Fight Club, Zodiac, The Social Network, Gone Girl. There's hardly anyone who hasn't seen, let alone heard, all of these movies and the name of the man behind them, David Fincher. From Alien 3 to The Killer with Michael Fassbender, from House of Cards to Love, Death & Robots, Fincher's career is now in its fourth decade and his films have collectively grossed over $2.1 billion. But of course, no matter how original his work, even a director as innovative as Fincher is inspired by the achievements of filmmakers who came before him. Here is a list of 26 films that David Fincher has cited as his favorites.
26 Must-See Movies David Fincher Loves
26. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
25. Chinatown
24. Dr. Strangelove
23. The Godfather Part II
22. Taxi Driver
21. Being There
20. Alien
19. Rear Window
18. Jaws
17. Lawrence of Arabia
16. Zelig
15. Cabaret
14. All That Jazz
13. Paper Moon
12. All the President's Men
11. Citizen Kane
10. 8½
9. The Graduate...
26 Must-See Movies David Fincher Loves
26. Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
25. Chinatown
24. Dr. Strangelove
23. The Godfather Part II
22. Taxi Driver
21. Being There
20. Alien
19. Rear Window
18. Jaws
17. Lawrence of Arabia
16. Zelig
15. Cabaret
14. All That Jazz
13. Paper Moon
12. All the President's Men
11. Citizen Kane
10. 8½
9. The Graduate...
- 5/16/2024
- by louise.everitt@startefacts.com (Louise Everitt)
- STartefacts.com
Peter Weir, the legendary Australian director of “Picnic at Hanging Rock,” “The Year of Living Dangerously,” “Gallipoli,” “Witness,” “Dead Poets Society,” “The Truman Show,” and “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World,” is getting some richly deserved recognition. Following his honorary Oscar in advance of the 2023 Academy Awards, he will now receiving the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement from the Venice Film Festival this fall.
“With a total of only 13 movies directed over the course of 40 years, Peter Weir has secured a place in the firmament of the great directors of modern cinema,” said Alberto Barbera, the artistic director of the Venice Film Festival, in an official statement.
Weir has been nominated for six Academy Awards throughout his career — three times for Best Director, for “Witness,” “The Truman Show,” and “Master and Commander,” for which he also received a Best Picture nod, and once for Best Original Screenplay for “Green Card.
“With a total of only 13 movies directed over the course of 40 years, Peter Weir has secured a place in the firmament of the great directors of modern cinema,” said Alberto Barbera, the artistic director of the Venice Film Festival, in an official statement.
Weir has been nominated for six Academy Awards throughout his career — three times for Best Director, for “Witness,” “The Truman Show,” and “Master and Commander,” for which he also received a Best Picture nod, and once for Best Original Screenplay for “Green Card.
- 5/9/2024
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
The Venice Film Festival will fete Australian director and screenwriter Peter Weir with its honorary Golden Lion at its forthcoming 80th edition.
Accepting the honor, Weir said: “The Venice Film Festival and its Golden Lion are part of the folklore of our craft. To be singled out as a recipient for a lifetime’s work as a director is a considerable honor.”
Born in August 1944, Weir was one of the pivotal figures in the Australian New Wave cinema of the 70s. He began his career in 1969 when he took a job with the government-funded Commonwealth Film Unit as a director. Weir struck out on his own in 1973 and directed his first feature film, the comic-horror The Cars That Ate Paris (1974), which he also wrote. He won an international audience with Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), followed by The Last Wave (1977), for which he also co-wrote the screenplay.
Accepting the honor, Weir said: “The Venice Film Festival and its Golden Lion are part of the folklore of our craft. To be singled out as a recipient for a lifetime’s work as a director is a considerable honor.”
Born in August 1944, Weir was one of the pivotal figures in the Australian New Wave cinema of the 70s. He began his career in 1969 when he took a job with the government-funded Commonwealth Film Unit as a director. Weir struck out on his own in 1973 and directed his first feature film, the comic-horror The Cars That Ate Paris (1974), which he also wrote. He won an international audience with Picnic at Hanging Rock (1975), followed by The Last Wave (1977), for which he also co-wrote the screenplay.
- 5/9/2024
- by Zac Ntim
- Deadline Film + TV
The Venice Film Festival will honor Australian director and screenwriter Peter Weir (Dead Poets Society, The Truman Show, Master and Commander) with its Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the 81st edition, running Aug. 28 to Sept 7.
The decision was made by the board of la Biennale di Venezia, based on a proposal made by festival director Alberto Barbera.
“The Venice Film Festival and its Golden Lion are part of the folklore of our craft,” said Weir. “To be singled out as a recipient for a lifetime’s work as a director is a considerable honor.”
Said Barbera: “With a total of only 13 movies directed over the course of 40 years, Peter Weir has secured a place in the firmament of the great directors of modern cinema. At the end of the 1970s, he made a name for himself as the main man behind the rebirth of Australian film thanks to two movies,...
The decision was made by the board of la Biennale di Venezia, based on a proposal made by festival director Alberto Barbera.
“The Venice Film Festival and its Golden Lion are part of the folklore of our craft,” said Weir. “To be singled out as a recipient for a lifetime’s work as a director is a considerable honor.”
Said Barbera: “With a total of only 13 movies directed over the course of 40 years, Peter Weir has secured a place in the firmament of the great directors of modern cinema. At the end of the 1970s, he made a name for himself as the main man behind the rebirth of Australian film thanks to two movies,...
- 5/9/2024
- by Georg Szalai
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
The Venice Film Festival will honor Australian director and screenwriter Peter Weir – whose body of work comprises “Dead Poets Society,” “The Truman Show,” and “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” – with its 2024 Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.
“With a total of only thirteen movies directed over the course of forty years, Peter Weir has secured a place in the firmament of the great directors of modern cinema,” Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera said in a statement.
Barbera added that Weir made a name for himself at the end of the 1970s as the leading figure behind the rebirth of Australian cinema thanks to two movies: “The Cars That Ate Paris” (1974) and cult classic “Picnic at Hanging Rock” (1975). The international success of his following two films, “Gallipoli” and “The Year of Living Dangerously” then “opened Hollywood’s doors.”
“Weir combines reflections on personal themes and a need to...
“With a total of only thirteen movies directed over the course of forty years, Peter Weir has secured a place in the firmament of the great directors of modern cinema,” Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera said in a statement.
Barbera added that Weir made a name for himself at the end of the 1970s as the leading figure behind the rebirth of Australian cinema thanks to two movies: “The Cars That Ate Paris” (1974) and cult classic “Picnic at Hanging Rock” (1975). The international success of his following two films, “Gallipoli” and “The Year of Living Dangerously” then “opened Hollywood’s doors.”
“Weir combines reflections on personal themes and a need to...
- 5/9/2024
- by Nick Vivarelli
- Variety Film + TV
Luca Guadagnino’s tennis relationship drama “Challengers” (Amazon MGM) opens Friday amidst chatter that it represents the rarest of films — a wide-release American sex sizzler, an erotically charged story with young actors with sexual impulses central to its plot.
The marketing forebears for “Challengers” are akin to movies that we’ve not seen in a long time like “Carnal Knowledge,” “Body Heat,” “Don’t Look Now,” and “Fatal Attraction.” These films, where sex can be sweaty and dangerous, were elevated by big stars who dared to play off their images. Other examples include Kevin Costner (“No Way Out”), Debra Winger (“An Officer and a Gentleman”), Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver (“The Year of Living Dangerously”), Jane Fonda (“Klute”), and Warren Beatty.
In the “Challengers” press tour, Zendaya (also a producer here) — with six of her previous seven live-action theatrical releases having domestic grosses of $100 million or more — took pains to dispel...
The marketing forebears for “Challengers” are akin to movies that we’ve not seen in a long time like “Carnal Knowledge,” “Body Heat,” “Don’t Look Now,” and “Fatal Attraction.” These films, where sex can be sweaty and dangerous, were elevated by big stars who dared to play off their images. Other examples include Kevin Costner (“No Way Out”), Debra Winger (“An Officer and a Gentleman”), Mel Gibson and Sigourney Weaver (“The Year of Living Dangerously”), Jane Fonda (“Klute”), and Warren Beatty.
