Wes Anderson is the singularly talented filmmaker who has quickly gone from indie darling to Oscar favorite in just a little over two decades, creating a number of quirky, visually splendid classics. Let’s take a look back at all 11 of Anderson’s films, ranked worst to best.
Anderson made his directorial debut with “Bottle Rocket” (1996), released when he was just 27-years-old. He received his first Oscar nomination five years later: Best Original Screenplay for “The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001). He followed that eight years later with a Best Animated Feature bid for the stop-motion film “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009). Another Best Original Screenplay nomination followed for “Moonrise Kingdom” (2012). Then he hit the Oscar jackpot with Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay nominations for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014) — well, almost hit the jackpot, since he went home empty-handed from those awards, losing all three to Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for “Birdman.” He...
Anderson made his directorial debut with “Bottle Rocket” (1996), released when he was just 27-years-old. He received his first Oscar nomination five years later: Best Original Screenplay for “The Royal Tenenbaums” (2001). He followed that eight years later with a Best Animated Feature bid for the stop-motion film “Fantastic Mr. Fox” (2009). Another Best Original Screenplay nomination followed for “Moonrise Kingdom” (2012). Then he hit the Oscar jackpot with Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay nominations for “The Grand Budapest Hotel” (2014) — well, almost hit the jackpot, since he went home empty-handed from those awards, losing all three to Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu for “Birdman.” He...
- 4/27/2024
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Organizers of the Annecy International Animation Film Festival, the world’s oldest and most important animation festival, revealed Thursday that all the big U.S. studio animation players will be in attendance this year to preview some of their most exciting upcoming titles.
Annecy has long been a launch point for global and indie animation, but over the past several years, it has become an increasingly important platform for big studios as well. This year, that trend continues and, indeed, ramps up.
Illumination will continue a popular tradition by hosting a special screening of “Despicable Me 4” in Annecy. The three previous “Despicable” films and the “Minions: The Rise of Gru” spinoff all screened at Annecy, several of them making their world premieres there.
Disney will host sneak peeks of its 2024 animated feature releases: Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana 2.” Paramount Pictures and Hasbro...
Annecy has long been a launch point for global and indie animation, but over the past several years, it has become an increasingly important platform for big studios as well. This year, that trend continues and, indeed, ramps up.
Illumination will continue a popular tradition by hosting a special screening of “Despicable Me 4” in Annecy. The three previous “Despicable” films and the “Minions: The Rise of Gru” spinoff all screened at Annecy, several of them making their world premieres there.
Disney will host sneak peeks of its 2024 animated feature releases: Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” and Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Moana 2.” Paramount Pictures and Hasbro...
- 4/25/2024
- by Jamie Lang
- Variety Film + TV
The MCU changed forever after Loki premiered. Starring Tom Hiddleston and Owen Wilson in the lead roles, the series was truly brilliant. With the recent passing away of O.J. Simpson who was infamous for the murder trial, the world has renewed its interest in the Simpson trial.
Loki star Owen Wilson was offered the lead role in a movie where he would have to portray the role of Simpson. The catch was that the film showcased Simpson as innocent. Well, the Loki star didn’t have a kind reply for the project where O.J. Simpson is shown innocent!
Owen Wilson’s Mobius and Tom Hiddleston’s Loki at the Tva in Loki.
Loki Star Owen Wilson Was Not In A Kidding Mood!
Before his case became infamous, O.J. Simpson was an NFL player with quite a career to his name. Back in 1994, Simpson’s wife and her friend were found murdered and O.
Loki star Owen Wilson was offered the lead role in a movie where he would have to portray the role of Simpson. The catch was that the film showcased Simpson as innocent. Well, the Loki star didn’t have a kind reply for the project where O.J. Simpson is shown innocent!
Owen Wilson’s Mobius and Tom Hiddleston’s Loki at the Tva in Loki.
Loki Star Owen Wilson Was Not In A Kidding Mood!
Before his case became infamous, O.J. Simpson was an NFL player with quite a career to his name. Back in 1994, Simpson’s wife and her friend were found murdered and O.
- 4/24/2024
- by Visarg Acharya
- FandomWire
After missing the chance to accept his first Oscar in person, following his win for Best Live-Action Short for The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, Wes Anderson has addressed the circumstances surrounding his absence and what he would’ve said in his speech.
“If I could have been there, I (along with [producer] Steven Rales) would have said ‘Thank You’ to: the family of Roald Dahl; the team at Netflix; Benedict [Cumberbatch] and Ralph [Fiennes] and Ben Kingsley and Dev [Patel] … and more [of the cast and crew],” Anderson stated. “And also: If I had not met Owen Wilson in a corridor at the University of Texas between classes when I was 18 years old, I would certainly not be receiving this award tonight — but unfortunately Steven and I are in Germany and we start shooting our new movie early tomorrow morning, so I did not actually receive the award [in person] or get a chance to say any of that.”
Anderson...
“If I could have been there, I (along with [producer] Steven Rales) would have said ‘Thank You’ to: the family of Roald Dahl; the team at Netflix; Benedict [Cumberbatch] and Ralph [Fiennes] and Ben Kingsley and Dev [Patel] … and more [of the cast and crew],” Anderson stated. “And also: If I had not met Owen Wilson in a corridor at the University of Texas between classes when I was 18 years old, I would certainly not be receiving this award tonight — but unfortunately Steven and I are in Germany and we start shooting our new movie early tomorrow morning, so I did not actually receive the award [in person] or get a chance to say any of that.”
Anderson...
- 3/11/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Wes Anderson was not in Los Angeles on Sunday night to accept his Oscar for Best Live-Action Short Film. But it turned out he had a pretty good excuse. The filmmaker was in Germany, prepping his next film, “The Phoenician Scheme,” which is set to begin shooting (checks pocket watch quirkily) today!
The writer-director-aesthete did send a message via Netflix, the producers of the award-winning “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” one of four shorts based on Roald Dahl stories currently streaming on the platform.
“If I could have been there, I (along with [producer] Steven Rales) would have said “Thank you” to: the family of Roald Dahl, the team at Netflix, Benedict [Cumberbatch] and Ralph [Fiennes] and Ben Kingsley and Dev [Patel] and Richard [Ayoade] and Bob [probably cinematographer Robert Yeoman] and Adam [Stockhausen, Anderson’s long time production designer] and Jeremy [Dawson, producer] and John [Peet, producer] and Jim [yeah, we don’t know] and Rich [not sure] and Jim and Polly [this is probably a shout-out to nm0000985 autoJames L.
The writer-director-aesthete did send a message via Netflix, the producers of the award-winning “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” one of four shorts based on Roald Dahl stories currently streaming on the platform.
“If I could have been there, I (along with [producer] Steven Rales) would have said “Thank you” to: the family of Roald Dahl, the team at Netflix, Benedict [Cumberbatch] and Ralph [Fiennes] and Ben Kingsley and Dev [Patel] and Richard [Ayoade] and Bob [probably cinematographer Robert Yeoman] and Adam [Stockhausen, Anderson’s long time production designer] and Jeremy [Dawson, producer] and John [Peet, producer] and Jim [yeah, we don’t know] and Rich [not sure] and Jim and Polly [this is probably a shout-out to nm0000985 autoJames L.
- 3/11/2024
- by Jordan Hoffman
- Gold Derby
Even an Academy Awards telecast as satisfying as the 96th Oscars has some disappointing moments. From missed speeches to missed opportunities to capitalize on its presenters and a misguided attempt to honor those we’ve lost, here are four of the misfires from the Sunday, Mar. 10 telecast.
Wes Anderson misses his first Oscar win
Yes, many folks were displeased about someone of Wes Anderson’s stature crashing the Best Live Action Short category, but the majority of Oscar voters deemed “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” the best of this year’s nominees. The acclaimed director has seven prior nominations for features “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “Moonrise Kingdom,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Isle of Dogs” but had surprisingly never taken home a trophy, so it would have been joyous to see him ascend the Oscar stage, statuette in hand, and deliver a trademark idiosyncratic acceptance speech.
See...
Wes Anderson misses his first Oscar win
Yes, many folks were displeased about someone of Wes Anderson’s stature crashing the Best Live Action Short category, but the majority of Oscar voters deemed “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar” the best of this year’s nominees. The acclaimed director has seven prior nominations for features “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Fantastic Mr. Fox,” “Moonrise Kingdom,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “Isle of Dogs” but had surprisingly never taken home a trophy, so it would have been joyous to see him ascend the Oscar stage, statuette in hand, and deliver a trademark idiosyncratic acceptance speech.
