Movie News
It’s another bummer of a weekend at the summer of box office, where overall domestic revenue looks to be down 69 percent — no, not a typo — from a year ago as Hollywood and theater owners continue to grapple with a lack of big event pics. And year-to-date revenue is now down 24 percent over last year.
For some, there is reason to smile. Alcon and Sony’s The Garfield Movie easily purred past George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga to top the weekend chart with an estimated $14 million for a domestic tally of $51.6 million. Alcon fully financed the $60 million film, which crossed the $100 million mark overseas for a global tally of $152.2 million.
Furiosa, costing a pricey $168 million to produce, fell a steep 59 percent to $10.75 million, dashing hopes that it could rebound after a disappointing Memorial Day opening. The dystopian epic is also stalling overseas, where it took in only...
For some, there is reason to smile. Alcon and Sony’s The Garfield Movie easily purred past George Miller’s Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga to top the weekend chart with an estimated $14 million for a domestic tally of $51.6 million. Alcon fully financed the $60 million film, which crossed the $100 million mark overseas for a global tally of $152.2 million.
Furiosa, costing a pricey $168 million to produce, fell a steep 59 percent to $10.75 million, dashing hopes that it could rebound after a disappointing Memorial Day opening. The dystopian epic is also stalling overseas, where it took in only...
- 6/2/2024
- by Pamela McClintock
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Quebecois filmmaker Denis Villeneuve should be running a victory lap after his sci-fi sequel “Dune: Part Two” earned over $700 million at the box office this year and after recently receiving the Academy Icon Award at the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards on May 31, but the current lack of audiences showing up to movie theaters this summer is bringing him down.
Speaking to the press after receiving the award, Villeneuve said, “I think we need movies that are theatrical experiences, that will fully embrace the power of the theater, and I’m not just talking about ‘Dune 2.’ Of course I’m talking about many movies. A movie like ‘Civil War,’ for instance, is a strong example of a movie that absolutely used the power of the theater. I was lucky that ‘Part Two’ did reach the audience, I wish it would happen more often, honestly.”
“Dune: Part Two” remains the highest grossing...
Speaking to the press after receiving the award, Villeneuve said, “I think we need movies that are theatrical experiences, that will fully embrace the power of the theater, and I’m not just talking about ‘Dune 2.’ Of course I’m talking about many movies. A movie like ‘Civil War,’ for instance, is a strong example of a movie that absolutely used the power of the theater. I was lucky that ‘Part Two’ did reach the audience, I wish it would happen more often, honestly.”
“Dune: Part Two” remains the highest grossing...
- 6/3/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
In the "Star Trek: Voyager" episode "Initiations", Chakotay (Robert Beltran) undertakes a personal mission on a shuttlecraft only to be attacked by a Kazon teenager named Kar (Aron Eisenberg), an adolescent out on his first mission. In the brief battle, Chakotay accidentally destroys Kar's ship, but takes the time to rescue him. Kar explains that the Kazon are an honor-bound species and that Chkotay, in rescuing him, robbed him of his ability to prove his worth to his elders. Kar is furious and embarrassed. Kar's superiors find Chakotay and explain that the only way to restore Kar's honor is for Chakotay to kill him or for Kar to kill Chakotay. The Starfleet officer and the Kazon go on the lam, trying to find a solution to their plight that doesn't involve murder.
Aron Eisenberg was already known to Trekkies as Nog, the Ferengi teen on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,...
Aron Eisenberg was already known to Trekkies as Nog, the Ferengi teen on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine,...
- 6/3/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” maintained a narrow win at the South Korea weekend box office in its second week of release. The highest new release was local crime drama “The Plot.”
Total weekend revenues in Korean cinemas were a modest $8.91 million. That figure keeps a post-covid recovery on course, but progress is slow and incomplete.
“Furiosa” earned $2.24 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). That gives it a 12-day cumulative total of $7.90 million.
With some thematic resemblance to Soi Cheang’s celebrated Hong Kong film “Accident,” the story of “The Plot” involves a gang who design murders to look like everyday occurrences. The gang takes a job to kill a prosecutor, but its leader is worried that he is being gaslighted.
The film opened on Wednesday, as is the norm for most titles in Korea, and...
Total weekend revenues in Korean cinemas were a modest $8.91 million. That figure keeps a post-covid recovery on course, but progress is slow and incomplete.
“Furiosa” earned $2.24 million between Friday and Sunday, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic). That gives it a 12-day cumulative total of $7.90 million.
With some thematic resemblance to Soi Cheang’s celebrated Hong Kong film “Accident,” the story of “The Plot” involves a gang who design murders to look like everyday occurrences. The gang takes a job to kill a prosecutor, but its leader is worried that he is being gaslighted.
The film opened on Wednesday, as is the norm for most titles in Korea, and...
- 6/3/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety - Film News
One of the most memorable traits of the roguish Han Solo is just how lucky he is. Depending on which version of "Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope" you watched, this guy somehow managed to avoid getting shot by a bounty hunter despite being mere feet away from the guy either before or after they yelled "Maclunkey!" at him. He also spent years fleeing from the evil space gangster Jabba the Hutt -- and when Jabba did finally catch him, Han had already made friends with a powerful young Jedi who could rescue him not long after.
Even on a meta level, Han's a lucky guy. Harrison Ford thought Han should've died in "Return of the Jedi" to lend some "gravitas and emotional weight" to the third film, and I don't think he was wrong: "Return of the Jedi" was a little too cutesy of a follow-up to...
Even on a meta level, Han's a lucky guy. Harrison Ford thought Han should've died in "Return of the Jedi" to lend some "gravitas and emotional weight" to the third film, and I don't think he was wrong: "Return of the Jedi" was a little too cutesy of a follow-up to...
- 6/3/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
Throughout the 1950s, big-budget musicals were de rigueur for Hollywood, and there was a sudden glut of epics that sported gigantic budgets, recognizable stars, and no small amount of studio hype. Such films were exhibited as touring roadshow productions, which was a great way for films to make fistfuls of cash. Roadshow epics were also, it should be noted, a concerted ploy by studios to distract audiences from the rising threat of television. Studios felt the need to invest a lot of money into musicals and epics, hoping the massive productions could draw people into theaters and keep the industry afloat.
One might logically predict, however, that Hollywood tried to ride the trend of epics for a little longer than was healthy, and foolish overspending eventually became common. The age of the "roadshow epic" pretty much came to a close with the release of the notorious bomb "Cleopatra" in 1963.
But then,...
One might logically predict, however, that Hollywood tried to ride the trend of epics for a little longer than was healthy, and foolish overspending eventually became common. The age of the "roadshow epic" pretty much came to a close with the release of the notorious bomb "Cleopatra" in 1963.
But then,...
- 6/3/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Norman Lear was not a man to shy away from controversy. If anything, he sprinted toward it, knowing that doing so would help open people’s minds to pervasive American issues related to discrimination, human rights, and more. Through his landmark sitcoms like “All in the Family,” “Maude,” “Sanford and Son,” “One Day at a Time” (twice!), and “Good Times” (also twice!), Lear helped American families address thorny political and social topics by bringing those circumstances into their living rooms every week.
But one episode has long stood out as his most controversial: “Maude’s Dilemma,” a two-part episode airing in the first season, wherein the lead character (played by Bea Arthur) decides to get an abortion. At the time, abortions were legal in the state of New York (where Maude and her family lived), but the Roe v. Wade verdict was still two months away. CBS was wary about...
But one episode has long stood out as his most controversial: “Maude’s Dilemma,” a two-part episode airing in the first season, wherein the lead character (played by Bea Arthur) decides to get an abortion. At the time, abortions were legal in the state of New York (where Maude and her family lived), but the Roe v. Wade verdict was still two months away. CBS was wary about...
