Zendaya Led Challengers Receive Positive Reviews Ahead Of Its Theatrical Release. (Photo Credit – IMDb)
Zendaya-led Challengers has received positive reviews from critics, and it will have an amazing impact on its theatrical release, which is still a few days away. The actress recently received much praise for her performance in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two and now in this Luca Guadagnino directorial. Scroll below to find out what the critics are saying about it.
Cast of Challengers-
Emmy winners Zendaya and Josh O’Connor are featured in the sports drama as Tashi and Patrick. The Spider-Man: Homecoming actress is one of the rising stars in Hollywood, and West Side Story fame Mike Faist will also support her.
About Challengers-
It is a sports romance drama featuring Zendaya as the lead, and the story revolves around her character, Tashi. She is a former tennis player who took her husband Art,...
Zendaya-led Challengers has received positive reviews from critics, and it will have an amazing impact on its theatrical release, which is still a few days away. The actress recently received much praise for her performance in Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Two and now in this Luca Guadagnino directorial. Scroll below to find out what the critics are saying about it.
Cast of Challengers-
Emmy winners Zendaya and Josh O’Connor are featured in the sports drama as Tashi and Patrick. The Spider-Man: Homecoming actress is one of the rising stars in Hollywood, and West Side Story fame Mike Faist will also support her.
About Challengers-
It is a sports romance drama featuring Zendaya as the lead, and the story revolves around her character, Tashi. She is a former tennis player who took her husband Art,...
- 4/13/2024
- by Esita Mallik
- KoiMoi
Doug Jones, an independent film programmer with almost three decades of experience in film exhibition, contributed to the development of film culture across the U.S., and a former contributor to IndieWire, died November 2.
The news was announced on Instagram by Vidiots, the Los Angeles non-profit video store and cinema where Jones had worked as a buyer and programmer since May. On November 3, the video store announced that its screenings would be canceled through November 5, due to losing “a dear member” of its team. On November 4, it paid tribute directly to Jones.
“It breaks our heart to share that we have lost the great and wonderful Doug Jones, a beloved and indispensable member of the Vidiots family and a cornerstone of the global film programming community,” reads that statement posted on Vidiots’ Instagram account. “Doug is forever loved by his beautiful son and family, and an enormous network of devoted friends and colleagues.
The news was announced on Instagram by Vidiots, the Los Angeles non-profit video store and cinema where Jones had worked as a buyer and programmer since May. On November 3, the video store announced that its screenings would be canceled through November 5, due to losing “a dear member” of its team. On November 4, it paid tribute directly to Jones.
“It breaks our heart to share that we have lost the great and wonderful Doug Jones, a beloved and indispensable member of the Vidiots family and a cornerstone of the global film programming community,” reads that statement posted on Vidiots’ Instagram account. “Doug is forever loved by his beautiful son and family, and an enormous network of devoted friends and colleagues.
- 11/5/2023
- by Dana Harris-Bridson and Wilson Chapman
- Indiewire
Hollywood has been adapting Tom Clancy’s techno-thrillers for three decades-plus — with a handful of familiar faces playing the famous character of Jack Ryan, from Alec Baldwin to Ben Affleck. But how have critics on RottenTomatoes.com rated these adaptations?
“The Hunt for Red October” (1990)
Tomatometer: 89%
Tom Clancy’s first big-screen outing pitted CIA agent Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) against a mysterious Russian sub commander played by Sean Connery. As the L.A. Times critic Sheila Benson wrote: “You may not be limp from accumulated tension when this hunt is over, but its cautiously upbeat global message leaves a satisfying glow and it operates with a crackerjack premise.”
“Clear and Present Danger” (1994)
Tomatometer: 80%
In his second outing as Jack Ryan, Harrison Ford chases down a rogue CIA agent and a drug cartel. The New York Times’ Janet Maslin praises “another fast, gripping spy story with some good tricks up its sleeve,...
“The Hunt for Red October” (1990)
Tomatometer: 89%
Tom Clancy’s first big-screen outing pitted CIA agent Jack Ryan (Alec Baldwin) against a mysterious Russian sub commander played by Sean Connery. As the L.A. Times critic Sheila Benson wrote: “You may not be limp from accumulated tension when this hunt is over, but its cautiously upbeat global message leaves a satisfying glow and it operates with a crackerjack premise.”
“Clear and Present Danger” (1994)
Tomatometer: 80%
In his second outing as Jack Ryan, Harrison Ford chases down a rogue CIA agent and a drug cartel. The New York Times’ Janet Maslin praises “another fast, gripping spy story with some good tricks up its sleeve,...
- 6/22/2023
- by Thom Geier
- The Wrap
“Cocaine Bear,” in which a wild bear accidentally ingests a ton of blow and goes on a crazed rampage, hit theaters on Feb. 24. Is it the over-the-top horror comedy the trailer promised or does it — like a certain stash of cocaine — completely miss its target?
It opened to mostly positive reviews and a 74% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes with TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde calling it “a briliant binge of comedy horror.”
Here’s what you need to know about the movie, which is directed by Elizabeth Banks and stars Keri Russell, Ray Liotta and O’Shea Jackson Jr.
Also Read:
‘Cocaine Bear’ Star O’Shea Jackson Wears Nepo Baby Privilege With Pride: ‘Damn Right I Am’ Ice Cube’s Son (Video) When Was “Cocaine Bear” Released in Theaters?
It was released on Friday, Feb. 24 by Universal Pictures.
When Will “Cocaine Bear” Be on Streaming?
Like other Universal, DreamWorks, Illumination, and Focus Films,...
It opened to mostly positive reviews and a 74% critics rating on Rotten Tomatoes with TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde calling it “a briliant binge of comedy horror.”
Here’s what you need to know about the movie, which is directed by Elizabeth Banks and stars Keri Russell, Ray Liotta and O’Shea Jackson Jr.
Also Read:
‘Cocaine Bear’ Star O’Shea Jackson Wears Nepo Baby Privilege With Pride: ‘Damn Right I Am’ Ice Cube’s Son (Video) When Was “Cocaine Bear” Released in Theaters?
It was released on Friday, Feb. 24 by Universal Pictures.
When Will “Cocaine Bear” Be on Streaming?
Like other Universal, DreamWorks, Illumination, and Focus Films,...
- 2/24/2023
- by Sharon Knolle
- The Wrap
“Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania” opened February 17 and is the 31st film in the sprawling Marvel Cinematic Universe, as well as the third in the “Ant-Man” franchise. But where does it rank on the all-time list of MCU films based on its Rotten Tomatoes score? Check out the gallery above to see the complete list of 31 movies and how critics rated all of them.
As of this writing “Quantumania” has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 48 based on 236 reviews that have been counted thus far: 114 of them are classified as positive, while 122 are negative. Things are not too different over on MetaCritic, which is a more nuanced scale than the simple fresh/rotten pronouncements of the Tomatometer. The MetaCritic score stands at 49 based on 55 reviews counted: 17 are positive, 30 are mixed, and eight are outright negative.
SEEEvery Marvel Cinematic Universe actor who’s been nominated for an Oscar
That’s the lowest...
As of this writing “Quantumania” has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 48 based on 236 reviews that have been counted thus far: 114 of them are classified as positive, while 122 are negative. Things are not too different over on MetaCritic, which is a more nuanced scale than the simple fresh/rotten pronouncements of the Tomatometer. The MetaCritic score stands at 49 based on 55 reviews counted: 17 are positive, 30 are mixed, and eight are outright negative.
SEEEvery Marvel Cinematic Universe actor who’s been nominated for an Oscar
That’s the lowest...
- 2/17/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
The fantasy film “Everything Everywhere All At Once,” released in theaters 10 months ago, scored a big victory Sunday at the 2023 Critics Choice Awards, winning awards for Best Picture, Best Director (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert), Best Original Screenplay, Best Supporting Actor for Ke Huy Quan and Best Editing for Paul Rogers.
Brendan Fraser won the award for Best Actor for his emotional role as an overweight man in “The Whale.” In a possible precursor to the Oscars, the award marks Fraser’s first major prize of the season. Two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett scored the Best Actress award for her acclaimed and awards-magnet role as a music conductor in “Tár.”
In other top film categories, Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) won Best Supporting Actress, backing up her recent Golden Globe win and solidifying her Oscar chances. Other film winners included Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”) for Best Original Screenplay, and...
Brendan Fraser won the award for Best Actor for his emotional role as an overweight man in “The Whale.” In a possible precursor to the Oscars, the award marks Fraser’s first major prize of the season. Two-time Oscar winner Cate Blanchett scored the Best Actress award for her acclaimed and awards-magnet role as a music conductor in “Tár.”
