Indie News

The National Board of Review (NBR) has announced its picks for the best films and performances of 2018. The organization is made up of film enthusiasts, industry professionals, academics, and filmmakers.

The NBR is one of the first organizations to announce its end-of-the-year selections, followed closely by the New York Film Critics Circle (November 29). Awards season kicked off with the Gotham Awards on November 27, where Bo Burnham’s Eighth Grade and Paul Schrader’s First Reformed both won two prizes. The Rider surprised by winning Best Feature.

The full list of 2018 National Board of Review winners is below.

Best Film: Green Book

Aubrey Plaza has been set to host the 2019 Film Independent Spirit Awards, which are set to air live from Santa Monica on February 23 on IFC. She will take over duties from John Mulaney and Nick Kroll, who co-hosted the marquee indie film event for the past two years.

This year’s ceremony will include a Best Feature race among Eighth Grade, First Reformed, If Beale Street Could Talk, Leave No Trace, and You Were Never Really Here.

“The search for a great Spirit Awards host is never easy,” said Film Independent president Josh Welsh in a release Monday. “This year we said, let’s find someone funny, smart, a cinephile, being a great actor wouldn’t hurt, and it would be an added bonus if they’ve previously won a Spirit Award. Then we realized, oh wait, that’s Aubrey Plaza! So thank you Aubrey, for hosting the Spirits!”

Celebrated filmmaker Mira Nair — whose films include Monsoon Wedding and The Namesake — is launching her first online class, in which she’ll share insights for aspiring auteurs.

Her class on independent filmmaking is being offered exclusively through internet education platform MasterClass. In the course, Nair shares her directing methods, pointers on maximizing budgets, and how to bring authentic stories to the screen.

Nair’s class is available now on MasterClass’s website (at masterclass.com/mn), priced at $90 for lifetime access to the series of video tutorials and other materials. MasterClass also offers a $180 annual plan, which grants unlimited access to all new and existing classes from its full lineup of celebrity instructors.

The 2018 IFP Gotham Awards are being handed out in New York City on Monday night by the Independent Filmmaker Project.

The first award of the night went to Hale County This Morning, This Evening, which won the documentary award over a field of nominees that included Minding the Gap, Shirkers and Won’t You Be My Neighbor?

Paul Schrader won the screenplay award for First Reformed.

TheWrap will update the winners as they are announced.

NPR’s “Fresh Air,” the iconic radio show hosted by Terry Gross, has announced it is cutting ties with film critic David Edelstein after the New York Magazine film critic made a joke while commenting on the death of esteemed filmmaker Bernardo Bertolucci. Edelstein posted to his Facebook page a photo of Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider from Bertolucci’s erotic drama “Last Tango in Paris” with the caption: “Even grief is better with butter.”

Edelstein was referencing the most infamous “Last Tango in Paris Scene” in which butter is used as lubricant during a sex scene. Bertolucci acknowledged in December 2016 the scene was a surprise for the 19-year-old Schneider, who came forward to say she felt humiliated by the action. Many criticized Bertolucci’s action on set as a form of rape, and Edelstein’s joke was slammed online for making light of a serious sexual assault.

“Today we

With romantic-comedies thriving at the box office (“Crazy Rich Asians”) and online, it’s hardly surprising to hear Kristen Stewart is embracing the genre for her next acting gig. Stewart is set to star as one of two leads in “Happiest Season,” a holiday-set romantic-comedy with an Lgbtq love story at the center of the plot.

“Happiest Season” is set to be the latest directorial effort for actress Clea DuVall, who had her feature debut behind the camera with the star-studded 2016 comedy “The Intervention.” Duvall is co-writing the script with her screenwriting partner Mary Holland. The story is set an annual family holiday party where a young woman plans to propose to her girlfriend. The plan gets an unexpected twist when the woman finds out her partner hasn’t come out as gay to her conservative parents.