- 6/2/2024
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Time is an obsession of Richard Linklater’s. His films, from “Slacker” to the “Before” trilogy to “Boyhood,” have been thorough examinations of its passage on scales large and small, but his latest ongoing project, an adaptation of Stephen Sondheim’s under-appreciated musical gem “Merrily We Roll Along,” aims to be Linklater’s biggest canvas yet. The musical tracks the deterioration of a 20-year friendship between three creatives with one specific feature: the entire story is told in reverse, beginning with the end and slipping back into the past to show how things go so bad and eventually why they were so good together.
“It’s the kind of thing I’ve thought a lot about my entire life: What could transform me?” Linklater said in a recent interview with The New York Times Magazine. “I was probably more in the camp of we’re fixed, give or take whatever little percentage around the edges.
“It’s the kind of thing I’ve thought a lot about my entire life: What could transform me?” Linklater said in a recent interview with The New York Times Magazine. “I was probably more in the camp of we’re fixed, give or take whatever little percentage around the edges.
- 6/2/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Most any film school syllabus will likely cite Georges Méliès' 1902 film "A Trip to the Moon" (French title: "Le Voyage Dans la Lune") as the very first science fiction film ever made. Even the British Film Institute lists it as such, citing only a 1901 film called "Mister Moon" as the progenitor, and "Mister Moon" hardly counts as it is merely a musical short wherein actor Percy Honri dresses up as the moon and plays the ukulele. The film was meant to accompany a live performance. Not even the most hardcore sci-fi fans would classify that as "science fiction."
"A Trip to the Moon" is certainly one of the most recognizable silent sci-fi films, and many are likely familiar with the image of the Moon wincing in pain when a human rocket lands in its eye. "A Trip to the Moon" takes a lot of visual cues and ideas from the novels of Jules Verne,...
"A Trip to the Moon" is certainly one of the most recognizable silent sci-fi films, and many are likely familiar with the image of the Moon wincing in pain when a human rocket lands in its eye. "A Trip to the Moon" takes a lot of visual cues and ideas from the novels of Jules Verne,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
“What took you so long?”
That was the general vibe of the “Suits” reunion panel Sunday afternoon, where stars Patrick J. Adams, Sarah Rafferty, Dulé Hill, Amanda Schull, and executive Jeff Wachtel gathered to discuss the legal drama that aired for nine seasons on USA Network but gained an expanded following when it hit Netflix in June 2023.
“The people in this room know it’s hard to make TV, and it’s really hard to make good TV, let alone great TV,” Wachtel said. “But on some level, when people ask me if I was surprised [by the resurgence on Netflix], I’m like, what took you so long?”
Wachtel, who was the head of programming at USA Network when “Suits” premiered, praised the cast as well as the casting director who put them together, Bonnie Zane, who was watching from the audience.
“We knew how great this show was, and it was very successful at USA Network,...
That was the general vibe of the “Suits” reunion panel Sunday afternoon, where stars Patrick J. Adams, Sarah Rafferty, Dulé Hill, Amanda Schull, and executive Jeff Wachtel gathered to discuss the legal drama that aired for nine seasons on USA Network but gained an expanded following when it hit Netflix in June 2023.
“The people in this room know it’s hard to make TV, and it’s really hard to make good TV, let alone great TV,” Wachtel said. “But on some level, when people ask me if I was surprised [by the resurgence on Netflix], I’m like, what took you so long?”
Wachtel, who was the head of programming at USA Network when “Suits” premiered, praised the cast as well as the casting director who put them together, Bonnie Zane, who was watching from the audience.
“We knew how great this show was, and it was very successful at USA Network,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
You could say that Kate Hudson is extremely famous as an actor and almost famous as a singer. That last part is changing as the public gets a gander of the promotional appearances she’s been doing for her debut album, “Glorious,” everywhere from the “Voice” finale to Howard Stern’s show. There’s a nearly universal reaction: “Wow, you can sing… really sing” — which maybe shouldn’t come as such a great surprise after her vocal appearances in the musical films “Nine” and “Music” and a prominent guest spot on “Glee,” and yet, maybe there was a suspicion in those instances that some sort of studio trickery was helping out a slumming movie star.
Now that she’s been doing live TV appearances and making her public performance debut at a star-filled L.A. show, it’s clear that she’s the real deal, as a rocker, and could...
Now that she’s been doing live TV appearances and making her public performance debut at a star-filled L.A. show, it’s clear that she’s the real deal, as a rocker, and could...
- 6/2/2024
- by Chris Willman
- Variety - Film News
This post contains spoilers for Alex Garland's "Annihilation" and the source material.
Self-destruction is a sentiment wired into the human DNA. Irrespective of how put-together we feel about our standing with respect to the rest of humanity, these self-destructive tendencies, both overt and unconscious, creep in and threaten to tear us apart. It is relatively easy to capture the dramatic extremes of such a complex, universal feeling — one that is also so uniquely personal — but the nuances tend to be elusive, as these impulses remain indescribable. Alex Garland's stunning, uncompromising take on Jeff VanderMeer's first book in The Southern Reach Trilogy, "Annihilation," grabs these indescribable emotions by the throat, compelling us to look deep into the refracted images of our own selves with equal parts compassion and scrutiny. It is a film that can leave you feeling deeply moved, and deeply confused.
VanderMeer's first book in the trilogy...
Self-destruction is a sentiment wired into the human DNA. Irrespective of how put-together we feel about our standing with respect to the rest of humanity, these self-destructive tendencies, both overt and unconscious, creep in and threaten to tear us apart. It is relatively easy to capture the dramatic extremes of such a complex, universal feeling — one that is also so uniquely personal — but the nuances tend to be elusive, as these impulses remain indescribable. Alex Garland's stunning, uncompromising take on Jeff VanderMeer's first book in The Southern Reach Trilogy, "Annihilation," grabs these indescribable emotions by the throat, compelling us to look deep into the refracted images of our own selves with equal parts compassion and scrutiny. It is a film that can leave you feeling deeply moved, and deeply confused.
VanderMeer's first book in the trilogy...
- 6/2/2024
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
With the 2024 Tony Awards a few weeks away and the record-breaking Broadway run of “Merrily We Roll Along” coming to a close in a little over a month, three-time Tony nominee Jonathan Groff is looking back on the roles that shaped this first stage in his career. In an interview in The New Yorker, Groff recalled the impact performing in the visually-stunning and narratively-meta film “The Matrix Resurrections” had on his psyche.
“Getting to play Agent Smith really unlocked rage inside of me that I didn’t know was there,” Groff said. “That’s helped me so much with ‘Merrily,’ particularly in the first act. Learning the kung fu was, like, months of fight training. They called me the Savage, because I was so into it. We were shooting a big fight sequence with Keanu, and, after the first few takes, I remember Lana [Wachowski] at the monitor, like, ‘Jonathan, come over here.
“Getting to play Agent Smith really unlocked rage inside of me that I didn’t know was there,” Groff said. “That’s helped me so much with ‘Merrily,’ particularly in the first act. Learning the kung fu was, like, months of fight training. They called me the Savage, because I was so into it. We were shooting a big fight sequence with Keanu, and, after the first few takes, I remember Lana [Wachowski] at the monitor, like, ‘Jonathan, come over here.
- 6/2/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Maya Hawke Is Ok With Being a Nepo Baby: ‘I’m Comfortable With Not Deserving It and Doing It Anyway’
Maya Hawke is fine with being called a “nepo baby.”