In other top film categories, Angela Bassett (“Black Panther: Wakanda Forever”) won Best Supporting Actress, backing up her recent Golden Globe win and solidifying her Oscar chances. Other film winners included Sarah Polley (“Women Talking”) for Best Original Screenplay, and...
- 1/16/2023
- by Joe McGovern and Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Hallmark Media has updated its code of conduct rules to target anti-lgbtq+ hate comments, following petition by more than 60 signees.
Updated Dec. 16, the channel now prohibits the posting or transmitting of content or messaging that is homophobic or otherwise discriminatory on the basis of “gender identity and orientation or otherwise objectionable.” Previously, the website rules outlined a ban on comments that were false, vulgar or otherwise inciteful, in addition to speech deemed racist.
Also Read:
All 43 New Hallmark Christmas Movies of 2022, Ranked Worst to Best (Photos)
The petition, led by Hillary Kovacs and featuring TheWrap’s film critic Alonso Duralde, outlined that as Hallmark diversifies its programming, through the releases of queer rom-coms like the recent “The Holiday Sitter” with Jonathan Bennett, the network has a greater responsibility to ensure its brand is aligned with and safeguarding these stories and identities.
“We can clearly see that the network is doing...
Updated Dec. 16, the channel now prohibits the posting or transmitting of content or messaging that is homophobic or otherwise discriminatory on the basis of “gender identity and orientation or otherwise objectionable.” Previously, the website rules outlined a ban on comments that were false, vulgar or otherwise inciteful, in addition to speech deemed racist.
Also Read:
All 43 New Hallmark Christmas Movies of 2022, Ranked Worst to Best (Photos)
The petition, led by Hillary Kovacs and featuring TheWrap’s film critic Alonso Duralde, outlined that as Hallmark diversifies its programming, through the releases of queer rom-coms like the recent “The Holiday Sitter” with Jonathan Bennett, the network has a greater responsibility to ensure its brand is aligned with and safeguarding these stories and identities.
“We can clearly see that the network is doing...
- 1/3/2023
- by Natalie Oganesyan
- The Wrap
The Los Angeles Film Critics Association is meeting to select its annual awards. TheWrap will update the list of winners as they are announced.
This year for the first time, the organization opted to make its acting categories gender-neutral, giving out two lead acting and two supporting acting awards without regard to its former actor and actress classifications. In the supporting category, the two winners were Dolly de Leon for “Triangle of Sadness” and Ke Huy Quan for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Runners-up were Jessie Buckley from “Women Talking” and Brian Tyree Henry from “Causeway.”
In the below-the-line categories, the critics gave Michal Dymek the cinematography award for his work on the Polish film “Eo” and M.M. Keeravani the music award for the Indian epic “Rrr.”
The Lafca consists of 67 Los Angeles-based film critics working in print and electronic media, including TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde. The group had originally...
This year for the first time, the organization opted to make its acting categories gender-neutral, giving out two lead acting and two supporting acting awards without regard to its former actor and actress classifications. In the supporting category, the two winners were Dolly de Leon for “Triangle of Sadness” and Ke Huy Quan for “Everything Everywhere All at Once.” Runners-up were Jessie Buckley from “Women Talking” and Brian Tyree Henry from “Causeway.”
In the below-the-line categories, the critics gave Michal Dymek the cinematography award for his work on the Polish film “Eo” and M.M. Keeravani the music award for the Indian epic “Rrr.”
The Lafca consists of 67 Los Angeles-based film critics working in print and electronic media, including TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde. The group had originally...
- 12/11/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
This story about the film “Rrr” originally appeared in the Race Begins issue of TheWrap’s awards magazine.
The Indian movie “Rrr” had been out in the United States for six months and had two separate releases by the end of September, and it had already made more than 140 million worldwide. So in a way, the film didn’t have much to prove when it came to Hollywood’s Tcl Chinese Theater on Sept. 30 as part of Beyond Fest — except that the screening came 10 days after the committee deputized to choose India’s entry in the Oscars Best International Feature Film category opted not to submit director S.S. Rajamouli’s three-hour epic, a snub that turned the Chinese Theater screening into the de facto launch of a Best Picture campaign for the global hit.
Memo to the Indian committee: You blew it.
For three hours at the Chinese, a full...
The Indian movie “Rrr” had been out in the United States for six months and had two separate releases by the end of September, and it had already made more than 140 million worldwide. So in a way, the film didn’t have much to prove when it came to Hollywood’s Tcl Chinese Theater on Sept. 30 as part of Beyond Fest — except that the screening came 10 days after the committee deputized to choose India’s entry in the Oscars Best International Feature Film category opted not to submit director S.S. Rajamouli’s three-hour epic, a snub that turned the Chinese Theater screening into the de facto launch of a Best Picture campaign for the global hit.
Memo to the Indian committee: You blew it.
For three hours at the Chinese, a full...
- 11/17/2022
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
With just two films, “Get Out” (2017) and “Us” (2019), director Jordan Peele established a reputation for awards-worthy, socially conscious horror. His third film “Nope” opened on July 22. Does it hold up against his previous work? Let’s consider the “Nope” reviews from critics across the media landscape.
As of this writing the film has a MetaCritic score of 76 based on 51 reviews counted so far: 42 positive, eight mixed, and only one outright negative. That’s his lowest score on the review aggregator so far after “Get Out” averaged out to 85 and “Us” received 81. But if a director’s films have all been rated higher than 75 by the critical establishment, they must be doing something right.
SEEBox office preview: Can Jordan Peele’s 3rd movie ‘Nope’ build on the promise of ‘Get Out’ and ‘Us’?
Over on Rotten Tomatoes, which classifies reviews simply as positive or negative without MetaCritic’s sliding scale from...
As of this writing the film has a MetaCritic score of 76 based on 51 reviews counted so far: 42 positive, eight mixed, and only one outright negative. That’s his lowest score on the review aggregator so far after “Get Out” averaged out to 85 and “Us” received 81. But if a director’s films have all been rated higher than 75 by the critical establishment, they must be doing something right.
SEEBox office preview: Can Jordan Peele’s 3rd movie ‘Nope’ build on the promise of ‘Get Out’ and ‘Us’?
Over on Rotten Tomatoes, which classifies reviews simply as positive or negative without MetaCritic’s sliding scale from...
- 7/22/2022
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Thor Odinson becomes the first MCU hero to headline four solo films with the arrival this week of “Thor: Love and Thunder.” But for critics, the “love” is in short supply.
That’s not to say the film isn’t enjoyable. Many early reviews point out that director and co-writer Taika Waititi’s humor remains as strong as it was in “Thor: Ragnarok.” But the struggle to see where this film fits in with the ongoing story of the MCU at large is hard to overlook.
As TheWrap’s own Alonso Duralde writes, “Love and Thunder” contains “many of the surface pleasures of an MCU movie but also a nagging sensation that none of this quite works.”
“Similar to ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ before it, ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ [is] an excellent example of Marvel still not being quite sure how to pick...
That’s not to say the film isn’t enjoyable. Many early reviews point out that director and co-writer Taika Waititi’s humor remains as strong as it was in “Thor: Ragnarok.” But the struggle to see where this film fits in with the ongoing story of the MCU at large is hard to overlook.
As TheWrap’s own Alonso Duralde writes, “Love and Thunder” contains “many of the surface pleasures of an MCU movie but also a nagging sensation that none of this quite works.”
“Similar to ‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ and ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’ before it, ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ [is] an excellent example of Marvel still not being quite sure how to pick...
- 7/5/2022
- by Andi Ortiz
- The Wrap
The LGBTQ+ organization Outfest announced the complete lineup of its 40th Anniversary Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ+ Film Festival today.
The 200 films include feature narratives, documentaries, short films, and episodics. The roster also names an impressive 42 world premieres, films spanning every genre, and represents 29 countries.
Previously announced premieres include the Opening Night Gala world premiere of Billy Porter’s directorial debut “Anything’s Possible,” the Closing Night Gala’s screening of screenwriter John Logan’s directorial debut from Blumhouse, Peacock Original film “They/Them” (pronounced ‘They-slash-them’).
A 20th Anniversary screening of Todd Haynes’ “Far from Heaven” will take place, with Haynes, Julianne Moore, and producer Christine Vachon in person.
Also Read:
‘Wildhood’ Film Review: Indigenous LGBTQ Coming-of-Age Tale Follows Its Own Path
“I’m incredibly proud of the work our programming team has done to craft a lineup that celebrates the history of the Lgbtqia+ community and the art we create,...
The 200 films include feature narratives, documentaries, short films, and episodics. The roster also names an impressive 42 world premieres, films spanning every genre, and represents 29 countries.
