‘Happiest Season': Blissfully Melancholic Queer Rom-Com is Easy to Digest [Capsule]

November 21, 2020 Jordan Ruimy

Clea DuVall’s “Happiest Season” can be viewed as a radical holiday movie, in that it uses, hell mimics, the innumerable heterosexual Christmas movie cliches that came before it, but forges them through the lenses of a queer perspective. Yes, it’s the token emblem of your average holiday romantic comedy, but it’s the unadorned authentic touch brought forth by DuVall (“The Intervention”) that turns “Happiest Season” into a slightly likable affair.

‘Happiest Season’: Kristen Stewart & Mackenzie in a Christmas Lesbian Rom-Com [Trailer]

November 9, 2020 Jordan Ruimy

I’ll watch anything with Aubrey Plaza and Kirsten Stewart. The fact that both actresses star in Cleo Duvall’s “Happiest Season,” alongside the always-wonderful Mackenzie Davis, is reason enough to celebrate. Yes, this is a romantic comedy, but Duvall, who did wonders with 2016’s “The Intervention,” and co-writer Mary Holland, aim to spice up the rom-com recipe.

‘Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy’: Kristen Stewart & Laura Dern Can’t Save This Fabulist Tale [Review]

April 22, 2019 Jordan Ruimy

Described as “the greatest literary hoax of our time,” the infamous unmasking of cause célèbre persona/author JT LeRoy in 2005 turned the world of pop culture media upside down. An extraordinary story that made headlines around the globe, the tale in short is: a precocious, sexually ambiguous, then-famous teenage author (LeRoy) — purporting to come from a world of drug addiction, poverty, and sexual abuse — was revealed to be the creation of another writer, a fraud upheld by an actor playing the press-shy persona in public, with her musician/boyfriend as a co-conspirator.

Linus Sandgren to DP Shawn Levy's ‘Ghost Rider' on Film — Connor Storrie in Talks to Co-Star

Marvel's "Ghost Rider" just hired one of the best cinematographers working today. Linus Sandgren will serve as DP on Shawn Levy's MCU flick, and, most notably, the project will be shot on film.

Jafar Panahi Sentenced to Five Years in Prison as Iran Orders His Assets Seized

It keeps getting worse for Jafar Panahi. The Palme d'Or-winning director of "It Was Just an Accident" has been sentenced by Branch 26 of the Tehran Revolutionary Court to five years in prison.

‘The Birds’ Limited Series Starring Sarah Snook Lands at HBO

Hollywood remaking anything connected to Hitchcock has rarely produced memorable results. Yet the industry keeps trying, despite overwhelming evidence that it’s a fool’s errand.

‘One of Them Days’ Filmmaker Lawrence Lamont to Direct Ice Cube-Penned ‘Last Friday’ Sequel

Lawrence Lamont, whose “One of Them Days” was one of the more pleasant low-key surprises of early 2025, has been tapped by New Line to direct “Last Friday,” the fourth instalment of the “Friday” franchise.

‘Coyote vs. Acme' Ruled Eligible for Best Animated Feature Oscar — Crashes the Race Against ‘Wildwood’ and ‘Toy Story 5’

Should "Coyote vs. Acme" even be considered an animated film? The Academy requires animation to cover 75% of a film's runtime, and somehow this movie cleared that bar.

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.

CONFIRMED: Sadie Soverall Exits Brady Corbet's ‘The Origin of the World' Mid-Shoot, Lily McInerny Steps In Lead Role

Sadie Soverall was just let go after briefly filming on Corbet's new film — no official reason given. She had the lead role. Corbet has replaced her, last minute, with Lily McInerny.

Ron Howard’s ‘Alone at Dawn’ Starring Adam Driver and Anne Hathaway Sets Christmas 2027 Release

This is the adaptation of the nonfiction book by Dan Schilling and Lori Longfritz. It wrapped production in February and has been in post-production ever since. The film test-screened a few months ago.

Jeremy Saulnier’s Next Film Retitled to ‘Slayground,’ Current Runtime is 2.5 Hours, Plot Details

Jeremy Saulnier’s mysterious A24 project, formerly “October,” still has no release date. You’d think, given that it has been in post-production for almost a year now.

Jemima Kirke and Alexi Wasser to Star in Woody Allen's Next Film

A few months ago, Deadline reported that Woody Allen's next film, set in Madrid and carrying a $14M budget, will be "largely English-language" and feature a "high-profile cast."

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.

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