In the “Challengers” press tour, Zendaya (also a producer here) — with six of her previous seven live-action theatrical releases having domestic grosses of $100 million or more — took pains to dispel...
- 4/25/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
Peter Weir is easily regarded as one of the most legendary filmmakers in Hollywood, with masterpieces that have garnered several nods of major accolades. Also the mastermind behind Robin Williams’ critically acclaimed 1989 comedy thriller Dead Poets Society, he has led an unparalleled career in the entertainment industry.
Peter Weir received an Honorary Oscar Award | Photo: Screengrab/Oscars/YouTube
However, that very unparalleled career of his just may have ended a lot before the genius director announced it out loud. Yes, as heartbreaking as this would sound to many of his fans, Weir retired a long time ago from his star-studded directing profession, and fans wouldn’t have known about this had he not addressed this issue publicly.
Peter Weir has put an end to his Legendary Filmmaking Career
Even though the last movie he made was almost a decade and a half ago back in 2010, fans were still awaiting Peter...
Peter Weir received an Honorary Oscar Award | Photo: Screengrab/Oscars/YouTube
However, that very unparalleled career of his just may have ended a lot before the genius director announced it out loud. Yes, as heartbreaking as this would sound to many of his fans, Weir retired a long time ago from his star-studded directing profession, and fans wouldn’t have known about this had he not addressed this issue publicly.
Peter Weir has put an end to his Legendary Filmmaking Career
Even though the last movie he made was almost a decade and a half ago back in 2010, fans were still awaiting Peter...
- 3/19/2024
- by Mahin Sultan
- FandomWire
It has been 14 years since his last movie, The Way Back, was released. That was his 14th movie and from how things stand now, it will be his last. Namely, legendary Australian filmmaker and director, Peter Weir, has confirmed that he has definitely retired from filmmaking as he has no more energy to make movies. This shouldn’t come as a major shock, as the director is turning 80 in August this year, and with what he has done so far, he has earned the right to rest.
This was confirmed during a discussion with the audience in Paris, as part of the Festival de la Cinémathèque, where he said:
“Why did I stop directing? Because, quite simply, I have no more energy. I’ve stopped filmmaking in 2020. It was time for me. I felt I want to leave the gambling table, so I no longer direct. But before that, occasionally...
This was confirmed during a discussion with the audience in Paris, as part of the Festival de la Cinémathèque, where he said:
“Why did I stop directing? Because, quite simply, I have no more energy. I’ve stopped filmmaking in 2020. It was time for me. I felt I want to leave the gambling table, so I no longer direct. But before that, occasionally...
- 3/19/2024
- by Arthur S. Poe
- Fiction Horizon
Last year, Australian filmmaker Peter Weir was given an honorary Oscar for having “illuminated the human experience with his unique and expansive body of work.” Sadly, it’s now official that his filmography is complete, as Weir confirmed during an appearance at the Festival de la Cinémathèque in Paris that he has retired from directing.
Télérama reported (and IndieWire was kind enough to translate their report) that Weir was asked why 14 years have gone by since his last movie. Weir replied, “I am retired. Why did I stop cinema? Because, quite simply, I have no more energy.“
Born in 1944, Weir got his career started in television back in the 1960s, working on the TV projects The Life and Times of the Reverend Buck Shotte and Man on a Green Bike. After contributing a segment to the anthology film Three to Go, he made the 50 minute movie Homesdale and the documentary Whatever Happened to Green Valley?...
Télérama reported (and IndieWire was kind enough to translate their report) that Weir was asked why 14 years have gone by since his last movie. Weir replied, “I am retired. Why did I stop cinema? Because, quite simply, I have no more energy.“
Born in 1944, Weir got his career started in television back in the 1960s, working on the TV projects The Life and Times of the Reverend Buck Shotte and Man on a Green Bike. After contributing a segment to the anthology film Three to Go, he made the 50 minute movie Homesdale and the documentary Whatever Happened to Green Valley?...
- 3/18/2024
- by Cody Hamman
- JoBlo.com
Welcome to The B-Side, from The Film Stage. Here we talk about movie stars! Not the movies that made them famous or kept them famous, but the ones that they made in between.
Today we chat about the action heroine: Sigourney Weaver! But what were the films she made in between Alien and Aliens? Other than A-sides The Year of Living Dangerously and Ghostbusters, there was Eyewitness, Deal of the Century, One Woman or Two (a French film!), and Half Moon Street.
Our guest is the incomparable Joe Reid, co-host of the essential podcast This Had Oscar Buzz. Be sure to check them out as Oscar season races to an exciting conclusion over the next few weeks.
Topics in this episode include: When exactly did the horse stables in midtown Manhattan shut down? What exactly was an early ‘80s film set like with both William Hurt and James Woods on it?...
Today we chat about the action heroine: Sigourney Weaver! But what were the films she made in between Alien and Aliens? Other than A-sides The Year of Living Dangerously and Ghostbusters, there was Eyewitness, Deal of the Century, One Woman or Two (a French film!), and Half Moon Street.
Our guest is the incomparable Joe Reid, co-host of the essential podcast This Had Oscar Buzz. Be sure to check them out as Oscar season races to an exciting conclusion over the next few weeks.
Topics in this episode include: When exactly did the horse stables in midtown Manhattan shut down? What exactly was an early ‘80s film set like with both William Hurt and James Woods on it?...
- 2/23/2024
- by Dan Mecca
- The Film Stage
In 2020 – for the first time in seven years – the Best Supporting Actress Oscar category saw a lone nomination, meaning that a film was recognized there and nowhere else. This achievement is attributed to Kathy Bates (“Richard Jewell”), who competed for no major precursors except the Golden Globe but still managed to bump Critics Choice, SAG, and Globe nominee Jennifer Lopez (“Hustlers”). Perhaps unsurprisingly given the length of the streak she broke, there has yet to be a lone contender in any of her category’s subsequent lineups.
Since the introduction of the two gendered supporting Oscars in 1937, there have been 57 female lone nominees and 54 male ones, with over half of the entrants on the former roster having been added before 1977. The one who directly preceded Bates was Helen Hunt, whose inclusion in her lineup was much more heavily predicted. Coincidentally, both women had the perceived advantage of being former Best Actress champions,...
Since the introduction of the two gendered supporting Oscars in 1937, there have been 57 female lone nominees and 54 male ones, with over half of the entrants on the former roster having been added before 1977. The one who directly preceded Bates was Helen Hunt, whose inclusion in her lineup was much more heavily predicted. Coincidentally, both women had the perceived advantage of being former Best Actress champions,...
- 1/21/2024
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Mel Gibson is the Oscar-winning actor and director who has had his fair share of highs and lows, due in large part to several self-inflicted scandals. Let’s look back at 12 of his greatest films, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1956, Gibson and his family moved from New York to Australia, where he first came to prominence as an actor thanks to George Miller‘s original “Mad Max” trilogy, plus leading roles in Peter Weir‘s “Gallipoli” and “The Year of Living Dangerously.” He had equal success in the US, starring in everything from action films (the “Lethal Weapon” franchise) to romantic comedies (“What Women Want”).
He first hit the Oscar jackpot with the 1995 historical epic “Braveheart,” in which he also starred as Scottish warrior William Wallace. That film brought his wins in Best Picture and Best Director. He had similar directorial success with the controversial box-office bonanza “The Passion of the Christ...
Born in 1956, Gibson and his family moved from New York to Australia, where he first came to prominence as an actor thanks to George Miller‘s original “Mad Max” trilogy, plus leading roles in Peter Weir‘s “Gallipoli” and “The Year of Living Dangerously.” He had equal success in the US, starring in everything from action films (the “Lethal Weapon” franchise) to romantic comedies (“What Women Want”).
He first hit the Oscar jackpot with the 1995 historical epic “Braveheart,” in which he also starred as Scottish warrior William Wallace. That film brought his wins in Best Picture and Best Director. He had similar directorial success with the controversial box-office bonanza “The Passion of the Christ...