See...
- 3/11/2024
- by David Buchanan
- Gold Derby
Wes Anderson is officially an Oscar winner, but he wasn’t in attendance to accept his award.
The 54-year-old filmmaker won the award for Best Live Action Short Film for his film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, which is streaming on Netflix right now.
This was Wes’ eighth nomination after previously being nominated for his movies The Royal Tenenbaums, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, three noms for The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Isle of Dogs.
So, why wasn’t Wes at the show to accept the award?
Keep reading to find out more…
After Wes‘ award was accepted by the presenters, host Jimmy Kimmel came on stage and commented on the director’s absence, joking that he was not there because “he’s home building a diorama made of corduroy.”
Make sure to check out the complete winners list for the Oscars.
The 54-year-old filmmaker won the award for Best Live Action Short Film for his film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar, which is streaming on Netflix right now.
This was Wes’ eighth nomination after previously being nominated for his movies The Royal Tenenbaums, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom, three noms for The Grand Budapest Hotel, and Isle of Dogs.
So, why wasn’t Wes at the show to accept the award?
Keep reading to find out more…
After Wes‘ award was accepted by the presenters, host Jimmy Kimmel came on stage and commented on the director’s absence, joking that he was not there because “he’s home building a diorama made of corduroy.”
Make sure to check out the complete winners list for the Oscars.
- 3/11/2024
- by Just Jared
- Just Jared
Wes Anderson is driving through the Spanish countryside with his eight-year-old daughter, Freya; it’s her school holiday. At the end of our half-hour phone conversation, he reaches Barcelona. He has always loved making shorts, clocking a dozen since his career launched with 1993 Sundance entry “Bottle Rocket,” the short that inspired his eventual debut feature of the same name, when we first met. Now, he has an Oscar frontrunner, Venice premiere “The Wonderful World of Henry Sugar,” the first and longest (39 minutes) of four increasingly strange Roald Dahl shorts currently on Netflix. “Henry Sugar” is notably the highest-rated live-action short of 2023 on Letterboxd.
Netflix, which owns the screen rights to the Dahl library, provided the budget for “Henry Sugar,” and when Anderson delivered the first film economically, he had some money left over and asked for a budget to complete three more shorts. Is he done? “It’s completely up to them,...
Netflix, which owns the screen rights to the Dahl library, provided the budget for “Henry Sugar,” and when Anderson delivered the first film economically, he had some money left over and asked for a budget to complete three more shorts. Is he done? “It’s completely up to them,...
- 2/23/2024
- by Anne Thompson
- Indiewire
Exclusive: Harvey Keitel (The Irishman), Rita Moreno (80 for Brady), Roselyn Sanchez (Fantasy Island) and Udo Kier (Hunters) have been set to star in Theirs, an indie horror thriller going into production in Tulsa, Oklahoma this summer.
Written by Juan Pablo Reinoso and to be directed by Sonja O’Hara (Mid-Century), the film centers on a mother who, after a lifetime of grappling with abusive men and a bitter divorce, finds hope for herself and her teenage daughter in a new home, only to quickly find their newfound freedom tested by malicious secrets within its walls.
Keli Price (Bandit) will produce for his Price Productions, alongside Reinoso (Mad Props) for LookBook, and David Bond (Huesera) for Dark Elegy Films. Tom Biolchini will serve as the film’s executive producer.
An Oscar and Golden Globe nominee, Keitel has recently appeared in films like Lansky, The Irishman, The Painted Bird and Isle of Dogs,...
Written by Juan Pablo Reinoso and to be directed by Sonja O’Hara (Mid-Century), the film centers on a mother who, after a lifetime of grappling with abusive men and a bitter divorce, finds hope for herself and her teenage daughter in a new home, only to quickly find their newfound freedom tested by malicious secrets within its walls.
Keli Price (Bandit) will produce for his Price Productions, alongside Reinoso (Mad Props) for LookBook, and David Bond (Huesera) for Dark Elegy Films. Tom Biolchini will serve as the film’s executive producer.
An Oscar and Golden Globe nominee, Keitel has recently appeared in films like Lansky, The Irishman, The Painted Bird and Isle of Dogs,...
- 2/13/2024
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City” is a nesting doll of a film—a television broadcast of a documentary about a play, assembled with the same precision and detail as Anderson’s “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “The Grand Budapest Hotel” and “The French Dispatch” among others. Thematically, the connective tissue between its layers of reality, like many of those earlier films, is the notion and processing of loss. But Anderson, who co-wrote the movie with longtime collaborator Roman Coppola, says one of his longtime leading men inspired him to assemble its pieces in the first place.
“The movie ends up being about grief, but it evolved into that,” Anderson tells Variety. “Roman Coppola and I started this one with the idea that we wanted to build something around a role for Jason Schwartzman.”
He and Schwartzman, one of Coppola’s cousins, have worked together since he cast the then-young actor as precocious,...
“The movie ends up being about grief, but it evolved into that,” Anderson tells Variety. “Roman Coppola and I started this one with the idea that we wanted to build something around a role for Jason Schwartzman.”
He and Schwartzman, one of Coppola’s cousins, have worked together since he cast the then-young actor as precocious,...
- 11/18/2023
- by Todd Gilchrist
- Variety Film + TV
Photo credit: Sony Pictures
In “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” our hero Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is transported to a dimension where dozens of other Spider-heroes reside — or at least intersect like threads on a web.
There’s Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac), the leader of this Spider Society. His right hand is Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman (Issa Rae), who shares the same superhero name as Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld). You won’t confuse them though, as each hero has his/her own distinct character design and animation style.
Here’s a complete (and spoiler-free) “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” cast and character guide.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Animation/Getty
Miles Morales/Spider-Man
Voiced by: Shameik Moore
Now 15-years-old, Miles is dealing with a lot of teenage issues: feeling isolated/lonely due to his secret life, college/career planning, and trying to be the best son he can. He resides on...
In “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” our hero Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is transported to a dimension where dozens of other Spider-heroes reside — or at least intersect like threads on a web.
There’s Miguel O’Hara/Spider-Man 2099 (Oscar Isaac), the leader of this Spider Society. His right hand is Jessica Drew/Spider-Woman (Issa Rae), who shares the same superhero name as Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman (Hailee Steinfeld). You won’t confuse them though, as each hero has his/her own distinct character design and animation style.
Here’s a complete (and spoiler-free) “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” cast and character guide.
Photo credit: Sony Pictures Animation/Getty
Miles Morales/Spider-Man
Voiced by: Shameik Moore
Now 15-years-old, Miles is dealing with a lot of teenage issues: feeling isolated/lonely due to his secret life, college/career planning, and trying to be the best son he can. He resides on...
- 11/16/2023
- by Lawrence Yee
- The Wrap
Acclaimed director, writer, and actor Greta Gerwig is set to helm the next adaptation of C.S. Lewis’s beloved fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Gerwig, who has previously directed the Oscar-nominated films Lady Bird and Little Women, will bring her unique vision and style to the magical world of Narnia, starting with the first book in the series, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
The film, which is being produced by Netflix and Walden Media, will feature a diverse cast of newcomers and veterans, including Tilda Swinton as the White Witch, Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan, and David Oyelowo as the voice of Mr. Beaver. The roles of the four Pevensie children, who enter Narnia through a wardrobe and embark on an epic adventure to free the land from the witch’s eternal winter, have not been announced yet.
Gerwig, who is also co-writing the screenplay with her partner Noah Baumbach,...
The film, which is being produced by Netflix and Walden Media, will feature a diverse cast of newcomers and veterans, including Tilda Swinton as the White Witch, Liam Neeson as the voice of Aslan, and David Oyelowo as the voice of Mr. Beaver. The roles of the four Pevensie children, who enter Narnia through a wardrobe and embark on an epic adventure to free the land from the witch’s eternal winter, have not been announced yet.
Gerwig, who is also co-writing the screenplay with her partner Noah Baumbach,...