Both Stewart and DuVall are members of the Lgbtq community, which means “Happiest

Rita Moreno has joined the cast of Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake, based on the Oscar-winning 1961 film and 1957 Broadway musical, Deadline reports. The original show was written by Arthur Laurents with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. Moreno starred as Anita in the original film, taking over for Chita Rivera, who originated the role on Broadway. Moreno will also act as executive producer on the Spielberg remake.

Moreno will play a new character named Valentina, a gender-swapped and expanded version of Doc, who owns the corner store where Tony works.

“Never in my wildest dreams did I see myself revisiting this seminal work,” Moreno told Deadline. “And to be asked by Steven Spielberg to participate is simply thrilling! Then to work together with the brilliant playwright Tony Kushner – what a glorious stew! I am tingling!”

Simone Missick is best known for playing Misty Knight in the Netflix/Marvel series Luke Cage (as well in The Defenders and Iron Fist). She tells a great story of getting that part, and her game plan for auditioning in general, and also talks about knowing when to offer script changes, even for Marvel material! Then we talk about her important new film Jinn, about a teenager torn between her burgeoning sexuality and her mother’s newfound Muslim faith. Jinn is now available on VOD and Digital. Back To One can be found wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes, Google Play, […]

Simone Missick is best known for playing Misty Knight in the Netflix/Marvel series Luke Cage (as well in The Defenders and Iron Fist). She tells a great story of getting that part, and her game plan for auditioning in general, and also talks about knowing when to offer script changes, even for Marvel material! Then we talk about her important new film Jinn, about a teenager torn between her burgeoning sexuality and her mother’s newfound Muslim faith. Jinn is now available on VOD and Digital. Back To One can be found wherever you get your podcasts, including iTunes, Google Play, […]

It shouldn’t feel like a crazy idea to suggest that “Paddington 2” should be a serious player in this year’s awards race. Yes, a sequel hasn’t been nominated for Best Picture since “Mad Max: Fury Road” in 2015, and a “kids’ movie” hasn’t made the cut since “Toy Story 3” in 2010.

True, “Paddington 2” came out in January — a month that belongs to the previous year, so far as the Oscar season is concerned — and yes, the story of a computer-generated bear trying to retrieve a pop-up book for his aunt (also a computer-generated bear) might look a little silly next to a sweeping historical epic like “Roma” or a zeitgeist-destroying love story like “A Star Is Born.” While there’s no denying that Hugh Grant brilliantly reinterprets the music of Stephen Sondheim, it’s hard to compete with Lady Gaga forever transforming the soul of Jackson Maine.

For those film fans worried that Kristen Stewart is forgoing the indie scene in favor of more big-budget work, thanks to the upcoming “Charlie’s Angels,” never fear. Stewart’s latest project plants her firmly back in her dramatic comfort zone.

Variety is reporting that the actress has signed on to star in the upcoming film “Happiest Season.” The film tells the story of a young lesbian couple on the cusp of taking the next step in their relationship.

Continue reading Kristen Stewart To Star In The New Film ‘Happiest Season’ From Writer-Director Clea DuVall at The Playlist.

Lost in the shuffle of prestige films making strong debuts and massive studio films breaking records is the interesting, and downright terrible, box office run of Jason Reitman’s “The Front Runner.” The film, which stars A-lister Hugh Jackman, tells the story of the political scandal surrounding ‘80s Presidential candidate Gary Hart. And frankly, the box office results, thus far, for the film point to a sizeable flop for Sony.

Continue reading Can The Political Drama ‘Vice’ Succeed At The Box Office Despite ‘The Front Runner’ Failure? at The Playlist.

Is there anything we can tell you Donald Glover that would surprise you? Not only is he one of the biggest musical artists of the moment, but Glover is a jack of all trades and an accomplished writer-director-actor that is probably best known for his incredible FX series “Atlanta.” So, it really shouldn’t be any surprise that Glover just went ahead and snuck away to film an entire movie with one of the biggest stars in the world and no one had a clue.