- 12/30/2023
- by Misty Holland, Tom O'Brien, Chris Beachum and Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
Hollywood works in phases. We’re in the middle of a vast superhero movie phase, which, maybe, seems to be on the downslide. Twenty-five years ago, war movies were all the rage in the wake of Saving Private Ryan, and once those taped off, historical epics became the blockbuster of choice for studios. Indeed, it was the smash success of Braveheart and Gladiator that paved the way for this run of films which started to tape off in the mid-aughts after a few mammothly pricey films, such as The Last Samurai and Troy, only earned modest profits for their studios. One such film was 20th Century Fox’s Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World. It earned critical raves but cost too much to become the franchise Fox was hoping for, with it being based on a long-running series of books by Patrick O’Brien. Yet, the movie holds...
- 11/8/2023
- by Chris Bumbray
- JoBlo.com
One of the most beloved movies of 1983 is “The Big Chill,” starring Kevin Kline, Glenn Close, William Hurt and Meg Tilly. Written by Lawrence Kasdan and Barbara Benedek and directed by Kasdan, the film is an ensemble comedy-drama about a group of former college friends who reunite for a weekend after one of their college friends dies. Released 40 years ago on September 28, 1983, “The Big Chill” did well at the box office, making $56 million worldwide on a budget of just $8 million. The movie marked another financial triumph for director Kasdan, whose feature debut two years earlier, “Body Heat,” did well at the box office and with critics. Read on as Gold Derby celebrates “The Big Chill” 40th anniversary.
Critics for the most part gave positive notices to “The Big Chill,” including Richard Corliss in Time Magazine, who called it “funny and ferociously smart.” Vincent Canby in The New York Times said,...
Critics for the most part gave positive notices to “The Big Chill,” including Richard Corliss in Time Magazine, who called it “funny and ferociously smart.” Vincent Canby in The New York Times said,...
- 10/3/2023
- by Brian Rowe
- Gold Derby
Prior to making Ghostbusters, Sigourney Weaver was best known for her roles in dramas like Alien and The Year of Living Dangerously, so seeing her in a film with Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd seemed out of character for her at the time. However, comedy runs in her family — her uncle was renowned comedian and comic musician “Doodles” Weaver — so she a few years ago she told us that she really felt like she’d made it in Hollywood when she got to make a comedy like Ghostbusters. (Click on the media bar below to hear Sigourney Weaver) https://www.hollywoodoutbreak.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Weaver_Ghostbusters.mp3
Ghostbusters is currently streaming on Peacock and available on DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K, and most digital platforms.
The post Sigourney Weaver Found Her True Calling With ‘Ghostbusters’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
Ghostbusters is currently streaming on Peacock and available on DVD, Blu-Ray, 4K, and most digital platforms.
The post Sigourney Weaver Found Her True Calling With ‘Ghostbusters’ appeared first on Hollywood Outbreak.
- 9/23/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
With six Oscar nominations under his belt, Australian-born director Peter Weir has firmly established himself as one of our most respected filmmakers thanks to a number of visually striking, narratively ambitious movies. But how many of his titles remain classics? Let’s take a look back at all 13 of his movies, ranked worst to best.
Born in 1944, Weir helped usher in the Australian New Wave of cinema with “Picnic at Hanging Rock” (1975), “The Last Wave” (1977), “Gallipoli” (1981) and “The Year of Living Dangerously” (1983). He brought his unique brand of filmmaking to Hollywood with the romantic mystery “Witness” (1985), which brought him his first Oscar nomination for Best Director. He earned a subsequent bid in the category for the inspirational teacher drama “Dead Poets Society” (1989), competing once again for the media satire “The Truman Show” (1998) and the swashbuckling epic “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” (2003), for which he also contended in Best Picture.
Born in 1944, Weir helped usher in the Australian New Wave of cinema with “Picnic at Hanging Rock” (1975), “The Last Wave” (1977), “Gallipoli” (1981) and “The Year of Living Dangerously” (1983). He brought his unique brand of filmmaking to Hollywood with the romantic mystery “Witness” (1985), which brought him his first Oscar nomination for Best Director. He earned a subsequent bid in the category for the inspirational teacher drama “Dead Poets Society” (1989), competing once again for the media satire “The Truman Show” (1998) and the swashbuckling epic “Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World” (2003), for which he also contended in Best Picture.
- 8/20/2023
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
In the 1990’s, Jim Carrey was one of the biggest comedy stars in the world, starring in several hit blockbuster comedies including The Mask, two Ace Ventura films, Liar Liar and Dumb and Dumber. But Carrey wanted to do something much different than he had ever done. In 1998, he took on a dramatic role in the critically acclaimed drama, The Truman Show. The film earned three Academy Award nominations along with many other accolades. The Truman Show was a sharp turn for Carrey, in which he played a man who didn’t know that his entire life was actually a reality show being shown all over the world. The film was directed by Oscar nominated director Peter Weir, whose previously directed films, including Witness, The Year of Living Dangerously and Green Card, were well received from critics and fans alike. Carrey loved the challenging role and working with Weir, which...
- 6/6/2023
- by Hollywood Outbreak
- HollywoodOutbreak.com
Sigourney Weaver is formidable. Intimidating. When she steps in front of a camera, she instantly becomes the most powerful presence in the scene, even if her character isn't. She projects fierce intelligence, and rightfully seems to disdain every single character in her orbit as less than. She's devoured the daunting likes of Bill Murray, Mel Gibson, and Gene Hackman without breaking a sweat. At 5'11", Weaver towers and struts with Amazonian grace. She's as captivating as she is impenetrable. But then she lets the facade crack, and you realize, even when she's playing an ice queen like Katharine Parker in Mike Nichols' "Working Girl," that these forces of nature are concealing a mess of neuroses.
In a less patriarchal world, Weaver would've been the female equivalent of Harrison Ford. She's a movie star top-to-bottom, but she's long worked against society's view of determined, independent women. There have been films that...
In a less patriarchal world, Weaver would've been the female equivalent of Harrison Ford. She's a movie star top-to-bottom, but she's long worked against society's view of determined, independent women. There have been films that...
- 4/8/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
For every actor that wins multiple Oscars, there are others who, no matter how much they put into their roles and how much campaigning they do, just can’t make the conversion into winning their first Academy Award.
More often than not, it’s just a matter of bad timing, like being nominated for an Oscar in the same year as one of the four actors mentioned above. There’s just no way of knowing when you’re taking on a role or shooting a film or even once a movie gets out to the critics, how things might change in the time before Oscar night.
Scroll through our photo gallery above (or click here for direct access) to see the 25 actors with the most Oscar nominations and no wins. We include everyone who has been nominated for an acting award at least four times, with Glenn Close and Peter O’Toole...
More often than not, it’s just a matter of bad timing, like being nominated for an Oscar in the same year as one of the four actors mentioned above. There’s just no way of knowing when you’re taking on a role or shooting a film or even once a movie gets out to the critics, how things might change in the time before Oscar night.
Scroll through our photo gallery above (or click here for direct access) to see the 25 actors with the most Oscar nominations and no wins. We include everyone who has been nominated for an acting award at least four times, with Glenn Close and Peter O’Toole...
- 2/21/2023
- by Edward Douglas
- Gold Derby
Peter Weir's "Witness" was a sleeper hit when it arrived in U.S. theaters on February 8, 1985. Back then, the first two months of the moviegoing calendar were dominated by the previous year's holiday season blockbusters and Academy Awards contenders, many of which were expanding from limited release. In 1985, this modestly budgeted crime thriller about a streetwise Philadelphia detective hiding out in a Pennsylvania Amish community was up against the box office juggernaut of "Beverly Hills Cop" and the critically acclaimed duo of "The Killing Fields" and "A Passage to India." The timing of the release indicated a lack of confidence on the part of the studio, especially since Weir's previous movie, "The Year of Living Dangerously," had been a major awards contender (with Linda Hunt winning the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for playing a Chinese-American man).
If "Witness" didn't seem promising coming out of the gate, perhaps that's because...
If "Witness" didn't seem promising coming out of the gate, perhaps that's because...