Previously announced premieres include the Opening Night Gala world premiere of Billy Porter’s directorial debut “Anything’s Possible,” the Closing Night Gala’s screening of screenwriter John Logan’s directorial debut from Blumhouse, Peacock Original film “They/Them” (pronounced ‘They-slash-them’).
A 20th Anniversary screening of Todd Haynes’ “Far from Heaven” will take place, with Haynes, Julianne Moore, and producer Christine Vachon in person.
Also Read:
‘Wildhood’ Film Review: Indigenous LGBTQ Coming-of-Age Tale Follows Its Own Path
“I’m incredibly proud of the work our programming team has done to craft a lineup that celebrates the history of the Lgbtqia+ community and the art we create,...
- 6/22/2022
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
TheWrap’s film critic Alonso Duralde rates all the Pixar animation studio’s features:
24. Cars 2 (2011) “They should let people see the movie for free,” one pundit opined, “since Disney will make all their money back on the bedsheets.” Some of Pixar’s best movies are sequels, but this follow-up to an already inferior studio entry seemed like nothing but a craven bid for more merchandising money. The results were good for shareholders but middling for moviegoers.
23. Cars (2006) Never underestimate little boys and their love for automobiles. This brightly colored but dramatically flat tale is most enjoyed by a) male moviegoers who b) saw it before they turned 10 and c) have no idea that it tells virtually the same story as the Michael J. Fox comedy “Doc Hollywood.”
22. Cars 3 (2017) It’s a movie about middle age and the fear of obsolescence — you know, for kids! While Lightning (Owen Wilson...
24. Cars 2 (2011) “They should let people see the movie for free,” one pundit opined, “since Disney will make all their money back on the bedsheets.” Some of Pixar’s best movies are sequels, but this follow-up to an already inferior studio entry seemed like nothing but a craven bid for more merchandising money. The results were good for shareholders but middling for moviegoers.
23. Cars (2006) Never underestimate little boys and their love for automobiles. This brightly colored but dramatically flat tale is most enjoyed by a) male moviegoers who b) saw it before they turned 10 and c) have no idea that it tells virtually the same story as the Michael J. Fox comedy “Doc Hollywood.”
22. Cars 3 (2017) It’s a movie about middle age and the fear of obsolescence — you know, for kids! While Lightning (Owen Wilson...
- 6/17/2022
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
The road to “Top Gun: Maverick” has been a treacherous one. The long-awaited sequel to the 1986 classic was delayed a total of five times due to the ongoing and rapidly changing effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, causing many fans to wonder when, or if, they’d be able to see the film.
Thankfully, the wait is almost over with the action drama set for release in just a few weeks. But what are the critics saying about Joseph Kosinski’s new film?
Fear not, “Top Gun” fans – the reviews for “Maverick” are in and they are praising the film as a triumph.
Tomris Laffly of RogerEbert.com gave the film a perfect score, writing, “As the jets cut through the atmosphere and brush their target soils in close-shave movements—all coherently edited by Eddie Hamilton—the sensation they generate feels miraculous and worthy of the biggest screen one can possibly find.
Thankfully, the wait is almost over with the action drama set for release in just a few weeks. But what are the critics saying about Joseph Kosinski’s new film?
Fear not, “Top Gun” fans – the reviews for “Maverick” are in and they are praising the film as a triumph.
Tomris Laffly of RogerEbert.com gave the film a perfect score, writing, “As the jets cut through the atmosphere and brush their target soils in close-shave movements—all coherently edited by Eddie Hamilton—the sensation they generate feels miraculous and worthy of the biggest screen one can possibly find.
- 5/12/2022
- by Caillou Pettis
- Gold Derby
The next Marvel Cinematic Universe movie is nearly here, and “Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness” promises to expand the MCU in a major way: by opening up the multiverse, of course.
First teased majorly in last year’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” the multiverse paves the way for different iterations of the same character to populate the MCU as we know it, and “Doctor Strange 2” finds Benedict Cumberbatch’s titular sorcerer (along with Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff and some other friends) hopping from reality to reality, encountering different versions of themselves as well as new heroes destined to spawn new MCU franchises of their own.
The first “Doctor Strange 2” reviews are in ahead of the film’s May 6 release date, and while Marvel movies are usually fairly critic proof, last year’s “Eternals” – which was the first Marvel movie to earn largely negative reviews in years – stumbled at the box office.
First teased majorly in last year’s “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” the multiverse paves the way for different iterations of the same character to populate the MCU as we know it, and “Doctor Strange 2” finds Benedict Cumberbatch’s titular sorcerer (along with Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff and some other friends) hopping from reality to reality, encountering different versions of themselves as well as new heroes destined to spawn new MCU franchises of their own.
The first “Doctor Strange 2” reviews are in ahead of the film’s May 6 release date, and while Marvel movies are usually fairly critic proof, last year’s “Eternals” – which was the first Marvel movie to earn largely negative reviews in years – stumbled at the box office.
- 5/3/2022
- by Adam Chitwood
- The Wrap
Filmmaker Robert Eggers broke through with back-to-back horror films “The Witch” (2015) and “The Lighthouse” (2019), both marked by shocking moments of violence and intimate, claustrophobic tension. He expands his scope — not to mention his budget — with “The Northman,” which opened on April 22 and dramatizes the medieval Scandinavian legend that was the direct inspiration for William Shakespeare‘s “Hamlet.” But is it that same level of legendary?
As of this writing the film has a MetaCritic score of 83 based on 49 reviews counted: 42 positive and seven mixed, but none outright negative. Twelve of those positive reviews score the film a perfect 100. On Rotten Tomatoes, which classifies reviews only as positive or negative, the film is rated 88 fresh based on 220 reviews, which means only 26 of those critics gave it a thumbs down. The Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus says, “A bloody revenge epic and breathtaking visual marvel, ‘The Northman’ finds filmmaker Robert Eggers expanding his...
As of this writing the film has a MetaCritic score of 83 based on 49 reviews counted: 42 positive and seven mixed, but none outright negative. Twelve of those positive reviews score the film a perfect 100. On Rotten Tomatoes, which classifies reviews only as positive or negative, the film is rated 88 fresh based on 220 reviews, which means only 26 of those critics gave it a thumbs down. The Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus says, “A bloody revenge epic and breathtaking visual marvel, ‘The Northman’ finds filmmaker Robert Eggers expanding his...
- 4/24/2022
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Nominated for 7 Academy Awards including Best Picture! Bring Home Steven Spielberg’s Masterful Reimagining of West Side Story on Digital March 2nd and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD March 15th
Acclaimed filmmaker Steven Spielberg presents an inspired reimagining of the beloved musical West Side Story. The film that critics celebrate as “electrifying” and “a total triumph” has been nominated for 7 Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress and 11 Critics’ Choice Awards. West Side Story is also Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Rejoice in the spectacular new choreography alongside the iconic songs – plus see astonishing all-new footage of Spielberg at work in documentary filmmaker Laurent Bouzereau’s revealing “The Stories of West Side Story” – by adding 20th Century Studios’ West Side Story to your musical collection on Digital March 2 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD March 15. West Side Story will also be available on Disney+ starting...
Acclaimed filmmaker Steven Spielberg presents an inspired reimagining of the beloved musical West Side Story. The film that critics celebrate as “electrifying” and “a total triumph” has been nominated for 7 Academy Awards® including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Supporting Actress and 11 Critics’ Choice Awards. West Side Story is also Certified-Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes. Rejoice in the spectacular new choreography alongside the iconic songs – plus see astonishing all-new footage of Spielberg at work in documentary filmmaker Laurent Bouzereau’s revealing “The Stories of West Side Story” – by adding 20th Century Studios’ West Side Story to your musical collection on Digital March 2 and 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD March 15. West Side Story will also be available on Disney+ starting...
- 2/22/2022
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Ron Perlman has a message for critics of Adam McKay’s Netflix satire “Don’t Look Up.”
“F— you and your self-importance and this self-perpetuating need to say everything bad about something just so that you can get some attention for something that you had no idea about creating,” the actor said in an interview with The Independent.
“It’s corrupt. And it’s sick. And it’s twisted,” he added.
In the film, a pair of scientists (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) discover a comet headed toward earth that will likely bring about the planet’s destruction. After a failed attempt at urging the president (Meryl Streep) and her son (Jonah Hill) to act on the impending doomsday comet, DiCaprio and Lawrence then embark on an obstacle-ridden journey through the media cycle to try and spread the word more publicly.
Perlman played military officer Benedict Drask, whom the U.S. government...
