This kids’ adventure story with a faux medievalist vibe has a cute conceit and some fun sequences but the inexperience of the cast and director shows
If you’ve ever tried to make a home movie with young children, you quickly come to appreciate how hard it is to get the little monsters to remember their lines and hit their marks, let alone give good performances. It’s an education in the difference between good and bad direction, the raw, primary-teacher skill in herding cats while also managing tone, quality control and all that storytelling stuff. Just try it for yourself and you’ll realise just how good a job directors such as Garth Jennings or Taika Waititi did with child-led films like Son of Rambow or Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
At the very least, this awareness will help you be a bit more forgiving of a film like Riddle of Fire.
If you’ve ever tried to make a home movie with young children, you quickly come to appreciate how hard it is to get the little monsters to remember their lines and hit their marks, let alone give good performances. It’s an education in the difference between good and bad direction, the raw, primary-teacher skill in herding cats while also managing tone, quality control and all that storytelling stuff. Just try it for yourself and you’ll realise just how good a job directors such as Garth Jennings or Taika Waititi did with child-led films like Son of Rambow or Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
At the very least, this awareness will help you be a bit more forgiving of a film like Riddle of Fire.
- 4/29/2024
- by Leslie Felperin
- The Guardian - Film News
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Kaimana, Rachel House, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Will Arnett, Elisabeth Moss, Uli Latukefu, Chris Alosio, Lehi Makisi Falepapalangi, Rhys Darby | Written by Taika Waititi, Iain Morris | Directed by Taika Waititi
Released in 2014, Next Goal Wins was a phenomenal documentary from directors Mike Brett and Steve Jamison which followed the American Samoa football team as they attempted to persevere following a historic 31-0 loss to Australia. Much in the vein of Grey Gardens, Man On Wire, and Marwencol, the acclaimed documentary has been dramatised into a feature film, this time by Taika Waititi and The Inbetweeners co-creator Iain Morris.
Next Goal Wins focuses on Dutch American coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), whose only option to evade being fired is to coach the American Samoa team. As he arrives with a bad attitude and a drinking problem, it soon dawns on Thomas that he may be able...
Released in 2014, Next Goal Wins was a phenomenal documentary from directors Mike Brett and Steve Jamison which followed the American Samoa football team as they attempted to persevere following a historic 31-0 loss to Australia. Much in the vein of Grey Gardens, Man On Wire, and Marwencol, the acclaimed documentary has been dramatised into a feature film, this time by Taika Waititi and The Inbetweeners co-creator Iain Morris.
Next Goal Wins focuses on Dutch American coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), whose only option to evade being fired is to coach the American Samoa team. As he arrives with a bad attitude and a drinking problem, it soon dawns on Thomas that he may be able...
- 4/10/2024
- by James Rodrigues
- Nerdly
"Stay sharp! Otherwise I'm done for..." Madman Films has revealed the main official trailer for a fun new New Zealand movie called The Mountain, marking the directorial debut of New Zealand actress Rachel House (from Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Thor: Ragnarok and tons of other films). After opening in Nz back in March (first teaser here), it's set to premiere at the Sydney Film Festival in June for its Australian premiere. The film explores the journey of three young people as they seek solace under the watchful gaze of the Taranaki mountain (aka "Taranaki Maunga" - see Google Maps) and companionship in the spirit of adventure. Starring Elizabeth Atkinson, Reuben Francis, and Terence Daniel. They are also joined by Troy Kingi (Muru), Byron Coll, Fern Sutherland, and Sukena Shah. I'm all about this! I want to see it so bad! Looks funny and fresh. Hopefully it'll show up in the US sooner than later,...
- 4/4/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Two new Australian films, both enjoying their world premiere, are among the first titles confirmed to play at the Sydney Film Festival in June.
“In Vitro,” a sci-fi mystery thriller set on a remote cattle farm in the near future, hails from directors Will Howarth and Tom McKeith (“Beast”) and stars Ashley Zukerman (“Succession”).
With “The Pool,” director Ian Darling (“The Final Quarter”) paints a cinematic portrait of a year in the life of the iconic Bondi Icebergs, the pool and the people who cherish it.
They will be joined by New Zealand actor Rachel House (“Hunt for the Wilderpeople”), who makes her feature directorial debut with “The Mountain,” which centers on three children discovering friendship’s healing power through the spirit of adventure as they trek through spectacular New Zealand landscapes. It is executive produced by Taika Waititi and will be eligible for Sydney’s recently announced First Nations Award,...
“In Vitro,” a sci-fi mystery thriller set on a remote cattle farm in the near future, hails from directors Will Howarth and Tom McKeith (“Beast”) and stars Ashley Zukerman (“Succession”).
With “The Pool,” director Ian Darling (“The Final Quarter”) paints a cinematic portrait of a year in the life of the iconic Bondi Icebergs, the pool and the people who cherish it.
They will be joined by New Zealand actor Rachel House (“Hunt for the Wilderpeople”), who makes her feature directorial debut with “The Mountain,” which centers on three children discovering friendship’s healing power through the spirit of adventure as they trek through spectacular New Zealand landscapes. It is executive produced by Taika Waititi and will be eligible for Sydney’s recently announced First Nations Award,...
- 4/2/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety Film + TV
A trio of moderate releases – One Life, The American Society Of Magical Negroes and Knox Goes Away join Janus Films’ celebration of master musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, and César award winning The Animal Kingdom as the next wave of 2024 indie films rolls out post-Oscars.
Focus Features’ American Society Of Magical Negroes, the feature directorial debut of Kobi Libii opens at 1,146 theaters across the North America. Premiered at Sundance, see Deadline review. A satirical comedy about a young man, Aren (Justice Smith) who is recruited by Roger (David Alan Grier) into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making sure white people never feel bad about themselves or get stressed out — because bad things happen when they do. Also stars Rupert Friend, Michaela Watkins, An-Li Bogan, Drew Tarver and Nicole Byer. Libii originally developed the project as an alumnus of both the Sundance Writers and Directors Labs.
Focus Features’ American Society Of Magical Negroes, the feature directorial debut of Kobi Libii opens at 1,146 theaters across the North America. Premiered at Sundance, see Deadline review. A satirical comedy about a young man, Aren (Justice Smith) who is recruited by Roger (David Alan Grier) into a secret society of magical Black people who dedicate their lives to a cause of utmost importance: making sure white people never feel bad about themselves or get stressed out — because bad things happen when they do. Also stars Rupert Friend, Michaela Watkins, An-Li Bogan, Drew Tarver and Nicole Byer. Libii originally developed the project as an alumnus of both the Sundance Writers and Directors Labs.
- 3/15/2024
- by Jill Goldsmith
- Deadline Film + TV
December 31, 1999. Those old enough to remember know what a strange time that was. It was a time filled with excitement, anxiety, and uncertainty around what was going to happen when the clock struck midnight and a new millennium would begin.
Director Kyle Mooney and writer Evan Winter take that momentous evening and absolutely run with it in the insane nostalgia-filled comedy Y2K.
Y2K was nothing like I was expecting. If this is a film you are interested in seeing, and you religiously watched Total Request Live on MTV and know every word to “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain, I would probably recommend you stop reading this review right now and see this movie the first opportunity you get.
Mooney, a former Saturday Night Live cast member, made his directorial debut with Brigsby Bear in 2017. The film was one of my favorites of the year as it combined awkward humour with incredible sincerity.
Director Kyle Mooney and writer Evan Winter take that momentous evening and absolutely run with it in the insane nostalgia-filled comedy Y2K.
