Movie News
Paramount’s musical biopic “Bob Marley: One Love” ruled again over a barren box office landscape.
The film added $13.5 million from 3,925 North American theaters in its second weekend of release, a 53% decline from its debut. “One Love” has been a surprise box office success with $71.1 million domestically and $120 million globally. It cost $70 million, and the studio only gets to keep roughly half of ticket sales, so it’ll need to keep singing in theaters to justify its cost.
“Bob Marley” topped the charts for the second consecutive weekend despite three new releases. Sony and Crunchyroll’s anime sequel “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — To the Hashira Training” fared the best among newcomers with $11.5 million from 1,949 theaters — enough for the No. 2 spot.
Hilary Swank’s inspirational drama “Ordinary Angels” opened in third place with an uninspired $6.2 million from 3,020 venues, while director Ethan Coen’s comedic thriller “Drive-Away Dolls” crash-landed in eighth...
The film added $13.5 million from 3,925 North American theaters in its second weekend of release, a 53% decline from its debut. “One Love” has been a surprise box office success with $71.1 million domestically and $120 million globally. It cost $70 million, and the studio only gets to keep roughly half of ticket sales, so it’ll need to keep singing in theaters to justify its cost.
“Bob Marley” topped the charts for the second consecutive weekend despite three new releases. Sony and Crunchyroll’s anime sequel “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba — To the Hashira Training” fared the best among newcomers with $11.5 million from 1,949 theaters — enough for the No. 2 spot.
Hilary Swank’s inspirational drama “Ordinary Angels” opened in third place with an uninspired $6.2 million from 3,020 venues, while director Ethan Coen’s comedic thriller “Drive-Away Dolls” crash-landed in eighth...
- 2/25/2024
- by Rebecca Rubin
- Variety - Film News
Kumar Shahani, one of the pioneers of India’s arthouse parallel cinema movement, died at a hospital in Kolkata on Feb. 24 after a period of illness. He was 83.
Shahani studied screenwriting and direction at the Film and Television of India, where he was tutored by Indian master Ritwik Ghatak. He won a French government scholarship for higher studies in France, where he studied at the Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinématographiques and assisted Robert Bresson on “Une Femme Douce” (1969).
He returned to India and directed his first feature “Maya Darpan” in 1972. Shahani was known for his formalist style of filmmaking and his landmark films include “Tarang” (1984), “Khayal Gatha” (1989) and “Kasba” (1990).
Internationally, Shahani’s work was particularly appreciated at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, which programmed several of his films including “Maya Darpan,” the short “Var Var Vari,” “Tarang,” “Kasba,” the documentary “Bhavantarana” and “Char Adhyay.” “Khayal Gatha” won the Fipresci prize...
Shahani studied screenwriting and direction at the Film and Television of India, where he was tutored by Indian master Ritwik Ghatak. He won a French government scholarship for higher studies in France, where he studied at the Institut des Hautes Etudes Cinématographiques and assisted Robert Bresson on “Une Femme Douce” (1969).
He returned to India and directed his first feature “Maya Darpan” in 1972. Shahani was known for his formalist style of filmmaking and his landmark films include “Tarang” (1984), “Khayal Gatha” (1989) and “Kasba” (1990).
Internationally, Shahani’s work was particularly appreciated at the International Film Festival Rotterdam, which programmed several of his films including “Maya Darpan,” the short “Var Var Vari,” “Tarang,” “Kasba,” the documentary “Bhavantarana” and “Char Adhyay.” “Khayal Gatha” won the Fipresci prize...
- 2/25/2024
- by Naman Ramachandran
- Variety - Film News
Natalie Portman revealed on a recent episode of the “Smartless” podcast (via People) that Jodie Foster once reached out to her after she heard Portman giving a speech about being sexualized as a young actor. Foster famously skyrocketed at 12 years old when she was cast in Martin Scorsese’s “Taxi Driver” as a child sex worker. Portman, meanwhile, was 11 years old when she was cast in “Léon: The Professional,” which served as her own acting breakthrough.
“I did a speech at a Women’s March about being sexualized as a young actress, and she reached out to me after that, and we talked and it was amazing,” Portman said. “She’s still a role model.”
Portman said that she learned at a young age to project a tough exterior on film sets to avoid sexualization by potential predators.
“That kind of projection of seriousness protected me in a way,” she said.
“I did a speech at a Women’s March about being sexualized as a young actress, and she reached out to me after that, and we talked and it was amazing,” Portman said. “She’s still a role model.”
Portman said that she learned at a young age to project a tough exterior on film sets to avoid sexualization by potential predators.
“That kind of projection of seriousness protected me in a way,” she said.
- 2/26/2024
- by Zack Sharf
- Variety - Film News
2024 marks Wolverine's 50th anniversary, and the clawed Canadian is celebrating it in style. He'll be part of Deadpool & Wolverine, with Hugh Jackman reprising his role as "the best there is." He'll also be a major part of X-Men '97, the highly anticipated continuation of X-Men: The Animated Series. Part of what makes Wolverine such an endearing character is his desire to be a better person than he is. The rest comes from his mutant abilities, which make him a formidable fighter — in addition to superhuman senses and a healing factor that makes him nigh invulnerable. His entire skeleton is coated with a metal called Adamantium, including razor-sharp claws housed in his forearms. Adamantium has a long history within the Marvel Universe, and no doubt will play a role in Marvel Studios' future projects.
- 2/26/2024
- by Collier Jennings
- Collider.com
The most fun awards show of all returned to the giant tent on Santa Monica Beach as the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards crowned “Past Lives” as Best Feature, and Celine Song won Best Director. Hosted by Aidy Bryant, the almost always irreverent ceremony also saw one “Free Gaza” protester scream on a megaphone about a third of the way into the ceremony.
Read More: “Oppenheimer” wins Best Film and Best Actor and Dominates The 2024 BAFTA Awards
After taking a SAG Award last night, Da’Vine Joy Randolph took yet another Supporting Performance for “The Holdovers.” The Focus Features release also took Best Cinematography, while Dominic Sessa took Best Breakthrough Performance.
