Calling all amateur malacologists: With “Memoir of a Snail,” stop-motion director Adam Elliot (an Oscar winner for “Harvie Krumpet”) invites us to study snails of every shape and size, starting with a gastropod-hoarding outcast named Gracie Pudel (pronounced “puddle”), who withdrew from the world after an unhappy childhood in which she was bullied and orphaned and shipped off to Canberra to be raised by a pair of negligent swingers.
Fitting squarely on the shelf of grown-up films about misfit kids, Elliot’s latest — which comes 15 years after Sundance opener “Mary and Max” — finds the Australian auteur deeply committed to his dark and surprisingly moving brand of storytelling. Like Edward Gorey’s, his palette is nearly monochromatic; his characters tend to face the camera, à la Wes Anderson, as if posing for gloomy school photos; and his John Waters-esque humor is irreverent enough to encompass everything from disabilities to weird...
Fitting squarely on the shelf of grown-up films about misfit kids, Elliot’s latest — which comes 15 years after Sundance opener “Mary and Max” — finds the Australian auteur deeply committed to his dark and surprisingly moving brand of storytelling. Like Edward Gorey’s, his palette is nearly monochromatic; his characters tend to face the camera, à la Wes Anderson, as if posing for gloomy school photos; and his John Waters-esque humor is irreverent enough to encompass everything from disabilities to weird...
- 6/11/2024
- by Peter Debruge
- Variety Film + TV
Oscar-winning Australian director Adam Elliot is at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival with his long-awaited second stop-motion feature Memoir of a Snail, which world premieres in the main competition.
Set in 1970s Australia, the movie gathers a starry cast led by Succession star Sarah Snook, who lends her voice to Grace Puddle, the unfortunate female protagonist who finds comfort in the hoarding of snail memorabilia after a life punctuated by emotional setbacks.
Recounting her life to her pet garden snail Sylvia, Grace reveals her various trials and tribulations, which range from being born with a cleft palate to separation from her beloved, misfit family as a child and then heartbreak as an adult.
One bright spot in her journey is the figure of Pinky, an eccentric old lady with an exotic past, who teaches Grace to look forward, rather than back.
Snook is joined in the voice cast by Jacki Weaver as Pinky,...
Set in 1970s Australia, the movie gathers a starry cast led by Succession star Sarah Snook, who lends her voice to Grace Puddle, the unfortunate female protagonist who finds comfort in the hoarding of snail memorabilia after a life punctuated by emotional setbacks.
Recounting her life to her pet garden snail Sylvia, Grace reveals her various trials and tribulations, which range from being born with a cleft palate to separation from her beloved, misfit family as a child and then heartbreak as an adult.
One bright spot in her journey is the figure of Pinky, an eccentric old lady with an exotic past, who teaches Grace to look forward, rather than back.
Snook is joined in the voice cast by Jacki Weaver as Pinky,...
- 6/10/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
When you’re looking for more than defiant princesses, Minions, and martial arts-wielding animals, indie animation is where you can experience something outside the box. Fortunately, Madman and IFC Films are here to present the Memoir of a Snail teaser trailer, which previews a wonderfully strange-looking animated feature from Academy Award-winning director Adam Elliot.
In the Memoir of a Snail teaser trailer, Grace Pudle is separated from her twin brother Gilbert following their parents’ deaths. Unfortunately for Grace, things don’t get much better after that, and the only one who will listen to her tragic tale is a garden snail named Sylvia.
Here’s the official synopsis for Memoir of a Snail:
“Grace Pudel is a lonely misfit with an affinity for collecting ornamental snails and an intense love for books. At a young age, when Grace is separated from her twin brother Gilbert, she falls into a spiral of anxiety and angst.
In the Memoir of a Snail teaser trailer, Grace Pudle is separated from her twin brother Gilbert following their parents’ deaths. Unfortunately for Grace, things don’t get much better after that, and the only one who will listen to her tragic tale is a garden snail named Sylvia.
Here’s the official synopsis for Memoir of a Snail:
“Grace Pudel is a lonely misfit with an affinity for collecting ornamental snails and an intense love for books. At a young age, when Grace is separated from her twin brother Gilbert, she falls into a spiral of anxiety and angst.
- 6/10/2024
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Grace Pudel (the voice of Succession’s Sarah Snook) is wishing goodbye to her elderly friend Pinky (Jacki Weaver), who’s currently prone on her deathbed. Once she finally perishes, Grace––who’s somewhere in her 20s, yet wears a black beanie customized with the pop-out eyelids of a snail––parks herself on a nearby bench and begins narrating her life story (in a manner that’s a tad Forrest Gump-ian) to her own pet snail Sylvie, who slowly slithers away as she’s setting herself free. Such events being in early Aardman-style claymation certainly enhances their kookiness.
But regarding this animated medium, Memoir of a Snail’s director Adam Elliot (following-up his enduringly popular 2009 feature Mary and Max) prefers the term “clayography”––his own portmanteau of claymation and biography––which does someway capture the uniqueness of what he’s doing. He specializes in exhaustive stop-motion character studies. Which isn...
But regarding this animated medium, Memoir of a Snail’s director Adam Elliot (following-up his enduringly popular 2009 feature Mary and Max) prefers the term “clayography”––his own portmanteau of claymation and biography––which does someway capture the uniqueness of what he’s doing. He specializes in exhaustive stop-motion character studies. Which isn...
- 6/10/2024
- by David Katz
- The Film Stage
Sarah Snook and Kodi Smit-McPhee lend their voice talents to Adam Elliott’s ambitious animation that has a strong personal touch
Like Britain’s Nick Park at Aardman, Australian stop-motion film-maker Adam Elliott has shown a natural talent for screenwriting comedy – and for fusing that with the simplicity and directness of his animation style itself, creating a distinctive kind of lovability and pathos and importantly an instinct for the underdog and the outsider. He makes mainstream animation look a bit neurotypical. His 2003 short Harvie Krumpet was an Oscar winner, and Elliot has come to the Annecy animation film festival for the premiere of what’s probably his most ambitious feature-length work yet. It is charming and beguiling, with a strong new personal and even autobiographical strain and, as in the past, he has persuaded A-list voice talent to get involved.
Sarah Snook voices Grace Pudel, who as the story begins...
Like Britain’s Nick Park at Aardman, Australian stop-motion film-maker Adam Elliott has shown a natural talent for screenwriting comedy – and for fusing that with the simplicity and directness of his animation style itself, creating a distinctive kind of lovability and pathos and importantly an instinct for the underdog and the outsider. He makes mainstream animation look a bit neurotypical. His 2003 short Harvie Krumpet was an Oscar winner, and Elliot has come to the Annecy animation film festival for the premiere of what’s probably his most ambitious feature-length work yet. It is charming and beguiling, with a strong new personal and even autobiographical strain and, as in the past, he has persuaded A-list voice talent to get involved.
Sarah Snook voices Grace Pudel, who as the story begins...
- 6/10/2024
- by Peter Bradshaw
- The Guardian - Film News
"Life isn't about looking backwards, Gracie, it's about living forwards." Madman Films in Australia has unveiled the first trailer for the stop-motion animated film Memoir of a Snail, the latest creation from Australian animation filmmaker Adam Elliot. He won an Oscar in 2004 for his short Harvie Krumpet, but he is best known for his exceptional stop-motion film Mary and Max, which premiered at Sundance 2009. He's back again 15 years later with his second feature, which is premiering at the 2024 Annecy Film Festival before screening at the Melbourne Film Festival soon, too. A bittersweet memoir of a melancholic woman called Grace Pudel - a hoarder of snails, romance novels, and guinea-pigs. Set in 1970s Australia, Grace’s life is troubled by misfortune & loss. After their mom dies during pregnancy, she and her twin brother, Gilbert, are raised by their paraplegic-alcoholic former juggler father, Percy. Despite a life filled with love, tragedy strikes...
- 6/10/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
There’s a single brief shot in Memoir of a Snail showing a sleepy koala lounging in a tree fork that exemplifies the incredible attention even to the most casually observed details in this proudly analogue assembly of thousands of handcrafted objects. It also serves to show the very specific Australian-ness of Adam Elliot’s second feature, a young-adult chronicle of outsider existence that would feel intimately personal even without the meta aspect of a principal character who aspires to be a stop-motion animator.
With its morbid, often brashly salty sense of humor — we’re barely into it before learning that a homeless alcoholic voiced by Eric Bana is in fact a former magistrate defrocked for masturbating in court — and its refusal to shrink away from the darkness of death, depression, cruelty, loneliness and misshapen naked bodies, this is unlikely to be a parent-approved entertainment for young children.