Y2K was nothing like I was expecting. If this is a film you are interested in seeing, and you religiously watched Total Request Live on MTV and know every word to “I’ll Be” by Edwin McCain, I would probably recommend you stop reading this review right now and see this movie the first opportunity you get.
Mooney, a former Saturday Night Live cast member, made his directorial debut with Brigsby Bear in 2017. The film was one of my favorites of the year as it combined awkward humour with incredible sincerity.
- 3/12/2024
- by Nathan McVay
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
British screenwriter Simon Stephenson has accused the makers of The Holdovers of plagiarism, saying its similarity to his 2013 script, Frisco, is “brazen”.
Mere hours before Alexander Payne’s comedy drama The Holdovers was garlanded with an Oscar win – Da’Vine Joy Randolph walked off with a Best Supporting Actress gong – controversy suddenly blew up thanks to a report published by Variety.
According to British novelist and screenwriter Simon Stephenson – whose credits include The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain – The Holdovers was “plagiarised line by line” from Frisco, a screenplay he wrote in 2013.
One of the scripts shortlisted for 2013’s Black List of unproduced screenplays, Frisco is about a middle-aged, grouchy pediatrician who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a 15 year-old patient. This, Stephenson has argued, is markedly similar to the premise of The Holdovers, in which a middle-aged, grouchy teacher (played by Paul Giamatti in the film) strikes up an...
Mere hours before Alexander Payne’s comedy drama The Holdovers was garlanded with an Oscar win – Da’Vine Joy Randolph walked off with a Best Supporting Actress gong – controversy suddenly blew up thanks to a report published by Variety.
According to British novelist and screenwriter Simon Stephenson – whose credits include The Electrical Life Of Louis Wain – The Holdovers was “plagiarised line by line” from Frisco, a screenplay he wrote in 2013.
One of the scripts shortlisted for 2013’s Black List of unproduced screenplays, Frisco is about a middle-aged, grouchy pediatrician who strikes up an unlikely friendship with a 15 year-old patient. This, Stephenson has argued, is markedly similar to the premise of The Holdovers, in which a middle-aged, grouchy teacher (played by Paul Giamatti in the film) strikes up an...
- 3/11/2024
- by Ryan Lambie
- Film Stories
AOL Instant Messenger. Nintendo 64. Sisqo’s “The Thong Song.” Nu Metal and all things Limp.
If you understood any of the above words, chances are you remember the turn of the millennium with fondness, as well as a degree of cringe. But if you don’t know these ancient relics, you probably still recognize the youthful and eagerly game faces that director Kyle Mooney has cast in his directorial debut, Y2K. Either way, the former SNL alumni has bet heavily on cultivating retro good vibes for his house party of a horror-comedy, and after watching the film at its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival this weekend, it’s safe to say the thing rages, even if with all the grace and style of a suburbanite scrub.
Unwavering in its rush to mine from the hills of millennial nostalgia, Y2K is the first film out of the gate...
If you understood any of the above words, chances are you remember the turn of the millennium with fondness, as well as a degree of cringe. But if you don’t know these ancient relics, you probably still recognize the youthful and eagerly game faces that director Kyle Mooney has cast in his directorial debut, Y2K. Either way, the former SNL alumni has bet heavily on cultivating retro good vibes for his house party of a horror-comedy, and after watching the film at its world premiere at the SXSW Film Festival this weekend, it’s safe to say the thing rages, even if with all the grace and style of a suburbanite scrub.
Unwavering in its rush to mine from the hills of millennial nostalgia, Y2K is the first film out of the gate...
- 3/10/2024
- by David Crow
- Den of Geek
A small but spirited 1954-set drama about a group of “delinquent” teenage girls who plan a daring escape from the one-dock New Zealand island where they’ve been sent for institutional Christianization, Māori filmmaker Josephine Stewart-Te Whiu’s “We Were Dangerous” does its best to remain upbeat as the agents of colonization try to assert their control over its characters’ bodies. It’s a promising debut that does its best to remain upbeat as the agents of colonization try to assert their control over its characters’ bodies, as Stewart-Te Whiu skillfully combines the pluck of “A Little Princess” with the irreverence of executive producer Taika Waititi’s “Hunt for the Wilderpeople.”
Light on its feet even in the face of forced sterilization, Stewart-Te Whiu’s debut wields its upbeat tone as a rousing show of defiance unto itself; if that means whittling this story down to its 82-minute skeleton in...
Light on its feet even in the face of forced sterilization, Stewart-Te Whiu’s debut wields its upbeat tone as a rousing show of defiance unto itself; if that means whittling this story down to its 82-minute skeleton in...
- 3/8/2024
- by David Ehrlich
- Indiewire
It may be Valentine’s Day, but it’s also a Godzilla kind of day. Earlier today, I shared the news that Godzilla Minus One director Takashi Yamazaki wants to make a sequel to that Toho production that would feature some “kaiju vs. kaiju” action, and now a new trailer has arrived online for a different Godzilla monster mash, the fifth film in the Legendary Monsterverse, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire. This film is set to reach theatres on March 29th, and you can watch the new trailer in the embed above.
Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard is back at the helm for Godzilla x Kong, working from a screenplay written by Simon Barrett (You’re Next), Terry Rossio (the Pirates of the Caribbean series), and Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight) that follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong...
Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard is back at the helm for Godzilla x Kong, working from a screenplay written by Simon Barrett (You’re Next), Terry Rossio (the Pirates of the Caribbean series), and Jeremy Slater (Moon Knight) that follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong...
- 2/14/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
The cast of Universal’s live-action “How to Train Your Dragon” movie is shaping up with the additions of Julian Dennison, Gabriel Howell, Bronwyn James and Harry Trevaldwyn.
Dennison, Howell, James and Trevaldwyn have been respectively cast as Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut in the live-action adaptation of the hit DreamWorks Animation movie.
The quartet join Mason Thames and Nico Parker, who are set to star as Hiccup and Astrid; Gerard Butler, who reprises his role from the animated movies as Stoick the Vast; and Nick Frost, who joins the franchise as Gobber the Belch. The animated entries, backed by Universal and DreamWorks and based on the books by Cressida Cowell, has generated more than $1.6 billion worldwide.
The new “How to Train Your Dragon” — which is set to hit theaters on June 13, 2025 — is written, directed and produced by Dean DeBlois, who earned three Oscar nominations for his work on the animated features.
Dennison, Howell, James and Trevaldwyn have been respectively cast as Fishlegs, Snotlout, Ruffnut and Tuffnut in the live-action adaptation of the hit DreamWorks Animation movie.
The quartet join Mason Thames and Nico Parker, who are set to star as Hiccup and Astrid; Gerard Butler, who reprises his role from the animated movies as Stoick the Vast; and Nick Frost, who joins the franchise as Gobber the Belch. The animated entries, backed by Universal and DreamWorks and based on the books by Cressida Cowell, has generated more than $1.6 billion worldwide.
The new “How to Train Your Dragon” — which is set to hit theaters on June 13, 2025 — is written, directed and produced by Dean DeBlois, who earned three Oscar nominations for his work on the animated features.
- 1/24/2024
- by Angelique Jackson
- Variety Film + TV
Universal’s Viking village is growing.
The studio has cast up-and-comers Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Gabriel Howell (Nightsleeper), Bronwyn James (Masters of the Air) and Harry Trevaldwyn (Ten Percent) in its live-action adaptation of DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon.
Dean DeBlois, who co-wrote and directed the original and revered trilogy, is steering the new feature, returning as writer, director and producer.
