Everywhere on social media, you read comments from readers lamenting our modern culture.
They long for the good old days when comedy was offensive, antiheroes said whatever they were thinking, and actors were judged by their undeniable talent rather than the biggest mistakes of their careers.
Plotlines were more important than representation. Complicated characters were more important than "Wokeness."
Back then, they say, it didn't matter if a character was black or gay. All that mattered was the story.
We watched because a filmmaker had something important to say, not because every race and sexual orientation appeared and was treated with respect.
We listened because regardless of what anyone said about a comedian, at least he was funny!
Unsurprisingly, many of the same social critics would also say no movies from the 2010-2030 era will be remembered as classics 20 or 30 years from now.
They didn't have the edge and the...
They long for the good old days when comedy was offensive, antiheroes said whatever they were thinking, and actors were judged by their undeniable talent rather than the biggest mistakes of their careers.
Plotlines were more important than representation. Complicated characters were more important than "Wokeness."
Back then, they say, it didn't matter if a character was black or gay. All that mattered was the story.
We watched because a filmmaker had something important to say, not because every race and sexual orientation appeared and was treated with respect.
We listened because regardless of what anyone said about a comedian, at least he was funny!
Unsurprisingly, many of the same social critics would also say no movies from the 2010-2030 era will be remembered as classics 20 or 30 years from now.
They didn't have the edge and the...
- 5/22/2024
- by Michael Arangua
- TVfanatic
Morgan Freeman revealed the most frustrating moment of his career and it also happened to be his career’s biggest regret. Freeman’s career took off with his Oscar-winning film Driving Miss Daisy. Before the role happened, Freeman wanted to play one particular character in a book-based movie and approached Miloš Forman, the director, to convince him to cast him.
Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy in a still from Driving Miss Daisy | The Zanuck Company
The Dark Knight actor didn’t get the job in Forman’s Ragtime. While the film wasn’t Forman’s best, Freeman was touched by the source material and wanted to play the African-American pianist in the film.
Morgan Freeman’s Biggest Regret Is Losing A Role In A Veteran Director’s Film
Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption | Castle Rock Entertainment
Morgan Freeman has been a remarkable presence in supporting roles in Hollywood.
Morgan Freeman and Jessica Tandy in a still from Driving Miss Daisy | The Zanuck Company
The Dark Knight actor didn’t get the job in Forman’s Ragtime. While the film wasn’t Forman’s best, Freeman was touched by the source material and wanted to play the African-American pianist in the film.
Morgan Freeman’s Biggest Regret Is Losing A Role In A Veteran Director’s Film
Morgan Freeman and Tim Robbins in The Shawshank Redemption | Castle Rock Entertainment
Morgan Freeman has been a remarkable presence in supporting roles in Hollywood.
- 5/22/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
Clint Eastwood is one of the leading pioneers of actors and filmmakers who popularized the Western genre and elevated it during his prime. The actor’s collaborations with Sergio Leone on the Dollars trilogy changed Westerns forever. Eastwood carried on the legacy of those who came before him and elevated the genre by taking it into unexplored territory with many of his Westerns.
Clint Eastwood as William Munny in Unforgiven | Warner Bros
The Outlaw Josey Wales, High Plains Drifter, Pale Rider, and Unforgiven were four of the Westerns masterpieces Eastwood made. While the genre has not had the level of popularity it did back then, Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone reinvigorated the genre with a fresh and intimate familial story. While Sheridan certainly took inspiration from Eastwood, he did not want to copy one trait of his films.
Taylor Sheridan Does Not Want To Have an Acting Role In Every Project...
Clint Eastwood as William Munny in Unforgiven | Warner Bros
The Outlaw Josey Wales, High Plains Drifter, Pale Rider, and Unforgiven were four of the Westerns masterpieces Eastwood made. While the genre has not had the level of popularity it did back then, Taylor Sheridan’s Yellowstone reinvigorated the genre with a fresh and intimate familial story. While Sheridan certainly took inspiration from Eastwood, he did not want to copy one trait of his films.
Taylor Sheridan Does Not Want To Have an Acting Role In Every Project...
- 5/22/2024
- by Rahul Thokchom
- FandomWire
Morgan Wallen and Post Malone’s collaboration “I Had Some Help” debuted at Number One on the Hot 100, Billboard announced on Tuesday, opening as one of the biggest debuts for a single this year.
The single reps Malone’s second Number One of the year so far, following his collaboration with Taylor Swift on “Fortnight” the biggest song from The Tortured Poets Department. “I Had Some Help” opened with 76.4 million streams, beating out “Fortnight” for most single-week streams this year. The song dethroned Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss “Not Like Us,...
The single reps Malone’s second Number One of the year so far, following his collaboration with Taylor Swift on “Fortnight” the biggest song from The Tortured Poets Department. “I Had Some Help” opened with 76.4 million streams, beating out “Fortnight” for most single-week streams this year. The song dethroned Kendrick Lamar’s Drake diss “Not Like Us,...
- 5/20/2024
- by Ethan Millman
- Rollingstone.com
My favorite scene in the hilarious new film “The Fall Guy” is the one where Emily Blunt (recent Best Supporting Actress Oscar nominee for “Oppenheimer”) belts out the Phil Collins classic “Against All Odds (Take a Look at Me Now)” as Ryan Gosling (recent Best Supporting Actor Oscar nominee for “Barbie”) finds himself in a particularly dramatic — and dangerous — sequence of events.
As Blunt sang with all her heart, I couldn’t help but think of how perfect the timing was.
Forty years ago this very month, the famous power ballad had just completed a three-week reign on top of the Billboard Hot 100. “Against All Odds” was the title song from the romantic thriller starring Jeff Bridges, Rachel Ward and James Woods. The Taylor Hackford-directed movie was met with solid reviews and healthy ticket sales. But its most notable success was Collins’s song, which quickly took the Billboard chart by storm.
As Blunt sang with all her heart, I couldn’t help but think of how perfect the timing was.
Forty years ago this very month, the famous power ballad had just completed a three-week reign on top of the Billboard Hot 100. “Against All Odds” was the title song from the romantic thriller starring Jeff Bridges, Rachel Ward and James Woods. The Taylor Hackford-directed movie was met with solid reviews and healthy ticket sales. But its most notable success was Collins’s song, which quickly took the Billboard chart by storm.
- 5/17/2024
- by Tariq Khan
- Gold Derby
Twenty years ago this month, the fairy tale-like romantic comedy “13 Going on 30” starring Jennifer Garner made its way into cinemas. The actress played Jenna Rink, a socially awkward soon-to-be 13-year-old who quickly realizes that she “hates being 13.” She makes a birthday wish to be “thirty, flirty and thriving.” With the little help of some wishing dust, she wakes up the next morning to discover that her wish has come true.
It was a defining moment in Garner’s early career. Her role as Sydney Bristow in the television action thriller series “Alias” had made her a breakout star (including at awards shows) just a few years earlier. She won the Golden Globe for Best Drama Actress in 2002 and had competed again in 2003 and earlier in 2004. She had also been nominated for two Emmy Awards one Screen Actors Guild trophy.
While Garner already had a number of film credits on her resume,...
It was a defining moment in Garner’s early career. Her role as Sydney Bristow in the television action thriller series “Alias” had made her a breakout star (including at awards shows) just a few years earlier. She won the Golden Globe for Best Drama Actress in 2002 and had competed again in 2003 and earlier in 2004. She had also been nominated for two Emmy Awards one Screen Actors Guild trophy.
While Garner already had a number of film credits on her resume,...
- 4/23/2024
- by Tariq Khan
- Gold Derby
Hilary Swank wouldn't take her Oscar-winning role in 'Boys Don't Cry' today.The 49-year-old star shot to fame when she played Brandon Teena, a trans man who was murdered in a hate crime, in the 1999 drama and she thinks if it was remade now, the role would offer a "great opportunity" for a trans actor, but she defended taking the role herself, insisting it was "such different times" back then.She told The Times' Saturday Review: "Now for the most part, in most places, it’s accepted to be a trans person. [But] at that time, people weren’t even coming out as gay and lesbian, it was a career killer, or whatever. They weren’t ready to tell their family, or maybe they weren’t even ready to tell themselves."We’re in such different times — I feel like it would be a great opportunity for an actor...