Hawke, the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, recently admitted to the Times of London that she believes her family ties influenced her casting in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” as Flower Child, one of Charles Manson’s followers.
“I’ve been wildly made fun of for this clip when I said, on the red carpet, that I auditioned,” Hawke said of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” “I never meant to imply that I didn’t get the part for nepotistic reasons — I think I totally did.”
Hawke got her big break playing Robin Buckley in the Netflix series “Stranger Things,” and her other credits include “Do Revenge,” “Asteroid City” and “Maestro.”
While talking about if she deserves the opportunities she’s had, Hawke said, “‘Deserves’ is a complicated word…there are so many...
Hawke, the daughter of Uma Thurman and Ethan Hawke, recently admitted to the Times of London that she believes her family ties influenced her casting in Quentin Tarantino’s “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” as Flower Child, one of Charles Manson’s followers.
“I’ve been wildly made fun of for this clip when I said, on the red carpet, that I auditioned,” Hawke said of “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood.” “I never meant to imply that I didn’t get the part for nepotistic reasons — I think I totally did.”
Hawke got her big break playing Robin Buckley in the Netflix series “Stranger Things,” and her other credits include “Do Revenge,” “Asteroid City” and “Maestro.”
While talking about if she deserves the opportunities she’s had, Hawke said, “‘Deserves’ is a complicated word…there are so many...
- 6/2/2024
- by Lexi Carson
- Variety - Film News
Godzilla is a creature all his own, but he's often classified as a dinosaur; one dinosaur species, the Gojirasaurus, was even named in 1997 as a tribute to the King of the Monsters. It should go without saying, though, that Godzilla doesn't resemble any real fossils that paleontologists have found.
Godzilla was created in 1954, debuting in his first movie that year (directed by Ishirō Honda). There had been prior dinosaur movies, such as "The Lost World" and "King Kong" where the animals were brought to life with stop-motion, so audiences recognized the notion and imagery of a dinosaur. Still, scientific knowledge of these prehistoric beasts was more limited back then. "Godzilla" covers its bases by suggesting the creature was mutated via atomic radiation, but its star still looks little like any real dinosaur.
What makes one giant lizard-looking beast different from another? For starters, not even the largest of (discovered) dinosaurs even approach Godzilla's 300+ foot height.
Godzilla was created in 1954, debuting in his first movie that year (directed by Ishirō Honda). There had been prior dinosaur movies, such as "The Lost World" and "King Kong" where the animals were brought to life with stop-motion, so audiences recognized the notion and imagery of a dinosaur. Still, scientific knowledge of these prehistoric beasts was more limited back then. "Godzilla" covers its bases by suggesting the creature was mutated via atomic radiation, but its star still looks little like any real dinosaur.
What makes one giant lizard-looking beast different from another? For starters, not even the largest of (discovered) dinosaurs even approach Godzilla's 300+ foot height.
- 6/2/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
One year ago, as the WGA strike was just getting underway and the SAG strike was still looming, Beau Willimon and Greg Iwinski took part in a panel at the Atx TV Festival to rally support and better explain what their unions were fighting to secure. Sunday, with both strikes in the rearview mirror following major victories for both parties, the two WGA East members returned to the festival with SAG member and national board representative Dulé Hill to discuss what they won and what work still needs to be done.
“Strikes aren’t necessarily for the membership now,” Hill said. “Strikes are for the members who are coming. […] I cannot let there be rollbacks so I receive more than the next generations receive. I cannot let that happen.”
Part of that responsibility extends beyond the specific unions to the broader labor movement, especially when it comes to IATSE, the...
“Strikes aren’t necessarily for the membership now,” Hill said. “Strikes are for the members who are coming. […] I cannot let there be rollbacks so I receive more than the next generations receive. I cannot let that happen.”
Part of that responsibility extends beyond the specific unions to the broader labor movement, especially when it comes to IATSE, the...
- 6/2/2024
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
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Frank Herbert's "Dune" series is as dense with detail as some of the most beloved science fiction and fantasy universes ever created. The cultural nuances of the various houses — from the regal rationality of the Atreides clan to the unapologetic savagery of the Harkonnens — have been fully thought through, and expanded upon throughout the numerous books. Like J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth saga or everything that's grown out of Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek," you don't have to immerse yourself in the minutiae to enjoy these works — at least, not until they dive into the narrative reeds and turn into glorified fan service.
Herbert got there somewhere between "God Emperor of Dune" and "Heretics of Dune," so I'm curious to see how faithful Denis Villeneuve and his successors are willing to be to the author's increasingly involved text. The "Dune...
Frank Herbert's "Dune" series is as dense with detail as some of the most beloved science fiction and fantasy universes ever created. The cultural nuances of the various houses — from the regal rationality of the Atreides clan to the unapologetic savagery of the Harkonnens — have been fully thought through, and expanded upon throughout the numerous books. Like J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth saga or everything that's grown out of Gene Roddenberry's "Star Trek," you don't have to immerse yourself in the minutiae to enjoy these works — at least, not until they dive into the narrative reeds and turn into glorified fan service.
Herbert got there somewhere between "God Emperor of Dune" and "Heretics of Dune," so I'm curious to see how faithful Denis Villeneuve and his successors are willing to be to the author's increasingly involved text. The "Dune...
- 6/2/2024
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Following the inspiring true story of American competition swimmer and Olympic athlete Trudy Ederle, the first woman to swim 21 miles across the English channel, “Young Woman and the Sea” aims to offer audiences a more hopeful viewing experience than they’ve been used to lately. Speaking with A. Frame, the film’s director Joachim Rønning, stars Daisy Ridley and Tilda Cobham-Hervey, and producer Jerry Bruckheimer share how moved they were upon reading the script and why they think this is the story to bring summer moviegoers into theaters.
“Jeff Nathanson’s script was one of the best scripts I’ve ever read — if not the best script I ever read,” Rønning said, “and it just had everything I’m looking for in a story: It’s dramatic, it’s very emotional, it’s funny, it’s scary, it’s inspirational. It’s a true underdog story about someone that were...
“Jeff Nathanson’s script was one of the best scripts I’ve ever read — if not the best script I ever read,” Rønning said, “and it just had everything I’m looking for in a story: It’s dramatic, it’s very emotional, it’s funny, it’s scary, it’s inspirational. It’s a true underdog story about someone that were...
- 6/2/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Hollywood loves a buzz word and for the last few years, it feels like “nepo-baby” has been the buzziest. When you really think about it though, family giving family a leg up in life — in most cases — is rather innocuous. And the concept doesn’t only apply to work in the entertainment industry, but in every field. Or at least this is what Maya Hawke — daughter of Ethan Hawke and Uma Thurman — would want you to believe. Talking to The Times of London for a recent interview, Hawke defended her benefiting from her parents’ fame and admits she can’t help the life she was born into.
“‘Deserves’ is a complicated word… There are so many people who deserve to have this kind of life who don’t, but I think I’m comfortable with not deserving it and doing it anyway,” Hawke said when asked if she deserves the work she’s been given.
“‘Deserves’ is a complicated word… There are so many people who deserve to have this kind of life who don’t, but I think I’m comfortable with not deserving it and doing it anyway,” Hawke said when asked if she deserves the work she’s been given.
- 6/2/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Actor John Boyega starred in three of the extant 16 "Star Wars" movies*, playing the rogue-Stormtrooper-turned-good guy Finn in "Star Wars: The Force Awakens" (2015), "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" (2017), and "Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker" (2019). Boyega liked playing Finn, but has gone on record (notably in a 2020 GQ interview) about his disappointment with how the series treated his character; Finn was set up to be a leading man, and was sidelined for what appeared to be racism-based reasons. Boyega was also off-put by Disney's habit of micromanaging "Star Wars," feeling that every one of the franchise's actors ran the risk of being roped into "Star Wars" projects exclusively. "You ain't going to Disney+ me," he once laughingly said to Variety.