Connoisseurs of...
With its morbid, often brashly salty sense of humor — we’re barely into it before learning that a homeless alcoholic voiced by Eric Bana is in fact a former magistrate defrocked for masturbating in court — and its refusal to shrink away from the darkness of death, depression, cruelty, loneliness and misshapen naked bodies, this is unlikely to be a parent-approved entertainment for young children.
Connoisseurs of...
- 6/10/2024
- by David Rooney
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
You could call Adam Elliot the Australian Nick Park. But while the British Wallace and Gromit creator and his Aardman studio have gone from award-winning claymation shorts to big-budget animation features made with the likes of Dreamworks (Chicken Run, Flushed Away) and Netflix (Chicken Run: The Dawn of the Nugget, the upcoming Wallace and Gromit movie), back in Melbourne, Elliot has kept things small.
His entire filmography: The three shorts Uncle (1996), Cousin (1999), and Brother (2000), two mid-length films Harvie Krumpet (2003) and Ernie Biscuit (2015) and his two features: Mary and Max in 2009 and Memoir of a Snail, together clock in at around 4 hours. You can become an Elliot completist in a single afternoon binge.
Three decades into his career, with an Oscar to his name (best animated short for Harvie Krumpet in 2004), Elliot continues to tell the same sort of stories: Semi-autobiographical dark and funny tales of outsiders, mostly living in 1970s Australia,...
His entire filmography: The three shorts Uncle (1996), Cousin (1999), and Brother (2000), two mid-length films Harvie Krumpet (2003) and Ernie Biscuit (2015) and his two features: Mary and Max in 2009 and Memoir of a Snail, together clock in at around 4 hours. You can become an Elliot completist in a single afternoon binge.
Three decades into his career, with an Oscar to his name (best animated short for Harvie Krumpet in 2004), Elliot continues to tell the same sort of stories: Semi-autobiographical dark and funny tales of outsiders, mostly living in 1970s Australia,...
- 6/10/2024
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Memoir of a Snail,” directed by Oscar winner Adam Elliot – and voiced by “Succession” star Sarah Snook – has debuted a teaser ahead of its premiere at Annecy.
The film is set as the opening title of the Melbourne International Film Festival in August and will have its Australian commercial release, via Madman, from Oct. 17.
In the film, little Grace Puddle is separated from her twin brother Gilbert following their parents’ deaths. Things only get worse from there, she later admits to a garden snail named Sylvia – the only creature interested in her tragic story.
“I gravitate towards the underdog. People who are perceived as different, marginalized. I am not interested in heroes. It’s probably because I am ultimately making films about myself. I really empathize and identify with my characters,” the director told Variety.
“The truth is, they are all based on real people: they just happen to be my family and friends.
The film is set as the opening title of the Melbourne International Film Festival in August and will have its Australian commercial release, via Madman, from Oct. 17.
In the film, little Grace Puddle is separated from her twin brother Gilbert following their parents’ deaths. Things only get worse from there, she later admits to a garden snail named Sylvia – the only creature interested in her tragic story.
“I gravitate towards the underdog. People who are perceived as different, marginalized. I am not interested in heroes. It’s probably because I am ultimately making films about myself. I really empathize and identify with my characters,” the director told Variety.
“The truth is, they are all based on real people: they just happen to be my family and friends.
- 6/10/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Adam Elliot’s animated feature Memoir Of A Snail featuring Sarah Snook in its voice cast has sealed deals for key international territories, ahead of its world premiere at Annecy International Animation Film Festival next week, for Anton and Charades.
The film has sold to Benelux (Bantam), Spain (Madfer), Switzerland (Pathe), Austria (Polyfilm), Denmark (Angel Film), Norway (Arthaus), Iceland (Bio Paradis), Sweden and remaining Scandinavian territories (Folkets Bio), Taiwan (Hooray Films), Cis (Magic Films), Israel (Lev Cinema), Turkey (Bir Film), Adriatics (McF Megacom), Thailand (Sahamongkol), India (Pictureworks) and airlines (Aardwolf).
Anton and Charades are co-representing sales on the stop-motion feature,...
The film has sold to Benelux (Bantam), Spain (Madfer), Switzerland (Pathe), Austria (Polyfilm), Denmark (Angel Film), Norway (Arthaus), Iceland (Bio Paradis), Sweden and remaining Scandinavian territories (Folkets Bio), Taiwan (Hooray Films), Cis (Magic Films), Israel (Lev Cinema), Turkey (Bir Film), Adriatics (McF Megacom), Thailand (Sahamongkol), India (Pictureworks) and airlines (Aardwolf).
Anton and Charades are co-representing sales on the stop-motion feature,...
- 6/7/2024
- ScreenDaily
“Memoir of a Snail,” directed by locally-born, Oscar-winning director Adam Elliot, has been set as the opening title of the Melbourne International Film Festival.
The festival runs Aug. 8-25 and is expected to comprise more than 250 titles. An early sneak peek, revealed Thursday, confirmed a high quality international and local selection.
These include Cannes Critics’ Week award winner “Blue Sun Palace”; double Sundance-winning semi biographical directorial debut “Didi,” by Sean Wang; Aaron Schimberg’s “A Different Man,” which earned Sebastian Stan the acting prize in Berlin; Australian-produced Imax presentation “Fungi: Web of Life”; Rooney Mara-starring “La Cocina”; Frederick Wiseman’s restaurant documentary “Menus Plaisirs – Les Troisgros”; Berlin prize-winner “My Favourite Cake”; Steve McQueen’s “Occupied City”; and Jodi Wille’s “Welcome Space Brothers.”
The lineup also includes “We Were Dangerous,” a feminist and comic directorial debut from Maori filmmaker Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu, that is executive produced by Taika Waititi.
The festival runs Aug. 8-25 and is expected to comprise more than 250 titles. An early sneak peek, revealed Thursday, confirmed a high quality international and local selection.
These include Cannes Critics’ Week award winner “Blue Sun Palace”; double Sundance-winning semi biographical directorial debut “Didi,” by Sean Wang; Aaron Schimberg’s “A Different Man,” which earned Sebastian Stan the acting prize in Berlin; Australian-produced Imax presentation “Fungi: Web of Life”; Rooney Mara-starring “La Cocina”; Frederick Wiseman’s restaurant documentary “Menus Plaisirs – Les Troisgros”; Berlin prize-winner “My Favourite Cake”; Steve McQueen’s “Occupied City”; and Jodi Wille’s “Welcome Space Brothers.”
The lineup also includes “We Were Dangerous,” a feminist and comic directorial debut from Maori filmmaker Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu, that is executive produced by Taika Waititi.
- 6/6/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Bruna Papandrea’s Made Up Stories has teamed with producer Monica Saunders-Weinberg to adapt Fiona McIntosh’s novel The Pearl Thief as a feature film. One Life screenwriter Nick Drake is attached to write.
The Pearl Thief is billed as a sweeping, epic story love and betrayal set between 1939 and the early 1960s. Saunders-Weinberg acquired the rights and took the project to Nine Perfect Strangers maker Made Up Stories, which then attached Drake to the project.
Synopsis reads: “The stakes are high in this gripping novel set between the city of Prague and its snowy woodlands on the cusp of World War II, and later in the streets of Paris, London, and the heather-covered moors of Yorkshire in 1963.”
The plot will follow Katerina, a museum curator determined to overcome the trauma of her past and avenge the pain inflicted upon those she loved and those she’ll never know.
The Pearl Thief is billed as a sweeping, epic story love and betrayal set between 1939 and the early 1960s. Saunders-Weinberg acquired the rights and took the project to Nine Perfect Strangers maker Made Up Stories, which then attached Drake to the project.
Synopsis reads: “The stakes are high in this gripping novel set between the city of Prague and its snowy woodlands on the cusp of World War II, and later in the streets of Paris, London, and the heather-covered moors of Yorkshire in 1963.”
The plot will follow Katerina, a museum curator determined to overcome the trauma of her past and avenge the pain inflicted upon those she loved and those she’ll never know.
- 5/31/2024
- by Jesse Whittock
- Deadline Film + TV
Black Bear’s management arm has signed Swedish creator, writer and showrunner Oskar Söderlund for international representation.
Söderlund is best known for creating the Swedish crime thriller, “Snabba Cash,” which was a hit series for Netflix. He was recently tapped to write and showrun a television adaptation of the John Le Carré spy novel “A Most Wanted Man” from production companies The Ink Factory, founded by Le Carré’s sons Stephen and Simon Cornwell, and Amusement Park, which produced “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
Söderlund currently serves as the head writer on TV4’s “Cry Wolf,” a thriller based on Hans Rosenfeldt’s novel of the same name, and on Netflix’s series “The Breakthrough” — both of which are set to premiere early next year. His previous work includes award-winning television series “The Fat and the Angry” directed by Johan Renck; thriller series “Greyzone”; and the five-part psychological drama series “The Dark Heart,...