- 2/13/2023
- by Jeremy Smith
- Slash Film
Writer/Director Joe Cornish discusses a few of his favorite movies with Josh Olson and Joe Dante.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Attack The Block (2011)
Rocks (2019)
Poltergeist (1982)
Gremlins (1984)
Avanti! (1972)
Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975)
The Last Wave (1977)
Witness (1985)
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Fearless (1993)
Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World (2003)
Gallipoli (1981)
The Year Of Living Dangerously (1982)
The Cars That Ate Paris (1974)
The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai (1984)
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
The Rescuers (1977)
Bedknobs And Broomsticks (1971)
The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Moonraker (1979)
The Adventures Of Tintin (2011)
Bambi (1942)
Dumbo (1941)
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
This Island Earth (1955)
Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers (1956)
The Thing From Another World (1951)
Matinee (1993)
The Lord Of The Rings (1978)
The Omen (1976)
Damien: Omen II (1978)
Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981)
Battleship Potemkin (1925)
The Exorcist (1973)
The Exterminator (1980)
Friday The 13th...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Attack The Block (2011)
Rocks (2019)
Poltergeist (1982)
Gremlins (1984)
Avanti! (1972)
Picnic At Hanging Rock (1975)
The Last Wave (1977)
Witness (1985)
Dead Poets Society (1989)
Fearless (1993)
Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World (2003)
Gallipoli (1981)
The Year Of Living Dangerously (1982)
The Cars That Ate Paris (1974)
The Adventures Of Buckaroo Banzai (1984)
Remo Williams: The Adventure Begins (1985)
The Man Who Would Be King (1975)
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
The Rescuers (1977)
Bedknobs And Broomsticks (1971)
The Rescuers Down Under (1990)
The Spy Who Loved Me (1977)
Moonraker (1979)
The Adventures Of Tintin (2011)
Bambi (1942)
Dumbo (1941)
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind (1977)
Forbidden Planet (1956)
This Island Earth (1955)
Earth Vs. The Flying Saucers (1956)
The Thing From Another World (1951)
Matinee (1993)
The Lord Of The Rings (1978)
The Omen (1976)
Damien: Omen II (1978)
Omen III: The Final Conflict (1981)
Battleship Potemkin (1925)
The Exorcist (1973)
The Exterminator (1980)
Friday The 13th...
- 1/24/2023
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Prior to 2018, all honorary Academy Award recipients had originated from North America, Europe, or Asia, but that changed when South American-born composer Lalo Schifrin joined the club. Now, the newest crop of special awardees includes a representative from a fifth continent: Australian Peter Weir. With a career spanning over half a century, the respected filmmaker is already a credit to his homeland when it comes to the Oscars, as he is the only one of his native countrymen to have earned multiple Best Director nominations and was the first of two (preceding George Miller) to pick up bids for directing, writing, and producing.
Along with Michael J. Fox, Euzhan Palcy, and Diane Warren, Weir is set to be recognized at the upcoming 13th annual Governors Awards. This tribute comes in honor of the 77-year-old’s status as “a director of consummate skill and artistry whose work reminds us of the...
Along with Michael J. Fox, Euzhan Palcy, and Diane Warren, Weir is set to be recognized at the upcoming 13th annual Governors Awards. This tribute comes in honor of the 77-year-old’s status as “a director of consummate skill and artistry whose work reminds us of the...
- 6/29/2022
- by Matthew Stewart
- Gold Derby
Early in “Stars at Noon,” Yank journalist Trish gazes wistfully at a yellowed black-and-white photo of Nicaraguan resistance fighters, framed and tacked to the wall of the grim Managua hotel room where she’s having businesslike intercourse. “Young rebels used to be so sexy,” she sighs. It’s a direct jab at the unformidable army lieutenant on top of her in that moment, but also a callback to what could be perceived from afar as a more romantic, mysterious age of global political unrest — the kind that fueled the novels of Graham Greene and films like “The Year of Living Dangerously,” an alluring realm of fiction that perhaps propeled Trish so far from home in the first place. Claire Denis revives that sort of grimy glamor in this humid, intoxicating American-abroad thriller, but she’s not nearly so naive or nostalgic as her young protagonist.
Updating the late Denis Johnson...
Updating the late Denis Johnson...
- 5/25/2022
- by Guy Lodge
- Variety Film + TV
The composer who helped shape the sound of the 1980s as much as any other, Vangelis, is dead from Covid-19 at 79. The Greek musician used electronic instruments to play classical-inspired melodies that became instant earworms in “Chariots of Fire” and “Blade Runner.” For his work on the 1981 sports drama, he won the Oscar for Best Original Score.
Born in Agria, Greece, in 1943, Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou worked with pop bands in the 1960s as a producer, arranger, and writer, before forming the influential prog-rock band Aphrodite’s Child. Shortening his name to Vangelis, he got work the following decade as a composer for a series of nature documentaries, culminating in “Opera Sauvage,” his 1979 opus, which introduced some of his best-known themes. One piano-led track, “L’Enfant,” popped up many places over the next decade: as the official theme of the 1980 Winter Olympics, in a marching band rendition in “Chariots of Fire,” and...
Born in Agria, Greece, in 1943, Evángelos Odysséas Papathanassíou worked with pop bands in the 1960s as a producer, arranger, and writer, before forming the influential prog-rock band Aphrodite’s Child. Shortening his name to Vangelis, he got work the following decade as a composer for a series of nature documentaries, culminating in “Opera Sauvage,” his 1979 opus, which introduced some of his best-known themes. One piano-led track, “L’Enfant,” popped up many places over the next decade: as the official theme of the 1980 Winter Olympics, in a marching band rendition in “Chariots of Fire,” and...
- 5/19/2022
- by Christian Blauvelt
- Indiewire
There’s not much that Lady Gaga cannot do. A 12-time Grammy winner, the pop superstar has made a seamless transition to features (“A Star Is Born”) and television (“American Horror Story: Hotel”). As the world awaits her interpretation of the murderess Patrizia Reggiani in “House of Gucci,” are we also waiting on a future best actress winner, who could mimic a trajectory once executed by Cher (“Moonstruck”)?
The best actress race is buzzing with past nominees, previous winners, newcomers and career-defining character transformations (Kristen Stewart for “Spencer”). But while the field is notable, the cemented front-runner status has yet to materialize. Instead, the season has been awaiting Gaga’s turn as the Italian socialite convicted for hiring a hit man to kill her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci (played by Adam Driver).
Many singers-turned-actors have achieved Oscar glory in the performance realm, including Barbra Streisand (“Funny Girl”) and Jennifer Hudson (“Dreamgirls...
The best actress race is buzzing with past nominees, previous winners, newcomers and career-defining character transformations (Kristen Stewart for “Spencer”). But while the field is notable, the cemented front-runner status has yet to materialize. Instead, the season has been awaiting Gaga’s turn as the Italian socialite convicted for hiring a hit man to kill her ex-husband, Maurizio Gucci (played by Adam Driver).
Many singers-turned-actors have achieved Oscar glory in the performance realm, including Barbra Streisand (“Funny Girl”) and Jennifer Hudson (“Dreamgirls...
- 11/11/2021
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Writer/director Stephen Chbosky discusses his favorite films with host Josh Olson.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Rent (2005)
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012)
Dear Evan Hansen (2021)
Mean Girls (2004)
Footloose (1984)
Grease (1978)
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)
Wonder (2017)
Trainspotting (1996)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
The Shop Around The Corner (1940)
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Can’t Buy Me Love (1987)
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Live Like A Cop Die Like A Man (1976)
The Wizard Of Oz (1939) – John Badham’s trailer commentary
Once (2007)
Mean Streets (1973)
Invaders From Mars (1986)
Cabaret (1972) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Heathers (1989) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary
Sing Street (2016)
Star 80 (1983)
All That Jazz (1979) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Sound Of Music (1965)
Fiddler On The Roof (1971)
Blow-Up (1966) – Charlie Largent’s Criterion Blu-ray review
The Graduate (1967) – Neil Labute’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Vertigo (1958) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Brian Trenchard-Smith...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Rent (2005)
The Perks Of Being A Wallflower (2012)
Dear Evan Hansen (2021)
Mean Girls (2004)
Footloose (1984)
Grease (1978)
Star Wars: Episode VII – The Force Awakens (2015)
Wonder (2017)
Trainspotting (1996)
A Clockwork Orange (1971)
The Usual Suspects (1995)
The Shop Around The Corner (1940)
You’ve Got Mail (1998)
Can’t Buy Me Love (1987)
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Live Like A Cop Die Like A Man (1976)
The Wizard Of Oz (1939) – John Badham’s trailer commentary
Once (2007)
Mean Streets (1973)
Invaders From Mars (1986)
Cabaret (1972) – John Landis’s trailer commentary
Heathers (1989) – Karyn Kusama’s trailer commentary
Sing Street (2016)
Star 80 (1983)
All That Jazz (1979) – Allan Arkush’s trailer commentary, Randy Fuller’s wine pairing
The Sound Of Music (1965)
Fiddler On The Roof (1971)
Blow-Up (1966) – Charlie Largent’s Criterion Blu-ray review
The Graduate (1967) – Neil Labute’s trailer commentary, Glenn Erickson’s Criterion Blu-ray review
Vertigo (1958) – Dan Ireland’s trailer commentary, Brian Trenchard-Smith...