The quartet join has Mason Thames (The Black Phone) and Nico Parker (The Last of Us), who are starring as Hiccup and Astrid, the young teens who befriend dragons. Gerard Butler, who voiced Stoick the Vast, the leader of the Viking clan and Hiccup’s father, is reprising his role in the flesh, while Nick Frost is playing Gobber the Belch, the trusted friend and adviser of Stoick.
The young thespians will play Fishlegs, Snotlout, and sister-brother duo Ruffnut and Tuffnut, respectively. The characters are part...
The studio has cast up-and-comers Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), Gabriel Howell (Nightsleeper), Bronwyn James (Masters of the Air) and Harry Trevaldwyn (Ten Percent) in its live-action adaptation of DreamWorks Animation’s How to Train Your Dragon.
Dean DeBlois, who co-wrote and directed the original and revered trilogy, is steering the new feature, returning as writer, director and producer.
The quartet join has Mason Thames (The Black Phone) and Nico Parker (The Last of Us), who are starring as Hiccup and Astrid, the young teens who befriend dragons. Gerard Butler, who voiced Stoick the Vast, the leader of the Viking clan and Hiccup’s father, is reprising his role in the flesh, while Nick Frost is playing Gobber the Belch, the trusted friend and adviser of Stoick.
The young thespians will play Fishlegs, Snotlout, and sister-brother duo Ruffnut and Tuffnut, respectively. The characters are part...
- 1/24/2024
- by Borys Kit
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The fifth film in the Legendary Monsterverse, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire was once set to reach theatres and IMAX on March 15th, then it slid back to April 12th before recently being moved back up to March 29th. Hopefully they’ll stick with that date. It seems pretty certain that we’ll be seeing the movie very soon regardless, especially since it just happens to have received its rating from the Motion Picture Association ratings board. FilmRatings.com reports that Godzilla x Kong has officially been rated PG-13 for creature violence and action. Exactly what we’ve been expecting from it.
Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard is back at the helm for this one, working from a screenplay written by Simon Barrett (You’re Next) that follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome...
Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard is back at the helm for this one, working from a screenplay written by Simon Barrett (You’re Next) that follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome...
- 1/24/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
"Your mountain is your ancestor." Madman Films has unveiled a first look teaser trailer for a New Zealand film called The Mountain, marking the feature directorial debut of New Zealand actress Rachel House (from Hunt for the Wilderpeople and Thor: Ragnarok and tons of other films). It's currently set to open in Nz this March, though it still doesn't have release dates set outside of the country. This looks great! I want to see it! The film explores the journey of three young people as they seek solace under the watchful gaze of the Taranaki mountain (aka "Taranaki Maunga" - see Google Maps) and companionship in the spirit of adventure. Starring Elizabeth Atkinson, Reuben Francis, and Terence Daniel. They are also joined by Troy Kingi (Muru), Byron Coll, Fern Sutherland, and Sukena Shah. There's just enough footage in this teaser to convince me this is a must watch film, with a similar vibe as Wilderpeople.
- 1/18/2024
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
The fifth film in the Legendary Monsterverse, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is set to reach theatres and IMAX on March 15, 2024. The monster mash gets some coverage in the latest issue of Total Film magazine – in fact, it’s even the cover story – and Total Film has also dropped a few images from the film online. Featured in these images are returning Godzilla vs. Kong stars Rebecca Hall and Brian Tyree Henry, who reprise the roles of Monarch linguist and Kong expert Dr. Ilene Andrews and Apex Cybernetics technician turned cult podcaster Bernie Hayes, as well as new addition Dan Stevens as a character named Trapper. You can check them out at the bottom of this article.
Stevens previously worked with Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire director Adam Wingard (who also shows up in one of the images) on the 2014 cult classic thriller The Guest.
Stevens previously worked with Godzilla vs. Kong and Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire director Adam Wingard (who also shows up in one of the images) on the 2014 cult classic thriller The Guest.
- 1/3/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
A number of directors are pursuing litigation against the digital indie film distributor 1091 Pictures for failing to make promised revenue-sharing payments after selling their films to the platform, now owned by Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment. Helmers are scrambling to reclaim distribution rights to their work out of fear that 1091 Pictures’ parent company could declare bankruptcy.
Filmmakers say they are owed their share of distribution revenue from licensing deals with 1091 but Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment has not come through with payments. Some have taken the company to court, including small-claims court, to press their cases.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment acknowledges that the company, which also owns Redbox and Crackle, has faced “cash flow issues,” as CEO Bill Rouhana told Variety. The company already disclosed that it was unable to file its third-quarter earnings information on time.
“The company has been working to address cash...
Filmmakers say they are owed their share of distribution revenue from licensing deals with 1091 but Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment has not come through with payments. Some have taken the company to court, including small-claims court, to press their cases.
Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment acknowledges that the company, which also owns Redbox and Crackle, has faced “cash flow issues,” as CEO Bill Rouhana told Variety. The company already disclosed that it was unable to file its third-quarter earnings information on time.
“The company has been working to address cash...
- 12/20/2023
- by Addie Morfoot
- Variety Film + TV
Stars: Michael Fassbender, Kaimana, Rachel House, Oscar Kightley, David Fane, Beulah Koale, Will Arnett, Elisabeth Moss, Uli Latukefu, Chris Alosio, Lehi Makisi Falepapalangi, Rhys Darby | Written by Taika Waititi, Iain Morris | Directed by Taika Waititi
Released in 2014, Next Goal Wins was a phenomenal documentary from directors Mike Brett and Steve Jamison which followed the American Samoa football team as they attempted to persevere following a historic 31-0 loss to Australia. Much in the vein of Grey Gardens, Man On Wire, and Marwencol, the acclaimed documentary has been dramatised into a feature film, this time by Taika Waititi and The Inbetweeners co-creator Iain Morris.
Next Goal Wins focuses on Dutch American coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), whose only option to evade being fired is to coach the American Samoa team. As he arrives with a bad attitude and a drinking problem, it soon dawns on Thomas that he may be able...
Released in 2014, Next Goal Wins was a phenomenal documentary from directors Mike Brett and Steve Jamison which followed the American Samoa football team as they attempted to persevere following a historic 31-0 loss to Australia. Much in the vein of Grey Gardens, Man On Wire, and Marwencol, the acclaimed documentary has been dramatised into a feature film, this time by Taika Waititi and The Inbetweeners co-creator Iain Morris.
Next Goal Wins focuses on Dutch American coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender), whose only option to evade being fired is to coach the American Samoa team. As he arrives with a bad attitude and a drinking problem, it soon dawns on Thomas that he may be able...
- 12/19/2023
- by James Rodrigues
- Nerdly
As we venture into a galaxy far, far away, the guiding star in the next chapter of the Star Wars saga is none other than Taika Waititi. With a filmography that dances from the heartfelt ‘Hunt for the Wilderpeople’ to the cosmic comedy of ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, Waititi’s unique style is poised to leave an indelible mark on this storied franchise. Let’s explore how his vision for Star Wars honors its rich legacy. Taika Waititi and the Art of Storytelling Taika Waititi’s storytelling style is a tapestry woven with humor, heart, and a dash of the unexpected. It’s a safe bet...
- 12/7/2023
- by Steve Delikson
- TVovermind.com
Exclusive: After being seen starring alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone and more in Martin Scorsese’s historical epic Killers of the Flower Moon, based on the work of non-fiction by David Grann, actress Cara Jade Myers has signed with Stride Management for representation in all areas.
Bringing in over $154M since its debut in theaters in late October, Apple Original Films’ Killers tells the true story of predatory white Oklahomans’ furtive yet systematic murder of the Osage people in the 1920s following the discovery of oil on their land. In the awards contender, Myers plays Anna Kyle Brown, one of nearly two dozen victims of what newspapers at the time dubbed the “Reign of Terror.”