Continue reading Donald Glover & Director Hiro Murai Snuck Off And Filmed A Secret Movie With Rihanna & Letitia Wright at The Playlist.

“Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” hasn’t even been released yet, and Sony is already banking on the film’s ultimate success by beginning work on a sequel and a brand-new spin-off.

According to THR, Joaquim Dos Santos has been hired to direct the sequel to ‘Into the Spider-Verse.’ Dos Santos is probably best known for his animated work on series “Avatar: The Last Airbender” and Netflix’s “Voltron.” Both of those shows have been fan-favorites and universally acclaimed.

Continue reading Sony Already Working On Sequel & Female-Centric Spin-Off For ‘Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse’ at The Playlist.

“Mary Poppins Returns” has large Disney shoes to fill, if it wants to be favorably compared to the classic original film. The sequel to 1964’s “Mary Poppins” seems to capture the spirit of the original, with its mixture of animation and live-action, a healthy dose of fun and whimsy, as well as its own fair share of musical numbers. And it’s those musical additions to the franchise that fans might be most anxious about.

Continue reading Emily Blunt & Lin-Manuel Miranda Sing Their Hearts Out In Two New Songs From ‘Mary Poppins Returns’ at The Playlist.

Ava DuVernay has also flirted with Warner Bros. in the past. The acclaimed filmmaker is working on a big-budget adaptation of the DC comic “New Gods” for the studio, as well as a couple of TV projects. But now, thanks to a new, massive deal, DuVernay can officially make Warner Bros. her home. At least for the TV side of things.

Today, the studio announced that DuVernay signed a multi-year deal with Wbtv worth a reported $100 million.

Continue reading Ava DuVernay Signs Massive $100 Million Exclusive Deal With Warner Bros. TV at The Playlist.

The always mercurial New York-based National Board of Review (you too can be a member!) announced their year-end honors as Peter Farrelly’s “Green Book” took the celebrated Best Film honor. The organization also showed its love to “A Star is Born,” however, as Bradley Cooper’s hit took Best Director (Cooper), Best Actress (New York native Lady Gaga) and Best Supporting Actor (Sam Elliot).

Continue reading ‘Green Book’ Wins Best Film Of 2018 From National Board Of Review at The Playlist.

A strange, and fairly unpredictable, thing happened as “Venom” was released in theaters back in October. Sure, comic book fans ate it up, as expected. But there is a significant amount of fans that read between the lines a bit more than your average filmgoer and noticed that running throughout the superhero film is a love story. But not the one you expected. You see, many saw the box office hit as a romance between Eddie Brock and the symbiote living inside him.

Continue reading ‘Venom’ Blu-Ray Trailer Leans Into The Meme & Fully Embraces The Eddie Brock/Venom Love Story at The Playlist.

Film Independent announced the host of the 34th Independent Spirit Awards this morning and, surprise, it was not a third go-around of celebrated duo John Mulaney and Nick Kroll. Instead, former Spirit Award winner Aubrey Plaza will take the reins of entertaining the intoxicated guests at the annual soiree in Santa Monica.

Best and Worst of the 2018 Spirit Awards: “Get Out,” Greta Gerwig, Elisabeth Olsen

In a statement released by Film Independent Plaza remarked, “I am truly honored and delighted to host the Spirits Awards this year.

Continue reading Aubrey Plaza To Host 2019 Independent Spirit Awards at The Playlist.

Director Paul King’s most recent two films, “Paddington” and the appropriately titled “Paddington 2,” are regarded as not just great family films, but two of the best films of their respective years, period. “Paddington 2” might actually score some Oscar recognition, in fact. So, it’s not a surprise that King’s upcoming slate of projects is ever-growing. And now, the filmmaker has yet another major film to add to his very busy schedule.

Continue reading ‘Paddington’ Director Paul King To Co-Write & Direct Fantasy Film ‘Time’s Fool’ For Fox Searchlight at The Playlist.