The 2024 Cannes Film Festival is still going full steam, with deals and screenings galore. We’ve got the first responses to some highly anticipated projects including the new films from Emma Stone and Nicolas Cage, a filmmaker weighing in on the Harvey Weinstein conviction reversal and a studio going all in on a single filmmaker.
“Kinds of Kindness” Confounds
Yorgos Lanthimos, just a few months since his bizarre, female-empowerment madcap science fiction movie “Poor Things” scooped up four Oscars (including Best Actress for Emma Stone), debuted his new film, “Kinds of Kindness.”
The movie reunites the filmmaker with his frequent writing partner, Efthimis Filippo, and his muse, Emma Stone. The movie is not a straightforward narrative but an anthology film comprised of three loosely connected storylines, where the actors play different characters in each segment. (This is Searchlight’s big summer movie; it’s going up against the new “Quiet Place” prequel.
“Kinds of Kindness” Confounds
Yorgos Lanthimos, just a few months since his bizarre, female-empowerment madcap science fiction movie “Poor Things” scooped up four Oscars (including Best Actress for Emma Stone), debuted his new film, “Kinds of Kindness.”
The movie reunites the filmmaker with his frequent writing partner, Efthimis Filippo, and his muse, Emma Stone. The movie is not a straightforward narrative but an anthology film comprised of three loosely connected storylines, where the actors play different characters in each segment. (This is Searchlight’s big summer movie; it’s going up against the new “Quiet Place” prequel.
- 5/18/2024
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
The latest Yorgos Lanthimos / Emma Stone team-up, a film called Kinds of Kindness (previously known as And), is set to reach theatres on June 21st – but first, it’s having its premiere at the Cannes Film Festival, which is now underway. The first reviews of Kinds of Kindness are now arriving online, and they’re describing this 165 minute “triptych fable” as dark, bizarre, insidious, intriguing, brilliant, bonkers, disturbing, puzzling, funny, surreal, creepy, mind-bending, twisted, and innovative. We have rounded up some of them below led by one from our own Eric Walkuski!
Our man @ericwalkuski just caught #KindsofKindness: Yorgos Lanthimos' Kinds of Kindness defies easy description; it's a trilogy of morbid tales that will beguile some, repel others. Uneven as a whole, the film still has enough shock value and absurd dark humor to keep you on your…
— JoBlo.com (@joblocom) May 17, 2024
Vulture‘s Bilge Ebiri says, Lanthimos can “reclaim his...
Our man @ericwalkuski just caught #KindsofKindness: Yorgos Lanthimos' Kinds of Kindness defies easy description; it's a trilogy of morbid tales that will beguile some, repel others. Uneven as a whole, the film still has enough shock value and absurd dark humor to keep you on your…
— JoBlo.com (@joblocom) May 17, 2024
Vulture‘s Bilge Ebiri says, Lanthimos can “reclaim his...
- 5/17/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Francis Ford Coppola's self-funded passion-project, Megalopolis, screened at the Cannes Film Festival last night, and the first reviews for the sci-fi epic have now been shared online.
Depending on which critics you choose to trust, the movie is either a masterpiece, an unmitigated disaster, or somewhere in between!
Despite reports of audiences giving the film a 10-minute standing ovation, reviews have been decidedly mixed, which is represented by an early Rotten Tomatoes score of 50%.
Only 22 verdicts have been added so far, so this score is sure to change when press screening take place down the line. But with such a polarizing reaction, we don't anticipate it fluctuating too much.
Have a read through some of the reviews at the links below.
#Megalopolis Review: "It's not likely to go down as one of the more incisive responses to our bitterly polarized political landscape. Nor does it ever quite settle on a uniform tone,...
Depending on which critics you choose to trust, the movie is either a masterpiece, an unmitigated disaster, or somewhere in between!
Despite reports of audiences giving the film a 10-minute standing ovation, reviews have been decidedly mixed, which is represented by an early Rotten Tomatoes score of 50%.
Only 22 verdicts have been added so far, so this score is sure to change when press screening take place down the line. But with such a polarizing reaction, we don't anticipate it fluctuating too much.
Have a read through some of the reviews at the links below.
#Megalopolis Review: "It's not likely to go down as one of the more incisive responses to our bitterly polarized political landscape. Nor does it ever quite settle on a uniform tone,...
- 5/17/2024
- ComicBookMovie.com
It’s finally here. After many reports about production issues, screenings and 40 years worth of waiting, Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
The anticipated epic is being met with a lot of mixed reactions (and confusion) from the reviewers, some lauding the audacity of the movie and others questioning its existence.
The Hollywood Reporter‘s chief film critic David Rooney offers: “It’s windy and overstuffed, frequently baffling and way too talky, quoting Hamlet and The Tempest, Marcus Aurelius and Petrarch, ruminating on time, consciousness and power to a degree that becomes ponderous. But it’s also often amusing, playful, visually dazzling and illuminated by a touching hope for humanity.”
Over the last couple of months, multiple reports about Megalopolis — including from THR — have shed light on the project that Coppola has been discussing for decades. He poured a stunning $120 million of his own money...
The anticipated epic is being met with a lot of mixed reactions (and confusion) from the reviewers, some lauding the audacity of the movie and others questioning its existence.
The Hollywood Reporter‘s chief film critic David Rooney offers: “It’s windy and overstuffed, frequently baffling and way too talky, quoting Hamlet and The Tempest, Marcus Aurelius and Petrarch, ruminating on time, consciousness and power to a degree that becomes ponderous. But it’s also often amusing, playful, visually dazzling and illuminated by a touching hope for humanity.”
Over the last couple of months, multiple reports about Megalopolis — including from THR — have shed light on the project that Coppola has been discussing for decades. He poured a stunning $120 million of his own money...
- 5/16/2024
- by Mia Galuppo
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
How often do you think about ancient Rome? If you're director Francis Ford Coppola, the answer is apparently "quite a lot." HIs latest film is "Megalopolis," a passion project that he had to finance himself in order to have full creative freedom, and it takes place in a crumbling city called New Rome, following an architect named Cesar (Adam Driver) as he seeks to build a more sustainable future. It's some wacky stuff, and Coppola has bought in completely.
The very first batch of reviews and reactions to "Megalopolis" are coming out of Cannes Film Festival in France, where the film made its world premiere. Given the movie's troubled production and absolutely wild teaser trailer, it should come as no surprise that the reviews are as intense as they are mixed, though most praise the unique sci-fi epic for its audacity and willingness to fully commit to its ideas and world.
The very first batch of reviews and reactions to "Megalopolis" are coming out of Cannes Film Festival in France, where the film made its world premiere. Given the movie's troubled production and absolutely wild teaser trailer, it should come as no surprise that the reviews are as intense as they are mixed, though most praise the unique sci-fi epic for its audacity and willingness to fully commit to its ideas and world.
- 5/16/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
After months of speculation, the critical book has finally been opened on Francis Ford Coppola’s Megalopolis. The early word? Predominantly positive, with some very high highs and inevitably a few low lows.
Below, we run through some of the first reactions.
Deadline’s Damon Wise praised the movie, calling it a “mad modern masterwork that reinvents the possibilities of cinema”. He said the film is “something of a mess; unruly, exaggerated and drawn to pretension like a moth to a flame. It is also, however, a pretty stunning achievement, the work of a master artist who has taken to Imax like Caravaggio to canvas. It is a true modern masterwork of the kind that outrages with its sheer audacity.”
He continued: “Halfway through, there’s a very audacious gimmick that tears down the fourth wall in ways younger filmmakers can only dream of. Coppola breaks many of the cardinal...
Below, we run through some of the first reactions.
Deadline’s Damon Wise praised the movie, calling it a “mad modern masterwork that reinvents the possibilities of cinema”. He said the film is “something of a mess; unruly, exaggerated and drawn to pretension like a moth to a flame. It is also, however, a pretty stunning achievement, the work of a master artist who has taken to Imax like Caravaggio to canvas. It is a true modern masterwork of the kind that outrages with its sheer audacity.”