Söderlund is best known for creating the Swedish crime thriller, “Snabba Cash,” which was a hit series for Netflix. He was recently tapped to write and showrun a television adaptation of the John Le Carré spy novel “A Most Wanted Man” from production companies The Ink Factory, founded by Le Carré’s sons Stephen and Simon Cornwell, and Amusement Park, which produced “All Quiet on the Western Front.”
Söderlund currently serves as the head writer on TV4’s “Cry Wolf,” a thriller based on Hans Rosenfeldt’s novel of the same name, and on Netflix’s series “The Breakthrough” — both of which are set to premiere early next year. His previous work includes award-winning television series “The Fat and the Angry” directed by Johan Renck; thriller series “Greyzone”; and the five-part psychological drama series “The Dark Heart,...
- 5/30/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Planet Of The Apes Reboot Franchise Ranked As Per Budget(Photo Credit –IMDb)
The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has been released in theatres and is doing well. The film is being praised for its spectacular visuals, and it involves many actors using motion captures to play the Apes on screen like in the previous films. It is no surprise that it takes quite a few million to create such a cinematic experience on screen. Today, we have brought you a budget comparison of the Planet of the Apes reboot movies. Keep scrolling for more.
The original movie, Planet of the Apes, was released in 1968 which was followed by the sequels Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973). In addition to the movies, there were TV series as well.
The Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has been released in theatres and is doing well. The film is being praised for its spectacular visuals, and it involves many actors using motion captures to play the Apes on screen like in the previous films. It is no surprise that it takes quite a few million to create such a cinematic experience on screen. Today, we have brought you a budget comparison of the Planet of the Apes reboot movies. Keep scrolling for more.
The original movie, Planet of the Apes, was released in 1968 which was followed by the sequels Beneath the Planet of the Apes (1970), Escape from the Planet of the Apes (1971), Conquest of the Planet of the Apes (1972), and Battle for the Planet of the Apes (1973). In addition to the movies, there were TV series as well.
- 5/20/2024
- by Esita Mallik
- KoiMoi
Exclusive: IFC Films has acquired North American rights to Memoir of a Snail, a stop-motion drama from Adam Elliot — the writer-director behind the Academy Award-winning 2004 short Harvie Krumpet.
Marking the first lead voice role for star Sarah Snook (Succession), and Elliot’s second stop-motion feature on the heels of 2009’s Mary and Max — also distributed by IFC — the film centers on the life of Grace Pudel, a lonely misfit with an affinity for collecting ornamental snails and an intense love of romance novels. At a young age, when she’s separated from her twin brother, she falls into a spiral of anxiety and angst. Despite a continued series of hardships, inspiration and hope emerge when she strikes up an enduring friendship with an elderly eccentric woman named Pinky. As she slowly learns to let go of the clutter in her home and her mind, Grace starts to find her confidence...
Marking the first lead voice role for star Sarah Snook (Succession), and Elliot’s second stop-motion feature on the heels of 2009’s Mary and Max — also distributed by IFC — the film centers on the life of Grace Pudel, a lonely misfit with an affinity for collecting ornamental snails and an intense love of romance novels. At a young age, when she’s separated from her twin brother, she falls into a spiral of anxiety and angst. Despite a continued series of hardships, inspiration and hope emerge when she strikes up an enduring friendship with an elderly eccentric woman named Pinky. As she slowly learns to let go of the clutter in her home and her mind, Grace starts to find her confidence...
- 5/16/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
The relationship between brothers Phil (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Burbank (Jesse Plemons) in The Power of The Dog is... complicated, to say the least. The film, which recently received 12 Oscar nominations — including best picture and best director — introduces us to the ranch-owning siblings. A decades-old tension simmers between the pair, with Phil trying to assert dominance over their shared territory. Things get even more intense when George marries an inn owner named Rose, bringing her and her son, Peter (Kodi Smit-McPhee), into their already-complex family dynamics, with the unpredictable Phil seemingly intent on tormenting them both.
Crafting such a nuanced relationship between two characters is no easy feat, but Cumberbatch and Plemons were given a specific rehearsal technique to help them find their way: dancing.
In a recent interview with Netflix Queue’s Krista Smith, Cumberbatch recounted the way director Jane Campion...
Crafting such a nuanced relationship between two characters is no easy feat, but Cumberbatch and Plemons were given a specific rehearsal technique to help them find their way: dancing.
In a recent interview with Netflix Queue’s Krista Smith, Cumberbatch recounted the way director Jane Campion...
- 5/13/2024
- by De Elizabeth
- Tudum - Netflix
Oscar nominees Kodi Smit-McPhee and Djimon Hounsou are set to star in claustrophobic thriller “The Zealot.”
The two-hander, being introduced to buyers in Cannes by WestEnd Films, comes from director Vadim Perelman working from a screenplay by Bennett Fisher, and touches on themes involving privilege, paranoia, and the assumptions we make about one another.
“The Zealot” follows Hassan, a Somali-American airport shuttle driver in Minneapolis, who is struggling to make ends meet. When Lloyd, a stranded twentysomething at the airport, offers to pay Hassan to take him overland to Chicago, it seems worth the risk. But as the realization grows that his passenger is not what he seems, Hassan finds he is trapped in a terrifying ride which he can’t escape from, knowing that to save himself might put countless others in danger.
Jib Polhemus (“Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” “The Mechanic”) produces alongside Michael Helfant and Bradley Gallo (“The Green Hornet and Kato,...
The two-hander, being introduced to buyers in Cannes by WestEnd Films, comes from director Vadim Perelman working from a screenplay by Bennett Fisher, and touches on themes involving privilege, paranoia, and the assumptions we make about one another.
“The Zealot” follows Hassan, a Somali-American airport shuttle driver in Minneapolis, who is struggling to make ends meet. When Lloyd, a stranded twentysomething at the airport, offers to pay Hassan to take him overland to Chicago, it seems worth the risk. But as the realization grows that his passenger is not what he seems, Hassan finds he is trapped in a terrifying ride which he can’t escape from, knowing that to save himself might put countless others in danger.
Jib Polhemus (“Lara Croft: Tomb Raider,” “The Mechanic”) produces alongside Michael Helfant and Bradley Gallo (“The Green Hornet and Kato,...
- 5/6/2024
- by Alex Ritman
- Variety Film + TV
“Civil War,” the new acclaimed drama from director Alex Garland, is dominating theaters everywhere, and the film’s star Kirsten Dunst gives one of her best performances in her long and varied career. In honor of her latest movie, let’s revisit her many awards races, including her first Oscar nomination for “The Power of the Dog.”
Dunst’s first role that brought the actress lots of awards attention arrived in 1994 in Neil Jordan’s “Interview with the Vampire,” starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. Dunst’s performance as the young outspoken vampire Claudia earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress, up against Sophia Loren in “Prét-à-Porter,” Robin Wright Penn in “Forrest Gump,” Uma Thurman in “Pulp Fiction” and Dianne Wiest, who won the trophy for “Bullets over Broadway.”
Occasionally the academy will reward a great child performance with an Oscar nomination, the way they did with...
Dunst’s first role that brought the actress lots of awards attention arrived in 1994 in Neil Jordan’s “Interview with the Vampire,” starring Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt. Dunst’s performance as the young outspoken vampire Claudia earned her a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actress, up against Sophia Loren in “Prét-à-Porter,” Robin Wright Penn in “Forrest Gump,” Uma Thurman in “Pulp Fiction” and Dianne Wiest, who won the trophy for “Bullets over Broadway.”
Occasionally the academy will reward a great child performance with an Oscar nomination, the way they did with...
- 4/20/2024
- by Brian Rowe
- Gold Derby
Exclusive: The in-demand Sarah Snook has boarded Oscar-winning Australian director Adam Elliot’s upcoming stop-motion drama Memoir of a Snail as the lead voice and narrator.
Snook will voice the feature animation’s protagonist Grace Puddle, a lonely misfit who hoards ornamental snails and is addicted to romance novels.
Paris-based sales and production company Charades and London-based production and financing studio Anton, which announced last Cannes that they were co-selling the movie, have released a fresh image for the production in the lead-up to the EFM where they will show a new promo.
Memoir of a Snail (c) Arenamedia
News of Snook’s casting comes as the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning Succession star sets forth on a 14-week run of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture Of Dorian Gray at London’s Theatre Royal in which she plays all 26 characters.
