners, The Woman In The House centers around heartbroken Anna (Bell), for whom every day is the same. She sits with her wine, staring out the window, watching life go by without her. But when a handsome neighbor (Riley) and his adorable daughter (Samsara Yett) move in across the street, Anna starts to see a light at the end of the tunnel. That is until she witnesses a gruesome murder… Or did she?
Ealy will play Douglas, Anna’s ex-husband. Bookish and pragmatic, he still has love for Anna but their past keeps them from imagining a future together.
Created by Rachel Ramras, Hugh Davidson and Larry Dorf, who also serve as co-showrunners, The Woman In The House centers around heartbroken Anna (Bell), for whom every day is the same. She sits with her wine, staring out the window, watching life go by without her. But when a handsome neighbor (Riley) and his adorable daughter (Samsara Yett) move in across the street, Anna starts to see a light at the end of the tunnel. That is until she witnesses a gruesome murder… Or did she?
Ealy will play Douglas, Anna’s ex-husband. Bookish and pragmatic, he still has love for Anna but their past keeps them from imagining a future together.
- 11/10/2021
- by Denise Petski
- Deadline Film + TV
After a multi-year hiatus, Pablo Stoll, who broke out with directing partner Juan Pablo Rebella on such hits as “25 Watts” and “Whisky,” is back in the director’s seat, albeit on his own, with “Summer Hit” (“El Tema del Verano”), a zombie pic now shooting on the beaches of Uruguay.
Presented at last year’s Cannes Producers Network, film is co-produced by Temperamento Films (Uruguay), Ice End Content (Chile) and La Unión de los Ríos (Argentina) in association with Nadador Cine (Uruguay).
Ice End Content is the new production shingle formed by Chile’s Florencia Larrea, producer of “My Tender Matador,” and Rodrigo Susarte, director of “The Monster Within,” who are pitching their dark comedy series, “Frankie,” at Sanfic Industria.
Stoll’s fifth feature film starts out as a post-pandemic summer romantic comedy but transforms into a scam film and finally one about the living dead. “Is it possible to...
Presented at last year’s Cannes Producers Network, film is co-produced by Temperamento Films (Uruguay), Ice End Content (Chile) and La Unión de los Ríos (Argentina) in association with Nadador Cine (Uruguay).
Ice End Content is the new production shingle formed by Chile’s Florencia Larrea, producer of “My Tender Matador,” and Rodrigo Susarte, director of “The Monster Within,” who are pitching their dark comedy series, “Frankie,” at Sanfic Industria.
Stoll’s fifth feature film starts out as a post-pandemic summer romantic comedy but transforms into a scam film and finally one about the living dead. “Is it possible to...
- 10/27/2021
- by Anna Marie de la Fuente
- Variety Film + TV
Keep track of all the submissions for best international feature at the 2022 Academy Awards
Entries for the 2022 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
The 94th Academy Awards will take place on March 27, 2022 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. This is the first time since 2018 that the ceremony will take place in March, having moved to avoid conflicting with the Winter Olympics.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly non-English dialogue...
Entries for the 2022 Oscar for best international feature are underway, and Screen is profiling each one on this page.
Scroll down for profiles of each Oscar entry
The 94th Academy Awards will take place on March 27, 2022 at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. This is the first time since 2018 that the ceremony will take place in March, having moved to avoid conflicting with the Winter Olympics.
An international feature film is defined as a feature-length motion picture produced outside the US with a predominantly non-English dialogue...
- 10/25/2021
- by Ben Dalton¬Mona Tabbara
- ScreenDaily
International Oscar Race: Australia Selects ‘When Pomegranates Howl’; Argentina Picks ‘The Intruder’
Australia is sending Granaz Moussavi’s When Pomegranates Howl to the Academy as its submission for this year’s International Oscar race.
The Australia-Afghanistan co-production, from Iranian-Australian filmmaker Moussavi, is an anti-war drama. Shot in Afghanistan, the story follows Hewad, an irrepressible nine-year old boy who hustles on the streets of Kabul – selling everything from pomegranate juice to protection from the evil eye.
The film is up for Best Youth Feature Film at the 2021 Asia Pacific Screen Awards, which announces November 11.
Separately, Argentina has selected Natalia Meta’s horror-thriller The Intruder as its entry.
The film debuted at Berlinale last year. It is the story of Inés, a young woman who after a traumatic episode during a trip with her partner begins to confuse herself between the real and the imaginary.
Producers on the movie are Rei Cine and Picnic Producciones, with co-producers Infinity Hill and Barraca Producciones, in association with Piano,...
The Australia-Afghanistan co-production, from Iranian-Australian filmmaker Moussavi, is an anti-war drama. Shot in Afghanistan, the story follows Hewad, an irrepressible nine-year old boy who hustles on the streets of Kabul – selling everything from pomegranate juice to protection from the evil eye.
The film is up for Best Youth Feature Film at the 2021 Asia Pacific Screen Awards, which announces November 11.
Separately, Argentina has selected Natalia Meta’s horror-thriller The Intruder as its entry.
The film debuted at Berlinale last year. It is the story of Inés, a young woman who after a traumatic episode during a trip with her partner begins to confuse herself between the real and the imaginary.
Producers on the movie are Rei Cine and Picnic Producciones, with co-producers Infinity Hill and Barraca Producciones, in association with Piano,...
- 10/25/2021
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
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