In addition to the Cannes-premiering Killers, Myers has been seen on the award-winning series This Is Us and Rutherford Falls on NBC and its parent company’s streamer, Peacock, respectively. An enrolled...
Bringing in over $154M since its debut in theaters in late October, Apple Original Films’ Killers tells the true story of predatory white Oklahomans’ furtive yet systematic murder of the Osage people in the 1920s following the discovery of oil on their land. In the awards contender, Myers plays Anna Kyle Brown, one of nearly two dozen victims of what newspapers at the time dubbed the “Reign of Terror.”
In addition to the Cannes-premiering Killers, Myers has been seen on the award-winning series This Is Us and Rutherford Falls on NBC and its parent company’s streamer, Peacock, respectively. An enrolled...
- 12/4/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Taika Waititi revealed on the “SmartLess” podcast (via Business Insider) that Donald Trump had a list of demands when the two collaborated on a 2012 advertisement for NBC. The commercial, titled “Brotherhood of Man,” aired during the Super Bowl and touted the network’s television slate by combining characters from series such as “The Office,” “30 Rock,” “Saturday Night Live” and more. Waititi directed the ad, which also featured Donald Trump as he was the face of NBC’s reality competition series “The Apprentice” at the time.
“I directed Trumpy,” Waititi told the podcast hosts. “There was a piece of paper with a list of demands. The height of the camera had to be a certain height to make him look a little thinner.”
Waititi then cracked a joke: “I think it had whatever the Pantone for orange was that he had to appear as on screen.”
The director added on a more serious note,...
“I directed Trumpy,” Waititi told the podcast hosts. “There was a piece of paper with a list of demands. The height of the camera had to be a certain height to make him look a little thinner.”
Waititi then cracked a joke: “I think it had whatever the Pantone for orange was that he had to appear as on screen.”
The director added on a more serious note,...
- 11/27/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
"Next Goal Wins" stumbled out of the gate in its opening weekend at the box office, which is unfortunate news for director Taika Waititi. After last year's disappointing "Thor: Love and Thunder," I was hoping his football/soccer-themed comedy would feel like a return to the types of smaller, more personal movies he made earlier in his career. Sadly, the film is a total misfire. I didn't laugh a single time, and it explores its story of a team overcoming adversity through the myopic lens of its white coach, played by Michael Fassbender. There are a couple of nods to what the game means to the players and the culture of American Samoa, but the film is frustratingly committed to seeing most of the action through the eyes of Fassbender's Thomas Rongen, and basically congratulating him for eventually learning to tolerate the existence of trans people.
The movie is clearly...
The movie is clearly...
- 11/20/2023
- by Ben Pearson
- Slash Film
Director Taika Waititi's adaptation of one of the greatest underdog stories in sports is heading for a box office tally that resembles "rags" more than "riches." Maybe the only good news (if you can call it that) is that 2023 has already seen so many high-profile under-performers, from "Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny" to "Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania" to "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" to "The Flash" and even "Mission: Impossible -- Dead Reckoning." Premiering on a weekend that featured the debut of "The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes" and a crowded field of movies jockeying for position, the relatively low-budget "Next Goal Wins" and its thud of an opening weekend has flown largely under the radar.
Of course, that's likely one of the biggest reasons why the latest Waititi film failed to gain much traction. In their latest box office report, Variety notes...
Of course, that's likely one of the biggest reasons why the latest Waititi film failed to gain much traction. In their latest box office report, Variety notes...
- 11/20/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Taika Waititi’s newest film, Next Goal Wins, is a step back into the smaller film market for the New Zealander. While the director of What We Do in the Shadows struck a big cord that got him the opportunity to jump on the Marvel Studios train, throughout the explosion in his career, he maintained that he would still keep one foot in the indie world. Waititi’s last effort with Marvel, Thor: Love and Thunder, was a divisive entry and he would recently reveal that his time with the Asgardian would take a hiatus.
The eccentric comedy director recently said he would not have involvement with Thor 5, but this does not mean he would cut ties with the House of Mouse altogether. He is slated to helm a Star Wars movie that he jokes will piss people off. And, though Waititi is stepping down from the Thor franchise, Cbr...
The eccentric comedy director recently said he would not have involvement with Thor 5, but this does not mean he would cut ties with the House of Mouse altogether. He is slated to helm a Star Wars movie that he jokes will piss people off. And, though Waititi is stepping down from the Thor franchise, Cbr...
- 11/20/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Taika Waititi has become a divisive director after many felt his follow-up to Thor: Ragnarok, Thor: Love and Thunder indulged too much in his quirky humor and featured half-baked dramatic beats. However, prior to that misfire, the New Zealander had only dabbled in big-budget blockbusters with Thor: Ragnarok and his small appearances as Korg in subsequent Marvel Universe films. He had previously received consistent accolades for his other movies, which are smaller comedy productions that include What We Do in the Shadows, Hunt for the Wilderpeople and JoJo Rabbit. And he continues to receive praise for the upcoming soccer comedy, Next Goal Wins.
Waititi’s success with the Thor movies and his relationship with Disney would give him the chance to helm a standalone Star Wars film. Even with his work in the MCU, it remains to be seen how his style can mesh with a Star Wars movie, and...
Waititi’s success with the Thor movies and his relationship with Disney would give him the chance to helm a standalone Star Wars film. Even with his work in the MCU, it remains to be seen how his style can mesh with a Star Wars movie, and...
- 11/17/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
Michael Fassbender (center) in Next Goal WinsPhoto: Hilary Bronwyn Gayle/Searchlight Pictures
The marketing for Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins promotes the film as an underdog sports comedy about an ill-fated South Pacific soccer team, full of the highs and mostly lows of a struggling squad trying to make good.
The marketing for Taika Waititi’s Next Goal Wins promotes the film as an underdog sports comedy about an ill-fated South Pacific soccer team, full of the highs and mostly lows of a struggling squad trying to make good.
- 11/17/2023
- by Justin Lowe
- avclub.com
Plot: A down-and-out football coach (Michael Fassbender) is sent to American Samoa to coach their infamously awful team.
Review: Inspirational soccer (football) stories are having a moment, with Next Goal Wins another underdog story comparable to Ted Lasso. While not as deep as that occasionally profound show, Taika Waititi‘s long-delayed film should put a smile on the face of anyone who likes a good underdog story a la Cool Runnings. The film is based on a documentary of the same name. It proves to be a natural fit for Waititi’s sensibilities, with him seeming more at home here with a film closer to What We Do in the Shadows or Hunt for the Wilderpeople than any of the Thor films he made or even Jojo Rabbit.
Waititi himself only plays a small on-screen role, with his local priest acting as a quasi-narrator for what would come off as a perhaps cliched inspiration fable,...
Review: Inspirational soccer (football) stories are having a moment, with Next Goal Wins another underdog story comparable to Ted Lasso. While not as deep as that occasionally profound show, Taika Waititi‘s long-delayed film should put a smile on the face of anyone who likes a good underdog story a la Cool Runnings. The film is based on a documentary of the same name. It proves to be a natural fit for Waititi’s sensibilities, with him seeming more at home here with a film closer to What We Do in the Shadows or Hunt for the Wilderpeople than any of the Thor films he made or even Jojo Rabbit.
Waititi himself only plays a small on-screen role, with his local priest acting as a quasi-narrator for what would come off as a perhaps cliched inspiration fable,...