He continued: “Halfway through, there’s a very audacious gimmick that tears down the fourth wall in ways younger filmmakers can only dream of. Coppola breaks many of the cardinal...
- 5/16/2024
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Francis Ford Coppola’s “Megalopolis” just may have broken the internet — and the brains of more than a few critics at Cannes.
Upon the film’s world premiere, fans and critics alike took to social media to capture the “insanity” of Coppola’s latest feature, which has been described by the auteur as a “Roman epic.” Count IndieWire’s David Ehrlich as a fan: In his review, he said that “Coppola’s wild and delirious fever dream inspires new hope for the future of movies.” The film debuted in competition at the Cannes Film Festival and is still looking for distribution, but will definitely get an IMAX release regardless.
Adam Driver leads the feature as a pseudo alter ego of writer/director Coppola, with the Oscar-nominated actor playing an architect who envisions saving his corrupt city and transforming the metropolis into a utopia. Meanwhile, the city’s mayor (Giancarlo Esposito) clashes with Driver’s character,...
Upon the film’s world premiere, fans and critics alike took to social media to capture the “insanity” of Coppola’s latest feature, which has been described by the auteur as a “Roman epic.” Count IndieWire’s David Ehrlich as a fan: In his review, he said that “Coppola’s wild and delirious fever dream inspires new hope for the future of movies.” The film debuted in competition at the Cannes Film Festival and is still looking for distribution, but will definitely get an IMAX release regardless.
Adam Driver leads the feature as a pseudo alter ego of writer/director Coppola, with the Oscar-nominated actor playing an architect who envisions saving his corrupt city and transforming the metropolis into a utopia. Meanwhile, the city’s mayor (Giancarlo Esposito) clashes with Driver’s character,...
- 5/16/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Warning: This article discusses major spoilers for "Civil War."
At no point in Alex Garland's "Civil War" (reviewed by /Film's Jacob Hall here) do we ever find out what actually triggered the nationwide descent into chaos and violence raging throughout the movie. The action begins with Nick Offerman's unnamed President of the United States quietly reciting a prepared statement to himself, struggling to find the perfect cadence and tone for a speech that, as we eventually learn, serves as a desperate last gasp from the losing side's propaganda machine. The film ends with rebel soldiers standing triumphantly over that same President, now deposed, and celebrating over his still-warm corpse like countless wartime images beamed back from abroad to so-called First World countries -- all of whom would contend they'd never commit such savagery. In between, we follow our journalist protagonists Lee (Kirsten Dunst), Joel (Wagner Moura), Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson...
At no point in Alex Garland's "Civil War" (reviewed by /Film's Jacob Hall here) do we ever find out what actually triggered the nationwide descent into chaos and violence raging throughout the movie. The action begins with Nick Offerman's unnamed President of the United States quietly reciting a prepared statement to himself, struggling to find the perfect cadence and tone for a speech that, as we eventually learn, serves as a desperate last gasp from the losing side's propaganda machine. The film ends with rebel soldiers standing triumphantly over that same President, now deposed, and celebrating over his still-warm corpse like countless wartime images beamed back from abroad to so-called First World countries -- all of whom would contend they'd never commit such savagery. In between, we follow our journalist protagonists Lee (Kirsten Dunst), Joel (Wagner Moura), Sammy (Stephen McKinley Henderson...
- 4/12/2024
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
While Martin Scorsese aims to kick off production on his Jesus film this year, Terrence Malick is going on year five of editing his, marking one of the only films to wrap production pre-pandemic that still has yet to be released. As so happens every year before the Cannes Film Festival announces its lineup, rumors have swirled that the director’s Biblical epic The Way of the Wind (formerly known as The Last Planet) may see a premiere in 2024. We will, unfortunately, have to wait another year, but in the meantime we have exclusive new details on the highly anticipated project.
Actor Géza Röhrig, who stars as Jesus in the film, recently stopped by a university in the Northeast for a conversation on his career. During the chat he confirmed the film is targeting a 2025 Cannes debut. Wind will not exactly focus on Jesus and Peter (as played by Matthias Schoenaerts...
Actor Géza Röhrig, who stars as Jesus in the film, recently stopped by a university in the Northeast for a conversation on his career. During the chat he confirmed the film is targeting a 2025 Cannes debut. Wind will not exactly focus on Jesus and Peter (as played by Matthias Schoenaerts...
- 3/27/2024
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook.NEWSThe Delinquents.The start of the Academy Awards ceremony was delayed by hundreds of protestors obstructing the red carpet to call for a ceasefire in Gaza.Asghar Farhadi has been cleared of plagiarism charges by an Iranian court after allegations were leveled by a former student, who accused him of stealing the idea for A Hero (2021) from her documentary on the same subject, produced in his 2014 filmmaking workshop.Meanwhile, Alexander Payne has been accused of plagiarizing The Holdovers (2023) “line-by-line” from a screenplay by Simon Stephenson he appears to have read on spec.Thailand is planning to reform its national film industry as part of a “soft power” program, which may include increased production funding, more rebates for foreign productions, and a reduction of state censorship domestically.
- 3/13/2024
- MUBI
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. To keep up with our latest features, sign up for the Weekly Edit newsletter and follow us @mubinotebook.Newsa Different Man.IATSE, Teamsters, and the Hollywood Basic Crafts unions began bargaining jointly with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers after a thousands-strong rally in Los Angeles. In Variety, IATSE president Matthew Loeb discusses the union’s priorities and the threat of another strike after the current contract expires on July 31.In an open letter, Carlo Chatrian, the outgoing artistic director of the Berlinale, and Mark Peranson, the festival’s head of programming, respond to the backlash that followed the closing ceremony, at which a number of award recipients called for a ceasefire in Gaza: “This year’s festival was a place for dialogue and exchange for ten days; yet once the films stopped rolling, another form of communication...
- 3/6/2024
- MUBI
Hot off its Sundance premiere (and chock-a-block with ebullient blurbs) A24 released the second trailer for “Love Lies Bleeding” on Wednesday morning.
The edgy crime-romance with a classic ‘90s indie vibe stars Katy M. O’Brian as a hulking bodybuilder caught up with some dirty deals, Kristen Stewart as her love interest, Jena Malone as the love interest’s pal, and Ed Harris as a “wait, is that Ed Harris?”-looking gangster (and Stewart’s onscreen father) with truly awful hair. The film is directed and co-written by Rose Glass, whose previous picture was the supernatural nursing horror project Saint Maud.
“Love Lies Bleeding” (which does not appear to have anything to do with the Elton John song) was met a great deal of praise from (most) critics at Sundance. Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri hailed the lead performances by O’Brian, a former martial arts trainer and Indiana police officer before...
The edgy crime-romance with a classic ‘90s indie vibe stars Katy M. O’Brian as a hulking bodybuilder caught up with some dirty deals, Kristen Stewart as her love interest, Jena Malone as the love interest’s pal, and Ed Harris as a “wait, is that Ed Harris?”-looking gangster (and Stewart’s onscreen father) with truly awful hair. The film is directed and co-written by Rose Glass, whose previous picture was the supernatural nursing horror project Saint Maud.
“Love Lies Bleeding” (which does not appear to have anything to do with the Elton John song) was met a great deal of praise from (most) critics at Sundance. Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri hailed the lead performances by O’Brian, a former martial arts trainer and Indiana police officer before...
- 2/7/2024
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
The Current Debate is a column that connects the dots between great writing about topics in the wider film conversation.Crossroads.It was early last March when, after twenty-three years and over two thousand reviews, A. O. Scott announced he would resign from his post as film critic at the New York Times, leaving his readers to wrestle with some cataclysmic prophecies. “The current apocalypse,” he wrote on his way out,… is that streaming and Covid anxiety are conspiring to kill off moviegoing as we have known it, leaving a handful of I.P.-driven blockbusters and horror movies to keep theaters in business while we mostly sit at home bingeing docuseries, dystopias and the occasional art-film guilt trip. Am I worried? Of course I’m worried. The cultural space in which the movies I care most about have flourished seems to be shrinking. The audience necessary to sustain original...