Memoir of a Snail marks Snook’s first lead voice role in a feature animation.
Snook will voice the feature animation’s protagonist Grace Puddle, a lonely misfit who hoards ornamental snails and is addicted to romance novels.
Paris-based sales and production company Charades and London-based production and financing studio Anton, which announced last Cannes that they were co-selling the movie, have released a fresh image for the production in the lead-up to the EFM where they will show a new promo.
Memoir of a Snail (c) Arenamedia
News of Snook’s casting comes as the Emmy and Golden Globe-winning Succession star sets forth on a 14-week run of Oscar Wilde’s The Picture Of Dorian Gray at London’s Theatre Royal in which she plays all 26 characters.
Memoir of a Snail marks Snook’s first lead voice role in a feature animation.
- 2/9/2024
- by Melanie Goodfellow and Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
Among the various distinctions “Everything Everywhere All at Once” incurred by winning seven awards at the 95th Oscars was becoming the first film in a dozen years (and ninth overall) to conquer both supporting acting categories. This rare occurrence involved Ke Huy Quan and Jamie Lee Curtis preventing their respective “The Banshees of Inisherin” competitors from accomplishing the same goal, as the sets of featured nominees from “Belfast” and “The Power of the Dog” had both failed to do one year earlier. Now, two more pairs of cast mates – who happen to hail from the two highest-grossing live action movies of 2023 – are gunning for entry into this exclusive club.
The concurrent nominations of Ryan Gosling and America Ferrera (“Barbie”) and Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”) bring the total number of films that have ever vied for both Best Supporting Actor and Actress to 110. Although this marks the third...
The concurrent nominations of Ryan Gosling and America Ferrera (“Barbie”) and Robert Downey Jr. and Emily Blunt (“Oppenheimer”) bring the total number of films that have ever vied for both Best Supporting Actor and Actress to 110. Although this marks the third...
- 2/5/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Bosnian-Dutch writer and director Ena Sendijarević has signed with Black Bear’s management arm.
Sendijarević’s second feature “Sweet Dreams” was selected as the official Dutch submission for this year’s Academy Awards and deemed a “startlingly accomplished sophomore film” by Variety. She was also one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch for 2024.
Sendijarević’s feature debut, “Take Me Somewhere Nice,” an absurdist European road trip movie, won the Special Jury award at the 48th International Film Festival in Rotterdam, as well as the “Heart of Sarajevo” award at the 25th Sarajevo Film Festival. The film was then selected for the 72nd Cannes Film Festival Acid selection. Sendijarević has also made several short films, the latest of which, “Import,” had its world premiere in Cannes’ Director’s Fortnight section and was the official Dutch entry for Live Action Short Film at the 89th Academy Awards.
Next for Sendijarević is “The Possessed,...
Sendijarević’s second feature “Sweet Dreams” was selected as the official Dutch submission for this year’s Academy Awards and deemed a “startlingly accomplished sophomore film” by Variety. She was also one of Variety’s 10 Directors to Watch for 2024.
Sendijarević’s feature debut, “Take Me Somewhere Nice,” an absurdist European road trip movie, won the Special Jury award at the 48th International Film Festival in Rotterdam, as well as the “Heart of Sarajevo” award at the 25th Sarajevo Film Festival. The film was then selected for the 72nd Cannes Film Festival Acid selection. Sendijarević has also made several short films, the latest of which, “Import,” had its world premiere in Cannes’ Director’s Fortnight section and was the official Dutch entry for Live Action Short Film at the 89th Academy Awards.
Next for Sendijarević is “The Possessed,...
- 1/30/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Tornado is the second film from director John Maclean, and it’s just started filming in Scotland. More here:
Here’s a slightly bittersweet story about a filmmaker who made an excellent debut feature and then seemed to disappear. The good bit is – he’s back!
Still, we’ll start with the bitter bit if that’s okay with you. Back in 2015, John Maclean made his directorial debut with the slim, compelling western Slow West. Starring Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smit-McPhee, it’s a terrific western that Maclean also wrote. Yet after he made it, those hoping for a follow-up feature soon after would be disappointed. In fact, it’s taken nearly a decade to get to that point.
He told me back in 2015, back when I was elsewhere, that he worked on one film at a time. His next movie was never going to be quick, but still: it...
Here’s a slightly bittersweet story about a filmmaker who made an excellent debut feature and then seemed to disappear. The good bit is – he’s back!
Still, we’ll start with the bitter bit if that’s okay with you. Back in 2015, John Maclean made his directorial debut with the slim, compelling western Slow West. Starring Michael Fassbender and Kodi Smit-McPhee, it’s a terrific western that Maclean also wrote. Yet after he made it, those hoping for a follow-up feature soon after would be disappointed. In fact, it’s taken nearly a decade to get to that point.
He told me back in 2015, back when I was elsewhere, that he worked on one film at a time. His next movie was never going to be quick, but still: it...
- 1/24/2024
- by Simon Brew
- Film Stories
Kerry Howley, a screenwriter, author and essayist, has signed with Black Bear for representation. The news comes as Howley is about to make waves at Sundance, where “Winner,” a comedic coming-of-age story that she wrote, is going to debut. Howley adapted the story from her own New York Magazine profile on Reality Winner, an Air Force vet and Nsa translator who leaked an intelligence report about Russian interference in the 2016 United States elections. The film is directed by Susanna Fogel (“Cat Person”). It stars Emilia Jones, Connie Britton and Zach Galifianakis. “Winner” will debut in Sundance’s Premieres section.
Howley authored the non-fiction book “Bottom’s Up and The Devil Laughs,” which was recently picked as a New York Times 2023 Top Ten Book of the Year and a Vanity Fair Best Book of the Year. She is currently a staff writer at New York Magazine, most recently contributing the cover...
Howley authored the non-fiction book “Bottom’s Up and The Devil Laughs,” which was recently picked as a New York Times 2023 Top Ten Book of the Year and a Vanity Fair Best Book of the Year. She is currently a staff writer at New York Magazine, most recently contributing the cover...
- 1/16/2024
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Despite being surrounded by revered Hollywood giants in the industry, Charles Melton has been the talk of this season’s Supporting Actor race. His heart shattering turn as Joe Yoo in Todd Hayne’s scandalous melodrama “May December” has birthed a frenzy of passionate acclaim.
The 33-year-old TV star (“Riverdale”) has raked in a whopping 28 nominations from critics groups. Of these, Melton has won seven, including the New York Film Critics Circle. He also won at Gotham Awards in a combined category over, among others, Oscar frontrunners Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”).
He faces off against Gosling (2nd in our combined odds) this Sunday at the Golden Globes. Gosling benefits from his star power and being part of the most nominated film, “Barbie.” The category leader according to our odds, Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”), has equal star power. He arguably has the most of any actor this century,...
The 33-year-old TV star (“Riverdale”) has raked in a whopping 28 nominations from critics groups. Of these, Melton has won seven, including the New York Film Critics Circle. He also won at Gotham Awards in a combined category over, among others, Oscar frontrunners Ryan Gosling (“Barbie”) and Da’Vine Joy Randolph (“The Holdovers”).
He faces off against Gosling (2nd in our combined odds) this Sunday at the Golden Globes. Gosling benefits from his star power and being part of the most nominated film, “Barbie.” The category leader according to our odds, Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer”), has equal star power. He arguably has the most of any actor this century,...
- 1/6/2024
- by Nick Bisa
- Gold Derby
Robert Downey Jr. (“Oppenheimer“) has the lead in our Oscar odds for Best Supporting Actor. He leads our Golden Globe odds too. But is there room for an upset? There just might be. If you dig into our data you’ll find more than a glimmer of hope for Ryan Gosling in “Barbie.” Broad comedic performances don’t often rule during awards season, but if Gosling wins the Globe, that could snowball his momentum into an eventual Oscar victory in March.
Downey leads our Globe forecasts for Best Film Supporting Actor with 37/10 odds based on the combined predictions of Gold Derby users, but Gosling is close behind with 4/1 odds. Gosling is predicted to win by one of the Expert journalists we’ve surveyed from major media outlets, two of the Editors who cover awards year-round for Gold Derby, and two of the All-Star Top 24 who got the highest prediction scores...
Downey leads our Globe forecasts for Best Film Supporting Actor with 37/10 odds based on the combined predictions of Gold Derby users, but Gosling is close behind with 4/1 odds. Gosling is predicted to win by one of the Expert journalists we’ve surveyed from major media outlets, two of the Editors who cover awards year-round for Gold Derby, and two of the All-Star Top 24 who got the highest prediction scores...