- 4/21/2024
- by Viki Waters
- Bang Showbiz
Hilary Swank has reflected on her role in Boys Don’t Cry two decades ago, saying changing awareness means she wouldn’t take the part today.
Swank won her first Oscar for the role of real-life transgender man Brandon Teena, murdered in a hate crime, in the movie which was released in 2000. She told The Times of London newspaper:
“Now for the most part, in most places, it’s accepted to be a trans person. [But] at that time, people weren’t even coming out as gay and lesbian, it was a career killer, or whatever. They weren’t ready to tell their family, or maybe they weren’t even ready to tell themselves. We’re in such different times — I feel like it would be a great opportunity for an actor who’s trans to play that role.”
Swank added: “But I also feel like actors are actors. We are supposed...
Swank won her first Oscar for the role of real-life transgender man Brandon Teena, murdered in a hate crime, in the movie which was released in 2000. She told The Times of London newspaper:
“Now for the most part, in most places, it’s accepted to be a trans person. [But] at that time, people weren’t even coming out as gay and lesbian, it was a career killer, or whatever. They weren’t ready to tell their family, or maybe they weren’t even ready to tell themselves. We’re in such different times — I feel like it would be a great opportunity for an actor who’s trans to play that role.”
Swank added: “But I also feel like actors are actors. We are supposed...
- 4/20/2024
- by Caroline Frost
- Deadline Film + TV
Anthony Mackie has been a part of many notable films in Hollywood including Pain & Gain and Million Dollar Baby. However, there is no denying that a majority of his fame comes from his work in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Whether it is as Falcon or Captain America, Anthony Mackie holds a special place in the hearts of his fans.
Anthony Mackie as Falcon in the MCU
Therefore, it goes without saying that when fans spot the actor out and about in the city, they wouldn’t want to miss the golden opportunity of interacting with him. Unfortunately, sometimes things don’t turn out how we expect them to. This is the story of a fan whose interaction with Anthony Mackie didn’t go quite how she had hoped, causing her to label the man as the ‘Rudest Human Being Alive.”
Is Anthony Mackie the Rudest Celebrity Alive?
A still...
Anthony Mackie as Falcon in the MCU
Therefore, it goes without saying that when fans spot the actor out and about in the city, they wouldn’t want to miss the golden opportunity of interacting with him. Unfortunately, sometimes things don’t turn out how we expect them to. This is the story of a fan whose interaction with Anthony Mackie didn’t go quite how she had hoped, causing her to label the man as the ‘Rudest Human Being Alive.”
Is Anthony Mackie the Rudest Celebrity Alive?
A still...
- 4/15/2024
- by Mishkaat Khan
- FandomWire
“RuPaul’s Drag Race” season 16 continued on April 12 with the fifteenth episode in RuPaul’s quest to find “America’s next drag superstar.” Previously in episode 14, the top four told stories of their own lives memoir style in podcast interviews. Plane Jane and Q found themselves vulnerable as the bottom two and Q was shocked to be sent home instead of marching on to the “Grand Finale” alongside her sisters.
This week, instead of the standard reunion episode, RuPaul Charles invites the eliminated queens back for a “LipSync Lalaparuza Smackdown” where one comes out on top of the tournament $50,000 richer. Seated at the judges’ dais this week to help decide the match-up winners were longtime bestie Michelle Visage and recurring judge Ts Madison.
Check out our full recap of episode 15 below:
The morning after Q’s elimination, all 14 of the queens entered the Werk Room together for a “reunited” moment where...
This week, instead of the standard reunion episode, RuPaul Charles invites the eliminated queens back for a “LipSync Lalaparuza Smackdown” where one comes out on top of the tournament $50,000 richer. Seated at the judges’ dais this week to help decide the match-up winners were longtime bestie Michelle Visage and recurring judge Ts Madison.
Check out our full recap of episode 15 below:
The morning after Q’s elimination, all 14 of the queens entered the Werk Room together for a “reunited” moment where...
- 4/13/2024
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
Clint Eastwood has a long and storied career in Hollywood, first as an actor and then as a director. However, prior to his Hollywood success, Eastwood was also in the United States Army, where he served between 1951 and 1953. During this time, Eastwood faced a near-death experience while hitching a ride on a military plane.
Clint Eastwood in Bronco Billy
The acclaimed director recently spoke to students at the Loyola Marymount University School of Film & TV, where he addressed his near-death experience after the flight crashed and left him in shark-infested waters. Here is how Eastwood described his experience and why he credited his ignorance for his survival.
Clint Eastwood Reveals How He Survived After Hitchhiking Experience Went Wrong
Clint Eastwood has been an influential figure in Hollywood, through his more than seven decades-long career as an actor and filmmaker. Eastwood took part in the Hollywood Masters interview series at Loyola Marymount University...
Clint Eastwood in Bronco Billy
The acclaimed director recently spoke to students at the Loyola Marymount University School of Film & TV, where he addressed his near-death experience after the flight crashed and left him in shark-infested waters. Here is how Eastwood described his experience and why he credited his ignorance for his survival.
Clint Eastwood Reveals How He Survived After Hitchhiking Experience Went Wrong
Clint Eastwood has been an influential figure in Hollywood, through his more than seven decades-long career as an actor and filmmaker. Eastwood took part in the Hollywood Masters interview series at Loyola Marymount University...
- 4/6/2024
- by Pratik Handore
- FandomWire
Powerful roles and memorable lines have been the hallmark of Clint Eastwood’s career. Cops, cowboys drifters, soldiers and, generally bad ass men’s men … he’s played them all.
The lines that stick with you? Dirty Harry: “You’ve got to ask yourself a question: ‘Do you feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk.” Josey Wales: “When I get to likin’ someone, they ain’t around long.” Bill Munny in Unforgiven: “It’s a hell of a thing, killin’ a man. Take away all he’s got, and all he’s ever gonna have.” And perhaps the most quoted of all, Harry Callahan in Sudden Impact: “Go ahead, make my day.”
Eastwood has a cop for so long he should be collecting a pension. He joined the force with Dirty Harry in 1971 and his last movie as a cop was A Perfect World in (1993). He made five...
The lines that stick with you? Dirty Harry: “You’ve got to ask yourself a question: ‘Do you feel lucky?’ Well, do ya, punk.” Josey Wales: “When I get to likin’ someone, they ain’t around long.” Bill Munny in Unforgiven: “It’s a hell of a thing, killin’ a man. Take away all he’s got, and all he’s ever gonna have.” And perhaps the most quoted of all, Harry Callahan in Sudden Impact: “Go ahead, make my day.”
Eastwood has a cop for so long he should be collecting a pension. He joined the force with Dirty Harry in 1971 and his last movie as a cop was A Perfect World in (1993). He made five...
- 4/4/2024
- by David Morgan
- Deadline Film + TV
It turns out that Morgan Freeman’s first big break in show business was just kid’s stuff. After working in a few unmemorable productions, Freeman caught on with PBS’s The Electric Company, a show from the Children’s Television Workshop designed to teach basic reading skills to kids from 7 to 10 years old. The gig ran for six seasons and 780 episodes.
He next grabbed attention in 1980 with performances in Brubaker with Robert Redford and TV movie Attica, he broke out in Street Smart, which earned him the first of five Academy Award nominations. Freeman received Best Actor nominations for Oscar-winning Driving Miss Daisy (1989) and The Shawshank Redemption (1994) before winning for his Best Supporting Actor role in Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby (2004). He also received a Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in Invictius (2009).
While Freeman’s career may have been slow to start, once he...
He next grabbed attention in 1980 with performances in Brubaker with Robert Redford and TV movie Attica, he broke out in Street Smart, which earned him the first of five Academy Award nominations. Freeman received Best Actor nominations for Oscar-winning Driving Miss Daisy (1989) and The Shawshank Redemption (1994) before winning for his Best Supporting Actor role in Clint Eastwood’s Million Dollar Baby (2004). He also received a Best Actor nomination for his portrayal of Nelson Mandela in Invictius (2009).
While Freeman’s career may have been slow to start, once he...