- 11/7/2023
- by CineArticles Editorial Team
- https://thecinemanews.online/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/IMG_4649
Summer is long gone and it’s time to look beyond the blockbuster. Our latest study of recent books about or related to the world of filmmaking is full of artistic titans––Sofia Coppola, Whit Stillman, Clint Eastwood, Christian Petzold, Kore-eda Hirokazu, Wes Anderson. This column also boasts a lengthy rundown of noteworthy novels, many of which will surely be brought to large and small screens in years to come.
Archive by Sofia Coppola (MacK)
In recent years this column has covered several books focused on the iconic, inimitable Sofia Coppola, including a hardcover career overview and interview collection. Archive is constructed from the personal collection of the writer-director of The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette herself. And as one would expect from a filmmaker known for her sense of style, fashion, and design, the result is positively gorgeous. It is packed with photos, ephemera, collages, and text––nearly 500 pages’ worth.
Archive by Sofia Coppola (MacK)
In recent years this column has covered several books focused on the iconic, inimitable Sofia Coppola, including a hardcover career overview and interview collection. Archive is constructed from the personal collection of the writer-director of The Virgin Suicides and Marie Antoinette herself. And as one would expect from a filmmaker known for her sense of style, fashion, and design, the result is positively gorgeous. It is packed with photos, ephemera, collages, and text––nearly 500 pages’ worth.
- 10/18/2023
- by Christopher Schobert
- The Film Stage
To celebrate the release of Asteroid City, available to own with all-new bonus content on Digital from September 11 and on Blu-Ray and DVD on September 25, 2023 we are giving away a Blu-Ray and Wes Anderson Signed Poster to 1 lucky winner!
A fictional American desert town, circa 1955. Junior Stargazers and Space Cadets from across the country assemble for the annual Asteroid Day celebration — but the scholarly competition is spectacularly upended by world-changing events. Equal parts comedy, drama, and romance (with a touch of science-fiction).
Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, and Tom Hanks star in comedy Asteroid City. Written and directed by seven-time Oscar® nominee Wes Anderson, Asteroid City on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD showcases brand-new featurettes with exclusive talent and filmmaker interviews that dive deeper into the film’s unique characters, story, and themes of community and curiosity, lifting the curtain on Anderson’s extraordinary vision.
Please note: This competition is open to UK residents only.
A fictional American desert town, circa 1955. Junior Stargazers and Space Cadets from across the country assemble for the annual Asteroid Day celebration — but the scholarly competition is spectacularly upended by world-changing events. Equal parts comedy, drama, and romance (with a touch of science-fiction).
Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, and Tom Hanks star in comedy Asteroid City. Written and directed by seven-time Oscar® nominee Wes Anderson, Asteroid City on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD showcases brand-new featurettes with exclusive talent and filmmaker interviews that dive deeper into the film’s unique characters, story, and themes of community and curiosity, lifting the curtain on Anderson’s extraordinary vision.
Please note: This competition is open to UK residents only.
- 9/17/2023
- by Competitions
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
With “The Inventor,” Jim Capobianco (the Oscar-nominated screenwriter of “Ratatouille“) has managed to direct a family-friendly animated musical (in both stop-motion and 2D) about Leonardo da Vinci’s search for the meaning of life at the end of his life. That’s quite a da Vinci code to crack. That is why it took 12 years to make as a co-production with Curiosity Studio (Ireland), Foliascope (France), Aerial Contrivance Studios, and Robert Rippberger’s Sie Films.
Capobianco’s fascination with da Vinci began with the 2009 2D short “Leonardo,” after intense research into his legendary life as an inventor of flying machines, artist, and pioneer in the study of human anatomy. But what sparked Capobianco’s interest was the notion of da Vinci as “a real person struck with ideas beyond the technical, intellectual, and the societal capabilities of his time.” For him, “The Inventor” explores legacy, how you live your life,...
Capobianco’s fascination with da Vinci began with the 2009 2D short “Leonardo,” after intense research into his legendary life as an inventor of flying machines, artist, and pioneer in the study of human anatomy. But what sparked Capobianco’s interest was the notion of da Vinci as “a real person struck with ideas beyond the technical, intellectual, and the societal capabilities of his time.” For him, “The Inventor” explores legacy, how you live your life,...
- 9/15/2023
- by Bill Desowitz
- Indiewire
Even though the movie hasn't been in the conversation in a meaningful way for weeks now, Wes Anderson's "Asteroid City" has managed to cross a box office milestone. Thanks to the Labor Day weekend returns, the filmmaker's latest has finally crossed the $50 million mark globally. While it may not be a fortune by Hollywood standards, it's good enough to cement Anderson as a man carving a path for those who wish to see more original films produced in the current landscape. Quietly, this is something Anderson has done for a long time.
Per The Numbers, "Asteroid City" pulled in just shy of $43,000 over Labor Day weekend domestically, which was just enough to put it over the top. It now sits at $28.1 million domestically to go with $22.4 million internationally for a grand total of $50.5 million. Against a $25 million budget and seemingly modest marketing budget, that's a win for Focus Features.
Per The Numbers, "Asteroid City" pulled in just shy of $43,000 over Labor Day weekend domestically, which was just enough to put it over the top. It now sits at $28.1 million domestically to go with $22.4 million internationally for a grand total of $50.5 million. Against a $25 million budget and seemingly modest marketing budget, that's a win for Focus Features.
- 9/7/2023
- by Ryan Scott
- Slash Film
Wes Anderson is the belle of the ball at the Venice International Film Festival this year, on-site to receive the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker prize but also to debut his Netflix short film “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar.” The Roald Dahl adaptation starring Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, and Dev Patel premiered out of competition this week to a rapturous standing ovation and strong reviews.
The seven-time Oscar-nominated director/writer held court with a master class conversation on Saturday in the Palazzo del Casino, where he spoke to an eager young audience bursting with questions — many attendees were turned away, and the line to get into the press conference hall wove out the door, down three flights of stairs, and into the main entryway of the building.
As many in the audience were aspiring filmmakers themselves, Anderson naturally mused backward about his feature directorial debut, 1996’s “Bottle Rocket,” co-written by Owen Wilson.
The seven-time Oscar-nominated director/writer held court with a master class conversation on Saturday in the Palazzo del Casino, where he spoke to an eager young audience bursting with questions — many attendees were turned away, and the line to get into the press conference hall wove out the door, down three flights of stairs, and into the main entryway of the building.
As many in the audience were aspiring filmmakers themselves, Anderson naturally mused backward about his feature directorial debut, 1996’s “Bottle Rocket,” co-written by Owen Wilson.
- 9/2/2023
- by Ryan Lattanzio
- Indiewire
Wes Anderson has dabbled in children’s storytelling with his films The Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs. His comedic style and quirky aesthetics naturally lend themselves to stop-motion animation. Anderson now enters the strange world of Roald Dahl with his new short film, The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. The movie stars Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley, Richard Ayoade, Rupert Friend, and Asa Jennings. The plot of the film reads, “A beloved Roald Dahl story about a rich man who learns about a guru who can see without using his eyes and then sets out to master the skill in order to cheat at gambling.”
Anderson recently arrived in Venice for the premiere of the film at the Venice Film Festival. According to Deadline, he was inquired about the controversy of Roald Dahl’s works being edited for the sensitivity of modern times. “I’m...
Anderson recently arrived in Venice for the premiere of the film at the Venice Film Festival. According to Deadline, he was inquired about the controversy of Roald Dahl’s works being edited for the sensitivity of modern times. “I’m...
- 9/1/2023
- by EJ Tangonan
- JoBlo.com
At this rate, director Wes Anderson is well on his way to establishing himself among the ranks of Steven Spielberg, Steven Soderbergh, and other filmmakers (who hopefully have names other than "Steven S.") that routinely cause moviegoers to wonder how on Earth they have enough time to release as many movies in such a short amount of time as they do. The last few years alone have seen the "Fantastic Mr. Fox" and "The Grand Budapest Hotel" director deliver "Isle of Dogs," "The French Dispatch," and this year's "Asteroid City." But if you thought he was done, well, guess again!
Anderson is already gearing up for the release of his next feature, incredibly enough, but before that he has another one to debut first: "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar." Netflix recently released a new first look at the upcoming film, putting it on the radar for many cinephiles who...
Anderson is already gearing up for the release of his next feature, incredibly enough, but before that he has another one to debut first: "The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar." Netflix recently released a new first look at the upcoming film, putting it on the radar for many cinephiles who...