- 1/25/2024
- MUBI
Pop quiz: what do Alaskan halibut fishing and Hollywood awards prognostication have in common? Answer: they both require their participants to get up at freakin’ 5:30am on a Tuesday. The former, to barrel deep into the heart of the Kachemak Bay before the Arctic sun drives the delicious whitefish deeper underwater; the latter, to watch attractive Hollywood ingenues Jack Quaid and Zazie Beetz phonetically pronounce the names of film artisans off a teleprompter!
But mostly when the nominees of the 96th Academy Awards were announced on January 23, we just were thrilled once again to see just how many Oscar nominees had previously shown their work as part of our signature screening series, Film Independent Presents.
So! Please enjoy this round-up of Fi Presents filmmaker Q&As from this year’s incredible roster of freshly-anointed Oscar noms. And if you want to see what’s coming up next in the program,...
But mostly when the nominees of the 96th Academy Awards were announced on January 23, we just were thrilled once again to see just how many Oscar nominees had previously shown their work as part of our signature screening series, Film Independent Presents.
So! Please enjoy this round-up of Fi Presents filmmaker Q&As from this year’s incredible roster of freshly-anointed Oscar noms. And if you want to see what’s coming up next in the program,...
- 1/23/2024
- by Film Independent
- Film Independent News & More
Following The Film Stage’s collective top 50 films of 2023, as part of our year-end coverage, our contributors are sharing their personal top 10 lists.
When A.O Scott announced his departure as the New York Times film critic back in March, he cited the “feeling of disconnection between the critic and the audience” as his reason for leaving the coveted post. It’s hard to blame him; when he revealed his best-of-the-year list at the tail end of 2022, his social media mentions quickly turned hostile, accused of elitism due to not featuring Top Gun: Maverick in his picks (that his number 1 was a commercial hit in the form of Jordan Peele’s Nope was an irony not entirely lost in the mix). Audiences used to look towards critics for guidance, to find the hidden gems among the dozens of new releases released every week. Now, it seemed, the majority just wanted confirmation...
When A.O Scott announced his departure as the New York Times film critic back in March, he cited the “feeling of disconnection between the critic and the audience” as his reason for leaving the coveted post. It’s hard to blame him; when he revealed his best-of-the-year list at the tail end of 2022, his social media mentions quickly turned hostile, accused of elitism due to not featuring Top Gun: Maverick in his picks (that his number 1 was a commercial hit in the form of Jordan Peele’s Nope was an irony not entirely lost in the mix). Audiences used to look towards critics for guidance, to find the hidden gems among the dozens of new releases released every week. Now, it seemed, the majority just wanted confirmation...
- 12/21/2023
- by Alistair Ryder
- The Film Stage
As various critics groups and awards bodies dole out their top films of the year, it can be hard to parse which ones are actually worth paying attention to. Following our top 50 films of 2023, one such list has arrived today with Film Comment’s annual end-of-year survey. Revealed at a special live talk last night, Todd Haynes’s May December, Kelly Reichardt’s Showing Up, and Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon grabbed the top three spots, while Eduardo Williams’s The Human Surge 3, Lisandro Alonso’s Eureka, and Víctor Erice’s Close Your Eyes topped the best undistributed films.
“It speaks to the ongoing vitality of cinema as an art form, as well as the discernment of our critics in the year of ‘Barbenheimer,’ that this year’s top films represent some of the most boundary-pushing, complex movies of recent times—three new classics from contemporary masters,...
“It speaks to the ongoing vitality of cinema as an art form, as well as the discernment of our critics in the year of ‘Barbenheimer,’ that this year’s top films represent some of the most boundary-pushing, complex movies of recent times—three new classics from contemporary masters,...
- 12/15/2023
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
Well would you look at that, there's actually a good movie at the top of the Netflix charts. I kid, of course ... kind of. The biggest streaming platform in the world is notorious for the sheer volume of "content" it produces, and for the most part, that means a heck of a lot of, shall we say, forgettable films and shows — most of which you could swear you've seen but probably can't recall a single scene.
For instance, there was the time a truly abject Spanish slasher climbed the Netflix most-watched charts despite decidedly bland reviews. Or the time everyone watched the disappointing Michael Fassbender thriller "The Snowman" and seemingly proved that Netflix users will watch anything. Recently, we had a film that looked like it could actually be the real deal in the form of the Benicio Del Toro-led thriller "Reptile." Indeed, the movie had the Netflix charts...
For instance, there was the time a truly abject Spanish slasher climbed the Netflix most-watched charts despite decidedly bland reviews. Or the time everyone watched the disappointing Michael Fassbender thriller "The Snowman" and seemingly proved that Netflix users will watch anything. Recently, we had a film that looked like it could actually be the real deal in the form of the Benicio Del Toro-led thriller "Reptile." Indeed, the movie had the Netflix charts...
- 12/13/2023
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For regular updates, sign up for our weekly email newsletter and follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSTrenque Lauquen.Absurdly early as it may seem, the Best of 2023 lists are starting to arrive. The New York Times published top tens by Manohla Dargis and Alissa Wilkinson (only her third published piece as the Times’s newest movie critic after an illustrious run at Vox), Vulture shared lists from Bilge Ebiri and Allison Willmore, and Richard Brody unveiled his impossible-to-hem-in roundup at the New Yorker (we’ll return to his list in the Readings section). There are some consensus picks—among them, Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer, Showing Up, and Passages—but there’s an exciting sprawl overall. Meanwhile, Cahiers du Cinéma shared their top ten; Laura Citarella’s Trenque Lauquen was their delightful, well-deserved sleeper choice for film of the year. But...
- 12/7/2023
- MUBI
What's that line from "Wicked?" Something about "getting your dreams, it's strange but it seems a little, well, complicated." Right. It comes to mind whenever I think about Disney, and especially whenever I'm made to think about its underrated archvillain CEO, Bob Iger.
You see, the Walt Disney Company is currently harvesting fruit from the seeds Iger planted way back in 2005, when he first succeeded Michael Eisner as CEO. Eisner was nothing if not exacting and dictatorial as chief landlord of the House of Mouse, but it's hard not to have some nostalgia for his tenure. Put simply, Iger's biggest change once he stepped in was pivoting the focus from quality to quantity. With a wave of his wand, the days of carefully constructed, meticulously brainstormed, sensibly timed animated feature releases dissipated, and in came a new era of cheap and dirty overproduction.
This isn't my interpretation. Iger has said...
You see, the Walt Disney Company is currently harvesting fruit from the seeds Iger planted way back in 2005, when he first succeeded Michael Eisner as CEO. Eisner was nothing if not exacting and dictatorial as chief landlord of the House of Mouse, but it's hard not to have some nostalgia for his tenure. Put simply, Iger's biggest change once he stepped in was pivoting the focus from quality to quantity. With a wave of his wand, the days of carefully constructed, meticulously brainstormed, sensibly timed animated feature releases dissipated, and in came a new era of cheap and dirty overproduction.
This isn't my interpretation. Iger has said...
- 11/25/2023
- by Ryan Coleman
- Slash Film
Neon has released the brand new poster for Origin. The film presently site at 84% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Ava DuVernay, Origin chronicles the tragedy and triumph of Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson as she investigates a global phenomenon of epic proportions.
Portrayed by Academy Award nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (“King Richard”), Isabel experiences unfathomable personal loss and love as she crosses continents and cultures to craft one of the defining American books of our time. Inspired by the New York Times best-seller “Caste,” Origin explores the mystery of history, the wonders of romance and a fight for the future of us all.
In his Vulture review, Bilge Ebiri says: “The film’s structure might have recommended an intellectualized approach, but DuVernay understands that the whole thing only works if she can reassert these people’s humanity. And her feelings for them come through in every scene,...
Written and directed by Academy Award nominee Ava DuVernay, Origin chronicles the tragedy and triumph of Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson as she investigates a global phenomenon of epic proportions.