- 4/4/2024
- by David Morgan
- Deadline Film + TV
Yellowstone creator Taylor Sheridan had a bad falling out with Kevin Costner, that essentially ended the series’ successful run. However, Sheridan was fully committed to the series which was inspired by all the Western films he saw as a youngster. One film that influenced the Wind River director was the Oscar-winning film Unforgiven. Sheridan approached his icon Clint Eastwood to get permission to use the Unforgiven theme song in one Yellowstone scene.
Taylor Sheridan on the sets of Yellowstone
Eastwood saw the heart in Sheridan’s Western project and allowed him to use Claudia’s Song, something he never allowed other filmmakers to do. The song was written and performed by Eastwood in the 1992 film.
Taylor Sheridan Pulled Off A Near-Impossible Feat For One Yellowstone Opening Scene Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven
In a behind-the-scenes clip of Yellowstone, series creator Taylor Sheridan explained how he got to use the Unforgiven theme...
Taylor Sheridan on the sets of Yellowstone
Eastwood saw the heart in Sheridan’s Western project and allowed him to use Claudia’s Song, something he never allowed other filmmakers to do. The song was written and performed by Eastwood in the 1992 film.
Taylor Sheridan Pulled Off A Near-Impossible Feat For One Yellowstone Opening Scene Clint Eastwood in Unforgiven
In a behind-the-scenes clip of Yellowstone, series creator Taylor Sheridan explained how he got to use the Unforgiven theme...
- 4/3/2024
- by Hashim Asraff
- FandomWire
At 86, Morgan Freeman is still basking in the glory of a breathtaking career that has earned him an Academy Award and a long list of noteworthy flicks. As everyone knows, the Tennessee-born is a legendary actor who has enthralled audiences for decades with electrifying performances and, of course, his distinct voice.
Freeman has gained an indelible place in the hearts of fans with his roles in series such as The Long Way Home & The Electric Company and movies like The Shawshank Redemption. That being said, his seemingly ageless appearance may be even more impressive than his acclaimed roles. For this Oscar-winning actor, it feels almost like time has stopped.
Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption
You might wonder, “Does he even age?” if you were to compare pictures of Freeman taken before and after over time. It is truly remarkable how little he appears to have changed over the years.
Freeman has gained an indelible place in the hearts of fans with his roles in series such as The Long Way Home & The Electric Company and movies like The Shawshank Redemption. That being said, his seemingly ageless appearance may be even more impressive than his acclaimed roles. For this Oscar-winning actor, it feels almost like time has stopped.
Morgan Freeman in The Shawshank Redemption
You might wonder, “Does he even age?” if you were to compare pictures of Freeman taken before and after over time. It is truly remarkable how little he appears to have changed over the years.
- 4/1/2024
- by Siddhika Prajapati
- FandomWire
The 21st century has been rich with cinematic tales that capture the spirit of sports. These films not only showcase the thrill of competition but also delve into personal struggles, triumphs, and the relentless pursuit of dreams. The stories told through these movies often reflect our life challenges and make them resonate deeply with audiences around the globe.
Inspirational Underdogs: Stories of Triumph
One of the most compelling aspects of sports cinema is the portrayal of underdogs, individuals, or teams who rise above adversity to achieve greatness. Movies like Rocky Balboa and Million Dollar Baby exemplify this theme, offering viewers a glimpse into the hearts and minds of characters who defy the odds.
Their journeys from the bottom to triumph are not just about winning, they’re about perseverance, dedication, and the human spirit’s capacity to overcome. The beauty of these stories lies in their ability to inspire us,...
Inspirational Underdogs: Stories of Triumph
One of the most compelling aspects of sports cinema is the portrayal of underdogs, individuals, or teams who rise above adversity to achieve greatness. Movies like Rocky Balboa and Million Dollar Baby exemplify this theme, offering viewers a glimpse into the hearts and minds of characters who defy the odds.
Their journeys from the bottom to triumph are not just about winning, they’re about perseverance, dedication, and the human spirit’s capacity to overcome. The beauty of these stories lies in their ability to inspire us,...
- 3/22/2024
- by Michael Walsh
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Picnik Entertainment has acquired U.K. distribution rights for “The Almond and the Seahorse,” starring Rebel Wilson and Charlotte Gainsbourg.
Based on Kaite O’Reilly’s play, film’s cast also includes Trine Dyrholm (“In a Better World”), Celyn Jones (“Swede Caroline”), Meera Syal (“Yesterday”), Ruth Madeley (“Years and Years”) and Alice Lowe (“Hot Fuzz”).
The Almond and the Seahorse are the nicknames given to the parts of human brains that lay down new memories and hold on to the old ones. After a Tbi (a traumatic brain injury) these parts can change and become new pathways. The film focuses on characters without brain damage, but have to carry the heart damage. Sarah (Wilson) is an archaeologist who loves her husband Joe (Jones) but after a Tbi their love is trapped in the past. Toni (Gainsbourg) is an architect and loves her partner Gwen (Dyrholm) but after a Tbi they have...
Based on Kaite O’Reilly’s play, film’s cast also includes Trine Dyrholm (“In a Better World”), Celyn Jones (“Swede Caroline”), Meera Syal (“Yesterday”), Ruth Madeley (“Years and Years”) and Alice Lowe (“Hot Fuzz”).
The Almond and the Seahorse are the nicknames given to the parts of human brains that lay down new memories and hold on to the old ones. After a Tbi (a traumatic brain injury) these parts can change and become new pathways. The film focuses on characters without brain damage, but have to carry the heart damage. Sarah (Wilson) is an archaeologist who loves her husband Joe (Jones) but after a Tbi their love is trapped in the past. Toni (Gainsbourg) is an architect and loves her partner Gwen (Dyrholm) but after a Tbi they have...
- 3/21/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety Film + TV
20 years later, and “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” hasn’t been remotely forgotten. Michel Gondry’s science fiction romance has, if anything, enjoyed renewed attention in 2024, thanks to the release of musician Ariana Grande’s “Eternal Sunshine” album. Grande, famously a fan of the film’s leading man Jim Carrey, referenced the film both in the album’s title song, and a music video that fully recreated the mind-wiping film’s romantic storyline for the single “We Can’t Be Friends (Wait For Your Love)”. The tributes came just weeks before the film’s March 19 anniversary, and hopefully should lead to one of the 21st-century’s greatest romance films getting even more fans.
Directed by Gondry from a screenplay by Charlie Kaufman, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” premiered in theaters March 19, 2004, to immediate acclaim from critics. Melancholic, strange, and heartbreakingly beautiful, the film stars Carrey as Joel, an...
Directed by Gondry from a screenplay by Charlie Kaufman, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” premiered in theaters March 19, 2004, to immediate acclaim from critics. Melancholic, strange, and heartbreakingly beautiful, the film stars Carrey as Joel, an...
- 3/19/2024
- by Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Cillian Murphy’s Oscars win was special on many grounds, primarily his first Christopher Nolan film as a lead in their sixth collaboration. Oppenheimer is a remarkable film, and Nolan’s vision added to the aesthetic grandness of the biopic, turning it into a cinematic masterpiece.
Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on the set of Oppenheimer. Image: Universal Pictures
In this essence, Murphy’s win also enlisted him in the elite club of actors with an Oscar who appeared in Nolan’s DC venture The Dark Knight (the second film of the trilogy). In this regard, it would be fair to say that Nolan’s 2008 movie has assembled an astounding cast, if not the greatest ever.
Cillian Murphy Joined the Elite Club of Oscar-Winning Actors of The Dark Knight Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy is one of the greatest DC...
Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy on the set of Oppenheimer. Image: Universal Pictures
In this essence, Murphy’s win also enlisted him in the elite club of actors with an Oscar who appeared in Nolan’s DC venture The Dark Knight (the second film of the trilogy). In this regard, it would be fair to say that Nolan’s 2008 movie has assembled an astounding cast, if not the greatest ever.
Cillian Murphy Joined the Elite Club of Oscar-Winning Actors of The Dark Knight Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer in Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight Trilogy is one of the greatest DC...
- 3/14/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
With the 2024 Oscars in the rearview mirror, it’s time to start looking toward 2025. It’s early, but not too early to start making predictions about what movies might contend for the Oscars next year.