- 9/21/2021
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
When Sigourney Weaver appeared as Dana Barrett in "Ghostbusters," she was between two other landmark performances — in "Alien" and "Aliens." The former served as her breakout role while the latter earned her an Oscar nomination for best actress, a first for her in her career.
Having dabbled in sci-fi horror and also romantic dramas like "The Year of Living Dangerously," Weaver was looking to spice up her filmography with some work in a different genre. Mental Floss notes that she wanted to do a comedy after "Alien" -- something to lighten the mood, no doubt, of an uncaring cosmos where all your space-trucker pals get killed by biomechanical...
The post Sigourney Weaver gave a unique Ghostbusters audition - Here's the Story appeared first on /Film.
Having dabbled in sci-fi horror and also romantic dramas like "The Year of Living Dangerously," Weaver was looking to spice up her filmography with some work in a different genre. Mental Floss notes that she wanted to do a comedy after "Alien" -- something to lighten the mood, no doubt, of an uncaring cosmos where all your space-trucker pals get killed by biomechanical...
The post Sigourney Weaver gave a unique Ghostbusters audition - Here's the Story appeared first on /Film.
- 9/10/2021
- by Joshua Meyer
- Slash Film
Glenn Close is almost certain to reap a Best Supporting Actress Oscar nomination for her scene-stealing role as Mamaw in the Netflix flick “Hillbilly Elegy.” This will be her eighth trip to the Academy Awards. But this three-timer at both the Emmys and Tonys is still without an Oscar. She last lost in 2019 to Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”). That gave her the dubious distinction of racking up the most defeats in Academy Awards history without ever scoring a win.
Closes’s pal Meryl Streep has endured far more losses. She holds the Oscar nominations record with 21 bids and was defeated in 18 of those races. But Streep has three Academy Awards on her mantle (a supporting trophy for “Kramer vs. Kramer” and two lead awards for “Sophie’s Choice” and “The Iron Lady”). That last win came at the expense of Close, who was on nomination #6 for “Albert Nobbs.”
Katharine Hepburn racked up an even dozen nominations,...
Closes’s pal Meryl Streep has endured far more losses. She holds the Oscar nominations record with 21 bids and was defeated in 18 of those races. But Streep has three Academy Awards on her mantle (a supporting trophy for “Kramer vs. Kramer” and two lead awards for “Sophie’s Choice” and “The Iron Lady”). That last win came at the expense of Close, who was on nomination #6 for “Albert Nobbs.”
Katharine Hepburn racked up an even dozen nominations,...
- 2/10/2021
- by Paul Sheehan
- Gold Derby
In a time where the world is as polarized as ever, there seems to be a yearning to show oppression in all cultures. With Black Lives Matter gaining significant traction, a film about a Caucasian venture capitalist’s upbringing doesn’t feel exactly well-timed in our climate. Despite two magnificent actresses like Amy Adams and Glenn Close at the helm, director Ron Howard’s “Hillbilly Elegy” may face trouble on the awards circuit.
With a collective 13 Oscar nominations and zero wins shared between them, Adams and Close have long been considered as overdue as any actresses working today. Close is currently the most nominated woman in Oscar history without a win at seven, with Adams tied for second with Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter with six. Adams, whose significant nominations have included “Junebug” and “The Fighter” in supporting actress, has only been able to nab one lead nomination for 2013’s “American Hustle.
With a collective 13 Oscar nominations and zero wins shared between them, Adams and Close have long been considered as overdue as any actresses working today. Close is currently the most nominated woman in Oscar history without a win at seven, with Adams tied for second with Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter with six. Adams, whose significant nominations have included “Junebug” and “The Fighter” in supporting actress, has only been able to nab one lead nomination for 2013’s “American Hustle.
- 11/10/2020
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety Film + TV
Long considered one of Oscar’s most overdue actresses, Glenn Close is in the running yet again for gold this year thanks to “Hillbilly Elegy,” which will be released November 24 in theaters and on Netflix. She most recently received her seventh career nomination for “The Wife” (2018), a record among all living actresses, but lost yet again thanks to Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”). Will she now earn Oscar bid #8 for her latest big-screen performance? Get a closer look at Close’s seven Oscar nominations by touring our photo gallery above.
Close (a Best Supporting Actress front-runner) and Amy Adams (a Best Actress contender) star as a mother and daughter in Netflix’s “Hillbilly Elegy.” Directed by Ron Howard, the film explores the lives of an Appalachian family based on J.D. Vance’s memoir of the same name. As luck would have it, Adams is another overdue actress who’s hoping to...
Close (a Best Supporting Actress front-runner) and Amy Adams (a Best Actress contender) star as a mother and daughter in Netflix’s “Hillbilly Elegy.” Directed by Ron Howard, the film explores the lives of an Appalachian family based on J.D. Vance’s memoir of the same name. As luck would have it, Adams is another overdue actress who’s hoping to...
- 11/4/2020
- by Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
If the realm of scripted television is a “choppa,” then it appears that Arnold Schwarzenegger will, for the first time in his illustrious career, finally get to it.
The action icon is teaming with Skydance Television for an untitled television project with designs of becoming an hour-long series that will see Schwarzenegger as the star and executive producer, reports Deadline. The would-be series is being described as “a global spy adventure with a father (Schwarzenegger) and daughter at the center of the story.” While that sounds a bit like the climactic moments of Schwarzenegger’s starring role in director James Cameron’s 1994 classic, True Lies, there’s no indication that the project is an adaptation of any kind.
Nick Santora is the creator of the Schwarzenegger television project, set to develop and executive-produce as part of an existing overall deal with Skydance Television. Best known as the creator/executive producer...
The action icon is teaming with Skydance Television for an untitled television project with designs of becoming an hour-long series that will see Schwarzenegger as the star and executive producer, reports Deadline. The would-be series is being described as “a global spy adventure with a father (Schwarzenegger) and daughter at the center of the story.” While that sounds a bit like the climactic moments of Schwarzenegger’s starring role in director James Cameron’s 1994 classic, True Lies, there’s no indication that the project is an adaptation of any kind.
Nick Santora is the creator of the Schwarzenegger television project, set to develop and executive-produce as part of an existing overall deal with Skydance Television. Best known as the creator/executive producer...
- 9/1/2020
- by Joseph Baxter
- Den of Geek
With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options—not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves–each week we highlight the noteworthy titles that have recently hit platforms. Check out this week’s selections below and past round-ups here.
An American Pickle (Brandon Trost)
Seth Rogen plays dual roles in his latest comedy, American Pickle follows Seth Rogen both as Herschel Greenbaum, an immigrant who falls in a vat of pickled is brined for 100 years, and his great-grandson Ben Greenbaum, who is a computer coder and lives a very different life, to say the least. While there are certainly humorous sequences (a Brooklyn hipster couple’s first impressions of Greenbaum’s pickle stand comes foremost to mind), Rogen is far more interested in the definitions of family and loyalty, themes that are not explored with a great deal of emotional impact, but do add some heart to what...