- 11/15/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
The Holdovers is a comedy-drama film directed by Alexander Payne, from a screenplay by David Hemingson. The period film is set in the early 1970s, and it revolves around Paul Hunham, a grouchy disliked teacher at Barton Academy, who has to supervise the students who were unable to return to their homes for the Christmas holidays. He soon forms a bond with a rebellious and troubled student who recently lost his father. The Holdovers stars Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, and Carrie Preston. So, if you loved the comedy film here are some similar movies you could watch next.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Netflix & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Madman Films
Synopsis: Hunt for the Wilderpeople tells the story of misfit kid Ricky Baker. When Ricky’s foster aunt suddenly passes away, he’s left alone with his grumpy uncle Hec The unlikely duo find themselves on the run...
Hunt for the Wilderpeople (Netflix & Prime Video Add-On) Credit – Madman Films
Synopsis: Hunt for the Wilderpeople tells the story of misfit kid Ricky Baker. When Ricky’s foster aunt suddenly passes away, he’s left alone with his grumpy uncle Hec The unlikely duo find themselves on the run...
- 11/4/2023
- by Kulwant Singh
- Cinema Blind
Over the course of its six-season run, "Peaky Blinders" introduced unforgettably complex characters in a tiny pocket of a world overrun with crime and ambition. Constable Campbell, who served as the series' primary antagonist in the first two seasons, revealed his unsavory ambitions quite early on, especially when it came to his horribly sadistic treatment of women in the show. Sam Neill, best known for his role in the "Jurassic Park" franchise along with several horror entries such as "Event Horizon," played Campbell with a nuanced edge, where the character flitted between carefully constructed righteousness and abhorrent displays of cruelty. While Campbell's character is not meant to evoke sympathy, Neill imbues him with grey areas that enrich our understanding of the Inspector meant to uphold the highest standards of morality, but actively chooses not to.
Neill has played complex characters with dubious moral leanings throughout his career, along with roles...
Neill has played complex characters with dubious moral leanings throughout his career, along with roles...
- 10/8/2023
- by Debopriyaa Dutta
- Slash Film
This article contains spoilers for Our Flag Means Death season 1.
The sitcom Our Flag Means Death has behaved in a very piratey way, quite frankly. When it burst onto the scene last year, it unexpectedly plundered fans’ hearts, leaving their new favorite ship – between Rhys Darby as Stede Bonnet and Taika Waititi as Blackbeard – wrecked, and left us stranded on a cliffhanger of a finale desperate for a second series.
Thankfully, the treasure that is season two of Our Flag Means Death is released on Max on Oct. 5, and it’s as adorable as ever, with a whole crew of new characters to fall in love with:
Let’s meet the new characters, and discover which returning cast members are back:
New Cast Ruibo Qian as Susan
Susan runs a soup stand in the Republic of Pirates, which she acquired by savage means, but she seems to have more depth...
The sitcom Our Flag Means Death has behaved in a very piratey way, quite frankly. When it burst onto the scene last year, it unexpectedly plundered fans’ hearts, leaving their new favorite ship – between Rhys Darby as Stede Bonnet and Taika Waititi as Blackbeard – wrecked, and left us stranded on a cliffhanger of a finale desperate for a second series.
Thankfully, the treasure that is season two of Our Flag Means Death is released on Max on Oct. 5, and it’s as adorable as ever, with a whole crew of new characters to fall in love with:
Let’s meet the new characters, and discover which returning cast members are back:
New Cast Ruibo Qian as Susan
Susan runs a soup stand in the Republic of Pirates, which she acquired by savage means, but she seems to have more depth...
- 10/5/2023
- by Lauravickersgreen
- Den of Geek
In 2001, the national soccer team of American Samoa played a qualifying match against Australia for the FIFA World Cup. American Samoa did not qualify, but the team did set a world record for the worst loss in an international soccer match when the game ended with a score of 31-0.
A decade later, Dutch-American soccer coach Thomas Rongen was assigned the job of bringing American Samoa's team up to the skill level needed to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This daunting task was chronicled in the 2014 documentary "Next Goal Wins," and now director Taika Waititi has brought a dramatized version of the story to the screen in a new movie with the same title. Michael Fassbender stars as Rongen, while Waititi himself appears in a minor role as a priest on the island and also the film's narrator. The cast also includes Will Arnett, who stepped in for reshoots...
A decade later, Dutch-American soccer coach Thomas Rongen was assigned the job of bringing American Samoa's team up to the skill level needed to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. This daunting task was chronicled in the 2014 documentary "Next Goal Wins," and now director Taika Waititi has brought a dramatized version of the story to the screen in a new movie with the same title. Michael Fassbender stars as Rongen, while Waititi himself appears in a minor role as a priest on the island and also the film's narrator. The cast also includes Will Arnett, who stepped in for reshoots...
- 9/25/2023
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
American Samoa is a U.S. territory in the South Pacific. With a population of just 45,000, it's a quiet nation, but it's got a national soccer team. Only problem? They're terrible. In 2001, they weren't just terrible -- they were quite literally the worst in the world. It was that year they would play a match that would go down in history: a 31-0 defeat to Australia, which is still the worst loss ever recorded in an international match.
"Next Goal Wins," directed by Taika Waititi, takes place 10 years later in 2011. With the American Samoa team facing World Cup qualifiers, they have a fairly modest objective in mind -- score a goal. Just one. To achieve this, they hire Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) an experienced but disgraced American coach to try and give them the boost they need, out of the bottom of the rankings and into ... well, anywhere but rock...
"Next Goal Wins," directed by Taika Waititi, takes place 10 years later in 2011. With the American Samoa team facing World Cup qualifiers, they have a fairly modest objective in mind -- score a goal. Just one. To achieve this, they hire Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) an experienced but disgraced American coach to try and give them the boost they need, out of the bottom of the rankings and into ... well, anywhere but rock...
- 9/15/2023
- by Barry Levitt
- Slash Film
A luxury ocean-liner graced by generations of the rich and famous, Hms Queen Mary is now celebrated – and feared – as “One of the World’s Most Haunted Places” (Time Magazine).
Vertigo Releasing is delighted to announce that Haunting Of The Queen Mary will be released on Digital Platforms on 9th October 2023. Written and directed by Gary Shore (Dracula Untold) and from the producers of The Woman in Black, this is an ornate and deeply disturbing tale of the haunted Queen Mary ocean liner.
Synopsis:
When photographers Erin (Alice Eve) and Patrick (Joel Fry) are brought aboard the ship with their young son Lukas (Lenny Rush), they unleash a series of events that entwines their family with the ship’s dark past. As the terror unfolds around them they begin to realise there is more to this sumptuous ocean liner than meets the eye: its remarkable legacy masking violent secrets. As...
Vertigo Releasing is delighted to announce that Haunting Of The Queen Mary will be released on Digital Platforms on 9th October 2023. Written and directed by Gary Shore (Dracula Untold) and from the producers of The Woman in Black, this is an ornate and deeply disturbing tale of the haunted Queen Mary ocean liner.
Synopsis:
When photographers Erin (Alice Eve) and Patrick (Joel Fry) are brought aboard the ship with their young son Lukas (Lenny Rush), they unleash a series of events that entwines their family with the ship’s dark past. As the terror unfolds around them they begin to realise there is more to this sumptuous ocean liner than meets the eye: its remarkable legacy masking violent secrets. As...
- 9/14/2023
- by Peter 'Witchfinder' Hopkins
- Horror Asylum
Editor’s note: This review was originally published at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival. Searchlight Pitctures releases the film in theaters on Friday, November 17.