There hasn't been a "Star Wars" movie since 2019, as Disney+ kind of killed their Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs. The theatrical market was oversaturated, audiences didn't respond terribly well...
There hasn't been a "Star Wars" movie since 2019, as Disney+ kind of killed their Goose that Laid the Golden Eggs. The theatrical market was oversaturated, audiences didn't respond terribly well...
- 6/2/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Lots of ways to describe how bad it is for theaters. Here’s one: A year ago, the #2 film “The Little Mermaid” grossed $41.4 million; this weekend, the top four films grossed $44.4 million combined.
“The Garfield Movie” (Sony) took over #1 with $14 million and a 10-day total about $2 million better than last week’s #1, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” (Warner Bros.). George Miller’s $160 million-budget prequel dropped 59 percent from a disappointing start and is in a tight battle for #2 with “If” (Paramount). The family fantasy with Ryan Reynolds tentatively stands at $50,000 ahead; to its credit, WB wasn’t aggressive in its estimate. (Tomorrow will tell the actual result).
The good news is we have touched bottom for the summer and it will get better from here. Both “Garfield” and “If” had strong holds: “Garfield” dropped 41 percent in its second weekend after a holiday Sunday and “If” dropped 33 percent and now is at...
“The Garfield Movie” (Sony) took over #1 with $14 million and a 10-day total about $2 million better than last week’s #1, “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.” (Warner Bros.). George Miller’s $160 million-budget prequel dropped 59 percent from a disappointing start and is in a tight battle for #2 with “If” (Paramount). The family fantasy with Ryan Reynolds tentatively stands at $50,000 ahead; to its credit, WB wasn’t aggressive in its estimate. (Tomorrow will tell the actual result).
The good news is we have touched bottom for the summer and it will get better from here. Both “Garfield” and “If” had strong holds: “Garfield” dropped 41 percent in its second weekend after a holiday Sunday and “If” dropped 33 percent and now is at...
- 6/2/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Next week, on June 7, the entertaining and highly acclaimed geek-goes-undercover-as-contract-killer screwball romantic thriller “Hit Man,” starring It Dude of the moment Glen Powell, drops on Netflix. But this weekend, in case you hadn’t noticed, the movie opened “in theaters.” How many theaters? If you use your hands and feet to count, you’ll have most of them covered.
Netflix, the company that did for streaming what McDonald’s did for fast food (made it everyone’s new normal), always likes to make a big show of when it’s playing a movie “in theaters.” It has long amused me to see entertainment journalists get suckered into this public-relations gambit, for the simple reason that so many of them live in New York and L.A., where the tiny number of theaters occasionally playing a Netflix movie tend to be. A film opens five blocks from your house, and you think,...
Netflix, the company that did for streaming what McDonald’s did for fast food (made it everyone’s new normal), always likes to make a big show of when it’s playing a movie “in theaters.” It has long amused me to see entertainment journalists get suckered into this public-relations gambit, for the simple reason that so many of them live in New York and L.A., where the tiny number of theaters occasionally playing a Netflix movie tend to be. A film opens five blocks from your house, and you think,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Owen Gleiberman
- Variety - Film News
"Stargate" is a very silly movie, but like many silly movies, it's also kind of fun. The sci-fi action pic comes from the team of director Roland Emmerich and writer Dean Devlin, who would go on to score a blockbuster hit with "Independence Day." But before they got there, they made "Stargate," a movie in which a giant gate opens a portal to another planet, where the aliens all look human and live and behave like they're in Ancient Egypt. You see, centuries ago, these aliens visited our world and influenced human history. It's basically a scenario you'll hear time and time again on the ludicrous History Channel show "Ancient Aliens," but with a lot more guns. As Roger Ebert said in his one-star review of the film, "The movie is so lacking in any sense of wonder that it hurtles us from one end of the universe to the other,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Chris Evangelista
- Slash Film
[This story includes spoilers for the Season 3 finale of “Hacks.”]
For three seasons, “Hacks” fans have watched up-and-coming comedienne Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) learn the ins-and-outs of finding success as a woman in the entertainment industry by helping aging stand-up Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) revitalize her career. Though Ava and Deborah seem to be kindred spirits, it’s clear they both struggle through their partnership, with Deborah’s old ways often coming into conflict with Ava’s more progressive outlook. Now, at the end of the television series’ third season, Ava finally takes a lesson out of Deborah’s book, threatening to reveal negative information about her to the press in order to assure her dream job as head writer for Deborah’s new late night show.
Discussing the finale in a recent interview with The New York Times, showrunners Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky address this shift in power dynamics and what it means for the future.
For three seasons, “Hacks” fans have watched up-and-coming comedienne Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder) learn the ins-and-outs of finding success as a woman in the entertainment industry by helping aging stand-up Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) revitalize her career. Though Ava and Deborah seem to be kindred spirits, it’s clear they both struggle through their partnership, with Deborah’s old ways often coming into conflict with Ava’s more progressive outlook. Now, at the end of the television series’ third season, Ava finally takes a lesson out of Deborah’s book, threatening to reveal negative information about her to the press in order to assure her dream job as head writer for Deborah’s new late night show.
Discussing the finale in a recent interview with The New York Times, showrunners Lucia Aniello, Paul W. Downs, and Jen Statsky address this shift in power dynamics and what it means for the future.
- 6/2/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
Before he wrote such memorable lines as, "A mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone" and "death is so terribly final, while life is full of possibilities," novelist George R.R. Martin helped pen another instantly quotable turn of phrase: "It's rock and roll, you dumb son of a b***h!"
This quote is hilarious on its own, but even funnier when put in context: it comes partway through a now-forgotten episode of a once-popular "Twilight Zone" reboot series that aired from 1985 to 1989. The speaker of the quote is Gary Pitkin (Jeff Yagher), a spot-on Elvis impersonator. The subject of his ridicule? It's the King himself, also played by Yagher in a time travel plot that sees the two men come face to face on the eve of Elvis' first studio session. It doesn't go well. The episode, "The Once and Future King," was written by Martin from a story by Bryce Maritano.
This quote is hilarious on its own, but even funnier when put in context: it comes partway through a now-forgotten episode of a once-popular "Twilight Zone" reboot series that aired from 1985 to 1989. The speaker of the quote is Gary Pitkin (Jeff Yagher), a spot-on Elvis impersonator. The subject of his ridicule? It's the King himself, also played by Yagher in a time travel plot that sees the two men come face to face on the eve of Elvis' first studio session. It doesn't go well. The episode, "The Once and Future King," was written by Martin from a story by Bryce Maritano.
- 6/2/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
"Broadcast News" premiered at a pivotal time for the news industry: James L. Brooks' 1987 newsroom-set classic was born into a world in which pay cable, the internet, and the 24-hour news cycle were about to change the way the world received information for good. As such, the movie would already feel like a throwback to a simpler time just a few years after its release. Great as it is, it would soon join the ranks of movies and shows about legacy media that portray a writing world that looks nothing like the current freelance-heavy digital landscape.
Brooks was apparently acutely aware of the changing media world even as he made the film. In a retrospective interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2018, the filmmaker recalls being inspired to create one of the movie's most famous scenes when a visit to a real-life newsroom confirmed that it reflected reality. "I was in the...
Brooks was apparently acutely aware of the changing media world even as he made the film. In a retrospective interview with Entertainment Weekly in 2018, the filmmaker recalls being inspired to create one of the movie's most famous scenes when a visit to a real-life newsroom confirmed that it reflected reality. "I was in the...