“F— you and your self-importance and this self-perpetuating need to say everything bad about something just so that you can get some attention for something that you had no idea about creating,” the actor said in an interview with The Independent.
“It’s corrupt. And it’s sick. And it’s twisted,” he added.
In the film, a pair of scientists (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) discover a comet headed toward earth that will likely bring about the planet’s destruction. After a failed attempt at urging the president (Meryl Streep) and her son (Jonah Hill) to act on the impending doomsday comet, DiCaprio and Lawrence then embark on an obstacle-ridden journey through the media cycle to try and spread the word more publicly.
Perlman played military officer Benedict Drask, whom the U.S. government...
- 1/26/2022
- by Dessi Gomez
- The Wrap
“Finch,” which debuts on Apple TV+ on November 5, is a cinematic showcase for two-time Oscar champ Tom Hanks. He plays the titular character, who embarks on a perilous journey into the desolate American West following a cataclysmic solar event. Accompanied by his dog Goodyear and a robot named Jeff (Caleb Landry Jones), Finch must navigate the dangers of a new world while convincing his non-human companions to get along. Could “Finch” be Hanks’ vehicle to a seventh Oscar nomination and his first for Best Actor since 2000’s “Cast Away”?
See Miguel Sapochnik (‘Finch’ director) on his ‘partnership’ with Tom Hanks and creating a futuristic American West
Critics are lavishing praise on the Hollywood vet. “You’re probably not coming to Finch for lessons, you’re coming to Finch for Hanks,” writes Lindsey Bahr (Associated Press). “The good news is that he’s not just the reason to show up, he...
See Miguel Sapochnik (‘Finch’ director) on his ‘partnership’ with Tom Hanks and creating a futuristic American West
Critics are lavishing praise on the Hollywood vet. “You’re probably not coming to Finch for lessons, you’re coming to Finch for Hanks,” writes Lindsey Bahr (Associated Press). “The good news is that he’s not just the reason to show up, he...
- 11/5/2021
- by Denton Davidson
- Gold Derby
James Wan radically reinvented the horror genre with "The Conjuring." After the success of "Insidious," his second foray into supernatural horror following the poorly received "Dead Silence" (which was unfair -- "Dead Silence" is good), Wan dove into more mature, classic horror territory. As Alonso Duralde succinctly put it in his review for The Wrap, "'The Conjuring' doesn't try to reinvent the tropes of horror movies ... but Fred Astaire didn't invent tap-dancing, either." A classic haunted house tale directed with modern verve, "The Conjuring" was an unprecedented success, inspiring an entire cinematic universe that now spans eight movies, with several more to come.
However,...
The post 10 Things in The Conjuring Universe That Make No Sense appeared first on /Film.
However,...
The post 10 Things in The Conjuring Universe That Make No Sense appeared first on /Film.
- 10/20/2021
- by Chad Collins
- Slash Film
“Mass” premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival, and it was officially released by Bleecker Street on Friday, October 8, so audiences could finally experience the intimate drama. But is the Oscar contender worth the watch? Let’s take a look at some of the “Mass” reviews and what they might mean for the film’s awards hopes.
As of this writing “Mass” has a MetaCritic score of 79 based on 19 reviews counted thus far: 18 positive, one somewhat mixed, and none outright negative. Those predominantly positive notices are echoed on Rotten Tomatoes, where the film is rated 94% fresh based on 90 reviews. Rotten Tomatoes classifies reviews as simply positive or negative, as opposed to MetaCritic’s sliding scale from zero to 100, which means only five of those 90 Tomatometer reviews are rotten. The Rt critics’ consensus says, “‘Mass’ requires a lot of its audience, but rewards that emotional labor with a raw look...
As of this writing “Mass” has a MetaCritic score of 79 based on 19 reviews counted thus far: 18 positive, one somewhat mixed, and none outright negative. Those predominantly positive notices are echoed on Rotten Tomatoes, where the film is rated 94% fresh based on 90 reviews. Rotten Tomatoes classifies reviews as simply positive or negative, as opposed to MetaCritic’s sliding scale from zero to 100, which means only five of those 90 Tomatometer reviews are rotten. The Rt critics’ consensus says, “‘Mass’ requires a lot of its audience, but rewards that emotional labor with a raw look...
- 10/8/2021
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Outfest has announced the award winners of its 2021 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival.
The nation’s leading LGBTQ festival ran from August 13th to August 22nd, holding its closing night at the iconic Orpheum Theatre, with Vivian Kleiman’s No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics claiming the Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize, and Brielle Brilliant’s Firstness winning the U.S. Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize.
For the first time ever, Outfest collaborated with IMDb in choosing Audience Award winners, selecting them based on IMDb ratings. Among other prizes and recognition, eligible Outfest Los Angeles winners received a one-year membership to IMDbPro.
The winners of the Grand Jury Prizes for Best U.S. Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short, and Best International Narrative Short all received a $2000 cash prize awarded in partnership with Entertainment Partners.
Also of note is the fact that the U.S. and International Narrative...
The nation’s leading LGBTQ festival ran from August 13th to August 22nd, holding its closing night at the iconic Orpheum Theatre, with Vivian Kleiman’s No Straight Lines: The Rise of Queer Comics claiming the Documentary Feature Grand Jury Prize, and Brielle Brilliant’s Firstness winning the U.S. Narrative Feature Grand Jury Prize.
For the first time ever, Outfest collaborated with IMDb in choosing Audience Award winners, selecting them based on IMDb ratings. Among other prizes and recognition, eligible Outfest Los Angeles winners received a one-year membership to IMDbPro.
The winners of the Grand Jury Prizes for Best U.S. Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short, and Best International Narrative Short all received a $2000 cash prize awarded in partnership with Entertainment Partners.
Also of note is the fact that the U.S. and International Narrative...
- 8/24/2021
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
“The Suicide Squad” director James Gunn has shared a photo of Idris Elba operating a camera behind the scenes on the DC movie.
“Behind-the-scenes on the day @idriselba wanted to try out the Nano rig to shoot a shot of Sebastian on @itsdanielamelchior’s shoulder,” Gunn tweeted. “The Nano rig was invented for #TheSuicideSquad by our friend Dave Freeth & was necessary for the intimate yet dynamic shooting style we needed.”
Behind-the-scenes on the day @idriselba wanted to try out the Nano rig to shoot a shot of Sebastian on @itsdanielamelchior’s shoulder. The Nano rig was invented for #TheSuicideSquad by our friend Dave Freeth & was necessary for the intimate yet dynamic shooting style we needed. pic.twitter.com/H1aKtGCtlS
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) August 13, 2021
For those who haven’t seen the movie yet, Sebastian is the lovable and heroic rat that accompanies Ratcatcher (played by Portugese actress Daniela Melchior) in the film.
“Behind-the-scenes on the day @idriselba wanted to try out the Nano rig to shoot a shot of Sebastian on @itsdanielamelchior’s shoulder,” Gunn tweeted. “The Nano rig was invented for #TheSuicideSquad by our friend Dave Freeth & was necessary for the intimate yet dynamic shooting style we needed.”
Behind-the-scenes on the day @idriselba wanted to try out the Nano rig to shoot a shot of Sebastian on @itsdanielamelchior’s shoulder. The Nano rig was invented for #TheSuicideSquad by our friend Dave Freeth & was necessary for the intimate yet dynamic shooting style we needed. pic.twitter.com/H1aKtGCtlS
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) August 13, 2021
For those who haven’t seen the movie yet, Sebastian is the lovable and heroic rat that accompanies Ratcatcher (played by Portugese actress Daniela Melchior) in the film.
- 8/14/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
The reviews for Marvel Studio’s “Black Widow” are in, and the consensus about the standalone superhero film is that the film “excels,” is “purely pop feminism” and a “deft spy caper.”
With more than 62 reviews in, the long overdue Scarlett Johansson solo film from Marvel studios has a 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In his review for the film, The Wrap’s Alonso Duralde writes, “Black Widow” excels most as Marvel’s attempt to make their own 007 movie. Like Christopher Nolan’s recent efforts “Tenet” and “Inception,” it doesn’t quite achieve that ineffable something that sets the best James Bond films apart, although each brings something to the table: Nolan’s films offer narrative acrostics, while “Black Widow” comes armed with a sense of humor and capable, self-possessed women at the helm.
Check out some more reviews below.
Leah Greenblatt, EW
If Widow, with its winky one-liners and spandexed catsuits,...