The first person you see on screen in Taika Waititi’s “Next Goal Wins” is Taika Waititi. The director himself shows up wearing a long mustache and priestly garb as the quasi narrator of his own movie. He’s doing a funny voice, and explaining the themes of what we are about to watch. This intro highlights perhaps the main issue with this occasionally funny but frequently messy sports movie: The dominant voice is Waititi’s, to the extent that we can’t hear any of the other characters. “Next Goal Wins” is a movie that gets too wrapped up in its own quirk to develop any compelling arcs.
Waititi adapts the film from the 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison...
The first person you see on screen in Taika Waititi’s “Next Goal Wins” is Taika Waititi. The director himself shows up wearing a long mustache and priestly garb as the quasi narrator of his own movie. He’s doing a funny voice, and explaining the themes of what we are about to watch. This intro highlights perhaps the main issue with this occasionally funny but frequently messy sports movie: The dominant voice is Waititi’s, to the extent that we can’t hear any of the other characters. “Next Goal Wins” is a movie that gets too wrapped up in its own quirk to develop any compelling arcs.
Waititi adapts the film from the 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison...
- 9/11/2023
- by Esther Zuckerman
- Indiewire
When lay minister Thomas Munro (Guy Pearce) first reaches the shores of New Zealand in 1830, he does so on a white horse. A religious British man riding into a far-off land on his milky stallion is the picture of a white savior if there ever was one. But director Lee Tamahori has other plans for this well-spoken man of God in his blood-soaked period drama “The Convert,” his first feature film outing since 2016’s soapy “The Patriarch.”
From the onset, the stunning vistas, handsomely photographed by Gin Loane, signal the underlying theme of the narrative: Survival belongs to the strongest, a precept that grows in significance as the plot progresses. The fierce introduction to this unforgiving environment is a shot of a large bird making a smaller one its prey in one swift motion. Through such imagery, Tamahori aims to imbue the violence that permeates with a primal quality, obeying...
From the onset, the stunning vistas, handsomely photographed by Gin Loane, signal the underlying theme of the narrative: Survival belongs to the strongest, a precept that grows in significance as the plot progresses. The fierce introduction to this unforgiving environment is a shot of a large bird making a smaller one its prey in one swift motion. Through such imagery, Tamahori aims to imbue the violence that permeates with a primal quality, obeying...
- 9/9/2023
- by Carlos Aguilar
- Variety Film + TV
It was a joke that kickstarted Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne’s film career and, as she freely admits, not a good one.
After a casting call went out around schools in her region of New Zealand for Taika Waititi’s beloved comedy-drama Hunt for the Wilderpeople, her parents forced her to audition. “They made me do it — I didn’t even want to do it,” she says. 15 at the time, she was asked to sing a song and tell a joke. So in the ‘Marae’ — the traditional Maori meeting house (Ngatai-Melbourne is Maori, of Ngāti Porou and Ngai Tūhoe descent) — they recorded a video of her singing and telling her grandfather’s favourite one-liner.
“Ok, I’m just gonna say it,” she says, speaking to THR from Auckland. “What’s the difference between a bird and a fly? A bird can fly, but a fly can’t bird.”
Poor joke though it may have been,...
After a casting call went out around schools in her region of New Zealand for Taika Waititi’s beloved comedy-drama Hunt for the Wilderpeople, her parents forced her to audition. “They made me do it — I didn’t even want to do it,” she says. 15 at the time, she was asked to sing a song and tell a joke. So in the ‘Marae’ — the traditional Maori meeting house (Ngatai-Melbourne is Maori, of Ngāti Porou and Ngai Tūhoe descent) — they recorded a video of her singing and telling her grandfather’s favourite one-liner.
“Ok, I’m just gonna say it,” she says, speaking to THR from Auckland. “What’s the difference between a bird and a fly? A bird can fly, but a fly can’t bird.”
Poor joke though it may have been,...
- 9/8/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
"It's hard if you can't do the thing that makes you you." Blue Fox Entertainment has revealed an official trailer for a film from New Zealand titled Uproar, based on a true story. Premiering at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival next month, playing in the Special Presentations section. "Julian Dennison delivers another charismatic performance in a witty and wise story about a young student trying to find his place among New Zealand’s fight for its national identity." In 1981 New Zealand, 17-year-old Josh Waaka navigates rugby-centric St Gilbert’s College. Amidst the South African Springboks' tour and national protests, he embraces acting and Māori heritage. Josh faces a choice: conform or stand up for family, future, and identity. Uproar is his heartwarming journey against a nation's struggle against racism. Dennison stars as Josh, joined by Minnie Driver, James Rolleston, Rhys Darby, Craig Hall, Mark Mitchinson, and Erana James. Keep an eye...
- 8/14/2023
- by Alex Billington
- firstshowing.net
Beware! New Zealand is ready to hear the roar of its first “authentic” monster movie, “Taniwha.”
“If you ask any New Zealander what our own unique Indigenous monster is, they will immediately reply: Taniwha!” explains director Libby Hakaraia.
“In our Māori culture, they are very real: Every tribe has their own. They inhabit waterways, mountains, rivers, oceans and forests, and take many shapes. They are to be feared and respected as guardians, and they are avengers of wrongs.”
Now, they will also star in the film produced by Tainui Stephens and Desray Armstrong (Māoriland Productions), recently presented to the industry insiders at Canada’s Frontières.
The “monster thriller,” already in the advanced development stage, will boast the participation of Wētā Workshop.
“In the world of this film, Aotearoa [Māori name for New Zealand] had the world’s largest birds. The moa, a flightless bird over 2.6 meters tall and the pouakai, an eagle with a wingspan of 3-4 meters.
“If you ask any New Zealander what our own unique Indigenous monster is, they will immediately reply: Taniwha!” explains director Libby Hakaraia.
“In our Māori culture, they are very real: Every tribe has their own. They inhabit waterways, mountains, rivers, oceans and forests, and take many shapes. They are to be feared and respected as guardians, and they are avengers of wrongs.”
Now, they will also star in the film produced by Tainui Stephens and Desray Armstrong (Māoriland Productions), recently presented to the industry insiders at Canada’s Frontières.
The “monster thriller,” already in the advanced development stage, will boast the participation of Wētā Workshop.
“In the world of this film, Aotearoa [Māori name for New Zealand] had the world’s largest birds. The moa, a flightless bird over 2.6 meters tall and the pouakai, an eagle with a wingspan of 3-4 meters.
- 8/2/2023
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Taika Waititi’s sports comedy “Next Goal Wins” will have its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Taika back to the Festival and share his audacious take on the most popular sport in the world,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF. “’Next Goal Wins’ is perfect for TIFF fans of the beautiful game looking for their football fix until the 2024 World Cup arrives.”
Waititi, who most recently directed Marvel’s “Thor: Love and Thunder,” was last at the festival in 2019 with “Jojo Rabbit.” The offbeat comedy, about a 10-year-old Hitler Youth member whose imaginary friend is the Führer himself, won the TIFF People’s Choice Award and an Academy Award for adapted screenplay. Waititi is also known for “Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” “Our Flag Means Death” and “What We Do in the Shadows.”
“Next Goal Wins” stars Michael Fassbender as a...
“We’re thrilled to welcome Taika back to the Festival and share his audacious take on the most popular sport in the world,” said Cameron Bailey, CEO of TIFF. “’Next Goal Wins’ is perfect for TIFF fans of the beautiful game looking for their football fix until the 2024 World Cup arrives.”
Waititi, who most recently directed Marvel’s “Thor: Love and Thunder,” was last at the festival in 2019 with “Jojo Rabbit.” The offbeat comedy, about a 10-year-old Hitler Youth member whose imaginary friend is the Führer himself, won the TIFF People’s Choice Award and an Academy Award for adapted screenplay. Waititi is also known for “Hunt for the Wilderpeople,” “Our Flag Means Death” and “What We Do in the Shadows.”
