I’m not entirely sure attending TIFF this year was worth it. Sure, there’s still a full two days of screenings left, but what the pandemic has done to this festival is devastating.
Read more‘The Humans’: Overdirected Chamber Piece is All Style and No Substance [TIFF]
This stagey debut film from writer-director Stephen Karam, adapted from his Tony Award-winning play, explores the hidden secrets of a family and the love that keeps them intact.
Read moreRussian Director Andrey Zvyagintsev Fighting For His Life After COVID Damages 90% of His Lungs
Russian filmmaker Andrey Zvyagintsev, the director behind The Return, Loveless & Leviathan, is reportedly fighting for his life against COVID complications in Germany (he was transferred abroad). The Russian feed @bazabazon says he sustained damage to of his lungs.
Read moreDenis Villeneuve Says His Next Movie Might Be ‘Cleopatra’
Love him or hate him, Denis Villeneuve’s filmography is building up as one of the most versatile in the business. These last 10 years, the Quebecois director has released “Incendies,” “Prisoners,” “Sicario,” “Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049” and this coming October’s “Dune.”
Read moreMajor TIFF Titles Leak Online
Four major titles that played at the digital edition of the Toronto International Film Festival leaked online over the weekend. I’m not going to get into the specifics and name these movies, but they are now on illegal torrent sites all over the internet.
Read more‘Belfast’: An odd Mix of ‘Roma’ and ‘Jojo Rabbit’ [TIFF]
Former Academy head honcho and producer Sid Ganis was quoted at Telluride as saying that he believed Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” “to be one of the best films he’s ever seen in his life.” One has to wonder about Ganis’ current-day movie tastes since “Belfast” is a rather overemotional family drama that, at times, reminded me of a token “Leave it to Beaver” episode.
Read more‘The Power of the Dog’: Jane Campion’s Masterful Revisionist Western [TIFF]
Jane Campion‘s masterfully mysterious “The Power of the Dog” is her best film since 1993’s “The Piano.” That film won the Palme d’Or and I can imagine that if it weren’t for the Netflix ban at Cannes, she would have maybe won the prize again this year.
Read moreVenice: Audrey Diwan’s ‘Happening’ Wins Golden Lion
Audrey Diwan‘s “Happening” was the talk of the town at Venice and, sure enough, the French period piece, which depicts the struggles for abortion access in 1960s France, was this year’s Golden Lion winner.
Read more‘Last Night in Soho’: Edgar Wright’s Silly Giallo Homage [TIFF]
If “Baby Driver,” Edgar Wright’s kinetic, bullet-riddled live-action jukebox stunt, saw the director riffing on the cinema of Walter Hill and Michael Mann in his own inimitable key, then “Last Night in Soho” has the British director tipping his proverbial cap to Dario Argento and the Giallo genre.
Read more‘Spencer’ Turns Princess Diana Into a Nauseating Caricature [TIFF]
“Spencer” is meant as a surreal, almost nightmarish, statement on Princess Diana‘s anguish over being a royal. If you’re already familiar with the Princess of Wales’ story, then you already know she had a loveless marriage to Prince Charles. In 1992, they would eventually separate and four years later divorce.
Read morePTA’s ‘Licorice Pizza’ Rumoured to Also Have Sean Penn, John C. Reilly, Maya Rudolph, Ben Stiller and Christopher Walken
Wikipedia has updated the cast for Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Licorice Pizza” and it is an absolute who’s who of talented actors. Of course, it’s not at all official, but there have been no denials from MGM about this cast. I tried to email them today and there’s been radio silence.
‘Dear Evan Hansen’ Kicks Off TIFF On a Sour Note …
Yesterday evening, I walked out of the Toronto Film Festival’s opening-night film, “Dear Evan Hansen”. Expect more concrete and in-depth coverage of better titles this weekend.
Read moreChristopher Nolan’s Next Film To Tackle Atomic Bomb Inventor J. Robert Oppenheimer
Christopher Nolan has had discussions with several major studios about his next project, a film about atom bomb developer J. Robert Oppenheimer. Actor Cillian Murphy might star in the project
Read morePTA’s New Film is Officially Titled ‘Licorice Pizza’
Paul Thomas Anderson’s new movie finally has an official title: Licorice Pizza. So, scratch off “Soggy Bottom.” This new title is the name of a record store chain that was founded in California back in the late ‘60s.
Read more‘Schumacher’: Essential Portrait of the Legendary F1 Driver [Review]
Netflix’s Michael Schumacher documentary is a brilliantly crafted, microscopic look at the mercurial competitor and champion, told by those who knew him best.
Read moreClaire Denis’ ‘Fire’ Aiming to Premiere at the 2022 Berlin Film Festival
We’ve been painstakingly waiting for Claire Denis’ “Fire,” which has the French filmmaker leaving her ambitious 2019 space odyssey “High Life,” and reuniting with Juliette Binoche. The cast also includes Vincent Lindon, Grégoire Colin, and “Atlantics” director Mati Diop.
Read more‘Language Lessons’: A Mumblecore Drama Set in the Zoom COVID Age [Capsule]
A Spanish teacher and her student develop an unexpected friendship in Natalie Morales’ “Language Lessons,” a COVID-era shot mumblecore production starring Mark Duplass and Morales herself.
Read more‘The Batman’ Reaction: ‘2 Hour and 54 Minute Horror-Noir’
This is the third and, most likely, final reaction of “The Batman” that I will be posting here. I’ve run out of people, who attended the 08.26.21 test-screening at the WB lot, who are willing to spill the beans. This latest attendee tells me he clocked the movie at 2 hours and 53 minutes in length.
Read moreIs ‘Don’t Look Up’ the NYFF Secret Screening?
Taken from Scott Feinberg’s “Telluride Buzz: Feinberg and Keegan on Hollywood’s Return to the Rockies” (09.07.21)
Jean-Paul Belmondo, Star of the French New Wave, Dies at 88
Belmondo’s career was launched, and will forever be known, as the star of “Breathless,” Jean-Luc Godard’s seminal Nouvelle Vague film.
Read more
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.