Continue reading ‘Past Lives’ Wins Best Feature At 2024 Spirit Awards at The Playlist.
Read More: “Oppenheimer” wins Best Film and Best Actor and Dominates The 2024 BAFTA Awards
After taking a SAG Award last night, Da’Vine Joy Randolph took yet another Supporting Performance for “The Holdovers.” The Focus Features release also took Best Cinematography, while Dominic Sessa took Best Breakthrough Performance.
Continue reading ‘Past Lives’ Wins Best Feature At 2024 Spirit Awards at The Playlist.
- 2/26/2024
- by Gregory Ellwood
- The Playlist
After being revealed at the beginning of 2021, Marza Animation Planet (Sega's own animation studio) and Netflix Animation teamed up with Man of Action and WildBrain Studios to produce the newest television series in the iconic Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, Sonic Prime. Due to WildBrain being a Canadian company, making Sonic Prime a Canadian series, the typical voice cast found in the video games is not found here as Canadian union laws require Canadian projects to cast Canadian actors.
- 2/26/2024
- by Eddie Possehl
- Collider.com
The dystopian sci-fi film "Logan's Run" is set in a supposedly idyllic future society where residents above 30 mysteriously disappear. The hedonistic metropolis is enclosed by a dome, and those who choose to explore the world outside — and the secrets that it holds — are labeled "runners." Michael York stars in the film as the titular protagonist, an undercover police officer who infiltrates the runners only to find that he, too, opposes the laws that he once worked to uphold and helps them lead an uprising.
"Logan's Run" was nominated for its cinematography and set decoration in the 1977 Academy Awards. It even received a special achievement award for its visual effects. The futuristic set and costume design were almost identical to the smash-hit sci-fi adventure film "Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope," which was released the following year. It's possible that "Star Wars" even drew inspiration from the 1976 film. However,...
"Logan's Run" was nominated for its cinematography and set decoration in the 1977 Academy Awards. It even received a special achievement award for its visual effects. The futuristic set and costume design were almost identical to the smash-hit sci-fi adventure film "Star Wars: Episode IV -- A New Hope," which was released the following year. It's possible that "Star Wars" even drew inspiration from the 1976 film. However,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Shae Sennett
- Slash Film
This year’s Independent Spirit Awards faced a major broadcast hurdle as a Pro-Palestinian protestor with a speaker and a prerecorded message blared out many of the presenters and winners onstage.
The protestor became obvious to at-home audiences when Jim Gaffigan presented “Jury Duty” the award for best ensemble cast in a new scripted series. The rhythm of Gaffigan’s introduction was stilted as microphones picked up the muffled messaging from outside.
The sound created a stir in the audience at the ceremony, as it was louder than the show itself, with some leaving the show to see what the commotion was. Several people, including security and producers, approached the man with the speaker and another man with him, but the protest didn’t stop. Security then moved a shuttle bus in front of the protestors, driving forward and in reverse to block them and try to muffle the sound.
The protestor became obvious to at-home audiences when Jim Gaffigan presented “Jury Duty” the award for best ensemble cast in a new scripted series. The rhythm of Gaffigan’s introduction was stilted as microphones picked up the muffled messaging from outside.
The sound created a stir in the audience at the ceremony, as it was louder than the show itself, with some leaving the show to see what the commotion was. Several people, including security and producers, approached the man with the speaker and another man with him, but the protest didn’t stop. Security then moved a shuttle bus in front of the protestors, driving forward and in reverse to block them and try to muffle the sound.
- 2/25/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety - Film News
Home is the one place everyone should feel safe... unless yours is trying to kill your family and turn you into a deranged psychopath. The plot is a familiar one, and many cinephiles would argue that no haunted house movie has done it better than The Shining. Based on the best-selling novel by Stephen King, The Shining famously follows the doomed Torrance family, as they head to the Overlook Hotel for the winter. At the hotel, unseen forces drive the patriarch, Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson), to nearly kill his family, before his wife and son narrowly escape its ethereal claws. Considered one of the best psychedelic horror films of all time, it remains a frequently rewatched and studied classic. However, there is another film that mastered this same type of story; one that was even scarier than the Stanley Kubrick milestone.
- 2/25/2024
- by Logan Kelly
- Collider.com
The very best genre movies don't just pull from one source. This isn't merely in terms of the story they're telling, but how they're telling their tales. A superhero movie that is just focused on feeling like a superhero movie ends up uninspired and an exercise in visual noise. Thankfully, most films bear traces of other genres simply because filmmakers can't help but be fans of multiple cinematic avenues. It's when directors lean into their influences and break out of the boxes of their stories that their works really soar.
- 2/25/2024
- by Samuel Williamson
- Collider.com
In 2016, 25 after the publication of his novel "American Psycho," author Bret Easton Ellis wrote an article for Town & Country magazine reflecting on a question he was frequently asked: what would Patrick Bateman be doing now? In the mid-to-late '90s, Ellis thought that Bateman "would have been the founder of a number of dotcoms." Or, had the book been written in the decade leading up to 2016, "Bateman would have been working in Silicon Valley [...] palling around with Zuckerberg and dining at the French Laundry [...] wearing a Yeezy hoodie and teasing girls on Tinder."
The book is both very much of its time and also eerily prescient. It's easy to imagine Patrick Bateman as an influencer within TikTok's 'Hustle Culture,' working himself into a rage over other guys having more followers than him. As Ellis himself wrote:
"All the themes of the book still hold sway three decades later.
The book is both very much of its time and also eerily prescient. It's easy to imagine Patrick Bateman as an influencer within TikTok's 'Hustle Culture,' working himself into a rage over other guys having more followers than him. As Ellis himself wrote:
"All the themes of the book still hold sway three decades later.
- 2/25/2024
- by Hannah Shaw-Williams
- Slash Film
A protestor interrupted Sunday’s Film Independent Spirit Awards with a message to “Free Palestine,” and called for a “Ceasefire Now.”
