Todd Phillips’ upcoming “Joker” movie is not a Joker origin story as much as it is a crazy clown dude movie.
Read more‘The Farewell’: Awkwafina Shines In A Resonant Happy/Sad Tale Of Family Love & Loss [Review]
I am re-posting my Sundance review of Lulu Wang’s “The Farewell” because of its impending theatrical release this coming Friday. Also, look for an interview with Wang to be posted later this week — she has truly directed one of the very best movies you will see this summer.
Read more‘Judy’ Trailer: Renée Zellweger Brings Judy Garland's Tortured Soul On-Screen
Renee Zellweger as Judy Garland isn’t a terrible casting decision. It could work. Zellweger and Garland both have what you might call "unconventional movie star looks". Garland did, however, age terribly in her ‘40s. All the mentally draining stuff she had to go through eventually took its toll .
Read more‘Spider-Man: Far From Home’ Earns $117M in six days; ‘Midsommar’ Debuts in Sixth Spot.
When all else fails at the box-office, you can always count on superhero movies to come and save the day. ”Spider-Man: Far From Home” catapulted to the top of the domestic box office with a six-day $185 million Debut.However, if you just count its traditional 3-day weekend gross, ‘Far From Home’ only made $93. That’s $24 million less than its predecessor, 2017’s “Spider-Man: Homecoming,” which earned $117 million on opening weekend.
Read more‘Midsommar': A Few More Thoughts
Ari Aster’s absurdist break-up movie “Midsommar” is now in theaters [review]. No matter its flaws, it is your duty, as a cinephile, to go and seek this movie out. After two viewings, I can unequivocally state that I have never seen a movie mix horror and comedy quite this way before. Ari Aster’s vision is truly unique. It will no doubt polarize audiences the same way Darren Aronofsky’s “mother!” did a few years ago. It starts off with a rather slow set-up, but Aster finally lets ‘er rip when the “outrageous” payoff happens. Abandoning all self-seriousness and going for full-on horror comedy was this movie’s calling.
So what if Joe Talbot is White
I had an argument with someone the other day about “The Last Black Man in San Francisco.” And, surprisingly, I was actually defending the movie (despite my C+ review at Sundance). This person, a female of white-privilege, expressed disappointment in finding out that “The Last Black Man in San Francisco” was directed by a white man and not a person of color. She liked the movie when she saw it back in Boston, but, at the same time, she had thought, at the time, that it was directed by a black filmmaker. And so, she now finds the movie is of a lesser quality, all because it didn’t come from a black perspective. Hypocritical? Maybe.
Read moreVenice Film Fest Struggling To Find Female-Directed Movies For Competition — Report
As fall festivals start announcing their lineups in the coming weeks, with Toronto and Venice both scheduled to do so in two weeks time, I’ve been getting more and more intel on the behind-the-scenes goings on happening at both festivals. I’ll keep leaking the info through a series of articles in the coming days. However, most imminently, I want to tackle Venice boss Alberto Barbera’s struggles to find female directors for his competition lineup.
Read moreNYT Op-ed Goes After White Male Film Critics
A 7.5 N.Y. Times opinion piece called “The Dominance of the White Male Critic” has been making the rounds. For better or worse, what Elizabeth Mendez Berry and Chi-hui Yang have written is a conversation starter.
Read moreTIFF Imposing Stricter Rules to Nab World Premieres
There have been whispers about TIFF trying to one-up its impressive lineup of world premieres last year. For the last decade or so its had to give up its glory days of the ‘90s and 00’s to competitive fests such as Venice and Telluride. However, last year there seemed to be a resurgence of World Premieres at the fest. Toronto’s WP slate was the most impressive its been in over a decade: Green Book, Widows, If Beale Street Could Talk and High Life (just to name a few) all premiered at the fest, bypassing Venice and Telluride.
Read more‘When They See Us': Ava DuVernay's Preachy and Manipulative Take on Injustice
You know, there was a time when I used to really like Ava DuVernay — her first two films (“Middle of Nowhere,” and “Selma") are above average depictions of the black experience. But then, I believe, DuVernay became a victim of her own success.