- 6/2/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
Lance Oppenheim, a 2019 25 New Face who is something of a non-fiction poet laureate of contemporary loneliness, oddball institutional rituals, and the ways in which fantasy and reality commingle in American life, premieres his latest documentary series, Ren Faire, tonight on HBO. Produced by Elara Pictures, with executive producers including Josh Safdie, Benny Safdie and Ronnie Bronstein, the three-part series tells a Succession-like drama involving an aging “king,” George Coulam, in the midst of deciding which of his employees will take over his sprawling and lucrative Texas-based Renaissance theme park. The series follows Oppenheim’s excellent Spermworld, for which the […]
The post Trailer Watch: Lance Oppenheim’s HBO Documentary Series, Ren Faire first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
The post Trailer Watch: Lance Oppenheim’s HBO Documentary Series, Ren Faire first appeared on Filmmaker Magazine.
- 6/2/2024
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
"Star Trek: Discovery" came to an end this week after a five season run that included some soaring highs, low lows, and, above all else, big swings. Debuting in 2017, "Discovery" was the first of a new wave of "Trek" shows that would come to define the franchise for modern viewers. It did so ambitiously, but it didn't always work for everyone -- especially in the early days. In a new interview with the LA Times, Alex Kurtzman, "Discovery" co-showrunner and head of "Trek" at Paramount+, spoke frankly about the show's initially so-so reception and explained why he thought it might not have worked for "Trek" fans at first.
"I think people felt it was too dark," Kurtzman explained, echoing a sentiment that's popped up in plenty of reactions to the series over the years. While the vast majority of critics have given the show positive reviews over the years, early...
"I think people felt it was too dark," Kurtzman explained, echoing a sentiment that's popped up in plenty of reactions to the series over the years. While the vast majority of critics have given the show positive reviews over the years, early...
- 6/2/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
“The Garfield Movie” clawed its way to first place, overtaking last weekend’s champion “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” at the domestic box office.
This weekend (unlike last) wasn’t a nail-biter as “Garfield” effortlessly pulled ahead with $14 million from 4,108 theaters in its second weekend of release, while “Furiosa” trailed in third place with $10.7 million from 3,864 venues in its sophomore outing. Now, Sony’s “The Garfield Movie” has grossed $51.5 million in North America and $152 million globally to date. It’s a solid showing for the $60 million-budgeted film. “Furiosa,” the fifth entry in Warner Bros. and director George Miller’s post-apocalyptic “Mad Max” series, has generated $49.6 million domestically and $114 million worldwide. With a $168 million price tag, the R-rated tentpole has a much steeper path to profitability.
Though “Garfield” gets first-place bragging rights, it’s another terrible weekend at the box office with ticket sales a staggering 65% behind the same three-day period in 2023. As a result,...
This weekend (unlike last) wasn’t a nail-biter as “Garfield” effortlessly pulled ahead with $14 million from 4,108 theaters in its second weekend of release, while “Furiosa” trailed in third place with $10.7 million from 3,864 venues in its sophomore outing. Now, Sony’s “The Garfield Movie” has grossed $51.5 million in North America and $152 million globally to date. It’s a solid showing for the $60 million-budgeted film. “Furiosa,” the fifth entry in Warner Bros. and director George Miller’s post-apocalyptic “Mad Max” series, has generated $49.6 million domestically and $114 million worldwide. With a $168 million price tag, the R-rated tentpole has a much steeper path to profitability.
Though “Garfield” gets first-place bragging rights, it’s another terrible weekend at the box office with ticket sales a staggering 65% behind the same three-day period in 2023. As a result,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety - Film News
The '90s were a great time to be a young horror-loving kid. There were several gateway horror shows and movies that made genre fans out of an entire generation, preparing kids for the horrors of the real world within the safe confines of a television set. It was a time of "Goosebumps" and of "Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark," a time of "Aaahh!!! Real Monsters" and "Tales from the Cryptkeeper." Then there was "Courage the Cowardly Dog."
Though "Real Monsters" featured, well, monsters, it was still definitely a comedic show. "Courage the Cowardly Dog," though, even when it wasn't technically scary, it was always eerie and disturbing. The cartoon follows the eponymous dog Courage, who lives with an elderly couple in a farm in the middle of Nowhere, Kansas. They are constantly thrown into weird, often spooky situations. The series started with a pilot short titled "The Chicken from Outer Space,...
Though "Real Monsters" featured, well, monsters, it was still definitely a comedic show. "Courage the Cowardly Dog," though, even when it wasn't technically scary, it was always eerie and disturbing. The cartoon follows the eponymous dog Courage, who lives with an elderly couple in a farm in the middle of Nowhere, Kansas. They are constantly thrown into weird, often spooky situations. The series started with a pilot short titled "The Chicken from Outer Space,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
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"Dune: Part Two" may have been a bit of a bleak blockbuster, but compared to its predecessor, 2021's "Dune," it's positively refulgent. While the first movie spent a lot of time on exposition and establishing the rules of Denis Villeneuve's interpretation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel, "Part Two" signals that it's a much more action-packed and visually diverse affair right from the off.
As the film opens, we join a team of Harkonnen hunters on the barren plains of the planet Arrakis. The group are hunting Fremen, the native inhabitants of the desert planet who have recently been joined by Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson's Lady Jessica. After we witness the villainous cohort evade a potential sandworm attack by way of their anti-gravity packs — a peak sci-fi moment for cinematographer Greig Fraser — they suddenly come...
"Dune: Part Two" may have been a bit of a bleak blockbuster, but compared to its predecessor, 2021's "Dune," it's positively refulgent. While the first movie spent a lot of time on exposition and establishing the rules of Denis Villeneuve's interpretation of Frank Herbert's 1965 novel, "Part Two" signals that it's a much more action-packed and visually diverse affair right from the off.
As the film opens, we join a team of Harkonnen hunters on the barren plains of the planet Arrakis. The group are hunting Fremen, the native inhabitants of the desert planet who have recently been joined by Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides and Rebecca Ferguson's Lady Jessica. After we witness the villainous cohort evade a potential sandworm attack by way of their anti-gravity packs — a peak sci-fi moment for cinematographer Greig Fraser — they suddenly come...
- 6/2/2024
- by Joe Roberts
- Slash Film
After a three-year hiatus, “We Are Lady Parts” is back with a triumphant second season, filled with brilliant, catchy music, fantastical comedy sequences, and dynamite performances from the entire ensemble. Unlike a lot of contemporary filmmakers who make the jump from movies to TV, creator Nida Manzoor got to return to her roots after debuting a feature between seasons.
Season 2 (certified Fresh) finds Lady Parts — the all-female punk outfit composed of Amina (Anjana Vasan), Saira (Sara Kameela Impey), Aisha (Juliette Motamed), Bisma (Faith Omole), and manager Momtaz (Lucy Shorthouse) — enjoying a successful run of tours and an actual, engaged fan base. With their sights set on recording an album, the band faces financial struggles and a major opportunity that threatens to break them apart.
It’s been three years since “We Are Lady Parts” premiered, but Season 2 picks up shortly after Season 1. For writer/director Nida Manzoor, most of the...
Season 2 (certified Fresh) finds Lady Parts — the all-female punk outfit composed of Amina (Anjana Vasan), Saira (Sara Kameela Impey), Aisha (Juliette Motamed), Bisma (Faith Omole), and manager Momtaz (Lucy Shorthouse) — enjoying a successful run of tours and an actual, engaged fan base. With their sights set on recording an album, the band faces financial struggles and a major opportunity that threatens to break them apart.