- 12/27/2023
- by Daniel Montgomery
- Gold Derby
Spoiler Alert: This story contains spoilers for Netflix’s “May December”
In Netflix’s “May December,” one of the most memorable scenes features Joe Yoo (played by Charles Melton) arriving at the hotel to deliver a letter from his wife Gracie (Julianne Moore) to actress Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman). Their encounter leads to a brief yet intense sexual liaison on the floor, culminating in a conspicuous silhouette shot of Joe’s penis.
Amid Samy Burch’s narrative brilliance and Todd Haynes’ tantalizing direction, one might imagine Melton — known for his role in The CW’s “Riverdale” — felt immense pressure acting opposite Oscar winner Portman, who also produced the film. This pivotal scene was among the final ones shot in Savannah, Ga.
“It was very professional,” Melton tells Variety. “The whole thing. Natalie, Todd, and I met to discuss the scene, walking through it and ensuring everybody was comfortable. There were...
In Netflix’s “May December,” one of the most memorable scenes features Joe Yoo (played by Charles Melton) arriving at the hotel to deliver a letter from his wife Gracie (Julianne Moore) to actress Elizabeth Berry (Natalie Portman). Their encounter leads to a brief yet intense sexual liaison on the floor, culminating in a conspicuous silhouette shot of Joe’s penis.
Amid Samy Burch’s narrative brilliance and Todd Haynes’ tantalizing direction, one might imagine Melton — known for his role in The CW’s “Riverdale” — felt immense pressure acting opposite Oscar winner Portman, who also produced the film. This pivotal scene was among the final ones shot in Savannah, Ga.
“It was very professional,” Melton tells Variety. “The whole thing. Natalie, Todd, and I met to discuss the scene, walking through it and ensuring everybody was comfortable. There were...
- 12/5/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
After making a name for himself in HBO’s “Euphoria,”Australian import Jacob Elordi is on the cusp of movie stardom thanks to contrasting performances in a pair of Oscar contenders. He features as Elvis Presley in Sofia Coppola‘s biopic “Priscilla” and steals scenes in Emerald Fennell‘s psychological thriller “Saltburn.”
“Saltburn,” from Amazon, follows Barry Keoghan‘s Oliver Quick — an Oxford University student who soon becomes enticed and obsessed with his classmate Felix Catton, played by Elordi. Soon enough, Oliver goes to stay with Felix at Saltburn, the Catton family manor house. It’s in these scenes that Elordi excels but the star is a hit as soon as you first hear him speak as he nails the posh accent with aplomb. His performance develops throughout the film as Felix turns from charming and aloof to sulky and petulant but also generous and genuine. It’s a great role for Elordi,...
“Saltburn,” from Amazon, follows Barry Keoghan‘s Oliver Quick — an Oxford University student who soon becomes enticed and obsessed with his classmate Felix Catton, played by Elordi. Soon enough, Oliver goes to stay with Felix at Saltburn, the Catton family manor house. It’s in these scenes that Elordi excels but the star is a hit as soon as you first hear him speak as he nails the posh accent with aplomb. His performance develops throughout the film as Felix turns from charming and aloof to sulky and petulant but also generous and genuine. It’s a great role for Elordi,...
- 12/1/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The New York Film Critics Circle is so determined to be one of the first groups to weigh in with its picks for the best of the year that the date of its decision-making keeps getting advanced. But how much influence does it have on the last group to be heard from — the motion picture academy which will reveal the Oscar winners 101 days from now on March 10, 2024? Let’s take a look back at the last dozen years of the NYFCC picks — that’s how far you have to go to find the last instance of this group’s Best Picture repeating at the Oscars — and see how well (or not), these early kudos previewed the Academy Awards overall.
See 2023 New York Film Critics Circle Awards: ‘Killers of the Flower Moon wins Best Picture, Actress
Last year, the New Yorkers teared up over “Tar,” awarding it both Best Picture and...
See 2023 New York Film Critics Circle Awards: ‘Killers of the Flower Moon wins Best Picture, Actress
Last year, the New Yorkers teared up over “Tar,” awarding it both Best Picture and...
- 11/29/2023
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
The Gotham Awards brought the usual array of surprises this year, and it wasn’t only about who walked away with the trophies.
Aside from the uproar over Robert De Niro’s speech (which is unlikely to have much bearing on the awards campaign for “Killers of the Flower Moon”), some of the other top contenders gained significant traction leading up to a crucial week ahead. New York Film Critics Circle’s announcement of the year’s best films and performances unfurls Thursday, while Golden Globes voting in the film categories started Tuesday.
At the forefront of Gothams buzz-boosters is breakout sensation Charles Melton, earning the best supporting performance award for his role in Netflix’s “May December.” In Todd Haynes’ black comedy, Melton portrays Joe Yoo, a young man navigating his marriage to an older woman, a role that stands out alongside Oscar winners Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”) and...
Aside from the uproar over Robert De Niro’s speech (which is unlikely to have much bearing on the awards campaign for “Killers of the Flower Moon”), some of the other top contenders gained significant traction leading up to a crucial week ahead. New York Film Critics Circle’s announcement of the year’s best films and performances unfurls Thursday, while Golden Globes voting in the film categories started Tuesday.
At the forefront of Gothams buzz-boosters is breakout sensation Charles Melton, earning the best supporting performance award for his role in Netflix’s “May December.” In Todd Haynes’ black comedy, Melton portrays Joe Yoo, a young man navigating his marriage to an older woman, a role that stands out alongside Oscar winners Natalie Portman (“Black Swan”) and...
- 11/29/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Matt Damon and Ben Affleck won Best Original Screenplay together in 1998 for “Good Will Hunting,” which also earned Damon a Best Actor bid. Since then, they’ve had a separate Oscars history. Damon was nominated for Best Supporting Actor in 2010 for “Invictus,” then reaped another Best Actor bid in 2016 for “The Martian.” And, in 2017, he scored a Best Picture nomination for “Manchester by the Sea.” Affleck, meanwhile, has scored only one other Oscar nomination since his “Good Will Hunting” writing win. That was for Best Picture for “Argo” in 2013. He did win that award, though. Neither has taken home an Oscar for acting but that could this year.
The duo reunited on-screen in “Air,” which tells the story of how Nike marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) signed Michael Jordan and made the iconic shoe the Air Jordan. Affleck, who also directed this Amazon Prime Video release, plays Damon’s on-screen boss,...
The duo reunited on-screen in “Air,” which tells the story of how Nike marketing executive Sonny Vaccaro (Damon) signed Michael Jordan and made the iconic shoe the Air Jordan. Affleck, who also directed this Amazon Prime Video release, plays Damon’s on-screen boss,...
- 11/28/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Two-time Oscar-nominated cinematographer Ed Lachman looked shattered by the time he sat down with us for an interview here at EnergaCamerimage in Torun, Poland.
“I broke my hip, and it didn’t heal correctly. Now I’ve got an operation,” Lachman said of his physical state.
“But he called me again to do this film,” Lachman continued, referring to Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín, whom he has briefly left on set in Budapest where they are shooting a Steven Knight-scripted Maria Callas biopic starring Angelina Jolie.
“I said yeah, sure, I’ll do it. And before that, I had lead poisoning, so it’ll just go on and on.”
He added: “It’s amazing what you can get by with if you try.”
Lachman’s injury occurred last year after he finished shooting Larraín’s black-and-white Augusto Pinochet satire El Conde, which he is promoting here at Camerimage. The inventive feature,...
“I broke my hip, and it didn’t heal correctly. Now I’ve got an operation,” Lachman said of his physical state.
“But he called me again to do this film,” Lachman continued, referring to Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larraín, whom he has briefly left on set in Budapest where they are shooting a Steven Knight-scripted Maria Callas biopic starring Angelina Jolie.
“I said yeah, sure, I’ll do it. And before that, I had lead poisoning, so it’ll just go on and on.”
He added: “It’s amazing what you can get by with if you try.”
Lachman’s injury occurred last year after he finished shooting Larraín’s black-and-white Augusto Pinochet satire El Conde, which he is promoting here at Camerimage. The inventive feature,...
- 11/13/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
As soon as it was announced on Tuesday that a live-action “Legend of Zelda” movie is in the works, fans started dream-casting the title role. At the top of many a list? “Euphoria” star Hunter Schafer. At the London premiere of “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes” on Thursday night, Schafer confirmed she’s seen the fan castings circulating on social media.
“That would be so cool,” Schafer said about playing Zelda in the live-action film. “I love the game, personally. I played it as a kid and I still play it now. Who knows! That would be pretty cool.”
Schafer had previously expressed interest in playing Princess Zelda, saying in an interview with Et: “I mean yeah, that would be cool. I played that video game a bunch when I was a kid. That’s such a good game.”