With more than 62 reviews in, the long overdue Scarlett Johansson solo film from Marvel studios has a 87% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. In his review for the film, The Wrap’s Alonso Duralde writes, “Black Widow” excels most as Marvel’s attempt to make their own 007 movie. Like Christopher Nolan’s recent efforts “Tenet” and “Inception,” it doesn’t quite achieve that ineffable something that sets the best James Bond films apart, although each brings something to the table: Nolan’s films offer narrative acrostics, while “Black Widow” comes armed with a sense of humor and capable, self-possessed women at the helm.
Check out some more reviews below.
Leah Greenblatt, EW
If Widow, with its winky one-liners and spandexed catsuits,...
- 6/29/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
While critics agree that “Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” might offer the entertainment of watching Samuel L. Jackson swear incessantly, the film’s reviews suggest that the film’s lack of a plot is not made up for through its stale and overused humor.
Reviews from early Wednesday agree that the sequel to the 2017 film “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” has even less going for it than the original — besides the fact that it opens during a time when audiences are eager to head the movie theaters after a long haitus.
TheWrap’s own Alonso Duralde wrote, “’Hitman’s Wife Bodyguard’ is a comedy with not one legitimate laugh, and an action movie where cars keep blowing up while the A-listers yell at each other, as though that were inherently amusing or entertaining. It’s a film that’s both frantic and listless; the overall impression is one of movie stars screaming their lines...
Reviews from early Wednesday agree that the sequel to the 2017 film “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” has even less going for it than the original — besides the fact that it opens during a time when audiences are eager to head the movie theaters after a long haitus.
TheWrap’s own Alonso Duralde wrote, “’Hitman’s Wife Bodyguard’ is a comedy with not one legitimate laugh, and an action movie where cars keep blowing up while the A-listers yell at each other, as though that were inherently amusing or entertaining. It’s a film that’s both frantic and listless; the overall impression is one of movie stars screaming their lines...
- 6/9/2021
- by Loree Seitz
- The Wrap
“Gone With the Wind,” “Birth of a Nation” and, more recently, Woody Allen’s “Manhattan,” are movies that should be explained rather than forgotten, a panel of top film critics said in TheWrap’s second in its series “Conversations on Cancel Culture.”
Washington Post critic Ann Hornaday said that a new generation of viewers see these films as problematic, and critics need to frame them appropriately. “Their expectations have fundamentally changed in terms of what they see as acceptable behavior, and this gets to their expectations as audiences,” Hornaday said. “They look at this stuff, and they’re wondering why we ever accepted it in the first place. It’s our job to the degree that we’re stewards of the culture and the patrimony to explain to them why this was valued and also to why it has problems.”
The panelists agreed that this is the job of the...
Washington Post critic Ann Hornaday said that a new generation of viewers see these films as problematic, and critics need to frame them appropriately. “Their expectations have fundamentally changed in terms of what they see as acceptable behavior, and this gets to their expectations as audiences,” Hornaday said. “They look at this stuff, and they’re wondering why we ever accepted it in the first place. It’s our job to the degree that we’re stewards of the culture and the patrimony to explain to them why this was valued and also to why it has problems.”
The panelists agreed that this is the job of the...
- 6/1/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Join us on Tuesday, June 1 at 12 pm Pt for the roundtable discussion “Cancel Culture in Film: Separating Art from the Artist” — a part of TheWrap’s multi-media series “Conversations on Cancel Culture.”
During this session, film critics Ann Hornaday (Washington Post), Michael Phillips (Chicago Tribune) and Alonso Duralde (TheWrap) will join Chapman University Film School dean Stephen Galloway for an in-depth discussion on how — and if — this modern form of ostracism is impacting the way we perceive the work of “cancelled” filmmakers, actors, artists, musicians and more.
On Friday, June 4 at 4pm Pt, audiences are also invited to tune into an encore and follow-up discussion exclusively on Clubhouse.
This conversation is the second of four in a series of roundtables titled “Conversations on Cancel Culture,” presented by TheWrap. Starting May 25 for four weeks, TheWrap will be livestreaming a roundtable discussion every Tuesday at 12pm Pt on one of the following topics: journalism,...
During this session, film critics Ann Hornaday (Washington Post), Michael Phillips (Chicago Tribune) and Alonso Duralde (TheWrap) will join Chapman University Film School dean Stephen Galloway for an in-depth discussion on how — and if — this modern form of ostracism is impacting the way we perceive the work of “cancelled” filmmakers, actors, artists, musicians and more.
On Friday, June 4 at 4pm Pt, audiences are also invited to tune into an encore and follow-up discussion exclusively on Clubhouse.
This conversation is the second of four in a series of roundtables titled “Conversations on Cancel Culture,” presented by TheWrap. Starting May 25 for four weeks, TheWrap will be livestreaming a roundtable discussion every Tuesday at 12pm Pt on one of the following topics: journalism,...
- 6/1/2021
- by Emily Vogel
- The Wrap
“Were they on?” nine-time Academy Awards host replied when asked about this year’s ceremony
Comedian Billy Crystal told the New York Post in an interview published Thursday that he thinks the current state of comedy is a “minefield.”
“It’s becoming a minefield and I get it. I don’t like it. I understand it,” he said while promoting his new movie, “Here Today.”
“I just keep doing what I’m doing and that’s all you can do right now,” he added. “It’s a totally different world [now] and it doesn’t mean you have to like it.” Crystal’s comments were seemingly in response to so-called “cancel culture” — where public figures are torn down after publicly judged for transgressions, perceived or real.
Some entertainment and media figures have have come out swinging against it in recent months, publishing letters, quitting high-profile jobs and publicly worrying that foundational...
Comedian Billy Crystal told the New York Post in an interview published Thursday that he thinks the current state of comedy is a “minefield.”
“It’s becoming a minefield and I get it. I don’t like it. I understand it,” he said while promoting his new movie, “Here Today.”
“I just keep doing what I’m doing and that’s all you can do right now,” he added. “It’s a totally different world [now] and it doesn’t mean you have to like it.” Crystal’s comments were seemingly in response to so-called “cancel culture” — where public figures are torn down after publicly judged for transgressions, perceived or real.
Some entertainment and media figures have have come out swinging against it in recent months, publishing letters, quitting high-profile jobs and publicly worrying that foundational...
- 5/7/2021
- by Lindsey Ellefson
- The Wrap
Theaters may be reopening, but physical media is forever — Alonso Duralde spotlights the best new DVDs and Blu-rays
New Indie
Peter Sarsgaard and Rashida Jones make a somewhat unusual couple in “The Sound of Silence” (IFC Films), a somewhat unusual film. And it’s not that Sarsgaard and Jones don’t have chemistry to burn; it’s that the movie operates at its own pace while diving deeply into the Sarsgaard character’s obsessions with the thrums and throbs and vibrations of our day-to-day lives. He “tunes” his clients’ New York City apartments, looking for the sounds (whether they’re on the outside or coming from household appliances) that are disturbing the tenants, and Jones plays a social worker who turns to him for his unique services. Somewhere between “The Conversation” and last year’s “Sound of Metal,” it’s a uniquely eccentric tale that might make you pay more...
New Indie
Peter Sarsgaard and Rashida Jones make a somewhat unusual couple in “The Sound of Silence” (IFC Films), a somewhat unusual film. And it’s not that Sarsgaard and Jones don’t have chemistry to burn; it’s that the movie operates at its own pace while diving deeply into the Sarsgaard character’s obsessions with the thrums and throbs and vibrations of our day-to-day lives. He “tunes” his clients’ New York City apartments, looking for the sounds (whether they’re on the outside or coming from household appliances) that are disturbing the tenants, and Jones plays a social worker who turns to him for his unique services. Somewhere between “The Conversation” and last year’s “Sound of Metal,” it’s a uniquely eccentric tale that might make you pay more...
- 5/6/2021
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
“Jordan brings a much needed dose of humanity to a story that’s otherwise thuddingly familiar,” Alonso Duralde writes
The hope with “Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse” for Paramount Pictures is that it can launch a new franchise on the back of Sexiest Man Alive Michael B. Jordan. And the good news is that Jordan delivers as John Clark, even if the movie doesn’t.
Initial reviews from critics on “Without Remorse” were relatively lukewarm, though the gripes rest primarily with director Stefano Sollima’s boiler-plate, Cold War action fare, which reviewers labeled as “conventional,” “dull” and “grim.”
Many of the critics agree that Jordan brings an added layer of depth to the role, one that recalls his best work in films like “Creed” and “Black Panther,” though less of an everyman type in the vein of Willem Dafoe and Liev Schrieber as previous iterations of Tom Clancy’s spy character.
The hope with “Tom Clancy’s Without Remorse” for Paramount Pictures is that it can launch a new franchise on the back of Sexiest Man Alive Michael B. Jordan. And the good news is that Jordan delivers as John Clark, even if the movie doesn’t.