It’s been three years since “We Are Lady Parts” premiered, but Season 2 picks up shortly after Season 1. For writer/director Nida Manzoor, most of the...
- 6/2/2024
- by Proma Khosla
- Indiewire
Because of the 2023 WGA and SAG strikes, a lot of the initial conversations surrounding artificial intelligence in Hollywood has focused on whether A.I. will be used to produce film scripts or recreate performances. But the highly controversial technology is already being used behind the scenes on your favorite television shows, as a tool to help stimulate the creative process. On Saturday afternoon at the Atx TV Festival, a group of craft artists discussed the perils and premiums of AI on their industry, during a wide-ranging discussion on their respective programs.
“We’re very computer-heavy, software-heavy in my art department,” Seth Reed, the production designer on the acclaimed Apple series “For All Mankind,” said during the panel. “So for us, they’re all tools. There’s an AI component to these things [that can help.] It can add textures and do things that seem way beyond what a concept artist would do in Photoshop or whatever.
“We’re very computer-heavy, software-heavy in my art department,” Seth Reed, the production designer on the acclaimed Apple series “For All Mankind,” said during the panel. “So for us, they’re all tools. There’s an AI component to these things [that can help.] It can add textures and do things that seem way beyond what a concept artist would do in Photoshop or whatever.
- 6/2/2024
- by Ben Travers
- Indiewire
Portraying a Marvel superhero is no easy feat. Not only do actors have the shoulder the expectations of millions and millions of rabid fans, but they have to try and maintain the physical standards of, well, superheroes. They don't just have to be fit, but have to be unrealistically muscular and lean, which leads to all kinds of intense dieting, harsh workouts, and possibly even steroid use. Sure, they often wear costumes that are specifically tailored to make them look extra ripped, but there are almost always scenes showing off a bit of skin, which means a whole lot of hard work behind-the-scenes.
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, "Ant-Man" star Paul Rudd revealed that he had to undergo an extremely restrictive diet while training to play Scott Lang, a.k.a. the titular Ant-Man. That meant eating very specific foods with lots of protein and limiting his intake...
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, "Ant-Man" star Paul Rudd revealed that he had to undergo an extremely restrictive diet while training to play Scott Lang, a.k.a. the titular Ant-Man. That meant eating very specific foods with lots of protein and limiting his intake...
- 6/2/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
"Family Guy" fans will often try to claim that the show's best years were its original three-season run, but I'd argue that the show's peak was somewhere around season 6. The series' comedic style had fully found its groove by this point, not to mention that it really started to lean into the Brian/Stewie duo episodes that everyone loves so much. Best of all, this was the beginning of the show's annual "Star Wars" parody specials.
For three years in a row, we got to enjoy a version of "Star Wars" where all the characters were acting like "Family Guy" characters. It not only created a really fun guessing game of "Who are they gonna pick to play X?" but gave the writers a chance to bring their neurotic observational humor into this familiar cinematic world. It's one thing for Peter to repeatedly groan while clutching his knee; it's another...
For three years in a row, we got to enjoy a version of "Star Wars" where all the characters were acting like "Family Guy" characters. It not only created a really fun guessing game of "Who are they gonna pick to play X?" but gave the writers a chance to bring their neurotic observational humor into this familiar cinematic world. It's one thing for Peter to repeatedly groan while clutching his knee; it's another...
- 6/2/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
"Dexter's Laboratory" changed the course of American TV animation. Like "Flapjack" after it, the cartoon gave many future legendary animators their start in the industry, from Craig McCracken and Butch Hartman to Rob Renzetti and one Seth MacFarlane. It also helped transform "The Powerpuff Girls" into a timeless hit.
The show started as a short in "What a Cartoon!" before becoming the very first Cartoon Cartoon. The man behind the show, Genndy Tartakovsky, has made hit after hit in a variety of genres and tones, from his influential "Star Wars: Clone Wars," to the devastatingly gory R-rated animated carnage of "Primal" or complex genre-bending tales of steampunk goodness like the criminally underseen "Unicorn: Warriors Eternal."
Much of Tartakovsky's style can be traced back to his work in "Dexter's Laboratory," from his use of silence to tell stories to his eye for iconography and imagery, along with his knack for pop culture references.
The show started as a short in "What a Cartoon!" before becoming the very first Cartoon Cartoon. The man behind the show, Genndy Tartakovsky, has made hit after hit in a variety of genres and tones, from his influential "Star Wars: Clone Wars," to the devastatingly gory R-rated animated carnage of "Primal" or complex genre-bending tales of steampunk goodness like the criminally underseen "Unicorn: Warriors Eternal."
Much of Tartakovsky's style can be traced back to his work in "Dexter's Laboratory," from his use of silence to tell stories to his eye for iconography and imagery, along with his knack for pop culture references.
- 6/2/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
IATSE, the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees, announced Saturday, June 1 that it has for now concluded the second of two scheduled weeks of Area Standards Agreement (Asa) negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). While no deal was reached, both parties agreed to continue negotiations later this month.
After not initially reaching a Basic Agreement with the AMPTP following negotiations, IATSE shifted attention onto the Asa, which covers film and TV workers outside of Los Angeles and consists of another 23 locals around the country. This all comes after IATSE’s 13 individual locals reached a tentative deal with the AMPTP on issues specific to their locals.
In a statement from IATSE, International President Matthew D. Loeb stated, “I want to thank the Asa Negotiating Committee for their thorough work to prepare for these negotiations. Their contribution helped ensure we have the momentum we need at the table.
After not initially reaching a Basic Agreement with the AMPTP following negotiations, IATSE shifted attention onto the Asa, which covers film and TV workers outside of Los Angeles and consists of another 23 locals around the country. This all comes after IATSE’s 13 individual locals reached a tentative deal with the AMPTP on issues specific to their locals.
In a statement from IATSE, International President Matthew D. Loeb stated, “I want to thank the Asa Negotiating Committee for their thorough work to prepare for these negotiations. Their contribution helped ensure we have the momentum we need at the table.
- 6/2/2024
- by Harrison Richlin
- Indiewire
The president of IATSE told members Saturday that he is hopeful that a deal will be reached “soon” with the studios on a new agreement for 23 local unions around the country.
The union has been bargaining for the last three months on two contracts — the Basic Agreement and the Area Standards Agreement — that together cover about 70,000 crew workers nationwide.
The last two weeks of talks have been focused on the Area Standards Agreement, which covers about 20,000 workers in 23 locals, including major production centers like Georgia and New Mexico. Those talks wrapped up on Saturday without a tentative agreement — but more negotiation days are expected to be added later in June.
“I want to thank the Asa Negotiating Committee for their thorough work to prepare for these negotiations,” Matt Loeb, the international president of IATSE, said in a statement. “Their contribution helped ensure we have the momentum we need at the table.
The union has been bargaining for the last three months on two contracts — the Basic Agreement and the Area Standards Agreement — that together cover about 70,000 crew workers nationwide.
The last two weeks of talks have been focused on the Area Standards Agreement, which covers about 20,000 workers in 23 locals, including major production centers like Georgia and New Mexico. Those talks wrapped up on Saturday without a tentative agreement — but more negotiation days are expected to be added later in June.
“I want to thank the Asa Negotiating Committee for their thorough work to prepare for these negotiations,” Matt Loeb, the international president of IATSE, said in a statement. “Their contribution helped ensure we have the momentum we need at the table.