- 8/26/2023
- by Jeremy Mathai
- Slash Film
Curzon is re-releasing Lars von Trier’s ‘The Idiots’.
Warner Bros’ superhero sci-fi Blue Beetle and Universal’s canine comedy Strays head the new titles at the UK-Ireland box office, in a post-Barbenheimer test of how the market can handle two wide studio releases.
Opening in 556 cinemas, Blue Beetle is the third feature from Puerto Rican filmmaker Angel Manuel Soto. In the film, after an alien scarab chooses a teenager to be its symbiotic host, the youngster becomes the eponymous superhero with an unpredictable suit of armour.
Xolo Mariduena leads the cast, which also includes Bruna Marquezine, Damian Alcazar, George Lopez and Adriana Barraza.
Warner Bros’ superhero sci-fi Blue Beetle and Universal’s canine comedy Strays head the new titles at the UK-Ireland box office, in a post-Barbenheimer test of how the market can handle two wide studio releases.
Opening in 556 cinemas, Blue Beetle is the third feature from Puerto Rican filmmaker Angel Manuel Soto. In the film, after an alien scarab chooses a teenager to be its symbiotic host, the youngster becomes the eponymous superhero with an unpredictable suit of armour.
Xolo Mariduena leads the cast, which also includes Bruna Marquezine, Damian Alcazar, George Lopez and Adriana Barraza.
- 8/18/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
Plot: A neglected dog named Reggie (Will Ferrell) is befriended by a street-smart pup, Bug (Jamie Foxx), who teaches him how to be a stray. When Reggie realizes how cruel his former owner (Will Forte) was, he sets off on a cross-country journey to get even the only way he knows how – bite his old owner’s d*ck off.
Review: While watching Strays, I was trying to remember the last time I had laughed so consistently at a movie. With the genre all but dead on the big screen, it’s a treat to see a legitimately funny flick come along, and, indeed, this comes from the director of the last movie that actually made me laugh really hard – Josh Greenbaum of Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.
Strays is unapologetically R-rated, with it being full of dog humping, dick-biting, golden showers and f-bombs. Still, the fact...
Review: While watching Strays, I was trying to remember the last time I had laughed so consistently at a movie. With the genre all but dead on the big screen, it’s a treat to see a legitimately funny flick come along, and, indeed, this comes from the director of the last movie that actually made me laugh really hard – Josh Greenbaum of Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar.
Strays is unapologetically R-rated, with it being full of dog humping, dick-biting, golden showers and f-bombs. Still, the fact...
- 8/18/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
Wes Anderson will be honored at the 80th Venice Film Festival, which runs Aug. 30-Sept. 9. The U.S. director will receive the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award, which is given to “a personality who has made a particularly original contribution to the contemporary film industry.”
The awards ceremony will take place on Sept. 1 in the Palazzo del Cinema, before the screening of his latest film, “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” starring Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley and Richard Ayoade. The 40-minute movie premieres in the festival’s Out of Competition section.
In the Netflix film, adapted from Roald Dahl’s story, a rich man learns about a guru who can see without using his eyes. He sets out to master the skill in order to cheat at gambling.
Anderson’s films include “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The French Dispatch” and “Asteroid City,” as well as “Rushmore,...
The awards ceremony will take place on Sept. 1 in the Palazzo del Cinema, before the screening of his latest film, “The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar,” starring Ralph Fiennes, Benedict Cumberbatch, Dev Patel, Ben Kingsley and Richard Ayoade. The 40-minute movie premieres in the festival’s Out of Competition section.
In the Netflix film, adapted from Roald Dahl’s story, a rich man learns about a guru who can see without using his eyes. He sets out to master the skill in order to cheat at gambling.
Anderson’s films include “The Royal Tenenbaums,” “Grand Budapest Hotel,” “The French Dispatch” and “Asteroid City,” as well as “Rushmore,...
- 8/7/2023
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
His new film ‘The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar’ to premiere at the festival.
US filmmaker Wes Anderson is to receive the Glory to the Filmmaker award at the 80th Venice International Film Festival (August 30 – September 9).
The award is dedicated to a personality who has made a particularly original contribution to the contemporary film industry.
It will be presented to Anderson on September 1 before the premiere of The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar, his new 40-minute film based on Roald Dahl’s short story of the same name, which will screen out-of-competition. It is set for release on Netflix on...
US filmmaker Wes Anderson is to receive the Glory to the Filmmaker award at the 80th Venice International Film Festival (August 30 – September 9).
The award is dedicated to a personality who has made a particularly original contribution to the contemporary film industry.
It will be presented to Anderson on September 1 before the premiere of The Wonderful Story Of Henry Sugar, his new 40-minute film based on Roald Dahl’s short story of the same name, which will screen out-of-competition. It is set for release on Netflix on...
- 8/7/2023
- by Michael Rosser
- ScreenDaily
Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, and Tom Hanks star in the “hilarious and joyful” (GQ) comedy Asteroid City, available to own with all-new bonus content on Digital on August 11, 2023 and on Blu-ray and DVD on August 15, 2023 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Written and directed by seven-time Oscar® nominee Wes Anderson, Asteroid City on Digital, Blu-ray and DVD showcases brand-new featurettes with exclusive talent and filmmaker interviews that dive deeper into the film’s unique characters, story, and themes of community and curiosity, lifting the curtain on Anderson’s extraordinary vision.
Certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, Asteroid City “packs a punch with its ensemble cast” (Slash Film), featuring an all-star, critically acclaimed supporting cast alongside Schwartzman, Johansson, and Hanks, including Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori,...
Certified fresh on Rotten Tomatoes, Asteroid City “packs a punch with its ensemble cast” (Slash Film), featuring an all-star, critically acclaimed supporting cast alongside Schwartzman, Johansson, and Hanks, including Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Adrien Brody, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Liev Schreiber, Hope Davis, Stephen Park, Rupert Friend, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, Tony Revolori,...
- 8/3/2023
- by Kristyn Clarke
- Age of the Nerd
‘Asteroid City‘ is directed by Wes Anderson and stars Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, and Tom Hanks, among others.
This film is all about style, and more than just style: it’s a powerful statement of style that encapsulates a seemingly trivial yet insightful and intuitive message.
Some say that only fools like Wes Anderson, but I must confess that this retro fable about nothing has delighted me.
Movie Review
Just based on the visuals, the Looney Tunes-inspired treatment, the framing, and the entire parody of cinema within cinema, ‘Asteroid City’ is worth it. And when I say it’s worth it, I mean that you haven’t seen anything like it, including other films by the director. Whether we like it or not, the cinematography is daring, brutally stylish, and brilliant, in a way that only Wes Anderson can achieve.
Is Wes Anderson copying himself? Definitely, and Wes Anderson...
This film is all about style, and more than just style: it’s a powerful statement of style that encapsulates a seemingly trivial yet insightful and intuitive message.
Some say that only fools like Wes Anderson, but I must confess that this retro fable about nothing has delighted me.
Movie Review
Just based on the visuals, the Looney Tunes-inspired treatment, the framing, and the entire parody of cinema within cinema, ‘Asteroid City’ is worth it. And when I say it’s worth it, I mean that you haven’t seen anything like it, including other films by the director. Whether we like it or not, the cinematography is daring, brutally stylish, and brilliant, in a way that only Wes Anderson can achieve.
Is Wes Anderson copying himself? Definitely, and Wes Anderson...
- 7/20/2023
- by Martin Cid
- Martin Cid Magazine - Movies
The writer-director’s knowing meta-tale set in a space-obsessed 1950s desert town has a starry cast and meticulous attention to detail, but its studied quirkiness is often more irritating than amusing
No one goes to a Wes Anderson movie expecting heartfelt melodrama or realistic human emotions and interactions. They go for intricately crafted doll’s house dramas featuring boxes-within-boxes narratives and arch, satirical conundrums. At best, these range from the piercingly acute family portraits of The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) to the bittersweet comedy capers of The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and the delightfully off-the-wall stop-motion animation of Isle of Dogs (2018). At worst, they put the “irk” into “quirky”, with The Darjeeling Limited (2007) and, more recently, The French Dispatch (2021) stretching patience to breaking point.
This latest feature from the world’s most famous corduroy fan may nod cheekily towards the heyday of the Actors Studio but it’s as detachedly Andersonian as ever...