A single protestor standing just outside the security barriers held a loudspeaker that was blaring a short, recorded message about Palestine on a continuous loop.
Attendees at the Indie Spirits, which are held outdoors in a tent on the beach at Santa Monica Pier, could hear the protestor from inside as the show was taking place. The message started being heard as presenter Jim Gaffigan took the stage to present an award to the cast of “Jury Duty.” The protestor could also be heard from the livestream of the show via IMDb TV and Film Independent’s YouTube channels.
A few attendees stepped outside to acknowledge the incident and see what was going on, but the awards show continued. Host Aidy Bryant said on stage, “We’re at the...
A single protestor standing just outside the security barriers held a loudspeaker that was blaring a short, recorded message about Palestine on a continuous loop.
Attendees at the Indie Spirits, which are held outdoors in a tent on the beach at Santa Monica Pier, could hear the protestor from inside as the show was taking place. The message started being heard as presenter Jim Gaffigan took the stage to present an award to the cast of “Jury Duty.” The protestor could also be heard from the livestream of the show via IMDb TV and Film Independent’s YouTube channels.
A few attendees stepped outside to acknowledge the incident and see what was going on, but the awards show continued. Host Aidy Bryant said on stage, “We’re at the...
- 2/25/2024
- by Brian Welk
- Indiewire
Few Oscar categories have felt as lopsided this year as the Best Supporting Actress race, which saw “The Holdovers” star Da’Vine Joy Randolph establish herself as an early frontrunner before winning virtually every early award along the winding campaign trail. This weekend alone saw her add to her momentum by picking up back-to-back wins at the SAG Awards and Independent Spirit Awards, which only bolstered her frontrunner status heading into the final stretch of Oscar voting.
But the actress isn’t counting her chickens before they hatch. In fact, she might not even care if they hatch at all.
Addressing reporters in the winners room at the Independent Spirit Awards, Randolph said that she isn’t too worried about the outcome of the Academy Awards. She explained that the appreciation she has felt from the film’s entire award season run is a victory in and of itself.
“I’m not expecting anything,...
But the actress isn’t counting her chickens before they hatch. In fact, she might not even care if they hatch at all.
Addressing reporters in the winners room at the Independent Spirit Awards, Randolph said that she isn’t too worried about the outcome of the Academy Awards. She explained that the appreciation she has felt from the film’s entire award season run is a victory in and of itself.
“I’m not expecting anything,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Christian Zilko
- Indiewire
In the late stages of this year's awards season, the experimental arthouse horror film The Zone of Interest has emerged as the unlikely talk of the town in Hollywood. Steven Spielberg just called it "the best Holocaust film since his own." The Zone of Interest explores the sociopathic occupational horror of operating Auschwitz, but did you know that 54 years ago, there was already a horror film made about the same themes, albeit in a totally different style? Enter Juraj Herz's The Cremator, in which the Czech New Wave director uses flashy, eccentric cinematographic tricks to unearth the unraveling mindset of a soon-to-be Holocaust manager.
- 2/25/2024
- by Jay Liu
- Collider.com
For almost a decade, Avatar: The Last Airbender has been hailed as one of the greatest Western cartoons ever made. A near-masterful combination of compelling narrative, eye-popping action, and stunning animation, Avatar changed the landscape of animated television in the 2000s. There have been several attempts to continue the story, such as the equally highly regarded sequel series, The Legend of Korra, and the infamous live-action movie by M. Night Shyamalan.
- 2/25/2024
- by Tyler B. Searle
- Collider.com
Scream is widely regarded as one of the greatest horror films ever made. With Neve Campbell in the lead role, the movie also set the foundation for a massively successful horror franchise. Written by Kevin Williamson and directed by Wes Craven, Scream single-handedly reinvented the once dead slasher genre for a new generation. While most might hold the 1996 film in high regard as an all-time great, it's not usually seen as one of the scariest movies ever made. Ghostface is indeed frightening, but the tone isn't as dark as say, The Texas Chain Saw Massacre. Scream aims to be fun. You get anxious, you jump, but then you laugh. There's no fun to be found in its backstory though, as Williamson was inspired to pen his most famous creation after watching a show about one of America's most heinous serial killers.
- 2/25/2024
- by Shawn Van Horn
- Collider.com
The 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards are in full swing, with striking “blue carpet” styles to match.
The annual awards ceremony took place Sunday, February 25 in Santa Monica, California, with the casts from “All of Us Strangers,” “Passages,” “Eileen,” “American Fiction,” “The Holdovers,” and more in attendance. The ceremony is hosted by “SNL” alum and “Shrill” creator Aidy Bryant, and was livestreamed on IMDb’s YouTube channel.
On the heels of the buzzy SAG Awards just the night before and even closer to the 2024 Oscars this time around due to the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023, the Spirit Awards are the place to be seen on the indie film scene. Oscar-nominated films “American Fiction,” “May December,” and “Past Lives” lead the Spirit Award nominations with five nods each, including in the Best Feature category.
To note, the budget cap of $30 million productions made Oscar heavyweights “Oppenheimer,” “Barbie,” “Poor Things,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,...
The annual awards ceremony took place Sunday, February 25 in Santa Monica, California, with the casts from “All of Us Strangers,” “Passages,” “Eileen,” “American Fiction,” “The Holdovers,” and more in attendance. The ceremony is hosted by “SNL” alum and “Shrill” creator Aidy Bryant, and was livestreamed on IMDb’s YouTube channel.
On the heels of the buzzy SAG Awards just the night before and even closer to the 2024 Oscars this time around due to the SAG-AFTRA strike in 2023, the Spirit Awards are the place to be seen on the indie film scene. Oscar-nominated films “American Fiction,” “May December,” and “Past Lives” lead the Spirit Award nominations with five nods each, including in the Best Feature category.
To note, the budget cap of $30 million productions made Oscar heavyweights “Oppenheimer,” “Barbie,” “Poor Things,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
Ottessa Moshfegh may have been channeling Hitchcock for her screenplay for William Oldroyd’s “Eileen,” but star Marin Ireland turned to a much different filmmaker for creative inspiration on the 1960s-set noir. The film was co-written by Luke Goebel.