The 97th Academy Awards may wind up dominated by an unusual number of blockbuster sequels to films that won big previously. There are also some period pieces, some comeback vehicles, and some movies that were featured on last year’s list that got held back for this year.
Here are 20 films to know for the 2025 Oscars. Some of them are locks, some of them are long shots, and all of them are worth keeping an eye on throughout 2024 as their Academy Awards chances rise and fall.
“A Real Pain”
One of three films on this list that have screened publicly as of publication time, road dramedy “A Real Pain” was the buzziest title out of Sundance this year.
The 97th Academy Awards may wind up dominated by an unusual number of blockbuster sequels to films that won big previously. There are also some period pieces, some comeback vehicles, and some movies that were featured on last year’s list that got held back for this year.
Here are 20 films to know for the 2025 Oscars. Some of them are locks, some of them are long shots, and all of them are worth keeping an eye on throughout 2024 as their Academy Awards chances rise and fall.
“A Real Pain”
One of three films on this list that have screened publicly as of publication time, road dramedy “A Real Pain” was the buzziest title out of Sundance this year.
- 3/12/2024
- by Liam Mathews
- Gold Derby
Actor Michelle Rodriguez knew what it was like to play action stars after doing a feature like Girlfight. She looked forward to seeing another actor lace up boxing gloves in Clint Eastwood’d Million Dollar Baby. But although she enjoyed the film to a point, she felt it eventually let down her expectations.
What Michelle Rodriguez found disappointing about ‘Million Dollar Baby’ Michelle Rodriguez | Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage
Warning: Spoilers for ‘Million Dollar Baby’ is in this article
One of the reasons why Rodriguez was excited about seeing Million Dollar Baby was because it reminded her of her very first movie. Rodriguez got her breakthrough role doing Girlfight. There, she played a high school student trying to channel her aggression by becoming a boxer. She noticed the role by checking out Backstage magazine on a whim.
“Basically I was doing extra work for about a year before that, and I was...
What Michelle Rodriguez found disappointing about ‘Million Dollar Baby’ Michelle Rodriguez | Rodin Eckenroth/WireImage
Warning: Spoilers for ‘Million Dollar Baby’ is in this article
One of the reasons why Rodriguez was excited about seeing Million Dollar Baby was because it reminded her of her very first movie. Rodriguez got her breakthrough role doing Girlfight. There, she played a high school student trying to channel her aggression by becoming a boxer. She noticed the role by checking out Backstage magazine on a whim.
“Basically I was doing extra work for about a year before that, and I was...
- 3/12/2024
- by Antonio Stallings
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Since the Academy Awards were first handed out in 1929, only 23 Oscars have been awarded to performances given by Black actresses and actors. Hattie McDaniel made history for Black performers by winning for “Gone With the Wind” (supporting in 1939), while Sidney Poitier was the first male actor to prevail for “Lilies of the Field” (lead in 1963). Denzel Washington became the first two-time Black acting champion when he claimed victory for “Glory” (supporting in 1989) and “Training Day” (lead in 2001), with Mahershala Ali joining him years later for “Moonlight” (supporting in 2016) and “Green Book” (supporting in 2018). Halle Berry was the first, and so far only, Black Best Actress thanks to “Monster’s Ball” (2001). The acting category with the most Black winners is Best Supporting Actress, with 10 including recent champ Da’Vine Joy Randolph for “The Holdovers” (2023). Tour our photo gallery above of every Black actress and actor who won Academy Awards.
Let’s take a...
Let’s take a...
- 3/11/2024
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
At this year’s Oscars, Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese, two of the finest directors working in Hollywood, will go head-to-head in several categories. Nolan’s Oppenheimer leads the race with thirteen nominations while Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon scored ten nominations at the 96th Academy Awards.
Christopher Nolan (Image Credit: BFI/YouTube)
However, despite the fanfare surrounding Nolan and Scorsese’s films at this year’s Oscars, the two acclaimed directors are far away from one record held by Clint Eastwood. Moreover, Eastwood’s run at the Oscars puts him in an elite club of directors, including only two others. Here is the uncanny record Clint Eastwood holds and why Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese might never break it.
Clint Eastwood Shares an Uncanny Oscars Record With Two Other Directors Clint Eastwood in The Mule
As a director, Clint Eastwood has proven himself to be one of the best in business.
Christopher Nolan (Image Credit: BFI/YouTube)
However, despite the fanfare surrounding Nolan and Scorsese’s films at this year’s Oscars, the two acclaimed directors are far away from one record held by Clint Eastwood. Moreover, Eastwood’s run at the Oscars puts him in an elite club of directors, including only two others. Here is the uncanny record Clint Eastwood holds and why Christopher Nolan and Martin Scorsese might never break it.
Clint Eastwood Shares an Uncanny Oscars Record With Two Other Directors Clint Eastwood in The Mule
As a director, Clint Eastwood has proven himself to be one of the best in business.
- 3/10/2024
- by Pratik Handore
- FandomWire
The 96th Academy Award Ceremony is approaching, and the buzz around the Oscars has evolved to an astounding height. Looking back at history, the Oscars have created several significant moments elevating actor’s career. However, all stars don’t have the same blessing.
Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club
Who wouldn’t want to win an Oscar? The award has been one of the most prestigious accolades for achievement in almost every category related to movies. However, in another turn of events, winning an Oscar may not be as good as you might think. An idea called the Oscars Curse has altered the fate of several celebrities, including Matthew McConaughey and Halle Berry.
Oscars Curse Victims, Matthew McConaughey, and Halle Berry Are Among Prominent
Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball
Several actors have witnessed the downfall of their careers after winning an Oscar. Of course, any filmmaker and actor or anyone...
Matthew McConaughey in Dallas Buyers Club
Who wouldn’t want to win an Oscar? The award has been one of the most prestigious accolades for achievement in almost every category related to movies. However, in another turn of events, winning an Oscar may not be as good as you might think. An idea called the Oscars Curse has altered the fate of several celebrities, including Matthew McConaughey and Halle Berry.
Oscars Curse Victims, Matthew McConaughey, and Halle Berry Are Among Prominent
Halle Berry in Monster’s Ball
Several actors have witnessed the downfall of their careers after winning an Oscar. Of course, any filmmaker and actor or anyone...
- 3/9/2024
- by Lachit Roy
- FandomWire
Jean Allison, the familiar character actress who appeared on dozens of TV shows, from Have Gun — Will Travel, Bonanza, Hawaiian Eye and The Rifleman to McCloud, Adam-12, The Waltons and Highway to Heaven, has died. She was 94.
Allison, a resident of Rancho Palos Verdes, died Feb. 28, her family announced.
Allison made her big-screen debut as a woman menaced by a psychopath (Michael Higgins) in the United Artists drama Edge of Fury (1958), and her film résumé also included The Devil’s Partner (1960), Paul Sylbert’s The Steagle (1971), Robert Benton’s Bad Company (1972) and Paul Schrader’s Hardcore (1979).
Born in New York on Oct. 24, 1929, Allison attended Marymount High School in Tarrytown, New York, and Adelphi College, also in New York.
While appearing on stage in the Patricia Joudry drama Teach Me How to Cry, she was spotted and signed by agent Doovid Barskin. Her first TV gig came in 1957 on CBS’ General Electric Theater.
Allison, a resident of Rancho Palos Verdes, died Feb. 28, her family announced.
Allison made her big-screen debut as a woman menaced by a psychopath (Michael Higgins) in the United Artists drama Edge of Fury (1958), and her film résumé also included The Devil’s Partner (1960), Paul Sylbert’s The Steagle (1971), Robert Benton’s Bad Company (1972) and Paul Schrader’s Hardcore (1979).
Born in New York on Oct. 24, 1929, Allison attended Marymount High School in Tarrytown, New York, and Adelphi College, also in New York.
While appearing on stage in the Patricia Joudry drama Teach Me How to Cry, she was spotted and signed by agent Doovid Barskin. Her first TV gig came in 1957 on CBS’ General Electric Theater.
- 3/8/2024
- by Mike Barnes
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The 2024 Oscar nominees for Best Actor are Bradley Cooper (“Maestro”), Colman Domingo (“Rustin”), Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”), Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”), and Jeffrey Wright (“American Fiction”). Murphy (16/5) is favored to win by our odds, followed in order by Giamatti (18/5), Cooper (9/2), Wright (9/2), and Domingo (9/2).