Initial reviews from critics on “Without Remorse” were relatively lukewarm, though the gripes rest primarily with director Stefano Sollima’s boiler-plate, Cold War action fare, which reviewers labeled as “conventional,” “dull” and “grim.”
Many of the critics agree that Jordan brings an added layer of depth to the role, one that recalls his best work in films like “Creed” and “Black Panther,” though less of an everyman type in the vein of Willem Dafoe and Liev Schrieber as previous iterations of Tom Clancy’s spy character.
- 4/28/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Ed Helms and Patti Harrison are having a baby! But as the film’s title suggests, they’re not actually “Together Together,” as in being a couple.
More specifically, Helms in the film — and seen in the first trailer above — plays a single, straight, middle-aged man who looks to a stranger, the 20-something Harrison, to be a surrogate for his child. But the unusual circumstance for their arrangement proves confusing and challenging for them as they try and figure out what this relationship is and what it will be after she gives birth.
In a way it’s a rom-com without the romance, but it’s a smart, thoughtful comedy about companionship and commitments that proved to be a crowd-pleasing favorite coming out of this year’s Sundance.
“It’s weird to be perceived as hopeless in this moment when I’m actually very hopeful,” Helms says in the trailer.
More specifically, Helms in the film — and seen in the first trailer above — plays a single, straight, middle-aged man who looks to a stranger, the 20-something Harrison, to be a surrogate for his child. But the unusual circumstance for their arrangement proves confusing and challenging for them as they try and figure out what this relationship is and what it will be after she gives birth.
In a way it’s a rom-com without the romance, but it’s a smart, thoughtful comedy about companionship and commitments that proved to be a crowd-pleasing favorite coming out of this year’s Sundance.
“It’s weird to be perceived as hopeless in this moment when I’m actually very hopeful,” Helms says in the trailer.
- 3/31/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Four years since Joss Whedon Frankensteined together the 2017 Justice League, the film’s original director, Zack Snyder, can celebrate the release of his own unabridged cut, together with the hordes of ardent Dceu fans who pressured Warner Bros. into bringing it to life. Thanks in part to the fandom’s social media paean #ReleaseTheSnyderCut, the studio handed Snyder $70 million to reconceive the project he’d abandoned after a family/personal tragedy, and the film—a four-hour behemoth twice as long as Whedon’s take—is now streaming on HBO Max. Unsurprisingly, much of the critical debate surrounding the “Snyder Cut” hinges on a compare-contrast exercise: is this new version better than its theatrical predecessor? There’s certainly ample room to argue, as Clarisse Loughrey does at The Independent, that “the undiluted Snyder is better than what was released in cinemas, which had the feel of a film directed by committee,...
- 3/25/2021
- MUBI
The documentary shorts on this year’s Oscar shortlist include one Oscar winning director (Ross Kaufmann of “What Will Sophia Loren Do?”) and the animated shorts include films made by Pixar and DreamWorks Animation. But the real heavy hitters are congregating in the Best Live Action Short category, which is an impressive collection of films with some unexpected star power.
The 10 films on that category’s shortlist include one directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starring Tilda Swinton; another produced by three-time Oscar nominee Lawrence Bender and directed by two-time Emmy winner and “Daily Show” writer Travon Free; and another starring Oscar Isaac, who sports what ought to be an award-winning mustache.
The 10 shortlisted films, which were selected from a qualifying list of 174 shorts, will be narrowed down to five nominees by members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch, with an assist from any members of the Directors Branch...
The 10 films on that category’s shortlist include one directed by Pedro Almodóvar and starring Tilda Swinton; another produced by three-time Oscar nominee Lawrence Bender and directed by two-time Emmy winner and “Daily Show” writer Travon Free; and another starring Oscar Isaac, who sports what ought to be an award-winning mustache.
The 10 shortlisted films, which were selected from a qualifying list of 174 shorts, will be narrowed down to five nominees by members of the Short Films and Feature Animation Branch, with an assist from any members of the Directors Branch...
- 3/8/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
When “Mudbound” brought Mary J. Blige Oscar bids for acting and songwriting (“Mighty River”) in 2018, a trail was blazed and an annual tradition began. In 2019, Lady Gaga won for penning “Shallow” from “A Star Is Born” and was simultaneously included in the Best Actress lineup. Last year, Cynthia Erivo (“Harriet”) competed for both Best Actress and Best Original Song (“Stand Up”). The trend is set to continue this year now that Leslie Odom Jr. is expected to reap double bids for “One Night in Miami.” He would be the first man to achieve this double act and could be the first person to pull off both wins.
Since he made his Broadway debut in “Rent” at age 17, Odom’s singing voice has been an integral part of his acting career. In 2012, after over a decade of adding theatre and TV roles to his resume, he made his film debut in “Red Tails,...
Since he made his Broadway debut in “Rent” at age 17, Odom’s singing voice has been an integral part of his acting career. In 2012, after over a decade of adding theatre and TV roles to his resume, he made his film debut in “Red Tails,...
- 2/27/2021
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Rlje Films has acquired David Oyelowo’s “The Water Man” and will release the family adventure film domestically day-and-date in theaters and PVOD on May 7, the company announced Tuesday. Netflix will release the film internationally later this year.
“The Water Man” is Oyelowo’s directorial debut. The acclaimed “Selma” actor also stars in the drama, which is produced by Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films, ShivHans Pictures and Yoruba Saxon. The film had its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival and also opened this year’s Urbanworld Film Festival.
“While in some ways this film is a father and son story, at its core it’s also a love letter to mothers everywhere and is dedicated to my own,” Oyelowo said in a statement to TheWrap. “To be able to share my directorial debut, ‘The Water Man,’ with the world through the hands of Rlje Films and Netflix is...
“The Water Man” is Oyelowo’s directorial debut. The acclaimed “Selma” actor also stars in the drama, which is produced by Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films, ShivHans Pictures and Yoruba Saxon. The film had its world premiere at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival and also opened this year’s Urbanworld Film Festival.
“While in some ways this film is a father and son story, at its core it’s also a love letter to mothers everywhere and is dedicated to my own,” Oyelowo said in a statement to TheWrap. “To be able to share my directorial debut, ‘The Water Man,’ with the world through the hands of Rlje Films and Netflix is...
- 2/23/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Annapurna Pictures has acquired the North American rights to “On the Count of Three,” the film starring and directed by comedian Jerrod Carmichael that premiered at this year’s Sundance.
The distributor acquired the film in a near $2 million deal, two individuals with knowledge told TheWrap. Annapurna will market and distribute the film with a partner to be announced shortly.
Carmichael and Christopher Abbott star in “On the Count of Three,” which is about two armed best friends who plan to take each others’ lives by the end of the day. The film also stars Tiffany Haddish, J.B. Smoove, Lavell Crawford and Henry Winkler in supporting roles. Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch wrote the screenplay, and the film is Carmichael’s feature directorial debut.
The film earned some strong reviews out of Sundance as a dark comedy that doesn’t forget its grimly serious subject matter. TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde...
The distributor acquired the film in a near $2 million deal, two individuals with knowledge told TheWrap. Annapurna will market and distribute the film with a partner to be announced shortly.
Carmichael and Christopher Abbott star in “On the Count of Three,” which is about two armed best friends who plan to take each others’ lives by the end of the day. The film also stars Tiffany Haddish, J.B. Smoove, Lavell Crawford and Henry Winkler in supporting roles. Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch wrote the screenplay, and the film is Carmichael’s feature directorial debut.
The film earned some strong reviews out of Sundance as a dark comedy that doesn’t forget its grimly serious subject matter. TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde...
- 2/12/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Just when this awards season was starting to look like one that might be almost bereft of surprises, a few nominations and some shortlists have thrown some wild cards into the mix. And that’s added a small note of uncertainty to a year that badly needed one.
Granted, nothing earthshaking came out of last week’s Golden Globes and SAG nominations or this week’s Oscar shortlists in nine different categories. The Best Picture front runners are still the ones we’ve known about since the fall: “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and “Nomadland” and a handful of others.
But in small ways, some weirdness entered the race over the past week and a half. If you’d have asked me on Tuesday morning which films would receive the most notice on the Oscar shortlists — which cover original score, original song, makeup and hairstyling and visual effects, along with international feature,...
Granted, nothing earthshaking came out of last week’s Golden Globes and SAG nominations or this week’s Oscar shortlists in nine different categories. The Best Picture front runners are still the ones we’ve known about since the fall: “The Trial of the Chicago 7” and “Nomadland” and a handful of others.