Portrayed by Academy Award nominee Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor (“King Richard”), Isabel experiences unfathomable personal loss and love as she crosses continents and cultures to craft one of the defining American books of our time. Inspired by the New York Times best-seller “Caste,” Origin explores the mystery of history, the wonders of romance and a fight for the future of us all.
In his Vulture review, Bilge Ebiri says: “The film’s structure might have recommended an intellectualized approach, but DuVernay understands that the whole thing only works if she can reassert these people’s humanity. And her feelings for them come through in every scene,...
- 10/19/2023
- by Michelle McCue
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Since his debut film "Thief" hit theaters in 1981, Michael Mann has enjoyed a reputation as one of the best working directors we have in America. Across masterfully mounted films like "Heat," "Collateral," and "Manhunter," he's also earned a somewhat unusual place in the filmmaking pantheon. He's become somewhat of a household name, his films generally do good business at the box office, and he tends to work in genre -- from the noir to the thriller to the procedural. And yet his films also compete at prestigious international film festivals, they've been given Criterion releases, and he's often lumped in with "arthouse" directors like Paul Thomas Anderson and Wes Anderson, rather than action helmers like Michael Bay or Tony Scott.
All this is to say that Mann's career is a bit of a paradox, but it's a wonderful one, and new Michael Mann movies should always be regarded as appointment viewing.
All this is to say that Mann's career is a bit of a paradox, but it's a wonderful one, and new Michael Mann movies should always be regarded as appointment viewing.
- 10/10/2023
- by Ryan Coleman
- Slash Film
Apologies to André Bazin, Pauline Kael, and Andrew Sarris, but Roger Ebert was unquestionably the most influential film critic of the cinema's first century. In fact, unless the media landscape is drastically altered over the next few years, he may also wind up being the last film critic who ever truly mattered.
I do not mean this as a put-down of my colleagues. If you actually read film criticism nowadays, you know that there's never been a more thrillingly diverse assortment of voices in this too-cluttered arena. Manohla Dargis, Justin Chang, Scott Tobias, Angelica Jade Bastién, and Bilge Ebiri are must-reads in this house, and I could name a few dozen more who are reliably incisive and original in their thinking. I don't have time to read all of the critics I respect, which is both a frustrating and good thing.
But be honest, do you actually read film criticism nowadays?...
I do not mean this as a put-down of my colleagues. If you actually read film criticism nowadays, you know that there's never been a more thrillingly diverse assortment of voices in this too-cluttered arena. Manohla Dargis, Justin Chang, Scott Tobias, Angelica Jade Bastién, and Bilge Ebiri are must-reads in this house, and I could name a few dozen more who are reliably incisive and original in their thinking. I don't have time to read all of the critics I respect, which is both a frustrating and good thing.
But be honest, do you actually read film criticism nowadays?...
- 9/7/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
A master of his craft renowned for his clinical, methodical technique suddenly finds himself in a precarious position. But before we get to David Fincher, let's talk about his new film, "The Killer."
Based on the French graphic novel series of the same name by writer Alexis Nolent and illustrator Luc Jacamon, "The Killer" is the first feature film Fincher has directed since 2020's Oscar-winning "Mank" and only his third in the last 10 years. That's partly due to him being busy helming multiple episodes of Netflix's acclaimed serial killer drama "Mindhunter," as well as producing and occasionally directing the streamer's (also well-received) animated anthology series "Love, Death & Robots." Still, it's just not the same as consistently having a new Fincher film every few years as we did in the 1990s and 2000s.
Maybe that's why the crowd was particularly enthusiastic during his new film's world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival.
Based on the French graphic novel series of the same name by writer Alexis Nolent and illustrator Luc Jacamon, "The Killer" is the first feature film Fincher has directed since 2020's Oscar-winning "Mank" and only his third in the last 10 years. That's partly due to him being busy helming multiple episodes of Netflix's acclaimed serial killer drama "Mindhunter," as well as producing and occasionally directing the streamer's (also well-received) animated anthology series "Love, Death & Robots." Still, it's just not the same as consistently having a new Fincher film every few years as we did in the 1990s and 2000s.
Maybe that's why the crowd was particularly enthusiastic during his new film's world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival.
- 9/4/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
Director David Fincher debuted his first film in three years Sunday at the Venice Film Festival and the results are rapturous, if a bit muted.
“The Killer” tells the story of a hitman (Michael Fassbender) dealing with a botched job. As TheWrap’s Ben Croll said in his review, “The Killer” is “like a sideways follow-up to ‘The Social Network’ than anything else.” That cold formalism is being pointed out in several top critics reviews, with Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri saying, “David Fincher’s The Killer seems to be about its own pointlessness.”
Croll explained in his review that “For all the wit and satirical shadings, “The Killer” gets down to business with ruthless efficiency. Like new installments in an ongoing series, the film is split into chapters, each set in a new locale, each named for a new target, and each playing up a slightly different set of skills.
“The Killer” tells the story of a hitman (Michael Fassbender) dealing with a botched job. As TheWrap’s Ben Croll said in his review, “The Killer” is “like a sideways follow-up to ‘The Social Network’ than anything else.” That cold formalism is being pointed out in several top critics reviews, with Vulture’s Bilge Ebiri saying, “David Fincher’s The Killer seems to be about its own pointlessness.”
Croll explained in his review that “For all the wit and satirical shadings, “The Killer” gets down to business with ruthless efficiency. Like new installments in an ongoing series, the film is split into chapters, each set in a new locale, each named for a new target, and each playing up a slightly different set of skills.
- 9/3/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
Bradley Cooper and Carey Mulligan are being praised for their performances as Leonard Bernstein and Felicia Montealegre, respectively, in “Maestro,” despite a somewhat mixed reaction. The film made its debut Saturday at the Venice Film Festival to praise for its leads though the overall reaction has been more muted than anticipated.
Directed, co-written by and starring Cooper, the film tells the story of Bernstein and his relationship with his wife, as well as the acclaimed composer’s musical work. Co-written by Josh Singer, the drama also stars Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke and Sarah Silverman.
TheWrap’s Ben Croll said the film proves Cooper, who made his feature directorial debut with “A Star Is Born,” is no one-trick pony. “The filmmaker delights in oh-so-perfect match cuts, creates transitions that render the concept of off-stage obsolete and even stages a fantasy musical number as Lenny watches an early rehearsal for ‘On The Town,...
Directed, co-written by and starring Cooper, the film tells the story of Bernstein and his relationship with his wife, as well as the acclaimed composer’s musical work. Co-written by Josh Singer, the drama also stars Matt Bomer, Maya Hawke and Sarah Silverman.
TheWrap’s Ben Croll said the film proves Cooper, who made his feature directorial debut with “A Star Is Born,” is no one-trick pony. “The filmmaker delights in oh-so-perfect match cuts, creates transitions that render the concept of off-stage obsolete and even stages a fantasy musical number as Lenny watches an early rehearsal for ‘On The Town,...
- 9/2/2023
- by Kristen Lopez
- The Wrap
“Retribution,” the latest action film from Liam Neeson, hit theaters Friday, and the reviews have been harsh, with some critics calling the film a “paycheck movie,” and that the film is “devoid of thrills, excitement, or purpose.”
“Maybe it’s time for Liam Neeson to retire from the action-movie game,” Rolling Stone posed with its headline.
At press time, the film ranked as rotten on Rotten Tomatoes‘ aggregated ratings, with a dismal 30% score based off of 40 reviews.
Vulture critic Bilge Ebiri wrote, “This is a paycheck movie, to be sure, the kind of direct-to-video title that gets a theatrical release because the lead actor still has star power. But he and his director have earned that paycheck.”
Rogerebert.com critic Peter Sobczynski, meanwhile, took a harsher stance. “A film so devoid of thrills, excitement, or purpose that it seems to have been custom-made to play in empty multiplexes during the...
“Maybe it’s time for Liam Neeson to retire from the action-movie game,” Rolling Stone posed with its headline.
At press time, the film ranked as rotten on Rotten Tomatoes‘ aggregated ratings, with a dismal 30% score based off of 40 reviews.