Whereas last year’s lead male lineup was the first in almost nine decades to consist entirely of Oscars newcomers, this one includes three rookies and two general veterans. Standing alone in having already competed for this specific award is Cooper, who was previously recognized for “Silver Linings Playbook” (2013), “American Sniper” (2015), and “A Star Is Born” (2019). Since he personally helmed both “A Star Is Born” and “Maestro,” he is now the fourth person to direct himself to multiple acting nominations, following Laurence Olivier, Warren Beatty, and Clint Eastwood.
Cooper is concurrently nominated for co-writing the original screenplay for “Maestro” with past winner Josh Singer and is directly involved...
Whereas last year’s lead male lineup was the first in almost nine decades to consist entirely of Oscars newcomers, this one includes three rookies and two general veterans. Standing alone in having already competed for this specific award is Cooper, who was previously recognized for “Silver Linings Playbook” (2013), “American Sniper” (2015), and “A Star Is Born” (2019). Since he personally helmed both “A Star Is Born” and “Maestro,” he is now the fourth person to direct himself to multiple acting nominations, following Laurence Olivier, Warren Beatty, and Clint Eastwood.
Cooper is concurrently nominated for co-writing the original screenplay for “Maestro” with past winner Josh Singer and is directly involved...
- 3/8/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
What Oscar records will be broken and which ones will remain intact at the 96th Academy Awards ceremony March 10. With a win, Billie Eilish, 22, and Finneas, 26, would become the youngest artists ever to win two Oscars before the age of 30. The pair won for James Bond theme “No Time to Die” in 2022, and are nominated this year for “What Was I Made For,” from “Barbie.” Only three individuals have clinched two Oscars before turning 30: Luise Rainer earned back to back Oscars by the time she was 28 for “The Great Ziegfeld” (1936) and “The Good Earth” (1937); Jodie Foster in 1989 for “The Accused” (age 26) and in 1992 for “The Silence of the Lambs” (29); and Hilary Swank in 2000 for “Boys Don’t Cry” (26) and in 2005 for “Million Dollar Baby” (29).
Meanwhile, Diane Warren faces a less enviable milestone with her 15th nomination for “The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot,” potentially tying with the late Alex North...
Meanwhile, Diane Warren faces a less enviable milestone with her 15th nomination for “The Fire Inside” from “Flamin’ Hot,” potentially tying with the late Alex North...
- 3/8/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
We Oscarologists (ridiculous name) spend our time trying to read certain tea leaves to figure out what a potential Best Picture winner typically needs to win in order to take home the Oscars’ top prize. Best Director was once the most important category to excel in. Then it was Best Editing that we thought a Best Picture hopeful needed to check off. Then, recently, the combination of a writing Oscar and an acting win has proven to be a powerful one for eventual Best Picture winners. But what do the stats say? Well, we’ve combed through every Best Picture winner of this century and documented which other Oscars they won. We then tallied those figures up in this below handy chart:
*A note: For a detailed breakdown of exactly what Oscars each Best Picture winner of this century won, head here while you can find a full breakdown of...
*A note: For a detailed breakdown of exactly what Oscars each Best Picture winner of this century won, head here while you can find a full breakdown of...
- 3/8/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
This year’s Best Actress Oscar race is perhaps the biggest head-scratcher of all of the main categories, becoming a make-or-break race for the fourth straight year.
It all began when Lily Gladstone surprised pundits with her move up to the lead category for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” then was halted by Emma Stone for “Poor Things” at the Critics Choice Awards (after both won Golden Globes in their respective categories). Stone continued to succeed at the BAFTA Awards after Gladstone was shockingly snubbed. And it seemed that she was on a roll to victory to her second Oscar, only to be stopped in her tracks at the SAG Awards by, you guessed it, Gladstone. This push and pull between the two actresses has created back-and-forth mania over who will ultimately win out, and even though Gladstone has overtaken the lead currently in the combined Gold Derby odds at...
It all began when Lily Gladstone surprised pundits with her move up to the lead category for “Killers of the Flower Moon,” then was halted by Emma Stone for “Poor Things” at the Critics Choice Awards (after both won Golden Globes in their respective categories). Stone continued to succeed at the BAFTA Awards after Gladstone was shockingly snubbed. And it seemed that she was on a roll to victory to her second Oscar, only to be stopped in her tracks at the SAG Awards by, you guessed it, Gladstone. This push and pull between the two actresses has created back-and-forth mania over who will ultimately win out, and even though Gladstone has overtaken the lead currently in the combined Gold Derby odds at...
- 3/7/2024
- by Christopher Tsang
- Gold Derby
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 Song Barbie
Weekly Commentary: With an original song win, Billie Eilish, 22, and Finneas, 26, would become the youngest artists ever to win two Oscars before the age of 30. The pair won for James Bond theme “No Time to Die” in 2022, and are nominated this year for “What Was I Made For,...
Visit the prediction pages for the respective ceremonies via the links below:
Oscars | Emmys | Grammys | Tonys
2024 Oscars Predictions:
Best Original Song Barbie
Weekly Commentary: With an original song win, Billie Eilish, 22, and Finneas, 26, would become the youngest artists ever to win two Oscars before the age of 30. The pair won for James Bond theme “No Time to Die” in 2022, and are nominated this year for “What Was I Made For,...
- 3/7/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Alexander Payne movies always do well in two areas come the Oscar nominations: writing and acting. Five of Payne’s movies have been nominated for writing while five of his flicks have also snagged acting bids. However, while “Sideways” and “The Descendants” both took home Oscars for their writing (both for Best Adapted Screenplay), no Payne movie has ever won for acting. Here’s the record.
“About Schmidt” procured a Best Actor nomination in 2003 for Jack Nicholson. He was in a two-horse race for the Best Actor gong with “Gangs of New York” star Daniel Day-Lewis but it was Adrien Brody (“The Pianist”) who ended up winning by splitting the votes. Kathy Bates was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for “About Schmidt” but she lost to Catherine Zeta-Jones (“Chicago”).
Paul Giamatti was cruelly snubbed for a Best Actor bid for “Sideways” in 2005 but two of his costars were nominated.
“About Schmidt” procured a Best Actor nomination in 2003 for Jack Nicholson. He was in a two-horse race for the Best Actor gong with “Gangs of New York” star Daniel Day-Lewis but it was Adrien Brody (“The Pianist”) who ended up winning by splitting the votes. Kathy Bates was also nominated for Best Supporting Actress for “About Schmidt” but she lost to Catherine Zeta-Jones (“Chicago”).
Paul Giamatti was cruelly snubbed for a Best Actor bid for “Sideways” in 2005 but two of his costars were nominated.
- 3/6/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The 2024 Oscar race is on, and one film has the potential to accomplish a feat that hasn’t happened in 64 years. “Oppenheimer” leads the nominations with 13, and it’s on track to win several of those categories. If Christopher Nolan‘s epic claims Best Picture, Best Actor (Cillian Murphy) and Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.), it will be the first time since 1960 that the same film (“Ben-Hur”) has won those three exact categories. And it would be only the fourth time it’s ever happened.
See Cillian Murphy interview: ‘Oppenheimer’
Since the Best Supporting Actor category was introduced in 1937, only three films have walked away with Best Picture as well as both male acting categories. In 1945, the inspirational musical comedy “Going My Way” not only became the highest-grossing film of 1944, but also won seven of its ten Oscar nominations, making it the big winner of the night. Beside the top prize,...
See Cillian Murphy interview: ‘Oppenheimer’
Since the Best Supporting Actor category was introduced in 1937, only three films have walked away with Best Picture as well as both male acting categories. In 1945, the inspirational musical comedy “Going My Way” not only became the highest-grossing film of 1944, but also won seven of its ten Oscar nominations, making it the big winner of the night. Beside the top prize,...
- 3/2/2024
- by Susan Pennington
- Gold Derby
Hilary Swank is looking back at the time when she helped rescue beloved pets amid the aftermath of 9/11.
The Oscar-winning actress, who has been open about her love of animals, recently recalled that she volunteered with the Aspca during the 2001 tragedy.