Read moreNetflix Wants to Stop Making Movies Like ‘Triple Frontier'
In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m a pretty big fan of J.C. Chandor’s Netflix-produced “Triple Frontier.” In my review of the film I wrote back in January: “Triple Frontier” has Chandor continuing to show his talents for expertly choreographed, hold-your-breath action sequences, just as he did in his last two movies.
Read moreIndieWire Critic Bashes ‘Forrest Gump' Because It “Preaches Conservatism"
Forrest Gump made $708M adjusted back in 1994; Never would a movie like that be able to make that much money today. Nope, a movie like Forrest Gump wouldn't even make 1/4 of that today. Disney has monopolized movie culture and tastes at the box-office. Simple as that. There is no room for original drama.
Read moreAfrican-American Actress Set to Play ‘Little Mermaid’ in Disney Live-Action Version
If you really want to divide and polarize America then just do what Disney did today. The Mouse House decided to cast R&B singer Halle Bailey to play Ariel in their live-action remake of “The Little Mermaid.” The project will be Bailey’s feature film debut. Disney hired-hand Rob Marshall (“Mary Poppins Returns”) will direct, with Lin-Manuel Miranda penning brand-new songs.
Read moreKino Lorber to Distribute Cannes Jury Prize Winner ‘Bacurau’ in the U.S.
2020 is now guaranteed to have, at least, one great movie released in its calendar. Kino Lorber has bought the North American rights to the Cannes Film Festival’s jury prize winner “Bacurau,” which was directed by Kleber Mendonça Filho and Juliano Dornelles.
Read moreStyles, Teller, Elgort and Butler Vying to Play Elvis in Baz Luhrmann’s Biopic
Yesterday Deadline‘s Michael Fleming reported that there are just four contenders vying, and to be screen-tested, for the Elvis Presley role in Baz Luhrmann‘s upcoming biopic. Ansel Elgort (Baby Driver, West Side Story); Miles Teller (Whiplash), Harry Styles (Dunkirk) and Austin Butler (The Dead Don’t Die) are the four possibilities. The film has already cast Tom Hanks as Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker.
Bret Easton Ellis: P.C. Culture is Preventing Artists From Truly Expressing Themselves
I pulled this Bret Easton Ellis quote from his recent appearance on, of all shows, Fox News’ Tucker Carlson Tonight. The 55-year-old author of “American Psycho” was on the show promoting his new book “White.”
Read moreDaisy Ridley Admits ‘The Last Jedi' Fan Backlash Was ‘Fair'
Yes, Rian Johnson's "The Last Jedi" riled up many long-time "Star Wars" fans and quickly became the most divisive movie in franchise history.
Read moreFlash Movie Hires ‘It’ Director Andy Muschietti
Hardcore DCEU’ers have been clamoring, for years, about a standalone Flash movie being made. Today their wises came true as it was announced that “It” and “It: Chapter Two” director Andy Muschietti signed on to direct the DC Extended Universe flick. Ezra Miller will star in the title role (via The Wrap). The Argentine-born Muschietti is such an incredibly knowledgeable filmmaker that I have no doubt he will give us a more-than-decent effort.
Read moreAbdellatif Kechiche Claims Accusations Are Part of a “Conspiracy" Concocted by Media and French Actresses
Well, the likelihood of cinephiles actually getting a chance to see Abdelatif Kechiche’s controversial Cannes entry, “Mektoub, My Love: Intermezzo,” is getting slimmer by the day. There were various accusations that Kechiche was subjected to after the screening at last month’s Cannes. Specifically, an anonymous source telling the pages of French publication Midi Libre that the director purposely inebriated his actress Ophélie Bau in order for her to perform a non-simulated sex scene. There was also, supposedly, a very awkward photocall between actress and director during the premiere of the film at the Palais des Festivals. Kechiche was even seen exiting the theater when the screening started, probably not wanting to sit next to his cast.
Read moreQuentin Tarantino Keeps Insisting He’s Only Making One More Movie After ‘Once Upon a Time’
Quentin Tarantino is, again, insisting that he plans to quit making movies after his 10th feature. Of course, “Once Upon a Time in Hollywood” is his ninth feature, so that just leaves one more.
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