No one goes to a Wes Anderson movie expecting heartfelt melodrama or realistic human emotions and interactions. They go for intricately crafted doll’s house dramas featuring boxes-within-boxes narratives and arch, satirical conundrums. At best, these range from the piercingly acute family portraits of The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) to the bittersweet comedy capers of The Grand Budapest Hotel (2014) and the delightfully off-the-wall stop-motion animation of Isle of Dogs (2018). At worst, they put the “irk” into “quirky”, with The Darjeeling Limited (2007) and, more recently, The French Dispatch (2021) stretching patience to breaking point.
This latest feature from the world’s most famous corduroy fan may nod cheekily towards the heyday of the Actors Studio but it’s as detachedly Andersonian as ever...
- 6/25/2023
- by Mark Kermode, Observer film critic
- The Guardian - Film News
Sony opening ‘No Hard Feelings’ in 554 cinemas.
Universal is opening Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City in 347 cinemas across the UK and Ireland this weekend, one month after the film premiered in Competition at Cannes Film Festival.
Anderson’s 11th feature film follows a writer’s play about a grieving father who travels with his tech-obsessed family to a rural town, to compete in a junior stargazing event, where his worldview is forever changed.
The filmmaker has united perhaps his starriest cast yet for Asteroid City, including Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Maya Hawke, Rupert Friend, Jeffrey Wright,...
Universal is opening Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City in 347 cinemas across the UK and Ireland this weekend, one month after the film premiered in Competition at Cannes Film Festival.
Anderson’s 11th feature film follows a writer’s play about a grieving father who travels with his tech-obsessed family to a rural town, to compete in a junior stargazing event, where his worldview is forever changed.
The filmmaker has united perhaps his starriest cast yet for Asteroid City, including Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Maya Hawke, Rupert Friend, Jeffrey Wright,...
- 6/23/2023
- by Ben Dalton
- ScreenDaily
With no new franchise tentpoles coming this weekend, Warner Bros.’ struggling “The Flash” is likely to stay No. 1 despite taking a possibly stiff second weekend drop. But farther down the chart, Focus Features’ “Asteroid City” is looking to give specialty theaters a boost.
This past weekend, “Asteroid City” was released in six theaters in Los Angeles and New York and lifted by writer-director Wes Anderson’s devoted fans to a four-day limited opening of $1 million and a three-day per theater average of $142,230, the highest per-theater average ever for a six-theater release and the highest for any limited release since “La La Land” in December 2016.
By comparison, Anderson’s 2018 film “Isle of Dogs” was released by Searchlight Pictures in 27 theaters and made $1.6 million for a $60,000 average, going on to gross $32 million in North America, while his post-shutdown 2021 followup “The French Dispatch” grossed $1.3 million from 52 theaters for an average of just under...
This past weekend, “Asteroid City” was released in six theaters in Los Angeles and New York and lifted by writer-director Wes Anderson’s devoted fans to a four-day limited opening of $1 million and a three-day per theater average of $142,230, the highest per-theater average ever for a six-theater release and the highest for any limited release since “La La Land” in December 2016.
By comparison, Anderson’s 2018 film “Isle of Dogs” was released by Searchlight Pictures in 27 theaters and made $1.6 million for a $60,000 average, going on to gross $32 million in North America, while his post-shutdown 2021 followup “The French Dispatch” grossed $1.3 million from 52 theaters for an average of just under...
- 6/22/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Wes Anderson has once again recruited Jason Schwartzman for another one of his films. Over the past two decades, the pair have worked together several times, including on "Rushmore," "Fantastic Mr. Fox," and "Moonrise Kingdom." Now, Schwartzman is the star of Anderson's latest theatrical release, "Asteroid City," which premiered on June 16. The period film, which takes place during the 1950s, follows a group of gifted students and their parents who visit a desert town for the annual Junior Stargazer convention. During their stay, they experience a mysterious cosmic event together.
Schwartzman plays a war photographer named Augie Steenbeck, whose son, Woodrow (Jake Ryan), is a Junior Stargazer winner. Also making up the cast are Scarlett Johansson as actor Midge Campbell; Tom Hanks as Augie's father-in-law, Stanley Zak; Jeffrey Wright as the convention's host, General Grif Gibson; and Tilda Swinton as scientist Dr. Hickenlooper.
In addition to their star-studded casts,...
Schwartzman plays a war photographer named Augie Steenbeck, whose son, Woodrow (Jake Ryan), is a Junior Stargazer winner. Also making up the cast are Scarlett Johansson as actor Midge Campbell; Tom Hanks as Augie's father-in-law, Stanley Zak; Jeffrey Wright as the convention's host, General Grif Gibson; and Tilda Swinton as scientist Dr. Hickenlooper.
In addition to their star-studded casts,...
- 6/21/2023
- by Michele Mendez
- Popsugar.com
In addition to waxing rhapsodic about Elia Kazan in his interview with IndieWire’s Eric Kohn, Wes Anderson talked about just why he was so drawn to portraying the 1950s. As the rave reviews for the film have indicated, it’s a time period uniquely suited to Anderson’s meticulous aesthetic.
And that’s a style that fans seem hellbent on replicating themselves, via the palest of imitations, through TikTok videos that show off their creators attempting “The Wes Anderson Challenge.” Symmetrical compositions, intense color coordination, shoebox diorama-like use of the frame and depth of field. All there. All not nearly as good as anything Anderson can do himself. Each imitation is more obvious than the last: And as Kohn indicated in his piece, these imitations are not something Anderson himself ever pays attention to.
Now the director’s opened up a little bit more about his dismissal of the...
And that’s a style that fans seem hellbent on replicating themselves, via the palest of imitations, through TikTok videos that show off their creators attempting “The Wes Anderson Challenge.” Symmetrical compositions, intense color coordination, shoebox diorama-like use of the frame and depth of field. All there. All not nearly as good as anything Anderson can do himself. Each imitation is more obvious than the last: And as Kohn indicated in his piece, these imitations are not something Anderson himself ever pays attention to.
Now the director’s opened up a little bit more about his dismissal of the...
- 6/19/2023
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
Father’s Day weekend has brought loads of bad news for multiple big-budget summer tentpoles, but there is some good news on the specialty front thanks to Wes Anderson’s new film “Asteroid City,” which was released by Focus Features in six theaters in New York and Los Angeles and is earning an estimated $790,000 for an excellent per theater average of $132,211.
Not only is that the best ever average for a Focus release, but it is also the best limited average since the $172,220+ average earned by Lionsgate/Summit’s Oscar winner “La La Land” in December 2016. It is also the best ever average for a film released in just six theaters, topping the $123,409 earned by Sony/Columbia’s “American Hustle” in December 2013. Focus also reported record opening weekends for the Angelika Theater in New York and the Sunset Theater in Los Angeles.
Such strong results are to be expected from Wes Anderson,...
Not only is that the best ever average for a Focus release, but it is also the best limited average since the $172,220+ average earned by Lionsgate/Summit’s Oscar winner “La La Land” in December 2016. It is also the best ever average for a film released in just six theaters, topping the $123,409 earned by Sony/Columbia’s “American Hustle” in December 2013. Focus also reported record opening weekends for the Angelika Theater in New York and the Sunset Theater in Los Angeles.
Such strong results are to be expected from Wes Anderson,...
- 6/18/2023
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Jake Ryan first met Wes Anderson when he was just seven years old and cast as one of the protagonist’s little brothers in Moonrise Kingdom, the filmmaker’s 2012 feature set at a summer camp — and the two’s work together has come a long way since then.
Over the years, they’ve kept in touch, with Anderson directing a 2012 stop-motion commercial for Sony that a young Ryan wrote, inviting Ryan to participate in conversations for Criterion Collection editions of his films, and casting Ryan a small part in the animated feature Isle of Dogs. But now, at 19, Ryan has his biggest role in an Anderson film to date.
In Asteroid City, Ryan plays Woodrow Steenbeck, an awkward teen and award winning “Junior Stargazer,” who arrives in the eponymous desert town with his morose father Augie (Jason Schwartzman) and three incorrigible little sisters. Woodrow, who recently lost his mom, is...
