Here’s a hidden camera comedy that subverts the genre into brilliant, belly-bursting laughs, so much so that I’m ready to call “Bad Trip” the comedy of the year.
Read more‘Nomadland’: Chloe Zhao’s Acclaimed Oscar Contender Won’t Age Well [Opinion]
Chloe Zhao‘s “Nomadland,” which won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival, is a moody third film from the Chinese-American filmmaker, after her triumphant 2018 indie, “The Rider.” Much like her previous efforts, this is Zhao’s 21st-century depiction of Americana angst, mixing non-fiction and fiction filmmaking in Malickian fashion.
Read more30 Films That Could Premiere at Cannes 2021
‘The Suicide Squad’: James Gunn Using ‘Guardians’ Formula to Reboot DC Films Franchise [Trailer]
Four years after David Ayer’s misguided film, here is James Gunn’s take on “The Suicide Squad.” The just-released trailer hints at this being highly influenced by the shenanigans in Gunn’s own “Guardians of the Galaxy” films for Marvel Studios. Now, Warner Bros. is hoping that Gunn’s subversive touch will make “The Suicide Squad” a hit.
Read more‘Violation’: Violent Revenge Tale Seeks #MeToo Relevance [Capsule]
Here’s and over-stylized, gory and narratively predictable debut from rookie Canadian directors Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli.
Read more‘Nobody’: Saul Goodman is a Man With A Particular Set of Skills [Review]
Ever since Liam Neeson triumphed in 2009’s “Taken” — he was a simple man with “a particular set of skills” — the amount of retreads that resulted from it have become numbingly repetitive. You can make a good case that “Taken” has been the most influential, not to mention most copied, movie of the last 15 years. The proof is in the pudding, middle-aged actors who have attempted to be one-man killing machines since then include Bruce Willis (“Death Wish”), Ben Affleck (“The Accountant”) Denzel Washington (“The Equalizer”) Sean Penn (“The Gunman”), Kevin Costner (“3 Days to Kill”) and, most successfully, Keanu Reeves (“John Wick”).
Read more‘Nomadland’ Wins PGA; Becomes Frontrunner to Win Best Picture Oscar
Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland” won the 2021 Producers Guild Awards Wednesday, automatically rendering it the frontrunner to win Best Picture at next month’s Oscars ceremony. The winner of the PGA top prize has historically gone on to win the Best Picture Oscar. Since 1989, the PGA winner has matched up with the Oscar winner 21 out of 31 times.
Traders (TV Series) reviewed
The TV show Traders is about Toronto-based investment house Gardner/Ross, "Traders" that examines the private lives and loves of investment bankers whose high-risk decisions and creation of alliances can have dangerous international consequences.
Read moreNetflix's ‘Stowaway: Anna Kendrick, Toni Collette, and Daniel Dae Kim Are Stranded in Space [Trailer]
Here’s a pandemic-era release with decent potential. The director, actors and premise are, on paper at least, all promising. “Stowaway” is set to be released four week from today. Netflix will be screening it for me next week — a sure sign that they have a positive outlook for this one. It’s another survivalist saga in space, but the just-released trailer has raised my expectations.
Read moreCannes Film Festival Moving to October?
A month ago I reported that Thierry Fremaux was looking at bumping the 2021 Cannes Film Festival from the present July slot into a Fall/October relaunch of the entire film industry. Now the always-estimable Roger Friedman from Showbiz 411 is saying the same thing. If that is indeed the case then Cannes will be squished with the other big four fall festivals (Venice, Telluride, Toronto, New York). Insanity.
Read moreThe 20 Most Anticipated Netflix Original Movies of 2021
As the COVID-19 pandemic surges all across the country, Netflix is destined to become a nirvana for cinephiles this coming year. Want proof? The streaming giant just announced its 2021 lineup, accompanied by a spiffy new trailer, and the goal is a rather ambitious one this year for them: make sure to deliver new movies every week, from January to December.
Read more‘Black Widow’ and ‘Cruella’ Set to Premiere on Disney+ This Summer
As exclusively reported here on January 17th, Disney has – finally – confirmed the inevitable: “Black Widow” will be headed to Disney+ and theaters on the same day. Not so shocking if you’re a reader of this site, but another shape-shifting moment for the theatrical experience. [via Deadline]
Read more91-Year-Old Clint Eastwood's ‘Cry Macho' Sets October 22nd Release Date
The Shrieking Whispers of Tyranny
The name Jeffrey Wells started trending on Twitter last Wednesday. If that name doesn’t quite ring the bell, Wells is the outspoken writer of Hollywood Elsewhere, a film column site that is the very opposite of politically correct. I am friends with Wells. We tend to share guest houses at whichever film fest we go to. He's an all-around good guy, to me at least, but I do know that he's irked his fair share of people over the last few years due to his all-too-honest approach to writing and I do know that he has accumulated a herd of haters in the process.
Read moreOscar Ceremony Bans Zoom Acceptance Speeches; In-Person Attendance Mandatory For Nominees
The producers of this year’s Oscars have told nominees that they need to be in attendance to accept their trophy at this year’s ceremony. Unlike the Golden Globes telecast, Zoom acceptance speeches will not be accepted [via Yahoo Finance].
Read moreSXSW 2021: ‘The Fallout’ Wins Dramatic Jury Prize, But Docs Dominated Online Edition
The South by Southwest Film Festival is wrapping up this weekend. I had a more or less enjoyable time screening films these last few days. Of course, the virtual component did stagnate the quality of the lineup, so did the fact that we’re now entering a phase in the industry where the well is running dry and not enough new films are being made to fully compensate for a large-scale film festival. That’s why Sundance, Berlin, and now SXSW shortened the duration of their virtual editions this year.
Read more‘Tina’: Simply Not the Best Account of Iconic Rocker’s Life [Berlin]
T.J.Martin and Daniel Lindsay (“LA 92”) haven’t just over-stylized this documentary on Tina Turner’s life, they have, misguidingly, decided to let her tell the story.
Read moreGlenn Close’s Performance in ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Nominated For Oscar and Razzie
Glenn Close is an eight-time Oscar nominee with, for now, zero wins. She is now tied with Pete O’Toole for the most Oscar nominations with no wins.
Read moreNetflix Sets April Date For Idris Elba-Starring Drama ‘Concrete Cowboy' [Trailer]
“You want my honest-to-God’s opinion on Netflix buying TIFF 2020 selection “Concrete Cowboy”? The Idris Elba-starring movie sure as hell isn’t an Oscar contender. If anything, the streaming giant saw this as an opportunity to add another title to their library. Nothing more, nothing less. Don’t get me wrong, ‘Cowboy’ will be liked by some audiences, it has a 76% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and a decent 66 on Metacritic.”
Read moreSpike Lee Announced, Again, as the Next Cannes Film Festival Jury President
Oscar-winning director Spike Lee has been re-named jury president for the 73rd annual Cannes Film Festival. The festival is set to take place this July. Lee will not only be the first African-American to serve as jury president for the festival, but also the first person from the African diaspora. Lee has had seven films that have premiered at Cannes over the years, including “Do the Right Thing,” “Jungle Fever” “Summer of Sam,” and “BlacKkKlansman.”
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It’s been seven years since Alma Har’el’s feature debut, “Honey Boy,” which was written by and starred Shia LaBeouf — she is now set to direct her next film, with a very talented cast.