“People would go over to the piers over on West Street, and they would say, ‘My dog Simpson, or my goldfish or my rabbit,’ or whatever it is, and they’d say, ‘This is my address, this is my apartment,’ and I’d get these cards and we’d go down,” Swank said during an appearance on SiriusXM’s Literally! With Rob Lowe podcast.
The Million Dollar Baby star told Lowe that while there were many challenges and obstacles, including no working elevators, no technology and building stability risks, that didn’t stop them from saving these animals.
“If their animal was on the 50th floor, you were walking up to the 50th floor,...
The Oscar-winning actress, who has been open about her love of animals, recently recalled that she volunteered with the Aspca during the 2001 tragedy.
“People would go over to the piers over on West Street, and they would say, ‘My dog Simpson, or my goldfish or my rabbit,’ or whatever it is, and they’d say, ‘This is my address, this is my apartment,’ and I’d get these cards and we’d go down,” Swank said during an appearance on SiriusXM’s Literally! With Rob Lowe podcast.
The Million Dollar Baby star told Lowe that while there were many challenges and obstacles, including no working elevators, no technology and building stability risks, that didn’t stop them from saving these animals.
“If their animal was on the 50th floor, you were walking up to the 50th floor,...
- 2/29/2024
- by Carly Thomas
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
For the fourth consecutive year, we’ve got a firecracker of a Best Actress Oscar race. Lily Gladstone took home the Screen Actors Guild Award on Saturday for “Killers of the Flower Moon” over Emma Stone, who had been on a roll since the two won their respective Golden Globes, having pocketed the Critics Choice and BAFTA Awards for “Poor Things.” Now they each have an industry prize and Best Actress feels like a coin-flip. Gladstone has closed the gap on Stone in the Oscar odds since Saturday. Don’t be surprised if she overtakes the top spot soon. But when the SAG Awards and BAFTAs don’t align in Best Actress, which one has the edge at the Oscars?
Since BAFTA became an Oscar precursor 23 years ago, the Brits and the actors guilds have disagreed 13 times in the category prior to the Battle of the Stones. But not all splits are created equally.
Since BAFTA became an Oscar precursor 23 years ago, the Brits and the actors guilds have disagreed 13 times in the category prior to the Battle of the Stones. But not all splits are created equally.
- 2/26/2024
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
Just 30 minutes after final voting for the Screen Actors Guild Awards wrapped up, I made a last-minute switch in my best actress prediction — from Lily Gladstone in “Killers of the Flower Moon” to Emma Stone in “Poor Things.” Let this be a lesson: Second-guessing yourself is seldom a good idea.
Lily Gladstone made history as the first Native American and Indigenous person to clinch an individual SAG Award for her portrayal of Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman, in Martin Scorsese’s gripping crime saga. With a lead actress (drama) Golden Globe and a SAG Award now under her belt, Gladstone’s award-season momentum continues to be formidable. Historically, only seven performers have failed to win the Oscar after winning the unique combination of Globe and SAG:
1995: Lauren Bacall (“The Mirror Has Two Faces”) lost to Juliette Binoche 2001: Russell Crowe (“A Beautiful Mind”) lost to Denzel Washington (“Training Day...
Lily Gladstone made history as the first Native American and Indigenous person to clinch an individual SAG Award for her portrayal of Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman, in Martin Scorsese’s gripping crime saga. With a lead actress (drama) Golden Globe and a SAG Award now under her belt, Gladstone’s award-season momentum continues to be formidable. Historically, only seven performers have failed to win the Oscar after winning the unique combination of Globe and SAG:
1995: Lauren Bacall (“The Mirror Has Two Faces”) lost to Juliette Binoche 2001: Russell Crowe (“A Beautiful Mind”) lost to Denzel Washington (“Training Day...
- 2/25/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Christopher Nolan‘s “Oppenheimer” will notch another incredibly important precursor win on its path to the Oscars at the upcoming 35th Producers Guild of America Awards on Sunday, Feb. 25. According to our official odds, the blockbuster film will take home the honor of Best Picture. The ceremony includes other film categories such as animated and documentary feature and television trophies for drama, comedy, limited series and more. Scroll down for our official PGA Awards odds in 10 categories with our winner predictions highlighted in gold.
A victory for “Oppenheimer” here would be significant because, more often than not, the winner at PGA goes on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Since 2000, the two prizes have gone hand-in-hand 16 times. The exceptions are film years 2001 (when PGA opted for “Moulin Rouge!” and the Oscars awarded “A Beautiful Mind”), 2004 (“The Aviator” / “Million Dollar Baby”), 2005 (“Brokeback Mountain” / “Crash”), 2006 (“Little Miss Sunshine” / “The Departed...
A victory for “Oppenheimer” here would be significant because, more often than not, the winner at PGA goes on to win Best Picture at the Academy Awards. Since 2000, the two prizes have gone hand-in-hand 16 times. The exceptions are film years 2001 (when PGA opted for “Moulin Rouge!” and the Oscars awarded “A Beautiful Mind”), 2004 (“The Aviator” / “Million Dollar Baby”), 2005 (“Brokeback Mountain” / “Crash”), 2006 (“Little Miss Sunshine” / “The Departed...
- 2/23/2024
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
As of this writing the combined predictions of Gold Derby users lean towards Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) with 17/5 odds in this year’s Oscar race for Best Actor. Meanwhile, Paul Giamatti (“The Holdovers”) is close behind in second place with 69/20 odds. However, the former may have more going for him. Here are five reasons why I think Murphy is the favorite.
SEEOscars: Will ‘Oppenheimer’ or ‘Poor Things’ win all three design awards?
1. He’s starring in the Best Picture frontrunner
“Oppenheimer” is expected to be quite a juggernaut on Oscar night. It’s currently predicted to take home eight accolades: Best Picture, Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Score and Best Sound. With that in mind, it’s possible that Murphy could be carried along in the sweep. He’s the face of the whole thing and carries the film on his shoulders.
SEEOscars: Will ‘Oppenheimer’ or ‘Poor Things’ win all three design awards?
1. He’s starring in the Best Picture frontrunner
“Oppenheimer” is expected to be quite a juggernaut on Oscar night. It’s currently predicted to take home eight accolades: Best Picture, Best Director (Christopher Nolan), Best Supporting Actor (Robert Downey Jr.), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Cinematography, Best Film Editing, Best Score and Best Sound. With that in mind, it’s possible that Murphy could be carried along in the sweep. He’s the face of the whole thing and carries the film on his shoulders.
- 2/22/2024
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Ordinary Angels opens February 22, 2024
Kelly Fremon Craig is among my favorite filmmakers when it comes to coming-of-age stories. Both The Edge of Seventeen and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. have marked the genre in such a way that any work coming from her immediately captures my attention. Although only contributing to the screenplay co-written with Meg Tilly – better known as an actress in Agnes of God or Psycho II – it’s enough to give Ordinary Angels two hours of my time.
Directed by Jon Gunn (The Case for Christ) – no, the filmmaker shares no affinity with James Gunn – and starring Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby) and Alan Ritchson (Reacher), the film is inspired by a true story from 1994 in Louisville, Kentucky, where Michelle Schmitt, a sick child whose only chance of survival was a liver transplant, becomes dependent on the miraculous help of her community to overcome...
Kelly Fremon Craig is among my favorite filmmakers when it comes to coming-of-age stories. Both The Edge of Seventeen and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. have marked the genre in such a way that any work coming from her immediately captures my attention. Although only contributing to the screenplay co-written with Meg Tilly – better known as an actress in Agnes of God or Psycho II – it’s enough to give Ordinary Angels two hours of my time.
Directed by Jon Gunn (The Case for Christ) – no, the filmmaker shares no affinity with James Gunn – and starring Hilary Swank (Million Dollar Baby) and Alan Ritchson (Reacher), the film is inspired by a true story from 1994 in Louisville, Kentucky, where Michelle Schmitt, a sick child whose only chance of survival was a liver transplant, becomes dependent on the miraculous help of her community to overcome...
- 2/22/2024
- by Manuel São Bento
- FandomWire
It’s the last full weekend of the shorter month of February, and it’s hard to think that anything will do well enough to have any sort of impact on a month that barely recovered from January with a better-than-expected Presidents Day weekend. Read on for Gold Derby’s box office preview.