Ireland, nominated for Best Supporting Performance for “Eileen” opposite Anne Hathaway, who was also nominated, came by IndieWire’s spot at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards red carpet to talk the 2023 Neon release. In the film, Ireland plays the mother of a teenager who’s been arrested for his father’s murder, and she’s hiding a secret.
“I had read the book years earlier, and I was like, what are we doing? Where did this come from?” Ireland said of her first meeting with Moshfegh. “She told me about this documentary she had watched called ‘Lost for Life’ about teens who were convicted as adults, who were serving life sentences,...
Ireland, nominated for Best Supporting Performance for “Eileen” opposite Anne Hathaway, who was also nominated, came by IndieWire’s spot at the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards red carpet to talk the 2023 Neon release. In the film, Ireland plays the mother of a teenager who’s been arrested for his father’s murder, and she’s hiding a secret.
“I had read the book years earlier, and I was like, what are we doing? Where did this come from?” Ireland said of her first meeting with Moshfegh. “She told me about this documentary she had watched called ‘Lost for Life’ about teens who were convicted as adults, who were serving life sentences,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Ryan Lattanzio and Vincent Perella
- Indiewire
The background is well-known to Trekkies. Throughout the 1970s, "Star Trek" exploded in popularity. This was thanks largely to some sweet eternal syndication deals, which allowed the series to stay on the air pretty much in perpetuity. In the mid-'70s, "Star Trek" conventions were born, revealing to the world that there was a passionate, ultra-nerdy contingency of Trek fans willing to discuss and celebrate their pop obsession in public. It was at these conventions that series creator Gene Roddenberry opened an ongoing conversation with Trekkies as to what made his series so appealing. One could argue that it wasn't until these conversations that Roddenberry discovered the depth of his show, and the pragmatic philosophies of pacifism and diplomacy it represented.
It was in 1975 that Roddenberry began working on a "Star Trek" movie, although that early concept fell apart over some complex script issues. After that, Roddenberry began work on "Star Trek: Phase II,...
It was in 1975 that Roddenberry began working on a "Star Trek" movie, although that early concept fell apart over some complex script issues. After that, Roddenberry began work on "Star Trek: Phase II,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
There are ebbs and flows, and then there is the career of Francis Ford Coppola. The legendary writer-director's uphill battle to triumphant victory parallels his fall from grace. Coppola's career trajectory is one of ancient kings and queens. Before he ever made the most celebrated film of all time, The Godfather, or orchestrated the most disastrous production in cinematic history in Apocalypse Now, Coppola's humble beginnings saw him win an Oscar for writing the Best Picture-winning Patton. In Coppola-esque fashion, he was fired from Patton due to a creative difference that is now the film's everlasting image 50 years later.
- 2/25/2024
- by Thomas Butt
- Collider.com
With a title that itself feels like a soothing murmur, Hong Kong director Ray Yeung’s “All Shall Be Well” returns to the social and lifestage milieu of his well-received 2019 later-life gay romance “Suk Suk,” and occupies a similarly melancholic, placatory register. But those hoping for a renewal, or maybe even an amping up of “Suk Suk”s restrained interrogation of internalized and externalized homophobia within Hong Kong’s economically advanced but culturally conservative middle class, may be a little disappointed. Although his fourth film revolves around a sixty-something lesbian couple, Yeung’s focus is broader, not sharper. The disappointment will however be mild, not just because there are plenty of other plaintive insights on offer, but because everything here is mild.
Angie (Patra Au Ga-man) and Pat (Maggie Li Lin-lin) have been a settled, loving couple for more than 40 years. They are now enjoying the simpler, slower pleasures of...
Angie (Patra Au Ga-man) and Pat (Maggie Li Lin-lin) have been a settled, loving couple for more than 40 years. They are now enjoying the simpler, slower pleasures of...
- 2/25/2024
- by Jessica Kiang
- Variety - Film News
The 2024 Independent Spirit Awards took place on Sunday at the traditional Santa Monica beach tent location, with Aidy Bryant hosting. “Past Lives” took home the coveted Best Feature award, with “Beef” being honored as Best New Scripted Series. Check out the full list of winners and nominees below.
Best Feature
“Past Lives”
Producers: David Hinojosa, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon
“All of Us Strangers”
Producers: Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Sarah Harvey
“American Fiction”
Producers: Cord Jefferson, Jermaine Johnson, Nikos Karamigios, Ben LeClair
“May December”
Producers: Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, Grant S. Johnson, Pamela Koffler, Tyler W. Konney, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, Christine Vachon
“Passages”
Producers: Michel Merkt, Saïd Ben Saïd
“We Grown Now”
Producers: Minhal Baig, Joe Pirro
Best Lead Performance
Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”
Jessica Chastain, “Memory”
Greta Lee, “Past Lives”
Trace Lysette, “Monica”
Natalie Portman, “May December”
Judy Reyes, “Birth/Rebirth”
Franz Rogowski, “Passages”
Andrew Scott, “All of Us Strangers”
Teyana Taylor,...
Best Feature
“Past Lives”
Producers: David Hinojosa, Pamela Koffler, Christine Vachon
“All of Us Strangers”
Producers: Graham Broadbent, Pete Czernin, Sarah Harvey
“American Fiction”
Producers: Cord Jefferson, Jermaine Johnson, Nikos Karamigios, Ben LeClair
“May December”
Producers: Jessica Elbaum, Will Ferrell, Grant S. Johnson, Pamela Koffler, Tyler W. Konney, Sophie Mas, Natalie Portman, Christine Vachon
“Passages”
Producers: Michel Merkt, Saïd Ben Saïd
“We Grown Now”
Producers: Minhal Baig, Joe Pirro
Best Lead Performance
Jeffrey Wright, “American Fiction”
Jessica Chastain, “Memory”
Greta Lee, “Past Lives”
Trace Lysette, “Monica”
Natalie Portman, “May December”
Judy Reyes, “Birth/Rebirth”
Franz Rogowski, “Passages”
Andrew Scott, “All of Us Strangers”
Teyana Taylor,...
