Steve McQueen’s ‘Blitz' to Close 62nd New York Film Festival

Steve McQueen’s “Blitz” has nabbed another festival appearance. After being selected to world premiere at the London Film Festival, “Blitz” is set to close the 62nd New York Film Festival in October.

“Blitz is a vivid and visceral depiction of life during wartime, a meticulous historical account that resonates unmistakably with our current age of endless war,” said Dennis Lim, Artistic Director, New York Film Festival. “We are thrilled to welcome back to the festival Steve McQueen, one of the most daring artists at work today, with one of the greatest achievements of his career.”

Sight unseen, the film is still very much an Oscar contender. It’s just all rather puzzling how It’s decided to skip the big fests. The last few NYFF closing night films have been hit and miss: “Ferrari,” “The Inspection,” “Parallel Mothers,” “French Exit,” “Motherless Brooklyn,” “Wonder Wheel” and “At Eternity’s Gate.”

As I had previously reported, “Blitz” is skipping Telluride and Venice. They’re not even going to send this one to Toronto. Here’s the official synopsis:

Blitz follows the epic journey of George (Elliott Heffernan), a 9-year-old boy in World War II London whose mother Rita (Saoirse Ronan) sends him to safety in the English countryside. George, defiant and determined to return home to Rita and his grandfather Gerald (Paul Weller) in east London, ensues on an adventure, only to find himself in immense peril, while a distraught Rita searches for her missing son.

An early reaction compared the film to Spielberg’s “Empire of the Sun” and Boorman’s “Hope and Glory”: war seen through the eyes of a child. That PG-13 rating now makes sense.

“Blitz” will release in select cinemas on November 1, before streaming globally on Apple TV+ starting on November 22. No studio has picked this one up for theatrical distribution … It looks like it’s just getting a 3-week theatrical bow before going to streaming.

'Cosmic Motors,' John Lasseter's First Film in 15 Years, Moves from Netflix to Paramount Theatrical Release

Netflix and Skydance Animation have also called it quits. The two sides announced Monday that they're ending the animated film deal struck back in 2023, framing it as a mutual decision.

Edward Berger’s Lance Armstrong Biopic, Starring Austin Butler, Starts Production in January

Edward Berger seems to have settled on what comes next. His Lance Armstrong biopic, starring Austin Butler, is now holding casting calls, with production eyed for January.

Ramin Bahrani’s ‘Last Meals’ to Star Mads Mikkelsen, Boyd Holbrook, Michael Shannon, and Tessa Thompson

In "Last Meals," Mikkelsen stars as Walter Karat, a disgraced former White House chef now preparing final meals for death row inmates at a maximum security prison.

‘NAZA’: Israel Moves to Strip Citizenship From Oscar-Winning Filmmakers Behind Gaza Doc

After its much-reported Venice premiere, Israel's culture minister is vowing to strip citizenship from the two Israeli filmmakers behind "NAZA."

Chris Rock’s ‘Misty Green’ Premieres, Rosalind Eleazar Stuns — 73 on Metacritic [TIFF]

I wouldn't call this film great — it stops short of that because of how neatly it resolves itself — but I'll give Rock his due here: this is much better than his previous directorial effort, "Top Five."

August 19, 2019

3-Hour ‘Midsommar' Director's Cut Screened in NYC

This year’s 12th edition of the Scary Movies festival at Film at Lincoln Center premiered Ari Aster’s extended version of “Midsommar” this past Saturday.

Joaquin Phoenix Reuniting with Mike Mills for Next Film, Shooting in January 2027

Phoenix is set to reunite with Mills on this next film, which is being distributed by A24 and starts shooting January 2027. This will be Phoenix’s first film since “Eddington.”

Paul Thomas Anderson Has Already Chosen His Next Film, Jonny Greenwood Says

“Paul is getting close to pressing the button on the next film, I believe, and I’m already trying to learn a new instrument that would be central to it,” Greenwood tells Screen Daily.

Ridley Scott Says “I Didn’t Say That” After Calling ‘The Dog Stars’ His Best Movie Since ‘The Martian’

In June 2026, Scott told The Buyer that “The Dog Stars” is “probably the best movie I’ve done since The Martian.” He’s now denying he ever said that.

Todd Field-Written ‘The Girls’ Sets Antoneta Alamat Kusijanovic to Direct, November Shoot

Cinephiles another Todd Field movie, and although we might have to wait for his next directorial effort, “The Girls” will have to suffice for now.

Fritz Lang’s ‘M’ Tops the Best Films of the 1930s, According to 100+ Critics

We’ve gone through the decades. The ‘40s ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, ‘90s, ‘2000s, and ‘2010s. — all revisited, argued over. Now, here are the results for the best films of the 1930s.

Critics Poll: ‘Citizen Kane' Named Best Film of the 1940s

The results are in, and according to critics, this decade filled with cinematic riches did not have a better film than Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane.” Nobody should be surprised by this result. “Citizen Kane” changed cinema forever.

Critics Poll: ‘Vertigo’ Named Best Film of the 1950s, Over 120 Participants

It was a closer race than anticipated, but Alfred Hitchcock’s “Vertigo” has topped our best of the ’50s poll, besting Gene Kelly and Stanley Donen’s “Singin’ in the Rain” by just two votes.

Trending

Critics Polls