But in small ways, some weirdness entered the race over the past week and a half. If you’d have asked me on Tuesday morning which films would receive the most notice on the Oscar shortlists — which cover original score, original song, makeup and hairstyling and visual effects, along with international feature,...
- 2/12/2021
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
A24 has acquired the U.S. rights to “Pleasure,” Ninja Thyberg’s film about the pornography and adult entertainment industry in Los Angeles that was a selection of Cannes 2020 and made its world premiere at Sundance.
A24 will release an R-rated version of the narrative feature film as well as an uncensored version, which is sexually explicit in its examination of the porn industry and the predatory practices of managers and male-dominated sets.
Thyberg’s “Pleasure” stars Sofia Kappel as Bella Cherry, who relocates to LA from Sweden in the hopes of making it in the adult entertainment industry as the world’s next big porn star. In its description of the film, Sundance said that it uses nudity in order to “expose rather than titillate.” The film also features a supporting cast of other actors who have had experience in the porn industry.
In TheWrap’s review of the film,...
A24 will release an R-rated version of the narrative feature film as well as an uncensored version, which is sexually explicit in its examination of the porn industry and the predatory practices of managers and male-dominated sets.
Thyberg’s “Pleasure” stars Sofia Kappel as Bella Cherry, who relocates to LA from Sweden in the hopes of making it in the adult entertainment industry as the world’s next big porn star. In its description of the film, Sundance said that it uses nudity in order to “expose rather than titillate.” The film also features a supporting cast of other actors who have had experience in the porn industry.
In TheWrap’s review of the film,...
- 2/8/2021
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Few were expecting to see the name of newcomer Adarsh Gourav, who stars in the Netflix film “The White Tiger,” among the nominees for Best Actor at the Independent Spirit Awards. He edged out much bigger names to reap a bid at this Oscars precursor and now numbers among the five best male leads in independent cinema along with Riz Ahmed (“Sound of Metal”), Chadwick Boseman (“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom), Rob Morgan (“Bull”) and Steven Yeun (“Minari”).
The rave reviews for Gourav’s performance in “The White Tiger” should have signalled his recognition by Film Independent. “The White Tiger” is rated 94% fresh by the top critics on Rotten Tomatoes. “The White Tiger” director Ramin Bahrani adapted Aravind Adiga‘s Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name.
“The White Tiger” tells the story of Balram Halwai (Gourav), a young boy from a low Indian caste whose wit and intellect gives promise...
The rave reviews for Gourav’s performance in “The White Tiger” should have signalled his recognition by Film Independent. “The White Tiger” is rated 94% fresh by the top critics on Rotten Tomatoes. “The White Tiger” director Ramin Bahrani adapted Aravind Adiga‘s Booker Prize-winning novel of the same name.
“The White Tiger” tells the story of Balram Halwai (Gourav), a young boy from a low Indian caste whose wit and intellect gives promise...
- 2/5/2021
- by John Benutty
- Gold Derby
The trailer for “One Night in Miami,” Regina King’s feature film directorial debut, dropped on Monday.
“One Night in Miami” was written by Olivier-nominated Kemp Powers and is based on his 2013 stage play. It follows a young Muhammad Ali (when he still went by Cassius Clay) on the night of Feb. 25, 1964, as he emerges from the Miami Beach Convention Center as the new World Heavyweight Boxing Champion after defeating Sonny Liston.
Amazon acquired the film back in July of last year and said its plan was to release the film in time for awards contention. If Amazon’s awards team is successful in its pursuit, King could become the first Black woman nominated for the best director Academy Award.
Check out the trailer above.
TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde wrote in his review of “One Night in Miami,” that shows King to be a filmmaker who’s clearly interested in...
“One Night in Miami” was written by Olivier-nominated Kemp Powers and is based on his 2013 stage play. It follows a young Muhammad Ali (when he still went by Cassius Clay) on the night of Feb. 25, 1964, as he emerges from the Miami Beach Convention Center as the new World Heavyweight Boxing Champion after defeating Sonny Liston.
Amazon acquired the film back in July of last year and said its plan was to release the film in time for awards contention. If Amazon’s awards team is successful in its pursuit, King could become the first Black woman nominated for the best director Academy Award.
Check out the trailer above.
TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde wrote in his review of “One Night in Miami,” that shows King to be a filmmaker who’s clearly interested in...
- 1/4/2021
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie directors! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between.
On this strangest of holiday seasons, Conor and I had a lovely conversation with filmmaker Deon Taylor, whose new thriller Fatale is now in theaters and available on demand beginning January 8. We chat about the genre flicks that Hollywood won’t make anymore and Taylor’s determination to keep making them. He talks about his hope for people to seek out Fatale in theaters where safe, his journey to directing stars like Hilary Swank and Michael Ealy, and the 90s thrillers he’s used as inspiration for his own pictures.
We also dive into some lesser-known, Christmas-set noirs from the 1940s: Christmas Holiday (written by Mank himself!) and Lady in the Lake, Robert Montgomery’s adaptation of the Raymond Chandler mystery.
On this strangest of holiday seasons, Conor and I had a lovely conversation with filmmaker Deon Taylor, whose new thriller Fatale is now in theaters and available on demand beginning January 8. We chat about the genre flicks that Hollywood won’t make anymore and Taylor’s determination to keep making them. He talks about his hope for people to seek out Fatale in theaters where safe, his journey to directing stars like Hilary Swank and Michael Ealy, and the 90s thrillers he’s used as inspiration for his own pictures.
We also dive into some lesser-known, Christmas-set noirs from the 1940s: Christmas Holiday (written by Mank himself!) and Lady in the Lake, Robert Montgomery’s adaptation of the Raymond Chandler mystery.
- 12/23/2020
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
A version of this story about “Welcome to Chechnya” first appeared in the Documentaries issue of TheWrap’s Oscar magazine.
The third feature from Oscar nominee David France (“How to Survive a Plague”) is a harrowing film that not only examines the ramifications of the dangers faced by the LGBT community in Chechnya but also follows a handful of refugees as they risk their lives to escape to Europe. TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde spoke to France about the documentary.
After premiering at Sundance, I’m sure you had a full year of festivals and symposia planned, before 2020 became 2020.
David France: I think we have been really extremely lucky in 2020, because we got to start at Sundance, and we were able to go to Berlin and from there to True/False and Thessaloniki. We really stretched out a much more direct connection with audiences than so many other filmmakers did this year.
The third feature from Oscar nominee David France (“How to Survive a Plague”) is a harrowing film that not only examines the ramifications of the dangers faced by the LGBT community in Chechnya but also follows a handful of refugees as they risk their lives to escape to Europe. TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde spoke to France about the documentary.
After premiering at Sundance, I’m sure you had a full year of festivals and symposia planned, before 2020 became 2020.
David France: I think we have been really extremely lucky in 2020, because we got to start at Sundance, and we were able to go to Berlin and from there to True/False and Thessaloniki. We really stretched out a much more direct connection with audiences than so many other filmmakers did this year.
- 12/22/2020
- by Alonso Duralde
- The Wrap
Steve McQueen’s “Small Axe,” an anthology of five films set in Black areas of London over a period of decades, has been named the best film of 2020 by the Los Angeles Film Critics Association, which announced its annual winners on Sunday.
It is the first time that the Lafca has honored a group of films rather than a single film with its best picture award. McQueen’s anthology, which includes “Lovers Rock,” “Mangrove” and “Red, White and Blue,” is currently playing on Amazon Prime, and neither the individual films nor the series are qualifying for the Oscars or guild awards as motion pictures.
“Small Axe” will be in the running for Emmys and guild awards in the television categories as a limited series. Strangely, Lafca voters treated the anthology as individual movies in the music category, where they singled out “Lovers Rock” for a runner-up citation, but then lumped...
It is the first time that the Lafca has honored a group of films rather than a single film with its best picture award. McQueen’s anthology, which includes “Lovers Rock,” “Mangrove” and “Red, White and Blue,” is currently playing on Amazon Prime, and neither the individual films nor the series are qualifying for the Oscars or guild awards as motion pictures.
“Small Axe” will be in the running for Emmys and guild awards in the television categories as a limited series. Strangely, Lafca voters treated the anthology as individual movies in the music category, where they singled out “Lovers Rock” for a runner-up citation, but then lumped...
- 12/21/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
It’s good to have superhero movies back. The first reviews for Patty Jenkins and Gal Gadot’s “Wonder Woman 1984” are in, and while some critics are calling it “cheesy,” others are heralding the blockbuster as a welcome distraction in a depressing year.
Most critics agreed that, like the original “Wonder Woman” from 2017, the new film balances corny heroics and fish-out-of-water comedy with busy action sequences that sometimes detract from the more human charms of Gadot’s titular character.
