Netflix has become the go-to American studio for creative freedom and auteur-driven cinema. It’s not even a debate anymore. The studio system has become a cinematic cesspool of formulaic drivel. Netflix isn’t destroying cinema, rather, it’s actually saving it. Just look at the directors who decided to bring their passion projects to the streaming giant these last 5 years: Scorsese, Coen, Fincher, Soderbergh, Cuaron, Baumbach, Lee, and Bong. And now, the latest marquee name you can add to that list is Charlie Kaufman.
Read moreFirst Photos For Sofia Coppola's ‘On the Rocks'
Sofia Coppola’s “On the Rocks,’ which stars Bill Murray and Rashida Jones, has no release date as of now. It was rumored to premiere at this September’s Venice Film Festival but was conspicuously absent when the lineup was revealed this morning by festival boss Alberto Barbera.
Read more‘Tenet' Will Not Screen For Press and Audiences in L.A. and N.Y. Until Theaters Reopen
Christopher Nolan’s ‘Tenet’ is unlikely to screen for U.S. press in New York and Los Angeles ahead of its international Premiere in Europe, Canada, and select American states.
Read moreJoel Coen: TV Shows Have Beginning, a Middle, a Middle, a Middle, Until the Whole Things Dies of Exhaustion"
Yesterday, Team Deakins, the podcast from legendary cinematographer Roger Deakins, had director Joel Coen, one half of the Coen Brothers, on as a guest. It turned out to be an essential discussion about all things cinema, especially if you’re a Coen-head like myself. The topics ranged from Coen’s dislike of Orson Welles as a filmmaker, always having final cut, and went into detail about his next movie, “The Tragedy Of Macbeth.” The 90-minute discussion is well worth a listen.
Read more‘Mulan' Skipping U.S. Theaters and Headed Straight to Disney+ on September 4th
I got a lot of hate last month for suggesting, via a very strong source, that Disney was working on sending Pixar’s “Soul” straight to Disney+ this coming November. I stand by my reporting and believe an announcement will happen shortly. Meanwhile, Disney has done exactly that today with another one of their hotly anticipated titles by skipping the theatrical release for their upcoming “Mulan” in favor of, you guessed it, a Disney+ premiere.
Read moreChristopher Nolan Says ‘Tenet' Contains Only 280 Visual Effects Shots, “Probably Lower Than Most Romantic Comedies"
Christopher Nolan says there are less than 300 VFX shots in ‘TENET’ — “our VFX shot count is probably lower than most romantic comedies.” (via: @CultureCrave)
For comparison, some VFX shot counts:
Guardians of the Galaxy: ~2900 Ex Machina: ~800 Fellowship of the Ring: ~500 Inception: ~500 The Matrix: ~400 Grand Budapest Hotel: ~350 Kingsman: ~200 Jojo Rabbit: ~200 Silver Linings Playbook: ~180 Jurassic Park: ~80 Terminator 2: ~60 [via Reddit]
Denis Villeneuve Struggling to Finish ‘Dune' During Pandemic
As Warner Bros. is prepping for the uber-delayed “Tenet” to finally get released (supposedly) on August 26th in Europe and Canada, they may soon have another major problem in the form of Denis Villeneuve’s big-budget, sci-fi epic, “Dune.”
Read moreBradley Cooper to Star in Director Paul Thomas Anderson's Next Movie
Paul Thomas Anderson has found the star of his next film and it’s none other than eight-time Oscar-nominated actor Bradley Cooper.
Read moreSteve McQueen's ‘Lover's Rock' to Open New York Film Festival; 3 McQueen Films in Main Slate
Steve McQueen’s “Lovers Rock” is part of his “Small Axe” anthology, which comprises five original films by the director. It was announced today by the New York Film Festival that three films from the anthology, “Mangrove,” “Lover’s Rock” and “Red, White, and Blue,” will premiere as part of the NYFF’s Main Slate, the rest of which will be disclosed in the coming weeks.