Vulture critic Bilge Ebiri wrote, “This is a paycheck movie, to be sure, the kind of direct-to-video title that gets a theatrical release because the lead actor still has star power. But he and his director have earned that paycheck.”
Rogerebert.com critic Peter Sobczynski, meanwhile, took a harsher stance. “A film so devoid of thrills, excitement, or purpose that it seems to have been custom-made to play in empty multiplexes during the...
- 8/25/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
The Last Voyage of the Demeter is a supernatural horror film directed by André Øvredal from a screenplay by Bragi F. Schut Jr. and Zak Olkewicz. The film is based on a chapter titled “The Captain’s Log” from the 1897 book Dracula by Bram Stoker. The Lost Voyage of the Demeter follows the crew of a merchant ship named Demeter as Dracula picks them apart one by one.
The supernatural horror film stars Corey Hawkins (BlacKkKlansman) as Clemens, Javier Botet (Slender Man) as Conde Dracula, Aisling Franciosi (God’s Creatures) as Anna, Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones) as Captain Eliot, and David Dastmalchian (The Boogeyman) as Wojchek.
Credit – Universal Pictures
While the critics are not actually loving the film, The Last Voyage of the Demeter could be a worthwhile watch for all the Dracula and gothic horror fans out there. So let’s find what the critics are actually saying about the supernatural horror film.
The supernatural horror film stars Corey Hawkins (BlacKkKlansman) as Clemens, Javier Botet (Slender Man) as Conde Dracula, Aisling Franciosi (God’s Creatures) as Anna, Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones) as Captain Eliot, and David Dastmalchian (The Boogeyman) as Wojchek.
Credit – Universal Pictures
While the critics are not actually loving the film, The Last Voyage of the Demeter could be a worthwhile watch for all the Dracula and gothic horror fans out there. So let’s find what the critics are actually saying about the supernatural horror film.
- 8/11/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
For a time in the 1990s, a film adaptation of a John Grisham novel was guaranteed to turn a tidy profit at the box office, if not mushroom into a full-on blockbuster. "The Firm," "The Pelican Brief" and "The Client" all made loads of money off of a built-in audience that just had to see how the lawyer-turned-bestselling author's latest book was brought to life by Hollywood's biggest stars. Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman, Denzel Washington, Julia Roberts, Tommy Lee Jones, and Susan Sarandon, among many others, were enlisted to turn these page-turners into big-screen spectacles. They were never better than over-produced B movies, but you didn't care because the material was never more than risible. Grisham wrote disposable legal thrillers that moved fast enough to get you past their myriad implausibilities, and there was nothing wrong with this.
"A Time to Kill" was a different animal. Based on Grisham's debut novel,...
"A Time to Kill" was a different animal. Based on Grisham's debut novel,...
- 7/27/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Paul Schrader is officially a reformed Christopher Nolan head.
The “Master Gardener” and “Card Counter” director took to his personal Facebook, where he regularly posts candid one-offs musing on current cinema and politics, to share his very high praise for Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
“Oppenheimer. The best, most important film of this century. If you see one film in cinemas this year it should be Oppenheimer. I’m not a Nolan groupie but this one blows the doors off the hinges,” wrote Schrader, sharing a picture of him with Nolan.
When asked by a commenter whether “Oppenheimer” is worth what will be for many a long drive to see it in Nolan’s preferred format of IMAX 70mm, Schrader replied, “Worth the trip.”
Schrader’s reaction resonates with other first reactions out of the film’s recent premieres in Paris and London — with the cast walking out of the latter before...
The “Master Gardener” and “Card Counter” director took to his personal Facebook, where he regularly posts candid one-offs musing on current cinema and politics, to share his very high praise for Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.”
“Oppenheimer. The best, most important film of this century. If you see one film in cinemas this year it should be Oppenheimer. I’m not a Nolan groupie but this one blows the doors off the hinges,” wrote Schrader, sharing a picture of him with Nolan.
When asked by a commenter whether “Oppenheimer” is worth what will be for many a long drive to see it in Nolan’s preferred format of IMAX 70mm, Schrader replied, “Worth the trip.”
Schrader’s reaction resonates with other first reactions out of the film’s recent premieres in Paris and London — with the cast walking out of the latter before...
- 7/18/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
The explosive first reactions to Christopher Nolan’s WWII epic “Oppenheimer” have lit the internet ablaze.
The film hosted its world premiere in Paris, shortly before the cast walked out of the U.K. premiere amid the SAG-AFTRA strike being announced July 14. “Oppenheimer” is set to debut in theaters July 20 and stars Cillian Murphy as the titular father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer. Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, and Robert Downey Jr. are among the star-studded ensemble cast.
Writer-director Nolan used real explosions in lieu of CGI to mimic the first detonation of the atomic bomb during the Trinity Test. The entire film was shot in IMAX. “Oppenheimer” is inspired by 2005 book “American Prometheus” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin and centers on Manhattan Project leader J. Robert Oppenheimer (Murphy) as he grapples with the moral repercussions of creating the bomb.
Murphy’s co-star...
The film hosted its world premiere in Paris, shortly before the cast walked out of the U.K. premiere amid the SAG-AFTRA strike being announced July 14. “Oppenheimer” is set to debut in theaters July 20 and stars Cillian Murphy as the titular father of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer. Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Matt Damon, and Robert Downey Jr. are among the star-studded ensemble cast.
Writer-director Nolan used real explosions in lieu of CGI to mimic the first detonation of the atomic bomb during the Trinity Test. The entire film was shot in IMAX. “Oppenheimer” is inspired by 2005 book “American Prometheus” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin and centers on Manhattan Project leader J. Robert Oppenheimer (Murphy) as he grapples with the moral repercussions of creating the bomb.
Murphy’s co-star...
- 7/14/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Rushes: Fall Festival Preview, Lucile Hadžihalilović's "La Tour de Glace," Atom Egoyan's Soundscapes
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI, and sign up for our weekly email newsletter by clicking here.NEWSMay December.The first flurries of fall festival news have arrived. The New York Film Festival opens on September 29 with the North American premiere of Todd Haynes's May December—read Lawrence Garcia's take on the "immediately invigorating" film here, toward the conclusion of his Cannes dispatch. The San Sebastián Film Festival (September 22 through 30) has announced its first group of competition titles: among them, Cristi Puiu’s Mmxx, Raven Jackson’s All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt, Martín Rejtman’s La prática, and Robin Campillo’s Red Island. Finally, the Venice Film Festival will open on August 30 with the world premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s Challengers.Lucile Hadžihalilović has announced her follow-up to Earwig (2021), the 1970s-set La Tour de Glace. Based on a brief plot synopsis,...
- 7/12/2023
- MUBI
Now it has become “Oppenheimer,” the destroyer of doubts.
On Tuesday, Christopher Nolan’s drama debuted in Paris, meaning the lid has been officially raised on one of the year’s most-anticipated projects. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the early response from those critics and journalists who have seen “Oppenheimer” is effusive.
“Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ is truly a spectacular achievement, in its truthful, concise adaptation, inventive storytelling and nuanced performances from Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, and the many, many others involved —- some just for a scene,” Lindsay Bahr from the Associated Press wrote on Twitter. “It’s hard to talk about something as dense as this in something as silly as a tweet or thread but ‘Oppenheimer’ really is a serious, philosophical, adult drama that’s as tense and exciting as ‘Dunkirk.’ And the big moment – That Moment – is awe-inspiring.”
Christopher Nolan’s #Oppenheimer is truly a spectacular achievement,...
On Tuesday, Christopher Nolan’s drama debuted in Paris, meaning the lid has been officially raised on one of the year’s most-anticipated projects. Perhaps unsurprisingly, the early response from those critics and journalists who have seen “Oppenheimer” is effusive.
“Christopher Nolan’s ‘Oppenheimer’ is truly a spectacular achievement, in its truthful, concise adaptation, inventive storytelling and nuanced performances from Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr., Matt Damon, and the many, many others involved —- some just for a scene,” Lindsay Bahr from the Associated Press wrote on Twitter. “It’s hard to talk about something as dense as this in something as silly as a tweet or thread but ‘Oppenheimer’ really is a serious, philosophical, adult drama that’s as tense and exciting as ‘Dunkirk.’ And the big moment – That Moment – is awe-inspiring.”