“Next Goal Wins” stars Michael Fassbender as a...
- 6/28/2023
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety Film + TV
Taika Waititi and Sterlin Harjo have a routine they’ve done at parties that kills. They perfected it at Sundance in the early 2000s, in a condo dance-off with two Navajo guys. “Taika would strike this Michael Jackson pose with his hand pointing in the air and unbutton the pearl button on his shirt,” says Harjo, the Seminole-Muskogee director with whom Waititi would go on to co-create the FX comedy series Reservation Dogs in 2019. “And I was the wind in his shirt.” The duo also delivered a full-throated karaoke version of Queen’s “Under Pressure,” for which they still get requests.
Before he became a global acting-writing-directing star with an Oscar and a Marvel résumé, Waititi, a Maori-Jewish filmmaker from New Zealand, found community in the U.S. among Native American filmmakers like Harjo. “One of the things we all connected on was our disdain for how we appear onscreen in white productions,...
Before he became a global acting-writing-directing star with an Oscar and a Marvel résumé, Waititi, a Maori-Jewish filmmaker from New Zealand, found community in the U.S. among Native American filmmakers like Harjo. “One of the things we all connected on was our disdain for how we appear onscreen in white productions,...
- 5/31/2023
- by Rebecca Keegan
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Exclusive: Production has wrapped on the Piki Films and Sandy Lane Productions (Bad Behaviour) family drama The Mountain from Kiwi filmmaker Rachel House.
The film marks House’s directorial debut. Producers are Desray Armstrong for Sandy Lane Productions and Morgan Waru for Piki Films with Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi, and Paul Wiegard serving as Executive Producers. The film was shot on location around Taranaki on New Zealand’s west coast, with support from the local Māori tribes.
Billed as a “heartfelt drama,” the pic follows three children on a mission to find healing under the watchful eye of the Taranaki mountain and discover friendship in the spirit of adventure. House co-wrote the screenplay with comedian Tom Furniss.
House is best known for her performances in Waititi’s 2016 comedy Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Boy (2010), and Niki Caro’s Whale Rider. She also had lead roles...
The film marks House’s directorial debut. Producers are Desray Armstrong for Sandy Lane Productions and Morgan Waru for Piki Films with Carthew Neal, Taika Waititi, and Paul Wiegard serving as Executive Producers. The film was shot on location around Taranaki on New Zealand’s west coast, with support from the local Māori tribes.
Billed as a “heartfelt drama,” the pic follows three children on a mission to find healing under the watchful eye of the Taranaki mountain and discover friendship in the spirit of adventure. House co-wrote the screenplay with comedian Tom Furniss.
House is best known for her performances in Waititi’s 2016 comedy Hunt for the Wilderpeople, Boy (2010), and Niki Caro’s Whale Rider. She also had lead roles...
- 5/15/2023
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
Michael Fassbender is back, baby! In his first film since the one-two punch of mediocrity that was "The Snowman" and "X-Men: Dark Phoenix," Michael "Mr. Policeman" Fassbender is done giving you all the clues, and he's ready to come back to movie theaters after dedicating the past few years becoming a European Le Mans racer. His next project is the highly anticipated "Next Goal Wins," which also sees the return of Taika Waititi to his pre-franchise roots.
The film is based on, and titled after, the 2014 documentary "Next Goal Wins" from Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, which follows the story of the American Samoa association football team as they try to qualify for the FIFA World Cup despite having suffered a humiliating 31-0 loss back in 2001. The film stars Michael Fassbender as a coach with a drinking problem who is tasked with leading the American Samoa team to score their...
The film is based on, and titled after, the 2014 documentary "Next Goal Wins" from Mike Brett and Steve Jamison, which follows the story of the American Samoa association football team as they try to qualify for the FIFA World Cup despite having suffered a humiliating 31-0 loss back in 2001. The film stars Michael Fassbender as a coach with a drinking problem who is tasked with leading the American Samoa team to score their...
- 4/26/2023
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Wake up, babe! Our first look at the next Taika Waititi movie just dropped! After sandwiching two "Thor" sequels for the Marvel Cinematic Universe in between his Oscars darling "Jojo Rabbit" in 2019, the quirky filmmaker is going back to his pre-franchise roots with "Next Goal Wins." The sports-centric comedy/drama should help wash off any bitter aftertaste from the somewhat mixed reception of "Thor: Love and Thunder," with this year's weeklong CinemaCon event providing the perfect launching pad to get this movie on everyone's radars. The film is based on a sports documentary from 2014 also titled "Next Goal Wins," adding a cinematic flair to the real-life story of the underdog American Samoa international football team reeling from their humiliating loss at the 2001 World Cup. The movie stars Michael Fassbender, Oscar Kightley, Elisabeth Moss, Will Arnett, and Polynesian actors David Fane, Beulah Koale, Lehi Falepapalangi, Semu Filipo, Uli Latukefu, and Waititi regular Rachel House.
- 4/26/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Prime Video‘s fantasy series The Wheel of Time is expanding its Season 2 cast with the addition of several new recurring stars, which were unveiled during a presentation at JordanCon on Saturday, April 22. Joining the ensemble led by Rosamund Pike are Maja Simonsen (The King’s Men), Ragga Ragnars (Vikings), Jay Duffy (Derry Girls), and Rima Te Wiata (Hunt for the Wilderpeople). Based on Robert Jordan’s bestselling fantasy novels, The Wheel of Time television adaptation will see Simonsen portray Chiad, Ragnars will take on the role of Bain, Duffy’s set to play Dain Bornhald, and Wiata is going to play Sheriam Bayanar. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Maja Simonsen (@majasimonsen) Debuting in 2021, the show’s second season has been in the works for some time as fans were treated to a first looks at San Diego Comic-Con in July 2022 as well as New York...
- 4/22/2023
- TV Insider
Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures have announced that the official title of the sequel to 2021’s Godzilla vs. Kong (watch it Here) is Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire! That announcement comes by way of a title reveal video, which you can check out in the embed above and is said to “foreshadow what lies ahead for the two legendary Titans”.
The fifth film in the Legendary Monsterverse, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is set to reach theatres and IMAX on March 15, 2024.
Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard returns to the helm for the sequel, working from a screenplay written by Simon Barrett (You’re Next) that follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. The epic new...
The fifth film in the Legendary Monsterverse, Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is set to reach theatres and IMAX on March 15, 2024.
Godzilla vs. Kong director Adam Wingard returns to the helm for the sequel, working from a screenplay written by Simon Barrett (You’re Next) that follows up the explosive showdown of Godzilla vs. Kong with an all-new cinematic adventure, pitting the almighty Kong and the fearsome Godzilla against a colossal undiscovered threat hidden within our world, challenging their very existence – and our own. The epic new...
- 4/19/2023
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Minnie Driver (Speechless) and Amandla Jahava (Rap Sh*t) have been cast as the leads in FX’s Peep Show, a half-hour comedy pilot written and produced by Atlanta and What We Do in the Shadows exec producer Stefani Robinson, who also serves as showrunner. Yana Gorskaya (What We Do in the Shadows) has been tapped to direct.
This marks Driver’s return to FX, where she starred in The Riches, for which she received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.
Inspired by the UK series, Peep Show follows the relationship between a long-suffering assistant (Jahava) and her boss (Driver), an emotionally unstable tech entrepreneur.