Read moreTelluride Film Festival Reveals its 2020 Lineup Despite Cancellation
This year’s Telluride Film Festival was forced to cancel due to an in-person and/or digital event not being possible. And, like this year’s Cannes, Telluride went ahead and revealed which films would have been part of the 2020 event. Call this the Telluride-label, or whatever you deem for it to be called, but it does showcase quite a few surprises.
Read moreSteven Soderbergh's ‘Let Them All Talk' to Premiere on HBO Max This Fall; Skipping Film Festivals
Ever since coming out of his short retirement from filmmaking in 2017, Steven Soderbergh has given us “Logan Lucky,” “Unsane,” “High Flying Bird” and “The Laundromat.” In fact, a year at the movies wouldn’t be complete without a film from the chameleon director. This time Soderbergh is taking on Comedy/Drama with his ‘Laundromat’ star Meryl Streep. In “Let Them All Talk,” Streep plays an author who embarks on a trip with her nephew (Lucas Hedges) and her friends in a journey of self-discovery.
Read moreBreaking Down the TIFF 2020 Lineup
The Toronto International Film Festival is entering uncharted territories for its 45th edition. This year, they have to deal with the fact that a pandemic is going on, and watching a movie in public spaces may not be the most ideal and safe way of going about it.
Read moreMindy Kaling Says Emmy Snub Had to do With Her Show Being Too “Ethnic” For Some Voters
The Mindy Kaling-created Netflix series “Never Have I Ever” did not get any love from the TV Academy this week as the Emmy’s completely snubbed Kaling’s show. However, instead of taking it like a champ and saying “next time,” Kaling made sure to let us know that the TV academy ignoring her show had to probably do with race.
Read more‘Honest Thief': Liam Neeson Said He Was Retiring From Action Movies, That Was a Lie [Trailer]
Alan Parker, Director Of ‘Mississippi Burning’, & ‘Midnight Express,' Dies at 76
Director Alan Parker died Friday morning following a battle with an undisclosed, but lengthy illness. He was 76. A rather well-respected two-time Oscar nominee, Parker was best known for directing “Midnight Express,” “Shoot the Moon” and “Mississippi Burning,” his three greatest films.
Read more80% of the U.S. Population Will Be Able to See ‘Tenet' on Labor Day (Sorry, New York and California)
As I stated earlier this week, the European and Canadian August 26th release date for Christopher Nolan’s “Tenet” is happening. You can shout out your window, post negative virus-shaming messages online, but nothing is going to stop this train from being unveiled, ditto its September 2nd U.S. release date. Whether the Los Angeles and New York markets reopen is not important anymore to the WB and Nolan, they want to start a domino effect for the industry with this landmark rollout of “Tenet.” Godspeed.
Read moreHappy Birthday, Christopher Nolan - Here Are All 10 of His Movies, Ranked From Best to Worst
With Hollywood’s chief blockbuster maker hard at work editing his new espionage thriller “Tenet,” let’s take a look through his catalog to date. A catalog that many have in different ranking order. Nolan’s films have a distinct knack of hitting those they connect with right between the eyes. As we await whether or not “Tenet” will be released come its July release date, we can’t help but look back at the filmography of Hollywood’s leading maverick director.
Read more‘She Dies Tomorrow': Amy Seimetz-Directed Indie Plays Like A Pretentious Student Film [Review]
I’m noticing early reviews for Amy Seimetz’s “She Dies Tomorrow” are overwhelmingly positive. These raves seem to be another byproduct of the times we live in because, quite frankly, Seimetz’s film, which I saw via SXSW digital, is an underwhelming dud.
Read moreFirst image from Disney & Pixar’s all-new film ‘Luca'
The first image from Disney & Pixar’s all-new film “Luca” has been released. Directed by Enrico Casarosa & produced by Andrea Warren, the film will introduce a boy named Luca as he experiences an unforgettable summer in a seaside town on the Italian Riviera. “Luca” opens in theaters summer 2021.
While on Jimmy Kimmel, Arnold, 79, confirmed he's working on sequels to "Predator," "Commando," and "Conan." He also made it clear that none of them move forward until the writing is right.