Principal photography on Matt Reeves’ “The Batman” began in January 2020, but was suspended on March 14th due to the COVID shutdown.
Read moreDirector Todd Field’s ‘TAR’ Starring Cate Blanchett Starts Production; Field’s First Film in Over 15 Years
Writer-Director Todd Field hasn’t made a film since “Little Children” (2006) and, before that, his incendiary debut “In the Bedroom” (2001). Whatever happened to him since 2006 is a mystery to me. Both films garnered eight Oscar nominations in total, the former actor was heralded as a major new voice and then, poof, he was gone.
Read more‘The Fablemans’: DP Janusz Kaminski and Steven Spielberg Team Up For 20th Collaboration
Kamiński has been Spielberg’s right-hand man for close to 30 years now, and they’re now teaming up again for their 20th collaboration. Kamiński has signed on as DP for Spielberg’s “The Fablemans,” which is said to be about the director’s childhood in Arizona back in the 60s. He was spotted on-set just a few days ago.
Read moreFirst Reaction: Pedro Almodóvar’s ‘Madres Paralelas’ Screens in Spain
The first press screening for Pedro Almodóvar‘s “Madres Paralelas” occurred this morning in Spain. Next thursday, there will be another one as well — these two showings are for Goya voters only (the Spanish Oscars).
Read more‘The Lion King 2’: Barry Jenkins Sells Out?
Yes, you heard me right. Last September’s news that Jenkins was set to direct “Lion King 2” shocked many in the industry, but it shouldn’t be that surprising. Jenkins’ movies such as “Moonlight” and “If Beale Street Could Talk,” were not hard-earners at the box-office. The writer-director probably needed the cash.
Read more‘Power of the Dog’ and ‘Spencer’ Debut Their Trailers
The quality of a fall movie, for the most part, but not always, can be dictated by what film festivals end up selecting it. The “Big Four,” as I like to call them, are Toronto, Telluride, Venice and New York. This year, only one title will be going to all four: Jane Campion’s “The Power of Dog.” A trailer for Campion’s film was released today.
Read moreRyusuke Hamaguchi’s Cannes-Winning ‘Drive My Car’ Picked Up By a Netflix For U.S. Distribution
‘Spider-Man: No Way Home’ Trailer Smashes All-Time Record For First-Day Global Views
Seems like we will get a test of what the new ceiling for cinematic distribution will be like this coming December. If “Spider-Man: No Way Home” doesn’t break $100 million domestically on opening weekend then the industry, as we currently know it, will probably have to undergo a systemic and cataclysmic change.
Read moreI Guess I’m Going to TIFF ..
For a few weeks now there was persistent talk about how most of the Toronto International Film Festival’s lineup was going to be available digitally for press. Yesterday, we got a rude awakening when the TIFF screening schedule was released — as it turns out, lo and behold, all the big titles (safe for “The Power of Dog”) will not be made available to screen digitally.
Read moreHow Can Ailing Movie Theaters Boost Attendance?
It's no secret that movie theaters are struggling. While many of us prefer the magic of the silver screen, the majority disagree.
Read moreJoe Wright’s ‘Cyrano’ Headed to Telluride
Joe Wright’s “Cyrano”, a musical film adaptation of the popular French story, is headed to the Telluride Film Festival. Peter Dinklage stars in the title role he played onstage, and Haley Bennett reprises the role of Roxanne that she played alongside him at the Terris Theatre in 2018. Kelvin Harrison Jr, Brian Tyree Henry and Ben Mendelsohn co-star.
Read more‘Soggy Bottom’: Paul Thomas Anderson’s New Movie Rumoured to Be in the Same Mosaic Style as ‘Boogie Nights’
There have been these persistent rumours about Paul Thomas Anderson’s upcoming “Soggy Bottom” being a return to the same style he adopted in his 1997 breakthrough, “Boogie Nights,” and 1999’s “Magnolia.” This means a mosaic cast of characters and storylines that eventually intertwine and connect with each other.
Read moreTaika Waititi’s ‘Next Goal Wins’ Set to Premiere at BFI London?
Wes Anderson’s ‘The French Dispatch’ Still Seems to be Telluride-Bound
I am being told not to pay attention to the New York Film Festival designation of “The French Dispatch” as a “North American Premiere.” It seems as though it is still very much set to screen at The Telluride Film Festival on Labor Day weekend and NYFF may have made a mistake.
Read more‘Being the Ricardos’ Released in January 2022? Javier Bardem Steals the Show
The Lucille Ball biopic “Being the Ricardos” test screened last night in the west coast. The film, which was written and directed by Aaron Sorkin, follows Lucy (Nicole Kidman) and Desi (Javier Bardem) as they “face a crisis that could end their careers and another that could end their marriage”.
Read more‘Dune’: Director Denis Villeneuve is Requesting That No Screener Links Be Sent Out To Press
Denis Villeneuve has been making the rounds promoting his upcoming “Dune” (10.22.21). He keeps commenting on on Warner Bros decision to release “Dune” on HBO Max without consulting him first.
Read moreTIFF Lineup Locked; No Additional Films to Be Announced
The TIFF Lineup looks locked. They are not planning any major new additions to this year's fest line-up. They're already at 113 features, which include the retro stuff like "Training Day," and they had said they were aiming for 100 features total. That means no The Lost Daughter, The Hand of God, C’mon C’mon, King Richard, Il Buco, The Card Counter and Madres Paralelas. But TIFF seems so uncertain this year I wouldn’t put it past them to add one or two biggies to the line-up …
‘Cryptozoo’ Tries Too Hard to Be Weird and Edgy [Capsule]
“Cryptozoo” is a failed attempt at animated provocation. It’s actually my second run-in with filmmaker Dash Shaw after 2016's slightly superior “My Entire High School Sinking Into The Sea.”
Read more‘The Hand Of God’: Paolo Sorrentino’s Latest Competing For Golden Lion At Venice and Headed to Telluride [Trailer]
Here’s what will likely be one of the biggest titles of the fall festival season, along with Jane Campion’s “The Power of Dog,” Pedro Almodovar “Parallel Mothers,” and Pablo Larrain’s “Spencer.”
Read more‘The Card Counter’: Paul Schrader Continues His Bressonian Obsession [Op-ed]
Paul Schrader was heavily inspired by Robert Bresson’s “The Diary of a Country Priest” for his 2018 magnum opus “First Reformed.” In “The Card Counter,” Schrader again goes all in with Bresson, even recycling a couple of scenes from his own “American Gigolo” (which was partly inspired by Bresson’s “Pickpocket”) for another minimalist character study about redemption.
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