The “Legend of Zelda” movie was announced...
“That would be so cool,” Schafer said about playing Zelda in the live-action film. “I love the game, personally. I played it as a kid and I still play it now. Who knows! That would be pretty cool.”
Schafer had previously expressed interest in playing Princess Zelda, saying in an interview with Et: “I mean yeah, that would be cool. I played that video game a bunch when I was a kid. That’s such a good game.”
The “Legend of Zelda” movie was announced...
- 11/9/2023
- by Ellise Shafer
- Variety Film + TV
by Cláudio Alves
For decades, it wasn't unusual to see two thespians from the same film nominated for Best Supporting Actress, but the same couldn't be said about its brother category. That was until recently when double-dipping in Supporting Actor became fashionable.
It started in 2017, with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri's Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson. In 2019, it was Joe Pesci and Al Pacino for The Irishman, and then Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeit Stanfield for Judas and the Black Messiah in 2020. The following year, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee did the honors for The Power of the Dog, while, in 2022, The Banshees of Inisherin got in with Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan. For comparison, in the same period, Supporting Actress only had two such cases, with The Favourite and last year's Everything Everywhere All At Once. Now, the question is whether the trend will continue at the 96th Academy Awards…...
For decades, it wasn't unusual to see two thespians from the same film nominated for Best Supporting Actress, but the same couldn't be said about its brother category. That was until recently when double-dipping in Supporting Actor became fashionable.
It started in 2017, with Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri's Sam Rockwell and Woody Harrelson. In 2019, it was Joe Pesci and Al Pacino for The Irishman, and then Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeit Stanfield for Judas and the Black Messiah in 2020. The following year, Jesse Plemons and Kodi Smit-McPhee did the honors for The Power of the Dog, while, in 2022, The Banshees of Inisherin got in with Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan. For comparison, in the same period, Supporting Actress only had two such cases, with The Favourite and last year's Everything Everywhere All At Once. Now, the question is whether the trend will continue at the 96th Academy Awards…...
- 11/9/2023
- by Cláudio Alves
- FilmExperience
Exclusive: Black Bear’s management arm has signed the Swedish actor and model Simon Lööf for representation.
Lööf is currently on set in the lead role of Netflix’s Swedish thriller An Honest Life, directed by Mikael Marcimain, which is due to be released globally 2024.
Based on a thriller by Joakim Zander of the same name, the buzzed about production revolves around a disillusioned law school student who finds himself on the wrong side of the law, when he falls under the thrall of an anarchic, young woman he meets a political demonstration.
Simon Lööf made his acting debut in 2020 in teen ice hockey drama Eagles, which he followed with a co-starring role in the critically acclaimed Swedish series Threesome opposite Matilda Källström.
Aside from An Honest Life, Lööf’s will soon be seen in the series So Long, Marianne about the relationship between...
Lööf is currently on set in the lead role of Netflix’s Swedish thriller An Honest Life, directed by Mikael Marcimain, which is due to be released globally 2024.
Based on a thriller by Joakim Zander of the same name, the buzzed about production revolves around a disillusioned law school student who finds himself on the wrong side of the law, when he falls under the thrall of an anarchic, young woman he meets a political demonstration.
Simon Lööf made his acting debut in 2020 in teen ice hockey drama Eagles, which he followed with a co-starring role in the critically acclaimed Swedish series Threesome opposite Matilda Källström.
Aside from An Honest Life, Lööf’s will soon be seen in the series So Long, Marianne about the relationship between...
- 11/8/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Jane Campion will be honored with Next Generation Indie Film’s 2023 Luminary Award. The director will accept the award at the third annual gala, which will take place on Oct. 29 at the Loews Hollywood Hotel in Los Angeles.
Next Generation Indie Film Awards is a non-profit organization for independent authors and publishers. It bestows the Luminary Award on a “transformative figure in the industry, an artist whose work and journey are a North Star to the filmmaking community, especially at a time when art and inspiration are much-needed.” Rian Jonhson was the inaugural recipient of the Luminary Award in 2022.
Campion’s most recent film, 2021’s “The Power of the Dog,” a searing Western drama about a hardened rancher (Benedict Cumberbatch) who torments his brother’s wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her son (Kodi Smit-McPhee), was regarded as one of the best of the year and received 12 Oscar nominations. Campion won the Academy Award for best director,...
Next Generation Indie Film Awards is a non-profit organization for independent authors and publishers. It bestows the Luminary Award on a “transformative figure in the industry, an artist whose work and journey are a North Star to the filmmaking community, especially at a time when art and inspiration are much-needed.” Rian Jonhson was the inaugural recipient of the Luminary Award in 2022.
Campion’s most recent film, 2021’s “The Power of the Dog,” a searing Western drama about a hardened rancher (Benedict Cumberbatch) who torments his brother’s wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her son (Kodi Smit-McPhee), was regarded as one of the best of the year and received 12 Oscar nominations. Campion won the Academy Award for best director,...
- 10/29/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Yorgos Lanthimos‘ “The Favourite” scored 10 Oscar nominations in 2019, including bids for Best Picture and Best Director for Lanthimos and a Best Actress win for Olivia Colman. Stone and Lanthimos reunite this year for “Poor Things,” which could be set to have an even better year at the Oscars than their previous film did.
“Poor Things,” from Searchlight Pictures, follows Emma Stone as Bella, who is brought back to life by Willem Dafoe‘s doctor. Bella then goes on a journey of self-discovery, aided and hindered alike by the likes of Mark Ruffalo‘s caddish lawyer and Ramy Youssef‘s hopeful suitor. The movie, which releases in US theaters on December 8, has received exquisite reviews and a near-perfect score of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. As a result, we are predicting “Poor Things” to have a rich year at the upcoming Academy Awards. Here’s a full list of the categories we think...
“Poor Things,” from Searchlight Pictures, follows Emma Stone as Bella, who is brought back to life by Willem Dafoe‘s doctor. Bella then goes on a journey of self-discovery, aided and hindered alike by the likes of Mark Ruffalo‘s caddish lawyer and Ramy Youssef‘s hopeful suitor. The movie, which releases in US theaters on December 8, has received exquisite reviews and a near-perfect score of 99% on Rotten Tomatoes. As a result, we are predicting “Poor Things” to have a rich year at the upcoming Academy Awards. Here’s a full list of the categories we think...
- 10/26/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Haunted Mansion is a fantasy horror film directed by Justin Simien, from a screenplay by Katie Dippold. Based on Disney’s theme park of the same name, the film revolves around a mother and a son who hire a motley crew to get rid of the supernatural entities living in their house. Haunted Mansion stars Lakeith Stanfield, Rosario Dawson, Tiffany Haddish, Owen Wilson, Danny DeVito, Chase Dillon, Jamie Lee Curtis, Winona Ryder, and Jared Leto. So, if you loved the Disney film here are some similar movies you could watch next.
Ghostbusters (Peacock & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Sony Pictures
Synopsis: Suit up for classic comedy! Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) take a chance on going freelance, de-haunting houses in a new ghost removal service. As soon as they open their doors, their first order of business becomes...
Ghostbusters (Peacock & Rent on Prime Video) Credit – Sony Pictures
Synopsis: Suit up for classic comedy! Peter Venkman (Bill Murray), Ray Stantz (Dan Aykroyd), Egon Spengler (Harold Ramis) and Winston Zeddemore (Ernie Hudson) take a chance on going freelance, de-haunting houses in a new ghost removal service. As soon as they open their doors, their first order of business becomes...
- 10/21/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Angelina Jolie is putting in another day of work on her new biopic Maria!
The 48-year-old is currently filming on location in Paris, France. She was spotted on Friday (October 13) outside Place Vendome.
In the film, she will be bringing famed opera singer Maria Callas to life, and she was dressed to channel the iconic musician.
Keep reading to find out more…
Wearing thick glasses, Angelina was filmed exiting an old-school car. She clutched a purse in her hand and wore a pearl necklace. The actress competed her look with a long black trench coat, which was worn open and unbelted.
If you were unaware, Angelina joined the cast of the movie in October 2022. Filming started almost an entire year later, and the actress was joined by co-star Kodi Smit-McPhee.
Fans will love to see that Angelina appears to be working with one of her children on set!
Scroll through...
The 48-year-old is currently filming on location in Paris, France. She was spotted on Friday (October 13) outside Place Vendome.
In the film, she will be bringing famed opera singer Maria Callas to life, and she was dressed to channel the iconic musician.
Keep reading to find out more…
Wearing thick glasses, Angelina was filmed exiting an old-school car. She clutched a purse in her hand and wore a pearl necklace. The actress competed her look with a long black trench coat, which was worn open and unbelted.