- 2/25/2024
- by William Earl
- Variety - Film News
At the start of Io Capitano, Senegalese teenagers Seydou (Seydou Sarr) and Moussa (Moustapha Fall) are told by a more experienced adult named Sisko that their dreams of going to Europe are not as foolproof as they think. Sisko tells the pair that traveling to Europe is deeply dangerous and, even when one arrives there, poverty and arduous hardships still exist. "It's not like it is on television," Sisko somberly remarks. The beckoning siren call of new opportunities and financial independence, however, leads Seydou and Moussa to take the risk. They’re leaving home behind for new terrain.
- 2/25/2024
- by Lisa Laman
- Collider.com
Live from a tent on the beach in Santa Monica, California, it’s the 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards! This year’s ceremony, which kicked off this afternoon, was hosted by “Saturday Night Live” alum Aidy Bryant and feted the best in indie film and TV.
This year’s pack of nominees included a slew of Oscar contenders and a number of indie gems, all competing for the biggest prizes in the indie sphere.
Celine Song’s “Past Lives” won Best Feature (which the filmmaker picked up just minutes after winning Best Director as well), while “The Holdovers” and “American Fiction” also enjoyed multiple wins, including a Best Performance win for “American Fiction” star Jeffrey Wright and Best Screenplay for writer Cord Jefferson, and a Best Supporting Performance win for “The Holdovers” standout Da’Vine Joy Randolph and a Breakthrough Performance win for newbie Dominic Sessa.
Thanks to the Spirits’ various TV categories,...
This year’s pack of nominees included a slew of Oscar contenders and a number of indie gems, all competing for the biggest prizes in the indie sphere.
Celine Song’s “Past Lives” won Best Feature (which the filmmaker picked up just minutes after winning Best Director as well), while “The Holdovers” and “American Fiction” also enjoyed multiple wins, including a Best Performance win for “American Fiction” star Jeffrey Wright and Best Screenplay for writer Cord Jefferson, and a Best Supporting Performance win for “The Holdovers” standout Da’Vine Joy Randolph and a Breakthrough Performance win for newbie Dominic Sessa.
Thanks to the Spirits’ various TV categories,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Kate Erbland
- Indiewire
"M*A*S*H" star Loretta Swit didn't always have the easiest time as the only main female star of the series; her character was often underwritten early on and she was frustrated with the way her story ended. It's no surprise, then, that she was interested when she had the opportunity to leave "M*A*S*H" for another series where she would have a bigger role. Unfortunately for Swit (and luckily for the rest of us), the folks at 20th Century Fox shut down that idea faster than Hawkeye making a beeline for a new hot nurse.
Basically Swit was forbidden from leaving "M*A*S*H," despite the fact that many of her fellow early season co-stars had already left, but that's show business for you! By the final few seasons, Swit's character Margaret Houlihan and Alan Alda's Hawkeye were the only characters left from the beginning of the show,...
Basically Swit was forbidden from leaving "M*A*S*H," despite the fact that many of her fellow early season co-stars had already left, but that's show business for you! By the final few seasons, Swit's character Margaret Houlihan and Alan Alda's Hawkeye were the only characters left from the beginning of the show,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Danielle Ryan
- Slash Film
It is a bizarre fact… but yes, Michael Jackson did want to play the character of Jar Jar Binks. Jackson was a big Star Wars fan. He had life-size statues of Darth Vader, Boba Fett, and C-3Po at his Neverland Ranch. Jackson also collaborated with Star Wars creator George Lucas in 1986 on a short film called Captain Eo. And, in 1997, Lucas attended Jackson’s History World Tour at Wembley Stadium in London, where Jackson’s dreams of playing Jar Jar Binks were crushed. However, before we unpack this curious story, let’s find out a little more about Captain Eo and the acting career of Michael Jackson.
- 2/25/2024
- by Abbey Matheson
- Collider.com
Plenty of fun and interesting anime have come out in the past five years. Some such anime include Violet Evergarden, which is renowned for its beautiful visuals, Lookism, a Korean anime known to delve into insightful topics in a humorous way, and Cyberpunk Edgerunners, which deals with a somber story. Many others have also been praised for their fantastical elements, ability to tell a cohesive story, and their all-around fun-to-watch action scenes.
- 2/25/2024
- by Barbara James
- Collider.com
Sexy Beast, developed by Michael Caleo, is a prequel to the 2000 British crime drama of the same name, originally conceived by Louis Mellis and David Scinto. The series follows the exploits and early relationship between the main characters from the film, Gal Dove (James McArdle) and Don Logan (Emun Elliott) as the two best friends fall deeper into the 1990s London underworld. Add Gal's forbidden romance to the mix with the adult film actress Deedee (Sarah Greene), and the stage is set for a proper gangster tale. The series delivers on its name as a stylish, hyper-violent, east-end gangster drama, but the problem is that Gal Dove doesn't seem to have any reason to be involved in gangster life.
- 2/25/2024
- by Jordan Todoruk
- Collider.com
Twenty-four years in, Survivor is a staple of CBS's lineup. Created by Charlie Parsons, the hit show is the proud winner of seven Primetime Emmy Awards since its premiere in 2000. Often considered the first reality program on television, Survivor is also arguably the most difficult. While the premise isn't complicated -- contestants are "abandoned" on a Fijian island and vote one another off one-by-one -- the lack of food and modern comforts makes each day incredibly difficult to get through.
- 2/25/2024
- by Emily Cappello
- Collider.com
When it comes to historic horror franchises, no conversation is complete without the Alien series. Starting with 1979's Alien, directed by the legendary Ridley Scott, this revolutionary movie challenged what audiences thought horror was capable of with its dreadful atmosphere, iconic characters, and the truly horrific extraterrestrial. From the gruesome chest-burster scene to the ultimate hero in its protagonist Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) this film and its terror has stood the test of time — unfortunately, the same can't be said of its many sequels.