Christopher Nolan’s #Oppenheimer is truly a spectacular achievement,...
- 7/12/2023
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
The arrival of a new Christopher Nolan movie is always an event and the upcoming Oppenheimer looks to be no exception. The world premiere of Oppenheimer took place in Paris, France earlier today and the first reactions to the movie have begun to emerge on Twitter. To make a long story short, the audience loved it, with critics tossing out every adjective in the book to describe Nolan’s latest epic.
You can check out a handful of the first reactions to Oppenheimer below.
Christopher Nolan’s #Oppenheimer is fantastic – big & bold w/ electrifying performances & an incredibly visceral pacing to it. It’s both quietly intimate & also a ferocious moviegoing experience at the same time. See it in IMAX 70mm & it’ll be among your favorite watches of 2023 pic.twitter.com/GAZWiPEgFW
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) July 11, 2023
I'm absolutely seeing this movie again in IMAX 70mm because it demands another viewing.
You can check out a handful of the first reactions to Oppenheimer below.
Christopher Nolan’s #Oppenheimer is fantastic – big & bold w/ electrifying performances & an incredibly visceral pacing to it. It’s both quietly intimate & also a ferocious moviegoing experience at the same time. See it in IMAX 70mm & it’ll be among your favorite watches of 2023 pic.twitter.com/GAZWiPEgFW
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) July 11, 2023
I'm absolutely seeing this movie again in IMAX 70mm because it demands another viewing.
- 7/11/2023
- by Kevin Fraser
- JoBlo.com
The first reactions to Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer have dropped following a world premiere in Paris. Following the nearly three-hour screening, critics are praising Cillian Murphy’s performance and calling the film “awe-inspiring,” “staggering” and a “spectacular achievement.”
Total Film editor Matt Maytum said the film left him “stunned” and called Cillian Murphy’s performance “sublime.” “An epic historical drama but with a distinctly Nolan sensibility: the tension, structure, sense of scale, startling sound design, remarkable visuals. Wow,” he added.
#Oppenheimer left me stunned: a character study on the grandest scale, with a sublime central performance by Cillian Murphy. An epic historical drama but with a distinctly Nolan sensibility: the tension, structure, sense of scale, startling sound design, remarkable visuals. Wow
— Matt Maytum (@mattmaytum) July 11, 2023
Jonathan Dean of The Sunday Times says he was “totally absorbed” by the film calling it “a dense, talkie, tense film partly about the bomb,...
Total Film editor Matt Maytum said the film left him “stunned” and called Cillian Murphy’s performance “sublime.” “An epic historical drama but with a distinctly Nolan sensibility: the tension, structure, sense of scale, startling sound design, remarkable visuals. Wow,” he added.
#Oppenheimer left me stunned: a character study on the grandest scale, with a sublime central performance by Cillian Murphy. An epic historical drama but with a distinctly Nolan sensibility: the tension, structure, sense of scale, startling sound design, remarkable visuals. Wow
— Matt Maytum (@mattmaytum) July 11, 2023
Jonathan Dean of The Sunday Times says he was “totally absorbed” by the film calling it “a dense, talkie, tense film partly about the bomb,...
- 7/11/2023
- by Armando Tinoco
- Deadline Film + TV
Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer has finally unspooled for its first public audience at its Paris premiere. The three-hour historical drama stars Cillian Murphy and — like any Nolan release — is one of the more anticipated films of the year.
Now first reactions are coming in, from the premiere as well as from journalists who saw early screenings and can now share their social media reactions. Murphy stars as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the head of the World War II-era Manhattan Project that was responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb. The A-list cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon and Florence Pugh.
Formal reviews will come at a later date, but the early takes on social media suggest Nolan has delivered the goods with Oppenheimer.
“Christopher Nolan’s #Oppenheimer is truly a spectacular achievement, in its truthful, concise adaptation, inventive storytelling and nuanced performances from Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt,...
Now first reactions are coming in, from the premiere as well as from journalists who saw early screenings and can now share their social media reactions. Murphy stars as J. Robert Oppenheimer, the head of the World War II-era Manhattan Project that was responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb. The A-list cast includes Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon and Florence Pugh.
Formal reviews will come at a later date, but the early takes on social media suggest Nolan has delivered the goods with Oppenheimer.
“Christopher Nolan’s #Oppenheimer is truly a spectacular achievement, in its truthful, concise adaptation, inventive storytelling and nuanced performances from Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt,...
- 7/11/2023
- by Aaron Couch
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Oppenheimer,” Christopher Nolan’s three-hour biography of Robert J. Oppenheimer (played by Nolan regular Cillian Murphy), one of the architects of the nuclear bomb, is nearly here and ahead of its July 21 release date the social embargo has been lifted and the first thoughts are coming through. (The movie just had its world premiere in Paris.)
Bilge Ebiri, critic for New York Magazine and Vulture (and perhaps our greatest living film writer), said the film was “incredible.” “A relentlessly paced, insanely detailed, intricate historical drama that builds and builds and builds until Nolan brings the hammer down in the most astonishing, shattering way,” Ebiri said on Twitter.
Oppenheimer is…incredible. The word that keeps coming to mind is "fearsome." A relentlessly paced, insanely detailed, intricate historical drama that builds and builds and builds until Nolan brings the hammer down in the most astonishing, shattering way.
— Bilge Ebiri (@BilgeEbiri) July 11, 2023
Lindsey Bahr,...
Bilge Ebiri, critic for New York Magazine and Vulture (and perhaps our greatest living film writer), said the film was “incredible.” “A relentlessly paced, insanely detailed, intricate historical drama that builds and builds and builds until Nolan brings the hammer down in the most astonishing, shattering way,” Ebiri said on Twitter.
Oppenheimer is…incredible. The word that keeps coming to mind is "fearsome." A relentlessly paced, insanely detailed, intricate historical drama that builds and builds and builds until Nolan brings the hammer down in the most astonishing, shattering way.
— Bilge Ebiri (@BilgeEbiri) July 11, 2023
Lindsey Bahr,...
- 7/11/2023
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Saturday marks the final day of the Cannes Film Festival, with the usual closing ceremonies and awards presentations along with the out-of-competition premiere of Pixar’s “Elemental.” Let us all hope that Disney release earns better festival notices than Lucafilm’s “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.”
“Perfect Days” makes a perfect debut.
Perfect Days. Did Wim Wenders just make his best film since Until The End Of The World? Holy crap.
— Bilge Ebiri (@BilgeEbiri) May 26, 2023
Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days” was the hero of the day, earning strong notices and the now-standard standing ovation. TheWrap’s Nicholas Barber called it “an endearing, admiring portrait of a decent man.” The near-consensus was that Wenders had made his best narrative film in a very long time. The film has already been acquired by Neon, which has been on a shopping spree with “this film”Perfect Days, “Robot Dreams” and “Anatomy of a Fall.
“Perfect Days” makes a perfect debut.
Perfect Days. Did Wim Wenders just make his best film since Until The End Of The World? Holy crap.
— Bilge Ebiri (@BilgeEbiri) May 26, 2023
Wim Wenders’ “Perfect Days” was the hero of the day, earning strong notices and the now-standard standing ovation. TheWrap’s Nicholas Barber called it “an endearing, admiring portrait of a decent man.” The near-consensus was that Wenders had made his best narrative film in a very long time. The film has already been acquired by Neon, which has been on a shopping spree with “this film”Perfect Days, “Robot Dreams” and “Anatomy of a Fall.
- 5/26/2023
- by Scott Mendelson
- The Wrap
Martin Scorsese’s “Killers of the Flower Moon” premiered Saturday at the Cannes Film Festival to near-universal acclaim and what trade sites estimated was a nine-minute standing ovation upon its completion.