Over the years, they’ve kept in touch, with Anderson directing a 2012 stop-motion commercial for Sony that a young Ryan wrote, inviting Ryan to participate in conversations for Criterion Collection editions of his films, and casting Ryan a small part in the animated feature Isle of Dogs. But now, at 19, Ryan has his biggest role in an Anderson film to date.
In Asteroid City, Ryan plays Woodrow Steenbeck, an awkward teen and award winning “Junior Stargazer,” who arrives in the eponymous desert town with his morose father Augie (Jason Schwartzman) and three incorrigible little sisters. Woodrow, who recently lost his mom, is...
- 6/17/2023
- by Esther Zuckerman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Wes Anderson has explored many distinctive milieus over the years, from the fictional Zubrowska of “The Grand Budapest Hotel” to the bottom of the sea in “The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou” and “Isle of Dogs.” However, “Asteroid City” may be Anderson’s most personal backdrop yet, as its chief subject is storytelling itself.
A playful meta narrative that defies simple categorization, “Asteroid City” functions as three movies in one: It’s the colorful story of a Junior Stargazers convention in a midwestern desert town circa 1955, but it’s also a 1950s TV play called “Asteroid City,” and on top of that, a behind-the-scenes look at a troubled playwright (Edward Norton) working on the aforementioned play. There’s an alien played by Jeff Goldblum, but also Jeff Goldblum playing an alien. Got all that?
In addition to being a movie about acting, “Asteroid City” is an acting showcase. Anderson regular...
A playful meta narrative that defies simple categorization, “Asteroid City” functions as three movies in one: It’s the colorful story of a Junior Stargazers convention in a midwestern desert town circa 1955, but it’s also a 1950s TV play called “Asteroid City,” and on top of that, a behind-the-scenes look at a troubled playwright (Edward Norton) working on the aforementioned play. There’s an alien played by Jeff Goldblum, but also Jeff Goldblum playing an alien. Got all that?
In addition to being a movie about acting, “Asteroid City” is an acting showcase. Anderson regular...
- 6/15/2023
- by Eric Kohn
- Indiewire
Wes Anderson wanted the “Asteroid City” ensemble to feel like a theater troupe.
According to actor Bryan Cranston, the auteur filmmaker did not have a “hierarchy” call sheet for the A-list ensemble cast — which includes Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Carell, Maya Hawke, Jason Schwartzman, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Margot Robbie, and Jeff Goldblum.
“Wes, the word ‘auteur’ has been thrown around so much, but it is applicable to him,” Cranston told IndieWire on the red carpet for the “Asteroid City” New York City premiere Tuesday night. “He is a man who is kind, not just in his creativity but in his spirit and generosity. He is vulnerable and open and sweet and so creative, so specific, complex in all the best ways. And when you do a film with him, you are part of a company. This is what actors crave, this community.”
The “Breaking Bad” star plays the narrator of “Asteroid City,...
According to actor Bryan Cranston, the auteur filmmaker did not have a “hierarchy” call sheet for the A-list ensemble cast — which includes Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Carell, Maya Hawke, Jason Schwartzman, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Margot Robbie, and Jeff Goldblum.
“Wes, the word ‘auteur’ has been thrown around so much, but it is applicable to him,” Cranston told IndieWire on the red carpet for the “Asteroid City” New York City premiere Tuesday night. “He is a man who is kind, not just in his creativity but in his spirit and generosity. He is vulnerable and open and sweet and so creative, so specific, complex in all the best ways. And when you do a film with him, you are part of a company. This is what actors crave, this community.”
The “Breaking Bad” star plays the narrator of “Asteroid City,...
- 6/14/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson and Vincent Perella
- Indiewire
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” has swung into theatres with aplomb, matching (if not beating) the excitement and love that the first movie, “Into the Spider-Verse,” garnered in 2018.
“Across the Spider-Verse” follows on from that first movie with Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) now a successful Spider-Man in his own universe. But another encounter with Hailee Steinfeld‘s Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman leads to Miles being launched into the Spider-Verse wherein he encounters a society of Spider-People, led by Oscar Isaac‘s Miguel O’Hara, and a new foe — Spot (Jason Schwartzman). The film ends on an outrageous cliffhanger, teasing the conclusion of the series with next year’s “Beyond the Spider-Verse.”
For now, however, fans will have to be satisfied with this excellent addition to the Spider-Man canon, which currently stands at an impressive 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the site’s critical consensus reading: “Just as visually dazzling and action-packed as its predecessor,...
“Across the Spider-Verse” follows on from that first movie with Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) now a successful Spider-Man in his own universe. But another encounter with Hailee Steinfeld‘s Gwen Stacy/Spider-Woman leads to Miles being launched into the Spider-Verse wherein he encounters a society of Spider-People, led by Oscar Isaac‘s Miguel O’Hara, and a new foe — Spot (Jason Schwartzman). The film ends on an outrageous cliffhanger, teasing the conclusion of the series with next year’s “Beyond the Spider-Verse.”
For now, however, fans will have to be satisfied with this excellent addition to the Spider-Man canon, which currently stands at an impressive 96% on Rotten Tomatoes, with the site’s critical consensus reading: “Just as visually dazzling and action-packed as its predecessor,...
- 6/8/2023
- by Jacob Sarkisian
- Gold Derby
Don’t tell me “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is merely a cartoon. It’s a visionary work that redefines what the animation medium can achieve, sitting alongside the handful of sequels such as “The Dark Knight” and “The Empire Strikes Back” that elevate their franchises by pushing them in surprising new directions.
On a personal level, this animated second installment of the web-slinging superhero is the closest I’ve ever come to seeing an accurate depiction of my life and culture on a movie screen – well, with a few fantastic elements added into the mix. That’s invaluable.
“Across the Spider-Verse” takes place a year after the events of the previous film with Miles Morales (a.k.a. Spider-Man) facing a new threat. Unfortunately, it’s one that causes him to interact with a new group of Spider-People from across the multiverse.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscar predictions in all categories.
On a personal level, this animated second installment of the web-slinging superhero is the closest I’ve ever come to seeing an accurate depiction of my life and culture on a movie screen – well, with a few fantastic elements added into the mix. That’s invaluable.
“Across the Spider-Verse” takes place a year after the events of the previous film with Miles Morales (a.k.a. Spider-Man) facing a new threat. Unfortunately, it’s one that causes him to interact with a new group of Spider-People from across the multiverse.
Read: Variety’s Awards Circuit for the latest Oscar predictions in all categories.
- 6/2/2023
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Few filmmakers working today seem to know how to stretch a dollar quite like Wes Anderson. The idiosyncratic storyteller has adopted a no-muss-no-fuss method for making his movies, delivering star-studded visual spectacles such as "The Grand Budapest Hotel" and "The French Dispatch" for a fraction of the cost of your average tentpole.
His new movie, "Asteroid City," is no exception. In contrast to its budget, Anderson's first true sci-fi film boasts a painstakingly detailed and extremely-stylized setting to go with its massive cast, which includes such first-time Anderson movie thespians as Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Maya Hawke, Hong Chau, and Steve Carell. That's in addition to the many previously-established members of Anderson's growing acting troupe like Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Wright, Jason Schwartzman, Edward Norton, and Bryan Cranston, among many, many others.
"Troupe" feels like the proper word to use there, in light of Johansson's comments about her experience shooting "Asteroid City.
His new movie, "Asteroid City," is no exception. In contrast to its budget, Anderson's first true sci-fi film boasts a painstakingly detailed and extremely-stylized setting to go with its massive cast, which includes such first-time Anderson movie thespians as Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Maya Hawke, Hong Chau, and Steve Carell. That's in addition to the many previously-established members of Anderson's growing acting troupe like Scarlett Johansson, Jeffrey Wright, Jason Schwartzman, Edward Norton, and Bryan Cranston, among many, many others.
"Troupe" feels like the proper word to use there, in light of Johansson's comments about her experience shooting "Asteroid City.
- 5/28/2023
- by Sandy Schaefer
- Slash Film
As quickly as it began, another Cannes Film Festival is wrapping up. This year’s festival featured one of the most stacked Cannes lineups in years, with new films from the likes of Martin Scorsese, Wes Anderson, Todd Haynes, Jonathan Glazer, and Wim Wenders premiering alongside more popular fare like “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” and the first two episodes of HBO’s controversial new series “The Idol.”