- 2/25/2024
- by Joel Medina
- Collider.com
Charles D. King has an impressive list of accomplishments, including an Oscar nomination for best picture for his 2021 feature “Judas and the Black Messiah.” But his proudest moment came when he told his young sons that he was quitting WME, where he was the first Black partner, to launch Macro, a multi-platform media company amplifying the voices and perspectives of people of color.
“They said to me, ‘Dad is going to be a boss!’ and started jumping up and down on their bed,” recalls King. “Whether Macro had gotten to the place we are now or not, I would have already felt like I succeeded.”
Since founding Macro in 2015, King has produced or executive produced features including Juel Taylor’s “They Cloned Tyrone” (2023), Boots Riley’s “Sorry to Bother You” (2018), Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” (2017) and the Denzel Washington-starrers “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” (2017) and “Fences” (2016). The latter earned a supporting actress...
“They said to me, ‘Dad is going to be a boss!’ and started jumping up and down on their bed,” recalls King. “Whether Macro had gotten to the place we are now or not, I would have already felt like I succeeded.”
Since founding Macro in 2015, King has produced or executive produced features including Juel Taylor’s “They Cloned Tyrone” (2023), Boots Riley’s “Sorry to Bother You” (2018), Dee Rees’ “Mudbound” (2017) and the Denzel Washington-starrers “Roman J. Israel, Esq.” (2017) and “Fences” (2016). The latter earned a supporting actress...
- 2/25/2024
- by Todd Longwell
- Variety - Film News
Part of the beauty of the "Star Wars" universe is how big and populated it is. Not only did the original trilogy deliver groundbreaking visual effects, but George Lucas wrote enough backstory and worldbuilding while working on the first film to sustain decades' worth of "Star Wars" movies. That worldbuilding also resulted in hundreds of smaller background characters that became overnight fan favorites once the movies — and the merchandise — started arriving. Even the most inconsequential one-off characters suddenly became beloved by audiences despite there being little to no official information available about them — at least, until we got entire novels and books devoted to every Glup Shitto and Max Rebo out there.
Of course, not every character gets that treatment. In fact, there is one character we only know the name of because the actor decided to take matters into his own hands during shooting — Quarsh Panaka. You remember that guy,...
Of course, not every character gets that treatment. In fact, there is one character we only know the name of because the actor decided to take matters into his own hands during shooting — Quarsh Panaka. You remember that guy,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Rafael Motamayor
- Slash Film
Out of all the prestigious awards at the Academy Awards, few are in such high contention as the acting categories; Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, and Best Supporting Actress. Many of the best films in a given year find themselves vying for nominations in even a single one of these categories, with only the most beloved of films finding themselves being nominated in multiple acting categories. Some films, however, find ways to go above and beyond, earning high amounts of nominations in these categories and entering an exclusive club belonging to a small selection of films.
- 2/25/2024
- by Robert Lee III
- Collider.com
The 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards are almost here. The 2024 ceremony will be hosted by “SNL” alum and “Shrill” creator Aidy Bryant, who follows past Spirit Awards hosts including Hasan Minhaj, Megan Mullaly and Nick Offerman, Aubrey Plaza, Nick Kroll and John Mulaney, Kate McKinnon, and Sarah Silverman. The 39th annual ceremony will take place this Sunday, February 25, live from the beach in Santa Monica, California.
The 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards will also be streamed live on IMDb’s YouTube and across other social platforms, including Film Independent’s YouTube channel at 2:00 p.m. Pt / 5:00 p.m. Et. See the full list of Spirit Award nominees here.
This year’s ceremony seems to hold more weight on the awards circuit than previous years, considering how Spirt Award-winning “Everything Everywhere All at Once” swept the core Oscar categories (including Best Picture) at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Now, Oscar-nominated films “American Fiction,...
The 2024 Film Independent Spirit Awards will also be streamed live on IMDb’s YouTube and across other social platforms, including Film Independent’s YouTube channel at 2:00 p.m. Pt / 5:00 p.m. Et. See the full list of Spirit Award nominees here.
This year’s ceremony seems to hold more weight on the awards circuit than previous years, considering how Spirt Award-winning “Everything Everywhere All at Once” swept the core Oscar categories (including Best Picture) at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Now, Oscar-nominated films “American Fiction,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Samantha Bergeson
- Indiewire
If you tuned into "Saturday Night Live" for the first time in awhile, you may have taken a look at this weekend's host Shane Gillis and thought, "Who the hell is this?" Thankfully, the comedian rather self-aware of this surprising turn for "SNL," even acknowledging that he probably shouldn't be on the stage in Studio 8H at 30 Rockefeller Plaza. That's because, a few years ago, Gillis was actually hired as a featured played for "SNL," but he was quickly fired from the show before his debut after some racially insensitive jokes from his own comedy podcast came to light and created a swell of controversy around him. Gillis seems to regret those comments, as he implored those unfamiliar with him not to Google what got him into trouble, but he didn't exactly apologize, so it's still a fairly awkward situation all around.
Speaking of awkward, that's pretty much what we got for this entire episode.
Speaking of awkward, that's pretty much what we got for this entire episode.
- 2/25/2024
- by Ethan Anderton
- Slash Film
Occult drama-thriller “Exhuma,” dominated the South Korea box office in its opening weekend with a scarily good debut approaching $17 million.
The film, about two shaman, a feng shui master and a mortician who attempt to undo the mysterious events happening to a U.S.-based Korean family, grabbed $14.5 million between Friday and Sunday, representing a 77% share of the overall box office market. Including the earnings since its Wednesday debut, the film earned $16.8 million in its full opening session, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).
That total should, when weekend estimated are confirmed, give “Exhuma” the status as the second highest grossing film so far in 2024 in Korea, behind only “Wonka,” and the claim to be the biggest Korean production, after overtaking “Citizen of a Kind.”
“Exhuma,” which stars the veteran Choi Min-sik and rising star Kim Go-eun, is directed by Jang Jae-hyun,...