Related: 2023 FX Pilots & Series Orders
Robinson executive produces along with Dianne McGunigle (Atlanta), Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, and Hannah Mackay and Ben Farrell for Objective Fiction (Feel Good, Peep Show [UK]), part of All3Media’s Objective Media Group. Gorskaya will...
This marks Driver’s return to FX, where she starred in The Riches, for which she received Emmy and Golden Globe nominations.
Inspired by the UK series, Peep Show follows the relationship between a long-suffering assistant (Jahava) and her boss (Driver), an emotionally unstable tech entrepreneur.
Related: 2023 FX Pilots & Series Orders
Robinson executive produces along with Dianne McGunigle (Atlanta), Jesse Armstrong, Sam Bain, and Hannah Mackay and Ben Farrell for Objective Fiction (Feel Good, Peep Show [UK]), part of All3Media’s Objective Media Group. Gorskaya will...
- 4/13/2023
- by Nellie Andreeva
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Hot on the heels of their historic Oscars sweep with Everything Everywhere All at Once and The Whale, A24 has set the cast for Y2K, a dial-up disaster comedy to be directed for the studio by SNL alum Kyle Mooney.
Jaeden Martell (It), West Side Story breakout Rachel Zegler and Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2) lead a stacked ensemble that also includes Lachlan Watson (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Mason Gooding (Scream VI), 5x Billboard Music Award-winner The Kid Laroi, Tim Heidecker (Us), Eduardo Franco (Stranger Things), Miles Robbins (Blockers), Alicia Silverstone (The Killing of a Sacred Deer), Fred Hechinger (Fear Street Trilogy) and Daniel Zolghadri (Funny Pages).
Related Story Michaela Coel And Anne Hathaway To Star In Pop Music Epic ‘Mother Mary’ For David Lowery And A24 Related Story A24 Reteams With 'Shuggie Bain' Author Douglas Stuart For 'Young Mungo' TV Series Related Story 'Shazam! Fury Of The...
Jaeden Martell (It), West Side Story breakout Rachel Zegler and Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2) lead a stacked ensemble that also includes Lachlan Watson (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina), Mason Gooding (Scream VI), 5x Billboard Music Award-winner The Kid Laroi, Tim Heidecker (Us), Eduardo Franco (Stranger Things), Miles Robbins (Blockers), Alicia Silverstone (The Killing of a Sacred Deer), Fred Hechinger (Fear Street Trilogy) and Daniel Zolghadri (Funny Pages).
Related Story Michaela Coel And Anne Hathaway To Star In Pop Music Epic ‘Mother Mary’ For David Lowery And A24 Related Story A24 Reteams With 'Shuggie Bain' Author Douglas Stuart For 'Young Mungo' TV Series Related Story 'Shazam! Fury Of The...
- 3/23/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Sam Neill revealed in an interview with The Guardian that he is being treated for stage-three blood cancer. Neill, best known for playing Alan Grant in the “Jurassic Park” franchise, first “experienced swollen glands during publicity for ‘Jurassic World Dominion’ in March last year and was soon diagnosed with angioimmunoblastic T-cell lymphoma,” the publication reports.
“I can’t pretend that the last year hasn’t had its dark moments,” Neill said in an interview touting his upcoming memoir, in which he writes frankly about his cancer diagnosis. “But those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief, you know, and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends. Just pleased to be alive.”
Neill received chemotherapy, which originally failed. According to The Guardian: “He embarked on a new chemotherapy drug which he will continue to receive monthly for the rest of his life,...
“I can’t pretend that the last year hasn’t had its dark moments,” Neill said in an interview touting his upcoming memoir, in which he writes frankly about his cancer diagnosis. “But those dark moments throw the light into sharp relief, you know, and have made me grateful for every day and immensely grateful for all my friends. Just pleased to be alive.”
Neill received chemotherapy, which originally failed. According to The Guardian: “He embarked on a new chemotherapy drug which he will continue to receive monthly for the rest of his life,...
- 3/17/2023
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Anybody introduced to the comedy force of nature that is Rhys Darby by Our Flag Means Death, pull up a chair, because there’s a hell of a lot to catch up on.
While Darby’s wholesome, eccentric portrayal of Captain Stede Bonnet in HBO’s pirate comedy (affectionately dubbed ‘the gay pirate show’ by fans) may have sent his fame skyrocketing in 2022, his new fanbase has a 25-year-strong back catalogue of wonderful Rhys Darby chaos to explore…
Four Kiwis Take Flight (Of The Conchords)
The New Zealand comedy quadrumvirate that is Darby, his Our Flag Means Death co-star and Executive Producer Taika Waititi, and Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, really came together back at the 2002 Edinburgh Fringe.
Darby had a solo show, Clement and Waititi had a double-act called The Humourbeasts, but it was Clement and McKenzie’s musical duo Flight of the Conchords that...
While Darby’s wholesome, eccentric portrayal of Captain Stede Bonnet in HBO’s pirate comedy (affectionately dubbed ‘the gay pirate show’ by fans) may have sent his fame skyrocketing in 2022, his new fanbase has a 25-year-strong back catalogue of wonderful Rhys Darby chaos to explore…
Four Kiwis Take Flight (Of The Conchords)
The New Zealand comedy quadrumvirate that is Darby, his Our Flag Means Death co-star and Executive Producer Taika Waititi, and Flight of the Conchords’ Jemaine Clement and Bret McKenzie, really came together back at the 2002 Edinburgh Fringe.
Darby had a solo show, Clement and Waititi had a double-act called The Humourbeasts, but it was Clement and McKenzie’s musical duo Flight of the Conchords that...
- 3/8/2023
- by Lauravickersgreen
- Den of Geek
The future of “Star Wars” films still isn’t set in stone, but at least we now have a better clue of what is (and isn’t) happening. Two movie projects in the Lucasfilm franchise — Patty Jenkins’ “Rogue Squadron” and an untitled project from Kevin Feige have been shelved by the studio, IndieWire has learned. One film, however, that has a good chance of moving forward is Taika Waititi’s standalone film, and the filmmaker behind the last two “Thor” movies has found his leading man for the picture — himself.
Waititi is still working on his untitled “Star Wars” movie and is expected to have a role in it as well, similar in size to his part in his own “Jojo Rabbit” from 2019. It stands one of the best chances of landing in the one remaining slot on Disney’s release calendar for a “Star Wars” movie, which is currently...
Waititi is still working on his untitled “Star Wars” movie and is expected to have a role in it as well, similar in size to his part in his own “Jojo Rabbit” from 2019. It stands one of the best chances of landing in the one remaining slot on Disney’s release calendar for a “Star Wars” movie, which is currently...
- 3/7/2023
- by Wilson Chapman and Brian Welk
- Indiewire
The biography and the filmmaking career path of the American auteur Lee Isaac Chung is a bit peculiar. Born to first-generation Korean immigrant parents, he grew up in rural Arkansas, studied ecology at Yale and planned to go to a medical school before giving it up for his filmmaking dream. After a number of shorts realized during his studies at the University of Utah, his shot his first feature “Munyurangabo” (2007) in Rwanda and in Kinyarwanda language (as the first ever narrative feature film). It premiered at Cannes to a great critical reception, signalling a significant talent on the rise. His next two features, “Lucky Life” (2010) and “Abigail Harm” (2012) were more to the typical American indie side, while he went back to Rwanda to co-direct a documentary called “I Have Seen My Last Born” (2015).
“Minari” is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
For his last one, “Minari”, premiering...
“Minari” is screening at Vesoul International Film Festival of Asian Cinema
For his last one, “Minari”, premiering...
- 3/4/2023
- by Marko Stojiljković
- AsianMoviePulse
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