What we get this weekend as far as new wide releases is an anime project, a faith-based drama and a quirky indie of sorts from an Oscar-winning filmmaker, which should all enter the Top 10 interspersed with returning movies.
Crunchyroll is releasing “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training” into 1,962 theaters. It’s a similar theatrical release as what’s been done with “The Chosen,” in that it’s actually made up of two episodes from the popular Crunchyroll anime series, the conclusion of the “Swordsmith Village Arc” and the first episode of the “Hashira Training Arc,...
What we get this weekend as far as new wide releases is an anime project, a faith-based drama and a quirky indie of sorts from an Oscar-winning filmmaker, which should all enter the Top 10 interspersed with returning movies.
Crunchyroll is releasing “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba – To the Hashira Training” into 1,962 theaters. It’s a similar theatrical release as what’s been done with “The Chosen,” in that it’s actually made up of two episodes from the popular Crunchyroll anime series, the conclusion of the “Swordsmith Village Arc” and the first episode of the “Hashira Training Arc,...
- 2/21/2024
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
Remakes have always been and will always be a tricky proposition. You could have something as pure and wonderful as 1982’s The Thing, which is objectively better than the revered Howard Hawks and Christian Nyby version, but be trapped in purgatory for way too long before it is decided that its proper and loved. There’s a bunch that are better in different ways or at least thoroughly enjoyable in their own right like John Carpenter’s masterpiece, Philip Kaufman’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and of course David Cronenberg’s The Fly. While you can argue the horror vs sci fi merits of any of these movies, their quality can’t be disputed. When it comes down to what you can or can’t remake, I think the gloves are off at this point. There’s very few sacred cows left and sometimes a remake can help. Something...
- 2/13/2024
- by Andrew Hatfield
- JoBlo.com
It’s an old canard in the movie business: Never underestimate a Holocaust movie when it comes to Oscar attention. From Hungary’s Best Foreign Language winner “Son of Saul” (2016) and Oscar-winners “Judgment at Nuremberg” (1961), “Cabaret” (1973), “Sophie’s Choice” (1983), and “The Pianist” (2004) to Steven Spielberg’s Best Picture winner “Schindler’s List” (1994), many Holocaust subjects, especially shorts and documentary features, have won Oscars. Documentaries like “Anne Frank Remembered” won for 1995, “The Long Way Home” for 1997, “The Last Days” for 1998, and “Into the Arms of Strangers: Stories of the Kindertransport” for 2000, and more recently, the nonfiction short “The Lady in Number 6: Music Saved My Life” won for 2014 — just one week after its subject, Alice Herz-Sommer, the world’s oldest Holocaust survivor, passed away.
This season’s most decorated Holocaust film, “The Zone of Interest” (Metascore: 91) has multiple Oscar advantages. First, the film, which British filmmaker Jonathan Glazer adapted from the Martin Amis novel of the same name,...
This season’s most decorated Holocaust film, “The Zone of Interest” (Metascore: 91) has multiple Oscar advantages. First, the film, which British filmmaker Jonathan Glazer adapted from the Martin Amis novel of the same name,...
- 2/8/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Paul Giamatti turned the tables on Leonardo DiCaprio when Oscar nominations were announced, with Giamatti nominated for Best Actor for “The Holdovers” while DiCaprio was snubbed for “Killers of the Flower Moon.” But 19 years ago it was the other way around.
SEETop 20 Oscar snubs of performers: Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio, Willem Dafoe …
In 2004 the Oscar lineup for Best Actor consisted of Don Cheadle (“Hotel Rwanda”), Johnny Depp (“Finding Neverland”), DiCaprio (“The Aviator”), Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby”), and the eventual winner Jamie Foxx (“Ray”). Someone who was notably absent that year was Giamatti for “Sideways.”
Prior to the nominations announcement DiCaprio was recognized at every major precursor for his performance as Howard Hughes, a real-life filmmaker, pilot and businessman, in Martin Scorsese‘s “The Aviator.” Among those plaudits, he won the Golden Globe for Best Film Drama Actor. The movie itself received 13 Oscar noms overall, including DiCaprio’s Best Actor bid.
SEETop 20 Oscar snubs of performers: Margot Robbie, Leonardo DiCaprio, Willem Dafoe …
In 2004 the Oscar lineup for Best Actor consisted of Don Cheadle (“Hotel Rwanda”), Johnny Depp (“Finding Neverland”), DiCaprio (“The Aviator”), Clint Eastwood (“Million Dollar Baby”), and the eventual winner Jamie Foxx (“Ray”). Someone who was notably absent that year was Giamatti for “Sideways.”
Prior to the nominations announcement DiCaprio was recognized at every major precursor for his performance as Howard Hughes, a real-life filmmaker, pilot and businessman, in Martin Scorsese‘s “The Aviator.” Among those plaudits, he won the Golden Globe for Best Film Drama Actor. The movie itself received 13 Oscar noms overall, including DiCaprio’s Best Actor bid.
- 1/24/2024
- by Jeffrey Kare
- Gold Derby
Oscar winners John Williams and Martin Scorsese continue to prove that age is just a number with their 2024 nominations.
Williams, 91, already the most nominated person alive and second most nominated ever behind Walt Disney, added an Original Score nomination for Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny, his 54th overall. Meanwhile, Scorsese surpassed Steven Spielberg to become the living director with most Oscar nominations, 10, with a directing nom for Killers of the Flower Moon.
Related: ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’s Lily Gladstone Makes History As First Native Actress Of American Descent To Be Oscar Nominated
This is Williams’ second consecutive Oscar nomination; he was nominated in the same category last year for The Fabelmans when he became the oldest Oscar nominee at 90. Williams’ nominations, which include mentions for four movies in the Indiana Jones franchise, span seven decades, with the first one coming in 1968 for Valley of the Dolls.
Williams, 91, already the most nominated person alive and second most nominated ever behind Walt Disney, added an Original Score nomination for Indiana Jones and the Dial Of Destiny, his 54th overall. Meanwhile, Scorsese surpassed Steven Spielberg to become the living director with most Oscar nominations, 10, with a directing nom for Killers of the Flower Moon.
Related: ‘Killers Of The Flower Moon’s Lily Gladstone Makes History As First Native Actress Of American Descent To Be Oscar Nominated
This is Williams’ second consecutive Oscar nomination; he was nominated in the same category last year for The Fabelmans when he became the oldest Oscar nominee at 90. Williams’ nominations, which include mentions for four movies in the Indiana Jones franchise, span seven decades, with the first one coming in 1968 for Valley of the Dolls.
- 1/23/2024
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Annette Bening is an actor’s actor. Like many of the greats before her, she began her career in the theatre. Through the 80s, she quietly compiled a library of rich, complex characters before making her Tony-nominated broadway debut in 1987’s “Coastal Disturbances.”
Bening then made her well deserved transition over to Hollywood with John Hughes’ “The Great Outdoors.” The film didn’t perform as well as hoped, nor did Milos Forman’s “Valmont” which was released the following year, but they both paved the way for Bening’s eventual Oscar-nominated breakout as Myra Langtry in Stephen Frears’ “The Grifters.”
She got particularly close to Oscar gold with “American Beauty” in 2000. Annette bagged the BAFTA and SAG award for her iconic portrayal of the colourfully volatile wife-in-crisis, Carolyn Burnham. She lost to Hilary Swank (“Boys Don’t Cry”) though, who had edged her out at the Globes.
Swank clearly was Bening’s kryptonite,...
Bening then made her well deserved transition over to Hollywood with John Hughes’ “The Great Outdoors.” The film didn’t perform as well as hoped, nor did Milos Forman’s “Valmont” which was released the following year, but they both paved the way for Bening’s eventual Oscar-nominated breakout as Myra Langtry in Stephen Frears’ “The Grifters.”
She got particularly close to Oscar gold with “American Beauty” in 2000. Annette bagged the BAFTA and SAG award for her iconic portrayal of the colourfully volatile wife-in-crisis, Carolyn Burnham. She lost to Hilary Swank (“Boys Don’t Cry”) though, who had edged her out at the Globes.
Swank clearly was Bening’s kryptonite,...