An American Pickle (Brandon Trost)
Seth Rogen plays dual roles in his latest comedy, American Pickle follows Seth Rogen both as Herschel Greenbaum, an immigrant who falls in a vat of pickled is brined for 100 years, and his great-grandson Ben Greenbaum, who is a computer coder and lives a very different life, to say the least. While there are certainly humorous sequences (a Brooklyn hipster couple’s first impressions of Greenbaum’s pickle stand comes foremost to mind), Rogen is far more interested in the definitions of family and loyalty, themes that are not explored with a great deal of emotional impact, but do add some heart to what...
- 8/7/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
If you’re looking to dive into the best of independent and foreign filmmaking, The Criterion Channel has announced their August 2020 lineup. The impressive slate includes retrospectives dedicated to Mia Hansen-Løve, Bill Gunn, Stephen Cone, Terry Gilliam, Wim Wenders, Alain Delon, Bill Plympton, Les Blank, and more.
In terms of new releases, they also have Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles’ Bacurau, the fascinating documentary John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection, the Kenyan LGBTQ drama Rafiki, and more. There’s also a series on Australian New Wave with films by Gillian Armstrong, Bruce Beresford, David Gulpilil, and Peter Weir, as well as one on bad vacations with Joanna Hogg’s Unrelated, Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers, and more.
See the lineup below and explore more on their platform. One can also see our weekly streaming picks here.
25 Ways to Quit Smoking, Bill Plympton, 1989
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, Roy Rowland,...
In terms of new releases, they also have Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles’ Bacurau, the fascinating documentary John McEnroe: In the Realm of Perfection, the Kenyan LGBTQ drama Rafiki, and more. There’s also a series on Australian New Wave with films by Gillian Armstrong, Bruce Beresford, David Gulpilil, and Peter Weir, as well as one on bad vacations with Joanna Hogg’s Unrelated, Ben Wheatley’s Sightseers, and more.
See the lineup below and explore more on their platform. One can also see our weekly streaming picks here.
25 Ways to Quit Smoking, Bill Plympton, 1989
The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T, Roy Rowland,...
- 7/24/2020
- by Jordan Raup
- The Film Stage
The director of Sergio and many docs talks about docs and movies taken from true stories.
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Sergio (2009)
Sergio (2020)
Reds (1981)
The Two Popes (2019)
Rules Don’t Apply (2016)
Bulworth (1998)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Innerspace (1987)
Ishtar (1987)
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Man On Wire (2008)
The Fog of War (2003)
American Dharma (2018)
Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru (2016)
The Killing Fields (1984)
The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
Under Fire (1983)
Salvador (1986)
The Quiet American (2002)
The Quiet American (1958)
A Private War (2018)
The War Room (1993)
The Final Year (2017)
Independence Day (1996)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Bloodsport (1988)
Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996)
When We Were Kings (1996)
Soul Power (2008)
High School (1968)
Hospital (1970)
Titicut Follies (1967)
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (2007)
Before Night Falls (2000)
At Eternity’s Gate (2018)
American Factory (2019)
Dina (2017)
Honeyland (2019)
The Act of Killing (2012)
The English Patient (1996)
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Purple Noon (1960)
Other Notable Items
Sergio Aragonés
Wagner Moura
Narcos TV...
Show Notes: Movies Referenced In This Episode
Sergio (2009)
Sergio (2020)
Reds (1981)
The Two Popes (2019)
Rules Don’t Apply (2016)
Bulworth (1998)
Dick Tracy (1990)
Gremlins 2: The New Batch (1990)
Innerspace (1987)
Ishtar (1987)
The Thin Blue Line (1988)
Man On Wire (2008)
The Fog of War (2003)
American Dharma (2018)
Tony Robbins: I Am Not Your Guru (2016)
The Killing Fields (1984)
The Year of Living Dangerously (1983)
Under Fire (1983)
Salvador (1986)
The Quiet American (2002)
The Quiet American (1958)
A Private War (2018)
The War Room (1993)
The Final Year (2017)
Independence Day (1996)
Citizen Kane (1941)
Bloodsport (1988)
Bloodsport II: The Next Kumite (1996)
When We Were Kings (1996)
Soul Power (2008)
High School (1968)
Hospital (1970)
Titicut Follies (1967)
The Diving Bell And The Butterfly (2007)
Before Night Falls (2000)
At Eternity’s Gate (2018)
American Factory (2019)
Dina (2017)
Honeyland (2019)
The Act of Killing (2012)
The English Patient (1996)
Truly, Madly, Deeply (1990)
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Purple Noon (1960)
Other Notable Items
Sergio Aragonés
Wagner Moura
Narcos TV...
- 7/14/2020
- by Kris Millsap
- Trailers from Hell
Outsider Pictures, with Strand Releasing, has acquired North American rights to Sabrina McCormick’s “Sequestrada,” starring Tim Blake Nelson and Gretchen Mol.
The deal was struck by Paul Hudson, president of Outsider Pictures, and Miguel Govea, along with Brett Walker, of Alief, as world sales consultants for the filmmakers.
Outsider and Strand will give “Sequestrada” a theatrical run in select cities starting with Los Angeles and New York on Nov. 15. A VOD and DVD release follows on Dec. 17.
“Sequestrada” marks the debut feature of McCormick, a climate change expert and producer who credits include segments of the Emmy-winning Showtime series “The Year of Living Dangerously.” She co-directs and co-writes with Soopum Sohn (“Island to Island”).
It introduces Kamodjara Xipaia as the 13-year-old daughter of an Arara chieftain who is captured by sex traffickers. Her only hope of rescue is the American banker (Blake Nelson) behind the construction of the massive...
The deal was struck by Paul Hudson, president of Outsider Pictures, and Miguel Govea, along with Brett Walker, of Alief, as world sales consultants for the filmmakers.
Outsider and Strand will give “Sequestrada” a theatrical run in select cities starting with Los Angeles and New York on Nov. 15. A VOD and DVD release follows on Dec. 17.
“Sequestrada” marks the debut feature of McCormick, a climate change expert and producer who credits include segments of the Emmy-winning Showtime series “The Year of Living Dangerously.” She co-directs and co-writes with Soopum Sohn (“Island to Island”).
It introduces Kamodjara Xipaia as the 13-year-old daughter of an Arara chieftain who is captured by sex traffickers. Her only hope of rescue is the American banker (Blake Nelson) behind the construction of the massive...
- 9/7/2019
- by John Hopewell
- Variety Film + TV
“Buena Vista Social Club” meets “The Year of Living Dangerously” is how director Jared P. Scott pitches “The Great Green Wall,” an eco-documentary that shines a light on one of the world’s most ambitious but unsung initiatives to tackle climate change. The film premieres on Saturday in Venice Days, an independent section running alongside the Venice Film Festival. The film will be shown to 150 heads of state at the U.N. Climate Action Summit in New York on Sept. 23.
Executive produced by Fernando Meirelles, the Oscar-nominated director of “City of God” and “The Constant Gardener,” “The Great Green Wall” focuses on the plan, agreed by 11 African nations in 2007, to plant 8,000 kilometers of trees and vegetation across the Sahel, the semi-arid area that stretches the entire width of the continent, just below the Sahara desert.
The 90 minute doc tells its story through the eyes of Malian musician and activist Inna Modja,...
Executive produced by Fernando Meirelles, the Oscar-nominated director of “City of God” and “The Constant Gardener,” “The Great Green Wall” focuses on the plan, agreed by 11 African nations in 2007, to plant 8,000 kilometers of trees and vegetation across the Sahel, the semi-arid area that stretches the entire width of the continent, just below the Sahara desert.
The 90 minute doc tells its story through the eyes of Malian musician and activist Inna Modja,...
- 8/30/2019
- by Tim Dams
- Variety Film + TV
Peter Weir celebrates his 75th birthday on August 21, 2019. With six Oscar nominations under his belt, the Australian-born director has firmly established himself as one of our most respected filmmakers thanks to a number of visually striking, narratively ambitious movies. But how many of his titles remain classics? In honor of his birthday, let’s take a look back at all 13 of his movies, ranked worst to best.
