I was tempted to attend the Toronto International Film Festival, at the very least for the press screenings at the Scotia Bank theatre —those are taking place between September 9th to the 13th. I’ve been trying to weigh my options and figure out if it’s worth the trek or not. Since there will be limited capacity in the theatres due to COVID, will it be harder to get into some of the bigger titles being screened?
Read moreWas Joel Coen’s ‘The Tragedy of Macbeth’ Rejected By Venice?
Now that the cat’s out of the bag, I can finally mention that the reason why Joel Coen’s “The Tragedy of Macbeth” was not at Venice, and that I wasn’t including it in my predictions all these weeks, was due to the fact that it was rejected by the Venezia selection committee.
Read more‘Cry Macho’: 91-Year-Old Clint Eastwood Directs and Stars in Upcoming Redemptive Western Drama [Trailer]
Let’s just pause for a moment and cherish the fact that not only is Clint Eastwood still alive, but that he has also been releasing a movie every year. In total, ever since his 1971 debut, “Play Misty For Me,” Eastwood has directed 39 movies. Some great, some good, some not so good — these ups and downs come with the game, but his worth as a Hollywood auteur with a singular voice is undeniable.
Read moreJames Gunn’s ‘The Suicide Squad’ is a Mixed Bag of Mayhem [Review]
2016’s “Suicide Squad” was an astronomical failure. A meandering, safe and unlikable foray into DCEU anti-heroism. However, did we really need a reboot? Probably not, but ardent superhero geeks begged for it.
Read more‘Val’ Isn’t as Honest a Portrait of Val Kilmer as it Purports to Be [Capsule]
Entering filmmakers Leo Scott and Ting Poo‘s “Val,” one is best suited not knowing what has happened to actor Val Kilmer.
Read moreEthan Coen Has Supposedly Called it Quits With Directing
We didn’t know why brother Ethan was not part of Joel Coen’s upcoming “The Tragedy of Macbeth” adaptation, starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand. When the project was announced, it was a conspicuous absence, most notably because the Coen Brothers have always worked together (Joel is usually credited as the director, Ethan as the co-writer). In fact, they haven’t missed a collaboration together since their 1984 debut “Blood Simple.”
Read moreSundance 2022 Will Screen Every Film in their Lineup Digitally; Only Fully Vaccinated Allowed to Attend
The Sundance Film Festival is going all in again with a hybrid model for 2022:
Read morePablo Larrain’s ‘Spencer’: First Reaction
A Los Angeles test screening of Pablo Larrain’s “Spencer,” starring Kristen Stewart as Princess Diana, happened the other night. I’ve read a few of the raves, the most intriguing one comparing it to “Krisha,” and “Shiva Baby” (sold!) Due to attendees having to sign uber-restrictive NDA agreements, I only found one person willing to let me publish their reaction of the film. This, another rave, came to us from someone who drove for close to three hours just to watch the film:
Read more‘The Green Knight’ …
Based on the 14th century poem of Sir Gawain and The Green Knight, filmmaker David Lowery (“A Ghost Story”) has decided to, misguidingly, succumb to an abundant amount of visual fetishes in “The Green Knight” while forgetting what matters most in a movie: character development.
Read more‘The Killing of Two Lovers': A Skimp Budget of $30,000 Doesn't Stop This Indie From Being a Cinematic Miracle [Review]
I searched through the entire database and couldn’t find a review I had written for Robert Machoian’s astonishing minimalist triumph, “The Killing of Two Lovers,” [B+] a NEXT selection at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival that finally got released this year.
Read moreTop Movies About Gambling & Casino Games
It is impossible to compare the atmosphere of a casino to anything else. The sound of roulette, a poker table, professional dealers, beautiful ladies, elegant men, thrill, and large winnings - all these make us feel the adrenaline and unique emotions. All this is like a magnet luring people to casinos. Unfortunately, with the current COVID situation, you cannot just go to a gambling hall. However, you should not despair: in order to feel the atmosphere of excitement and luxury, you can gamble at casinos online or just watch films about gambling. Such movies will impress you not only with plot twists but also with spectacular performances of famous actors.
Read moreThe U.S. Box-Office is Plummeting
I haven’t posted any box-office numbers or thoughts since I left for Cannes nearly three weeks ago. A lot has happened since, but nothing too positive for the future of theatrical. Lebron James’ “Space jam: A New Legacy” and M. Night Shyamalan’s “Old,” both opened to subpar numbers.
Read moreAndrew Dominik’s ‘Blonde’ is Rated NC-17 and Netflix Isn’t Too Happy About it
Many were surprised by the omission of Andrew Dominik’s “Blonde” from the Venice competition lineup. Alas, it has now been moved by Netflix into a 2022 release date. The film was supposed to have its world premiere at the upcoming Venice Film Festival, only to then be pulled out of the Venezia lineup by Netflix. I can tell you that it was 100% in competition at Venice just a few weeks ago.
Read more‘John and the Hole’: Boy Holds Family Hostage in Polarizing Psychodrama [Review]
Critics are shocked, aghast, by Spanish visual artist Pascual Sisto's “John and the rHole” in which Charlie Shotwell an emotionless and psychopathic 13-year-old boy decides to drug and hold his parents and sister hostage in an unfinished concrete bunker.
Read more‘The Last Duel’ and ‘House of Gucci’: Ridley Scott Might Be Releasing Two Very Bad Movies This Year
The anticipation I had for Ridley Scott’s “The Last Duel” and “The House of Gucci” died when I watched the recently debuted trailers for both films earlier in the week.
Read more‘Stillwater': Matt Damon Tries His Best to Save a Lame Screenplay [Capsule]
Loosely based on the Amanda Knox story, Tom McCarthy’s “Stillwater” has an Oklahoma construction worker, Bill Baker (Matt Damon), determined to free his daughter, Allison (Abigail Breslin), from the French prison she has spent the last five years in. Similar to Knox, Allison is accused of gruesomely killing her girlfriend.
Read more‘Blonde’ Moved to 2022; Director Andrew Dominik and Netflix Battling Over Final Cut
Andrew Dominik hasn’t released a movie since 2012’s scathing indictment of America, “Killing Them Softly.” That movie has only aged better over time and whet our appetite for “Blonde,” Dominik’s first film in over 8 years and a fictionalized chronicle of the inner life of Marilyn Monroe.
Read more‘Nine Days’: Pretentious Filmmaking at its Worst [Capsule]
Edson Oda’s none-too-subtle “Nine Days,” was a wildly ambitious, but pretentious, narrative feature won the screenwriting award at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival.
Read moreTIFF Announces More Titles …
The Toronto International Film Festival announced more films to their lineup today. The 46th edition of the fest added some much-needed heft by including Jane Campion’s “The Power Of The Dog” starring Benedict Cumberbatch. That film will now be at Venice, Telluride, Toronto and New York’s respective festivals. I doubt another director will be able to do that this fall, and it does have similar shades to how Chloe Zhao’s “Nomadland” got rolled out last year. Best Picture incoming?
Read moreUPDATE: 10 Best Movies of 2020
I have finally added my top 10 list of 2020 to the archives. It’s been long-gestating and I’m as satisfied by it, until, maybe, the unavoidable rewatch of David Fincher’s “Mank,” and Pietro Marcello’s “Martin Eden.”
Read more