“At 80, Martin Scorsese has finally made a Western, and it packs a wallop,” Deadline’s Pete Hammond wrote in his rave review. “There are many ways to spoil the sheer pleasure of watching a master filmmaker handle a vast tale like this, working at the top of a very impressive game at a time when many have retired. I won’t do that except to say with a length of 3 1/2 hours the filmmaker and his longtime editor, Thelma Schoonmaker, don’t seem to be wasting any time. Yes, it feels truly epic in many ways, but all in service to the story. I never looked at my watch.”
Years in the making – Scorsese began shooting “Killers of the Flower Moon...
“At 80, Martin Scorsese has finally made a Western, and it packs a wallop,” Deadline’s Pete Hammond wrote in his rave review. “There are many ways to spoil the sheer pleasure of watching a master filmmaker handle a vast tale like this, working at the top of a very impressive game at a time when many have retired. I won’t do that except to say with a length of 3 1/2 hours the filmmaker and his longtime editor, Thelma Schoonmaker, don’t seem to be wasting any time. Yes, it feels truly epic in many ways, but all in service to the story. I never looked at my watch.”
Years in the making – Scorsese began shooting “Killers of the Flower Moon...
- 5/21/2023
- by Christopher Rosen
- Gold Derby
Marvel Studios veteran Victoria Alonso was fired for promoting “Argentina: 1985,” which was in violation of her employment contract, TheWrap has confirmed.
Alonso had been with Marvel Studios since the first “Iron Man” and served as president of Physical, Post Production, VFX and Animation.
“Argentina: 1985” was distributed by Amazon and Alonso is one of eight credited producers of the historical legal drama. However, by promoting the film, Alonso “breached a 2018 agreement that saw her violate the company’s standards of business conduct that stated employees would not work for competing studios,” according to the Hollywood Reporter, which first reported the news.
Also Read:
Marvel Shakeup: Longtime Exec Victoria Alonso Exits Studio
Alonso was warned repeatedly, and was even given a dispensation on the condition she would not work, promote or publicize the film going forward. Disney’s management audit team became involved and a new memo was signed.
Alonso was reminded...
Alonso had been with Marvel Studios since the first “Iron Man” and served as president of Physical, Post Production, VFX and Animation.
“Argentina: 1985” was distributed by Amazon and Alonso is one of eight credited producers of the historical legal drama. However, by promoting the film, Alonso “breached a 2018 agreement that saw her violate the company’s standards of business conduct that stated employees would not work for competing studios,” according to the Hollywood Reporter, which first reported the news.
Also Read:
Marvel Shakeup: Longtime Exec Victoria Alonso Exits Studio
Alonso was warned repeatedly, and was even given a dispensation on the condition she would not work, promote or publicize the film going forward. Disney’s management audit team became involved and a new memo was signed.
Alonso was reminded...
- 3/24/2023
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Disney just released its first full trailer for “The Little Mermaid,” and the footage has created a massive wave of reactions online.
“Stunning” and “amazing” were just some of the ways Halle Bailey’s “The Little Mermaid” was described after the film’s first full-length trailer dropped during the 95th Academy Awards Sunday. The movie stars Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hauer-King, Simone Ashley Jacob Tremblay, David Diggs, Lin-Manuel, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem and more.
As social media always does, it reacted with some responses praising the film, while others shared their criticisms of it.
Also Read:
First Full Trailer for Disney’s Live-Action ‘The Little Mermaid’ Makes a Splash (Video)
“Y’all that ‘little mermaid’ trailer was everything! @HalleBailey looked absolutely stunning as Ariel and I can’t wait to watch!” one Twitter user wrote.
Some users weren’t too happy with it, saying Bailey’s film “deserved better.” And other...
“Stunning” and “amazing” were just some of the ways Halle Bailey’s “The Little Mermaid” was described after the film’s first full-length trailer dropped during the 95th Academy Awards Sunday. The movie stars Bailey, Melissa McCarthy, Jonah Hauer-King, Simone Ashley Jacob Tremblay, David Diggs, Lin-Manuel, Awkwafina, Javier Bardem and more.
As social media always does, it reacted with some responses praising the film, while others shared their criticisms of it.
Also Read:
First Full Trailer for Disney’s Live-Action ‘The Little Mermaid’ Makes a Splash (Video)
“Y’all that ‘little mermaid’ trailer was everything! @HalleBailey looked absolutely stunning as Ariel and I can’t wait to watch!” one Twitter user wrote.
Some users weren’t too happy with it, saying Bailey’s film “deserved better.” And other...
- 3/13/2023
- by Raquel "Rocky" Harris
- The Wrap
Eo (Jerzy Skolimowski, 2022).In a year that some had feared would mean the end of the theatrical experience altogether and the triumph of streaming, there were moments in 2022 when things looked almost anachronistic in their normalcy. Festivals returned to analog, in-person editions; people flocked back to cinemas as a new wave of blockbusters hit the screens; and face masks all but disappeared. It was “the summer of almost no flops,” Chris Lee reports at Vulture, noting that the success was not limited to films à la Joseph Kosinski’s Top Gun: Maverick or Sam Raimi’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, but non-franchise studio projects too, like Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s Everything Everywhere All At Once, Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, or Jordan Peele’s Nope. Still, this alleged cinematic resurgence requires careful spelling. If films like Top Gun could carve their outsize market share, it...
- 1/18/2023
- MUBI
A likelihood going into the 2023 awards season is that James Cameron will receive at least one Academy Award nomination for “Avatar: The Way of Water,” the highly anticipated follow-up to 2009’s Oscar-winning blockbuster, “Avatar.” Critics have been raving about the film ahead of its December 16 debut, with Bilge Ebiri of Vulture saying it “might be James Cameron’s sweetest, gentlest, most personal film,” and David Ehrlich of IndieWire calling it “easily one of the best theatrical experiences in ages.” So which categories will he be nominated in? There’s lots to choose from, after all, with Cameron serving as the director, co-writer, co-producer and co-editor of 20th Century Studios’ sequel. Since he is likely to be a major player in the upcoming awards season, let’s look back at James Cameron’s six previous Oscar races, three for “Titanic” (1997) and three for “Avatar” (2009), and then discuss where he stands for his latest three-hour blockbuster.
- 12/15/2022
- by Brian Rowe
- Gold Derby
As various critics groups and awards bodies dole out their top films of the year, it can be hard to parse which ones are actually worth paying attention to. One such list has arrived today with Film Comment’s annual end-of-year survey. Revealed at a special live talk last night, in an unexpected but welcome surprise, David Cronenberg’s Crimes of the Future topped the list, which also included Jerzy Skolimowski’s Eo, Charlotte Wells’s Aftersun, two by Hong Sangsoo, and more. They also revealed their top undistributed films list, which included David Easteal’s The Plains, Bertrand Bonello’s Coma, and Laura Citarella’s Trenque Lauquen.
“That the winner of this year’s poll is a strange, gory, apocalyptic film about a future where art and humanity are both on the precipice of extinction is a striking reflection of what we’re seeking from cinema in 2022,” said Film...
“That the winner of this year’s poll is a strange, gory, apocalyptic film about a future where art and humanity are both on the precipice of extinction is a striking reflection of what we’re seeking from cinema in 2022,” said Film...
- 12/15/2022
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
James Cameron brought a select group of lucky junketeers, critics, and awards pundits in major cities back to Pandora on Tuesday, for the first screenings of “Avatar: The Way of Water.” But many of the invitees were absolutely wowed by the propulsive filmmaking, high-tech special effects, and even the emotional reach of the film.
Let’s turn now to Twitter, where this reporter witnessed one New York-based wag posting his opinion as he relieved himself in the men’s room after the three-plus hour extravaganza.
“New York” Magazine’s Bilge Ebiri was caught up by the picture hook, line, and sinker.
Avatar: The Way Of Water might be James Cameron’s sweetest, gentlest, most personal film. Possibly even his most emotional. It revisits all his greatest hits, but it’s always totally sincere. He is never leaving Pandora. He loves this family. By the end, I did, too.
— Bilge Ebiri (@BilgeEbiri) December 7, 2022
“Never doubt Cameron,...