With all the biggest premieres firmly in the rearview mirror other than Disney/Pixar’s out-of-competition “Elemental,” the time has almost come for the jury to hand out the festival’s awards — including the coveted Palme d’Or. Ruben Östlund, hot off his second Palme d’Or win for 2022’s “Triangle of Sadness” after winning for 2017’s “The Square,” served as this year’s jury president, overseeing a director-heavy jury that also includes “Titane” filmmaker Julie Ducournau along with Paul Dano and Brie Larson.
With all the biggest premieres firmly in the rearview mirror other than Disney/Pixar’s out-of-competition “Elemental,” the time has almost come for the jury to hand out the festival’s awards — including the coveted Palme d’Or. Ruben Östlund, hot off his second Palme d’Or win for 2022’s “Triangle of Sadness” after winning for 2017’s “The Square,” served as this year’s jury president, overseeing a director-heavy jury that also includes “Titane” filmmaker Julie Ducournau along with Paul Dano and Brie Larson.
- 5/26/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Cannes – He had a bite of Wes Anderson’s world voicing Chief in the stop-motion animated “Isle of Dogs,” but Bryan Cranston is now officially a member of the auteur’s growing live action ensemble. The six-time Emmy Award winner, two-time Tony Award winner and Oscar nominee joined the club with his role as the inquisitive 1950s television program narrator in “Asteroid City.” And, if you’ve ever spoken to any of the other longtime Anderson collaborators, you quickly learn that for actors, a Wes Anderson movie is a blast.
Continue reading Bryan Cranston on Wes Anderson, ‘Asteroid City’ &, Oh Yeah, Cannes at The Playlist.
Continue reading Bryan Cranston on Wes Anderson, ‘Asteroid City’ &, Oh Yeah, Cannes at The Playlist.
- 5/26/2023
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
The arthouse box office hasn’t recovered quickly post-Covid, but one of the oases for the sector, even by pre-pandemic benchmarks, has always been a Wes Anderson movie.
This summer we have his latest all-star absurdist comedy, Asteroid City, which just premiered at Cannes, which begins its limited run on June 16.
How big has Anderson been at the box office? In 2014 he hit a record high with his ultimate multi-Oscar winner, The Grand Budapest Hotel which grossed $59M stateside and $173M worldwide. Even in 2018, his animated movie, Isle of Dogs, was robust enough for arthouses with $32M and $64M WW. However, his French Dispatch, released in a fall period just as theaters were reopening in 2021, saw only $16M U.S./Canada and $46M WW.
Does the potential collapse of the arthouse sector keep Anderson up at night?
“It doesn’t, but it probably should,” he tells Deadline.
As far as grappling with the problem,...
This summer we have his latest all-star absurdist comedy, Asteroid City, which just premiered at Cannes, which begins its limited run on June 16.
How big has Anderson been at the box office? In 2014 he hit a record high with his ultimate multi-Oscar winner, The Grand Budapest Hotel which grossed $59M stateside and $173M worldwide. Even in 2018, his animated movie, Isle of Dogs, was robust enough for arthouses with $32M and $64M WW. However, his French Dispatch, released in a fall period just as theaters were reopening in 2021, saw only $16M U.S./Canada and $46M WW.
Does the potential collapse of the arthouse sector keep Anderson up at night?
“It doesn’t, but it probably should,” he tells Deadline.
As far as grappling with the problem,...
- 5/25/2023
- by Anthony D'Alessandro
- Deadline Film + TV
Wes Anderson has done it all: India by train, Rhode Island by foot, the Mediterranean by sub, France by bike, faux-Germany by hotel, apple-orchard America by fox, animated Japan by dog, motel Texas by friends, New York City by family. But––despite the feeling that this couldn’t possibly be true––he’s never told a story in western America. In setting he hasn’t gone further west than Houston. Until Asteroid City: Arizona desert by quarantine.
Anderson’s 11th feature opens by railroad. Knowing the story will soon be confined in an all-too-familiar state of lockdown, however, longtime Dp Robert Yeoman uses the arrival to the tiny fictional town to capture and set the terrain. We’re yanked at high speed through a flurry of landscape shots framed through every angle under the sun on the mustard-yellow train and set to the jittery “Last Train to San...
Anderson’s 11th feature opens by railroad. Knowing the story will soon be confined in an all-too-familiar state of lockdown, however, longtime Dp Robert Yeoman uses the arrival to the tiny fictional town to capture and set the terrain. We’re yanked at high speed through a flurry of landscape shots framed through every angle under the sun on the mustard-yellow train and set to the jittery “Last Train to San...
- 5/24/2023
- by Luke Hicks
- The Film Stage
Wes Anderson is thanking his lucky stars for Covid protocols overlapping with the “Asteroid City” production.
The auteur, whose science-filled out-of-this-world film debuted at 2023 Cannes, credited the global pandemic for inspiring the quarantine plotline in his latest script.
“During the intense part of the Covid period, we were writing the script. I don’t think there would be a quarantine in the story if we weren’t experiencing it,” Anderson said. “It wasn’t deliberate. Writing is the most improvisational part of the whole process.”
The subsequent pandemic protocols on the “Asteroid City” set in Spain also grounded the ensemble feature. The film was shot between August and October 2021.
“The making of the movie during Covid protocols, it really suited us. It worked for us,” Anderson added. “I loved that we formed a troupe and stayed together and sat at a long table and had dinner.”
The “troupe” consisted of...
The auteur, whose science-filled out-of-this-world film debuted at 2023 Cannes, credited the global pandemic for inspiring the quarantine plotline in his latest script.
“During the intense part of the Covid period, we were writing the script. I don’t think there would be a quarantine in the story if we weren’t experiencing it,” Anderson said. “It wasn’t deliberate. Writing is the most improvisational part of the whole process.”
The subsequent pandemic protocols on the “Asteroid City” set in Spain also grounded the ensemble feature. The film was shot between August and October 2021.
“The making of the movie during Covid protocols, it really suited us. It worked for us,” Anderson added. “I loved that we formed a troupe and stayed together and sat at a long table and had dinner.”
The “troupe” consisted of...
- 5/24/2023
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
‘Asteroid City’ scored 2.2 while ‘Kidnapped’ received 2.5.
Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City’ and Marco Bellocchio’s ‘Kidnapped’ land in the middle of Cannes 2023 jury grid, scoring 2.2 and 2.5 respectively.
Anderson’s third run for the Palme d’Or scored five three stars (good) and four two stars (average) while LA Times’ Justin Chang, Postif’s Michel Ciment and Time Magazine’s Stephanie Zacherek gave it one star (poor).
Click on the jury grid above for the most up-to-date version.
Featuring an A-list ensemble cast including Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson and Margot Robbie, Asteroid City is set in a 1950’s US desert town...
Wes Anderson’s ‘Asteroid City’ and Marco Bellocchio’s ‘Kidnapped’ land in the middle of Cannes 2023 jury grid, scoring 2.2 and 2.5 respectively.
Anderson’s third run for the Palme d’Or scored five three stars (good) and four two stars (average) while LA Times’ Justin Chang, Postif’s Michel Ciment and Time Magazine’s Stephanie Zacherek gave it one star (poor).
Click on the jury grid above for the most up-to-date version.
Featuring an A-list ensemble cast including Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson and Margot Robbie, Asteroid City is set in a 1950’s US desert town...
- 5/24/2023
- by Ellie Calnan
- ScreenDaily
Wes Anderson brought cowboys, aliens and movie stars to the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday, earning a six-minute standing ovation at its world premiere.
Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jason Schwartzman, Matt Dillon, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Jeffrey Wright, Ed Norton, Margot Robbie and Jeff Goldblum are among the starry ensemble cast — many of whom were in attendance at the Grand Palais with their notoriously stylish and exacting director.
The project tells of a desert tourist trap that was one the sites of an asteroid landing, which also doubles as the location of an annual camp for “stargazers and space cadets.” The conceit is a story-within-a-story, as the cast plays a troupe of actors and stage crew for a play. Johansson had the Cannes crowd swooning as a movie star derailed in Asteroid City (and also as an actress playing that actress in the meta story).
Donning a cropped black wig and always swilling a martini,...
Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jason Schwartzman, Matt Dillon, Maya Hawke, Steve Carell, Jeffrey Wright, Ed Norton, Margot Robbie and Jeff Goldblum are among the starry ensemble cast — many of whom were in attendance at the Grand Palais with their notoriously stylish and exacting director.