- 6/2/2024
- by Gene Maddaus
- Variety - Film News
For every horror movie that turns into a massively profitable hit, there are plenty more that didn't light up the box office. In fact, they continue to be made with such frequency in part because their budgets are usually low enough that it's pretty easy to recoup expenses with anything other than a total disaster. Still, there are plenty of times when horror films don't perform as well as expected. Sometimes they are reassessed years after release with much more favorable results, and the horror genre is rife with box office flops that became cult classics and underrated "masterpieces."
But then you've got the true, out and out stinkers. The films that couldn't even keep up the pretense of being merely a disappointment, and led their studios to pull them from theaters prematurely in an effort not to send good money after bad. Their downfall could have been a result of controversy,...
But then you've got the true, out and out stinkers. The films that couldn't even keep up the pretense of being merely a disappointment, and led their studios to pull them from theaters prematurely in an effort not to send good money after bad. Their downfall could have been a result of controversy,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Audrey Fox
- Slash Film
"Prisoner of Azkaban" is easily the best movie in the "Harry Potter" franchise. Part of that's due to how it's adapting the best book from the source material, but it's also due to how high-effort it is. Director Alfonso Cuarón, who almost didn't even make this movie, is always going the extra mile with the way he chooses to frame a scene, and you can see that clearly when we get to watch Hermione's Time-Turner in action.
When Hermione spins the Time-Turner, a lesser director would've done a close-up on Harry and Hermione as the light changes around them. But Cuarón chose to move the camera backwards through time -- not just showing the lights moving through the windows, but three hours' worth of magical tomfoolery taking place in the infirmary room where Harry and Hermione are standing. The quick glimpses of patients going in and out of the room...
When Hermione spins the Time-Turner, a lesser director would've done a close-up on Harry and Hermione as the light changes around them. But Cuarón chose to move the camera backwards through time -- not just showing the lights moving through the windows, but three hours' worth of magical tomfoolery taking place in the infirmary room where Harry and Hermione are standing. The quick glimpses of patients going in and out of the room...
- 6/2/2024
- by Michael Boyle
- Slash Film
You probably know that Loki (Tom Hiddleston) was the big bad of 2012's "The Avengers" and his role there is why he's still the defining villain of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not even Thanos can say he got his own TV series like Loki did! It's not just the God of Mischief being in the right place at the right time, though.
"Avengers" writer/director Joss Whedon overhauled Loki, turning the meek sad boy from 2011's "Thor" into a wickedly charismatic megalomaniac. Hiddleston took that change and ran with it, proving he can wield an evil grin as effectively as he can puppy dog eyes along the way. Every subsequent Loki appearance has been trying to meld the two characterizations; Loki's an evil bastard, but he does love his mum and big brother Thor (even if he loves himself a bit more).
Loki (really Hiddleston) holds the screen all on his own in "The Avengers.
"Avengers" writer/director Joss Whedon overhauled Loki, turning the meek sad boy from 2011's "Thor" into a wickedly charismatic megalomaniac. Hiddleston took that change and ran with it, proving he can wield an evil grin as effectively as he can puppy dog eyes along the way. Every subsequent Loki appearance has been trying to meld the two characterizations; Loki's an evil bastard, but he does love his mum and big brother Thor (even if he loves himself a bit more).
Loki (really Hiddleston) holds the screen all on his own in "The Avengers.
- 6/2/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Screen is running this regularly updated page with the latest film festival and market dates from across the world.
To submit details of or alter your festival dates, please contact us here with the name, dates, country and website for the event. Screen is also running a calendar for UK-Ireland film release dates here.
Ongoing
IndieLisboa International Film Festival, Portugal - May 23-June 2
Krakow Film Festival, Poland - May 26-June 2
Nippon Connection Film Festival, Germany - May 28-June 2
Mendocino Film Festival, US - May 30-June 2
Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, US - June 1-9
June
Lighthouse International Film Festival, US...
To submit details of or alter your festival dates, please contact us here with the name, dates, country and website for the event. Screen is also running a calendar for UK-Ireland film release dates here.
Ongoing
IndieLisboa International Film Festival, Portugal - May 23-June 2
Krakow Film Festival, Poland - May 26-June 2
Nippon Connection Film Festival, Germany - May 28-June 2
Mendocino Film Festival, US - May 30-June 2
Los Angeles Greek Film Festival, US - June 1-9
June
Lighthouse International Film Festival, US...
- 6/2/2024
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Back in 2018, "Dune" director Denis Villeneuve threw "Star Wars" fans into a tizzy (it doesn't take much these days) when he described his then-upcoming adaptation of Frank Herbert's seminal sci-fi novel as being like "'Star Wars' for adults." Of course, that's not really an insult to the franchise or its fans, because "Star Wars" creator George Lucas made no secret of the fact that "Star Wars" is intended for kids.
In fact, during a surprise appearance at Star Wars Celebration in 2017, he reiterated that the very first "Star Wars" installment, which would go on to be titled "A New Hope," was a "a film for 12-year-olds." Of course, that doesn't mean adults can't still find value in these sci-fi stories of heroism. But it also means that the franchise, from its inception, has always been molded to be appealing to children.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that...
In fact, during a surprise appearance at Star Wars Celebration in 2017, he reiterated that the very first "Star Wars" installment, which would go on to be titled "A New Hope," was a "a film for 12-year-olds." Of course, that doesn't mean adults can't still find value in these sci-fi stories of heroism. But it also means that the franchise, from its inception, has always been molded to be appealing to children.
Therefore, it should come as no surprise that...
- 6/2/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Revered Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova and ace Indian soccer player Bhaichung Bhutia are among the subjects of projects selected at the inaugural edition of India’s Doc Film Bazaar.
The Bazaar has unveiled 15 projects that will participate in its Co-Production Market and the five films selected for its Work-in-Progress Lab.
As revealed by Variety, the market is a documentary-focused sister edition of the Film Bazaar that takes place in Goa annually in November. It will take place within the Mumbai International Film Festival for documentary, short fiction and animation (Miff). The Indian government-run Miff, which began in 1990, is separate from the privately managed Mami Mumbai Film Festival.
The 15 projects that are part of the Doc Bazaar all have a South Asian focus, but originate from various countries, including India, U.K., U.S., Russia, Switzerland and Nepal. The selected filmmakers will pitch their projects to international and Indian producers, distributors,...
The Bazaar has unveiled 15 projects that will participate in its Co-Production Market and the five films selected for its Work-in-Progress Lab.
As revealed by Variety, the market is a documentary-focused sister edition of the Film Bazaar that takes place in Goa annually in November. It will take place within the Mumbai International Film Festival for documentary, short fiction and animation (Miff). The Indian government-run Miff, which began in 1990, is separate from the privately managed Mami Mumbai Film Festival.
The 15 projects that are part of the Doc Bazaar all have a South Asian focus, but originate from various countries, including India, U.K., U.S., Russia, Switzerland and Nepal. The selected filmmakers will pitch their projects to international and Indian producers, distributors,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety - Film News
Bertrand Bonello’s head-spinning Henry James adaptation set in 1910 Paris, 2014 LA and an AI-controlled 2044 casts a dreamlike spell
The choking grip of artificial intelligence on humanity is the starting point for Bertrand Bonello’s wildly ambitious, century-spanning, French and English-language story of doomed romance, subconscious fears and pigeon-based symbolism. It’s a theme – AI, that is, not the pigeons – that has been thoroughly mined in cinema of late, perhaps not surprisingly. After all, AI poses one of the more significant threats to the future of humankind. It’s the dystopian sci-fi premise that – literally – writes itself, given half the chance. But the eponymous beast in this story is not AI, and Bonello’s approach to the subject is rather more eccentric and original. It’s certainly the most ambitious of his films, which include the fashion biopic Saint Laurent and The House of Tolerance, about a turn-of-the-century Parisian brothel.