- 1/22/2024
- by Nick Bisa
- Gold Derby
BAFTA released their nominations on January 18 and, it’s fair to say, they were pretty wild. There some shocking omissions, including Greta Gerwig being snubbed for Best Director for “Barbie” and Lily Gladstone missing out on a Best Actress nomination for “Killers of the Flower Moon.”
The flip of that side, however, means that there were a few pleasant surprises in the British academy’s lists. None more so than Teo Yoo, who reaped a Best Actor bid for his stirring performance in Celine Song‘s “Past Lives.” The A24 movie follows two former childhood best friends who reconnect as adults and find that they are still drawn to each other. Yoo delivers a quiet performance but is commanding and appealing on screen, at once a mysterious figure of masculinity and a gentle soul who, in many ways, still is his childhood self. It’s a delicate performance but a powerful one.
The flip of that side, however, means that there were a few pleasant surprises in the British academy’s lists. None more so than Teo Yoo, who reaped a Best Actor bid for his stirring performance in Celine Song‘s “Past Lives.” The A24 movie follows two former childhood best friends who reconnect as adults and find that they are still drawn to each other. Yoo delivers a quiet performance but is commanding and appealing on screen, at once a mysterious figure of masculinity and a gentle soul who, in many ways, still is his childhood self. It’s a delicate performance but a powerful one.
- 1/20/2024
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
As Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”), Penélope Cruz (“Parallel Mothers”), and Lakeith Stanfield (“Judas and the Black Messiah”) have proven in recent years, there is ample precedent for performers to earn Oscar nominations despite snubs at the BAFTA, Critics Choice, Golden Globe, and SAG Awards. Indeed, 18 such instances have occurred since 2002, the first year that all four precursor prizes were preceded by official nominations.
Over the last 22 years, each of the four acting Oscar categories has produced at least three out-of-the-blue bids. However, none of the performers who overcame their four earlier snubs managed to clinch the gold and instead had to settle for being Oscar finalists.
It’s worth noting that Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids, albeit in 2001 when there were no Critics Choice nominations. The four precursor trophies were evenly distributed among her Oscar competitors: Judi Dench, Kate Hudson,...
Over the last 22 years, each of the four acting Oscar categories has produced at least three out-of-the-blue bids. However, none of the performers who overcame their four earlier snubs managed to clinch the gold and instead had to settle for being Oscar finalists.
It’s worth noting that Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids, albeit in 2001 when there were no Critics Choice nominations. The four precursor trophies were evenly distributed among her Oscar competitors: Judi Dench, Kate Hudson,...
- 1/18/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Maureen “Mo” Henry, the veteran negative cutter and a giant in the postproduction community, died Sunday of complications from liver failure in Los Angeles, her son, Logan, told The Hollywood Reporter. She was 67.
During her half-century in Hollywood, Henry cut negatives on hundreds of films, starting with Jaws (1975). She followed with such movies as Ghost (1990), Heat (1995), Casino (1995), Before Sunrise (1995), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), The Fifth Element (1997), Starship Troopers (1997), The Big Lebowski (1998), The Iron Giant (1999), The Sixth Sense (1999), My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), Million Dollar Baby (2004), Babel (2006), The Blind Side (2009) and Intersteller (2014) and entries in the Matrix, Dark Knight, Shrek and Spider-Man franchises.
Hers was a family business, she explained in a 2020 interview for the Chicago Film Society.
“My family immigrated from Ireland, and my aunt was the oldest of several kids, she’s about 20 years older than my dad,” she said. “When they moved to Hollywood, she just walked up...
During her half-century in Hollywood, Henry cut negatives on hundreds of films, starting with Jaws (1975). She followed with such movies as Ghost (1990), Heat (1995), Casino (1995), Before Sunrise (1995), From Dusk Till Dawn (1996), The Fifth Element (1997), Starship Troopers (1997), The Big Lebowski (1998), The Iron Giant (1999), The Sixth Sense (1999), My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002), Million Dollar Baby (2004), Babel (2006), The Blind Side (2009) and Intersteller (2014) and entries in the Matrix, Dark Knight, Shrek and Spider-Man franchises.
Hers was a family business, she explained in a 2020 interview for the Chicago Film Society.
“My family immigrated from Ireland, and my aunt was the oldest of several kids, she’s about 20 years older than my dad,” she said. “When they moved to Hollywood, she just walked up...
- 1/18/2024
- by Carolyn Giardina
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
There is plenty of precedent for performers to still earn Oscar nominations after snubs by the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes and SAG Awards. Last year, Andrea Riseborough became the latest Oscar contender to come out of nowhere when she reaped a Best Actress bid for “To Leslie.”
She joined a roster of 23 other performers who heard their names on Oscar nominations morning despite being repeatedly overlooked earlier in awards season. However, for all of those who overcame these earlier snubs the nomination had to be reward enough as none took home the Oscar.
(Note: Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids. However, that was in 2001, the year before the Critics Choice introduced nominations. Frances McDormand won with that group for both “Almost Famous” and “Wonder Boys,” Kate Hudson took home the Globe for “Almost Famous” and Judi Dench prevailed at SAG for “Chocolat.
She joined a roster of 23 other performers who heard their names on Oscar nominations morning despite being repeatedly overlooked earlier in awards season. However, for all of those who overcame these earlier snubs the nomination had to be reward enough as none took home the Oscar.
(Note: Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids. However, that was in 2001, the year before the Critics Choice introduced nominations. Frances McDormand won with that group for both “Almost Famous” and “Wonder Boys,” Kate Hudson took home the Globe for “Almost Famous” and Judi Dench prevailed at SAG for “Chocolat.
- 1/15/2024
- by Paul Sheehan and Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Ever since “The Holdovers” premiered at the 2023 Telluride Film Festival, 21-year-old Dominic Sessa has steadily attracted heaps of praise for his debut performance as one of its central characters. Despite earning recognition from some critics groups, he now unfortunately sits as a BAFTA longlist contender with no other key industry precursor bids. However, there is plenty of precedent for performers to still earn Oscar nominations after snubs by the Critics Choice Awards, Golden Globes and SAG Awards.
Below, we list the 24 performers who pulled off Oscar nominations surprises after being overlooked earlier in awards season. However, for all of those who overcame these earlier snubs the nomination had to be reward enough as none took home the Oscar. Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”) is the latest addition to this list for her Best Actress bid last year.
(Note: Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids.
Below, we list the 24 performers who pulled off Oscar nominations surprises after being overlooked earlier in awards season. However, for all of those who overcame these earlier snubs the nomination had to be reward enough as none took home the Oscar. Andrea Riseborough (“To Leslie”) is the latest addition to this list for her Best Actress bid last year.
(Note: Marcia Gay Harden won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for “Pollock” without any precursor bids.
- 1/11/2024
- by Paul Sheehan and Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
“Keep your cool!” yells the ageing, secretly ailing trainer Jin to his young protégé Shogo during boxing matches. But that's easier said than done. Everyone in One Last Bloom carries the emotional baggage of dysfunctional family backgrounds, missed opportunities and the strange peril attached to any second chance.
One Last Bloom of course brings to mind the dilemmas and dynamics of Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby (2004) and the Rocky series, with breathtaking choreography of the sparring and a story that builds towards the final, title bout. The film holds firm to its particular naturalistic, anti-sensationalist and engaging depiction of fighting and the preparation it takes alike.
The prolific director Takahisa Zeze has forged a career spanning ‘pink porno' (his Tokyo X Erotica was enthusiastically greeted by the IFFR audiences in 2002) and highly successful mainstream fare. For him, whatever the genre, the goal is always the same: to engage the...
One Last Bloom of course brings to mind the dilemmas and dynamics of Clint Eastwood's Million Dollar Baby (2004) and the Rocky series, with breathtaking choreography of the sparring and a story that builds towards the final, title bout. The film holds firm to its particular naturalistic, anti-sensationalist and engaging depiction of fighting and the preparation it takes alike.
The prolific director Takahisa Zeze has forged a career spanning ‘pink porno' (his Tokyo X Erotica was enthusiastically greeted by the IFFR audiences in 2002) and highly successful mainstream fare. For him, whatever the genre, the goal is always the same: to engage the...
- 1/10/2024
- by Don Anelli
- AsianMoviePulse
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