“With ‘Wonder Woman 1984,’ the highly anticipated follow-up to Jenkins’ mega-hit, the filmmaker digs her heels even further into that promise of cheesy superhero goodness, to the point of it being a potential health hazard,” Hoai-Tran Bui wrote in /Film. “But the cartoonishly optimistic charms of “Wonder Woman 1984’ feel like a direct rebuke of the current political and cultural landscape in a way that is unquestionably ham-fisted, but is...
Most critics agreed that, like the original “Wonder Woman” from 2017, the new film balances corny heroics and fish-out-of-water comedy with busy action sequences that sometimes detract from the more human charms of Gadot’s titular character.
“With ‘Wonder Woman 1984,’ the highly anticipated follow-up to Jenkins’ mega-hit, the filmmaker digs her heels even further into that promise of cheesy superhero goodness, to the point of it being a potential health hazard,” Hoai-Tran Bui wrote in /Film. “But the cartoonishly optimistic charms of “Wonder Woman 1984’ feel like a direct rebuke of the current political and cultural landscape in a way that is unquestionably ham-fisted, but is...
- 12/15/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Rotten Tomatoes has revamped the way it classifies film and TV critics among its “Top Critics” as a way to increase diversity among pop culture criticism and provide a more inclusive range of opinions on a given film or show.
Previously, the company determined whether a critic was one of its Top Critics — filtering out a select few of the biggest names from the hundreds of other critics in the database that make up a film or show’s overall TomatoMeter score — based solely on their publication or employer’s status.
Now, however, Rotten Tomatoes will place a bigger emphasis on a critic’s individual qualifications and overall body of work in entertainment criticism. The aggregator also looked to podcasts and digital and video series as sources that are now eligible for Top Critic consideration.
With this latest change, 170 new critics have been approved as among the site’s Top...
Previously, the company determined whether a critic was one of its Top Critics — filtering out a select few of the biggest names from the hundreds of other critics in the database that make up a film or show’s overall TomatoMeter score — based solely on their publication or employer’s status.
Now, however, Rotten Tomatoes will place a bigger emphasis on a critic’s individual qualifications and overall body of work in entertainment criticism. The aggregator also looked to podcasts and digital and video series as sources that are now eligible for Top Critic consideration.
With this latest change, 170 new critics have been approved as among the site’s Top...
- 12/3/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Film critics love David Fincher’s “Mank,” a movie starring Gary Oldman about the making of the greatest film of all time “Citizen Kane” that is swimming in Old Hollywood nostalgia.
Critics have called “Mank” a “dense, luxuriant cinephile swoon of a movie” and have praised Oldman’s performance as “one of his more engaging performances in recent memory,” not to mention the lush, black and white cinematography that at times takes cues from “Kane.” It currently has a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Though forged in a meticulous 1930s backdrop that merges historical detail with the style and tone of that era, ‘Mank’ is hardly a playful throwback,” Eric Kohn writes for Indiewire. “Fincher has made a cerebral psychodrama that rewards the engaged cinephile audience in its crosshairs, but even when cold to the touch, the movie delivers a complex and insightful look at American power structures and the potential...
Critics have called “Mank” a “dense, luxuriant cinephile swoon of a movie” and have praised Oldman’s performance as “one of his more engaging performances in recent memory,” not to mention the lush, black and white cinematography that at times takes cues from “Kane.” It currently has a 93% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
“Though forged in a meticulous 1930s backdrop that merges historical detail with the style and tone of that era, ‘Mank’ is hardly a playful throwback,” Eric Kohn writes for Indiewire. “Fincher has made a cerebral psychodrama that rewards the engaged cinephile audience in its crosshairs, but even when cold to the touch, the movie delivers a complex and insightful look at American power structures and the potential...
- 11/6/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
Ben Wheatley is set to direct the sequel to 2018 monster movie “The Meg” for Warner Bros., according to an individual with knowledge of the project.
“The Meg” centered on a prehistoric Megalodon shark, extinct for 2 million years, that can chomp whales in half. Jason Statham starred in the first film as a shark expert and is expected to return for the sequel.
Screenwriters Jon and Erich Hoeber wrote the most recent draft of the script based off an initial draft by Dean Georgaris. All three shared credit on the first film which adapted the novel by Steve Alten.
Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Belle Avery are returning as producers on the sequel. Catherine Ying, Li Ruigang, E Bennett Walsh, Gerald Molen and Randy Greenberg are the executive producers.
TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde, in his review of “The Meg” said, “The film certainly nails its visual effects, particularly since they pretty much...
“The Meg” centered on a prehistoric Megalodon shark, extinct for 2 million years, that can chomp whales in half. Jason Statham starred in the first film as a shark expert and is expected to return for the sequel.
Screenwriters Jon and Erich Hoeber wrote the most recent draft of the script based off an initial draft by Dean Georgaris. All three shared credit on the first film which adapted the novel by Steve Alten.
Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Belle Avery are returning as producers on the sequel. Catherine Ying, Li Ruigang, E Bennett Walsh, Gerald Molen and Randy Greenberg are the executive producers.
TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde, in his review of “The Meg” said, “The film certainly nails its visual effects, particularly since they pretty much...
- 10/23/2020
- by Umberto Gonzalez
- The Wrap
In reviewing “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm,” the sequel to the 2006 mega-comedy hit “Borat,” critics have had to grapple with the fact that America has changed drastically since the original came out and exposed Americans more racist, anti-Semitic tendencies. And they agree that while the new film isn’t “better” than the original, Sacha Baron Cohen’s character couldn’t be more relevant or necessary.
Reviews have been largely positive for “Borat 2,” or the full title “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” which drops on Amazon Prime on Friday. But those reviews all come with a caveat.
In one sense, it’s not surprising to see racism out in the open anymore, and the thrill of the original was in seeing Baron Cohen dupe people into exposing their worst selves. And yet critics were still shocked by the...
Reviews have been largely positive for “Borat 2,” or the full title “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan,” which drops on Amazon Prime on Friday. But those reviews all come with a caveat.
In one sense, it’s not surprising to see racism out in the open anymore, and the thrill of the original was in seeing Baron Cohen dupe people into exposing their worst selves. And yet critics were still shocked by the...
- 10/21/2020
- by Brian Welk
- The Wrap
It’s an annual ritual of awards season that comes around every fall: The American Film Institute’s AFI Fest arrives, studios bring out their awards movies to showcase them in front of a Hollywood audience, and every big premiere begins at least half an hour late because there’s lots of mingling, talking and speech-making before the movie starts.
Almost all of those things happened on Thursday night, as the 2020 AFI Fest kicked off with the opening-night world premiere of Amazon’s “I’m Your Woman,” the Rachel Brosnahan-led twist on ’70s crime movies directed and co-written by Julia Hart. The movie drew a capacity crowd, AFI president and CEO Bob Gazzale offered a welcoming speech, the filmmakers and cast raised a toast and talked about their movie, and it wasn’t until almost 8:40 that the film scheduled for 8:00 actually began.
Of course, all of this happened...
Almost all of those things happened on Thursday night, as the 2020 AFI Fest kicked off with the opening-night world premiere of Amazon’s “I’m Your Woman,” the Rachel Brosnahan-led twist on ’70s crime movies directed and co-written by Julia Hart. The movie drew a capacity crowd, AFI president and CEO Bob Gazzale offered a welcoming speech, the filmmakers and cast raised a toast and talked about their movie, and it wasn’t until almost 8:40 that the film scheduled for 8:00 actually began.
Of course, all of this happened...
- 10/16/2020
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
Surely the gayest out cast ever to be assembled in one room for a Netflix movie is in “The Boys in the Band,” Joe Mantello’s new vision of the iconoclastic Mart Crowley play about the tortured lives of gay men in 1960s New York. While reviews have been strong — including from IndieWire — not all critics have been kind to the film. That includes TheWrap’s Alonso Duralde, who took issue with the casting of Latinx actor Robin de Jesús in the role of Emory, the flamboyant interior director played by white actor Cliff Gorman in the original 1968 Off-Broadway play and in William Friedkin’s 1970 movie version.
In a guest column also for TheWrap, the film’s co-writer and producer Ned Martel fired back at Duralde’s criticisms, including the charge that Emory’s “racist put-downs” of his friend Bernard, who is Black, lose their charge when coming from a...
In a guest column also for TheWrap, the film’s co-writer and producer Ned Martel fired back at Duralde’s criticisms, including the charge that Emory’s “racist put-downs” of his friend Bernard, who is Black, lose their charge when coming from a...
- 10/12/2020
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.