Elliptical,...
The choking grip of artificial intelligence on humanity is the starting point for Bertrand Bonello’s wildly ambitious, century-spanning, French and English-language story of doomed romance, subconscious fears and pigeon-based symbolism. It’s a theme – AI, that is, not the pigeons – that has been thoroughly mined in cinema of late, perhaps not surprisingly. After all, AI poses one of the more significant threats to the future of humankind. It’s the dystopian sci-fi premise that – literally – writes itself, given half the chance. But the eponymous beast in this story is not AI, and Bonello’s approach to the subject is rather more eccentric and original. It’s certainly the most ambitious of his films, which include the fashion biopic Saint Laurent and The House of Tolerance, about a turn-of-the-century Parisian brothel.
Elliptical,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Wendy Ide
- The Guardian - Film News
Janhvi Kapoor plays a medical student with the prospect of a pro career in the game, with Rajkummar Rao as the husband who coaches her
Hindi cinema has thus far spent 2024 in retreat, its commercial failures compounded by a successful run of south Indian crowdpleasers. Timed with Kohli-like precision to arrive at the conclusion of the Ipl, this gentle cricket-themed romance may not be enough to overturn the prevailing industry narrative; it comes on like a brisk middle-order batter, fifty compiled after heavier hitters have gone for a duck. Yet director Sharan Sharma locates a palpable emotional heartbeat within the material while following a sound gameplan: deliver two hours of absorbing storytelling with admirable stars on solid form. Like the sport the film describes, this movie business is simpler than it often looks.
As with 2019’s sly charmer Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, everything starts with Rajkummar Rao and a bait-and-switch of sorts.
Hindi cinema has thus far spent 2024 in retreat, its commercial failures compounded by a successful run of south Indian crowdpleasers. Timed with Kohli-like precision to arrive at the conclusion of the Ipl, this gentle cricket-themed romance may not be enough to overturn the prevailing industry narrative; it comes on like a brisk middle-order batter, fifty compiled after heavier hitters have gone for a duck. Yet director Sharan Sharma locates a palpable emotional heartbeat within the material while following a sound gameplan: deliver two hours of absorbing storytelling with admirable stars on solid form. Like the sport the film describes, this movie business is simpler than it often looks.
As with 2019’s sly charmer Ek Ladki Ko Dekha Toh Aisa Laga, everything starts with Rajkummar Rao and a bait-and-switch of sorts.
- 6/2/2024
- by Mike McCahill
- The Guardian - Film News
Nearly six months after it opened theatrically in the U.S./Canada, Toho’s Oscar Special Effects-winning “Godzilla Minus One” is finally available at home.
As of Saturday June 1, the Takashi Yamazaki film is now available free for subscribers on Netflix. It is also on VOD for $5.99 as a 48-hour rental or $14.99 as a digital download on platforms like iTunes (where it is already #1), Fandango, and Amazon Prime VideoAmazon Prime[/link].
It is unheard of for a Saturday to be a VOD release date, and very unusual for Netflix. That suggests the contractual agreement between Toho and Legendary Pictures (the producers of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”), which called for delayed availability for the Japanese title, specifically set June 1 as the earliest for home release.
A six-month window for home release is unheard of these days. Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” had a four-month delay before hitting PVOD. Streaming came after seven months.
As of Saturday June 1, the Takashi Yamazaki film is now available free for subscribers on Netflix. It is also on VOD for $5.99 as a 48-hour rental or $14.99 as a digital download on platforms like iTunes (where it is already #1), Fandango, and Amazon Prime VideoAmazon Prime[/link].
It is unheard of for a Saturday to be a VOD release date, and very unusual for Netflix. That suggests the contractual agreement between Toho and Legendary Pictures (the producers of “Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire”), which called for delayed availability for the Japanese title, specifically set June 1 as the earliest for home release.
A six-month window for home release is unheard of these days. Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” had a four-month delay before hitting PVOD. Streaming came after seven months.
- 6/2/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
In the "Futurama" episode "When Aliens Attack", Earth is invaded by the brutish -- and TV-obsessed -- Omicronians. It seems that their planet, Omicron Persei 8, was still receiving Earth TV signals broadcast from a millennium before, and they had become very involved in the hottest TV shows of 1999. The leader of the Omicronians, Lrrr (Maurice Lamarche), became incensed when a signal from his favorite show, "Single Female Lawyer," was unexpectedly interrupted, and he led a fleet of warships to Earth in response. How did the season finale of "Single Female Lawyer" turn out? Lrrr needed to know, or else he'd destroy the planet.
As is often the case when Earth is invaded, the President dispatched Zapp Brannigan (Billy West) to take care of the threat. "Futurama" fans will be able to tell you that this is always a bad idea, as Zapp Brannigan is a dumb, over-confident blowhard with no...
As is often the case when Earth is invaded, the President dispatched Zapp Brannigan (Billy West) to take care of the threat. "Futurama" fans will be able to tell you that this is always a bad idea, as Zapp Brannigan is a dumb, over-confident blowhard with no...
- 6/2/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Michael Myers of the "Halloween" franchise is the go-to example for a faceless slasher villain. In director John Carpenter's original 1978 picture, actor Nick Castle is credited not as playing "Michael Myers" but as "The Shape" — Michael is an extension of the shadows, stretching out to kill on pure instinct before receding back into the darkness where he belongs.
In that original "Halloween," five people are murdered by the Shape:
Michael's older sister Judith (Sandy Johnson) in the movie's opening flashback.
The offscreen Christopher Hastings, who Michael kills to steal clothes after he escapes the sanitarium.
Teenager babysitter Annie Brackett (Nancy Kyes), who has her throat garrotted and cut.
Bob Simms (John Michael Graham), who is dressed as a ghost for the holiday.
Lynda Van Der Klok (P.J. Soles), Bob's girlfriend who Michael ambushes by wearing his ghost costume.
Michael is a dispassionate killer; he slices Annie's neck with a quick strike,...
In that original "Halloween," five people are murdered by the Shape:
Michael's older sister Judith (Sandy Johnson) in the movie's opening flashback.
The offscreen Christopher Hastings, who Michael kills to steal clothes after he escapes the sanitarium.
Teenager babysitter Annie Brackett (Nancy Kyes), who has her throat garrotted and cut.
Bob Simms (John Michael Graham), who is dressed as a ghost for the holiday.
Lynda Van Der Klok (P.J. Soles), Bob's girlfriend who Michael ambushes by wearing his ghost costume.
Michael is a dispassionate killer; he slices Annie's neck with a quick strike,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Devin Meenan
- Slash Film
Before she was one of America's most famous sitcom daughters, actor Sally Struthers made her primetime debut dancing on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour," the variety show that's now best-remembered for featuring performances from some of the best musical acts of the '70s. The gig wasn't the flashiest thing in show biz, but it was enough to get Struthers on the radar of Norman Lear, the up and coming writer-producer who would soon take the nation by storm with "All in the Family."
In a retrospective interview with Closer Weekly in 2021, Struthers spoke about the fortuitous circumstances that eventually led to her casting in "All in the Family." As with many big breaks, it came hot on the heels of a rejection that stung. "I had just come off 'The Tim Conway Comedy Hour.' I should have been on all 13 weeks of it, but after the fifth show,...
In a retrospective interview with Closer Weekly in 2021, Struthers spoke about the fortuitous circumstances that eventually led to her casting in "All in the Family." As with many big breaks, it came hot on the heels of a rejection that stung. "I had just come off 'The Tim Conway Comedy Hour.' I should have been on all 13 weeks of it, but after the fifth show,...
- 6/2/2024
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
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