The project tells of a desert tourist trap that was one the sites of an asteroid landing, which also doubles as the location of an annual camp for “stargazers and space cadets.” The conceit is a story-within-a-story, as the cast plays a troupe of actors and stage crew for a play. Johansson had the Cannes crowd swooning as a movie star derailed in Asteroid City (and also as an actress playing that actress in the meta story).
Donning a cropped black wig and always swilling a martini,...
- 5/23/2023
- by Matt Donnelly and Zack Sharf
- Variety Film + TV
Asteroid City reactions say Wes Anderson’s latest is a cosmic delight with an unusual story and tone
The 2023 Cannes Film Festival is well into this year’s presentation after several days of stars setting the red carpet on fire, world premieres of the hottest films, and surprises from the crowd. Today, Cannes welcomes Wes Anderson and the cast of his latest film, Asteroid City, to the fest. Anderson’s films are always an event, as the filmmaker’s unique style and humor often wow audiences and dazzles critics. Speaking of critics, reviews for Asteroid City are crashing down onto the internet, with many saying Anderson’s latest is a darkly-funny, cosmic delight with more to offer as you mine beneath the surface. There are a few outliers in the bunch. However, most folks have loved Anderson’s latest excursion into his weird world or bizarre characters and gorgeous set design. You can read several of today’s Asteroid City reactions below!
Asteroid City – "You can't wake up...
Asteroid City – "You can't wake up...
- 5/23/2023
- by Steve Seigh
- JoBlo.com
Here’s one thing we learned at the Cannes Film Festival on Tuesday: If Wes Anderson really were to make a “Star Wars” movie, that film would look nothing at all like the viral video that purports to show what Anderson’s version of the Lucasfilm universe might be like.
The proof is in “Asteroid City,” Anderson’s new movie, which premiered in Cannes on Tuesday and does include an alien who comes to Earth in a spaceship. It takes place in a galaxy far, far away, to be sure, but that galaxy is on Earth. It’s only far, far away from any recognizable human behavior because it’s in Wes-world: a small town populated with nothing but eccentrics in interesting clothing with speech patterns that only marginally resemble actual human communication.
“Asteroid City” tells the story of a three-day “Asteroid Day” event in the titular Asteroid City, a...
The proof is in “Asteroid City,” Anderson’s new movie, which premiered in Cannes on Tuesday and does include an alien who comes to Earth in a spaceship. It takes place in a galaxy far, far away, to be sure, but that galaxy is on Earth. It’s only far, far away from any recognizable human behavior because it’s in Wes-world: a small town populated with nothing but eccentrics in interesting clothing with speech patterns that only marginally resemble actual human communication.
“Asteroid City” tells the story of a three-day “Asteroid Day” event in the titular Asteroid City, a...
- 5/23/2023
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
It’s been two years since “The French Dispatch” hit theaters, but the wait for a new Wes Anderson movie is almost over. “Asteroid City,” the auteur’s science fiction-twinged 11th film, premieres in competition at the Cannes Film Festival this week before expanding into theaters nationwide next month. To mark the occasion, Focus Features has released a new clip that shows some of the film’s incredible ensemble cast in action.
“Asteroid City” sees Anderson returning to the midcentury setting of “Moonrise Kingdom” to tell the story of a fictional desert town hosting an annual “Junior Stargazer and Space Cadets” convention on “Asteroid Day.” The local holiday commemorates the day that a meteor struck the town’s location in 3,007 B.C.
Like “The French Dispatch,” “Asteroid City” uses an anthology format to tell three overlapping stories. Tom Hanks stars as a grieving father who finds himself stranded in Asteroid...
“Asteroid City” sees Anderson returning to the midcentury setting of “Moonrise Kingdom” to tell the story of a fictional desert town hosting an annual “Junior Stargazer and Space Cadets” convention on “Asteroid Day.” The local holiday commemorates the day that a meteor struck the town’s location in 3,007 B.C.
Like “The French Dispatch,” “Asteroid City” uses an anthology format to tell three overlapping stories. Tom Hanks stars as a grieving father who finds himself stranded in Asteroid...
- 5/22/2023
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
Given his growing tendency to line up half of Hollywood to appear in his films, anyone cast in a Wes Anderson movie might worry just how much screen time they’ll end up getting.
Not Fisher Stevens.
After minor roles in The Grand Budapest Hotel (a concierge), Isle of Dogs (the voice of a mutt called Scrap) and The French Dispatch (an unnamed magazine story editor), he’s now set to make a similarly background appearance in Asteroid City, Anderson’s latest, and featuring arguably the director’s most ludicrous array of top-tier talent to date (a list so long, it may test the wide lenses of Cannes’ red carpet paparazzi when it bows May 23). And very happily so.
“I’m around. I mean, you’ll see me in the film. But I wouldn’t say it’s my Oscar-winning performance,” Stevens tells The Hollywood Reporter, adding that blink-and-you’ll-miss-it or not,...
Not Fisher Stevens.
After minor roles in The Grand Budapest Hotel (a concierge), Isle of Dogs (the voice of a mutt called Scrap) and The French Dispatch (an unnamed magazine story editor), he’s now set to make a similarly background appearance in Asteroid City, Anderson’s latest, and featuring arguably the director’s most ludicrous array of top-tier talent to date (a list so long, it may test the wide lenses of Cannes’ red carpet paparazzi when it bows May 23). And very happily so.
“I’m around. I mean, you’ll see me in the film. But I wouldn’t say it’s my Oscar-winning performance,” Stevens tells The Hollywood Reporter, adding that blink-and-you’ll-miss-it or not,...
- 5/17/2023
- by Alex Ritman
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Here’s your chance to ask the star of The Fly, Jurassic Park and countless Wes Anderson films anything you like – whether about his voice, his work on The Simpsons, his acting on Friends or his music. Get your questions in now!
We could all sit here and list Jeff Goldblum’s filmography at a drop of a hat: Jurassic Park, Independence Day, The Fly, The Tall Guy with Emma Thompson and Grandmaster in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 and Thor: Ragnarok. Then there’s his Wes Anderson films: 2004’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2018’s Isle of Dogs and Anderson’s new one Asteroid City.
On stage, Goldblum has been in Twelfth Night off-Broadway and appeared twice at the Old Vic in London. TV? You name it, he’s done it, from Sesame Street, Friends and Will & Grace to The Simpsons,...
We could all sit here and list Jeff Goldblum’s filmography at a drop of a hat: Jurassic Park, Independence Day, The Fly, The Tall Guy with Emma Thompson and Grandmaster in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 and Thor: Ragnarok. Then there’s his Wes Anderson films: 2004’s The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, 2014’s The Grand Budapest Hotel, 2018’s Isle of Dogs and Anderson’s new one Asteroid City.
On stage, Goldblum has been in Twelfth Night off-Broadway and appeared twice at the Old Vic in London. TV? You name it, he’s done it, from Sesame Street, Friends and Will & Grace to The Simpsons,...
- 5/9/2023
- by Rich Pelley
- The Guardian - Film News
The technology of cinematography has undergone some of the most seismic shifts in film history this century, with what began in the 2000s as an almost entirely photochemical process transforming into the digitally captured, manipulated, and projected images of today. The art of cinematography, however — using light, color, and texture to express ideas and elicit emotional reactions from the audience — remains intact.
In 2017, IndieWire made a list of the best shot feature films of the century thus far; the list was updated in 2020, and what follows is the third and most extensive version of the list. It’s also the first to be spearheaded by the IndieWire Craft team, which has grown considerably since this list was first published. Ranking cinematography is, in some ways, a fool’s errand given the broad variety of genres, resources, and intentions encompassed by the films below, but these are 60 titles that IndieWire believes...
In 2017, IndieWire made a list of the best shot feature films of the century thus far; the list was updated in 2020, and what follows is the third and most extensive version of the list. It’s also the first to be spearheaded by the IndieWire Craft team, which has grown considerably since this list was first published. Ranking cinematography is, in some ways, a fool’s errand given the broad variety of genres, resources, and intentions encompassed by the films below, but these are 60 titles that IndieWire believes...
- 5/3/2023
- by Jim Hemphill, Chris O'Falt, Bill Desowitz and Sarah Shachat
- Indiewire
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.