SEEJim Carrey movies: 15 greatest films ranked from worst to best
Born in 1944, Weir helped usher in the Australian New Wave of cinema with “Picnic at Hanging Rock” (1975), “The Last Wave” (1977), “Gallipoli” (1981) and “The Year of Living Dangerously” (1983). He brought his unique brand of filmmaking to Hollywood with the romantic mystery “Witness” (1985), which brought him his first Oscar nomination for Best Director. He earned a subsequent bid in the category for the inspirational teacher drama “Dead Poets Society” (1989), competing once again for the media...
SEEJim Carrey movies: 15 greatest films ranked from worst to best
Born in 1944, Weir helped usher in the Australian New Wave of cinema with “Picnic at Hanging Rock” (1975), “The Last Wave” (1977), “Gallipoli” (1981) and “The Year of Living Dangerously” (1983). He brought his unique brand of filmmaking to Hollywood with the romantic mystery “Witness” (1985), which brought him his first Oscar nomination for Best Director. He earned a subsequent bid in the category for the inspirational teacher drama “Dead Poets Society” (1989), competing once again for the media...
- 8/21/2019
- by Zach Laws and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
In today’s film news roundup, Kristen Schaal and Holland Taylor have joined the cast of “Bill & Ted Face The Music”; Gravitas sets a pair of release dates; Alamo Drafthouse unveils its “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” plans; and Peter Weir is set for an honor.
Castings
Kristen Schaal and Holland Taylor have joined the cast of “Bill & Ted Face The Music” as characters from 700 years in the future.
Schaal will play a messenger while Taylor is set to take on the role of The Great Leader, the most powerful person in the universe. Keanu Reeves will again portray Ted “Theodore” Logan, and Alex Winter will reprise his role as Bill S. Preston, Esq. Other cast members include Scott Mescudi – best known by his stage name Kid Cudi – William Sadler, Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine.
Amy Stoch and Hal Landon Jr. have signed on to reprise their...
Castings
Kristen Schaal and Holland Taylor have joined the cast of “Bill & Ted Face The Music” as characters from 700 years in the future.
Schaal will play a messenger while Taylor is set to take on the role of The Great Leader, the most powerful person in the universe. Keanu Reeves will again portray Ted “Theodore” Logan, and Alex Winter will reprise his role as Bill S. Preston, Esq. Other cast members include Scott Mescudi – best known by his stage name Kid Cudi – William Sadler, Samara Weaving and Brigette Lundy-Paine.
Amy Stoch and Hal Landon Jr. have signed on to reprise their...
- 7/12/2019
- by Dave McNary
- Variety Film + TV
Anni Browning accepts the 2017 Spa Award to Film Finances for Best Service and Facilities.
In 22 years with Film Finances Australasia, Anni Browning experienced numerous highs and faced a few challenges as the cinema industry ebbed and flowed.
Browning, who has stepped down as MD of the completion bond company but is still a consultant, supported Rachel Perkins’ debut feature Radiance.
She took one of her biggest risks on a Rolf de Heer movie, which she counts as one of her proudest achievements.
The biggest trend during her time has been the proliferation of low budget films, despite the need to pay crews and allocate reasonable money for post- production. Film Finances bonded a lot of films budgeted at $1 million- $1.5 million and one-off feature docs costing as little as $100,000- $200,000.
One thing which has not remained constant is the insurance bond premium. When she started it was as high as 6 per cent of the budget.
In 22 years with Film Finances Australasia, Anni Browning experienced numerous highs and faced a few challenges as the cinema industry ebbed and flowed.
Browning, who has stepped down as MD of the completion bond company but is still a consultant, supported Rachel Perkins’ debut feature Radiance.
She took one of her biggest risks on a Rolf de Heer movie, which she counts as one of her proudest achievements.
The biggest trend during her time has been the proliferation of low budget films, despite the need to pay crews and allocate reasonable money for post- production. Film Finances bonded a lot of films budgeted at $1 million- $1.5 million and one-off feature docs costing as little as $100,000- $200,000.
One thing which has not remained constant is the insurance bond premium. When she started it was as high as 6 per cent of the budget.
- 7/7/2019
- by The IF Team
- IF.com.au
To celebrate the 40th Anniversary release of Alien, Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment will be releasing a first-ever 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray & Digital Download and SteelBook editions 22nd April. We have a copy of the 4k Blu-Ray and Alien: The Weyland-Yutani Report hardback book from Titan Books up for grabs!
In the film that birthed the wildly successful Alien franchise, the crew of the deep space tug Nostromo awaken from stasis during a voyage home to Earth when their ship’s computer detects what is believed to be an alien distress signal coming from the desolate nearby moon, Lv-426. While investigating, one of the crew, Kane (John Hurt), is attacked by an alien creature that latches to his face and he is rushed back to the Nostromo to receive medical treatment. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the ship’s warrant officer, advises against Kane’s return due to quarantine regulations – but her...
In the film that birthed the wildly successful Alien franchise, the crew of the deep space tug Nostromo awaken from stasis during a voyage home to Earth when their ship’s computer detects what is believed to be an alien distress signal coming from the desolate nearby moon, Lv-426. While investigating, one of the crew, Kane (John Hurt), is attacked by an alien creature that latches to his face and he is rushed back to the Nostromo to receive medical treatment. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the ship’s warrant officer, advises against Kane’s return due to quarantine regulations – but her...
- 4/24/2019
- by Phil Wheat
- Nerdly
As the Rascal Flatts would croon, “what hurts the most was being so close.” And Glenn Close was closer than ever to her first Oscar this year with “The Wife,” but alas, she fell short once again, losing to Olivia Colman (“The Favourite”) and is now the most nominated actress without a win. But which of her unlucky seven losses hurts the most?
Close’s film career started fast right out of the gate with “The World According to Garp” (1982), taking Best Supporting Actress at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the National Board of Review, with runner-up mentions at the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics. She became one of the few stars to earn an Oscar nomination for their screen debut. At 35, Close, who up until then worked in theater, was at the perfect age for one of those “hot new discovery” wins that Oscar likes.
Close’s film career started fast right out of the gate with “The World According to Garp” (1982), taking Best Supporting Actress at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the National Board of Review, with runner-up mentions at the New York Film Critics Circle and the National Society of Film Critics. She became one of the few stars to earn an Oscar nomination for their screen debut. At 35, Close, who up until then worked in theater, was at the perfect age for one of those “hot new discovery” wins that Oscar likes.
- 2/27/2019
- by Joyce Eng
- Gold Derby
When Glenn Close's name was read off the list of best actress nominees during the Oscar nominations announcement in January, it came as no surprise. Her exceptional performance as the elegant, emotionally complex wife of a renowned writer in The Wife has made her a widely considered front runner for months. Close is one of those actresses who effortlessly disappears into any role - and she's been rewarded for it. Over the years, Close has racked up seven Oscar nominations (including this year's). But it might surprise you to learn that the actress has never actually won a single Oscar; in fact, she has the most nominations without a win of any living actor.
Close's first Oscar nomination came in 1982, when she was nominated for best supporting actor for the Robin Williams dramedy The World According to Garp. That year, she lost to Jessica Lange from Tootsie. Close's 1982 nomination...
Close's first Oscar nomination came in 1982, when she was nominated for best supporting actor for the Robin Williams dramedy The World According to Garp. That year, she lost to Jessica Lange from Tootsie. Close's 1982 nomination...
- 2/19/2019
- by Amanda Prahl
- Popsugar.com
Long considered one of Oscar’s most overdue actresses, Glenn Close (“The Wife”) received her seventh career nomination on January 22, 2019. (See the complete list of Oscar nominations.) This year’s bid marks her fourth for Best Actress, while the other three were for Best Supporting Actress. Will Close finally win her elusive Oscar thanks to “The Wife,” or will she become a seven-time also-ran? Get a closer look at Close’s seven Oscar nominations by clicking through our photo gallery above.
See 2019 Oscar nominations: Full list of Academy Awards nominees in all 24 categories [Updating Live]
“The World According to Garp” (1982) — Close’s Oscar journey began very naturally at the start of her film career, earning a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her first feature film role in “The World According to Garp.” Playing Jenny Fields, a single mom who turns into a feminist icon, Close won prizes from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association...