Let’s turn now to Twitter, where this reporter witnessed one New York-based wag posting his opinion as he relieved himself in the men’s room after the three-plus hour extravaganza.
“New York” Magazine’s Bilge Ebiri was caught up by the picture hook, line, and sinker.
Avatar: The Way Of Water might be James Cameron’s sweetest, gentlest, most personal film. Possibly even his most emotional. It revisits all his greatest hits, but it’s always totally sincere. He is never leaving Pandora. He loves this family. By the end, I did, too.
— Bilge Ebiri (@BilgeEbiri) December 7, 2022
“Never doubt Cameron,...
- 12/7/2022
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
“Halloween Ends” just opened in theaters, while also being made available on Universal’s streaming platform Peacock, and the response has been divisive to say the least.
The third chapter of the new trilogy (once again directed by David Gordon Green and starring Jamie Lee Curtis) made 41.3 million at the box office opening weekend, a good number for sure but lower than the studio and box office prognosticators were predicting. Critically, the results were just as middling. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie pulled down a 41 critics score, with an audience score of 57. But “Halloween Ends” took chances; it’s not perfect but it’s more interesting and idiosyncratic than most run-of-the-mill horror fare.
Instead of the nonstop bloodbath of previous entry “Halloween Kills,” “Halloween Ends” takes a more nuanced, mature approach to the subject matter, investing time in the relationship between Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and her new...
The third chapter of the new trilogy (once again directed by David Gordon Green and starring Jamie Lee Curtis) made 41.3 million at the box office opening weekend, a good number for sure but lower than the studio and box office prognosticators were predicting. Critically, the results were just as middling. On Rotten Tomatoes, the movie pulled down a 41 critics score, with an audience score of 57. But “Halloween Ends” took chances; it’s not perfect but it’s more interesting and idiosyncratic than most run-of-the-mill horror fare.
Instead of the nonstop bloodbath of previous entry “Halloween Kills,” “Halloween Ends” takes a more nuanced, mature approach to the subject matter, investing time in the relationship between Laurie’s granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) and her new...
- 10/18/2022
- by Drew Taylor
- The Wrap
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSThe 2022 poster for Cannes' Directors' Fortnight.Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight has announced the seven programmers and four consultants who will be supporting incoming artistic director Julien Rejl in his selection processes. Amongst the team is ex-Sheffield DocFest director Cintia Gil, Another Gaze founder Daniella Shreir, and Ming-Jung Kuo, former Program Director of the Taipei Film Festival.Dutch documentary festival IDFA has released the lineups for the first few strands of their 2022 edition, including the short and youth documentary competitions, plus a tribute to the late Lithuanian filmmaker Mantas Kvedaravičius.David Cronenberg’s Scanners is being remade as a TV series. Yann Demange (executive producer of Lovecraft Country and Top Boy) will direct, with Cronenberg also on board as an executive producer.Recommended VIEWINGAfter premiering in competition at the Venice International Film Festival, A Couple, Frederick Wiseman’s new fiction feature,...
- 9/27/2022
- MUBI
The Netflix film “Blonde” has received its first reviews, and critics are celebrating Ana de Armas’ commitment to the role while questioning the techniques of the film itself.
Directed by Andrew Dominik and rated Nc-17, the film adapts Joyce Carol Oates’ novel of the same name. Alongside de Armas, cast members include Bobby Cannavale, Adrien Brody, Garret Dillahunt, Julianne Nicholson, Sara Paxton, Lucy DeVito and Scoot McNairy.
Some critics appreciate the different approach to the biopic of the woman born Norma Jeane Mortenson. Others find the mostly black and white film devoid of any resonance as to the bigger picture of who Marilyn Monroe actually was as a person.
Also Read:
Brad Pitt Praises Ana de Armas’ ‘Phenomenal’ Performance as Marilyn Monroe in ‘Blonde,’ Despite Accent Backlash
Sophie Monks Kaufman of IndieWire writes that Dominik doesn’t quite give enough effort in saying or showing something about the pop culture icon.
Directed by Andrew Dominik and rated Nc-17, the film adapts Joyce Carol Oates’ novel of the same name. Alongside de Armas, cast members include Bobby Cannavale, Adrien Brody, Garret Dillahunt, Julianne Nicholson, Sara Paxton, Lucy DeVito and Scoot McNairy.
Some critics appreciate the different approach to the biopic of the woman born Norma Jeane Mortenson. Others find the mostly black and white film devoid of any resonance as to the bigger picture of who Marilyn Monroe actually was as a person.
Also Read:
Brad Pitt Praises Ana de Armas’ ‘Phenomenal’ Performance as Marilyn Monroe in ‘Blonde,’ Despite Accent Backlash
Sophie Monks Kaufman of IndieWire writes that Dominik doesn’t quite give enough effort in saying or showing something about the pop culture icon.
- 9/8/2022
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
Welcome, one and all, to the latest episode of The Film Stage Show! Today, Brian Roan, Bill Graham, and Robyn Bahr are joined by Bilge Ebiri to discuss George Miller’s Three Thousand Years of Longing, now in theaters.
Enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. For a limited time, all new Patreon supporters will receive a free Blu-ray/DVD. After becoming a contributor, e-mail podcast@thefilmstage.com for an up-to-date list of available films.
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, or stream below.
The Film Stage Show is supported by Mubi, a curated streaming service showcasing exceptional films from around the globe. Every day, Mubi premieres a new film. Whether it’s a timeless classic, a cult favorite, or an acclaimed masterpiece — it’s guaranteed to be either a movie you’ve been dying to see or...
Enter our giveaways, get access to our private Slack channel, and support new episodes by becoming a Patreon contributor. For a limited time, all new Patreon supporters will receive a free Blu-ray/DVD. After becoming a contributor, e-mail podcast@thefilmstage.com for an up-to-date list of available films.
Subscribe on iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, Overcast, or stream below.
The Film Stage Show is supported by Mubi, a curated streaming service showcasing exceptional films from around the globe. Every day, Mubi premieres a new film. Whether it’s a timeless classic, a cult favorite, or an acclaimed masterpiece — it’s guaranteed to be either a movie you’ve been dying to see or...
- 9/1/2022
- by Brian Roan
- The Film Stage
Brooke Adams in Invasion of the Body Snatchers.Movie-lovers!Welcome back to The Deuce Notebook, a collaboration between Mubi's Notebook and The Deuce Film Series, our monthly event at Nitehawk Williamsburg that excavates the facts and fantasies of cinema's most infamous block in the world: 42nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenues. For each screening, my co-hosts and I pick a title that we think embodies the era of 24-hour movie grinding, and present the venue at which it premiered…This month, we welcome our friend and guest writer Madelyn Sutton, whose delicious piece on naughty nuns was featured last September. Madelyn recently spoke with the enigmatic and inimitable actress Brooke Adams—who, in 1978 alone, appeared (at the same time) at both mainstream cinemas and uptown arthouses in Kaufman’s Invasion of the Body Snatchers and Malick’s Days of Heaven. This year’s re-release of Michael Roemer’s...
- 8/30/2022
- MUBI
Get in touch to send in cinephile news and discoveries. For daily updates follow us @NotebookMUBI.NEWSWill-o'-the-Wisp.The New York Film Festival has revealed the lineup for their Currents section, dedicated to films "testing and stretching the possibilities of the medium." The program includes new films from João Pedro Rodrígues, Ashley McKenzie, Bertrand Bonello, Helena Wittmann, and more. This year's crop of Revivals was also unveiled, featuring the highly anticipated restoration of Jean Eustache's The Mother and the Whore.61 films will be preserved through funding from The National Film Preservation Foundation. Grant recipients include the 1921 mystery-western Trailin’—starring Tom Mix, considered the first on-screen cowboy—and The Cruz Brothers and Miss Malloy (1980), one of two feature films Kathleen Collins completed before her premature death.Cinema company Cineworld, owner of the Picturehouse chain in the UK and Regal Cinemas in the US, could be facing imminent bankruptcy, per recent reports.
- 8/23/2022
- MUBI
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