If you were unaware, Angelina joined the cast of the movie in October 2022. Filming started almost an entire year later, and the actress was joined by co-star Kodi Smit-McPhee.
Fans will love to see that Angelina appears to be working with one of her children on set!
Scroll through...
- 10/13/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Black Bear’s management arm has signed award-winning Quebec director Sophie Dupuis for representation. Most recently, Dupuis’ third picture, “Solo,” premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the award for best Canadian film. The film, which was written and directed by Dupuis, stars fellow Black Bear client Théodore Pellerin. It is set in Montreal’s drag queen scene.
Critics embraced the film with SlashFilm calling it “a vibrant portrait of queer nightlife” and the Toronto Star praising the work as a “dexterous film that combines bold images with the quiet beat of a heart torn asunder two ways.”
Dupuis’ previous work, which also showcases her impactful storytelling and her focus on human complexity, has been widely lauded. Her feature film debut, the crime drama “Family First,” earned four Canadian Screen Awards. It was selected as Canada’s submission for best foreign language film at the 2018 Academy Awards.
Critics embraced the film with SlashFilm calling it “a vibrant portrait of queer nightlife” and the Toronto Star praising the work as a “dexterous film that combines bold images with the quiet beat of a heart torn asunder two ways.”
Dupuis’ previous work, which also showcases her impactful storytelling and her focus on human complexity, has been widely lauded. Her feature film debut, the crime drama “Family First,” earned four Canadian Screen Awards. It was selected as Canada’s submission for best foreign language film at the 2018 Academy Awards.
- 10/12/2023
- by Brent Lang
- Variety Film + TV
Angelina Jolie has been spotted on the set of her upcoming Maria!
The 48-year-old Oscar-winning actress was seen in character as the late opera singer Maria Callas on Wednesday (October 11) in Paris, France.
Angelina was joined by co-star Kodi Smit-McPhee while filming a scene at the Palais-Royal. Later in the day, she wore another costume while shooting a difference scene.
It was announced back in October 2022 that Angelina would be starring in director Pablo Larrain‘s new biopic, which is said to trace the opera singer’s life through her death in 1977.
“I take very seriously the responsibility to Maria’s life and legacy. I will give all I can to meet the challenge,” Angelina said about the opportunity. “Pablo Larraín is a director I have long admired. To be allowed the chance to tell more of Maria’s story with him, and with a script by Steven Knight, is a dream.
The 48-year-old Oscar-winning actress was seen in character as the late opera singer Maria Callas on Wednesday (October 11) in Paris, France.
Angelina was joined by co-star Kodi Smit-McPhee while filming a scene at the Palais-Royal. Later in the day, she wore another costume while shooting a difference scene.
It was announced back in October 2022 that Angelina would be starring in director Pablo Larrain‘s new biopic, which is said to trace the opera singer’s life through her death in 1977.
“I take very seriously the responsibility to Maria’s life and legacy. I will give all I can to meet the challenge,” Angelina said about the opportunity. “Pablo Larraín is a director I have long admired. To be allowed the chance to tell more of Maria’s story with him, and with a script by Steven Knight, is a dream.
- 10/11/2023
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Following on from his :a[recent vampiric portrait of an aged Augusto Pinochet]{href='https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/el-conde/' }, director Pablo Larraín’s back on the biopic beat for his next film. And it promises to be another compelling portrait of someone who is famous but also mysterious in her personal life. In this case, it's legendary Opera singer Maria Callas, with Angelina Jolie taking the role for Maria. The first pictures of the actor in character have arrived as the shoot prepares to kick off.
"How can it shoot doing the strike?" we hear you asking. Easy to answer: the independent film has an interim agreement for SAG-AFTRA allowing production to gear up. Larraín will be shooting across over eight weeks in Paris, Greece, Budapest and Milan.
Here's the official description of the film, which looks to "explore the life of the legendary, iconic and controversial singer, often described as the original diva.
"How can it shoot doing the strike?" we hear you asking. Easy to answer: the independent film has an interim agreement for SAG-AFTRA allowing production to gear up. Larraín will be shooting across over eight weeks in Paris, Greece, Budapest and Milan.
Here's the official description of the film, which looks to "explore the life of the legendary, iconic and controversial singer, often described as the original diva.
- 10/9/2023
- by James White
- Empire - Movies
Angelina Jolie is taking on an operatic new role: playing Greek opera singer Maria Callas.
Jolie leads Pablo Larraín’s biopic “Maria,” set during the last days of the chanteuse’s life. She died in 1977.
“Maria” marks Larraín’s third biopic on the heels of “Jackie” and “Spencer,” which earned actress Kristen Stewart her first Oscar nomination.
Per the official synopsis, the film explores the life of the legendary, iconic and controversial singer, often described as the original diva. Based on true accounts, “Maria” tells the tumultuous, beautiful, and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest opera singer, relived and re-imagined during her final days in 1970s Paris.
“The Power of the Dog” star Kodi Smit-McPhee, Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, and Valeria Golino co-star alongside Jolie. The film is an independent production with an interim agreement from SAG-AFTRA; production starts this week, with locations ranging...
Jolie leads Pablo Larraín’s biopic “Maria,” set during the last days of the chanteuse’s life. She died in 1977.
“Maria” marks Larraín’s third biopic on the heels of “Jackie” and “Spencer,” which earned actress Kristen Stewart her first Oscar nomination.
Per the official synopsis, the film explores the life of the legendary, iconic and controversial singer, often described as the original diva. Based on true accounts, “Maria” tells the tumultuous, beautiful, and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest opera singer, relived and re-imagined during her final days in 1970s Paris.
“The Power of the Dog” star Kodi Smit-McPhee, Pierfrancesco Favino, Alba Rohrwacher, Haluk Bilginer, and Valeria Golino co-star alongside Jolie. The film is an independent production with an interim agreement from SAG-AFTRA; production starts this week, with locations ranging...
- 10/9/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Pablo Larraín (Jackie) has revealed two first photos of Angelina Jolie as Maria Callas in his new film that will explore the life of the legendary singer, often described as the original diva.
Based on true accounts, Maria will tell the tumultuous, beautiful and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest female opera singer, relived and reimagined during her final days in 1970s Paris. Shoot is underway and taking place over eight weeks in Paris, Greece, Budapest and Milan.
Also starring in the movie, which has a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, will be Pierfrancesco Favino (The Hummingbird), Alba Rohrwacher (La Chimera), Haluk Bilginer (Winter Sleep), Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog) and Valeria Golino (Portrait of a Lady on Fire).
The script, which was completed prior to the WGA strike, comes from Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders). Producers are Juan de Dios Larraín for Fabula, Jonas Dornbach...
Based on true accounts, Maria will tell the tumultuous, beautiful and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest female opera singer, relived and reimagined during her final days in 1970s Paris. Shoot is underway and taking place over eight weeks in Paris, Greece, Budapest and Milan.
Also starring in the movie, which has a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, will be Pierfrancesco Favino (The Hummingbird), Alba Rohrwacher (La Chimera), Haluk Bilginer (Winter Sleep), Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog) and Valeria Golino (Portrait of a Lady on Fire).
The script, which was completed prior to the WGA strike, comes from Steven Knight (Peaky Blinders). Producers are Juan de Dios Larraín for Fabula, Jonas Dornbach...
- 10/9/2023
- by Andreas Wiseman
- Deadline Film + TV
The first two images of Angelina Jolie as famed diva Maria Callas in Pablo Larrain’s upcoming biopic Maria have been revealed.
Based on true accounts, the film will tell the tumultuous, beautiful and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest opera singers, relived and re-imagined during her final days in 1970s Paris. With the independent production having signed to a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, the shoot is now set to start, and will take place over eight weeks in Paris, Greece, Budapest and Milan.
Alongside Jolie, the cast also includes Pierfrancesco Favino (Adagio, The Hummingbird), Alba Rohrwacher (La Chimera, Hungry Hearts), Haluk Bilginer (Winter Sleep), Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog, Elvis) and Valeria Golino (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Caos Calmo).
The script, which was completed prior to the WGA strike, is written by Steven Knight (Spencer, Peaky Blinders, Eastern Promises). Producers...
Based on true accounts, the film will tell the tumultuous, beautiful and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest opera singers, relived and re-imagined during her final days in 1970s Paris. With the independent production having signed to a SAG-AFTRA interim agreement, the shoot is now set to start, and will take place over eight weeks in Paris, Greece, Budapest and Milan.