See 2019 Oscar nominations: Full list of Academy Awards nominees in all 24 categories [Updating Live]
“The World According to Garp” (1982) — Close’s Oscar journey began very naturally at the start of her film career, earning a Best Supporting Actress nomination for her first feature film role in “The World According to Garp.” Playing Jenny Fields, a single mom who turns into a feminist icon, Close won prizes from the Los Angeles Film Critics Association...
- 1/22/2019
- by Kevin Jacobsen and Marcus James Dixon
- Gold Derby
It’s not uncommon for a prominent British actor to be labeled British acting royalty. All types, from Laurence Olivier to Maggie Smith, have worn the label but nobody perhaps has literally worn that title recently to the extent as Helen Mirren. She has had a long varied career and has earned her place as one of the holders of acting’s triple crowns by playing a variety of British monarchs.
Her Oscar came for playing the British Queen Elizabeth II in “The Queen,” which dealt with her reaction to the unexpected death of Princess Diana. She would revisit the role nine years later for a Tony on Broadway in the play “The Audience,” which dealt with Elizabeth’s relationships with the various prime ministers who have served under her. It was a different Queen, Elizabeth I, that would bring Mirren one of her four Emmys, when she starred in...
Her Oscar came for playing the British Queen Elizabeth II in “The Queen,” which dealt with her reaction to the unexpected death of Princess Diana. She would revisit the role nine years later for a Tony on Broadway in the play “The Audience,” which dealt with Elizabeth’s relationships with the various prime ministers who have served under her. It was a different Queen, Elizabeth I, that would bring Mirren one of her four Emmys, when she starred in...
- 11/2/2018
- by Robert Pius and Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
Close-Up is a feature that spotlights films now playing on Mubi. Bertrand Mandico's The Wild Boys (2017), which is receiving an exclusive global online premiere on Mubi, is showing from September 14 – October 14, 2018 as a Special Discovery.“I’m sick to death of this self. I want another.”—Orlando, Virginia Woolf, 1928Bertrand Mandico’s The Wild Boys depicts a metamorphosis from male to female, set against a landscape of gender fluidity. Upon a cursory glance, Mandico’s cinema seems to exist to be deconstructed. Like his short films, his first feature occupies an epicene world that collapses the binaries of biological sex and gender, extrapolating a dilemma described in Laura Mulvey’s “Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema,” which addresses men’s creation and spectatorship of images of women on film. In The Wild Boys, Mandico complicates the spectatorship of biological sex in that the titular boys are all played by women.
- 9/14/2018
- MUBI
Glenn Close is currently sitting in a very precarious position and could be on the verge of breaking a record nobody really wants to have. Ever since her new film “The Wife” started premiering at film festivals last year, Close has been getting Oscar buzz about a possible Best Actress bid for her role as the spouse of a renowned author (Jonathan Pryce). Should she be nominated and lose, Close would become the most nominated actress in Oscar history never to win.
Close is currently tied with Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter with six nominations apiece without a statue. However, number seven could be the lucky number for Close. There is precedence. Both Geraldine Page and Al Pacino were also perennial Oscar also-rans but finally took home trophies on their eighth and seventh tries, respectively.
SEEGlenn Close movies: 15 greatest films, ranked worst to best, include ‘Fatal Attraction,’ ‘Dangerous Liaisons’
Close...
Close is currently tied with Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter with six nominations apiece without a statue. However, number seven could be the lucky number for Close. There is precedence. Both Geraldine Page and Al Pacino were also perennial Oscar also-rans but finally took home trophies on their eighth and seventh tries, respectively.
SEEGlenn Close movies: 15 greatest films, ranked worst to best, include ‘Fatal Attraction,’ ‘Dangerous Liaisons’
Close...
- 8/30/2018
- by Robert Pius
- Gold Derby
There are many sins committed every minute of the day. But when it comes to Oscar oversights, there is one that might be rectified soon. Thanks to just-opened “The Wife”, Glenn Close could finally get a little gold man to call her own after six previous tries. She is currently tied with the late Deborah Kerr and Thelma Ritter as the actress with the most nominations without a win.
Close plays the indulgent wife of a renowned author (Jonathan Pryce), a self-absorbed lothario who wins the Nobel Prize for literature. As they journey to Stockholm for the awards ceremony, their relationship is strained as a long-unspoken secret can no longer be denied. Does Close’s much-raved-about performance in “The Wife,” which grossed a stellar $111,137 at the box office in just four theaters, have the same emotional weight as the sight of her weepily mourning her ex- lover while slumped naked...
Close plays the indulgent wife of a renowned author (Jonathan Pryce), a self-absorbed lothario who wins the Nobel Prize for literature. As they journey to Stockholm for the awards ceremony, their relationship is strained as a long-unspoken secret can no longer be denied. Does Close’s much-raved-about performance in “The Wife,” which grossed a stellar $111,137 at the box office in just four theaters, have the same emotional weight as the sight of her weepily mourning her ex- lover while slumped naked...
- 8/20/2018
- by Susan Wloszczyna
- Gold Derby
Jessica Lange has been voted your favorite Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner of the 1980s for her performance as soap opera star Julie Nichols in “Tootsie.” The iconic actress won by a strong margin over all other 1980s winners, as voted on by the readers of Gold Derby in a recent poll.
See Meryl Streep (‘Sophie’s Choice’) is clear choice for top Best Actress Oscar winner of 1980s [Poll Results]
Lange took in 36% of the vote, more than enough to clinch a win. Olympia Dukakis (“Moonstruck”) and Dianne Wiest (“Hannah and Her Sisters”) tied for second at 17% each, the only other winners to earn double digit percentage points. Next up was Linda Hunt (“The Year of Living Dangerously”) at 9%, while Anjelica Huston (“Prizzi’s Honor”) rounded out the top five with 7%.
Brenda Fricker (“My Left Foot”) followed at 6% in our poll and then came Geena Davis (“The Accidental Tourist”) with 4%. Peggy Ashcroft...
See Meryl Streep (‘Sophie’s Choice’) is clear choice for top Best Actress Oscar winner of 1980s [Poll Results]
Lange took in 36% of the vote, more than enough to clinch a win. Olympia Dukakis (“Moonstruck”) and Dianne Wiest (“Hannah and Her Sisters”) tied for second at 17% each, the only other winners to earn double digit percentage points. Next up was Linda Hunt (“The Year of Living Dangerously”) at 9%, while Anjelica Huston (“Prizzi’s Honor”) rounded out the top five with 7%.
Brenda Fricker (“My Left Foot”) followed at 6% in our poll and then came Geena Davis (“The Accidental Tourist”) with 4%. Peggy Ashcroft...
- 4/30/2018
- by Kevin Jacobsen
- Gold Derby
Sometimes a good thing will never die. That’s rarely a screenplay, the graveyard of unproduced scripts is an overfilled garbage dump that’s currently not taking any more bodies, but somehow against the odds, the international political thriller “Beirut” has come to life nearly three decades after it was born. Directed by veteran Brad Anderson, “Beirut” began as screenplay in 1991 penned by writer/director Tony Gilroy and is made in the vein of “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy,” “A Most Wanted Man,” and “The Year of Living Dangerously” and John le Carré political potboilers.
- 4/11/2018
- by Rodrigo Perez
- The Playlist
Well, better late than never. It has taken screenwriter Tony Gilroy’s script of Beirut only 27 years to reach the screen, but it was well worth the wait especially in that it gives its leading man Jon Hamm a movie role worthy of his talents. So why did it take so long for the script Gilroy wrote near the beginning of his career in 1991 to get made? Chalk it up to the mysteries of the movie industry, or perhaps just bad timing. Whatever the reasons, Beirut, which details a fictional hostage crisis in war-torn 1982 Lebanon, is a period film that also resonates today, perhaps showing that communication and diplomacy might be worth trying before rashly dropping bombs.
Under Brad Anderson’s tight and precise direction, the script from Gilroy (who went on to write and direct Michael Clayton, along with the Jason Bourne films) is almost a throwback to the...
Under Brad Anderson’s tight and precise direction, the script from Gilroy (who went on to write and direct Michael Clayton, along with the Jason Bourne films) is almost a throwback to the...
- 4/9/2018
- by Pete Hammond
- Deadline Film + TV
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