The film, about two shaman, a feng shui master and a mortician who attempt to undo the mysterious events happening to a U.S.-based Korean family, grabbed $14.5 million between Friday and Sunday, representing a 77% share of the overall box office market. Including the earnings since its Wednesday debut, the film earned $16.8 million in its full opening session, according to data from Kobis, the tracking service operated by the Korean Film Council (Kofic).
That total should, when weekend estimated are confirmed, give “Exhuma” the status as the second highest grossing film so far in 2024 in Korea, behind only “Wonka,” and the claim to be the biggest Korean production, after overtaking “Citizen of a Kind.”
“Exhuma,” which stars the veteran Choi Min-sik and rising star Kim Go-eun, is directed by Jang Jae-hyun,...
- 2/25/2024
- by Patrick Frater
- Variety - Film News
It's been over half a decade since we've seen two of the zombie genre's most iconic characters be together, but that hiatus is finally coming to an end with The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Even though the juggernaut original hit series, The Walking Dead, ended it's long twelve-year run in 2022, the show's universe was, is, and will continue to expand with several spin-off properties. One of them, The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live, will finally reveal what happened to some of the shows most beloved characters -- Rick (Andrew Lincoln) and Michonne (Danai Gurira).
- 2/25/2024
- by Aidan Kelley
- Collider.com
The Walking Dead is an award-winning series that has spawned several spin-offs, but none may have been as highly anticipated as The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live. Since Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln) made his harrowing exit in Season 9, leaving his children in the care of his partner Michonne (Danai Gurira), fans have been dying to know if they would ever be reunited.
- 2/25/2024
- by Hunter Wooden
- Collider.com
The beautiful setting of Feudal Japan is being torn apart by war in FX's hugely anticipated epic miniseries, Shōgun. Based on the acclaimed novel by James Clavell and a remake of the 1980 miniseries of the same name, Shōgun tells of how a Japanese leader becomes enraptured in a unique conflict when a ship from Europe crashes into Japan's shores. Lord Yoshii Toranaga (played by the legendary Hiroyuki Sanada) discovers elements from this shipwreck that could dramatically change the solitary nation of Japan, either in or against his favor.
- 2/25/2024
- by Aidan Kelley
- Collider.com
Kyle Richards didn't have the best Season 13. At the start of the season, news broke that she was separated from her husband, Mauricio Umansky, after 27 years of marriage. That news mixed with her new friendship with Morgan Wade led to many questions for Richards heading into the season, and they were barely answered. While we saw the making of Umansky and Richards' separation through their lack of communication and Richards' new sober life, it was still a lot on the original housewife. So much so that we don't know whether or not she's going to return for Season 14 of the reality show.
- 2/25/2024
- by Rachel Leishman
- Collider.com
There are few directors working today who are as exciting as Jordan Peele. After three slam dunks in a row within five years — Get Out, Us, and Nope — he has solidified himself as not only a stellar modern auteur but has also proven to be one who effectively finds new ways to spin the works of iconic artists. With Get Out, he applied modern social commentary to the satirical tone of The Stepford Wives. Nope, on the other hand, is a horror-tinged throwback to Spielbergian pictures of the '70s and '80s like Close Encounters of the Third Kind and E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial. Us, as well as the aforementioned films, is essentially a modernization of the kinds of stories that appeared in Rod Serling's seminal series, The Twilight Zone. However, Us is paying some much deeper dues to Serling than just carrying his storytelling tone and social commentary.
- 2/25/2024
- by Samuel Williamson
- Collider.com
Game of Thrones launched the careers of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss into the stratosphere after the success of their HBO series. Benioff and Weiss became Hollywood’s most wanted and even bagged themselves a Star Wars project before wrapping Game of Thrones. However, when the final few seasons didn’t deliver, Benioff and Weiss’ schedule cleared up very quickly, and their reputation took a big hit. Game of Thrones Season 8 garnered a lot of negative attention for failing to resolve plotlines, questionable character decisions, and overall bad writing. While there are countless complaints with Season 8, such as Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) leaving Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) for Cersei (Lena Headey), or Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) becoming entirely useless to the story, the most controversial moment was when Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) killed the Night King during Season 8 Episode 3.
- 2/25/2024
- by Jack Harper
- Collider.com
Married to Medicine is one of the few reality shows that isn't driven by girl drama and which cast member has the most impressive plastic surgery. The women of Married to Medicine are hard-working accomplished women who have found success using their brains and allowing beauty to be a second runner-up. In seasons past, the Married to Medicine reunion looks have erred on the side of sensible over sultry, but in season 10, the ladies have decided to remind their fans that they can deliver a fashion-forward reunion that can stand alongside any Real Housewives legendary reunion.
- 2/25/2024
- by Christal Jordan
- Collider.com
It's no secret that the latest film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe starring Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney, Isabela Merced and Celest O'Connor, Madame Web, recently opened to incredibly negative reviews. Whether it's the film's 3.7/10 on IMDb, 13% on Rotten Tomatoes or an average of 1.7/5 on Letterboxd, it's an understatement to say audiences didn't enjoy the film. But many reviews have gone on record saying that the poor quality of the film was, in fact, quite hilarious. This has thrown Madame Web into the notorious "So Bad, It's Good" category of films.
- 2/25/2024
- by Eddie Possehl
- Collider.com
Just 30 minutes after final voting for the Screen Actors Guild Awards wrapped up, I made a last-minute switch in my best actress prediction — from Lily Gladstone in “Killers of the Flower Moon” to Emma Stone in “Poor Things.” Let this be a lesson: Second-guessing yourself is seldom a good idea.
Lily Gladstone made history as the first Native American and Indigenous person to clinch an individual SAG Award for her portrayal of Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman, in Martin Scorsese’s gripping crime saga. With a lead actress (drama) Golden Globe and a SAG Award now under her belt, Gladstone’s award-season momentum continues to be formidable. Historically, only seven performers have failed to win the Oscar after winning the unique combination of Globe and SAG:
1995: Lauren Bacall (“The Mirror Has Two Faces”) lost to Juliette Binoche 2001: Russell Crowe (“A Beautiful Mind”) lost to Denzel Washington (“Training Day...