Alongside Jolie, the cast also includes Pierfrancesco Favino (Adagio, The Hummingbird), Alba Rohrwacher (La Chimera, Hungry Hearts), Haluk Bilginer (Winter Sleep), Kodi Smit-McPhee (The Power of the Dog, Elvis) and Valeria Golino (Portrait of a Lady on Fire, Caos Calmo).
The script, which was completed prior to the WGA strike, is written by Steven Knight (Spencer, Peaky Blinders, Eastern Promises). Producers...
- 10/9/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
“Saltburn” has screened at this year’s London Film Festival and it looks like writer-director Emerald Fennell has another hit on her hands after the success of her debut, “Promising Young Woman.” That film won her Best Original Screenplay (plus Best Director and Picture nominations) in 2021, but she’s stepped her filmmaking game up a gear with the ambitious “Saltburn.”
The film follows Barry Keoghan as Oliver, an Oxford University student who becomes obsessed with his rich classmate, Felix, played by Jacob Elordi. Oliver stays at the extraordinary manor of Felix’s family, where, without any spoilers, further drama plays out. The film is a funny, witty, knowing examination of the rich upper class and has plenty of touches of darkness, too to flesh out the picture. As a result, “Saltburn” feels like it could be a genuine Academy Awards contender. Here are all the Oscars we think “Saltburn” could be nominated for.
The film follows Barry Keoghan as Oliver, an Oxford University student who becomes obsessed with his rich classmate, Felix, played by Jacob Elordi. Oliver stays at the extraordinary manor of Felix’s family, where, without any spoilers, further drama plays out. The film is a funny, witty, knowing examination of the rich upper class and has plenty of touches of darkness, too to flesh out the picture. As a result, “Saltburn” feels like it could be a genuine Academy Awards contender. Here are all the Oscars we think “Saltburn” could be nominated for.
- 10/5/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Cameras are set to roll in mid-October in Budapest on Pablo Larraín’s Maria Callas biopic “Maria” toplining Angelina Jolie in the title role with several new cast members now on board.
Italian star Valeria Golino, whose recent appearances include a lead in Netflix’s Elena Ferrante series “The Lying Life of Adults” and season 2 of Apple Original “The Morning Show,” is set to play the legendary opera singer’s older sister Yakinthi – known as Jackie – while revered Turkish screen and stage veteran Haluk Bilginer (“Winter Sleep”) has landed the role as Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis.
Fremantle, which is among companies producing “Maria,” also confirmed on Thursday that the film’s additional cast comprises Italian A-listers Alba Rohrwacher and Pierfrancesco Favino and Oscar-nominated Australian actor Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”), all in unspecified roles.
“Maria” “tells the tumultuous, beautiful, and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest opera singer,...
Italian star Valeria Golino, whose recent appearances include a lead in Netflix’s Elena Ferrante series “The Lying Life of Adults” and season 2 of Apple Original “The Morning Show,” is set to play the legendary opera singer’s older sister Yakinthi – known as Jackie – while revered Turkish screen and stage veteran Haluk Bilginer (“Winter Sleep”) has landed the role as Greek tycoon Aristotle Onassis.
Fremantle, which is among companies producing “Maria,” also confirmed on Thursday that the film’s additional cast comprises Italian A-listers Alba Rohrwacher and Pierfrancesco Favino and Oscar-nominated Australian actor Kodi Smit-McPhee (“The Power of the Dog”), all in unspecified roles.
“Maria” “tells the tumultuous, beautiful, and tragic story of the life of the world’s greatest opera singer,...
- 10/5/2023
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Lately, the Best Supporting Actor Oscar lineup has been seeing double — as in two nominees from one film. That looks likely to continue this season, and if that happens, it’ll mark an unprecedented five-year streak of double bids in the category.
Oscar nuts know this double-dipping wasn’t so rampant until very recently. There was a 26-year drought between 1991’s “Bugsy” yielding noms for Harvey Keitel and Ben Kingsley and 2017’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” ending the dry spell with bids for Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell. There were no co-star nominees the next year, but since then, it’s been duo after duo.
2019’s “The Irishman” earned comeback nominations for Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. The subsequent year, Oscar voters threw a curveball by nominating both Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield — aka the people who played the title characters of “Judas and the Black Messiah” — in supporting.
Oscar nuts know this double-dipping wasn’t so rampant until very recently. There was a 26-year drought between 1991’s “Bugsy” yielding noms for Harvey Keitel and Ben Kingsley and 2017’s “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri” ending the dry spell with bids for Woody Harrelson and Sam Rockwell. There were no co-star nominees the next year, but since then, it’s been duo after duo.
2019’s “The Irishman” earned comeback nominations for Al Pacino and Joe Pesci. The subsequent year, Oscar voters threw a curveball by nominating both Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield — aka the people who played the title characters of “Judas and the Black Messiah” — in supporting.
- 9/30/2023
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
“Poor Things” looks set to be a major Oscar contender this year. It just won the Golden Lion at Venice and Emma Stone just took over the top spot on our Best Actress Oscar odds chart. Supporting players Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo look set to match an Academy Award record.
“Poor Things” tell the tale of Stone as a young woman brought back to life by a scientist in the Victorian era. Dafoe plays the eccentric scientist, complete with a peculiar Scottish accent and killer prosthetic makeup design, while Ruffalo hams it up as the scientist’s lawyer, donning a hilarious English accent and turning up the camp to 10. Both performances are now being touted as strong Oscar contenders in the Best Supporting Actor category, which could see Dafoe and Ruffalo earn their fifth and fourth nominations respectively.
Dafoe was first nominated in 1987 for Best Supporting Actor for “Platoon.
“Poor Things” tell the tale of Stone as a young woman brought back to life by a scientist in the Victorian era. Dafoe plays the eccentric scientist, complete with a peculiar Scottish accent and killer prosthetic makeup design, while Ruffalo hams it up as the scientist’s lawyer, donning a hilarious English accent and turning up the camp to 10. Both performances are now being touted as strong Oscar contenders in the Best Supporting Actor category, which could see Dafoe and Ruffalo earn their fifth and fourth nominations respectively.
Dafoe was first nominated in 1987 for Best Supporting Actor for “Platoon.
- 9/13/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
The episode of Best Horror Movie You Never Saw covering Let Me In was Written by Paul Bookstaber, Narrated by Kier Gomes, Edited by Paul Bookstaber, Produced by John Fallon and Tyler Nichols, and Executive Produced by Berge Garabedian.
When it comes to love stories, they simply do not have a happy ending within the context of most horror movie plots. Usually those in love become fodder together by the time the end credits roll. But what if I told you, that a love story within horror does exist, and what if it comes off as innocent and pure at first, but then evolves into something much more than we’re led on to? We’re not talking about The Bride of Frankenstein or even Bride of Chucky. You may have forgotten about one of the best remade love stories introducing a teenage vampire. A story about innocence-lost on both...
When it comes to love stories, they simply do not have a happy ending within the context of most horror movie plots. Usually those in love become fodder together by the time the end credits roll. But what if I told you, that a love story within horror does exist, and what if it comes off as innocent and pure at first, but then evolves into something much more than we’re led on to? We’re not talking about The Bride of Frankenstein or even Bride of Chucky. You may have forgotten about one of the best remade love stories introducing a teenage vampire. A story about innocence-lost on both...
- 8/17/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
“Everything Everywhere All at Once” last year made Oscar history by becoming just the third film ever to win three awards in acting categories — Michelle Yeoh (Best Actress), Jamie Lee Curtis (Best Supporting Actress), and Ke Huy Quan (Best Supporting Actor). “A Streetcar Named Desire” (1952) and “Network” (1977) also pulled off this triple play
No film has ever won all four acting prizes but plenty have contended across the board, with the most recent being “American Hustle” in 2014. “Network,” “Mrs. Miniver” in 1943, “From Here to Eternity” in 1954, “Peyton Place” in 1958, “Bonnie and Clyde” in 1968 and “The Godfather: Part 2” in 1975 all snagged five acting nominations in total.
So, how about this year? Are there any movies that could match that haul of five nominations? Or even become the first picture to win all four acting Oscars? Let’s take a look through this year’s early contenders to see which movies...
No film has ever won all four acting prizes but plenty have contended across the board, with the most recent being “American Hustle” in 2014. “Network,” “Mrs. Miniver” in 1943, “From Here to Eternity” in 1954, “Peyton Place” in 1958, “Bonnie and Clyde” in 1968 and “The Godfather: Part 2” in 1975 all snagged five acting nominations in total.
So, how about this year? Are there any movies that could match that haul of five nominations? Or even become the first picture to win all four acting Oscars? Let’s take a look through this year’s early contenders to see which movies...
- 8/14/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
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