Lily Gladstone made history as the first Native American and Indigenous person to clinch an individual SAG Award for her portrayal of Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman, in Martin Scorsese’s gripping crime saga. With a lead actress (drama) Golden Globe and a SAG Award now under her belt, Gladstone’s award-season momentum continues to be formidable. Historically, only seven performers have failed to win the Oscar after winning the unique combination of Globe and SAG:
1995: Lauren Bacall (“The Mirror Has Two Faces”) lost to Juliette Binoche 2001: Russell Crowe (“A Beautiful Mind”) lost to Denzel Washington (“Training Day...
- 2/25/2024
- by Clayton Davis
- Variety - Film News
The best thing that can be said about this treading-water weekend box office is that it would have been far worse without two niche audience films. And it is the last in February, with a much better March ahead.
“Bob Marley: One Love” (Paramount) repeats as number one with a respectable $13.5 million second weekend gross. It remains a possibility to reach a domestic $100 million, though this could be close. It fell 53 percent, not bad, but that’s compared to a first weekend when it already had a first two-day total of nearly $18 million before then.
That led a weekend coming to around $60 million total gross. Let’s be honest: That’s pathetic. “Marley” is doing fine, and the Manga “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba — To the Hashira Training” (Sony) #2/ $11.6 million and the faith-based adjacent drama “Ordinary Angels” (Lionsgate) #3/$6.5 million were credible performers versus anticipated results and investment. But the...
“Bob Marley: One Love” (Paramount) repeats as number one with a respectable $13.5 million second weekend gross. It remains a possibility to reach a domestic $100 million, though this could be close. It fell 53 percent, not bad, but that’s compared to a first weekend when it already had a first two-day total of nearly $18 million before then.
That led a weekend coming to around $60 million total gross. Let’s be honest: That’s pathetic. “Marley” is doing fine, and the Manga “Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba — To the Hashira Training” (Sony) #2/ $11.6 million and the faith-based adjacent drama “Ordinary Angels” (Lionsgate) #3/$6.5 million were credible performers versus anticipated results and investment. But the...
- 2/25/2024
- by Tom Brueggemann
- Indiewire
The premise for "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" is a little complex for the non-Trekkie, but ripe for drama when one delves in.
The titular station, Deep Space Nine, was in orbit around the non-Federation world of Bajor. For the past several decades, Bajor had been militarily occupied by the Nazi-like Cardassians, a species that regularly enslaved and mass-murdered Bajoran citizens. At the outset of the series, the Cardassian occupation had just ended, and Bajor inherited their disused station. In order to aid the Bajoran restoration, Starfleet was assigned to run Deep Space Nine and to oversee the rebuilding of Bajor's government (which was already tilting dangerously close to a corrupt theocracy).
Commander Sisko (Avery Brooks) was the Starfleet officer put in charge of the broken-down DS9 and his first officer was the haughty former Bajoran resistance fighter, Major Kira (Nana Visitor). "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" was unique in...
The titular station, Deep Space Nine, was in orbit around the non-Federation world of Bajor. For the past several decades, Bajor had been militarily occupied by the Nazi-like Cardassians, a species that regularly enslaved and mass-murdered Bajoran citizens. At the outset of the series, the Cardassian occupation had just ended, and Bajor inherited their disused station. In order to aid the Bajoran restoration, Starfleet was assigned to run Deep Space Nine and to oversee the rebuilding of Bajor's government (which was already tilting dangerously close to a corrupt theocracy).
Commander Sisko (Avery Brooks) was the Starfleet officer put in charge of the broken-down DS9 and his first officer was the haughty former Bajoran resistance fighter, Major Kira (Nana Visitor). "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" was unique in...
- 2/25/2024
- by Witney Seibold
- Slash Film
Porsha Williams is heading back to The Real Housewives of Atlanta as a single woman. Previously married to Kordell Stewart at the start of her involvement in the series, viewers watched her start a family with Dennis McKinley seasons later, only for their whirlwind romance to end in flames. Williams married Simon Guobadia in 2022, and, amid his reported immigration issues, the reality star filed for divorce. But everything was good between the now estranged pair on their respective social media pages days before the divorce filing, leading fans to question why she is pulling the plug.
- 2/25/2024
- by Rachel Leishman
- Collider.com
It’s safe to say that the Academy Awards are the most prestigious event in cinema, but no categories are the subject of such fearsome competition as the so-called “Big Five." Scoring a nomination in one of these categories – Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, and either Best Original Screenplay or Best Adapted Screenplay depending on eligibility – is a highly coveted accolade, and for a film to go four steps beyond and earn nominations across the board is an accomplishment few have obtained. In this almost century-spanning conflict, 43 films have been nominated in all five categories, but only three – It Happened One Night, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, and The Silence of the Lambs – have struck the jackpot and walked away with a full house. Considering the Academy’s middling track record when it comes to honoring the most praiseworthy films of their respective years, it’s...
- 2/25/2024
- by Matthew Mosley
- Collider.com
The music-video-to-film-director pipeline is a tried and true path for many filmmakers. Anyone who enjoys deep dives on IMDb or falling down a Wikipedia rabbit hole has had the "I had no idea they made that!" moment. Spike Jonze, before gracing the world with Her or Being John Malkovich, turned out pieces for Daft Punk, Weezer, Sonic Youth, and many others. Francis Lawrence, most notable for helming three out of four Hunger Games blockbusters, boasts a massive catalog of music videos — Lady Gaga, The Black Eyed Peas, and even Avril Lavigne's iconic "Sk8er Boi." One can often go back and connect a direct line between the director's early visual style and their present-day, more heavily financed work. In other instances, you'd never make the connection had their name not appeared in the credits below the YouTube video — no one could've guessed that the precursors to Mark Webb's...
- 2/25/2024
- by Samuel Wyatt Haines
- Collider.com
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